#R-Reforged

[ranvwoop]

seeing the mcyt gem trend makes me wanna revisit mine

[devotion-between-the-wheat]

lucifer's want to be relied upon in the new event is definitely making me feel something.

unsurprisingly it lines up with his usual personality, but with the setup in nig.htbringer adds a different flavor.

it's the fact that my si is terrible at relying on people, but with lucifer? in modern times, despite it all, they let him in before he was ever theirs, and he did the same.

you could say it's the bedrock of a lot of their relationship.

but in nig.htbringer that isn't there. yes of course he grows to rely on them, trusts and loves them despite it all.

but they never really ask the same of him, and he's aware of it.

perhaps he can't fully name what's wrong, just like how he can't answer why he feels like he's always known them. but even if he can't fully know it, rift hurts nonetheless.

[betterbooksandthings]

"In this age of ever-expanding nerdery, there is a fantasy romance book for every type of geek—including, of course, those of us who love a good tabletop role-playing game like Dungeons & Dragons. To understand the existence of DnD-inspired fantasy romance books, you only have to look to the growing popularity of both DnD and high fantasy romances."

[shady-swan-jones]

Rings of Power Podcast Recs

If you're looking for podcasts that dive deep into Middle-earth and all its messy bitches, here are a few that go beyond simple recaps. These podcasts really dig into the themes of the show and explore what makes the world and its inhabitants so damn compelling.

Rings Reforged (@ringsreforged)

Nat and Pau combine sharp analysis of themes with delightful unhingedness. They dive into topics like redemption, why we’re drawn to dark ships (and whether we should be), who’s on the chopping block, and the little details that drive us bananas — all with a level of media literacy that decodes every scene.

House of R

Jo and Mal do their best Fëanor and dive deep into the latest episodes, beginning with their opening snapshot, before a deep dive into each scene and a special spoiler speculation section. Together they have an impressive amount of Tolkien lore knowledge, as well as literature takes. Bonus episodes for music, promos and interviews with the cast!

Girls Nerd Out (@southernmotherofdragons )

No two people complete each other's thoughts like these two. Amanda and Andrea remind me of me and my best friend, if I could shake some sense into her and convince her to watch RoP. They ask the right questions and together they figure it out. Bonus, costumes!

Where The Shadows Lie (@wtslpod )

Kat and Wren always find I haven't noticed in a scene that gives me pause and makes me rethink the plot. Their nuanced take on Earien, for example had me rethinking the whole Numenor arc. Excellent.

Cast of the Rings

Very deep (3h) dives. Take an oxygen mask.

Ancient History Fangirl ep. Hot Sauron Summer

Mythology obsessed friends watch RoP and chaos ensues.

These are the ones I listen to and favour, if you know more and they're positive, add them. In a sea of unearned hate, let's celebrate what's made by fans for fans.

[gayvampyr]

ID: a screenshot from a reddit post in r/Blacksmith by u/lotsofwordstogether reading: "If you forge a distinct knife and use it to kill someone, then reforge it into a different shape, is there any way to identity it as the murder weapon? THIS IS PURELY THEORETICAL. I am simply curious."

[soulmuppet]

What's New?!

👻 Mork Borg and Death in Space modules from Christian Eichhorn

👻 A Home Reforged, a game about the struggles of dwarves trying to reclaim and rebuild their long-lost homes.

👻 TEETH is a ttrpg about occult criminality and monster-hunting in 18th-century England.

[kyogreblue21]

My Reverse 1999 OC!

"An arcanist's work. Exhibited in at the end of the 20th century for more than 200 years. Completed in winter, on March 24. Exhibited in a cave hidden in the Saracen Mountains in Russia, and later the St. Pavlov's Foundation." Meet Zmeyevich! A gentle giant of a man completely suited in armor, he wields an axe, and powerful fire magic.

Zmeyevich, called Zmei for short, while very polite and courteous, is very stern about his armor, never seeming to take it off, even his helmet. In truth, hinted by his name, is actually a Russian Zmei.

