#Pulley Ridge

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in March 2024 🌈

🌈 Good afternoon, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!

[ Release dates may have changed. ]

❤️ Shift: A Memoir of Identity and Other Illusions - Penny Guisinger 🧡 Tempting Olivia - Clare Ashton 💛 Monilinia - Free Mints 💚 Guillaume - Aurora Dimitre 💙 The Marble Queen - Anna Kopp & Gabrielle Kari 💜 The Baker & the Bard - Fern Haught ❤️ Rainbow! - Sunny & Gloom 🧡 The Safe Zone - Amy Marsden 💛 The Weavers of Alamaxa - Hadeer Elsbai 💙 The No-Girlfriend Rule - Christen Randall 💜 A Different Kind of Brave by Lee Wind 🌈 Cirque du Slay - Rob Osler ❤️ Wizard’s Debt - Niranjan 🧡 One Last Breath - Ginny Myers Sain 💛 Nothing Special - Katie Cook 💚 I Feel Awful, Thanks - Lara Pickle 💙 The Tower - Flora Carr 💜 Be the Sea - Clara Ward ❤️ What Grows in the Dark - Jaq Evans 🧡 Heirs of Bone and Sea - Kay Adams 💛 The Haunting of Velkwood - Gwendolyn Kiste 💙 Thunder Song - Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe 💜 Mona of the Manor - Armistead Maupin 🌈 Like Happiness - Ursula Villarreal-Moura

❤️ Ellipses - Vanessa Lawrence 🧡 Saint, Sorrow, Sinner - Freydís Moon 💛 Blood & Brujas - Mikayla D. Hornedo 💚 Infinity Kings - Adam Silvera 💙 Really Cute People - Markus Harwood-Jones 💜 How You Were Born - Kate Cayley ❤️ These Bodies Between Us - Sarah Van Name 🧡 Icarus - K. Ancrum 💛 The Emperor and the Endless Palace - Justinian Huang 💙 How Not to Date an Angel - Lana Kole 💜 Enemy Colours - R.M. Olson 🌈 Broken Parts Included - Alyson Root

❤️ Who's Afraid of Gender? - Judith Butler 🧡 The Duke’s Cowboy - Andrew Grey 💛 The Secret Something - Emily Wright 💚 Colstead & Andie - Olivia Janae 💙 Play It Again, Ma’am - Sienna Waters 💜 Love Is…? - K.J. Wrights ❤️ Welcome to Forever - Nathan Tavares 🧡 Just Another Epic Love Poem - Parisa Akhbari 💛 The Phoenix Bride - Natasha Siegel 💙 These Letters End in Tears - Musih Tedji Xaviere 💜 Truly Home - J.J. Hale 🌈 Monster Mixer - Robin Jo Margaret

❤️ The House of Hidden Meanings - RuPaul 🧡 Promised to the Queen - Barbara Winkes 💛 A Conclave of Crimson - Nicole Eigener & Beverley Lee 💚 A Hunt of Blood and Iron - Cara Nox 💙 The Fealty of Monsters - Ladz 💜 Ariel Crashes a Train - Olivia A. Cole ❤️ Those Beyond the Wall - Micaiah Johnson 🧡 Dancing Toward Stardust - Julia Underwood 💛 Heir to Dreams & Darkness - Ben Alderson 💙 Comet Cruise - Niska Morrow 💜 Dead Girls Walking - Sami Ellis 🌈 Blackout - Carlos E. Rivera

❤️ Monster Crush - Erin Ellie Franey 🧡 Blessed Water - Margot Douaihy 💛 These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart - Izzy Wasserstein 💚 Kiss of Seduction - Rawnie Sabor 💙 Sunbringer - Hannah Kaner 💜 Evacuation to Love - C.A. Popovich ❤️ Sin - Brooke Matthews 🧡 Falls from Grace - Ruby Landers 💛 Lean in to Love - Catherine Lane 💙 A Small Apocalypse - Laura Chow Reeve 💜 Cascade Failure - L.M. Sagas 🌈 The Mars House - Natasha Pulley

❤️ All This Time - Sage Donnell 🧡 The Romance Lovers Book Club - MA Binfield 💛 View from the Top - Morgan Adams 💚 Number Call - Nagisa Furuya 💙 Crossing Bridges - Chelsey Lynford 💜 The Boyfriend Subscription - Steven Salvatore ❤️ Love the World or Get Killed Trying - Alvina Chamberland 🧡 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💛 The Prince & His Stolen Groom - J.E. Ridge 💙 Chrysalis and Requiem - Quinton Li 💜 Where Sleeping Girls Lie - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 🌈 A Botanical Daughter - Noah Medlock

❤️ Wednesday Nights - by Donna Jay 🧡 The Woods All Black - Lee Mandelo 💛 Song of the Huntress - Lucy Holland 💚 Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash 💙 Spirits & Sunflowers - A.D. Armistead & Austin Daniel 💜 Floating Hotel - Grace Curtis ❤️ Far From Camelot - Rylee Hale 🧡 This Way to Change - Jezz Chung 💛 Mexican Bird - Luis Lopez-Maldonado 💙 Android Affection: Unveiling - Beau Van Dalen 💜 Welcome to the Damned - Astraea Long 🌈 She Came for Blood - Darva Green

❤️ Cover Story - Rachel Lacey 🧡 The Poisons We Drink - Bethany Baptiste 💛 The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist - Sophie Gonzales 💚 In Walked Trouble - Dana Hawkins 💙 Never Leave, Never Lie - Thea Verdone 💜 Guardian: Zhen Hun - Priest ❤️ All the World Beside - Garrard Conley 🧡 Rainbows, Unicorns, and Triangles - Jessica Kingsley Publishers 💛 The Feast Makers - H.A. Clarke 💙 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💜 All the Painted Stars - Emma Denny 🌈 A Hard Sell - Jennifer Moffatt

[tavyliasin]

BG3 FicFeb NSFW - Day 9

Gods help me this was probably the filthiest sex I have written so far. Probably. I have no memory left now I'm done with it.

YURGIR FANS PLEASE COME AND TAKE HIM AWAY AGAIN I CANNOT WRITE HIM AGAIN (Edit - Lia is writing Yurgir again and no longer wants help)

Lia's destroyed soul aside, I hope you enjoy this one loves~

Raphael has lost a wager to Haarlep and now waits in the boudoir, where the incubus is leading an Orthon with the promise of a shortened sentence if he fills his end of the bargain...

CWs and tags for: Size kink, tail pulling, biting, blood, incubus aphrodisiac, bondage, exhibitionism, rough sex, degradation kink (if I am missing any please let me know to add them!)

SMUT BELOW THE CUT ----- -----

Day 9 - Exhibitionism

“An interesting proposal, creature.” Yurgir glared down at the incubus, refusing to dignify them even with a nickname. “And he has agreed to this? How?” 

“He will tell you that he lost a bet,” Haarlep smirked, “however, you should not believe for a single second that he had any intention of winning.”

“The bastard is aware of your choice in coming to me?” The orthon tilted his head, checking every word of the verbal contract as it was laid out before him, lest one small mistake cost him another century of service.  “He will not use it against me?” 

“I think perhaps he hoped it would be his favourite Little Mouse who was summoned, but he left the choice to me.” The incubus ran a finger along Yurgir’s expansive chest, the sharp edge of their claw threatening to pierce even his thick skin. “Are you not interested? This little bargain could shorten your sentence by half, and I will not leave you disappointed by your part in it either.” 

“Very well. If you think yourself foolish enough to endure the night, creature, then have it your way.” 

—

Raphael made for a truly captive audience in the boudoir. He was bound to the ceiling, suspended from a series of ropes and pulleys, wings splayed wide with his arms twisted behind his back. The gag carried his own scent, the shame of his own undergarments shoved unceremoniously into his mouth to muffle his complaints. 

Leaving, of course, would be a simple matter. The signal to the cursed Harlot would be easily given, and never ignored. Rules and contracts - hell has its laws and they will be upheld. He shivered as the orthon was led into the room by the incubus, both barely dressed in scraps of leather as neither seemed fond of being properly dressed. Not that he had room to criticise, clothed only in rope, skin prickling with heat and a line of sweat running along the ridges of his waist. 

“He makes quite the chandelier.” Yurgir nodded towards him as the pair came closer to the bed.

“That he does, a beautiful display just for us. Right where he can watch everything you do to the perfect copy of his own body, where he can see everything he will feel.” Haarlep smirked, kneeling on the bed and beckoning the larger man closer. “Come, have a taste. It has been some time, has it not? Tainted meat is not the same as the source~”

“You even carry his stench.” Yurgir frowned, sniffing a little deeper as he leaned over the bed, hands on the sheets either side of the incubus’s hips, slowly crawling over them like a predator. “But there is another that is yours alone.” 

“Very perceptive~ You hear that, Archduke? I even smell better than you.” Raphael could only groan his displeasure through the silk filling his mouth, the scent inescapable in an irony that Haarlep no doubt intended.

“Such interesting songs he sings when his silver tongue is stilled.” The orthon growled, one large hand shoving Haarlep roughly back into the pillows. “I will take none of your poison, creature, but you must be prepared to receive me. Break too soon and I will leave dissatisfied.”

“Go ahead~” Haarlep purred, parting their legs and dismissing their harness with a flicker of infernal fire. “Make sure he can see everything.”

Raphael’s brow knitted into a frown as Haarlep held his gaze, challenging him to keep his eyes wide open as the orthon sank down to their hips, hoisting their legs easily in one hand. 

—

Yurgir found the fiend to be quite pliable. Their tail even curled beneath him, teasing at his loincloth while he lowered his lips to the base of their tail. Their scent was strong here, enticing, drawing him in. But the look on their face was irritating him, the lowly beast had power of the one that held his own reins, and that in itself was an insult. He had no intention of being gentle nor giving them more pleasure than came as a side effect to seeking his own.

The orthon sank his teeth into the soft flesh at the base of the despicable creature’s tail, seasoning his tongue with the taste of hot blood that oozed to the surface. “You know, even that carries a hint of my poison~” their voice teased, only the hint of pain crossing their features as he sucked harshly at the wound to draw more out.

