#archduke tag

[threecrowsinatrenchcoat]

Archduke of Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 34: Then, Remus

[AO3 Link]

When Remus opened his eyes again, it took him several long moments to understand that he was still in the hidden room in Verdant Keep. Namely, because it was crowded . The room was filled with soldiers and medics all talking over each other and rushing about. It wasn’t more than thirty people all told, but the room was not meant to hold quite so many people. 

The last thing he remembered was going down to Wrath’s claws. Now, he was laying in a medic cot with his damaged leather armor set off to the side. His bonded weapon had vanished when it left his grasp… but his left hand was still grasping something so tightly he could feel blood, warm and sticky against his palm. Slowly, he lifted his hand and willed his cramping fingers to uncurl. A few droplets of blood rolled down his arm from where the sharp edges of the ruby pendant had pierced his skin. 

The Amulet. 

[Continue on AO3] | [Read From Beginning]

[panksage]

I have nothing new for baldur’s gate 3 birthday, so I bring you this WIP with an already old durgetash meme, you’re welcome

[little-tyrant-gortash]

First of all: I'd love to have his pretty crossbow. Reminds me of the glass crossbow you can get in Skyrim through CC.

Secondly, 14 STR??? If Astarion looks like the way he does with 8, I really want to see that 14 STR. Y'know. For science.

His stats are simply insane. What the fuck, Gortash.

*spends 5 minutes rotating him around, purely to admire him*

Okay let's take a look at his features. I missed out on it when I first met him because I was busy running for Cazador's ass. 🤣

Resistant to magic AND high spellcasting? 👀 Permanently armed?? Unarmed attacks seem logical, but crossbow expert??? 👀

He's a fucking prize.

[ultimatehistorical]

ULTIMATE HISTORICAL FIGURE OF TUMBLR DOT COM!!!

Now I know as the op I'm really not supposed to give my opinion.. however I severely underestimated the amount of ea nasir stans and I really think gavrilo princip could use some votes and if him and franz ferdinand both go through it would be really funny.. just saying.. okay sorry don't cancel me for voter interference please please please ea nasir is also super interesting

[supermair0]

I feel like this is very tumblrcore humor, lets see lol

[flymmsy]

The only Franc-take I just can’t agree with is that the “slithering, wet malice” letters were too dramatic and out of character.

Did we…did we not all get the same cutscene in act 2 where Gortash immediately pretends to salute, happily claps his hands together, and waves his little wrist at Ketheric like a Drama Queen?

Did we not all see the same thing? Man is FLAMBOYANT as hell.

[toxicrevolver]

List 5 things that make you happy then put this in the ask box for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! :3

(flings this back towards you)

It’s been like 2 hours since I answered this the first time but I deserve the attack so.

1) banana bread still. (I really hate the fact I’m mildly allergic to bananas)

2) watching tv show/movies I enjoy (I’m looking at you marvels Venom with Tom Hardy)

3) when it rains (I fuckin love the rain)

4) can I say banana bread again? If not then creating. Just like in general. I like making art and writing.

5) MY CAT SON. HES ORANGE AND NOT VERY BRIGHT.

HAVE A PICTURE OF MY SON. (Pls ignore the mess. He lives with someone else in my family and they just moved)

[armoricaroyalty]

Previous | Chapter Start | From the Beginning | Next

transcript under the cut!

