#A rogue of some sort who sneaks around and likes to do things their own way

[cryptidcalling]

Staring at Cosmo desperately trying not to accidentally give him Fen's same two boyfriends

[selene-writes]

You-Me-Us

AHHHH Hey guys! There's lots of Logan craze on here thought I would try writing. Should this be a series? Its short and there's lot of places to go from here.

You had known Logan for fifteen years—technically, that had been your entire life, or at least as much of it as you could remember. Your earliest memory was of his face peering down at you with a mixture of concern and relief. You were in some sort of ruined laboratory, your body aching with a pain you couldn’t fully comprehend. You didn’t even know your own name at the time. Instead, you went by Artemis, a name you had chosen for yourself, though Logan often called you "bub."

Like Logan, you were a mutant, endowed with the gift of regeneration. This ability made it impossible to determine your exact age. In addition to your regenerative powers, you possessed the unique ability to manipulate atoms. This rare skill granted you control over all elements, a power that made you incredibly unique and powerful.

You had both decided to stick together, united in your quest to uncover the truth about who you were and why you had ended up there. It was evident that something significant had happened to both of you, something that had rendered you both invincible. Despite the mysteries that surrounded your origins, the bond between you and Logan only grew throughout time.

As time passed, the nature of your relationship evolved in ways neither of you had anticipated. Somehow, amidst the chaos and the search for answers, you had found yourselves tumbling into bed with each other. While the physical connection had become a part of your lives, nothing had fundamentally changed, and you never talked about it.

Even as you navigated your complicated relationship, your focus remained on the shared mission: to piece together the truth about your past and understand the full extent of your powers. 

Everything happened so quickly. You and Logan were in the middle of your usual routine—hitting various bars and grifting people for money. It was a familiar pattern, one that had become almost comforting in its predictability. But that night, things took an unexpected turn.

A teenager—no older than seventeen—had sneaked into the back of your car. Her name was Rogue, and despite your initial reluctance, you and Logan ended up arguing about what to do with her. Logan, ever the soft-hearted one despite his gruff exterior, eventually agreed to give her a ride, though it was clear he would have done so regardless of your persuasion.

The situation quickly spiraled out of control. Out of nowhere—a caveman-like brute—attacked you. Logan was momentarily knocked out in the chaos, leaving you and Rogue vulnerable. The man’s strength was overwhelming, and before you could react, he hurled you against a tree. The impact was brutal, and you felt a jarring “crack” as your head struck the trunk.

You crumpled to the ground, falling into the snow. As the world around you dimmed, the last thing you saw was the silhouettes of the figures moving closer, their shapes growing more defined against the stark whiteness of the snow.

You woke with a groan, sitting up abruptly as if propelled by instinct. Your body felt as good as new, fully healed from the earlier impact. Instinctively, you scanned your surroundings, your mind racing with concern for Logan and his whereabouts.

As your eyes adjusted to the dim light, you noticed a bald man sitting in a wheelchair across the room. Despite his lack of visible movement, his voice seemed to come from all around you, resonating in your mind as much as your ears.

“There is no need to panic,” he said, his lips remaining still, not in sync with his words.

You tensed, on high alert. “How are you doing that?” you demanded, your voice edged with suspicion.

The bald man responded aloud this time, “How do we do anything? We’re mutants.”

Your frustration boiled over. “Where am I? Where is Logan?”

The man’s calm demeanor didn’t waver. “He is safe… you both are.” He began to wheel closer; his movements deliberate and smooth. “As for where you are… You are at my academy, where we help those like you. You are with… the X-Men.”

[tcfactory]

I should be writing something else, but it requires more brain juice than what I have atm, so what if cute moshang thing where Mobei-jun has to learn music as part of his training as a prince (yes, even in the demon realm) so he practices in Qinghua's living room when SQH is away on head disciple/peak lord stuff.

Then, without ever meeting them face-to-face, he finds kinship with the senior disciples/hall masters on An Ding who do music as a hobby (they are burning to know who Shang Qinghua's shy boyfriend is, like, it has to be serious if SQH keeps sneaking the guy onto the peak, right?) Has a courting related epiphany when Qinghua uses his limited free time to (re)learn an instrument just to play music with him.

Then he sort of befriends someone who he assumes is one of the hall masters by talking to him/playing music together through a window opened just a crack so they can't see each other. Sorts out a misunderstanding by talking about his childhood trauma and finding just the right way to explain that sometimes the words just refuse to be said, no matter how much someone wants to say them. And if the other person keeps trying to reach out then the immortal master should try reaching back, if he can bear it, and see what happens.

Then there's this whole upset where Shen Qingqiu wants the An Ding hobby musicians to do a concert for the whole sect to show people that not being on the scholar peak is no reason to be uncreative brutes, Liu-shidi, and to shut up some of his own disciples who are rich brats and can't imagine people from different backgrounds outdoing them in the arts - and he wants Shang-shidi's secret definitely-a-rogue-cultivator boyfriend there to perform, that's not optional, he wants to meet the man who fixed his relationship with Qi-ge face to face.

Shang Qinghua does a whole lot of running around trying to hide it that Mobei-jun is a whole ass higher demon, but either he can't find anything in time or they decide not to use it in the end because you know what? Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu both owe Mobei sooo much for sorting them out and Qinghua is tired of having to hide his boyfriend. So when they all walk out to take their spots in the orchestra there's a big buff ice demon in the lineup like that's normal, the sect leader has Liu Qingge in a headlock and it all goes off without a hitch. By the time Luo Binghe comes to disciple selection, there's an alliance with the northern demons and a very annoying demon hall master at Shen Qingqiu's side who almost falls off the cliff because that boy, the fluffy one, he thinks that's his son!! So Binghe gets the cringiest dad in the realm and he couldn't be happier, honestly.

Or basically: the one where there's no system, but instead there's music and it makes everything better.

[mintytealfox]

If the Da Capo cast were a dnd adventuring party?

👀👀

AWWWW HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECK YEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

MKAY MKAY HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Norton: (closet)Sorcerer/Rogue //Half-Elf (the elf half being Drow)

Was born with an affinity for magic but was constantly told to suppress it and hide it. Being taught that magic is BAD, EVIL even, and was treated like this cursed child (His parents tried to protect him but his parents were killed cause of people trying to remove 'the devil child' from their village) ((There was already some stigma against them with Norton's father and family friend Benny being escaped Drow from the Under-Dark)) Benny was able to escape the village with a young Norton ((around 8 years old by this point, (he had magic that reacted to danger as an explosion to protect Norton but this of course sending the village into a riot)). He ends up hiding away his magic deep within himself and took to the shadows for survival as an apprentice to Benny.

Benny puts together a thieves guild, that Norton grows up in and preferring to work alone and do his own thing, much to Benny's frustration.

He ends up jumping at the opportunity when he gets a letter to join an adventuring party. Finally able to escape his current life and wanting to travel.

Norton never uses magic, even when lives are on the line, UNTIL he allows himself to bond with the members of this Da Capo Adventuring Group and ends up caring so much that he cannot hold his magic back from protecting them.

I went the Half-Elf//Drow route cause that further shows how Norton doesn't particularly belong to one place or another, he just exists as this rarity alone. ;; Doesn't belong underground, doesn't belong above ground, doesn't really have a place to call home with his parents gone, the one tether he had.

--------

Frederick: Bard/Fighter //Elf (High Elf to be specific)

So Frederick is a bard in name, but in practice? He has zero magic, absolutely ZERO ability to use magic, which peeves him off. So he is literally just a musician and composer and has to rely on physical weapons to protect himself. Like using his mandolin as a literal club in melee situations PFFF He can usually be found with his guns though. Like every pocket and bag that he has, there is a gun of some sort in there PFF

He came from a family of magic users so his complete and utter lack of magic ability was like a stain on the family name and he had to be hidden away from sight all his life. So he turned to music in hopes that he could become a bard and have access to magic through music but even that didn't work. He ended up keeping up with the music as it provided peace and comfort and extra cash when he would sneak out into town.

Along with learning music he also spent all those left over hours constantly working on his aim and and enjoying the loud BANGs that his gun provided. So he is significantly skilled marksman. So he could technically be a ranger, but I thought a fighter fit best cause its just him and whatever he can turn in to a weapon.

Always Wanting to find a way to access magic, so he won't have to be hidden away by his family anymore, he accepts the invitation to join this party.

High-Elf because of his family's vibe. Well to do, cream of society. All that jazz.

---------

Melly: Druid //Drow

I feel like this one is a given lol But she escaped the Under-Dark after being banished for her 'crimes' she was simply protecting herself. It was hell down there anyway so it was a win-win for her.

The first people who are kind to her end up being particular druids from a special grove that was more open to teach and share their beliefs and practices unconditionally. She ends up appreciated the wild life and insects of the surface world, like she did in the under dark. The creatures of the under dark were her only true allies when she lived down there, so she was glad to find she could have that companionship up here as well. Then with the training she received, she could now become these creatures.

She isn't particularly fond of spiders due to the connection to Lolth, but she will gladly turn into one if that means she can freak out Norton LOL

When she gets the letter to join an Adventuring party she is extremely confused lol cause who even knows her?? But when she reads the fine print her eyes widen, because by this point she is being hunted by those who had banished her, after hearing she is thriving they decide that banishment wasn't a punishment for her and now seek to kill her (she finds this out after finding the grove that took her in destroyed). So, agreeing to go with this party, she was promised that the hunt for her will end and she can finally live in peace.

I am not sure why I went with Drow but I felt like it fit her for some reason, and why she would always be wearing a veil due to the sun being so darn bright and seeking to hide that she is in fact a Drow.

--------

Orpheus: Cleric/Warlock //Human

I think its interesting my brain went this direction, but the idea that he is OBSESSED with his deity 'the Nightingale' (that no one has ever heard of 👀) It isn't until much later that he will realize that he isn't serving his goddess (which is what he believes happened to Alice, that she didn't die after the raid, but actually became divine! and he has vowed to always serve her), but he is actually serving a Great Old One pretending to be 'His Nightingale'. Playing with Orpheus's fantasies and stories, making them 'real' for him.

