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frankentyner · 1 year
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Part 3
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lord-of-the-prompts · 2 years
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A-Z ALTERNATE UNIVERSE IDEAS:
A
afterlife
alien invasion
all female
all human
alpha/beta/omega dynamics
always a different gender/sex
amnesia
ancient era
angels & demons
animal shelter
another world
antique shop
apocalypse
army
arranged marriage
artists
art school
asgard
assassins & hitmen
atlantis
B
babysitters
bakery
ballet
blind date
boarding school
bodyswap
bookstore
bounty hunters
boxers
boy band
british
C
celebrity
character/actor swap
christmas
circus
civil war
coffee shops/cafes
college
cowboys & aliens
covid 19 pandemic
creatures & monsters
crime
criminals
cults
D
dance battle
dark fantasy
detective partners
different first meeting
different powers
dragon age
dungeons & dragons
dystopian
E
elfland
enemies to friends to lovers
everyone lives/nobody dies
F
faerie
fairytale
fake dating
fake relationship
fandom fusion
fans & fandom
fantasy
farm/ranch
firefighters
fix-it
flower shop
foster family
futuristic society
G
gangster
gang world
genderbending
genderswap
genie/djinn
ghost hunters
gladiators
gods & goddesses
gothic
guardian angel
H
harry potter and 1400s witch trials
heaven & hell
hollywood
horse racing
highschool
historical
hogwarts
homless
hospital
hunger games arena
I
ice skating/ice dancers
immortal
J
journalism
K
kings & queens
k-pop
L
laboratory
lawers
lifeguards
law enforcement
M
mafia
magic
magical creatures
medical
medieval fantasy
merepeople
military
mob
model/photographer
modern setting
monster hunters
mortal
muggle
mutants
multiverse
murder mystery
mythology
N
navy
neighbours
never met
ninjas
noir
noir detective
non-famous
non-magical
non-mutant
no powers
not related
no time travel
O
office
olympus
online dating
ordinary people
orphanage
P
paramedics
perspective change
pirate
podcast hosts
pompeii
powerswap
post-apocalyptic
prison ecsape
prom
psycics
Q
quest
quidditch
R
radioshow hosts
reincarnation
renaissance
restaurant
road trip
roaring twenties
robot uprising
rock star
roller derby
role swap/reversal
roommates
royalty
S
scientists
shakespeare
shapeshifter
siblings
shipwreck
single parent
snowed in
soulmates
space
spies & secret agents
spirits
spy
spyfi
steampunk
summer camp
sun flairs
superhero
supernatural
supernatural elements
T
tattoo parlour
theatre
thieves
time loops
time travel
trojan war setting
twins
U
urban fantasy
university
V
valhalla
vampire slayer
vegas
victorian era
video game world
vigilante
vikings
W
wedding planners
werecreatures
werewolf
western
witchcraft
world war i/world war ii
wormhole
Y
youtubers
Z
zombie apocalypse
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oseytorvan · 11 months
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Some people (I'm one of them) behave as if Astrid's behavior needs constant explanation, constant analysis, constant justification. It's time to admit that we ask too many questions when it comes to female characters. 
Why is Astrid thin when the rest of the Viking women are solidly built? Why did the writers choose mediocre Astrid instead of such a brilliant female character as Camicazi? Why do people think she's a feminist character when she's just a set of stereotypes about women? Why didn't Astrid stop Snotlout and the twins when they subjected Hiccup to ridicule? Why didn't Astrid reciprocate Hiccup's feelings? Why wasn't Astrid thrilled when Hiccup started winning in the Arena? Why is she behaving too rudely and viciously for a love interest? Why did she want to tell Stoick about Toothless? Why did she fall in love with Hiccup after the flight? Why does she alternate shoulder pokes with lip kisses? Why does Astrid constantly play the role of "damsel in distress" in the show? Why did she become so soft in the second part? Why is she "just a Hiccup soldier"? Why doesn't she understand Hiccup when he doesn't want to be the chief? Why does she meet a traditionally attractive man and not fall in love with him? Why did she chatted with Drago, which led to Stoick's death? Why didn't she cry on her knees next to Valka when Toothless and Hiccup were buried under an ice block? Why didn't she want to marry Hiccup? Why did she want to marry Hiccup? Why did Astrid like this bitch Light Fury? Why didn't Astrid rush to save Hiccup when the Light Fury threw him off Toothless? Why is the actress who plays Astrid’s role not blonde? Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why…
Astrid doesn't have to justify her every action. No female character doesn't have to justify.
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earthboundvalkyrie · 1 year
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Vikings Valhalla, Season 2, Episode 3, "Pieces of the Gods" Recap
New Post has been published on https://www.ebvs.blog/2023/02/03/vikings-valhalla-season-2-episode-3-pieces-of-the-gods-recap/
Vikings Valhalla, Season 2, Episode 3, "Pieces of the Gods" Recap
Leif wakes up and finds himself in Mariam’s room, where she had him brought after finding him in the snow. She tells him if he wants to kill himself with a lighting strike, the iron rod she’s holding would attract the lightning better than his head. He tells her he wasn’t trying to kill himself, but doesn’t think he can explain what happened. He sees books on her desks and comments that he’s never seen one before. She says it’s a book of ideas, and when he asks “Whose?” she responds “Mine”, and that her life’s goal has been to journey to all the great centers of knowledge, including Constantinople. When she coughs again, she tries to pass it off as nothing, but Leif notes that the Greenlanders have a name for that kind of cough – being “squeezed by a ghost.” She explains she wants to go back to Constantinople because they have good doctors there. Leif leaves, but looks at his cross again as he walks away from her home.
Freydis is in the temple. Gudrid comes to see her, but won’t step all the way into the temple. She explains that only those who talk to the gods are allowed inside, as the temple must be kept pure. Freydis counters that in Uppsala, all are welcome to the temple, and Gudrid reminds her they are not in Uppsala. Freydis tells her that no one can own the gods.
The refugees are working at the forest camp making and packing weapons onto the boats for their next raid. Harekr announces to all that Freydis is pregnant, and that this is a gift from the gods and a promise for their future. Everyone cheers.
In Novgorod, Harald tries to buy a boat, but the owner isn’t interested in selling. Harald instead works out a deal where he will use one of the ship’s cargo holds and provide the crew in exchange for use of the boat. The owner, Gestr, will fill the other hold with the slaves he’s taking to sell.
Back in Jomsborg, Freydis is working with the young warriors. In the crowd, a young girl is mimicking her moves with a stick. Freydis notices and calls the girl, named “Hrafna” (which means “raven”) over, asking her to show what she can do. Jorundr objects saying it is forbidden. Only those who are descendants of “The Skuld” can fight, and only after they have completed a ritual journey to the boneyard. Freydis points out that, like Hrafna, she has no ancestors there, but she was welcomed, and claims the ancestors of Jomsborg for herself and all others, including Hrafna. They then spar briefly. Freydis disarms Hrafna after a few exchanges, and praises her for her good skills. Jorundr and Gudrid are not happy.
Leif talks to Harald about his plans for avoiding the Pechenegs on the trip to Constantinople. Harald explains they will start now, while the river is frozen, and by the time they get near the Pechenegs, the ice will have melted and there will be high rapids they can ride, allowing them to stay on the river and not have to portage across land, which is when the Pechenegs usually attack. The two then go find Kaysen and Batu, the men who were running the fighting arena. Harald offers them a job as fighters on the journey. Initially skeptical, they agree to join the crew. Baku tells Harald where to find a guide to the Dnieper River. The man, Kurya, is in jail, and turns out to be a Pecheneg. He is blind, but says he’s run the route so many times he knows every part of it in his mind. Harald offers to get him out of prison and asks what it would cost to have him serve as their guide. Kurya replies, “A coat.”
In London, Godwin speaks to his betrothed, Aelfwynn, and gives her a beautiful brooch. She wonders if it is from Sussex. He explains he has nothing left from Sussex because it was all taken when his father was convicted, and he was left only with his father’s ring as a reminder of his family’s disgrace. He tells her he wants to let go of his past and focus only on their future.
Hrefna’s mother comes to the temple and yells for Freydis. Hrefna has gone off into the woods, and her mother is worries something terrible has happened. Freydis questions Jorundr, who is at the gate, about what happened, and he said Hrefna wanted to know where the boneyard is. Freydis gets angry at him for letting her go, even though he knows it’s a dangerous journey, but he points out Freydis was the one who encouraged her and gave her the idea to go. Freydis takes off after Hrefna.
Godwin has the body of the dead assassin hung in the streets. After overseeing the hanging, Godwin leaves the balcony he was watching from, but Emma stays a few minutes more. She sees her serving women, Aelfwynn and Gydha, as they come across the hanging body, as Aelfwynn is very visibly distressed by it.
Leif goes to Mariam’s room. She shows him an astrolabe she’s working with and explains how it allows for navigation calculations to be made. After looking at some documents and books on her desk, he asks if she could teach him reading, mathematics and how to use the astrolabe. She says it would take years. He remarks that they’ll have several months on the trip to Constantinople, and he’s found a way to get her there.
Kaysen and Batu are unsure about having a Pecheneg as their guide, as he could guide them to the places where his people will attack them. He counters that he can show them how to avoid those places, and tells them that it was the Pechenegs who blinded him. Yaroslav’s friend, Vitomir comes to the boat with a young servant carrying an elaborately decorated chest. Gestr looks at the chest greedily. Leif then shows up with Mariam and a chest of her books and belongings. Harald isn’t sure that they need a frail woman on their trip, but Leif thinks she’s exactly what they need. As Yaroslav sees them off, he comments to himself “A prince, a slaver, a blind Pecheneg, a woman scholar, two con men and a noble, on a boat on a sled. What could go wrong?” and then crosses himself as horses begin dragging the boat over the ice-covered river.
In London, Emma is taking a bath. She asks Gydha to leave, and tries to obliquely asks Aelfwynn if there’s anything upsetting her or that she wants to talk to Emma about. Aelfwynn says there’s not, she’s just been a bit distracted and won’t let it happen again. As Aelfwynn leaves the bathing chamber, she runs into Godwin in the hallway and is clearly nervous about something.
Freydis goes to the boneyard, where she sees some blood on one of the plants She calls out to Hrefna, who responds. Freydis finds her in a small cave. Hrefna explains there was a boar, but she was able to hide from it. She has a cut on her leg, however. Freydis leads her from the small hiding place and they are quickly greeted by the boar. Freydis tells Hrafna to run. The boar charges at Freydis and she is knocked over, but was able to stab the boar with a spear at the same time, killing it.
On the river, the boat stops so they can all eat, and Gestr gets his slaves out of the cargo hold. Leif tells Mariam those are Gestr’s cargo, not his. One of the girls in the hold won’t come out, so Gestr drags her out, and it’s clear she is dead. Her sister, one of the other slaves, is devastated. Gestr digs a hole in the ice and dumps the body in the river. As they eat, Vitomir’s servant suggest they should say a prayer for her. Mariam agrees and asks the other slave girl to say one. When she finishes, each member of the party separately says “Amen,” including Leif.
Freydis bring Hrafna back to her home, much to the gratitude of her mother.
Aelfwynn goes to her chambers, where she finds the dead man’s head on a table, causing her to scream. Emma is there, and questions her about the man, saying she knows Aelfwynn recognizes the man because Emma saw her when she found the man in the street when he was hanging, but when she gave Aelfwynn the chance to admit she knew him, she said nothing. Aelfwynn asks Emma not to tell Godwin if she admits the truth, as she’s afraid Godwin would leave her. Emma is surprised to learn they are a couple, and gets Aelfwynn to reveal the man is her brother. Aelfwynn says she didn’t know he was in London until she saw him hanging. Emma accuses her of lying, as the man had been in the chapel the day he tried to poison Emma. Aelfwynn points out that she had her head bowed, and again pleads with Emma not to tell Godwin.
Freydis goes exploring the forest a bit more, and finds a monument with several graven wood statues of the gods, including one she identifies as Odin. She thanks Odin for guiding her to Jomsborg.
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mainsholdings · 2 years
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Crazy snowboard hat that goes over a helmet
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CRAZY SNOWBOARD HAT THAT GOES OVER A HELMET UPGRADE
CRAZY SNOWBOARD HAT THAT GOES OVER A HELMET FREE
However, organizers know that, based on experience, they can expect a few stragglers to join the lineup between now and Thursday. Furthermore, there’s a $500 cash prize for the most creative float, $300 for second and $200 for third, so there’s more than just bragging rights on the line.Īccording to the Breckenridge Tourism Office, almost two-dozen floats have already been registered for the parade, which usually lasts about an hour. “It’s like the highlight of the week,” Dineen said, explaining that people “have been preparing not just their floats, but their parade outfits” for their march down Main Street. The name is pronounced “ULL-er” - it rhymes with “cooler” - and few, if any, Colorado towns can put on a winter festival that’s even near as cool as the one Breckenridge has been perfecting for over a half-century now.įor Thursday’s parade, it’s not uncommon to see some wild and crazy floats, like a hot tub or a ski jump, gliding down Main Street. The parade on Thursday serves as the centerpiece for one of Breckenridge’s most well known, signature wintertime festivals, a four-day celebration paying homage to Ullr, the Norse god of snow. ĭon’t be surprised when horned Viking helmets inundate Breckenridge this week, as more than 12,000 snow-worshipers are expected to line Main Street for the 55th annual Ullr Fest parade. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Wild and Scenic Film Festival at Riverwalk Center.
