#I MEAN SERIOUSLY IMOGEN

[fearnesbells]

laura is POSSESSED by imogen temult because that is the face of sapphic wanting. that is LIVE FOOTAGE of me in ninth grade listening to she by dodie about my best friend. everyone who had that formative gay crush that scoured out your insides… this is that.

wow. laura bailey. how does it feel to be possessed by imogen temult.

[yashley]

But my head rolls with the multiple layers of orym's intent in asking fearne “are you with me?” And then upon fearne validating that outreach, immediately putting it to fearne that she’s “going to be the one who has to… do the thing”. god knows orym trusts fearne but I honestly do believe that he knows enough, not judgmentally at all, to know fearne and know that as much as kindness can be in her nature, her nature is chaos. And it can’t be lost on orym with his perception to have caught those moments when imogen tests how brazen she can go, that fearne doesn’t oppose it at all but instead blithely joins in those moments. Yes, orym’s entire motivation is stopping the people who killed his family, stopping the end from swallowing all of the people he still cherishes in his world, his motivation and intensity is absolutely justified in its desperation, that he has the humility to acknowledge that he can support but he can’t be the only one jumping into the position of most danger for once. that orym tells fearne “YOU HAVE to be THE ONE” and assigns that severity of responsibility to an irresponsible (affectionate) fey creature of nonchalant chaos and blasé violence, it’s so much more than just a sudden “it’s on you”. he’s not just tapping fearne on the shoulder to have them suit up to stop imogen together if it comes to that, the way orym watches fearne, and watches. fearne. WANT. to dismiss his level of concern and plea to her; it’s like orym testing fearne, testing her reaction, testing her resolve, and while I believe he sincerely wants to trust her and he does trust his connection with her, orym wouldn’t love fearne completely if he didn’t also love her nature. In all its dangers. And I just love that if it wasn’t just a simple “we’re gonna do this, and YOU have to do THIS”, there’s like a splintering of more love orym has for his best friend because it’s like “I am asking you to be something other than who you are, but I will love you though my heart will break for you even if you can’t”. like this conversation was less about orym devising a contingency plan to keep imogen out of initiative and more so genuinely and so orym-ly confronting fearne about how much he needs her on his side, even if that breaks his heart to put that clearly unbearable task specifically on her shoulders, explicitly telling her “I am RELYING on YOU to potentially take out someone who appeals to your nature, a friend”, it’s like orym can be better prepared if he also needs to consider the depths of how much fearne’s nature silently aligns with her desires in the upcoming altercation. And it’s like this degree of discomfort he deliberately (though not lightly) puts on fearne actually could help her in making whatever decision she’s going to make and not make it as lightly as she might have before. orym, who was there when fearne first started to feel experiences so deeply, who has been through everything of sincerity and companionship, looking her in the eyes and pleading her to willingly choose the harder path. even though he knows just how painful it’s going to be.

[skyfallscotland]

The OFFICIAL...no I'm just kidding lmao. My chapter twenty-seven (Xaden's POV) community discussion post. Spoilers below the cut ✨

🌟 Ok let's start with the biggest glaring inconsistency—Xaden implying that he and Liam were taken in and trained by Lewellen.

EXCUSE ME? Rebecca????? You said they were taken in by Duke Lindell, that's what you told me! You mean I slaved away over a map creating a whole backstory and character for this fucking guy and now he doesn't even exist?? I'm????

This changes the whole game as far as I'm concerned, like there's a big difference between them being raised by some random loyalist we've never heard of and the guy who took their duchy or whatever and is now in charge of the whole kingdom? I don't know how to take this seriously either because like...that's very much not away from prying eyes, how is this guy, who's a political figure training them while also maintaining his supposed loyal status to the kingdom?

ALSO, I have a damn map, Lewellen is WAY far from Aretia, so how on earth were they going there? I'd assumed maybe Lindell was living somewhere closer, but if we're saying it's Lewellen now...what the fuck, Rebecca?

🌟 Ok. Next topic. LIAM 😭😭😭 I can't, I can't handle the pair of them on a page together. He's exactly how we fanon'd him in Xaden's presence alone an I need a moment. "Was it us?!" I'm ???? I cry. 😭 I might actually write some angsty Violiaden after that.

🌟 Next order of business. HE LOVES HER. Why is he saying he loves her so many times? I love simp Xaden, but he's so sure of himself, but he refuses to fucking tell her for another year? What the FUCK Xaden???? 🤯😭 I do not like this for him. For her. For me. Nope. Love him though, truly, fr.

🌟 The Imogen dagger delivery is exactly what we all hypothesised but in this instance it does feel very retconned. Like I'm fine with it but also an 'Imogen's unwell' line in the original novel wouldn't have gone astray, so personally I'm not sold this was planned all along but I'll roll with it. I feel like the info about how the wards work and how someone had to have taken them down from within the keep also supports this being a retcon/something forgotten about or not fleshed out yet from the original book. Again though, it's fine.

🌟 Let's talk about DAIN. Why are we saying someone helped the fliers from the inside and took down the wards and then saying Dain is suspiciously out of breath and slower than normal? Why are we doing that? Rebecca???? 👁👄👁

🌟 Xaden: Violet's going to bolt, I don't know how I'll ever stop her even though I'm 6ft tall and I picked her up and carried her five seconds ago. Oh, I know! I'll kiss her!

🌟 Sgaeyl!!!! I love her so much my sassy queen! And did she basically say she loves Tairn? Yes, she did 😭 They're the best, your honour!

Thoughts? Feelings? Discuss!! (please) ⬇

[callsign-rogueone]

assessments

Aaric Graycastle x reader part two of Aaric and Sunny's story words: 1.7k 🏷: set during Iron Flame but no real spoilers. canon-typical sparring. very vague mentions of injury (a bruise and a bandage.) more of Sunny's backstory perhaps.. I promise these titles will start getting more creative after this. this one's technically a double meaning -- assessment day for Emeterrio's class, and our bbs slowly starting to figure each other out.

You consider yourself excellent at reading people, a skill you’d honed in your years of working in a tavern in Calldyr city. It made long shifts more bearable, and earned you better tips — you knew exactly how to talk to each kind of person who walked in, what to do and say to make them like you, to think you were just like them.

All you need to do is look at someone for a minute, watch them and listen to them speak, and you can gather everything you need to know about them -- where they’re from, and what their deal is.

It didn’t take long for you to figure out your entire squad.

Rhiannon, the squad leader, is the responsible, motherly one, but she’s still fierce, and has something to prove. She wants your squad to be the best it can be, and has her sights set on being a wingleader next year. 

Ridoc is the class clown who is almost never serious, but cares for his friends deeply and won’t hesitate to fight for them. He’s smarter than he lets on, and a good fighter, even though he’s smaller than some of the other guys — which isn’t saying much, because they’re all giant — but maybe you could learn a thing or two from watching him.

Sawyer, Rhiannon’s second in command and Ridoc’s best friend, who balances him out with logic and restraint, but is definitely still frequently dragged into his shenanigans — though he takes his role seriously, feeling the need to prove himself to the world.

Violet, the daughter of two generals, who was expected to follow in their footsteps despite her medical condition, incredibly smart and observant, and not to be underestimated despite her small stature. 

Sloane, who was forced to be here because of the Treaty of Aretia, as her parents were accused of treason, holds a grudge against Violet for her unclear role in the death of her brother, but seems to respect Imogen enough not to kill the girl.

Imogen, the unaffected cool-girl, was also forced to be here, but she seems to have taken it in stride. She’s clearly not afraid of anything — not to stand out, with her pastel pink hair, nor to provoke anyone, being a skilled fighter both with words and hand-to-hand.

Nadine fits into a similar category with her dark purple hair and her unrestrained laughter. She seems less serious than the others, not at all worried, but it remains unclear if that’s because she’s overconfident or underestimating the challenges that second year will bring her.

…. and then there’s Aaric. You find yourself watching him for confirmation of what you’re supposed to be doing, but also out of sheer curiosity, because you just can’t figure him out. He doesn’t fit in any box you’d sorted the others into. He’s quiet, but not because he’s shy like Sawyer. Serious, but not the rigid soldier that Dain is. There’s just something about him that you just can’t put a name to, some quality you can’t quite describe.

He doesn’t look tired at breakfast, so he’d probably heeded the wingleader’s advice to sleep early — and he must not have stayed awake all night worrying about being killed.

You’d tossed and turned, but you’d been comforted by the theoretical safety of your top bunk, a good five feet above anyone, in a corner where you can see the whole room, and your two knives — one under your pillow, one clutched in your hand like a child would a stuffed animal. 

You wear one on each hip now, tucked into the belt loops of your pants. You should really get one of those leather rigs that the second-years have to hold them in a better position. They look much more secure, and more comfortable. Maybe you can invest your last bit of coin in a card game and make enough to buy one in town. Or maybe they’re issued to everyone later in the year — most of the older cadets have something similar.

You’d been one of the first ones awake, re-wrapping your bandage and changing clothes quietly, brushing your teeth before everyone else woke up and wanted to use the bathroom.

You learn these things quickly when you live with half a dozen other girls. 

Sloane had been slower to get ready, but you’d waited for her, lingering by your bunk and giving her a nervous half-smile — silently asking if she wanted to walk together. She’d agreed, falling into step beside you out to the morning formation.

It’s easy to spot where you’re supposed to be — look for the pink, purple, and silver heads. 

