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lymskr · 4 years

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stats: Declan Grímnir Thorirsson McAuliffe, 29 (b. October 9th, 1990.) he/his (cis.) species: human occupation: musician working the nearby ski lodges & hotels / hunter

alignment: somewhere between lawful evil and chaotic neutral.

+ charming. observant. driven. adept. loyal. – ruthless. deceptive. reticent. calculating. macabre.

lymskr old Norse – ‘cunning’, ‘wily’. intelligent malevolence. an underlying sense of ill intent. danger lurking in the undertow. eyes unseen in the woods somewhere.

aesthetic

taller than god. speaking of; 'heathen devil’. monochrome tattoos. a circle of nine spears for odin on his arm. the grim mask of death. a sacred quest. a hollow future. choice as an act of vengeance. choice as an act of love. to hear the choir of gods as you creep through ancient woods. to follow the old ways, the old law. singing in tongues, lucid. dreaming awake, lost.

history

( tw physical/verbal child abuse, patricide, cult mentions, murder, mentions of arranged marriage. tl;dr at the end )

He watches as the floating pyre burns, firelight dancing across the surface of the water. His mother is crying; his siblings, too. It’s the funeral of a king, he knows, to be set aflame like this, caught between sea and fire, earth and sky. It’s also a way to ensure the dead cannot walk again. That nothing might return from where it shouldn’t – and as he stands there, amidst the misery and smoke-black grief of his family and kindred, he finds himself daring his father to come back.

I’d do it again. I’d make you fucking suffer, second time around.

The proverbial throne is his, the kingdom and crown, the sword and the sceptre. He doesn’t want it.

When the time comes for the sjaund, the grave-ale at the end of a week he’s spent pretending to mourn a man who doesn’t deserve the effort – at the end of a week where they all expect him to become the new head of the family – Declan does what no one thought him capable of:

He spits in the face of his legacy, his bloodline, and tells them he’s leaving.

They spent that August looking for signs. Freyja might reveal herself in the flight of falcons; Freyr in a good harvest. Rán and Ægir if the waves sweeping the shore grew heavy. A fall of white petals standing in for snow in the late-summer heat as a sign of Skadi. In truth, Aidan Thorir McAuliffe hoped his firstborn might be born to thunder and sheaves of lightning, making them – himself – twice-blessed by Thor. But none came. No one revealed themselves. Not until their son was born with a caul on the ninth day of October did they know who had chosen their child; why the rest had not made themselves apparent.

It was an omen of Odin’s favor.

They named him Grímnir, for an old facet of Odin – Grímnir, masked one, fitting for a boy born in the caul. The first in three generations to be chosen by the One-Eyed himself, Declan’s birth was an auspicious sign for the McAuliffes. By all accounts, it was the highest of honors, to have a child born beneath the watchful eye of the Allfather.

And yet it earned him his father’s ire. He has spent a lifetime wondering if it was jealousy or fear that left those scars on his back, that drove his father’s knuckles into a fist, into a hand clenched around whichever weapon would hurt – but not kill – his son. Did you think you were driving me towards greatness, or were you hoping you could break me?

For as long as there have been beasts in the woods, there have been hunters to kill them. It is an old story – an old law. For centuries, his family has followed an Seanreacht, lines stretching from Massachusetts back to Ireland all the way to the ancient Norse. The old law encompasses the modern remnants of the Ulfheðnar: the ‘wolf coats’. What word survived of them among outsiders is that that they were berserkers, dressed in nothing but wolf pelts as they went into battle – all to honor Odin, the One-Eyed, the Allfather, the leader of the Wild Hunt.

The truth is that they slew werewolves. The grey pelts adorning their shoulders had once been people.

Among those following an Seanreacht in the States, the McAuliffes are admired and feared in equal turn for their single-minded obsession, for the way they raise their children and keep the old ways. Their life is devotion: to the gods, to the hunt, to the songs and the stories. As the firstborn of the main house, Declan’s fate had been carefully laid out – he would devote himself to the cause or break before it; he would marry appropriately, and when the time came, he would take over. Not once did he struggle against it – for years, he did everything he could think of to live up to weight of his future. He let himself be hammered and bent into form; bore the brunt of his father’s expectations and cruelty without complaint. He was his father’s son in name, and at convenience; in theory and in blood – but he was not his father’s son, he was his father’s tool, blunt or sharp depending on the need.

Talent is innate, but skill is forged. It was his father’s favorite saying, and Declan wishes it didn’t come with the memory of his back bleeding, stinging as though he’d been set on fire. Punishment was a lesson he learned early – but that didn’t stop the lessons from coming, again and again.

Not until Brighid Nolan was taken in by his family did Declan so much as stop to pause at the way he’d been raised – and even then, it was not so much a pause as a moment’s stutter, because all he had known was life under his father’s thumb. What scraps they got of a childhood were spent on a petty rivalry that turned to bloodied, bruised understanding – and then Brighid left.

Funny, that. An omen all her own.

It is winter, and it is dark, and he is a blade.

(No, that’s not right.)

It is winter, and it is dark, and he is pointing his rifle at his father, because a wolf has bit him, and his father takes it with grace, as an Seanreacht dictates. It’s a kind death, one befitting his foremost teacher–

(… No. That’s not right, either.)

It is winter, and it is dark, and his father is begging for his life. Slobbering, cursing, as he tells Declan of a cure, as he tells Declan that he cannot kill him, that he must listen to his father, and not the old ways, do as you’re fucking told, I won’t die here, boy–

It is winter, and it is dark, and his father begins to run, like he thinks the Allfather might stop the bite from taking. Like he thinks Declan didn’t learn a damn thing, all those years spent being broken into whatever shape suited his father best. Like he thinks Declan doesn’t remember the lessons.

He exhales.

He shoots.

(In the hands of his maker, he became a formidable weapon.)

The wolf escaped his father’s aim, but Declan drags a corpse back to the compound all the same. The rites are due to begin any day when Brighid calls.

(She’s crying. It’s an unfamiliar sound.)

He cannot tell you why he did it. He likes to think of himself as a logical man, and, by all accounts, wrecking his future was not logical. With logic gone, what remained? Grief. Resentment, maybe; a shining, hateful moment of spite. Loyalty, wretched and wrong, for someone who left, no less. Love, unspeakable.

He comes home with a traitor, brandishing scars that match; comes home bound in blood to a woman who is not his fiancée, and all that stops them from burning the mark of the blood oath off his skin is that he is his father’s son.

Funny, that. How things work out.

They leave, and they do not look back. His family and his bride to be think it’s the work of grief – are prepared to forgive him for his transgressions, are prepared to let him have this for the next few weeks. But weeks turn to months turn to a year, and then another, and another. He fields calls. Tells them that he won’t invoke odelsrett; that he has no intention of taking over.

They keep calling.

They left, and they didn’t look back. But faith is a complicated thing, and it’s been ingrained in him since birth. There are things he has seen he doesn’t have an answer for. He knows the world well enough to have reached the conclusion that if there’s such a thing as werewolves, it wouldn’t be so strange for there to be gods and other creatures out there. And so he still sings the songs, carves the effigies, finds comfort in the habit of it all, even if he cannot decide if the echo sounds hollow or not.

He remains bound to her by blood, by choice, by the things they do not speak. They’ve come to Blackrock for their quarry, for the one that stole from her – but winter’s stalking closer, and with it, wolves. So they bide their time, as the cold creeps closer. He sings the songs, and carves the effigies, and remains a hunter true.

tl;dr

– raised as a Norse-flavoured cultist in an abusive home – killed his own father – was the firstborn heir; abandoned the calling for Brighid – a traitor to their cult – also, blood oath. bound to Brighid 4 life – now they travel the States killing werewolves, and Santí is at the top of their list

wanted connections

(john mulaney voice) he’s NEW IN TOWN

Declan’s looking for information, as winter nears – to that end, he’s relatively friendly, even charming, in how he approaches people. (He wants to suss out hunters and wolves alike.) He’s 6′5″, otherwise known as ‘so tall it’s terrible’, but has a way about him that makes you forget how intimidating that can be – until he wants you to remember.

As he is indeed NEW IN TOWN, i’m simply looking to Vibe–– some quick ideas:

– MUSE B hears him playing at a nearby ski lodge; thinks that’s real neat – ....... i swear i’ll come up with more ideas but i mean honestly let’s just vibe, babey

#gorse.#shipper #shivershipper #about #biography

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mrlnsfrt · 3 years

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Best Friends Forever

Have you ever had someone angry with you? Have you ever been confused regarding why someone else just seems to hate you? For me, it is easier to bear someone being angry with me when I know the reason, but it drives me crazy when someone is upset with me and I have no idea why. It is even worse when I have done nothing wrong. Perhaps you have been there yourself.

Perhaps you’re there now. (I addressed this in more detail on Persecuted)

In this post, I will be taking a closer look at 1 Samuel 20 and together we will witness the power of friendship and the blessings it can bring into a life.

The Problem

Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and went and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 1 Samuel 20:1 NKJV

This friendship is complicated. Imagine the father of your best friend wants to kill you. Or imagine that your father wants to kill your best friend! I tend to read the story and place myself in David’s shoes, but in this story, I want to switch it up and place myself in Jonathan’s shoes. This story is unique in that David is passive and remains in the background for most of the narrative. This story also demonstrates once again that David did not ascend to the throne through treachery or any underhanded or dishonest schemes.

Jonathan does not want to believe David. Jonathan can’t believe that his father, the king, would desire to kill David an innocent man. Also, King Saul always shared with his son Jonathan, his plans and Jonathan had not heard of his father’s plan to kill David.

So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”

Then David took an oath again, and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” - 1 Samuel 20:2-3 NKJV

David points out to Jonathan that his father could be hiding his plans from him since he knows that he is David’s friend.

They need a plan.

The Plan

David devises a plan involving him being absent from the royal court for two days and misses a sacrificial meal associated with a new moon festival (Numbers 10:10). Jonathan’s part in all of this is to observe his father, the king, and how he would behave when he noticed David’s absence. David also adds that if he has done anything wrong that Jonathan should kill him himself instead of taking him to his father to kill him.

Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” -1 Samuel 20:8 NKJV

The Covenant

Oddly in the midst of the devising of the plans and figuring out the details Jonathan asks David to be kind no only to him but to his descendants as well.

And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.” - 1 Samuel 20:14-16 NKJV

Jonathan understands and accepts that David will be king and that God will cut off all his enemies. It is also worth mentioning that in 1 Samuel 19:17 Saul identifies David as his enemy. This foreshadows David’s ultimate victory, but it also says a lot about Jonathan who loves David instead of resenting him for being successful, for being chosen by God, Jonathan is willing to accept God’s will trusting Him to know what is best.

Love your neighbor as yourself

There are those who like to suggest that Jonathan’s love for David and David’s love for Jonathan might be of a romantic nature. However, the language used does not imply this.

Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 1 Samuel 20:17 NKJV

Jonathan and David simply following the moral and ceremonial laws as expressed in Leviticus 19.

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” - Leviticus 19:18 NKJV

Imagine with me what the world would be like if we had more friends like Jonathan! We all want to be David and have a friend like Jonathan. But that is beyond our control, we can wish and search for a friend like that, and that’s about it. That’s why I would rather encourage you to be that friend. To be a Jonathan to someone else. Because that is under your control. You can behave like Jonathan, and that is one way that the world will have more people like that. We can be the one who loves the other as we love ourselves!

King Saul does want to kill David

Sadly, as the story progresses we discover that indeed Saul wishes to kill David. Saul is furious that David is absent from court and blames his son Jonathan.

Then Saul’s anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” - 1 Samuel 20:30-31 NKJV

Pay close attention to Saul’s words and how he distances himself from David and even his own son. Saul refers to David not by name but rather as the son of Jesse, and he refers to his son not as his son, but rather as the son of a perverse, rebellious woman. Saul tries to get Jonathan to change his position using three powerful motivators, shame, guilt, and greed.

Shame - Saul tells Jonathan that it is shameful to choose David over his own family, over his father, over his king!

Guilt - Saul accuses Jonathan of being guilty of bringing shame upon his mother’s nakedness. An odd argument since Saul had brought shame upon her by calling her a perverse, rebellious woman.

Greed - Saul reminds Jonathan that he will never be king as long as David is around. Jonathan would have wealth and power only when David was dead.

After attacking Jonathan with those harsh words Saul orders him to send and bring David for he must die.

Jonathan is not swayed by his father’s words. Rather he argues with his father questioning him regarding David and what he had done to deserve death. As king over God’s people, he should not break God’s law, and the law prohibited the execution of the innocent.

Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked. - Exodus 23:7 NKJV

Saul answer’s his son’s questions with a spear, and it was then that Jonathan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that indeed his father was not very good with a spear (1 Samuel 18:11; 19:10; 20:33), and also that he truly desired to kill David. Jonathan leaves the table furious and fasts for the remainder of that day. However, Jonathan is not upset that his father just tried to kill him, but rather he is upset at how his father has treated David. Jonathan realizes that life will never be the same. Jonathan will have to part with his best friend, and also things will never the same between him and his father.

Be like Jonathan

Jonathan is one of the best examples we have in the Bible of a good friend. Jonathan could have allowed his pride and personal ambition to ruin his friendship with David. Jonathan could have been Jealous, like his father. Jonathan could have been greedy and wanted the kingdom to himself. He could even have argued that the kingdom belonged to him and not David. But Jonathan stood up for David, Jonathan confronted the king. Jonathan cared more about what was right than about personal wealth and power. Jonathan stood up for his friend when others wished to harm him. Jonathan supported his friend even though his friend would become more powerful than he was.

Can you be like Jonathan?

Are you willing to support a friend who is going to surpass you?

Will you stand up for what is right even if the king wants to do what is wrong?

The world needs more men and women who behave like Jonathan. Who are loyal friends, who love others like they love themselves, who stand up for their friends and want to see their friends succeed.

I want to encourage you, to be like Jonathan, because you will contribute, even if in a small way, to making the world a better place, and to reflecting kingdom ethics. Living life on earth according to the values God has made clear in the Bible.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”" -- Jesus (Mark 12:30-31)

#David #Saul #Jonathan #Narrative #friendship

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corinthbayrpg · 4 years

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NAME. Ajax Griffin AGE & BIRTH DATE. 26 & June 15th, 1994 GENDER & PRONOUNS. Male & He/Him SPECIES. Reaper OCCUPATION. Unemployed FACE CLAIM. Ronen Rubinstein

BIOGRAPHY

The Griffin pack had always taken their oaths to witches seriously. There was nothing that would hold them back from carrying out the exact thing they were destined to do. Fenrir had been right in wanting mortality; no wolf ever craved to live longer than they already had. Ajax grew up knowing just this. The Griffin pack had become close with their local coven in the later half of the 17th century; witches were under persecution, and they were a constant target for the vampires that roamed throughout the night. It was then that the coven and the pack decided to join forces, protect each other while protecting the forest that they called their home.

Ajax was the only son of the Alpha of the pack, having lost his mother at a rather young age. She’d been injured in a fight with a vampire, and Ajax’s father had been too distraught to ever think about remarrying. So growing up, the young werewolf had his best friends to rely on to ease some of the burden he carried on his shoulders. Twin witches from the coven that the Griffin pack had always sworn to protect. Ajax took it upon himself to offer up his protection to Atlas and Astraea; after all, he’d never trust their well being to anyone besides himself. Besides, Astraea could understand the burden of leadership that came along with what would eventually be expected of them. Their powers never ceased to amaze Ajax; watching as they could control the elements, the weather, and then Atlas and his ability to see what would happen in their future.

It was easy to forget most of his worries when he was with them, since when he would return home to his own pack, the vengeance that fell off of his father would come in waves upon waves, and Ajax would be subjected to consistent search parties to be on the look out for any vampire that would even dare to exist within their borders, or even within the city of Vancouver. It was an unhealthy coping mechanism, but what was he to say about it? His life had been tumultuous since he was seven years old, and his father had returned with the limp body of his mother. Plagued with insomnia, Ajax found himself preferring to roam the woods at night, wearing himself thin before finally finding the ability to sleep.

It wasn’t until he was eighteen that he was truly able to carry out the revenge that had made his father so hellbent on having. Ajax had memorized the scent that had been found on his mother’s dead body, and it led him to the vampire that come across his mother all those years ago. The werewolf was plagued by questions rather than vengeance. He’d been taught all vampires were evil personified, and they posed a consistent threat to humankind, but was this one to blame for his mother’s death? Ajax never truly got the answers to his questions. The vampire attacked him, and the rest was lost as she burned in the sunlight. He’d torn her hand with her ring clear off, and she’d burned into ash before his eyes. Upon his return to the pack, however, his father didn’t praise him like he thought he would. There was nothing but sorrow in the man’s eyes, and more regret that he’d never been able to save his wife in the first place.

It was a strange time for Ajax in general; the world felt off balance, and with the disappearance of Atlas years later, he dedicated most of his time to Astraea and her quest to locate her twin. Juggling pack politics and his own issues seemed to be in the back of his mind when it came to his two childhood friends. The moment Astraea left, however, Ajax felt a gaping hole in his chest. He had never truly been alone, not with the coven so close by and the constant companionship he’d had growing up. Without them, however, the werewolf had no one but himself. His pack would always be family, but there had been a distance between his father and himself for years now. When the coven had approached the pack about the missing twins, Ajax had been the first to say he was going to find them. Tasked with bringing Astraea home, it didn’t take long for Ajax to immerse himself into Corinth Bay – though now that he’s here, he’s not even sure he’ll get the chance to go home.

PERSONALITY

+ courageous, empathetic, loyal - impatient, compulsive, martyr

PLAYED BY LAUREN. PST. She/Her.

#lauren

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aweseeds · 5 years

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Crumbling Westeros

Game of Thrones ends with Bran as King of 6 Kingdoms & Sansa as Queen in the North. But those 6 Kingdoms represent a crumbling Westeros.

Consider the situation from the perspective of the remaining 6 Lord Paramonts:

1) Bran has taken Tyrion Lannister as Hand. Tyrion represents the family that illegally seized the throne & had a series of brutal regimes. Tyrion has been Hand to Joffrey the worst king since Aerys II, then switched his allegiance to Daenerys to fight against the family he once served, & now has changes his allegiance to Bran, after Bran's brother murdered Daenerys when the North was sworn to Daenerys & after she had defeated the North's two great enemies, the White Walkers & Cersei Lannister. To the Lords Paramont, Bran has put a man in power whose loyal cannot be trusted & will serve a king's enemies when it is personally beneficial to him.

2) Bran become king after his brother murdered the queen the North was sworn to serve. So the Starks came to power via treason.

3) Jon committed treason, which he has previously stated has the punishment of death. Jon himself executed men who refused to obey his orders.

4) Despite this, the Starks argued for Jon to be set free. Basically they said the law should not apply to the members of their family.

5) Sansa Stark immediately wanted her own kingdom once Bran was named King & he gave it to her. This gives the Starks two crowns.

6) Bran has given the Reach to a Lannister sellsword after that sellsword participated in wiping out House Tyrell, who had been the Lord Paramount of the Reach for hundreds of years. Bronn has never lived in the Reach & also is made Master of Coin.

7) Bran made Samwell Tarly Grand Maester despite his never earning the status of Maester and abandoning the Night's Watch. Sam also violates the Night's Watch & Maester rules by having a wife & children. Sam is promoted because he was a friend to a member of House Stark.

From the view of the remaining Lords Paramont, this is not a good situation. Bran clearly gives his family huge preferential treatment & great rewards to people that are unearned.

Dorne was the kingdom that fought against joining the 7 the longest. The current Prince of Dorne was sworn to Daenerys, who the Starks murdered. He is likely to insist Dorne get it's independence based on the precedent Bran set with Sansa. That's the loss of one kingdom.

Yara was sworn to Daenerys, she wanted Jon executed, the established legal punishment for his actions. In response, she was threatened by the Starks who essentially said she would be killed if she continued she say that. She is also more likely to insist on the Iron Islands independence based on the precedent Bran set with Sansa & because the Starks cannot be trusted to remain loyal to allies. The Starks have shown they murder an ally after said ally has benefited them by killing their enemies. That's another kingdom lost.

The Riverlands suffered huge from the Lannisters, including during the time Tyrion was loyal to Joffrey & his father, who planned & executed the Red Wedding. The Lannisters were responsible for the murder of Edmure's beloved sister, nephew & king, & Edmure's years of brutal imprisonment. If word gets out that Tyrion released his brother from captivity, the man who forces Edmure to hand over Riverrun by threatening to catapult his baby son into said castle, Edmure will view Tyrion's appointment has an enormous betrayal. The Lannisters also killed his uncle. Despite the Riverlands fighting on the North's side in the Wot5K, they receive no reward. In fact when Esmure tries to address the other lords, he is told to shut up & sit down by his niece.

Despite being related to Bran, there is no reason why he should stay in a kingdom Bran rules. So the Riverlands would likely also want independence. After all the North got theirs again & the Riverlands didn't benefit from declaring a Stark their King. In fact, it got many of them slaughtered. Arya killed House Frey out of personal vengeance. We didn't see her go & free Edmure afterwards. After all, if Edmure, a war veteran who suffered enormously, isn't even allowed the chance to speak in an assembly of the Lords Paramont, why would he think having Bran as King is good?

The Vale was sworn to the North, but they watched Daenerys & her army be essential in defeating the army of the dead & Cersei. The Vale fought to protect the North, which now gets it's independence. Two members of House Stark get crowns, but the Vale got nothing. Key lords & ladies of the Vale saw Sansa lie for Littlefinger, enabling him to escape justice for murdering Lysa, his wife & widow of their murdered Lord. Sansa later took Littlefinger as her advisor, then executed him based on harm he caused to House Stark. Robert Arryn liked & trusted Littlefinger. Even knowing his crimes, he would be wary of the Starks, especially Sansa, who slapped him & who he does not have a good relationship with. He doesn't know Bran at all. So the Vale might want independence since the North got it.

The Reach has no reason to support Bronn & every reason to kill him. His position is all due to his service to House Lannister. They are almost certain to repel against a crown that gives this man such power. They were also sworn to Daenerys, who House Stark murdered, then took her crown. That's another kingdom who wants to break away.

The Stormlands have Lord Gendry, who is a friend of House Stark. But Gendry was legitimizes & given the lordship by Daenerys. We don't know how he feels about Jon's oathbreaking. He might be loyal to Bran, we don't know. His connection to the Starks was through Arya & Jon, who are both gone. We don't know if the Stormlands will support Bran long-term.

We know nothing about the Westerlands beside the fact that the Starks have been their enemies for years. Tyrion was convicted of murdering a half Lannister king. Then the Starks defeated a Lannister queen. The Westerlands have no reason to support a Stark King.

In summation, Bran is ruling over a kingdom that will quickly crumble. The Starks have demonstrated their word cannot be trusted. They swear oaths when it suits them & then murder allies. Bran hasnever been south before or visited any of these kingdoms. He doesn't even have any family support. Arya & Jon have immediately left Westeros & Sansa got her own separate kingdom. He promotes based on nepotism, not merit, as does his Hand. The Lords Paramont have plenty of reasons to demand independence or simply proclaim their independence as the North previously did. If Bran refuses to allow this, it will be another civil war. Bran doesn't even have an army, except if the Houses in the Crownlands support him, which is highly unlikely given he is Northern.

Instead of a healthy, unified 6 kingdoms working together, it with be a bunch of small kingdoms looking out for themselves. Bran isn't bringing people together, he is tearing them apart.

Westeros will be a mess. There was no point in Bran being King. Bran doesn't have a plan of how to rebuild after wars. He is someone with enormous magical power & foresight that he has never used to help anyone. He's just sat back & watched people die. He has no experience in leadership or ruling.

Daenerys & Jon spent seasons trying to get people to work together despite their past wars, grievances, or being from different cultures. Their efforts end up being wasted. It is a very sad thing to see. Thenshow ends on a note that loyalty, keeping your word, & working together is for the stupid. The only benefits are those you grab for yourself. Being deceitful & treacherous makes you a winner.

Westeros is dead.

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thestreamofconsciousness777 · 5 years

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They are singing the song of Moses the slave of God and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and wonderful are your works, Jehovah God, the Almighty...

“And Moses proceeded to speak in the hearing of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song until their completion:

Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak; And let the earth hear the sayings of my mouth.

My instruction will drip as the rain, My saying will trickle as the dew, As gentle rains upon grass And as copious showers upon vegetation.

For I shall declare the name of Jehovah. Do YOU attribute greatness to our God!

The Rock, perfect is his activity, For all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; Righteous and upright is he.

They have acted ruinously on their own part; They are not his children, the defect is their own. A generation crooked and twisted!

Is it to Jehovah that YOU keep doing this way, O people stupid and not wise? Is he not your Father who has produced you, He who made you and proceeded to give you stability?

