#Rath's guides to magic

[rathayibacter]

Methods for Seeking Immortality

Iron Brand Upon being slain, enchanted molten iron is poured into the mortal wound. When you wake, you are completely invulnerable to the exact circumstances that killed you originally, and highly resistant to any that are appropriately similar. Spirit Tether By taking massive amounts of hallucinogens, your soul expands out beyond the confines of your physical body. The moment this happens, an accomplice binds your soul back to you, causing your body to be haunted by your own ghost. Misalignment Engine You’re strapped into the base of a vast machine. The machine groans with effort as it applies a million tons of force to your timeline, eventually tilting it half a degree out of alignment. You can no longer be changed by anything not similarly tilted. Frozen Heartstone You're frozen with magical ice and shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. All but one piece must be recovered, thawed, and reassembled into your body. As long as the final piece remains unfound, you cannot be slain. Three Ceramic Jars You and two others cast a vengeant spell, ensuring that you can only be harmed by directed intent. You then exchange all blood with one participant, and all organs with the other. In order for one of you to be harmed, all three must be harmed simultaneously. Effigy Transfer Throughout your life, you collect every fingernail, every lost hair, and every scrap of skin and drop of blood you shed. At the end of your life, you shape them into an effigy, transfer your mind and soul into it, and then consume your old body with the new.

#Rath's guides to magic #ttrpgs #really juicy stuff here #my friend Xander wrote a great companion piece to this #talking about different ways each of these makes you *more* vulnerable #if/when xe joins tumblr ill bully xem into adding it here too

[blindbeta]

Hello! I have two questions, so I'll send two asks in case you want to answer them separately. First, a lot of your posts suggest writing multiple blind characters into your story to help avoid tokenism. However, when I try to write multiple blind characters, they always stand out or feel shoehorned in. Do you have any advice for writing multiple blind characters more "casually" so they don't feel as out of place?

Examples of How to Write Multiple Blind Characters Using The Owl House

Hello. Thank you for your questions! I actually started on this months ago and returned to it answering this question here.

I suspect this is what stops many writers, although they aren’t aware of it. This feeling of forcing representation is the result of society’s ableism and it can be difficult to recognize or deal with.

It might help to think about the reverse- isn’t it strange that so many characters in books and shows are abled? Isn’t it strange that so many disabled characters have no community?

When you write multiple blind characters, you are giving your blind character a community.

Another thing that might help is to show different characters having different conditions and different ways of dealing with their blindness. This is a technique I use all the time. You can even list all the blind characters and their characteristics so you can consider them all at once. For fun, we’ll use The Owl House. I feel that using all-ages examples might help writers feel comfortable engaging with the material.

The following will contain discussions of external and internalized ableism. It will also contain heavy spoilers for The Owl House up to the show’s finale.

Here is an example I came up with:

Main character, Luz, has a low vision in both eyes. She uses a cane for nighttime, mostly, but she feels like more of an outcast when she uses it at school, compared to the enthusiasm with which she used it and showed it to her classmates when she was a child. She stopped using a cane before entering high school. She packs it for camp just in case and uses it all the time on The Boiling Isles. There, she feels more comfortable using it every day. She is eventually able to use her cane and other assistive devices, whether magical or non-magical, whenever she needs to. Growing up, she struggled in school due to neurodivergence and not always getting her accommodations or maybe even struggling to ask for accommodations. She is happy to find that Eda and Hexside are able to accommodate her without making her feel othered. Although she has felt rejected in the past, she is able to fully embrace her blindness once more, celebrating a part of her in a way she was able to as a child. Also, she has several copies of The Good Witch Azura books in regular print, large print, and audiobook forms.

Eda, her mentor, had total enucleation in one eye and wears a prosthetic. How did she lose her eye? She doesn’t remember, now stop bugging her. Due to macular degeneration, her vision isn’t so good in the other eye and is decreasing over time. She doesn’t use a cane after struggling against her mother in childhood. She can use her Palisman or King as guides if she needs help. (King appointed himself her unofficial guide demon.) Her visually impaired partner, Raine, has gently and jokingly encouraged her to do what helps, including using assistive devices. After they started dating again, Eda feels comfortable using Raine as a guide, which also gives her an excuse to cozy up to them. Eda eventually comes to terms with her blindness much like her chronic illness. When she and Raine go on walks, she jokingly makes them carry things, stating if they want her to use a guide demon or a cane so bad, they can lend her a hand considering she only has one. She switches between the cane and guide depending on what suits her that day. Raine also supports her in her times of vulnerability. She can also have her phone or use spells to read, but reading is for nerds so she would rather have someone else read to her, such as her sister, Luz, Raine, or King.

Principal Bump is blind with residual vision and uses a guide Paliman to help him navigate and magnify things if he needs it. When he had Eda as a student, he was excited to help a student with similar experiences, but he quickly learned she was a troublemaker.

Willow is totally blind and uses a fluffy guide demon. She also has a cane decorated with flowering vines, which she enjoys using because she can have interesting tactile feedback. She was born blind and doesn’t struggle with her blindness beyond the occasional frustration with ableism or lack of accessibility. Her dads are very supportive and helpful. They sent her to Hexside hoping having a blind principal would assure she would get accommodations. She enjoys using magic with physical and textural elements, which is why she tried the magical school tracks she chose.

Gus is also blind with a bit of remaining vision. He enjoys looking at colors and lights. Gus chose to focus on illusions because they make interesting shapes and colors, providing his brain with a lot of sweet, sweet stimulation. Gus also enjoys that a track that is very visual is something he can excel at. He met Willow when complimenting her on how pretty her plants looked, describing to her what looked like a colorful blossom on a vine. He uses a cane to navigate, finding it more helpful for stairs and general independence even if canes aren’t quite as popular on the Boiling Isles as magically assisted options such as Palismans and guide demons. He also enjoys using something more similar to what humans use, as he is very interested in humans. He feels very comfortable with his blindness, finding a similar outlook in his friend Willow. Together, the two feel more understood. Willow and Gus pass Braille notes to each other in class. Gus prefers to have his spelled books or illusions read to him, though.

Amity deals with internalized ableism stemming from a need to be perfect, as well as many terrible implications from her parents that she doesn’t let on hurt her. She concentrates on not letting her disability stop her, as that’s what a Blight does. She has low vision, similar to Luz, and progressive vision loss. Unlike the other characters, she does not have much positive support. Principal Bump tries to encourage her to use the many aids and accommodations provided by the school, surprised that she knows the Boiling Isles equivalent of Braille, but only because her parents thought it would give their child an edge and because she attended the same early childhood classes as Willow. Amity politely rejects his help and goes on the be the top student just to prove a point to everyone (a.k.a her parents). She grows up being friends with other kids who say ableist things, leading to Amity feeling even more pressured to rely on her remaining vision. Eventually, her relationships with Luz and Willow help her to accept herself. She is able to act more authentically. This includes confronting her former friends, apologizing to the people she bullied, and attempting to use a cane at school. She is surprised to find that nothing really changes and a few people, including her siblings, even comment on her cane use positively. Willow also shows her how to get her phone to read to her, as well as use the spelled books you can buy that read out loud, which helps reduce eye strain. The similarities between her and Luz helps to strengthen their bond, but otherwise their relationship is unchanged from canon. Amity also has another troublesome barrier to asking Luz to Grom, such as how to make the note accessible. She ends up going with large print and high contrast ink. If she can read it, she knows Luz will be able to.

Hunter has an inherited retinal disorder, such as LCA or Stargardt disease. All of his predecessors have had a similar experience and Hunter takes pride in being part of that line. Each Golden Guard has decreased vision compared to the last, it seems. Hunter views his blindness as a part of him. His blindness allows him to adapt in ways others may not have a chance to explore. He becomes aware of advantages he has over the many sighted people he works with. He is known for his talent, adaptability, and resourcefulness. Hunter struggles with photophobia, which his mask helps with. For navigation, he has a cane, as well as his staff, which he prefers to adapt for navigating. It is about chest height and acts similarly to a WeWalk cane. He can use it to teleport and use magic, but it is mostly for identification and navigating if needed. Eventually, he considers switching to a guide demon like Willow’s, which can also offer companionship along with his new Palisman. Hunter can read the Boiling Isles equivalent of Braille, which he uses for labeling, personal note-keeping, and reading when his eyes are tired. He can keep working longer this way, although he does occasionally read or write for fun if he has a spare few minutes. Hunter also makes tactile maps.

There we go. I provided examples of several blind characters in the same place. Many of them know each other and maybe even meet because of their blindness. They all have different types of blindness and different experiences with their blindness, even when compared to characters who are on similar places on the blindness spectrum. I explored how they navigate, how they view their blindness, and ways in which they relate to others. Some struggle with internalized ableism, but not all of them. They have their own arcs related to their blindness, although they have the same arcs and interests as in canon.

Rather than seeing multiple blind characters as an obstacle, view it as an opportunity for characterization. For example, Amity’s experience with ableism is heavily rooted in how she was raised, in how her parents treated her blindness as a defect or something to be ignored. Meanwhile, Luz’s experience with ableism originated in childhood rejection. Compared to them, Willow, Gus, Principle Bump, and Hunter are all thriving. Even Eda is mostly cool with everything, only having a confusing and uncertain relationship with mobility aids. Additionally, Luz is able to let go of and unlearn her internalized ableism as soon as she finds people who accept her. Amity, in comparison, takes much longer to accept herself.

I know that some writers who aren’t blind may feel unequipped to write internalized ableism. It isn’t necessary, but instead something I thought fit Amity’s original character arc. Internalized ableism can be a lot more subtle than this or not feature in your story at all. Luz and Eda might struggle with this as well, but to a lesser degree. It would also be similar to their arcs in canon.

Here are additional character breakdowns because I thought they were fun:

Who uses Braille?

Willow, Hunter, and to some extent, Gus

Braille literacy is declining, so not everyone knows it in this A.U, which is similar to real life. However, I prefer to have at least some of my characters use Braille to push back against that.

Who uses audio to read, primarily or some of the time?

Gus, Amity, Luz, Eda

Who uses regular or large print?

Luz, Amity, Principal Bump

Who uses magnification?

Principal Bump and probably Luz in childhood

Who uses a cane?

Luz, Amity, Hunter, Willow, Eda

However, Luz, Amity, and Eda all struggled to get there to some degree. In real life, few blind people actually use canes despite possibly benefiting from them.

Who uses an animal guide?

Eda, Willow, and, later, Hunter

On the Boiling Isles, creatures participate in training schools and are matched with potential handlers. They are mostly given to adults, although some schools allow kids to apply, such as those in their upper teens. I have a post on guide animals here.

Who has some residual vision?

Luz, Eda, Bump, Gus, Amity, Hunter

Who is totally blind?

Willow

In real life, 85 to 90% of people who are blind have some residual vision, depending on what source you draw from. Most of the cast can still see something, even if only colors, light, and shadow.

I hope this helps. This is my first time sharing something like this. Readers, feel free to use this however you like, for stories or fan art.