Zmei in the Reverse 1999 universe are anthromorphic dragon people that live within in the remote Russian wilderness, possessing the ability of shapeshifting, which most of the kind use for misdeeds and deceit. Zmei dislike Arcanists for good reason, as the Zmei were hunted down by Arcanists for their large abundance of arcanum alotted in their bodies, so they tend to take human form and obscure their arcane nature. Due to witnessing the traumatic event of watching his mother die at the hands of humans, Zmei has mentally blocked this ability.

Zmeyovich is the grandson of the Zmei's leader, Zmei Gorynich, the legendary beast that was supposedly slain by the bogatyr Nikitich, but in actuality was a folk tale made up by Gorynich himself to quell dragon-fearing humans during medieval times. Zmeyovich lives exactly in 1999, he hides in huge sets of armor assembled from the collection of amassed spoils of Gorynich's kills, using his scorching hot breath to reforge them to his build. He uses his armor to roleplay as a traveling bogatyr, such as heavy labor and perfomances for the towns he scours to for food.

Unlike many other Arcanists Vertin meets, Zmei has a noticeably wider build, something Zmei is bashful of.

Ingame data for Zmei: Rarity: ✦✦✦✦✦✦ Afflatus: Beast Damage: Reality Medium: Chainmail armor Fragrance: TBD Ability: Metalworking Inspiration: Beast Who Hides in Spoils His udimo form would be of a dragon coiled on around his helmet I personally love Reverse 1999 for all of their more out-there characters, though they have a shocking lack of anthropomorphic ones, and also, wanted me a chubby man, since all of the male characters (and the rest as a whole) have conventionally thin builds.

Art pertaining to him, mostly just wholesome stuff outside of R:1999, can be found here.

[thescrapwitch]

Chapters: 12/? Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Celebrimbor | Telperinquar & Maeglin | Lómion, Elros Tar-Minyatur & Maeglin | Lómion, Elrond Peredhel & Maeglin | Lómion, Ereinion Gil-galad & Maeglin | Lómion, Celebrimbor | Telperinquar/Ereinion Gil-galad, Celeborn/Galadriel | Artanis, Celeborn & Maeglin, Galadriel & Maeglin (Tolkien) Characters: Celebrimbor | Telperinquar, Maeglin | Lómion, Elros Tar-Minyatur, Elrond Peredhel, Galadriel | Artanis, Ereinion Gil-galad, Celeborn (Tolkien) Additional Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Second Chances, Grief/Mourning, Survivor Guilt, Found Family, Canonical Character Death, (just not Maeglin's), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Depression Summary:

Maeglin survives the fall of Gondolin. Taken in by Celebrimbor, he spends the next two and a half ages trying to reforge himself into someone new. Someone better.

[muffinsgoodformagic]

Thoughts on the Commander RC Ban Announcement

link to the B&R Announcement on the MTG homepage:

- Dockside Extortionist is banned

I will be completely honest, I never really used Dockside in a significant regard, nor did I ever abuse infinite loops with it. I’m glad it is banned though, in my opinion it provided a burst of mana for the player controlling the Dockside (given the right situation of course). In my experience, Dockside essentially becomes an extra turn spells in the right board state. I’m essentially indifferent to this ban, sucks for people who like it and celebrated by the people who hate it.

- Jeweled Lotus is banned

If Black Lotus proper was too strong, then why would “Black Lotus but only for your commander” not be? I did enjoy casting my 4 CMC or less commanders on turn one, I will admit. Honestly I think Jeweled Lotus is best suited in the early game, I never really liked seeing it after maybe turn 4 or 5 (that is, unless my commander is very high CMC). In a general, I think Jeweled Lotus is a bizarre, but somewhat reasonable ban.

- Mana Crypt is banned

I have a friend who plays Karn, Legacy Reforged and mulligans like 20 times each game to get it in his turn 1 and would cast Karn on turn 1 or 2. Then it would devolve into a prison control game and a grindfest. God I hate that deck, Crypt deserves to be banned just so this guy can slow down. My only complaint is that I want Crypt banned just for him and legal for everyone else.

