#I'll settle for a wizard as a gift

[foxtatodreams]

The first thing I look at in a man is his heart, the fact that his Orb is in front of his heart is not my fault.

[astarioffsimpmain]

Cozy Up with: Gale

[Autumn photography by: coldoctober]

[Gale photography by: unknown - if it's you, please let me know so that I can tag you!]

Author's Note:

Okay so....... maybe it's become a series that I like to call "Cozy Up". LOL I'll probably do another one with Astarion since the first was pretty short, and I'm hoping to do more bg3 characters as well! Here's our beautiful, wonderful rizzard in some post-game domestic bliss: autumn-themed! Hope you enjoy.

You smiled as your eyes followed the colorful leaves in their path from the trees to the ground, carried on the wind like dancers performing a routine. The weather had turned crisp in Waterdeep, the night air boasting an even colder chill on the balcony of Gale's tower, where the breeze from the sea swept up to rustle the wind chimes that were a gift from your fiancé once you moved in. 

A shiver ran through you and you curled further under the massive blanket Gale had on the settee. It was your idea to sit outside. You didn't mind the fact that your ears and nose were numb. This was your first autumn in Waterdeep; your first autumn as a fiancé(e). Autumn was always your favorite season: the sweeping changes in the colors of the landscape, the crackling energy of something new and wonderful in the air, and the eerie glow of the large harvest moons in the evenings. You wanted nothing more than to experience this shift with your soon to be husband, who was currently fixing hot cocoa for the both of you in the kitchen downstairs, and probably supplementing Tara with some warm milk before he returned. 

You rubbed your feet together and admired the two pumpkins that sat on the balcony across from you, faces carved in them by you and Gale, glowing brightly with the spell the wizard had used on them. "It's a tradition in Waterdeep!" Gale had exclaimed with excitement while urging you to find a pumpkin you liked from the stall. 

You'd heard of the practice, of course - carving a face into a gourd and lighting it to keep the evil away - but in Baldur's Gate, there wasn't a guarantee your warding gourd would be left alone for very long if left outside where they were meant to be, so most people lit candles in their windows and drew faces on their doors with coal instead to ward off the evil. So many firsts for you this year, and so far, you were enjoying them all.

The clank of cups on a tray brought you back to the present and you turned your eyes to the patio door, where Gale had appeared with two steaming mugs and a dazzling smile on his handsome face. "Here we are! My mother's famous recipe." He said, carefully handing you one of the mugs by the rim. You sighed in audible relief as your cold fingers wrapped around the warm ceramic, the effect taking hold immediately. A single sip had a  satisfying chill running up and down your spine before your entire body began to warm from the inside out. 

"Mmm Gale, it's perfect, thank you." You hummed happily, your mug held close to your face to allow your nose to defrost as well. He chuckled in response and sat down next to you with his own cup, pulling some of the blanket over his legs as he settled in. Your pull to him was immediate, and you were nuzzling into his side the moment he was in reach. He opened his arm to you just as quickly and pulled you closer by your shoulders. 

The scent of weathered book pages and amber flitted across your senses, enveloping you in a sense of safety and belonging as you rested your head in your usual place under Gale’s arm. You looked out over Waterdeep over the balcony railing, and the city was littered with tiny flickers of candlelight as people ducked in and out of shops, restaurants, and taverns far below. Motion in your peripheral caught your eye and you smiled to yourself. 

Gale had conjured a mage hand to open the volume he was reading on the latest popular recipes for Waterdhavian weddings. He was insistent on making your meal for you on the day you wed, and would hear nothing against it. He was making something new everyday, bringing plates of his new dishes to you. "My love," he would say every time. "Try this one. How is it compared to the last? Should I keep looking? I'll keep looking, I haven't tried this other one yet.." and he would trail back off to the kitchen to start again. At first, you'd tried to dissuade him from trying every dish in the book, but your fiancé was nothing if not hard-headed, and you found yourself going along with it, content enough to try new food every night until the wedding. Each dish was better than the last, and that you certainly didn't mind. 

You chuckled quietly and allowed your eyes to fall closed, listening to the rhythmic sound of Gale’s heart beating beneath your ear. The wind was chilly, but your hearts were warm, as long as they beat together. 

~

fin

[mushroomsandmolly]

@@MAJOR ENDGAME SPOILERS@@

And just like that The Netherbrain is defeated and baulders gate is saved, The grand design is no longer a threat. 🌙💜

Lae'zel disappears into the stars like a metor into the night, atop her new red dragon gifted to her by Orpheus. 💫🌟💚

Astarian retreats back to cazadors palace, no longer afraid of the sun or the hunger that plagued him for 200 years, he now leads from a throne of his own an ascended vampire. ☠❤

Halsin settles down into a quiet life with thanial and Oliver and a hoard of orphans in the previously known shadow lands, he shares bedtime stories of the heros of baulders gate to the kids. 🤎🐻

Minsc an enemy and a friend to the Guild led by nine fingers Keene keeps people from desecration the site of the battle for baulders gate along with his maybe willing sidekick Happy 🐹🧡

Jahera had thought about staying in baulders gate but her children had decided to forge they're own ways and is now deciding if she wants to adventure some more 💚🐈‍⬛

Shadowheart has found a meadow nearby, no longer worshipping Shar but still dealing with the mark from her former goddess Shar. She has her parents back, a home and a ton of animals including an owl Bear. She's happy 🖤🐑

Karlach almost burned out before deciding to go back to avernus with wyll the blade of avernus, they've possibly found a way to fix her engine, she still thinks of the days laying in the soft grass. Free of avernus but she has wyll by her side until she can do it all again. (I can't let her die I'm sorry) 🥰💖

Wyll no longer the blade of frontiers but just as brave as he once was, he's in enternal debt to mizora in exchange for his father's safety, it may not be what he thought he'd be doing but he's glad to be by karlachs side. ❣💥

Minthara has began back in the underdark, beginning a rebellion against Loth her former Goddess, she has already found a sizeable following. She plans to retake her family home .💢💅

Lavellen and Gale

Gale returned the crown of Karnes to Mystra in exchange she's cured Gale of the Karses weave in his chest, he's free finally, after returning to waterdeep with his wife Lavellen he introduced her to his family the first Mrs dekarios and Tara (HC)lavellen also met his father later in time at a peaceful cemetery in the country side. Lavellen and Gale were married on his towers balcony in the wizard/Sorcerer fashion and have had a little baby girl a half elf named Ivy. 💜❣💚

I love baulders gate 3 so much, this being my 6th playthrough I thought I'd seen everything but I haven't and I'm sure I'll find more on the 7th one.

[nehpetssanders]

What's up with you?

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This story was inspired from a headcanon I saw in a Tumblr post by @itwasntreal, where you are always so happy and cheerful suddenly become a lot gloomier than usual, and the story tells of what Cassandra would do to lift your spirits up.