CRAZY SNOWBOARD HAT THAT GOES OVER A HELMET FREE
– Ice Skating Party and free kids Ullr helmet decorating at Steven C. where children are welcome to play in the snow, sled, build a snowman or participate in other fun family activities. Tickets are $25 and available online at. Comedy Night with stand-up comedian Jimmy Dunn at Riverwalk Center. iFurnish Ullr Ice Plunge in Maggie Pond at Main Street Station Plaza, 501 S. Ullr Bonfire at the South Gondola Parking Lot with free entertainment by Red Bull.Ģ-4 p.m. Ullr Parade on Main Street with cash prizes.ĥ-7 p.m. Fat Tire Ullr Bike Race on Main Street. Proceeds benefit the Breckenridge Mountain Rotary. People must be at least 21 years old with valid ID to participate. West Ice Arena, 189 Boreas Pass Road, with intermissions featuring Ullr prizes and family fun.Ĥ p.m. Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League All-Star Game at the Stephen C. The first 200 attendees over 21 get a free beer. Breck’s Got Talent at Riverwalk Center. Adams Ave., immediately before the Breck’s Got Talent contest. Crowning of the Ullr Fest King and Queen at the Riverwalk Center, 150 W. Here are our favorites that'll make your ski bum feel seen.Below is a lineup of events for Ullr Fest in Breckenridge, a four-day festival honoring Ullr, the Norse god of snow, Wednesday through Saturday.Ħ:30 p.m. There are even some cool home decor and fun gifts that'll remind them of their love for the mountain. And it also means that even when they aren't on the mountain and it isn't actually ski season, they always have freshies (untouched, first-run-of-the-day snow) on the brain. Changing into a cozy hoodie and snow boots instead of ski boots is fine, and definitely warmer. It involves apres, which means drinking on the mountain (and no, not like a specific bar, don't make that mistake), which involves wearing mostly your ski clothes, but in like a cool way. There's also apres-ski culture, which is different.
CRAZY SNOWBOARD HAT THAT GOES OVER A HELMET UPGRADE
But you can feel good about it, because something a little more indulgent like a gear upgrade is a present that will go to use immediately. Which is great for you-or not-if you really want to splurge on them. This also means that a lot of the gear is very expensive. If you are shopping for a hardcore athlete, know that how stuff performs in the snow, on the mountain, and over time is going to trump aesthetics as far as gear goes. So, if you're looking for a gift for the ski bum in your life, you should know a little about the culture. Like surfers, or my middle school friend group, being a skier involves an entire new vocabulary and way of life. It is a full-blown lifestyle, and if you know any hardcore skiers in your life, you know exactly what we are talking about.
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depskate905 · 2 years
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Bumper cars poki
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This toys dolls parody video shows Elsa and Anna toddlers in an amazing Shopkins World ! There are thousands of small and GIANT Shopkins ! Some of them even.
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Unsere auto spiele sind einfach zu steuern, und bieten Spaß für Spieler allen Alters. Benutze einfach deine Tastatur, um dein Fahrzeug zu beschleunigen, abzubremsen und zu lenken. Einige Spiele ermöglichen es dir, die Umgebung zu modifizieren und dein Fahrzeug durch einfaches Drücken der Pfeiltasten auszubalancieren.
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thorraborinn · 3 years
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Do you have any recommendations for (preferably free/online) sources for someone wanting to practice Heathenry?
I get this question a lot and I often struggle with it. The answer is yes, I do, but I always worry that the resources I know about and would tend to recommend aren’t the ones that will be useful to others. I wrote an answer to someone else asking about getting started a few years ago, it might be helpful: https://thorraborinn.tumblr.com/post/175541204083/hi-im-new-to-heathenism-and-i-wanted-to-ask. But if my recommendations aren’t helpful, don’t be discouraged. There isn't only one way to get started.
I have a list of primary sources here: https://thorraborinn.tumblr.com/primary_sources
and resources for runes here: https://thorraborinn.tumblr.com/runes
I have an unlinked list of secondary resources but it's so out-of-date and incomplete that I don't think I can link it. Instead I'll just tell you my favorite books, but be aware that they aren't written for people who are just getting started (though, getting ahold of these and apprehending what they're saying might be more difficult when you're in the early stages of learning, but will give you a much better foundation than starting with most books written by heathens for heathens):
Christopher Abram, Myths of the Pagan North: The Gods of the Norsemen (an introduction to working with Norse mythology, not religion per se)
Anders Andrén, Tracing Old Norse Cosmology: The World Tree, Middle Earth and the Sun in Archeaological Perspectives (mostly about pre-Norse developments)
Karen Bek-Pedersen, The Norns in Old Norse Mythology (or her PhD thesis "Nornir in Old Norse Mythology" which I have found online though I'm having trouble tracking it down now)
Neil Price, The Viking Way: Magic and Mind in Late Iron Age Scandinavia
Olof Sundqvist, An Arena for Higher Powers: Ceremonial Buildings and Religious Strategies for Rulership in Late Iron Age Scandinavia (extremely expensive to buy but very inexpensive to steal online)
There are of course countless other books and especially articles but I don't want to give you recommendation fatigue.
I recommend checking out @lokeanwelcomingcommittee even if that isn’t the specific direction you’re heading in, because a lot of the information relevant to new Lokeans will be relevant to new heathens of all kinds.
https://www.mimisbrunnr.info/ is a good site with some useful reference material like an annotated bibliography of translations of the Edda poems.
It's not free but Ryan Smith wrote an intro-level book aimed at newcomers, The Way of Fire and Ice, and he also leads a bunch of study groups through the affiliated Facebook group. Note that The Way of Fire and Ice is definitively not reconstructionist (and is entirely up-front about that) but is its own fully-articulated and cohesive school of thought within heathenry, not a broad description of heathenry as a whole. It is without a doubt a much better source for beginners than my blog, which might occasionally be useful for newcomers but that isn't what I prioritize.
Mathias Nordvig also has an intro book but I've never so much as read the back cover so I can't in good conscience recommend it even though I expect it is probably good.
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rallyrecce · 2 years
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Rally Sweden 2022 A-Z - Part 2
N
Neuville – the Belgian boy claimed victory here with Hyundai back in 2018.
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"I'm a little teapot short and stout..."
O
Oliver Solberg – fresh from his win for Norway, with his papa Petter, in the Race of Champions, Swedish Solberg will be hoping for a better outcome than in Monte Carlo, where he was plagued by fumes entering the cabin of the car. His stage end interviews confirmed that it definitely wasn’t laughing gas being pumped into the car! He was a Super Trooper to carry on as long as he did.
P
Plug-In Charger – new hybrid technology means that the cars need to be plugged back into the mains once they return to service for the night, like some old iPhone.
Puma – M-Sport’s new offering topped the tables in Monte Carlo and looked damn fine doing it (that livery though, oof). Toyota and Hyundai’s ugly sisters showed great speed and proved that we’re going to witness a good fight for that glass slipper/WRC crown.
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A wild Puma in the snow.
Q
Queen Silvia – Mother of Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, who has been a regular around the service park for many years. Despite the move up north, this year will be no different and the handsome prince will be in attendance at the royal ball, or inauguration as it’s actually known.
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The Prince and the King.
Quick - despite the wintry conditions the drivers still put on a high speed show.
R
Räksmörgås– Swedish open sandwiches.
Roads – the drivers will take on lots of long straights with Finlandesque sweeping corners and crests.
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Red Barn Arena – Friday and Saturday’s stages will finish with the fan friendly Umeå sprint which ends in the Red Barn Arena. Bring moonshine and your sister/wife for the barn dance, yeehaw.
S
Stig Blomqvist - this old school homeboy has kicked ass here more than anyone else, with 7 wins over the whole history of the rally (5 of those when it was a WRC event) and to keep it super Swedish 5 of these wins were behind the wheel of a Saab.
Skogstokig – translates as ‘forest crazy’ and is the equivalent of ‘mad as a hatter’. I think this can be applied to the Swedish spectators and a lot of the drivers.
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Even Santa comes out to cheer on the teams.
Surströmming – that Swedish delicacy of fermented sour Baltic herring, sounds delicious. Stick some in the back of the cars, it will serve as both a motivational tool to get them to the end of the stage quicker and a tasty picnic snack if they end up in a snowbank.
T
Tyres - Super skinny studs are the order of the day, anything else would leave you flailing around like a lycra clad, Z-list celebrity on their first day on ‘Dancing on Ice’.
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Weird looking hedgehog.
U
Utfart - We hope nobody crashes and has to utfart - Swedish for exit.
Umeå – the new home of the WRC’s only winter rally, based in Värmland since 1973, it has moved north to this European city of culture.
V
Vikings - they don't seem to be into all that violence and pillaging anymore and often come out to support their countrymen.
Vasterbotten – the host county of the rally. Has its own cheese. Tastes like salty, bitter Parmesan apparently. Remind me to stick some of that on my räksmörgås with a bit of surströmming. Delicious.
W
Windscreen – you would think that this is a necessity for driving in the snowy conditions – not for Oliver Solberg’s favourite fun uncle, Henning. Back in 2006, the wild man got his co-driver to kick out the windscreen completely following a fight with a snow bank. Made for excellent air conditioning and a stage end interview looking like a snowman.
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"Yeah I get a really good view now and it's a weight saver."
X
Xsara – back in 2004, it was little Sebastien Loeb who piloted his Xsara to victory, becoming the first Frenchman, and non-Scandinavian in the history of Rally Sweden, to climb on to the top step of the podium.
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"No officer, I am normally a very slow and careful driver"
Y
Youngest – and it was in 2008 when Jari-Matti Latvala took the top spot and with it the record for the youngest ever winner of a WRC event. This was subsequently snatched away from him in 2021 by young whippersnapper, Kalle Rovanpera. Don’t be surprised if he loses it to little Tim Kaiser-Ogier in the next year or two.
Z
Zara Larsson, Zlatan Ibrahimović– Swedish people who do songs and kick balls around etc. If you have better Z entry, let me know.
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cacheblog920 · 2 years
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Amiga Hdf Games
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WHDLoad is a way to run Amiga games from hard disk, even for games that did not originally support HD installation. Thanks to the fantastic work of the WHDLoad team, we can run those games, both on real Amigas and emulators, quickly and easily. Features downloads of all Team17 games in ADF or IPF format. Some CD32 ISOs are available as well. The site also includes Team17 related goodies such as game MP3s, wallpapers, fan art and a.
Accueil>Amiga >Commodore Amiga - Hardfiles - HDF (0.01)
Choisissez votre affichage :
Nom Taille
Agony (1992)(Psygnosis) Alien Breed 3D (1995)(Team 17)(AGA) Bloodnet - A Cyberpunk Gothic (1994)(Microprose)(AGA) Breathless (1995)(Fields Of Vision)(AGA) Burntime (1993)(Max Design)(AGA) Cannon Fodder (1993)(Sensible) Civilization (1992)(Microprose)(AGA) Colonization (1995)(Microprose) Darkseed (1992)(Cyberdreams) Dune 2 - The Battle For Arrakis (1993)(Virgin) Dungeon Master II (1994)(Interplay)(AGA) Flashback (1992)(Delphine) Flight Of The Amazon Queen (1995)(Interactive Binary Asylum) Frontier (1993)(Gametek) Hare Raising Havoc (19xx)(Disney) Indiana Jones And The Fate Of Atlantis (1992)(LucusArts) King's Quest VI (1994)(Sierra) Lemmings 2 - The Tribes (1993)(Psygnosis) Lost Vikings, The (1993)(Interplay) Mean Arenas (1993)(ICE) Patrician, The (1992)(Ascon) PGA Tour Golf (1991)(Electronic Arts) Reunion (1993)(Grandslam)(AGA) Rise Of The Robots (1993)(Mirage)(AGA) Secret Of Monkey Island 2, The - Le Chuck's Revenge (1991)(LucusArts) Secret Of Monkey Island, The (1990)(LucusArts) Settlers, The (1993)(Blue Byte) Simon The Sorceror (1994)(Adventure Soft) Star Crusader (19xx)(Gamtek)(AGA) Star Trek 25th Anniversary (1992)(Interplay)(AGA) Syndicate (1993)(Bullfrog) Valhalla And The Lord Of Infinity - Plus Both Sequels (1994)(Vulcan) Waxworks (1992)(Accolade) Workbench V3.0 (1992)(Commodore)
I’m trying to get running an Amiga again, to see if I can remember what was rocking my computer world twenty years ago. I want to run that code, swim with the Fish disks, and generally muck about with what was my life back then.
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Amiga Hdf Games Online
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Emulation is interesting. Variants of UAE (which came with an Amiga Forever CD set I bought in 1997 or so) rule the roost. Quality is variable – on Windows, WinUAE is very comprehensive, even making grink-gronk noises as the floppy spins. On Mac, E-UAE is really not worth the bother kinda okay – it doesn’t want to emulate anything above a 68000, and falls over quite often but has decent sound. On Linux, it’s plain and stable, and I happen to have an old Thinkpad going spare I can dedicate to emulation.
I would have expected all the old disk images to be readily available for download. It seems that the current owners of the Amiga name (this week, at least) still cling on to the old IP as if it has real value. The Amiga games market (which was the market) basically collapsed with Commodore in 1994. I really wonder who is buying the PowerPC based, vastly overpriced new hardware? For now, I’m relying on good old-fashioned torrent sites for my data.
I want to emulate two machines; the A500 I had for all my cringe-worthy magazine writing running Workbench 1.3, and a fast thing maxed out with all the processors and RAM I never had, probably running 3.1. While I did have Amiga(D)os 2.04 (can’t remember if they’d dropped the D by then), it wasn’t the main focus of my interest by then.
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The biggest problem I have is getting hard disk image, even blank ones. UAE is picky. Here are a couple I formatted under WinUAE, both blank.
Amiga Hdf Games Free
I wonder if they’ll work under 1.3?
Amiga Hdf Games On
Update: yes, they should. I formatted them FFS under AmigaDos 1.3.
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danwhobrowses · 3 years
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WWE - Best and Worst Booking from Wrestlemania 36 to 37
Wrestlemania 37 is in the books and so a new saga of WWE booking begins anew.
But the year has had its ups and downs, in the outside world and the booking, so - for doing something new - I'm gonna run down some of the best and worst booking decisions made by WWE from the Raw after Wrestlemania 36 to Wrestlemania 37 Night 2.
I will note, these are my opinions - some of which acts upon hindsight rather than 'in the moment' - and if you're gonna call me an anti-WWE mark rest assured I plan to do this for AEW too after Double or Nothing in May
Also, there is the off chance of spoilers...somehow? But it's worth covering that base
April 2020 Best WORST - Samoa Joe on Commentary On April 27th, Samoa Joe was called upon to replace Jerry Lawler (we'll get to that) on Commentary. Joe provided a great presence to commentary and it kept him on TV, we do still await his return but seeing more of Joe is a huge plus. EDIT: This was best until just now I learn that Samoa Joe has been released, the fuck WWE?