“Then I will take everything I desire. You should have warned me.” The lust began to burn hot through his veins, blood rushing low where the incubus was already pulling aside his loincloth with the tip of their tail.

“Warn you?” They crooned, voice dripping with amusement and desire. “Now where would be the fun in that?” 

—

Haarlep kept their eyes fixed on Raphael, licking their lips as they subtly cast sending. “You feel that, Archduke? How even the tip of his tongue is so strong without even going inside yet?” They briefly tapped the orthon on his stomach with their tail. “Give him a better view.” 

Yurgir had been holding both their ankles together and aloft with one hand, but he accepted the suggestion, albeit in his own way. 

Haarlep yelped slightly as the orthon had little care for delicacy, gripping their legs one in each hand and wedging their thighs in the curve of the tusk-like horns on the side of his head. The jagged edges bit into their skin, the pain quickly melding into a deep pleasure as his tongue thrust inside, a feral hunger threatening to devour the incubus whole if they let him. 

The orthon growled, the vibration passing through his throat into his tongue which mercilessly fucked into Haarlep, drawing a moan from their audience above. 

—

Raphael could see everything.

What’s more, he could feel every pleasurable part of it, too. He moaned even as the damned Harlot spoke into his mind with another sending, even their thoughts as breathless as he felt. “Ah- You feel that, Archduke? Mmf- oh he is hungry, and- …oh yes, he knows exactly where to- Hold yourself back. I will give pemissi-mmmh…” 

Raphael could respond if he wanted to, the sending allowed it, but there was nothing he had to say to the bitch in heat rolling around on the bed beneath him, gripping the sheets, as he was left to desperately hold himself back with his tail to prevent himself from coating the pair beneath him in the lust that was already seeping from his tip. The cambion gritted his teeth around the gag. He wound his tail tightly around his base, using the tip as a temporary cork to further keep his climax from peaking too soon. 

It was no easy feat, Yurgir was showing no mercy. One long and thick finger began to slide in alongside his tongue. His other hand raked along the incubus’s chest, drawing thick lines of blood and swollen skin, a long and pleased moan leaving the Harlot’s lips. 

Of course they would enjoy this, they were forever moaning about combining pleasure and pain as one singular experience of bliss, and for a moment he was almost jealous that only the pleasure transferred to his bound body without the pain. The domain of the incubus was only that of lust, after all…

The jealousy soon faded when the orthon added a second finger, beginning to roughly scissor Haarlep in rough preparation, clearly beginning to lose any hint of patience as the writhed and moaned beneath him.

“Next time you should take him yourself, Archdu-! Ahhh- Should I ask him for more? He is…HUGE…” 

—

Haarlep forced their eyes to stay open even as lust wanted to press them closed, to indulge only in the sensation, but they needed to see Raphael’s frown, watching a single drip fall onto the orthon’s head.

They considered telling him, but given his disdain for their safety they chose not to risk true anger. Their tail coaxed him on, feeling every hardened ridge pulsing with the aphrodisiac he had tasted in their blood. “Come now, I am more than ready for one such as you, Yurgir.” 

“I will never know if you are brave or foolish, creature,” he shoved their legs roughly free from where they had been on his horns and let them drop to the bed. “I tire of your face, it is not his. You wear a mask that looks like him, smells like him, but you are not Raphael. Worry not, creature, he will see every way I ruin you.” 

“Go ahead~ If you make the pathetic Master of the House above you climax more than twice, I might even let you fuck him yourself next time. You want to know how he tastes compared to me, don’t you~” They grinned, teeth bared in challenge, seeing how he salivated more at the thought. “I thought as much. Go on, earn it.” 

—

Yurgir snarled as he flipped them over, shoving them to their knees. He pulled their tail up and over their back, finally looking over his shoulder to where the cambion was held, eyes watering with need. “Is your hole just like this, devil?” He sucked the taste from his fingers, pressing them inside once more, teasing them open and ensuring Raphael watched. 

It pleased him to see how the fiend strained against his bindings.

“You truly do feel it, don’t you…” He growled with a grin, stooping down for another taste, changing the angle, this time pressing harder at just the point that brought a chorus of near identical moans from two throats. He pulled back and looked up again, thrusting his fingers more slowly as he teased both bodies with the sensation. “Go on, rain your filth down upon me. Use your own tail to fill your rancid hole if you wish, it is a pitiful comparison but it will barely take that much to bring you to your end now, will it, devil?” 

He returned one last time to devour the incubus, increasing the pace of his fingers and matching it with his tongue, feeling their muscles begin to twitch around him, their body quivering as he kept them held with a savage grip on their tail. 

It took less than a minute to feel the hot splashes upon his shoulders, similar coating the sheets beneath the incubus as twin moans reached his ears. He drew it out longer, a challenge to the writhing creature to try and withstand the intensity of the onslaught to their insides, thrusting past the point of overstimulation as their wings shivered in delight.

The thought of pleasuring them was almost sickening, but knowing that the bastard who held his contract was whimpering above him like a pathetic mortal…that was deeply arousing. 

Yurgir kept hold of Haarlep’s tail, finally withdrawing his fingers and reaching underneath to feel where they twitched and dripped onto the sheets. “I had thought you to have more stamina, creature.” 

“It will take more than that to satisfy me~ Are you going to make use of that weapon between your legs, or simply talk me to sleep?” They taunted, wiggling their hips where they still made a scandalous display, gaping, wet with his saliva, twitching and waiting.

He would not keep them waiting any longer. 

—

Haarlep wondered for a moment if they had gone too far in their teasing, the growl from behind them sparking a primal fear they had not felt in centuries. They felt him rise onto his knees, holding their legs close together between impossibly thick thighs. In some ways they were glad that Raphael’s cambion body, such as the copy of it they wore at least, was only a couple of heads shorter than the Orthon, but the rest of their body did not come close to matching his size. 

His hand covered most of their abdomen as he gripped their waist with savage strength, lifting them higher and guiding them back towards the twitching tip they had grasped with their tail earlier. 

Another sending to taunt their master, while the orthon began to slowly slide inside to the first ridge.

“Your own tail, Archduke, match his pace. This once, do as you want, cover him, remind him that his place is still beneath you.” 

The bumps and spikes covering Yurgir might easily tear open a mortal, or even a fiend who was not prepared. Even the incubus felt their mind haze at the edges with the harsh friction as each new ridge pressed inside until large hips were flush with his, the hand on their stomach pressing harder against them with a pleased growl.

—

Raphael pulled hopelessly at the bindings. He felt every inch of friction just as he could see it below him. He bit hard on the filthy cloth in his mouth, groaning when the orthon arched his back to look up at him. 

“Jealousy, demon, is not a colour I expected to see in your eyes. What is it you want to say, I wonder?” Yurgir laughed, a wicked look on his face. “I prefer you like this, tongue stilled by your own filth, your lies kept silent for a change.” 

The cambion frowned. Any other time he might have wished to add another millennium to the contract, to use every loophole to make it feel three times as long, but the feeling of being utterly full without a hint of movement was driving him to tears. 

“You want me to fuck your pet incubus? Nod your head, demon, tell me you want to feel how completely I can bring the pitiful creature to ruin alongside you.” Yurgir’s stare was a challenge, still refusing to move a muscle without a reply.

Raphael nodded, a slight whimper of desperation slipping past the gag. 

“Interesting. You can follow orders.” The orthon grinned, turning his attention back to the incubus below. “Prepare yourself, creature, your vile poison has tainted my veins too deeply with your vile lust.” 

Raphael’s eyes were transfixed as Yurgir began to thrust mercilessly, pulling all of the way back and slamming forwards with a force that could easily snap bone. But despite the Orthon’s assessment, Haarlep was not fragile. He had seen them endure, enjoy, far rougher partners. Some larger too, depending on the glamour they wore. 

Still, they whined and keened into silken pillows, taloned fingers gripping the sheets and tearing holes in the fabric. His vision blurred as his eyes stung with hot tears from the overwhelming sensation, trying to follow the instruction he was given but finding his own tail a poor comparison to the sight below.

—

The room was filled only with the sound of the moans of an incubus getting exactly what they wanted, the lust-drenched grunts of the orthon taking everything he felt he deserved, and the pitiful keening of the cambion who could feel it all and yet nothing at all. 

Another climax overwhelmed Raphael, his body jerking hard against the ropes as his release fell hot onto Yurgir’s back, dripping down across his huge form that continued to move at a merciless pace. 

The orthon had let go of the incubus’s tail which now hung loose and quivering down their own back. Instead, he had reached below to take a grip of their still dripping length, punishing them with their own overstimulated pleasure as he used their own release to let his fingers slide more easily. 

—

By the time Yurgir felt his own release build to the pinnacle he had been desperate for, his back was a dripping mess, the cambion above him barely whimpering now in complete ruin, the incubus still somehow moaning and shaking with desire.

His final thrusts pulsed hot, filling the creature just as they deserved, their body now a mere hole for him to use for the last shuddering moments of bliss as finally the lust burning through his veins was sated. 

He was breathing heavily, his own body feeling close to spent, as he pulled free and unceremoniously flipped the incubus onto their back. To his utter disgust, they were grinning, laughing-

“You find this amusing?” He growled, trying to find the edge of threat in his own voice but losing it to satiated exhaustion as he sat back on the bed, feeling the cold mess on his back dribbling down onto the sheets.

“No, no-” Haarlep tried hard to regain their composure. “I am not mocking you, orthon, you were quite the delicious treat~”

“Then why must you cackle like a drunken imp, vile creature?” 

“Because he thought I wouldn’t be able to take it. I’d offer a second round, but I’m afraid I should take care of the Archduke now, or he won’t be in any state to pay the fee for the bet he just lost.” Haarlep smirked. 

“A second gamble. Of course you wouldn’t tell the truth.” 

“Are you dissatisfied?” 

“...Call upon me if you wish to make another bet, creature. Next time I will add my own wager.”

