#fallen empire and loyal child
Text
Hetalia Headcanon #476
During his childhood in England's hands, Canada accumulated a lot of scraps England left behind. Half-written poems, torn-up letters, unfinished knitting projects England abandoned because they weren't good enough... Canada saved everything and stored them with care. He didn't dare to ask for anything, but having all those pieces that proved England's passage made him feel less lonely, more certain that England would come back.
Only later Canada realized that in doing that, he might have invaded England's privacy. He still didn't get rid of anything – but he keeps all that stuff stored in a box and he would die of shame if England ever found out.
#hetalia#hetalia headcanon#aph canada#aph england#fallen empire and loyal child#feyna's headcanon#tbh I think Canada also has abandonment issues from his experience with France#not that France meant it but still
31 notes
·
View notes
Text
the almighty queen of sun and her,,, loyal consort?
queen celestine imperious light of the equestrian western empire has been known as her the source of all power for centuries. her reign as empress expanded over various times and spaces, as she conquered to maintain her power, and establish herself as a rightful ruler. with the help of the idea that her claim to rulership is her divine status.
over the years, celestia has very few times ever taken up a true lover. she’s fallen in love, broken her heart, adopted children and seen them group up into ponies she’s proud of. and perhaps even had a child or two. but one thing that’s always been consistent through her years, is the loss of those she loved most. even her sister over time grew distant to her presence. and this began to break a part of her ,,,
one of her long time lovers in the past, known now as starswirl serenade, grandson of the great starswirl the bearded, was a pony she grew terribly fond of. they’d devoted quite a lot of each other to each of each others presences. and the two could hardly recall a time in which they didn’t miss the feeling of being near the other. they laughed together , joked of his grandfather’s harsh teachings and remarks.
perhaps at some point they’d had formally married, but time always takes its toll. and serenade passed in his sleep from an illness he couldn’t quite shake.
devastated , it was not recalled whether the queen ever took another lover. not for a long time at least. in that time though, there were rumours of a deity taking notice of the goddess, and the two slowly falling in love as they’d perhaps found comfort in each others consistent presences. but as the seasons change, as do the people around us. and this affair became infrequent as well.
though discord was a returning lover that the queen could call upon , they both knew the draconeques was not meant to live a life of settling. he was meant to change with the tide, and as such, he would disappear frequently. and soon enough, even he was gone in the blink of an eye too when his antics became worsened.
and just as she caught her breath, her sister in arms as well vanished from view.
the castle soon became,,, vacant.
as were the halls.
as were the streets.
and it all just felt ,,, so
lonely.
she’d become so lonely.
celestia craved the presence, the warmth and loving appearance of the ponies she held closest in the world. and with all the studies of new magic developing, surely she’d find her answer now. so she began to pour over shelves, delve herself into studies of history and reanimating. and after some years went by, ponies began to notice the appearance of a blue unicorn trotting by the side of the queen herself.
it was an affair that seemed to have happened over night. but the empress had seemingly reawakened a romantic love from a slumber of loneliness. and only months went by before she declared a wedding be held between her and her found sweetheart, starswirl spectacle. a descendant of the mighty wizard.
the event was grand, a celebration that the two could only wish would last forever. a renewed smile from the empress, and a soft grin from the dark unicorn. all the while though, a shadow seemed to lurk in the presence of this unicorn. a shadow that always seemed to have eyes on the pair, that burned a sinking feeling that wouldn’t vanish.
#princess celestia#celestia#star swirl serenade#discord#mlp#mlp fim#my little pony#my little pony fan art#my little pony friendship is magic#my little pony next generation#my little pony next gen#mlpfim#art#artwork#digital art#digital illustration#illustration
61 notes
·
View notes
Text
jaric kaedan: designated jerk
Jaric Kaedan is the designated jerk of the cold war era Jedi Council. When there is a mean or aggressive thing the writers want a member of the Council to say, Master Kaedan is nearly always the one to say it. However, I would argue that a lot of the mean things Kaedan says are mean things which needed to be said by someone.
For example, his questioning of Kira Carsen’s loyalty after it is revealed she is a Child of the Emperor is pertinent given the context. That someone who was accepted into the Order as an adult after attempting to steal the hyperdrive of a ship which just happened to belong to a member of the Jedi Council, whose position as that Council Member’s Padawan granted her close access to the Council, has been concealing her origins as a Sith acolyte is suspicious. During Act One the Jedi uncover a Sith sleeper agent, Tarnis, embedded deeply in Republic military research. In Consular Act Three, the potential infiltration of the Jedi Order by the Children of the Emperor is proven to be something Kaedan was absolutely correct to be concerned about. The Council would be remiss in its duty of protection towards the other members of the Order if they didn’t investigate the possibility of Kira being a plant. Arguably, they’d also be failing Kira by not consolidating the evidence proving her innocence because Kira might need that evidence if her status as a Child of the Emperor leaks again in the future.
Kaedan’s cynicism about the prospects of Tol Braga’s plan bring peace with the Empire is entirely reasonable. The risks of undertaking the mission go beyond the risk to the members of the strike team. If the Jedi abduct or assassinate the Sith Emperor it will trigger a second great galactic war – a war the republic military has been preparing for but may not be ready to begin. Even if Tol Braga succeeds in turning the Emperor to the Light, the wider Empire would be unlikely accept the commands of a Jedi Emperor, either dismissing the “redemption” as lies or mind control, or denouncing the ruler they are already becoming disillusioned with as a traitor.
His concerns about Jomar Chul’s vision are also valid. Even if the Hero of Tython is unwaveringly loyal to the Order and would never willingly draw on the Dark-Side of the Force, the Jedi Council should be aware that Jedi can be forced into falling under torture. The vision is an ill omen at the outset of an already poorly considered mission.
This gives me the impression that Jaric Kaedan’s role as the designated jerk is something which exists in-universe – that he has fallen into a dynamic with the rest of the Jedi Council where he feels he must voice the cynical and callous opinions because most of the time nobody else is willing to. If the points aren’t raised the quality of the Council’s discussions will suffer, the quality of the Council’s decisions will suffer. None of them particularly want to tell Bela Kiwiiks she might have welcomed a mole into the Order or tell Tol Braga his pet emperor redemption project is stupid. So long as Jaric Kaedan is always willing to be the bad cop then then the other members of the Council are free to play the good cop, or the mediator, or the supplier of wise proverbs.
Which is, moving further into headcanon, part of the reason why Kaedan is such a grumpy jerk. He knows he’s slipped into this trap and resents it. He shouldn’t have to always be the one bringing these things up. He shouldn’t have to worry that nobody else will if he’s not there. And the habit of imagining and voicing cynical takes, once established, is difficult to break.
#Meanwhile in a Galaxy Far Far Away#swtor meta#Jaric Kaedan#star wars the old republic#a wild headcanon appeared
34 notes
·
View notes
Text
Adventure Ideas from Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
I’m rereading it recently, it’s definitely one of my favourite D&D books I’ve ever bought. And the Adventure Hooks & Connected Creatures sections of each dragon’s entry in this book’s Draconomicon are so good for adventures/adventure elements involving dragons. Some of my favourites, arranged according to vague categories:
Dragon Dungeons
“Ruins rumored to hold the treasury of a lost empire are guarded by an elaborate network of ooze-based traps designed by a restless adult black dragon.”
“An adult black dragon has hidden a cache of gems in a dismal topiary maze filled with shambling mounds, traps, and noxious plant life, all for the amusement of testing adventurers.”
(Black dragons, because of their association with fallen cultures and propensity for traps, make for great dungeon builders. Also, acid is just a nasty environmental hazard to build around, and they’re exactly the sorts of sadists who’ll make full use of it)
“A deep dragon wyrmling with an experimental bent has created a "garden" of gray oozes.”
“An adult green dragon and an adult gold dragon skirmish over control of the vine-choked ruins of a floating mausoleum and its library of talking skulls.”
(I have many, many questions about this one. Starting with the floating mausoleum (floating on water? In the air?), the library of talking skulls (though there’s one of those in Sigil as well, necromantic libraries of trapped spirits are apparently a thing), and finishing with why this particular pair of dragons are skirmishing over it. Are they each looking for information? The same information or different information? Is one of them, likely the gold, trying to destroy the library? I just. I have so many questions about this set of circumstances, and it’d be a fascinating thing to have a party stumble across, especially if they have something THEY might want from the library as well)
“A topaz dragon is building a tableau of desiccated creatures and has grown obsessed with catching one treasure hunter who escaped the dragon's clutches.”
NPCs with Draconic Friends
This is just a fantastic collection of NPCs to scatter around and have parties meet. Starting from NPCs with wyrmling companions, ranging from the fun to the rather tragic:
“A gnome relic hunter looting a long-abandoned city strikes up an unlikely partnership with a black dragon wyrmling to plunder an archaeological dig.”
“A knight rescued a bronze dragon wyrmling from sacrifice at the hands of a cult, and the two now travel together in search of wrongs to right.”
“A tiefling child has secretly hidden and raised a red dragon wyrmling from an egg. The wyrmling is bonded to the child, but dangerous to anyone else.”
“A family of deep gnomes adopts a shadow dragon wyrmling, hoping to show the dragon a noble path through gloom and despair.”
“A pirate crew keeps a curmudgeonly topaz dragon wyrmling as a beloved mascot.”
To NPCs with young dragon companions:
“A child's imaginary friend is a very real young copper dragon who can cast invisibility.”
“A young crystal dragon uses dancing lights and hypnotic pattern to give an air of authenticity to a charlatan fortuneteller's act, in exchange for a portion of the take from the charlatan's clients.”
“An assassin and a young emerald dragon train together to master the art of stealth.”
To more dangerous NPCs/enemies with adult or older draconic protection:
“An adult shadow dragon and a death knight are both hunted by adventurers. In their previous lives, the two were sworn enemies, but now they join together against their common foes.”
(There’s a real romance to this, two sworn enemies who fell to separate evils who come together now for pure survival. I would TOTALLY play this for undying loyalty, have the two of them be undoubtedly evil but also genuinely, death-defyingly loyal to each other, the only ones who know fully what each other has been through.)
“A death knight and an ancient white dragon swap tales of old foes and unanswered grievances, nursing the hunger for vengeance that sustains them.”
(Not going to lie, I’m really fond of this pairing, and not just because it’s a fantastic picture of two bitter, hateful, disgruntled old fogies sitting in the bitter cold grumbling together about ancient grudges, but instead of two grumpy old men at a bar, one of them is undead, and the other is a DRAGON. If the party is good at stealth, it’d be a fantastic picture to throw at them, you’re just hiding there holding your breath while these two incredibly lethal foes just *grumble* and commiserate with each other)
Dragons Loyal Beyond Death
Somewhat of a continuation of the above, more draconic loyalty, even after the death/corruption of the one they’re loyal to:
“An adult gold dragon feels responsible for a paladin's fall from grace and sends minions across the world in search of the paladin—now a death knight—so they both might be redeemed.”
(Fizban’s firmly believes that dragons and death knights make the best thematic companions, and I will grant them this point, because it’s got some fantastic warped chivalric imagery and I love it. A nice quest to entangle the party in if they’re the sort to enjoy moral quandries and redemption)
“A renowned gnome trickster, now deceased, so impressed an ancient copper dragon that the dragon assumes the gnome's form from time to time to help keep their legend alive.”
