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inky-duchess · 4 months

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Fantasy Guide to Royal and Noble Jewellery

Royal and Noble jewellery is a staple of their life, a statement of the who is person is, their rank and their wealth. Jewellery simply isn't a accessory, it's an exercise in showmanship and a way to link to a past.

(Disclaimer: Many stones in pieces often have a bloody past, usually stolen or worked from the earth under the reign of Colonialism. It is best to always take this into account when admiring real world pieces)

Providence

Jewellery like this is usually inherited buy can also be bought or even given as a gift. There is three kinds of jewellery in this instance: private, owned by the crown or owned by the state.

Private jewellery is owned by a single person and worn or lent at their own descretion. Private jewellery can be no less grand than state owned jewellery. This jewellery can be inherited by anybody the owner chooses.

State jewellery is not privately owned, it belongs to the country itself. It is not inherited but used by royal family. If a royal family is deposed, the jewellery remains with the state. Such as the French Crown Jewels.

Owned by the Crown means that it can only pass monarch to monarch, worn only by consorts or the monarch and lent to anybody they choose.

Noble jewellery is not quite the same. Much of it is owned privately but there may be one or two pieces designated as official jewellery for the title such as a specific tiara.

The Rules

Jewellery like this are not just trinkets to be borrowed by anybody. Usually the monarch (or titled noble) or sometimes the spouse, is in charge of designating who can be lent which pieces and for what occasion. Even if you are a super close member of the family, you still have to take what's on offer. Sometimes certain jewellery is worn exclusively by a certain rank say the Queen or the noble themselves and would not be offered to anybody else. For example, you will note that into today's royalty you will see certain royals repeating the same tiaras such as Kate Middleton who has only worn the Cambridge Lover's Knot, the Strathmore Rose Tiara, the Lotus Tiara and once, the Cartier Halo Tiara. These would be the tiaras available to them, which usually number only a handful. Certain pieces are designated by for the monarch/Consort as well, the Vladimir Tiara & the Girls of Britain and Ireland Tiara only graced the head of the Queen in her reign. Other pieces such as earrings or bracelets would also be distributed accordingly, more elaborate and expensive pieces would be worn by the higher ranking members. Certain collections are meant to be passed on, such as the Consort's jewels but many Dowager refused to pass on their jewels such as Empress Dowager Maria Feodorovna after the death of Tsar Alexander III.

Treasure Trove

Now, just because a family has a throne or a grand title doesn't mean they have caches of jewels. Many noble families sold off their pieces to pay death duties, most only have a few pieces left today. As for tiaras most noble families would not have access to large quantities, usually only affording one or two. The Spencers for example own two, the Spencer Tiara and the Spencer Honeysuckle Tiara. This is an inaccurate protrayal in Downton Abbey, as the family have at least 6 but then again Cora is a Dollar Princess so it could be possible to own as many but it never made sense considering just how many times they almost loose the estate and never sell any off. Royal families are not exempt from this either, some families have vast stores of jewels such as the British Royal Family (I wonder where those all came from...) while the Greek Monarchy (discontinued) has only a few pieces. The Romanov collection is of course legendary and we may never know it's full extent.

#Fantasy Guide to Royal and Noble jewellery #Royal jewellery #Noble jewellery #Jewellery #Fantasy Guide #writing #writeblr #writing resources #writing reference #writing advice #writer #writers #Writing resource #Writing research #Writing guide #Writing royalty #Writing royal characters

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galavant-song-tournament · 23 days

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Round 3

Propaganda for Gwynne:

I mean were it not for Chef chickening out, she would have fully succeeded in engineering a plan to kill absolutely every powerful person in the world of Galavant except for Galavant and Isabella and Sid who hadn't arrived yet but she later gets on just fine with.

My money’s on Gwynne. She’s got the brains and ruthlessness to carry out schemes while also being sincere enough to form alliances that won’t betray her, and being a servant means others will underestimate her until it’s too late

Gywnne already thinks she's in GOT tbh. Her poisoning plot is very red wedding. She failed because she's in Galavant.

Gwyn is smart enough to avoid situations that would put her in danger. She keeps allies at arms length and avoids enemies, can throw down if she needs to but knows to do that as a last resort, and most importantly: knows when to hit the fucking bricks.

Honestly I think Gwynne is crafty enough and she's in a low enough position people won't expect her (or suspect her). She's not royalty or a fighter

Not only would Gwynne survive GOT, she would win it. She DID win it when she nearly killed every significant character and threat to her, she only failed because Chef was in Galavant and not GOT. (But a reminder that she would then have killed Madalena, another of the people's top choices for winner here. I don't think she'd bother taking out Tad Cooper because he's nice but there's good reasons to assume he'd die in a GOT world.)

Propaganda for Tad Cooper:

In bearded dragon form no one would bother with him since he's nonthreatening. In dragon form he'd be a target but he's also a dragon and breathes fire so he'd certainly be able to fight back. It's established that Galavant has killed a dragon, so clearly there is an in-universe way to kill dragons but it's also told as a brag so it's got to be difficult at least.

tad cooper’s gonna win solely because he isn’t enough of an apparent threat for anyone to kill on GOT until he’s grown up

I think tad cooper’s gonna win solely because I SUPER BELIEVE IN YOU TAD COOPER!

Tad Cooper is a big target by nature of being a goddamn dragon. Everyone and their mother would be coming up with a strategy to take him out. What's worse, he's a loyal dragon--more specifically, he's loyal to Absolute Buffoon™ King Richard. By nature of Richard being a figure in power many would want deposed and his biggest piece of protection being a living WMD that Richard's enemies would be planning to take out first, I'm afraid Tad Cooper is toast.