9:36 PM / February 27th, 2016

FREDERICK | [sniffling] FREDERICK | [softly] Fuck me. EMILY | Sir? Are you alright? FREDERICK | [sniffling] I'm not crying. EMILY | Of course not, Sir. FREDERICK | [laughs tiredly] Do I have to order you to use my name, Emily? EMILY | I told you, it'd be an adjustment. FREDERICK | I know. I like hearing you say it, though. EMILY | You're very presumptuous, Sir. FREDERICK | I'd deny it, but that'd make me a liar. EMILY | I brought your glasses. FREDERICK | Thank you. I forgot you had them. EMILY | ... FREDERICK | ... EMILY | ... EMILY | [clears throat] We didn't have a chance to finish speaking earlier...was there anything else you wanted to talk about, Frederick? FREDDY | Uh...was there something you wanted to talk about? EMILY | It's nothing, I just thought that— CHANDRA | [offscreen] Excuse me, Your Highness. FREDDY | [swallowing] G-good evening, Your Grace. EMILY | Baba, you're interrupting. I was speaking to Prince Frederick. CHANDRA | I know, Lamb. You'll forgive your father, I hope? EMILY | I'm not a little girl, Baba! FREDDY | Er, I should go— EMILY | [sighs] FREDDY | Please excuse me, Your Grace. I should rejoin the party— CHANDRA | You are excused. Your Highness. CHANDRA | ...You're going along with this idiotic scheme of your brother's, then? EMILY | Baba! Not so loud. Anyone could be listening. CHANDRA | [sighs] Walk with me, then. We're overdue for a conversation... JACQUES | ...you've been quiet all night. What's up? VIVI | [sighs] VIVI | Nothing. Just tired, I guess. JACQUES | Oh. [beat] Well, can I say something? JACQUES | You look really pretty. VIVI | Stop. JACQUES | It's true. You're the most beautiful woman here tonight. VIVI | Jacques... JACQUES | I really want to kiss you right now. VIVI | I don't know... JACQUES | Don't be cruel. Please, Vivi... VIVI | Jacques, I... JACQUES | Happy birthday, darling. FREDDY | ... FREDDY | Nice to see the two of you getting along for once. JACQUES | [laughs] We're married, Fred. JACQUES | You dated that redhead for what, nine months. You wouldn't get it. VIVI | [snorts] Jacques, be nice! JACQUES | It's true, that's the longest relationship he's ever had... JACQUES | ...the one before that was a month, and she dumped him by text. FREDDY | [sighs] Sometimes I wish I was an only child. JACQUES | Lighten up, dude. It was a joke. VIVI | You are so mean. FREDDY | I'm used to it, Viv. Now where's the champagne? I need a drink...

[phoenix-flamed]

I'm going to call my muse out on something. Okay, really I can call him out on a lot of things, but this one thing in particular is something I frequently harp on with a lot of my other war-involved muses too.

I get wanting to fight side-by-side with your men. I do. You want to be right there with them, not necessarily for glory, but knowing Elwin's personality -- as a sign of trust and equality. What better way to show your respect for, and inspire confidence from and in your soldiers, than by taking the field of battle with them? I especially get it from the perspective of going from being a skilled soldier yourself to becoming a leader of a nation -- it's probably difficult to adjust and detach yourself from the prior, in order to focus more on the latter.

And I have no doubt there's also an element of honor and/or pride involved, too, especially because Elwin did spend so much of his life honing his skills as a swordsman.

I also understand that XVI is based specifically on medieval times, and that the "rules" of war were undoubtedly very different back then, as they have continued to change across the centuries.

But in my opinion, one of Elwin's most significant mistakes as Archduke was being more focused on going out with his soldiers/taking to battle with his troops. As the leader of a nation, you absolutely should not do that. I fucking LOVE the trope of the commander taking the field, but gods is it so idiotic, practically speaking.

Everyone knows that when it comes to battle, you can quickly shut down the entire conflict by eliminating the metaphorical head of the snake. Take out the acting commander of a contingent, and you destabilize, if only temporarily, that entire contingent. Yes, there are other ranked officers who are intended to step up and take charge, but that takes time, and time is a luxury in the heat of battle.

Now, take this concept, and make it even worse by having that commander be the acting ruler of an entire nation and surrounding territories. What happens if he falls in battle? Especially in the case of Elwin, whose heir to the throne is only like ten years old?

Take all of this with a grain of salt, because these are just my personal opinions -- but in my opinion, Elwin was very, very dangerously playing with fire, especially because he was not Phoenix's Dominant. He was just an ordinary guy who happened to be highly proficient in swordsmanship and statesmanship because of his dedication to learning both arts, the latter of which is not exactly going to do him any good out on the field -- but is crucial to being a nation's ruler.

[maegalkarven]

I love how vastly different June and Levi are and how their relationships with Enver differ in so many ways.

If Levi is a guy believing he is equal to gods, then June is, at his core, a prodigal follower.

It's a pattern he doesn't break out of even as he betrays his father for Selune. Gortash didn't manage to shake this part of him, only created a push, allowing June chose a god other than Bhaal (i.e. June didn't want Enver to die, realized he didn't want to die himself and entered a pact-like relationship with the Lady of Silver to prevent these two things from happening.)

The hardest thing for him is to go back on his word/dismantle the existing alliance. His mortal flaw is loyalty, blind loyalty.

