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ndconceptarchive · 3 months ago

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Her Interactive - Megan Gaiser and Robert Riedl interview for Adventure Gamers

It is somewhat rare to find a full-blown interview from Her Interactive done with a focus on a particular game, but on May 11, 2005, Adventure Gamers published an interview with Robert Ridel and Megan Gaiser done in promotion for Secret of the Old Clock.

You can read it at the link above, or here below. Some interesting notes from this interview:

During Stay Tuned for Danger, the development team visited a local TV station to get references.

Secret of the Old Clock featured Kevin Manthei bringing in live performers instead of the music being mixed in studio.

An explanation as to why the games were made with 2D backgrounds and 3D characters

Some of the background on Her Interactive as a company

Written by Laura MacDonald — May 11, 2005

We have another mystery. The place: Titusville. Nancy Drew, famous girl sleuth, is on her way to see Emily Crandall, an old friend. Emily has inherited the charming Lilac Inn, but all is not picture perfect. Instead, things are terribly wrong, and after receiving a desperate call for help, Nancy is soon speeding along in her blue roadster, blonde hair shining, on her way to her very first mystery.

Wait a minute…blonde hair?…roadster? Yes, you heard right. Unlike the previous games in this successful adventure series, this isn't the Nancy of today -- this is the original girl detective in the 1930s. Nancy made her book debut in a story called The Secret of the Old Clock, and this year, she is celebrating 75 years of sleuthing through danger and mystery. We think that deserves a little extra attention, and who better to talk about all things Nancy Drew than Her Interactive's CEO, Megan Gaiser, and Executive Producer, Robert Riedl.

LM: Hi, Megan. It is a pleasure to talk with you today.

MG: Nice to be here, Laura. Robert [Riedl] is also here with me for the interview. He heads up product development and designed many of our products as well.

LM: Hi, Robert! Megan, I wanted to start by asking you to touch briefly on your background. You started out in documentary film making; how did that lead you into the game industry?

MG: Yes, I was an editor and producer of educational documentaries for 11 years in Washington D.C., which is an interesting background to take into gaming. One of the reasons I wanted to get into multi-media was to get out of the editing room. I was intrigued by the non-linear nature of multi-media. There are also a lot of similarities between creating games and film, which we apply to creating the Nancy Drew games. The content needs to be compelling, with rich character development. The music and the environment all have to contribute. It is this synergy of components that have made the games work and make it easy to become immersed in the world.

As an editor and producer, I became really intrigued with the fact that there are so many different kinds of women. The same should hold true in the games offered to the female market. [At Her Interactive]... we are always saying there needs to be as many types of entertainment for girls and women as there are preferences. They tend to stereotype and pigeonhole women, which is why there's always been such a struggle to prove this market. Which is kind of ridiculous, because we're, you know, half the population. They target females for books and music, so why would they stop at computers?

LM: I know Her Interactive started independently, then you signed with DreamCatcher. Later you pulled back out and signed what looks like a one-game deal with Atari. Then you went the self-publishing route. I noticed a few retailers have Atari listed as your publisher. Are you still self-publishing?

MG: Just to back up on the story, we published our first Nancy Drew game in 1998. We had taken it to all the publishers and they said, "No, we aren't going to take it because all females are computer-phobic and they will never play video games."

They all thought there was no market for females in the interactive arts and entertainment media market. We were at a critical point as a company and we believed in our game. So, we decided if we can't get in the front door, we'll go around the back. We went to Amazon, learned how to self-publish, and the games took off. A high point was when the NY Times called that first game the "Un-Barbie of computer games." After that, our games were awarded consecutive gold Parents' Choice awards. Suddenly, those same publishers came back to us wanting to sign a retail deal. In 2000, we signed a publishing arrangement with DreamCatcher. Two years later, we made the giant step of becoming the retail publisher of our own games. That was the key right there, and was a huge step for the company. We selected Atari as our distributor.

LM: So you used them as a distributor only.

MG: That is what they are this year as well. We haven't changed that. We are still the publisher and this is a continuation of that same arrangement.

LM: Nancy Drew has appeared in books, but under a different character name, in countries other than the U.S. She has a similar fan base there as well. Have you considered selling the games in those countries?

MG: We actually have. She is the most popular in Sweden, where her name is Kitty Drew. In France, she appears as Alice Roy. We are speaking with people about localizing the series to France right now. We are doing one territory at a time, because the cost of localization is so high. Before you put resources and money behind localization, you want to make sure the move makes sense. France will probably be the first, and then Sweden.

LM: I know it is the 75th anniversary for the series, which began when The Secret of the Old Clock was first published in 1930. I assume that is why you are doing a classic Nancy Drew mystery and using the very first one ever written as the inspiration for this game. For that game, how did you handle the time period? Where did you go for your research, and what did you look to for inspiration in recreating the 1930s world of Nancy Drew?

RR: Like we would do with any character, we do a lot of research into the geography, into historical aspects. We would go to the library and get visual references there, as well as information on the era. We try to go to locations, as well, that we can use as inspiration for puzzles or content. For example, with Stay Tuned For Danger, we went to a local television station and got reference material from there. We always try to give a really good sense of the era or the locale. Not only with visual aspects, but the language, scenes, puzzle content, etc.

LM: Are you using the same source for your music?

RR: We are using Kevin Manthei, who has been our composer ever since the first installment. For this title, he brought in live performers.

LM: The music for this game will be recorded live instead of being mixed in the studio? That's great. Any chance of a music CD available from the game?

MG: We are looking into that!

LM: On the other upcoming game, there has been some mild confusion about what it is called. What exactly is the title of the upcoming Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew game?

MG: Last Train To Blue Moon Canyon.

LM: Will the Hardy Boys be physically present in the game?

MG: Yes, they will.

LM: Will we play multiple characters or as Nancy Drew, in first-person only?

RR: Stay tuned! [laughter]

LM: Okay, I can see that information isn't for public consumption yet. When can we expect to see these two new titles released?

MG: The Secret of the Old Clock is scheduled to ship in late July this year, and Last Train To Blue Moon Canyon is scheduled in late September.

LM: You have always tweaked your games a little bit; experimented here and there. You also started having some "actiony" feeling moments or more dynamic timed challenges in them. Are we going to see challenges like this, and possibly a bit more of them in the Hardy Boys game?

RR: We always try to challenge our players a little bit with each new game. So we will venture out and mix it up a little bit, so it doesn't feel stale or formulaic. We are trying to do something a little bit different and see how it goes, and also improve upon the product as well. Because you may have a good idea, but you just have to get it right.

LM: Blackmoor Manor had a more non-linear flow to the gameplay than previous games. Are we going to see this model of gameplay repeated in either or both of the new titles?

RR: It is purely a style preference. We have different designers coming into play and marketing has different requirements. In Curse, for example, we wanted it to be really challenging. What is the mood; what are the five main elements we want to convey with this game, and then that dictate our choices in all aspects of the gameplay. Complexity of puzzles, narrative, the locations... how we treat the location. Is the emotive component light or more intense? Is it a gothic horror or is more of a caper? And it is nice to do this, so we have a mix. We want people to be surprised by the title. So they think "wow, this has a feel of novelty."

LM: How do you decide what the next title is going to do?

RR: It is really the lead designer's responsibility and choice on how they do that. Everyone does give input. The designer will say, "I am going to choose the next game. Give me input as to what you would like to see in environments, type of artwork, and the particular era." We get these parameters and people will give out titles. There are certain perennial titles that come up every time we look at the books. The lead designer will read through a lot of stories. Everyone in the office will have their favorite(s). The designer will also have his or her favorite. Then we have a meeting with our advisory panel. We will say, "Okay, pitch an idea, come to the meeting with a book that you think would be really neat." From all that, we whittle it down to one selection. We take the top five choices and submit them to Megan, marketing, and the lead designer. Also, what we have done in the past affects the choice as well.

LM: That makes sense, to guarantee a mix of the plots from game to game. I know you have a teen advisory board that you use in-house. Who is on it? How was it formed?

RR: They are local, but we do have some who are out of state. We sort of advertise it on our site. It is comprised of about 40 people. They correspond roughly with what our current market is. So 30% are adult women. We also have some men and boys on it, as well. I see them as almost another department of our company. It has become a source for inspiration and ideas.

LM: About your publishing schedule, it seems like you keep to a very steady routine of two games each year -- the summer being Nancy Drew lite and the fall title providing the more challenging experience. Any intentions of expanding the production past these two games a year?

