#portia's route is the most fun

[thearcanawearcrocs]

As a poly person myself I find the potential dynamics of an mc who is dating two or more of the main 6 fascinating so I’ve decided to rank them. For simplicity’s sake I’ve decided to only do the dynamic of an mc dating two of the main 6 for now but I’m happy to make more later if people are interested

Asra and Nadia

Interesting but I see them more as friends

I think they would both be eager to provide mc with anything they could possibly want

Nadia clearly values Asra’s opinion and they have a mutual respect and friendship

I think they could pretty easily share mc

4/10

Asra and Julian

These two have a lot of history together

I think it would be fascinating to watch them rekindle their old relationship but this time with more healthy and open communication and under better circumstances

Julian and Asra bonding as two people who have given everything to keep you alive/bring you back

Overall I really enjoy this one

Lots of potential for angst

9/10

Asra and Muriel

Childhood besties who only have each other for so long and now they are both dating the same person? Absolutely

I love the idea of mc dating both of them

It makes a lot of sense for them to become a triad

I think it would be a very positive experience for everyone involved

10/10

Asra and Portia

This would be fun but I personally don’t see a lot of romance coming with it

Asra and Portia would be adventure buddies and drag mc across the earth to show them the world

I think Faust and Pepi would get along

3/10

Asra and Lucio

Now this is fascinating to me

These two do not like each other at all in canon and have had almost no positive interactions

However I find the idea of them strangely compelling

I think it a world where mc chose Lucio it would be neat to watch Asra struggle to put aside his own feelings about Lucio to keep his apprentice close

It would get messy but honestly that’s part of what makes it interesting

7/10

Nadia and Julian

Another one that I think would come fairly easily

Nadia and Julian have chemistry in canon and I don’t think either one of them would object to mc also being in the mix

As countess Nadia can afford to take care of two partners

5/10

Nadia and Muriel

This one’s cute

Nadia who lives to shower her loved ones in gifts and luxury vs Muriel who struggles to believe he deserves basic comfort

You can’t tell me Nadia wouldn’t love to slip away into the woods from time to time to get away from the stress of her work

Also Nadia proving herself to be nothing like Lucio as a leader and taking steps to correct the issues in the city that hurt Muriel most

9/10

Nadia and Portia

I mean yeah absolutely

The two of them already fall in love in routes where mc doesn’t choose either of them so why wouldn’t they also fall in love in a route where mc did?

The trust and affection they already have for one another would be a pretty solid foundation to add mc to

10/10

Nadia and Lucio

I mean they were once married

Nadia would hold Lucio to his word and encourage his efforts to make amends for what he’s done wrong

I think she is one of the main 6 who would be able to forgive him fully with enough time and if she saw him putting in real effort

I also love the idea of her knowing Lucio the way he was before dying and being able to truly see and appreciate the difference

Lucio seems to harbor no real ill will towards Nadia either and I think they could make peace with one another

7/10

Julian and Muriel

The loudest most dramatic man you know breaks down the door of the most introverted quiet guy in existence

This can only end well

I think that they honestly would end up getting along but it would take a while

They would balance each other out in some respects

I think they would also eventually bond over trauma. They both lost their families at a young age, were both hurt by Lucio and have permanent physical marks of that trauma, and both struggle to see themselves as worthy of good things

If they don’t kill each other in the first month I think they could be great together

8/10

Julian and Portia

I mean they’re siblings so

I guess mc could just be dating both separately but that still feels weird to me

0/10

Julian and Lucio

I love these two together a lot

Julian “I only consider others and never myself” devorak meets Lucio “I only consider myself and not others” morgasson

It would be so incredibly messy

They will absolutely hurt one another but I think they may also help one another grow a great deal

They are both very dramatic and passionate and would play off one another well

10/10

Muriel and Portia

This is cute

I think Portia would be incredibly understanding

Her constant optimism and belief in those around her would be very good for Muriel I think

Also they are both animal lovers which is important

7/10

Muriel and Lucio

Oh god no

I don’t think Muriel ever could (or really ever should) forgive Lucio for what he’s done to him

I love Lucio but what he did to Muriel is beyond fucked and I truly could not see the two of them ever being able to be so much a friends

Could be an interesting dynamic to play with in a dark fic though

1/10

Portia and Lucio

Lucio would be like her silly little guy

I think Portia would be fine with having him around

Lucio would think she was a lot of fun

Portia is the character who was hurt by lucio the least and so I believe she would be one of the first to be able to forgive him

6/10

#the arcana #arcana #lucio #count lucio #the arcana lucio #muriel #the arcana muriel #julian #julian devorak #the arcana julian #the arcana nadia #nadia satrinava #portia devorak #muriel arcana #asra arcana

[themushroomgoesyeet]

It's time ladies and gentlemen

Arcana characters as Disney's Hercules

I promise not all of these are gonna be Disney themed lol I'm just a Muriel simp (if you couldn't tell) and when I originally came up with the Disney princess idea Muriel as Hercules started rotting a hole through my brain so here we are! Also, we're gonna get some side character/familiar action here as well, yay!

Asra, Nadia, Julian, & Portia - the muses

Are there other characters that these four could fit? Probably

Am I going to fit them there? No

Someone needs to be the muses, and I choose these 4

From left to right (since none of the muses are named) Portia, Julian, Nadia, & the last two get subsumed into Asra

Idk I think they'd have fun jamming out & watching Muriel do his thing

Lucio - Hades

Oh god I can hear the Lucio simps screeching at me in the comments already

But consider: am I wrong tho

Let's face it bro is the villain in every route but his own and the cynical, "better than thou" personality that they both share just fits so well

Plus this version of Hades is a Satan analog who makes binding deals with others for his own benefit, and doesn't that sound like a certain devil we all know?

Not to mention both of them are trying to escape the realms they've been assigned & make themselves god king of everything

Two words: ✨anger issues✨

Morga - Phil

And now we get to the fun characters outside the M6

I will admit, Phil is a lot nicer than Morga, but jaded older mentor figure trying to make up for failed prodigies fits

Plus, Morga was Muriel's mentor in his route

I feel like both also fit into the role of proud parent figure by the end of their respective stories

And both are disapproving of their pupil's romances lol

Inanna - Pegasus

Admittedly Inanna is a bit more no-nonsense than Pegasus is, but she can still be goofy and fun when she wants to

Incredibly supportive of their human companions, important assets in battle, their appearance started the main character on a path for a better and more fulfilling life

Not much else to say here it just works

Vlastomil and Volta - Pain & Panic

Honestly idk if I can fit Vulgora and Valdemar into the Hercules narrative, but at least I could get these two in here

Vlastomil is Pain and Volta is Panic; I realize both could probably fit into Panic's role as they are the more timid and mild mannered courtiers, but I've chosen things this way because Volta is a little bit more flighty and afraid to commit crimes like Panic, where as Vlastomil is a bit more bold (when he's allowed to be) and better fits Pain

