#also a sidenote! I have another setting I might run a future campaign in that takes more of the original lore and turns it on it’s head

[sagasofazeria]

My Attempts At Making Unique Nonhumans Part 6: Orcs!

This one took a while, but hopefully that means it’s high quality lol! I’m posting it a week late because it took a while to get around to it and I finished it closer to the next wbw than the one I missed. Enjoy!

Taglist: @talesfromaurea @hellishhin @thelaughingstag

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Orcs are a worldbuilding minefield, to be perfectly honest. Like lots of the “evil” species in D&D, the lore behind them is questionable at best and “what the flying fuck?” at worst, so naturally I have taken a shovel and thrown that shit right on outta here. Dark gods? Nope. Born evil? Nope. Orcs in my world simply evolved alongside humans, from the natural world, and they’re just another humanoid species in this wacky fantasy world. But that’s not important, we’re here for the fun stuff.

Orcs, like humans, are good at living pretty much anywhere besides directly in lava. Their bodies, while not as fluid in their adaptations as elves, can withstand almost any environment. Orcs generally are very well equipped to live virtually anywhere. You think humans have range? You haven’t met orcs.

Additionally, like humans, they have multiples of organs that make them both more powerful but also able to live with like half their insides. Their bodies have an accelerated rate of healing, and are constantly ready to go. All of this culminates in their legendary ability to stand back up after what would’ve been a fatal blow for even the strongest of other species. Orcs tend to live roughly the same on average as humans (if not slightly more just because they die less). All of this means that many orcs choose the outlander lifestyle, but this is obviously not universal. (Nothing is.)

While orcs have no innate magical talent, they often have a fierce connection to the natural world, as well as heightened perception and raw strength. Orcs also tend to have many different physical appearances. They can have skin that can be the whole range of earth tones and human skin tones, as well as multiple hues of gray, blue and purple. Their hair also varies widely, but occasionally includes coarse quill-like hairs as well. Their tusks (the pride of many orcs), can vary in size from glorified lower canine to long enough to touch their cheeks. Their blood is also based on a different mineral (multiple, actually) than iron, making their blood a darker blackish color. Often this color is compared to that of nutrient-rich soil and this comparison used often as imagery in orcish religions. In fact, “earth” and “blood” in orcish are actually the same word (in the most widespread dialect).

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This was tons of fun (once I finally got around to it, haha). I love orcs and I have always felt like they got done dirty. Behold, my solutions.

[fortunatelylori]

I've been thinking about alliances and what the map could look like with a Jon/ Sansa alliance. Between the two of them they have the map covered as far a who is potentially or who will be left once everything is settled, to rule one of the 7 Kingdoms except for Dorne. As far as we know Elia is still alive and imprisoned. She has a tenuous allegiance with Dany but that's it. Dany has done nothing to come to her aid. If Sansa is kidnapped there is a high probability they will connect. Thoughs?

*Sidenote The Dany/Elia alliance was also formed on hatred. If Dorne is still in play then there should be a stronger basis to make it long lasting. Sure Jon was born in Dorne but he’s a Northerner. He has no allegiance to them.

Hey, nonnie.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Yesterday, in the comments section of my D*ny/Cersei comparison post , @blurredblue mentioned that Cersei’s real weakness at this time is that she has no allies left in Westeros. And that got me thinking … That’s essentially D*ny’s problem as well. 

They sort of canceled each other out in season 7 on that front when Cersei took all of D*ny’s allies out of play, thus leaving her without legitimacy in terms of launching her campaign. D*ny returned the favor by burning the Tarlys alive, and leaving Cersei without her only true Westerosi ally. 

But the burning of the Tarlys was also D*ny shooting herself in the foot because, his crappy parental treatment of his eldest son aside, Randall Tarly was a well respected member of the Westerosi aristocracy with a great military record. Not only that but by burning them alive without a trial and the legitimacy of a crown, D*ny committed a war crime by the laws established in this universe. As we remember from Robb’s campaign, it’s actually not ok or acceptable to kill prisoners of war in Westeros. 

But D*ny’s biggest mistake to date is not that. The more I think of it the more I realize that in terms of strategy and diplomacy, her biggest mistake was her treatment of Jon Snow, aka The King in the North. Obviously all of this is predicated on the existence of political Jon in one form or another, which by and large has become, in my mind, the key GOT theory on which the entire Game of Thrones now rests. So for the remainder of this post, we will assume that in fact Jon’s actions in season 7 were politically motivated and that he is not a Northern Fool/cinnamon roll who fell in love with the Mother of Dragons and is ready to give up everything for her, like countless less important male character before him. 

