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fanfic-mind · 3 years

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Blood on my hands (all that i've gained and all that i've lost)

pairing: merthur

warnings: non

status: fanfic draft, Part 1/? (~ 2300)

It’s yet again an hour of need for Camelot. But the weapon they need to safe kingdom and people comes with a price. Only those who prove that they are powerful and wicked can receive it. The knights of Camelot don’t have enough evil deeds to be worthy of the sword. They think everything is lost - until Merlin speaks up...

A magic reveal story in which Merlin makes good use of being a morally grey character. Because, yea, Merlin-is-the-victim-reveals are swell and all but he is capable of making his own decisions and some of them are pretty shady. There is still a good amount of Uther bashing included.

Somehow they get into a situation that requires someone with blood on their hands - figuratively (otherwise it wouldn't be a problem because seeing how often Arthur and Merlin and also Gwaine get wounded by just existing they probably wouldn't even have to injure anyone)

Maybe a god of the Old Religion guards a weapon they need to kill the magic beast of the week or to destroy a cursed item.

In any case: they are really desperate. People are dying and this is their last hope, their last resort.

To their misfortune, this weapon is guarded by a very cunning and wicked god and they will only give their weapon to someone who has the power and the will to use it for evil deeds

There is a test that must be passed by the one who wants to receive the weapon. They must prove that they did enough evil deeds to be worthy of it.

Arthur quickly fails his test because despite some wrongs he's done he is way too just and noble to be wicked

The only knight that seems to get at least a few moments more of consideration is Leon who has done some terrible things - however under Uther's orders which isn't quite powerful enough

"Ahh, Uther Pendragon," the god muses, "Him i would have given the weapon. Such rage and blind hatred and, oh yes, so much blood."

Arthur grits his teeth and sets his jar. he wonders if his father would be disappointed in him for not living up to this legacy of his. he wonders - not for the first time - why he wanted to be like his father once and how he managed to end up being so different.

The knights discuss their strategy. non of them is wicked enough to pass the test. they have wicked people in Camelot's dungeons. But Camelot is three day rides off and their quest is really urgent.

They could separate and seek for wicked folk, but the chances seem slim and the risk of them keeping the weapon as they receive it seems too big

People are dying and they need to do something now.

"there must be another way to destroy it," Lancelot suggests, though they've been over this. His eyes stray to Merlin, but Merlin seems caught up in thought.

If there was an easier way to do this, Merlin and Gaius would have come up with it by now. asking the god had been their idea in the first place.

"What if there isn't?" Gwaine argues heatedly. "We can't have waisted six days for nothing. This is probably our last chance."

"so what do you suggest?" Lancelot interrupts somewhat irritated. They temperaments are heated at this point. And suddenly knowing each other’s worst deeds doesn’t exactly lighten the mood. "All of us failed the test. i wouldn't have thought that I'd ever be angry about being found too good and noble."

Gwaine shrugs with a grimace. He hadn't thought that he'd ever be deemed good and noble in the first place.

"maybe there's a way out of that," Arthur says. He hasn’t spoken in a while and all heads turn towards him.

"what do you mean, Sire?" Leon asks, looking uneasy as if he already knows and doesn't like it.

"If you're not noble enough, you proof your nobility by doing good deeds," Arthur starts matter of fact. "so, logically, if I'm not wicked enough, i prove my wickedness by doing an evil deed."

The god smiles a toothy smile.

"To murder just anyone obviously isn't evil enough" Arthur says, looking at the god with disgust. "so it must be somthing worse. murdering a friend, for example."

"My king, with all due respect, this is madness," Leon say carefully.

"sir Leon, that's the point." Arthur says sourly.

"is that really it?" Gwaine shouts at the god who watches his outburst unimpressed. "You want us to slaughter each other?"

the god laughs, distant and hollow and the earth seems to vibrate with it. "The weapon can only be taken by those of power who are wicked and cunning enough to wield it." the god repeats his earlier words.

"So there's not even a guarantee," Gwaine says, throwing up his arms. "Arthur, let's just leave and see if we can find something else."

"there is nothing else, Gwaine, you said so yourself!" Arthur returns. His expression is incredibly pained but determined in a way that makes them all shudder. Leon, Percival and Lancelot unconsciously get into fighting stance.

Gwaine takes a few steps to put himself between the king and Merlin who is the most vulnerable

Arthur nods to himself, seemingly coming to a decision in his head. Tehn he draws his sword . "If either of you kills me while i try to kill you, that might be enough too" he muses

They all stare at him in horror, unable to believe that he will go through with this.

"My people are dying," Arthur says, his tone pleading, "if i have to sacrifice my good conscience to help them - well, it is a price i must be willing to pay. I'm sorry. But all of you swore to protect Camelot at all costs too."

Arthur halts for am moment then nods grimly. "Don't try to sacrifice yourself. I'm sure that's not what he's looking for" Arthur nods towards the stony god who smiles.

"you can't be serious" Mordred whispers.

"I'm afraid i am. Now, it's been an honour. truely. and i hope - i hope I'll still have your respect afterwards. Though, i can understand if you can't trust me again."

"that's enough."

They all turn around. Partly, because they had forgotten about Merlin who has been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. and partly because they have rarely heard this sort of tone from him. harsh and demanding. a voice more fit for a king than his manservant.

They stare at him and he makes short eye contact with Arthur before he steps forward, in front of the statue that the god is using as a vessel.

"test me." Merlin says. his voice is determined and his shoulders are set.

Arthur let's out a short laugh, because clearly this is absurd, right? Merlin is the best and kindest of all of them. Actually, coming to think of it, if he's really honest, Merlin probably is the reason Arthur is not like his father. Merlin makes him better. Merlin makes him want to be better.

A few of the knights share his sentiments, laughing slightly hysterical with tension but still perplexed over this development.

Only Lancelot steps forward with a frown as if to pull him back, but merlin raises a hand without looking at him and he stops in his tracks.

Arthur who was about to say something stops too.

The god looks more alive than before he seems to stretch himself to his full height as if he has waited for this

"welcome" he starts as he has with all of them. "young warlock, tell me your deeds."

lancelot tenses, casting a worried glance back at the king who stands there, sword still drawn, eyes fixed in Merlin as if he doesn't understand any of this

Lancelot doesn't either. Even if Merlin is a sorcerer - what evil deeds can he possibly have done? Saving Arthur's life over and over without ever seeking credit doesn't have a ring of evil to him.

"I am Merlin, and they call my Emrys." Merlin starts.

Some of the Knights gasp. Emrys is a name they know by now.

Lancelot wonders whether Merlin considers his identity an evil deed in itself. The possibility breaks his heart a bit.

"I was born with magic. I am the most powerful sorcerer there is."

Merlin takes a deep breath.

"i lied to all my friends. I let them think they can trust me, that they know me. But they never will. I could kill them just by looking at them. I am magic and i killed many behind friends backs and before their eyes, but never revealed myself to them"

"I am a slayer of my own people," he continues, his voice hard, "I killed many creatures and men of magic to protect their murderers - the king and his son. I did it out of self-righteousness and out of selfishness because...” for a moment, Merlin halts, but then he continuous with the same hard tone as before, as if something is forced out of him, but he wants to stand for it.

“I loved Arthur more than my own people. i let many of them die even though i could have helped them if i had revealed myself. But i couldn't bear the thought to be separated from him so i stayed quiet and watched them burn."

The god nods Merlin on. They all stand in shock. They know from before that Merlin won't be able to stop telling his deeds before the god thinks he is done.

"I killed the witch Nimueh even though she told me i have to pay with a life to save Arthur's. Instead of giving my life as i promised, i killed her."

"I killed Mary Collins, Afanc, Aulfric, Sophia, Cornelius Sigan, Myror and many more. "

Merlin's voice falters a bit, but he seems to pull himself together visibly, because his voice is clearer again when he keeps speaking.

"My betrayal to my people is so great, my wickedness so deep, i considered to kill a child on the mere possibility that he could threaten what was mine in the future."

Mordred makes a quiet stricken noise.

No one dares take their eyes off Merlin, but Merlin himself turns his head slowly.

There is a gasp of horror when they all see that his eyes are glowing yellow with magic.

Up until now, no one except Mordred and Lancelot had truly believed it.

"I tried to kill Mordred when he was a child and i wish his death even now though he is kind and serves Arthur."

Lancelot looks at Merlin with complete bewilderment as Mordred sobs.

Merlin doesn't answer Lancelot's gaze, he just turns around again.

They can hear him take in another breath and it sounds more halting than before.

"I knew that my friend had magic and i saw her turmoil and her fear of being killed. of being burned by her own kin like all of the others. but instead of helping her, i left her in the dark. I told her to trust me - she trusted my - and then i poisoned her."

Merlin stops for a moment, his voice sounds rough as if speaking becomes quickly more difficult.

"I gave Morgana poison in full intend and watched her as she died and i regretted when she was healed."

"Only i had the power and knowledge to save her, but i turned my head from her suffering, i killed her when she didn't know better than to turn to her sister, it was me that made her what she is today."

There is another short pause. Lancelot is desperate to see Merlin's face. To demand how this all really went. Because though he knows that Merlin is bound to say the truth by the power of the god, he still thinks there must be a mistake or a trick. This is not Merlin. Merlin would never...would he?

"I conspired with and freed the dragon that attacked Camelot which led to the death of many innocent people. I attempted to kill Arthur on multiple occasions."

Lancelot frowns. This one he knows to be untrue. Merlin didn't want to kill Arthur. it was Morgana's doing that he went after him.

"i saved Uther Pendragon's life - more than once. I let him live even though he slaughtered my people. I saved his life even though i didn't have to. I never killed him even though i had many opportunities."

Merlin pauses then, looking up at the god.

"Do i really need to go on?" he asks and it sounds almost indifferent. except they know Merlin and they know how his face looks when he sounds this way.

The god leans their head to one side slowly. the stone his vessel is made of groans.

"You are worthy, young warlock. More than you know. Into your hands i command my sword."

Suddenly, there is noise and light and they cover their eyes, everyone except for Merlin and Mordred.

They can't be sure but they think they can hear Merlin's voice through it all, speaking a foreign tongue. Then, it's over.

When the air clears, Merlin stands alone, the stone vessel of the god has crumbled to pieces, a big sword in his hand. For just a moment, when he turns around to face them, he looks nothing like Merlin at all. His eyes are golden, and his face is grim, lips pressed into a thin line. His posture is straight and majestic and he holds the sword like a warrior. His appearance strikes them with fear. He looks like power incarnate.

The others notice from the corners of their eyes that Mordred kneels before him. and even as they are completely bewildered, they have an urge to do the same.

The next moment though, it's all gone, and Merlin looks like he's never handled a sword before. His eyes are blue and his cheeks messy with dust and tears. He sinks to his knees and the weapon falls from his hands - is pushed from his fingers as if through magic, landing on the ground with a strange sound.

Merlin looks after the sword with disgust clear on his face. Then he looks up and suddenly he looks afraid.

To be continued

#merthur #magic reveal #merlin fanfic #merlin x arthur #merlin

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viktor-noctis · 3 years

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Harvest Moon

Anakin Skywalker wanted to kill everyone in the room. And then himself.

Even if they didn’t know who he was, because the chance they might find out was too terrifying to consider.

But they hadn’t. He knew they hadn’t. Because if they had, they would all have died of laughter before he could slice them into little pieces with his lightsaber. Which he didn’t have.

This night just keeps getting better and better.

He had completed well over two-hundred missions since he joined the Jedi Order, from escorting diplomats, brokering peace between nations, and fighting on battlefields the galaxy over. He had traversed forests full of dangerous, man-eating flora, ice cloaked mountains with beasts that could rip one apart in seconds, and even desserts. Full of sand. Which he believed was far eviler than the worms waiting beneath the surface of the dunes, ready to swallow one whole, or any of the previous threats combined. He would take any of them, all of them, even a dustbowl, over his current assignment.

On paper, it looked standard: use secured invitation to get inside of a party of ambassadors, senators, and potential members of the Separatists. Easy. Sneak past heavily armored centurion guards wielding plasma canons and ion missiles that may or may not have heat seeker technology embedded in them. Interesting, without a weapon, but not impossible. Find information regarding the movements of enemy shipments, containing stolen kyber crystals, and potential hostages of their side. Somewhat difficult… If one didn’t possess an encrypted pass code, capable of rapid copying the necessary data in record time. All-in-all, the usual kind of Jedi mission that included a bit of espionage on the side.

Except the teeny, tiny, minute detail of the invitation being formatted for a Lady Skylar Erie.