There's also the whole shape shifting deal they can all do

Khamgalai - Zeus

This one.....is a bit weird ngl, I'm still not quite sure about it

Honestly this is the ONLY time I will conflate someone so near & dear to my heart with Zeus

Mostly this all fits into the "detached/secret family member" archetype

And....I mean Zeus in this narrative at least is actually very kind & caring, as well as a proud dad which is similar enough to Khamgalai to work ok

Plus they both act as a guide for the main character when they're trying to find/drifting away from the plot a little bit

Merf (my MC) - Meg

Ok

I know what you're thinking

And I'm going to state once again that I am a huge Muriel simp

My MC is also a self insert, and for as long as I can remember I've always identified the most with Meg, more than any of the other Disney women

Anyone who has read my fic, seen the stuff I've posted about my character either on this blog or others, or even just talked to me on the arcana discord started by @iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia can probably see that our personalities are very similar

Meg is very special to me as a character and I'm literally writing a post about mashing together my beloved and one of my favorite Disney movies, I'm not apologizing for conflating her with myself

#the arcana #the arcana game #arcana #muriel of the kokhuri #arcana mc #count lucio #portia devorak #julian devorak #asra alnazar #nadia satrinava #arcana as _

[fox-daddy]

Mc x non main Li;

I have no idea if I'm allowed to post twice but I wanted to make sure it got posted on time so I did them with their main Li first instead of putting them all together. This is them with their non main Li's. So the ones I ship them with but not as much as their 'main' routes. Only two are missing and that's because for one reason or another I don't ship them. Anyway enjoy.

Kyle;

Portia;

(Kyle:4'4/Portia:5'1)

Meeting would be fun as Kyle is one of the few people who is not just shorter than Portia just above her shoulder. They would've quickly gotten along with Portia's high energy but friendly nature and Kyle's friendly nature and equally high energy.

Their relationship would be double trouble. Both of them getting into trouble both magical and not. Especially during Portia's upright with Kyle having experience even if forgotten from working on pirate ships so their relationship having a lot of travel would be nothing but positive for Kyle as he and Portia spend a lot of their time together joking and having fun. While also knowing when things get serious they can both focus and rely on eachother.

Muriel;

(Kyle;4'4/Muriel;6'10)

If Muriel is scared to hurt 'normal' sized person you can imagine how he feels meeting someone as small as Kyle. Kyle however is quick to pick up on the fact Muriel won't hurt him from the way Muriel holds himself to hide some of his height.

They would probably have a funny relationship, small more hyper one and the big monotone one. Their relationship would be quiet sweet with Kyle doing his best to show Muriel the fact he's allowed to want things and to enjoy things. Trying to show Muriel the nicer things to life without pressuring him to enjoy everything. As he just enjoys having Muriel around and doing stuff with him. For Muriel having someone sweet who doesn't mind quietness is nice even if Kyle's small height scares him.

Lucio;

(Kyle;4'4/Lucio;5'10)

I would not be surprised if Lucio's first reaction to Kyle is to try manipulate before quickly realizing that isn't going to work. Kyle would probably see Lucio as someone to be weary of but also curios in.

Overall their relationship would be more interesting with Kyle definitely being the moral compass and Lucio being the muscle. With that said Kyle would definitely also party with Lucio between jobs making sure not to spend all their money of course. Between jobs and travel is parties and not destructive fun.

Hunter;

Asra;

(Hunter;5'4/Asra;5'8)

I'm going to assume Hunter is the Mc for Asra. Meeting Asra would be able to see through Hunter as being more similar to the moon, using their loud party energy to hide something. Hunter would see Asra as almost proof for what their adoptive aunt was trying to teach them.

Their relationship is pretty calm, while at first Hunter isn't thrilled with physical affection over time and gentle touches they start to really enjoy soft cuddles in the morning and while drinking tea. Along with Asra helping them with their shorter temper, not that it stops them from playfully playing along with any flirt off or silly game Asra comes up. Especially having grown up around Muriel Asra knows just because they have a more stirn exterior it doesn't mean their above playing along occasionally, although it is much easier to get Hunter to play along then Muriel.

Lucio;

(Hunter;5'4/Lucio;5'10)

uh no, Lucio would've liked Hunter right away because assertive and loud remind you of someone? Hunter would've thought Lucio was slightly annoying due to his whining but intresting.

While Hunter has a better moral compass than Lucio they would still get into a lot of trouble together. Hunter not afraid of bar fights and letting Lucio beat up an asshole or two if they encounter any. Although Hunter usually tries to make sure Lucio is in the right so they don't get thrown out, might even get a free drink depending on what's happening and who their beating up. For the most part they take bounties and roam around. Similar to Hunter's entire teenager phase but this time with a lover.

Bluebell;

Nadia;

(Bluebell; 6'4/Nadia:5'10)

First meeting would be fun since Bluebell would be immediately intimidated by Nadia and reflectively try and avoid being her main focus. Nadia would probably pick up on that quickly seeing Bluebell as soft spoken and skittish. (lowkey have no idea how they would get into a relationship but if they did.)

Where with Kyle and Nadia it's easy to assume Nadia is taking full charge while Kyle is actually keeping close notes. With Bluebell and Nadia this is true. Bluebell is there to support Nadia and while having her there helps give them enough courage to be on stage their not about to say anything during debates and is more than happy to let Nadia look after that. However, that isn't to say that Bluebell let's Nadia do everything that isn't true while in public eye they don't say much in private they act both as a good ear for Nadia to bounce ideas with but also at reminding Nadia that she can't do everything alone and should ask people if she needs something. Also acts as a good reminder to take breaks since given the chance Bluebell would also work themselves into the gave trying to do everything. (less out of the need to do everything themselves and more out of the need to get everything done.)

Asra;

(Bluebell; 6'4/Asra; 5'8)

pretending either cannon is different or Bluebell isn't Mc they would probably meet Asra while borrowing (stealing) one of Lucio's animals to give it proper medical attention. Asra would probably think Bluebell is interesting and Bluebell would probably be scared Asra is actually a guard or worse someone in standing with Nadia/Lucio.

Cuddles, so many cuddles. With Asra being more introverted and Bluebell being shy I could see them traveling a fair bit even as the Mc it wouldn't take much to convince Bluebell to join them on a trip. Especially if it's somewhere with mythical animals, as Bluebell has a way with animals and Asra has a way with magic and animals. Overall their relationship would be gentle and sweet.