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

You are known as one of the most optimistic and cheerful students throughout Hogwarts, always greeting the day with a bright smile on your face and often being seen on the corridors on your way to classes with a gleeful skip on your feet. Witches and wizard practically called you a sunbeam in human form, capable of brightening even the gloomiest of days.

Cassandra Vole, the haughty and conceited Slytherin girl, had always regarded you with a mixture of intrigue and mild exasperation. She certainly seemed a bit more predisposed towards you compared to how she treats your other friends, but that was only because she believed you were hanging out with the wrong crowd, namely Ivy Warrington, still holding a grudge against her for nearly harming her with a Vanishing Charm, and Daniel Page, because of his family’s upbringing.

Those lively eyes, brimming with joy, were a stark contrast to Cassandra's own arrogant, icy demeanor. She had often observed your interactions with a raised eyebrow, unable to fathom how someone could exude so much happiness.

But then, one fateful morning, something shifted. As you entered the Great Hall for breakfast, the usual sparkle in your eyes seemed to have dimmed, like a star fading into the night. Cassandra was quick to notice the change. It was as if a veil of melancholy had settled over you, casting a somber shadow that resonated within Cassandra's own thoughts. Unable to ignore the transformation, she decided to address it in her straightforward manner.

"Can any of you little rascals tell me why they're doing that?" Cassandra's gaze bore into you, her tone laced with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

"Doing what?" Daniel asked, genuinely puzzled and surprised that her tone seemed mellow, rather than her usual snark.

Cassandra gestured subtly to you, who sat quite a distance from your friends, lost in thought as you played with your porridge. "Doing that," she repeated, her annoyance evident.

Your lack of reaction when Cassandra was present left her feeling disoriented. The once-constant joy that surrounded you had been replaced with a stoic demeanor, and Cassandra found it difficult to believe this was the same person. From a distance, she observed you, noting the lines of sadness etched upon your face.

As the days stretched on, Cassandra's internal turmoil grew. She wasn't one to admit concern, especially not about someone like you. But she couldn't bear the sight of you in such a state. It was like a painting missing its brightest colors, and Cassandra felt an unexpected tug in her chest.

Frustration gripped Cassandra as she observed your friends' futile attempts to lift your spirits. In her eyes, their efforts were nothing but a collection of useless gestures. The twins, Colby and Fischer Frey, seemed equally perplexed and helpless in the face of your changed demeanor.

The monotony of Cassandra’s own life felt even more pronounced in your presence. With you lost in your own world and your friends occupied with concern, Cassandra found herself in an unexpected state of ennui. It was an unfamiliar sensation, and she disliked it immensely.

Eventually, Cassandra's resolve wavered. "I'll show you all how it's done," she muttered to herself, a hint of determination coloring her tone.

After classes, as the sun dipped below the horizon, you returned to your dormitory, your steps heavy with the weight of your thoughts. There, on your bed, lay an exquisitely wrapped gift in shimmering emerald, accompanied by a letter bearing an elegant and precise handwriting.

With a mixture of surprise and curiosity, you unwrapped the gift, revealing something you had long been eyeing on but couldn't afford back in Madam Malkin's Shop - an expensive, handcrafted and intricately designed scarf bearing the insignia of your house. The mystery of how someone knew about this longing only deepened your intrigue.

"You look hideous with that look on your face. Wipe it off. - C.V."

Only one person with this kind of handwriting and characteristic bluntness came to your mind. The initials on the letter immediately gave away who gifted it to you.

Cassandra Vole.

You smiled tenderly at the letter. Her words were harsh, yet you detected a hidden meaning behind them. The façade Cassandra presented to the world was crumbling, revealing a gesture of concern that Cassandra herself struggled to admit. You couldn't help but laugh mirthfully at this.

____________________________

The following morning, the Great Hall was bustling with students, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement. Amidst the chatter and laughter, you entered with a bright smile, the gift Cassandra had given you nestled safely around your neck. Your friends complimented you on how great you look with the scarf you had on you as they admired the material and stitching. They were glad you were once again back to your joyful demeanor The warmth of the gesture had managed to chase away the darkness you had been harboring.

Cassandra observed this transformation from the sidelines with calculated nonchalance. Her pride wouldn't let her admit it, but a secret sense of contentment nestled within her. The knowledge that her gesture had made an impact, however minuscule, was a small victory she held close to her heart.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, including you, Cassandra's heart held a tiny ember of joy. In her world of calculated gestures and hidden motivations, this act of kindness had struck a chord, revealing a facet of her character that she rarely allowed to surface. It was a vulnerability she had always concealed, tucked away behind layers of arrogance and pride.

One day, as the corridors of Hogwarts bustled with students hurrying to their classes, Cassandra was sitting alone on one of the alcoves, seemingly absorbed in a book. Her fingers traced the elegant calligraphy on the page, but her mind wandered elsewhere. In her peripheral vision, she caught sight of you walking past, your steps lighter and your expression brighter than before.

A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips, one that was gone in an instant. She refused to give in to this uncharacteristic warmth, her walls of detachment sturdy as ever. To acknowledge the impact of her own gesture would be a breach of the persona she had so meticulously crafted.

As you drew closer, Cassandra raised an eyebrow in your direction.

"You seem rather cheerful," she commented, her voice carrying a carefully measured tone.

Your smile widened, genuine happiness lighting up your eyes.

"Well, I have a good reason to be," you replied as you sat beside her, tugging at the scarf you had received, your gaze meeting Cassandra's for a fleeting moment.

Cassandra's lips twitched, a subtle flicker of curiosity passing through her eyes. "Do share," she pressed, her tone only slightly more inviting than usual.

"You know, sometimes it's the smallest things that can make a difference," you said cryptically, your voice gentle but resolute. With a nod in Cassandra's direction, you continued on their way.

For a split second, Cassandra's composed facade wavered. Her eyes followed you, a shadow of contemplation passing over her features. She was caught off guard by your words, the weight of the unspoken message lingering in the air. A hint of vulnerability brushed against her heart, an unfamiliar sensation that she struggled to define.

"You do have a heart," Your words echoed in Cassandra's mind, a whispered reminder that perhaps her carefully constructed walls weren't as impenetrable as she believed. A tumult of emotions swirled within her, a maelstrom of conflicting feelings that she wasn't equipped to handle.

Cassandra took a steadying breath, her mask of detachment slipping back into place. The truth of your words remained hidden, locked away in the recesses of her heart. But in that fleeting moment, she allowed herself a whisper of acknowledgment - an acknowledgment that somewhere, deep within her, a spark of warmth and compassion had been ignited.

And as the corridors of Hogwarts continued to buzz with life, the enigma of Cassandra Vole became just a little more complex, the mask of arrogance and detachment slowly revealing the glimmer of a heart that dared to feel.

[undead-potatoes]

Aurora's a cleric of war, right? What god does she serve and how does she come into that path post-tadpole?

She is! I thought it was a fitting mix of "religious figurehead" and "brutal killing machine", marrying divine powers with physical fighting prowess that would be feared on any battlefield.

