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wordsandrobots · 2 years ago

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AO3 First Lines Tag Game

Tagged by @caparrucia and @thedancingwalrus-blog.

Rules: Share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written fewer than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

And I’m going to have to apologise in advance because the only other person I can think of tagging in this is @phynali, who @thedancingwalrus-blog also already tagged so . . . yeah. Anyone who sees this and is a writer -- consider this a free tag and go for it!

1. Strategy (My Next Life as a Villainess)

Prince Geordo is, on paper, a master strategist, an expert planner and meticulous in the way only someone who has dedicated their life to statecraft can be.

These are the qualities he brings to bear on proving the depths of his desire for his intended. He takes care to learn her routine and contrive reasons to align it with his own. He engineers romantic occasions where the two of them may be alone together. And, when that is not enough, he is unflinching in steamrollering the opposition with the full majesty of his status.

2. Sufficiently Advanced Magic (Doctor Who)

The minute Gissel laid eyes on the Dark Tower, she almost turned back, and to hell with three days of hard trek through the forest.

When people talked of the house of the great magician, they always used words like dreaded, forbidding, intimidating. She had imagined a wicked titan of a building, lording over the landscape and making all who entered its shadow tremble. She had thought she would feel a bolt of fear run up her spine at the very sight of its terrible spires. She had, at the very least, expected the place to be in decent repair.

3. And we shall sow a garden upon the graves (Captain Harlock [CGI movie version])

“So let me get this straight,” said Júlio, in the tone of someone about to attempt a herculean task for which ey anticipated minimal praise.

The others around the table lowered their tankards and looked at em expectantly. Franz bit through the peanut he'd just flipped into his mouth and swallowed. “Yeah?”

“The captain spent a hundred years planting giant bombs across the universe because he said they'd make the Genesis Clock thingumy turn time back to before Earth was completely wasted. Only what they'd really have done is blow everything up and maybe even start it over again.”

“What's even the difference?” Owls wondered, staring into his drink, “Either way, we'd not be here to see what happened next.”

4. Untitled Alternative Episode Nine (Star Wars Sequel Trilogy)

The bowl of rock hangs in light-specked darkness, twisting slowly amid a cloud of rolling stones. Once upon a time, it was one miniature planet among hundreds. Now it is a husk, surrounded by what pebbles remain of its brothers and sisters, waiting in silence for the day when it too will be broken into rubble.

That day dawns in a rain of green fire pouring out of the black sky. From afar, it is beautiful. Up close, it is the end of the world. The ground cracks and cascades into the air. Vaporised permacrete balloons from craters that used to be buildings, roadways, people. Gantries scream like wounded animals as storage tanks shed choking blue smoke. Everything burns.

And through it all, the stormtroopers run.

5. A Handful of Rusted Petals (Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron-Blooded Orphans)

Everyone who made it out of Tekkadan alive kept something, though they all knew they shouldn't. This was supposed to be a clean break, their old lives discarded for the new. Taking things with them would only invite discovery and make the change harder.

Yet they each did anyway.

6. The Grandmaster (Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron-Blooded Orphans)

Rustal Elion detests chess. Always has. As a game it is tedious and as a metaphor? Useless. The world is not a board. People do not move in absolute, predictable patterns. And the starting conditions are never, ever equal.

One may dream of changing this. One may fervently wish to impose artificial order upon a cosmos that teems with chaotic interactions. But in the end, only material power matters. Not rules. Not cleverness. Not fanciful schemes resting upon the puppeteering of a legion of disparate individuals. Simply the ability to decide what one wants and to impose it with all the means at one's disposal.

7. Between Family (Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron-Blooded Orphans)

“I still can't believe we're doing this,” Shino blurts as they turn on to the street leading to Eugene's apartment building.

He's been alternating between nervous excitement and heated anticipation all day. Not just thanks to imagining what they're about to do, though that is a pretty huge part of it. It's also because Yamagi has been doing all these preparations: taking the afternoon off work, picking out clothes, making Shino shower – generally planning in a way that's weirdly arousing.

“Why not?” Yamagi asks. He's carrying a satchel, the battered old thing he normally uses for grocery shopping. “We're all getting something out of it.”

8. Of Obsessions and Erotemes (Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron-Blooded Orphans)

“What the heck is a 'Gundam'?”

Briar's habit of reading over other people's shoulders never fails to get on Almandi's nerves. He is obnoxious about using his height to this end and constantly assumes being in someone's presence entitles him to a conversation.

Unfortunately, humouring him is usually the quickest way to get rid of him.

They look down at the text on their pad. “No one's sure where the name came from. There are theories it's an acronym or a portmanteau, or even mythological in origin. It seems to be older than the modern usage, though records are contradictory.”

Briar kicks out the next chair over and sits down. “None of which is actually an answer to my question.”

9. Hope Against Hope (Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron-Blooded Orphans)

Kudelia's life has become a parade of voices without faces, the bland promise of a secure connection offering no clue as to whether she is judging each speaker's disposition correctly.

For Rachida Phiri, of the African Union's ruling council, she pictures disappointment, softened but not hidden by the rules of social etiquette. “It pains me to say this but Mars' actions raise serious questions about future cooperation between our two Unions. We must consider the cost of doing business with a state that would take such a reckless decision.”

Good luck, Kudelia thinks, given the price of Martian half-metal compared to the alternatives.

10. Fata Morgana (Mobile Suit Gundum: Iron-Blooded Orphans)

Argi Mirage is a simple man.

Some people will tell you that means he's dumb as a rock and, true, he's never going to be the sharpest knife in the drawer. But he's smart enough to have made it this far through his life. He settled his past, paid off his debts to the dead, and now he's free to live as uncomplicatedly as he likes. These days, with Argi, what you see is what you get.

He's beginning to suspect the same can't be said for Norba Shino and Yamagi Bright.

#tag meme #My fic #IBO is basically all I've written for the last two years OK?#it's a whole twenty part series at this point #but I hope to come back to some of the others eventually too

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sepublic · 2 years ago

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Great Entity

With everything I’ve said about my OCs, it’s always good to know the larger context they’re all operating in, the details of the shared universe. And these mechanics end up fairly important in the long run (and not just because they form the basis for all reality), so let me explain, because we’re getting into some fairly cosmic territory here;

There’s a great chaos of constant, conflicting energies, pure randomness and variability. They call this chaos the Netherworld, and it’s considered an infinity that anything can arise from. Some scholars claim that this aether has birthed other universes and realms far beyond their own… But regardless, they are not the focus here.

From this primordial energy, various entities have appeared as specks of order, referred to as ‘demons’ by some. But one in particular was the Great Entity, basically a god of unfathomable power and volume. It was three energies incarnate, that made up its anatomy; There was the Golden energy, which acted as the body, the material, the physical. Then Dark energy, the mind, the emotions and imagination. And finally the Soul, the animator, the ethereal and moving. All three worked together in an interdependent system, with the Soul in particular acting as the bridge and glue between Gold and Dark.

But at some point, even the invincible Great Entity reached an end to its life, somehow; It died, and from a great wound burst three Wyverns, lesser gods who embodied each of the Great Entity’s energies. There was Titan, the Golden Wyvern; Overlord, the Dark Wyvern; and Sovereign, the Soul Wyvern.

The Great Entity collapsed, anchoring itself in a portion of the Netherworld. Its body became the foundation and fabric for reality, its wound left open as a rift teeming with Ichor, the blood of the Great Entity. The three Wyverns ultimately represented the larger aspects of their progenitor, but its essence still remained intact.

Thus, the Golden part of the Great Entity, its body, became the Shining Void; Considered to be a mortal coil, bound by physics, consisting of various celestial bodies that blazed within an infinite vacuum. The Great Entity’s Dark part became the Dream Realm, the world of thoughts and memories, the protean aether that lies beyond the shadows of sleep. And the Soul part became the Underworld, the afterlife, from which souls and spirits emerged and returned, drawn by some great force.

These three realms, each a fundamental component of the Great Entity, were separated by space; They were separate dimensions and couldn’t be accessed so easily by mortals within. But little veins of each seeped into the others, and they could be exploited as a network of pathways throughout the Great Entity’s essence. Veins of Golden energy became known as the Mirror World, from which reflections acted as a gateway into; Veins of Dark energy were cast as shadows, and those adept in Shadow Travel could dive through them. The ethereal veins of Soul energy granted teleportation.

These interconnected veins were like sub-realms, and could be used to travel between the main three realms; But only the most powerful and advanced, such as the Wyverns could pull this off. Otherwise, Mirror Travel, Shadow Travel, and Teleportation only applied within the realm the user inhabited. Once these veins transported all three energies throughout the Great Entity, now they acted as passageways for different yet similar subjects.

And the three realms didn’t just bleed into one another, either; They overlapped and converged at one particular point, that combined traits from all three. This central world of Gold, Dark, and Soul energies eventually became known as the Monster Realm. Because it had so much balanced energy, there was a life and vigor to the Monster Realm not seen in the main realms. It yielded the living essence of magic and a wide variety of species, many of them sapient.

As alluded to earlier, the Wyverns were not the only spawn of the Great Entity. Smaller, seemingly insignificant specks began to emerge, coalescing from the combination of three energies, as if in imitation of their grand progenitor. These living ‘mortals’ as they became known had the same anatomy as the Great Entity, albeit on an enormously downscaled level. They too had a mind to dream with, a physical body, and a soul to animate and bring life to themselves.

The mortals took a wide variety of shapes and sizes, with the greatest diversity occurring in the Monster Realm. The more Dark energy a mortal had, the more of a mind, the more sapience it possessed; Animals for example had less Dark energy. Creatures had bigger bodies because they had more Golden energy, and the Soul usually increased to act as the coordinator between mind and form.

As mentioned, mortals appeared in different realms, and depending on the realm they manifested, the proportion of their three energies changed; For while veins of the others would seep into one, it was still miniscule by comparison. Those in the Shining Void had more emphasis on physical bodies; Those in the Underworld were ethereal phantoms; And those in the Dream Realm often embodied nightmares and other visions. Again, those of the Monster Realm were a much more balanced proportion, which lent them access to more supernatural properties such as magic.

It should also be mentioned that the three realms didn’t fit perfectly together, as pieces of a puzzle should; There were little, empty spaces in between. These would later be exploited as sub-realms of their own, referred to as pocket dimensions by mortals.

Connecting to the other realms was easy and even natural for mortals, it was the process of transporting one’s whole self, body especially, that proved problematic. But when asleep, mortals’ minds, made of Dark energy, would naturally connect with the nexus of all Dark energy that was the Dream Realm. Their minds would manifest in that swirling realm, and interface with the Darkness to create dreams, or be at its whim and suffer nightmares.