(This is just the … the best, most loving use of a dragon’s lifespan and shapeshifting abilities. That theme from The Last Unicorn of immortality through the memory of an immortal being. And of *course* it’s a gnome and a copper dragon, of course it’s the admiration of two tricksters. I’m not sure how well it’d fit into an adventure, but having a party learn this secret and decide what to do with it, to reveal the deception or let it continue, could be an interesting angle)
“Despite repeated mind flayer attacks, a young deep dragon refuses to leave the cave where the dragon's best friend—an adventurer who won the dragon's respect and affection—lingers as a ghost.”
(… I’m crying. What’s the solution here? Convince the ghost to move on or otherwise lay the ghost to rest so that the dragon can leave, knowing that this will mean the dragon loses their friend for good? Try to convince the dragon to leave their friend even if they still exist? Try to destroy the mindflayer colony? Try to somehow hide the cave from the mindflayers, so that the two can stay together? Try to distract the mindflayers with a different conflict so they’ll focus their efforts in that direction instead (at the risk of other nearby inhabitants)? What a fantastic and heartbreaking little situation to stumble across)
Dragon Communities
Whole communities that have incorporated or built up around a dragon, for when you want dragons as an acknowledged part of daily life somewhere, and have parties decide how to deal with that:
“An adult copper dragon serves as the patron of a community of gnome tinkerers, who present their best ideas to the dragon in hopes of being funded.”
(Sidenote: gnomes and dragons seem to get on great)
“A community of seal hunters reveres an ancient crystal dragon as the spirit of their glacier home. Such worship amuses and flatters the dragon, who keeps the hunters safe and leads them to locations where seals are plentiful.”
“A clan of gnomes pays a young dragon turtle to serve as a mobile refueling platform for their fleet of steamboats.”
(I love this one SO MUCH. Starting from the gnome steamboat flotilla itself, however you want to play this, from just a great lakes inspiring shipping business to an after-the-end Waterworld type scenario, to them then having a goddamn dragon turtle cooperating with them. Fantastic from all angles)
“An emerald dragon is the headmaster in absentia of a bardic college and must be convinced to defend the school in a contest against a rival college.”
Other Cool Dragon Plots
And then just some assorted draconic plots, which was *almost* just ancient dragons causing problems, but there was also one miscellaneous shadow dragon prompt that was just fantastic as well:
“An ancient green dragon is the guardian of a lich's phylactery and extorts favors from the lich.”
(Now *there’s* a power struggle to get embroiled in. A lich attempting to use the parties as agents to unknowingly retrieve their phylactery for them from an *undoubtedly* evil dragon’s hoard, and a subtle, sneaky green dragon who is literally *holding the lich’s life hostage against it* and who could potentially just reveal that to get the party to back off. If they didn’t feel like be subtle and using their own shapeshifting to turn the party back on the lich some other way. I fucking love green dragons. They’re such fantastic bastards and I adore them)
“An ancient crystal dragon follows a pod of whales from one sea to another, having grown fond of the valuable ambergris they leave in their wake. Now whalers are scheming to kill the dragon.”
(Okay. This is just such great *imagery* to start with, the whales and the whalers and the vast draconic protector, the greed and the livelihoods and the protection of nature, the looming mercantile interests of the perfume industry that uses the product … Ambergris is such a fascinating RL substance and history. Also, great quest if you’ve got druids or other characters interested in the protection of nature, balanced against more ‘civilised’ interests and risking’s the party’s relationship with some likely quite powerful players)
“An ancient deep dragon has put the folk of a city to work building the dragon a metropolis to rule in the center of a vast underground salt lake.”
(Again, this is just such a great, eerie image for a party to stumble across. The vast white lake under the black ceiling, the salt-scarred slaves (or are they slaves? could they be working willingly, and why?) toiling to raise labyrinthine white walls, the strange, fungal, nightmarish dragon at the centre of it. Given the deep dragon attraction to knowledge and writings, there could be an underdark library involved, strange writings embedded in carved salt granting the entire edifice unnatural durability as the deep dragon’s regional effect, that physical forms of writing cannot be damaged by nonmagical means within 6 miles of the lair, mean that these white, bloodstained walls *will not fall easily*. It’s just … such an image)
“A shadow dragon hunts the descendants of the miners who, centuries ago, uncovered the Shadowfell portal that caused the dragon's corruption.”
(And for a finisher, I just really like this. This miner’s curse, this vengeance from beneath the earth, this black shadow that follows a family line for not even a crime but a centuries-old *accident*. Possibly the Miner Forty Niner from Scooby Doo stuck a little too hard for me, but cursed miners is still just a great image. Is it worth attempting to convince the dragon that the sins of the fathers should not be borne by the sons? Or do we just have to slay the dragon?)
Conclusion
I do love this book. A lot. The Draconomicon section on its own is well worth reading. But, well. I also just really like dragons. So there’s that. Heh.
#d&d#fizban's treasury of dragons#dragons#dragon adventures#whoever was writing these sections#i love you and also wish to pick your brains
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
really unorganized notes on religious symbolism, creativity vs rationality, other stuff, and bastard munchen (and a little bit of other stuff including the other teams)
if i had time i would probably find a way to link all these ideas under a proper unifying idea. unfortunately, i do not, so i'm just compiling all the stuff i've noticed here and hoping someone else will be able to write a proper analysis
michael kaiser, "michael" meaning "chosen by god", "kaiser" meaning emperor -> "michael kaiser" meaning "god's chosen emperor". "kaiser" is the german pronunciation of the latin name "caesar", used to refer to the leader of the holy roman empire
blue rose tattoo symbolizing "impossible", "non-existent" - "…it's a symbol of rebellion against God". even though it's supposed to be a symbol of rebellion against God, the roses are attached to thorns, and the thorns are attached to a crown (jesus's crown of thorns)
"T" in bastard munchen's logo resembles the crucifix
kaiser refers to kaiser impact as "execution", execution pose also resembles crucifix
german bastard munchen players have a "unified cross run"
expanding on the impossible, "let go of your ego, kunigami rensuke. become the impossible". kunigami experimented on to become the next noel noa - noel noa is the impossible. kaiser used to look up to noel noa, bears a lot of resemblance to noa (rivalry with physically unremarkable egoist from japan, rough upbringing, eyeliner, etc.)
kaiser attempts to diminish isagi's role to being a "clown", but isagi's role is also referred to as a knight/hero. either the knight slays the emperor and takes his place, or the emperor stomps out the resistance. isagi also diminishes kaiser's role by calling him a clown
isagi is "the new hero", kunigami is "the fallen hero". could possibly tie into chris prince being "the perfect hero"(?)
a lot of stuff about stages and scripts
unlike jesus, kaiser does not have loyal disciples. at best, there is ness. i think it would be really funny if ness betrays kaiser though.
ness whose creativity was stomped out in favour for science/logic as a child -> found magic again through football -> joined rational bastard munchen -> found kaiser, capable of making the impossible possible -> "I don't need your creativity"
the way creativity is handled by the other teams can also be a good point to contrast with. for example, creativity coming so naturally to the key players on fc barcha that it's hard to teach properly, creativity being something the manshine players are struggling with, etc.
expanding on the other team's links thematically:
julien loki is "god's speedster" (but the name loki also comes from the norse god, julien means son of jove)
snuffy is a messenger/angel (marc meaning mars, roman god of war. i have no clue if this was intentional but it's worth noting just in case it is). something something, snuffy + the phoenix, mick's death, giving lorenzo new life + zombie imagery... jesus' resurrection? (this might be a stretch but just in case it's not this is worth noting)
ego calls yukimiya delusional for blindly (haha [i'm sorry]) putting faith in god
noel noa initially criticizing isagi for not having a concrete plan to reach his goals, calls him irrational
12 notes
·
View notes
Text
Talking with @rogueleader14 about our respective Star Wars AUs made me decide to share more characters who exist in it, as well as their stories. As I've alluded to elsewhere, this AU draws on all corners of Star Wars canon, be it Disney, Legends, LEGO, or in this case, Visions. I finally got around to watching both seasons this year, and I jumped at the chance to incorporate some of the characters in my AU. These are the micros I've made so far for these characters. Story details under the cut. All of them are in the post-Return of the Jedi setting.
-The Ronin, real name Douga Heian, was a child during the Clone Wars, his Force-sensitivity never manifesting until later in life. By the time that happened, the Empire had risen and he was picked up by the Inquisitorious rather than the Jedi. Though a promising talent and initially loyal to the Empire, he gradually became more aware of the Empire's corruption and went awol, laying low and even starting a family. After Palptaine's death at Endor, former Inquisitors and other Imperial Dark Jedi began running amok as warlords and independent raiders, prompting Douga to come out of hiding and hunt down his former contemporaries.
*I chose his name by combining Kamikaze Douga, the animation company that made The Duel, and the Heian period of Japan (794 to 1185), where the term ronin came from.
-Am and Karre's story is mostly the same, albeit toned down CONSIDERABLY. Here, their creation was overseen by Sebban Keto, a character from a roleplaying game who is descended from Aleema and Sataal Keto from the Tales of the Jedi comics. Sebban intended to revitalize the Krath cult with the twins at the head, but Karre's defection puts those plans on hold. Karre steadily grows into more of a true Jedi as he journeys on his own, while striving to save his sister from the dark path.
*Karre wields a dual-phase lightsaber with a unique gradient crystal. While obviously nowhere near as big as in the short (closer to Pong Krell's blades for reference), it still grows much longer and thicker, enabling a greatsword style of combat.
*Am initially only carried her two normal lightsabers, but installed the prosthetic arms and built the extra four after Karre went rogue.
-F, real name Ephalline Kinema (also taken from the name of the studio), is mostly intact for her story in the Village Bride. Specifically, her feet were maimed while escaping Order 66, forcing her and her master to take refuge for medical treatment. Her ridiculous high heels are actually prosthetics here. Ephalline was still recovering when Darth Vader tracked her master down, and she was forced to watch helplessly as he was cut down. Post-Village Bride, F wanders the galaxy to do good wherever she can, eventually leading her to Tao...
-Lop and Ocho's story is also unchanged. Several years later, Ocho has risen to be the Imperial magistrate of her homeworld, while Lop has fallen in with fellow Lepi smuggler Jaxxon T. Tumperakki to make ends meet. During one of their runs, they bump into F, who recognizes Lop's potential as a Jedi and offers to train her. This development, combined with Ocho's difficulties in arresting her sister (due in no small part to her conflicting loyalties), leads to the Empire sending an Inquisitor to "help out". Lop eventually completes her training, succedes in getting through to Ocho, and joins the New Jedi Order.
-Anni Kalfus and Julan Van Reeple enroll in a New Republic flight academy as teenagers before joining the fleet post graduation. Their rivalry continues into their service, even as they find themselves assigned to the same flight group. Thankfully, the demands of military service and the mentorship of General Thane Kyrell goes a long way towards improving their relationship. By the time of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, the two are genuine friends and lead their own squadron with distinction.
-Jay and T0-B1 both also exist around this time period, while the events of In the Stars, Bandits of Golak, The Spy Dancer, and The Pit happen during Imperial rule.
-The Elder takes place pre-Phantom Menace
-Daal and the Sith Mother are part of the Banite line.
-Sith and Journey to the Dark Head are during the New Sith Wars, and Aau's Song is shortly after the Battle of Ruusan.
-I'm debating on where The Ninth Jedi would go in the timeline, while Akakiri is an in-universe fable.
