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funficwriter · 8 months

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A Wolf and A Snake (Wriothesley x Reader)

Letters' Interlude - 1

A/N: So these aren't official chapters per say, just an extra to the story that explores the yandere dynamic I'm trying to put forth! Also, I love listening to romantic music while writing for this 🩵 Until I finish Chapter 2, enjoy!

Synopsis: Being a noble meant that marriage was a chess game, not an affair of love. Unfortunately for the pristine Balthazar family of Fontaine, Y/N has long been enamored with love and sought it out before their priorities. After her grey, boring time of courtesy and fake niceness, she meets Duke Wriothesley, who makes her yearn for the first time in her life, and it's the same for him. Threatened by the idea of losing this first, it seems they'll stop at very little to be together...

Warnings: Obsessive yandere language, graphic details in Wriothesley's.

Tag: @yue-caelum

From: Lady Y/N Balthazar - Balthazar Vacation Manor, Belleau Region, Fontaine

To: Duke Wriothesley of Meropide - Fortress of Meropide, Liffey Region, Fontaine

Dearest Duke,

I am not quite sure how to begin or structure my thoughts, so I hope you forgive me if this letter turns out messy. It's barely been 24 hours since our fateful meeting and I finally got some privacy. I should interest you in the fact that today's tea is Earl Grey. I'm having it right now, accompanied by a chocolate and strawberry mille-feuille. If you're ever feeling bold, I'd recommend this combination. Quite the contrast on the taste buds.

I realized that even with our cadence and how we enjoyed chatting together, there's still so much to know. How have you been doing? I'm presuming you're at the Fortress. How is life there? How do you spend your days there? Is it a lot of work? You told me a bit of the nurse. Sigewinne, if I recall correctly. Does she have a lot of patients? And what tea do you drink when you're feeling so tired and done with the world? (I'm partly asking this one for myself. Some days are like that.).

Though I must say, since Liffey is a bit far from Romaritime or the Court's region, you must have a good teleportation waypoint. Belleau is far, too, but by Focalors' name it is enjoyable. It's quiet, lush and lovely. The water is so nice to swim in too. I find that regular swimming is one of the most beautiful parts of my day. I might be heading into more dangerous territory saying this, but I believe you'd enjoy it a lot if I took you with me. If you had a day off and I showed you around, we could then swim in one of the lakes. It's so refreshing and fun, and a good break from the city.

Don't get me wrong; I love its bustle and life. But I know when we return, I'm going to have to look over these boring nobles' declarations, and meet with them more often. Speaking of which, I'm sorry to sound so forward, but... Well, are you interested in carrying this further?

I'd like to tell you something about my worldview. As you know, I read a lot, but last night I couldn't get into the 'why' due to mother's timing. As a child, I felt strangely bored with existence, maybe to a worrying point. That would explain my parents' fretting. I liked the dance and violin lessons, but there was something about my books that gave my gray life a bit of color. Unfortunately, having to come back to real life was a painful must. There were times where I thought to myself: "Is this really life? Boring, plain, and feeling wrong for watching everyone's intense reactions while I derived joy from so few things?". I didn't even want to think about my future as I become a woman. This was all before we met.

Ah, Wriothesley! I've been imagining it over and over in my head! I even stood outside in the cold and closed my eyes and pretended you were right next to me... Imagine my pain when I confronted reality, mixed with the excitement I felt remembering you! Even now, I can't stop kicking my feet as I write this. For the very first time, I was proven wrong. I was mistaken about life, and who said mistakes were bad? After years of chasing perfection, believing it was beauty and goodness... Why, I might have committed the most beautiful fault in existence!

Will you please prove me wrong again? I know I might get greedy and stick to my old worldview, just for it to happen again. But I swear, I'll be good and I'll stop. I just want to feel my entire body and soul rattling in excitement once more. And you're the only one that happens with.

Mother and Father are planning another social, soon after we return to the Court's region. My understanding says you're not often social, so if you don't want any part of it (or even, if I'm being too intense), discard this letter. I must go now, but if you're as invested as I, I will be awaiting a response. And if Celestia is kind, I will be open for more. I'll be open for anything if it's with you.

Yours truly,

Lady Y/N Balthazar

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From: Duke Wriothesley of Meropide - Fortress of Meropide, Liffey Region, Fontaine

To: Lady Y/N Balthazar - Balthazar Vacation Manor, Belleau Region, Fontaine

To my cherished Lady,

I would like to start off by expressing my most feverish thanks, for reasons beyond enumeration. You taking the time to send me this lovely letter is the least of them. It is generally good form for a Duke to answer quick when he can, but I was so overjoyed with your letter's contents, I re-read it many times to take in all the joy you graced me with. I was also very touched with your personal confiance in me, so I'm also writing to return the favor.

First off, do you know how much I yearn to hear about your day, down to the little details? You talked a good deal about Belleau. I didn't care much about that region before, but now? All I've been thinking about is those fresh waters and woods you praised so highly. The only imagination I entertained was you, holding my hand, whispering that there were no nosy gossipers or greedy parents. Just the two of us, and the lake was all ours to swim in until we couldn't.

If it makes you laugh, I thought about it so much, I almost mistakenly wrote some prisoners' region tab as Belleau. Had Sigewinne not been near, the administrative mistake would have been a pain to fix. Are you laughing? I hope for it with all my heart.

And I want to know more. I want to know whether Earl Grey is your favorite, or you're only taking it because it's been brewed at that time. I want to know which chocolate you like best. Which books you're currently reading, and why you're so interested in lycanthropes without a hint of discrimination. Will you tell me more? If we get the chance to talk with less barriers, will you enlighten me with you?

After getting to know your old worldview, I question just how alike we are. It's easy for two people to share superficial interests. But when one feels so dissected, so naked knowing about another's deeper life and secrets, you can't help but question whether Celestia really does link souls. Whether you once knew them, or whether fate can be so perfect to send such a person your way. I'm sure you felt terrified writing it. Your mailbox may be private, but who knows when your family feels nosy and reads it? You know of the risks that come with such correspondence, especially as a maiden. Despite that, you didn't throw it into the trash. You wrote it, and sent it to me, letting me know about you. You may have just intoxicated me, and now I feel like I might die if that is all I know of you.

As respect to this, I'll confide in you, only it may be a little graphic. "If you feel queasy after this, feel free to end our correspondence here."... Is what I wish I could say with full honesty, because after that night, I'm not sure whether I can really be okay with that outcome.

I used to commit crime, both petty and serious. Such was the life of an orphan at the time. Being little fish wasn't an option; You had to be the top dog or get eaten alive. I opted for the first, even if it landed me in prison later on. My convictions range quite a bit, but once I grew up, I renounced crime. Even insignificant things. I wanted to leave that behind me.

Forget the obvious stealing sweets from the kitchen. When I saw that slimy Duke Arya talking to you, touching your shoulder, acting as if he always knew you and your wedding was tomorrow, I never felt the urge to murder as much as I did that night. The reasons behind my old violent crimes felt so small next to the ugly sight in front of me. You clearly didn't want him, but he kept going, as if you'd magically change your mind and be into slimeheads like him. How dare he be the reason you were pulled apart from me? Where does he get the gall to take you, act like you're owed to him if your parents decided?

How I wanted to end his pathetic standing, laughing, breathing. How I wanted to use my vision and punch his head out into an ice block, then freezing his wrangling body so he wouldn't mess up the carpet. How I wanted to lunge at him, bite, claw and make a bloody mess out of him. What did it matter if I perpetuated half-wolf stereotypes, when he was doing this? Which would hurt him more? Only one idea stopped me: You might not react to a show of violence so well. Oh, if I traumatized you, I'd never forgive myself. Being sent back to jail would be too light a punishment for a beast like that.

Please don't worry about transport, or ask about my attendance. I'm determined to attend that social. I'm so happy you told me about this in advance; I'm going to be seeing you, in all your radiance and beauty that make the world pale. So long as that happens, all is well for now. In the meantime, I'm adding some final touches to my declaration, and eagerly waiting for our next meeting, and hopefully the time I can freely take you into my arms, kiss you and prove the both of us wrong about everything.

