#5 notes at most

[rivetgoth]

It's honestly crazy that discussion around testosterone HRT skews so much towards the beginning stages of it (to the point that you have dozens of guys thinking their transition is "failed" if they don't pass by like a year in lol) and what the initial changes of the first couple of months to years look like, like the classic laundry list of those early basic changes like bottom growth, voice drop, etc, when IMO literally none of that compares remotely to the depth and intensity of the long term total masculinization you start to experience like 3-5+ years in.

[stark-lord]

Which could, of course, mean nothing.

+ bonus

[saewokhrisz]

tailor-made

[leon-anna]

It has been a HOT minute since we last posted!!

Anna and I have been quite busy recently, and it doesn't help that I've been going through art block on top of that!

So, until we get some things sorted out, here is a simple Rex/Fives doodle of them after a routine sparring session~

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 79

  When Pariah was awoken from his slumber, he wasn’t exactly expecting it. One was never expecting to awaken when they were supposed to be sealed for eternity after all. He also wasn’t expecting for the reason the sarcophagus was even opened to be a pair of literal infants. A pair of very sick infants.

  One was a newborn ancient for Realms’ sake! Two years dead, if that, and the other- Where was their guardian?! Who had let an obsession get that bad?! How long had he been sealed away that no one had caught an obsession turning toxic and harmful towards a ghostling?! 

  Why was he even sealed inside this area of the zone?! Why had his Keep been moved in the center of one of the zones where ghostlings formed?! He’d never harm a ghostling, but if he’d been any madder (And he knows he had lost it near the end there, that he’d gone too far as he cracked under the weight of the Realms, he’d had an eternity to realize) it would have been a catastrophe! 

  Who has been in charge, the observants!? … What the fuck, that was supposed to be rhetorical! No! They’re good for paperwork but they seem to have failed even at that and- what do you mean they’ve sealed Clockwork away?! 

  The already traumatized Time Primordial who was in this type of area specifically to care for ghostlings, and was now being prevented?! How long has this been going on- No! He’s fixing his realms-damned kingdom before he even thinks about conquering other ones, because who the fuck let it get this bad!

   Pspsps, here little sick ghostlings, he’s trying very hard not to hurt you but you are very tiny and he has been locked away for a long time so please stop squirming…

[wackem]

OH BOY! Now you’re REALLY Going to make me shoot off!

feel free to ignore this completely, but I’m sorry, you’ve opened my can of worms

Also, TW for the following: Mentions of, Genocide, Slavery, War, Ancient Political Marriages, Politics in general, death, and other such subjects. More under the cut.

strap in folks... it's a long one....

So! Let us start with, Setting Our Time Scale.

I am imagining this AU as taking place sometime during the mid 60s, to 90s AD. (0060-0090 CE). Perhaps during the Rule of Emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian, or as we call it, the Flavian Dynasty. The Flavians were, generally seen as very effective and good Emperors, especially after the termoil of 68 and 69, or the Year of Four Emperors. This would probably be when your Main Characters were born.

The Flavians came to power after the end of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, the indirect decedents of Julius Ceaser and Claudius. (note! This is a MODERN term for the family. at the time, they would have called themselves the gens Julia, or in English the Julian Family). the Julio-Claudians came to an end with the death of Emperor Nero, who is best well known for having “fiddled while Rome burned” (even though the fiddle and its entire family of musical instruments wouldn’t be invented for hundreds of years and Nero was actually a REALLY popular emperor, but I’m getting off topic. that’s a rant for another day).

His Death was then followed by the Emperors Galba (8 June 68 – 15 January 69), Otho (15 January – 16 April 69) and Vitellius (19 April – 20 December 69) before Finally, Titus Flavius Vespasianus was declared Imperator of Rome. starting the Flavian Dynasty.

of personal note. It was under Emperor Vespasian’s reign, that the First Roman-Jewish War took place. and it was by the hands of enslaved Jews, that the Colosseum, and other major infrastructure projects were built.

Now then! we have gotten some major context out of the way! Our time is set as 80 AD. onto the Characters!

Peach. 

Peach, I could imagine as coming from her tribe’s Nobles. My personal idea of it, is as her being from the Iceni tribe. The same one Queen Boudica was from.

I could imagine that, Peach, unfortunately, was born into slavery. it was an unfortunate fact that, Slavery was Alive and kicking at the time of the Roman Empire, and would continue for millenia more. But, besides that.