(microheroes based on templates and parts from my List of Sources)
#star wars#star wars au#star wars visions#the duel#star wars ronin#the twins#am#karre#the village bride#f#lop and ocho#lop#ocho#i am your mother#anni kalfus#julan van reeple#my pixels
17 notes
·
View notes
Text
BOLD the FACTS
Saw this from @elvenbeard and figured I'd give it a try for my angry boi Artek Sefyr and show off more of his reworked backstory. Also I need to post more in general so...
PERSONAL
Artek's life has been...convoluted since day one. From being born the bastard son of Onderon's royal family, to becoming the Jedi Order's Battlemaster, and eventually emerging the Alliance Commander, his life has been full of complications and responsibilities.
Financial: wealthy / moderate*/ poor / in poverty
Medical: fit / moderate**/ sickly / disabled / disadvantaged / non-applicable
Class or Caste: upper / middle / working / unsure / other
Education: qualified / unqualified / studying / other
Criminal Record***: yes, for major crimes / yes, for minor crimes / no / has committed crimes, but not caught yet / yes, but charges were dismissed
*He does earn a lot, but most of it he funnels into the Alliance, which is what keeps him out of wealthy
**Would be fit, but I think the severe amount of wounds he's sustained knock him down a notch.
***Most of these are either from the Sith or Eternal Empires. I have no doubt he's considered a criminal by both societies.
FAMILY
Artek has struggled with family. Being born the bastard son of Queen Lina Petryph and Fallen Jedi Orrin Sefyr, along with having Regalun for a younger brother, he never considered his biological family close. This led to him initially being a bit distant for a while.
Children: had a child or children / has no children / wants children*
Relationship with Family: close with sibling(s) / not close with sibling(s) / has no siblings / sibling(s) is deceased
Affiliation: orphaned / abandoned / adopted / disowned / raised by birth parent(s)** / not applicable
*He has been wanting children for a while, but considering he's commanding a war effort, it's not his biggest priority at the moment.
**While he has lost his royal inheritance, Queen Lina loved him dearly and raised him the best she could.
TRAITS & TENDENCIES
Artek has been known to be rather complicated personality wise. Generally, he's know to be generally friendly, open-minded, noble, and courageous, but is known to be stubborn, reckless, ruthless, and pragmatic at times, even as a Jedi Master. A lot of his behavior is rather contextual, and there's exceptions for just about every part of it.
♦ extroverted / introverted / in-between
♦ disorganized / organized / in-between
♦ close-minded / open-minded / in-between
♦ calm / anxious / in-between / highly contextual
♦ disagreeable / agreeable / in-between
♦ cautious / reckless / in-between / highly contextual
♦ patient / impatient / in-between
♦ outspoken / reserved / in-between / highly contextual
♦ leader / follower / in-between
♦ empathetic / vicious bastard / in-between
♦ optimistic / pessimistic / in-between
♦ traditional / modern / in-between
♦ hard-working / lazy / in-between
♦ cultured / uncultured / in-between / unknown
♦ loyal / disloyal / in-between / unknown
♦ faithful / unfaithful / in-between / unknown
BELIEFS
He's a Jedi. He believes in the Force, but that's about the extent any religious beliefs go to. He's open to the idea of god(s), but he's not going to devote himself to them.
Faith: monotheist / polytheist / atheist / agnostic*
Belief in Ghosts or Spirits: yes** / no / don’t know / don’t care / in a manner of speaking
Belief in an Afterlife: yes / no / don’t know / don’t care / in a manner of speaking
Belief in Reincarnation: yes / no / don’t know / don’t care / in a manner of speaking
Belief in Aliens: yes*** / no / don’t know / don’t care
Religious: orthodox / liberal / in between / not religious
Philosophical: yes / no / highly contextual
*Can Jedi be considered agnostic?
**Duh, he's spoken to quite a few.
***It's Star Wars, if he didn't believe in aliens, he'd be in denial.
SEXUALITY & ROMANCE
In his younger years, Artek was known to be very sexually active and kinda perverted. As he grew older, his libido died down, but he considers the Jedi Order's rules against sex and marriage to be hogwash still (though he does understand why those rules are in place at least).
Sexuality: heterosexual / homosexual / bisexual / asexual / pansexual
Sex: sex-repulsed / sex neutral / sex favorable / naive and clueless
Romance: romance repulsed / romance neutral / romance favorable / naive and clueless / romance suspicious
Sexually: adventurous* / experienced / naive / inexperienced / curious
Potential Sexual Partners: male / female / agender / other / none / all
Potential Romantic Partners: male / female / agender / other / none / all
*Still is kinda adventurous, but he's definitely more reserved.
ABILITIES
Being a Jedi, training comes with the job. He's known to be one of the best dualists in the order and has a bit of technical prowess on the side.
Combat Skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor/ none
Literacy Skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor / none
Artistic Skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor / none
Technical Skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor / none
HABITS
Following his time imprisoned by the Emperor, he has been known to fall into some bad habits. He indulged a lot in alcohol and overeating, much to the concern of his colleagues. Fortunately, he does have a bit of restraint to prevent himself from going over, and his friends do get him to snap out of it at times.
Drinking Alcohol: never / special occasions / rarely / sometimes / frequently / alcoholic / former borderline alcoholic turned sober*
Smoking: tried it / trying to quit / quit / never / rarely / sometimes / frequently / chain-smoker
Recreational Drugs: tried some / never / special occasions / sometimes / frequently / addict
Medicinal Drugs: never / no longer needs medication / some medication needed** / frequently / to excess
Unhealthy Food: never / special occasions / rarely / sometimes / frequently / binge eater
Splurge Spending: never / sometimes*** / frequently / shopaholic
Gambling: never / rarely / sometimes / frequently / compulsive gamble
*He did stop drinking after the Emperor's 'death' at the end of the Knight Story and went through RotHC and SoR sober. Come KOTXX again, however, he relapsed into it.
**I headcanon he does need a bit of medication, considering all the times his body's been shot at, stabbed, electrocuted, and straight up impaled (thanks Arcann)
***Generally responsible but does indulge every now and then to spoil Kira and Theron.
Yeah, this one was pretty fun to do! I'm slowly getting back into working on my SWTOR OCs, and hopefully some more stuff for Mass Effect, Baldur's Gate 3, and whatnot.
No pressure tags for @thelealinhypehouse @swtorpadawan @magicallulu7 @dream-of-tanalorr @beaut-ful-d-saster @cryo-lily and @vexa-legacy
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
Reclaimed bur/tropesona lore post
🟢DSMP
Wilson Minecraft (L’Manberg)
Wilson(Lmanbur) grew up in the Antarctic empire with his father Philza, adopted brother Tommy, and godfather Technoblade. As a child, Wilson had dreamed of becoming like his father and ruling an empire, though as he matured he had to accept that this would likely never happen.
Eventually, Wilson moved out, seeking to find adventure and fulfillment in lands beyond the frigid and war hardened empire where he was raised. Wilson tried to start a music career. Unfortunately, this ended in disaster and Wilson working minimum wage at a gas station.
One day, Wilson received a letter from Tommy, telling him of unclaimed territory in the newly discovered Dream SMP. Tommy had never forgotten about Wilson’s childhood dream and when he saw this land he knew this was the perfect place. Wilson left for the SMP the same day.
When he arrived in his van, Wilson met up with Tommy and Tubbo (Tommy’s childhood best friend) on a cliff overlooking the forest. On that very cliff side the boys decided to call their new country L’Manberg. The next day Wilson, Tommy, and Tubbo went to some neighboring settlements to convince people to join L’Manberg, painting the nation as one built on freedom, equality, and solving problems with words rather than violence.
Most people were fiercely loyal to their leader, Dream, and ignored the boys. However, a small group of people bought into the idea, seeking freedom from the labor that Dream was forcing them to do to start colonies. These 4 people, Niki Nihachu, Sally Soot, Eret Brine, and Jack Manifold became the first residents of L’Manberg.
The group was later joined by Wilson’s old friends Alexis Quackity and J. Schlatt. Quackity and Schlatt had recently gotten involved in the drug trade, leading Wil to bring them on board to boost the nation’s economy. About two months after L’Manberg was founded, Wilson had fallen in love with and married Sally and now they were expecting a child. Their daughter was born perfectly healthy and was named Floris (though he would come out as trans years later and change his name to Fundy).
Though things went well at first, peace would not last in L’Manberg for long. Only 6 months after L’Manberg’s founding, Dream (the man who discovered the Dream SMP) claimed that he found the land first and thus he owned it, demanding that the new nation be ruled by him. Wilson and the other L’Manbergians weren’t going to put up with tyranny, and so the Great L’Manberg Revolution began. The war lasted for several years but ultimately L’Manberg won its independence.
After the war, Wilson realized that he was no less tyrannical than Dream, having made himself the president without considering the opinions of his citizens. To solve this issue, Wilson decided to hold an election; however, Wil would soon come to regret this decision.
#bursonas#lmanbur#lmanberg#Burs reclaimed#Wilson is 18 and Tommy is 16 when L’Manberg starts. They are 21 and 19 when the war ends.#Zorishy’s tropesona lore#Symphony of gods and dreamers
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
I might be a few books ahead. I make no commitment to continue this.
Love Thy Neighbor, 1774-1775, Prudence Emerson
By: Ann Turner
Protagonist Age: 13
Started- 7/21/2022
Finished- 7/26/2022
Summary:
Prue’s whole family is loyal to the Crown in the days lading up to the American Revolution (except for maybe an older brother?) Her father’s shop struggles to do business and the Tory children are ostracized in school. After one too many incidents all of the family, except for her oldest brother and aunt, move to Boston to live with her uncle’s family in the hopes of finding more safety. After a few months in Boston both families make the decision to move once more, this time to Nantucket.
#ReadingThoughts
By this point she should be been in stays of varying stiffnesses (not corsets) for most of her life. Stop trying to make corsets an issue for most historical people. It’s like wearing a bra. Get over it. (Spoiler: they did not get over it.)
I don’t feel like the average 18th century teacher would be super focused on spelling. There wasn’t really standardized spelling so spelling anxiety phonetically probably wouldn't have been a huge deal I wouldn’t think.
I probably should have expected the house divided politics thing but big oof. I suppose this will be the case for a good chunk of the Revolution and Civil War books.
When did George III get the rep of being mad? I thought his first episode was after the Revolution but I could be wrong. (Internet indicated a potential episode in the mid 1760s but nothing concrete until the late 1780s so after the end of the Revolution.)
The recipe listed on page 12 is better than 90% of what I find online because I don’t have to skim past someone’s life story for a million years first.
I understand that it’s listed out for the reader but the list and the “Meh, I hate all of these chores��� comes off as a very modern attitude. Granted, I don’t think that any kid ever had enjoyed all of their chores.
How quick is the 18th century mail service? Also, a white silk pocket? For a child? How bougie are these people?
Boston makes sense for the short mail turn-around. Would Tories have called themselves Tories or would they have referred to themselves more consistently as Loyalists? Would a Tory have called those on the other sides “Patriots?” I think not.
I think the American intended audience means that even Tories refer to this conflict as a revolution, not a rebellion (or insurrection), because hindsight tells us we won. Had it gone the other way, I’m sure the Empire still would have fallen apart, we’d just refer to the 1770s as a failed rebellion or insurrection.
Would Thanksgiving have been celebrated at this point? The internet indicates maybe but probably not like we’re thinking.
More anti-corset propaganda. You can breathe in stays. The point wasn’t to reduce or constrict for most people. It was to support and give a conical shape. I am not here for this nonsense and Emma Watson can bite me.