And when mortals died, when their physical bodies fell apart and couldn’t hold onto their souls? The Soul was drawn to the nexus that all souls came from, the Underworld; There they would slumber in peace, connecting to the Dream Realm to manifest with even greater control and awareness there.

Likewise, the Underworld provided a constant stream of new souls that were drawn to realms with an abundance of Golden energy, the Shining Void and Monster Realm, to possess physical bodies. At the same time, Darkness from the Dream Realm sought these convergence points, creating a mind for living beings to grow from.

Coming into being, mortals initially struggled with their newfound existence, and a lack of directed purpose from the Great Entity; To this day, people speculate whether it died with the understanding and intent of birthing new life, if it just happened, if it was planned, who knows? But many from these primordial generations inherited knowledge and designs from the Great Entity’s mind, transported as darkness from the Dream Realm into their newborn minds.

This inexplicable understanding of machinations proved helpful in establishing civilization, though as the world became less raw, the Dream Realm yielded less of the Great Entity’s ideas to mortals upon their inception, until there were none. By that point however, previous mortal generations had already accomplished much with their knowledge to establish societies where they could depend on one another.

#oc #ocs #my ocs #oc lore #GEverse

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minisiam · 12 days ago

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Underwater World: A Dive into the Mysteries Beneath the Waves

The ocean, covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, is a vast and enigmatic realm. Its depths hold wonders that seem almost otherworldly, teeming with vibrant life and intriguing landscapes. Exploring the Underwater World Pattaya reveals not only its mesmerizing beauty but also its critical role in supporting life on our planet. This blog takes you through the enchanting Underwater World, unveiling its mysteries, ecosystems, and the urgent need to protect it.

The Mystique of the Deep

The Underwater World begins just beneath the ocean’s surface, but its most astonishing features lie in its uncharted depths. From colorful coral reefs that teem with Marine Life Pattaya to the dark abyssal plains where bioluminescent creatures thrive, the ocean’s diversity is staggering. Each layer of the ocean, from the sunlit epipelagic zone to the pitch-black hadal trenches, hosts unique ecosystems shaped by factors like light, pressure, and temperature.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the deep sea is its inhabitants—many of which are unlike anything found on land. Giant squids, anglerfish with glowing lures, and ghostly jellyfish drift through the darkness, adapting in remarkable ways to survive in extreme conditions. These creatures exemplify the resilience of life and its ability to thrive in even the harshest environments.

Coral Reefs: Rainforests of the Ocean

Coral reefs, often called the “rainforests of the sea,” are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. They occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor but support nearly 25% of all marine species. Reefs like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and attractions like Pattaya Aquarium are a riot of color, home to species ranging from tiny clownfish to majestic manta rays.

Corals are living organisms, forming colonies that build massive calcium carbonate structures over centuries. These reefs serve as critical habitats, breeding grounds, and feeding areas for countless species. Beyond their ecological importance, coral reefs also protect coastlines from erosion, support fishing industries, and attract millions of tourists annually.

Unfortunately, coral reefs are under significant threat. Rising sea temperatures, pollution, and destructive fishing practices have led to widespread coral bleaching and habitat loss. The preservation of these underwater treasures is essential for maintaining marine biodiversity and the health of our oceans.

The Ocean’s Role in Climate Regulation

The Underwater World plays an indispensable role in regulating Earth’s climate. Oceans act as a massive carbon sink, absorbing approximately 25% of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities. Phytoplankton, microscopic organisms in the ocean’s upper layers, are pivotal in this process. Through photosynthesis, they not only produce oxygen but also form the foundation of the marine food web.

Moreover, ocean currents distribute heat across the planet, influencing weather patterns and climate. For example, the Gulf Stream transports warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic, impacting temperatures and weather conditions in Europe and North America. Disruptions to these systems, driven by global warming, could have far-reaching consequences.

Wrecks, Ruins, and Legends

Beyond its natural wonders, the Underwater World Pattaya is a repository of human history and mystery. Sunken ships lost cities, and even rumored treasures lie beneath the waves, waiting to be discovered. Famous wrecks like the Titanic and underwater sites like the ruins of ancient Dwarka or the Yonaguni Monument in Japan offer glimpses into the past and fuel imaginations.

These underwater archaeological sites are also home to thriving marine life, as wrecks and ruins often become artificial reefs. They’re a testament to the interplay between human history and the natural world, showing how life can adapt and flourish even amid remnants of tragedy and decay.

Challenges Facing the Underwater World

Despite its vastness, the Underwater World is not immune to human impact. Overfishing, plastic pollution, and climate change pose significant threats. An estimated 8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, endangering marine life and disrupting ecosystems. Ghost fishing nets, oil spills, and chemical runoff exacerbate the problem, leaving a lasting impact on marine habitats.

The warming and acidification of oceans, driven by greenhouse gas emissions, further threaten marine life. Coral reefs are bleaching at unprecedented rates, and species like sea turtles and polar bears are struggling as their habitats shrink or change. The delicate balance of the ocean’s ecosystems is at risk, with potential consequences for global biodiversity and food security.

Protecting the Blue Heart of Our Planet

Visiting attractions like Underwater World Pattaya or exploring Pattaya Aquarium raises awareness about the beauty and fragility of our oceans. Conserving the Underwater World is a shared responsibility. Efforts like marine protected areas (MPAs), sustainable fishing practices, and global agreements like the Paris Accord aim to mitigate human impact. Technologies like remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater drones are aiding exploration and monitoring, providing valuable data for conservation.

On an individual level, simple actions like reducing plastic use, supporting sustainable seafood, and advocating for climate action can make a difference. Education and awareness are also vital; the more people understand the importance of the Underwater World, the more likely they are to support its protection.

A Call to Explore and Preserve

The Underwater World Pattaya is a treasure trove of beauty, mystery, and life—a realm that inspires awe and demands respect. Its health is intricately linked to the well-being of our planet, influencing everything from climate stability to biodiversity. By exploring and understanding the ocean, we deepen our appreciation for its wonders and recognize the urgency of its preservation.

To plan your visit, check the Underwater World Location and Underwater World Address for easy access. Ensure you know the Underwater World Timing and secure your Underwater World Tickets in advance to avoid long queues. Many platforms offer Underwater World Bookings with discounted Underwater World Rates, making it easier for families and tourists alike. Whether you are looking for a relaxing day surrounded by marine wonders or are exploring Thai Tourism, the Underwater World Highlights are not to be missed.

Read Underwater World Reviews to get insights about the experience, and include this destination in the Best Pattaya Tours itinerary. Let’s dive into this mission with the same wonder and determination that the ocean inspires, ensuring that its mysteries and marvels continue to thrive beneath the waves.

#underwater world pattaya #underwater world ticket #Underwater World Tickets

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the-eclectic-eel · 24 days ago

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Countering Capitalist Dystopia: Wakanda, Socialism and Solarpunk

In class, we discussed the depictions of Wakandan society as a kind of utopia in line with the views of Afro-futurism. In this post, I want to examine the ways this utopian ideal presents itself in the Black Panther movies in contrast to the capitalist dystopia of the cyberpunk genre, specifically through the incorporation of elements of the “solarpunk” movement in combination with anti-colonialist revisionist history.

So what does solarpunk mean? Solarpunk is a relatively recent artistic and social movement encompassing visual art and speculative/science fiction that focuses on visions of the future built around ecologically sustainable technology, technological practices, and urban planning. Solarpunk art often depicts architecture that incorporates or promotes the growth of plant life; rounded skyscrapers with ferns and trees sprouting from their roofs and crawling along their outside structures, city streets covered in dirt and grass, and clear sunny skies.

Solarpunk is often seen as a counter and response to the dystopian cyberpunk genre, which imagines a future devoid of any and all natural life outside of sprawling urban cityscapes. Cyberpunk fiction is distinct from other dystopian fiction through its future’s reflection of current trends, namely rampant capitalism. It insists that its version of the future not just could, but will happen if we continue down the path that capitalism/imperialism began. Titanic skyscrapers dominating polluted skylines and enormous holographic signs advertising pleasureful escape through indulgent consumerism are constant reminders of the environmental oppression promoted by late-stage capitalism. Blade Runner 2049 depicts future cities as bleak concrete and metal hellscapes where the sun is completely blotted out by dense smog, blanketed in seemingly endless storeys-high urban sprawl and terminated only by barren “protein farms” where we now, having wiped out most animal life, breed grubs in chemical vats as our main source of sustenance.

Blade Runner 2049’s Los Angeles at midday.

Officer K arrives at Sapper Morton’s protein farm.

Solarpunk shows us the other path; the outcome where we understand the unsustainability of capitalism and course correct, or, in the case of Wakanda, the outcome where capital-fueled imperialism never took hold. Black Panther (2018), in its opening moments, asks its audience to imagine an African culture untouched by imperialism, and therefore capitalism. Wakanda’s access to vibranium allowed it to remain hidden from the outside world during the Era of Western Imperialism while simultaneously catapulting it centuries ahead of any other country technologically, socially and economically. These two factors allowed for the creation of a seemingly socialist, solarpunk utopia, with completely clean public transportation, and an urban environment teeming with floral life.

Wakanda’s solarpunk cityscape in Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever presents even more evidence of Wakanda’s position as an ecological utopia. In the first act, Shuri and Queen Romanda are visited by the film's antagonist Namor, the mutant king of a similarly hidden underwater utopia. His first lines in the film are expressions of awe at Wakanda’s respect for the environment:

Even Namor can’t help but marvel at Wakanda’s ecological beauty.

Because imperialism never razed Wakanda’s culture and society, the country was seemingly never inundated with the capitalist economic system that European colonizers implemented in their conquered lands. As a result, there was no profit-worship to incentivize Wakandans to disregard their impact on the environment, allowing their nation to become the pinnacle of environmental views of the future.

#marvel #solarpunk #socialism #sustainability #black panther

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breekelly · 1 year ago

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Unveiling Cinematic Dreams: Navigating DesireMovies Alternatives

In the mesmerizing realm of cinema, our desires find an escape, a canvas where imagination dances with reality. The digital age has granted us unprecedented access to these dreams, and DesireMovies was once a prominent name in this landscape. Alas, every tale has its twists, and the world of online movie streaming is no exception. As we bid adieu to DesireMovies, a new chapter unfolds with alternatives that promise to keep the silver screen enchantment alive.

The Ebb and Flow of DesireMovies: A Fond Farewell

DesireMovies, a platform that once ignited the flickering flames of cinephiles, created waves with its treasure trove of movies spanning genres and languages. It was a digital haven where users could satiate their appetite for visual stories from across the globe. However, the ever-evolving landscape of legality and copyright concerns cast a shadow on this cinematic utopia. DesireMovies, like many others, fell victim to the relentless pursuit of protecting intellectual property rights.