Worst - 'Ramen Noodle Moonsault' Part of what caused Lawler's replacement was the scrutiny caused by an April 13th call by Lawler during a match between Austin Theory and Akira Tozawa. He called a Step Senton a 'Ramen Noodle Moonsault', Lawler is rarely funny nowadays with his dated comedy but this was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Best - Giving Sonya and Mandy the Floor It could've been a huge down not to see Sonya vs Mandy at Wrestlemania after she was outed in manipulating Mandy away from Otis, but their feud managed to carry on strong all the way to Summerslam thanks to Sonya stepping up her game to come off as a fantastically asshole heel - which in turn made Mandy a sympathetic character. Their post-mania build allowed for an anticipated match, it was only unfortunate that an attempted irl kidnapping in August would sour the momentum and cause Sonya to take some justified time off.
Worst - Charlotte Flair on all 3 Shows Charlotte's NXT Title win did not go down as well as WWE had hoped, somehow giving the woman that had won next to everything another title reign at the expense of Rhea Ripley's Wrestlemania debut backfired on them. And unfortunately, exposing Charlotte on all 3 shows did not help matters at all, furthering the criticisms WWE have often faced when they overbook Charlotte on the upper card.
Worst - COVID-19 and Black Wednesday While not necessarily a booking thing, it was very bad of WWE to do what they did at the time. Another outbreak raised some backstage concerns over the conduct WWE, who had tried to not acknowledge the pandemic in the same vein then-president and somehow HOFer Donald Trump had done, were acting towards the pandemic. The worst of it all though was Black Wednesday, a mass exodus of talent in the height of the pandemic was never gonna be great PR, but a lot of the talent let go were very popular - Drake Maverick's video also cast a negative light on WWE even when they rehired him and used it as a storyline. While some found greener pastures to flourish, not everyone landed well on their feet, equally baffling was that WWE would then boast a quarterly profit before rehiring some of the staff they let go.
May 2020 Best - Giving the title to Asuka While we were all surprised to see Becky Lynch survive Shayna Baszler at Wrestlemania, nobody could dispute the post MITB segment on Raw when Asuka was rightfully awarded the title for winning the MITB. Being a shining light in the Empty Arena Era, Asuka was certainly a fan favourite choice to succeed Becky as she embarked on her journey towards Motherhood. A truly wonderful segment which showed that segments can pay off just as much as wrestling.
Worst - Not Pushing Otis While Asuka's MITB victory was done right, the same could not be said for the Men's Winner. Otis had the fan's backing and while his victory was surprising especially given the competition it had potential. Which WWE then squandered and buried as hard as they could. Otis never got to develop beyond a joke act, his love interest and partner taken from him, before he would months later lose it to the Miz.
Best - MVP joins up with Lashley Lashley was in a rough spot here. His main story was cucking Rusev by having an affair with Lana, and then marrying her. The pair was not built to last and mercifully we upgraded to the MVP/Lashley partnership. Together both men began their career resurgence as they now stand at the top of the pile, this was the beginning of the Hurt Business.
Worst - The Brand-To-Brand Invitational Much like how the Wild Card Rule was stupid, the Brand-To-Brand Invitational was also stupid. Often used as a tool for Survivor Series or to bring Charlotte or Corbin over with their bad heat, overall it served nothing for the fans or the booking, regardless of whatever they named it.
Best - The Fight Pit Timothy Thatcher can still do a lot more in NXT, but he still leaves a great legacy in introducing the Fight Pit. When there's not enough people for War Games but a Steel Cage won't do, the Fight Pit sold stiff aggression with its debut affair between Thatcher and Riddle, a brutal match only since done once more. It may have been done twice, but if someone calls for a Fight Pit you know shit's gonna go down.
Worst - Stripping Sami Zayn of the IC title, for staying safe Sami Zayn had finally won a championship on the Main Roster in March, then COVID happened. While WWE did make an outward statement that anyone who didn't wish to risk their health could exclude themselves, when Sami did it he lost the championship. This was rather hypocritical given that Jordan Devlin was still the Cruiserweight Champion and an Interim Champion was being crowned, rather than an official one like Smackdown did. While Sami would return to reclaim his title, his time away is still not acknowledged.
June 2020 Best - NXT start using old show names Partially due to AEW using Bash at the Beach, WWE decided to hold onto some of theirs and WCW's old PPV names. While this was slightly petty, the way they used them proved fortuitous in exuding nostalgia in a big way. To start, we had In Your House but this would also lead to the resurfacing of Halloween Havoc and Vengeance.
Worst - Not Firing Jaxson Ryker During this time the BLM protests were in full swing, so Jaxson Ryker decided this'd be the right time to praise Donald Trump on twitter. The backlash was high and his stablemates suffered for it as well, depushing and taking all the Forgotton Sons off TV. Jaxson Ryker still somehow has a job and tv time in WWE, and that continues to baffle.
Best - Maverick vs Fantasma in the Finals While exposing Maverick's firing was in poor taste, the story of the former GM chasing the title was one we can get behind. Paired with El Hijo del Fantasma finally getting the platform to debut after being hired in August 2019. The finals match would also beget to a strong title reign by Fantasma where he showed his charisma as a heel and birthing his faction Legando del Fantasma, as for Drake it led to a mismatch team with Killian Dain, it could be better but it could be worse.
Worst - Jeff Hardy vs Sheamus' narrative You'd think putting Jeff and Sheamus together would be fine, and the wrestling was indeed good. The storyline however was wrong, very wrong. Rehashing the Jericho/Punk angle, WWE decided a urine test angle would make for good TV - which was a particular low for both men.
Best - Io Shirai at the Top (which she could jump off of) When Charlotte won the NXT Championship from Rhea I vocally worried that this'd mean curtains for Io Shirai, the Stardom Ace had found her footing as the 'Mad Queen' heel character and won a ladder match to contend for the title, but she was going up against Charlotte Flair - WWE's 'Queen' who had already cut the legs from Asuka, Rhea and Bianca Belair - so the worry was high. Fortunately In Your House decided to give Io the much-deserved title win, granted she should've beaten Charlotte and Rhea was there to take the pin but this would begin Io's long reign as the female Ace of NXT, as well as jumping off of anything and everything on each TakeOver.
Worst - Street Profits vs Viking Raiders doesn't happen for Backlash During their time as Raw Tag Champs, the Street Profits engaged in an 'Anything you can do, I can do better' series with the Viking Raiders. The segments itself were mostly silly but some parts were admittedly humorous like the leg of meat popping up everywhere. But the payoff match on Backlash never came to be, instead we continued a cinematic brawl which would've been fine...but it had no conclusion. It ended in a bin, much like the feud was trashed, with the malice of the Viking Raiders mostly thrown away.
Worst - Nia vs Asuka ends in a Double Count Out Backlash 2020 already had the questionable booking of Profits vs Vikings, Braun vs Miz and Morrison and promoting Edge vs Orton as the 'Greatest Wrestling Match Ever'. But another that could not be let go was the women's title match. This was Asuka's first major defense, the storyline should have been her proving that she deserves the title and the best we got was Nia Jax. Like Profits/Vikings it could've been salvagable had there been a legitimate finish, but the match ended in a double count out, only to follow up with a Raw rematch - sadly this would not be the end of Asuka being poorly booked as champion.
Worst - Kairi's Injury Speaking of Nia, in a May taping that released in June Nia faced Kairi Sane in the build to her feud with Asuka. But Kairi came out of the match with a nasty head cut after being thrown into the steps. Unfortunately, this was not the first time Kairi had been injured by Nia so it was not a good look on Nia to repeat herself.
Worst - *Unmasks* 'Old Man Santos Escobar!?' When El Hijo del Fantasma revealed himself as the leader of the masked men, it began the stable Legando del Fantasma. But of course, 'El Hijo del Fantasma' isn't really a heel name that rolls off the tongue, the name change was justified but the choice was not. Using the surname of a drug lord exposed WWE's continued hypocrisy of things - who were adamant in removing Apollo Crews' surname when a killer was also named 'Crews', among their usual obsession with cutting names - but it was worsened by the choice of Santos, which means Saint. It also made it odd that his faction carried his old name but not him, what was wrong with Santos del Fantasma?
July 2020 Best - A New US Championship Design Aside from the 24/7 title, the US Championship design was one of WWE's weakest, fans had been calling for a change for quite some time. During Apollo's feud with the Hurt Business though we got a new US title unveiled by MVP; a slightly better design, it was definitely a good move in terms of booking and merchandising.
Worst - Asuka loses to Shenanigans, and then to Count Out Alas, Asuka's reign hit a bump in the road when the Bayley/Sasha connection set their sights on claiming all the gold. While this would do well for Bayley and Sasha's story, it was once again a story that came in Asuka's expense. She lost stupidly in Extreme Rules and when that was revoked she lost by count-out in a match where nothing was meant to influence the wrestlers on the outside. This was an added blow because Asuka was counted out to save Kairi from being attacked backstage - which effectively wrote her out of WWE, which meant that the attempted save was worthless.
Best - Big E goes his own way, but doesn't split from the New Day Before the WWE Draft split Xavier and Kofi from Big E brand-wise, injuries to Xavier and Kofi left Big E unable to compete for tag titles. However, fans had been hoping for another singles run from Big E and this was the platform for it. What made it good though was that Big E didn't leave the New Day to pursue a singles career, keeping the beloved faction still alive.
Worst - Bye, Kairi Kairi Sane carried a similar star aura that Io and Asuka before her did as the Mae Young Classic winner, former NXT Women's champion and basically being an all-round adorable human. When it was learned that she would be taking an ambassador role in Japan - where she would get married and spend time with her husband also - fans were upset to see her go. But WWE never gave her a proper sendoff, the last we see of Kairi is just her KO'd backstage with Asuka having given up her title to fail in saving her, and that left a bad taste.
Best - Keith Lee: Double Champion Keith Lee had captured NXT hearts with his physicality, athleticism and theme song, he was NA Champion and WWE had decided that double champions are all the rage now, so they pit Lee and Adam Cole against one another. It was a brief run, but the moment Lee held two belts became a big moment signifying a new chapter for NXT.
Worst - 'The Horror Show' Extreme Rules was kind of a low point for WWE. Rather than just continue with the no DQ gimmick they threw all their chips into the Braun vs Bray swamp fight, which tanked horribly. Also Rey vs Seth suffered from it with the daft Eye for an Eye stipulation - which AEW had previously done effectively - it was a great wrestling match marred by its goofy stipulation and thus its ending, all of which was made simply because Rey hadn't extended his contract at this time. Needless to say, overbooking and stupidity left 'The Horror Show' Extreme Rules a dud.
August 2020 Best - Introducing the Thunderdome There was some hesitations about the introduction of the Thunderdome, the fact that it's just screens some of it reused to pair with piped cheers and boos doesn't sound too good on paper. And granted, it has its flaws still, but at the same time the Thunderdome has been more positive on WWE's atmosphere than a purely empty arena has. The NXT cages are probably better paired with AEW's using their backstage staff as the crowd but you get what you give sometimes.
Worst - Retribution Retribution is a lost cause, even to this day. It tried the Nexus-esque debut with big names but shitty masks, as well as their purpose contradicting their actions. It all began here, and shouldn't have happened in the first place, Mercedes learned that one quickly. At least T-Bar has Twitter game.
Worst - Changing Keith Lee's attire, theme, and making him a side character to Drew vs Orton Within a month of winning both belts, Lee would be moved up to Raw where immediately he was pitted against Randy Orton - who was feuding against Drew McIntyre. With a new outfit and new music, Lee was a stepping stone to simply further Orton's feud with Drew rather than influence it, in a single moment WWE had made fans lose confidence that they could book Lee as well as he was in NXT, a worry that continues to this day even with another theme change.
Best - Damian Priest gets a shot A star who needed a chance to shine, Lee's vacating of the NA title left a slot open for someone to get a solid push and the winner was Damian Priest. Having proven himself there and in a prior feud with Finn Balor, Priest was a worthy candidate to hold the title and he still is able to hold that momentum in his main roster pursuits.
Worst - Raw Underground Doing something different is nothing to be afraid of, but sometimes you have to read the room. And Shane McMahon introducing a boiler room fight club was not it. Granted, Raw Underground didn't get the fairest crack of the whip, but it had also not distinguished itself on the card nor did it have as many decent stars to carry it. The repackaging of Babatunde to 'Dabba Kato' didn't sell any seriousness to it either.
Best - Pat McAfee Shines The Adam Cole/Pat McAfee feud did somewhat stumble at the start with WWE's insistence that this was a shoot, but the end result paid dividends. Pat McAfee raised a very low bar on celebrity contributions in wrestling matches, showing what celebrities who are actual fans could do to pull off an athletic and entertaining affair.
Worst - Mauro and Renee leave Mauro Ranallo may've been divisive for some fans in his enthusiastic commentary, but I loved the guy. He actually sold the energy of the matches and he knew the moves. Renee Young was also someone who proved to be a fantastic sports journalist, her commentary times on Raw marred by micromanaging she was a great host for Talking Smack and her podcast showed how relatable and fun Mrs. Moxley truly is. The departure of both had left a void WWE have struggled to fill again.
Best - Dominik Mysterio steps up In Summerslam 2005, the PPV was main evented by Shawn Michaels overselling Hulk Hogan for 20 minutes. The event saw not just titles go on the line but Kurt Angle's Olympic Medal...and the custody of a child. That child was mini-Slim Shady Dominik Mysterio, who in storyline had recently discovered that Eddie Guerrero is his biological father, adopted by Rey Mysterio and his wife. Fifteen years later, Dominik would step back into a Summerslam ring, this time to make his wrestling debut. While he would lose, Dominik gained a lot of positives especially given how he was up against Seth Rollins, Dominik's progression continues to impress as his father ensures that he gets the best training he can provide, the prince of the Mysterio household has a bright future ahead of him.
Worst - Murphy takes the fall in the Mysterio/Rollins Feud Alas, the Mysterio Family vs Monday Night Messiah would only have sporadic good moments and part of that is because Seth would escape mostly squeaky clean. The few times the Mysterio family would win was when it was a tag match with Murphy to take the fall. This wasn't just unfair on the Mysterios since they were being robbed again of 'winning' a feud which involved Seth ripping Rey's eye out but it also was a disservice to Murphy's talents as a former Ace of 205.
