Watching Solo step up and deliver cinema every week in Roman's absence ❤

All jokes aside I know Roman must be proud af of his baby cousin!

Tribe leader/Viking Sukuna headcanons

After seeing this fanart, a sweet anon sent me this prompt: "Imagine that you are a simple girl in another tribe who attracted the leader Sukuna who at that moment came to negotiate with the leader of your tribe, he became interested in you and decided to make you his wife and cooperate with your people. So you left with him and began to live with him and give birth to his heirs."

Thank you so much for sending me this! When I saw the art, I was thinking of something along those lines, too! The picture reminded me of the tv show Vikings, so the following headcanons take place in that time.

Pairing: Viking!Sukuna x Reader (female) Genre: Smut + fluff Word Count: 2.5k Warnings: 18+, smut, arranged/forced marriage, virginity loss, blood, breeding, pregnancy, slight lactation kink, having children, miscarriage (Sukuna comforts reader afterwards. He doesn't just want her because of the heirs she can give him), general mentions of violence and human sacrifices. All characters are of age. This story is 18+. Minors don't interact.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is feared for his ruthlessness in battle and his strength that seems almost god-like. All the other tribes try to stay on his good side and forge alliances with him instead of giving him a reason to burn down their towns.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who looks so intimidating when he comes to visit your settlement. Tall and broad-shouldered with all those buff muscles on display and the bones of his enemies decorating his clothes.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who you can't take your eyes off when you and the rest of your tribe gather in your leader's throne room and watch the negotiations. He sends shivers down your spine, but not just in a fear-inducing way, if you are honest. He is so enticing. Powerful and intelligent, and so attractive.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is such a beautiful man. His face is too pretty for a warrior. Not even his scars and tribal tattoos can hide his beauty. A smug smirk lifts the corners of his lips, and his voice is calm and confident. He moves gracefully like a big cat, beautiful but deadly. He is the most stunning man you have ever seen, and you hang on every word that falls from his lips as if he carries ancient magic in his voice.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, whose icy blue eyes scan the crowd slowly, glittering like two precious jewels in the firelight illuminating the crowded room. Your breath catches in your throat when that intense gaze lands on you. You feel like a small animal trapped in the gaze of its hunter. Should you lower your head to show him your respect? Or will he take affront if you dare to look at anything else but him?

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who takes the decision away from you when he smirks at you and laughs softly before he turns his attention back to your leader.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who announces his conditions for a peace treaty in a confident, demanding tone. The voice of a man who is used to getting what he wants. A man who knows he is too powerful to get turned down.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who suddenly points a long tattoed finger at you and speaks the words that will flip your whole world upside down, "And I want her."

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who makes your heart drop with his demand, but all you can do is stare at him in a mix of fear and excitement. A murmur runs through the crowd, and already, several hands are pressing against your back, shoving you towards Sukuna, making you stumble and screech as you are about to fall at his feet.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who catches you before you hit the ground, his muscular arms holding you easily, an amused smirk lighting up his handsome face, light blue eyes glittering in amusement as he drawls teasingly, "Aww, someone's eager to become my little wife, huh?"

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who makes you sit on his lap that evening when a big feast is held in his honor and to seal the peace treaty with your tribe. You barely dare breathe, full of fear as you sit on his strong, muscled thighs, gasping when one of his large hands wanders under your skirt to squeeze your thigh possessively.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who has two of his men stand guard in front of your door so no one will attack his future wife or maybe to prevent you from sneaking away. But you aren't even sure you want to run from him. Who are you here in your current tribe anyway? Just another orphan who grew up to help on one of the farms. Isn't this new role much more important? To be the bride of Ryomen Sukuna? To be a means that allows your tribe to prosper and ensures peace and trade with Sukuna?

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, whose large hand has a firm, unrelenting grip on your arm as he leads you to his horse the next morning. But he lets you say goodbye to all your loved ones, taking their blessings and well wishes with you before your future husband helps you onto his horse.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is such a rough man, but whose hands are surprisingly gentle when he lifts you onto the back of his giant horse. He sits behind you, his firm muscles pressing against your back, rippling with every move he makes. His muscular buff arms cage you in, keeping you captive or keeping you safe. You can't tell which one of the two it is.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who makes a conflict rage in your chest. On the one hand, you are scared of this dangerous big man who has the power to just demand to have you as if you are some cattle. On the other hand, you can't deny that small hidden part of you that feels excited that such a powerful and attractive man desires you enough to want to make you his wife.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who makes your pulse flutter nervously when you feel his strong arms around you and hear him order his men around with his low, velvety voice, telling them to find a good resting place for the night.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who kisses you roughly on that first night. His large hands that cup your face are calloused, but his lips are warm, and his tongue is soft and so skilled when he pries your mouth open and licks into it. It's nothing like the shy, clumsy kisses you shared with the boys in your settlement. Sukuna is a feared warrior, a powerful tribe leader, someone who people believe is actually the son of a god. And you can feel all that in his kiss. Deep and intense, making your head spin and your body brim with a desire you have never felt before.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who rides with you again the next day and trails teasing kisses down your neck to pass the time during the long ride. You are sure he is fully aware of what he is doing to you. How he makes your heart race and makes a mix of fear and arousal throb in your veins. Especially when he grabs your chin to tilt your face up and capture your lips in a heated, wet kiss, licking unashamedly into your mouth in front of his men, showing everyone that you are his.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who whispers in your ear, "Are you scared of me, my little wife?" and then breaks out in loud, barking laughter when you exhale shakily and tell him, "Only a fool wouldn't be scared of you... but maybe I am also flattered that you picked me, my lord."

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who still chuckles while his tongue licks a lazy stripe up the side of your neck, and he huskily tells you, "I am not a lord. I am a god. And I saw a goddess right there in that shabby throne room. I had to take you with me. It was a sign from the gods. You will give me such strong and beautiful children. Together, we can conquer the whole world."