The Reel Deal: Exploring Alternatives

But fear not, for where one chapter ends, another begins. The digital universe is vast and teeming with alternatives that offer the magic of movies at the click of a button. Here are a few platforms that can help you keep your cinematic desires burning bright:

1. Netflix: The titan of streaming needs no introduction. With a vast library of original content and licensed classics, Netflix is a one-stop-shop for all your cinematic cravings.

2. Amazon Prime Video: From critically acclaimed movies to popular TV shows, Prime Video offers a diverse range of content. The option to rent or buy movies not included in the subscription adds to its allure.

3. Disney+: For the inner child in you, Disney+ is a trove of animated classics, Marvel superhero sagas, and the Star Wars universe.

4. Hulu: If you're seeking a mix of current TV episodes, movies, and original content, Hulu has got you covered.

5. HBO Max: With a fusion of HBO's premium content and WarnerMedia's extensive library, this platform offers a cinematic journey like no other.

6. Kanopy: If you're a fan of indie and art-house cinema, Kanopy provides a curated collection that caters to the connoisseurs of the silver screen.

7. Crunchyroll: Anime enthusiasts will find their paradise here, with a staggering collection of anime series and films.

The Quest for Cinematic Bliss Continues

As we embrace these DesireMovies Alternatives, let's remember that every platform contributes to the vibrant tapestry of cinematic artistry. Each service brings its unique flavor to the table, catering to different tastes and preferences. While the closure of DesireMovies may stir a sense of nostalgia, it also reminds us of the impermanence of the digital landscape. So, let's raise our virtual popcorn bags to the journey ahead, where countless movies are waiting to unfold before our eyes. The desire for movies transcends platforms, and as long as there are stories to be told, the magic of cinema will continue

#DesireMovies Alternatives

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rosenallies · 3 years ago

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may i please request for the jankie proposal in groupie au? i’ve been rereading your prompts in this au bcs i’m so invested lol

Bringing this au back Bc I miss her 💗

—-

Jan held tightly onto Jackie’s arm as they walked through the chilly streets of Paris, the city still teeming with life even though it was nearing 1 am.

“I’m so glad you’re here, but how come up you won’t tell me where we’re going?”

Jackie leaned over and kissed the side of Jan’s head. “Patience is a virtue, Jannifer.”

Jan rolled her eyes affectionately. “I am patient.”

“For a toddler maybe,” Jackie retorted, nothing but love and affection in her words.

Jan pouted. “I’m not a baby.”

“Well, you’re my baby.”

Jan blushed, the sentiment so cheesy, but it was one of her favorite things about Jackie, her sappy dorkiness so endearing.

Their banter had come to an end when Jackie had led them to their destination, the Eiffel Tower. It was lit up beautifully, twinkling like the stars in Jan’s eyes. Jackie led her to the elevator and took them to the very top where they could see the whole city. Jan leaned over the edge, Jackie coming up behind her and wrapping her arms around her waist.

“We’re like that one scene in titanic,” Jan giggled, holding her arms out to her sides.

Jackie gripped her waist tightly. “I believe they were on a boat, baby.”

“But this is way better.”

Chuckling, Jackie moved her hair to one side and kissed her shoulder. “I love you so much.”

Jan turned around in her arms so they were facing one another, wrapping her arms around the other’s neck. “I love you too, what’s got you so sappy tonight?”

Jackie kissed her softly. “We’re in the city of love, but it’s mostly you that’s got me so sappy.”

The blonde smiled, resting her head on Jackie’s chest while the other led them in a musicless dance. Jackie twirled her around so fast, Jan fell dizzy, giggling and falling back into Jackie’s embrace. With her lips against Jan’s hairline, Jackie whispered, “I have something for you, but you have to turn around.”

Skeptical, Jan narrowed her eyes. “What are you up to?”

She kissed the tip of Jan’s nose, red from the cold. “Just trust me.”

Jackie being one of the only people Jan trusted completely, she turned around, only turning back to face Jackie when she was told to do so.

She whipped around to find Jackie perched on one knee, a velvet box in her palm. Jan’s hand immediately flew to her mouth.

“Oh, Jackie,” she sniffed.

“Jan, will you marry me?”

Jan nodded, her hand still over her mouth in shock. “Yes! Yes! A million times yes!”

Jackie stood up and Jan leaped into her arms, crying into her shoulder and wetting the fabric of her wool coat. “I love you so much, Jacks.”

“I love you too, more than you could ever imagine.”

When they pulled apart, Jackie took her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger, a perfect fit. The ring was modest, but one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry she’d ever seen.

“I love it,” Jan said, looking at the way it sparkled under the moonlight.

Jackie kissed her forehead. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

It was all so cliché, the proposal, the ring, the tears, but that’s what Jan loved and Jackie loved Jan.

#prompt request #jankie #groupie au

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jackdawyt · 4 years ago

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With no time to waste, we have a tremendous news update on Dragon Age 4’s current iteration known as “Morrison”, as many development secrets were revealed in BioWare’s brand-new hardcover book of “Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development.”

A lot of the questions that we’ve all been asking over the past few years, finally have an answer, all thanks to this book. I will be delving into all of the Dragon Age 4-related content in this book; however, I wholeheartedly advise you pick up the book for yourself because it is filled to the brim with insights, information and behind-the-scenes reveals on every BioWare game to this date.

It’s full of so many captivating, inspiring and amazing stories that showcase BioWare’s incredible journey over the past 25 years.

In any regard, we’ve got a lot to get into, so leaving no stone unturned, we’ve got some updates regarding Dragon Age: Morrison, the current-rebooted project code name of the next Dragon Age game.

Morrison:

Along with this amazing retro-styled font of Morrison’s code name - that I’m totally going to use in future videos and thumbnails - we actually have a small plot synopsis on this working title.

It reads as followed: “Tevinter Bound – a sneak peek at the follow-up to Inquisition.”

“As BioWare entered its twenty-fifth year, the Dragon Age team was hard at work on Morrison, the code name of the long-awaited follow-up to Dragon Age: Inquisition. The game, helmed by executive producer Mark Darrah, will take players to Tevinter as events of Inquisition and Trespasser threaten to forever change Thedas.”

We’re going to Tevinter! Of course, we already knew that based on Trespasser’s ending, Tevinter Nights, and the developers already hinting that, but it is still very nice to see hear that in a plot outline.

In addition, the most interesting factor about this synopsis, is that for the first time BioWare have confirmed that “Morrison” is indeed the code name for the current Dragon Age project, which outrightly confirms that Jason Scheirer’s Kotaku article on “The Past & Present of Dragon Age 4” carries merit and truth to it, meaning that we can indeed trust the entire contents of Jason’s article.

Regardless, sticking with the 80’s retro theme, BioWare staff have themed shirts for the project, and they look absolutely amazing. Please, BioWare Gear Store release these one day, if at all possible, these designs are so good!

The book then goes on to show very familiar concept art that was showcased within the Gamescom behind-the-scenes trailer, however, this time, we have actual descriptions on each of the art pieces, and what they’re portraying. So, we don’t need to spend another 40 minutes speculating about what the pieces could show.

The underwater shot which we assumed to be Isabela accompanied by what looks like Dorian with a sword, an undead and a female dwarf, appears to showcase the Lords of Fortune, a newly-introduced faction within Tevinter Nights.

The synopsis says:

“Where there’s treasure, there’s adventurers braving death to get it. The Lords of Fortune are always on the hunt for treasure-wherever it may be.”

The next shot, which I speculated it as Tevinter’s capital city Minrathous, has a synopsis that says:

“The glittering hubs of Thedas are beacons of civilization and bulwarks against the night.”

Following that, we have the mysterious Antivan Crow lady concept art with the synopsis:

“The Antivan Crows have perfected theatrical assassinations. The Antivan Crows are celebrated for their mastery of stylish slaying.”

And then we have a most recognisable mural, one that many of us have spent way too long staring at, tinfoiling over its endless possibilities. The synopsis of The Dread Wolf Rises concept piece says:

“One of Nick Thornborrow’s beautiful paintings showing an old friend with a shadowy threat!”

Following that, we have Nevarra’s undead operating on a dragon, with the synopsis saying:

“From their Necropolis, the Mourn Watch guard Thedas from occult threats”

And then we have – hold on, what’s this, a new piece of concept art? Roll on the tinfoil, I’ll read the synopsis first and then we can go from there, as it states:

“The Deep Roads teem with evils both new and old, known and unknowable.”

I won’t spend ages delving into a single piece of concept art, but we can see the Deep Roads with plenty of light coming from the surface. It’s a beautiful shot, that I’m sure is building a mood for potential locations in the next game.

The final concept art piece shown is one from the trailer, however, it’s not cut-off anymore. When it once looked like an evil Cetus, it now reveals something even more wicked than a sea dragon... A figure with multiple arms, red eyes, a curved headpiece, holding a spear. Is this an ancient God? Could it be Ghilan’nain? A Lovecraftian sea-hybrid-monster? Or is it just a crazy idea thrown together by a concept artist, because why not?

The synopsis is the most intriguing and provides a further context for the next Dragon Age game:

“The Evil Gods have Thedas in their sights and only heroes can stop them. The shadows of the past stir, and new heroes must rise to fight them.”

There are many “gods” in Dragon Age, the Old Gods, the Elven Gods, the Maker, the Titans, etc. You could certainly consider each of them to be evil too, but on a whim, with the whole “shadows of the past stir.” I’m sure this synopsis is referring to the Elven Gods, given Solas’s scheme that will return the Evanuris to Thedas once more.

Taking my tinfoil hat off for a moment, this book expertly describes concept art stages relating to BioWare, and I need to touch on what exactly these pieces could mean going forward, because they most certainly could just be conceptual drawings without much context for the next game.

The book quotes Dragon Age 2’s development regarding concept art, saying:

“In the early stages of any project, before the concept artists are aware of any writing, they like to just draw what they think cool story moments could be. It’s not unusual for the team to then be inspired by those drawings and fold them into the game as the project progresses.”

And, even further than that, Matt Rhodes, who is the Art Director of the next Dragon Age spoke a few words regarding Dragon Age: Inquisition’s conceptual art stages:

“As multiple teams worked on their corners of Inquisition, lead concept artist Matt Rhodes spent weeks creating images to help solidify and drive a vision of what the game could be.”

“It was partly to encourage and remind myself of what the potential of this project could be,” Matt says. “We all imagine the finished game. I wanted to get that on paper, to remind everyone we are making something that could be pretty cool.”

