#imperial city sewers

[cthulhubrain]

I was meandering through imperial city pvp things back in january, when I came across a group of my alliance in the sewers. They asked me to join and it was the absolute most fun I've had in the entire goddamn zone. We had 2 damage dealers (myself -stam bow psijic/necro- and a staff-weilding sorcerer), a dragonknight tank (who looked like an old grizzly magma wizard merlin figure), eventually another tank (melee warden warrior looking guy), and our poor poor singular restoration-staffed healer. I remember this line from them and then realizing "oh god... oh no he's alone ;u; ". But he was great at keeping everyone alive, including my idiot-ass.

We went down to that circular room where all the alliance passages converge and ended up doing the lil boss event there. My first time doing any of it ;u;

I wanted to actually finish some images from these experiences, but I've only been able to do wild sketchings

just messy unfinished scrawlings.

#artz #eso #imperial city #imperial city sewers #i honestly can't remember if our second tank was duel wielding or sword-and-board-ing it... or both #and i don't have screenshots of his weapons ;n; #and yes the old bearded gandalf wizard tank ran in with a sword #love it when people get creative with their characters #i don't even know what that dragonknight's face looked like it was just beard and hat #muscle wizard

[morihaus]

4 Argonians born and raised in Akavir named Leinado, Don-telo, Raf-yel and Mikalanjelo who have mastery over the various Akaviri weapons

Is this anything

the turtles didnt live in japan though they lived in new york. in the sewers. so figure out the new york city of elder scrolls

#moriada #imperial city is an easy approximation with its diversity and high population density and giant sewers full of monsters #also if i had to read any of these names listed as tsaesci in real lore i wouldnt be surprised but i would be very sad

[theharlotofferelden]

The White DrakesStrikes Mayhem whateverthefuckitscalled event is killing me please release me from the hell that is PVP

#elder scrolls online #fwiw the dailies in the imperial city are less daunting now #still not gonna fuckin do em after this lmao #I tried doing all 6 for the last 3 days and it’s driving me fuckin nuts #bc even in zones where your team is winning there’s always fuckin gankers #I once had a 3600CP dude spawn next to me in the sewers and he like. #saw me fighting a clan fear and decided this is the perfect time to fuck with me #I hate 3600cpers they’re always so fucking annoying #don’t tell me to ‘Git Gud’ I have spent exactly zero time speccing out my build for this shit #game: elder scrolls #personal: rant #I need some fucking coffee UGH

[zeldasminion]

#giant dianoga #dianoga #star wars #video games #star wars: shadows of the empire #dash rendar #boss #bosses #gaming bosses #game boss #gaming #coruscant #sewers of imperial city #monster #alien #cephalopod #trash squid #sewer monster

[blueiskewl]

The Gold Bust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius at The Getty

The golden bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius from Avenches, western Switzerland, is going on display at the Getty. It is the largest known bust of an emperor made of a precious metal and one of only a handful of gold busts to escape being melted down. This Marcus Aurelius bust is so rare and so valuable that is usually kept in a bank vault. The Roman Museum of Avenches keeps a copy on display instead. It has only been exhibited a dozen times, and never before in the United States.

The bust was discovered in 1939 in an excavation of a temple at Avenches’ ancient predecessor, Aventicum. Aventicum was the capital of the Helvetii and was incorporated into the Roman Empire under Augustus in 15 B.C. It was granted colony status by Vespasian in 71/2 A.D. which spurred a major urban redevelopment of the city. A large temple complex inspired by Vespasian’s Templum Pacis in Rome and dedicated to the local gods of the Helvetii and the cult of the emperor was built during this time.

Found in a sewer crossing underneath the main courtyard of the temple complex, the golden bust is 13 inches high and weighs 3.5 lbs, the equivalent of 220 gold aurei from Marcus Aurelius’ time (r. 161-180 AD). It is made from a single sheet of gold that was cold-worked in a repoussé technique. The goldsmith hammered the back of the sheet to create the features of the emperor in three dimensions — a thick head of hair, neat beard, intense eyes. Fine details were incised on to the exterior surface after the repoussé was complete. He wears a lorica plumata, a cuirass decorated with rows of feathers, around a central gorgoneion.

Only about 15 imperial portraits in precious metals and only six of them in gold made it through the gauntlet of being melted for their weight in antiquity. Hollow, portable and requiring a support to stand, this type of portrait was created to be an imago, an effigy of the emperor meant to embody his sacred authority in processions and in temples dedicated to the imperial cult. Marcus Aurelius wrote in a letter in 162/3 A.D. to the curator of the temple at Ephesos that portraits of past emperors should never be altered to look like other emperors (a common practice with marble portraits) or melted down.

“There must be no re-working of the material into likenesses of us. For as we are not in other respects solicitous of honours for ourselves, much less should we permit those of others to be transferred to us. As many of the statues as are in good preservation should be kept under their original names, but with respect to those that are too battered to be identified, perhaps their titles can be recovered from inscriptions on their bases or from records that may exist in the possession of the Council, so that our progenitors may rather receive a renewal of their honour than its extinction through the melting down of their images.”

The bust will be on display at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles from May 31st of this year through January 29th, 2024.

#The Gold Bust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius at The Getty #gold #gold bust #gold sculture #treasure #Avenches #Aventicum #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #roman history #roman emire #roman art

[just-late-roman-republic-things]

Notes on Roman architecture:

Roman architecture was influenced by local geography, class dynamics, and imperialism. The extensive use of concrete reflects central Italy's abundance of concrete ingredients (limestone and tufa), as well as Rome's dependence on slave laborers who usually weren't trained stonemasons. The oval shape of Roman amphitheaters comes from the original layout of the Roman forum where temporary wooden amphitheaters had to fit the available space.

Roman architecture was most heavily influenced by Greek and Etruscan culture. In fact, Roman generals would steal artifacts wholesale to display in their own temples, houses, and monuments. This was not considered an implicit admission of the superiority of Greek and Etruscan arts, but a demonstration of Rome's military prowess and piety: "This is ours now. And we're using it to honor our gods."

Extra shout-out to Lucius Mummius, who may have installed Rome's first temple with Corinthian columns...to commemorate burning down Corinth.

Aristocratic competition produced most of Rome's monuments in republican times. A statue, arch, column or temple not only glorified an individual's career, but gave publicity for his family and descendants as well, hopefully giving them an advantage in elections. In the last decades of the republic, and imperial times, we see more tombs and gravestones dedicated by ordinary people as well.

A few particularly Roman features: arches used more prominently and in more formal contexts than in Greece; oval amphitheaters with low stages and seating arranged by social class; the grid-like layout of planned Roman colonies; and higher podiums for (most) Roman temples than Greek ones, with more stairs and deeper porticoes, to protect augers from inclement weather while watching for signs.

Occasionally, Roman leaders would also commemorate their successes through building aqueducts or roads (like the Via Appia and Aqua Julia), but this was less glamorous.

Maintaining all these monuments (and aqueducts, roads, sewers) was also not very glamorous, and bloody expensive, so sometimes they fell into disrepair. This only really started to shift when Augustus sought to rebuild the city's image, literally and figuratively, so he "encouraged" generals and politicians to put more work into that.