Pre-tadpole it was obviously Bhaal. She didn't have any other training or affinities for any of the other classes, so she relied mostly on her natural strength in addition to daddy Bhaal's gifts. She could have trained to become a wizard with her high INT stat, but her interests lied elsewhere (like medicine and biology).

I've talked about this a couple of times, and I'm still trying to figure things out 100%, but post-tadpole it's Lathander of all things. It started out as a "wouldn't it be fun if the god of new beginnings looked at Bhaal's devil spawn and thought "I can fix her"", and then it kinda evolved from there.

For now I'm playing with the idea that her adoptive mother was a worshiper of Lathander, and would pray to him about all the struggles she was facing with Aurora (she tried to be a good kid, but her bhaalist nature made her act out, and she struggled both emotionally and mentally).

This eventually caught the eye of Lathander, who is known to stick his fingers in plenty of pies in his crusade against evil. I just imagine that if he got the chance to fuck with Bhaal and whatever plans he has, Lathander would jump on that so quick.

It's also what I've been using as an excuse for Aurora's age; in Bhaal's weakened state, Lathander was able to fuck with his influence over Aurora enough for her to be well into adulthood before Bhaal finally got his claws in her proper. Most people seem to put Durge in their early 30s, but I see Aurora as being around 60-70 at the time of BG3.

How does this all fit in with Jergal and his whole thing? I have no fucking clue, and I'm honestly tempted to just ignore it since we're not getting a continuation on BG3 anyways. My city now I guess. (Which means I'll keep thinking about until the end of time and never settle on anything lmao).

[tgrailwar-zero]

Hey Avenger, just wanted to say thanks again. You're the best, I knew we made the right choice supporting you back then. Anyway, we would love to take you with us, but if you don't want to, that's fine. Take one more kiss as a farewell gift?

"Yeah, yeah. I'll miss you idiots too. Take care, watch your backs, and stay safe. I don't want to see your butts again until you've won. And... don't worry about the Admin. Sure, I'll probably get punished horribly for it but, well... you know my whole deal. Pain and torture is nothin' new. Now--"

He surged with magical energy, holding his hands out.

"Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation Let the blackened Grail be the artifact I pay tribute to. Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall Let the four cardinal gates close. Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."

"I hereby declare; Their will creates your body, and your sword creates their destiny. Submit to the beckoning of the Cursed Grail If you will submit to this will and this reason…Then answer my call!"

"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power, Come forth from the ring of restraints, protector of the Holy Balance!"

The Command Seals burned. They were new. Different.

Different Command Spells. Different bonds. Different experiences. A different chapter in this journey.

A new chapter.

Though there wasn't much time to ruminate on them and that before--

Thunder clapped, ripping the clouds in the sky asunder, as a hole was ripped in the heavens.

In less poetic terms...

The sky exploded as you were shoved back into the war.

Clearly, subtlety wasn't... entirely on the table.

A figure hurtled from above like a shooting star. It plummeted downwards through the sunset sky, arms flailing at first before they settled, adjusting the trajectory and quickly making calculations as they steered away from the city, landing in the plains- far from civilization.

The crash was obscenely loud, disturbing the rest of any living creature within several miles.

A smaller crash to the one that killed the dinosaurs, luckily.

And one survivable by the Servant, as they crawled out of the crater, the movements alien and spider-like at first before twitching and adjusting to more careful, humanoid posture.

Data integration.

Atmosphere. Strata. Temperature. Air speed. Oxygen levels. They all reading as normal, no obvious flaws or variations, perfect consistency. Too perfect for the natural world. A simulacrum. Digital. Virtual. Theoretical, yet reality.

More data being carefully taken in, as jade eyes darted back and forth, pinpricks of light emitting from the heavy dust cloud. The mind of an invader. A foreign presence. Intense, predatory, merciless, as the light reflected back and was transmitted into more useful data. The running of the water, the crests of the hills, a presence.

Magical energy. A tether. Cross referencing data, 'Ghost Liner'. Servant. A Servant, which meant--

Contact. Quickly cross-referencing data. Key words. 'Wizards'. 'Magi'. 'Masters'.

Contact. Language. Communication. Physical communication. No way to touch with the physical, so one needed to use their voice and their eyes. Vocal communication. Visual communication. Proclamations of peace. Friendliness. Openness.

Contact.

Colloquialisms, 'first impressions'. If this was a simulacrum of Earth, then such things would be logical. The importance of one's first words.

True Name, KUKULKAN. Related items; QUETZALCOATL, Q'UQ'UMATZ, ITZANMA.

The clothes changed, as quick as the dust settled. The Servant, giving a loose, wild wave and a toothy, cheerful grin, spoke.

"Hello, world!"

[the-siphonophore]

*spaghetti western leitmotif*

This is a stick'em! Hands in in the air! Give over your OC lore and no one gets hurt. Besides maybe your characters.

Bwah! I forgot to answer this ask for so long but I swear I check my inbox! Had no spoons when I first saw it but I got one now!!

A have a great number of OCs with ever mounting lore but I'll just go with one for brevity's sake:) also bc she's probaby my only OC with set lore at the moment:') lol

Holly Kingsley! Holly is from a modern fantasy earth-like setting, and is a wizard. Proffesionally. Or, as a proffesion, her business-face could use some help:') She grew up with her single mother and older sister, Azalea, and despite not having much in the way of finance, her mother was intent on continuing her family's arcane legacy. She sent them both to fancy schools and worked two jobs to help, but both had to work during their education as well. Holly and Azalea fought a lot when they were young, but formed a sort of truce through their teen years until they had a bad fight shortly after Holly graduated her master's degree. After that Holly moved to a different city and hasn't spoken to either Azalea or their mother (who'd sided with Aza) since.

The rest of it encroaches on in-book plot, which is still settling and being written (over on my sideblog @/un-holly-chaos) but mostly sums as Holly being a failgirl and disaster lesbian until she participates in some illegal studies and... well, until it's 'recalled for adjustments.' I have not plotted Act Two:')

Tysm for the ask!! Love to get little gifts in my inbox^-^

[justavulcan]

Backgrounds With Class: Gruul Anarch

I'll be honest: Ravnica has always fascinated me. I was a high schooler when the first set came out, and I was immediately consumed creating characters for the setting. Now that we've actually received my long-awaited crossover, I thought it would be nice to write a love letter to the setting in the form of another Backgrounds with Class series. After all: some guilds have natural class choices tied in, from a conceptual standpoint. Boros and Fighter, Izzet and Wizard, Selesnya and Druid. But guilds aren’t class-restricted, and so I wonder what it would look like if you paired every class with every guild background, even the ones that seem at odds, like Izzet and Barbarian, or Gruul and Artificer.  So I thought about it, and this is what I came up with.  Some character concepts for each class, and each Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica background for each class.