Remember the days of old, CONSIDER the years back from generation to generation; Ask your father, and he can tell you; Your old men, and they can say it to you.

When the Most High gave the nations an inheritance, When he parted the sons of Adam from one another, He proceeded to fix the boundary of the peoples With regard for the number of the sons of Israel.

For Jehovah’s share is his people; Jacob is the allotment that he inherits.

He came to find him in a wilderness land, And in an empty, howling desert. He began to encircle him, to take care of him, To safeguard him as the pupil of his eye.

Just as an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its fledglings, Spreads out its wings, takes them, Carries them on its pinions,

Jehovah alone kept leading him, And there was no foreign god along with him.

He kept making him ride upon earth’s high places, So that he ate the produce of the field. And he kept making him suck honey out of a crag, And oil out of a flinty rock;

Butter of the herd and milk of the flock Together with the fat of rams, And male sheep, the breed of Ba’shan, and he-goats Together with the kidney fat of wheat; And the blood of the grape you kept drinking as wine.

When Jesh’u·run began to grow fat, then he kicked.

You have grown fat, you have become thick, you have become gorged. So he forsook God, who made him, And despised the Rock of his salvation.

They began inciting him to jealousy with strange gods; With detestable things they kept offending him.

They went sacrificing to demons, not to God, Gods whom they had not known, New ones who recently came in, With whom YOUR forefathers were not acquainted.

The Rock who fathered you, you proceeded to forget, And you began to leave God out of memory, the One bringing you forth with childbirth pains.

When Jehovah saw it, then he came to disrespect them, Because of the vexation his sons and his daughters gave.

So he said, ‘Let me conceal my face from them, Let me see what their end will be afterward. For they are a generation of perverseness, Sons in whom there is no faithfulness.

They, for their part, have incited me to jealousy with what is no god; They have vexed me with their vain idols; And I, for my part, shall incite them to jealousy with what is no people; With a stupid nation I shall offend them.

For a fire has been ignited in my anger And it will burn down to She’ol, the lowest place, And it will consume the earth and its produce And will set ablaze the foundations of mountains.

I shall increase calamities upon them; My arrows I shall spend upon them.

Exhausted from hunger they will be and eaten up by burning fever And bitter destruction. And the teeth of beasts I shall send upon them, With the venom of reptiles of the dust.

Outdoors a sword will bereave them, And indoors fright, Of both young man and virgin, Suckling together with gray-haired man.

I should have said: “I shall disperse them, I will make the mention of them cease from mortal men,”

Were it not that I was afraid of vexation from the enemy, That their adversaries might misconstrue it, That they might say: “Our hand has proved superior, And it was not Jehovah who worked all this out.”

For they are a nation on whom counsel perishes, And among them there is no understanding.

O that they were wise! Then they would ponder over this. They would consider their end afterward.

How could one pursue a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight? Not unless their Rock had sold them And Jehovah had surrendered them.

For their rock is not like our Rock, Even our enemies being the ones to decide.

For their vine is from the vine of Sod’om And from the terraces of Go·mor’rah. Their grapes are grapes of poison, Their clusters are bitter.

Their wine is the venom of big snakes And the cruel poison of cobras.

Is it not laid up with me, With a seal affixed to it in my storehouse?

Vengeance is mine, and retribution. At the appointed time their foot will move unsteadily, For the day of their disaster is near, And the events in readiness for them do make haste.’

For Jehovah will judge his people And he will feel regret over his servants, Because he will see that support has disappeared And there is only a helpless and worthless one.

And he will certainly say, ‘Where are their gods, The rock in whom they sought refuge,

Who used to eat the fat of their sacrifices, To drink the wine of their drink offerings? Let them get up and help YOU. Let them become a concealment place for YOU.

SEE now that I—I am he And there are no gods together with me. I put to death, and I make alive. I have severely wounded, and I—I will heal, And there is no one snatching out of my hand.

For I raise my hand to heaven [in an oath], And I do say: “As I am alive to time indefinite,”

If I do indeed sharpen my glittering sword, And my hand takes hold on judgment, I will pay back vengeance to my adversaries And render retribution to those who intensely hate me.

I shall intoxicate my arrows with blood, While my sword will eat flesh, With the blood of the slain and the captives, With the heads of the leaders of the enemy.’

Be glad, YOU nations, with his people, For he will avenge the blood of his servants, And he will pay back vengeance to his adversaries And will indeed make atonement for the ground of his people.”

Thus Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Ho·she’a the son of Nun. After Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he went on to say to them: “Apply YOUR hearts to all the words that I am speaking in warning to YOU today, that YOU may command YOUR sons to take care to do all the words of this law. For it is no valueless word for YOU, but it means YOUR life, and by this word YOU may lengthen YOUR days upon the soil to which YOU are crossing the Jordan to take possession of it.”

And Jehovah proceeded to speak to Moses on this same day, saying: “Go up into this mountain of Ab’a·rim, Mount Ne’bo, which is in the land of Mo’ab, which fronts toward Jer’i·cho, and see the land of Ca’naan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel as a possession. Then die on the mountain into which you are going up, and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and got to be gathered to his people; for the reason that YOU men acted undutifully toward me in the middle of the sons of Israel at the waters of Mer’i·bah of Ka’desh in the wilderness of Zin; for the reason that YOU men did not sanctify me in the middle of the sons of Israel. For from a distance you will see the land, but you will not go there into the land that I am giving to the sons of Israel.”

Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of the [true] God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. And he proceeded to say:

“Jehovah—from Si’nai he came, And he flashed forth from Se’ir upon them. He beamed forth from the mountainous region of Pa’ran, And with him were holy myriads, At his right hand warriors belonging to them.

He was also cherishing his people; All their holy ones are in your hand. And they—they reclined at your feet; They began to receive some of your words.

(Moses laid as a command upon us a law, A possession of the congregation of Jacob.)

And he came to be king in Jesh’u·run, When the heads of the people gathered themselves, The entire number of the tribes of Israel.

Let Reu’ben live and not die off, And let his men [not] become few.”

And this was Judah’s [blessing], as he went on to say:

“Hear, O Jehovah, the voice of Judah, And may you bring him to his people. His arms have contended for what is his; And may you prove yourself a helper from his adversaries.”

And as to Le’vi he said:

“Your Thum’mim and your U’rim belong to the man loyal to you, Whom you put to the test at Mas’sah. You began to contend with him by the waters of Mer’i·bah,

The man who said to his father and his mother, ‘I have not seen him. ’Even his brothers he did not acknowledge, And his sons he did not know. For they kept your saying, And your covenant they continued to observe.

Let them instruct Jacob in your judicial decisions And Israel in your law. Let them render up incense before your nostrils And a whole offering on your altar.

Bless, O Jehovah, his vital energy, And may you show pleasure in the activity of his hands. Wound severely in their hips those who rise up against him, And those who intensely hate him, that they may not rise up.”

As to Benjamin he said:

“Let the beloved one of Jehovah reside in security by him, While he shelters him the whole day, And he must reside between his shoulders.”

And as to Joseph he said:

“May his land be continually blessed from Jehovah With the choice things of heaven, with dew, And with the watery deep lying down below,

And with the choice things, the products of the sun, And with the choice things, the yield of the lunar months,

And with the choicest from the mountains of the east, And with the choice things of the indefinitely lasting hills,

And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness, And with the approval of the One residing in the thornbush. May they come upon the head of Joseph And upon the crown of the head of the one singled out from his brothers.

As the firstborn of a bull his splendor is, And his horns are the horns of a wild bull. With them he will push peoples All together to the ends of the earth, And they are the tens of thousands of E’phra·im, And they are the thousands of Ma·nas’seh.”

And as to Zeb’u·lun he said:

“Rejoice, O Zeb’u·lun, in your going out, And, Is’sa·char, in your tents.

Peoples to the mountain they will call. There they will sacrifice the sacrifices of righteousness. For they will suck the abounding wealth of the seas And the hidden hoards of the sand.”

And as to Gad he said:

“Blessed is the one widening the borders of Gad. As a lion he must reside, And he must tear the arm, yes, the crown of the head.

And he will pick out the first part for himself, For there the allotment of a statute-giver is reserved. And the heads of the people will gather themselves together. The righteousness of Jehovah will he certainly execute And his judicial decisions with Israel.”

And as to Dan he said:

“Dan is a lion cub. He will leap out from Ba’shan.”

And as to Naph’ta·li he said:

“Naph’ta·li is satisfied with the approval And full of the blessing of Jehovah. Do take possession of the west and south.”

And as to Ash’er he said:

“Blessed with sons is Ash’er. Let him become one approved by his brothers, And one dipping his foot in oil.

Iron and copper are your gate locks, And in proportion to your days is your leisurely walk.

There is none like the [true] God of Jesh’u·run, Who rides upon heaven in help of you And upon cloudy skies in his eminence.

A hiding place is the God of ancient time, And underneath are the indefinitely lasting arms. And he will drive away from before you the enemy, And he will say, ‘Annihilate [them]!’

And Israel will reside in security, The fountain of Jacob by itself, Upon a land of grain and new wine. Yes, his heavens will let the dew drip down.

Happy you are, O Israel! Who is there like you, A people enjoying salvation in Jehovah, The shield of your help, And the One who is your eminent sword? So your enemies will cringe before you, And you—upon their high places you will tread.”

Then Moses proceeded to go up from the desert plains of Mo’ab into Mount Ne’bo, to the top of Pis’gah, which fronts toward Jer’i·cho. And Jehovah went showing him all the land, Gil’e·ad as far as Dan, and all Naph’ta·li and the land of E’phra·im and Ma·nas’seh and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, and the Neg’eb and the District, the valley plain of Jer’i·cho, the city of the palm trees, as far as Zo’ar.

And Jehovah went on to say to him: “This is the land about which I have sworn to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘To your seed I shall give it.’ I have caused you to see it with your own eyes, as you will not cross over there.”

After that Moses the servant of Jehovah died there in the land of Mo’ab at the order of Jehovah. And he proceeded to bury him in the valley in the land of Mo’ab in front of Beth-pe’or, and nobody has come to know his grave down to this day. And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old at his death. His eye had not grown dim, and his vital strength had not fled. And the sons of Israel proceeded to weep for Moses on the desert plains of Mo’ab thirty days. At length the days of weeping of the mourning period for Moses were completed.

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hand upon him; and the sons of Israel began to listen to him and they went doing just as Jehovah had commanded Moses. But there has never yet risen up a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom Jehovah knew face to face, as respects all the signs and the miracles that Jehovah sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Phar’aoh and all his servants and all his land, and as regards all the strong hand and all the great awesomeness that Moses exercised before the eyes of all Israel.

-Dueteronomy 31:30 - 32-34, NWT

I Will Sing and Make Melody to Jehovah

#Jehovah #God #Dueteronomy #Bible #Scripture #Prophecy #Israel #Moses #Aaron #Joshua #Egypt #Pharaoh #History

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sanjuno · 5 years

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Game of Thrones, Jon snow just trolling everyone

(3/32 SI Promptfest)

By the Old Gods, I really was ridiculously pretty for a man. Staring at my reflection in mydressing table mirror, I tried to make an ugly face and only managed to lookpouty. Ech. I was conventionally attractive in my life before this one, but Ageon ‘Jon Snow’ Targaryen-Stark was supernaturally good looking.

It was actually a little upsetting. I was aestheticallypleasing, yes, but not at all my own type. If I had to be reborn as a man in this hope-forsaken hellworld, theleast the old gods could have done is fashioned me a meatsuit that catered tomy personal tastes.

I spared a wistful thought for the Mormonts, with theirstrong backs and lovely broad shoulders, before I dismissed the images with aresigned sigh. Nope, it was all dainty Targargyen features and the rangyleanness of the Starks for me.

Fuckers.

Grimacing one last time at my reflection, I tied back myhair and finished getting ready for the day. Stuck as I was in Winterfell andwith no desire to draw unwanted attention, my ability to influence the eventsto come was limited to the Starks. Which was, in my humble opinion, more than enough.

People always underestimated the Starks. It was baffling. Ina feudal society like Westeros there was nothingmore dangerous than a loyal people with a loyal lord. In Robert’s Rebellion, only the Northern forces had answered infull when the Banners were called to Arms.

The North answered without hesitation when the Stark inWinterfell called for them. The King in the North, and the North remembered it.A King uncrowned, a King untitled, but a true King nevertheless. Torrhen Starkmay have bent his knee… but he had notbared his throat.

