#Ambassador Kell

[filmjunky-99]

r e m e m b e r i n g

Lawrence Dobkin

16 September 1919 – 28 October 2002

⚘️

[pic: dobkin as ambassador kell, the mind's eye, tng]

[book--brackets]

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater (2012-2016)

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

Shades of Magic by V. E. Schwab (2015-2017)

Kell is one of the last Antari--magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.Kell was raised in Arnes--Red London--and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.

The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski (1992-2013)

For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over, and now the races are fighting once again. The only good elf, it seems, is a dead elf. 

Geralt of Rivia, the cunning assassin known as the Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. This child has the power to change the world -- for good, or for evil. 

As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is hunted for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt's responsibility to protect them all. And the Witcher never accepts defeat. 

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986-2008)

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle.

To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl--and herself--than first meets the eye.

In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (2000-2020)

As a professional wizard, Harry Dresden knows firsthand that the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most of them don’t play well with humans. And those that do enjoy playing with humans far too much. He also knows he’s the best at what he does. Technically, he’s the only at what he does. But even though Harry is the only game in town, business—to put it mildly—stinks.

So when the Chicago P.D. bring him in to consult on a double homicide committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name…

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (1911)

Peter Pan, the book based on J. M. Barrie's famous play, is filled with unforgettable characters: Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up; the fairy, Tinker Bell; the evil pirate, Captain Hook; and the three children-Wendy, John, and Michael-who fly off with Peter Pan to Neverland, where they meet Indians and pirates and a crocodile that ticks.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1966)

One hot spring, the devil arrives in Moscow, accompanied by a retinue that includes a beautiful naked witch and an immense talking black cat with a fondness for chess and vodka. The visitors quickly wreak havoc in a city that refuses to believe in either God or Satan. But they also bring peace to two unhappy Muscovites: one is the Master, a writer pilloried for daring to write a novel about Christ and Pontius Pilate; the other is Margarita, who loves the Master so deeply that she is willing literally to go to hell for him. What ensues is a novel of in exhaustible energy, humor, and philosophical depth.

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (2012-present)

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.

The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb (1995-1997)

Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated as an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. 

 As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin (1968-2001)

Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world.

This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.

[aurumacadicus]

There are still a couple weeks left to read Iron Widow, but we’re voting for our next book now so we have plenty of time to get it for the first day of reading on October thirtieth! Book summaries are under the cut! Each new title is in bold for clarity.

If you’d like to join the book club, now or for the next book, feel free to send me an ask and I’ll give you the link to our Discord!

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Nathaniel is a boy magician-in-training, sold to the government by his birth parents at the age of five and sent to live as an apprentice to a master. Powerful magicians rule Britain, and its empire, and Nathaniel is told his is the “ultimate sacrifice” for a “noble destiny.”

If leaving his parents and erasing his past life isn’t tough enough, Nathaniel’s master, Arthur Underwood, is a cold, condescending, and cruel middle-ranking magician in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The boy’s only saving grace is the master’s wife, Martha Underwood, who shows him genuine affection that he rewards with fierce devotion. Nathaniel gets along tolerably well over the years in the Underwood household until the summer before his eleventh birthday. Everything changes when he is publicly humiliated by the ruthless magician Simon Lovelace and betrayed by his cowardly master who does not defend him.

Nathaniel vows revenge. In a Faustian fever, he devours magical texts and hones his magic skills, all the while trying to appear subservient to his master. When he musters the strength to summon the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus to avenge Lovelace by stealing the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, the boy magician plunges into a situation more dangerous and deadly than anything he could ever imagine.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders.

But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club finds themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.

Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it’s too late?

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

“Come home.” Vera’s mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories – she’s come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there.

Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren’t alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back, and is slowly stripping Vera’s childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn’t the one leaving notes around the house in her father’s handwriting… but who else could it possibly be?

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them, and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.

The Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis

A heartbreaking letter. A girl locked away. A mystery to be solved.

