#(ic) a mage's discovery

[wanderlustknightofmagic]

nameaprice "You don't seem nor act your age. Maybe it's a culture thing."

The knight frowns and folds his arms in front of his chest. "You know, for someone who once chastised me on being judgmental, you don't seem to uphold the same values. Assuming my character on moments that SHOULD be rare is very much unfair considering I'd be acting entirely different otherwise. Though," he sighs. "I suppose words don't change much, specially when I did act childish to you a while ago... Still, lip-service with no proof is nothing more than fluff. If you'd like the see how I act normally, I'd advise following me, though I'm not going to be doing anything truly exciting, unless you find everyday magic of my world as such."

[ty-bayonet-betteridge]

i just spent the last. several hours. fiddling with the classpects for Sburb Life because im a perfectionist

im still not 100% happy but i think this is a lot better

Grian - Session leader, Prospit dreamer, the Sylph of Dream in the Land of Bread and Sand. Client player Jimmy, server player Scar.

Scar - Prospit dreamer, the Thief of Heart in the Land of Rock and Cacti. Client player Grian, server player Mumbo.

Mumbo - Derse dreamer, the Seer of Flame in the Land of Sparks and Current. Client player Scar, server player Pearl.

Pearl - Derse dreamer, the Witch of Hate in the Land of Love and Snow. Client player Mumbo, server player Gem.

Gem - Prospit dreamer, the Aide of Space in the Land of Blooms and Frogs. Client player Pearl, server player Scott.

Scott - Derse dreamer, the Rogue of Time in the Land of Stars and Bridges. Client player Gem, server player Joel.

Joel - Derse dreamer, the Saint of Rage in the Land of Cliffs and Carnivals. Client player Scott, server player Etho.

Etho - Derse dreamer, the Mage of Truth in the Land of Wool and Secrets. Client player Joel, server player BDubs.

BDubs - Prospit dreamer, the Priest of Void in the Land of Keeps and Clocks. Client player Etho, server player Impulse.

Impulse - Prospit dreamer, the Guide of Hope in the Land of Coal and Bones. Client player BDubs, server player Tango.

Tango - Prospit dreamer, the Sage of Mind in the Land of Heat and Bulls. Client player Impulse, server player Skizz.

Skizz - Prospit dreamer, the Maid of Blood in the Land of Lakes and Cherries. Client player Tango, server player BigB.

BigB - Derse dreamer, the Heir of Ice in the Land of Fissures and Chocolate. Client player Skizz, server player Cleo.

Cleo - Derse dreamer, the Bard of Breath in the Land of Wind and Marble. Client player BigB, server player Lizzie.

Lizzie - Derse dreamer, the Knight of Life in the Land of Trees and Axolotls. Client player Cleo, server player Ren.

Ren - Prospit dreamer, the Prince of Peace in the Land of Shadow and Stillness. Client player Lizzie, server player Martyn.

Martyn - Derse dreamer, the Dame of Light in the Land of Eyes and Coral. Client player Ren, server player Jimmy.

Jimmy - Prospit dreamer, the Page of Doom in the Land of Clay and Dust. Client player Martyn, server player Grian.

also explanation of the custom classes and aspects under the cut

Aspects:

Truth - Truth is the aspect of discovery and revelation. The Truth-bound are difficult to fool, and keep their focus on what is in front of them. They act with practicality, and the aspect itself is tied to rational thought. Its counterpart in the fabric of Paradox Space is Dream. At their best they are rational and calm guides for their friends; at their worst they are uncaring and judgemental.

Dream - Dream is the aspect of lies and imagination. The Dream-bound live in worlds of their own, and their goals are not always obvious to those around them; the aspect itself deals in the nature of falsehoods. Its counterpart in the fabric of Paradox Space is Truth. At their best they brighten the room with their imaginative nature; at their worst they are frustratingly absorbed in their fantasies.

Peace - Peace is the aspect of calmness and protection. The Peace-bound are dedicated to maintaining the status quo, and preventing quarrels amongst their friends. The aspect itself deals with stagnation, love, and comfort. Its counterpart in the fabric of Paradox Space is Hate. At their best they are mediators and lovers who hold their allies together; at their worst they are resistant to change and even oppressive.

Hate - Hate is the aspect of emotion and strength. The Hate-bound hold grudges easily, and will tear down the things they see as being in their way. A Hero of Hate would rather die than allow something that hurts them to continue. Its counterpart in the fabric of Paradox Space is Peace. At their best they are firebrands and leaders, working against oppression; at their worst they are spiteful agitators unwilling to let things go for the greater good.

Flame - Flame is the aspect of change and discovery. The Flame-bound are seekers of the truth, though they are prone to flying too close to the sun and being hurt by that which they seek. They would rather burn the world down and build a new one than try to fix the one that exists. Its counterpart in the fabric of Paradox Space is Ice. At their best they are great artists and leaders, inspiring their allies to change that which they must; at their worst they destroy themselves and those around them with their quests for things beyond their reach.

Ice - Ice is the aspect of isolation and steadiness. The Ice-bound put up walls around themselves, pushing people away to protect themselves and cutting their emotions off. A Hero of Ice is likely to have few true friends, and none who they allow to see every facet of themselves, out of fear. Its counterpart in the fabric of Paradox Space is Flame. At their best they are reliable and steadfast, a source of stability for their allies; at their worst they are cold and unwilling to stand up for themselves, locking away their true thoughts.

Classes:

Saint - Saint is an active class, and its passive counterpart is the Priest. A Saint lives their life by the rules of their aspect, using the structures it sets up to climb to the top of a world they see as ruled by its teaching. As the role of a Saint is highly tied to their aspect, their role in a session varies heavily - A Saint of Life or Space, for instance, will likely be a strong driving force behind the group's success, while a Saint of Doom or Ice may spell the end for the session by their very nature.

Priest - Priest is a passive class, and its active counterpart is the Saint. A Priest allows the rules of their aspect to spread out from them, allowing themself and their allies to use its nature to their advantage. A Priest's aspect will often come to typify much of the session as they spread its teachings amongst their fellow players.

Dame - Dame is an active class, and its passive counterpart is the Aide. The Dame defies the very nature of their aspect, and often bear little resemblance to the archetypal player of that aspect. Their journey through the session is often highly personal, a struggle directly between them and their aspect, though once they are at the end of their journey, they are a force to be reckoned with, having taken the aspects of it that benefit them and left the rest behind.

Aide - Aide is a passive class, and its active counterpart is the Dame. The Aide is a gateway for their aspect, letting its nature out through themselves to defy the enemies of the group. They are highly in tune with their aspects, though not always in a way that others will immediately recognize. An Aide's involvement in a session is often as an unlikely leader, giving the other players something to rally behind when they feel devoid of the Aide's aspect.

Sage - Sage is an active class, and its passive counterpart is the Guide. The Sage is a student of their aspect, seeking to understand everything about its nature; rather than having the information to understand their aspect, like a Seer, a Sage is restricted to seeking understanding through more traditional means. Sages often become the most knowledgeable within their sessions, throwing themselves into their personal quests and embracing the role of the tactician with gusto.

Guide - Guide is a passive class, and its active counterpart is the Sage. The Guide seeks their aspect in order to bring it to their allies; they will often be a confidant and a source of aid or comfort for their allies. A fully realized Guide released into Paradox Space will often come to act as a sort of tutor for another player of the same aspect. Within their sessions, Guides are a centerpoint for the group, assisting other players wherever and however needed.

[burstingdragons]

7 Reasons Why (You Should Be Happy, Not Sad) — NaLu

The once lost mages of Fairy Tail have emerged from the sacred grounds of Tenrou Island… but not everyone finds joy following this unexpected return. Seven long years have gone by in a flash and now, away from the celebration about life, Lucy mourns the passing of her father’s own.

An AU where Natsu is not present with Lucy when she discovers Jude has died prior to their return from Tenrou. He finds out a different way. And this time, has a different reaction. Written as a tribute for someone in my life & for the milestone of writing on FanFiction for 7 years now. Think of 7RW as a gift from me to you all for reading and supporting my various works. Enjoy! :)

He noticed his blonde companion slip away hours ago. The sudden decision to leave right at the party's peak bummed him exponentially. Lucy wasn't one to be involved with their constant brawls or drunken games, but even she usually stuck around for these special types of moments. Not today it seemed. What was special today? Well, Fairy Tail was in total jubilation due to their most recent discovery. After being presumed dead as a result of Acnologia's ferocious roar upon Tenrou Island… the x784 Tenrou team had finally made it back home.

But it wasn't all highs. Unbeknownst to even Natsu's attentiveness, Lucy had suffered a major blow that pulled desperately on her heartstrings. At the guild's highest of highs, his intelligent partner was dealing with the lowest of lows. Everyone present knew it wasn't x784 anymore, but none of the S-Class Trial recipients expected to find out, just hours in their eyes after defeating the dark guild Grimoire Heart in fierce solo or team spars and surviving a major blow from the Black Dragon, that they had been basically comatosed for over half a decade. Seven years had actually gone by with their physical states untouched. They were the same age, the same height, the same magic level… they were the same person! The entire world had kept turning while they unknowingly awaited Mavis' protection spell to fizzle.

Being younger than most was not as positively accepted to the universe as it was by the individuals themselves. A ticking clock meant that while their bodies and minds had been suspended in time, the rest of the world had been forced to change. That included those they loved. Fairy Tail had a new Guildmaster. Members that were once weak were now strong. People had come and gone.

Natsu tried to keep his mind focused but a lunge from his rival Gray caused him to backpedal as he crashed into the wooden table. That hit left him partially dazed and the black-haired ice user relented his swings as Elfman joined the fray, casually spewing about how fighting made someone a 'real' man.

He shook his head to the side, ignoring how a few tiny shards of glass pricked his skin. Mira was surely going to kill him for destroying another one of her good shot glasses. Or maybe she wouldn't. The She-Devil sometimes could become unpredictable when it came to her duties at the bar. Her temper was a lot like Lucy's. And that too sometimes scared him.

Lucy.

That recall helped get his head back in the game. No one in their tight family bunch had noticed the woman exit. She had quite literally gone undetected outside of his, and potentially the other dragon slayer's perceptive gifts. It was obvious he was concerned for her and so Natsu did what he did occasionally when he got impatient. He acted. The slayer had prepared to go chase after her, to see what next adventure awaited them, but another brawl abruptly started. Evidently though, Natsu's appetite for conflict caused him to lose sight of his best friend's whereabouts and he allowed himself to be dragged into the melee, going in flames ablazing.

Hours later, after he'd tracked her scent to a familiar location, the pinkette remained unmoving on the window sill. It felt wrong to just silently watch a distraught woman, a close friend nonetheless, cry her eyes out in her safe haven but… that was just how their friendship worked. She talked and he listened. That was one thing outside of food and fighting that he could excel at. Allowing people to express their emotions openly without judging them for it.

Spent from the waterworks show, Lucy lazily flung herself across her neatly made bed. She turned over onto her side. Puffy, red eyes watched him intently. He wasn't sure what to say or do. He wanted to know why she was so upset and yet he didn't want to push her buttons trying to accomplish that. Natsu understood he had to be patient. But that was the problem. Patience wasn't in his blood. All this had started to confuse him but what confused him even more was when his partner suddenly laughed.

"So, are you going to just sit there and stare at me or are you actually going to come in and stay for a while?"

Even when she was undoubtedly troubled about something meaningful to her the blonde always managed to show off her own fiery side. He knew it was her valiant attempt to put up a facade in order to hide her true feelings from others. She didn't want to appear weak. She wanted to be strong. Yet like him, Lucy wore her heart on her sleeve. It was one of the better qualities that Natsu favored in a person. Something he favored when it came specifically to Lucy. Whereas his emotions fueled him to push onward, Lucy's caused her to take a step back. He liked to use his fire to paint a new picture while she preferred to examine it in its entirety before coming to a decision. A risk taker versus a planner. What was his greatest strength was ultimately her greatest weakness. But he'd never viewed it that way. He wouldn't let her do so either.

"I'm not sure." His voice traveled smoothly across the room. Many men in the guild, who had been excluded from the S-Class Trials, had matured tones to their name. Natsu's vocal cords kept that boyish charm marking his place as one of the reunited members. "The window is a pretty peaceful spot. Maybe I need to be here when you start one of your infamous tirades." He quipped.