Imogen looks relieved to see Sloane in one piece — then she turns to you, looking unamused. “What are you so happy about?” she asks, raising a dark eyebrow. 

You know they won’t really understand, but you tell them anyway. “I woke up this morning in a bed of my own, looking at a roof over my head, with clothes on my back that I didn’t have to steal.”

Both of them soften, realizing just how differently you’d grown up. Their childhoods and teenage years may not have been the happiest, but they were safe, and didn’t have to worry about where their next meal would come from or where they’d sleep that night.

Aaric hadn’t realized that the service could be an escape for some people, rather than a death sentence or an act of patriotism or a moral obligation. Whatever you’d faced in the city had outweighed the possibility of dying in battle — despite being incredibly underprepared, you’re the one of the three of them that wants to be there the most. 

He has several questions, none of which he can ask without giving away his little ruse — and it’s been less than twenty-four hours since you’d all crossed the parapet. But still, he wonders about you. What’s your story? Where had you lived in Calldyr City? How many miles from the castle? Had your paths ever crossed? 

For a moment, anger roils through him. He’s aware of the disparities within his father’s kingdom, the way the other half — the other nine tenths, more like — lives, but to hear you speak of it so candidly… it’s clear you’ve never known anything other than struggling to make ends meet. 

Just another item on the laundry list of issues that your dear king is so content to ignore.

“I’m sorry,” he says finally, as if he is at fault for your situation, as if he had been the one to deal you those cards — but is he not implicated in your suffering? He’s certainly complicit, passive, letting it happen.

Not that his father would listen to him if he asked him to do anything about it.

You give him a reassuring smile — you know from experience that talking about your life tends to make people uncomfortable. “Don’t be. I feel richer than the king.”

That makes him feel worse, actually.

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

“Bell, and Hannigan,” the professor calls, already looking and sounding bored. If everyone in the quadrant has to do one this week, that must be at least two hundred. You wonder how many have already occurred, and how many more he has to go. 

And what are they going to do with this information? Rank you somehow, for sure. Maybe they’ll split you into groups based on skill level? No, they probably aren’t that nice. Everyone has made it sound like it’s kill-or-be-killed here, literally. They probably aren’t offering any remedial courses.

You recognize the other first-year girl. She was one of the few who were up and moving before the wake-up call.

You give a nervous smile as you step onto the mat. She doesn’t return it. Either she doesn’t remember you, or she doesn’t want to acknowledge that her bed is less than fifteen feet away from yours.

Maybe this place is just like Calldyr city. The school may as well be a city of its own, with its size and population, and the way nobody here seems to care about each other, or be friendly at all — friendliness and trust would get you robbed in the nicer parts of the city, or maybe even killed in the “bad parts”, but you’d survived there your whole life.

You’ll have to do the cold-and-distant thing, you suppose. It would be nice to have friends, a group of people you can trust like Violet does, but you’ve done everything for yourself for years. You can keep doing that.

She isn’t too much bigger than you, but she looks like she knows what she’s doing, and that she’s confident she’ll win. She should be — you haven’t had anyone to practice with, lest it give away your plans. All you know is what you’ve seen from watching the drunks in the slums swing at each other, and they’re not very good examples. 

She lunges quickly, but you slip aside with ease. 

You duck a would-be punch to the jaw, attempting to kick her legs out from underneath her, but her boots are planted to the floor — it only irritates her and probably bruises her left shin.

No time to feel bad about it; she’s pushing forward again. She’s determined, you’ll give her that. 

It becomes clear that your duck-and-dodge strategy is effective in keeping yourself unscathed, but it won’t win you this fight.

You attempt a punch like hers, unsuccessfully; she catches your wrist and uses it to leverage you to the floor, where she presses you into the mat, wrenching one arm behind your back and using her weight to keep you down. You struggle for a moment before realizing she has you pinned too well. “I yield.”

“Hannigan wins,” Emeterrio announces monotonously, writing it down.

She lets go, but doesn’t offer you an apology nor help you up. Cold and distant it is, then — with everybody but your squad, who are supposedly not allowed to hurt you.

You’re three steps away from falling back into your place beside Sloane when you hear a crack and a scream.

Then all hell breaks loose in your corner of the gym.

[barrel-crow-n]

"If you don't care about money, Nina dear, call it by it's other names."

"Kruge? Scrub? Kaz's one true love?"

"Freedom, security, retribution."

I know we joke about Kaz only caring about money, but Kaz doesn't even care about money.

Even in the exchange above, Nina calls money "Kaz's one true love" but that's literally not true and he even says so.

To Kaz, money is merely a means to an end. As is Kaz's whole life. Everything he does has a reason and this reason is vengeance. Revenge. Retribution.

Kaz's whole life revolves around taking down Pekka. He genuinely has nothing else. He stops trying with Imogen because she would distract him from his revenge. He agrees to the Ice Court job because the money would be enough to start a new gang which is a step in his plan for vengeance.

He joined a gang to become a player in the game. He became a criminal because he wanted to dethrone Pekka. He robbed and conned and stole to get to money to fund his revenge plans. He did all those horrible things so people would fear him more; to make a name for himself so that he'd be taken seriously - all to further his plans.

Kaz doesn't want an empire. He didn't want a family although that's what a gang is supposed to be. He doesn't care about being rich. All he's ever wanted since he was nine was revenge.

[heavcnslyre]

chapter six — j.f. ( masterlist )

THIS IS ME TRYING.

“and my words shoot to kill when i’m mad

i have a lot of regrets about that.”

taglist: @jellybassett @glowingtree @always-reading @yla-aira @infinitywarnatenthusiast @imogen-skye @ilovegilmoregirls @lucidlivi @rubydubytuby @creepynativekid @miniemonie2001 (comment or message me to join!)

you sat alone in your room for a while, attempting to calm yourself down. it really seemed stupid after a while, honestly. jeremiah was probably just trying to be nice, and she might find someone else to bring her anyways. it wasn’t something you had to freak out about.

jeremiah knocks on your door after almost an hour.

“come in,” you call out. you’re laying in your bed, aimlessly scrolling on your phone. jeremiah comes in and smiles at you softly, then takes a seat on the edge of your bed.

“moms are back,” he says. “storms pretty much let up now, but they’re still trying to figure out the power.”

“that’s good,” you reply. he studies your face.

“is everything okay? you…left kinda abruptly.”

you look down at your hands. “oh, uh, yeah. i just…i don’t know.”

“what is it, (y/n)?” jeremiah asks, his tone serious. you look up at him.

“are you seriously going to be belly’s escort?”

he flinches. “oh. that. yeah, i think so. i mean… she told me that apparently conrad asked to be her escort but he’s been so shitty to her lately i just figured that i would do something nice for her. why not, right?”

“yeah, sure,” you say dismissively, rolling your eyes up to the ceiling. “why not?”

“what’s the problem, (y/n)?” he asks genuinely. you sigh and shake your head.

“why is she the exception for you, jeremiah?” you ask. “why, out of everyone, is she the exception?”

he stares at you, confused. “what the hell are you talking about?”

“every single time a debutante ball has ever been brought up you’ve sworn to never be an escort in your life. why is now your one exception?”

“why does it matter?” he asks. “i care about belly. of course i’m going to do something nice for her. why are you so mad about it?”

“are you kidding?” you ask, anger suddenly rising in your chest. “do you not remember when i was going to be a debutante last year?”

“(y/n), what does that have to do with me?”

“the day we sat down at dinner and i said that i was thinking about being a debutante. you immediately sat there and scoffed, and said that debutante balls were terrible and you would never be an escort,” you shake your head. “i gave up on being a debutante after that.”

jeremiah’s voice dropped. “but, why? why did my opinion matter to you? you had so many guys who would have been your escort.”

“you were the only person i would even consider asking, jeremiah,” you blurt out, and he lifts his head in surprise.

“what?”

“i genuinely cannot believe that you don’t know this already,” you run your hand through your hair. “i wanted to be your exception, jere. i would’ve loved to be a deb if you were my escort. but you couldn’t stand the idea of being my escort, could you?”

“(y/n), if i had known…” he trails off. you shake your head.

“whatever, okay?” you say. “it doesn’t matter anymore. i’ve moved on from it.”

“you could have told me,” he says.

“you really don’t get it, do you?” you ask. “you made it such an obvious point to bring that up in that moment. you knew what you were doing, jeremiah. you didn’t think of me the same way. it’s whatever. be belly’s escort. she deserves to have someone who cares about her.”

“why do you just assume i was trying to hurt you?” he asks, his tone suddenly defensive. “why couldn’t it have been an honest mistake, that i didn’t realize you thought of me like that?”

“what do you want me to think, then? that you tried to hurt me or that you’re blind?”

“you’re being ridiculous.”

“ridiculous? really?” you scoff. “how more obvious could i have fucking been? the last three summers i have done nothing but basically throw myself at you and you just—“

“no!” he yells, suddenly standing up from your bed. “no, (y/n), you don’t get to do this! you came here this summer with a boyfriend and didn’t tell me! we got so close this past year and you never fucking told me you had a boyfriend, so i walked in to this summer stupidly thinking that now was our time for something to happen. then you drop that fucking bomb on me and expect everything to be normal? you cannot call me blind when all summer you’ve been the one pretending that everything is as it’s always been.”