[kaywavy]

transforming soffits reorganizing keys formalizing immersion joints justifying kick extractors advising aggregates managing elbows recasting connectors achieving aluminum trowels officiating disks exhibiting absolute spigots progressing coil hydrants jerry-building reflectors informing casters inventing rubber hoists performing wrenches judging chalk adapters upgrading ignition paths

regrowing flashing recommending ratchets approving barriers sweeping impact fillers sewing mirrors detailing collectors enforcing measures distributing systems presenting plugs interwinding registers piloting ash diffusers gathering cranks supplying eave pockets undertaking scroll stops accelerating straps designing fittings protecting diamond boilers logging downspouts correlating shingles uniting mallets qualifying electrostatic lifts sharing clamps obtaining circular fluids ranking foundation gauges sensing miter brackets originating space networks translating drills regulating guards selecting gable padding utilizing pellet dowels reconciling artifacts altering pulleys shedding space filters determining vents representing mortar remaking flash rakers supporting funnels typecasting rotary chocks expressing junctures resetting auxiliary vises professing strip treads inlaying matter trowels questioning drivers forming edge fittings sketching blanks overshooting spark breakers rewriting controls playing tunnels inventorying buttons enduring joint handles effecting ratchet bibbs unwinding couplings forsaking vapor conduits defining sockets calculating heaters raising grids administering tiles measuring resources installing ignition remotes extracting corners manufacturing ventilators delegating consoles treating mounting stones enacting jig deflectors intensifying alleys improvising cargo pinpointing bobs prescribing arc masonry structuring metal chucks symbolizing lathes activating plumb kits adapting coatings fixing channels expediting cordage planning compressors enlisting hangers restructuring keyhole augers shearing ridge hardware collecting reciprocating bolts maintaining corrugated dimmers whetting hole collars conducting mandrels comparing assets compiling sealants completing paths composing equivocation wheels computing dampers conceiving electrostatic treatment ordering cotter grates organizing ties orienting ladders exceeding materials targeting thermocouples demonstrating emery stock expanding latch bases training wardrobe adhesives overcomming[sic] fasteners streamlining storm anchors navigating springs perfecting turnbuckles verifying gate pegs arbitrating arithmetic lifts negotiating outlets normalizing strips building surface foggers checking key torches knitting grinders mowing planers offsetting stencils acquiring bulbs adopting rivets observing avenues ascertaining coaxial grommets slinging wing winches instituting circuit generators instructing wicks integrating pry shutters interpreting immersion lumber clarifying coils classifying wood bits closing cogs cataloging matter strips charting holders conceptualizing push terminals stimulating supports overthrowing shaft spacers quick-freezing connectors unbinding ground hooks analyzing eyes anticipating gateways controlling proposition rollers converting power angles coordinating staples correcting benders counseling joist gaskets recording gutter pipes recruiting drains rehabilitating rafter tubes reinforcing washers reporting guard valves naming freize sprues nominating rings noting straps doubling nailers drafting circuit hoses dramatizing flanges splitting framing compounds refitting stems interweaving patch unions placing sillcocks sorting slot threads securing mode cutters diverting catharsis plates procuring load thresholds transferring syllogism twine directing switch nuts referring time spools diagnosing knobs discovering locks dispensing hinges displaying hasps resending arc binders retreading grooves retrofitting aesthetics portals seeking stocks shrinking wormholes assembling blocks assessing divers attaining lug boxes auditing nescience passages conserving strikes constructing braces contracting saw catches serving installation irons recognizing fluxes consolidating fuse calipers mapping shims reviewing chop groovers scheduling lag drives simplifying hoists engineering levels enhancing tack hollows establishing finishing blocks

[an-apocalypse-of-magpies]

Pitolu, Toa of Force

Some of the Toa of Pazu Nui find themselves lacking in purpose, and this gives them anxiety. Pitolu found himself lacking in purpose, and it gave him freedom. With no Ve-Matoran to look after, no home to protect, and to legacy to live up to, Pitolu life is his own. Some of the other Toa may call this selfish, but Pitolu is not lacking in compassion - he merely lives the the beat of his own drum. As such, he doesn’t really believe in Destiny, or rather, he doesn’t believe in fruitlessly striving for an unknown fate, but instead that Destiny will come for you bade or otherwise, and it is far better to be flexible and adaptable enough to accept it, even if you don’t like what it turns out to be. He rips around Pazu Nui on his Chaos Screw according to his own whims, and the mode of transport can become a formidable weapon with the aid of his own Force powers and his Kanohi Hup, the Mask of Rebounding, which allows him to recall the Chaos Screw from any distance at considerable speed and power.

Remember how Bionicle’s first advertising bits made heavy use of extreme sports? You know, surfing, bouldering, football, that sort of thing? Pitolu’s a little bit of a return to that. He was originally was meant to have a different weapon - a pair of shields covered in detonating charges - but I saw someone else make a MOC with that weapon, so I decided to go a little more inventive. The spinning top idea came to me inspired by the Spinner moveset in Hyrule Warriors, and I thought it’d be cool. The pulley wheel and top plate allow a string to be wound around it as a wind-up cord, and the pin on the top is without friction ridges, allowing it to spin when attached to one of his feet. I decided to try and use more sand green pieces this time compared to my previous Toa of Force Vehunga, and I like how it came out. I figure his personality is very chill and surfer-dude.

Kanohi Hup design by Rothanak

[jellyfishinajamjar]

Using my limited knowledge of anatomy to come up with places on the Boiling Isles

Tail Reef. The Titan’s tail is underwater, but the first few vertebrae are only slightly submerged, and so form the base of a coral reef

Ilium, named for the Illiac Crest which forms a mountain ridge at the Titan’s hips. Home to the Hip Grand Prix, where racers fly between and under the hips and back

Aortown, a mining town at the Navel, where the descending aorta splits into the common iliac arteries. In the past it was a very rich mining site for Titans Blood, and now is a major overland shipping town, due to the large and sprawling tunnel network cut through the veins

Big Toe Island, on the Titan’s left foot, pokes above the water line. Largely isolated from the rest of the mainland

Leg Pit-stop, a hanging city which dangles in the empty space between the upper and lower parts of the leg that makes up the Knee. Serves as a trade post and dry dock for merchant vessels going from the left leg to the right arm. Docked vessels are literally hoisted out of the sea by pulley so they can be repaired

Radial Valley, formed by the dip between the radius and ulna on the left arm. A largely untamed wilderness separating New Plam Stings from the body, except by sea. With the left arm now raised, traversing the 80 degree monster packed slope is the only way to reach cities distal to the forearm

The Peak, a formerly submerged pointer finger on the left arm that now represents the highest point on the Boiling Isles. Due to the altitude, it is effectively unreachable, as anyone trying would have to climb from New Plam Stings up the finger, and due to its submersion in the Boiling Sea it has no native plants or animals, and due to elevation the air is so thin that you have to bring your own oxygen. Expeditions to reach The Peak have so far met with failure, thought that hasn’t stopped people from trying

[crownamedblue]

Names are So Fuckin Weird

(And that's pretty fuckin cool)

I wrote a while ago about names, but, after recent inspiration, I've found I still have so much more to say. This isn’t about the classical or modern definitions of someone’s true name (the answer involves ancient egypt, voodoo, and the church), nor is it about what someone’s real name is. No, today I want to talk about the function of a name, and the strange side-effects not written on the side of the bottle. 

This first bit of inspiration has been– let’s say– “borrowed”. To be fair, I am almost entirely sure that the very same bit of inspiration has been stolen from somebody else entirely, but alack & alas, such is the way of writers. I digress. Imagine, if you will, a pencil. Focus on the pencil, on its ridges, the unevenness of the exposed wood reaching up to the graphite tip. The pale arches, giving way to a garish yellow paint. At the bottom: an eraser mostly gone, mostly stale, mostly useless. This pencil’s name is Steven. Say Hello to Steven, Class. Still with me? Imagine Steven. Imagine someone ripping poor Steven out of your hand and snapping it against their knee, like Steven is nothing, means nothing. It hurts a little bit, huh? Hate to break it to you friends, but Steven is an imaginary pencil. You are a little bit upset over a made up, nonexistent piece of wood. But it wasn’t just a pencil, was it? It was Steven the pencil. All that because I gave it a name. 

There’s a book I highly suggest that you read. It’s a reiteration of old fairy tales, including two gay princes, a black snow white, a ghostly beast, and a street-smart Ursula convincing Ariel that maybe, just maybe, she shouldn’t throw her life away for a boy (the book is called Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales by Soman Chainani). It is an excellent read, and it made my Tales Dark and Grimm obsessed inner child absolutely ecstatic. It also features a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin with good ol’ rump being none other than the Devil himself. The story still stands, still makes sense, because to give something a name is to classify it, to place it into a box, to give it a beginning and an end. Let me explain. Consider, if you will, two different tests. One of the tests you have been studying for, and you know for a fact that it will be incredibly challenging, and you might very well fail. The other test, you’ve been informed by a reliable source, is far easier, but they refuse to tell you what it’s on. You’re still going to pick the harder test. Perhaps you’d prefer a different analogy entirely. You’re in a forest and you can see two paths before you. One contains a lion, a tiger, and a bear (oh my), while the other is completely covered in darkness. Through the darkness you can see three pairs of eyes, three sets of gnashing teeth, and hear the footsteps and clawing of wild, hungry animals. Down the second path could also be a lion, a tiger, and a bear, or it could be three bears, or it could be three rabbits pretending to be bears, or it could even be a scooby-doo-esq contraption scaring away hikers. You don’t know, you can’t tell, and so you’ll choose the thing you can see, that you’re familiar with. There's a common turn of phrase that, funnily enough, ties this back to Dangerous Tales: better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. The Devil is essentially a symbol of all things dark and evil and malicious, it’s effectively a title or a catch-all. The Devil is whatever you want it to be and everything you don’t, it is fluid and omniscient and all-powerful. To give it a name is to define it, to place it into a box. Naming something tells you the subject of the second test, it solidifies the shadows into a pulley system and a wireless speaker. The Devil is unknowable, but Rumplestiltskin is a little red man with more magic in his pinky than your entire body. That being said, he’s still a man, and all men die eventually.

