#IT ROOK 14 HOURS TO MAKE

[thedemises]

the genti :>

the old one >:(

[spookyvalentine]

fifty questions for rook

(no spoilers!)

Round two (spoilers)

veilguard is finally here yall!!!!! and now a set of character building questions for rook, because i wanna know all about them! there will be more question lists as I play the game, but those will be marked with spoilers and under a readmore for the next sixty days

1. How old is Rook?

2. How did Rook get the nickname? What do they think of it?

3. What was Rook’s life before their faction?

4. Which faction did they join, and why? How long has it been?

5. What was life like for Rook before joining the Veilguard?

6. What was the reason that brought Rook to Minrathous?

7. Why does Rook agree to join the Veilguard?

8. What makes Rook a good leader?

9. What is Rook like on the battlefield?

10. Does Rook know their history? Do they know of the HoF, Hawke, the Inquisitor?

11. Does Rook keep up with current events? (How aware of the situation are they at the start of the game?)

12. Does Rook have any family? Do they keep in touch?

13. Did Rook bring any trinkets/sentimental items to The Lighthouse?

14. What does Rook see when they look in the mirror?

15. What’s the first thing people notice when Rook enters a room?

16. Got any tattoos? What’s the story behind them?

17. How’d Rook get those scars?

18. Their fondest childhood memory:

19. What is Rook’s love language? What love languages do they respond best to?

20. What’s it like to see them smile? Their laugh?

21. What does Rook’s voice sound like? One of the voice options available, or do they have a different accent/voicecast?

22. Most embarrassing memory as a teenager:

23. What does Rook wear in the off hours? Do they like dressing up?

24. Does Rook have any nightly rituals before bed?

25. How does Rook like to spend their free time?

26. Rook is in charge of the grocery list. What’s on it?

27. When was the last time they cried?

28. Does Rook have any pets/animal companions?

29. Any vices?

30. What is Rook’s class? Did they choose it?

31. What specialization does Rook pursue? What called them to it?

32. How would a desire demon tempt Rook?

33. What do fear demons look like to Rook?

34. How does Rook begin their day?

35. Ultimate comfort food meal:

36. What would Rook say are their flaws?

37. Does Rook ascribe to a faith?

38. Did Rook have any relationships before Veilguard?

39. What is their room at The Lighthouse like?

40. Describe Rook’s bed:

41. What’s on their nightstand?

42. Something Rook regrets:

43. Is Rook the type to gossip?

44. What is Rook really good at?

45. Who was Rook’s closest friend before joining the Veilguard?

46. What does it take to earn Rook’s trust?

47. What’s Rook’s temper like?

48. A color, flower, animal, and weather to describe Rook:

49. What will always make them laugh?

50. Are they a mystery, or an open book?

+1 What does Rook smell like?

[finleyforevermore]

🌟CASTING MY MUTUALS IN: SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET!🌟

Side note: I cast based on if the character reminds me of the moot, or if I can see the moot playing the character! If you get cast as a bad guy, of course I don't think of you that way! The reason I casted you is the second reason, I can just see you in that role! Cool? Cool! Now grab your razors, and let's get to cutting!

For those who paid attention to my blog, you all saw this first one coming 😅:

Finley as Sweeney Todd and Zeep (@ziipzeepzop-eez) as Mrs. Lovett

Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for...me!: Sweeney is an actual dream role of mine! Not to mention it'd be a blast to get to play a not nice guy for 2 hours >:)

Reasons for Zeep: I wholeheartedly believe Zee has the comedic chops to play Lovett, and would absolutely sell the serious moments as well. In Zee we trust 😌

Mari (@heylittlestellbird) as Johanna

Maria Bilbao as Johanna in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Stella: Johanna is associated with birds. Who's got "bird" in their username? Mari! I rest my case! XD /silly

Atlas (@literatureisdying) as Anthony Hope

Jordan Fisher as Anthony in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Atlas: Anthony's number one character trait is yearning for Johanna. Atlas' number one trait is yearning for Auden. Simple! /silly

Mikey (@mushroom-hoodie) as The Beggar Woman

Ruthie Ann Miles as The Beggar Woman in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Mikey: Admittedly at first I had casted you as the Beggar Woman, because one, I just couldn't turn down your offer to be included, and two, I was struggling to think of skmeone else to cast you as but the more I thought about it the more I genuinely liked it! I think you'd do a really good job in this role! ^^

Frog (@ofthefrogs) as Tobias "Toby" Ragg

Joe Locke as Toby in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Froggy: I mean....just look at you and then look at Toby and tell me you don't look alike.

But also! Toby is a sweetheart! Froggy is also a sweetheart! I rest my case.

Ender (@ender-outlaw) as Adolfo Pirelli

Nicholas Christopher as Pirelli in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Ender: While you and Pirelli really couldn't be any more different, you're already a very charming person (Pirelli is in fact not that XD) and I think you'd have a great time playing him! Also, this is Tumblr! Who gives a hoot about gender? We can have a female Pirelli if we want!! >:D

Greaseball (@gb-diesellok) as Judge Turpin

Jamie Jackson as Turpin in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Greaseball: Just like Ender and Pirelli, you and Turpin really couldn't be any more different XD but your voice definitely fits comfortably into all of Turpin's vocal parts! ^^

Rook (@rook-specter) as Beadle Bamford

John Rapson as Bamford in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Crepuscule: Just like Ender and Pirelli AND Geebs and Turpin, you and Bamford aren't very much alike either! Who woulda guessed? XD

But I think your portrayal would be absolutely delightful and very funny (very much like his portrayal in the 2023 Broadway revival funnily enough)

And last, but most certainly not least..

What's a musical without it's Ensemble? :D

From left to right, we have:

@sandsmand, Troy (@the-fag-with-the-swag), Ash (@ripash), Wolf (@electricfied-wolf), Razzle (@whistlingstarlight), Ash (@idk-what-to-make-user), Charlie (@gently-decaying-flowers), Cal (@treasure-goblin), Amor (@nuncscioquidsitamor-14), Gabi (@splendidred05), Finn (@lordcatwich), & Eli (@theelispace)!

[kaija-rayne-author]

13th review in series of Dragon Age Veilguard

98 steam hours logged, 84 game hours logged on final save, (the listing in the game itself) actual gameplay hours (-2 for time in CC) either 96 or 82... depending.

14 hour discrepancy between game logged hours and steam logged hours is likely how much trouble the game gave me in loading, reloading, glitching, and crashing. Do I get to charge Bioware for those lost hours of my life?

Obligatory disclaimer, feel free to skip it if you've read it.

Something came to my attention. I need to make it crystal clear that I utterly love the diversity in DAV. It's fantastic. I'm also a heavily left leaning, non-binary, queer as fuck reviewer, editor, and author.

I'm on media blackout while I play this, so I'm only getting second-hand info on how awful it is right now in the DA Fandom. Please be safe and take care of yourselves. Arguing with incels and white supremacists is completely pointless. They sea lion worse than an actual sea lion. Your mental health is important.

Though., every single time the anti-queer brigade comes out for a new DA game, I sit there thinking 'have you bozos ever played any DA game, like, ever?' My guess is nope.

Spoilers for Dragon Age Veilguard and everything else DA, I'm a Lore fiend.

My pithy pre-end sequence commentary.

Section 12 here.

END GAME SPOILERS

End game spoilers for BG3 too.

13 is my lucky number, but even that couldn't save it. I can't think of a single thing that can save this disaster of a game. I'll write a more professional wrap-up review post too, this is my reaction portion.

I've finished the final sequence of the game. Sat through the credits of probably a thousand people who worked on this piece of shit and still thought it releasable. AND saw the 'easter egg/future game possibility scene'. My kid said I got a hint of hope back in my eyes for about 10 seconds when that final scene popped up then the light faded again. Apparently the 'long slow horrified stare of death' was all over my face again.

Loading in, I dreaded everything I was about to see. Veilguard had already disappointed me in so many ways. I didn't have any hope the final sequence would be any better.

It wasn't as bad as I expected. It was worse. Yes. Honestly.

In all fairness (even if I really don't want to be fair right now) the last sequence does contain some of the best material in the game. If they'd actually written the rest of it with that kind of passion it probably would've been a better game. But that doesn't actually make it good. And how any average person makes it to the final sequence is beyond me. I'm stuck in bed. I've got an excuse.

So. I expected it to be long. That part didn't bother me that much. Most Dragon Age games have long final sequences.

The positive! Ummmm? Oh! I actually did get an intimate scene with Lucanis. His timing stinks but whatever. I did actually get one. I mean, it was one your aunt who's a nun probably wouldn't have found racey, but it exists! Dude. It's 2024, there's this cool toggle function you can click off if you don’t want nudity. It's a Mature rated game and I'm pretty sure most of us know what sex is. Give paying customers what they want!

My least favourite character died.

I called it on Solas killing Varric in the first scene. Interesting twist they did with that, though. Told y'all. I didn't want it to happen either, but the writing was on the wall in great big letters in drippy red paint from the second they fired Mary Kirby (Varric's writer.) In case you want more details than snark on that? Varric did indeed die when Solas stabbed him in the beginning. What you see throughout the game is Solas messing with Rook's mind because Solas needs Rook to work with him. Varric died before the story actually started. That last line of his 'take care of the team' told me. But I got taken in by the twist too. Bet that was a Weekes twist. 'It’s right in front of you the whole time.'