A woman from a small, noble house on Naboo. She was twenty-two years old, six feet tall exactly, and didn’t speak due to a childhood incident. Her hair was a light brown with touches of golden blond, possessing eyes the color of dark turquoise gems, and skin bronzed by the sun. Lady Skyler had full, dark lips, now shaded to a deep crimson, and high cheekbones. Her shoulders were broad, her legs long, and –

“Luckily,” the stylist had smiled at him in the mirror, “handsome young men make beautiful women.” Obi-Wan didn’t look like he agreed with that statement. His arms were crossed, eyes wide beneath his furrowed brow, and lips pursed within his beard… which he was stroking. Which meant he was looking for something comforting to say. Anakin was almost curious what sort of backwards, reorganized Yoda-phrase he would use, no doubt intended to distract him from that fact that he made a passable woman in a pinch. His former master opened and closed his mouth several times, forming nothing, and eventually just let a burst of air out behind his sealed lips. Which was probably the wisest thing he could have done.

The dress was another monstrous affair. The fact that Padma had been the one to gift the pattern to the tailor made him want to jump off the nearest bridge. Because that meant it was from Naboo, which was notorious for having so many hard to navigate layers, it was like trying to solve a puzzle maze. He’d overheat and die. Either that, or it would be a flowing slip of silk that would immediately give away the fact he was a man, and he could already see the billboard tagline all over the tabloid side of the holonet.

A form fitted, off the shoulder, obsidian gown arrived. There was a deep cerulean, satin sash that wrapped around the top, no doubt to hide his lack of cleavage, and draped down to curl over the low arches of his hips, falling down his buttocks like a tail. The entire thing was accented with ivory stones across the top, coiling in abstract patterns down his ribs, growing smaller till they faded at his thighs. Made from the finest silks, the whole thing had been custom fitted for him a week before.

“It’s a shame you want to destroy it.” Obi-Wan’s voice held six feet worth of lamentation that Anakin was ready to bury him in. “It’s rather beautiful.” One look from Anakin had shut him up for the entire evening. He had his word that when they made it back to the Temple, he was allowed to slice it to pieces with his saber until it was nothing but a smoldering, crumpled ruin of unidentifiable cloth and cracked stones. He was also not to take a single holo of him in it, no matter how much Senator Amidala plead or bargained.

However, he had quickly realized that the most dangerous part of his mission didn’t entail trying not to fall flat on his face while wearing three inch heels (how Padme managed the ‘dagger stilettoes’ that were over five he would never know, but he was going to bow down on his knees the next time he saw her), nor glaring at the men who gave his backside leering glances (he just about managed not to Force push that last one’s face straight into the buffet table), or even punching the last piece of kriffing, snorg-birthed, moose-goose snot brained –

I hate this, I hate this, I hatethis, IhatethisIhatethisIhatethis –

He almost tore his dress. Again.

No, the most dangerous part of his mission was none of the above. It was navigating the toxic snake pit filled with people he knew almost nothing about. Oh, some of them he had seen, certainly: thieves, murderers, drug dealers, and slave traders. They were up to their ears in nothing but filth and injustice, the lowest of the low, scum that he had to smile and play nice with like a mute, pretty girl with only three brain cells to her name would.

Anakin’s face hadn’t stopped burning the whole evening. He only prayed his embarrassment couldn’t melt away the layers of foundation and contour applied to his features. She’d even combed and fixed his hair, plating the strands into a short braid with ribbon that matched his dress, and flowers that curled into the elaborate cuffs around his ears. He hated the jewelry almost as much as the gown… the dainty chains in his lobes had snow drops on the ends, bearing sapphires so deep they appeared onyx. The choker around his neck was emblazoned with them as well, with diamonds that offset the ones on the dress.

He had to wear gloves. To cover up his mechanical arm, as if it were something to be ashamed of. Anakin managed to contain a growl, keeping his fan close to the lower portion of his face. He didn’t dare lower it, least someone find his jaw too strong, his neck too thick.

How can anyone believe this? Maybe everyone around him thought it was just as ludicrous, just as impossible that Anakin Skywalker liked to spend his Tuesday evenings dressed as a woman, strutting around some of the worst moss-pit vipers in the galaxy. He swallowed what remained of his pride.

Get the information. Get out. You’ve done this a thousand times before. Never like this he hadn’t.

He had the advantage of his height at least, his gaze straying over the facades in attendance, knowing his mark would favor a more private location. The mask they had given him was just insult to injury… It covered everything above his cheekbones, wrapping over the bridge of his nose. Carved from delicate ivory, with swirls and coils painted on in black at the top, fading to midnight blue around his eyes, and then a rich silver at the edges. The top of the brow split in a mane of feathers, mimicking the shades already present. According to Obi-Wan, it was meant to represent a delicate, blue bird found on a planet covered mostly in water in the furthermost reaches.

Anakin almost felt relieved when he saw his target in the throng of dignitaries. His mask wasn’t strapped on like his own was, dangling from his right hand, while his left arm remained occupied by a Togruta girl with red skin and yellow horns. He really did not need to be thinking of Ahsoka right now. What would she say if she could see him? She’d never stop talking about it. She’d probably sneak a holo or two just to save for future blackmailing purposes, because what sane Padawan would pass up the opportunity to have a picture of their Master all dressed up for the ball?

The man in question, with more gold than white or black in his mouth, was one Fren Pollock. After obtaining a hard-won pardon from the Republic – something that made Anakin’s teeth grind – he had somehow acquired a governorship on a small lunar colony. Drugs, munitions, and people, nothing was beneath him. Anakin found himself reveling in the notion of bringing him down, of dismantling his little empire into the dust, and taking all of his accomplices with him.

“Woah there, blondie.” A bodyguard. One of four. No armor, no weapons, as was the standard, per the request of the hosts.

[ I’m really terrible at writing scum bags, but Fren allows Anakin closer, only to drug him. Someone intervenes, of course, but after unmasking Anakin things go from bad to worse. Also, Dooku wears a Loth-wolf mask. - ]

“I believe the young Lady has had enough.” Anakin’s stomach dropped. He couldn’t breathe. His next whimper was stifled against a hard chest. Hands, warm and solid, one on his wrist, and the other on his back. Protective, almost tender, they held him steady against the taller man.

The chuckle that emanated from the Count tightened around his chest. The air left him, slipping free in a low, hoarse whimper. Dooku just laughed harder. Anakin didn’t dare raise his head to see the slice of his grin through his cheeks.

“My, my, this evening is just full of surprises.” Dooku’s sneer rippled through his already weak knees. They shuddered beneath him, leaving him to sway dangerously. “I didn’t expect to find you here, Skywalker, but considering this turn of events, I’m rather glad I did.” Red and blue. Anakin’s teeth clenched, jaw ringing with the pain, straight into his temples. He should jerk forward, smash his head into Dooku’s nose. Crimson and azure. Their sabers should clash, they always had, easy and familiar. Darkness and light, trading breath and edge, till one consumed the other. Mars and Venus. Planetoids too far to know, yet the tales of them were wreathed in the fantastical. The coin flipped, came down in a shower of sparks that were the shades of stars.

Dooku tasted like something bitter and yet sweet. It reminded Anakin of the grapes Padme had given him while they were visiting Alderaan, off a vine five years old. She said they were native to the planet, that they would keep the same fruits without dropping them for hundreds of years, but when they were plucked clean… they died. Those same plants were the reason the planet was known for its wine. She had challenged him to taste as many as he could, all the way up to the first century. They made his nose wrinkle, his vision darkening as his eyes squinted, then misted with tears he blinked away. He didn’t even get to twenty.

He still had the gift… the one Bail Organa had given him. He had winked at him, saying something about how even Jedi needed to have fun every once in a while. The crystal, ruby embossed bottle was hidden somewhere under his bunk, protected by his worn, old Padawan robes. He still didn’t know how a beverage made from fruit as old as Yoda was supposed to be a good.

“What are you doing?!” His head throbbed. His parted lips trembled, prickling with something he couldn’t name. Anakin’s cheeks were still burning, but a new heat had been added from the friction of the Count’s beard. Dooku’s hand gripped his bicep, the muscle throbbing beneath his hard palm. Anakin could feel the bruises forming, the pulse of blood beneath the surface. He’d torn away, smashing him into the wall, and he had… he had kissed Count Dooku, a known Sith Lord, and leader of the Separatist Systems Alliance. A tremble lanced through him, clinging to his muscles, till he felt as if he were going to shake straight out of his skin.

Anakin’s head twisted, turning away from Dooku, but his body wouldn’t follow as easily. His tongue clung to the roof of his mouth, thick with the ichor of whatever had been in his drink. He swallowed it back, trying to free himself of the Count’s hand with a sluggish, surly throw of his shoulder. He stumbled instead, pivoting dangerously close to the wall, but durasteel bands took hold of his waist. His body jerked, a whimper exiting his lungs as they compressed. The darkness crept into his vision, stifling him in the heat and musk of whoever held him.

“What have you done?” Far away, harsh and whispered. The syllables grated against his scorching ears. His throat ached with the sound that left him, high-pitched and terrible. His mouth contacted something solid and warm and smooth. He couldn’t help but rub his face into the warmth of that broad shoulder. Whoever held him smelled like heat and spice.

Padme and Obi-Wan sat across from him, laughing as his face twisted. He had grown up a poor boy on Tatooine, you didn’t just waste food, no matter how much you didn’t like it. Which meant swallowing down whatever you were given, which meant he was willing to try anything once. Even the boiled bark of a strange planet. It was not the taste, but the brittle texture on his tongue. Citrus and tang, almost metallic in its bite, sliding down his throat with the same viscosity of honey, and the viciousness of alcohol.

That was the smell that surrounded him now, sharp and distinct. There was something overtop, layered on to smooth the undercurrent of that wild, intoxicating aroma. Anakin almost thought it was… roses. Yes, roses. Extravagant and sweet, enough to hide the Loth-wolf’s true scent.

[ Dooku makes a strategic retreat, taking Anakin with him back to his room… Mistake. The drug is in him now, and inhibition is taking a nosedive straight into hell. He puts Anakin in his room, where he struggles out of the dress, tearing off the jewelry, and rubs at his face. The Count returns after a thunderous crash, effectively shattering every bottle in his private bar. Not good… He returns to the room, submerged in darkness, standing at the end of the bed… ]

Anakin trembled beneath his own pride.

The moonlight splayed over his shoulders, weaving through his white hair, curving over the hard edges of the right side of his face. His eyes, cheeks, lips, chin, his entire face lost to the shadows. Anakin could see nothing of him, but he could imagine the furrow of his brow, the pull of his mouth into that familiar sneer. Or would his cheeks ripple with a snarl? He almost wished he could see him, the revulsion of his features, the cruel amusement preferable to the void that stared back at him.

He could feel something though, intangible as the Force, but as palpable as its presence. Dooku’s gaze. Those hard, dark orbs, piercing his bunched shoulders, his heaving chest, the tremble of his stomach.

He lost.

“Please…”

[ And this is as far as I got because I’m terrible. I’m not tagging this much either, because its a WIP. ]

#WIP

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thebibliomancer · 3 years

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Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics pt 17 THE END

Endgame lets gooooooooooooooo

Mission: Call of the Glaive - Stonewood Ruins

"The heroes search for the second half of the Dual Glaive. It has been hidden somewhere in Stone-in-the-Wood."

Good god. Lvl 40. My party ranges from 38 to 34. Do I have to level grind some more more more?

Well, lets find out.

I don't remember the forest around Stone-in-the-Wood having so many misty chasms. Damn, global darkening.

SO I see a lot of Darkened beasts. I see a glowy exit square next to the the Crucible. Hmmmmm I wonder WHERE the 1/2 Dual Glaive could possibly be hidden.

Okay so the party this time has to be Rian, Brea, Deet, and Gurjin. If only I could have a few more to get the rest of the mains in here. But this is endgame time and its time for Rian to get the Good Sword.

Rian: "Stone-in-the-Wood. Since its fall, the place has been overrun with darkened creatures."

I mean, that makes a lot of sense, actually. I'd like some more emotion about it, though. This was your home, Rian.

Deet: "We need to find the Dual Glaive. It's here... somewhere."

Rian: "There, the forge! After a battle, the Stonewood place all their weapons in the forge. The Dual Glaive has to be there."

Holy crap I've never seen Nurlocs get the first turn what the heck.

But all I have to do is get to the glowy square. Preferably with Rian, for plot reasons.

There's two paths around from where you start. One side path. One low path thats only one square wide and blocked by a boulder. Some of the enemies are going down that path anyway so I'm just going to be shooting Firemoss Bundles at them like fish in a barrel.