With all the love I can hold,

Duke Wriothesley

#genshin impact x reader #yandere genshin x reader #yandere wriothesley #yandere wriothesley x reader #yandere reader #yandere fontaine x reader

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skaikruswan · 2 years

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That meowpheus fic was amazing. Could you do one where he's sulking and everyone in the dreaming is trying to figure out why. Turns out that reader has gone on an excursion to map out fiddlers green. So once returned morpheus(or meowpheus your choice) is suddenly very clingy and wants so much PDA. Thanks love, keep up the great stories!

One should never ignore a cat or an Endless, or both

WC: 1,6 k Ao3

Relationship: Morpheus x reader

Notes: sulking Morpheus, fluff, PDA

Thanks, this was a great prompt! Dear readers, while you can read this as stand-alone, it is more of a soft sequel to this Meowpheus prompt. Enjoy! If you liked this, check out my other stories.

I chose this gif because that's how I imagine Dream to look like while sulking.

You’re standing inside Fiddler’s green, breathing in the crisp air, and can’t help but jump in excitement. This place is a marvel. You’ve always loved nature, but as life has it, you don’t always find the time to walk through forests, climb on mountains, or swim through the sea.

Fortunately for you, Fiddler’s green is the answer to all your dreams. The endless green glades and lush forests are practically begging you to explore them.

You’re ready, your backpack filled with everything you need. You know that you could dream yourself right into the heart of this wondrous place, find the best sites in the blink of an eye, but where would be the fun in that?

You’re going to map out this place, old-school. If one dream is not enough, you’ll simply continue in the next. Nothing and nobody is going to stop you.

Setting one foot in front of the other, you begin your adventure. The birdsong sounds like the finest music to you, and as you wander through into a beautiful meadow, you let out a squeal. You are living the dream.

Lord Morpheus controls the Dreaming, but what cannot be forgotten is that it is also a part of him. Lucienne remembers how the proud palace grew to become a desolate ruin, reflecting the damage their Lord’s absence had caused.

The library is brimming with life, and each tome and volume makes her heart soar. As its librarian, she feels a deep calm and serenity settle within her.

Even now as the palace shines anew and dreams and nightmares populate the realm again, Lucienne will always remember the horrible period during which she was the only who, despite being lonely and concerned, kept faith with their Lord. She will never take his presence for granted again. Even if his mood leaves to be desired.

The sky above them, usually a lovely blue, is now a myriad of grey shades, the color of an oncoming storm. But as she watches Lord Morpheus rebuke a nightmare for leaving their designated place, his expression thunderous, Lucienne wonders if the storm might be already here.

Lucienne hopes that you will return swiftly.

_______________________________

Matthew is circling above the throne room, looking for a comfortable spot to land. He is definitely getting the hang of this raven-thing. What else can you do when you wake up with feathers and claws, and tasked to help and watch over the world’s moodiest immortal?

Matthew would rather glue his beak shut than tell him that in person. The boss has a lot of responsibilities and duties, so he can have a cranky moment or two. Now that the boss has reclaimed his power and things have settled down, Matthew actually enjoys his job; then again, anything beats going to literal hell.

Besides, the boss is not so bad. He tries to listen, to take other people into consideration. Meeting you has helped, and right now he and every soul – real or dreamy – wishes for your return. Matthew is glad that he can just take a break and fly into the waking world to escape the gloom that follows the King of dreams. More like king of sulking.

Just in that moment, the boss looks up, and his dark glare is enough to send Matthew soaring towards the sky. It’s settled: Matthew won’t come back until you have returned.

_________________________________

The roaring of water is getting is getting louder, and you can’t wait. You’ve been following this small stream for what feels to be ages, and you feel it in your bones that it will pay off. The water is so refreshingly cool, it is a pleasure to drink, but you want to finally swim in it.

Your effort and perseverance are rewarded as the forest thins out, with only a few trees framing the wonderful waterfall and azure lake. The view is breathtaking, with birds flying over the thundering masses of water.

“This is the best!” you scream as you race towards the azure water, and for a moment you hear an old man’s chuckle inside your mind. As you come closer, you think you see a blur of black and gold at the edge of your vision.

“I am so happy that I got to do this alone.” Was that mean? Maybe just a little. Will you regret this? Hopefully not. But you had told Morpheus that you wanted, no, that you needed this to be a solo adventure.

You feel your clothes turn into a swimsuit as you run towards the lake, giggling all the way.

______________________________

Merv knows the palace in and out. As a janitor, he could walk through this place blindly, which is why it doesn’t bother him that the light seems to dim inside the palace.

What worries him is how dutiful dreams and nightmares he has known for ages suddenly start to quiver like mortal children.

The boss has returned, pacing around in front of his throne like a caged tiger, and boy, he looks like a nightmare himself, all dark and broody.

Merv hopes that your trip will be over soon.

___________________________

“I am back,” you call out, more softly than you initially wanted to. You still feel a little bad for dismissing Morpheus like that, especially since your trip was longer than anticipated.

“Hello?” The throne room is eerily quiet, and you scurry past some dreams. One of them almost looks like they wanted to give you a hug, but then opted for a bow. Odd.

It took some time, but you’ve become better at controlling yourself inside the Dreaming. Right now, you feel just the right mix between spent and serene, right when you stand on top of a mountain after a long hike.

You walk towards your room, not even bothering to close the door, and drop down on your bed. You’re going to stay here or a while. This bed is your favorite place right now.

“My love.” Despite your exhaustion, you roll around in your bed to see Morpheus leaning against the door frame. He’s giving you one of his precious, soft smiles, and you feel your heart flutter.

“I have missed you,” you admit quietly and watch as he advances towards your bed, the mattress dipping as he’s lying down next to you.

“I have missed you too.” He gently cards his hand through your hair, and you close your eyes, savoring the heavenly moment. This here feels like a dream within a dream, and you hope he continues forever. Way too soon he stops, and you look at him with an expectant pout.

“Your turn.” You start moving your fingers through his silky hair in return, a proud grin on your face as he starts to hum. Carefully, your movements become slower until they stop.

“We are not finished.” He turns his back to you, rolling his shoulders once, and you roll your eyes dramatically at him in fond chagrin. You glide your fingers down the shell of his ears, before applying the right amount of pressure to massage his neck. Your hands roam over his shoulders, idly drawing patterns. You press one quick kiss at the top of his spine, signaling him that you’ve finished.

Apparently, you’re not done, because Morpheus captures your hands with his, his eyes half-lidded as he blinks at you. A heartbeat later, a black cat with golden eyes has taken his place, rubbing its head against your palm.

“Well, you’re awfully needy today, Lord Meowpheus,” you tease, only for him to playfully nibble at your fingers. You giggle as you sit up, waiting for Morpheus to find a comfortable position on your lap. As you let your fingers glide through his soft fur, you listen to his low purr while telling him about all the be wonders you have seen on your journey. A flower crown is still adorning your head, a souvenir from an extraordinary adventure.

“I would like to accompany you on your next journey, if I may,” Morpheus asks, his voice deep and comforting like dark chocolate, and you scratch his favorite spot underneath his chin.

“Hmm, let me think about it.” You try to keep your face impassive, one hand holding your chin in thought. A minute passes as you hum contemplatively, then another. You feel sharp claws pinch your thighs, neither painful nor drawing blood, but enough to let you know about the cat’s displeasure. You let out a soft scoff and lean down to press a kiss between his ears, and Morpheus starts purring again.

“I would love it.” Now that you’ve explored Fiddler’s green, you can’t wait to experience it with Morpheus by your side.

“I am looking forward to it.” Morpheus moves, exposing his belly, and you continue your ministration in comfortable silence.

“Of course, you would have to keep up. I am a good, fast wanderer.” You can’t help but tease him again, feeling your lips quirk into a smirk. Meowpheus stands up suddenly, arching his back, an in a blink of an eye, Morpheus is lying next to you, rolled to one side, his head propped on his hand.

“I shall hurry then. If necessary, I will chase you.” His voice is deliciously low, and you see a flash of hunger in his fathomless eyes. You bite your lip, feeling a flush of heat at the memory of Meowpheus chasing mouse-you. That certainly had been an experience, to say the least.

“Challenge accepted.” What mouse can claim that she tamed a cat? As Morpheus leans down to press his lips and his body against yours, making every inch of you tingle with molten satisfaction, you realize that you might want to revise that statement.

