#Grape Growing Supplies

[lsdoiphin]

Foods of Vestur

@broncoburro and @chocodile provoked me into doing some illustrated worldbuilding for Forever Gold ( @forevergoldgame ), an endeavor I was happy to undertake. Unbeknownst to me, it would take the better part of a week to draw.

In the process, I conjured about an essay's worth of fantasy food worldbuilding, but I'm going to try and keep things digestible (pardon my pun). Lore under the cut:

The Middle Kingdom

The Middle Kingdom has ample land, and its soil, landscapes, and temperate climate are amenable to growing a variety of crops and raising large quantities of livestock. The Midland palate prefers fresh ingredients with minimal seasoning; if a dish requires a strong taste, a cook is more likely to reach for a sharp cheese than they are to open their spice drawer. Detractors of Middle Kingdom cuisine describe it as bland, but its flavor relies on the quality of its components more than anything.

KEY CROPS: wheat, potatoes, carrots, green beans, apples, pears, and grapes KEY LIVESTOCK: Midland goats, fowl, and hogs

ROAST FOWL: Cheap and easy to raise, fowl is eaten all over Vestur and by all classes. Roasted whole birds are common throughout, but the Middle Kingdom's approach to preparation is notable for their squeamish insistence on removing the head and neck before roasting, even among poorer families. Fowl is usually roasted on a bed of root vegetables and shallots and served alongside gravy and green beans.

GOAT RIBEYE: Vestur does not have cattle – instead it has a widely diversified array of goats, the most prominent being the Middle Kingdom's own Midland goat. The Midland goat is a huge caprid that fills the same niche as cattle, supplying Vestur with meat and dairy products. Chevon from the Midland goat is tender with a texture much like beef, though it retains a gamier, “goat-ier” taste. It is largely eaten by the wealthy, though the tougher and cheaper cuts can be found in the kitchens of the working class. Either way, it is almost always served with gravy. (You may be sensing a pattern already here. Midlanders love their gravy.)

FETTUCCINE WITH CHEESE: Noodles were brought to the Middle Kingdom through trade with the South and gained popularity as a novel alternative to bread. The pasta of Midland Vestur is largely eaten with butter or cream sauce; tomato or pesto sauces are seldom seen.

CHARCUTERIE WITH WINE: Charcuterie is eaten for the joy of flavors rather than to satiate hunger, and therefore it is mainly eaten by the upper class. It is commonly eaten alongside grape wine, a prestigious alcohol uniquely produced by the Middle Kingdom. The flavor of grape wine is said to be more agreeable than the other wines in Vestur, though Southern pineapple wine has its share of defenders.

BREAD WITH JAM AND PRESERVES, TEA SANDWICHES, & ROSETTE CAKE: Breads and pastries are big in the Middle Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom considers itself the world leader in the art of baking. Compared to its neighbors, the baked goods they make are soft, light, and airy and they are proud of it. Cakes in particular are a point of ego and a minor source of mania among nobility; it is a well-established cultural joke that a Middle Kingdom noble cannot suffer his neighbor serving a bigger, taller cake. The cakes at Middle Kingdom parties can reach nauseatingly wasteful and absurdist heights, and there is no sign of this trend relenting any time soon.

CHOWDER, FARMER'S POT PIE, GRIDDLECAKES, EGGS, CURED MEATS: If you have the means to eat at all in the Middle Kingdom, you are probably eating well. Due to the Midland's agricultural strength, even peasant dishes are dense and filling. Eggs and cured meats are abundant, cheaper, and more shelf stable than fresh cuts and provide reprieve from the unending wheat and dairy in the Midland diet.

STEWED APPLES AND PEARS, JAM AND PRESERVES: The Midland grows a number of different fruits, with apples and pears being the most plentiful. In a good year, there will be more fruit than anyone knows what to do with, and so jams and preserves are widely available. Stewed fruit has also gained popularity, especially since trade with the Southern Kingdom ensures a stable supply of sugar and cinnamon.

NORTHERN KINGDOM - SETTLED

The Northern Kingdom is a harsh and unforgiving land. Historically, its peoples lived a nomadic life, but since the unification of the Tri-Kingdom more and more of the Northern population have opted to live a settled life. The “settled North” leads a hard life trying to make agriculture work on the tundra, but it is possible with the help of green meur. The Northern palate leans heavily on preserved and fermented foods as well as the heat from the native tundra peppers. Outsiders often have a hard time stomaching the salt, tang, and spice of Northern cuisine and it is widely considered “scary.”

KEY CROPS: potatoes, beets, carrots, tundra pepper KEY LIVESTOCK: wooly goats, hares*

GOAT POT ROAST: Life up north is hard work and there is much to be done in a day. Thus, slow cooked one-pot meals that simmer throughout the day are quite common.

VENISON WITH PICKLES: Game meat appears in Northern dishes about as much as farmed meat – or sometimes even more, depending on the location. Even “classier” Northern dishes will sometimes choose game meat over domesticated, as is the case with the beloved venison with pickles. Cuts of brined venison are spread over a bed of butter-fried potato slices and potent, spicy pickled peppers and onions. The potatoes are meant to cut some of the saltiness of the dish, but... most foreigners just say it tastes like salt, vinegar, and burning.

MINER STEW: While outsiders often have a hard time distinguishing miner stew from the multitude of beet-tinged stews and pot roasts, the taste difference is unmistakable. Miner's stew is a poverty meal consisting of pickles and salt pork and whatever else is might be edible and available. The end result is a sad bowl of scraps that tastes like salt and reeks of vinegar. The popular myth is that the dish got its name because the Northern poor began putting actual rocks in it to fill out the meal, which... probably never happened, but facts aren't going to stop people from repeating punchy myths.

RYE TOAST WITH ONION JAM: Rye is hardier than wheat, and so rye bread is the most common variety in the North. Compared to Midland bread, Northern bread is dense and gritty. It is less likely to be enjoyed on its own than Midland bread, both because of its composition and because there's less to put on it. Unless you've the money to import fruit spreads from further south, you're stuck with Northern jams such as onion or pepper jam. Both have their appreciators, but bear little resemblance to the fruit and berry preserves available elsewhere in Vestur.

HARE DAIRY: Eating hare meat is prohibited in polite society due to its association with the haretouched and heretical nomadic folk religions, but hare dairy is fair game. Hare cheese ranges from black to plum in color, is strangely odorless, and has a pungent flavor akin to a strong blue cheese. It is the least contentious of hare milk products. Hare milk, on the other hand, is mildly toxic. If one is not acclimated to hare milk, drinking it will likely make them “milk sick” and induce vomiting. It is rarely drunk raw, and is instead fermented into an alcoholic drink similar to kumis.

MAPLE HARES AND NOMAD CANDY: Maple syrup is essentially the only local sweetener available in the North, and so it is the primary flavor of every Northern dessert. Simple maple candies are the most common type of sweet, though candied tundra peppers – known as “nomad candy” – is quite popular as well. (Despite its name, nomad candy is an invention of the settled North and was never made by nomads.)

TUNSUKH: Tunsukh is one of the few traditions from the nomadic era still widely (and openly) practiced among Northern nobility. It is a ceremonial dinner meant as a test of strength and endurance between political leaders: a brutally spiced multi-course meal, with each course being more painful than the last. Whoever finishes the dinner with a stoic, tear-streaked face triumphs; anyone who cries out in pain or reaches for a glass of milk admits defeat. “Dessert” consists of a bowl of plain, boiled potatoes. After the onslaught of tunsukh, it is sweeter than any cake.

NORTHERN KINGDOM – NOMADIC NORTH

Although the Old Ways are in decline, the nomadic clans still live in the far North beyond any land worth settling. They travel on hareback across the frozen wasteland seeking “meur fonts” - paradoxical bursts of meur that erupt from the ice and provide momentary reprieve from the harsh environment. The taste of nomad food is not well documented.

KEY CROPS: N/A KEY LIVESTOCK: hares

PEMMICAN: Nomadic life offers few guarantees. With its caloric density and functionally indefinite “shelf life,” pemmican is about as close as one can get.

SEAL, MOOSE: Meat comprises the vast majority of the nomadic diet and is eaten a variety of ways. Depending on the clan, season, and availability of meur fonts, meat may be cooked, smoked, turned to jerky, or eaten raw. Moose and seal are the most common sources of meat, but each comes with its own challenges. Moose are massive, violent creatures and dangerous to take down even with the aid of hares; seals are slippery to hunt and only live along the coasts.

WANDER FOOD, WANDER STEW: When a green meur font appears, a lush jungle springs forth around it. The heat from red meur fonts may melt ice and create opportunities for fishing where there weren't before. Any food obtained from a font is known as “wander food.” Wander food is both familiar and alien; the nomads have lived by fonts long enough to know what is edible and what is not, but they may not know the common names or preparation methods for the food they find. Fish is simple enough to cook, but produce is less predictable. Meur fonts are temporary, and it's not guaranteed that you'll ever find the same produce twice - there is little room to experiment and learn. As a result, a lot of wander food is simply thrown into a pot and boiled into “wander stew,” an indescribable dish which is different each time.

CENVAVESH: When a haretouched person dies, their hare is gripped with the insatiable compulsion to eat its former companion... therefore, it is only proper to return the favor. Barring injury or illness, a bonded hare will almost always outlive its bonded human, and so the death of one's hare is considered a great tragedy among nomads. The haretouched – and anyone they may invite to join them – sits beside the head of their hare as they consume as much of its rib and organ meat as they can. Meanwhile, the rest of the clan processes the remainder of the hare's carcass so that none of it goes to waste. It is a somber affair that is treated with the same gravity as the passing of a human. Cenvavesh is outlawed as a pagan practice in the settled North.

HARE WINE: While fermented hare's milk is already alcoholic, further fermentation turns it into a vivid hallucinogen. This “hare wine” is used in a number of nomad rituals, most notably during coming of age ceremonies. Allegedly, it bestows its drinker with a hare's intuition and keen sense of direction... of course, truth is difficult to distinguish from fiction when it comes to the Old Ways.