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who forces himself to keep his hands off you before your wedding night as a show of respect to the gods, but who lets you feel his desire for you when he hugs you from behind and presses his hardness against you once you have moved into his house.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who has you dressed in the finest garments for your wedding day. A beautiful red dress lined with gorgeous white ermine fur that was specifically made for you. Your neck, wrists, and ears are decorated with glittering gold and precious gemstones.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who makes you squeal when he swoops you up into his muscular arms and carries you into the ceremony hall, accompanied by the loud cheers of his people. Your hand is shaking when you exchange wedding rings with him, but you stay brave, speaking your vows and taking Sukuna's heavy sword when he offers it to you as his promise to protect you.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who sacrifices several of his enemies to the gods to ask for their blessings for your marriage and your fertility. He looks scary with the pattern painted onto his face with fresh blood. But at the same time, it makes him look feral in a way that makes an unknown heat throb between your legs.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who shares his food and mead with you on the decadent feast held after the wedding ceremony, where you sit on the throne next to his. One of his strong arms stays wrapped around your waist the whole evening, and the deep glances he sends your way make your skin tingle with anticipation.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who takes your virginity that night, making you cry out in pain when his thick cock splits you open for the first time. But his lips silence your cry, and soon you make other noises. Loud moans of pleasure fall from your lips as your new husband moves inside you with deep and sure thrusts that hit a spot inside you that makes you scratch the broad muscles of his back and arch up against Sukuna's huge body. Your cunt throbs around his cock as you find the sweetest and most intense release you ever had.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who afterward pushes two of his long fingers into your used cunt to push his seed back into you, leaning down to kiss you savagely and murmuring in your ear that he wants to see your belly hard and swollen with his heirs.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who paints his clan symbols on your face with a mix of your virginal blood and his cum, telling you that you are his forever and that you are blessed by the gods now too after taking his seed into you.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is so proud when you show the first signs of pregnancy.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who becomes extremely protective and possessive now that you carry his heir. Who worships your body every night, cupping and kissing your swollen breasts, licking at the drops of milk that already spill from them, telling you it tastes like the nectar of the gods.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, whose large rough hands caress your swollen belly gently, who kisses it, and talks to your unborn child, telling his son, as he predicts, that he will be born under the blessing of the gods. That he will become a great leader and a god himself one day.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is triumphant when your first child is a boy with pink hair and a strong build and loud voice. A future leader just like his father. The first heir of many more to follow.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is feared by everyone but treats his wife and newborn child with a gentleness that surprises you. He asks you to let him hold your baby and carry him in his strong arms. And the way Sukuna looks at your child tells you that he doesn't just see little Yuuji as an heir but as someone who has Sukuna's heart.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, whose hungry and proud gaze follows you for days until he has you under him again, fucking you with hard, deep thrusts, moaning loudly, and pumping you full of his seed over and over again. "You gave me such a strong heir, my love. I know you'll give me so many more."

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who rushes to your side when you have a miscarriage during your second pregnancy. Who hugs you to his broad chest, wipes the sweat and blood off you, and cradles you in his arms.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who kisses your tears away and reassures you when you are scared he will kick you out if you won't give him more heirs.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who shakes his head and tells you, "I mourn our unborn child, but I thank the gods for not taking my beloved wife away from me too. You are more to me than just a vessel that gives birth to my heirs. You are my wife, my companion, the one who the gods sent to me as my soulmate. I love you. Even if we have no more children, I will never take a new wife."

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who you see in a new light after the reassurance and love he gave you on that day. And suddenly, you find yourself falling in love with your husband, too. You treat him more tenderly. You caress his soft hair when the two of you cuddle in your bed to keep each other warm. You kiss the tattoos on his face and smile at him, your heart fluttering when Sukuna smiles back at you and pulls you into a slow, tender kiss. You will never forget the happiness in his eyes when you tell him you love him too.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who fucks you thoroughly that night until the two of you are sweating and rolling around on top of the warm furs, kissing and caressing each other needily while he fills you with his hot seed until you are overflowing from it.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is delighted when you give birth to your second child, and that child looks like the perfect mix of the two of you. He grins at you and tells you that this is clearly a child of love, conceived on the night you confessed your love to him.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who is actually a caring husband who truly treasures you. Who likes to spend his nights with you wrapped under the warm furs, making slow love while he kisses you deeply, rolling his hips with those slow, languid moves that make you sob his name and come undone so sweetly on his cock. 

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who likes to hold you in his strong arms afterward, with your head resting on his broad chest and your small fingers tracing the tattoos on his chest and abs. He loves to talk to you for hours every night, telling you all about his day, about his current worries and plans, about political things and battle tactics, trusting you with all his secrets.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, whose love fills you with warmth even on the coldest winter days. Your heart is held securely in his strong hands. And you know that no one will dare lay a hand on you or your children in fear of Sukuna's wrath. His strength and power make you feel safe here in your new home.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who teaches you how to enjoy sex to the fullest. Who teaches you how to ride his cock and his face. Who teaches you how to take from him too. Because he is your husband, and that means he belongs to you just as much as you belong to him.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who trusts you with ruling in his place during his absence. Who declares that anyone who disrespects you will get sacrificed to the gods.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who keeps you on his thick, strong cock all night before he has to leave for one of his various exploration trips or battles, savoring you to the fullest. Making sure to fuck you so good that you will still feel him for days after he set sail.

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who pulls you into his arms one last time before he boards the ship, kissing you deep and long. And there is this burning love in his blue gaze when he tells you, "I will do anything in my power to come back to you, my love. I have the gods on my side. But if, for whatever reason, they should decide it is my time to enter Valhalla, then I want you to know that I will wait there until you join the afterlife, too, and I will come find you, no matter where you are."

+ Tribe leader Sukuna, who luckily doesn't go to Valhalla and always comes back to you with more scars on his gorgeous body but with the same love in his eyes.

AAAHHH I AM IN LOVE WITH HIM!!! This became much longer than I intended, but I really miss the show Vikings, and I love Viking!Sukuna to an insane amount, so it is what it is ;) This was, once again, very self-indulgent, but hopefully, some of my fellow Sukuna lovers will enjoy it too! Thank you so much to the nice anon who sent me that prompt!

Please let me know what you think. Comments and reblogs would be very sweet.

Do you think there's a more complex and nuanced outcome as a result of Katara marrying Zuko rather than it just being Katara becoming a fire lady? Especially since, technically, she's the daughter of a chief and that considers her to be a tribal princess like Yue.

That is a good question. I suppose I don't think there's a situation where Katara marries Zuko and doesn't become fire lady. Since the definition of the word is, and correct me if I'm wrong, the Fire Lord's wife. But if you mean whether she'll live in a palace, I believe that she will.

According to this article she also lived Far From Home (lol) with A\ang, and in their family picture none of them wear clothes for the SWT's cold weather. Which does make sense with how fine she was with leaving to find Aang and how she spent the entire series away from home and the show rarely treated it as an issue to be dealt with. Additionally, now that the war is over she can pay regular visits to her home.

But that doesn't mean that the chief's daughter becoming fire lady isn't complex and nuanced. First thihgs first, I want to go through what being the fire lady & daughter of the chief would mean.

The fire lady doesn't seem to have duties, since we never see Ursa do anything for the Fire Nation. But it at least has to grant you respect and THE connection to the Fire Lord. Katara isn't Ursa, and is passionate & active in nature. The role comes with a certain power that can assist with one's political pursuits greatly.

As for her being a tribal princess, as opposed to the Fire Lady, Yue explicitly that she has duties.

Yue: You don't understand. I have duties to my father, to my tribe.

But Yue was probably the heir to the throne. She had no siblings as far as we know, and she says "my tribe". I don't know whether the north would accept a female chief, given how sexist it was. But some evidence there is to support that she was the heir is this line from her fiance:

"Perks". If she was going to marry him for him to become the chief despite having no other connections to the bloodline, he wouldn't casually call becoming a chief a "perk". Furthermore, when Sokka tries to hit on her, he remarks of their simularities as they're both a prince and a princess. And Sokka is ann heir, he's the future chief.

It's likely that they were arranged for other political reasons and Yue was going to become queen. Whether she was going to be respected/accepted is up in the air.

