#Forgotten Betrayal

[wickedzeevyln]

Blankets

I have grown wise enough to see what a fool I've beenlong after summer is gone I feel the cold gnawing at my skinyou are a quilt of the best things that I failed to seein a world of chaos you were a sweet anomaly you tucked me in while I tucked you away shelved and neglected forgotten and betrayedwhen winter finally came without you life hasn't been the same.

[artsyhamster]

Disease from within, called love

[taritoons]

A little tribute to the tiefling companions from the past 20+ years of D&D CRPGs.

Left to right:

Haer'Dalis (Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn; BioWare; 2000)

Valen Shadowbreath (Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark; BioWare; 2003)

Neeshka (Neverwinter Nights 2; Obsidian; 2006)

Karlach (Baldur's Gate 3; Larian; 2023)

Annah of the Shadows (Planescape: Torment; Black Isle; 1999)

Gannayev-of-Dreams (Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer; Obsidian; 2007)

4k 16:9 wallpaper under the cut.

[downfalldestiny]

يا فؤادي رحم الله الهوى, كان صرحًا من خيال فهوى ❤️‍🩹 !.

[bleedingseeds]

Forget Mystra -- I've got a knife I've been sharpening for Kelemvor since NWN2:MotB.

His time better come, I swear. There aren't enough dead gods of the dead yet!

The fascist bastard.

[luck-of-the-drawings]

THE ORDER OF PALMS An order of holy folk that serve The Helm, working to create powerful Aasimar Paladins for the purpose of protecting any who hire their help. [BACKSTORY UNDER CUT]

One day, Gjör and her peers were lead by their mentor Opheria, to a mission far from their home. On the peak of that mountain village, they saw upon the horizon, the castle of their home go up in flames. Horrified and scared, the apprentices sought to follow their mentors guidance, and followed her lead into a small barn. It was there, that Opheria proceeded to slaughter each and everyone of the apprentices. It seemed she somehow had a hand in this sudden attack on the Order of Palms. Gjör D'annevual survived a sword through the 'heart', on account of a rare condition, that places her heart on the other side of her chest. When she finally managed to bring herself back home, the Order was insulted by her survival. She had so many better peers, why couldn't any of them have survived? This runt was seriously the only thing that survived Opherias wrath? It was better to just wash their hands clean of this. Thus the Order decided to banish Gjör from their ranks. She now travels the land in search of a purpose.

[fearyandear]

Not Who You’re Supposed To Be (Yandere! Revolutionary Servant POV x Captured Princess Y/N)

They took the nobles. Every last one. Most had tried desperately to escape. To blend in with the commoners, or to off themselves with dignity. Some slipped through, but in three days' time, the most important figures had been rounded up like hogs.

Ready to be slaughtered.

Among the first was the 12th princess. The attackers that burst to her room noted how calm she appeared, sitting on her chair with her favorite wine in hand. She'd given them a smile and told them they did a good job.

She was sent to the dungeons with the rest of her family.

Saber knew he shouldn't face her. What was done was done. She had served her purpose as his master, and now, he was free from her command. He was free.

And yet, he grimaced every time he passed the heavily guarded chambers to the underground. They beckoned him.

Only a day was left until the executions. They would be public and humiliating. The best show the country would ever get. And she would be a part of it.

He knew going down would be a mistake. He knew, as much as he denied it, that he'd regret it. That seeing her look at him after his betrayal... would be able to break him.

And still, that night, he ventured.

He used the guards' blindspots. This was a... private affair. He didn't want to explain this to the others. The dungeons creaked and wails prevailed. Heavy doors kept him from seeing their faces. But he had already memorized everyone's place, so he skipped to the end of a row. When he reached her cell, he was surprised by its stillness. Knowing her, she would have been one of the wailers. Her pampered lifestyle meant she'd get aches from the floor of her cell.

A thought targeted him, fast and quick.

What if she's sick? Already dead?

He fumbled with the lock, his initial fear was replaced with the anxiety to check. A swing of the door later, and his terror vanished.

She was standing, facing the outside on the small barred gutter with her head resting in her arms. She hummed as the door closed.

"Is that my little shadow?" She turned to look at him. She had expected him.

