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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 8 months

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“Beata Maria.”

What a wonderful blessing upon this hopelessly sinful world.

... What's this?

A gathering of powerful and prideful individuals can only spell trouble.

Sitting at a table, surrounded by them, exerted an immense pressure upon the room. The air seemed to thin, made icy and oppressive by those in attendance, representatives of their own domains. The dorm leaders were like kings perched upon their thrones, prepared to cross words or swords at a moment's notice. (For what it was worth, at least Kalim was a spot of sunshine in the otherwise strained space.)

Raven had been scribing for these occasions for months now, and still hadn't become fully accustomed to the atmosphere. Inevitably, some petty squabble, underhanded comment, or personal vendetta would disrupt the proceedings. If they were lucky, they'd escape with just some unresolved tension in the air. She took care to leave those instances out of the meeting notes.

Today, the attention was directed toward the front of the room. The headmaster consulted a packet as he crowed on.

“The final topic on our agenda is... Next week, we will be hosting an important guest from Noble Bell College to discuss future joint events. As a show of good will, I would like their representative to be granted a tour of our campus. This tour guide will then also serve as their chaperone for the duration of our guest's stay to ensure that they are comfortable and that all of their questions are promptly answered."

A hand shot up automatically.

"Yes, Rosehearts-kun?"

"If that is the case, sir, then I believe it would be wise for you to serve as this tour guide," the redhead suggested. "You are knowledgeable about our school's history, layout, staff, and curriculum. Therefore, you easily fulfill your own requirements."

There was a round of murmurs and nods from around the table.

"No, no!" Crowley insisted with the shake of his head. "I have many other duties to tend to as headmaster! What's more, it would be more fitting that someone on our guest's level—a fellow student—be the guide! This will better bolster a sense of camaraderie between the student bodies of our schools!"

... In other words, you don't wish to do the work yourself, Raven sighed, already having seen through her guardian's excuses. From the grimaces on everyone else's face, she deduced that they, too, had suspected as much.

Azul laced his fingers together and surveyed the room. "Well then, do we have any volunteers from amongst ourselves?"

"Pass." Leona leaned back in his chair with a grimace. "I'm not up for kissing ass."

"May I take that to mean that you are avaliable, Leona-san?" Azul pressed, still smiling.

"I said, pass," he snarled. "Don't make me repeat myself again."

"... Point taken. Anyone else?"

"I would offer, but... There is an unbirthday party scheduled the day of their arrival. I don't believe I would be able to fully commit myself to chaperoning our guest," Riddle confessed. "I cannot override the rules written by the Queen of Hearts."

"I, as well, am preoccupied. I'm to shoot for a magazine spread after class," Vil added, tucking a finger under his chin. "What about you, Azul? This is a prime opportunity to... as Leona so crudely put it, curry favor with another school of magic. I can't imagine that you wouldn't immediately jump at the chance."

"My, to think that my upperclassmen think so little of my intentions..." Azul sniffled dramatically—an innocent act. "Unfortunately, I have a prior arrangement to oversee at the Mostro Lounge during the visiting period. I would otherwise happily accept this honor!"

"Of course you would," Riddle and Vil said at once.

"Hey, hey, guys! It's no problem! I can show them around! I've done it plenty for our guests back home," Kalim chirped, leaping out of his seat.

"Can Jamil-san confirm that your schedule is clear?" Azul inquired, eyebrow quirked. "It would be a stain upon my... excuse me, I mean Night Raven College's reputation if we were unable to safely secure this relationship."

"Huh? Well, sure I can ask him."

Kalim produced a phone dressed up in a gold case studded with gemstones. He typed up a text message, and received a reply just as fast. His face slowly fell. "Uh-oh, uh..."

"Yes?" Azul prompted.

"Jamil says it's a no-go. He has to tutor me for a big midterm exam on Monday..." Kalim quickly perked up again. "But it's okay! We still have Idia, right?"

"L-Leave me out of this!!" came Idia's stuttering voice from a floating tablet. "I-I didn't ask to pick up a side quest that no one else wants to fulfill! I want nothing to do with this, do you hear me?!"

"Hah!" Leona let out a sharp bark of laughter. "You think that wimpy daikon radish sprout can keep himself together long enough to entertain an esteemed guest?"

"I-It's true!" Idia agreed. "I-I spend most of my time trapped inside my room! I've barely stepped outside to see the light of day or the campus for myself! I'm super anti-social and hate irl people!! Th-There's no way I can socialize or give a halfway decent tour!!"

"Willfully talking yourself down to that extent... Have you no dignity left?" Vil groaned. "Safe to say, we cannot rely on a man with no confidence for a matter as important as this."

"Then all that's left is..."

Everyone's eyes collectively drifted to the seventh and unoccupied dorm leader seat at the table.

"Great. It's decided, then. It'll be the lizard's gig," Leona smirked, seemingly satisfied with the outcome.

"Is it really okay to make the decision without Malleus here?" Kalim asked—the only one truly concerned about him.

"No, this is unacceptable," Riddle pointed out. "There tends to be miscommunication when information is relayed to Malleus. We cannot afford such mistakes if we wish to forge a healthy, sustainable relationship with Noble Bell College. We must entrust this task to an individual who is punctual, polite, welcoming, detail-oriented, and an eloquent speaker."

In this pool of candidates? Good luck with that. Raven scrawled down Riddle's last remarks, dotting the period with pessimism.

"Oh dear, oh dear," Crowley fretted to himself. "What to do? We've already run through you boys and no one is quite free or suitable for the role..."

"What if we were to put out a call to action, headmaster?" Raven offered, glancing up from her parchment. "I know that our students aren't the most open to extending their hands, but perhaps someone will volunteer for the task if you offer some kind of compensation."

"Oogh... The compensation would have to be fairly generous to spark interest and enthusiasm this close to the visit..." Crowley lamented. "Woe is me!! Wherever can I find such a magnanimous individual on such short notice?!"

"There, there. It will sort itself out, you'll see." Raven smiled sympathetically and patted her uncle on the back. "If you'd like, I can get started by drafting the document for your approval."

"My, how very kind of you, my dear!! That's what I like to hear!! Where would we be without your astute…”

The headmaster's gushing suddenly quieted, his once-panicked expression settling into thoughtfulness. Crowley's beady, golden gaze bore right into his child.

"... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I think," Crowley said slowly, "we've found the answer to our prayers. The perfect person for the job, in fact!"

"... You have?"

"Dear, sweet Raven-kun," Crowley drawled in a singsong, "my adorable niece, apple of my eye, sweetest of songbirds—”

A smile grew on the headmaster's lips. Heat from all corners of the meeting room concentrated on her. Collective realization.

Raven puffed with indignation. "You are NOT seriously suggesting what I think you're suggesting, Uncle!! I'm here to keep records, not to fill in for the duties of the dorm leaders!”

"Yet you've been present for all of our meetings, Raven-san," Azul cooed. "You are privy to all the same information that we are, and have already proven yourself to be reliable when it comes to your work. I also understand that you're quite the student among the first years."

"Where did you hear that from?!"

"I have my sources." Azul raised his voice to address the other dorm leaders. "Gentlemen, don't you agree that Raven-san would be a most wonderful choice for the task at hand?"

"Heh, so this is where we're going with this?" A dry chuckle escaped Leona. "Fine by me."

"She would be our best option," Vil added. "Her manners are passable. She presents herself well enough."

"A-As long as it's not me! I'm up for anyone else!!"

"Azul..." Riddle frowned disapprovingly. "While I can't say I condone your methods, it seems we're left with little choice in this matter."

"Gosh, it's so nice of you to step up for us, Raven!" Kalim graciously beamed.

"W-Wait just a second here! I haven't agreed to anything yet!! Don’t I get a say in this?!” Raven protested, abruptly rising. She shuddered upon feeling a clawed hand clap her back.

“Our hopes are riding on you, Raven-kun!!” Crowley cheerily declared. “Go out there and make our Night Raven College look good!!”

"I'm so glad we came to an agreement." Azul's lip curled back into a triumphant smirk. "May I be the first to offer my congratulations? Ah, and I think I speak for all of us when I say... best of luck with handling our special guest."

"Wow, that's amazing, Raven!! Congratulations!!" Kalim squealed, his eyes sparkling with genuine joy.

"Yeah, congrats," Leona yawned. "Knock'm dead, canary."

"Congratulations, potato. Be on your best behavior now."

"Raven, congratulations. I expect you to perform well, or it's off with your head. Is that understood?"

"Congrats, LMAO. Sux 2 b u rn. GL, hf, don't die!!"

It felt as though the room was shrinking in on her, blocking off all exits and routes of escape. A circle of arbiters, already having settled the raven's fate long ago. Her left eye twitched.

"I can see that none of you are willing to let me worm my way out of this," she said warily. "Absolutely awful, all of you..."

"Why, that's exactly what makes you the ideal person for the job, my dear niece!" Crowley aggressively ruffled Raven's hair, making it stick up like feathers plugged into an electrical socket. "It's your kindness and willingness to help those in need. You must have gotten it from me, fufu!"

