#undead war beetle
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Undead war beetle, raised from the hollowed-out body of a rezhatta or watroach (by Brom, from The City-State of Nibenay, in the Dark Sun World boxed set The Ivory Triangle for AD&D 2e, TSR, 1993)
#D&D#Dungeons & Dragons#Brom#Dark Sun#Dark Sun World#giant insect#The Ivory Triangle#The City State of Nibenay#undead war beetle#rezhatta#watroach#undead#dnd#AD&D 2e#D&D 2e#war machine#fantasy vehicle#vehicle#Dungeons and Dragons#TSR
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ComicList: DC Comics New Releases for Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Batman #137 (Cover A Jorge Jimenez)(Batman Catwoman The Gotham War), $4.99
Batman #137 (Cover B Joe Quesada Card Stock Variant)(Batman Catwoman The Gotham War), $5.99
Batman #137 (Cover C Gabriele Dell Otto Card Stock Variant)(Batman Catwoman The Gotham War), $5.99
Batman #137 (Cover D Rose Besch Creator Card Stock Variant)(Batman Catwoman The Gotham War), $5.99
Batman #137 (Cover E Pablo Villalobos Hispanic Heritage Month Card Stock Variant)(Batman Catwoman The Gotham War), $5.99
Batman #137 (Cover F Salvador Larroca Card Stock Variant)(Batman Catwoman The Gotham War), AR
Batman #137 (Cover G Joe Quesada Connecting Black & White Card Stock Variant)(Batman Catwoman The Gotham War), AR
Batman Adventures Omnibus HC, $150.00
Batman Justice Buster Volume 1 TP, $9.99
Batman Under The Red Hood The Deluxe Edition HC, $49.99
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover A Leonardo Romero), $3.99
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover B Stanley Artgerm Lau Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover C Chris Bachalo Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover D Blank Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover E Frank Cho Triptych Gatefold Variant), $5.99
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover F Nick Bradshaw Card Stock Variant), AR
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover G Chris Bachalo Black & White Card Stock Variant), AR
Birds Of Prey #1 (Cover H Leonardo Romero Card Stock Variant), AR
Blue Beetle #1 (Cover A Adrian Gutierrez), $3.99
Blue Beetle #1 (Cover B David Lafuente Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Blue Beetle #1 (Cover C Keron Grant Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Blue Beetle #1 (Cover D Pablo Villalobos Hispanic Heritage Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Blue Beetle #1 (Cover E Blank Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Blue Beetle #1 (Cover F Emmanuel Valtierra Card Stock Variant), AR
Blue Beetle #1 (Spanish Language Version), $3.99
City Boy #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Minkyu Jung), $3.99
City Boy #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Inhyuk Lee Card Stock Variant), $4.99
City Boy #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Mike Choi Card Stock Variant), AR
DC RWBY TP, $16.99
DCeased War Of The Undead Gods HC, $29.99
Fire And Ice Welcome To Smallville #1 (Of 6)(Cover A Terry Dodson), $3.99
Fire And Ice Welcome To Smallville #1 (Of 6)(Cover B David Nakayama Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Fire And Ice Welcome To Smallville #1 (Of 6)(Cover C Jen Bartel Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Fire And Ice Welcome To Smallville #1 (Of 6)(Cover D David Nakayama Foil Variant), $6.99
Fire And Ice Welcome To Smallville #1 (Of 6)(Cover E Kevin Maguire Card Stock Variant), AR
Fire And Ice Welcome To Smallville #1 (Of 6)(Cover F Amanda Conner Card Stock Variant), AR
Gotham City Year One HC, $29.99
Joker One Operation Joker Volume 1 TP, $9.99
Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #10 (Cover A Carmine Di Giandomenico), $5.99
Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #10 (Cover B Francesco Mattina), $5.99
Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #10 (Cover C Riccardo Federici), $5.99
Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #10 (Cover D Francesco Francavilla), AR
Justice Society Of America #6 (Of 12)(Cover A Mikel Janin), $3.99
Justice Society Of America #6 (Of 12)(Cover B Yanick Paquette Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Justice Society Of America #6 (Of 12)(Cover C Edwin Galmon Card Stock Variant), AR
Justice Society Of America #6 (Of 12)(Cover D Pablo Villalobos Hispanic Heritage Month Card Stock Variant), AR
Nightwing Fear State TP, $17.99
Peacemaker Tries Hard #5 (Of 6)(Cover A Kris Anka), $4.99
Peacemaker Tries Hard #5 (Of 6)(Cover B Daniel Warren Johnson Variant), $4.99
Peacemaker Tries Hard #5 (Of 6)(Cover C Kris Anka Movie Poster Variant), $4.99
Peacemaker Tries Hard #5 (Of 6)(Cover D Rahzzah), AR
Poison Ivy #14 (Cover A Jessica Fong), $3.99
Poison Ivy #14 (Cover B David Nakayama Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Poison Ivy #14 (Cover C Otto Schmidt Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Poison Ivy #14 (Cover D Rose Besch Creator Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Poison Ivy #14 (Cover E Jessica Fong Bioluminescent Ultraviolet Reactive And Glow-In-The-Dark Variant), $5.99
Poison Ivy #14 (Cover F Serg Acuna Card Stock Variant), AR
Poison Ivy #14 (Cover G David Nakayama Card Stock Variant), AR
Shazam #3 (Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99
Shazam #3 (Cover B Chris Samnee Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Shazam #3 (Cover C John Timms Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Shazam #3 (Cover D Pablo Villalobos Hispanic Heritage Month Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Shazam #3 (Cover E Carla Cohen Card Stock Variant), AR
Shazam #3 (Cover F Edwin Galmon Card Stock Variant), AR
Steelworks #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Eddy Barrows), $3.99
Steelworks #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Sanford Greene Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Steelworks #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Rafael Sarmento Card Stock Variant), AR
Superman ’78 Batman ’89 Box Set, $49.99
Superman Kal-El Returns TP, $16.99
Superman Vs. Meshi Volume 1 TP, $9.99
#Batman#Birds of Prey#Poison Ivy#Catwoman#Blue Beetle#City Boy#Fire and Ice#Justice Society of America#SHAZAM#Superman#donna troy#titans#wondergirl#teen titans#wonder girl#troia#princess donna troy#wonder woman
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Maybe not the most mechanically striking of creatures, the carrion beetle is an entry I really enjoyed the fluff for. Giant, underground dwelling beetles that have been domesticated by a ghoul empire as beasts of burden and war, they are a fun living weapon that can add quite a bit to any scenario involving said ghouls.
Wild carrion beetles are solitary aside from breeding pairs and clusters of young, only coming together in larger groups during breeding season. Domesticated however, they provide a wide range of uses, from transporting cargo to being armored up and carrying ghoul soldiers into battle. The strongest are even outfitted with ballistae and harpoons to use for siege and against flying or high crawling threats. Even in death the beetles may be used, their exoskeletons reanimated as hollow platforms to carry additional supplies, or potentially armored personnel carriers. I may have gone a little overboard with the stat blocks to represent all of these potential variations, particularly in 13th Age. In Pathfinder 2e if you want to represent the carrion beetle reanimated under ghoul control, use a weak beetle carapace from the Archives of Nethys without Grab and Constrict.
Inspired by the Tome of Beasts 1. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!
Pathfinder 2e
Carrion Beetle Creature 4
Large Animal
Perception +9; darkvision
Skills Athletics +12
Str +4, Dex +1, Con +3, Int -5, Wis +1, Cha +0
AC 21; Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +7
HP 66; Immunities paralysis
Speed 25 feet, burrow 20 feet, climb 10 feet
Melee mandibles +12, Damage 1d12+6 piercing
Melee claw +12 (agile), Damage 1d8+6 slashing
Acid Spit [two actions] (acid) The beetle spits acid that deals 5d6 acid damage in a 30-foot line (DC 19 basic Reflex save). It can't use Acid Spit again for 1d4 rounds.
Trample [three actions] Medium or smaller, claw, DC 20
13th Age
Carrion Beetle
3rd level troop [beast]
Initiative: +5
Jagged Mandibles +8 vs. AC - 10 damage.
C: Acid Spit +8 vs. PD (1d3+1 nearby enemies in a group) - 6 acid damage.
Limited Use: 2/battle, never two turns in a row.
Burrower and Wall Climber.
AC 19 PD 16 MD 13 HP 46
Carrion Beetle Ballista Platform
4th level archer [beast]
Initiative: +6
Clumsy Mandible +7 vs. AC - 10 damage.
R: Ballista Shot +10 vs. AC (one nearby or far away enemy) - 28 damage.
Limited Use: A ghoul ally must also use its standard action in order for the beetle to make this attack.
C: Acid Spit +8 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies in a group) - 7 acid damage.
Limited Use: 2/battle, never two turns in a row.
AC 19 PD 18 MD 13 HP 56
Carrion Beetle Exoskeleton
4th level mount [undead]
Initiative: +8
Hollow Mandible +9 vs. AC - 12 damage.
Burrower and Wall Climber: The exoskeleton can’t burrow if it has a rider that is not inside of it.
Mount: The exoskeleton can have three medium or smaller creatures as its riders. Up to two riders can ride inside of the beetle. A rider inside the beetle gains a +2 bonus to AC and PD. Each round the beetle can choose to act on its own turn or one of its rider’s turn.
AC 20 PD 17 MD 15 HP 48
Carrion Beetle Warmount
4th level mount [beast]
Initiative: +7
Jagged Mandibles +8 vs. AC - 12 damage.
C: Acid Spit +8 vs. PD (1d3+1 nearby enemies in a group) - 8 acid damage.
Limited Use: 2/battle, never two turns in a row.
Expand Vulnerability: The beetle’s rider expands its crit range by 3 against vulnerable targets, instead of 2.
Mount: The beetle can have a medium or smaller creature as a rider. Each round the beetle can choose to act on its own turn or its rider’s turn.
Wall Climber.
AC 21 PD 18 MD 13 HP 62
#Pathfinder 2e#13th age#homebrew#my homebrew#monster#animal#beast#undead#pathfinder level 4#13th age level 3#13th age level 4#long post
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star wars knight of the jedi order alliance
star wars knight of the jedi order alliance, the teen rated unreal action adventure online/offline game, that set in every era from the past era to the future era, now join the side of star wars universe.
legions: brown team, red team, blue team, yellow team, green team, gray team, jedi order alliance, grand republic, rebel rebellion, resistance force, corellians, grand kingdom, phantom watchers, kligson federation, zee exthree z x3 federation, loroborg federation, sith/dark jedi/dark sider order empire, grand empire, infinite rakatan empire, pharaoh empire, purgempire, hologrampire, spartan gladiator league, hapes consortium, corporate sector authority, duskhan league, chiss ascendancy, gray jedi order alliance, bounty hunter group, pirate group, smuggler group, separatist union group, killik empire, yuuzhan vong empire, zygerrian slave empire, shistavanen free empire, fel empire, primal clan, night clan, sun clan, tribal clan, elforce clan, orcore clan, mon calla clan, spirit clan, mandalorians, nihil, pyke syndicate, zann consortium, assassin force, knight templar force, samurai ninja ronin force, viking barbarian force, police force, crime force, skeleton force, undead force, monk robo worker builder combiners, dark chaotic predator phoenixes, light peaceful prey dragons, hologram holo hackers, wolf claw beasts, jet wheel androids, space runners, beetle beasts, lone bladers, machine androids, fire kingdom, water kingdom, earth kingdom, air kingdom, plant kingdom, metal kingdom, steam kingdom, plasma kingdom, blood kingdom, electric kingdom, mineral kingdom.
gameplay: this gameplay similar to star wars the force order, more improved gameplay in the next level.
mode: single mission, coop mission, multiplayer.
planet/world exploring/choices.
combat fighting style skill: middle fighting style skill, heavy fighting style skill, light fighting style skill, middle shooting fighting style skill, heavy shooting fighting skill, light shooting fighting skill, attack fighting style skill, defend fighting style skill, speed fighting style skill, hybrid fighting style skill.
fuse your weapons: put your any weapons as the one weapon.
customize/edit/swap your fighting style movement with more skill movement.
customize/edit/swap your weapon/gear with more weapon part/gear part.
customize/edit/swap your characters with any part of your characters more.
color pattern as you color any part of your characters & your weapons/gears.
"Star Wars: Knight of the Jedi Order Alliance" is an expansive teen-rated Unreal action-adventure game that immerses players in the vast Star Wars universe across different eras. Players have the opportunity to align with various factions and legions, each with its own unique abilities, lore, and objectives. Here's an overview of the game:
Factions and Legions:
Brown Team
Red Team
Blue Team
Yellow Team
Green Team
Gray Team
Jedi Order Alliance
Grand Republic
Rebel Rebellion
Resistance Force
Corellians
Grand Kingdom
Phantom Watchers
Kligson Federation
Zee Exthree Z X3 Federation
Loroborg Federation
Sith/Dark Jedi/Dark Sider Order Empire
Grand Empire
Infinite Rakatan Empire
Pharaoh Empire
Purgempire
Hologrampire
Spartan Gladiator League
Hapes Consortium
Corporate Sector Authority
Duskhan League
Chiss Ascendancy
Gray Jedi Order Alliance
Bounty Hunter Group
Pirate Group
Smuggler Group
Separatist Union Group
Killik Empire
Yuuzhan Vong Empire
Zygerrian Slave Empire
Shistavanen Free Empire
Fel Empire
Primal Clan
Night Clan
Sun Clan
Tribal Clan
Elforce Clan
Orcore Clan
Mon Cala Clan
Spirit Clan
Mandalorians
Nihil
Pyke Syndicate
Zann Consortium
Assassin Force
Knight Templar Force
Samurai Ninja Ronin Force
Viking Barbarian Force
Police Force
Crime Force
Skeleton Force
Undead Force
Monk Robo Worker Builder Combiners
Dark Chaotic Predator Phoenixes
Light Peaceful Prey Dragons
Hologram Holo Hackers
Wolf Claw Beasts
Jet Wheel Androids
Space Runners
Beetle Beasts
Lone Bladers
Machine Androids
Fire Kingdom
Water Kingdom
Earth Kingdom
Air Kingdom
Plant Kingdom
Metal Kingdom
Steam Kingdom
Plasma Kingdom
Blood Kingdom
Electric Kingdom
Mineral Kingdom
Gameplay Features:
Gameplay mechanics similar to "Star Wars: The Force Order," with enhanced features and improved gameplay.
Modes include single mission, co-op mission, and multiplayer, offering various ways to experience the game.
Planet/world exploration and choices that impact the storyline and gameplay.
Diverse combat fighting styles and skills, including middle, heavy, and light fighting styles, shooting fighting styles, attack, defend, speed, and hybrid fighting styles.
Weapon fusion mechanics allow players to combine weapons into powerful combinations.
Extensive customization options for characters, weapons, and gear, including the ability to edit, swap, and color patterns.
"Star Wars: Knight of the Jedi Order Alliance" offers players the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich lore and diverse universe of Star Wars, allowing them to forge their own path and shape the destiny of the galaxy.
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anyway sphinx kate is so real and so good. i also like the idea of like, acquatic hybrids and monsters but thats a whole other au with an entire set of worldbuilding skills i do not have. also i think roach as some kinda actual bug boy is funny but i dont even know how that would happen tbh. oh and also! abt ghost again (sorry im very caffeinated rn my heads all over the place) i honestly think him as any undead is like. so fitting. the imagery. the aesthetic. the callback to the comics canon.
aquatic hybrids and such is my jam im gbr. aquatic monsters and avian monsters/hybrids <333
i didnt even think about bug boy roach[tm] when i originally answered and some of my favourite art of roach is just. bug fella art. like a spiderman esque backstory but its a lil beetle or smth and he accidentally ate it instead of it biting him iykwim
undead ghost is so real and true. like partial skeleton and such, its so fun. imagine in a war zone, he just gets shot but it goes perfectly between his exposed ribs or whatever and he keeps goin, its so funny to me
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The Rest of the Khonsurian Pantheon
Hey, look, it’s part one
Seshat (Sehanine) The Veiled Concubine, Sentinel of Lovers, The Unfaithful One
Domains - Moon, Feminine Fertility, Love Making, Protector (of Lovers)
Seshat is normally worshipped as a goddess, but within Sekhaen Tair and among noble families, Seshat is a male god, as chief consort (son-consort or sibling-spouse) to Ioun, and the patron of the royal harem
Seshat is depicted as either a khonsurian woman or an androsphinx (as consort to Ioun), her/his head and sometimes full body concealed by a veil of darkness and stars and crowned with a silver crescent which holds the a silver-white disk (the moon), carrying an ankh
The Moon-Watcher (Lunord) - owl-headed demigod/dess or unrequited love, voyeurism, longing for what one cannot have, unsolvable enigmas, believes themselves a rival to Ioun for Seshat's affections and pleasure
Seker-dur (Moradin) The Maker
Domains - Khepri, Scarab Beetles, Dwarves, Smithing, Mining, the Trades, Construction
Seker-dur is depicted as usually a khepri (goblin-sized scarab humanoid) with tools for a particular craft; foreign dwarves find the association with the insectoid dung beetles and the khepri to be insulting
He is a minor but important god, many trades practice mystery-cult worship of Seker-dur where mysticism and practical trade secrets are passed along
Krypta (Raven Queen) The Vulture-Widow, Judge and Keeper of the Dead
Domains - Death, the Shadowfel, Final Weighing of One's Soul, Cold
Krypta is depicted as a skeletal vulture-headed sphinx
She is keeper of the Shadowfel and opposes Vecna
She is called the Widow as she is the inheritor of a previous death god, Nerull
Vecna Lord of the Low Dead, Thief of Souls, Lord of Secrets
Domains - Death, Magic (specifically Necromancy), Mummification, Undead, Humans (from the Khonsurian POV), Secrets, Deceiver (of Asmodeus specifically, a moniker given in grudging respect)
Vecna is depicted as a mummified human carrying the Scrolls of Eternity (stolen from Krypta)
As Lord of Secrets, Vecna opposes Ioun so he isn’t a popular god and is forbidden to be spoken of on the grounds of the Great Library of Rheksus
Vecna seeks to 'steal' the souls of those seeking to defy or hide from Krypta (the 'Low Dead')
Nistru, The Midnight Storm
Not a god, but worshipped by some in efforts to appease, pay tribute or deflect attention from the individual
Domains - Destruction, the Barrier Sea, the Warriors' Gate, Lightning, a sky without stars, locusts and other plagues
There is a new cult that worships Nistru as the patron of the Lower Kingdom, which is heresy according to the Pharaoh and the state religion
Three important things to note in this arrangement of the pantheon.