1956. When Ivy Jenkins falls pregnant she is sent in disgrace to St Margaret’s, a dark, brooding house for unmarried mothers. Her baby is adopted against her will. Ivy will never leave.

Present day. Samantha Harper is a journalist desperate for a break. When she stumbles on a letter from the past, the contents shock and move her. The letter is from a young mother, begging to be rescued from St Margaret’s. Before it is too late.

Sam is pulled into the tragic story and discovers a spate of unexplained deaths surrounding the woman and her child. With St Margaret’s set for demolition, Sam has only hours to piece together a sixty-year-old mystery before the truth, which lies disturbingly close to home, is lost forever…

Read her letter. Remember her story…

Cinder by Melissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

[rockislandadultreads]

Historical Fantasy Recommendations

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.

This is the first volume in the “Shades of Magic” series. 

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn't mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse's fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.

This is the first volume in the “The Winternight Trilogy.” 

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

"You've long set your heart against it, Axl, I know. But it's time now to think on it anew. There's a journey we must go on, and no more delay..."

In post-Arthurian Britain, the wars that once raged between the Saxons and the Britons have finally ceased. Axl and Beatrice, an elderly British couple, set off to visit their son, whom they haven't seen in years. And, because a strange mist has caused mass amnesia throughout the land, they can scarcely remember anything about him. As they are joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and an illustrious knight, Axl and Beatrice slowly begin to remember the dark and troubled past they all share.

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

This is the first volume in the “Temeaire” series.

[rosszulorzott]

Mi, alulírott magyar és európai állampolgárok sajnálatunkat, a leghatározottabb tiltakozásunkat és elhatárolódásunkat szeretnénk kifejezni a magyar kormány külpolitikájával kapcsolatban, ahogy a svéd NATO tagság ratifikálása ügyében elfogadhatatlanul taktikázott.

Kedves svéd barátaink, rokonaink és kollégáink!

Tudnotok kell, hogy Magyarországon többségben vannak az európai értékek, az Európai Unió mellett elkötelezett és Svédország NATO tagságát támogató állampolgárok. Meggyőződésünk, hogy a szabadság, a béke és a biztonság nem lehet semmilyen alkudozás tárgya! Svédország NATO tagsága hazánknak is alapvető nemzeti érdeke, Európa jövőjének biztosítása. A magyar kormány részéről az európai nemzetek és hazánk tudatos megosztása, az együttműködések ellehetetlenítése, a hazug propaganda az egyik legsúlyosabb bűn, felelőtlen, kártékony tevékenység.

Ezúton felszólítjuk a magyar kormányt és az Országgyűlést, hogy azonnali hatállyal tegyenek eleget európai és NATO tagságunk legelemibb igényének és kötelezettségének! Hagyjanak fel a kalandor taktikázással, ne kockáztassák a magyar állampolgárok biztonságát, ratifikálják Svédország NATO tagságát, és egyben kövessék meg a transzatlanti közösséget!

Ehhez a nyílt levélhez minden magyar állampolgár csatlakozhat.

Attn: Ulf Kristersson, Prime minister of Sweden, Tobias Billström, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Diana Madunic, Ambassador of Sweden to Hungary

Esteemed Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Your Excellency, We undersigned Hungarian and European citizens would like to express our deepest sorrow, strong disapproval, and firm refusal of the foreign policy of the Hungarian government regarding the ratification of the Sweden’s accession to NATO. We consider these tactics and non-action unacceptable and extremely harmful.

Dear Swedish Friends, Relatives and Colleagues, You must know that in Hungary the majority of the population support the European Union, European values, and Sweden’s NATO membership. We are convinced that freedom, peace, and security cannot be the subject of any kind of bargaining. Sweden’s NATO membership is a basic national interest of Hungary, as well, and contributes to ensuring the future of the European continent. The endeavors of the Hungarian Government to distance Hungary from the European nations, rendering cooperation impossible with lying propaganda is one of the most severe crimes, an irresponsible and harmful activity.