Knowing this made him feel conflicted.

Why wasn't she crying? Why did she look... content?

She wasn't being herself.

"You did it." She grinned. "You succeeded. I'm so proud of you!"

She came at him fast. He braced himself. Punches. Thrashing. A slap. Something would make contact, surely this would be her petty litte revenge but-

No.

An embrace.

It felt the same as others she had given him.

She hugged him completely, wholeheartedly nestled into his chest.

And she repeated herself.

"I'm so proud!"

He hated this outcome.

He pushed her. She stumbled but didn't fall.

"You... knew?"

"Of course!"

"How??"

She laughed. It was genuine and hearty, with a snort at the end.

"Saber... I've always known."

What the hell was she talking about.

"I... need you to explain."

She nodded. An explanation of everything was owed. A long one. She theatrically sat in the only bench available, and smoothed her dress.

"I am not a good person, Saber. You of all people know well my wickedness." She held a cheek with a hand. "I knew of the people suffering. I knew that I had the power to stop some of it. But... well, I'm lazy, Saber. I'm lazy and... It was easier not to. To believe that as the least favorite, I couldn't do a thing.... So I'd planned on living life quietly, sending prayers for the poor.

But then they gave me you."

She gazed at him. Met his eyes. They were warm and deep and welcoming. The same eyes as the day he had met her.

"You hated me. You hated everything about us, of course, but serving me especially... you directed it towards this foolish, stubborn princess. And you know what? I found you so admirable for that! You were a person who would change the world! And you'd make it so much better for everyone! So strong, so committed, so intelligent! Oh Saber! You're wonderful!"

Her grin brought him back to annoyance. There was an expression he finally recognized. The one he always felt was patronizing... but... perhaps it had never been. Her words...

Wait-

"So you knew about my plan to betray you? Did you recognize then... my disguise- those nights!"

His cheeks burned. The princess was hysterical.

"Saaabeeer, I knew, I knew! And I liked it. I always loved your touch, Saber. I was so happy too. You saved me from the anxiety of parties and people that I hate... I treasured those moments filled with passion..."

Both cheeks were in her hands now. Saber felt the need to explain himself.

"Those weren't supposed to happen... I had lost myself in the alcohol! I wouldn't have-"

"Oh. I know Saber. It's okay!" Her reassurance quieted him. "Your spite never went away. I'd never delude myself into thinking otherwise! You had a goal. It was just... the wine."

There was a pause. He couldn't look her in the eye.

The alcohol. He'd never drunk any, and... if she had known it was him, she may have been sober enough to know that too. But she was going along for him. He felt ashamed.

"I'm just a dumb princess."

He looked back up.

"I knew that's all I would be. But if I could help you... I thought, at least that'd be good for you. So, I played my part. I never paid attention in my classes. I let you do my homework for me. I made you memorize the secret passageways for dumb errands.... I blabbed about all the gossip I could gather at those stupid parties. And everything fell into place."

She shook a bit. He almost took a step towards her. He was getting distracted. Pieces were falling into place...

"You never once disappointed me. Or the people. You're a hero, Saber! You'll be legendary."

She got back up. He took a better look at her now. Her unkept hair. Her dress had torn and become dirty from sweeping the floor. Her eyes showed her lack of sleep, and the moon made her skin deathly.

But she was still the girl chained to him. She was still the girl with eyes that were glued to him, never out of malice but always out of love.

She had loved him.

She still loved him.

"Princess..."

"When will I be killed?"

His blood ran cold. Reality came flooding back..

"I heard the guards talking about an execution. But I never got the date... and it's been..." She looked to the wall. Three little notches had been made.

"Three days. When will the day be? How much longer will I have to stay here?"

Saber was back to feeling lost.

"I... I don't know."

He lied.

It would be tomorrow.

The princess crossed her arms. She blew out a breath like she always does when she's annoyed.

"Well, I hope it's soon. And I hope you can be the one to do it."

"Me?"

His voice almost cracked. Now she looked stunned.

"Of course you, you jerk! Don't tell me you weren't planning on doing me in yourself! With those eyes? With that built up grudge? I won't have it any other way! It has to be you!"