#the sandman #morpheus x reader #dream of the endless #dream x reader #sandman x reader #my writing #my sandman fics #lord meowpheus

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basilthymee · 1 year

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Rating every (Downpour) Rain World region based on if I would go there on holiday or not.

PIPEYARD

6/10

It's alright, really. Nothing noteworthy has good sunlight, the underground pipes would definitely be interesting to explore, and the industrial machinery vibes definitely give it some charm.

OUTER EXPANSE

10/10

PERFECT!! PERFECT!!!!!!!! It has everything! Glorious lush fauna, beautiful architecture and an amazing vista of the entire region! I would take this as a vacationing spot in a heartbeat!

METROPOLIS

9/10

Absolutely stunning city, I'd love to walk through its streets and take in the ancient architecture! The local population seems very friendly too, maybe they can give me a tour of the place! The lack of any clouds allows you to see the starry sky in its entirety! Simply exceptional.

WATERFRONT FACILITY

3/10

I- no. I don't like this place. Reminds me of garbage wastes in a way, it would be horrible for any summer getaway. This is a glorified landfill, not to mention it's so dark! Atleast shaded citadel has pretty architecture to go along with it! This is just a bunch of machinery and too much water!

LTTM

1/10

The low gravity gets old fast. Reminds me of Five Pebbles, not a fun place to be. The lady who oversees this place is kind, atleast.

SUBMERGED SUPERSTRUCTURE

2/10

If this place weren't 3/4s underwater I'd consider it a legitimate vacationing destination, but let me tell you, its very, very damp and humid. No sunlight access, no good resting places, it's gonna be a two from me.

THE ROT

0/10

Ew. Why is it moving? I don't think I need to explain this one.

UNDERGROWTH

7/10

The jungle vibes really give this place a nice touch! It's very humid, which is a bit annoying, but other than that there's so much life in here! Definitely, a place I'd go to more than once. The water is very warm (albeit leech-infested, but they come off no problem if you just step out!) so its great for swimming!

SILENT CONSTRUCT

3/10

This place is cold as hell. The architecture is very nice to look at, but it barely redeems the fact that there are snow storms every couple of minutes! How can anyone relax here?!

RUBICON

0/10

Some green rat tried to kill me, not going back here again.

#basil dot txt #rain world #rain world downpour spoilers #rain world spoilers #down pour regions arent all that good for vacations guys #apart from outer expanse #and metropolis

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satoshi-mochida · 13 days

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ASTRO BOT announced for PS5

From Gematsu

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Team ASOBI have announced ASTRO BOT for PlayStation 5. It will launch on September 6. Pre-orders will open on June 6.

ASTRO BOT is described as “a brand-new, supersized adventure” set across “more than 50 exciting and diverse worlds.”

Here is an overview of the game, via Team ASOBI studio director Nicolas Doucet:

Hi everyone! On behalf of Team Asobi, I have the immense pleasure to unveil our new game ASTRO BOT coming to PlayStation 5. A video speaks a thousand words so please check out our first trailer to see the game in action. Since making an appearance at the launch of PlayStation 5, ASTRO has introduced many players to the magic of PlayStation. We received a ton of heart-warming comments about how much fun the game was, how it utilized the DualSense wireless controller in fun ways and how it paid tribute to 25 years of PlayStation history. From the bottom of our robotic hearts, thank you very much for all your support! We listened to your comments and now, ASTRO is back in a super-sized space adventure, his biggest to date. In this brand-new game, you will explore 6 galaxies and over 80 levels in search of ASTRO’s scattered crew. Hold on tight to your Dual Speeder and dive down to each unique planet, from lush forests, sandy beaches, hot volcanoes to more surprising locations such as a gigantic hourglass or the canopy of a singing tree! To get help on his mission, ASTRO can use over 15 new abilities offering unique play styles. As you would expect from an ASTRO game, these take full advantage of the DualSense controller, its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers so you can feel every little step along the journey. Among the many new powers, you will find Barkster, the Bulldog Booster that lets you air-dash and smash through enemies, metal and glass, the Twin-Frog Gloves that offer long-range punching and the ability to swing and the Giant Sponge that lets you suck up water from the environment to grow huge and cause massive (and slightly moist) destruction. Combined with improved ASTRO controls, these new powers take the ASTRO platforming experience to new heights, while remaining accessible for all. We can’t wait for you to get your hands on these and let us know how they feel. We also cranked up the number of baddies too with over 70 new types, including massive bosses at the end of each galaxy. Special mention to the deadly cobra queen Lady Venomara who appears in the trailer, waiting for you in her golden lair. Defeating each boss will uncover a wonderful secret but we don’t want to spoil that, so our lips are sealed😊. And for the brave ones of you craving even more challenge, the game comes packed with die-and-retry levels to test your reflexes. But that’s not all, during this epic adventure, ASTRO will reunite with many friends from the PlayStation universe. The trailer shows only a few but we double down on the cast and hope to delight every PlayStation fan out there. And who knows, maybe this time, these characters will play an even bigger part in saving the day? (wink) That’s all for now. Thank you for reading. At Team ASOBI, we believe in the second-to-second fun and joy of video games. And with this new ASTRO BOT game, we invested all our love and craft to bring a constant smile to your face, as you run, jump, bop enemies and find the many secrets and jokes we dotted around. We will be waiting for you on September 6! We’ll be back soon with more details about the game as well as pre-orders opening up June 7. Until then, power up your DualSense, Team ASOBI and ASTRO are taking you on a PlayStation space adventure to remember!

Watch the announcement trailer below.

Announce Trailer

youtube

#Astro Bot #Team ASOBI #Sony Interactive Entertainment #PS5 #action game #Gematsu #Youtube

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ym-loreposting · 3 months

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Analyzing the story books from Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask

The second half of Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask's second chapter takes place in the Reunion Inn, where the Masked Gentleman leads professor Layton on a goose chase to find him. During the search, the Gentleman uses books with childrens' stories in them to lead Layton from location to location through the inn. However, the stories serve as more than simple directions. According to the Gentleman himself, the books are also there to "provide a look into my world." So I thought it'd be fun to analyze the contents of these books and how they relate to the Masked Gentleman. Spoilers for Miracle Mask follow.

The Five Friends

A long time ago, there was a small kingdom surrounded by forest. Five friends who lived near a castle spent their time fishing in the river and playing in the lush, grassy fields. One day, they went exploring to the top of the tallest hill in the land. And there, they found a treasure of silver and gold! The friends divided the treasure between them, and four of them spent their riches through the years. But one friend decided to bury his share of the treasure in a fine place, surrounded by green and pleasing to the eye. He did this so he could go searching for treasure with his friends again. He did it so he would never forget the feeling of embarking on an adventure. He did it so the five friends would always have a reason to be together. The boy knew that people change when they grow up. When he finished burying his treasure, he fell asleep by a window, fully content and blanketed in the glow of the moonlight.

For those not in the know, the identity of the Masked Gentleman is Randall Ascot and as such this will be a major factor in the analysis. The first book seems to be about Randall's childhood and teenage years in Stansbury, with him representing the boy that buried his treasure. The other four friends likely represent Angela Ledore, Henry Ledore, Alphonse Dalston and Hershel Layton. With the former three, Randall used to go on adventures in childhood. Later, Alphonse grew distant from the friend group and Randall met Layton in his teenage years. In that time, he would go on archaeological adventures with Hershel, Angela and also Henry.

Randall is of course someone who loves adventure and spending time with his friends on those adventures. I don't think this story represents an actual event that Randall experienced in his childhood, but that it is more symbolic. The main purpose of this story seems to be Randall looking back at those halcyon days in Stansbury (coincidentally also the name for Stansbury's theme) and how much things have changed for the worse since then. In the story, it is mentioned the boy is aware that people change as they grow older and he buries his treasure so that they could always have a reason to be together. In the past, Randall and his friends were together and in the present, after they have grown up, the group has fallen apart. Alphonse was the first to do so, as he became more interested in making money and starting his own hotel business. Hershel went off to London to study archeology and would not speak with the others for 18 years. Angela and Henry remained together, but are at odds with Alphonse. In the present, Alphonse lives alone at the edge of Monte d'Or and suspects Angela is bitter at Henry for the accident Randall found himself in. The friend group has thus fallen apart, with Randall positioning himself as unique in the story. He is the only one who remembers the halcyon days and the only one who has valued friendship over literal treasure. Considering all of this, the ending of the story with the boy sleeping contently seems to be ironic on purpose or to emphasize the nearing end of the halcyon days.

