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suzannahnatters · 1 year

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So here's one of the coolest things that has happened to me as a Tolkien nut and an amateur medievalist. It's also impacted my view of the way Tolkien writes women. Here's Carl Stephenson in MEDIEVAL FEUDALISM, explaining the roots of the ceremony of knighthood: "In the second century after Christ the Roman historian Tacitus wrote an essay which he called Germania, and which has remained justly famous. He declares that the Germans, though divided into numerous tribes, constitute a single people characterised by common traits and a common mode of life. The typical German is a warrior. [...] Except when armed, they perform no business, either private or public. But it is not their custom that any one should assume arms without the formal approval of the tribe. Before the assembly the youth receives a shield and spear from his father, some other relative, or one of the chief men, and this gift corresponds to the toga virilis among the Romans--making him a citizen rather than a member of a household" (pp 2-3). Got it?

Remember how Tolkien was a medievalist who based his Rohirrim on Anglo-Saxon England, which came from those Germanic tribes Tacitus was talking about? Stephenson argues that the customs described by Tacitus continued into the early middle ages eventually giving rise to the medieval feudal system. One of these customs was the gift of arms, which transformed into the ceremony of knighthood: "Tacitus, it will be remembered, describes the ancient German custom by which a youth was presented with a shield and a spear to mark his attainment of man's estate. What seems to the be same ceremony reappears under the Carolingians. In 791, we are told, Charlemagne caused Prince Louis to be girded with a sword in celebration of his adolescence; and forty-seven years later Louis in turn decorated his fifteen-year-old son Charles "with the arms of manhood, i.e., a sword." Here, obviously, we may see the origin of the later adoubement, which long remained a formal investiture with arms, or with some one of them as a symbol. Thus the Bayeux Tapestry represents the knighting of Earl Harold by William of Normandy under the legend: Hic Willelmus dedit Haroldo arma (Here William gave arms to Harold). [...] Scores of other examples are to be found in the French chronicles and chansons de geste, which, despite much variation of detail, agree on the essentials. And whatever the derivation of the words, the English expression "dubbing to knighthood" must have been closely related to the French adoubement" (pp 47-48.)

In its simplest form, according to Stephenson, the ceremony of knighthood included "at most the presentation of a sword, a few words of admonition, and the accolade." OK. So what does this have to do with Tolkien and his women? AHAHAHAHA I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED. First of all, let's agree that Tolkien, a medievalist, undoubtedly was aware of all the above. Second, turn with me in your copy of The Lord of the Rings to chapter 6 of The Two Towers, "The King of the Golden Hall", when Theoden and his councillors agree that Eowyn should lead the people while the men are away at war. (This, of course, was something that medieval noblewomen regularly did: one small example is an 1178 letter from a Hospitaller knight serving in the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem which records that before marching out to the battle of Montgisard, "We put the defence of the Tower of David and the whole city in the hands of our women".) But in The Lord of the Rings, there's a little ceremony.

"'Let her be as lord to the Eorlingas, while we are gone.' 'It shall be so,' said Theoden. 'Let the heralds announce to the folk that the Lady Eowyn will lead them!' Then the king sat upon a seat before his doors and Eowyn knelt before him and received from him a sword and a fair corselet."

I YELLED when I realised what I was reading right there. You see, the king doesn't just have the heralds announce that Eowyn is in charge. He gives her weapons.

Theoden makes Eowyn a knight of the Riddermark.

Not only that, but I think this is a huge deal for several reasons. That is, Tolkien knew what he was doing here.

From my reading in medieval history, I'm aware of women choosing to fight and bear arms, as well as becoming military leaders while the men are away at some war or as prisoners. What I haven't seen is women actually receiving knighthood. Anyone could fight as a knight if they could afford the (very pricy) horse and armour, and anyone could lead a nation as long as they were accepted by the leaders. But you just don't see women getting knighted like this.

Tolkien therefore chose to write a medieval-coded society, Rohan, where women arguably had greater equality with men than they did in actual medieval societies.

I think that should tell us something about who Tolkien was as a person and how he viewed women - perhaps he didn't write them with equal parity to men (there are undeniably more prominent male characters in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, at least, than female) but compared to the medieval societies that were his life's work, and arguably even compared to the society he lived in, he was remarkably egalitarian.

I think it should also tell us something about the craft of writing fantasy.

No, you don't have to include gut wrenching misogyny and violence against women in order to write "realistic" medieval-inspired fantasy.

Tolkien's fantasy worlds are DEEPLY informed by medieval history to an extent most laypeople will never fully appreciate. The attitudes, the language, the ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS use of medieval military tactics...heck, even just the way that people travel long distances on foot...all of it is brilliantly medieval.

The fact that Theoden bestows arms on Eowyn is just one tiny detail that is deeply rooted in medieval history. Even though he's giving those arms to a woman in a fantasy land full of elves and hobbits and wizards, it's still a wonderfully historically accurate detail.

Of course, I've ranted before about how misogyny and sexism wasn't actually as bad in medieval times as a lot of people today think. But from the way SOME fantasy authors talk, you'd think that historical accuracy will disappear in a puff of smoke if every woman in the dragon-infested fantasy land isn't being traumatised on the regular.

Tolkien did better. Be like Tolkien.

#tolkien #middle earth #jrr tolkien #lord of the rings #lotr #the lord of the rings #eowyn #writing fantasy #fantasy #female characters #writing #historical fiction #medieval women #medieval history #medieval #history #womens history

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soapoet · 8 months

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autumn energy reading

like & rb if it resonates ♡

01.

Shufflemancy: Pancakes for dinner by Lizzy McAlpine

Are you getting tired of the push-and-pull? It feels like the moment you put your foot down, tell yourself you're done, they're cute but not that cute, you're getting impatient and want to see movement, that's the exact moment you're pulled back in. The chemistry between you and someone you're dealing with is electrifying. Outsiders could easily think the two of you are an item, and if you're not then you should be. But what's the hold up?

You feel like you're losing it, certain you can feel their presence, lurking, creeping closer, and once they consume your thoughts and have you twirling your hair, kicking your feet as you lay on your bed daydreaming of the what ifs, their energy fades and you begin chasing it down. You're not the obsessive type either. You do not chase, you attract. And I promise you that what you are doing does not constitute as chasing. The person you're dealing with is. It's like their throwing their line into your pond, and you nibble at their bait, but when they fail to reel you in you simply let go. It'll take more than bait to catch you, and I think they're catching on.

We've heard it all before, but it really is them, not you. Something is holding them back even though they want to rush in. Inside them is two knights in the midst of a tug of war. One is rearing to go and wants to reach out and take action. The other is cautious, shy, and wants to take it slow. But the fierce warrior feels a little scared they'll scare you away, and the steady feels a little scared you'll slip through their fingers due to what to you looks like indecision. Please allow this person some time to transmute their thoughts and feelings into a solid offer and determination. They may feel woefully uncertain of your feelings, too. Whilst the chemistry is undeniable, they're certainly overthinking it.

For some of you there could be a power imbalance or other outside circumstance that is causing this extraordinary caution. I'm getting a variety of options, so I'll simply list off several: they could be your boss or colleague, a mentor, an ex of a friend or a sibling, the crush of a friend, a friend of a sibling, someone who is currently taken, going through breakup or divorce. Either way this feels like it goes against the status quo or requires some secrecy and caution on both sides. Besides the shufflemancy song I will also give you the song Starcrossed Losers by The Fratellis because there is a distinct Romeo and Juliet element to this and I keep hearing this song as I'm reading the energy. It's like mutual pining, but there's a need to tiptoe around each other and dance only at a masquerade where anonymity allows you to engage freely. The risk may seem great, but the reward would be even greater. For some of you who are older this could lead to marriage. The risk seems to go both ways, too, which makes the tension feel that much more tangible.

I think this is the one time playing some games might actually work in your favour, and I don't take such things lightly as clear and direct communication is something I revere, and you may do too, but this one time I think ignoring that bait and giving them space to develop a little bit of fear that you'll slip away will create enough friction to light up a sense of urgency for them, leading them to drop the fishing rod altogether and simply dive in to get to you. So take a breather, live your life, speak when spoken to and hold your energy steady and available, but refuse to entertain the push and pull dynamic and demand they get out of their head and spring into action. They may need the wake-up call. There may be plenty of fish in the sea, but they certainly don't just jump into the boat on their own, so don't make them make you do all the work.

Additional details:

Hangman (the game), hair changes (colour, cut), investments, unexpected income, first snow, oversized sweaters, bruises, blue pen, dietary needs (deficiencies, anemia, veganism, gluten free, allergies), fall/winter jacket, navy blue and army green, pets, home decor, thrift shops, couches (sleeping on the couch, couch surfing, sleepovers), butterflies, funerals, spotify playlists, keys, Switzerland, Ireland, Georgia, Midwest USA, Iceland, Norway, India. Virgo/Leo/Pisces/Scorpio/Cancer, 222/333/888/23, July/August/October.

02.

Shufflemancy: 'tis the damn season by Taylor Swift

The song I got for this one feels oddly specific. Perhaps you have some core memory tied to autumn or winter, a past love or heartbreak, loss of a loved one either literally or through ties being cut and going your separate ways. Either way, you may be feeling nostalgic around the time you're reading this, and it feels bittersweet. You may say it's mostly bitter, but there is a sweetness present too, even though you're pushing it as far down into the depths of the darkest corner of your mind like a dusty box of memories you'd like to forget. Your recently played songs may say otherwise, though. You could find your thoughts drifting away when you're not fully occupied and busy, to people and places you couldn't revisit without triggering some still-sore feelings.

Another thing that seems to be patchworked into this quilt is someone new, but it feels like the threads are quite loose. Maybe you ripped one square out some time ago and found a replacement, but it doesn't fit quite right. It could be a very confusing circumstance, a situationship, a talking phase that keeps going on and on and on, without anything set in stone. Perhaps that was alright by you at first, this could be a rebound or a new chapter you ventured into with a carefree and light heart, not expecting much more than some pleasant times for the short-term. But things got quite blurry fast, didn't it? Like a line drawn in the sand much too close to the shoreline getting washed away by the rising tides. You may have settled into a comfortable agreement of nothing serious, only for one or both of you catching feelings, but neither doing anything about it.

