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cosmic-gemstone · 7 months

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A drabble I wrote back in June, and never posted. Sort of a post-Earth battle for Qessyn’s Oracle verse. It’s been ages since I watched the series, so I’m sure there are details wrong. Meh.

“His body…it’s here, is it not?”

“Er…yes ma’am.”

“May I see him?”

“Well…you’re the Oracle, so I guess there’s no harm. Right this way, ma’am.”

Qessyn entered the morgue, in full Oracle regalia, seeing the large covered body on the slab. Her face was impassive, and she was silent for several ticks. She turned to the human guard. “May I have a few moments?”

“Of course, ma’am. I’ll be right outside.”

Now left alone with the body, she approached, quietly pulling back the sheet. Sendak, Zarkon’s Right Hand, Commander of the 3rd Fleet, Leader of the Fire of Purification…

So many accolades. And now look where he was.

She let out a soft sigh. “Sendak…I used to look up to you in my childhood. You were a hero to me. To all Galra. And then…then I saw the truth. The brutality. The violence. The coldness.”

Delicate fingers reached out, tracing the line of his jaw. He was long since cold and stiff. “I met you. The younger you. The young knight from Daibazaal. The more time I spent with him, the more I wondered what happened to you. When did the stars leave your eyes, Sendak? I wish we could have spoken.”

She shook her head. “You and so many others were so desperate to preserve the status quo. To maintain your superiority. To gain power. But nothing lasts forever, Sendak. Even stars must one day die.”

“There were many factors involved. But it wasn’t just Zarkon’s lust for power. Or yours. Or anyone else’s. No…I believe it was our people’s unwillingness to embrace new ideas, that poisoned us. Our stagnation. We were as unyielding as steel. But you failed to realize that which does not bend can only break.”

A soft sigh. “It’s almost funny. I peeked past the veil, attempting to track your movements. What would happen if you succeeded. Yet each reality I looked in, I saw only one outcome for you; failure. I wondered why constantly. And I wanted to ask what drove you. Why this was the only constant. Yet it is now, when you can no longer tell me, that I believe I have my answer.”

She looked at the ceiling. “Your fate was the same, no matter what you did at this point in time. Because your fate was already sealed, ten thousand deca-phoebs ago. The moment you chose vengeance over honor, you were doomed. No matter how long it took.”

“I’ve been learning about our history. The real history. Not the Empire’s version of events. There was so much promise. We reached so high. Only to fall. But I see the Coalition. They’re trying again. Trying to do what we did.”

Finally, Qessyn gave a soft smile. “Their eyes are so full of light, Sendak. So full of hope. And so I’ve made my choice; I say we let the younger species give it a go. It is time we embraced change. Change that is ten thousand deca-phoebs overdue.”

She stroked his still face gently, placing a soft kiss on his forehead, then let out a sigh, covering him back up with the sheet, then resting her hand on his chest. “Fare thee well, Sendak. May you find the peace you were denied in life.”

#v: the oracle #drabble #do not reblog #*SHRUGS*

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starlightvld · 1 year

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Fan Fiction Master Post

Fandom - Voltron: Legendary Defender

Relationship - Sheith (Shiro x Keith)

In Sunshine and in Shadow Post-canon fix-it * Rated M * 155k words * COMPLETE After ten years of distance, a chance encounter brings Shiro, Keith, and the other paladins together in another fight to save the universe.

Truth Beyond Reckoning Post-canon fix-it (ISAIS stand-alone interlude) * Rated E * 3.6k words * COMPLETE After twelve years of illness, heartache, and missed chances, Keith and Shiro finally find their way back to one another.

Formalities Post-canon fix-it * Rated T * 17.7k words * COMPLETE At the Coalition's two-year anniversary formal gala, Lance gets ideas, Keith gets a new outfit, and Shiro gets jealous enough to break a few of his self-imposed rules.

Second Luckiest Established Relationship * Rated G * 524 words * COMPLETE A soft and short fic in which Keith and Shiro take care of each other.

Research & Development Modern(ish) AU * Rated E * 57.7k words * COMPLETE When Voltron Tech CEO Shiro hires Marmora Construction to build their new research and development building, he doesn't realize how much his life is about to change... until Keith walks through the door.

Trading Pain for Panacea Post canon, no epilogue * Rated T * 3.7k words * COMPLETE Shiro gets sick, muses over his relationship with pain, and comes to some realizations. As always, Keith is there to take care of him.

Trading Loneliness for Love Post canon, no epilogue * Rated T * 6.9k words * COMPLETE Keith is pulled through a wormhole to who-knows-where. As he drifts through space alone, he muses over his relationship with loneliness while waiting for his friends to come to the rescue.

My Love is Like an Apple Pie University Staff AU * Rated T * 27,056k words * COMPLETE Keith and Shiro are living good lives with good jobs and friends, but maybe a little romance will make things even better. A fun and fluffy fall fic.

The Fire Between Falling Stars King & Knight AU * Rated E * IN PROGRESS For seven years, Keith has quietly served and protected King Takashi Shirogane of Stellan from afar, but when Keith's friends disappear, he is forced out of the shadows. As Keith's investigations lead him toward the truth - and the disaster to come - he will be forced to decide: Protect his secrets. Or protect his king.

Fandom - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (reboot)

Relationship: John "Soap" MacTavish/Simon "Ghost" Riley (alternately: soapghost, ghostsoap, ghoap)

Couch Surfing Post-canon, not MWIII compliant * Rated E * 52,971 * COMPLETE When military politics threaten to break up the 141, Simon and Johnny must decide to hold on to what they already have... or risk losing it all for the possibility of *more.*

Broken Bones and Shattered Hearts Post-canon, not MWIII compliant * Rated E * IN PROGRESS Fic/Art collaboration with @kibagib After Johnny's career-ending mission against Makarov, Simon left and broke Johnny's heart. When they're thrown together three years later at Gaz's wedding, it sets off a chain of events that will change both their lives forever. For better or worse.

Up in Smoke MW II, pre MWIII * Rated T * 1,774 * COMPLETE A 5+1 style, hurt/comfort, getting together fic with a healthy helping of humor in which Ghost annoys Johnny by stealing his cigarettes. He's got his reasons.

You're my mask, you're my cover, my shelter Punisher AU * Rated E * IN PROGRESS (chapter 1 posted) Fic/Art collaboration with @kibagib When MI5 officer MacTavish tentatively partners with the vigilante Ghost, they uncover a vast web of betrayal. Learning to trust each other might be the only way to bring down the enemy. Learning to love each other might be the only way to stay alive.

#Sheith #shiro x keith #soapghost #soap x ghost #keith kogane #takashi shirogane #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #vld #Voltron #Call of Duty #cod mwii #fan fiction #my fic writing #og starlight

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sunsandwolves · 11 months

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Into the fray, they had gone once more. Only this time, it felt strangely personal... dozens of Worgen had partaken in some bizarre ritual of transformation. It was a test. A test to see who wanted to become a beast bad enough. And one of the mad fools had done it. Melek had successfully poisoned the feast they were to indulge in after the ritual, but the Coalition had foiled the dastardly plans of evil once again.

The din of combat swirled around her from her companions, her lover, but Yelena focused on the feeling of hot blood and flesh tearing under her grip. The beast had fallen to the ground, nay, she dropped it. Blood had streamed down her arms in thin ribbons, staining mostly her gloved hands.

It was a mercy. It was a mercy. It was a mercy.