The slayer hoped that remark would get a rise out of his friend. A sliver of a smile tried to piece itself together over her hesitant features but it never fully made its way to the surface.

"Come on… it's getting chilly outside."

Natsu frowned. He didn't want to aggravate her at this specific time, but he also didn't want to intrude. He knew she was suffering tremendously inside right now. For once in his life though, he realized he couldn't just beat the answers out of something already in existence. And for once in his life, Natsu didn't have the answer to restore someone's damaged spirit. She scooted over, allowing him available space to have a seat on the other side of her. Seeing his questioning gaze, she huffed at his obviousness and patted the space next to her.

"Here. Now."

Fearing for his life, specifically at the way her mood had done a complete one-eighty, Natsu fulfilled her request and patiently awaited whatever she had in mind next. He didn't need to wait long.

"Can you tell me about your dad?" She unexpectedly asked as she laid down on her back. Once again registering his confusion, Lucy added, "Uh–sorry, I meant about Igneel."

Like a little kid entering a candy store, Natsu opened up the floodgates as he began to retell countless tales of himself and the mysteriously vanished King of the Fire Dragons. Their adventures, their training, their bond… by the time he had realized he was rambling the woman laying next to him was once more shedding tears.

"Ah, Luce!" He grimaced. "Don't do that. You know what power crying has over me."

"I know…" She tried to hide her teary eyes behind her arm. "I hate crying too. I-I just can't help it, okay?" Lucy expressed somberly. "I miss him, Natsu. I really do."

Jude Heartfilia was dead. There was no easy way to put it. From what he had gathered in between the shared tales of their lead caretakers, Lucy's tyrannical father had passed away a month before their return from the island. She had only just found out the previous day and kept her emotions bottled up inside for as long as she could. Her efforts were short-lived. Today had been the day that glass shattered and all the anguish from losing her remaining parent came rushing out. It was up to Natsu to pick up those broken shards and repair what was lost.

He couldn't fix this type of dilemma though. As far as he knew, and he was positive he was just a human with special dragon slaying abilities, he couldn't cheat death. Natsu Dragneel didn't have the power to bring back the dead or restore an extinguished soul. Jude was gone. There was no amending this situation. He could only ease the pain by simply being there for her.

"I know you do." The fire mage smiled down at her. She looked so fragile. As if she would break upon being touched. That wasn't Lucy. She was passionate and always focused on the future, always thinking about her next goal. He had to get her mind out of the past.

"We still weren't on the best of terms the last time I saw him… at least I don't think." Her pitched voice expressed painfully as she recounted the events of her besting the dark guild known as Naked Mummy. "I did find out embarrassingly that my name comes from a defected neon sign."

Natsu desperately tried to stifle the chuckle that escaped him. Obviously he failed.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up mister." Her features remained impassive. "Dragneel, Igneel, seems kind of identical wouldn't you say?"

His eyes widened. "I can assure you Lucky Lucy that my last name does not come from Igneel."

"How do you know?" She pressed.

"Because he told me."

Now it was Lucy's turn to be amused by a simple answer.

"So gullible."

"Hey!" Natsu glared at her playfully and almost followed through with those intrusive thoughts of pushing her off the bed. But he decided against it at the last second. Seeing that healing process begin was worth the loss of some ego points.

Natsu's dark irises located a spot on her ceiling. He heard a dragon's roar from within. It was like receiving a reminder about his own past. He had been so determined to find the crimson dragon who ditched him at such a young age… but as his time at Fairy Tail extended, Igneel had slowly become more and more of an afterthought. It wasn't that his feelings towards the Fire Dragon King had changed. If anything he held more respect for Igneel than ever before. It leaned more towards the fact that he had something to look after. Something to actually fight for.

"I know your relationship with your dad was much different and painful than what I had with Igneel… but maybe some good can still come from this, Luce." He tried to explain his thought process to the woman next to him.

Her raised eyebrow helped him conclude that he was doing a rather terrible job. "Losing my dad was a good thing?"

"N-No!" He immediately shouted, almost surprising himself at his own nervousness. "What I meant is that losing any family is hard. Though we grow stronger as we overcome obstacles."

Lucy studied him in disbelief. "I'm having a hard time believing you're Natsu. How can I be sure you're not Levy using one of Mira's transformation spells?

Natsu groaned. "Seriously?"

"I mean… you're almost making too much sense here. I'm just a little surprised by your thoughtfulness. That's all, Natsu."

Okay now she was beginning to push his buttons. "That's it. I'm going to give you seven reasons why this could be helpful in the long run."

"Oh, really?" She replied with a smirk and folded her arms. "Let's hear them." Her brown eyes became illuminated as he began to count the points on his fingers in his head. "Oh, you're practicing. Then this should be good." Lucy spoke giddily as she sat up on the bed.

With his thoughts sorted out and his intentions set, despite her persistent teasing, Natsu jumped right into the fire.

"Seven reasons why you should be happy, not sad. By Natsu Dragneel."

Lucy snickered at the name. "Had to author it, huh?"

"Number one: Your dad and your mom are finally reunited." He spoke with such a tranquil approach that she was instantly floored by the words. "I don't mean that in a bad way either, I just hope that can help you find some peace through it all. They both are hopefully where Igneel is. Perhaps they're even friends." He smiled at that thought. Lucy smiled too. Neither voiced an opinion about whether or not Igneel was actually deceased. That was just based on acceptance after having gone absent for so long.

"Number two: You will always have important memories with him. No matter how big or small, good or bad, they're there. For you to look back on and remember the fun times you and your dad had. Those times before you joined up with us."

"Number three: I brought you to Fairy Tail because you didn't want to be 'Lucky' anymore. You wanted to be–"

"Just Lucy." She interrupted and looked the opposite away. He wasn't sure if she was angry or growing sad again, so he continued, although with a much softer tone to push the meaning.

"Yeah, Luce. You're free. He no longer can turn into what he once was and rule over you. You're free to just be you." He faintly noticed those new tears but ignored it. He had to finish. It would only help, not hurt her. "Now, number four: This ties back into the last one but mainly because your dad changed. You're allowed to be happy about that. Whether you made an impact on him or not towards the end of his life… your dad saw reason through his faults in some way and tried to amend what he could. That sounds like a loving father to me."

Her sobs grew louder and he looked over at her, chest burning inside. He knew the pain of regret. That feeling when you think you've lost the only parental figure you had left in the world. It wasn't fun. But death wasn't supposed to be fun. It changed you. And Natsu was determined to change Lucy's stance regarding death.

"Number five: Within your departure you proved you could take care of yourself. Without him involved. You relieved him of a burden that I'm sure even Igneel felt as he tried to teach me the ways of this world. I'm sure your dad was grateful to know he raised you up right enough that you could cover your own hide even when he was unable to do such a thing for himself anymore."

She had choked up and faced him again. "You–"

He held up a hand, as she often did to him whenever he was supposed to stay quiet about a certain subject. "I'm almost finished. Number six: Without your dad, there is no you, Luce. You can be joyful in knowing that you will always have a soft spot in each of your parents' hearts. I'm positive they were grateful for you."

"Natsu…"

"Number seven: He cared. Your dad left small gifts and continued to pay for this apartment even when he knew you might never get the chance to open them or walk through those doors. A struggling father believed in his daughter to the very end. Even when the rest of the world had given up on us, given up on you—Jude didn't."

Natsu's speech, so simple and yet so powerful, helped elevate the weight on her shoulders. He knew she felt guilt regarding her past actions and the way she rebuked her father countless times in their late stages. But her last impression on him had been impactful. He was sure of that. Even though he barely knew her father the once corrupt tyrant stature had certainly been left behind. The man responsible for bringing his best friend into the world had moved on to greater things. In a strange way, Natsu felt some appreciation for him.

Thanks for helping me find her.

Lost in his thoughts about his own feelings toward Jude, Natsu let his guard down for just a millisecond. That was all the time she needed. Lucy blasted the door down in her own special way as she pounced and sent them both tumbling onto the floor. By the time he had recovered, a shadow blocked the surroundings around him as he stared into an endless pool of chocolate instead of white drywall.

"Luce?" He questioned. The impact with the floor made it seem like his bell had gotten rung. "Why'd you do that…?"

Instead of answering him, Lucy shushed his lips with an unblemished finger as she smiled. The blonde leaned down and applied a light pressure against his cheek. Mentally his mind burst aflame. Then she pulled away and the unsettling feeling in his chest dispersed.

"What… What was that?!"

Lucy shook her head and giggled at his innocence. "That was my way of saying thank you, Natsu." She lifted herself off of him and held out an open palm for him to take. "Now come on, I want to show you something he left behind…"

He took the blonde's hand, but her words faltered off at the same time Natsu's soul left his body. Standing there, in his traditional black suit and stylish shades, was none other than the leader of the Zodiac.

"Good evening, Princess." He greeted the blonde sweetly before a sharp glare was projected towards the tense pink-haired dragon slayer. "Hi, Natsu." That authoritative voice was sickly sweet.

Even as Loke's fist lit up in that mighty golden hue and sent him flying into another dimension, ignoring Lucy's own fits in protest of course, Natsu's smile remained. Although the duration was short. He soon paled, realizing he had been unceremoniously thrusted into the Celestial World, as that serene smile vanished from fright.

I might be dead soon too.

Hope you liked it and thanks for stopping by! More Dragon Rage coming soon!

[honourablejester]

Numenera Character Concept

Okay. So the Dungeon Dudes recently did a video on 5 non-D&D ttrpgs they played in 2023, and one of the ones they mentioned was Numenera, from the Cypher System. And I’ve been curious about that for a while because the Fast Character online character builder (throws up quick pre-gens for D&D 5e) also supports the Cypher System, and the whole concept of the character descriptors intrigued me. I can choose to be a ‘craven’ character, and that has mechanical impact. That’s fascinating. So I decided to browse this system/setting a bit. I got the Numenera Players Guide pdf (the Cypher System Core book and the two Numenera Core setting books will have to wait until I have more free cash). Just, you know. To see.

And, first thing. I do like this setting. It’s a science fantasy setting where the whole is a billion years old and all the ‘magic’ comes from ancient lost nanotechnology from previous civilisations that no one understands or often even knows exists anymore. The whole concept of the setting is that your characters are exploring a strange, deadly world littered with the ruins and ancient unknown magic/technology of previous lost civilisations. Artefacts of that technology are a main gameplay element, as ‘cyphers’, one shot artefacts that produce effects, are things your character constantly discovers and equips, along with ‘artifacts’ (multi-use objects) and ‘oddities’ (weird little bits and bobs, like ancient photo displays and doorbells and other weird bits of junk).

Also, the emphasis is, at least from the descriptions, on exploration and discovery, not combat. You don’t get XP from combat or killing things, you get XP from dealing with complications and problems your DM throws your character mid-flow, and from your party’s overall actions and what they’ve discovered. That’s cool to me. I’ve mentioned before that I really want a game experience that’s about exploration, so this system/setting already sounds awesome. So.

The book I got is mostly a 64-page player facing character creation guide, with a little bit of preface on the system and the setting. Judging from the options as compared to Fast Character, this are very much the core, basic, PHB sort of character options. Just your essentials. But. Something did immediately catch my eye. And not the descriptors. A character focus instead, actually.

Characters in Cypher follow the pattern of an [adjective] [noun] who [verbs]. The noun is your character type, essentially your class, there’s 3 options in this book, the adjective is your character descriptor, or personality, and the verb is your character focus, the thing they do in the world, which can be wild. You’ve got options like ‘Works the Back Alleys’ and ‘Carries a Quiver’, and then ones like ‘Murders’, and then ones like ‘Howls at the Moon’ and ‘Exists Partially Out of Phase’. So the structure is who you are, what you are, and what you do. And. The thing that caught my eye was ‘Wears a Sheen of Ice’. Which is basically an ice mage. Cold damage my under-appreciated beloved. So. Here we go.

Of the three character type options, I am tempted by Jack, the rogue/skilled option, but ice mages are mages, so we’ll go with Nano. And the thing I actually had the hardest time with was the descriptor, despite those being the thing that drew me towards Numenera in the first place, but it came down to two: Tough, and Strong-Willed. Strong-Willed has a flaw/inability that’s tricky for me, on a character that wants to explore, in that it’s harder for a strong-willed character to solve puzzles and use/remember lore, which feels weird for a high-intellect explorer character, but … I’ll do Tough on a different character. For my ice mage, I feel like being stubborn.