For some of you, you may feel like you're being treated like a significant other, as though you're in a commited relationship, like those boundaries of previous agreements were crossed and you entered something more, but seemingly unbeknownst to them. You yearn for clarity, a yes or a no, because you're growing tired of wondering what this is and where it's going. You could desire commitment and parting ways equally because this middle ground is hazy and unsettling in its indecision. You're the irresistible force and they're the immovable object. A strange paradox that you wish to see a solution for, for better or worse.

I see you tossing and turning, restless and wanting something tangible. Like you're surrounded by only mist, stumbling in the dark with nothing solid around you to hold on to. Not even the ground beneath your feet feels entirely solid. Like you're existing in space, no up or down, no corners, no left or right. You have more questions than answers, and every unanswered question breeds more questions. The person you're dealing with can't even be described as being hot and cold, just lukewarm. Neither refreshing or cozy.

Don't give your time and energy away for free. If you yearn for more, demand it. And move on if it isn't granted. Beware of trying to fill the void left by one with another if they simply don't fit. If you lost a corner piece of the puzzle, a centerpiece won't fit, and ramming it in won't complete the picture. There is potential with this piece and it could be more than what it is, but you need to redraw the lines and confront them with your needs.

Additional details:

Glowing stars, LED lights, layered clothes, chokers, mullets, lgbt, exams, train rides, group activities, events, poetry, doorbell ringing, left on read, birthday presents, social media (ig), psychology, internships, tattoos, cartoon characters, comic books, cobblestone, cute socks, chapped lips, butterflies and moths, bats, storms, power outages, Austria, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Ghana, Japan. Scorpio/Aquarius/Aries/Virgo/Capricorn, 444/555/25, May/November/December.

03.

Shufflemancy: Rabbit hole by AViVA

I won't lie, this one felt very uncomfortable to read. Do you feel like your past actions were mistakes after all? Like you picked the wrong route in a game and only recently realised you shouldn't have gone down this path and wish you could go back and change your decision? You felt so sure about it back then. It was the clearest path forward, it made so much sense. One path was paved and lit up so well, had wonderful opportunities and helping hands along the way. The other one was overgrown, covered in exposed roots threatening to make you stumble and fall, it was dark and winding and wouldn't let you see further than the next bend, no telling what lurks behind the next tree.

You may have recognised, or you are beginning to realise, that you chose wrong. Not entirely by your own volition, but guided by people you thought had true and good intentions. They served their own good above yours, didn't they? You may feel ashamed that you were lead astray so easily. That jagged path looks so much more exciting now, like an adventure full of surprises and growth and opportunities, whilst the path you're on feels plain, pre-determined, and most of all not your own.

Some of you may have cut ties with significant people as you parted ways, and that may haunt you now. Don't be too harsh on yourself. Sometimes we need to take detours to learn lessons separate from those closest to us. When our paths part, they may cross again in the future. Not every goodbye is forever, some words and actions can be forgiven, and reconciliation is never entirely off the table so long as two people agree to meet there to discuss.

I see you walking down a street and coming across ghosts from your past. Not wholly unpleasant, but unnerving nonetheless. For some of you the roles may be reversed, and you are the ghost spotted by somebody who once betrayed you somehow, and now bear witness to the person you grew into once they removed themselves, and see the life you now lead without them. There is a mix of regret, shame, and envy here. Whichever of you chose the beaten path now sees the other leading a life of excitement and adventure, and wish they had done things differently.

This energy may come to a head in the next few months from the time you read this. You, or they, may reach out. If not for reconciliation then at the very least for closure. It would be best to forgive and agree to be cordial even you don't decide to give each other another chance. As for those snakes you may have discovered around you, do not hesitate to cut people off that don't serve your best interest. Don't give up your time and effort to fair weather friends when you desire mutual respect and the ride or die experience. You deserve better, and have all the opportunities to find better as long as you cut dead weight loose so that you can truly soar.

Additional details:

Bookshops, stationery, notes, emails, messenger bags, roses, animal crossing, picture frames, scrapbooks, younger siblings, book series and fandoms related to books or tv shows, cosplay, photography, Hannah Montana, blonde or light brown hair, spirituality, letters, diary entries, neat handwriting, tinder, Italy, Hungary, Scandinavia, South Korea. Capricorn/Sagittarius/Libra/Aries/Scorpio, 000/555/411/2020, January/May/November/December.

04.

Shufflemancy: Candy by Robbie Williams

With all these delays on so many fronts, you'd think the boss music would quiet down too, right? But alas, you may have felt it in your bones, been constantly alert and ready for something, but that something seems to be taking its sweet time to make itself known. There's been anticipation in the air despite the rains of doubt, delays, rejections, and all kinds of curveballs coming down on you. It's frustrating to know exactly where you're going and how to get there, but having stop signs and road work ahead at every turn preventing you from moving in that direction.

You've been very hard on yourself as of late. Seek help if you need it, but most of all be merciful with yourself and don't carry fault when it's not yours to carry. You've done enough, and if the world won't bend, you don't have to. Sometimes we throw ourselves at doors that just will not open, and it's not our fault but the doors for not budging. Don't hesitate to ask for non-professional help either. You have more listening ears than you think, just be clear whether you need affirmation or advice, because you may feel too vulnerable for the latter if you feel like you've already tried everything. Nobody wants to collapse after a race of which they weren't the victor, only to be told to get back up and run another mile. You don't need to have that kind of tenacity and willpower. It's okay to rest, to need a hug and a good cry and some understanding, kind words.

Take a well-deserved break, and most of all let others treat you to something nice. You may have trouble accepting not just help, but doting too. Do not get bashful and turn down offers now, but accept them as blessings that you are well within your right to accept and enjoy wholeheartedly without guilt or shame. A little break may also be just what the doctor ordered, as distancing yourself from the stormy seas for higher ground could result in better perspective and understanding of how and where things went wrong, and how to traverse the waves when you get back to it. Things that wouldn't budge before may finally start moving along once you've caught your breath and have the energy to try again. If you've been looking to relocate, the previous struggles and clouds of doubt could lift as if on their own, and by opening yourself up to assistance you could find more hands to help you push those boudlers uphill.

You may also have had an inkling about the following, as you're a very observant and intuitive energy easy for me to read, but the boss music you have been hearing as of late may be drumming up the entrance of a significant new person or group of people, arriving into your life soon. This person, or these people, may be older than you, or more experienced in some way. This will feel like being taken under the wing(s) of someone, a mentor like figure, who can show you the way where you have previously been running blind and lost on your own.

An important thing to note, however, is that they won't do everything for you, which at first may be disappointing as you've been doing everything all by yourself for so long, but these people, or this person, will show you the way and walk alongside you, ready to be leaned on when necessary, but not dictate the pace at which you go at, nor what you do, when you do it, and how you do it. You'll quickly find this a better alternative, as ultimately you want to be able to say you made it on your own, and see the fruits of your labour with your name on them, and you truly deserve the applause for all your hard work and efforts.

Additional details:

Travelling, airplanes, dinner, shopping sprees, new shoes, electric blue, orange, sunsets, Paramore, vtubers, ASMR, drawing/painting, digital art, plushies, fruity scents, dogs, D&D, astrology, paperwork, therapy, social work, bills, moving, new coworkers/classmates, Roman empire/mythology, kitchen magick, the UK, USA, Australia, Mexico, Honduras, Peru. Sagittarius/Libra/Taurus/Gemini, 111/222/12/21, April/September/December.

05.

Shufflemancy: Brightside by Arrested youth

Feels like a very strange time, doesn't it? Like you're putting on a pair of new shoes identical to an old pair you're replacing with the new. They look the same, but don't yet fit quite right and need to be broken in. You may be relearning a lot of things. Maybe you got out of a long relationship, romantic or platonic, even familial, or moved away to a brand new place, and nobody told you this transition into a new chapter, a new way of life, would come with growing pains as you learn to live your own life as a separate entity from someone, some people, or circumstances. It's equally empowering and unnerving. You can do more of what you want, but perhaps you forgot or never had the chance to quite figure out what that is.

Allow yourself the time and space to break this new chapter in. Don't rush and give yourself blisters from trying to run too fast too soon. Trace your steps back to things you used to enjoy, the things, places, and people that brought you joy, and used to sink your time into more back when time was a more abundant currency. Those in your life who understand what you're going through will also be less demanding and be more forgiving when you go through trial and error in terms of how to delegate your time.

And by all means, embrace opportunities to meet new people, but if you got out of a long-term romantic relationship I would caution against starting anything new too soon. You just got out of commitment waters, and you're still soaked and dripping, and this is likely to attract people who want long-term, but until you're dry and healed from the past, it would do both you and prospective partners more harm than good to get into something new. You need time to be whole within yourself, not as a part of a duo, but your own individual with options to grow in any direction you want without a say from anybody else. Even a short-term fling will hinder this growth, because if you're barely out of the commited mindset, it'll be difficult to not revert back to it only to feel cornered again and begin fighting for your freedom.

Some of you may have eyes on somebody new. Ask yourself if they're just a shiny new version of the old, with upgrades that undo much of the bugs and grievances of what you had before. Perhaps they are better in many ways, even ideal, but you could end up measuring them up to the old flame without thinking, and nobody deserves to be compared to other people. Nobody deserves to feel like a new iphone, because they will learn quickly that another one will be in the making the moment they're on the market, and fearing replacement somewhere down the line is neither fun or healthy. That's not to say you would keep lining up for new iphones every time, but do take time to really finetune what it truly is that you look for in a partner, and be specific.

Someone who originally makes your heart flutter may instead have potential to become a lifelong friend. Somebody you can rely on, who will tell it like it is, guide you, be there for you, and truly show through not just words but actions that they have your best interest at heart. This person may teach you a lot, and broaden your horizons in ways you previously thought impossible. They could be younger than you, or simply more childlike and carefree than you, but you will be amazed by their strength, courage, and resilience, and they may hold quite a bit of life experience, which they easily wield to help you make your life look like one you can feel proud of. It would be a shame to reduce a life companion to a romantic partner when sometimes platonic love can get your farther and help you reach the love you deserve. Don't rush to get the bride or groom when the bestman or maid of honour is right in front of you. They may quite literally hold the key to your next relationship with the various doors they can open for you.

Additional details:

Vikings, runes, the moon, Star wars, video games, co-op games, boardgames, nostalgia, guitars, cereal, tech, numbers and codes, inside jokes, mattress on the floor, solitude, fire, smoke, coffee, oatmeal, fasting, red/ginger hair, cats, packages and deliveries, medicine and vitamins, blueberries, rings, camping, mermaids, autumn equinox, aurora borealis, ghosts, the word "issue", Canada, the Philippines, Malaysia, New Zealand, UAE, Eastern Europe, Chile. Cancer/Pisces/Gemini/Capricorn, 13/999/666, February/March/July/September.