So, while we’re all so excited to see these amazing concept designs and imagery, and we love to correlate it all to the next game, remember that these designs are very early work building a vision for the next game, they’re just being used to represent what idealistically the developers would like the game to end up like, or what insane ideas the concept artists have for the game.

Many of these ideas won’t turn out in the final product, but it’s still so nice to see this work already.

Wolf Rook Book:

Moving on, we can put an end to a five-year mystery, we finally have answers on that enigmatic red “Wolf-Rook" book that Mark Darrah has teased for half a decade.

One of my first ever videos on this channel was delving into the early pages of this book, back then I had a hunch that this book was the next Dragon Age game’s early concepts and designs, like a shiny development doc for the team.

And I was on the right tracks, as followed:

“The book was an internal guide for developer and publisher eyes only that summarized the vision for Dragon Age: Inquisition’s follow-up, a project code-named Joplin. The Joplin project has since been revised to such an extent that its code name changed to Morrison, but the red book still contains plenty of ideas likely to appear in the next Dragon Age. While most pages remain highly classified, here are a few Mark said we can publish.”

There’s a small description of The Qunari with some other concept shots, the paragraph reads as followed:

“The Qunari are followers of a religious text of principles known as the Qun. Though Qunari may be of any race, most are part of a race of large humanoids with horns.”

“For ages the Qunari have proven a formidable opponent to the rest of Thedas, almost conquering the continent until a united force of every Chantry nation pushed them back into a tense stalemate. Recent events have reignited the Qunari offensive, however, and their forces are in open conflict with the Tevinter Imperium, while their spies and agents are active in every nation.”

And at the bottom we have a Creatures double-spread page with different concepts very similar to those seen in Inquisition, the paragraph reads as followed:

“Animals, monsters and misplaced magical experiments: creatures stir apart from the conflicts and machinations flowing across the continent. Creatures range from the lowly nug up to the ultimate apex predator, the dragon. The next Dragon Age will feature our widest and most varied set of creatures to date. While often quite simple in implementation, creatures provide variety through differentiated animation and appearance.”

So, “Wolf-Rook” is still relevant, somewhat confirming that the work that went into Joplin, may cross over into Morrison, which is very exciting because Joplin’s vision for a Dragon Age title sounded amazing, so to hear aspects of that work pouring into this new project is absolutely fabulous. I had a hunch that the red book was still valuable to the current project, because we’ve seen a lot of “Wolf-Rook” teased this year, Mark Darrah has not stopped showing off his stash of red books. So, I’m very glad it’s here to stay for the current iteration.

Dragon Age Week:

Next up, we have an update to a story I talked about in March of this year, Mark Darrah teased a picture of his laptop with the BioWare Slack server shown at the bottom of his screen.

One of the channel-titles within the server was one by the name of “DA Week”, and thanks to this book, we know what “Dragon Age Week” actually is:

“Dragon Age Week is a five-day period during which members of the Dragon Age team can pursue creative projects that in some way benefit Dragon Age. The work done during DA Week, and its erstwhile cousin DA Fridays, sometimes found its way into releases.”

“The giants in Inquisition came out of a Dragon Age Week,” executive producer Mark Darrah says. “We also had a board game made that we were going to put into Inquisition, but we just didn’t have time to. It’s referenced. It’s a dwarven chess.”

So, I do wonder what kind of ideas have come out of Dragon Age Week recently that has then ended up in the next Dragon Age. Hopefully, one day we’ll have a new book that tells us Dragon Age 4’s secrets and we can visit this topic.

New BioWare Vision:

Moving on to the final major update, thanks to this book, we have a greater understanding about the vision BioWare have going forward. According to General Manager, Casey Hudson and Dragon Age, Narrative Director, John Epler.

Casey Hudson spoke on the “old” BioWare and how their changing paths to a “newer” BioWare:

“We can’t go back to where we’ve been,” Casey Hudson says, now the studio’s general manager. “The way that we worked, all of those stories and the crunch and eating pizza for six weeks straight and all that kind of stuff, as fun and memorable as it was at the time, those things won’t work for where we’re going.”

As BioWare grows, Casey says it must learn better ways to work while still embodying the values laid out by Drs. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk.

“It starts with the ones that were there at the very beginning with Greg and Ray of humility and integrity,” he says, “Those are super important.”

Other pillars include a passion for excellence and courageous creativity.

“We used to exemplify this not because we were courageous, but because we didn’t know better. We would try things and fail and try something else until we got it right, and it was very experimental. But what can happen is, once you do know the consequences of failure, you can very easily start retreating. And at that point, it actually does take courage to put yourself out there and try something new.”

Casey says. “We’re not super young and inexperienced anymore. We do know better, but we still have to try and do some crazy stuff anyway.”

John Epler shared on the change going on within BioWare:

“I am excited for what the future holds. I think BioWare is changing. I think we’re at a crossroads where we can either accept that and move into the new BioWare, or we can try to cling to the past. We have to be respectful of our origins without being constrained by them. It’s an exciting time and I’m really looking forward to what the next five years brings.”

“’I’m one of those people who is probably going to be here until they have to literally wheel my desiccated corpse out of the building, because I love working here and I love the people I work with and I love getting to come into work every day to have long, detailed conversations about how eluvians work.”

All in all, I’m incredibly excited and optimistic for BioWare’s future, they’re aware of their flaws, while knowing what makes them great. They seek to humble themselves, while changing direction, they want to avoid crunch while being experimental. I think we’re going to see the company bloom when they inevitably release the next Dragon Age, and I am totally here for that.

Dragon Age Day

Before I leave you, Dragon Age Day is quickly approaching, and it seems BioWare have plans this year. EA Community Manager, Jay Ingram tweeted about fans asking questions for the Dragon Age team, in prep for plans on Dragon Age Day. I’ll link the tweet down below, so you can ask as many questions as you’d like! It seems that BioWare may stream on Dragon Age Day, so do watch out for that, and give them a follow on their Twitch, also linked down below:

https://twitter.com/JayKingIngram/status/1325197450907275264

https://www.twitch.tv/bioware

Regardless, this is where we part ways. There was so much that this book uncovered, I highly recommended picking It up for yourself, it’s truly worth it to any BioWare fan. There was also some future Mass Effect stuff, but I’m saving that for a future video that I’ll do at the start of the new year. And I most likely will do future videos on other topics revealed in this book.

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thebibliomancer · 4 years ago

Text

Essential Avengers: Avengers #238: Unlimited Vision

December, 1983

He is Oz, the great and terrible. And he can see ALL.

So what’s going on here? Has Vision been in a tube-coma so long that they just decided to replace him with a giant hologram?

Dunno, but he sure is filling the room with too much pink energy and kirby crackle.

So, there’s been a bit leading up to this.

In Avengers #233, Vision and Scarlet Witch were called in as reservists to help the team with an invisible dome Annihilus was using to destroy the universe, as ya don’t do. When Vision intangibled into the dome, he immediately fell onto his face inert. After the crisis, Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic examined the synthezoid and said that nothing was actually seriously wrong and that Vision would be able to repair himself.

Despite that, he’s been inert in a tube since #234, moved into the Avengers Mansion so they could keep an eye on him. Maybe Reed doesn’t know shit because it’s been several issues!

The Avengers have been taking shifts watching Vision and the least suited to sitting still and watching an inert synthezoid is on duty as this issue opens.

“But being an Avenger, he’s discovered, doesn’t mean saving the universe every waking moment. Sometimes, it requires a lot of sitting... and watching... and waiting!”

Hahahahahah!

I might sympathize more if it weren’t for his full page rant.

Like this goes beyond bored and into ‘UGH I have to do something not immediately entertaining??’

Wait, I’m like that sometimes...

Starfox: “I just don’t understand! My father’s computer assured me that the Earth would be teeming with excitement and adventure -- and from previous experience, I knew that the Avengers invariably became involved in such adventures. But I haven’t seen a bit of action since we saved Project Pegasus from total destruction. That was more than a day ago! Now with Thor off on a mission in space... Captain America away on a personal mission... and the lovely ladies of the Avengers taking the afternoon off, naturally it’s the ‘trainee’ who gets stuck with keeping watch over the Vision!”

“By Chronos, is there no justice?! Where are the thrills, the challenges?!? Am I never to know satisfaction? I didn’t come all the way to Earth just to stand watch over some infernal android in a life-support-tube!”

“Ah, forgive me, friend Vision. I should not make you the object of my resentment. You were, after all, injured to end the threat of Annihilus. It’s just that sitting around and playing nursemaid to a comatose synthetic man is hardly my idea of fun!”

Vision: “I sympathize... but it has not been enjoyable for me either.”

HAH!

Imagine complaining so hard about having to go a day without an adventure that you wake a robot from a robot coma.

Over in a scene shift, there’s Monica “Captain Marvel” Rambeau trying out a boat in the Gulf of Mexico. The salesman is trying to close the deal but Monica finds herself distracted by the events of the previous issue.

Even though she saved the day from lava men and then stopped a nuclear meltdown, she still feels crappy that Moonstone and Blackout escaped AND that Blackout was able to capture her.

When the salesman finally gets her attention again she says she needs a bigger boat!

I’m still wondering what her new career is going to be! She’s taken out a small business loan and looking into buying a boat.

Possibly shark hunting?

Good on her for building a life away from avenging. You never know when you have to retire from superheroing and take up a civilian career.

Back at the Vision tube, Starfox sets up a voice amplifier on Vision’s tube so Vision can talk more easily.

It transpires that he didn’t just wake up in time to deliver the ultimate dunk on Starfox, he’s been conscious for several days. He’s been able to hear and see what’s been going on around him but he hasn’t been able to move or talk.

Starfox apologizes for his rant but Vision doesn’t actually mind.

Vision: “No offense taken. I found it entertaining in a way... I hadn’t heard such vitriol since the time the Beast found himself on monitor duty during the opening night of a Roger Corman film festival. As a matter of fact, I’ve enjoyed all of the one-way conversations that have gone on about me. Captain America’s war stories were most informative -- and the She-Hulk’s stories were quite amusing... If a bit tawdry!”

Amazing.

I actually like that the Avengers have been talking to Vision like a person in a meat coma and not ignoring him like a dysfunctioning fridge of a Jocasta.

He’s their buddy and they kept talking to him in hopes that somewhere he heard them. And he did!

Even all the dirty jokes!

Vision tells Starfox that he’s mostly confused about all the paralysis and that his repair systems haven’t restored his movement. He wishes that he could more fully analyze his condition.

Which gives Starfox a wonderful idea! A wonderful, terrible idea!

He calls up Jarvis on the video-intercom and asks what the range of the Avengers communication system is. Like. In terms of... interplanetary?

