#Grey panelled tunic

[cochineal-leviat]

"Our dear party celebrate after acquiring the third orb to unlock the House of Dormont. Their location? A tavern. It is a night to drink your worries and sorrows away. Hopefully, they will be able to relax before continuing their formidable journey.

Unfortunately, the booze has more unintended consequences than the group had considered. Especially on their new roguish member."

This is my first ISAT fic (that I have finished), and I am so stoked to share it with everyone! I also drew a comic with it because I was so excited about the story. This is definitely one of my best comics yet. I have been experimenting with panelling, and I am getting the formula down now after much trial and error.

I had a lot of fun designing Siffrin's clothes under the cloak (I even drew a reference for it in my sketchbook). I love designing clothes <3. Especially tunics. It seems a little too fancy for Sif's tastes, but I am chalking it up it being a gift from someone from a long time ago rather than something Siffrin would buy or get on his own)

Please enjoy~!

*Edit*

I decided to continue the comic because of the overwhelming support I received (o゜▽゜)o☆. The link is under this paragraph.

Part 2

(Also, there are no spoilers for the game itself! Except for the ending notes of the fic, but I will place a warning there)

Different coloured pages without text under keep reading

Initially, I worked with different shades of grey for anyone: Siffrin has violet grayscale, Isabeua red, Mirabelle yellow, and Odile Green. But I ended up putting a black-and-white filter on it for unification. Please let me know if you guys prefer the 'coloured' versions more or not, and I will change the comic pages into the OG colouring. The purple for Siff is giving, but I am unsure if it is too noisy.

[yridenergyridenergy]

Live report - Tour24 Who Is This Hell For? 2024/11/21 at Zepp Sapporo

Setlist:

Ruten no tou

AMON

Hageshisa to, kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami

Keigaku no yoku

Magayasou

Celebrate Empty Howls

Mitsu to tsuba

DIABOLOS

VINUSHKA

OBSCURE

Ochita koto no aru sora

The Inferno

-encore-

The Devil In Me

Values of Madness

Uroko

Eddie

My thoughts overall today are:

- so many echoes of Kyo's voice!

- This took me back to the first few times I saw Dir en grey live, in Canada, and the first times in Japan too. Times that were easier, where I was doing fine. The last time I saw them in Sapporo, in 2019, was also literally the beginning of this somewhat debilitating medical condition, caused by my own mistake. Therefore, this whole setlist, the songs and their meaning, conveyed a lot for me in this instance.

Shinya walked on stage dressed in all white. For some reason, it seemed like it was the first time that I could see him properly at his drum set. He was a literal prince! He looked so majestic, so strong. Magayasou especially was HIS time to shine! His drumming is so disorganized, and there was almost rancour and disdain behind one of his side hits during one of the songs, like if anybody had been standing there, they would have been utterly knocked out before they could blink. Also, regarding Shinya, Die tried to interact, but it seemed like Toshiya was the one who was successful in catching Shinya's glance, unless Shinya would have looked that way whether Toshiya was standing there or not hah. And it seemed to me like Shinya was truly peering at us from time to time, which I'd somehow never noticed.

Die was wearing some kind of light black tunic on top of a black tank top whose collar was very low, and he had leather short shorts on top of tights with a swirly design.

Regarding Die, the verdict is clear: he mouths total nonsense hahah. It really isn't the lyrics most of the time. He's just pumping us up by gaping his mouth a few times. He smiled so much throughout the show. I can't remember which song it was, but when it ended, he looked so ecstatic and proud, it reminded me of a high school girl finishing the performance of her life! I think that image stems from how young and happy he looked hah. His long hair kept getting stuck on his guitars.

Toshiya wore a black satin outfit with loooong panels below the sleeves. He had not only his thighs but his shoulders bare too. He had at least some lipstick, from what I remember. Toshiya was totally dramatic and expressive, like we know him to be hah.

Kaoru always impresses me by how he doesn't appear to sweat, and yet he wears the most layers in the band! He had the entire emperor look, baggy pants tucked into high boots, kind of like a horse rider, and the white dress shirt, cape, etc. He had makeup to accentuate his temples, as well as a bit of lining around his eyes, I think?

Kyo came on stage last of course, wearing all black. T-shirt tucked into clean black straight pants, black ribbed socks and shiny black work shoes. No makeup whatsoever. His hair was maybe an inch long. The tattoo next to his right eye is really visible, but this time I was on the kamite side, so I couldn't observe it much. And yeah, he has filled up the space below his jaw to outline his face. It looks like random lines: what pops up is a circular space left almost blank in the centre of his throat like to indicate where to do a tracheotomy, one line left blank on the sides, his Damned tattoo, and the two melded faces on the right side of his neck. If "Truth" is still written below his chin, it's barely distinguishable. Kyo's barbed wire tattoo sticks out a lot from his hairline at the top, despite the length of his hair right now.

It seemed like Kyo got really into the songs mostly at Diabolos. He also peeked at his lyrics memo sheets a lot, not that I blame him.

Ruten no tou was really cool. After "Sora yo", Kyo's voice is doubled in canon echoes, until the part where, in the studio recording, he does a light-pitched sigh, but in this live performance, it was merely an exhale.

The audience would have left Ruten no tou to end and transition into the next song in silence if I hadn't initiated a cheer, which happened a couple of other times. The only moment where we did let the band transition in silence was after Keigaku no yoku, because it would have been super inappropriate to cheer after he ended the song in: "Ore wa sakebu... HAYAKU SHINEEE!!" He ad-libbed Keigaku no yoku for at least the first half. No real clue what he said, it sounded like he was murmuring with the mic too close to his lips. Oh and it was awesome when they echoed Kyo's high-pitched sounds after the harder parts.

AMON was quite cool too. I don't remember anything special right now, other than that it was yet another moment where Shinya's drumming shone.

Hageshisa to, and frankly all of the other songs too, seemed to get the reaction that the band wanted. Everyone pitched in and headbanged as usual. Kyo had us sing a few parts and he did the traditional a capella: "Dive, like hell, and desTROY". Toshiya did his spins with very wide and dramatic movements, but it was clearly because there was no other way to avoid his super long sleeve fabric from interfering with him playing the bass hah.

Magayasou, I literally paid attention mostly to Shinya because of how badass his drumming is in that song. I just remember that I've definitely seen Kyo way more involved in that song in the past, but not now.

Oh, I don't recall which song exactly it was in the first few, but it was funny seeing Kaoru and Die hurry back from the edge of the stage to their mics whenever they realized that: "Oops, I've got backup vocals in 3, 2, 1..." Toshiya almost seemed to follow Kaoru with his stare when it happened like Kaoru snapped out of a trance.

During Celebrate Empty Howls, it feels like the performance was even more energetic from Kyo and the others when I last saw it in an assigned-seat hall. Either way, it involved Toshiya, Die and Kaoru coming to the front to tease us, switching sides once in a while. Toshiya's always all smiles, while Kaoru at most winks stoically hah.

The second pause happened between Celebrate Empty Howls and Mitsu to Tsuba, which felt kind of awkward. Overall, I felt like adding one or two Inward Screams would have livened up Kyo's performance slightly, or at least greatly changed it and the atmosphere of the songs.

Mitsu to Tsuba is mostly Die's time to shine. He knows the effect he has on us and he likes all the distortions he can get out of his guitar.

By the way, other than the SE, I actually don't recall seeing much AI-generated footage in the backdrop videos! The SE had images of a hooded stalker of sorts walking toward a bridge at night, a clown, photographs transposed in a circle to piece together probably someone supposed to be a criminal, etc. The music is a bit unmemorizable, but it had a beat that prompted us to clap to it while we waited for Shinya to show up.

Diabolos was amazing! Die was almost mocking us laughing during the segments where we headbang for three consecutive parts, which happens two other times in the song. I don't know if people seemed tired.

Kyo had us shouting "Blue Velvet" a couple of times. But the song evoked a lot in him, it showed. He was really into it.

The backdrop video of Diabolos caught my attention because it seems like when we sing about "Blue Velvet", we're... cooking a pig? There's just a charred pig head on a cut tree trunk, along with other imagery that makes it clear that the pig was cooked. An African tribesman with white lines of makeup all over his face and body is shown afterward. I'm not sure that that is ever what I would have associated with "Blue Velvet".

Oh, it was crazy, the anticipation building up to the "Saa ningen o yamero" part of this song. Kyo just shouted each line with deep breaks in between, to punch each point. Reading the official lyrics again, I'm pretty sure that Kyo completely changed the lyrics before "Saa ningen o yamero", actually, because it involved more stuff like: "You, and my self too, "

I think it might have been in Diabolos that Toshiya copied Kyo's stance with their left hand raised, leaning backward with their side facing us. It must have been during the climax line: " I raise my vacant eyes toward the sky".

Vinushka, again, I've seen Kyo more intense in this song in some live recordings, but it was nice and felt anyway. For some reason, the parallel between Kyo bringing his mic slowly toward his mouth for the "Aaaah... Vinushka" part while the background video shows the nuclear bomb approaching the viewer from above only just struck me. It's the same movement of two points slowly connecting to express impeding doom, that seems calm and quiet before the explosion.

Obscure involved a lot of headbanging, Toshiya spinning, etc. We didn't see much hah.

Ochita koto no aru sora started kind of like before Obscure finished, it took me a while to recognize the melody. Kyo had us sing some parts. I was really looking forward to witnessing this song live for the first time!

The Inferno came and I knew that it was the last song of the main setlist, which happened way too quickly! Sure, there were two long songs, but it felt way too short! Kyo wanted us to participate in the song a few times and he gestured the cut-throat at the very start and a couple of other times throughout the song, but I don't think he headbanged himself.