-BlindBeta

#blind characters #writing blind characters #the owl house #writing more than one blind character #blind #ableism #disability #ask #scheduled post

[albed-hoe]

Just Plain, Lyney

Characters: Lyney x M!Reader

Summary: Soft NSFW headcanons of sub!Lyney with a male reader

Warnings: !NSFW; MINORS/FEM READERS DNI!, breeding kink

Word count: 731

A/n: I went for soft vibes for this one? Kind of embarrassing😫

It is common knowledge in Fontaine that Lyney is a confident, outgoing person. He lives to be on the stage, in front of thousands of people, impressing crowd after crowd with his incredible magic tricks.

This means that he must also be a very confident boyfriend, always taking good care of his girlfriend, having been in many relationships throughout his life… Right?

Wrong. Lyney has only ever been in a single relationship, that one being with a man.

He loved his boyfriend dearly, being oh-so-thankful for the quiet intimate moments they had together in their modest shared apartment.

He was also not the one taking care of his boyfriend, was not the one holding his boyfriend close to protect him from the world’s harms, was not the one massaging shampoo into his boyfriend’s scalp at the end of a long day, was not the one… Taking charge in the bedroom.

“Lyney, the Great Magician” is a very different persona from “Lyney period”.

“Lyney period”, the real Lyney was, in fact, a quiet, even shy, boy. He contented himself with the simple things in life such as holding those he loved close to his heart.

And here was quiet, shy Lyney, being ravaged on the bed like he deserved to be, hair sprawled around his head with its usual braid undone.

His shy whimpers and moans were audible across the room, both hands clasped over his face as you trailed kisses down his chest and stomach towards his nether regions.

He would never admit it to anyone, but he adored the way you handled him like a feather, the way you always asked for permission before doing anything to him.

“Lyney.” You whisper to him, moving his hands away from his face. “I want to hear your voice.” A kiss to his lips. “It’s okay to make noise.” You whisper against his lips, kissing him again.

His face is far beyond a blush, the redness now spread out to his ears and neck.

He would never tell a soul, but he adores being doted on and cared for. He loves the feeling of being able to lie down and just be loved.

He loves the feeling of your length inside him, of being as close as a human can be to another. He loves how you hold him against you, bare chests stuck together, his legs on either side of yours as you gently guide his hips up and down on your dick.

He loves it when you lay him on his back again, slamming into him with desperation, making him cry with pleasure. He loves when you grab his cock and pump it as you both chase your highs.

He loves cumming at the same time as you, watching your eyes screw shut as you lean down to moan into his neck, biting down and pumping your semen deep inside him.

He loves it when you pull away, kissing him passionately, pulling him out of his daze.

“I love you so much.” He loves it when you whisper sweet nothings to him, kissing the shell of his ear and lifting him off the bed to carry him to the bathroom.

He loves the feeling of your hands roaming his body under the shower's hot water, using the excuse of “lathering soap” as a guise to feel every dip and curve of his body that you love so dearly.

He loves how you hold him close, even in the shower, in case he might melt and slip away through your fingers (he very well may). The way you hold him close when you dry him off, his hair dripping water down your chest as he rests his head against it.

He loves the way you press a kiss against his head while taking him back to your bedroom, memories of your prior activities flooding his mind with a cherry-coloured blush upon his cheeks.

He loves the way you tuck him under the covers, pressing another kiss to his forehead, then his lips as you whisper a soft “good night”.

And finally, he loves the way he can wrap his arms around you at night and for the first time ever, feel like he is being protected by someone rather than the other way around. With you, he loves that he can let his guard down and just be himself, just be Lyney.

I kinda wanna make one of those NSFW headcanon things where it’s just how he is in bed, his anatomy, etc etc…🤭

#genshin x reader #genshin x male reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x male reader #lyney x reader #lyney x male reader #lyney x y/n

[soylent-crocodile]

Phyrexia

(The Fourth Sphere by Dave Kendall)

What is Phyrexia?

Phyrexia is a disease. It spreads, infects, and consumes. Phyrexia is a faith. It has gods, beliefs, and practices. Phyrexia is a threat. It's coming for you.

Phyrexia is one of the oldest and most unique factions in the card game Magic the Gathering. It has a focus on machinery and body horror that blurs the line between fantasy and science fiction. It has a long history, both within the fiction and as a fiction, and style that draws inspiration from a lot (Hi HR Geiger) but is fully its own idea; all this makes it ripe to translate to Pathfinder. (Innistrad, for example, also has rich history, but is the exact same niche as Ustalav, so I have no reason to make conversions.) This page intends to serve as a guide to Phyrexia for outsiders, as well as outline the conversion I'm making.

Old Phyrexia in Magic: the Gathering

(I am not an expert on the pre-mending lore of MtG; this intends to serve as a drive-by of the important points. That era of Magic is messy and has a lot of nits and details.)

In lore, Phyrexia began as a sort of cult surrounding a man named Yawgmoth, a doctor from an ancient science-magic society called the Thran. Technically, the original plane of Phyrexia was not created by Yawgmoth, but by a powerful Planeswalker (interdimensional godline being whose power would later get massively nerfed, as a category), but Yawgmoth quickly made it his own.

From there, the humans he brought with him turned to biomechanical experimentation and built a religion aroung Yawgmoth, who became known as the Father of the Machines. They were, unfortunately, trapped on the plane- Yawgmoth (who had ascended to a godlike state) wished to bring his conquest back to Dominaria (the plane from which they came) and beyond.

(Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor by Anna Bodedworna)

There were two major incursions of Phyrexia into Dominaria- first, the Brother's War, a story that was old when Magic was new. Two brothers- Urza and Mishra- had found powerful Thran artifacts, which lead to a power struggle between them. Mishra eventually found a Phyrexian portal, became corrupted (a recurring theme of Phyrexia), and eventually lost when Urza unleashed a magical nuke on the plane, hurtling Dominaria into a supernatural ice age and turning him into one of the godlike Planeswalkers.

The second was the conclusion of the Weatherlight Saga, an arc somwhat orchestrated by the now-ancient being that Urza had become and focusing on a man named Gerard and the crew of an interplanar vessel called the Weatherlight. They first show up having corrupted and taken over Rath, as well as Gerard's adopted brother Vuel. The saga concludes with the plane of Rath being overlaid onto Dominaria in an event that ended with most of the cast dead and Phyrexia and Yawgmoth as it stood destroyed, where they would stay for about a decade.

New Phyrexia in Magic: the Gathering

In 2009 Scars of Mirrodin was released, revealing that the setting of Mirrodin (Magic's other most original and interesting setting, sigh) had in fact been corrupted by Phyrexian Oil. The war, which lasted a year in real life, saw Mirrodin being almost entirely consumed and remade into New Phyrexia, a setting with a new art direction and five new leaders.

(artist unknown)

New Phyrexia, and exploring it card-by-card on a now defunct MtG card archive, was my personal introduction to the setting, and the style of Phyrexia that I am most fond of. It now encompassed all five colors of Magic, each with their own distinct subfaction, and felt less like an 80s metal album cover and more like its own, separate thing (for better or worse, to be clear, 80s metal album covers own).

In the 2020s, New Phyrexia had an arc where they had managed to successfully travel to other planes, and used that to do a big multiverse invasion that ended with all but one of their leaders dead and the nature of planes and planeswalkers in the wider MtG setting changed in a precedented paradigm shift.

Phyrexia on Golarion

So, with all that out of the way, let's talk about how I plan to translate that into MtG.

Phyrexian Beliefs Phyrexians are supremacists of a sort; they believe that their way, darwinist philosophy surrounding the forced merging of metal and flesh, is the one true way. Fortunately, they are not here to exterminate others- simply to convert them, by force. "All will be One."

To this end they spread across the galaxy, consuming entire planets and converting their flesh to glorious Phyrexian constructs.

Yawgmoth Yawgmoth is the progenitor of Phyrexia and its god, although by New Phyrexia he's very much dead. The five praetors took his place, with him existing mostly as allusions, even as a past failure that they will not replicate! (spoiler: they fail).

Personally, I like Yawgmoth existing in past tense. He was the god of Phyrexia, but he has been killed- possibly by some great Good divinity trying to end his scourge, more likely through conflict with the nihilistic Dominion of Black. Either way, his name is spoken in Phyrexia with both reverence and shame, and the five Praetors now each carry a fraction of his divinity.

The Five Praetors Now in Magic canon 4/5 of them are dead now, and during the lead-up there was a lot of political jockeying, but I will have them as they existed in between NPH and the Invasion arc; With Elesh Norn as de facto leader, Jin-Gitaxias and Vorinclex respecting her but doing their own thing, and Sheoldred and Urabrask believing in Phyrexia but not in Norn's graces.

Planes and Planets The nature of Planes in MtG is different from planes in Pathfinder/DnD; they're their own self-contained world, each possibly with their own cosmology, rather than being the cosmology of one coherent world. As such, I am changing Phyrexia from an interplanar threat to an interstellar one.

The Praetors, while about on the level of a nascent demon lord, are divinities of the material plane; they lack a home in the outer sphere.

Phyrexia and Other Factions Because the Praetors are acting as their own divinities, Phyrexia has little to no relationship with the gods at work on Golarion, as well as with the Outer and Elder gods.

As I alluded to before, Phyrexians have a poor relationship to the Dominion of Black. The Dominion is nihilistic, seeking to destroy all life, while the Phyrexians seek to consume and convert it. If you want to take the Illithids from @thecreaturecodex's conversion, they almost certainly have a poor relationship with them too.

If your Dark Tapestry is feeling a bit crowded but you want to include Phyrexia, I would personally use them as a replacement for the Dominion. If you did so, I would moisturize Numeria so to speak, replacing much of its harsh desert with noxious swampland more palatable to Phyrexian tastes.

#phyrexia project #soylent talks

[jellymellydraws]

Masterlist ~ <<Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter >>

Astarion x Dark Urge Chapter 08 Rating: E Tags: Angst, Fluff, hurt/comfort, slow burn, two guarded people fall in love so hard it makes them stupid

Chapter Summary:

The assassination plot against Kagha goes according to plan-- until Wyll has a moral dilemma about said plans. Something clicks for Rose and she feels a core part of herself bubble to the surface. The next day, one of the tieflings, inspired by their heroics, wants to join the party as they begin their travel to the goblin camp.

The dark embrace of night finally settled over the grove. Only the light from the ritual illuminated the stone walls that protected them. What good would those walls do when the prey was trapped with their predators? 

Only two exits from the inner sanctum were identified. Lae’zel would watch the main entrance. Gale would monitor the exit leading to the shore, prepared to grease the path or put to sleep any runners. If everything was done right, no one would have the chance to run. But contingencies were necessary.

Two silhouettes of patrolling guards circled atop the perimeter of the sanctum.

One silhouette.

None.

“Shadowheart and Wyll are in place,” Astarion whispered next to Rose.

“Let’s move.”

Soft steps crept around the archway, approaching the ritual circle. The droning of druids got louder as they approached, but still they hadn’t been noticed. Astarion held his arm out, stopping Rose from moving ahead. Cautious amber eyes scanned the area, looking for a threat. There didn’t seem to be any, but the elf stopped her for something . He was listening, intensely. After a few moments, he began to move his arm in a cross-motion. Like a conductor, orchestrating the weave to his will. The sound of another voice joined the druids, a new chanter, but no source so to speak.