- Nadu, Winged Wisdom is banned

“Bird Up” - Nadu, Winged Wisdom

I put together a pretty silly Nadu deck, I even won a couple games with it. Kinda mad about the banning, but I have a feeling that it would be an overall benefit to the format. At the very least I can stop hearing one of my friends constantly whining about how much they hate Nadu (for context, this is the same guy who played the aforementioned Karn deck). Guess I can’t play Nadu anymore, I’ll have to find another silly legend to build around now.

- Conclusion

At its core I believe that this ban announcement will be a net positive on the Commander format. cEDH players be damned, fast mana is only funny when you use it (as are most things in this game). It is funny to see cards like Lotus, Crypt, and Dockside crash in price since they were basically only played in commander (especially Lotus).

[summeryewberry]

Queer Book List

I've just updated my complete list of LGBT+ novels ever read (as far as I can remember). Not including short story collections, comics, non-fiction, or things I've completely forgotten.

I'm not including books where a main character's sexuality was only implied (it's got to be clear on the page), and this list contains queer main and secondary characters only, not background characters that play little part in the story.

I don't read a lot of Young Adult, so assume these are all adult-oriented unless otherwise stated.

I'm not judging nor rating nor recommending any of these; it's purely a list of books I've finished.

True Colors #1: Conventionally Yours, by Annabeth Albert gay male main characters, romance, happy ending

The Geek Who Saved Christmas, by Annabeth Albert gay male main characters, romance, happy ending

Perfect Harmony #2: Love Me Tenor, by Annabeth Albert gay male main character, gay male side characters, romance, happy ending

Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl, by Hettie Bell bisexual female main character, lesbian main character, romance, happy ending

Master of One, by Dani Bennett and Jaida Jones gay male main characters, trans woman side character, high fantasy, unfinished series

Cesare Aldo #1: City of Vengeance, by D. V. Bishop Cesare Aldo #2: The Darkest Sin, by D. V. Bishop gay male main character, gay male side characters, mystery, historical, unfinished series

The Crow: The Lazarus Heart, by Poppy Z. Brite gay male main character, trans woman main character, horror, unhappy ending - it's The Crow

Exquisite Corpse, by Poppy Z. Brite gay male main characters, horror, unhappy ending

Lost Souls, by Poppy Z. Brite gay male main characters, horror, I don't remember the ending

The Black Magician #2: The Novice, by Trudi Canavan The Black Magician #3: The High Lord, by Trudi Canavan gay male side characters, high fantasy, happy ending for the gay characters

The Hours, by Michael Cunningham lesbian main characters, bisexual female main characters, general fiction, I don't remember the ending

Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand, by Samuel R. Delany gay male main characters, science fiction, unfinished series

The High King's Golden Tongue, by Megan Derr gay male main characters, romance, high fantasy, happy ending

Nightrunner Books #1: Luck in the Shadows, by Lynn Flewelling Nightrunner Books #2: Stalking Darkness, by Lynn Flewelling Nightrunner Books #3: Traitor's Moon, by Lynn Flewelling gay male main characters, high fantasy, everyone is alive and well as of book 3, I haven't read the rest of the series

Reforged, by Seth Haddon gay male main characters, high fantasy, happy ending

The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall lesbian main character, historical classic, unhappy ending

Princesses #1: The Stepsister Scheme, by Jim C. Hines Princesses #2: The Mermaid's Madness, by Jim C. Hines Princesses #3: Red Hood's Revenge, by Jim C. Hines lesbian main character, fantasy, fairy tale, everyone is alive and well as of book 3, I haven't read book 4 yet

Blood & Smoke #1 - Blood Books #1: Blood Price, by Tanya Huff Blood & Smoke #2 - Blood Books #2: Blood Trail, by Tanya Huff Blood & Smoke #3 - Blood Books #3: Blood Lines, by Tanya Huff Blood & Smoke #4 - Blood Books #4: Blood Pact, by Tanya Huff Blood & Smoke #5 - Blood Books #5: Blood Debt, by Tanya Huff Blood & Smoke #6 - Smoke Series #1: Smoke and Shadows, by Tanya Huff Blood & Smoke #7 - Smoke Series #2: Smoke and Mirrors, by Tanya Huff Blood & Smoke #8 - Smoke Series #3: Smoke and Ashes, by Tanya Huff bisexual male main character, gay male side character (main in the Smoke Books), low fantasy, humour, mostly happy ending