Hereby, we call upon the Hungarian government and the Parliament to fulfill their elementary duty deriving from our membership to the European Union and NATO at the earliest possible moment! They should immediately give up these irresponsible tactics and stop endangering the security of Hungarian citizens. They should ratify Sweden’s NATO membership and apologize to the transatlantic community for this belated action.

Any Hungarian citizens can join this open letter.

Till: Ulf Kristersson, Sveriges statsminister, Tobias Billström, Sveriges utrikesminister, Diana Madunic, Sveriges ambassadör i Ungern Ärade premiärminister, utrikesminister och ers excellens,

Vi undertecknade ungerska och europeiska medborgare vill uttrycka vår djupaste sorg, starka ogillande och bestämda vägran av den ungerska regeringens utrikespolitik angående ratificeringen av Sveriges anslutning till Nato. Vi anser att denna taktik och icke-agerandet är oacceptabelt och extremt skadligt. Kära svenska vänner, släktingar och kollegor, Du måste veta att i Ungern stöder majoriteten av befolkningen EU, europeiska värderingar och Sveriges NATO- medlemskap. Vi är övertygade om att frihet, fred och säkerhet inte kan bli föremål för någon form av förhandlingar.

Sveriges NATO-medlemskap är också ett grundläggande nationellt intresse för Ungern och bidrar till att säkra den europeiska kontinentens framtid. Den ungerska regeringens strävanden att distansera Ungern från de europeiska nationerna och omöjliggöra samarbete med lögnpropaganda är ett av de allvarligaste brotten, en oansvarig och skadlig verksamhet. Härmed uppmanar vi den ungerska regeringen och parlamentet att fullgöra sin grundläggande plikt som följer av vårt medlemskap i Europeiska unionen och NATO så snart som möjligt! De bör omedelbart ge upp denna oansvariga taktik och sluta äventyra de ungerska medborgarnas säkerhet. De borde ratificera Sveriges NATO-medlemskap och be det transatlantiska samfundet om ursäkt för detta försenade agerande.

Alla ungerska medborgare kan ansluta sig till detta öppna brev.

2024.01.25.

[zmwrites]

i want more on jane and kell please

ok ok ok SO jane and kell... they need some context

jane is our homeless thief protagonist, we all know and love her

kell (celyn) dyer is the older half-brother of duchess anwen. he was 2 or 3 when his father married duchess aldreda so he got all the benefits of being raised in a royal household without the bloodline. he's not part of the line of succession but he takes his job on the ruling council very seriously. he's worked hard enough to earn a voting seat, which is a right reserved for the twelve lords & ladies of the duchy and a few choice advisors.

and he is very sus of a homeless thief joining said council as an advisor for lord greystone. she's nosy and she has no manners and she doesn't seem to have a filter.

jane thinks he's dour and uptight and kind of rude?

“You want her to be in the party?” Mr. Dyer demanded, gesturing to Jane. “The party that’s going to be retrieving priceless artefacts from the Duchy’s history. You want the woman who was a career thief two days ago to be part of that?”

“Yes, that’s what I said, keep up.”

He deflated, and leaned heavily on the table, but kept quiet.

they bicker like actual children the first few times they meet.

anyways they get stuck in a cave together and become tentative allies

and then (several plot points later) they go to a party together at an ambassador's house to snoop and then get caught in a restricted area and (bc jane has two strikes for doing crime and a third one will have her sent to jail Forever) kell kisses her so they can pretend they were hooking up and not snooping through the ambassador's office

which gets him kicked off of the council (aka he loses his job aka his entire purpose aka the only thing that allows him to feel like he's accomplishing anything)

he doesn't take it well (he drinks a bit too much) (also he gets himself lightly stabbed) (he's fine, jane finds him lying in an alley and moping and forces him to go to the hospital)

and then he throws himself into the search for the artefacts w jane and the team and they get closer and almost die a few more times together, and he punches lord annesley after lord annesley hits jane, which makes him lose even more standing to the point his sister can't really help him anymore

meanwhile jane's social status is rocketing in the opposite direction bc people are taking notice of the fact that she's actually smart

idk how the plot ends yet but jane ends up falling in love with the sad, sopping wet kitten of a man after watching his life fall apart in no small part due to her presence

i love them so much they're both disasters doing their best and occasionally failing miserably