Elgar'nan made a WAY better final boss fight than Coryphyfish.

I did legitimately love watching Teia and Viago fight as crows. That was a really awesome section. (They're two of my favourite characters from Tevinter Nights.)

The bad.

There is no way for me to list it all. So here's the highlight reel.

Varric died.

They lifted almost the entire final battle sequence from BG3. The tentacle they have to climb to the fancy building in the sky. People falling and almost dying by tumbling down the tentacle, having to fight through said self-destructing fancy building in the sky... I know you can't copyright an idea. As an author, I understand and approve of that. But you should at least make the idea a wee bit unrecognizable as to where you lifted it from. Y'know?

Yay! We got to see Solas in wolfie form! He looks like a Chinese hairless crested dog on a really bad day. Like... really needs to go to the salon and have a bath day. I really wish I were joking.

Called it on the Solavellan ending. And NO. Trick Weekes. That DOES NOT give a suggestion of a Happy Fucking Ending. Read some fucking Romance. GOOD romance. (They do. And I'm being very mature by not calling out one of the authors they read who was one of the ones who harassed me off of Twitter. Oh. No. Two of them I've seen Trick mention as books they've read were involved in that. I guess looking at the people someone likes and respects is kinda indicative... isn't it?)

What's that say about me? I don't like very many people. I get along with people as best as my autistic/AuDHD ass can but I don't LIKE very many people at all. Nor do people tend to like me. I have no compunction about calling someone on bullshit. It makes people cranky, but I've had enough bullshit in my life. And I respect about the same amount of people as I like. If I can't respect you? I can't like you. (For anyone who does actually know me... I don't mean you. If I talk with you privately? Or even if I'm willing to? I both like and respect you. Or I wouldn't bother talking to you privately. I'm shit at reaching out. But if we've talked more than once in any form of privacy? You've made the list of my cranky ass.)

Am I a bitch? Probably. Live my life and see if you'd be any different.

No intimate scene for Solas and Inky. After ten years of waiting for Solavellans. After all the shitting on Solas we had to put up with in DAV (and OMFG there was soooo much!!) No actual happy ending. No intimate scene. Oh, but you do get a rather grody kiss between them because he's just been fighting and has blight all over his face. But yay? They get to kiss? With absolutely no passion at all. Maybe the passion of a bavarian cream pastry? A rotten one? Ew. Before dissolving into fade gook.

The entire time I spent in CC for my Inky to make her look like my player character from DAI? It didn't show up in the final sequence. And no way was I replaying that hellscape to see if it MIGHT could be coaxed into actually showing her the way I made her. I just got the stock body.

So... y'know the veil? That edge of reality that has been getting more and more holes in it throughout the entire history of the Dragon Age Franchise? The veil that the Lore has been pretty clear about it strangling both the magic and the life out of THEDAS? Not to mention everything the elves lost because of it? That veil?

It's all better now. Regardless of the Lore. Because Solas bound his life force to it. So instead of a quick bandage being pulled off to get rid of the veil that really does need to go (y'know if Bioware writers actually gave a rat's ass about the fucking lore of the world they're writing in)... Now it's there until Solas dies... which he can't really do easily being one of the first Elves. Sooooo by the very lore of the world they've crafted... THEDAS is now doomed to die.

Congrats Bioware. Well done. /s

Oh, but THAT doesn't matter. Because everything from the very beginning of DAO has been 'influenced' by 'the ones from across the sea'.

Pardon me while I gag.

The entirety of THEDAS and everything that's ever gone wrong with it is the fault of 'the foreigners from across the sea who wear clothing that's kiiiinda a lot like a Burqa.' Y'know... the black over gowns and veils Afghani women and some other Muslim folks wear?

Cause... uh... yeah. That's a GREAT idea. I legitimately cannot believe they went there. I just... I can't. Bioware hasn't ever really been great on the racism front but I'd hoped they'd gotten at least a little bit better.

Nooooope.

There were a couple of mentions of something like 'the gathering storm' in Taash's quests and how she's a weapon against them. HUGE spoiler I'm sure, but I'm pretty sure they want to make a game that deals with 'the foreign invaders who have been subtly influencing everything wearing black burqas and veils' as the next Dragon Age. Or maybe they'll call it a spin off since it has to be getting close to the end of the actual Dragon Age in the calendar.

I really hope I'm not the only one who can see the issues there. Not that I expect Bioware to. Honestly? I used to pray that DAV would save Bioware. I've liked them as a company for a while, but this is it for me. I'm done.

I might enjoy the first three DA games occasionally if I feel like it. But DAV does not exist for me. Anything they make going forward does not exist for me. That fucking bullshit about no one having had any free choices in the entire history of the games/books/comics etc.? AND the next game's bad guys looking like they wear burqas?

Bioware has made my boycott list. And I honestly hope they sink like the fucking Titanic for the shit they've pulled in DAV and that last fucking scene.

With that scene, they not only shit on many cultures who veil, they shit specifically on Afghani people who are required to wear that. Whether they want to or not.

They also, from a writing perspective, removed every single bit of agency from any of their previous characters. Making every single game pointless in the history of the world.

I'm just done. My boycott list is pretty long. I have these pesky standards. I'd already compromised them by continuing on with playing Bioware games regardless of their well known issues. But nope. Done. Finite. Time to cut the rope and watch it sink.

I would never, in a million years, recommend this game. On those two reasons alone. But also because it doesn't do anything a good CRPG (Computer Role Playing Game) is supposed to do very well.

It doesn't hold up the Dragon Age expectations for anyone who has played the games or enjoyed the lore. They basically shoved all the lore under the proverbial carpet. (Must have made a hell of a lump. That's a LOT of Lore. Trust me. I know. I've marinated myself in it.) On the surface it LOOKS like a CRPG. It has the elements of one... but so few of the elements are carried through that it's kinda shocking to me that they dared to advertise it as one. I mean... didn't someone tell them pissing off people by advertising something they aren't delivering is a bad idea?

It's full of easily fixable plot holes. Seriously, they'd be so easy to fix! They just didn't bother.

Where DAI was an intricately woven adult CRPG masterpiece? DAV is a poorly woven bedsheet with arm sized holes in it and lots and lots of stains. Made for kids.

CRPGs have a long history. Bioware and Dragon Age do too. DAO came out in 2009, Dragon Age 2 released in 2011, both were solid CRPGs. You felt like you were playing a role playing game. Bioware then released DAI in 2014. And in the Dragon Age series, DAI is the crown jewel.

It had everything a CRPG is supposed to have. It wasn’t perfect, no, but it's definitely the best of all 4 games for being what it's supposed to be.

CRPGs generally do not challenge the player as far as manual dexterity or physical response time. That's for action/fighting games. I'm not a professional level gamer. But gaming is my number one hobby and source of entertainment. I play on hard level for most games I play, if not ultra hard. I struggled with the shitty DAV fighting system. Dear gods, who had the brilliant idea of tying accumulation of skill points to how high your bond is with your companions? That's just... the kindest thing I can say is poorly thought out. Especially when you can only take two of them with you on missions. My not-a-fucking-rogue should never have had aggro. And they always did. I'm intimately acquainted with the inside the mouth animations on the dragons.

RPGs are supposed to have intricate, layered world building, a levelling system that makes your characters grow and develop as they progress through a well developed world, often they have fighting, puzzles, and other mechanics to spice things up. But there's some very specific things an RPG needs. And DAV has so few of them. They focussed so much on that shitty gods damned fighting system that had my not-a-fucking-rogue always plastered with the 'come eat me' aggro flag that they failed to deliver on so much else that an RPG needs to have. Especially a CRPG.

I think I heard someone on the dev team say they were quite happy with how the characters and romances came out and um. Well. Might I politely suggest learning how to write better? Cause they weren't. From both a professional and consumer level? They just weren't good.

The characters were dishwater boring with no character development possible. The romances were... not. I'll just leave it there.

Those are a few things I KNOW I'm good at. Just because my fans have told me often enough that I've almost internalized it by now. What? Characterization, writing intimate scenes, and writing romance. My writing voice is very love/hate like many authors. If you love my voice and read kinky romance, you'd probably like it. If you don't like my voice? No story I tell will satisfy you. But from an editorial and writing standpoint? The characters and romances in DAV needed so much work. As much as the plot.

I'm no stranger to trauma. And yes. I did it to myself. I needed to play the ending for myself and I wanted to see what the game was like. I feel traumatized. Abso-fucking-lutely traumatized.

If you're Solavellan and looking for reviews to tell you whether it's worth buying and playing? It. Is. Not. On any level.

Oh and you know those Steam Achievements you get? At the beginning they were like in the high 90s and 80s percentages. The last two I got were from the end game. 2.2% and 6.8%. Respectively. According to my kid (who usually knows more than I do about things like that) that means people stopped playing before they got there. (Or possibly just haven't gotten there yet. I did play it reasonably fast because of my current circumstances.)

I really wish I could say better things about this game. I wanted to love it as much as I loved the other three. As much as I've loved most Dragon Age material. Something about it just captured me. Until DAV.

More professional review to follow at some point.