SOUTHERN KINGDOM

The Southern Kingdom is mainly comprised of coast, wetland, and ever-shrinking jungle. While the land is mostly unfit for large-scale agriculture, seafood is plentiful and the hot climate is perfect for exorbitant niche crops. What they can't grow, they obtain easily through trade. Southerners have a reputation for eating anything, as well as stealing dishes from other cultures and “ruining” them with their own interpretations. KEY CROPS: plantains, sweet potato, pineapple, mango, guava, sugarcane KEY LIVESTOCK: fowl, marsh hogs, seals

GLAZED EEL WITH FRIED PLANTAINS: A very common configuration for Southern food is a glazed meat paired with a fried vegetable. It almost doesn't matter which meat and which vegetable it is – they love their fried food and they love their sweet and salty sauces in the South. Eel is a culturally beloved meat, much to the shock and confusion of visiting Midlanders.

NARWHAL STEW: Narwhal stew is the South's “anything goes” stew. It does not actually contain narwhal meat, as they are extinct (though the upper class may include dolphin meat as a protein) – instead, the name comes from its traditional status as a “forever soup,” as narwhals are associated with the passage of time in Southern culture. Even in the present day, Southern monasteries tend massive, ever-boiling pots of perpetual stew in order to feed the monks and sybils who live there. Narwhal stew has a clear kelp-based broth and usually contains shellfish. Beyond that, its ingredients are extremely varied. Noodles are a popular but recent addition.

FORAGE: The dish known as “forage” is likewise not foraged, or at least, it hasn't been forage-based in a good hundred years at least. Forage is a lot like poke; it's a little bit of everything thrown into a bowl. Common ingredients include fish (raw or cooked), seaweed, fried noodles, marinated egg, and small quantities of fruit.

HOT POT: Hot pot is extremely popular, across class barriers, in both the South proper and its enclave territories. This is due to its extreme flexibility - if it can be cooked in a vat of boiling broth, it will be. Crustaceans and shellfish are common choices for hot pot in the proper South, along with squid, octopus, mushrooms, and greens.

FLATBREAD: The Southern Kingdom doesn't do much baking. The vast majority of breads are fried, unleavened flatbreads, which are usually eaten alongside soups or as wraps. Wraps come in both savory and sweet varieties; savory wraps are usually stuffed with shredded pork and greens while sweet wraps – which are much more expensive – are filled with fruit and seal cheese.

GRILLED SKEWERS, ROAST SWEET POTATO: While a novel concept for Midlanders and Northerners, street food has long been a part of Southern Kingdom culture. You would be hard pressed to find a Southern market that didn't have at least three vendors pushing grilled or fried something or other. Skewers are the most common and come in countless configurations, but roast sweet potatoes are a close second.

CUT FRUIT AND SEAL CHEESE: Fresh fruit is popular in the South, both local and imported. While delicious on its own, Southerners famously pair it with seal cheese. Which leads me to an important topic of discussion I don't have room for anywhere else...

THE SOUTH AND CHEESE: Since the South doesn't have much in the way of dairy farming, cheese is somewhat rare in their cuisine – but it is present. And important. Cheese is the domain of the Church. Common goat dairy imported from the Middle Kingdom is turned to cheese by monks in Southern monasteries and sold to the Southern public, yes, but as you have noticed there is another cheese prominent in the Southern Kingdom diet: seal cheese. Seal cheese is unlike anything else that has ever been called cheese; the closest it can be compared to is mascarpone. It is is a soft, creamy cheese with a mild flavor and an indulgent fat content. It is used almost exclusively as a dessert, though it is only ever mildly sweetened if at all. It is extremely costly and held in high regard; the most religious Southerners regard it as holy. Dairy seals are a very rare animal and raised exclusively in a small number of Cetolist-Cerostian monasteries, where they are tended and milked by the monks. Due to their status as a holy animal, eating seal meat is forbidden. Eating their cheese and rendering their tallow into soap is fine though.

(HEARTLAND SOUTH) SOUTH-STYLE GOAT: The Heartland South is a Southern enclave territory in the Middle Kingdom. Visiting Midland dignitaries oft wrongly assume that because the Heartland South is in Middle Kingdom territory, Heartland Southerners eat the same food they do exactly as they do. They are horrified to find that familiar sounding dishes like “goat with potatoes” are completely and utterly unrecognizable, drenched in unfamiliar sauces and spices and served alongside fruit they've never eaten. Meanwhile, Heartland Southerners firmly believe that they have fixed the Middle Kingdom's boring food.

(BOREAL SOUTH) “TUNSUKH”: If Midlanders are afraid of Heartland Southern food, Northerners are absolutely furious about cuisine from the Boreal South - the most legendarily offensive being the Boreal South's idea of “tunsukh.” Southerners are no stranger to spice, so when Southern traders began interacting with the North, they liked tunsukh! It's just... they thought it needed a little Southern help to become a real meal, you know? A side of seal cheese soothed the burn and made the meal enjoyable. And because the meal was enjoyable, the portion sizes increased. And plain boiled potatoes? Well, those are a little too plain – creamy mashed sweet potato feels like more of a dessert, doesn't it? ...For some reason, Northerners didn't agree, but that's okay. The Boreal South knows they're just embarrassed they didn't think of pairing seal cheese with tunsukh sooner.

ARMY RATIONS

The food eaten by the King's Army is about what you would expect for late 1700s military; salt pork or salt chevon, hard tack, and coffee. The biggest divergence they have is also one of Vestur's biggest points of pride: they have the means to supply their troops with frivolous luxuries like small tins of candied fruit from the Midland. A love of candied fruit is essentially a Vesturian military proto-meme; proof that they serve the greatest Tri-Kingdom on the planet. Don't get between a military man and his candied fruit unless you want a fight.

[dailyadventureprompts]

Monsterhunt: Savogorg, Demon of Deliciousness

Demons reflect the most destructive impulses of the living and while most default to primal feelings like fear, pain, and despair... the feeling this saccharine salamander embodies could best be described as "the irresistible urge to stick your finger in a freshly frosted cake".

Driven by an indulgent need to taste all the finest things without ever worrying about hunger Savogorg crashes feasts, burgles pantries, and pinches pies from windowsills heedless of the chaos it causes in the process.

It takes an act of supreme immoderation to summon the demon of deliciousness, an inability to be satisfied that goes so far beyond hedonism that it wounds the soul. A ruler who beggars the realm with their elaborate feasts, An epicurean restaurateur who seeks ever more exotic experiences for her exclusive clientele, the taverncook who insists that this time he'll finally be able to make his grandmother's recipe as good as he remembers it. Those that suffer this affliction find themselves beset by bouts of reckless appetite, and with every mouthful the demon's stake upon them grows until it is finally able to manifest in the world.

Adventure Hooks:

Everyone knew it was a bad omen when the earl's secondborn shot the white stag. Legends of earning lordship be damned, it was plain as day the creature was beloved by the forest goddess. Butchery and trophytaking was bad enough, but to serve the flesh to your spoiled friends only to spit it out as "gamey"... now that truelove was worthy of some divine wrath. Now the noble lad wanders the wood in a state of ragged confusion, delirious from hunger and mushrooms and fermented berries, sometimes asking passersby for help, sometimes attempting to bite them. Folk susspect he's become a werewolf, and the earl is offering a rich reward to those who can bring his boy back and break the curse, while his firstborn is willing to pay extra to ensure that doesn't happen. She's become convinced her brother desires her inheritance, and what could it hurt if he stayed mad?

A prestigious culinary competition has been thrown into chaos after a series of disastrous incidents and atleast one contestant going missing. This is an excuse to riff off your favourite baking shows while the party plays detective trying to find who's eating the supplies... and the staff.

There's no such thing as forbidden snacks when you're a hunger demon. Having slithered into an elven temple dedicated to the god of earth and wine, Savogorg has laid it's greedy fingers on a sacred artifact in the form of a heavily laden bunch of grapes each sculpted from a precious gemstone and swallowed it whole. Ignorant of the demon's existnace the elves are incensed at this trespass, and begin hunting and questioning would be thieves. Tracking the demon might be easier than expected, as the holy artifact has given it divine indigestion, and the amphibious fiend keeps burping up minor mirracles as it moves about the city looking for a place to sleep off its tumymache.

Challenges & Complications:

Despite it's bulk, the demon's squishy body allows it to pass through any opening the size of a fist, allowing it to slip into unexpected places through drains, chimneys, and cracked doors, leaving behind only a sugary slime. This also allows it to unexpected escapes should it be cornered by the party. Experementation may reveal that extensive cold damage may cause the demon's body to semi-solidfy, preventing this ability.

As a demon of appetite, Savogorg is sustained by the act of eating, and will freely regain hitpoints anytime it focuses on chowing down rather than fighting the party, or if it's swallowed one of them whole. Poison can be useful here, souring its stomach and preventing it from actively eating anything more.

Artsource

[queer-irritator]

Imagine Kratos discovers it's your Birthday...

Kratos finds out when your birthday is. He has fond memories of celebrating birthdays and other holidays as a child. It was perhaps the only time he was surrounded by joy and he had a break from spartan training.

You told Kratos to not make a big deal about your birthday. All you wanted was to spend time with him, Atreus and your friends, and share a meal together.

However, Kratos’ Greek hospitality and love for you would not allow him to settle for a small celebration. 

The weeks leading up to your birthday, he’d keep an eye out on his excursions to find gifts for you. Any artifacts, jewelry, or pottery he thought you would like got scooped up and taken back home.

He would also go out of his way to gather any supplies and ingredients he needed to give you a proper celebration.

One month before your birthday, Kratos had gotten some grapes, honey, and spices to make up a bottle of wine so it would be ready just in time for your birthday.

The night before your birthday he would sneak out of bed to bake you a classic honey cake, as tradition from his homeland. He would add something extra to make it special, maybe some nuts, fruit, or wine. Whatever he thought you would like the best. 

The morning of your birthday Kratos would enter the room the two of you shared, holding a cake with as many candles as years you’ve been alive, plus one. 

Kratos would tell you, “Χρόνια Πολλά, Ό,τι επιθυμείς” meaning Happy Birthday; that he wishes you many more years to celebrate, and that all your hopes and desires come true.

You would thank him and blow out your candles, wishing for every birthday to start out this way.

---

A/N: It’s my birthday today, so I did some online digging about how long birthdays have been celebrated and if the ancient greeks celebrated birthdays. I found out they probably would have, at least around the time Kratos was growing up, somewhere in early 500BCE. This is all just random internet searches, not meant to be taken too seriously of course. I found that they may have started to celebrate mortals birthdays (not just gods) at least around 200BCE. They would bake cakes in the shape of the moon and but candles on it and light them so it shone like the moon as well. This was used as an offer to the goddess Artemis, the goddess of childbirth. Apparently the Greeks were always known to throw good parties with lots of gifts, wine and cake, so let’s turn up.