Consider again the paths and the beasts. Knowing that the path covered in darkness contains the beasts changes nothing. You still need to go down the path. It does, however, allow you to take action. You cannot act against something without first knowing what it is, or at least giving a name to it: you can only act against what you can describe. Consider the difference between being sad, being depressed, and being clinically depressed. Each of these have similar symptoms, and each can simply be described as “being sad”, but if someone is unaware that they have clinical depression, they can only try to fix their own sadness. One cannot cure clinical depression with comfort food or puppies. This doesn’t always work, of course. Sometimes things are unavoidable, and knowing just what they are, naming them, does not make it any better, or allow one to take action against it. For example, knowing that you’re on the neurodivergent spectrum, ADHD or Autistic or wherever you fall, doesn’t let you take action against that thing. Sure you can form coping mechanisms, learn to mask, take pills to let you focus, that sort of thing, but you’re only fighting the symptoms: you’re still on the neurodivergent spectrum. The proper naming of something, at the barest of minimums, brings closure. Conversely, the misnaming of something instead brings about dissonance. Pulling from a previous example, a clinically depressed person knows that they are more than just sad, even if not yet diagnosed (with the exception of denial). When the wrong name is used, someone personally intimate with the thing can tell, even if they don’t know what the proper name is. This is most commonly seen as when you forget someone’s name and start to guess: you can tell that each guess is wrong, even without actually knowing what the right name is. This effect doesn’t even have to be with people’s names, it could be the name of a tool or even just a word. I’m referring to, of course, that time when the word is just on the tip of your tongue: that sense of dissonance when you start just listing out synonyms and that sense of closure, that rush of satisfaction when you finally get it right. Even if it is a solid hour or two later and the good vibes are crushed by frustration before the good vibes even hit you.

I don’t think people really spend a lot of time dwelling on names as a concept. People definitely think about names, as in what to name their child, what to name themselves, if someone can rename themselves. We can sort of see some consideration of concept in that last one, but it’s closer to conscious, mostly morality minded, and, I’d posit, purely philosophical, as opposed to often unrealized reaction. To clear up confusion summoned by superficial, supposedly superfluous, and altogether avoidable alliteration, we don’t really think of names as their own entity. They’re a means to an end, a way of addressing something. Just as pronouns are a shortcut so you don’t have to say the name, names are a shortcut so you don’t have to explain the entirety. You can just say “Blue” instead of having to say “the annoying living bisexual stereotype who simultaneously thinks far too much and far too little of themselves”. That idea of a name is what people really think about: the more functional practicalities as they intermingle with one’s conscience and sensibilities. However, for whatever reason, names are much more than that, to the point that they seem to hold a power in and of themselves. I think that’s pretty cool. Sorry about Steven.

^^ this is the post that Steven is from, and I was right, it was also stolen

[pranaliahuja12]

Top Things to Consider About Before Buying a Polyurethane Timing Belt (PU Timing Belt) 

An example of a power transmission belt that synchronizes the rotation of two or more parts in various mechanical systems is a polyurethane timing belt, sometimes called a timing belt or synchronous belt. Because it is typically made of a robust, flexible polyurethane material, it is known as "polyurethane." They are often utilized in various applications, including conveyor systems, printing presses, business equipment, auto engines, and many others where precise timing and power transmission are essential. 

Timing belts made of polyurethane have several significant attributes, such as: 

PU timing belt with a toothed pattern include internal ridges or teeth that mesh with corresponding pulleys or sprockets. The serrated design, which ensures tight contact and prevents slippage, enables the exact synchronization of shafts. 

High Efficiency: The flexibility and serrated structure of the polyurethane material enable effective power transmission with low energy loss. 

Low Maintenance: These belts require comparably less maintenance since they don't need lubrication and are resistant to various environmental factors, including moisture, chemicals, and oil. 

Noise reduction: Polyurethane timing belts operate more quietly than other belts due to their toothed design, which reduces noise and vibration. 

PU timing belt are widely used in CNC machines, robotics, 3D printers, and other mechanical and industrial systems that demand precise motion control. They are preferred over different types of belts in situations when dependability and accurate timing are essential. They are a popular choice in many sectors because of their minimal maintenance requirements and resistance to wear. 

When buying a polyurethane timing belt, there are several important factors and considerations to keep in mind to ensure you receive the right belt for your specific application.  

Below are the essentials to consider: 

Application needs: Recognize the unique requirements of your application. Considerations should be made for speed, torque, load, and operating environment. Different belt sizes, profiles, and materials could be required for diverse applications. Make sure to talk about these things with pu timing belt manufacturers. 

Belt Size: Make the appropriate belt size and tooth profile selections based on the requirements of your application. The size and profile of the belt affect its ability to convey power quickly and accurately. 

Tooth pitch: Determine the tooth pitch that is suitable for your application. A lower pitch allows finer placement accuracy, while a larger angle supports bigger weights. 

Belt length: Determine the required belt length based on the distance between the pulleys or sprockets in your system. Ensure your timing belt is long enough to provide the proper tension and engagement. 

Weight capacity: Given that it may impact the belt's performance regarding weight-bearing power, energy efficiency, and noise level, consider the tooth shape, such as curvilinear or trapezoidal. 

Substance and Reinforcement: Examine the belt's layers of reinforcement and meaning. Polyurethane timing belts may be reinforced with various substances, such as steel or aramid cables. The choice of timing belts India is made based on the application's needs for strength and durability. 

Operating: Look into the working conditions that the belt may encounter. Consider variables including temperature, moisture content, chemical exposure, and UV radiation exposure.  

Tensioning system: You should decide on the best tensioning mechanism for your belt. The tension affects a belt's performance and durability. Tensioners come in both manual and automatic varieties, depending on your application. 

Maintenance: Consider the belt's maintenance requirements. Polyurethane timing belts require little maintenance; however, their tension has to be checked occasionally. 

Budget: Compare prices of various manufacturers and vendors to ensure the belt you purchase is within your budget. Remember that more expensive belts of superior quality could perform better and last longer. 

Supplier Reputation: If you want timing belts of the finest standard, reputable manufacturers and suppliers are advised. Examine a product's certifications and customer evaluations to verify its trustworthiness and get warranty card from pu timing belt manufacturers. 

Installation: The efficiency of a belt depends on how it is installed. Follow the manufacturer's facility, tensioning, and alignment directions for the greatest performance. 

Spare components: Consider purchasing extra timing belts India or replacement components for your timing belt system to minimize downtime in the case of unanticipated breakdowns. 

If you wanted to know regarding the timing belt, then we have shared all the information here. So, you may give it a read! Jigna Sales offers the best timing belt. 

[mira1308]

Tourist places to visit with family.

Bangalore

Bangalore is a dynamic city that effectively takes special care of the ‘hip and current’ age of youngsters. The city, which is a blend of societies, has a plenty of phenomenal exercises that will keep the youthful (and energetic) excited for a really long time. You will be stacked with choices with regards to activities in Bangalore for teens, whether it’s a thrilling outing, kayaking, zip-lining, and other gutsy games, touring, feasting, travels, or celebrating after dusk. Bangalore has all that you could need, from watching the dawn at Nandi Slopes to moving at one of the city’s clubs. In its most fundamental structure, zip-lining includes down a slope through a link that starts at a higher situation than the end. The erosion is limited by utilizing a pulley where the zip lines dive at a moderately quicker rate. Before zip-lining, patients with heart issues, hypertension, or other actual hardships might need to look for clinical counsel. Also look up adventure resorts in Bangalore.

Among the 15+ bold exercises Q mango timberland offers, zip lining is one of them. As your eyes take in the stunning vista, feel the air hanging from the zip-line at Q mango Timberland. The City takes care of its celebrating swarm with an exceptional selection of bars, bars, parlors, and dance club, making it quite possibly of the most exuberant metropolitan in the district. A couple of well known bars and clubs for you to partake in the night are Badmaash, Indigo XP, Nolimmits Parlor and Club, Rocks, and so on.

Extravagance stay in Chikmagalur

The Swarga Retreat homestay is situated between the most lovely pinnacles of Baba Budangiri, Kemmangundi and Mullangiri, encompassed by lavish greenery,with different conveniences like swimming pool,private cascade and exercises like nature strolls, jeep rides and journeying, swarga retreat is one of its sort insight, each and every detail including food, and comfortable stay are custom fitted for your solace and close to nature and one of the luxury Stay in Chikmagalur.

Swarga Retreat is enhanced in the lavish greens of a ridge, which furnishes you with a comfortable spaceto partake in the vegetation in the thick greens of Chikmagaluru Pinnacles and invest some astounding energy with your loved ones. The homestay is likewise included an immense gallery region offering stupendous perspectives on the lavish green valley with a stream streaming at the base where you can have your lunch and supper alongside your loved ones with the tranquil slope top view. Also checkout the amazing chikmagalur resort.

Best retreat in Coorg:

QExperiences, coorg is one of its sort resort in Coorg, with its nearness to different vacationer areas like, Dubare elephant camp where dasara elephants train, Nisarga dhama, and some more!! With giving extravagance, solace and remain, yet additionally making you experience the rush, the experience and the grand magnificence of scotland of India, Qexperiences, Coorg offers concealed and neglected undertakings similar as our stream valley wake, where you experience neglected cascade and waterway valley which no different retreats or homestays offer in closeness of madikeri!

Coorg is popular for being a nature’s abundance and unlikely treasure of the Western Ghats in southern India. With many slants canvassed in green vegetation, espresso manors and the scenes for the most part covered in lovely fog, Coorg positions profoundly in the top choices of individuals hoping to live it up.

This hotel is absolutely an eco-accommodating property,Best resort in Coorg: Qexperiences, Coorg, is one of the remarkably custom-made retreat with free jeep rides and exciting experiences under the quill of QExperiences, at Madikeri, Coorg, Whether it is a gathering of Companions, or a family outing, we guarantee to redo the experience according to the necessities, with the validness of Coorg, we ensure you want to visit over and over to encounter the friendliness and undertakings of our hotel in coorg-Scotland of India in its actual sense. Lastly also checkout madikeri resorts.