Republican Rome was extremely vulnerable to fire, being primarily made out of wood, with many insulae (apartment buildings) packed close together. It wasn't until the Great Fire of Rome in Nero's reign that building codes would be created to mitigate this.

Country villas were much fancier than houses in Rome itself. In the city, private luxury came with the risk of public censure, and most aristocrats (outside the Palatine) lived right next to insulae and middle-class dwellings. So there was an incentive to display one's wealth through public works instead of by making the fanciest house you could, under your neighbors' envious eyes.

(Not that this stopped people like Pompey or Lucullus.)

From Katherine E. Welch, "Art and Architecture in the Roman Republic," in A Companion to the Roman Republic, eds. Nathan Rosenstein and Robert Morstein-Marx.

#jlrrt essays #jlrrt reads #katherine welch #art and architecture in the roman republic #a companion to the roman republic #architecture

[babyblueetbaemonster]

Baurus the Hero of Kvatch

Okay okay okay. Let me explain. Here's the thing.

I'm a little disappointed that Baurus would part way with us in the sewer. He was tracking Mythic Dawn agents, and going out of his way to meet the Sponsor. We finally got the volume four of the Mythic Dawn Commentaries. It's our leads to locate their hidden shrine. He just left! Like what?!

For gameplay reason, he needs to stand down and let the player do things. For story perspective, I believe Baurus would still hang around after we got volume four. Then tag along to the Dagon shrine, and maybe the Paradise.

I believe he took this mission of destroy the Mythic Dawn upon himself. His Blades colleagues died, so did the emperor. He wanted to avenge them, and he's the one who is closest to the truth. He tracked down these assassins and learned their identity. Then the Oblivion Gates started to open everywhere. He may knew these assassinations were leading to it and wanted to put a stop to their evil doing.

Like after they got all four volumes, they went to Arcane University, brainstormed with Tar-Meena, and cracked the coded message. They found out the hidden location, traveled to the Dagon Shrine, and encountered some Oblivion Gates on their way.

Baurus didn't wear Blade Armor when undercover. Acelta didn't feel safe for him going in the Oblivion Gate unarmored. Since Acelta is a mage, he doesn't need any armor. He gave Baurus the Kvatch Armor. Acelta always carried that for sentimental purposes. Now it can finally put to good use. Together, they fought off every Daedra, closed the Oblivion Gate and saved the day.

They traveled from Imperial City, stopped at Cheydinhal, then to Bruma. They closed some Oblivion Gates together on their journey. Some townsfolk witnessed it and was convinced that Baurus is the Hero of Kvatch, since he's the one wearing Kvatch armor.

After the Oblivion Crisis, Martin was gone, Acelta disappeared, Baurus quit Blades and started to wear that armor ever since. It's a nice gift and has great enchantment, too. He walked around Cyrodiil and continued to help everyone in need. It helped him feel closer to his friends. Years later, everyone memories were faded. They ended up recognised him as the Hero of Kvatch.

#tes #oblivion #hero of kvatch #Baurus #who happened to not be in Kvatch when the first oblivion gate opened #citizens in Kvatch be like he's not the hero??? #everyone else in Cyrodiil be like OMG he's the hero of Kvatch #he may not be THE hero but he is a hero #doing good deeds and saving lives #so yes Baurus is the hero of Kvatch

[swan-of-sunrise]

Taking Care of Business (Chapter Thirty-Seven)

Summary: The Mandalorians, led by Bo-Katan and (Y/N), come to the aid of Nevarro and take on Pirate King Gorian Shard’s forces.

Pairing: Din Djarin X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: I honestly love writing sky battles, and I’m always game for writing more Bad-Ass Alor’ad scenes lol thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-Seven The Pirates (Previous Chapter)

Tugging her fingerless gloves on and double-checking that R5-D4 was secured into the droid port, (Y/N) glanced over at Grogu seated beside her on the edge of the starfighter’s cockpit and arched an unsurprised brow. “I take it your dad wasn’t able to convince you to stay behind, huh?”

Grogu cooed and continued eating his breakfast of bantha jerky while the Mandalorian fighters gathered in front of the Gauntlet; a moment later, Din and Bo-Katan emerged from the cave and Din crossed behind the group to lean against the starfighter while Bo-Katan stood beside the extended gangplank. “This is a Kom’rk Class fighter transport. I’ll use this to drop you in and you will operate as a tight military unit; Captain (Y/L/N) and myself will reinforce from above. If everyone acts as they should, we can use the element of surprise and defeat an enemy that outnumbers us.” The Nite Owl surveyed the group assembled before her. “If everyone’s ready, then we’ll leave for Nevarro at once.”

The Mandalorians that were joining their mission said their goodbyes to the covert members staying behind and filtered onto the Gauntlet, and Clan Mudhorn climbed into the starfighter and charted their course to Nevarro. “Are you guys sure you don’t wanna sit this one out?” (Y/N) asked as she hovered her hand over the edge of the windshield. “It’s gonna get a little dicey up there.”

“And we’ll be right with you when it does, alor’ad.” Din reached up and slid the windshield closed before guiding her hands onto the controls and placing his hands on her waist. “This is the Way.”

(Y/N) smiled to herself as she switched the engines on and piloted the starfighter up into the clear blue sky, spotting the Gauntlet following after them and switching the communication radio on. “Okay, Bo, I’ve sent over the coordinates.”

“Copy that, Captain. I’ll see you in hyperspace.” The ships flew through the planet’s upper atmosphere and entered hyperspace the moment they reached the darkness of space; while the bright blue lights swirled around both ships, a hologram of the battle plan was beamed into their cockpit from the Gauntlet. “Pirate King Gorian Shard is captaining a Cumulus Class Corsair carrying a complement of snubfighters. It has aerial bombardment capabilities. The N-1 will distract the Corsair and her snubfighters as we drop in to liberate the planet below.” Bo-Katan’s voice was clear and assured as she briefed their fighters, and (Y/N) could easily imagine her leading Mandalore in its prime. “Nevarro is an independent planet and no longer under remnant Imperial or New Republic protection, but it’s that very independence that makes it appealing for you to settle. You lived there once, hiding in the sewers. But now, you can be heroes.”

Taking a deep breath, (Y/N) squared her shoulders and guided the starfighter out of hyperspace, piloting down through the upper atmosphere of Nevarro as the corner of her curved upwards into a self-assured smirk. “This is where the fun begins.” She pushed down on the controls and the starfighter shot forward, speeding through the sky as she steered them towards Gorian Shard’s Corsair hovering above the bombed-out city; she fired on the starship and spun the starfighter around for another pass. “If that didn’t scug ‘em off, then this definitely will.” She navigated the starfighter under the Corsair and fired on the starship’s gunwales; several of the gunwales were destroyed in a fiery explosion and as she moved in for another pass, three snubfighters launched into the air after her. “That seemed to do it!”