Orpheus constantly following the whisperings of his believed deity, puts together this group of individuals that the Old One prompts him to reach out to, that these are the people needed to go about this 'great' task so they all can achieve their greatest wishes.

Human? just because, honestly lol He is just some dude that causes way too many problems for being 'just some dude' PFF

--------

Alice: Ranger //Human Werewolf

When Alice narrowly escaped the raids that destroyed her home city and family. she was taken by a wizard that knew no one would miss her since they are all gone. He did experiments on her for years. She ended up being his favorite subject due to her high vitality levels. So he was cautious to keep her alive for as long as possible. Leaving the potentially deadly experiments on others.

One day the wizard brings a werewolf to the lab and Alice finds a fast friend in him. They begin quietly plotting how to get him out which led to a plan to 'accidently' leave the chains loose on a full moon night. He breaks out and in his rabid craze he takes out the wizard and every other living thing in the place except for Alice. He just stares at her, for an uncomfortable amount of time as Alice is pressed up into a corner unsure of what is about to happen. He sniffs at her, then meticulously gives her a wound, across her chest just under her collarbones, just big enough for her to contract lycanthropy. Then he runs off to find his freedom, leaving Alice stun locked and mortified what he just did to her. Was this his idea of a gift??

Alice ends up living in the wilderness and exploring the world, leading her to be a Ranger. Able to live off the land, hunt, track, and comradery with animals that assist her. And of course, to stay out of the way of most humanoids as to not put them in harms way when the full moon comes. ;;

Alice ends up joining the Adventure Party because of her curiosity, and the promise of having her 'Curse' lifted (the Old One didn't specify to Orpheus what the curse was pff) But Alice would do just about anything to get this lycanthropy lifted so she can explore civilization and live in towns and cities without worry.

Human because of where her and Orpheus were from.

[agentditto]

My Disney Animation Agent

James Pleiades "Jim" Hawkins, also known as the "Rogue Warrior of Montressor", is the only son of Sarah Hawkins, the proprietor of the Benbow Inn, and one of the first off-world members of the Autobot Resistance. Jim is a very adventurous, rebellious, and caring young lad. At first, Jim is stoic and guarded, but as time goes on, he begins to open up, and in the end, he becomes a much more open, confident and happier young man, bearing a side that is very brave, selfless, strong-willed, independent, and loyal to his allies. He is also friendly and willing to help strangers, especially if they are injured or lost, showing that he's kind and compassionate towards animals. He is also shown to be fun-loving, a jokester, sarcastic, mischievous, charismatic, and a bit of a dreamer. He is also usually honest, yet quite private, and hardly ever lies; he only lies if he feels that he really has to, but can also be very sweet, innocent and polite, and cares greatly for his allies and will protect and defend them from anything and anyone. Jim is also very forgiving, shown when he forgave Silver for his antagonistic actions, particularly when Silver chose to save Jim's life instead of Flint's treasure, also allowing Silver to sneak away in lieu of outing him, showing that Jim has completely forgiven Silver and accepted him as his friend and father-figure again. Ultimately, even with his few flaws and his bad-boy exterior, Jim has got a heart of gold and refuses to embrace the typical greedy and ruthless pirate life like his pirate enemies. He's also very intelligent for a lad of his age (as in so intelligent that he is very skilled in mechanical engineering, showing this when he was able to build his own solar surfer all by himself at age 8 and he was able to fix up the late Captain Flint's spaceship in just a few minutes, come age 15). He is also pragmatic and logical, more than people give him credit for. Despite his great intelligence and pragmatism, he can do very stupid and reckless things, but regardless of his reckless side, Jim can be very cautious and serious if the situation presented itself. He likes playing around with Morph, but he can get annoyed by the little floating pink blob of mischief sometimes, and the same can be said for B.E.N., who gets on Jim's nerves fairly often, especially when B.E.N. talks too much or touches Jim too much. Nevertheless, Jim does consider B.E.N. a good friend and a useful sidekick (also, Jim learned to accept B.E.N.'s hysterical and annoying habits somewhat and even enthusiastically hugs B.E.N. back when B.E.N. hugs him for saving everyone from Treasure Planet's destruction). Divergence: After Jim saved everyone, they landed on another world: Cybertron. Dr. Doppler mentioned that most of the Cybertronians died out after the Earth War of 2006, but Jim always wanted to see it. They make planetfall, but Jim and Silver realize that they crossed into another reality, upon being fired at by the Decepticons. It wasn't until an unlikely alliance of characters brought Jim and the others to Nova-Terria, an amalgamation of worlds, using Montressor's technology to operate as computers, phones, everything. The others make themselves at home, with Jim using a Solar Surfer he created out of junked-out parts and a Crystallic Fusion Power-Cell, which he realized was just a giant battery. He often runs into a spot of trouble with the Decepticons, so much so that Team Epsilon, with Pursuit in command, saves him, but Jim does take some Decepticon tech and repurposing it for the Autobots, because he knows now: the war's still going on...and he's just been drafted into it, to save ALL realities. (Note: This is my sort of AU, and I'd not like anyone stealing ideas from me.)

[devastator1775]

Hope, Love & V - Chapter 3: Confessions

Summary: The days leading up to V's surgery are filled with all sorts of confessions.

It had been a week since V had made her decision about the surgery, and those days which were mostly filled with going through a lot of meeting and talking with the tech-surgeons who were going to perform her operation. A lot of it involved taking measurements, getting to look through some of the designs that would potentially be used, aftercare and the amounts of mandatory therapy – both physical and psychological - she would have to do afterwards.

Uzi visited every day, often having N with her. The goofball was so happy to see V the first time he walked through that door that he pretty much lunged at her to give her a hug and knocked her almost out of bed. At least the amusing sight of Uzi reprimanding her boyfriend made up for it.

And then …there was Lizzy. She hadn’t been acting the same since their …moment together. Despite what she had said, they never had, uh …picked up where they left off. V wouldn’t say things had been tense between them, but the whole event just didn’t get mentioned by neither of them. V figured that Lizzy was having the same problem as her and just didn’t know how to bring it up. Luckily, nothing about that seemed to deter Lizzy from visiting every day – one time even sneaking in after visiting hours had already ended.

Somewhat unexpected, it seemed that word about V’s ‘noble sacrifice’ had gotten around the Colony. Thad once came in with a ‘Get Well’ card, signed by Uzi’s classmates – some adding a lot of hearts next to their names, much to Lizzy chagrin and V’s amusement. Not only her, but N seemed to reap some of the rewards as well. Since being ‘released from the rogue AI’s influence’ meant neither of them would be hunting down Worker Drones anymore, the good people of Colony Outpost 3 seemed it only fair that they could live there. N was given his own home and he had assured V that there was a room waiting for her when she’d get better.

All in all, V felt things looking up for her.

***

One afternoon, when all her friends were visiting and sharing stories of their week, V’s doctor came in with good news. They had made the finishing touches on V’s new legs and had come to show V and give some explanations around their use. Only, one thing …

“They are …a lot more, uh …” V struggled to find the words as she looked at what’s supposed to be her new legs.

“Clunkier than expected?” N suggested.

“Yeah, that.” V tilted her head, as if a different angle would improve how they looked. The two legs were indeed a lot more robust than those of the average Worker Drone – which meant all of them.

“Yes, but you have to understand that your situation and the operation we’re going to perform are quite …experimental. A lot of things needed to be accounted for in the design.” Doctor Steen explained to her. “A wider surface for better grip, sturdier design to help you keep your balance, things like that. And even with these, you will need to use crutches as extra aid.”

V bit on the inside of her cheek. “I see…”

“I do also recommend that you use a wheelchair for the first 6 months after your surgery for most of the time, as not to overexert your legs.” He smiled sympathetically when he noticed how V’s face fell. “But keep in mind that these modifications are just the first version. An improved version is already being designed and what we will learn from you usage of these will only help make your replacements being more user-friendly.”

That bit perked V up, if only even a little. “So …how is this gonna work? You just gonna slap those puppies on me?”

“Don’t use the word ‘puppies’ like that, V.” N whispered, being quickly silenced by Uzi pinching him in the rear.

“Miss V, you must understand that these are essentially prosthetics.” Steen began. “Your surgery involves removing the damaged parts and grafting connectors in their place. These connectors will, as their name implies, connect you to the prosthetics and thus will allow you to remove them more easily.”

“Uh-huh ….” V muttered, her eyes fixated on the two heavyset legs.

“Obviously, it’s a simplified explanation, but we can get into details after you’ve recovered from the surgery.” Steen said, as he took out a clipboard. “Speaking of which, I’ve got a few dates here for you to consider. When would you-?”

“whichever is the first one!.” V quickly decided. She huffed when everyone in the room gave her a dumbfounded expression. “I am done being in this room, I need to get this over with as soon as possible, can we make that happen?”

The doctor blinked a few times, his mouth still open from being interrupted. He shook his head and smiled. “I’ll let you know when we are ready.”

V just nodded as the doctor left the room, letting out a heavy sigh as the door closed and left her alone with her friends. A hand on her shoulder made her look up.

Lizzy, who had been sitting right next to her the entire time, gave her shoulder a soft squeeze. “You okay, V?” The concern on her face spoke volumes. “You seem …out of it.”

“Y-yeah, I’m …” V smiled sheepishly. She hadn’t realized how expressive she must’ve been. It used to be easier to hide away her feelings and true motivations in order to protect those she considered close to her – even though she never admitted it to them before. Nowadays …letting out het feelings and concerns seemed …laughable natural, almost. And why not? It’s not like she has anything to hide …anymore. She sighed. “I’m just nervous, I guess?”

“Scared of the operation?”

“Pssh, what? Nah.” V scoffed, waving away the accusation but ...that soft look in Lizzy’s eyes broke through the cracks in her defensive wall. She let out a heavy breath, flopping down on her pillow. “Okay, fine. Maybe …I am …just a little?”

“Why?” Uzi piped up. “You seemed so certain of it before.”