Gruul Anarch

The Gruul Anarch Artificer has broken with tradition, and is hoping dearly that nobody in the Clans notices.  Gifted at making things and possessed of an intuitive grasp of arcane dynamics rather than an interest in basic weaponsmithing, she’s tried to pass off her creations as shaman’s accoutrements her entire life.  That she still favors the physically practical and destructive magic typical for the Clans isn’t a point in her favor anywhere, a fact that feeds in to her increasing concern over discovery.

The Gruul Anarch Barbarian was a shaman’s daughter, before her clan was decimated in a territorial dispute.  Force-adopted into her new family rather than left to roam alone as a trog, she kept with the shamanic practices of her old clan even while being trained as a warrior.  She feels her father’s spirit guiding her in battle as she gives into the rage, and she certainly demonstrates footwork and defensive skill raging that she lacks when she fights with an even temper.

The Gruul Anarch Bard has always thought of herself as a war dancer.  Quick with a blade and gifted at keeping a stamping rhythm even in the midst of battle, she’s one of her clan’s most resourceful members.  Uncannily intense as only the Gruul can be, she prefers to leave her drum at home in favor of a shaman’s bag when it comes to fighting in the field, relying on her natural percussion and throat-singing to bring her performance’s magic to life.

The Gruul Anarch Cleric is a traditionalist at heart, swearing her allegiance to the Old Ways and decorating herself with boar tusks and body paint for the fury of the storm.  Nature at its most destructive has always borne a fascination for her, and her potent shamanic power one day promises to put her at the head of a raiding party of her own, if she doesn’t take in mind to duel for leadership of the clan first.

The Gruul Anarch Druid never felt secure in their own skin.  Born a viashino male, they struggled with what they started to think of as a beast in their skin most of their youth before they were taken in by a trog who recognized the signs of a skinchanger in the making.  The trog counseled them through their dysphoria and set them on the path of the moon, so they don’t have to settle for the beast-rager’s path to let the animal out.  Now they’re at peace, a boar or buck or bird’s body just under their scaly skin for when they’re ready to stop being a person for the moment.

The Gruul Anarch Fighter hasn’t ever met a weapon or two he didn’t like.  Never quite the sharpest knife in the drawer, he makes up for his relative lack of sophistication by being a tempest in battle, axe and hammer whirling like the fury of the storm.  Off the field of battle, he buries a shameful secret- he likes the comforts of the city more than any Gruul is supposed to, especially the soft beds, drinking, and dicing.  If he’s ever recognized under his hood and cloak, his reputation in the Clan might never recover.

The Gruul Anarch Monk marries agility to skill with archery in ways most Gruul would scoff at as cowardly.  Fortunately, among the Slizt these are virtues, and his skill is recognized for what it is: the proof of long practice, sprints and mobile archery alike.  He’s a bit of a braggart, which makes him unpopular on the battlefield with his clan-mates, but when it comes to the ritualized boasting around bonfires, all admit his pride is at least somewhat merited.

The Gruul Anarch Paladin holds for herself a seemingly innocuous goal: earn tattoos all over her body.  Given that each Gruul tattoo is a marker in memoriam of the city structure destroyed under their hammers, though, this goal makes her both an inspiration to her allies and an enemy of the public to the Azorius.  Slipping or fighting her way out of capture again and again, she’s made a good account of herself so far on raids, and her chief is giving serious thought to charging her with a warband of her own.

The Gruul Anarch Ranger has always liked animals more than people.  Among the Gruul, this is not an uncommon trait, as their society is only just that in name.  Working as beastmaster and swineherd for her clan has kept her strong and quick on her feet, and among trackers and javelin throwers she is second to none.  She feels a kinship with the beasts, and her belief in the Old Faith means that every day she looks after the pigs is a day she feels charged with stewardship of the Rage-Boar’s lesser kin.

The Gruul Anarch Rogue does not look the part, as muscular and stout as minotaurs ever get.  Unlike many of their clan’s other scouts, he doesn’t hesitate to mix things up in close combat, where he prefers to bring his horns or a stolen Boros shortsword into play for quick kills.  And yet, when the time comes to break engagement and flee back to the Rubblebelt comes, he’s first in the retreat, guiding his allies to the safest ways back to camp and ambushing any foolish enough to give chase alone.

The Gruul Anarch Sorcerer sometimes wonders if her talent is a blessing or a curse.  After accidentally burning down her old clan’s camp with a wild-surge fireball, she was cast out to wander the Rubblebelt alone.  She would have died in a sudden encounter with one of the ‘belt’s huge solifugids a week later, and she wouldn’t have survived without her talent.  She’s since fallen in with a new clan as assistant to the shaman, but learning how to dock the chaotic surges of her magic is her true concern- before history repeats itself and she needs to go it alone once more.

The Gruul Anarch Warlock was a child when he witnessed the glory of the Old Gods of Ravnica.  As they grew in size and power, rampaging from their secret places deep under the city-plane’s surface, he swore to the one with a vast maw containing legions that he would be as a sword at their side.  He did not expect an answer, but strange powers have settled upon his shoulders, allowing him to accomplish things in ways that the others of his clan cannot or would not.  The price hasn’t shown itself yet, but he knows it will come, and does what he can to prepare for it.

The Gruul Anarch Wizard used to be a member of the Selesnya Conclave.  After getting lost in the Rubblebelt for a week, she started to realize that there was more to nature than the carefully trimmed, pruned communalistic image of it she’d been fed all her youth.  She stole her master’s spellbook and ran the day after she got back and joined up with the first Gruul clan she met to learn their ways.  It's been ten years now and she’s more a member of the Gruul than she ever was Selesnya, weaving the contents of her stolen spellbook into the bladework they’ve taught her since.

[twinvenus]

2022 SUMMARY OF ART!!!!

JAN/FEB

it was a really slow start this year... in january i didnt actually finish anything, all i have to show for that period is a single flight rising drawing -- i had another one, but it's now Lost Media (sadly) from when i got my new PC.

(more recounting under da cut! i've included a lot of unposted/unfinished sketches down here!)

MARCH

march was a lot of desperate attempts to get back into drawing by sketching out little character designs i never posted, mostly wizards. that wizard right there is my favourite of the bunch. Fantastic energy from this creature.

APRIL

april is when i started getting into working on Gnome Lore that i have on my site, gnomes.neocities.org! gnomes are my special interest so the enthusiasm of learning about gnome mythology/history, and my own ideas for gnomes, actually got me COLOURING PIECES. incredible feeling.

this was the back end of my flight rising fixation, and included a few humanised sketches of my dragons Mirth and Gerana, pictured above. i was also getting really into WoW again at this time, so there were plenty of little wow-inspired sketches. + a bonus Jurgen from sam and max in the bottom left!