Jarvis: “All equipment is state-of-the-art, sir. I dare say we could make contact with any corner of the Solar System!”

I know that the Avengers deal with a lot of space nonsense so it makes sense that they’d need that range. Starcore-One and all.

Anyway, Starfox uses a tight beam signal to communicate allll the way to the master computer ISAAC on Titan.

Meanwhile, the three whole women on the Avengers (She-Hulk, Wasp, and Scarlet Witch) are on a mission together. A friend mission. A friend mission of find She-Hulk an apartment mission because that’s been a subplot for a while and She-Hulk deserves nice things.

Huh! If you ever wondered what the relative heights of some Avengers were here we are.

She-Hulk is most tall. Scarlet Witch is pretty tall. And Wasp is a short.

Comics being comics and not big on consistency, I’m sure this is contradicted a dozen different places. But its fun.

Of course, in the innocent 80s (??) people just weren’t used to seeing tall green woman a-walking down the street and gawk.

But it doesn’t bother She-Hulk like it used to.

She-Hulk: “I must be getting used to this town, Waspie! The gawkers don’t faze me in the least anymore. In fact, I’m starting to have fun, staring back!”

Wasp: “Uh-huh! I’ve noticed you practicing on our dreamy new trainee! Starfox is really something, isn’t he, She-Hulk?”

She-Hulk: “You know it!”

Scarlet Witch: Starfox does have a certain something in the way he carries himself...

She-Hulk: “I’ll bet that Starfox even does something for an old married lady like the witch!”

Scarlet Witch: “Wh-what?! Why, that’s ridiculous! I mean... that is... the Vision is the only man in my life!”

She-Hulk: “Aw, come on, Wanda! You’re married, not dead! ‘Fess up, don’t you like the way Starfox just sort of... stands around?”

Scarlet Witch: “Well, if you put it that way -- !”

Just some gals being friends and talking about how hot their new co-worker is.

Just objectifying a foxy guy... from space.

I like She-Hulk someone immediately sensing Wanda thinking about how hot Starfox is. She has a sixth sense for it.

And I fear because Janet “Aesthetic Appreciation for Every Man” Van Dyne now has a comrade in arms in Jennifer “What are inhibitions?” Walters.

The three arrive at the apartment building Jan found for Jen (not confusing at all). The rental agent isn’t around but Jan basically does whatever she wants and the door is open so they go in to look around.

And its a good apartment! Its got a terrace, high ceilings, deep carpeting! Its perfect for She-Hulk! The long subplot is finally at a resolution!

Alas.

The rental agent comes in and when he learns that its Jen who wants to rent the place. Really wants to rent the place. “You can draw up a lease -- I don’t care how much the rent is!” wants to rent the place. He has one (1) concern.

Rental agent: “My lord! You... you’re green!”

She-Hulk: “Yeah, and you’re a pasty shade of pink! So what?”

Rental agent: “I... I can’t rent to you! What would the other tenants say?”

Oo buddy that’s illegal under the Fair Housing Act. Especially if you just come out and say it. Granted, I don’t think it foresaw this exact scenario so let me rephrase. Oo buddy she is not shy about hurting people who annoy her.

She-Hulk: “Outta my way, Jan! I want to turn Mr. Pink black-and-blue!”

Wasp: “Forget it, Jennie! We’ll find a better place!”

But since Wanda doesn’t have any patience with bigotry, she uses her magic-science mutant magic to set off the fire sprinklers above Rental Agent.

I guess he’s allll washed up.

Back over in New Orleans, Monica returns to her apartment still hung up on Blackout and Moonstone getting away.

I guess it is her first failure as a superhero? It’s a very minor one but if you were on a winning streak before, it could knock you for a loop. Monica seems like the sort of person who holds herself to very high standards.

She considers calling the Avengers on her bracelet radio to see if there’s any leads on the two loose ends but then realizes that she can travel at the speed of light. She may as well just pop into the mansion!

Monica has cool powers.

But when she arrives inside the mansion, she sees a bunch of electronic components just floating through the mansion.

Soooo she follows them. Gotta see what’s going on.

She finds Starfox in the medical room constructing some apparatus around Vision’s tube.

Starfox explains that stuff be floating because ISAAC is using an attractor beam to assemble an apparatus. ISAAC being the Titan computer Integral Synaptic Anti-Anionic Computer.

It sure is cool that some Eternals that went to live on Titan before modern English existed still managed to name their computer ISAAC.

And its cool that ISAAC can apparently influence things like this halfway across the solar system.

Anyway, ISAAC is linked up with the main computers of Avengers’ Mansion to build a more specialized medical computer to get a better idea of what’s going on with Vision.

Vision: “It sounds complicated, Captain, but the principles involved are actually quite simple.”

Captain Marvel: “Vision? You spoke!”

Vision: “That seems to surprise everyone... pleasantly, I hope.”

He explains that if everything goes well with this apparatus, he hopes to be ambulatory again before tomorrow. And also, because he’s a class act, thanks Monica for the stories of New Orleans she shared when she was on Vision duty.

In a funny continuity nod, Vision notes that he and Wanda went to New Orleans once (in issue #152) but didn’t have time to sight-see. Because there was a lot of voodoo nonsense going on.

The Avengers tend to go all over the world but they also tend to be involved in nonsense and can’t enjoy it.

Monica isn’t sure whether they should go ahead with this without consulting the other Avengers but Starfox shrugs that it’s Vision’s decision.

Vision: “In that case, I choose to begin analysis immediately!”

In fairness, I’m sure he’s fed up with lying in a tube staring at the ceiling. Bring on the untested science! My god, just anything novel!

Starfox activates the devices, showing Vision’s body with unearthly energies whiiich makes him twitch and spasm and then a tiny Vision head pops out of his forehead gem.

Mazel tov?

I don’t think that was the intended outcome.

Outside, She-Hulk, Scarlet Wanda, and Wasp are returning from Apartment Quest.

Wanda mentions that she didn’t mean to be away from Vision this long.

Wasp: “Don’t worry, Wanda. I’m sure nothing’s gone wrong!”

Giant disembodied Vision head: “WRONG? ON THE CONTRARY, EVERYTHING’S GONE JUST FINE!”

Oh my god, he got Oz’d.

Imagine coming home to that! You go on an errand with a friend to take your mind off your coma robot husband and you come back and he’s a giant holographic head!

The three Avengers rush inside and find a more reasonably sized Vision hologram and Starfox protesting that this wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

Yeah, I suspected.

But Vision is thrilled with this turn of events!

Vision: “Evidently, the internal dysfunction in my body caused a data feedback-loop which overloaded my brain with ISAAC’s energy-information matrix. Simply put -- I have become as one with ISAAC and our own computer systems! The ability to project this holographic construct is a fortuitous side-effect!”

Huuuuuuuuuh!

Vision merged with some computers. This is fine. Is this fine? Is Vision fine? Starfox wants to know and so do I.

Vision: “ALL RIGHT?!? I’ve never been able to think more clearly. Even with my body temporarily out of order, I can be of great help to the Avengers! I can out-think, out-deduce any computer system in the world! All the information in our files is mine -- instantly! For instance -- I see there’s some unfinished business pending! Two opponents escaped us recently! Those two must be found!”

Well, Monica will be happy with that at least.

Geez, Vision is kind of... manic? Maybe its just the contrast to how dour he tend to be. But he definitely seems keyed up. Like he’s running high on having all these computers running through his brain.

Is this robot drugs?

Wait, no, vibranium is robot drugs. Is this other robot drugs? Connect to a super-computer and scream I’M THINKING SO FAST! ?

MEANWHILE, those very two miscreants!

In a hideout in the Bronx, Blackout is ranting paranoid about how they’re out to get him and are going to merge him with the light spectrum and destroy his humanity. Which is fairly unique paranoid ranting.

Of course, while he’s focused on glaring out the window, he’s not paying attention to Moonstone who prepares a drugged cup of coffee for him.

Blackout: “You’re the only one, Moonstone... the only one who hasn’t betrayed me!”

Moonstone: “That’s right! You can trust me! Now, drink it all down!”

Womp womp.

The drug makes Blackout trance out and Moonstone uses this to start interrogating him about his origin. And... maybe trying to help him? She did start off as a therapist. And even as a villain, she sometimes does therapy.

For some damn reason, Hank “Good Ideas” Pym got her to look over Avengers Academy kids down the line and offer her thoughts on them.

Anyway. Moonstone asks how he got this way:

Blackout: “Well... I ‘spose it all started when Dr. Croit set me up so I’d have to be his guinea pig. He... charged up my body with the power of a black star! That’s why I... *yawn* ... had to punish him!”

Moonstone: “Shh! I want you to listen closely... there are no black-star energies... There’s no conspiracy against you! Let your mind drift back! I want you to tell me what really happened!”

So what really happened is here’s how a Mark Daniels became a man with a lightning bolt mask. He was a lab assistant to Dr. Croit.

Blackout: “He always wanted to be everyone’s big daddy!”

Um. Okayyy?

Anyway, Mark Daniels was helping Croit build an experimental device for tapping energy from other dimensions. And, at least according to Blackout, Dr. Croit liked Mark Daniels because he was a dummy who didn’t understand the experiment at all.

Then one day, while he longingly caressed it, the device blew up in Mark Daniels’ face, somehow making his body a control surface for tapping into another universe’s “dark force.”

Dr. Croit wanted to cure Mark Daniels who took exception to the idea of having his newfound power taken away. So he killed Dr. Croit and the other assistants.

But the power was running out of control (shouldn’t have killed the doctor, ya dingus) and before Blackout could use the stabilizer to save himself, he got stuck... somewhere. Its a bit fuzzy to him until he popped out in Project Pegasus.

Moonstone believes that his mind couldn’t cope with what happened to him so he made up the black star nonsense to be An Explanation.

Moonstone: Imagine... all of that power at the command of a raving paranoid! Yes, but he’s a paranoid who trusts me! Now that I have a handle on his power, I should be able to manipulate him into doing just about anything I wish! Why, with the dimensional-warping potential of a power like his, we could be unstoppable!

“Blackout, we have a very bright future ahead of us!”

And then Vision pops in from nowhere and gives Moonstone a startle.

She fires some of her hand pew pew at him but he’s a hologram and just sasses back.

Moonstone runs to wake up Blackout while Vision can’t help but show off how smart he is now that his computer brain is overclocked.

Vision: “It was, of course, clever of you to seek refuge in a hideaway of your former ally, Egghead! Unfortunately, with all the cross-referenced data instantly at my disposal, tracing you here was child’s play!”

Blackout wakes up and Moonstone basically points at Vision and tells him ‘get ‘im!’ and Blackout gets ‘im.

He uses the same imprisoning black sphere move on Vision as he did on Captain Marvel.