Kyo threw his mic backward JUST short of Shinya's drum set and walked off the stage before the song had even finished, leaving the other members to complete the last bit of the melody. Die was especially happy, he stayed behind to play moooore distortion, as long as he could, several seconds after everybody else had left the stage. His smile was wide!

The members returned for the encore rather quickly considering that Toshiya's assistant was still tuning his bass hah. Shinya had a sleeveless black shirt with the super big gold necklace in the style that he, Kaoru and Kyo have worn since The Perfume of Sins! Die has cut the sleeves from the black 27-years sweater but he was still wearing mostly the same clothes underneath. His arms are really defined, but Toshiya has totally surpassed him in muscle mass, woah. Buffest member in the band. Kaoru only took off his cape; how the hell does he not sweat! Toshiya had the grey sweater from the tour merch and his pants/boots with his thighs exposed. Kyo hadn't changed.

Although he did it once, or max twice during the main set, Kyo egged us on with "Sapporo!" several times in the encore, asking us over and over whether we could go on, become one, etc.

Oh man, The Devil In Me! I still completely disagree with the band's decision to rely heavily on backtracks, especially for the part "Jinkaku hitei o abite" which literally was recorded by the backup vocalists? What the fuck. But it's so cool and intense to watch Kyo lose it, growling, folding, swinging his mic cord up and down as he pours his self-hate. For the last minute or so of the song, he climbed on his crate, wrapped his red mic cord around his neck without theatrics, and sang with just enough length of the cord to follow his right arm as it curled toward his mouth. Otherwise, if he extended his arm too much, it would have tightened the noose. At the end of the song, while the instrumental continues for quite a while, he slowly sheds, or rather shrugs off one part of the mic cord from him. First, the noose is undone. Then, the cord draped on his left shoulder is shrugged off, which leaves just the one on his right side, which comes off while he stares almost in challenge at the horizon. Shedding a weight from his shoulders, from his existence literally, but not looking 100% relieved whatsoever.

Values of Madness has me headbanging intensely, so I'm not sure what happened, to be honest. Die was smiling, I think. Kyo stayed quiet to demand us to sing sometimes, which he seemed satisfied with. I don't know if it was in this song or another one, but Kyo was stalking his way in front of his crate when he must have stomped on his mic cord, because he stopped abruptly on his track to fix that before a real problem occurred.

In all three of the last songs, it was funny because the members would visit different sides of the stage, then went back to their spot when the song ended, but then another hyper song started and they went right back out there, repeating this dance once more for Eddie hah.

For the last song, Kyo asked us if we could go on, and he seemed taken aback by the response he got from the shimote side on the left, because he was like: "Huh? Are you alive?" So then that part of the crowd finally put their all into the cheer. Kyo turned to the kamite, and it sounded like we were way more at 100% intensity than shimote from the start. He asked us a second time anyway, and then, after a second of quiet on his part, he did his sudden a capella crescendo: "aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAHH" with his 'claw' rising progressively, which had us all jumping and cheering. Eddie started and Kyo asked us to sing some parts, sometimes taking off his ear monitor. It wasn't clear on his face whether he was satisfied though, so probably not.

Kyo threw one of his water bottles kind of carelessly into the crowd, letting the cap and straw disconnect and all the water spray randomly onto us. Then, he promptly left. Shinya took a long time to come down from his platform, it seemed. Toshiya and Die had already started throwing picks and water. Die did the fountain/water sprouting move from close to his chest, like we saw him do in one or two videos. Toshiya and him sprayed us so much, they seemed to take a lot of pleasure in it. All three who were left on stage threw picks for a while, and I remember Kaoru stoically waving his index at us, as though teasing or chastising us for some reason hah.

Toshiya left with a smile and a modest bow and hand wave. Kaoru also waved us goodbye after throwing everything he had. Die was last, throwing his towel far but not close to the balcony like he sometimes aims to do. He intently looks at whoever catches his towel, like it means a lot to him to watch their reaction. He was really all smiles, mouthing stuff that resembled "arigatou" to us, and then he waved at us on his final way out.

What a blast, overall! I'm probably forgetting some stuff, but less than if I tried to write this live report any other time after today. I hope they play the setlist with Phenomenon in Sendai!

Oh and at one point, I was like: "Who the hell is filming the show with their cellphone? They played the reminder of the rules so often and so clearly." But it was Fujieda filming Shinya, so I guess that's the video we're getting tomorrow hah.

[decaffeinatedwriter101]

My Knight

You have spent countless days within the eerie confines of Oletus Manor, navigating the treacherous landscape of menacing hunters and forging tentative alliances with fellow survivors. Among the ever-shifting dynamics of this grim sanctuary, the buzz of anticipation ripples through the atmosphere at the news of a new arrival. A newcomer named Richard Sterling is reported to be joining the ranks of the survivor faction. Details are scarce, but the mere mention of his name brings a flicker of curiosity to your companions.

Weeks have slipped by, yet no further information has surfaced about this elusive figure—only a solitary photograph, a glimpse of his appearance that hints at what is to come. As is customary, the air is thick with palpable excitement, leading to a change in attire for several residents, each hoping to impress the newcomer and adapt to the shifting tides of this chaotic existence.

On one such evening, you find yourself seated in the grand dining room, where the dim light casts elongated shadows across the wooden table. The flicker of candle flames dances in the periphery as you engage in lively banter with Edgar and Vera. Together, you recount tales of daring matches—both swift skirmishes and tense rank battles—each story weaving a thread of camaraderie in this haunting yet strangely comforting refuge. Your laughter mingles with the soft echoes of the manor, a brief respite from the darkness that looms outside.

"I have no idea what Emily was doing," Edgar exclaimed, his arms animatedly swishing through the air as he rolled his eyes dramatically. A playful laugh escaped Vera's lips, illuminating the room with warmth. "Oh, come on, Edgar! Give her a break. Remember, she stayed up most of the night tending to the wounded survivors. You know how she gets; she was probably just asleep!" she chimed, leaning in to poke him gently with her elbow. Edgar let out a mock scoff, yet a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his lips, betraying his feigned irritation. 

As the three of you shared a moment of laughter, the sudden, thunderous knock on the manor doors reverberated through the air, breaking the camaraderie and echoing ominously in the vast dining room. The sound was potent enough to send a shiver down your spine, stirring anticipation in the otherwise cozy atmosphere. “Who could that possibly be at this hour?” Vera inquired, casting a glance back at Edgar and you. You simply shrugged in response, as the manor's owner hadn’t mentioned anything about visitors arriving tonight. “Let me see who it is; I’ll be right back, okay?” you said, rising from the dining table and sliding your chair back into place. 

As you approached the imposing front doors of the manor, you heard another knock reverberate against the heavy wooden panels. 

“Coming!” you called out, urgency in your voice, hurrying towards the entrance. As you swung one of the doors open, a brisk night breeze swept in, chilling your skin and sending a shiver down your spine. “Sorry for making you wait,” you said, looking up and finding yourself face-to-face with the new arrival—a striking figure named Richard Sterling. 

He was slender and fair-skinned, with a delicately sculpted face that bore an interesting charm. His long bluish-grey hair fell in unruly waves, parted down the middle, with unruly strands cascading over the right side of his forehead. His brows were slim and slanted, framing mismatched eyes—one a vibrant blue and the other a warm brown—each lending an air of intrigue to his already captivating visage. 

Dressed in a medieval knight's ensemble, his attire was an elegant blend of fabrics and textures. A rich blackboard green tunic extended into long leg-of-mutton sleeves, embellished with dark olive slashes and intricate gold stitching that peeked through the puffs of fabric—an unmistakable nod to the style of the medieval and Renaissance periods. He wore tapered breeches of the same hue, accented by muted gold piping and adorned with four finely crafted buttons at the front pocket. 

His feet were clad in soft leather knee boots that hugged his legs, with cuffs reminiscent of a knight's armor. On his left hand, he sported a layered metal gauntlet edged with dull gold, while his right index finger bore a sizeable gold ring, showcasing a stunning sapphire encircled by tiny diamonds. Draped over his tunic was a padded white vest featuring a tall, thick turtleneck collar, fastened with polished gold buttons. 

A somewhat tattered blackboard-green traveling cloak, adorned with muted gold stitching at the hem and lined with a soft dull yellow, hung over his shoulder, secured by a strap and metal buckle. A noticeable tear on his right shoulder revealed the cotton stuffing within. At his side, a knight's helm with a visor and bevor dangled, tucked in the crook of his arm.

“Good evening, miss,” he said, his voice warm and courteous. “No need to apologize; I did arrive quite late.” With a graceful bow, he straightened, flashing a smile that momentarily disarmed you. Flustered, you swallowed hard before responding.

“Oh, it’s quite alright! I just feel bad for making you stand out in the cold. You startled my friends and me—our host didn’t mention anyone arriving tonight,” you explained, fidgeting with your fingers as your gaze caught the luggage he had set down beside him. “Here, let me help you with your things. Please, come in.” 

You stepped aside, waiting for a heartbeat before guiding him further inside. You navigated to the small drawer that sat near the entrance, opening it to pull out a medium-sized leather journal. Flicking through the pages, you searched for Richard’s room number. “Ganji, Fiona, Patricia… Ah! Here you are, Room 400,” you announced, placing the journal back neatly in the drawer. As you turned to lead Richard to his room, you called out to Vera and Edgar, urging them to be at ease. Together, you and Richard ascended the staircase and walked down a corridor lined with ornate décor, finally setting his bags down at the foot of his bed. You released a breath, the weight of the evening lifting slightly. “So, Mr. Sterling, if you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask me or anyone else here, alright?” 

He smiled once more, his eyes crinkling warmly at the corners. “Of course, and please, do call me Richard,” he replied, beginning to unpack his belongings.