Winterfell was a fortress of ice, untouched by sun or flame.I knew there were weaknesses, cracks in the foundation left behind by thewildfires of Robert’s Rebellion. If left alone those fissures they would bringdestruction, like melt-water under snowcaps just waiting to bring half amountain down on unsuspecting heads.

Good thing I was a manipulative little shit, and I knewexactly how to start doing away with those weaknesses. In this case I needed tostart at the top.

No one had done quite as much damage to the Stark’s goodfortunes as Catelyn Tully, and so the Lady Stark’s attitude would need alittle… adjustment. Which I was morethan willing to do now that Rickon was safely born. If she went nuts again andneeded to be removed I still had a full complement of Stark Wargs to advise andinfluence for the sake of preserving all life on the planet.

Wishywashy fishwives, blech. The only useful thing she evermanaged to do was make more Starks. After living with her prejudiced,thoughtless cruelty for thirteen years I was more than ready to break herinflexible little mind in half. Which was my plan for today. Best get a move onthat.

I grinned at my reflection in the mirror, knowing I wasdressed no differently than the rest of the Stark children and loving how muchit pissed my dear Auntie off. There was no chance of Catelyn letting me speakwith Father without listening in. Perfect.

Now if only my resting bitch face would start beingintimidating again instead of sullen, that would be just grand. Stupid prettyboy face.

/…/

“Your nameday is coming up.” Robb mentioned, just as he hadevery day for the last handful. My dear Auntie’s glare burned against my backas she lurked and waited for me to turn on Robb. Old Gods, but that woman’sblind prejudice was annoying. “Do you know what you’re going to ask Fatherfor?”

“I think… I’d like to know who my mother was. And why Fatherchose to raise me here instead of leaving me with her.” Carefully not lookingover my shoulder at where I knew the Lady Stark was spying on interactions, Imade sure to keep my voice thoughtful. “I’m almost a man grown. I think I’m oldenough to understand if it… if it was something terrible.”

“Oh…” The future lord of Winterfell looked thoughtful, andnodded his head as he clapped a hand to my shoulder. “If anyone deserves toknow it’s you, brother.”

“Well, one can hope.” With a chuckle, I shook my head. “Nowcome on, Robb. Let’s finish putting this away.”

“Aye.” Sighing as he looked at how much was left to takecare of, Robb grumbled but set too willingly enough. “Can’t leave a job halfdone.”

“T’would be unfitting of a son of House Stark.” I agreed withjust enough mockery in my tone to make Robb laugh and the Lady Stark bristle.Honestly, the woman was so easy to rile up. It was actually a bit sad.

/…/

“Father, please.”I may have arranged for Lady Stark to follow me into the Godswood today when Iwent to confront Ned Stark about my true origins, but it still bothered me toknow that she was lurking while I asked my father for honesty. Stupid bint. Myirritation made my voice crack with suppressed emotion. “Please, I deserve toknow. If it’s a secret you’re keeping to preserve a Lady’s honour, I swear bythe Old God’s I won’t speak of it! I just wish to know her name. Please.”

“I swore to your mother to keep you safe, Jon. You are myblood.” Ned Stark was a quiet man, but he had enough determination to grindmountains to dust. A brilliant attribute when you needed to ration suppliesthrough a decade long winter. Not so endearing when trying to get him to saysomething he wanted to stay secret. “That is enough for me. Let that be the endof it.”

“Fine then, if you won’t tell me my mother’s name… then tellme my fathers!” The blood drained out of my father’s face, and guilt rose in mychest. I forged onwards anyway, because this needed doing if we were going tosurvive the Long Night without worrying about knives in our backs. “People talkabout me, and I hear it all the time. ‘The Honorable Ned Stark’s only sin’,they call me. But they don’t know you, Father. Not like I do. Not enough toknow that… you wouldn’t. Not after you wed, not after you swore an oath. Evenif Lady Stark was supposed to be yourelder brother’s wife… you would never dishonour her that way.”

Father’s grip on the Heart Tree’s bark was desperate as hiseyes searched my face. I swallowed, hating the pain I saw in his eyes. “Idon’t… It matters not who sired me, not truly. You are my father in all the ways that count, and aye, your bloodis in my veins, but… it was Lord Brandon who sired me, wasn’t it. With LadyAshara Dayne. If I had been a girl… you could have left me there, let me be aSand. But I was a boy, and the only son of Rickard Stark’s eldest son. That’swhy everyone says Lady Ashara’s daughterwas stillborn. It was a misdirection to cover your tracks, because LordBrandon’s son, even a bastard one, could have a stronger claim than your sonsand-”

“Stop. Jon, please. That’s enough. That is… that is morethan enough.” Strong, sword calloused hands gripped my shoulders, and sterngrey eyes held mine for a long moment before my Father’s expression softened.“I can see now, how much this has troubled you. You’ve never liked the thoughtof causing problems for Robb, and I can well believe that you would draw theworst possible conclusion… Aye, I suppose there’s nothing for it now.Especially not with that sort of rumour taking root…”

I forced my jaw to relax and my breathing to steady.“Father?”

“Your mother was not Ashara Dayne, Jon. And your father wasnot my brother. Would that… would that they hadbeen your parents. Perhaps this would be a simple thing to speak of.” Old, deeppain etched lines in my father’s face, and for a horrible moment I imagined it.Of being the only one still remaining of my siblings. Of Robb slain bytreachery, Sansa stolen away by our enemies, Arya and Bran losing themselves tovengeance and madness, Rickon’s memories of us fading away until he forgot usentirely… Father closed his eyes, seeming to gather his strength before hecould look me in the eye again. “You will always be my son, Jon. My blood is inyour veins, Jon. As is… as is the blood of my sister, Lyanna.”

I had been hoping for it, expecting it even, but still hearing him say it made my breath catchlike I had just been hit. There in front of the Heart Tree, with the truthringing in my ears, all I could manage to do was blink. “But… that would makemy father… but I don’t want to be aTargaryen! I want to be a Stark! Father, don’t tell anyone else!”

Sputtering a relieved laugh my father shook me gently untilI stopped whining, and then he pulled me into an embrace. “I promise, Jon. Noone else will ever know.”

“Mm… maybe… uh, maybe oneother person.” I felt my father stiffen, and I firmly kept my face pressed intothe fur of his collar. “Maybe… I think it would be okay for you to tell LadyStark? Maybe then she’ll agree to have a proper marriage ceremony.”

“Jon, I… I know Cat hasn’t always been kind to you. Are yousure you wish for her to know?” Father pushed me back so he could see my face.I pouted shamelessly, because proper hugs were stupidly scarce in thismachismo-laden hellscape. “Don’t… don’t say yes because you want to make thingseasier for me, Jon. I can handle an argument with my wife.”

“But you want to get married in front of the Heart Tree.” Ipointed out sullenly, keeping my eyes firmly on my father’s chin. “And youcan’t do that while you keep secrets from her.”

“It’s been three and ten years, Jon.” Father sighed, clearlonging in his words even as he pushed his own wants aside for the sake of hisduty. “If she were willing to truly join the North she would have saidsomething to me by now.”

Oh, that comment was going to burn. I know my dear eavesdropping Auntie has never felt welcome inthe North, and now she knows why.This is delicious and I love it.

“Tell her anyway, Father.” Meeting those grey eyes again, Ioffered up a wry smile. “Perhaps this will be enough for her to make thatoffer. Perhaps it will calm her fears about me hurting Robb. Perhaps she willsimply continue to ignore the fact that I exist until she cannot avoid it anylonger. Regardless of the outcome, she at least deserves to know that you havenever broken your oaths to her. She deserves to know that another oath boundyou to silence, for all our sakes.”

“You are a good boy, Jon.” Father smiled, embracing me againas he kissed my hair. “Never forget that kindness. It is a great gift.”

“I won’t, Father.” I smiled back and leaned into thestrength of the only father I would ever acknowledge. “After all, I have you toshow me what to do.”

/…/

The next morning, I could see that Father had spoken to hiswife. The way she looked at me… Catelyn was ashamed of herself. Was writhing inguilt of her own making like a worm on a hook. Doubtless she was rememberingthe promise she had made to her Seven Gods, the promise she had broken so veryquickly when she learned that I had lived through my fever.

This was no less than she deserved.

I took my seat at the head table without sparing her morethan a glance. Catelyn’s eyes were reddened and heavy from a night of weeping.For once, there was no transparent attempt to have me sit elsewhere, removedfrom my family. Sansa wrinkled her nose at me, only having recently learnedwhat the word ‘bastard’ meant, thanks to the Southron influences in her life.

Robb and Theon glanced at Lady Stark, but did not hesitateto draw me into their morning conversation once I was seated.

“So.” Robb kept his voice quiet enough not to be heardbeyond our small huddle. “Did you get the nameday gift you wanted?”

“I did.” Inclining my head, I answered just as quietly.“It’s like we thought. She’s dead, but Father’s still trying to protect hermemory.”

“But he gave you a name?” Theon questioned, sharp eyesscanning slowly over the hall for listening ears.

“He did. I asked him to tell Lady Stark.” I shrugged whenthey both looked at me strangely. “Perhaps now she will stop fretting over it.It would be nice not to be accused of causing everything that inconveniencesher.”

“Aye, that’s clever.” Grinning, Theon bumped his shoulderinto mine as he pulled his plate closer. “And now she owes you a debt, too.”

“Let’s not bring attention to that, shall we?” I smackedTheon’s fingers with the back of my knife before he could steal my bread.“That’s my breakfast, Greyjoy. Get your own.”

“But it tastes better when it’s stolen!” Laughing as heprotested, Theon held his hands up in surrender when I pointed my knife at him.“I yield, I yield. Your food is safe, Snow.”

“Now there’s a lie if I ever heard one.” Robb snorted,curling his arm around his plate when Theon turned to him with a woundedexpression. “You’re a shameless food sneak, Theon. The cooks are all out forvengeance over missing platters.”

With a disdainful sniff, Theon turned back to his own plate.“I’m a growing man.”

“You’re a bottomless pit, is what you are.” I eyed theIronborn boy up and down. “How are you this weedy if all you do is eat?”

“You’re one to talk.” Robb snickered, the smug little shit.One day he would actually reach an awkward growth stage and I was going tolaugh so hard. “You’re barely biggerthan the girls, Snow.”

The was a scraping noise as Father stood up and cleared histhroat, drawing every eye in the hall and cutting off my retort. Robb was goingto get his ass kicked for that comment later during our arms practice. For now,I held my tongue and paid attention as Father raised his hand for silence.

“I have two announcements to make this morning.” Fatherturned and smiled at his wife, placing a hand on the back of her chair. “Tocelebrate the anniversary of King Robert’s coronation, my Lady Wife and I shallbe renewing our vows in the Godswood. The invitations to our bannermen Housesshall be sent later today.”

A cheer shook the rafters. I laughed and clapped my hands,vastly entertained by the dumbstruck look on Catelyn’s face as the Northernpeople applauded. This was the first step to her gaining full acceptance, and Iplanned to keep that momentum going.

“Second.” Father continued once the ruckus had died down. “Withthe blessings and council of my Lady Wife, I have written to King Robert askingfor the granting of legitimacy to my natural born son. Once it is official, JonStark will be named the future lord of Moat Cailin and tasked with itsrestoration.”

Robb and Theon whooped, pounding me on the back as I gapedat my father. Arya shrieked in glee and lunged across the table to throw herarms around my neck. Even Sansa was smiling, even if it looked a bit stiff withconfusion. Baby Rickon had no idea what was going on but he still added hisvoice to the mess.

Holy shit yes. My plans were working. Theon actually had manners, Father had told the truthabout my birth, Lady Stark had gotten a reality check, and I had actually been legitimized…

Fucking right, I was going to Machiavelli the hell out of the Seven Kingdoms. Next up,convincing Father to have Arya fostered with the Mormonts, or at least have hertutored as a shieldmaiden by one, and then I was going to get Sansa someone shecould have an actual intelligent conversation with.

Yes, excellent. This pleases me.

=/=

#Sanjuno's ficwork #SI!Jon Snow #si promptfest #Singing in a Different Key #Jon Snow #Eddard Stark #Catelyn Tully #All the Starks are going to live #Jon Snow knows everything #it makes him slightly terrifying #the Starks all love Jon #Jon is the best #everyone else thinks Jon is nightmare fuel #Jon doesn't play the game he just switches the pieces around when your aren't looking

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milfcodeddean · 3 years

Text

Something something Feanor and J*hn parallels... vengeance oaths that destroys your sons and burns the world in your path... something something Maglor and Maedhros and Sam and Dean parallels... something something raising your enemy’s child(ren) with your brother

#I am incredibly exhausted rn but I was listening to blind guardian (my beloved) and thinking about spn #and like fathers with vengeance oath and loyal sons #and Jack like Elrond and Elros #and like also uhh listen I’m not hot on f*ngon/m*edhros like it’s :/ to me as a romantic ship #but you sure can make it a deancas au rescue from pretty much hell

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 5 years

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11th August >> Mass Readings (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

Wisdom 18:6-9

You made us glorious by calling us to you

That night had been foretold to our ancestors, so that,

once they saw what kind of oaths they had put their trust in,

they would joyfully take courage.