First, there is no talk of Torog, Zehir or Asmodeus.
Torog is generally thought to be dead (at least as a god, the King That Crawls is seens as a sort of pitiable beast, a kaiju-sized shadow of the god’s former self, lingering in the Underdark).
The absence of Asmodeus and Zehir, by contrast, is very deliberate. Zehir, creator of the Yuan-ti, is considered anathema in Khonsuria due to the War of the Beasts that ended the First Dynasty.
Asmodeus is absent due to the almost universal taboo in the Bloodsands to mention the Usurper, out of fear not only could he be listening, but that spirits will bring your transgression to the Thrones who will punish you.
The second is the lack of Erathis, who is not a known god in the South, being very new and mostly limited to the former lands of Nerath, across the Lirean Sea. Recent contact with the Nerathi city of Sarthel has brought word of this new god who claims the portfolio of Innovation and Civilization, and presents himself as an inheritor to He-Who-Was (the god Asmodeus and the humans of Bael Turath murdered).
Third and lastly, there are any number of small cults, mystery faiths, forgotten orders and other beliefs in the area. Some venerate the desert itself, others primal spirits of the Material Plane, or great beasts. A few still pay lip service to the Primordials, or worse, the the fiends of the Abyss or the intelligences of the Far Realm. That last bit will come up when I cover Djeser-al-Moqqara and the Dreamers.
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Teen Titans Prologue Misc. Headcanons
The Teen Titans are definitely the most significant roster of teen heroes & sidekicks, but in E136, they weren’t the first young heroes of the new age.
Supergirl-Kara Zor L
- Appearance based off of Sasha Calle from the DCEU
- Arrived on Earth with her little sibling Jor
- Didn’t adjust to Earth too well at first, so she was private schooled
- Friends/Love interests with Lena Luthor, also friends with Jimmy Olsen, Winslow Schott Jr, Lucy Lane and surprisingly, Cat Grant.
- Owner of Krypto, the last full blooded Kryptonian Wolfhound. Real dog person.
Batgirl-Kate Kane
- Trans, and very lesbian
- Around 7 years younger than Bruce.
- Became the first Batgirl after the accidental death of Jacob Kane by the Court of Owls when he saved Bruce. This is in addition to losing her mother & twin sister in a kidnapping situation.
- Personality and first costume based off of Barbara Gordon from the 2004 Batman TV series, but more sarcastic & acerbic from her traumas
- Becomes Batwoman in her second year of college, and actually ends up running with the Sentinels of Magic(E136 Justice League Dark)
- Eventually marries Renee Montoya, and actually fosters Tim Drake instead of Bruce.
Oracle-Barbara Gordon
- Never Batgirl in E136
- Adopted by her uncle James Gordon after the death of her parents in the same car accident that paralyzed her.
- Becomes a white hat hacker while in recovery, takes the codename Oracle
- Managed to hack into the experimental Gotham security system, but managed to break Batman’s countermeasures, and ends up helping him on occasion.
- Brought into Batfam confidence by Kate & Dick, officially becomes Oracle
- Learns combat from Batman, Catwoman & Huntress.
- Ends up founding the second version of the Birds of Prey.
- African American, and her appearance is somewhat based on Francine Charles from New 52 Batgirl run.
Wonder Girl-Nubia
- Diana’s younger sister, came to Themyscira with her dying mother in the 1400s from modern day Sudan
- After her birth mom’s death, she was adopted by Hippolyta
- Feistier and more aggressive than Diana, and very interested in the modern world.
- Smuggled both herself and Diana’s daughter Donna, but while Donna was sent back for awhile, but Nubia stayed.
- As she grows, she actually becomes Themyscira’s UN ambassador
Blue Beetle-Ted Kord
- Half Mexican, teen genius in charge of Kord Omniversal
- Becomes a superhero after being inspired by the heroics of Dan Garette, who was from the same generation as Infinity Inc. & Helena Bertanelli
- Finds the Scarab Garrett used up until his death, but doesn’t use it, instead reverse engineering its technology.
- Goes to Gotham to try & become Batman’s sidekick, but Batman tells him that A) He already has a sidekick, & B) Ted should get some more experience.
- Isn’t killed by Maxwell Lord, but is paralyzed, though the circumstances may be different
- Becomes known as Operator, bonds with Barbara Gordon over the experience
- Hands over Blue Beetle to Tim Drake, while also helping to train Jaime Reyes after the Scarab bonds to him.
- His friendship to Booster Gold is a given
Aqualad-Garth of Shayeris
- Born to Thar & Berra of Shayeris, a realm of Atlantis close to the british isles (and somewhat inspired by Doggerland)
- Home to the Idylists, the keepers of Atlantis’ magical lore
- His uncle Zath craved that knowledge, so he raised an undead army & launched a coup
- Killed Thar & Berra and trapped Shayeris within the same type of Shield that Xebel has, but essentially reversed
- Grows up in the Royal palace of Poseidonis, trained in magic by Sha’lain’a
- Bonds with Mera over their mirrored origins & becomes a little brother to her
- When Atlantis fell into civil war Zath would side with Orm, so Zath vs Garth confrontation is inevitable. Garth wins.
- Becomes the 2nd Tempest after Mera’s semiretirement with the birth of her children
- Later becomes the Atlantean representative for the Sentinels of Magic
Red Arrow-Will Harper
- Older brother of Roy Harper, raised by Raymond Brave Bow after their parents’ death in a forest fire
- Dyed his hair red in solidarity with Roy, actually brunette
- Becomes both Speedy & Red Arrow, but semi retires to help kick Roy out of his drug habit.
- Founds Bowhunter security, help use it as cover for the Outsiders
- Becomes a couple with Donna when they are both in their late 20s.
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Human Abathur and Human Anub'Arak
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While playing Heroes of the Storm I got the idea of drawing my main Heroes as humans! Cuz apparently I only play monsterns and creatures and aliens X'D
I decided to start with Abathur, cuz he has been on mind about this since I got the idea aaaand I love myself sum hoods and dark characters :'3
You guys have no idea how much time I spend on Abathur's and Anub'Arak's Wiki pages just reading through ther bios and what not X'D
Down below is more information if ya wanna check it out but tl;dr I adore these two and I lowkey ship them too huehuehue~ ewe
So to keep it short and simple, Abathur is the 'Evolution Master' of the Zerg's, aka he's the guy you go to for upgrades in game ... and that's basically his whole character!
Abathur is pretty much obsessed with evolving his race into more efficient deadlier creatures, even going so far as intentionally trying to wage war against the other races in Starcraft and going against the wishes of the new queen Zerg. He knows perfection is impossible, but he can at least try to get very close to it.
This also reflects in his mannerisms and speech; he speaks just using the most important words, everything else is a waste of time. He even explicitly says he dislikes using pronouns X'D
He's not a fighter, in HOTS he's a support character that specializes in enhancing his teammates to the max, while he sits somewhere hidden.
He's a calm and collected guy, but thanks to the Blizzard charme some of his in game actions and voicelines to reveal a silly side of the character ... which I intend on using 100% ewe
As a human, Abathur still has his rather calm and collected personality, but spiced up with a straight forward approach to others and a little bit of snark as well! He likes to kidnap his teammates into his lab to do experiments on and try to improve them.
Speaking of his lab, instead of the fleshy, boney style the Zerg have going on, in this AU Zerg's have something called 'BioTech', a technology that runs on Zerg essence to function, being alive to an extend too. Fluids, pods and pipes everywhere, dark and black colors and harsh metal machines that are spiky and everything is about in the same style like Abathur's stingers (See reference picture above thxx)
Abathur is basically the crazy scientist in this Human AU and Zagara (The current Zerg queen), Dehaka, Artanis and Anub'Arak have to put up with his antics while spending time with each other cuz idk the Nexus either forced them to or the Zerg's rescued Artanis and Anub'Arak from their death and they owe the Zergs something idk X'D
Anub'Arak is a character from Warcraft and if I read it correctly Anub was once I proud King of a land called Narub. After daring to stand against the Lich King he sadly died, but got resurrected as an undead by said Lich King to serve as an unstopable force of nature.
As far as I understood it Anub did die at least once more and yet again brought back to life, now serving another Lich King. He even killed his own people while serving the Lich King, against his own will of course.
I personally only got to play Warcraft 3 as a small child and always went with Anub as my Hero character cuz ... giant beetle go brrr ewe
And's what he is in game too! A tanky power machine and poops out bbys now and again pfft X'D
Even with his brainwash, Anub is a proud and strong character personality vise. He's a proud Nerubian and King and even though I sadly haven't seen a lot about his personality on wikis, his voice lines are funny and quirky and URGH luv him <33
While thinking of a Human Abathur design and already imagining funny situations Anub has to go through while living with the Zerg's I started to brainstorm Anub's design ... which was difficult af :'3
Anub is a giant beetle monster and pharaoh inspired. Love the concept to death, but making it into a more modern-ish aestheticly pleasing design that doesn't go overboard, easy to draw and still looks coolio was tough ...
I spend some time googling pharaoh costumes and even looked up what modern egyptians would probably wear and it gave me the confidence to try some things out! I decided to go with what comes to my mind first and it worked out well! Though I had difficulty deciding on the color shades as Anub has surprisingly a lot of details and colors, but I'm happy with what I decided for now.
Espacially his hair and skin. I wanted him to have deep purple hair and darker skin, cuz he's basically an egyptian mummy and I wanted to try myself on darker skinned characters ... he's so handsome I'm literally having a crush on him qwq
Anub in this AU is picking up on his personality in game; proud, strong, calm, a good sense of humor and a small dislike for Abathur; in a voice line when Anub'Arak would kill an Abathur he says 'I eat worms like you for breakfast' sooo I like taking that as a nice relationship starter for the two ewe
Of course Abathur is intrigued by Anub's undead-ness and always bugs the Nerubian for experiments and samples of his blood and what not.
In battle Anub mostly either uses scythes or gloves that resemble his ingame claws. He of course can also summon small beetles to aid him in battle and even creat two pairs of beetle wings under his cape and his skirt for better mobility and flight. He can also use his bandages to wrap people up in place (Compared to his nets and cocoons in game) and under his bandages he bares his scars for his fight against the Lich King.
I really adore him, both because I kinda grew up with him and his design, he and Abathur are now my bbys and I adore and love them so so much qWq
I do plan on creating Dehaka, Zagara and Artanis in the future hopefully, but I just wanted to upload my two favs cuz I love them already and mmmmgh they so gud :'33
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Mythika’s creatures from African and Arabian myths.
**THE CREATURES FROM AFRICAN MYTHS**
Guiafairo appear as giant bats which have the blood of fae. Their most noticeable ability is blinking and teleporting at rapid speed, which makes them almost immune to ranged attacks. They use their blinking to get into rooms that are locked so they can feast on the fear of their mostly elven and humanoid prey, as bogeys they only feed on their preys fear, but to create fear they sometimes also tear into the flesh.
@rt: https://www.deviantart.com/saeedramez
Adze (African) – Fae (Vermin / Vampire)
- Giant vampiric insects with bioluminescence to lure prey close.
Aigamuxa (African) – Humanoid (Giant / Cursed)
- Blind desert giants whose eyes are located underneath their feet.
Asanbosam (African) – Fae (Troll / Vampire)
- Trolls living in trees, their hands and feet look like hooks.
Chemosit (African) – Aberration (Alien / Psychic)
- Parasitic aliens located within the bodies of bears, these tentacle-like parasites eventually break free from within their hosts.
Chipfalamfula (African) – Aberration (Fish / Summoner)
- Enormous fresh-water fish which keep their ravenous young inside their maws.
Eloko (African) – Humanoid (Dwarf / Mounted) *
- Jungle dwarves which often stand on each other’s shoulders to appear bigger.
Gbahali (African) – Beast (Reptilian)
- Much like Kaprosuchus, hunting from ambush in the mountains.
Grootslang (African) – Beast (Reptilian / Chimerae)
- Giant behemoths combining the features of both elephants and snakes.
Guiafairo (African) – Fae (Bogey)
- Giant fae bats which have the power to teleport or blink.
Guiamala (African) – Beast
- Multi-horned Giraffe-like creatures with aggressive tempers.
Intulo (African) – Humanoid (Beastman / Reptilian / Mounted) *
- Gecko-like humanoids.
Jba Fofi (African) – Beast (Vermin)
- Giant wolf spiders.
Kishi (African) – Demon
- Demons of pride and vanity, an ugly demonic face is located on the back of their head.
Kongamato (African) – Beast (Reptilian / Drake)
- Mythika’s very own Pterosaur, much like a Pteranodon.
Makalala (African) – Demon (Avian)
- Much like demonic Secretary Birds, with very long stilt-like legs.
Mbielu-Mbielu (African) – Plant (Reptilian / Parasite) *
- Parasitic algae and moss which grows on the plates of stegosaurs and which turns them hostile and protective of the environment.
Migas (African) – Aberration
- Swamp-based octopi with over twenty tentacles, some even live in trees.
Mngwa (African) – Undead (Tulpa / Cursed)
- Undead spectral black lions which only exist and appear during the night.
Mokele-Mbembe (African) – Beast (Reptilian)
- Much like a hostile and aggressive Amargasaurus.
Ngoubou (African) – Beast (Reptilian)
- Much like a demonic-looking variant of the Styracosaurus, very hostile and aggressive.
Nguma-Monene (African) – Beast (Reptilian / Drake)
- Much like a Mosasaurus on steroids, with sharp needle-like spines covering the entire length of its body.
Ninki Nanka (African) – Beast (Reptilian / Drake)
- Tanystropheus-like creatures but much more dangerous.
Nyuvwira (African) – Dragon (Reptilian)
- Eight-headed Hydra-like dragon serpents, which spit lighting and control gravity around them.
Olitiau (African) – Beast (Vampire)
- Giant vampire bats.
Popobawa (African) – Demon (Psychic)
- Bat like demons with a single eye which spread chaos and destruction.
Rompo (African) – Beast (Chimerae)
- Strange chimerae which control the bones within their bodies, forcing them through their skin to create protective spikes.
Taotie, Khodumodumo (African) – Demon
- Extremely large and bloated variants of the Taotie, their cavernous maw can engulf an entire caravan.
Umdhlebi (African) – Plant
- Carnivorous plants with three bulb-like heads, very poisonous.
Ya-Te-Veo (African) – Plant (Alien)
- Strange alien trees with tentacle-like branches which can walk on their roots.
Yehwe Zogbanu (African) – Fae (Troll)
- Giant jungle trolls with giant horns growing all over their backs and heads, they use them to impale their dead future meal on.
Zombie (African) – Undead (Human)
- Yeah, the house, kitchen garden variant.
============================
**THE CREATURES FROM MIDDLE EASTERN AND SIMILAR MYTHS**
Apaosha are one of the more vile and dangerous species of Kelpies. They embody the element earth. When they trick victims to ride them they trap them by turning their backs into quicksand, then they slowly turn them into the dust that forms the Apaosha’s very manes and tails. Apaosha are minions (and sometimes mounts) of the Horseman of Famine.
@rt: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3o9qm2
Acheri (Hindu) – Angel (Cursed)
- Small gothic angel girls which look cute but which bring diseases through their arrows, much like evil Cupid.
Aeshma (Persian) – Demon (Summoner)
- Much like D&D’s Balor and LOTR’s Balrog, the commanders of most other demons.
Aghash (Persian) – Demon
- Beholder-like demons of many eyes, demons of Envy, sight, spying and wrath.
Ahl At-Trab (Arabian) – Elemental (Spirit) *
- Sand elementals, living sandstorms.
Amphisbaena, Ouroboros (Egyptian) – Dragon (Reptilian)
- Dragon-snakes with heads on both ends of their bodies, one evil black head and one gentle white head.
Apaosha (Arabian) – Demon (Shifter)
- The desert and earth variant of the Kelpie, it’s rider-victims will slowly turn to dust.
Asdeev (Persian) – Dragon (Shifter / Reptilian)
- Beautiful female white dragons with mist and fog based powers.
Aten (Egyptian) – Elemental (Spirit)
- Very powerful light elementals, want to be worshipped like Gods.
Baykok, Airi (Hindu) – Undead (Human / Cursed / Summoner)
- More powerful Baykok variants, they hunt for even stronger creatures with their two skeleton dogs at their side.