We've got to remember that Tad Cooper isn't a dragon that no one is after, he's either a totally defenseless little creature that no one's after or he's a threatening dragon that everyone would be after. And even in his defenseless and unthreatening state, he's probably in the blast zone of any attacks on Richard since he's kept in Richard's coat, and let's be real, Richard would be being attacked so much.

He nearly did die in the finale of Galavant when Wormwood smacks him from Richard's hand, he just survives because it's Galavant not GOT.

#galavant #got tournament #polls

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heliads · 8 months

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can you make a nikolai lantsov x reader?? i've been thinking about one where reader was one of sturmhond's crew as a tidemaker and they were together for a long time, but when nikolai became king, the two separated because royalty had done too much harm to r family and she didn't want to become one of them (besides her being Grisha). maybe after RoW they finally talk and get back together??

yesss pirate!reader x nikolai my beloved

masterlist

If Nikolai Lantsov were to regret anything in his life, anything at all, it would be how he handled her. It’s not that he regrets her, he wants to make that clear. He couldn’t if he tried, and Nikolai has tried many times to get over her, to find some flaw out of an improbability of perfection so he might not feel as achingly heartbroken as he always does.

But when Nikolai lies awake at night, unable to sleep despite a gilded bedroom and dozens of lush pillows and luxurious blankets, the worries troubling his mind are not of a country to run, nor the endless cycles of politics constantly reinventing new problems to crush his world beneath his boot. No, he thinks of one woman. He thinks of you.

Before Nikolai was the latest Lantsov king, before he was a homeward bound prince, he was a boy, and a boy who wanted to run. A much younger Nikolai in body and spirit had signed onto a pirate ship the second his guards turned their backs. It was a terrible decision for a golden prince to make, but the best choice for the bastard who never wanted to see another silver spoon again unless he was stealing it.

When Nikolai was a young man, he determined that he would be the captain of a ship, and a captain always needs a crew he can depend on to carry him through thick and thin. Nikolai sailed to countless foreign shores, finding friends and enemies in oceans sapphire and stormy, cerulean and calm. He wore dashing waistcoats and ruined them with the blood of slashed throats. He blockaded and benefitted small towns with equal joy.

And, most importantly of all, Nikolai found his first mate. It is a difficult thing, of course, choosing someone who could be your successor. If he picked someone a little too captivating, he ran the risk that they could depose him in a mutiny. If he gave that spot to someone the crew hated, though, his leadership would be undermined all the same.

He was just starting to think it would be impossible to find the right sort of figure, and then this young woman he’d never met before had simply walked up and asked for it. Technically, it wasn’t such an easy meeting as that. She had actually stolen one of the rowboats off of his ship while it was tied to their ship in the harbor with her abilities as a Tidemaker, then used the water to ferry her over to him.

From anyone else, Sturmhond would consider that a punishable offense. However, the privateer in him was also a politician, and one used to fronts and facades at that. Nikolai looked at the woman in front of him and realized that she wasn’t looking to use him as an avenue for a coup to captainship. She’d done her research and figured out that he was the best captain to serve under, and was simply ensuring that she made a good impression.

There is nothing Nikolai can appreciate like a fine display of showmanship, so he’d accepted her acceptance of his non-offer and told her to move her belongings into the first mate’s cabin that night. The crew woke up to a new member, and they took to her as readily as Nikolai himself.

After that, it was easy. Nikolai skimmed over frothy waves and he had someone by his side, a proper companion. He has liked his crew heartily all this time, but Y/N– he likes Y/N even more. Saints, he loves her. It takes him a while to realize that, but he does. Once that knowledge is common to him, the fact that he could have felt anything else is nothing short of absurd.

He’d given her his name a long time ago. Part of it, at least. They’d been on night guard together one shadowy twilight and she’d begged him for some sort of name she could use. Sturmhond, although great for inspiring fear and leadership as he saw fit, wasn’t personal enough for a friend, and Captain was too formal. Nikolai had witnessed many years of his father forcing everyone to refer to him as the king and nothing more. Never will he force a title on anyone.

So he’d said Nik, she could call him Nik, and that was more than good enough. It feels like cheating, a little, to have her bypass his real name and go straight to the familiar nickname. If anyone could do it, though, it would be her. Captains aren’t supposed to have favorites among their crew, but this is Y/N, and he loves her, so she calls him Nik, and he– he lets it happen.

All this truth, this love, and he never told her who he was. Not by choice. How could he? Y/N hated the monarchy, and so did he. The elder Lantsovs did not treat Grisha kindly, only tolerating them in the confines of the Little Palace. There was nothing Nikolai could do to protect them, to protect her, half as well in Os Alta as he could as Sturmhond, so he kept it a secret.

You could call that selfishness. You would be correct in doing so. Nikolai did not tell Y/N he was a prince because he was terrified of how she would push him away. In the end, there was nothing he could do to avoid that. The Darkling called on his help in capturing Alina Starkov, and Nikolai revealed that last ace in his sleeve the night before he was to dock in Ravka and personally escort the Sun Saint and her friends back to Os Alta.

He will never forget how Y/N had looked at him when she finally learned what he was, not as long as he shall live. He had asked her to come to his office, to lock the door so no one could hear. Y/N has been host to a great many of his secrets, good and bad and terrible, so she thought she could handle just one more.

She was wrong. Nikolai stood before her, and said, “I am the son of the king.”

She’d laughed, actually, but that had dried up when she realized he wasn’t joking. “No. You can’t be serious. All this time we’ve been out here, and you haven’t told me? You would have told me.”

Her eyes were desperate, pleading. Y/N L/N is one of the finest pirates Nikolai ever had the pleasure of meeting. He’s seen her go into no-luck gunfights with a grin on her face, and now she looks like all of her luck has finally run out. How awful, that he would be the one to finally crush her spirit underfoot.

“I knew you wouldn’t like it,” he tries to explain.