Torin Kerr #1: Confederation #1: Valor's Choice, by Tanya Huff Torin Kerr #2: Confederation #2: The Better Part of Valor, by Tanya Huff Torin Kerr #3: Confederation #3: The Heart of Valor, by Tanya Huff Torin Kerr #4: Confederation #4: Valor's Trial, by Tanya Huff Torin Kerr #5: Confederation #5: The Truth of Valor, by Tanya Huff Torin Kerr #6: Peacekeeper #1: An Ancient Peace, by Tanya Huff Torin Kerr #7: Peacekeeper #2: A Peace Divided, by Tanya Huff Torin Kerr #8: Peacekeeper #3: The Privilege of Peace, by Tanya Huff bisexual main characters, bisexual side characters, military space opera, humour, some queer characters survive, others do not - it's set during a war

Gale Girls #1: The Enchantment Emporium, by Tanya Huff Gale Girls #2: The Wild Ways, by Tanya Huff Gale Girls #3: The Future Falls, by Tanya Huff bisexual main characters, bisexual side characters, low fantasy, humour, happy ending

Keeper's Chronicles #1: Summon the Keeper, by Tanya Huff Keeper's Chronicles #2: The Second Summoning, by Tanya Huff Keeper's Chronicles #3: Long Hot Summoning, by Tanya Huff lesbian background character in books 1 & 2 becomes main in book 3, low fantasy, humour, happy ending

Quarters #1: Sing The Four Quarters, by Tanya Huff Quarters #2: Fifth Quarter, by Tanya Huff Quarters #3: No Quarter, by Tanya Huff Quarters #4: The Quartered Sea, by Tanya Huff bisexual main characters, bisexual side characters, high fantasy, humour, happy endings

The Fire's Stone, by Tanya Huff gay male main character, bisexual male main character, asexual female main character, poly relationship, high fantasy, happy ending

The Silvered, by Tanya Huff I don't remember, but considering it's Tanya Huff, probably everyone's bisexual, high fantasy, happy ending

Into the Broken Lands, by Tanya Huff gay male main character, bisexual side characters, high fantasy, horror elements, mostly happy ending

The House in the Cerulean Sea, by T. J. Klune gay male main characters, fairy tale, fantasy, happy ending

Angels in America, by Tony Kushner (play) gay male main characters, play, drama, happy ending

The Last Herald-Mage #1: Magic's Pawn, by Mercedes Lackey The Last Herald-Mage #2: Magic's Promise, by Mercedes Lackey The Last Herald-Mage #3: Magic's Price, by Mercedes Lackey gay male main characters, high fantasy, unhappy ending?

Bergman Brothers #5: Everything For You, by Chloe Liese gay male main characters, sports romance, happy ending

Ash, by Malinda Lo lesbian main character, fairy tale, young adult, I don't remember the ending

So This is Ever After, by F.T. Lukens gay male main characters, young adult, romance, high fantasy, happy ending

Winter's Orbit, by Everina Maxwell gay male main characters, science fiction, unfinished series

Lindsay Gordon Crime Series #6: Hostage to Murder, by V. L. McDermid (Val McDermid) lesbian main character, mystery, happy ending, I haven't read the rest of the series

Trick of the Dark, by Val McDermid lesbian main characters, lesbian side characters, mystery, I don't remember the ending

Iron Council, by China Miéville gay male side character, dystopian fantasy, I don't remember the ending

Hero, by Perry Moore gay male main characters, superheroes, young adult, happy ending

A Land Fit for Heroes #1: The Steel Remains, Richard K. Morgan gay male main character, lesbian main character, high fantasy, I don't remember the ending and I haven't read the sequel

Love & Luck #5: Two Men and a Baby, by Isla Olsen gay male main characters, gale male side characters, romance, happy ending

