#The Time of Warriors [Crusader Verse]

[tgrailwar-zero]

Servant Matrix: RICHARD I

Class: Saber

True Name: Richard I, Richard the Lionheart

Gender: Male

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Height/Weight: 178cm / 66kg

Source: Historical Fact

Region: Europe

ENDURANCE GAUGE: [X/X/-/-/-/-]

MANA CHARGES: [ X / X / X / X / - ]

COMMAND SPELLS: [ X | X | X ]

A lionhearted man, crusader, and King of England who lives more in accordance to his own emotions and ambitions rather than the orders of his superiors of a perceived 'status quo'. In life, he was said to possess a great many talents and excelled at almost everything. A man possessing a dangerous charisma who was lionized as a magnificent and ideal warrior king despite being absent for the majority of his reign. A crusader, a tyrant, a warlord, a knight-- a man who has held many titles and been viewed through many different lenses both during and after his life.

He was found by the Masters in a laboratory belonging to the Umbral Institute, presumably as part of a plot to create an 'exploitable Excalibur'. How he got there and what the details of the experiment are remain a mystery, though he is grateful to be brought back to the side of humanity. If he remained undiscovered and the plot was finished, could he have instead been a fierce enemy rather than a bravehearted ally…?

He and his siblings of the House of Plantagenet (known to historians also as the 'Devil's Brood') were known for their ferocity, constant infighting, and propensity for violence. Thankfully, as a Saber, his more personable traits come to light. In life, he was known for his eccentric and sporadic personality that earned him the nickname 'Oc e Non' (Yes and No), meaning that his line of thinking can be extreme and difficult to follow at times, but one does not earn the title 'Coeur de Lion' (Lionheart) from taking the simple path. He is a bold-hearted warrior king that will slay his enemies without a shift in his expression or a moment's hesitation-- and also his allies, if he finds them particularly disagreeable.

Despite not possessing an actual 'Charisma' skill, he does have a rather magnetic personality that makes him easily likable. That, in addition to his adoration of the heroes of old such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round or Charlemagne and his Twelve Paladins thanks to being told stories by his mother Aliénor d'Aquitaine, means that even with the more troublesome aspects of his personality present, he strives to act in a manner that he considers honorable and knightly-- wishing to help the common folk, and finding the prospect of 'saving humanity' a noble and exciting path to follow.

To put it simply, he's a royal pain, but a royal pain that you'd rather have as an ally.

Strength: B

Endurance: B

Agility: EX (B -> A++)

Mana: B

Luck: C

NP: A

SKILLS:

Magic Resistance (B) - Cancel spells with a chant below three verses. Even if targeted by greater magecraft and Greater Rituals, it is difficult for them to be affected.

Riding (A) - All vehicles and all creatures but those of Phantasmal Beast and Divine Beast-rank can be used as mounts.

Godspeed (A) - A skill crystallizing his ferocity and speed on the battlefield and the extent of his marches. The longer the battle continues, the higher his Agility parameter climbs.

Lionheart (A) - A skill embodying the name 'Lionheart'. When he's present on the battlefield, enemies are inflicted with wariness and fear, and his allies are emboldened with an increase to morale.

All Kinds of Talents (A) - A skill based on anecdotes that proclaimed his talent at a great many things, ranging from combat to the arts. Anything he practiced while he was alive can be performed at 'B-Rank' or higher, and new skills can be picked up incredibly quickly.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Excalibur

The Sword of Forever Distant Victory.

They say that Richard I liked to name any sword that he uses 'Excalibur', due to his immense adoration of King Arthur.

This Noble Phantasm is not the true Excalibur as wielded by the likes of King Arthur, but a replica blade that can be created by Richard whenever he wields something that he wishes to consider 'Excalibur', ranging from a random tree branch to an ornamental sword. The strength of the attack depends on the 'value' of the object, with different objects resulting in a different energy release.

Despite the power of this Noble Phantasm, it will always pale in comparison to the true Excalibur.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Rounds of Lionheart

A mysterious ability to materialize those that he bonded with in life using his own Saint Graph as a catalyst. One of Richard's trump cards, and a skill that even someone as eccentric as himself does not take lightly, and a Noble Phantasm that he keeps close to his chest and doesn't speak of carelessly.

They manifest within Richard's shadow from the records of the Moon Cell. In other theoretical worlds, they would be directly summoned from the Throne of Heroes. They cannot fully manifest in a practical sense, and are weaker than normal Heroic Spirits, but can cover Richard's blind spots and provide him advice during combat.

The number of 'essences' he can summon is dependent on the amount of magical energy he possesses.

EXTRA SKILL: Fury Shift

A unique trigger possessed by Richard due to belonging to a multifaceted Master-- some of which that may have been more attuned to Richard's aspects as a 'warlord'. Richard can take 'Brave Actions', which have a higher chance of causing Richard harm, but increase his 'Heat'. When his 'Heat' is fully maxxed out, the Masters can temporarily shift him into a destructive state surrounded by raging flames-- a true manifestation of 'Lionheart'. Richard's Endurance Gauge will continuously decrease each action, however his destructive power increases immensely.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Utopie Purgatoire

The flames of purgatory burn in the shape of ferocious lions as Richard charges forth.

A violent, massively powerful manifestation of Richard the Lionheart's unreasonable fighting style, where he'd charge ahead of his soldiers-- and the destruction that he left in his wake.

Can only be used when 'Fury Shifted'

-

COMBO ATTACKS:

SWORD OF GILDED VICTORY

{REQUIRES: YOUNG GIL + RICHARD I, -3 MP EACH} --

Gil passes Richard a blade from the Age of Gods from his treasury, allowing him to use 'Excalibur' in a massively powered up fashion, unleashing a barrage of super-powered beams. The blade is destroyed once the technique is completed.

[questionsonislam]

Were wars made in order to spread the religion and to inform the people about the words of Allah?

All of the wars made in the period of the Prophet (pbuh) are wars of defense. The polytheists expelled the Muslims from their land, grabbed their possessions and tried to violate their independence by using the land of Madinah while going to Damascus. That all of the wars made against the polytheists took place around Madinah shows that they were made by Muslims as wars of defense against the attackers.

It is necessary not to forget that the wars made by the Muslims during the Era of Bliss were made based on the orders of Allah. Allah, who is the owner of all land and property, who can do whatever He wishes in His land and nobody has the right to question Him.

If there were no wars, there would be no degree called martyrdom, whose owners are described as people of Paradise in the Quran. However, Allah wants to give His slaves the degree of martyrdom. Through martyrdom, the belief of slaves is tested and the sincere ones are given a lofty degree. The following verse, which was sent down related to the Battle of Uhud, sheds light on the issue:

“If a wound hath touched you, be sure a similar wound hath touched the others. Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns: that Allah may know those that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks Martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And Allah loveth not those that do wrong…” (Aal-i Imran, 3/140 and 141)

When the Companions went all over the world, they did not go as warriors but as apostles of peace in order to spread Islam. They worked at least fifty times more than the missionaries – compared to the conditions of that time.

It is necessary to establish a dialogue with the people in order to convey the message of the religion to them. At that time, it was not possible for the administrators to allow the Muslims to do it and to travel freely. Thus, it became necessary to neutralize the tyrants in order to enable people to search and find the truth with their free will; material wars sometimes became necessary in order to pave the way for people to choose the true religion.

The Christian world set many places on fire with the Crusades during the Middle Age; it should not be forgotten that the European nations, especially the British, invaded all over the world in the twentieth century and that they even used the missionaries for their own imperialistic aims.

Therefore, it is completely wrong and contrary to historical facts to regard Christianity as the religion of peace and Islam as the religion of war; it means to be a slave of the sly suggestions of the western cultural imperialism.

[ofluckandmagic]

🍀Laufey the Just🍀

———

Name: Laufey the Just

Alias: Faye, Mother (Atreus), Last Guardian of the Jötunar, Fair Haired Warrior

Age: 445, appears late 30s.

Gender: Cisgender

Pronouns: She/Her

Realm of Origin: Jötunheim

Eye color: stormy blue

Hair color: Light Auburn

About this portrayal:

Mun note: Given that Faye is dead in canon, this portrayal lends itself to AUs pre-death, as well as AUs in which she survived/faked her death. I portray her close to canon, but headcanons are the main way I diverge from it.

A lot of the canon influenced headcanons are directly inspired by the Lore & Legends book, as well as side quest dialogue relating to the frozen lightning in Vanaheim.

———

Headcanons:

-Laufey’s role as Guardian was a role assigned to her long before her birth. It was prophesied that she would hold the knowledge of her people long after they were gone, which she would later pass down to her son.

-She spent her childhood in Jötunheim, raised from a young age with the knowledge that she would be the leader of her people. From her early childhood, she was shown to be well versed in prophecies and visions. Her skills in magic only seemed to flourish as she aged.

-Her first vision came when she was a child, a vision of her own death. At the time, she was too young to fully understand it. Nonetheless, it weighed heavily on her mind. As she got older, she had reoccurring visions of her son, Loki, the future Champion of the Jotunar and how Ragnarök is meant to go. As a result, she worked alongside Angrboða’s mother to create shrines scattered across the nine realms to ensure this true fate came true.

-In her teen years, she had visions of meeting Fárbauti. While she could not precisely decipher the exact location, these visions ultimately led her to travel the nine realms in search of him once she went against her people.

-Months before Odin found his way into Jötunheim, and began his crusade of decimating them, Laufey had refused to start her sacred trials.

-The Sacred Trials are/were a series of tests that each Jotunar leader must go through in order to take the role as Guardian. She actively chose to fight against Fate, and her own people’s decisions surrounding the trails and prophecy, choosing to leave Jötunheim behind her. Only to return months later to find her homeland abandoned and her people dead.

-Her grief weighed heavy on her, manifesting as anger. This led to her leading several small scale rebellions in Svartalfheim, Vanaheim, and Jötunheim. These rebellions only seemed to provoke more bloodshed, however, and she ultimately. turned to her old friends, the Huldra Brothers for help.

-Leviathan, her axe not only was made to rival Möljnir, but harbors a piece of Laufey’s own soul. (Though it is not a soul part, so much as is bound to her soul)

-When battle with Thor in Vanaheim ended with another decimated town, Laufey felt defeated. She gave up on trying to fight back and retreated to the Wildwoods, where she hid within a protection stave. She survived off the land for years there, biding her time as her prophetic abilities grew stronger and more frequent. She made an effort to help strangers of all kinds in the abandoned marketplace and started going by simply Faye.

-Her first meeting with Kratos happened on the riverbed outside the stave. She had noticed animals going missing, and sought to investigate. They nearly killed each other, but upon realizing he was Fárbauti, she stopped. The two ultimately found a sense of kinship and later built a home together in the Stave.

-She died of natural causes, an untimely bought of Sickness that came not long after Atreus’ 10th birthday.

———

Faye Lives/Returns verse specific headcanons:

-Shortly before her death, and the sickness progressed, Faye went on a ‘hunting trip’ that lasted several days. She traveled to the Norns, deciding to continue to fight against Fate. Faye begged them to intervene, citing that she did not wish to die, nor let things go the way they were going. After several Trials, the Norns agreed. She was given an artifact that would transport her through time.

-This artifact allowed her to fake her death, only leaving behind one of her soul pieces to act as the guiding light within her ashes. Ultimately she arrived at the Cabin, not long after Kratos and Atreus fled to Sindri’s House. She did not chase after them, instead choosing to repair the broken stave and lie in wait for the right time to fight back.

(This AU is a work in progress and thus will get its own dedicated post in the long run)

[msfbgraves]

Lmao, all this sudden hatred of Terry and his slip up in your fanfiction takes me back way back to 2002 when the Brits made a mini TV series of the Russian classic, Doctor Zhivago. Yuri, the main character, cheats on his lovely, angelic wife Tonya (who he has cute kids with too) with “the slut” Lara. It was a loose adaptation and just okay, but I remember it especially because of the supreme rage comments the cheating got, especially from internet crusaders and trolls. Lara of course got the brunt of it since she’s always been one of literature’s most loathed characters (also because she’s the other woman). 

But the scene that really riled people was when Tonya was giving birth, and nurse Lara helps her—and Tonya realizes that she’s been fucking her husband Yuri. It’s a really awful and hurtful scene and the keyboard warriors had a field day with it back in the day on Y*utube. It was just the final straw for them. Even millions dying in the Russian Revolution and the Gulags didn’t bother them as much. But the cheating—HELL NO! 