[college-girl199328]

How a former ski hill in southern Alberta has become an important key to climate study

Virtually every snowflake that falls on Fortress Mountain in the Kananaskis region is recorded and watched. The Centre for Hydrology's Coldwater Laboratory is made up of stations with instruments placed on the ridges, glaciers, valleys, and creeks in the Alberta Rockies.

Data collected and crunched are forming new and more reliable climate prediction models for flood, drought, and water supply forecasting. Nowadays, they are based on physics instead of observations.

This information is becoming increasingly important, Pomeroy said, as a changing climate changes the norm in the mountains. The formulas they develop are complex but have proven robust, he said.

Pomeroy checks in on the lab's stations as much as some of us scroll through Twitter. In the morning, he wants to know what's happening at Bonsai, Fortress Ledge, and Canadian Ridge.

The bones of this former ski hill, Pomeroy said, make the perfect partnership for climate research. Key staff still work on Fortress, taking care of avalanche control and maintaining the road leading to the old-day lodge.

Without those two things, Pomeroy said, researchers wouldn't be able to make it up to their stations that host various experiments. Taking care of these stations is hard work done by research technician Kieran Lehan, who manages 35 hydrometric stations not just on Fortress Mountain but in other parts of Kananaskis and the Icefields Parkway.

Stations and sensors can be difficult to keep operational in rugged terrain and freezing temperatures. A day of checking out all of the stations on Fortress means hopping on a Skidoo with a sled, bringing a bagged lunch from home, and packing some snowshoes in case of deep snow.

There's a lot of ground to cover, and often it's a windy and cold job. If temperatures dip low enough, some stations need to be swapped out. And that's a heavy lift: a camping cooler full of car batteries to be dragged to the site and buried in deep snow as a backup if wind and solar power fail.

Data isn't just collected from the ground. Madison Harasyn is a research technician who pilots drones with various sensors, including light detection and ranging sensors.

Pomeroy has a laundry list of ongoing experiments and research tied to the equipment you see around. The discoveries researchers with the Center for Hydrology and experts from other institutions have made here.

Discoveries like how Kananaskis' tree line is creeping up the Alpine. Trees hold snow in place, but the snow that shrouds the tops of trees and is caught in branches often evaporates into the atmosphere, never making it down the streams as meltwater.

And to keep track of it, look for a tree in the forest that isn't like the others. It has been chopped from its roots and suspended in the air by some metal scaffolding, a pulley, and some wire.

Lehan climbed the system last fall by climbing the tower with a harness. Pointing cameras in various directions so that the site can be watched remotely, he said this helps in case there's something funny going on with the data.

The tree is weighted at 15-minute intervals, and nearby horse watering troughs catch the snow blown from treetops, incorporating that measurement as well.

He said they've learned how avalanches transport snow into lower elevations where nice, slow-melting reservoirs are created. He'll mention one lake in the winter. In the spring, he said, it is full of water that isn't fed by a stream but by groundwater stored inside the mountain.

Discoveries mean more understanding and data to plug into the complex formulas the Coldwater lab develops to create forecasting models and governments.

He said scientists can manage complex calculations quickly.

[manemelody]

even though i can't assign direct ancestors to them i do think the "noble lie" of zephyr heights royalty being the only ones who can fly might give us a hint to what sort of ponies originally laid claim to the zephyr heights throne.

i am assuming dreeze's map theory that ZH was built near rambling rock ridge or the foal mountains and founded by pegasi after magic being sealed led to cloudsdale collapsing. the isolationist pegasi group saw the predominantly-unicorn (or for almost all the alicorns who used to be unicorns except for cadance who was a pegasus pre-alicorning) royalty in canterlot to be invalid and would want a pegasus to lead them. and if they are focusing on pegasus identity then why not focus on flight and trying to recreate a city in the clouds?

the problem is of course is that nobody can fly now that the magic has been sealed. but perhaps a particularly charismatic stuntpony or even a jingoistic wonderbolt could harness their theatrical skills to give the impression that they were able to hold onto their flight. plus, they would already have a troupe or teammates - the very first royal court in on the "noble lie" right there!

ZH technology would be developed from then on for three main reasons - to protect ZH from "intruders" or "invaders", attempts to recreate flight/cloudsdale without magic, and one known to only the royal court, advisors, and the technicians (perhaps descendants of the original troupe, or talented civillian stagehands "poached" from their jobs to work for the crown) to improve the flight illusion. the pulleys, trick wires, and fans had definitely been around in harmony-era equestria, but the lighting console seen during the movie's "glowing up" number would be cutting edge ZH to hide the hidden wires and machinations going on behind pipp "flying"!

societally the investment create a feedback cycle of the crown "patronising" the performing arts and making new technological innovations to fake flight -> incentivising pegasi to go into and continue developing the same technology due to the crown support -> more innovations and technicians for the crown to make use of and sponsor -> the crown "patronising" the performing arts -> repeat

in any case yes, this does mean pipp being a theatre kid runs in the family.

i usually dislike trying to assign direct ancestors to the g5 ponies simply because i think it was a long time ago and i like focusing on the ponies now but my main three ancestor headcanons have to be jazz hooves being a descendant of the spa ponies, zoom zephyrwing being a cozy glow descendant (somehow since she is. a statue) because they're both pegasi with rooks as their cutie marks, and silverstream being a founder of the sparkling seas culture because she was a successor to laughter and the sparkling seaponies value laughter - although this one will probably be expanded on as set your sail/TYT eps about seaponies roll out

[krawdad]

Was thinking about cookiezilla again

[artblogart]

Saving money at home means making money

For some people it's a sport, but for others it's a necessity: cutting back. Not only here are the best saving tips. There are also many tips on Nibud.nl, Eendutjeopzijnkant.nl and Savingstest.nl. Saving 7,000 euros per year is possible if you follow all the tips correctly.

No curtains for the radiator

Make sure there is no large furniture in front of the radiator. And close the curtains at night. But come up with a creative solution for the curtains that hang in front of the radiator, because they block the heat transport to the room. Close all connecting doors.

Saving money at home means making money

Make it a habit to always close all doors behind you. Otherwise the air will circulate: drafts, moisture and wind will lower the temperature. Therefore, make sure that your letterbox is well draught-free, by building a box for it, or otherwise mounting a special letterbox or anti-draft strip. These tips alone save 30% on your heating costs.

Warm air rises

If you close another door to the top or, even better, close a hatch to the attic, you save a lot, because warm air rises. So the heat immediately hangs through the stairwell against the ridge of the attic and mixes with the cold outside air on the other side of the roof tiles. You will not enjoy that in the living room. That is why insulating your roof is so effective. Your heat can't go any higher. If it is feasible to place a hatch with a counterweight and a pulley in the stairwell or a simple door at the bottom or top of the stairs, then that is a real moneymaker.

Easily create compartments of still air under your floor

Underfloor heating is also important, but for a different reason. That's what the temperature feels like: no matter how warm you dress, if you have cold feet you will still feel uncomfortable. So ensure that the floor is insulated by stapling some plastic to the floor (the ceiling of the basement) in the basement. And then place some stationary air compartments in special heat-reflecting foil and you no longer have cold feet. You can buy the stuff ready-made, but you can also make it yourself. And once you have warm feet, the rest often follows. There is then less need to stoke higher.

Ventilating is actually cheaper

Smart ventilation at times when you don't need the heat. Just five minutes before you leave for work, study or bakery in the morning. Your house is still cold at night, so you don't lose too much heat there. Dry air heats up faster than moist air, so keep track. By default, set the thermostat one degree lower. And you immediately save 6 percent on your energy costs. A return of 6 percent on your investments on the stock market on an annual basis is not wrong at all. And not at home either. Efficiently lowering your thermostat an hour before bedtime to 5 to 9 degrees lower, it quickly saves 20 percent on your stick costs. If your house is already very well insulated, you can lower it by two degrees.

Take a minute shorter shower

A minute shorter shower saves double. On the water and the energy to heat the water. It saves a hundred euros a year. For the handy smart guys among us: you can come up with a system that stores hot shower water in a copper spiral, which then releases the heat to a radiator. If you have it done, you will pay much more on balance than the proceeds, but it is called WTW. So Google WTW for inspiration.

Find the heat leaks in your home with a heat leak scanner

There are heat-sensitive scanners for sale (including from the Home Owners Association) with which you can detect heat leaks in your home. Who knows, there is already a handy app for this. You will see the red spots light up. Those are the places where the heat leaks out the most. Such as windows, cracks, draft spots, doors, mailboxes, dormer windows, keyholes, walls, pipes, stove connections and roofs. Packing the lead Of course, hot water and central heating pipes also give off heat in your home. And that's a nice bonus. But not if it's under a floor or in a closet or in an unused basement or hallway. Wrap those pipes and in this way you push the heat to the places where you do like it: the living room. Placing reflective radiator foil behind your radiator reflects the heat where you want it. Instead of heating the wall, the heat now goes to you.

Finally

Earn and save with some simple tips that you can teach yourself. You don't notice it yourself after a while, because you are so used to it. Teach it to your housemates as well, which will immediately give you a double return. This way you can save a great holiday in no time.

Er zijn warmtegevoelige scanners te koop (onder andere bij Vereniging eigen huis) waarmee je in je huis de warmtelekken op kunt sporen. Wie weet is er ook al een handige app hiervoor. Je ziet de rode plekken oplichten. Dat zijn de plekken waar de warmte het meest weglekt. Zoals ramen, kieren, tochtplekken, deuren, brievenbussen, dakkapellen, sleutelgaten, muren, leidingen, kachelaansluitingen en daken.

De leiding inpakken

Warm water en cv leidingen geven uiteraard ook warmte af in je huis. En dat is mooi meegenomen. Maar niet als het onder een vloer of in een kast of in een ongebruikte kelder of gang is. Inpakken die leidingen en zo stuw je de warmte naar de plekken waar je het wel prettig vindt: den huiskamer. Reflecterend radiatorfolie achter je radiator plaatsen kaatst de warmte waar je die wilt. In plaats van de muur verwarmen, gaat de hitte nu naar jou.