“Bold of you to return, Captain (Y/L/N).”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes at Vane’s threatening tone. “What can I say? I’m a bold woman.” She jammed the communication radio’s signal to the pirates’ snubfighters and swerved out of the way of their blaster fire. “You two might wanna hold on tight from here on out.”

Grogu giggled in delight when she flipped the starfighter over to dodge another round of blaster fire while Din’s gloved hands tightened on her waist. “Maybe we can convince Peli to install a seismic charge launcher on the N-1 the next time we’re in Mos Eisley. That is, if an ex-smuggler can handle a bounty hunter’s weapon.”

“Oh, you’ll find that ex-smugglers can handle anything that’s thrown their way,” (Y/N) replied with a growing smirk at their usual teasing. “Unlike hot-head bounty hunters with something to prove.”

Before Din could respond, their friend’s familiar voice came through the starfighter’s communication radio. “Thanks for your help, you two.”

“We decided to take you up on your offer for a tract of land.”

“Be careful, my friends. They’ve got you outnumbered ten to one.”

(Y/N) increased their speed and at the very last second, she swerved to the side and triumphantly smiled when the snubfighter chasing them and the snubfighter charging towards them flew into one another and exploded in a fiery crash. “I like those odds.”

Greef chuckled at that. “I bet you do.”

Dodging the blaster fire coming from the Corsair, (Y/N) breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the starship flying away from the city. “The Corsair’s on me, Bo. Coast is clear.”

While the starfighter distracted the Corsair and its multitude of snubfighters, the Gauntlet hovered over the city and dropped their squadron of Mandalorian fighters before flying away. “Their launch was successful,” Din announced as he looked out the windshield. “Time to really scug these pirates off.”

“My pleasure.” (Y/N) wrenched the controls to the side and steered the starfighter into a tight corkscrew spin, deftly avoiding the snubfighter’s blaster fire and maneuvering out of the spin to fly over the Corsair and shoot down an oncoming snubfighter. Her grip tightened on the starfighter’s controls as she led their enemies over Nevarro’s lava flats and away from the city, smiling to herself when each and every snubfighter joined the pursuit. “That seemed to do the trick.”

“Captain, what’s your position?”

“We’re over the flats with snubfighters in pursuit,” (Y/N) replied and flew the starfighter through the rocky outcroppings with ease. “You’re clear to start your run.”

“You should ease up on the accelerator, make ‘em think that they actually have a shot at taking us down.”

She gave Din a playful look over her shoulder as she sharply turned a corner. “Are you back-seat flying, Din Djarin? Because I have a zero-tolerance policy that forbids back-seat flying from Mandalorians who have a history of crash-landing onto several planets.”

“Mir’sheb.” Her husband’s chuckles were interrupted by Grogu’s urgent squeal and he swore under his breath. “They’re peeling off. They know we’re the diversion.”

Biting her lip, (Y/N) wrenched the controls upwards and shot out of the canyon as she called into the communication radio, “Bo, you’re about to have five snubfighters on your tail. I’m on my way to back you up.”

“Copy that, Captain.”

The starfighter raced through the sky towards the Corsair and when she saw the five snubfighters pursuing the Gauntlet, she steered them into a nosedive and checked to make sure that the child was being held by Din before flying straight up; she shot down a snubfighter and sped straight through their formation, scattering the remaining four ships and shooting down a second and a third on her descent. As the ship’s remains crashed into the Corsair and destroyed one of its engines, Grogu giggled in delight and Din murmured more words of affirmation while the Gauntlet shot down another snubfighter, leaving Vane’s ship as the last one standing; (Y/N) broke out into a triumphant smile when the pirate’s ship suddenly turned and flew away from the fight, but her triumph was short-lived when she saw the Corsair being steered above the city and its gunwales began firing on the buildings below.

“He’s targeting the townspeople!”

“We’ve gotta take him down,” (Y/N) replied, looping the starfighter around and racing towards the attacking Corsair. “Focus fire on their last engine!”

With (Y/N) approaching from the bow of the Corsair and Bo-Katan approaching from the stern, they both fired on the starship’s last operational engine and sped away as it burst into flames and slowly crashed onto the planet’s surface in an impressive explosion. Exhausted, (Y/N) flopped back against Din’s chest and switched the controls over to R5 before closing her eyes, smiling tiredly when she heard Grogu’s enthusiastic babbling and felt the brief but loving caress of her husband’s lips on her temple. I don’t remember flying being this tiring during the Rebellion, she thought to herself as the starfighter began its descent, but it’s nice to know I’ve still got it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Greef Karga exclaimed over the cheers of the townspeople. The citizens of Nevarro and their Mandalorian saviors were gathered by the city’s ruined archway near the docked Gauntlet, while the members of Clan Mudhorn stayed towards the back with the starfighter; (Y/N) stood on the starfighter’s side panel while Din stood on the ground, one of his gloved hands resting on her calf while the other shaded Grogu’s face from the bright sun, and all three of them listened as the High Magistrate addressed the celebrating crowd. “To all of you, and especially to our fine Mandalorian liberators, to whom this planet is forever indebted.” Greef turned to look at the gathered Mandalorians and offered them a welcoming smile. “Mandalorians, I know that we have been on opposite sides in the past, but that is behind us. From this day forward, I, Magistrate Greef Karga-”

“High Magistrate, sir.”

The crowd laughed at the protocol droid’s correction and Greef chuckled good-naturedly. “High Magistrate Greef Karga, hereby cede all land from the western lava flats to Bulloch Canyon to the fine people of Mandalore. You may no longer have a home planet, but you do now have a home. Welcome!”

The citizens of Nevarro burst into applause and the assembled Mandalorians crossed their right arms over their chests, bowing their helmeted heads in a show of respect. “Well, I guess we should start unloading the Gauntlet’s cargo hold…”

When (Y/N) attempted to hop down from the starfighter’s side panel, her stiff legs gave way but thanks to Din’s quick reflexes, she landed neatly in her husband’s strong arms. “The rest of us will handle the cargo hold, alor’ad; you’ve more than earned your rest.”

“It’s hard to argue with that,” She chuckled, giving the beskar covering his cheek a kiss as he cautiously set her on her feet and gathering Grogu into her arms before allowing him to lead her over to the Gauntlet’s extended ramp.

Seated on a cargo box, (Y/N) scrolled through Greef Karga’s official holo-pad while the Mandalorians and the citizens of Nevarro began working to build a camp on the outskirts of the bombed-out city; she’d hoped that the High Magistrate’s resources would help her find any information on Kelleran Beq and his possible ties to Naboo, but her search proved to be fruitless and she was still reluctant to ask the child any more questions about his past, fearing that they’d only serve to re-traumatize him.

“No luck?”

(Y/N) sighed and set the holo-pad aside before looking over at Din, who was busy sorting through boxes of blaster cartridges beside her. “I don’t know why I’m expecting anything different. The Jedi were forced into hiding nearly thirty years ago, so it’s not as though they’d make themselves easy to find.”