"Highly doubtful. I almost feel sorry for the poor, unfortunate soul being sent here... He has no idea what's in store for him."

Crowley blinked. "Oh, did I fail to tell you all? The student representative from Noble Bell College is..."

Night had descended upon Night Raven College. Darkness heralded twinkling stars, shadows, and secrets hidden in its depths. This was the height of mystique—and he, mystique manifest, walked along that darkness, finding comfort in it.

"... So this is where you were. I knew I’d find you out and wandering about again.”

Malleus turned.

A short figure had appeared behind him, the jacket hanging off of his shoulders flapping in a steady breeze. In the dark, his eyes were bright rubies—striking against the lucid, opal moonlight. He smiled, displaying fangs.

"Lilia."

He skipped to Malleus’s side. "Didn’t you have a dorm leader meeting to attend?"

The prince’s brow furrowed. "Is that today?"

"It was today," Lilia gently corrected him. “Well, it's long since over.”

A frown formed. “That is... rather unfortunate. I had been looking forward to the discussing how to best demonstrate our hospitality to the student from beyond Sage's Island."

“Chin up, Malleus!" Lilia reached into his back pocket and produced a scroll tied with a midnight blue ribbon. “I have the meeting notes passed along from the headmaster’s child—you remember the little raven, don't you? With this, you’ll be able to get up to speed on the discussion in no time."

“The raven? Yes, that would be the young Crowley you speak of. I shall have to express my gratitude to her at a later time. It is in part through these records that I remain informed in spite of my absences."

Malleus accepted the paper from his vice dorm leader, tugging the ribbon and letting the page unfurl. He immediately began poring over its contents, a finger following each line of text he took in. A review of the quarterly budget, consideration for expanding the cafeteria menu to include more vegetarian options, important upcoming events...

“Shall we make her an honorary knight for all her troubles? Send a thank-you card? Invite her to tea?”

“We are nowhere that friendly. Merely acquaintances.”

“That’s too bad. She seems like an sharp girl. A little high-strung, but nice.” Lilia curiously rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. “You, Sebek, and Silver attended that masquerade in the City of Flowers together, didn’t you? I imagine you’re already thick as thieves. How good for you all! I wish I had been there too.”

Malleus’s lip curled at the mention of the masquerade. “A great many things happened then. I was certainly taken aback by the young Crowey’s conviction when she was faced with grave danger.”

… That danger had been himself.

A memory flashed through his mind—four figures, clustered around a book. The distressed cries of a raven calling out, and the cold, steely roar of the dragon that countered it.

“We must stop him from tainting his own soul. We must!!“

“Rest assured, we will stop him. When the time comes for me to exact my revenge... Pray that you do not stand between myself and Flamme. I cannot guarantee your safety if you were to get caught in the crossfires.”

“But he’s…!!”

“Suffering? He has deceived me and threatened the safety of my people. They will suffer too if he is not stopped. His is a story that will end in fire. There can be no other ending. If it comes down to life or death, I will do what I must to secure Briar Valley’s future.”

“It won’t come to that, it can’t! I…! I won’t let that happen! A-Absolutely not, even if it’s Malleus-senpai…!”

“You would grant your enemies clemency? Then you are a fool.”

“I-I believe… everyone deserves a second shot at their happily ever after!! S-So even if I’m scared and want to run away… e-even though I know I can’t beat you in a fight… I’m a fool who wants to defend that belief until the bitter end!!”

"My, so she’s fiery one! I’ve yet to see many defiant enough to stand against you. It’s a good thing you didn’t flambé her.”

“She looked as though she was going to pass out from fright.”

“Even better!!” Lilia clapped his hands in delight. "Ooh, I’d love for you to have such an amusing friend.”

Malleus was nearly done with the notes now. As he neared the end of the paper, the subject shifted to that of a special guest. The odd raven, that guest’s guide and attendant.

He stopped, his finger hovering over the final bullet point on the page.

"What's this? The visiting student will be from Noble Bell College... and his identity…” The prince fell silent. Seriousness had seized control of his features.

“Malleus…? What’s wrong?”

Lilia looked over in concern. What he found was a dark, mischievous smile slowly spreading across Malleus’s face. For a brief moment, he felt as though he had just stared into an abyss—and the abyss had stared back in all of its wickedness.

“Fufufu… Now this will certainly be fun."

#twst #twisted wonderland #Malleus Draconia #Azul Ashengrotto #Leona Kingscholar #Kalim Al-Asim #Idia Shroud #Vil Schoenheit #Dire Crowley #twst oc #twisted wonderland oc #Raven Crowley #disney twisted wonderland #upcoming blog event???#ooooh what could it be I wonder/j #Riddle Rosehearts #Lilia Vanrouge #Rollo at the Writing Desk

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probablyasocialecologist · 10 days

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To bring about its hypothetical future, OpenAI must build a new digital ecosystem, pushing users toward the ChatGPT app or toward preëxisting products that integrate its technology such as Bing, the search engine run by OpenAI’s major investor, Microsoft. Google, by contrast, already controls the technology that undergirds many of our online experiences, from search and e-mail to Android smartphone-operating systems. At its conference, the company showed how it plans to make A.I. central to all of the above. Some Google searches now yield A.I.-generated “Overview” summaries, which appear in tinted boxes above any links to external Web sites. Liz Reid, Google’s head of search, described the generated results with the ominously tautological tagline “Google will do the Googling for you.” (The company envisions that you will rely on the same search mechanism to trawl your own digital archive, using its Gemini assistant to, say, pull up photos of your child swimming over the years or summarize e-mail threads in your in-box.) Nilay Patel, the editor-in-chief of the tech publication the Verge, has been using the phrase “Google Zero” to describe the point at which Google will stop driving any traffic to external Web sites and answer every query on its own with A.I. The recent presentations made clear that such a point is rapidly approaching. One of Google’s demonstrations showed a user asking the A.I. a question about a YouTube video on pickleball: “What is the two-bounce rule?” The A.I. then extracted the answer from the footage and displayed the answer in writing, thus allowing the user to avoid watching either the video or any advertising that would have provided revenue to its creator. When I Google “how to decorate a bathroom with no windows” (my personal litmus test for A.I. creativity), I am now presented with an Overview that looks a lot like an authoritative blog post, theoretically obviating my need to interact directly with any content authored by a human being. Google Search was once seen as the best path for getting to what’s on the Web. Now, ironically, its goal is to avoid sending us anywhere. The only way to use the search function without seeing A.I.-generated content is to click a small “More” tab and select “Web” search. Then Google will do what it was always supposed to do: crawl the Internet looking for URLs that are relevant to your queries, and then display them to you. The Internet is still out there, it’s just increasingly hard to find. If A.I. is to be our primary guide to the world’s information, if it is to be our 24/7 assistant-librarian-companion as the tech companies propose, then it must constantly be adding new information to its data sets. That information cannot be generated by A.I., because A.I. tools are not capable of even one iota of original thought or analysis, nor can they report live from the field. (An information model that is continuously updated, using human labor, to inform us about what’s going on right now—we might call it a newspaper.) For a decade or more, social media was a great way to motivate billions of human beings to constantly upload new information to the Internet. Users were driven by the possibilities of fame and profit and mundane connection. Many media companies were motivated by the possibility of selling digital ads, often with Google itself as a middle man. In the A.I. era, in which Google can simply digest a segment of your post or video and serve it up to a viewer, perhaps not even acknowledging you as the original author, those incentives for creating and sharing disappear. In other words, Google and OpenAI seem poised to cause the erosion of the very ecosystem their tools depend on.

#internet #ai #artificial intelligence #openai #google

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growwithmeastrology · 6 months

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Tuesday, December 12th 2023 Sun in Sagittarius ♐️🔥Moon in Sagittarius ♐️🔥

The last new moon of the year is upon us. At 21° of Sagittarius and ruled by Jupiter, the planet of joy, luck and abundance, this is a great time to step out of comfort zones, get in touch with your higher self and see or do things with more optimism and faith.

Mercury will be going retrograde in Capricorn just after the new moon and will also trine Jupiter so get ready to take all this positive energy inward in order to conquer the self, widen your view and let go of old belief systems.

The signs most affected by this new moon are the mutable signs, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. It will close a chapter in how you see yourself and provide some emotional release and healing in whichever area those signs fall for you in your chart. Think back to what was happening in June of last year and what you’re letting go of for good from around that time.

The planet Mars will be dancing with these energies adding the need to take action. You can either expect excitement or maybe some aggression asking you to make some changes. What will you do to allow yourself to go to the next level?

Do your best to stay grounded and practical as Neptune, the planet of illusions and mysticism is making a very tense square aspect to this energy. This could add some confusion or lack of clarity as to how to take the next steps. Your intentions need to be as grounded in reality as much as possible. Don’t believe everything you hear at this time and use your intuition to guide you.

We’re being invited to plant new seeds for 2024 and this event will help you set the intentions that you want to take with you into the new year. Reach for the sky but keep your feet on the ground today. You’ll want to have as much mental clarity as possible before the Mercury retrograde is in full effect but understand that your problems cannot be resolved with logic alone.