If my review series has been helpful... and I really really hate to ask, but if it has been? My work of words is my family's only income. My partner is still recovering from a broken back, and I'm recovering from a pulmonary embolism. Money is so tight it squeaks. If you're not gonna buy the game anyway after reading my blather, a tip would surely be appreciated.

All my links are at the bottom of my website. And the tips button up top is set up too.

My response to breaking media blackout.

[msnihilist]

August of Whump Masterlist

day 1: food

Ben glanced down at the mess. Red, sticky liquid spilled out of the styrofoam cup and into the cracks between the asphalt. The puddle lazily inched along, slowly but surely growing wider.

day 2: cry for help

Through the agony, Ben didn't make a sound. He didn't let himself cry, he didn't give in to the urge to scream, and he didn't cry out for help, even as the voices of his friends grew closer.

day 3: freezing

Ben sat against the wall curled in on himself, shivering so violently that Rook feared his teeth might shatter. His skin was so pale and translucent that it appeared as if Ben was wrapped in porcelain. His breathing was still steady for now, but his head drooped and Rook could see him fighting to stay awake.

day 4: filthy / drowning

His lungs quickly began to burn, his chest tightening desperately. Ben pumped his arms hard, trying to propel himself to the surface. His fingertips scraped fresh air, but his head remained just under the waters' surface.

day 5: power tools

Ben said nothing. He held himself stiffly, lips pressed into a thin line. If he were with Gwen or Kevin, he would make some sort of joke — probably about how Vilgax couldn't manage it, but of course he would nick himself on a power saw of all things.

day 6: confusion

"Absolutely not." Rook swung the blaster around to Ben-2. "If you lower your arms, I will shoot you." He hoped that he sounded more sure than he felt. Because the truth was Rook had no idea who was who, and that was terrifying.

day 7: rot

The Omnitrix, much like the roots forcing themselves between gaps in the rock, inched its way through Ben's veins. He didn't even really notice its growth until there were black-and-green circuits curling around his chest, providing a dim glow at night.

day 8: rejected apology

Ben didn't try to say anything in his defense. He stood there and took it, because it seemed like Julie needed to say it. Their "break-up" had been rather lackluster. Maybe Julie was just making up for a missed opportunity.

day 9: role reversal

The doctor grimaced. "He was under the effects of a Cassiopeian Dream Eater for thirteen hours. He will be a little bit... on edge when he wakes up."

'On edge' was a gross oversimplification.

day 10: exhaustion / publicity

"How is he?" Carl asked quietly. Sandra gestured to her side. Carl peered over the back of the couch to see that Ben was laying next to her, his head on his mom's thigh. His chest rose and fell steadily with sleep.

day 11: freedom

His pupils were bright white and, even though Ben moved and spoke with plenty of energy and personality, his eyes were empty; his brilliant smile was vacant. He looked so beautiful when the only thought he was capable of was her.

day 12: monstrous

Zs'Skayr's laughter echoed through his head. In the mirror, Ben watched his decaying face contort into a grin, his chest struggling to rise and fall as raspy laughter was forced out of his gaping mouth.

day 13: outcast

And Ben felt his mouth go dry and his will to push deflate, because— Because it wasn't about his supposed skill-advantage — not really. It was about the fact that people were scared of Ben.

day 14: alone

As he rapidly began to slip into unconsciousness, Ben didn't fight it. He could see Gwen in the distance, silhouetted by golden light. Where she was seemed so warm, and Ben was so cold. Missing her hurt more than anything Charmcaster could do to him.

day 15: phobia

On the path ahead was a large male peafowl. Its feathers were folded back, but its head was cocked towards them, its beady eyes seeming to focus directly on Ben. Could they smell fear? Ben had no idea, and he felt his pulse skyrocket.

day 16: hunt

He was hiding in a tree near a small pond. If he'd had paper and a pencil, he would have entertained the idea of writing some sort of goodbye note to his loved ones and begging Khyber to deliver it to Earth once he was dead. As it was, though, Ben didn't have that option.

day 17: experimental serum

"Bottom's up!" Ben flipped the top of the vial off with his thumb, plugged his nose with his free hand, and downed all of the putrid-looking contents in one go.

day 18: came back wrong

He must have made a mistake, yet the world seems brighter than ever.

day 19: midnight

Ben's muscles tingled with exertion and he was pleasantly exhausted now that the adrenaline had faded. His body ached for sleep, but his mind was still racing.

Why couldn't he relax?

day 20: contaminated

"Our research has shown that the spores are ineffective on humans. If you're not fully human, we can't risk it."

"I'll go in," Ben offered. "I'm fully human."

day 21: set up to fail / creep

Ben couldn't speak. He opened his mouth, and nothing came out. Dee had her hand on Ben's thigh, their torsos angled in such a way as to hide the touch from the cameras.

day 22: stitches

The first time that Gwen gives Ben stitches, he cries.

The Omnitrix glows red on his wrist, useless, and there's a bloody piece of shrapnel laying on the pavement next to Gwen's knee. Her shaking fingers are smeared with Ben's blood from when she pulled it out of his side.

day 23: fate

It doesn't matter if Ben wants this or not (even though he doesn't, he doesn't he doesn't he doesn't) because he knows how his future is going to play out and it's a race to get to the finish line.

day 24: humiliation / gilded cage / jewelry

day 25: barbed wire

day 26: tape

day 27: machine

day 28: bloody nose

day 29: control

day 30: collapse

day 31: free day

Tip me on Ko-fi.

[v-anrouge]

Answer some or all, I want to know more about you 👀 that wasn’t the right emoji but oh well I’m using voice to text

Do you have freckles? 

 Do you drink tea or coffee? How do you take it? 

What was the last song you listened to? 

Do you sleep on your back, stomach or side? 

Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? 

Do you prefer drawing or writing? 

What’s your ideal number of blankets to sleep with? 

What’s your favorite band/artist? 

When is your birthday? 

How tall are you? 

What color are your eyes? 

Who are five (or more) people you want to hug right now? 

Fears? 

What’s your favorite color? 

What’s your favorite season? 

Want any tattoos? What of? 

Want any piercings? Where? 

Who is the last person you texted? 

Do you have a best friend? How long have you been friends? 

What/who do you miss? 

How was your day today? 

How much sleep did you get last night? 

Do you believe in aliens? 

When was the last time you cried? Why? 

What’s your favorite decade? 

What are some seemingly childish things you like? 

What’s your favorite book? Or just one you’ve read a few times? 

How are you, really? 

Does it take you a long time to make decisions? 

What are you looking forward to in the near future? 

What are you looking forward to in the distant future? 

If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go? 

Do you sleep with your door open or closed? 

What’s your favorite flower? 

Do you currently have a squish? 

Do you like your middle name? 

Do you prefer dogs or cats? 

Do you have any phobias? 

Do you stay up late?

Do you like the beach? Do you prefer it sunny or cloudy? 

What’s your favorite cartoon? 

Tag 5 of your favorite blogs

Do you have siblings? How many? 

Who was the last person you said “I love you” to? 

Is there anyone you would die for? 

What do you need when you’re sad? 

Have you memorized your phone number? 

Who’s someone you can trust with your life? 

What does your last text say? 

Wild Card. Any question, ask away. 

1- actually yeah but theyre super super super light so u can barely see them

2- coffee, i hate tea. i drink it with milk and sugar

3- more KDA

4- side, shrimping

5- yes:3 rook vil and my childhood plush

6- drawing

7- one, and it has to be thin

8- DONT DO THID TO ME I CANT DECIDE

9- june 19

10- 5'3 💀

11- very dark brown

12- all my mooties

13- abandonment, forests, insects, worm like things, heaven, dogs

14- blue and purple

15- winter 100%

16- yes! maybe of a deer, not realistic tho

17- i want all my piercings back my mom made me take them off so now im only left w my bites and the cheek ones😔

18- my mother

19- my lesbian irl :3 like two years?

20- peace

21- okay-ish

22- like 4 or 5?

23- i don't care for them

24- like 1 hour ago, obey me 💀

25- i don't think there are decades to be celebrated humans are evil in all of them

26- cute things, children movies and cartoons, they make me happy

27- i haven't read in LONG because books in brazil are way more expensive than i can afford

28- okay i think

29- yes😭

30- getting a job that i actually like

31- moving with my irl

32- to my irl's house :3

33- locked shut

34- oleanders!

35- nope

36- HATE IT

37- CATSSS

38- insects, worm like things..i think that's it?

39- yeah💀

40- no, but also yes, i dislike beaches because in there's always those fucking sand dollars , i prefer it sunny because the water is cold

41- GUMBALL!!!

42- I CANT I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANYONE SAD FOR NOT BEING HERE

43- two older brothers

44- my irl

45- my irl...

46- distract myself and talk to people i like (usually my irl)

47- no i havent 😭

48- my irl <3

49- it's a fight between me and my mom id rather not, sorry

50- I have absolutely no idea what to ask tbh😭 uhmm i guess id like to ask why so many ppl like me

[coffeeworldsasaki]

Okay random thoughts from my 6 hours playing veilguard

1) once again the area design looks fucking amazing, dai had some stunning areas and obviously they just did better here. Also I'm still crying over Solas bed in the prologue having on top of it an instrument (because he pretended to be a bard in TN....)