06.

Shufflemancy: Sweater weather by The Neighbourhood

Emotionally you may feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. Things outside of yourself seem to be dictating what you can and cannot do or say or feel. You could be grieving lost love, but it feels less like you miss the person, and more like you miss how things were when things were fine. But you're also learning how much of that was a facade, a lie, or plain and simply a monotonous kind of "good enough". You may have felt settled and lulled into a sense or security of something that seemed so stable, and willfully overlooking any lack, flaw, and bump in the road and something arbitrary. Told yourself nobody's perfect, life isn't like in the movies, love is more stable without fire and butterflies, the routine is safe and the unknown is scary. That didn't pan out very well, did it? For some of you, you may have been cheated on, betrayed, lied to, hurt by somebody you never knew bore claws. Others of you, perhaps you realised all this time you were becoming more of a shell of your former self and living up to the expectations and standards set by someone else. For a few of you, this reading is moreso about a project or opportunity than a person, so take what resonates and flip it as necessary.

Amidst this grief and confusion, however, there seems to be a light, and if we allow for a litte bit of a cliché, it may feel as if it's the light at the end of the tunnel. For some of you it's possible the arrival of someone new into your life really shook things up, and they served as a catalyst to help you see how dreadful your life has become. This shake-up could've been quite the whirlwind and caught you off guard. This person feels new in more ways than one. Perhaps you previously stuck to more stable and reliable people, those who gave you a sense of familiarity as they reflected some of your own traits, who fit you like a glove. Your energy feels solid, meticulous, responsible, and very steady. You would understandably be shocked to the core when the wind suddenly picks up and it begins to hail and shine all at once in a life so frequently overcast and dull, yet predictable and safe.

A part of you has enjoyed the change of pace, right? There is something exciting and invigorating about the unpredictable nature of this hurricane hitting your shores. It can be triggering a bit of a saviour complex in you, too. One that seeks to calm the storms and tame the winds. You may find yourself protective of this person, but you're learning not to underestimate them. They may have been through a lot, but perseverance is something they pride themselves in. At first you may think of them as a fool caught up in storms of their own making, but eventually it dawns on you that they are more in control than they let on, and despite the turbulence they face they have unique ways to handle things all on their own. Your desire to protect and save them is insistent, but transmutes into assistance instead over time, and you may even become inspired by their tenacity and their wild ways.

There could be a brief period of radio silence between you and this person in the near future, which forces you to come to terms with your feelings. Divine timing seems to be at play, as the sudden disappearance of the sun forces you stare into the dark of the night and face your own shadow. Here you may learn that the two of you could be a perfect match. Opposites attract, don't they? You're similar enough to have mutual respect, love, and understanding, but different enough to keep things interesting and to cover your bases. Your weaknesses are their strengths and vice versa. Think of how far you could both go if you joined forces. This realisation, along with admitting to yourself that hiding your heart and staying in the corner licking old wounds forever will do you no good, will set you out on a path towards a future that firstly looks more like one built for you by you, and secondly gets you farther, faster, with better rewards and real gold in the pot at the end of the rainbow.

Perhaps it won't be easy, but I advise you to step outside of your comfort zone. You may wish to delay, wait and see, to take things slow and steady as you normally do, but know that this time that simply won't do. This is a great challenge with promise of even greater rewards, but it feels time sensitive. Just as the night gives way for the sun to rise, so too does the sun set to cast the day into darkness. You may dig your heels in and object, insisting good things are worth waiting for, but let me flip the script for a different perspective: would you like to stand in the pouring rain, waiting for somebody to open the door and let you in, or would you eventually stop ringing the doorbell and seek shelter elsewhere? Make up your mind before they do, and take action accordingly.

Additional details:

Tickets (events, travel), hoodies, gym, weightlifting, pets, plants, rice and noodles, disney, old cartoons, expecting/checking for messages, sleepless nights, sweet scents, coconut, vinyls, denim jackets, Brokeback Mountain, redbull, espresso, hiking, foraging, cooking, silence, empty house or office, greyscale, hair ties/scrunchies, 8-bit games, metal, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Maldives, Zimbabwe, either the state of Georgia or the country, Virgo/Cancer/Leo/Aquarius, 111/666/777/10/30, June/July/October.

#pac reading #energy reading #tarot reading #intuitive reading #pick a card #pick a pile #pick a picture #pick a card reading #pac #love pac #love reading #soapy.post #tarotblr

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writerlyhabits · 2 months

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Aliit ori’shya tal'din

Pairing: Din Djarin x female reader

Word Count: 2.7k

Summary: Your second day in the covert reveals both new and familiar faces; hospitality and hostility.

Chapter 3 of the Shereshoy series | Masterlist | Ch. 2 | Ch. 4

Warnings: lots of Mando’a, mild language, soft Din, awkward Din, protective Din [he’s got a wide range, okay?], original Mandalorian characters… maybe a little bit of angst? It’s mostly worldbuilding, so I think that’s about it.

AN: A word from the author – “I’m in grad school, I take forever to write things.Soon I will start grad school again, which means I’ll write this instead of my dissertation. I’m quite fond of the Mando Legends Lore, if you haven’t noticed. I literally got Kad Ha’rangir & Arasuum tattooed on me.”

This is the third part of a sister fic for my one-shot (Courting) a friend of mine wrote based on this request, and I’m so happy she’s letting me share it with you guys! She is also sharing it on AO3, so be sure to send her your love and kudos there as well! We hope you enjoy 💛

Translations, in order of appearance:

Aliit ori’shya tal'din: Family is more than blood

Rejorhaa'i kaysh murcyur gar shupur’ika?: Are you gonna tell her to kiss your ouchies?

Cuyi ulyc, vod.: Be careful, sister.

Aliit: family

Ad(e): child/children

Kar’ta beskar: the central "diamond" of Mandalorian armor; lit. heart armor

Mirjahaal: peace of mind, "healing", general term for emotional well-being especially after a trauma or bereavement

Beroya: bounty hunter

Kurshi: tree

Sen’tra: jackpack

Buir(e): Parent/Parents

Akaanati'kar'oya: The War of Life and Death (Mandalorian myth), creation story

Verd'goten: a special trial for one to become warrior; lit. birth of warrior

So'haale: births

Urman'gedete: prayers

Eparave: feasts

Cyarir evaar'la: Courting

Alii'aliit: meeting of the clans, the closest thing mandalorians have to government or parliament; lit. "clan of clans"

Tsad: group (of people), alliance

Bes'ede: Mythosaur

Kandush : inevitable doom

Time moves differently underground.

With Odona, the hours passed quickly. As a team, you could disassemble and reconstruct nearly any ship in their small fleet, save for a few parts— which no one had yet found and delivered. The days were faster when the guardsman opted to join you in his free time, his first visit and subsequent dialogue with Odona still memorable.

To what do I owe the displeasure; Oh Mighty Protector of the Covert and Savior of Foundlings?

The pleasure of my company is for your friend, ‘Dona.

Why? Going to terrorize her again, Ik’? Ven’rejorhaa'i kaysh murcyur gar shupur’ika?

Cuyi ulyc, vod.

You had sensed there was a joke hidden within their jibes, one you were unable to decipher in their foreign tongue, but neither took the time to explain. Whilst Ikarus lacked use for the labor that required fine motor control, his presence disrupted the monotony of the many tedious and repetitive tasks you and Odona spent much of your time doing— their frequent banter kept you entertained throughout the day.

The time you had spent in the medbay was shorter— the most common injuries coming from the older adolescents early on in their training, whose resilience and constitution had yet to strengthen— as well as wrist and ankle sprains from poor fighting forms, the occasional laceration from knife safety training; and at worst, injuries from the teens and young adults earned from a vigorous sparring session.

But with Din, the mornings and evenings together never felt long enough. The hours were reminiscent of your time with him and the Child in the Crest, the warmth of your aliit protected by familiar cold walls; the stone of the cavern both analogous yet antithetic to the durasteel of your former home.

One forged of hands, and the other of time— one of the fires of a furnace, the other the fires of a planet’s mantle. Your time together before was that of contrivance, engineered— with agendas to follow and assignments to complete— your interactions affable yet somewhat artificial, a present barrier precluding your companionship from evolving into something more… More natural, more innate, more intimate. Here, your time together had been more candid, endearing— Din no longer shied away from any probing questions or physical closeness, which allowed that previous barrier to melt and slowly flow away like that of bedrock to magma, reshaping and remolding your times of leisure together to hours of unified repose.

The hours turned to days, the days turned to weeks, and the weeks turn to this moment, where seemingly no time passes at all— blanketed in the familiar darkness of your room. The unlit and chilled space, at first an unacquainted oddity, now a comfortable companion to spend the sleeping and waking hours in. The ritual remains the same— awaken with the Child, have the morning trade-off with Din, make the caf, and begin the tasks for the day— like clock work, a well-oiled droid.

This morning is almost no different, and yet, you hesitate to leave your bed, your conversation with Din the previous morning still fresh in your mind—

Din had sat aside the table, his body resting against the wall— unarmored, arms crossed, head tilted to the side, the same position as every morning. Once you handed him the Child and sat, caf in hand, he finally spoke.

“I’d like you to join me tomorrow,” he stated.

The lack of pleasantries from him was unsurprising, though a teasing ‘Good morning to you, Din’ was a tempting response. Instead, you greeted him with a grin and an unobjectionable reply—

“Alright, what are we doing?”

He hummed, pleased with your immediate acceptance.

“The adults alternate supervising the ade. Tomorrow, it’ll be our turn.”

You gestured toward the Child in his arms, in a playful retort. “Don’t we supervise this ad every day?”

The Child cooed in his arms, his ears perked tentatively at his mention. Din sighed, with a smile in voice.

“We do. It’s tradition for all of the adults to care for the ade… All have wisdom to share.”

Skeptical, you thought: ‘What would I possibly teach them?’

You observed the Child resting so comfortably on Din’s chest— his tiny hand gripped tightly into Din’s clothes, right where his armor’s kar’ta beskar normally sat. It was a stark contrast compared to the Child’s behavior upon your first meeting. With any loud noises and sudden movements, he would shrink inwards in his cradle— as if he could make himself any smaller. Medical scanners made him grimace, unfamiliar places and people made his ears droop— seeing others upset made him wary. And yet, he was endlessly curious. Despite his initial unease with the two new adults in his life, the Child was quick to trust you both— and with his trust, his personality came through… his affection, his laughter, his love.