The reason why I say that D*ny’s biggest mistake was her treatment of Jon is because, right now, House Stark is THE HOUSE you need in order to control Westeros. Dragons will only get you so far. You need alliances in order to establish a peaceful and successful rule and while everyone is bleeding allies left and right, House Stark, through Jon and Sansa, is racking in the numbers. If she had not been so greedy, if she weren’t hell bent on dominance and submission of anyone she encounters, D*ny would have had a fantastic opportunity to enter a mutually beneficial alliance with House Stark, one established on collaboration not coercion. By dismissing Jon, demoting him, proving herself a fickle ally who is more likely to burn you alive than treat with you, by not entertaining the very pertinent reasons why the North is seeking its independence, she blew her chance at that alliance.

Tyrion, by the way, must share a part in this debacle because he tricks Jon into coming to Dragonstone, is as adamant about Jon bending the knee as D*ny is, albeit in a more diplomatic way and he fails to do his proper research in advance. He thinks Jon is the gullible King in the North and the North is an ally worth having, particularly once their other allies are wiped out, but he doesn’t seem to understand that whoever holds the allegiance of House Stark will in fact hold the geopolitical hegemony over Westeros. 

Let’s break it down: 

We’ll start with Jon, since he is the titular leader of House Stark, despite his status as a bastard. In season 7, Sansa mentions that the Northern Lords are loyal, by and large, to Jon. We see Lord Glover and Lord Royce of the Vale mention that perhaps they should have elected Sansa as their Queen but the rest of the lords do not join in this conversation. They are, for the moment, holding fast behind their decision to elect Jon as King. Of course, strife is coming because of Jon’s decision to bend the knee but considering that Sansa will most likely support him in front of the Great Council, the Northern Lords will probably stick around. Also, Jon has the Wildlings undivided loyalty. 

People could be excused in ignoring the Wildlings since they’re a small group and one that has been brought South of the Wall only recently but the fact of the matter is they’re here now and they’re staying put. On top of that, they were involved in both the demise of Ramsay Bolton and fought alongside the Starks and their allies and are now part of the core group that will save Westeros from the apocalypse. So, unlike the Dothraki who are complete strangers to Westeros, the Wildlings are actually natives of this continent and are intimately involved in the goings on of the realm. 

Then there’s the matter of Gendry. This could amount to something or it might not so take that with a grain of salt. But all of the Baratheons are dead, except for this one bastard that rowed his way back to Flee Bottom and has now been introduced back into the plot, fast becoming best friends with Jon and poised to meet his sister, Arya, with whom he might fall in love and marry. That, in geopolitical terms, is the potential start of a lifelong alliance. The fact that the show pointed to the close relationship between Robert and Ned in Gendry and Jon’s first meeting feels like this relationship is bound to pay off in other ways aside from Gendry’s superhuman running abilities. If Jon is to become a political player, he would be well served to legalize his sister’s future husband and install him as the new Lord of the Stormlands, using the good will and strategic acumen he has gained to support his perhaps disputed decision. Because he will need people he can trust in high positions of power and Gendry is just that. 

Then there’s the matter of Samwell Tarly. This is another way in which the burning of the Tarlys will come back to bite D*ny in the ass. Because Samwell, the disinherited son of Randall Tarly, is now the only male representative of House Tarly. And with the demise of House Tyrell, the Reach is up for grabs. House Tarly is the only reasonable candidate for this position. Sam would chew off his own arm before supporting the woman that burned his father and brother alive and besides that he’s had “I love Jon Snow” carved across his chest since he first set eyes on the bastard of Winterfell. 

So two men that are friends with Jon Snow could, potentially, give Jon access to the Stormlands and the Reach. That’s a start. :))))

But that’s just a small part of what Jon Snow brings to the table because his true value lies in his prowess in battle and he’s about to prove his worth in the greatest war/wars this continent has seen in 8000 years. However you chose to look at it, Westeros is a medieval society that is going through a period where warrior kings are the norm and what people expect from their leader. 

We have moved away from this type of worldview but a successful medieval king is a military commander, who is always leading his army from the front lines: prowess in battle, courage in the face of hand to hand combat inspire a type of loyalty and devotion that is hard to discount. That’s what Edward I did, that’s what Edward IV, Henry V, Robert the Bruce and countless other successful warrior kings did. 