I believe it hits a little too close to home. Very few people are afraid their partners may become involved in the mob or the Russian Gulag, but cheating - that could happen! And the Anon asking must have thought it was a possibility, or else why ask? I could have shut that down by "Alphas in their Nature never cheat", but I have already established that Nature isn't absolute. Amanda doesn't 'act' like an omega at all. Some people feel Daniel is not submissive enough for the trope. Well then - isn't it possible for Terry to go against the Alpha nature? If the rule was set in stone in this verse a tempting would never even occur. That would be like tempting a human with a delicious plate of the greenest, freshest spring grass. Useless. Humans don't eat grass. But since Anon already thinks Terry might be tempted, why not explore the possibility? I am demonstrably not the only one who thinks it could happen. And yes, it happens the one time, because Terry thinks he can have a bit of bachelor life back, and immediately realises that no, oh God, no, this actually recommits him to his love completely, and Daniel does not even know it happens, that's suddenly unforgivable? Not what he did for Daniel to actually leave? (Though people are reexamining that mess too!) but a drunken fling that makes him understand how deeply he actually loves his mate? That's what set people off?

There seem to be roughly, two kinds of flavours people want to see for this fic. Many want to see the happy times, yes. But there's also a lot of people constantly coming back to their angsty side. Which is legit. This whole fic is two people working through the fact that their love is built on an act of violence, a violence they have to transform. And this, one, terrible crisis - people have kept picking at that scab in asks. To the discomfort of people wanting the good times. Still, maybe it's easier to not dwell on if you are not afraid you will ever get in the position where edgy but good lovemaking (that people also keep asking for), tips into a bad experience. I can tell you that line in and of itself can also be very thin. Still, maybe that does not feel very immediate. But it surprises me that many people seem to realise that this is what happened between them - all the sexy, edgy, dangerous passion tipping into actual danger mid lovemaking - only when I introduced a danger people can relate to. It seems to put it into terms that hit home.

To me, a drunken, angry fling during a visceral fight is far less damning than what actually happened in the lead up to it. So I was like: "Ah, well, if people can handle that, they'll understand about the cheating."

Guess not!

To me it felt like a possible very ugly outcome of the basis of their marriage. This marriage was Daniel being used to neutralise this side of Terry and he has. But that doesn't mean that side of him is dead. And it came back up and I feel that it is a testament to Daniel's strength and the strength of the love they both built that this could be a litmus test of their bond. This is a betrayal that Daniel will not tolerate and it is really up to Terry now to choose who he is going to be: the one who would hurt Daniel to soothe his ego or the one that would let himself be changed, actually changed, by his love for him?

But you know, people can be self righteous in these scenarios. It's still too easy for Terry to rationalise that he may have been 'in the right' as the Alpha. He already feels he's not, actually, before he cheats, but he's still angry at all the LaRussos, and Daniel for "giving him a hard time". It's the cheating that finally makes it click - this is what I'm risking. This is what I've done. This is so much deeper than my ego and if I have to take my ego out of it, what remains is that I've done something utterly monstrous.

And I have to make amends. Actual amends.

[krinsbez]

So, hey.

I got something sort of.

So, in response to a completely different prompt, forumposter drakensis made the following proposal:

Hypothetical: The Grand Council refuses to accept Victor Steiner-Davion's bid for the Grand Refusal as he isn't a bloodnamed warrior. However, Victor has a plan for this. His mother was a Steiner! Steiner is a bloodname! All he needs to do is win a Steiner bloodname! It worked for Phelan! There are no vacant Steiner bloodrights. Solution: Kai Allard-Liao. There is now a vacant Steiner bloodright. The Cloud Cobras don't want to let Victor compete for the blood right. Second verse, same as the first, the trial of refusal is successful. Victor, after months of training on the way to Huntress is in fine shape for any form of combat. It isn't easy but he manages to fight his way through five duels and emerge as a bloodnamed warrior. This does delay the Great Refusal though, and by the time Victor can meet the Grand Council, there have been developments. Specifically, Katherine has taken over the Federated Commonwealth. And the Clans know it. Lincoln Osis may even taunt Victor with it - he may be an ilKhan with no Clan left, but Victor is a prince with no realm. Victor takes it fairly well, suggesting Osis put his money where is mouth is and fight a trial right here and right now. Osis can't believe his luck and accepts. Then to his great surprise, Victor demonstrates his practise with the draw-cut and takes the ilKhan's head off with his katana. A mechwarrior killing an elemental in single (technically unaugmented) combat in front of the Grand Council makes an impression. And at this point Clan Nova Cat has not yet been abjured, so their Khans speak up. The Clans invaded to restore the Star League. The Star League has been restored. They should therefore swear allegiance to the Commander of the SLDF or the nearest ranking officer (pointed look at Victor Steiner) and follow him to the Inner Sphere to restore order. Such as dealing with a certain usurper...

OK, so. Victor Steiner is now ilKhan, the Crusader Clans are happy-ish because they now have a way around the Truce of Tukayyid that doesn't require breaking their word, the Warden Clans are happy-ish because they can participate without feeling guilty, and theoretically the Clans are now beholden to the Second Star League and thus are no longer a threat to the Inner Sphere.

There is a VERY OBVIOUS problem with this, though. That being that Victor's victory is contingent on leading the Clans into honorable battle to remove the usurper of his throne. Which is not something he really wants to do and would look really really bad. Not to mention the Second Star League's legitimacy rests on the idea of it protecting the Inner Sphere form the Clans, so him leading the Clans to attack a member state could well make it fall apart, which is a problem because his status as ilKhan rests on his being in charge of the SLDF!

Is there a way of threading this needle?

Random BattleTech Thought

So, Page 23 of Shattered Sphere, illo of VSD's visit to Luthien. He's got a big ol' Clan Daggerstar on the right breast of his uniform:

Pret' sure this was a mistake, but it kinda makes want to come up with an AU based on this.

IDK, somehow VSD ends up being made ilKhan after the Great Refusal?

No idea how to plausibly imagining that happening, or what the consequences would be.

[crusaderstandingguard]

@iron-hardt continued from x

Their presence here makes the rest of the soldiers uncomfortable. It is impossible to articulate exactly how Reinhardt knows this- the assembled infantrymen they’re stuck sharing a cramped barracks tent with have too many brains and too little backbone between them to dare saying anything within earshot of either of them- but the tension in the air is as thick and oppressive as the ceaseless stormclouds outside that have, at least temporarily, forced a ceasefire.

It does not help that theirs is a division unused to working with the Crusaders. Most of the Bundeswehr is, and while the knights of Eichenwalde are by design an insular order, even the foreboding walls of their castle stronghold can’t block out the whisperings of the rumor mill forever. Reinhardt isn’t ignorant of the gossip about what, exactly, necessitated the thick veil of secrecy that surrounded their sleepy mountain home, and neither are the soldiers already stationed here.

It had been plain as day on their faces when he’d arrived three weeks ago, so impossibly massive he’d been forced to bed down on the floor when the cot they’d assigned him had immediately collapsed under his weight.

It was plain on their faces now, having spent the last 36 hours watching Zelda stage a to-all-appearances almost complete recovery from injuries that would have ended the career- if not the life- of any one of their brothers-in-arms.

The two of them hadn’t been deployed here alone, of course; with them and their equipment had come two engineers and a doctor. With the doctor had come several vials of extraordinarily classified and highly experimental nanobiotics.

A few of the least outlandish rumors about Eichenwalde are actually true, more or less.

The shift of Zelda’s weight against his side snaps him out of the trance he’d fallen into where he sat propped against a stack of equipment cases, lulled into a stupor by the ceaseless patter of rain on waxed canvas as he stared into the middle distance. He’d been tasked with keeping her on bed rest and as hard as he’d tried to get her to remain on her own cot he may as well have been trying to redirect the wind. Sheer persistence had eventually forced him to relinquish both his heap of scratchy, military-issue blankets and the corner of floor he’d staked out as his own. Any bed would do, he had decided; the point of the exercise was to keep her in it.

All things considered, a task easier said than done.

He clicks his tongue at her, mutters soothing nonsense as her weight shifts again and she begins to sit up. A single hand on her sternum quickly puts a stop to that as he gently topples her back over. Out of the corner of his eye he can see the other soldiers in the tent very pointedly Not Looking At Them.

“Settle down, mausebär.”  He murmurs, too low for anyone aside from her to hear. The treatments they’d pumped in to her had been shockingly effective but the process had left her as weak and clumsy as a kitten and so Reinhardt treats her like one, gingerly pulling her over to lay partially in his lap.

“You still need to rest.”

Zelda is used to whispers following her. She has dealt with them most of her life. She is too big to miss, for the most part, and she has worked to be the best. She has had to work twice as hard as the average man to be considered acceptable. The whispers that follow herself and Reinhardt into this new mission do not bother her. The stares do not bother her. 

She does not bother to really speak to anyone unless they speak to her, keeping to her own corner with Reinhardt. Even after her injury, she does not attempt to make real contact with anyone. She keeps up appearances of being fully recovered, ignoring the lingering exhaustion and weakness that makes her feel more useless than she would like. Her trip to the doctor has been her least favorite part of this trip, which is saying a lot.

Restlessness makes Zelda move against Reinhardt, but it lacks the usual finesse that she an usually manage to slip away. His inattention is lost and he zeroes back in on her, one large hand resting on her chest to prevent movement. She would usually fight him on this, but she is tired, weak, and her bones feel as thought hey are filled with helium. His gentle pull is even, to some extent, too much. 

“I am tired of resting,” she almost whispers back to him, keeping her volume to a private range of just the two of them. The others do not need to know that her miraculous recovery has come with a downside. She does, however, settle against him, almost reluctantly. She most certainly does not almost burrow into his warmth, her face turned to his chest instead of outward to the world. 

“If I were less tired, I may even accuse you of enjoying my current state, mein Löwe.”

[crusaderstandingguard-a]

"out of the way, let me try."

Bioshock Starters | Accepting

He is not the first to try to step up and attempt to ��help’ her, nor will he be the last. This man, new to her, with his large form and matching personality is a unique suit on a very familiar man. At least, this is her first impression. With an expression that exaggerates her willingness to let him assist, she steps out of the way, crossing broad arms over her chest and watching him. A few strands of blond have fallen from her ponytail and a sheen of sweat covers her form.

He is in a similar state, Zelda observes as he steps forward to lift the weights she has set for herself. His hair has flyaways as well and he is also coated in a sheen of sweat. But he is taller than her, larger than her, and can, more than likely, lift the weight she has set. She’s not sure what’s possessed him to come over to attempt this, but she’s willing to let him. After all, a solo workout is only so much fun, and Crusaders are meant to work together.

She’s new to this group, still an unproven outsider. Zelda knows she has to prove her worth - especially as one of the few women in their ranks. She knows there are others, ones already proven worthy, but they are still outnumbered by the men. Physical feats of strength are still a man’s world for the most part. She pushes back her initial reactions to give him a chance. Just because the men she’s run into thus far have been disappointing does not mean the Crusader men will. Give them a chance.

“By all means. Show me what you have got, Löwe.”

[tagedeszorns]

Imperial Fists Praetor

And another of my author friend's characters. Of course, he had a background story for his miniature that I could use for a picture.

"Wolfgang Dichter is an Imperial Fists Praetor. Born on Terra after the start of the Great Crusade, he was fascinated with Dorn and his Fists from a young age, eventually dedicating himself to becoming a Legionary of the VII. Showing cunning with a blade, Wolfgang was tutored in mastery of the sword by Sigismund himself, honing his skills to become one of the finest warriors of the Imperium. The love of poetry instilled in him as a boy by his mother survived his transition to becoming Astartes, and he is often found in his free time reading dusty volumes of forgotten lore. His sword, named Tetrometer, is etched In his favourite verse and has yet to fail him in training or battle."

[joz-yyh]

Rust - Fanfic Preview

SUMMARY: A "how they got together" and "where they are now" fic in which I detail how Damian and Tardif meet and consequently fall in love. No beta. Read at your own risk.

RATING: T (for violence just to be safe, but rating will eventually go up for sexual themes)

PAIRING: Bounty Hunter (Tardif) x Flagellant (Damian)

WORD COUNT: 1,758

A/N: I just couldn’t restrain myself any longer so, I gave in and started working on a fic. This is not quite the beginning of the story (close enough), but I figured I’d do a little preview to gauge people’s interest. Please keep in mind this is still a WIP so, things may change a bit. A big thank you to my precious darling lacertae-dreamscape for being my (willing?) guinea pig in all this. Love you! ❤️

-----------------

Junia giggles modestly at Damian’s insightful hobbies, the flagellant depicting the morose backstory behind each one of his many scars, relating them to the tales and verses found in the holy scriptures. While the subject matter may be off-putting to some, Junia doesn’t mind. Whatever grim fixations Damian has, he makes up for it with dedication and enthusiasm.