Was the lavender soap yummy? (The best Gif I could find with minimal effort.)
I wonder at what age most midwives learned their trade.
How frustrating it must be for someone to come to you for a vital service at which you are skilled and have them be embarrassed to come to you. Kudos to Mama Emerson for how she handled that situation and shame on Mr. Jeptha’s Dad. (We do not stan this dad.)
I’m kinda amused that big bro is hiding pro-Revolution newspapers under his mattress like a porn stash.
Corset nonsense x 2!
Would Papa, a shop owner, know cobbling? That is a skilled trade and not easy as far as I know.
And on your left you’ll see a variety of trauma responses.
How old is Cousin Betsey? I don’t think most 13 year olds would be seriously contemplating matrimony as anything but far off, something for a few years down the line.
Corset nonsense
Waltzing? In 1775? In the colonies? That doesn’t sound right to me.
Corset nonsense.
Thoughts on the Afterward
The epilogue was fine. I liked that it noted that Mama delivered all 5 of Prue’s babies
Overall Thoughts After Reading
I feel like this was an unusual choice for publication in 2003 but it would be an even more unusual book to publish today. I thought it was interesting that the Emersons were seen as too Papist (Catholic) for decorating for Christmas.
Overall this book was fine. I rolled by eyes at every instance of Corset Nonsense (All 6 times. Stay tuned for this exciting new segment. *cue another eye roll*) and there were a few items that I need to check into a bit more. I remember reading this one when I was younger but have no strong feelings or memories about it.
Rating Scale
7/10 Papist Pine Boughs
Other Possible Contenders: Golden Stars (too basic) and Corset Nonsenses (this is an actual number and thus should not be confused but also being a rating scale)
Photo Credit:
Cover: Still me!
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
This is only a placeholder until I can get the character page for Flight of the Dragon filled out. It lists every named character in Flight of the Dragon.
This list will grow as I flesh out Flight of the Dragon's outline.
character list and age template created by @athenixrose
Characters:
Animal Companions (Flat characters):
Emray - Emray is a malamute. He stands about 26 inches in height at the shoulder and weighs about 95 pounds with a a plumed tail that is held over his back. He is stockier than other working dogs in Olessa. Emray has a thick, coarse black double coat with white muzzle and legs. He is extremely loyal to Alystin, even going as far as almost attacking Brennan after the Huntsman was burned to the ground, but once he realized that Brennan would not hurt her, Emray would become his best friend.
Dead Characters
Queen Constantine - Queen Constantine was the queen of the Blarney tribe, who would lead her tribe in uprisings against the Glorendt forces, call Brennan Draig and his Flight her family and friend, and the mother of Alystin Torrath, the Child of Prophecy. She would be brutally murdered hours after giving birth to her child. Constantine is considered a symbol of the struggle against the forces that wish to destroy Cirel.
Flat Characters:
Amés - Amés is the god of ecstasy, fertility, love, life, lust, passion, and resurrection. He is considered the king of all the gods and father to most of creation. As a god, he is a very prophetic being. He would rather meddle in mortal affairs than to see everything he created destroyed.
Beatrix Draig - Beatrix is a silver dragon who almost always takes the form of a blonde hair and grey eyes. After their fathers arranged a marriage between them, Beatrix would become Brennan’s lead consort and bore him many children. She would become battle-hardened and oversee the training of Brennan’s knights. Before the Cult of the Old Gods sieged Adwen ferch Afan castle, she had fallen deeply in love with Brennan and a bit possessive of him.
Main and Secondary Characters
Adeon Torrath - Adeon’s real name is Adeon Hesjing Vargach. He is also a silver dragon like Brennan and Beatrix. Adeon is the best of Brennan’s knights and his best friend. He is the one who went in search for the Hart for an animal sacrifice to ensure Alystin would grow up strong. Adeon is Alystin’s foster father and, eventually, comes to regard Isona as his mate.
Alystin Torrath - The most striking detail about Alystin is that she is actually a Child of Prophecy, a title given to those who are foretold to hold the fate of the Planes of Existence in their hands. Alystin is the only one who can open a portal standing on a leyline to the Death Plane from the mortal plane.
Brennan Draig - Brennan is a silver dragon and the ruler of Seralia, a section in the Olessa region. This region will become the Olessan Providence, Olessa Major, and Olessa Minor when the Olessan Empire is formed. Brennan’s family has watched over the Blayney tribe as it was foretold a Child of Prophecy would be born to one of its queens. When his castle is sieged by a mysterious cult devoted to the old gods, he will become a knight-errant to search for information about its existence and motives.
Ellarian Jhaer - Ellarian Jhaer is the product of chaos and the High Seer of the Cult of the Old Gods. She was born in a small Glorendine village. Her father would sell her to a chieftain from a neighboring tribe. She would be abused before she murdered the chieftain at a young age. At 10, Ellarian would be abducted by Enethian members of the cult and tortured until she broke mentally. She just wants to watch the world fall into chaos.
Kitos - Kitos is an orphan boy who grows up in Siollán. Alystin befriended him when he was younger, and the other children refused to play with them both. He is also a member of the Cult of the Old Gods. He would betray Alystin and burn down her foster parents’ inn.
Tertiary Characters
Isona Torrath - Isona is the midwife and wetnurse of Adwen ferch Afan castle. She was there the night Alystin’s mother was murdered by the High Seer of the Cult of the Old Gods. Although she cannot own the property, she and Adeon manages the Huntsman Inn. Isona is Alystin’s foster mother and eventually falls for Adeon, the young silver dragon.
#my ocs#oc: emray#oc: beatrix#oc: adeon#oc: alystin torrath#oc: brennan draig#oc: ellarian jhaer#oc: kitos#oc: isona#wip: flight of the dragon#people and customs
7 notes
·
View notes
Text
Following S'ria and Menphina in Garlemald from the quests "How the Mighty have Fallen" to "No Good Deed".
(the longest single S'ria Snippet piece, at around 4k)
Ao3
(warnings for panic responses and general Garlemald depressingness)
S'ria had thought he was past much of the long-ingrained hatred, whittled away through years of time spent with Cid, Lucia, Maxima – hell, even Gaius. He was fully prepared to help Garlemald, knowing that civilians had hardly done anything wrong (gods knew the propaganda could be incessant) and they did not deserve the brutality and the tempering foisted upon them by the Telophoroi.
That resolve did not last as long as he'd have liked in the face of loyal Garleans, whose minds were yet their own and still utterly consumed by the words their empire had fed them. S'ria could blame the constantly bitter chill for eroding his sanity and patience, but he feared that he hadn't approached this as openly as he'd intended.
But gods, the mistrust would've put anyone on edge.
Licinia's initial accusation was alarming – that their magics and the ones destroying the minds of her fellow countrymen were one in the same. S'ria wondered whether that was merely a knee-jerk reaction borne of ignorance, or if that was a rumor that had actively been sown to breed further xenophobia. It seemed an important distinction, to know what opposition they may face. If everyone thought the tempering was their fault... That could prove difficult.
It's strange... S'ria was well aware that Garlean sensibilities would teach pureblood citizens many things about someone like him -- uncivilized, inferior in every respect, not even worthy of being treated like a person... But he hadn't truly considered that civilians may fear him.
They calmed though, and accepted aid – maybe. There was an animosity that was so barely concealed, and S'ria knew full well that their desire to simply "help" would be met with skepticism at best. Their paranoia was... a familiar sensation to him, and few people in the world ever had perfectly pure intentions.
He loved the twins dearly, but he feared that Alphinaud's earnest altruism may only put them more on edge – better to seem a little more… believable. Telling them that they hoped for any not loyal to the Telophoroi to survive, simply to spite their enemy, would likely be accepted long before a truly charitable explanation would.
Possibly. Or maybe it would've made things worse.
S'ria knew Licinia was hiding something – someone – but what was he to do about that? The voice he heard didn't sound overly distressed, just weak, so he doubted it was any kind of captive… and so he left it at that. S'ria didn't understand why any member of their group wouldn't be allowed to take in the warmth of the fire with the rest of them, but that seemed far too much of a thing to press at this very delicate stage. Not when she, quite frankly, clearly hated S'ria.
Meeting the tappers was an almost welcome break from interacting with those at Victor's Spoils, if only to speak with some people who greeted their group with less hostility. Ah, well, less hostility after they tried to kill him, but it was a misunderstanding and no one had died, so fair was fair.
A part of S'ria was, illogically, almost jealous of this group. The labour was hard and they hadn't had a chance to leave the country even now, but S'ria couldn't help but think… if he had been brought to Garlemald for this sort of work instead, perhaps things would've been different. But he was a weak child then, it would never have been his fate anyway.
The walk back made S'ria suddenly conscious of the fact that Alisaie being by his side meant Alphinaud was alone, and seeing the area by the fire unattended was enough to make his breath quicken.
S'ria supposed maybe they should've known better, but the point was that they were out here to try.
Trying had led to Alphinaud clutching his shoulder while blood seeped through his fingers, stood over a group of injured but still very much alive attackers. It was only with a great deal of reminding himself that the aggressors were subdued that S'ria managed to calm himself. No more violence was needed here.
Oh, how S'ria had not missed Garlean sensibilities at all – and it concerned him that he suddenly understood and remembered a bit more about their social standards than he had moments prior. Any little bits of knowledge pried from memories would need to not start an avalanche of recalling, not here, not now.
The word that stuck with him so much was "purity". There was so much emphasis put on purity of one's heritage, on being a trueblooded Garlean and anything else was undeserving of dignity. (And despite the fact that they treated mixed race offspring with little more regard than they did their mothers, they seemed ill-inclined to avoid such things during their occupation.) That status was a coveted trait…as if there was anything pure about it to maintain.
And yet, these lot claimed that anything was better than allowing their magics or their ways to taint them, that it was an act so fundamentally wrong that any proper Garlean would sooner die. They seemed very determined to have their way on that one. The two missing sisters didn't bode…very well.
He wasn't yet at the point of saying that those who seemed so determed to die should be left to it – but for gods' sake, what was even going to happen when they found the girls? What then?
S'ria was hesitant to leave Alphinaud behind to heal himself and the others – the attempts to heal them via magical means may just provoke more violence rather than allowing him to help – but he could handle himself now that they'd lost the element of surprise. The sisters certainly wouldn't benefit from S'ria loitering around at Victor's Spoils.
If it wasn't so damn far below freezing, the tracks leading across the ice would've put terrifying images in S'ria's head. Drowning in a frozen lake seemed a horrific way to go. The ice seemed frozen for at least a fulm down at least and was fully solid under his feet. He was glad that neither his last moments nor Licinia's would be spent in water so cold that your lungs refused to draw air even if you found the surface again.
On some level, S'ria had known that it was hopeless even before they'd started to search. Perhaps it was better that it wasn't a near miss. There was no "just a minute faster" to question here, these bodies were ice cold – even in this temperature, it wouldn't be so quick. It hurt him, but not as badly as it could've. It'd been… a humane enough death, all things considered. They must've bled out very quickly. It was a brief punch in the gut and then he could breathe again – maybe it helped that he'd never really expected this search to go well.
S'ria wished the same could be said of the twins. They seemed devastated, and S'ria would've taken some of that turmoil off their shoulders if he could've. The gods knew they'd blame themselves for this.
From the moment their postures had changed upon processing the scene, S'ria had wanted to draw them close – but who knew if that would go over well, with both of them in a state that rivaled the worst he'd seen either of them in. The closest he could compare to was Tesleen and the Crystal Braves for each of them, and S'ria did not want to make either of them feel worse.