So. Juvenna Rorkh, a Strong-Willed Nano who Wears A Sheen of Ice.

As a Tier 1, starting Nano, with everything added up, I’ll have a Might Pool of 10, a Speed Pool of 10, and an Intellect Pool of 18. I’ll have an Effort of 1, an Intellect Edge of 1, and Might and Speed Edges of 0. I can bear 3 cyphers at a time, I’m practiced with light weapons, and I’m trained in understanding, or at least attempting to understand, the numenera (the cyphers/artefacts/etc).

For my Nano background, the source of my abilities … Forbidden Knowledge is tempting, given exploration, but we’re not Learned or Intelligent, we’re Strong-Willed. We don’t like things to be fussy or complicated. No piecing together information and puzzles. No, I think we’re going to be Psionic. We interface with the mystical nano-machines of this world by raw force of will. And I think we gained our psionic abilities from the suggested ‘natural result of extreme exposure to technology’. We got flooded by a nanite cloud, maybe not an Iron Wind, but definitely some concentration of nano-machines, and our raw stubborn kicked on and helped us survive and take some of them with us.

For my background connection, I decided to roll on the table, and the result was that I trained for a while with a group of Aeon Priests, presumably to develop my psionics, and they still regard me pretty fondly.

For my two starting esoteries (magic powers from technology), I could go Ward, for a +1 to Armour, since I don’t have any yet, but I’ll get Ice Armour from Wears a Sheen of Ice, which is also a +1 for 10mins. I could still take Ward, because they stack. But. I want Onslaught (basically an energy attack), for an offensive option, plus something for my Ice Esoteries to change to cold damage. And I want Scan, because I do still want some exploration-focused options. So. Maybe we’ll get a chance to pick up Ward later.  

I also get 3 GM-chosen starting cyphers, and a starting oddity.

From Strong-Willed, I got a +4 to my Intellect Pool that brought me up to 18. I’m trained in resisting mental effects, and in tasks that require focus or concentration, but the difficulty of any task that involves figuring out puzzles or problems, memorizing things, or using lore is increased by one step.

And from my Sheen of Ice, I get a nice stronglass weapon that looks like ice. I get Ice Esoteries, which influences any other esoteries I might have to be ice-themed if possible. My minor/major effects when I roll a 19/20 will have ice themes as well, the suggestion is for minor to produce slippery ice around the target to make footing dangerous, and the major to coat them in ice for a minute, making everything they try 1 step more difficult. And I get Ice Armour, which will coat my body in a sheen of ice when I wish it, giving me a +1 to Armour for the duration, I feel no discomfort from normal cold enviroments, and I get an extra +2 to Armour against cold damage specifically (I’m not sure if that’s total +2 against cold, or +2 extra after the base +1).

You also get a connection to the other players from your focus, and I love the one from Wears a Sheen of Ice. I get to pick one member of my party and, due to a weird quirk on the part of the numenera/nanites that give me my powers, if they’re standing next to me when I ice-armour up, they also get the benefits of my Ice Armour. So, like. One of your buddies, your nanites just like them. I love that.

So. Juvenne Rorkh. A highly intelligence, pig-stubborn, single-minded psionic ice mage, who doesn’t like things to be fussy or complicated, and whose nanites are weirdly fond of one person in particular. My first attempt at a Numenera character.

[cinning-at-midnight]

ATTENTION! SPOILERS FOR UNDER THE OAK TREE BOOK 7 UNDER THE BREAK...

LAST WARNING!

Read the whole e-book series (and support the Author Suji Kim) by reading the Manwa Webtoon series or purchasing the written books for download here:

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.

So, this most recently published web novel is the START of season 2, and emotions have been high.

Maxi takes an agreement from a high mage at the Mage Tower, which will allow her to essentially graduate a year early. She has high prowess in Earth and Water elements and receives an Earth rune for her assistance on an expedition.

Nobody at the Mage Tower knew of her title as Lady Calypse, that was, until the group of travelers made a pit stop in Anatol. With them, were the Temple Knights, assigned by the church to protect the mages, as they are treated like a marginalized group, as their abilities are much needed in all the kingdoms.

With her return to Anatol (albeit a brief one), she learns that Riftan has been called to another battlefield and is not home. Discouraged, Maxi finds that Riftan was keeping her letters to him over the last three years (and some prior) safely locked in a chest by the bed. She finds comfort and hope in this discovery, despite their long separation caused by the feud with her father.

What we know of their relationship thus far, has been conflict after conflict with emotional vulnerability being their weakest point, mutually. Riftan wants to protect and serve her, with her never lifting a finger or being at risk. Maxi wants to find herself outside of the prison walls that were her fathers' castle, and discover what her place truly is in life.

By matter of, again conflict, Maxi was forced into joining the Mage Tower and studying there for three years (potentially four), in order to protect Riftan from his own self-destruction.

Back to book 7, our couple finally reunites because Riftan gets word of Maxi's brief return, and learns that she's part of an expedition traveling through monster-ridden paths. Their first encounter leaves Maxi feeling iced out by Riftan's cold stare. She pines for him and serves him meals but he spends weeks giving her short gruff responses and ushering her to safety away from him.

When the book is reaching it's conclusion, the couple has not reconciled yet.

Do not despair!

Listen, I know Maxi needs growth because she's spent her whole life being shrunken inside of herself afraid to even speak. However, while she spent three years doing everything she could in order to allow herself growth and to protect the man she loves, Riftan spent three years locking his heart in a chest (the letters) and building up Anatol to be a large city popular for merchants. Great progress but it's not emotional or spiritual growth.

Now, at the end of our story, Maxi has given up chasing after the bull-headed Riftan. Stubborn as he was, she felt he did not earn her efforts and that if he was truly disinterested in her, she would stop embarrassing herself in front of the other mages (some of whom are her friends).

Riftan starts to notice the changes within her and begins looking after her more closely. Appearing from behind without so much as a word, draping a fur coat on her shoulders. Giving her his attention in ways that are protective and endearing... But are they necessarily the actions of a lover?

Great conflict is needed for great change to occur and I believe book 8 will be a page-turning story of battles and emotional growth and reconciliation. Better yet, compromise, from our most stubborn knight!

I know I am eagerly waiting to see what Suji Kim has up her sleeve for the continuation of the second season!

[gryptids]

do all your ocs know each other or do they have subgroups?

EEE thank u for asking!! The OCs I tag for on Tumblr generally fall into three universes/stories. (Also I had to rewrite this like 3 times bcuz Tumblr's ctrl+z function is broken and I kept doing it reflexively, so apologies if this makes no sense lol)

As The World Caves In (#culecore): A 70s-inspired eldritch horror romcom about a woman on the verge of a nervous breakthrough. When a one-night stand leads to world-shattering revelations about her connection to a distant eldritch god, Cara (far left) must confront love, loss, forgiveness, and her community in order to halt an impending apocalypse. Dealing with centuries of relationship drama from her demigod paramours is just the icing on the cake. Messy, queer, and unapologetically indulgent, this is essentially a creative sandbox that I play in almost 24/7!! I love smashing together these terrible little bitches like dolls :]

From left to right we have Carolyn Klein (main character, cuntress supreme, can easily whip a dish that will bring you to tears), Saoirse Ross (not-really-tortured artist, grappling with the world's most protracted identity crisis, eldritch splinter of Chaos), Jude Collins (walking Leyendecker illustration, Captain Autismo, eldritch splinter of Light), and Victor Ward (depressed line cook energy, massive flirt, eldritch splinter of Void).

Threads of Gossamer and Glass (#tgg): A high fantasy political thriller about what comes after survival, reinventing your mind upon meeting someone new, and trying to not break the world in half a second time. This is a novel-length work I'm currently working on, which means I have a novel-style blurb for it LOL:

"Maria has worked her entire life to secure a seat in the Artea Crea, an artist's guild that serves as the highest governing body in her home nation of Trevigi. But when her sister's illegal magical abilities are discovered, she's given an impossible choice; play diplomat in a suicide mission to a land of savage mages, or see her sister hanged. However, Maria quickly discovers that there's more to Peykangraz that meets the eye; deadly games of magic and politics, a mountain range that appears to be shifting, and a powerful mage who is as confounding as he is alluring. With every new ally, deal, and discovery, she begins to glimpse the buried truth that lies between the land and her mission. But what is she willing to risk -- and to lose -- in pursuing what she believes in?"

(art by the lovely @dying_anniris on Twitter!!)

&Lavender (#&lav): In a story that extrapolates the machinations of the fae courts onto high-class mob politics, Lav finds themself walking the razor edge between worlds when their quiet life collides with the unknown. As a jeweler specializing in intricate gem faceting, Lav creates flashy pieces for humans and fae alike, performing humanity for their clients through a combination of glamour magic and ascerbic wit. The Courts ignore them, and they ignore them right back. As a wyldfae -- too unimportant to be considered Seelie or Unseelie -- they're used to the lack of interest. But when a dangerous artifact comes into their possession, they must risk everything and forge an alliance with a member of the Unseelie Court to protect it. What follows is a saga of lust, destruction, and all the terrible things that happen when you understand how much you're truly worth.

Plus, I've got a few miscellaneous OCs (including Beverly, a waifish Texas cannibal, and Ariadne, a vampiric Oath of Conquest paladin) who fall into their own individual universes! Together they form the Insane Blood-Splattered Women Brigade <3

TYSM for asking!!! I love the chance to talk abt my guys... feel free 2 ask more questions abt them if you're curious!!!!

[dailycharacteroption]

Hybrid Class Review: Arcanist part 4

 (Art by BryanSyme on DeviantArt)

 Exploits

 Aside from their blend of casting types, arcanists are defined by their exploits, the various ways that they can bend the rules of magic to their will.

The exploits are at once my favorite thing about the class, but also very frustrating, for reasons I will get into later. For now, let us focus on the various types of such exploits.

 Normally blasting foes with magic that does respectable damage requires the expenditure of a spell slot or at least a higher level ability. However, with exploits like Acid Jet, Flame Arc, Force Strike, Holy Water Jet, Ice Missile, Lightning Lance, and Sonic Blast, they can cause a surprising amount of damage for just one point of their reservoir. What’s more, they can upgrade them later with greater exploits including Burning Flame, Dancing Electricity, Hellfire Ray, Icy Tomb, and Lingering Acid to add additional effects for a slightly greater expenditure.

They also can learn exploits that alter their own spells and those of others, such as using Altered Shifting to change from one valid form with their current polymorph spell to another, extinguish or move mundane flame with Flame Control, using Focused Summoning to summon a local creature that is a surprising antithesis to other natives, learning how to retain the ability to cast spells while polymorphed with Lepidstadt Shifter, adding metamagic to their spells quickly with Metamixing, concealing their spells with Obfusicated Spellcasting, stabilizing their magic with Orderly Casting, healing allies as a side effect with Philanthropic Magic, Invoking or shifting Primal Magic, Redirecting or Resisting it, altering durations with Spell Tinker, altering the magic of weapons and wands with Alter Enhancement and Convert Wand, and even turning spells that require remote control against their foes with Redirect Spell.

Arcanists also sport plenty of ways to protect themselves from harm, be it using Arcane Barriers to absorb damage, Energy Barriers to negate elemental damage and even store it to enhance elemental spells with Energy Absorbtion, but also in the various ways they can dispel and counterspell foes, ranging from getting to counterspell using their reservoir instead of spell slots, gaining spell resistance, or dispelling spells with that energy reserve, as well as discovering ways to absorb the discharged spell energy to recover their reservoir as well.

Some exploits give them magical effects for the low cost of a single expenditure of their reserve, such as illusionary magical protection, supernatural glibness, short-range teleportation, illusionary disguises, hardening their bodies like plant matter,

Some of these exploits simply grant access to a feat, such as an item crafting feat or metamagic, which I suppose is them discovering how to do so through unconventional methods?

Others grant them access to new knowledge or abilities, such as the ability to enhance their weapons like they are a magus, or the knowledge of a wizard school, or the basics of a sorcerer bloodline. They can even learn arcane discoveries, normally only available to wizards, this way. Another can grant them a familiar, while another still can grant them the ability to temporarily learn a spell after suffering it’s effects, as if they were a Blue Mage straight out of Final Fantasy.