More fell around her from the Knights' blades, and she had gone to join Sir Melek in wreaking havoc upon those that had gone to dine when the retreat sounded. Eight or so had died to their blades, and by the time Yelena had made it to Sir Melek's side, two of the five creatures were dead, the rest? Sluggish as the Wolfsbane crept into their systems. Tired and angry crimson eyes trained hungrily onto the youngest Sunshield daughter, swiping weakly with heavy paws but to no avail.

They lay crumpled on the ground, barely breathing. Staring in defeat up to the Knight and Yelena. Grey eyes bled into her own shade of crimson as she stared down at the creatures, and a bloodied hand lifted a flap on her glove. A small panel of buttons was revealed, and she felt Melek's intrigued stare on her profile as she stepped forward with a stomp. Shhk.

Twin blades flicked out from the toes of her boots. The one she approached on the ground stared up at her with twin sets of feral hues, only to be snuffed out with the press of a button. One blade erupted from her boot, wedging itself right between the eyes.

It was a mercy.

An emerald stare burned a hole into her back as he watched her begin her execution sentences. Yelena moved to the next one, and the button was pressed again. The second blade wedged itself into the beast's temple. The third? She knelt at its side, and her dagger fell into her palm without her permission. Her crimson stare met the other one, dying. Rest in hell.

A hand rested atop a furry skull to keep it in place, and it was with a final jerk of her hand that saw her dagger slide up and into the underside of the worgen's chin closest to its throat. A pained whine left the beast writhing in Yelena's grip before she jerked her wrist sharply, driving her blade further upwards to secure the kill. The dagger slipped free with a little tug, but like the rest, Yelena left their bodies at her feet. Finally, she lifted her stare to Melek, whose own eyes glimmered with a fire behind them, an understanding, a wordless voice of reassurance.

The rest had recuperated, gathering themselves after the bloodshed. They had won this fight with no injury or casualties and had decided that home was where they would return to next.

It was a mercy. She'd want it done to her if that were her.

Her bed wasn't the first place Yelena went when they returned back into Southwatch's high walls. In fact, she had turned and beelined it into their little chapel, covered in blood and various gore, and Yelena had plopped herself on the front pew, staring at her hands. Her shoulders rolled forward in a slouch, and she sighed slowly. It was a mercy.

"Right?" Yelena whispered at bloodied palms.

She could have sworn she felt gentle hands squeeze her shoulders from behind. The touch was familiar and long gone.

Yes, it was.

@melekdyneer (for mentions)

@theborderlandcoalition

#ic things

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yanderetrash · 1 year

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I swear ill shut up about it but

It may be that im just white knighting for Kim. I completely understand and acknowledge the possibility because otherwise it would be hypocritical

But. I feel like that one post is simply unfair, purely based on information we get in canon. Now, two things. Game is mostly what *you* make of it and one single playthru may not give you sufficient information which means you will substitute stuff based on your own personal bias

First off, based on my absolutely limited and flawed understanding of the world and with the caveat that at my best i can only half pay attention, revachol is an occupied state. Previously it was a monarchy and briefly a communist state but now its basically no national government or any other state branches but rather controlled by the coalition. In text this occupation is seen as "temporary" but also as, most likely if the status quo is not (heavily) hinted to change absolutely permanent. There are foreign military forces stationed in their airspace ready to strike at any moment should they try their whole independence thing again.

So yes ok this is a state under military occupation.

The RCM answers to the coalition such as it is because unfortunately that's the boss of this country now, they have been defeated and conquered. But like, RCM literally is the "citizen's militia" (in the name), and as Kim explains it its been set in place by the citizens (yknow) to take care (hey, let's say police) their own people. The coalition is not happy with this because the RCM is a house brand, not part of their structures. Shivers tells you that there is no need for the RCM in the rich parts of (the city? Its a city state, right?) so really they are only there to help the poor. Wouldn't the rich have better protection, coalition appointed? Bro i dont know either

The RCM does pretty much anything from cleaning up the streets of garbage to performing field autopsies, and it's underfunded and understaffed, with adherence to their ranks being voluntary. Sorta like the union appointed guys only tolerated by the occupational forces

Would also like to say that maybe as an american these very strong feelings don't translate as well but im east european so brother i feel so so so much. I understand their hope and hopelessness and probably have a more mellow, affectionate view of the whole situation. Of course that's part of my personal bias the window thru which i see the whole thing but i cant help but feel im closer to the shape because of it

Now the disaster of a main character youre playing as. I have to say first and foremost that this avengers good guys vs bad guys black and white mentality is sooooo boring and seriously detrimental to everything from worldview to personal growth. Blame whatever you want to blame for it (twitter, pop media, capitalism, idk). People don't necessarily have to fit into one of these two neat boxes labeled good guy and bad guy because by god people don't. Its not a storyteller's fault that their characters are not one or the other, bro thats good writing actually.

Hes a mentally unstable drunk who carries a heavy sadness and a strong air of failure and defeat. He's an overly sensitive little man who can barely face life one day after the other medicating this sadness with alcohol and drugs in a spiral of self destruction. And he really can't let go. The case, the love of his life. It's eating him away from the inside. Like, sometimes mental illness is not cute and its not pretty.

Bit sad that if you wouldn't wanna fuck a guy or whatever then hes tossed into the bad character pile. Wonder if he was good looking how much of this shit would have been overlooked, something to think abt.

So yea, he beat the shit out of that one guy. And he wasn't fired for it. Consider this however, the issue was ongoing for years, no one could find any solution, this wreck of a man was also drunk out of his mind, the only reason he wasn't reprimanded is because tallying things up his outburst solved the case and people (not the cops i mean the people complaining abt the drunks) were happy with the result.

But two things: i dont think that him being a cop made a difference here, harry would have done the same thing had he not been a cop but in the same mental state

And two, Kim would have never ever done this. I mean, no one else did all these years. It wasn't a strategy, it was a drunk's outburst

And three, harry felt very guilty afterwards (i know this doesnt excuse anything but does say something about him, no?), so much so he drunk himself into a mini mind wiping stupor. "Those two cases weighed heavily on you"

Lets be serious here, we've all met this person. Or could imagine this person. It makes me incredibly sad. Imagine to have to wake up being that person every day, i couldnt do it

Now onto the other guy. Completely agreed that Kim would walk around with any tolerate harrys whims if he wasnt a cop. I mean, why would he? I dont think they would even interact at all. The game wouldn't have happened. Null point.

His apprehension to interact with children is completely explained in game, and its not because hes an asshole but i think it would be better to just play the game and find out.

Besides, its not just harry hes patient and understanding with, its everyone. He plays second fiddle to your whims because you would play as Kim if that wasnt the case, but he never appears as anything but compassionate and understanding. He offers a prayer to the dead man. He treats the murderer with compassion. He agrees that letting Ruby go was the right choice and is heavily impacted by the loss of life after the tribunal. Maybe the choices made in game may affect the way he reacts (and honestly ive only done two playthrus so i dont know if hes secretly a bitch if you become fascist or something)

Sure hes a tiny little guy sometimes too rational for his own good, a cynic and a skeptic. Bit of a killjoy. But he's not an irredeemable asshole, and he's not a flawless saint either. He's a funny little weirdo and of course you want to please him since he's likeable and has an opinion on what you do (then again when games give me a little guy with opinions i always want to please them so maybe im not the best person to answer this one)

I think its very easy for strong feelings to swing from one side to the other (from love to hate) but i still don't believe this game is in any shape or form an allegory for modern day america or a commentary on the police institution in the US. Maybe its a bit of cultural dissonance at play. I dont know the remedy sad as it is because im not affected by it

#long post #holy shit its so fucking long but then again its a wordy post about the wordy game #disco elysium #so i concede that swindling those two teens out of their jackets was a bit of a dick move #but man was it funny lol

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atretimus · 9 months

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Chassis Fiction for Greed of the Fallen Star

What follows are short fiction pieces that give meaning to some of the names behind NPC Chassis in my created Lancer campaign, Greed of the Fallen Star. There might be more of these in the future.