Captive Prince Series #1: Captive Prince, by C. S. Pacat Captive Prince Series #2: Prince's Gambit, by C. S. Pacat Captive Prince Series #3: Kings Rising, by C. S. Pacat bisexual male main character, gay male main character, bisexual side characters, high fantasy/romance, happy ending

The Monkey's Mask, by Dorothy Porter lesbian main character, bisexual female side character, poetry, mystery, complicated but satisfying ending

Wild Surmise, by Dorothy Porter bisexual female main character, poetry, general fiction, I don't remember the ending

She Drives Me Crazy, by Kelly Quindlen lesbian main characters, lesbian side characters, romance, young adult, happy ending

Cry to Heaven, by Anne Rice bisexual male main character, historical, revenge story, happy ending

The Wolf Gift, by Anne Rice gay male side character, low fantasy, happy ending

The Love Study #2: The Hate Project, by Kris Ripper gay male main characters, gay male side character, genderqueer side character, romance, happy ending

Carry On Series #1: Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell Carry On Series #2: Wayward Son, by Rainbow Rowell bisexual male main character, gay male main character, low fantasy, young adult, everyone is alive and well as of book 2, I haven't read book 3 yet

Get Over It!, by Phillip Scott gay male main characters, mystery, humour, I don't remember the ending

Christopher Marlowe Spy Thriller #1: The Queen's Gold, by Steven Veerapen gay male main character, mystery, spy thriller, historical, unfinished series

Fingersmith, by Sarah Waters lesbian main characters, historical, heist story, happy ending

Tipping the Velvet, by Sarah Waters lesbian main characters, historical, happy ending

Running With Lions, by Julian Winters gay male main characters, gay male side characters, young adult, sports romance, happy ending

The Stone Gods, by Jeanette Winterson lesbian main characters, gay male main characters, ostensibly general fiction but actually more like speculative fiction, implied happy ending

Orlando, by Virginia Woolf bisexual genderqueer main character, historical, I don't remember the ending

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb:

A BEST SUMMER READ: The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time, Vulture, Esquire, Boston Globe, Elle, Town & Country, Seattle Times, New York Post, Lit Hub, Cosmopolitan, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Paste, BiblioLifestyle, E! Online, AARP, BookBub, BookRiot “For anyone who’s ever craved a seat at the Round Table. Utterly enchanting.” —Rebecca Yarros, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame “If you love King Arthur as much as I do, you’ll love Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a fresh and engrossing take on the Matter of Britain featuring a colorful cast of Round Table knights who don’t often get as much story time as they deserve. The creator of The Magicians has woven another spell.” —George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Magicians trilogy returns with a triumphant reimagining of the King Arthur legend for the new millennium

A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find that he’s too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive.

They aren’t the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Table, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance.

But Arthur’s death has revealed Britain’s fault lines. God has abandoned it, and the fairies and monsters and old gods are returning, led by Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay. Kingdoms are turning on each other, warlords lay siege to Camelot and rival factions are forming around the disgraced Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. It is up to Collum and his companions to reclaim Excalibur, solve the mysteries of this ruined world and make it whole again. But before they can restore Camelot they’ll have to learn the truth of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell, and lay to rest the ghosts of his troubled family and of Britain’s dark past.

The first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium, The Bright Sword is steeped in tradition, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings. It also sheds a fresh light on Arthur’s Britain, a diverse, complex nation struggling to come to terms with its bloody history. The Bright Sword is a story about imperfect men and women, full of strength and pain, who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land in spite of being broken themselves.

Review:

A new take on the Arthurian round table but with a bunch of misfits and underdogs. King Arthur has died and now the round table is in shambles. A young knight named Collum is desperate to get a seat at the round table... and he's lied and killed his way into Camelot... but what is he to do now that Arthur is gone. With only the oddballs of the Round table left such as Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke and Nimue, Merlin's apprentice who turned on him..... things are about to get a little hectic. Collum and his companions are determined to reclaim Excalibur and solve the mysteries while also facing off against all the faeries, monsters, and old gods returning with Morgan le Fay as their leader. This is the start in a new series and a new take on the Arthurian story. This new take on the classic story is definitely an interesting one but I just don't think it was for me. I was really hoping I would like it more but I just found it kind of boring overall and just a slog to get through. I would however recommend it for fans of Arthurian stories just to read it and see if they do like it. I love Arthurian stories but this particular one was a bit of a miss for me.