The vestal catches sight of Tardif, his lurching shadow mucking about along the tree line, keeping an eye on the perimeter no doubt, his attention set on the weald beyond. Junia has traveled alongside the bounty hunter long enough to be made aware of his misanthropic tendencies. Most times she’s content to leave him to his own devices, but Light help her, she wants to extend an olive branch and at least offer him the opportunity to join in on their festivities. Perhaps with enough persuasion, she could goad him into being more social. 

"Oh Tardif," she harks, beckoning him over with a gloved hand, "why don't you join us by the fire. You must be chilled to the bone! Come, you must hear Damian's tale of the Light. He tells it so well!" 

Tardif bristles at the mention of his name. He can feel their eyes on him, waiting expectantly for an answer. He hesitates just a fraction, surprised that anyone would even desire his company, but chooses to ignore her pleas, sinking into the undulating fungus to escape. 

Junia scowls, the smile falling from her lips. In a moment of weakness, she sighs, speaking her inner thoughts aloud, "What a pitiful man. He carries such a heavy burden of loneliness. I feel sorry for him." 

At her words, a revelation appears before Damian's mind's eye. So that's what it was! The flagellant could easily cure such trifles. It was his duty after all.

"Wait here, I will retrieve him," Damian declares, already heading into the woods after the brooding figure, Junia attempting to call him back because she knows such demonstrations of force are bound to end very, very badly.

Just then, Reynauld returns from his own trek in the woods, peering across the flame-lit clearing, taking note of those who are absent, perplexed that even Damian would leave the gentle vestal's side unattended.

"Junia, where is everyone," the swordsman asks, a hint of concern slipping into his admonishing tone.

Junia explains the situation as best she can, albeit awkwardly, worriedly.

At this, the knight crusader kneels down beside his comrade, his armor making a resounding "clank" against the wooden stump she resides on.

"Fret not," he declares, trying to ease the girl's troubled mind with a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "I will go in after them.”

Junia’s uncertain expression worsens into a grimace. She’s seen just how persistent Damian could be in battle and how equally stubborn Tardif was, but that was when the two warriors were pitted against a common enemy. Who's to say what will happen when their skills are suddenly directed at each other? She fears Reynauld is already too late.

—---------

Damian doesn't hide his approach as he cards through the knobby, naked branches, uninhibited by the splintering underbrush. His footfalls are loud and tenacious, giving no heed to the silent dangers lurking within the blight-infested wilderness.

Tardif notices the break in silence immediately, sensing someone stalking his rear, smelling the coppery tang of blood in the air. 

The bounty hunter turns to confront his attacker, just barely missing Damian's throat thanks to that ridiculous iron collar of his. The Flagellant grins at him with glee, ecstatic that a faint streak of blood has begun to pour out from his skin.

"Such good reflexes," the flagellant praises, subconsciously leaning into the axe blade like the masochistic bastard he is. "Did you not hear Miss Junia? She requests your presence."

Tardif grunts distastefully, lowering his weapon.

"Come, she is waiting,” Damian reiterates with an urgency, as if the woman were in utter peril, “I cannot return empty handed."

The bounty hunter turns his back on the hooded man, treading deeper into the chartreuse jungle, opposite of where he's being told to go.

Damian makes the mistake of trying to stop him, crimson hands reaching out to drag the surly brigand back to camp.

Tardif responds by tackling the other male to the ground below.

"Bloody flagellant," the bounty hunter grumbles as he pins the other down, leveraging a forearm against his iron collar, and in turn, the fool's windpipe.

Damian laughs with unabashed merriment.

"You spoke, you spoke," says the sing-songy voice, "Perhaps the Light, in all it's infinite glory, will allow me to partake in such miracles again. What say you to joining us? Or shall I extract you by force," the flagellant asks with a flashy grin and a cocky tilt of his head.

Tardif has witnessed Damian's tactics first-hand and while the taller man had the potential to be fatal, the bounty hunter merely grunts indignantly, as if a pale, anemic ghost couldn't possibly hope to subdue him.

"I see, so that is your answer," Damian drawls, plotting something.

Maybe it was just Tardif’s sleep-deprived mind playing tricks, but even amongst the unbridled darkness, he swears he sees Damian’s eyes sparkle from under his hood. There's a gut feeling telling him that the holy man is permitting this victory, letting the rogue assume control over their interactions because it’s where the mercenary feels the most comfortable and the bounty hunter is not sure if he likes that or not. Tardif feels a sharpened blade sneak under the scales of his chainmail, pressed dangerously close to the tendons in his axe-wielding arm.

Dammit to hell. The flagellant must’ve commandeered one of Tardif's knives during their tumble, turning it against him.

"If you come willingly, I will spare you this grievous injury. Even if you refuse, I promise to stay at your bedside until you recover, but I wonder if you could survive that long without the use of your arm, not to mention the leeches," he says between broken teeth.

"Fine," Tardif acquiesces, mumbling begrudgingly under his breath.

Tardif removes the bulk of his weight from Damian, letting the other man get to his feet.

Damian twirls the stolen knife in his hand with a flourish, a practiced maneuver that hinted at his proficiency with such blood-letting tools. Should Tardif go back on his word, he could certainly make him regret it. Done with his peacocking, the flagellant holds the blade’s handle outward, waiting for the other man to retrieve what was rightfully his in a humble peace offering.

Tardif yanks the knife back with more force than necessary, nicking the Holy man with the tip of the blade just as the flagellant had expected him to, a small satisfying cut gracing his palm.

Tardif snarls. He's getting tired of playing right into Damian's hands.

"Get on wit it, then, 'fore I go changin' my mind," Tardif growls, jerking his head in the direction of camp.

"As you wish," Damian says with a haughty bow, leading the way as a scoffing Tardif trails behind him.

They meet Reynaild midway there, both sides surprised to see the other, but for various reasons neither prefers to disclose. They exchange no words as they rendezvous with Junia.

Tardif finds that being huddled around the bonfire by a bunch of holier-than-thou churchgoers is not a wholly unpleasant experience. The bounty hunter remains aloof, arms crossed as he merely listens to them recount past religious achievements, deflects their attempts at small talk, refusing to participate in revelry.

He’s practically nodding off in his seat when Damain shoves him off completely, a gear-clad back colliding against the grass, sorely undignified. With a keen rage in his eye, the bounty hunter chases the giddy flagellant around the camp, trying to lop off his head much to Reynauld’s mirth and Junia’s distress.

Tardif has to stifle his humors with an ensuing grunt, lest he get caught laughing at Damian’s playfulness.

-------------------------

Damian is visiting the tavern, a light-hearted game of cards strewn atop a large circular table filled shoulder to shoulder with his precious comrades. The flagellant is not participating in the swill of drink himself, nor the vice of gambling, but decides to keep the others company while they engage in their self-medicated stress relief.

Tardif is poised at the far corner of the bar, putting as much distance between them as he can get, flicking his gaze over to the rowdy, red-faced bunch as he brandishes his pint of beer. Was there no end to the holy man forcibly inserting himself into other people’s business?

Damian steals a glance his way and Tardif doesn't tarry, the scruffy man finishing his drink quickly and efficiently before taking his leave.

His comrades whistle provocatively, slurring their jeers as the watch Damian rise from his seat to follow close behind him.

There's a waning moon hanging in the night sky as the holy man steps outside into the wet cobblestone road, retracing Tardif's steps. Never one to stay out in the open, The bounty hunter turns down an alleyway, hoping to lose the troublesome tail dogging his heels. Damain peruses him into the uninviting murk, heedless of the precariousness of being trapped alone in a narrow passageway with a professional killer. Tardif all, but vanishes from sight, faded into the cluttered darkness of crates and barrels lining the nearby buildings. The flagellant twists his head about, looking for any signs of the brute's notorious helmet and hunting gear, but finds none.

He only has a moment to mourn the loss before a shadowy figure springs forth out of nowhere, the taller man now cornered, the scars on his back pressed against the strong outer wall of the sanitarium, a knife to his throat. Damian turns into the threat, grinning all the while.

Tardif is starting to get the impression that the flagellant is instigating these skirmishes on purpose.

"There you are! To where are you headed at such an ungodly hour," Damian asks as if this development between them was brought about by sheer coincidence.

"Piss off. ‘Tis no business of urs," Tardif grinds out with that deep, gravelly voice of his.

"But surely, I must accompany you," Damian retorts.

Tardifs anger flares. Did the fool not hear him?

"You got a death wish, mate,” Tardif quips, strictly a rhetorical question.

"My wish is to know more about you," Damian counters, admitting it much too easily, radiating that piquant interest he always seems to regard the bounty hunter with. Even Tardif is not immune to the feelings that those words awaken in him, internally flinging spiteful words at himself for the warmth that currently spreads throughout his veins.

{End Preview}

[quotesfrommyreading]

In 1099, when Hildegard was one year old, Jerusalem fell to the Christians.  The Crusades were to remain a feature of life (if with dwindling force) for the next three centuries. Fighting was the great game of Europe and warriors were celebrated by name as the sporting icons of their day in epic verse such as the Chanson de Roland (written down c. 1100). In other crucial respects the Europe of the late eleventh century, much of it still covered in forest, bore little resemblance to the continent we know today. The idea of a nation state hardly existed until the nineteenth century. Germany itself was united neither by a particular language nor a firm geographical identity. The only common tongue was Latin, which was still the official written language for science, diplomacy, the law and, underpinning all, the Church. The continent consisted of a network of feudal loyalties and ecclesiastical sees and a mosaic of ethnic gropus. A change of monarch might almost go unnoticed: at one time Germany, Italy and Burgundy were all under one ruler; Aquitaine passed between France and England without undue trouble. Leadership stemmed from a web of jostling warlords and potentates, above whom were the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope. Then came kingdoms, corporations, duches and archbishoprics, traces of which survive as, for example, in the arbitrary boundaries of English shires.

  —  Hildegard of Bingen: The Woman of Her Age (Fiona Maddocks)

[monster-bcrn]

SPOOKY’S 100 FOLLOWER SHOUTOUT!

Okay for real this is the fastest growing blog I’ve ever had hehehe. Never expected Grundy to get this popular this quickly!

Freaking love this zombaby and I’m so glad y’all love him too! As promised, gonna shout out some fantabulous bloggos that helped get Grundy to where he is today. XD

@akasupergirl/ @azombieme (I FREAKING ADORE GRUNDY AND KARA AND LIV. I swear Grundy’s loyal to Kara like he was to Shayera and Jade and Liv is totally his baby sister and is gonna protect her from.....everything. :P

Even pigeons, because they’re legion.)

@thecatgoddessbast (A blast from the past! Glad to see you again after I rampaged and caused chaos as a certain deranged pincushion of a mushroom way back in the time before present. XD

Now I get to do that as a zombie. :D Win/win!)

@starcityvigilante (OLLIE. FFFFFF-okay for real I’m HYPED to plot wacky ideas with you. Grundy has a MASSIVE grudge against Green Arrow and I’m like......*push these two together* you both get along right now.)

@folcire (We literally just started talking and I’m loving your Ivy already! Can’t wait to see how Grundy grows to see her the more he talks to her because they’re both sassy plant people that way. XD)

@themartlans (FFFFFF-J’ONN. Everyone’s favorite green uncle :D I freaking adore him and I HATE how the most he ever interacted with Grundy was him being tossed into the bay. >_<

They really need to talk more, and MAN! That Injustice verse of yours is SICK. Definitely hyped for making Grundy into an insurgent and a good zombie instead of Supes’ lapdog.

( Look at this face....LOOK AT IT.)

@blackwingsbluedings (One of the best Dick Grayson’s out there and definitely loving seeing Grundy be less smash and more “......hug?” They both need hugs I swear.)

@marvelousdamsels (We haven’t talked much but I adore your muses and I just hope Grundy doesn’t come off as too weird or clingy.......wait.......that’s......literally Grundy.....

:D)

@theirfirstexperiment (GRUNDY ON A RAMPAGE YOOOOOO! Better run fast. XD)

@amazonexile/ @gothamprens/ @captainstevertrevor ( Freaking love your muses and I love seeing Diana and Bruce actually WANT to help Grundy. It’s too easy just beating on Grundy and I love seeing them actually bother to try to get to the gentler side of the Hulk’s crazy cousin. XD)

@justiceebound / @nighttfight ( *slams fist on the table* YOU ARE AWESOME! Your Shayera is awesome, your Bruce is a national treasure and I can’t wait to throw Grundy at Supes and Diana, because these guys need a big reconciliation thing after all the chaos from literal years of slugging it out.