MAY

the gnoments (gnome moments) carried on into the month of may as i designed other known mythological creatures. i also rehashed a beloved old DnD gnome OC called April and included her in that lore. love that lil gal.

during this month i got really into working on my neocities page, and so a lot of art i did was assets for that. you can see a majority of my May drawings over there on the lore page. :-)

JUNE

june was a month of OC swag for me. i was totally inspired in the month leading up to ArtFight and put my heart into character design! from this beautiful month i got one of my new favourite pieces, shown there, of my ocs ZAP! APPLE and STEP KID. they're inspired by the band The Avalanches, specifically the album Wildflower. during this month i also created some of my newest and favourite OCs such as RANBOLIN, Beanie Boy, and Professor PJ!

during this i also did some new art for characters like irene, nadia, and D.A. Private Eye. i think a vast majority of this can be found in my "ocs" tag...

JULY

and here it comes.... my traditional Best Month for art. i was popping off HARD this month even though i didn't do as much as last time. i am SO happy with everythign that came out of this year's artfight, deeply. here are some of my favourite pieces from that period:

i was really into one-layer drawings this year. these were all done on two layers MAX, with the binary brush on sai. it really pushed me to be creative with my colours and detailing, and it's become one of my favourite ways to draw.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED. that the art for july features a certain Recurring Character. this is because in the month or so prior i had begun rewatching Naruto with my brothers. although the full-force naruto hyperfixation didn't settle in until months later this was the beginning of it. Rotating gaara in my mind always.

AUGUST

hmm... august got quite slow again. i might have been burnt out from going so hard in the other couple months. i have a few odd doodles from that month aside from the birthday gift to @l0gitex you see there, including THESE:

i also started developing a naruto OC when some brainrot started to settle in. their name is kodama, after the tree spirits. i wanted them to be from konoha, you know, to match -- originally i wanted them to have that wood type stuff, but recently i've been thinking that something to do with funghi and mycelium networks might be really interesting, especially due to their connection with trees, and how kodama live inside trees. these were some outfit concepts but i think i'll change their colour palette to match konoha more. more blues and browns i think.

SEPTEMBER

the dawn of my BRIEF SPLATOON ERA! i haven't played since that month LMAOOOOO! anyways, i drew a few splatoon-related pictures in that time.

birth of Blupi. as well as this September is the beautiful month in which i began to learn using Blender. here's a little ref drawing for the gaara model! (why do i keep doing stuff with gaara?????):

i was so proud of how that model came out. i had some other models of OCs like tomato cloun and one of ranbolin i never finished rigging (i hate weight painting so much oh my god-)

OCTOBER

man i wish halloween was like, anything here. during this month i started working again on my gnomes page so there were some more little designs done, visible on the lore page! specifically, the boggart and warren gnome were from October, as well as Awesome Rando.

NOVEMBER

november was kind of an epic month for my OCs, actually! alongside my interest in naruto REALLY starting to fire up again i was redrawing and bringing back older OCs as well as bringing in beloved Clary! here are Ranbolin and Dee as well. <3 let's go girls

beyond this the naruto brainrot had really settled in. so i began drawing my favourite characters: you know who. happy birthday Rock Lee!

DECEMBER

OHHHHHHHH HERE WE GOOOOOOOOO!!!! DEPTHS OF HYPERFIXATION STRIKE!! i know i've posted a lot of art lately, and i'm so excited that i have -- i didn't know if i'd ever get this stoked again since earlier in the summer but i am so INTO IT RN!!!!!

check out this hinata wip:

awesome thing about being fixated is i tend to finish a lot more of my drawings, it really carries my enthusiasm. so i'm hoping to have this picture finished soon! if not, many more will be finished in its place.

man if you read all of this ur a real one, thank you so much. i'm so excited to see what comes in art for 2023!!!!! MY wicked hands will concoct such bountiful imagery. I can feel it

[realityescapee01]

The Boy Who Holds The Sky In His Eyes (part 2)

part 1 here ,,,, part 3 here

Sebastian x Ominis | If things played out differently

School. Grades. Assignments. Problems of Sebastian's simple wizard life. So much to think about.

Good thing he has his best friend with him, to distract him from those problems.

But slowly, his best friend started becoming one of his problems.

Sebastian found himself falling in love with his best friend. The boy who holds the sky in his eyes.

Should he or should he not risk their friendship? Bury these feelings or actually do something about it?

"Garreth, no! I swear, you'd do more harm than good!" -Sebastian stopped Garreth

"Then what are you gonna do?"

"I don't really know. I'll think of something."

"You better think fast." -Garreth nudged him to look over at Ominis.

There is someone talking to Ominis. Someone 2 years older than them. The Ravenclaw quidditch team captain. And someone very popular. Everyone has that guy on their crush list.

Sebastian held his breath as he watched Ominis talk to the popular guy. Sebastian wanted so bad to know what they're talking about.

Sebastian was busy watching Ominis and the guy. That he didn't realized he was strangling Garreth in a choke hold.

"S-Sebby-" -Garreth was tapping his arm endlessly.

"??? Oh! I'm sorry, Garreth!" -Sebastian immediately let him go.

Sebastian was apologizing and rubbing Garreth back to life.

"Good morning, Sebastian. Garreth, what happened? You sound... out of breath." -Ominis was back.

"Ugh-I'm good, Ominis." -Garreth assured the sky-eyed boy.

"Sebastian, what are you up to now? I don't like our class today in herbology. I don't need you in detention!" -Ominis sounded so in distress.

"I'm up to nothing! Garreth just choked on his own. I won't leave you all alone in herbology. I promise, princess!" -Sebastian played, as always.

Ominis smiled. "Good. Let's get going then."

Garreth put up a thumbs up at Sebastian.

Ominis hated herbology. Because for him, Professor Garlick is not careful enough. The mandrake incident. And the devil's snare incident. That almost strangled him.

Good thing Sebastian was there.

The moment they sat in the classroom, Sebastian couldn't help it. He asked Ominis about the other boy.

"Oh, he's an acquaintance of my older brother. He asked to meet me in Hogsmeade."

"W-Why? And did you say yes?"

"He asked if I could help him choose a gift."

"Gift? What for?"

"It's my brother's birthday. He also asked if I could give it to my brother when I go home for semester break."

Sebastian isn't buying it. He knows it's a trick. To get Ominis to go with him in Hogsmeade.

"Why can't that guy choose the gift himself?!? Why can't he mail it himself?!? And you're going home this semester? I thought you hate your siblings? I thought you don't like going home? Why didn't I know this?"

Sebastian bombarded Ominis with these questions. And Garreth was behind Ominis, facing Sebastian, the Gryffindor was facepalming. Sebastian didn't mind him yet.

Ominis answered each question.

"He wanted the gift to be perfect. He wanted to make sure the gift reaches my brother on time. Yes, I'm going home this break. Of all my siblings, my brother is the only one kind to me. I was going to tell you about it later."

"Settle down, settle down now!" -Professor Garlick entered the room, stopping any ongoing conversations.

Sebastian couldn't focus. He felt so... left out. He always knows everything Ominis does and will do. And he is always with Ominis wherever he goes.

And now, Ominis made plans that he didn't know of. And is going somewhere with someone. Without him.

Garreth flew him a piece of paper.