She got right up to his face. The usually warm eyes were cold. This was a demand. He hated when she did this.

But his usual defiance couldn't be mustered now for some reason...

He couldn't find any bite at all.

He felt his shoulders slump.

Killing her...

"Why are you so okay with this? Why did you let this happen?"

The flame of anger was welling up inside again.

"You could have stopped me. You could have- helped me! If I had known-"

She laughed again. "What do you mean? You hated me! You still hate me! Telling you I'm helping you would've only made you despise me more. Or it'd make you seem unreliable to the others on your side. We nobles are the enemy. Why would they trust in me?"

She shrugged.

"Theres no use in thinking about what could have been. What's done is done."

What's done is done.

"My fate would have been the same. For a better tomorrow with no future royal blood, we will all need to be killed."

No mercy was their rule.

Saber recalled the plan. The guillotine. The space made for the heads and bodies, each to be separated. And to be paraded around.

He couldn't help himself from reaching for her. Softly, he touched her neck.

"So, a beheading?" She had guessed.

It dawned on him how clever she actually was.

He had never noticed.

"Well," Her hand brushed over his. She held it firmly there and was back to meeting his eyes. "I'm glad you came to visit. And I hope you're getting everything you ever wanted."

How can she say such things without an ounce of malice?

He left her cell with her words in his heart. What is it that he wants? The moon was still high. The execution would be in the morning. Her place in line would be near the middle, with the lesser nobles.

She'd be surrounded by the people that mocked her. To die with those she hated.

The hand that touched her neck burned.

He could kill her now.

Surely that'd be preferable?

He imagined it. Squeezing her neck. Watching her eyes bulge. No longer would they smile.

He wanted to cut off his hand.

He can't.

He needed another plan.

He made his way to the servant quarters.

Tonight, he would be a villain.

~

(Doodles of this story found here!)

[fantasyismyonlyrealescape]

Whumptober 2024: No. 29 - Forgotten

Title: Walking Away

Fandom: WWE (Professional Wrestling)

Characters: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens (Past-Zowens)

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Word Count: 774

A/N: Welcome to another addition to Whumptober, Day 29. This one was fun to write, bouncing from Steen to Owens. It showed just a little bit of Kev's growth, and I liked digging into that. Cheers!

Summary: Kevin Steen had been forgotten once, left behind by the man who would become Kevin Owens. Kevin Owens would do whatever it took to not be forgotten by Sami.

Cross posted on AO3 under user wrestlinginjeans.

Kevin Owens knew what it felt like to be left behind, to be forgotten. When he had left behind Steen to become who he was today, he thought that by becoming something else, he would never have to feel forgotten again. He had made it to the WWE through blood, sweat, tears and skills. He had bulldozed through all barriers and people who stood in his way. He had even destroyed people that had stood by his side, who had thought they would be able to stand by his side forever. There had been one, one person who was like sunshine personified. One person who even Kevin believed that for a moment would be by his side forever no matter how much his touch burned. Kevin needed it, craved him but even that didn’t last. It couldn’t and Kevin had done what he had to do.

He thought that they were done, never to inhabit the same ring again, to breathe the same air. But they were intertwined, two sides to the same coin, two soulmates on the same path forward. But then their paths diverged once again. Sami, filled with visions of grandeur, had left Kevin behind for something more. Kevin couldn’t blame him; he had done the same to his partner so many times before. His light had long since abandoned him for a group of people that would snuff it out before molding the hopeful wrestler into something else entirely, a fallen angel.

Kevin, unable to watch the carnage that would ensue, moved off and joined his own attempt at escape in the Brawlin’ Brutes, a group that was united in a common goal. Kevin would destroy the Bloodline, but could he destroy him? He would destroy the Bloodline for what they had done to his sunlight, his purpose, his reason for being but he could never destroy Sami, not entirely. He had never been able to before and that was something that would never change.

Kevin Owens had gotten distracted, blinded by his light, if only for a moment and it had cost him. He had been so close to completing the pin 1…2…, so close to freeing himself and Sami of the nightmare that they spent every waking moment in, only to close their eyes and continue said nightmare. Kevin waited for the final slap of the ref’s hand as it met the mat, the bell signaling the end of the match and a victory for his team. When he knew that it would never come, that something had stopped it, he looked up and turned fiery eyes on the individual that had stood in his way to exoneration. The fire died in his eyes as he saw that Sami had been the one to stop him.