Y/N shakes her head. “No. I don’t like it when Tolya borrows my knives to slice fruit. I don’t like it when we stay in small towns too long. Nik, it’s not that I don’t like it that you’re a royal. It’s that you’ve betrayed me. You know how the Lantsov kings have treated Grisha, how they’ve treated anyone who isn’t an elite.”

It occurs to Nikolai that this might be how he loses her, in truth. “Y/N, please. We can change everything. Why do you think I came out here in the first place? I want to help Ravka. I want to help my people. Just come with me. We can do it together.”

She waves her hand dismissively. “No. I don’t want to be one of them.”

Not like he is, at least. Nikolai is endlessly, ineffably them, but she doesn’t have to be. She’s safe from them. From him. “Y/N. I love you, and I want you with me. Please, come to Os Alta with me.”

She turns to him abruptly, eyes violent. “No. That’s final, Nik.”

Ah. So it ends. And so Nikolai had gone to bed alone, heart a bitter mess of hurt, and he had disembarked from his ship with Alina and Mal and the rest. He had taken them to Os Alta, he had reclaimed his position on the throne, and all the while, he knew that he would never want anything in the world half as strongly as he just wanted her.

It’s funny, isn’t it? Nikolai is a king now, and despite all his reach and power, the one thing he desires most will never be in his grasp again. She will always be the sea’s, and, as of late, that means she will never be Nikolai’s. Nikolai is chained to the crown; he will never leave it, he can never leave it. Y/N will be out there on the storm-tossed waves forever, as wild as the night he met her, and that will cause him grief until the day that he dies.

Nikolai grows up and it gets no better. He watches friends lose themselves to war and misery. He wears the crown upon his head, and then, surrounded by the clamoring voices of those who wanted him gone, he relinquishes it. Nikolai had tried to do his best while he was in office, but, walking back from the meeting with a strangely light feeling upon his head and shoulders where a great burden no longer rests, he wonders if it had ever been enough.

No one can ever be enough for Ravka. This he has known since he was a child. He had tried, though. The trying should at least get him somewhere. Nikolai passes blind laps around the Great Palace, attempting to remember every garden and room before he leaves it. He’ll have to pack his bags at some point, move out and find somewhere else to call a home after so many years in this one place.

Zoya has already offered for him to stay here, albeit in a different room. He’s a valuable advisor thanks to all his years on the throne, and he’s still as good a diplomat as ever. Nikolai will probably take her up on it; he wants to help Ravka, and this seems like the best way to do it.

About a week later, Zoya knocks on the door of his new rooms before letting herself inside when he invites her in. She’s taking to her new royal title very well, even if this seems to include her stealing his tea far more times than is strictly proper.

This time, though, she isn’t here to stop and talk. Instead, Zoya hovers hesitantly at his door, and says, “There’s someone here to see you.”

Nikolai arches a brow. “I didn’t realize relinquishing my crown meant I got to have the Dragon Queen herself here to announce my visitors. Will you do this every time?”

Zoya laughs sarcastically, but her voice is still stilted when she adds on, “Just this time. She says she knows you. She was on your crew. First mate.”

Nikolai swears his heart stops in his chest. This is– no, it couldn’t be. He told Zoya about Y/N a long time ago. She’d asked why he hadn’t been more invested in finding a suitor and he’d admitted that he was pushing it off for as long as possible, knowing he couldn’t love unless it was her.

He nods a little frantically. “Alright. Where is she?”

“Here,” says a voice behind Zoya, and then the queen of Ravka is disappearing back down the hall and Nikolai is alone in a room with someone else and– and it’s Y/N, Y/N after so long, and he doesn’t really know how to think straight, let alone say anything at all.

She pauses over the threshold before finally going inside and shutting the door behind you. “I suppose I should be glad you’re speechless. Shows you still care, at least.”

“Of course I do,” Nikolai chokes out. “But– you do too? You’re here.”

She inclines her head, taking a seat on the chair opposite him. “I came as soon as I heard that you would no longer be king. I thought it would be hard. To lose this one last thing from your family.”

Nikolai frowns. “You hate my family.”

“I don’t hate you,” she says simply, “and even if they treated you harshly, they were still your blood. That means more than any of us want to admit, I think.”

Nikolai sighs. “You’ve always been the wise one, Y/N.”

She smiles at that. “Isn’t that why you hired me, Nik?”

The nickname again. His heart contracts painfully in his chest. “I should have told you,” he blurts out. “I should have told you everything.”

“I knew a lot,” she replies, “Enough to love you. I’m glad for every moment. There would have been fewer if you had told me sooner.”

Nikolai grimaces at the truth in that. “So you’re alright with me being a Lantsov now?”

She furrows her brow. “I heard some whispers that you aren’t entirely a Lantsov at all.”

He can’t really argue with that. “Who am I, then?”

“You’re Nik,” she tells him, “My Nik. My captain. And yes, my king, even if you’ve given over the throne. I always kept track of what you were doing during your reign. I was always proud of you.”

A bright burst of pride flares in his chest. “What do you advise I do now, if my reign is over?”

She stands, extends a hand to him. “We could always go back to a good time. The sea only gets bigger.”

Nikolai looks up at her, and he thinks– this is what he’s missed. Nikolai makes a fine king, but he has always missed adventure. He’ll have that now. And, when they both get old and tired, they can come back here, and continue making policies now that they’ve lived the lives of both the rich and the outlaw. It sounds wonderful to Nikolai.

He takes her hand. “Shall we go, then?”