[jp---v]

Chapter 420

So close to actual 4/20 and yet so far

Kurogiri dropped them on a tiny rock, in the ocean.

Feels like a place AfO would've sent a younger Tomura for timeout, nothing to Decay except the only thing keepibg him from drowning.

Present Mic has been really stressed recently, and he's taking it out on the reanimated corpse of one of his highschool friends... admittedly said corpse has been a potent source of that stress

"I see tears." "Nuh uh."(he says while crying.) "Not you."

Official age, I don't remember if it's actually been established before or not.

We're not students anymore, we're teachers. This is a student that got lost, let's do our jobs.

Is Oboro gonna poke his face out?

Friendly warp gate aquired.

First stop, status update and reinforcements. Bonus: Civilians giving up extra supplies

Your shirt may be torn into bandages. Don't expect it back, and I hope you have something else to put on

Next stop: Back to the frontline

This poor child cannot get a break can she?

Ectoplasm blames Aizawa's parenting

Eri wants to sing, excuse everyone as they go and cry

Let's hope there's enough energy stored in that shard of her horn to bring back all of his arms. We'll see about whether or not her quirk is permanently damaged

"You can't die until you've heard her sing." Damn right.

Listen, listen Kaminari's already half gone, he might be more of a liability than an asset, and Momo's gotta be running low on reserves after everything she was doing to keep UA in the air

Some of Mineta's grapes didn't grow back

Kouji looks pretty cool with his head all open like that ngl

[aristia-pjoheadcanons]

HOO Crew - Argo Headcanons

Headcanons of the Heroes of Olympus cast on Argo II.

I´d like to imagine that they had bonding activities Behind-The-Scene, just so they can understand how each person works and figure out their strengths.

UNO, TWISTER, SPIN THE BOTTLE, TRUTH OR DARE, WOULD YOU RATHER- ANY GAMES AVAILABLE. Leo has thought of it all.

Connor and Travis probably snuck in theri prank supplies for them to use. Annabeth and Piper wouldnt mind pranking the boys - swapping theri shampoos and making them smell different. (small pranks that only they notice)

Percy and Frank are just confused why the duo is giggling and sneaking glances during breakfast.

Hazel wouldnt want to miss out, having the ourage to just walk into Annabeths/Pipers room "Hey, what are you guys up to?" and joining on the fun.

Making strategic plans for every duo, trio, and combining different people together for every scenario. My girls would think of everything, Annabeth taking the leader-role. Plan a way to attack a monster, with FRANKXANNABETH LEOXANNABETH, PERCYXJASON - Like I said, different combinations of people and figuring out the best choices.

Frank and Annabeth are the most versatile out of everyone. They can be combined with everyone. Percy, Jason and Leo have some drawbacks-since theyre used to doing things in their own tempo even though they have already been on a quest with people they cna easily defeat a monster by themselves. Piper and Annabeth decided to work together - a girl with emotions as her weakness (her pride) x a stubborn girl that ran away from her emotions but is forced to see it as her strength (because of the abilitiy Aphrodite gave). Piper being the best medeator, the balance that holds the glue but can also need reassurance - if the stress is too much she needs support.

Annabeth, Frank, Jason combo would work but would be somewhat slow since theyre all leaders and have great minds-but they have different POVs of things and can often fall into a deep discussion-which you often dont have time for on the battlefield. its not like they argue, but theyre the types of people to think very deeply for every plan. Jason would see the strategic side of Frank and invite him inside his cabinroom, because he can see a leader inside of him. Then, Jason would invite him to join his and Annabeths planning.

Piper and Percy would be awkward at first, until they start talking about monsters theyve fought. Percy loves the stories Piper tells, because they always have wisdom and something to learn from. Her stories helped him understand that every situation different perspetives if youre willing to see it. It taught him patience & tolerance. Instead of being quick to anger, control is important-perhaps thats why he could control the poison in Misery, Pipers teaching helped his powers grow in a different way.

Leo having insecurity issues, would struggle to fit in with the others. I see him almost as a self pitying character, but he denies any self pity at the same time. With Hazel and funnily enough, Frank he would see strength. More on this later.

Nico would sit on the highest branch on the ship. Frank would fly and give him a blanket and silently sit there as a bird. Nico would only eat grapes, Hazel would always offer food and Nico would smell it and say it smells nice but never eat it. "When you eat, I feel full" he would say to try to reassure her.

Percy wouldnt mind letting people use his room as a way to hangout, but the problem would be cleaning up after sleepovers. Leo has snacks stashed everywhere, where not even Coach Hedge can ge this hands on. They would all be on a sugar high and have a hard time sleeping afterwards.

You would think that it is the girls who gossip in theri room the most but NOO its the boys. They all gossip about someone or something. And they live for it. They would try to invite Nico but since he would say no, they just make sure to gossip where Nico is sitting so that he can atleast hear. The girls would be downstairs and the guys would be on deck talking smack about some bitch in the past.

Jason and Percys dynamic would be fine, but they would butt heads for no reason. Which could mostly be due to stress and not sleeping well. I just dont really see them fighting over any leader spot, since WiseGirl is there to take that role.

[draped1ncerecloth]

Hancock x a Trans masc reader with a praise kink???? (I saw ur rq's were open, and I really like your ghost fanfic stuffs) /nf

“Good boy.”

Summary: After meeting John in Goodneighbor, heading out on the road with him proves to be a challenge over the next few month. Little do you know, rads weren’t the only thing growing on him.

Warnings: drug usage, swearing, mentions of gore, oral sex and everyone’s favorite- sex.

The weather was cloudy and dull, your clothes smelt of death, your hair greasy, dirt littered your body, and the crust of whatever bodily fluids that belonged to who or what ever you killed, clung to you. You had to admit it but the only thing keeping you going was the ghoulish figured that lurked behind you.

It had been about two months since you first meet john and about a week after that, you managed to somehow find yourself traveling with the man. His charm definitely was something that out of a movie, but then when you paid a little more attention to him, his drug addiction is what stood out. It wasn’t anything unusual in the commonwealth, chems being almost as common and the caps that replaced old traditional money. But what were you complaining for? It never bothered you.

“Hey, can we slow down, Sunshine? Need a little chem break.” The husky voice called out from behind. You stopped and looked over your shoulder seeing John heaving raspy breaths and that was when you realized, he hadn’t offered you a bit of anything in the last three days. “Oh shit! I’m sorry you should’ve said you needed a break!” You panicked thinking he was in pain, but scanning over his face, you were only met with a scrappy smile.

“Look at you, worried about little ol’ me. I’m fine just need a little pick me up, doll.” As he stood in front of you, John shuffled through his pockets looking for anything he could ingest, but only to be meet with the fact he did use his last supply of chems. “Fuck.” He mumbles to himself. “What’s wrong?” And you were only met with a laugh and a signal to keep going forward to which you reluctantly agreed.

The travel seemed to last longer, only slowing down when a coughing fit would escape his lungs and after the 5th coughing fit you decided to speak up. “Hancock, we need to find a place to stop and rest. You need something and I can’t keep listening to you hack your lungs out. Please, let’s find somewhere for the night.” Black eyes meet yours and he nodded, realizing that the sickness of his absence of substances where starting to catch up to him. “Alright doll face, let’s get going I believe there’s an old shack nearby.”

After about 20 minutes of huddled walking, you managed to find this so called shack and you quickly got to work in setting up for the night, Hancock tried to help but you motioned for him to sit and wait until you were done. You scavenged through your luggage and we’re met with nothing but your scavenged supplies, but then you or luck right there in the room next to you, there was a workbench you would whip something up for him. “What’s up sunshine, where you heading off too? Not just gonna dip out on me right?” He looked at you as you were walking towards the new found chem station and smiled. “No I’m just gonna whip something up for you. I’ll be back just try to relax for now.”

It took a few attempts to get the recipe down, but you finally managed. Some grape flavored mentats and most importantly about 4 days worth of jet supplies for Hancock. You never really where into taking chems, worried as to becoming hooked on them, but over the months and all the offers from Hancocks wonderful gifts. You found yourself kinda excited to try your own creations. Walking back to John, he already stripped himself of his infamous hat and boots. “Hancock.” You announced his name as you walked over to him, getting on your knees in front of him and holding the jet up toward him.

“Fuck you’re so fucking amazing sunshine. Make this for me?” You nodded in response and helped him take a puff of the wonderful drug. His head tipped back as he rode out the high. It hitting harder since it’s been awhile since his last hit and boy did it worry you. “Are you okay?” You asked, his head lulling to the side and he smiles in pure ecstasy. “Better than okay, you done made this ghoul feel better that the time he’s first done chems.” He chuckles lowly as you sat up straight with a big smile.

“Oh you like that? Getting me to complement you?” Heat began to pool at your cheeks and he smiled yet another grimace smile. You then handed him another jet and placed the rest of his newly acquired supplies on the floor next to him. “Grape?” He quickly picked up the mentats and you stood up. “Do you not like grape flavors?” You asked, worry coating your voice. “Sunshine, I love grape. But right now, not as much as I like you.”

And with that you got up and started to whip something together for the two of you to eat.

As night fell, light became absent and the lantern john asked about earlier in the week was well lit and the cram and iguana sticks you traded for began to taste even better now that there was a roof over your heads. “You got a pretty good thing goin (y/n), got a ghoul to finally feel comfortable and taken care of. I’m glad we met. For the first time, in a long time, I’m starting to look forward to tomorrow.” You blushed but it was hidden by the light and the cram you scarfed down. “You and I? I could get used to this.” You looked at him as you swallowed the last bit of food. Whipped your face with your sleeve. “Have you ever thought that. We could be more than just, this?” You asked.

John whipped his head towards you and with confusion. “Like more than friends?”

You nodded.

“That’s where your minds, huh?”

And you quickly tried to take your words back. “I mean, there’s nothing wrong, I just thought that with everything, you would’ve-.”

“Darlin, you and I have a good thing, I ain’t mad. I think that you wouldn’t want to look me in the eye and as a matter of fact, I don’t thing you wanna wake up to this mug every mornin. Beside, pretty little thing like you, I don’t think it’d be fair.”

“Who are you to say I wouldn’t want that John?” Your eyes met his, his face getting closer to you. Setting your food down. “You don’t get to decide what I want or don’t want, and I want you John, please.”