Knight of Iska (ee-ska)

"Siblings, on the precipice of battle we stand. Do not dismay. It is inevitable; the cowardice of the nonbeliever carries them to conflict with the faithful through fear and jealousy. What comes next is not due to our error or flaw, but a test of our passion and love.

Do not hesitate, act with resilience. If you find yourself anxious look to us and follow the Knights of Iska of the First Vision.

We are bulwark, the unerring wave of commitment.

Iska, sleep well and dream far and deep."

-Sir Marcel Wert, First Knight of Iska, on the eve of battle.

Thunder of Meitte (may-et-tay)

Meitte, the colonial settlement on Leta Miya, and the mud flats around the Rocky shelf it sits have long been subjected to assaults and skirmishes.

It wasn't until the Kirkander Coalition developed a specific artillery chassis to deal with the environmental conditions was either side able to seize Meitte completely.

Although slow, these mobile batteries allowed for flexible battle lines with substantial firepower, manned by limited, but skilled pilots. It was the salvo sound of these batteries that earned the MB-OF1 chassis the name 'Thunder of Meitte.

Pillar of Yisa (Yee-saw)

Yisa Sonnhein, or Saint Yisa, was known to the Order of the Azure Star as a champion and defender of her.

Her deeds as a fierce warrior are only second to her deeds as a protector. Whether holding choke points towards the end of the SecComm sieges or drawing fire while charging the trenches during the Silu Crusades, Saint Yisa was unerring in her devotion.

An order of proclaimed paladins use chassis modeled after Yisa's, The Pillars of Yisa.

The Litany of Saint Yisa:

"Saint Yisa, give us strength.

Mother of Courage, hold us steady.

Pillar of Honor, shelter our siblings.

Shieldbearer Yisa, teach us victory.

Sister Yisa, please make us Pillars of the Star Azure.

Lend us your blessing, Saint Yisa."

Technomancer

"Dandrec!"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Write this down: Wearable Office. Just *sigh* take this file... flick."

Ping, Dandrec looked down at the tablet he held in his hand. An absolute cascade of technical schematics and scribbled notes. He went through it briefly, and watched the concise genius become unraveled and bizarre.

"Iain,...where are you?" Dandrec found himself standing in Iain Kirkander's office, which she had apparently torn apart in favor of a workshop space. A pile of electronics, circuit boards, and struts sat in the middle of the floor.

"Did you send it to Engineering?" said the pile, "Your silence feels like a no."

"Iain, I'm sure this... Techno... mancer? It looks... great, but like... have you slept? You're late for a meeting you set."

"Dandrec, I'm going to need your help standing."

#writing #lancer rpg #greed of the fallen star #ttrpg #homebrew

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ask-mortarion-the-death-lord · 2 years

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Outside of 40k, im a bit of a fire emblem fan and Its been a few years since fire emblem: three houses came out. However, its been relatively popular since and a warriors spinoff for it is set to come out fairly soon. SO, since fire emblem three houses has school houses as part of its setting, fuck it primarchs based on garreg mach officers academy houses/fodlan nationalities

lion el'johnson: blue lions/faerghus. come on, as the house and nation big on knights and chivalry its a natural fit for mr knights and chivalry el'johnson himself. additional info: noble, talent in swords lances authority and riding

REDACTED

fulgrim: golden deer/leicester. initially i thought the black eagles was a natural fit, but on reflection the golden deer and leicester probably work better in terms of fulgrims history. fulgrim was found by depressed miners and helped turn around a dying planet thanks to a head for logistics and management. thus him being from the mercantile and less centralized leicester makes more sense to me, though he would still be obsessed with luxury and culture, in this specific case adrestian culture, fashion and luxury. additional info: commoner, talent in swords bows and authority

perturabo: blue lions/faerghus. seeing where i place rogal the house and nation that has the more tense/combative relation to rogals own house/nation makes the most sense, hence perturabo being in the blue lions. hed probably have some relation to house rowe as well so that he could spend all day laughing at rogal well he fortifies castle arianrhod from attack. additional info: noble, talent in axes bows and heavy armor

jaghatai khan: golden deer/leicester. unfortunately theres not really a steppe group in three houses that jaghatai could neatly fit into, but three houses comes in clutch for me here with almyra a persian empire inspired country that has a lot of contact with leicester and even nearly conquered all of fodlan before a multi country coalition pushed them back out to the border, and now the almyrans make a game of testing a big all wall border fortification set in leicester. so, jaghatais related to the almyran empire but he lives in leicester, maybe a small group of ethnic almyrans continuing to live in fodlan idk. additional info: commoner, talent in swords bows and riding

lemen russ: blue lions/faerghus. sometimes the obvious choice is just right, fenrir is cold and faerghus is cold. therefore, faerghus a good fit for lemen. that said as opposed to being a noble or commoner in the traditional sense, id probably lean towards lemen being of sreng descent as sreng is described as being run by barbarian tribes and its lost a lot of land to faerghus over the years. alternatively he lived in sreng for a while before a noble of faerghus adopted him idk. additional info: commoner, talent in axes lances and brawling

rogal dorn: black eagles/adrestia. well like lemen rogals grew up on a very cold place rogal also makes a point about emphasizing his connection to terra and the imperial fists are even regarded as 'terras legion/chapter', and since adrestia is effectively the terra of fodlan in its own way, a center of culture and historical power thats slipped into stagnancy as it makes an embarrassment of itself but still remains fabulously wealthy and elitist. also it was between peter turbo and randal dan being put into adrestia and i decided rogal just made more sense. additional info: noble, talent in swords lances and authority

konrad curze: black eagles/adrestia. for mr batman the question really does come down to which nation is the most involved in intrigue that'd probably result in a lil murder batman stalking extravagant streets brutally murdering people. adrestias the prime choice in that regarded given how much shit people get up to in there, so konrad gets to be even more murder batman with dead parents probably. additional info: noble, talent in swords bows and brawling

sanguinius: blue lions/faerghus. sanguinius was difficult to place honestly, as well adrestia would be the arguably more obvious choice it didnt also feel right given that an important aspect of sanguiniuses identity is the harsh enviorment he grew up in yet he remained an honorable as primarchs go fellow. thus i settled on faerghus which has harsher climates in general then the other nations and places a lot of weight on honor and chivalry as guiding principles. hed probably have lived closer to the sreng region which is noted has having some desert attached to it oddly enough which better fits the idea of baal anyways. additional info: commoner, talent in swords lances authority and flying

ferrus manus: blue lions/faerghus. difficult to figure out a place for him, i thought maybe going for leicester would have been the best choice for easy fulgrim friendship but that can still pretty easily happen if ferrus happens to be from faerghus. especially if the mercantile fulgrims family is seeking to buy good faerghus weapons from ferruses blacksmith family. additional info: commoner, axes brawling and heavy armor