“Oh, sure! I’ll see you around then, Richard,” you said, retreating from his room. As you stepped back into the dining room, you closed the door behind you, only to find Edgar and Vera watching you expectantly, their interest piqued.

“So, what’s he like?” Vera asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Is he handsome? Oh, is he tall?”

You couldn’t help but chuckle—a small sigh escaping your lips. “I’d say yes, he’s quite attractive,” you admitted, meeting Vera’s eager gaze.

Edgar leaned in, his expression playful yet incredulous. “What does he look like? I missed seeing him!”

You took a moment, gathering your thoughts with a smile. “Well, he’s a slender man with fair skin and a beautifully bony face. His long, bluish-grey hair is a bit messy, with strands over his forehead. His brows are thin and his eyes... they’re mismatched—one bright blue and the other brown. And he wears this incredible medieval knight's outfit.”

Vera clasped her hands together, a giggle escaping her lips. “Oh, he sounds quite handsome to me!” 

Edgar playfully jabbed her in the arm. “Vera, you haven’t even spoken to the man!” he teased, glancing back at you with an expression that said, ‘You see this?’ 

Laughter bubbled up between you as you watched the banter unfold, the atmosphere of the night lightening as you all settled back into your conversation. Eventually, as the night wore on, Vera excused herself, leaving you and Edgar to relish in the warmth of the moment. Morning light filtered softly through the windows as the three of you prepared for the day ahead. Edgar, recently transformed by a striking new outfit, stood out vividly against the muted backdrop of the room. He wore a vibrant red shirt, its fabric almost alive with color, complemented by a dramatic black feathered cape that cascaded down his back. Perched atop his head was a black octagonal hat, adorned with delicate flowers reminiscent of his artistic flair, and his sleeves and pants bore splashes of red paint, a testament to his creative spirit.

Vera, ever the enigma, opted for one of her signature black dresses known as ‘fatal affection.’ She slipped into a slim, ruffled gown that clung to her form, with shoulder-less sleeves that flowed into long, lace-clad arms. An intricate symbol stitched into the bodice drew the eye, while half her face was obscured by a black fishnet veil, secured with a stunning black rose and delicate grey lace. Her high-heeled shoes clicked softly against the ground, and a ribbon anklet graced her right ankle. On her left hand, a radiant hot-pink jeweled silver ring gleamed, standing out against her pale complexion. Her perfume bottle had transformed as well; it was now a black porcelain creation with a golden nozzle, its surface decorated with elegant filigree, crowned with a golden flower atop.

In contrast, you were clad in your solitary black ensemble, mirroring Edgar’s flair for dramatic style. Your fitted black velvet coat absorbed the light like a dark shadow enveloping you, with a lush rose collar framing your neck. The long tapered sleeves brushed the air gently, embellished with intricate lace cuffs that peeked out like whispers from beneath the coat’s hem. Dark silver clasps shaped like roses fastened the front, imparting an air of elegance. Beneath it, a crimson silk blouse caught the sunlight, shimmering faintly. The high lace detailing around your neck invited admiration, while the billowed sleeves cinched elegantly at your wrists, enhancing the delicate rings gracing your fingers. The blouse was adorned with subtle embroidery of intertwined roses and thorns, symbolizing beauty entwined with danger. Your sleek black leather pants hugged your legs perfectly, with bold red stitching tracing their seams, and pointed high-heeled boots completed your rebellious yet sophisticated look. Vera had envisioned this vampish creation, persuading you to wear it, her enthusiasm infectious.

As you three sauntered over to the table occupying the center of the waiting area, you suddenly halted mid-step, catching Edgar and Vera’s attention. They turned to see where your gaze had landed, landing on Richard. At first, you didn’t recognize him, but his captivating gaze and that gentle, knowing smile ignited a flicker of familiarity within you. Dressed in the manor’s standard armor gifted to new hunters and survivors, Richard stood regally with his pale hair looking almost ablaze, framing his face like the flames of a dying sunset. His armor, an ominous shade of red, flickered with hints of black, exuding an aura of danger, while the cloak he wore swirled around him as if kissed by the fire itself—an allusion to the manor's strange magic.

Vera, noticing the silent exchange unfolding between you and Richard, gently elbowed Edgar, her eyes darting between the two of you. You resumed your path to the table, albeit with a sense of purpose. When you finally pulled out your chair, you observed that Vera had taken a position next to Edgar, intentionally leaving the seat beside Richard available for you. A smirk crept across your face as you settled down next to him.

“How have you been since our last encounter?” Richard’s voice echoed through the stillness, catching you off guard. Edgar and Vera’s hushed conversation faded into the background, all ears now on you. Drawing in a deep breath, you faltered, avoiding his intense gaze. “Oh, I’ve been well. Vera, Edgar, and I decided to synchronize our colors since we’re a team today,” you replied, gesturing toward your friends.

Richard leaned closer, his curiosity piqued, taking in Vera and Edgar with a knowing nod. They greeted him with waves before returning to their hushed conversation about the two of you. His attention shifted back to you, his gaze traversing your outfit with an appreciative gleam. “Might I say, you look quite beautiful in this attire, if I may be honest,” he remarked, his tone sincere.

The match commenced, and you moved toward a cipher machine to start decoding. The air was filled with tension as you heard Vera call out from the far side of the map, warning that the hunter was near. She sprayed her perfume to ward off danger just as the hunter struck her. As she regained her health, a sense of dread curled in your stomach; it was the Ripper, a formidable adversary. Facing him had always left you feeling overwhelmed, particularly when he wielded his fog-laden blade. You had a habit of leading him right to Vera whenever he pursued you, a dance of danger you had come to loathe.

Upon completing your cipher, you moved on to another, absorbed in your task, so focused that you barely noticed the figure approaching you until he stepped into view, making you jump.

“No need to worry, it’s just me,” Richard said, his soft smile breaking the tension as he chuckled at your startled response. He settled down on the opposite side of the cipher machine, ready to assist you, the warmth of his presence enveloping you. “So, how have you been finding Oletus Manor so far?” you inquired, glancing at him, the cipher machine whirring softly beside you, and scanning your surroundings for any impending danger. “I’ve enjoyed being here; the people I’ve met within our faction are quite intriguing, and the hunters add a thrilling element as well,” he replied, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. A smile tugged at your lips, grateful to see him relishing his time here.

Suddenly, Vera’s voice rang out from across the map, cutting through your moment of relief, “Beware! The hunter has changed targets!” As her warning echoed in your ears, your heart began to race, pounding against your chest like a war drum. You had almost forgotten how swiftly the Ripper could close the distance.

“I’ll kite him; you focus on decoding. We only have three ciphers left, right?” you declared, stopping momentarily to shut off the machine and rushing into the shadows, drawing the hunter’s attention away from him. A minute felt like an eternity as you dashed through the twisting halls, the Ripper’s heavy footsteps echoing ominously behind you. 

With adrenaline coursing through your veins, you slammed a pallet down, buying yourself precious seconds to escape. Just as you thought you had gained enough distance, you felt the sting of one of his foggy blades slice through the air—pain shot through you, and you stumbled briefly. The satisfying sound of two ciphers clicking shut filled you with hope, but fate had other plans as you vaulted through a window only to be caught once more. 

Now, you crawled along the cold, hard floor, desperately trying to distance yourself from him and avoiding the grip of a chair the Ripper was undoubtedly intending to use on you. But your efforts were in vain; with a deft motion, he had you ensnared in a rocket chair, your heart sinking as Edgar’s distant shout broke through the chaos: “The cipher is primed!” You had expected Vera to come to your rescue, only to see Richard emerge instead.

Just as the Ripper prepared to swing his weapon, Richard demonstrated his tactical prowess, blocking the attack with a quick maneuver. ‘What an intriguing skill,’ you thought, relief flooding through you as Richard pulled you from the chair. You sprinted for your life, desperate to escape, only to feel the crushing defeat of being knocked down moments later after urging your allies to finish the cipher.

Richard had managed to open the back gate near the shack where you had been decoding, the very spot where the Ripper had now trapped you. Seeing Richard press himself against the wall, nerves twisted in your stomach—he was risking everything as the hunter prowled nearby, having sensed him with his Detention ability. 

As the Ripper moved away, Richard emerged from his hiding place, a calculated risk in his stride. To your surprise, he knelt, plunging his sword into the ground with a determined thrust, and you realized in that instant that the chair handle had sprung back up, releasing you from its confines. You sprang to your feet and bolted toward the gate, the Ripper’s shadow looming ever closer.

Just as you thought all hope was lost, Richard blocked the Ripper’s swing with his foresight, granting you the precious moment you needed. Finally, as you both surged through the gate and into the safety of the manor, you leaned against the wall, letting out a weary sigh, the weight of the match finally catching up to you. Richard approached, offering his arm to help you to a nearby seat, and in that moment, the thrill of survival intertwined sweetly with exhaustion. “Thank you,” you manage to breathe out, your voice barely above a whisper. “I honestly didn’t think you’d rescue me. I thought you would have left.” You lean back into your seat, feeling the warmth and gratitude wash over you. Richard chuckles softly, his laughter a rich, comforting sound that seems to fill the room. He kneels in front of you, his gaze a steady ember as it locks onto yours, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. 

“It’s my duty as a knight to keep my teammates safe, even if that means I have to carry them,” he says, his words laced with sincerity. As he rises, he glances back over his shoulder, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’ll see you soon, I presume?” With that, he retreats from the room, leaving you in a whirlwind of emotions, flustered and captivated.

Months slipped by like the tides, and with each passing day in the manor, the bond you shared with Richard deepened. What began as camaraderie blossomed into a beautiful friendship, woven with threads of love. Countless battles fought side by side forged a connection that others in the manor found surprising. Only Vera seemed to have sensed the spark between you two, while Edgar lingered in a state of cautious curiosity, half expecting yet half doubting.