Alphinaud wanted the bodies properly taken care of. S'ria wasn't sure that was for the best, to return carrying their bloodied corpses, but Alphinaud was not likely to walk away without trying to do what little was left. S'ria could honor that.
Licinia would not have liked to have been buried with the aid of magic. It was more for the twins than for her that S'ria labored to drive a shovel through permafrost, but neither did he wish their last action here to be one of disrespect. He felt eyes on the back of his neck the entire time. Did they even bury their dead in Garlemald? Perhaps they did something else entirely, like cremation or the like, and this was only another misstep.
So be it.
It was a painfully cold walk back. What had Lucia promised him for his search efforts? Warm soup upon his return? S'ria hardly had an appetite, but he'd take the warmth all the same. After this many hours, he felt near frozen through.
It felt odd. During this trip so far, S'ria had been (to put it bluntly) the psychological weak link of the group. He was very aware of the fact that he was somehow doing better than Alphinaud and Alisaie in this exact moment, and that was…alarming. For all of Alisaie's boldness and Alphinaud's pragmatism, somehow they'd both refused to explain to Lucia what had happened. S'ria would not begrudge them this one, it was an easy enough burden to accept, telling her in their stead.
He tried his best to stay objective, even if his ability to do so wavered throughout his report. Lucia was never easy to read, as meticulously stoic as she could be at times, but there was something in her expression that S'ria didn't know how to interpret by the time he was done explaining.
They all needed food and rest.
What they did not need was Jullus. S'ria just wanted to rest, so badly, and here was this young soldier bickering with him. It felt as though they were having two damn conversations – one where they kindly offered to let him leave unharmed with supplies and a separate one where Jullus felt that there were negotiations occurring.
S'ria couldn't help but feel immensely frustrated every time he opened his mouth. If it weren't for the fact that the contingent's goal was to establish a working relationship, that meeting their Legatus would be helpful, then S'ria would immediately have told him to bugger off.
That wasn't the case, though, and S'ria knew well enough to keep his mouth shut and not undermine Lucia as their commander.
S'ria knew the twins were going to volunteer and insist on it. He would never let them go alone, of course, but… it was a trap. Just three people only, leaving to an unknown location with a man who so clearly hated them? It was a terrible idea.
It was such a terrible idea that Fray clamored over it, seething in the back of his mind with the vague threat to wrench control and let none of the three of them follow through with this. S'ria couldn't blame them, only to hope that they'd let it happen regardless. Even if it was a truly terrible idea that seemed hardly worth it even in the best case scenario.
Perhaps the only thing that made Fray stay their hand was the fact that Jullus seemed to have no idea who any of them were, even S'ria. "A sellsword and two children", indeed.
(Alisaie and Alphinaud rankled at that, but both seemed to think it to their advantage to not inform Jullus of their actual ages.)
As they traveled, S'ria once again got the sense that loyal Garlean soldiers lived in a reality just adjacent to the one where the rest of them resided, hearing whatever they wanted to hear as long as it affirmed their set beliefs.
Perhaps that was harsh? They were only doing their best to survive.
S'ria could understand his doubt over any cure for tempering, even if the stance taken was somewhat callous. (But he didn't have to kill tempered soldiers, was he truly so uncaring to the idea that they could be saved still? Was proclaiming them a lost cause really what felt best?)
(S'ria did at least realize in that moment, while outraged at the idea of this needless death, that he was properly capable of thinking of imperial soldiers as victims at the very least. He hadn't be quite sure if he'd manage that or not, even trying to come into this mission with an open mind, but the tempered very much had his pity.)
S'ria understood that they weren't trusted, but it was still so frustrating that he wouldn't even listen to the twins. Wasn't admitting the limitations of the cure more believable than claiming it could fix even those with fully corrupted bodies? The prior claim, that most could be saved, remained true and... while S'ria was in no rush to explain who they were, Alisaie and Alphinaud had seen many tempered even far more corrupted than this, they knew what they were talking about. These people need not die.
S'ria had to remind himself that viewing the twins as children, beneath him, could be very useful if needed... but no matter – at least the annoyance served to keep his blood pumping a little warmer. And maybe serve as a distraction to his nerves.
His body was quick to remind him, after all, that he'd hardly had the chance to warm up before heading back out here.
The legatus could've been worse, S'ria supposed, but that wasn't high praise. Quintus was everything S'ria had expected – calmly arrogant and utterly assured of being right. Would they have walked into such as obvious trap if they did not bear good intentions? More importantly, surely the world not ending was enough of an explanation of the Alliance's motivations that foul play need not be immediately suspected? It quickly became clear that nothing would come of this.
Any possibility of common ground being found crashed and burned when Quintus asked Alphinaud – if he cared for peace so much, why would he not advocate for Eorzea submitting to the Empire's rule? If Quintus truly, truly could not comprehend the answer to that question, was so numb or naive or deluding himself about the very real suffering that kept constantly occurring, then there was no point in speaking to each other at all.
Quintus clearly agreed, declaring negotiations over. At least the sound of a dozen soldiers readying their weapons meant that S'ria could stop waiting for things to go wrong. Hostages, that was what had come of whatever this was meant to be – perhaps meant to barter for food and supplies that had already been offered in the first place. They seemed to have no concrete plans yet aside from not allowing them to leave.
If anyone suggested that S'ria should speak to another Garlean faction and try to provide aid or seek common ground, putting himself at their mercy in the process, he thought he might just say no next time.
He hadn't even been paying very close enough attention to Quintus speaking any longer. He was more concerned with regretfully considering whether Fray intervening back at Camp Broken Glass might've been for the best, so the next words shattering through his mind were met with no preparation.
"Collar them."
S'ria would be hard-pressed to explain what his mind and body felt like for those next few seconds. Time felt very slow as his blood turned to ice in his veins and the adrenaline rush to his head was enough for half his vision to go spotty. The scars on his neck burned with phantom pain of something that blessedly lay just outside of his memories.
No. No. No, this wasn't going to happen. Alisaie and Alphinaud briefly dropped entirely from the equation, with him fully ready to leave them behind to cut his way out of here before a single person could lay a hand on him – or if escape was impossible, at least die before letting someone clamp anything around his neck.
Quintus waved off the soldiers, warning them off from approaching S'ria and he could breathe just faintly easier as he realized they weren't going to try it. Good for their sake, he supposed – the result would not have been bloodless. He could feel the pressure in his skull subside as the frantic attempts of others to wrench control away and engage fight or flight ceased.
S'ria wasn't sure which would've stepped in... but allegedly he'd gone completely meek and pliant way back during the Crystal Brave's betrayal, and that seemed the worst possible response in any given situation going forward. That was safely avoided, this time, it was all right.
His lungs tightened anew as he realized they'd considered abandoning Alphinaud and Alisaie while in that blind panic. How could he even think that?
It was clearly obvious to Quintus how much S'ria cared for those two. In the same relief-inducing statement in which he suggested trying to put a collar on S'ria was impractical, he also clarified that their only leash on him would be psychological. And he was entirely correct – S'ria had no desire to see what happened when the shock function was activated, and even less desire to see it demonstrated on someone he cared about.
S'ria wondered how obvious his full body trembling was. He hoped it'd be misinterpreted as rage, or else his mind and flesh were betraying far too many weaknesses to those who likely had no aversion to exploiting them. The dregs of terror along with the rush of relief were a potent cocktail that left him unsteady on his feet and less present than he'd like.
S'ria took back any concessions he had made while taking on this entire mission – tempered or not, there was something deeply wrong with the people that still remained in this country.
Menphina was unsure if S'ria meant for this, which of them had been the catalyst, but perhaps she was brought out by S'ria's concern for the twins. Jullus seemed aware of the change on some level – the Warrior of Light softening around his previously raw edges into a sort of soft worry, S'ria's accent giving way to Menphina's (to say nothing of the noticeable pitch change.)
She wondered what he may think of all this and whether he thought his confusion was well-concealed or not. He'd seemed a touch intimidated to learn who this "sellsword" actually was, so it was surely just more fuel for the fire to hear S'ria's "Limsa-Lominsan-enough-ish" accent slip back into hers, fully unaltered since the last time they were in this country.
She was sure it was not lost on Jullus that she sounded… distinctly more like an upper class Garlean citizen than like those without good lineage or gil. In fact, she spoke not unlike Jullus himself. Of course, no miqo'te would ever have been allowed in that part of their society, so let him make of that what he will.
She'd never explain, if he decided to ask. S'ria was safest if no one who meant them harm knew too much.
Never mind the fact that Zenos already did know to some unknown extent, which was deeply and truly regrettable – though less dangerous than it sounded. What would be a far more alarming problem was if any of that had found its way to Fandaniel.
Zenos, with their rematch not yet taken, would not intentionally toy with S'ria's triggers in any way that would dull S'ria's edge during the fight – she was reasonably certain at least. If Zenos was to win, he would not want it to feel like he only bested S'ria via the path of least resistance. Killing S'ria while his will to fight was broken seemed just distinctly unsatisfying for his wishes.
(Menphina hoped fervently that she was right about that much.)
Fandaniel, on the other hand… held no such concerns.
No, Menphina should not be spending so much time worrying about what-ifs while they were in a situation that warranted her full attention.
If push came to shove, Menphina hoped that someone else would step in if things escalated into violence. She had never learned how to fight. (Maybe that was a mistake. Or maybe it was a mistake to think she could bear to hurt someone.)
Perhaps, actually, it would be better if she was left to handle it actually. The words and threats hurt, but she could bear them (better her than S'ria, repeated like a mantra) – it was the fact that she was quite perilously close to being struck that concerned her. She was scared of the pain, yes, that'd never been her burden to bear, but she feared more for what may happen if anyone dared to lash out. Fray would hardly let that go.
Alphinaud's request that they help the ill and wounded was very welcome, a task that she knew how to do and would gladly assist in. She'd been considering it before he even asked… except there was scant little they could do.
The unit refused any attempts to secure outside aid, even to keep the weakest of their people alive, supplies were few, and Menphina feared that exercising even a tiny amount of white magic would prove… disastrous, the moment her patient realized what was being done. Besides, many of them might never consent to treatment via magical means, and that was not a line she wanted to cross while the wounded remained conscious enough to object.
Ah, while Menphina did want very badly to assist the sick and wounded in whatever way she could, this particular option was… unfortunate. The body already fared so poorly in this climate, so Alisaie's suggestion that they both wade waist-deep into icy waters was borderline horrifying. Despite already shivering while dry, she took off G'raha's scarf and placed it somewhere relatively dry – while G'raha's scent had faded from the fabric by now, Menphina was sure S'ria would be none too pleased if the fabric got dunked in frigid pond sludge.
And sweet hells was it cold. The water was numbingly painful, but being out of it was even worse, with it feeling like any dampness would freeze over instantly. As glad as Menphina was that they'd found something decent to help the people there, she still huddled so close to the fire afterwards that she risked accidentally touching it.
It was always interesting to experience things, with her own past actions having been so limited in scope – interesting but often unpleasant and very strange. If Menphina had an allagan tin piece for every time she'd spoken to Garlean soldiers around a base in S'ria's stead… well, it was just an odd coincidence that it'd happened more than once now.