(Why? Why, Sami?)

 He had been this close, this close to freeing the both of them, to stopping whatever had been going on these past few years. Why had he stopped him?

Kevin stared into those hazel eyes that he should have known all too intimately, and he got his answer. Those eyes were not the ones that he had known, they were foreign to him now. Sami was no longer Sami. Sami was no longer his Sami. Kevin could weep at the sight. He had failed Sami. He would never be the same again.

In one moment, Kevin was staring into the eyes of a stranger and the next said stranger was hurdling towards him. Kevin welcomed it, ready to accept his fate. How poetic is it that his fate was to be fulfilled by the one man that he thought he was fated to be with forever. Kevin never the poet wished that he could articulate his thoughts into words, to weave them in a way that he knew they deserved. As Sami Zayn’s Helluva Kick connects with the side of his head, Kevin welcomes it like an old friend because that’s what it was, savoring the way the touch, even in violence, burned.

As the ref counts 1…2…3… three slaps of the mat close to his head, Kevin’s heart beats in time. His skin burns from where Sami is touching him, and he welcomes that too. Sami is off him all too soon and Kevin feels the crushing weight of loneliness and loss. But then, Sami is standing over him and his shadow is intoxicating, his gaze penetrating the very depths of Kevin’s soul and then he is gone, walking away from Kevin and to a future that Kevin had never had any business being a part of.

Kevin Owens knew then what it felt like to be forgotten.

[thyeternalhunger]

𝕾𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖎𝖘 𝖋𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖘 𝖒𝖊𝖎 𝖒𝖊 𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖇𝖗𝖎𝖆.

[allamericanb-tch]

taylor swift wrote all the young dudes, no one believed it was really her, and then she wrote the great war to prove them wrong. 

[umbrx]

Three days have passed since the birthday of once dear little brother. Such a shame to have missed it. Truly. ❝ Fufufu, maybe next year. ❞ Too bad dead men can't receive presents, even if said presents would send them back to their grave.

[groundbreakingdot872]

Ever think about the fact that Uther fell in love with a corpse?

That Catrina was dead, had already been dead for weeks, when the troll strutted into court wearing her face

And speaking of the origins of their plan- the troll had likely scavenged the estate of Tregor after the invasion minutes after the event, kicking bodies out the way on her instinctual hunt gold

Instead of finding anything valuable, which the bandits had already taken, she found pretty personal belongings, too lesser for a thief... and the lady that they belonged too.

Brutally murdered maybe, but intact enough to be recreated, and impersonated.

Finding her manservant’s body fallen nearby made the idea too easy to conceive, a "Jonas" in hand and the personal items of Catrina ruthlessly ripped away, the plan wealth beyond their imagining was already in motion

And then in the aftermath, of the whole horrid, gruesome, embarrassing affair, when the rumors had died down enough…

Uther must’ve gone quietly, in the early hours of the morning, to visit Catrina’s grave - the real Catrina

Laid flowers, and shed a few private tears over the woman he had never met, but had strong feelings for, perhaps love. Her physique and voice had enchanted him, in more ways than one, and temporarily given him a happy out from the sins of the past

Though it must've unsettled him, that he had fallen for the figment of a woman, not even a ghost, and pledged his entire Kingdom in a heartbeat over a pleasant if pitying face

Although I'm sure the irony, of beloveds coming back to the present, wearing marred faces with a masked intent for vengeance over ghosts of his evils, must have eluded him...

[theomenmedia]

Every Character From "The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King" Ranked From Most Loved To Most Hated

Celebrate 21 years of Middle-earth's end with our character love-hate list! From Frodo's courage to Denethor's despair, see where your favorites rank.