2) I found nug meat once and I yelled "NOOO' so loud that I was afraid of waking up my brother, I'm sorry little nug

3) Solas memories are so fucking good oh my god

4) every mention of Felassan makes me cry and I really feel that this time reading the books really award the player. On this note, Viago putting a hand on Teia's shoulder had me go 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 because i love them so much and I can't wait to play as a crow

5) the little part when unpacking that is used to set up rook's past/personality was delicious

6) the cheesy lines you can say to build the team together is adorable "we can do it with each other's help!!!!". It's cheesy and a bit cringe but perfect for my character in a way that dialogue since da2 hasn't been able to be

7) talking with solas is. So. Good. And the fact that what you say in the first dialogue carries on and influences the second? I adore that. Solas' va is once again extremely good, the writing too and now "depending on the story" said with that sarcastic tone will stay stuck in my head for a while

8) they weren't kidding this is a Found Family capital letters and I love them so much

9) I'm obsessed with Neve, I'm still doing Lucanis' romance first because my current character is so good for him but now I'm struggling because I want to do her romance but my next character is not good for that 😭 I want to play crow but for reasons that's a bad fit for Neve 😭😭😭😭

10) I'm having fun with a dragon age gameplay, never thought I'd see the day

11) ISABELA ISABELA ISABELA ISABELA THEY SUSPICION I HAD FOR MONTHS THAT SHE MIGHT BE THE LOF CONTACT MADE ME CHOOSE THIS FACTION AND I WAS RIGHT

12) currently the only thing I'm not loving is that the recruitment is linear, I prefer how it was in previous games where I could choose the order of most of them 😔 besides that I'm fine with a linear structure because dai was a fucking mess

13) it's not open world yes but it's open world just enough for it to be enjoyable to me

14) FACTIONS REALLY MATTER 🥺

15) some reviews said it was slow at first and maybe it is but they've dropped so many cameos from books and previous games and SO MUCH LORE in just 6 hours that I was screaming every 5 minutes

16) I hate to say this but I'm fine with Varric now, because he gave me the da2 narration again and that's one of the things I prefer of da2

17) I desperately want to learn to draw because I'm in love with my Rook and I want to draw them 😔

[mentallyshattered]

This is part 14 of the "What if Yuu didn't want to go back?" Series!

(I, the author of this work, do not consent to this work being crossposted/translated without my knowledge or used to train an AI, ever.)

Masterlist

"A nightmare? Both of them? I've heard of familiars having similar dreams, given how common it is, but it's generally accepted that having a familiar is a nightmare deterrent." Vil pauses, his face pensive. "Generally, though, having a familiar means you won't have any nightmare you can't be woken from. And you're sure it was a bad dream?"

"Positive. He kept begging some unknown figure for help; it was something like 'please, make this stop' over and over again, quietly."

"Hmm. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll see what I can do."

"You know, Roi de Poison, I have seen Monseur Smoke go and punch trees quite often, until he bleeds. Every time, his attacks last one half-hour, if uninterrupted."

"That does sound like it could be related." Vil turns his head towards me and Grim rather suddenly, as though he forgot we were there. "Yuu, Grim, go and eat. You need the energy, and you've already done enough here. Make sure to drink some water; you two haven't been drinking enough."

Grim and I follow Vil's instruction and leave. Breakfast is avocado toast, which I'm pretty sure is our housewarden's way of making sure everybody eats a decent amout of something green instead of living on fish like the whole dorm seems to try.

While the ice water is nice, I can't bring myself to enjoy it. What of my friends? What of Ace and Deuce, with their tyrant housewarden? What of Korrak and Mandible, with their unknown nightmares?

"H-Hey, Yuu."

"Hi, Korrak! What's up?" Looking into his smokey grey eyes, I can understand why Rook calls him 'Monseur Smoke.'

"Not much, but I'm p-p-pretty sure we have t-t-t-t-to join a club. What club are you joining?"

"Myeh? We have to join a club?"

"Yeah, by the end of the week," Mandible adds, "have you seen the options?"

"Uhh, nope." Grim and I speak in unison this time.

"Well, w-w-we can all g-go and look at the opt-t-t-tions lat-t-t- Mandible, you know what I was g-g-going t-t-t-"

"Sure do. Anyway, do you two wanna go to the courtyard later today and look at the options?"

"Sure! Sounds fun."

Korrak looks relived. "Thanks, bud. You've always b-b-been there f-for me." Korrak turns to Grim and I. "Th-th-the speech issue is w-w-w-worse when I haven't eat-t-t-en."

Grim and I nod. "Isn't everything?"

"Fair point." Mandible seems to share Grim's sentiment. I hand Korrak a piece of toast, and he starts adding butter and avocado almost immediately.

When Grim and I get to class, we discover a well-rested Ace with no collar on.

"Yeah, housewarden Riddle must've had a change of heart or something. He's stopped enforcing most of the rules, and now Ace's punishment for stealing is helping Trey bake the tarts for the party. We still can't play croquet after 5:00pm, though."

I smile. Grim and I were right. Riddle did just need a hug and some time to himself.

The rest of class goes by without incident. It would be boring if I weren't learning the history of an entirely new world, but, hey, I'm in luck!

Alchemy sees me successfully using magic to catch a glass jar that got knocked off of a shelf. It "certainly would've shattered" on the stone floor if not for my "catlike reflexes-" or so Crewel says, anyway.

To be honest, I didn't even realize I knew a spell that could save that jar. I just panicked and attempted one I've read about. Good for me!

P.E. sucks, as usual. Ace stays conscious, though! Not without a bad sunburn that got him sent to the nurse anyway, but baby steps.

Lunch is tomato soup, which is the first time the main dish of a Pomefiore meal does not and cannot include fish. Even this morning, there were pieces of salmon for the avocado toast.

"So, Epel, w-what club are you in?"

"Spelldrive. Cain't wait fer practice t' start up, lemme tell ya! Hopefully I'll git bigger an' stop lookin' so-"

"Epel, Vil's in the room." Epel, despite having just been interrupted by four people, one of whom is a cat and another of whom is an opossum, does not delay his speaking. That's gotten pretty normal, after all.

"Whoop, sorry. Thanks, y'all. 'Nyway, I'd jus' like t' be a little less girly, y'know?"

"I g-get that. I got mist-t-t-aken for a girl all the t-t-t-"

"Take another bite of your soup, Korrak."

"Thanks, Mandible." He obeys. "Anyway, people u-used t-t-to think I was a girl all the t-t-time. They'd p-pick on me 'cause of that- you should've seen th-the looks on their faces when I beat the shit out of them."

Korrak laughs. I recall what I heard Rook say about Korrak punching trees until he bleeds, and spilling no blood for half an hour every time. Guess that's just what he's like.

Korrak doesn't strike me as a violent person so much as the retalliative sort. Why would he be violent? He doesn't start fights, he doesn't bully people, and he doesn't tolerate bullshit.

"It was always real f-funny, watching them s-s-suff-"

"Korrak." Our housewarden now stands tall behind the Korrak's confident figure.

"Uh, when I beat the bully out o-of them."

"Perfect." With that, Vil walks off. I wonder, why did it take him so long to react? Then again, this room is full of teens. Epel can't be the only potty mouth.

Korrak watches Vil go and shrugs. "That's life, I s-suppose." His stutter has noticeably improved since eating more of his soup, but is still present.

"Do you fight often, Korrak?"

"Only when I g-gotta. Kids back a-at my elementary school called me th-the gas st-t-t-ation, cuz I w-was nice t-t-to have around unt-il there were s-sparks."

Yeah, that makes sense. It's a little hard to imagine people pissing him off at all, but especially recalling the tree-punching thing. After all, Korrak stands tall and confident, with square shoulders and a smirk that suggests anyone who goes looking for trouble with him will find more of it than they bargained for. There's a spark in his eyes, like the sun peaking out from smoke, that makes it obvious: you fuck with Korrak, you've fucked up.

He's not shy, that's my point. He is kinda cute though, what with the hair- ashy purple and super fluffy. Combine that with his beautiful eyes and some teenage jealousy, and you've probably got at least one kid challenging him to make sure he stays away from their lover.

"Myah, we have class!"

Everybody's eyes widen. Evidently, the whole room forgot we aren't eating dinner.

Then, from various voices accross the room: "run!"

Luckily, Grim and I make it to class on time. Biology class is about morays today- specifically, the differences between cold sea morays and warm sea morays.

According to Trein, there's a trench that separates the sea. Morays who lay eggs on the south side lay two connected egg sacks. One side only has babies with magical left eyes, and the other only has babies with magical right eyes. The babies in each side fight until only one is left, and the survivors are twins.

Warm sea morays have nothing of the sort. Eggs can't be carried over the trench because the temperature change kills them, and keeping them on the side they weren't laid on requires keeping them at the temperature of the other side.

Cold sea morays can lay warm sea eggs, and vice versa. It's all location, and it's all very facinating. But, alas, class cannot go on forever.

MacGyvering shows us using drills as motors for fans, boats, and a variety of other things. Not really, though- we're making blueprints. Reasonable enough, if you ask me.

Finally, class is over. I hold Grim and carry him to the courtyard so he can sleep on the way. Korrak and Mandible are already waiting.

They wave. I wave back. Korrak motions to me to stand over by him, and I follow his lead. Beside him is a big list of all the clubs, pinned to the wall.

"I was thinking of joining the track and field club, but I'm not really sure. What do you think?"

"Well... what kind of stuff do you like?"