But we do know of another heirs that might help us get a fuller picture: Eska and Desna. They had a duty to their father as a prince and a princess. It was their wish to help their father whom they believed was a great man. Which isn't typical for an heir. This is why we can look at their case to see what Katara's life as the daughter of the chief would look like. In their case, they helpped the NWT in whatever they thought was right. And it's likely that so would Katara.

What does that leave us with? A role that grants her political power in the Fire Nation with no duties, and a person with a duty to the Southern Water Tribe.

The Positive

To me this paints a clear picture: Katara would use said political power to push the Fire Nation to rehabilitate the Southern Water Tribe from their atrocities.

I'm not the first person to show these before vs. After pics, but it's very important to remember the sheer extent of the Fire Nation's harm to Katata's home.

Before:

After:

And until the show ended, Katara was still the last waterbender of the south. Don't get me wrong, it IS Zuko's job to rehabilitate the SWT. But she'd want this.

Katara always want to help those around her by any means necessery. If it's getting captured in a Fire Nation prison or blowing up a factory, she will find the power to help others. So the power to fix the wrongs inflicted on her own culture and home being given to her, just for loving who she wants to love, is incredibly rewarding and narrativly satisfying.

The Negatives

1. All of what I've just described is good in theory, but in practice she's likely to face immense backlash. The people of the Fire Nation have been indoctrinated into believing the war was good and were fed Fire Nation propaganda since their school days (The Headband) and continued well into adulthood (Ember Island Players).

Suddenly the new fire lord comes along and decides that the war they've been fighting fir a 100 years is bad actually. And NOW he's dating a waterbender and the daughter of the chief, no less. + Suddenly the girl is starting to have demands. She'll be one of the most cobtroversial figures of that era, and that's no easy task.

2. It opens the door for one bad situation that no one could be blamed for. What if Zuko's heir would be a waterbender? That cannot be. Will the role of the heir go to whoever's a firebender/none bender regardless of order? What would it make their kids feel? Will Zuko be okay with how it'd make his kids feel? It raises so many questions, so many complexities and there seem to be no winners.

But looking at these negatives from a perspective of literary merit, as A:TLA is a fictional work, are these really negatives? I'd say no. There is no real suffering at stake here, only captivating conflicts to be explored. In real life, these nasty situations have to be dealt with. They're raw, they're complicated, and in literature, that's good. Conflicts are the oxygen of a story. Especially ones with no easy answers.

In conclusion, Katara marrying Zuko would make her the fire lady. This would lead to complex and nuanced situations, both good and bad, making for excellent conflicts/character progressions.

I don't know if this is the answer you wanted, but these are my thoughts. Thank you for the ask and have a nice day! 💕

"Last week was on me. You named me the Tribal Heir for a reason. So, tonight, I'm gonna show you. I'll fix it."

stop it, i have a feeling roman’s losing on sunday. here are my reasons:

1) Paul’s getting inducted into HOF which could mean possible retirement (Roman’s doing his speech)

2) Roman’s documentary just came out which could mean we are coming to an end

3) Jey and Jimmy will most like reconcile after their wrestlemania match which could mean Jimmy turns on Roman again

4) It seems like the Rock, Solo, and Jimmy are all gonna turn on him

5) Solo’s the tribal heir and he’s giving hints that he could possibly turn on Roman

it makes me so sad because its like the end of an era☹️☹️

Solo (and his new bloodline) is the perfect example of what happens when you thrust someone so young and inexperienced into a position of so much power, too quickly.

He understands loyalty to the culture and traditions of his people. We saw this when he immediately fell in line and followed every one of Roman’s orders.

Even when he came to blows with his own brothers, he always accepted his role as enforcer and did what his tribal chief asked of him.

He understands the duty he has to the elders, who taught him everything he knows, evidenced by the words he chose to emphasize as he explained his betrayal of Jimmy

I had to lose a brother… I had to.. in order for me to find a new one

Solo has always put the culture and his duty above all else

In fact, he probably learned everything roman could teach him about being the figurehead of the table*, but he hasn’t yet learned everything that life needed to teach him.

The wisdom that comes with age, the temperament that comes from experience.

He hasn’t learned the patience or levelheadedness or composure he needs to be the head of the table. He’s rash and impulsive and quick to violence:

Kevin made a single joke about the bloodline, and solo decided he quite literally needed to pay for it with his life.

Jimmy lost one match, and solo made sure he was no longer around to tarnish the family name.

That’s why there’s a hierarchy at the end of the day. This is why jey (or Jimmy) were supposed to be set up as tribal heir. They’ve had a lifetime of experiences to draw from, on top of knowing the culture and traditions. They had this knowledge and wisdom before being trained for this position.

But not Solo.

Because roman could no longer depend on jey, he began depending way more on solo, way too early and way too quickly

He was doomed to fail from the start, from the very beginning when jey and jimmy began endorsing him for the next tribal chief (whether they were being genuine or just using it as a dig at roman). He tasted the power and has craved it every since.

And in the end it’s gonna be his downfall.

—————————

*a little extra explanation: I say figurehead specifically because roman taught him how to ACT like the tribal chief, but he never really taught him how to BE the tribal chief: how to handle the power, the ins and outs of the business, the logistics behind that power they all covet that keeps everything in balance (which is a big reason why roman relied sooo heavily on Paul, something solo isn’t doing)

hi how do you cope with stans having bad takes and their overall illiteracy and refusal to critique the misogyny homophobia and racism in Sarah’s works and continue to elevate her popularity when there are better authors who could do with her fame

Unfortunately the extreme fans of sarah janet's work are not alone in declining to put thought into the media they consume. I try not to engage directly - that usually ends badly. Generally I just mention I don't care for her work and move on. If they press me I say why.

Also I just generally try to recommend better books tbh. If someone says they like tog because they like that celaena has more than one love interest and doesn't end up with the first, I go 'oh! You may like Tamora Pierce. Most of her heroines have more than one love interest, and she also has stabby ladies!'

'I like the worldbuilding' may I interest you in the books of pellinor in this trying time, or The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

'Fantasy romance' I admit I usually lean more fantasy than romance in my reading, but I DO enjoy Blackmantle despite a couple of issues, because 'rightful part-sidhe heir reclaims her family's throne and eventually has to rescue her foreverlove from death after which they live forever!'

Dark fae romance: daaaaark is a bit of a misnomer (for the romance part) but the Toby Daye series has fae galore and a stabby kickass heroine who solves a lot of her problems by punching them in the face. Her stepmom is a mermaid. One who punches people in the face. It's a thing. The High Mountain Court isn't exactly dark either but it has fae and sexy romance.

Anyway my point is this: I am of the firm belief that a lot of people find sarah janet's work compelling or original because they haven't had the chance to read the books she works from (and I don't even in this instance mean the Suspicious Similarities). I think, and have found, that ALMOST ALWAYS (*almost*) the fans of hers who start reading other things start drifting more towards those other things. I genuinely believe this is the true reason bloomsbury wanted to publish her work in YA: YA readers usually haven't been able to read as many books as adults who read, and can therefore be offered less original things without noticing.

I don't mean 'oh lol kids don't know what racism is' but I do mean that, at least in the US, media literacy is being hardcore removed from the curriculum. It is a skill that needs teaching and practice, not an innate talent that some people Just Ignore. If people are given a wider range of things to read, they will start to see more patterns and question why some books do this while others don't.