MG: We are looking to expand the product offering with another series of games. We are in talks with a couple of different licensors and we're on the verge of making that step.

LM: Any hints in what direction this is?

MG: We can't discuss it in more detail until it's a done deal.

LM: While some developers have made the move into 3D, you have made a design choice to stick with 2D backgrounds and 3D characters; the so-called 2.5D look. Why is this?

RR: The original impetus for going into 2D backgrounds is you get a lot more detail out of the artwork. Even now, when you are in a 3D world, you can't get that same detail to the environment. Also the type of play lends itself better to the 2D environments, because in a 3D world it is all about movement. Action or movement is a very important component to the gameplay. You are running away or you're chasing something. In our games, our players say they like to kind of graze. They like to take their time without feeling pressured. They want to amble about in the environments and explore. They want to become totally engrossed in the environment. So for that reason, we went with 2D and continue to use it. The other problem is that 3D doesn't actually work with this sort of gameplay and our market. Those that have gone with 3D, there is a lot of backlash against it. Broken Sword 3, URU… I just don't see the benefit to going to a 3D engine at this time.

LM: E3 is on the horizon next week, so I wanted to ask you about that. I noticed that the German equivalent in Liepseig has a much different approach than E3. They have a much more family-focused presentation vs. E3, which is pretty wild and woolly and at times seems more of a industry party or club mentality. I wanted to toss out a quote from a recent article on the show in LA and get your reaction.

"E3 should be about innovation; it should be about the games. Let's make sure the voice E3 is supposed to promote is not lost in the fury of silicon and peep shows."

Any reaction or thoughts on that sentiment?

MG: Actually, it is interesting you brought that up because we have been kicking it around here. The issue of responsibility for the content of games we develop is getting a lot of attention.

RR: I think E3 has gotten a lot better. GOD (Gathering of Developers) no longer has the lesbian nuns across from Staples anymore. I kind of have mixed feelings. On one hand, our hardcore gamers are young men and a lot of the content caters towards them. I think that's okay. There are other things being pushed at E3 like the Nintendo display and the various attendees located in Kentia Hall. Those guys can't afford the booth babes and there's a lot of interesting things going on down there. Sometimes you can find a gem in the rough.

MG: All I can say to that is tradeshows -- any tradeshow -- are all about glitz and over-the-top showboating. And we're in the entertainment industry! Pair that with the fact that this industry has historically been male-dominated, and I don't think sexism is any surprise. I will add this. We're seeing a steady increase in the amount of women playing games, creating them, marketing them, and producing them. As the ranks fill out with women, sexism will ebb off as this industry continues to become more gender-balanced. However, creativity is the great equalizer. Girls and women provide a fresh perspective and generate entirely new parameters for creative development... Listen to them.

LM: I couldn't agree more! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with all of us at AG.

MG & RR: Thank you, Laura, and all the adventure gamers for your continued support!

#interview #her interactive #behind the scenes #promotional material #nancy drew

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zzoomacroom · 1 year ago

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Fic: The Seeds Are Bursting, The Springs Are Seeping

Dreamling, Smut, One Shot, 2832 Words

Tagging @fleabagoftheendless and @mallory-x because y'all expressed interest with the WIP ask game. Also, credit where credit is due--this was partly inspired by several different asks sent to @gabessquishytum (some of which may or may not have been from me 🤫).

Tags and summary below the cut (very NSFW!):

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: The Sandman (TV 2022), The Sandman (Comics)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Hob Gadling

Characters: Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Hob Gadling

Additional Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, One Shot, Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Domestic Fluff, Dream Sex, Wet Dream, Oral Sex, Blow Jobs, Sex Toys, Butt Plugs, Vibrators, Dildos, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Retired Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Dream of the Endless | Morpheus Has a Vulva, Hob Gadling is Good at Cunnilingus, Dream of the Endless | Morpheus Loves Hob Gadling, Hob Gadling Loves Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Musings on Morphussy, Masturbation, Vaginal Sex, Top Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Bottom Hob Gadling, Top Hob Gadling, Bottom Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Married Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Hob Gadling, Lazy Morning Sex, Not Beta Read

Summary:

They are both breathing heavily, foreheads pressed together, and Hob grasps Morpheus’ backside with his free hand and pulls him closer still. Morpheus reaches between them and wraps his hand around Hob’s thick, throbbing cock, stroking vigorously until Hob cries out and spills over Morpheus’ hand and onto his own stomach. His hole twitches and clenches around Morpheus, who soon reaches his own peak and floods his lover’s insides with his seed just as—

—Morpheus, formerly Dream of the Endless, awakes with a gasp. He blinks, bleary-eyed, as he finds his bearings. He is in bed beside Hob, who is still fast asleep, in their flat above the New Inn. It is early yet—6:23 AM, according to the clock on the bedside table. The morning is quiet and still; the only sounds he can hear are the gentle tapping of the rain on the windows and the steady rhythm of his husband’s breathing. He is cozy beneath the covers, their shared body heat making it perfectly toasty. It is peaceful. He is content.

Except for the fact that he just woke up in the midst of an intense orgasm and he is still unbearably aroused.

(AKA the Retired Morphussy fic, in which Retired!Dream has a wet dream and he and Hob have lazy, weekend morning sex)

Continue reading on ao3:

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tavshortfortavern · 1 year ago

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Being delulu is the solulu

Tav x Dammon slowburn

Heavily based on my Tav, Artemis who goes by they/them and a drow. Lawful/Chaotic Good alignment. Spores Druid.

Tropes: Unrequited (at the beginning), friends to lovers, slowburn, they fell first- he fell harder

This could be a fic but I'm not confident for that yet. Have this outline instead of how i imagine this pairing play out. Enjoy my Tav pining away for this npc

Tav x Dammon during the game

Tav grows to like Dammon after partially fixing Karlach's heart in Last Light Inn

His quick offer to help, gentle attitude, and skill catching their eye. The first time they met, Tav clocked him as handsome but slowly comes to appreciate everything else

Later on Tav wouldn't stop noticing his blue eyes, they weren't infernal like the other tieflings. Light blue, similar tk gemstones

So they've caught some feels but with the Shadowcurse, the cult and planning a prison break- that gets put to the wayside

Still, they always look forward to seeing him working at his forge when they're at Last Light or when they speak with him to trade

Is very subtle and discreet when it comes to liking him. No one probably notices. They're a little more generous in paying, they always look for him when they walk into last light, and they've got a softer expression when talking to him

When they reach Baldur's Gate they stay silent but are instantly looking for him. Trying to recognise his form among the many refugees, straining their ears to hear that familiar sound of a hammer, and asking about him (and by him they mean 'other refugees not present') to the tieflings at the refugee camp

Their companions point out another blacksmith in rivington since they need new gear but Tav dislikes the thought of turning to another smith thats not Dammon

He's their favorite after all but they don't say that

But they enter the Lower City. Tav being Tav is on rooftops and jumping to get around- when they hear a familiar sound of a hammer. Is that who they think it is!? They look down at the source of the sound and see a familiar face.

They call out to greet him excitedly, startling said blacksmith out of his work, looking out his forge to see the adventurer recklessly climb down from the roof of his shop.

They of course fall to the ground in an undignified heap but sit back up to greet him. He hears laughter next as the rest of your companions climb down after their leader.

Dammon notices them and excitedly greets Karlach. Bringing up that she looks well rather shyly

Something sinks in Tav as the two converse, seeing the way he regards their tiefling friend

They bury it and soak in the happiness of reuniting with a friend

Now was the time to make allies. An army controlled by the absolute was about to invade. They inform him of the situation and have his promise to stay safe and help when the time comes

Tav's mind is completely occupied by the many tasks they needed to accomplish in the city until the time of the invasion

Fast forward, Tav is at High Hall with their companions and every ally they could muster. Its the final battle up ahead and the air is beyond tense

Outside is chaos and everyone is look at them. Them. For encouragement. Something. They gave their speech, it seems to do the trick but their heart is pounding. There's never been more pressure on them, the stakes never higher

One misstep. One wrong move. And its ove-

Then Tav is speaking with Dammon and he recounts everything they've been through since the grove. Whatever happens, he trusts you.

And the pounding heart ceases.

From simple words of faith.

They're not completely at ease for the battles ahead but they decide it doesn't matter. They have to win. For these people they've come to care about. For the civilians like him who's at the most danger

They (he) deserve a chance at a peaceful life.