Before Din could reply, Grogu’s curious coos drew their attention towards two Mandalorians making their way through the makeshift camp: the Armorer and – to (Y/N)’s stunned surprise – a helmetless Bo-Katan Kryze. The Nite Owl looked uncomfortable under the heavy stares of her fellow Mandalorians, clutching her helmet to her side and doing her best to ignore the murmurs that followed them as they made their way towards (Y/N) and Din. Both Mandalorians stopped before them, and the Armorer loudly announced, “Bo-Katan Kryze is going off to bring other Mandalorians in exile to us, so that we may join together once again.”

“But she shows her face,” Paz pointed out, and the surrounding Mandalorians nodded in agreement and continued to talk amongst themselves.

The Armorer was unaffected by her covert’s reactions. “Bo-Katan walks both worlds, and she can bring all tribes together.” Shifting his weight, Paz looked over at Din and relaxed his shoulders when he gave him a single nod. “It is time to retake Mandalore.”

Din looked down at (Y/N) and once she gave him a subtle nod, he turned his attention back to the Mandalorians standing before them. “(Y/N) and I will accompany you on your quest to locate the exiled Mandalorians.” Despite the shocking turn of events and the mixture of emotions he was undoubtedly experiencing, Din’s modulated voice was clear and steady as he continued. “This is the Way.”

Bo-Katan offered them a thankful smile. “This is the Way.”

Grogu let out a series of babbles and coos, and (Y/N) found herself nodding in agreement. “You’re right, little guy: it’s certainly been one helluva day…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mando’a Translations:

Alor’ad-Captain Mir’sheb-Smart-ass

A/N: I’m hoping that the next chapter will be ready by next week but we’re having some work done in the house, so I’m not sure how much writing I’ll be able to do but I’ll keep you posted! Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! Oh, and I’ve created a Spotify playlist of all my favorite music from the world of Star Wars, so if you’re interested in checking it out the link is down below!

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2KuSKJhVOPPvxdJ9YHeo4M?si=2977ff31bf0c4bdd

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Taking Care of Business Masterlist

Tagging: @remmysbounty​​​​​ @sinon36​​​​​ @seninjakitey​​​​​ @thatonedindjarinfan​​​​​ @ginger-swag-rapunzel​​​​​ @mostclevermiss​​​​​ @momc95​​​​​ @welcometothepedroverse​​​​​ @sarahjkl82-blog​​​​​ @elinedjarin​​​​​ @itsnottilly​​​​​ @crowleysqueenofhell​​​​​  @goldielocks2004 @wondergal2001​​​​​ @groovy-lady​​​​​ @impala1967666​​​​​ @fluffy-canada-pancakes​​​​​ @icee228​​​​​​ @siimiasoi​​​

#taking care of business #din djarin x reader #the mandalorian x reader #din djarin #the mandalorian #bo katan kryze #the armorer #paz vizsla #greef karga #grogu #the child #baby yoda #r5d4 #vane #gorian shard #captain teva #star wars #din djarin x f!reader

[kingdoms-and-empires]

Someone sent me this:

So here we go

The Crown Heir oversaw a major program of urban development and beautification that transformed the city from one of simple materials to one of grand marble. This transformation involved a number of ambitious public works projects that aimed to create a more grand and majestic Welkesh.

It had become a pet project of pure egotistical drive.

One of the first major projects undertaken by the Crown Heir was the rebuilding of the city's main sewer system. This project helped to improve sanitation in the city and reduce the spread of disease that has spread since the V'era started attacking Nareth years ago.

Another key project was the construction of a new civic center, or public square, that would serve as the centerpiece of the city. The Welkeshian Grand Plaza was built to rival the existing marketplace in Argent, and included new monuments, museums, and public spaces. The centerpiece of the new plaza was a massive statue dedicated to the Crown Heir's mother, Queen Adelina.

In addition to these projects, the Crown Heir also commissioned a number of new public buildings and monuments, many of which were constructed out of marble. The Great Hall of Uriel, the Tower of the Remiel, and the Welkesh Memorial were just a few of the new structures that were built during this impressive series of public works.

To finance these projects, the Crown Heir levied new taxes and used their own personal wealth to fund the construction. They also encouraged wealthy patrons to donate money to the city's beautification efforts, often in exchange for recognition and prestige. (Some whisper of threats, but this is just drivel from the furries)

Overall, the Crown Heir's urban development program helped to create a more magnificent and impressive Welkesh, one that was then known for its grandeur and beauty. Their use of marble in particular was a key element of this transformation, as the white stone was associated with wealth, power, and imperial grandeur.

#submission #kingdomsandempires #hosted games #interactive fiction #welkesh

[blackjackkent]

Minsc!

"Breathe deep, Boo! The small of hero sings from every stone in this place!" He claps Hector on the shoulder so hard that Hector rocks sideways on his feet. "To meet again where your journey began, my friend - an honor! For Minsc and his hamster both!"

Boo gives a trilling squeak and makes a circle where he stands on Minsc's shoulder.

The berserker pauses, gestures to a small and nervous-looking halfling who is busying himself with a table of wares behind him. "Oh, and for Happy, also."

"Yes, erm... honored, of course," the halfling says nervously.

Hector blinks, puzzled. "It's good to see you, Minsc," he agrees. "Boo too. And... Happy...?" He tips his head politely towards the halfling, a question in his eyes.

Minsc laughs jovially and slaps the unhappy-looking fellow on the shoulder. "Hah. See how your very presence snatches the breath from his chest," he tells Hector cheerfully. "And it is no wonder! It is just this day that Happy learned of your legend while we gazed down upon the very city you saved!"

"He d-dangled me from the High Hall," Happy says with nervous indignation. "Upside-down. For two hours."

Minsc shrugs. "The Guild should not go creeping in high places if they do not have the stomach for them, hm? It is well for Happy the strange portal appeared when it did. Minsc's arm was growing achesome."

Hector isn't sure whether to laugh or not and settles for an expression of mild bemusement. "You're still chasing after the Guild? I thought you'd made your peace with them."

"So I have!" Minsc says brightly. "Though it is a peace made more from blade and boot than it is any sense of brotherhood." He spreads his arms in a dramatic gesture. "Nine-Fingers forbade any looting of the illithid's fleshy vessels - and so Minsc guards what remains of the battle-site, even from her." He nudges Hector in the side. "But where Minsc might once have thrown any sneaking scoundrels from the tower-top, now I tell them of you! How you ruled the wickedness within. How they might do the same."

Hector really does smile now, albeit a bit ruefully. He still has little interest in his 'legend' and tales and songs of his exploits, but if he must be remembered, he supposes he would prefer Minsc's rendition - painting him as a master of inward control and stalwart against evil - than whatever Volo is likely to come up with.

"Yes, yes," the hapless Guild man puts in eagerly. "I'll rule it! I'll be better!"

"Though of course," Minsc says casually, "it is still for Boo to decide if they live or die."

"Oh. Oh, gods," Happy mumbles morosely.

"But enough, my friend!" Minsc says, turning back to Hector and summarily ignoring the little halfling. "I cannot tell your tale if I do not know the whole of it! Minsc and Boo would know where you have been, what you have done!"

"I've been in the Hells with Karlach," Hector answers promptly. "Fighting off devils and looking for a cure for her heart."