Julian;

(Bluebell; 6'4/Julian;6'4)

First meeting depending on if Bluebell was Mc or not. If Mc it would be them freaked out by Julian having broken in and Julian being too focused on finding Asra/getting answers/being dramatic to realize. Bluebell seeing him as loud and dramatic. If not Mc their first meeting would probably be Julian catching Bluebell borrowing (stealing) one of Lucio's animals so they can give it medical treatment. Having the exchange of 'I never saw you if you never saw me'

Relationship wise they're both workaholics by nature so they'd probably have to force eachother to take a break and sleep. With Julian being a dr and Bluebell having trained as a dr but now working as a vet they understand medical stuff a lot more than the average Mc. Julian is able to push Bluebell to be more sociable without the expectation for them to become extroverted like him and Bluebell reminds Julian that he's worth taking care of, even when he feels like he isn't. Aside from with Portia I could see them having one of the most domestic lifestyles. Bluebell getting home before Julian and making dinner, them cuddling and eating, them both doing some late work together and then each of them forcing the other to go to bed so they can wake up early the next day, have breakfast and go to work. With their days off being a mix of going to the rowdy raven and running around the streets having fun with each-other.

Portia;

(Bluebell; 6'4/Portia;5'1)

Their first meeting would be interesting with how shy Bluebell is in general. So I could see it going with Portia chatting with Bluebell and them listening closely and only occasionally replying. With Bluebell being amazed at how positive and bubble Portia is and Portia curious about what secrets they're hiding behind their quiet exterior.

They would actually have an interesting dynamic someone who sees themselves as the secondary character and someone who would love nothing else than to be the background character. Bluebell showing Portia that she is the main character in their mind brave, smart and kind and Portia showing Bluebell that even if they don't think their brave, bravery is different things to different people and just being there is brave.

Muriel;

(Bluebell;6'4/Muriel;6'10)

I actually have a meeting for them where Bluebell would be doing checks on the wildlife species, making sure local species are thriving. When Bluebell runs into Muriel while in the woods would notice Muriel's connection to nature and ask for help with it explain it's to help the forest. While sceptical Muriel would help and slowly realize that their just keeping numbers for local species and them explaining they do it twice every year to track them and eventually showing Muriel the data on how some species numbers were going down with migrations then up and how others stay stable year round.

Their relationship would slowly grow with Bluebell spending more time around the woods and Muriel slowly growing used to having Bluebell around. With Bluebell's and Muriel's quiet nature they wouldn't speak a lot but would grow more comfortable around each-other. With Bluebells magic being focused around healing would help Muriel relax a bit as it becomes clear Bluebell really isn't a fighter and can't fight, seeing their connection to animals and determination to help them as sweet. While Bluebell would try and show Muriel they deserve more while also letting him do what he wants with no expectation for him to become comfortable with humans. Rather showing their care through making him food and small items. A chunk of their relationship would be giving small gifts like food and small carvings and quiet time together sharing a deep interest in nature and protecting the forest.

#the arcana game #the arcana #the arcana mc #the arcana fan apprentice #vesuvia weekly #mc/li dynamics #this took way too long #mc kyle #mc hunter #mc bluebell

[rhazberriquartz]

I wonder what would swap!Rosie's relationships be with other swap AU characters (´,,•ω•,,) You don't have to write out them all, just the ones you consider to be important or fun

Oh man. I have a few thoughts so let's get into it. It's a lot.

Rosie's most toxic relationships would be with Nadia and Asra. To the point if given the chance she would absolutely eat them. Nadia and Asra managed to capture her inspite of her best efforts. Which is not an easy thing to do. And I'm sure it's due to Asra draining the magician that it's possible. Nadia treats her like an attack dog and keeps her away from anything that will boost her strength. Water, sunlight, prayer, and even has Asra put on a collar that silences her (she can only speak when spoken to by Nadia or Asra specifically.) AND dampens her Magic. So, there's a lot of turmoil there.

She cares about Ilya and Portia a lot. But also know that at this point they're both a little too far gone for her to be able to do anything on her own. So, she lends her help to MC to free these two. Though if she can save them she will she just needs help. Portia and Ilya try to be kind to her. But, Asra often reprimands them for doing so. I like to think Ilya has told both Asra and Nadia that she's let her own death into her home and it won't end well.

Muriel is a little easier to break through to on her own. And being their both in a similar spot (Rosie's used for war.) They're very kind to each other. This depending on route would be one where Muriel does break out of his mindset with MCs help and becomes an ally.

Vlastomil has some vague clue about what's going on and has tried to help her and failed. This incarnation definitely views her as a friend. And he tries to help her communicate to Count Montag what's happened to no avail.

Valerius, she loves to annoy him. Being an incarnation of The World she watches him garden in amusement. But, she never judges. Sometimes she'll help by over correcting a mistake he made. (His sweet potatoes have invaded his house before.) He gets annoyed, but it's quickly forgotten when he sees how big his fruits and vegetable are. Nadia keeps them apart as much as she can.

I haven't thought about Andrea and Agata. They probably don't interact with her a whole lot. But like her company.

Devarshi... oh man. If anyone has read my story Thistles and Thorns - you know why this one hurts. In this AU Rosie managed to make the deal with Death, but unlike Vlademar made damn sure Devarshi would live a normal life. Death happily let them be reincarnated into the life they have now after time passed. As both a show of good faith and to rub salt into her wounds. It's hard for her to look at Devarshi. But everyone does note how protective she is of them. Devarshi doesn't know and probably never will. But enjoys their time together and has learned a great deal from her. She seems familiar and they don't know why.

Count Montag. This blessed well meaning goober. He thought Nadia and Rosie were friends for a time. And before the plague and ritual is when he realized it wasn't the case and something sinister was going on. But if the AU follows the original to some degree well... *motions* he forgot and doesn't pick up on what's wrong until it's almost too late. He does end up asking for her help and freeing her.

And depending on the route MC takes. (My partner in this case.) Would depend on who she ends up with. If you chose Andrea she's with Montag. If you choose Nadia it's Valerius. And there's probably one where it's Devarshi or even Ilya by some miracle.

It all depends on who you like her with most. Rosie's core nature never changes, but her situation does. Which speaks volumes considering the plot of The Last Deal. She's just a deity like figure MC and Lucio call upon for extra support. Where here she's treated and used much differently. Being forced into whatever Nadia and Asra wants.

#courtier swap au #the arcana #drakonishe #thearcanaprojects #rosie #headcanons #free her and let her go feral #definitely ship her with montag and valerius and devarshi #and ilya clearly because im weak

[landgraabbed]

hi! i was wondering if you had game recs for someone that has only played sims and stardew on pc! im the person and i want to start playing more stuff but i dont want to start with something too difficult i hope that makes sense 🐣 thank you and i hope you enjoy your weekend

hi nonners!! sure thing! a huge chunk of my childhood gaming was harvest moon and sims so let's see! my gaming tastes are very unified yet all over the place so don't take this as gospel and something you will For Sure enjoy! feel free to follow up if any game/genre piques your interest!

if you never did so, i would recommend giving the sims handheld games (namely, sims bustin' out, urbz, and sims 2 on the gba/ds). they're still in the universe of the sims so you take care of your lil sim/urb but they're adventure games where you're given tasks and progress through the story. the writing is silly but good, and the characters are fun, though the games may feel grindy at times. feel free to hit me up if you'd like, i can hook you up with them!

in the farming sim/resource manager sim, i can recommend you the harvest moon games, now story of seasons. story of seasons: a wonderful life just came out on the switch, and i think other platforms, and it is a remake of the iconic a wonderful life. just keep in mind that it might feel like a step down from just how much content is in stardew valley! there's also the rune factory series, my time at portia (and the upcoming my time at sandrock), ooblets, graveyard keeper, calico, and animal crossing. oh!! and kynseed. kynseed is lovely and it looks gorgeous and it is a life sim where you play as successive generations, with lots of fae elements. it can get a bit grindy but i've greatly enjoyed my time with it.