Tav defeats the Netherbrain. The city is saved. though it needs rebuilding.

He's the first thing they search for among the rubble. They find him bruised and shaken but alive, having taken shelter with the other tieflings

Tav is quick to tend to his injuries. Thanking the powers above he made it out intact

Tav x Dammon post-game

Tav sticks around the city. There's a lot to rebuild and heal after all.

Some of the companions depart, off to accomplish their own personal goals or seek one.

Never let it be known that their newfound status as a savior stops them from menial tasks and errands. They'll be picking up rubble and delivering supplies for weeks at a time, or spend even longer in healing wards

While they earned their fame for defeating the Absolute, they won hearts for staying and healing the hurts

Their healing spells becoming well known and lauded for. Even more so Heroes Feast and Create Water. Supplying a significant amount of food and water for the less fortunate

Thankfully they always have their room at Elfsong tavern that miraculously stayed largely intact

Being so close to his forge, Tav frequently comes across Dammon working even more. People needing tools and repairs more than ever, it seems like he never leaves his forge

That worries Tav so they make time to visit. Once they see his haggard appearance they make sure to visit with food and drink.

There was a shortage thanks to the disaster but they've always been a hoarder and with most of their companions away, camp supplies are in excess.

He's one of the few people in the city who'll treat them like a person instead of a saint or legend. And the hero is in desperate need of some levity during this

Its not an unusual sight to see Tav lounging by his forge with a meal, taking a much needed break from helping rebuild, conversing about whatever as he took his own break (heavily enforced by Tav).

He mostly talks about his comissions but sometime brings up how the other tieflings are doing.

Tav finds he doesn't talk about himself a lot but eventually learns he's a bit of a loner, gets absorbed with his work to the point of forgetting to take care of himself, and surprisingly under all that politeness, has a side to him that doesn't mind making deals with a nearby diabolist for infernal iron.

In return he learns of Tav's little loot hoarding tendencies and thievery. This happens when they approach him, calling his name in a hushed tone trying to get his attention.

He's confused at their behavior when they hand him piles of infernal iron. His eyebrows shot up as Tav rather excitedly presents him with it

When asked about it they mention going to hell and killing a devil, taking everything that wasn't bolted down in his home.

If it was anyone else he wouldn't have believed them for a second. But Tav is a whole other beast, he's starting to learn

He notices some of the materials look rather familiar. Enriched infernal ore. Similar to the steel watchers... He stares at Tav questioningly who looks anywhere else trying to come up with an explanation

C-can't have them going to waste now! Right? Those steel watchers are gone (that i definitely did not have anything to do with), its time to recycle, Tav tries to explain

So you admit you stole them, Dammon replies but inspects the iron anyways.

After learning how much he likes working with infernal iron, Tav gathers all the material they had stored in their chest to give to him. He doesn't know if he could pay for all of it but Tav just wants to see what he makes of them

Dammon is a little flushed seeing how much they're looking forward to his work. And even more so at the effort they expended trying to gather all of this

He's probably one of the few people Tav consistently interacts with since staying in the city and vice versa since he's not the social type either

Before they could count themselves allies, now they've naturally fallen into being good friends who hang out in their free time.

Dammon is always amused when Tav comes by with a dozen different things to be done for a dozen people that asked for their help. Their fame hardly changing them

He's also come to expect their reminders to take care of himself.

He used to the low key loneliness of living by himself. Even with the bond he's formed with the refugees he forgets to meet up with them while working. So when Tav starts coming by its a welcome change

He would begin working from first light, until well into the night when Tav shows up with a warm meal and a cold drink, they spend a while recounting their day and what needs to be done before returning to their own tasks

While slow going he begins to open up about his past. His life in Elturel, the descent into Avernus, his apprenticeship, sometimes touching on his childhood

Some days a rougher than the last. The collective trauma of the ithillid invasion affecting everyone and Dammon wasn't completely free of his experiences in the shadowcursed lands.

He's gotten used to moving on and hiding it but Tav has spent way too much time with their own group of traumatized weirdos to not notice

They've gotten pretty good at getting people to open up about deep rooted issues without putting too much pressure. After weeks of working together and solving conflicts he gets more comfortable talking

Having someone listen was a nice experience and allowed him to reflect on some things he refused to think about

Tav tells him about their adventures with the tadfools. They notice he pays extra attention whenever Karlach is brought up and adjusts accordingly, bringing up more stories involving her. Liking the smile he has on when they do so

They've had a few hiccups and issues. With the city as vulnerable as it was, a few malignant forces tried their luck seizing power. But thankfully Tav was there

A vampire coven, a few remaining cultists, and bandits couldn't hold a candle to an elder brain. With some new allies Tav successfully repelled them with little issue

Of course Dammon was treated to the sight of a gore covered adventurer looking sheepish asking for repairs and new arrows a few times

One time they showed up particularly banged up making him usher them inside and treat their wounds with what medical supplies he had

When they were particularly injured after a fight Dammon let them rest in his place. As they were resting in his room they noticed a certain book left out on a chair

That day was spent relentlessly teasing a blushing tiefling. He should have known a nosy Tav would have found that book

There's never a dull moment with Tav but he's come to enjoy it

But nothing lasts. When the last of the enemies falls and everyone seems to have everything at hand, Tav feels the call for adventure once more

They did promise a companion a cure for their affliction and plan to set out of the city to follow a lead with them

This means a round of goodbyes from the friends they made in the city. Last but not least Dammon

He's surprised when he's informed the day before but figures it was only time. They have one last meal at elfsong tavern, toasting for goodluck. He admits he'll miss them.

He's disappointed he couldn't do much else the next day when he gives them some extra arrows

It doesn't strike him immediately but after the first few days the forge feels too quiet

Sometimes he would look up from his work when he hears someone approach expecting Tav to be there

He hears stories and rumors later on while having a drink in elfsong tavern.

New exploits Tav accomplished, the people they saved and the monsters they've faced. One bard started singing about their adventures and he finds himself returning to hear them

While he enjoys his work things feel a lot more monotonous lately with them gone. He finds some spark of familiarity hearing about their adventures

Tav sends letters every now and then. Briefly outlining new quests and how their doing. Finishing by saying they hope he takes care of himself

He sends his own in return, updating them of the city and the rebuilding, reassuring them he's eating regularly but that's as far as hearing from them as he got

Months go by and he hears from Jaheira about a reunion party with the heroes of Baldur's gate with the possibility of Karlach being there. He hasn't heard from her in so long, much less know how she was faring

One of the things he regrets is not finding a way to fix her engine and having to send her back to avernus when she just escaped

When he hears the other tieflings planning to write letters to this reunion party he jumps in

He's not sure how a letter would get to Karlach who's in Avernus but he is sure that Tav would find a way

So he starts it by adressing it to Tav before asking him to pass it to Karlach knowing they'll be more than happy to

When Karlach Visits

Tav reunites with some old friends to finally fix Karlach's engine. Having found Zariel's forge and plans to travel there. They need to be armed to the teeth

They just so happen to be in Baldur's Gate.

Tav brings them over to Dammon's forge, already knowing he'll be happy to see Karlach again

When they return its without any announcement as usual. He's focused on a new project when he hears a throat clear. He tells them to wait a second assuming its a client. Tav's voice catches his attention. He whirls around and sees his friend with that familiar smile

He's greets them happily but his eye catches the sight of Karlach and his tone shifts. Its a touching reunion

Its obvious how captivated he was. Tav would stand to the side admiring the scene

Eventually the conversation turns to their purpose there. Tav explains the mission and he's more than eager to help.

As they trade they enter casual conversation

The conversation between them turns to the city, Tav asking if he's eaten anything, roasting his cooking, Dammon defending said cooking, mundane things but companions are left to watch in silence as these two friends catch up

Then Karlach asks about the city and they both go in to the rebuilding efforts. Tav goes in to the various misadventures that occured, Dammon jumping in to include an emberassing moment that he saw happened to Tav.

It derails as they start bantering, bringing up inside jokes and references born from the time spent around each other in the city

Tav has their hand on his shoulder, leaning close to tell a joke. Dammon leaning back standing comfortably next to them, snorting at what they just said when Karlach pipes up-

"So how long have you two been together?"