Today was another ordinary day turned extraordinary as you and Richard fought as a formidable duo, both in rank and in spirited matches. After your sessions, you retreated to your rooms, the air still crackling with the adrenaline of victory.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” Richard asked, pulling you closer, his hands resting possessively on your hips. His thumb brushed against your side with tender familiarity. Your hands glided up to cup his face, fingers weaving through his hair, captivated by the hypnotic allure of his mismatched eyes. 

“Yes, Richard, you’ll see me tomorrow, just like we planned,” you reply with a cheerful smile. He leans in, a soft warmth enveloping you as he kisses you, the world around you fading into the background. You feel his left hand caress your cheek, a gentle gesture that sends waves of affection through you. He tilts you back slightly, deepening the moment before he pulls away, a contented sigh escaping his lips as he smooths back his hair. That infuriatingly charming smile graces his face once more, and he leans in for one last, lingering kiss before retreating down the long, shadowed hallway towards his room.

As you approach your bedroom, a curious scent fills the air, drawing your attention. Confusion and delight danced in your mind as you spotted a bouquet of roses sitting enticingly at your door. Gently picking them up, you step inside, placing them on the small table beside your bed. Nestled within the blooms, a note catches your eye, its edges peeking out from the velvety petals.

“A rose in bloom, whispers fall,  

Of petals kissed by morning's call.  

A fragrance sweet, so pure, divine,  

It speaks the secrets, hearts entwine.  

Beneath its velvet, thorned embrace,  

The quiet truth we seek, we trace.  

A symbol of the love we yearn for,  

In every curl, a lesson is learned.  

Its fragile form, with grace it sways,  

In twilight's glow, through endless days.  

A rose—forever wild, untamed,  

Its beauty deep, forever named.”  

The note is signed simply: Richard. A warm smile spreads across your face as you carefully fold the note and place it in a drawer for safekeeping. As you pull the drawer back, your fingers brush against something unexpected—a small velvet box. 

Curiosity piqued, you lift the box, its smooth surface cool against your skin. Upon opening it, you find a stunning bracelet nestled inside—a delicate weave of silver and threads that dance with every move you make. Crafted from an exquisite blend of lustrous beads and supple leather, the bracelet boasts a central charm shaped like a crescent moon, adorned with tiny glimmering stones that twinkle like distant stars. The adjustable clasp promises a perfect fit, making this timeless piece versatile enough for both casual days and elegant nights.

A soft giggle escapes your lips as you fasten the bracelet around your wrist, overwhelmed by a rush of happiness. It’s moments like these that remind you how deeply Richard cherishes you, your steadfast knight in a world of wonders.

(A/N: this was supposed to be posted yesterday for valentines Day but it took longer than I actually thought it would)

[deuynndoodles]

[ID: A lineup of the artist's designs for 12 Links. In order of height, from left to right, their nicknames are Tiny, Mask, Sky, Four, Shadow, Sailor, Tracks, Fairy, Glam, Slate, Vet and Rancher.

Tiny (Minish Cap) is 21 and uses he/she. He’s very small and slight. She has a healthy tan, hazel eyes, and wavy, light blonde hair tucked into the classic green windsock hat. He wears the Roc's Cape, a green dress in which the skirt mimics the forest minish’, black leggings, light brown gloves and boots, and a black waist apron. A golden chain strapped to her belt holds kinstones and a charm that resembles Ezlo. He holds up a mallet in his left hand. He has a resting bitch face.

Mask (Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask) is around 12 and uses they/them. They're short and stocky with baby fat still on their cheeks. They have light brown skin, dark brown eyes, and poofy straight blonde hair that goes just past their chin. They wear a Kokiri tunic and boots, a baldric across their chest, a joy pendant and silver earrings. They have the Kokiri sword strapped to their hip and hold the Fierce Deity mask in their left hand, looking off to the side curiously.

Sky (Skyward Sword) is 20 and uses he/him. He's short and stocky, built of healthy fat and muscle. He has light skin, blue eyes, and slightly curly, light brown hair that frames his face and goes to his shoulders. He has a green tunic and gold chainmail, as well as pants, boots and fingerless gloves. His sailcloth is pinned over his right shoulder and his loftwing's feathers are tucked behind his left ear. He has no visible weapons. He has an easy going smile on his face despite being tired.

Four (Four Swords Adventures) is 18 and pronouns match fronter(s). Four is on the thinner and shorter side. Four has light skin, grey eyes, and a short blonde bob pulled back with a dark grey headband. Four wears a white-and-grey four-panel tunic embroidered in gold with the elements and the hilt of the Four Sword. Said blade rests on Four's hip. Four wears a dark grey longsleeve shirt and pants with boots. Four gestures with a hand, looking a bit scandalized and annoyed.

Shadow (Four Swords Adventures) is about 18 and uses he/it. He’s skinny and a bit short. It has light, purplish skin, red eyes, and scruffy purple hair tied in a low ponytail. It has a scar on its left cheek resembling a shattered mirror. He wears a black hood over his black, four-panel tunic, pants and boots, the hood tip flickering with dark magic. It floats with a hand on his hip, the other alight with a dark flame. He smirks, showing off a fang.

Sailor (Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass) is 17 and uses he/it. He’s lean and short. It has light brown skin, brown eyes, and very short curly, light blonde hair tucked into a green bandana. He wears a cyan tunic with the crayfish of his casual wear, a green sash, russet pants and sandals. The Phantom Sword hangs on its hip and it wears various gold jewelry, including a joy pendant. He brandishes the Wind Waker with a confident grin.

Tracks (Spirit Tracks) is 14 and uses she/they. She's a little chubby and of average height. She has brown skin, dark brown eyes, and a short golden bob that frames her cheeks. They wear an engineer’s uniform, stained with soot and oil, a red bandana tied around her neck, and gloves and boots. Her right sleeve is tied just under the shoulder due to her amputated limb. The Lokomo Sword is on their right hip and a chain of keys hangs from their belt. She adjusts her hat with an easygoing grin.

Fairy (Legend of Zelda 1986 and Adventure of Link) is 18 and uses he/fae and mirror pronouns. He’s skinny and a bit lean. Fae has brown skin with freckles, dark brown eyes and chin-length dark brown curls. Faer bangs are clipped out of faer face with barrettes. He wears a short, dark green poncho with 3 rounded points, the back two mimicking fairy wings. Underneath, he wears a green tunic, an orangish-brown longsleeve shirt, and brown shorts and gloves. Fae goes barefoot, faer legs exposed with several bandages and scars on them. The Magic Sword and an empty potion bottle hang from his hips.

Glam (A Link Between Worlds and Triforce Heroes) is 22 and uses he/him. He's fat with some muscle. He has light brown skin with vitiligo and stretchmarks, red eyes and short, curly blonde hair with brown roots, going just past his chin. He wears a long, pastel green dress under a brown and pink apron stained with paint. He wears simple boots and Ravio’s bracelet. He holds the skirt of his dress with his right hand and smiles.

Slate (Breath of the Wild) is 20 and defaults to they/them and is also genderfluid. They're quite skinny and lean, favoring speed over strength. They have light skin with lots of visible scarring, cyan eyes, and long, choppy, dirty blonde hair in a braid that reaches their waist. They wear the champion's tunic, a hylian hood, pants boots and fingerless gloves, and the Sheikah Slate on their hip. They rest their hand on their other hip and give a closed-eyed smile.

Vet (A Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages/Seasons, and Link’s Awakening) is 24 and uses she/her. She's a bit skinny, taller than most of the others, with plenty of muscle hidden by baggy clothing. She has warm light skin, purple eyes, and a short pink bob with sidelocks that touch her collarbone. She wears a long green dress, pegasus boots, a brown longsleeve undershirt, and a purple scarf. She has a messenger’s bag over her shoulder, the tempered sword on her hip, the pendants of virtue on a necklace, and various gold jewelry. A decorated cane hangs on her back for when she needs help walking. She has a hand on her bag, looking over her shoulder with a flat face.

Rancher (Twilight Princess) is 19 and uses he/him. He's tall and has very strong arms. He has light brown skin, hazel eyes, and reddish-brown hair that's shorter in the back. He wears an altered version of the ranching outfit, with the green sleeve removed, pants traded for a skirt, and sandals traded for sturdy boots. He has no visible weapons. He looks a bit rugged, with several visible scars (thanks to exposing clothing) and sharp teeth, but is fairly welcoming and friendly in demeanor. He has a hand on his hip and a piece of barley in his mouth. End ID]

updated links meet au!! i didn't touch it at all in the past year but i wanted to start making stuff for it. unfortunately the old stuff was a bit outdated so i updated them

for a long list of personal hcs canon to the au, hit the cut!