"The science club sounds fascinating. I've always liked all of it, anyway, but..."

"But what?"

"Well, I want to be more physical."

"You don't have to be in a club to use the gymnasium, Korrak."

"Yeah, great point. Science Club it is!" With that, he starts filling out an application that apparently just needed a few more fields to be filled in.

"Myeh?.. what time is... oh, I took a nap." Grim yawns, putting his, frankly, adorable little teeth on display. "What club are we joining?"

"I don't know yet. That's why we're here, Grim."

Grim hops onto the ground, does the iconic kitty stretch, and hops onto the bench. Before I can wonder why, he jumps onto Korrak's shoulder- the one that doesn't have Mandible on it- and onto my shoulder from there.

"You can just ask me to pick you up, Grim."

"Where's the fun in that?"

I sigh and roll my eyes. What clubs are there? Board Games, Mountain Lovers, Gargoyle Studies... out of those, Board Games seem like the best option.

"Where are the applications?" Korrak hands me one.

"Hey, you didn't even tell me what club you picked! We're both going, so we both need to approve!"

"I picked the board games club, Grim."

"Ooh. Sounds fun, I'm in!"

I grin. "We sure are!"

[esseastri]

here i made it an ask:

HECK YES, ok, I'll do all the questions that Kogi didn't ask me.

What was the first Dragon Age game you played?

I started at the beginning because I think Kogi and Feather would have manifested in showers of sparkles to berate me into oblivion if I hadn't, so DAO.

2. Which Dragon Age game is your favorite so far?

DA2. Listen, I love all of those bisexual disasters (except Fenris) so damn much, and while the whole thing is a little repetitive, I always find it to be more comfortable than annoying. I'm a sucker for a good framing device with an unreliable narrator. And while I love the Warden and the Inquisitor because they are blank slates that I can create anyone off of, it's nice that Hawke has a solid, actual character for me to love.

3. Do you usually play as a warrior, mage, or rogue? Which class are you planning to try first this time around? Which subclass?

I've got one of each in my canon worldstate, but Rogue is historically my favorite, even though I find mage easiest to play. I will almost certainly make a shitty little double-daggers rogue as my first Rook because all we know of Rook so far leads me to believe that she'd be besties with my Hawke, which means Rogue Supremacy.

5. Do you typically use a preset character and name or spend hours in the character creator coming up with a custom one?

Bahahaha, I think the first time I played DAI, I was in the CC for a solid two point five hours. I will be dicking around for nine years with hair color alone.

6. Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

I will need to know the canon surnames for all the races before I can really dive into planning a Rook. I can't do anything without a name, and my name has got to jive with the surname, so that's what I'll need to start with. I can say that she will almost certainly have red hair, since all of my previous First Characters have been redheads. Gotta stick with tradition.

9. Which romance, if any, do you plan to pursue first?

I have been trying to KISS Scout LACE HARDING for TEN YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (But Davrin is making a strong case for himself by simply existing. He'll probably be second.)

10. Which location are you most excited/hoping to explore in-game?

Weisshaupt. I want to know everything about how the official organization of the Wardens works, so I know how shitty the little Fereldan outpost has been all these years.

13. What’s one thing you’ve seen confirmed so far that you’re a fan of?

Mmmm everything about the character creator--the pronouns and body shapes and lighting and just... everything about it.

14. What’s one thing you’ve seen confirmed so far that you’re NOT a fan of?

mmmmmmrrrrrggggggg Ghilan'nain.

15. Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

The character trailer was a blast and made me infinitely more excited for the game than anything else we've seen, I didn't think it was ""too MCU"" or ""quippy"" or whatever, I thought it was perfect Varric content and I loved it.

16. What’s one crack theory you subscribe to (yours or someone else’s)?

Sandal will show up at some point, possibly in the Black City, because he's actually massively important and possibly the Maker in disguise.

17. Are you interested in all the lore and speculation or do you focus more on the games and stories themselves?

Yes? To me, a lot of the lore is in the stories and the stories are about the lore, so they go together. I'm not the most speculative--I just want to know, I don't want to guess!--so I'm bouncing off the walls waiting for the actual game to drop so I can just go nuts. And I'm always really here for the characters, so that's what I'm most interested in.

18. Which aspect of fandom are you most looking forward to? (e.g. reading/writing fic, the bounty of gorgeous art, getting to know new people, etc.)

NEW ART SO MUCH NEW ART god bless every fanartist in this fandom, I cannoooottt waaaaiiiittt!! There is already so much amazing stuff in the tags, I can't wait until there's even more!!! I want to see everyone's Rooks, all of them, I cannot wait. Also I have not written fanfic in years, but if anything is going to get me to write some, it will be Dragon Age, so it will be great to get back into that, hopefully.

19. Are you planning to replay any of the previous games, watch Dragon Age: Absolution, or read any of the books/comics/short stories, or are there other games you want to play in the meantime?

Uh, Kogi and I watched the gameplay trailer and about ten minutes after we finished, I'd plugged DAI into the PS4 and booted everything up. So. Yes. I'm also finally reading Tevinter Nights after sitting on it for two years. AND I'm making my best friend play all three games from the beginning so she can join us in DA hell, we are deeply enjoying Origins rn. It's great. I am fully in the soup and there I shall remain until DAV appears.

[cyber-dump-171]

Chapter 13: Pudgy paws

Left for Carnage (Twisted Wonderland x Reader)

← Chapter 12 | Masterlist | Chapter 14 →

WARNING: mentions of injuries.

Note: Alright, we’re back! If you would like to know why I didn’t post for a very long time, please check my previous post in which I explained what happened. Again, thank you for your support!

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The blue flame dashes towards the end of the hallway and then takes a sharp left, going directly to the study and painting rooms, the hallway shrouding itself in darkness once again as the momentary source of light disappears.

What the hell was that? Fearing it might be a beast and set the house on fire, you throw your things on the floor and proceed to chase after it.

You turn down a few corridors, following the little blue light that disappears at every corner and turn you make. Whatever it is that is running is quite fast and agile, but you know that after a few more turns it will run into a corridor that has a dead end, so you can corner whatever it is running.

You take a few more turns and hear a door swing open before the final corridor. Damn it, it entered the painting room! Immediately after that, you hear a large number of objects fall and a screeching sound leaves the entire hallway in complete silence. Hurrying, you enter the room and see that the blue flame has made a complete mess in the room.

The white curtain that covered the dirty window has fallen from its holdback and something is moving underneath the fabric. Whatever it might be, is kicking as it curses under its breath at the stupid piece of curtain. You reach out carefully and grab the corner of the fabric, taking a deep breath as you prepare to fight whatever is down there. You pull with all your might and the curtain flies off into the corner of the room and you see what was making such a mess.

“You!?" it's that raccoon-cat you found in the forest! What's it doing here? The creature looks at you in surprise but quickly stops and takes a defensive stance white it bares its teeth at you. "Fugya! Stay away human, don't even think of touching the Great Grimm!" ah, right, it called itself by that strange nickname.

Although the little animal tries to put up a façade of being strong and fearless, you notice that it is trembling a little. It is likely that when the curtain fell on him, he got scared and stunned.

"What are you doing here? Everything was locked," the monster slowly blinks, but as he remembers something, his gaze becomes annoyed. "Ugh, that weirdo left me in the living room. He said you'd be back in a few hours and to stay put," Grim comes down from his defensive position and lets out a sigh, as you watch him.

He looks somewhat embarrassed and avoids looking you in the eye as he evades answering the important part of his story. "I don’t think he let you loose inside the house, I assume you escaped from the cage," you know Rook, he wouldn't be foolish enough to let a monster that has flames in its ears run loose all over the place.

It looks like you've got it right, as Grim shrugs his ears and again, avoids looking you in the eye. "The Great Grimm can't be stopped! So I melted the lock!" he says proudly as he stands on two legs and crosses his "arms" with a big grin.

You feel an incoming headache. You let out a sigh and pinch the bridge of your nose, well, you'll have to take care of this little menace until you can find a way to put it back where it came from, after all, you promised Rook that when you finished this mission you would take care of the beast.

You look carefully at Grim, who is now back to standing on all four legs. "So, why were you running like crazy down the hallway? You looked scared," the cat seems to be surprised to hear your words, his eyes widening like saucers and his mouth hanging open slightly, revealing a set of pointed teeth.

His embarrassment disappears in seconds, however, as he stands back up on two legs and gives you an angry look. "Not at all! You think the Great Grim would be scared because the house was dark and I was alone!?" he says in a slightly shaky voice but tries to hide it with an assertive tone. You let out a laugh, it's a somewhat detailed excuse that he demands to be taken as the ultimate truth.

You can't help but quietly coo at his adorable puffed cheeks as he crosses his tiny little arms. Oh! And those absolutely squishable paws.

'Ah! He almost looks like a cute plushie,' the initial scare from the blue flame running at full speed down the hallway and the headache from the disaster caused by the tiny menace have completely disappeared as Grim reminds you of the house cats your aunt used to have. "Oi! What're you staring at?" Grim asks confused while you watch him tenderly.

The cat keeps wondering why you're not moving and why the hell your eyes are shining so bright. Did you die? Or maybe you are so overwhelmed by the presence of the Great Grim that you can't say a single word? That's what the monster thinks as he laughs to himself and places his little paw on your thigh to wake you up.