REDACTED

angron: black eagles/adrestia. i forget if colosseums are ever mentioned in three houses proper, but they and former/escaped gladiators as playable characters are a staple for the series that angron can fit most nicely into. in this case angron would be a former gladiator that got 'generously' rescued from his situation by a wealthy adrestian noble through adoption, an adoptive father that angron cant help but despise of course. additional info: commoner talent in sword axes and brawling

roboute guilliman: black eagles/adrestia. roboute could theoretically go anywhere but i narrowed it down to adrestia as it has the heaviest actual roman vibes of the three nations though in part largely comparatively. additional info: noble, talent in swords brawling and authority

mortarion: golden deer/leicester. mortarion definitely doesn't fit in the adrestian context given how adrestia is mired in tradition, nobility and social conventions. faerghus might work in terms of climate and topography, but again knights and chivalry just aren'ts morts style. in the end leicester felt like the best fit, in its more internally competitive mercantile nature, it still has plenty of mountains for mort to brood over and ironically theres more of an emphasis on poisons and its like in leicester then in the other nations. additional info: noble, talent in axes lances and reason[black magic]

magnus the red: black eagles/adrestia. as adrestia is considered to be the magical power house of fodlan it makes sense to place magnus in the house correlating to magic central [ironically adrestia doesn't actually have a school of magic]. additionally well its never seen in game id give him half morfis heritage as well, as morfis is supposedly even more magical and importantly has a lot of desert from what little is known. additional info: commoner, talent in lances bows and reason

horus lupercal: black eagles/adrestia. seeing as so much of horuses identity is tied up in being the golden boy of the empire, it almost feels mandatory to lump him into the only empire on fodlan and id argue its still a good fit for him as adrestian identity is in part based heavily on pride and old glories. additional info: noble, talent in swords axes brawling authority and heavy armor

lorgar: black eagles/adrestia. another theoretical placement anywhere, but seeing as adrestia is basically the origin of church faith in fodlan and is currently having trouble with cooled church relations it felt naturally appropriate for lorgar who would have a lot of connection to church elements. additional info: commoner, talent in axes faith [white magic] and authority

vulkan: golden deer/leicester. a difficult placement cause geographically the only really volcanic/fire related location in fodlan is ailell "the valley of torment". decided on leicester and the golden deer though as vulkan being a 'friend of the people' fits pretty easily into leicesters less stratified society and he can still live near ailell. additional info: commoner, talent in swords lances axes and heavy armor

corvus corax: black eagles/adrestia. a character that doesn't really have a place to fit into the context of three houses unfortunately, meaning im not exactly confident on this one. i decided on adrestia for corvus ultimately because it just felt right and adrestia had more background to it that left room for the kind of rebel fighter coruvs grew up as in it before becoming a bit of a boot licker as it were. additional info: commoner, talent in brawling faith and flying

alpharius omegon: golden deer/leicester. master of deception himself/themselves[?], alphariuses origins history and even character are pretty unclear generally but i do feel leicester fits him better as a nation thats a little bit more open and internally hectic itself that might birth someone so tight fisted and close chested as alpharius. plus it gives him ground to get into conflict with roboute the sly boy. additional info: noble[?], talent in lances bows and authority

#warhammer 40k #warhammer40k #fire emblem

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peachlover94 · 4 months

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Scrap Anime Series Idea Stockpile (Collection 2)

Here are some more ideas for potential new anime series both in long/continuing and short/near-OVA/ONA (Original Video Animation/Original Net Animation) form!

My question to you, is, which of the following has the most potential that would be deserving to be seen on television or online?

Hash it out in the comments below which ideas jump out at you the most and seem like they'd be fun to see.

1) Aura of Infinity - In this dark, tragic yet heartwarming josei/seinen story, a young male-to-female trans lady named Aura Nagai lives with an abusive mother, father and sisters who descend from a group of followers of a paleoconservative extremist religious sect of Mahikari. Already shunned and looked at with suspicion by others in her family as well as her school peers, it is through Aura still demonstrating her kind heart that a Shinigami by the name of Izumi becomes Aura's Kami Godmother and grants her the powers and skills to become a Grim Reaper. Together, Aura and Izumi serve as partners in defending worthy humans from evil spirits and hunting down all the truly evil souls so they can be judged by kindly King Yama of the Afterlife. Even as the powers start destroying her sanity and body, Aura as a Reaper is determined to leave enough of a legacy freeing her from her family's tyranny for true friends.

2) Cross Coil Chisato - In this bishonen/bishojo magical girl series, a young girl from a rotten family named Chisato happens across a magical coil bracelet watch that lets her change form into anything she can think of and need by shouting "Cross Coil!". Sometimes her jaunts with transformation into other people/beings with their knowledge, powers and skills passed onto her are simply for fun and escape from her family to do something nice for her few friends in the know of her secret. At other times, innocent lives are on the line as she must remain one step ahead of the world authorities and the powers who seek the Cross Coil to either destroy or take control of the world. Only Chisato and her friends can learn to use the Cross Coil with wisdom and care to balance out the powerful energies it emits - but the need to protect it will soon force Chisato to go on the run and finally free herself from her past for all new chapters.

3) Electric Warriors Aesir - In this bishojo/josei fantasy isekai sentai series, the mysterious video game and consumer electronics developer Aesir sends out seven rainbow discs which are then picked up by seven girls curious about them and what they could do with running a disc on their own game systems or personal computers. Digitized into cyberspace Tron style, the girls find they have gained powers in both cyberspace and the real world to protect them both from the viruses of Ragnarok. Through their ups and downs of friendship and battling to make and protect new worlds for strangers online, these seven girls form an order of knight princesses who are look stylish and cute while tough under fire. They are the Electric Warriors of Aesir formed from one Opera Yellow (3DO coalition), Leona Red (Atari), Siri Pink (Apple), Cortana Green (Microsoft), Revol White (Nintendo), Dural Blue (Sega) and Neo Black (Sony).

4) Guen Takada, HSPI (High School Private Investigators) - The high school comedy hijinks of Azumanga Daioh and the increasingly incredulous detective mysteries of Detective Conan (Case Closed) crossed with the teen drama of Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why? What's not to like? In this eclectic shojo/shonen/seinen/josei series, Guen Takada is a jaded child prodigy in high school who decides to fill out her extracurricular activities by becoming a private eye to solve the high school mysteries that don't get solved. She forms the Roppongi High Private Eyes Agency with her group of friends who are a rotating set of partners who fill the regular high school social roles - academic athlete, a duo of preppy straight woman and slacker wise girl, innocent space case, intimidating shrinking violet, and a secret admirer of the shrinking violet. From drug busts, missing mascots and even a suicide; the RHPIs can cover it for you.

5) Inch-Son and the Magic Hammer - The bishonen/shonen epic inspired by the fairy tale of Issun-bōshi, the childless old governor of Kumamoto and his wife make a passing prayer for the Three Gods of the Sea for a child. The three sea gods in conference with their mentor the Empress Jingū decide to answer the couple's prayer and bless them with a child about an inch high whom they name Inch Son. One day, Inch Son decides to leave home and set out for the capital Tokyo to become a warrior defending the weak and advising both the Emperor and or Prime Minister so his family can avoid destitution. At the start of his journey, he uses objects his size to overcome different obstacles, including using his size to defeat a voracious psycho from the inside so he can save a girl. Using the magic hammer the psycho hoarded on himself to grow into an adult, Inch Son and Reika travel Japan with the hammer to protect innocents.

6) Killer Rage - In this dark josei/seinen drama inspired by various vigilante movies, Katsumi Poku is a former JSDF Special Ops officer who has retired to be a housewife and mother for her family in Sapporo. Her retirement is cut short when a turf war breaks out between major Yakuza syndicates trying to establish footholds on all the Japanese islands. With her children hospitalized and husband murdered, a burning rage simmers in Katsumi as she plans to enact her vigilante justice by causing the syndicates' war to boil over. With the help of a comrade of hers from the JASDF infiltrating the syndicates, Katsumi wages unconventional warfare upon the family bosses by planting evidence that their underlings are plotting to betray them. With her new "employers" wound up, she gets them vulnerable to offing each other while she also makes time to help innocents who have been done wrong by police on a syndicate's payrolls.