(and i just started wylde flowers since i got it on sale this week, and i've been really enjoyed it so far, but can't provide a full recommendation since i've had so little time with it)

if you enjoy the decorating part of the sims, i can recommend you the tenants. it's a game where you play as a landlord, decorate houses, find renters, and most importantly do renovation jobs for clients.

if you're in the mood for something sandbox-y, other than animal crossing i think that no man's sky could scratch that itch (you can fully customize options such as resource availability, combat difficulty, etc) and, of course the legend of zelda breath of the wild (and i can only assume tears of the kingdom, but i haven't started that one yet)

if you're wanting to dip your toes into different genres, such as rpgs, i can recommend you the elder scrolls series (especially skyrim is more streamlined and thus, more beginner friendly) and dragon age. both series have difficulty settings you can change as you feel more or less comfortable. if you're interested in party-based, turn-based rpgs, you can't go wrong with the final fantasy series, golden sun, and octopath traveler (which is a recent favorite that i wholeheartedly love, with the caveat that if someone is looking for a large, overarching story it is not the game that will provide that)

edit to add story-based games. there are many but i won't cite what maybe most people would recommend bc i either haven't played it or dislike it. i really enjoyed oxenfree, not tonight, road 96, and most importantly of all, kentucky route zero. my sibling adores the dreamfall chapters series and i really enjoy watching them play it! and my wife (a much more casual player than me but whom i love watching play and has great taste) loved playing strange horticulture, the sexy brutale, eastshade, and coffee talk (episodes 1 and 2)

please keep in mind there's some overlap between categories! and i think that most games will be approachable to beginners. nobody was born knowing how to play games and i find that most games do a good job of bringing players up to speed.

sorry for the long reply!! gaming is just a bit of a big interest for me since it's my preferred medium and i'm a rambler haha. as i said, feel free to hmu again on or off anon!! and hope u too are having a great weekend

#p #replies

[villain-in-love]

As if the last month wasn't awful enough, while I was absent from here, I finally gathered up the courage to skim through Portia’s route to make some bad decisions and get the Reversed Ending. Because my curiosity and desire to gather all the information outweighed my deep discomfort with the concept of the finale where magic fully disappears from the world.

And what can I say…

I am indeed deeply uncomfortable, and almost disturbed.

But at the same time I’m annoyed by the fact that, once again, the reversed ending proved to be far more creative and realistic than the upright ending.

Ironically enough, it was also far more fitting for my s/i – she gets to use her abilities as an illusionist, she murders Tasya, then in the epilogue her and Portia are dealing with politics and diplomacy, except they play dirty and come up with a clever plan to get rid of and weaken several sides of their competitors in one move, murdering a foreign scientist and framing another country’s ambassador for it. I actually love how we get to work as a team at that. It’s fun to be a villainous power couple.

I’m also delighted to see that not only Portia can be a good manipulator, she’s also a great schemer and is capable of killing and using people. I love seeing my girl committing crimes on international level.

And most importantly, the moment Tasya’s theme starts playing at the end, and I realized that it’s Portia’s theme now… Literally perfect.

Still, I’ll be taking all the new information that is important and erasing the rest from my memory. As much as I’m not a fan of the “friendship is magic” type of approach, I’m nevertheless choosing to live with the Upright Ending as my true timeline.

#I mean I play “The Arcana” for the magic #If there's no magic then this world would be way less fun #s/i: the night witch #f/o: the guiding star #ship: starry night

[snobgoblin]

Who is Vladmar?

OOH OUGH I'm assuming you mean Valdemar since that's who I've been talking about a lot (no worries I had a hard time with the spelling for a long time too and BASICALLY) *****SPOILERS AHEAD I am NOT restraining the autism this time*****

so Valdemar is a member of the Vesuvian court, part of a group known as the courtiers, and they're all demons. now the whole demon system is extremely interesting BASICALLY the more they bargain with The Devil (as in the Arcana not so much the biblical figure) the more they give up sort of, pieces of themselves. they don't even really realize it, I mean Valerius didn't until you point it out to him. anyway Valdemar is the MOST powerful and corrupt demon like their demon form is literally incomprehensible and causes physical pain to look at, it's so abstract that they don't get any art of it! anyway they're like ANCIENT they're older than Vesuvia! they helped establish it, the very first Count of Vesuvia made some sort of deal, I don't remember exact details but it's in Portia's route. something about magic every 777 years. AAAANYWAY their patron Arcana is Death! and that just so happens to be the horsemen they were inspired by (all the courtiers are inspired by the four horsemen of the apocalypse (and... Valerius is there also) like Vlastomil is Pestilence and Volta is Famine and Vulgora is War) (and like most depictions of Death, Valdemar is shown to use a scythe in the PSL tale!) and guess what they're alsoooo the head doctor, they boss other doctors around. at least they did during the height of the Red Plague, I'm actually not so sure what they do now in the court! anyway their characterization is very fun and kind of cartoony. they're kind of blunt and at times a little sarcastic? I'm not sure that's the right word but they've got this humor to them. they're very creepy! in a good way. other characters describe their presence as a void. AND most importantly they love do dissect people! I think that's about it thank you for feeding the autism

#asks #anon #arcana spam

[kurjakani]

if its of any comfort, my arcana self insert is an undead weirdo who cant die for Don't Worry About It reasons and theyre just happen to let valdemar Do Whatever, Medically Speaking, to them. so like i think your thing is very valid. tbh. :handshakeemoji:

U r SO RIGHT FOR DOING THAT tbh Brute will be pretty close to that. I really need to finish Julian & i tjink. Portias routes according to what I've heard??? To figure out their Thing but I fink for thr most part it's like a. Valdemar kinda trying to steal Brute as an apprentice from Asra bc. I like 2 pretend i am spegial <3 tho i also fink they do ex perimentati on. 2gether. On brute. For fun. Bc it's very interested in experiencing thinga.

#Kanitalk #Arkani #Ask #Anon #I love aöö the medical freaks swarming aroubd me rn like HYPE HYPE HYPE KANI UR DOING SO GOOD

[soft-girl-musings]

OC Tag Game

tagged by @cchickki (loved reading about yours btw)

tagging @poetic-emptiness-fanfic and anyone who's interested bc this is my wakeup call to find more peeps to talk WIPs/writing with on here 🫠

My OCs: Tamar Ufam (Arcana), Martín Gioia (Arcana), Marian Ovesen (MCU/Thor), Theodora Duke (Spiderverse) (love n miss my bbs i promise I'll write more someday)

Favorite OC: I'd have to go with Tamar. Her story was so fun to flesh out, and as a pandemic creation, she'll always be dear to my heart. The Arcana, at its best, was so good at setting users up to create their own Apprencice lore and hers slaps.