Before you can answer him, you hear something fall behind you. Turning your head, you realize it was that strange painting. You had forgotten to take it off the canvas and put it away with the other sketches. "Don't move," you warn the cat as you stand up and walk over to the slumped sheet that lies on the floor, the canvas faces down on top of it.

With a sigh, you bend down and pick up the unfinished painting, being careful not to scratch or damage the art in front of it. You place it back on the easel, the sketched figure of Guddommelig ulykke stares at you crudely.

You briefly wonder why did your mother even sketch this. It's bizarre, that for a moment you thought someone else had painted this and left the half-finished painting here when your father decided that no one else could set foot inside the house, leaving the lively hallways that once populated the house to fill with dust and cobwebs while your mother's cherished garden rotted and withered over the years.

'Then again she did paint that absolutely terrifying picture of the angler fish that gave me nightmares when I was a kid.'

But something tells you that this was no stranger who painted the picture, it was your mother. Even as you gently brush your fingers across the canvas you can imagine the paint pots surrounding the bench, the sunlight streaming through the window, and in the background, you hear children running up and down the hallway laughing at something.

Your mother picks up the paintbrush and smudges it with green paint, in front of her lies a canvas that has smooth penciled lines dividing it into eight sections. Without wasting any time, she paints each of the sections with different colors and when she is done, she gets up and leaves the room, leaving the paint behind.

However, your thoughts are interrupted when you hear footsteps approaching the room. You turn around to face the door and see Epel approaching with his eyes closed. "Hey (Y/N), dinner's ready. I made some- WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

Shit.

━━━━━━◇◆◇━━━━━━

After calming the lilac-haired boy and catching Grim before he could run out of the room, you explain to Epel everything that happened and how such a strange creature ended up inside the house. Despite the apple boy's insistence that he doesn't mind a cat on fire roaming the halls of the house, you get a great deal of doubt when you notice that Epel keeps glancing sideways at the creature.

"Are you sure it doesn't bother you? I'll take care of Grim anyway, but you don't seem very convinced," you ask him somewhat worriedly as you tie a black and white lined bow around Grim's neck. The cat sits on all fours on top of the kitchen counter, his nose inhaling the smells of the dinner that was just cooked as he mumbles that he's hungry.

"A little. I just don't want him to set the house on fire," hearing that response, Grim's ears perk up and his face turns angry. "Oi! I wouldn't do that! The Great Grim knows how to control his magnificent power," you can’t help but let out a small chuckle as you remind yourself that the creature set fire to the sleeping tent out of sheer desperation. "What are you laughing at, henchman!?"

Henchman?

“Excuse me, what did you just call me?” the cat turns its body to look at you and with a mocking smile, stands on two legs to try to level itself towards your face. "That you are my servant. Look! You've even dressed me," the creature turns to show off the bow tie. It seems that the fear you saw in the paint room has completely vanished.

You don't feel like fighting against his bizarre claim. You let out a sigh and turn to Epel, a tired look decorating your face. "We don't have much time, tomorrow we'll have to go somewhere else as per Draconia's instructions. Let's have dinner and I'll go drop Grim off at the Institute of Beast Study," at the mention of his name, the cat stops his ears and turns quickly, lowering himself to all four paws. "Ah!? Where are you going to dump me!?"

"I'm not going to dump you! It is illegal to keep an assimilation beast without a permit given by the Institute. Besides, I don't recognize what breed you are and I'm not going to leave you locked up in the house for days or weeks," you say as you head toward the cabinet to take out some plates and glasses. The creature follows you, jumping from the cabinet to the dining table.

"The Great Grim can take care of himself! The 'great' is in my name for a reason!" the creature shouts, trying to maintain its magnanimous appearance. However, you can tell that its tone sounds desperate and although it tries to hold its ground, you notice that its little paws are shaking a bit.

“The people at the Institute are not going to hurt you, they're just going to examine you and take care of you while I’m gone. Either way, I cannot afford to make any more mistakes after the last time”, you mutter the last sentence in hopes that the creature doesn’t hear your laments. Thankfully, the creature doesn’t appear to have heard you.

The discussion is interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. You take the opportunity to leave the room and ignore the exaggerated demands of the little creature. As adorable as it is, you're not crazy enough to let it wander the corridors of the old house while you're off solving problems elsewhere.

Arriving at the front door, you wipe your trousers and fix your hair as quickly as possible, an action you now do unconsciously after Dorothea scolded you for greeting guests with a few flyaway hairs on your head. You looked fine and there was nothing wrong with your appearance, but the insults that fell from your stepmother's rotten mouth have scarred you for life.

You open the doors of the mansion and the cold air from outside enters the house, which is only tepidly heated. Lately, the place has been getting colder and colder as the days go by, and it is most noticeable at night when the wind blows hard, shaking the trees and blowing a lot of leaves and branches to the ground.

But its effects are most evident on the poor boy standing outside your door. Half of his face is hidden behind a black scarf, and the tips of his pointed ears are slightly red because of the cold.

When he notices your presence, Sebek stands up straight and his eyes, which resemble those of a crocodile, widen like saucers, though he quickly fixes his appearance.

"Good evening, I apologize for my late arrival!" he shouts in a loud voice. His tone reminds you of a general commanding his soldiers. You step aside to invite him into your home, and he quickly enters, removing his scarf as you close the wooden doors.

"Don't worry about being late. Lord Malleus informed me that you would be coming to give me information on the next mission," at the mention of the Prince of Briar Valley, the boy turns and nods enthusiastically, an aura of pride emanating from his body. You notice that he no longer seems to regard you with such hostility.

Without another word, you begin to lead him toward the living room to discuss the details of your next mission. You try to offer him something to drink, but Sebek flatly refuses, saying that he doesn't have much time to stay here and must return to Briar Valley.

Once you are both seated in opposite armchairs, the door to the room opens, and in comes Epel, holding a small tray with some glasses of water. He gently places it on top of the table as Sebeks takes out various documents from his bag.

The lilac-haired boy takes a seat right next to you and extends a hand towards the green-haired, who stares back at him a bit surprised. “Good day! I’m Epel Felmier, Mx. (Y/N) assistant. It’s a pleasure to meet ya!” he excitedly says. Sebeks seems to snap out of his trance and takes Epel’s hand, slightly shaking it as he introduces himself back. Afterward, the green-haired clears his throat and begins to speak.

"As you know, your mission will take place in the Sunset Savannah. Recently, there have been several reports of players who were supposed to participate in the Spelldrive Tournament being injured," Sebek hands you several documents with the faces of the players, the teams they were on, and the circumstances of their injuries.

At first glance, most of the wounds are the result of falling down stairs or tripping during practice, but the one that stands out the most is a recent one which details the fall of one of the players from the second-floor balcony of a hotel they were staying in.

"He ended up with his right arm broken, a concussion, a broken nose, and a sprained ankle. Goodness, how did he survive?" you mutter to yourself, your eyebrows furrowed as you continue to read the documents. There is another piece of information that also catches your attention.

You raise your face to meet Sebek, who sits still with his arms crossed. "Most of these players were chosen by King Falena to be part of his special team," the green-haired man smiles at you, satisfied with your answer.

"You have a good eye, Mx. (Y/N). After receiving these reports directly from the queen of the Sunset Savannah, we have a theory that this series of injuries were caused intentionally and is some kind of threat against the king," the knight points to one of the lines on the document. "Do you see another similarity?

"Yes, all but two of the documents mention the presence of a mysterious figure at the scene of the crime. The most recent was the one Lord Malleus told me about, that one of the palace maids saw the figure slip away early in the morning," you reply, your head full of questions.

Strange, what is the point of hurting these people? It seems like a bizarre kind of threat and at first glance, it can be interpreted as some type of revenge executed on a specific player or group of people. You think that if they truly want to threaten Falena, they would’ve had a more direct approach, rather than injuring various players who are most likely innocent.

Also, the Spelldrive Tournament is no big deal. Yes, it is presented to the public as an opportunity for teams from different nations to come together in friendly competition and win a trophy through the teamwork of the players, but that's it. It's no coronation ceremony or a royal baby announcement, just a competition.

...Hang on, something just popped into your head! It could be that this is exactly what the perpetrator wants. To downgrade the situation as much as possible and to not be taken seriously by anyone, because this is the Spelldrive Tournament, an event that most people consider to be a day of entertainment.

"It is possible that this is an intimidation tactic against the king. As you said, a kind of threat, quietly telling him that whoever is doing this damage may do more vile things in the future," you comment on your theory. "It may be that this is the beginning of a series of actions intended to sabotage Falena's place as king."

The details will certainly need to be refined as time goes on and you gather more information, but it is a solid theory with which to begin this investigation. Somewhat far-fetched, but it does work and it fits inside the realm of possibilities.

"Exactly, after what happened at Rosehearts Manor and Miss Meiji's testimony, we shouldn't take such a situation lightly," Sebek adds, and Epel sits up straighter as if something has occurred to him. "Could it be that this sabotage is being done by the cult?" the lilac-haired boy asks.

"It’s a possibility, however, we still can't point fingers and accuse someone without sufficient evidence," the knight's intense green eyes focus on his figure. "This is where you come in.