There are also plenty of ways that arcanists can consume magic to fuel their exploits, ranging from absorbing charges and consumable magic items, to turning countered spells and even primal magic into energy for their to absorb.

Finally, there are a handful of horrific exploits from dubious otherworldly sources beyond the Outer Rifts, such as weeping bloody tears that induce pain on contact with the fluid, or growing tentacles from their chest or a horrific probuscus, or conjuring a chilling, slowing patch of fog. Many such powers are of dubious moral value and terrifying and disturbing to look upon.

 With all these exploits, you might imagine that I would be satisfied with what we have available, but the truth is, I’m not. I feel like there is so much more potential for the sort of bizarre and incredible abilities that exploits could grant, giving arcanists new magical abilities or increasing their control over the spells they have.

Which, I suppose is the root of the problem for me. After all, magic in high-magic settings like standard Pathfinder can do anything if you have the right knowledge. So how do we reconcile a class built around breaking the limitations when those limitations are by definition already breakable in the first place? I mean, the obvious answer is that they are the ones pushing those boundaries in the first place, but it does wear on me at times.

 In any case, that does it for today, but tune in tomorrow for our conclusion!

[mannatea]

heyo manna! how are ya? i remember you played WoW... how we feeling about WoW season of discovery??

Hey, how've you been? Good I hope!

Because I was out of town when SoD launched I am a bit behind, but I'm having a nice time playing so far! I chose the PvE server because I'm old and a coward, and I have four characters to work on for now.

MissKitty - level 16 night elf druid

Magesty - level 6 human mage

Essie - level 6 night elf priest

Manna - level 6 night elf hunter

The changes to druid are really nice so far. I'm obviously going feral (cat) on my main druid, but leveling feels a lot better with access to Sunfire, Lifebloom, and especially with Wrath costing no mana to use.

I also think mages getting Ice Lance early, priests getting Penance, and hunters getting Chimera Shot make things feel a lot smoother right out of the gate, but I haven't gotten far enough on any of them to have more thoughts. Straight up, though, druid feels smooth right now. I can't wait until I get cat form. <3

I'm also MUCH preferring SoD to Hardcore. I thought HC was fun for a little while but the stress of worrying about dying constantly (even though I never did) was horrible. Having a lot more fun with this! And I looove the level capped shit. If I had my way we'd stay level capped for 3+ months at a minimum (so that I can play every class) but I know that won't happen lol.

[thedragonsprincecomic]

✨🔮 Hey Tumblr fam! Let's dive into a world of enchantment and explore some fascinating types of magical magics! ✨🌟

🔥 Fire Magic: Harnessing the power of flames, fire magic ignites with intensity and passion. It can be both destructive and transformative, embodying the essence of creation and destruction.

🌳 Wood Magic: Rooted in nature, wood magic connects with the ancient wisdom of trees and plants. It resonates with growth, healing, and harmony, allowing wielders to communicate with the spirits of the forest.

💧 Water Magic: Flowing with the currents, water magic taps into the ebb and flow of emotions. It grants control over the tides, healing properties, and the ability to shape water to the mage's will.

🌍 Earth Magic: Grounded and resilient, earth magic draws strength from the very essence of the planet. It grants the power to manipulate soil, rocks, and minerals, as well as communicate with creatures of the earth.

⚙️ Metal Magic: Forging a connection with metal, this magic allows manipulation of alloys, shaping metals with precision, and even bestowing enchanted properties. It embodies strength, durability, and craftsmanship.

🌑 Darklighter Magic: Balancing light and shadow, darklighter magic dances on the edge of duality. It grants the power to manipulate shadows, create illusions, and tap into the mysterious forces of the night.

🌈 Rainbow's Cosmic Magic: Bursting with vibrant hues, cosmic magic channels the energy of the universe. It weaves together the power of the stars, planets, and celestial bodies, allowing wielders to manipulate cosmic forces.

🐠 Fish Magic: Immersed in the depths of the ocean, fish magic grants the ability to communicate with marine life, control water currents, and even transform into aquatic creatures.

🎣 Fisherman's Magic: Bound to the world of fishing, this magic enhances skills in angling, providing knowledge of the best spots, predicting fish behavior, and even summoning magical fishing tools.

❄️ Iced Magic: Embracing the frigid chill, iced magic commands the power of ice and frost. From creating ice constructs to manipulating temperature, it brings a sense of enchanting cold to the world.

⚫ Black Iced Magic: A darker and more mysterious variant of iced magic, black iced magic delves into the realm of shadows and frozen darkness. It embodies icy coldness with an eerie twist.

🔒 Copyright Magic: A unique and modern form of magic, copyright magic safeguards intellectual creations. It shields original works, ensures fair use, and even punishes those who infringe upon creative rights.

📀 Bootlegger's Magic: A mischievous and secretive magic, bootlegger's magic allows the creation and manipulation of counterfeit items. It encompasses illusions, sleight of hand, and the art of deception.

🐀 Rat Magic: Embracing the cunning nature of rodents, rat magic grants control over these creatures. It allows communication with rats, summoning swarms, and even transforming into a rat form.

⏳ Spacetime Magic: Manipulating the very fabric of reality, spacetime magic bends the laws of physics. It grants the power to teleport, manipulate time, and journey through different dimensions.

🔬 Science-Magic: Merging the worlds of science and magic, this hybrid discipline explores the boundaries of what is possible. It combines scientific principles with mystical energies, unlocking new realms of discovery.

🧚‍♀️ Fairytale Magic: Stepping straight out of storybooks, fairytale magic enchants with whimsy and wonder. It brings fairy godmothers, talking animals, and magical transformations to life, reminding us of the power of imagination.

✨🌟 These are just a few glimpses into the vast tapestry of magical magics that exist in our imagination. So, let your dreams soar and your creativity flow, and imagine the endless possibilities of the mystical realms! ✨🔮

[dowonnn]

I Pioneered Scientific Magic - Chapter 2

‘Fantasy world?’

In the face of something as extraordinary as magic, Linn's natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge overcame the fear instilled by being pursued by the Inquisition.

The allure of the arcane arts beckoned him, igniting a deep-seated desire to explore this newfound realm of wonder.

Despite the ever-looming threat of the Inquisition, Linn's insatiable appetite for discovery eclipsed his fear.

Having spent just over half a year as a sorcerer's apprentice, Karl's understanding of magic was still in its infancy, encompassing only a handful of spells.

Among his limited repertoire were three fundamental zero-circle spells: [Primary Material Deconstruction], [Water Condensation], and [Mage's Hand].

While these spells held crucial importance in various practical applications, they lacked significant offensive capabilities.

At least at their current level.

Delving into the realm of first-circle magic, Karl had encountered [Fireball], a more advanced spell.

However, its execution required the consumption of specific magical materials, making it somewhat resource-dependent. Another first-circle spell, [Ice Blade], remained beyond his current grasp, eluding his mastery.

Linn carefully inspected the contents of his pouch, taking stock of his limited resources.

His findings included two red firestones, three Sekas silver coins, several bronze coins, seven intricately inscribed drafts of magic formulas, a weathered copy of Elemental Analysis, and a small bag of grey powder—the crucial casting material for the formidable [Fireball] spell, known as the [Embers of Crimson Fire].

Excitement welled up within Linn as he held the small bag of grey powder. Within Karl's memories lay the complete instructions for casting the [Fireball] spell, and Linn was eager to put this knowledge into practice.

With the step-by-step instructions fresh in his mind, Linn meticulously prepared for the casting process. He began by utilizing [Primary Material Deconstruction] to analyze and parse the spell material.

Then, employing [Mage's Hand], he manipulated the [Embers of Crimson Fire], causing them to vibrate at a specific frequency, effectively activating the magic within.

Although the process might seem laborious, the time-consuming aspect of resolving the spell-casting materials could be accomplished in advance.

With sufficient skill and precision, activating the [Fireball] spell could be accomplished in a mere second.

Linn's excitement to unleash this supernatural power surged within him, yet he exercised caution, hesitating to rush into the unknown.

'No. I shouldn't.'

Fully aware of the risks and the potential consequences of his actions, he chose to bide his time, awaiting the opportune moment to wield his magical abilities.

Considering the value of the limited [Embers of Crimson Fire], which amounted to only five Sekas silver coins—just enough for three [Fireball] spells—Linn decided to exercise caution and avoid any unnecessary waste.

After careful contemplation, he settled on [Water Condensation] as the first spell to cast. Regarded as one of the essential zero-circle magics, it held a significant place in the curriculum of apprentice sorcerers.

If [Primary Material Deconstruction] served as the gateway to manipulating magical materials and [Mage's Hand] stood as the invaluable tool for sorcerers, then [Water Condensation] was the introductory lesson that initiated apprentices into the world of magic.

With the basic magic [Water Condensation] and its advanced counterpart [Ice Blade], the process of casting these spells did not require the prior preparation of specific spellcasting materials.

Instead, the required elemental components could be directly extracted from the mystical realm.

Drawing upon the knowledge ingrained in his memory, Linn closed his eyes and entered a state of meditation.

The solid foundation laid by the original Karl proved beneficial, as within a mere two or three seconds, he successfully unlocked the gateway to a new world.

Closing his physical eyes revealed a wondrous sight—a realm teeming with magical energy. Through his spiritual senses, he could perceive that the entire room was suffused with countless shimmering magical elements.

'A billion? Ten billions? Hundred billions?'

Attempting to quantify their number proved futile, for they stretched far beyond human comprehension, akin to an endless expanse of stars scattered across a vast cosmic canvas.

Within this realm of magic, the elements displayed a vibrant dynamism, continuously shifting and reorienting themselves. Among them, the most abundant element was known as [Thalu], comprising approximately 70% of the total elemental presence.

Curiously, Linn recalled that his mentor, Koru, had dismissed [Thalu] as useless.

'Useless?'

After taking a moment to absorb the awe-inspiring spectacle before him, Linn redirected his attention to the practical application of magic. With focused determination, he began to harness the power of the elements.

The process of casting [Water Condensation] involved extracting two specific water-related elements from the elemental world and combining them in a two-to-one ratio.

While one of the elements was relatively abundant, comprising around twenty to thirty percent of the elemental world, the other was rarer and required more effort to locate.

Fortunately, there was a simpler alternative. The elemental world itself contained a small quantity of readily available water elements, which could be harnessed and reassembled using the [Primary Material Deconstruction Technique].

Thanks to the original Karl's unwavering dedication to magic, these fundamental spells had been practiced countless times, resulting in a solid foundation. Therefore, Linn quickly grasped the method after initially experiencing some discomfort.

Strangely enough, this realm of elemental magic felt oddly familiar to him.

As Linn opened his eyes once again, he found a marble-sized mass of water hovering gently in his palm, upheld by the power of [Mage's Hand].

"...It worked?"

Linn's momentary lapse of concentration led to the disintegration of the water mass, which trickled through his fingers. It served as a reminder, akin to a splash of cold water, that he couldn't afford to be complacent with such a minor accomplishment.

As an apprentice sorcerer on the run from the Church, he couldn't afford to lose focus. The small success of conjuring a marble-sized mass of water held no practical value in a battle.

It wouldn't even suffice to quench an enemy's thirst, let alone serve as a weapon or defense.

With the image of Koru's impressive display of [Water Condensation] leading to the powerful [Mass - Ice Blade] still fresh in his mind.

However, he had witnessed his predecessor's mentor, Koru, employing Water Condensation as a preliminary step to unleash the second-circle spell known as [Mass - Ice Blade] against his adversaries.

In an instant, a collection of a dozen fist-sized water spheres swiftly congealed, metamorphosing into sharp ice blades resembling diamonds. These projectiles were swiftly launched towards the approaching bandits, akin to a swarm of locusts in flight.

With a single devastating strike, the encroaching enemy was obliterated!

Inspired by this achievement, Linn was determined to attune himself to the elemental realm and make another attempt.

Due to the merging of memories upon crossing over, Linn's spiritual power became significantly more abundant compared to his original body, Karl. Furthermore, he found himself capable of harnessing a greater amount of magical energy.

Utilizing the [Water Condensation] earlier had exerted only a minimal toll on him, and he sensed that he could achieve even greater feats.

Closing his eyes, Linn delved once again into the realm of elemental forces. This time, he refrained from hastily employing [Water Condensation] and instead sought to employ his spiritual power to influence every element within his vicinity.