-Stay behind after class. Urgent.-

The message was serious, and so Sebastian did. He made Ominis go ahead and stayed with Garreth.

"What is it Garreth?!? I have a big dilemma!"

"I'm trying to stop you from making it worse!"

"I don't have time for this!"

"Listen! What you did back there, you sounded so possessive! Controlling even! Don't be like that!"

"I was jealous!"

"It might drive Ominis away. I'm telling you!"

Garreth left him, rushing to his next class. Sebastian took his time walking to his. He thought about what Garreth said. So he didn't ask anything about the topic to Ominis all day.

But after classes, Sebastian followed Ominis to Hogsmeade. Under the disillusionment spell the whole time.

Ominis made his way into Hogsmeade, meeting that boy earlier. Sebastian followed them closely, fuming the whole time. The boy kept touching Ominis. Shoulders. Arms. Wrist.

Whenever that boy pulls Ominis with him, walking around town. And in the three broomsticks, the boy kept making Ominis smile and laugh with his silly jokes.

And before going back to Hogwarts, the boy bought Ominis a box of chocolates.

Sebastian hated it. Back at Hogwarts, Sebastian went straight into the Undercroft and released all his anger on the training dummy in there.

After all of it, Sebastian was tired. He slumped against one of the barrel. And then Ominis stepped into the room.

"Sebastian?"

"Hey, there."

"How was your trip to Hogsmeade?" -Ominis carefully walked towards him and sat near him.

"It was okay. Wait-You... You know?"

"Yes. I could hear your steps. I'm very familiar with it."

Sebastian swore he was walking as gently and quietly as he can. But Ominis' hearing proved to be formidable.

"Uh-well, I was just..."

"Why did you follow me?"

Sebastian felt embarrassed. So he lied.

"I have nothing to do. I was bored."

Ominis scoffed and then laughed it off. "Well, I'm exhausted. Let's head back."

"Me too. Alright, let's go."

That night, Sebastian couldn't sleep. He regretted what he said. Maybe he should've confessed then.

'Ugh! I'll try again tomorrow!' -Sebastian buried his face on his pillow.

---

Sebastian thought of ways to test the waters with Ominis again. His usual flirting doesn't seem to work. So he thought of more obvious ways.

Like giving flowers.

"Oh, thank you Sebastian. How do you know?"

"K-Know what?"

"That we need flowers for potions today?"

"We do?!?"

"Yes."

Ominis took the flowers and started crushing them and mixing them in the cauldron.

Sebastian couldn't believe it!

The next day, Sebastian thought of another way.

Chocolates.

In the Undercroft, Sebastian handed Ominis the chocolates. And Ominis took them... and ate them. All of it.

"Alright. No more evidence."

Ominis thought Sebastian stole them and needed the evidence gone.

Sebastian was dumbfounded. He was so frustrated that he needed a distraction. He took a treasure map from Arthur and solved it.

The map took him to the forest. A very romantic setting. Seats and table for 2, surrounded by fireflies. And floating candles. He asked Ominis to come.

"Ominis! Look!"

"Sebastian, I'm blind."

'Bloody hell! How could've I forgotten that?!?' -Sebastian scolded himself.

"What is it you wanna show me?"

"Oh, I got a treasure map from Arthur. I solved it and then I found this. Fireflies. They're beautiful. I got too excited. I wanted to show you, that I forgot about... I'm sorry, Ominis."

"It's okay, I appreciate it, Sebastian."

They went back to their dorm. Sebastian was frustrated lying on his bed. He messed up. Again.

The next day, Sebastian lay low. He doesn't know what else to do.

"Just sit him down and tell him: Ominis Gaunt, pretty pretty Ominis Gaunt, will you marry me?" -Garreth acted out so dramatically.

"That's a bit much! Ain't it?!?" -Sebastian.

"But seriously, why not just tell him you like him and ask him out?"

"Because what if he doesn't like me that way? He's my best friend. It would be awkward after the rejection. And then we'd talk less and less to each other. And then avoid each other. And then we'd drift apart and become strangers! I don't want that! I'd rather remain just best friends than lose him entirely."

"You don't know yet if he actually will reject you."

"I'm saying what if."

"And I'm saying what if not."

"Ah, Gryffindor through and through. Comes with the positivity too."

"I'm just saying! Besides, you're like a Gryffindor too. Being adventurous and all."

Sebastian turned quiet. He thought, what if he got sorted into Gryffindor? Could he have been friends with Ominis? Or will he be distant and wary of him? Typical Gryffindor vs Slytherin fashion.

And it saddened Sebastian. He wouldn't have known someone awesome like Ominis then. But he looked at Garreth. They're all friends. They don't care about the traditional rivalry. So maybe, he'd be friends with Ominis even in a different house.

Could he fall inlove with the sky-eyed boy then? Sebastian thought silly as he knows the answer would always be yes.

"Ugh! I've had enough!" -Garreth looked defeated but determined.

And Sebastian doesn't like that.

"What are you thinking? No, no, no. Don't do anything stupid!"

"I respected your plea to not interfere and look at where it got you? Nowhere! So, I'm taking things into my hands now."

"Weasley!!!" -Sebastian chased Garreth around.

-+-+-+ ( to be continued ) +-+-+-

part 3 here (would be the last chapter)

thank you. more on my master list here

I also have an AO3 account

my art/design shop here (for fanart and other things I do)

Like the gifs used here? See source under them. Reblog, do not repost. Thank you all gif creators here ❤️

[fallow-grove]

heyo!! havent been as active for a bit cuz im settling back into daily life post-family-covid but i intend on gettin back into it soon =] ("it" being general wizard chicanery!!)

im in an artsy fartsy mood today so im expecting today's stream to be an art stream (and chatting, of course!!) (tho if im not arting the whole way through ill play lil' gator game too bc @comradehosiah gifted it to me and it looks super cute =] )

i'll be starting shortly--feel free to drop in and say hi, or watch me draw! =] [link]

[lanawinterscigarettes]

1. Aeron how have you managed to post a birthday fic in my birthday week, you’re a wizard

2. Why do you have moss and aeron in your bio if we only call you aeron? Are you a DID system? Or are we calling you the wrong name?? 😯

3. for ufo anon, have a missy edit https://www.tiktok.com/@mxvnnyy/video/7427549175950298414

4. Glad you liked the office edit I’m a sucker for hot women and also office romance/office s*x hope you enjoy writing whatever you write with it

- ⭐️

1. omg it's your birthday week?? That's amazing!! I'll have to write a clara fic for you to help celebrate 🥳 (the blair fic was my birthday gift to sparkle since I can't be there in person)

2. I'm not a DID system and you're not calling me by the wrong name, though those are good questions! Moss is just a nickname I used when I was younger before I settled on Aeron as my permanent name. Most people call me Aeron instead but using either is fine 🥰

3. the missy edit hasn't loaded for me yet unfortunately but I'm sure it's amazing because you always pick the best edits to share <3

4. I already know I'm going to love writing it because of how much I enjoy the prompts you sent me, you're always so creative which the ones you choose which is great because it helps me expand my imagination in my writing skills (if that makes sense hehe)

[manascrwd]

The last flight of Nadu

This summer will probably be remembered in the MTG annals as the "Nadu Summer," and for once, I was part of the bandwagon.