It wasn't all terrible, once she started to become less frozen through. Jullus wasn't so bad, not nearly as much as S'ria had made him out to be. He was just a kid, really (in her eyes, at least), and training hadn't driven all of the compassion out of him. He was clearly both concerned and grateful for their somewhat hazardous efforts to find ceruleum – even if he might phrase it in ways that sound more pragmatic than that.
Jullus was just another grieving young one that wanted his family and home back, same as everyone else in the war, and as long as he didn't take that desire far enough to go to dark places, then Menphina could be okay with that.
While searching for more ceruleum, as startling as it was to hear his voice, Menphina was glad that Thancred and the others were trying to keep an eye on them. (Glad and terrified. She didn't doubt their skills, but Jullus had been very clear that catching anyone following them would have been considered an act of hostility and knowing that Thancred had actually done so was… well, Jullus hadn't noticed him then or now, so it was fine.)
She wasn't sure if there was a plan, or just to sit tight and see. Menphina agreed that their safety and well-being was the most important thing they could maintain – the twins most importantly, in her opinion. Just… she didn't like the situation much.
"Whatever demands the Garleans make, indulge them." Menphina knew Thancred didn't mean anything by it, but his choice of phrasing made her stomach twist. It wasn't like that, she had to remind herself – if nothing else, with Jullus as their keeper, he still seemed too principled to condone senseless cruelty (an admirable trait, in wartimes, she'd give that much.)
Shivering in the bunker, S'ria slid back into place with a jolt, nearly bumping into Alphinaud in his brief disorientation. He laughed tiredly.
"I would've hoped to have been warmer by now, but no such luck."
"Oh, S'ria! We'd been concerned. Are you well?" Alisaie seemed genuinely glad to have him back. That was sweet, as long as Menphina hopefully didn't feel any sadness over that reverse side of that idea. It was still... odd for this to be considered a somewhat normal thing, with both himself and others knowing and being okay with these strange moments.
"Yes – just a bit tired and out of it. I remember enough, no need to be concerned." S'ria wrapped his scarf a little more securely around himself. "And damned cold, but you already knew that."
Alphinaud and Alisaie both nodded very resignedly. Yes, with the heaters all but running dry now, it was awful.
S'ria just wished, more than anything else, that being reunited with the twins was not so brief. He'd suspected it would come to this from the first – while Jullus only now changed the twins' status from envoy to prisoner, they'd had the damned collars on the entire time regardless. And the cruelty of everything was just so… why accept freely offered charity for fear of owing anything when one could just take it all by force. As if Alphinaud had not already all but begged the legatus to allow for supplies to be sent for their sick and wounded.
S'ria wasn't sure Jullus could even go through with pressing the button to set off the shock collars, the way his face froze and hands shook. He didn't want to find out, though. For one moment he considered it – lunging to rip the control out of his hands in the hope that it was the only one for this set of collars, removing any chance of them being hurt. But if he was wrong, oh, they would pay the price.
S'ria hated to let them out of his sight, alone with only men who hated them, the only protection afforded to them the dubious rights of a hostage. Jullus had guiltily insisted that no harm would come to them if they were compliant, and S'ria wanted so badly to be able to trust those words.
Perhaps, with the twins separated from S'ria, the next person to accuse him of offering an olive branch with ulterior motives would get a different and far clearer answer – that his goodwill had rather run dry, and the only thing that now maintained his willingness to help was honoring the wishes of the kindest among the Scions
#snow-system#ffxiv-oc#ffxiv-reactions#s'ria 🌸❄️#writings#this is 2x the length or more than most S'ria stories but it does cover a lot of quests
0 notes
Text
ʙᴀʟᴅᴜʀ's ɢᴀᴛᴇ 𝟹 ᴠᴇʀsᴇ
ㅤㅤborn to the shadow empire of netheril in the year 1410 DR , only a handful of years before the conquest of featherdale . hailing from an elite family within the empire , older members being that of the shadovar , it was instilled in lovek from a young age to be fiercely loyal to the empire & that it's expansion was a reclimation of land that was stolen .
ㅤㅤhowever , lovek was also a bastard dumped on his family , born out of wedlock with someone outside of netheril , and considered a shameful addition to the family . the treatment only grew worse when it was realized lovek had no talent for magic .
ㅤㅤhe was raised and trained to be a soldier , the only thing he had to offer to his family being his body and his skills in combat . from a young age he trained as a soldier , loyalty beaten into his skull , understanding that there was no other place for him to belong .
ㅤㅤhis family was rather drastic with their treatment of the young child , and their final test of his capabilities was even more so .
ㅤㅤleft and abandoned in the bordering forest near the desertsmouth mountains , lovek's final task to prove his usefulness was to track down and kill a bear with nothing but his own hands .
ㅤㅤfor nigh a fortnight , he hunted . growing weaker and weaker by the day , he played a game of cat and mouse with a beast he had located , until starvation would take one of them .
ㅤㅤit lasted a month . lovek weak , and frail , in desperation sharpened his nails , cut for himself a knife , made weaponry of anything he could .
ㅤㅤhe killed the bear as was ordered of him . with his own bare hands , after struggling with the weakened creature , he ripped it apart , and sat on the ground in silence to bask in a victory that didn't feel won .
ㅤㅤin the silence , it spoke . from the very ground did the roots begin to move , twining 'round the fallen bear , rooting itself in it's wounds , patching itself together once more .
ㅤㅤit would be like a god , to take this ill - earned victory and laugh in the poor child's face . the bear rose again , full of life and breath once again , appearing that it's broken form was fully healed .
ㅤㅤand it spoke to him . it spoke of it's purpose , how it wept at the thought of death itself . how all things within it's reach should flourish , whether graceful or malign .
ㅤㅤand lovek , most importantly , would flourish as well .
ㅤㅤwith a touch of thorns , it taught a world completely unknown to lovek -- of nature , of it's balances , of how limiting such balance was . it taught him everything , it's roots moving to live within the chambers of his heart .
ㅤㅤlovek did not return to his home after that day , for victory was not achieved . he had failed his final test , for the abundance of life had another way .
ㅤㅤbasically , lovek is a homebrew druid . chosen of the abundance , his entire life is dedicated to the protection of everything . evil ? good ? doesn't matter . if the abundance loves it , lovek will love it . because of this , he does have special abilities .
ㅤㅤalsooo , he has been known to join new circles every once in a while , though eventually i think they grow suspicious of his ideals when thinking of balance and nature .
ㅤㅤlovek is still 'viera' kinda , but he was born an elf and just developed bunny features because of his nature . is that a good enough explanation ? no ! but bunny he will stay gdi .
ㅤㅤwhere is he in baldur's gate ? probaaabblyyy at the circle in act 1 , or maybe shadowfell , whatever floats y'alls boats .
ㅤㅤㅤㅤspecial abilities : able to create monsters , if there are dead nearby . their bodies become filled with roots and branches and come back to life with the power of abundance , though driven insane .
ㅤㅤㅤㅤcan sprout plants from under his flesh . don't ask how or why . winky face .
ㅤㅤㅤㅤif he dies in combaatttt , after a day or so his body will dissapear :)) for why who knows .
ㅤㅤㅤㅤhe does have wildshapes !
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ1. turns into a borzoi
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ2. becomes a ball python
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ3. turns into a giant stag
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ4. bunny ....
#that was long#and will be edited as need be!#scroll to the bottom if you dont want to read an eyeful#cw animal death#cw animal body horror#?????#the bottom part has the quick explanation so weheee#bg3 verse .
1 note
·
View note
Text
Bucellari (Prologue 3: The Invisible Threat)
Before the morning sun rose from the distant horizon, the old imperial palace where the fanatical forces of the fallen emperor mounted a desperate last stand had fallen into the hands of Consul Gola and General Glacian, who walked the unkempt corridors how long ago they had been the home of great figures such as Altarian the First, Aurum the Golden and Lican the Lycanthrope among other great emperors of a past that already seemed unrecognizable.
As they advanced they found themselves in the mangled bodies of soldiers loyal to Eskyla who had been slaughtered when the gates had fallen and the chaotic array of enemies of the tyrannical emperor had taken over their old home.
-They haven't left any survivors- Glacian said as they passed by a couple of kobolds who were rummaging through the pockets of some of the dead to see what they could find. Glacian grimaced in disgust when he saw those stupid little reptiles.
-And what did you expect, old friend? For more than a decade they have been prisoners of Eskyla's madness... Ever since she went mad... - Gola said cynically as he led Glacian inside the palace.
-Don't you dare call me friend, Gola! We will be allies of convenience, but if it were up to me, you would have been the first to be crucified in the fields of lamentation. You and yours killed Alfia, you drove my friend crazy, a friend I considered a brother! You caused the...- Gola silenced Glacian suddenly with a single movement of his hand. Glacian wasn't the only wizard in the palace.
-I understand that it was hard to lead your best friend, your "brother" towards the trap, so I will not take this insolence into account. But you must understand something very clear, and you would do well to listen. You're not emperor yet, boy, and I'm your greatest ally in the senate. You would do well not to overestimate your importance. Pesna, the old emperor, was lost since Sernon the old bound him to his will. At best Vitelius you could have saved him, but Sernon created a monster, a little Sernon. And this heartless corruption was spread to his sister, who by order of "the Eskyla" tried to dissolve the senate. Today we saved what's left of the empire, my friend, so don't be martyred. You did the right thing.-
With these last words Gola freed Glacian from the unnatural silence that had been imposed on him. He then rested his hands on his ample belly and straightened his toga a little.
Glacian did not dare to answer. He was clear about the consequences that could have a challenge to what in a few days would become the king maker. He followed Gola in silence until they reached the legendary purple chamber, which surprised the future emperor.
-Why are you bringing me here?- Glacian asked, surprised. The purple room... An ancient myth imported from the imperial east said that whoever was born in that room was destined to rule. A room in the walls painted with the exclusive purple pigment found only in molluscs from the easternmost parts of the Inland Sea.
-That's because our soldiers have informed me that there is a problem, your "majesty". It seems that the suitors are increasing.- Gola explained as he opened the doors of the room, exposing the lifeless body of a woman he had once seen next to Pesna at the hippodrome.
-A pregnant woman, dead in childbirth. Whose son is a porphyrogenitus, a child born in purple, a child destined to rule. - Glacian looked at Gola while the Consul explained the situation to him with great concern.
-Don't tell me you believe in these superstitions, Gola. They are nothing more than fables, children's stories. A child of the purple is no more special than any other if you take away the empire that his father had to bequeath to him...- Glacian replied ignoring Gola's concerns.
-Believe in fairy tales? No, but in the symbols? I would be an idiot to ignore them. A child born in purple is a powerful symbol, your majesty, a symbol that your detractors can rally behind. The legitimate children of the Eskyla will be enough of a problem for us to have to worry about one more possible pretender who will raze what is left of the empire to crown himself emperor of the ashes. We can't allow this threat to continue to breathe!- Gola shouted in a truly persuasive tone, which did more work than the words themselves. If those words had been spat in the senate, surely you would have convinced enough senators to admit the hunt. But not Glacian.
-You can't be serious Gola... Even you have to have a limit. Killing a child? A child whose future you would have given him under other circumstances? A newborn baby? The child of the friend whom I just betrayed?- Glacian took that proposal as a personal offense.
-Don't you see the big picture Glacian?- Gola asked him as he approached the body of the dead mother. -If the child is not here, it is because one of Eskyla's fanatical followers has survived and taken him away. What do you think his upbringing will be like?- Gola remained silent for a few minutes, letting Glacian imagine the sample he could transform into. He imagined a new Sernon corrupting the son of Pesna just as the real Sernon had condemned him.