And I think that Bloomsbury and Sarah Janet herself, in managing her books and writing as they would a brand, are deliberately driving what is (questionably) called 'tribal marketing' and encouraging an 'us vs them' mentality. You'll note similar marketing tactics with apple products.

so I know after watchmen came out there was then a massive slew of other "deconstructions" or "genre critical" comics or just plain edgy stuff. i know you generally prefer the more optimist played straight stuff, but is there anything of that sort of thing that you really like?

There's a couple of directions you can go with this ask, so I'll give you an answer for each

if you're just looking for my personal favorite meta take on superheroes, you wanna check out flex mentallo

a fictional superhero imagined by a dying kid brought to life, this mini series by Morrison follows Flex's quest to solve the mystery of the death of his fellow fictional superhero The Fact. Morrison is one of the greatest comics writer alive, and this is their definitive statement on the genre, a deep and intimate look at how the platonic superheros of your childhood deal with a world of death, sex, and suicide. Dark, funny, meta, and mercifully short, if you read nothing else I recommend you read this. You'll finish it in an hour and think about it for the rest of your life.

If you want something less so meta and more so just a really well written and gritty 80s comic, check out denny o'neil and deny's cowan's run on The Question

This run follows the physical, psychological, and spiritual journey of journalist and vigilante Vic Sage as he struggles to bring justice to the deeply corrupt Hub City. It features a much more zen and spiritual take on the classic ditko character, and has a lot of great appearances from some underappreciated members of DC's stable. This run in particular is a must read for fans of Watchmen imo. It features the character that inspired Rorsarch, and actually has a few tongue in cheek references to him during the run. More than anything though, you should read it because it understands something most of Watchmen's successors didn't: Watchmen wasn't great because it was dark and gritty, it was great because it was a smartly written story with something interesting to say, and so is this run. If you've got some pocket change to spare, pick up the omnibuses that released last year. They published the absolutely essential letters columns that most digital uploads of the run neglect, wherein denny hosts a mini book club about the literature that inspired the run.

If you want a meta superhero story that's actually about watchmen, check out 2019's Peter Cannon Thunderbolt

Peter Cannon was a Charelston character that never really found a home. A medical man and captain of industry imbued with ancient tribal knowledge that gives him the powers of the supernatural, he served as the inspiration for Ozymandias. This story is explicitly and unsubtly addressing and rebuking Watchmen: the core conceit of the story is the original peter cannon confronting a universe-hopping ozymandias (for legal reasons her another Peter Cannon) constantly re-enacting his final plan from Watchmen on different universes until it works. Though not as much a visual force compared to the others on this list, what it lacks in raw technical skill it more than makes up for in creativity and enthusiasm. In order to rebuke a work you have to understand it, and ironically this explicit refutation of Watchmen still understands and respects it better than most of it's direct heirs by being about something. Though at times a bit too meta for it's own good, if you care about comics this is one you absolutely have to read

If you just want to kick back and watch Alan Moore twist the nipples off the genre in another work, I highly recommend checking out his work on superman

everyone and their mom has read, or at least been recommended, For the Man Who Has Everything and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, but not as many people know about Moore's third (and my personal favorite) outing with the man of steel: DC Comics Presents #85. A short team up (in the loosest sense of the word) between Superman and Swamp Thing, this story more than any other strips away the layers of myth and baggage around superman and exposes the raw psychological core beneath it. Very short, very simple, and probably not as good as his mircaleman run, but i have the benefit of having read this one so I can actually vouch for it's quality.

Finally, as you mentioned earlier, I tend to like reading more straightforward and optimistic stuff, especially when it comes to my capeshit. While some of the stories I've recommended here get quite dark, nothing really reaches the point of being 'edgy.' I haven't read, and thus can't recommend, the primo edgy content such as Preacher or The Authority (though I've heard good things!). But there is one mindlessly dark and edgy comic that I just can't help loving to death: the ever classic Marvel zombies

A beautiful example of a story that is exactly what it says on the tin: The marvel universe overrun by zombies. The only really original part of its take on the zombies is also the thing that makes it so much damn fun: they're all still intelligent, and basically themselves from before they turned, just with an insatiable and uncontrollable hunger for flesh. Gorey art, pitch black humor, and a lot of genuinely interesting and compelling story arcs you really couldn't do anywhere else, there's been about a trillion followups to it but I still love the original the best. It's not smart, it's not meta, it's not even a particularly good zombie apocalypse story, but it's fun, dammit, and that's a fair bit more than what most of the drivel that passes for good literature these days can say. best read when you're 12 years old and up way past your bedtime

Hey I been talking about the handling of black characters a lot

A huge issues modern writers including black ones have mentality of middle schoolers

You know those who have extreme tribalism and lack of empathy?

Seriously the older I get the more I’m astounded by the how significantly older black people who are activists act like immature children

Also this when it comes to black characters https://x.com/badlicksink/status/1768356135877169448?s=46

Oh let me use Forspoken as example

“So we are going to make a brand new ip where the mc is a young black woman!”

“Okay”

“And it going to use Final Fantasy 15 engine”

“That good, so who the Mc?”

“Her name is Freya Holland”

“Oh she must be biracial-“

“Nope she actually the daughter of another world powerful magical user call a Titania[which is painfully obvious] and a guy from New York!”

“Okay i understand that Harry Potter though more Paris of Troy if we are being honest. Popularize the idea of a heir to an another land being raised somewhere else for multiple reasons. “

“Now there was this plague that affected freya mother and the other Titanias. But before that she travelled to nyc and fell in love with an earth human and got impregnated. She left her daughter in New York in order to protect her!”

“Well she must have been given to her father as it would explain why this non white character have such a Nordic name-“

“Nope she was left on that place named holland nyc!”

“Her mother couldn’t give her to her father…wait…was she a foster care child?”

“Yes and she have a rap sheet of stealing but she did that to survive!”

“So we have a bastard heir of a powerful warrior with a deadbeat dad, that grow up in foster care and stole a lot. Are you sure a confused boomer didn’t write this?”

“Nope we had consultants from black gamer girlz group to help us out!”

HOW IN THE NINE FUCKING HELLS DID ASSASSIN CREED DURING THE FINAL YEARS OF 360/PS3 MADE MORE COMPELLING BLACK CHARACTERS THAN A PS5 EXCLUSIVE GAME THAT IS USING FF15 ENGINE?!

Side note, black people been in the Jrpg side for years. But I’m late as I did have a Xbox and due to hardships I could play a lot of Jrpgs until I can afford them as a adult

Actually I had black teen dad Jrpg idea I made snippets of it so you can get a feel to what I’m going with.

Also this large but activists…you invested and favoring black fictional characters doesn’t mean you have real life empathy toward black peoples

See how the left said how racist HP bank goblins were vs their opinion on Israelis

Hey I been talking about the handling of black characters a lot A huge issues modern writers including black ones have mentality of middle schoolers You know those who have extreme tribalism and lack of empathy?

Professional activist be like that, they need a fight and in the absence of one they'll find the most flimsy excuse possible to do that, looking deep into a issue or even worse at actual workable solutions for whatever it is is secondary.