“It’s just ….” V took a deep breath as she collected her thoughts. “I’m banking pretty much every remaining shred of hope on this operation.”

“What do you mean?” N asked as Uzi, who had been sitting comfortable on his lap, hopped off.

“What if none of this works out?” V asked, more to herself than anyone else in the room. “What if I just wake up again and nothing changed? What if I still can’t walk? What if it gets worse instead? What if-?”

Lizzy grabbed V’s hand and gave it a hard squeeze, jolting the panicking drone out of her rambling. “V, calm down. You’re going to blow a fuse!”

V muttered a ‘sorry’, before she buried her face in her hands to let out a groan. “I’m being ridiculous.”

“Hey, it’s a big operation, you’re obliged to feel scared about it.” Uzi remarked.

“Still …what if it doesn’t work out like we hope it would?” V asked.

“Would it stop you?” Lizzy asked. “Let it hold you back?”

“Our V?” N questioned with a grin. “Doesn’t seem like her.”

“Yeah, who is this whiney crybaby that has taken her place?” Uzi added with an evil grin with an added playful wink.

“You know, at first I figured that this was going somewhere wholesome, but then you had to open your noise-hole and ruin the entire thing, Doorman.” V remarked dryly, making everyone – including herself – laugh. She took a deep breath and gave Uzi a genuine smile. “But thank you.” She turned to Lizzy. “All of you. I know I’m being dramatic.”

“You’ve always been dramatic.” Lizzy stated as her expression softened. “That’s one of the things I love about you.”

“’One of the things’, huh?” V asked with a soft smile, as she reached out to grab Lizzy’s hand.

Lizzy’s fingers closed around V’s hand. “Yeah…”

A silence fell over the room, which Uzi broke after a few moments when she cleared her throat. She grabbed N’s hand and started to usher him towards the door. “Uh, N, I just remembered that we’re going to be late for that thing with the person.”

“Huh, we don’t-“ A light bulb appeared on N’s visor. “Oh! You want to-“

“Oh, for f-“ Uzi, done with being gently, just started to push her boyfriend out the door. “Bye! We’re going and leaving you two alone now!”

“Bye V!” N called out. “Bye Lizzy! We’ll visit-”

The door slammed shut, cutting of the rest of what N was going to say and leaving the two Drones alone in the room.

Lizzy eventually chuckled. “Wow, those two aren’t exactly subtle, aren’t they?”

V snorted amusedly. “N is just too much of a goof and Uzi never knew how to, so why start now, huh?”

A muffled ‘Bite me’ sounded from behind the door, making the two Drones erupt in laughter for a few moments, with Lizzy burying her face in V’s chest. After their laughter died down, Lizzy looked up from her ‘headrest’ and smiled softly at V, who started to let her fingers caress through the former’s hair.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

They paused for a few moments. Neither of them knew how to start. This had been hanging between them for the entire week and now that they had the opportunity and time to discuss this …both of them were at a loss for words. Eventually, V felt it was time to speak up.

“I …I think it’s time we address the elephant in the room, huh?” V asked, a little nervous.

Lizzy sat up with a heavy sigh, folding her hands in her lap and twiddling her thumbs. “Yeah, about time, I’d say.”

“You wanna start?”

“Do you?”

“I’m asking you.”

“I’m asking you.”

V chuckled. “This is going nowhere.” She took a long, deep breath and smiled. “So I guess I’ll start. So …Lizzy, about what, uh, happened last week?”

“Yeah?”

“We kinda got interrupted.”

“Yeah, we did.” Lizzy bit her lower lip, seemingly contemplating whether or not to ask the following question. “Did you like it?”

V smirked teasingly. “Getting interrupted?”

Lizzy rolled her eyes with an amused chuckle. “Before that, dummy.”

Blush lines formed on V’s visor as a small smile tugged on her lips. “I did.”

Even brighter blush lines formed on Lizzy’s visor. “I did too …very much.”

“Honestly, it was hot.”

“So hot.”

“And we never really picked up where we left off.”

“No, we didn’t.”

“You still wanna?”

“Yes!” Lizzy blushed when she blurted out – petty much shouted – her reply and shrunk into herself, grinning sheepishly. “I mean …if you…”

V gulped. Why was this getting more difficult all of the sudden? “Y-yes.”

Lizzie’s expression blanked out, her blush glowing more and more brightly every second. “Okay…” She fiddled nervously with the seam of her dress. “Uh, V?”

“Yeah?”

“Before we do, uh, that, I just want to say…” Lizzy took a deep breath, as a progress bar with the words [FORMULATING CONFESSION (syntax error)] underneath it formed. It wasn’t loading very quickly. She blinked the snitching message away and tried again. “I just wanna say …I…I…”

V rolled her eyes, grabbed Lizzy by her shoulder and pulled her in, leaving only a little space between their visors. “You talk too much.”

And then she kissed Lizzy. After a surprised squeak, Lizzy’s hands landed on V’s cheeks, letting out a soft moan as she and V melted into the kiss. V ran her hands through Lizzy’s hair while Lizzy’s hands seemed not able to decide where they’d rather be holding V. Time seemed to stretch out into infinity as they kept kissing. Thank Robo-God that Drones don’t need oxygen, making these types of prolonged make-outs very fun. Eventually, they did need to pull themselves away from one another, albeit very reluctantly.

“Wowzers…” V whispered softly as she caressed Lizzy’s cheek.

Lizzy giggled. “Did you really said ‘wowzers’?”

“I did.” V admitted as she softly tickled under Lizzy’s chin. “What about it?”

“N-nothing.” Lizzy cooed as she blushed brightly. “Ab-so-lu-te-ly nothing at all.”

V chuckled, gazing deeply in Lizzy’s eyes. “I love you, Lizzy Casio.”

Lizzy’s mouth fell agape as a loading wheel appeared on her screen.

“You okay, Liz?” V asked, not able to stop herself from smirking.

Lizzy answered, but it was a series of sounds, not unlike those made by old human internet dial-up modems. V couldn’t help herself and bursted out in laughter, which brought a flustered Lizzy out of her bootloop. “S-stop laughing. I-I just wasn’t ready for that!” She reprimanded, blushing fiercely. “You can’t just throw out such a big thing all casual like.”

“You want me to take it ba-OOMPH!” The air got knocked out of her proverbial lungs when Lizzy suddenly threw herself on top of her. “Easy, or else I’m going to need more surgery.”

“Don’t you dare take that back, V. And …sorry, I guess.” Lizzy mumbled as she made herself comfortable, nuzzling her face in the nook of V’s neck. As V wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and pulled her closer, Lizzy let out a heavy sigh before quietly adding: “I love you too, V.”

V’s core started buzzing and she could feel her own circuits heating up all across her body. Okay, maybe Lizzy had a point about blurting out something big like that all willy-nilly. She was so glad that Lizzy had her face buried in her hair right now, so she couldn’t see the big, goofy grin that was forming on V’s face. “I …I am happy you are here …with me” She whispered. “I …I know I’m putting on a brave face, but …”

“I know, I know …” Lizzy quietly acknowledged. “I’m here, V. And whatever happens, I’ll still be here. Whatever the outcome, I will be by your side to help you while you go through this. I promise you that.”

“Quite the promise.” V stated as she gently pushed Lizzy away from here, so she could gaze into those neon pink eyes and caress her cheek. “You sure you are up for it?”

“Honestly, no.” Lizzy admitted truthfully. “I have never done something like this before, I’m certain that I’m gonna mess up, but …I’m willing to try and learn along the way.”

“All I’m asking for.” V chuckled as she pulled in Lizzy for another kiss. They were just about to really get into it, when:

“Hey, if you guys ae gonna keep acting all mushy and gross-“ Uzi’s voiced called out from behind the door, with N sounding like he was trying to drag her away in the background. “-can you at least toss my bag out the room? I left it under my chair!”

V and Lizzy turned to each other with a big grin, before they turned their attention to the door and shouted in unison: “Bite me!”

***

Well, V had asked that they’d schedule her for her operation as soon as possible, but she hadn’t expected it to be this fast. So, here she was, in an operating room only a few days after she and Lizzy officially got together. She nervously looked around her. The room was filled with machinery, tech-surgeons and nurses. On her right, she could see a table filled with various tools. As a former Disassembly Drone, she could appreciate good cutting equipment, but today the sight of them made her feel queasy.

“Okay, we’re ready to begin.” Doctor Steen appeared in her view, giving her a sympatric smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Nervous. A bit scared.” V figured putting on a brave façade wasn’t gonna do her much good.

“Don’t worry, Miss V. You are in capable hands.” He reassured her. “Now, relax while I insert the anaesthesia-cable.” 

She felt something brush against the back of her head and she had to keep herself from flinching when she felt something being put inside her data port at the back of her neck.

“Now, count from 10, please.”

“Fine, 10, 9, 8,7-“

…

Wait, when and why did she stop counting?

“Guys, I think she’s waking up?”

N? What was that goofball doing in the operating room?

“Well, seeing how she scowled at hearing your voice, I think she is.”

Uzi too? Were they here to watch?

“Stop it, guys.” Now she heard Lizzy’s voice. “V, can you hear me?”

V groaned as she opened her eyes, squeezing them shut immediately as the bright light of the room was an offence to her and only made her head feel like it was going to split open. She waited a few moments more before she opened them more slowly, her interface slowly loading up as her vision became more clearer. First thing she saw was Lizzy, her expression a mixture of concern and relief.

“Hey baby, how you feelin’?” she asked,.

“Thirsty …” V’s voice was raspy. She took grateful sips of the bottle of oil that Lizzy brought to her lips. She cleared her throat, feeling relieved that the thick liquid had eased it a little. “But otherwise …tired. My head feels like they’ve hammered some extra screws on them.”

She felt her bed creak as Uzi leaned down on her legs. “I’m sad to say that they didn’t do that.” The purple-haired drone grinned. “Too bad, it could have been an improvement.”

Before she could throw back a snarky comment, N interjected – a bit too enthusiastically loud, making her wince.