John cupped your cheeks with scarred hands and pulled you closer to him, planting a chapped kiss on your plush lips. Melting into his affections, you found yourself in awe. Everything that once worried you, melted.

As the two continued to kiss, the cold dark fell into the chilly point. The warmth of Hancock’s breath, made your skin prickle and as his tongue swipes long yours, the once passionate kiss, comes even more heated. Hancock grabs you, grabbing at anything that he can grab. Feeling his hands grip your now fired skin, you let out a small groan. John leads you on top of him and you oblige, top of his lap you feel his now hard cock, poking at your now heated core. Rolling your hips to relive some pressure for him, let lets out a jagged breath. Heavy breathing fills the room and as the two continue to explore each overs bodies, clothes begin to drop one by one until you both and down to your underwear. The pool of wetness between your legs makes you quiver as the cold air makes contact with the now drenched underwear.

“You are so handsome, sunshine.” And you moan at the compliments he showers you in. The staining of his precum makes you squirm in anticipation. Hancock takes note of how you’re staring and slowly starts to pull down his underwear, revealing his throbbing cock. The veins that decorate the sides and surprisingly it’s bigger than you imagined, almost intimidating. “Would you like to put that beautiful mouth to work?” He prompts you, and you immediately agree. Hancock stands above you, his shaft bigger than your face and dripping in excitement. You open your mouth and he slowly slides into your mouth, shuttering at the new found pleasure. “Fuck. So fucking hot.” He groans and you make work of your tongue, dragging along the tip and base and you slowly make work down toward the rest of it. Bobbing your head slowly so draw out more sounds from him. He rewards you with pleased sighs. “Just like that, such a good boy.” The new title makes you touch yourself in hopes to relieve some of your own pleasure. The wetness of yourself coating your fingers makes you sigh in content, feeling how he fills your throat. Drool falling from your mouth and falling to your legs, only helping you rub yourself out and your eyes roll back as you gag around him, struggling for air.

“Such a fucking good boy, you like how my cock feeling in that beautiful mouth? Bet I would feel so much better deep inside of you.” He huffs, as he thrusts deeper down your throat, feeling you close around him hard, smirking as you try your best to swallow around him, gagging at the length until it hits a point to where you realize you have to breath. Pulling away with a loud cough, snot running down your eyes as tears weld in your now blurred vision. You heave and gasp for air as he grabs your jaw and forces you back down on his cock. Feeling it throb inside your throat and try your best to keep going. Looking up at him and his blackened eyes stare back in pleasure. “Such a fucking good cock sleeve for me.” He grabs your hair and begins to fuck into your mouth harder, causing you to gag while choking him down. The salty taste of his precum now long gone and replaced with the saliva and smell of his body, your nose pressing against his groin. Causing him to buck his hips harder.

In an instant your hands grab at his hips and pull your face from him, gagging and shaking from the near black out feeling. He moans loudly at the sight of you breathing heavily, his cock drenched in your saliva. Twitching and crying from the feeling of needing to throw up, he looks at you and starts rubbing your head, whipping the now fallen tears. “Such a beautiful sight. You and my fucking cock deep in that soft mouth. How about you pull them britches off and let me repay you for how well you just took that shit?” You only reply with a smile and nod, still recovering from such a wild experience.

As you stand you feel your knees ache and the soreness of your throbbing core, the neglect makes you whine and as you take off your underwear you finally realize just how soaked they are. Your excitement and spit making you realize that they are gonna be so uncomfortable tomorrow. “Well shit, didn’t realize how wet you were. Don’t worry sunshine, I’ll fuck you so good you don’t gotta worry about a thing.” Once Hancock removes his underwear, his hands are on you once more, pulling you to him kissing your neck, littering you in marks and bites, you grab for his hard on and angle it towards yourself, feeling him thrust in and ripping a gasp from your lungs. Somehow he managed to lift you and push you up against the wall of the shack, gravity doing most of the work in shoving you deeper onto his cock, letting out a loud moan. “F-fuck!!” Is all you manage to get out as he begins to thrusts into you, the angle hit all the right areas, and spreading you further out.

Painting and moan leave the two of you and the sound of wet skin hitting wet skin fills the room. The smell of arousal makes you forget the room your currently in, intoxicating and luring you into more of him. “Fuck your drenched, nice and warm for me to fuck.” His voice rings in your head as you try your best to watch him fuck you, looking up at him, you’re met with his lips, dominating your mouth and fucking into you.

“Hancock, I think-!” Your moans interrupt you as you try your best to squeeze around his cock, taking in as much as you can of his cock, milking him of all he’s worth. “Hancock!” He watches your face contorting into pleasure and he smirks, knowing how close you are. Feeling you squeeze, and clench around him. “Cum for me sunshine, cum over my cock, I know you can take it.” Your head hangs as you focus on the pleasure washing over you, moaning into his neck, your nails digging into his back as your legs tighten around his side. Your walls fluttering over him in an attempt to keep him deep inside of you and you let out a loud groan followed by weak screams of his name. “John! Fuck! John!” Your weak and trapped in his grasp, feeling his hips pounding into your now weak core. The feeling of his balls biting you and how deep he is inside makes you whine and scream. Raw and weak, drained and drenched in sweat. Hancock scans over your face as your eyes are rolled back into your skull. It drives him nuts, wanting this feeling to last forever. Your walls trying to clench but your body unable to move from cumming. “Fuck! So fucking good baby, just last a little longer for me, you got this sunshine.” He holds you close and continues to fuck into your limp body as your gasping. With a few more thrusts, John is cumming deep inside of you, filling you up with his warm seed. He’s groaning into your skin, continuing to fuck through his high. Feeling your walls drip with his cum and your own slickness.

He pulls out of you, painting and lowering you down, your legs give out beneath you and once more he has you hold you up until he can lay you down on the sleeping bag that was pulled out previously. Your mind completely blank as your tired fucked out body relaxes into the soft blanket. Johns panting and shaking, jittery and weak from fucking you. Only then he realizes you passed out and he is left you clean you up. “I love you so fucking much.” He mumbles to himself and while he’s watching you’re sweaty body breath, you smile and he smiles back, grabbing what he can to clean you up and tuck you in for the night.

Once Hancock has you cleaned up, he’s relaxed for the night and after about an hour or so, you begin to wake from your sleep and you look around, seeing your laying on his now clothed lap with him passed out while sitting up. You gently wake him and motion for him to join you in the sleeping bag and he agrees, your tired weak bodies laying as the night begins to fade into dawn and yet for some reason, there was no longer a rush to get to wherever you thought you needed to go too earlier that day.

Authors notes: anyways I hope y’all enjoyed this I really appreciate the love for this man. He genuinely is my favorite character to write ab even though this is my first time writing about him (I just wanna marry him already, I love my old scrappy men)

I did not proofread this and I never will proof read I think♥️ anyways here’s some jet, looks like y’all could use a pick me up after this one

[hometoursandotherstuff]

So, yesterday, we saw a huge modern, all-white estate vineyard in Napa, California. Today we have another Napa Valley vineyard in Helena, California, but this one is very different. Actually, the other one was kind of boring, and this one is unique. The carriage house dates back to the 1880s. The main house has 3bds, 2.5ba, and costs a lot less at $3.25M. (The other one is $22M.)

Isn't this nice? A sunroom and pergola with vines.

Clearly, this is a rustic style home with a high vaulted living room ceiling, and a stained glass window.

There's a lofted space above the living room, which is very nice as well.

The large kitchen is light and airy.

This looks like a workroom or office and it has a great fireplace that looks like it was well-used.

Looks like a family room.

The primary bedroom is a good size.

There are about 4.59 acres of property with the vineyard.

But, where the other property was just vineyards, this is where this property gets interesting, b/c it ain't just grapes.

Check it out- it has a cave, b/c this property was also a winery. The cave is protected by heavy wooden doors and iron gates.

This was a serious winery. Look at the bottles and supplies, plus the fermenting equipment.

This is cool.

The fermenting tanks look in pretty good shape.

Remember that this cave dates back to the 1880s. It's ancient.

Look at these delicious grapes. Every fall I wait for the stores to have Concord grapes b/c my grandparents had a huge grapevine and they were so good.

There's a barn on the property, but it looks like there's an apt. above it.

Workshop in the barn.

The main house has a large patio with growing beds.

I'm thinking that this rusted old tractor is art?

Looks like a pond. Maybe for crop irrigation.

The house, on the bottom right, is surrounded by many neighboring vineyards.

[unhingedhyacinth]

Demeter Cabin headcanons 🌾

---------------🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼---------------

❃ The Demeter cabin are best friends with the dryads

❃ they constantly visit the Athena cabin because they have books about plants and agriculture in their bookshelves

❃ the Demeter cabin lends a certain amount of plants/herbs to the Hecate cabin every few weeks, the Hecate cabin in turn make a few stuff to help the Demeter cabin grow plants quicker

❃ they hug trees.

❃ they climb trees with the Hermes kids and hang out with them

❃ they brought coffee to camp half blood by somehow creating a mini coffee plantation. everyone literally loves them for it.

❃ the aphrodite cabin ask the Demeter cabin for flowers that they can braid in hair

❃ they have an unending supply of snacks because like a quarter of their plants are edible

❃ you know how we have pen stands? the Demeter cabin have seed stands. everywhere.

❃ they like to annoy Nico and their excuse is that "his father kidnapped their cousin" but they all collectively agree that persephone is better off as the queen of the underworld

❃ the force the Hephaestus cabin to build flower crowns for them. they've given in.

❃ they like to give everyone on camp a certain plant or tree associated with them as a joke.

❃ the Apollo kids come to the demeter cabin for help with medicine.

❃ they all have stories of trying to hug a cactus or a poisonous plant from their childhood.

❃ speaking of cacti, their form of taking revenge is asking the Hermes cabin to put a line of cacti next to someone's bed so that when that someone wakes up they step on a cactus first thing in the morning. but this is only reserved for people who have done something HORRIBLE, because the Demeter cabin is usually chill

❃ they grow grapes so that they can get on the good side of Mr. D

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

"Do you Trust me?"

Rollo voice) no

I feel like Rollo’s going to become a puddle of angry goo (think like a freshly salted slug) by the end of this series of headcanons…

A Big Scarabia Welcome to Rollo!

Savanaclaw’s weather was already bad enough, but Scarabia is 100 times worse. When Rollo hikes his way to the entrance of the grand dormitory (just a short stroll from the mirror), he looks like he’s about to give way to heat stroke if he doesn’t drown in his own sweat first.

