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ink-fireplace-coffee · 3 years

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Short Story: Kiss me, for I am dying.

A/N: this story was crafted yesterday at midnight so I can't assure the quality of it at all. It is inspired in a theatre/legend we have here in Spain called Los Amantes de Teruel, or The Teruel Lovers in english. It's like the Spanish less known version of Romeo and Juliet.

Word count: 1901.

TW: mentions of death.

I don't have a general taglist or anything on the sort, but @nathandoesntknow asked me to tag them, so here you go! enjoy my midnight weird af inspiration I guess.

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Five months ago, Jaime would've just left if he saw that on the rooftop of the campus was already someone.

Five months ago, if he had seen that stranger sitting there- feet dangling in the air and looking at the sunset- was Isa, he would’ve turned on his heels and left before she could even so much but noticed him.

Or maybe he would’ve “asked” (more like demanded) her to go somewhere else.

Jaime and Isa hated each other. Pure and simple.

Ever since the first day of university, when Isa had given him a “you are annoying” look after Jaime had accidentally hitted her backpack, launching all her stuff through the hall.

No matter how many times he had tried to convince her that it hadn’t been on purpose, she had said that it was his fault over and over again.

If that wasn’t enough, they had not only been forced to sit next to each other for their whole third year (since it was extremely rude to tame someone else’s seat after the first week of classes) but they also were constantly competing on the top of the class.

If Isa had a 95% on the midterm, Jaime had a 98%.

If Jaime had scored a 9,9 out of ten in that essay, Isa had gotten the full mark.

Everyone saw it as a nice academic competition, the kind that made you better every day and it was healthy. Sometimes it could also be mistaken for a nice banter, or even a bit of university drama.

Isa and Jaime saw it as a live or die battle where only one of them could succeed.

Spanish had been the only subject Jaime had ever been really good at, for as long as he could remember. His zeroes in maths had always mattered less next to his tens in Spanish.

When he had told his father that his dream was to become a spanish teacher, the old man had simply nodded and said “I was not expecting less”. And so, one entrance exam to Salamanca’s university later, Jaime knew he was starting to walk the path of his future.

But while his passions were words formation, syntax and how the language had developed into today’s form; Isa had decided to study the career for a whole different reason.

It was clear that she felt completely herself when discussing novels and authors. Her essays on every single topic were excellent quality (even Jaime had to admit it) and they always provided a new, fresh way of thinking.

And maybe that's why some months ago, whatever they had agreed on had taken place.

Now, when the morning classes had already finished, Isa was already on the rooftop, a book in hand and a notebook resting on her legs.

“You are late. Again.” She remarked when she saw Jaime’s blond hair.

“Some of us have life, Isabel.” he answered in the same cold tone and took a seat in front of her.

“Being the teacher’s pet is not having a life.” They both held each other's gazes for a while, until instead of intimidating, they were staring.

The wind whooshed, making the students snap back.

Jaime cleared his throat and Isa focused on her book .“What are we revising today?” asked him.

She tapped the pages of her notebook with a pen. “Los Amantes de Teruel. Spanish version of Romeo and Juliet, I believe. Since you haven't finished it, even though it was due yesterday.” Isa added, a sassy remark included in her voice.

Jaime rolled his eyes.

Lovers of Teruel.

It is true that he had been stuck for three months in a 170 pages novel. But there were far more interesting things to do than read how two fools felt in love only to die at the end.

“I would've finished it if I hand’t been busy correcting someone’s homework.'' He remarked, as he searched for his own copy of the book inside his backpack.

Isa just scoffed, and gave him another “you are annoying” look. Jaime had to make an effort not to smile.

“You know? I wonder if those death stares are unically for me, like a personalized stare.”

“Oh, right, because you are so important in my life that I decided to give you an specific look whenever you say or do something stupid.”

“I mean… You asked me for help that day, so I guess I must be somewhat important, dear Isa.”

“I asked you for help?” she repeated, astonished “You were roaming this rooftop for weeks until I got fed up with how creepy it looked and told you to help me with that assignment, which, for the record, was perfect.”

That was true. Her assignment had been flawless, but Jaime would rather die than to admit that out loud.

“Are you planning on finishing this book with me or do you want to keep talking?” He grinned then “I’m sure there are a ton of other things you could use your mouth for, but I’d like to be prepared for my exam next week.”

Her slight blush felt like a personal win. Until she stroke back, of course.

“One: that is extremely gross, and I don’t want to know about the weird fantasies you have with my mouth. And two: it’s your turn ‘Diego’, so read.”

Since there was no point in reading plays in silence and to themselves, at the beginning of the book (three months ago), Jaime and Isa had divided the roles, taking the two main characters with them: he as Diego and her as Isabel.

“You were practically born for this role” had joked Jaime and Isa wondered how far from the ground they were… and how hard she would have to shove him.

They read some scenes out loud, stopping to make some points on the narrative, paraphrase or make a summary of what they got so far. If it was true that individually they worked really well, as a team it was almost magical.

“Kiss me, for I am dying” said Jaime/Diego for the second time. Isabel had just rejected his lover, since she had already married and didn’t wish to deceive her now husband.

“And then Diego dies because he can’t bear the pain that causes him not being able to love Isabel.” the girl closed her book, and got up, stretching “It’s late, we should go before the campus closes.”

Jaime nodded and tagged alone, but stayed quiet the whole time until they were about to leave the university.

Then, just before partying ways, the question escaped his lips “Would you kiss me if my life depended on it.?”

Both of them looked equally surprised. When he didn’t add anything else, Isa understood he was waiting for an answer.

Well, what do you answer when someone asks that without a warning?