Best - Reigns FINALLY turns Heel, and is a Heyman Guy Roman Reigns was consistently booed for about 5 years, earning a reprieve when kayfabe was thrown away to support him in his bout with Leukemia. Given his dialysis, COVID left him as a risk for most of the year, but he made a huge return in the Universal title match between Braun and the Fiend. Debuting a heel persona which would align with Paul Heyman, WWE had finally done what the fans wanted - turn Roman heel. And Roman has been on top ever since, the Tribal Chief Reigns.
Worst - Splitting the IIconics In a bout of trying to raise stakes, WWE decided that the best way to service their women's tag division was for 2 popular teams to fight for contendership - but the losers would have to split up. Between the Riott Squad and the IIconics, the former would win the match - but continue to be underbooked to the point where their reunion after feuding with each other has become fruitless - which meant that one of the few established tag teams in the women's division were splitting...not too long since the Kabuki Warriors had split too. Despite half a year later Peyton delivering a killer promo and Billie showing some comedic flair, neither bounced back from the split - their only solace now is to reunite now that they too just now have been released...
Worst - Velveteen Dream comes back June proved to be a shocking time for wrestling in general when brave people publicly called out their experiences with sexual, emotional and physical harassment and abuse. This rattled all companies and blacklisted a ton of once renowned wrestlers such as David Starr, Jimmy Havoc, Jack Gallagher, Marty Scurll, Travis Banks, El Ligero, Joey Ryan and shut down all of Chikara pro wrestling. Velveteen Dream was among the names listed, accused of having inappropriate communications and grooming minors, this was of course a huge blow to the once-popular rising star. Like they did with Matt Riddle, Joe Coffey, Wolfgang, Jordan Devlin and Sid Scala, WWE decided to investigate rather than immediately release Dream. During this time, WWE should have kept Dream off TV for an extended period of time, instead he appeared a month later on NXT to qualify for the NA Title ladder match Priest would win under heavy scrutiny of the fans. As much as WWE point out that they had found nothing, many still remain unconvinced and while Dream is currently off tv now, having him return so soon did not inspire confidence.
September 2020 Best - Sami gets the IC Title Back After being unfairly stripped of the title back in May, Sami returned to claim himself the true IC champion. Pitted against AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy, the trio would embark on a smart and highly acclaimed ladder match for the title, which Sami would win. Course correction coming into play for Sami to resume his reign, but I still wonder why he was the heel in all of that...
Worst - Changing Aleister Black's Attire and Entrance Aleister Black had the IT Factor, he was a superb striker with a great gimmick of a dark and brooding warrior, rising like a vampire in his entrance with a demonic jacket, he oozed the aura of a main event player. Until Vince changed the music and decided that Black should wear an eyepatch...this of course was done after a span of barely booking Aleister anyway - despite him delivering in his matches - before not booking him at all.
Best - The Prince is Promised Finn Balor's return to NXT had been on a slow burn at this point, but with Karrion Kross having to vacate due to a separated shoulder a new NXT champion had to be crowned. After a 4-way iron man tie, Balor came on top on Super Tuesday Part 2. Finn being champion again was indeed the right choice, while it delays his collision with WALTER indefinitely he has had a superb reign filling in for Karrion Kross, who would reclaim in a good match at Stand & Deliver.
Worst - Telenovela Bullshit The Mysterios/Messiah storyline tangented in a bad way in its ending stages before fizzling out. Aalyah Mysterio had been booked into a romance with Murphy, the acting was like a soap opera and not in the good way. 'But mother, I love him' literally being the weekly storyline of coaxing Murphy away from Seth, all of which became dropped to mean nothing for anyone.
Best - Kyle O'Reilly and Jey Uso enter the Main Event Primarily tag wrestlers for their WWE careers, Kyle O'Reilly and Jey Uso were given unexpected chances at the world champions Balor and Reigns on NXT and Smackdown, and boy did they take those chances. Both men impressed hugely in their matches, enough to get multiple rematches and a bigger role in the main event from it, Jey would join Roman as a heel and support to the Tribal Chief while O'Reilly would come to blows with Adam Cole in an unsanctioned match. Both men can be seen as world champions now.
October 2020 Best - NXT UK Acquisitions NXT UK hasn't really gained the desired momentum, which is a shame because there are a lot of great talent still there, and they sport one of the best looking active belts in Wrestling today. The problem is the limited audience and minimal roster depth, which is why it was refreshing when WWE signed more to the brand, the big name of Meiko Satomura being the headliner but also Rampage Brown and the steal of Ben Carter - now Nathan Frazer - from under AEW's nose. Later they would push A-Kid and sign the former Lucky Kid and Millie McKenzie to further bolster its brand.
Worst - Not Repackaging Retribution On October 5th, WWE decided to turn Mustafa Ali heel and put him as the leader of Retribution, but they would also pit them against the Hurt Business - a heel faction - and reveal himself the 'Smackdown Hacker' - who had unveiled some heels doing heelish deeds. Confusing at the best of times, Retribution never got past losing either, forcing Mia Yim to do tantrums in the ring on a mini-push that came to nothing and elevating nobody. Retribution had chances to save itself, but WWE didn't take those chances.
Best - Sasha wins big! At last, Sasha wins a big title match clean in a storyline payoff against Bayley. Both women at the top of their game, they earned the Hell in a Cell spot and began a title reign that would go longer than any of Sasha's other main title reigns. The Boss was finally standing on top as the main roster finally did Sasha vs Bayley right.
Worst - Orton wins big... Randy Orton had been feuding with Drew since beating Edge at Backlash, losing on consecutive title matches until Hell in a Cell, where he won despite the slow burn hints at a Fiend feud. While Randy was at the top of is heel game and Drew didn't have to hold the title all year, the multiple past attempts deflated this story as well as scrutinizing WWE constantly saying 'no rematch clauses' and 'you can't just walk in and demand a title match' but then doing the absolute same thing. Orton's title run wouldn't last either, which makes it all the more meh.
Worst - The Draft The Draft is meant to lead to surprising new dynamics and storyline changes, but 2020's Draft was a misfire. For one, there was no competition for it, Raw got 3 just because it ran longer and a percentage of the draft picks were wrestlers staying on the brand they were already on, making the shock factor limited. The Mysterios followed Rollins to Smackdown to continue their drab storyline, the tag champions swapped belts to remain colour coded and for some reason some tag teams were treated as individual and some not.
November 2020 Best - Undertaker's Retirement Ceremony After 2 previous 'retirements', the Undertaker finally hung up his boots for real this time, ending it where it began: Survivor Series. It was a very tasteful affair with nods to the card he debuted on such as the Gobbeldy Gooker and Brother Love, it was a good time and a good sendoff for one of WWE's greatest characters.
Worst - Survivor Series books it wrong While there was many good matches in Survivor Series, it did suffer from the usual booking mentality of 'Raw Superiority'. Lana became a sole survivor by default of count outs and DQs in a team including Shayna and Asuka, the Smackdown men were completely squashed despite having a strong team and Baron Corbin and finally, no NXT. There was the potential for adding Balor, Io, Priest and Imperium to these matches and that just could've elevated it, the last was more understandable though given COVID.
Worst - Not booking 3 Future Stars Andrade, Aleister and Murphy. All three had shone before reaching the main roster be it for NXT on the former two and 205 Live on the latter. But on the Main Roster their luck was a mixed bag; Murphy had recently beat Rollins clean, but after the Mysterios were about to come down with COVID themselves WWE didn't push anything with him, Andrade was a former US Champion in a faction that all fell apart within the year and Black was a shitkicker who WWE were methodically gutting. All three would soon see themselves not on tv at all, and for two they had an alarming connection.
Worst - Zelina gets fired Zelina Vega was the one who elevated Andrade to a face midcarder to a heel main eventer on NXT, she was also coming along well as a wrestler with some decent bouts with Asuka. But when WWE enacted a policy that their wrestlers couldn't profit from third party stuff like twitch, when Zelina resisted and found loopholes she found herself getting released soon after, Andrade and her irl husband Aleister Black now ominously missing from WWE, it was for the most part pettiness on WWE's behalf to forbid their talent from making money elsewhere by being themselves.
December 2020 Best - Big E wins the Big IC Without his New Day buddies, Big E could continue his singles run despite daft claims from Corey that as a decorated tag champion Big E couldn't do singles wrestling like he did when he was NXT Champion and IC Champion. But on the Christmas Smackdown taping, Big E would win the IC championship to a big babyface moment, which he would carry into Wrestlemania.
Worst - Gargano wins the NA Title (again) I have nothing against Johnny Gargano, but it is odd that he was the one to usurp Damian Priest and then Leon Ruff. To this day he still holds that title despite Dexter Lumis, Bronson Reed, LA Knight, KUSHIDA (who recently just won the Cruiserweight title) and Cameron Grimes all looking like worthy competitors to get a push. It's a strange place where Gargano builds a faction with gold but it doesn't elevate anyone around his waist.
Worst - Charlotte returns just to add another title to her list WWE's obsession with mismatched teams is matched only by their obsession with pitting a champion and no.1 contender against tag champions, both of which are overdone. So when TLC came along with Asuka having a mystery partner to face Shayna and Nia, it didn't quite land that her partner was Charlotte and they went on to win the titles...only to drop it in about a month as they teased a title match between the two. It showed the low pecking order the tag titles had, the lowered stock of Shayna and how the title change was merely to say that Charlotte had won every title in WWE (at that time).
Worst - Miz fails his Cash-In, but gets the Briefcase back The Men's MITB was horribly booked all year and time was running out, WWE had to decide whether they would have to book a failed cash in - and put the Miz in the same list as Sandow and Corbin in those who lost their cash-in (Cena and Braun if we include those who didn't capture gold), making Miz champion or hot potatoing again. At the end of TLC it looked like they picked the latter, which would've tied things up in a bow. But the following Raw, the Miz got his briefcase back because Morrison had cashed it in for him, meaning the saga was forced to continue.
January 2021 Best - Xia Li finally gets a repackage Xia Li has been on the NXT Roster for a long time, like Vanessa Borne and Aaliyah long time, but the best NXT could give her for a long time was 'Chinese Undercarder'. 2021 however made a shift, by turning Li heel with a storyline of her and Boa answering to a mystic overlord, Li turned into a brutish kickass killer, squashes building to her dispatching her former friends. While she still sits low on the card, it's promising stuff that can easily be pushed towards the main title scene, and frankly Xia Li has done her time to earn such a push.
Worst - Goldberg challenges Drew 'for disrespecting legends' The whole Goldberg fiasco was once again a rush job that served nobody except old Bill. Still soured by the fact that he cleanly defeated the Fiend and also had a horror match with Taker, nobody was quite amped to see Drew vs Goldberg at Royal Rumble. His reasoning for feuding with Drew was also confusing since he was claiming that Drew had disrespected the legends on Legends Night when he had been fully supportive and respectful towards them. Mercifully, the feud did not go Goldberg's way.
Best - The Women's Dusty Classic is Announced The Dusty Rhodes classic has in NXT become a platform for tag teams and mismatch alliances to flourish and open into newer storylines, and also to sometimes set up War Games, and with the vast depth of the NXT Women's Locker Room it was the right call for WWE to make a women's variation. The tournament allowed Candice, Dakota, Raquel, Ember and Shotzi to get tv time outside of a world title shot and so their talents weren't entirely wasted.
Worst - Sonya Returns, but as a GM Assistant When Sonya Deville took some time off post-Summerslam, she had proven herself to be skilled on the mic and in the ring. But on Jan 1st's Smackdown Sonya would be spotted and later it was officially announced that Sonya was back on Smackdown, but as Adam Pearce's assistant. Aside from some backstage talks and Street Profits trying to bribe her for a title match, Sonya hasn't seen much TV time - which is a poor utilization of her skills. The position is fine to an extent, but Sonya should be using her position to further her in-ring prospects too, take a leaf from AJ Lee's book.
Best - Edge returns at the Rumble While I was never unhappy with Edge winning the rumble I wouldn't say it was the best booking choice out of the roster. If anything though, Edge returning from Injury at Number 1 was a definite crowd-pleaser, and pitting him against Orton to resume their hostilities set the tone for the Men's Royal Rumble.
Worst - Corbin beats the Mysterios Clean on Consecutive Weeks I don't know what the purpose of this was. After returning from COVID, the Mysterios were put against King Corbin in weekly matches, Rey lost to Corbin clean, Dom lost to Corbin clean, there weren't any interferences or weapons, and there wasn't really a plot to this. Only when Dom beat Corbin thanks to Rey's help did the feud 'end', but it didn't really do anything for them, in the end, Dom cheats to win and not in an Eddie Guerrero way. It was just weird.
Best - The Women's Royal Rumble The Women's Royal Rumble in 2021 was a masterpiece, nearly every woman in that match got some shine and a bit of story. There was depth, context and clarity in the bout and the exciting prospect of the final two being Bianca and Rhea - two NXT prospects who would both later grasp gold. The ending segment solidified a perfectly-booked bout that would set a standard the men couldn't outshine that night.
Worst - The Universal Title Last Man Standing botch Handcuffed on the scaffolding, Roman Reigns looked certain to lose his Last Man Standing match against Kevin Owens as Heyman frantically tried to uncuff him. Of course, this was a botch at the worst of times but instead of attempting to ad-lib something, the Ref just restarted his count after reaching 6. It was a daft choice that killed the sails of the match, they should've either attacked the ref or let Owens - who had lost to Reigns several times already - hold the title for a month or so before dropping back to Roman.
February 2021 Best - MSK win the Classic On Impact the Rascalz were a beloved faction, and when two thirds of them jumped ship to NXT as MSK, fans were eager to see if WWE would go all the way with them, or if they would let the UK uberheel team of Grizzled Young Veterans take the spot. Fortunately they went for the former, which was a big boost for the future tag champions - only slightly delayed by injuries to both MSK and the then-champions Burch and Lorcan.