Caspilly (Persian) – Beast (Fish / Unicorn)
- Giant lionfish with very poisonous spikes and a single unicorn-like horn.
Devalpa (Arabian) – Aberration (Parasite / Cursed / Mounted)
- Sneaky tricksters with tentacle-like legs which want to ride other creatures and turn them into slaves.
Druj Nasu (Persian) – Demon (Vermin)
- Fly demons of pollution, corruption and filth, minions of Beelzebub.
Dulhath (Arabian) – Fae (Troll / Mounted)
- Very lazy trolls who ride around on Gallimimus-like creatures.
Dybbuk (Jewish) – Demon (Spirit / Parasite / Psychic)
- Demonic spirits which want to possess other creatures, they appear as floating masks, who wears the mask is controlled by the Dybbuk.
Fulad-Zereh (Persian) – Construct (Spirit / Tsukumogami / Cursed)
- Animated suits of armor, with the spirit of its former wearer still haunting it.
Gbahali, Petsuchos (Egyptian) – Undead (Reptilian / Cursed)
- Ritualistic changed Gbahali, mummified and in possession of light beam attacks and cursed fangs.
Ghul (Arabian) – Undead (Shifter / Genie / Summoner)
- Undead spirits of the Genies, controlling dust, sand, darkness and using the bones of their victims as weapons.
Girtablilu (Arabian) – Humanoid (Beastman / Vermin / Centauric)
- Half monstrous humanoid, and half scorpion.
Hieracosphinx (Egyptian) – Beast (Avian / Chimerae) *
- One of Sets favorite pets, looking much like evil black Griffons.
Hypnalis (Egyptian) – Beast (Reptilian / Mara)
- Giant white cobra’s which can kill creatures from within their dreams.
Ichneumon (Egyptian) – Beast
- Mongoose like creatures which are expert dragon slayers.
Ifrit (Arabian) – Elemental (Shifter / Genie / Summoner)
- The genies of fire, almost demonic in nature and able to control fire.
Jidra (Arabian) – Plant
- Much like D&D’s shambling Mounds.
Jokkho (Bengal) – Construct (Spirit / Cursed)
- Animated treasures, mostly golden coins, cursed by the greedy former owner.
Juggernaut (Hindu) – Construct (Spirit)
- Giant self-mobile war-machines created by the Gods of warfare.
Karkadann (Persian) – Beast (Unicorn)
- Aggressive, arrogant desert unicorns with enormous horns.
Karkinos, Saratan (Arabian) – Beast (Vermin)
- Very ancient and large Karkinos crabs grow small landscapes on their shells.
Khepri (Egyptian) – Beast (Vermin)
- Giant bombardier beetles which shoot different elemental bombs at their enemies, named after a dead Goddess.
Manticore (Persian) – Beast (Vermin / Chimerae) *
- Mythika has both winged and wingless variants.
Miraj (Arabian) – Beast (Unicorn)
- Agile, deadly and hungry for blood and flesh, these killer unicorn-bunnies are expert killers.
Mummy (Egyptian) – Undead (Human / Cursed / Summoner) *
- Cursed and resurrected people of importance which gained a lot of deadly curses at their command.
Penchapechi (Bengal) – Fae (Avian / Spirit)
- Giant fae owls which can become incorporeal at will, they never make a sound.
Rakshasa (Hindu) – Demon (Shifter)
- The ultimate shapeshifter, taking any humanoid form they remember, evil variant of Doppelgangers.
Raktabija (Hindu) – Humanoid (Vampire / Human / Summoner)
- Humans who practice blood-magic, controlling their own blood and turning it into a deadly weapon.
Redjal Marja (Arabian) – Elemental (Shifter / Genie / Summoner)
- Very fat and ugly green, genies of polluted water, very lazy and filthy.
Roc (Arabian) – Beast (Avian)
- Enormous elephant and whale hunting monstrous vultures.
Salawa (Egyptian) – Beast *
- Another one of Set’s favorite pets, they have bizarre magical powers over darkness and sand.
Scarabs (Egyptian) – Beast (Vermin / Parasite / Swarm)
- Swarms of flesh-eating carrion beetles that devour anything within seconds.
Serpopard (Egyptian) – Beast (Reptilian / Chimerae) *
- The last of Set’s favorite pets, combining serpent with leopard.
Shadhawar (Persian) – Fae (Unicorn / Summoner)
- Antelope-like unicorns which create magical melodies with their horns which change the moods of listeners.
Stymphalian, Asipatra (Hindu) – Construct (Avian)
- Stymphalian birds which are created with adamantium instead of bronze.
Urmahlullu (Arabian) – Humanoid (Beastman / Centauric) *
- Also known as Liontaurs, half humanoid half lion.
Vish Kanya (Hindu) – Humanoid (Human)
- Evil amazons which use poison to their advantage and which are immune to most poisons.
Vish Kanya, Saapin (Hindu) – Humanoid (Human / Summoner / Psychic)
- Mostly leaders among the Vish Kanya, these poisonous human women can animate and summon their tattoos.
Zabraq (Arabian) – Dragon (Reptilian)
- Desert drakes looking like moloch-reptiles which use their own acid blood as weapon.
Zalambur (Arabian) – Elemental (Shifter / Genie / Summoner)
- Very greedy, golden-skinned genies, with power over air and metal.
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Forgiven, Ch 2
Chandra had seen plenty of strange sights on plenty of different worlds; it came with the territory of being a career planeswalker/renegade/aspiring hero. She’d had days full of zombie hordes, days where she’d defied gods (with mixed success) , and days where she clashed with everything from dragons to giant demon frogs.
Today seemed set on one-upping all of that.
She’d expected to see some interesting things when Vraska asked for help with the reactivated eternals terrorizing the undercity. It was new territory, even if the foe was an old one. Still, the sewers of Ravnica were a bigger and more tangled maze of tunnels, caves, and entire districts than Chandra expected, stuffed with more variations of fauna, flora, and fungi than she had seen in one place. The izzet cyclopses who’d come along to assist in the clean-up were some of the oddest allies she’d ever had (their voices were so high pitched...and how were their heads so tiny?). The eternals, their blue lazotep now covered with an additional layer of fungal plates and clinging moss, had looked strangest of all-
-at least until an imp with a bow-tie offered her dinner.
“I insist, it would be shabby in the extreme if Pivlichino’s accepted so much help without offering a hot meal in return.” The imp, Pivlic, wrung his hands together imploringly. He hovered just in front of Chandra, taking conspicuous care not to drift close to the grimy walls or knee-deep filth of the undercity tunnel.
“It’s fine, really.” Chandra glanced back at Samut, who just shrugged. “We’d have to clear out the eternals here even if the tunnels didn’t run under your, uh, restaurant?”
“Ravnica’s newest, grandest restaurant, club, and bar,” The imp exclaimed with a bow and a flourish. “And please. Consider it a gift on behalf of the entire city. These metal monstrosities have been a blight on our streets, and to think there are still a few lurking about...”
Samut tensed in the corner of Chandra’s eye, but said nothing. Quietly, efficiently, she continued to lay out the still bodies of eternals along the dry side of the tunnel.
“...it’s truly a blessing to know such capable mages are seeing to the elimination-”
“Thank you,” Chandra cut the imp off. “And sure, we’ll take a meal. We should be done with for the day in an hour or two.”
“Excellent!” Pivlic clapped once, the crisp sound echoing down the tunnel. His attendant, a stooped ogre with a collar and bow-tie pressed crisply against his bulging neck, stepped forward, holding out a small silver tray Chandra. On it were two silver-embossed slips of paper, which Chandra took with a furrowed brow.
“What are-?”
“Show those tickets to the maitre d’ and she’ll see you sat at one of our best tables. We’ve got genuine Gruul folk musicians playing this evening; the perfect compliment to a hearty meal!” Pivlic bowed, spun in the air, and flew off up the service tunnel that led back to the streets. His attendant followed, ascending by ladder slowly, grumbling under his breath.
“Are we getting a feast in our honor?” Samut was sitting up against the sewer wall, next to the neat row of eternals, a tired smile and a raised eyebrow aimed at Chandra.
“Fancy dinner.” Chandra waved the tickets and slumped down next to Samut. The ground was filthy, but they’d gone through waste up to their shoulders several times already that day, so the added grime barely registered. “Um, I hope that was alright that I accepted the offer for both of us. If you’d rather not-”
Samut waved the apology away. “I was going to ask if I could buy you supper for all your help and your company anyways, so all the better.”
“All the better,” Chandra echoed. She tucked the tickets into a satchel on her belt. “So...what do you think so far? One last bit of Bolas’ magic keeping them going? Maybe he had another necromancer waiting in the wings with the Golgari?”
“Either. Both. That would make sense if the false god is half as clever as all who know him claim. I wonder though…It doesn’t seem as if touching them endangers our sparks any longer. If it was the false god, well you’d think those enchantments would still be in effect.”
Chandra nodded. She had bare-handed grappled at least two of the eternals that morning, and gotten away with nothing but scrapes. “Maybe. Must have been a pretty exhausting spell to maintain.”
“Probably. Either way, one less spell desecrating my sisters and brothers.”
“Oh yeah, about that...” Chandra looked across Samut at the broken Amonkhet warriors. “Should we, um, say anything? Do you have some kind of burial rite or…?”
“I’ve said what needs to be said.” Samut leaned her head back until it rested against the stone. “You know, I don’t have a clue what burial customs my ancestors had. The false god left our viziers with the practice of mummification, but none of our proper rites of remembrance.” She sighed. “Nothing to be done but to say goodbye to them as warriors.”
Samut lapsed into silence. They sat listening to the rush and gurgle of the sewers for several long minutes before she shrugged and stood.
“My comrades and I have a lot to re-discover, if we survive the coming years.”
“Yeah,” Chandra nodded and stood as well, “I uh...I can imagine that’d be, uh...” Her mind grasped for the right words to continue this conversation she’d started. “Actually, I guess I couldn’t. I am very sorry, though.” She pointed at one of the growths on the nearest eternal’s armor. The fungus was grown in the patterns reminiscent of the Golgari undead, with spongy masses and plates forming crude, partial armor. “Do you want me to burn any of that off, at least?”
“It’s no worse than the lazotep,” Samut laid a gently hand on the smashed skull of the closest metal-coated zombie. “And since we haven't seen any partial eternals moving under the control of the growths, I don’t think it’s much of a danger anymore.
“Thank you, though,” She added.
Chandra nodded. Her hands fell back to fiddling with the cool wrist of her gauntlets. One of the eternals had cast a volley of arrows through a gas line, puncturing it in over a dozen places. Chandra had resorted to fire-free means of fighting for the rest of the day while the izzet cyclopses struggled to fix the ruptures. She could still hear them further along the tunnel, stomping through the muck, sifting for any remaining zombies in the area.
Vraska had approached each of them separately about the renewed eternal problem. While Bolas’ death had brought the entire force to a standstill, the vengeant ravnicans had not destroyed all of them. A significant number had made their way into the sewers and waterways before they’d been deactivated. Some, for whatever reason, had congregated in dead-ends and abandoned shafts, where they had simply hunkered down and seemingly waited for the war above to end.
That would have been easy enough to clean up. Then a blue-metal hippo had attacked Zonot, killing three researchers before the guard-krases could put it down. The Simic had assumed the fungal growths were the result of some rogue project gone awry. A week later, a squad of spear-wielding eternals attacked an underground Rakdos poetry slam, and this time there had been no mistaking the Golgari fungi covering the attackers.
“Which is a bad look for the swarm,” Vraska had explained. “I could point to the half-a-dozen attacks on our own undercity territory as counter-examples, but no-one wants to hear it. Even if my guild wasn’t at war with itself regularly, other would just say I sent those attacks as plants to throw suspicion off of myself.”
Chandra had agreed to help immediately, just for something to distract from her latest bout of restlessness. She had almost even turned down the gold Vraska offered for the job.
It was quite a lot of gold. The gorgon seemed to still feel bad about how things had gone with Baan, as if that creep’s fate had been anyone’s fault but his own. Chandra hadn’t asked yet if Samut had been offered the same price for her help. It was clearly personal enough for Samut regardless, and ambivalent as Chandra felt about payment, she couldn’t imagine offering Samut the same without it being at least somewhat insulting.
“So just, uh...leave them for the Izzet grunts to move?”
“Yes.” Samut nodded. “I’ll trust the natives do what’s best for their own plane.” She looked over the line of fallen warriors. “A whole lifetime perfecting our bodies for the afterlife, and it turns out the best we can hope for after death is that we lie still and unused by evil.”
“I...I’m sorry.”
“Yes, you said that.” Samut smiled faintly. “I’m not much for being sorry about what’s past. I’ve lost a lot of my life already...I need to focus on making the future better.”
“Better life...” Chandra stared across the tunnel at the opposite wall. “What do you have in mind?”
Samut nodded, lips pursed.
“Dinner would be a good start.”
* * *
Pivlichino’s (or Pivlichino’s IV, as the sign outside read, for some reason), was spacious, crowded, and loud. Chandra adored it. The tables were laid out in a patterned sprawl, built to every size and shape needed for accommodating the different bodies of Ravnica. Groups of goblins shared drinks at long, short-legged benches. Minotaurs and elves and humans wolfed down meals at an array of middling tables. Chairs with legs the size of tree-trunks loomed large against the near wall for the odd giant diner. Waiters bustled among the diners, hefting barrels of bumbat and platters of every kind of food. Plates of steaming intestines. Sliced fruit arranged over sweet ices. Bowls of beetles drenched in vinegar.
The maitre d’, a harried-looking Viashino, had taken one look at Chandra and Samut, and escorted them to a small side room before they’d made it ten steps into the building. There, they’d been presented with a huge selection of fancy clothes to change into.
“Seriously?” Chandra had asked, pointing over the maitre d’s horned shoulder at a troll lumbering into the restaurant. “She’s covered in spiders.”
The maitre’d had sniffed. “They are not sitting at our best table.” She waved her arm at the tiers of clothing covering the walls “You may have your pick of the lot. Our thrulls will even clean your current...garments. If you would like.”
Samut had picked a tiered red-and-gold formal dress, then replaced the skirts with a set of pale white trousers and fancy riding boots. Her stride through the dining room was confident and fresh, and not at all like someone who had been trudging through sewer-muck all day. Chandra, on the other hand, was very much showing the day’s labor as she ambled beside Samut in a hastily-thrown-on set of Selesnya robes that reminded her of Ghirapur-style dresses, in cut if not in color.
Still, despite the fatigue, the heads they turned and eyes they caught were definitely aimed at her as much as Samut, and Chandra felt a little swagger sneak into her walk, even as she gawked like a tourist at the main dining room.
Pivlic practically glowed with delight at Chandra and Samut’s reaction as he escorted them to their table. He needed no encouragement to show off every detail of the establishment, from the “authentic Gruul wall-art” to the “specially Simic-grown kelp-thread carpets.”
“-and of course, our mealtime entertainment for the evening.” Pivlic gestured toward a group in Gruul hides dragging instruments into the main dining room by a side door.
“Real...real popular place you’ve got, huh?” Chandra commented, consciously restraining herself from stopping and watching in awe as a trio of demons devoured a tower of chocolate ice the size of a small house.
“Patrons from every guild and guildless walk of life enjoy the fine food and facilities of Pivlichino’s,” Pivlic beamed. “Paid for with Orzhov gold, of course, but co-owned and run with the best cooks, entertainers, and brewers of the Rakdos and the Golgari. A true symbol of collaboration and goodwill among guilds.”
“Impressive,” Samut replied, absently. She was glancing all over, at every diner and dish and decoration in sight. Chandra would have thought it just enthusiasm of the newly sparked if she hadn’t been gawking herself.
“We have a few private rooms, but I can tell you two will be happier with a full view of the action.” Pivlic gestured to a set of tables on a raised dais, right next to a small balcony. There was a clear view of the setting sun down a long boulevard through the window, and a panorama of most of the dining area on the other side of the table. The chairs were made of wicker and resin, and the cushions looked suspiciously like Simic oozes, but were soft as silk, and Chandra felt every bruise on her shoulder slide away as she leaned back and peered at the pedestrians walking a few stories below.
“Start our dear friends with a round of Appetizers Allegiant,” Pivlic dictated to a waiting minotaur waiter, standing at blank attention with a red cloth draped over his forearm. “Our special until the end of Seleszeni,” He added with a wink. “Variation without spoiling your appetite for more.”
The band started setting up as they waited for water and appetizers. The Gruul had brought several large drums, carved horns, and a massive string instrument that had clearly been carved out of a six-foot chunk of rubble. They hauled everything onto a raised stage in the center of the dining space. A serviceable place to play music, though something about it made Chandra think of a fighting ring.
“Do you like music?” Samut asked, nodding at the stage.
“Some of it. We have the best dancing music on my home plane. You have to come listen to Kaladeshi qawwali singers someday.”
“I think I’d like that. Anything you can move your feet to is best.”
“Yeah. I bet Gruul music is good for dancing” Chandra eyed the band. The largest of them, a towering centaur, had wrestled the rubble-harp upright, and was plucking at it experimentally. “Though I guess even if it is good to jam to, there’s not much of a dance floor.”
A quick glance around the massive room confirmed this. Chandra frowned.
“Huh. I thought Pivlic said this place was a club too.”
“What does that mean, ‘club?’”