If there’s one thing Isa had clear was that Jaime and her weren’t friends. They weren’t even study buddies! They were just two students of the same class who happened to help each other out every now and then…

And for what?

“Let’s be glad that it doesn't.” she finally said, and turned away, wanting to run as quickly as her legs could carry her.

Would you kiss me if my life depended on it?. Two college students were replaying the same question over and over in their heads. Tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Isa didn’t have the guts to go back to the rooftop in the next few weeks. Since Jaime had handed in his essay on the novel, she had assumed he had finished it on his own.

That was good, right?

Now, both of them averted their eyes, and tried really hard not to cross paths.

What had been Jaime thinking when he asked that?! Oh right, he had been not thinking at all!

Still, not knowing the answer to the damn question was getting on his nerves. Not that he desperately wanted Isa to kiss him, that could never happen but…

Hypothetically he wanted to know.

Two weeks before finals, they both bumped into each other at the rooftop. Seeing Jaime’s figure -his back to her and his face to the orange sun-, made Isa stop on her tracks.

The door slammed closed and the guy turned around.

Awkwardness was all over the place.

“The library is super crowded and-” started to explain her. He nodded.

“I know, that’s why I’m here.”

A few minutes of silence and then:

“You finished the play.” commented Isa.

“Yeah, I did” Jaime rubbed his neck, nervous “Thanks for sharing your notes, by the way. They were really helpful.”

“Oh, um, no problem.”

“And, about that question…”

“It 's okay! You don’t have to explain anything.”

“No, really, I don’t know how it happened.”

“It’s fine, there’s no need to apologize, really.”

More silence in between them.

“I can go if you want me to.” offered then Jaime. She lifted up her gaze at him.

“The rooftop is big enough for the two of us, and I know you don't like studying at the library.”

Isa had been thinking about how much she noticed about Jaime without actually wanting to: his likes and dislikes, how he frowned slightly when there was a concept he was not following, his happy smiles whenever there was something he was pleased about…

He was grinning like that now.

“Earth calling Isa, are you there?” She blinked a few times.

“Yeah, totally. Here. Present.”

Jaime decided it was now or never.

He lifted up his hand, the one holding the book and showed it to her. "We never finished reading."

"You handed in your essay already. Why would we finish reading it?"

Clearly none of this was working. The guy slided his backpack on his shoulder. "I should go, Alejandro needs me for this book analysis-" he rambled.

"Go" Isa nodded and then smiled. "Teacher 's pet."

He just laughed awkwardly and headed out.

Isa had hated every single second of that conversation. Even if it's true they never had a friendly relationship, they had somewhat grown closer along the few months they had tutored each other.

What did Jaime really mean to her? He was insufferable sometimes, that's true. Arrogant in class and a stupid know-it-all…

But he was also brilliant. And he was kinder than he wanted to show: he had given her his jacket to go home when it was raining once; and even shared his notes with her when she had been sick.

The girl ran downstairs.

Jaime was about to go inside the teacher's office when she finally got to him. In a final effort after her sprint, she tried grabbing his arm.

The guy turned around, really surprised.

"Isa, what-"

"Ask me again." she demanded.

"What?"

"Ask. Me. Again" Isa pleaded out of breath. Her courage would flee anytime soon and then-

"Bésame, que me muero." he whispered.

Kiss me, for I'm dying.

Their lips touched.

"Do you like this ending better?" she asked after the kiss, a sly smile already forming.

He tipped his head back and laughed "Much better."

In Spain whenever someone mentions Lovers of Teruel, we have a saying that sort of finishes the sentence: stupid her and stupid him. Since they both die foolishly.

Luckily, we can assure that the sentence does not apply to Jaime nor Isa.

#short story: kiss me for i am dying #my writing #short story

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blueboxesandtrafficcones · 3 years

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The Christmas Tree Surprise

Day 12 of 2020′s 31 Days of Ficmas. Thanks to @doctorroseprompts for the list!

Prompt: Tree

Rating: G

Pairing: 12xRose AU; part of the Queen of Hearts universe

Summary: Ian surprises Rose with a Christmas tree for them to decorate that’s just for their eyes - but it’s the decorations he has ready that makes her melt.

2020 31 Days of Ficmas masterlist | Queen of Hearts masterlist

AO3

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“Goodbye!” With a final wave to the schoolchildren gathered on the steps, Rose stepped into the town car, smiling and blowing kisses out the window as they pulled away from Arcadia Grammar School, waiting until they were out of sight to sink back into the leather. “I loved that.”

“I’m glad, ma’am,” her private secretary, Jo, said warmly. “And they loved you, of course. I suspect I know what they’ll go home telling their parents about at supper tonight.”

Rose smiled at the idea. “I hope so- that they enjoyed it, I mean. I’m just glad I was able to read the book without any mistakes. That’s my definition of a successful engagement, at least!” It was only in the last few weeks she’d graduated to doing solo events, and though terribly stressful, she was proud of how they’d gone – no incidents yet, though a few near misses. Most importantly to her, though, she hadn’t walked out of any yet, nor burst into tears. High standards you’ve got for yourself, Rose Tyler. “So, what’s next?”

Jo consulted her iPad, scrolling for only a moment. “The King has blocked off the next two hours of your schedule. No description was given, only to go directly to your suite – he’ll meet you there.”

“That’s odd.” Rose frowned, biting her lip as she thought. “Gosh, I’m not in trouble for anything, am I?”

“I doubt it,” Jo dismissed out of hand. “It’s the first of December – if I know him, you’ll be drowning in tinsel the moment you walk through the door. Decorating the Palace may be your responsibility, but he’ll handle your suite. Just you wait and see. I’m sure it’s fine.”