“jeremiah, you’re literally not listening to me,” you reply, mirroring his frustrated tone. “everything is as it’s always been to me because you’ve always treated me like this! you’ve always acted like i was so special and then walked away from me into the nearest arms of some other guy or girl! you’ve never made your feelings clear. i’m so fucking sorry that me getting a boyfriend ruined all of your plans for us that i was never a part of.”

“you’re such a fucking hypocrite,” he groans, running his hand through his hair. “you’ve always done the same thing! neither of us have ever expressed our feelings to the other. you cannot place all of this on me!”

“whatever, jeremiah,” you say, not looking at him. “whatever makes you feel good about yourself.”

he stands there and stares at you for a moment before turning around and leaving your room, slamming the door behind him. for what felt like forever, you sat motionless, staring at the door behind him. your mind was racing. jeremiah fisher just admitted he has feelings for you. that was a conversation you had imagined in your mind for years, but this wasn’t at all how you wanted or expected it to go. part of you hated yourself for being so harsh. maybe he truly just didn’t see the signs you gave him. maybe he talked himself out of believing them, just like you had for so long. but part of you was relieved that you got those feelings out. being in love with someone brings about positive emotions, but no one talks about the genuine resentment that goes along with the pining. as your feelings grew, so did the pain. a weight was lifted off of your shoulders. but, a new, maybe even heavier one replaced it. you just had the biggest fight of your lives with your best friend. no matter what, your friendship had to come first.

as much as you do genuinely believe that, you are still beyond pissed at him. you have so many unanswered questions that you aren’t even sure how to ask him. part of you talked yourself out of even believing that he had meant that he had feelings for you, but you had to try to ignore those thoughts, or else you knew you’d make things worse.

although it was still early in the evening, shortly after he left, you put your phone down and go to sleep. you decide that being asleep was better than having to stay up and think about that conversation. the power still wasn’t on, and it continued to rain outside for a while, the dark sky being a pretty good representation of how you were feeling. as dramatic as that seemed, it really was true. you felt so shitty. that was truly the only way to describe it. shitty and pathetic.

[bunnysnuff]

Sibling power.

Pairing: nick Nelson x sister!reader, Imogen Heaney x reader.

Trigger warnings: talks of sexual identity and coming out.

Request.

It was a rare moment of quiet in the Nelson household. Nick sat on his bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. You had been unusually quiet all afternoon, lingering around the edges of the house, clearly wanting to say something but holding back. He knew that look — it was the same one he’d worn for weeks before he’d finally come out to the family.

A soft knock came at his door, pulling him out of his thoughts. He sat up quickly, surprised. "Come in."

The door creaked open, and you poked your head through. Your usual energy was muted, and you hesitated before stepping fully into the room. "Hey, Nick."

"Hey," he said, frowning slightly. "What’s up?"

You lingered by the door for a moment, clearly struggling to find the right words. "I... I need to talk to you about something."

His heart raced at the seriousness of your tone. "Okay. What’s going on?"

Taking a deep breath, you stepped further into the room, closing the door behind you. "I’ve been thinking about a lot of stuff lately. Like, really thinking. And it’s been hard to keep it to myself."

Nick’s brow furrowed in concern. "What do you mean? Is everything okay?"

You sighed, leaning against the wall, your arms crossed tightly. "Not really. I just... I don’t know how to say this. But I think I might be gay."

Nick’s eyes widened in surprise, but a warmth spread through him. He was struck by the realization that he wasn’t alone in this anymore. "Wow. Thanks for telling me."

You looked up, surprised by his reaction. "You’re okay with it?"

"Of course!" he replied, his voice earnest. "I’m just glad you feel like you can share that with me. I mean, I’ve been figuring out my own stuff, too."

Your eyes met his, a flicker of hope igniting. "Wait, really? What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath, the weight of his own secret feeling lighter as he shared it with you. "I think I’m bisexual. I was scared to say anything because I didn’t know how you’d react. But hearing you say that… I feel like I’m not alone anymore."

A smile broke across your face, a mixture of relief and joy flooding through you. "Seriously? I thought I was the only one!"

Nick chuckled, the tension in the room dissipating. "Nope, not at all. We’re in this together, I guess."

Just then, Imogen, your girlfriend and Nick’s close friend, knocked lightly and walked into the room without waiting for an invitation. She paused, sensing the charged atmosphere, and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, what’s going on in here?"

You and Nick exchanged a glance, and Nick felt a mix of hesitation and relief. "Um, we were just talking about some stuff," he said, trying to sound casual.

Imogen took a step closer, her curiosity piqued. "Talking about what? You guys look like you’re plotting something."

You took a breath, emboldened by Nick’s presence. "Actually, Imogen, we were just talking about our identities. I told Nick that I’m a lesbian.”

Imogen's face broke into a bright smile, her eyes shining with support. "Really? Oh baby.” She hugs you tightly.

Nick felt a rush of warmth, grateful for Imogen’s love for you.

Imogen leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms. "You know, I think it’s really brave of you, baby. I’m so proud.”

You felt a swell of gratitude and relief. "Thanks, Imogen. It helps to know we’re not alone."

Imogen nodded, her expression softening. "Definitely. And you guys aren’t alone in this — I’m here for you both. We’re all in this together."

Nick couldn’t help but grin. The weight of uncertainty had lifted, replaced by a sense of belonging. Whatever challenges lay ahead, he knew he had both you and Imogen by his side.

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

"Don't be gentle with me—I like it when you're rough." And “That Noise…keep making it.” With Garrick if it strikes your fancy?? Like they’re friendly and reader is In their friend group but you know. ~mutual pining~ and maybe they’re sparring but then *peak sexual tension*

warning: maybe slightly steamy.

Scream it why don't you

You two were the definition of enemies to lovers. Or more like enemies in love. Or lovers too prideful to acknowledge their feelings. Rilling each other up had become your hobby and quite frankly you both took it seriously. There wasn't a day when you two weren't jabbing insults at one another or pushing each other to a limit. To an untrained eye, it looked borderline mental. To your friends, it was an average Monday.

You all usually trained together away from other cadets. Not that you had anything against them, your group just enjoyed private time for that where you all could talk without any priding eyes. But that also meant that any restrictions you did have when upper superiors were around were out the window.

"Tell me that today is my lucky day", Bodhi muttered as he stretched next to you. "If you're once again asking me to get on my knees for you that will never happen, Bo", you chuckled leaning forward to meet your toes. Bodhi snickered, "I was drunk and that was one time", he said in defense, "And you do know that most males can't resist you". You smiled to yourself, "Full of flattery today aren't we?".

You leaned to the side, popping your hip out towards the guy. Not enough to touch him in any way but the implication was quite obvious. "Look...", Bodhi breathed out. "The only way you're looking is in the other directions", Garrick's voice sounded from the other side of you, "Move Durran". The warning was so clear. And gods did his territorial side turn you on. "Jeez man... I wasn't doing anything", Bodhi huffed.

"You're being mean Tavis", you sang, coming right up as you stood to face him. "What games are you playing?", he said through gritted teeth. You just tapped his cheek a couple of times, before walking past him, "Deflate your ego, it's cutting off your blood circulation".

But you had barely made a step past him before he gripped your hand, pulling you back to him, "Careful, baby, or you might end up regretting your actions". You pressed your body even closer to his, "You want me to simply moan it or should I scream it instead?", you batted your lashes at him, making him curse under his breath. "Get your ass on the sparring mat", Garrick said through gritted teeth. "Uu, exhibitionism, I like that", you nodded, strolling through the gym, making sure to sway your hips even more.

You caught a glimpse of Imogen as she shook her head trying to suppress a laugh. Xaden smirked as he moved to turn around. You cracked your knuckles before stepping into the position. Garrick's dark eyes followed you, as he too stepped closer. Pulling his shit off his body with one smooth mission. Your eyes lingered on his muscles. How could they not? He was a good-looking guy there was no denying that. You shook your head quickly, "Don't be gentle with me, I like it rough", you muttered.

Garrick struck first with a growl but you dodged it effortlessly. Twirling and turning. Throwing each other off balance but never close enough to land a decent blow. Until you made a false move, allowing Garrick to pull at your wrist. He spun you around till your back was tightly pressed against his chest. One of his hands holding your hand beneath your back, the other coming to wrap around your neck. It was shameful truly the way you had whimpered when he pressed harder, cutting off the flow of air ever so slightly. You pressed harder onto his crotch, feeling the already forming hard-on. Garrick pulled your head back, closer to him. Making you moan out once more. "Keep making the pretty sound for me, baby", he whispered, nibbling on the side of your neck as your eyes rolled back.

"We do have underage kids here, guys", Imogen shouted, breaking out of the intimate bubble. Causing your eyes to shoot open. "Fuck that", Bodhi hissed, "Date already because my sanity can no longer stand this", he huffed making you giggle. You ran your hand along Garrick's thighs as he prospered your shoulder and neck with kisses, smirking to himself. "Back room in ten?", he questioned against your ear. You turned to face him fully now that he had let go of you, "Make it five, I have needs", you pushed to your tiptoe whispering right against his lips before pulling away.

[angstywaifu]

The Lost Sister - Part 38

Synopsis: Xaden is known as an only child due to his sister who 'died' during the Rebellion. Little do they know she didn't die and has been so close this entire time.

Garrick Tavis x OC (Ophelia Riorson)

The Lost Sister Masterlist | Masterlist

Betrayal and anger is all I can feel from Violet as she takes in what’s just happened. Her eyes scan over us all as the Gryphon fliers leave. I can see how nervous she is as she takes us all in, her gaze hardening as it lands on Liam and I. Xaden and Garrick approach her as if she’s a startled animal, worried she could dart off if they make the slightest wrong move. So similar to who I’d approached Garrick last night.