Happy New Moon to all! Search for your truth and own that today. You’ll find yourself really leveling up for the future! 💚💫

If you enjoy my daily forecasts please like, comment, share and consider a gratitude tip in support. 🅿️ PayPal, Venmo or CashApp - @NaliniFlor

Learn more about your personal energies and how the daily forecast affects you! Comment below⬇️ or DM me for a consultation.

#astrology #growwithme #zodiac #horoscope #daily horoscope #daily energies #new moon #mercury retrograde #sagittarius season #sagittarius new moon

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kageyuji · 3 months

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Hii! This is my first time trying this, but do you have any advice for starting and building a writing blog?

I've been wanting to start one for a while but I'm not sure how to gain followers and stuff.

hi!! no worries :D and tbh.. i’m not exactly sure LMAO despite it seeming like i have my shit together i Do Not. but!! i can give you some general things/ideas:

write for yourself. write what makes you happy and what you genuinely want to write. despite how much of a people-pleaser i am, it’s also really important to remember that this is a hobby and if you write things you don’t really want to write, it’s going to show through your work but it’s also going to burn you out quickly.

(that said, if you are writing for x reader content make sure your reader is ambiguous. having a character be a 5’4 brunette with a knack for baking is cool sometimes, but it’s also a very slim audience and it’s going to throw some people off)

similarly, don’t compare yourself to other creators and don’t compare yourself to.. yourself. if you have something that does really good, and then you post the next week and it does shit, that’s okay! sometimes tumblr algorithm is just shit. sometimes certain characters are more of a fan favorite. but, also remember that people who have already built a large following are going to have more notes. just don’t get discouraged easily — every fic is something entirely new and it shouldn’t be weighed off of someone else or an entirely different work.

make a masterlist, and make it organized. if you write for a lot of characters and use different posting types this can get really confusing, but look around at other places or play around with it until you find something that you think feels right.

watch your blog activity (once you start posting, anyway). i believe mobile doesn’t have it, but on desktop (or just login to tumblr from your phones browser app lol) there is a little icon that will show interactions with your posts/blog and you can ask it to show the chart based on time of day, weekly basis, etc. post accordingly to that, and hopefully your posts will gain a little more traction :)

aesthetic is (unfortunately) pretty important in my opinion. of course, if you have the most well written thing i’ve seen i’m going to ignore the kinks but i’m also going to be a lot more likely to read things that are organized well. this is mostly about fics to catch someone’s eye, although this bleeds into your actual blog as well.

(pinterest has lots of cool stuff for aesthetics. twitter layout blogs also usually have a lot of good headers. if you want dividers, you can search the “dividers” tag on tumblr or there’s loads of mobile apps to get the thin color strip dividers like i use.)

similarly, try to make your pinned/navi organized and easy to follow. in my personal opinion, i like adding things like rules/dni, tag guides, and especially masterlists linked somewhere in the post. although, again, it’s up to personal opinion on what exactly you want to link there. as long as it’s organized and somewhat simple, you’re good.

as far as a masterlist and rules go, i would recommend laying out certain things beforehand, like what characters you’re going to write for and hard “no”s. as much as i love people on tumblr, sometimes they just cannot read — it helped me a lot whenever i was new to tell myself “hey, i don’t have to do that. it says that right here and it’s not my fault that they didn’t see that!”

(i also added a little rule that said “if you actually read this, add a ‘<3’ in your asks so i know” LOL it helped me filter requests between who actually cared to read my rules and who didn’t)

add tags to your fics. add so many tags. add many more tags than you think you probably need. add so many tags that you get sick of them — that’s how people are going to find you.

try to keep anonymous asks on, that’s where a lot of interaction comes from. ik people can be dicks sometimes but there’s also a lot of shy people on tumblr. probably 90% of my asks are from anons and i use anon 90% of the time whenever i send asks (especially to my moots bc they’re scary :[ lol)

just generally be nice to people. you don’t have to go out of your way to send love letters to everyone on your feed, but i’ve found that just leaving a little “i hope you enjoy reading this” or something similar as a little note helps my mental for some reason, but it also (hopefully) makes me seem a little less intimidating

#i hope this helped!! if you have any other questions please lmk 🫶#lore.txt #msg: ghosts

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kwaj115 · 3 months

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Trystan Thorne x MC: Royalty Over Loyalty

Summary: Trystan decides to take the throne. But what happens to the best partnership at Mafalda Agency?

Warnings: Fluff with a bit of angst

Tags: @ikingsley @remnantsofthepast-if @loyalshrimpfan @barnibumblr @loyalshrimp @alleycat97 @blaines-hayes @swimmingshoebakerydreamer @luthorsxrojas @darlingnikki-prince @dowhatisaynotwhatido @mortalinshadows @nirvanaz-moon @belvoiresqueenbee

Author’s Notes: Might edit this later, it was pretty rushed. But I just wanted to get this idea out. It’s pretty short. They’re well in the book but this is a little standalone, it won’t affect their relationship if I were to create a series. I have also decided to try my hand at a male!MC so hopefully I didn’t lose touch with writing- (Sorry, it has been a while since I’ve read Crimes of Passion so I’ve just gone off of what I remember) You can message if you wanna be added to the taglist.

Inspired by Another Lifetime by NAO

The vengeful lover of Countess Juliana Georgescu and the killer of Drakovia was finally discovered. Trystan and Cameron could see through Vasili’s cover and escape his plot. But Trystan will soon have to bear the weight of Drakovia upon her.

In Trystan’s dressing room, Cameron helps her prepare by tightening her tie.

“You know you don’t have to do all this, Cam.”

“I want to.”

The next few moments are filled with silence. Neither one wanted to break the peace with the reality they must face.

“How do I look?”

“Elegant.”

“Are you ready though?”

Trystan couldn’t answer, she must be ready. She’s obligated to take the throne. She cannot have such unacceptable doubts about her reign.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Suddenly, Trystan feels the ground shaking and her head spinning. Cameron had to catch her before she hit the ground, holding her as she shook in his arms.

“Look, I understand. I respect your decision, okay? You’ll make an amazing queen. Someone Drakovia needs.”

“But that means we won’t be together. That I’d have to marry someone else, be true to them even when I love you still. It’s not fair.”

She feels that she cannot afford to break down and fall apart right before the ceremony. Cameron keeps her grounded in reality in his arms.

“Trystan, I’ll be here. But we can’t do this. Even if you were to have me by your side, it wouldn’t be fair for the ruler by your side. No matter what, I’m here whenever you need me. Even in New York, I’ll take the next available flight to you.”

Cameron helps Trystan up, smoothening her wrinkly clothes. Before approaching the door and gently opening it, guiding her out. He returned to his group in the ceremony chamber, awaiting Trystan’s arrival.

Escorted by Drakovia’s current rulers, Trystan walks as stoically as possible down the aisle. Cameron is unable to handle the sight of Trystan, pain coiling around his heart and suffocating it. He has to accept it, he must come to terms with not having Trystan. That Trystan Thorne will never completely be his, he will be another secret swept away to the side. He must will his heart to share her with Drakovia and her official spouse. As Trystan reaches the end of the aisle, before she can spot her lover, he disappears through a side exit to the dismay of others and his group of friends.

‘Cause there I will stay, my darling

Cameron attempted to take a breath but he couldn’t, each failed breath caused him to panic more.

I swear I won’t run from you

He ran. He ran until he couldn’t anymore.

Won’t run from you, I swear about it

Away from the ceremony, the palace, his Trystan. No. Queen Trystan. He couldn’t do it, become a lover to the Queen, regardless of her father doing the same. Cameron would never want to take part in Trytan’s attention when it should be on the one Trystan chooses to rule Drakovia with.

One day, Cameron Rose and Trystan Thorne would’ve meant to be.

But for now, not in this lifetime…

Guess I’ll wait another lifetime

Meet me in another lifetime

‘Cause there I will stay, my darling

I swear I won’t run from you

#playchoices #choices #trystan thorne x mc #trystan thorne #crimes of passion #choices crimes of passion #choices fanfic #f!trystan thorne #cameron rose #f!trystan thorne x m!mc

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copper-dragon-in-disguise · 4 months

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Could you do me a favor and tell me literally every piece of info abt dnd you can? Asking for an aster

@amethyst-aster (just so you see it)

hello!

so. this is long which is why there is a cut. i feel i ought to foreworn you that i read the entire players handbook cover to cover the summer i turned 11 because i was lonely and autistic. i memorized it (mostly. little rusty on some of the magic rules but whatever). /not sarcastic so! this is EXTREMELY LONG.

first up! your basics:

dungeons and dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game first created in 1974 by gary gygax. that's not so important. what is important is this: it is currently in its fifth edition (shorthanded as 5e). that is the one i know the most about and it is personally the one i think is the easiest to play, but thats my own preference. my biology teacher thinks 5e is bloody stupid and he plays the second edition (2e), which i find much harder and more limiting.

There are three core rulebooks, and a number of supplementary books.