The Boy and the Dog

One day, a young boy found a wild dog in the woods near his village. The dog was hurt, so the boy took him in. As the dog healed, he grew to trust the boy. The two grew up together and became very close with one another. One day, the boy packed up his belongings so that he could fulfill his dream of becoming a scholar. The dog was sad to see the boy go... The boy grew into a fine young man and became a famous scholar. When he returned, he was eager to show his family and his dog what he had made of himself. But when he arrived, he saw that his house was empty. The boy, all grown up, saw an old man pass by and asked him what had happened. The old man said that the family who lived in that house had been chased out years ago by a wild dog. And that's when the boy realized... He had been betrayed by the one he trusted the most. He now had no home and no family return to. With grief weighing heavy upon his heart, he disappeared into the woods, never to be seen again.

I think this story represents the moment Randall realized Stansbury had become a vacant ghost town after regained the memories he lost during his accident. Randall represents the boy and Henry represents the dog. In childhood and their teenage years, Randall and Henry had a bond of trust that Henry describes as brotherly later in Miracle Mask. This started when Randall gave one of his favorite toys, a robot, to Henry after Randall's maid tried to take it away from him because he was playing with it. I feel this event is paralleled in the story by the boy finding the dog in the woods and taking it in.

At some point, the boy leaves his dog behind to become a scholar and does not contact with his family for many years. This parallels Randall's 18 years living in Craggy Dale with amnesia. The boy coming home and seeing his family home destroyed, is paralleled by Randall regaining his memory and being brought to Stansbury, where he sees it destroyed. Per the words of Jean Descole in the Episode The Seeds of Revenge:

You witnessed it yourself. The Ascot heritage destroyed, and your hometown abandoned.

Several other characters in the game also mention how Stansbury is a ghost town in the present, like Gloria (Esther in the North American version), who used to live there. The old man in the story telling the boy about what the dog did to his family is likely a stand-in for Descole, who told Randall that Henry had taken everything from him and showed him the ruins of the vacant Stansbury. Thus, whereas the first story represents nostalgia for halcyon days, this second story represents a realization of betrayal of trust and the end of the halcyon days.

The Ungrateful Business Owner

Once there was a very poor man who lived in a lively town. The man had nothing, but he got by with the help of the townspeople. One day, the richest man in town took pity on him and bought the poor man a shop so that he could earn a living. The poor man ran a good business, and his shop thrived. His shop became known far and wide, and it grew into the most successful shop in town. Even the shops of the rich man who helped him could not compare. No longer poor, the man decided to buy all the food in town so that he could make a great profit. The trusting people sold him everything. The man then raised the prices until no one could afford to buy any food. The man then sold the food to people in other towns. The man had become so blinded by money that he forgot the debt he owed to those in his hometown. The town he had called home, once prosperous, began to decline. The man's fortunes grew as the townspeople starved. He built a palace in town. It was the largest palace ever built. And his wealth continued to grow each day. The townspeople had no choice but to leave their homes. And in time, the man was left alone in his empty kingdom. There, his vast loneliness, as open as the sea, swallowed him whole.

Instead of being about Randall, the third story is more about Henry. The poor man who gets a shop and later becomes rich is the stand-in for Henry, lifted up by the richest man in town. If I had to guess, this represents Randall's father, who was the richest man in Stansbury, deciding to train Henry up as a butler and giving him some opportunity. The middle part of the story represents the founding and growth of Monte d'Or as Stansbury becomes a ghost town. The poor man grows richer than the people who initially helped him, as Henry grew richer than the Ascot family after he found the Azran treasure in Akbadain and founded Monte d'Or. In Randall's view, Henry has become blinded by money and forgotten the debt he owes him, his father and his other friends. The business owner buying up all the food in town and reselling it at ridiculous prizes, before selling it to other towns, is likely a parallel to how Randall views Monte d'Or. He sees Henry as exploiting the people and tourists who come to the town, as many lose substantial sums in Henry's casinos, allowing him to grow richer. During the game this is mentioned a few times and best exemplified by the character Humbert. As he himself puts it in Chapter 5 as the Masked Gentleman:

YOUR city, hmm? Is that what you think? Though I suppose... Yes, this foul pit of greed and tawdry thrills does reflect its creator perfectly. You built this city as a monument to your grotesquely swollen ego.

The end of the story then represents the future that Randall is working towards: revenge on Henry. After his supposed greed has driven everyone away, he will be swallowed whole by his loneliness. The Masked Gentleman's final miracle involves burying Monte d'Or in sand, which is likely what this part of the story is representative of.

The Traiterous Regent

There was once a kindhearted princess in a kingdom in the valley. This princess was so beautiful that suitors camped outside the castle for months to gain an audience with her. And then one day, the princess saw a young knight pass by her window... The princess fell in love with him at first sight and they were married. The knight was named king and the princess named queen. One day, the king and his minister set out for the mountains to slay a dragon that threatened the kingdom. The princess waited for her king to return. She waited and waited but only the minister returned with news that her king had died. The minister did everything he could to comfort the princess in her grief. He comforted her night and day. After many moons of grief, the minister's kindness and patience finally reached the princess's heart. The princess's feelings for the minster blossomed into love, and she married him in a lavish, royal wedding. It seemed that here the audience sat, rapt with attention, eager to bear witness to the final miracle of love. No one knew that the minister actually tricked the king into searching for the dragon and then trapped him in the cave. The minster now had the princess, the crown, and the country. But then... The king awoke, trapped under a pile of rubble. The minister to whom he had entrusted his life was gone. The king used every last ounce of his strength to clear away the rocks and made his way back to the surface. And when he finally escaped... He saw the minister living happily with the princess as husband and wife.

The last story, the Traiterous Regent, is perhaps the easiest to analyze as it is the most overt with its parallels. The knight turned king represents Randall, the minister represents Henry and the princess represents Angela. This last point is made extra clear by how the princess physically resembles Angela in the picture accompanying the story and how men vied for the princess, with multiple people also looking to marry Angela (Randall, Alphonse and supposedly Henry). Whereas the story about the business owner was (partially) about Henry stealing Randall's wealth, this one is more about Henry's "theft" of Angela, the woman that Randall loved and wanted to ask her hand in marriage after coming back from Akbadain. The minister arranging for the cave to collapse represents the idea that Descole planted in Randall's head: Henry deliberately wanted Randall to go on the dangerous expedition to Akbadain so he would disappear and so Henry could steal everything.

The king waking up from under the rubble and fighting himself free, only to return to the minster and princess marries, represents Randall leaving Craggy Dale and coming to Monte d'Or, where he finds Henry and Angela married.

It might also be interesting to note that the minister could also represent professor Layton to a degree. It was him who accompanied Randall to Akbadain and he was there when Randall's accident occurred. While we are never given indication that Randall suspects that professor Layton was in on Henry's supposed plot, he obviously does feel resentment towards him for not saving him from his fall and for supposedly not upholding his promise to solve Akbadain's final puzzle. This is made most clear where Randall captures Luke and dangles him high in the Reunion Inn, challenging Layton to save him and recreating the circumstances around the accident in Akbadain. Randall even says as such:

Is it true, Layton? I've heard you have a history of letting your friends down.

Conclusion

The four story books thus each represent a different facet of the betrayal that Randall feels: from nostalgia for his halcyon days, to the shock of finding out about the "betrayal", to resentment over Henry not honoring his debt to resentment over Henry "stealing" Angela. The stories are noticeably from Randall's perspective, as they portray him as the victim and leave out how his own recklessness and lust for adventure and glory led to his accident as well, though he does come to his senses by the end of the game.

#professor layton #randall ascot #masked gentleman #miracle mask #miracle mask spoilers

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greenscreen-dress · 2 years

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I can't stop thinking about how he never got to see the Deep Dark. It was probably for the best, since at his age the shriekers and wardens probably would've killed him dead right there from the fright but damn. He'd've probably had fun with the shriekers after the fact, and he'd've definitely had some Choice Words for the warden.