”Were we ever really friends?” She whispers, turning to Liam and I. Her voice void of any emotion.

”We are friends, Violet, but I owe him everything.” Liam answers solemnly as he looks at her. “We all do. And once you give him a chance to explain-”

Another wave of anger barrels into me, causing me to stumble back into Bodhi who reaches out and steadies me. Bloody hell. She was angry.

”You watched me train with him!” She yells, shoving Liam’s chest, causing him to stumble back towards me which brings her attention back to me. “You both stood by and watched me fall for him! You told me I made the right choice!”

”Oh shit.” Bodhi whispers behind me.

”Violence, let me explain.” Xaden says as he steps towards her.

We all take a collective step back as power ripples through the air around Violet as she turns towards Xaden. “If you even think about touching me, I swear I’ll fucking kill you.” As if to cement her point lighting cracks across the sky.

”I think she means it.” Liam mutters as he stares up at the clouds.

”I know she does. Everybody, go back to the shore. Now.” Xaden commands, his focus fully on Violet.

We all hesitantly leave them. I know Xaden can handle himself, but Violet’s signet could be dangerous when she’s angry. Already proven by the lightning she’s managed to summon without even trying to.

And we do. I turn my back on my brother and Violet. And for the first time in my life, I’m actually scared to leave him alone with her as another lighting strike careens across the sky above me. Malek help us all.

”Well that went well.” Bodhi mutters sarcastically as we all make it back to the dragons.

”Well? You think that went well? She nearly fried us all.” Liam states as he looks at Bodhi as if he’s sprouted a second head.

”But she didn’t.” He states, just as another lighting strike happens. “Well not yet anyway.”

”She wont.” I tell them as I sit down against a boulder, leaning my head back against it as I shut my eyes. “She might be pissed, but she still loves him.”

”If it wasn’t for your damn signet I’d be questioning you a lot right now. She’s about ready to kill him.” Imogen states as she joins us.

Garrick chuckles, “So was Ophelia when she figured it out.”

”I was always curious, how did you find out about this? I knew Xaden planned to tell you, but he never said how you figured it out before he got a chance to.” Imogen asks, the gravel shifting next to me as she sits next to me.

I open my eyes and point over at Garrick. “This idiot over here got me one of my favourite foods that you can only get from Gryphon fliers.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation we’re in and what has just happened Imogen and Liam burst into laugher, Garrick glaring at the two of them as Bodhi stifles his laughter.

”And you’re meant to be the observant one.” Imogen jokes as she smirks at Garrick, causing him to glare at her more.

”Get ready to go. As soon as those two are done we’re leaving.” Garrick growls before walking off towards Chradh, leaving us all behind to fall into a fit of laughter.

Something is wrong. Something is very very wrong. This outpost is empty. Too empty for an active outpost.

”What the hell?” Garrick striding past us to observe the courtyard in the centre of the structure.

Our footsteps echo off the walls way more than they should. This outpost should have hundreds of infantry and riders stationed here. But as I reach out with my signet to feel for anyone else, I come up short. We’re the only ones here.

”Stop. There’s no one here. Divide and search.” Xaden commands us before turning to Violet and I. “You stay with Garrick, and you don’t leave my side. I don’t think this is a War Game.”

I nod and pivot on my heel to follow Garrick who waits in one of the archways with Imogen. Imogen leads the way as Garrick falls into step next to me, one hand grasped around a sword, the other ghosting my lower back. We search every room we come across. All of them abandoned and empty. Not a single thing left behind or out of place. This was planned and thought out. These people based here had time to pack up and leave. Finally we make it to the third floor where a lot of the leadership we’re based at outposts. Their offices lining the corridor. The three of us split up, knowing we need to hurry up. Just like the other rooms every thing is empty. Till the last one. Sitting on the desk in the centre of the room is an envelope. And envelope addressed to my brother.

War Games for Xaden Riorson, Wingleader of Fourth Wing.

I immediately recognise the hand writing. I’d seen it many times before while being under Melgren’s care. Colonel Aetos. That was his hand writing. Countless time’s I had been tasked with passing documents and letters between the pair. There was no denying that was his hand writing. I grasp the letter in my hand, rushing out the door and nearly crashing into Garrick who had clearly come to find me. He goes to ask me something, but as I hold the letter out to him he snaps his mouth shut. His eyes focusing on the letter in my hand. He takes it from me before grabbing my hand and leading me down the corridor to the stairs that will take us up to the tower.

”Imogen, we found something.” He calls out before rushing up the stairs.

I hear Imogen rushing to catch up to us as we bound up the stairs. I have to let go of Garrick’s hand due to him being able to skip multiple steps at a time due to this longer stride.

”I have something!” Garrick calls out, clearly being able to see Xaden from the tower.

As I make it to the top, I see Garrick vault over the edge to cross over to Xaden via the thick rampart connecting us to where the others are. Imogen and I quickly follow after him to join the others. I can already tell as we get closer Xaden has pieced together part of why we are here. The worry on his face is crystal clear as he looks down at Violet. Shit.

”It’s addressed to you.” Garrick says to Xaden as he hands him the envelope.

Violet glances at the letter, her eyes skimming the hand writing on the front. And I can tell she knows who it’s from as well. “That’s from Colonel Aetos.”

”What does it say?” Garrick asks, folding his arms over his chest as he waits for Xaden to tell him what it says. “What’s our assignment?”

”Guys, I see something just past the trading post,” Liam says to us as he looks over the village below us. “Oh shit.”

At the same time I feel the panic set in from both Liam and Xaden. I quickly rush over to Xaden and take the letter from him. My eyes quickly skimming over the contents. Oh shit. Instantly Garrick is at my side, my face clearly betraying my emotions as I stare up at Xaden in panic. We have been sent here to die.

”It says our mission is to survive if we can.” Xaden says glumly.

Garrick shakes his head at us, lacing his fingers behind his head. “That’s not….”

”Guys, this is bad.” Liam shouts as Imogen rushes to his side.

Xaden looks back at Violet who is very much blaming her self right now for what’s happening based off the guilt I can feel flowing off of her. “This isn’t your fault.” But I can tell she doesn’t believe his words as he turns to look at us all. His eyes settling on me. Our conversation from earlier becoming reality with the words that leave his mouth. “We’ve been sent here to die.”

@riorgail @going-through-shit @fw-gt @bbkissme99 @xceafh @leptitlu @came-to-laugh-but-cried @onthewaytotimbuktu @daardyrnitta @lovemesomevesey @mxtokko @krowiathemythologynerd @callsign-blue @1islessthan3books @side-angel @wolfbc97 @just-an-ace-elf

[zafill]

Fan-fiction: Cold Warnings. 

What would you do when ur stuck in a snowstrom?

pt.2 death, rope, suicide etc. read on our own, your mental health matters

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

Chapter 1: The Gathering Storm 

The sound of a suitcase zipper echoed through the small, warmly lit apartment. Y/n sat cross-legged on the floor, methodically folding sweaters and stuffing them into her worn duffel bag. The snowstorm outside had already started, whispering against the windows like a warning. 

“We’re going to be fine,” she said, more to herself than to Mitsuri, who was pacing back and forth, her phone pressed to her ear. 

“Mom, I know it’s late,” Mitsuri said, her voice tight with frustration. “But we don’t have a choice. We need to get there before morning. Can you just—yes, I’ll call when we get there. If I can. The signal might be bad.” She paused, her expression softening. “Love you too.” 

Hanging up, Mitsuri tossed her phone onto the couch and let out a long sigh. “She thinks we’re crazy for driving in this weather.” 

“She’s not wrong,” Y/n muttered, stuffing an extra pair of socks into her bag. “But we don’t exactly have options. If we wait, the roads’ll be completely impassable.” 

“I know, I know.” Mitsuri flopped onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. “It’s just… this storm feels different. It’s like it’s alive or something.” 

Y/n raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been reading too much of your creepy folklore blog again.” 

Mitsuri smirked faintly but didn’t argue. Y/n stood, zipping her bag shut with a decisive motion. “We’ll beat it. We just need to stick to the plan. It’s a four-hour drive if we don’t stop. If we leave now, we’ll be at the cabin before it really picks up.” 

Mitsuri didn’t respond right away. She sat up, fidgeting with the edge of her sweater. “Are you sure about this place? I mean, it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere.” 

“Exactly why it’s perfect,” Y/n replied, her tone firm. “A weekend off-grid, no emails, no stress. You said you needed a reset, didn’t you?” 

“I didn’t mean freezing my ass off in the wilderness,” Mitsuri shot back, but there was no real heat in her words. She stood, brushing imaginary dust off her jeans. “Fine. Let’s do it. But if we end up in a true-crime podcast, I’m haunting you.” 

Y/n rolled her eyes and grabbed her keys from the counter. “Noted. Now grab your bag; we need to move before the roads get worse.” 

Y/n slung her duffel bag over one shoulder, motioning for Mitsuri to follow. The cold hit them immediately as they stepped outside, the wind biting at their faces and scattering snowflakes around their heads. Their boots crunched against the freshly fallen snow as they made their way to the car parked a few steps away. 

“Ugh, it’s like an icebox out here,” Mitsuri grumbled, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck. 