This was the expectation of your people,

the saving of the virtuous and the ruin of their enemies;

for by the same act with which you took vengeance on our foes

you made us glorious by calling us to you.

The devout children of worthy men offered sacrifice in secret

and this divine pact they struck with one accord:

that the saints would share the same blessings and dangers alike;

and forthwith they had begun to chant the hymns of the fathers.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 32(33):1,12,18-20,22

R/ Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;

for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,

the people he has chosen as his own.

R/ Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

The Lord looks on those who revere him,

on those who hope in his love,

to rescue their souls from death,

to keep them alive in famine.

R/ Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

The Lord is our help and our shield.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,

as we place all our hope in you.

R/ Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Second Reading

Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19

Abraham looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God

Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended.

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God.

It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.

All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of their real homeland. They can hardly have meant the country they came from, since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them.

It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:

Matthew 24:42 44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 12:32-48

You too must stand ready

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.

‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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jacob-mydear · 6 years

Note

I really hate Aya. I don't like her. She never wanted to talk to Bayek about the lost of her son. I don't think she really cared for Bayek. I am so glad I got to play as Bayek, as I connected to him a lot more than I ever did to Aya. Also glad they divorced. She was toxic for him and about time he realized it. And yes, I have completed the game.

Thanks for the Ask and for expressing your thoughts, Anon! Because I do enjoy discussing the characters and stories in Assassin’s Creed, especially over subjects that are much disputed on – in this case, Aya’s portrayal in Assassin’s Creed Origins.

Pictured above: Actual footage of me talking about ‘Assassin’s Creed’ lore and characters

[ SPOILERS FOR ‘ASSASSIN’S CREED ORIGINS’ FROM HERE ON ]

While I understand your dislike for Aya (and I know for a fact you are not alone in this), I personally think Ubisoft may have done Aya’s character a huge disservice with her portrayal in-game. I have not yet read the ‘Desert Oath’ novel, or the upcoming Origins comics, so I’m not sure how Aya’s character is portrayed in those transmedia, but I feel we were given far too little exposure to her character in the main game. And this has been detrimental to her portrayal as a character, resulting in players unable to sympathize with her.

People deal with grief and loss in different ways. Bayek was open to talking about the death of their son as a way of moving on and healing, but Aya, I felt, was more keen on suppressing her emotions, and concentrating on goals to distract from the pain she’s trying to bury and avoid. Kind of ironic that Bayek and Aya were hunting down the ‘Masked Ones’ when Aya herself was wearing a mask – one of detached, ruthless efficiency, hiding the broken and grieving person behind it. It’s not exactly healthy, but I understood that was how Aya dealt with her pain: by burying it until she was ready to confront it.

I would have really appreciated Ubisoft showing us scenes of Aya as a mother, the same way we saw Bayek as a father – nurturing and teaching and bonding with Khemu, her pride at seeing him grow, and tender moments when they are all together as a family. I wanted to see her reaction to Khemu’s death – the sort of grief-stricken horror a mother faces when confronted with her greatest fear; seeing Bayek come home with the lifeless body of their child in his arms.

We saw Bayek vulnerable and emotional over Khemu’s death (powerfully acted by Abubakar Salim, in one of the most impactful and visceral performances I’ve ever seen in AC); we saw him wracked by grief and guilt and raw despair – but we never got to see that side of Aya.

By hiding Aya’s vulnerabilities, weaknesses and emotional development, Ubisoft reduced the character to just a caricature. I don’t know the reason why Ubi made this narrative decision … Perhaps Ubi only wanted to show their female characters as nothing but strong, proactive, capable and efficient, to make her seem admirable, but it backfired, stripping Aya of her humanity and making her less sympathetic to the player.

I would also loved to have seen more of Aya’s anger at Cleopatra’s betrayal, and her rage at herself over her misplaced faith in Cleopatra. Yes, Cleopatra did indeed lead Egypt to greatness as Aya had hoped, but the trade-off was that Cleopatra sided with Flavius, the murderer of Khemu, putting the political interests of Rome over the personal vengeance of her Medjays who served her loyally for so long. I wanted to have seen Aya wrestle with that conflict, which I also thought would have added more dimension to her character.

And that kinda leads me into my next point: Aya is more far-sighted and politically-aware than Bayek, proving her merit as a character. While Bayek was content to let things die with Flavius, mistakenly thinking that their quest was over – Aya knew that the influence of the Order of the Ancients would only continue to grow if Caesar was allowed to live. Bayek would never have decided to go to Rome. Aya’s decision to cut down one of the Order’s most powerful and influential figures shows that she had proper foresight on the machinations of the Order to stop them. If the Brotherhood are going to be strong and be able to defend the people from the oppression of those in power, they’ll need to understand how those in power work, and how they gain power. The Brotherhood wouldn’t go very far without Aya’s insight and leadership.

I was personally heartbroken over Bayek and Aya’s separation. I honestly felt like they cared deeply for each other, but their goals were too far apart and they were already walking different paths, so their separation from each other was sad but necessary. It’s a case where two equally strong, emotionally-mature individuals recognized they needed to prioritize doing the right thing over their own personal happiness.

But we do know from Layla’s experience in the Modern Day that Bayek and Aya ended up entombed together in the same cave, so maybe they reconciled? I guess we’ll find out in upcoming materials, such as the Origins comics and the Hidden Ones story DLC! 😊

Thank you again for expressing your feelings about this, Anon! 😊 And again, I do not intend to change the way you feel about Aya as a character, but I do hope I managed to give some insight into why I thought she was portrayed this way.

Pictured above: Co-founder of the proto-Assassin’s Brotherhood; mother to a murdered son; wife to an estranged husband; protector of the people and champion of justice; Aya of Alexandria; The Hidden One, Amunet.

#asks #aya #amunet #assassin's creed origins #ac origins spoilers #assassin's creed origins spoilers #ubisoft why #Anonymous #long post #mine #meta

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braincoins · 6 years

Text

Unnamed Urban Fantasy World-Building Bible

Okay, so at this point I’ve got most of the world built and relevant history gone through. As such, HERE COMES AN INFO DUMP. Some of this was in the previous post, but there honestly wasn’t a lot there. This should hopefully whet your appetite for what’s to come.

Keep in mind that this is sort of “first draft” world-building. Things may be tweaked, thrown out, or altered later. (Also, the Blades section under “Lost Swords” formatted all weird, but it’s still legible, so I don’t feel like fixing it)

------------------- Cast of Characters -------------------

Keith Ward – orphaned son of Steven and Carol Smith (nee Krolia Kogane). Grew up in an orphanage with no knowledge of his parents. Immediately after high school, enrolled with the CPD and entered police academy, where he met Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane. Graduated and is a full-time CPD officer; his partner on the force is Iverson. Is still very close with Shiro and looks up to him like a big brother. Human with unknown elf heritage.

Katherine “Pidge” Holt – daughter of Samuel and Colleen Holt (nee Gunderson), younger sister of Matthew. MIT freshman who finds out her father and brother have both gone missing: Sam from his job as a CISA compliance officer at Galaxy IT Services and Matt after having taken a leave of absence from his job as a Computer Forensics Examiner at the CPD to go try to hunt up Sam. They’ve been missing for six months, and Pidge drops out of college to come back home to find them. Human Normie.

Darius “Hunk” Garrett – child of Dwayne and Ellen Garrett (nee Jorden), younger brother of Jasmin, older brother of Aliyah. The Garretts are Masks. Hunk is an alchemist who has a mobile lab based in a food truck. He also serves food, as would be expected. He learned both alchemy and cooking from his father, and he’s very close to his family. He also studies physics (as he believes it helps with his alchemy (and it does)) and is a very handy mechanic, keeping his old food truck up and going when it probably should’ve given up whatever ghost it had years ago (he bought it from a junkyard and fixed it up himself). His older sister is a bank teller but had no interest in alchemy; his younger sister is learning alchemy but wants to be a veterinarian. Human Mask.

Lance McClain – child of Scott and Juanita McClain (nee Garcia). Middle child in a pack of 8 children; Juanita’s widowed mother also lives with them. His two oldest siblings have moved out and one has started his own family (the other’s in college). The McClains are Masks, and Lance grew up with Hunk, as they’re the same age. They’ve been best buddies since grade school. Lance is a musician, and a very talented one, and he’s learned many powerful spellsongs. Spellsinging is considered a form of alchemy, using soundwaves, vibrations, pitch, tone, and rhythm to affect one’s environment instead of the more usual chemical, medicinal, or culinary forms (that Hunk knows). Lance chafes at the Masks’ rules but obeys them. However, he’s started noticing that he’s spellsinging when he doesn’t intend to be. Human Mask.

Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane – child of Kenichi and Yumiko Shirogane (nee Shimizu), older brother of Ryou. Shiro always wanted to be a police officer, to protect and serve. He felt it as a calling. Out of high school, he went to community college to study criminal justice, then enrolled in CPD’s police academy, where he met Keith. He graduated top of his class and became a CPD police officer. His partner is Harris. While at the CPD, he met and befriended Matt Holt. He wonders about Matt’s sudden leave of absence, but assumes his buddy is dealing with family stuff (as he said before he left) and is busy. Human Normie.

Allura ve Alfor, Princess of Altea – daughter of King Alfor and Queen Aetheria of Altea. Allura was trained in diplomacy, leadership, magic, and combat by her parents and her father’s advisor, Coran. She doesn’t know alchemy, but she knows her father’s code that he wrote his notes in. She is an excellent shifter, able to alter her appearance at will, though it takes energy to keep any form that is different from her normal one (how much energy depends upon how different the form is). Fortunately, she has an incredible reservoir of magical energy along with her own life force. Forbidden from joining the battle against the Dark Lord & Lady, she survived and agreed to be sealed away rather than forego her vengeance entirely. She is focused on avenging the death of her father and her people. At the last second, her four pet mice jumped onto her and became frozen in the crystal as well. One of the last true elves alive.

Coran vu Hieron – Royal Advisor to King Alfor before his death. Coran was a loyal advisor and friend and would gladly have gone into battle with Alfor had he not been tasked with protecting Allura. To that end, he also agreed to be sealed away, to stay with and watch over the princess. What he lacks in magic and shifting abilities he makes up for in seemingly endless knowledge. After he acclimates to 2018, he takes the somewhat more human name of Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe (he may have gone a bit overboard). One of the last true elves alive.

Honerva ve Cree/Haggar – Royal Advisor to King Alfor before she succumbed to darkness. One of the best alchemists of her day, aside from the King himself (who was strong in magic as well as alchemy). While he focused on training the human alchemist Myrddin, she believed that alchemy might not be wholly good. Using the motto of “all light casts a shadow,” she began searching for that shadow, hoping to set boundaries on such power so that it would not be misused. Instead, she went too far over that boundary and wound up corrupted by the Dark Lord Zarkon of the Daibazaal realm. His true form cannot be comprehended by normal mortals, and so she summoned him to this world by letting him take the body of Alfor’s best friend: Aetheria.

Zarkon twisted Aetheria’s body to suit his own needs, making it more powerful and less recognizably humanoid. He took her blade and warped it as well, making it his own dark weapon. And he took Honerva as his bride and high priestess.

Honerva began experimenting on humans and elves, using her knowledge of alchemy and her access to the dark energies of the cosmos to see what could be done to make them more powerful and more useful to Zarkon. She also began summoning the minions of Zarkon to this realm in preparation to conquer it. Alfor and Myrddin went to confront and stop her, with the army of Altea behind them. The battle was fierce. Myrddin, Alfor, and his generals (Blaytz, Trigel, and Gyrgan) fought against Honerva and Zarkon directly. The generals fell one by one as Myrddin shifted from trying to kill their opponents to simply containing them. As Alfor was killed, Myrddin managed to seal Honerva and Zarkon into a magical vault in another realm.

In Myrddin’s records, Honerva is only ever referred to as Haggar or the Dark Lady, just as Zarkon is only ever the Dark Lord. He had known (and loved) Honerva (though she had never returned his affections) before she succumbed to darkness. He could not reconcile the woman he had known with the creature he had fought, and so he gave her a different name.