He’s graciously received and personally welcomed by Kalim’s open arms (Jamil at his side) and just about the biggest smile you’ve ever seen. Rollo doesn’t sense any immediate ill will behind it (unlike the majority of the despicable mages that infest NRC), but he’s unsettled all the same by Kalim’s intense friendliness. When the Scarabian dorm leader goes in for a hug, Rollo politely steps back and declines (citing his excessive dampness as an excuse).

“Oh, you’re right! You’re not used to this kind of weather back home, huh? Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you!! Come on in! You’re today’s guest of honor!” Kalim beams, cheerfully ushering Rollo inside. Jamil follows quietly, but is staring intently at Rollo all the while—this man still remembers everything Rollo did, and he’s harboring a deep-seated grudge.

Kalim starts off the visit with a big tour of Scarabia! He forgets a lot of the finer details, so Jamil has to fill him in on the architecture and history of the dorm as he supplies them with water. (Kalim pauses to call out to and greet mob students as they pass.)

At first, Rollo’s impressed by the spread of knowledge provided—but the more he sees of Scarabia, the more disgusted he grows of its gross opulence. All the gold and jewels in the storage room could feed the entire City of Flowers for a lifetime and then some!!

The flippant way Kalim talks about his lifestyle also grates on Rollo. Who in the world places orders 100 coconuts for themselves, then buys diamonds for his entire dorm as souveinirs? Why does Scarabia have such frequent banquets and parties? How can one man live in such excess and not feel once ounce of remorse for it?! It boggles the mind.

“Hey, you must be hungry from your trip! Let’s put some food in you!!” Kalim summons a feast with the wave of his hand (Jamil had been up all night and all that morning preparing it). “Thank you, but just a nibble is enough for…” Rollo is interrupted by Kalim shoving some grapes into his mouth. “Ooh, you have to try this! Oh, and this too! And this cheese…!”

At one point, Kalim offers an apple slice with an ant on it, which causes Jamil to lock up. He screeches in disgust when Rollo casually kills the ant by squishing it under his thumb, then proceeds to take out a few others lying in wait. (“You touched bugs with your bare hands!!” Jamil cries, looking like he’s going to be sick any moment now. To this, Rollo retorts, “I should like to see you come up with a better solution!”)

After (force) feeding Rollo, Kalim tells him he has “a surprise” in store, which makes Rollo’s stomach sink. The dorm leader runs off, telling Rollo not to move from the spot. Left alone with Jamil, he warily eyes the man (who has been strangely standoffish the whole time). Jamil meets his gaze coolly. “… I didn’t tell him,” he says simply.

“To shield his poor little heart from breaking?” (Jamil shakes his head. “No, this isn’t about his feelings. I could care less about them. Kalim would only be sobbing and pestering me about my safety. I already have enough to deal with on my plate, I don’t need the extra stress. He’s kept ignorant out of convenience.”)

As expected, a self-serving reason. Rollo’s disgust does not abate. Still, a part of him wonders if Kalim would still be kind if he knew the truth of what happened in the City of Flowers, if some darker side of him would emerge as a result. No mage, no matter how upbeat, is entirely free of sin.

Kalim's taking longer than expected to get back, so Jamil and Rollo end up awkwardly playing some board games while they wait. Though Rollo tries his best, he's no match for Jamil, who takes delight in letting loose (he usually can't when he plays against Kalim) and smoking him in every match.

The ground shakes, rattling the stones in their mancala board. With each passing moment, the vibrations grow in increasing intensity—and suddenly, the doors kick open, revealing a parade of animals!! A tiger, 75 camels, 53 purple peacocks, 95 white monkeys, llamas, bears, lions, and even a flurry of birds!? Kalim arrives riding on an elephant and laughing to the slack-jawed Rollo. (Jamil groans. “You’d better get used to this, or you won’t make it through the day,” he warns flatly.)

The animals swarm Rollo, all of them kicking up a cacophony and demanding attention from him. He’s backed into a corner, trying to keep them at bag by poking them with his staff. Alas, to no avail!! The animals smother him in a pile of fur and feathers, and Rollo lets out strangled cry from between them.

“I think they’re getting along!!” Kalim notes from atop his elephant steed. (“Yes, I’m so happy for him.” Off to the side, Jamil snickers with some kind of sick, twisted joy.Finally, it’s someone else suffering for once instead of him.)

One thorough cuddling session later, Kalim flies to Rollo upon his magic carpet (it had been stashed away with him on the elephant) and offers a hand. He yanks his guest up with a grin and plops Rollo down beside him. “Next up: a magic carpet ride!” (“W-Wait, I don’t think my constitution can handle this much excitement…!!)

“Come now, where is your sense of adventure?” Jamil says as he kneels beside them on the carpet. His words are kept in an even enough of a tone, but there’s no mistaking the smirk on his mouth. (Rollo quietly fumes about it.)

Off they go into the Scarabian desert! Rollo wishes he could call it a peaceful ride, but it isn’t. Kalim keeps telling the magic carpet to show Rollo the tricks it knows, which means they’re not only soaring, but also tumbling and freewheeling through the sky. Below, the sands shine and shimmer splendidly.

Rollo’s eyes are clenched shut as he bends over the side of the carpet, trying hard to keep the contents of his lunch down. “Don’t you dare close your eyes,” Jamil whispers. “And hold your breath, it gets better.” (By ‘better’, he means ‘worse’, Rollo suspects.)

They speed up, bursting through the clouds, before dropping back down with collective shrieks. Rollo has to clutch onto his hat to keep it from flying off, forcing a scream back down as he hangs on for dear life, praying to be anywhere else. His eyes are wide with alarm, the fear inside of him clawing to escape.

The wild ride comes to a stop at a single spot of green and blue in the expanse of sand: an oasis encircled by broad-leafed trees. Rollo can’t scramble off that infernal carpet fast enough. (“Wow, he must have been really looking forward to this!!” Kalim chirps.)

With such crystalline waters available to them, Kalim thinks its only natural to take a dip! (Jamil has his sunscreen, towel, and swimming trunks on standby.) Rollo hurriedly backs away, trying to opt out—but he loses his foot in the shifting sands, and…

SPLOOSH!!! He’s drenched, the water weighing down his big hat and robes. Rollo looks less human and more like an angry wet cat (so much so that neutral-faced Jamil has to stop a smirk from overtaking him). Kalim, for his part, is super apologetic and offers Rollo his towel.

And so, Rollo sits in the shade of a tree while swathed in Kalim's towel, glaring at the Scarabia duo as they paddle around in the oasis. He hates that he can't just walk out on them, for he'd surely perish in the desert.

Rollo feels something at his feet--and when he looks down, he finds the magic carpet curled up there, emitting a sound akin to a dog panting. It seems... oddly excited to spend some time with him? Rollo frowns and makes a shooing motion, trying to banish the accursed thing--but, much to his dismay, it refuses to leave him alone and instead lingers at his side until the evening sets in ("Hmph, intrepid creature, aren't you?").

Thankfully, the trip back is uneventful (the magic carpet seems to have expended most of its energy on the showboating trip to the oasis). Rollo never thought he'd be so glad to see the garish interior of Scarabia again, but here he is. Jamil suggests that he prepare for bed (an idea which sounds surprisingly... normal, and thus earns a suspicious look from Rollo). "Oh? Do you doubt me? I would never try to deceive a beloved guest of Kalim's."

"Don't worry! Jamil's super trustworthy!!" Kalim adds. "Plus, we have to go get ready for the... Mmmmpfgh!" (Jamil quickly covers his mouth and gives a curt smile. "... As I was saying, you should wash up before bed.")

In spite of his doubts, Rollo relents with the suggestion to unwind for the night (he's had much too adrenaline for his liking today). He's escorted to a larger-than-life bathhouse and supplied with expensive-looking shampoos, conditioners, soaps, loofahs, a fluffy towel. and silk pajamas. "A bit much, don't you think?" he asks of Jamil. ("We don't do anything half-heartedly here," Jamil replies mysteriously.)

Being alone has never felt so good. Rollo has always preferred to be by himself, but after a day as hectic as this one he feels so relieved to not have Kalim and Jamil (or pesky pets!) with him as he sinks into pleasantly sweet-smelling waters.

He slips into the silk pajamas and steps out of the bathing area in slippers. Jamil bows to him and waves a hand. (Rollo's suspicions heighten.) "Right this way to your room for the night."

The inside of Scarabia is so big that it takes Rollo a while to realize that Jamil is actually leading him away from where the student rooms are—and how odd for such a noisy dorm to suddenly be dead quiet!! Just as Rollo begins to voice his apprehension, Jamil leads him right into Scarabia’s open-air lounge.

POP, POP, POP!! Party crackers go off, showering confetti onto Rollo’s freshly washed hair. He blinks several times to confirm that he is not, in fact, dreaming. No, it feels like more of a nightmare than a dream.

The lounge is infested with mob students, the air filled with loud music and the delicious smells of a sumptuous feast. Kalim emerges from the crowd and spreads his arms. “SURPRISE!! We’re throwing a banquet in your name! To our new friend!!”

Rollo feels so faint, his legs give out and Jamil had to catch him. “M-My handkerchief,” he sputters out weakly—alas, his coping mechanism won’t be able to help him now (he had foolishly tucked it away with his NBC uniform to dry overnight). “You have a party to tend to,” Jamil tells him.

The subtly evil sparkle in his dark eyes implies that Jamil knew this was coming all along… and had let it happen. He had been the one to lead Rollo here, the one to silence Kalim when he started to over speak. Anger rises in Rollo, and he struggles to contain it. “You scheming little weasel…!”

He’s not allowed to finish his statement, as Kalim has hooked one arm in his. Jamil waves good-bye to Rollo as Kalim yanks him around the room, introducing mob student after mob student to their honored guest. None of the names or faces stick in Rollo’s head, but the nausea from the earlier magic carpet ride is returning.

Speaking of the magic carpet, it trails after him and Kalim for most of the night! It weaves itself between Rollo’s legs and seems to stare at him eagerly, as if wanting head pats or compliments. (Rollo makes a face, but that doesn’t deter it.)

For the most part, Rollo keeps his mouth shut to avoid instigation (the last thing he wants is to lose it in such a public space) and downs as much grape juice as he can to quell his annoyance.