If I can ever write about him again without crying, he's probably lurking down there to fuck with the Hermits when they show up. The ancient cities are his now.

Yeah the pulsating Darkness effect and overall sound design of the Deep Dark would be absolutely miserable to experience with his motion sickness and migraines... They're his though now, you're so right. All the biomes, all those 100+ blocks of stone and ores and caves, as soon as you step below the dirtblock crust of the world that's his domain.

And the fact he never really got to explore the Deep Dark, or any of the 1.18 cave generation beyond the ore distribution... Maybe someone hasn't played Minecraft in a few years. Maybe they pick up the game again, start a new world, do their early game caving and stumble into a massive lush cave. Maybe they mine into it through a geode, just as Lena Raine's "Infinite Amethyst" begins to play. Maybe that sense of wonder as the scene opens up before them is TFC, a little bit, watching over all who take pick to stone and still discovering the beauty of the game he loved for so many years.

I don't know if any of this makes sense, we both have a lot of emotions rn & it seems I've gotten over the shock somewhat and words are just pouring out now... I think it helps me to think of him as part of Minecraft now, this kindly jokey presence snarking away to himself in the walls of your stripmine. He's part of our worlds forever now.

If you ever do manage to write about him again I will be so happy to read & cry & miss him with every word. He was strong, we can be strong too, but it's completely ok and normal and important to mourn.

💚⛏️💔

#tw death #hermitcraft #mcyt #TFC #TinFoilChef #⛏️💔#eMerambles #eMereplies #hugs all around :'''')

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vorchagirl · 5 months

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List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! get to know your mutuals and followers ♡

5 things that make me happy? How fun! Thanks for sending me this chance to explore some rays of sunshine!

Playing D&D with my group of besties. We've been playing D&D as a group now for a long, long time and pretty much always end our sessions with hugs and 'love you guys!'. Nothing makes me happier than hanging out with those guys and feeling happy and accepted as we mess around.

Going to the movies and eating salty and buttery popcorn. Nothing makes me happier than being cocooned in darkness, eating some popcorn and drifting off into another world.

A lovely candlelit bath with Lush bath bombs! What can I say? I love unwinding and relaxing in the dark!

Taking my dogs for a walk on a nice cool day! Despite having had some very bad experiences with dog attacks last year, I'm love walking my boys around the new park I selected as our walking zone. So far I've only seen leashed dogs, and people are really happy and friendly.

Writing! Yes, I must admit for a while I forgot how much I love writing, but now that I'm writing again I love the freedom it offers me to explore new worlds!

#happiness

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sitp-recs · 2 years

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Kept in Cages by @sweet-s0rr0w

Artwork by @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm

Harry/Draco (2022, Explicit, 77k)

Deep in the heart of the Ministry lies the Beast Division: a hidden room where ancient beasts roam, and winged creatures soar, and grumpy giant ferrets eat all your biscuits unless you keep them well hidden. Draco Malfoy would know – he’s been working there for five years now, after all.

Meanwhile, on Level One, ex-Golden Boy Harry Potter is stuck in another interminable policy meeting, completely unaware of the mysterious comings and goings just three floors below. But when a giant snake emergency requires the assistance of a Parselmouth, Harry finds himself thrust, unprepared, into Draco’s weird and wonderful world – and naturally, he can’t keep away…

“All these creatures, and you. You’re not… bothered, you know? They’re all pretty powerful, but you know exactly how to handle them. You’re not scared of them, or anything like that.”

Behold everyone, the magical creature fic we all deserve!! Forget Fantastic Beasts, I would give anything to see this incredible journey on the big screen. From a moving plot to lush visuals, impressive world building and a poignant slow burn, this has all the elements that would make for an incredible movie, and a award-winner at that. The amount of care that went into every tiny detail, the brave decision to explore Harry’s loneliness and deteriorated mental health, plus Draco’s breathtaking characterization and arc, the unique creativity surrounding the magical creatures and their lore! This fic is so rich and detailed it even pays homage to other beloved Drarry works and I had so much fun trying to identify the little references. It’s very clear this was a labour of love and I’ll try my best to make it justice highlighting my favourite elements that deserve some extra appreciation.

First and foremost, the plot. This is NOT your usual “down and out Draco & depressed Harry” meet-cute kind of story. Having Draco secretly work with creatures was such a clever and inventive plot point, he has a quite devastating background and I love the mystery surrounding his post-war life that we slowly puzzle together alongside Harry. The first chapter is a banger and immediately captured my attention with Harry’s chaotic and loud routine as opposed to the quietness of Draco’s Beast Division. You’ll find yourself immersed not only in their main story but also in a brilliant side plot involving politician Lucius in the Muggle world. It was so well-thought, intriguing and original, I loved it!

The pacing also deserves a shoutout, for a long fic this was such a smooth read that I basically devoured in two days. The narrative is a mix of intriguing, funny, heartbreaking and romantic. My kind of long fic! The slow burn is absolutely impeccable, charming and organic, realistic but also full of UST (whoever thought a pet bathing scene could be THAT sexy? SS is showing her devotion to Suds here 😏). And omg this Draco is delicious, competent and stubborn with his dark overalls and tough, capable look (we get it Harry, that’s just your objective assessment!!!) and his single-minded, no-bullshit but gentle approach which is exactly what Harry needs to spark his curiosity. They both start this story so lost and lonely and it’s a privilege to see them find themselves (and each other) along the way. Their personalities complement one another beautifully and we notice all the nuances of Harry’s improving mood as he finds a safe haven and a new purpose working with Draco.

Here you’ll also find INCREDIBLE creatures and complex side characters, yes please! I cannot handle adorable Pandita, hilarious Potter the Jarvey, the baby Mooncalf!!! They have quirky and vibrant personalities bringing Harry and Draco’s funny and tender sides to the surface. I’m also very much here for this fascinating Muggle Narcisa and Ministry boss Hermione. This fic is a magical, heartfelt journey and getting to see Harry and Draco’s “happily ever after” was so satisfying. Each boy broke my heart in different ways but they get to heal together and they get to stay together and oh my heart, but they’re so good together. I love the idea of them exploring the wildlife in blissful domesticity afterwards, with bonus points for those sexy times full of scar worship and fat appreciation (done in a very thoughtful, gentle way!). And speaking of smut, I love that Draco’s pride and confidence counter-balances his inexperience, and Harry’s thirst for him is so relatable and adorable “your bloody arms and all the scars, ugh just leave me alone!!!” same Harry, same 😂

I had a blast discovering this wonderful world SS created for them, her genius mind and love for the ship present in every scene. It warmed my heart and made me appreciate even more all the hard work she put into telling this story. The world building is rich and well executed and I didn’t want it to end. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Draco and Harry and those lovely creatures but the healing journey was so special it felt earned. Lastly but just as important to mention as this is an essential part of the story: we have the absolute privilege to contemplate sixteen (!!!) mindblowing art pieces by the one and only Joy and they’re so full of heart and meaning, I felt truly spoiled. The mooncalf dancing scene, in particular, will be forever imprinted in my mind. This is the best read to indulge tonight or tomorrow to celebrate the weekend, go ahead and treat yourself!!!

Read on AO3

#drarry fic rec

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miikarin · 6 months

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These are the games I played this year and a rough ranking on them. I say rough ranking because even with my cobbled-together categories, it's hard to sometimes rank games against each other because they have different parts that I like and some of these are effectively tied or close rather than a clear higher ranking.

I tried to include in this list just the games that I have either finished or put in a significant amount of time for the more casual ones so that I felt that I had a fair idea in my head of what the game had on offer. Most of these I played and finished on stream though a few, most notably all of the Hidden Object category, were played purely offline. Some games I started on stream with the intent of showcasing them to then take offline and play.

Okay so starting at the top! No, I will not be taking any comments about my category choices, thank you 🙃

Metroidvania/Roguelike/Soulslike

Ranking on image (with links to game page): Grime, Afterimage, Vernal Edge, Pronty, Lone Fungus, Going Under, The Last Case of Benedict Fox, Ghost Song, Faerie Afterlight

Read more under the cut

So as someone with very specific aesthetics, I would definitely choose Afterimage over Grime but yet here we are, with slightly creepy, very toothy game ranked highest in this category. Even in terms of having multiple areas to explore and backtracking, Afterimage would be my pick. However, Grime's parry system made me fall in love with the combat in the game and it was so satisfying that I actually speedran the game for a bit and then devoted time to making resources for the any% run. I still need to play the dlcs but even on base game alone this game gets my vote.