This is getting long, will make part 2

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 tav #bg3 dammon #tav x dammon #bg3 headcanons #when life gives you lemons (Dammon's letter) u make lemonade (write a slowburn friends to lovers)

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bunnygirlwhore · 6 months ago

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Doing a replay of Deltarune chapters 1 and 2 because I am hyperfixing after watching Device Theory Part 3 (go watch it, its by mollystars on youtube, I dont care that the full series is 10 hours watch it now please its so GOOD) and I have decided to write down random thoughts.

1. Why does Kris specifically plug in the tv?? Like, assuming a pre-meditated making the chapter 3 dark world, the tv is gonna be there no matter what, why does it being plugged in matter?

2. wait beautiful day is mentioned twice so early on, looking out the window in Kris's room and Toriel says it in the car.

3. Why did Toriel say Asriel's name in all caps like that?

4. Still don't know what to make of every clock in this game being broken.

5. I remember hearing Jockington has the same talksprite multiple times in the files, and he has the thing about having one picture of a soccerball over and over. If he has some third thing that repeats like this then there's like, something up with that.

6. The options of "not yet" and "yes. Ask." Still seem odd, IDK what to make of them.

7. Thinking about something one of my partners said and I can't help but wonder if the guitar in Susie's music is the same as the one in the song that plays when you seal the fountains.

8. Now realizing both the scene's with Susie outside the classroom have semi-meta stuff. Chapter 1 has the allusion to Asriel and Chara dying in Undertale, and Chapter 2 has the references to the wait between chapters.

9. I swear if you hit enter fast enough at the how's that sound choicer there's like, a frame of a new textbox.

10. Whatever happened to Kris at the bunker is like, gossip around town. I wonder if that's what Susie is referencing in the "Guess you have experiencing running away" line.

11. I wonder if we'll ever get to hear more of that ocean noise.

12. I wonder it at some point in the game perserving Kris's save will have an effect.

13. There's no way we don't come back to the cliffs at some point.

14. The like, green funky gaster narrated title screen calls copying files a division. That implies something is being spread evenly between the files. What could that be?

15. I wonder if the glowshard will do more than just be an investment.

16. Seriously what the fuck is up with this closet.

17. Could those monoliths in the background be chalk? Erasers? What the hell are those?

18. How did Lancer get up there?

19. The monoliths in the background before the jump down to town seem to have an intentional shape to them.

20. Why does Kris keep looking at the screen after cutscenes.

21. I wonder if Castle Town will get even more buildings later, and what implications an Inn might have. Dark Worlds are compared to dreams so often, what if you sleep in one?

22. Why does Ralsei with hood on have a talksprite? Is that gonna come up again later?

23. Ralsei has fur and two layers on, does he not get warm? Do Darkners not have to deal with temperature based discomfort?

24. I find the distinction between EARTH and WORLD to be interesting. All the weird all caps words in the prophecy really.

25. Why does prophecy drawing Ralsei have the cloak like that? Is that why the talksprite exists? Will Ralsei put the cloak back on to be like "I gotta, its for the prophecy."

26. I wonder, since the soul seems to leave Kris during fights, at some point will they use an enemy attack to go do something? Will they ask like, Ralsei or someone to do a long attack so they can go off to do something?

27. Odd how i-frames carry over between attacks.

28. Why did Kris look at the camera for a single frame.

29. Why does the exit used in castle town in chapter 2 not exist in chapter 1?

30. Still wonder why Ralsei looks at the camera like that before closing the door.

31. I always forget about getting candy from the other trees.

32. Wait in one of the x-flatter things Ralsei mentions EXP, which like, that does not normally come up in this game? Like at all? Now that I think about it, is there even any way to earn EXP?

33. Did Susie crack the door or was it just like that?

34. I know its nothing, but Ralsei using the word proceede feels so fucking ominous

35. You can get close enough to C. Round that it does the "!" but you don't encounter the creachure. It stops dancing and just kinda sits there. Amusing.

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the12thnightproject · 2 years ago

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Chapter 2: Tick, Tick….People are disappearing. Meanwhile Katsu & Mitsuhide’s second meeting goes about as well as their first..

Mitsuhide x OC; Hideyoshi x MC (Mai)

All Chapters Archived on Ao3

Logline - With Mai, Hideyoshi, and Aki missing, Mitsuhide and Katsuko reluctantly team up. Disguised as a merchant and his concubine, can they outsmart the man known as the God of Deceit?

Six weeks later…

Aki was late.

Not the normal lateness common to people living in an era that didn’t have clocks – that I was used to. No, he was over a week late to meet me in Niigata. For the past nine days, I had been holed up in an inn, basically counting the lines on the floor (twenty-four), playing both sides of a game of shogi (to a draw), and teaching myself to juggle. The fact that I could now easily manipulate five makeshift ‘bean’ bags (wood shavings and gravel sewn up in fabric) said everything about my boredom. Aside from one kunoichi who stopped in to wait out a rainstorm, there had been nobody interesting to talk to (granted, she had been really interesting).

While I would have said that Aki could survive anything and everything that life threw at him – nine days late was an ominous sign. Sure, he’d always been prone to disappearing for long periods of time. He’d also had a knack for reappearing on the exact day he’d promised.

Something’s wrong.

It was possible that he would eventually show up at the inn, but I couldn’t continue to hole up indefinitely – for one thing, inns cost money. I had paid for the 10-day “week” in advance – did I really want to commit to another week of this?

I need to be looking for him.

If Aki had been around to ask for advice, he probably would have suggested I return home, to the The Mountain, and wait for further communication. But that would just guarantee that Fume would put me to work scrubbing floors for the rest of the year. Hm…. I could continue south, and go to Azuchi. Aki maintained a bookstore there, but that was a front. In truth, it was a message drop for his couriers and spies. If anyone had seen him recently, then Takauji, who was currently manning the store, would know of it. And, if not… well, I could at least leave him a ‘where the hell are you?’ message while I figured out my next move.

Once decided, I wasted no more time and headed out into a cool late summer morning. The air had a bite to it, and the breeze carried the smell of harvest fruits. If I hadn’t been so preoccupied with wondering what happened to Aki, I might have enjoyed the journey to Azuchi. But happy as I was to be on the move, my mind was consumed with images of all the disasters that could have befallen him. Maybe he’d gotten caught up in a petty squabble between neighboring daimyos. Maybe he’d been injured or taken suddenly ill somewhere.

Maybe he simply got tired of you and never planned to return.

Ugh! Mental doomscrolling wouldn’t do me any good. Ok. Positive thinking. Instead of worrying why he was lost, figure out how to ensure he was found. Though Aki’s system of couriers and spies wasn’t nearly as vast a network as some others, like the Takeda mitsumono, there were still a lot of us. If we all worked together, we’d run him to ground… somewhere.

By the time I arrived at the bookseller’s in Azuchi, I had nearly convinced myself that finding Aki would simply be a matter of legwork. I could do that. I’d been criss-crossing the country on my own for years now. I had contacts in every city. I could do this… I could d--

“Thank the Gods you’re here.” Takaugi greeted me, not with his customary vague hello-and-can-you-take-over-so-I-can-go-piss, but a frantic announcement. “Francisco sent a message that Aki is missing, and I don’t know what to do.”

There is a reason why Takauji is often the one getting stuck in the old man disguise here. He has no initiative.

I dumped my pack on the floor behind the low counter. “Has anyone else heard from him?”

He shrugged. “You’re the first courier to come through since I received that message.”

Like I said. No initiative.

I put my hand out and after a momentary pause, Taka realized what I wanted and plopped Francisco’s note in it. I scanned it quickly, then slowly, but Taka had indeed given me all the available information. It simply said that Aki had missed a scheduled meeting and Francisco was concerned. But then he had likely needed to pay someone to write it for him, as he barely could speak Japanese. Writing it was far beyond his abilities.

Shit… if Francisco was worried too, something had to be terribly wrong. But… I couldn’t freak out in front of Takauji. Someone needed to take control of the situation, and I appeared to be the only candidate at hand. Taka wouldn’t listen if he saw me panic.

“Alright. Let’s first send out messages to all his couriers – we’ll have them search the corners of the country.” Which had basically been my plan anyway.

Taka simply gaped at me (literally, unhinged jaw). “What should I write… exactly?”

It deserved its own hashtag. #Takahasnoinitiative. I bit the inside of my cheek to avoid snapping at him. He couldn’t help it. Maybe he had been dropped on his head as a child. Daily. “I’ll write the first one. Then you can copy it.” I grabbed my pack, plus some paper and writing supplies we kept behind the counter and started to head for the private courtyard behind the shop. Then, I turned back to Taka. “Oh, and don’t tell anyone he is missing. Anyone who isn’t one of us.”

