#THE HERO IS LIKE. WHAT. SIX AND A HALF ORBS IN DURING THE BOOK 1 TOMIX SAGA? AND IT JUST. NEVER COMES UP?

[tmae3114]

Can’t stop thinking about “Tomix! You are busy, I know. You are always busy! But... I need your help.” and then, years later, “Let's say you banish him... what will you do after it? Because I've been thinking you could help me and my friends with the Rose!”

Look me in the eye and tell me that this doesn’t have the vibes of the hero having been thinking about asking Tomix to join them in their adventures for quite a while

[ameliathermopolis]

crit role and the tiers of play

so i’m that extra dm that is really into rules and guidelines from the source books and i was going through the player’s handbook because i needed the baseline xp needed for this npc’s level and apparently that led to me wanting to talk about how fucking expert matt is at crafting adventures that perfectly correspond to the different tiers of play outlined in dnd 5e. granted this game started in pathfinder before 5e was even finalized and but i still think it’s an interesting thing to look at coming into tonight’s time jump. 

In the first tier (levels 1-4), characters are effectively apprentice adventurers. They are learning the features that define them as members of particular classes, including the major choices that flavor their class features as they advance (such as a wizard’s Arcane Tradition or a fighter’s Martial Archetype). The threats they face are relatively minor, usually posing a danger to local farmsteads or villages.

here we have a lot of what happens in the first half of “the story of vox machina.” the majority of the action takes place either in stillben or westeruun with the threats ultimately threatening them or the cities they live in rather than the entire country. 

In the second tier (levels 5-10), characters come into their own. Many spellcasters gain access to 3rd-level spells at the start of this tier, crossing a new threshold of magical power with spells such as fireball and lightning bolt. At this tier, many weapon-using classes gain the ability to make multiple attacks in one round. These characters have become important, facing dangers that threaten cities and kingdoms.

the plot to take over emon is revealed, as well as the domination of the emperor. the chroma conclave loses its first member and vox machina is made the heroes of emon and friends of the emperor. they are given greyskull keep and take their six month break.  the journey into the underdark for kima bookends this tier and leads into tier three. 

In the third tier (levels 11-16), characters have reached a level of power that sets them high above the ordinary populace and makes them special even among adventurers. At 11th level, many spellcasters gain access to 6th-level spells, some of which create effects previously impossible for player characters to achieve. Other characters gain features that allow them to make more attacks or do more impressive things with those attacks. These mighty adventurers often confront threats to whole regions and continents.

starting with the trial of the take and the briarwood arc through the conclave arc, keyleth’s aramente completion, and the slaying of hotis. our heroes approach god tier both in ability and monsters fought, though, like in the previous tier, there are loose ends that seems to have no way of being tied up. marisha put it best when they were discussing and experimenting with the orb prior to the thordak fight - it is very likely the group has all the information they need to see what’s coming next, but they do not have the final piece that could link that information. 

At the fourth tier (levels 17-20), characters achieve the pinnacle of their class features, becoming heroic (or villainous) archetypes in their own right. The fate of the world or even the fundamental order of the multiverse might hang in the balance during their adventures. 

one year later. 

[nyxysabyss]

LEVEL HORIZON; YEAR TWO.80 1/2; Catalyst

Chapter 16!

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a super hero. ~Marc Brown

 ~ Three Months Later, Winter’s End ~

“Kagayama! Get up!”

Yuu Nishinoya rolls over with a groan, his face planting into a warm, breathing pillow.

Shouyou’s always been like this. It didn’t matter that it was way too early to be awake, he was always vibrating with energy and irrationally excitable. It could be the fact that mom had made his favorite breakfast dish, or worse yet, made Noya’s favorite breakfast. It might be the first lily opening on the vine outside their doorstep, or he found a fascinating bug on the ceiling of their barracks, or he swiped a sweet bun from the sentry mess to share. Even that one time they’d gotten ahold of that bottle of sake as kids—even in the middle of a lovely hangover and a painful scolding from their mom, Shouyou had been stupidly bubbly.

He couldn’t keep himself awake much past sunset, but Shouyou’d be damned if he wasn’t wide-eyed and bushy-tailed at unholy hours of the morning. It’s ridiculous really; Noya doesn’t even mind mornings. But this is pretty much how he’s woken up for the last seven hundred years—a neurotic redhead dragging him out of bed before he’s ready to be awake. He hadn’t even needed the morning bell in the rookery barracks. He frowns slightly through the wisps of slumber.