Rose chewed on that the rest of the drive back, hoping the other woman was right – not that she really doubted her, as she hadn’t been steered wrong yet, but a not-so-small part of her heart was convinced any moment they’d decide she wasn’t learning quickly enough, or performing well enough as Queen, and send her home with only the things she’d arrived with.

The Palace was bustling as they pulled up, the grounds crew decorating for the holiday season and transforming the normally-magical (to Rose) Palace into a winter wonderland. Fresh garland was being hung over every doorway and window frame on every level, complete with red, gold, and silver ornaments nestled amongst the sprigs.

“It’s beautiful,” Rose breathed as they entered, making Jo laugh. The page stationed just inside the door took her coat, and she headed up the stairs towards their suite of rooms making mental notes on the needed decorations; work hadn’t started indoors quite yet, as she was still pouring over pictures of previous years to get an idea of how it should look.

At the top of the stairs Jo peeled off towards her own office, and Rose traversed the last few meters to her door alone. Smiling at the guard who let her through, she was nearly overpowered by the scent of fir. Coughing slightly, she followed her nose to the end of the hall where their bedroom door was cracked open; pushing inside, she found her husband watching with his arms crossed as two teenaged pages wrapped lights around a tree.

Not just a tree- a gigantic tree. A good three or four meters high it stretched towards the ceiling, so straight she was certain supports were in use. It was terribly wide, though their bedroom was so large in and of itself that it felt perfectly at size. Blimey. Row after row of unlit lights wound from the top down, the sweaty pages finishing the last of it with relieved sighs.

“Right, let’s light her up, see how it looks,” Ian said.

One page went around the back towards the outlet while the other turned to face Ian; catching sight of Rose, his eyes widened, and he bowed to her. “Your Majesty.”

“Hi, Sam,” Rose said faintly, stepping up to Ian’s side. “Hey, you. What on Earth is this?”

“It’s our Christmas tree,” her husband grinned, kissing her hello. “Don’t worry, we’ll be decorating it together, but I’ve learned that there can be certain perks to this job, and getting someone else to do the bits I can’t stand is part of that. In this case, stringing lights on a tree.”

“Happy to do so, Sir,” Sam assured him as the lights flicked on, Josh stepping out from behind the tree and bowing to her as well. “What do you think?”

Arm in arm Rose and Ian stared at the tree; knowing he was probably examining it from a practical viewpoint, she just took in the beauty and the wonder – she’d never had a Christmas tree in her bedroom before, and certainly not with half a dozen others expected to be sprinkled throughout the house. Not that the 170-room palace she now called home counted as a house. Is this really my life?

“Rose? What do you think?”

“It’s perfect,” she said firmly. “Just as it is. Thank you, Sam, and Josh. Lovely job.”

Recognizing the dismissal for what it was both young men bowed, murmured, “Your Majesty”, and backed out of the room, shutting the door behind them and leaving Rose and Ian alone.

“Hello again,” he greeted her, turning to face her and wrapping his arms around her waist, drawing her close. “How’d it go at the school?”

She reached up to kiss him, just because she could, before leading him over to their sofa and curling up next to each other as she gushed. “Oh, it was wonderful! They were all so bright, and kind. I read the story, answered a few questions and asked some of my own, and they sang a Christmas carol – “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, if you must know. It couldn’t have gone better.”

“I’m so glad to hear that.” His eyes crinkled, as he kissed her knuckles. “I was hoping it would. I know how important it is to you.”

Rose just smiled, glancing back over her shoulder towards the tree now dominating their living space. “Thanks. What’s the plan here, then?”

“When you’re ready, I thought we’d decorate it together. More of a homemade style, if you’re interested. Everything out there,” he gestured towards the doors, “will be prim and polished and befitting a royal Palace, but in here, I want it to be just a normal married couple celebrating their first Christmas together.”

“Normal, right,” she teased, elbowing him. “In our one hundred-plus square meter bedroom, with five-meter high ceilings and an army of staff. Not to mention real, actual, literal crown jewels. Not just a euphemism!”

Ian rolled his eyes in a good-natured way. “Decorations are over there, if you want to start.”

“Mhmm, not quite yet. Tell me about the tree – where did you find it?”

“Find it?” His tone was somewhat bewildered. “Didn’t anyone tell you- clearly not. No, I own some acreage in Germany, all of which is forest. Clearly we’ve had it zoned for cutting down Christmas trees, and it supplies the Palace and Arcadia’s Town Square with trees every year – sustainably, of course.”

Jaw dropping slightly, Rose wondered if it would ever cease to amaze her at how casually he could mention property and possessions – the land in France, where the family vineyard and winery stood, financing some of their royal lifestyle; a ski chalet in the Swiss Alps just over the border from Gallifrey; a “cottage” on Lake Como; and now this. “How international of you,” she managed, making him laugh.

“It’s a royalty thing,” Ian grinned. “Pretty much everything’s been in the family for centuries, at this point – especially land. Most of it’s dowries from various queens marrying in, back when Europe was littered with royal families. I think the most recent addition was the purchase of a flat in Paris in the Twenties. My great-grandmother was from Lyon, and met my great-grandfather by happenstance at the vineyard. As a wedding present he got her the flat, and they’d go up for weeks at a time.” He coughed. “It wasn’t the best investment in hindsight, but it’s still there and ours, though I don’t think anyone’s been since my parents honeymooned there. But we can visit at some point, if you like.”

“Not if it’s a problem, but yeah, I’d love that.” A glance at the tree refocused her. “Tell me more about the trees, though.”