[soapcan18]

Here’s a chronological list of Kirby games no one asked for because I’m in a Kirby kick for some reason! I didn’t include spin-offs, also games that are remakes/remasters of each other are highlighted

1. Kirby’s Dream Land

2. Kirby’s Adventure

3. Kirby’s Dream Land 2

4. Kirby Super Star

5. Kirby’s Dream Land 3

6. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

7. Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land

8. Kirby & The Amazing Mirror

9. Kirby: Canvas Curse

10. Kirby Squeak Squad

11. Kirby Super Star Ultra

12. Kirby’s Epic Yarn

13. Kirby Mass Attack

14. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland

15. Kirby: Triple Deluxe

16. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

17. Kirby: Planet Robobot

18. Kirby Star Allies

19. Kirby and the Forgotten Land

20. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe

[charles-leclerc-official]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN MAX IS OUT THERE PLAYING PADEL WITHOUT CHARLES

[doorplays]

My Top Ten Games That I Played in 2023

Hello! 2023 has come and gone. I’ve played a decent amount of games across the year. Now that it’s 2024, I want to look back at the games I played and how they affected me. A retrospective! Now that some time has passed between my playing of a game and now, how has that time aged my opinion? I want to know! And I have decided to do it in the form of a top ten list!

This top ten list is NOT the best games released in the year 2023, but rather, the games that I’ve enjoyed the most when I played them during the year of 2023. Most of these games were released during earlier years. What matters more to me really is discovering how these games have left their mark on me.

So thus! Let’s find out!

10: The Forgotten City (2021)

Read my review here!

I liked its premise. The many shall suffer for the sins of the one. You explore this forgotten city, find out more about its inhabitants, and discover that you’ll have to crack open mysteries upon mysteries. There’s a fair amount of philosophical discussion here, and the characters are well-written. My main qualm about the game back then was its horror elements, as I was and still am averse to jump scares. Surprisingly though, I realized while writing this review that I completely forgot about that aspect of the game! Funny, that. This is considering the fact that I had to get a friend to go on voice chat with me so that I have company playing this game…

While I liked the game, I found it difficult to remember specifics about it other than the feeling of philosophy and mystery. So I guess those were my lasting impressions of this game specifically!

9: PRODUCER 2021 (2022)

Read my review here!

The gameplay of this game is some standard Visual Novel stuff, but what left an impression on me is its commentary on the artistic process. It is a rather cynical game with a lot to say. I related at points even if I don’t really consider myself an artist. I like its discussions about compost, of all things. What I liked most about this game, I think, was its soundtrack. A lot of bops! The soundtrack is the one that left the most lasting impression on me, though it’s somewhat easy to do that with soundtracks as I can just save them on my Spotify playlists if they’re on there. A nice two hours of gaming, in my opinion!

8: Mask of the Rose (2023)

Read my review here!

It is rare that I get ensnared by romance stories. I backed this game on Kickstarter cos I am fond of Failbetter’s games. I played it because I enjoy their stories. I didn’t expect to fall in love with so many characters! Rachel, with her sense of self and her writing. Archie, with his good nature. Harjit, with his watchful eyes. Griz, with her determination. There are just so many people to romance and know more of.

I still think of Rachel from time to time. She’s hot and is a person who knows what she wants. I like that sense of certitude in a person.

It’s nice as well to revisit the Fallen London universe. A relatively modern world with an eldritch vibe… it feels unique to me even years later. Re-experiencing it with a dating sim is not how I expected to do it but it is nonetheless very welcome.

7: Forklift Load (2020)

Read my review here!

Do NOT play this game on mouse and keyboard. Play this with controller!!!

This game really made me feel like I am an utter newbie forced to pilot a forklift. It is a zany concept, but I actually had fun with it. It feels somewhat like a puzzle game, trying to figure out how to go from point A to point B while lifting whatever with your forklift.

What I didn’t expect was for the story to be as cerebral as it was. It goes into some philosophical stuff, and the vibes of the game was unexpectedly calming, even if the gameplay itself was frustrating. I… am uncomfortable with regards to this game’s ending, but overall this game was an interesting experience. The concept was fun enough, and seeing it applied in practice was fun enough for me.

6: Betrayal at Club Low (2022)

Read my review here!

This was SUCH a fun game. The bombastic music, the fun visuals, the wacky humor, it combines into a world that’s fun to explore. And the gameplay is very fun! Rolling the dice against various challenges makes for interesting decision making, as you also have to manipulate your own stats to stack the odds in your favor. And the pizza dice are a fun mechanic, while also being a funny concept in and of itself. This is just a very creative game from top to bottom, and it makes me wanna experience more games from the dev in the same vein. It just feels so nonstandard yet so fun, which is why it left such an impression on me.