Tiny

agender, likes girls (in a relationship with zelda)

talks aloud

was 12 during minish cap, which took about a week

stopped growing at age 12 (during her adventure) due to transformation side effects

resting bitch face and flat effect. tends to come off as apathetic but he cares A Lot

a large part of her magical ability comes from minish magic (transformation side effects)

when he shrinks, he becomes a minish (transformation side effects). this is not what usually happens but he used the portals enough that it did happen

his mallet is charmed to change sizes from something he can use in the forge to a weapon to bludgeon monsters with

has surpassed her grandfather as royal smith

incredibly wary of dark/black magic

Mask

enby and pan (currently has a crush on malon)

signs

was 10-17 for ocarina of time, and got yeeted right back in time to when it started post oot. maybe 6 months later, they set out in search of navi (majora's mask). hyrule warriors also happened about a half year later

common pattern is they get plopped back where they were before the adventure

they aren't very sure of their age and tend to age slide due to this—when asked, they go by physical age (this is why they are roughly 12)

skittish about forming relationships because they fear they'll be forgotten again. they try to act like a little brat to ward people away (surprise: it doesn't work)

as they chill out, they're less hostile but they're still a trickster

transformation side effects really freak them out + they'll try to “fix” it

has an incredible internal clock

Sky

trans and bi, in a polycule with groose and zelda

talks aloud

17 during skyward sword, which took about 10 months

his crimson loftwing isn't “special” bc that's kinda silly (to me). her name is epona

“i miss my bird, tails. i miss her a lot”

refuses to carry a sword around because wielding anything but fi feels strange. he is still the best at swordplay out of all of them, even if he's a bit rusty

the mom friend—but not overbearing, more like he'll fight someone to the death if they hurt his family

nerve damage in his right hand from catching lightning. tremors, pins and needles, etc. doesn't shake when holding a sword, oddly enough

chronic fatigue, narcoleptic

Four

all four speak aloud

16 for four swords adventures, took a little under a year. four and zelda revive shadow when they're 18

four is plural and is not usually in the same body, four does it sometimes for masking purposes (four's not too great at it)

the fronter wears their elemental charm

red (any pronouns, genderqueer, likes girls) is energetic and mischievous. he has the best emotional intelligence of the four. situational arsonist. likes to cook and bake. volunteers at lonlon ranch and dates malon

green (he/him, agender, likes boys) is good at taking charge within the group and is good at management, but sucks when it comes to interpersonal conflict and gets self conscious. he's very aware of his strengths and flaws, and acts accordingly. likes to carve wood, train, and ride epona

blue (she/her, trans girl, lesbian) is headstrong and knows her strengths. she likes to joke and tease but sometimes can go a bit too far. likes to sew, train and spar. dating erune

vio (they/them, nonbinary, greyaroace) is stubborn and dislikes not getting their way. they like to plan and come up with ideas or experiments, which are either great or horrible, no inbetween. they like to read and tend to plants.

Shadow

gendervoid, greyaro pansexual (in a qpr with zelda)

talks aloud

age is a bit questionable. are you 18 if you were mirrored from someone who was physically 16, then you died when you both were 17 and got revived? who knows

recently revived from the dark mirror! he's more or less a hylian now, but with dark magic. not as powerful as during fsa

is really, really close to his links and/or four. they tend to sleep in a dogpile

wears a cloak to protect itself from the sun

usually hostile and assumes the worst of people. conversely, gets attached very easily to people who show it kindness

Sailor

agender, aroace (considering a relationship with tetra)

will cycle between speaking aloud and signing

12 for wind waker which took a little over a year, 15 for phantom hourglass, hyrule warriors hasn't occurred yet

loves to entertain children with dramatized tales of his adventures

still carries aryll's telescope as a good luck charm

loves to brag about how cool its sister is

recycled the hero's tunic into a sash and bandana so it'd actually wear it

replaced the center gem of the joy pendant with a pirate stone! likes to lend stones out when they separate into groups

congenital hard of hearing. was shy as a kid, especially due to widespread sign language being lost with the great flood, but eventually learned how to sign and speak aloud. very good at lipreading. now will never shut up. likes to talk loudly and hear his own voice

Tracks

demigirl, lesbian (dating zelda)

signs. it takes a bit longer because some signs are unavailable

was 12 for spirit tracks, took half a year

enjoys coming up with outlandish tales on how they lost their arm

generally pretty open and friendly, except for when they're tired or pissed off by someone

sees ghosts

Fairy

agender, aroace

signs

was 12 for legend of zelda 1986, which took a year and a couple months, and 16 for adventure of link which took a year

has some fairy blood, when he left calatia at age 10 fairies helped guide him and taught him a bit about magic

shy sweetheart at first, but when fae opens up to you fae likes to play minor pranks and jokes (he, sailor and mask like to team up on pranks)

very good at foraging and other various wildlife skills, yet gets lost even with a map in front of him

Glam

trans and gay (currently single)

tends to speak aloud, signs when exhausted

was 17 for link between worlds, which took a year, and 19 for triforce heroes, which took half a year

is a blacksmith. does everyday supplies like nails, tools, utensils, etc, but can also craft weapons if necessary. forges all his own weapons

he and tiny compare blacksmithing techniques

paints and does art in his off time. it was originally a coping mechanism he, zelda, and the sages attempted, but he ended up really enjoying it and continued afterwards

the stereotypical camp gay. likes ‘feminine’ things like makeup, fashion and skirts

lives with ravio + is married to him for tax benefits/citizenship reasons. they're gay but not for each other

Slate

genderfluid, pan (defaults to they/them, in a qpr with zelda)

signs, uses the slate as augmentative/alternative communication when necessary

was (1)17 for botw, which took over a year and a half

likes to talk about their amazing friends

had plenty of time to confront their trauma and is proud of their land and people for returning after the calamity

knows every nook and cranny of their era's hyrule

doesn't know the difference between edible and poisonous. still manages to make delicious food that no one throws up later

totk is semi-canon, as in a lot of the setup is established, but the actual game events haven't occurred

Vet

trans, lesbian (grieving marin)

usually signs unless she has something to say and nobody's listening to her

kinda bitter due to grief, doesn't talk much unless she's being a know-it-all

hoarder. has lots of duplicate items or items with the most ridiculous purposes

wears marin's necklace under her tunic

as she deals with her trauma, she becomes more animated and sweet. it's not just marin she has to work through, though

also, marin is from the adult timeline just after the great flood and believes link has died. oops!

Rancher

trans, straight

speaks aloud

was 17 for twilight princess, which took a year and a half

still a bit hung up on midna leaving

closeted emo

trying really, really hard to fit into his lifestyle pre-adventure but is failing

knows he looks threatening so he tries to tone it down. it doesn't work all the time, especially when he gets angry

initially hated to leave ordon again, but he finally feels good again so he's conflicted

midna taught him her twili abilities towards the end because she knew she'd have to leave. he's still pretty good at them

sharp teeth and sharp nails (transformation side effects)

note about hyrule warriors: due to its status as not canon in the timeline but the appeal of time shenanigans, i've decided it has a tenuous place in the timeline. it's schrodinger's cat—it happened and a lot of the people involved in the war remember it, but it caused a time paradox, it's not written in the history books, and most peoples' memory of it was erased. hyrule warriors link will not be showing up but he may be mentioned at times.

[maisiestyle]

The First Men are not Natives

It's so strange when SELECTIVE canonical white characters are being passed off as people of color on tumblr art. 👀 Why do these folks follow canon for one character and not the other? I am a POC and this is so odd.

Especially considering the First Men, who the Starks are descendents, they aren't native to the North. The First Men colonised the area, having originally come from Essos - taking the land from the native inhabitants of Westeros (the Children's of the Forest). This is direct canon.

Alys Karstark (from a cadet branch of House Stark and descendants of the First Men/North) is described as having pale skin and blue-grey eyes. She was an Arya lookalike.

Jeyne Poole, another descendant of the First Men/North, is described multiple times, as having pale skin. Another Arya lookalike.

From the books, Arya is never described as having dark skin. If you're going to respect Canon for one character, keep it consistent.

"Her face was dirty, and her tears left pink tracks down her cheeks. - AGoT Eddard II

She wished she could take off her clothes and swim, gliding through the warm water like an skinny pink otter. Maybe she could swim all the way to Winterfell. - ACoK Arya IV

"It makes no matter." Even if the Titan did eat juicy pink girl flesh, Arya would not fear him. She was a scrawny thing, no proper meal for a giant, and almost eleven, practically a woman grown. - AFFC Arya I

She stood on the end of the dock, pale and goosefleshed and shivering in the fog. - AFFC Arya II

Down in the vaults, she untied Cat's threadbare cloak, pulled Cat's fishy brown tunic over her head, kicked off Cat's salt-stained boots, climbed out of Cat's smallclothes, and bathed in lemonwater to wash away the very smell of Cat of the Canals. When she emerged, soaped and scrubbed pink with her brown hair plastered to her cheeks, Cat was gone. - AFFC Cat of the Canals

Westeros is a very British/European inspired area. Loosely based on the British War of the Roses...etc. The people of the North are more Celtic/Scottish + a lot heavy norse mythology.

During a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2014, in a discussion about fantasy maps, GRRM goes on to say that the map of Westeros “began as upside-down Ireland”, mentioning the clear similarity of the Fingers (Westeros) to the Dingle Peninsula of (Ireland).

The Wall in asoiaf is based on Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England:

While on a trip to Great Britain, George said, “The Wall predates anything else. I can trace back the inspiration for that to 1981. I was in England visiting a friend, and as we approached the border of England and Scotland, we stopped to see Hadrian’s Wall. I stood up there and I tried to imagine what it was like to be a Roman legionary, standing on this wall, looking at these distant hills. It was a very profound feeling. For the Romans at that time, this was the end of civilization; it was the end of the world. We know that there were Scots beyond the hills, but they didn’t know that.

All the official Artwork shows Arya depicted as a white girl. You accurately draw Sansa as a white girl and you don't find that offensive? Why do you people follow canon when you draw her siblings and then go full creative mode for Arya/Jon/Ned and other Northern people who are described as WHITE? Again where is the consistency?

Don't get mad when you get called out.

[bambiraptorx]

[I.D. Digital drawing of two characters. One is a ghost with large sparkly eyes and a smile, that holds a basket of assorted candies. The other is a human with gold glasses and shoulder length white hair, who wears a black sweater over a pale grey turtleneck and blue jeans. They are also wearing fingerless gloves. They say "Hi! Would you like some treats from our goodie basket?" End I.D.]

[I.D. Two panel comic. In the first, Teen Draxum is shown in a bust shot, his eyes wide with fear and his ears pinned down as he flinches. He is wearing a short sleeve tunic and a himation wrapping around his left arm. He says "Υπάρχουν άνθρωποι εδώ?!" which means 'There's humans here?!' In the next panel he is shown in a three quarter body shot, his hands tensely splayed at his sides. He looks very afraid, and says "Πού είναι οι άλλοι? Πρέπει να υπάρχουν κι άλλα! Δεν είναι ασφαλές εδώ!!" That means 'Where are the others? there have got to be more! it isn't safe here!!' End I.D.]