I ordered my playset early on, knowing that I would at least play them in Cephalid Breakfast. I even pulled the trigger for Modern as well:

I settled on an SFM package that I liked when I played the deck. There were some lines where you could Chord for SFM, get the Shuko, and start the loop.

Here’s one of the first versions of the deck I played:

This deck featured 2 SFM, which was all the space I had, and the rest of the list was pretty stock. I also included 2 Cavern of Souls that I could set to 'Bird' or 'Wizard' for a mega combo!

I didn’t purchase the Halflings because I thought the deck was going to be banned, so I went with what I had. After a month, I decided to also get Outrider en-Kor. It took a while to arrive, and I only managed to play the card once:

This version included the Malevolent Rumble tech. The theory was that it would help me dig through the deck. However, I found that the deck wants to do a lot on Turn 2, and this card wasn’t what I wanted to play at that point. It was also a little too expensive compared to Pact (which is free).

I experimented with more or fewer lands as well. I found that 26 lands flooded a lot (though I admit, I’m not particularly lucky). In this second deck version, I missed Teferi in the main as an out to a lot of things, especially counterspells. Without the Caverns, it was even worse — though the Halflings should help with that.

My Nadu showings were quite abysmal, as I never managed to pull a positive record in Modern FNM with the different lists I played. This was the first time I invested heavily in cards on day one for Modern, and I realized two things:

It sucks when you purchase cards for a deck that gets banned.

If you're a casual player, you don’t get to sling your deck that many times in one season.

I now have quite a few extra cards to add to my modern tsundoku:

A playset of SFM

A playset of Nantuko

A playset of Wall of Roots

A playset of Nadu

But at least I got to play with my Birds of Paradise, and that was nice 😄

This experience also made me think more deeply about what I want to play next.

I've been considering Modern a lot since I moved to Ghent, but I’ve never quite liked it as much as Legacy. My favorite decks are combo and spellslinging, so I’ll have to test a few new strategies. I really enjoyed playing "Twiddle Storm" and "Ad Nauseam," but they are a little slow and folds to the hyper aggro boros build of the current meta. My peregrinations with "Asmo" where nice but it gets wrecked by Wrath of the Skies. I think storm is well-positioned. Because of the current storm hate I'm leaning towards an Gifts Storm deck that’s slightly more fringe and can avoid the current hate against traditional Storm builds.

Reflecting on the last three months I’m leaning towards sticking with one deck or a specific type of deck. What's difficult is that I have a few different decks and each has many possible builds with new cards coming out at a very fast pace. There is a lot of FOMO as well and only so little time to play and tune a deck.

I'll probably keep buying modern decks for my fantasy self, but I'll focus on one deck for the next modern season now that I acquired most of them (I played Ponza last FNM!).

What are you going to play now ?

Happy card slinging!

[birdshifts]

I have been trying to figure out my BG3/Skyrim dr for a literal year - trying to balance both my need to be the Most Special Boy in The World and to not overly traumatize myself. Thought dump beneath the cut. Leaving it untagged since the images are from pinterest and not mine.

Cauldron isn't actually my name - but it is the nickname my adoptive siblings gave me and is derivative of my actual DR name. I'm avoiding sharing THAT name, since it is derivative of my actual name.

I am Melodia Thorm reborn - but in an example of nature vs. nurture, I am very different. I am not shifting for Ketheric (and I'll be scripting him differently, still working out what I want to do with that) and he will not be in love with me in this life, but will recognize me when he sees my face and it will give him pause and lead to no big bad fight.

I spent awhile in the afterlife, but Withers sensed the Dead Three, there is a prophecy, and they know Ketheric is going to get Up To Shit. A few other gods also start noticing, so they agree to look the other way/lightly assist when Withers pulls a lil Afterlife Heist and asks Melodia/me if I will be reborn - with everything else after being up to me. I agree. Again, long story short, it leads to several gods arguing over dibs - Selune (she let me leave her afterlife), Shar (she gave info on Ketheric), Kelemvor (he let me go), and Umberlee (she found out their plan, my birth mother gave birth at sea, and she held partial dibs for ransom in exchange for not drowning us).

My adoptive family were important people within Skyrim (my mother was the Dragonborn and former listener for the Dark Brotherhood, my father the Arch-Mage for the College of Winterhold, my uncle led the Companions, my aunt was a nightingale). But after everything they experienced, they wanted out, quit their jobs (to make long stories very short) and left with a bunch of other families for Faerun. About twenty families settled along the Chionthar and formed a village. But when my aunt was scouting the area, she found an eight year old elf child alone - me.

I am not scripting my background before then outside of the Umberlee thing. I'm around 8 or 9, I have no memories prior to her finding me, I will eventually find my birth family, and whatever happened before was not overly traumatizing. Other than that, it is up to my subconscious.

I will have a wonderful first 27 years of life in my village, traveling for the last eight years part of the time to help other villages. My family will train me from their various backgrounds and even pass on some gifts (such as literal dawnbreaker or nightingale armor or metaphorical agent of stealth abilities). I seem like a normal elf but for a few odd things, but after I shift it will eventually become clear I am an aasimar because of the gods-calling-dibs thing.

Faerun would classify me as a storm sorcerer because of my innate magic, but I'm also raised by people from Skyrim who don't really consider class so I have abilities and talents that might be more expected from rogues, wizards, fighters, or even clerics.

I will have no recollection of getting captured by the Nautiloid or getting tadpoled. While I was with my Tav and Durge when they did all the stuff on the Nautiloid, I don't remember anything until I wake up on the beach.

Currently, loosely thinking of waking up in my village before the Nautiloid or waking up after the Goblin camp and before the tiefling party.

[fantasypictures]

Beneath Miscellanium - what lay beneath

So, last time I explained what happened in the real world for the first game in my D&D setting. From here on out I'll be exploring things that came up in game, and from there extrapolating onwards to what I want there to be in future games. I'm gonna be focusing on the end state of the campaign, but if even one person asks for more detail there will be no stopping me providing it. Onward and downward!

The City of Miscellanium - An inland city built on a river, surrounded by farmland with some nearby forests. The city is ruled by a Dragonborn Lord Mayor (or possibly a Lord whose surname is Mayor. There was some confusion about this), has a large church devoted to the Cataloguist faith (more on that at a later juncture, hopefully), a unusually sizable public library, and a small wizarding school that probably grew out of studying the main odd thing about the town - small treasures and trinkets periodically appear around the city. Most inhabitants make a habit of giving their house a deep clean every few weeks because there's the chance some coins, a bit of jewelery, a nice vase, a very minor magic item, or something else of that nature has randomly materialized in an un-noticed corner. For centuries this was considered to be a blessing on the town, and traders and travellers would come to buy the weird random stuff.