7) 108 Pearls Of Twelve Knights - In this shonen harem action isekai series, a young boy gets a shock when he discovers he is actually a young prince spirited away from the Genpei War of the Kamakura Period. This boy, Makito, is rescued from a posse of Yukaza by an onna-musha (female Samurai) named Zuina who takes him back through a portal in a sacred onsen for his own time to their ruined kingdom. The evil Daishogun Watarou has been seeking the powers of Shinigami and the storm god Susanoo to conquer the lands he has ravaged, and Watarou's rise can only be countered by the 108 pearls of Amaterasu herself. Makito is brought back to Zuina's Order of the Eleven, a motley group of female Samurai including herself who chose to join together to get Makito back and liberate their lands. Together, they shall overcome many obstacles to obtain the pearls to grant each possessor nine wishes and defeat evil Watarou.

8) Pathfinder Super Dimension Armada - In this josei/seinen mecha/military science fiction series being a spiritual continuation of Tatsunoko and Big West Advertising's joint venture in making the Super Dimension trilogy of programs some of which got adapted as Robotech by Harmony Gold, fleets of giant space arks set out from Earth and the Solar System to seek out and terraform new worlds for colonization. Captain Kiana (Quiana) Photon leads Pathfinder's Pioneer Ranger Corps in protecting planetary landing parties as well as leading defense of the mother ship and attacks on enemy forces in humanoid Star Fighter mechas. Kiana is to men and women of her 777th Legion/Squadron the "Spectrals" the big sister who flouts authority when orders cross ethical lines. But Kiana must pull everyone together to stand against forces of the Krona Patriarchy - an empire built on the suffering of all women and nonbinary slaves.

9) Rescue Me From My Family - In this dark josei/seinen story, a spotlight is shone on family abuse and the use of online technology to save lives whereby battered kids and sympathetic guardians can find an escape to better lives. Noriko Kawada, an ex-domestic abuse survivor in her own right, managed to serve in the JASDF and then become a relief pilot for the National Rescue Aid Society as we follow her on what appears to be yet another mission - sneak into a village near Rokkasho and smuggle a young femboy to freedom out from under the heels of his intolerant and psychotic parents. She takes off aboard her NRAS-operated Boeing 727 up to Aomori where her contact waits to help her spring the boy Mitsuru Kitano out. In doing so, they trigger a cult of angry extremist Mahikari determined to sacrifice him and other kids for their sins - and Noriko realizes she is going to make quite a mess if the kids are to be rescued.

10) Tactical Witches - In this new installment of Fumikane Shimada's military science fiction World Witches series, we follow the 555th Joint Fighter Wing stationed in Diamond Bay just in between Fuso and Liberion to protect the Aloha islands against Neuroi. Dispatched to help whip the 555th into shape, Akira Matsura of the Fuso Imperial Navy has to team with Jenny Doolittle of the Liberion Army Air Force in building up a fighter wing capable of protecting a series of fighter and bomber convoys to take out both Neuroi hives encroaching on Asia and the North and South American continents as well as radical fascistic terrorist movements all plotting to overthrow the League of Nations and all who champion democracy. What they do not expect, however, is a Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who after being shown up by many women being more capable fighters is about to go Section 8 and become worse than Neuroi.

11) Voyage of the Galactic Railroad - Inspired by the novel by Kenji Miyazawa, this combo of shojo/shonen follows the eleven Miyazawa siblings (six boys, five girls) who join up with the Allied Galactic Railways' crew of train number 8444 - the Starway Limited - en route across known galaxies to search for the meaning of life. This comes as the Miyazawas themselves in the course of their odyssey that they are some of the last remnants of humanity in space with the Earth being destroyed by the Earth's ruling corporate classes pulling a Samson gambit to wipe out their enemies in the working and middle classes trying to topple their tyranny via all the thermonuclear weapons being hijacked. As the Miyazawas search for their parents while trying to be representatives and protectors of humanity and other endangered species, tight bonds are formed with the crew of the Starway Limited and its own engine numbered 8444.

12) Xeno Precinct - Imagine the high school dramedy of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and the speculative fiction (fantasy/horror/monster/mystery/science fiction) anthologies of say The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits along with cop shows like Starsky and Hutch. In a large metropolitan Japanese public high school, this josei/seinen drama follows a team of six boys and five girls who with the help of their teachers investigate the paranormal happenings and protect their city from horrors and invaders across spacetime. But whenever their club - the Xeno Precinct meets on Friday nights, they make sure to don black sunglasses and black pantsuits with white dress shirts before picking up the equipment to track down, scout out or eliminate any threats coming Earth's way. They do this as a way to keep the school funded for the next years or so by taking on service fees for keeping students safe from galactic psychos.

13) Zeo Amazon Electra - In this epic josei/seinen military science fiction mecha story, our Solar System is under the cruel grasp of the Solar Victors' Alliance with one planet and all its moons daring to fight back in pursuit of independence. A suicidal orphan girl named Naharu uncovers and bonds with a humanoid combat vehicle called a Zeo Amazon. This one, Electra, is one of the Pleiades - seven historic Zeo Amazons who once were the keepers of justice and peace in the Solar System's early days of colonization. Together with the Europa Vox forces, Naharu and Electra wage a campaign of terror on various colonies and outposts of the Victors in hopes of rescuing others who could bond with the six other sister Zeo Amazons to reform the Pleiades. Over the course of the war, however, Naharu finds she has a stalker in the Solar Victors' ace combat pilot Junpei Heracles who sees a dark future if the Pleiades ever return.

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theborderlandcoalition · 10 months

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The burning of woes

Westfall// Barony of Southwatch

Over the summers and over the years, House Sunshield played host to many festivals but this would be the first of its kind with Southwatch as the host. Invitations by way of nail-pinned announcements were posted in all three villages within the barony. They were simple but joyful summons for one and all to travel to Southwatch keep for the lighting of the bonfire ceremony and burning of woes.

“Are you ready, Anthony? - suck in! Suck in! There you go. Nice and tight.”

Anthony’s gut lifted as he sucked in a breath and stiffened, and once the heavy belt was in place he exhaled and tested the strength of the leather. Perhaps he needed to stop with the sweetcakes, he mused, fingerless gloves patting against his belly and the leather. It would hold, it always did. Was he ready? Outside the main gate, he could hear the gathering of people laughing and chattering while the children yelled and fed on the excitement of the evening.

It was time.

The gates creaked as they opened, and the house guard, dressed in their rich gold and red tabards, moved forward to keep the press of people from breaking the rope line that had been set up to mark out a path and to let them know where the boundaries of welcome ended.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…” Anthony schooled his features into wide-eyed excitement as he stepped forward, arms spread wide so that the red and orange feather cape fluttered around him.

A boy dashed forward, a milkcrate slid perfectly into place so that he could step up and be seen by all. “BOYS AND GIRLS… I formally welcome you to Southwatch Keep and the first annual festival of woe.” His wrists rotated, fingers curling into claws that turned toward the sky. At the word ‘woe’ a positioned aid on either side of the gate leaned forward to breathe fire in a crisscross behind him. Good.

Someone screamed. More clapped. Good.

“People of Southwatch..” He stepped forward and down from the crate, moving past the gates as he bellowed. “.. what is your woe?”

“Defias bitches!” Someone screamed.

“Gnolls.”

“Gods damned rabbits eating my crops!”