Jon Snow is going to be spearheading the fight against the White Walkers and by the end of it he will be the military commander that saved Westeros from the end of the world. He will become a legendary figure in his own time. Forget Aemon the Dragonkinght and Florian the Fool, King Jon will be the guy generations of kids for hundreds of years will pretend to be while playing at swords. He’ll essentially be the King Arthur of this universe. And that type of clout and image is hard to come by. If he ends up riding a dragon and riding Westeros of the Dragon Queen and the Dothraki as well, people will be one step away from treating him like a God-like figure. That’s if he’s alive by the end of the story, which I think he very much will. 

Then there’s Sansa … let’s talk about Sansa, shall we? 

Since about season 2, Sansa’s political importance has been highlighted by the plot over and over again. Yes, yes, she doesn’t wield a sword and she doesn’t have dragons but then again neither did Elizabeth of York or Eleanor of Aquitaine or any of the countless heiresses of the medieval world. 

Sansa has been called the Key to the North by Varys for a reason and there’s a reason why Tywin Lannister, Olenna Tyrell and Roose Bolton wanted her as wife for their sons/grandson. To quote Tywin: “Whoever marries Sansa Stark, has control of the North.”

But, since then, Sansa’s importance has only grown. And she is now not only the key to the North, but the most eligible match in the whole of Westeros. Because who ever marries Sansa Stark, essentially gets the keys to the kingdom and geopolitical dominance over the continent. 

Let’s start with the North. There are two important factors that make Sansa essential to the North. For one, she is the heir apparent to Winterfell and the Stark ancestral seat, since Bran has renounced his claim. But because D*ny is stupidly generous, she helped Sansa become even more influential by forcing Jon to bend the knee. Jon’s credibility and standing has been jeopardized by this decision. Instead of keeping him as King in the North and marrying him pronto, D*ny gave the keys to the North to Sansa, who has been diligently working to keep the North fed, clothed and ready for the war and who will now have a position of leadership in front of the whole North. If Sansa chooses to support Jon, this can’t be beneficial to D*ny because the goals of the North/Sansa and D*ny’s are bound to collide. So Sansa and Jon’s alliance will come in direct opposition to D*ny’s quest for the throne, whether or not either Jon or Sansa plan on it. 

But Sansa’s importance stretches beyond the North. The obvious one is, of course, the Vale. The Vale is a historical ally of House Stark and the North. Robyn Arryn is Sansa’s cousin on their mother’s side and Littlefinger was kind enough to really drive home just how important supporting his cousin was supposed to be for Robyn. He did it for his own motives of course but there’s no reason why Sansa wouldn’t and couldn’t take advantage of that now that Littlefinger is dead. Also, keeping Robyn happy is stupidly easy. Just imagine Jon giving him a ride on dragon back around the Eeryie. The kid will be a fan for life. In addition, Lord Royce is probably writing Sansa sonnets as we speak so the military arm of the Vale is firmly on Sansa’s side. 

Then there’s the matter of the Riverlands. Now that the Freys have been decimated by Arya, House Tully is poised to take back control of the region and here is where Jaime really screwed Cersei over. Because House Tully is headed by Edmure, the guy Jaime terrorized and forced to betray his blood with threats of killing his son. House Tully isn’t supporting the Lannisters anytime soon, Edmure probably feels like he needs to atone for betraying the Blackfish (you can see by the way Tobias Menzies plays him that he regrets what he does but feels he has no choice) and the best way for him to do that is by supporting his only other relatives, the Starks, namely Sansa, aka the girl Blackfish said was just like her mother. 

Then there’s the Greyjoys and the Iron Islands … Cersei, I think, will hold Euron’s allegiance but Theon Greyjoy is on a quest to rescue his sister and he’ll end up on a collision course with Euron. I’m pretty sure Euron is biting the dust. I’m also fairly certain Yara won’t survive. Now even if you pretend that Theon has no issue with the fact that D*ny does fuck all to help free Yara, aside from giving Theon a boat or two, who do you think Theon, as the only Greyjoy and leader of the Iron Islands, is going to support? D*enerys Targareyen, a virtual stranger he got into an alliance with out of necessity or the family that raised him and that he identifies with, and also feels he has let down in the past. Theon is House Stark, all the way. And if he manages to defeat Euron, he’ll have access to the best navy in the whole of Westeros. 

That leaves, as you well pointed out, Dorne … But honestly I’m not sure Dorne is much of a prize for anyone at this time. Nor are Jon and Sansa obsessed with collecting kingdoms, the way Cersei and D*ny are so they’d probably leave Dorne to its own devices unless the Dornish themselves seek an alliance with them. And they’d probably be best served to stay away from Dorne for the time being because I doubt the kingdom is in a good place right now. 