"Oh, Boo!" Minsc says excitedly. "Do you know what it would mean, to find a cure for Karlach's heart?" A loud squeak from Boo. "Exactly! Her heart would be cured!" He slaps Hector on the shoulder again. "When this day comes, you must come and bunk with Minsc and Boo. Fear not - we sleep in that sewer no longer. It is a *different* sewer, much less damp beneath the bedroll."

Hector chuckles noncommittally. Minsc looks down imperiously at his new charge.

"Now, halfling. Boo will not have you embarrassing him in front of his friends - so you ought to know the rest of the company you keep." He begins to gesture around the camp, pointing out each of his companions one by one.

"Wyll Ravengard, the Blade of Frontiers! Devil-horned and angel-hearted!"

"Lae'zel! Of Creche Killer! True Child of Gith and true friend to Boo - though she will 'CHK!' and say it is not so!"

"Astarion, who is banished by the sun itself for fear his spawnish soul might outshine it! (We visit with him much down in the dark places," he adds to Hector conspiratorially, "though he often moves his lair without remembering to tell Minsc where.)"

"Gale, the man-who-would-be-a-god, but-then-thought-better-of-it! Boo thinks better of *him* for it too."

"Shadowheart! Two gods tugged at her soul, but she managed to keep it for all herself in the end. Wait... Boo... did she do something with her hair?"

"Halsin, Archdruid of Arch-- somewhere. He is a much better man than he smells."

"And there, the champion of the Hells herself! Karlach Demonsbane! Devilsbane! Myrkul-, Bhaal-, and Bane-bane! Once the Guild is made of goodness once more, Boo shall scratch the hells wide open and find a way to bring her back!"

"And finally... Jaheira. If this is a name you do not already know, then not even Boo can save you!"

Hector grins to himself, listening to this litany of his friends. The halfling shifts nervously.

Minsc smiles . "Study them well, sneak-thief, for the best among them will be a guide for your Guild. Heroes, who put the city before themselves. Who never falter in their duty. And more than this--" He narrows his eyes pointedly. "Who never arrive to a party without even a gift for the host."

Happy swallows. "But-- wait--"

Minsc waves Hector off. "Go, my friend. Be among our friends; there is much work yet to be done before this one is fit to join them."

Hector wanders off, feeling - as he often does after talking to Minsc - incredibly bewildered.

#bjk plays baldur's gate 3 #hector carlisle #i love minsc <3 #(and boo <3 )

[dolphin1812]

“Such was this ancient Paris, delivered over to quarrels, to indecision, and to gropings. It was tolerably stupid for a long time. Later on, ’89 showed how understanding comes to cities. But in the good, old times, the capital had not much head. It did not know how to manage its own affairs either morally or materially, and could not sweep out filth any better than it could abuses.”

The sewers serve as a mirror to politics, and, as Hugo was a republican, he doesn’t have a very favorable opinion of the sewers under the monarchy (hence ‘89, the Revolution, marking the change in the sewers). Just as the French monarchy was corrupt and unable to address social ills, so were the sewers full of “filth.” 

The inundations also parallel violent rebellions. Hugo may have some sympathy for protest (even if that fluctuates), but he’s not a fan of violence overall, and that shows with his concerns for these overflows. While the overflows themselves were awful and dangerous, they resemble the protests Hugo has described so far against different French governments, always reflecting an inability to solve social problems and expressing this in ways that he finds unappealing.

Although I generally dislike Columbus comparisons on principle, “Columbus of the sewers” is kind of funny. Probably because of the sewer part. Hugo is framing him as an imperial figure, though, not just through the Columbus link, but through ties to French imperial figures, like Bonaparte and Kléber (who commanded French campaigns in Egypt). He’s glorifying Bruneseau, but he’s also emphasizing his importance with this link. It suggests that the sewers were equally, if not more, menacing than conquering another country as well.

#les mis letters #lm 5.2.3 #sewer digression

[faux-fires]

(not a) drabble a day #6

2 things to say about today’s (not a) drabble a day:

1. I have not slept in 24 hours

2. who’s up for 3,000 words about hawke just being impressed at anders knowing people?! yeah that’s what i THOUGHT.

anyway here’s (TOTALLY NOT A) drabble-a-day #6, prompt “King”, i am going to BED.

The inn was by far the nicest one in all of Kirkwall, and the oldest, to boot. It appeared on the city maps even as far back as when Kirkwall had been Emerius - that bloody jewel in the crown of the Imperial slave trade.

Then, it had been some Magister's summer dwelling; now it was the Golden Spyglass, a respectable inn for very financially respectable people, situated in the prettier Orlesian quarter of Hightown and commanding a stunning view of the sea.

Normally Hawke would just saunter up to the door, smile charmingly at whatever bouncer stood outside, and be waved through once the bouncer clocked his patented "I'm here to cause trouble on purpose" grin. Today's visit required a more... subtle touch, however, which was why he was scoping the place out from across the street, loitering behind a fruit stand while Anders asked the vendor far too many questions about the origins of his pears.

They'd increased the guard, he could see that much. Four on the main door, two on the roof, and probably more around the back and the side. They weren't patrolling, which was a point in his favour; guards stuck for hours at a time on a single entrance were bored, easily distracted guards, and nothing he couldn't handle. The walls were rough stone and easily climbed, particularly with all those pretty wooden trellises installed so close for those lovely perfumed vines to wend their way up.  It would be helpful if they knew where the Golden Spyglass their man was staying, but the lovely fluted windows were tinted a warm champagne and impossible to see through.

He was contemplating the old washer-woman disguise trick when Anders nudged him, looking disgruntled, or more disgruntled than usual. "Fifty silver a pear," Anders griped, holding one out for him. "It's an absolute outrage. They're twenty silvers down by the docks, and only slightly squashier." He bit into his and brightened; the juice ran clear down the corners of his mouth, and for a moment Hawke couldn't care less about the swanky inn and its security: it was good to see him happy, even if for just a little. "Thank you for inviting me out, love. I still think we could have gone to the docks."

"Yes," said Hawke, "But for only thirty silvers, you're saving yourself a trip to the docks. Bargain." He crunched his pear, eyes returning, somewhat reluctantly, to the exterior of the Golden Spyglass. The coloured glass lanterns strung from the eaves shivered a little in the late afternoon breeze, fresh and cool from the sea. "Do you think there's a cellar access point in the sewers?"

Anders looked from the pear to the building and back again. "Oh," he said. "Oh, we're breaking and entering? I thought you - never mind." He wiped the juice from the corner of his mouth with the pad of his thumb, and sighed. "Do you really think this is wise?"

"Got to at least try," Hawke said. "Maybe if Varric and Isabela and I come back tonight, we can get in via the windows -"

His lover's face did something complicated. "Why bother? We had our shot, it didn't work as we hoped..."

"I can't do nothing," said Hawke, quietly. "I can't - I can't look Grace in the eye and say I learned nothing. Helping mages escape means nothing if I have nowhere safe to send them, and I can't - not at least try, Anders." He turned away, sharply, and gave Anders a wan smile. "Things are getting worse in the Gallows, you know that as well as I do. I don't know how many we can save but I can't give them a taste of freedom and leave them to the wolves."