“The parcel of land came into the family as part of a dowry, as I said, of a Württemberg princess, back when the area was a Duchy in the Holy Roman Empire. Over time, parts were sold off until just a dozen or so acres remained. The team that manages the site has been doing so for, oh, two hundred years, so they have it down to a science. Any excess trees that would be too big after another year of growth are sold – mostly to local governments or other high-ceilinged buildings. It’s not necessarily a moneymaker, but the sales bring in enough to keep everything operating, which is honestly all I care about.”

“It sounds wonderful,” Rose said truthfully. “Have you ever been up to see it?”

His brows furrowed in thought. “As a child, but not recently. I think Donna took the twins up two years ago to pick one out for Lungbarrow House. If you like, we can go up next year.”

“I’d like that.”

They fell silent then, admiring the lights strung on the tree. It was nearly hypnotizing, Ian’s steady heartbeat beneath her ear, his warm arms around her, the twinkling lights blinking in and out, all of it working together to lull her to sleep.

And when she slept, she dreamed of wandering through a forest, Ian’s hand in hers, a small child running ahead shrieking with joy.

It wasn’t until after dinner they had the opportunity to actually decorate. While Ian started an instrumental Christmas playlist, Rose opened the first storage container full of decorations – and froze.

“Surprise.” Her husband’s chuckle behind her made Rose spin, eyes wide.

“You- My- How?” Speechless, she gestured to the tub, full of her childhood ornaments.

Looking inordinately pleased with himself, he reached in and pulled out the top ornament- clearly school-made, it featured a four-year-old Rose and a toothy grin. “I called your mum a few weeks ago, and asked her if she had any ornaments you might want put on our tree. She shipped them out, and they arrived yesterday. Plus, we brought everything you had in your flat- it’s all combined in this container.” His smile faltered. “I hope that’s all right- that I didn’t overstep. I was very clear I was only asking for things she didn’t mind parting with.”

Overwhelmed, Rose threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” His arms went easily around her waist. “This is your home now, and I want it to feel that way. Over time we’ll build up our own supply of sentimental ornaments, but our individual childhood ones seemed a good start.”

“It is. I also want to set our own traditions, though. But you better have similar ones – I don’t want my baby pictures to be the only ones on there!”

Ian laughed. “They won’t be,” he reassured her. “I have plenty handmade, awkward picture ornaments as well, and they’re sitting in that box there,” he pointed to the one beneath her own. “Now, shall we start?” He handed over the one he’d originally picked up. “I confess to having rifled through them somewhat, and this was one of my favorites. I think it should be first on the tree- would you like the honors?”

“Together.”

Hand in hand they stepped up the tree, and by mutual, silent agreement, slid it onto a branch front and center.

“Perfect.”

And it was.

#bbatcfic #doctorroseprompts #31 Days of Ficmas #31 Days of Ficmas 2020 #ficandchips #Doctor Who #12xRose #Twelfth Doctor #Rose Tyler #AU #Queen of Hearts #royalty AU #The Christmas Tree Surprise

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theonyxpath · 7 years

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V20 Beckett’s Jyhad Diary art by Mark Kelly

I just got off the phone with an old friend wanting advice on their new Kickstarter they’re hoping to run. This is not the first time I’ve been asked to help friends new to the wonders of Kickstarter, and I’m always glad to give some thoughts. My first question is always: Why Kickstarter?

Just in working out that question, I’ve actually had folks realize that they did not, in fact, need crowdfunding for their project, and that by using KS they would actually be taking on a whole lot of hassle and expense they didn’t actually need. But their bosses thought Kickstarting was a magic money fountain, so they were pushed into using it.

Kickstarter is NOT a magic money fountain.

You can do quite well with the amounts raised, even in the tabletop RPG business (Hi, John! Hi, Monte!), but the KS and then the post-KS fulfillment is a huge amount of work that I guarantee eats up a huge percentage of the pledge dollars raised that aren’t ear-marked for printing and shipping the main KS rewards. It becomes a huge part of, if not the new focus of, your TTRPG company.

If you’re not careful.

C20 Ready Made Characters art by Aaron Riley

I never wanted Onyx Path to go “all in” on any one method of delivering our projects to our community, so I never used all those pledge dollars to hire KS fulfillment staff to take over for our developers or other creators, and I’ve tried to learn from our craziest KSs, many from before we really learned the stresses and demands of getting out all the varied Stretch Goals. I put those dollars aside in order to cover the costs of making all the projects from any given KS while using our normal development processes and staff.

That way, we’ve always been ready to pay each bill as it comes due. Which I kind of think is important long-term.

Along the same lines, I didn’t turn us into only doing Kickstarters for every book as a business model. We started with Deluxes, with covers we could not afford without the KS upfront money for specialty printers, then the Prestige covers that had effects that our PoD printer couldn’t do but which were the same (more or less) as our original print runs for the New World of Darkness lines.

And now we’ve added Kickstarters to fund traditional print runs larger than we have been doing, in order to use our new distribution connections to get into retail stores and do different sorts of projects like the Prince’s Gambit casual card game.

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Now, with us easing back on the 20th Anniversary books with the “Big Five” core books all out or in progress, and with WW revving up their first 5th Edition projects, there is time to experiment with KSing Changeling: The Lost 2nd. (See the Kickstarter part of the BLURBS!, below).

Having Jammin’ James Bell as our new Kickstarter wrangler and all-around good guy, has also helped open up a lot of what we can do with KS, especially next year once he has his sea-legs, and you are going to love what he’s got planned for the CtL2 Kickstarter. James can focus on making sure each Kickstarter campaign is an event, which is really what they should feel like considering all the time and energy our backers pour into them.

W20 Changing Ways art by the legendary Ron Spencer

And all this year we’ve been steadily delivering KS Stretch Goal projects as well, which we are very thrilled to be able to focus on, even to prepping for delivering Werewolf 20th Kickstarter backers their long-awaited free version of a W20 Dice Rolling App. (More on the whole Dice Rolling App another week, because it is not just for W20).