Afterimage was quite a lot of fun and the vibrant and bright art was such a treat and feast for my eyes. I also really liked the different weapons and how they changed the combat. I think the story could have been a little tighter but I just fully enjoyed the time I had in the game and getting to see the areas. I wish more games had this type of colour palette and I know the whole 'grim, and dark, and moody' bit sells but I'm slightly tired of it. The Afterimage world was post-apocalyptic (or in-game analogous) but it was presented in a different manner and there were still areas that weren't all lush, vibrant scenery.

Vernal Edge is a game that I remember feeling frustration in certain areas while playing it but also it lives in my mind and I still think about it so it's next on the list. The fighting is different than what I usually experience - it's a spectacle fighter style, and there is an interesting mechanic by which you cast 'spells' and also heal. I think the character was a bit slippery at times which led to some of the frustration in the platforming as mentioned earlier. The game has some good writing underpinning it though and travelling to different islands in the sky and exploring them was a neat way to put together the world.

Pronty is interesting that it is underwater and the art is beautiful; combat is a bit removed since you do not do the fighting but instead direct your javelin fish to do it.

Lone Fungus I wish I could like more but it was a lot more platforming and very precise platforming at that, which is not where my interests lie.

Going Under is doing the heavy lifting for including Roguelike into this category mashup and the reason for that is that it is a genre that I also do not tend to play for various reasons that I may go into in the future but not here. Still, if I had to pick a game from that genre, I'd say Going Under is a good one - there's some seriously great writing here from dev Aggro Crab and it's a quite hilarious commentary on startup culture in our current times.

Not really going to go through the rest of the games since I only want to type so much and there are a few other categories to go. However, those categories will be in a later reblog.

#video games #streaming #indie games

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drones-of-innocence · 1 year

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"Pedro Pascal is making me want to write edgy Mario fic"

Now i am very, very curious of what you would write because you usually write such fluffy Mario fics 👀

Oh you mean from this? 🤭

I do love writing sweet fluffy stuff more than anything else, but I can't deny there has always been at least a little bit of an animal inside that wants to explore some darker concepts 😳

I actually have a couple of ideas that go in a darker direction, but none of them have been fully fleshed out exactly. Sometimes I'll get started writing on something only for my muse to abandon it in favor of something else. So I'll just write down as much of the idea as it comes to me in the hopes that my darting, buzzing fly of a brain will come back to it sometime. It's worked before with stories like with Love Story, What They Don't See (which I have more plans for 👀) or Fresh Air particularly. But what I have published is not even half of the ideas I want to write 😭 So sometime maybe I'll end up having the inspiration (and nerve) to fully commit to a darker storyline, maybe even one with a bad ending.

For the Pedro Pascal (😩💘) thing in particular, a post-apocalyptic Mushroom Kingdom setting would be so fun to explore. I automatically think of the Mushroomy Kingdom stage from Super Smash Bros Brawl where everything was bleak and uninhabitable. Assuming it's a sort of "bad ending" premise where Bowser successfully takes over the Mushroom Kingdom in a disastrous war and Princess Peach was forced into hiding, that kind of leads me to try to fill in the hole of who Mario is in this story and why he doesn't know of her already since he apparently has notoriety himself, albeit at a possibly more illicit angle. Maybe he's a stranger to the Mushroom Kingdom (whether he's from our Earth or not) and the MK was sort of a mysterious/mythical state to the rest of the world before it was taken over by Bowser. How he wound up there might have to do with being stuck or trapped or even an attempt at retiring from the life he had before. (smuggling? bounty hunting? etc)

Maybe Peach is trying to get to the legendary Rainbow Road because it would allow her to access her magic power that has been severed due to Bowser's destruction? So she needs a reliable transport there since she can't navigate the dangerous overworld on her own. If she were able to access her power again, she would easily be able to oust Bowser and return the Mushroom Kingdom to its former lush, peaceful state. And Mario, perhaps a hardened and initially cold person due to rough experiences/loss, is called upon to assist this vulnerable character (just like Mando or Joel 🥺)

I'm so weak for an initial "refusal of the call" trope where the calloused character ends up changing his mind *of his own accord* (even if he pretends its a nuisance) just by virtue of experiencing the warmth and life of the innocent character. It accesses something soft inside him that he maybe believed was dead, or that he was never allowed/able to have before in the first place. In this case, Mario would see Peach's gentle kindness toward her suffering citizens and even towards himself, and it would open up a new world of possibilities in his heart 🤧💖

Along the way, they get assistance from old friends with Toad and Yoshi, and maybe even a bittersweet reunion with Luigi who has holed himself up for survival in an abandoned mansion. And as they get closer and closer to being able to travel down Rainbow Road, it becomes clear that a grand battle with Bowser is inevitable 🔥 And Mario, with newly accessed warmth and love in his heart, doesn't hesitate to march into battle for a Princess who believes in him 🌟

#This was long whoops!!#Thank you for the ask!! 😍#There is an edginess to Mario that I hint at already in my fics #A sense of shame and resignation #A bleak outlook about himself #And the world or human nature in general #But Peach is always the one to shift his perspective #Make him see the goodness in people and himself 🥺#I already love Mando so much for his literal armored approach #That gets shed in small pieces over time with Grogu #I'd do something similar here I think #If I were skilled enough to pull it off rip #Mario being initially callous is something I really want to try my hand at writing #Idk if I'll get to this but it is on my mind #Also just know I was losing my mind when I saw it #Because I'm a Pedro simp and also I literally write Mario fic #I'm gonna start introducing myself that way tbh #ANYway thank you for paying close attention to my tags 😂#I have a lot of thoughts and I don't like taking up a lot of space #So they're sort of “read if you want to”#Nice to know someone likes to follow my thoughts #🥺#istadris #Ask #Diary of Drones #Mario #Princess Peach #Pedro Pascal 😍#SNL #Mareach

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iraprince · 2 years

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I'm a diehard FFXIV player but I've played GW2 and I absolutely love how explorable the world is, and how that's encouraged by gameplay. To the point that I actually got grumpy at the story for interrupting my exploration compass >.>

THIS THIS THIS THIS i was actually literally talking abt this w my wife like, last night!! one of the sticking points for me w ffxiv has been that, in comparison to me being very used to how gw2 handles the environments/map design, outside of the cities ffxiv maps kind of feel... very empty and like there's no real incentive to actually fully explore vs. just going directly from quest marker to quest marker (grain of salt on this one bc i haven't gotten very far so maybe later maps are much better than the starter ones and i haven't gotten to them yet?)

but on the other hand gw2 maps are really lush detailed environments that i actually love to just like. hang out in, and wander through, and it's worth it to seek out nooks + crannies, and also just the way events move through the maps + reknown hearts showing you the daily lives/current conflicts of the characters living there + all the other gameplay stuff that populates the maps fleshes things out in a way that i think is just like. really incredible and fun to interact with and take in. i love exploring in guild wars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#also u may have already figured this out but u can temporarily turn ur story markers off in ur settings! :)#rly good for when u just wanna map complete for a while

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richincolor · 8 months

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Title: Goddess Crown Author: Shade Lapite Genres: Fantasy, Romance Pages: 276 Publisher: Candlewick Press Review Copy: Provided by publisher Availability: Available now

Summary: In this thrilling Afro-fantasy, the first set in the lush, opulent kingdom of Galla, a girl raised in secret must leave her sheltered rural home for the subtle dangers of the royal court, where she becomes caught up in deadly power struggles and romantic intrigue.

Kalothia has grown up in the shadows of her kingdom, hidden away in the forested East after her parents were outed as enemies of the king. Raised in a woodland idyll by a few kindly adult caretakers, Kalothia can hunt and fish and fend for herself but knows little of the outside world. When assassins attack her home on her sixteenth birthday, she must flee to the king’s court in the West—a beautiful but lethal nest of poison, plots, and danger, overseen by an entrenched patriarchy. Guided by the Goddess herself, can Kalothia navigate this most worldly of places to find her own role? What if she must choose between her country and her heart? Excitement, romance, and a charismatic heroine shine in this first book set in the unforgettable kingdom of Galla.