She smiles. Radiant. He loves her just as much as he did at the start. “I think we shall.”

grishaverse tag list: @rogueanschel, @deadreaderssociety, @cameronsails, @mxltifxnd0m, @story-scribbler, @retvenkos, @mayfieldss, @eclliipsed, @gods-fools-heroes, @bl606dy, @auggie2000, @baju69, @crazyhearttragedy, @budugu, @aoi-targaryen

all tags list: @wordsarelife

#nikolai lantsov #nikolai lantsov imagines #nikolai lantsov x reader #nikolai lantsov oneshot #grishaverse #grishaverse imagines #grishaverse x reader #grishaverse oneshot #shadow and bone #shadow and bone imagines #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone oneshot #grishaverse nikolai #grishaverse nikolai imagines #grishaverse nikolai oneshot

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not-poignant · 2 months

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Birthday Spotlight - The Raven Prince

[20th February - Pisces]

The Raven Prince has been a highly divisive character since introduced. Beloved Unseelie King who created the most peaceable reign in existence for the Unseelie fae, or evil, cunning and manipulative trickster, he's a character that often has people feeling everything for him from pure hatred, to hero worship, to general love, to constant suspicion. And you know what? He'd love that.

The Raven Prince is a raven shifter who gave himself the name 'the Raven Prince' long before he ever became royalty, famously eating his true name from the minds of his parents. His true Unseelie appetite is feeding on words, languages, writing and even culture. He is a world class Master Mage, more powerful than anyone will ever truly comprehend, and he prefers diplomacy over bloodshed, but that doesn't mean he won't make mischief, or ruin someone's life, especially if he feels slighted.

The Raven Prince has been trickster, villain, antihero, hero, and just a raven. He has a complex relationship with everyone, but those who get to know him, tend to adore him.

But a story then? All right. I make no pretence at being a storyteller, I’m only a raven, and we only croak and caw don’t we? Try and find something of use in my words, or don’t, it matters little to me.

The Ice Plague II

Game Theory - (canon) Mentioned in the very first chapter, but never seen in the story, the Raven Prince's presence was already established as the 'King that Augus deposed/defeated' and drew everyone's suspicions towards him long before he ever officially became a villain who needed to be defeated by Gwyn ap Nudd. For years, no one - including readers - knew how Augus defeated the Raven Prince. And Augus wasn't about to tell a soul.

The Ice Plague II - The Seething Seas - (canon) The Raven Prince returns in the flesh for the first time in the canon, and manages to save everyone's ass several times over. But he does it in ways that doesn't endear him to anyone, and he seems to prefer it that way, right up until Augus breaks his heart.

A Broken Feather, Straightened - (canon) Asexual, sex averse, and not prone to romanticism, the Raven Prince is curious, nonetheless, about Augus' vocation as a professional dominant. Augus is determined to make the Raven Prince his, in his quest to eventually make him vulnerable enough to defeat.

These Troubled Times - (canon) Augus is determined to try and defeat the Raven Prince, and the Raven Prince is determined to make sure Augus is aware of his place beneath him, as servant and not master.

Deeper into the Woods - (canon) Mentioned only

The Nightingale and Terho the Mouse-Lad - (canon) Mentioned only

The Court of Five Thrones - (canon) Shown in Augus' flashbacks, and the question of how the Raven Prince was defeated is finally answered.

The Ice Plague I - A Forest of Fire - (canon) Only mentioned here.

The Ice Plague III - The Ice Plague - (canon) Creating a holograph of himself within a crystal to teach Mosk magic, his lessons are invaluable in teaching Mosk the finer points of learning magecraft.

All that We Were, All that We Will Ever Be - (canon) In Gwyn's and Augus' happy ending, the Raven Prince is an unexpected part of it, in ways that enrich their lives

The Wildness Within - (AU) The Raven Prince is a significant figure in this, as the one who takes on Gwyn as his apprentice in magic, learns how to become a softer person, and forces a higher Court status on Augus.

Spoils of the Spoiled - (AU) Only ever known as 'Mr Prince', the Raven Prince here is the master of the House of Ravens at Murdock College where Gwyn and Augus attend as students. A stern guide, and retired Olympic fencer.

Constellations - (AU) Mentioned only.

The Lone Wolf - (AU) Significant figure and master of Gwyn ap Nudd, and Unseelie King. Puts him in a difficult position, but still has love for this fae he adopted.

The King's Dog - (AU) Continuation of The Lone Wolf. Holds the Masque where he insists Gwyn attend and Augus be there.

The Nascent Diplomat - (AU) Continuation of The King's Dog. Unseelie King who finally learns the truth of Gwyn's past and fully steps into his role as Gwyn's father.

Underline the Blue - Cameo, and Nate Prince's uncle.

Underline the Silver - (upcoming) In which the Raven Prince (as Corbyn Prince - his human counterpart) will be a point-of-view character and omega opposite Augus Each Uisge, a peak alpha, in the Underline the Rainbow omegaverse.

A raven shifter.

Incredibly intelligent, known as the 'Wordsmith.' His dialogue is always quite precise and it's rare for him to fumble his words.

Black hair, black eyes, raven feathers in his hair.

Distinctive raven feather cloak and prefers wearing black shoes, black clothing, and a lot of silver chains with crystals that are charmed.

Age undetermined, but in the canon, over 10k years.

Unseelie King and the most beloved of the Unseelie Kings

A fae superstar even among the superstars

A fickle trickster who can sometimes be profoundly childish or profoundly mature, the most like the Gentry of all the fae we meet. He can be petty and cruel, but he has a soft heart deep, deep, deep down. Unfortunately it doesn't stop him from doing some truly horrendous things.

One of the strongest magic users in existence. Master Mage, trained at the School of the Staff.

Eats language.

Selfish but drawn to roles of service.

Lively curiosity.

Incredibly self deprecating followed by grandiose statements which are often just him dropping facts because he really is that powerful.

Strongly prefers his raven form, and feels 'clumsy' in human form, which goes some way to explaining why all his actions seem so precise in human form.