Hm, looks like he's nervous for some reason, I wonder why.

@tmntaucompetition

[avayarising]

This is not right.

Context: this is part of Death Metal, and all the universes are being destroyed. All the heroes of the main universe, and some from other universes, have gathered together on the eve of the final, hopeless, battle. They all know they are probably going to die. Batman asks Batgirl (Babs) to ‘gather the boys’, and she heads off, finding Robin first:

The Robin playing cards here is wearing what is obviously a Damian-Robin outfit, with grey sleeves, grey trousers, a red tunic with yellow bars across the front, and a grey cape with a yellow hood. Barbara addresses him as ‘Tim’. He excuses himself from the game.

(We saw Tim earlier in a Titans crowd scene, where he was wearing his usual short black sleeves and a hoodless cape. There’s no reason given for him to steal Damian’s outfit now.)

Barbara then rounds up Jason and Dick, on panel, and brings them along as well, and then we see this:

Apparently, Tim is still playing poker and will ‘be along soon’ (though he doesn’t turn up at all in the whole scene). Bruce says there’s no time and they will start without Tim. The Robin standing here, wearing exactly the same outfit as in the previous panel, then has to be Damian – and towards the end of the meeting is addressed as such.

What they are there to do, it turns out, is basically the Bat equivalent of a group hug. Bruce wants his kids there so he can look upon them and think sappy thoughts about how much he loves them.

There’s a moment where they pool some items of kit (the paucity of equipment here makes me think this is more symbolic, a kind of Communion, than anything practical) and the speech bubble coming from where Robin was last seen standing says ‘I won some bullets’, implying he was the one at the poker game.

So I am expected to believe that, on the eve of the end of all worlds, where everyone is fully expecting to die,

Bruce wants his sons and Barbara with him, for purely emotional reasons, and doesn’t ask for Cass or Steph (or for that matter Jarro, who has been clinging to and parented by Bruce for a good part of this event)

either Tim dresses up as Damian for no apparent reason or Tim was hiding behind the tent and takes Damian’s place in the poker game for no apparent reason when Damian leaves (and either way Tim would rather play poker with some randos than spend time with his family on the eve of the end of the world)

Barbara, sent to gather the batboys for a final batmeeting, lets Tim play poker and doesn’t insist he join them

Bruce, gathering his family for one last together moment, decides not to wait for Tim, even though he is apparently coming soon, and not to think anything more about him

Bruce has the audacity, the sheer effrontery, to think this of a group that does not include TIm:

[msfcatlover]

Shadow Stephanie (Reverse Robins)

Obviously to start with, Steph was iterating on Damian's design. The very first thing she did was take the whole outfit and give it a little color, losing the grey in order to layer in midnight blues & dark purples. It's actually a better stealth design than pure black, and while Damian took a long minute to think about it when Steph came to him to show her redesign ideas, he agreed that it was a smart change.

(This is the new color scheme. Not vibrant, but practical.)

The undersuit, including the full-coverage gloves, is now black. The costume itself is predominantly purple, but with thick blue detailing on the hems breaking it up a little bit.

The hooded cowl follows this color scheme, except the inside of the hood is solid black.

Steph changed the central tunic to something more like what she did for her Robin uniform, better fitting her tastes than Damian's uneven hem & separated panels. Using her WFA costume for a reference, note that we are only talking about the central red-part here. Also, Shadow!Steph's tunic is a little longer, probably ending a little past mid-thigh.

She limited Damian's puffy sleeves to the upper arms, replacing Damian's cuffs with elbow-length padded (still fingerless) gloves. with chrome-capped knuckles

(Once again, her fingers are still covered by the black undersuit. She just wears the gloves on top.)

(Something like these gloves, but with the armor incorporated into the structure rather than being on top, as seen in the real-world example.)

Steph swapped Damian's mouth-guard-mask for a simple black neck gaiter, but she kept the grease paint (as she considers it an iconic part of Shadow's look.) She has to work very hard to keep her hair pulled tight under the hood for both identity protection and just to keep as much grease paint as possible out of it.

Steph does still have Damian's thigh armor, but it's almost entirely hidden by the tunic; she kept the padded pants, but they're blue now.. She also has a utility belt (which Damian had, but I can't remember if I mentioned it) in black with silver buckles.

She traded out Damian's boots for a pair of these with armored knee-pads/shin-guards worn over top. The boots are composite-toe (or whatever you call the variant where it fully encases the foot) for resistance & comfort... with a polished steel plate at the tip for weight & fashion.

(OG boots, armor, chrome toe example; I'd've used an actual chrome-toed boot for her to start with, but can't seem to find non-platform versions.)

I think that's everything. I continue to put waaay too much thought & research into this AU. Damn.

[snappedsky]

Borderlands: Skies the Ultimate Treasure Hunter

Skies finds what she's been hunting for, but time is running out.

--

The Treasure of Captain Red-eye Part 6

Skies enters through the golden doors into a small room, her eyes wide with awe. Across the room sits a large, grey throne, and sitting atop the throne is an old skeleton.

It is not human; it is far larger, almost eight feet long. Rags of decayed clothes hang off it- leather boots, slacks, a tunic, and a large black coat. A tricorne hat sits atop its skull that is much bigger than any human’s, with a tall forehead, fangs, and a single massive eye hole.

“Captain Red-eye, I presume,” Skies says, approaching the skeleton. “Even after death you are as magnificent as your stories said. You turned the galaxy on its head, forcing hundreds of people to kill each other for just a piece of your legendary treasure. But I’m the one who will succeed. Now, where is your compass?”

Skies carefully examines the skeleton, picking its pockets and finding nothing but ancient dust. There’s nothing behind the throne either, as it sits flush against the back wall.

Skies steps back, pondering what to do next, when she notices the throne isn’t just grey- it’s metallic. Her interest piques and she carefully moves the skeleton’s arms off their rests, revealing control panels with many switches and buttons.

“What do we have here?” she muses, carefully examining the controls. If there was ever any writing or colours on these panels, they’ve long faded with age, so it’s hard to tell what does what. So Skies just pushes the biggest button.

Two large beams of light illuminate from the top of the throne, creating a holographic screen in front of the skeleton. Skies’ eyes widen in wonderment as she goes around to the side of the throne to see the screen.

It displays a star map with a yellow dot next to a star- their exact location. Many options sit at the bottom of the screen. Using the buttons on the control panels, Skies scrolls through them. Each one automatically displays directions through the galaxy to different points of interests: inns, restaurants, repair shops, and treasure sites.

“This is it!” Skies exclaims, smiling excitedly. “It was never a compass- it’s an entire navigation system embedded into a throne! It’s like a more in-depth ECHOmap. I’ve never seen anything like it! I bet if I could get this thing moved to the Sky Rider, Rhys would be able to connect it.”

Skies kneels on the floor to examine the bottom of the throne. “It’s connected to the ground but I should be able to cut it apart. Sorry, Red-eye, but this baby’s coming with me.”

[bells-of-black-sunday]

3-5 Things Your Muse Can Easily Be Identified By.

colors

Red- deep maroons and dusty fabric that's clearly been worn by time

Black- deep as the night or so pale it's grey

Iron- both rusted and pristine, there were times when he'd have the energy to polish his armor to perfection and other times not so much

Blue - pale cornflower like his eyes

Brown- both from his hair and the pale tans of his linens

scents

Steel- steel has a scent when it gets closed and polished especially when exposed to the elements it's something that while not often clinging to him is unmistakable when you maintain armor and blades

Grass/dirt- generally just the smell of dirt, he does a lot of manual labor and likes to relax in the grass and fields when he's done that and a common form of antiperspirant during the period was literally just using dust and some scented oils to cover the smell

Blood- something unmistakable after sparring or after battles, he's never one to care for his body so he gets various cuts and scrapes a lot

fashion

Tunics/kirtles- very simple and common clothing for men in the period, it was basically just a big blanket of wool to protect yourself from the elements while still being light and breathable they could be laced or just be a complete panel

Braies and hose - basically a pair of undershorts that'd be covered by a pair of long socks called hose or even a pair of chausses, not too uncommon to see him lounging out like that in the shared living space he has

Great helm- a very common helm throughout most of the later medieval period, it's what his helmet is on his actual model even if his hair really shouldn't be poking through it

Cloak- a big basically blanket of fabric to keep yourself extra warm or the rain out, definitely something warn quite a bit on long marches

objects

Great Swords- self explanatory

War banners- again self explanatory, with how he was granted the nobility title of knight, he was a very privileged man and thus was probably the one to carry the banner of the lords he's worked under

Genuinely probably the only two things that can be associated with him in particular, unlike a lot of the other killers: his add ons aren't really personal belongings or things relating to him specifically. Mostly just the company he was enslaved under and from when he'd eventually betray Vittorio. Which just goes to show he probably didn't really have many personal belongings.

body language

Tensed muscles- When isn't he tense and irritable? he's not really used to people talking to him without wanting something or, because he pissed them off in one way or another.

Glowering- his natural state of being is be almost deadpan, but also looking like he'd kill you if you looked at him wrong

Folded arms- protective and comforting as it is intimidating

aesthetics

Corrupted religion- this man fetishizes religion so hard because he does not care about it, but he will treat Haru like he's the virgin Mary herself and worship at his lap

Medieval- he's from that time period it's a given

Dogs- he's got massive abused dog/guard dog energy, he is tame in the way a flock protector is when it guards its sheep from wolves

Flowering meadows- when isn't he talking about how he just wants to return to the earth when he dies?