After three bundles, they ded.

Also Gurjin is being my front line on the other path and I finally got to use Rian's Even the Odds! Between Pursuit, Hold Position, Retribution and best friends like Rian, Gurjin is amazing at standing in one place and absorbing damage!

Anyway I killed all of the enemies. I wonder if more will spawn in or what.

welp. None spawn ins. Just me moving my units closer to the glowy square turn by turn.

That was a design decision that was made.

Rian: "This is it, the Dual Glaive!"

Deet: "Something is happening. Look at the Forge! The flames... They're turning blue!"

VICTORY!

Arrrre we going to do the fire skype thing? I already united all of the clans.

LEVELS UP! Rian leveled and learned Aim for the Gaps (100% critical chance on a marked enemy)! Brea leveled and learned Convalesce 2! Deet leveled twice and learned nothing. Gurjin leveled and learned Heroic Leap!

Brea maxed out on Mendering. But since we're in the endgame and I like her loadout, I'll leave her where she is.

I got the Glaive of a Fallen Hero! Wooooooooooo! Weird that its not just called Dual Glaive but I don't mind this name either.

Glaive of a Fallen Hero is the Sword of the Stonewood Clan. Gots some good attack and critical chance. This is going right on Rian, for plot reasons.

---

Yeah. We're doing the Fire Skype.

Rian: "Gelfling, the Skeksis have deceived you; turned clan against clan."

I FEEL like we've gone over this pretty thoroughly in the various clan specific mission chains!

I guess giving the clans a place to rally around is a good reason to still do the Fire Skype. I'm just a bit perplexed at what gets brought over from the show 1 to 1 and what gets added.

The Emperor: "Enough! Your rebellion will end in ruin!"

Rian: "Bring your weapons. Bring your Skeksis, and meet your destiny!"

'Come on if you're hard enough'

Huh! Two more missions opened up. One at the castle and another one at the Stonewood Ruins. I feeeel like the one at the castle happens first, most likely? It says requires Seladon and Tavra, people I don't have in my party. Buuuuut might as well see if I can do it?

---

Mission: Broken Bargains - Castle Hallways

"Seladon and Tavra must now escape the Castle of the Crystal after freeing the Stonewood Gelfling."

Sweet, its Seladon and Spider-Tavra! I finally get that closure I've been wanting!

Party: Brea, obviously. This is the big sisters moment! Naia, because I've been reading Shadows of the Dark Crystal and she and Tavra have a funny dynamic. And Rek'yr. How is he here? Brea called in a favor? Look, we can't question the location of people in this game. It started in the flashback zone and had people wildly out of time!

Okay so we have a bunch of Darkened beasties and a couple of Nurloc experiments which are even beefier. We have a locked door and a lever to open it. We have the General.

Time to kick his ass again.

Spider-Tavra: "We had a deal. You were supposed to let us go free!"

The General: 'I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it further.'

Where's SkekLach, tho?

The General: "And what's this, Arathim working with Gelfling?"

Spider-Tavra: "Our deal has changed as well."

The Arathim Ascendency: "If you need help, use the etchings. Arathim will come to your aid."

YO WHAT?? I get to summon spiders??

Amazing. This game never stops giving.

Also, we're in the crystal chamber, I think? There's the symbol on the floor. No crystal though.

Okay, the mission objective is to get Seladon and Tavra both to the glowy exit square. Hypothetically feasible.

There's three glowy runes which increase evasion and apparently summon spiders. Lets gooo.

Seladon has Even the Odds, Firemoss, Landslide 2, Shockwave, and Flow of Battle.

Spider-Tavra still has Double Strike, Shove, Adrenaline, Retribution, and Spot Weakness.

HAH SUMMONED SOME SPIDERS ON THE GENERAL

Also, I've almost taken out all of his darkened minions although its taken its toll. Damn Thrash. Damn Wound status.

The spiders are allied but they're not controlled by me. So its fine for them to just do their own thing. I need to heal. Everyone.

Well, poor Rek'yr gave his life but I successfully surrounded SkekVar and slowly beat him to death. And that took me right to the in-engine cutscene which is probably what should have happened in the last level.

Brea: "What are you doing, Tavra? I won't leave without you."

The General: "No, stop! I beg of you!"

Spider-Tavra: "This is for the Arathim, for the All-Maudra!"

-Chamberlain comes out of basically nowhere and kills Tavra, threader spawns onto the field and runs off-

In-engine cutscenes are amazing.

Chamberlain: "Leave friend alone!"

Brea: "Tavra! Sister, no!"

-upbeat victory music-

But I already made fun of that when Ordon died so.

Brea leveled. Naia leveled twice! Rek'yr did not!

I got Heartseeker (the dagger of the Stonewood clan)! I got the General's Cuirass! Stealing clothes from knocked out Skeksis never gets old.

The Cuirass is going right on Gurjin. Its going to slow him down even further but it gives him a matched set of Skeksis gear. The General's Hand Axe and the General's Cuirass.

"Heavy metal plates seated on tough leather and trimmed with fur... How inelegant!" -skekEkt

---

Two more levels, I reckon. Just the final battle left, in two parts.

Mission: Seven Clans United - Stonewood Ruins

"With the clans united, the heroes stand against the Skeksis. The General approaches to challenge them."

Yeah, sure. I don't mind kicking his butt again. He's got more clothes I can steal, probably.

Geez, this is an excessively cozy map. Its not very big and one of the starting squares is right up in the General's face.

He's got two hollerbats called General's Pet which grant him buffs. Gotta kill those guys.

Party: Rian, Brea, Deet, Gurjin, Rek'yr.

The main squad, plus Rek'yr. I need someone to be applying marks for the other people to hit.

Rian: "The reign of the Skeksis is over. All Gelfling rise against you!"

General: "Fools! You will all die, here and now! If it's a fight you want, I'll give you one! Haaaa! Let's have some fun!"

AHHH HE GOES FIRST! AAAAAH HES RIGHT IN RANGE OF BREA! HE SILENCED HER!

This map is too small...

Killed his pets tho.

General: "This fight isn't over yet! I'm just getting started!"

Geez, if he stuns someone on his next turn he can do Killing Blow which does a ludicrous amount of damage. Very ludicrous. RIP Rek'yr.

HE SUMMONED MORE BATS

uncool

I killed his bats. HE SUMMONED MORE BATS. I think maybe its not worth killing the bats...

Also he stuns people for like three turns. I think I'm gonna have to spend some of my money on stun-proof trinkets.

Whats also uncool is that the summon more bats thing the first time? Erased Rek'yr's body from the map. I had Awaken on Brea. I could have brought him back. Boo. Boo on this game mechanic.

Ok this battle is going downhill.

The General has 4000 HPees which is a lot. And he can lock people down with stun for a while. So I'm going to have to spend some cash. I might even have to.... level =(

Yup everyone died.

Lets try that again.

So soiled Podling socks all around. The best way to prevent stun, donchaknow.

And lets spend some more money.

Upgrading Deet and Brea to Ceremonial Vestments. Upgrading Rian to Paladin's Full Plate. Upgrading Rek'yr to Etched Lorica and giving him the Heartseeker.

Gurjin didn't do a lot of damage so I'm guessing that the General is resistant to axes? Is that a thing in this game? But I'll hit him with Naia instead. And I kind of want to use Kylan who can mark and heal but I don't know who I'd replace. Hm. Maybe next time.

TAKE 2

Party: Rian, Deet, Brea, Naia, Rek'yr!

Hm. I forgot that the Intimidate move also lowers attack. My guys are hitting for shit with these debuffs. Maybe I should bring a party member who can remove debuffs. Well, live and learn. And attempt to chip away at his health bar anyway.

So its not very entertaining but I'm just slowly ganging up on him and slowly beating the crap out of him. Annoyingly his bat can heal him. And I can't kill it or he'll summon more bat.

Chipping away chipping away I guess I got it low~

Because: dialogue.

Rian: "You are bested, General. It's over."

General: "Well, what are you waiting for? Finish me!"

Rian: "No, I am no killer! Begone!"

I still don't know how the hell Rian thought this would shake out favorably.

How did he see the war ending in his head? The Skeksis would just agree to stop drinking Gelfling? Would they vacate the castle and let Aughra take over the crystal again? As long as he never tried to kill any of them in a war situation?

Or is it just he won’t kill an unarmed opponent?

I dunno.

And my party just. Runs off screen. So Chamberlain can run on-screen. And kill SkekVar. Despite their rivalry not really being established. In the game plot.

Chamberlain: "Emperor will listen to ME now."

Then again, fair enough. This is in character for him.

VICTORY.

Rian leveled twice and learned Shockwave (stun enemies in a line)! Rek'yr leveled twice! Naia leveled and learned Aimed Strike 2! Deet leveled and learned Awaken 2! Brea leveled and didn't learn anything because she's max on her job.

Naia maxed out on Soldier! Don't want to start her on a new job on the last level so I'm going to flip her back to Paladin for the good, good stats.

I found the General's War Flag! Starts battle with five turns of Attack Up, Haste, and Beserk! Uh. Not sure how that's helpful. I like deciding what my guy is going to do. Stupid Var and his stupid flag.

---

Mission: Seven Clans United: Part 2 - Stonewood Ruins

"The Hunter has returned once more, to the surprise of the hereos. But help comes from an unexpected place."

... How are they going to represent Aughra exploding out of him though?

I think I want to bring Kylan. Didn't the Hunter kill his parents? So I'm going to upgrade him to Ceremonial Vestments.

And I'm buying Armalig Scales for everyone since I think Wounding was the Hunter's thing and I don't want to deal with that biz.

Geez, this dongus starts the level on a big hill ready to jump down and squish people. The rudeity of people.

Party: Rian, he's the hero guy. Kylan, he's here for the revenge. Rek'yr, he's here to say goodbye to an old friend. Brea, she's mad that he kidnapped her between levels or something, I'm not sure when it happened. Gurjin, he's here to be a supportive best friend. And plus, offer hugs.

Rian: "The Hunter! But... how?"

The Hunter: "Quiet, puny Gelfling! I have conquered death! I am more powerful than ever... more powerful than Thra itself!"

Oh, this hubris is going to end really well for him.

Ok. So this dingus has 4000 HPees. He's got Carve which hurts and inflicts Wound. He's got Carve 2 which hurts and inflicts Wound and shoves. He's got Stab, which stabs. He's got Cleave. We know that one. Gotta keep my guys not adjacent. He's got Pelt. I think that means he's gonna throw stuff. And he's got Target Wound. Which I just bet does massive damage. But joke's on him. He's got Savage Counter which means he 100% of the time counters. And he's got Surefooted which means he's a hoppy boy.

-one turn later where he hits Gurjin not very hard, gets critted by Rek'yr and counters-

Brea: "He's too strong!"

Mmmm. I could take him.

Rian: "We have to try! We must keep fighting!"

urVa, the Archer, somewhere: "No more. The hunt must end."

The Hunter, back in the Stonewood Ruins, somehow hearing that: "No! Nothing can stop the hunt!"

-I beat the shit out of the Hunter some more-

-flash over to the Archer taking one step-

Hunter: "Archer! What are you doing!"

These interludes are killing the pacing. Just to say. Maybe they should have been saved for the end. Or something.

-more violence-

Archer: "Now, we shall see what lies at the dream's end." -another baby step-

Hunter: "No, stop!"

Archer: -jumps-

This isn't conveyed well in in-game cutscene, I have to say.

Then the Hunter dies.

VICTORY.

Uh. That was. Something. I think that's a time where the plot butted too much into the gameplay. I only got him down to half life before he died and it didn't take much time at all. Ah well.

Gurjin levels twice! Rek'yr leveled and learned Opening Act 2! Since I still don't get how Opening Act 1 works, I'm probably never going to use this! Kylan leveled three times and learned Grand Concert and Motivating Chord 2! Wow! Brea levels! Rian levels and learns Unfailing Blow 2!

I also find the Hunter's Helmet in the gross ash pile that used to be him!

"A trophy from some avian beast? Or the skull of another Skeksis...?"

It gives you reduced recovery time, increased crit chance but reduced magic and normal defense. Dammit, Mal!

Kylan did get the last blow in the fight. That's something.

---

Anyway, I was wrong. There's at least one more mission.

Mission: Seven Clans United: Part 3 - Stonewood Ruins

"The heroes have bested the Skeksis' mightiest warriors. Only one challenge remains: The Emperor"

oof, I bet this is going to be hard.