Haggar desires only to serve her Lord and husband and to increase his power as well as her own. True elf corrupted by ancient dark magic; essentially a Dark Elf.

------------------- People, Places & Things -------------------

Alchemy – the combination of science and magic pioneered by the elves. Alchemy in its strongest form could potentially manipulate reality itself (essentially by fudging the rules or finding loopholes), but most modern alchemy focuses on the interconnections between all living things and the world upon which we live. Alchemy is most commonly thought of as chemical in nature: brewing potions, making salves & ointments, etc. There are myriad medicinal applications. Alchemy can also be used in combat, for self-defense, and in any sort of creation/manipulation endeavor. Cooking, baking, painting, writing, singing, playing an instrument, even assembling a piece of furniture or an engine. A strong understanding of physics can help open up the possibilities of alchemy.

Altea – Kingdom of the elves, destroyed 1,445 years ago. Its last crowned monarch was King Alfor. All alchemy originated in Altea. The kingdom was destroyed in 573 CE by the forces of the Dark Lord Zarkon and his Dark Lady, Honerva/Haggar.

The Church – as in the organization of Christian faith, most especially the Catholic Church. While it is true that the Church saw magic as antithetical to the power of the One True God, it was the destruction of Altea that truly convinced the Church that magic led to darkness. They characterized Zarkon and his armies as the Devil and his demons, and those who continued to do magic or alchemy as being like Haggar. At best, an alchemist would unwittingly bring evil into the world; at worst, they were an active helper in the schemes of the Devil.

As monotheistic faiths - but most especially Christianity - grew, magic became vilified. Even suspected practitioners were exiled or killed. Most of the people who were hanged, burned at the stake, etc. for witchcraft were actually perfectly innocent, normal people. A few were Masks, either because of their use of alchemy or because they were taking the fall for true magical beings, as their oath requires. A vanishingly-rare amount were actual magical beings, and, of these, most were Shifters, not Witches.

Elves – What happens when True Fay interbreed with True Shifters. The elves helped the humans create alchemy, believing that science and magic could enhance each other and lead to a greater understanding of the cosmos. They also wanted to give magic-less humans a way to help themselves. Elves were long-lived, but not so much so as Fay; a typical Elf lifespan would be about five centuries. In 2018, the only Alteans/True Elves left alive are Princess Allura (Alfor’s daughter) and Royal Advisor Coran.

Fay – Sprites, pixies, gnomes, goblins, fair folk, wee folk, etc. The Fairies of legends and myths. Fay are typically mischievous and very scrupulous about their rules. They often delight in deceiving others with these rules, but clever people can find a loophole to turn the outcome to their advantage. Ever since the Rise of the Church, Fay have made themselves scarce in the world. Ironically, despite the Catholic stronghold in Ireland, the Fay are most easily found there, where the native people have seen no problem in worshipping the Christian God and still respecting the rules of the aes sídhe.

Technically the Fay live in their own realm, Faerie, separate from the human world (which makes it all the easier for them to hide away). This realm is not unlike Daibazaal from which Zarkon hails, in that it is a separate realm of reality with its own rules and natural laws. Faerie is a much nicer place than Daibazaal though. Fay are extremely long-lived, with normal lifespans in the millennias.

Galra – Technically the word “Galra” is Altean for “monster.” In 2018, it most commonly refers to the Galra Cult: the cultists who worship Haggar and Zarkon. They are the descendants of elves and humans who followed the Dark Lord and Lady before their defeat (but somehow survived the battle). Most cultists are human, but many have elf blood (even if extremely diluted) in their veins. They know only what’s written down, so they have no idea that Haggar has any name other than that; they are unaware that “Galra” is not really what they should be called (similar to how Neo-Nazis are unaware of the origins of “Nazi” as an insult). But they are fanatically devout. However, some people do leave the Galra; they’re typically hunted down and killed.

Krolia was a member of the cult before she left, changed her name to the more inconspicuous Carol, and married Keith’s father. She was pregnant when the Galra found her and she barely escaped with her life; her husband wasn’t so lucky. She stayed hidden and on the run; when she gave birth to Keith, she took him to a Safe Place zone and left, hoping to spare her son from the bloodthirsty cult. Eventually she found others who had left the Galra; they’ve taken her in. She’s tried to keep track of what happened to her son over the years but is still too afraid to contact him. Just in case.

The Journals – King Alfor had five journals of alchemy, all written in a personal code of Alfor’s own devising. The first is a simple notebook, recording the alchemical knowledge already extant in the world. Volumes 2-5 are Alfor’s, Myrddin’s, and Honerva’s notes and experiments with alchemy, along with anything they could find about what others had concocted. They came up with new ways of constructing experiments, discovered more truths about the world, and became powerful. They established new concoctions and rituals, new potions and spells. The fifth volume specifically details the rules of alchemy as they were known to the three of them and sets out a method for safely and effectively using alchemy to create “on the fly” as it were, rather than just memorizing tried-and-true methods. The Masks have volumes 1 and 3 of Alfor’s journals; the Galra Cult has volumes 2 and 4. Volume 5’s whereabouts are currently unknown to the world at large, and that is because it was hidden in a place that only Allura knows.

The Lost Swords – A legend told in Mask families about five swords hidden from the world by Merlin, who feared their awesome powers would be used for evil. The Lost Swords will only appear when humanity stands upon the brink of destruction.

In reality, these are the five enchanted blades Myrddin made from the swords of Aetheria (Blade of the Black Lion), Alfor (Blade of the Red Lion), Blaytz (Blade of the Blue Lion), Trigel (Blade of the Green Lion), and Gyrgan (Blade of the Yellow Lion).

Blade of the Black Lion – originally the sword of Queen Aetheria, corrupted by Zarkon’s dark energies. It was cleansed of its taint through the focused enchantments of the other Blades, thus it was technically the last “created.” It is the most powerful blade and carries a minor, basic sentience. It seems to… remember its past and struggle with it. Its wielder’s desires can easily tip the blade back into darkness. Myrddin tied it to the energies of the sky, of storms, and of the cosmos. It can call and channel lightning; temporarily blind people; lift its wielder into the air and enable them to fly short distances; push people back (or even knock them down) with powerful storm gusts; and allows its wielder to use magic. Like all the blades, it also protects its wielder from its own element. It also has the unique ability to temporarily “borrow” powers from the other blades, so long as that blade’s wielder focuses on doing so. (For example, for the Black Blade to borrow the Red Blade’s power, Red’s wielder must stand still and focus their will on channeling their power to Black. This often leaves them vulnerable.) When the Red Blade’s power is focused to the Black Blade, it can send short bursts of super-heated air towards the target. When the Green Blade’s power is focused to the Black Blade, the storm winds can narrow and snap like whips, able to draw blood from many rapid, powerful (but small) attacks. When the Blue Blade’s power is focused to the Black Blade, it creates torrential rain and full on thunderstorms in a localized area. When the Yellow Blade’s power is focused to the Black Blade, the blade becomes unbreakable and its wielder is granted an impenetrable shield wall (in front of the sword itself) When all other Blades’ powers are focused to the Black Blade, it elongates (though doesn’t become heavier), strengthens, sharpens, and burns with a magical flame. The Black Blade can cut through reality itself if its wielder wishes. Regardless of the Black Blade’s alignment, it will never, ever, ever harm Allura. Wielded by Shiro

Blade of the Red Lion – originally the sword of King Alfor, who sacrificed himself to buy Myrddin the time he needed to seal Haggar and Zarkon away. Tied to the energies of fire, of passion, of purity. It can call and channel flames and protect its wielder from the negative effects of heat and fire, including all forms of radiation. The blade is always burning hot to the touch to all except its wielder. Wielded by Keith

Blade of the Green Lion – originally the sword of General Trigel. Tied to the energies of growing life, of vitality, of logic. It can call and channel strong and/or thorny vines. The blade is envenomed with a virulent toxin that will lead to paralysis and, eventually, death; only its wielder is immune to it, as they are to all poisons. They cannot be harmed by any animal or plant found in this realm. Wielded by Pidge

Blade of the Blue Lion – originally the sword of General Blaytz. Tied to the energies of water, ice, and emotion. It can call and channel water and protect its wielder from severe cold, as well as allowing them to breathe underwater so long as the blade is drawn and in their hand. The blade is freezing cold to anyone save the wielder. Wielded by Lance

Blade of the Yellow Lion – originally the sword of General Gyrgan. Tied to the energies of the earth, of stone, of unity. It can call and channel rock and stone, very useful for forming walls and shields. It protects its wielder from suffocation or paralysis, though its blade will petrify anyone (other than its wielder) who touches it. Wielded by Hunk

Masks – humans who are aware of magical beings and actively help hide them from those who would destroy them. Technically, Masks are as non-magical as any other human, but they still have access to alchemy. They take their charge of not revealing the existence of magic to normies (other humans) very seriously. Masks were as likely – if not more so – to be killed in witch trials and purges than true magical beings were, though the vast number of those killed in these witch hunts were innocent normies. Masks take an oath to protect the magical elements of the world with their life, but such a sacrifice has not been needed in many centuries. Technically they have typical human lifespans, but alchemy is often as good as and sometimes better than medicine, so it’s not uncommon for Masks to outlive normal humans by a decade or so.

Myrddin – known to most of humanity as “Merlin,” he was the greatest human practitioner of alchemy ever seen. Alfor apprenticed him when Myrddin was still a boy, and the two became fast friends. Myrddin was also smitten with Honerva, but she never returned his affections, and he never spoke of them to her. Still, he counted her as a friend, and she was friendly with him in their interactions.

Together with Alfor and Honerva, Myrddin helped create the bulk of extant alchemy in the world today. He also chronicled his life and the fall of Altea. He went mad after sealing away the Vault, the Blades (Lost Swords), and Allura & Coran. He became known as Myrddin Wyllt (Myrddin the Wild), a madman – some said a prophet – who wandered the land until his death.

Normies – humans who are unaware of magical beings or the existence of magic or alchemy as anything other than historical beliefs of superstitious peasants or the elements of fiction. It is rare that a normie is made aware of the existence of magic, but it happens occasionally. Usually a normie is then tasked with protecting what they have found; if they do not agree to become a Mask, they are typically killed or branded as crazy.

Shifters – those capable of changing their shape. True Shifters can look like anyone and can even take animal forms (thus giving rise to legends such as kitsune and werewolves). They can stay in whatever form they want for as long as they want and still retain their identity and minds (though Shifter hybrids – Elves and Witches – usually don’t have this ability). Shifters do not have animal-like senses unless they are in animal form, and even then they have the same advantages and disadvantages as those animals would have. Of all the magical beings, the Shifters are the ones who most carefully hide their nature from the world, as many of the legends of their kind paint them to be ravening beasts. Given ideal conditions, Shifters can live well into the 300 range, but nowadays it tends to be closer to 210 – 220. (Fast food hasn’t helped.)

The Seals – Magical locked doorways created by Myrddin. The first was a complete accident: Myrddin was trying to find a way to contain Haggar and Zarkon’s power when he saw King Alfor run through by Zarkon’s sword. The shock and horror (plus his already pumping adrenaline) enabled him to create the Vault and lock them away in some other realm. He had no idea how he’d done it.

He used alchemy to enchant, create, and link the five Lion Blades/Lost Swords, and then sealed them away in the same realm (though keeping them inaccessible to the Vault). The seals on the Swords were tied to the seal on the Vault so that when Haggar and Zarkon were released back into the world, the Swords would be, too. However, having no idea how else to create the seals, he re-focused on the trauma of that moment when Alfor was cut down. He replayed the horrible creatures he’d seen, the true power of what lurked in the darkness of the Daibazaal realm, all the friends he had lost. Rather than letting himself heal from his mental and emotional wounds, he continued to gouge them open, one seal at a time (for each Blade).

He used this same technique to enclose Allura and Coran in life-sustaining crystals and then to lock them with the same seal. The crystals will return to the world when the Blades do, but they can only be truly unlocked when in the presence of any one of the Blades. Then both crystals will be unlocked. This was a complicated sealing, and it took the last of Myrddin’s sanity to complete.

Undead – These are creatures created by magic (usually Fay or Witches) rather than being inherently magical beings. Usually they’re what modern Western culture would call “zombies” (in the sense of being unintelligent rotting shamblers; they typically aren’t cannibalistic unless created to be so). Ghosts can occur if someone dies from a Witch’s hex or a Fay’s curse.