As for Ellaria Sand, honestly I don’t want her to make a come back in season 8. Her arc was concluded. Yes, supposedly she’s still alive but what does she really have to bring to the table at this point? Her only claim to Dorne was through her bastard daughters (so not a claim at all as bastards can’t inherit in Dorne anymore than in any other place in Westeros), and the Sand Snakes are dead (I know 2 of them weren’t her daughters but the rest are children and not part of the show). They really did a number on the Dornish plot and went crazy with the laws of succession but in realistic terms, what Ellaria and the Sand Snakes did was a coup d’etat and a pretty stupid one at that. They essentially threw their own country into political chaos and the Dornish, if they’re smart and their history shows they are, should drop Ellaria like a hot potato. There’s plenty of old families in Dorne, just as proud of their heritage and blood as the rest of the great houses of Westeros, so the country at this time is most likely in the midst of a civil war for control. In the future, an alliance with them might prove fruitful because they’ll most likely avoid the whole War for the Dawn and Dance of Dragons that will ravage the rest of Westeros. They’ll probably be able to rebuild more quickly. But Jon and Sansa don’t need Ellaria for that. They can enter an alliance with Dorne’s new leaders based on economical and political interests. They can even seal the deal with a mutually advantageous marriage. 

So, that begs the question, if House Stark is essentially running the board as the most influential house in Westeros, if between Jon’s military abilities and Sansa’s diplomatic and political maneuvering, they are capable of not only rallying people to their cause but also unite the whole continent under them, why the hell would they choose to support either the woman whose family killed their father, brother and mother, caused one sister to go on the run and tortured the other or the woman who is going around burning people alive and wants to conquer a war ravaged land with a hoard of rapists and murderers? 

Wouldn’t it make much more sense for them to seize power for themselves? And wouldn’t it make much more sense for Jon and Sansa to join their strategic and political advantages in marriage? This is a Ferdinand of Castile and Isabella of Aragon waiting to happen.

 Jon actually has nothing to gain and everything to lose by marrying D*ny and the same goes for a potential alliance between Sansa and Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion holds absolutely no power in Westeros, he’s a kinslayer and he brought a foreign queen, two dragons and two armies of foreigners to the shores of his country. D*ny is the daughter of the Mad King, a man so reviled people thought Robert Baratehon was good by comparison, and she’s going around imparting the very popular policy of fire and blood with everyone she comes in contact with. Those kinds of things are not easily dismissed and do not go unnoticed. 

Of course neither Jon or Sansa are thinking in terms of geopolitical hegemony at this time nor are they interested in the Iron Throne but between Cersei and D*ny, they will push them to the point where they will have to take action and assert themselves as the new power in Westeros, if they are to survive and thrive. It’s also very likely that their allies will push for them to become king and queen because they’ll understand that Jon and Sansa are their best ticket to a peaceful and healthy future Westeros. 

Thanks for the ask!

[comicsforcoins-blog]

7 of the best and worst drug PSA’s in comics

Comics have a long and vibrant history of facing off against social injustices and platforming political agendas. But one never stood out so strongly as the war, on drugs. Here are the top seven times Comics tried act as a medium against drugs (And kinda did a shit job of it). In the later half of the 20th century the momentum against drugs was growing until it hit it’s peak in the 80s with Ronald Regan’s administration that started the “Just Say No” campaign and actively moved to stop drugs. 

#1. Good Guy Floronic Man 

Floronic Man was a genius level botanist named James Woodrue. (The one fan out there of Batman & Robin reading this might recognize it to be the name of the Botanist from the infamous movie played by John Glover as well.) Woodrue is a plant/human hybrid supervillain with the ability to control plant life with his mind. He was an interesting villain through out his publication, but his most memorable appearance? In “Shadow of the Bat” #56-57, Woodrue comes to Gotham city damaged to near death. In his haste, he creates a new body out of the only thing he could get his hands on. That’s right. That sticky icky.  That purp.  That Buddha. 

He busts his old protege Poison Ivy out of Arkham to help him do the mot evil thing that Gotham has ever seen...

Of course, he fails which was the whole point of the 96′ PSA two-parter, but not before the kids smoke his high grade weed and start screaming and trying to fight, because we all know those effects of smoking the devil’s herb amIright?  I can’t but wonder what would happen if he returned over 20 years later with that agenda, only in Colorado instead of Gotham.