[startrekplotnthemes]

Season 4 Episode 24 Mind's Eye

Geordi is en route to an AI conference on Risa and attempts to relax when he is abducted by some Romulans. Sending an imposter ahead to Risa they use the technology in his visor to enact a form of mind control on Geordi. When he arrives back the Enterprise is dealing with a rising on Krios. The governor of the region, Vagh insists that the Federation is involved in aiding the rebels, procuring blasters that have Federation technology incorporated into them. 

Data and La Forge manage to identify an element of technology as Romulan but after this is revealed, a controlled La Forge sends ammunition down to the planet, escalating the situation. Geordi is next ordered to assassinate Vagh by the Ambassador Kell himself. He goes to do so but an ongoing investigation from Data of the shuttle leads him to realize what has been done. Acting quickly he has Worf interrupt the proceedings allowing Picard to prevent the assassination. Data shows up revealing the plot and implicating Kell as the only one aside from Picard who could have been controlling La Forge. When Kell protests the search Vagh is more than happy to take Kell into custody for a search leaving Geordi disoriented and confused.

Just as Picard was once controlled it is the final moments of the show that I find most disturbing. Troi has him recall the events of his trip to Risa and he is able to recall by wordplay what he did with the Romulans. He was tortured for days by them, trained in order to kill for them but he is unable to recall any of it. Is it a response to the horrific things they showed him, an attempt to block out the memories with happier fake ones? How does one trust themselves or not worry about what others think of them when one has been through a traumatic experience such as this one? 

[tobbpenztazembereknek]

Kyiv complained to Hungary last year after Orban went to a football match wearing a scarf that it said depicted some Ukrainian territory as part of Hungary.

Fáj? Csak, ha nevetek. Ezek nagyobb mócártjai a mellébeszélésnek, mint a pesti libernyákok, Áronkáim! <3 Úgy tűnik, az ukránokkal szeretnék KILÖVETNI Orbánt.

Lépjünk ki az EU-ból meg a NATO-ból, ahogy a partizánok szeretnék! :/

Ugyanitt:

Kell-e még mondanom valamit, Ildikó?

[filmjunky-99]

s t a r t r e k t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n created by gene roddenberry Ambassador Kell [the mind's eye, s4ep24]

'There was a time when the Empire would crush a rebellion. Now it is tolerated. We have enough problems on the home planet. We don't wish to divert resources to such a trivial war. - kell [to picard]

[ceresoktavia]

Proudly presenting todays stream results

Ambassador his ass.

The self-proclaimed shaman the Flame legion had sent was gone for at least three hours by now. Their words still rang in everyone’s ears, especially in those of Sidonius.

Surrender and be a peaceful part of the joined legions under their reign or be crushed.

All backed up by a display of the magic their “Gods” had given them.

Imperator Sidonius Dustfang wasn’t convinced in the least. So were his Tribunes and warband. Whatever these fanatics had found and declared gods, it surely wasn’t on the same page as the gods of humans.

Still, the magic this shaman had displayed was a threat, no one was arguing with that.

Heavy silence hung over the chamber, all pondering over means to keep their legion safe. None had found a good solution yet. To make matters worse, time was running short.

They were only given half a day to give an answer.

Once again the imperator looked around the table, trying to determine who should stay and who should help the ones unable to fight flee. And once again his brother was the one his piercing glare lingered on longest.

After all, Bengar was a very powerful Mesmer and had learned every spell of every magic proficiency throughout Tyria. He was a good pick as protector. But he was also a formidable fighter, probably the best he had.

A heavy sigh on his lips, Sidonius got up from his throne and started pacing around the room.

“That nervous already?” A black furred female rolled her head back, Caledora, another member of his warband.