Finding Augus incredibly and bewitchingly attractive (and sometimes even falling in love with him), and constantly insulting Gwyn and Ash (but secretly quite liking Gwyn).

That's NOT how you deal with Ash's debt to Olphix, the Raven Prince! (The Ice Plague II)

Being known as the defeated King, and then finally finding out he was behind it all.

Giving Augus to the Nightingale to protect himself and the Kingdom

All his moments with Mosk on the Mantissa, especially on the crow's nest.

Always has black eyes and black hair

Excellent at fencing in every universe

A precise, educated manner of speaking, highly self-educated, comes from humble origins.

Trauma in his background that's often undisclosed for a long time.

Big reader, into languages, finds culture fascinating. Often a writer.

Educator.

Puts himself in roles where he is in service to others (King & educator being the most common)

Has body dysmorphia (when in human form in the fae realm, and the rest of the time just in general).

The Raven Prince was partially inspired by the character of Jareth as played by David Bowie in The Labyrinth.

He gave himself the name 'the Raven Prince' before he was ever royalty, and due to his ability to eat language, he at the memory of his true name out of his family's minds. As a result, he is the only one who knows his true name. (And no, it's not Corbyn, that's just the name I have for him when he's human which hilariously means 'Raven.')

A lot of people tend to assume the Raven Prince is a top in the bedroom, but he's naturally a bottom, and leans towards a degree of submission when the circumstances are safe. He's asexual, but curious about the sensations around sex.

The most divisive Fae Tales character I've ever written. The people who love him, love him. The people who hate him, hate him. I love him. He's probably in the top five characters I've ever written. Maybe even the top three.

Initially I built up his reputation and power by intentionally never having him in stories for years, and only ever having people refer to him with often a great sense of nostalgia (or in Augus' case, bitterness and regret). By the time he appeared in the canon, in the present, over half a decade had gone by, yet it felt like he'd been with us for a long time. But this was an intentional writing technique, and it's one of my favourites.

I no longer crave death. But I am only a bird, and I fear what comes next.

The Ice Plague II

#birthday spotlight #the raven prince #fae tales verse #fae tales #pia foxhall #not poignant #it's REALLY hard not to put in 'i am a dumb fucking raven' in the quotes here just know that #or 'this is all that i am'#anyway!!#birthday #character birthday #do you have any memorable moments about the Raven Prince that stick in your mind most?

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ansatsu-sha · 1 year

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There had been one or two like that in Ankh-Morpork - deposed royalty, who had fled their suddenly-dangerous kingdoms for Ankh's hospitable bosom carrying nothing but the clothes they stood up in and a few wagonloads of jewels. The city, of course, welcomed anyone - regardless of race, colour, class or creed - who had spending money in incredible amounts, but nevertheless the inhumation of surplus monarchs was a regular source of work for the Assassins' Guild. There was always someone back home who wanted to be certain that deposed monarchs stayed that way. It was usually a case of heir today, gone tomorrow.

Terry Pratchett / Pyramids

#terry pratchett #pyramids #ankh-morpork #assassins' guild #currently rereading

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chaosverseline · 6 months

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Imu sama as monkey d luffy great grandmother

I had a crazy idea

It a mixture of a lot of one piece theories regarding luffy’s family.

First off , Instead of imu sama being luffy’s mom.I am making imu sama as luffy’s great grand “mother”.

Why?

Because here is how it works,

Imu sama is the immortal ruler of the world government (pronouns are them and they. despite this they prefer female fashion),But secretly yearns for freedom , but can’t because of the responsibility of running the government.

Quoting from a Reddit post, “To make it simple: Imu ……..related to ya boi Joy Boi and because she is a a ruler she Needs to act like one in front of everyone….”

Imu sama may not be able to experience “full freedom”. however ,when they did have free time ,they would traveled around the world and go sightseeing in a disguise.

During this they met a young man named……….

……..xebec d rocks.

Yes that rocks.

But during this time ,rocks isn’t a pirate yet.

Or maybe he was just starting out .

What happens between imu and rocks was what started out as a friendship ,Then to lovers and yeah they banged.

Resulting a adorable baby girl ,The princess of Mary geoise. For now, we call her “Yriaf” for simplicity sake.

After Yriaf birth, rocks loves his daughter but still left to continue his pirate career.Which made imu bitter and harbor a grudge against pirates.

Imu and xebec broke up and went on to their separate ways,Imu takes Yriaf with them,But allows xebec to call from den den mushi ,writes letters and sent presents to their daughter ,Using a cipher pol agent (who swore secrecy )to deliver the mail.

Yriaf grew up to be a kind and benevolent woman despite being the princess of Mary geoise. She disliked the attitude of the celestial dragons and slavery. She treats people like her equal and tries her best to free the slaves and help treat/heal/nurse the injure/sick ones until they are healthy to go home or stay with her (she would pay them with wages)if they don’t have a place to stay.Sadly, she was banned from buying more than six slaves per month by imu sama

Imu sama didn’t do this to be cruel,They are worried about Yriaf getting the wrong people’s suspicions. Imu sama honesty didn’t like the whole slavery system ,But the majority of the world nobles wanted this and imu have to go along. otherwise imu will become unpopular and risk getting deposed or worse case scenario,Getting Killed.

As much power imu has,Imu can’t protect Yriaf if all the world nobles voices their disapproval (Kinda like Garp’s situation ).

because of this ,Imu is strict with their daughter.Eventually Yriaf ran off to her father’s ship to get some fresh air from the royalty business. There she met her father’s crew and develop a relationship with one of the crew mates. Rocks is fine with it,after a long shovel talk.

Imu sama,However…… is a total different story.

Imu straight up disapproves.

But there is nothing imu can do, Other than sending cipher pol assassins to watch but not kill the crew mate who caught their sweet daughter’s eyes.