It shouldn’t have needed to have been said… but Taka doesn’t think either.

Once safely in the courtyard, I allowed myself a moment to have a private breakdown. I could feel my throat and chest tighten. What if Aki never came back? What would we all do? He’d spent years building his network. Would it disintegrate without him?

Ok. Breath.

Breathe.

I flipped myself into a handstand to center myself… focusing on the physical to cleanse the mental. One thing at a time. Listen to the wind, alert to when it chang-

At that moment, what I heard instead of the wind, was the sound of a packet being slapped onto the counter. This was followed by a voice that almost made me topple over. “I have an urgent message for Akihira.”

Mitsuhide.

He sounded about fifty percent less calm than the last time I had heard him speak, and… why am I upside down again? From where I was, as long as I kept still, I wouldn’t be visible from the front, but I couldn’t change positions without potentially alerting him to my presence.

Hopefully, Taka would remember not to mention…“He’s… he’s errm. I’ll m-m-make sure it goes out with the next courier.” Good. Though Taka had stumbled, most normal people would not have noticed.

Then again… this is Mitsuhide we’re talking about. He’s not normal. He might not even be human. Of course, he noticed. “My, my, that was quite the stutter. Is there a problem? You keep looking toward the-”

“Don’t go back there!” Taka sounded like every guilty toddler on the planet.

Footsteps.

Sandalwood and cinnamon.

That prickly feeling shot through me again, destroying all the focus I had just worked so hard to achieve.

Before I could react, my view was impeded by Mitsuhide’s legs. I tilted my head to look upward, meeting Mitsuhide’s eyes halfway. Then he crouched so that we were nearly face to face. “How very interesting, child. One might almost be convinced that this is your preferred …position. Perhaps you are part bat?”

Thank goodness I hadn’t yet started writing the ‘Aki is missing’ messages. Mitsuhide would definitely have noticed those. “Oh, you know. I’m just hanging around.”

No response.

Tough crowd.

It was tempting to stay upside down and force Mitsuhide to continue to crouch, or potentially get a crick in his neck, but today I was Aki’s representative and there was no reason to further antagonize him, even if he was the most aggravating man in this era. I flipped back to my feet with an artistic flourish. “Not to worry, I will make sure that Aki receives your correspondence the moment I see him.”

Neutral professional tone. Don’t give him anything to react to. These are not the droids you are looking for.

His posture shifted, just a little, just enough for me to register his skepticism.

Ok. Jedi mind tricks don’t work on kitsunes. Good to know.

He let me stew in silence for a moment before asking, “what are you not telling me?”

Seriously? We’re doing this again?

“You know, sometimes I think you say things like that not because you believe the person is holding back information, but because you hope they are. It’s a fishing expedition.” And I am not going to bite him. Anything. I’m not going to bite anything.

His eyebrow went up. “After a single meeting, you’ve determined this about me.” Sarcasm dripped into the air and plopped down at my feet.

“I’m very perceptive.” Which is true, as far as it goes. But something about Mitsuhide short circuited the connection between my brain and my mouth. And with my worry about Aki, my shields were low anyway.

“Perceptive… If you say so, Brat.” The heavy pause mid-sentence made it clear that he had other preferred adjectives for me. “I have not forgotten our last meeting.”

Neither had I.

I made a point of smiling at him. Ok, it was a fake smile, and I’m sure he was aware of that. “Perceptive and memorable.”

Eyebrow.

Distract, distract, distract!

I took out my juggling bags and tossed them into the air. “Dexterous too. There was nothing I could have told you anything that you didn’t already know – or that you didn’t learn soon anyway.”

Although I hadn’t personally witnessed any of this past summer’s conflict between Nobunaga’s forces and the Ikko-Ikki, my friend Sasuke (and his friend Yoshimoto) had later filled me in on the details – not that they had been part of the battle either, but instead were part of the diversionary tactic that led up to it.

Mitsuhide fluidly reached over and took over my bean bags – juggling them as effortlessly as I had. “You cost me time.” He let go of the bags and before I could return to the rhythm of the trick, they all fell to the ground.

Plop. Plop. Plop. Plop. Splat.

The fifth one landed on its seam, and burst open, scattering pebbles and wood shavings across the courtyard.

Mitsuhide stared down at the jumble of bean bags at my feet. “Interesting. It appears you aren’t as skilled as you believed you were. It would behoove you to learn, and quickly, that recklessness and overconfidence are quite a fatal combination.” He patted me on the head – patronizing, not affectionate. “See to it that Aki receives my correspondence.” He bowed. Polite but distant, then, without another word, Jareth-with-better-teeth strolled out of the shop.

I hate him.

That had been even less pleasant than my first encounter with him. I felt like someone was jamming an ice pick through my sinuses. Maybe I’m allergic to sandalwood. Or cinnamon.

Maybe I’m allergic to Mitsuhide.

“Did I do that correctly?” Taka peered nervously into the courtyard. “And… he’s not going to come back and kill me, is he?”

You? No. Me? Jury still out.

It would take me years to explain to Taka the art of misdirection. Easier to simply say, “you did fine.” Then I took Mitsuhide’s message out of his hands. Without a second thought, I opened it to read—

“You told him you were taking that to Aki.” Taka scratched his head. “You shouldn’t read Aki’s mail.”

“I always read Aki’s mail. In fact, he once told me I should. Anyway, what I told Mitsuhide was that I would give Aki the message as soon as I saw him, which, of course, I will. But since I don’t know when that will be, if this is important, then I’d better see if there’s something that I can do to help.” I did… owe Mitsuhide that much.

His letter was coded, which made sense, but Aki had made a point of teaching me all his codes, not just the ones he used for his correspondence. We had even created a special code together, but that one was only used between the two of us. In retrospect, this was an ominous sign… maybe he had already been worried about his future.

I made myself comfortable on the ground and started to decode the message. “Go back up front, Taka, this is going to be a while.”

“Can I go take a piss first?” Taka was already heading through the back exit en route to the city’s cesspits.

“Sure,” I called to his retreating back, then got back to the message. Friend. Have you had any knowledge of who might be interested in smuggling Nanban weapons out of Sakai or the western ports? Or at least, would you be able to point me to the daimyos most likely to be stockpiling them?

Hm, if Francisco was to be believed, Aki had been headed to the port of Sakai the last time anyone had heard from him… Was it possibly that he had already been looking into weapon shipments? If so, that was the sort of information that Aki kept to himself, and none of the rest of us had much experience with smuggl—

Except me. I had had experience with them.

“Once they load the crates on board,” Iekane gestured to the other crates, “you ought to be able to climb out at night and track down your brother.” He showed me where there was a latch on the lid, and I tested the escape mechanism. “The ship isn’t planning to leave for a few days.” He handed me my bow and arrows. “Light one of these on fire and shoot it into the air. I’ll wait on the dock with our horses. Goodbye… well, good luck, I mean.” I lay back down in the crate and my world became dark as Iekane closed the lid. A few moments later, I heard another voice. “You there! What are you doing with my … shipment?” Footsteps came closer to the box. I held my breath. Now would not be a good time to be discovered. Hopefully Iekane wasn’t in trouble either. “Final inventory check!” Ooh, that was a good bluff on Iekane’s part, since he couldn’t know what was in these boxes. I heard the lid on another box open, and the dull heavy clank of metal – but the only metal that would be imported these days would be Nanban guns. Crap. Of all the crates to pick, we’d somehow gotten mixed in with someone’s weapon smuggling outfit. “Wait ‘til they get a load of these, heh heh.” The clunk of that lid. I prayed that this guy wouldn’t inspect every box. Another voice, this one with a European accent that I couldn’t place through the walls of the crate. “I’m happy you approve, Motonari. You, boy, help us move these.” “Of course.” That was Iekane’s voice. I felt the box being lifted. The motion was soothing, almost like being rocked in a cradle, and in spite of my anxiety, I felt myself becoming sleepy. But after about half and hour or so, my crate’s journey ended with a thunk. And then more thuds – oh the other crates. The jingle of coins. “Pleasure doing business with ye!”

Even after over five years, memories of that near-death experience still gave me nightmares. I couldn’t go into small spaces without having a panic attack… but that also meant that I had very clear memories of exactly how to find that warehouse in Sakai, a warehouse that had at one point been used to store Nanban weapons.