“Ooh, can I tell her a-“ He began, but a look from Uzi made him shut up.

Hang on, why was his visor cracked?

“Tell about wh- Doorman, get off me.” V was getting annoyed at how Uzi was drumming her hands on her body like she was some sort of drum set..

“And what if I don’t?” Uzi asked with a grin.

V kicked Uzi’s hand off her. “I’m gonna-“

She suddenly realized what she had done. She looked at the blanket that was covering her legs, tried to move one …and lifted one up. A soft gasp escaped open mouth, as tingles ran through her entire body. She tried to lift her other leg ….and up it went. Slowly and it definitely felt like it took a lot of effort, but …

“I can move my legs again!” V exclaimed, looking around at her friends and girlfriend, as if to ask them for confirmation that she wasn’t dreaming. . “I’m not imagining it, aren’t I?”

“No, you’re not!” N happily confirmed. He rubbed his cracked visor. “In fact, I was the first one who saw it up close …when I got close because I thought I saw your legs twitch when you were sleeping. Turns out I was right when you accidentally kicked me right in the face.”

Oh, so that’s how he got his injury. V gave N a sheepishly apologetic grin. “Uh, …oops, sorry?”

N waved away her apology. “Ah, nothing that a little TLC from Uzi – and a trip to the mechanic – can fix.”

V turned her attention back to her legs, trying to move them again. Yeah, her legs felt heavy and moving them did require some effort, but she figured that was to be expected. She tried to force them up, when something jolted through her entire body. She suddenly saw the message <ALERT! Power Surge imminent> on her interface and it made her core jump as she prepared herself for another violent seizure. She did feel her body cramp up, but much to her surprise, it wasn’t as bad as before her operation. It didn’t hurt as much either, as it was more like a dull pain all over her body. Still sucked, but it was at least bearable. As her body slowly relaxed again, she noticed the concerned expressions on her friends’ faces. She must have shown more discomfort than she realized. Oh, or maybe because she had gripped the railing of her bed so much that she left an impression of her hands in it. Whoops.

“Did …did you get another seizure?” Lizzy asked carefully.

“I’m getting the doc.” Uzi stated as she turned towards the door.

“No, don’t.” V called out. “I’m fine. It wasn’t so bad this time.”

“You sure?”

“I’m fine, Lizzy.” V assured, giving her girlfriend a loving smile as she entwined their fingers together. “I’m okay.”

“Ugh, barf…” Uzi gagged, but the teasing grin on her face said otherwise. She giggled as N wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. “Okay, okay, I’ll behave.”

“Okay, let’s see how they ended up.” V stated as she reached over to her blanket to pull them off. Suddenly, Lizzy’s hand grabbed her arm and held it in place. V looked over in confusion.

“Sorry, just …be prepared.” Lizzy warned softly. “It’s going to be a lot to take in.”

V scoffed and started to tear away the blanket. “Oh, how bad can it -oh…” A cold feeling travelled all over her body as she saw the results of the surgery. Both her legs were completely removed and were replaced by two sockets that ended in a long connector pylon. She had known what the outcome would have been, of course. She had extensive consultations with her primary doctor, but to see it in the metallic flesh. Lizzy was right, it was still shocking to see.

“V?”

V shook her head and slowly turned her head towards Lizzy. She let out a heavy breath. She suddenly felt so drained and it was like her entire body had become numb. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I’m okay. It’s just… yeah, it’s a lot….” She was surprised how small her voice sounded.

Lizzy’s arms suddenly wrapped around V and hugged her tightly. V instantly repeated the action, burying her face in the nook of Lizzy’s neck. Her core was beating so hard and her head was spinning. Her breath hitched in her throat and she was trembling. Everything that had happened, everything that she had endured, the realization about the hardships that this change would bring …it all suddenly hit her all at once and she it made her feel so small, so weak.

She felt two hands rest on each of her shoulders, making her break up the embrace and look up. Uzi and N were standing by her side, giving her a sympathetic smile.

“It’s going to be okay, V.” Uzi stated softly.

“We are here for you.” N reassured.

Lizzy reached out and held V by her face, a look of loving determination in her eyes. “You are not alone in this.”

A warm feeling swelled up deep inside V’s core – for a moment, she thought she was overheating again – and she allowed herself to act extremely sappy for once and she pulled them all into an embrace – inwardly relishing in the embarrassed sounds Uzi was making as she struggled in vain to wriggle herself free from the constricting hug. She was at a loss for words.

For the first time since she had woken up from her coma, she felt like everything was finally going her way, and she’d happily take the coming struggles she certainly had to face with it.

[starryknight-dragonarts]

Morgan le Fey the Magician Sin of Lust

Morgan was born to a wealthy merchant family in Treasure Town. Her father was obsessive and overly controlling on every aspect of her life so he could control her and use her in the future as a bargaining chip. Her mother on the other hand was vain and hardly cared about Morgan unless she could help her look good, until eventually moved on to another pokemon. If he had it his way she would've never had a life of her own being used to serve his life and then some stranger's she was traded to in order to help make her father more powerful. One of the things she had a little control over and offered her moments of escapism from her regimented life was reading fiction; her father wanted her to be able to make conversation (of course...only if she was addressed first) and despite his need to control his daughter he underestimated the power and effect stories could have.

Morgan started identifying with the Sorceress character of Arthurian Legend "Morgan le Fey" a sort of trickster antihero who would mess with her brother King Arthur and his knights from time to time but also helped him when he was truly down. Like the young Morgan, Morgan le Fey originally had little control over her life and was arranged to marry a man she didn't like. Instead she spent her time with Merlin learning Magic and then running off to become a Queen among the Fey Folk. Morgan loved Magic because it made anything seem possible, absolute freedom to do anything she put her mind too. She expressed interest in being a magician but her father snapped at her for wanting to perform for a others and might have succeeded in snuffing out her dreams if she didn't have support from a friend.

Up until this point the only "Friends" that Morgan had were other aristocrat's daughter who's fathers arranged them to hang out. Morgan had little to no similar interests with these girls but was expected to be cordial. Then in the middle of a party somebody new showed up who she had heard about but never met before now, a scrappy Salandit named Kaida LaCroix. Her adopted mother Marie LaCroix had also been an Aristocrat but not one who her father often interacted with closely and passed away recently. Kaida was left hanging on to fragments of her mother's wealth but she was hardly the aristocratic type, more like a plucky rogue. Intrigued by this party crasher, the two of them spent hours together just talking, it was the first most genuine conversation Morgan had ever had. Kaida made her laugh and smile telling her tall tales of the many misadventures she had gotten herself into, it sounded like something out of one of her stories and that was another thing she and Kaida bonded over; Kaida loved Adventure novels about swashbucklers and pirates going on grand adventures across the world looking for treasure and living as free as they desired.

It wasn't long before her Father chased Kaida off his property, but even then Kaida had a confident smile on her face as she promised to come see Morgan again, and so she did. She came back the next day and so on becoming the highlight of Morgan's life. She would sneak into the garden in the middle of the night, they would meet up and then run off to go have fun in town as Kaida the Pirate and Morgan the Magician. Kaida completley and unconditionally supported Morgan's dreams of being a Magician and told her once she had her own boat they would go around the world together performing in every city and every region. The two girls loved each other and no matter who stood against them they would stand together.

In time they would become known together as the Deadly Sins of Greed and Lust, the Salandit who does the impossible to take what she desires and the Eevee who let her heart guide her way in defiance of her controlling father. During a difficult time in his business endeavors, her Father decided to invoke the power of the literal Demon of Greed to help him, and then refused to pay up his end of the bargain. In retaliation the Demon kidnapped Morgan! Her Father still refused to pay what he owed, so Kaida had to step in and pull a heist for on behalf of the Demon. While being Damseled Morgan was not the "Damsel of the Distressed " variety despite being in some type of scary Hellish dimension, she's gotten good at concealing her emotions having lived with her father and did not make things easy on her captor managing to pull several tricks on him and making herself a pain to deal with. Once she got back to the material realm she finally told her Father off for being a terrible excuse of a parent and left him screaming while she went to live with Kaida, and the two of them are very happy together.

With a new confidence that she had the capability to trick a literal demon, Morgan took to starting her stage career as a performing magician and studying true arcane magic wanting become the greatest magician of all time. She specializes primarily in Illusions, Enchantments, and Animating inanimate objects but she wants to round her skills across the board and dabble in most magical styles...except maybe Necromancy, she's not about that stuff. Her main weapon is a comically large magical mallet with versatile uses outside of simply being a comically large mallet to bonk pokemon with. It's able to stretch it's length and bend like it has rubber hose physics and she can cast wide area of effect spells through it.

[mickyaltierisgf]

hii!! I saw you were taking request (also you are another roman and mickey stan so I love you) and I was wondering if you could write a scenario or headcanons for reader dating poly!ghostface and finding out roman and mickey are ghostface and they are like oh no, but reader is like "let me help"

Thank you, I love you too for requesting poly!romickey.

poly!ghostface (romickey) x gn reader headcanons

Roman isn’t as active as Mickey since he’s usually too busy with his actual job and doesn’t quite have the same zeal for it. For the most part, he only targets people he knows and can’t stand or who get in his way somehow.

When you start dating them, he becomes overly cautious. He doesn’t want you to know. He doesn’t even want you to suspect. He’s got a certain image he wants to maintain, especially when it comes to dealing with you.

Mickey doesn’t care too much in the beginning. He figures if you find out and it becomes a problem, he can just take you out in the non-date way (he’s literally crazy, what do you expect?💀)

When he gets more attached to you, he sort of agrees with Roman’s approach. He doesn’t want to have to get rid of you, and keeping you with them would be much easier and more pleasant if you’re staying willingly.🙃

No matter how careful they are, though, you notice things, such as Mickey having small injuries he just shrugs off or makes weird excuses for. "A rogue tree got in my way while filming." A few times, he claims Roman gave them to him. "Don’t let the glasses fool you; It’s a trick. He’s a lot freakier than he lets on." *wink wink*. And news reports about people you know who had worked with Roman, or at least worked at the same studio, going "missing" from time to time.