The most important of those three (and the only one you need to know, really, unless you're the one running the game) is called The Player's Handbook (PHB). It contains the rules for building a character and playing them.

Because it will run you upwards of $50USD per copy, here is a pdf of it on archive dot org.

The other two is the Monster Manuel (MM) (a book of all the monsters in the game) and the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) (a book of how to run a game, but you don't need it as a player). They are here and here.

There are a number of d&d youtubers who have tutorial videos on this type of thing. my favorite is Ginny Di, but there are literally dozens out there.

BASIC TERMS

A Character sheet is the thing you have all the information about your character recorded on. It comes in several variations, but this is a free form fillable pdf version, and this is a free printable (both from the wizards of the coast (wotc) website, but the second is hosted on archive.org) (wotc are the company that owns the copyright to the game).

A class is the vocation of the character. its what they do with themselves, but its not necessarily a job.

A race is the character's species. this is also called their species, but in offical material you'll see it called their race.

A background is how their past shaped the character.

A backstory is that past.

Ability scores are the abilities of the character, they are determined with dice rolls. There are six of them, and many years ago someone explained them with tomatoes and that's still the easiest way to explain them in my opinion. You figure them out by rolling 4d6 and adding up the three highest numbers, for a total of 6 times.

ID in alt text. [I cannot find the original source, I am sorry, nor the graphic's source]

There are various types of dice, conveniently labeled with this image below:

ID in alt. [Source]

The d20 is the most important; its what you'll use to roll ability checks and saving throws and etc.

If you don't have your own physical dice (they are advalible online, at barnes & nobles, and at your local gaming store, but many people don't have a local gaming store (me)), you can roll them on many websites. My preferred one is this one, but any work. Google has its own built in, too.

MAKING A CHARACTER

So. You have your dice, now what?

Now you make a character sheet! there are many videos online explaining how to do this (there is a lovely one here and here), but i'm going to explain it here how I generally do it.

Step 0- OPTIONAL:

Take your character sheet, and come up with an idea. Who do you want to play? A gay disaster who can shapeshift? a hobbit? a chaotic ginger with too many cats and a habit of making deals with eldritch powers? You can be whatever the hell you want. alternatively, you can look at the options in the PHB first, and go from there.

Step 1- Pick a race/species.

There are well over 30 of these, and I'm not listing them all. But the ones advaliable in the player's handbook are as follows:

Dwarf. Your sterotypical mining, axe wielding, beared fantasy dwarf. ex: Gimli, in Lord of the Rings

ID in alt. [Source]

Elf. Traditionally depicted as tall, graceful, and living in the woods. Generally have pointed ears. ex. Legolas in Lord of the Rings.

ID in alt text. [Source]

Halfling. Literally just renamed hobbits, so they don't get sued. Known for being short and excellent cooks. ex. Frodo, Sam, Merry, & Pippin from Lord of the Rings. (I can't seperate them, it feels wrong)

ID in alt. [Source]

Human. We all know what humans are. Generally viewed as very adaptable species in d&d! also in real life. ex. Bill Nye the Science Guy.

ID in alt. [Source]

Dragonborn. A bipedal species descended from dragons. They're cool as shit. ex. I literally cannot think of one i'm sorry.

ID in alt. [Source]

Gnome. Known for being very tinkery, small, and causing mischief. Also, for some reason, for being in gardens. ex. Pike Trickfoot from Critical Role.

ID in alt text. [Source]

Half-elf. Half elf, half something else! They generally have a lot of angst, but not always. Sometimes people say they combine the best of both worlds (elf and human), and sometimes people say they have it really shitty. ex. Keyleth from critical role.

ID in alt. [Source]

Half-Orc. half orc, half something else! I dunno really how to describe them. ex. Fjord Lavorre from Critical Role

ID in alt. [Source]

Tiefling. A humanoid species with horns and a tail, and often brightly colored skin. Extremely Gender in my opinion.

Step 2- Pick a class.

There are 12 core classes, and one more added in a later book. I'll go over all 13!

ARTIFICER. A magical tinkerer. A bit like leo valdez in pjo? Their core stat is intelligence. In my opinion they're very complicated for a first character ever, but do what you want its your game i do not care.

BARBARIAN. If you want to wear no armor, have an axe (or other weapon), and charge into battle shouting, this is the class for you! its fun and decently simple for first time players, in my opinion. Core stat is Strength (and constitution).

BARD. Someoe who uses the magic of creation to do shit. Also known for seducing anything that moves, but that's optional. Core stat is charisma. Seems simple at first, but they have a lot of spells to manage at later levels, but they're not too hard. The main guy in the d&d movie is one.

CLERIC. They're healers and warriors. Generally have got some sort of divine magic, but don't necessarily have to. Semi-difficult? I haven't ever played one, so I don't know how easy it would be for a first character ever. Main stat is wisdom.

DRUID. Person who turns into animals and respects the enviroment. Basically, the lorax, but less orange and with more turning into animals (druid lovers out there i am sorry for saying y'all are the lorax please don't come after me with pitchforks). they're okay for a first character but they can be a little confusing. Main stats are wisdom (and constitution).

FIGHTER. Someone who fights things. The most basic of the d&d classes, and one of the simplest for first time players, probably, but I haven't ever played one so who knows. Main stats are strength or dexterity.

MONK. Person who punches people a lot. Like Aang from avatar: the last airbender. Main stats are dexterity and wisdom. They seem simple, but one of the mechanics is slightly confusing, but they're still really simple.

PALADIN. Your tradition knight. A guy (gender neutral) in plate armor with a horse and loyalty issues. I love playing paladins so much, they're great. Personally I think they're a little confusing. Main stats are Strength & Charisma.

RANGER. Someone who wanders through the forest and fights things, like strider (but not like aragorn) from lotr. Core stats are wisdom and strength. My first ever character was an elf ranger named Thia Nailo. She was awesome. Rangers can also have pet panthers and shit, and sometimes small dragons (not tiny dragons, though. Like horse sized dragons).

ROGUE. A thief. My second ever character, and the first one who I played for any significant length of time (thia's campaign died out) was a half-elf rogue named Enna Helder-Kromlin. Rogues are a really good class for first time players, I feel like. Core stat is dexterity.

SORCERER. Someone born with magic. Main stat is charisma. They can be a little complicated.

WARLOCK. Someone who made a deal with some sort of higher power (eldritch being, god(s), etc) for magic. they make bad decisions for a living and its awesome. my favorite ever character was an elf warlock named Mara. Her patron lived in a shield and she had a wisdom of 5 but a charisma of 20. Core stat is charisma.

WIZARD. Gandalf. Someone who studied magic and learned it that way. Main stat is intelligence. They can get really complicated, really fast, but they're still a viable option for your first time.

Step 3- Backstory

There are other things to do, but its late and i'm tired. What you need to do from here is figure out what your character's life was like before now. Or, if you dont want to, then get a vibe for their personality or something.

NOW WHAT?

When you have a character, your DM (Dungeon master, the person running the game, the ''narrator'') will give you scenario, and you roleplay your way through it.

Literally anything can happen. It's d&d. the rules are suggestions, not actual rules. Make it what you want it to be!!!!

If you have other questions please contact me I love them even if it takes me forever to answer them sometimes.

#d&d #dungeons and dragons #asks #amethyst aster

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defensivelee · 5 months

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Six Lives Won't Make You Happy: Heraldry

I have held this document for a while now, intending to draw references for it, but I have not gotten around to that because the writing for it was done and my brain was like, "DROP IT. IT'S DONE." So, who knows when I'll have those!

For now, have this reference guide to the coats of arms used in the world of Six Lives because I adore heraldry and its highly specific rules. Six Lives heraldry follows a lot of our own heraldry, so if you don't know that, I have hopefully explained much of it here to the best of my abilities :]

If you don't want to read on Tumblr, here is the PDF! Otherwise, go under the cut for my comprehensive worldbuilding rant. It's not necessary to read to understand the history of this world, you might just be left in the dark about a few background details but that's about it.

Introduction

The nobility and royalty of the devils have had a huge impact on the world’s history in Six Lives. They are the ones, for the most part, that started wars and divided territories in the beginnings of recorded history, and though they remain distant figures in the present time, they are central to the religion that affects the daily lives of most people. Even the country where our story takes place, La República de los Altos Diablos, takes its name from the highly-ranked devils that created it.

But what’s a noble without a coat of arms? Though arms lie mostly in the background of the main story, they are still a crucial feature of religious celebrations, to show which ancient devil, exactly, and what kingdom, is being venerated. The heraldry of the Four Kingdoms has some similarities to our own, but it does still come with its own rules and conventions.

It is important to note that most humans, even nobility and royalty, do not have their own coat of arms, as they believe it would be downright heretical to pretend they even come close to the divinity of the devils. There are only two kinds of humans that would have a coat of arms: the Allies and the Overlifers. However, the Allies merely take their coat of arms from the devil that lies dormant in them, sometimes adding their own minor modifications to distinguish themselves from the previous Allies. The Overlifers, on the other hand, believe that they themselves are the true authorities of humanity and the Four Kingdoms, and thus have their own coats of arms, separate from any devil ancestor.