Still, it had been five years… the warehouse could have changed hands, the weapons could be coming to an alternate location now. Was this enough information to pass along to Mitsuhide? Maybe I should check it out on my own first… especially since I had another reason to make that trip. Aki had been planning to meet Francisco, who lived in Sakai. I could go to Sakai myself, check things out, and question Francisco. Then if I learned anything interesting, I could bring that back to Mitsuhide, with a mea culpa for reading his mail.

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Or… something to that effect.

By the time I dropped three stacks of messages into Taka’s hands, my fingers were sore and cramping. Originally, I had planned to have Taka make the copies himself, but I didn’t trust that he would complete them, or avoid a transcription error that would spill over into all of them – this was too important to trust to a Takauji version of “telephone” in which “Aki is missing” turned into “Go to the province of Aki to look for a missing letter.”

“Give these to Ryo, Kinshiro, and Heitane when they pass through.” Each of them would distribute their stacks to Aki’s spies, who were scattered across the country.

“Are these for Aki, or for Mitsuhide’s request?” Taka looked at the store’s entry, clearly worried that speaking his name out loud would cause the man to manifest.

Don’t worry, Taka, you must stand in the middle of a pentagram and say the name three times for that to happen.

“This is for Aki. I’ll deal with the other on my own.” At my words, Taka sighed, in what I presume was relief. “Um, do you mind if I bunk with you tonight?” There was a set of rooms for the bookseller to use above the storefront. The quarters weren’t terribly big, but for one night, it wouldn’t be so ba-.

“Must you?” Taka frowned, as he glanced at the position of the setting sun on the horizon. “Er, normally I wouldn’t mind, Katsu, but there’s a woman and…”

“Say no more.” Did this woman realize that under the old man disguise Taka was about thirty years old? Or… not? Maybe … you know what. I did not need to speculate on Taka’s love life. I could find a cheap inn. “If Mitsuhide comes back, all you need to tell him is that I took his message to Aki.”

“What if Aki comes back looking for you?” Taka carefully stored the messages under the counter. “Are you heading back to The Mountain?”

Hm, it probably would be a good idea to tell someone where I was heading, just in case. It would be better if I could tell a useful someone, someone with initiative, but I had to work with what I had. “No. Sakai. I’m going to Sakai.”

The shops in the castle town were all in the process of closing for the night, but a few merchants were still willing to sell their wares, even as the sun set. If I was going to be in Sakai, I would need a decent wicker or bamboo hat. Otherwise, in the warmer coastal weather my hood would stick out like a sore ninja. While I waited for the woman in front of me to decide between two different decorative obi cords, as usual paying attention to everything and nothing, the conversation between the woman and the merchant caught my attention.

“Weren’t Lord Hideyoshi and Lady Mai supposed to have returned to Azuchi by now?”

Mai… that’s Sasuke’s friend… the one who works in Azuchi castle.

I’d never met her, but she and Lord Hideyoshi had figured prominently in Sasuke’s tales of this past summer’s battles. I turned a woven hat upside down, examining the inside, pretending to be concentrating on its weight and not her response.

“Um. Well. Yes. But. Um. They are having such a nice time together that they decided to extend their trip. In fact. Mai sent a nice note to all the seamstresses telling us about how pretty it is in Sakai and the weather is lovely there so they are not yet coming back.” The woman’s hands were shaking.

She’s lying.

One of the rules of lying? Keep it short and simple. The more you talk, the more you have to keep track of.

Proving my point, the seamstress continued, “Of course she also said that Azuchi has the best fabric merchants, so I’m sure that when she and Lord Hideyoshi return, she’ll come here immediately… because our orders are piling up.”

“I look forward to seeing her again,” the merchant said while he wrapped up her purchases (she bought both ties).

After the woman took her package and left, I quickly paid for my hat… clearly, I had some additional research to do…

Later that night, when I was holed up at yet another inn, I jotted down what I had learned that afternoon. Mai and her fiancée Hideyoshi had taken a trip to Sakai, and they had neither returned when expected nor sent a message announcing a delay. This was atypical behavior for Lord Hideyoshi (per a couple of Oda’s vassals who probably shouldn’t have been talking that loudly in a public restaurant). Item number two – Mitsuhide was concerned enough about weapons smuggling and smugglers to send a message to Aki.

Were these two items connected?

Meanwhile, Aki had also disappeared, sometime before he was due to meet Francisco in Sakai.

And though I did not know where Aki had been specifically going prior to intending to meet Francisco in Sakai, that was enough of a confirmation to me that all roads led to Sakai.

I hadn’t spent a lot of time there myself, but I knew enough to get around. I knew the blind alleys and the rooftops. Even better, I was certain that Francisco would be willing to trade lodgings for in-house translation services. I could take my time and investigate this properly.

‘Case log’ begun. Travel plans solidified. Hat acquired. Time for sleep.

Time to attempt sleep.

Time to stare at the ceiling again.

Sleep never comes easily for me – I have to chase it, tie it down, hug it to me, and hope for as much rest as possible. Unsurprisingly, when I finally dropped off, I was haunted by the memories of the crate, the weight of full boxes pressing down, the voices of the weapons smugglers checking their stock.

Likely these dreams were summoned by my plan to return to the scene of the so-called crime.

But maybe in doing so, I would finally put some of those ghosts to rest.

@mllorei @selenacosmic @tele86 @bestbryn @lyds323 @akitsuneswife

#10things #10 things i hate about you #mitsuhide monday #ikemen sengoku #fanfic #mitsuhide akechi #ikesen mitsuhide #ao3 link

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keithrm · 1 year ago

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Memory Loss On Memory Lane

(2024/02/17)

When a relationship is broken, one of the many things we lose is mutual recall.

We all get nostalgic feelings from specific things, perhaps a place, a scent, or a song. For many of us in my generation, TV theme songs can be a real kick down sentimental memory lane.

Lately, part of my late night routine involves the TV being turned on to Catchy TV, and the show “Newhart” – not the “The Bob Newhart Show”, where Bob Newhart plays a psychiatrist, but “Newhart”, where he plays the owner of a little inn, in Vermont. For me, there is something very emotional about the theme.

The emotion connects directly with my ex, Elizabeth. But here is the catch; “Newhart” ran from 1982 to 1990. I did not meet Elizabeth until 1990. As such, the bulk of the show ran during a previous – and most unsettling – marriage. The nostalgic tug of the theme does not bring up any of the negative emotions or associations with the first marriage. The feelings the theme brings up are tied to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth and I were big fans of “Twin Peaks” when we first met. I have a very strong emotional response to that theme song. “Twin Peaks” premiered in 1990. My memory of it and Elizabeth is crystal clear. But my memory of Elizabeth and “Newhart” is non-existent. I have only the emotional tug of the theme to give me a clue. And when I look at the dates “Newhart” aired, she and I could have only watched the last season together, or perhaps reruns. That said, I do have a vague recollection of us discussing the college drinking game, “Hello Bob”, where everyone is required to take a drink whenever someone says “Hello, Bob” during “The Bob Newhart Show”. Likewise, there is a nebulous memory of discussing the fun characters Larry, Darryl and Darryl from “Newhart”, but these memories are so foggy, I could have had those debates with anyone.

Oh, how I wish we could have remained a friendship connection, to email each other or to be able to have a dinner every now and then. I do send her a happy birthday email every year, and I give her a Christmas gift every year – secretly place by her door around midnight on each Christmas Eve, with the card signed, “ . . . Santa”. The three dots represent, “I Love You”. She knows who “Santa” is, but she does not know what the dots mean. Fourteen years now, Santa has left his gifts. Fourteen years, and she has sent me a small gift of her own, sent via my daughter.

In 2023, for the first time in those fourteen years, I did get to see her and talk for a bit. Her cheer and bubble was as effervescent as ever. She looked happy, and healthy, and honestly, beautiful. She had moved into a new house, and had an old family clock from my Dad that she no longer had a place for, and she wanted to return it to me. I crumbled in the meeting. I was not emotionally strong enough, but all this is a bit of a digression.

Would that I could ask her, “Did we watch ‘Newhart’ often?” As a couple, you have more RAM and even more ROM – your hardwired memory is larger, and your randomly accessed recall is greater. When a relationship is broken, we lose so many things. At times, like my first marriage, the breakup was the beginning of a new life. I was reborn. The breakup with Elizabeth has left me feeling old, feeble, and forgetful.