From there, Din learned how to tend to someone outside of himself— what it meant to have someone that relied on him, and more colossally, someone that wanted Din, as he was. The Armorer branded him as the Child’s father, and the delighted squeal from the little one sealed the bond that Din had been trying to hide for so long. Just as the Child learned to trust Din with his welfare, so too did Din learn to trust the Child with his own mirjahaal.

Perhaps it wasn’t the lessons they taught, but rather the connection they made, and the wisdom they sought.

With this, the true question then inverted from the skeptic ‘what would I teach them’, to the sanguine ‘what will I learn?’...

“...When do we meet them?”

—

To the ade, the former beroya is nothing more than a tall kurshi fit to climb.

Somehow, Din appears endlessly patient and playful with all six of the young children. They utilize their limitless spurts of energy to continuously attack Din as a squad, bringing him to the ground— he’ll exclaim a faux wail, and collapse to his knees— and the collective giggles of the ade begin the cycle again.

Whenever a child grows tired of their battle, they come to you— wanting to be tossed into the air, or onto the nearest surface. Supposedly being gently thrown around aids in their brain development, and ‘it’s good practice for their first sen’tra flight’, Din tells you. The logic is questionable at best, but hearing their joyous squeals makes the ever-growing muscle fatigue worthwhile. Even the child of the Djarin clan is as equally amused, his own little spirit mightily lifted by the experience of being with other kids again.

During your time on Sorgan, the Child was happy to interact with the other children— but mostly, he watched them, rather than play. Perhaps he was still too shy or too wary to fully engage with so many people, but surrounded by these Foundlings now, he looks at home; like he belongs. Amidst this cohort, he’s made a new friend, Mara, the youngest of the lot. Her long and dark hair reminds you— and perhaps the Child— of Winta, Omera’s daughter. The two spent the most time together on Sorgan, and despite the little one’s inability to say, he misses her.

Mara and the Child sit away from the squad play-fighting Din, in front of the single wall of volcanic tuff— embellished with crimps and pockets, graven by many hands. You watch them, as they examine the wall, looking up and down, side to side. Your eyes travel upward to the small cavate, almost eight feet from the floor. You watch as Mara looks to the Child and nods, and begins her ascent up— using her fingers and toes to grip tightly onto the various crevices in the wall— and the Child begins to follow.

You step forward, almost instinctively, wanting to call out to them to stop, wanting to reach out to the children to prevent a fall—

Then, from nowhere, Din appears at your side, extending his hand to stop you. “Don’t,” he says softly, “Let them try.”

You look at him puzzled, and he continues. “If you distract them now, they might fall…” he pauses, and turns his head to watch them, “...but if you allow them to focus, they can succeed. Watch…”

The pair silently step closer, closing the distance between themselves and the wall, watching the two ade slowly make their way up to the cavate. Mara climbs inside first, and lays on her belly, reaching out to the Child to help him trek the final span of the wall. Once inside, the Child turns around, to face the entire room below him. He squeals a little clamor of excitement, proud of his triumph, before looking down to his buire.

“Good job, kid,” Din says. “Come on down, it’s time to go.”

The Child looks at you both doe-eyed, his ears drooping, as he peers over the ledge. He looks back to Mara, and back down over the ledge, contemplating his next move.

You lean slightly towards Din, speaking in a hushed tone. “I don’t think he knows how to get back down.”

“He can do it,” Din says confidently.

You challenge him, “He looks scared.”

Din insists, “Then he’ll do it scared.”

He steps forward once more, his body almost pressed against the wall, reaching one hand up. “Come on kid, climb down.”

The child’s ears droop even lower, letting out a quiet whimper, a little anxious look on his face. He looks back up to Mara, who gives him an encouraging “You can do it,” before he finally begins his descent towards you and Din.

Carefully, his little clawed feet grip into the same pockets he used to climb up, and his hands hold onto the ledge. He looks down at his buire with a slightly quivering lip, then back up to his hands. Slowly, he presses on, his movements deliberate and cautious, gravity tugging at his little limbs with relentless persuasion, clammy clawed-hands threatening to slip free from the cold stone. His disgruntled babbling fading with each tentative step, footfalls growing more steady with every downward stride.

His little foot finally reached something soft— the hand of his buir, waiting for his arrival. With an excited squeal, he looks to Din, holding out his clawed fingers for Din to grasp. Din takes the Child into his arms.

“Good job… I knew you could do it.” Din whispers to him.

With his ad in hand, Din looks back to the cavate, where Mara sits silently. “You too, Mara, come down,” he says.

Mara, unlike the little one, is less graceful, only climbing down two feet of wall before leaping off. You instinctively reach your arms out to catch her, but are a few seconds too late, as she lands confidently on her feet, smiling up at you. She giggles, asking the Child “Wasn’t that fun!” and the little one cooing affectionately with a bright smile.

“They need to rest.” Din says, before leading Mara and the Child back with the other ade. You follow him in toe, and aid him while he attempts to settle the children in preparation for them to sleep.

The chamber is bathed in the soft, warm light of the cressets along the walls. The ade sit and lay in a circle on the floor, looking up at the two adults expectedly, waiting for you both to join them. Din gently places the Child in Mara’s lap, seating himself amongst them.

The ade demanded a story before they would agree to their midday nap, and with only one long sigh, Din relented. As you sit beside him, the tale of Akaanati'kar'oya begins.

—

In ages past, when cosmic realms were naught,

Two gods emerged, each with a purpose sought.

Kad Ha'rangir, embodiment of change,

A dance of growth, His essence did arrange.

Arasuum, the god of slow decay,

In stillness thrived, where life would fade away.

Eternal foes, in battle they engaged,

Ideals clashed, the cosmic script was paged.

Kad Ha'rangir, with eyes of vibrant light,

Envisioned galaxies in endless flight.

His very step, a ripple through the void,

Transforming all, where life and change enjoyed.

Arasuum, with eyes as deep as night,

Desired a realm where stasis held its might.

Decay His touch, a silent, withering breath,

A universe in stillness, touched by death.

In ceaseless clash, their cosmic struggle roared,

A dance of gods, where destinies were stored.

Stoic truths emerged from this grand design,

A tale of action, life's breath so divine.

"For action is the breath that life bestows,

A vital force, as mighty river flows.

Inaction, slow demise, a creeping shade,

A silent death in stillness' dark cascade."

Through galaxies and time, the story spread,

Of Kad Ha'rangir, where change was bred.

Arasuum's touch, a cautionary tale,

A realm in stillness, where all things frail.

So heed the moral, in verses spun,

That action is life, beneath the sun.

For inaction's grasp, a silent breath,

A slow demise, an encroaching death.

—

The ade rest together in a haphazard heap of limbs on various bedcovers and furs draped across the floor. Exhausted from their Beroya Battles and abseil adventures, they finally sleep, leaving the two adults to quietly watch over them together. In the chamber’s silent embrace, the air hangs heavy and chilled— a symphony of stillness envelops the room, broken by the muted shuffle of shifting bodies, and the hushed breaths of the ade. The only audible rhythm is that of the pulsating cadence of your own heartbeat and the rush of blood moving inside your head.

Your eyes scan over the ade, finding a sense of calmness watching their steady breaths, in… out.

In… out.

Your gaze once again falls onto the Child, cuddled against Mara, also breathing steadily. In the gentle cradle of his friend’s arms, he looks peaceful. Had he ever slept this soundly on the Crest?... Who held him every night before us? Who will take care of him after us?

In the softest whisper, to not disturb the ade, you lean closer to Din, telling him the obvious— “He’s happy here.”

“...Yes,” Din replies, just as quietly.

“Was this your experience, too? After the Mandalorians saved you?”

“No.”

His visor is trained on the little one’s sleeping face—the same face of a child who was once trapped in the suffocating darkness of a sealed cradle—a cage, a cage whose opening only revealed another prison, in the form of two bounty hunters hovering over him like… a B2 Battle Droid, with a blaster pointed in a child’s face. A child rescued from death at the last possible moment by a shiny warden, offering an adiaphorous detainment.

“It was… a time of war. I was trained to fight in it. I hope… that they never have to.” Din says, his gaze scanning over the ade once more.

“I thought all Mandalorians were warriors.”

He, too, believed the same notion for many years. Training from the day he was rescued to the day he became an adult, after his verd'goten, life became a perpetual streak of jobs. Commission, retrieval, payment. Commission, retrieval, payment… Until a strange, golden, aureate armorsmith joined his tribe, bringing tales of the “Great Forge of Mandalore,” and the songs of the artificers that echoed through the speos as they worked. He remembers the first time he kneeled in front of her small, austere forge, in a dark room beneath a busy market above, listening as she spoke of the ethos, the rites, the latria, the true way of the Mandalore.

“No. Everyone is trained to survive. But… we used to live, too.”

“...Until Mandalore was taken.”

“Yes.”

So'haale, urman'gedete, eparave, cyarir evaar'la, alii'aliit… A cultus he could only dream of, but never truly have. Spoken knowledge fades into whispers, slipping through his fingers like sand as the voices of the ancestors grow ever fainter. Each decampment a dissolution of tsad res publica, each step forward a battle against oblivion.

“I’m sorry.” You lean over, resting your head on his pauldron. “...Maybe there’ll come a time when we’ll live in the light, on a planet that welcomes us.”

Din knows that within every Mandalorian is a patchwork of unfamiliar faces and ever-changing landscapes, their solace and safety as elusive as a bes'ede itself—and yet they endlessly repugn the kandush they have faced time and time again, guided by the conviction that within the uncertainty of the cosmos lay the promise of a sanctuary forged from the resilience of their spirit.

He tilts his head, resting it atop yours. “There will.”

Ali'nare vencuyanir yaim. This is the Way.

Thanks for reading!! If you’d like to be notified when I post a new fic, be sure to follow @writerlyhabits-library + turn on post notifications! 💛

To show this author your direct support, go ahead and check this story out on A03 + leave some kudos and a nice comment 💜

#din djarin #din djarin x reader #the mandalorian #the mandalorian x reader #mando'a #original mandalorian character #shereshoy #shereshoy series #not my writing #i have permission to post this

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jacebeleren · 9 months

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It bothers me so much that the only transfem rep in mtg cards is this like. Soldier military woman, like 'ooh look at this guy's we made a trans woman who's a part of a war machine' fantastic thank you magic very original

=========

Okay.