Sebek buries his hands in his bag and pulls out a rather elegant invitation and hands it to you. "As Lord Malleus told you, you will be going to the event not undercover but as yourself, who is part of a noble family. Your objective is to discover who is behind these attacks and what their intentions are."

You gently take the invitation and look at it more closely, your name embedded elegantly in the small cream-colored envelope.

It's been too long since you last attended one of these events, your family stopped attending formal events after your mother died and they started denying invitations to parties when your father married Dorothea.

Your hands suddenly feel cold when you start to overpress everything: your manners, how to start conversations, what is the correct outfit to wear on these types of invitations, and many other things.

However, your thoughts are interrupted when you feel Epel's hand rest on top of yours. It seems like he knew you were nervous and was attempting to calm you down. "You said that we would be working with two newbies, who are they?" the boy asks.

"Oh, that's right. Forgive me, I almost forgot. You will be accompanied by Ace Trappola and Deuce Spade."

…What!?

━━━━━━◇◆◇━━━━━━

Tag list:

@r0texe @hellokittykuroo @d3nz3lm0rn @alureasoley @kirmalight @xxrabbitcultxx @warcelia @lucian-kinnder @maximumphantomlover @hillichurl @keqingsfavbestie @stardustgreydragon​ @raimenshko​ @h0n3ysgh0st​ @valveii

[prvtocol]

Does Bri have any bad habits?

SEND MY MUSE ANONS!! ( always accepting ✿ )

Yes.

She overthinks. She overworks. She skips meals. She relies on aids to keep going, to sleep, to calm her nerves. She often lets things continue as they are rather than trying to change them (though tbf, change is sometimes impossible). She’s selfless and sidesteps her needs/wants for others. The majority of this is circumstantial. Away from toxic work environments, she is a healthier and calmer individual with no need for aids to help her through.

Things spiral most out of control in her Cyberpunk verse, especially when the corp undergoes leadership changes in 2077. She has an unhealthy habit of using neurostims to work the expected 14-16 hour workdays and to spare time after/during work to maintain her position (which includes gathering intel on coworkers via fixers and mercs and keeping one step ahead of internal developments). In turn, this makes her need sleep pharmaceuticals to counter those effects and actually rest the few hours she has left. Throw in being extorted by a Night City gang and she's a mess. She’s even willing to take illicit drugs from her extortionist to get a good night’s rest.

In Far Cry/Modern, she has taken caffeine pills to counteract the effects of jet lag. Her constant travel wears her down. She’s tired of living out of a suitcase, losing her sense of time, and misses home, forgetting where that is as time goes on. Her poor eating habits can be seen as self-destructive.

In all verses, she occasionally needs pills to counteract anxiety and panic attacks as well as therapy. She knows when she needs help. Again, this is circumstantial. In Cyberpunk, her biomonitor and thus her life coach keeps her hormones, etc. in constant check but stress harms her in other ways. In Far Cry/Modern, the pick-ups and hand-offs of dirty cash she does for her father’s money laundering operation put her face to face with crime lords and their criminal organizations. Layovers on Rook Islands, for instance, have her witnessing the unspeakable horrors of Volker's human trafficking operation. She has to turn a blind eye, keep calm and carry on. In the future of this verse (NewDawn/post-Collapse), she’s more adjusted but age and experience does that. In Star Wars, being blackmailed into being an informant for Crimson Dawn while working for the Bank of the Empire has her constantly looking over her shoulder. 

I primarily rp her within time periods of uncertainty and heavy work stress (making me emphasize her frayed nerves). However, her happy ending in her Cyberpunk verse (where she leaves it all behind with a loving partner (@badtrigger) and builds a family), she lives as a healthy, happy, and well-balanced individual. Much of her bad habits were thus a result of how she copes with her work environment. She is still selfless and overthinks (what mother doesn't?) but the emotional support and love of her husband and children do wonders.

[coochiequeens]

USA Cycling will be enforcing a policy to ensure some level of fairness in races and of course some TIM is crying transphobia.

 BY ANNE-MARIJE ROOK

PUBLISHED 14 HOURS AGO

When USA Cycling introduced its revised Transgender Athlete Participation Policy earlier this month, the new two-tiered system didn't sit well with all racers.

One trans woman and amateur racer from Washington State was so put off by the new policy that she filed a complaint with the state's Attorney General's Office, imploring Attorney General Bob Ferguson to file an injunction against USA Cycling. She also filed a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.

The racer, whose identity will remain anonymous for her protection, argues that the new policy only heightens the trans community's concern of "exclusionary, discriminating and humiliating scrutinization."

Starting on 1 January 2024, transgender athletes wanting to participate in USA Cycling-sanctioned events will be categorized as either Group A or Group B athletes, depending on their discipline and race category. 

Group A athletes are those racing at the elite level (Pro, Category 1 and 2). Transgender women in Group A must undergo a so-called "elite athlete fairness evaluation application," which involves submitting medical documentation demonstrating that their serum testosterone level has been consistently below 2.5 nmol/L for at least 24 months.

Group B athletes are those competing at the amateur and novice levels. These transgender athletes, both men and women, wishing to compete at this level must complete a self-identity verification request, which the USA Cycling Technical Director, Bonnie Walker, will review. 

In introducing the new policy, USA Cycling said it aimed to maintain "fair competition standards while providing a welcoming environment for all athletes, irrespective of gender identities."

But in this racer's eyes, the new policy does quite the opposite. 

"Outing ourselves for amateur sanctioned racing does not make us feel safe or welcome; instead, it shines an uninvited bright light on our private life, further threatening our safety, as well as our rights on a federal and state level. This rule change creates an exclusionary environment, sets a dangerous precedent and opens a Pandora's box for organized amateur sports with transgender athletes," she says.

This rider was active in the Washington State racing scene for four years. During that time, she says, "no individual, organization or local USAC official harassed or required me to out myself, nor was a complaint filed against me. Many people were aware that I was transgender because it is a small community. I trained just as hard as other female athletes and still did not have a competitive advantage. In fact, most of the time, I rarely finished in the top three in Cat 4 races."

But she hasn't raced in some time, partly due to the changing climate and the fact that a USA Cycling racing license is required to partake in cycling events in Washington, even at the amateur level. By buying a license, she'd be supporting a governing body whose policies she doesn't agree with. 

"I know that my racing days are probably done, but for me, it's about the next generation of racers and the freedom I hope they can have like what I had. The freedom to be themselves and just race to race," the source says.

An injunction, if successful, would prohibit USA Cycling from requiring amateur athletes to "out themselves."

"My hope is that the injunction will put a stop to this prejudicial discriminatory rule. I advocate that transgender athletes should be allowed to race as they identify at the amateur level races," the source says. "We are not paid athletes, just weekend warrior bike racers testing our skills against other like-minded individuals." 

USA Cycling told Cycling Weekly that it does not wish to comment at this time.

[rissi-chan]

1. What was the first Dragon Age game you played?

Origins, way back in 2009/2010.

2. Which Dragon Age game is your favorite so far?

Inquisition. I think all the games have done well at not changing SO much that the world and characters are unrecognizable - and that's the only consistency I truly care about. Therefore, the progress has only made each game better, imo.

3. Do you usually play as a warrior, mage, or rogue? Which class are you planning to try first this time around? Which subclass?

Mage, always. I always tend to go for elemental attacks and healing secondary spells.

4. What does your worldstate look like going into DAV?

My canon (fem)Warden Amell is potentially alive and still looking for a cure for the Calling.

My fem!Hawke went to investigate Weisshaupt during DAI, and I'm hoping she's safely with Fenris now . . .

The Inquisitor I'll be importing first will be my Solas-mancing Lavellan. And she is not. happy.

5. Do you typically use a preset character and name or spend hours in the character creator coming up with a custom one?

Never a preset character appearance or name. I take names very seriously and all my previous protags were given their names for a reason that ties into their character. And I LOVE character customization.

6. Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

Ish. I have a vague idea of what I want each race I play to look like (human, elf, dwarf, qunari) and I THINK I'll probably play an elf first, but that may change.

All my characters are mages.

I'll either go with Shadow Dragons or Veil Jumpers for my first playthrough.

7. Which character from the previous games or other media are you most hoping will make an appearance in DAV?

Dorian <3 I think he's the most likely, but ai would obviously adore surprising cameos (like Fenris).

8. What faction are you most excited to learn more about?

The Veil Jumpers.

9. Which romance, if any, do you plan to pursue first?

LUCANIS. I have a type and it is bearded, autistic-coded men that can cook <3

10. Which location are you most excited/hoping to explore in-game?

All of them, tbh. Seeing new places is always so cool.

11. What's one thing you'd really like to see in this next game?

Lots of interaction/socialization opportunities. And SPICE 😏

12. What's one thing you're hoping we DON'T see in this next game?

Lack of substance in missions and relationships. But it sounds like that won't be an issue.

13. What's one thing you've seen confirmed so far that you're a fan of?

The companions <3 They all seem so cool and I am so excited to learn more about them all.

Plus, BABY GRIFFIN PETS AND CUDDLES <3

14. What's one thing you've seen confirmed so far that you're NOT a fan of?

The party limit. That poor third-wheel companion 🥲 I worry about banter suffering as a result.

15. Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

I do not expect an enemies-to-lovers relationship with Lucanis when playing as a mage. His character does not read as being hostile towards mages - he just kills cultists and crazy people.