"Oh, Hawke." Anders looked softer, suddenly. Normally Hawke loved it when Anders looked at him like that - all soft and hazy affection, with that warm tilt to the corner of his mouth - but this expression looked a little bittersweet, like they both knew it didn't matter but were going through the motions for lack of other options. "You are a good man, my love. Come on. Hood up, follow me."

"Wha - wait!"

But Anders was already moving, striding confidently across the street to the burly guards, and Hawke had to scramble to keep up. He arrived in time to hear him say, "Tell Gwen the Darktown Healer's here to see her. I'll be waiting around the back door."

The guard eyed him with thuggish suspicion. "Not 'sposed to let anyone 'round the back," he said, his huge ham-hock hands wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword. Anders was taller than him - well, taller than most people, the beanpole - and he was putting those extra inches to good use; his posture was even and relaxed, his chin lifted, casual confidence in every joint. This usually made people anxious, and Thug#1 was clearly no exception. Hawke tried to skulk behind him without looking like he was skulking, but needn't have worried; Anders was in full haughty mode, and drew attention like a vortex spell drew in hapless victims.

"You've got guards posted at the back entrance too, correct?" He didn't wait for them to answer. "So I'll loiter in their line of sight until Gwen fetches me. I'm her healer. Hurry; the guest is likely to be in a lot of discomfort."

Thug#1 cocked his head to one side, taking Anders in from the top of his head to his dirty, bandage-wrapped boots. "You know Gwen?" he sneered.

"Even a cat may look upon a King," Anders replied, with such arrogance it made Hawke almost double-take. "Particularly this cat, right here, standing between the city and something potentially contagious."

"Contagious? Contagious how?" This was Thug#2, who had come to see the commotion.

Anders shrugged. "Could be Mummer's flux," he said. "Possibly Thespian's Bowel. Have either of you noticed a certain... salt smell in the air recently?"

They were literally facing out over the sea, but somehow this fact seemed to have missed the guards, who looked a little queasy. "You'll stay outside 'til Gwen fetches you?"

"On my honour," Anders agreed, the edge of his mouth curving with what Hawke, friend and companion for many years now, knew to be mischief. It was also his number one tell in Wicked Grace.

The back entrance faced a narrow alleyway, lined with slop buckets ready for the pig man to come collect - or any of the feral children who called rat's nest walkways such as this one their home. The guards posted at the back of the grand building squinted at them in mistrust but didn't ask, while Hawke grabbed Anders' shoulder and hissed, "Who's Gwen?"

"Landlady," said Anders. "Love of my life, obviously. We've been carrying on an elaborate affair these past few years under your nose."

"You are not funny -"

"Anders? The guards said you needed to see me about the plague?"

Gwen was a tall, willowy woman with dark hair in a loose braid. Her clothes were clean and well-made, and she had gold sparkling at her ears, throat and sleeves; she also had a surprised, but not distrustful expression on her face. "Is everything alright? Who's your companion?"

"My bodyman," said Anders. He held out his hand and when she returned the gesture automatically, seized her palm in a firm but not unreasonable shake, drawing her away from the lurking guards and dropping his voice. "Hello Gwen, good to see you. How's Ioan? You haven't sent any of the girls around for more poultices, so I hope that's a good sign."

"Oh, he's been right as rain since -" her eyes cut to Hawke, and now Hawke was surprised to see concern in her eyes, and not for herself, "Since you did your special treatment for him. Thank you, by the way. We just couldn't afford the Circle prices after the Qunari..."

She knew Anders was a mage. She knew Anders was a mage and she didn't know if Hawke knew, and she was clearly willing to keep his secret to some extent. For some reason this warmed Hawke's heart. Lately it felt like the mages were the only ones that mattered, and it was dispiriting seeing Anders run himself so ragged to try to save them while Meredith knocked the ground down under him; it pleased him to see someone recognise and appreciate Anders for the gifts he had and the choices he'd made. It reminded him of those Fereldans who'd stepped in outside Lirene's shop, armed and furious ion their need to protect the man Hawke had grown to love. He tried to smile at her, and saw her shoulders relax a little.

"Good," Anders said. "I'm relieved. Gwen, I'm terribly sorry, but I lied to the guards out front. I need to see your special guest, and I was hoping you could help with that."

She flushed. "I'm being paid quite a bit of money to make sure he's undisturbed, Serah. I've already had the Chantry come knocking, and the Templars."

"I know," Anders said. "And I can't offer money or custom the way they can. I'll keep looking after Ioan if you need me to no matter what you say. But, Gwen -" he still had her hand in his, and his eyes were shining with sincerity - "- a good man told me I have to at least try. The tides turn tomorrow and I could lose my chance, and I thought - I hoped... Please."

Gwen searched his face, hesitantly, and then, to Hawke's considerable surprise, nodded. "Alright," she said. "You've never done me any wrong, healer. Just - if you're asked to leave - go. Don't loiter." She drew her hands back and smoothed them down the front of her skirt, anxiously.

Anders nodded. "I swear," he said. "Thank you. You're a good woman, Gwen."

"And you," she said, a little archly, "Are very good at sweet-talking people." She smiled, a wan thin thing, then glanced at Hawke. "Whoever you are, keep an eye on this one. Both of you, follow me."

When she put her hand on the back door, one of the guards leaned over and said, "Not supposed to let anyone inside."

"This is my inn, Sergeant," she said. "This is a healer. One of our other guests needs healing. If you'd like to explain to your man, so that he can explain to my guest why they have to suffer...?"

The other guard shook his head at the first one, who sighed and moved away. "There'd be shouting," he said glumly. "And complainin'."

The second guard snorted agreement and narrowed her eyes at the three of them. "Besides," she said, lazily, "He could take all three of them in a fight. A innkeep, a coat rack and whatever you've got going on?" She gestured vaguely to encompass all of Hawke, who felt this was unnecessarily mean. "He'll be fine. Good luck with your healing. Leave the same way you came in or we'll come find you."

"It is not my intention to be disruptive," said Anders, who was absolutely the most disruptive man Hawke had ever met. He inclined his head stiffly at the guards, still doing his best impersonation of an icicle person - the coatrack remark must have really gotten to him - and slipped through the door Gwen held open for them without a second look. It wasn't until they'd gone around a corner and entered a plushly carpeted hallway that he glanced back over his shoulder and said, wrly, "What have you got going on, Haw - lo - my friend?"

He didn't want Gwen to know he'd brought the Champion of Kirkwall with him, Hawke realised. It felt strange, being the unknown party in an event. He tried to remind himself that this was Anders' space, the parts of the city he moved in without Hawke, because he had six years of history all his own with the city. Hawke knew about the clinic but he'd never know every person Anders had helped, and that was fine. That was normal. Normal couples weren't sewn into each other's pockets. Out loud, because he was a jealous man, he said, "Probably my four foot long -"

"The client you're looking for is staying in the master suite," Gwen interupted. She had stopped by a fork in the hallway, although Hawke couldn't see any particular difference between the branching corridors. The carpeting was thick and looked Orlesian; the walls were decorated with gold-toned wall sconces. This was exactly the kind of place someone like the Champion might stay if he needed to stay in another city. "Go up there, along there, and down there. Fifth door on the left. Remember, Healer, you swore me an oath."