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The “last” until we send them more of our printer overruns to make available, that is. Check out the details in our IPR section of the BLURBS!, below!

This has run pretty long, actually, and I was planning on telling you more about our other “new guy”, Eddy Webb, and what he has been doing as a sort of “roving developer” for us, but that’ll have to happen next week. Until then, remember our motto:

Many Worlds. One Path.

BLURBS!

ON SALE!

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Mummy: The Curse: Dawn of Heresies (Kindle, Nook)

OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there!

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DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

Is a life of running and hiding a life worth living? We say yes. There’s always something between the running and the hiding, and those moments of grace make it all worthwhile.

The Huntsmen Chronicle Anthology is a perfect companion piece to Changeling: The Lost, 2nd Edition. These stories spin tales of the Lost, of those abducted and enslaved by fairies. Those who escaped, but whose captors will stop at nothing to find them. These fairies summon forth the Huntsmen, primordial hunters who understand nothing but pursuit and capture. The Huntsmen are unstoppable monsters, and the Lost can only look to each other for respite, rare comfort, and rarer trust.

The Hedge parts on Wednesday and you can get the Advance PDF of The Huntsmen Chronicle Fiction Anthology for Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition at DTRPG.com!

For over 20 years, the artists of Mage: The Ascension have conjured spirits and constructed hypertech that can transform reality on a whim.

Within this retrospective, those artists and images depict the ever-changing face of magick. From the debut edition to the twenty-first century, this book explores the people behind the pictures, the process of putting such books together, the story behind Mage’s Tarot iconography, and more.

Featuring the artwork of Echo Chernik, Joshua Gabriel Timbrook, Michael Gaydos, Mark Jackson, Leif Jones, Michael Kaluta, Steve Prescott, Alex Sheikman, Christopher Shy…and many, many more.

The Art of Mage: 20 Years and More has manifested on DTRPG in PDF and physical book PoD versions! Here: http://ift.tt/2iwP1Rr

A Land Where Legends Walk

Drawing enthusiastically on Greek mythology, the revised and re-imagined Scarred Lands nonetheless retains its place as a modern fantasy RPG setting. This is a world shaped by gods and monsters, and only the greatest of heroes can expect to be counted among them. The most populous continent of Scarn, Ghelspad, plays host to vast unexplored regions, hides unsolved riddles from ancient cultures, and taunts adventures with the promise of undiscovered riches hidden among the ruins of older civilizations.

Yet the myths of the Scarred Lands are relatively recent events. The effects of the Titanswar still ripple through the world, and the heroines and villains of many of these stories are part of living memory, if not still living.

The Award-Winning Fantasy Setting Returns

Scarred Lands has been a favorite fantasy setting since the release of the Creature Collection for the d20 System in 2000. In subsequent years, over 40 titles were published for Scarred Lands, making it one of the most fully supported fantasy RPG settings ever and the premiere product line of Sword & Sorcery Studios.

Available in both 5th Edition and Pathfinder compatible versions! PDF and PoD formats available NOW!

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Heroes, Villains, and Others in Between!

This tome is a revision of the original book by the same title, originally published for use with 3rd edition rules for the world’s most popular roleplaying game. In this revised edition of The Wise & the Wicked, all the same characters have returned (and we’ve added some new ones, too!), for use with the Scarred Lands Player’s Guide.

Champions of Gods and Titans

The Wise & the Wicked introduces a rogue’s gallery of the Scarred Lands’ movers and shakers, characters who carry out the will of the gods or the fallen titans. These non-player characters can be friends, enemies, or simply convenient resources for the player characters in your game.

Inside, find villains such as King Virduk of Calastia, the Black Dragon, along with his wife, the beautiful (and black-hearted) Queen Geleeda; the Grand Vizier to King Virduk, the wicked warrior-mage Anteas; and the sinister general of Virduk’s northern armies, Archduke Traviak the Steel-Fisted. At the other end of the spectrum, meet the gracious Lady Ariniel, the Swan Knight, champion of Madriel; Kimer the Shatterer, bearer of the Earth Sword of Scarn and tenacious foe of the titanspawn of the north; and King Thain the Just, the Aleking, ruler of Burok Torn. And many others beside!

Here you’ll find a fascinating compendium of characters from the Scarred Lands, but easily transported into campaigns set elsewhere. In addition, find multiple appendices full of new magic items and artifacts, class archetypes and prestige classes, new feats, new creatures and races, and more.

Available in Pathfinder and 5th Edition versions! PDF and PoD formats available NOW!

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From out of the Dreaming, the C20 Jumpstart: Yours To Keep PDF and PoD are now live on DTRPG.com: http://ift.tt/2fmlF3s

There is magic hiding everywhere. You just need to know where to look.

You are a changeling, a faerie soul hiding in a mortal body, fighting the chill of Nightmares and the oppressive weight of Banality with the pure creative power of Glamour. You have lived many lives, but the story of this one? It outshines them all.

In this hidden world, knights in steel and leather clash sword to sword outside the homecoming dance, dragons fly between skyscrapers, and fantastic castles rise from suburban lawns. A world of magic, intrigue, and adventure, and now that your fae side has awakened, it’s your world too.

“Yours to Keep” includes a rules and setting overview, as well as pre-generated characters and a complete introductory scenario for Changeling: The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition. It’s perfect for jumpstarting a new Changeling chronicle!

The PDF and PoD versions of C20 are now on DriveThruRPG.com: http://ift.tt/2w4Eq2m

Twenty years ago, White Wolf published Changeling: the Dreaming, the fifth of their promised five game-lines that together comprised the World of Darkness. Seen by some as a lighter, more fantasy-based setting in the modern-day, and by others as the darkest game White Wolf had yet created, players had to face the question of what happens once creativity and magic fades from their world.