He will take his adopted brother’s insanity over the sterile, cold rigidity of every morning of those six months after they’d fled, because Noya still hadn’t needed the bell. He’d always been half awake minutes before, expecting to be leapt on by an ecstatic ball of sunshine. And the realization that it wouldn’t be coming, that they had no idea what had happened to Shouyou or Kageyama, as he’d fully woken had always been… heartbreaking.

“Come on, Tobio! It’s snowing!”

Of course, there was usually always a reason for his psychotic exuberance—even if Noya would classify the vast majority of them as ‘completely insignificant’. But…the short crow’s eyes slide open, sleep scattering.

Snow?

The beach might frost over pretty good on occasion, and it wasn’t unusual for the stream to form a film of ice now and then, but it didn’t snow on the coasts. At least, it hadn’t through all three winters since they’d come to the beach. And considering that they’d migrated every year before that, the novelty of snow, real and cold and wet and falling from the sky… was foreign. They knew what snow was, had trained in the mountains in the spring before it had all melted, but Noya doubts any of them have ever really experienced it.

And in a heartbeat, he’s sitting up with excitement.

Shouyou is tugging on Kageyama with an electric smile, his whole body vibrating with energy, but Kageyama sits simply staring out the large window. Daichi is also leaning up on his elbows with an awed expression while Suga watches with a quiet smile from the doorway. Tanaka climbs to his feet, drifting toward the window with a slack jaw, and Noya follows him.

Shouyou is right.

Snow, light and wispy, drifts down among the palm fronds and sea grasses, a thin dusting already coating the sand.

“Isn’t it amazing?” The redhead says off his shoulder and Noya turns toward him with a grin.

“Yeah!” He says, his eyes darting around at the others.

Kenma is up, but Kuroo still appears crashed out, Yaku is blinking drowsily at them while Lev is nowhere in sight, the girls have disappeared, too, and Akaashi is sitting up lazily, but Bokuto is still snoring.

“Think we’d be able to get some down Kuroo’s back and survive?” He says conspiratorially as Kageyama climbs to his feet and rubs his eyes. Shouyou glances at him with big eyes.

“And survive? Eh... “

“Don’t count on it.” The muffled growl slides out from beneath the black cat’s pillow and Tanaka snorts.

“Plan B, Noya.” The short one grins up at him.

“Bokuto then.” He says, starting for the door.

“Leave the snow outside where it belongs, you delinquents.” Daichi says with a smile that’s half amusement and half warning.

“Hah? That’s no fun.” Noya complains.

“At least put on an extra layer or two. Snow means it’s cold outside guys.” Yaku grumbles.

“It’s been cold all winter, Mom.” Tanaka grins, and Noya returns to Asahi’s side as the russet cat scowls. The large crow is awake and sitting up, his dark eyes blinking sleepily at the short crow, and Noya latches onto his arm.

“Come on Asahi! We are going outside.” He says, hauling on his sleeve.

“Isn’t it cold out?” He says and Noya laughs at his glazed expression.

“It’s snowing!” He says and large crow’s eyes that are the same color as his own focus on him with puzzlement.

“Ano… snow?” He parrots and Noya grabs at the tie around his wrist.

“Yep! Come on, wake up. We are going out before it’s gone!” He says, stepping behind the large crow and pulling his dark locks back away from his face.

As he drags his fingers through the mocha strands so he can pull them into a pony, he marvels at the feel of them. Asahi was the only one who’d opted to allow his hair to get so long after they’d fled the rookery. Everyone’s hair had grown, but when it got long enough that it became a hindrance when they played Volley or during training, they’d cut it back. Maybe that is why he really enjoys the feel of Asahi’s sliding between his hands.

“You’d think you guys had never seen it before.” Tsukishima says, returning from an early morning bath.

“They haven’t really. They’ve always migrated.” Suga says with a quiet smile.

“Seriously?” Lev pokes his head through the door, his mouth full of grilled fish.

“We’ve seen snow…” Kageyama murmurs defensively as he helps Shouyou into a jacket.

“But we haven’t ever gotten to see it fall!” The redhead says excitedly, his body half flailing.

“I have. Oi. Give me your arm.” The crow setter grouses. Shouyou spins back to him with almond eyes crackling with bright exuberance.