Yraif marries the crew mate,Whose name is Edward Newgate,Yes that Newgate.

Their child would eventually be known as crocodile.

Yes that crocodile.

Then imu noticed changes in rocks as the years goes by,How by each passing year,Xebec getting even more crueler and unhinged, starting to have bloodthirsty ambitions thanks to his devil fruit that messed up his brain, until imu can no longer recognized the man they had used to loved.

For now,Xebec’s sanity is barely keeping together thanks to his paternal love for their daughter .But imu is not taking any chances if one day xebec snaps and cause irreversible harm to his own crew and potentially to imu’s family. Besides,Imu is still mad about xebec choosing career over them and the lack of child support other than toy stuff animals and unhealthy snacks. Yes ,imu can be petty like that.

So imu hires a hit on xebec, saying xebec is a terrorist threat and a crazy manic. Then sends a message to the elders to inform the world government of this dangerous individual.

Battle of god valley happens and imu takes back Yriaf. Gives her a decision to either take crocodile and never met up with Edward again or hand the custody of crocodile to Edward and forbids yriaf from meeting them again, save for one day per 5 years. Imu allows for calling via den den mushi for during the whole time but that’s it .

The princess chose the 2nd option and tearfully waved good bye to her love and child.

Years pass, crocodile left the white beard pirate crew and joins the revolutionary. Also get knocked up by monkey d dragon.

When Imu founds out , they are not pleased , But At least they gotten a great grand child out of it.

His name is ……

Monkey d luffy.

Pure Chaos.

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fernacular · 1 year

Photo

A collection of drawerings I’ve made of my DnD character Marzanna.

She’s a (technically) human fighter, former adult red dragon who was cursed by the adventuring party who set out to defeat her and put a stop to her evil red dragon ways. Now she has to learn how to be a “good person” if she ever wants a chance to be changed back.

Things she likes: Gold, hard liquor, violence, musical theatre, gold, her pet Tressym named Cat, gold and also rubies, cool swords, the color red. Gold.

Things she hates: Hugging, metallic dragons but especially gold ones, vegetables, smiling, elf wizard bitches who transform her into a human and then refuse to turn her back, sweet foods, platinum.

She’s five foot nothing and (former) royalty, until her dragon king father was violently deposed a few centuries back.

She is currently in the process of being dragged kicking and screaming into caring about other people

#my art #dnd #Marzanna #red dragon #bare chest #long post

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visenyaism · 1 year

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Sorry if this is annoying since I'm replying to an old ask of yours, but I just saw your ask about people comparing the amethyst empress/bloodstone emperor myth to the Rhaenyra/Aegon II situation and yes, I definitely agree with you!

I don't agree with the takes that the bloodstone emperor myth was just supposed to be flavor text and nothing more, and that it can't be used in ASOIAF analysis, but I personally think that GRRM chose to include this myth because it IS supposed to tie into something bigger.

Where I think people get it wrong is what story it's supposed to parallel. I think what it's supposed to parallel is not the dance of the dragons, but the legend of Azor Ahai/Nissa Nissa. Both have ties to the event of the Long Night, both are legends/myths that happened waaaaay back rather than recent documented history, and both contain the story of a man killing/overthrowing a woman close to him (wife/sister) in order to gain power. I agree with the theory that what these myths together are supposed to is point out that Azor Ahai isn't actually an pure, upstanding hero, and that the defeat of the Long Night in the current story will NOT be about sacrificing someone for the greater good, but by a different way.

So that's why it's really weird to say that the bloodstone emperor myth is actually about the dance, because those are two entirely different stories that only rely on surface parallels. Sure, Rhaenyra is an older sister who is unfairly treated/opposed because of her gender, and ends up losing the throne to her younger brother like the amethyst empress, but she ultimately ends up losing it because she was also a really bad leader? She does so much bad stuff as queen that there's no way all of it is made up, even if you take into account the misogyny of history writers. Heck, the bloodstone emperor myth doesn't say anything about gender when it comes to why the amethyst empress was deposed. The fact that it's an amethyst empress rather than another emperor feels like it's supposed to be another parallel to Nissa Nissa rather than Rhaenyra.

Ultimately I think the myth of the bloodstone emperor/amethyst empress is supposed to be a reflection of the Azor Ahai myth, to make the point about how the sacrifice of a person, even for the greater good, is still a bad action. It doesn't fit at all with the themes of the dance, a story about the destruction caused by wars of succession with some commentary about gender under feudalism.

One more thing though: I think a reason why people are trying to parallel the dance with the bloodstone/amethyst myth/acting like Rhaenyra is the divinely "right" choice is because they might be remembering the show scene where the white hart, pre-Targ symbol of royalty, appears to Rhaenyra as opposed to Aegon II in episode 3, which reads like a classic "chosen good guy by the universe" moment. I know a lot of people dislike that scene because it contradicts the theme of the dance where no one is the "righteous hero," and I also found it a weird choice, but I do think the showrunners/writers ultimately know what they're doing and know how Rhaenyra's going to end up, so I wonder if they'll reference that scene again in the future in some kind of way.

(sorry for the long ask! Apparently I really like to talk, hope this doesn't bother you)

this post is like an oasis of crisp cool thoughts in the middle of a desert. i have no notes this is really good analysis and also what i believe🫶

#i wrote this exact post in my head re the amethyst empress recontextualizing azor ahai omg.#thank you for writing it so I didn’t have to. medal of honor in posting #valyrianscrolls #asoiaf

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world-of-wales · 9 months

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No bc can you imagine if she became queen?? Her parents would be so insufferable 😭 however I like drama so I would be down lol

Tbh I don't think they are together just friends, but honestly lmao it would be popcorn worthy drama if that happens 😭😭😭

#ash's asks #anons #the bourbon parmas #deposed royalty

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zvtara-was-never-canon · 7 months

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Even if the Fire Nation did decide to do a arranged marriage with a Fire Nation Royal marrying a Water Tribe Member, wouldn’t it be more likely for them to pair Azula with Sokka?