This 20th Anniversary Edition of Changeling: the Dreaming returns to that deceptively bright yet terrifying world and both compiles and completes the concepts of the previous two editions. Led by veteran White Wolf and Onyx Path developer “Blackhat” Matt McFarland, our writing team consists of longtime Changeling creators like Ian Lemke, Jackie Cassada, Nicky Rea, and Peter Woodworth, as well as familiar names such as John Snead, Maggie Carrol, Matthew Dawkins, and Krister Michl. One and all are dedicated to making Changeling: the Dreaming Twentieth Anniversary Edition the most playable edition yet – while not losing the wonder, awe, and majesty that Changeling is known for.

A revised and up to date look at the World of Darkness through the eyes of the Kithain – what has happened to the Dreaming in the last 20 years, and what is the state of Glamour and dreams?

Rules for all of the kiths including in 2nd ed, plus fan favorites from other books: selkies, piskies, clurichaun, and both Arcadian and Concordian sidhe.

Rules for the Gallain: The inanimae, the hsien, the Nunnehi, and others!

An overhauled and reimagined system for fae magic, including new Arts and the powerful but dangerous practice of Unleashing!

New full-color beautiful artwork as well as classic Changeling illustrations including remastered full page pieces of the kiths by Tony Diterlizzi.

Calling all Good Dogs! The Pugmire Core Rulebook PDF is now available on DTRPG.com!

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And the actual physical book, screen, and dice, are available to order on the IPR and Studio2 websites!

Studio2: http://ift.tt/2w0aaEW

What dark secrets do the eldest vampires hold? Find out in Thousand Years of Night for Vampire: The Requiem! Advance PDF version available now on DriveThruRPG.com. http://ift.tt/2sV8lZR

You may think that with a multitude of people coming, going, dying and running away, we’d be tired, done, or ready to give up. Instead, I find myself restless, looking for the next thing. There’s always a next thing, and I for one am not yet ready to die.

– Elder Kincaid, Daeva Crone

This book includes:

• Detailed instructions on creating elder vampires, including how to base chronicles around them

• A look into the lives of elders, how they spend their nights, who they work with, and why including their roles in both their clans and covenants

• New Devotions, Merits, and Rituals for elder vampires

• The kinds of creatures that pose a threat to elder vampires, including Inamorata, Lamia, Sons of Phobos, a new elder conspiracy, and more!

CONVENTIONS!

In November, we’ll be at Game Hole Con in Madison, WI. November 2-5: http://ift.tt/2xsOnuzMyself, Monica Valentinelli (Hunter: the Vigil 2e, Dark Eras), Manda Collis (Exalted 3e), Scott Holden (Scarred Lands), Matt M McElroy (Operations Manager) and other folks from the OPP crew will be there!

Also in November, the Onyx Path crew including Rich, Matt, Lisa, Neall, Dixie, and Meghan will be at the first ever PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia, November 17-19. http://ift.tt/2kBzmfv

In December, Matthew Dawkins, Dave Brookshaw, and Eddy Webb are going to be at Dragonmeet in London. https://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/ Expect plenty of playful class warfare as these three mix it up, represent Onyx Path, and generally redefine the term “hooligans”.

Planning ahead for 2018, we’re heading back to Midwinter Game Convention in Milwaukee, January 11-14, where we’re going to be bringing a big crew of many of your favorite Onyx Path designers and we’ll be running demos and making some special announcements at the show! http://midwintergamingconvention.com

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Monarchies of Mau (Monarchies of Mau)

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Redlines

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

They Came From Beneath the Sea! Rulebook (TCFBtS!)

Second Draft

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Night Horrors: The Tormented (Promethean: The Created 2nd Edition)

Kithbook Boggans (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Development

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

SL Ring of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Ring of Spiragos (5e – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Scion: Origin (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

GtS Geist 2e core (Geist: the Sin-Eaters Second Edition)

The Realm (Exalted 3rd Edition)

WW Manuscript Approval:

Editing:

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Pugmire Pan’s Guide for New Pioneers (Pugmire)

Dragon-Blooded (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Post-Editing Development:

W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)

DtD Night Horrors: Enemy Action (Demon: the Descent)

Indexing:

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

Cavaliers of Mars – Need to figure out new art budget and I’ll get to contracting that.

W20 Changing Ways

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

Scion Origins

Ring of Spiragos

Book of Freeholds

DtD Enemy Action

Changeling: the Lost 2 – Artists are arting.

Trinity Continuum – Splats for core book with Mr Jones, prepping multi-cover single piece of artwork for illustrator.

Marketing Stuff

In Layout

Beast PG

Pugmire/Scarred Lands Community Content

VtR Half Damned

Pentex Indoctrination Manual

Proofing

Ex 3 Arms of the Chosen – Second proof going out to devs today.

Wraith 20 – Waiting on layout proof notes from RichD.

M20 Cookbook – At WW for approval.

Becket’s Jyhad Diary – At WW for approval.

C20 Ready Made Characters – Second proof going out today.

At Press

Beckett Screen – Shipped to shipper.

Scarred Land PGs & Wise and the Wicked PF & 5e – On a boat to the US. PDF and PoD physical book versions on sale at DTRPG.

VTR: Thousand Years of Night – Waiting for PoD proofs.

Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition) – Deluxe Edition cover and Screen in the works. Full proof sheets arriving tomorrow.

CtL Huntsmen Chronicle Anthology PDF – Advance PDF going on sale Wednesday.