“Welcome to winter,” Y/n quipped, fumbling with her keys. She unlocked the car, and they both hurried to get inside, slamming the doors shut against the howling wind. 

The interior of the car was even colder than the outside. Mitsuri shivered, rubbing her hands together. “Start the car. Quickly. I’m about to become a popsicle.” 

“Hold on,” Y/n said, jamming the key into the ignition. The engine sputtered for a moment before roaring to life. She cranked the heat up as high as it would go. The vents sputtered weakly at first, but warm air began to trickle out. 

“Not fast enough,” Mitsuri muttered, blowing into her hands for warmth. 

Y/n glanced at her and smirked. “You’ll survive.” She reached over to plug in her phone, scrolling through her playlist. 

Y/n’s fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before she tapped the song title. A familiar, haunting melody began to fill the car, the rhythmic hum of "Headlock" by Imogen Heap wrapping around them like a warm, invisible blanket. 

“Seriously?” Mitsuri raised an eyebrow, though her lips curved in a faint smile. “This song? Are you trying to set a vibe or something?” 

Y/n grinned, drumming her fingers lightly on the steering wheel as the beat picked up. “It’s called ambiance. Besides, it’s a good distraction from the freezing cold.” 

Mitsuri chuckled softly and leaned back against the headrest, closing her eyes for a moment as the layered vocals and electronic beats seemed to sync with the rhythm of the snow hitting the windshield. “Alright, fine. I’ll allow it. But if you start singing, I’m ejecting myself.” 

The car eased onto the snow-covered road, the tires crunching steadily through the light powder as the music played on. For the first hour, it was almost peaceful. The snow fell softly, drifting lazily in the headlights, and the road ahead, though blanketed, was still visible enough for Y/n to drive with confidence. 

Mitsuri occasionally glanced out the window, the faint glow of distant porch lights visible through the trees as they passed small clusters of houses. “See? This isn’t so bad,” she said, her voice carrying a trace of relief. “The storm’s probably not as bad as they said.” 

Y/n smirked but kept her focus on the road. “Don’t jinx it.” 

They drove in silence for a while, the warmth of the heater finally offsetting the chill in the car. The music wove its way through the stillness, a strange comfort against the stark backdrop of the storm. 

But then, almost imperceptibly, the snowfall grew heavier. What started as a gentle dusting quickly became a thick curtain of white. The road ahead blurred, the edges disappearing into the swirling flurries. The porch lights vanished, and soon, it was as if they were driving through a world that was only snow. 

Y/n’s grip on the wheel tightened, and she leaned forward, squinting through the windshield. “This isn’t good,” she muttered, her voice tense. She reached over and turned the music down, the cabin falling silent except for the hum of the engine and the relentless hiss of snow against the car. 

Mitsuri sat up straighter, her earlier lightheartedness replaced with unease. “Y/n, can you even see where we’re going?” 

“Barely,” Y/n admitted, her jaw clenching. The windshield wipers worked furiously, but they could barely keep up. The high beams only made it worse, reflecting off the snow in a disorienting glare. She switched them back to low and kept her speed slow, the tires crunching through deeper drifts. 

Ahead of them, the world had dissolved into white. No horizon, no markers, just an endless, shifting void. It was like they were driving through a snow globe, and someone had given it a violent shake. 

“This storm is alive,” Mitsuri whispered, her earlier comment suddenly feeling far less like a joke. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, her breath fogging the window as she stared into the nothingness ahead. 

“Don’t start,” Y/n snapped, though her voice lacked its usual bite. Her knuckles were white on the wheel, her eyes scanning for any sign of the road. She slowed even more, the car crawling forward. 

“We should stop,” Mitsuri said after a moment, her voice tight. “Wait it out. Pull over.” 

“And risk getting buried or hit by someone else? No,” Y/n said firmly. “We keep moving. Slowly, but we keep moving-” 

Y/n’s words were cut off as a figure darted across the road ahead, a blur of motion illuminated by the headlights. It was impossibly fast, unnaturally lean, and its limbs moved in an unsettling, jerking rhythm. 

“What the hell!” Y/n yelled, instinctively jerking the wheel to the right. 

The tires skidded on the snow-slicked road, and the car spun slightly before careening into a shallow ditch. The impact jolted them both forward, stopped only by their seat belts. 

“Y/n!” Mitsuri shouted, gripping the dashboard as the car came to an abrupt halt. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breaths shallow and panicked. “What was that?” 

Y/n’s hands stayed frozen on the wheel, her wide eyes fixed on the road ahead, which now appeared empty. The figure was gone, swallowed by the storm as if it had never been there. “I—I don’t know,” she stammered, her voice shaky. 

The engine sputtered, a sad, wheezing sound, before falling silent. Y/n turned the key in the ignition, but the car gave nothing more than a weak click. She tried again, her movements frantic, but it was no use. The car was dead. 

“Great,” Mitsuri muttered, her voice trembling as she looked out the window. The ditch was steep, and the snow around them was piling up fast. “We’re stuck, aren’t we?” 

Y/n let out a frustrated groan, slamming her hands against the steering wheel. “Yeah, we’re stuck,” she admitted, leaning her head back against the seat. “The car won’t start, and there’s no way we’re getting out of this ditch without help.” 

The biting cold hit them like a wall the moment Y/n opened the car door. A gust of wind whipped through the snow-covered trees, sending icy flakes stinging against their faces. Y/n pulled her coat tighter around her, shivering as she stepped out into the deepening snow. 

Mitsuri followed reluctantly, her boots crunching into the thick layer of white as she joined Y/n at the front of the car. She hugged her arms to her chest, her breath visible in the frigid air. “It’s freezing out here,” she muttered through chattering teeth, glancing nervously at the surrounding darkness. “How bad is it?” 

Y/n crouched down, brushing snow away from the car’s front tires. The ditch they’d skidded into was deeper than it had looked from inside. The car’s wheels were sunk into the snowbank at a sharp angle, almost buried entirely. She reached out to test the tire but pulled her hand back quickly as the icy rubber burned her fingers. 

“It’s bad,” Y/n said grimly, standing up and brushing her hands on her pants. “The tires are completely stuck, and there’s no traction. Even if the engine were running, we wouldn’t be able to drive out of this.” 

Mitsuri’s face fell, her eyes darting toward the dense forest on either side of the road. The trees loomed like silent sentinels, their branches heavy with snow. “So, what do we do now?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Wait here and hope someone drives by? Because I don’t think anyone’s coming, Y/n.” 

Y/n opened her mouth to reply, but her words caught in her throat. Her gaze drifted past Mitsuri, toward the dense wall of trees on the other side of the ditch. Through the swirling snow, something was emerging, faint but unmistakable—a break in the forest. 

She blinked, half-convinced she was imagining it. But there it was: a small clearing, its edges outlined by the faint, warm glow of light spilling from between the branches. Squinting, she could just make out the silhouette of a cabin nestled among the trees. 

“Am I losing it,” Y/n muttered under her breath, “or is that…?” 

Mitsuri followed her gaze, turning slowly, and gasped. “A cabin? Are you serious?” Her voice was a mix of disbelief and cautious hope. She stepped closer to Y/n, her breath hitching. “That wasn’t there a second ago. Was it?” 

Y/n shook her head, her stomach twisting with unease. “No… I don’t think so.” She glanced around them, as if the snowstorm might hold an explanation. But there was nothing else, just the unyielding wind and the eerie quiet of the forest. “Maybe we just didn’t notice it before,” she said, though she didn’t believe her own words. 

Mitsuri’s eyes narrowed, her instinct for skepticism kicking in. “Notice a whole cabin? Right when we need it? Come on, Y/n. That’s too convenient. It’s weird.” 

“Convenient or not, it’s our best option,” Y/n replied, her voice firm. She grabbed the flashlight from her bag and tested its beam, the light cutting a path through the snow. “We can’t just stay out here and freeze.” 

Mitsuri hesitated, glancing back at the car. The idea of stepping deeper into the woods, toward that impossibly timed cabin, made her skin crawl. But the growing numbness in her fingers reminded her they didn’t have much of a choice. “Alright,” she said finally, pulling her coat tighter. 

[empressofedge]

In all seriousness, though. One of my favorite things about this last episode of Critical Role is that I was a week behind when it aired and the ONLY spoiler I truly saw was the Imodna kiss. Like, there were vague mentions about Chet’s kidnapping and Vax marble screaming, but other than that... nothing. And even then it was SUPER vague to the point I didn’t even understand the spoilers. Meaning...

I literally had no idea that they legit showed Imogen’s mother, Ludinus, and Ira on Ruidus until I watched the full ep. That’s how absolutely batshit we all went for the sapphics and honestly? Completely valid.

[utilitycaster]

(you don't need to publish this because a) it's not a question and b) I don't want that maybe you're getting attacked/vagueblogged over it) I just wanted to say, that I originally came to your blog because of your nuanced, deep and really really good Caleb meta and that Imogenfans are missing out big time. I think, if Im/odna fans wouldn't have acted the way they did and talented people hadn't stopped writing meta about them, at least I would have warmed up to the characters way more....

Hi anon,

I hope you don't mind me publishing it anyway just because it's a good opportunity to elaborate on a few rather fanwanky feelings in one brief-ish statement.