Release Date: July 16,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking | Viking for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[bracketsoffear]

The Broken Sword (Poul Anderson) "The book tells the story of Skafloc Half Elf (actually a human stolen by the elves), son of Orm the Strong. The story begins with the marriage of Orm the Strong and Aelfrida of the English. Orm kills a witch's family on the land, and later half-converts to Christianity, but quarrels with the local priest and sends him off the land. Meanwhile, an elf, Imric, seeks out the witch to capture the son of Orm, Valgard. In his place he leaves a changeling called Valgard. The real Valgard is taken away to elven lands and named Skafloc by the elves. He grows up among the fairies there. Later, he has a significant part in a war against the trolls.

The eponymous weapon, named Tyrfing in the 1971 revision, was given to Skafloc as his naming-gift by the Aesir. He later travels to the ends of the Earth to have it reforged by Bolverk, the Ice Giant.

Anderson wrote the book during the Cold War, and it does reflect on the story. For example, the Elf-Troll conflict is basically a proxy war between two great powers, the Aesir and the Jotuns; the latter two do not fight directly because that would lead to Ragnarok, the final battle in which most of the world would be destroyed. The parallel to the real-world threat of nuclear war is obvious. Even the titular sword may be an allusion to nuclear weapons; Skafloc contemplates throwing the sword into the sea, but realizes someone - probably much less moral than himself - would eventually find and use it."

A Song of Ice and Fire (George R. R. Martin) "Torture, war, bloodshed, sadism… it would be easier to list the aspects of Slaughter this doesn't include."

[utilitycaster]

Hello! I’m interested in that redacted meta rant about Fjord and Caduceus’ friendship mentioned recently; especially in context of why Cad would bow out of this adventure.

Is the implication that he might want to see Fjord grow without further clerical guidance in regards to worship of the Wildmother?

Hi! So it's actually much simpler: Caduceus does not care for the ocean and very much wants to have some time to spend at home with his family. As he puts it in 2x141, he occasionally goes on walkabouts and adventures, but "every couple of years". It's been a few months since the campaign ended for this adventure; he is still having his Much Needed Downtime.

I think I do need to address the obvious which is that if Caduceus's Divine Intervention that resulted in Kingsley had failed, then yeah, Caduceus would probably be here. But it didn't, and this is the story, and it's not out of character for Caduceus to politely decline.

The reason I specifically mentioned this is that the fandom often assigns greater import to Caduceus and Fjord's relationship than there ultimately was. It's very understandable, but Caduceus and Fjord have long since realized that they are incredibly different people with rather incompatible ideals who worship very different aspects of one deity in very different ways. While the fandom often thought Fjord should become more and more like Caduceus, in-game, both characters fairly quickly come to understand that Fjord's arc is his own, and Caduceus plays a crucial part at the inflection point, but Fjord then continues on. They're friends! Everyone in the Nein is! But even setting aside Fjord's romantic relationship with Jester, he relates more to and is closer with Beau and Caleb than Caduceus, and both of them are well aware of that.

I'd have to do more digging than I have time for, to be honest, to find all the Talks and episode references, but Taliesin said that Caduceus does tend at times to see people like projects, and once Fjord is back on somewhat even footing - the reforged sword, the return of his pact magic, the tentative beginnings of a paladin oath - they have one more conversation, the one where he gives Fjord the holy symbol and talks about deception. It becomes pretty quickly apparent to Caduceus that actually, Fjord is pretty comfortable with his personal moral code, and needed guidance specific to the Wildmother but is going to follow his own path - as he should, since a paladin of the oceanic aspect of a deity would, logically, have a very different relationship to her than a cleric of the mortality and natural order aspects.