Questioning Roman too much will lead to him ranting about anything to divert the conversation. "No one’s gone missing from there since the 70's. They’re just trying to ruin the studio’s reputation. You know how many movies they’ve almost shut down this year alone? It’s insane. I’ve got the producers breathing down my neck about everything. I can barely get a music video done without 50 rewrites! Next, The National Enquirer's gonna put out a story about alien abductions happening on set. Those people left because they just couldn’t hack it! Hollywood’s a tough place, y/n. It’s not made for everyone."

Even when you find out the truth and confront him with it, he denies it heatedly. "I’m not some sort of demented killer! The police couldn’t prove—"until you assure him you don’t care. He changes his tone instantly. "You’re okay with this?"

Mickey’s ready to throw a party. They won’t have to sneak around anymore, and maybe now he could talk you into having a different kind of fun in the costumes.

He’s absolutely delighted that you’re not only cool with it but also want to help him.

You start out small (fake bait to lure victims) and then graduate to calls until Roman’s convinced you’re ready to take on a more active role. Mickey jokes that you’ll have to go through the casting couch (he’s only half joking).

Roman lets you use his voice changer, but only very rarely. He keeps it well hidden, and you’ll never find the real one unless he hands it to you personally. You’ll have to make due with the regular model.

You and Mickey still have fun bothering him and just about everyone else with the regular one, though. That phone bill is too damn high.

They have a bunch of extra costumes from Stab 3, so you eventually get your own.

Mickey has a whole stash of weapons, and he’s impressed that you know most of them. He lets you take anything you want when you go out.

Roman’s still not too keen on you joining in on this, though. He masks his concern with irritation, but he really does worry about Mickey sometimes, and now he’s going to be worrying about both of you.

He gets more involved than he’d like to because he wants to keep an eye on you. Plus, he’s a control freak, and he thinks the excuse of watching out for you gives him a free pass to be bossy.

Killing makes them both a bit feral; normally Mickey embraces it and Roman suppresses it. Your presence tips their delicate balance off kilter.

Then, you find out firsthand that some of Mickey’s salacious stories about the "injuries" Roman gave him weren’t as exaggerated as you thought.

[trashcatsnark]

Ngl, despite how absolutely fluffy my oneshot was and how eventually soft they will be- I cannot help but make Petra (my tav) and Gale's dynamic like 20-30 percent more hostile and bickering than canon, because A) I love hostile bickering couples and B) I think larian really fucking missed out on the dynamic of having the tav/durge custom pc be a rogue and non-magic user and being gale's like opposite Like, they did a great job leaning into the variation in dynamic with him if they're a different kind of spell caster- sorcerer, bard, and fellow wizard, but like in the dev notes about Gale griping everytime you make him sneak, steal, or do any rogueish behavior- it literally states he thinks those things are beneath him. Like it's not even just about his old man knees, he genuinely is like *really petty crime??? that's what you're reducing me to?* and we're shown over and over that Gale can be petty and patronizing why wouldn't he have a few more snide remarks for a rogue pc early on, let Gale be meaner to me.

And then if we could have more flavor text and options to rp a character who isn't really into magic, not actively hostile or mean but instead of a non-spellcaster being played as a complete blank slate wide-eyed over it- a character who just doesn't find much need for it, sees it as impractical, is more of a who needs a healing spell when you have a needle and thread sort of person- with Gale??? Ah, the banter, the bickering, playful ribbing and jabbing insults, snarking to each other about it- "Oh, did you wound not heal well? Ah, if only there had been someway to properly remend the flesh without suture, perhaps as if by magic..."

A part of Gale kind of being hurt because so much of his worth and value is defined by magic, so a part of him feels if someone can't see the value in magic- they can't see value in him, but then they do want him around, they do keep him around, and even let him show them some magic and he thinks he's worn them down, they're starting to see the value of the weave and by extension him. Not quite clocking that it's the other way around. That they're taking an interest and doing his magic lessons because- it's clearly something he's passionate about, he loves, and that gives it more value to them. And the idea that the weave's worth could be seen as secondary to his instead of the reverse is just- insane to him.

And as the romance progresses and he reveals more and more his ideas of how his worth is connected to his utility, his talent, the promises of "I could do more, I can be more, don't you need me to be more" because of course they want more, everyone does, he's not enough- he needs to be more powerful, more talented, more magical, more capable, more useful, and they know now what he can do, what he used to be able to do, and if he makes the right choices- how much more he could. And they let him know in no uncertain terms, they fell for him before they ever did his magic, that the things he conjures and casts are beautiful and they love them but only because they are done by his hand, and he's what gives that magic it's meaning- not the other way around. And if he never conjured stars to the sky again, that's okay- they return every night all on their own and all they wish is to see them with him.

This is so long and rambly, but I just- ugh, the opposites attract angle feels soooo slept on in game and out and I get why but god I wish we had more options to rp a pc who just wasn't super into magic unless it's through the filter of someone they love and their love for it and what that'd do to Gale's everything

[honourablejester]

PF2e Character Concept: Graverobber Ghost Eater Rogue

Since I was talking about grave robbers as a character concept and the lovely fact that Pathfinder actually has that as a background option ... I’m gonna build me a grave robber!

We’re gonna go rogue, because, well, criminal. But. I think for this one, we’re going to try a ruffian rogue. They’re lurking in graveyards, they’re lugging bodies around, they’re shovelling dirt and excavating coffins. They feel very physical. So we’ll go ruffian, and have equal Str and Dex, and for a bonus we’ll be trained in Intimidation. Which feels very right for a grave robber who, again, spends a lot of time lurking in graveyards.

They’re going to carry a shovel. This is important to me. Their equipment has to included a long tool (shovel) and a hooded lantern. The shovel can be used as an improvised weapon (1d6) if they want to. For their actual weapons, I think we’re going to go with a good, old-fashioned club, because they’re a very ‘hit them over the head’ sort of character, and a crossbow for range.

For ancestry …

Look. It’s slightly weird, given their views on ancestors and ancestor worship, but I really want a witch gnoll? Because creepy cackling dark-furred hyena rogue lurking in graveyards. You get some spooky occult spellcasting for free, starting with ghost sound, which feels both very useful and very thematic for a criminal trying to sneak into graveyards to loot bodies/graves. Also, seven foot tall creepy person lurking in graveyards with a shovel. The image is what I’m going for here. Heh.

I am wondering how well a grave robber gels with a gnoll’s reverence for the dead. Does it count if they’re not gnoll dead? They’re not this rogue’s ancestors, so it doesn’t count? Gnolls are also very pragmatic, which fits so well with the ghoulish pragmatism you’d get on a grave robber. They eat their dead, they use their bones. Is this particular gnoll just weirded out by putting the dead in boxes and leaving them to rot, and views grave robbing, in its own weird way, as almost a better way to honour the dead? At least they’re being useful. They’re giving strength, wisdom, prosperity to at least someone, instead of being locked in a box underground to just moulder. Eh, I think I can work something there.

And. On the subject of the dead. The thing about being a grave robber in a fantasy universe is that you’re a lot more likely to run into the undead as well. I do want to add something a little bit mystical to this grave robber. I did consider both the ghost hunter and exorcist archetypes, but … they’re both a bit too finicky? This character is not a grave tender, they’re a grave robber. I wanted something a bit more … pragmatic. Enter the ghost eater archetype, which opens, directly at the dedication feat, with the simple premise of ‘if a ghost hits you, hit it back’. Which I think fits much better for our pragmatic ruffian rogue? *grins* Yes. I think we’ll do that.

For stats, I think we can start with a +3 to Str/Dex, a +1 to Con/Int/Cha, and a +0 to Wis. We’re a thug. A slightly smart, somewhat intimidating thug, but we’re not necessarily all that sensible. Would we be in this business if we were sensible?

Because we’re a rogue, we can be trained in a shit tonne of skills, even with only a +1 Int, so we’ll get Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Lore: Underworld, Society, Stealth and Thievery. We’ve got a couple bonus spots as well, so we’ll also pick up a little bit of Religion and Occultism, because when you hang around in graveyards as often as we do, you pick up some things, and we’ll also take a bit of Medicine just because it’s handy to have. To level, we’ll focus on Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth and Thievery, and maybe divvy the rest between Society and Occultism.

Bundling this all back together … We’re a seven foot tall burly hyena person who’s fallen, by an odd combination of luck, pragmatism, natural talent, and some odd beliefs about the dead even by gnoll standards, into a career as a grave robber and resurrectionist in a non-gnoll society. Possibly we’re an exile from our tribe, possibly related to said somewhat odd beliefs. But we’re pretty good at our happy new career lurking in graveyards and politely thumping both living and undead nuisances over the head with a lovingly-crafted club and/or our shovel, whichever was fastest to hand. We’re enjoying it, honestly. It’s good, honest work!

Gnoll names are often bone-based, which fits so nicely as well. So we’re going to go a little over the top, here, and call her Knuckle the Lurk. A grave robbing, ghost eating, ruffian rogue. Heh.

[goldpilot22]

I just now decided to do this bweirdOCtober challenge, for my newest set of OCs! only the days that're applicable though.

day 2: new OC. for this one I'm just posting the plot summary for all 3 of them.

so first, what the story is: (and I'm just copy pasting this from my notes, so excuse any inconsistent typing patterns.)

It's this weird story that's from an alien culture but it got localized over to English. And the localization kept the grammatical fuckery (which includes all pronouns having distinct separate forms for whether they're referring to a person [indicator 1] or an object [indicator 2], and all possessives having distinct separate forms for whether the subject owns the object or neither/vice-versa) but it converted all the actual names of things/people/places/etc to common English/human-society names for similar stuff.

Like if the Ace Attorney localizations had the thing that Umineko: When They Cry has where it explains what certain Japanese cultural things mean, but they still said it was set in California and replaced ramen with hamburgers.

and now the plot summary itself, under the cut:

So there's this spaceship and it's some sort of secret high tech military type ship, or something. And the human (well, alien) main character is this action hero girl type. She's been given some kinda job there on the ship, but really she's been hired by the like higher ups at the CIA adjacent thing to investigate and take care of some fucky stuff suspected to be going on on the ship. Corruption in its command hierarchy. And she starts investigating like lower level suspicious ppl but they keep showing up mysteriously dead before she can get any info from them. (Also, she seduces another woman-adjacent character to get information, because obligatory love-interest arc.)