And I LOVE it. >:D)

@ofamazonia 

@theamazondiana   (Both of you are AWESOME Wonder Women and MAN I love plotting ideas. I’m tired of seeing Diana being turned into too much of a warrior while negating her role as a peace-maker and y’all NAIL her kindness and wisdom and need to give everyone a chance. Freaking LOVE IT!)

@raininginkyxto (LOL I always love imagining Grundy in Marvel and now poor Weasel is kind of stuck with him. XD Man, if the Hulks meet Grundy then that poor bar is going to really get smashed.....)

@notatomo (GIANT. Man I loved that movie as a kid and I LOVE the subsequent giant robot and tiny kid works inspired from it (example being the CRIMINALLY under-appreciated Sentinel series by UDON.) Can’t wait to see what happens when Grundy talks more to someone bigger than him. XD)

@liminalstctic (GRUNDY HEARTS TINY GIRL. XD Yeah he’s trying his hardest to help her. ;A;)

@dolceclavier

@gobsnacc

@adrenalinesaint

@ninelivesruined

@yellowskinnedwackyman  (CREEPER! I’ll forever ADORE these two butts because they’re team Tree Lobsters.)

@collidingxworlds/ @thecursedhellblazer (I. Love. Your. Constantine. I swear I have so much fun writing Grundy trying to get drunk (and failing) and learning to cuss up a storm while still being a mad lad ready to throw down with mega-zombies to protect his tiny friend.

DC, make this friendship canon or so help me Grodd...)

@chaosmultiverse (I love your Klarion so much! He’s so much fun! XD And Teekl for the epic win!)

@raichoose (Herbert West and Solomon Grundy? THAT aIN’T GOOD! D:>)

@gctjinxd (Freaking LOVE your Jinx! LOL how she manipulates Freeze and how Grundy isn’t even REMOTELY phased by her powers. Like he is TOUGH. Even bad luck won’t stop him.)

@killcrcroc (BIG BAD KILLER CROC! I love your Waylon and I adore how he has a collection of watches and that awesome suit. XD Croc definitely deserves more love since he’s much smarter than he looks, and tough enough to even get Grundy to back down in a serious fight.)

@babydxhl (Baby Doll is criminally underappreciated and I love how she’s the opposite to Grundy. She looks child-like but is very crafty, mature and knows how to get what she wants, while Grundy is physically strong and big enough to bully his way into anything he wants, but is very simple and child-like and would rather watch the birds. XD)

@theednygma (An awesome Ed Nygma and I love how Grundy is so unsure of everything yet still goes along for the ride as a support. XD)

@sleightlyoffhand (BUNNY MAN! Okay the idea of Josiah monching on carrots in Grundy’s pocket makes me smile so much. XD)

@thanagrian (BIRD-NOSE! Honestly every time I think of Grundy and Shayera I get the feels big time. These two definitely deserved more than just two episides to give them a unique friendship.

(I love that STAR Labs mission so much in Injustice. XD)

@the-arkham-librarian ( I love Eliza so much! She’s crafty, stubborn, sweet and kind and just cares about everyone so much when few don’t. Grundy grew so attached to her I swear she’s like his little sister at this point. XD And he’s totes the best uncle along with Eddie.)

@fatherdamned ( I LOVE YOUR RIDDLER OMG! He’s so snarky but man he is SO DAMN FUN to write with! Grundy is there for his green friend, no matter what!)

@fartemis-crockpot

( I freaking LOVE Artemis and Grundy, especially in the Injustice Society stuff. Yeah Grundy’s been a butt before but he genuinely likes and cares about her and the rest of the team and I’m like....

Look at these bunch of a-holes. Yeah they’re a family and even if they’re bad.....they’ve got each other. And that’s what counts. C:)

@powerhours/ @lastofmars (Green dad? Green dad. I love your J’onn so much and I’m like *throws Grundy at green dad* Here give this disaster some love. XD)

@gothamdad (YET ANOTHER AWESOME BATMAN. :D)

@redsleuthed (TIM! I love Tim and I swear these two should talk more because Grundy doesn’t WANT to fight and I think just letting someone hear him out would help him immensely.

Plus that stuff with Freeze? Poetic cinema.)

@themusespace

@12thlevel​ (On this blog we stan socially awkward green boi with angery grandpa genius mastermind. XD)

@pluckyingenue

@seekthedarknesswithin (SHADE! I love Shade in Justice League where he constantly throws Shade at everyone so you can imagine how excited I was to see Shade on Tumblr! We haven’t done much but man.....even Grundy was excited to see an old friend from the Injustice Society/ Injustice Gang.)

@youstolemycoat (Okay, hands down, Nick Necro is so much fun to plot with. His Robin verse is so fun too and poor Grundy tries to help but a certain birdy won’t let him. XD)

@ufotm (Tiny alien baby. :3)

@thetrigonborn

@kitfreeman

@partcfyouruniverse/ @diamondcladclown ( An awesome mun and my goodness her Harley is EPIC! I love the metas about Harley too and you just GET HER. And that????? Is the sign of an excellent writer and mun.)

@bigbadkillercroc ( I love your Croc and the brotherly bond he has with Grundy! It’s so refreshing to see these two bonding instead of Grundy tearing off Waylon’s face like he did in the Solomon Grundy mini-series. :C)

@blizzardmuses (I LOVE YOUR MUSES OMG. Your Batgirl?????? I ADORE HER. I love Freeze as a member of the Birds of Prey and I love tossing Grundy at your muses because the guy needs love and an excuse to smash.....and I really love both lol.)

@starfirechan (You’re Starfire is so freaking CUTE! I love how she and Grundy get along so well since they’re kind of two misfits that aren’t very well-versed in city life. XD)

@gotham-crusader/ @maximummuses (One of the best Batman and Damian Wayne RPers out there! I have a lot of fun with our threads and even if they fizzle out there is so much heart to them that they’re some of my absolute favorites no matter what muse I put on. C:)

@teufortsquidman (PRAWN! Okay, a giant mega-zombie and an Eldritch abomination? Yeah they’re gonna be good pals lol. XD)

@tragedybcrn (Hands down one of the BEST Batman RPers I’ve talked to and plotted with. I love how Bruce helps Freeze and even Grundy try to be better than just crooks. Grundy though has had so many bad experiences that he can’t trust anyone anymore unless there is some SERIOUS help. But he’ll learn to at least try to trust Batman.....because Batman was genuinely nice to him.)

@krygothite ( I freaking LOVE your Bane! We haven’t written much but FFFFF0yeah he’s epic. XD And Grundy is kind of nervous about bringing Bane to Slaughter Swamp because Bane is tough but not kaiju-sized gators and snakes tough....

Or....maybe he is.....let’s test him. >:D)

@batvvmn

@redwinefangs (VAmpire Batman? Vampire Batman. We have an epic trifecta of vampire Bats, Freezy-wolf and zombaby Grundy and I LOVE it. These three are so much fun to plit ideas around. XD)

@bclaur

@stcrshnes

@titanicscionofthestars ( I freaking LOVE Sara! All across my blogs I love her and the way you write her! And I swear her reaction to Grundy being impaled????? MY HEART. ;A;)

@jcinthedance  (JERVIS! Okat for real I love the image of Hatter and Grundy just enjoying a tea party at the asylum and being weird dorks. XD)

@adventurepunks (I absolutelky LOVE your Zatanna! She’s so fun and I’d love to plot more with her! :D)

@shesquiinnsane

@laughter-in-white (YOU????? Are??? Like the BEST Joker. Hands down. Your Croptop J is so much fun to plot with and he’s funny and being dramatic for Bats. And Grundy is like ‘yeah he’s crazy but he’s my crazy.’)

@yourfavoritesidekick

@smartvulpix (* glomps on you for being epic*)

@thehouseofivo (Your Freeze and Julian are AWESOME! Love throwing my guys at them both lol)

@lil-miss-romano

@sweet-tea-solly

@slauhter

@occultsleuth

@wiisectrpillar

@wonderlandcarpenter

@gunborn

[shadlad24]

More Funny Little Moments #1: Season 1, Episodes 1-12

So, I decided to do this post after all. Halp. LOL Because I apparently LOVE giving myself a bunch of unnecessary work, I decided to choose two to three extra moments, per episode! SUPER halp! X’D Anyway, these are moments that didn’t make the cut for my FFLM series because: my sense of humor is a little weird, they were gonna be too much work (LOL/Siiigh), I like to highlight patterns, and I don’t like a lot of repetition. [Links to each FFLM along the bottom of the post. :)]

Let’s start with something I originally agreed with other fans on but have since changed my mind. A lot of people didn’t like this part of “Chariots of War” because it seems so ludicrous that Xena would forget her chakram anywhere. Well, let me tell you! This lady has left her weapons behind most episodes thus far. I didn’t note it every time here (and especially didn’t bother with her whip) because that’d really overrun the post buuuuut… You’ll see. XD

1.01 Sins of the Past

Xena’s shift being so much dirtier than the little boy’s clothes though she’s high up off the ground, and he lives in smoked-out rubble.

Yup. Xena forgot her sword (and later, her main saddlebag) at her mother’s tavern. Pft.

Sorry these were kinda lame, but I didn’t want to re-use any more of the original fifteen points I made about this episode... Ah well. Moving on! (heh)

1.02 Chariots of War

Xena loses her sword after the chariot crash, taking up and discarding Sphaerus’s but walking off without her own. (See her front and back and both of Argo’s sides.)

Gabrielle chewing Xena out, Xena being bummed about it, and Argo being surprised. X’D

1.03 Dreamworker

This got me good. Gabrielle does Xena’s war cry so well here that I really thought it was Xena for a few seconds. Realizing it was GabbyWabs only made me chuckle more because she apparently can’t do it when it really counts in “The Greater Good.”

Argo NOT being on Team Gabrielle. XD (Their feud is a little funny to me.)

1.04 Cradle of Hope

Xena tossing aside her sword after killing Nemos. Extras even dance and celebrate right on top of it! Wut thuh?

I decided to avoid mentioning Hope in the FFLM because Xena’s quote here is more ironic than comedic, and Gabrielle’s little face is just so sad, but I didn’t want to let it pass by entirely unremarked upon. At least GW gets to show off her oracle skills again? :’)

1.05 The Path Not Taken

So, Xena and Gabrielle walk into a bar… Heh. No, but really, they enter this tavern for the first time ever, yet the bartender not only knows what they want, he knows that they’re coming and has their drinks waiting for them too. All Xena has to do is knock on the counter and nod to get her fire-breath alcohol/oil, and Gabrielle barely has the word “cider” out of her mouth before the guy hands it to her. Xena, like me, is duly amazed.

Lucy, through Xena, making another timely anti-peanut statement. I just didn’t want to do the same thing twice back-to-back in the FFLM. X)

1.06 The Reckoning

Gabrielle thinking along the same lines Xena and I did about this poor excuse for a judge.

Me not being well-versed in ancient Greek heroes and picturing the fool who Draco killed so handily in the first episode. heh

1.07 The Titans

I’ll let Xena explain this one. …Mostly. I can’t believe Gabrielle not only sassed the Titans such that she unashamedly put Xena and Phyleus in danger too, but also kinda got this (admittedly awful) town demolished and didn’t lift a finger to actually help anyone in the temple. Tsk tsk. XP

So… Hyperion here can smash homes and businesses that were probably well-built and reinforced and all, but he can’t get his hand out of a stocks-cuff that was made in a single evening with scraps from those destroyed buildings. He also, inexplicably, has no use of his left hand or the power-breath that he used to knock Gabrielle over. Okie. XD

1.08 Prometheus

Is this really a thing? I was giggling quite a bit in disbelief that severed windpipes can heal. Like, perforated is one thing; completely bisected? Yeah, I don’t think so.

Gabrielle being incredulous upon learning that Xena has other friends, realizing what the warrior princess means, and then wondering if that could be her one day. 

   1.09 Death in Chains

Gabrielle enjoying watching Xena kill someone for the first time, then quickly realizing that fact. Whoops.

I found this moment really odd and then kind of hilarious. This poor dying old woman begs for water and goes ignored not only by the hospice workers, but also Talus and Gabrielle. Then Talus decides to be helpful. Gabrielle goes to the woman and lets her talk a lot (undoubtedly drying her mouth and throat even more), hears that Xena might be in danger, and then just… leaves. Talus goes with her, not having gotten water from the well after all. What a couple of jerks! XD

1.10 Hooves & Harlots

I really don’t know why Gabrielle kept making this face as Terreis died, but it tickled my funny bone too. So, I provided alternate subs to go with it. [Did you notice how she kind of cringes when Terreis tries to hold her hand and then just lets the Amazon flop once she’s died, flinging her hand aside like, “Ew, get it off me!”? What was that all about? X”) Hm… maybe she has an aversion to dying people, and that’s why she abandoned the old lady last episode?]