Tagged by: @steel-and-fire (thank you!!) Tagging: uhh I got to this rlly late just steal it from me

[shadowqueen402]

Balan Wonderworld Outfits: Chapter 7

Here are all of the outfits in Chapter 7. Since this world is medieval themed, everyone is going to be wearing medieval outfits! Enjoy!

Leo Craig

A metallic redwood visor over his eyes, metallic redwood torso armor with a silver hemline and four redwood metal flaps over a black shirt with rolled up sleeves, redwood shoulder plates, metallic redwood gauntlets, silver metal gloves, a brown belt with a silver buckle, black leather pants and redwood boots.

Emma Cole

A pink and white medieval dress with bell sleeves and gold trimming, a black waist cincher, and magenta kitten heels. Her dress touches the ground and her hair is worn in a low braid.

Jose Gallard

A red peasant shirt with long sleeves, a black belt with a gold buckle on his waist, brown ankle-banded pants, and black medieval moccasins.

Fiona Demetria

A blue medieval dress with gold trimming, white over-the-shoulder long sleeves, a gold tiara with blue gems, and blue stilettos. She wears her hair in a low bun.

Yuri Brand

A peasant styled white shirt with puffed sleeves and a small black ribbon, a brown corset vest, a long magenta skirt with a white accent in the center, and indigo moccasins.

Haoyu Chang

An olive green cravat, a grey long-sleeved tunic, a black belt with a gold buckle, green pants, and brown moccasins.

Sana Hudson

A silver and light green visor with a cyan, oval-shaped gem and a gold hemline, a long-sleeved green shirt underneath a silver and light green coat-like torso armor that has gold trimming, silver gauntlets with cyan gems, silver metal gloves, a black belt with a gold buckle, dark green leather pants, and silver and light green metal boots. She no longer sports her bandana.

Cass Milligan

A white bonnet, a white dress with ruffled, elbow sleeves and a long black skirt, a fuschia corset with black strings, a white apron, and fuschia moccasins.

Cal Suresh

A gold crown with red jewels, a grey and white long-sleeved tunic, a red cape with white fur lining, a brown belt with a gold buckle on the waist, black pants, and brown boots with gold trimming.

Iben Bia

A gold diadem with light blue, rhombus-shapes gems, a purple juliet-sleeved dress with the cuffs being triangular and light blue lining on the collar, cuffs, and rim of the dress, and purple kitten heels.

Attilio Caccini

A jester's outfit which consists of a magenta and yellow jester hat, a magenta and yellow long-sleeved shirt with miniature bells on the rim, matching pants, black stockings, and magenta pointed shoes.

Lucy Wong

A gold tiara with emeralds, an emerald green dress with long bell sleeves and gold trimming, a white panel in the center, black lacing cord, a pair of emerald earrings, and green kitten heels. She lets her hair down.

Eis Glover

A gold viser with red accents and a red gem, a deep red long-sleeved shirt underneath a gold torso armor, gold gauntlets with red accents on them, gold metal gloves, a black belt with a silver buckle on the waist, deep red leather pants, and gold metal boots with red accents.

Bruce Stone

A mauve hat with a black feather, a mauve tunic with cream colored accents and gold trimming, a matching brocade, black pants, and tall black boots.

Act 3 Outfit (Specifically for Cal)

A black blazer over a white dress shirt, a red tie, black dress pants, and black dress shoes.

[doctorstrangereview]

0012: Strange Tales #122

Cover Date: July 1964 On-Sale Date: April 9, 1964

It's Doc's one-year anniversary since first appearing in Strange Tales #110! I've got only 60 more years of stories to review! He gets about a third of the front cover, but it's just the hands on hips pose that Mordo put him in at the wax museum. And the colors of his tunic and tights seem a bit off. As it's a year I suppose it's fitting that Doc's original foe, Nightmare, returns.

Doc returns to his Sanctum Sanctorum completely exhausted. He's fresh off battles with Mordo who kept him out of his body until it was seconds from dissolution and rescuing the Fantastic Four from Namor by moving a palace that weights thousands of tons under the pressure of thousands of feet of water an unknown number of miles. The energy required for this feet must have been astronomical. And since it's his anniversary, we think he may have partied just a bit too hard.

Doc enters his study, sits in yet another cool and funky chair, and pretty much passes out on top of a big old book. He wakes up to a mysterious, grey-robed figure standing in front of him. We know Doc isn't yet too keen on security yet, so his presence doesn't seem to be a huge surprise, but he's not really concerned at first. First he tries a spell, but that doesn't work. Then he tries his All-Purpose Amulet, but that doesn't work. Next, he tries to change to his ectoplasmic form, but that doesn't work. (It's depicted as his ghost form trying to separate from his body, but is being blocked rather than the ability being stripped from him.) Finally, with his bag of tricks exhausted, Doc physically attacks the silent figure, and guess what? That doesn't work. Doc goes right through the figure and we get a close up of his face. It's a mask that Jason Voorhees would have chosen if he wanted to look slightly less intimidating. Ditko giving it a slight smirk is brilliant!

"WTF?" thinks Doc. "Ah! I'm not really awake. My ancient foe wearing the green netting outfit with pointy shoulders got me!" The room melts away and the formerly silent figure finally speaks and traps Doc in a bubble attached to a rod the figure holds. He spins Doc around like a cowboy and his lasso.

"Blah, blah, blah. Your fate is sealed. Away you go!" And Doc in his bubble travels through multiple panels of Ditko fantastique. Doc reveals that he was so tired he forgot to cast his protective sleep spell before passing out. He really needs to ease up on those Wild Turkey shots. He stops in front of Nightmare on his weird, organic looking throne thing that was first seen in Strange Tales #116. Does Ditko have some weird fetish for exotic seating?

Nightmare proceeds to threaten Doc with a number of tortures. First his shrinks Doc so he fits in the palm of Nightmare's hand. Next, Doc is turned to stone. Then Nightmare threatens to banish Doc to the world of nothingness represented by a vault-like door floating in mid-air (or whatever makes up the atmosphere in the dream dimension). Lastly, he opens a pit underneath Doc and says he'd fall forever. But Nightmare isn't ready to inflict any of these punishments yet. He puts Strange in chains. They're sort of cool looking ones that you'd expect to see in locking up the big seven in Bruce Timm's Justice League cartoon.

Doc's had enough. It seems he's been cooking up something while Nightmare's been blabbing about all these cruel and unusual things he intends to subject Doc to with even the courtesy of a safe word. "Turn around, dude in the fishnet body-stocking with pointy shoulders!" Nightmare turns around and sees his ancient enemy, the Gulgol rising from what may be some sort of portal. Nightmare fears this beast because, like New York City, he never sleeps! I have to admit, the Gulgol is adorable!

The mad, baby eyes, the angry looking smile and green diaper are just so cute! Nightmare attempts all sorts of spells to stop the enfant terrible, but all fail. Doc tells him that he summoned the adorable orange guy and can send him back if Nightmare returns his powers. Doc is so clever! Nightmare immediately complies, Doc snaps his fingers and Gulgol vanishes. Now it's Nightmares turn to go "WTF?"

Doc says "Hey green dud, I hypnotized you! I didn't require magic." but uses a lot more words. He uses the now working All-Purpose Amulet to hold off Nightmare and escape while Nightmare shakes his fist while shouting a wordier version of "I'll get you yet!"

Returning to the walking world and brushing off the dust from the ancient scrolls and tomes he slept on top of, he looks out his big round window and says "I will protect the city from strange forces beyond the border of man's imagination" to no one in particular.

Lazy Ditko doesn't even draw the big window properly.

I always like a Nightmare story. Dreams and nightmares mean anything is possible and all the rules can be broken. This has a promising start but fizzles a bit as it proceeds. Ditko seems to get lazy as the story proceeds, mostly using negative space to portray Nightmare's domain. It's disappointing, especially leaving out the big round window's Vishanti symbol. We do get a sense of Doc's tactical intelligence. Stripped of his powers, he still figures a way to pull victory from the jaws of certain defeat. We see the ultimate expression of this in General Strange, but it will be quite a while before I get around to writing that up. Overall, the concept was good, but the execution was half-assed.

[chic-a-gigot]

La Mode nationale, no. 63, 9 juillet 1887, Paris. No. 10. — Toilettes de promenade. Modèles de l'ancienne Maison Cheuvreux-Aubertot, 7, boulevard Poissonnière. Bibliothèque nationale de France

(1) Toilette de bains de mer pour maman. Robe en étamine gris foncé et gris clair. La première jupe, gris clair, est recouverte derrière par une seconde jupe polonaise, gris foncé, tenant au corsage, qui en est séparé sur le devant. Cette seconde jupe, très étoffée, forme le pouf.

Le corsage, croisé devant, à le dos gris foncé; il est plissé de l'épaule à la ceinture; il ouvre sur une chemisette en surah crème bouillonnée, garnie d'une grosse fraise de tulle. Manches plates, demi-longues.

Petite capote béguin en paille, garnie devant par un bouillonné de surah, et sur la forme, par une agrafe de nœuds de ruban, formant aigrette.

Métrage: 7 mètres étamine gris clair, grande largeur, 4 mètres étamine gris foncé, grande largeur.

(1) Sea suit for a dmother. Dress in dark gray and light gray cheesecloth. The first skirt, light grey, is covered behind by a second polonaise skirt, dark grey, attached to the bodice, which is separated from it at the front. This second skirt, very substantial, forms the pouf.

The bodice, crossed in front, with dark gray back; it is pleated from shoulder to waist; it opens on a chemisette in surah cream mousse, garnished with a large tulle fraise. Flat, half-length sleeves.

Small bonnet in straw, trimmed in front with a bubbling of surah, and on the form, with a clasp of ribbon bows, forming an aigrette.