#life #love #feelings #relationship #heartbreak

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senjutsunade · 7 months ago

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Whiskey and Whimsy

Note: Munch munch - I couldn't find the original so just posting it here, k? ;w;

@minaa-munch:

Whoever said winter in Tokyo was a sight to behold had clearly never visited the Metropolis during the earlier days of January. It was crisp and cold in a way that made one’s digits clamour with barely repressed shivers amidst warm, heavy breaths and the innate urge to drown one’s self in one of the hot spring inns that had popped up near the suburbs. That is how the present found the duo, except maybe a little more comfortable, swathed by silence sans for the occasional, weird ticking noise and the screech of a blizzard wreaking havoc outside. Deft fingers played with slips of shiny plastic in an attempt to occupy themselves before a sheen of decorated black met his gaze and blue hues couldn’t help but flicker from the Queen of Clubs to its near counterpart; except it was blond, had an unusually nasty temper and was currently sipping Hōjicha infused whiskey from across the table. At least, that’s what she had called it - the bottle that had yet to emerge from its brown, papery confines [unless for a quick, convenient refill] suggested otherwise. The Namikaze had learned not to question it, for she wouldn’t ask about the curious little trinkets tucked away in his study in turn. Theirs was an understanding of sorts, you see. Perhaps shared with one cacti loving scarecrow and maybe a few others. Maybe. Cue a brief hum at the thought as the younger of the two shifted, the warmth of the kotatsu welcome in the frigid weather that had enveloped their humble little abode. “Remind me, Tsunade ane…” trailing off, tan digits gingerly placed the cards on the table while a wry grin played around his lips; a faint echo from his usual, sunny disposition. “Who let you in, again?” __

Winter in Tokyo was like an artist's rendering, sharp and clean, with the snow falling in delicate, crystalline patterns. The world outside the window was a monochrome masterpiece, shades of white and gray stretching as far as the eye could see. The chill seeped into every crevice, and she'd had to walk through that winter wonderland to get to her destination. A fools decision to brave the weather on foot but she was a creature who followed whims and this evenings had been to walk through the dancing flurries. It had left her feeling chilled to the bone but at present, with the warmth of the kotatsu wrapped around her like a cozy blanket, she had no regrets. Tsunade savored the contrast, the sharp bite of the cold making the warmth of her Hōjicha-infused whiskey all the more inviting. The drink warmed her from the inside out, the smooth, smoky flavor a perfect companion to the winter night.

She glanced at Minato, who was fiddling with his cards, his fingers deftly shuffling the deck. Cards had always fascinated Tsunade. The way they held endless possibilities, a simple shuffle capable of altering fates. She'd learned to read them, not just as a game, but as a reflection of life itself. Each suit, each number, held a story, a hidden meaning waiting to be deciphered. And tonight, the cards seemed to hold a promise of something more, a subtle undercurrent of amusement threading through their usual routine.

Minato's question broke the silence, his voice a soft hum that blended with the ticking clock and the distant howl of the blizzard. His grin was a playful echo of his usual sunny disposition, a reminder of the camaraderie they shared. Tsunade smirked in return scoffing slightly. "Your wife did, Minato. So, unless you want to be on the receiving end of her infamous temper, I'd suggest you stop with the snark." She leaned back, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she watched his reaction.

#Blind Incandescence #V; Detective #Senju Tsuande #Uchiha Itachi #Hatake Kakashi #Narnian Inhabitants #Typo Queen #Crazy Insomniac #Finger Seizure #uchihaa-itachi #konohagakurekakashi #Whiskey and Whimsy #minaa-munch #Narnia

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finniestoncrane · 1 year ago

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Hello! Can I have a blind date? I'm a plus size (250+) woman, neurodivergent in SOME way, who is demisexual. I have short, layered curly brown hair and multicolored glasses. I do have an hourglass figure with bigger hips but I do have squishy thighs and a bigger belly that make me a bit self conscious. I have my degree in biomedical engineering, and in my free time I love to cook, bake, embroider, sew, paint, and crochet. I also LOVE video games when I get the chance to play! I love little trinkets, and I'm really proud of the way I have decorated my apartment even if it isn't always the cleanest. I love bringing baked goods into work to share with people, and I like it when people compliment me on how good they are! I would love a partner that makes me know I'm loved, and who knows and remembers little things about me.

Ty 🥹💙💙💙💙

💜 blind date 💜 the kitchen is now closed! 🔞minors dni🔞 • masterlist • kofi link • tag: finnie1500 (to follow or to block) a/n: anon ty for the opportunity to indulge myself here as a fellow big girl💚

"Hi! Welcome to the Vill-Inn. Are you here for the blind date? I have to admit, I've been hoping you weren't going to show. If you'd given it ten more minutes I was clocking off an joining her myself!"

You're gestured towards a table where you are sat down in front of your date, a red headed woman with soft, green hued skin and bright, inquisitive eyes.

"Hi, I'm Ivy. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Her voice is gentle, warm, and so sultry. It takes you a few seconds to tell her your name, but you get there eventually. And then it's non-stop.

Ivy is filled with compliments, and they all sound so sincere and genuine, and sprinkled thorughout the evening, just when you least expect them.

"Your hair reminds me of newly sprouted shrubbery, when it's young and fresh and complex in it's growth. Your body reminds me of the petals of a rose, the way it curves out to an extreme and then tempers back in again. I love those glasses on you, the way they catch the light is like morning dew on the blades of grass."

It never seems superficial that she's focused on your appearance, likely because she's so focused on getting to know you as a person. And she's filled with excitement when you mention your degree. It's so rare for her to meet another scientist who she can have a conversation with. And biology is definitely her subject, although with a definite botanist's skew.

Everything you mention, she seems to find a way to call back to it during the conversation, particularly your hobbies. You're certain you only mentioned embroidery in passing at the very beginning of the date, and now an hour later, she's suddenly remembered that she wants to show you some designs she found of various succulents, asking if you could maybe make one for her in exchange for a succulent of your choice from her garden.

"I really relate to other creative minds. Gardening is an art form, just the same as your hobbies. They complement each other too, don't you think?"

At the end of the date, you pluck up the courage to ask Ivy back to your apartment for dessert. She laughs when she realises you're being genuine, and not just trying to get her back to your place alone. The temptation of home baking is too good, and who knows. If it's really as amazing as she imagines it will be, you might be getting second helpings.

#finnie writes #finnie1500

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yawchi · 2 days ago

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Hi innes!! If you’re still doing your game, my three dream jobs as a kid were fashion designer, super model, and pop singer + my current fave is capitano

picture this with me: you. capitano. in the office trying to work on mark ups but you just don’t have the right fabric on hand. so, the suggestion gets brought up that as a last ditch effort you check some rinky dink craft store on the corner for some. only problem? pouring rain. no problem for you, though, when you have someone to hold your umbrella.

“don’t worry, you just watch for puddles. i’ll handle the rest.”

#i hope this is ok!!#gaming chair (=`ω´=)#— innes on the clock ask game !

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curseofthebloodcountess · 11 months ago

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Session 20 Recap

We had Session 20 this weekend! It was a wild ride because it’s one of those games where political intrigue dominated the session and I learned just how deep the conspiracy well runs within some of my players.

The warlock had a confrontation with Father Lucian, her adoptive father, first thing in the morning, about her hasty engagement to Doru Donavich. Lucian confronted her about whether or not Doru is a vampire and received an honest answer, much to his dismay. He tried to forbid the marriage, but Theo managed to convince him that she has the situation well in hand. Ireena, Ismark, Yeska, and the church staff joined for breakfast and preparations.

Alistor, our cleric, awoke alone in the Blue Water Inn. He tried to rouse the ranger, Tam, but Tam’s player was absent, so Tam was ruled too hungover to join in. Alistor then went downstairs and learned of the first stirrings that all is not well with the Martikovs’ wine supply. He spoke briefly with Nikolai Wachter about the masquerade plans to restore Stella’s broken mind and the two of them (separately, but not that far behind each other) arrived at church late. Theo realized that Nikolai is trying to be seen at church, not unlike the way her uncle, Vargas, Tries To Be Seen, but is also very much trying to fill his late father’s shoes. He spoke with Theo briefly and mentioned that his cousin, Lavinia, would be back in town for the masquerade and he hoped his mother had the good sense to match her with his Bachelor Uncle, Rafael Buckvhold. Theo and Alistor concluded that it would be a lavender marriage and, you know? Good for them.