I don't really care if people vague me and I think people who don't like being vagued are valid, but people who don't like being vagued, whine about it, and then continue to vague others are, understandably, idiots making the situation worse. Most people who had issues with being vagued re: the above simply stopped writing meta, which is why there's not much of it. Also a lot of what people call vaguing is just meta that disagrees with theirs, to be honest. I mean I do vague, a lot, and I'm very good at it, but I've also written 100% good faith meta about things I was thinking about the narrative without consideration of other peoples' opinions and it was called vaguing because I used aggressive tactics like citing my sources.

I've covered the fact that Imogen was actually treated very similarly to Caleb with the key difference that people who wrote meta about Caleb were treated badly by his haters, whereas people who wrote meta about Imogen were treated badly by her then-supporters who are now mostly defending Ashton and Dorian because Imogen started saying things they don't like and don't want to address. I just want to reiterate that if someone ever says that The Male Characters Played By White Actors Never Receive Hate you should just block them and stop taking them seriously. The hate is obviously not motivated by bigotry against real people, typically (though some criticism of Veth was certainly misogynistic even though Sam is a man, for example) but they still did receive pretty intense hate. It is kind of telling, personally, re a certain lack of backbone that people will bring up the horrible things people said about Liam or Travis or Taliesin in their own defense and then turn around and willingly engage with the people making these accusations they clearly know to be false, but you know. Unsurprising.

I tried to write something longer that really dug into the outline of events but it really comes down to this: a lot of the direct harassment (not vagueing) of meta writers, especially with regards to Imogen or Laudna, occurred during episodes like...20-50 of this campaign, and I think those doing the harassment either thought this would somehow make meta writers go "oh my god you're so right about the thing that you said I should die for not agreeing with, I'm going to write meta for you now" or that this would shut them down but wouldn't make other meta writers say "oh this environment has become hostile", which obviously it would. Coupled with the fact that this is when a lot of meta writers realized the campaign pacing was fucked and the party wasn't clicking in the same way past ones had and it really turned into a case of high risk of unpleasantness for a not really worth it reward for many of the meta writers who were around in earlier campaigns, and that in TURN meant that it's harder to have a good conversation without having existing chats so it's a less pleasant place for new fans. Anyway uh. I think the lesson here is that those C2 meta writers ARE around for Midst and Candela Obscura so it's also kind of a waiting game in the event that there is a future campaign (and if not, they will still be here for Midst/Candela/Possibly Daggerheart or future EXUs); they're just not here to write about Imogen or Laudna because it's not worth the trouble.

[jaebird88]

After marinating on it, I do have some feelings about the way Laudna behaved in the last episode. But first I wish to preface this by saying Marisha killed it with the RP. Seriously. No notes. Give her an Oscar.

The way Laudna played the victim throughout the entire scene is something I'm all too accustomed to seeing in my personal life. Without being specific as to who, I will say her behavior is that of what I witnessed from a family member firsthand. Between the way she used her own personal tragedy as a means to justify her actions and how she put blame on Orym's decision to wield Ishta to obfuscate where she was at fault. And also to not admit to everyone how Delilah was influencing her yet again. Another post I've seen brought up how she never even said "I'm sorry" once despite Ashton's advice, and that, too, is a major red flag.

Now, I will not dismiss the fact that Laudna had been wronged in her previous life. But to continue using it as a means to deflect is only going to make things worse for everyone close to her. Especially Imogen, whom you can see her heart breaking in real time.

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 98 (THE LIVE SHOW!!!)

BRENNAN?!!! Hi! Mah boy! We're feeling so great, Bennan! Even those of us who AIN't in LA ... yes, we are excited. There's AUSSIES here? You mad bastards, that is COMMITMENT ... and he has NNOUNCEMENTS!!! Okay, then ... yeah, please don't jinx us, Brandan, we DO NOT want a live TPK right now ... oh the cosplays ... THE COSPLAYS!!! :3 Oooooh ... SOCKS?!!! Sweet ... ROLE!!! ROLE!!! YOU!!! YOU!!! DO THIS!!! DO THIS!!!

Oh, here they come ... ASHTON LIVES!!! Holy fuck, Travis! And the booty! Orym! LAUDNA!!! IMOGEN!!! My god Laura you're so CUTE!!! Nice suit, Rob! Awwww ... so Fearne! And then there's Matt ... so chill and casual ... I mean he COULD have cosplayed Essek at least ...

NordVPN? Oh dear gods ... what's it gonna be, then? oh, it's ALL the girls? Nice ... we're imaginary? Interesting ... yeah, we pretty. Yup! Happy Pride to YOU TOO ... boogie? Oh dear gods no ... a ZUNE? So early 2000s ... oh boy ... yeah, this is getting surreal now ... oh, now Marisha's getting in on the act ... of course she is ... I love how she's doing Laudna's Bane dance ... XD

LIVE recap this time ... okay ... ah yeah, the purple Hot Boi gets a cheer AS HE SHOULD ... oh, the howling ... that's so cute ... NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! NOT DORIAN!!!

No, that's not it, no, he DIDN'T do that, Cyrus WASN'T his fault ... wait, so ... that WASN'T an attempt to taunt him, then? What WAS that?

FIRST ROLL!!! OKay ... 24? Of course it is. How is it Liam ALWAYS rolls so well? It's almost uncanny, is he a halfling FOR REAL?

Laura: "Mmmmm ... I'm gonna make a mistake and ..." O.O Oh shit ... "... cast Detect Thoughts." Holy fuck, Imogen ...

A Wisdom save? Of course ... here we go, then ... PLEASE roll decent, Laura ... A NAT1?!!! Holy fuck ... O.O again ...

CRAP!!! That fucking Ruidian storm again ... her mother? Oh hell no, there's NO WAY she'd EVER say THAT to Imogen ... yeah, she doesn't believe that FOR A FUCKING SECOND ... seriously, Imogen don't trust ANYTHING this fake ass bitch has to say ... yeah, that's my girl ... "destroy the Pinion"? Hmmmmmm ...

CHetney: "You talked to your mom? That's what the demon showed YOU?!!! I'm going to hell." Ashton: "Probably pretty soon!"

Oh yeah ... Tevan is SEXY ... "Roleplay?" Oh boy ... REALLY, Laudna?

Gods yeah. Fearne really DIDN'T think this shit through, did she? Oh, she's so adorable in her cluelessness, I love it ... and now Dorian's trying to help "lawyer" her way out fo this ... XD

Tevan: "When it's done, I'll be waiting." Oh boy ... so she's, like ... BETROTHED now? Really? O.O

Which way to go? Yeah ... decisions decisions ... oh, split up? Really? Don't you know the Gold Rule?

To the left, then ... hmmmm ... oh ... that's not, like, OMINOUS or anything ...

Laura: "We're gonna DIE at the Greek!"

Matt: "Iogen sends her little balls into the room." Uh huh ...

Perception check! What do you smell, Chet? 17 ... okay, then ... a silver door? SILVER? Yeah, that's rather pointed ...

Burgandy scalemail? Interesting ... is that loot? Or is Taliesin right? "Chemical goop" ... Matt questions his good friend's past in knwogin what THAT smells like ... as he should ... O.O

Oh, it's a CLOAK? Interesting ... oh yeah, that's definitely loot ... IN THE BAG!!!

Orym hears something move VERY SUBTLY close by ... of course he does ...

"Read the Runes" ... Laudna uses Eyes of the Runekeeper ...

Travis really is rolling BALLS tonight ...

So what IS that breathing behind the door ... somebody's anxious and ready to run, apparently ... but they're definitely NOT a demon, interesting ...

Dorian just does "Shave & a Haircut" on the door ... and somebody finishes it? ALSO Interesing ...

A guest? Oh cool ... SAM RIEGEL?!!! Sam's back? SAM'S BACK!!! He's back! Oh my fucking GODS!!! Cute jacket, Sam! It'sd very loud ... not to mention the fucking HAIR ... Liam: "I do hope this doesn't awaken something within me ..." Yeah, you and the rest of us ...

He's a MINOTAUR?!!! Wow ... oh yeah, our boy's FINALLY playing to his ACTUAL height ... oh man ... he's had his throat cut? FUCK!!!

No, I don't think THIS is Dominox, somehow ...

His deception roll is a 4 ... so EIGHTEEN? Holy shit ... Divine Sense? Whoa ... okay, so is he a cleric or a paladin? Wait ... this guy KNOWS who Tevan is? Hmmmm ...

Who's his god, then?

Yeah, they already KNOW all this, new guy ... Ashton gives him a health potion ... so he's able to regain 4 HEALTH POINTS because Tal rolls balls ... XD

Dorian's Cure Wounds works a lot better ... 24 points back! Okay ... he Lays Hands on himself to cure himself the rest of the way ... Yeah, that's JUST as dierty sounding as you THINK it is ...

He's flirting with Fearne already ... oh boy ...

Oh, he infiltrated the Vanguard? With some friends? Oh, the rest of them died? Oof ... yeah, Dominox has been BUSY ...

While they talk Ashton gets a little needle from the evil demon ... 14 WITH advantage ... great ... oh no ... NO NO NO NO ... don't do this to him, PLEASE ... no, not FCG ... Matt Mercer you evil fucking bastard ...

Go off, Rock Boy ... you are SO awesome for this ...

Braius Doomseed ... oh, cute character art ... oh, the PLatinum Dragon? DID HE? Chetney Insight Checks ... wow, that is QUITE the fakeout cockblock, Riegel ... I mean who does he REALLY serve?

Something tells me Tevan's more invested in this "relationship" than Fearne is ... XD

Oh he is DEFINITELY the servant of some DARK GOD indeed ... yeah, Dorian's right, he's gonna fit RIGHT IN here ...