Ooooof this is going to go badly. Three Skeksis. The Scientist, the Emperor, the Chamberlain... WAIT THE SCIENTIST WASN'T ALLOWED TO COME BECAUSE HE WAS TOO BIG A NERD! Dammit, game!

Anyway, the Emperor has Darkening Decay - attack and inflict random status effects. Focus Darkness - mark random tiles for the next move. Unleash Darkness - deal damage to anyone on a Darkened tile.

The Scientist and the Chamberlain have their usual abilities. So I think I should have kept the anti-poison gear and anti-stun gear on my guys.

Ah well. At least the non-Emperors only have 2000 HP.

Party: Rian, Brea, Deet, Naia, Rek'yr.

The Chamberlain: "Emperor, Skeksis should retreat. There are too many!"

Emperawr: "I will not lose, no matter the cost! Gelfling, you now face the true power of the Darkening!"

Oof that focus darkness does some damage. But hah, the Scientist only has 1500hp. He really is the nerd of the group.

Oops. Rian died. He was on a darkened tile and he didn't get a turn in time to move. Thank goondess I put Guardian's Blessing on him and he got to revive instantly.

Ok Rian died again, for real.

I just noticed that the Unleash Darkness hurts the non-Emperor Skeksis too if they're standing in it. Hahah

Between getting bombed a few time by his own boss, the Scientist was low enough health for Rek'yr to wander over and bop him.

One down.

Chamberlain is at low health but he's hiding in a corner casting stun and confuse on anyone that tries to bop him in the head. Which I'd very much like to do.

Crap, Brea and Rek'yr died in the same focus/unleash darkness.

Crap, Deet died.

Crap, Naia died.

Crap, Rian died.

The Emperor can just whip out the Focus Darkness too fast and it deals too much damage. And I think I needed to focus more on knocking Chamberlain senseless before he can split my party too much.

So anti-stun for everyone.

Or, actually, I'm going to try the Glowmoss Poultice which gives everyone ten turns of HP regen.

And even though Rian was there, I think I'm swapping out Gurjin. Having another person available that's immune to poison and can kick some serious butt. Well... Strategist hasn't really paid out much yet.

Okay on take 2, Scientist is down. Halfway through kicking Chamberlain's ass. Focus Darkness is getting really alarming.

Oops, Deet died. Haha Chamberlain died.

Now I just have the Emperawr and his full health.

I've got him down to half health but he killed AND THEN STEPPED ON Rek'yr.

Deet died in some darkening explosion but I got Brea to raise her. Just got to keep her alive now. Because plot. I mean, its not a level requirement. I just want to.

God, I'm glad I put so much Stone Warden into Gurjin. He's damn beefy.

Now he's down to less than a thousand.

AND HE TOOK TWO TURNS IN A ROW.

This man is corrupt to his core.

I have him under 100 hp and he uses focus darkness. And its covering a pretty generous area so I don't know if I can move everyone out of the way. Especially because he gets to go before half of my party.

But I have Brea up and she has a pocket full of fire moss with this guy's name on it.

It says SkekSo.

-blam, plop-

Emperor: "Impossible... I cannot be defeated."

Chamberlain: "Retreat! To the castle!"

Deet: "They're running away!"

VICTORY!

Never before has the fanfare been so sweet.

Naia leveled twice! Reky're leveled! Gurjin leveled THREE TIMES and learned Double Strike 2! Brea leveled twice! Deet leveled twice and learned Healing Touch 2!

Also I found some Crystal Fragment! Weird that random crystals just fell out of this boss birdlizarddragon as I was hitting him.

It lets you steal MP when you attack. Pretty cool.

---

Oh a cutscene.

Its the lost crystal shard, maybe.

Oh and Deet wanders off into the wilderness, all Darkened. Despite that not being very well established in the game.

Is sad.

But she wanders back to pose in a group shot.

Yup. The main characters. Aughra, Rian, Brea, and Deet.

When will Gurjin get respect?

Oh and Aughra tells me that there are more missions or I can do a new game plus which is harder.

I don't see any new missions on the map. Just some encounters to test my mettle.

And I'm not going to do the new game + just now. Not when I'm still riding high on winning while slightly under leveled.

---

But that was the game!

I loved the gameplay when it wasn't frustrating me. The moves are mostly all cool. I wish you could use more of them than three from primary job and two from secondary but you can still get a cool load out. The environments and characters look great.

Its the storytelling that lets it down, a little. Its trying to be a supplement to the show and that really hampers it at various points. The weird setup where we start in the flashback zone. Plot beats from the show being introduced because they're in the show but weren't properly set up in the game.

It either needed a bit more rewriting to tell the story of the show in a satisfying way or it needed to use the show as a jumping off point while it did its own thing.

The stuff that they invented to fill the gaps work pretty decently. The writing isn't particularly deep but its decent enough. The forbidden archeology quest with the Sifa. Discovering the fate of the guards. That stuff.

And this is hindsight, of course, but with the show being cancelled, there's so much ground left uncovered! If they were more willing to diverge from the show, they could have done some battles set afterwards and used the Garthim. I'm pretty curious how they would have been represented!

I also wish we could have gotten one or two more Skeksis. Chamberlain, Hunter, General, Scientist, and Emperor is decent but you know what could have been decenter? The Collector.

But overall. A good time was had by all, wherein all was me.

#dark crystal #the dark crystal #dark crystal age of resistance #dark crystal age of resistance tactics #THE GAME #liveblog #THE END #i beat up every skeksis basically in a row #plot stubbornly happens #i stubbornly refuse to level grind

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tsuncoon · 5 years

Text

Can a Skeksis cry pt 2

I went off the rails and wrote way too fucking much ahah enjoy

SkekGra kept running , the further he got the more it pained him to be apart from urGoh. It felt like an elastic band was stretching thin, pulling him back to his other, his better half.

He just needed to get away from the whispers and the looks. His breathing rasped, it was like he was swimming against the tides. He could not remember the last time he had been so far from Urgoh, probably while he was still the Conqueror.

If the Conqueror could see what he had become, it was funny to think just how strongly he would oppose the path taken, how he would likely stop ar nothing to ensure this future would not be his. Yet here he was. Suffering the fate the other Skeksis refuse to endure.

He let out a loud and frustrated wail as he tugged on his fluffy mane, he hoped Thra was proud of itself for giving him the vision and making him suffer so, it was a just punishment for his crimes.

SkekGra’s fur bristled as he heard a twig snap near by, over the years he had let his senses dull while he was isolated with only himself. He hadn’t realized by smell or sound that anyone else was in the immediate area.

“Hmmmm old friend? Is that you?”

SkekGra recognized the curious humming

“Chamberlain” he breathed in surprise, the last time he saw another Skeksis he ended up with a knife through his hand. He was not sure if the Chamberlain came as a friend or foe. SkekGra certain did not want to fight another Skeksis, but if he must then he would without hesitation.

“Call Skeksil, we were once friends yes?”

SkekGra was once loyal to all of his kind, there was a strong sense of skeksishood, an unspoken bond tethered together by loyalty and a desire to not be alone, he could feel that bond even now. He recognized that no one could understand him the way another Skeksis could, not even UrGoh as much as he tried, they were opposites while he and the Skeksis were the same.

He felt great longing as he recalled his time in the castle, but those fleeting happy moments in the days of early Skeksis rule would always be soured by his fall to Heretic.

Distinctly he remembered the Chamberlain murmuring into the ears of their companions, and their emporor. These mutterings made expressions towards SkekGra grew colder and more suspicious By the day. He wondered what lies SkekSil had told them to make them distrust him so, or maybe he did not need to lie at all.

“No, I don’t think you were ever my friend" SkekGra admitted somberly, it saddened him to say it out loud, he was a fool to have thought otherwise back then.

The Chamberlain hummed “Could be friends now, I could help Heretic earn place black in palace. Be Conqueror again, in need of your talents times of war" Chamberlains hands were at his sides, very calm and open.

“No" he declined without an ounce of hesitation “I would never--"

“Conqueror once would never betray own kind” SkekSil interrupted “your loyalty is wavering! Cannot be trusted by Gelfling”

SkekGra’s expression must have revealed just how much that hurt him, since the Chamberlain smiled and continued on that line of discussion. “how long hmmm till selfish heretic betray gelfling for own desires like betrayed Skeksis?” his words were full of judgment and malice.

“Maybe you’re right…” SkekGra said quietly “I am a Skeksis after all.”

The agreement made the Chamberlin confused, he hadn’t expected the other to agree with him so easily.

He walked closer to SkekSil “If anyone stands in my way, be it a Skeksis or a gelfling, I will run them through with my talons" he was looming over him, standing close. His eyes dared SkekSil to pull that blade he had hidden on him.

SkekSil watched the fiery anger in the Heretics eyes, recognizing them as the Conquerors. He could see now that while his name changed his intensity still burned as strong as ever, unfortunately that fire which was once used as a weapon for the Skeksis empire now threatened to burn down the Skeksis throne.

“You are fool!” SkekSil hissed “When Urskek whole Urskek will try to purify self again! SkekGra wont come back as Skeksis, Urskek will destroy SkekGra to become a pure self!”

“I will not make that mistake again” SkekGra stated confidently, he and Urgoh made that mistake once, he was certain they would not repeat it.

“Heretic may think so, but Urskek cannot go home with Skeksis half, too impure!” SkekSil had a point and SkekGra knew it, even when combined they would still be stuck here, forever outcastes from their kind because of him…

“I would rather spend the rest of my days together as one than separated and alone"

SkekSil pressed his beak together into a hard angry line. An annoyed groaning echoed from his throat.

“aahh" Skekgra hissed, grabbing his wrist to see dull teeth marks appearing on the back of his hand.

“Urgoh..” he looked to the Chamberlin suspiciously, if he was here.. that means the Grathim…

SkekGra glared towards Chamberlain, he should kill the other… he hated the Skeksis almost as much as he hated himself. Still, he could not blame them, he understood their motivations, he once thought the same way they did. They were just as incomplete and hopeless to control their instincts ass he was.

“If I see you again, SkekSil, I will kill you quickly to spare UrSol any suffering" he promised. Although it pained him to kill a being as hopeless as a Skeksis he couldn’t be weak, sacrifices would have to be mmade.

SkekGra didn’t look back, he took the fasted form of travel, through the trees, lunging through the branches. Running towards Urgoh he suddenly moved much more quickly as the strain between them lessened.

UrGoh had followed SkekGra from the gelfling building, but he was too slow to keep up once his half ran into the trees. To make chase was a lost cause.

UrGoh frowned as he watched him go. He should not have left SkekGra alone knowing how negative his thoughts could get when his mind was not stimulated and distracted.

The Skeksis got an unenviable amount of emotion in the split, as only half of one being it was to much for SkekGra to bear at times.

Urgoh sat on a large mossy log, content to wait there for his other half until he was ready to return; Urgoh was after all very patient. He closed his eyes and began to meditate barely having time to find tranquility before a curious voice called for him.

“A mystic.. so the rumors were true” the gelfling sounded by intrigued by its discovery. “you are from off world right?”

UrGoh slowly opened his eyes and his mouth “….yes"

“What is it like outthere?” I’ve never met someone from a different planet before, till now I’ve never known they existed!”

“o…ne.. p…re…s…pe…ct..ive… do…es.. not…”

The gelfling looking on awkwardly, he had expected a long answer, but not like this.

“….p….a..int… a..n… a..cc…ur…ate…. Pi…c..t..u..re"

The gelflings ears fell in disappointment, such a long wait for a non answer.

“Well, what’s the picture you paint?”

“…..” UrGoh breathed out deeply in contemplation of the question. He was not sure he could even say. His memories were foggy and incomplete, they had been split with SkekGra, and without the other here to help put the missing parts together, his memories were a nonsensical mess.

“…h…o…me… wa…s.. n…ic…e" he didn’t know what else he could say to ease the little gelflings curiosity. Homeworld was like nothing a gelfling could understand, every bit of it was different in every regard, down to its cells and atoms. They were made up of different things, from galaxies unlike anything comprehensible.

Urgoh’s eyebrows lowered sadly, he could feel SkekGra had gone quite a distance.

“Maybe I’ll ask Augrah…” the gelfling entwined their fingers nervously, the Mystic seemed lost in his own world, staring ahead at the trees. Urgoh didn’t even notice the little gelfling run off when a commotion began to erupt around them.

A few of the gelfling that had gone ahead of the group to scout were running back with their voices high in alarm. “The Garthim! They’ve arrived!”

“What!?” Breas voice was heard near by, along with the shattering of pottery, it would seem these monsters were faster than they appeared, and had caught up with them so quickly.