“My magic will maintain the sound of ritual casting while we work,” he explained quietly, “but we need to move fast.”

Rose nodded and pulled her blade, going straight for her first target.

Like a fish swimming in the Chionthar, her movements were fluid. Natural. A druid was grabbed, her blade slit his throat, not a sound could be made. Her work had only begun. With each slice, each neck, another druid fell. The light dimmed gradually, until the glow stopped with the falling of the last caster. Her and Astarion met in the middle. She couldn’t see him, but she hoped he was returning the grin that was plastered on her face.

“Having fun?” he purred.

“Can’t a lady mix business and pleasure?” She joked.

“I suppose she can, well if that’s what we’re doing, I’ll be back.”

She heard his steps depart briefly, but not too far. He returned after a few moments, draping his arm around her shoulders casually.

“A trophy to commemorate our night together,” he declared, placing a wood carved item in her hands.

Long smoothed planes of wood, culminating at one end of the structure before splitting off at the top— or bottom? She couldn’t tell immediately, not until she felt her thumb rub over the clear protrusion of a nose. A face. Pair of antlers—

“You took the idol,” she realized.

“Yes, what else? They’re not going to be needing it anymore, are they?”

Before she could protest, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, guiding her through the darkness. Fine, they’ll keep this silly trophy. She handed the idol back to him to stow in his bag. 

Without the glow from the ritual, Astarion’s job was to act as her eyes. Not a position she wanted to be in, but necessary if she had any hope of getting to Kagha. They stopped by the stone door leading to the private sanctum. Additional footsteps approached them, but the arm around her remained relaxed. Not enemies, allies.

“The guards are out cold,” Shadowheart whispered, “we’re moving in?”

“We are. There are only two inside who keep their lives: the healer Nettie, and Rath. The animals pose no threat so long as they stay out of our way, otherwise do what is necessary.”

The party slowly opened the stone door, and crept down the steps. The private sanctum was illuminated by the dull glows of magical runes etched into stone statues. The area was empty, for the most part. The doorway they used to find Nettie was wide open. The other doorway was closed. The only creature that could be seen in the atrium was the white wolf, who was curled in the center of the room.

The group clung to the wall, quietly stepping past the wolf. Except Shadowheart, who stood by the steps with her eyes locked on the beast. She couldn’t tell if the cleric was deliberately guarding the exit and monitoring the wolf, or if there was something else that stopped her steps. Doubling back to check on her would be too risky. Rose continued to the open doorway and peered inside. Several druids were lying in the beds that circled the room. Only one other was sitting upright, an elf in trance.

“We don’t have to do this,” Wyll whispered, “we only need to deal with Kagha.”

“Now’s not the time for discussion,” Rose hissed, gripping the handle of her blade, “I’m trusting you to handle it.”

Wyll slipped past her, leaving Astarion to stand guard. Maybe this part of the job was a bit much for the Blade, she considered switching him for Astarion. No, if he was going to travel with them, then she needed to get a better idea of what he was and wasn’t willing to do. Worst case, she’ll finish the job for him.

Rose slipped into the small private chamber, where she found Kagha sitting on a pile of comfortable pillows, eyes closed as she tranced. Unaware of the assassin creeping up in front of her. Assassin…yes. 

Another piece clicked into place.

Keeping to the shadows, following her prey. Studying their movements, their habits. Slipping into their most private dwellings, invading their most intimate moments. Dagger in hand, target sighted. But this was the best part. The wait.

Wait for what…? The druid’s eyes fluttered open, connecting with hers. 

This.

The slice was quick, clean. Blood poured from her throat, killing any last words she would have. Rose watched as the sparkle of life darkened from her eyes. Gently, she lowered the body to the ground. Pillows became stained with the growing puddle of life force that seeped into the cracks of tiles. She watched, quietly. 

There was another piece desperate to fit, but she couldn’t figure out how. Words tingled the tip of her tongue, but she knew not what to say. Fingers twitched towards the puddle of blood, but unsure for what. She resisted, uncertainty growing as she let herself feel these phantom habits calling to her. Whether they were going to be good habits or bad, she didn’t want to find out now.

Rose emerged from the room quietly. Astarion was sitting at the table, flourishing his dagger. Shadowheart was standing in the middle of the room with her arms crossed over her chest, avoiding direct eye contact. No wolf in sight.

Something was wrong.

Wyll stepped out from the druids’ quarters, looking uneasy. A figure approached the Blade, clasping a hand on his shoulder.

“What the hells are you doing?” Rath hissed, looking between the party and back into the sleeping quarters. The white wolf snarled at them.

‘Damn it, Wyll.’

He took in the scene, lit by dimly glowing runes. The whites of his eyes became more visible, as a realization dawned on him. Rose stepped aside when he strode towards Kagha’s chamber, then followed after him. Her blade remained in her hand, though not pointed towards him. Not yet. She stood at the end of a bookcase as Rath stared at the body.

What was going on in his head? There was no relief on his face, but there wasn’t rage. Concern? Fear? Yeah, that seemed about right.

“How did you get past our guards?” He asked, still glaring at Kagha’s corpse.

“Knocked them out,” she responded quickly.

“The druids outside, casting the ritual?”

“Killed them.”

“…what was the Blade of Frontieres doing in the sleeping quarters?”

He hesitated to ask, she sensed it. He refused to look at her with his questions. Ah, she understood now. Fear. She inhaled slowly.

“You and Nettie would’ve been spared,” she assured him, “the others would have made things difficult in the morning— considering their allegiance to Kagha.”

“Why?” Rath faced her, a modicum of courage tried to peak through his shaky gaze.

She couldn’t answer immediately. He would be one of the few who’d understand avenging Arabella’s death— even if he didn’t know her personal motives. No. Admitting to her reason was dangerous. She hadn’t been able to keep her composure when she told Astarion, no way in the hells would she risk that mistake in front of Rath. No, she’d need another answer. She took slow calculated steps towards him, letting her steps hit the ground audibly as she approached. Deliberate. Calm.

“Tensions were going to get worse between Kagha and the refugees,” she started, “you knew it was dangerously close to boiling over. You asked me to bring Halsin back.” She stopped in front of him, “if you didn’t care about the refugees, your request wouldn’t have sounded so urgent .” She leaned close, then lowered her voice, “I did you a favor.”

Rath glared down at her. Neither broke eye contact. Neither flinched.

“I don’t like that it’s come to this,” he gritted his teeth. “ Damns!”

“Glad we agree on that.”

“How am I going to explain this to the rest of the circle?”

“We were going to frame the goblin for it,” Rose turned on her heel and began walking to the exit, but she stopped abruptly and looked over her shoulder to him, “Wyll was supposed to handle two more, did he?”

“No,” he glared at her, “and you won’t, either.”

“They’re a liability, you know that, right?”

“We don’t need to shed more blood. Kagha is dead, I’ll take it from here.”

“Very well.” She paused for a moment before softening her tone, for a personal request, “Rath, what happened with Arabella’s body?”

“Buried her by the shore,” he dragged a hand down his face, “I’ll…I’ll let the parents grieve in the morning.”

Rose nodded and left the room. Wyll and Astarion were seated around the table. The Blade lifted his head from between his hands. Astarion had a grin on his face, which grew when he saw their leader’s hardened stare.

“We’re done here,” she announced to the room.

“Oh good! I was getting terribly bored,” Astarion hopped up from his seat.

Shadowheart was fixated on one of the murals in the room as they began to file out. Rose looked over the imagery. Two factions standing over a dark helmet. She tapped the cleric on the shoulder, pulling her out of her admiration.

“Admiring the art?” Rose smirked.

“You could say that,” Shadowheart turned and left the private sanctum with the rest of the party.

Outside the sanctum, Gale and Lae’zel had made their way to the stone door and waited for them. Rose’s eyes had to adjust to the darkness after being in a space with dim-colored lighting. Astarion appeared beside her, draping his arm over her shoulders as he did earlier in the night when he guided her.

“Are we still dealing with the goblin?” Shadowheart asked, “I heard you and Rath talking.”

“It gives him an easy scapegoat,” Rose answered, “Shadowheart, Lae’zel, and Wyll, get her out and keep an eye on her throughout the night. We’ll meet outside the gates in the morning.”

Wyll should be grateful that she couldn’t see him, or she’d point a look in his direction. After the stunt he pulled back there, she had half a mind to question if he could handle babysitting a goblin or if his morals would compel him to kill her. A conversation for another day, one she was certain he’d want to have if they’re going to venture forth together.

Astarion draped his other arm around Gale’s shoulders.

“Alright you blind babes, I’ll guide you back to camp,” he teased.

“If I wasn’t worried about staying hidden, I would light a torch,” Gale muttered.

When they got back to camp, Gale immediately departed for his tent, likely passing out almost immediately.

“We should do this again,” Astarion teased, “you’re a lot more fun to be around than I thought.”

“I was pleasantly surprised by you. What else can you do?” she smirked.

“Oh darling, I can show you,” he leaned in, hands wandering down to her waist.

A shiver ran through her, and she bit her lip with a smirk. She let herself get pulled closer, nose brushing against nose. All at once, the thrill of a successful mission crashed through her. A need to pull him close, to throw him to the ground, to become one fused mound of flesh. She sensed it deep within her. This need.

“I think we’ve got something to celebrate, don't you?” She whispered, hands running up his chest hungrily.

“A delicious thought,” he leaned closer, lips a whisper from hers. As she moved to meet him, he pulled away, “buuuut.”

“But what?” Her hands curled around his collar, “what are you waiting for?”

“The right moment,” he purred, gently pulling out of her desperate grasp, “sweet dreams.”

Fuck.

“Good night, Art-starian,” she tried to regain a semblance of control.

She heard his triumphant chuckle as she retreated to her tent for the night. This sudden rush took her by surprise. For all her professionalism and control, this felt entirely out of character. 

Maybe she used to celebrate after every mission? Did it matter who she celebrated with? Would she have thrown herself at the others, had they been around? The questions she pondered began to calm her down. Too many pieces couldn't find purchase tonight, but she took comfort in the ones that did.

Bit by bit, she felt less like a stranger to herself.

When morning came, Rose was waiting outside the gates. Lae’zel and Shadowheart met her there to report on their assignment. Wyll remained with the goblin, who seemed cooperative in exchange for her release. There was a tension between the two that Rose couldn’t quite pin. How much disagreement could one party have within a day?

The three walked back into the grove and back to camp to help dismantle everything. Gale had breakfast prepared, although not quite as filling as the night before. A quick breakfast of cheese and bread. Between the late night, the light breakfast, and the travel— it was going to be a long day.

“Shadowheart, what happened in the sanctum last night?” Rose asked as they trekked towards camp, “it looked like you froze.”

Lae’zel looked over to the both of them, eyeing Shadowheart closely. Shadowheart, understandably, bristled at being put on the spot.

“I’m not terribly fond of wolves...” she began, cautiously choosing her words as if disarming a trap.

“Chk.”

“They’re ravenous predators with fangs like daggers!” the cleric’s voice raised, defensively, “it’s hardly an irrational fear to harbor!”