When all are full on food and drink, they’ve got to shake off all that energy!! Many take to the floor to dance, Kalim and Jamil included! They’re like birds in motion, free and flowing. Kalim just does what feels best to him, wheres Jamil mixes street dancing with his own expressive style. Rollo stands firmly at the sidelines, arms folded disapprovingly.

“Look at that disgusting display,” he grouses. The mob students around him cheer and hoot for their dorm leader and vice, their support rising about his disdain.

Now Kalim’s spinning wildly, his laugh reverberating like a bell’s echo. His arms extend as he twirls, reaching out to grasp Rollo by the arms. “Come on, dance with us!!” Kalim invites with sparkling eyes.

“No, I couldn’t…” Rollo protests, looking down stubbornly. Kalim misinterprets the motion as genuine bashfulness. (“It’s okay to be shy! That’s charming too.”)

There’s another tug—this time, Jamil. (“That’s right.” A smirk. “What’s so wrong with being a little bad once in a while?”

Rollo is dragged onto the dance floor against his will, set into the same twisted rhythm as the music. Those around him must get a sick thrill from the beats, each and every one of them a thrall to their own hedonistic desires. He wonders how they can live like this, free of care and worry—but as he dances among them, he, just for those moments, is left as feathery and as lightheaded.

How long do they dance for? He loses track of the time. There’s no clock to chime midnight to banish the magical spell placed upon him, only the burning in his feet as he dances the night away, intent on outdoing Kalim and Jamil.

Rollo basically blacks out in his bed that evening 💀 Man’s so tired and so done with this, he just wants OUT already!

… His body’s aching in the morning. (Nobody make an “he’s an old man!” joke, Rollo will smite you right where you stand.) He literally groans out loud as he hauls himself out of bed and prepares for the day. At the very least, his uniform has completely dried off from the unceremonious dunk in the oasis!

Kalim tries offload some extravagant parting gifts onto Rollo before his departure (from piles of gold and jewels to exotic new pets) to which Rollo stubbornly refuses. This leads into a back-and-forth about what would be a suitable souvenir to bring back with him from Scarabia. (Rollo won’t have any of it!!)

Jamil mediates, eventually convincing Kalim that his “invaluable friendship” and “the fun memories they made together” is treasure enough for Rollo. (Both he and Rollo gag internally at the idea, but Kalim seems super satisfied with it.)

"Yes, this won't be an experience I forget anytime soon," Rollo says dubiously. Kalim doesn't catch the malice in his flat tone, but Jamil definitely does.

[somewhereincairparavel]

congrats on 300 followers!!!

anyway, do you think you could make a drabble of Pollux and Castor picking strawberries and just bickering with each other? like being brotherly and stuff? you don’t have to if you don’t want to btw, just a suggestion!

"Let's party!"

-Platonic! Castor × Pollux

Author's note: thank you anon! My 300 follower event is honestly so fun to do! Also ahh Castor and Pollux are so underrated! I had to research on Dionysus children to write this efficiently, also anon, you made me realize how mis-characterized Dionysus children are :( they are so underrated and great?? Thank you for making me realise this. instead of strawberry picking, I chose grape picking, I hope you don't mind! This is a little short though, I'm sorry, but Enjoy!

"Yo Polly, these grapes have worms in them, Dad's going to disown us if he sees us making wine from these decayed fruits"

Pollux stopped picking his grapes from the vines. "I didn't pick that! You did! I saw you put them in the basket"

"Nah dude, I'm the finest fruit picker in camp, I don't disgrace our dad like that" Castor snided.

"No it was definitely you who picked that"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"stop it both of you! you're giving me a headache, these plants can't grow with both of you yapping like ducks!" a random demeter kid barked as she passed by, she was attempting to grow strawberries in the camp half blood fields.

Castor and Pollux rolled their eyes at the same time. Typical demeter kids and their you-must-grow-plants-like-your-life-depends-on-it behaviour. But then again, Demeter and Dionysus kids were the "plant kids" of camp, so they were in no position to comment.

Castor hated being known that way. Everyone always thought that Dionysus kids were lazy, conceited, aloof, drunk, and useless. But it wasn't true. He wished people saw the good side. Sure they didn't have fancy powers like the other demigods, but so what?

Dionysus kids were the life of the parties, they arranged the snacks, the games, they helped campers with their mental health counseling and they were good at theatre and opera performances.

But their dad didn't seem to care about what people thought of him. I mean, castor knew his dad had heard the demeaning whispers of campers conceding him, but the wine lord didn't give a flying fuck. So why should Castor?

"Cas?" Pollux looked at his twin in concern, "you good, bro?"

"O-oh, yeah. I'm fine. Let's continue picking, we need the wine to be supplied to the big house by 5PM" Castor evaded the topic, but Pollux knew his brother was lying.

"Alright fine. I am the one who picked the decayed grapes, not you. You are the master of grape picking. There, feel better?" Pollux asked, with a smile in his eye.

"Yeah. I feel better, thanks polly" Castor laughed lightly. Even if his brother didn't know what was making him sad, he still made him laugh.

"By the gods, can you please stop calling me that? 'Polly' sounds like something a doll who's hair had been washed with dish soap by a little girl would be named as."

Castor broke out into fits of laughter.

"Now that was a little too specific, dude, have you met a doll named polly who has bad hair?" He asked in between his laughs.

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, i did, actually" Pollux glared.

"Well, that explains it." Castor concluded. "Polly" he added slyly.

Pollux sent grape vines to tangle his brother's legs, Castor ran away laughing his head off as Pollux began chasing him throughout the fields of camp. The grape baskets being completely forgotten on the ground.

Unbeknownst to the twins, Dionysus was watching them both amusedly from the big house windows, sipping on his diet coke, muttering "Silly kids".

[varianandhugodonotgetrawed]

I did a thing

Thanks to @shelobussy for giving me the idea for this little one shot! You didn't think I was serious, did you? But I was, oh, I was.

Desc: Hugo and Varian run into a problem while helping at VBS (vacation Bible school for those unfamiliar. It's literally summer camp but Christian). Warning for minor cursing, past homophobia.

___________________________________

"And... it's locked." Hugo sighed and slid down the door of the closet. "Who designed this thing? Why would a door auto-lock when you close it?"

"Why wouldn't it?" Varian had already sat down. "If you hadn't dropped the key we would be out of here."

"You're always blaming me for stuff. This isn't even the right closet! This is the damn communion supply closet, and I told you the cleaning supplies were down the hall, but no, Heaven forbid I be right."

"I got turned around! Half the hallways out of the sanctuary look the same anyway." At least they wouldn't starve, though Varian might rather starve than subsist on grape juice and crackers that looked and tasted like Styrofoam. And would it be heretical to eat and drink communion elements outside of the ceremony? Surely God would understand, like that story with David and the sacred bread.

"Uh, earth to Freckles," Hugo's annoying voice cut through Varian's thoughts. "How are we gonna get out of here? The VBS has, like, four chaperones for the middle schoolers including us, we need to get out."

"Can't you pick locks, Beanpole?" Varian had never seen Hugo lockpick, but he looked like the type to know how.

With his long undercut blond hair, piercings, alternative clothing style, and flamboyantly gay demeanor, Hugo wasn't really the sort of person Varian would expect to be a youth group leader, but West Ingvarr Methodist Church prided itself on diversity and inclusion. Varian couldn't help but think, though, that even if it wasn't a sin, Hugo didn't need to make being queer his whole personality. Varian certainly managed not to.

"I can't pick this kind of lock. I don't know the inside mechanisms of the automatic doors. And I'll thank you not to use that tone when asking. I don't why you think you're better than me-"

"I don't think I'm better than you-" Varian began.

Hugo snorted. "Could've fooled me. Anyways, I could maybe figure out how to disassemble the lock, but I don't think Pastor Robin would be very happy with me."

"So we're stuck here," Varian groaned.

"Until someone comes along and sees the key on the ground, yes. Don't look at me like that, Freckles, I'm not pleased about it either. You're stuck in a closet with someone you hate, I'm stuck with someone who hates me."

"I don't hate you. You're annoying as- as heck, and loud, and honestly I don't think you should curse around the kids-"

"They're middle and high schoolers, they've heard the word 'shit' before. Besides, I know what it is. You don't like the way I dress, the way I talk, you don't like when I talk about my homosexuality-" Hugo said the last word like he was an old man deeply offended by it.

Varian rolled his eyes. "That's not it. If it makes you feel better, I'm literally bisexual. I just don't think you need to talk about it as much as you do-"

"Freckles, what would your life be like if you had had an openly queer leader in the church when you were those kid's age? Because I'll tell you right now, mine would have been a hell of a lot better. You can keep your internalized homophobia to yourself, but I'm going to be who I am. And I'm going to be for those kids what I needed." Hugo finished and turned his head away, arms crossed.

Varian couldn't think of a thing to say. He tried not to think about it much, now that he was out of Old Corona, and two years into college, but he remembered growing up in a church very different from West Ingvarr. Forget it being unsafe to be queer, Varian had dyed a streak of his hair blue when he was fourteen and been looked at like he was the devil's child into he finally broke and dyed it black again. Eventually, fifteen-year-old Varian had decided he couldn't take it anymore, and ran away. It'd quickly gone wrong, and he'd fallen in with a very bad crowd before his father found him, and promised they would move away after Varian tearfully confessed the reason for his rebellion.

All that to say, Hugo was right. Varian cringed thinking it. But Varian had been unfair in his judgment of him, and it was the right thing to do to admit that.

"I'm... sorry." Varian finally said. Hugo didn't turn his head, but his eyes flicked over and his eyebrows rose slightly. "I think... I let my biases color how I judged you, and that was... unfair and not very 'Good Christian' of me. I... really don't hate you, Hugo."

Hugo turned his head, and Varian could see him holding back a smile. "Thanks for the self-awareness. I forgive you, I guess."

Varian scoffed. "Thanks, 'I guess'."

"Well," Hugo began, obnoxious grin on his face, before pausing. "I think I hear footsteps! HEY? IS ANYONE THERE?" He yelled, forcing Varian to cover his ears.

"Yes, ominous voice? Wait. Hugo, is that you?"

"Yep!" He replied. "Varian, we're in luck! Okay, Yong, there's a key on the ground. I need you to slide it under the door, alright?"

"I don't see a- oh! There you go!" A second later, the bronze key appeared by the door. Varian and Hugo stood up, and unlocked the door.