“Oh! Ummmm….” Chandra bit her lip. “I guess they can change from place to place, but like...I guess I think of a place with music where you can dance. Sometimes fancy, sometimes not. I prefer the latter.”
Samut nodded. “We’ll have to incite some dancing tonight.”
Chandra accepted a glass of water from their returning waiter and raised it to Samut. “We should hang out more often.”
The ‘Appetizers Allegiant’ arrived on five small plates, each showing off a fusion of tastes each guild was known for. The Golgari slow-roast slider with Rakdos pepper sauce was fantastic, as were the thin slices of thrull pate with a minty Azorius-inspired jam.
The band started playing as they worked through the dishes. The first song was a low, slow-building rumble of a song. The lead singer, a barrel-chested goblin, rasped out lyrics about the setting sun setting the world on fire.
“Interesting,” Chandra nibbled on a bite of toast points made from Boros rations and an organic mash of Gruul vegetables. “I was expecting more smashing-themed songs.”
“I like it,” Samut said. “Reminds me of the training songs from back home. Most of them are about the sun.” She made a slight face. “We’ll have to come up with some new lyrics now, I suppose.”
“How...how are things back home?”
Samut frowned. “Better than we feared, but harder than anyone could have imagined before...well, before. We’ve scraped together an outpost at Hashep, but just about every stretch of the desert is hostile even without the dangers of starvation or exposure. It’s about all Hazoret can do to keep the horrors at bay.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that.” Chandra looked down at the table. “I, uh, went back to Naktamun, a few days ago. I hadn’t even thought to look for the survivors.”
“We’re a plane of fighters,” Samut replied, low. “No need for you to feel bad about having other concerns. It seems like every plane has its share of horrors. And things aren’t so dire that I can’t spare time to see to matters here. To try and find help for my plane on other worlds.”
“Have you had any luck?”
“Vraska has put me into contact with one of the guild leaders here. Ral Zarek.”
Chandra nodded. “I’m familiar.”
“He’s come twice so far to survey the land. The land and what equipment we’ve been able to scavenge from the ruins. He’s confident that we can construct a device to bring the rains more frequently, which, basically, is to say at all.” Samut sighed. “But we persevere. We are strong. I find that I am able to best serve my people by assuring them our betrayed comrades and ancestors have been put to as honorable a rest as I can make for them.”
“If I can help at all...I can’t imagine the hardships your plane is going through, but whatever I can do...”
“I was actually going to ask if your lover was still around,” Samut replied. “-and if she would have the time to visit Amonkhet. Our excavator mages have made immense strides in re-discovering connections with the plane, and using them to coax new growth, but it would help to have someone of her talents who can travel with her own reserve of mana.”
“My…? Oh.” Chandra’s ears got hot, and the looked away, out the window. “That’s not...you mean Nissa. It’s um, it’s not like that, anymore. I mean, I could definitely ask, but...” She trailed off.
“Oh? Oh. Oh, I’m very sorry, I had just- will, I saw the two of you when she joined the battle, and afterwards, well, I just thought...”
Chandra jerked her shoulders in a small shrug. “Sure. I guess I thought so too.”
“It can be hard, when a fight goes wrong,” Samut offered. “It was the same in the trials. Even in training. The closest crop can feel disunity when faced with an overwhelming trial.”
“We’re just not right for each other,” Chandra said. She picked up a mizzium fork from the small plate in front of her, its tongs woven through with some kind of...blue roasted worm? “That’s all. We talked about it.”
“Didn’t like each other as much as you thought?”
“No, I...” Chandra set the fork down and frowned. “I’m still working that out.”
“Mm. Didn’t work it out when you talked?”
“Well...it wasn’t that long of a talk, I guess.”
Samut grimaced. “You ended your relationship before you knew why you wanted to end it?”
“Would you believe I told myself it was because I didn’t like girls?”
“The way I saw you look at her when we first met in Naktamun?” Samut’s grimace twisted into a smirk. “The way you two looked at each other when we felled the false god? No, I don’t think I would believe that at all.”
“I mean, she might have been the only one, for all you knew.”
“Only one?”
“Only, you know...” Chandra twirled her hand through the air, not quite sure what sort of gesture she meant to make. “The only girl I liked.”
Samut raised an eyebrow. “Was she?”
Uh...” Chandra’s hand fell to her lap. “No. She wasn’t the only one. She isn’t the only one, I guess.”
“Oh?” The smirk widened. “Well, who could blame you? When there are women like me in the world...” Samut shrugged, throwing both hands up in the air and tossing her hair.
Chandra rolled her eyes. “Anyways, I guess I was just grasping at reasons, so I told myself anything.”
“Are you though? Pansexual?” Samut asked, with a straightforwardness that caught Chandra out of nowhere.
“Uh, bisexual, I guess?”
“Bisexual?”
“Yeah, guys and gals. Love ‘em both.”
Samut tilted her head. “Ah. There’s so much more than just men and women in the world, though – oh, I shouldn’t have assumed-” She flushed slightly. “Is it just humans on your home plane?”
“What…?” Chandra tilted her head as well, quizzically. “Oh! Oh, no we’ve got plenty of – I don’t have a preference of genders.” She shrugged. “I mean, I’ve got a type, but, you know, it’s just one of many types.”
“I’ll toast to that.” Samut nodded. She raised her glass of water. “Here’s to everyone.”
“Yeah!” Chandra knocker her cup against Samut’s, spilling a few drops on the tablecloth. “The whole buffet!”
Samut burst out with a sharp laugh. “Buffet?”
“Okay maybe it’s not a perfect metaphor, I just mean...you know, curry is all well and good, but sometimes you want a-a mango, you know?”
“I’ve not tried either of those things, but I take your meaning.” Samut wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye.
“My guests!” Pivlic flapped up to the table, the minotaur waiter in tow. “Enjoying everything so far?”
“So far,” Samut replied. Chandra nodded, guiltily stuffing the last small plate – a Simic-bred eel-shrimp on a bed of selesnyan lettuce – between her lips.
“Is womderfulf,” she managed through her full mouth.
Pivlic beamed. “Splendid. And any thought on your entrees for the evening? I’m happy to go over the specials.” The waiter moved up and offered Chandra and Samut several crisp sheets of fine parchment. “We also have an extensive house menu, new to this iteration of Pivlichino’s.”
Samut looked both overwhelmed and delighted with the wealth of options, and listened eagerly as Pivlic listed the special dishes. Chandra zoned the imp out, and flipped through the sheets, which listed options for hot dishes, vegetarian dishes, and dishes for undead patrons.
“Errr...maybe just a steak...” Chandra scanned the meat options, looking for an animal she was familiar with.
“Mmmm, that does sound good,” Samut said. “Not very balanced though. Hardly the whole buffet.”
Chandra looked up from her menus. Samut was peeking over the edge of hers, grinning. Chandra stuck her tongue out. Pivlic looked between the two of them, a politely puzzled look on his face.
“I mean, if you only want the meat menu.” Samut extended her hand and beckoned with her fingers. “I’m happy to look at the rest.”
“Well it just so happens I am in the mood for a steak tonight,” Chandra shot back, a smirk of her own twisting the corner of her mouth.
“But just look at all these options!” Samut held up her stack of menus dramatically. “Greens and grains and all kinds of sweet treats! A whole world of food in front of you!” She gestured at Pivlic. “And the soups of the day, Chandra! Did you hear about the soups?”
Pivlic nodded graciously.
“I like meat just fine,” Chandra shot back. “Look at this: ‘side of beef with raze-boar bacon. Who could want more than that?”
Samut made a mock-offended face, and clutched a hand to her chest “Well, people with taste, for one.”
“I know what I like!” Chandra said, trying to stifle another laugh, but shouting instead. Thankfully it was only a little loud, the diners in the closest tables only gave her slightly affronted looks.
Pivlic coughed into his hand. “If I may, miss Nalaar, I don’t think your friend here is suggesting you aren’t interested in the, ah, side of beef. I believe she is merely suggesting that’s not the only menu you’d order from.”
“Oh, we covered that bit already,” Samut said, then turned aside and smoothly transitioned from the beginning of a belly-laugh to a feigned coughing fit.
“Right, right.” Chandra buried her face in the menu. “Um, a few more minutes, please.”
“Naturally.” Pivlic bowed and fluttered backward from the table. “No rush at all. I’ll be back shortly.”
Chandra fanned herself with the inside of the menu before setting it down.
“We were just talking about dinner just now, right?” Samut was straining visibly to restrain an even bigger smile than the one already stretching her cheeks.
“You’re awful.” Chandra rolled her eyes. “Sometimes a meal is just a meal.”
Samut held up her hands. “Fair, fair.” Her smile faded slightly. “Does it make you uncomfortable? I don’t mean to joke if it does.”
“It’s fine.” Chandra looked out at the band, taking in the current tune. “Thinking I was straight was a pretty ridiculous thought to have. I’d laugh at it if it wasn’t so pathetic.”
The new song was slow, with more focus on the percussion. The singer was speaking in some language Chandra couldn’t recognize. Guttural, but with the instruments it was, admittedly, a very pleasant sound to close the day with.
“Still not much to dance to,” Samut remarked, engrossed again in the menus.
“Mmm.” Chandra’s gaze wandered from the band to the nearby tables. A few patrons were engaged in watching the band as well, but most were well into their meals. Trolls. Humans. Vedalken. Centaurs. Goblins.
Elves.
A spot of blue among the tables caught Chandra’s eye. Jace was walking across the dining room with Vraska, Pivlic leading them along. He had caught sight of her as well and waved. Chandra grinned, pumping her own arm in the air. Jace said something to Pivlic, and the imp looked to Vraska, who nodded. The three of them changed course for the raised seating area.
“Chandra.” Jace surprised her by offering a hug when he reached the table, which she jumped into. Vraska she exchanged a handshake with. It was nice being on friendly terms with the gorgon, but she still felt more like Chandra’s employer than a friend.
“You clean up pretty good, Mr. Belts-and-Cowls,” Chandra teased, landing a light punch on Jace’s arm. He was wearing his customary blues, but instead of a cape and hood, he had a neat pair of trousers, boots, and a wide-collared shirt with gold buttons up the front. “Is that a loaner from the restaurant, or just a good illusion?”
“100% Ixalan threads.” Jace patted his thigh. “and I could say the same to you. Looking very sharp for someone who’s been in the sewers all day.” A look of concern flashed across his face, and he looked from Chandra to Samut, who was introducing herself to Vraska. “Is this – we’re not interupting a date, are we?” he asked, suddenly whispering. “I mean, I figured you and Nissa were still - I mean, that you had...”
“It’s fine,” Chandra whispered back. She could feel the smile slipping from her face despite her best efforts to keep it in place. “I’m happy to see you. Both of you,” she added, louder. “Would you like to eat with us?”
“As long as my wonderful date doesn’t mind?” Jace threw an unbelievably cheesy-looking grin at Vraska, and Chandra, once again unable to control her face, felt her eyes roll back a bit. Vraska just smiled, and actually blushed a bit.
“Yes, let’s have some tables pushed together then,” her golden eyes scanned the nearby settings. “If there’s one to spare…”
“Naturally; how fortunate to have so many friends of Ravnica joining us this evening!” Pivlic snapped his fingers and their waiter appeared seconds later, a table cradled in his hands, and a chair slung over each horn. “And have we decided on an entree?”
“Krovod steak and beans,” Chandra said, handing the menu back and shooting a defiant glare at Samut. Samut just rolled her eyes and ordered a vegetable stew, ogre-style.
Jace’s eyes glowed blue very faintly as he sat down. “Chef’s soup, please.”
“A very excellent choice, sir. Our most-”
“-popular dish this evening?” Jace finished. “Yes, I noticed.” He winked at Chandra.
“Rat roast,” Vraska said, not even glancing at the menu as she sat. “As rare as your chef feels up to.”
“Splendid all around.” Pivlic signaled another waiter to bring forward a pitcher of water, and bowed. “Your meals will find you shortly.”
“And the spirits for the evening, please!” Vraska called after the minotaur as she settled into her seat.
“So, um...” Jace looked between Chandra and Samut. “What were you both talking about before we got here?”
“Diet preference,” Samut said, raising an eyebrow at Chandra.
“Oh?”
“The conversation was wrapping up, actually,” Chandra said. “What have the two of you been up to?”
“Guild work.” Vraska rapped her fingers against her cup of water. “We’re trying to integrate the Kraul fungal farms with our larger food supply network, but there’s quite a lot of internal faction-fighting to put to bed before that can happen.
“To say nothing of the undead invaders you’ve been so helpfully taking care of,” she added.
Chandra and Samut both accepted the thanks with a nod.
“Leadership is, ah...rather stressful?” Chandra ventured. “I hope you’re getting enough down time. I can’t imagine being in charge of that many people.”
Vraska smiled back at Chandra. “I’m sure you did you’re best, Abbot Nalaar.” There was something very sad in her eyes, despite the grin, just as there had been when Chandra had first volunteered to help with the eternals.
“Abbot?” Samut asked.
“Like uh,” Chandra rolled her hand, looking for the right words. “Like a religious leader.”
Samut failed to stifle a laugh. Jace grinned broadly as well across the table, and Chandra presented them both with a flaming middle finger.
“Sorry, sorry.” Samut took a pull of water to settle herself. “You were a religious leader? You just...well, I suppose every world is different.”
“Speaking of worlds,” Jace said. “How is Nissa? Is she still on Zendikar?”
“Oh, uh, I think so.”
Jace frowned. “Is everything alright? Have you seen her recently?”
“Nissa is one of your planeswalking companions, isn’t she?” Samut interjected. Jace turned to her, and hopefully missed Chandra’s smile falling away a second time. “What has your crop been doing since the invasion?”
“Oh, um...” Jace started counting off on his fingers. “Kaya and Teferi are both back on their home planes at the moment; they’ve got matters they wanted to settle on their own, but they’ve promised to check in if they need a hand. Chandra, well you know what she’s been doing, and me…well, I’ve been making sure the esteemed Golgari guildleader takes some time off-plane to relax when she needs it. Um, as for Nis-”
“What sort of relaxations?” Samut asked.
“Oh, the usual silly couple things,” Vraska said, squeezing Jace’s hand on the tabletop. “Cafe dates. Visiting bookstores. Some off-plane piracy here and there, and of course-ah! The food!”
The waiter strode up to the table, a tray and folding table loaded with steaming plates in one hand, and several bottles cradled in the other. The food set Chandra’s mouth to watering, and she was immensely relieved when Samut started on her own dish right away, so she had an excuse not to wait while Jace and Vraska picked out a bottle for the table.
The steak was about two inches thick and incredibly tender. A pepper gravy coated the cut, and a large helping of butter beans sprinkled over with bitter herbs filled the rest of the plate. Chandra ate through almost a third of the plate before Jace and Vraska settled on a wine; a round blue bottle that they turned over in their hands, exclaiming about its color (and...viscosity?) in excited whispers.
“You two have a lot of interests in common,” Samut observed. “Books, piracy, wine?”
“Yes, well.” Vraska speared the cork with her knife and ripped it out. “We’ve been exploring many more common interests since we started therapy, haven’t we?”
“Cheers to that,” Jace grinned, holding out his glass. Vraska tipped the bottle and a blue, sweet-smelling wine splashed out.
“Therapy?” Chandra asked through a mouthful of beans. “For real? You guys are like...well, Jace acts like he’s a hundred years old sometimes, but you guys are a little young, right?”
“What’s a therapist?” Samut asked.
“Well, apparently it’s never to early too protect your investment in another person.” Jace exchanged a glance with Vraska, and they both grinned. “Tomik said that. He was the one who recommended an Orzhov specialist to us. Same one he and Ral see.”
Chandra wrinkled her nose. “Orzhov? The ones who were basically keeping Kaya captive?”
Vraska nodded. “I was about as enthusiastic as that. But it turns out it’s about the one service the syndicate offers that isn’t just part of an extortion machine. I mean, sometimes it is, but we’ve been lucky enough to take advantage a genuinely good specialist through the guildleader’s professional connections.”
“So you go and tell a ghost about your relationship problems?” Chandra turned aside to Samut. “Therapy is like...well I don’t know how it is on Ravnica, but they have people in Ghirapur who like, help people who have problems with their lives, or sometimes they help people who have problems with relationships.”
Samut nodded. “A confidant, or something like that?”
“Yes, though usually someone who’s trained to listen and give advice.” Jace sipped his wine. “Ours, for example, is an Orzhov advokist trained in mediation and dispute settlement.”
“And do they help?” Samut leaned in. “When you tell them about your problems?”
“So far,” Vraska said. “It’s funny. There are things you don’t realize are causing problems.”
“Or things you do recognize as problems that you just never talk about until someone helps you see the need for it.” Jace reached out a hand and took Vraska’s. “Sometimes it’s nice just to have good advice.”
Dinner rolled along with an ease Chandra hadn’t felt in months. They laughed, shared bites of their meals, and swapped stories. Chandra related her mother’s recent accomplishments with the Ghirapur consulate. Vraska dropped bits of low-level guild gossip. Jace and Samut engaged in a minor debate over the use of illusions in combat. Chandra tried a glass of the wine, and found it about the same as she did most other wines, but enjoyed the soft buzz in the back of her head to accompany the warmth in her stomach.