I don't want to diminish Caduceus's role in Fjord's development, because it is absolutely crucial, and I don't think anyone else could have been there for Fjord right after he broke his pact in 2x72 in quite the same way. But Fjord has been quite confident in how he worships the Wildmother since at least post-Rexxentrum arc, or at least confident that he needs to find his own way forward, which is why taking his oath is a private thing and why, pretty much from the start of the Eiselcross arc, his and Caduceus's relationship turns to more of a bantering one and even one in which Fjord is the one wondering what Caduceus might need and being the one on which Caduceus and others can rely on. (More generally...for all people talk about wanting more gray area w/r/t the deities, they actually really struggle to grasp the vastness of the Wildmother's domain and how Fjord and Caduceus are actually great examples of the diversity in-world in divine worship; this is frankly also a giant separate tangent but as always, I do blame evangelical protestantism.)

Basically what I was trying to say there is "Fjord and Caduceus are good friends, but if you're asking 'how could Fjord defeat Uk'otoa without Caduceus there', you clearly skipped the entire post-hiatus story in which Fjord does quite a lot without Caduceus's guidance, and Caduceus has his own quiet crisis that Fjord and Jester monitor from afar."

[betterbooksandthings]

Romance Book Recommendations

Here is a complete guide to books I would recommend without question to anyone looking to read romance. This was, in fact, the shortest I could get it so have fun!

Straight Sci/Fi Fantasy romance The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole that time i got drunk and saved a demon by kimberly lemming Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert

Straight Historical Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins The Duke who didn't by courtney Milan Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

Trans Historical A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall M/F (transfemme) Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian M/N Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall N/N

Sapphic Historical

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley The Lady’s Guide To Celestial Machanics by Olivia Waite That Could be Enough By Alyssa Cole

Gay Historical The Gentleman's Book of Vices by Jess Everlee The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian Tommy Cabot Was Here by Cat Sebastian Slippery Creatures by K.J. Charles Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat sebastian Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian

Sapphic Fantasy Romance Walk Between Worlds by Samara Breger The Rogue Crown by A. K. Mulford (third book in a series first two have m/f pairings) A Song of Silver and Gold by Melissa Karibian Can’t spell treason without tea by Rebecca Thorne A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

Trans Fantasy Romance The Demon's Bargain by Katee Robert F/N The Evergreen Heir by A. K. Mulford N/M

Gay Fantasy Romance Socially Orcward by Lisa Henry & Sarah Honey Red Heir by Lisa Henry & Sarah Honey a marvellous light by Freya Marske wolfsong by t.j. klune (series) A Veil of Gods and Kings by Nicole Bailey (series) A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows (read TW) Witchmark by C. L. Polk (series) Reforged by Seth Haddon Frostbite by J Emery A Rival Most Vial by R. K. Ashwick The Magpie Lord by K.J. Charles Bisclavret by K L Noone Human Enough by E.S. Yu From The Dark We Came and Help Wanted by J. Emery

Poly Fantasy Romance Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert Elf Defence by Lisa Henry & Sarah Honey

Sapphic Contemporary Romance D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole

M/F Contemporary Romance (Some Bi and Ace) A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone Scandalized by Ivy Owens A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon The Comeback by Lily Chu Forget Me Not by Julie Soto Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert Take a hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert Haven by Rebekah Weatherspoon Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon Xeni by by Rebekah Weatherspoon Trade Me by Courtney Milan The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann

Gay Contemporary Romance A Dash of Salt and Pepper by Kosoko Jackson The Missing Page by Cat Sebastian Something Wild & Wonderful by Anita Kelly The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun The Hate Project by Kris Ripper Counterpoint by Anna Zabo Just Like That by Cole Mccade Syncopation by Anna Zabo

Poly Contemporary Romance The Life Revamp by Kris Ripper

[thenighttrain]

books read in 2023

finally continuing my yearly tradition. all rated out of 5 stars. bolded are my faves!