Yardage: 7 meters light gray cheesecloth, wide, 4 meters dark gray cheesecloth, wide.

—

(2) Costume de jeune fill. Robe de voile bleu, forme polonaise, formant jupe et corsage derrière. Devant, corsage plissé et jupe en voile crème, retenu à la taille par une ceinture russe en faille bleue, terminée sur le côté par de longs pans. Le pouf bleu et la tunique crème, séparés sur le côté, laissent voir une jupe de dentelle crème, posée sur une sous-jupe de soie bleue formant transparent. Un grand col pierrot, en dentelle crème, termine ce gentil costume.

Métrage: 5 mètres voile bleu, 5 mètres voile crème, grande largeur.

Chapeau de paille rond, à bords droits, garni d'une plume qui l'ombrage en saule pleureur.

(2) Young girl's suit. Blue voile dress, polonaise form, forming skirt and bodice behind. In front, pleated bodice and skirt in cream voile, held at the waist by a Russian blue faille belt, ending on the side with long panels. The blue pouf and the cream tunic, separated on the side, reveal a cream lace skirt, placed on a blue silk underskirt forming a transparent. A large pierrot collar, in cream lace, completes this nice suit.

Yardage: 5 meters blue voile, 5 meters cream voile, large width.

Round straw hat, with straight edges, trimmed with a feather that shades it like a weeping willow.

—

(3) Toilette de jeune femme en lainage léger beige uni. La jupe, plissée à larges plis couches, est brodée de soutache sur le côté. Elle est recouverte par une longue tunique, faisant pointe devant, très enlevée sur le côté, et formant le pouf derrière. Corsage court, garni de revers soutachés, ouvrant sur un plastron de surah crème plissé très fin. Le corsage est relié par des barrettes croisées sur la poitrine, en velours beige. Manches plates demi-longues à revers boutonnés.

Métrage: Il faut 12 mètres de lainage beige grande largeur pour ce costume.

Chapeau de paille beige, garni autour par une écharpe de surah crème, et sur la forme par une grande plume grise.

(3) Young woman's ensemble in plain beige light wool. The skirt, pleated with large layered pleats, is embroidered with soutache on the side. It is covered by a long tunic, pointing in front, very raised on the side, and forming the pouf behind. Short bodice, trimmed with soutache lapels, opening onto a very fine pleated cream surah plastron. The bodice is connected by bars crossed on the chest, in beige velvet. Half-length flat sleeves with buttoned cuffs.

Yardage: 12 yards of wide-width beige woolen fabric are required for this costume.

Beige straw hat, trimmed around with a cream surah scarf, and on the top with a large gray feather.

[operation-priority]

Tankiste Cold Weather Gear

This is an impression of a French tank crewman in winter gear. One may see this uniform on tankiste during the cold winter months. While the standard infantry soldier may wear the iconic sheepskin jerkin, the tankiste instead had to rely on their black leather coat during the winter season. This tankiste wears the Toile de Tente Modèle 1897 modifié 1914 as extra waterproofing. This variant of the tent had loops that would allow for two lengths of hemp cordage to be passed through the waist and neck area to allow the tent to be worn as a poncho. Waterproofing the tent was done using paraffin and alcohol thinner.

Knitted items would be issued throughout the entire war, created by French citizens at the homefront and quality checked by the French Red Cross. They would be passed onto the army Quarter-Master where they would be received in as standard issue winter gear. The Red Cross had pamphlets distributed to the civilian population which featured several patterns of knitted gear from blankets, shirts, and scarves, to fingerless mittens and comfort items like tobacco pouches. The knitted garments pictured here are 1917 Red Cross pattern examples. The first display photo shows a standard grey and blue knitted cap, worn at the rear lines or when resting. The knitted cap beside this is intended to be worn under the helmet at the frontline. Below these is a knitted helmet or balaclava. These would be worn below the nose or at the chin, and had tails or capes at the front and back that would fit under the uniform to secure the balaclava in place and provide extra insulation. Below this is a pair of knitted wristlets, to be worn under the tunic providing some hand and arm insulation.

To the right is the standard French Army folding lantern. Specifically, it is the Lanterne de Campement Monjardet Modèle 1910 with its Ersatz Lamp Cover. Many models exist of this pattern and design slightly varies between manufacturers. All examples would be accepted into the army as a regulation item. These would be issued to Corporals to provide necessary lighting at night. Tankiste would also be provided with an electric lamp for their tanks, and the tankiste could also purchase an electric flashlight to give light inside the tank when performing maintenance duties. The candlelit Monjardet lamp folds into a triangular lamp with a hanging handle at the top and a holding handle on the back. The candle is pinned to the bottom panel by a spike and the rear panel is reflective which directs more light outward towards the front. Transparent mica is used as the clear shielding and can be slid out and replaced when it eventually gets damaged from the heat. Holes in the side panels allow for air to pass through and a small vent is placed at the top panel to disperse smoke. Overall, these lanterns were well liked with the troops as its design provided decent light coverage at night while being very compact when stowed.

Below this is a smoking pipe, lighter, and tobacco case. Nothing much to be said here - many smoked as a pastime during this period. The lighter is a commercial 'trench art' lighter, not created by the soldiers themselves but made to look like the examples that were created in the trenches. This style of 'trench art' item was popular among the civilian population and soldiers alike. It resembles an artillery shell with the cap closed, and removing the cap shows the petrol lighter ignition piece. The brass ignition piece can be removed which reveals cotton balls that absorb the liquid fuel. Beside this is a French 32 card manille deck. Manille was a very popular card game among the French at the time period. A tax stamp is placed on the Ace of Clubs which was a common sight on French playing cards. To the right of this is a board game called Solitaire. It consists of a wooden board with 36 removable pegs where the objective of the game is to clear the board of all but one of the pieces by jumping, horizontally or vertically, over an adjacent piece and removing it from the board. These types of time wasting and socializing games were available to soldiers in military bazaars. A light blue wool pocket was provided for this Solitaire example.

[kylo-wrecked]

"You're the most amazing person I've met." [Said to Dark!Ren, while very tired and a little bit tipsy]

The angel struggled to sleep. This Ren knew because he neither struggled nor slept. Sleep was a foreign land to him, one he would not go to willingly. He hung cross-legged in dreamless, suspended animation, deadened, half-blind gaze fixed to the starry expanse.

Did Brunnhilde dream? He didn't ask; when she woke, she shot up, her eyes two suns, her wings spread like the dawn. Had she caught something in her mind's nexus, Brunnhilde would've brought him the kill, stringy flesh in her talons.

"There's an old remedy for sleeplessness. Though I haven't required one for some time."

Ren rose, helmless and half-dressed, and passed over the crosshatch of floor panels. The cracks between them looked purposeful, almost modular. Their black veins ran up the wall, and when he pressed his palm against the alloy square, it opened into a pristine, grey cavity with a cask hidden inside. 

This he brought to the table, poured Brunnhilde a cup of some substance like a husky wine. None for himself, though he rested his substantial shadow on the bench across from her. Ren stood out among his spartan quarters of inbuilt ore furnishings, the single unmade sleeper, and so did Brunnhilde. The stars outside the viewports thinned into frail light rods, and the black deepened. Still, the contour of Brunnhilde's thigh showed beneath her white-drenched tunic, a pleasant detail for one who'd notice.

Ren silently observed as Brunnhilde tested the cup's contents, how she frowned and wrinkled her nose before giving in. Watching her react—joy, heartbreak, or disgust rendered on the face of another—was a boon, for he'd forgotten what those things meant.

She spoke for the first time since waking. 

Ren's features carried an inevitable weight. Wrath had been carved into its ridges and planes long ago, but the mien was placid. And yet the eyes showed a quickly snuffed flame—'amazing?' The hinge of cybernetic whirred. Amusement.

"What makes you think that? I simply do as the Ren does."

[justgarb]

Multipart post: Upgrading my norse/viking tunic:

So less than a year ago I had to vend at a winter renaissance fair. I needed a period looking outer garment that was both warm and wet weather capable, so something made from wool. The cost of ordering wool to make my own custom over-tunic would have been more than purchasing one about the right measurements and altering it myself, thus I bought a quick solution off grimfrost and hemmed it to fit. It works great, is super warm, roomy enough to conceal additional layers, but it also looks super bland as a plain grey tunic. Because it's summer I think it's a perfect time to start some upgrades!

I found a pair of wool trousers at a charity resale shop and decided to make some accent panels. Of the two colors available, I like this one better with the tunic and the tablet woven trim I am going to use (you'll see it later). These trousers were made in south korea - I lived/worked there for a few years when I was younger and I dig the idea of carrying a bit of that with me on my mead soaked adventures. Good friends, good mead, and good memories go together.

The edges will be double folded/rolled to prevent fraying. I don't who it was that showed me to iron my seams, but take the time to do it. It really makes a difference. I'm doing each fold/roll on the ironing board, then pinning them before moving to the sewing machine.

I wrapped the left cuff (top) around the sleeve with the extra fabric rolled inwards, pinned the seam together, then pulled it off and flipped it inside out. I marked the line with tailors chalk, ran my stitch, ran a second stitch to prevent fraying, then cut off the excess. I used this measurement as the template for the right cuff (bottom) shown here. Note the bevel. The sleeves are not straight cut and narrow as they approach the hand.

Flipped the cuffs right side out, made some quick tacking stitches, and hand jammed a running stitch along the edges (top and the bottom rolled in). I plan to remove these panels for embroidery at a later date so I'm not going with a tighter stitch. Alibi: I did occasionally switch to two or three whip stitches to prevent movement while sewing. This particular picture sucks but it's 10pm and everyone is asleep.

I went ahead and cut/ironed the front and back bottom hem panels, minus side gores. I'll come back to this in the morning/next post.