“Really? When?” And Noya glances over at him, too, because he’s pretty sure he’s never seen it and he and their unit have been together forever.

“I was really little. My mom got me up in the middle of the night to see it. It was just flurries and it was cold and over in minutes and I was half asleep and hardly remember it.” He says with a frown and a slight gruffness, but there is reverence there and Noya can tell that that memory is precious.

“Actually… I think I remember my sister going on about something like that.” Tanaka says thoughtfully.

“Did all your parents toss the parenting book out the window? Who wakes their kids up when they are supposed to be asleep?” Yaku grumbles.

“Hey, mine didn’t.” Noya says petulantly as he ties Asahi’s hair. As he reaches for his jacket, he turns to Shouyou, his thoughts lighting up.

“Hey, we can play Volley! We’ve never played Volley in the snow before!”

“Oh! Good idea!” Shouyou’s eyes sparkle and he’s heading for the door before the short crow can say another word.

“Hey.” Kageyama barks with a scowl, catching the redhead by the collar and dragging him back. “You aren’t a crow.”

The redhead puffs up indignantly as he reaches for the redhead’s scarf which is of course, not on Shouyou and instead lies forgotten on the floor. Explaining that little detail in the wake of their big fight had been an adventure.

Shouyou had nearly gone ballistic, insisting that ‘yes, he was too a crow’, his agitation growing the more they tried to explain it. It was almost as if he’d perhaps known but never realized it, and bringing that fact to light somehow sent him into a panic—like they, for whatever obliquely idiotic and groundless reason in Shouyou’s head, would no longer accept him. Really, Noya had no idea how his thought process worked sometimes.

Perhaps he’d spoken up because Suga was his leveler and also not a crow, but Daichi had simply cut across the redhead and addressed the avian heir directly.

“Kageyama, does this matter to you in the least?”

The crow setter had blinked before frowning darkly.

“Why? He’s still Hinata.”

Shouyou had all but mentally shut down at the remark, quietly stunned at the other boy’s blunt candor. Needless to say, he’d grudgingly come to terms with it in a much more quiet and brooding revelation even if he still got prickly about it whenever it was brought up. Like now.

“I am too a crow.” He says with a scowl. Kageyama just nods.

“I know. But you’ve never taken the cold like us. Don’t get sick.” He says sternly, because there were plenty of times Shouyou’d come down with hellacious colds that had suddenly had an explanation. But there’s no real bite in the crow’s voice and Shouyou’s sour expression disintegrates.

The atmosphere charges in an instant and the room goes still as Kageyama winds the scarf around the redhead, Shouyou quite obviously having completely forgotten about the falling snowflakes outside as he watches him. And if that weren’t enough, Kageyama ties it off and then takes Shouyou’s face in his hands. Noya’s breath catches as the crow setter leans forward and gently brushes his lips against the redhead’s forehead as if the action were something he does all the time.

Except it isn’t.

The avian prince will cuddle and cater to the redhead, but kisses? Noya feels his spine straighten, and he can see the minor meltdown happening behind Shouyou’s almond orbs. And the redhead’s stare and pinking cheeks are what tips Kageyama off that he’s done something out of character, and the tops of his ears flush… followed by the rest of them and his neck.

And then, before his leveler can say something stupid, Shouyou erupts into pure euphoria, the smile that lights up his face quite possibly the most dazzling one Noya’s ever seen.

“Come toss, Kageyama!” He says joyfully, capturing the setter’s arm and nearly dragging him out the door. Noya grins at the look of resignation that briefly crosses his face followed by the smallest of smiles that Shouyou misses, and he doubts anyone else catches it as they disappear through the door.

“That was nauseating.” Tsukishima murmurs and Noya’s smirk turns feral.

“You better find something to help you with that, because I’m pretty sure it’s going to be happening a lot more from here on out.”

“Bout freaking time.” Tanaka laughs and even Daichi huffs with amusement.

Kageyama was ridiculously slow, but once he discovered that something ‘new’ was okay, it was like he’d gained a new ‘skill’— one he’d ensure that he’d be nothing less than absolutely proficient at like everything else he did. Noya’s smile lingers as he turns back to the large crow beside him. He’d been wondering how long it would take after that nudge last summer.

You’re his leveler. You shouldn’t lead him on.