Newest OC: Theodora/Thea for my Spiderverse brainrot lol. I've learned a lot about Spider-Man (esp 2099 👀) because of her. It's been a trip figuring out her powers as an arachnophobe (she's also my go-to Moon Knight insert bc we're shamelessly similar and i'm Lazy)

Oldest OC: sweet Marian, she's my Loki OC from 2014. I had a ton of anxiety about writing a blind character (especially since her original outline had her gain sight later), so I never committed to writing. But her relationship with Thor-era Loki is so precious, I lowkey (😏) want to pick it back up.

Meanest OC: hmm maybe Marian? Hanging out with Loki and literally having his magic tether/influence your own is bound to influence your personality, too (the sass certainly doesn't help)

Softest OC: I'd say Martín! He's my Portia route Apprentice and I needed someone who'd be down to bake bread and play guitar at a moment's notice. The Red Plague made him kinder.

Most Aloof/Standoffish OC: Tamar. After her resurrection, she was so touch-adverse, Asra couldn't even be near her for months. Getting too close to certain people or too worked up triggers her catatonia. It helps that her healing magic is verbal/music-based, so she can work from afar.

Dumbest (Affectionate) OC: Martín, my beloved 😭 he was reckless and vain when he was younger and it definitely got him in trouble; it's why he was sent to Vesuvia to aid the Red Plague efforts. Even though he sobered up, he's still a lovable goober with a penchant for mischief.

Smartest OC: I'm going with Thea bc she's technically in grad school (haven't decided if she's reenrolled yet). She was also engaged to an archeologist who loved to infodump and travel with her (RIP Rayan)

OC I'd probably be friends with: Thea (she's just like me fr). Definitely the most relatable OC I've made (intentionally), and I'd like to think we'd commiserate over barista war stories and sensory issues.

#ayo please talk to me about your ocs its so fun #fixating on spiderverse/spidersonas rn but i love to listen to it all #tag game #the arcana #apprentice tamar #apprentice martín #oc apprentice #mcu thor #spiderverse #spidersona #tamar ufam #martín gioia #marian ovesen #theodora duke #thea duke

[ieatsuffering]

Ranking the Arcana Routes

Disclaimer this is my opinion on what I think the best to worst routes are.

Muriel’s Route - Honestly holy shit guys. This route completely shocked me with how amazing it is! The deep lore it adds, the action, the high stakes, the drama, this route has it all!! This route definitely shows the darker side of the arcana and I love it!!! I’m honestly not a huge Muriel fan and I was sucked into this routes story.

Julian’s Route - Out of the original three routes Julian’s was my favorite. A dark and mystery adventure exploring the past of both the Apprentice and the Doctor. Julian’s flare for the dramatic only adds to the tension as you try to save the charming Doctor from himself. You never really know what he’s going to do next and it makes for a thrilling story.

Asra’s Route - Asra’s route is beautiful and tragic. The deep emotions of his route drive the story. There’s plenty of thrilling moments and surprises as well as heart break trauma and heart warming resolutions. I feel like Asra’s route is perfectly balanced.

Nadia’s Route - I feel like Nadia’s Route really fleshes out the politics and world of Vesuvia. Although there’s plenty of magic, her route has a more direct approach to facing the conflict. Which gives us the most lore of the three original routes. It’s fun and exciting but perhaps not as fulfilling as the previous mentioned routes.

Lucio’s Route - It’s fan service. I enjoyed this route for the sweet moments with the dogs and the steamy pay wall options but that’s really what this route is. It’s what the fan wanted so it’s what they got. I wouldn’t say it does any justice to the character of Count Lucio that we come to know from the other routes (especially not Muriel’s). They talk about him being the ruthless mercenary and count we knew him to be but he managed to shrug everything off the a kiss and a oopsies. There is some interesting lore that adds to the story tho.

Portia’s Route - I love Portia but her Route felt like an after thought. It’s just felt to different. The other 5 routes at least have some consistency but I feel like the writer were grasping at straws with hers. I didn’t find much about the story compelling and it doesn’t add much to the universe in term of lore, aside from some more family background for Julian and her.

#the arcana #the arcane game #the arcana julian #julian devorak #the arcana asra #the arcana game #count lucio #the arcana nadia #the arcana muriel #the arcana portia

[lonely--shine]

HELLO I'm BACK! :3 I still need to catch up on your other posts (looking forward to reading them!! 💙) but in the meantime I really really wanna ask:

#18 and #44

(I'm reasonably certain those are ones you haven't been asked yet, apologies if they're repeats!!) 💖

Welcome back! :D (ahfsdgh, you're so sweet, thank you! 💙)

18. What's their birthday?

Okay, funny fact, the only reason they have an assigned birthday is because a year or two ago someone asked this on Insta xD I don't usually asign birthdays, and I don't pay attention to star signs, so don't try to know the characters through their birthdate.

Alnair: 6th of December (they share birthday with me :3)

Atlas: 19th 15th of May (apparently when I was asked on Insta I chose the 19th but I was convinced there was a 5 somewhere in the day so I'm shamelessly moving it 4 days back xD)

Shell: 13th of March

44. How do they celebrate? With a few people, or a large group? On their own? Does it depend on the occasion? What warrants celebration to them?

(Since last question was birthday I'm gonna assume this is mainly birthday celebrations)

Alnair: They celebrate with their friends, meeting somewhere to eat and have fun. She likes to bake something herself for the event, there will alwasy be at least one kind of baked good to eat. As for Vesuvia's official celebrations (Masquerade, Winter Ball, Harvest Festival, etc.) she likes to attend the event and have fun with her friends, staying away from the crowded areas. They enjoy celebrations that give opportunity for gift exchanges or actively participating in activities.

Atlas: More of a private person when celebrating his own birthday. He likes to wake up early and have a stroll in the market before it's crowded, treating himelf to some fried pastry (he likes to choose a different one every year) on the way, if he sees something that particualarly strikes his fancy he will buy it as well. Back home, he lets his friends throw whatever party they deem appropiate. He enjoys festivals where merchants put up their stands, often with special or seasonal goods tied to the festivity, enjoying to see and try it all. He's more mild about Big Events but since he married Nadia and has to attend, he's learned how to enjoy them.