Vampires – NO.

The Vault – The prison Haggar and Zarkon were sealed into. That prison was then cast into an alternate dimension (neither Daibazaal nor Faerie). This was the first seal and it was not tied to the others (though the Lost Swords’ seals were tied to the Vault’s). The Galra Cult eventually found a way to dissolve the seal, breaking open the Vault and returning Haggar and Zarkon to the world, about a year before the start of the story.

Witches – True Witches started out as human/Shifter hybrids (just as Elves came from Fay/Shifter unions). They look human except for golden eyes (still human eyes, just golden in color). They have limited ability to shift, and most take utilitarian forms such as a bird of some sort for travel, a fox or wolf for hunting, and a mouse, rat, or snake for spying. Staying in that form for too long will threaten their identities as they become more and more animal-like. Most Witches focus their increased energy reserves (from the Shifter blood) on doing magic. Modern Witches often do alchemy as a useful supplement, but historically it was considered a dilution of magic and no proper Witch would be caught dead doing that sort of thing. Witch magic tends to be very nature-based, and though most try to put more good than bad out into the world, a Witch crossed can be a VERY dangerous thing. A True Witch dying before 100 is almost unheard of; some have made it to 200 but that’s pretty rare. 150’s about a good average.

#Voltron #urban fantasy AU #eventual Shallura #world-building #writing #long post is long #with my apologies to Tumblr mobile users #because the Tumblr app is craptacular

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thvndring · 4 years

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GENERAL INFORMATION

NAME: Bruce Wayne

CODENAME: Batman

ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good

AGE: 36

ABILITIES: Peak Human Condition

CIVILIAN JOB: C.E.O of WayneTech Enterprises

LOCATION: Gotham City

THEME: I Remember — Deadmau5 & Kaskade

BIOGRAPHY

As a young child, Bruce Wayne watched his parents murdered before his eyes. Thomas and Martha Wayne were walking home from the Monarch Theater one night with their son, when they were held up at gunpoint by a mugger who demanded the pearl necklace that Martha was wearing. When Dr. Wayne refused to surrender it, both he and Martha were shot dead in the streets. The killer was a criminal known as Joe Chill. Fortunately, physician and social worker Leslie Thompkins was making a house call that night, and arrived to give loving comfort to the traumatized Bruce. He was then raised on the Wayne Manor estate, with help from the wise and loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Bruce had very few friends during his childhood.

Bruce Wayne swore an oath to rid the city of the evil that had taken his parents’ lives. He spent his youth traveling the world, training himself to intellectual and physical perfection and learning a variety of crime-fighting skills, including chemistry, criminology, forensics, martial arts, gymnastics, disguise, and escape artistry.

Bruce Wayne returned to Gotham City after many years of study and training with his body and mind developed to perfection. Despite having all of the skills and methods to fight crime, he still felt that there was something missing in the completion of his physical and mental arsenal. Wayne discovered the answer late one night while sitting in his manor. He recalled his fear of bats as a child after a large one crashed through one of the windows; he ultimately decided to make his appearance resemble a bat’s. Wayne designed himself a costume equipped with experimental technology and set out against the crime and corruption that thrived in Gotham City.

Wayne’s tactics to oppose crime as a vigilante at night proved successful leading him to become an urban legend in Gotham City. He revealed himself at a dinner of the most influential and corrupt figures in Gotham City and promised them all that their reigns on the city would eventually end. Wayne’s first ally was assistant district attorney Harvey Dent. Most of the Gotham City Police Department was sent in force to capture him. He gained his most powerful ally when he met police lieutenant James Gordon, one of the few honest cops on the force. The two developed a working relationship operating outside of the law when they needed to.

Since adopting the Batman persona, Bruce was worked primarily in Gotham City while assisting with major crimes & stratospheres throughout the world. He is a founding member of the Justice League, alongside his longtime friend Clark Kent. Bruce was briefly a member of the Sinestro & White Lantern Corps.

PERSONALITY

Batman is a dark and brooding hero with a personal vendetta against crime and injustice. Psychologically traumatized by the death of his parents, Batman has sworn to rid Gotham from the criminal elements that took his parents away from him. He is extremely pessimistic and suspicious, which often makes it difficult for him to trust people other than Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Lucius Fox, the Robins or the Batgirls.

Despite this, Batman has proved to have a great love for humanity, which was instilled by his parents. His father was a doctor, while his mother was a crusader against child abuse. Indeed, Batman’s oath of vengeance is tempered with the greater ideal of justice. He refrains from killing, as he feels this would not make him any better than the criminals he fights. He is also a very prominent member of the Justice League and the founder of the Outsiders.

To protect his secret identity, Batman has constructed a fake persona he can use in his civilian identity. To the world at large, Bruce Wayne is a self-absorbed, irresponsible playboy and philanthropist. Only his closest allies know that this attitude is just an act.

POWERS & ABILITIES

Batman’s unstoppable determination and strength of will makes him an extremely formidable opponent. This makes him able to function while tolerating massive amounts of physical pain, and also allows him to resist telepathy or mind control. It is widely known that Batman has the ability to instill fear in others, to the extent that even the people that know him best are intimidated by him. Batman regularly forces common criminals to flee in terror despite there being no evidence that he would actually kill anyone. Even those who aren’t afraid of the likes of Superman fear Batman. Batman has dedicated his life to be as close to human perfection both physically and mentally. Through intense training, a specialized diet, and biofeedback treatments, Batman represents the natural pinnacle of human physical prowess. A doctor once commented that he is in the “perfect physical health.” His physical attributes exceeded that of almost any Olympic level athlete. His strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, endurance, balance and coordination are in peak human perfection. Ever since he was 11, Batman began his physical and mental conditioning, and followed by intense physical training and weight lifting at age 12. He had mastered full body control by the time he was 18. Bruce Wayne, since his childhood, has followed a strict diet to enable his body to develop and operate at its most proficient, along with biofeedback treatments (using portable/non portable machines to stimulate muscles to contraction). Batman has performed amazing physical feats due to his pinnacle physique. He engages in an intensive regular regimen of rigorous exercise (including aerobics, weight lifting, gymnastics, and simulated combat) to keep himself in peak condition, and has often defeated opponents whose size, strength, or other powers greatly exceeded his own as for example, he defeated the Bat-Bane in armed combat.

#( super )#( batman )#( dc )

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asktheadeptus · 7 years

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House Cadmus

"He must be humble of heart, strong of arm, Be savage in war, loyal to hearth, And follow deeds of Glory. He must keep honour with all, Banish cowardice from his doings, And bring his House no shame. He must serve the Emperor, And defend the Imperium. Thus should a Knight rule himself."— The Chivalric Duty, Aquitainus Malory Cadmus, M31

House Cadmus is a Loyalist Imperial Knight House which formerly had strong ties to the Adeptus Mechanicus. House Cadmus hails far to the galactic south from the heavily forested Knight World of Raisa. Proud and autonomous, the Knights of Raisa have only ever accepted allegiance with the Imperium as equals, never considering themselves completely beholden to the High Lords of Terra. When the first Rogue Trader set foot upon Raisa he received a cold welcome from its nobles, and it was many years before the first tentative alliances were formed. They were equally resistant when forced to accept oaths with the Forge World of Gryphonne IV, in return for skilled Sacristans and the secret technologies of the Mechanicum. Despite the enduring independence of its nobles, House Cadmus has always honoured the Imperium's call to arms, and has ferociously fought its foes for millennia. In recent times, the fighting strength of House Cadmus has suffered greatly in defense of Gryphonne IV, supporting its Titan Legion, the Legio Gryphonicus, after it was overwhelmed by Hive Fleet Leviathan in 997.M41. The Forge World's destruction has, in turn, freed House Cadmus from their obligations to the Tech-Priests. The current High King, known to all on Raisa as Baron Roland of Swinford Hall, has embraced this change of allegiance, and his Knights now go to war whenever and wherever their lord wishes it.

House History

The remote world of Raisa was isolated from Mankind for thousands of standard years, perched on the edge of the galaxy and staring off into the void. This sense of far frontier is brought home each night to the men and women of Raisa when they look up and see one half of the sky glittering with stars, the other a void of empty space. For centuries only the Knights protected the people of Raisa from the dark things that crawled, stalked and slithered through its arboreal forests, and at night even the nobles retreated to their plateau fortresses, leaving the wilds to the beasts and other, fouler things that prowled in the murk. Most feared of the denizens of the dark Raisan woods were the golems. Elemental creations of wood and stone, each golem was a tangle of sentient vines and trees given life by strange energies from the void. With granite fists and obsidian talons a golem was capable of punching through the carapace of a Knight and tearing out its pilot. The only way to kill a golem was to rupture its stone heart, the living rock at its center in which the resonating energies that held it together dwelt. In a standard century-long conflict known as the Golem War, the Knights hunted down and vanquished the terrifying beasts, shattering the resonating spires from which they were birthed. It was from this war that Golem Keep, House Cadmus' ancestral home, earned its name -- its thick granite walls constructed from the dead stone hearts of the slain creatures.

The Cull

With the golems gone, races of primitive Abhumans flourished in the forests of Raisa. Though these were little match for the nobles astride their Knights, in large numbers the creatures could threaten the houses and their provinces if left unchecked. At times, whole communities would disappear overnight to the depredations of the mutants, who would melt back into the forests before the vengeance of the nobles could find them. So it is that now, on Midsummer Eve each year, the nobles gather at Golem Keep to take part in the great hunt known as the Cull. Born of necessity, the Cull was at first a way for the nobles to ensure that nothing ever again challenged their mastery of Raisa, as the golems had done in times past. The Abhumans were the primary target of the Cull -- though primitive they would occasionally raid the edges of the plateau cities. Where these Abhumans came from is unclear, though there are tales told by superstitious peasants that they are a debased off-shoot of the original human settlers, sharing a distant if dubious ancestry with the noble houses. Whether there is any truth in this it does not stop the nobles culling their numbers, the highborn families content not to speak of such matters or to consider what they might mean.

The Cull has been undertaken for thousands of standard years, and is at the core of Raisan society. In the early hunts the nobles would crash through the forests in their Knights, guns lighting up the shadowy paths and clearings as they cut down anything larger than a vine-vole. At the end of the hunt the nobles would recount their kills, though there were never any true way of knowing how many actual Abhumans had been slain as little remained after Battle Cannon rounds and Reaper Chainsword blades had done their work. Over time the Cull evolved and became more efficient, especially once alliance was made with Gryphonne IV. The use of sophisticated Augurs and bioscanners allowed the Knights to detect the Abhumans through miles of shrouded woodland, and kill-counters were added to the Knight suits to remove any doubt as to who reaped the greatest tally. Eventually the Cull grew in importance to become the means by which the ruling lord of the house was chosen. This developed as a result of the favor bestowed upon the noble who claimed the most kills, and the subsequent influence he had on Raisa politics. The reasoning was to formalize this recognition by granting him lordship, with the understanding it would last for only a standard year until the next Cull. For the last thirty-two years Baron Roland of Swinford Hall has led the tallies of the Cull -- a feat unprecedented in the annals of the event. The other nobles of Raisa have recently entered into a rare accord, questioning whether it is right that prowess in the culling of base Abhumans should determine political might at all. To these dissenters Baron Roland has been heard to say that if they care so much who has lordship they should simply perform better in the Cull. It is well that a leader of such experience still rules, for the fighting strength of House Cadmus has suffered greatly in defense of the nearby Forge World of Gryphonne IV against the xenos menace of Hive Fleet Leviathan.

Hunting Lances

The nobles of House Cadmus have a reputation as peerless hunters, and there are few other Knightly Houses that can boast the same level of skill when it comes to running prey to ground. The development of hunting skills is a necessity in the wilderness of Raisa, and Cadman nobles are experts in controlling their Knights in dense surroundings like jungles and woods. The thickly forested continents of House Cadmus' homeworld are the proving ground for its Knights, the huge green-armoured walkers crashing through the foliage and sending wildlife scurrying off in all directions. From above, the Knights are difficult to distinguish, their Adamantium plates blending in with the forest canopy, and making them appear like the ominous shadows of undersea predators gliding through dark waters.