At the time, Kageyama had looked at him as if he’d gone mad, but ever since he’d been hyper conscious of not only Shouyou, but the other level pairs around them. It was as if he looked at Shouyou differently, like he finally realized his feelings for what they were— most definitely not simply platonic. And from there on out, any interaction between the other level pairs that reflected his own emotions for the redhead had caught his attention.

When he’d noticed how Lev would step up behind Yaku and wrap him in a caging embrace, he’d begun increasing the level of contact he’d shared with Shouyou. The redhead had responded favorably and it had quickly led to the small spiker clambering into his lap any time the opportunity to do so presented itself.

When he’d seen Bokuto bring back a bunch of rapeseed plants from Sheru Bay’s market and prepare them for his leveler even though the streaked owl himself couldn’t stand them, Kageyama would sometimes make Shouyou egg over rice in the mornings and had made a point to bring back fruits for him when he would go on hunts. Shouyou would flush at the attention, but his smile was always that much brighter the rest of the day.

When Suga had rubbed out a sore muscle in Daichi’s shoulder, Kageyama had quickly honed in on the stiffness that had often been building in the tissues around the bones of the grounded avian’s developing wings. It had been a little awkward at first, but as soon as Kageyama’s hands touched Shouyou now, the redhead would melt under his care.

But even with all of those little things, Kageyama had still been overly cautious and reserved. Really, Noya had wanted to kick him.

When Shouyou had come to him complaining about his leveler in a sullen pout near summer’s end, he’d been ready to track the crow setter down and deck him until he’d figured out what had the redhead so sour. Kageyama had made something of a cutting remark about how much time Shouyou and Kenma spent together.

In the middle of the redhead’s rant of how stupid his leveler was being, Noya had laughed until his sides hurt, because his adopted brother had just proven that he could occasionally be just as much an idiot as Kageyama.

When he’d regained his composure, he’d told an even more put out redhead why a certain crow setter didn’t like how much he hung out with the cat. Watching comprehension dawn for Shouyou had been almost as rewarding as his instant mood shift, because a possessive Kageyama was another small step forward.

And then, not two weeks later, Kuroo and Kenma had finally sorted out their mess and completed their bond as a level pair. They’d promptly disappeared for a week thereafter and during said week, Kageyama had had something of an epiphany with what Noya had come to mentally dub ‘the incident’.

It had been completely unplanned, and Noya didn’t think they could have come up with a prank any better than the way everything had played out.

Akaashi had brought home a new mass of netting from the docks for a new Volley net as their old one was pretty much held together with the small repair ties after years of abuse, initiation for no less than eleven avians into Ground Volley, and an attack by an owl and a cat after one lark gone awry. They’d all learned to play on it, so the shabby old net was regarded with a fond reverence, but they’d been thrilled with the prospect of a new one.

It had still needed some work to get it put together as Akaashi’s netting needed to be cut down to the right size and then threaded with both the top and bottom ropes, and it had also needed the side panels to be marked out and anchor lines attached to the corners. They’d quickly drug it inside and set to work on it, the chaos of many hands all trying to help making it easy to miss that two pairs— aside from Kuroo and Kenma— were curiously absent.

Noya and Tanaka and Asahi had dragged the old net in, but Daichi had stopped them from pulling it apart to use pieces on the new one in the event they still needed it someday. So they’d measured it out against the new piece of netting and Noya had turned to Kageyama simply because he was closest, and asked him to get the spare rope that was kept in the room at the top of the stairs on the second floor. Most extra supplies ended up on that level, but almost no one ever ventured up there for any other reason than to retrieve one of them.

The avian prince had nodded without an ounce of hesitation, clearly as stoked about a new Volley net as the rest of them. Noya hadn’t spared his request another thought and had turned back to the pandemonium around the front room full of netting. He’d never expected things to go from chaotic to flat out vulgar.

There’d been a heavy thump that gave everyone pause before Kageyama had come tumbling back down the stairs, his limbs a complete tangle and wings absolutely useless to stop the descent. Shouyou had immediately abandoned the project to dart to his side.

“Kageyama!”

“What the hell?” Bokuto had said with a cocked brow.

No one had any further chance to speak before Yaku had come flying down the steps to his side wearing a shirt that was several sizes too large, closely followed by Lev who wore nothing. It was quite jarring, and everyone had frozen in place.

“Jeez, Feathers, you alright? You backed up so fast, and then we heard the crash.” The short cat had said kneeling beside the crow setter and redhead.