When the last ray of sunlight slipped out of sight, the band fell into a soft, almost wistful song, mostly focused around the huge flute-player, who swayed and pushed out a long, rolling stream of notes while the singer threw himself into a raspy spoken-word bit about a cyclops falling in love with the moon.
Pivlic re-appeared as the dishes were cleared away, bearing slices of cheesecake dripping with drizzled lines of jam and honey, and hot mugs of ogrish coffee. The hot, bitter drink snapped Chandra out of her post-meal drowsiness enough to enjoy the end of the Gruul set. The band had set their instruments aside, and for a moment it looked like they were packing up. Then they began dancing around one another in tight circles, beating their breasts. The big flutist started up a chant. One of the drummers, the viashino, began clapping out a sharp, precise rhythm, and the flutist took center stage, weaving his arms through the air with slow, jerking movements. The chant became a call and response tune that some of the patrons seemed to know, and were enthusiastically singing along with. Jace even knew a few of the words, and pumped his fist in the air each time he called out.
“Gruul riot anthem.” He whispered to Chandra between calls. “Very popular at Rauck-Chauv.”
Applause and a chorus of hoots filled the dining room at the song’s conclusion. Pivlic fluttered over to loudly and grandly thank the band. Vraska tapped Jace’s cheek.
“Not too shabby, blue-boy. I want to hear that much enthusiasm next time the crew does drunk shanties.”
Jace grinned sheepishly. “Are there other kinds of shanties I don’t know about?”
“Shanties?” Samut exchanged a look with Chandra. “A piracy song?”
Chandra nodded back. “A pirate song. It’s important that you know how funny it is to me to imagine Jace singing one.”
“Jace has many fine pirate qualities.” Vraska ruffled his hair with a free hand, sipping coffee with the other. “You’d both be welcome to join us sometime. If that sort of thing interests you, of course. It’s mostly taking gold from vampires, which is as noble a cause as you can find in the multiverse.”
“That could be fun.” Chandra rubbed her hands together thoughtfully. “I like the sound of Captain Nalaar, in hot pursuit of gold and adventure.”
“Hot pursuit?” Jace smirked, raising an eyebrow.
“It’s a phrase, blue-boy.” Chandra snapped her fingers, lighting a single flame on her index finger. “But since you mention it, just imagine the terror of being pursued by fire on the open sea.” She twirled the flame around, then doused it in the last bite of her cheesecake. “Uh, not that I would make an open flame on your ship, Vraska. Well, not without permission.”
Vraska laughed. “That’s fine. Glad to see you’re burning with enthusiasm. It’s a good trait for a pirate.”
Chandra rolled her eyes as Jace chimed in. “Yes, Chandra has a lot of good qualities that could, uh, light a fire under a reluctant crew.”
“Mmm...” Samut’s eyes glittered. “Like her warm personality.”
Chandra stuck out hr tongue and stood up from the table. “Beltwurms eat you all. I’m going to go get another drink.”
A second group of musicians were setting up on the stage now, and the waiters were clearing away a large swath of the tables around them, creating the dance floor Chandra had wondered about. She skirted the growing space while checking out the new band. They were a mixed group: two women wearing Rakdos colors with no instruments, an grey-bearded Izzet mage, hooking up his gauntlets to a large device that crackled with electricity, and two vedalken, on the drums and lute, respectively, that didn’t seem to be wearing any guild colors at all.
A number of the patrons from dinner had clustered around the bar that ran along one long wall of the dining room. New patrons were slowly filing in to add to the small crowd; a noisier bunch than most of the dinner crowd, and more eager for drink.
Chandra ordered an Uzvar and gin from a half-demon bartender, then perched up on a stool to bask in the crowd and the chatter of ravnican voices. Groups of guildless youths toasted clay mugs of pale ale. Two Azorius officials, looking out of place in their white robes, sipped green liquor from shallow glass cups. A centaur trotted past as the bartender slid the cocktail across the bar, and the look she flashed Chandra nearly made her drop the glass.
Damn it’s been too long. She almost followed after to ask the centaur her name, but an elf, also in conclave garb, greeted the centaur as soon as the thought occurred to her, and pressed her own lips against the centaur’s.
Taken. Figures.
The Gruul band was lounging just as short distance down the bar, laughing and chattering with a clutch of other patrons. The singer was entertaining a pair of young women in Orzhov robes with some kind of impression, and the drummer was in a hot debate with a vedalken and two older humans. Chandra’s eyes slid past them to the musician who’d been playing the huge flute, a tall, long-haired hunk whose arms were on full display under a vest of woven vines and bones. She lost herself in a stare as he reached over the counter with one arm and easily hefted a tankard of beer half as tall as he was.
Definitely into girls , Chandra thought faintly, sipping her drink and vaguely aware her feet were carrying her in the direction of the band . But that’s alright too.
“Play here often?” The words were out of her mouth before Chandra could fully think through her approach. She compensated for the lack of planning with her winning-est smile and a smooth slide against the bar toward the Gruul hunk.
He blinked and looked down at Chandra, and for a second said nothing. Chandra held up her smile for that second, wishing she had a smoother come-on. Then, mercifully, the hunk grinned.
“Ah, first time, actually. I, uh, only joined a few months ago, but Skelly-” He gestured with his drink at the goblin on the bar, who was doing puppetry for the Orzhov fans using a pair of mouse skulls “-plays all over. He’s even did a set at the Juri Revue once!”
Chandra wasn’t entirely sure what that was, but grinned and nodded all the same. “That’s a big gig, I guess?”
“Oh, uh, yeah, pretty big. Plus Rakdos himself did the encore that night. Or so I’m told. I, Uh, wasn’t really in the scene back then but-”
A muffled burst of sound cut the hunk off mid-sentence. The new band was jamming, the beat was quick and exciting, but it sounded oddly faraway.
“Local enchantment,” the bartender said, catching Chandra’s confused look. “So folks can talk at the bar. And so I can actually hear orders.”
“Oh...makes sense.” Chandra threw back her drink and tapped the hunk on the arm. “Wanna dance?”
“Hm?” The hunk looked from Chandra to the dance floor. He set his tankard down on the bar, grinned, and cracked his knuckles. “Absolutely. Let’s show ‘em how it’s done.”
The band boomed louder as soon as Chandra’s boot hit the floor, raising goosebumps along her shoulder. This music was sharp, rapid, and loud. Perfect for dancing however wildly and badly you wanted to.
Through the other patrons, Chandra caught glimpses of Samut coming down the few steps from their table to dance floor She paused right at the edge of the crowd, watching them for a few seconds before diving in, and Chandra lost sight of her. Jace waved from the table, behind the spot she’d disappeared.
Want me to keep an eye on you two? Maybe check in a little later? He kept his mental visit brief, but Chandra was happy to hear his voice. She flashed him two thumbs up and turned back to dance with the hunk.
She had to laugh. The big guy had looked totally natural bobbing and pounding to the Gruul music, but whatever dance you were supposed to be doing to this more hectic, energetic Izzet-Rakdos stuff...well this definitely wasn’t it. He looked like he was having a good time at least. Chandra moved in closer and the hunk winked at her before making an absolutely absurd motion like he was hula-hooping with his shoulders. He was doing it on purpose.
Chandra hooted, and they danced close circles around each other, dodging and weaving through the wild thrashing of the other dancers.
Samut flashed in and out of sight through the crowd. She had already mastered the jerky new dance form, and was adding her own spins. A small ring of other dancers formed around her about seven songs in, howling and clapping as Samut threw a daring backlip into the routine, and cheering as she landed perfectly on her feet. Jace and Vraska were just beyond that, sitting at the table and overlooking the dance floor. They were both seated, but leaned up against each other, swaying to the music and whispering in each other’s ear.
The hunk finally started to look winded after a few dozen songs, and signaled that he was going to go sit for a while. Chandra followed him off the floor, and pretended to slip a little on the edge of the bar area so she could fall and steady herself on his side.
Solid, and just a lil’ soft. Awesome.
All good? Jace asked in her head.
All good. Chandra waved back. Now shoo; gonna work my moves.
“SooOoooOwO, what do you say you and me get out of here and go hang out at your place, big guy?” Chandra forgot about the muffling enchantment, and shouted slightly louder than she meant to. A vedalken just behind the started, and knocked over a (thankfully bare) drink table.
“Uh, why don’t we sit for a while. I’m still a bit dizzy from dancing.” He stooped and picked the table up off the floor one-handed, and sat on one of the stools. Chandra hopped up on another to join him.
“You’re pretty...pretty strong.” Chandra slammed her elbow on the table and flexed her fingers. “Let’s see what you got.”
The hunk chuckled, and laid his own elbow down, taking Chandra’s hand. The rough leather of his gloves was rough, but made it easy to get a grip around his palm.
“Alright.” Chandra squinted in concentration. “Three, two, go!”
A few seconds later, it was over, and Chandra was massaging the back of her hand.
“Sorry,” the hunk said, with an apologetic, almost shy smile. “No mercy is the Gruul way, after all.”
Chandra beckoned for the bartender to bring them over another round, then pouted into her hands, both elbows on the table.
“If Nissa was here she would have totally kicked your butt.”
“Who’s Nissa?”
“An elf. We um...we used to work together. Really strong.”
The hunk laughed. “A strong elf? We had a lot of those in the conclave. Still do, I guess. Some of my toughest friends were elves.”
“Mmm, not strong like Nissa, I bet. She was depcep...decepticaly...deceptively strong. Like a slender tree, but strong like an oak.” Chandra took a pull of her drink and slammed the cup on the tabletop for emphasis. “Do any of your elf-buddies have eyes that glow like they’re magic?”
“Uh, sometimes.” The hunk sipped his drink thoughtfully. “Usually when they cast spells.”
“It’s really cool, right?”
The hunk chuckled. “I suppose. I’ve got a couple eye-glowing spells myself. Should ask around if I look cool enough when I use them.”
Chandra snorted into her drink, and set it down. The hunk did have nice eyes. Thoughtful and fierce like Gideon. Playful like Liliana. Kind like-
“So, uh, your elf friend-”
“Girlfriend,” Chandra blurted out. “Um, I mean ex-girlfriend?” she looked down at the table. “I uh, I’m not sure. I think I might have messed things up with her. I mean, I for sure did, but...”
“Oh.” The hunk nodded, a different sort of apologetic smile on his lips. “That’s...I’m very sorry. That’s um...that’s always very hard to go through.”
“She was like, really my type, you know? Big strong pair of arms to hold you. That’s like, the hottest thing someone can have, honestly. But she’s really gentle, you know? Like, treat you like you’re a flower gentle, but not like a delicate flower because all the plants she works with are as strong as she is.”
“A nature mage?”
“Yeah! Oh, you should have seen the gardens that she kept while we were here on Ravnica...they would have made every nature guild jealous. She’s like...one of those people who always smell like their work, right? And she’s always working with flowers and plants so she smells like paradise.”
“I’m sorry she couldn’t come tonight,” The hunk said with a smile that almost looked...sad? “I hope I’m not prying but is she, uh, is she not from Ravnica?”
“Huh? Oh. no.” Chandra waved her hand in front of her face. “I mean, I’m not either. We all came back here for the war, you know?”
The hunk look puzzled for a moment, then his eyes went wide, and he nodded. “That is impressive then.”
Chandra cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
“Well. I mean, uh, that is, I’ve heard about the ones who walk from other worlds...there’s a lot, I’m told? Of worlds. If there there are dozens of worlds that each of you could be on.”
“Hundreds,” Chandra corrected, raising her drink and eyebrow for dramatic effect. “Thousands. No one’s counted them all, even.”
“Meeting a...a friend that’s precious to you? Over infinite worlds? That sounds like something special.”
“Yeah.” Chandra set down her glass. She heaved a breath, and realized she wasn’t feeling nearly as wired as she had been a few minutes before. “Um...I guess that’s how I felt when I first met her. Like, I’d been to so many places in the multiverse. That’s what we call it,” she added, “and, well...have you ever looked at someone and just thought, like, ‘that’s it, that’s the person that feels real?’”
The hunk nodded. “I think I know what you mean. Sometimes something new in your life is just obviously right for you.”
“Right!?” Chandra put her glass up for a toast, and the hunk obliged with a clink of his tankard. “And like, it was really great with her because when we traveled together after that...well, she made me feel that way no matter where we went.”
“Comfort and constancy.” The hunk leaned back on his stool. “Sounds like a very special person.”
“Yeah.” Chanda looked blankly at her glass, vaguely offended at the absence of any more liquor at the bottom. “You know, maybe I don’t want to, um, hang out after all.” She looked up at the Gruul hunk shakily. “N’offense or anything; you’ve been real fun to talk to.”
The Hunk put his hands up. “None taken, miss. I uh, think I’m a bit too old for you anyway.” He picked his own tankard up and swilled it in his hand. “No offense.”
“Pffft, sure.” Chandra slumped in her stool, elbow on the table, chin in her hands.
“I spent a long time living a very different life than the one I have now,” The hunk offered “A life I thought was the only right path for me. When I finally had my moment of clarity, the moment that brought me to the Gruul...” He bit his lip. “...I don’t regret the life I led before that, and I don’t regret my choice to live a life that would’ve been unthinkable for me before. I guess...you’re young. Don’t be afraid of trying things you’re unsure about. Life’s too short.”
Chandra stared up at the hunk, blinking.
“Sorry; too corny?”
Chandra snorted. “A bit? But point taken.”
They lapsed into silence.
“Your friend looks awful concerned for you.” the hunk’s eyes flicked up and over Chandra’s shoulder. Samut had come off the dance floor, and was lounging by the bar, eyes on Chandra and the hunk. She had a few other dancers hanging around and talking at her, but she didn’t seem to be paying much attention to them.
“Better get back to the gang.” Chandra slid off the stool, and offered her hand to the hunk. “Chandra, by the way. ‘S been fun.”
“Ghired.” The hunk’s grip was solid, and the bones sewn into his sleeve rattled slightly as they shook. “Hope we meet again, Chandra.”
“Yeah.” She mimed a swat at his midsection. “Keep working on your dancing til then.”
Ghired laughed. “I’ll think about it. Come to the stomping grounds if you ever improve your arm-wrestling prowess.”
Chandra stuck out her tongue and trotted over to Samut.
“Thanks for keeping an eye on me.”
“I trusted you could take care of yourself,” Samut said with a shrug. “But it’s always good to have some solidarity on the battlefield.”
“That what this is?” Chandra leaned heavily against the bar. The warm buzz in her head and the thrum of the music felt like a blanket. She didn’t much feel like dancing again, but right now it was enough to watch the other ravnicans having fun.
“Life is.” Samut perched up next to Chandra. “All of it.”
Chandra laughed. “What are you? 18?” She put an arm around Samut. “You’re way too young to be so down on life.”
“We’re not that much older, grandma Nalaar.” Jace heaved himself up onto a stool on Chandra’s other side. He sighed and rubbed his thigh. “Though I sure feel pretty ancient right now.”
Chandra shot an outraged glance at the dance floor, then back at Jace. “Don’t tell me you were dancing and I missed it. Did you turn yourself and Vraska invisible??”
“No, she’s not the dancing type either,” Jace sighed. “Just a lot of standing around and talking to people we’d rather not talk to. “Guildmaster PR, that kind of thing. “She told me I should go sit down.”
Sure enough, Vraska was standing up on the dais, near their table, having a hushed (or as hushed as the noise in the room allowed) discussion with a frog-faced mage in Simic biomancer robes. Long, elvish ears poked out from behind the frog-mancer’s eyes, and they didn’t appear to be having nearly as much trouble as Vraska hearing over the music.
“Ah.” Chandra bumped Jace with her shoulder. “Boy-toy blue-boy banished while the adults talk?”
Jace laughed. “Oh, nothing like that. Vraska knows I don’t like the extended standing and talking. She’s...very good at recognizing when I’m uncomfortable. I guess we’ve both been very good at that, and now we’re working on acting on it more often.”
Samut cocked her head, quizzically. “Was that a problem before?”
“Not at first,” Jace replied, pursing his lips. “but it was hard for a while after what happened here. I think it took more out of us than we wanted to admit, and it was affecting how we acted. That, and Vraska does so much for her guild. It’s like...well, it’s like a dozen full-time jobs, and I wasn’t supporting her as much as I should have.” He smiled at Chandra and Samut, and the smile, small and tired as it was, reached all the way to his eyes. “It’s been tough but, well I really think whatever we have is worth it.” He blushed a bit, and a second later Chandra recognized the signs of a minor illusion fluttering over Jace’s face, hiding the red in his cheeks.
“Still working a little on being honest though, huh?” Chandra elbowed him in the side, then threw her arms around Samut and Jace.
“A little,” Jace laughed. “I’m lucky to have friends who still call me out.”
They sat together and watched a while. The Rakdos musicians showed no sign of slowing down, nor did the dancers. Samut nodded off on Chandra’s shoulder after a few minutes.
“So, uh, it’s helped, then?”
“Hm?”
Chandra looked at Jace out of the corner of her eye. “The therapy? Talking to someone?”
Jace nodded, slow, then reached into his cloak. “I don’t know if they take clients still, but I can put in a word through Ral if you want.” He scribbled an address onto a scrap of parchment and handed it to Chandra.
Chandra nodded. “Thanks. I think that’d be good. I’ll um...I’ll let you know.”
Jace just smiled and took Chandra’s hand. They remained a while longer, as midnight slipped away into the early morning hours.
The above is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
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Mighty Nein To Do List
So on the run up to tonight’s episode (tomorrow morning for me) I got thinking about each characters priorities right now...