“I won’t judge you for it,” Rose interjected.

“Really?” Shadowheart stopped walking, “some might think this makes me a liability. We’re in the middle of the woods for gods sake.”

Rose and Lae’zel both stopped to look back at her. She approached the cleric with a soft expression.

“I’m sure all of us have our own...” Rose paused, opening and closing her fists with a slight wince, “ quirks , that we’re dealing with. I’ll be mindful if we’re dealing with wolves in the future.”

“Hm...You’re different.” She began to smile softly, “maybe that’s what I like about you.”

“Pathetic,” Lae’zel hissed, arms crossed over her chest.

Rose beckoned for Shadowheart to join back on the trek to camp. Once caught up to their stubborn gith, she flashed a smirk her way.

“Come on, there’s something you’ve got to be afraid of,” she insisted.

“Hmmm yes, you’re right. I’m afraid of wasting what precious time we have left, before our skulls split into tentacles.”

That’s not what she was going for, but she’ll take that answer over a dismissive ‘chk.’

Rose could see Rath leading a service for the assassinated druids within the sanctum. She wondered if he cared that their precious idol had gone missing. Perhaps not, all things considered. Well, it wasn’t like she was going to stick around this place for much longer— and any alliance she’d have with this grove was better brokered by Master Halsin if he was still alive. Other than that, the tadpole remained the priority.

Several tieflings met them at the gate as they departed. Zevlor, Arabella’s parents, some guards, and other refugees who wanted to offer thanks.

“Rath and I spoke this morning,” Zevlor announced, “we wish you luck finding Master Halsin.”

“Worst case, we might need to clear out the horde before our journey can continue,” Rose commented, “either way, your people should be able to rest easy until you can travel.”

They shook hands in farewell, and Zevlor signaled for the gates to be opened. Rose allowed herself a passing glance at the parents, who clung to each other and stared as she walked by. The mother’s lip quivered, but she tried to smile in thanks to the assassin. The pang of guilt didn’t entirely vanish, but this helped. A little.

“Wait!”

“Alfira, what are you doing?”

Two voices followed after them before the gates could close. Two tieflings: a guard and a civilian.

“My name is Alfira, I’m a bard,” a blue tiefling jogged up to them, a lute strapped to her back and a sparkle in her eye.

“Alfira the bard,” Rose looked her up and down, “Rose. Did you need something?”

“Yes! I want to travel with you!”

A familiar presence slunk beside her. Astarion hung his arm over her shoulder and leaned towards the bard.

“Sorry darling, we’ve already got a musician,” he smirked, showing off his violin.

“Oh, but she’s a bard ,” Rose teased, “isn’t that exactly what you proclaim not to be, Art-starion, the Artiste ?”

“We should talk about how you come up with pet names, darling, you’re skills are abysmal at best.”

She looked back to the bard, ignoring their resident artiste’s protests.

“You don’t look like a guard, and we’re about to dive deep into the pit of a goblin horde, are you sure you can handle that?”

“It’s too dangerous,” the guard interjected. Worry all over her face, and a gentle hand tugging at the bard’s shoulder.

“I want to stand on my own two feet,” Alfira answered, firmly, “I heard how you fought yesterday, and you’re still helping us. It’s inspiring! I want to fight by your side, to help people!” she turned to her partner, taking her hands and squeezing them, “please, Lakrissa. I need to do this.”

Rose looked back at the rest of her group, who waited a few paces ahead. She nodded for them to go ahead. That included Astarion, but he was content where he was.

“I’ve been running since Elturel,” Alfira pleaded, “and when we finally got to this grove, we found danger here too. Unless I hide away from the world, I can’t avoid it. So I’d rather face it head-on. Please .”

“You can’t seriously be considering this?” the elf whispered in her ear.

Oh, but she was.

The passion in the girl’s eyes burned like a small flame. Even if rejected here, nothing was stopping her from going off on her own. A few days of travel meant a few days of training— maybe she isn’t quite as bad as she looked in a fight. Even Astarion had his uses when all he could do was cast cantrips from the back.

“You can join us,” Rose answered.

“Really?!”

“The Blade of Frontiers is already equipped to train you, but you need to learn fast. We don’t have the luxury of time on our side.”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you! I won’t let you down!”

Rose smiled softly, seeing her excitedly hug her partner and a few other tieflings who gathered around to see her off.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were replacing me,” Astarion pouted.

“You don’t think you’re easily disposable, do you?” She smirked back at him, “having her on board better fills out the backline of casters, which would come in handy to support those in the front. Worst case scenario, she can babysit the camp while we deal with the dangerous stuff.”

Alfira rejoined the two of them after her goodbyes were exchanged, a bright smile on her face. She walked on the other side of Rose up the path. When the rounded the corner, she could see the rest of her group further up.

“I should warn you, Alfira,” Rose began, “you’re coming into the middle of a well-thought plan. If you have questions, I suggest you ask them later and follow my lead.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll understand.”

Rose waved to her companions as they approached. The whole of them eyes Alfira with mixed reactions. Some surprise, some frustration, and of course concern. Especially when Wyll pulled the goblin woman out of the bushes. Alfira gasped, almost screamed. Something in that pretty head of hers must’ve realized what was happening because the scream was muffled by her own hand. Eyes wide with confusion, shock, and everything in between.

Good, she understood. 

Well, she understood enough .

Next Chapter >>

#ao3 #astarion #durgestarion #durge #the dark urge #bg3 spoilers #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 fanfiction #fanfic #astarion x dark urge #astarion romance #JellyMellyDraws

[magpiesbones]

i found your shadow and bone post you said rath roiben rye has a parade of red flags portrayed as hot and desirable wdymmm hes nowhere like the darkling :/

Yeah I totally agree. He’s nowhere like the Darkling because Roiben is the love interest and the Darkling is a villain. Because that is the point of the Darkling.

Roiben isn’t like the Darkling, but that’s all in the intention, and in HIS intentions. Both of them are older, more powerful, and more knowledgeable about the world the main character is being brought into (SPECIFICALLY claiming to be more knowledgeable about the main character’s own body), and while that’s not a Universally Bad Thing, it does set up a hell of a power dynamic. This is ameliorated in Roiben’s case by her having his name. It is NOT ameliorated in the Darkling’s case, because the Darkling is the antagonist, despite being, as my post was about, superficially similar, since the Darkling is an interrogation and exploration of the Charming Knowledgeable Magic Love Interest as a trope.

Like no shade to Tithe here. I’m not a fan, and I do find it to be a product of the Hot Trope Of The Time, but the power differential is much less in Tithe than in shadow and bone because, specifically, you are supposed to come to understand them as equals. That’s not what was happening in S&B, but after seeing so many books where that Was what was happening, it’s easy to put your pattern seeking brain onto the relationship and simply expect the power dynamic to get evened out. At some point. And it doesn’t, because that’s not the story that Bardugo is writing.

Admittedly, since this is actually one of my least favorite love interest tropes, I tend not to read it a lot, so I never finished the Tithe series. If you enjoy this trope, great, more power to you. I’m just saying that interpreting shadow and bone as ALSO following this trope is goes against the rest of the trilogy. Also, frankly: I needed more than two recognizable love interests who follow this trope. He’s a bit of a reach, sure, but he sure does show up when powers are manifesting, claim to know a lot about them, and then assume a guiding role.

#grishaverse #i guess #sorry I got your blorbo but I was running out of Edward Cullen trope boys from 2013

[inventors-fair]

Ordinarily, today would be the day I would show off example cards to help guide those requiring additional inspiration. Unfortunately, I don’t feel that that makes much sense for this week. While I am more than okay with receiving multiple designs operating on similar axes, having a sample design possibly intersect with someone’s submission feels uniquely awful enough that I’ve elected to take a different approach. Today I intend to talk about mechanic design, the philosophy behind my word choices, and how I might approach designing around each of them:

There is a phrase I used in the main post that I feel is worth digging a bit deeper into, specifically “could reasonably inform the identity of a premier set.” While this may suggest some great level of mechanic density, I feel that isn’t quite the whole of it. You don’t need a high concentration of cards with a certain mechanic to have an impact on a draft environment: Just look at Tempest, a set which contains a rather mammoth 350 cards, only twelve of which feature the buyback mechanic. Despite being only 3.5% of the entire set, the cards show up frequently enough and have enough of an impact on the board that cards like Rats of Rath were created specifically to provide counterplay to their otherwise stifling presence. So long as your mechanic makes a baseline amount of sense as a mechanic (I.E. It contributes something to the hypothetical environment it is in, and can be used on more than like, three cards) then you’re probably doing fine. Just make sure to at least briefly consider the hypothetical environment these cards might exist in. I realize you’re only submitting one card, but it helps to have a vague idea of where this card might exist in a space it was designed for, rather than strictly in a Fair-shaped vacuum.

As for the mechanics themselves, they were selected primarily for flexibility. I know Magic generally opts for stronger, more evocative names for its mechanics, but for the purposes of this contest that seemed suboptimal. If I asked y’all to design, say, Quadruple strike, I imagine I’d get a lot of very similar submissions. So instead we are left with four words, each capable of being A Thing or An Action (or, as the experts call them, Nouns and Verbs), and each carrying at least a degree of resonance with them, ideally not the kind of resonance that already has heavy mechanical connotations in Magic. This assemblage of words was actually surprisingly difficult to cultivate, so I made sure to give y’all plenty of options, and hopefully you will find something worthwhile in at least one of them.

Anyway, on to the mechanics themselves:

Brew: Nounwise, it is a concoction, a potion, an ale. Some kind of beverage, possibly magical? Brew also has the extant Magic connotation of Creative Deck Construction, but that felt slang-y enough that I didn’t consider it too overbearing, though I would not discount it as a flavor direction to head in. Verb-wise, it generally refers to the construction of said beverages and creative blends. The strengths of this name, I think, definitely lie in its relatively concrete flavor hook. It may be somewhat inflexible, but magical potions are, I feel, not an especially deeply mined mechanical vein, and there's possibly a decent well of space to explore there.

Focus: Focus-the-verb is very much, well, focused. A lot of heavily-directed thought or energy or attention, given to a certain object or action or point. Focus as a noun is also pertinent as a sort of ritualistic object to aid in the conduction of magics, or as a particular pursuit. There are many angles one could approach this from, but a key thread to all of these definitions is this sort of concentration. Fortunately, there are enough things one can concentrate on, and ways one can concentrate, that I don’t think you need to be especially subversive with this one. This is definitely among the strongest words in the pool for this reason, I think.

Order: And now we come to the big one. Order stuck out to me because it can go in so many different directions, so much so that I didn’t especially care that the word itself felt somewhat white-mana-aligned. Certainly, they do all generally involve some amount of structure and hierarchy, but orders can range from instructions to organizational methods to religious factions. Heck, there’s even some math in there. Not sure how much math one could feasibly fit in a fantasy card game, but, well, Quandrix exists, so maybe you could do something with that. If I were to construct a card with Order, and I craved self-imposed restrictions beyond the scope of the prompt (as I often do), I would definitely try to figure out how to make an Order which makes sense outside of white. By no means are you required to do this, but if you are looking for some further constraint-based direction, that’s probably what I would go for.