Azula is a Spare to the Throne so no racists could argue “The Heir isn’t Fire Nation enough”. Sokka is the eldest of Hakoda’s children and the only male child of any of the water Tribe leaders. (We do see the fire Nation has implied sexism.)

Plus from what we see of the Royal marriages, only Ozai, a Spare, got put into a arranged marriage. Though it can be argued that this was favoritism.

The favoritism thing is EXACTLY why I think that, in an AU where the "lesser" kid marries to someone of a "lesser" people, ZUKO would likely be the one to have an arranged marriage. Even though the Fire Nation seems to favor sons over daughters, Ozai clearly favors the prodigy child, aka Azula, so he is not having HER marry someone unworthy of his real heir.

And even if she WAS treated like "the spare" - that still doesn't make her less of a princess. A princess of a very elitist, racist nation. A princess that called Katara, Sokka's sister, a PEASANT even though she's the daughter of a chieftain, implying the Fire Nation doesn't even see that as real authority. Plus, in the terrible state the South Pole was in, the Fire Nation could EASILY just kill all the 30 people left and put a flag in an ice-berg to say "This land belongs to us now!"

Compare that her mother: a very high-born girl (because remember, Roku was treated as worthy enough to be friends with the freaking prince loooong before he was revealed to be the Avatar), a FIRE NATION CITIZEN, and descendent of someone who, despite being public enemy number one now, was treated as a freaking messiah. COMPLETELY different from "Eldest child of a ruler the Fire Nation doesn't even see as legitimate."

In that context, there's just NO WAY any marriage between these two nations is happening. The very suggestion of it would be seen as an insult to the Fire Nation royalty because HOW DARE someone say they'd need to make any kind of alliance with those barbarians?

As for Iroh and his supposed privilege of not needing an arranged marriage, that is just not something the show ever explicitly stated or hinted at. We have exactly zero info on Lu Ten's mom other than "she existed and isn't around anymore" and even WHY she seems to be long gone is not explained.

Was she the love of Iroh's life and tragically died shortly after giving birth? Was she just a noble lady that he never really bonded with or cared for, and was then allowed to leave once she did her job of giving the future Fire Lord an heir? Was she a pretty, humble girl with no status, money or political influence, whom Iroh had a one-night stand with and would have forgotten about completely if she had not gotten pregnant from said one night stand?

The writers gave us nothing. At most we can assume that, based on the network, target audience, and time it was made, she likely was married to Iroh at some point. And considering how royalty tends to work, it was either an arranged marriage for political benefit OR a Zuko and Mai situation of "As long as you pick someone with enough status (and from the correct nation of course), choose whatever girl you like best."

Again, with how the Fire Nation seems to depose/kill the rulers of the territories they invade and replace them with nobility of their own nation, a marriage between one of their royals and a foreigner (be the pair Zuko and Katara, Zuko and Yue, Azula and Sokka, Lu Ten and some Earth Kingdom princess, etc) is just not in the realm of possibility outside of fanworks that drastically change how they do things.

#anti zutara #anti sokkla #anti yue x zuko #not really but kinda #fire nation fuckery

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opsidecrewsclash · 10 months

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One Piece Side Crews Clash - Round 1

Members and Propaganda under the cut

Donquixote Family

Members:

Doflamingo

Sugar

Monet

Baby 5

Dellinger

Buffalo

Giolla

Lao G

Gladius

Señor Pink

Machvise

Diamante

Trebol

Pika

Vergo

Violet

Bellamy

Rosinante/Corazon

Trafalgar Law

Associates/Allies:

Caesar Clown

Disco

Propaganda:

a) Their style. Have you ever seen a more elegant, yet striking crew? b) They are family, Your Honour. Its even in the unofficial mame; the Donquixote Family. c) They believe in each other and give second chances, something not many crews do! d) They are so inclusive! An abandoned girl? A fishman-baby? A child who bullies his way in? Lost siblings? Deposed royalty? Everyone are welcome! e) Long-term planning and flawles execution of strategy. This is a crew who knows how, when and where to strike. f) Their ship. It is absolutely fabulous.

I mean this crew is where some of the most ICONIC one piece characters originated! The Family is a great blend of hilarious and irredeemably evil. And their eventual takedown at Dressrosa is very satisfying! (chants) Family! Family! Family! Family!

They're batshit crazy. Also, Rosinante. Also, Trafalgar Law.

Because they gave law a backstory

Heart Pirates

Members:

Trafalgar Law

Bepo

Shachi

Penguin

Jean Bart

Ikkaku

Uni

Clione

Hakugan

Polar Tang

Propaganda:

They’re a group of huge fucking nerds and we love them for that

Beloved dorky blorbos. The core 4 have been together since they were kids, the crew's been sailing for 11 years now!! They love their captain so much and Law cares for them more than for himself (can cite at least 3 canon moments that prove this) so much potential for them, so many adventures we don't know about! ALSO THEY HAVE A BEAR!!!!!!

Loveable dorks, smart captain, submarine.

They are the one allied crew where we know the most of how they started and developed characters.

#polls #round 1 #donquixote family #heart pirates

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ladykatibeth · 9 months

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So, I wrote a short pre-canon ineffable bureaucracy fic based around the demon Beelzebub having been said to have ruled over a city for a short period, and my idea of Gabriel being sent to stop them….

“Stop, Demon! God has commanded thee to leave this place at once!”