The Mighty Nein To Do List
Nott
Protect Yezza
Get Yezza safely to Luke
Protect Caleb
Become Veth again.
Help friends achieve goals
Sneak attack!!
Booze
Steal something shiny
Protect the Mighty Nein
Stop a war
Fight demons
Make acid/explosive arrow/ tracer arrow/ something cool
Buttons!!
FLUFFERNUTTER!!!
Tease Fjord
Fjord
Panic
Panic about what U’katoa (U’katoa) will do next
Panic about losing magic
Stay Alive
Find a way to escape from U’katoa (U’katoa) pact
Protect the Mighty Nein
Find Vandren
Help friends achieve goals
Stop a war
Fight demons
Find Sabien
Tell friends my problems
Panic
Yasha
Serve the Storm Lord
Fight
Protect the Mighty Nein
Survive
Learn how to talk to Storm Lord
Help friends achieve goals
Collect flowers
Mourn
Stop a war
Fight demons
Jester
Worship the Traveller
Make everyone happy
Help friends achieve goals
Make new friends
Help Nott get Yezza home
Protect the Mighty Nein
Do cool spells and stuff
Worry about Traveller Con
Worry about seeing mom again
Find out if the Gentleman really is her father
Do pranks
Stop a war
Stop the rifts
Pastries!!
Healing
Flirt with Fjord
FLUFFERNUTTER!!
Feed Sprinkle / Nugget / Yarnball
Caleb
**REDACTED**
Hide
Destroy Trent Ikathon
Save the Empire
Protect Nott
Books
Stay alive
Learn about Dunamancy
Pet Frumpkin
Get access to the Marble Tomes Library
Protect the Mighty Nein
Get Yezza back to Luke (for Nott)
Get Jester to her mom
Worry Nott is going to leave with Yezza
Help friends achieve goals
Stop the rifts
Feed Jannick
Caduceus
Trust the Wild Mother
Find the Kiln
Cure the corruption at the Blooming Grove
Trust in Destiny
Fix the sword
Help friends achieve goals
Keep friends alive
Miss family
Feed Clarabell / beetles
Fight the undead
Stop the rifts
Stop the war
Make tea
Beau
‘Make places better than you find them’
Stop the rifts
Stop the war
Work out what to say to Dairon
Protect the Mighty Nein
Stay Alive
Train
Survive in enemy territory
Get into the Marble Tomes Library
Don’t get too close to the Mighty Nein
Help friends achieve goals
Keep an eye on Caleb
Keep an eye on Jester
Keep an eye on Fjord
Help Caduceus fix his broken sword
Ask questions
Flirt with women
Worry about family. Worry about baby brother
Be patient
Listen
#critical role#cr spoilers#caleb widogast#jester lavorre#fjord#jester#caleb#caduceus clay#caduceus#nott the brave#nott#veth#beauregard#beau#yasha
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i Post this on a Reddit Post a Moment Ago.
And I’ve Decided with my over wrought unpopular ass. to post it here. Also here is the vid.
youtube
Human's Where Created to Serve the Hybrid Agenda, there is ton's of Proof for this, ALSO Evolution is Real, You Human's Where Created To Serve the Insectoid Race Called the fae, i Know the moment i Said fae your laughing, STOP !!! Fairy's are not Made of Magic there bug's the entire Dam Race are insectoid's
And the Human Race Can't Even see that Worm's, slug's, spider's, Etc's are bug's any more, the DNA is Braking down becuz it served it purpose, SO that the insectoid Race who's home is Earth Yah !!! This Place, Could Survive You See Insectoid where dying out and Humanity Was Created to Give What i Called Entomo-anity aka Fairy's, a 2nd Chance to Survive, and the Whole, Fairy's know Magic thing, SO Did Human's Long Ago, And many other's Race's !!! Magic is a Science. and the Soul is Mage of Energy.
MOVING ON !!! Human's Where Created so that the Gray's Could make Hybrid's out of them ....
Humanity is a Lab Rat, but you Did Fight Many War's and i bet you Protected Our Home wile the Vast, vast very vast majority of Our Race was Extinct and only in spirit form, THAT'S Why when you Chase a fairy thay fade, THERE DEAD !!!!
And the Reason you See many Fae with Bug Part's becuz the Gray's where trying to Hybrid them to get the Highly Complicated Hybrid Process, in Perfection.
And the Reptilian's are the back Bone to the Agenda to kill the Lab Rat's, and idk Wtf is going to happen them once your race is All Dead ??? and Btw Dragon's are real thay come from Draco, And thay One time Invaded Earth and took it over ... Yah !!! thay Conquered it, Long, long Real Long time Ago.
Any Way, This is the Truth on the Manti's Witch is the Leader of the Tall Gray's and the Gray's, Agenda, and in Layman term's the agenda is Save There Race, Get rid of the Lab rat's and Clean up the Earth, and Do a Massive shit Ton of Repair's to Lady Gaia.
Also, To Humanity, When you Die, Rest in Peace and Do not come back to are Holy Home eve again. and i Quote what the mantis told me, " We Truly Regret this" in Short Creating all of you, Ok, i'm Out, After i Give this Very Last Detail, You See your Need to Build Endless great Tech, Completes are Need for Great Tach for Our Race Lost the Ability to Build Like that, Why Do you Like Fairy House Look more like Mud Hut's, Witch is the Building ability of a Bee or Wasp, Proto Fae, You Generate Great Tech, Of Both Computer and Non-Computer, You Did your Purpose.
We Hybrid Exist World Wide only in Extremely Few Number's, We are very Rare, i Just Want Any one Who Read this to Know, What is Really Going on, i Am a Hybrid, i am Not Human, i Tell you the truth, the Whole truth and Nothing but the truth.
I Am An Insectoid. 🧚🏻♀️
Oh ! and the gray's are basically Undead Insectoid Cyborg's and the Way thay are able to continue on is a very unstable way of Just Cloning them self, We A Certain Kind of Hybrid's are called Children of the gray's, a Type of us is call indigo Children, there dark elf's and all elf's are fae and all elf's are insectoid's, So are troll's and Goblin's both troll's and Goblin's are insect's there both beetle's, gnome's are Human's, there dwarf's there Just Short human's i swear it, And Faun's are not Fae becuz there Just Goat's. No Really !!! Also All fae Have a Green Light in there pupil, it is the Seal of the fae all face of that Glowing Green pupil, all of us, but you'll need a Cam to Take a Snap of there eye's if there glowing, if there soul is giving enough off you'll see it turn up on film.
#Agenda#Gray's#Alien#Gray Alien agenda#Agenda 21#reptilian#illuminati#Fae#Fairy's#Insectoid#Red Pill#science#conspiracy#Conspiracy Theories
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War, Beauty, and Pandemic
When the Desert Storm ground assault started in February of 1991, I was at a halfway station on the Saudi Arabia/Iraq border. My bus had been stopped for four hours while a tank division crossed the only highway available, so I'd missed connecting with my new unit. I was supposed to be at that halfway station just the one night, but events were happening so fast, I ended up staying there an entire week... and by the end of that week, the ceasefire was called.
Those one hundred hours at that halfway station, however... with no idea what the hell was going down and Scud missiles going over my head to Daharan the first couple of nights... were the worst four days of my life. Guys I had gone through Basic and AIT with had been slowly peeled away and sent to other units, so by the time I got off that bus, I was all alone... reduced to a thumbtack on a map on some General's tent wall, scared to the point where I was emotionally numb. Literally - I felt nothing for a week: not mad, not sad, not anxious, not scared, not anything at all. Just numb. It was as if someone had taken a hypodermic needle full of Novocain and had injected it straight into my soul.
During the day, anyway... at night, after I was done with guard duty, I had nightmares. Always with the same theme: something was chasing me, trying to kill me. The Alien, zombies, Jason Vorhees and his machete... and my favorite, the VW Beetle-sized giant Black Widow that haunted my dreams when I was four years old. The fanged she-devil was back to finish the hunt she'd begun twenty years before.
There is no sensation more disconcerting than bolting straight up out of your bunk from a vivid nightmare to look around, realize that you are all alone in a war zone... and suddenly wishing you were still asleep. The killer Keith-eating spider in your dreams was far more preferable to the reality that you were one stray Scud missile away from dying eleven thousand miles from home.
There is one sensation that comes close, though.
The halfway station was on the Iraq border, miles away from anything resembling civilization. In that section of desert, the sand wasn't sand - it was dust. Six inches of dust on top of rock the consistency of concrete. You could only use metal rebar stakes to set up tents, the wooden tent stakes would shatter when you tried to hammer them in. Because of that, the latrines weren't dug holes, but fifty gallon drums cut in half and slid under toilet seats. Solid waste in the latrines only, to be burned out with diesel fuel at twilight every day.
Since no liquid waste were allowed in the latrines, two hills were designated for urination - one for men, one for women. Pee Pee Hill.
It was my second night at the halfway station. I'd spent the day putting up tents and filling sandbags, but I'd spent that night running through the backyards of my old neighborhood trying not to get eaten by the undead remains of my high school graduating class. Since I was now both wide awake and back to feeling no feelings, I needed to relieve myself... so I headed to Pee Pee Hill. The sky was cloud free and the moon was bright, so I didn't need a flashlight to find my way. I did what needed doing, buttoned up, and went to turn and make my way back down the hill... when I looked up.
I grew up in the Boy Scouts. I'd been camping at least one weekend a month from the time I was ten until the time I was fifteen. In the summer, especially if it was a Wilderness Survival camp out, I'd skip putting up a tent and just sleep under the stars. I knew what a night sky looked like out in the middle of nowhere, I knew what the moon and the stars looked like when the city lights weren't too much of an issue... and yet I'd never witnessed anything like that night on Pee Pee Hill.
There were stars everywhere. More stars than I'd ever seen, stars I had never seen, as if someone had taken a NASA photo and blown it up so it covered the entire world. All of heaven above my head, all of creation in front of my eyes, staring directly into the imagination of whatever Higher Power there may be. And the Universe was looking directly into me.
It's been thirty years, but I remember that night as if it were yesterday. Alone, in a war zone, half a world away from everything and everyone that mattered to me... I witnessed the single most majestic and beautiful night of my entire life.
The last couple of weeks, I've been thinking about that night a lot. It feels appropriate to remember, and it feels even more necessary to tell that story here. The morale of the story being: in the worst of times, in the scariest of times, there is still amazing beauty to be found... if you look up. If you open your eyes. If you let it find you.
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“The Reunion” - Jace/Vraska War of the Spark AU.
Commissioned by @mygogglesdosomething
Find my commission details here!
Summary:
Not one, but two, undead armies ravage Ravnica's Tenth District, intent on raising the proud city-plane to the ground. With no memories of her plans for sabotage, can Jace reach his Captain before her Erstwhile army destroys the very city she once swore to protect?
As God-Eternals fill the spark-strewn sky and zombies pour relentlessly from the Undercity, Jace is terrified that his actions may be too little too late.
War of the Spark AU where Jace is the one to give Vraska back her memories.
~ AO3 Link ~
Full Story Under the Cut!
No sooner had Jace tried to summon the power of the Guildpact, he had noticed something was wrong. The Guildpact was an ancient magic built on the cooperation between guilds. If it was to be used against Bolas, then all ten guilds must be in agreement that Bolas needed to be stopped. There lay their problem. Shrouded in illusion, Jace darted up the wreckage of the Transguild Promenade, straight towards Deadbridge. With every step, the consequences of his actions, or lack of action, burdened him ever further. A burden that was only heavier with the knowledge of what he was about to face.
He understood. He knew why Vraska had petrified Guildmaster Isperia. Right here and now, he wasn’t sure if he’d stop her if given the chance again. Who would he be to deny Vraska’s right to assert her personhood over the sphinx that had abused her? She would not be defined by her abusers. As the leader of the Golgari, she would seek justice for all those who had suffered. Isperia had likely been ignorant to all the pain she’d caused. She hadn’t even cared as hundreds of Golgari had been tortured in her name. Sphinxes. They had never ceased to disgust him.
Jace had known Bolas had promised Vraska guild leadership, but he hadn’t stopped to think of the consequences. He’d assumed it was a business transaction of sorts. One Immortal Sun for one Golgari title. But no, Vraska had herself an undead army and she was using it for the very dragon she’d sworn to betray. Not one but two armies now swarmed the streets of the Tenth District.
When he’d heard the screams, Jace’s blood had run cold. Ravnica had already been at war when he’d returned. He hadn’t had time to venture down into the Undercity. There hadn’t even been a spare moment for Vraska and what she might be doing now she had control of the Golgari. He was too late. Vraska was still on Bolas’ side. She didn’t have her memories. He’d failed her. Failed her so badly that she was going to wipe out the very people she’d sworn to protect! The blood on her hands was also on his. The Tenth District was being pincered from above and below. The Eternals didn’t seem interested in civilians but the Golgari’s forces cared not for who they slaughtered.
According to the Izzet scouts, hundreds of troops had emerged from the entrances into the Undercity, helmed by an enormous force, a lich-led procession heading across Deadbridge. That therefore was Jace’s destination. If the Golgari Queen was going to be anywhere, it would be with her nobles and generals. As he approached Deadbridge, he saw a cluster of bodies, all dressed in outlandishly colourful outfits. Planeswalkers, no one else on Ravnica dressed in such exuberant hides and feathers. They had died not from their sparks being torn out, but by a poisonous fungus that was already spreading across their features. The Golgari were nothing but efficient. He had to reach Vraska before she wiped out the precinct.
The realisation was going to be hard on her. Jace could already imagine the pain in her eyes as she realised how much damage she’d caused. Her guilt would be immeasurable. He’d stand by her, no matter what. If she needed hope, he’d be her assurance. If she needed strength, he would be her crutch. If she needed a shoulder to cry on, well, he’d certainly be that too. She was his Captain, and perhaps, something more. Jace found his heart racing at the thought of that book date she’d promised. One step at a time Beleren, he scolded himself. He had a monumental amount of fixing to do before he could consider an ‘after’. He had a very rough idea of a plan. He had assured the others that he would bring the Golgari over to their side within the hour. He was going to have to abuse his power a little. He was going to be the Living Guildpact in a way only he could achieve. It was time. Time for him to step out from his safety blanket of illusions and be the one his home needed.
Just short of Deadbridge, he was forced to stop in his tracks by an almighty boom overhead. Something immense had just been released from the interplanar portal, loud enough to be heard many miles away. Skulking behind a low stone wall, he dared look up at the darkening sky. At first, he thought it was a bird, then he saw it had humanoid legs and the remnants of a robe.
The loud flapping of wings drowned out Jace’s expletives.
It was Kefnet, the ibis god of Amonkhet, or perhaps ex-god was more accurate. He was certainly more skeletal and lazotep-coated than last Jace had seen him. He was heading in exactly the same direction as he was. This was the entire definition of ‘not good’.
Jace took a deep breath. He couldn’t have been the only one to see that. No, he didn’t have time to think about this right now! He had to find Vraska! He had to save her and return her to herself!
His run turned into a sprint, weaving round abandoned bodies and vehicles. Cloaked by five layers of illusion, his feet made no sound against the pavement. He kept glancing upwards as Kefnet glided overhead. Please don’t notice, please don’t notice, Jace found himself chanting in his head. However, his prayers were soon drowned out by a great blast of horns and drums. Kefnet completely ignored this interruption, confirming Jace’s worst fears. The Golgari and Eternals were indeed working in tandem.
The Golgari army had reached the edge of Deadbridge. It was a sight unlike any Jace had seen before. Trolls with drums the size of wagons beat a fanfare as troop after troop of armoured Golgari marched in rank and file out of the Undercity. Flanks of armoured devkarin were interspersed with chittering kraul. Grim flag-bearers, bedecked in skull-like war paint, each led hundreds of fungus-coated zombies. They were unlike any undead Jace had encountered, and their military precision matched the eternals in every respect. He could hear their progress into the city, their arrival at a new road marked with a fresh chorus of screams. There was a crash and suddenly Kefnet joined the fray, ripping apart a nearby rooftop with enormous skeletal hands. The building was promptly swarmed by these horrific new zombies.
Jace looked up just as another loud boom shook tiles off the roof-tops. His knees almost gave out under him as not one but three more god-eternals loomed over the horizon. No… One self-proclaimed god was enough. How were they to deal with four more? How were they ever going to reach Bolas whilst trying to save the population from these divine monstrosities? Even the Golgari quailed at the sight of the goliaths, but their lich lords and ladies shouted them back into line from atop many-legged beasts - beetles, spiders and other unidentifiable horrors.
“Beleren!” the telepathic shout crackled like static in his brain.
“What?” he replied, in similar frustration.
“What are you doing? Are you seeing this?” demanded Ral Zarek, “The Golgari are massacring out here and now there are these giant…things!”
“They’re zombified gods,” Jace explained, as if knowing made it any better, “And I’m working on the Golgari! Give me a moment!”
“We don’t have many more moments left!”
Jace felt him drop the connection in panic and immediately turned to deal with the problem at hand. He had no idea where in the oncoming army Vraska was. Blood dyed the surrounding moss and fungi a rich crimson as liches raised the slaughtered city folk and sent them shambling off into the district. Jace tore his gaze away and took a deep breath. He didn’t have enough Guildpact power to hurt Bolas, but he could certainly do this.