Same with the people that would rather just be seen to be doing the right thing.

That'll get you accused of using a trope, though oddly the other won't because reasons.

“Her name is Freya Holland” “Oh she must be biracial-“ “Nope she actually the daughter of another world powerful magical user call a Titania[which is painfully obvious] and a guy from New York!”

That's a whole lot of european names, lol

HOW IN THE NINE FUCKING HELLS DID ASSASSIN CREED DURING THE FINAL YEARS OF 360/PS3 MADE MORE COMPELLING BLACK CHARACTERS THAN A PS5 EXCLUSIVE GAME THAT IS USING FF15 ENGINE?!

There was less concern of people losing their shit over any perceived slight.

Early South Park Christmas episode hit on why all of the efforts to make sure your product was entirely non offensive are stupid and will just be boring in the end, oddly long before all of this crap started.

Side note, black people been in the Jrpg side for years. But I’m late as I did have a Xbox and due to hardships I could play a lot of Jrpgs until I can afford them as a adult

I really wonder how closely the companies look at their sales demographics, probably get the bulk of their data from twitter and such.

I'd never seen that as something that surprised people though, DBZ and ATLA as well as several others are things that cross all demographics in fandom, figured they'd think the same about jrpg's.

Also this large but activists…you invested and favoring black fictional characters doesn’t mean you have real life empathy toward black peoples See how the left said how racist HP bank goblins were vs their opinion on Israelis

That's fairly common when you ask people to put their money where their mouth is, that and they didn't actually care about Antisemitism then even, just a cudgel to beat JK Rowling over the head with, because I'm sure she was deeply involved in the overall design and production of that game.

Not like the gaming company can just purchase the licensing rights and make a game without any real involvement from the author or anything like that.

Slacktivism doesn't actually require you to care about the alleged victims, just have to hate someone involved in the whatever it is you're protesting.

Number of times I saw the term "blood libel" misused was obscene.

Awukhoziel Tribes

Admuszroktebi: This is the first Awukhoziel tribe to be formed, being well-known for their exceptional mastery over agriculture, hunting, fishing, weaving, beast-taming, and peacekeeping. They’re also known for their festivals dedicated to the titans, elaborate dancing, melodious music, exquisite taste in the visual arts, and oral storytelling. In regards to their tribal name, Admuszroktebi means “children of the red earth or man’s offspring”. All members are born with pallid, snowy or ashen skin that have scattered brown moles or rufous or dark grey freckles and purplish, pinkish or silvery stretch marks. Men’s hair is often medium in black and various shades of natural red, while women usually have long hair with different tones of blonde and brown. Admuszroktebi men wear cacophonous moon-elk loincloths, one-shouldered mantles of various dyed colours, girdles of dried pomegranates and golden bells, shawls with tassels, straw hats, phylacteries, and leather sandals. Admuszroktebi women wear rosy-throated warthog undergarments, richly ornamented mantles, girdles of dried blueberries, crape myrtle, and silver bells, veils, and rope sandals. They also wore long, low-necked silk dresses of many colourful patterns with the bodice being open all the way to their waist, exposing their breasts. Religious chieftains and chieftainesses wear very similar clothing to the other tribal members, but there are noticeable differences. Their clothing has more embroidered intricacy and they wear jewellery, crowns of flowers and feathers, and leaf undergarments, while their hair is decorated with gemstones and ribbons. Guards and infantrymen wear bronze armour that consist of animalistic helmets, gorgets, pauldrons, bell cuirasses, vambraces, gloves, and greaves. They also wear knee-length rhinoceros skin skirts with gold embroidery and they carry fish-scaled kite shields, halberds, daggers, and battle-axes. Their government is a bit democratic, but it has some leniency to the elected chieftain and chieftainess who represent the people and values of the tribe. A new pair would be elected for a few solid reasons: (1) tyranny has become prevalent or evil intentions are realised by the populace; (2) the previous experienced a soul-crashing loss that impedes their rule; (3) death or serious illness has occurred; and (4) the old pair wants to give others a chance, letting them retire or take a break from their position. Their currency is replaced with exchanging materials of mostly equal value through authenticity, condition, and weight. They live in temperate forests and bogs where land, vegetation, animals, and bodies of water are plentiful, and their architecture is a blend between Minoan, Achaemenid, and Pakistani.

Hubaszrokji: This is the second Awukhoziel tribe, being well-known for not possessing a military due to having a strong distaste for war. They’re also known for their strict religious beliefs, blacksmithing, brewing, hard focus on community and family, and frequent trades. In regards to their tribal name, Hubaszrokji means “beyond the desert or across the river”. All members are born with pallid or ashen skin, black moles, and faint pinkish or brownish stretch marks. The hair of men is usually medium in glossy black, white smoke, vanilla, and different shades of brown, but some are short. Women’s hair is long and medium in matte black, seashell, parchment, and different shades of brown. They’re also known for their valuable merchandise, knowledge of accessible trading routes, strict religious policies, and high respect for the titans. Hubaszrokji men wear mid-thigh silk under-tunics, ornate sleeveless cloak-like garments of linen, croaking wolf breeches, colourful robes, and rope sandals. Hubaszrokji women wear elaborate aprons woven out of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads, heavy woollen shawls, robes of finer material, proboscis camel underdresses, and leather sandals. Kings and their heirs wear similar clothing to male civilians, but they have sackcloths to cover their loins, sleeved cloak-like garments of goat hair with tassels at bottom, and well-decorated and vibrant robes. They also wore girdles of rope and dried flowers, turbans adorned with gold and jewels, and personalised pieces of clothing. High-ranking priestesses and hierophants wore very similar clothing to the civilians, but they had rope girdles, velvet turbans, dull-toned robes, and golden frontlets. They also have breastplates attached to their aprons by gilt-brass chains tied to bronze rings on the shoulder straps. These breastplates are decorated with twelve different gemstones that have unique meanings: in the first row, jade (forthrightness and remembrance), moonstone (purity and chastity), and garnet (truth, constancy, and virtue); in the second row, amethyst (sincerity and sobriety), aquamarine (courage and hope), and chrysolite (happiness); in the third row, alexandrite (justice, contentment, and strength), sapphire (wisdom, love, and loyalty), and zircon (respect). Their government is a republican monarchy where citizens are entitled to vote for those who are spiritually and intellectually fit to be kings, high-ranking priestesses and hierophants, and religious judges. Their currency consists of coins made from low-quality electrum to average silver and brass to expensive gold. They live in the cooler deserts as well as tropical savannas, and their architecture is a mixture between Iranian, Etruscan, and Herodian.