The coats of arms for notable dwaallicht spirits do not hold the same meaning as they would for devil nobles. They are often designed by humans to use either for religious celebrations or as warning signs for more heinous spirits. It is extremely rare for a spirit to rise up in the ranks of the Four Kingdoms by itself and gain its own coat of arms.

General Guidelines

-The tinctures used are generally the same as our own.

-The blazons follow our rules of vocabulary and grammar, excepting some differences and extra words.

-Sable (black) is considered a metal due to often being present on a devil’s hard horns and claws.

-The rule of tincture is only halfway abided by. No color is to be placed on color, but metal can be placed on metal. This is because devil horns often include black and white together, and can be decorated with gold jewelry.

-The word gules (red) can also refer to any hue/shade of pink. In illustrating from a blazon, red and pink are used interchangeably. For this reason, they cannot both be present on the same coat of arms at one time; it has to be one or the other.

-A field (background) of pure argent (silver) is not allowed. This is because the color on its own has come to be associated with the extinct angels. Variations including argent are allowed.

-The names of the four colors generally stay the same throughout the blazon but change if they are used for the field. This is due to the Four Kingdoms historically rotating their reigns of humanity depending on the traditional four seasons. Instead, the names of these seasons are used to describe the color of the field. Azure (blue) becomes winter, purpure (purple) is summer, vert (green) is spring, and gules is autumn. This rule does not apply if the field is not a solid color.

-Furs are called scutes here, but generally look the same.

-Ermine is referred to as adder and is instead interpreted to look like the tongues of snakes.

-Vair is referred to as gharial and is instead interpreted to look like the scales on a crocodilian.

-The ordinary charges (geometric divisions of a field) used are the same as our own, exempting the cross.

-Any indented ordinary is not referred to as such. Instead, it is blazoned as dents bared and is thought of as the sharp teeth of a devil.

-A wedge of any kind and position is not referred to as a pile, but a griffe. They are thought of as the claws of a devil.

-Any form of a cross as a charge is not referred to as such. Instead, they are always diagonal and blazoned as saltires (diagonal crosses).

-The marks of cadency to distinguish between family members are the same as our own, exempting the cross moline. Instead, a saltire is used.

-Marks of cadency are used equally by all genders rather than just the sons.

-At least three mullets (five-pointed stars) in any form are always present on a devil ruler’s coat of arms. An heir apparent to any throne must have at least two.

-Only pierced mullets may be shown on the arms of dwaallicht spirits. This is to represent their inferiority to the devil lords.

-No more and no less than six mullets are always present on an Overlifer’s coat of arms.

-It is considered heresy to show any humans or humanoid figures on a coat of arms. Only animals are allowed.

-The supporters to a royal coat of arms are either deer, dragons, lions, or griffins to signify membership of the royal house of the Northern, Southern, Eastern, or Western Kingdom respectively. No other animals may be used as supporters.

-However, other animals are allowed within the escutcheon (shield). These are often animals that the bearer personally has features of (i.e. King Louis XIV’s leopard paw could warrant a leopard in the escutcheon), but can also be an animal associated with their dwaallicht spirit servants or favorites. This also applies to other devil nobility.

-Most human-like dwaallicht spirits are associated with and able to shapeshift to a certain animal. If the spirit has a coat of arms, that animal is the only one shown (i.e. a black dog for the Duke of Monmouth, a white fox for the Earl of Albemarle). These animals are only allowed to be sejant (sitting) or passant (walking).

Features Unique to the Four Kingdoms

-A lion sable armed and langued argent (a black lion with white claws and tongue) is always blazoned as simply Ferocity or mother of all beasts. In ancient times the phrase long may she sleep was added, but it was phased out in later centuries.

-Any animal shown on the coat of arms of an Ally is always collared and blazoned as such (i.e. a lion collared passant) to represent how the dormant devil is permanently bound to the Ally and vice versa.

-Any animal shown on a spirit’s coat of arms is always collared to signify the complete and desired submission of the spirits to the devil lords.

-Any animal with its eyes closed that is not lying down is sometimes referred to as ignorant (i.e. a lion passant ignorant).

-A charge always used in the arms of an Overlifer is a bordure Vita-marked. This is a border all around the escutcheon in the pattern of the Over-marks on the bearer’s face. The name comes from the now outdated term for an Overlifer, when they were known as the Vita-marked.

-Any royal animal (deer, dragon, lion, or griffin) shown on the coat of arms of an Overlifer is specifically meant to represent one of the Four Kingdoms and is always shown with either its tail tucked in between its legs or muzzled. This signifies how the Overlifers believe themselves to be superior to the devils.

-The muzzle upon an animal may be shown in any way from a simple ribbon tied around its mouth to an actual muzzle made out of wire. In the blazon, it is merely referred to as silenced (i.e. a lion rampant silenced).

-Any animal on an Overlifer’s coat of arms that is not one of the four royal species is modified to have a tail and horns like that of the bearer’s (if applicable), even if the animal in question does not usually have horns or a devil-like tail. When this happens, it is referred to as a chimera after the name of the animal (i.e. an eagle chimera).

-Overlifers are very particular about blazoning these horns and tails correctly. When horns are blazoned as having two tinctures, they are assumed to be striped unless otherwise stated. In the case of James Stewart’s coat of arms, his horns are blazoned as filaire (a randomized pattern of very thin stripes).

-The shape of the horns is not usually described in detail in the blazon. Instead, depending on what kind of horn it is and who the bearer is descended from, the shape of the horns is described using one of the Four Kingdoms. For example, pure descendants of the Southern Kingdom are known to have completely straight horns. An Overlifer descendant of the Southern Kingdom would have similarly upright horns on their arms, and they would be blazoned as horned of the South purpure.

-Tails are described in the same way, but are most often shown simply as or (gold). If a tail is longer than the length of the animal’s body, it is described as tangled. An example blazon of an animal using William’s tail would be a tail tangled of the East or.

-If the horns or tail show qualities of more than one kingdom, both kingdoms are included (i.e. horned of the North-West sable and argent).

-On the arms of devil royalty, two symmetrical horns that resemble those of the bearer act as the horns of the escutcheon. These are blazoned the same way as horns within the escutcheon.

-The mottos of devil nobility/royalty are always written in their old language, known as Infernal.

Meanings and Associations to the Four Kingdoms + Humanity

Most charges hold the same meanings/purposes as they do in our heraldry, but some are deliberately chosen for the following reasons.

-Any kind of star is associated with divinity.

-Any kind of lozenge (rhombus) is associated with fortune and fame.

-Any kind of saltire is associated with sexuality, particularly BDSM and kink. Three saltires together are often found on the coats of arms of Allies (resembling the letters XXX).

-A griffe or ordinary charge dents bared is awarded to noble devils that have served in the armies of their kingdom.

-The fleur-de-lys has become an informal symbol of the Southern Kingdom.

-The deer of the Northern Kingdom is associated with tranquility.

-The serpent-like dragon of the Southern Kingdom is associated with wit.

-The lion of the Eastern Kingdom is associated with bravery.

-The griffin of the Western Kingdom is associated with security.

-The dog is associated with loyalty and sometimes, unintentionally, with foolishness.

-The eagle is uncomfortably associated with imperialism among humanity.

-The lamb, foal, and/or calf is used far more often than it is used in our world and is associated with protection and familial love. A notable example of the calf’s usage is in William Henry Nassau’s coat of arms, but it holds a different meaning to him.

In the Present

In the Four Kingdoms of the devils’ realm, these coats of arms are flown on flags and banners into battles and celebrations. They can inspire both respect and fear in an individual when they see the mullets and the four notable supporters of each of the royal houses. Today, however, on earth where humanity lives, these arms are flown to show love and reverence to the devil ancestors depending on what reign it is. Few humans know the meanings behind them, as they are primarily studied by Ally handlers or historians.

An Ally’s coat of arms is typically seen in their Hoerenkast rooms, shrines, and, more recently, on the products that they sell, almost like a corporate logo. It can also be printed and hung up in a location to ask for the corresponding Ally to watch over and protect that specific area.

The coats of arms of the Overlifers similarly inspire fear the way their devil ancestors did. These are seen as hate symbols if recognized and can even warrant legal action and investigation. The arms, despite technically belonging to a single Overlifer, have also come to represent the entire terrorist organization.

#six lives won't make you happy #pls enjoy it was very fun working on this

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nem0c · 19 days

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I first encountered tabletop hobbies when wh40k was unavoidable here (and hadn't yet been streamlined) and 3.5e/pathfinder 1e was the popular D&D edition so it remains funny whenever someone tells me 5e has too much crunch.

What I find compelling about the BECMI line and AD&D 1E's DM guide is the occasional slips into simulationism and arcturial fantasy: Players may never reach a level where Domain Play comes into effect but as a DM I can use it to abstractly define how the town on the borderlands they stay at supports itself economically, how much time, gold, and obscure items wizards are putting into magic items, why Count Flautran Heartly should care that his peasants are demoralised by repeated giant rat attacks. Similarly, does any group use Gygax's rules for ageing, disease acquisition (progression, diagnosis), the madness chart? No, but I appreciate the attempt at introducing verisimiltude to fantasy.