-You're right Gola, but it's not too late for this son of Pesna. I'll send my scouts out to find whoever it is—" Glacian was interrupted as the doors swung open.
At that moment two skeletal figures entered the room. They wore ornate tunics of black and gold silks and carried elaborate staffs made of Evertree wood. The one on the left wore the infamous bone crown, a piece of silver jewelry that had been designed to appear to be made of bone, topped with a small purple gem. The one on the right wore a silver mask that emulated a youthful face, a face she held on her twenties when she was still alive, and an Onyx tear embedded under the eye. The enchanted mask allowed her to recover the flesh from the bones whenever she had it on. These were the liches Mel'Clorval and Mal'Nakara.
-So this is the famous purple room... I didn't imagine that anyone would be able to spend so much money to paint a single room... Not even the emperors.- Mal'Nakara said while her husband looked at the room in disgust.
-How many people would have died in poverty for the emperors to be able to afford these frivolities... I expect great changes on your part Glacian...- He answered him as they approached Glacian and Gola.
-I hope that when they put the golden laurel on that handsome head of yours, you don't forget the promises you made to us, Glacian...- Mal'Nakara said in a slightly stinging tone as she rubbed his arm She was three heads shorter than him, and her skin was cold as ice. Mal'Clorval looked a little jealous, but said nothing. Mal'Nakara flirted with everyone, but never went further.
-Which one? I have been forced to do so many these last few months that I am not able to remember them all.- The general who would become emperor replied.
-You promised us our future, frozen one. The dwarves have redoubled their efforts to exterminate our people, and the karabb underlords cannot protect us any longer. Most of the cities we inhabited before you exiled us to the depths of the underworld are still uninhabited, still in ruins. That is what you owe for our services.- The concern in which he spoke was evident even in Mel'Clorval's expressionless bathed skull.
The lich took two steps forward but Gola stood in the middle. -The senate and the people of Altaria mourn your misfortune, but the empire already has enough religious problems with the occult cults, the demonists and these upstart deities like the lord of lights. Add the dark lady to this explosive mix. In addition, necromancy is taboo, in many places the practitioners are killed...-
At that moment Mal'Nakara let go of Glacian's arm and pushed Gola nearly knocking him over. -Listen to me, piggy, we are a dying people, but I'm determined to not be the last one of my kind. We need this, and it's what you promised us, so you'll keep your word even if we have to force you to. If we are in such danger, may the emperor offer us his personal protection. Let's see who dares to touch us then! Remember what you owe us, and not just for today, but for all these years that both I and my husband have fought alone against the oppression of the old emperor.-
Glacian, seeing how the situation could quickly escalate, called out to get the attention of everyone present. -That's enough!- It worked, as everyone remained silent, watching him. -We have defeated the tyrant, but the danger is not over. Just now that we have deposed Pes... That we have overthrown Eskyla is when there is more danger. Usurpers, opportunists, warlords and the eastern empire will throw themselves at our necks to see what they can scratch. If we fight now, we will give the empire on a silver platter to whoever tries to take it. - Seeing that he had caught their attention, Glacian continued. -You will have my protection, as well as your old home, as promised. And the senate, Gola, will have the prerogative to choose the emperor from now on.-
Glacian, seeing how the situation could quickly escalate, called out to get the attention of everyone present. -That's enough!- It worked, as everyone remained silent, watching him. - Throat! You have to admit that the army of the dead is formidable. They alone have destroyed the legions of Sclera and Sernon the Younger. In fact they have cut off the head of the son of the monster.-
Gola nodded, chewing on a wad that wanted to escape from his mouth. - I admit it. Without his intervention, the casualties would have been catastrophic…-
-And you should understand Gola's concern. We have just recovered the city, the empire, the soul of Altaria itself. We need guarantees… Normally the necromancers who come to the surface are not as civilized as you…- Glacià continued. The lichs looked at each other and nodded.
-We assure you that these rogue elements are no more representative of our people than an assassin or a mad emperor is of yours.- Mel'Clorval seemed to speak directly to Gola with these words rather than Glacian.
-Our people will do what the shadow council orders, and, if you are more calm, the council will do what the senate authorizes…- Mal'Nakara followed, aware that the future emperor was not letting her no other way out than to show good will.
Gola looked at them, not quite believing them, but nodded.
-Now, you can leave, I need a moment to think... I'll send someone for you when the senate convenes. You and the Drakonians and the Kobols and the Rhedanis and the barbarians and the beastfolk and the rest of you are invited. Don't you dare protest Gola…- Said the future emperor. Gola didn't say a single word, but his displeasure could be read on his face. For him the senate was a sacred body that would be desecrated by the presence of the enemies who have been fighting for generations…
0 notes
Text
The Fictional Men That Hold My Heart Part 1
These men hold my heart dear and inspire how I write male characters in my own works. Note they aren’t in a particular order.
1. Caesar from Survive As The Hero’s Wife
Caesar is the second prince of the empire in the story and is Carnelia’s (the main character) arranged husband. This man, I love this man! I’m absolutely feral about him! From looks, he seems like another stoic male character in OIs, but he is not. He’s the purest dork who is so down bad for Carnelia and a caring brother to his younger brother despite said young brother’s mother making his life hell. Hell, he even promised to keep his younger brother’s mom safe despite everything this woman made him go through. He’s a natural leader despite overthinking things and being a little insecure, especially regarding Carnelia. He’s a dork that thinks comparing your wife to a frog is flirty because the frog is a scarce species that is beautiful in his eyes. WHO EVEN TAKES THE COMPLIMENT THAT HIS HAIR LOOKS LIKE SPIDER LEGS HAIRS BECAUSE HE THINKS SPIDERS ARE COOL. He is also flush and shies around Carnelia, who enjoys every second of it. He’s such a failure in romance; I love him.
Speaking of Carnelia, he is supportive and considerate of Carnelia, who does the same for him. Like there is a scene when he finally confesses his feelings to Carnelia, but she can’t respond yet because she never thought Caesar loved her and trying to process this information. He tucked her into the bed while she was confused since it seemed he was not going to sleep in the bed (it’s a thing to room share once weekly). He then turns around to say, “You treat me like a child sometimes, but aren’t I a man?” Boy, my heart went boom. It was even cuter when he got instantly flustered later in the scene. He’s so respectful of Carnelia’s choices and space while still having his own personal thoughts. Survive as the hero’s wife was my first OI comic, and Caesar set a standard for a male love interest in OI that very few characters fit the bill.
2. Garroth Ro'Meave from Minecraft Diaries.
Minecraft diaries and I go way back, and Garroth was my favorite character in the show. He was the captin guard of Pheonix Drop (the main village of the show) and was the first person to trust Aphmau to become a good lord of Pheonix Drop after the last lord was murdered. He was there for Aphmau for most of the adventures, giving tips and advice. Even bailing her out a couple of times. He even talks sternly to Laurnace for his admittedly creepy flirting with Aphmau. He was even a stand-in father figure for Levin and Malachi. He was loyal and kind but a bit shy and stubborn. He is also insecure.
Also, his storyline was, to this day, my favorite. He is actually a son of the lord of O'khasis and was arranged to be wed to stop a war, but he ran away due to the increasing fact that his father was a tyrant and didn’t want to marry, so he faked his death and fled. Garroth then lived for years in Phoenix Drop as a guard with Zenix, a pulp of his that he loved and treated as a son. Only to learn his pulp was the one to kill the last lord and has fallen to the Shadow King. For this man broke the spell placed on him and sacrificed his own chance to ever leave the Irene Dimension for Aphmau and the others to be able to go home. There is so much to him that I’m sad his writing takes a back-to-seat for the later seasons of Minecraft diaries and Mystreet. If I was ranking this list, he would have been around the bottom for that fact.
3. Tucker Martinez From Anon.
Anon. is that series that if I drop the name of it in a specific section of the Sims 3 community, at least five people would know what I was talking about. It was a Sims 3 series about an ordinary, socially awkward girl named Chelsea Clark, who has a crush on the cute football star from her school Kyle Weston. We follow her as she tells the audience weekly through her blog, signed as "Anon.” Everything starts when this fucker, Tucker, appears in her life.
Out of all the characters on this list, I don’t have much to say about outside the fact I was team Tucker, and I sometimes thought He deserved better than Chelsea, especially when she was still hooked on Kyle. He was like your typical bad-boy character, but he treated Chelsea right. He wasn’t the best father, but he still tried, especially when his daughter got pregnant as a teenager by Kyle’s son (watch the series, please, it’s wild). Also, his dad is in the drug cartel because why not?
He did make clear that I like characters that seem like walking red flags to turn out that they are green flags, and they only seem bad because of unreliable sources or the way they carried themself.
[tune in for the next part of this beautiful indulgent post]
0 notes
Text
even though ahsoka is my favourite star wars character of all time, i have a feeling i’m just not going to like the ahsoka show. i have watched this character develop since i was a child, i grew up with her, i relate to her a lot. i was very much the target demigraphic for ahsoka’s character when she first came on-screen.
Aside from one scene with Rex to confirm he does, in fact, know that she survived Malachor, I don’t expect it to explore a story I really want to see her in. I know where I would take the direction of Ahsoka’s story if I were writing it — explore her young adult years hiding from the empire, and the mental health themes that come with it, deal with her survivor’s guilt that comes from being one of the only ones left who can protect and train force-sensitive children, even though she had forsaken the jedi order herself. As an (almost) fully trained Jedi, she’s pretty much carrying the only legacy the Jedi have (aside from other survivors like Quinlan Voss), but it’s a legacy she feels unworthy to carry because she gave it up. Explore her journey being able to forgive the Order only after they’re all dead and gone. Explore her how her approach to Jedi matters changes and why she comes to the mindset of being able to aid Ezra and Kanan. Then learning about Anakin and re-evaluating her time in the Jedi Order all over again. That was her master, the Jedi who trained her, who at one point in time, she held in high regard above all other Jedi, who she once thought was the only Jedi who didn’t let her down…only to realise what he became. Show her realtionship with Obi-Wan in the Rebellion era, the absolute divide between them, his grief, his loss, how his depression took from her the man she once knew, how desperate she is to help Obi Wan, give him any comfort, any hope, only to be forced to walk away all over again because you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. Show them both dealing with Vader; in different ways; show Obi Wan healing, little by little, at the second chance he gets with Luke and Leia and Ahsoka’s mixed feelings of relief, hope, and regret that they could help him in a way she couldn’t. Explain why Obi Wan never told Luke about her. Show her helping Luke rebuild the Jedi school, giving the Jedi their second chance, their opportunity for redemption, and that is her gift of forgiveness for the Jedi; her reconciliation with the Order. She watches the Jedi younglings, many of whom she rescued and delivered herself; some she’s had a hand in training, and she watches Luke support them, loyally. It is a safe place. And she stays a while, watching to ensure the new school finds its feet, and it does. And there are a new generation of Padawans, and none of them are sent to war. And she allows the creation of the new Jedi Order, and it becomes what the Jedi Order never were for her. And she walks away again, because it is too late for her. Because you don’t get that time back. And she goes on, on her own journey through the galaxy, until she has done her part and, burying Rex at a ripe old age and paying tribute to the fallen of the 332nd, she walks away, again. She journeys on to Mortis, and the Daughter is born again
Of course, that’s just what I want to see from her story. I was the little girl Ahsoka’s journey was aimed at, and growing up alongside her, I think her story is about what it is to grow up, all the difficult parts of it, especially growing up too quickly, and realising the adults aren’t actually the all-perfect people you thought they were. I want to see her story of growing up go into navigating young adulthood, and how to be the adult trying to give something to the children of the word that you never knew yourself. (as a young adult diagnosed with ADHD who never received any support for it in childhood trying to stumble around blindly and build those supports now, who also works with disabled children and wants them to have it easier than I did… there’s just something beautiful and painful about giving someone else something you needed, deserved and never had)
Star Wars has been told by so many people in so many ways and it’s still being told, I think it’s the closest modern-day equivalent we have to the oral storytelling traditions of the past, like Arthuriana and the Greek mythology, and every iteration of Shakespeare’s works.