Sketch: And then, at last, we come to the wild card. I’ll be honest, if I were forced to remove a word from this list, I would probably axe this one, as I had pretty much no idea what people would do with it going into this contest, but I figured I’d leave it anyway just in case someone wanted a bit of a challenge. It definitely strays a bit further from what we’ve seen from Magic, generally, but it does have a very strong flavor leaning, and extrapolating that into an Actual Magic Mechanic strikes me as an interesting challenge. Definitionally, it refers to rough, unfinished drawings, and the creation thereof. I would probably hone in on the idea of something which has not yet been fully constructed, though I have seen others play around in the Discord with designs more focused on the actual act of writing something down, which strikes me as an equally interesting and valid vein of design, and I’m quite excited to see where y’all might go with it.

I hope this vague ramble helped to shine at least a little light on my thought processes behind the curtain, and possibly even gave you some potential perspective on the mechanics that you may not have yet considered. Regardless, I wish you the best of luck in navigating this admittedly arduous contest.

- @starch255

#mtg #magic the gathering #Inventor's Fair #custom magic card #pre-named mechanics contest #examples

[hoebaring]

Just The Two Of Us (4) | Kim Taehyung

In which two ambiverts who are conscientious, resourceful, firm, and slightly egoistic happen to realise, discover, and explore the possibility of being in love. It’s a dream-like almost magical romance focusing on what I love to call “the butterfly inducing effect”. So, get comfy, grab a tub of ice cream, maybe get a few tissues and be prepared to experience romance like no other and fall in love.

I fell in love with you, I don’t know why, I don’t know how, I just did.

Tags/Warnings :- An Office Au, Ceo!Taehyung, Secretary!Y/N A fairytale in an office. Cheesy. Highly Romantic. TaehyungxReader.

Written by Author L

Cross posted on Wattpad

Word count :- 720 Words

Previous | Index | Next

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Obligations and Lies

"You are getting married Taehyung-ah."

"Is there absolutely no other way eomma?"

"No Taehyung. Absolutely no other way."

Taehyung looked down and sighed for the umpteenth time that evening. He was surely not expecting this miserable conversation when his parents asked him to visit and have dinner with them. He leaned back against the dining table as he folded his arms and with some hope, looked at his father who sat on the chair at the farthest end.

Mr Kim had not spoken a word since the conversation shifted to this topic. Hearing nothing but silence from his father's end, he disappointedly looked straight ahead and stared outside the large windows. When in came a fragile fluttering turquoise butterfly and settled on the peachy pink petals of a Lantana Camara. Usually he'd smile and enjoy the pleasant sight. But nothing about today was pleasant. How dare that tiny little insect wander around so freely, bask on the petals of the flower, and get a suntan, while he was stuck in this impossibly difficult situation?

"Eomma, Seokjin hyung got married a week ago!"

"Which is exactly why this would be perfect timing!"

"It is impossible that there is no other way. Why and how would getting married affect my future in the company?! It's ridiculous I'm being forced into this." Taehyung exclaimed as he looked at his mother.

"We do realize that Taehyung, but you have to do it, it's-"

"But it's not fair eomma! How can I randomly-"

"That's enough Taehyung." Mr Kim finally spoke. He stood up from his chair, looked at Taehyung seriously and began speaking firmly as the entire house fell silent.

"Getting married and having a family is not just about you and your wife. It's beyond that. It's also about uniting two families and especially in your case, it's about uniting two companies as well. When you get married and start a family, you are shouldered with certain responsibilities. You are considered to be a loyal and trustworthy person which gives the thousands of employees working here, a sense of assurance and faith. It is a tradition in the Kim family Taehyung, and it's proven to be practical. So you must not question it. Since your wife would become a shareholder at Kim Enterprises, you are to get married to someone in the same line of business as ours. So it is absolutely necessary for you to know who you want to marry. You will only run this place when you get married Taehyung-ah."

Mr Kim finally finished his monologue and sighed. He genuinely didn't want to force it upon his son, even if he denies admitting it. Mr Kim and Taehyung are quite close. Taehyung was thankful to have a loving dad beside him. He was always guided when required, scolded when necessary, and appreciated when he excelled. Mr Kim understood Taehyung well. Which is why this conversation was so difficult for the both of them. Though, nothing could be done to change it. Tradition is often unflinchingly rigid, and not much can be done in its regard.

"How do I find the 'right person' then appa? Who is both most suitable as wife to 'Kim Taehyung' and highly qualified to become a shareholder in the company?"

"Well, about that, we knew you'd ask so we've been thinking about someone who is ideal for you." Mrs Kim replied rather nervously.

"Who?"

"Yong Su-Min"

"WHAT? Su-min? No way mom! I can't! I've never seen Su-min that way! She- she's like a sister to me! I'm sorry but no, I am not getting married to Su-min."

Taehyung intensely protested. He finally gave up on trying to keep his cool and raised his voice (only a tiny bit) to show how terrible of a choice Su-min would be as his wife. No no, he doesn't hate her so much, it's just that he never imagined Yong Su-min, his childhood friend/cool sis, to be his potential wife. Oh! just the thought made him feel terrible.

"Oh come on now Taehyung! This can't go on forever, you have to find someone! And you're not even dating anyone currently." Mrs Kim replied equally annoyed.

"I-"

And that's when a something struck Taehyung like a bullet rain.

"Who told you I'm not dating anyone?! I've been in a relationship for the pa-past 2 years"

"Oh good God! Who is it Taehyung-ah?!"

"It's uhh..."

"Well it's Y/N."

#btsff #bts #btsimagines #btsfanfiction #taehyung #kimtaehyung #bangtanboys #ffbts #kpop #taehyungimagine #btsfanfic #bangtan #army #ceotaehyung #taehyungxreader #fluff #btsfluff #romance #btsromance #ceotae

[avanigo123]

Divine Caravan: Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra 2024 Expedition

In the mystical city of Puri, where the sands meet the sea and the echoes of ancient chants reverberate through the air, lies a spectacle like no other – the  Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra 2024. As the divine caravan sets forth on its sacred journey, join us on an expedition of the soul, where spirituality meets culture, and devotion knows no bounds.

Unraveling the Mysteries of Tradition:

Echoes of Myth and Legend: Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of mythology and legend that surrounds the Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra. From the divine origins of Lord Jagannatha to the historical significance of the festival, every aspect is steeped in centuries-old stories passed down through generations.

Magnificent Procession: Witness the grandeur of the Rath Yatra as towering chariots, adorned with intricate carvings and vibrant colors, carry the deities of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra through the streets of Puri. Experience the collective energy of thousands of devotees as they come together to pull the sacred chariots on their journey.

Spiritual Pilgrimage: More than just a festival, the Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra is a spiritual pilgrimage that draws devotees from far and wide. As you walk alongside the chariots, feel the divine presence of the gods guiding you on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment.

What's New in 2024:

Innovative Celebrations: This year, the Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra 2024 promises to be an immersive experience with a range of innovative celebrations and events. From cultural performances to spiritual workshops, there's something for everyone to enjoy during the festival.

Enhanced Accessibility: Organizers have made special provisions to ensure that the Rath Yatra is accessible to all, including those with disabilities. Wheelchair-friendly routes and dedicated assistance will be available to ensure that everyone can participate in the festivities.

Digital Engagement: In an effort to reach a wider audience, the Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra 2024 will feature enhanced digital engagement initiatives. Live streams, virtual tours, and interactive forums will allow devotees from around the world to participate in the celebrations from the comfort of their homes.

Tips for an Enlightened Experience:

Plan Ahead: To make the most of your Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra experience, plan your visit in advance and familiarize yourself with the schedule of events and rituals. Consider arriving early to witness the preparations and rituals at the Jagannatha Temple.

Respect Local Customs: Remember to respect the customs and traditions of the local community as you participate in the Rath Yatra. Dress modestly, remove footwear before entering temples, and follow any instructions given by organizers or volunteers.

Stay Hydrated: Puri can get hot and humid, especially during the summer months, so be sure to carry a water bottle and stay hydrated throughout the day. Wear lightweight, breathable clothing and comfortable footwear to ensure a pleasant experience.

Embrace the Spirit: Allow yourself to surrender to the divine energy of the Rath Yatra and immerse yourself fully in the festivities. Chant along with the devotees, offer prayers at the temples, and open your heart to the blessings of Lord Jagannatha and his divine siblings.

As the sun sets on another day of revelry and devotion in Puri, and the chariots of the gods return to their abode at the Jagannatha Temple, one thing becomes abundantly clear – the Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra isn't just a festival; it's an expedition of the soul, a journey of self-discovery, and a celebration of the eternal bond between humanity and the divine. So come, join us on this sacred pilgrimage, and experience the magic of the Rath Yatra for yourself. Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra 2024 awaits, ready to ignite your spirit and lead you on a path of enlightenment.

#Jagannatha Puri Rath Yatra 2024: India Piligrimage Special

[annarellix]

Sorcerer's Edge by David Hair (The Tethered Citadel #3)

After all they’ve suffered, rebel sorcerer Raythe Vyre and his fortune-seekers are still empty-handed, but they’ve found real treasure: peace.

Deep inside the Ice wastes, Raythe’s people stumbled upon Rath Argentium, the legendary Aldar city, and the long-lost Tangato people. After fighting through betrayal, treachery and powerful magic, they forged a hard-won treaty with the Tangato and their extraordinary queen, Shiazar. Now they’ve put aside their dreams of wealth and revenge and embraced something better: a life outside the tyrannical Bolgravian Empire. But the Bolgravian Empire never gives up. The empire hasn’t forgotten Raythe Vyre, and his enemies know where he is. Guided by Toran Zorne, the implacable imperial assassin, they are coming to claim Rath Argentium for themselves. Raythe and Shiazar know all too well that courage and cunning won’t be enough this time: they are outnumbered, out-gunned and out of time.

Faced with total annihilation, it’s up to Raythe to find an edge . . .

Book page: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/david-hair/sorcerers-edge/9781529402100/

My Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this series and realize the complexity of the plot and of the world building when I read the synopsis at the beginning of the book. This is the epic conclusion to an excellent fantasy series. I loved this last instalment, loved the actions, the new and old characters, and was satisfied by the end. David Hair is an excellent storyteller and deliver a complex, gripping, and highly entertaining story. There's more world building and developments of the character arcs and also some new characters. It's always sad to say goodbye and I would be glad to read new stories set in this universe or a prequel. This a series that requires to read the books in order if you want to enjoyed at maximum level. Well plotted, great world building, intriguing. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Jo Fletcher Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Author: David Hair, an award-winning writer of fantasy, has been inspired by his travels around the globe. He was born in New Zealand, spent time in Britain, Europe and India (which inspired THE MOONTIDE and SUNSURGE QUARTETS and the RAVANA series). After some years in Bangkok, Thailand, he and his wife returned to Wellington, New Zealand, where they are now settled (for the time being). His epic fantasy sagas THE MOONTIDE QUARTET and THE SUNSURGE QUARTET and the YA saga THE RETURN OF RAVANA, his retelling of the Indian epic The Ramayana, are all published by Jo Fletcher Books, as is his new fantasy adventure series, THE THETHERED CITADEL: Map’s Edge, World’s Edge and Sorcerer’s Edge. Website: https://davidhairauthor.com/ Twitter: @DHairauthor

#blogtour #Tethered Citadel #Fantasy #jofletcherbooks #NetGalley #review

[cipheress-to-k-pop]

Can you write a headcanon about Kevin Levin (Ben 10) dating a Waterbender! S/O?