So she's trying to solve these mysterious deaths and investigate the what she was sent there to investigate at the same time. And in the process of investigating some fuckery higher up in the ship's command hierarchy, she gets found out. And then things get all action-y as she's officially declared wanted (because she can't tell them who hired her for this as it has to stay secret) so she's hiding in the vents and sneaking around and stuff. And also along with investigating, she's been having to deal with (and hack her way past, and stuff) robots controlled by the ship. Which are now also actively against her… But they don't seem to be quite as dangerous to her as you'd think. And also, starting before this point, there's been parts from the ship's or the robots' point of view as it gathers info on her and helps the crew try to track her down and stuff. Also around this point is when it's revealed that the ship was the one that killed the people she was investigating.

(It's probably third person POV though, readers don't get to see the characters' thoughts except sometimes. It's just like which side of events get seen.)

And then it's evenly her POV and the ship's POV for a while, until she gets captured or something, and from there it's mostly the ship's (and then, after a lil bit more from her, it's Entirely the ship) and this is when the subplot that's been going on becomes the Main plot - and this plot is that the ship has been having some fuckery going on itself, it's more sentient than people think. (Also the ship talks very personlike but uses indicator 2 for itself because it's a machine. It's got Alexa type vibes.) And the ship's robots have been increasingly going rogue… but soon it becomes more apparent that it's actually the ship itself going rogue, but being stealthy about it. Eventually the people aboard figure it out, and start trying to stop the ship by getting into its computers to shut it down or damage its systems.

Things start looking like theyre going to go badly for the ship there, until the human* character (who the narration hasn't mentioned in a hot minute) shows up and shoots some shit and saves the ship. (Also at some point, not sure when, the ship starts using indicator 1 for itself.) Then there's more action scenes, but now with the person and the ship working together. (And also maybe it's implied theres sexual tension between them somehow. The localization tries to make the human* seem like less of a robofucker, but that fails. Badly.)

And then they figure out wheres the corruption is in the command hierarchy and stuff, and take care of it. The human* goes to report it to her superiors, but then they're like "Cool, now turn off the malfunctioning AI so we can collect the ship and get everything covered up" at which point she is like "Fuck You the ship is my friend now." It's implied here that the corruption goes further than she'd realized, even up to her own employers. This is a sequel hook moment, but I don't think I'll write a sequel, so the official ending is that the human* and the ship (and the love interest who was introduced and became plot irrelevant afterward, but here is brought back into plot-relevance by the localization in a failed attempt to make the human* not look like a robofucker) fuck off together and just chill.

[auclogistics]

Can I Shift Homes on My Own Without Packers And  Movers?

So thinking about moving? It's not a simple task! If you ask me, we would suggest getting help from experts by searching “Movers and Packers near me”. Shifting isn't easy. It takes a lot of muscle know-how. Sure, moving locally might seem doable. But shifting far? Now that's tough for an average person.

Once you get packers & movers, you're worry-free. Their team is super trained and makes everything stress-free. Honestly, using them is the easiest & best way to relocate. But if you're set on doing it alone, here's what you need to do for smooth moving.

House shifting services involve multiple tasks like:

Sorting stuff

Packing

Loading/unloading

Arranging

So hire packers & movers for a hassle-free move. Still want to go solo? Keep these things in mind:

Plan Ahead

When you hand over the job to Packers & Movers, they handle it all. On your own? It gets tricky. So plan early! Pre-planning makes work easier and smoother. Plus, since you're not a pro, you’ll need extra time for packing and moving.

Keep Enough Cash Handy

Nothing happens without money these days! Make sure you've got plenty for your move because every step costs something. Without a set budget, you'll face trouble. Maybe even big trouble!

Without top Door to door moving services in Oman, packing materials and labor will still cost you money. Think packing, loading, unloading, and hiring trucks—all need cash.

Pick the Right Time

Choose the perfect day & time carefully as it matters. Fixing this helps with timely packing & moving—don't end up during rainy seasons! With a planned schedule (two or three months ahead), you'll handle emergencies better too.

Settle on your new address

Before relocating find your new home first.  It's tricky how much time moving takes; having a place ready saves headaches later. If unbooked yet? Look online for houses on sale or rent before stressing out at the last minute!

Make an item List

Moving alone means making lists of what’s essential to carry along (not everything at home is useful). Better sort what's needed/what's outdated!! Pack room-wise so crucial things don’t get left behind—like giving old stuff to NGOs or selling it off quickly.

Don’t let a Rogue Mover Trick You

When it’s time to move, you’re trusting your stuff with folks you barely know. Keep yourself safe by spotting red flags & getting advice from friends and neighbors. Ask lots of questions to uncover hidden moving charges.

Even movers who play it straight might not tell you every cost unless you ask. Make sure you understand the full price by asking about fees for heavy items, repacking, stairs, or waiting around.

Make sure to Buy Enough Packing Materials

Before you dive into packing, gather all the packing materials. Boxes, tapes, bubble wraps, labels, markers–get them all ready beforehand. This will make sure your packing goes smoothly & safely. 

Choose good quality stuff; it helps keep your items, especially the fragile ones, well-protected. The boxes should be sturdy and come in different sizes to fit various things. And, hey, better to have some extras so you don't run out when you need them most.

Pack One Room at a Time for Best Results

Packing can get tricky; it's really important to do it carefully to keep your items safe. Try packing one room at a time. This way, you won't forget anything! Clearly label each box so it's easy to identify what’s inside and where it goes when you unpack. 

Handle delicate stuff with care by adding cushions or padding–this keeps them snug and safe during the move. It might seem like a small thing, but trust me, proper labeling can save you tons of time and effort later on. If boxes aren’t labeled well, finding essentials like towels, bed sheets or utensils will be a headache.

Do Your Confirmation Calls

As the date of your journey sneaks up, it's time to get those last-minute confirmation calls done. Seriously, this is super important. When you're moving without contacting packers and movers near me, all the responsibility falls on you. 

No risks allowed here. If something's off, you might need to change plans. Keeping in touch with these folks helps avoid surprises. Check on transportation and make sure your new place is good to go. Call everyone—landowners, truck drivers, agents—and confirm everything. 

Take Preventive Measures

Road trips can be unpredictable. Sometimes things just go haywire. Imagine getting stuck or having an accident—it's a nightmare that can delay everything. 

You might even spend the night in your car. Better safe than sorry, right? Pack enough food, water, meds, and extra clothes. Having these essentials makes dealing with unexpected hiccups a bit easier.

Find a Home in the New Location

Heading to a new place? You gotta find a home there first. If you've already set that up—awesome! If not, start hunting around early because finding a place in a new city can take some time. Jump online to look for homes for sale or rent. Don't forget to ask friends or colleagues for tips too! Agents can be really helpful in nailing down the perfect spot. Just remember to keep your basic needs and preferences in mind while searching.

Once you arrive at your new place, go ahead and unload everything. Then unpack and take a breather—seriously, catch your breath! After that, arrange your things however you like. When it comes to settling in, give yourself the gift of time to adjust. I'm pretty sure, with a little time, you'll start loving your new spot real soon!

Conclusion

Why stress yourself out when everyone takes help from experts by searching “Door to door moving services in Oman”. Contact AUC logistics, and relocate anywhere across the globe.  If you're short on time, you can always lean on close friends & to lend a hand. 

They'll make things easier, and it'll go faster. Just let them know how you'd like the items packed or ask for their tips if someone happens to be good at it. Sharing the workload definitely reduces the pressure & takes a load off your shoulders.

[nervous-steel]

These ideas are so cool! I love how the last one is literally a secret society that does chores, it’s just so cute! This is what I about each of them:

It’s so cool that they’re a secret society with rogue vibes, because it works so well but it’s also so different from how they normally are. Plus, maybe they’d come into conflict with secret societies trying to hide secrets, or they’d fight against propaganda in dictatorships and stuff like that.

I always thought that stories about groups that hated magic users were interesting in stories, and they also have some interesting parallels to history with witch hunts and similar things.

That’s such a cool way of doing an evil council (not necessarily evil, but it has evil vibes) sort of thing, where each person could be individually really powerful, and the secrets they guard are so important they can’t risk having any more than twelve people at a time.

This one’s a really unique take on monks, and it also works really well. Plus, monsters made out of an amalgamation of body parts from different corpses are such an epic enemy for a story (I’m imagining something like The One Reborn from Bloodborne).

Fire is a great embodiment of the kind of “everything’s going to die so we might as well have fun” kind of worldview taken to a violent extreme. Maybe they have some magic or something that makes them immune to fire, and they just bathe in the fires they light for fun.

This is a really cool way to look at treasure seeking and dungeon delving. Maybe there could be two groups like this, and they’re both in competition and trying to steal each other’s secrets.

Storms and the ocean have a really strong connection, and it’s also interesting to think about the duality between the fury of the storms and the bounty of the ocean, which this one seems to focus on. Also, maybe calling the leviathans up isn’t their intention, and it’s just a side effect of the magic they’re using, so they have to scramble to stop them before they destroy everything.

This one’s pretty unique because it’s a part of a larger group. It would be super cool to detail out how they interact with the rest of the military, like maybe they’re independent, or maybe they have superiors who they clash with (and sometimes just go against altogether).