5: Elsinore (2019)

Read my review here!

Turning Hamlet into a timeloop game was a very inspired choice in my opinion. And it works! Though I guess it worked more for me because this is my first time actually experiencing Hamlet. I enjoyed the characters, their stories, the varied endings, and the unique take on the age-old story.

This game added a lot of stories that didn’t exist in the original, and I think I appreciated that decision a lot. It’s like updating a story for modern audiences. Though I’d argue that this is a wildly different story once you play enough of it. Nonetheless, when I think Hamlet, I will think of this game, and that is pretty much as lasting of an impression as you can get.

4: Hypnospace Outlaw (2019)

Read my review here!

The 1990’s were 30 years ago!!! I still can’t believe it! And yet here I am, feeling nostalgic for the computer era of the late 90’s. The forums, the pop-ups, the wacky wallpapers, the music. This is such a good game with well-crafted vibes.

And the story!! It feels so real. I think nowadays we rarely think about the simple fact that there is an actual person behind an online persona, but this game can make you confront that reality really well. It’s nice seeing the little quirks people have with designing their own sites, making their own posts, and dealing with their version of the internet. It makes the story hit harder. I’ll think of this game fondly as the perfect time capsule of the past and as a reminder that even the little things matter.

3: The Case of the Golden Idol (2022)

Read my review here!

I’ve been looking for a game that scratched the same itch as Return of the Obra Dinn (2018) and this game fit the bill perfectly. I really enjoyed the way I had to discover all the evidence, and then having to piece them together to find out what actually happened. And the fact that solving the mystery was ALSO the way the story was told was something I enjoyed a lot. Storytelling AND gameplay neatly folded in together! I’m sure the formula could be improved upon further, but I’m very much excited for more games like this from the devs. I still have a couple of DLC’s from this game to play too!

2: IMMORTALITY (2022)

Read my review here!

This is such a gripping game. I played this with a bunch of other friends, and watching the movies, experiencing the twists and turns… The simple act of making us interface with the game via the match cut mechanic gives the game a certain mystery, as clicking objects to do the match cut with lead you to random clips. Simple gameplay, but leads to a great experience.

The story is very thrilling, and piecing it together was very fun. It’s like a puzzle game where you have to find each puzzle piece, only that you didn’t know what the overall puzzle picture was and discovering each puzzle piece led you to an existential crisis.

This game made me think about the creative process more deeply than the other games I mentioned here. It made me think of the ways each of us want to leave a mark on this world, to live beyond our own mortality. It made me think of the costs of such ways… This game will be on my mind for a while.

1: Chicory: A Colorful Tale (2021)

Read my review here!

When I started writing for this game in this article, I just… stopped. Not because I have nothing to say, but because I feel like the effect of this game on me feels… bigger than I thought. This is a game about art, about the artistic process, and also about… depression, burnout, and trauma. I did not expect that getting into the game the first time, but it was good timing for me in a way, as I was dealing with these things in varying measure. It was a therapeutic experience, playing this coloring book of the game while dealing with these topics.

What’s more, it was actually nice getting to color stuff and draw stuff with my brush! Just coloring the various areas in was soothing. And in game, there are actual art classes where you are shown various artpieces that you have to recreate. I enjoyed making my own spin of some art shown in the classes.

Playing this game was an unexpectedly deep experience for me. I feel like it helped me with my own journey to getting better. I initially chalked this up as my #2 game of 2023, but I had to make it my #1 after I realized how big of a mark it left on me. I am glad I played this game.

FINAL THOUGHTS

One thing I noticed with my games last year is a fair amount of them are detective games. I love mysteries, and would love this genre to be explored further like in Return of the Obra Dinn and The Case of the Golden Idol. Another thing I noticed is that a surprising amount of games involve the artistic process. I like seeing games as art, and would love to see this space explored further. All in all, I love a lot of the games that I managed to play last year, and am excited for what this year holds for me! Thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to read my little review blog :)