It's the same urge that prompts Asimov to describe the agricultural planets supporting Trantor or why Poul Anderson will open with something like 'Dominic Flandry, dashing rogue of the Imperium, set flashing heels down on the ground poised for adventure' and then follow this with 5 pages discussing orbital mechanics and what sort of social systems evolve on worlds with low access to iron.

I don't find as compelling the core system of BECMI or AD&D being 'rules-lite' (I mean, it is only by comparison to 3.5e, and has the disadvantage to readability of being a hodge-podge historic accumulation of rulings rather than a designed core system) and cannot help but laugh when TRVE CVLT grognards balk at basic subtraction or bell curves in probability calculations.

This may be why in my own time I'm being drawn more into traveller and basic roleplaying: systems that are pretty simple in play but have all sorts of fun systems to encourage simulation of a pocket universe for the DMs.

#rambling

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rikandadefest · 2 months

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hi! i'm really interested in participating this year! could you give me a rundown of how the prompts/submissions work, and when things are happening? thanks!

Hello! We're glad to hear that.

The fest is going to start in a couple of days, at which point we'll post again with a link to the Google Form for submissions (also available in our pinned post, though it isn't open yet). Here's a basic rundown of the timetable:

23rd March - 1st April - new prompt submissions window

We accept up to three new prompts per person through our Google Form. The form itself guides you on how to fill out a prompt. These new prompts are then collected together and added to our existing prompt list.

2nd April - 2nd June - fanfic and fanart submission window

The PDF containing a full list of the new and unused prompts from previous years will be released on this blog and in our Discord server (link also available in our pinned post). Every prompt will have a number - you can contact @neil-neil-orange-peel or @xgardensinspace through Tumblr or Discord to claim a prompt by giving us its number. More than one person can claim the same prompt and, if you've got the time, you can take on more than one. However, you are only allowed to claim one prompt at a time.

When you've completed your chosen prompt, it's time to add it to the ao3 collection!

If you've made art, you should email it to [email protected] - it will be added to a fanart book, created by the account RikAndAdeFest. If you have an ao3 account, tell us your handle and we can add you as co-creator. If you don't have an ao3 account, please tell us what name you want to be credited under.

If you've made fic and have an ao3 account - you should post it to ao3 yourself, ensuring you add it to the fest's collection before you post. If you don't have an ao3 account - you should send your fic to [email protected] with the name you want to be credited under. It will be posted to ao3 and added to the fest collection by RikAndAdeFest.

3rd June - 11th June - latecomer window

Please try to get your prompts completed within the two month period provided, but we are flexible and will still accept prompts to the collection (if we know they're coming) up until the night before.

12th June - fest reveal day

To coincide with Scumbag Easter, the new fest will be revealed on ao3!

IMPORTANT: we cannot accept anonymous art or fic.

Guidelines for each individual step will be laid out as we progress through the fest too, but hopefully this has answered your questions. We have some rules available in the #RikAndAdeFest2024 ao3 collection, which is also available in our pinned post.

We look forward to hearing from you in the fest!

- R & Dy

#asks #q&a #rik mayall #adrian edmondson

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spyroid101 · 1 year

Note

Can you give us some details on the Hortus infernal AU? It looks pretty interesting

OH BOY, CAN I!!!

(Some stuff may be subject to be changed/tweaked as future games come out to possibly influence things, BUT-!)

In Hortus Infernal (AKA, "The Infernal Garden"), rather than the mascots being these clay/human/animal science experiments, they were instead brought into being by the higher ups getting sick and tiered of teachers always whining about little things like "Being underappreciated", and "Better wages" and "Sick leave" and "Vacation time", and decided to tap into their 16th century roots, and summon demons for the purposes of being teachers.

They have ancient laid out instructions on how to summon them, can have their appearance tweaked to an extent to the summoner's desire in order to look cute and cuddly and marketable, they have to follow through with whatever the contract you get them to agree to, even without things like healthcare or lunch breaks... And they're demons, so there'd be no, like, holy karmatic consequences about turning THEM into eternal indentured servants, right? Riiiight???

Demons also have the property, where they absolutely cannot directly physically harm children. Their souls are too pure (Even if they don't act like it sometimes. Any sins from them get added to their caregiver's soul, as they're the ones suppose to be guiding them) So that makes the Kindergarten and Daycare children the perfect experimental meat shields first candidates to this wonderful new learning opportunity!

All topped off with the discovery of an angelic substance known as Givanium, an ethereal substance that, when infused into an object, and said object is attached to a demon, it force locks them into that plane of reality. (Hence why all the redesigns have had some bit of jewelry on them baring a cross, that they can't remove themselves)

So all they have to do is summon up some marketable looking demons, make up some kind of contract with a clause that makes it so the demons can't attack someone unless some silly contractual rule is broken, trick them into the Givanium Bonds so they can never leave, and then just sit back and let allll that tuition money roll in! Absolutely perfect! Nothing could go wrong!!

...

...Needless to say, as of many stories of hubris, things went very, VERY wrong.

Turns out, ancient demonic beings are quite a bit smarter than a bunch of rich corporate assholes, and don't take too kindly to being tricked out of what they're owed.

Some worked out how to trick workers into breaking loopholes in their individual "Do no harm" clauses, carnage ensues, and once the ones that managed to get away got out of range of the school building the demons were all bound to, they instead turned and took the attending children as hostage in the building's depths.

Now there's inner chaos within the ranks of the many different demons, and what exactly their goals are. Some want to just get what is owed to them by their summoners and go home, some want to break out of the bounds of the school building and use their Earth summoned state to cause chaos and destruction on Earth like in the olden times, some want to use the situation to change their rank in Hell by freeing themselves of the Givanium Bonds while leaving others stranded, some even desire to find ways to break the most grave taboo of all, and find a way to kill and harvest the children's souls...

And throughout all of this, we have our protagonist: A mother willing to put up and fight with the horrors, tricks, and mind games of Hell's denizens itself to get her baby back home safe!!!

#garten of banban #garten of banban au #garten of banban rewrite #Hortus Infernal #I HAVE... A LOT OF STUFF THOUGHT OUT ON THIS #LIKE DOWN TO HOW I'D STORYBOARD AND REWORK THE DEATHS/JUMPSCARES #EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS TO MAKE A GAME MYSELF #BUT STILL #GDHASKJGDHAS

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k-fic-collection · 5 days

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Here is a quick rundown of what we don’t accept for Club Reads; ❌Anything with a total over 30k ❌Incomplete fics ❌Anything without a summary ❌Anything involving minors as a main character ❌Depictions of non-con. Mentions are fine so long as it’s plot-relevant ❌Permanent character death for a character portrayed by an idol ❌Incest ❌Smut involving bodily waste (urine, faeces, etc.) Disclaimer Our Librarians do not read through fics before they are added to the Reads list so we can only go on warnings. It is not our fault if an author fails to add warnings or chooses not to, so please do not blame us if something pops up in a fic that hasn't been warned in the author’s own warnings. Please keep yourself safe and make your own judgement based on the information the author provides before reading anything. We cannot be held accountable. Thank you.

Run and created by Head Librarian Chee and Head Librarian JiJi. Updated; 28/05/2024.

#The K-Fic Collection rules

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ailurocide · 9 months

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Why are the m kits so controversial? What's this about a deal.

It’s purely the fault of Stormtail.

There is a huge, significant social pressure within the Fealty for a couple (as only two donors are permitted to bake a baby) to rear just a single litter, with similar scrutiny for both dames and sires. Similar rules apply to the lives (eggs) provided by the Evergreens, as once new-blooms emerge from those eggs, the parents aren’t allowed to receive or make anymore… Unless specific conditions are met.

These “conditions” follow the assumption that, if your kids still have the chance to have their own kids, you aren’t to have anymore… However, there are some extenuating circumstances, such as if the entire first litter passes away without any offspring, or if the survivors grow up to be Evergreens, or if they defect or become Nameless or otherwise exiled, or otherwise cannot continue their bloodline for any reason, then the parents are allowed to bear another litter.

In order to maintain the purity of the bloodlines, head-openhearts are entrusted with keeping track of the family trees and frequently encourage genetically diverse couples together. As a result, many parents only mate for the goal of producing offspring; they usually aren't even romantically involved. To take things a step further, larger litters are often made up more of aunts, auncles, and uncles, with only maybe one or two siblings being permitted/encouraged to continue their lines.

No matter the gender of individuals involved, having a second litter when you don't need to is met with a fiercely negative reaction from friends and family. Folk who cheat and have kits with another are frequently thought of as self-centered fools, since a dame with two sires for their two litters just destroyed two lines for the entire faction, and a sire with two dames for their two litters just distributed his genes much too far over the neighborhood. To the Fealty, you're sabotaging a delicate balancing act for no good reason, placing even more strain on the head-openheart, who has to keep track of all the havoc you have created by being selfish and not thinking with your head but another body part.