#2. Snow flame: The Villain with a Passion for Cocaine

In his first (and final) appearance, the villain Snow Flame shows up to impede the mission of the New Guardians, in the second issue of the same-named series. Snow Flame has the unique super power of being able to gain strength, stamina, agility and speed from the use of cocaine. He worships the drug for it’s incredible properties. 

Wait, this IS supposed to be a PSA right? 

The weirdest thing about this character? Zero mention in said issue about the evils of cocaine. None. He gets beaten by being knocked into a volatile chemical shed and that’s the end. 

Sidenote: There’s also mention in this issue of a villain named Hemo-Goblin who was killed by AIDS. God bless the 80′s #3. Hour man: Popped a Miraclo, I’m sweatin’ 

Debuting in the 1940′s, Rex Tyler was a pharma genius who developed a drug that would give him incredible abilities, but only for the short length of an hour at a time. It was not long after that he took the name, Hourman. 

Over time Tyler began to develop an addiction to the drug, it was so strong that he completely abandoned his son who would become the future Hourman, Rick Tyler, and his wife in pursuit of crime and the excuse to dump another tablet. Unlike the last two this was actually a well-handled parallel to the at the time rarely noted issue of pill addiction. It not only addicted Rex but slowly began to kill him until he was luckily detoxed by magic with the help of Dr.Fate. He got his life together and eventually gave up the cowl and passed it on to Rick. #4. Captain America goes to War against Drugs (Literally)

That’s right. It was inevitable and in the year 1990, it became a reality. Captain America literally fought drugs. A supervillain team named after them more like. A generic hippy looking pothead named Weed (Innovative, I know) that shoots smoke, a guy named crack who, kid you not *cracks* things with his impressive strength, a guy named Ice who’s supposed to represent meth but the writers took the slang term way too literally, and a woman with (PLOT TWIST) needles coming out of her arms names Ms.Fix. Apparently, they were all drug addicts who were transformed into super villains by alien abductees.  The really fucked up part? They all die. They don’t go to rehab or get rescued from these addictions. They go out like their missing member Snow Flame in a ball of fire and Cap just watches.  Hasn’t been a happier ending since Se7en

#5. Spider-man Fast Lane

So apparently smoking weed turns you into Christian Bale on the set of Terminator Salvation. I’m not going to entertain this one. For information on it head over to here #6. Superman’s answer to the drug epidemic- Kill it with fire In 2010 we got one of the worst runs of comics to ever come out of DC just before they finally realized it was time for a change and made the shift to the New 52 via Flashpoint. But not before we got the pile of garbage that was the arc...Superman: Grounded.

In this boring run Superman is walking cross country like a less motivated Forrest Gump because he’s conflicted about his ideals of Truth, Justice, and the American Way (Wouldn’t be surprised if Zack Snyder got his inspiration for Man of Steel from this run) and in issue Superman #701, he comes across some drug dealers. 

They tell him that he has to abide by the same laws as everyone else (While of course, speaking like black caricatures as perceived by a white writer) and they smuggly tell Supes that he can’t do a damn thing to prove they were breaking the law without he himself, breaking the law. 

Now watch as Superman reaches in his utility belt and pulls out all the fucks he gives. Oh wait. Superman doesn’t wear a utility belt.

Are there families inside? Are those homes even theirs? Who gives a shit. Burn it. Burn it all. Then the smug boy scout turns to a kid and says...

So in other words- 

Kid: “You know they’ll just go and ruin my grandma’s town a few miles away now right?”

Superman: “Idgaf that’s their problem lol” saunters off proud of himself 

And that’s how Superman taught a boy how to be willfully ignorant. #7. Speedy shoots more than Arrows

I decided to save this one for last because it’s basically legendary. Roy Harper, Also Known as “Speedy” at the time, was the sidekick of Green Arrow. In Green Lantern numbers 85-86 entitled ‘Snowbirds Don’t Fly’ GA/Ollie come across the revelation that Speedy is a heroin addict. Honestly, the way GA handles the kid’s problem is a toss in the air. I’m not sure if his reaction is humanizing realistic or ignorant due to its era, or maybe both. Either way, it was impactful,

 Eventually, Roy gets help and finally kicks the habit, but years later he relapses when his daughter dies during an attack on his home town. Distraught and missing an arm,  he becomes a heroin addicted anti-hero named Arsenal. Luckily all that turmoil was retconned after the reboot to the New 52. But with Rebirth around the corner who knows, we may see some old character arcs return with a vengeance.