Gabrielle being a smart aleck, just like me, because Phantes’s complaint here is so ludicrous. But then you see the close-up of little hoofies in cuffs too, and, if you’re anything like me too, kinda just topple over laughing. The poor actual horse they did this to, though, man! What even?

Gosh, this episode was chockfull of hilarity, eh? Why did this happen? Gabby, take it away!

1.11 The Black Wolf

I laughed at this too. But now I wonder. Is Xerxes related to Caesar and/or connected to Rome or something? Because Xena does this twice around them too. In “When in Rome,” she jokes that the two guards lost playing tag with her, and in “A Good Day” she informs Pompey that if there were more guards hiding around their meeting space, then she would have had more helmets. heh Oh, Xenie. I think I know why Gabrielle’s turning out to be such a little punk ...or vice versa? Is Gabrielle actually a bit of a bad influence on Xena? XP

So, this fight just struck me as really odd. Xena passes her sword to Flora though she (Xena) needs to battle the big boss of the episode, and… actually, is totally right. The king throws a single wide-ass punch, waits while Xena kicks the guy behind her a few times, lets himself get kicked in the face a couple of times, and then comes at her with a little piece of chain, presumably from the restraints that were intended to keep Flora in place during her execution. Sir, you have a sword! A giant sword, right there on your hip! What are you doing? Then, when Xena kicks him a final time and sends him flying, his (supposed-to-be) metal armor is no match for the splintered wood of the axe she broke earlier. …Okie. XD XD XD   *gif below*

Xena once again leaves her chakram somewhere. …And I am now imagining this being part of Gabrielle’s maid duties: the poor kid has to go find Xena’s weapons each night and bring them back to her. I’m especially imaging the fluffball hilariously, adorably struggling to get the chakram out of things like this wall, as she did with Xena’s sword in the tree stump in “Dreamworker,” but more parallel to the floor. Cuuuute! XD

This plus this 

*pic + GIF below*:

1.12 Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts

This scene too really made me wonder, though amused as well. Why is Gabrielle so surprised that the only city nearby, that they were headed to, is the one they find? Is she really being that loud? Is Xena goofing around with the bootlaces question? Why startle Gabrielle and then yank her into enemy territory screaming, when what you want is quiet? What’s with the trapdoor-spider soldiers? Xena’s pose throwing the chakram. XD Gabrielle mostly featherlight dance-y moves through the battlefield. XD XD XD Why is it that when Xena tells Gabrielle to stick right behind her, Gabrielle disappears? And what was with the bucket-sitting soldier? Gabrielle is like, “Oh; no, thank you!” when she sees him and turns tail. Then Xena ...follows her. “We’re goin’ this way! Now we’re goin’ that way!” But they still end up dead-ahead from where they burst out of the bushes. XD That was ridiculous and nonsensical, and I’m very confused but had lots of fun. heheheh  *gif below* [ETA: Darn! The original file was too big, so I had to remake the GIF and cut quite a few things out. :( Sorry]

Xena’s outta-nowhere crusade to emasculate Deiphobus coming full-circle. What was that all about?

Welp, I hope you had as much fun as I originally and then later did. Not so much in the middle with the collage-and-GIF-making and editing and redoing, but; y’know. XD Wouldn’t trade it for …Hm… Nevermind. LOL

If you missed any of the FFLMs, then please click on the corresponding number-links below. :D

#1  #2  #3  #4  #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12

[skonnaris]

Famous historical figures

A list of famous people throughout history. These famous historical figures are chosen from a range of different cultures and countries. They include famous spiritual figures, politicians and writers who have helped to shape human history.

BCE

Sri Ramachandra (c. 5114 BCE) Rama was a model king of Ayodhya who lived according to the dharma. He went to Sri Lanka to fight Ravana who had captured his wife, Sita. Rama is considered an incarnation of Vishnu in Hindu mythology.

Sri Krishna (c. BCE) – Spiritual Teacher of Hinduism. Sri Krishna gave many discourses to his disciple Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. These discourses were written down in the Bhagavad Gita.

Ramses II (1303 BCE – 1213 BCE) – Ramses or Ramesses was the third Egyptian Pharaoh, ruling between 1279 BC – 1213 BC. Ramses the Great consolidated Egyptian power, through military conquest and extensive building.

Homer (8th Century BC) Homer is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Two classics of Greek literature. His writings form a significant influence on Western literature.

Cyrus the Great (600 – 530 BC) was the founder of the Persian (Achaemenid) Empire. Cyrus conquered the empires of Media, Lydia and Babylonia, creating the first multi-ethnic state which at its peak accounted for around 40% of the global population.

Lord Buddha (c 563 – 483 BC) Spiritual Teacher and founder of Buddhism. Siddhartha was born a prince in northern India. He gave up the comforts of the palace to seek enlightenment. After attaining Nirvana, he spent the remainder of his years teaching.

Confucius (551 – 479 BC) – Chinese politician, statesman, teacher and philosopher. His writings on justice, life and society became the prevailing teachings of the Chinese state and developed into Confucianism.

Socrates (469 BC–399 BC) – Greek philosopher. Socrates developed the ‘Socratic’ method of self-enquiry. He had a significant influence on his disciples, such as Plato and contributed to the development of Western philosophy and political thought.

Plato (424 – 348 BC) – Greek philosopher. A student of Socrates, Plato founded the Academy in Athens – one of the earliest seats of learning. His writings, such as ‘The Republic’ form a basis of early Western philosophy. He also wrote on religion, politics and mathematics.

Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) – Greek philosopher and teacher of Alexander the Great. Aristotle was a student of Plato, but he branched out into empirical research into the physical sciences. His philosophy of metaphysics had an important influence on Western thought.

Alexander the Great (356 – 323 BC) – King of Macedonia. He established an Empire stretching from Greece to the Himalayas. He was a supreme military commander and helped diffuse Greek culture throughout Asia and northern Africa.

Archimedes (287 B.C – 212) Mathematician, scientist and inventor. Archimedes made many contributions to mathematics. He explained many scientific principles, such as levers and invented several contraptions, such as the Archimedes screw.

Ashoka (c 269 BCE to 232 BCE) – One of the greatest Indian rulers. Ashoka the Great ruled from 269 BC to 232 BC he embraced Buddhism after a bloody battle and became known for his philanthropism, and adherence to the principles of non-violence, love, truth and tolerance.

Julius Caesar (100 – 44 BC) As military commander, Caesar conquered Gaul and England extending the Roman Empire to its furthest limits. Used his military strength to become Emperor (dictator) of Rome from 49 BC, until his assassination in 44BC.

Augustus Caesar  (63 BC-AD 14) – First Emperor of Rome. Caesar (born Octavian) was one the most influential leaders in world history, setting the tone for the Roman Empire and left a profound legacy on Western civilisation.

Cleopatra (69 -30 BC) The last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt. Cleopatra sought to defend Egypt from the expanding Roman Empire. In doing so, she formed relationships with two of Rome’s most powerful leaders Marc Anthony and Julius Caesar.

AD

Jesus of Nazareth (c.5BC – 30AD), Jesus of Nazareth, was a spiritual teacher, and the central figure of Christianity. By Christians, he is considered to be the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament.

St Paul (5 – AD 67) – Christian missionary. St Paul was Jewish and a Roman citizen who converted to Christianity. His writings and teachings did much to define and help the spread of Christianity.

Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180) – Roman Emperor and philosopher. He is considered the last of the five good Emperors. His Meditations are a classic account of Stoic philosophy.

Emperor Constantine (272 – 337) First Roman Emperor to embrace Christianity. He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325 which clarified the Nicene Creed of Christianity.

Muhammad (570 – 632) Prophet of Islam. Muhammad received revelations which form the verses of the Qur’an. His new religion unified Arabia under the new Muslim religion.

Attila the Hun (5th Century) Ruler of the Huns who swept across Europe in the Fifth Century. He attacked provinces within the Roman Empire and was Rome’s most feared opponent.

Charlemagne (742 – 814) – King of Franks and Emperor of the Romans. Charlemagne unified Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire. He provided protection for the Pope in Rome.

Genghis Kahn (1162 – 1227) – Leader of the Mongol Empire stretching from China to Europe. Genghis Khan was a fierce nomadic warrior who united the Mongol tribes before conquering Asia and Europe.

Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) – The first Queen of France. Eleanor influenced the politics of western Europe through her alliances and her sons Richard and John – who became Kings of England.

Saladin (1138 – 1193) – Leader of the Arabs during the Crusades. He unified Muslim provinces and provided effective military opposition to the Christian crusades.

Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) Influential Roman Catholic priest, philosopher and theologian.

Marco Polo (1254 – 1324) Venetian traveller and explorer who made ground-breaking journeys to Asia and China, helping to open up the Far East to Europe.

Johann Gutenberg (1395 – 1468) – German inventor of the printing press. Gutenberg’s invention of movable type started a printing revolution which was influential in the Reformation.

Joan of Arc – (1412-1431) – French saint. Jean d’Arc was a young peasant girl who inspired the Dauphin of France to renew the fight against the English. She led French forces into battle.

Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) – Italian explorer who landed in America. He wasn’t the first to land in America, but his voyages were influential in opening up the new continent to Europe.

Leonardo da Vinci ( 1452 – 1519) – Italian scientist, artist, and polymath. Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. His scientific investigations covered all branches of human knowledge.

Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539) Indian spiritual teacher who founded the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak was the first of the 10 Sikh Gurus. He travelled widely disseminating a spiritual teaching of God in everyone.

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) – A key figure in the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther opposed papal indulgences and the power of the Pope, sparking off the Protestant Reformation.

Babur (1483 – 1531) – Founder of the Moghul Empire on the Indian subcontinent. A descendant of Genghis Khan, he brought a Persian influence to India.

William Tyndale (1494 – 1536) – A key figure in the Protestant Reformation. Tyndale translated the Bible into English. It’s wide dissemination changed English society. He was executed for heresy.

Akbar (1542 – 1605) – Moghul Emperor who consolidated and expanded the Moghul Empire. Akbar also was a supporter of the arts, culture and noted for his religious tolerance.

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552 – 1618) – English explorer who made several journeys to the Americas, including a search for the lost ‘Eldorado.’

Galileo Galilei (1564 -1642) – Astronomer and physicist. Galileo developed the modern telescope and, challenging the teachings of the church, helped to prove the earth revolved around the sun.

William Shakespeare (1564- 1616) English poet and playwright. Shakespeare’s plays, such as Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello have strongly influenced English literature and Western civilisation.

Rene Descartes (1596 – 1650) Dubbed the father of modern philosophy, Descartes was influential in a new rationalist movement, which sought to question basic presumptions with reason.

Oliver Cromwell (1599 – 1658) – British Parliamentarian. Cromwell led his new model army in defeating King Charles I and creating a new model of government.

Voltaire (1694 – 1778) – French philosopher. Voltaire’s biting satire helped to create dissent in the lead up to the French revolution.

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) – English mathematician and scientist. Newton laid the foundations of modern physics, with his laws of motion and gravity. He made extensive scientific investigations.

Eighteenth Century

Catherine the Great (1729 – 1796) – Russian Queen during the Eighteenth Century. During her reign, Russia was revitalised becoming a major European power. She also began reforms to help the poor.

George Washington (1732 – 1799) – 1st President of US. George Washington led the American forces of independence and became the first elected President.

Tom Paine (1737- 1809) English-American author and philosopher. Paine wrote‘Common Sense‘ (1776) and the Rights of Man (1791), which supported principles of the American and French revolutions.

Thomas Jefferson (1743- 1826) 3rd President of US. Author of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson passed laws on religious tolerance in his state of Virginia and founded the University of Virginia.

Mozart (1756 – 1791) – Austrian Music composer. Mozart’s compositions ranged from waltzes to Requiem. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time.

Nineteenth Century

William Wilberforce (1759 – 1833) – British MP and campaigner against slavery. Wilberforce was a key figure in influencing British public opinion and helping to abolish slavery in 1833.

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821) – French military and political leader. Napoleon made France a major European power and meant his Napoleonic code was widely disseminated across Europe.

Simon Bolivar (1783 – 1830) – Liberator of Latin American countries. Bolivar was responsible for the liberation of Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and Colombia.

Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865) 16th President of US. Lincoln led the northern Union forces during the civil war to protect the Union of the US. During the civil war, Lincoln also promised to end slavery.

Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) – Developed theory of evolution. His book ‘The Origin of Species’ (1859) laid the framework for evolutionary biology and changed many people’s view of life on the planet.

Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) Principle Marxist philosopher. Author of Das Kapitaland The Communist Manifesto. (with F.Engels) Marx believed that Capitalist society would be overthrown by Communist revolution.

Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901) – Queen of Great Britain during the Nineteenth Century. She oversaw the industrial revolution and the growth of the British Empire.

Louis Pasteur (1822 – 1895) – French chemist and Biologist. Pasteur developed many vaccines, such as for rabies and anthrax. He also developed the process of pasteurisation, making milk safer.

Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910) – Russian writer and philosopher. Tolstoy wrote the epic ‘War and Peace’ Tolstoy was also a social activist – advocating non-violence and greater equality in society.

Thomas Edison (1847 – 1931) – Inventor and businessman. Edison developed the electric light bulb and formed a company to make electricity available to ordinary homes.

Twentieth Century

Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) – Irish writer. Wilde’s plays included biting social satire. He was noted for his wit and charm. However, after a sensational trial, he was sent to jail for homosexuality.

Woodrow Wilson (1856 – 1924) – President of US during WWI. Towards the end of the war, Wilson developed his 14 points for a fair peace, which included forming a League of Nations.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948) – Indian nationalist and politician. Gandhi believed in non-violent resistance to British rule. He sought to help the ‘untouchable’ caste and also reconcile Hindu and Muslims.

V. Lenin (1870-1924) – Born in Ulyanovsk, Russia. Lenin was the leader of Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution in 1917. Lenin became the first leader of the Soviet Union influencing the direction of the new Communist state.

The Wright Brothers (Orville, 1871 – 1948) – developed the first powered aircraft. In 1901, they made the first successful powered air flight, ushering in a new era of air flight.

Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) Prime Minister of Great Britain during the Second World War. Churchill played a key role in strengthening British resolve in the dark days of 1940.

Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) – West German Chancellor post world war II. Adenauer had been an anti-nazi before the war. He played a key role in reintegrating West Germany into world affairs.

Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) – German / American physicist. Einstein made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of relativity. Einstein was also a noted humanitarian and peace activist.

Ataturk (1881-1938) – founder of the Turkish Republic. From the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, Ataturk forged a modern secular Turkish republic.

A Little History of the World

A Little History of the World: Illustrated Edition at Amazon – by E. H. Gombrich

John M Keynes (1883 – 1946) Influential economist. Keynes developed a new field of macroeconomics in response to the great depression of the 1930s.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 – 1945) US President (1932-1945) Roosevelt led the US through its most turbulent time of the great depression and World War II.

Adolf Hitler (1889 – 1945) Dictator of Nazi Germany. Hitler sought to conquer Europe and Russia, starting World War Two. Also responsible for the Holocaust, in which Jews and other ‘non-Aryans’ were killed.

Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) – First Indian Prime Minister. Nehru came to power in 1947 and ruled until his death in 1964. He forged a modern democratic India, not aligned to either US or the Soviet Union.

Dwight Eisenhower (1890 – 1969) – Supreme Allied Commander during the Normandy landings of World War II. Eisenhower also became President from 1953-1961.

Charles de Gaulle (1890- 1970) French politician. De Gaulle became leader of the ‘Free French’ after the fall of France in 1940. Became President after the war, writing the constitution of the 5th Republic.

Chairman Mao (1893 – 1976) Mao led the Chinese Communist party to power during the long march and fight against the nationalists. Mao ruled through the ‘cultural revolution’ until his death in 1976.

Mother Teresa (1910-1997) – Catholic nun from Albania who went to India to serve the poor. Became a symbol of charity and humanitarian sacrifice. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

John F. Kennedy (1917 – 1963) – US President 1961-1963. J. F.Kennedy helped to avert nuclear war during the Cuban missile crisis. He also began to support the civil rights movement before his assassination in Dallas, November 1963.

Nelson Mandela (1918 – ) The first President of democratic South Africa in 1994. Mandela was imprisoned by the apartheid regime for 27 years, but on his release helped to heal the wounds of apartheid through forgiveness and reconciliation.

Pope John Paul II (1920 – 2005) – Polish Pope from 1978-2005. Pope John Paul is credited with bringing together different religions and playing a role at the end of Communism in Eastern Europe.

Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – ) British Queen from 1952. The second longest serving monarch in history, Elizabeth saw six decades of social and political change.

Martin Luther King (1929 – 1968) Martin Luther King was a powerful leader of the non-violent civil rights movement. His 1963 speech ‘I have a dream’ being a pinnacle moment.

14th Dalai Lama (1938 – ) Spiritual and political leader of Tibetans. The Dalai Lama was forced into exile by the invading Chinese. He is a leading figure for non-violence and spirituality.

Mikhail Gorbachev (1931 – ) Leader of the Soviet Union. Oversaw transition from Communism in Eastern Europe to democracy. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.

Muhammad Ali (1942- ) American boxer. Muhammad Ali had his boxing license removed for refusal to fight in Vietnam. He became a leading figure in the civil rights movement.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Famous historical people”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net, 18/12/2013. Published  1 March 2018. Last updated 7 July 2019

[asimawv]

I write and conceptualize story to music, so I’ve compiled a playlist of 30 Darkest Dungeon-specific songs that I listen to when writing (and subsequently re-writing) in no particular order, which I hope will help you set the vibe too. :+)

Names in bold are links for easy listening - tons of Hozier and Of Monsters and Men up ahead, five minute warning.

1. ‘Fire and the Flood’ - Vance Joy

If you listen to nothing else on this list, listen to this one - it’s the kind of song that’s made for movies about yearning. Folk influences, choruses of trumpets and vocal harmony, and instruments that are layered for a rich, resonant sound. This is the song I imagine Dismas and Reynauld horse-racing through a crowded outdoors market in the hamlet to, and the song I listened to nonstop freshman year when I first started writing The Myth of Sisyphus.

You're the fire and the flood And I'll always feel you in my blood Everything is fine When your hand is resting next to mine Next to mine You're the fire and the flood

The chorus is built around biblical allusions to the fire (the burning bush signifying first contact) and the flood (destruction of the first world), the beginning and end. Every line is similarly evocative of Darkest Dungeon in their simplicity (“I’ve been getting used to waking up with you,” etc.)

2. ‘Soldier, Poet, King’ - The Oh Hellos

By the title alone you can guess who this is for. Even the Guild quote for the Leper approaches these three things as the defining parts of his character (specifically it’s “a ruined man, a warrior, and a poet.”) This song coincidentally has an old world influence to it, with a Medieval Renaissance style from a guitar playing a lute-adjacent melody.

There will come a ruler Whose brow is laid in thorn Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei oh lai oh Lord Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei oh lai oh Lord

To be smeared with oil is to be anointed by a prophet and thus chosen by god himself to be king, just as David was and his boy after him (presumably Solomon). There’s something strangely wistful about the imagery, which is just how I like my songs about bygone kings.

3. ‘Exit Hymn’ - Bear Attack!

This song is about the end of the world in a version where everyone simply stands together in silence watching, rather than having the masses swarming in panic.

Lovely shapes to the world descending, Brothers and sisters. Lovely shapes to the world descending, Brothers and sisters Mute.

It defies Lovecraftian horror, which is based on the premise that “common human laws and interests and emotions have no validity or significance in the vast cosmos-at-large” - it flies in the face of existential nihilism and the despair that it should bring us. That’s why I like this song for deaths in the end-boss fight; it also has a special place for other death-related ideas, like full-party wipes - entire teams of people vanishing into the dungeons, gone insane, holding hands while the darkness surrounds them.

It’s a bare song which has a sanctity to it, mostly just piano and rain and human voices. Just what you would hear at the end of the world.

More under the cut:

4. ‘Pursuit of Glory’ - Jhameel

This song is laid-back. It doesn’t have the Homeric intensity that some of the other songs here do - it’s a guy with a guitar and vocal harmony. By god is it a great piece of writing though (all of Jhameel’s older songs have that quality to them), and all of it is evocative of Darkest Dungeon.

So many eyes set on the path to glory Too many ties, friendship is for the lonely Can't still my heart, my tongue has tasted folly Thirsty for art, hungry for power and money

This is a song for everyone in the barracks, especially the ‘laundry list’ of people and their approaches to the pursuit of glory.

5. ‘Good Old Days’ - Macklemore (feat. Kesha)

This fucker put a Macklemore song in here. I did, yeah. It’s not even the only song with Kesha in it here (I’m sorry.) 

It’s a sentimental pop song, and I am sentimental to a fault. This is Darkest Dungeon AMV material, and I always mishear one of the lines as “we were underground, loaded mercs in that 12-passenger van” so it’s here.

We've come so far, I guess I'm proud And I ain't worried about the wrinkles around my smile I've got some scars, I've been around I've felt some pain, I've seen some things, but I'm here now Those good old days

6. ‘Past Lives‘ - Kesha

Here it is, the other Kesha song - this was introduced to me by a good friend, also in a Darkest Dungeon context. There’s just something about the lovers spanning time trope and finding each other in one life to the next that is irresistible (for the obvious reason in the context of Darkest Dungeon.) It’s a soft song, totally out of place in Kesha’s typical discography, and has a line about losing someone to the crusades, so... you know.

There's just somethin' about you I know Started centuries ago though You see your kiss is like a lost ghost Only I would know But I, I keep on falling for you Time after time Time after time

7. ‘Viva la Vida’ - Coldplay

You cannot fight this. You know that this is the song for King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, you know it is. Did you know the official name of this genre of music is “Baroque pop”? Yes, that means more songs like this exist. You will live with this information now.

Don’t fight it. Just let it wash over you.

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing Roman Cavalry choirs are singing Be my mirror, my sword and shield My missionaries in a foreign field For some reason I can't explain Once you go there was never, never an honest word And that was when I ruled the world

Mirror, sword, and shield, the three other members of his party, his missionaries in a foreign field. Thinking emoji. I typed that out so I wouldn’t have a repeat of the crab emoji incident.

8. ‘The Boxer’ - Jerry Douglas (feat. Mumford & Sons, Paul Simon)

Partly inspired by the Bible, Simon & Garfunkle’s ‘The Boxer’ is a folk rock song about poverty, loneliness, and homesickness. It’s written and sung in a style that’s strongly reminiscent of older times, and the final verse about its eponymous boxer is particularly powerful:

In the clearing stands a boxer And a fighter by his trade And he carries the reminders Of ev'ry glove that laid him down Or cut him till he cried out In his anger and his shame "I am leaving, I am leaving" But the fighter still remains

This is what I use for Dismas’ life leading into organized crime and his foolish abandonment of stable job prospects in a half-baked bid for fame, as well as being punched down over and over again but with nowhere else to go. That last part is widely applicable across the cast.

9. ‘I Will Wait’ - Mumford & Sons

I am but a simple man. I see 'folk rock' and add it to my Darkest Dungeon playlist. This song I use for Reynauld - it has that sort of “salt of the earth,” somewhat biblical humility in its choice of words and style. 

Raise my hands Paint my spirit gold And bow my head Keep my heart slow

10. ‘Little Lion Man’ - Mumford & Sons

Have we not beaten this song to death yet? Can you blame us? This is the people’s song. We reserve it for all of our favorite fuck-up characters, as primal as Saturn devouring his son. We love this song. Jesus.

Tremble for yourself, my man, You know that you have seen this all before Tremble little lion man, You'll never settle any of your scores Your grace is wasted in your face, Your boldness stands alone among the wreck Now learn from your mother or else spend your days biting your own neck

The line about learning from your mother in particular is why I think of this song for Dismas’ introspection, but I also associate it with the Hellion.

11. ’From Eden’ - Hozier

There’s too much Hozier in my playlists. There is so much of it, and it’s all important to me, says the hoarder. There’s something about profoundly intimate folk music that I love, and god put folk, R&B, blues, and alt rock into a Vitamix for 45 seconds to make Hozier.

Honey you're familiar like my mirror years ago Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword Innocence died screaming, honey ask me I should know I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

‘From Eden’ is, according to Hozier, about idolizing someone from a distance, written from the perspective of the devil “looking longingly at something he desires - for everything that he does not have.” I associate this song with the Grave Robber for its playfully nihilistic tone - Audrey does say something to the effect of being left for dead by high society and the affectionate bordering condescending address is on-brand.

12. ‘Cherry Wine’ - Hozier

‘Cherry Wine’ is unabashedly about domestic violence, and its sincerity is heartbreaking, the sanctification of the blood spilled in the name of keeping her.

The way she tells me I'm hers and she is mine Open hand or closed fist would be fine The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine.

This song is strongly tied to the Vestal for me.

13. ‘Work Song’ - Hozier

A song about unconditional love - heaven and hell were just words, indeed.