Ben, Gwen and Kevin were after a villain

And their chase led them to a foreign world

That's where they meet you

You all wide eyed and pure

You immediately noticed that they weren't from around here

"Do you know where we can find this?"

You nodded, "You're going to need a guide."

Kevin is the first to disagree

"We know what we're doing. Just tell us where to find what we’re looking for."

You're not the slightest bit scared of his threats

Instead, you just shrug and tell them where they need to go

"Your funeral."

Cue 8 minutes later, they're back in front of you after getting nearly, drowned, eaten and whirlpooled at the exact same time

Ben turned into Rath and nearly drowned

Kevin can't really do much against water

Gwen attempted but the water was laced with magic that combatted hers

"Okay, I take it back, you can be our guide."

"It'll be my pleasure."

Your relationship with Kevin is one that can be compared to Anna and Kristoff

He's incredibly cynical and straightforward

And you're just a happy ball of sunshine

At first Kevin didn't think of you as a woman

More like a golden retriever on a sugar high

And then he sees you bend water like it was nothing

Leading them fearlessly to where ever they needed to go

Kind of flirts with you for the rest of the trip

Not like uncomfortable, blatant, laying it on think kind of flirting

But just making jokes and trying to make you comfortable with him

Long story short, the mission is a success and you become the newest addition to the gang

Kevin Levin is a feminist

So, I doubt he'd be the type to be protective

He knows you can handle yourself

Because let's be honest you probably have more fire power than him

So, he lets you do your thing and isn't too overbearing

On the other hand, if you were to ever get hurt

He's gonna go all mama bird on you

Unpopular opinion but I think that Kevin would be the most motherly out of the three

And it wouldn't be in the obvious, exasperated way when you're not taking care of yourself

It'll be in the little ways that you probably won't be able to notice

Like passing you a bottle of water so you subconsciously end up taking a few gulps

Or saying that he's hungry and taking you to your favourite place to eat

You better believe he's going to make some weird combo move thing to benefit his car

Like propellors in the water but you bend the water instead of having to use power

Or a nitrous booster in the engine but you have the bend the coolant faster

Gets accustomed to you using your bending for little things

Like when he's working on his car and needs a drink of water but his hands are dirty

You just bend a few giant drops of water right into his mouth

He isn't that affectionate so don't expect PDA

He likes having intelligent conversations though

A total nerd and even if you don't understand anything he's saying, he's going to tell you about it

Constantly talks about either ships or weapons or things to upgrade ships and weapons

He isn't that big on mythology or philosophy so you might find a dead end with conversations like that

He'll listen to you obediently though

Another unpopular opinion but he's pretty docile when it comes to relationships

I mean yeah, he has a temper and fights don't end too well

You always have to be the bigger person unless he's clearly in the wrong

But he doesn't really have an opinion on anything

More than content to do whatever you want to do

A reluctant romantic

He tries to have those special moments with you but it ends up being awkward and cute

But you love it all the same

Treat him well please

He’s fragile

Forever Taglist:

@simonsbluee

#ben 10 x reader #ben tennyson x reader #ben 10 omniverse #ben 10 uaf #ben tennyson #ben 10 fandom #ben 10 alien force #ben 10 ultimate alien #ben ten alien force #ben ten omniverse #ben ten ultimate alien #ben ten x reader #ben tennyson imagine #ben tennyson headcanon #ben 10 #kevin levin #kevin 11 #kevin levin x reader #kevin 11 x reader

[rathayibacter]

Draconic Reproduction

The first dragons were born from man's fear of the unknown: a dragon would be born slumbering in the heart of a terrible storm whenever it tore apart a village, or would come crashing from the mountaintop when a volcano erupted. As science and magic have progressed, the unknown has been beaten back, and these forms of spontaneous generation have become rarer. As a result, dragons have found new ways to reproduce.

Some dragons practice Budding, where they grow multiple heads from the same shoulders. These heads are new consciousnesses just as brilliant as the original's, and upon being severed will become great winding serpents. Oftentimes, a dragon with more than five or so heads will begin actively seeking out foes to decapitate them, as the bickering and politicking between heads becomes too much to bear.

Dragonblood, when it falls to earth, mixes with the dirt and stone to form kobolds. A single splatter of blood might just make one or two, but a ferocious battle can sometimes give rise to a whole community of kobolds, who very quickly set about getting themselves into trouble. Kobolds don't tend to live longer than a few years, but in the rare case when one manages to molt a hundred or so times they'll become a whole new dragon.

Some dragons collect great glittering hoards of gold, which they use to transmit the Glimmering Curse. Dragonslayers and thieves alike find themselves tempted by such impossible riches, and will attempt to flee with whatever they can carry. The obsession grows roots in their soul, leading them to greater and greater acts of avarice, until eventually they cut the last ties holding them to humanity and instantly erupt with wing and claw and fang.

A rare few dragons still maintain the ancient art of Dreamsong, most closely related to the births of the primordial dragons. With Dreamsong, the dragon appears in a mortal's dreams in a strange and wonderful form, and spends many tender hours with them there. The mortal wakes up remembering little but a warm feeling, but weeks later will stumble upon an egg, half-buried in the earth, from which will hatch a beautiful child with golden slitted eyes.

#Rath's guides to magic #ttrpg #dont tag this with dnd play a better game instead #also hey! its been a while since ive done one of these #if youre new here check the guides tag theres some fun stuff there

[hapalopus]

Ben 10 reboot watch guide

The reboot is mostly filler, but contrary to what some might think, it’s not just filler and does have a mild over-arching plot! I’ve now watched every single episode, so I figured I’d make a guide for those who don’t have time to sit through like 30 hours of a kid’s cartoon but still want to watch it.

The necessary/highly recommended episodes are bolded, the unnecessary-but-still-neat episodes are italicised. In case you really really care about spoilers, don’t read this list.

Season 1:

Waterfilter - Introduces Overflow, Heatblast, and Cannonbolt

The Ring Leader - Introduces XLR8 and Four Arms

The Filth - Introduces the Bugg Brothers and Grey Matter

Freaky Gwen Ben - Introduces Hex, Diamondhead, and Upgrade

Animo Farm - Introduces Dr Animo, Animo’s Alphas, and Stinkfly

Clown College - Introduces Zombozo

Rustbucket RIP - Introduces Billy Billions and Wildvine

Ben 24hrs - Ben becomes able to jump directly from alien to alien

Riding the Storm Out - Introduces the Weather Heads

Shhh! - Character development? idk, i just think it’s nice

Brief Career of Lucky Girl - Hex appears and Gwen gets development

Villain Time - Character development for Ben

Bright Lights, Black Hearts - Introduces Michael Morningstar. Not necessary, just it’s really enjoyable

All Wet - Frightwig and Gwen’s friendship!

Story, Bored - Hex!

Bad Penny - Mild, enjoyable character development

Zombozo-Land - Zombozo, Frightwig, Thumbskull, and Acid Breath all show up! There’s a callback to this episode in season 2 too

Omni-Tricked part 1/2/3/4 - Vilgax! Tetrax! And Phil

Season 2:

Out to Launch - Vilgax and Omni-Enhancements

Screamcatcher - Hex

Vote Zombozo - Frightwig, Thumbskull, and Acid Breath are back!

Mayhem at Mascot - idk i just like this episode

Animorphosis - Vilgax and Animo

The 11th Alien part 1/2 - Shock Rock! Vilgax! And more!

Bomzobo Lives - Hints at Max’ past

King Koil - I just like this episode

That’s the Stuff - Space museum

Bounty Ball - Tetrax, Sixsix, and Kraab are back!

The Charm Offensive - Charmcaster is introduced and Gwen gets development

Super-Villain Team-Up - Vilgax and Zombozo

Ye Olde Laser Duel - this episode is just....a lot ok

Ben Again and Again - Technically not plot-relevant because time travel, but a necessary watch because time travel

Innervasion part 1/2/3/4/5 - Culmination of the Shock Rock plot, and a new main(ish) character is introduced :)

Season 3

Omni-Copped - Phil returns and Slapback and Forever Knight are introduced

This One Goes to 11 - Kevin and Humungosaur are introduced

Moor Fogg - Ben realizes Overflow (and Grey Matter and Wildvine) have been removed from his playlist, replaced with Slapback, Humungosaur, and Rath

Rath of Con - Rath is back! And also, can we appreciate the pun on Rath’s first episode “con of rath”? genius

King of the Castle - Forever Knight

Welcome to Zombozo-Zone! - Forever Knight and Zombozo

Bridge Out - Forever Knight and Simon Sez

Charm School’s Out - Forever Knight and Charmcaster

Franken-Fight - Forever Knight and Kevin

Which Watch - Kevin and Charmcaster

Mutiny for the Bounty - Tetrax

Buggy Out - Kevin

Introducing Kevin 11 - New alien!

Four by Four - Just filler, but some nice Kevin+Ben team-up

Forever Road - Forever Knight

The Bentathlon - Forever Knight

The Night Ben Tennyson Came to Town - Forever Knight

Prey or Play - Forever Knight and Billy Billions

Roundabout part 1/2 - Forever Knight

Xingo Nation - The only good Xingo episode

What Rhymes With Omnitrix? - Charmcaster

Adrenaland Jr. - Character development

Season 4

Summer Breakers - The Omnitrix gets Omni-Kix enhanced. Minor character development for Ben.

Gentle Ben - Jetray shows up, replacing Stinkfly on the playlist

The Monsters in Your Head - Really enjoyable, good Kevin moments

Chicken in Chichen Itza - Character development

It’s Story Time - Gwen uses magic. Also just an enjoyable episode

Cosplay Day - Forever Knight

Bottomless Ben - Kevin/Ben teamwork

Tales From the Omnitrix - No plot, it’s just really really enjoyable.

Party Poopers - Frightwig is back!

The Hex Factor - Hex is really good in this one

Speed of Sound - Background for ‘Mock 10′

Xingo’s World - Alright this Xingo episode is really solid too. Makes me worried that the creators are being held hostage by CN though

Players of the Lost Park - Not plot relevant but it’s the only Glitch-centric episode and it’s great!!

De-Fanged - Kevin is back. Really enjoyable episode.

Mock 10 - Again, not plot relevant, just... just please watch this episode it’s hilarious

Buktu the Future - Phil

Ben 10 Versus the Universe

Season 5

Ben 10,010

Ben Gen 10

Alien X-Tinction

Alien Worlds webisodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQgdnaQIu_E

#ben 10 #ben 10 reboot #'filler' is perhaps the wrong word since the reboot was designed to consist of stand-alone episodes but you know what i mean #the reboot is good actually

[deafeningwizardsquare]

An iconic duo sharing a moment while people IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT SEASON 3.