And it probably would have worked. If Vision was really here. He’s just a hologram. And, sure, the light of the hologram would probably be trapped in the sphere too. It trapped Captain Marvel when she was light. But Vision is being projected from elsewhere so he can just turn the projection off and then turn it on slightly to the left.

Vision: “I’m sorry, but that won’t work either! You see -- I’m not really here at all! But my friends are!”

Oh, Vision, you sassmaster.

Moonstone’s ‘knows when to fold them’ kind of lapsed when she was attacking Vision instead of remembering ‘hey doesn’t that guy hang with the Avengers?’ but a whole bunch of Avengers busting in reminds her.

She blasts the floor beneath her and Blackout to try to escape and has Blackout seal the hole behind them to buy time.

But Scarlet Witch is still a great counter to... maybe anyone? But especially Blackout.

She waves her hands at the black barrier and it turns into goo and drips all over Blackout and Moonstone, ensnaring them before they can even try to run.

The Avengers storm after the two villains.

Trapped, Moonstone tells Blackout its up to him to stop the Avengers!

Moonstone: “Concentrate on your power! It’s greater than you realize! If you try, you can control it completely... make it do anything! Concentrate... make this 'dark force’ release us! Yes... that’s it! You’re doing it! But you can do more than just reform the darkness into a protective sheath! You can turn it back on the Avengers... you can make them merge with the darkness! And then we can get out of here!”

Vision warns the Avengers that the dark-force is a manifestation of another universe but She-Hulk is skeptical so goes to grab Blackout out of the black goo but her arm goes right through him.

And not in the gory way that you’d see these days.

Blackout and Moonstone are pretty perplexed too.

Apparently, he done goofed and merged him and Moonstone with the darkness and the two get sucked into a singularity and disappear.

Vision: “This may be a first... Our enemies have actually imprisoned themselves!”

Geez, Vision, these assholes might be dead.

-google- Huh. Nope. They’ll be back to menace.... Dazzler? Huh. It be like that sometimes.

Sidenote: I do like that Captain Monica Marvel, as the newest to this superhero life, is the one that most visibly shows shock and consternation at two villains being sucked into an unknown fate.

It’s a nice touch.

Even though the villains maybe got away? Or got sent to the next dimension? She-Hulk congratulates Vision on finding them. And then notes, seconded by Wanda, that Vision is becoming more of a vision.

Scarlet Witch: “Darling? Your holographic projection is starting to fade!”

Vision: “So it is! I seem to be having some difficulty maintaining the transmission over the distance! Perhaps I’ve overextended myself a bit.”

He decides to switch off the projection to run a systems check.

Later, back at the mansion, the Giant Floating Head of Vision reassures everyone.

Vision: “I was just explaining to Captain Marvel that there’s nothing to worry about! As I’d already guessed, the strain of the long-distance transmission was a bit taxing. A few days of rest, and I’ll be able to transmit myself almost anywhere. Of course, by then, I hope to be physically mobile, as well.”

Scarlet Witch: “Vision, you must be more careful! It’s not safe for you to consider using this power again... not until you’re fully healed!”

Vision: “You mean ‘repaired,’ Wanda. But, yes, a certain amount of caution is required. I must adjust to this extra power in stages. Once I’ve mastered it, I’ll never be so helpless again. I’ll be able to do anything... anything!”

Well.

That’s a massive red flag.

Being locked in a tube has not done wonders for Vision’s emotional state that he always pretends he doesn’t have.

(Side note again: I like that Wasp’s costume has an open back, for her wings. It’s another nice touch.)

Starfox asks if Vision has ever had ego problems but Wasp says he’s never had a swelled head like this.

Nah, not exactly. But can you imagine!

But yeah, no, she says he’s never showed ego like this before.

Its actually such a massive red flag that everyone present seems to pick up on it.

But there’s no time to address that because they get an emergency call from Tigra.

Ah, Tigra! You were fun the short amount of time you were here. What wacky hijinxes do you have going on now?

Tigra: “I’m at St. Anthony’s Hospital in San Francisco, Jan. No, I’m fine -- but a friend of mine is literally at death’s door. She may not make it if we don’t get some help fast... and I mean big help! It’s hard to explain over the phone, but... do you believe in ghosts?”

!!!!

Why, Tigra! I didn’t know you and Spider-Woman were friends!

So next time.... uh. We won’t be addressing this right away. The next Avengers’ issue is an infamous offering from Assistant Editor’s Month and before we can even get to that, we need to look into what Hawkeye has been up to because it’s kinda relevant. Or will be relevant soon. When Marvel decides to give this liveblog a headache by splitting the party.

Oh yes, West Coast Avengers looms in the near future. As does Secret Wars. As does David Letterman!

Good grief!

Follow @essential-avengers because I’m going to try to cover all these things. That’s a good reason to follow, probably. Also, like and reblog if you like to reblog.

#avengers #Moonstone #Blackout #the Vision #Scarlet Witch #She Hulk #Starfox #the Wasp #Captain Marvel #Monica Rambeau #Essential Avengers #essential marvel liveblogging #Starfox has a big influence for a guy who is so Starfox #Vision the Great and Powerful #the continuing mishaps of Apartment Quest '83 #Moonstone commits an error

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bradleycabotlowell · 4 years ago

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Predestination

It never plays out exactly the same way twice, does it?

Sometimes, he’s sitting on a tropical beach; other times, he’s in the passenger seat of a car and riding through a desert he’s only seen in movies. It’s always someplace warm and new. His life is something he doesn’t recognize, and that excites rather than scares him. He feels like a nobody from nowhere. He feels free.

There’s a man right beside him, of course. He can almost see him, almost hear him, almost touch him, but almost isn’t enough and the stranger always evades his perception. The man is at his side and at the distant end of a foggy tunnel all at once.

Somehow, these shadows are enough to sustain the starving man. He feels safe and loved in the company of this indiscernible specter, grasping at the threads of what, in another life, might have been home. He smiles easily, and his soul feels light. It’s too beautiful to be real—because it isn’t.

His eyes snap open and he reaches over to turn off the alarm.

It’s Monday. 7 AM. The room is cold. Beside him, his wife stirs and they exchange polite greetings. He has experienced variations upon this recurring dream for thirty years, or perhaps longer, but the time always comes to wake up.

Centuries of theologians have grappled with the paradox of free will. If God is truly omniscient, some have argued, then he must know the full story of the universe from beginning to end. Following this logic, free will does not exist. Everything you are and everything you do, God has already known since before Creation. Your spot in heaven or hell was ready for you before even your earliest ancestors were born.

Some of these believers arrived by the boatful to a land they stole for their own. This austere band anxiously searched their scriptures and their world for signs of God’s will. They found both dread and comfort in the knowledge that their story was already written. In time, their descendants became statesmen, scholars, titans of industry, all in a city on a hill “Where the Lowells talk only to Cabots, and the Cabots talk only to God.” Now, after four hundred years of the family tree’s growth, he is here. He’s mainly just a Calvinist on special occasions, but some of his distant ancestors’ anxiety still lies somewhere deep within his bones, too deep to remove.

He has always understood that his life was never his to shape. Between his parents (and their parents and so on and so forth) and some hazy conception of God, his course had already been set. No one ever asked for his input; there was never any need for it. From the day he was born, the very universe knew that, with his parents’ money and connections, he would want for nothing. He would go from private school to Harvard. He would major in something practical and slide effortlessly into a well-paying job. He would marry a woman from a good family and have several children, creating a picture-perfect family. On a moral level, he strongly suspected that he was never cut out to be a good, heaven-bound man, nor would he need to be. But he would fill his role and perform his function, just as intended.

In his heart, though, he knows it’s an exercise in futility. In another century, simply following this life plan would have been enough to secure a place of honor in the history books, but that’s no longer the case. The age of the Boston Brahmin class as a political and cultural powerhouse ended before he was born. His bloodline already teeming with presidents and philosophers, he feels as though there is no new ground to tread, nothing new to innovate. All he can do is go through the motions, a pale imitation of the greatness that preceded him.

For thirty years, or perhaps longer, he has only dared to explore alternatives in his dreams. He has it all, as far as the world is concerned, but his restless spirit remains dissatisfied. Some undeniable, hungry part of him imagines what else he could be, without the money or the job or the pedigree. In the dream, he freely loves the man beside him, but that is only the start of it. What is he beneath all the artifice and expectations? If all of it was gone one day, could he become something different?

For thirty years, or perhaps longer, the dream has felt more real than his reality. In that way, stepping away from Walden Pond and into oblivion was as easy as falling asleep.

#character info

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dweemeister · 4 years ago

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Shoes (1916)

During the 1890s and 1900s, the earliest American movie studios were dispersed across major cities east of the Mississippi River. But by the early 1910s, the stable weather, tax-friendly environment, and natural beauty of Southern California brought these studios westward. The Golden Age of Hollywood was born in the Golden State. Women directors, producers, and writers were essential to Hollywood’s creation. One of the early pioneers from Hollywood’s rough-and-tumble beginnings was Lois Weber – at her career’s peak, she was as famous, innovative, and as crucial to the development of cinematic vocabulary as D.W. Griffith (1915’s The Birth of a Nation, 1916’s Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages). Yet in the writing of American cinematic history, Weber has been largely sidelined, if not outright omitted.

Many of Lois Weber’s films are lost, like those of her countless silent era contemporaries across the world. What remains of Weber’s filmography for modern public consumption is a body of work filled with artistic assuredness. Shoes, released by an infant studio named Universal, is a fascinating film – unafraid to depict issues that would have been tossed out by Hollywood censors twenty years later. It serves as an ideal gateway to Weber’s work, a demonstration of her political and artistic auteurism.

Eva Meyer (Mary MacLaren, a Weber regular) is a young woman who serves as her family’s principal breadwinner. Her mother (Mattie Witting) tends to their dilapidated apartment and Eva’s two younger sisters while making a few cents as a laundress. Eva’s father (Harry Griffith) lies in bed and reads books all day – this is a rare instance of a movie where you want a character to read less. The hours Eva works at the five-and-dime store are draining. She drifts, numbly, between home and work – there is no time for leisure, at least for anyone who isn’t Eva’s father. One day, she has torn through the soles of her shoes – she wants to purchase a replacement, but she cannot afford a new pair. As she walks to and from work every day, a pair of boots propped up at a different store’s display window beckon. Eva looks longingly at these boots, as well as those adorning the feet of the women she encounters on her lonesome commute.