"Herald champion" ... oh yeah, definitely a paladin, then ...

Dorian's already trying to "mentor" him ... this is adorable ...

Oh, that is DEFINITELY the ancient Aeorian engine in question, isn't it? PURPLE CRYSTAL!!! Yup, that's definitely it ... the Pinion of Service, yes ...

Robbie: "I've literally never done this ... Insight check?"

Yeah, I DO NOT like the way those chains are moving AT ALL. That is just a nightmare waiting to happen ...

And now Braius is starting to flirt with ASHTON ... yup ...

The door was already open? Oh yeah ... that's great ...

Oh, Ludinus went TOWARDS the engine room? So he might already be ahead of them in this ... great ...

OF COURSE Ashton just wants to BREAK IT ...

A small girl? Oh great ... Travis is ALREADY noping out ...

Ah ... so she's a really CREEPY little girl ... yup, that's Dominox ... Imogen: "She's kind of cute." Laudna: "Yes! She's fun scary!" Orym: "But what's the ratio of that?"

Laudna really is tempted to just ADOPT this freakish little Japanese horror movie icon, isn't she?

Braius casts Bless on the group ... in a really cheesy way ...

Laudna: "We should've had him when we tried to do the porn." Dorian: "Some things are better off missed."

Fearne casts Locate Creature on Ludinus ...okay! Ah shit ... it's REPELLED? Oof ... bad sign ...

Chetney and Tevan are going into the chamber with their weapons at the ready ... okay, then ... Fearne and Ashton follow ... then Orym and Essek ... now Dorian's fluttering above for cover ...

This really doesn't feel like a smart place for a fight, people ... oh, and now they're clearly locked in ... Chet wolfs out ... MIrror Image for Laudna ...

Did Dorian just quote Hasbin Hotel? :3

Persuade the Grand Demon? Marisha rolls a Dirty 20 ... okay then ...

Matt makes Travis nope out again ... yeah ...

Fuck, Ashley ... INSANELY good roll there ...

Important door alert! Yeah ... oh, she doesn't like THAT at all ... oh, and now she's ATTACKING?!!! Fuck ... OUCH!!! That's nasty ... wait ... 21 FAILS?!!! Holy fuck ... NO!!! Chetney's been caught!

Wait ... Braius is climbing straight up for the Pinion? Hmmm ... this is going to be interesting ...

No, she's really NOT single ... O.O whoa ... Imogen WHAT?!!! Careful there ...

The TRUE form of Dominox ... oh yeah, no, REALLY don't set THAT SHIT free ... that's just HORRIBLE ...

Imogen casts Telekinesis to try and grab the crystal ... Laura: "Oh, there are so many dice in front of me!" Liam: "Who did that?" And he's FREE!!! Nice ... but now he has to follow through ... yeah, that didn't go well at alll, did it?

And now we got a massive demon thing in the middle of the room INSTEAD of the little girl from the Ring ...

CAREFUL, Orym ... crap, he's been rumbled ...

A|nimate Object ON THE DOOR?!!! That's SERIOUSLY bold, Laudna ... Robbie: "It's Doorie! Brother!" XD

Laura has to roll for repurcussions ... what did she get? How bad is it?

Roll Initiative! When we get back from the break ... O.O

BATTLEMAP!!! Sweet fuck that is an EPIC creation ... and it's moving an everything ... FUCK ME that bastard is TERRIFYING ... Robbie: "I always knew I'd die by furry!"

Time to roll Initiative, then ... cue Marish'a Wizzkids plug!

Sam: "I missed this!" The audience loses it ...

Tevan goes first ... oh, he's going RIGHT for the kill ... Divine Smite! 68 points of Radiant damage? Holy fuck ...

Orym holds his action for JUST IN CASE ...

A FUCKING LAIR ACTION?!!! Now EVERYBODY has to rolls dexterity? Fucking chains ... Oof ... Laudna, Ashton, Imogen and Fearne are now grappled with chains, but Braius' Aura of Protection saves Dorian, Orym, Essek AND Braius himself ...

Holy fuck Dominox is an EVIL fucker with this brutal attacks ... suddenly it's starting to look like a TPK may actual be genuinely IN THE CARDS for the night after all ...

Wait ... Dominox is SUCKED INTO A VOID by Ashton? Where the fuck did it just go? Oh, he drops the demon ON THE CRYSTAL ... which just BOUNCES IT RIGHT OFF some invisible forcefield ... right onto Fearne? Oof ...

Travis (chuckling): "A Grand Demon just fell on your ass!"

Dorian casts Shatter at the centre Spire ... 18 points of Thunder damage! Nice! Whoa ... this that ALREADY spring the crystal free? Holy shit, Flyboy! Bardic Inspiration!

TWO Legendary Actions? Holy shit ... he tries to BANISH Tevan but LAUDNA COUNTERSPELLS!!! Wow ... Perception Check to make sure she CAN ... 14 ... YES!!! It works! Fucking badass, Dead Girl!

Braius is the Herald of ASMODEUS?!!! They group go apeshit as their suspicions are confirmed! Poison Pen? Interesting ... so THWWACK with that massive flail thing ... oh, it's IMMUNE to poison damage? Balls ... so only 22 points of damage ... okay ... second strike WITH Inspiration ... Divine Smite means another 23 points! POW!!!

PAINT IT BLACK, RIEGEL!!!

The door is now Animate! NIce one, Laudna! The room beyond is now OPEN!!! In she goes with Orym in tow! Oh, there's somebody inside ... fuck, is it Ludinus? Perception check! 17 BOLLOCKS!!!

Laudna (screaming: "LET HIM OUT!!!" Tevan: "You will do NO SUCH THING!"

Form of Dread!

Fearne is free, at least ... she Wildshapes into a little mint-green wombat? Wow ... interesting choice ... she bolts to the crystal and stuffs it into her marsupial pouch ... bloody hell ... and when Dominox tries to swipe at her Matts CRIT FAILS THE HIT!!! Awesome ...

Chetney charges at Dominox ... Misty Step! He retrieves the crystal from Fearne and stuffs it in the Bag of Holding ... wow ... this is bizarre ... Dominox is now REALLY PISSED at Chetney and makes the post terifying threat possibel at him and the wolf starts to BRICK HIMSELF ...

Essek unleashes a Lightning Bolt right into Dominox ... 38 points of Lightning damage ... but it's HALVED due to resistance? Okay then ...

Ashton shifts into black and white as he charges and drops into the ground, books it towards the open door but attempts to destroy the engine on the way ... 19 hits! Phew ... 21 points of damage cracks it BADLY ...

Travis: "Does Dominox have an opinion?" LIam (as Dominox): "I'm big on crypto!"

Ahston makes another heavy slam into the engine ... another 16 points of damage! it's getting VERY messed up ...

Imogen gets as close as she can to Chetney and uses Telekinesis to pick him up and YEET HIM towards the door ... he barrels RIGHT THROUGH IT ...

Ludinus (almost REIGNED): "My goodness ..."

Yeah ... Ludinus almost CASUALLY baps him away from him with a Shield spell.

Oh fuck ... the tether yanks Domiox away and INTO Braius? Oof ...

Tevan attacks Dominox twice ... Smite away, Hot Boi! 22 damage from the first, then 36 for the second! Nice! And NOW the monster is FINALLY starting to look messed up ...

Orym chugs down his Speed potion and STREAKS back towards to Dominox to attack him ... 20 damage for a GOADING attack which he FAILS to resist ... second hit lands 9, then he hastes but the next THREE miss ... Action Surge! 19 points of damage and he trips it ... and then he Crit Fails ... oh shit ... so he skims away and BRAINS HIMSELF on the wall ... ricochets back and comes right back with another attack and SLICES AWAY at him again ...

Now Wee Man is just spinning like a dizzy top ...

OF COURSE Dominox IMMEDIATELY attacks him right back ... oh fuck ... 46 points of slashing damage ON THE FIRST HIT?!!! Dear fucking GODS ... MInd Feast? Sweet fuck ... this one's aimed at Ashton ... and he fails to resist ... 14 points of Psychic damage ... and he's drawn right towards him and HEALED?!!! Son of a BITCH!!!

Ludinus FUCKING Da'Leth swoops into the room right behind Dominox and casts Gate ... O.O ... wait, he's genuinely trying to HELP right now? Is this for real?

Dorian's turn ... oh, Robbie can't BELIEVE it's now up to HIM ... so he psyches Dorian up and casts Otto's Irresistable Dance on Dominox at SIXTH FUCKING LEVEL?!!! And Braius uses Sorrowful Fate to CHANGE DOMINOX'S SAVE so it's a FOURTEEN, which is a FAIL!!! Holy shit ... it FORGETS to use Legendary Resistance, so the Grand Demon starts to BOOGIE ... Matt has SO MUCH FUN describing what happens ... and even starts BOPPING HIMSELF ... I am IN AWE of the moment ... LOL

Braius turns his focus to Ludinus and casts Moonbeam at him ... oh my gods and Sam DOESN'T EVEN KNOW what that does ... O.O ... Dominox saves, but Braius still inflicts five points of Radiant damage ... so he Bonus Actions Hammering Horns to PUSH Dominox ten feet back ... which he ALSO fails to save against ... holy FUCK Samuel, HOW OP'd is your new character? Now the demon is IN HELL just inside the portal ...