Shell: That's a good question I haven't thought about before. Hmm. There will probably ne mischief to have, harmless pranks to play (and I mean harmless, she wouldn't give scarejumps to random passerbies, but she would trick friends). She would probably try to buy you something, and it's mandatory that at the end of the day she drags her friends to a tavern to drink (if you wish not to have booze that's absolutely okay) and sing shanties no matter your musical talent, the point's to have fun. She enjoys Vesuvia's official celebrations as well, no matter if they're fancy events or folks festivals, and if there's any kind of competitive event you cna bet she'll be taking part in it. Or, at least, that's how it was for pre-plague!Shell, as with most things, this can change on route, and I can't imagine Nadia's Shell celebrating in the same way xD (but this answer would still be mostly true for Julian, Portia, Lucio, and maybe Asra's routes)

#shine answers #ask #the arcana #not art #thanks for letting me ramble about my babies :3

[magicianapprenticelyra]

Actor AU: Season 5 [Portia Devorak]

Credit for the basis of the AU goes to both @lightvsdark18 and @lynmay-arcana.

[Original Link] | [Additional Link]

O*O*O

[Season 1: Nadia Satrinava] | [Season 2: Asra Alnazar] | [Season 3: Julian Devorak] | [Season 4: Muriel] | [Season 5: Portia Devorak]

Portia Devorak—Behind the Scenes & On Set Happenings/Shenanigans

[Six months after Season 4′s wrap-up, it was Portia’s time to shine. This would be the first time she’d be co-stars with her brother on a project like this. She knew of Lyra prior to The Arcana, thanks to Julian working with her in the past. Still, she didn’t expect the unforeseen challenges that would come to this season of the show].

[More under the cut!]

Portia tended to be cast as either the tank of an action/sci-fi flick—she’s got the sturdiness and the strength, C’MON—or the hacker in that genre/heist films, and the bubbly friend/girlfriend/ex of the main protagonist.

She’s done several Historical/Period Dramas and everyone’s always moved by her acting.

Her crying scenes are legendary.

One of Portia’s most famous roles is as a Pirate Queen that was, according to many, their Bisexual Awakening.

Think something like Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Portia actually can carry Nadia with no sweat.

Though in Julian’s route it was Nadia that swung with Portia in her arms in the Arcana realms, there was an alternate version where Portia swung with Nadia in her arms.

In order to make it mirror what MC and Julian were doing though, Portia was to be carried by Nadia.

Portia did a majority of her stunts in the show.

Climbing the vines into MC’s room.

Using the ‘magical’ rope to swing with MC when they were going through the catacombs.

The wirework when MC and Portia were floating through the ballroom was an absolute joy to them both.

The giant Magically-Induced Anxiety Crow Monster from Julian was part puppetry and part CGI effects.

There were many false-starts, especially with the popping packet of fake blood in Portia’s dress.

It took about five takes to get that scene right.

Pepi was Portia’s favorite costar.

Pepi adored her the most in turn, which was just fine with Portia.

Pepi got along with most of the cast and crew, the exceptions being Lucio and at times, Julian.

The actors for Tasya and Lishka are actually aunt and niece in real life.

The resemblance between Lishka and Portia was so startling that it was written into the plot of Portia’s route.

In promos for Portia’s season, she wore both the mask and her masquerade dress together. When it didn’t happen in the aired episodes, there were questions as to why it didn’t happen.

No one could give any clear or consistent answer.

Mazelinka reprised her role.

She talks in interviews that it was fun to tease Portia and MC about their relationship because, “What old coots wouldn’t want to relive the days of young love, you know?”

On days off, Portia and Lyra spent time together playing games and driving a few towns over to just be ‘normal’ people.

In interviews, it’s brought up time and time again that Lyra is not exactly used to being the center of attention with anything she’s in.

Lyra: “At times I feel like I have a secondary role in my own life. I know it’s not true, but . . . imposter syndrome sucks.”

Portia, by her own estimate, has signed over one thousand things that relate to her character on The Arcana.

Interviewer: What was the most memorable thing you have ever signed?

Portia: A fan’s fan art.

Interviewer: What was on it.

Portia: [smiles enigmatically].

The actress who plays Tasya Devorak is a former opera star. One of her favorite fancy hats made it into the final costume of the character.

Portia had the honor of trying it on for a few moments before returning it to the woman.

Portia has posted some on-set and off-set prank shenanigans committed between the Devoraks and other cast members of the Arcana crew.

The scene where Portia, disguised as Lishka, stabs a transformed Tasya toward the conclusion of the Reversed ending.

This made poor Lishka cry a number of times.

While getting interviewed about how Portia and Lyra felt about the season, they had slightly differing views about how it went.

Both agreed that it felt like Tasya had a lot of the spotlight on her rather than Portia’s arc.

Portia herself felt that MC could possibly perish within a few years after the end of the season. Lyra herself thought MC might’ve lasted a decade or so before fully expiring.

Lyra seeing the Diplomatic vs Warring endings of the season was something new for her.

Lyra: I don’t usually like shows that dabble in a lot of politicking, but I like seeing it in this season because in Nadia’s, it’s more localized—

Portia: And then this is a greater expansion of that! It’s, it’s certainly exciting!

A number of the Palace Staff were actually members of the behind the scenes crew.

Portia made sure they were compensated fairly.

In a promotion of the season, Portia was wearing her Masquerade mask along with a sneak peek of her dress. Fans were outraged that they didn’t get to see this happen within the show.

There is a deleted scene, however, where Portia and MC had their own little private dance before it all went to hell thanks to Tasya.

The Devil’s tiny form is a mix of practical effects and CGI.

Portia got to keep the little puppet, and he sits on the mantle in her home in a glass case.

Lyra complimenting Portia’s Ambassador outfit in the Upright Ending was unscripted, and Portia actually gotten flustered in turn.

Julian: It was a d o r a b l e!!!

Muriel and Portia didn’t really get to interact outside of his featured season and her own.

Online, they have been seen hanging out together with Muriel’s real-life partner. Portia and said partner are often being mischievous and Muriel seems to be long-suffering, but he admits he enjoys these hangouts.

Mercedes and Melchior actually are rather well-behaved on set. Around Lucio and Portia, however, the dogs acted so goofy that shooting scenes with them together are difficult to do with straight faces.

After The Arcana, Portia had gone on to dabble in various other careers, including a short while of producing her own music.

A number of tracks were inspired by the events of various timelines of The Arcana, though Portia leaves it open for interpretation on what those could be influenced by.

A few scenes that hit the cutting room floor are as follows:

An extended cut of Portia and MC torturing Tiny!Devil to a hilarious extent. It’s made it into various the Top 10s list of funniest not-exactly-bloopers of both The Arcana and other shows.

A more graphic version of Portia and MC breaking through Tasya’s force-field in the Reversed Ending was filmed and edited, though removed ultimately to maintain the PG-13 rating.

Portia reading longer passages of The Firent Affair.

A/N: This took MUCH longer than I had anticipated. Still, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading this as I had with writing it!

Next: Count Lucio [TBA].

#The Arcana #fan apprentice #Portia Devorak #portia x apprentice #modern AU #magicianapprenticelyra #Actor AU #the scribe writes #ask to tag #Julian Devorak #Nadia Satrinava #Tasya Devorak #Lishka Devorak

[dreamtydraw]

good morning!! <3

I am awake again and before I have to go to work (funfact: I work at a daycare), I wanna answer to what you wrote!