Worst - Top Tier Bad Booking on all 3 Shows Despite Smackdown and NXT regularly dwarfing Raw in quality, each show had begun a less than stellar narrative to build some feuds among their favoured wrestlers. On NXT, Gargano's faction The Way were having a Dexter Lumis problem - and although Lumis had won a non-title match against the NA Champion he did not get a title shot - one which had its bright parts but was often found goofy especially with the Indi Hartwell romance stuff. Smackdown merely had to keep it simple with Bianca and Sasha, but instead, they decided to go through the 'can they work together' route with Shayna and Nia, again shoddy booking threatened to dampen a Women's Wrestlemania Main Event. But Raw of course had the worst of it, Charlotte would be a babyface feuding with Lacey Evans, who was fucking her father...fans were already aware that Lacey has a husband and child which WWE had acknowledged before, and the feud only ended because Lacey was legitimately pregnant - which they storyline'd to be Ric's too - sparing Asuka of the same fate. It just wasn't a good time.
Best - Cameron Grimes STONKS The Gamestop Reddit Stocks moment came out of nowhere and made people a lot of money, WWE decided that Cameron Grimes would be one of those people. Already exuding charismatic energy and a decent catchphrase, making Grimes rich somehow elevated his character further as a hilariously snobby whackjob. Here's hoping he gets a solid crack at it as he cites DiBiase, maybe like he did Grimes can pay his way to the top.
Worst - Sheamus sucks at history Sheamus turning on Drew was an inevitability, and their matches were strong and entertaining affairs. But WWE really didn't try too hard to think of a reason for Sheamus to turn on Drew, citing his reasoning to be that Sheamus had lived in Drew's shadow. I mean really? We're talking about the same Sheamus who has won every men's accolade in WWE bar the IC title while Drew was doing air guitar with Heath, Jinder and Hornswoggle in the undercard? You have to make things make sense for people to buy into it.
Worst - Miz gets to be King for a Week Following on from Miz's failed cash-in was Miz's successful cash-in after Elimination Chamber - an action he succeeded in thanks to Lashley assaulting Drew post-match. While Miz being world champion again was anticipated for a long time, the timing was not right at all and fans were more or less relieved to see that Lashley would be taking the title from him within the next week. It was mostly a bit of clean up after realising that they don't want to use the MITB in the build to Wrestlemania, afterwards Miz went from WWE Champion to feuding with a rapper - also spare a thought for Morrison who doesn't really get to do anything outside of being the Miz's buddy.
March 2021 Best - Lashley wins the WWE Championship Speaking of Miz's short-lived reign, the one saving grace from it was that Lashley would claim it soon after, looking like a monster in the process. An overdue run for the man who was slowly looking like he was about to fade out of the company the same way that several others had and later would got his position to be WWE Champion, long may he reign.
Worst - La Sombra de El Idolo Andrade remains one of the most talented wrestlers of his generation, he had several paths in WWE that could have moved him to the top of the card, several feuds that people were amped for. And none of it came to be, because Andrade was granted release on his second attempt. Where Andrade El Idolo will appear next remains up for discussion, the likely route being AEW or reconvening with his old Ingobernables, but wherever he lands it'll be on his feet.
Worst - Shane returns just in time for Wrestlemania Season Shane McMahon is the boss' son, with a masochistic urge to be thrown off of things. But he doesn't seem to realise that every time he's on the card someone more deserving is not, not even with a posse as he tries to renew his 3 Minute Warning days. This time around Shane beleaguered WWE's card with a feud against Braun Strowman circulating around Shane calling him stupid and pouring green goo on him...who asked for this?
Worst - Apollo changes his accent Speaking of 'who asked for this?', Apollo's heel turn in embracing his Nigerian heritage was fine, a new edge for the otherwise smiley naive face character. But then Apollo decided to put on an accent, even though he's spent years without it. It was just unnecessary, a stamp that was to say 'I am foreign, boo my foreignness' that certainly has no room in today's wrestling. What's the odds that within a year Apollo's Nigerian Royalty gimmick will be warped into a Nigerian Prince scammer gimmick?
Worst - Women's Tag Fuckery Upon winning the women's Dusty Classic, Raquel and Dakota got a Women's Tag Opportunity against boringly longstanding champions Shayna & Nia, however rather than just pull the trigger and give the titles to them, WWE opted for a cheat finish which had Adam Pearce turn heel for the day just to screw over NXT. This was all a convoluted plan to create NXT Women's Tag Championships, which were awarded to Raquel and Dakota...before immediately losing it to Ember and Shotzi. Just what you want when establishing a new title huh? Quickfire title changes! It was all just very roundabout, should've simply announced the titles for the Women's Dusty Classic prize or given the Women's Tag to a team that could actually use it.
April 2021 Best - Edge and Roman add a bit of YES Alone Edge vs Reigns was still a highly anticipated Universal title bout. But the addition of Daniel Bryan brought in several new layers and conflicts for all characters. Each of them (like Balor vs Kross would) were presented as warriors who were forced medically to vacate the top prize only to come back stronger, each of them main evented Wrestlemania, and each of them were some of the best wrestlers in the world. The triple threat also meant that No DQ stipulations could be opened up, allowing Edge to show more of his heelish and psychotic side, as well as Bryan and Roman's viciousness. All three sold that they wanted that title and it made it stand out.
Worst - That Hurts our Business The Hurt Business was looking to become another success story in modern WWE factions. Masterminded by a resurgent MVP and helmed by now WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, Business was indeed booming. Until the final few weeks of Wrestlemania decided to cast aside Shelton and Cedric - the latter they strived to convince in joining them within the past year - and effectively dissolve the group. The loss of the Hurt Business led to high criticism, especially since Cedric and Shelton fell hard into the undercard only to see King Corbin cross brands to do Lashley's dirty work, it just wasn't a good thing and the possibility of replacing those spots with Mace and T-Bar does not quite fill the void.
Best - Cesaro gets his Push Cesaro had often been haunted by the dangling of the 'brass ring' over his head. Despite a frequent tag champion and also a US champion, WWE shied away from his strong and dedicated fanbase that desired more for the Swiss Superman/Cyborg. In the build to Elimination Chamber, fans were intrigued by Cesaro's clean wins over such names as Daniel Bryan, but were not surprised when he didn't come out on top in the chamber itself. In the aftermath though, Cesaro began a feud with Seth Rollins, someone who could boast an impressive Wrestlemania W/L record, compared to Cesaro - whose only Wrestlemania singles match was last year's Pre-Show. The match was put on Night 1 and was a lovely affair with a clear story, most importantly though Cesaro came out on top with a huge rub and like that, the Cesaro section gets to believe again.
Worst - Fiend Falls to One RKO After spending the last year re-mystifying the Fiend by having him survive all manner of things including drowning and being set on fire, the return of the Fiend to open Night 2 of Wrestlemania left a sour taste in fans' mouths. After 8 minutes of no-selling Orton's offense, Alexa Bliss reappeared with black goo over her face to distract the Fiend, he was hit with an RKO and pinned for 3. The bafflement was high as fans wondered what exactly the intention was for having the Fiend lose on his return, and why it took only one RKO to finish it when so much worse things have struggled to keep him down.
Best - NXT Stands and Delivers before Mania In what was a long and entertaining week of wrestling, NXT said goodbye to Wednesday Nights in style with their Wrestlemania-esque 2-Day Takeover. The shows were good sporting some fun matches, including an entertaining CW unification ladder match and Io passing the torch to Raquel, though NXT weren't invited to Survivor Series or Mania this time, they still put on a great show before moving to Tuesdays.
Worst - Riotts, SD Tag Champions slighted The Riott Squad currently stand as one of WWE's last surviving genuine tag teams, everyone else being singles wrestlers thrown together to avoid Main Event or Superstars. However, they also stand as a team who after multiple attempts are still not tag champions. After carrying the bulk of their Night 1 Tag Team Turmoil, the Riott Squad were unfortunately left to be felled by Natalya and Tamina - who would lose on Night 2 rendering this pointless anyway - and I have to ask, is it ever going to happen? The Riott Squad are not the only tag team hard done by at Wrestlemania, as the Smackdown Tag Championship did not even make it on the card! A fatal 4-Way between the Dirty Dawgs, Street Profits, Alpha Academy and Mysterios could've brought some infectious energy into Night 2 given the amount of talent in those four teams, but instead it got put on a 'Wrestlemania special Smackdown' while Shane vs Braun ended up on the main card. Priorities were not straight there and WWE robbed Dominik Mysterio of a Wrestlemania debut, their only contribution being a video recap and a Dirty Dawgs interview on Night 1 to prelude the Raw Tag Championship match.
Best - Wrestlemania dished out the goods, and the fans In spite of some questionable booking in the early stages, we end the list on a high. Wrestlemania didn't have the best build or go-home show, but it certainly delivered on a blend of storytelling and wrestling, big title changes for Bianca and Rhea and solid matches for the majority of the card meant that WWE ended on a high. Most importantly too, it was in front of a crowd, the ambiance very much missed on the Grandest Stage of them All.
I would rant about April 15th 2021 but I said it's from Mania 36 to 37 so yeah, footnote fuck April 15th. In the end though WWE had its ups and downs, but hopefully they will learn from some of their mistakes and come back stronger
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darlingsdontdie · 4 years
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New Yandere, Whump, and Dark Shipping Blog: Requests FAQ
Hey! So before I start writing and creating, I thought I'd get some common questions answered and out of the way! If you are concerned about your request or are unsure of its content, please first check this post before directly messaging me.
Request Content
Q: What kinds of requests do you fill?
A: I will fill almost any type of request! But here are some specific options with set structures and examples.
Headcanon Requests (bulleted, length depending on ask, ex: "Can I get headcanons for Requested Character with a short girlfriend?")
Scenario Requests (bulleted, LDOA, ex: "Can I get a scenario for if Requested Ship were getting married?")
Drabble Requests (prose, LDOA, ex: "Can I request a drabble about RC being worried when their darling is sick?")
Playlist Requests (list of songs, 1-5 song limit, ex: "Do you have 4 songs for a jealous RC?")
Graphic Requests (edit style, 1-4 images, ex: "Could you make a graphic for yandere RC with this item or quote?")
Aesthetic Requests (moodboard style, image with 6-9 sections, ex: "Can I get an aesthetic for dark!RS?")
Prompt Requests (list of brainstormed dialogue and short sentences, LDOA, ex: "Do you have dialogue prompts for RC kidnapping their darling?")
Plot Bunny Requests (short prose paragraphs or bulleted, LDOA, ex: "I want to write about yandere RC surprising their darling but don't know how or why. Are there are any plot bunnies you can give me?").
New! RP Idea Requests (selection of 1-4 short rp-style bios/plots/starters, LDOA, ex: "Do you have any yandere rp ideas for Requested Fandom ocs?")
New! Fancast Requests (moodboard or edit style, 2-9 images per RC/RS, ex: "Who would you cast as yandere RC(s)?")
New! Faceclaim Recommendation Requests (bulleted list of names with short explanations or reasons, LDOA, ex: "My yandere OC is tall, has dark hair, and soft features. He acts friendly but is the violent type. Can I have a few fcs?")
Requests that don't specify will be answered with a bulleted list or possibly a short paragraph. There may be times I'm willing to fill some requests but not others due to time constraints, but that doesn't mean I won't ever fill them!
Fandom requests involving AUs and crossovers are welcome (ex: "Headcanons of how yandere Naruto in a wild west AU?" or "Headcanons about what would happen if yandere Ten and yandere Crowley fell for the same person?"), as are original requests based on existing media (ex: "Can I get headcanons about a popular girl type who has a Breakfast Club experience and ends up going yandere for the criminal?" or "Can you write a drabble about a yandere whose story is like this music video?").
Q: What characters do you write for?
A: I'll write for any character that I am familiar with, with a few exceptions for characters I'm aware of but uncomfortable with. To get started, here's a list of fandoms that I have a solid handle on!
Anime (Naruto, Ouran High School Host Club, Death Note, Hetalia, etc.)
Western Animation (Archer, Castlevania, She-Ra: Princesses of Power, etc.)
DC and Marvel Comics
Star Wars (no New Trilogy - Originals, Prequels, Clone Wars, & Legends only)
Other Major Film Franchises (Pirates of the Caribbean, the MCU, James Bond, etc.)
Harry Potter and related properties
Percy Jackson and related properties
Hunger Games and related properties
Twilight and related properties
A Song of Ice and Fire (willing to try TV canon but much more familiar with Book canon)
Crime Dramas (Barry, Good Girls, Hannibal, Mr. Robot, Revenge, etc.)
Historical Drama (Vikings, The Tudors, Les Miserables, The Borgias, Downton Abbey, Peaky Blinders, Taboo, etc.)
Science Fiction and Fantasy TV/Lit (Star Trek TOS/AOS; Doctor Who, New Who only; Merlin; Good Omens; Lucifer; Galavant, etc.)
Horror-Thriller TV/Lit (American Horror Story, The Haunting of Hill House, Hemlock Grove, Alias Grace, etc.)
Sitcoms (familiar with Friends, all the Michael Schur products, Community, That 70s Show, Jane the Virgin, Schitt's Creek, Superstore, IASIP, and others)
Teen Dramas (Teen Wolf, Pretty Little Liars, Freaks and Geeks, Glee, etc., but no Riverdale)
Chinese and Korean Dramas (A Korean Odyssey/Hwayugi, Meteor Gardens, A Love So Beautiful, What's Wrong With Secretary Kim, Romance Is a Bonus Book, My First First Love, Black, etc.)
Video Games (Assasain's Creed, Portal 2, Fire Emblem, AFK Arena, Professor Layton, etc.)
Something that's not here can still be requested - I'm familiar with a lot of media and do my best to keep up.
As I implied above, I am also happy to write for original characters. Whether that means you telling me about your own OCs, or me creating my own characters for you down the line, either is great.
I will NOT be writing RPF or RPS. I do not approve of real person shipping and real person fiction makes me uncomfortable - if that's what you're looking for, there are a huge number of other blogs that will cater to your needs directly. Which leads me into...
Prohibited Requests, and Non-Yandere Content
Q: Will you fill every request you get?