Turned out the appearing loot was a symptom of strange things happening deep below…

The Sunken King There's a legend in this universe, akin to our King Midas. A ruler who wished for infinite treasures, and an ever-growing castle to protect them. The weight of the gold and the castle eventually became too much and the entire thing was swallowed by the earth.

The being at the bottom of the dungeon wasn't the Sunken King, but may well have been an inspiration, and was called such by many people.

In my original premise, I envisioned the King as being the devine offspring of Tiamat and Asmodeus, a devil-dragon, banished to the mortal realm, who ultimately fell to the consuming greed and evil of his parents. He had lusted after an elven princess, and waged war on all that was good in the land, killing or kidnapping her sisters and dwarven husband, until she eventually submitted to being his bride. This was a trick - she had learned some ancient magic of stonework from the dwarves, and combined with the power gifted by the King so she could stand beside him forever, she cursed him to sleep and wove the dungeon around him, forever digging deeper and drawing in treasures and curiosities to keep him satisfied in slumber for a thousand years. Until some brave heroes discovered the dungeon, and slew the Sunken King.

(This was somewhat inspired by/ripped off of Zelda and Calamity Ganon in Breath of the Wild.)

Looking back at that story, I kind of want to revise it a little. The King still has (well, had, he got killed by a bunch of PCs) divine powers. He's still a dragon. He still looks like a devilishly handsome man with great horns and glittering armour when he wants. And he still claims to be the chosen ruler, the destined some of the queen of all dragons

…but in my re-write, he's worse than a demigod laid low by bio-theo-essentialism. He's an entitled mortal empire builder who should have known better, but chose to be the way he is.

Ordelnax the Just was a gold dragon (taking inspiration from here) whose hoard was a kingdom. He had liberated land from a tyrant, and taken their place as a king, albeit it a reasonably just one. Hence the name. He had made friends and alliances with his neighbours - including a kingdom of elves. He met their many princesses (who I will probably do a post on later because they kind of have a lot of impact on some setting things). He fell in love with one of them, and was disappointed when she did not return the interest, instead marrying a dwarf (a dwarf! of all things! Why would she settle for 4 feet of hair when I have 40 feet of glorious scales?!).

So, he goes and festers a bit on that, before being visted by an angelic messenger. The gods have chosen him - the mortal realm has gotten too chaotic, there are too many tiny kingdoms fighting over too many things. He will be given power, and the duty of bringing it all to heel under one rule - his rule.

(I am currently imagining that this may have come from a cabal of gods, some of whom were 100% down for colonialist assholery, some of whom were a bit naive about how this would turn out. Bahamut is in here. As a god of justice, gotta hope he's part of the naive half)

So, we've got an empire growing under the rule of a shining beacon of justice and might, bestowed a quest from the gods themselves to bring all of creation to heel - and he's still lusting after the girl that got away. Not a healthy situation. Not helped when Asmodeus and Tiamat offer to back him. Maybe with a wager? They'll throw their divine might behind him, and if he takes all the lands, he gets to keep them and have his elven princess. If he fails, they get his soul. Or something.

So he signs up. Ordelnax ramps up the empire-building. He threatens the lands of elves and dwarves. Enemies fall before him, divine and hellish power allowing him to slay, enslave, or both, as he pleases. Until the princess has enough, comes to meet him, and curses the both of them into an eternal dream-dungeon.

But all that's in the past. What impact is this supposed to have on the setting now?

Yeah, fair point. The Sunken King was slain by adventurers, but I'm thinking that Ordelnax the Just Emperor is a figure that most in the world don't think of as the same being - few would know of his devil-dealing and nice-guy-syndrome-ing. So perhaps to some he is a Julius Ceasar - a mighty statesman laid low for the betterment of the empire he built. Or a King Arthur, who will one day return to save his subjects. A saint of the god Bahamut (who is maybe too embarassed to mention what he actually got up to). Somebody whose symbol modern asshole colonialist empire builders can rally around.

[wildskissed]

As he touched her scars she leaned into his hand, something that she wouldn't do with anyone else. When it came to them and the memories that they brought with them, she tended to shy away, but she meant it when she said that she trusted him more than anyone else. "I learned a long time ago that the situation only made me stronger--more able to protect the people that I loved. So, believe me when I say I'll never let anything happen to you either." Eve began, but she found herself trailing off when he kissed her forehead, her eyes closing as she basked in the feel of his love around her with a contented sigh. How did he do this to her? It was so hard for her to accept protection because she wanted to be the protector, but knowing that Gale would take up that mantle without her even asking? She didn't think she had ever been loved so truly or so purely before.

His words washed over her and she could feel herself relax more, resting her head on her hand as she settled on her side beside him, the other hand reaching to slip around him, hugging his body close as they lay there. "When we met, my mother's warnings about wizards floated in the air, but even then, I couldn't heed them. I knew the moment I took your hand that we were supposed to know each other." Eve smiled, turning her head a little to kiss his palm as he cupped her face. "Then you gave me a very detailed explanation and I was already yours. Perhaps I didn't act like it at first, but I knew it. I knew I wanted to find you every artifact, and discuss every book, and that night in the weave I wanted to kiss you so desperately. Hold your hand everywhere. I have my fair share of pride, and a reckless streak, but you make me want to be better too. I think the universe knew that on our own we were fractured and we were set on a path of loneliness, but it brought us together and I truly believe that we are both better for getting to love each other. We both deserve each other already," she promised, leaning in to press a kiss to his nose and then his forehead. "When all is said and done, and we're rid of these tadpoles, and Mystra fixes your orb, and we can settle down together, I like to think it's our gift for it all. Don't you?"

Gale's heart ached at the mention of Eve's past trauma, a pang of sorrow and protectiveness washing over him. He could not fathom how anyone could ever seek to harm someone as pure and loving as her. Instinctively, his hand rose to gently caress the scars marring her neck, silently vowing to himself that he would never allow anyone to hurt her again. Not while he still drew breath. "Oh, my dearest," he murmured softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I am so very sorry you had to endure such cruelty and betrayal. But I want you to know that I will never, ever let any harm come to you again. Not as long as I live." He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, lingering for a moment as if to seal his promise.

As he pulled back to meet her gaze once more, Gale's expression was one of pure adoration and awe. "Eve, loving you is the easiest, most natural thing I have ever done. From the moment our paths first crossed, I felt an inexplicable pull towards you. As if my very soul recognized its other half." A soft, almost disbelieving chuckle escaped him then. "To be quite honest, I am the one who is constantly amazed that you chose me. That out of all the people in this vast world, you deemed me worthy of your heart." He shifted then, rolling onto his side to face her fully, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "I know I am far from perfect. I have made many mistakes in my long life, driven by pride and ambition. But loving you… it has changed me in ways I never thought possible. You make me want to be a better man, Eve. The kind of man who is deserving of your love and trust."