16. What's one crack theory you subscribe to (yours or someone else's)?

Varric is not dying. It's been set up too well - made too obvious. I am justifying my denial XD

17. Are you interested in all the lore and speculation or do you focus more on the games and stories themselves?

A bit of both, but I never set expectations when it comes to theories - just enjoy them for what they are.

18. Which aspect of fandom are you most looking forward to? (e.g. reading/writing fic, the bounty of gorgeous art, getting to know new people, etc.)

The art, the fanfics, and the custom merchandise <3

19. Are you planning to replay any of the previous games, watch Dragon Age: Absolution, or read any of the books/comics/short stories, or are there other games you want to play in the meantime?

I've been watching summaries of Tebinter nights on YouTube, as well as breakdowns of the trailers and gameplay just to hype myself up.

20. Post a picture or gif that conveys your current level of excitement for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

Dragon Age: The Veilguard HYPE Q&A

What was the first Dragon Age game you played?

Which Dragon Age game is your favorite so far?

Do you usually play as a warrior, mage, or rogue? Which class are you planning to try first this time around? Which subclass?

What does your worldstate look like going into DAV?

Do you typically use a preset character and name or spend hours in the character creator coming up with a custom one?

Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

Which character from the previous games or other media are you most hoping will make an appearance in DAV?

What faction are you most excited to learn more about?

Which romance, if any, do you plan to pursue first?

Which location are you most excited/hoping to explore in-game?

What's one thing you'd really like to see in this next game?

What's one thing you're hoping we DON'T see in this next game?

What's one thing you've seen confirmed so far that you're a fan of?

What's one thing you've seen confirmed so far that you're NOT a fan of?

Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

What's one crack theory you subscribe to (yours or someone else's)?

Are you interested in all the lore and speculation or do you focus more on the games and stories themselves?

Which aspect of fandom are you most looking forward to? (e.g. reading/writing fic, the bounty of gorgeous art, getting to know new people, etc.)

Are you planning to replay any of the previous games, watch Dragon Age: Absolution, or read any of the books/comics/short stories, or are there other games you want to play in the meantime?

Post a picture or gif that conveys your current level of excitement for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

[nocturna0clock]

“ You didn’t hear me coming ? Hehe, it’s normal. Who still pay attention to the tick-tock sound ? ”

Nocturna O’Clock - School uniform

“ I’m the prefect, isn’t it ? So I can go wherever I want ♪ . Ahem, of course I care about students safety !”

“ Hmm, English isn’t my native language. So, don’t be surprised if I do some mistakes. ”

“ In fact, frightening people was a custom in my master’s mansion. Some thieves tryed to kidnap our comrades so we had to scare them off. ”

“ The servants working for my master are truly lovable and cheerful. I love them dearly like if they were my true family. ”

“ Corry, Berry and Arry, the Ramshackle ghosts, remind me of the servants of the castle. They are as thoughtful and kind as them. So, I was not ill at ease when I came to NRC. ” This is how I nicknamed the ghosts.

“ I’m passionnate about puzzles ! The feeling that my brain cogs working as much as they can is truly enjoyable ! ”

“ Rook hair style is so… geometrical. That’s almost hypnotic. But he is an hunter, right ? Does his hair on the sides not bother him when he chase his prey ? “

“ When I want to differentiate the twins I think about theatre masks. Jade is always smiling so he reminds me the comedy mask and Floyd seem moody sometimes like the tragedy mask. ”

“ I was unmoving during 157 years, 4 month, 12 days and 14 hours ! Of course I will make up for lost time and explore a lot of places ! And of course I will even explore forbidden areas ! Hehehe, just thinking about it makes my heart ticking with enthusiasm ! ”

[six-improbable-things]

I spent well over two hours last night working on stat blocks for the three ships that are going to be involved in the upcoming chapters of Rook's campaign, and I'm still not done!!! I'm really proud of how they worked out, though... This is a super interesting challenge, and I'm having a ton of fun figuring out how to help my DM run ship combat.

Sneak peak at a base of the stat blocks (including an image description of the screenshots) under the cut if anyone is curious.

Image Description: a series of three screenshots of a digital Dungeons & Dragons stat block written in red and white text on a dark background. The text reads as follows:

FIRST IMAGE:

[Val's Ship]

Gargantuan Construct (sloop, 70x15) Armor Class: 15 (damage threshold: 15) Hit Points: 250 Speed: 65 ft. base, 45 ft. sailing into the wind, 75 ft. sailing with the wind

STR: 22 (+6) DEX: 13 (+1) CON: 16 (+3) INT: 1 (-5) WIS: 1 (-5) CHA: 1 (-5)

Damage Resistances: piercing, slashing (hull only) / bludgeoning (sail only) Damage Immunities: poison, psychic Condition Immunities: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious Senses: Languages: -- Challege: (XP)

[/end image one]

SECOND IMAGE:

Capacity. The [name] has a crew of 15, can accommodate 20 passengers, and can carry 100 tons of cargo. Sails. AC: 14 HP: 130 For each 10 points of damage taken, the ship's speed is reduced by 5 ft.

Station: Helm (1 crew) By using all of its movement, a crew member manning the helm can move the ship up to the speed of its sails, with one 90 degree turn. This station grants three-quarters cover to the creature manning it, granting them a +5 to AC.

Station: Cannon (1-2 crew / max 4 stations) A creature occupying this station can use its bonus action on two consecutive turns to load then fire the cannon. (See Actions) If two creatures are manning the cannon, they may each expend their bonus action (one to load, one to fire) to man the cannon. Creatures manning a cannon cannot be seen from outside the ship and thus cannot be targeted directly, but if the hull near their station is damaged, they must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC 15) or else take half of the triggering damage. (On a successful save they take one quarter of the triggering damage.)

Station: Ballista (1 crew, max 1 station) AC: 15 HP: 50 A creature manning this station can use their action to make a Ballista attack. (See Actions.)

[/end image two]

THIRD IMAGE:

Actions:

Cannon: Round/Standard Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack:+5, Range 300/800 ft., one target Hit: 36 (8d8) bludgeoning damage Fires a single 8lb ball of cast iron. The default kind of cannon projectile. Most effective against enemy ship's hulls.

Cannon: Grapeshot. Ranged Weapon Attack:+6, Range 100/300 ft., 20 ft. cone centered on a point within range Hit: 25 (10d4) piercing damage Canvas-wrapped stacks of smaller shot, functioning as large-scale shotguns to injure enemy crews. Ineffective against ship hulls.

Cannon: Chain Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack:+4, Range 200/500 ft., One target Hit: 21 (6d6) slashing damage Two iron balls joined by a chain. Particularly effective against sails and rigging. Ineffective against ship hulls.

Ballista. Ranged Weapon Attack:+6, Range 150/480 ft., One target Hit: 22 (4d10) piercing damage

Rapid Repairs. Any available crew member not actively manning a station can spend their entire turn repairing the ship. For each crew member making repairs (max of 5), the ship regains 2d8 hit points to its hull, or 1d8 hit points to its sails. (Mind you that those making repairs to the rigging have to be *in* the rigging, putting themselves at risk of falling or being hit by cannon shot.)

[/end ID]

[cerealmonster15]

ANSWER SHEET

1.) Trey ✅️

2.) Ruggie ✅️

3.) Deuce 🚫

4.) Sebek ✅️

5.) Floyd ✅️

6.) Jamil ✅️

7.) Vil ✅️

8.) Idia ✅️

9.) Malleus ✅️

10.) Ace 🚫

11.) Silver 🚫

12.) Lilia 🚫

13.) Jade ✅️

14.) Cater ✅️

15.) Ortho ✅️

16.) Leona 🚫

17.) Azul ✅️

18.) Jack ✅️

19.) Epel 🚫

20.) Rook ✅️

21.) Kalim ✅️🚫

22.) Riddle ✅️

15.5/22

Final grade: 70.45%

Lilia got to you 😔✌️ but you passed 🥳

LILIA BETRAYED AND BAMBOOZLED ME I WAS SO CLOSE WOTH JUICE WAHHH i shoudlve stuck with my heart…… I knew caycay laughed at his test score CRIES SOBS SCREAMS!!! How can I call myself a heartslabyul stan when I got Ace and deuce WRONG!!! I was at least close with juice having guessed him right initially shdhdhfjfd. I feel like I woudlve figured out Ace had I not slotted him in deuce’s spot tbh bc I wasn’t really confident putting silver there either. Honestly the “hey” at the start hand me like 🤨sounds too casual for silver🤨 but I was getting desperate and the lilia domino effect already blasted him from my mind 😔 my heart was trying to tell me and I didn’t LISTENNNNNN!!!

The Epel and riddle one makes sense 😔 omg you picked lines with them talking about each other too lol CUTE!!!

Silver………….. god………… honestly if he’d used a different adjective maybe it woudlnt have thrown me off As Much HSHFJFNGBGGHTG like if he’d called him loud- actually that woudlve still confused me bc everyone calls sebek loud LOL god. I love you silver why did you do that BDJFJCJFJFJFJG bamboozled again.

Leona 😔I should’ve known but I thought he’d be ruder LOL. Leona wasn’t as rude and silver was ruder than expected GOD they got my asses. My BLIND SPOTS!!!

Sighing in relief with the others LOL it really was a process of elimination and thinking for Literal Hours game 🧍