Young nobles sometimes disappear for solar months hunting in the woods of Raisa, taking with them a small company of retainers and a favored Sacristan. This can become a rite of passage of sorts, as the noble catalogs his kills and tries to out-do his peers by delving deeper into the wilds of the Knight World. Even in a Knight suit there are places that fathers warn their sons not to tread, though more often than not this only makes such sites more enticing. The Tangle is such a place, a briar patch of twisted trees and knotted undergrowth so thick it can snare a Knight. Rumour has it that in the wake of the Golem Wars not all the beasts were slain, and some survived by fleeing into the farthest regions of Raisa. Some families believe that there is a nest of golems within the Tangle, and more than one young noble has tried to find the truth for himself. Such hunts usually end with the Knights returning to Golem Keep, covered in mud and broken vegetation but empty-handed, though always with tall tales of "things" glimpsed through the trees or just on the edge of Augur range. These stories do nothing to sate the nobility and only ensure that a new generation of nobles will take up the quest.

Even when on campaign, House Cadmus Knights will engage in hunts, forming what are informally known as Hunting Lances to track and kill local creatures. On the Death World of Dynak, Knights of House Cadmus aided the Catachan 217th in defeating a major assault by Eldar Corsairs from the nearby Carrion Rift. After the Eldarhad retreated back into the Rift, the nobles heard tales told by the Catachans of a great beast sighted deep within the swamp-caverns of Dynak. The nobles immediately boarded their Knights and set off on a hunt that would take them across the drenched surface of the world and down into the vast network of fetid sunken caverns. Eventually the Cadman Knights cornered a gigantic leech-serpent, defeating the beast in a battle that raged for over an hour. The Catachan commander could only nod with approval when the Knights returned dragging the stinking, fanged head of the beast with them.

Edge of the Galaxy

Raisa rests upon the edge of the known galaxy, with nothing but darkness staring back at it from the intergalactic void beyond. It is little wonder then that it has suffered strange visitations from out of the Veiled Region. Over the centuries there have been scores of phenomena recorded by House Cadmus, each encounter or event carefully written down in the great Tome of Years held in Golem Keep. In the Year of Dark Rain, millions of obsidian meteors came hurling out of the galactic void, crashing down into the jungles of Raisa. Men foolish enough to try and drag the meteorite fragments back to their homes -- thinking they might have some worth -- grew sick and died, terrible black lesions covering their flesh. Eventually House Cadmus decreed the meteors forbidden and gathered together all they could find using Knight suits, sealing them in the depths of Golem Keep. However, those few men who looked upon one of the meteorites and lived whisper that they were covered in strange script and the crudely carved images of Knights.

During the Year of Haunted Worlds, a light fell from the heavens and landed deep in the woods of the Arborous Basin. That same night the baron left Golem Keep with a few of his men and took their Knights down into the forest. Rumours among the servants of the keep tell of the baron returning with a luminous casket of strange and alien design. Through its transparent lid a willowy woman could be seen, slender of limb and fair of hair with gracefully pointed ears. The same servants say the sleeping maiden was carried down into the vault to be hidden among the most sacred treasures of House Cadmus.

In the Year of Shrouded Stars, a huge comet filled the skies of Raisa wreathed in blue and white fire. As it passed near the Knight World tiny burning stars broke off from the comet and fell through the atmosphere. As they fell into the forest the stars resolved themselves into the broken wrecks of voidships, the comet itself an ancient and decaying Space Hulk. From within each vessel alien monsters and mechanical devils crawled out into the forests. That year the Cull hunted metal men and green-skinned xenos. Stories of the contents of Golem Keep have even reached the ears of the Inquisition. When Inquisitor Grumund took refuge on Raisa before travelling on into the Veiled Region, he casually asked Baron Roland about these whispers of alien objects and unknown obscura. Roland's response was merely a smile across the feasting table and a gentle reminder to Grumund that he was there as a guest, and should not trouble himself with the gossip of peasants. Glancing around at the room filled with House Cadmus nobles, all with eyes on the Inquisitor, he wisely chose not to press the point.

Notable Campaigns

The Death of Traitors (c.M31) - Horus lies dead at the hands of the Emperor. But so high is the cost of victory that many seek solace in hounding the fleeing Traitors across the stars rather than face the task of rebuilding the shattered Imperium. This campaign of vengeance is known as the Great Scouring. The surviving knightly houses with the strength to fight unanimously join in this crusade of retribution. Believing the honour of the many to be stained by the treachery of the few, the Imperial Knights hunt down the knightly houses that sided with Horus with extreme prejudice, seeking to redeem their tarnished reputation. Filled with righteous indignation, a combined strike force of Knights from Houses Cadmus, Terryn and Borgius annihilates the turncoats of House Devine as Imperial forces reclaim Molech.

Sport for Commorragh (154.M41) - A Dark Eldar raid captures a House Cadmus Knight for bloody sport in the arenas of Commorragh. He bravely duels the creations of the Haemonculi for thirty solar days before eventually being rendered down by three Engines of Pain.

Disaster on Nalibraxis II (632.M41) - During the Yoladrian Crusade, detachments from House Cadmus land upon the swamp world of Nalibraxis II. Marching in support of Catachan Jungle Fighter infantry regiments, the Knights are caught in a sorcerous ambush by the forces of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion. With the Catachans dead or devolved into mindless Chaos Spawn, the remaining handful of Knights resolve to fight their way back to their extraction point. Power armoured automata and scuttling Daemon Engines surround them, yet the surviving nobles fight their way to freedom. After the battle, House Cadmus vows revenge upon the forces of the Thousand Sons, determined to expunge this stain upon their honour.

On the Trail of Traitors (883.M41) - Three entire knightly houses join forces with the renowned tank ace, Commander Pask, and his Cadian 423rd to exterminate a Renegade Titan Legion. All of the Knights at Pask's disposal are deployed in one of the largest armoured conflicts in the Imperium's history. Knight Anthonis, of House Cadmus, wins much honour during the final battle, preventing Pask's Leman Russ tankfrom being crushed beneath the mighty tread of the Traitor Warlord-class Titan Endless Hate by blasting apart the war engine's descending leg scant moments before impact. Pask survives to lead his force to a great Imperial victory.

Notable House Cadmus Knights

Coward's Bane - Baron Orlando's Imperial Knight Warden

Hunter's Fury - Baron Roland's Imperial Knight Errant

The Beast Killer - Sir Malcolm's Imperial Knight Errant

Hound of Raisa - Sir Roderick's Imperial Knight Paladin

Bloody Broadsword - Sir William's Imperial Knight Paladin

Notable Personnel

Baron Godfrey - From the foundation of their knightly house, the nobles of Cadmus were a fiercely independent breed, each family proud of their honour, deeds and heritage. It was this fact that made it all the more surprising when, in the early years of the 31st Millennium, Baron Godfrey signed a concordat swearing fealty to the nearby Forge World of Gryphonne IV. Their ruler's decision was met with unanimous uproar throughout the noble families of House Cadmus, who deemed the treaty to be a heinous betrayal of all that they stood for. Godfrey's most damning act of all was in changing the heraldry of House Cadmus. According to the knightly house's new patronage, it now bore the cog of the Adeptus Mechanicus at its heart. With the full might of the Cult Mechanicus behind him, none dared to oppose Godfrey openly, and he lived out his days like a feudal king.

Baron Orlando - Orlando is next in line to become one of the Twelve Barons of Raisa, and would likely be considered a rival to the ruler of House Cadmus. However, his disregard for the Cull -- the yearly event in which Raisa's Nobles hunt their planet's mutants -- ensures that he could never claim lordship of his house. For Orlando, slaying the beasts is an everyday task, not a sporting event. Thus, Orlando is content as ruler of Patton Hall, a keep in the most isolated province of Raisa. When called to war, Orlando pilots Coward’s Bane, his Knight Crusader. One of the eldest of Raisa's Knight suits, Coward's Bane still flashes emerald when its ancient ion shield repels a powerful incoming shot. Orlando’s Nobles all know well the thunderclap roar emitted when his Knight's gauntleted fist strikes home. It is a sound heard often enough, for Orlando is tasked with leading many campaigns -- a tribute to his fighting prowess.

Baron Roland of Swinford Hall - The current ruler of House Cadmus hails from Swinford Hall, a cavernous and luxurious wing of Golem Keep. Born of an old and powerful baronial family, Roland is an uncompromising man who does not lightly suffer the presence of fools. His courage in the face of adversity is legend. Baron Roland is a bold explorer and peerless warrior among the people of his homeworld, often spending long solar months on campaign. At his heart the old noble is a hunter and will seek out any chance to hunt a new prey or test his skills, even taking up alliance with the Adeptus Mechanicus despite his fierce independence. In times of war, Roland leads the Knights of House Cadmus from the front, resplendent in his modified Knight Lancer armour, to lay low all who oppose him. Unusually, Roland chooses to pilot a suit of Knight Errant armour when competing in the Cull, unwilling to claim an unfair advantage over his rivals by using the bespoke suit of armour afforded him by his rank. However, his unbroken run of thirty-two victories has long since silenced any critics who claimed he did not take the Cull seriously.

Sir Malcolm - One of the few surviving veterans of the war on Gryphonne IV, Sir Malcolm was instrumental in the defense of the Forge World's manufactorum district, eventually holding out alone against wave after wave of Tyranid assaults long after the Skitarii phalanx stationed alongside him had been overwhelmed.

Sir Roderick - Sir Roderick is a skilled and pitiless hunter, and the favoured lance-brother to Lord Roland. Though he has yet to beat Roland's impressive tally in the Cull, this noble has consistently ranked second behind the master of House Cadmus. This could be attributed to Roderick's unusual upbringing. Many years ago, Abhuman savages killed Roderick's noble parents while they were travelling to a council at Golem Keep. The young Roderick alone escaped to be raised by a hermit in the wild Raisan woods. For over a decade Roderick learnt to survive with only the weapons he could fashion form wood and stone. He was eventually rescued by Roland during a Cull, where the noble lord mistook him for an Abhuman and almost killed him. Roderick went on to reclaim his birthright and has risen to a prominent position within the Knights of House Cadmus. Roderick has put his hunting skills to good use on dozens of worlds, using his Knight to hunt down the foe relentlessly. The skills he learnt against the Tyranids on Galfranus would later serve Roderick well during the defence of Gryphonned IV. He would be one of the few survivors of that war, taking a heavy toll upon the Hive Fleet.

Sir William - When a Noble joins with the Throne Mechanicum especially young, as William did, it can alter his temperament, the feeling of invincibility that comes with being in command of a Knight suit filling his young mind with visions of glory. William's reckless nature brought him close to defeat numerous times -- his actions during the defense of Gryphonne IV against Hive Fleet Leviathan won him great glory but almost cost him his life. Having learnt little from the fall of the Forge World, William would repeat his mistakes on the Hive World of Vaen while fighting against hordes of Orks. Supporting a force comprised of Dark Hunters Space Marines in a first strike against ruined Hive City of Hyrdaxion, at first, they faced no resistance. Instead, they were lured into an uncanny trap located into a great central vault, where the whole structure was rigged into a vast mechanical slaughterhouse. Though William and his Knight suit Bloody Broadsword laid down a devastating barrage against the charging Ork mobs, there was no chance of victory. Only warning whispers from his Throne ultimately saved William and the Space Marines. Turning his gun on the hive wall, he blew a hole out into the dusty plain. At that moment the commanding Space Marine Captain ordered an orbital bombardment. William leapt his Knight clear at the last possible moment, crashing to the ground, shattering its legs and knocking himself senseless. When he came to, the voice of the Throne was for once blissfully quiet, and he enjoyed the sight of the xenos-infested hive burning brightly against the sky.

House Appearance

House Colours

The arboraceous Knight World of Raisa undoubtedly inspired the bottle green of House Cadmus' livery. The Knights are difficult to spot from above as they stride beneath the vast forest canopies of their homeworld -- an advantage they have utilised whenever faced with the threat of invasion. However, should Hive Fleet Leviathan ever encroach upon Raisa, not even the forests will offer the Knights sanctuary.

House Arms

When Badron Godfrey signed a concordat swearing fealty to the nearby Forge World of Gryphonne IV in the early years of the 31st Millennium, their coat of arms was changed, to bear the cog of the Mechanicum at its heart. They bore this symbol for the next ten millennia. However, the recent demise of Gryphonne IV beneath the onslaught of Hive Fleet Leviathan in 997.M41, has somewhat freed House Cadmus from their obligations to Tech-priests. To the horror of Raisa's Sacristans, but the delight of its noble families, Baron Roland has since reinstated the original heraldry of House Cadmus, replete with wings and the crest of a slain mutant.

Source: http://warhammer40k.wikia.com

#warhammer 40k #horus heresy #adeptus mechanicus #adeptus astartes #adepta sororitas #adeptus arbites #adeptus custodes #astra militarum #Adeptus Astra Telepathica #officio assassinorum

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