Laudna tries to work out if this is THE Ludinus or just SNOWdinus ... no idea ... okay, she tries something COMPLETELY untested on him now ... she conjures up the spirit of Vess Dorogna as Spirit of Death to attack him ... only for him to Counterspell ... so she just Counterspells RIGHT BACK?!!! Holy shit ... so she succeeds in her plan ... HOLY SHIT ... so now, FOREVER he is permanently HAUNTED by this vengeful ghost? HOLY SHIT, Dead Girl! You're so awesome!

Fearne casts Polymorph on Ludinus ... SWEET FUCKING FUCK!!! This is BEAUTIFUL ... 25 on his save? BALLS ... that was almost SO awesome ...

Chetney turns back and turns Invisible, then holds his turn ...

Essek casts Gravity Fissure on the remaining spires, shatters them so they pierce into the portal and IMPALE Dominox ... damage is halved bu that's STILL 20 piercing! Holy fuck ...

Ashton takes a passing swipe at the engine ... 22 points of damage ... oh shit ... it just slowed to s stop! He takes one more swing ... 23 points and it is SHATTERED!!! Nice ...

Imogen runs as close as she can to the gate, tries to grab holdo of Ludinus with Telekinesis ... and he FAILS to save, but instead uses his Legendary Resistance to wipe it off instead! Asshole ... so she Lightning Bolts him at 7th Level instead ... most of the damage is deflected, but she still deals 12 points ... it's something, at least ...

Tevan charges in to attack Dominox, misses his first hit but catches the second ... oh, and it's the KILL hit? The live audience goes NUTS ... Matt: "How do I wanna do this?" He carves the demon in two and it just ASHES ...

Orym runs up the wall and then uses Grasping Vine to swing himself up behind Ludinus ... Pushing attack! 18 damage and he fails his save so Ludinus is SHOVED towards the gate! Ludinus drops the gate so Orym just attacks him hard with his sword instead ... come on, Wee Man! Kill this bitch!

Ludinus flies into the tunnel just past Chetney, then turns back to face them all ...

Wow ... fanboy Braius actually GETS HIS AUTOGRAPH from Tevan ... nice ...

Here we go ... cue arrogant self-important monologue from the supreme douchebag ...

Wait ... Imogen's goint to FOLLOW HIM?!!! Well OF COURSE Laudna's gonna follow her ... looks like they're ALL going, then ... I hope this isn't a problem ...

And now Braius is flirting with ORYM ... Orym: "Bro, you're HUGE." Braius: "It's okay." Wow ...

Heading deeper in, then ...

The Occultus Thalamus, then ... here we go ...

Here comes ANOTHER overblown monologue from Ludius, then ... he really does LOVE the sound of his own voice, doesn't he? At least we're getting some information while he's at it ...

Blah de-blah de-blah-de-blah ...

Okay, FINALLY something's happening ... hmmm ... "the memories of Aeor"? And now he's ACTIVATING this thing ... oh shit ... is this a BAD THING? Are we too late?

What the fuck ... BRENNAN LEE MULLIGAN IS TAKING OVER FROM MATT?!!! For real?

Brennan: "Light!" Yup ... here we go indeed ...

So ... are we setting up another Exandria Unlimited flashback game? "Is it Thursday yet?" Oh shit, yeah, I think we might be ... sweet ...

What an AMAZING way to end this most interesting Live Show ...

Oh ... so we gotta wait until SECOND WEEKEND in July for more? Makes sense after a LIVE show, I suppose ... I was already half prepared for the wait, really ...

[flurry-of-beaus-pop-pop]

Thought.

What if the Bells Hells just never work through their shit?

This entire campaign we have all been sitting here, just waiting for the party to take a moment, to have that moment of realization... for Chetney to take things a bit more seriously and not hide behind humor, for Laudna to stand up against the influence that is Delilah, for FCG to have the confidence in himself to make decisions without the assistance of the Changebringer, for Fearne to realize that she doesn't always have to be the class clown and that she can be vulnerable, for Imogen to realize that there is more to a person than their thoughts, for Orym to actually share how he is feeling instead of always putting everyone else and everything else before him, for Ashton to realize that misery isn't a competition and that things can suck for them AND things can suck for others as well...

But no matter how patiently we sat there, no matter how long we waited, we ended the episode feeling disappointed, feeling like there was something missing, and feeling like we were banging our heads against a wall.

These past few episodes have made me realize... what if we're all walking away from each episode disappointed because we're all waiting for something that is never going to happen instead of accepting the reality of the situation that is right in front of us.

These characters aren't in a situation where they can take a pause to figure shit out, not to the extent that they need, because no, a team-building retreat in the Fey Realm isn't going to do it. They aren't in a situation to necessarily debate the morality of decisions like whether or not it's okay to harness the power of the horrible Delilah Briarwood or if it's okay to know what people are thinking without consent or if you should kill you morther if it comes down to it or to take the time to truly process the dark version of yourself you saw in a mirror or any of the other stuff they have to work through.

Right now, the only thing they really have time to focus on is that if they don't do something, the world could end.

What does this mean?

I think it means that instead of getting a campaign where the members of the party go through their redemption character arcs, we're going to get an arc where they embrace the dark, and embrace the messy, because that's the only way they're going to have a chance

[sicklyseraphnsuch]

Honestly, Im a little disappointed that it wasn't messier. Im disappointed that there wasnt more shouting. That Lauda was providing most of the pushing and everyone else was just kinda... rolling over? I wanted an argument that would have brought the roof down on them 🙄

the reason theres so much constant tension in this party is that they all havent tried hard enough to punch each other in the face - like really smash.

to be totally serious tho, remember when Chetney told Ashton to gtfo and thats what broke the tension? someone finally getting the guts to be mean and to push hard on someone else's reckless bullshit?

the fact that theres no such equivalent here? the fact that chetney hasnt intervened on that level? thats whats keeping this tension.

on one hand, the way some of the party treat laudna is so fucking patronizing, its actively painful - Ashton whispering to Laudna for an apology? wtf? the way they acted like she was a misbehaving toddler set my teeth on edge. Then Imogen... Buddy, pal, you just watched your mother regurgitate Ludinus's lies like they were stone cold facts and youre out here accepting the same thing from Laudna without a second glance. You know she has a problem! You know she's not the most reliable narrator! You know she fails insight checks against herself all the time!!!

Ashton and Imogen both needed to treat Laudna like a threat in that moment bc she attacked someone without provocation during a rest when they were trusting her to not do that and it was clearly premeditated because she covered herself in darkness. The fact that they dont demonstrates that neither are taking her capabilities seriously enough. The fact that they arent addressing the threat she presents - to others and herself - is allowing her to continue hurting herself and others.

Whereas, Fearne is complicit in it all because shes so conflict averse. She was never gonna be the one to hold Laudna over the fire.

Chetney and Orym would have. Orym was trying to but literally only Dorian backed him up. And Dorian doesnt know fuck about all. He joined them two days ago. Hes got no fucking clue whats happening!! Oryms the only one really pointing out the fact that he was attacked unprovoked

and sure laudna was aiming for the sheathe, but thats splitting hairs... i believe we removed targeting each armor piece somewhere in dnd 3.5 or something lol - if youre targeting a piece on someone, the usual call Matt makes is to give this a higher DC. Matt making Marisha roll arcana makes sense bc yes you can control wither and blooms "chosen target", but when the target is attached to something else, and moreover the target is a thing - not a creature like the spell says RAW... it makes sense that a failed arcana check would lead to that failure

for all intents and purposes, laudna was aiming for orym. she didnt mean to hurt him but again, shes operating under the influence (and yes I do mean that connotation). a lot of people do shit they dont mean under the influence. but they still gotta do the repairs when they come back to their senses. harm was still done. Orym attacking laudna bc he was hurt and blinded is also fucking reasonable. he didnt fucking know it was her in the first place.

for laudna to say that orym hurt her when she attacked him - that was grade A manipulation

and heres the thing too, when someone is acting under the influence, people usually call it out. they say stuff like "youre drunk" or "youre high" to acknowledge that hey, this isnt you but also this isnt acceptable either. no one breathed a fucking word about delilah until the very very end. they all treated laudna like she was in a reasonable state of mind, and she wasnt. they werent meeting her where she was at and so they failed to reach her

now to orym... did they all agree that the sword was oryms? bc that was a discussion they did not have... chetney made a one off comment about how theyll need permission for it (possibly implying orym but never explicitly stated)... was the idea that orym gets it because he got hurt first? that wouldve been stupid for sure

to dorian's point, hey its just a sword. swords hurt people. what youre gonna look at every sword with magic geometry and expect to see it cuddling puppies? swords are made to hurt. even when its defending. it can parry but if you need a shield get a shield. sure, this was otohan's sword but the sword is not sentient (laudna girl you need to insight check your patron pls). otohan hurt her not the sword. and to allow her to consume it was more leaning into her trauma - its not setting a good precedent for future healthy coping mechanisms basically

that said, dorian cant just say that without acknowledging the depth of laudnas trauma. the sword actively triggered her. this does reek of a PTSD episode where she went running to a soothing influence. to simply say its just a sword without paying respect to laudna's hurt is also incredibly dismissive - well aimed as it was.

chetney is sus. thats it. thats the take. i dont believe this old man when he said he trusts laudna. i think hes plotting

tl;dr - everyone tried to help laudna, no one tried to stop her which might be the only way to help her now. she needs someone to hold her back and call out when shes under the influence again.