A: I'll fill requests that interest me and that I feel comfortable posting, and that will probably be most of them! I am really excited to get started. But I still reserve the right to refuse a prompt - I'm writing for free, so no one is entitled to have their ask filled. If I choose to deny your prompt, I will answer privately and, if the issue is with content, update the blog so it's made clear that the type of prompt is not taken.
Q: What is and isn't allowed to be requested?
A: To be honest, most stuff is allowed and some stuff isn't. There's a lot of ground to cover here, so I've divided it based on the nature of the concern.
Q: Do you accept NSFW/SFW requests?
A: I'll do NS and SFW work, but I've got more experience with SFW content. This doesn't mean I do it exclusively, just that I won't think to go NS unless you mention it. Specify for NS and it'll be included happily!
Q: Do you accept violent requests?
Violence against non-SO characters and dub-con is okay always, as is situational or over-the-top violence, even murder, involving SOs (ex: "the yandere and their darling are soldiers on opposite sides of the war" or "the yandere saws off their darling's legs so they have to carry them everywhere").
However, there is some tricky area with violent fantasies. If I think the content strays too close to serious physical domestic abuse, then I'll likely deny the request. This is partially why I prefer requests that get violent to focus on non-SO targets, so if it doesn't matter to you, that's almost guaranteed to get a response.
Non-con I can mention and discuss in headcanon posts and possibly prompt lists, but I will not be writing drabbles or scenarios for non-con prompts.
Q: Do you accept kink requests?
A: It will depend on the type and whether I feel morally and psychologically comfortable with it. For example, hypnosis, size kink, gender stuffing, BDSM, roleplay, etc., are all currently accepted because they don't seem to affect me in a negative way. I am willing to do ships for cousins and step family, as well. However, I will not under any circumstances deal with r*ceplay, p*dophilia, fetishizing of trans people or people of color, or inc*stplay, and I will not be doing ship work for anyone more closely related than cousins, including but not limited to siblings, parents (blood or adopted), or aunts and uncles. None of this is negotiable. I am willing to consider AUs where two characters aren't family, or non romantic yandere behavior between family, but even then, the request's on thin ice. Anything super unhygienic or illness related is probably something I won't be interested in not as a rule or for moral reasons but just because it can exacerbate my anxiety and OCD. I also do not fill prompts related to minors at all, be it explicit/adult/sexual content or otherwise. Requests for characters who are minors will have them aged up unless otherwise specified - in which case you will promptly be blocked.
Q: Can I request a dark imagine that is not yandere related?
A: Of course! Just make sure to be specific about what you want from it.
Q: Can I request a ship or character imagine that isn't yandere or dark?
A: Yes, though I won't promise it'll be what you're looking for. I fall towards horror, thriller, and angst when I write, regardless of my intentions.
Q: Can I request something that's not ship or character imagine related?
A: Sure, I'd be honored, but again, I don't promise to fulfill every request. This blog is intended to be stress relief, self indulgence.
How to Make a Request
Q: How do I contact you for requests?
A: Asks, messages, replies on my original posts, and even more casual things like tagging me in yandere or writing related posts are all great ways to interact with me!
Q: When do you accept requests?
A: Requests will be opened or closed depending on how busy I am and whether I'm caught up on them.
Currently, requests are closed. However, I've decided that requests are reopened on my days off. The days should be listed in my bio.
Q: Do you accept anonymous requests?
A: Yes, I do! I also will not publish asks from users unless the user specifically clarifies that they are okay with it, just in case the user sent the ask from their blog on accident. User asks that aren't specified as safe to publish will be responded to privately when the request is filled.
Q: How will I know my request is filled?
A: As stated above, anonymous asks and user asks clarified as safe to publish will be published with a response. User asks without any clarification will be responded to privately. Anonymous asks asking for privacy for any reason will not be published. Messages will also get a reply. Users who send requests that are kept private will not be tagged unless you ask me to. Users with published asks will always be tagged in the final post, but it is totally okay to ask me to change or erase the tag! Other than this, checking for posts is up to the requester.
Other Kinds of Interaction
Q: Is there anyone who you don't want interacting with your blog?
A: Anyone complicit in nazism, racism, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, xenophobia, pedophilia/MAPs, or any other politicized violence against a people is uneqivocally not welcome to engage with my work. I also have a zero tolerance policy for true crime fans who support or absolve serial killers. Please respect this - anyone who doesn't will be blocked. Anyone who pushes the issue will be reported.
Q: What about kink or otherkin blogs?
A: Honestly, I don't know much about either community. As of now, I'm fine with interaction. I'd ask that I not receive any kin related requests, because I am not familiar with the concept, community, and issues accompanying. Kinks can be requested but as stated above, are not guaranteed to be filled. Please don't bring discourse or discourse related requests here. I am not equipped to or interested in getting involved. If that changes, I have a main and other side blogs. This blog will never be a place for it.
Q: Are you okay if we interact with you or send you asks and messages that aren't requests?
A: Absolutely! I would love to talk with you. I am always interested in discussing any of the topics covered on this blog, or anything else for that matter! I pride myself on trying to be not just nice, but kind, and hopefully that comes through in every interaction. However, I'll expect the same courtesy from anyone who'd reach out to me, or use my posts to communicate to others for that matter. Anyone who doesn't will be, you guessed it, blocked. Anyone who pursues it further, yeah, will be reported.
Q: You have a lot of rules about requests and interaction, but you don't seem to post much and you aren't very active. Is this all just awkward and formal overkill, or is there a point?
A: I've explained all of this clearly, in as an accessible way as I can think of, because I want to eliminate the potential for drama, confusion, and other misunderstandings.
Online communities tend to be chock-full of plenty and I do not, nor does anyone who visits, need another reason to be tired. I'm not detailing all of this upfront because I expect to be very popular, or because I like listening to myself talk for paragraphs on end. I don't want a theoretical lack of information to be used to hurt either myself or others, though some of it shouldn't have to be spelled out in the first place.
But considering how ridiculously easy it is to misinterpret each other online, and how much of a disadvantage neuroatypical people like myself are when things are left just implicit rather than made what you could argue as exhaustingly explicit, I figured a crazy FAQ was a small price to pay for a peaceful environment.
TLDR: it certainly might be overkill, but that doesn't mean there is no point to it.
Q: What should requesters and followers call you anyways?
A: I'm fine with my username. If you're going for a different vibe, Red or Darlings sounds nice too. If you can come up with something catchier, feel free to try!
💀💀💀
On that note, I also may be slow going when it comes to requests. All I can do is promise to put a lot of thought into my replies, even though speed is not guaranteed. Any other questions can be asked directly, and I would be more than happy to answer them!
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thorongil82 · 5 years
Text
Curse of the Dragonheart - Prologue
There was a time – long, long, long ago, when the world was ruled by the kingdoms of the Vikings spread far and wide across many islands. These kingdoms were in an eternal contest with one another; a rivalry between all over the wealth and treasures hidden across the world, the richness of their culture, the vastness of their armies and the fierceness of their warriors. And, above all, their determination to be the greatest dragon slayers and win their eternal war with the demons of death.
In the period that this tale takes place, eight Viking kingdoms still ruled the world. The Berserkers, under the rule of King Oswald the Agreeable, had spread across several islands spread far amongst the west with great seas separating them. Their mighty armada ruled those waters, keeping all pirates crossing their regions under control, while their soldiers were known for their wild ferocity in battle. The Uglithugs, ruled by King Ug the Ugly, were, true to their name, not the best looking of people. As a collective they were greedy, lusting for anything they believed truly belonged to them. They had plenty of warriors and at one stage had the largest army of all. The Meatheads, led by King Mogadon the Rash, took great interests into the conquests of the other nations, always willing to challenge them at any moment. While physically they were quite capable, they were known to be a little slow intellectually. The Bog-Burglars, presided by Queen Bertha the Well-Endowed, is a queendom where the women rule. The only men living in their territory are those that have been captured or selected by a Bog warrior as a mate, made to live underneath the women as their servants. They are fierce rivals of several of the Viking kingdoms who are famous for their excellent burglary skills, though, as they rightfully claim, they are as good at burglary as everything else.
The Frostwalkers, ruled by King Ormand the Serious and Queen Helen the Patient, occupied the frozen tundra and treacherous ice sheets of the northern waters. They were strong survivors who hunted the dangerous beasts believed to live on the northern edge of the world, seeking out the glacial dragon nests and slaughtering whatever beset them. The Skullreapers were a mysterious kingdom heard of only when a delegation bearing their banner sailed in from the southern seas. Their king was not known by any outside of their territory but was referred to by their travelling dignitaries as King Gorad the Mighty. The reason they were so mysterious led to them holding the few islands close to the fog banks of Helheim’s Gate, serving as the first line of defence from the beasts that leapt forth from the veil. The fact that they were still alive led to the belief that their warriors must be great indeed. The Outcasts have recently been united under the rule of now King Alvin the Grim, formerly Treacherous. Once they were a vast empire until their greed and lust for power tore their kingdom apart, sundering them into several smaller territories. Alvin managed to bring the regions back together by reigniting their fires and hatred for the other kingdoms, bringing together a large army ready for a bloody war until peace was established.
But the largest and greatest of all the Viking kingdoms was Berk, ruled by King Stoick the Vast. Living amongst the central archipelago, Berk’s status was unparalleled compared to the other kingdoms. Their riches were untold, their ships swift and deadly, and their warriors powerful and vicious dragon killers. Sitting atop a mountainous island, Berk’s fortress capital had never fallen in battle to both Vikings and dragons. The great walls of white stood up high near the sheer cliff-face, with large catapults and ballistae lining the watchtowers. The town was filled with many buildings of thick oak logs and marble blocks that constantly needed repairing and rebuilding through the numerous dragon raids. The castle stood tall above the surrounding structures, built up against and into the great mountain of Raven’s Peak, while winding down the hill from the town gates lay the large wooden docks, the greatest trading hub in the world.
Under the rule of Stoick and his father before him Berk had been in the grips of a golden age. One that seemed to near its end with the disappearance and presumed death of Queen Valka the Fair, snatched in the claws of a four-winged dragon from their son’s room during a bloody dragon raid. Stoick was struck by grief and madness, unleashing his fury against every dragon that dared to fly near the citadel. He also sent assault after assault into Helheim’s Gate, searching for the dragon’s nest and the devil that stole Valka in particular. But with each foray into the southern fog bank, fewer ships would return home and the dragon’s nest remained undiscovered. Berk’s vast resources were declining the longer these searches carried on. However, there was one thing that managed to break through the depression of the king, bringing him back to his senses; his son and heir, Prince Hiccup Haddock III. With the support of his council of advisors, he was able to shift his focus from his bloodthirsty desire for revenge towards raising his son. The attacks into Helheim’s Gate persisted still, just nowhere near as frequent, though with the Berkian lust for the blood of dragons there were few complaints for the reduction.
And so, Berk returned to glory with the prospect of greater prestige to come. At first glance, Prince Hiccup did not appear to be like his forefathers. He was scrawny, thin, short and lacked the initial strength his father did. He also took a greater interest in books, stories and exploration rather than training and dragon slaying. The prince was a fast learner and quickly took to inventing, creating many weapons that helped finetune the defences of Berk and developing systems that eased the lives of the people, such as a water dispensary unit held above the houses that, with the pull of a cord, would shower the building from the top down with water when it had been set ablaze. But what really set him above all the others was that, at the age of 10, he managed to tame the unholy offspring of night and death itself, a Night Fury. Not just that, but he was also able to convince the rest of Berk that dragons weren’t all bad; some could be good, loyal and trustworthy. In fact, just about every dragon was innocent and trustworthy, so long as you proved you could be trusted too. It was a hard couple of months for the prince trying to convince his people, especially his father after what happened with Valka. But eventually, they came around after an ambush on the walls. With the Berk Guard caught off guard and unprepared, and the strike of the unknown forces swift and impacting, Hiccup managed to force them back with the aid of the Night Fury, Toothless. It even saved Stoick after he had tried several times to bring it down, which helped open the king’s eyes to the truth. No one ever knew who led and organised the attack on the capital, only that it seemed a mismatch of warriors banished from their respectful kingdoms.
Within a few months Hiccup had developed an unusually powerful bond not just with Toothless, but with all the dragons. He was quick to learn their ways and mannerisms, easily helping others forge relationships with new dragons. Berk flourished once more with their newly acquired allies, prospering far more than any period in Berk’s detailed history. But the young prince did not want to keep the power for himself, instead proposing to his father that the joys of union with dragons should be shared with the other kingdoms. Though wary, his father travelled with the prince as they visited each of the Viking kingdoms to try and persuade them that the war with the dragons did not need to continue, if they were willing to change. Naturally, the leaders and their heirs were all sceptical that such a change was possible, especially after how long they had been fighting against the fire-breathing creatures. But, one by one, they all eventually came around, even if it was just from the allure for greater power. However, it was a talent that was given only to the royals, lords and the elite guards to begin with in the other kingdoms, as a precaution. Dragon killing still happened throughout the world, though over time it became reduced throughout the kingdoms. Slaying a dragon was an option given only when a dragon went rogue and the lives of citizens were in danger. In Berk, that option was never needed as their prince could always be counted on to calm the situation.
In the years that followed, Berk’s acceptance of dragons had grown to the point that just about everyone in the kingdom had a dragon, if not more. Under the order of the king an academy had been built where the dragon slaying arena had once stood with the prince in charge, due to his connection with the dragons, where anyone from anywhere in the world could come to learn more about dragons and train with them. Such was his understanding of the scaled beasts and the way he had with them that everyone was willing to believe he somehow managed to have the heart and soul of a dragon within him. It was even rumoured that he could understand and speak their language, a skill he taught himself. As such, he had become known as the Dragonheart. At the time, it appeared the world would be moving forward together to a bright future, with Berk’s power and culture growing by the day.
But that all changed.