As many of you may assume, this is definitely a Quidditch stan account. I adore the storyline, the characters are liveable and funny, Orion & Murphy & Skye are the true definition of "iconic", the dialogues are catchy, definatly my gallery is going to kill me one of these days for that and even if it's not free from the infamous plot holes and (in)famous presence of questionable people inside I'm fine with the final product.

So fine that I decided to restart again just for the Quidditch.

Lies, I have four account. Felix won't kill me if I spend most of my time with the Slyterin route in a Quidditch camp instead of, you know, earning house points.

The first two seasons had their strong sides (such as the characters's structure, a genuine good plot and an impressive mature way to talk about really huge things) such as their weaks (Ethan Parkin, Ethan Parkin, Ethan Parkin, way too much drama, SKYE, Rath'a logic that sometimes went on a vacation on the Maldives, Murphy and the zoom, Orion and his murderous Orionism and of course Penny that is everywhere at anytime) but season 3 is a big interrogative.

Is it good or bad?

Well, let me tell you: well but not so well?

Starting from the fact that this was supposed to be the season in which it is essential to test yourself to achieve a purpose and how SKYE HAS STOPPED BEING THE MANIAC OF THE VILLAGE(SCREAM!)

There are some weird stuff (no sense could just be a good synonymous but it fits better "boring") and honestly they are making me turn up my nose.

A lot.

The premises were objectively excellent and I will tell you, although they recycled the mechanics of "atomic bombs did much less damage than Erika Rath's bludgers" it must be said that the plot pretext was used well (hitting the captain it surely is a best plot twist than Skye's rips, it gave me a better impact and surely is a practical way to showing at the player what you are going to focus this year) because when the poor Orion made a presumably fatal fall (but it's the magical world of Hogwarts Mystery so let's avoid serious considerations) we could see that yes, Skye's development was a little bit too fast (with that genre of father with a certain mentality clarly the matter deserved a more concrete action on the material level of events but Skye remains human and the way of managing all that emotional tangle that the dear daddy had kindly offered her is justifiable since the method with which things are lived changes from individual to individual. Whatsoever if we consider that a conversation like the same that MC had with both father in daughter it's the deus ex machina of the TLSQ, show must go on, staying another second hearing Skye's existentialism's crisis could have ruined the mental stability of the palyers and we needed to move on for delevelopments it's fine. Rushed but fine. For who is Skye it can work) but effective thus allowing a relaxation on his part both towards Erika (best girl since forever) and towards Orion (some of their interactions are pure GOLD, the scene of the infirmary is one of these).

Above all seeing the team falter was a touch of class.

Funny how for Orion's sake everyone was ready to murder someone from the Rath's team and dying for the motherland while when the same thing happened to Skye nobody cared.

AT LEAST WE KNOW WHO IS THE TEAM'S FAVOURITE.

Good also the disciplinary measure from Madame Hooch (GO AND DO THE RESPONSIBLE ADULT THAT IS MISSING IN THIS GAME YES), nice to see Erika and Skye in the Great Hall doing the chores for detention "cinderella's style", good the secret-not-secret (as everything in this game DUH) and good that MC has embarked in his journey to obtain the leadership with your favourite partner in crime.

They give me "Mark Antony & Octavian" vibes.

Speaking of Skye and MC and since only now Murphy is remembering having a spoken role, let's not forget the former absolute protagonist of the scenes!

ORION AMARI.

Although the season had started in tragedy Orion in the lower chapters was the same good looking guy with an Italian surname, the most piercing of eyes and an enigmatic aura.

But since "enigmatic" perfectly rhymes with "problematic" it's been 7/8 chapters yet he disappeared with his superpowers and comes back just for doing screen time and for the fandom with all of his mysteries.

What happened to him?

Now, THAT was sa good point to start. Because you know everything about Skye, Murphy isn't exactly a closed book and Erika speaks for herself, but Orion?

What we know about him expect the old "I'm parent free?".

The fact that he lost hus spark and that maybe this could be a new opportunity to discover something else it's intriguing. He was never an authoritarian leader BUT aware and responsible of his position. And this made him perfectly functional to his role. Because he was the original guide of a team that needed someone who would put some limit on Skye and managed well all the dynamics that have happened in the span of 2/3 years.

Guys, he faced Ethan Parkin (a little parenthesis but IS ALWAYS AT HOGWARTS? That is, sooner or later he will start to work or do they get stuck in the air and bludgers in the ribs?) he and Rath had had babysitting Skye for the whole second season while MC was there like "MIND MY OWN BUSINESS, MIND MY OWN BUSINESS, MIND MY OW- OH DAMMIT!" and now things are getting complicated because we don't have many chances to talk to him and his rather arcanic tone does not help to clarify.

How MC will arrive at the objective (presumably to be a captain) is important. It's personal grow and characters NEED this. But Orion too is growing in a completely new direction. Don't overshadow him for ANOTHER Skye' drama prototype please.

What happened to him is not up to us mortals but we can do some hypothesis.

Orion, dear, WHAT HAPPENED?

You have a crush for Skye and you're thinking to visit a doctor? Did Snape attacked you? Ethan Parkin is (sadly) real? They served you some pineapple pizza? Italy won the Euro 2020 but you cheered for England?

DID YOU NOT RECEIVE THE SALARY?

Hopefully the triology of "yeah let's make a deja-vu and let's show to the players that we remember the whole 'heart/mind' stuff and that we are COHERENT' will end soon and we'll move on. Again.

Sigh, for now they were two pretty boring chapters.

Or should I say, the training with Andre, MC under the guide of coach Erika that singed "I'L MAKE A MAN OUT OF YOUUU" between a near death from fatigue (as if we were in The Sims), Skye doing what Skye usually do so screaming at people for (YOU HEARD THIS SCOMING) reasons and MC trying the hero pose as he/she was in Miraculous Ladybug were nice sketches.

BUT.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ORION'S CENTRIC.

Give me a joy JC, and I'll may forgive you about all the messes that YOU crated in ALMOST four years.

:'l

#hogwarts mystery #andre egwu #erika rath #orion amari #skye parkin #murphy mcnully #hphm

[xantchaslegacy]

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Multiverse

A quick and dirty rundown of some of the premier MtG planes, ranked by how nice a place they would be to live. Very subjective obviously, and I’d love to hear if people agree/ disagree/ have any strong feelings on the matter at all~ I stuck mostly to planes where I felt enough was known about it to make a tentative judgment call on its general safety/ enjoyability.

Note that for the below list, the criteria is that you are a) a human, who b) is primarily interested in living a long, peaceful life c) ideally with minimal external control by outside powers.

1) Kaladesh

– Periodically corrupt government, but overall a plane which offers lifestyles for urban and rural preferences, has plentiful clean energy, and supports both the arts and the sciences for public benefit.

2) Kylem

– Not many options for a quiet life, judging by the admittedly small sampling of the plane seen so far. Does seem to have a fairly lower fatality rate for all that, and Cloudspire City ranks high on places to visit for a fun time.

3) Eldraine

– Surprisingly benevolent monarchy, even verging on democratic in areas. Dangers of wilds exist, but odds of random monster death are reasonably mitigated compared to other planes. Limited career options for the layperson, though more fields open up if willing to take on the life of a knight.

4) Equilor

– Peaceful but dull, which is basically exactly the criteria for this particular test.

5) Dominaria

– Lots of world to see if you fancy adventure, and a diverse number of places to settle down if you don’t. Options for scholars, warriors, farmers, traders, artists, and writers alike. Currently no pending apocalypse, but the track record is not so good. Death machines just a few layers of dirt down.

6) Alara (Bant)

– Not a bad life to be had, if a bit over-codified. Even life as a warrior is not bad, at least pre-conflux. Peaceful and well-ordered, and passes the criteria for this list, albeit only for a brief period of time.

7) Theros

– Many options re: career path, from farmer to warrior to philosopher to herder. Do have to contend with sudden, violent death from monsters, minotaurs, or gods getting bored, so constantly on edge, probably.

8) Ravnica

– Pretty much the gold standard for variety in life paths. Entertainer, provider, lawyer, doctor, scientist, artist, spy, usurer...the world is your oyster if you’ve got the gumption. Semiapocalyptic events fairly frequent in recent years,  though nothing has stuck. Very few options for the non-urban inclined that don’t involve joining a cult or grafting new parts onto your body.

9) Shandalar

– current status a bit unclear, but a great plane for anyone looking to incorporate casual magic into their day-to-day life. Likely still a ripe target for planeswalker visitors looking to harvest the rich mana therein.

10) Fiora

– Fairly interesting and relatively low-key place to live if you keep your head down and out of the hardcore politicking. Rural living options exist.

11) Plane of Mountains and Seas

– limited information, but seems pretty chill.

12) Bablovia

– here for a good time, not a long time.

13) Alara (Naya)

– Not too bad, if you don’t get stepped on. Mostly jungle living, but if you’re down with that, there are fun adventures to be had.

14) Kamigawa

– Sure, your Daimyo may occasionally invoke the wrath of the sizeable and omnipresent spirit world, casting the whole of the plane into bitter, arcane civil war, but in any other situation you’ve got a fairly diverse and interesting world to live in, and nowadays there’s even a pair of spirits protecting you from extraplanar threats.

15) Lorwyn/Shadowmoor

– Depending on the side of the aurora you find yourself on, you will either want to seek out the elves for sanctuary, or avoid them at all costs. Lorwyn is pleasant enough, if you resign yourself to not seeing any other humans, and are good with extremely rural living. Watch overhead for giants at all times.

16) Alara (Esper)

– Long life options available, if you are good with artifacts™, and cool with swapping out some of your fleshy bits. A wee bit classist.

17) Kephelai

– peaceful and ordered enough, but definitely leaning on the oppressive side of the political spectrum. Not the most fun people to live among, either.

18) Regatha

– Some like it hot; some might not.

19) Muraganda

– The perfect plane for all you paleo diet enthusiasts out there. Living might be a little too bare-bones and dinosaur-filled for the average person.

20) Ixalan

– A few options here, all pretty narrow. Piracy and vampire imperialism both involve a life of violence and in the latter case, a high degree of servitude. Sun empire pretty viable option for humans comfortable with dinosaurs, and, as of the most recent story, going full aztec.

21) Tarkir (Khans)

– A varied lifestyle options to pick from. Very few leisurely ones available, barring a life of deceit and treachery with the Sultai. Inter- and intra-clan conflict more or less unavoidable, but not of a disastrous scale that you’ll find on different planes.

22) Zendikar

– Excellent opportunities for forging your own path in life, and endless options for adventure. Lacking in safe places to settle down and live without sudden death by avalanche/tidal wave/typhoon/ eruption/ sinkhole/ eldritch horror.

23) Mercadia

– Opportunities for rural and urban living, if you are at peace with living in a trash heap/ dust bowl. Forest living is an option if you don’t mind the mercenary raids, but at least others will have your back. Options for piracy as well, though not as flashy as the Ixalan variety. No apocalyptic events to worry about, which puts it head and shoulders above a few other planes on the list.

24) Gargantikar

– See Segovia; this time, it is you who gets stomped. May be ideal for anyone who saw Disney’s jack and the beanstalk and decided life on a giant kitchen table was the life for them.