These elements possessed a striking diversity in appearance, evoking within Linn a vague sense of familiarity. Some elements felt remarkably weighty, to the point where the slightest manipulation left him mentally fatigued.

Fully immersed in this endeavor, Linn suddenly observed a peculiar phenomenon.

The elements suspended before him gravitated towards his body with an uncanny rhythm, only to be subsequently expelled in an unbroken cycle.

Did it mean that a wizard's physique required a regular intake of these magical elements?

This query abruptly surfaced in Linn's mind. Upon closer scrutiny, he made an even more astounding revelation: the phenomenon was evidently triggered by his own breath...

"Wait a minute. Isn't this oxygen? What's happening?"

Linn experienced a moment of profound perplexity, causing him to involuntarily draw in a sharp breath as the grand and enigmatic image of magical elements shattered before his eyes.

Initially, he had failed to recognize them because he hadn't perceived these elements visually.

Instead, he had sensed them on a more ethereal level through his spiritual power, subsequently utilizing his magic to exert influence...

Furthermore, the composition of chemical elements in the atmosphere of this world varied somewhat from his previous realm. Hence, Linn hadn't even considered this possibility initially.

However, armed with this realization, a fresh explanation emerged for the process of harnessing elements to create water currents that he had undertaken previously.

Water is an inorganic compound composed of two chemical elements: hydrogen and oxygen.

It became evident that the air held a minute quantity of water vapor, possibly representing the elemental water in the context of a wizard's understanding.

So, rather than employing magic, was Linn actually engaging in a pursuit of chemistry?

Did it mean that wizards were essentially a group of chemists?

"Huh?"

Upon reaching this conclusion, Linn experienced a momentary freeze, but he swiftly shook his head in dismissal.

After all, this world contained a mystical force known as magic, and based on the spell he had recently performed, it appeared that magic had the potential to manipulate matter at a microscopic scale.

If there were no constraints, then a sorcerer could attain god-like power.

Drawing from the scientific theories of his previous life, Linn understood that all matter in the world was composed of atoms.

If magic possessed the ability to manipulate matter on such a fundamental level, it had the potential to create or annihilate anything.

"That's..."

Lost in deep contemplation, Linn became acutely aware of the immense potential that would emerge from merging his knowledge of chemistry and physics from his previous life with the power of magic.

If the scientific theories of his past had been geared towards constructing various machinery to shape the world, a sorcerer possessed the ability to directly transmute these theories into magical manifestations, embodying greatness within themselves.

Once again extending his hand, Linn witnessed as the hydrogen and oxygen present in the surrounding air were stripped away and coalesced into a small mass of water, resting in his palm.

However, this prompted some lingering uncertainties within his mind.

Typically, the combination of hydrogen and oxygen to form water involves a combustion reaction. But where did the resulting heat and energy dissipate during this process?

Could it be possible that they were absorbed by the magic itself?

The realm of magic held countless possibilities, and Linn acknowledged that definitive answers to such inquiries could only be sought at a later time, once he had the necessary resources and conditions for experimentation.

If his suspicions were accurate, the underlying purpose of the First Circle spell known as [Ice Blade] was to alter the state of water from a liquid to a solid, thereby heightening its lethality.

To achieve this, the temperature of the water had to be lowered...

Recalling his knowledge of physics from his previous life, Linn recollected that temperature signified the average kinetic energy among molecules within an object, with molecular collisions generating and transferring heat.

This indicated that he needed to decelerate the motion of the water molecules, right?

With a mere thought from Linn, the remarkably lively water molecules within his palm gradually decelerated, compelled by the force of his magic.

They clustered together tightly, and within an instant, the small water mass transformed into a transparent ice crystal.

Amidst Linn's astonishment at the confirmation of his suspicions, a sudden beep resonated within his mind.

[Special energy detected... Source unknown. No records found in the database. Would you like to create a file?]

"Who?"

Linn found himself momentarily stunned, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face.

The voice he heard seemed eerily familiar, all too reminiscent of his past experiences.

However, hadn't he crossed over into a different world? His physical form had been altered, and the auxiliary chip he had once possessed should no longer exist...

"071, is that you?" Linn queried, his voice filled with anticipation. "Do you h knowledge regarding our crossing over? Is there any record within the system?"

In response, the voice intoned, [Due to unknown circumstances, the system experienced a shutdown and subsequent reboot. Consequently, there is no existing record of the said process.]

Linn's expression soured momentarily, disappointment creeping in. Nevertheless, he swiftly regained composure and posed another question.

"How long will the remaining energy sustain your operation?"

Aware of the constant danger surrounding him in this unfamiliar realm, Linn felt compelled to ensure his own survival to the best of his abilities.

The unexpected presence of the auxiliary intelligence was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise.

While the capabilities of his personal implanted auxiliary chip had been restricted due to the Federal Amendment Act, the vast reservoir of technological knowledge stored within 071, thanks to Linn's previous role as a data storer, presented a valuable advantage.

In a world where science and magic intertwined, the significance of such information could not be overstated...

[37.6% energy remaining. Special energy detected, capable of sustaining system operation...]

'Does the special energy... refer to magic power?' Linn pondered, his mind swirling with thoughts.

The awe-inspiring qualities of magic power filled him with profound wonder. If he were still in his previous life, he would have eagerly immersed himself in laboratory experiments.

However, the current circumstances weighed heavily upon him. As a lowly apprentice sorcerer, devoid of wealth and influence, he found himself hunted by the Church.

The uncertainty of whether he would see the sun rise on the morrow loomed over him.

With a sigh, Linn composed himself and spoke with solemn determination.

"071, create a new folder and designate this special energy as magic."

[Loading database...]

Seizing the opportunity, Linn turned his gaze towards the diamond-shaped ice blade suspended in the palm of his hand.

Thanks to the infusion of magical power, this ice blade differed from the solid ice he had encountered in his previous life.

It emanated a constant frigid aura, featuring a tapered, cone-shaped tip and a streamlined overall form.

In fact, it would be more appropriate to describe it as an ice arrow rather than an ice blade.

This particular shape was known as the [Koru configuration], designed to minimize air resistance.

It became evident that Linn's mentor, Koru, possessed a commendable understanding of fluid mechanics...

Linn inwardly sighed, feeling a sense of disappointment. His expression turned slightly puzzled as he compared the ice blade in his hand to the one he had seen Koru unleash in the past.

Surprisingly, the one in his hand appeared smaller.

Despite the higher concentration of hydrogen in the air of this world compared to his previous life, even if Linn were to gather all available hydrogen, it still wouldn't be sufficient to create a substantial amount of water.

Contemplating this, Linn couldn't help but wonder how his mentor had managed to cast the Second Circle Magic, [Mass - Ice Blade].

It seemed implausible that Koru could instantly extract hydrogen, oxygen, and water vapor from a radius of hundreds of meters.

If that were the case, Koru would have no need to cast [Mass - Ice Blades], as his enemies would have perished from oxygen deprivation alone.

"...Then how?"

Momentarily unable to comprehend the mystery, Linn chose not to dwell on it too deeply. Instead, he focused his attention on the ice blades hovering before him, struck by a sudden idea.

"071, retrieve relevant information regarding armor-piercing arrows and barbed arrows," Linn silently commanded within his mind.

In the blink of an eye, a vast stream of data cascaded across his retinas.

Countless images, information, and three-dimensional models flooded his senses, causing his head to momentarily spin.

"Replace the materials with ice and optimize the design for stability, reduced air resistance, and maximum lethality."

As quickly as the images had appeared, they faded away, only to be replaced by a new, pristine three-dimensional graphic within a mere second.

Linn firmly etched the three-dimensional image before him into his memory. With a subtle twist of his right hand, the suspended ice blade disintegrated instantaneously.

Zero Circle Magic - [Primary Matter Deconstruction].

The ice blade, now reduced to its elemental essence, tightened within the grasp of Linn's hand under the influence of magic power.

It underwent constant transformations, gradually aligning itself with the image imprinted on his retina until it reached a stable state.

The reformed ice blade was noticeably narrower than before, and its pointed cone-shaped head had been reshaped into a triclinic form, ideal for piercing armor and inflicting deep wounds.

Two long barbs adorned its underside. It was evident that once this ice blade struck its target and embedded itself into flesh, the opponent would be left speechless with agonizing pleasure.

"Oh, this is nice."

The success of the magic improvement experiment infused Linn with a renewed sense of hope for his survival.

However, he recognized the limitations of [Ice Blade], realizing that achieving significant further enhancements would prove challenging even with shape optimization.

With this in mind, Linn swiftly shifted his focus to the second First Circle magic Karl had mastered—[Fireball].

Unlike [Ice Blade], which could extract its "raw matter" from the air, [Fireball] required the usage of a specific magical substance known as the [Embers of Crimson Fire] for activation.

Linn speculated that these ashes were a highly flammable substance, capable of rapidly swelling and igniting when subjected to friction under the control of magic power.

If his assumption held true, it raised the question of whether he could utilize other flammable materials to unleash this magic...

"071," silently in his mind, Linn said, "Look up information on the production and usage of white phosphorus.'"

White phosphorus, a colorless or pale yellow translucent wax-like substance, possesses a strong irritant and an extremely low ignition point.

Upon contact with oxygen, it ignites vigorously, generating temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees Celsius.

What is even more alarming is the challenging task of extinguishing a white phosphorus fire due to its strong adhesion properties.

Upon contact with the human body, it rapidly burns through the skin, muscles, and penetrates deep into the bone marrow. Furthermore, the gas produced during combustion is highly toxic.

In Linn's previous life as a data storer, he witnessed the launch of the Federation's new white phosphorus bombs, an utterly horrifying spectacle that remains etched in his memory.

As the missile detonated in the air, a relentless shower of fiery rain cascaded from the sky, engulfing the surroundings in an unquenchable inferno that stretched for kilometers.

The intense heat, combined with the material's impervious properties and terrifying toxicity, ensured that even taking refuge in a shelter provided no means of escaping certain death.

White phosphorus bombs are deemed highly abhorrent, having been prohibited as weapons against humanity since the previous century.

Consequently, the Federal District cautiously conducted clandestine research on them, aware of the severe repercussions they carried.

The process of producing white phosphorus is not overly complicated, and a comprehensive guide is stored within the auxiliary intelligence brain. Therefore, with the availability of necessary materials, Linn could manufacture it even without the aid of specialized equipment.

As Linn pondered this, a heavy thumping sound suddenly reverberated from the door behind him.

A sharp change in expression swept across Linn's face.

He currently sought refuge within the slums of the Nordland Territory, a location rarely disturbed by anyone.

Unless...

The witch-hunting team dispatched by the Inquisitorial Court had arrived.

[wanderlustknightofmagic]

/)///v///(\ (for Sivir and Valeria)

[Sivir]

"Honestly brother-" 'You don't have to use fancy talk with me Rain.' "..." He'd sigh and then pull his hand down his face. He'd take a sip from his cup before letting out a groan. "I just don't know where I stand with her nor what I feel about her! Do I like her? Does she like me? Can you like someone you stabbed?" 'Yes.' "Not the point- Can someone like you if they stabbed you?" 'Absolutely.' "Brother please, this may concern someone who may make you an uncle-" 'Then go for it.' "ACTIVELY KILLING ME RIGHT NOW! Agh... Look... I... I do hold affection for her, in my core, in my being, but... I don't know. I'm almost afraid to ask as every conversation in passing turns into a flustered mess of a shouting match. There's so much aggression and yet... no urge for violence-" 'That's called-' "You interrupt me again, I'm sending you home feet-first." 'That's rude.' "I just don't know what to do. She making me crazy but I might crazy about her? Agh..."

[Valeria]

"You know who I met the other day?" 'Who?' "This lovely elf who was visiting our kingdom." 'Oh! Big bro is trying to explore new horizons?' "Heh, hey now, don't be insinuating something little sister, you're suppose to be out working right now anyway." 'Oh I am, doing research on the famous knight is important work.' "-Snickers- I'm sure Aldrick would assume different. Still, she's a delightful person and very fun to engage with. I hope she'll stay around the kingdom for a bit, it'd be nice to have another conversation with her and even explore together." 'Sounds like she has you smitten~.' "Now now, we're friends, but... I wouldn't say no to a lovely evening with her."

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes.