“CITIZENS OF THE GOLGARI.” His voice boomed telepathically through every mind on the bridge. The procession came to an abrupt halt.
“I am Jace Beleren, Living Guildpact and I am here to tell you that you have been deceived. The end you march towards is the end of Ravnica itself. Not death, but obliteration from which no life will return. I therefore seek an audience with your Queen to put an end to this needless bloodshed.”
He gave a pause to let this information sink in.
“Guildmaster Vraska, as the Living Guildpact, I request your presence at the foot of Deadbridge, this instant. Bring no guards, no assassins, your army will stand by.”
The bridge itself suddenly rippled with green light. Jace felt the surge of power pass through his being, like being hit by immense wave. The leyline leading through the Guildgate had illuminated the brickwork, the power of Ravnica itself summoned forth by the Guildpact’s command. There were numerous cries as a glowing barrier, towering over even the largest beast, formed at the foot of the bridge. Pure mana stopped the army’s advance, walking into it would clearly be suicide.
“You have some nerve Beleren!”
A wide arch formed in the barrier, allowing the irate Guildmaster to come through. It snapped closed immediately behind her, but Jace was too transfixed at what she was wearing to care. The last time they’d met she’d been in full pirate ensemble. She’d looked utterly magnificent then, but now! What was that? Had she come to war in a ballgown? Still invisible, Jace couldn’t help but gasp and stare. It was a ballgown, resplendent with more mushrooms than Jace could possibly name, and many layers of silk that drifted ethereally about her in the wind. The dress was sleeveless, leaving her wide array of scars on display for all to see. She looked tall, proud, regal… and gorgeous beyond belief. He had to take a moment to compose himself before sending out an illusion to address her.
“No offense was meant Guildmaster,” said the illusion, “The need is dire but I am merely here to parley.”
She scowled at him, her eyes already alight with magic. In one swift movement, she pulled a knife from in her skirts and thrust it at the illusion. The blade passed straight through the fake-Jace’s head and clattered onto the pavement. The illusion flickered once and died before another swiftly took its place.
“If you truly wish to parley,” she spat, clearly wondering where he had acquired the term, “Then you will come out here in your own skin.”
It pained him to see her so filled with hatred. This was the Vraska ruled by revenge rather than compassion. He desperately wanted the new Vraska, the Vraska who shown him mercy and not rage. The Vraska who stood proudly at the bow and sung sea-shanties at the top of her lungs, loving life and more importantly, loving herself. However, if he approached her now, he very clearly risked petrification, or a knife to the head.
“I would have your word that I’m not going to be stone the moment I appear,” he informed her.
She let out another angry hiss, her hair unfurling to its fullest extent.
“State your purposes and perhaps I will.”
Here went nothing.
“I am here to return something you lost,” his illusion replied, “You left them behind on Ixalan. I merely wish to give them back.”
His mention of Ixalan had clearly caught her off guard. She pulled another knife out of goodness-knows-where, but did not throw it. As far as she knew, he had never been to Ixalan. He should not know the term ‘parley’ in relation to a pirate’s meeting. He shouldn’t even know she had been a pirate. Her memories showed her a glorious solo victory. An image of herself turning her adversaries to gold. Jace had never been part of that and, as predicted, this was enough to pique her curiosity.
“You have my word. Now come forth and explain yourself.”
Jace stepped out from behind the nearest building. He could just about see the Golgari troops, waiting indignantly behind his barrier. Vraska stood before them, a vision in autumnal hues, gleaming dagger in one hand, a golden glow in her eyes.
Jace dispelled his illusion with a casual wave, walking to the edge of the bridge, keeping his gaze trained on the furious Guildmaster at all times. His eye contact showed he wasn’t afraid of her. The Golgari grew quieter with his every step, as if shocked that he would dare approach their Queen so brazenly.
“Explain yourself Beleren,” she demanded.
“Of course, Captain.”
It was like watching an epiphany in slow motion. First, her eyes widened, their golden glow fading to a dull yellow. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream as she slowly sank to the ground in a ripple of silks and skirts. Her taloned fingers rose, hands clasping over her lips in dawning realisation. Gaze burning blue, memories flooded her consciousness, each raw with emotion, as tender as the last. She drew a rasping breath, as if surfacing from deep water. Her hands falling to the ground to steady herself. As her senses returned, she looked up. Golden eyes swimming with tears, she stared at Jace – not with the rage of only moments ago, but with abject horror.
He offered her his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she took it and somewhat clumsily got to her feet.
“Jace,” her voice was softer but not devoid of anger. He had the distinct feeling this was not directed at him, but inwards
He didn’t need to be in her thoughts to know how she felt. One look spoke louder than words. What have I done?
“I’m sorry Captain,” he said, “For not being here sooner. You needed me and I was absent. I will apologise a thousand times over when we have time, but now, we are at war.”
Vraska blinked, confused perhaps by the fact that he was the one apologising. She straightened up a little and nodded.
“We are at war,” she agreed, “I need to make up for what I’ve done.”
She still sounded a little breathless.
“Can you project my voice?”
Jace nodded as she took a shaky step back towards her army. Then another more confident stride, then another. Jace took a step back, and slowly lowered the barrier.
“Golgari!” Vraska exclaimed, her voice booming out over Deadbridge, “Though it pains to say this, the Living Guildpact is right. We have been deceived!”
There was instant uproar from the assembled masses. Cries, shouts, a few bellowing roars but Vraska instantly called for silence.
“There will be no Kingdom of Rot! No land for the Golgari left to claim if the dragon has his way with our world! Today we fight to show Ravnica what glory grows forth from the Undercity! Not through destruction, but to bring the world into our debt! Today we turn the tides. Today we fight for Ravnica!”
Jace watched on as Vraska shouted orders at her troops. He stepped to one side as phalanx after phalanx of elf, kraul and zombie departed Deadbridge with a new resolve burning in their eyes. They marched in rank and file, through the streets, their numbers swollen by the soldiers once rampaging through people’s homes.
“If I find that any more citizens have been harmed!” Vraska called, “I will petrify every person responsible, starting with the highest chain of command! Spread the news throughout the city! The Golgari will be Ravnica’s saviour, not its doom!”
Soon only a small contingent of liches were left on Deadbridge. They seemed to be standing guard over the Undercity entrance, standing tall on their beetle mounts. Vraska turned to Jace, joining him at the foot of the bridge and gesturing for him to cut his enhancement of her voice. Once she was out of earshot of her gentry, she seemed to shrink a little, exhaustion evident in her posture.
“Jace, I-“ She shook her head. Her hair fell limp about her face as she looked at him, seemingly struggling for words.
“It’s not your fault,” he assured her, “The fault lies with Bolas, for deceiving you. And with me, for not being there in time.”
“No,” she replied, “No, I fell straight into his trap. He saw my weakness and abused it. Killing Isperia, it fell directly into his plans. And now, look what happened because I was weak.”
She gestured at the piles of bodies that littered the edge of Deadbridge. Those were undeniable, but still, not her fault.
“Someone once told me,” Jace stated, “That you aren’t weak because you were taken advantage of. The cruelty of what they made you do reflects on them, not you.”
She gave a funny little hiccup at the sound of her own words being repeated back to her. She smiled, but the guilt was plain in her eyes.
“Beleren!” the static was back and so was the Izzet Guildmaster.
“Yes,” Jace replied, “What is happening?”
“The Golgari have changed sides!” Ral exclaimed, “How the hell did you do it?”
Jace glanced at Vraska and made a silent motion, tapping the side of his head with one finger. She nodded and he linked her telepathically into the conversation.
“I spoke with their Guildmaster. Her mind was under the control of Bolas, I managed to find the root of his corruption and set her free.”
Vraska stared at Jace with wide eyes at his blatant deception.
“She was being controlled?!” Ral replied, “So this army, Isperia…”
“Bolas’ doing,” Jace lied, “To put his minion in control of the Azorius and trap us from both sides. However, the Golgari have returned to us. Their armies are taking on the Eternals as we speak.”
“Guildmaster Zarek,” Vraska’s thoughts felt cool, like shadows upon cold stone, “I know that no words will make up for my actions under the dragon’s influence.”
“You’re right there,” growled Ral.
“However,” Vraska continued, “In the Golgari deeds speak larger than words. So, let me show you how committed my guild is to ending this tyrant’s reign.”
Vraska turned towards her assembled lich lords. Though the barrier was gone, they had remained respectfully at the foot of the bridge.
“Lords and Ladies of Korozda!” Vraska called out to the assembled liches, broadcasting her words telepathically as well as audibly, “Contact your brethren! Now is the time to prove your loyalty to our Great City! Those undead who tower over us are weapons of the enemy. Bring them to heel! Now!”
Jace wasn’t sure quite what to expect. He could feel the necrotic energy in the air like water vapor. Humid with power, the air itself took on a green tint, distorting the world around them in a way that made his head spin. Vraska stood strong, pointing at the rampaging Kefnet, who was now batting off attacking Golgari undead.
“NOW!” she screamed.
There was a release. Like a bubble of pure energy being burst. Jace found his vision clearing, able to breathe easy once more as a great fountain of energy soared into the sky. More beams, like green beacons, shot off distant rooftops, Dozens of green rays struck the heavens, before turning, focussing. Golgari from all over the city, necromancers all, funnelled their power, directing it at the God-Eternals.
Jace watched in open-mouthed shock as Kefnet stopped in his tracks. Fungi, bright green and luminescent, was growing about the ex-god’s limbs at a speed unlike any Jace had seen before. Enormous orange shelf-mushrooms bloomed through his eye-holes, as roping vines wrapped about his beak. Blue lazotep was swiftly and utterly coated in a thick rainbow of fungi, glowing, undulating, writhing as they consumed the bird-god whole. There was a moment in which Jace stood, breath held, before Kefnet rose above the rooftops like a phoenix emerging from the ashes. His shape was recognisable but his form was entirely fungal, no trace of gleaming metal remained. The Undercity had consumed him. The Golgari had taken control.
“Strike down the invaders!” Vraska cried, “Take their mockery of our ways and grind them to dust! We are the Golgari and Ravnica is ours!”
There was an almighty cheer. Jace hastily stepped away from the bridge as the liches split into two parties. Those riding great spiders and beetles came charging onto the city streets, ready to join in the fray.
“Did they just-“ came Ral’s shocked thoughts in both their heads, “Did you just take all the-“
“Take command of those monstrosities?” Vraska replied, “Do not fight the Golgari with undeath as your only weapon. We will master you.”
She spoke with such power and conviction, Jace was feeling a little weak at the knees. His Captain was back and she was glorious.
“We’re still telepathically linked you know,” she thought at him. He went rather pink
“Well…you have certainly proved yourself,” Ral sounded immensely relieved, “I’ve powered down the Beacon, but we need to discuss what to do about the dragon. Meet me. Nivix. Now.”
He shut off his mental connection as if his words were final. The buzz of static faded from Jace’s ears and he turned back to Vraska, meeting her gaze once more.
“You lied to him,” she said, though she lacked any sort of accusation in her tone. On the contrary, she seemed a little impressed.
Jace shrugged.
“A little. I don’t think I regret it though.”
“That’s not very Guildpact-ly behaviour,” she teased. Her smile was contagious and he found himself blushing a little as he grinned back.
“I know, must have spent too much time around those good-for-nothing pirates,” he replied, before growing a little more serious.
“If I hadn’t lied, well, perhaps I was being selfish. But I know you.” He met her gaze, willing her to believe in his complete sincerity.
“As the Guildpact, I would much rather have you ruling the Golgari. As a friend, I know how wonderful a leader you can be. I believe the Golgari, and the whole of Ravnica, can only benefit from that.”
There was a crash in the distance as fungal-Kefnet flew through the air, colliding with a mass of winged eternals. Jace momentarily glanced skywards, but then focussed his attention back on her.
“I won’t be the one to take away your chance to reinvent who you are. You are who you decide to be. I believe, now you’re wholly yourself again, you can show Ravnica that you’re as amazing as I see you.”
Now it was her turn to blush, the green glow of her cheeks partially obscured by her hair, curling about her face in an endearing display of bashfulness. She took a step closer, and reached forward. Jace waited patiently, knowing how much of a trial this was for her, to reach out and voluntarily make physical contact with another person. Yet she did, long fingers gently brushing against his cheek. She drew closer still, cupping the side of his face with a smile that warmed the golden hue of her gaze.
“You’re still you,” she murmured, “You’re still the remarkable man I left on Ixalan. I missed you, somehow. There was always something gone, something missing. Now I know what that was.”
She traced over his tattoos with one calloused finger. Jace’s heart was beating far too fast. The fact she was touching him was exhilarating, but the fact she was comfortable enough to do so was a thrill in itself.
“I have a lot to make up for,” he replied, “To Ravnica, to you, I-“
She cut him off with a kiss. So light and gentle, but it stole his breath away.
“We’ll have time for regrets after we defeat Bolas,” she whispered, still so close, “You’re right, we are at war.”
Jace wondered if she felt like he did – like he’d swallowed an entire apple and it had lodged itself in his throat. Ever so gently, he kissed her in return. Her hair curled in delight.
“We’ll have time for plenty of things once we’re safe,” he replied, before realising how that might be interpreted
“I meant, you know for talking, planning, catching up, though I-I suppose there’s time for more kissing too. I didn’t mean it that way. But if you want there to be more kissing, or other things, I would be more than-“
She laughed, cutting off his nervous babbling with a simple:
“I would like that.”
“Talking? Or-or more kissing, I didn’t-“ Jace’s mind had spiralled off into what-ifs and maybes.
“You know what I mean.” Her enigmatic smile sent shivers down his spine, silencing him instantly. Gods, why did she have to be so beautiful?
One hand disappeared into the skirts of her dress and, to his immense surprise, she pulled out a sword. Was that why she was wearing so many layers? Were her skirts just packed with blades?
“Come, we’re meeting Zarek at Nivix are we not?”
Jace was thrust back into the here and now. Yes, there would be time for talking, (and maybe kissing), later. Now they had to fight a dragon.
“Yes Captain!”
There was a ripple of mana as he cast an illusion over them both. They exchanged one last look before starting the long trek back down the Transguild Promenade. They had a meeting to attend, a plan to make, and a multiverse to save. Even after this little triumph, the turning of the Golgari, the controlling of the God-Eternals, they would surely have their work cut out for them. They would need every last Guildmaster and planeswalker on their side, but maybe, if they fought long and hard enough, the day would be theirs. Jace couldn’t help but silently beg the spark-strewn sky for victory. Give them this. Give them their home. Years of pain and suffering had brought them both, here, at this moment. Please, let the day be theirs. Let them enjoy their new lives, their new selves, together.
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Masterlist - Updated 11/2/18
Young Justice Imagines
Kaldur
Learning to Float
Medicine
Everything is Going to be Okay - Part One
Everything is Going to be Okay - Part Two
Not Good Enough
Alone - Part One
Alone - Part Two
An Order to Regret
First Time
Swimming By
Betrayal
Jealous on Christmas
Sick
The Presence of a Demigod
“Borrowed” Lasso - NSFW
Bart Allen
Insecurity
Out of Nowhere - Part One
Out of Nowhere - Part Two
Weighing You Down
Love is Confusing - Part One
Love is Confusing - Part Two
Some People are Just Bad
First Valentine’s Day
First Time
You’re Expecting What?
Couple Costume
Sugar High
Helpful Advice
Preventing the Fall
Superboy
Words Unsaid
Your Choice
Snuggling War - Part One
Snuggling War - Part Two
At First Sight
Staying Over
A Funny Feeling - Part One
A Funny Feeling - Part Two
Attention Grabbing
Helping Others
I Almost Lost You
Paint Lesson
Dick Grayson as Robin
Show Off - Part One
Show Off - Part Two
What You Don’t Know
Being Best Friends with Dick Grayson Would Include…
First Time
Alternative
Joker’s Daughter
Kidding Around
I Can See Them
Undercover Halloween
Never Underestimate Magic
Dick Grayson as Nightwing
Don’t Take This Personally - Part One
Don’t Take This Personally - Part Two
Don’t Take This Personally - Part Three
I’m Not Leaving
Love Yourself - Part One
Love Yourself - Part Two
Muscles - NSFW
Left Out
Electric Currents
Psycho
Beach Day and Jealousy
When the Teleport Fails
I Can See Them
How to be a Heartbreaker
Unstable
Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle
A Suitable Mate - Part One
A Suitable Mate - Part Two
A Suitable Mate - Part Three
A Suitable Mate - Part Four
A Suitable Mate - Part Five
Just a Little Crush
A Cagey Feeling
Back to the Past
Love is Confusing - Part One
Love is Confusing - Part Two
Confession
A Promise
The Computer Geek
Couple Costume
Tim Drake
Broken Arm
A Secret to Tell - Part One
A Secret to Tell - Part Two
Finding Out
Damian Wayne
Puppy Love
Wally West
First Time
Snuggling War - Part One
Snuggling War - Part Two
Tutor Love - Part One
Tutor Love - Part Two
Love Yourself - Part One
Love Yourself - Part Two
Dating Wally West Would Include…
Ouija
First Halloween
A Halloween to Remember
Stop the Flirting
Tears of Sorrow - Part One
Tears of Sorrow - Part Two
Westie is My Bestie
Tight Squeeze
Teen Pregnancy
Roy Harper as Arsenal
I’m Here - Part One
I’m Here - Part Two
First Time
Roy Harper as Red Arrow
Love Yourself - Part One
Love Yourself - Part Two
Klarion the Witch Boy
A Tease
Defenseless Pussycat
Crushes are for Mortals - Part One
Crushes are for Mortals - Part Two
Trespasser
An Infant Secret
Hole in the Wall of Chaos
Jason Todd as Robin
An Awkward Conversation - Part One
An Awkward Conversation - Part Two
Miss Martian
Dating Miss Martian if You Were a Fellow Hero Would Include…
Martian Manhunter
First Christmas
Lagoon Boy
Underwater Meeting
No-Pairing Imagines
How Did You Do That?