The Daughters of Izdihar (The Alamaxa Duology, #1) by Hadeer Elsbai ★★★☆☆

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland ★★★☆☆

Last Violent Call (Secret Shanghai, #3.5) by Chloe Gong ★★★☆☆

The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry ★★★★☆

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1) by Shannon Chakraborty ★★★☆☆

The Lies of the Ajungo (Forever Desert, #1) by Moses Ose Utomi ★★★☆☆

The Surviving Sky (Rages, #1) by Kritika H. Rao ★★★☆☆

The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1) by James Islington ★★★☆☆

Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1) by Chloe Gong ★★☆☆☆

Gods of the Wyrdwood (Forsaken, #1) by R.J. Barker ★★★☆☆

To Shape a Dragon's Breath (Nampeshiweisit, #1) by Moniquill Blackgoose ★★★☆☆

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros ★★★☆☆

The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley ★★★☆☆

After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang ★★★★☆

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang ★★★★☆

White Trash Warlock (Adam Binder, #1) by David R. Slayton ★★★★☆

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters ★★★☆☆

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones ★★★☆☆

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown ★★★☆☆

Fury of the Dragon Goddess (Adventures of Sik Aziz #2) ★★★★☆

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang ★★★★☆

My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron ★★★☆☆

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting (Serwa Boateng, #1) by Roseanne A. Brown ★★★☆☆

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf ★★★★☆

Bonesmith (House of the Dead, #1) by Nicki Pau Preto ★★★☆☆

Garden of the Cursed (Garden of the Cursed, #1) by Katy Rose Pool ★★★★☆

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse ★★★☆☆

Don't Want to Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton DNF

The Buried and the Bound (The Buried and the Bound, #1) by Rochelle Hassan ★★★★☆

The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes ★★★☆☆

If Found, Return to Hell by Em X. Liu ★★★☆☆

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, #1) by B.B. Alston ★★★★☆

Starter Villain by John Scalzi ★★★★☆

Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations, #2) by B.B. Alston ★★★☆☆

The Chalice of the Gods (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #6) by Rick Riordan ★★★★☆

The Fragile Threads of Power (Threads of Power, #1) by V.E. Schwab ★★★☆☆

The Hexologists (The Hexologists, #1) by Josiah Bancroft ★★★☆☆

Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune, #2) by Chloe Gong ★★★☆☆

Darkhearts by James L. Sutter ★★☆☆☆

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros ★★★★☆

Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee ★★★☆☆

The Prince's Poisoned Vow (Infernal War Saga, #1) by Hailey Turner ★★★☆☆

The Emperor's Bone Palace (Infernal War Saga #2) by Hailey Turner ★★★★☆

Beholder by Ryan La Sala ★★★★☆

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle ★★★★☆

The Forest Demands Its Due Kosoko Jackson ★★★☆☆

Reforged by Seth Haddon ★★★☆☆

The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist, #1) by Kylie Lee Baker ★★★★☆

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White DNF

The Spirit Glass by Roshani Chokshi ★★★☆☆

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs ★★★☆☆

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters ★★☆☆☆

Frostheart (Frostheart, #1) by Jamie Littler ★★★★☆

The Vanquishers (The Vanquishers, #1) by Kalynn Bayron ★★★★☆

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller ★★★☆☆

Dark Moon, Shallow Sea (The Gods of Night and Day #1) by David R. Slayton ★★★☆☆

Dark Heir (Dark Rise, #2) by C.S. Pacat ★★★★☆

[quasieli]

ingot in #44 r u mine?

[ID copied from alt text: A digital half body drawing of Z’ress (he/they) and Ingot (he/they), a NPC and a PC from the Reforged D&D campaign, set against a leafy green background with thick diagonal stripes of peach cutting through it. Both are drawn in a limited palette, with Z'ress's consisiting of light purple-gray, grass green, lime green, dark yellow-green, and warm dark brown, and being a complementary palette to Ingot’s, which is made of muted yellow, peach, dark brown-pink, dark pink-purple, and dark navy blue. Z'ress, a drow, is cuddled into Ingot, a tiefling, the pair pressed cheek to cheek, both smiling softly with their eyes closed. End description.]

Are you mine? Forever and always 💙💙