25) Segovia

– Oh jeez, please be careful where you step. If you could just – we’ve got a lovely hundred acres of pasture for you to take a seat in if you would just take care not to step on OH MY GOD YOU’VE KILLED THEM ALL (Yes, Segovia corrects for scale with planeswalker visitors, but I stand by the joke)

26) Serra’s Realm

– Fairly peaceful in theory, but the oversight is pretty strict, and it’s no good if you’ve got a fear of heights. Very limited time to enjoy living there if floating fields and angels are your jam.

27) Vryn

– Regularly corrupt government, in constant conflict with other major power over contested energy sources, with everyone else placed firmly in the middle of the meat grinder.

28) Innistrad

– You can certainly live long as a vampire or free as a werewolf, but as both are of dubious desirability for the average person, this plane will rank a bit low.

29) Mirrodin (Pre-besieged)

– Prospects for living a quiet life exist, with major caveats regardless of which human society you wind up in. Basically take your pick between constant danger of attack, subservience to another species, living in a place not designed for habitation by any form of life, or some combination of the three.

30) Tarkir (Dragons)

– Much narrower lifestyle options than the khans timeline, and higher odds of dying within your own clan, though which dragon you end up under makes a huge difference in the quality of life. Dromoka and Ojutai probably the best options if your goal is longetivity.

31) Ulgrotha

– Dead/ dying plane, and the management sucks.

32) Rath (pre-overlay)

– Mercadia situation amped up to 11. Oppress or be oppressed, with an uncomfortable middle ground where you will experience both. Also a generally hostile landscape due to nanomachine silly putty.

33) Alara (Jund)

– Spicy Naya. Probably can last a while if you’re quick on your feet, but no one dies of old age here.

34) Amonkhet

– Dead/ dying world, even if it wasn’t host to a horrific logan’s run/ hunger games inspired colonialism. Not so bad short-term, if you want to work on your beach body. At least you have a god looking out for you, unlike...

35) Alara (Grixis)

– The living hunted for their life-force...hellscape of zombies and demons...Grixis fails most of the criteria for the list, but you’ve got a slightly more sporting chance of survival here than with some of the planes further down.

36) New Phyrexia

– NOT GREAT

37) Phyrexia (Nine Spheres)

– Pictured above: the worst place in the multiverse, as a backdrop to the most wonderful person in the multiverse

#mtg #planes #xantcha

[amorphousfurrysnakething]

So I have a fursona now

Despite being an incorrigible furry for over a decade now, I’ve never actually managed to get a stable-ish fursona sorted out ‘cause I’m indecisive (and didn’t realise how my fluidity was interacting with that). But now I have and want to froth, so:

Name:Ráðsviðr Náttfari ("Rath") Species: Garden Tiger Moth (https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/arctia-caja/) NB Masculine, he/him, pan (masc preference) Appearance: A moth, he has eight limbs (four arms, two legs, two-ish wings) and is covered in a soft fuzz of fur. Lean build, but looks bulkier due to fuzziness. Red body, brown and red spotted wings. His wings have arcane text written across them and close inspection reveals that they're made up of lots of very thin pages. Job: Thaumozoologist (Lives in a pseudomodern fantasy setting)

Powers: Scrivened Wings: Has dozens of very thin wings, which when at rest or when being used as wings look like a pair of normal moth wings in shape. These wings are covered in text copied from books, to absorb text, he must read the original. The character can read any of the text on their own wings by concentrating on them, and others can read them like a book. Although he can fly with his wings, it's fairly undignified fluttering and he doesn't like going too high. Wizard: A dabbler in the arcane, he favours spells of healing and others that interact with animals and living phenomena, as well as general utility spells.

Because I can't draw and don't have the funds right now to commission a ref sheet off someone, I instead wrote some horny which I'm going to put behind a cut.

(NSFW, Contains fingering, pet play, teasing and denial, casual nudity, bondage and an unreasonably buff lion)

  There's a knock at my door, and I start. I'm not expecting anyone, and I'm currently sprawled, topless, on my sofa. I cast about for a jumper, my society might not have a problem with casual nudity, but I have enough body image issues to do so. I don't manage to turn one up before the knock comes again, and its insistence calls me over to the door on instinct. I mutter a quick spell, opening a window through the thick wood, and smile as I pull the door open.

"Hiya, Marcus."

The lion grins down at me. I'm not short, but Marcus is massive. He's a head taller than me, and in contrast to my skinny build, he's broad too, and exudes easy confidence that I'm both jealous of and so very gay for.

“Hey, Rath, need to pick your brains.”

“Sure, come in.”

I try not to blush as my sometimes-boyfriend strides into the room, and it's made harder when his tail gently brushes against my stomach. He's been running, and isn't wearing much more than a pair of shorts that show off his legs as he brushes the mud off his paws. He's probably flirting with me, again.

“Can I grab a drink?”

“There should be a clean glass by the sink. What do you need?”

He tosses me another grin. “Looking for information on thaumic mutation in plants. There's a nest of something nasty up by Silver Beck and it needs clearing before some hiker stumbles into it.” he calls over his shoulder as he heads for my kitchen.

While he's busy filling a glass, I start looking for the books I'll need. My library might not be huge, but I've thus far failed to maintain anything beyond the most rudimentary organisation, and by the time Marcus comes back in I'm fluttering near the ceiling, glaring at a row of computing manuals that should be arcanobotany references. Or at least, could be, after the first three locations were, in order: empty, the 4th edition of Thaumaturgic Encylopedia, and the complete Judge Dredd collection.

“Any luck?”

“Nope.”

I descend quickly, trying to salvage some dignity by getting my feet back under me. It's...not entirely successful; moths are not known for being elegant fliers. While I'm distracted, Marcus slips behind me.

“I'm sure there's something on these wings of yours.” the husky whisper in my ears coincides with a firm rub between my shoulderblades, the leonine pads sending jittery tingles through my body. My wings flicker, the arcane text flowing across them dancing in my brain. “You remember the safeword?”

“Banana.” I'm not trying to whisper, but my breath has left me.

“Good boy.” he purrs. I can feel his arms wrapping around me, and at the corner of my eye I see the contrast of his golden fur against my red fuzz. “Now, then. Do you have what I need?” The magical text scrawled across the layers of my wings dances behind my eyes, and I nod.

“Very good boy.”

He gently guides me to my bedroom, and I have no desire to stop him, simply enjoying the feel of his muscle and fur against my body, and the hard warmth where his groin rubs against my back; the absence when he lets go is almost painful. He pulls my box of toys out from under the bed, his bent posture putting his tail and arse on full display in front of me.

“Enjoying the view?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You're hot too, you know.”

This time I do blush, and though it's barely visible through my natural colouring, Marcus' smirk tells me he sees it. The smile turns a little ironic, as he stands back up, and my vision goes dark as he wraps a blindfold across my eyes.

“Good lad, now get yourself naked while I get my reading table set up.”

I hesitate, but a squeeze to my arse that is both reassuring and warning suppresses my reservations, and as I hear him moving around I quickly strip off my clothing. Once I'm done, I suppress the urge to cover myself again, and my unpleasant brainworms are silenced by an appreciative noise from Marcus.

I know he's done when his lips meet mine, pulling me into a passionate kiss while his paws explore my body, as they've done so many times but never seem to tire of. He draws me close, his clear arousal heightening my own.

After a few minutes, he pulls away and a needy whine escapes me.

“I know, lad, but I do need that info.” His own lust is clear.

I'm guided over to the bed, and gently pushed onto it. With a firm hand, he straps me facedown and spread-eagled, at his mercy. He settles himself over me, kneeling across my lower back, the light pressure of his body delightful as he bends over, rubbing again at that spot between my shoulderblades. A brief, ecstatic spasm leaves me limp, and I can feel the leaves of my wings begin to separate out, becoming the pages of the book they are.

“Very good. Now, you know what I need.”

The text on my wings, scrawled across the eigengrau filling my eyes, runs rapidly through my brain, and the thin pages of my wings flip and blur. A cool wind brushes across my antennae until I find what is needed.

Marcus gives a pleased pet to my head, and leans back against my abdomen, and for a few minutes I am nothing. A pleasant calm of the cool and warm and dark, with a background scratch of Marcus' pen as he takes notes. Occasionally, the peace is punctuated by the soft pleasure and pressure as he turns a page.

“There we are.” He scritches the base of my antennae, and I purr without meaning to.  “You're adorable. Now, I think I'm going to order us some dinner, if that's OK with you?”

“Yesss.” I'm so relaxed that I don't manage much more than a soft hiss, but Marcus knows me well.

“Well, sit tight.”

I can feel the weight shift as he gets up and leaves me alone. I know it won't be long before he comes back, but I wriggle impatiently anyway.

“Patience, lad”

Marcus punctuates his return by running his paw across my crotch, which only causes me to struggle more, whining with need.

“We've a few minutes before it arrives, so...”

He lays his erection against my arse, and I push back as far as my binds will let me, hungry for more, but Marcus knows me well, and he leaves me desperate as he takes his pleasure, rubbing his body against mine with only the briefest, but expertly chosen, touches to  my most sensitive areas. His early growls turn to ragged pants as his orgasm approaches, and I grind my body against him, trying to increase his pleasure in hopes of reward, as well as an instinctive act to attenuate the sensations he's so skilfully denying me.

“Pleasse...”

“Good pets don't talk.”

His admonishment is gentle, but unyielding, though quickly unnecessary as words are lost in a pleading whimper.

“Good...good...” the intended compliment is abandoned as his climax comes, and he roars in delight, splattering his cum across my back and wings. It's a long minute before he's able to catch his breath again. “Good boy.”

I moan plaintively, feeling my own unfulfilled arousal drip out across my bed, but he just gently pats my arse and gets up, going into the bathroom to clean himself up and leaving me to stew in the frustration in a most delightful way.

He's barely done when the doorbell goes, and his brief negotiation with the deliverer ends in curry smell awakening an entirely different hunger in me. I hear him plate up the food, and he unbuckles my restraints, though he doesn't let me free, quickly binding my arms and legs doubled over, denying me my hands and forcing me to crawl to the bowl of curry he's left on the floor. Leaving me to sort myself out, he sits in a chair with his own dinner, smirking at my fumbling.

By the time I've managed to empty my bowl, he's long finished, enjoying an eyeful of my raised rear. As I rock back, licking the last of the sauce from my lips, he gets up, stalking towards me and pushing a finger into my still-wet pussy.

“You're really desperate, aren't you.”

Remembering the earlier command, I don't respond verbally, trying to fill my voice with as much desperation as I can as I whine in acknowledgement. Marcus chuckles as he adds more fingers, one by one. He knows his business, and I'm soon panting as his movements send waves of pleasure through my body. After a moment of particularly masterful attention to my clit, he bends low against me and whispers.

“Do you want to cum?”

I nod again, and with a his long experience, he quickly brings me to a shuddering, screaming orgasm, the waves of pleasure turning into a tsunami that crashes over me.

As I lie there, recovering, he strips off the bondage gear, murmuring gentle praise that ends with us both curled up in my bed.

#my writing #furry #grapefruit #m/nb #m/m #m/m smut #moth #lion #cw: insects #tw: insects #fursona