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The cinematic techniques that Weber employs might seem well-worn today, but in 1916 her vision was groundbreaking. There are a few instances of superimposed images appearing in the left-hand corner of the screen to show the audience what a character is daydreaming about. That may be more prominent in modern animated film, the effect provides plot development more expeditiously than a silent film intertitle. A superimposed dream probably would not be as effective in a contemporary live-action film – unless it was a comedy – but it works here. Shoes’ several dissolves also emphasize Eva’s longing for her new shoes, as she imagines how vivified her life could be with those new pair of boots on display in the window. Along with cinematographers Stephen S. Norton (1916’s Where Are My Children?; 1923’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame), King D. Gray (1915’s The College Orphan; second cameraman on 1934’s The Black Cat), and Allen G. Siegler (1915 serial The Broken Coin; 1916’s The Dumb Girl of Portici), Weber also utilizes dissolves to close in on Eva’s regretful disposition – this opposed to a zoom or a dolly shot (neither would be largely adopted among filmmakers for some time). The gradual dissolve is completed in respect to the modest pace of Shoes, and deepens the gravitational pull of Eva’s desolation. Dissolves in 1910s films were rarities; to see them used as artistically as this signifies a director and cinematographers tinkering with techniques well ahead of their time.

Numerous early silent filmmakers of the mid-1910s constructed glaringly cheap sets that can easily take modern viewers out of a film. In these films, a room might appear poorly painted and appear to have paper-thin doors and walls; exteriors may consist of materials haphazardly assembled on a movie studio lot. Not here. Weber uses Los Angeles for her exteriors rather than a soundstage; Eva could easily be imagined as an Angeleno rather than the resident of some artificial town. Eva passes through a teeming, bird-flocked Pershing Square on her way to and from work every day. Pershing Square is a lonely place for her, and the passing couples wearing fashionable shoes underline her psychological distance from all that surrounds her. A nearby Woolworth’s at 719 South Broadway Avenue stood in as the windowed storefront that Eva stops by during her commute, further imbuing Shoes with emotional interest.

During Shoes’ fifty-two minutes, Weber invites the viewer to adopt Eva’s viewpoint. A lesser director might stray from this focus in favor of her parents or a random lout like the character of “Cabaret” Charlie (William V. Mong), but Weber stays the course and the film – in no small part thanks to sixteen-year-old Mary MacLaren’s sufficient performance as the protagonist – is emotionally rewarded for that concentration in its final scenes. Eva’s gloom and constant embarrassment regarding her penury suffuses every scene, magnified by Weber’s silent film-era arsenal of techniques, grasp of narrative structure*, and location shooting. Amid the United States’ Progressive Era, Weber’s socially conscious films resonated with an American public gaining greater awareness of industrialization’s and unregulated capitalism’s ill effects. Shoes, based on a story closely adapted from Jane Addams’ A New Conscience and an Ancient Evil, is a byproduct of the debates that Progressive Era activists engaged in. Weber’s film depicts an implied lack of employee protections/benefits and the presence of a nefarious sexual economy – unaddressed legacies of the social upheaval caused by industrialization.

Shoes itself does not contain any explicit political diatribes, but Weber’s sympathies could not be clearer. Before her film career, Weber – born to a devout Pennsylvanian Christian family – lived in poverty herself and engaged in missionary work to help improve the lives of young women. By her own admission, Weber based certain incidents in her films on the experiences she saw, vicariously, through those women she worked for in her youth. For Shoes, the segments in between home and work existed outside the text of Addams’ novel, and were informed by the poor women the Weber interacted with. Without those scenes, Shoes’ pathos is less powerful. Universal, believing in Weber’s approach to Shoes, launched an advertising campaign trumpeting the film’s social realism – an expression of confidence in a gifted and thoughtful director who made some of the most interesting films of the silent era. Weber’s early life experiences made that craftwork possible.

Let me dispel any myths I may have previously perpetuated via other reviews on this blog: women directors were not novelties at the dawn of Hollywood. By the end of the 1910s, Universal Studios in particular boasted a talented corps of women directors and writers – in 1916, Weber became Universal’s highest-paid director (such a distinction is almost impossible to fathom even in 2020). Hollywood’s early studios had numerous women who worked behind the cameras in critical creative positions. In the 1920s, Wall Street titans took notice of the burgeoning film industry flourishing in Southern California. The incoming consolidation of Hollywood’s movie studios resulted in a marked decrease of women involved in filmmaking. These New York-based financiers, all men, held dim views of women in business and motion pictures where feminism fuels the work. The fact that seventy-five percent of all silent films are now lost forever, in addition to uninformed perceptions about silent films themselves, has further complicated studies of women filmmakers during Hollywood’s earliest years. The history of American filmmaking written since then has been sexist and racist by omission. In the years to come, let us hope that this history can be more inclusive – not for the sake of inclusivity, but to accurately reflect the reality that female filmmakers were pivotal to the development of American cinema in the silent era.

Shoes is an ideal starting point for those wishing to learn more about the early women directors in Hollywood. A product of the era’s politics and Lois Weber’s dedication to gendered and economic justice, it is a measured, intriguing film serving as a lasting testament to its director’s acuity.

My rating: 8/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

*As film technology became more affordable and as it advanced in America, the average Hollywood film became longer in the mid-1910s. In this environment, directors experimented – and frequently failed – with how to extend their narratives from rather simple short films. At fifty-two minutes, Shoes was much longer than the typical film released in 1916 (within a decade that would no longer be the case).

#Shoes #Lois Weber #Mary MacLaren #William V. Mong #silent film #TCM #Harry Griffith #Mattie Witting #Jessie Arnold #Lina Basquette #Stephen S. Norton #King Gray #Allen G. Siegler #My Movie Odyssey

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snowqueen-68 · 5 years ago

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Showing up again today

Still freaking out after putting my work up yesterday. Just showing up can be really scary but I’m here again today, so here’s more...

“Ah yes, well I had to talk fast to outwit my slippery brother and his cronies, but I managed it. In the end, my mother had to accept that if she did not do something about my brother then the responsibility for the destruction of all humankind would lie directly with her. That is not something she was willing to do. It’s why, you know, that when my brother and I had our falling out, she decreed the Game in the first place. If my brother and I were to confront each other directly…well, we would be two powerful titans striving against each other within the realm of the mortal. The destruction would be indescribable.” “I can imagine,” Alastair said, “and so to avoid such a tragedy the God Mother set up the Game, as you call it, that you and your brother are now engaged in?” “Yes,” the Master said, his wise face grim, “Perhaps not the perfect solution but certainly the safest – for Man and God both.” Alastair frowned, while familiar with the vast struggle being played out between the two brothers he was not privy to many of its finer details. “And so your brother received the penalty then, the penalty of banishment, the one we – you asked for?” “He did, though not for the length of time that we had hoped.” Alastair shrugged. “Well, you said yourself it was a long shot. But better something than nothing. How did it finally come about?” The Master imitated Alastair’s shrug. “In the end, the God Mother and the Council were forced to acknowledge that if my brother and his accomplices were allowed to win the Game because they had broken the rules because they had cheated then we, our side, would have open to us certain loopholes, shall we say, which we could manipulate and that would enable us to continue our struggle against the Darkness that is my brother’s natural state.” “And this is not a good thing, sir?” “Indeed, it is not, Alastair. A victory for my brother, no matter hollow, would still be impactful and devastating. I could not, would not ever agree to stand aside and let my brother win because he thought he’d been clever enough to break the rules, rules that he agreed to abide by when the Game was first created. Without the parameters of the Game without its beginning and its ending we, my brother and I would contend with each other down through all the ages, endlessly pitting against one another those, not of the chosen bloodlines, those not prepared for or capable of facing such confrontations. Eventually, these conflicts would bloom out of control and the result would be the same as if we had confronted each other directly.” Alastair could only stand and stare at that, reeling from the implied repercussions and though a dozen questions teemed through his mind he did not push for more details. His Master looked and sounded very tired and Alastair did not wish to add to his burden. So instead he asked, “What then, exactly, did your brother receive in the way of punishment and penalty? I would hope the Council was appropriately severe.” The Master chuckled, “So bloodthirsty Alastair?” “Indeed sir,” he said simply, “What occurred here today would require nothing less.” The Master’s expression turned sober, sorrowful as he once again glanced down at Sebastian and the impression in the grass where just moments ago Lily’s lifeless form had been. Alastair felt a stab of guilt as he wondered if his Master for all that he was determined to stand against his brother, like their mother, had a bit of a soft spot himself for his errant sibling. “So, what are we going to do sir?” He asked finally as the silence between them lengthened, “I assume you have a plan?” “I do, I do indeed,” the Master replied, his weariness fading a bit as he smiled at Alastair, “my brother and his men have been banished to their quarter of the City of the Heavens, not to be released until the day that Lily is returned to Earth. That, Alastair, at least gives us time to plan, to be ready. And while my mother did decide to punish my brother, she was none too pleased with me. If we fail in our second chance my friend, we will not get another.” Alastair gave the Master a bleak look and the other man reached out to place the hand without the flame on Alastair’s shoulder. “We have not yet lost, today we have been given a chance to fight on, my friend,” he said, “there is still hope. A very great deal of it in fact. My brother’s wings have been clipped and we have much to do.” He spoke so bracingly, with such a great deal of confidence that Alastair felt his own flagging spirits rise and he nodded once in agreement. “Good man,” the Master said, giving his shoulder a squeeze before looking back down at the unmoving Sebastian. “Bring him, Alastair, I think he’s healed enough to move, at least I have done my best for the moment and we cannot remain here any longer. Even though my brother has been retained in the City of the Heavens we need to move quickly. He has promised to behave, and our mother and the Council might believe him, but I do not. My brother’s reach is long, and even from his confinement in the Quarter of the Damned, he will be searching for Sebastian and Lily.” With that the Master turned and, holding out the palm that still held his little dancing light, he moved across the clearing towards the river, the one that Lily and Sebastian had crossed earlier that day in a desperate attempt to escape death, the river whose soft rushing could be heard clearly in the still silent glade. Bending, Alastair gently and effortlessly lifted the deeply slumbering Sebastian and moved quickly in the wake of his Master, the older man’s words giving him a sense of urgency. They did not slow or stop when they reached the river, the Master striding across it without hesitation, his feet never sinking beneath the undulating water, and Alastair was grateful that his master’s presence allowed him to keep his feet dry and above water as well. They entered the forest beyond and skirted through the tall trees, the Master moving purposefully and quickly as if he knew exactly where he was going. Alastair followed directly behind, without question; the light of the Master’s flame showing him the way. Finally, they stopped just a bit further on when the Master came to a halt in another clearing; one almost identical to the one they had just left, but bigger and in the shape of a nearly perfect circle. A stream, possibly a branch of the river they had just crossed, flowed through the clearing, babbling and sparkling, and overhead the moon shone bright and full. “Perfect,” the older man said, “and we don’t even need any light.” He shook his hand and the flame went out, leaving them standing in silvery darkness. Then the Master pointed to a far curve of the clearing, close to the tree line. “Come, let us place him there, Alastair,” he said, striding over and indicating a spot several yards from the edge of the clearing. Alastair frowned but did as he was told advancing to stand next to his Master, meeting the older man’s eyes. “Here Master? I do not like to place him so low on the ground again after he has suffered so much.” The Master smiled at him with gentle approval. “It will only be momentary Alastair, then I promise that it will never have to happen again.” Reassured, Alastair placed the inert form of Sebastian on the still-warm grass. At least it was summer, he thought, and he did not have to place the poor man in the snow! After he’d made sure Sebastian was still breathing, Alastair stepped back to stand with his Master. “Together?” The older man asked, his eyebrows raising slightly in question, and Alastair nodded. “Together,” he agreed, though he had no idea what might be wanted from him. Shoulder to shoulder they faced the curve of the clearing and the body of Sebastian. The Master drew in several deep breaths and closing his eyes extended his arms out wide, palms turned upwards, his feet planted firmly beneath him. Alastair paused for a quick moment before doing the same, stilling his mind, opening to his surroundings, to his own strength and to the power of his Master next to him. Then he waited. At first, as the moment drew out and nothing happened Alastair thought that perhaps the Master had changed his mind, was having second thoughts about this particular location, which to Alastair’s way of thinking would make sense. This clearing seemed dangerously close to the scene of the ambush and murder. Though if he were being completely honest anywhere within the same universe seemed dangerously close at the moment. All he could do was trust his Master and whatever plan he might have. Then just as Alastair was going to open his eyes to see what was going on, the air stirred and he heard the Master’s soft whisper, not out loud or in any way externally audible but inside in his mind where he heard it as a stream of softly susserating energy instead of an actual voice. Alastair drew his awareness back inside himself and settled more firmly into his own center, opening his well of power and waiting patiently for the draw on his energy. It came slowly but not invasively, an invitation to join rather than an insistent command and he answered by putting his will behind the Master’s request, spooling out his power until it connected with the infinitely stronger stream of energy that belonged to the older man. Together they fed this energy out into the clearing, building brick by newly formed brick the Master’s vision. In his mind, Alastair watched as the Master’s creation, aided by their combined wills, coalesced; a long wooden structure with a tall stone tower that rose high to reach the trees, and that overlooked the forest and everything beyond. As it grew up from the ground the tower wrapped itself around Sebastian, raising him from his low place on the ground, hiding him from view and taking him up, up, up until he occupied the highest place in the clearing. The last thing to appear in the tower, in the very center of Sebastian’s room was a large four-poster bed that rose under the injured man, tucking him under a soft counterpane with the summer breezes coming in from the open bank of windows directly opposite the bed. As they opened their eyes, the Master turned to Alastair, “Will that do, Alastair?” he asked.