First of all, there is no "our" interpretation of the text. My thoughts are my own, and your thoughts are your own. Some of our thoughts might align, but I will not allow you to speak for me.

Second, I am sorry you feel so disappointed in the current state of transgender representation in Magic. I understand your concerns and I think they're valid concerns.

Third, your concerns being valid does not mean I agree with what you have to say, though. Don't come into my inbox complaining unless you're ready for me to honestly respond. Respectfully, your approach to these concerns makes it clear to me that you don't actually understand what you're talking about.

It's apparent that you follow me or have at least seen many of my posts. You appear to respect my opinions / analysis (at least regarding Jace and Tezzeret). So listen to me when I say this:

What constitutes 'good' representation is context-dependent, and it's not something you alone get to decide.

Yes, Alesha is a "soldier military woman", as you said. I understand that you have this complaint because you believe this makes Alesha an example of the stereotype that trans women are violent. But context matters. What you're failing to consider is the fact that she comes from the Mardu Horde, a faction on Tarkir inspired by the Mongol hordes of real-world history. In this context, Alesha isn't presented as violent because she's a trans woman. She's violent because she literally comes from a warrior clan based on one of the greatest military forces in human history. And honestly, with Magic being a combat-centric game, she's not any more violent than any non-Mardu Legends, either.

Do you seriously think a story about a trans woman fighting to proudly declare her trans identity in her culture and later becoming the accomplished and well-respected leader of her clan is bad representation? Does the fact that she's a warrior really outweigh the rest of the lovingly crafted trans narrative they created for her, to you?

It's fine if you feel that way. You don't have to like Alesha or her story. But just because something wasn't made for your taste doesn't mean it's bad writing / bad representation.

Anyway, I highly recommend you read Alesha's story, "The Truth of Names", since it seems like you haven't read it yet. It's a fantastic story-- the most beloved short story in all of Magic, actually. It was the most-read article on the entire Magic website for like 5 years, according to WOTC.

And if you're interested in learning more about transfem characters in Magic who aren't Alesha, I recommend you read about Xantcha, who first appears in the novel "Planeswalker".

Next, I need to make things clear about Ashiok.

Ashiok was never intended to be nonbinary representation. Ashiok was created to be a mysterious, unknowable villain. What makes Ashiok special is that we are not mean to know anything about Ashiok. We do not know Ashiok's species or plane of origin, for example. Another part of that element of mystery is not knowing Ashiok's gender, or how Ashiok identifies. Ashiok's original style guide from Theros explicitly instructs people to not use any pronouns for Ashiok at all (which I still follow because old habits are hard to break.) Official Magic sources did not begin to use they/them pronouns for Ashiok until 2022, in the story "A Garden of Flesh" (another excellent story, BTW.) And they only started using they/them for Ashiok because it is really hard to write a story where the character is mentioned that many times without pronouns.

All this to say: Ashiok as intentional nonbinary representation is certainly not the narrative WOTC is pushing.

Yes, there are many fans of Ashiok who interpret Ashiok as nonbinary, but those are their thoughts and you need not concern yourself with that, if it bothers you so.

As for Niko, it's weird that you say they're "non-existent" in Magic story when 2 of the 5 side stories ("Know Which Way the Wind is Blowing" and "Aim Through the Target") in their debut set Kaldheim were entirely focused on Niko. They're also a starring main character in 15 of the 25 issues of the BOOM! Studios Magic comics.

I'm glad you like my analysis of Jace and Tezzeret as transgender characters. Thank you for that, genuinely. But I want you to understand that the reason I have these interpretations is because I love Magic Story. And more importantly, I actually read it. I love Magic Story, and I have so much respect for the Magic Narrative team and the work they do.

What most people don't understand is that the Magic Narrative Team is in fact very careful and very loving in their approach to queer representation. You may not know this about me, but I'm friends with A LOT of people who formerly or currently work on Magic / Magic Story. Knowing these people personally, I know for a fact that the Magic creative Team does not create queer characters for "diversity points". They're not just checking boxes. The Magic creative team creates queer characters because the Magic creative team is full of queer people and allies who want to tell stories that reflect their own + fans' experiences. And they have to constantly fight to include more / better queer representation in Magic. They want good queer representation in Magic just as much as we do.

Am I going to defend everything they do? No! Are they perfect? No! They are just people. They make mistakes and they have blind spots. For example, in my essay about my analysis of Jace as a trans man, I explain that the reason my interpretation means so much to me is because there is currently zero meaningful representation for trans men in Magic canon. There are zero transgender male characters in Magic canon who have names. That's a HUGE blind spot considering the number of canon trans characters! That's something that disappoints and upsets me.

I'm not afraid to criticize Magic Story, and I do so very often. But I am critical of Magic story because I love it. My criticism does not equal hatred or unhappiness.

Sorry to hear that their efforts at including better trans representation in Magic would piss you off. I'm sorry that you've given up.

Lastly, I think Liliana is cis, but that's just my headcanon.

#mtg #gwunky #long post

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theworldbrewery · 1 month

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Funmaxing: How to Create a Character You'll Like Playing

Part Two: Choosing Your Features

'part one: choosing a role that fits' can be found here.

Okay, so you've decided on the roles that sound fun to you and that suit your character. Now for the fun part: actually doing character creation.

Every part of character creation is made up of two basic elements: flavor and mechanics. Each of these affects the other; when people talk about the 'fantasy' of a given class, they're referring to the experience created by the synthesis of the flavor and mechanics. For instance, the 'fantasy' of the Ancestral Guardian barbarian is a character that goes into a mystical warrior state to deliver no-holds-barred beatdowns, powered by the support of their long-dead ancestors. In order for that fantasy to work, you need both the flavor of the 'mystical warrior state' and the 'support of long-dead ancestors,' and the mechanics that let this idea work out in practice -- a character needs to be able to deal sizable damage in one-on-one combat, with meaningful support mechanics from their ancestor spirits.

The trick of choosing character options that work for you is twofold: you must determine which mechanics let you engage in the roles you have selected in part one, while also checking the flavor for compatibility with your character's roleplay concept.

First, let's talk mechanics.

Understanding how to choose mechanics that you will personally enjoy is surprisingly difficult; I think it's because the flavor is doing so much heavy lifting that it's hard to see the game expectations underlying each concept, and because it takes experience to recognize how different mechanics interact. To help provide examples, I'll be using a friend's character from my prior campaign to demonstrate.

Alice is a half-orc with the guild artisan background and the wild magic sorcerer class.

How does D&D expect Alice to behave? What does she do?

As a half-orc, Alice will have a bonus to her Strength and Constitution scores, proficiency in Intimidation, an extra damage die on a melee-weapon critical hit, and an ability that lets her drop to 1 hit point instead of 0 once per day.

On its own, this doesn't tell us much. These abilities could enhance Alice's efficacy as a Tank and a Powerhouse...or they could be used to help compensate in some areas where she is weaker, like keeping a fragile Glass Cannon standing and giving her a bonus to melee attacks if she's low on spell slots.

As a guild artisan, Alice is proficient in Insight and Persuasion plus a set of artisan's tools. According to her backstory, Alice is a stonemason, so she's taking that proficiency in mason's tools. She also gains a feature that connects her to the rest of the guild, who will help her meet patrons and allies and grant her lodging when needed, as long as the guild has a presence in the local community.

Now here's a better look at the picture! Alice has skills and features that help her in social situations, mostly with personal charm and insight, so she might be good at the Cold Reader and Friendly roles. She's also connected to the guild, which could set her up for a role as an Information Broker. Her skill with mason's tools could help her detect traps or other dangers, or give her an edge on finding secret areas in a building -- so Trap-Wise and Mapper are good prospects for her role in Exploration.

As a sorcerer, Alice has access to spellcasting features, including sorcerer cantrips and first-level spells. Looking ahead, she'll gain access to sorcery points, which let her cast more spells, and at third level she'll gain Metamagic options, which let her change elements of the spells she casts. She has proficiency in some simple weapons, but no armor, and her hit die is a d6. Her spellcasting ability will be Charisma.

So here we can see Alice is going to be a spellcaster first and foremost--at least, that's the assumption the class mechanics have created, because everything about this class revolves around spellcasting. If Alice's player wants to play a weapon-based character, this is likely not the class for them. We can also see that with no armor and the smallest hit die available, the game expects that Alice will be avoiding melee combat at all costs. Instead, the class is designed to fire spells at longer distances and deal large amounts of damage, so the sorcerer class is built for a more Glass Cannon-like role.

If we take a closer look at the sorcerer spells, it doesn't seem to have many summoning-type spells, and zero spells capable of healing or ending harmful effects. Instead, the sorcerer's spells largely deal targeted or Area of Effect damage, affect the environment and enemies, and defend the sorcerer and their allies from attacks. Alice is therefore well-suited to a Glass Cannon or Battlefield Manipulation role in combat -- and since she doesn't have many abilities beyond spellcasting, she should prioritize spells that let her act effectively in battle. The metamagic options reinforce this: they let Alice deal extra damage, fire a spell across a greater range, cast an extra spell as a bonus action, and extend the duration of a spell, all of which are assets to a character in long-range combat affecting the battlefield and dealing high amounts of damage.

But what about outside of combat? Some spell options for the sorcerer are more useful outside of the battlefield, and it's wise for Alice's player to choose some of these as well. Spells like Comprehend Languages and Knock can help Alice read unfamiliar writing, eavesdrop on an enemy, and magically unlock manacles, doors, and treasure chests. Depending on if the player prefers a Trap-Wise, Looter, or Puzzle-Solver role, the player can choose spells that fit those preferences. As a sorcerer, Alice is likely to have a high Charisma score, which means she would make a great Friend or Influencer in social encounters.

At first level, Alice also gets to choose her subclass. As a wild magic sorcerer, Alice's first subclass ability is Tides of Chaos, which lets her grant herself advantage on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

Because Alice can use Tides of Chaos, it makes sense for her to take on roles in the game that let her make use of her skills and saving throws, but it also would help if she took combat spells that use attack rolls instead of making the enemy make a saving throw. Why? Because her Tides of Chaos lets her give herself advantage on spell attacks. Spells like Chromatic Orb and Witch Bolt can then be more likely to hit their target. Later on, she'll gain abilities that let her affect other creatures' saving throws, so she might choose more save-based effects then.