Pugmire Trick, Condition, and Initiative Cards – PoD proofs ordered.

V20DA Jumpstart – Errata phase.

Prince’s Gambit – Errata phase.

TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: It’s Weird Al’s birthday! You ever notice how many of his song stylin’s are about food? I Love Rocky Road, Eat It, My Bologna – the list goes on.

#Onyx Path Publishing

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aesarctic · 7 years

Text

The Sun Is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon

I finished this maybe a week ago, and it was good, but I’ve read better.

Read on Goodreads

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

FOR THE SUPER NON-SPOILERY PEOPLE:

This is a contemporary. If you know me, you know that I'm definitely not one for romance--not even shipping. Why did I read this? It was getting such good reviews, and maybe, just maybe, the cover was too pretty. But I gave it three stars. Many of the elements of it were excellent, but seeing as it's contemporary, I docked two stars. If you like contemporary, I say go for it. If you don't but like a different twist in writing, I say consider it. I love different writing styles, and this one didn't disappoint. Too much, anyway. FOR THE NON-SPOILERY PEOPLE (hidden for the Super Non-Spoilery People): While having two main characters, Daniel and Natasha, we see from many more points of views, and while I was skeptical about it at first, it definitely added to the book plot-wise and showing that the world is bigger than two main characters. It also has amazing representation seeing as our two main characters are people of colour, and it tackles topics such as immigration, race, ethnicity, religion, and nationality. That may sound like I gave the book four or five stars. While I'm amazed at Nicola Yoon's writing and what she was able to tackle in 344 pages (hardback, 1st edition), as I mentioned, I'm not a romance person. That plays a factor into how much I genuinely liked the book. FOR THE SPOILERY PEOPLE:

I started this book in August--not quite a year after it came out, but definitely not when everyone was on the The Sun Is Also a Star bandwagon. However, I definitely had seen and heard the hype, and I happened to own the book due to an Uppercase Subscription Box, so I finally read it. The reason I mention this is because part of my disappointment may be caused by listening to too much of the hype and working myself up before reading the book. Starting the book, besides thinking of the hype, there wasn't much for me to comment on, though I didn't like the first Irene chapter. I had previously heard that characters that weren't a large part of the story shouldn't get a point of view. On top of that, Irene seemed to be too creepy for my liking. "He was riding his shiny new bike (red, ten-speed, awesome) with his shiny new friends (white, ten years old, awesome)." --Page 12 The start was somewhere between an okay and good, but writing like this is what I like, and it instantly got me more engaged, even if I knew there was a major love plot coming. I like that it's funny, but if you want to look at it from a "the way people think of race is an issue" perspective, you totally can. The Charles chapter was disappointing in the long run. It's short--half a page--but I was expecting so much out of it. On page 256, it says, "Still, though, he does a good thing for his brother: he gives [Natasha] the number." This was the thing. This was the one great, big, good, selfless act. Sure, without the scene, Natasha and Daniel's future may have been completely altered, but it wasn't what I was hoping for. One thing that I love in any book I read is what the sibling dynamic is. Charlie and Daniel don't get along, but with one last selfless deed, I got my hopes up. I'm such a sucker for sibling acts of love. This, however, with Charlie giving Natasha the number, is completely realistic, and I do have to appreciate and give credit to that. If you know me, I also love realistic characters. Like I said earlier, I'm a fan of sort of comedic writing. While it bothered me that this scene wasn't realistic, in my mind, anyway, on pages 44 and 45, we get this wacky train conductor who is just preaching into the intercoms. It was interesting and entertaining to read. Part of me praises the book for having more realism than many of the other books I read, but the characters, in my opinion, are halfway there. Natasha is a girl of reality. She relies on facts and science for the answers to life, not considering the idea of love and fate and dreams being real. Daniel, on the other hand, is the opposite. He believes in fate, love, and destiny. While these are more fleshed out that most characters I read, most humans have a bit of both sides to them. Yoon took one side of an argument and turned it into a character. Then she took the other side and made another character: the love interest. The characters are good--they have thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions that definitely seem more realistic that what I usually read, but it wasn't good enough, especially compared to other books I've read. Samuel Kingsley's Histories of Regrets. I don't have much to say about the first one, but the second one was a bit of a punch for me. I probably should have seen it coming, but I thought Samuel would regret how he treated his daughter and family. Instead, he regrets meeting his wife. I didn't think that was the turn it would take, but it did. It was a bit of a powerful moment for me. The third one was confusing. He doesn't regret Natasha, but he already stated he regret his family. Or just his wife? But his wife was the reason they have a family. It's a little confusing, but at least he doesn't completely want to disown Natasha. I'll take this time to also talk about A Father's History. I love that it was written like a script. It's a twist in writing, as I previously mentioned, I love that kind of thing. A thought that I had multiple times was: This is a really long day. I know that people can do many things in a day, but you can't possibly do everything Natasha and Daniel did, can you? The norebang, going out for Korean, Natasha managed to go to the museum, multiple appointments, Daniel also went to multiple appointments, they went to Daniel's parents' hair place (multiple times), and of course there was all of the smaller things, like whatever they did before they met that day, and Daniel saving Natasha's life, and going into the one store and seeing Natasha's ex. Didn't they also go out to a café? That's where Daniel had the original idea of making Natasha fall in love with him. It's a lot for one day. Speaking of one day: they fell in love in one day. I admit, this was the most non-insta-love book I've read that has insta-love, if that makes sense, but there were definitely moments where I was definitely thinking, You guys literally just met today. Slow down. (i.e. the norebang) Speaking of the norebang, I have thoughts and notes for pages 167-175. Let's just go in order. 167: "I'm going to get up and kiss her." No. Absolutely not. There's no way. This is too sudden and too soon. 169: "She's so close that I can feel the slight head from her blush." Daniel. No. "I put my hand on her waist and bury my fingers in her hair." This is way too sudden. "Anything can happen in the space between us." Anything had better not happen. "I wait for her, for her eyes to say yes, and then I kiss her." ANYTHING IS HAPPENING. "Her lips are like soft pillows and I sink into them." I don't need this in my life. "We start out chaste, just lips touching, tasting, but soon we can't get enough." You WHAT. "She parts her lips and--" Admittedly, I prefer not to read past there, as it gets too gross for me to stand. Please read at your own risk. 170: "I can't stop. I don't want to stop." Natasha, my one hope for any sort of reasoning, has abandoned me. I don't need nor want this in my life. I can't believe she's into this. 171: I stopped on this page, looked at it, wrote the word "Same" in my notes, looked at it some more, and flipped the page. 172: I'm still same-ing here, not looking at the next page. 173: I have read the page. I'm not doing well. Actually, I was in school when I read this part, and my friend looked over and said, "Your face is really pale." Maybe that's enough of a picture of my thoughts. 174: All of my faith has been lost in Natasha. 175: It's ending. I'm free. I'm safe. No more. That wasn't a fun scene. That was too fast. You guys met that day. I don't need this in my life. Soon after, on page 178, we see the line "The sun is also a star." I paused there, as I'm sure we all did, and I did not understand why that was so powerful of a moment that the book was named after it. Around pages 192-197, Natasha and Daniel have an argument about what their lives mean and the fact that Daniel postponed his interview for Natasha. Natasha is on the side that they're on this Earth to survive and evolve, and Daniel believes that everything means something and that their love is real. Personally, I stood with Natasha for this argument, but I want to point out that one of the bigger things in this book is how love happens. This book delves into the topic on falling in love. Can you fall in love? What exactly does falling in love mean or entail? This is one of the arguments where that topic was brought up. As someone who is incapable of getting crushes/having any sort of romantic relationship (welcome to my aro/ace life), I didn't care for it that much. for other people, though, I know this was a big thing. You know those books that you read at just the right time for what's going on in your life? Well, a lot of the (non-romance-y) points of this book do resonate with me, and on page 199, Daniel says, "We tell ourselves there are reasons for the things that happen, but we're just telling ourselves stories. We make them up. They don't mean anything." That, my friends, is my mindset, and seeing it come from Daniel makes it more emotional for me, just because I may not have been as fate and dream-ridden as Daniel, but I definitely did like to believe in little signs, like the songs Spotify plays at just the right time, or something falling to the floor as I'm talking about it. Really, though, that stuff is just coincidence. And sure, things happen for reasons, but those reasons are pretty scientific. Gravity causes things to fall, not fate. The book tackles being a person of colour in America in the outside world and within families. Page 234 is the start of a Daniel chapter where he confronts his Dad. His father says that Natasha and Daniel can never be, and Daniel denies it. Many things can be said about this point, but I want to take a quick moment to talk about interracial relationships. As someone who is mixed--the product of an interracial marriage and relationship--I wish for a world where people can just be with who they want (of course, not just ethnicity-wise, either.) I just wrote a college application 300-word essay on this, so I'm not going too far into depth, but it does hit me whenever someone looks down upon Natasha and Daniel's relationship. At the beginning, I didn't like that Irene had a chapter. My view, however, changed throughout the book. When Natasha saw the blue-haired couple, I was sure the next chapter would be able them, and when it wasn't, I was disappointed. I've come a long way from all of the dislike I put in my notes about Irene's chapters. There was a change in my notes, too, as I began to guess whose chapters we'd get to see. I like them--I looked forward to them. These extra chapters add something more to the book. They add to the plot and to our enjoyment, but my favourite part is that they show that the world is bigger than two main characters. These chapters show that billions of people have moments every day, at the same time as other people. For instance, we're following Daniel and Natasha, but Attorney Jeremy Fitzgerald and Hannah Winter definitely had some stuff going on in their life, too. If this was Natasha and Daniel's biggest day of their life, it was also Fitzgerald and Winter's, too. This is a fun side-note, but on page 333, Natasha mentions learning about eyes in AP Biology. As someone who is currently taking AP Bio, am I going to learn about eyes? Is this something Nicola Yoon made up, or am I actually going to learn about eyes? The ending. Natasha gets deported. They stay in touch, but long-distance relationships are hard. But then we have an Irene chapter (well, technically titled "epilogue"), and quite possibly my favourite moment in the book. We start with a kind of pick-up from where we left off with Irene. She had written her suicide note, but Natasha's "thank you" saved her life. That night, Irene listened to Nirvana, called a suicide prevention number. She went to therapy, and now she's a flight attendant. Now, she's on a plane, looking at the different passengers aboard, and she's sees Natasha. She thanks her. This is the first thing I love about this scene: Irene got to say "thank you." She had the chance to say "thank you." Daniel looks over, looks back, Natasha says her name, Daniel looks back over, says her name, and Natasha says his twice. Some believe it is fate to find the one you love. This book ends by showing that viewpoint. The entire book we're faced with wondering if it's possible that they're really in love. We get our answer here. To me, this book is a sort of "what if" book. What if you are fated to meet your supposed soulmate? I'm not good at words, and I'm not one for romance, but it was a good, fulfilling scene. Overall, I'm not a contemporary reader. There are very few contemporary books I'd reread, and this, unfortunately, may not be one of them. They hype may have been too much for me, or maybe it's just that it's a romance book, but I'm glad that there were other things tackled along with our main plot.

#The Sun Is Also a Star #TSIAAS #Nicola Yoon #NicolaYoon #Book Review

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