#fantasy writing romance original writing

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bacejelerenvorthos · 6 years ago

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The Lore of Zendikar: Rise of the Eldrazi

“The Eldrazi titans were imprisoned for thousands of years. Once — just once — they enjoyed the merest taste of freedom, and the results were cataclysmic: the race of vampires were created, and entire civilizations were devastated as their brood lineages swept across the plane. Since that first hint of escape, the titans have waited, if their alien minds can be said to wait, knowing that someday the bonds would be loosed again.

The three Planeswalkers who had bound the titans were gone. Nahiri had disappeared after the first escape, going in search of the other two who had abandoned her world and left her to deal with the Eldrazi alone. Ugin was bound in magical stasis on the plane of Tarkir, recovering over the course of twelve centuries from a grevious wound. And Sorin’s location was unknown. Even in their absence, though, the magic of the Eye of Ugin held fast.

Then, for inscrutable reasons of his own, the elder dragon Planeswalker Nicol Bolas took an interest in Zendikar. He visited the plane, studied the Eye of Ugin, noted the Eldrazi in their prison, and disappeared again. Some time later, he sent one of his minions — the Planeswalker Sarkhan Vol — to keep watch over the Eye of Ugin.

Sarkhan spiraled into madness as he kept his lonely vigil in the ancient chamber. He heard voices and glimpsed mysterious visions, unable to discern reality from the imaginings of his mind. He fell into a pit of his own tormented thoughts.

And then two other Planeswalkers found their way to the Eye of Ugin.

Chandra Nalaar followed a mysterious scroll map to Zendikar, searching for the Eye of Ugin — which she thought was a valuable artifact. Jace Beleren tracked Chandra there and intercepted her inside the Eye of Ugin just as she encountered Sarkhan. Trying to defend the Eye, Sarkhan took the form of a dragon and sprang to the attack.

Thousands of years before, three Planeswalkers had come together in the Eye of Ugin to trap the Eldrazi on Zendikar. And now three different Planeswalkers found themselves in that same chamber.

The Eye of Ugin surged back to life. The colorless fire of Ugin’s breath was the final piece to the puzzle of the chamber, a way of creating fire without drawing on red mana. Chandra discovered how to produce such ghostfire, accidentally opening the final lock. All the elements were present once again.

The Prison is Shattered

Even at this time, it might have been possible to undo the damage that had been done. The titans did not immediately burst their bonds — first their teeming broods were loosed upon the plane. Swarms of Eldrazi, from mindless spawn to towering monstrosities, began rampaging across the plane. The destruction of Sejiri and Bala Ged began early, and the slaughter of many Joraga elves precipitated the next series of events.

Nissa Revane was a Planeswalker of the Joraga. Attuned to the soul of the plane as her tribe came under attack, Nissa was keenly award of the catastrophe that was looming for all of Zendikar. In a desperate effort to save her home, she sought out the source of the brood lineages. As she searched for the location of the titans’ prison, she was joined by Sorin Markov, who had come at last to Zendikar, summoned by the catastrophe at the Eye of Ugin. Sorin was determined to seal the prison once more, as Nahiri had done the first time the bonds were loosened.

But Nissa has other ideas. When she and Sorin at last came to the Eye of Ugin, Sorin called on her to help him restore the titans’ bonds. But Nissa believed that, given their freedom, the Eldrazi would flee the plane that had been their prison and wreak their destruction elsewhere. Instead of sealing the titans tightly into their prison once more, she broke the last bonds holding them in, and the three titans emerged into the world.”

Art by Michael Komarck and Jason Chan

#mtg #vorthos #magic the gathering #magic story #magic art #fantasy #fantasy art #lore #flavor #magic lore #eldrazi #zendikar #planeswalkers

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reclaim-the-crown · 6 years ago

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my first post goes to @veritaslies because infinity war angst is good stuff

It hadn't been easy, watching himself die. Though the magic, the actual art of it, of making an illusion tangible and living enough to fool even Thanos, and to watch that illusion talk to the Titan in such a way, that pleased Loki to no end. He may have shirked his duties as king on Asgard while impersonating Odin, but he had spent plenty of time honing his already great skills with magic, once he'd finally had full access to every single tome locked in the vaults -- even the ones that had been kept out of his reach before. In hindsight, most likely because Odin had been absolutely terrified of him turning out like Hela, which Loki supposed he really couldn't blame him for. Not to mention -- he hadn't spent several weeks on Sakaar in the company of an Elder of the Universe without talking the Grandmaster into teaching him a few things.

But it was scary, watching one of his greatest nightmares unfold. Thanos had broken him once, in the most brutal and torturous way a person could be broken, and he would always be terrified of the Titan. But it was also much, much worse having to watch Thor's reaction to it. It took everything Loki had to not lift the spell that kept him invisible and step forward to further reassure his older brother of that his words - the sun will shine on us again - hadn't just been empty ones. Because those words wasn't a lie; Loki mouthed them along with his illusion, just as he did every other word.

And then he turned, and ran, throwing himself into the single, lonely escape pod left on the ship, that he had hidden away as a last life line, the last resort should everything else go to ruin. Which it certainly had, and Loki knew it was only going to get worse. He needed to get help, to find people who might somehow stand a slight chance against the Titan. The problem was that he couldn't think of a single creature in the universe who would, if Thanos got all of the Infinity Stones.

Sometimes, Loki hated just how big the universe was. Even if he knew of shortcuts all across the Nine Realms, and even a few elsewhere, it couldn't take him everywhere he wanted to go fast enough. And he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms in most places, even on worlds where he hadn't attempted genocide. Calls, messages, and distress calls he sent out from his pod's communication devices fell on deaf ears or never reached their destination at all, and Loki had no way of knowing if it was because they simply did not want to speak to him in particular or if their worlds had already fallen victim to Thanos' attacks.

As any hope slowly left him, he soon found himself staring out of the window down at a familiar blue planet, after seventeen days of travelling through the cold of space. Why it was at Midgard he found himself as hope ran dry, he couldn't have explained properly even to himself. Desperation to see his brother again, perhaps, or some naive, childish thought that at least one of the Avengers must still be alive. He needed a familiar face, even if belonged to an enemy. As long as it wasn't Thanos.

He took great care to land undetected, and to make sure the pod stayed that way even as he would leave it to travel by other means. Because if there was nothing left for him here either, he would continue running. He always would. Once he had given up on everything and allowed himself to fall, and it had only brought him torture and madness, and memories that would forever haunt him. Even more now, he feared, after watching his own death at the hands of his tormentor.

But Earth would still find out about his arrival. It was soon clear that Thanos had succeeded in his plans, judging by the chaos that reigned everywhere Loki went, the evident distress in every newscasters voice as they spoke on television, trying in vain to explain what had happened. Cities had been teeming with life last time he had visited; now they were almost empty in comparison, half of its population gone and what was left huddling in the falsely imagined safety of their homes. Still, Loki located the more crowded places, and he swooped down on the humans in an act similar to the one he had let play out in Germany eight years ago. Complete with golden armour and horns, he sent people running for their lives, with enough Shakespearean flair to his words to hopefully make anyone he had met before realise it was a cry for attention rather than a second try at taking the planet for his own. If nothing else, the fact that he killed no one should also grab their attention.

The universe had lost enough lives.

And so he continued, picking out his target crowds through means unknown, and then catching them when they least expected it. But there was no joy to be found in intimidating the humans anymore, only desperation and then hopelessness when every time he did, as he lingered afterwards in the chaos that followed, no one showed up to stop him but whatever was left of police and military. Then he was left to wander the streets of New York in the dark until he could do it all over again, still not bothering to change his face just in case, but simply opting for the more anonymous suit rather than full Asgardian regalia.

#veritaslies #[post infinity war; the sun will shine on us again]#[ic; satisfaction is not in my nature]#//i hope you like this!!!

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