Peach is born into slavery, I’d imagine, on a farm, perhaps in Central Gaul, near where the city of Clermont-Ferrand sits today. However, her family hails from the far north, having been minor nobles origionally, and having lost their land, when they sided with Queen Boudica.

Her father works as a scribe for their master. A Wealthy Wine merchant in Gaul, with ties to Gladiator schools.

Sometimes, he tells her tales of his time as a soldier in the army of the Great Queen of the Iceni, her tribe, her people. How he fought in a war to Drive out the Romans, the Invaders from their lands. And, despite his old age, when their master and overseers are asleep, she will beg her father to teach her how to use a spear, Sword, and a Bow.

Then, the unthinkable happens. Their overseer sees them training together. and reports it. It is illegal for most slaves to have weapons you see. and even the wooden replicas of them that her father carved her with a chunk of flint and some wood, could be deadly in the right hands. Hands like her father’s.

And, in the end.... they are property after all. Their master is, a man with a cruel sense of irony, and so, as “punishment”, at least as he sees it, he sells her to a local Gladiator School, to be trained as a Gladiatrix.

For the first few years, she is, battered, abused, and broken down. made subservient. It may have been nearly a Century since Spartacus‘ Rebellion in Southern Italy, but the wounds of it are still fresh in the minds of the Roman Elite. Their first job, was to break down the will, of a Gladiator, and make them, subservient.

then, came strength training, weapons training, and more. it took years to train a gladiator, and one such as her? well, that would draw quite the crowd. Gladiatrix were rare, and brought a certain, attention, to whoever owned them.

Then, finally, her first bout. She is a scrawny little thing, only 17 years old. 1 in 5 Gladiators die within their first match. She refuses to be that one. She is pitted against a Monster of a man. Supposedly all the way from Africa (the province). he is slow, and Peach can use this against him. He tries to net her, but she manages to dodge, armed only with a short stabbing sword, against a beast of a man armed with a deadly looking axe, she ducks and weaves around him, before finally...

it’s an amazing show, she manages to pin the man, her sword to his throat, he is at the mercy of the Audience, and especially, the attending Nobles....

That would be the first time she had ever killed someone. She tried her best to make it quick.

she does her best to make it the last...

She continues like this, winning upset victory after upset victory, year after year. She is now in her mid 20s, Old, Very Old, for a Gladiator. Beating Gods knows how many foes, and becoming something, of a local celebrity.

Eventually, Her “big break” comes. What we now call the town of Arles, has a great amphitheater, that can seat over 20,000 people! and in attendance, is a noble woman and her entourage, all the way from Italy.

And, I think that’s a good place to pause on peach, and move to our next Main Character...

Grey the Goth

Grey was born to a tribe of Germans, sitting on the western bank of the Rhine River. They were Foederatii of Rome, a form of, Tributary Ally. He would grow to be many things. A farmer, like his father. A Scholar, like his father, and a Soldier, like his Father.

He is not, actually a Goth, but rather, a Batavian, born in a small village, in what is now Northern Belgium. His father was the Chief of the Village. But, Grey was not his first son, and thus, Grey would not inherit his father’s title. Grey, did not mind this. He was a humble, jovial soul. given to drink, and laugh, and joke. He was a favorite of his father.

But, he also held a lust within him. A lust for Fame, Glory, and Adventure. And where else to find that, than in Rome?

He joined the first group of Germans, headed for a Roman Fort, hoping for Adventure, and maybe... even citizenship when he left the army. He fought in many battles, and, despite what, we may think of as a young age, of 30, he retires from the Army. But... the Romans, as they often do, do not hold up their end of the bargain. They do not grant him his land they promised him, and his fellow Germans with. So... he walks the streets of a City in Southern Italy, selling his services as a sellsword, and body guard. When, eventually, he is hired on as the, personal, body guard, to the daughter of a local noble. A pretty woman, named after a sweet fruit from Serica.

The job pays well, and, eventually, he and the Woman, get to know one an other. And become fast friends, and... eventually more...

They want to elope, and marry, but... officially, she already is. Married to a man nearly twice her age, who does not care for her, and neither her him. They both, agree on this, and live separate lives. it is a marriage of politics and convenience. the man is a Military Man, and can get her father and her family, quite a lot of money thru the Military.

So, she and Grey settle down, living their life together. When, they decide to take a trip together, far north, to Gaul. Officially, they are going due to her husband being moved there by order of the Emperor, to guard the border with Germania.