“Jack!”

“FUCK YOU - I ain't a woe.”

A soft whirr of the belt tattled that not only did it hold against the pressure of his gut, but it was doing its job of scattering the ember seeds in his wake. The evening was upon them and the torchlight caused the seeds to flicker and dance as if on fire and caused by his very footsteps. He pathed toward the unlit bonfire, his arms no longer spread. When he reached the dais some feet away, he marched up the steps, already out of breath and face flushed but only the crickets would be witness.

“Without further fuckery… I offer you the Squires of Lord Sunshield. Each squire marches with the oils needed to aid in setting our woes aflame. Yes, you could burn them yourselves but it is a burden that no one should have to suffer alone. Unity is strength, unity is food on our tables and fighting together not to change the world but to make sure our kin see another dawn. Another Westfall dawn.”

The squires marched, not in the coalition tabards as often seen in Duskwood but in the red and golds of House Sunshield. In their hands was a grass bowl of oil that was tossed onto the unlit bonfire before they moved to stand at the dais and beneath him.

Good. Good.

“I offer you the Knights of Sunshield. Look there, you see that they wear cloaks of paper, look closely my friends. The paper carries its own personal woes, burdens, and failures scribed onto each part. These cloaks are heavy on their backs by sheer weight of thought. But still, they stand ready. Still, they move forward before you despite the weight.”

Anthony’s head jerked to the side as a white-haired boy raced through the gate’s opening and moved to grip one of the knight’s paper cloak at the hem and lifted it up over his head. That.. was not planned. What did the boy shout?

A murmur spread through the crowd and suddenly silence washed over them, randomly a child cried but they watched with only a low murmur of sound as the knights moved to the bonfire and one by one unbound the cloaks and tossed them in.

What did the boy say?

Together the boy and Knight tossed the paper cloak before moving to take up positions near the dais.

“For the people!” Anthony bellowed, attempting to feed the energy back into the crowd. When the Knight brought the boy to his shoulder, a cheer followed and the rush of noise returned. “I offer you House Sunshield. Lord Sunshield and his family, Lord Sunshield carries the torch needed to light our bonfire, perhaps it weighs like a feather or perhaps it weighs like a mountain but we will never know for it is his burden for his family and for the people. For you.” The progression moved toward the bonfire, each person dressed in some kind of costume to represent fire. Everyone moved up onto the dais behind where he stood, all save for Lord Sunshield who finished the walk to the fire alone and paused to wait near the oil-soaked wood and cloaks but did not dip the torch. Lighting the bonfire would not be his honor.

“And finally – hailing from the town of Brushwind, our first married couple of the season. Our very own south region sheep herders, Fred and Ginger. Please welcome them as our blessed couple of the year and make sure that throughout the evening you give them your blessings, advice, and good energy.” Fred and Ginger, both with shockingly red hair and laughing eyes, raced from the keep’s interior with hands held. Unlike the day of their wedding, they left off the rich celebration colors in favor of white linen and flower crowns. Bare feet carried them down the walkway, past cheering kin to where Lord Sunshield stood.

Fred stepped forward, bowed, and took the torch from the lord. He held it in the sky as Lord Sunshield moved to join his family on the dais. Once his lord was settled, he turned and offered the honor of tossing the torch to his wife, who grinned at him in what was clearly adoration before she collected the torch and turned with a flourish.

It was time.

“READY YOUR WOES.” Anthony bellowed, arms lifting into the air once more.

Ginger tossed the torch onto the bed of paper cloaks left by the knights before the couple raced to the dais to join the squires.

“NOW!”

Flames licked up the pyramid of wood, red and orange fingers reaching for the sky within moments. A sky that was filled with little paper wads, paper airplanes, sachets of herbs, and notes as the people of Southwatch tossed their woes into the fire. Now was the time for healing. Now was the time for love and romance -of adapting and overcoming.

Now was the time for Ale.

“For the people.”

#Prompt #Midsummer at Southwatch #rp

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belovedknightdraws · 3 months

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Happy 17 years of torture oc

@toaster-fire-art

#joint custody oc #ilyyyyyyyy #the bestie ever #digital art #my art #knight on fire coalition #artists on tumblr #torture my oc #my artwrok

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toaster-fire-art · 3 months

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National best friend day was apparently yesterday? Cheers! Commiting crimes (mostly OC related) together for...waY TO LONG NO WAS HAS IT BEEN 17 YEARS

@belovedknightdraws

#my art #toasterfireart #you made me feel like an old man #aint no way #MWAH #i love you #ilyyyyyy #grgrgrggrgr #joint custody oc #knight on fire coalition #beastie babe #i'm going to kiss you on the cheek #self portrait #personal art #sort of #just us guys lmao

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whatisonthemoon · 1 year

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The Unification Church Seeks Influence, Acceptance Among the Political ”Christian” Right (2009)

From the Christian Research Institute Updated: Jul 31, 2022 Published: Jun 9, 2009

After newspapers across America last December revealed Unification Church attempts to infiltrate the political “Christian Right” through gifts to political action committees and conservative Christian groups, the Moonies quieted their activities.

Now some Unification Church-watchers are concerned that the group is stepping-up another tactic which may result in political acceptance: infiltrating independent charismatic ministries to gain favor in the burgeoning charismatic movement as a whole.

“They’re out there winning friends and influencing people,” said a source at the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) who did not want to be named, adding that gaining acceptance in America is essential to the church’s objective of having their leader Sun Myung Moon recognized as the second coming of Christ.

Last December’s articles, which appeared mostly in prominent Knight-Ridder newspapers, stated that in March 1987 Moon forged an alliance with the Christian Voice, the largest conservative Christian lobby in America. They also reported that Moon has been funding anticommunist guerrillas in Central America, Afghanistan, and the Philippines, and that the Unification Church gave the late John T. Dolan, founder of the 300,000-member National Conservative Political Action Committee, a $775,000 gift. Former Treasury Secretary Robert Anderson had also been paid $127,500 as a Unification Church consultant.

Recently the NAE warned its members to be wary of Unification Church attempts to infiltrate their ranks by joining with organizations that seem to have conservative goals. Moon-watchers say two points of Moonie infiltration into the Christian community have been over issues of religious freedom and anticommunism.

In recent years certain Christian leaders have been criticized for what some perceived as drawing too close to the Unification Church. Several years ago Tim LaHaye, Christian author and head of the American Coalition for Traditional Values, came under fire for accepting a gift from Col. Bo Hi Pak, a former Korean intelligence officer, president of the Washington Times newspaper, and Moon’s right-hand man. Since then, a number of pastors from a broad spectrum of denominations have received free trips from CAUSA, a Unification Church-funded anticommunism organization. Churchmen have also been speaking at CAUSA rallies (e.g., Jerry Fallwell spoke at a conference in Miami last year which was co-sponsored by CAUSA).

Another group admitting Unification Church funding is the American Freedom Coalition (AFC), publisher of the monthly Religious Freedom Alert, headed by Donald Sills as president and Robert Grant as chairman. Although LaHaye, Florida pastor D. James Kennedy, and others have left the AFC because of the Moon connection, others, such as Trinity Broadcasting Network’s Paul Crouch, Ben Armstrong of the National Religious Broadcasters, evangelists James Robison and Rex Humbard, and other prominent evangelicals have remained on AFC’s executive committee. (Although there is no known direct connection between CAUSA and AFC, Sills often speaks at CAUSA functions. CAUSA is headed by Phillip V. Sanchez, former U.S. Ambassador to Honduras and Columbia.)