“Shut up … “ He stopped pacing next to his throne and turned his back to the table. “ … I guess it’s no use. We need to get the evacuation going as soon as possible.” He turned back and once again stared his own brother down. “Bengar you will lead the evac team. Make sure our people stay safe.”

“What?” Bengar’s claws flew to his forehead. “I’m your best guess at making them run back to their Fahrar with pinched tails!”

“You’re also my best guess in keeping our fleeing people safe.” Sidonius tapped his claws on the backrest of his throne. “Caledora, Kell and Krem will come with you.”

The three mentioned charr all grimaced but kept it shut. Caledora was a formidable healer, having saved a lot of warriors from biting the dust where other healers would have failed. Kell was their best scout, living the legion’s motto to be swift and silent. Krem was a bit of a brute, but one that could stop a Dolyak stampede with his bare claws if need be. Combined with Bengar’s magic prowess, they could effectively keep Flame at bay, or even repel them if needed.

They were nonetheless not the least bit thrilled about missing out on the big clash.

“We can’t possibly safe everyone. So how should we prioritize whom to take with us?” Scratching her nose, Kell looked around to find some backup, she found none.

“Take all children … all pregnant females … also skilled elders in each profession and at least a few educators.”

Caledora snatched writing materials and scribbled around, finally looking up and snapping the quill she had just used in half. “That’s still about 4000 people. You’re asking a lot of us.”

“Because I know you can do it. Now go. Leave as soon as possible. I don’t want Flame to catch on and be on your trail … everyone else is dismissed as well.”

Almost everyone followed the order to leave, albeit growling and grimacing. Except for Bengar.

“You know sending me away is signing your own death sentence.”

Yet another sigh on his lips, Sidonius shook his head. “I know. But if I don’t, Ash will be gone.” He looked his brother in the eyes and grimaced himself. “Mother wouldn’t have wanted for our legion to end like this.”

Much to his bewilderment, Bengar just stepped closer to hug him, a seldom gesture among their people.

“Tell mother we’ll fight ‘till our dying breath when you reach the mists.”

“I will.”

After letting go of his younger brother, Bengar banged his fist against his heart in a Charr Salute.

“For the Ash legion!”

“For the Ash legion.” A sad smile on his face, Sidonius returned the gesture.

~+~

Of course things had to backfire horribly.

Flame had been hot on their tails almost instantly. Sure, they knew well how to hide and swiftly vanish in the shadows, but not with this much people all at once.

After instructing the rest of his warband to get their people at least to the deldrimor dwarfs before even thinking about turning tail to come help him, and almost having to beat them stupid to get them to follow his order, Bengar remained alone in the narrow valley they had chosen as their path.

Getting up there was only possible by flying, so they were relatively safe, despite being out in the open.

It also created a narrow path where the chasing flame soldiers would neatly line up, making it easier to fight them.

Now he patiently waited.

All he could do was buy them time, and decimate the number of enemies while at it.

He mused about the goodbye he and his brother had exchanged. Mused about missed chances and things that he might have done differently, if given the chance.

Like siring cubs.

He always made sure to never ever sire any, just in case he could pass on his own curse.

That was a fate he wished upon none, especially not upon his own offspring.

Looking up at the night sky, he wondered what his mother would think of her sons. Would she be proud? Or would she be disappointed?

Time seemed to move at snail’s pace until the chasing army finally caught up to him.

Bengar swallowed hard when he saw the monsters they had brought along.

Massive creatures of molten lava with spidery legs and torsos set on top akin to centaurs. No features on their faces, just flowing lava held together by magic. Arms just spears of the same lazy flowing lava without hands.

Were those the Titans the shaman had spoken off?

His eye and muzzle twitched.

He was lucky if he managed to hold of one of those things, not to speak of all six they had brought.

“A dead charr walking.” A charr clad in robes and totems peeled out of the ranks. “And another sacrifice for our gods.” They raised their arms high above their head and Bengar took his chance to strike.