When my time comes around Lay me gently in the cold dark earth No grave can hold my body down I'll crawl home to her

I think of this song for both Dismas and the Abomination - it’s a song about love transcending spiritual and even physical need, complete devotion, but something about it is also not quite right. It’s morbid and excessive, self-pitying, and almost ugly in its sincerity.

14. ‘Sunlight’ - Hozier

The strong gospel influence with the choruses, church organ, religious fervor - I think it makes a great song for traveling scenes and church/altar scenes.

I had been lost to you, sunlight Flew like a moth to you, sunlight oh sunlight Oh, your love is sunlight Oh, your love is sunlight (sunlight, sunlight) But it is sunlight

15. ‘Arsonist’s Lullabye’ - Hozier

The gospel this time is paired with electric rock instrumentation. Something about the lamentation is unapologetic and matter-of-fact in its disturbing inclinations - this is Paracelsus’ song. Arguably representative of Bounty Hunter and Flagellant as well.

Now that I think about it, it’s great for Abomination as well. Damn.

All you have is your fire And the place you need to reach Don't you ever tame your demons But always keep 'em on a leash

16. ‘We Sink’ - Of Monsters and Men

Of Monsters and Men are closer to the indie rock/pop spectrum with influences of folk, with much less biblical influence and more folklore-inspired lyrics. They make for great trailer and action songs.

We are the sleepers, we bite our tongues We set the fire and we let it burn Through the dreamers, we hear the hum They say come on, come on, let's go So come on, come on, let's go

In Lovecraft’s Cthulu mythos, dreams are how the Old Ones commune with humans on the earth’s surface while they slumber in the ocean depths (Cthulhu fhtagn meaning “Cthulhu is dreaming”); I like to think of the ‘sleepers’ as the heroes being tasked to “set the fire” and the ‘dreamers’ being the Heir and Ancestor driven by some unseen force to unearth the antediluvian underground.

17. ‘I Of The Storm’ - Of Monsters and Men

Very somber song, overwhelmingly piano and snare drum and vocals. Also a great death scene song, or for introspection around the campfire, or played to reveal a major event.

If I could face them If I could make amends With all my shadows I'd bow my head And welcome them

18. ‘King and Lionheart’ - Of Monsters and Men

My favorite OMAM song - it’s clearly written about two children, kind of reminiscent of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ in its fantastical nature, and very upbeat about the end of the world.

His crown lit up the way as we moved slowly Pass the wondering eyes of the ones that were left behind Though far away, though far away, though far away We're still the same, we're still the same, we're still the same

This part is reminiscent of the Leper’s journey, but the mentions of taking over a town, howling ghosts, the end of the world, a black sea and creatures lurking below, etc. are all evocative of Darkest Dungeon.

19. ‘Little Talks’ - Of Monsters and Men

Also very upbeat for its subject matter - according to OMAM, it’s a narrative of a woman speaking with the ghost of her dead husband, or going insane and believing that she’s speaking with her dead husband.

Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear 'Cause though the truth may vary This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

The call-and-respond style of the song is haunting. I like this song for expeditions and afflicted heroes.

20. ‘Wolves Without Teeth’ - Of Monsters and Men

Suitable for both Occultist and Abomination, being consumed by an unseen and otherworldly force that inhabits them - well, maybe just rarely seen, in the Abomination’s case. Special mention to OMAM’s ‘Human,’ same conceptual backing but more raw.

You hover like a hummingbird Haunt me in my sleep You're sailing from another world Sinking in my sea, oh You're feeding on my energy I'm letting go of it He wants it

21. ‘Desierto’ (Original Motion Picture Score) - Woodkid

This is a full album, because all of it is dark orchestral cinema music described as ‘unsettling,’ with the sole exception of ‘Land of All,’ which has vocals to it. I reserve this album for writing fight scenes and for particularly unsettling events because it’s tense and wordless. I read Junji Ito to this soundtrack too, it’s insanely high-strung and discordant.

22. ‘Iron’ - Woodkid

‘Iron’ qualifies as Baroque pop - you might recognize this as the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations song. The large-scale, cinematic style of it and thematic lyrics make it great for writing about dramatic encounters or brigands.

This deadly burst of snow is burning my hands I'm frozen to the bones, I am A million miles from home, I'm walking away I can't recall your eyes, your face

23. ‘Never Let You Down’ - Woodkid (feat. LYKKE LI)

Another somber song, orchestral with some industrial noise in the mix - another great introspection song, or one for a scene with some hard decisions to be made.

Will you come along cause I'm about to leave this town In my eyes, a waterfall, all I can hear, a siren call Could you be waiting by the shore, oh I could drown without you Will you be holding out the line when I fall?

24. ‘Run Boy Run’ - Woodkid

Church bells, fast percussion, strong orchestral presence. For chase scenes, obviously, but great for fast-paced sneaking scenes as well. Also has a strong quasi-Medieval fantasy setting style to it.

Tomorrow is another day And you won't have to hide away You'll be a man, boy! But for now it's time to run, it's time to run!

25. ‘I Love You’ - Woodkid

Don’t let the scream effects and aggressive percussion at the beginning deter you (it kind of took me by surprise the first few times too) - it soon fades into more of the church bells and melodic string accompaniment.

Oh yeah, unrequited love song? It’s free (mental) real estate, baby.

Is there anything I could do Just to get some attention from you? In the waves, I've lost every trace of you Where are you?

26. ‘Vagabonds’ - Grizfolk

A rare departure from folk! Grizfolk is alt rock/indie pop. Stylistically it doesn’t match the feeling of Darkest Dungeon, but lyrically it’s almost 1:1 to arrival in the hamlet and the subsequent expeditions. Good song for writing about recruits bonding.

Oh this careless ground, guessing this is home now Oh in no man's land, at least we're still standing And we're all just fighting, some of us will not return And there's no redemption in trying to find your way out

27. ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ - Lorde

Great trailer fuel, if you’ve seen the AC: Unity E3 trailer with this song - I listen to an extended version when writing fights in the Guild, especially one where two heroes are beefing. It’s got a primal kind of thing going on. I also associate this song with the Arbalest - lyrically, it fits her backstory like a glove.

Welcome to your life There's no turning back Even while we sleep We will find you

Acting on your best behavior Turn your back on mother nature

28. ‘Torches’ - X Ambassadors

More alt rock/indie pop - kind of a rallying song for dark expeditions, hopeful but still somber in nature - some gospel elements. X Ambassadors’ more popular ‘Renegades’ is also a fun tavern song.

Come on, carry your flame Carry it higher Leave it in the darkness Carry your torches

29. ‘Passing Afternoon’ - Iron & Wine

This is a song I use for reconciliation or domestic scenes - Dismas with Junia in the garden, for example. It’s soft and kind of meandering, and features vintage piano - you know, the piano you heard in the basement of your church turned community center as a child.

There are times that walk from you like some passing afternoon Summer warmed the open window of her honeymoon And she chose a yard to burn but the ground remembers her Wooden spoons, her children stir her Bougainvillea blooms

30. ‘Some Nights’ - Fun.

You know this song, your mom knows this song, everyone knows this song from like, middle school. Thought it’d be fun to end this list on an uplifting and very popular song. This is the song that a Disney adaptation of Darkest Dungeon would use in the Training Montage™ - from the point of view of Reynauld. It hits all of the points - being their commander rather than their equal, his stern and antisocial zealotry with no true ideology behind it, the ghost of his wife.

Verse 2, starting with “Well, that is it, guys, that is all / Five minutes in and I'm bored again” is where I see it transitioning to Dismas.

Well, some nights, I wish that this all would end 'Cause I could use some friends for a change And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again Some nights, I always win (I always win) But I still wake up, I still see your ghost Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh What do I stand for? What do I stand for? Most nights, I don't know

_____

Well that’s all from me! Feel free to leave your own recommendations in the replies, and I’d love to know what you think about my personal picks. :+)

[klgrv]

"           𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑘    𝑡𝘩𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔𝘩    𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒,     𝐲𝐨𝐮    𝐚𝐫𝐞    𝐭𝐡𝐞    𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐬.         "

#KLGRV:   private  and  highly  selective  original  character  based  on  THE  CRUSADER  of  diablo  III  with  affiliated  fandom  verses  such  as  dragon  age,   lord  of  the  rings,   dungeons  &  dragons,   and  the  witcher.   penned  by  tinez.

rules

first of all, fuck blizzard (tw: racism, sexism, sexual harassment).

ephwyn aesteri is a primarily headcanon based original character only loosely connected to diablo lore. i will be fudging things how i like them.

i am very crossover / au friendly please let me write this Strong Kind Woman in as many universes as i can. i’m very open to writing in any verse and/or modern settings!

there may be triggering content featured on this blog. themes surrounding manipulation, religion / religious trauma and religious imagery / iconography will be reoccurring, all known triggers will be tagged as tw trigger / tw: trigger. 

the order of zakarum is fictional but is widely believed to be partly based on the catholic church, something i intend to be sensitive of in how i choose to write ephwyn and the order. i take full responsibility for the themes presented and the research that goes into the lore and material on this blog. if you find areas where my research or perspective has lacked i would gladly appreciate it if you let me know. you do not owe me an explanation, google is free and i will to the extent that i am able educate myself.

temp. bio

killgrave was born as ephwyn aesteri and was taken in by the order of zakarum at eight years old, after which she was trained to be a crusader, a warrior meant to preserve the dying zakarum faith. she was sixteen when her master passed away, killed in battle, and as the elder drew her last breath, ephwyn became a crusader in her place, inheriting her shield and her name: killgrave. after this event, she pushed her doubts aside and devoted herself to carrying on her late master’s name and faith, attempting to live up to it no matter the cost. it’s during her quest to stop the rise of diablo that she casts the order and her inherited title aside and chooses to fight by her own name and merits instead.

arc I: early life.

ephwyn was born in a swampland to a large family, her parents were wetland farmers and had, in total, five children. ephwyn was the third to be born and, more often than not, had to protect her two younger brothers from the two older during their sibling squabbles. in large they made a happy family, until she was eight and disaster struck. an illness swept through the swamps, killing the land and its inhabitants alike. those who did not perish by the cough died in the following famine as crops began to fail. epwhyn's father and older brothers died from the sickness and, after having gone on the road to escape the famine, their group of refugees are targeted by bandits, resulting in the death of the rest of the family - save for ephwyn. she is aimlessly walking across the marshes when she's found by a tall and armored woman, mounted on a large horse. her name is killgrave and she's a crusader of zakarum, she and her fellows in arms are leaving the marshes to return to the west, ready at last to continue their quest to find the root of corruption in the zakarum faith. ephwyn, a lone child with nowhere left to go, is offered to come with them as killgrave's apprentice, and after what she's been through - the back of the large woman's saddle seems the safest she's been in months.

arc II: into the west.

killgrave and ephwyn go west and epwhyn is introduced to the crusade. the quest is without end or purpose, it's sole direction is to defeat evil and search for the root of corruption that has haunted the zakarum faith since it's origin two-hundered years ago. killgrave travels from city to city, offering her aid, training epwhyn in the ways of the crusader at the same time. when ephwyn is sixteen, killgrave is bested in battle - the woman dies, and in tradition of the order, epwhyn inherits her near complete being. her name, her shield, her life sworn to the quest - ephwyn becomes killgrave and it's now up to her to carry on the crusade.

arc III: crusader.

killgrave does not take an apprentice and for several years she travels the west alone and continues the work she and her master did. she's well-known in the area and often recieves word when there is need for someone of her capabilities, be it against monster or man, she's always near wherever there is fighting. she comes across a falling star that crashes into an abandoned zakarum church, the star turns out to be a man - a fallen angel - and he takes her on a journey to defeat the greatest evil itself, and in the journey of doing so she renounces the order and fights as ephwyn once again.

arc IV: the nephalem.

after the defeat of diablo, ephwyn returns to continue what has become her personal quest - to continue to do good, for no other reason than that good needs to be done. she is haunted by the ominous warnings saying she'll one day be tempted to corruption, but after having lived her whole life in fear of it she trusts that whatever comes she'll have the strength to face it.

verses

dragon age:  the same story in a different font: she's taken in by the chantry at 8 and is put towards becoming a templar. thinking she has no other choice, she commits to her vows at 12 and eventually becomes a seeker like cassandra, undergoing her vigil at 16. however, during the mage rebellion, her doubts come to a peak and she sides with the mages against the chantry. 

lotr:  tba.

the witcher:  tba.

dnd:  paladin  /  cleric aasimar who decides that she’s actually going to kick her patron’s ass.

[secret-engima]

Finds and Feathers Drabble: Drautos

*throws this on here* Ow, my hands. This is over 2.5k words when it was meant to be maybe 1k but its done now so enjoy it. I hereby blame @oliverslewty @yudu097 and @faeconstellation for this. XDD Look at what got resurrected and merged with Fangs and Feathers verse.