Review: [Most of the action in Goddess Crown happens in a sexist, patriarchal kingdom, to the extent that there are multiple mentions of women not being taught to read, customarily don’t travel by themselves, and are not meant to lead due to religious precepts. Forced marriage is a late-book plot point as well.]

Shade Lapite’s Goddess Crown is a fast-paced fantasy book that starts off will some well-loved hero tropes (family secrets, a doomed hometown, animal companion, etc.) but quickly expands its scope and world building once Kalothia is forced into the wider world. Kalothia is a fun protagonist, and her determination to seek justice is a major driver for the overall plot. I liked exploring the kingdom of Galla from her point of view, even if what Kalothia encountered was difficult to deal with.

The sexism in the patriarchal kingdom of Galla is a pervasive plot point. The author generally does a good job of avoiding the “not like other girls” trope with Kalothia, who has several moments where she encounters women/girls in Galla who are surprised by her traveling alone or being able to read. Kalothia doesn’t look down on them or act condescending to them but is instead consistently frustrated with the men who are enforcing the system via religion. She is determined to do what she can in spite of the role she is supposed to have in society. There are some sexist villains who rise to the level of cartoonish, which can become tiring, but the Goddess herself gives readers some hope that things in Galla will change (slowly) with Kalothia’s help. That said, there are very few (alive) female characters of significance in the book, and with how fast-paced the book is, there’s little time to develop most of them.

The book is a very fast read. New obstacles spring up and are dealt with so quickly that I found myself wishing multiple times that there were fewer of them so that we could dig deeper into the major ones. The cave sequence and trial, for example, were over so quickly that they felt anticlimactic. I also wished Kalothia spent far more time with Bukki and Nahir on the page so that I could appreciate their relationships more. Despite this, Kalothia’s relationship with Nahir still hit enough romantic beats that I was willing to buy in to the couple’s development. Ultimately, I think the scope of this book deserved a hundred more pages; I hope the other books set in Galla will have more space to breathe.

Recommendation: Borrow it someday if you’re a fan of fantasy. Author Shade Lapite has built an interesting world, but the fast pace of the overall storyline didn’t leave much room to dive deep into the kingdom or many of the characters. There is a lot of promise here in Goddess Crown, and I hope that future installments give readers a chance to get to know more characters better.

Extras: Author Chat with Shade Lapite (Goddess Crown)

Building an African Fantasy World for Goddess Crown

Read The First Chapter of ‘Goddess Crown’ by Shade Lapite

#goddess crown #shade lapite #fantasy #romance #recommendation: borrow it someday

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queensparklekitten · 7 months

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ooh you play modded now? what are your fave mods/which ones do you recommend?

yeah, i joined a modded server a while back and now it's hard to adjust to vanilla minecraft again! As for favourite mods, it's hard to choose just a few but here you go

(i use fabric btw but i'm p sure at least most of these have forge versions)

If you're really into lore, questing, lore, adventure, and lore, End Remastered is really good. Regular eyes of ender no longer work- you need to find 12 of the 16 special Eyes scattered around the world via exploring, fighting, and mining! Each Eye comes with its own cool as hell design, and if you mouse over it, you will obtain Lore!

Extra bonus points if you combine it with Yung's Better Strongholds, which makes strongholds cool as fuck. Extra EXTRA bonus points if you combine the two with BetterEnd which I'm gonna detail later on.

Speaking of Yung's Better Strongholds, the creator also has upgrades to other structures as well. I've only tried three of their mods, though, the other two being the one with bridges, and the mineshaft one. They're pretty good.

Clutter adds various fun things to the world and I can't get enough of it. Features it gives you include: butterflies (including nether ones), cherry fruit, super cute little kiwi birds, some cute blocky furniture including really pretty lacy curtains you can open and close, moss-and-flower-covered deer in lush caves, butterfly wing elytras in every colour, books placeable on the ground, little floating fish in the End, and adorable plushies of various creatures!

And if the plushies in Clutter aren't enough for you, there's also Perfect Plushies to add even more! I especially love the bunny one it's so cute

Not enough decorations? Beautify is a particular favourite of mine. Like Clutter, its decorations are vanilla styled (I've never particularly been one for furniture/decoration mods full of circles). Some favourite features of mine include lattices you can put flowers on to have them growing on your house (I covered the ceiling of a room of my base in flowers that way), hanging pots you can put most plants in, and book stacks that give power to your enchanting table while making your enchantment setup look cool.

Speaking of pretty things, Oh The Biomes You'll Go is a must-have. Seriously, it's so pretty and so good for exploration and building. The trees are massive and range from forests of perpetual autumn to purple leaves with pink flowers, there's places so full of colourful flowers it's impossible to ever use them all, there's rare enchanted forests with cyan roses and there's tall cliffs with pools at the top with lilypads and how have i not mentioned the massive stone arches covered in moss yet?

After BYG, the second best biome mod is definitely Regions Unexplored. You've gotta get this one for the rainbow glowing crystal caves alone. That being said, the lands with blue and purple leaves on all the trees, forests with big glowing mushrooms, poppy fields, pumpkin fields some of which are naturally carved (you could make a lore out of this), and fuzzy hanging plant-like things in the nether with glowing ends don't hurt either.

What's that? That's not enough pretty things for you? Well, even if it's actually more than enough, you absolutely need to get BetterEnd. Legitimately the prettiest mod I've ever seen. The starry sky alone will blow your mind. And then we've got aurora crystals which are as pretty as they sound, colourful mosses and glowing flowers everywhere, crystal and petal and snowflake particles in the air in places, huge trees with leaves in every colour out there and lots of flowery vines or lichen, very spooky dark forests that i've gone full tma statement-giver mode about, large glowing mushroom-trees covered in moss some of which are big enough to build a village on top of, golden spiral trees, massive star-shaped formations of emerald ice in the sky... I really can't describe how pretty betterend is you have to see it for yourself. Also crystal elytras. And a wood type with spiral patterns in the logs. And an enchantment that lets you look at endermen without angering them. And pink silk moths.

On the other hand, if you're looking for something a little more... spooky, or you're really into lore, The Graveyard is one of my favourite mods ever. The mobs are terrifying, between the blood and the way they move and the fact that some of them have glowing white eyes which sets my Minecraft veteran instincts off hard, but the structures are awesome and the lore is INSANE, to the point that I've got an entire google doc dedicated to my observations with this one mod and have imagined up music videos about the lore and the happenings that led to my uncovering of more and more of it. You're gonna find yourself going crazy seeking out more and more structures with lecterns, chests, and item frames containing books written by someone long dead, and getting closer to putting together the pieces (hehe double meaning). It's also got by far the coolest bossfight I've EVER done in Minecraft, with a REALLY good song that plays during it. And tons of skeleton decorations you can make to decorate your base for Halloween. So if you're a fan of manmade horrors beyond your comprehension, you gotta try Graveyard. If you're a fan of lore but don't want to have to deal with ghouls or revenants or nightmares (understandable) you still gotta try Graveyard but do it on peaceful difficulty or with commands that let you make it day or switch to creative mode at a moment's notice. (note: Graveyard's lore contains heavy discussion of cults, as well as mentioned child death and described body horror. all avoidable.)

It's also got a companion mod called Nyctophobia that adds some spooky biomes.

Creeper Overhaul adds biome-specific creeper variants, and I'm pretty sure at least one of them is friendly and won't explode you (or at least neutral). There's bamboo, desert, dripstone, and more variants of creepers, all of them designed to camouflage into their natural habitat. It's fun to make headcanons about all the different kinds.

Still not over a certain mob vote? Friends & Foes adds losing vote mobs! The glares are cute and tameable and the wildfires come with a new structure, but if you ask me, it's only got a spot on this list if you also get the addon Flowery Mooblooms, which allows for moobloom variants with every single flower in the game!

Not enough creatures? Want more? Naturalist is great in the creatures department. You can tame the adorable songbirds (including cardinals and canaries), put a snail in a bucket, ride a giraffe or zebra, and get your ass handed to you by a hippo. Also there's dragonflies.