What You Don’t Know - Part One
What You Don’t Know - Part Two
World Ending Team up
Team Halloween Bonding
Batman Imagines
Jason Todd
Guardian Angel
Reluctant Guests
Wings of a Robin
The Right Thing
Jason’s Worst Fear
Kinky - NSFW
Reconnection
I’ll be Here When You Wake Up
Elopement
What’s on the Radio?
I Miss You
Jason Todd - Arkham Series
Perfection
First Time
Trust
Dick Grayson
Rolling with the Punches - Part One
Rolling with the Punches - Part Two
Rolling with the Punches - Part Three
Hugging the Demon - Part One
Hugging the Demon - Part Two
Being Best Friends with Dick Grayson Would Include..
Acrophobia
Muscles - NSFW
A Quiet Night - Part One
A Quiet Night - Part Two
A Quiet Night - Part Three
Will You Stay With Me?
Damian Wayne
The Unlikely of Chances - Part One
The Unlikely of Chances - Part Two
The Unlikely of Chances - Part Three
Personal Assistant
Opposites Attract - Part One
Opposites Attract - Part Two
Opposites Attract - Part Three
Hugging the Demon - Part One
Hugging the Demon - Part Two
Hugging the Demon - Part Three
When Passion Strikes - NSFW
Away from Home
Meet the Family
The Princess and the Demon
Robin Who?
Younger Big Brother
Stuck Together
Why Does it Have to be You?
Kidnapped
A Kiss in the Rain
Triplet Crisis
I’m Not Cute
Tim Drake
Cakes and Messes
A Puppy Situation
First Time
Unrecognizable
Ghosts
Pumpkin Carving with Tim Drake Would Include…
Overdoing It
Unexpected Kiss
Nightmares
Red Robin Came Through My Window
Couple’s Day Off
Barbara Gordon
Not Enough Time
Bruce Wayne
Full Moon
Possessive Kiss
Batfamily - In General
An Undead Replacement - Part One
An Undead Replacement - Part Two
Fitting In - Part One
Fitting In - Part Two
Fitting In - Part Three
Matching
Younger Big Brother
When it Becomes too Much
Gone But Not Forgotten
Music Recital
Christmas Returns
Nightmares
Costume Party Drama
Batman Beyond
Terry McGinnis
Jokers’ Revenge
Spliced Not Diced
The Flash TV Show
Barry Allen
After All This Time
Motivation
Secret Identities
Redemption
First Time
Broken Secrets
Arrow TV Show
Secret Identities
Gotham TV Show
Child of Fear - Jonathan Crane x Reader
Superman/Superfamily Imagines
Superman - Clark Kent
Keep Your Options Open
Catch Me
Figuring it Out
Clark?
Superwoman - Clara Kent
Christmas With the Family
Injustice Imagines
Hal Jordan
Blackmail
DC Villains
Poison Ivy
Mother Ivy
Killer Croc
Father Croc
Teen Titans
Raven
First Time
Garfield Logan/Beast Boy
Ghost On Halloween
“First Time” Series
First Time - Jason Todd (Arkham)
First Time - Wally West (Young Justice)
First Time - Kaldur’ahm (Young Justice)
First Time - Dick Grayson as Robin (Young Justice)
First Time - Tim Drake as Red Robin
First Time - Arsenal x Reader (Young Justice)
First Time - Bart Allen x Reader
First Time - Barry Allen x Reader
First Time - Raven x Reader
Would Includes
Being Best Friends with Dick Grayson would include…
Dating Wally West Would Include…
Dating Miss Martian if You Were a Fellow Hero Would Include…
Pumpkin Carving with Tim Drake Would Include…
Justice League vs. Teen Titans
Beast Boy
Crushing Hard
Batman Bad Blood
No Pairing Imagines
Just the Way You Are
Halloween
Ouija - Wally West x Reader
An Undead Replacement - Batfamily x Reader - Part One
An Undead Replacement - Batfamily x Reader - Part Two
First Halloween - Wally West x Reader
Matching - Batfamily x Reader
Ghosts - Tim Drake x Reader
Love Yourself - Wally West x Roy Harper x Dick Grayson x Reader - Part Two
A Halloween to Remember - Wally West x Reader
Crushes are for Mortals - Klarion x Reader - Part Two
Pumpkin Carving with Tim Drake Would Include…
The Princess and the Demon - Damian Wayne x Reader
Couple Costume - Jaime Reyes x Bart Allen
I Can See Them - Dick Grayson x Reader
Sugar High - Bart Allen x Reader
Undercover Halloween - Dick Grayson x Reader
Gone But Not Forgotten - Batfamily Imagine
Never Underestimate Magic - Dick Grayson x Reader
Costume Party Drama - Batfamily Imagine
Ghost On Halloween - Garfield Logan x Reader
Team Halloween Bonding - Young Justice Imagine
Christmas
First Christmas - Martian Manhunter x Reader
Christmas With the Family - Clara Kent (Superwoman) x Reader
Helping Others - Superboy X Reader
Confession - Blue Beetle x Reader
Robin Who? - Damian Wayne x Reader
Opposites Attract - Damian Wayne x Reader - Part Three
Left Out - Nightwing x Reader
Jealous on Christmas - Kaldur x Reader
Christmas Returns - Batfamily Imagine
Overdoing It - Tim Drake x Reader
Valentine’s Day
First Valentine’s Day - Bart Allen x Reader
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Art by the awesome @tommieglenn!
Of Gods and Men Summary:
When the gods returned to Gielinor, their minds were only on one thing: the Stone of Jas, a powerful elder artefact in the hands of Sliske, a devious Mahjarrat who stole it for his own ends and entertainment. He claims to want to incite another god wars, but are his ulterior motives more sinister than that? And can the World Guardian, Jahaan, escape from under Sliske’s shadow?
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TUMBLR CHAPTER INDEX
QUEST 05: MISSING, PRESUMED DEATH
QUEST SUMMARY:
Sliske invites all of Gielinor’s returned gods to his ‘grand ascendency’, claiming godhood. Instead, he uses the platform to pit all the gods against one another in a free-for-all that threatens to tear Gielinor apart. Their incentive? The sole survivor will be awarded what every deity is desperate for - the Stone of Jas…
CHAPTER 3: BIRD OF PREY
God emissaries had taken up residence in some of Gielinor’s major cities, preaching to anyone that would listen about why their deity should be worshipped above all else. As one would expect, this didn’t go down too well in some places, especially when you had Saradominist followers preaching in Oo’glog (a Bandosian stronghold), or Zamorakians having the nerve to try and preach in Falador, something the Saradominists had outlawed many years ago. So alongside this supposed ‘undead army’ that came and went, Falador also had an invasion by the black knights to deal with.
Now that the gods had returned, people thought they had the right to excuse despicable, discriminatory behavior, all in the name of religion. The old vampire of Draynor was ousted from his home by a pitchforked mob, accused of being a Zamorakian. In reality, he didn’t worship any deity, and any claims of bloodsucking were entirely made up - he loathed the stuff, preferring to drink milk. Saradomin had pretty much laid claim to all human settlements on Gielinor, save for Taverley and Burthorpe, who remained stoutly Guthixian. No-one else preached there - it was still too soon.
The Dark Wizards Tower had come under attack from their Saradominist counterparts. In return, the Saradominist temple on the outskirts of Morytania came under siege. Some of the ogres that settled near Yanille - who had been keeping to themselves for the better part of a decade - crashed through the city’s gates one sunrise. Meanwhile, in the Kharidian Desert, the bandits in their encampment had started kicking up more of a ruckus than normal; they were one of the few concentrated pockets of Zarosian followers, and they decided to let everybody know.
Gods help anyone who tried to preach on Karamja. Those people were set in their ways, and will kindly introduce you to their friend ‘poisoned spear’ if you dare tell them otherwise.
The peace that had been formed since the end of the God Wars was starting to crumble, and Gielinor was suffering for it.
The worst case of god clashing came in the form of the direct confrontation of two of Gielinor’s major deities: Armadyl and Bados.
Armadyl, the avian god of justice, was the patron deity of the aviantese, a race of birdlike creatures from Abbinah, to which he also belonged. Unfortunately, the God Wars destroyed most of the aviantese. Because of this, Armadyl left Gielinor at the end of the wars to roam the cosmos, mourning his lost kin.
The Armadylean holy book was rarely known beyond the avianse or dedicated religious scholars of Gielinor. Much of it was written by Armadyl himself, and split into two testaments - the First, written during his time on Abbinah and Gielinor, and the Latter, compiled after the God Wars - written in the form of a journal - as he travelled from world to world, always searching, never resting.
One of the extracts that showed Armadyl’s journey back to his home world of Abbinah is most beloved among the avianse; it is right before their deity returned, reborn, and taking upon the aspect of a phoenix that rose from the ashes…
“I arrived on this world several sunsets ago. This is a desolate place: the ground is grey dust in all directions; it is cold and light is scarce. I taste the air and know my people could never have survived here. It is a fitting place for me to stay, for a time.
I walk as I write. My wings trail in the dust, a zigzag record of my time here, and my thoughts turn to legacy. There is nothing of me on Gielinor: my aviansie are dead, my Staff has been lost. In time, they will forget me. There is something reassuring about that.
A bright light catches my eye, far to the west. I fly to it. It is nothing but a meteorite, smoking in a crater. This world's similarity to the wilderness of Forinthry is inescapable.
There is no land on this world, just wind, water and waves. Nothing stays still. The chaos of it all deafens me. I hunger for peace, stability, growth; so - upon my arrival - I froze water and made an island. A migrating bird still needs a perch.
To pass the time, I flew on the crosswinds and tried to forget my troubles. I remembered that my aviansie would fly about me as I soared, playfully mimicking my every move.
I know now that I cannot - should not - forget… no matter how much I may wish it.
It seems there is no life on this world. I can see the seeds of life, but not life itself. I feel myself reaching for my Staff, to give those seeds a spark of energy, a push to catalyse their efforts…
But it is gone.
I have wasted enough time here.
The sky is a boiling mass of noxious gas, and the ground seems to be melting. But - by the Elder Gods - there's life here!
I headed southwards, until everything grew colder. I saw what looked like dark stones, fused to the ground. I attempted to move one, and to my surprise it moved itself! These were not stones, but small, shelled creatures. Sharp legs shot out in an attempt to repel me.
I have taken to studying them. Weather, temperatures and tectonics conspiring against them, but they hold firm, clustered in their shells. They survive and endure, again and again.
I must continue my solitary pilgrimage.
The air here is toxic; hard, unrelenting gravity pulls me downwards, and even I must struggle to remain aloft. The world is gas, with no ground to stand on. And yet, this world is a paradise for the beings native to its atmosphere: tiny creatures, the biggest no larger than a wasp or beetle.
They circle around me. At first, I thought they wanted to hide in the down of my feathers. But when I turned, they turned. When I stopped, they stopped.
They were mimicking and playing.
I feel my old strength - enough to make the journey back to my home. In the hollows of my bones I know that it is time to return, and to shelter my faithful beneath my wings once more.”
It was Bandos who the winged deity clashed with the most.
Bandos was a very powerful, manipulative and bloodthirsty entity, known for taking pleasure in conflict and slaughter. He demanded worship and unquestioned obedience. His followers' main trait is strength, generally at the cost of intelligence, making them valuable warriors who would listen to him blindly. He did not usually care if most of his armies were wiped out - he fought solely for the sake of battle and would enjoy the bloodshed, provided that he retained enough troops to fight for him. But do not let his bulking size and monosyllabic dialect fool you - his cunning and battle prowess is second to none.
There was no such thing as a physical Bandosian holy book; those of intelligence were accused of being defiers of the War God, thus very few of Bandos’ followers could read or write. However, tales of Bandos, alongside his preachings, philosophies and beliefs, had been passed down verbally for generations, naturally altering throughout time, as all tales do.
One tale, however, managed to keep quite consistent throughout its history: it was the story of Bandos’ reign over Yu'biusk.
The hobgoblins of the Thrasghdak tribe built a statue of Bandos, higher than their tallest building. Bandos loathed the statue, declaring the only craftsmanship he admired was that of fine weaponry. He ordered the statue to be torn down, and said that the craftsman must use their skills and resources to create weapons and armour.
He said if they did this, they would be the greatest tribe of Yu'biusk.
The orks of the Verotark tribe built smaller, more humble statues, all across their city. Seeing this, Bandos pointed to the Thrasghdak, saying how their statue was magnificent, like a second sun… but he said they had torn it down in defiance, had erected secret workshops to craft weapons not for him, but to fight against his righteous rule! He ordered them to gather their tribe for battle, and destroy the Thrasghdak tribe. Men, women, children and the elderly… there was to be no mercy for any of them.
He said if they did this, they would be the greatest tribe of Yu'biusk.
The ogres of the Azkragthog tribe waited until the Verotark returned weak from battle, and obliterated them. They didn’t destroy any weapons they came across - instead, they used them for battle to aid in their conquest. There was no statue, no ballad, no ceremony of worship. This greatly pleased Bandos. He ordered them to build more weapons and use them to conquer the tribes beyond the mountains and beyond the oceans.
He said if they did this, they would be the greatest tribe of Yu'biusk.
To the ourgs of the Goltholglor tribe, Bandos ordered that they stand and fight against the armies of the Azkragthog that were bearing down on their cities. He gave them the same weapons as the Azkragthog - a fighting chance - but instead of defending themselves, the Goltholglor tribe sent diplomats to plead for peace. The wise ones of the Goltholglor tribe said that to go on using the new weapons would be the end to all life in Yu'biusk. Bandos decried them as cowards who wished to corrupt the true followers of Bandos. He decreed that if anyone preached against war, they were to be put to the sword.
He said that the last tribe to survive would be greater tribe in Yu'biusk.
Armadyl’s followers had been seen preaching in a camp north of Falador and, for some reason, it was Bandos who took umbrage at this. Then again, Bandos would take umbrage against the sky for any rain that fell on him. The camp was located on the merchant’s road between Taverley and Falador; Armadyl had very few human followers and no territory on the ground to call him own, so his emissaries had taken to setting themselves up where they could. Now, granted, the camp was a little close to the Goblin Village, the largest settlement of goblins in all of Gielinor and, naturally, Bandosian. Then again, it was also in a large expanse of Saradominist territory, and he didn’t seem to mind. It’s debatable if he even knew, let alone cared.
A terrifying rumble, like the roars of ungodly thunder, shook the area around the encampment, so vicious that it knocked over trees and caused an avalanche on the nearby mountain. From the dark grey skies, Bandos appeared, towering twice as high as the walls of Taverley. He loomed down on the helpless Armadyleans below, a malicious smirk cracking through his dark green features, before he crashed down a giant foot onto them and squashed them into the dirt below, like insects.
Armadyl… did not take too kindly to that. As soon as word reached him, he materialised and - reminiscent to the battle between Zamorak and Saradomin - camps were erected, armies were gathered (with Saradominists aiding the Armadyleans once they heard the news), and the war commenced. This time, divine energy was being gathered to help empower large weapons of mass destruction both sides were constructing.
Despite this, Bandos occasionally took to snatching up a handful of goblins and lobbing them across the battlefield at Armadyl.
Armadyl remained on his perch, his tactics much less crude. At least this time the battle did not take place in the middle of a major human settlement; no evacuations were necessary, taking place in the sizable area north of Falador and east of Taverley. The battle also only lasted six weeks, still with heavy casualties on either side, but like the previous clashing of Saradomin and Zamorak, it ended as suddenly as it began.
The catapult-like weapon Armadyl had been constructing, which he’d dubbed ‘The Divine Focus’, simmered with barely contained energy. The avianse deity looked oh-so satisfied as he shot a cannonball-sized orb of power across the skies, straight towards an enraged Bandos. He ordered his weapon - far weaker in comparison - to be fired in retaliation, but his armies were too slow.
The orb crashed down, smashing through Bandos’ fortifications, scattering his armies… and decapitating the Big High War God. Flying over to the corpse, Armadyl set himself down beside Bandos’ remains, a cold and unfeeling look in his thin eyes. He then took Bandos’ own mace, very heavy in his grasp, and held it aloft, before driving it down and through the deceased god’s skull. His head was crushed and split into fragments, his brain leaking from the remains.
Armadyl did not look happy, but he looked relieved; he’d set out what he’d resolved to do, and that was to remove the threat of Bandos from Gielinor.
With a squawking war-cry to the heavens, Armadyl held the mace aloft and teleported from the battlefield.
From the remains of Bandos’ fortifications, some of the soldiers began erecting shrines to their new deity, Armadyl. After all, it was Bandos who taught them that only the weak died, and only the strongest deserved worship.
DISCLAIMER:
As Of Gods and Men is a reimagining, retelling and reworking of the Sixth Age, a LOT of dialogue/characters/plotlines/etc. are pulled right from the game itself, and this belongs to Jagex.
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