“They are closing in fast! We have to get out of here and meet up with the oth-AUGH!!” a large claw wrapped around the gelfling before flinging it through the air with all its force.

UrGoh lifted his hand to his mouth, he bit down strongly into his flesh. He did not bleed but there was a noticeable teeth pattern imprint.

The mystic stood up from his log to surprise Brea when he was suddenly behind her “qu…I…ck..ly.. w..e mu..st.. get… to.. saf…ety" he urged

“I have to warn everyone first!” She had to take charge of the panic and usher everyone to safety, it is what her mother would have done. “Our injured will need help leaving!” She ran towards the old tree that acted as a shelter for those previously injured by the Skeksis and their monsters.

She ran past Rian holding back one of the beasts, its claws were powerful enough to snap a sward in two, its hide impenetrable. All he could do was avoid its attacks, and pray to Thra it would not land one.

“RIAN! Hold on a little longer!” she hoped her words would keep him going. She ran against the crowd, arriving at the medical tent where the healthy gelfling were attempting to hurry the injured to safety, but it was a slow process as many could not be moved so roughly.

Brea was quick to help up a gelfling who had lost his leg. “Come on now, time to go" she tried to sound her least frightened.

“princess.. you are too important to lose.. please.. leave me. I am no longer helpful to the rebellion"

“Nonsense!” she spoke in anger “no one will be left behind! Your life has worth, I owe you this debt for fighting alongside us" she assured, putting his hand around her shoulder, her other hand held his hip as they slowly waddled to the door.

The tree they were inside shook, debris falling from the ceiling. She was quick to cover the poor man, coughing as they both inhaled the dirt.

Outside she suddenly heard… silence

It had been a while since SkekGr ahad climbed and leaped through the foliage of Thra, it was much easier to grip than the stones that made up his home at the circle of the sun and the caves of Grot.

When SkekGra arrived he could see Garthim closing in on a small group of gelfling soldiers attempting to hold it back while others flee.

SkekGra pushed himself off a branch, launching at the horrific beetle monster with the dead purple gaze.

The gelfling shrieked “The Skeksis are here!!” they felt now that they were truly doomed.

One lone gelfling was trapped in the creatures claws, screaming and refusing to accept his imminent death. Just as the monster intended to snap the gelfling in two SkekGra intercepted, grabbing the attackers claw and forcing it open, the unharmed gelfling dropped to the ground, surprised but thankful.

The Garthims other claw stabbed into SkekGras side, but his years sustaining injury helped him fight through the pain. Even as felt warm ooze dripping down his side. From this he gathered that the Garthim were not smart enough to go for vital parts of the body, they relied on brute force to end the fight. But against a Skeksis hoping to win with brute force was not a good strategy.

SkekGra’s talons dug deep, piercing the hard shell of the monsters claw before swinging his arms enough to throw the beast over his shoulder and smashing the beetle into the dirt floor.

The gelfling who once trembled watched, astonished by the display of power, most of them had heard of Skeksis might, but had never witnessed it for themselves.

There was a reason so few Skeksis managed to control so many gelfling and creatures of Thra, their power was other worldly.

The monster struggled on it’s back until SkekGra stomped on its head until the purple light in its eyes drained.

The surrounding gelfling looked down to the felled beast. Due to the damage it had sustained the abomination began to unravel and fall apart.

SkekGra had left before the gelfling had a chance to speak. He put pressure to his wound as he ran against the crowd, he would never admit it to anyone but it was a challenge to avoid stepping on the little gelflings when they scurried around like this.

He spotting Rian dancing with one of the Garthim, he watched curiously, knowing better than to steal a kill.

“Where is UrGoh?” he inquired very loudly

“Little busy here!” Rian grunted, throwing himself to the floor to avoid being struck, only now he found himself in a vulnerable position, laying in the dirt.

SkekGra moved between Rian and the Garthim, he did not like to ruin another’s fun but felt it was appropriate to step in. Grabbing the dark creations clawed arm he ripped the appendage out of its socket, a trench of bile opened, splattering on those who got too close. As the bloody fluid emptied the reanimated being became nothing but a husk like the last one.

SkekGra put out his hand to help the little gelfling rise. Rian breathed a sigh of relief, glad to have been saved in the nik of time. “I am afraid I don’t know where UrGoh is. Aren’t you always with him?”

“We don’t always have to be together. It’s a choice" he rebutted, feeling a little insulted at Rians assumption that he was so dependent, maybe he was just defensive because it was true.

“We will find him. You’re alive so he must be fine” Rian reasoned. He had spotted another beetle monster scurrying towards a hollowed out tree that acted as a safe haven for gelfling to hide.

“Help me to push these guys back enough so the others can escape"

“Push them back? Gelfling with talk like that you will never beat the Skeksis. Were going to kill them" SkekGra said, rather aggressively stealing a sward from a trembling gelfling soilder.

Weak, he would never had allowed such a gelfling in his ranks before, but now days he didn’t have the luxury of choosing who fought. Everyone who could had to stand against the Skeksis.

Rian was a little hesitant to get chose to SkekGra, it was like a switch went off and the Skeksis was a totally different being. He seemed so.. combative. He was clearly looking for a fight.

With a large smile SkekGra bounded towards the fight shirking loudly like a war cry. He ran head first into one of the Garthim, pushing it far back, away from the rest so they’re attacks out be out of sync. He knew better than to take on too many at once, he needed to separate them first.

It had been so long since he last gripped a sward, this one was so light it felt like wielding a feather but he was energized none the less, lashing and cutting the blade through the east with his great power. The sward was left with dent after dent, too flimsy to withstand the impact of blade against the Garthim shell.

With his hands he tore the Garthims legs from its body, then proceeded with the other limbs until it was lifeless like the rest. Still SkekGra took out some pent up frustrations on the beast, thinking it was probably the only thing as monstrous as he was.

He flinched when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder then turned to see UrGoh standing there next to him.

“I..t….I….s .. D…o…ne…” UrGoh urged his Skeksis counterpart away from the bloody pulp that was the monsters body.

He noticed his better half had very bloody knuckles, immediately he grew concerned that he had been attacked before realizing it was his own over zealous attacking that had damaged both their bodies.

SkekGra clenched his blood covered fists “..I hurt us again" he whispered very shamefully, getting a sympathetic look from the mystic “I…d..I..dn..t… e..v…en.. f…ee..l.. I…t.” UrGoh gave him an understanding pat on the shoulder and smiled.

As the adrenaline left his body SkekGra noticed the gelfling that had surrounded them, drawn in by the commotion.

SkekGra suddenly felt very exposed. He imagined he must look even more terrifying then he had before, covered in blood and allowing them to see a suppressed violent side to him.

“Heretic that was amazing! I didn’t know you had it in you!” Rian said excitedly and out of breath. He and a small army of gelfling were able to handle the other Grathim.

“What is going on here?” Brea walked towards her Skeksis friend, handing the injured soilder to a vapran herbal master to aid him.

“The Heretic took out two Grathim all on your own!”

“Three!” a Drenchen gelfling from earlier shouted, the very one SkekGra has pried from the beast at first arrival. “I had my doubts about you Heretic, but I am glad to have you on our side"

SkekGra was surprised by the warm reception he was getting.

“you know what this means?!” an unnamed gelfling shouted from the crowd “Were saved!” the chatter was rising along with excitement levels.

“He can be our secret weapon against the Garthim!”

“He can take the Skeksis head on!”

“I am glad he is on our side!”

“SkekGra the good!” the gelflings cheered and chanted. SkekGras eyes were wide, they weren’t afraid. They liked him.. despite being a Skeksis and all the pain he and his kind had caused.

He knew his nature, knew he was capable of horrible things. He would use his strength to help the gelfling he once conquered and with their help become closer to one day being whole.

#skeksis #SkekGra #skeksil #urgoh the wanderer #skekgra and urgoh #urgoh #the wanderer #the Conqueror #the heretic #the good #the dark crystal #dark crystal #brea #rian

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dougrobyngoold · 5 years

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A Visit to the City of Angels - Los Angeles, CA

We spent the last 10 days visiting Rachel and Tyler on the USC Campus in L.A. We traveled both directions using the wonderful services of the Greyhound company - it was quite an experience, but not one that I am willing to elaborate on in the written form and definitely not an experience we will be repeating at any time in the future. Be happy to share the story with you face-to-face, if that opportunity presents itself!

We arrived in L.A. late on Friday November 16th, Rachel and Tyler rescued us from the bus terminal and took us to their wonderful apartment on the USC Campus. They were amazing hosts, providing room and board for 10 days! They have a great view from their apartment - which Samson seems to enjoy more than anyone else!

Saturday morning Rachel gave us the grand tour of the campus, it is quite spectacular. They live in a building that has a Target store and a Trader Joe’s, not to mention multiple restaurants, a hair salon, a nail salon, coffee shops, and too many other amenities to remember.

Rachel and Doug in front of the Academy of Motion Pictures & Sciences on campus.

One of many water features on campus!

Taking a break from our campus tour at one of the outdoor patios scattered around the campus.

Sunday we went to see “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” - my first exposure to anything related to Harry Potter. I actually enjoyed the movie, but Rachel and Tyler had to explain a lot of things to me AFTER the movie was over! We spent the afternoon at a local brewpub watching the Bronco game while they answered all my questions!

Monday, we were on our own (Rachel and Tyler had to work), so we hung out with Samson for a while and then wandered around campus. Eventually, we made our way over to the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park - located adjacent to the main campus. It was a nice walk and we had a great afternoon checking out the museum. Even found a JUNO exhibit for Doug to stand in front of (his last project at Lockheed before he retired):

We checked out the Space Shuttle exhibit, along with lots of other cool space memorabilia:

When we exited the museum, we noticed that there was a huge police presence and TONS of people hanging out at Exposition Park. We realized that the Coliseum was right next to us and the Monday Night Football game was happening in less than an hour! A lot of Rams and Chiefs fans headed toward us, we were the ONLY people walking away from the stadium and back toward campus. We managed to make our way upstream against the flow of people and to Rachel’s office to pick her up from work. How fun to meet her after work and walk home with her!

The beautiful building Rachel works in on the USC Campus, it is the old Student Union building.

We spent Monday night at home, enjoying Rachel’s awesome cooking skills and the best football game of the season on TV - Rams vs. Chiefs was an amazing game.

We had another day to ourselves on Tuesday, so we hopped on the metro and went out to Santa Monica Pier for the day. We successfully arrived at our destination (luckily, all we had to do was get on the light rail and ride it to the end of the line - even we couldn’t mess that up!) It was a beautiful day to be at the beach.

Lots of people on the beach, enjoying the SoCal weather!

We walked out to the end of the pier, got our required picture of the pier marker, then wandered back to the ped/bike path.

View from the end of the pier looking back toward shore, amazing how many people were there on a weekday!

The view of the pier from the ped/bike path, crystal clear day and not a cloud in the sky!

We walked south from the pier on the path, stopping for a late lunch at Venice Beach. We were enjoying our lunch at this tiny oceanside restaurant, when we heard this huge crash out the front door of the restaurant. We looked out the door and saw this:

Apparently, the owner of the white vehicle failed to put it in “Park” and it rolled down the hill and smashed through the metal poles and flattened a couple of bikes. Luckily, no one was hurt, which was kind of amazing when you look at how many people are using that path! The license plate on the vehicle was priceless “LA4DIVA” - gotta love that! Ended up being quite an entertaining lunch as we watched them sort out the mess. We even got a free beer out of it, when the restaurant’s card reader wouldn’t work and Doug had to walk over to an ATM to get cash to pay our bill. Perfect! We walked back to the pier, enjoying the scene at Muscle Beach and then up the crazy sidewalk back to the metro station.

Crazy pattern on the sidewalks in Santa Monica, it made the sidewalk surface appear wavy - it was a little nauseating!

We successfully made our way back to USC and met up with Rachel at her office before heading back to their apartment. It was a full day for us!

We managed to make our way to downtown LA and do a happy hour at the Golden Road Brewery on Wednesday evening. Taking Lyft to and from downtown, like responsible citizens!

Grand Central Market - where Golden Road Brewery was located.

Rachel made an amazing vegan Thanksgiving meal for us - no turkey, but lots of wonderful side dishes and vegan pumpkin pie for dessert!

Thankful for family and good memories!

Rachel and Tyler played tour guides for the next couple of days. We checked out the La Brea Tar Pits, located right in downtown LA. Very cool place!

Another gorgeous day to be enjoying LA.

Doug trying to pull the metal pole out of tar, we had fun with that!