If you want some super cool weapons, Simply Swords has the coolest fucking weapons. You can craft scythes and battleaxes and stuff, or you can go exploring and find weapons like a fire sword that explodes your opponents, or a poison sword that can convert any positive status effects on your opponent into negative ones, or a purple fire sword with an eye on it that is always watching and can regen you by damaging your enemies, or... you get the picture. It's also got support for Mythic Metals which adds some cool ores.

As for food, Croptopia is good. There's lots of fruit trees, you can make a lot of jam and soup and pie and juice and stuff. There's also Farmer's Delight which I really like, and an addon for the latter called End's Delight that adds more food to the End!

If you're into Origins, I'd say it's not fully complete without Extra Origins alongside it. <- she says without having ever actually chosen any of the origins from it, just thinking they're critical to Modded World Lore bc her first modded server had it and thus including them in her large collection of design headcanons for each origin

Finally, there's the More Axolotl Variants Mod which is exactly what it sounds like. around 10 new axolotl colours, including sculk and glow ones that you can only get through breeding. Little guys <3

Aaaand I think that's covered all the bases for my favourite mods for all the things required for a good modded world: pretty things, cool items, lore and worldbuilding, creatures, food, and the horrors!

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renlyslittlerose · 10 months

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8, 11, and 41 for the ask game!

Thanks, peach! For this ask game!

8. Do you prefer the beginning, middle, or end of a story?

When it comes to writing I prefer the middle, actually! It's where I start to find my groove - the tone and the themes begin to settle, the characters feel natural in the setting/story I've placed them in, I have a better sense of how they would react, and I can start incorporating the plot points and story elements that I've been planning! It's also usually where the relationship between characters get a bit meaty - either people are beginning to explore their feelings for one another romantically, or break-ups can happen, or friendships can strengthen or fracture. It's a lot of fun.

11. Link three of your favourite fics right now:

Heels on Fire - Spicyshimmy (Mass Effect - Mshenko)

Still one of my favourite fics, periods. Simple, evotitive, very well done.

Dreamfield Series - @treescape (Star Wars - Obikin/Vaderwan)

Some of the first obikin/vaderwan fics I read when I was first getting into the fandom! Dreamy, lush, romantic, slightly sinister. Trees is just so good with evoking something so enticing into every scene she writes. Brilliant work.

Needing/Getting - Chapstickaddict (Star Wars - Obikin)

I was really taken with how the force is written about in this story - the layers to it, how the author tried to make it into something tangible and unique to each character. I'm also normally not one for kid fics, but I thought Luke and Leia were well written and didn't overstay their welcome in a scene lol.

Also, A+ for not writing widower Anakin all torn up about moving on with Obi-Wan. Often times I feel like either Padme is completely ignored as being anyone of importance in Anakin's life, OR she's written to be a source of conflict. Anakin loves her, will always love her, but also loves Obi-Wan. Simple as that 💕

41: Do you tend to re-read fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person?

Depends! Sometimes I'll re-read a fic after a few years have passed, just to relive the world or the experience. Other times I'll enjoy a story for what it was, and leave it to be potentially re-discovered! I used to re-read a HP Marauder's fic every few years, but I no longer wish to engage with HP material in any way.

#ask #reply #yourfavoritefridge #ask meme #ask game #thank you!

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devoraqs · 1 year

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And a #25 kiss for Visilyacha?

They had been in Nalba for two and a half months now, and it had been three since they escaped from Firent. Those months had been some of the longest and most arduous of Alexander’s life, and he was including the Plague in that. The worst of Julian’s wounds had been healed fairly quickly after the fact, in those frenzied moments on the ship as they had sailed away from the burning city, but ‘healed’ did not mean ‘recovered’, and recovery was taking its time. This, as his father was wont to remind him, was true for him and Vissenta as well, “I’m fine,” Alexander had said gruffly the first time Meirneal had said something, “I’m not hurt. And they both need me.” “They do. And you need them,” his father said, uncharacteristically stern, “and I will not see you hurt yourself further by denying that you need help, and rest.”

Being in Nalba, safe, sure, comforting Nalba, admittedly was helping. As soon as they were able, and as soon as Julian was robust enough, they had begun to hike through the woods and the mountains around Beinn nan Craobhan Giuthais, with its well trodden paths and lush green forests. It was worlds and worlds away from politics and papicide plots and… well, everything really. Everything, of course, except the people who Alexander realised more clearly each day he loved more than anything. Loved, and was in love with.

It was on one of these hikes that found him, Vissenta, and Julian resting in a small clearing at the foot of Craobhan Giuthais, that the clouds rolled dark overhead and sheets of heavy rain suddenly began to pelt down on them. Vissenta swore at the shock of the freezing water, leaping to her feet and pulling Julian up with her. Suddenly feeling a bolt of energy and daring, Alexander grabbed both their hands, “Come, I know where we can shelter til this passes!” Fast as they could, they sprinted through the trees. As cold as the rain was, and how slippery it was rendering the soil and the grass, there was something exhilarating about it. Beside him he heard Julian howl with laughter, and their hands were warm in his.

The place in question was a small rocky cave found during some boyhood exploration, which he identified by a pattern that he himself had etched into the mouth with some juvenile magic. He pulled the other two inside just as a flash of lightning streaked the sky followed by a low rumble of thunder. It was a fairly tight fit, but there was just enough room for them all, pressed nearly cheek to cheek. “Ah,” Julian quipped once they’d gotten their breath back, “Prydic weather at its finest,” “At least it’s not a blizzard,” Alexander replied, “Then we’d really be in trouble.” “Please, we’re experts at being in trouble,” Vissenta said, wringing out the end of her braid, “a little snow is nothing. Or rain, for that matter.”

All three of them looked a bit worse for wear, drenched to the bone and streaked with mud from running. Alexander’s hair had come loose in their mad dash, hanging in sodden strands about his shoulders, and Vissenta’s fringe was plastered to her forehead. Compared to the levels of dishevelled they had been in recent months, there was something slightly charming about this, as uncomfortable as it was. Perhaps it was because, Alexander realised, they’d finally had some fun again. However, uncomfortable it certainly was, exacerbated by the chill stone around them, and it didn’t take long for them all to start to shiver. Alexander took their hands again, and drew them both in closer (not a difficult feat in the restricted room of the cave). He could feel the light puffs of their breaths on his skin, almost hear the thrum of their pulses, racing still. Steadily, carefully, he brought their hands to his lips and grazed them across their joined fingers, and as he did so a warmth spread across their bodies that sapped the rain-wrought cold from the inside out. He heard Vissenta’s breath catch, and felt Julian clasp his hand tighter. He glanced up, and they were both staring at him with wide eyes,and expression that was almost certainly mirrored on his own face.

“Sanya,” a barely-voiced whisper from Julian.

Barely a further heartbeat passed before he pulled Julian down to him with an urgency, a hunger he couldn’t quite describe, and crashed their lips together. In that same heartbeat Vissenta also surged forward, wrapping her arms around the two taller men as much as she could in the cramped space. Julian sighed into his mouth, Vissenta’s hand curled into his damp hair. He broke off from Julian and turned in his arms, and with that hand anchored in his hair Vissenta kissed him with the same intensity. Heat that had nothing to do with the warmth charm spilled out of his core and enveloped him from head to toe, even as cool drops of rainwater continued to slide down from his hair into his collar. Julian’s mouth was at his neck then, trailing every inch of skin he could reach with a hot open mouthed kiss. Then, as he and Vissenta parted, hers and Julian’s lips met and Alexander held them both closer and closer. The rush of blood pounding in his ears melded with the hammering rain and rolls of thunder outside.

Time outside that tiny cave stood still as the storm raged outside, and there was an unspoken sense of finally among them.

Finally, finally, finally.

Finally, they had time. Finally, things made sense. And finally it was so clear that this was right; it was right for them to be here in this cramped little alcove, so entwined it was as though they had become one being. Proximity aside, they were close, so close to each other. Alexander kissed lingering raindrops from the cheeks of the other two, Vissenta traced patterns across their arms as she held them tight, Julian buried his head into their shoulders and they breathed together.

When the rain subsided, then they could try and reckon with reality, but for now the three of them were out of the storm and away from the world, and had each other. That was all they needed.

#the arcana #visilyacha #vissenta senadz #julian devorak #apprentice alexander #julian #my writing #'this is going to be short and sweet' I said. and then over a thousand words later...

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