The Witcher

nights without sleep and days that burn by ruffboi

There was no madness in the eyes looking out from behind lank white hair, close enough he could reach out and brush it behind the witcher's ear.

"Are you bound to defend and serve me?" Julian asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yes," the wolf growled, low and rumbling and nearly inaudible.

-----

Prince Julian of Kerack, when he came of age and was officially named his father's heir, was gifted four bound and controlled witchers by the king of Kaedwen: the last four wolves of Kaer Morhen. Julian would prefer to accept the gift and set them free, but is forbidden from doing that on pain of their deaths. So instead, all he can do is apologize and treat them decently.

This simple, compassionate act sets off a series of events that will irrevocably change his life, his witchers' lives, and the lives of everyone living in the Northern Kingdoms.

Miraculous Ladybug

A Cat of Their Own by sariahsue

Tom and Sabine have learned Ladybug's secret identity, it's obvious their relationship It's also obvious to them that Cat Noir adores their daughter. How deep do those feelings go? And how far are they willing to go to mother the boy underneath the mask?

Original Work

In Control by Peren (Periazhad), Quiligans_Island (withthekeyisking)

Part 8 of mage in a wolf pack (Note: This entire series hurts me so bad)

Jaime has been a collared mage for years now, and gotten used to being used by the hunters for whatever they want. He doesn't expect to one day wake up with his magic returned to him, nor to have an opportunity to help some of the captured wolves get out.

But the wolves are after their own pound of flesh.

Marvel (Spider-Man)

Should’ve Stuck with Bed, Bath & Beyond by whumphoarder

Having recently quit a high-stress job at the local ER, Patrick Carmichael—the rookie nurse at Midtown School of Science and Technology—is ready to settle into a nice quiet life of handing out band-aids and ice packs and collecting students’ mandatory sports physical forms.

Unfortunately, he's about to meet Peter Parker.

A City and It's Spider by OhWormsNice

Sometimes he likes to just sit and watch the city go by. The duties of being Spider-man don’t lend much time to simply stop, so he lets himself have a quiet moment now and again. Well, as quiet as it gets in the ‘city that never sleeps’.

Glimpses into the life of one Peter Parker, the ups and the downs, and the relationship the residents of his city.

SW: Clone Wars

Off Duty by thosenearandfarwars

Part 1 of When Duty is Done

Amendment 3546 to the Charter of the Republic regarding the Expansion of the Definition of Sentient Rights, later called the Clones' Amendment, passes on the same day as The Wider Force Church and Temple Great Reconciliation, later known as the Kenobi Reconciliation.

(In which organizational reform and parliamentary procedure is a metaphor.)

The Ridiculous and the Sublime by afoundling

Obi-wan's whole life often felt like one great farce. He'd grown accustomed to it, made it his life goal to smile in the face of adversity, just to spite the universe. Yet even now, it still found new and increasingly ridiculous ways to kriff with him.

Or: Obi-wan experiences the plot of a teen romance novel

an injury to one by deniigiq

“They must receive an allowance from the Order,” Kote said.

“How much, then?” Rex asked up at him.

Kote tipped his head head and just stared into Rex’s eyes endlessly, the way he did when people asked him questions that made him want to swallow them whole with their own ignorance.

“No way of knowing without intrusive measures,” he determined.

“We gotta ask one,” Bly translated for Rex.

(The troopers make a discovery of the fiscal variety, which causes them to realize that they may have more in common with the jedi than they previously thought.)

[fullbusterfantasmic]

Headcannon Companion Ficlet ( 1 of 2)

Juvia’s Unfortunate Discovery

Chapter One: My eyes deceive me

Rated M

It’s short, a bit NSFW, some sexy time mentions. I didn’t edit this as throughly as I normally do, sorry sorry. No Summary, guess we’re raw dogging it this time around.

“Gray-Sama is definitely home from from his job with Lyon by now!” exclaims Juvia as she races towards Gray’s place.

“Juvia will take care of her undoubtedly exhausted and hard-working beloved”

Upon reaching the ice mage’s residence she’s taken aback when her calls for him go unanswered. A noise from around the back of the house attracts her attention and she goes to investigate.

“Nnnngh!”

There it was again!

Sneaking closer to the slightly ajar kitchen window she begins listening intently.

“Oh fuck that’s so sexy!”

The bluenette’s eyes grow comically wide as her hands fly up to cover her mouth; “Has Juvia shown up during another one of Gray-Sama’s fun times?!”.

Her face reddens as steam billows out of her ears, “How could Juvia once again have gotten so lucky?!”.

Seven months earlier a similar situation had occurred, and she couldn’t help but peek in to watch her beloved.

The rain woman was so overcome with lustful temptation that she even disregarded the fact her beloved was getting off to some random woman in a naughty video. “It can’t hurt to just watch him a little right?”, She thinks as her pale hand slides beneath the slit in her skirt.

“You like that don’t you?”

Juvia bites her lip as she nods, “Yes Gray-Sama I do” her words are inaudible as she continues listening in.

A low growl carries out the window followed by Gray’s low and demanding voice;

“I want you on my dick now!”

A short pause has Juvia’s eyes flying open fearing she might have been caught, she hadn’t been.

“Awww what’s the matter? Does it hurt taking something so big inside?”

His obscene questions have Juvia shuddering with excitement. The temptation is too great, she can no longer keep from looking in.

God, how she wished she never had peered through that gap in the window.

The very moment she did shattered not only her delusions, but her entire world begin falling to pieces right along with them. Feeling the scream preparing to bubble up in her throat has her biting down on her clenched fist to remain silent.

He wasn’t alone.

Her beloved Gray-Sama wasn’t alone in there!

No matter how desperately she wanted to, she couldn’t look away from the horrible sight before her. There sat the man of her dreams, right there on his love seat...With one hand gripping a waist and the other firmly squeezing the ass of that woman!

“Yeah just like that baby, how can you squeeze me even tighter like that when your pussy is already tight enough to make my cock feel like it’s in a vice?!”

Juvia can faintly make out a female voice whimpering pathetically, as its owner continues working herself up and down on Gray-Sama all the while. The heart broken rain woman doesn’t care to hear a single word out of that Bitch’s mouth, but she can’t ignore the voice of her beloved. As he begins to chuckle, she wants to cry, but she can’t ...the tears refuse to fall.

“I missed you so much snowflake, I hate being away from you”

They kiss and when the two of them part, that’s when it happens...Gray finally puts a knife through Juvia’s heart. His eyes reflect every emotion he must feel inside as the lovers gaze at one another intently.

“I love you __________, and I never want to be with anybody but you...You’re so incredible, I’m never going to let you go”

What happened after that? Juvia doesn’t know.

Hearing her beloved Gray-Sama say something she’d only dreamt of hearing him say to her! Said to another woman at that! She just couldn’t mentally process this, so she turned tail and ran.

Juvia was in a state of shock as she walked back towards the Fairy Hills dormitory. The sky was dark but the rain had yet to fall; Much like the tears she had yet to shed.

Everything she had come to know...the comfortable life she’d grown accustomed to...it all fell apart in an instant...it was ripped out from under her.

Or rather....it was stolen from her.

Recalling the last words she’d heard spoken by her beloved... had her immediately running to her bathroom and wretching violently.

Pain...the pain in her chest, it was becoming unbearable.

Her eyes grew wide, expression growing feral, as a sudden realization struck. Her body began to tremble with rage.

”That bitch it’s all her fault...and Juvia will make her pay”.

A/N: It’s not over yet! Hopefully you guys enjoyed this one.

[fictionissocialinquiry]

Zutara Fic Recs

Over in the Spicy Zutara discord, we’re doing a Fic Swap! For one month, we’re buddied up with another fic writer and we get the privilege of reading as many of that writer’s fics as we can!

Lucky me: I got paired with the incredibly talented @markedmage and I thought to myself… why don’t I share a wee fic review as I make my way through her stuff so you, good people of tumblr, can find some new juicy zutara fics too??

Without further ado, here are my top five favourites of MM’s fics, listed in no particular order.

a little like love

Chapters: One Shot

Words: 1,000

Summary: "I don't deserve your kindness, nor your heart, as much as I might want it. I just don't, Katara."

"You do. And I'm going to make sure you never forget it."

Written for the Zutara Fluff Exchnage, this fic should be renamed Soft because holy shit Zuko is so so SO soft in this. Despite the strict word limit, Mage seamlessly sets up a scene of the Gaang at the Western Air Temple. And you feel like you’re watching just another scene of the show. For reals, her writing is so evocative, and I feel like its only going to get better with every new story she posts!

 i count to five (and life passes by)

Chapters: One Shot

Words: 497

Summary: Five heartbeats.

Prepare your body for tears because there will be multitudes. There will be legions. But, in the midst of the weeping— possibly while you’re in the foetal position— you will marvel at how anyone could do SO MUCH with so few words. For real, people, this is one of the best instances of “less is more” I’ve seen in fic <3

MarkedMage is a lady and a scholar and we stan her (and forgive her for the angst) because this little ficlet is beautiful from start to finish! It’s literary and moving and I’ve read it three or four times now just to appreciate the incredible way she has with storytelling. There isn’t one line, metaphor or piece of dialogue that feels out of place.

 In Another Life

Chapters: One Shot

Words: 2,642

Summary: Maybe the world wasn't ready for them.

I want you to know that MarkedMage is master craftswoman and her craft of choice is angst. This is a beautiful, bittersweet little story that tracks the “what if” of zutara. The conflict of the story isn’t them fighting or not suiting each other or some external plot point, instead it’s like this vast, cosmic “not the right time/lifetime” thing that is so much more painful because you can’t even fight that. It’s fate, destiny. Not meant to be. Throughout the story, they continually acknowledge their pull towards one another at the same time they acknowledge it wouldn’t work out. Like I said: Master Angst Bender.

  And Maybe We're Like Fire and Ice

Chapters: One Shot

Words: 4,522

Summary: It's an easy kind of love, the way Zuko loves her, and the way she loves him. It's simple in the way a turtleduck needs a pond to swim, the way a dragon needs fire to breathe. How the airbenders rely on the wind to carry them to the highest turrets on the temples, how the blood in the human body needs the heart to live. It's simple in the way fire ignites the world, and water soothes the burn. Like yin and yang, push and pull, hot and cold, ice and fire.

(NSFW)

I’m trying to put my finger on what MarkedMage does that makes her writing stand out in this story and I think (the baseline fantastic writing aside) it’s because she often adds these little throwaway details that give the characters more depth and life. Like “the way he laces his fingers through hers as he thrusts.” Just little moments that make the story more alive. There’s a lot of humour in this, not to mention 70% of it is Zuko pining like the absolute idiot that he is. We stan MarkedMage in this house.

 Things We Lost to the Flames

Chapters: Can be read as a one shot but also part of a series

Words: 11,688

Summary: Love is a weakness, her father tells her. Katara is here to prove him wrong.

Select moments set after chapter three of 'make sense of all my broken parts', told in Azula's POV.

One of my favourite fics to read about in this fandom is those that give Azula redemption. There are quite a few out there but none like this one. MarkedMage plants you in the bitterness Ozai has seeded in his daughters head and takes you through her discovery that love isn’t weakness but strength. I don’t have words to describe how moving the transformation is, Azula’s slow discovery of her and Katara’s similarities. That they’re both strong, prodigies, but that Katara chose a different path, that Azula’s recovery is her choice. I think this line from the story sums it up nicely: “Because if the strongest thing in the world, darkness and hatred, can be driven away by this mere little thing called love, then maybe he's wrong.”

[jekde04]

Hide and Seek

For Gruvia Week 2021: Day 3 - Discovery

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 4

Pairing: Gruvia (Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser) Fandom: Fairy Tail Genre: Romance/Humor Word Count: 4,424 words Summary: It was safe to say that this wasn't the way Gray envisioned revealing their relationship to anyone. You may also read it on FanFiction.net and AO3! Check out my master list for other Gruvia fics.

The smell of curry wafted through his bedroom before he heard her call his name.

"Gray-sama! Lunch is ready!"

Really, he would have been happy with a couple of caramade franks delivered to his doorstep. But Juvia would hear none of it, saying he ought to eat healthier homecooked meals whenever he could—an indirect way of telling him that she would cook for him every chance she got. And even though Gray protested that Juvia was unnecessarily tiring herself out, she was the type of person who would go through all the trouble to make him happy. Even if that meant cooking a full meal of his favorite food the day after she just got back from a week-long mission.