The root cause of this is the fact that the factions frequently run the potential of having a single lineage monopolize the gene pool of their group (consider canon CinderLion’s SIX KIDS and the fact that almost all of modern ThunderClan can be linked back to them in some way), which could result in incest and genetic muddling.

This is also heavily inspired by @redux-iterum’s clever managing of toning down the incest a ton across family trees, alongside adding a very interesting block + more hints of the Clan’s more cult-like light.

Stormtail had two litters: one first with Dovebelly (Snowclaw and Rainpelt, both of whom had kits, and have extended family through their Evergreen uncle) and then a second with Robintoe (just Frost-tongue). Initially, the faction was more lenient with Stormtail’s “mate swap” because he and Robintoe only had one kitten together (which was somewhat expected, considering that Robintoe comes from a line of lone-litter kits), and was under the assumption that Frost-tongue would just never have kids of her own since Snowclaw was pregnant around the time her half-sister was born.

However, Frost-tongue ultimately did take a mate and did end up having kittens — with quite possibly the worst choice within the faction genetically, with Larchface, who had blood ties to many prominent figures within the Mightmire (most notably: Lindenheart the Golden Guide and the current head-openheart, Missingtail), and who was distantly related to Oakclaw the Sharpened Branch - father of an Exile that went on to sire Snowclaw’s mate and father of Lichenclaw — who is also related to Frost-tongue.

LarchFrost themselves are not related, but their kittens don’t have practically any good mates to be found within the faction, and will be required to find clean blood outside of their faction if they ever have kits themselves - and even then, probably only one of them will be permitted to become a parent at all.

It’s very messy and not the fault of the M kits at all, but… It’s just the way of things.

#ailurocide #ask #x-critter2022 #stormtail is the root cause of all of missingtail’s stress #spotty speaks #ailurocide: family trees #ailurocide lore: the four trees fealty #ailurocide: the mightmire faction #f u stormtail #ailurocide: stormtail #stormtail

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rice-enjoyer · 2 years

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Bite your tounge, lover ; humanity in your hands becomes dust that the wind blows over.

a/n: A small sagau brainrot for this morning because i'm sick with a cold and feel very Bad, but still have thoughts about this. ~0.6k words. a new addition to my posts is a taglist! let me know if you want to be on it! <3 cw: gn reader, my villain sagau, critique on society, kind of. divine punishment mentioned. it does have an angsty feel but it ends with fluff as usual.

When you explain to your most trusted, devoted little followers how unsafe your old world was. What would they react with? Worry? Anger? Disappointment in varying amounts? They cannot imagine you feeling powerless, only as the rightful and only ruler of Teyvat.

Yes, there are some similarities, but Teyvat is still safer for an average person, they can calmly go out at night without worry. They don't have to fear harassment every waking moment of the day. Fear isn't coded into them when they are born, it's a learned response, much later in life to take over.

Naturally, you feel envy, but not the kind that leaves you fuming with jealousy, powerful enough to move mountains or break cities apart. It's a bittersweet type of envy. A longing type of envy. You are glad that your favorite acolytes did not have struggles like this. That their everyday lives were more forgiving towards the struggling citizens.

You just simply wish that maybe, things would change for the better. You stop yourself, a saddened chuckle resonating within you. Change is not something that will come to Earth, surely. As long as there is corrupt power ruling over countries, no one is safe.

But power is inevitably corrupt, that's why it exists. You have fallen into the pit of the greedy need to lead. Not into battle, but also not towards a better world. A world shaped by your hands.

A hard pill to swallow, but you stop your racing mind from creating more what if's. Eliminating all worries about a world long gone, and only existing in your memory. People rely on you to guide them towards the light, but you know deep down that you are as dark as the night.

Let's just hope that they will never stop adoring you, and never realize your unintentional plan. It will sting like millions of insects when you, yourself realize it. But your guilt will be short-lived. A quick realization, but you are far too busy to feel the blame to its full extent.

You became the enemy you have sworn to destroy. But unlike in the old world, a choice in this matter was not given to you. That is why you will hurt, maybe even cry. It is an indication of weakness, but can you afford to show such signs? To your followers? Who will take every one of their problems with them, and present them at your desk to solve?

Dizzy with how much of a responsibility this is, you will simply not have the luxury of time to feel sorry for yourself. Only to solve, help, and, depending on what the answer is to certain problems, conquer. Complying with as many requests at the same time as possible, yet there are still those who are not thankful for your hard work.

Demolishing them into the very ground you walk on shall be a fitting punishment. They should try being the Creator for a few hours. They would come sobbing to you, shaken and soulless. They would understand how kindness is a forced way of thinking to you. It always has been. Because your living conditions made you prioritize yourself over others, using the weak as stepping stones to achieve your goals.

You have killed God in the old world, it's only fitting for you to become one in this one. Many for one, one for many, these ideologies blur in your fuzzy head. Exhaustion catches up to you, after pondering for a few minutes. You slump down to your desk, some papers falling down due to the impact your action caused. You hear faint footsteps and a quiet whisper. "Shh, look! Their grace is finally asleep. Be quiet, everyone!" A weak smile decorates your lips. You are home.

Taglist! (If you'd like to be added/removed, let me know!) : @the-real-fandom-person

#unsympathetic creator sagau #genshin sagau #genshin impact sagau #self aware genshin #sagau #rice is writing

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late-to-the-fandom · 9 months

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WIP Excerpt

Thank you @druidx for the tag! This is the first scene of Chapter 9 of Wend, one of my favourite chapters and one I’ve been looking forward to, but I cannot get out of first draft mode to save my life 😭

Rules: there are no rules. Post an excerpt of any length from anything. Or don’t, I’m not your mom.

Tagging: @cljordan-imperium @e-s-willswriting @ithinktheyrefor1am @owlsandwich @joyfulpolicehologram @mysticstarlightduck @virgolioness @worldstogetlostin

Under the cut for light non graphic adult content

“I’ve been meaning to ask, what is all that?” asked Elisewin, pointing down at the Ember Ward’s ruins above which her room’s balcony hung, the gesture requiring her to unwind her hand from Renathal’s hair. He growled his displeasure at this before dipping his face into the hollow of her throat and answering against her skin, “Nothing.” Elisewin managed to simultaneously moan and click her tongue in exasperation. “It can’t be nothing. There are ruins and buildings and a tower. You can see them from here.” Renathal’s own groan was more pettish than aroused. He did hate to be interrupted at his work. “That is the Ember Ward,” he explained, reluctantly lifting his head. “And the tower you see is called Sinfall. It where the Sire once conducted the business of creation. Where I myself was born as a matter of fact,” he added on a whim, and instantly wished he had not. “What? Really?” Elisewin’s eyes lit up, clearly brimming with a dozen new questions. “Do you remember it? Your… birth?” “Very little. Which, coincidentally, is precisely how much interest I have in the subject at present.” Stroking her hip through her silks with one hand, guiding her face to his with the other, Renathal succeeded in recalling Elisewin’s attention back to himself for several satisfactory minutes before she broke for air, using the brief respite to ask, “So… what is the Ember Ward used for now?” Renathal sighed like a martyr. “Nothing,” he said again, and set himself to undoing the front of Elisewin’s loosely tied lavender dressing gown. “Venthyr are occasionally sentenced there, but only as a punishment of the most extreme sort. It is all ruins. Unfit for habitation.” “Why?” The word wavered as Renathal’s long nails traced a teasing pattern across her exposed chest, but she managed to continue undaunted, “What happened to it?” “Not all the Master’s creations were… appropriate. The Light retaliated,” confessed Renathal absently, enjoying the warmth of the curved flesh cupped in his hand juxtaposed against the balcony’s chill breeze. “What did he create?” Renathal wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Really, my dear, this is hardly breakfast conversation.”

#Tag games #writblr games #renathal x maw walker #Wend in the shadows #Very light smut

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aevumisles · 1 month

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Aevum Isles Policy Updates Log (05/01/2024)

Hello, Aevum Isles members! This post documents all changes and reflects the current status of all listed pages and policies. All inquiries are to be sent to the Masterlist Inbox.

To read the synopsis of the policy updates, please review all changes logged under the "read more".

The following updates, changes, and policy and regulation addendums are in immediate effect as of 05/01/2024.

Change Log Summary:

GUIDELINE UPDATES SUMMARY:

Reworded the following Aevum Isles guidelines for clarity:

When applying, a valid OOC contact must be sent into the Masterlist inbox. It cannot be left solely on a member's application.

Mythology-based characters, and period-based characters are allowed, but only as adaptations.

The following guidelines have been added:

Changes to an active Member's personal contact must be sent to the Masterlist askbox at the member's earliest convenience.

Meme Day, by popular vote, has been extended to "Meme Weekend", although all previous restrictions still apply.

Activity Checks are now in accordance with the first day of every month, regardless of the weekday it falls upon.

Muns with multiple muses may not bloat in-character activity by continuing threads across multiple blogs in any way, shape or form.