First of all, I would have never guessed you would like Lucio, especially not with Asra also being one of your favorite, but with your explanation, it makes total sense! I honestly think Lucio is an incredibly interesting character, and I also enjoyed his story/route a lot! And just like you, have a soft spot for pathetic characters (*´-`). Asra is honestly very obvious now that you said it and you and I have very similar thoughts on asra! Portia is an absolute treasure but I can't play her route because (thanks to Julian's route) I just see her as like, a bestie and I also wouldn't want to steal her away from Nadia (´～｀)

My favorites are Julian and Asra!

Funny thing is, I didn't like Asra at first because I felt like he was being too mean to Julian and the fact he made him partially responsible for what happened to MC didn't (and still doesn't) sit right with me. However, after a while, I made myself play Asras route and I absolutely fell in love with them! I love the soulmate trope so much! Asra really grew on me, I love their color palette and he just feels so soft. I also like him because, similar to you, they helped me understand my gender identity more. I knew I was probably nonbinary by the time I got into arcana but I was so unsure if I was allowed to call myself that since I still really like presenting "feminine" and somehow, seeing asra just do what they want and dress how they like helped me realize that there is not one way to "look nonbinary" ( don't know if that makes sense T^T ).

Julian is very very dear to me and he's actually the reason why I started playing arcana! I love his character design and color palette and I have a weak spot for doctor characters (*´-`). I really like his route and his journey to self-acceptance is really lovely to read! I love that he's a bit (much) of a risk taker and how he would do anything to protect the ones he loves most. I also have to say, I relate sooo much to him, I'm a bit worried (◎-◎;)

anyway, this is already so long, I'm sorry!!

to give a quick answer to the other ask I send, I really like undertale too and I quite enjoy puzzle games and cozy indie games! And please recommend me some otome games!! (*^-^)

~🌿

Well hello there, that quite a tchat. I hope your day goes well at daycare !

Yeaaaaah liking Asra AND Lucio is like... Liking both end of a spectrum that respectfully hate each other yeaaaaaah.....but it's fun :D

And we have a similar experience regarding asra then ! This boi being a nb awakening for many i see ♡⁺◟(●˙▾˙●)◞⁺♡

Puzzle game are fun ! For games i gonna recomand you the classics that are a bit popular in indie game space : our life, blooming panic, error143, butterfly soup and Cinderella phenomenom

Since you liked the arcana i can more than recomand you Last legacy ( even if the route will never have an ending i truly recommand it because i adore this game with a burning passion )

I also recomand Royal alchemist.

#Otome ask #Plant anon #Anon ask #dreamty’s ramble

[drustvar]

🍄 APPRENTICEMBER - Day 2 🍄

Who is their LI? What’s their relationship like?

Rosie can mesh well with everyone except Nadia and Lucio, I'll give a brief run-down of dynamic and any background since she's not exactly the same as the apprentice in game. This also isn't covering the ships she has with other ocs! ♥

🥀Julian

(Starting with him first since he was the first route I played thru lmao). He and Rosie first met during the plague when they were both working in the dungeons. She was still kind of a mess from her break up with Asra at the time and she's truthfully one of those people who like. NEEDS to be in a relationship. Their personalities are rather similar so its no wonder that she quickly latched onto him and they fell for one another. On her deathbed she left him her amulet and her mother's mortar and pestle, the two most important belongings she had. Post-plague / in his route, she again latches onto him very quickly and becomes very very protective of him. The idea that he killed Lucio (although he actually hadn't) was also something she found very attractive, and she saw him as sort of a heroic figure. He's the one LI that she's really truly batshit about. TLDR; the codependency these two have with one another is not healthy but man is it fun to write LMAO || 🐻Muriel Unlike Julian, who unfortunately seems to magnify and / or mirror Rosie's anxiety, Muriel is fantastic at getting her to chill the fuck out. Out of the LI's, they're the ones who help one another to grow the most. They were friends for a long time, having met one another thru Asra. Their vibes are just very cozy and woodsy. Off the grid couple who minds their own business. In his story, (which I'm doing basically a complete overhaul of) as said before they really foster a lot of growth in one another. Rosie encourages him to stand up for himself, to voice his anger, and to let out his emotions instead of bottling everything up. Muriel encourages her to slow down and not dive head first into things. One of the big things thematically for them is that strength doesn't have to be loud and in your face. Simply continuing to exist in a world that has been unkind is strong.

|| ✨Portia Ohhhh my beloved gorls. What can I really say about them other than that they're like. THE cottagecore cat-girl dream. They have similar personalities, the only major difference (and sometimes point of argument) is how little Rosie cares for / trusts nobility, which obviously puts Portia in a bit of a hard place considering Nadia is 1. her boss and 2. has been so good to her (seriously what other ruler gives their head servant property??) Portia's story is also being reworked to fit Rosie better (mostly just adding more actual content to it), but a big part of their initial story is about boosting one another's confidence and being a confidant to one another, something both of them really need.

|| 🔮Asra

Asra and Rosie met when they were teenagers, when she'd managed to sneak into the Masquerade (something her Aunt had forbidden.) They became fast friends and even though her aunt wasn't fond of him, she did allow he and Muriel to stay in the shed on the property when the weather was bad. Asra was Rosie's first real friend, and really helped her to try to heal and break free from her aunt's abuse and control. They loved one another very deeply and were eachother's rock. Once the plague hit and her aunt died, Rosie felt a need to stay and try to help; the people of the city were all they really had. Asra didn't agree, and this led to a nasty argument that would ultimately lead to their breakup.

Post-plague, Asra sometimes wonders if he made the right choice. If Rosie had known, would she have rather have stayed dead? Her own mortality, her previous life, and their own shared past is something they would have to work to uncover in their timeline, since Asra also forgot much of his own past (be it from magic or a stress response). Once everything is said and done, they're definitely a very chill and laid back couple. But its never going to be exactly the same, be it for better or for worse :")

#apprenticember #rosie #not me saying 'small blurbs' and then dumping 2 paragraphs each OOPS

[tiredgamergirl]

Rainy Woods was a name originally associated with Deadly Premonition, Swery65’s most famous work that reached cult status. Wearing the Twin Peaks’ influence on its sleeve it cranked the weirdness and absurd up to eleven and the game’s bugs and bad optimization hinged in the unplayable territory encroaching the “so bad it is good” territory. Some hate it, giving it bad reviews, whilst for some it was ironically one of the best games they played – until the sequel was released, the flaws that were once charming saw with less lenience and certain parts of the script shed an unfavorable light in certain aspects of the original one that, in hindsight, were very problematic.

And then there’s the goddamned hellhole.

Unlike Deadly Premonition, The Good Life leaves mostly of these at the door and invites the players to a more laid-back experience but still oozing Swery65 flair all over it. It was a crowd funded project, so even humbler than its AA cousins. But does it sticks the landing?