"Feels good to be free!" Hugo declared, stretching.

"We were only in there for twenty minutes," Varian commented, grinning.

"Yeah, but twenty minutes stuck with you? Basically twenty years."

"Shut up, Beanpole," Varian pretended to punch Hugo's arm. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

[washa]

I listened to The Summit audio and here’s my favourite personal comments/thoughts! (IM STILL IN SHOCK WHAT TEH FUCK)

HELP OF COURSE ASHER LOST A FUCKING SHOE 

David’s gonna whip your ass Ash 

WHY ARE WE ROASTING ASHER SO BAD

Milo being a fashionista cannon

“Good thing belts don't correlate to height.” DAVID

Ash, Baabe, get a fucking room 

Sweetheart i’m crying please give a man some dress socks

---------------------

Vincent sounds so anxious

AWH NO WILL COME ON MAN NOT THE ASSISTANT 

Vincent baby… 😕

“I can't control how people are acting but I can control how I react.” PREACHHH VINCENT 

Mhm run past me. OOH MUSIC FUCK YES, THE DRACULA MUSIC I LOVE IT 🙏

Surprise??? He’s spoiling Lovely so bad

I'M SCARED IS IT GONNA JUMP AT ME LIKE THOSE PLASTIC SPIDERS

A CROWN?? NO NO NO THAT’S SO FUCKING SWEET 

THE SAME CRAFTSMAN AND EVERYTHING I CANNOT DO THIS😭

Wait, does Sam have a crown too?? Like being a duke

HE CALLED US BABY I CANNOT 

-----------------------

Shit these sound effects are FIRE

Yo Sam wassup my guy.

Oh Porter. Hi dear ☹️

Sam is literally the opposite of me I love small talk and big events lmfao 

“Good people” He’s so salty lmfao

There’s no way Darlin’ isn’t smoking hot rn

AY ICE CREAM TUBS, Mint chocolate chip for the win 🙌

I imagine them going hand in hand, like elbows connected.

--------------------------

Porter being a smooth bitch. (as usual)

Vincent is surprisingly kind abt this, well as nice as he can

IS TREASURE NOT HERE?? DID PORTER GASLIGHT ALL OF US.. 😰

That went well. Lovely calm your boyfriend before he pulls out his hair

Nah let like Sam punch him it’s funnier.

Are these other vamps that bad oh my god 

Ooh business deals?? Yes make that moolah.

Eccentric?? Tf you mean eccentric. I don’t think David can handle more eccentric people in his life.

HELP NOT ASH PICKING UP ON VINCENT (unrelated but can we just acknowledge how emotionally mature and smart Asher is?)

WHAT DID ASH DO?? TEAR DOWN A WALL???

Oh god Bennetts?? They sound pleasant.

Wait wait, House of Baz were allies, and but every word out of Deon's mouth was to diss William??? WHAT TYPE OF SHITTY ALLIES

I want those two to die, for all of their house to run into the sun. 

-----------------------

ALEXIS HOLY SHIT AH

Latest conquest?? Come here let me rip you up 

JESUS WHAT THE FUCK ALEXIS?? SORRY I'M NOT IMMORTAL GOD DAMN.

I don’t wanna fight you lex. YOU GROW UP?? PETTINESS IS CHILDISH.

You selfish little bitch. I’M GONNA BITE HER URGHSHSHGY

Porter thank FUCK YOU'RE HERE

YES YES YES PORTER OH MY GOD GO PORTER, Thank you Porter 😭

Alexis can suck my dick. 

“Like a proper family” That's an interesting view on what your idea of a loving family is Porter.

Sammy BOY??? HELP IM CACKLING

Surprisingly Porter is in the right here. 

WOAH SHOWDOWN SHOWDOWN WOO 

WAS PORTER JUST LEFT THERE

-----------------------

Oh god what fucking now, i cannot DEAL with anymore self centred fuckers.

Is he warning us? What’s happening.

OH MY GOD ADAM I FORGOT ABT HIM. 

Ykw he’s got a point here, a REALLY good point. CONSIDERING THE HOUSE OF BAZ THING.

ALEXIS SHUT THE FUCK UP FOR ONCE IN YOUR WRINKLED SQUEZZED GRAPE ASS LIFE

Sam :((( yes Sam you deserve that.

-----------------------

Asher and Milo bring up the mood woop woop 

HOLY SHIT JUMPSCARE

Good lord Porter has a bad rep already w them

Investor gadget woop woop, investor gadget bam bam bam bam go gadget go bup bam bam bam badum badump.

?? CLOSEKNIT?? GOD DAMMIT FUCK CAN WE GO ONE VIDEO WITHOUT REFERENCING THEM

Milo clamp your jaw for a sec

OH MY GOD THE BENNETTS SUPPLIED CLOSEKNIT??

PORTER YOU BEAUTIFUL BASTARD THANK YOOU FOR THE LORE DROP. 

Wait wait we’re doing it now? OH GOD WE’RE GONNA INVESTIGATE NOW AT THE SUMMIT.

Sam said a lot of things..

WAIT NO ONE ELSE BUT DAVID KNOWS WHAT MILO DID?? Even after 2 years??

No Sweetheart think abt this please what if ya get caught.

GO BETA GO BETA FUCK IT UP WOOAHH (i’m sorry i'm so stressed.)

-----------------------

You should’ve punched her Sam, you should’ve.

Sam and Darlin’ needed better taste in vamps ffs 

Sam therapy time 😇🥳 (as required in every Sam video)

YES SAM STAND UP FOR YOURSELF 

God Sam and Darlin’ are so fucking sweet URGDHAKDA

-----------------------

Is Angel stuck talking there or??

Imagine talking to someone for like 15 minutes and come back to find your friends stalking a head of the house. David needs a panadol for the headache coming up.

-----------------------

OOH ARE WE EAVESDROPPING.

Well nobody wants to join a cult tbh, like that’s so suspicious.

This is a surprisingly civil argument, i was expecting someone getting thrown through a wall

UH OH WE ALMOST GOT CAUGHT??

-----------------------

WHY ARE THEY FIGHTING WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING

What’s up w the king

HUH HE’S DEAD????? WHEN I SAID I WANTED HIM DEAD I DIDN'T MEAN ACTUALLY DEAD.

TAH’S IT TAHT ITS WAHTD THE FUCK? DID SWEETHEART KILL HIM? DID CHRIS DO IT HOW DID ALEXIS KNOW, IS THAT WHY PORTER PICKED A FIGHT??? TO CREATE A DISTRACTION?? 

So no ice cream?? 💔

[iliosflower]

Demeter's Island

excerpt from "The Library of History" by Diodorus Siculus, 1st century CE.

"The Sikeloi [Sicilians] who dwell in the island [of Sicily] have received the tradition from their ancestors, the report ever having been handed down successively from the earliest time by one generation to the next, that the island is sacred to Demeter and Kore; although there are certain poets who recount the myth that at the marriage of Plouton and Persephone Zeus gave this island as a wedding present to his bride.

That the ancient inhabitants of Sikelia [Sicily], the Sikanoi, were indigenous, is stated by the best authorities among historians, and also that the goddesses who have mentioned their first appearance on this island, and that it was the first, because of the fertility of the soil, to bring forth the fruit of corn, facts to which the most renowned of poets also bears witness when he [Homer in the Odyssey describing the land of the Cyclopses] writes:

"But all these things grow there for them unsown, and even untilled, both wheat and barley, yea, even vines, which yields such wine as fine grapes give, and rain of Zeus gives increase unto them."

Indeed, in the plain of Leontini, we are told, and throughout many other parts of Sikelia, the what men call "wild" grows even to this day. And, [...] it is also to be observed the goddesses who made this discovery [Demeter and Persephone] are those who receive the highest honour among the Sikeloitai.

Again, the fact that the Abduction of Kore took place in Sikelia is, men say, proof most evident that the goddesses made this island their favourite retreat because it was cherished by them before all others. And the Abduction of Kore, the myth relates, took place in the meadows of the territory of Enna. The spot lies near the city, a place of striking beauty, for its violets and every other kind of flower and worthy of the goddess. And the story is told that, because of the sweet odour of the flowers growing there, trained hunting dogs are unable to hold their trail, because their natural sense of smell is balked. And the meadows we have mentioned is level in the centre and well-watered throughout, but on its periphery it rises high and falls off with precipitous cliffs on every side. And it is conceived of as lying in the very centre of the island, which is the reason why certain writers call it the navel of Sikelia.

Near to it are also sacred groves, surrounded by marshy flats, and a huge grotto which contains a chasm which leads down into the earth and opens up to the north, and through it, the myth relates, Plouton, coming out with his chariot, effected the Abduction of Kore. And the violets, we are told, and the rest of the flowers which supply the sweet odour continue to bloom, to one's amazement, throughout the entire year, and so the whole place is one of flowers and delight. [1]

Kore, we are told, received as her portion the meadows around Enna, but a great fountain was made sacred to her in the territory of Syrakousa [modern day Syracuse, Sicily] and given the name Kyane or "azure front." For the myth relates that it was near Syrakousa that Plouton effected the Abduction of Persephone and took her away in his chariot, and that after cleaving the earth asunder, he himself descended into Haides, taking along with him the bride whom he had seized, and that he caused the fountain named Kyane to gush forth [2], near which the Syrakousans each year hold a notable festival gathering and private individuals offer the lesser victims, but when the ceremony is on behalf of the community, bulls are plunged in the pool, this manner of sacrifice having been commanded by Herakles on the occasion when he made the circuit of all Sikelia, while driving off the cattle of Geryones.

After the Abduction of Kore, the myth goes on to recount, Demeter being unable to find her daughter, kindled torches in the craters of Mt Aitna [Mount Etna], and visited many parts of the inhabited world... the inhabitants of Sikelai, since by reason of the intimate relationship with Demeter and Kore with them they were the first to share in the corn after its discovery, instituted each one of the goddesses sacrifices and festive gatherings, which they named after them, and by the time chosen for these made acknowledgment of the gifts which had been conferred upon them. In the case of Kore, for example, they established the celebration of her return at about the time when the fruit of the corn was found to come to maturity, and they celebrate this sacrifice and festive gathering with such strictness of observance and zeal as we should reasonably expect those men to show who are returning thanks for having been selected before all mankind for the greatest possible gift...