Prijakhozlumne: They’re the third Awukhoziel tribe, being well-known for their hard focus on the matriarchy, all-male slavery, strict gender-based laws, and bloodthirsty pillages. They’re also known for their prominent record-keeping and use of alchemy, cartography, jewellery crafting, mummification of corpses, brothels, and gargantuan temples dedicated to the Hirczalotepus Tejasozuri. In regards to their tribal name, Prijakhozlumne means “mansion of the spiritual river, middle of the world’s heart or earliest spring dew”. All members have ashen skin that has scattered black or cinereous moles and pinkish stretch marks. The hair of men is medium in black and different shades of brown, while women’s hair is either long or medium in black and different shades of brown and red. Prijakhozlumne men simply wore dirty, tattered wrap-around skirts belted with a crudely made girdle of robe, bells, and dried leaves at the waist. Prijakhozlumne women wear knee-length tunics with short sleeves and a round neckline, fringed shawls of wool and embroidered geometric designs, ankle-length sheepskin skirts, brooches, hair ornaments, neck rings, and leather sandals. The empress wears a cacophonous moon-elk dress, white, sky blue, vermillion, and bronze robes of silk, a floral ribbon-like sash, elaborate golden jewellery encrusted with semiprecious stones, and a pschent plus a golden royal vulture-like headdress that has the head of a rearing cobra. Princesses and noblewomen wore similar clothing to the empress, but their main differences come in rosy-throated warthog dresses, delicate hair ribbons, and headdresses of gold leaf, lapis lazuli, carnelian, feathers, and their birthstone. The hierophant wears saffron-lacquered silk and linen orange robes, a leopard-spotted kesa, ballooning white damask trousers, a straw conical hat, and rope sandals. Prostitutes wear a two-strap network dress with an edge that’s below the breasts and they’re embellished with beads or feathers at the bottom. They also wear tasselled shawls of linen, robes of scarlet and purple, black veils, necklaces of golden pearls, earrings, anklets, and nipple piercings. Record-keepers and alchemists wear ivory, red, gold, and purple robes, gilt brass or silver masks of stylised animal heads, baggy pants, bronze armlets, gemstone amulets, velvet loincloths, girdles of cord, bells, dried flowers, and amethyst beads, and wool boots. Warriors wear lacquered iron attached-visor helmets with a sculpted lóng holding the sun and elk horns, and gilt-brass cuirasses, vambraces, thigh and calf guards, pauldrons, and sabatons. Underneath their armour, they wore a one-piece, wrapped-front baggy garment and high-waisted, loose pants. They carry circular or square bronze shields, javelins, battle axes, maces, glaives, bows and arrows, skull-breaking knives, long-bladed poles, and curved, slender, single-bladed longswords. Their government is a matriarchal, fascist aristocracy that consists of an empress, one or more princesses, noblewomen, a hierophant, numerous sacred record-keepers, alchemists, and prostitutes, and an all-male military dictatorship. Their currency involves the trade of male slaves and elaborate jewellery in order to obtain materials. This tribe occupies the warmer deserts as well as chaparrals, and they possess a blend of Ancient Egyptian and Sumerian architecture.

Glekavominus: They’re the fourth Awukhoziel tribe, being well-known for their phenomenal military strategies, philosophical debates, and hard focus on the patriarchy. They’re also known for their gymnastics, gladiatorial battles, pyre funerals, and extensive studies in mathematics and astronomy. In regards to their tribal name, Glekavominus means “to lie hidden, interpreter’s extension or true speech”. All members have pallid skin with dark grey, reddish-brown or cinereous freckles and silvery stretch marks. Men’s hair is usually short in different shades of blonde, while women have long hair in numerous red and orange hues. Glekavominus men wear knee-length, silver brooch-fastened fabric tunics, semicircular cloth wraps, short cloaks, leather belts, pendant necklaces, rings, and hobnailed, thick-soled walking shoes. Glekavominus women wear long robes of modesty, rectangular shawls, veils, girdles, amulets, earrings, bracelets, anklets, and thick-soled saffron sandals. Warriors wear armbands, wristbands, gilt-brass cuirasses, greaves, vambraces, and pauldrons, plumed helmets, wraps made from an animal hide of their choosing, leather cloaks, and buskins. They carry rectangular and oval-shaped shields, shortswords, daggers, two or three spears, battle axes, morningstars, and blowguns with poisonous darts. Their government is an oligarchic ergatocracy that consists of a small group of militant workers, law-makers, public heralds, and one hierophant or priestess. Their currency is made up of intricate gold, silver, bronze, electrum, orichalum, and copper coinage with the weight determining their overall value. This tribe can be seen inhabiting low-density coniferous forests and high plateaus, and they have Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic architecture.

Aymuszonite (plural noun: Aymuszonites): They’re the fifth Awukhoziel tribe, being well-known for splitting apart from the primarily patriarchal Glekavominus and warriors cutting off their right or left breast. They’re also known for their lenient, religion-based nomadic lifestyle, proper treatment of women, disgust for men, superb agility and combat knowledge, and horseback riding skills. In regards to their tribal name, Aymuszonite means “to make war, without a breast, virility-killing or manless”. As they were originally part of the Glekavominus tribe, the Aymuszonites still retain their physical appearance. Aymuszonite civilians wear multi-layered robes made from lightweight materials, breast belts, knitted shawls, well-decorated headdresses, exquisite jewellery, and scandals of woven papyrus leaves. Aymuszonite warriors wear one-shouldered mantles of their assigned birth colour, plumed helmets that depict an animal head of their choosing, bronze cuirasses and greaves, heavy-soled hobnailed sandal-boots, and white, grey, blue, and/or red face paint. They also carry hoplite shields of sturdy pyrite, claymores, battle daggers, throwing spears, and bows and arrows. Their government is a parliamentary democracy where the leading female and public servants derive her legitimacy and political power from the ability to command the support of the legislature. An election for new public servants and a leading female happens every 5 years and the same ones can only be selected three times. Their currency involves the use of trading fish and animal pelts as well as diamond, gilt-brass, orichalum, and pyrite coinage. They prefer to inhabit temperate deciduous forests and grasslands where density is relatively high and animals are plentiful, and their architecture is a fusion between Byzantine and Flamboyant Gothic.

Sibutozera: They’re the last known Awukhoziel tribe to ever exist, being well-known for their temperature resistance, high rates of having blue eyes, and highly advanced technology that’s infused with eldritch magic. They’re also known for their mastery over mining, clay and stone sculpting, lumbering, archery, pilgrimages, and raids. In regards to their tribal name, Sibutozera means “to settle under the earth or northern chisel”. All members have snowy skin and brownish moles with men’s hair either being long and medium in lavenderblush and different shades of blonde and red. On the other hand, women possess long and short hair in lilac and different shades of brown, blonde, and red. Both men and women often tie their hair in a French, fishtail or knotless braid or put them up in ponytails. Sibutozera men wear rings of bronze or gold and a birthstone, linen silver-embroidered flax tunics with chain belts, heavy wool trousers, cacophonous moon-elk cloaks, and mid-calf fur boots. Sibutozera women wear tassel earrings, necklaces of animal teeth, gold-embroidered chitons, sleeved flax under-tunics, rosy-throated warthog parkas, and knee-high fur boots. Chieftains and chieftainesses wear very similar clothing to civilians, but they have gilt-brass torques, garments made from finer and warmer materials, and ornate, metallic armour. Warriors have minimal armour, bejewelled helmets, kite or two-engrailed top shields made from painted wood and enforced with steel, battle axes, crossbows, lances, spears, and swords. Unlike the previous tribes, the Sibutozera is a clan society that’s ruled by an autocratic chieftain or chieftainess. Their currency consists of iron coinage, small pieces of jewellery, and stones infused with protection magic. They live underground in tundras and snow-covered taiga, and they possess Neolithic, Visigothic, and Baroque architecture.