Tot slot

Verdien en bespaar door wat eenvoudige tips die je jezelf zo kan aanleren. Je merkt er zelf na verloop van tijd niks van, want je bent er zo aan gewend. Leer het je huisgenoten ook aan, dat geeft dan meteen dubbel rendement. Zo bespaar je in no time een vette vakantie bij elkaar.

[thenormalschoolofficial]

Once there was a young coal miner who worked the night shift in the Normal Coal Company mine at New Salembury. He slept all day to recover from the work, and in the evening he stopped by the local shop to see the shopkeeper’s daughter, who worked the night shift at her father’s store. The coal miner was madly in love with her, but he was afraid to tell her, because her brother was a coal miner and it would be too dangerous for her heart to love two men who worked in the mines.

But eventually love won out, and the two got married, then moved into his house. They were still settling in when tragedy struck. The miner’s new brother-in-law, while celebrating with the newlywed groom, drank too much too late at night after the miner’s shift got off, and went from there directly to the day shift at the mine. In his hungover fatigue, he left his flame naked, and the wood overhead on the elevator ignited, spreading to the pulley, crashing all 20 men on board into the ground and killing them all. In the ensuing strikes, the miner’s new father-in-law was also killed, and in some versions the store was damaged in the chaos.

The miner’s wife was distraught, and also unable to afford burial for her two deceased family members. In some versions of the story, the miner’s mother-in-law also moves into their house after the deaths, and in other versions she’s already dead and buried. Either way, the miner’s wife worked all night at the shop, and took care of the house and the store and her mother all day. In order to keep the family afloat, the miner picked up the day shift in the store, that his wife’s father had used to work. After his shift at the mine he would sleep, but soon he would wake up and go to the shop. Moving earth and heaven like this, the miner himself fell deep into his own debt, debt of sleep, using up more energy than he was replenishing. One night the coal miner’s wife, or in some versions his mother-in-law, had a dream, a premonition that one morning the miner would go to sleep and never wake up again. The miner’s wife begged him to stop working the double shift, because she could not lose him too, but the miner couldn’t stop, or else they’d lose their home and business. Instead, he began to not sleep at all, going home at the end of the night and sitting upright in a chair until his shift at the shop so that he would never fall into a sleep he would not awake from.

One morning the coal miner’s wife came home in the morning to find her husband sitting in his chair, upright, snoring and drooling, fast asleep. She waited for him to wake up, but he didn’t, and as the days stretched into weeks she realized he never would. In her grief, she knelt at his feet and laid her head on his lap, and she cried for days, and the veins in her heart grew so much with longing that they burst out of her chest and enveloped the house in vines so thick that nobody could cut through them. The house still stands to this day, on the ridge between New Salembury and Scorch Mark, because any machine that attempts to demolish it is soon jammed all up with vines from the coal miner’s wife, still hoping for him to someday wake up.

who wants to hear a folktale i made up for the fictional setting of my horror comedy

[crybabytoy59]

Resignation of fate .

Pt2.

I was taken back by Mistress Mummy asking me to Open Wide that I was going to be gagged? As I already was gagged with her soiled pants...?

As I looked at Nanny Bee she was holding a small bowl with something pink in it?

But I could not see what it was due to my new pink clouded lenses !

Mistress Mummy lifted a bit from the bowl pushing two fingers from her right hand she pushed in what felt like warm wax ? With her other free hand, pushing very firmly more & more into the space making my cheek bulge outward...the other side got the same treatment, then she lifted more pushing it between my teeth teasing it just over my teeth on the inside causing a ridge around them,this she did to the other side Also!

Nanny Bee handed her a long steel spike with a hollow end that was turned over to make a steel ring ? This she pushed Deeply into the wax TIL only the steel ring was projecting from the pink wax just at the corner of my mouth..

Next she pushed in a second pin to my left cheek wax....It seemed to be heating up ?...

As Mistress Mummy stood smiling at me she rubbed my cheek....

“Clever girlie Crybaby that’s good your almost there....Well done Baby Girlie !!....Say Ga’Ga for us Crybaby (Mistress Mummy was pulling out her soiled pants....

They both giggled....”Loudly as you can Baby Ga’Ga !!”.... Mistress Mummy patted my baby Dolly face, the wax had gone solid in my mouth, wedging it Open perfectly !! ..“Good baby nice quiet Crybaby that’s lovely ! let’s continue our preparations over at your bench”

All that had assed from my new oral tunnel was a Deep low sounding Ga’Ga....like some sort of creature in distress....

As I was turned waddling at the size of the Bulk between my legs ! Through the pink haze I could see a black bondage H-frame at the ready, all manner of straps hanging from it ! Also I could see a table with lots of items I just couldn’t make out !

But from my previous visits to Jessica I knew theses to be punishment items as she would always lay them out for me to see telling me how many I would receive from what items, she had brought to use on me that day !...This would often scare Me given I knew Jessica loved to truly use sadistic punishment as a Training method !

As they bent me over working around me I could smell them both pant less! The sex smell in the air unmissable....I was in for a long session as when Mistress Jess had gotten in this aroused a state once before ? That was what had led to my confessions during my submission outburst while I sobbed blurting out my inner feelings openly without a moment of hesitation.....

Mistress Mummy was tingling All over yes indeed she was going to take Crybaby back to that place at her WKD hand...but this evening she would do it with her best friend Bee.

Jessica & Bee had been friends since university a true friendship that had grown over the years....But only recently had Jessica told her of the bdsm lifestyle she led...A female led relationship with men for her financial gain...

Bee was quite taken back but not surprised given her friends Dominant personally.....So many nights chatting & Bee watching Jessica at work (Jess would blindfold her slaves & let Bee sit quietly to watch as she did her “Thing to the Slave”.....

When Jessica had mentioned she was going to take on something very special in her life Jessica was stunned by how very keen Bee was to have a part in the use of this submissive man...to remodel him completely...not a few kinky hours then return to the big world....No Jessica wanted to actually have an Adult baby, but also asexual pain Toy for her gratification....Bee had six climaxes at home that evening after Jessica asking for her help with “Crybaby”

Sweat poured from her every pour her legs shaking as she walked to the shower with her juices running down her thighs !

The hot shower was such a relief...she put her head on the glass smiled warmly, then spoke to her self gently...

“Yes Crybaby am going to help you be a Very Special Girlie....Fuck yes you little Pain Toy ...Jessica & I Are going to break you to a three year old ...As you sissy will not have a say in the matter !!l

Dressing for the drive to Jessica’s house Bee couldn’t stop smiling.....

As they bound me tightly to the frame on all fours they pulled my legs far apart behind me, I then heard clicking as my ankles were pulled hard by a pulley system both wider & more taught, my arms were pit to the belt over the small of my back into ball mittens then elbow cuffs added to pull my arms level at my sides"..

Mistress Mummy was unzipping my dress at the back followed by my petticoat, I could now feel the cool air on my back as I did Mistress Mummy started massaging my shoulders it was Devine her soft hands & softer voice enveloped me..

“Clever girlie Crybaby that’s a good Baby Relax....Now lift your headie for us ...that’s it but further back Cutie....Clever girlie just a bit further....Good Baby Hold still !!”

Nanny Bee was fitting some kind of posture collar on me that was holding my head Fully back in this position...I started whimsical pleading noises from my mouth but only gargling muffled sounds came from my new oral tunnel, the pink wax now glistening covered in my saliva as my tongue had probed the new invasion of my oral cavity I had started a chain of running saliva that now was pooling at the front of my mouth slowly spilling over my lower lip down my chin it hung like some obscene thread to my Now reddish face....

Mistress Mummy was massaging more firmly now, “Clever girlie all ready....Let’s get started on your “Transition” let mummy explain...You have it in that silly head of yours that your Big, well am sorry but your not....You are mummy’s Baby Girlie a three year old baby still in her nappies 24/7 who can only converse with the big world through two words Goo’goo & Ga’Ga....All other things will be in Baby signs for everyone to see, this will take time to “Transition” But Nanny Bee & I Are going to simply work on our girlie 24/7 until we have what we want of you ....An Obediently behaved 3year old toddler who will act as such at All times with who ever we choose to Put you with !”

This last part Mistress Mummy had said quite sadistic drawing her words out slowly, she was scary in her delivery of the statement !

The massaging of my shoulders now became painful (A few times in my life after heavy gym sessions I would go for a sports massage they hurt but were great to relive tensions....This ? This was different more painful as Mistress Mummy would pick up a muscle then pushing a knuckle up that muscle as if trying to detach it from its tendon, I shrieked out a painful yelp, but she ignored me doing a different muscle !

Nanny pulled up a stool at my face lifted a long black rubber lace she spoke to me..

“Now Baby As Mistress Mummy gives you your nice massaging I want you to look at me ! No closing those cute eyes !...Clever girlie Crybaby “

She pushed the rubber up my nose ! “Swallow Babyslave...Do it Swallow for Nanny !”

As I did she put long pliers into my oral tunnel withdrawing the rubber lace ! I could feel it sliding down my nasal passage!But she was not through yet..lifting the other end she put it up my left nostril...Again she barked at me !

“Swallow Babyslave !....My my what a Clever girlie you are !”

I suddenly pulled at my bonds to no avail as Mistress Mummy put a knuckle Deep into the tissues in my lower back pushing up the side for my spine the pain was incredible !...with her free hand she smacked my thigh with such force it lift a red hand print under my tight ! “Look at Nanny ! Don’t you Dare close your eyes Baby will only close her eyes when told to ! pardon Crybaby!”

Ga’Ga...Staring right at Nanny I knew better than to disobey Jessica !

“Clever girlie Crybaby that’s much better Don’t have mummy tell you Again !...Ok Nanny feeding time I think then Baby can show us how good she can be under pressure”

They both giggled at this ?

Mistress Mummy had a dummy with a black lower jaw mask that buckled around the head, but that was not what made me start welling up !

It was the 3” round 5” long cock teat ! With the open pee slit clearly visible...

This mummy pushed all the way in making me gag slightly as it went to the back of my mouth touching my throat !.....