Clad only in his boxers, Gray got up from his bed and made his way to his apartment's dining area. It wasn't much, just a square wooden table large enough to seat two people (or four, if you cramp them in). He watched as Juvia—wearing only his shirt that looked too large on her delicate frame—prepared the table, making sure to put extra curry sauce over his rice like she knew he loved.

Juvia moved her chair to the corner of the table so that she was sitting next to him, their arms and knees touching.

"Tsk! Why are you sitting so far from me?" Gray grumbled, pretending to be annoyed.

Juvia glanced at him, confusion evident on her face. "What is Gray-sama talking about? Juvia is almost on your lap." Even so, she moved closer to him so that they were almost squished together.

"But you're not."

With a mischievous smile playing on his lips, Gray picked Juvia up like a plushie and sat her on his lap. She shrieked and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Now that's better," he grinned, one arm around her waist and another across her lap, his fingers palming her exposed guild mark.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia scolded him, a healthy shade of pink blooming on her pale cheeks. "Juvia and Gray-sama should be eating. We already skipped breakfast!"

"So?" He ignored her weak protests as he tightened his hold on her waist and buried his head at the crook of her neck, leaving a wet kiss just below her ear. He could feel her fingers gripping the hair on his nape as he trailed kisses down her neck.

"Gray-sama..."

It was supposed to be a plea to let her go, but it came out huskier than Juvia intended, causing a tightness in Gray's boxers. With all the energy she could muster, Juvia pushed him away and cradled his head between her hands so that she could look him in the eyes.

"Gray-sama needs to eat so he can have more energy—" she kissed him on the lips—"to satisfy Juvia." She sported a sweet, innocent smile, but there was an unmistakably playful glint in her eyes.

Gray smirked. "Am I not satisfying you, huh?" He kissed her hard before she could even answer, and Juvia tried her best not to melt into a puddle right then and there.

"You are," Juvia said between kisses. "But Gray-sama and Juvia need to eat. Our last meal was last night."

"But I only want to eat you," Gray whispered as he nibbled at her ear, his hand sliding dangerously between her legs. Juvia tried to protest, but her voice came out so weak as Gray trailed kisses on her cheek and covered her mouth with his.

A couple of knocks made both of them jump.

"Are you expecting someone, Gray-sama?" Juvia asked, finally getting a chance to pull away, but not enough to completely escape.

"No," Gray mumbled. He couldn't care less as he continued planting wet kisses on Juvia's cheeks, down to her jaws and neck. If he ignored whoever was at the door, that person would surely go away.

A louder set of knocks pounded on his door.

Collecting as much willpower as she could possibly get (given that Gray was practically lapping her up like a cold popsicle on a blazing hot day), Juvia hopped off Gray's lap and straightened herself.

"Gray-sama should answer that."

"C'mon, Juvs," Gray whined, hating how she was suddenly out of his reach. He tried grabbing her wrist, but she quickly pulled her hands to her chest and pointed towards the door. He felt the urge to punch whoever was on the other side.

That bastard won't even know what's coming.

Sighing, Gray started to make his way towards the door when a barrage of knocks once again threatened to take his door off the hinges. It was followed by a voice that sent a chill down his spine.

"Open up, Fullbuster!"

It only took a second for Juvia to recognize the familiar voice and cover her mouth with her hands.

"Erza-san? What's she doing here?"

"How would I know? I told her I was sick!" Gray said, careful not to raise his voice. Not only did he lie to Erza and his whole team so that he could skip their mission—he did it so he could spend time with Juvia, his secret girlfriend for about a month now. After all, she just got back from a mission herself, and they had barely spent three full days with each other since they got together as they were whisked away to mission after mission—he with Team Natsu and she with Gajeel and Lily.

For goodness' sake, they deserved their 'alone time' together. And by that, he meant getting away from the prying eyes of his guildmates.

It wasn't like anyone would be disappointed to learn that he and Juvia were going out. In fact, he was quite sure he would have to endure merciless teasing from pretty much everyone in the guild for at least a couple of weeks when they found out about them.

It was just that with Juvia right here—in his home, wearing only his shirt and her skimpy lacy panties that barely covered her bum—it was safe to say that this wasn't the way he envisioned revealing their relationship to anyone.

"Gray! We brought food." It was Lucy this time.

He took a deep breath. Okay, you just have to show them you're fine and they'll leave you alone. Turning to Juvia, he said, "Hide. In my room. Now."

Juvia nodded and noiselessly scurried off to Gray's room. Though hiding their relationship for the meantime was more of Gray's idea than hers, she definitely didn't want to reveal it by getting caught half-naked in his apartment.

Another series of pounding brought Gray's attention back to his front door. "Gray, I swear if you don't open this right now, I will—"

Gray opened the door and came face to face with a worried Lucy and a frowning Erza, both carrying huge brown paper bags brimming with snacks and fruits.

"Thanks for visiting, but I'm fine. You can go," Gray said in a flat tone. Well, if he wanted to continue his make-out session with his girlfriend, he better get down to business right away and cut his friends' visit as short as possible.

"Hello to you, too," Erza answered the cranky ice mage. Without being invited in, she sidestepped Gray and walked straight to the kitchen, setting down the paper bag she was carrying. Lucy followed, muttering, "Geez, thanks for the warm welcome," and started taking out the food they brought with them.

"Seriously, what are you two doing here?" he asked as he followed them into the kitchen.

"We're being good friends, dummy," Lucy answered him. "You're sick, so we thought we'd make sure you're okay."

"Well, I'm okay. You didn't have to go out of your way for this."

"And just let you starve to death?" Erza asked. Everyone knew Gray couldn't cook an egg to save his life. She found a box of medicines in the grocery bag and tossed it to Gray.

"That doesn't seem to be the case, though," Lucy quipped, her hand holding a barely eaten bowl of curry. "Someone must have already stopped over to cook for Gray."

Gray gulped and tried his best to keep a straight face.

"You know, this tastes like the curry Juvia cooks for us in Fairy Hills," Erza remarked after tasting the dish, a crease forming on her brows.

Oh no, Gray thought. How did Juvia's name come up all of a sudden? And how the hell would he steer the conversation around? His mind drew up a blank, fixated on the fact that Juvia was just a few feet away from being found and he couldn't do a single thing about it.

"Did Juvia drop by this morning to bring you food, Gray?" Lucy asked in a teasing tone, a naughty glint in her eyes.

"Y-yes! Yes, that's what she did!" Gray answered, a little too eagerly. "And then she left right away. For a mission. For three days. Yeah, that's it. She won't be back for three days." Mentally, he thanked Lucy for giving him that perfectly plausible scenario.

"Really? I'm surprised she didn't insist on taking care of you," Erza said. Gray smirked as he remembered all the ways Juvia took care of him since last night.

"Yeah, that's so unlike Juvia, isn't it?" Lucy said, her hand cradling her chin like she was deep in thought. Her eyes shot up to Gray, making beads of sweat form on his forehead. "Are you sure you're not hiding her in your apartment?"

"W-what?!" A furious blush adorned Gray's cheeks. "Why would you think that?!"

He must have looked so exasperated as both girls broke into a fit of laughs.

"I'm just kidding, Gray. You're so fun to tease," Lucy said, while Erza placed her hand on his forehead and said, "I think your fever shot up again."

"Sh-shut up," Gray said, swatting Erza's hand and reverting to his usual poker face. He took a seat and grabbed one of the plates, taking a mouthful of rice in his mouth. Now that Juvia wasn't within arm's reach, he was starting to feel hungry. After all, it had been more than 12 hours since he last ate.

And Juvia, too.

"Look, I'm grateful for all your help, but I'd really like to be alone and rest," he said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "I can totally handle myself."

"Aww, don't be like that! We were just teasing you," Lucy said as she sat next to him. She took the other plate of curry and started eating. "This is really good! I haven't tasted Juvia's curry before."

Noticing that Lucy was eating Juvia's share, Gray blurted, "Don't eat that!"

Lucy just rolled her eyes. "Chill lover boy, there's more than enough here for everyone."

"Can't believe you're not just overprotective of Juvia. You're also super protective of her food," Erza taunted as she got her own plate and started putting food on it.

Gray sighed. What should I do to make these two leave?

"Yeah, you're all protective but you're not doing anything about it. Juvia is a patient girl, but you never know when she'd get tired of waiting for you."

"Might be soon." Gray glowered at Erza, but she ignored him and added, "Mira saw her giggling and blushing at her lacrima several times while we were on a mission."

"Come to think of it, you're sick, yet she left on a three-day mission?" Lucy surmised and Erza nodded. "Perhaps she already found someone who would actually appreciate her."

Gray balled his fists under the table. Even though his friends had no idea that he was actually the one Juvia was talking to via lacrima during their mission, he couldn't help but feel a bit mad that they would think Juvia's affections would sway that easily.

"Juvia would never betray me," he snapped before he could even think.

"Betray you?" Lucy raised her eyebrows.

"Why would you call it betrayal? Is she your girlfriend?" Erza narrowed her eyes at him.

"Juvia's not my girlfriend! I don't care about her!" Gray blurted.

It was really more out of impulse than anything else, but he immediately regretted his words when he heard a loud crash from his bedroom.

"What was that?" Erza asked, a sword suddenly materializing in her hand. Lucy grabbed her keys, and both girls stood up and went to the direction of Gray's bedroom.

Oh, fuck.

Gray jumped in front of the two girls with outstretched arms, blocking their way. "Calm down! I'll go check it."

"No, you stay here," Erza said in that no-nonsense tone that would have normally made Gray freeze on the spot, if Juvia's life (and their secret relationship) weren't on the line. He grabbed her arm.

"That's my bedroom, okay? I'll check and you'll both stay here."

It all happened so fast. One moment he was holding onto Erza's arm, and the next thing he knew, she had escaped from his grasp and was heading towards his bedroom just as Lucy turned the knob...

"Stop!"

"Gotcha!" Lucy yelled as she barged into Gray's bedroom, the requip mage right behind her. Erza's eyes darted from the bed to the closet to the tightly shut windows, like a predator looking for its prey. Lucy pulled back his messy sheets and opened his cabinet with a vigor that he seldom saw in the woman. Why does she look so excited?

There was no trace of any living creature anywhere.

A wave of relief washed over Gray when the two women stopped rummaging around his room. Still, he couldn't shake off his worry as he thought of his girlfriend. Did she just manage to hide so well? Or was she attacked? Just the thought of someone laying a hand on Juvia made his stomach turn to knots.

"How could this fall for no reason?" Lucy wondered aloud as she picked up the intact plastic lamp on the floor right beside the bed. She also sneaked a peek under the bed, making Gray's heart thump loudly. But the frown on her face as she got up made it clear that she didn't find anyone there, either.

Sighing loudly, Gray said, "Alright, show's over. No one's here, so get out of my room and let me fix some stuff here." Erza and Lucy exchanged quick glances but didn't resist when Gray pushed them out of his room and slammed the door.

Alone at last, his eyes swept across his disheveled room. "Juvia, where are you?"

"In here, Gray-sama."

A small puddle leaked from under his bed, materializing into Juvia's body. She's safe. He pulled her up towards him.

"Great thinking. I really thought they're gonna catch us. Are you hurt?" Gray asked as he inspected her body. She didn't seem hurt or anything.

"Juvia's okay. She was just caught off guard so she accidentally toppled your bedside lamp." She smiled, but one look at her despondent eyes showed that it wasn't as simple as that. Something was bothering her.

"Was it... because of what I said?"

Honestly, Gray didn't mean anything by it. Saying that Juvia wasn't his girlfriend and that he didn't care for her that way had always been his default defense whenever he was being teased about her. And now it became a habit that wasn't easy to shake off.

When she didn't answer, he sighed. "Come on, you know what I said wasn't true. I just said those things to get them off my back." He captured her hands in his. "I'm sorry."

Smiling at him, she replied, "Juvia understands. Gray-sama should go outside, or Erza-san and Lucy-san would get suspicious."

She still had that forlorn look on her face, which reminded him of how much convincing he had to do when he first bared his feelings for her.

"Juvia's sorry for doubting you, Gray-sama. It's just that he has denied Juvia's love for so long that she finds this all hard to believe. What if she wakes up one day and realizes this isn't real?"

That was when he realized that even though Juvia took his rejections in stride, his words still cut her. He then promised himself to treat her better, not just in actions but also in words.