The Supreme Archangel Gabriel, Herald Of Visions, Messenger of God, or as he may be called around 3000 years later, the Archangel fucking Gabriel, sent to thwart the demon closest to him in status and power, the Prince of Hell, Lord Of The Flys, Beelzebub, considers himself to be very fashionable, and so he decided to use the most fashionable of forms available for thwarting.

In order to make himself look more intimidating, Gabriel had summoned a ring of celestial fire, to circle his body, and a couple of floating eyes to match.

Because this was important, Gabriel was rarely sent to Earth to resolve a situation, he spent most of his time managing the hundreds upon hundreds of angels, and Heaven in turn, and preferred to delegate, but he was especially picked as Beelzebub’s only match in both position and power.

He needed to look his best, fit for the occasion, he was specifically called upon by God.

Angel’s tend to regard this form as pretty classic, though humans, if Angels had ever thought to ask them, would more likely use the terms “horrifying” and “oh god” and “please don’t hurt me.”

Which was exactly the reaction the humans had had when he first entered the city, much to Gabriel’s surprise and annoyance. They had fled quickly into the city, to warn their God, the God who had been looking after them all this time. The God who was actually the demon Beelzebub, once a powerful angel, now a powerful prince of Hell.

He had followed them to where they had run, which was the middle of the city, in a beautiful ornate temple surrounded by soldiers, and priestesses and priests, and a throne fit for a deity holding Beelzebub themself, right in the middle of the town.

Beelzebub has made themself look like royalty, in a beautiful expensive dark robe, with a clasp of silver on either arm, and a mesmerizing metal hair piece, that made their dark eyes pop, of course, their ever present flies still surround them. Gabriel pauses to force himself to think, ‘Of course, no matter how dressed up, they’re still a demon.’

As soon as he had appeared the humans had fled almost immediately behind them. Not to, as Gabriel thought they should have, Heaven’s light, but to a demon!

This was all Heavens fault really, they had let the situation get way out of hand. When Beelzebub had first started being worshiped in this city, Heaven had wrongly assumed that the problem would be fixed on its own, once the humans realized Beelzebub was only there to harm them, they’d try to depose them, or flee, and Heaven wouldn’t need to interfere.

Unfortunately Beelzebub had turned out to be a fairly competent ruler of human cities. Keeping away blight, efficiently solving problems presented to them, managing to avoid conflict with neighboring cities. They were adored. A demon! It had to be stopped.

Not that Gabriel was surprised they were competent, they were actually pretty remarkable when it came to managing Hell—they were even sometimes more easy to work with than the other archangels, though he’d never say that out loud, of course.

“No.” Right. Sometimes.

“What do you mean no? You can’t just—“

“No.”

“List—“

“No.”

“I command you to—“

“No.”

Gabriel puts on a whining tone entirely unsuited to an archangel, “Beelzebub, Please.”

“I said no. I don’t want to leave, and you can’t make me, not without a fight, anyway.”

Gabriel stutters for a bit, before regaining his bearings and straightening his spine.

“God has commanded you to—“

“God.” They give him a look like even saying the name has filled them with utter disgust. He bristles, slightly.

“Yes, God,” and here he drags it out so it sounds like ga-ad, and sticks his nose prissily up in the air “has commanded you to leave this city.”

“The God who kicked me out? Who I’m no longer obligated to listen to? That God?” They look him up and down.

“Um.” He shuffles his foot a little.

“That’s what I thought.” Beelzebub turns to the people, still cowering behind them, and asks sweetly “would you all like me to leave? To face him” they turn to indicate Gabriel, still in the terrifying form that led them to cower in the first place, “by yourselves?” they shake their heads vigorously.

Gabriel looks at the humans, who are visibly terrified, and then, a little embarrassed, slowly comes down while taking off the adornments, until he’s in a form that could be considered human if you didn’t look too closely at the eyes.

“Beelzebub, you have given me no choice but to disincorporate you.”

They smirk at him.

He pauses, waiting for them to realize what he said and get appropriately mad or scared or whatever a Demon should feel when they’ve been told they’re about to be discorporated.

He waits. And waits. And eventually—“Stop smiling at me.”

“Why should I? I know you won’t.”

He starts to feel a bit indignant, “Of course I—“

“You haven’t got the paperwork.” They pause and lean smuggly back into their seat.

Now, the Archangel Gabriel may be said to be incompetent in many areas, socially? At times. Knowing the ends and outs of human reproduction? Of course. Communicating important information? If you were to ask Miriam, Job, and Daniel they’d all certainly agree.

But paperwork, paperwork he could do, very well, and for this demon to suggest otherwise—

“What??? Of course I have—” Gabriel walks up to them nearly shoving the scroll in their face—before stepping back.They take it and look over it. “Well, it does say you can discorporate me, that’s true, but there’s no permit to kill humans here.”

The archangel Gabriel barely keeps himself from stomping his foot, “Well I’m not here to kill humans, obviously, I’m here for you.”

“Right, but these humans worship me, to get to me you’d have to kill them first.” And at that a few dozen humans regain their bearing and bravely step in front. “And we both know it’d be an even fight, lots of humans would be hurt in the mix up…..”

Gabriel stops short. They’re right. Unfortunately. He doesn’t have clearance for that.

He looks at the humans and grimaces “and I guess you won’t step aside willingly.”

They glance at each other before one speaks “No, we honor our Lord, Beelzebub, we will not desert them.”

“Ughhhhh,” Gabriel looks to the sky as if asking for mercy. “And you really won’t leave?”

They raise their eyebrows. “Of course.” the archangel Gabriel says, “of course you won’t just leave,” Again a near whine.

And so the archangel leaves, or more precisely, storms out, with a lot less grace and dignity, and in fact, a good deal of embarrassment, than he came in with.

#ineffable bureaucracy #archangel gabriel #Beelzebub #good omens 2 #good omens 2 spoilers

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