Lots to learn - it is actually asphalt NOT tar.....

In front of the “dire wolf” exhibit.

I am not sure that I can recall what exactly was in this concoction, but it was definitely a first for us!

We watched a USC vs. UCLA women’s volleyball match - they were awesome!

Rachel’s best friend, Katy, was in town for the weekend - so she and Matt joined us for the volleyball game.

Vegan donut shop - yummy!

We went bowling at this vintage bowling alley called Highland Park Bowl - “LA’s oldest bowling alley” - after an incredible breakfast at Kitchen Mouse restaurant in Highland Park.

Our last adventure in LA was a visit to the Walt Disney Concert Hall - what an impressive landmark in downtown LA.

We did the self-guided audio tour of the facility, it was fun to check out the inside and the outside of the complex.

The tour started in the lobby - some of us were more focused on the tour than others!

Cool architecture, definitely needed sunglasses to checkout the outside of the building!

Enjoying one of the outside patios on the complex.

Beautiful water feature outside the building - it was composed out of pieces of china of the type that the Disney’s collected in their travels.

It took a lot of artists a lot of time to complete this sculpture!

We ate lunch at Au Lac - oh my, these were unbelievable. Tempura yam shrimp - looked and tasted just like shrimp!

Book tunnel at the Last Book Store in downtown LA.

If you like to read, you need to check this place out when you are in LA.

Cheers to an awesome trip to LA - liquid refreshment at Pearl Street Brewing.

Thank you Rachel, Tyler, and Samson! It was so much fun and we can’t believe that you let us invade your space for 10 days! See you soon.

#Los Angeles #La Brea Tar Pits #Breweries #Santa Monica #California

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christsbride · 7 years

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Who and What Is Satan?

Scripture reveals everything we need to know to recognize Satan and his schemes and temptations. We will address where he came from, who he is, what he does, how he does it, and what his effects are and what they look like in the world around us. We are commanded to test the spirits, and we can't do that if we don't know the difference. Where did Satan come from? He, and all the other angels of heaven were created at some point during creation (I John 3:8). After he became full of pride and sin, he was caste out of heaven and to earth. He was not annihilated from existence because, through being sin, he came dead already. The death that which is separation from God. He was not sent to hell but was allowed to remain on earth (Revelation 12:9). Through his continued disobedience and deceptions on earth we see God's power and righteousness more clear and greater- but by only those who haven't been blinded by him In Ezekiel 20:13-17 we read:

You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty

Satan was made by God in perfect beauty with extraordinary wisdom. He was given all the most beautiful wealthiest gifts and status.

You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.

He was anointed by God for a high role in the hierarchy of angels. When he was created he was extremely powerful and beautiful; he WAS the standard of angels. BUT, all that splendor and power ultimately corrupted him. In the process of that corruption, sin was born in him.

In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed [banished] you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground;

He became so proud of himself and all his power and beauty that he then thought he could make himself to be like God and above God. And THIS is the essence of all sin.

“I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the North. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14)

He was ordained and placed by God himself a high status, with deep wisdom, wealth, and power. A kind that no other angels had. This closeness to God lead to a natural desire with all that he had, to be greater than God. This pride lead to his rebellion and fall. But his rebellion with a third of the angels failed, and thus, he enlisted the support from man by tempting them to succumb to the same choice that he made – to love themselves so great they also desired to become autonomous from God, defy Him, and be their own god. It is important to notice how Satan uses others for his agenda. Isaiah was also speaking of the King of Babylon, and Ezekiel was also speaking about the King of Tyre. Satan enlisted angels, Eve, and others throughout history. Why would a wise and powerful angel, who was so close to God, think a rebellion would be successful? It is important to see that his wisdom was not perfect and since he was not God, neither was his power. Secondly, his pride corrupted him, thus infecting his limited knowledge. He became so blinded by his own pride, that he really thought he could win. Therefore, believing he could win, he then tried. Did God create an evil angel? No, scripture is clear that God did NOT create Satan evil, but Satan, in his own self became evil. Then, after sin was birthed in him, he was caste out of God's presence. Same with mankind. Man was NOT created evil, but good (notice perfect is not stated). It was then, when temped by Satan, did that same sin and corruption spread into the minds and hearts of mankind. But Why Create Satan? If God is all knowing and perfectly loving, why create a being that would ruin creation in the first place and save all the heart ache? First, consider this: What is greater than executing a punishment? Mercy. What is greater than hatred? Forgiveness. What is greater than never being able to earn something? Grace. What is greater than never knowing what is right? Truth. How could you see righteousness without anything less? How meaningful is a love that costs nothing? By allowing Satan to do what he did, God's glory shines brighter. By allowing creation to be corrupted, he then gets to restore it in a greater, grander, most glorious way. Its not about the necessity of evil, but it is about illuminating what already exists to a greater extent. We would not see the vastness of God's righteousness, glory, and love, if Jesus did not have to suffer on the cross. How would we ever see the greatness of God's Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, and Grace; if he never revealed it? And how could he forgive, if he never needed to? How could forgiveness exist without something to forgive? He allowed sin so that He would show the creation that he loves, that he is greater than all. And at the end of time, when we see all that has taken place, and we will fully know God and his absolute glory, perfect love, mercy, forgiveness, and completely understand his amazing grace. God is not ignorant or lack knowledge of time. He is outside of time, created time, and had knowledge of all time at once. He knew Satan would pull his dirty tricks and infect the world. Which is why he already knew his Son would be sent to redeem the world. This is hard for our finite minds to grasp because we see things through the lens of time. We must see and understand God through his attributes, one of which is his eternal attribute. He is eternal. Thus sees all of time. He is all knowing and good. Thus he already had the perfect plan to redeem his creation, before it was created. Which also he uses to reveal himself in a greater way to his creation, through his creations downfall. Though God is not responsible for sin, he works around it for a greater end- His eternal divine glory revealed to creation on the most grandest scale. If Satan is so obviously evil, how is he ABLE to deceive?

Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

Satan masks his agenda and temptations like something good and desiring. This pseudo-light is actually darkness and corrosive BUT is purposefully not made to seem that way.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. Gen 3:1

With this pseudo-light and false hope that seems like God's light and hope, but is actually not, he is crafty in how he presents it to individuals. The Apostles warned of this false light and pseudo-gospel.

"But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:8)

It is critical to see HOW Satan deceived Eve. They were in the very presence of God! Yet, were still able to be deceived. How? To see HOW it is possible to be deceived by Satan, we look at HOW he deceived in scripture. HOW he deceives Gen 3:1-8 Satan start off distorting what God said and in question form.

"he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?"

Notice that Satan adds in some words that God did not say, but speak as though God did say it. He rephrases God in a different way. His confusion and deception leads Eve to consider what he is actually asking. God never actually said "any tree" yet, Satan says "has God said?" Eve then honestly responds with what God told her.

"The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”"

She was faithful to the Lord in her response. That is exactly what He said and she needed to have complete faith that what He said was true. But then Satan, after distorting what God said, follows up with casting doubt on what God specifically said.

The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

After distorting and proposing doubt, he then manipulates the meaning of what God meant by "you will die". God was speaking about his spiritual relationship with man (James 1:15). THEN Satan proposes the ultimate temptation in all the universe; to be like God. THE sin that was born in Satan. She then felt, for the very first time, temptation due to the distortion, doubt, and twisting the meaning of Gods words.

"When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate."

She considered the question and meaning that Satan proposed. This temptation lead her to consider what Satan told her and forget what God made clear. She saw, was delighted in herself, and desired to be like God [his wisdom]. She then felt justified in her self. She took for her self and disobeyed God. Now fast forward to Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11. Satan goes to the second Adam, the Son of God and God incarnate, and pulls out the big guns to get him to stumble just as he got Adam and Eve to stumble. Satan sees the Son of God in the form of man, tired and hungry in the body, and goes straight to the point.

"the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”"

He was hungry in the body so Satan challenged him to satisfy himself, knowing he was fully capable of doing so. The point was for Jesus to do a selfish act and satisfy himself. That the pride of who he was would over shadow his mission of God the Father. Where Adam and Eve failed, Jesus did not. He did not forget the Words of God and instead of considering Satan's idea, he quoted from the Words of God alone. Realizing Jesus had a firm knowledge of Gods words, he then attacks that. He distorts what God said to confuse Jesus and manipulate him to spark a prideful selfish act.

Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You’;

and

‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Satan even quotes Psalm 91:11-12. BUT again, distorts the meaning and purpose. Satan attempts to tempt Jesus into thinking about himself. It is not for Jesus to take selfish advantage of the protections of God but so that God The Father's will is done, not his. By proving to Satan this is about him, that would be a prideful and selfish act. He has nothing to prove to Satan. He only seeks the approval of his Father in Heaven. Again, Jesus responds with Deut. 6:16 and uses God's words alone. Then, here comes the biggest temptation yet.

"the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”"

Seems like an easy request with massive rewards. Jesus could have all the kingdoms of the world, given to him; no more struggles with the dark forces in the world. All he would have to do is bow down and worship Satan; and all the world would belong to him right then and there. Of course, Satan, the great deceiver, would never really allow that; after all, he is still be the prince of the world and be worshiped. Jesus could avoid the torture, pain, suffering, and try to put an end to it all right there; of course after worshiping Satan. BUT, that wasn't why he came. He knew why he came. He came TO be tortured, feel the pain of the world AND suffer FOR the world. AND he already knew he was going to retake the whole world and reconcile it back to God at his second coming anyway. He kept his focus on God's Will, God's purpose, and God's glory, not his own.

"Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”"

Jesus did not even consider his offer. Instead, he again, quotes God's word and the ultimate purpose for everything; to worship God and God alone. Satan had no more tools greater than these, so he left him alone. Also notice that once Jesus said "Go"; he left. Even though Satan is opposed to God's interests, he must still obey God's commands. In each one of Satan's temptations we see that they are all self-centered for self seeking satisfaction and tickle a desire to satisfy wants, and be like God in control and power. A side note: notice that Satan's temptations are very similar to the modern health, wealth, and happiness teachings of modern charismatic preachers. The most important take away is Jesus' responses to all the various temptations: God's Word. He distorts and twists God's words by manipulating the meaning or adding in words that were not said. After this, He then attempts to tickle a self-centered, self seeking, self justifying, prideful, desire to be like God or be our own god, in our own way. His temptations are appealing and at times seem to satisfy an actual need. But he doesn't do it for us, he tempts us to do it ourselves. He didn't give Eve the apple, she took it. He didn't give Jesus bread, he told him to turn stone into bread. He leads us to see something in a selfish light and encourages us to take it for ourselves. Satan's Authority After being caste out of heaven and into the world, he still maintained his power (1 John 5:19). John 12:31 states that He is the ruler of this world. Ephesians 2:2 states the he is the prince of this world and is at work influencing all those who follow his scheme. God allows him to have control in the world but only those who God has not called for himself (Colossians 1:13). Those who do not believe in the true gospel message of scripture have been caught in Satan's snare and do his will, knowingly or unknowingly whether they believe it or not (2 Timothy 2:26; James 1:13,14). Satan is the god of this world in the fact that he is worshiped and his ideals are worshiped (2 Corinthians 4:4). Thus because people of the world knowingly or unknowingly worship Satan and his ideals, they are his (John 8:44) until God redeems them from Satan's grasp (I John 3:8). Satan Hunts Satan searches the world for opportunities (1 Peter 5:8-9) to plant a selfish desire in our hearts and minds. He seeks to do this by confusing us about what God clearly means in scripture. He whispers in the ears of those who are or seem weak (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:2) and tries to infect them with a selfish desire to be like god in their own way. Satan roams the earth, even embedding himself with believers (Job 1:6-8). Satan leads man to put mans interests before God's (Matthew 16:23). When people reject the person and work of Jesus, Satan swoops right in and influences their hearts and minds (Mark 4:15). What other characteristics of Satan does the Bible teach us? Satan influences people to do things contrary to what God desires (1 Chronicles 21:1). Satan has the ability, when allowed by God, to inflict health issues (Job 2:6-7). Satan tries to accuse those chosen by God of things worthy of condemnation but God rebukes Satan (Zech 3:1-2). The best weapons against Satan, is God's Word (Matthew 4:10). "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10-11). Simple belief in God does not protect you from being deceived, Satan and the Demons believe in God (James 2:19)

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." 1 Peter 5:8-9

Other Religions You can see Satan's influence in other religions. Some claim to have been visited by an Angel or given information by an angelic source; yet seem to forget God's words in Galatians 1:8. Those religions then have self justifying rites, rituals, or belief systems that its followers must perform regularly or adhere to in order to be saved or maintain their supposed salvation. These religions distort and twist God's words by manipulating the meaning or adding in words that were not said. They even generate their own writings and justify themselves. Their teachings tickle a self seeking, self justifying, prideful, desire to be the originator and maintainer of their own salvation- through that chosen religion. They seem satisfying as long as the religion is consistently practiced or performed enough, for less devote followers, to feel satisfied and justified in their efforts. Secularism and Atheism is no different, this too requires a faith in something else besides biblical truth; a religious like devotion. These religions seem appealing, self justifying, and self satisfying. See the similarities with what Satan offered Adam and Jesus? Questions to ask yourself:

Is someone else telling me how I should understand God's word?