Even if she was the only one who heard it. She was the only one that mattered, anyway.

Gray moved his hands to her cheeks, cradling her face as they locked eyes. "Hey, you know me, right? You know how I really feel about you?"

Juvia nodded, but he knew the doubts still lingered.

"I love you, Juvia."

And even though he had lost count of how many times he already told her that, her eyes still shone with the same sparkle they had back when she heard those words for the first time.

"Juvia loves you too, Gray-sama."

He gave her a gentle kiss, which would have been perfect and magical were it not for a low grumble coming from Juvia's stomach. She giggled. "Sorry. Juvia's starving."

Gray opened his drawer and handed her a couple of candies. "It's the only edible thing I have here now, but I promise I'll make them leave right away so we can eat together, alright? Just stay quiet." He stole another quick kiss from his girl before he left, careful not to open the door too much.

He found Erza and Lucy huddled together on his couch, keeping their voices low as they talked. When the celestial mage noticed him approaching, she cleared her throat and said, "Hey Gray, are you feeling better already?" She walked towards him and caught his face between her hands, turning his head whichever way and inspecting his body as if looking for some wound or scratch or something.

That was weird alright, but he decided to shrug it off and just focus on the task at hand: kick his annoying friends out of his house.

"I'm good. Get off me," he answered, swatting her hands away. Moving right between the two girls, he draped his arms over their shoulders. "You know, I really appreciate your concern over me, but I can handle myself." He started pushing them towards the door. "I really, really, really want to rest a bit more though—" just a few more steps and he could already reach his front door—"so please leave."

Just when he was about to open the door, the redhead spun around and glared at him. "Hold it. Why are you so anxious to kick us out of your house?"

He froze. "W-well, I told you I'm okay already..."

"Are you sure?" Lucy said, facing him as well. She placed her hand on his forehead and pulled back immediately. "You're burning up!"

"No, I'm not."

He couldn't understand why they kept walking closer and closer to him with an excited look in their eyes. Taking huge steps back until he was almost right outside his bedroom door, he felt like a small kitty getting cornered by two hyenas.

Two crazy, vicious hyenas.

"Perhaps we could give you a sponge bath?" Lucy purred.

"Oh yes, just like when we were kids. I'm sure it'll make you feel all better," Erza added.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?!"

Before Gray could make a run for it, his bedroom door slammed open and a furious Juvia swooshed past him, pinning the two women to the opposite wall.

"LOVE RIVALS!"

But instead of getting scared by the dark aura coming from the water mage, Lucy clapped her hands and let out a delighted squeal. Erza, on the other hand, looked like she had saucers for eyes as she stared right back at the girl glaring daggers at them.

"I knew it!" Lucy yelled. She pointed to Juvia, then Gray. "You two..."

"So, the rumors are true..." Erza muttered to herself, still not believing what she was seeing.

Gray sighed. There was no use hiding things now. And he better do something before his girlfriend water slices two of his best friends.

"Alright, fine." He walked towards them and pried Juvia away from the two girls. "Juvia and I, we're together. Happy?"

That seemed to snap Juvia out of her jealous rage as her head whipped towards Gray. "Gray-sama?"

Lucy let out another squeal, cheeks pink with giddiness. "It's about time! But—" She punched Gray's bare arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"You didn't ask! It's not like I can just blurt it out in the middle of a conversation!"

"Of course you can!" Another punch. "How can you hide this huge thing from us? If Natsu hadn't told us, we wouldn't even know!"

"Natsu-san?" Juvia asked. "Did Gray-sama tell Natsu-san about us? Gray-sama told Juvia not to tell Gajeel-kun," she pouted.

"I didn't tell him, I swear! Why the hell would I tell that idiot about us?"

"Natsu overheard you talking to Juvia on your lacrima," Erza explained as she straightened her blouse and skirt. "Believe it or not, he was able to put two and two together and figure out that you two were dating."

She then narrowed her eyes at Gray. "And of course, it helped that he heard everything, Gray."

Juvia turned a bright tomato red, her hands flying to cover her mouth. Gray blushed, remembering the nights he spent during their last mission sneaking out of his and Natsu's tent, calling Juvia in secret just to ask her how she was doing. His flush deepened as he also remembered the not-so-innocent conversations he shared with Juvia when he thought everyone was asleep.

Damn that dragon slayer's hearing!

"There's just one thing I want to know," Erza said in her serious tone, which made both Gray and Juvia straighten. She cleared her throat. "Juvia... Gray didn't... forcefully take your flower, right?"

Gray, Juvia, and Lucy all turned as red as Erza's hair. Even Erza looked like she wanted to withdraw her very suggestive question as she couldn't stop the blood rushing to her face.

"Do you really have to ask, Erza?" Lucy whispered, her eyes fixed intently on the floor, finding it interesting all of a sudden. "I mean, just look at them..."

Gray gave out an indignant "Hey!" while Juvia literally had steam come out of her ears as she tried to cover her burning face with her hands. Thankfully, she had the presence of mind to wear Gray's boxers before storming out of his room, although Gray wasn't sure that the sight of them—him wearing only his boxers and Juvia wearing his clothes and not hers—could salvage their situation.

"W-well, o-of course I had to ask!" Erza reasoned amid her embarrassment. "I know I taught Gray how to respect women, but if he took advantage of Juvia in any way, I would—"

"Calm down, Erza-san," Juvia said, regaining her composure as she touched the requip mage's arm to try to diffuse the sinister aura starting to emanate from her. "Juvia swears that Gray-sama has been nothing but a gentleman to Juvia."

"Yeah, how could you even think I would take advantage of Juvia?" Gray asked, slightly offended. "We're both consenting adults and we know what we're doing!"

"And I am glad to know that." Erza firmly patted Gray's back, and he thought he was going to cough up blood from the impact.

"So..." Lucy teased, poking Juvia's cheek and smirking. "You two are doing it, huh? You owe us details on our next sleepover, Juvia!"

"Lucy-san!" an embarrassed Juvia exclaimed, once again burying her scarlet face in her hands. Lucy laughed, mumbling something about finally not being falsely accused of being a love rival anymore.

Now that everything was out in the open, Gray cleared his throat and hollered, "Okay, now that we're all good, can you leave us alone now?" He escorted the two girls towards the door once again, and this time, they complied without any protests, finally leaving the couple to their much-awaited alone time.

Gray slumped on his couch. "I'm sorry about all that, Juvia."

"It's not your fault, Gray-sama," Juvia said as she sat beside him and rested her head on his outstretched arms, Gray instinctively pulling her closer. "The whole guild would most likely know about Gray-sama and Juvia before this day ends."

"Yeah."

Juvia sneaked a peek at Gray. "Is Gray-sama okay with that?"

"Well, it's bound to come out sooner or later, right?" Gray answered nonchalantly.

"Juvia is sorry."

Gray looked at his girlfriend, surprised to see her looking a bit down, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "Why?"

He barely caught what she whispered. "Juvia knows Gray-sama doesn't want anyone to know."

And then, it hit him.

Taking her hand in his, he lifted her chin with his other hand so that she could look at him. "Did you seriously think I'd keep you a secret forever?"

When she didn't reply, he continued. "It's not that I didn't want anyone to know. I just didn't want to make a big deal out of it, announcing it and everything. I thought it would come out naturally, like people would just notice. And I certainly didn't want them to find out this way," he said as he gestured towards their half-naked forms.

Juvia giggled. "Gray-sama probably should not have called Juvia during his mission."

"As if you won't call me," he smirked.

"Juvia just didn't want Gray-sama to miss her too much," Juvia said as she nuzzled closer to him.

"Is that so? But I clearly remember a certain someone jumping into my arms the moment she saw me and telling me how much she missed me."

"And she definitely heard a certain someone say that he missed her, too," Juvia retorted, eyes gleaming at him. "He couldn't even get his hands off Juvia..."

"Hey—"

Juvia shut him up by pressing her lips on his for a long, loving kiss. When they finally went up for air, Gray whispered, "How about we continue where we left off earlier?"

"You mean our late lunch?" Juvia asked innocently.

"Not hungry." But just as Gray said that, his stomach grumbled.

"Oh, really?" Juvia cocked her eyebrows. "Come on, Juvia's hungry, too." With that, she dragged him towards the kitchen, leaving no room for complaints.

Gray let Juvia lead the way, watching her hair flowing down her back like soft ocean waves, all the way down to her long, flawless legs. He smiled.

"Alright. But I'm having you for dessert."

A/N: This came out WAY later than I expected. It was one of those stories that started out really good in my head, but the actual writing process turned out to be a pain in the neck. Now I'm just embarrassed to tag this as Gruvia Week 2021 because I'm more than a month late, lol. But I still would because I'm shameless like that, haha.

[dailycharacteroption]

Energy Scientist (Alchemist Archetype)

 Though your average alchemist knows that what substances can be broken down into pure “elements” is much bigger than a poetic four or five, there is no denying that the elemental planes exist, and that those environs and the energies associated with them are very real.

Indeed, how those realms interact with the material world, as well as the unique substances that can only be found there, hold a certain mystery and mystique for alchemists looking to understand the chemistry and physics of the wider multiverse.

These so-called energy scientists (not to be confused with the energists of two weeks ago, though their focus is somewhat similar) devote themselves to mastering and understanding the four elemental planes, and potentially any others that may exist as well, attuning themselves to those elements to better understand them, as well as utilize and protect themselves from them.

This attunement ties back into the First Edition paradigm of how alchemists attune their personal magical aura to their concoctions to give them power, something that the Second Edition alchemist lacks. Even still, this flexibility can prove quite useful, but it has limitations which we will soon discuss.

 Each day, when preparing their concoctions, these alchemists choose an element, be it air, earth, fire, or water. Their bombs become charged with the corresponding energy type, be it electricity, acid, fire, or cold respectively. However, they still can use discoveries that let them change their bombs to a different element, but changing the element in this way reduces the potency of the bomb, dealing less harm.

Their focus on the energies themselves also means they prepare less extracts each day. What’s more, when they are attuned to an element, they cannot prepare extracts that utilize other elements or energies. For example, when attuned to water and cold, they could not prepare an extract that lets them breathe fire.

Additionally, when so attuned, their bodies, minds, and reflexes become more prepared to resist those elements and energies as well, a resistance that only grows as they do. Later on, this grows strong enough to ward them from the effects of the elemental planes.

Finally, these alchemists have a knack for extracting rare elements from the bodies of slain elementals, allowing them to create mundane alchemical weapons from them. Alchemist fire for fire and magma elementals, bottled lightning from air and lightning elementals, deadground dust from earth and mud elementals, and liquid ice from water and ice elementals.

Interested in playing with an alchemist built for the elemental planes? This archetype might be for you. The flexibility of their elements means they can gear themselves for different foes each day. I would recommend spending money on extracts of different elements so you have options each day. As for your discoveries, you can go heavy on bomb modifiers so you can switch to other elements if you find yourself in a bad matchup, or focus on non-bombing options so you don’t have to rely on your explosives.

 Of course, the only thing that these alchemists don’t have is an actual way to travel the planes on their own, requiring them to have a powerful mage friend or access to a network of portals to travel the planes. However, even without this, they can still be compelling characters. Consider the energy scientist who struggles in the early days of their adventures, eager to seek out any scrap of elemental lore and encounter that comes their way until the time they can finally travel to those planes for themselves and their research.

  Lifetime after lifetime, the samsaran Jirandi returns to their magnum opus, a cataloguing of all the energies and substances of the elemental planes, as well as their properties. They have been a mighty elementalist mage, a shapeshifter with elemental forms, and more. Their most recent incarnation is that of an alchemist, and they are seeking to return to their hidden laboratory, and are in need of an escort they can trust to not betray and pillage the many secrets within.

 In the Blasted Depths, there are crystals that gleam with a killing light. Many an alchemist interested in the element of earth has traveled there attempting to harvest them, and many more have perished, rising again as glowing dead things, who themselves are a spreading blight.

 A magma elemental’s sulferous heart, an air elemental’s song trapped in resin, and an ice elemental’s blood. Rare and impossible ingredients to some, but the Market of Wonders offers these and more. Seeking this travelling market of the planes is difficult, but for any elementalists regardless of discipline, it is worth seeking out. They say this year an especially rare option, a bottled genie’s wish, is up for auction too.