That the Abduction of Kore took place in the manner we have described is attested by many ancient poets and historians. Karkinos the tragic poet, for instance, who often visited Syrakousa, and witnessed the zeal which the inhabitants displayed in the sacrifices and festive gatherings for both Demeter and Kore, has the following verses in his writings:

"Demeter's daughter, her whom none may name, by scheming secret Plouton, men say, stole, and then he dropped into earth's depths, whose light is darkness. Longing for the vanished girl her mother searched and visited all lands in turn. And Sikelia's land by Aitna's crags was filled with streams of fire which no man could approach, and groaned throughout its length, in grief over the maiden now the folk, beloved of Zeus, was perishing without the corn. Hence honour they these goddesses even now.""

[1] The lake in these meadows and reputed site of Persephone's abduction is now encircled by a racing track, the Autodroma di Pergusa. There is not much 'untouched' nature left. In the area of Lake Pergusa, you can find an archeological site known as Cozzo Matrice. This site houses the ruins of an old fortified village, walls constructed around the 9th millennium BC, a sacred citadel, a necropolis and the remains of an ancient temple dedicated to Demeter, dating back more than 2,000 years.

[2] More on Kyane here.

[cb-writes-stuff]

World building questions! Split into two asks so you can work on them in your own time!

What’s the food situation in Kem lon-Dalan. Either production wise or the staples of the cuisine.

I’m glad you asked!

Now, you might think that because Kem lon-Dalan is in a desert, food would be hard to come by. But that is not the case! To explain, a little geographical background information is needed.

Kem lon-Dalan is situated on the southern coast of the Vandeth Desert (its only coast), sitting between two tall cliffs (about as tall as 1⅘ Statues of Liberty), called the Twins for their identical height. The slope extends north from the sea for about a mile, rising to meet the height of the cliffs. Geographically, it’s a bit like a blend between Kharbranth (from Stormlight Archive) and Abah’s Landing (from Elder Scrolls: Online).

Almost all natives have home gardens in their courtyards (see the lore dump about shialan for more info about what their homes are like). They’ll grow things like lentils, chickpeas, beans, and onions there. There’s usually also a tree or two, mostly growing dates or figs, though it’s not too uncommon to see pomegranates, lemons, or even oranges.

Outside the city, there are larger areas to grow things like barley, sorghum, olives, and grapes. Further from the city, where rain isn’t so uncommon, other crops like wheat and almonds are grown, and even further from the city (almost outside the Vandeth Desert), melons and squash are too.

Additionally, goats and sheep are vital sources of things like meat and dairy (for milk, cheese, and sometimes even yogurt). These, however, are in considerably less supply, so they’re only used on special occasions.

As for staples, flatbread is always a nice, budget-friendly food. Most people need budget-friendly. Plus, it goes great with the many stews and soups they can make, as well as a nice tapenade or curry. Salads are also pretty easy. For dessert, you’ve got almond-orange cakes, grape and pomegranate compote, and if you wanna splurge, any kind of goat cheese-based tart.

(I’m sure all these dishes have names in Vandeth, but I’ve only known what half these dishes are for the past hour. And I don’t wanna inflate this post with a bunch of words no one’s gonna know.)

Part 2 will be posted soon. And by soon, I mean as soon as I type it.

[chaoticunicornsworld]

Hopelessness

First part: https://www.tumblr.com/chaoticunicornsworld/732421444956520448/menacing-attack?source=share

third part: https://www.tumblr.com/chaoticunicornsworld/733899299561275392/kauthgras-potion?source=share

After he left, you didn’t feel safe on your bedroll. The distressing feelings that you were used, didn't leave you. You headed in the forest, searching for a nice looking tree, which can be your resting place tonight. You climbed upon it and nested cozily. You couldn't count how many times you slept in a tree, hiding from your stepfather. You weren't asleep yet when the vampire returned to the camp. You saw him, his posture changed, he looked more confident and happy. Suddenly you felt like trash. You hated to see him, like this, as the old man looked when he was done with you. This feeling haunted you, but eventually you fell asleep. 

You slept through the sunrise and you woke up, to the wizard, shouting your name. “I’m here” You shouted back, and jumped down from the tree when he reached you. That wasn’t a wise move, the blood loss made you so dizzy, you almost fell. The wizard caught you, and helped regain your balance. “What were you doing here?” Asked he. “Sometimes I like to sleep on trees, it makes me calm.” “Come on, we are having breakfast.” He guided you through the forest. “Just a minute I’m coming in  a moment” You replied and let him go forward. You searched for some herbs for your sore wrist, and covered it before you returned to the camp. You sat by the wizard “Gale, I should memorize their names.”  and he offered you a plate of cheese, salami, grapes and a soft bun. “Now where in the nine hell did he find a soft bun, it was a few days ago when we bought supplies.” His kindness made you feel warmth, but you couldn't forget the magistrate who sat across the fireplace. You avoided looking at him, but took a quick glance. Your face turned red, he stared at you. You pinned your look down as you ate your breakfast. You lost your appetite immediately as you remembered the night before, but you knew you had to eat to stay strong after the blood loss. 

You packed your things for the road, as the others did, and headed toward the goblin camp. You tried to stay a few steps behind the others to untangle your thoughts and feelings, but soon you had company. It was the vampire “Astarion” “What do you want?” You asked him point-blank. “What do I want? Darling, I thought you wanted to talk with me about our sweet night.” He smirked, and raised his eyebrows. You felt nauseous and disgusted, you just wanted to escape. Yor wrath gave you strength. “There was nothing sweet in it. ”You grited. “I felt awful, used, like an object.” “How could I have used you when you offered yourself?” “What?..  You were begging for my blood! How in hells counts this as my offering?” You trembled in rage. Every leaf of gras around you stood on their edges, but none of you noticed it. “Easy now, darling, you know I wasn't begging for myself, but for our group’s sake. Everyone benefits if I'm at my full power. You had the opportunity to say no as I recall.” “How could I..” You stopped, you felt the same feeling in your guts as you felt when your stepfather manipulated you. Your wrath growed cold, you knew you don’t have tools for fighting with his words because he is shaping the truth as he wishes. “Yeah, whatever.” You said as you turned your head away from him and left him. He stood there confused, he didn’t enjoy his victory, he wanted to play with you more, but you left way earlier than he counted on it. 

You catched upon your group, and Gale walked beside you. “What happened between you and Astarion?” “It’s nothing, we just had a small disagreement” You shook off Gale’s question. “So small you are still trembling like a poplar leaf. Is there anything I can do for you” He was so kind, you just wanted to bury your face in his chest and cry. Finally a man who is kind to you and doesn’t want anything in return. You thought, but before the day ended you had to rewise your point of view about that. When the group stopped for a short rest Gale came to you. You saw he was in pain, his back curled, he was almost folded in half. “What happened?” You asked, and he told you a tale, how he needs to consume some magical items soon, if you didn’t want to face some consequences that he didn’t explain. “So that’s how I can return his kindness!” Came the bitter thought to you. “He isn’t selfless at all.” But you wanted to help him. “Does anyone have a magical item for Gale?” Astarion looked at you annoyed, and left without an answer. “Does anyone except Astarion have any magical items for Gale?” Asked you again with an irritated tone in your voice. Wyll offered an amulet for him finally. 

Afternoon you reached Waukeen's rest. It was burnt to ashes. You tried to help the people trapped in the fire, your clothes soon smelled like burned flesh, you suffered several burn injuries and at the end of the day, you just wanted to drink and forget. It was an exhausting day. Not enough it started with the ashaming nightly encounter, your trust in Gale soon wavered, and the despair of the burned village imbued you. It was a terrible day. Your days are terrible nowadays. You thought there is nothing worse than your stepfather, but you realized there are plenty of worse things.

When Wyll opened a bottle of wine you were the first who tasted it, and you drank faster than the others. Soon you started a new bottle. Your voice was a bit louder, your laugh was a bit sharper than usual. You catched Astarion staring at you, but you couldn't able to tell if he pity you or you saw hatred in his eyes. You didn’t care about it, you just drank again. Gale, the “kind selfless Gale” Tried to stop you from drinking, but you burst out loudly. “Don’t tell me what to do. None of you have the right to tell me what I should do. You are but a bunch of liars! You tried to hide your magic addiction!”  Gale tried to interrupt you, telling you, it isn’t an addiction, but you continued. “The famous Blade of Frontier, who hunted an innocent tiefling! What do you know about tieflings? Nothing, you mistook one of them with a devil! The mysterious Shadowhart and her even more mysterious artifact! And that..” You beckoned toward Astarion, but he looked at you with killer instinct in his eyes, and you stopped talking for a moment, but soon you continued with your words selected. “That magistrate! Ha! I don’t know much about magistrates, but I’m pretty sure they didn’t pick locks and steal from vendors!” The vampire left offended, and soon the others you addressed followed his example. You left with Lae’zel, and Karlach. Lae’zel just rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything. Karlach stopped you. “ Alright soldier, time to sleep. You drank enough!” “Maybe I'm not.” you objected, but he stopped you “That wasn't an advice, please don’t make me stop you!” “Is that a threat?” You asked angrily. “You know what? I’m leaving! Don’t try to stop me!” And you took the last bottle of wine with you, as you left them, and walked in the woods. As you wandered in the forest you catched the scent of Astarion for a quick moment, but you didn’t see him, as he sneaked through the woods. ”I know you are here” You shouted “I’m not afraid of you! If you come to me tonight I will end you, like I ended the old men!” There was no answer. You climbed up to the tree you found yesterday, and soon you sunked into a deep drunken slumber.

[toads-are-very-polite]

It is fall, and people complain that the soil is dying. Soon it will freeze. Tomato plants will shrivel, the last cucumbers picked, no berries in sight. Under a soft blanket of leaves the world will wait. The trees understand, they have drawn into themselves and hope that the thaw will not leave their bark shattered. Garlic understands too, it will grow under frozen ground and its root will be dug up in the summer. Carrots are not meant to grow and their flesh will look strange, but they too survive. This slow brewing of our food is not enough to continue to supply us with fresh stocks during the winter, and though the grocery is a short walk away, I spend hours over boiling pots and checking my pantry as if i will be miles away from society. Apples and tomatoes find new homes in stacked boxes, wine made from leftover grapes, salsa stocks replenished. Dig. my trowel will be enough to shelter us if we do it right. Pray, not to a god, but to the worms, to the soil, to the leaves, to the compost, to anything that will mean I can sense the roots in the winter soil beneath the snow twisting and turning and that spring brings green.