As you can see, even though the race, background, and class/subclass features are guiding the player toward certain roles, these roles are by no means a hard and fast rule. And with each layer of customization, you can specialize your character into the roles you most enjoy. If you like the idea of playing a spellcaster, but the Glass Cannon doesn't appeal to you, you might instead choose to play a bard or a warlock, which have higher hit dice and can let you branch out into melee fighting, or choose the Clockwork Soul sorcerer subclass to access more defensive and healing-oriented spells.

The trick is to put all this into practice in reverse: if you know which roles you'd like to play, your task is to look at the classes, subclasses, and other character options that most interest you and evaluate whether or not they will help you fulfill those roles. Not everything must be of use to your favorite roles to play, and you aren't obligated to stick closely within the confines of one role in each pillar of play, either. But in general, you'll enjoy playing your character much more if you know you like using their abilities!

Lastly, you'll need to reconcile the flavor of your chosen character options with anything you already know about your character concept. Some mechanics are simple to re-flavor, like changing the source of magical abilities or changing a damage type. Others, like reflavoring spellcasting as weapon attacks, are extremely difficult verging on the impossible. If you find yourself trying to completely overhaul the flavor of a class or background, you might want to look in a different area for the mechanical features you enjoy.

If you're looking for more specific advice, feel free to send in an ask. Happy character creation!

#d&d #rpgs #ttrpgs #dungeons and dragons #character creation

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racefortheironthrone · 1 year

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Why do you hate anti-slavery characters? That the creators specify they are anti-slavery certainly argues against the idea of trying to deny it existed. What it seems they want in the characters is an underdog on the losing side, usually one who has lost everything, and they are acknowledging slavery is evil by not having the hero approve it. I can see hating the benevolent slave owner/inheritor, but IDK what's the problem with the other type.

You have wildly misinterpreted my argument, and you've done so in a way that actually rises to being mildly offensive because of how you've let yourself get duped by the Lost Cause mythology. Because there is nothing anti-slavery about the trope of the Confederate Protagonist.

Let me spell it out plainly for you: the trope that a Confederate veteran didn't fight because of slavery is part of the broader Lost Cause myth promulgated after the Civil War by groups like the Daughters of the Confederacy, United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Sons of Confederate Veterans that denied that the Confederacy explicitly fought for the cause of slavery.

By pushing the false narrative that Confederate soldiers were not fighting for slavery, these white supremacist groups sought to trick Americans into believing that Confederate soldiers (including both folk heroes like Jesse James and generals like Robert E. Lee or Stonewall Jackson) were noble (indeed, superior) warriors who fought to defend hearth, home, and the lofty constitutional principle of "state's rights."

In reality, among soldiers in the Army of Northern Virginia, “volunteers in 1861 were 42 percent more likely to own slaves themselves or to live with family members who owned slaves than the general population.” Confederate soldiers fought for slavery because their society was built on slavery, they viewed the Union as a threat to their social order which was built on slavery, Confederate armies systematically enslaved or re-enslaved free black people, and Confederate soldiers repeatedly massacred black soldiers.

And the famous individuals who inspired those Western tropes, like Jesse James? Well, in reality, Jesse James was part of a notorious family of pro-slavery terrorists who participated in the Lawrence Massacre during Bleeding Kansas, and James himself participated in the Centralia Massacre during the Civil War. After the war when he became an outlaw and bank robber, James' gang targeted Republicans for assassination or robbery, James himself wrote letters to the newspapers denouncing Republican politicians, and the James gang used Klan hoods during robberies.

#history #u.s history #lost cause

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dgrailwar · 1 month

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Round 4, Day 2 - MoonCancer vs. Alter-Ego

"Unfortunately, setting up a surveillance networks can't be entirely done inside. Well, it could, but only if I had a good idea of the map. And since I don't, then--"

Her commenting was stopped by a swift bladed attack swinging towards her head. The MoonCancer tripped, stumbling out of the way as she clicked her tongue, staring back at the source of the danger.

"...Okay, now this is feeling intentional. I had actual plans today, dammit. I never have those."

"You're the big threat my Masters want me to go after? You seem like the type that can't do anything more than run and hide, like a little mouse. Still, I suppose you're not her... no, if someone's a MoonCancer, then she has something to do with it."

"Why do people keep considering me a threat! But--ugh! That face… that's what I thought. You're one of those 'Sakura Five', huh? One of BB's little mistakes. The small-chested one."

"Your snide comments aside… I wonder… you recognize me, but I don't recognize you at all. Then again, only one person really held my eye at the time… were you a part of that little 'student council'?"

"Uh-- I'm just a nobody, really. I was a coward wallowing a bit in my own self-pity when you struck, so I don't have a good idea of your skills-- that, and I'm sure the Grail is blocking some of my memories…"

"But whatever! C-Consider this a grudge match, Pointy BB Junior! I'll make sure to do my part this time around!"

The boosts for this round are:

Ganesha: +3% Meltryllis: +6%

Servant Skills:

Meltryllis (Alter-Ego)

Melt Virus (EX Rank) - When engaged in a Free-for-All, inflict all foes with a -3% demerit. If Meltryllis gains 1st place in the Free-for-All by a margin of 10% or more, inflict a -3% demerit to your foes for their next round and gain a +3% boost for your next combat round.

Crime Ballet (A Rank) - When engaged in a one-on-one, increase the Alter-Ego Class Trait one-on-one boost to +5% rather than +3% (+6% if targeting a Servant that's Playing Defensively).

Sadistic Constitution (A Rank): When engaged in a Free-for-All, gain a +3% bonus to your score. Additionally, if you end up in 1st place, inflict a wound on both the Servant in last AND the Servant in 2nd place.

Ganesha (MoonCancer)

Vinayaka (EX Rank): When 'Playing Defensively' gain a +5% bonus to scores, and you cannot be caught off guard. If you are unbothered, then this increases by 1% each time you are not attacked, resetting back to 5% once you're engaged in combat. However, this negates the inherent MoonCancer trait of ‘being unable to be targeted while Playing Defensively’. (Current boost: +5%)

Broken Tusk (B Rank): When engaged in a 1-on-1 confrontation (while not Playing Defensively), gain a +3% boost. Additionally, apply the MoonCancer Class Trait of 'not taking damage if there's a 3% difference in scores' to 1-on-1 battles as well. If Ganesha has been ‘Playing Defensively’ uninterrupted for 3 or more turns (in a row), when she goes on the offense, her attack bonus increases from 3% to 6% for that specific round. (Current defensive turn count: 0)

Due to landing in 3rd-5th place last round, MoonCancer is afflicted with a -2% demerit this round!

#combat phase poll #team mooncancer #team alter ego

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sisterdivinium · 1 year

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Genetic engineering, DNA modification, tested it on herself... Why would Jillian go through all this trouble? Adoption would be easier, surrogacy wouldn't be an issue for a woman with so much money, so why this devotion to medical science, to gene manipulation?

This doesn't seem very logical unless we take one step further in examining her characterisation as a sort of Virgin Mary character implied by her clothing and framing during season one: a man is never mentioned in connection to Michael's conception, either as donor or father... Possibly because Michael has no father. Jillian has made him up from scratch or, at least, using only her own genetic material.

This would surely equate to an awesome "medical marvel" and it would accomplish two additional things: first, it would account for just how sick Michael needs to be so that an extremely rare substance that doesn't even belong to this world can be his sole hope in surviving (the result of a miscalculation, an unforeseen mutated gene, some error in Jillian's design, the absence of something); and second, reproduction without the aid of man ("sinless", sexless) not only ties Jillian's character more closely to the theme of the holy mother, it also more strongly makes a Jesus figure out of Michael.

This is significant because it makes him into a designated saviour: Michael, too, "dies", crossing to "the other side" and later returning with the mission of saving humanity, which is the role he is sure he will play during all of season two. This story has been told before, the structure is the same and we all know it. He mirrors Christ in his being born of a woman untouched by man, in going beyond life and back, in being tasked by a higher power to act for others in his sacrifice. It is a destiny clearly written out for him, a classic narrative, a hero's journey neatly set up for Michael to accomplish and all he has to do is follow the script.

And yet, doing everything right, by the book, Michael ultimately fails.

If, according to all of the doubts awakened by the developments in Warrior Nun (is Adriel's realm not Heaven? Is he not an angel? Is Reya God? Is Jesus just as alien as Adriel? Etcetera), the Catholic church's teachings are all twisted, incomplete, when not simply ignorant of all that is true in spiritual, metaphysical matters, then this saviour narrative that constitutes the foundation of the institution itself is doomed — as well as whatever guidance it could supply.

I was discussing with @halobearerhavoc earlier about (among many other intriguing things) how myth informs the show and how it might predict Reya's fall, but also how that event would necessarily depart from how it plays out in the original myth. That is due to the fact that our protagonist here is Ava, a woman, and that this tiny little fact of sex alone forces a shift in how things are presented, in which values are prioritised, in how conflict is treated, escalated or resolved — this applies here as well.

Michael was the textbook redeemer, he was made for this, brought up by Reya with this explicit purpose and with the acquired conviction that he was the key to it all.

Ava, on the other hand, is a product of coincidence, of accident, of the unfathomable. She is already a rupture in tradition — dead and brought back, unknowingly, unwillingly the "usurper" of the halo, inserting herself in the line of bearers at random when she doesn't even seem to have any belief... Ava exists outside of tradition. To Michael's determined "Destiny", she is the one imbued with free will (it isn't out of guilt or duty that she returns to the Cat's Cradle, but through Mary's sympathy, through her own understanding and action). Ava is the unplanned factor, contrasted with Michael who was so planned that his life might have begun inside a Petri dish.

It isn't determinism that will save us, a mantle of glory woven by someone else wanting to place it upon our shoulders regardless of our own wishes; it isn't a decrepit institution or some despotic deity that will define us or what we do; it isn't the heavy, malodorous layers of ancient mould gathered over the endless tomes of Established Tradition or the carefully made calculations of arrogant scientists who think they can predict and explain and control everything.

Salvation cannot be through what Michael represents: an imposed duty, a stagnant, hackneyed story.

A story, we would do well to remember, which was already used to subjugate others, whatever its initial intentions might have been; Jillian certainly didn't predict what would be of her son and surely the primitive Christians didn't see into the future to understand what their devotion and their modes of its transmission would cause, yet it came to happen. The extermination of the Cathars, the persecution of pagans, the burning of "witches", the suppression of indigenous beliefs, activities and lives, to name but a few of the atrocities committed in the name of this one story...