A bolt of magic energy shot straight through the shaman in front and hit the first titan. The shaman just sacked to the ground, but the titan roared and swung its arms in a wide ark, hitting some soldiers, instantly burning them to cinders.

Crap … now it’s mad.

The creature charged and Bengar barely managed to cast a defensive wall in front of himself. Not that it stopped the beast’s assault; it easily pushed him back, the barrier barely holding.

Under the pressure of both being pushed back, his feet scratching over the grounds, and holding up the magic barrier, Bengar hissed, grinding his fangs due to the effort.

A useless one.

The barrier broke and the titan’s spearlike arm hit his body on his right side, setting his fur and skin on fire and melting his cheek horn completely. Hot pain struck him down, screaming into the night, he rolled away and barely managed to keep himself on his feet.

He felt the heat of his own blood, its coppery taste in his mouth and knew then and there, that he was a dead man.

So why not make it a spectacle?

Closing his eyes, he mentally thanked his remaining warband for the time they had, then he unleashed the magic residing deep within him.

Black smoke wavered out of his wounds, covering him, changing his form. He grew to the massive size of the titan in front of him, his claws extended, his back cracked open to unleash spikes and webbed wings. His face twisted, two more eyes appeared while his muzzle shortened, despite his fangs growing even bigger.

Tilting his head from side to side in jerky motions, he stared down his opponents.

The charr soldiers were mostly frozen in fear, but the titans all roared at once and charged.

Roaring himself, he charged as well, clashing with the one that had wounded him, and ripped the creature’s arms out, despite his arms catching fire. Clenching his hand to a fist, he bashed the creature’s head down into its torso, resulting in the lava instantly going cold, the structure crumbling down under its own weight.

The second titan reached him, and he jumped out of its spear attack, grabbing its head in the process to simply rip it off.

Tossing the head aside, he already charged for the third one, throwing his already burned side against the creature to topple it, then crushed in the torso to rip it in half.

The forth titan swung, setting him on fire once again, but suddenly burst out screaming in what sounded like pain. With his twisted features resembling a malicious grin, Bengar ripped its head off in fluid swipe of his claws.

He had always liked the curse “Empathy”.

The remaining two titans roared and braced themselves for his attack, but Bengar just reached out his claw, his twisted voice roaring as he unleashed his spell.

Spiteful Spirit

One of the titans threw a fireball in Bengar’s direction, yet both creatures started screaming in pain.

Not even thinking of dodging the attack, Bengar just took the hit head on, dark lightning buzzing in between his hands. He charged forward, grabbing both creatures’ heads in the process, and while one still tried to stab his hand, the other one tried to escape his grasp. A futile attempt, as his touch released the magic he had channeled, both creatures hardening and collapsing to boulders.

Breathing heavily, he directed his attention to the charr army.

Few had been wise enough to pinch tail and just flee. Using his magic to appear behind their closing lines, he stared the scared soldiers down.

“For the Ash Legion.”

Black smoke escaped his mouth as he spoke his words before he started to tear the soldiers into pieces like they were made of paper.

Screams, the stench of blood, burned flesh and burned fur mixed into a numbing white noise as he went on. He found them all, those who hadn’t fled early enough were now left at his mercy. He sniffed them out like hound, tore their bodies apart with all kinds of spells, resurrected some as minions to kill even faster.

Once the deed was done, he sacked down to the ground, the smoke flowing back into him, his body once again shifting to return to his original form.

Looking around the carnage he had created with his own two hands, he grinned before he screamed out in pain.

At least he had taken them all with him …

 ~+~

Buzzing sounds and pain beyond his wildest dreams woke Bengar up. He was hardly able to get a visual focus, let alone focus his hearing enough to make out what people around him were saying.

He saw a black blob with an arm, pointing around and according to this buzzing sound being the loudest, it was them speaking. Whatever it was.

His entire body hurt like shit, his right side feeling like being on fire, as were his hands. He tried to freely move his claws, but was unable to and not only due to pain.

Pleasant warmth seeped into his very core and he slowly managed to at least focus his hearing to make out the loudest of the bunch.