Mistress Mummy knelt down at my face...

“Ok Princess Swallow slow & in time ok ? (Ga’Ga) Clever Baby We love manners, just do What You are Told..When you are Told & Everything will be fine don’t fight us Crybaby!!”

Suddenly something started oozing from the cock teat !! To the back of my throat but I couldn’t swallow with my mouth held open & so full...Mummy kissed my forehead..

“Just relax listen to Mummy....just open your throat & it will happen...Aawww Look Nanny Baby is shedding her Very first tears for us !...Relax Baby let it happen...Clever girlie Crybaby that’s the way !!”

As my throat had filled I thought they were going to choke me but my throat simply relaxed & the fluid slid down my throat...slowly a rhythm stared as again mummy kissed my forehead..

“Clever girlie you keep swallowing that down for us as we get a few things ready,   As you have been such a good Baby so far Mummy is going to let you smell how pleased she is with you !”

At that Jessica lifted her short skirt revealing she indeed had No underwear, she popped her skirt over my bonnet putting her sex inches from my nose...The smell was Devine as I now made suckling noises drinking the formula....

I heard Nanny giggle....”My my Mistress Mummy I think Baby like the smell of sexiness....That’s a Clever girlie Crybaby make cute baby sounds for us but Loudly Baby So we can hear properly sweetheart !!!”

They both laughed as I made more of an effort to sound like a nursing Baby !!!!!!

I could now feel my tummy swelling up due to the amount of formula I had consumed, at that mummy lent over me taking my nipples gently “Clever girlie Crybaby that’s it louder though Baby ! (Ugg...Ugg...Ugg...) Clever girlie Crybaby each time we have you Swallow Baby will make these noises as loud as she can, so everyone can hear our girlie swallowing !! Just a bit more your almost there princess ! Clever girlie baby!! All done !”

Mistress Mummy stepped off my face...her disappearing smell brought genuine baby whimpers...”Aawww Cutie That was just a wee treat...Now Crybaby has to be very clever for us ...Ok Baby?

(Ga’Ga....) Now Crybaby If your a brave girlie for us mummy will give you one of her special “Cuddles” would my baby like that? ( Ga’Ga) Ok Now Crybaby you know they are only for when you truly Breakdown for mummy, if she sees that baby is trying to fake her Breakdown ? baby Will be left alone after her Breakdown is that clear ? (Ga’Ga)...Clever girlie Let’s get on then !”

Mistress Mummy lifted a flogger running it over my back she raised it high then with one stroke flogged right over my back !

As she flogged me Nanny had a strange looking clear plastic ball large like a beach ball but as she got closer it seemed to have an oval hole ?

As I gasped from mummy’s flogging she pushed it onto my face over my bonnet, pulling a zip down the rear held it in place...she then spoke..

“Now Crybaby I want you to be ever so good & Take a nice Deep Breath for us Baby Girlie!”.....Mistress Mummy had stopped flogging me ?...

“Keep looking at me Baby...Now you will not bring up your feed...No matter what Mistress Mummy meters out....That formula stays down do you understand?

..(Ga’Ga)  Thwack !!!!....

I screamed as mummy belted me in my lower back !

She then barked at me as the pain subsided...”Deep Breath Crybaby Pain Toy !”

Thwack !!.....As I jerked in the bondage frame, I suddenly felt slightly nauseous....O’god No I was struggling to hold down my formula !!...just six strokes on my back later a white hot jet hit the ball out of the tunnel over & over ...I burst out crying as I knew what lay ahead....Jessica would be genuinely angry I had disobeyed a direct command from Nanny.......

I was Not wrong !......”Crybaby what were you told ? To keep your formula down ...So our baby girlie is going to show us disobedience ? Let’s show Crybaby what happens when she disobey’s us Nanny !”....

They each lifted a wooden paddle patting the back of my thigh!

Deep Fucking Breath Pain Toy !!!!!.....

Thwack..Thwack..Thwack Thwack. !!!!!!!!!!!

As they both paddled me a Maid entered the room dressed in my old pink uniform! She was quite Tell & very cute, as I jerked with each blow for some reason I couldn’t take my eyes off this girl wishing she would come closer as the pink haze would not let me see her fully...

My spanking suddenly picked up pace & ferocity !

I hollowed wildly from the tunnel Gagging tears now streaming from me...

Mistress Mummy rubbed my cheek Clever girlie Crybaby that’s the way let it All Out there is No shame here we all know you want to cry so very badly !

Is mummy wrong ? (Go’go) Clever Baby...Ok Maid Stefi Come here please & comfort Crybaby”

The pink maid stepped up bent down to kiss my cheek then started French kissing my mouth ..probing with her tongue on mine !

Sobbing now she stood up in front of me lifting her dress..

Maid Stefi was a transsexual her member fully erect was now passing into my mouth !

Mistress Mummy barked at me “Right Crybaby use your baby tongue on Maid Stefi  ! Mummy wants you to moan like a sissy baby in heat for cock !”

They all giggled as I moaned gagging for air as Maid Stefi started a slow skull fuck of my baby face ! Holding my ballon ball head pumping it in time forcefully with her hip thrusts !

“Clever girlie Crybaby suck hard here it comes ! Swallow cock sucker ! Yes Crybaby Swallow All my gift !....AAhhhhhhh Yes ....AAAhhhhhh fuck yes Crybaby!”

I passed out ...there voices fading into the distance......

[sparkmender]

I keep putting off making the map for Hive Iacon + Metroplex Ridge, but what I have in mind essentially is a view of the massive redwood tree (Metroplex) the Hive is built into, around, and under, with a cutaway section of the cliffside showing the burrows and tunnels underneath

The complex hanging basket and pulley system created by Wheeljack to bring Fae and supplies up from the bottom of the cliff up to the trunk

Prime’s reflection pool deep underground, Ratchet’s den in the roots of Metroplex, the Kitchen, the Archives, all the way up to individual nests and pods and hammocks in the branches

All the little hanging lanterns and twinkling lights,,

The SCALE of Metroplex is unimaginable to a human, as well. A living tree the size of a skyscraper, with the Faeries living not only on but inside of it, taking care of it and speaking to the tree as if it can hear them— which he can hear them, because Metroplex is an Ent who’s put down his roots for good there on the cliff by the sea

Iacon needs Metroplex just as much as Metroplex needs Iacon

[writing-the-end]

LoL Chapter 28- In Shadow

Masterpost

A Wizard Hermits tale (AU, designs, ideas belongs to @theguardiansofredland)

Returning to his hometown, Etho hs to balance his past with his present, as well as keep Keralis and Grian from embarrassing him in from of his old teacher and town. 

_______________________________

Etho always thought he was a handful- he may act mature, but his mind is full of mischief that would make even a criminal stumble. But dragging Keralis and Grian through the misty swamps of his home, he realizes there are more ways than one to cause trouble. 

Keralis goes sloshing away, swallowed up by the fog. The only way Etho knows he still exists is by the loud splash of the bug wizard, followed by a string of curses in his thick accent. Keralis returns to Etho’s side, wrestling a stag beetle and cooing at how lovely it looks. 

Grian on the other hand, Etho couldn’t get to shut up. “I think I have half the swamp in my boots.” 

“You could just fly.” Etho points out. 

“But I can’t see anything!” Grian’s whine echoes through the thick copse of trees, bouncing off submerged ferns and aged wood. “How do you even know where you’re going?” 

“Secret ninja techniques.” Etho muses, following the trail at his feet. Beneath the water, he can feel ridges carved into the stone, under the silt. Guiding him to his hometown. 

Keralis’s eyes get wider than usual at the sound of a branch snapping in the distance. He whips his head around, pulling on his hat and brushing closer to Etho. “Are you sure we’re alone?”

“We’re not.” Etho grins. Both Grian and Keralis whimper, searching the fog like they’re trying to see a ghost. They might as well be. “The town knows we’re coming. They’ve already seen us, even if we haven’t seen them.” 

“Ninjas.” Grian whispers. The trio continues in silence, or at least as silent as Grian and Keralis can be, sludging through the swamp. Grian chatters with himself and the bug wizard, his voice bouncing up cypress trees as tall as towers, clambering over the roots. He gets a foot tangled in the submerged vines, and goes headfirst into the slow moving brown water with a yelp. “Etho, when the hell are we going to get to this town? I haven’t seen any signs that we’re even close.” 

“Ah, yeah. I haven’t seen a spot of dry ground this whole time.” Keralis adds. “Are they on stilts? How does a town like that stay out of the swamp?” 

Etho feels the carved markings beneath his feet turn into a radiating circle, like a ripple across the surface. He stops, grabbing Keralis and Grian, a grin appearing on his unmasked face. “We’re here.” 

Grian turns around in a full circle, looking at the copse of trees. “Uhhh, are you okay Etho? This looks the same as every other part of the swamp.”

“Maybe it’s hidden in the fog? Fog magic?” Keralis waves his arms around as if he’s attempting to feel around in the dark. 

Etho leans against a root, grinning. “Try looking up.” 

Grian does so, and gasps. 

Above their head, a town hovers over them. Lantern lights split through the fog, unveiling themselves like a stage curtain, warm yellow glows dancing off the wood and paper. Beneath the strung lantern lights, dancing will-o-the-wisps above their heads, bridges of plank and rope connect tree to tree and guide the townsfolk across the swamp without making a sound. 

The fog continues to disappear, and the town of Shellor unmasks in ripples. Homes and businesses nestled in the massive trunks of the trees or perched on the expansive branches, the open air filtering the earth and water tone of the swamp air through bars, abodes, shops, and shrines. For a second, Grian wishes Mumbo was here to rant about the engineering marvel above his head. How much time it must’ve taken to build a town in the sky, where they even get the fire from, and hidden out of sight, out of sound. He never even realized they were walking beneath it. 

“How...how do we get up there?” Keralis tips his head, holding onto his hat so it doesn’t slip off. 

“Normally, adults can just climb up ourselves.” Etho launches from the root, grabbing hold of a branch and swinging himself up, higher and higher. “And Grian can fly, obviously. But- I’ll grab the basket.” 