So it cannot be Michael, embodying this narrative so well, that will bring about a fortunate ending to humanity's troubles.

Instead, salvation comes through Ava. She herself might be inhabited by a number of parallels with Christ, but she also carries freedom, an outsider's view which makes the inside so see-through, love, an ability to move outside of what had been previously set for her by someone else (one might even argue that these are the traits that made Christ before the story surrounding him came about)...

The walls built around her needn't contain her — and, phasing as she does, they do not.

Moreover, what would have been the real ending to Reya's plan, had it been followed exactly as it should have? The divinium bomb did hit Ava in the end, but wouldn't it have been worse had she not been interrupted in running up to Michael while he immobilised Adriel during the televised freak circus?

Ava's unpredictability, her impulse, her innate need to act with free will rather than constricted by what others dictate — Ava is the foil to fate itself, the foil to a structure, to a hierarchy that has been festering and rotting from the beginning of time, it should seem.

The hero of this story could only ever be her.

#warrior nun #jillian salvius #michael salvius #ava silva #i had been sitting on this for days #mostly because the initial post was like WAIT IS JILLIAN REALLY LIKE THE VIRGIN MARY and not much more #but i decided to make it into a more organised little essay #COULD you argue that the halo reaching ava was “fate”? yes of course you could #but this reminds me of a post by winterlorn if i'm not mistaken in which the #idea of vincent being the driver who caused the accident ava was in caused displeasure rather than satisfaction #why? because this erodes the very basis of what ava seems to represent #which is being an agent of change unchained to Something Else #so COULD you interpret all that i have exposed in the contrary and say it WAS ava's fate to defy fate?#you could. but in the process you destroy the very nucleus of what ava is #you would also have to almost automatically admit that there is a higher force at play than reya #some more powerful god or whatever #that manipulates everyone (including reya) as puppets #(and his name would be simon HAHA)#analysis and similar #exercises in observation

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soylent-crocodile · 7 months

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Gelfling (Race)

(Kira by MCwuffles)

(I LOVE The Dark Crystal. If you enjoy fantasy stories and weird monster designs- and if you're on this blog I suspect you do- you simply HAVE to give Age of Resistance a watch. Infuriatingly, the show was cancelled, leaving us on an agonizing cliffhanger, but what we got is amazing and has some really well done themes of oppression and systemic injustice; we see an example of how one can't bargain with oppressors, and one of the characters realizes out loud that racial categories are fake and constructed by the ruling class.

On that subject, the story of the gelfling is one of colonization and genocide. I don't think it's my place to draw any direct comparisons between fantasy and real atrocity, but it felt a bit uncomfortable writing this with what's happening right now.)

Dwelling in faraway mountains and distant forests, gelfling are a small elflike race who once dwelled in the Dimension of Dreams, before migrating to the material plane. Historically, they lived in tune with the nature and magic of world around them, with many gelfling naturally able to talk to beasts as druids, or to draw from the magic of the world to divine fates and wave their own futures. Above all else, gelfling are connected by dream, able to safely traverse their homeland of the Dimension of Dreams in a way few other races can.

Gelfling history does not end there- their people have since been colonized, controlled, and enslaved, divided into artificial races, and made to serve the will of their cruel masters. Without a homeland or much of a support network, gelfling who escape this life often turn to adventuring. Some adventurers hope to one day retake their new home and free their people, while others simply wish to live their lives with the freedom they’ve found.

Ability Scores: Gelfling are attuned to matters of spirit and dream, but are small and fragile. They get +2 to Wisdom, and -2 to Constitution. Size: Gelfling are small; they get +1 to AC and attack rolls and -1 to combat maneuvers, as well as a +4 Size bonus to stealth. Type: Gelfling are humanoids with the Elf subtype. Languages: Gelfling begin play knowing Sylvan. Gelfling with high intelligence scores can learn Elven, Common, Halfling, Auran, and Celestial Speed: Gelfling have a 25ft move speed. Wings: Gelfling have small, delicate wings that give them a 40ft fly speed and a maneuverability of Clumsy. Dreamfast: Gelfling with charisma scores of 11 or higher can cast Mindlink as a spell-like ability 1/day. Warrior’s Spirit: A number of times per day equal to her wisdom modifier, a gelfling may reroll a 1 rolled on the damage dice of a manufactured weapon. Born of Dreams: A gelfling gets a +2 racial bonus to attempt impossible actions in the Dimension of Dreams, and may do so two additional times per dream.

#soylent original #monsters and races #playable races #gelfling #the dark crystal #age of resistance #homebrew #pathfinder

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chrismien · 10 months

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Let's explore the negative association of milk in Tamriel's Nordic culture.

So, basically, from the dialogue and other sources, we know that drinking milk within Nord cultures is associated with a number of negative perceptions, such as:

Milk is for children.

Milk is associated with weakness.

Milk is not a manly beverage.

This is evidenced by the lines from numerous NPCs in Skyrim.

If you have a disposition of -1 or lower with an NPC, they may say to you: "What do you want, milk drinker?"

There is also the Taunting Adventurer NPC in Skyrim, who is a randomly encountered warrior in the wilderness or in an inn. He says: "What's a milk drinker like you doing out here? Go home to your mother."

But it is worth noting that some Nords such as Rigurt the Brash from ESO oppose the concept behind the insult saying: "Milk-drinker. Why did that become such a terrible Nord insult, I wonder. Milk is good for you! I love the stuff! Not as much as I love mead, but it's a close second. Maybe third."

With that, it is reasonable to assume that some Nords avoid drinking milk to prevent being perceived as a cry-baby or a weakling by other Nords, and potentially even by themselves.

As we know, even in real life, milk is important for bone growth. When we delve into medical aspects, calcium is an essential extracellular cation required for muscles to surpass the action potential threshold, enabling contractions and therefore movement.

Skyrim, the homeland of the Nords, also experiences limited sunlight in certain regions. UV radiation from the sun is essential for the activation of Vitamin D from cholecalciferol to calcitriol. This fat-soluble vitamin is crucial for maintaining bone strength and a healthy immune system.

Basically, calcium is important for nerve conduction, blood clotting, muscle contractions, immune functions, and healthy bones.

But how would a race centered around strength and possessing a strong warrior culture maintain their constitution?

Skyrim is abundant with cheese, which is directly made from milk and is also rich in calcium. Digesting cheese breaks it down into its components, facilitating the absorption of calcium into the body.

There is also a thriving fishing culture in Riften and Windhelm. Access to the Sea of Ghosts allows access to marine resources like fish and shellfish which could act as substitutes for calcium sources.

I understand that it's a fantasy world, but creating a believable fantasy world can indeed enhance the enjoyment of the experience. By grounding elements of the world in reality, it becomes more relatable and allows us to better connect with the characters and settings.

We can now conclude that Nords are able to maintain their warrior culture despite the cultural bias against milk, which is essential for numerous bodily functions.

#Tamrielic Tales #Gaming #the elder scrolls #the elder scrolls v: skyrim #tesv #skyrim #elder scrolls online #tes online #nords #lore #milk drinker #deep dive

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thethirdromana · 4 months

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Would Leela, Romana, Narving and Brax survive Castle Dracula?

I don't know if answering this constitutes stepping on @canyourfavesurvivecastledracula's toes or relieving some of the pressure on their askbox. Hopefully the latter.

I'm afraid I haven't read or listened to any of the relevant media for Narvin or Brax, though, so I'm going to have to pass on them.

Leela: look, I'm afraid that characters who shoot [Janis thorns] first and ask questions later do not do well in Castle Dracula, and I fear that Leela is no exception.

She'd start off well! Leela is open-minded to the supernatural, and would definitely take the crucifix, quite possibly understanding it as magic that will protect her against monsters. She'd listen to the concerns of the innkeeper and the people sharing the carriage with her. She might realise the danger that she'd be facing in going to the castle.

And then she'd go anyway, because she's a warrior of the Sevateem and that's what they do. After that, I think it would only be a matter of time before she attacked Dracula, and that is not a fight that she would be able to win.

Leela cannot survive Castle Dracula.

Romana: ... you know, I last watched State of Decay 12 years ago and I think that's going to put me at something of a disadvantage in answering this. Oh well, let's try anyway.

She's taking the crucifix out of politeness, but I don't know if she would be as committed to continuing to wear it. She would be well aware that Something Is Wrong Here (that goes for all Doctor Who companions, tbh), and like Leela she thinks she's equal to it. Unlike Leela she might be right.

I think Dracula would find Romana fascinating, and she would be both willing and able to play along, at least for a while. He is definitely not going to let the Girlies have her, and is probably keen to make her Girlie #4. And obviously she can climb, explore, pick locks, swing shovels and all the rest of it.

Honestly where I'm torn is this: would Romana take the opportunity to escape? Or would she try to continue the cat-and-mouse game until Dracula let more information slip - or until he turned her? It looks like she does need help to escape in State of Decay.

I think Romana can survive Castle Dracula, if survival is her focus. But not if she tries to defeat Dracula on her own.

#dracula daily #doctor who #thank you that was a nice break in my workday #(where has all the work gone??)

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blububblgum · 4 months

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Ok first of all. Its my dnd au and i make the rules and i think it would be cool if rhaenyra is a trans woman. Obviously this does not work at all with the actual world asoiaf/f&b, but i do what i want. This would create different issues of inheritance (i think??) but ultimately she would be the heir, and she and alicent could get married <3 . Now her actual dnd lore; i think that she would be far more of a warrior if given the opportunity (i also think this about the canon world, but idk if that's due to hotd or what), so i decided on drakewarden ranger.