"I did," Anders said smoothly. "I have no intention of ruining you, Gwen. Thank you for all your assistance."

Her jaw tightened. Hawke wondered if Anders had burnt this bridge for good with his request, but somehow doubted it. How much power had Anders amassed, he thought, simply by doing what came naturally to him - healing those who needed it without cost? He couldn't say it was a surprise. He tried not to think of how different his life could have been, if a mage healer had lived in Lothering all those years ago when his father died. He knew for a fact that if it had been Anders, Malcolm would have pulled through, and that was a little shard of agony in his chest every time. Perhaps Gwen's thoughts ran across the same lines, because after a while she simply exhaled heavily through her nose, nodded, and hurried away in down the corridor.

"Up there, along there...?" Hawke nodded his head at the corridor, questioning.

"Don't worry about it," Anders said. "I know where we're going." And he set off first, humming under his breath as he strode down the corridor with purpose. The melody was strange and haunting, frequently off-key, and Hawke found himself trying to trace it. It had certainly never been played at any of the parties they'd attended together... the drunken fiddler at the Hanged Man only had two fingers, so it would have been beyond him... perhaps it was a Circle ditty?

Anders walked on without hesitation. As they got closer to their destination he reached out and began dragging the fingertips of his gloves along the wall, still humming under his breath; when they finally arrived at a beautiful mahogany door, fifth on the left, he stopped and tilted his head quizzically to one side. "Here," he said. He glanced at Hawke, amused. "I hope you know what you're going to say."

"Oh, always," said Hawke, breezily, and then added, "So... how long have you known Gwen?"

Anders glanced at him, copper eyes bright and sparkling warm. "That's your main concern? Now?"

Hawke shrugged. "I didn't know you knew... you know... Hightown people. Or that they knew about you." He could feel his mouth moving, the corners turning down. "Not that there's anything wrong with that! I just - thought I knew you."

"Ah," said Anders. He looked a little discomforted, and then said, "I have... hobbies. Interests. Ones it's not always safe to share, love." He was fidgeting with the cuff of his left sleeve, Hawke realised, his other Wicked Grace tell; working his fingers between the stained green cloth and the bandages wrapped tightly around his bracer. "Even before I knew I was a mage," he said slowly, "I knew I was a healer. I was treating the - animals on our farm by the time I was six."

Hawke didn't miss the careful censorship there; Anders never would say whereabouts in Ferelden he came from. "And the owner of the finest inn in Hightown?"

Anders shrugged. "She's a person," he said. "I've never turned anyone down, Hawke. Laughed at, yes. Especially if it's venereal. But I've never turned anyone down. I'm a healer. There's pride in that." His jaw clenched. "In another world - that's all I'd be."

But not this one, Hawke thought, sadly. Perhaps if they had more time, this could have been enough. A selfless mage healer could be the kind of hero the mages needed, the kind of story they needed to see themselves as worthy of leaving the confines of the Circles, as being safe to go outside and live free lives.

But Meredith Stannard was clearing out the Gallows one made-up crime at a time, and they didn't have the decades - centuries - it would take for Anders' tale to spread even to the other Free Cities. He sighed, and caught Anders' sleeve. "I know," he said. "One day, love."

"And they call me an idealist," Anders said, with a small slant of his mouth.

Hawke shrugged. "You're a good man. A kind man." He paused. "With a large friend network, apparently."

That coaxed a grin from Anders. "Larger than you'd think," he said, and that mischief-tell was back, glaringly bright on his narrow face. He reached up before Hawke could stop him, rapped on the door with his knuckles, and made a "go ahead" gesture with his hand.

"Anders!" Hawke hissed like a goose. His lover's expression was somewhat smug.

"You said you knew what you were going to say," Anders said. His smile was a little bit feral.

Hawke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Obviously," he said. "I was going to knock on the door, and when it opened I'd say -"

The door opened inward, and Hawke's brain stopped. The man on the inside was tall and thickly built, wearing full plate armour, and what beautiful armour it was; gold-coloured, with careful, elaborate scrolling details along all the edges. It was well-cared for and nearly as bright as the sword he had in his hand, shimmering with enchantments, smooth-edged with a hilt that could only be dragonbone. He carried it ready at hip-height, in the stance of a born fighter, and his expression as he looked upon them was alert but otherwise unreadable.

After an awkward moment, Hawke essayed a quick wave. "Hi," he said.

The man's eyes traced the lines of the kaddis smear across his nose, and some of the battle-ready tension left him. He glanced quickly between them, sighed heavily, and lowered his sword. "Hello again," he said. "Looks like you couldn't get enough of me in the Viscount's keep. Not that I'm not pleased to continue the conversation without Meredith Stannard breathing down my neck, obviously, doing that... face she does. Do you think the wind changed on her halfway through? Do you think it could change again?"

"No," said Anders, leaning a shoulder against the door frame, "I think she's always been a tyrant."

The King of Ferelden sheathed his sword absently. "Yeah, some people are. Born that way, I think. You met Commander Tabris, right? Now there was a woman who could chew through tables." He nodded at Anders. "Nice to meet you again, by the way. I wasn't sure at first if it was you in a building or a very small genlock. There's not that many Wardens in the area, and you have a different feeling."

"Ex-Warden," Anders said. "And likewise. Although I'd like to think, incompetent as our city guard are, even they might notice a genlock roaming the streets."

"Ouch," said Alistair, grinning. "A shriek, then?"

"If you like," Anders agreed. His mouth was smiling, but his shoulders were tense. He cleared his throat and jerked his head at Hawke, and said, "I do apologise for the visit. Haw - my lo - the Champion of Kirkwall wished to continue a conversation about Fereldan mages in a place slightly less likely to be crawling with Meredith's eyes and ears."

Alistair blew out a long sigh and leaned back from the doorway. "Might as well come in, then," he said. "I won't even ask how you got passed the guard. I expect you want to talk about the Circle - well, I'll do it, but Kailan'll never forgive me if I don't ask you some questions first, Anders."

"Wait," said Hawke, feeling like he'd missed a step several turns back, and the dance had carried on without him and now he was doing a handstand by the punch bowl with the music coming to a halt, "You also know the King of Ferelden?"

And Anders, halfway into the suite, turned back to him, that damn mischief-tell making his eyes sparkle so brightly they made Hawke smile in kind, and said, "Of course. After all, even a cat -"

" - may look upon a King," Hawke finished for him, grinning despite himself, and for a moment Hawke couldn't care less about the King of Ferelden, watching them with a politely baffled expression.