It was Caledora, screaming at people to get her supplies, ordering them around to assist her.

“You couldn’t just let me die, could you?” His weak remark stopped the chatter around for a moment, then he heard laughter.

“And miss out on your grumpy attitude? Never!” Caledora returned, shaking her head.

[eggsmuses-a]

Eido is eager as her feet carry her over to Rascal-7, footwork bending &. twisting as if she were weaving a blanket from a ball of yarn. She taps the Guardian on his shoulder, trilling as a cricket would, her four eyes widening upon garnering his attention.

She hesitates for a moment before tapping at her datapad as if she were searching for a pre-written script to announce. When she doesn't find what she's looking for, she resorts to tucking the pad to her chest like a highschool girl carrying her books.

#ﾞ ᴇ ——— ❝ Excuse me, Guardian, ❞ she's concise &. formal, presenting herself clearly &. as if she were acting as an ambassador for her people. ❝ but you're the one they call "The Ace", correct ? I've heard many tales about you. I was wondering about your status quo with your Eliksni house, whether they were interested in House Light or forming an alliance with us. ❞ She was acting as an ambassador.

❝ I was also interested in the connections of your people and yourself. They treat you as their Kell, correct ? An obligational contract ? ❞

@tutela-populus completed the interest tracker !

[minervacasterly]

King Henry VIII of England is one of the most controversial monarchs in history he is largely associated with his later years. But there is more to him than this. Before he was 'Bluff King Hall' he was a renown personality who was quite athletic, handsome and whom the Venetian ambassador praised him for his virtues and his intelligence. Many historians have remarked that Henry and his first consort, Katherine of Aragon, were well-matched. Both were handsome and accomplished scholars. In fact, the first years of his reign Henry surrounded himself with scholars and was eager to talk to them about the new current that was taking Western Europe by storm -Humanism. Although his father kept him under close surveillance, Henry became a very extrovert young man, playing all kinds of sports from tennis, jousting and he loved to gamble. Such a literate, eloquent, athletic young man is often overshadowed by the image of the 'bluff King Hall' which only comes later in life. There have been many studies done as to what, or why Henry changed so much. This was the Prince after all that many had so much hope on, the man who would usher in a new era. He did, but not like his contemporaries would have hoped for in the beginning. In Suzannah Lipscomb's book 1536, she theorizes that the fall from his joust on 24 January of this year, had a tremendous effect on him, affecting his personality and setting him on a darker path. But his actions were already erratic before this. It is possible that Henry could have suffered from multiple illnesses as another biographer, Kyra C. Kramer in her respective biography, points out. If he was Kell Blood Positive, it is possible the joust only made things worse. Whatever the reason, we must not dismiss the first years of Henry VIII's reign, for they are just as important as his last ones.

[aurea-fide]

Transcript | the 4th King.

“He’s the legend, the boogeyman, the 4th.” 

Listen here my little friends to something you should be aware of -

The Kings have a boogeyman A baron from the whirlwind rumors say A Mad one A fighter, a killer, the worse of the worse.

Survivors state to never try to win against him They state never try to lie or kill the Kells Or surely you would be thrown under the mad ones knife. Your death will either be quick and painless, Or torturous and slow.

Choose wisely ambassadors, choose wisely.

He will draw out his interrogations for days to get answers Waiting for the right information he wants plus potential blackmail he states. You better hope he's sane when he finds you or you will be praying to the gods for you will be thrown into the levels of Hell. 

Brutal and gruesome torture, little to no words spoken Precision to harm, to injure but not kill. Poisons, Knives, whatever he decides, Do you want to be thrown into the arena of where the other barons have fun before he continues? Where dogs are used to chase and tear?  

If you don't know him as the boogeyman, you know him as the 4th. Part of the honorary baron squad in Kings The stealth baron The one whose squad will wipe you out faster you can blink as he watches from the sidelines. He's known for his planning down to the wire with possible backup plans if shit goes wrong. His fellow barons leave him to it for he gets results And lets face it, they want to live too.