So at some point his story comes to a crossroads.

He can either reaffirm his alliance with Gortash, unknowingly dooming him a Gortash himself, not to mention death of Duke Ravengard and many other casualities.

In this scenario Gortash dies from the psyonic command of the Nether Brain and June becomes the hero of Baldur's Gate and the new archduke.

Which sounds fun and games until you realize it also includes him becoming a new Chosen of Bane, because June might have learned how to break out of his father's chains, but he doesn't know what to do with himself and, after his and Selune's ways part, is an easy prey for gods with less than honorable plans.

The other road comes with stabbing Gortash in the back, metaphorically speaking. It includes the wicked choice of putting a tadpole into his head and making him cooperate because "oh, but I can just relinquish the protection astral prism bestows on you. I am sure you'll love being Elder Brain's thrall".

It's a choice what leaves absolutely everyone (well, not EVERYONE) horrified because not only they did not expect that from June, but also looking how pleased June is with himself by walking Gortash into the corner opens their eyes to the fact what he is not, in fact, a hero. He was a villain in the past and some of this past still lingers, even more after Selune's cold soothing light has left.

And, ridiculously, it's the choice what saves everyone; gondians, Ravengard, Karlach, Gortash himself.

[a-gaggle-of-colors]

Hey Tarzia. How was the family get together? Did it go well?

>Tarzia is currently holding a sleeping Baizza. She holds a finger up to her mouth to shush you. Yukire answers instead.

"It went wonderfully. Ekirsh and Quizel got to meet everyone properly. And all the kids know about each other, so we're happy."

>Yukire smiles and gently runs a hand through Baizza's hair.

"Tarzie is insisting on Baizza and Rhovia staying longer though, not that I mind. Ekirsh, Tarzie and I love having them here and Lailou dotes on them."

[cinnabeat]

the way i GASPED

[shaykai]

Also there’s no other real reason to do it?? The refugees existing in general causes a ton of turmoil that Gortash can (and does) capitalize on. Like YEAH I’m sure there’s a way he could spin exploding refugees to his advantage, but someone is going to have to explain WHY THERE ARE FIREWORKS IN CHILDREN’S TEDDY BEARS

Also also if the goal was to get rid of the refugees, there are more subtle/more “heroic” ways to go about that wouldn’t create half the mess fireworks would

But I do think Durge would crack a rib laughing about it

The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that Gortash’s whole “put fireworks in teddy bears to blow refugees up” thing was a gift for Durge

Every time I think about it I come to the general conclusion of it sounding like something Durge would find funny

[realbacchus]

Ohh no the beginning of Leviathan is kinda upsetting

[jedimasterbailey]

Oooooooh how I miss doing these! ☺️ Thank you @archduke42 for tagging me 😘 Your WIP’s are so exciting! Can’t wait to read them! ❤️

Favorite Color: Green 💚

Currently Reading: The Star Wars Archives (Original and Prequel Trilogy)

Last Movie in Theaters: Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary screening 💚🖤

Last Movie Streamed: Ted 🐻

Last Series: The Ultimatum Queer Love 🏳️‍🌈

Last Song: “Say Yes to Heaven” by Lana Del Rey

Craving: A Starbucks Iced Chai Latte

Tea or Coffee: Coffee ☕️

Currently Working On: The next chapter of “The Padawans” The Wedding chapter! 💍

No pressure tags: @devondeal @alexeithegoat @monjustmon @blitzzkat @bluedeedeedoop @lesbiansandpuns @darthdreamer98 @ashnagog

Stuff

Thank you @stellanslashgeode!

Favorite color: Black, Red

Currently Reading: Sundari Lament

Last Movie Seen in Theaters: Top Gun: Maverick, Streamed “Sixteen Candles” on TV 

Last Series: Ted Lasso

Last Song: “Original Sin” by Taylor Dane

Craving: Subway sammich

Tea or Coffee: Coffee, plain black.

Currently working on: Obinara horror story “They Eyes of Luminara Unduli, Obinara/Barrissoka adventure “The Drachenwald Deception”, Barrissoka Horror story “The Awakening”, and Barrissoka: “Terror of the Kyber Throne” (title subject to change) stories that could take all year to finish if my puppy doesn’t behave in the house lol

No pressure tag: @jedimasterbailey @devondeal @visascake @grissaecrim