After all, it was good to see Anders happy, even if for just a little while.

current mood:

(i’m trying to tell myself that’s it’s ok i can’t shut up as long i’m producing something every day. it helps a lil)

#reikah writes recklessly #drabble a day #GOD I AM FAILING SO BAD AT THIS #ugggggh #anders #hawke #handers #dragon age

[oblivions-dawn]

As a fellow fan of Serana, I’d love to hear a bit more about your headcanons about her opinion of Skyrim’s guilds and factions 🙂

OOOOOO!! You've come to the right place uwu

The most obvious one to start with is the College of Winterhold. I imagine that Serana went there in her youth/before her transformation with her mother, hence her shock in Petrichor when she sees it again for the first time since the town of Winterhold was once a city, and got reduced to shambles. She likes the college well enough--it has books upon books and reminds her of her time as a human, even if those memories are. Very fuzzy.

Serana still has no idea the Bards College exists at this point, as it was founded after the establishment of the First Empire [and it's implied she doesn't know what that is when she first wakes, therefore, she wouldn't know about this college--only about the Solitude she knew in her youth]. When she does hear about it, she would probably try to go see it, as curiosity always gets the better of her. I think she would like it, too.

Assassins have been around for a very long time, and even if Serana wasn't aware of them back then, she certainly is now. Although she's technically only met one member of the Dark Brotherhood in Petrichor thus far, I think she would find them amusing . . . or really, really strange. And, of course, she always found them intriguing in the stories she read before she was locked up.

Serana will actually get to visit the Thieves Guild in the sequel I'm working on, which I'm very excited to write about. I think she'll be curious, and also amused and wary of some of the members she meets. She won't be sure what to make of them living underground in the sewers, but Serana herself is familiar with that kind of territory anyway, so she'd respect it on some level.

Serana will also get to meet the Companions in the sequel, and will be able to tell who's a werewolf from a mile away just from smell alone. I could go into detail about everyone she would/wouldn't get along with, but I think overall she'd find them okay. They seem like a noble bunch, all things considered.

I don't think Serana cares for either the Imperials or Stormcloaks in the civil war, as she has nothing to do with either party. She also picks up this opinion largely because the companion she travels with, Vigdis, doesn't care about them either, and sees them both as enemies in a 'you're just exploiting Skyrim's resource for your own gains and killing each other for greed' kind of perspective.

OH AND OF COURSE! There's the Dawnguard! She has lots of opinions when it comes to them. In the end I think she warmed up to them? Kind of?? At least, she doesn't blame them for taking up the cause that they've chosen. Everyone still hates Isran, but Florentius and Agmaer are nice enough. Vigdis is. A different story that I won't get into here hehe.

Then, y'know, her own vampire clan, which at this point she feels so removed from it doesn't feel like it's her clan or home anymore, save for her mother Valerica. It's tainted beyond recognition, and that hurts her more than anything else.

#Senu Responds #plaidsquid41030 #Serana #Serana Volkihar #I hope I did this right?? I tried to not go on super long tangents but also answer your question dlfjgls #All in all Serana is a curious vampire about everything and I love her for it c:

[blueiskewl]

Ancient Marble Statue of Hercules Discovered in Rome

ROME : Routine sewer repairs in an area in Rome, which was seeking a recognition from the Unesco as a World Heritage site, have led to the discovery of an ancient Roman-era marble statue of the mythical demigod Hercules.

Repair crews were called in after sewer pipes in the national park at the Appian Way collapsed, causing ditches and minor landslides.

The excavations, which reached a depth of 20 meters and as rules require in the Italian capital, were carried out with the presence of archaeologists.

The life-size marble statue found at the site is reported to be of Hercules, an ancient Roman demigod known as the protector of the weak.

The figure represented by the statue carried a club and had a lion's coat over his head, part of the iconography representing Hercules.

According to reports, the statue likely dates back to Rome's imperial period, which stretched from 27 BC to 476 AD.

The find recalls last November's discovery of two dozen well-preserved bronze statues beneath the foundations of thermal baths in Tuscany.

Those statues were 2, 300 years old, even older than the Hercules statue.

The marble statue of Hercules was broken during excavations but was otherwise well preserved.

This is the second time this year that the Appian Way makes international headlines.

On January 11, the Culture Minister formally backed the inclusion of the Appian Way on Unesco's World Heritage list.

It was the first time the Ministry ever backed a UNESCO candidacy directly.

The Appian Way is an ancient road that spans 550 km between Rome and the southern Italian city of Brindisi.

t was designed in 312 BC by statesman Appio Claudio Cieco. His goal was to build a road that quickly connected Rome to Capua for the movement of troops southwards during the Second Samnite War (326-304 BC).

Later on, the route was extended to Brindisi to directly connect with Greece, the East, and Egypt, for military expeditions, travel and trade.

It was the most famous route in the Roman era.

If the Appian Way becomes a Unesco site, the Appian Way will be the second longest such site after the Great Wall of China.

#Ancient Marble Statue of Hercules Discovered in Rome #the appian way #marble statue #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #ancient rome #roman history #roman empire #roman art

[generalofthenorth]

I was thinking about what Tully usually smells like (lavender, leather, parchment), and wanted to draw something with all three that he’d reasonably own. Also, I refuse to believe an Imperial who’s from a city with a sewer system, that’s now in a city with a sewer system, and spends most of his time in a castle, doesn’t regularly bathe and smell decent, if not pleasant.

#about the general #headcanon #general tullius #my art #I’m actually pretty proud of this #Elisif probably smells like roses or baby’s breath #Rikke honestly is the most likely to actually smell like sweat and steel since she leaves the city more often #but I could see her smelling like clean linen and parchment when she gets back to bathe #headcanon vomit

[just-late-roman-republic-things]

thoughts on augustus and agrippa?

I've rambled about Augustus before, so let's give Agrippa his turn!

Agrippa was one of the smartest men of his era. His military strategies were incredibly adaptable and creative, and he never lost a major battle. In his 50s he twice put down revolts by just showing up, a reputation even Julius Caesar never achieved.

He was incredibly generous, especially to the poor. He renovated and expanded Rome's water system so that every household had access to drinkable water and free public baths. He cleaned out the sewers and created an ongoing maintenance team, greatly reducing disease. He established Rome's first real fire brigade (as opposed to Crassus' extortion racket), and created public gardens and art galleries. And he financed a massive number of infrastructure and building projects all over the empire, to the point that entire cities considered him their patron. Most Roman governors used their position to extort bribes and steal local works of art; Agrippa improved every community he visited, without disrupting the local culture. Did I mention he paid for all this out of his own pocket?

He was a staunch advocate for the rights of Jewish people and shut down administrators who prevented Jews from practicing their religion. When an earthquake wrecked several cities in Asia, Agrippa donated a huge chunk of money to rebuild them. His personal life was quiet and drama-free; he seems to have been a humble and level-headed guy who thought through his actions carefully.

That said, Agrippa was still a Roman. Many of his wars were what we'd now call imperialism - enforcing Roman rule over people who wanted to be free. He was complicit in Augustus and Antony's proscriptions, and much of his wealth was taken from proscribed people or defeated enemies in war. And his wonderful generosity and public works helped entrench a regime that was ultimately undemocratic. Agrippa did many good things, but he was part of a system that was fundamentally imperialist and eroded people's civil rights.

Also, I'm 98% sure he and Augustus were a couple. Or poly something, since Augustus also loved Livia.

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