So, I’ve decided to give the Random Legacy Challenge a go. I’m not sure if you’re supposed to do a roll for the founding generation, but I wanted to, so here we are. The pic might be too small to read, so here’s what I got and some other stuff about this...

My founding family structure is to be a single parent with “help.” I’ve decided I’m going to create two siblings (my RNG decided on a brother and sister), and then one of them has to have a kid. I only have to have one kid in this generation, so there’ll be zero “tension” about who gets to be the first heir, but that’s fine.

One sibling gets the Military career, the other gets Law Enforcement. I kind of like the Law Enforcement career, and I can’t  remember if I’ve ever played the Military career, so that’s all fine.

I did a separate roll to determine the type of party to throw for the generational goal, and got “Event Party.” I honestly can’t remember if I’ve ever thrown a party in TS3. I have a mod that turns off the endless invitations to parties because I find them annoying, so my Sims don’t generally attend them, but I can’t remember if I’ve thrown one. I did in TS2 on occasion, but it wasn’t something I was big on. Maybe it’ll be different for TS3. I’m thinking a birthday party for the kid, maybe. 

And “Runs in the Family” is just having the kids (in this case only one) inherit a parent’s trait. Which is something that I sometimes do in my regular playing anyway, so nothing new there.

So there’s that. I think it’ll be fun to have siblings instead of a couple, and the rest is fine. Hopefully it’ll be fun. I do plan to bump up the possibility of alien abduction/pregnancy in this save via the Abductor mod, so hopefully that will add some randomness. And maybe it’ll mean that the brother in the founding pair will be the one to birth a kid. We’ll see.

I’ve decided to use Meadow Glen for my world, partly because it has all the rabbitholes for the careers in it, but mostly because it’s my favorite pre-built world. (I was going to use Storybrook County, but then I remembered how much I dislike playing in high rise buildings and apartments in general, if for no other reason than that NPCs constantly get stuck in them.) I’m currently editing a copy of Meadow Glen a bit to get rid of houses that won’t be useful (like larger ones with only one bedroom) and replacing them with others, adding a couple houseboats, adding stuff to the festival lot, doing some general tweaks to the community lots, etc.. I’m also getting rid of all the palm trees in the world because it’s going to have a climate that wouldn’t support palm trees. In fact, I’m making a brand-new Tempest preset for it. (Which I’ll share, of course.) 

I’m going to use 15-day seasons (broken out in Tempest into three five-day-long “months” each), and a life span based on four Sim-days per year with realistically-proportioned life stage lengths. Those lengths are:

Baby = 4 days. Toddler = 12 days. Child = 36 days. Teen = 24 days. YA = 68 days. Adult = 120 days. Elder = 68 days

This is much longer than recommended for the challenge, but it’s the lifespan I typically use in my playing unless I’m using a much longer one. (It’s the same lifespan I’m using in the “Clueless Jaime” save.) It gives time for kids to be kids and for adults to reach their goals and such without me feeling rushed. I use NRaas Relativity to slow down the rate of skilling to match, things like that. So, it’ll move slowly, but that’s what I like.

All that said, if you’re interested in seeing what I do with this, there’ll be posts soonish, once I finish the world-editing, finish the Tempest preset, and make the founders. I’m still going to be playing Clueless Jaime and the “tribal” save, too. I like to hop between saves because it makes it more likely that I’ll stick with all of them. This one will just be added to the mix.

I’m the Bible didn’t God kill a man for pulling out? I swear I read that somewhere and was like wtf?

I believe this is the passage you are thinking of:

"Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also." - Genesis 38: 8-10

This is a section of the Bible some people who are against birth control use to support that idea, but going into the context of the story, that's not really what it's saying here.

This passage is a very specific situation to Onan and Tamar, his dead brother's widow, not a general rule for humanity. This situation was in regards to a custom that was practiced at the time called Levirate Marriage, in which the closest unmarried relative of a dead man would have intercourse or marry his brother's widow specifically to produce an heir. This was in order to preserve tribal inheritance rights.

Onan, in this case, was not killed for the sole reason of pulling out. This was a very deliberate, malicious act on his part because he knew the child produced would not be considered his. Because he pulled out he was leaving Tamar, the widow, pretty much stranded. With no heir she would be left disgraced and would most likely end up in prostitution. He used Tamar for sex, pretending to get her pregnant. So he was taking advantage of her, which was a really wicked thing for him to do.

So it wasn't simply because he pulled out, it was the circumstances surrounding the situation and the reason he pulled out.

Cornwall's Random Card of the Day #572: Cenn's Heir

Cenn's Heir is a common from Lorwyn.

This is about as specifically Lorwyn as it gets: a Kithkin who is tribal support for an all-Kithkin deck. I can kinda see what people talked about with Lorwyn drafts being "on rails". If you had enough of these guys it would justify just having nothing but Kithkin in your deck. And at least some of those will also reward you for having more Kithkin, and snowballing ensues.

A Cenn, BTW, is a Kithkin mayor, elected to lead the township. Though, with the thoughtweft, "lead" may be the wrong word for it, more like "loudest thought in a single brain". Kithkin are all psychic, and therefore don't have to worry about corrupt politicians. The reason I know all this shit about Lorwyn is that back in the day, the Magic website was....actually good. And it had articles about all the flavour aspects of a world that are really hard to just piece together from the cards alone. To my knowledge, they never stopped making these bits of lore, just the articles explaining them, and I kinda weep for all that unrecognised effort.

Darksword – The Monarch Sword with Integrated Sword Belt

The Monarch exemplifies the classic 13th century Type X medieval sword. The type X was in common usage from the time of the Vikings throughout much of the middle ages, and is recognizable for its broad blade with full-length fuller. This version has a distinctive “Brazil nut” pommel, common to the mid-1200’s and beyond but most clearly represented on the type X to type XI transitory blades. The Monarch has the long, tapered blade typical of the cut-and-thrust swords that evolved to counter the increasing advances made in armor protection, and the curved guard is consistent with the numerous surviving 13th century Brazil nut swords found in museums and collections. The Monarch is a classic design that will be a unique presence in any collection.

The blade of the Monarch is forged from mirror-polished 5160 high carbon steel which is differentially tempered to possess a hardened edge of 60 HRc steel and a flexing, shock absorbing core of 48-50 HRc hardness. The guard and pommel are of steel and the wooden grip is bound in leather. The blade is securely anchored into the hilt with a robust peen on the pommel. Included with the sword is a wood-core scabbard which is tightly bound in leather and completed with an integrated sword belt and a protective steel chape.

Since ancient tribal times, humans have tended to organize themselves into hierarchies. These would at first have been nomadic bands of hunter-gatherers, though as agriculture led to the rise of cities and more stabilized, centralized cultures there would be individuals who sought to lead. Those who led larger groups of people could gather immense amounts of power, and when that power gained enough momentum to pass the boundary of generations it created a monarchy.