The party then ventured to the clothiers’ for masquerade costumes. I told the party they have one week to surprise me with what they’re going to wear. I’m excited! Then, they went to Vallakovich Manor to peruse the baron’s library. On the way, Izek Strazni revealed that he has shifted his Intense And Possibly Violent Romantic Longing from Theo to Ireena, based on things that have happened since the last festival. No one liked this information. The party arrived to the manor. They agreed to lunch with Lydia after they did their researchl. They caught Vargas practicing his speech for the Festival and they began researching the Teray family tree on behalf of one of the revenants. The family tree showed interconnection among the nobility of several of the towns, including Vallaki and Barovia Village and the party learned that Sir Robern Teray’s last living (“living”) descendant is either Doru Donavich, Thorn and Rose Durst, or a woman named Anastrasya Karelova who appears to be a clerical error without a death date. They plan to go to Barovia Village at some point to deliver the Teray family crest to Doru. They then had lunch with Lydia, which I thought revealed more than it did. Oops. They also checked on Victor and tried to dissuade him from using his teleportation circle to try to find Ez D’Avenir again. While they were upstairs, Theo and Ismark clocked a voice in Lydia’s private chambers and Theo saw the outline of a woman in the mirror fading away. Vargas invited Ismark and Alistor back to dinner to discuss politics because the party successfully convinced Vargas that they know about political organization and, yes, Ismark is still definitely the burgomaster of Barovia Village. Theo and Ireena decided to get more information out of the Wachter boys about Fiona’s book club. During preparations to speak with the baron, Alistor caught Ismark checking him out and Ireena made fun. The group split.

Ismark and Alistor went to the manor and went on the weirdest double date with Vargas and Lydia… and Izek who kept asking if Ireena is single. Through some really good rolls, Alistor persuaded Vargas to consider building a council so he can focus on the truly important things in rulership (“Like festivals!”). Ismark clocked that Lydia was upset and scheming and he told Alistor of his fears as they walked back to the inn.

Meanwhile, as Ireena served as a decoy for the very drunk Karl Wachter, Theo challenged Nikolai to a vodka-drinking contest and asked him about the book club. Nikolai drunkenly revealed that it’s not really a book club, but a place to discuss political and religious dissension and that his mother has introduced (or perhaps reintroduced) worship of The Lady of Shadows, with the belief that Strahd is her prophet. Nikolai expressed some disagreement with this view, stating that worshipping monsters never prevented tragedy from happening, never prevented him from losing Elizaveta (Vallakovich, his fiancee) or his father, never prevented Stella’s curse. He then drunkenly revealed to Theo that he doesn’t think his father died from sickness like everybody says. He said that the night he died, his father had a cold and went to bed early, his mother was out, and while Nikolai had the house to himself, he invited Elizaveta over. They heard a strange noise and Elizaveta ended up leaving. The next day she was gone and his father was dead. It had been mere weeks before their wedding and he’s never recovered from the double loss, which is why he thinks his mother is pitching him to Lavinia. He told Theo the book club will be kind of like a church event, kind of like a town hall, but that “miracles” happen - always for other people and often involving money that answers people’s prayers. Karl then interrupted the conversation, trying to get the girls to dance and Nikolai took his brother home. Alistor and Ismark rejoined Theo and Ireena and decided to walk them back to the church for the night. When they did, one of the PCs asked Lucian if it was ridiculous to think Lydia might be an assassin and Lucian got really quiet and said that he didn’t think it was ridiculous at all.

That’s where we ended the session. The PCs are in the Church, asking Lucian for information about Lydia and possibly getting the reveal of a lifetime. Tune in next time for a “book club” meeting and the impending Moonlight Masquerade, the best festival of the year!

#g: blood countess #curse of strahd #I love political intrigue

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hearthtales · 10 months ago

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It’s what’s best for everyone. Bran swallowed. A similar thought had crossed his mind earlier, but hearing it from Samhain himself left a hollowness in his chest. It would be safest for Samhain to leave, but… despite everything, Bran wished he’d stay a bit longer. If only because it would make Nettie happy.

Beside him, Gruff blinked his eyes open groggily. An internal clock had informed him it was time to switch his nap spot. With a yawn, he pushed himself to his paws, stretched, and picked up the branch between his teeth once more. He padded over to Samhain and dropped the stick, then curled up near him. One paw rested on the branch to guard it from thieves.

Without Gruff’s steady warmth pressed against him, the chill that had settled over Bran deepened. His hand trembled slightly as he curled his fingers into the damp grass. Samhain spoke again, about getting fae food elsewhere, about nullifying the contract. He’d figured out that Maude had a contract with the creature. Bran’s breath caught in his throat.

He had never spoken with someone who’d deduced so many secrets about them before. Hiding Feld’s influence had always been a strict rule, both spoken and unspoken. It felt freeing in a way — to finally talk openly about truths that affected him and the other residents of the inn so deeply, truths inextricably woven into the fabric of their lives. But more than that, it felt wrong. Forbidden. And the more this realization set in, the more Bran’s blood ran cold.

Surely this would have consequences.

“I don’t know,” he replied quietly. From the resigned tone of his voice, it was clear he didn’t have high hopes. “I don’t think that would be enough. Maude would know more, but she… she doesn’t like talking about it. You probably shouldn’t ask her.”

One might assume that being confined to bed rest for over a day would leave Bran energized for a while afterward, but exhaustion was already creeping in. It always caught up with him before long nowadays.

Bran inhaled, determined to continue their game for as long as he could. This could be his last chance to ask questions before Samhain left. He studied the other, his brow furrowed as he mulled over his next question. He knew Samhain was kindhearted, but even so, he didn’t understand why he seemed to care about them so much. The importance of fair deals had been ingrained into the boy. It didn’t add up.

“Why are you trying to help us?” His voice was soft with genuine uncertainty. He fidgeted with his hands again, avoiding Samhain’s gaze. “You’ve only known us a couple days, and we… haven’t done much for you. I’ve only caused trouble for you, really.”

The little apology that slipped from the boy's lips was not unwelcomed and earned a sliver of a smile from Samhain. He appreciated it. Despite how different their circumstances, they were both taken before their time in a sense. And the fact seemed to offer some quiet solace that they could find some kinship in that.

Samhain just couldn't help startling the boy, looking more nerve-wrecked and timid with every question he asked. The question plunged in like a knife, cutting right through the facade, the secrets, the hiding all the way through to the core of Oak Haven. Samhain kept his expression firm and eyes steady on Bran, almost like a cat, as he explained.

The only sound that elicited from Samhain's throat was a slow 'hmm' as he listened and went over the mental notes in his head. He could now confirm that the contract was only between the creature and Maude; everyone else at the inn were 'victims of circumstance' but not magickally or physically bound to the inn. He organized his thoughts as he listened until Bran finally asked his turn.

“Are you leaving because of Feld?”

The ghoul chuckled. "Ah'm leaving despite of it." Samhain answered plain as day, and Bran would know it was no lie. "Ah'm as curious of the creature as much as it's curious of me. No... Ah'm leaving because-" Maude's pained face flashed before his mind's eye before he answered. "-it's what's best for everyone."

Samhain fell quiet for a few minutes. He had a question beforehand but something Bran brought up suddenly piqued his interest and took major priority - something he should have realized before. If Maude was so adamant about cutting off all kinds of contact with the fae, how were they getting the fae-food?

Simple: the creature was stealing it without the fae's knowledge. The thought alone sent a chill down Samhain's spine, as he knew very well how fae dealt with thieves. If the creature was the only one being punished, it wouldn't have concerned Samhain as much. The issue was that the creature was not stealing for itself but for someone else to consume; someone that was previously Taken at that. The creature had basically stolen from them twice and as many times over.

The more he thought on it, the more he understood the weight of Maude's worries. Yet again, he wished he hadn't been so careless with his words.

"...If lets say you were to acquire fae-grown food by other means.. Like if ye could get them without needing the creature... Would it still need to keep Maude here? Would... their contract be null and void?"

#thesundowncrew #(GOSH YEAH)#(samhain rlly does respond so calmly compared to bran and i’m just agdgdgd)#(bran is TRYING to stay calm but it is a STRUGGLE)#(he’s very impressed by sam’s detective skills tho agdgdgd)#(gruff rlly is an emotional support dog….. he is just not the best at telling who needs more support……..)#(he wants to give all his friends support equally!!)#|༄| threads #|✧| bran #|✧| gruffudd #|༄| ic

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