BEHOLD the thing that y’all did the vote for *waggles eyebrows*.

...

-Titus has several reasons to hate the royal family. King Mors pulled back the Wall, which allowed his parents and uncles to be murdered when Niflheim invaded, leaving only him and his older sister alive (and even then, Titus was only alive because of Regis and his sister was only alive because she had moved to Lestallum three years prior). Regis had promised Titus aid and vengeance, but as the years went by, Titus’s homeland was never reclaimed.

-Then there was the Glauca suit.

-Titus had not wanted the thing now sitting under his skin, he had fought every step of the way through his capture and experimentation and their attempts to TURN him, make him betray Lucis in favor of the people who had burned his home.

-If he hadn’t had a sister to go home to, he thinks he would have listened to them.

-If he hadn’t had a sister who Titus had learned was with child right before his capture, he thinks he might have listened anyway, or at least not been as desperately reckless to escape. He would have taken his time to plot a way out, played obedient puppet to lower their guard rather than fighting his way out using the THING they had burrowed under his skin, even if it almost killed him.

-The Crownsguard hadn’t even noticed he was gone, and of course, what the Crownsguard didn’t report, Regis was too busy to notice.

-Worthless king. Spineless king. Selfish lying king who deserved to WAtCh hIs KInGdOm BUrN-

-It was only his sister’s horrified intervention in the height of his vitriol that clued him in on the fact that his thoughts were no longer completely his own. The suit, the armor, the thing that breathed and hungered and hated under his skin was connected to his mind so that he could command it at will, but that connection was two way, and its hate kept trying to bleed over into his own thoughts.

-Titus made a point to twist his spite and direct it at Niflheim whenever his thoughts strayed. True, he might hate the royal line for their failures, but he hated Niflheim MORE. Regis might not be the warrior king Lucis needed but at least he wasn’t the Emperor (at least he was a good man, even if good men made bad kings). On and on his thoughts spun in endless circles, a tug of war between two different kinds of spite and anger in the background of his everyday life that frankly made every day exhausting. It would have been so much easier to let the two thought processes combine and carry him away into a secret, righteous crusade against Lucis. So much easier to claim the power Niflheim had burrowed under his skin.

-He didn’t. Because of his sister. More than her…

-Because of his nephew. Because his nephew had no father figure to speak of (his sister had looked so worried when she told him of her one night stand with a nameless, pretty-eyed stranger that had made her pregnant despite protection) and had been born with fury under his skin, branded into his being just like the birthmarks that stretched across his face and body like jagged scars. SOMEONE had to teach his nephew to control the fury that seemed to have been molded into the boy’s soul from the womb, and Titus was the only one around to do that.

-Then one day when his nephew was seven years old and throwing a tantrum, the apartment shook and his nephew froze in astonishment at the bright, red-amber fire licking over his hands. In the stunned silence that had followed, his nephew had looked up at him with blood red eyes (his nephew’s eyes were washed out blue like his, not red, not RED-) and Titus had one more reason to hate Lucis Caelums.

-He never told Regis. Never dared. Regis was a man who loved children, and even in his blackest moments Titus would never suspect the man of being capable of harming a child, but Regis was married. Married to a wife he adored, a wife who had just recently had a son of her own. The scandal it would cause if Titus’s nephew was known, the strife that would erupt between Regis, Aulea, and Titus’s sister-. He couldn’t risk it.

-He had never been so glad that Regis had given him magic as a trusted member of his Retinue. A way to teach his nephew how to hide the magic burning under his skin and how to temper the wrath that threatened to shake the walls at any given moment (because his nephew was always angry, even when he was content and smiling and laughing with his mother, there was a tiny spark of anger lurking there, like the world had wronged him and he hated it).

-He still kept the secret even after Aulea died. Because Regis was grieving, and for all the bitterness that was both his and the suit’s, he wouldn’t inflict that kind of drama on the man while he was grieving.

-When his nephew was ten, Titus got a call from his sister, frantic and confused over her nephew, who had been watching a broadcast about the Oracle’s children when he suddenly passed out with a fever. Titus claimed a sick day and rushed to Lestallum to check on his nephew, found him already up and about a day after his mysterious collapse.

-His eyes were red and there was bitterness there.

-They didn’t stop being red even after Titus held him close and calmed the buzzing rage he could feel under his nephew’s skin.

-“I’m King Regis’s spawn, aren’t I?”

-Titus stiffened at the wording, glanced up at his sister as she pet her son’s hair and breathed, “You are my beloved son. Who your father is doesn’t matter to us.”

-His nephew laughed and the sound was broken. Then he pulled away and summoned fire to his hands so he could stare at his magic. When he looked up at his mother, his eyes were still the color of fresh blood, “I don’t like my name. I want to change it.”

-Titus and his sister had exchanged worried looks, but out of fear of a magic-fueled tantrum, Titus asked, “What name do you want?”

-A sharp, bitter sort of smile more at home on the face of a soldier than a child, “Xanxus. My name is Xanxus.”

-And that was that. His nephew stopped responding to his given name, only answered to the one he had given himself. He was different now, from whatever had happened, and Titus wished he could ask Regis about magic without raising suspicions, because was this normal for Lucis Caelums? This sudden change in name and development of a too-old (too bloodthirsty) personality?

-Xanxus’s eyes never did turn back to blue. Titus suspected there was too much anger there, lurking just beneath the surface as his nephew went out and picked fights with the street rats of Lestallum, as he ran off to join the Hunters at fifteen, adding yet another concern to Titus’s life in between his duties as Captain of the Kingsglaive, the suit constantly prodding his thoughts, and Prince Noctis (who had taken to trailing him around with big blue eyes that made it impossible to hate the brat) and his crazy pet Galahdian who had apparently taken a shine to him because he wasn’t “a useless herbivore” (whatever that meant).

-Titus should have known something would break someday. The tenuous secrecy and balance couldn’t last forever. Not with Xanxus’s temper and Titus’s terrible luck in regards to Lucis Caelums.

-Four months after Xanxus turned sixteen, Titus got a report from the front lines. A base of Kingsglaive had nearly been overrun by a Niflheim assault until an unknown teenager with magic had intervened and shot down the gunships with a combination of over-powered, red-tinted fire spells and guns that seemed to fire bullets of pure magic.

-Titus could do nothing to stop the report from reaching Regis, because several Crownsguard had been at the base at the time to refuel their truck on the way back to Insomnia and they had already reported the incident to the Marshal.

-Titus stood at a twitching Regis’s side, face frozen in neutrality that he didn’t feel as the throne room doors got flung open and his nephew was escorted inside by several glaives. Xanxus eyed Regis with contempt, his magic swirling openly around him like biting embers of anger and King Regis flinched at the feel of it before stepped forward, “You are-”

-“Your illegitimate spawn,” sneered Titus’s nephew and Titus inwardly groaned, “so what? Gonna try to lock me in your pretty Citadel so I don’t go around shaming your line?”

-Regis recoiled like he’d been physically punched and Titus openly winced and resisted the urge to tell Xanxus to do his breathing exercises, “No!” Sputtered the king Titus had a constant loyalty-hate relationship with, “I would never hold you here against your will!”

-“So you’ll just offer a lot of incentives for me to stay  and more incentives for me to not dare leave.” Retorted Titus’s living headache, “Don’t try the playing the nice sham you old b-.”

-That was enough of that, “Xanxus Certus Drautos, watch your tongue. I can still hold you down and wash that mouth of yours out with soap.”

-All eyes snapped to Titus while Xanxus made a face and a rude gesture and Titus sighed at the unspoken, panicky question in Regis’s eyes, “He’s my nephew. Yes, I’ve known about his magic for a long time.”

-Regis’s expression was so genuinely wounded Titus felt bad, “Then why did you never…?”

-Titus looked away, unable to withstand the hurt in the eyes of the man Titus thought was a bad king but knew was a good man (which was what made him a bad king), “We didn’t find out until the year Prince Noctis was born. I didn’t want my sister or nephew … or you … to suffer the scandal it would cause if he became known. And after the Queen died … there was never a good time.”

-Xanxus snorted, “Whatever, just scrub the reports and he can keep his precious reputation untarnished and I can go back to Hunting. Say one of your pet glaives used a new magic spell or something.” The glaives bristled at the “pet” comment, but Titus was just glad he wasn’t slinging his favorite word around yet (he doubted Cor or anyone in the room would react well to Xanxus calling the king “trash”)

-Regis turned back to Xanxus, reached out a hesitant hand, “You don’t have to leave. I will not stop you if … if you truly wish to go but I would … I would be honored to get to know my son-.”

-Magic rippled out like blood and fury and Titus instinctively put himself between Regis and Xanxus as his nephew snarled “I don’t belong to you, Trash King. I’m not your son, I’m your mistake and I will not be caged just so you can pat yourself on the back and feel better about ‘repenting’ for your ‘mistakes’.” Xanxus shook off the glaives that reached for him, fire burning dangerously up his arms and shoulders as he leaned around Titus so he could bare his teeth at a shaking Regis, his armiger flickering in and out of existence in red-amber as he spat, “You leave me and my mother the pyre alone or so help me I’m gonna-.”

-From the doors of the throne room, another magic signature spiked and Titus swallowed his spit in dread.

-What was Prince Noctis doing down here?

-Xanxus’s eyes went wild and he spun on his heel and Titus had a horrifying mental image of either his nephew or his crown prince dead on the throne room floor and half-dived for his nephew. He slammed against the red-tinted magic shield that formed and pushed outward, knocking aside everyone that might have stopped him as Prince Noctis, with no self-preservation whatsoever, ran up to Xanxus and smiled, “Xanxus, you’re here!”

-Wait. How did Prince Noctis know Xanxus’s name?

-Xanxus stared down at the nine year old prince with a cocked head, confusion in the set of his shoulders for a moment before he … relaxed, “Small Trash?” There was genuine confusion, disbelief, as if he wasn’t expecting to see Prince Noctis here, but that made no sense because Xanxus had only ever been to Insomnia in his life ONCE before now and there was no way he’d met Prince Noctis then. … Right?

-Prince Noctis stared around them at the shield hemming them in, then fearlessly smiled and hugged Titus’s nephew, “I missed you!”

-Titus prepared to batter down the shield in hopes of preventing regicide.

-Xanxus just patted Prince Noctis’s hair, armiger fading out of existence and magic settling to something slightly below screaming wrath, “Figures you’d be here, Small Trash.”

-“My name is Noctis.”

-“Xanxus. Xanxus Drautos.”

-Prince Noctis leaned briefly around Xanxus to blink at Titus, then resumed smiling up at the half-brother he shouldn’t know existed, “Titus’s…?”

-“Nephew, Small Trash. I don’t have a father.”

-Regis made a strangled noise, tentatively resting a hand on the shield keeping him away from his two sons, “Noctis…”

-Prince Noctis looked at his father, blinked with that unique, far-off stare he got when his seer magic kicked in and Titus felt his teeth grind as the boy looked up at Xanxus, “…You’re my half-brother.”

-Xanxus’s shoulders tensed, “Small Trash…”

-Prince Noctis turned and hugged Xanxus again, “It’s okay. He’s a good dad, I promise. He’ll love you. Please stay.”

-A shaking breath that felt … vulnerable. More vulnerable than his nephew had been since he was ten and claimed a new name, “I’m illegitimate, Small Trash. We both know what that means to royalty.”

-Slender arms hugged tighter and Titus watched in awe as his volatile nephew did nothing to throw the boy away, “Dad is different. I love him, and he loves me. He loves you too already. I promise. And I never break my promises.”

-Xanxus sagged in place, muttered a few scathing curses Titus had never been able to train out of him, then reached down and effortlessly picked Prince Noctis up and propped him on his hip like the boy was three and not nine, “Fine, Small Trash. I’ll give him three months. If I don’t like him by then I’m gone.”

-The shield dissolved as Xanxus turned around, “You got that, Trash King? You want to prove you’re interested in me as family and not a tool, you got three months to do it. After that I’m gone and none of your men better try to stop me unless they want to be dead.”

-Regis agreed even as the Marshal growled at Xanxus’s wording, but Titus didn’t care to listen. Couldn’t really think past his surprise because … because…

-As his nephew looked down at the half-brother he apparently already knew in his arms, angry but in a more tired and indulgent way, for the first time in years…

-Xanxus’s eyes were their natural washed out blue again.

-Oh, thought Titus quietly as Prince Noctis beamed up at Xanxus with amber eyes, magic curling effortlessly around Xanxus’s in a way that filled in and smoothed over all the screaming, jagged edges.

-Oh.