Naomi Hayward is a photographer hauling from New York with a big debt to pay, sent by her media company to the small town of Rainy Woods to uncover its secrets and expose to the world. Soon as she arrives she is greet by one of its inhabitants, Elizabeth Dickens, who proceeds to give her a house and show her the ropes claiming that is the happiest town in the world. There is, however, a caveat: she mustn’t go outside at night during the full and new moons. Of course it picked Naomi’s curiosity and soon as night falls she finds out the town’s secret: people turns into cats and dogs! During her investigations she runs into a witch living in the woods who also gives her a hand in gaining the ability to turn into both animals at will, each with their own set of abilities. But the mystery only deepens and Elizabeth seems to be goading Naomi into investigating, and as she seems ready to tell the secret… A shocking turn of events change the course of the story. With such an intriguing opening, the plot branches into three main routes for the investigation and all of them must be completed before opening the final main quest and the player can switch at will, which is helpful as some abilities can only be unlocked in certain routes.

The visuals are your run over the mill indie fare, with some clever designs that are far from the attempted at realism from Deadly Premonition or D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die and closer to fan darlings like My Time At Portia. The characters are very varied, with some clever takes on notable stereotypes associated with Britain, but there are some shortcomings: the Unreal Engine’s sheen is unmistakable and it could be distracting in story segments. The map’s size also works against the game: the central hub is indeed well-crafted and fun to explore, but the sprawling countryside can be quite boring before you unlock the sheep riding. Everything looks roughly the same, with similar houses here and there, only a few memorable locations to break the monotony. Yet it can also be oddly relaxing to roam around exploring to locate points of interest.

The gameplay can be clunky at best of times, with Naomi’s slow walking speed and having a small stamina bar at first. Luckily her animal forms can be faster, with the cat being able to jump high and climb up in places with special markings. The dog offers better endurance when meeting the wildlife, is able to pick up the scents of people and animals, and one of the routes unlocks the ability to mark the territory to dig around for craftable materials. The best form of transportation, however, is riding a sheep – something also tied to one of the routes. With the map being very wide, having a sheep is a must and the teleport markers will become the player’s best friend real fast. The game also has hunger and sleep mechanic like Deadly Premonition and Naomi also has to shower to be more presentable or the shops’  will also increase. To deal with the hunger, the player can either go one of the many places that prepare food and memorize it after eating a few times before replicating it at home or at one of the campground kitchens. Then comes one of the many crafting mechanics: to pick up the vegetables, herbs and meat to prepare the meal – the later is one of the most annoying part. There’s plenty of wildlife in Rainy Woods, it is very easy to track them down using the dog or roaming around. The problem is the combat mechanic: it is very stiff and hard to aim, poorly implemented at best. Thankfully only one of the animals is always aggressive, but it also means that sometimes you hear the combat music and can be knocked out before you are able to counter-attack. It can be an exercise in frustration, and the price of the healing services is downright unbalanced. Speaking of unbalanced, the drop rates are also completely nonsensical but thankfully you only need them for optional sidequests and nothing mandatory. The developers seemed to be aware of the many shortcomings, often adding anti-frustration features like free retries for main plot segments without penalties; it can be unfair to have to retry long areas because of poor controls and at least they had that down. The one thing that they didn’t get down is how buggy this game can be and it can crash a few times even two years after the release. In my experience, it crashed in the game ending.

The ending is far from definitive. The three routes go to completely different directions, all with ties with British culture, and explore them in the most absurd and hilarious way that only Sweary65 can provide before converging in one big plot before wrapping it up… And two of the biggest mysteries are never solved, with a shocking twist that changes everything and leaves the player with a message: perhaps some mysteries are better left unsolved, the world could do well with some uncertainty. Maybe the journey is the best part of the story, enjoying the good life as it is.

Is the game a must play? This game can be a very slow-paced fetch quest festival that requires from 13 to 20 hours to beat, so it requires some commitment. It isn’t a game for everyone : the conclusion to the story can be rather unsatisfactory and the gameplay can be frustrating. There’s a demo available for most systems, so if the name “Sweary” isn’t enough to hook you up then give the free version a try if the premise pick your interest but it might be worth waiting for a discount.

#game reviews #indie games #steam games #sandbox games reviews

[litlunacy]

Apprenticember Pt. 5 (Days 26-31)

We've reached the end! Woohoo!

26. How has your mc changed since you first made them? 

Well, she started out as just a name and pronouns, so I guess Ximena's come pretty far from that! But also when I first started the game I leaned more into the actual text and so she was very quiet and unsure, much different than the sparky snarky kick-ass woman she became. But I think I'd call that character growth, not actually changing. She just...found herself again, that's all.

27. Has your mc ever KILLED anybody? What are their thoughts on MURDER?

Has she actually physically killed anyone? No. Would she if the situation called for it? Yes. As far as murder, however...it depends, really. Are they a threat to her friends and family? Are they willing to change, or completely irredeemable? For example, she hates Lucio and everything he's done, to both people she cares about and just the city in general. However, she wouldn't murder him simply because he isn't worth the effort and she no longer sees him as a threat. She also thinks he's just a pathetic, petulant child, so as long as he stays far away she's good. Valdemar, on the other hand, she would rip limb from limb if she could figure out how. They are very clearly a danger and have absolutely no remorse whatsoever. 

28. Are they afraid to die?

Ximena isn't afraid of dying itself. She already has once, and it was a really unpleasant way to go, but it is something that she's familiar with. She is afraid of leaving people behind again, though. Asra and Julian did not handle it well the last time and she definitely doesn't want to put them through that again. 

29. What is a fact about your mc others would never guess?

She has sedatephobia, or fear of silence. Considering how much she enjoys her quiet alone time and meditation, it's not something most would expect. But there is a difference between quiet and silent. There is a reason she keeps wind chimes in every window, and hums to herself when she's alone. One of her favorite things about having Julian around is that he's constantly making noise, whether he's rattling off some ridiculous story or muttering to himself or just bumping around the house. She's even mildly fond of his snoring, as long as it keeps the silence at bay.

30. Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

I have the vaguest idea of Ximena and Julian at some point adopting an orphan girl they find outside the shop one night. All I've got so far is she's a redhead with freckles for days and Ximena's first thought is 'this kid looks like baby Portia'. (This also feels like a good spot to add that while Ximena might hate Lucio, I actually do not. He's my sad little wet cat and I'm fond of his stupid ass. That's what I get for playing his route first.)

31. Name another mc you read about and enjoyed! Shout out your favorite mc!

Oh boy. Uh, I don't do the whole interaction thing much, but it was fun reading about everyone's apprentices! If I had to pick favorites though, it would probably be @arcanabananafefifofana's Keziah (who just seems like an absolute sweetheart) and @justanarcanasideblog's Sarqen (love a character that's cold on the outside and warm fluff on the inside. Plus that murder prompt answer, what is this man's past??).

#apprenticember #the arcana #apprentice ximena #fan apprentice #this event was a lot of fun #maybe I'll have to do stuff like this more often