A week before Prince Hiccup’s 15th birthday, Grand Elder Gothi sought an audience with King Stoick. Having been an advisor to the Berk kings for a long time, the best healer in the archipelago and an incredible ability to be able to foretell events soon to come, Stoick the Vast was eager to hear what tidings she brought. Shortly afterwards, an emergency meeting was called to which everyone in the council, the king and the prince were to attend. Gothi’s message was simple: a curse was coming to Berk. One that would put every Viking in the region into a slumber that could last eternal. It would strike Berk on the day of Hiccup’s birthday and haunt the region until a kiss is placed onto the prince from his true love. Darkness would shroud the island, with creatures of shadow and cursed defences encompassing the fortress to ward against any who would try to break the curse. The dragons would not be put to sleep; a different scourge befalling them. She also warned that the curse would also affect any Berkian not in the region, though they would not be put into a deep slumber with the rest of them.
In a hurry the advisors tried to spout out ways to attempt to avert the curse. They suggested that they should try to find out who Hiccup’s love would be before the curse hits, so that the curse could be broken quickly. However, Stoick was quick to point out that it would be next to impossible in a week, not to mention that his true love might not even be in the world yet. Love is a very complicated emotion, after all. They proposed that maybe Gothi could create wards for everyone to protect them from the curse, but Gothi explained she could only protect so many people if she had the resources and the prince would not be one of them as he appeared to be the focus of the curse. On him it would be bound far too powerfully to protect against. Not only that, right now she didn’t have enough resources to save even one person from the plight and getting enough would take too long. The council then moved for transferring everyone bar the prince from the island, so that they could not be put to sleep. Stoick turned down this option as well, noting that it would not be wise to lead everyone to a fate they did not know about instead of the one they did.
In the end, they ruled that they would try to get every Berkian back to the capital before the curse befell them all, thus saving them from a dark unknown fate. Messages would be sent to all the other kingdoms informing them of the blight coming to Berk and to keep their people away until the day had passed. Stoick would also offer his son’s hand in marriage to the person who could break the curse, much to the chagrin of the prince. And so, sailors and dragon riders were sent out to deliver the messages and track down any citizens of Berk that were outside their territory. Inside the kingdom, everyone hurried to prepare themselves for their slumber, long as it could be. For no one knew how long they would have to wait for the curse to be broken, should they ever wake again. The prince spent his last waking days flying around with Toothless, searching for different places he had yet to explore and locations he would want to visit again. Everything he saw in the last days he had he would make a note of, filing up his books quickly with everything he wished to experience when he did wake up. But despite these preparations, he still looked for a way to keep the curse at bay. All through the day he would traverse the world, leaving people to see him less and less, while through the night he would search for any way that could prevent their fate. But nothing he devised would be able to work …
Continue reading on AO3 and FFN. Link to AO3 version on a post on my blog, as well as links to AO3 and FFN accounts.
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avannak · 6 years
Note
Could do you expand more on Stoick’s Second chance at saving everyone from Drago like after the Dragon Raid in the first movie for starters assigning Hiccup a task to see if it is possible to tame dragons and choosing not to leave Berk when dragon training comes around. He would of course want to avoid saying he is a time traveler because everyone would think he has gone insane and are already confused as it is with Stoick becoming a completely different person overnight.
Stoick’s Second Chance
So, Stoick’s been given quite the thinking assignment for this, because even as he’s putting Hiccup on the ground he’s wondering when and where he should interfere.
Save their winter supplies and personally see to Hiccup being locked away for this raid? Spare Toothless his tailfin and keep Hiccup from the Forge in particular? But then, how would Hiccup bond with Toothless? How would they get a hostile Night Fury to give a human child a chance?
He’s certainly not going after the nest before the ice sets in this time around. Not when he knows what’s waiting for them…
Dear Thor, he knows what’s in the nest! They can train properly. He can fly against the beast himself and not his son—He can save Hiccup’s leg! He knows the boy will grow tall and strong without it, but all the same…
Stoick doesn’t know how he’s going to make his plays, but he does know he needs to make the first moves, take the first steps in making amends with dragons if they want a peaceful outcome… but delicate steps, they must be.
Side note: this can easily end up like a Groundhog’s day situation where over the course of a few months, Stoick keeps fucking up and dying and having to repeat things, and that earlier version was the “final right one”.
A situation where he stops Hiccup from shooting Toothless down, becomes encouraging of him all the same (especially for his forge skills) and Hiccup starts to adapt and grow into a capable Viking in his own right, but one that still kills dragons, much to Stoick’s helplessness (even going so far as to usurp his suddenly dragon-friendly father?x x)
He allows Hiccup to “Run off to the forge” but this time follows Hiccup and “witnesses” the takedown of the Night Fury. He stops the Nightmare before it can chase Hiccup through the village, quietly says he “believes Hiccup” and says they’ll look for the dragon once the village is in order. Later, when they find Toothless tied up, Stoick encourages Hiccup to release the dragon, but the sight of a grown Viking towering over him causes Toothless to immediately kill them both as soon as he’s freed.
But we’ll stick to one story.
Stoick decides to keep Hiccup from shooting Toothless down that night. He chooses to help out Gobber and Hiccup in the forge and make sure Hiccup doesn’t go running half-cocked with a contraption.
The raid ends, they have enough supplies, and Stoick shoots down any ideas of a final Nest Hunt. They’ll wait out the winter, he says. They’re stocked for it.
From there, Stoick spends his evenings sneaking into the Kill Ring and working with the dragons. He wants to start big, with Hookfang, but reminds himself of how much they damage these poor beasts. He wins over Meatlug first.
Night is the only time his early-to-rise vikings aren’t constantly seeking him. He’s under the guise of taking more ‘night watches’. “Don’t want another raid as we finish up the harvest!”
He also spends time talking to his son. Soaking up their time together. Listening to him. Drinking in a face he should have paid more attention to. Asking about his day, his projects, with genuine care…
And Hiccup is suspicious. His father is looking at him with eyes shining… not just from pride of all things but… remorse? Unbridled love? Longing? He’s not sure. The attention is everything he wanted but it feels so… unwarranted he’s suspicious. And his father’s behavior… out at night? Hiccup is the only night owl in the family. He used to enjoy the privacy of the dark. Now it’s being intruded upon by his father of all people. His gentle, attentive father who is now encouraging his ideas. Hell, even suggested he ‘tweak’ to Mutilator to ensnare rather than kill!
His father who cancelled dragon training. Astrid is furious, of course. She’s been particularly short with Hiccup, and he suspects its because she’s under the impression it was cancelled for him. As though, being in their age group, rather than deny Hiccup joining them, the Chief has taken it away all together. The way Snotlout loudly goes on about it in the Mead Hall, Hiccup can only assume that’s the circulating rumor amongst his peer, and no amount of denying it will get him anything but a shove in the mud.
So Hiccup takes matters into his own hands. He follows his father one night, quietly…to the Kill Ring, of all places. He watches as his father unlocks the Nadder’s cage and waits, in the moonlit arena, unarmed, for the beast to emerge from the dark. Hiccup has to swallow a scream ‘What are you doing?!’ when a spiked head charges forth.
For a split, horrifying breath Hiccup knows he’s going to witness a sudden and grisly death by one or the other.
Instead the Nadder drives right into Stoick’s open arms and start bucking into the hearty scratches. It’s purrs can be heard from where Hiccup holds the wall.
“Come on out, Hiccup,” Stoick calls over his shoulder. Shaking, Hiccup does.
The Nadder is introduced as Stormfly. And she was partial to chicken, an excellent tracker, and liked to have a particular spot on her jaw scratched.
From there, Hiccup’s introduced to every other dragon as well. Hiccup is surrounded by dragons, unarmed, and his father is petting them like dogs.
“Come tomorrow, everything will change,” he tells Hiccup, with a hearty clap on the shoulder. And tomorrow, everything did.
At dawn, Stoick flies on the back of a Monstrous Nightmare he’s calling Hookfang and lands on the highest steps of the Mead Hall. The village is in an absolute state of shock. Weapons are equipped, but held loosely, uncertain. Mouths are open but silent, save for a few expletives. Tuffnut has stars in his eyes and Astrid Hofferson hadn’t looked so gobsmacked since she was told Dragon Training was cancelled. Hiccup has a hand over his face, perhaps the least shocked of everyone. He feels Gobber watching him more than his father.
The wind picks up and suddenly Berk is looking at a painting more likely seen in a book of legends.
The Gods had given him a vision, is what Stoick tells his village. A vision of victory against a devilish beast, but only if humans and dragons united ways. Stoick was shown how to do that.
That’s the story he goes with, anyway, and Hiccup is certain he and Gothi are the only two people on that island who think it absolute poppycock. Gothi because she probably receives real visions, and Hiccup because, after a full night straight of talking with his father (about what the hel he was doing the past nights), he couldn’t get the feeling that his father was holding something vital back. Not a vision from the gods, but perhaps something else.
But with his grand stature, heroic red hair, and legendary feats under his weighty belt, near everyone else can only shrug and say “Why not?”. If there were any viking of their age for the gods to deign worthy of a vision, it would be Stoick the Vast.
A new regime comes into play. Vikings are taught ‘sweet spots’ and ‘grasses’. They take turns flying on the backs of the dragons they’ve captured in raids past. Weapons are altered for the part. Saddles are made.
The only time Hiccup nearly believes that the gods had indeed spoken to his father is when the man stops him, repeatedly, from bonding too well with any particular dragon, despite his natural talent for flying (even Astrid Hofferson had to begrudgingly admit as much). His reason?
“You’re meant for another.”
Every. Time.
Winter passes. Vikings and Dragons train together. Raids come and go, but each time they seduce more dragons to co-exist and protect them. Whenever attacking the nest is brought up, Stoick would say, “Not yet.”
It happens over dinner in an early thaw. A gronkle named Newtsbreath happily crunches on a yak’s femur. Hiccup sketches out a design for a Timberjack’s saddle. Astrid Hofferson’s bonded to one and Hiccup thinks it’ll get him back in her good graces (she’s annoyed, now, that he beat her in a friendly age-group race. It’s like she’s trying to find excuses, he swears…)
“There was one other person who knew, without a doubt, that dragons were reasonable creatures, deserving of our kindness, and not our blades.”
Stoick waits and Hiccup, putting his charcoal down, gives into the silent prompt.
“Who?”
“You’re mother.” Stoick grins as Hiccup chokes on his drink. “… And we’re going to get her.”
Defeating the beast, finding the nest… all that battle will be done much more easily with another expert dragon rider at their sides. And he’d been without his wife for quite long enough.
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schrijverr · 5 years
Text
Home of the sky take me to the home of my youth
What if Hiccup left after he saw the red death instead of staying to show how the dragons can be.
This story takes place six years after he left when he has to return to investigate rumours about a rise in raids. He comes face to face with too familiar faces and pains from the past. (11 chapters total)
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 7
The next day they were all in the arena waiting for Singultus to show up. Snotlout was just grumbling about how he was going to leave if he didn’t show up when he walked through the door. His long hair was windswept and there was a slight blush on his cheeks. Behind him his dragon followed as he purred happily. It was clear that they had just come back from a flight. “Good morning.” he said, sounding way too chipper for this hour.
They grumbled some good mornings back. Singultus smiled at them and waved to Stoick who had taken place above to see everything. Turning back on the rest, he started explaining: “OK, so, today we’re going to make friends with the big guys. I need to ask you all to leave your weapons outside the arena and to stand near the wall. Even though you’re more comfortable around them, they are scared and will attack if provoked. I smell like dragon and I know what to do. Stoick up there will release them and I will train them. After that they will chose a rider and we can start training. Are there any questions?”
Fishlegs hand shot up and he asked: “If they’re so dangerous, why do we need to release them all at once?”
“Good question. Dragons are flock animals. They work together and make decisions based on what everyone thinks. If we get one, we get them all and that’s easier then training them one by one.” Singultus said.
Fishlegs nodded he understood now. They left the arena to get rid of their weapons and returned to stand against the far wall. Stoick had been looking at the events beneath him and was quite interested how this small man would train four dragons at once. When Singultus gave him a sign he opened the doors and watched the dragons get into the arena.
The dragons circled around, but stayed away from the vikings when they made no move to attack. Then they turned to Singultus who was standing in the middle, completely unarmed. They circled around him, watching him intently for weakspots. Stoick wanted to interfere, to get these dragons away from Singultus, but he stayed put. Then just as the Monstrous Nightmare wanted to attack he got the handle from its scabbard and made it extend into a flaming sword. Everyone gasped and the dragons stopped circling him. He moved the sword in hypnotizing motions and the dragons calmed down, some even lying down. The only dragon that was unconvinced was the Zippleback who looked at him with narrowed eyes. Singultus noticed and grabbed a small metal tube from a storage place on his leg and popped it into the sword. Then it released Zipplebackgas with spread around him. He set it aflame and the dragons looked at him in wonder. “I’m one of you,” he said as he put back the sword and stretched both of his arms.
The dragons then started to nuzzle him and he laughed at their enthusiasm. He looked over to his Nightfury and said: “Hey, Toothless, why didn’t you just love me so easily?”
The dragon huffed and rolled its eyes, which made Singultus laugh more. Then he turned to the dragons around him and started making dragon-esk sounds. The dragons seemed to understand and they turned to the vikings. They started making their way to them slowly and Singultus said: “They will chose a rider. Spread out a bit and stretch your arm out like I did.”
The group complied. They were still speechless of what they had just witnessed. These were the dragons they had trained with, vicious beast who attacked unprompted, but that scrawny man had made them turn into lovable puppies just like that. Still wondering they let the dragons come closer. In the end the Gronkle chose Fishlegs, the Deathly Nadder Astrid, the Monstrous Nightmare Snotlout and the Zippleback chose the twins. They all looked at their dragons with wide eyes, not sure what to do next. Singultus smiled and said: “They won’t bite, just scratch them, go on. Today we are building a bond with them. We are making sure that they trust you enough to let you ride them, come tomorrow.”
The vikings shared a look, but did what he said. Slowly they started enjoying it more and by the end of the day every dragon had a name and a smile when it returned to its cage.
----
The day after that Hiccup started flying lessons. He showed them how to first and rode the dragon in question himself first. After that the rider would try themselves. It was quite a good day and Hiccup felt like he had made some progress. He couldn’t train them how he usually would, there just wasn’t enough time. The Queen was an ever looming threat and time was of the essence. He had feared that the dragons wouldn’t like the vikings after what they had done to them, but so far so good. So he counted his blessings. He was walking through the village and noticed it was busier than normal. Big stones were being carried and weapons were being sharpened. Hiccup realized that tonight they expected an attack. He made his way to the Great Hall were he was stopped by Stoick. It still felt weird to see his dad looking at him with so little recognition. He looked at him questioningly and Stoick said: “You might have noticed, but tonight an attack is coming. I saw your training we use the dragons.”