In recent days Sills has been concentrating on attacking anti-cult organizations as a threat to religious freedom to audiences with a high percentage of charismatics. Sills (who visited Moon during his prison term) appeared May 3 on Crouch’s “Praise the Lord” show on TBN and denounced the secular Cult Awareness Network (CAN). From there Sills went on the AFC’s radio network hosted by Grant and sharply criticized CAN and cultwatchers in general. (In recent months Sills has emerged as a public affairs spokesman for the Greater Grace World Outreach — formerly The Bible Speaks World Outreach, a controversial group a federal judge recently ordered to return $6.6 million in contributions it swindled from a former member.)

But many agree that the church’s best attempt at influencing the political right is Bo Hi Pak’s Washington Times newspaper, which is reportedly losing $200 million a year. Moon himself is widely reported as saying he is having an influence on President Reagan “through the Washington Times”.

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aussielong · 1 year

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Wargame red dragon political points cheat

DOWNLOAD NOW Wargame red dragon political points cheat

On February 5th, Alex, Politics and War's game administrator took to the forums to announce sweeping moderation action against members of the New Pacific Order's government. The controversial leaked logs that led to the outbreak of the conflict. Some debate still exists however the revelation would appear to validate the Casus Belli. However, it was later revealed that The Covenant and the Black Knights had continued planning to hit Chaos Bloc, despite Surf's Up. There was some debate as to the validity of these logs as they were a month old and predated the ongoing war between KETOG-Chaos, ' Surf's Up'. Another claim propagated by the Chaos-KETOG coalition is that ' The Inquisition' didn't disband and that this war was inevitable. The Covenant and Black Knights drew heavy criticism from Chaos-KETOG for pursuing wars against the two smaller (by player count) spheres. Upon the release, a de facto cease-fire occurred between the opposing sides and the eventual end of the war. The Casus Belli for the conflict was leaked logs from The Commonwealth showing Sphinx, their leader outlining a plan for The Covenant and the Black Knights to hit Chaos Bloc and to convince N$O sphere ( New Pacific Order - Syndicate) to attack KETOG. 4.60 February 12th, 2020 - Roqpocalypse Extension.4.58 February 7th, 2020 - Roqpocalypse Day 3.4.57 February 6th, 2020 - Roqpocalypse Day 2.4.56 February 5th, 2020 - Roqpocalypse Day 1.Significant controversies had also plagued the war with countless accusations of cheating by opposing sides. Many alliances switched sides throughout the war on several occasions and other sub-conflicts had broken out. More than all 12 previous global wars combined. The size and length of the conflict subsequently made it the most destructive conflict ever fought, with damages surpassing 2.5 trillion dollars. It was the largest global war in history, with a total of 71 alliances (33 in KETOG/Chaos coalition and 45 in BK's coalition with 7 being involved in both sides) involved in the war. The historic conflict had extended well beyond the norm, lasting over 8 months. The war ended on February 20, 2020, with Coalition A, consisting of KETOG, Chaos, Rose and t$ spheres defeating Coalition B, consisting of Opus Dei, The Covenant and affiliated alliances. NPO's Last Time was a global conflict that broke out on June 17th, 2019, when Knights Templar, The Golden Horde, Empyrea, Guardian, Grumpy Old Bastards, Rose, and members of Chaos Bloc declared war on the members of The Covenant and Black Knights. Damage totals are preliminary, updated as of February 6th, 2020.

Damage totals include units, infrastructure, loot lost and resources used.Disbandment of Black Knights, New Pacific Order and Guardians of the Galaxy.Leaked logs revealing tC/BK Sphere plans to hit Chaos Bloc

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#Wargame red dragon political points cheat

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dailyadventureprompts · 3 years

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Hi! I'm prepping a campaign in a world where Orcus is taking over. I'm having issues coming up with adventure hooks that keep the through plot in mind, so my players dont just do random sidequests until the BBEG battle. Any ideas for adventures that can be tied into Orcus taking over the world? Something with demons and undead maybe? Thank you so much!

Dungeon: The D(r)ead Citadel

Listen closely, hear this dark hall echo with the words of long ago; let them whisper to you of their glories and the terrors of their rein. Remember then that they are gone, but the dark and the hall remain.

Adventure Hooks:

The Party first hears about the Dead Citadel as the setting for a climatic battle between good and evil in ages past, where vile plots were enacted from the safety of the high mountains, and heroes marched against the seat of wickedness that sought to rule over all the world. The Fortress’s location, who built it, and its ultimate fate change from telling to telling, as some say it was reduced to ruble, and others claim it was conceited by magic.

Yet again, their rival slips through the party’s grasp, slipping through a portal of green fire to a stronghold that no scrying or divination can reveal. If only they could unravel the mystery of the ancient stone gates that always seem to feature in this malefactor’s lair, they may be able to track them back to their secret base, rather than chasing them all around the map.

When the dark lord is away, the fiends will play. After the defeat of their less than competent leader, the latest coalition of villains and fiends to occupy the Dead Citadel has dissolved into infighting and factionalism, split between the egoistic lieutenants who think themselves worthy of being the next leader, and the marauders gathered by the promise of plunder who want to loot the place and move on to their next job. The party experiences these struggles second hand, as waves of henchmen and warbeasts are driven out of the fortress as these different factions vie for power, spilling out over into civilized lands and drawing all manner of attention to their previously secret lair.

While traveling trough the mountains, the party encounters a questing knight, tired and a little worse for ware, but full of resolve. Ser Elone is on a quest to vanquish a great evil he’s heard dwells within the heart of a shadowed fortress hidden somewhere among the peaks, as a testimate to his dedication to his lord ( who’s land the fortress threatens) and his honor ( which he claims was besmirched by his rash actions in his youth).

Setup: The Dead Citadel is an ancient place raised by the power of Orcus, the dead god of oaths, as a hall to house his campions. Its foundations were laid in the shallows of the shadowfell, putting it out of touch of most mortal besigers but close enough for its inhabitants to ride out onto the material plane whenever their master wished it. The fortress has served many in its millennia of existence, mad schemers, wardens who guarded against the encroaching dark, and has a habit of “bucking” those that displease it to make room for new occupants.

Though those who dwell within the Citadel have over the ages devised their own means of egress, the traditional entrance and exit to this umbral realm is through a transient demi-plane known as “The Perilous Stair”. The Stair manifests in high cliffs or ruins, and resembles a crumbling switchback path that looks just sturdy enough to chance. Though at may at first seem to lead where you want to go, spending too long upon the stair strands the traveler on a miles long track over unfamiliar and nightmarish scenery with only the Citidel on the horizon.

Challenges & Complications:

If the party follows Elone on his quest, they will find the steps to the haunted bastion, and will be challenged again and again by undead and other wicked things as they make their ascent. Demons lurk just out of reach, tormenting Elone with knowledge of his failings, and heckling the party on their foolish sympathies. The reason for their scorn is discovered soon, as the party stumbles across the tarnished wreck of a warrior’s body: Ser Elone, who died attempting to conquer the fortress many decades ago, and has been caught in a ghostly loop of failing and forgetting ever since. Resolve broken, the ghostly knight begins to fade away, and if the party cannot restore his faith, they will have to face the growing crowd of demons on their own.

Unless properly claimed by an owner that it “approves” of, the Dead Citadel has a nasty habit of rearranging itself, cordoning off whole wings, scattering itself over multiple mountain peaks surrounded by windblown bridges of rotten rope or crumbling stone, causing floors to give way to unexpected pit traps, or simply making the ceilings inconveniently low or the hallways claustrophobically close together. This effect can be counteracted by taking a rubbing of a schematic-etched stone at the heart of each tower, freezing the floorplan in place so long as the party is in possession of them.