How do I know they are not distorting, twisting, and manipulating the true meaning?

Am I blindly believing what I am told to believe about the bible?

Are they telling me they are most correct, simply because they say they are?

Does what I am taught, lead me to justify myself by what I do?

Am I taught that I make myself right in God's eyes by my works?

Is my religion based on a revelation from a later angelic source outside of scripture?

How do I explain Galatians 1:8?

If I am told by the religion establishment how to explain Gal 1:8, how do I know what I am told is true? Simply because they say they are?

Does what I am taught, make me feel righteous based on how devoted I am in my deeds to the faith?

Am I taught that can earn and merit my place with God by how devoted I am to what I am told by the religious establishment?

Does what I am taught lead me to a greater devotion to God or the religion?

Does what I am taught lead me to see a greater need for Jesus and love for others?

Or does it lead me to feel a greater need for the religious establishment- as though it was god?

Do I really know who Jesus is or do I just believe what I am told about him by a religious establishment?

How do I even know the religious establishment is teaching the real Jesus? Simply because they say they are?

Is my faith in The true God or in the religious establishment?

Satan's temptations can seem appealing, may seem right, and may even seem like truth BUT the end result is always the same. Worship of the self. There is no greater deception than to convince people to worship themselves or a counterfeit god(s) that makes themselves feel justified by their works or what they are taught. How is Christianity is Not a Scheme of Satan?

Faith is solely based in the person and works of Jesus; not the self or religious establishments.

The Bible is directly influenced by God, it interprets itself

Vague passages are understood in light of explicit passages

What is not explicitly stated is understood through what has been explicitly revealed. What is not explicitly stated is understood through what is revealed about the Character of God himself in scripture (2 Timothy 2:15).

Correctly understanding the language and culture the Bible was written in helps in correctly understanding the true meaning of what is written.

The Bible is correctly understood in light of the totality of scripture, not self interpretations of cherry picked verses (2 Peter 1:20).

Everything done in action and deed is for God's Glory alone (Matthew 22:37,38).

The Gospel message as stated in scripture, does not and has not changed.

It is solely about the purpose, works, and person of Jesus.

The mindset and focus of the Christian is eternal and heavenly and not material or earthly.

Good deeds for others is not for personal validation or satisfaction but for salvation of others and God's Glory.

Christians seek God's Will and not their own.

Christianity is not faith in the church but faith in Christ, who is the head of the body of believers.

The difference between the visible church and the invisible church are those who claim to be Christian for selfish self seeking worldly means and those who are Christian because of faith in the gospel message which compels them to love, serve, and worship God.

Christians are saved by grace through faith. This grace is unearned and unmerited. There is no amount of effort, deeds, or works that can earn the free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). This free gift from God is only through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 14:6)

Ability to Reject Satan Because of Christ, man has been enabled by God to reject Satan; but only through faith in Christ (Mark 16:17). Faith in Jesus enables us to then resit Satan (James 4:7). And at the end of it all, the source of sin, Satan, and all his followers will be caste into Hell forever (Matthew 25:41). If you have any questions or comments about this article please contact us or join our discussion forms

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whereisvanderwood · 6 years

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His Treasure.

Yona of the Dawn | Akatsuki no yona

Shinah x Reader - Christmas!AU

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The firewood was heavy, and gave (Y/N) plenty of splinters to complain about, Yun on the edge with his low-tolerance to anyone kicking up a stink. He couldn't do all the work by himself. The noisy beasts, sheltered princess and tag-along girl needed to be taught what manual labour meant. They were all callow.

The snow mysteriously somehow made its way into (Y/N)'s shoes, freezing her toes when it would melt into cold water. Her nose was sniffing, her ears were blocked, and she was hungry. Surely making dinner wasn't usually this bothersome. Maybe mothers really are super-human after all, she thought.

"How much further?"

"Not far."

"That doesn't tell me anything!"

Yun sighed. "If you put your back into it you'll be able to move faster."

"My back hurts!"

"Not my fault you don't workout enough."

The pair continued to trudge through the snow until they saw steam rising above distant trees. It could only have been coming from the hot spring inn they were residing at until the weather was at least a little more bearable to travel through. The owner, an elder women, did not provide much, thus Yun dragging (Y/N) into the cold of the approaching dusk to help him out. It was her scheduled night to assist 'Mother' with the chores anyway, previously discussed in days passed.

"See? It's right there."

"You could have just told me if you don't want to put up with my complaining."

They returned with the logs in their arms, (Y/N) following Yun to their room to start the fireplace. After much struggle, since the snow had dampened the wood, the flame was lit and the whole room instantly warmed up.

"Can I please have some free time now?" (Y/N) begged like a child.

"You're supposed to be helping me with dinner too, you know."

"I'll get one of the others to come help instead. I'm a really bad cook anyway."

"Fine! Just go."

(Y/N) literally sprinted out the doors of the room and searched for where the rest of her friends would be. Probably all enjoying each other's company much more than she was enjoying her day full work.

In the distance, she could see bright yellow hair bouncing up and down. She started creeping up behind the bouncy yellow dragon the closer she got, and pounced on him from behind, giving him a tackling hug.

"Miss (Y/N)~~! You're back!" Zeno giggled and squeezed her tightly. His hugs were the best in the world, and they fixed everything. He grabbed both of her hands, and swung them side to side. "Zeno missed you!"

"Back already, (Y/N)?" Kija approached the both of them from behind Zeno. "Aren't you meant to be helping Yun with dinner preparations? It's your night."

"There were a lot of bugs when getting the firewood, so I wanted to get away as fast as I could! Surely you can understand, Kija," (Y/N) lied.

"O-Of course! No one sh-should have to go through that torment!" Kija started jumping out of his skin every few seconds, thinking a creep-crawly had latched itself onto him. Zeno and (Y/N) had to laugh.

"Where are the others?"

"Zeno saw them down by the hot spring, but Blue Dragon decided to go for a walk."

"Shinah? Why?"

"I think he said he was looking for you actually. He wanted to make sure where you and Yun went was safe."

"Oh, I should go look for him then."

In the end all three of them walked around the inn together, unexpectedly meeting up with the others in the midst of their exploring, Yun still by himself back at the group's allocated dorm. After Hak, Jeaha and the princess had asked why she wasn't helping Yun, she told them the same small fib she told Kija.

"What? Since when are you a wuss like White Snake?"

"Come on, (Y/N) dear. Even I thought you were better than to skip doing your chores."

"You're no better, Jeaha. You haven't done a single thing. You jump away every time."

"'Jumping' makes me sound like a frog, my sweet (Y/N). I'd much prefer the term 'flying.' It sounds more beautiful than a slimy amphibian."

"You're a droopy-eyed frog from now on."

"Hak, that's mean!"

Up on a hill (Y/N) could just barely see a strange looking face with white fluff looking out onto the horizon. She smiled, her heartbeats feeling lighter than angel feathers. He was always so thoughtful of her-- looking out for her at every turn she took, making sure she was never alone, there was plenty of good reasons why it was him she was closest with.

She quickly bid the group "see you later," and jogged her way over to the blue dragon. When Ao tapped his shoulder and pointed to (Y/N)'s direction, he turned his head and his mouth curved upwards, somehow making it seem so delicate. Him smiling was such a rare occurrence, so for the very gesture to be directed at her made it all the more special seeing him again.

"Shinah!" she happily called out to him. The snow continued to fall, slowly blanketing everything around them in beautiful white fluff. The two watched the fiery golden orb sink behind the horizon from atop the hill, the day finally coming to an end.

"I missed you today," he said quietly.

"Me too, Shinah. I wish it wasn't my day to help Yun today. I would have gone exploring instead."

"Why?"

"The village Yun and I went to get the firewood from have tonnes of decorations up for Christmas. It looked so beautiful!"

"Christ...mas?"

"Don't tell me you've never celebrated Christmas before." Her full attention was on him, her eyes trying to search for his through the black holes of his mask. When he shook his head, (Y/N)'s mouth was agape and her eyes widened, but it looked like she was sad.

"My village didn't do celebrations..."

(Y/N) mentally hit herself for forgetting Shinah's origins. He wasn't even given a name when he was born and his mother killed herself after he was born. Of course he would never have known what Christmas is.

"Come with me. Tonight. There's a Christmas festival happening in the village!"

"But it's dangerous at night."

"Not with you around! Come on, it'll be fun! Word is they have some big finale at the end of everything! Please?" She pleaded as she grabbed his hands in hers. He couldn't help but look away when she'd been staring so intently at his mask. He didn't like her having to look at it; he knew it wasn't a pretty thing to look at.

"...I'd like that." He finally gave in.

(Y/N) did a mini celebration and clapped excitedly. "Alright, it's settled! But everyone else has to be asleep first, okay? They can't know we're going out without them."

Shinah wasn't sure why they had to be so secretive about it, but he went along with it anyway. A night with (Y/N), at a festival as beautiful as she says it is, would surely to be a night to remember.

It felt like forever the two had to wait until everyone was sound asleep, especially Hak and Jeaha who were the night owls of the group. The dragon and the 'tag-along girl' met outside of their rooms in the dead of the night, and tiptoed on the creaky floorboards as they made their escape.

The village was much closer than (Y/N) remembered and was fairly easy to find. With Shinah's gift of incredible eyesight, the multitude of fairy lights was just about the only thing he could see in the dark. He weaved through the trees as he lead her in the darkness, and all (Y/N) could think was how much fun she was already having.

Once they reached the edge of the village, it was already a sight to behold. There were so many people, it was impossible for everyone to be from this village alone. Word must've gotten around and so people travelled for this sole event. Children wearing scarves and mittens were playing around in the powdery snow, a group of carolers sang christmas songs, and set-up stalls were selling all kinds of holiday-themed homemade goods.

The night was cold and Shinah and (Y/N) didn't even think to find warm coats before their departure. Right on cue, Shinah slipped a warm coat over (Y/N)'s shoulders as he did on himself. They were matching in knitted patterns and wool colours, decorated in little stars and christmas trees. She was going to treasure it forever.

A snowball suddenly hit Shinah from behind. Upon turning around the little children were startled at sight of his mask at first, but then smiled and laughed again. Shinah looked quizzically at (Y/N) as she began making her own snowballs, and shortly a snowball fight had broken out in the village. She gave the blue dragon a brief lesson in the art before resuming her appointed post as 'cannonball fire-er' by a little boy.

It was then that was the first time (Y/N) had ever heard Shinah laugh before.

"Hey, Mister!" Shinah looked down as a little girl tucked on the hem of his knitted christmas coat. "I think your beard is on the wrong way. Santa's beard is always on the front," she whispered, pointing out his fluff coming from behind his mask. "And he wears a red suit, not a blue one!" She giggled as she ran off to rejoin with her friends.

It wasn't the fact that he stared after her because she was possibly calling him fat, no. It was the one mystery that continued to ring through his head.

Why isn't anyone running away from me?

The families greeted (Y/N) and Shinah with warmth, offering them hot drinks and food they'd made. It was a feeling that he'd never felt before; the warmth of family. He started to grow a little anxious and the feeling being so foreign to him, and stuck like glue to (Y/N)'s side for the rest of the night to come.

Clusters of villagers began walking to an open field a little further than Shinah and (Y/N) had walked, squeals of excitement echoing in the night sky.

(Y/N) gasped. "It's starting! Quickly, Shinah!" She grabbed onto his hand and dragged him into the bustling crowd. Once he regained his bearings, his fingers linked with hers and they stood hand-in-hand.

He watched her as she looked expectantly at the twinkling night sky with everyone else. Her eyes dazzled like the stars, the snowflakes dancing on her eyelashes seeming to make her more breath-taking than before.

A loud bang made Shinah practically jump out of his skin, but the vibrant colours suddenly lighting up the sky melted away the initial fear. He was okay with the loud noises as long as he kept on holding (Y/N)'s hand. Green and red were the only colours in the sky; the appropriate scheme for the upcoming holiday. They looked like falling stars. He wanted to keep one forever. How great they were to him.