I definitely knew i wanted to do something with dragons for rhaenyra, (moreso than i have for other targs) so i spent a while thinking about which classes are closest to dragons in the f&b sense. Draconic ancestry sorcerer was a possibility, but i've already done sorcerer for dany, and i want variety. Fizban's treasury of dragons is really cool, and i considered making rhae a dragonborn (since i feel like i've been playing it really safe in terms of the fantasy races i've used so far) but i think that the dragon differences between dnd and asoiaf make it weird to have someone in your family who fucked their dragon. Also drakewarden is cool. Ranger is a fun class if its played right, and its combined options for ranged/martial/ and a little spellcasting makes it great for the role that the heir to the throne would play on the battlefield. I think her favoured enemy is also dragons, since both her enemies and allies having dragons means that she would have had to learn about them. Since i am designing her at about 10th level, she gets another faovured enemy, which could be either beasts (if we lean more into asoiaf's low fantasy worldbuilding) or aberrations (lets get weird). Im leaning toward aberrations due to how i am as a person

For her race i did do half-elf (boring i know, bite me) but with the gift of the chromatic dragon feat, she would be able to take give herself resistance to elemental damage, and drakewarden gives her the ability to do a breath weapon attack (like how dragons breathe fire or acid or whatever). I thought about elemental adept as her other feat, but i also gave that to dany, and im avoiding repetition. The aberrant dragonmark feat gives access to a sorcerer cantrip and 1-level spell, i chose booming blade and chaos bolt, as well as a flaw associated with the dragon mark, i think she gets horrific nightmares after using the mark.

Now for the usual last details, i think her stats go (highest to lowest) dexterity > charisma > strength > intelligence > constitution > wisdom. A healthy balance between mental and physical stats i think! Though i may have nerfed her spellcasting by putting wisdom as low as i did. Oops. For her fighting style, dueling makes sense for how an heir would be taught to fight.

Ok as per usual , if u read all this im in love with you and you can summon me in one (1) online argument to back you up.

#digital art #my art #illustration #fanart #asoif fanart #asoiaf girls #dnd art #rhaenyra targaryen #rhaenicent kinda #dnd au #drakewarden #dnd ranger #rhaenyra fanart #digital fanart #fire and blood #valyrianscrolls #syrax

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dasphinxone · 1 year

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Okoye x Attuma Arranged Marriage AU WIP

I guess since no one else is doing it, here goes my plotline to my WIP attempt at an Okoye x Attuma Arranged Marriage To Ally Their Kingdoms and Save Lives AU 😆

Instead of Okoye getting blasted off the bridge in Boston, she's also taken to Talokan with Shuri and Riri. Shuri sends Namor to the surface to meet with her mother, where Queen Ramonda plants a tracker on him. Nakia does still go to rescue them from Talokan via the tracker and her research in the Yucatan.

Except, since Okoye is down in Talokan too, she's able to knock out the handmaiden holding Shuri hostage rather than Nakia killing her to rescue them. Shuri presses one of her kimoyo beads to the handmaid's head, so she survives without injury. Okoye is still stripped by Queen Ramonda of being a general and a Dora Milaje for allowing Shuri to be taken. Shuri is pissed off because yeah, she volunteered to go to see Namor on her own. In fact, she ordered Okoye to stand down, ending her fight with Attuma and stopping Namora from tossing that water grenade at her.

So Shuri immediately announces in front of Ramonda and the visibly sympathetic tribal council that she's assigning Okoye as general of the Midnight Angels, who will be her personal bodyguard.

Ramonda says her daughter has no authority to do so. Surprisingly, M'Baku comes to Okoye's defense and points out there is nothing in their Tribal Council Constitution that states Shuri doesn't have that power. Besides, considering what happened to Shuri and that she's alive and whole, doesn't that mean there's no better person to protect their princess and only heir than Okoye?

Ramonda is pissed, Shuri is smug in her triumph and M'Baku lives to create drama. Ramonda still sends Okoye away out of her sight. Shuri loudly tells Okoye to meet her in the lab and then promptly bounces out of the meeting.

The two spend the next few days working together to speed up finishing the Midnight Angels suits since Namor and the Talokanil are a new threat. They bring in Aneka to help them review and test the suits' efficiency as well. Shuri also works on creating more sonic weapons since she witnessed how Nakia's sonic gun killed the Talokanil warrior at their rescue.

Namor loses a warrior bodyguard at Shuri's rescue but not a civilian handmaiden. So he's still pissed. But not quite "Fuck up your capital city and assassinate your queen" pissed. Instead and a few days later, he infiltrates Wakanda via one its main rivers. He takes some of the River Tribesmen hostage with Attuma, Namora and some other Talokanil warriors.

Nakia catches him (he has no idea it was her who rescued the three women). He demands an audience with Shuri or else he'll drown his hostages...and keep snatching River Tribe people every day to drown at sunrise and sunset. All while increasing the number killed by one per drowning.

After Nakia calls Shuri on her kimoyo beads, the Princess quickly arrives, accompanied by Aneka and Okoye in their new Midnight Angel suits. Attuma is startled to see Okoye again (her face is uncovered) but remains silent. Namora is on full alert and is definitely in "Fuck around and find out" mode. Aneka smirks at her but remains on guard.

Namor reiterates that he will drown River tribesmen if he is not escorted to the palace. Also, if his warriors don't hear from him by sunset (it's the early morning), he will direct them to drown and kill them. Out of options, Shuri escorts Namor, Attuma and Namora back to palace.

Ramonda is understandably livid. M'Baku is extremely wary but gleeful, pointing out Okoye was right about the "fish man." Especially that big, blue, balloon one. Attuma growls at him but M'Buka ain't concerned and hoots back.

Chaos nearly ensues until Okoye tells both of them to basically shut the fuck up. They're trying to avoid a fucking war here, by Bast!

Namor demands a more binding alliance between Wakanda and Talokan or else he will go to war. The tribal council and Ramonda are in uproar. It gets even worse when Namor recommends a marriage between himself and Shuri, which causes all hell to nearly break loose. Above them, the Dora Milaje go into battle defense mode with a pound of their spears.

Except Shuri actively looks like she's thinking about it. Ramonda bellows that an arranged marriage its absolutely off the table. It's archaic, mad disrespectful and for fuck's sake, Shuri is far too young. She doesn't even rule the kingdom yet.

Namor points out Shuri is heir. He also low-key threatens that he could conceivably make her queen right now. Shuri snaps that he's WAY outta line. Besides, how could she expect to grow to potentially marry him if he's actively threatening the last of her remaining family right now?!

Namor slyly responds that perhaps courting her would prove more constructive. Shuri points out he's still proposing this under duress.

"A binding marriage between one of my nobles and one of yours would prove less beneath your contempt then, princess?"

Okoye feels increasingly guilty since she blames her actions on the bridge forced Shuri to give herself up to Namor in the first place. She's also still reeling from being stripped her command and kicked out of the Dora Milaje. She thinks on the one time she chose a husband for herself, she picked that bitch-ass traitor in W'Kabi, so she has nothing else to lose.

She volunteers herself for a political marriage to one of the Talokanil.

Ramonda sneers that Okoye's been stripped of being a general for failing to protect her daughter in the first place. Okoye feels ashamed (but once she thinks about it later, she realizes this was Ramonda's attempt to save her from being forced into a marriage and leave Wakanda by trying to downplay her value).

Meanwhile, as soon as Ramonda tells Namor that Okoye is no longer a general, Shuri counters with the fact that Okoye is general of the Midnight Angels, her personal guard. Ramonda tries to deny it but Shuri presses forward. Namor responds that's excellent, as Okoye clearly has value. "And now, all we must do is decide who your great General will marry," he smugly says.

This is when Attuma declares that he will marry the Warrior. Namor is surprised while Namora hisses. Mostly to cover up her astonishment at Attuma's declaration. 'Cause holy shit, this whole thing is spinning out into some batshit crazy circumstances.

But Attuma points out that the Talokanil have a tradition of "What we cannot kill, we keep." And since he could not kill Okoye on the bridge?He has right of first refusal when it comes to marrying her.

Okoye is stunned, fuming and looks like she wants to rip out Attuma's gills. Hopefully finishing the job this time. Meanwhile, Namor immediately grants him the marriage. Namora is in stunned disbelief

After that, Namor sends word to his warriors holding some of the River Tribe hostage that he is safe. However, he won't have the river tribesmen released until the marriage contract is completed over the next three days.

Over the next three days, the marriage contract is ironed out by him, Shuri, Okoye and Attuma:

-Okoye and Attuma will get married in two different ceremonies. Namor demands the Talokanil ceremony take place first in precedence but Attuma asks Okoye what she wants. She icily insists the marriage first take place in Wakanda.

-The marriage must be consummated within a week of the second marriage ceremony in Talokan or it will be invalid and threaten the end to the treaty.

-They agree that Okoye will live with Attuma for three months at a time in Talokan and he will live with her three months at a time in Wakanda, alternating from there. Since Okoye will have the first wedding in Wakanda, she will be living her first three months with Attuma in Talokan.

Shuri pledges to design a new house for Okoye on the river that can accommodate Attuma. She will also work with the Talokanil scientists to create a home in one of the grottoes in Talokan that can accommodate Okoye since they cannot live separately. Otherwise, why marry?

-They do not have to have children, though it is heavily encouraged. Okoye reminds everyone she's in her early 40s, so yeah, not gonna happen and it's ultimately her choice. Not to mention, they have no fucking clue how human and Talokanil physiology work together.

Attuma points out that they may adopt younglings. Though if they do, it will have to be an equal number of Wakandan and Talokanil younglings to keep things fair.

-If they have a potential marriage ending disputes, they will have to bring it to a council of 2-3 Talokanil and Wakandan members. The nation who has the majority of council members changes every year. Once a dispute is voted on, it is law, unless extenuating circumstances require that the issue be revisited.

-Okoye and Attuma will train the other's forces. Tactics and weapons will be shared.

-This marriage will also open the way to cultural trade between Wakanda and Talokan.

-Any threat against either spouse will be taken as a threat against both nations and treated with equal importance and threat response.

-Attuma insists on properly courting Okoye during the first three months of her living with him in Talokan. Okoye hisses that it's pointless since they're already married. Attuma gets irritated and says that even though the marriage is political, he still needs to court her properly to fulfill Talokanil tradition. Okoye tries to get out of this, but Attuma won't budge.

It pisses off Okoye even more. She then points out that since he's so fond of courting, he can court her in both Talokanil and Wakandan traditions. Attuma shrugs and agrees. Okoye certainly wasn't expecting him to so quickly agree to her traditions, huh.

-The first marriage in Wakanda will take place at the next full moon, which is in just under three weeks.

All four of them sign the marriage contract. Ramonda won't sign it until the end of the first marriage ceremony in Wakanda.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and France most certainly HAVE NOT forgotten losing their ships and mercenaries to Wakanda in their efforts to gain vibranium. The African nation is absolutely still in their sights. And Valentina Fontaine sure in the hell never forgets a perceived insult...

And that's where we are with this crack-ass AU...Help, I HATE IT HERE 😂

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