With copyright law being the way it is, stories that are told collectively by many people, across different movies, but still owned by one for-profit company, I think our storytelling ability has become relegated into official “canon” (for profit) stories and “non-canon” (fanworks, and generally not for profit) stories. That distinction has more nuance to it, of course, there are some for profit star wars stories that are not canon, EU stuff, for example, but generally speaking when a story is so expansive and told in so many ways by so mang people, it gets to a point where I think we just shouldn’t expect the lore of that story to be internally consistent. The insistence in the star wars fandom of what’s canon and not-canon, whether the last jedi contradicted the ahsoka novel, etc…. It’s basically just a by-product of copyright law. It seems sad that we distinguish the validity of a particular story by whether or not it was produced for profit, and by how much profit it made.
Anyway, all this is to say that I expect the Ahsoka series to serve as a sequel to Star Wars rebels, which feels like a choice I would not make - she seems the wrong character for a rebels sequel to focus on, and it seems the wrong era for an Ahsoka story to focus on, especially if it deals with themes of her dealin with Anakin’s fall (since their fight on Malachor was many years prior and I would hate for her character growth to be stagnant during that time) and it seems, as a live-action series, the wrong medium for BOTH and Ahsoka series and a rebels sequel. I have no idea what possessed then to do it in live-action and I will continue being annoyed by this choice.
But in all likelihood, the design choices going into the Ahsoka story will be targeting an audience other than the one Ahsoka’s character was initially created for. Because the story is made with different creative ideas in mind. I know where I would take the story, and perhaps I will write that story, just for myself, and maybe one day I might right an EU-type novel or graphic novel or comic or whatever, or maybe it only exists as a fanwork. And that’s okay. Different writers create difgerent stories with different themes in mind. And I will not approach the Ahsoka show expecting it to be the way I would tell her story. Because characters mean differeng things to different people, and all those things are meaningful.
We make our own meaning with stories, and I will keep making mine with the story of Ahsoka, and other people will keep making theirs and they will be different, and contradict each other. And that’s okay.
That’s just humans telling stories. That’s just what we do.
#not to put the relevant tags on this one#bc i dont really want this discourse to show up in star wars tags lol#its not coherent enough for that
0 notes
Text
Gen 6, Part 2
Magnolia Prominade
The Syndicated States of Strangreix
From top left: Vengence-counter Taln Staldil-Strangreix, Vindicate Giselle Strangreix
From bottom left: Venge Retribute Chrix Strangreix, Vindi Avaena Strangreix, Vindi Ziahra Strangreix, Vindi Nadira Strangreix
Just before his death, the mysterious “Rue” founded his country of Strangreix and willed it to his most loyal daughter. He was involved in the vicious fighting in the Kitsune Lounge and later succumbed to his wounds at home. The princess made queen (Vindicate) Giselle Fid then called her new country and the long prosperous country of Komorebi to war as a teenager. The fighting lasted to her adulthood until the Final Battle was declared. She sent her best fighters with the latest of warfare technology and easily won against the more traditional fighters of the Kiraseindu. The Syndicated States of Strangreix had to part with its criminal organization of the ROEFE (Return Of Evil For Evil), but continued to thrive with its already stable economic background.
Giselle married her equal in knowledge and politics, Taln Staldil, who already had many profitable ventures in his portfolio. The two are not quite ready to put their criminal origins behind them just yet. The ROEFE and Strangreix were created to completely eradicate the Kiraseindu and Komorebi, and will quietly begin their operations for revenge in the name of Rue.
Strangreix Royal Advisors
From top left: Satsuki Abe, Alezander Qud
Bottom: Alyson Abe
Satsuki is Giselle Strangreix’s half-sister and has taken her mother’s position as chief advisor. She still watches over the other countries of the world to keep Giselle aware of the growing and waning tide of politics. Until then, she’s fallen in love and started a family. The pair are currently looking into opening a business school for the youth of Strangreix to sharpen their economic skills.
Evergreen Harbor
The Golden Needle
From top left: Queen-herald (former) Yan Zilvu-Seindu, Princess-consort Yasuko Leru
Bottom: Rea Fid (no title)
Yasuko married her lover, Zeni Fid, in secret as the two belonged to rival criminal gangs. They wanted to be together, so Zeni devised the Final Battle, in order to merge the two organizations together into one. He was confident he would not only come out alive, but be victorious. However, he lost his life, and Yasuko was left alone with their only child. Her mother, the Empress of Komorebi, cast her out upon hearing of Yasuko’s treachery, and the young princess was forced to live amongst her previous enemies. Vindicate Giselle Strangreix, in an unexpected move, welcomed Yasuko into her territory and home, as Yasuko was married to Giselle’s brother. Giselle assured her sister-in-law that she and the baby would be cared for and want for nothing.
Keeping her company is a survivor of the Final Battle and another ROEFE member, Yan Zilvu, who was previously married to King Kolt II. Yan was outraged that the leader of the Kiraseindu was allowed to leave the battle field in calling surrender, and wanted to take action. Abandoning her crown and “cushy life,” Yan proposed to Giselle to dissolve the ROEFE and incorporate it with any Kiraseindu who vowed alliance: it was called the Golden Needle.
Yan will bide her time, while taking care of Yasuko and her baby. The former queen has a revenge plot of her own against her ex-husband.
Mt. Komorebi
The Komorebi Empire
Queen-conjoin Taiana Leru-Kiraseindu, First Emperor Hikaru Kiraseindu, Meido (servo)
The Komorebi Empire has stayed true to traditions and prestige as well as its criminal roots for generations. Emperor Hikaru had once been tasked to separate his family from his syndicate, but declared publicly that both were one and the same. So when the fight at the Kitsune Lounge left many of his family dead, he answered the declaration of war, despite his dying mother’s pleas.
The fighting was long and brutal, and the imperial family could only watch from the sidelines, until one of their own proposed a final, all out fight between the two factions that would settle everything. Hikaru reluctantly accepted, and suffered the loses of not just many of his family members, but the shame of his older cousin Isami and the relinquishing of his home and assets in the war.
The country lost all of their businesses as they were tied to the criminal organization of the Kiraseindu, which now were forced to be separate from the royal family. The one to come to their aid was the Emperor of the New Sixam Empire, who gave the country a bail out in exchange for giving him the land to govern over, as well as one of the royal princes to marry a New Sixam princess to seal their alliances. The Imperial Family of Komorebi are now little more than symbols to their people, living in gilded cages for appearances.
Remnants of the Kira Clan
From top left: Majordomo (servo), Iroha Kiraseindu, Nagisa Kiraseindu
From bottom left: Jun Katazora, Shunsho Zakanagi, Senso Zakanagi
After the Final Battle, it was ordered that any members of the Kiraseindu turn themselves in for incarceration. Hearing that, many stayed in the protected boarders of their kingdom, now unable to leave for fear of arrest. The once dangerous and shady Kiraseindu Den is little more than a place where friends and aunties raise the orphans left behind in the war. Brothers, sisters and cousins were all slaughtered and left so many crying little ones in their wake, faced with an uncertain future in an uncertain world.
The Geisha District
From top left: Gogai Marunen, Anbi Tsuboike, Hanako Ohara, Prince-consort Sadao Leru
Bottom: Princess-consort Keiko Leru
With the coming of the Empire in Gen 3, the traditions of geisha performers was reignited and bastardized by the Sixam aliens. Controlled by the royal family, most geisha are royals themselves, spreading an image of grace, beauty and tradition wherever they go. The current geisha house is filled with friends, enemies and frenemies with plenty of drama to go around behind the scenes.
Of note is a non-royal named Hanako Ohara, who was married to Ryu Kiraseindu before he was killed in the Final Battle. Pitied as a widow, she gained popularity by using her mourning to start a music career and go on to be among the more lavish of geisha, rivalling even Taiana Leru. But she’s not done with the royal family, and has plans to snag her claws into a man who will come into power, and bring the Kiraseindu back to greatness.
Thousand Leaves Academy
From top left: Leshi Kani, Princess Okimi Kiraseindu
From bottom left: Shinji Kani, Hayate Kani, Hitomi Kani
The current maiko school is still run by Leshi Kani, honorary member of the Kiraseindu, who has been doing a lot of private performances for very rich and powerful men. Her classes are now smaller in size, but include those such as the very beautiful and sought after Princess Okimi. But smaller class sizes means more time to care for Leshi’s constantly growing brood of client encounters. Rumor has it she has even entertained the Emperor of the New Sixam Empire when he came to visit Komorebi, with proof being her new twins.
Wakaba Boarding School
From top left: Sensei (servo), Ryoichi Kani, Prince-apparent Benjiro Kiraseindu, Orion Kiraseindu,
From bottom left: Shotaro Zakanagi, Prince Hiro Kiraseindu, Jin Kani, Daisuki Zakanagi
This latest school year has mostly boys who were going to be drafted into the Kiraseindu when they aged, but now have no future to look foreword to. The teenagers now have to decide how to handle their dying organization themselves.
Leading them is Crown Prince Benjiro, who only has his brotherhood as support. He wasn’t sure about being the next Emperor of Komorebi, but now doesn’t want a future as a symbol of a shamed people. But he’s young with no plans, and very little world experience.
Forgotten Hollow
Kira Lies In Wait
From top left: Prince-honorary (revoked) Crag Ceczo-Hakzar, Enforcer (former) Yoshiko Kiraseindu, Clan Leader (former) Isami Kiraseindu, Enforcer Rin Kiraseindu
From bottom left: Manta-domo (servo), Kohei Kiraseindu, Shohei Kiraseindu, Anri Kiraseindu
Former leader of the Kiraseindu, Isami Kiraseindu, lead her fighters in the Final Battle, but being the only survivor of her group, she surrendered by fear of death. Disgraced and disavowed, Isami took whatever surviving remnants of the Kiraseindu with her to Forgotten Hollow to plan their next move. All she has are the torn fragments of a lost spy network, and at least one sister still loyal to her.
Rin has long since been the brains of the Kiraseindu, and while she doesn’t see any means of gaining back the clan’s lost glory, she does see a way to help her family prosper. Her adopted son is now the graces of the Emperor, and he wouldn’t be hard to sway to their side. All they can do at the moment is wait.
But no one is keeping an eye on erratic Yoshiko Kiraseindu, who had come across something she shouldn’t have when last venturing into Strangerville. It was heavily believed that she started the Strange Fruit Infection, where bottles of Strange Kombucha made its way to shelves around the world and infected parts of the population. It has since been handled, but Yoshiko remains infected. Her boyfriend, Crag Ceczo, disgraced head of the former Morgana, also is infected, and the two seem to be planning something...
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
0 notes
Last Seen Blogs
crashnbrn
kay
studyi-g
pump your veins with gushing gold
slimebutts1
SlimeButts
wrathdiwata
isang bagsak