While they are there... they find something... someone, of great interest... A Gladiatrix, with fiery red hair, and no kills, but the longest string of victories Grey has seen in his life. It is bound to be an amazing show.

and now, our Noble woman...

Plum, the Daughter of Merchants.

Plum is the daughter of a wealthy merchant from the south of italy. They specialized in, mostly grain, and dyes coming in from Egypt and the Levant. and became, Fabulously wealthy from it.

Plum is, of the three, the youngest. being, by the time she meets Peach for the first time, at that fateful Gladiator Match... only 23, compared to Grey's 30, and Peach's 25.

Her family, is also not originally Italian, which brought, a rather unfortunate amount of stigma to them. Rather, instead, they were Phoeniecian, or as the Romans called them, Punic. (which is why the Roman-Carthaginian Wars are called the Punic Wars!)

Plum's family settled in Italy over 100 years ago, settling in as merchants and traders importing spices and grain from Egypt and the Levant.

Eventually, Plum would be born into this family, as the 5th daughter of her Father. Due to already having 4 other daughters, Plum's marriage prospects were, to put it mildly, slim. Eventually, however, her father arranged a marriage where, while neither loved eachother, they did at least respect eachother. Both parties understood their duties to their families, and went along with their wishes... much to Plum's chagrin, however.

Eventually though, she would find someone she truly, really loved being with. Her Germanic Body Guard, Grey. Who her father had hired for her when she had moved away from her home town of Pompeii. Moving north into Italy proper, and nearer to the Gaulic Border. There, she would settle alongside Grey, and eventually... she would hear of, something very interesting.

a Gladiatrix, already very rare. This one though? She had never lost a bout, and had only slain one man... much to the chagrin of many audiences, and her masters.

So, Plum decided she would see who this woman was. and hoped to find out just how strong she was...

And that!

is that. I hope you enjoyed reading! Thank you for doing so!

this took me all night, I am going to go get breakfast, and maybe a nap. I just spent 5 hours looking at g-d knows how many Wikipedia articles, Britannica Articles, and Research papers....

Been on a Romaboo kick for a while. And have been thinking nonstop basically about Roman!Peach, Plum and, Grey.

Peach as a Briton from, maybe a Belgae tribe in what is now Hampshire/Sussex. Captured in battle after the Revolt under Boudicca, before going on to be the Gladiator.

Plum has Pheonecian vibes. Either Carthaginian or from Acre. Definitely came from lots and Lots of wealth. Maybe even a Pre-Punic War Carthaginian family?

Grey is definitely from a Germanic Tribe. Maybe one on the Rhine. Maybe even a Dreaded Goth or Vandal? Coming to Rome as a Mercenary before being hired by Plum?

Sorry if this is too much lol. I am a Massive rome nerd, and your post of Roman Gang brought back my Hyper Focus on the subject lol.

Oh no, I love it when people Nerd out. I have no clue what this means but I love that you got into it! Honestly adore that AU, lots of unsuaul characteristics to play with there, and long haired grey is peak. plus the outfits.

Alwasy going to encourage folks to go off about hyperfocus topics!

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Try Morse Core. Women Love Morse Code.

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[bartholomew-junior]

wooooo revived!clover! i have so many thoughts abt this au and they cannot all fit here so take some doodles

@brewingcoffi

[earthbovndmisfit]

jonawagons marcianitos 🌌🛸💕

(og base/reference by @/lilalienz4ever on twt!!)

[brofightiscancelled]

(Postgrad plan AU) I know all the bros are estranged from each other, but is there some that they're more angry at than the others? Like, Totty is more mad at Kara, but he's not mad at Ichi. Meanwhile Kara is more mad at Oso, but not Totty? I know we've seen it with Totty and Jyushi, but I'm curious about the others. (Sorry if this is an annoying ask)

anger chart for your convenience

[sterilebear]

Scans of promotional mini posters advertising the now defunct Mystery Flesh Pit National Park found in educational children’s magazines published in the early 2000s.

@mysteryfleshpit fanart

[averlym]

fairest of the fair

[columboscreens]

[wu-wakfu-undertale]

Re-watching wakfu for the first time in years and s1 Yugo was so silly???

dude discovered he could make portals at will and his first thought after actually acknowledging it is "i can do so many cool pranks with this"

[vickdoom]

huge fan of this whatever this is that they are doing with their faces.