They’d make an awesome plot hook, because if they’re searching for a way to bring back their queen then who knows what else they could uncover in that search. Some big stories that they could be involved are if they accidentally awakened some eldritch horror in the process of trying to awaken Nemia, or if they actually succeed and the queen leads them to start a new kingdom or something grand like that. Plus, they’ve got cool Amazonian vibes, and there could be some symbolism with lionesses

I mentioned this one before, but I just love how wholesome it is! Maybe they have some rule where they only induct new members when they do good deeds in the world on their own, or if they find a member while performing a good deed. Also, to give it a cool twist, maybe the members could wear scary masks or something like that when doing good deeds, because the idea of frightening people in monstrous masks just sneaking around to do chores is so funny, and maybe it could be a way of proving that no one saw them, because if they did they’d definitely just scream and run away. Also, maybe if there are fey in the setting, some noble accidentally started it by making a deal with some fey for them to be servants that would clean up and everything while never being seen, and the servants just took that literally and continued doing it long after that noble had died (if so, then maybe their home base could be the original manor of the noble, and whenever people show up it seems totally empty and abandoned, but still spotlessly clean, and there are signs that invite travellers to make themselves at home, and then the members of the society cook them food and make their beds and everything while keeping hidden)

These are all so great and interesting, please keep doing what you’re doing!

If you are feeling interested, would you possibly do a d10 list of Cults/Secret Societies of good/evil varieties?

The Order of the Key. Dedicated to opening doors, literally and figuratively, the order believes nothing should be kept behind a lock. They operate quietly, honing their lockpick skills, and give access to things kept hidden.

Disciples of Graxon. A cult that centers their lives around Graxon the Inexorable, a fabled deity known for his unending crusade against magic. Followers swear themselves to a life of taking arms against any and all magic user.

Antorium. At any given time, there are less than a dozen members of this organization. Each names their successor at the moment they are initiated; no one is told about the group before they are initiated. Initiates are stolen in the night, and they either join or disappear. The Antorium protects secrets that could end realms or establish empires.

The Gravekeepers. An order of monks who receive none of the respect of their scholarly counterparts, the Gravekeepers are responsible for collecting plague victims. Unbeknownst to most, they use body parts from the corpses to create undead monstrosities.

Flames of Chaos. These fire-worshippers love nothing more than a good bout of arson to feed the unending entropy of the universe.

Fableseeker Corps. This secret society hoards treasure maps and tales of legendary artifacts so that their members might find and use them before anyone else.

Typhoonites. These mages seek to harness the power of the ocean to sink ships so they might profit off the wrecks and call forth leviathans from the deep with the resulting chaos.

Dread Battalion. A sect of the military that has taken upon itself the manipulation of the tides of war via dangerous, often deadly, missions. Their motto: success or death.

Nemian Legion. An all-women’s secret society who believe the ancient queen Nemia to be entombed by magic somewhere underground, waiting to be woken again.

The Society for Good and Fair Gifts. The reason for fairytales about housekeeping elves and fairy godmothers. This group does good deeds and small chores in secret wherever they can.

all d10 lists

[talenlee]

3e: The Beauhort

3e: The Beauhort

Back in 3rd edition Dungeons And Dragons there were a lot of problems in character building, but I dedicate special attention to those that pushed players making reasonable, desireable choices into things that made the game strain. It was super easy to make an overpowered cleric or druid if you just looked at what they could do. It was easy to snap the game in half with the Spelldancer, just doing what the class suggested you do. It was easy to buy into a class fantasy that stranded you unable to confront the challenges the game had.

And if you wanted to pick up a boyfriend in-game, there was an obvious and available way that kinda made the game buckle a bit — just take the feat Leadership.

Leadership was a feat, available at level 6 and beyond for a 3rd edition character and it was pretty unique in what it offered. Simply put, Leadership is one of the most powerful feats available to player characters, because it gives you a second character on the field, who at a slightly lower level than you. Now, you might imagine, especially if you’ve been playing 5th edition or 4th edition, that there’s probably some system in place for how you spend your actions to get your cohort to do stuff in combat, right?

Nope!

No, the leadership NPC, your cohort, is kind of loosely defined; they’re an NPC that follows you around, because you spent the feat to get them, and then the game sorts of trails off about what that means. It really did vary for game table to game table; it couldn’t just be an NPC joining the party, right, because that could happen anyway regardless of feats. A feat expenditure meant that you got something for it, that the character had to be, at least slightly, compliant with what you wanted.

The text was, generally, a bit squiffy; it said you could try to recruit based on race, class, and alignment, but it also didn’t say that was guaranteed. It didn’t say what you did with this NPC, whether they were meant to be wholly under the DM’s control or not, given you spent a feat on having them. The rules said you got them, they said you could try, and… then kinda just left the result of that alone.

Generally, I didn’t see many DMs welcoming the leadership cohort in terms of more work; suddenly a character they had to devote time and attention to managing in the complex mechanical state of the game already in play. Normally, what I saw happening was that DMs who allowed Leadership allowed the player to control the cohort in combat, so as to not get into arguments about it, and also to make the feat not seem like it didn’t do anything. This seemed reasonable and also, in hindsight, was hilariously overpowered.

Sure, there was room for a player to have just a second, smaller version of what they were already doing. The Cohort had their own equipment and budget, after all, it wasn’t like you had to gear them up on your own, and that meant that your fighter was now two fighters, one slightly weaker. That’s just the most basic idea, though, because what if you wanted to lead someone who had some synergy with you? A pair of rogues work together really well, since they both want flanking nad do more bonus damage with sneak attacks. Two wizards, two clerics, two druids, almost anything you do, you can do more of.

If you played a tough tank type, you could have your cohort doing ranged support or melee damage. You could play a tough character who got spell support from your cohort. Or you could play a wizard with a leadership cohort who existed to protect you, and didn’t care about their own damage any more. Hell, one thing I saw – because I did it! – was have a cohort that was a full-fledged spellcaster, who in the morning, buffed my character, and then stayed home safe where he grew flowers and baked bread. That’s spending one feat to get something like ten long-lasting buff spells on you for whole days at a time, as well as crafting potions and scrolls for characters who can use that — which is again, just lots for a single feat.

I saw a lot of Leadership in my time playing 3rd edition, which made sense, because the feat ruled. I most often saw it either on a character starting out after level 6, or a character took it in the course of a campaign to have a mechanically codified reason to keep a particular NPC around. Also, every single one of them I remember was a boyfriend. I had more NPC boyfriends growing up than I ever had in reality, but it was also something that I felt I had a weird kind of gentle ownership over, that it wasn’t being put in any other player’s faces, that, behind the scenes, when nobody was around to be bothered by it, my druid was making out with his catboy wizard cohort.

And that wasn’t the only one I saw! It was so common for players to pick up Leadership in my space, in part because of its overwhelming power, but also because of the way it could be a sort of token to the DM: Hey, here’s a thing I want in this game, and please just don’t interfere with it. Ostensibly, the feat Leadership gave the player character a cohort, and followers, but I almost never saw followers brought to bear, just the cohort as a single vessel for that particular want. When I was maximising my own Leadership with the aforementioned catboy, I did make a point of tracking my followers: A grove full of sentient bunnies that my druid hung around and did things like maintain sleeping quarters for us.

None of this is required by the feat, of course. It’s also overpowered, but probably wouldn’t put the game out as if it were — because not every player wants the vibe of the feat, even if it’s overwhelmingly strong. It makes it this strange mix of extremely 3e things: Huge power controlled by concept, in a rules ambiguity space, and always sticking out in my memory because of how it was being used for extremely gay stuff.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

#DungeonsDragons #Games #DnD3E

[vivi-the-goblin]

5e Mechanic Variant

I'll admit I don't have every book, nor have I played a ton of systems (6 in total), so I might've just reinvented something that exists. I haven't heard of it though, and its been successful in the sessions I tried it in. It's a variant on 5e's group skill checks. When the group is trying to do something together, instead of a DC 15 four times, you'd do a DC 15 times four, so DC 60. The players add their results together and see if they can beat the DC. What this does is let the players who specialized in a skill help the others out, instead of rolling a 25 and it being functionally the same as a 15. In my opinion there are two primary types of skill checks that can benefit from this. The first is "everyone succeeds or we fail" For instance stealth, the paladin clanking behind might not get YOU caught but it will kill the stealth section. Doesn't matter if you got double the DC, you can either go it alone (killing session pacing and abandoning the party) or you can end stealth. Plus everyone is actively looking for you now, so you might suddenly get found anyway. Now the rogue is showing them the proper path or making small distractions to cover the barbarian's stumble. You don't have party members who feel like they failed everyone, and it gives benefit for specializing because you can help the party. The second is in team checks. Lets say the barbarian wants to topple a stone pillar or push a giant boulder down a hill. He could get advantage from the help action 10 times over, it's not going to make him able to move 4000 lbs of stone. This lets you say "It's like a DC 80, this thing's huge. Then the party gets together and keeps trying (I set a limit on times you can try a strength check before exhaustion) before finally getting that 26+18+14+22 and succeeding. It also lets them know something's technically possible without letting it be within easy reach, giving them a sort of puzzle on how to reach that goal (getting help, using pulleys for advantage, etc) The closest thing I know of this in 5e is "If half the people make it everyone does", but I find this works better. The basic reason is "You work together and overcome the DC 80 skill check" sounds impressive and feels like everyone contributed to a difficult goal nobody could accomplish on their own. "ok cool, the two specialists passed so we'll just call it a win" makes me feel like you shouldn't have bothered asking everyone to roll, just make it a single person check if my roll is just meaningless.

The more complicated reason- it gives the specialized players a reason to continue their specialization. Think of the Rogue, for an easy example. They chose the sneak class to be good at sneaking, right? well now they're level 11, and they don't get to play anymore. They can't roll lower than a 10 and even a CR 30 can't find them without proficiency in perception. The fun minigame they built a character around becomes "I'd like to-" "Don't bother, you're in the next room now, moving on." Future stealth bonuses don't functionally do much. Also your ranger's still angry because they have high stealth too but don't get to use it. With this model, keep buffing your stealth, disguise, whatever, it still helps! It lets you lower the effective DC for your friends. And other people who are proud of their score but don't get to use it because you're better? Well they're really useful now too! Use a group deception to infiltrate, the bard patching holes in the fighter's story. Group acrobatics to make that leap, the others benefitting from having a perfect example to copy and someone to correct their form. Sure, in some cases it's not that functionally different from base rule, but it just feels better to me. I recommend at least trying out something like this. It has worked great for me so far.