“Basket?” Keralis watches the two disappear among the intertwining bridges. A second later, something is dropping back to the ground. It’s not a basket he thought it would be. It’s a lift of sorts. The wood floats like driftwood on the murky swamp water, the walls opening to invite Keralis in. He clambers on the wood panel, surprised to find that the weight hardly even shifts. Even when the walls pull back up around him and the basket starts to rise, he feels like he’s on solid ground. It’s the smoothest lift he’s even been on, something that would put Darlon to shame. 

Etho and Grian have their heads poking over the railing as Keralis rises up. “A pretty neat invention, huh?” Etho laughs, running a finger along the rope, watching the pulley system release the weight a distance away. “It’s not used often anymore, really just for when kids need to get down, supplies, the like.” 

Keralis stumbles onto the bridge. The warm glow of lantern light invites him deeper into Shellor, and the scent of food makes his stomach growl. Spices that dance with the mist, a warm rumble of quiet laughter from the nearby restaurant. But everyone’s movements are lithe and silent, even if their talking isn’t. Everyone in the town walks without a sound, like cats stalking their prey. Exactly how Etho walks, constantly spooking Keralis when he’s in the middle of reading or baking. 

It quiets down, and even Etho pauses. Grian and Keralis turn around, surprised to find Etho prostrating before a shrine. They never took him to be the god-worshipping kind. But they sit down next to him, looking at the shrine. It’s made of stone- how that got up here, neither of them can guess. Lanterns are kept aglow and the crescent shaped bowl protected with a carved wooden gazebo. After a few moments, Etho speaks. “Manys, god of the moon. Patron to Shellor, teacher to the art of stealth. I remember my first lesson to harness my power was to watch the full moonlight travel across the swampwater. Silent, but present.” 

“Is that how you learned to be a shadow ninja?” Keralis whispers while Grian lights a dying candle. 

“Nope.” Etho chuckles. “I definitely took a more...physical approach.” 

“Etho!” All three hermits stiffen at the shrill shriek of the shop owner a few bridges down. “I knew you’d come back! Don’t think I haven’t forgotten about all that candy you stole!” 

“Ah, that’s what you mean.” Grian muses, watching as Etho is given an earful by the man. It’s the first time Keralis and Grian have ever seen Etho embarrassed, the pale skin under his white hair blushing red, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Mr. Toku, I think Etho has heard well enough.” A warm voice, quiet but persistent, cuts through the berating tirade. Before her first syllable was uttered, Keralis and Grian knew this was someone of importance. An unusual sense of raging peace, like sitting next to a swollen waterfall in the middle of a forest, exudes from the woman like an aura. She turns, and immediately sweeps Etho into a hug. “It is good to have you home, my pupil.” 

“Hello Reverent Nama.” Etho squeaks, hardly able to breathe against such a tight hug. A weak smile appears on his face, the one person he missed most when he left being his teacher, the head monk of Shellor. Nama. He doesn’t even remember her real name, he’s always called her Nama. 

“Look at you, so tall! You grew like a shoot, Etho.” She grabs his cheek, looking at the scars on his face. “I still remember the day your magic first showed itself. Have you been using my teachings, anak ko?” 

“Nama, I remember it all. But you know me.” He offers a sly grin, but nods silently. “I still like to watch the moon, though.” 

“The best teacher, and the mother always with you.” Nama’s voice dips into a lower octave at her sagely advice, before rising back up as a smile creases her warm, deep toned skin. “But you must be starving, walking through the swamp. Come, bring your friends.” 

She waves her hands, blue and white robes beckoning the weary travelers deeper into the town. A glint of lantern light catches Grian’s attention, and his eyes go as wide as saucers at the sight before him. The biggest gong he’s ever seen in his life. Taller than Grian, even with his wings stretched high above his head, the silver metal glimmering like the moon at the center of the town. Archways decorate and dance around the massive instrument. Grian’s drawn to the gong like a moth to the flame. 

Only to be thwarted by Etho. He grabs Grian by the collar, dragging him back in line with Reverent Nama and the other monks. Keralis giggles and teases Grian even as they enter the raised, thatched house. Bowed roofs similar to the arches and pagodas they saw before protect angular, woven walls and open windows. The swamp breeze filters through the mat-strewn floor as Nama opens the sliding door. Nama disappears into an upper level, before returning with a steaming teapot and five different plates of food. The boys sit at the low table, suddenly alone with the leader of Shellor. Silent as shadows, her peers had disappeared. Like ninjas. “I assume this is not just a family visit.” 

“How did you know?” Keralis croons, sipping on the warm tea poured before him. His eyes light up at the fried, wrapped treat set on his plate. His massive bug eyes only unnerve Nama, repositioning in her seat at the sight of such strange friends Etho brought. 

“Etho isn’t exactly the visiting kind. A practical pupil, even to the day he left.” 

“Nama, you of all people know how to gather information. You see what the moon sees.” She nods at Etho’s words. It’s not hyperbole- it’s her magic. “Surely you have information about husk monsters attacking all over Lairyon.” 

“Why does that interest you, Etho?” Nama gazes over the rim of her teacup.

“We intend to stop it.” Grian states, flat and plain. Etho seethes, sending imaginary daggers at the blond angel before him. He needs to be more subtle than that! 

“Finally, someone to take up the mantle.” She responds. “I have heard worrisome things, are you three sure you can handle such a task?” When all of them nod, she continues. “Then you need to start here- husks have been attempting to enter Shellor for the past few days. They have broken through our mist barrier, but have been unable to reach the town. I do not think they will stop trying until they reach the bridges.”

“They want to steal your magic, your power. They’ll kill you all.” Etho growls. 

“Exactly as what my informants told me. Do you boys think you could defeat an army of mindless creatures?” She pauses, looking at their faces. Seeing the glint in their eyes and knowing. “Excuse me, I have underestimated you. It seems you have already done so before.” 

“We’ll need more than just your information, Reverent Nama. We need supplies, tools of stealth that only Shellor can create. We need to use every advantage we can find to stop these husks. To stop-”

“To stop Magistrate Dolios, yes.” Nama nods, a growl breaking through her neutral expression. “Whatever you and your friends need, I will be happy to give. But for now, eat! Tell me, anak ko, who are your friends here.” She leans over to Etho. “Is the one with the large eyes okay? Is he some sort of hybrid?” 

Etho chuckles, and welcomes the warm food of home into his body. He missed the taste of good palabok, wishing at least one other hermit could cook his hometown’s food like Nama could. He introduces Keralis, quickly explaining his magic, then moving onto Grian. Even Nama, in all her wise counselling, was shocked to learn he was an angel mage. She knew they existed, beneath the watchful eyes of the moon, but to see one in front of her? And in a guild as wayward as Etho describes? 

Their plates are filled as fast as they’re emptied, food appearing out of what felt like nowhere. Etho smiles as he hears laughter rise from his friends and teacher. He left Shellor because he felt restrained. But to be home? It felt freeing, now that he’s an adult. Now that he has his guild, he feels more connected to here than ever before. They continue talking well into the night, until the fog fades and the moon observes the quiet swamp. 

Nama closes her eyes, falling into a quiet meditation at the dinner table. But when her eyes open, it’s anything but calm. She rises so fast her knees almost spill the table over, robes fluttering like leaves in the wind. “They’re here. Oh gods, they’re already at the barrier.

“You wanted lessons in stealth? Well, lesson number one- don’t let your enemy see you.” Nama motions for another monk, and he casts his magic circle. In one deep breath, he inhales the magic. And a gust of wind from his lips blows out every single candle. Only the full moonlight bears illumination upon the town. 

And the distant crack of lightning, an ashen storm visible through the spindly cypress trees.

Townsfolk shuffle in the dark, accustomed but alarmed. Night is when Shellor is most alive, lanterns lit and moon in full view. Nama sends her monks to scout ahead, to be the first line of defense, before marching towards the center of town. 

Towards the gong. It reflects the moonlight, blue luminescence titillating across the silver instrument. A mallet the length of Nama’s arm is plucked from the arch, but she pauses. Looking over her shoulder, she sees Etho practically holding Grian back, the angle bouncing in his boots. Like so many of her other pupils, and who is she to deny him something so exciting? She hands the mallet into Grian’s hand. He wastes no time putting it to work. With wings unfurling and hovering at the center of the circle. One mighty reel backwards, he swings. The mallet strikes the metal, and both Grian and the gong reverberate in response. A low, loud ringing warns the entire town they’re under attack. Grian still feels the sensation of the strike in his arms even after he lands. 

“The husks aren’t after anything in particular- they just want as much magic as possible.” Etho warns, pulling free his kusarigama, watching the darkness. In the distance, a blood curdling howl of a banshee turns even his blood cold. He doesn’t want to face that beast on good terms, much less a creepy husk version. 

“How can you stop them?” Nama questions, dipping her arms into her robes. She doesn’t need a weapon to be dangerous. 

“There’s no crystal.” Keralis warns. “But there is a darkness storm.” He points to the distant canopy, black clouds roiling across the sky. 

“We just have to defeat them. One by one, it will weaken the storm and purge the land of their presence.” Grian flutters over the side of the bridge, looking down. Below, among the swamp water and cypress roots, monsters and mages scrabble up the aged cypress wood. Throwing themselves higher and higher, unlike Etho’s smooth agility to the town. “No matter what, don’t let your fighters get caught by the husks. They’ll turn into one.” 

“Stealth is our trade, angel.” Nama hums, arm reappearing and offering up supplies to the trio. Smoke bombs, firecrackers, magical climbing gear for Keralis, an enchanted mirror to Grian. “We shall do our best, but you three are clearly the masters in this battle.” 

Nama steps back, and bows. Pride swells in Etho’s chest, almost causing him to tear up. If he didn’t hear the snarls of darkness consumed being of pure anger, hatred, and power, he probably would’ve. He’s never seen Reverent Nama bow to anyone else before. 

And then she’s gone. Disappearing among her robes, the hermits next see her down at the roots. Battling with a cold rage, like sunlight reflecting off the moon. Etho hands a few smoke bombs to his friends, grinning. “Let’s raise hell, shall we?”