As one survivor to another Listen to this transcript or face the 4ths wraith. if you betray an alliance with his choosen house, he is unleashed upon your hides. And he will Not Stop.

- End transcript unknown survivor

[beckysbook5]

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab - Book Review!

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, travelling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic…

[bdpst24]

Az X Ambassadors új albumával koncertezik az Akvárium Klubban 

Az X Ambassadors új albumával koncertezik az Akvárium Klubban

Az X Ambassadors olyan slágerekkel tört be a toplistákra, mint az Unsteady vagy a Renegades és azóta is megbízható tempóban hozzák az újabb és újabb slágereket. Pont, mint legutóbbi, Beautiful Liar c. albumukon is, amelyen a gyerekkori félelmeikbe engednek betekintést. A zenekar az elmúlt félévet aktív turnézással töltötte és végre már nekünk sem kell sokáig várnunk, hogy táncolhassunk zenéjükre:…

[vreugd-madelon]

Shades of Magic Review

The Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab is a YA Fantasy series consisting of 3 books; A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows & A Conjuring of Light.

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. He was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand. After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure. Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.

I rate the A Darker Shade of Magic 4/5 stars.

I had my hope quite high for this book because everyone gave it so much praise. And it was still very good, but not as good as I thought. I also listened to the audiobook version while reading along with my physical copy in November 2021 and the voices the narrator put on were good, but not as diverse as I’d hoped, as I’ve come to expect from audiobooks lately.  The fact that the later books get a lot more praise than the first now kinda scares me, so I hope I’ll like them because I already own them. I’m planning to read them in December and January, so let’s see if that actually happens since I’m a mood reader.

The characters were alright, if a little one dimensional. Kell has a saviour's complex. Lila, just wants to be free. The Dane Twins want to take over the world and Holland just want to be left the fuck alone. Also the only reason I feel they’ve introduced Grey London is because Lila is from there and she just couldn’t be from the other Londons, but I wish there was some more excitement from their court and royal family. 

I rate A Gathering of Shadows 3/5 stars.

I enjoyed this book. Though I originally wanted to read it in December, it has taken me until the end of July 2022, to actually pick it up. Finished it in 3 days with the help of the audiobook. I do really like the narrators and the split POVs between Kell, Lila, and Rhy.

This book centers about the Essen Tasch, the Element Games, and god it was so boring. When I read a fantasy book, especially high fantasy, I want something world ending. When it’s a series, I don’t mind the 1st book being small town, so to say, but the world and problems should grow and expand. This didn’t do that, this did the opposite to that until the very end. I feel/predict that the next and last book in the series will have that world ending moment. I hope to read that one in September.

I rate A Conjuring of Light 4.5/5 stars.

Almost a year after I started this series, I finally finished it in December 2022.

This last instalment does a good job of recapping what happened in the last book in the first couple chapters. An amazing thing too because I remember barely more than the magic competition and I read it in July this year.

Really like all the different perspectives combined with the 2 voice actors. Each character has their own distinctive personality and voice. I connected with them more than I thought I would. I even shed a single tear when I read the last word of the book, which I didn’t really think possible at the end of book 2. Even the main villain of the book is wonderfully written and each time they encounter him the stakes just get higher and higher, which makes him very threatening.

The reason I deducted .5 of the rating is because a small portion of the book just felt too fast. It’s when Kell is away from London. 4 Days pass, and those days are like 25% of the book. We do have to locations to focus on, but for me personally it doesn’t really lend any gravitas to Rhy’s situation as it isn’t allowed to settle with him as we’re going on to the next thing.

Lastly, I do really like the ending for all the characters, Kell and Lila, Rhy and Alucard, and even Holland. Plus the ending is open enough that even another book or a side story is possible.

Do you have any questions? Or maybe some recommendations? Send me an ask here on Tumblr or tweet me. If you wish to support me, you can buy me a coffee! Or even buy my debut fantasy novel, The Mending Road.