Kageyama had stared wild-eyed between the two cats, his face blazing red before scrabbling backward away from the russet cat. His eyes had quickly found the floor, his face going even more scarlett if it were possible.

“S-sorry. I didn’t—know…I was just looking for rope.” The crow’s voice had been small, timid, and it had finally clicked in Noya’s head.

In Tanaka’s apparently, too, because while Noya had taken a moment to process it, the bald crow had burst out laughing, huge rolling guffaws bursting from him. And then Noya had almost collapsed beside him, his own sides in stitches.

Lev had been stark naked, still at half mast, Yaku had been wearing very little beneath that over large shirt, and Kageyama had turned twenty shades of red. As the other’s in the front entry had made the connection and more snickers had joined them, the grey cat’s head had tilted.

“Rope? Did you have the same idea we did?” Lev had asked brightly, and Shouyou had slapped a hand over his mouth, but his wide-eyed laughter had bubbled up around it even as his face flushed to match his leveler.

“I’m out.” Tsukishima had said flatly, swiftly disappearing out the front door amid raucous laughter that only grew. The russet cat had turned crimson as well and spun on the lanky cat still standing on the stairs.

“Shut up, Lev! And put some clothes on, you idiot!” He’d snapped and a frown had creased the tall cat’s face.

“But you’re wearing my shirt.” He’d said and Yaku’d full on face palmed, a grimace settling across his features beneath his splayed fingers.

“But I’m not wearing your pants. Find them.” He’d growled.

“Is the rope still safe?” Tanaka had asked the russet cat between bouts of laughter, and the small cat had hunched his shoulders.

“We never touched it, you prick.” He’d grumbled.

All in all, it had ended up being nothing more than a hilariously unfortunate encounter, a happy mistake that was far more entertaining than probably ninety-nine percent of all the pranks he and Tanaka and Shouyou had pulled in the last three centuries. Noya still grins at the memory as he pulls his coat on now— the curious atmosphere Kuroo and Kenma had returned to had been quite entertaining to explain.

At the time Kageyama had out and out looked like he’d wanted to be absolutely anywhere else, but after the shock had worn off a few days later— though the crow setter still can’t quite look either cat in the eye— he’d grown almost pensive.

His gaze that always followed Shouyou would occasionally slip out of focus, his expression going unreadable. His cobalt eyes would dilate, his focus going far deeper than just observation and Noya knew he was contemplating something either very troubling or very crude. More than once, Noya had seen him reach for the redhead, only to freeze and withdraw, a chagrined look on his face or his ears tinging pink.

The small crow could put two and two together; this morning’s step forward had been only a matter of time.

He finishes hurrying Asahi into his coat and tugs him outside, the smirk still in place. He can’t wait to give that self-conscious idiot crap with every new bit of progress they make; after all, Kageyama has barely scratched the surface of physical intimacy and he colors so easily.

He steps onto the porch and has to pause, because the two bouncing the ball back and forth while they wait for everyone else to join them is touching in its own way. Kageyama still has that small smile in place, and Shouyou’s excitement is at a level it’s never reached this early in the morning before. Kageyama’s hands send high arcing tosses at the smaller boy who deftly pops them back to him in a smooth rhythm that looks as natural between them as breathing. Every time Kageyama looks at the redhead, his royal blue eyes crease with happy content and every time Shouyou looks at the former avian prince, his almond ones straight up sparkle with joy.

Noya can hardly believe how obvious they are.

Yaku had been right. Once he got around to it, Kageyama’d move mountains to make sure Noya’s adopted brother was safe and happy. He silently thanks the russet cat and his leveler for that last little push, no matter how unintentional and embarrassing it might have been for all involved. He tips a mental nod toward the avian heir.

Best of luck to you, you emotionally stunted and obstinate idiot. You fuck up, I’ll kick your ass.

 Level Pair ; Chapter 1;  Chapter 15; Chapter 17

A/N:  Ah, so here we go, FLUFF! I've been waiting since like, chapter five to post this one b/c I think it is actually quite adorable. And a dose of 'brothers'. I have five. And a sister. My siblings were truly a blessing, and I treasure every one of them. That said, I don't think I ever want kids of my own, lol

ALSO. Very NOT subtle sexual reference. I'll see myself out now. Have a fantastic evening guys!