Orcus was fond of trials, and a multitude of chambers within this citadel exist purely as manifestations of that urge. Some trials are complex, testing the party’s cunning, resolve, and ability to follow through with decisive action. Other trials are as simple deathmatches, successive waves of demons summoned into a sealed chamber to overwhelm intruder while a disembodied voice offers such helpful advice as “ SLAY THEM” or “SURVIVE”.

Player home:

Should the party wish it, they may stake their own claim on the Dead Citadel, and should they manage to oust the former occupants, the fortress will likely oblige them. There are many secrets hidden throughout the fortress, as each successive master left their treasures in ways they assumed were secure. Greatest of these may be a Wand of Orcus in the Citadel’s deepest vaults, though gaining access to it will require besting all of the dead-gods challenge rooms.

The party will gain access to the teleportation network once used by Orcus’s champions, allowing them to travel to sacred sites throughout the world, or even deeper into the shadowfell.

Strangers and Spirits may appear on the Perilous Stair from time to time, scooped up by chance or when the Citadel thought they would be useful to the party’s cause.

To the Question Asker:

Generally I advise against planning a campaign with a specific endgame in mind, but thankfully there’s a lot of material out there on Orcus that you can fill a lot of adventures with.

My First thought is: Don’t make the campaign about Orcus, have the Demon god be a means by which certain villains want to achieve their goals. That way you can give your party a direct relationship with the villains rather than trying to hinge all your emotional arc on a distant god who won’t be showing up for 10+ levels.

Second: Use MY version of Orcus, I think it has a lot more thematic potential than the classic “demon god of undead” version, as mine is a god people would actually want to worship, and the later wants to kill everything that exists. That’s a bad motivation to hinge a final villain on.

Have your low level party do a bountyhunting mission, meeting their contact in a tavern, with the contract being to return the bounty alive to this very spot. Then at the end run this amazing villain introduction from Matt Coville, with the change being that rather than being after one of the partymembers, the mercs are after the same bounty for a different client. All else goes the same after that, and you’ve got an amazing low level badguy for your players to face off against... or maybe even team up with.

Otherwise, run a completely normal game of D&D, you don’t need everything to relate back to one central BBEG , and you can get away with having only three or four short adventures as leadup to the reveal. Speaking of, I’ve got a couple more Orcus themed adventures coming up, so stay tuned, or check the tags below.

Hope that helps!

Art Source 1

Art Source 2

#Anonymous #D&D #D&D adventure #Homebrew Adventure #Adventure #DnD #mid level #shadowfell #villain #portals #orcus #mountain #ghost #demon #undead #trap #home base #castle #dungeon #Dungeon Crawl

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militant-holy-knight · 4 years

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Europe is filled with great Gothic churches, but for me Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral has always been one of the greatest. Not because her soaring bell tower and serrated steeples are so much more beautiful than those of other cities, but because it was St. Stephen's that presided over some of Europe's most consequential battles, when the forces of Islam rode up to Vienna to smash through into Europe and do to her great cathedrals what they did to Constantinople's Hagia Sophia. I had the opportunity not only to explore the church earlier this year (Mozart's funeral was held here, and the bones of St. Valentine are kept in a chest in one of the chapels), but to give a brief speech on a stage in front of the church for the Austrian March for Life.

The Ottomans thought St. Stephen's was a prize, too, and when they laid siege to Vienna in 1529, Sultan Suleiman I (the Magnificent) was riding high. He had been racking up victories across the continent, and decided that the first great conquest that would lead to his domination of Europe would be the magnificent city of Vienna. He boasted that he would be having breakfast in St. Stephen's Cathedral within two weeks of the siege. When the date came and went, Vienna's defenders, a coalition that included German Landsknechts, Spanish Musketeers, and Italian mercenaries, both Catholic and Protestant, sent the sultan a message to let him know that his breakfast was getting cold. Fierce defenders and savage weather eventually drove the Ottomans back, and Christian Europe, for the time being, was safe.

In July of 1683, the Ottomans decided to try again, this time under the ambitious leadership of "Black" Mustafa, the Empire's grand vizier. They arrived to lay siege to the city, demanding surrender. Count Ernst Rudiger von Starhemberg, the commander of Vienna's garrison, scorned the ultimatum: "Let them come; I'll fight to the last drop of blood." As the siege dragged on and hunger and exhaustion began to fell the city's inhabitants, it began to look as if the defenders might have to do just that. Frantic pleas for assistance were sent out to the leaders of Christian Europe, calling for men and arms to repel the invaders. The calls were heeded, and a massive relief force made up of soldiers from Saxony, Baden, Franconia, Bavaria, Swabia, and Poland began to move towards Vienna.

The battle, a chaotic, bloody affair, began on September 11, 1683 — but there is one moment that stands out, immortalized against the backdrop of an epic struggle between civilizations. As Black Mustafa and the Turks tried desperately to force their way into the city before the relief troops could swing the advantage to the defenders, the Polish King Jan Sobieski emerged from the forests on the hills above the Ottoman attackers. At 6 PM, at his command, an awe-inspiring cavalry charge plunged over the crests of the hills and pounded towards the invaders, a magnificent force of 18,000 horsemen. The Polish king, at the head of 3,000 heavy lancers known to history as the Winged Hussars, led the charge. These knights were named for the wings of birds of prey attached to the backs of their armour, which streamed behind them in the wind and made them resemble a cloud of avenging angels.

The Winged Hussars and the thousands of cavalrymen that followed them smashed into the Ottomans, trampling many of them to death. By the time the horsemen hammered down the hill, many of them were simply riding too fast to stop, and they cut through the enemy troops like a battering-ram of horse, man, and steel. The charge proved to be the fatal blow to the Ottoman siege, and the battle to save Vienna was won within three hours. With the battle in hand and Vienna saved from the forces of Islam once again, King Jan Sobieski sat down in his tent to write a letter to his adored wife, something he did nearly every day when he was forced to be away from her.

There is an interesting cultural footnote to all of this. Most people do not know that J.R.R. Tolkien's famous Battle of Pelennor Fields, the struggle for the city of Minas Tirith between the soldiers of Gondor and the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron recounted in The Return of the King, is actually based on the charge of King Jan Sobieski and his Winged Hussars. Tolkien sets the scene with chilling foreboding: "It was dark and dim all day. From the sunless dawn until evening the heavy shadow had deepened, and all hearts were oppressed. Far above a great cloud streamed slowly westward from the Black Land, devouring light, borne upon war; but below the air was still and breathless, as if all the Vale of Anduin waited for the onset of a ruinous storm."

As the battle began in earnest, King Theoden emerges from the forest ahead of his cavalry, the fearsome Rohirrim. As he contemplates the destruction of the city, the king hears a booming sound from Minas Tirith, and suddenly stands erect: "Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before:

Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake, fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

"With that, he seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains."

Walking through Vienna last month, I stumbled across an iron plaque with Jan Sobieski's visage peering out from it near the Hapsburg palaces bolted to a wall, cloaked in regal finery and sporting an impressive moustache. The plaque had been placed there in September of 1983 — I couldn't read the inscription on it — but someone had very recently placed a ribboned wreath beneath it to commemorate what the Polish king had done for Vienna, and for civilization itself, all those years ago. For some reason, seeing the wreath cheered me up. Perhaps it is because it is encouraging to see that a few people still remember their history, and still take the time to honor those who took the weight of civilization on their shoulders when everything hung in the balance.

#catholicism #knights #blessed #terrorism #tolkien #history

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