Housing Regulations have been added to Policies, and the Marketplace. (See: Housing Policies)

POLICY UPDATES SUMMARY:

Abilities: An In-Depth Look

Reviews what Aevum Isles defines as a "passive ability", alongside a comprehensive guide to self-defining whether an ability is "passive" or not.

Avatar Characters Policy

Defines an "Avatar Character (Avatar)" by Aevum Isles protocol. Reviews how an Avatar should be applied, and what unique restrictions apply to an Avatar.

Golden Rule Policy

Reviews the terms "meta-gaming" and "god-modding" in relation to Roleplay Etiquette. These terms have been added to the Aevum Isles Glossary.

Housing Policies

Updated Housing Policies effective as of 05/01/2024.

Housing regulations and disciplinary for all members are reviewed.

POLICIES IN DEPTH:

Abilities: An In-Depth Look

For explanations on Abilities, Passive Abilities, and Ranks, please first see the following pages:

Aevum Isles Powers FAQ

Passive Power Q&A

The Forms Page (see “Application Pages”)

How are “passive abilities” defined by Aevum Isles Staff?

Passive Abilities are primarily defined as the following:

Any ability or power that a character possesses that is innate to a character in a physical capacity. (e.g., A winged person’s ability to fly with their wings, or a character’s longevity factor.)

Physical abilities and attributes that were learned by the character through study or progeny. (e.g., multilingualism, martial or weapons-based combat training, parkour and other olympic-level athletic feats (that are not derived from or otherwise altered by superhuman abilities), and hyper-intelligence)

A superhuman ability that cannot be turned off.*

*Usually, this is an exception to the ‘active abilities’ rule as something a character was born with that cannot be removed under any circumstances and directly impacts a character’s quality of life in a negative or positive manner. EXAMPLES:

Toph Beifong (Avatar: the Last Airbender) and her ability to ‘see’ through highly-attuned earth-bending through her feet.

Tony Stark (Marvel/MCU) and his Arc Reactor keeping him alive.

How are Active Abilities defined by Aevum Isles Staff?

Active Abilities may be further defined as follows:

An ability that can or must be activated at will.

Exceptional abilities that can be defined as “superhuman”, and directly impact not only the character themselves but the world around them, allowing them to withstand and overcome any if not all obstacles.

May be an innate, born ability, a gifted power, or derived from a contract or curse.**

All active abilities will be rendered null and void upon acceptance to Aevum Isles, and can only be permanently regained through the Aevum Isles Marketplace. In short: “Super” powers, even if natural for the character, are not considered passive.

Examples include:

Access to “The Force's" ability to push/pull, see into the future, or become a Force Ghost.

Other otherworldly powers, such as chakras, the triforce, etc.

A self-regenerative healing factor, or the ability to heal, buff or hex others.

All Superhuman Abilities (strength, speed, endurance, so on and so forth).

Further Considerations for the Uncertain Applicant.

When unsure about an active ability vs. a passive ability, first consider whether or not the ability in question is something that is learned, or capable of being performed by an Olympics-level, modern-day, human athlete.

If so, then the ability is most likely passive.

If not, then take into consideration whether or not the ability is innate, gifted, derived from contract or curse, and otherwise willfully acted upon.

If the ability is one listed on the Powers Listing Wikia, it is, most likely, not passive.

**And, of course, you are more than welcome to ask Staff on or off anon at the Aevum Masterlist. Staff handling your application will likewise inform you, with explanation, of what your application is missing or what categories need tweaking when sending applications back.

Avatar Characters

Avatar Characters (Avatar) are defined by Aevum Isles as follows:

“A blank slate protagonist with no canon history, family, or origin. Typically, an Avatar Character is one whom the player has complete jurisdiction over the Avatar’s personality, origin story, classifications, etc. While these characters exist within a canon piece of media, the scripted events that the character follows are altogether optional, and largely directed by the individual player”.

Although an Avatar Character would be considered a “canon character”, due to the creative liberties and blank-slate nature of an Avatar, the “backstory” component of an application must be completed by the applicant in the same manner as an Original Character.

On the application asks, reservation asks, marketplace asks, and so on, the character’s name would be followed by the abbreviation of their respective Avatar designation, and their respective class and/or job. (e.g., Celestia von Lunarta (WoL, Sage)) For more information, please see the Series Specific Requirements Page.

An Avatar Character can be applied by multiple muns. (e.g., multiple WoL) “Canon Double” restrictions do not apply to Avatar characters blanketly.

An Avatar Character is only limited upon application by class. (e.g., there can only be one Barbarian TAV (BG3), one rogue TAV, and one Paladin TAV. However: all can be active in Aevum Isles at once.)

This does not mean that a canon NPC will know who the Avatar is. Unless pre-plotted by individual muns, each NPC and Avatar must be automatically assumed to exist within separate, parallel universes to avoid Meta-Gaming. (see: Meta-Gaming Policy for more details.)Examples of what counts as an Avatar Character includes but may not be limited to:

Examples of what counts as an Avatar Character includes but may not be limited to:

The TAV from Baldur’s Gate 3

The Warrior of Light (WoL) from Final Fantasy 15

Any Bethesda Protagonist (e.g., The Dragonborn, Skyrim)

Stardew Valley Farmer

Star Wars: Old Republic Protagonist

Examples of what does not count as an Avatar Character include but may not be limited to:

A Fire Emblem Protagonist (Corrin, Fire Emblem: Fates)

A Pokémon Trainer Protagonist (Trainer Red from Pokémon Red)

A Dragon Quest Protagonist

Golden Rule Policy

The Golden Rule Policy is designed to specifically tackle issues of “meta gaming” and “god-modding” regulations in Aevum Isles. (please refer to the Aevum Isles RP Glossary for more details on these terms.)

Meta-Gaming in particular is strictly disallowed at Aevum Isles. As all characters accepted into Aevum Isles are fictional, all real-world events, people/historical figures, holidays, movies, media, etc. are parodied within the world of Aevum.

The only exceptions generally being: countries, astrology, days and month names, etc. Aevum Isles does provide a glossary of in-universe parodies for widely recognizable brands. Members are encouraged to add more when applicable.

In order to respect all canon characters within various sources of media, it is expected that no character will retain or achieve knowledge that is “fourth wall breaking”.

Otherwise known as: excessive knowledge of a character’s biology, powers, thoughts/thought-processes, or actions in the setting of Aevum Isles without the character having learned, or otherwise witnessed, these subjects firsthand in a thread.

Alternatively: this may be information that the mun would possess in the real world, but the character would not, even if the character is from a modern-day adjacent, or future-adjacent universe.

This does include (but is not limited to) prophetic powers, information hacking, and characters set in modern day (or modern day adjacent) settings. Prophetic gifts, reality bending, and hacking information cannot be executed without explicit permission established between muns.

EXAMPLE:

Peter Parker (Marvel Cinematic Universe) cannot tell Luke Skywalker that Darth Vader is his father, Anakin Skywalker.

Instead, Peter Parker’s Mun would need to make a spoof movie that is a reference to STAR WARS without naming the franchise, or any of its characters, by name. In conjunction with this,

Lightsabers would also need to be parodied, and the plotline of the parodied movie would need to either remain vague, or be adapted to Luke-Mun’s discretion.

While Aevum Isles Staff is not stringent on the subject of Meta-Gaming, this does fall under the “golden rule” regulations stated on the Guidelines Page.

Repeated offenses of meta-gaming (or god-modding) totaling instances of three or more will result in an official warning. Please be respectful of all characters and their respective media.

Housing Policies

All Aevum Isles members are automatically sorted into a Staff designated housing upon acceptance.

Roommate preferences and housing district preferences must be left on all character applications. They can be filled out as “nonapplicable” if there are no preferences to be had.

Members will not be housed with series castmates when sorted into Aevum Isles sanctioned housing. You may move in with castmates upon reaching forged rank, or by acquiring personal housing.

Moving requests must be sent to the Masterlist Inbox for processing. These will be validated and processed upon the subsequent inbox run.

Even if personal housing is purchased from the Marketplace, all muses must still send a moving request for the new housing to be listed on the muse’s blog and stats pages.

Personal Housing may be bought on the Aevum Isles Marketplace, but are regulated by Aevum Isles Personal Housing restrictions.

Personal Housing may not serve as a muse’s place of residency while the muse in question is also listed on the Aevum Isles residential page.

Failure to abide by the listed specifications and regulations will result in a warning.

After receiving a warning, you will have until the subsequent inbox run to adjust the housing and/or housing occupancy. If adjustments are not submitted by the subsequent inbox run, Staff will issue a reminder, and an extension of compliancy by the following inbox run.

In the case that this second reminder is not met, the muse in question will be temporarily suspended and removed from the Masterlist, and the mun notified of this change. This will remain in affect until the necessary adjustments are made.

As a reminder, please send ALL inquirie to the Masterlist Inbox, which is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 6pm - 8pm EST. Inquiries posted elsewhere will be redirected.

Thank you! — The Guardians 🌟

#aevum policy updates #policy faq #policy update 001

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