Most records from early civilizations indicated monarchies were incredibly common, and typically follow the hereditary structure with the power passing from father to son. Many of these societies started in Mesopotamia or other areas close to the cradle of civilization, indicating monarchies were likely one of the first forms of human government. Monarchy swiftly spread from Humanity’s birthplace across the world, and everywhere it went it tended to have more or less the same characteristics.

In a monarchy, the monarch – typically a king, though queens could also sometimes rule – was a member of a dynastic royal family in which power passed from parent to child and monarchs tended to rule from the death of the previous king until their own death. When the currently seated monarch would die, the rule of the city-state or nation would pass to their heir – typically the eldest male child. When the eldest male child was not the most suitable ruler, or if no male children were to be had, different systems of hereditary succession could be used to determine the identity of the next monarch within the royal extended family – a nephew, a cousin, even an older relative. For this reason tracing royal lines can be a great deal more complicated than simply looking at parent to child passage of power. Further complicating the transition of power could be competing claims for the throne, where multiple persons with historical ties to the reigning family may make claim to the throne upon the death of the ruler. This led to countless wars of succession across human history, so which resulted in entire branches of royal families being liquidated by prospective kings in order to secure their future rule.

Monarchies brought several benefits to nations, despite the top heavy concentration of power. One of the benefits was continuity of rule, as upon the death of the previous ruler the next ruler is believed to already be king – even if they have not yet ascended the throne. Another benefit of a monarchical government especially in the West (though it would certainly appear in different forms elsewhere in the world) was the concept of the Divine Right of Kings. This religious dogma legitimized the rule of monarch by establishing a belief system in which the king had been appointed by God to fulfill the role of ruler for his people. That is, God has specifically chosen this ruler for these people, and it is the responsibility of the people to follow their King as God’s representative on earth. This has the added benefit of raising the king over the authority of any Earthly body of power, reducing or completely eliminating his accountability to anyone but god. With both politics and church behind the institution, monarchs ruled Europe for centuries almost without question.

Some kings were kinds and just, others were cruel and terrible – but both were mere mortals in the end, and those who took their so-called divine mandate to heart would accomplish some true good in the world. It would not be until the Age of Enlightenment that power would begin to transfer away from hereditary systems of absolute rule into the hands of the people without whom kings would have no power. Yet even to today, monarchs around the world continue to be heads of state.

The Darksword Armory Monarch is inspired by the those kings who became the best that their office would allow. A true example of a 13th Century arming sword, the Monarch shows the fruits of the evolution of the arms and armors of the Middle Ages. As armors dating prior to the 13th century were most commonly composed of mail armor made to withstand early medieval period weapons, there was rapid development of greater forms of protection. By the mid-13th century however, the advances in protective gear inspired a corresponding change in blade geometry. Finely tapered blades, with very pointy tips now served to pierce the weak points in heavily armored foes. The Monarch has one of these blades, double-edged with a long fuller and weighted for cut-and-thrust combat. Its simple, classic curved guard provides an elegant compliment to the no-nonsense blade. It is the Brazil nut pommel, though, that sets this piece apart. A feature indicative of the 13th century arming sword, this is our best rendition of the Brazil nut pommel, and we believe it is a perfect match for the rest of the sword. May the Monarch be the sword you have been looking for to inspire you to achieve the best you can in this world!

Using bullet points to keep it clear and concise

I will be using the existing fantasy au touched upon in the recent light novels with some creative liberties

There’s layers upon layers of backstory and lore that I won’t get fully into to keep an air of mystery and intrigue

UA is a guild and magic replaces quirks

Gods and demigods exist but they’re relatively antiquated in certain cultures

Species of creatures can be distinguished into certain cultural traits as humans from different cultures irl

Geography is semi Pangea like but with large bodies of water separating nations

Large bodies of water bigger than an average lake but disconnected from the ocean and sea are commonly inhabited by diverse water dwelling species, some very dangerous to land dwellers

The majority of nations are either tribal, monarchies, or empires

The most powerful existing nation are two monarchies and one tribal government

King Enji the Endeavor and Queen Rei are the current monarchs of the Northern Kingdom, Rei being born into the title and Enji being nobility in the Southern Empire

The Southern Empire had recently fallen apart and is more commonly known as the Southern Territory.

The South is where the majority of its population are theives, runaways, and nomads

The Eastern Empire is run by Emperor Yaoyorozu and his Empress Harumi

The Eastern Emperor has many concubines but his wife has many known lovers as well.

Openly polyamorous but many have criticized the Empress for being unable to bear children to be the next heir to the throne

But 21 years ago Empress was blessed with a successful pregnancy of twin daughters

Unfortunately gifts from the gods don’t come without sacrifice and Harumi had to give up one of her daughters in order to keep them both alive and wasn’t allowed to contact her

Harumi ultimately decides to give one of her daughters to her most trusted confidant and former lover, Asami, to live a comfortable life in the Nation of her choice

Asami is a loving and protective mother to the baby girl the gods named Tenchu

Asami chose to live a nomadic life but was temporarily adopted into the Bakugo Clan in the Western Territory

When Tenchu was 13 she was given her first permanent tribal markings of her adopted clan but almost immediately after the clan was under attack and she and her mother were forced to flee to the Northern Kingdom

When Tenchu was sixteen her mother fell ill and left her daughter a substantial inheritance and many useful items

These items include many books and photographs as well as a magic satchel bag that could carry an infinite amount of items but only allowed you to retrieve items that you absolutely needed

Since then she had studied magic, becoming self taught and managing to soul bond the satchel to herself so she could never lose it

She never got a formal education but was very bright and witty

She lives a minimalistic lifestyle, valuing honesty and integrity above all else

At age eighteen she was almost scouted by UA’s heroes guild but declined in favor of her nomadic life

She learned basic training from her mother but was self taught in more complex combat and magic

Since the age of sixteen she has committed herself to finding her adoptive clan

Now at age twenty one she came to meet a man her age from said clan but he harshly rejects any speculation of his past or family for unknown reasons

Tenchu’s interest in the past faded quickly in the few months she has become accustomed to the man, especially as confusing and slightly concerning feelings arise

She also gains an affection for a tiefling named Mina in their makeshift clan she becomes well accustomed

She also develops an oddly divine connection to a merchant’s son bard with a rather elusive past and electric aura

Roped into many adventures and quests she leads and confusing yet thrilling life with tragedy, mystery, but an unexpected happy ending

I would literally pay anything to read a novel like this it’s such a good concept and it’s so well thought out too! And the way there’s threads for angst and romance that are just waiting to be tied in nice neat? I love it

I'm not saying leftism shouldn't be criticized and scrutinized, but 9/10 the criticism i see being leveraged is just the average tribalism and things that happen in any movement or ideology if it reaches thousands of millions of people, and for whatever reason you need to whip yourself and write a 100 pages mea culpa essay.

"yeah sure there are states were any sort of leftist ideology is being curb stomped by corrupt right wingers with billions of dollars at heir disposal and taking away people's liberties and having heir constitutional rights violated thought loopholes...but aren't you ashamed of being in ideology that has intra conflict and individual cases of toxicity?!?"