[creativenicocorner]

Okay! okay, I’ll give a tiny sneak peek (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ cause I’m really excited for these Discworld fics even though it’ll take some time to publish on Ao3 

Trial Runs and Errors upcoming ch4: 

Ainsel Fuchs was currently dangling by his knees upside down outside an unsuspecting third story window. He was doing this for multiple reasons...

Reason 1.) First and second story windows tended to have rot iron bars to deter thieves who were strolling by and considering to partake in a quick breaking and entering before evening elevenses*. [*not to be confused with its more fashionable and well known morning elevenses generally carried out. Evening elevenses are for the more rogue-ish sort who are centered around nocturnal habits]

Reason 2.) Someone had laid aside their sewing, which was very beneficial for operation Many Pockets.** [**In which, after failing to retrieve his worldly goods from the recently revived vampire Otto - Ainsel and Maurice decided to move on and focus on another means of carrying possessions, not just Ainsel’s, but other people’s too.]  

Reason 3.) There’s the added promise of also being able to swipe some pie that was left on the windowsill to cool.

Ainsel gripped the windowsill, and gave a whistle that could have been somewhat similar to a bird call, if the bird was choking on a crumb that is.  

“How many times do I have to tell you, don’t whistle at me,” hissed Maurice as he slowly made his way down to the windowsill via Ainsel.

“Well how else am I supposed to tell you things are okidoki? Should I chitter like a squirrel? Or squeak? Or-”

“A simple ‘Okay’ is fine, thank you. Now hush, you want to alert the whole house?”

“No, no I’m sure we’re very inconspicuously doing this at seven in the morning.”

“Shut up.”

With that, Ainsel felt Maurice’s weight practically lift off, as the streetwise street cat  lept to the windowsill.

Maurice considered the pie, nibbled the crust’s edge thoughtfully, and slunk down into the kitchen, keeping to corners and the cover of chairs and tables as he tried to remember which side of the apartment they saw the sewing kit.

With a single bound Maurice leapt onto a coffee table and gathered as much of the supplies as he could in his mouth, with no consideration towards color-coordination. Little bundles of thread tickled Maurrice’s mouth and jugular, and it took him a great deal of effort to not gag or cough. That is, until he stepped on an un-fastened needle.

My Good Friend Lady Sybil Ramkin (from the ♬ﾟThe Sto Helit Family ♪♪♪♪ [snap snap] series): 

It was a good sweep, thought Ysabell as she stood with queen Keli listening to introductions and graciously responding, as best as she could. She tried not to let the haughtiness of other royals intimidate her, and, in a bratty sort of way, repeated in her mind ‘my father will see you eventually’. It wasn’t the best lifeline, and a part of her internally nagged at how unbecoming a thought that was. But it served its purpose matching haughtiness with haughtiness*.  [*When she’d later disclose this internal ‘rah-rahing’ to Mort, he’d laugh, not mockingly, but with an adoring twinkle in his eye, and comment how she already had a perfectly natural haughtiness of her own. In fact, with a withering look alone she could make anyone feel as small as a beetle. To which Ysabell walked away feeling slightly better, yet likewise unsure if she had been subject to a lover’s tease.]

After years upon unmarked years with her only friend being her father, his manservant, and various horses and ponies, a part of Ysabell felt she could use any help she could get. Which is when she’d lean on her other tactic, drawing inspiration from various heroines she had read about through the years, while thinking herself clever enough to avoid the Heroine’s Dramatic End. After all, there is such a lot of life to live, and just because she was married didn’t mean her life was all Happily Ever After. She did plan to live her life happily though, and felt very happy indeed. 

Queen Keli continued to sweep Ysabell from royal to royal, until she started to feel like one of those card games people tried to play with her father. No one particularly stood out, until she met the representative of Ankh-Morpork. 

“Lady Sybil Ramkin,” was the tail end of Keli’s introduction that Ysabell tuned in for.

Ysabell was staring in awe, she had never seen anyone like Lady Ramkin. She was, not imposing, that wasn’t the right word, but took up space with the confidence of a prize galleon ship. In a glance, she was kind, but with a twinkle in her eye that showed she wasn’t above ‘a healthy slap on the back sort of mischief’. 

“As much as I am sure Havelock would have loved to be here at this momentous occasion in person,” Lady Sybil boomed as joyous as a ceremonial canon, “I hope it is amenable for me to serve as proxies, and extension of good will.” Lady Ramkin didn’t curtsey, not unless the tilting of a ship to one side could be called a curtsey - and all done with a style that continued to take Ysabell’s breath away. Keli and Ysabell leaned back so not to get caught up in Lady Sybil’s chestnut mast-erm- hair. 

She herself was also a beautiful corpulent young lady, no, duchess, and looked on Lady Ramkin like a lighthouse of comfort in a sea of scarecrows with balloons attached*. [*Not that actual balloons have entered into court fashion. Though with the way fast fashion flashes by on the Disc, it could be a matter of time. However, what Ysabell was referring to was the ever popular bumroll. It is a miracle what enough bumrolls can do to a scarecrow. Not to be confused with the bumroll moment of 1560 in which, in a marvelous moment of commercial genius a one CMOT Dibbliét considered selling scarecrows with the pastry bumrollet attached, in hopes to gain a profit from local rural communities under the idea that “if the crows aren’t scared of the the scarecrow, perhaps they could be persuaded to be distracted with a bit of roll instead”

Earning the phrase “A roll in the bum” to enter into many a euphemism.] 

Ysabell remembered herself enough to snap out of thoughts of awe and aspiration, and said returning the curtsey, “Most amenable indeed!”  Straightening Ysabell could barely contain her twinkle eyed smile, “Please, as representative of Ankh-Morpork, I wish to hear more about you-r city! I’m afraid I haven’t had the time to travel much, but hope to remedy that. There’s just so much to see on the Disc!”

The Runaway's Gamble  ch2: 

She regretted it the moment she said it. Of course Moist von Lipwig would take up the challenge to explain everything under 10 seconds.The result of which turned into a blur of words speedier than a tongue twister [ add more here ]  

It went on until Angua couldn’t stand it any longer. “Alright alright,” she said lowering him back to ground, though still holding his shirt collar tightly lest he slither away, “that’s enough, I said enough!”

“I still had 8.9 seconds,” he said  sounding put out, “did Adora get to the watch house then?”

[ later on... ] 

“Doesn’t she remind you of anyone?” Moist asked pleasantly, “I’m sure I’ve seen a breed like that runabout Ankh Morpork before.”

Angua glared at him, her ears flattening. Moist grinned back unbothered.

Meanwhile Young Sam gave this some serious thought.

“Possibly,” said Young Sam at last, “though none with a little bandana around its neck.”

Moist nodded sagely at this, “A telling detail to be sure.”

[ Later on STILL, will probably be heavily revised by the time it is published ]

In the space, the cobbles were damp, and mist was rising up from path to via to alley and so on, even the lamp light was dim, and flickered, and likewise giving weight to the mist deforming the shadows into a dance. 

It was a quiet night, but still the watchman proceeded on. Time was relative, but all was kept well as the watchman watched on, and on and on, and on, and…

Something cut through the mist turned fog, like a lance of sunlight through a cloud. With it, joining the sound of rain, and footsteps, and the mute tones of the night, was the strumming of a string instrument. 

This was most irregular. 

This would not do.

The watchman proceeded toward the sound. 

The closer the watchman became the more he’d note the dim yellow lamp light was joined by a brighter light. 

He peered, straining his eyes as the brightness tore apart his trusted night vision. 

He waved his arms, to dispel the fog and get a better line of sight. This caused even more light to spill out, no longer born back and defused.

The watchman covered his eyes with his hand, and try to peer through his fingers. It proved unhelpful. As the watchman winced, shadows lengthened and grew behind him.

Then, not dissimilar to one dimming an oil lamp, the sunlight dimmed, and the watchman gasped as he saw a golden figure dance from shingles to windowsills to rooftops in single bounds, as though it were the top of a moving train. 

“You,” gasped the watchman with recognition. 

The figure turned to the watchman, and smiled. Then the figure leapt to the watchman turning into a blob of light that shifted form, with the ease of an amorphous droplet of water, to a small bird, a dog, a mule, a hare, a horse, a fox, to a blob once more, and finally a figure with a winged cap (not to mention a few other winged things), while beholding a wand with three gold branches. 

The figure then spake thusly: I was born on the fourth day of the month, by noon I made a lyre, and by evening I stole cattle.

“A thief.” said the watchman, displeased. 

The figure laughed, spun the wand on their finger so fast that it blurred and morphed once more to the turtle lyre made of stalks of reeds across the back, a strap of cowhide, and sheep guts for string. 

The figure strummed the lyre, and spake again: I sell wind, and gift wind in a bag. My words are an alchemist’s dream. 

The watchman reached for a cigar to light, this felt like it would take a while. “A charlatan?” 

The figure gazed on, amused, then shook their head. 

“Something to do with words.”

The figure nodded, and palmed the lyre from their hand into a coin, flicked it into the air where it spun and spun and spun. 

“Oh, um…alright, alchemists want gold, that’s obvious, the fools, but what does that have to do with wind?”

The coin dropped into the figure’s palm, and in a singular motion the coin turned into a potato, then with another palming motion became a coin again, another palmed motion turned it back into a coin, another move of the hand and then a hat, back to a coin, and then 

The figure then palmed the lyre from their hand out of existence and stepped forward, more wings sprouting without reason, and spake once more: I am herald to and fro. Currier and psychopomp. 

As the words entered the watchman’s head images of crossroads, dirt roads, streets, and a vast dark desert filled his head. 

“Um?” The watchman huffed his hands on his hips, and drew deeply from his cigar. “Look can we just cut to the chase? What’s all this about?”

The figure expanded and expanded until thin as a veil, smiling all the while, as they transformed into a window wreathed in gold sunshine. It showed Young Sam wrapped in a blanket beside Angua and Moist. The three of them sleeping in a barn for who knows what reason.