"(Y/N)..." he quietly spoke up whilst a few stray fireworks still remained after the main display, he and (Y/N) the only ones standing in the snowy field.

She felt his hand lightly squeeze hers. "What's up?"

"Am I... strange?"

(Y/N) repositioned herself to be standing directly in front of him, tilting his head down to make 'eye-contact' with her, her face completely serious. "Why are you thinking like this? Aren't you having fun?"

"I am, but... Do you think I'm the strangest? From the other dragons?"

She paused as she pondered. "Well, the only thing I think is strange is your mask." Her finger traced the cracked lines of the headpiece. "But I like strange. We're all a little strange."

Out of nowhere, Shinah smiled, and then giggled, and then laughed. (Y/N) was bewildered. This was twice in one night now, and she got to hear it firsthand when she was alone with him.

"Will you finally let me see your eyes?"

As if someone was about to hurt him, he shrunk back. But he didn't shake his head in stubborn defiance. (Y/N) pushed.

"You don't need to be afraid, Shinah. It's only me. We're alone here."

"But I don't want to hurt you."

"I promise you won't, Shinah. I know you won't hurt me-- you can't. It's not part your nature. You're not a monster."

He looked down at the ground as (Y/N) inched closer to him. He let her. Her hands gently grasped the edges of the mask, and his hands were suddenly on top of hers. Together, they both lifted away the mask and let it drop to the ground.

Two alluring golden eyes glowed brilliantly in the moonlight. The snow falling between their faces were tinged gold with the light of his eyes. She couldn't bring herself to blink, to miss out on even one second of seeing something as priceless as this. Her hands cupped his cheeks as she breathed like she was breathless. How on earth could someone be forced to hide such a treasure from this world?

This was it; it was one step closer to Shinah loving himself, and what a better time to do it than at a festival celebrating the love of family and friends.

"See?" She forced herself to whisper out, still completely hypnotised by his circled orbs. "You're not hurting me."

"I want to go home..." he mumbled. His voice sounded so much different when she could see his face. It sounded better. His hands wrapped around her shoulders and he pulled her close. "I want you looking at me with the fireworks to be the last thing I remember tonight."

She nodded as she smiled softly. Walking back into the forest of snowy trees, bidding families and children a merry christmas to come, they walked hand in hand, the blue dragon's golden eyes forever tattooed into (Y/N)'s mind.

In this season of giving, he shared his most precious treasure with her, and she will forever feel rich in his love.

My Yona of the Dawn x Reader List for more one-shots! Check it out!

#shinah #shinha #yona #yona of the dawn #akatsuki no yona #yona x reader #anime #anime x reader #fanfic #christmas #oneshot #insert reader #x reader fanfic #blue dragon

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thebibliomancer · 4 years

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Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics liveblog pt 9

Even though I already befriended the Drenchen forever last time, I keep hanging around a swamp because I heard there was a SkekSil hanging around and I wanted to see him in his natural habitat.

Zing.

Now that the Drenchen are my best friends forever (high five, Gurjin!), I have to save them from the Chamberlain doing Chamberlain things.

Mission: Bogged Down - Putrid Banks

"The heroes set out to aid a Drenchen encampment. Rumor has it that the Chamberlain has been causing trouble."

I hope he doesn't have any threaders. Thats too much mind control in one place.

Aw dammit a bunch of hostile Drenchen. I'm always fighting Gelfling! There's not going to be any left to unify after everything at this rate! Short-coming of the narrative, I guess. If it was set later in the timeline, we could fight Garthim and Crystal Bats.

Maybe the sequel should get on that, hint hint?

And there's poisonous swamp water everywhere!

My swamp dream team is Gurjin, Naia, Rek'yr, Hup, and Kylan.

Because they're my lowest levelled but also because Gurjin and Naia are Drenchen and are immune to poison swamp water.

Dammit, the Chamberlain told the Drenchen that my group were fugitives.

Gurjin, you're a prince or something, can't you do something about this?

Apparently not.

But things are going okay. Sure, I can't cross the swamp very effectively except with the pet Nurloc, Naia, and Gurjin but do you know what is very effectively?

Kylan and Naia as a combo. Mark plus Double Strike? Very good. Beating up all the fools/members of her own clan.

AND GURJIN!

I've never used Defeaning Roar before even though its been on his movelist for a while but I love the graphic for it! It creates a blue energy shell around the unit which they bang ineffectually on with their fist! Its like noise proofing, for annoying mages!

Rek'yr, as you might expect from a desert guy, doesn't take well to the swamp. Most of the enemies that have attacked so far have ganged up on him. But he's still holding his own.

I'm very proud of my resistance group.

And then I gang up on the last guy, stack him with conditions, and kick the crap out of him.

Then Gurjin delivers a speech about freeing everyone from the Skeksis' tyranny which everyone is too unconscious to hear.

Its a feel good victory.

EVERYONE LEVELED UP!

Rek'yr learned Evasive (passive +15 evasion), Gurjin learned Tempered Stone (attack up for three turns if critical hit), Hup learned Friendship (he had this all along (ok fine, buffs accuracy and critical chance to adjacent allied beasts)), Naia learned Flurry of Steel (attack and take your next turn sooner), and Kylan learned Aimed Shot (attack a marked enemy for massive damage).

Oops, Kylan got to level 5, so I have to start training him on Mender so he can be a Song Teller, like the prophecy says.

Gurjin and Naia will stay Stone Warden and Paladin respectively. Feels like good symmetry for them.

I'm just going around the wheel with Hup so he needs five more levels in Tamer so he can become a Potion Master.

Rek'yr I'm going to try to make a Grave Dancer because it sounds rad and because he flirts over funerary arrangements. But he's a level 5 thief now so I need to get him to Paladin, which means Soldier. Since I'm making him a fighty guy, I'm giving him the Dousan Axe.

---

Encounter - Putrid Banks - Fight a challenge to test your mettle

Always with the testing my mettle, geez.

Dang the swamp is full of darkened nurlocs and windsifters. This game is doing a slightly better job at making me remember the Darkening is an ongoing concern than the show.

Since encounters help you get more xp, I'm bringing my lowest levelled people Breg, Alyadon, Rian, Brea, and... Rek'yr? You just levelled!

New guy has to play catch-up a lot.

Well. That went well enough. Breg died. Poor Breg.

Rian leveled up so now I can start him on Stone Wardening so I can eventually make him the big-brained strategist of the resistance. And Alyadon levelled up so I can make her a tracker or thief. I forgot what the plan was for her. I don't have a dedicated Mender and she was one of those so maybe time to lean into that?

But if she's going to be in a basic job, I'm giving her nice things. A Dusty Tome so she can attack from afar, an Apprentice's Cloak because I was out of clothes, and a Pouch of Hollerbat Fur.

Decked to the nines.

---

Geez, you never get much money in this game. I feel like a really long time goes by between being able to buy next tier equipment for my party but other than grinding on Encounters (which don't give much) I don't see what I can do.

---

Mission: Creepy-Crawlies - Muddy Shallows

"Hot on the Chamberlain's trail, the heroes are stopped when they encounter an army of Arathim."

Dangit SkekSil!

My party is Breg and Rek'yr, doomed to always be the lowest levelled guys from some reason (its because Rek'yr just joined and Breg keeps dying), Brea and Boggi because a girl and her shouty dog is just classic, and Hup because Hup already knows Friendship.

The spiders talk, which I know they can do from the show but I don't think they've done in the game yet.

Gurjin: "Now he's convinced the Arathim to help him? We have to stop the Chamberlain and his manipulative ways."

Just keep Rian away from him. He's a good kid but way too easily swayed.

"Well this is not going great, what with all the spit but at least nobody as died so f- HUP NOOOOOO"

But despite spending much of the mission with most of my party hovering in low health, Hup is the only one who did die by the end. I'm surprised. Usually my team starts dropping like flies.

It occurs to me that this was a filler mission padding out a filler story arc padding out the show plot by having Chamberlain Up To Something.

Good news is that everyone level up!

Breg learned Evasive, Boggi learned Concentrate (Magic Up and Shell for one turn, take next turn sooner), Brea learned Landslide (Stun all adjacent units, nice), Hup learns NOTHING, Rek'yr learned to Shove people.

---

Mission: The Chamberlain's Deception - Drenchen Encampment

"The heroes reach the Drenchen encampment and confront the manipulative Chamberlain"

Well, I won't say no to kicking his butt a second and a half time and stealing his clothes again.

I do wonder if we'll get to fight more Skeksis besides the Chamberlain, the Hunter, and presumably the General.

Geez, this map is huge.

I'm bringing Deet, Gurjin and Naia (home turf), Kylan (because he's Naia's bestie), and Breg. Because I'm always bringing Breg. Poor guy needs more experience constantly.

Gurjin: "Begone Chamberlain! Your kind is no longer welcome, drainer!"

The Chamberlain: "Please... Skeksis come only to help Gelfling living so far away. We bring them back to the castle. GIve them much-needed food and supplies."

He has a trustworthy face, I say we trust him.

Rian: "Don't listen to him! He plans to drain you all for your essence!"

Then again, Rian is a protagonist. He might be right.

Chamberlain: "Wicked Gelfling spread lies! Capture the fugitives and skekSil will reward you all at the Castle!"

-me hits a Drenchen after they hit me-

Chamberlain: "You see! Gelfling here to hurt you"

I MEAN. It doesn't look good for us! 90% of what we do is roll into town and beat up other Gelfling!

Soo. I lost.

Its a bad setup. There's a lot of swamp water in the middle that Chamberlain can just sit on the other side of and lob his ridiculous 4 and 5 ranged apparently perfect accuracy confuse Please, Please and stun Spithead abilities across.

All the Gelfling enemies are Drenchen so they can cross the swamp water no problem or darkened armaligs which have ridiculous defense.

Chamberlain himself has 1000 HP. You only have to beat him but he plays keep away on the other side of the swamp. And if you try to keep out of his range, then he'll cross over but run away if you attack him too much. And he's seemingly immune to status effects.

Trying again with Rian, Gurjin, Naia, Brea, and Hup. The all-star squad.

And I lost again. Chamberlain is just too able to lock down the party with confuse and stun and not to mention converting your people onto his team. I even got his MP down to nothing and he still used an ability to I can't win via attrition either. And when you take out half the enemy units, he automatically goes hopped up on essence and can use Skeksis Friend to convert a confused team member.

I had Hup, who could clear confusion but he died.

Eesh, what a disaster.

Going to try Hup, Alyadon, Brea, Rian and Naia. Alyadon and Hup can both clear statuses, Brea and Alyadon can heal. Rian can hit things. And Naia can hit things but look cooler when she does.

Oh, shit I actually won. I lost everyone but Naia. Heck, I lost everyone but Brea, Alyadon, and Naia just getting across the swamp to where Chamberlain was. Hup and Rian both got cornered and slowly beaten to death =(

I had Alyadon mark the Chamberlain, then he executed her =(

I had Brea dreamfast to give Naia more MP, then two armaligs bumped her to death at the cost of their own lives =(

And then Naia did double strike AND IT WAS THE DRAMATIC LAST BLOW! GOOD STUFF!

I didn't denude the Chamberlain again but I did steal his Signet Ring and got a book of Drenchen legends.

The ring lets the equipped hero start battle with ten turns of Guardian's Blessing! Which means an auto-revive! I'd have to suck a lot to die in the first ten turns but STILL NEAT

Giving it to Naia, she more than earned it!

Drenchen Legends is a spellbook, grants a ranged magic attack with 30% chance to inflict poison. GIVING IT TO BREA, SHE EARNED IT! Plus, she loves to read.

And Brea and Naia levelled up, as befits THE LAST TWO PEOPLE STANDING.

PHEW

Brea learned Channel (grant adjacent allies MP regen? YES THANK YOU) and Naia learned Retribution WHICH IS VERY APPROPRIATE FOR HOW I GOT IT (50% chance to counter attack melee attacks). I kept wishing Naia could counter the whole mission when she was confused and being slowly beaten to death by a mender.

I spent some of my battle spoils giving some teeth to Gurjin and Rek'yr and buying Brea some bat fur.

And thats where I leave off because that is just enough for right now. I really thought I'd just be stuck at this point and have to grind on bar fights!

#dark crystal #the dark crystal #dark crystal age of resistance #dark crystal age of resistance tactics #THE GAME #liveblog #things started smoothly and then got a little hectic and then got a whole heckin lot hectic #difficulty curve!

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