“What! No!” Hiccup exclaimed, that was way too dangerous, couldn’t his dad see that?
“Yes, we are. They are a valuable asset and we need all the protection we can get.” Stoick shut him down.
“No, it’s too dangerous. The bond is still weak and the riders too inexperienced. I can’t let you do this, they could get hurt.” a tiny crowd surrounded the two.
“You’re too worried about the dragons, you should worry more about your kind.”
Hiccup was really getting angry now. “Don’t you think I care about people? When I say this is dangerous I don’t mean for just the dragons. We need them, but if they fall under the Queens spell again they will rogue and we will lose our greatest asset. It’s too dangerous.”
“I do what is best for my people. You are young, you know nothing yet. I made this dicision and it is final.”
He started to walk away when Hiccup called after him. He said: “You say I know nothing, but I’ve been through more than you can imagine. I’ve seen things I would rather forget and I would love to change how somethings went.”
“What is so dangerous?” Stoick spit.
“I’ve faced the Queen alone and failed. Lost my leg if you hadn’t noticed, but that, that isn’t the worst. No. I’ve faced a Bewilderbeast, a dragon alpha. A dragon bigger than a mountain, with tusks that can wipe out forests in a sweep, who breaths ice that can turn oceans into ice tundras and who can control thousands of dragons without needing to use fear like the Queen. He’s even able to control humans and let me tell you, nothing is scarier than not being in control of your body, but seeing what it is doing and only being able to scream in your head.”
“You said dragons weren’t dangerous. That sounds dangerous to me.”
Hiccup chuckled humorlessly. “You wish dragons were the enemy, but no, just like every time a human wanted more than he could get on his own. Pathetic.”
Astrid cut in, she asked: “You said it was able to control your mind. How is that possible? Can the Queen do that as well?”
The crowd buzzed and looked at Hiccup for answers. Hiccup sighed and regretted telling them this, but it was for the dragons so he could bear it for them. “The Queen cannot do this. She needs to be feared by her dragons, whereas the Bewilderbeast can control them in an instant. He’ll have to let a hundred dragons go for a human and the human has to agree with being controlled and well, after the right kind of torture being controlled isn’t such a bad option and Drago Bludvist can be a very persuading man. A dragon hunter, knew of every species and knew of every weakness, even that of a Bewilderbeast. After he was killed I studied what he found and learned a lot about dragons then I burned it so that no one could ever use the dragons to do harm like he did again.”
He stared lifelessly ahead of him and said: “I’ve seen too much and I know more than I want to know,” he snapped back and went on, “when I say something about dragons, I know how it will end and you better listen. I’m only here, because I can’t do it alone. I tried it, it didn’t work, but if you are not listening to me, I will try alone and I will die, taking the location of the nest with me.”
With that he pushed past a stunned Stoick and he said: “I will provide air support tonight. Lock the other dragons away.”
As he left he shook his head. He hated to think about what happened back then. He survived, he had a future to focus on, the past was the past. Toothless came up next to him and butted him with his head. Hiccup laughed a bit and said: “It’s alright, bud. You know what mood that gets me in. Lets just fly a bit, yeah?”
Is there going to be an attack tonight?
“Yes, but we’re going to help, so it’s going to fine.”
Ego
“Thanks for that encouragement. Lets just go. I know you want to stretch your wings a bit.”
Toothless bounded around happily and Hiccup laughed. He got on and they were off into the night, leaving some shocked villagers behind.
----
The attack came and the dragons stayed in their cages. Hiccup supported them like he said, but this time he hit some houses. He’d never say it was pettiness, but Toothless knew. He hated to talk about Drago and he hated that they never listened to him. Today had been a combination, although they did listened in the end. They shot through the air. It still was an amazing feeling even after all those years.
----
By the end of dawn all dragons were out of sight and the village looked over the carnage they had sown. It was terrible. Four houses had survived the rest had gone up in smoke. People were treating the wounded and saving or salvaging as much as they could.
Stoick frowned. It was getting out of hand, they never had an attack this big and destructive. He turned to Gobber and said: “This is the last time. I won’t wait until they attack again. We’ll strike first.”
Gobber nodded. “Should I assemble the council?” he asked.
Stoick looked around and shook his head. “No, let them rest for now, it was a long night. Ask Singultus and Astrid to meet me. I’ll be home.”
Gobber nodded again and took off. Stoick sighed and rubbed his forehead. Being Chief had it’s perks, sure, but sometimes it just gave him a headache. He made his way home, one of the only left standing.
----
Gobber had called him and Astrid to the Chiefs house, his house. Technically. Gods, this was weird. He climbed the familiar steps next to Astrid, who was looking quite nervous. Hiccup wondered why she would be, had she not attacked as fierce? No, that’s not Astrid. Then why? He shot her another glance, but her face was unreadable. He sighed, even after all these years and all the experiences he still had no clue what Astrid was thinking. 
They reached the front door and Astrid knocked, from inside they heard “Come in.”. Astrid took a deep breath and opened the door. The moment they were inside Hiccup looked around. Almost everything had stayed the same. His moms stuff was still where she had left it and even his stuff was still there. His throat closed as he saw the helmet his father had given him before he left standing next to his mothers. He looked around again. His stuff was there, his father had grieved and missed him. He now looked at Stoick from a new light. Here in his house without the village or his helmet he looked older. Deep lines were on his face and Hiccup felt something tug at his heart. He wanted to hug him, say that he was here that he was alright, but he knew that couldn’t, no, this was too important.
When the door fell close behind them Stoick said: “I have decided that this was the last attack, we strike before the next one happens. Tomorrow I will call the council and we will start preparing. I need you two to go and scout the area and see the Queen and her young again. I need to know weakspots.”
Astrid nodded, but Hiccup said: “We don’t need to scout I can tell you what you need.”
Stoick shook his head. “As much as you have done here, I will only trust another viking. Astrid is the best choice, she will come. Go today.”
Then he shooed them out of his house. As the door fell close behind them Hiccup started: “So, uhm.
Astrid cut him off: “In fifteen minutes at the arena, get some rest.” and walked off.
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starscreamloki · 6 years
Text
Must reads
This post contains fanfiction written by other writers I just loved and wanted to share with you. Hail to all my fellow-writers!
The summarizes below the title are my personal opinions.
--- Safe to read anywhere ---
Compression by NamelessDragon on AO ( @anamelessdragon on Tumblr)
Bucky finds a secret lab in Wakanda and what he finds there shakes him to the core. Written from Bucky’s view with a lot of Loki. The angst and whump are amazing. Thus far this fic is SFW but that might change in the future.
Tapestries (series) by Lise on AO ( @veliseraptor on tumblr)
So, if you are down for angst, this is the story to read! After the events of Avengers 1 Loki is badly hurt and brought back to Asgard where his family tries to confront him. But the God of mischief doesn’t give in and has enough troubles of himself. A story where Loki and his family clash.
A Dagger a Day Keeps the Feds at Bay by @silentwanderlustfanfiction
As the daughter of Tony Stark it maybe wasn’t the wisest idea to start something with the God of Mischief, especially not when Loki has his own plans.
Frostbite written by Maiden of Asgard on AO ( @maiden-of-asgard on Tumblr)
If you ever needed a Jotun!Loki in your life, this is the fic to read! A Loki x Reader where you suddenly end up on a very cold realm and two red eyes stare back at you. Maybe you should have stayed inside...
The Missing Asgardian written by Tandirra on AO
This is actually written from Thor’s POV (but most of the time it doesn’t feel that way) where they set out on a mission to find Sif (post ragnarok and ignoring the mid-credits and stuff). There is also a lot of Loki in this story and Val as well. I’m a big fan of all of her work, Tandirra understands the characters so good and is such an awesome writer. I highly recommend reading this.
Loki’s speech written by: asimo74allmyworld
As the title claims, Loki’s speech. An absolute must read if you’re feeling down and need an upper.
Of Nightmares and mischief written by: iguessyouregonnamissthepantyraid on AO
A conversation between brothers we much needed to be honest, after the events of Ragnarok.
Old series Redux written by: Tandirra on AO
So, drop your social life and start reading this series, it will not disappoint! Loki joins the Avengers after some minor troubles, but what happens when a powerful enemy almost gets the best of Loki?
Bold and Roll the Dice written by Finalizer on AO
Two stories about Loki and Valkyrie which can be read separately but somewhat belong together. Loki and Valkyrie have to deal with their own torments but meet in the middle. What could possibly go wrong?
Put out the Flames by Finalizer on AO
Loki and Thor get to Earth with the ship (so, ignoring the mid-credits scene), and some of the things still unresolved. An interaction between brothers as it should be. In my opinion, after all that has happened.
Un/Hurt by PoorYorick on AO
Loki got injured in the battle against Hela and tries to hide his moment of weakness from different people for different reasons.
Punishing Loki by Donya on AO
Warning for torture and violence! Thor takes Loki back to Asgard and punishes him for what he has done in New York. This story is violent, dark and raw and not for the faint hearted!
To go on living by Lokiscribe on AO
Very, VERY firm warning for trigger elements, read the tags on AO! As punishment for his crimes on Midgard, Loki has been forced into slavery on Asgard. Being only a fraction of who he ever was, someone enters his miserable life and turns it up side down, changing Asgard forever.
--- NSFW below! ---
Screaming Mute and Seeing Blind by Noymos ( @naomisalman on Tumblr)
Clint gets thrown down the rabit-hole when he is given Loki as his slave. Loki on his turn is just being a little shit but dealing with his own problems. An angsty fic with enough whump and twists to keep biting your nails until the end.
Some Say In Ice by Noymos ( @naomisalman​ on Tumblr)
A Loki x Bucky fic where Loki’s snarky humor is amazing and the insight we get in Bucky’s mind is equally awesome! Loki is after his scepter but hadn’t counted on the Winter Soldier meddling with his plans.
Every moment we Teeter by NamelessDragon on AO ( @anamelessdragon on Tumblr)
Warning, this thing is dark, full of whump and delicious angst. Read the tags on AO! This is possibly one of the darkest fics I’ve read thus far and it is so good. A Valki fic combined with Frostmaster. I’m not going to spoil this original and delicious plot. If you are in for whump and dark stuff, read it!
The Gladiator written by Maiden of Asgard on AO ( @maiden-of-asgard on Tumblr) 
Another wonderful slow-burn. Loki ends up on Midgard in the Roman Empire and is put in the arena. At multiple corners plot just slams you in the face unexpected and Loki is portrayed amazing!
Off to the races by Lise on AO ( @veliseraptor on tumblr)
This one-shot is amazing. It is written in second POV and from the Grandmaster’s POV which makes it really dark, twisted and delicious. A fic that feels like one of a kind and definitely worth reading!
Fire and Ice by @geminiloveca
One very hot fic of a threesome between reader, Lucifer and Loki.
Read Each Other in the Dark by darlingred1 on AO
A slowburn fic between Valkyrie and Natasha that turns into a Valkyrie/Natasha/Loki with Loki as sub. Amazing characterization and very hot scenes! I wish there were more fics like these!
How to love a writer written by @winterheart17
Written from first POV and a fic to fall in love with. A struggling writer is suddenly bound to Loki by a cruel twist of faith and they enter a game of love and seduction. If you seek to have your heart go through every possible feeling, read this!
Viking Wellness by @tilltheendwilliwrite
This smutty fic is more than just porn. It is expertly well and classy written, and above all there has been put thought and effort in the actions of the characters. One might consider this a Thorki, but it doesn’t read that to me because of the female reader that is put in the mix. So, search yourself a new massage therapist in this fic and let yourself be carried away by magical hands (and actions).
Flecks of Gold by Tandirra on AO
I’m just a big fan of her work and writing style and this one does not disappoint. Loki has an emotional breakdown after everything that happened on Sakaar. The Grandmaster leaves vicious scars...
And I've loved in shades of wrong by ginnyweasleys on AO
Loki and Valkyrie smut, but damn it is so well written, so classy, so damn hot and good plot as well: there are benefits to sparring with Valkyrie. Loki is a fast learner.
Touch written by Mastre on AO
Loki ends up with the Avengers, but something has gotten to him and he is broken beyond recognition. I’m really curious where this story is going!
Nothing that is not there by ragnasok on AO ( @ragnasok on Tumblr)
Loki finds his way into the Grandmaster's good graces, and a lavishly gilded cage. This story is also a little Angsty which I loved.
Concentrate by days4daisy on AO
Loki meets the Grandmaster who teaches him some more about his magic. But  the Grandmaster has his own ways to teach. I especially loved the conversations in the first half of this fic!
Burn and fade by TheOtherOdinson on AO ( @theotherodinson on Tumblr)
I just love the playing with memories and this fic is right up that ally. Loki wishes to escape his horrible memories and the Grandmaster is all to willing to provide that.
A golden cage written by: imyourliquor-youremypoison
What happens when you keep two lovers apart for to long, torment them, and bring them back together? Well, this very good story!
The Queen’s consort written by: Freudenstein’s Monster
You take one arrogant prince, and one queen who is very dominant, and put them together and add politics and a lot of smut. This story will not fail to make you want more.
Oil on Water written by: Tandirra on AO 
Sakaar, the Grandmaster, Frost Giant Loki and a lot of shame and some smut. Not for those faint of heart, but so damn good! And it’s nice it’s a once shot, perfect for an evening on the couch.
With many teeth, he smiled written by: Courgette96 on AO
What happens if Frost Giant Loki truly is a monster and he succumbs to his desires? A raw but very delicious, of course somewhat smutty, story!
Vices are for Mortals written by: TheOtherOdinson
Loki has landed on Sakaar and has to set himself, and his brother free. But the Grandmaster isn’t very eager to let him go... Good story with some good smut!
Disk of Obedience written by Mastre on AO
Non-con! What happens when a mortal is found on Sakaar and the Grandmaster decides to gift her to one of his special guests? This story is not for the faint hearted.
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