#are you not permanently changed in some way?

[lavilavs]

୨୧ ── Starts with a cliché, ends with a cliché

› Pairing: Damian Wayne x Fem!Reader

› Scenario: Life is full of clichés, no? It just so happens that its favorite is Damian and the stuck-up rich heiress that he met on his first day of school. He can't stand being your shojo-manga-made love guru (that sucks, sadly) anymore if you keep on having angst as your genre.

› Warnings: Light cursing and light KMS jokes

› Notes: English is not my first language + Reblogs and likes are very appreciated! + Is it obvious I like friends-to-lovers? + 80% backstory, 20% present time (jk) .. 4k words

A sigh leaves his lips. It was difficult to finish one chapter without you popping inside his mind. You've been dancing around in his train of thought the whole day. Memories of the past have resurfaced without reason.

Perhaps he misses you that much.

Damian sets the first manga you've lent him with care by the side. The bustling street across his windows entice him to stand up. It's time to do something else other than read. Apparently, reading manga fuels his desire to visit you after a week of no communication.

You've been silent since you've fought with your first normal boyfriend.

Through his window, he noticed the old bookstore a few streets down to the west was now gone. Damian watches the cranes and construction workers build something new on top of it. That store had sentimental value for both of you. You used to sneak with him there after class to recommend some manga.

His reflection on the mirror adds another thought to his head. He's changed so much. Damian was taller and mature than he was before. Everything has changed since he went to Gotham. Even when he wasn't born, everything has changed.

Change is the only thing permanent in the world. Everyone knows that. Humans have lived and gone through change that nobody could disagree with. Damian learned and accepted change at a young age, believing that it is the only thing constant in a world that is different every day.

That's what he used to believe—until he met your annoying, spoiled ass one random Monday at school.

"You're handsome. I like you, you're mine now."

"What did you just say?"

"You're mine."

And it ends up being one of the famous last words of a spoiled heiress who just got thrown onto the floor by a boy who grew up being trained since he first learned how to walk.

You pointed at him and declared that with no warnings whatsoever; how couldn't he react harshly? If you expected him to drop down on his knees to solemnly pledge his love for you like the stories your nanny told you before bedtime, you were dead wrong.

In fact, your nanny was wrong about everything! Not all men who look like a prince act like one. Even the Beast would be put to shame if they cast this little twerp as his younger brother with rabies, if he had one. Sadly, he'll be scouted as a dog in romcoms who bites nuts instead. Because he for sure looks like he will when prompted to.

To think that a fresh 14-year-old Damian Wayne would be the one to forcefully push you out of your Disney princess phase and into your typical teenage girl fixations phase. Puberty held their hands up and slowly walked away on having their job stolen away.

"Hmph." 

He scoffed when he saw tears threatening to spill from your eyes as you dusted and straightened your blouse and skirt. The women in the League of Assassins was obviously much stronger and tougher than you, but it didn't make his disappointment any less.

Being surrounded with people who had a 'kill or be killed' mindset and then thrown into a normal society where safety is a given with all these superheroes protecting them... It's throwing him off.

It was apparent that you were one of those stuck-up rich kids with the way you acted. Judging with the book of cliches in mind, you'll cry about this to your parents later and have him arrested and put into a life behind bars for eternity. 

Good luck with that when he has Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul as his parents. Although, he can easily break out by himself.

But there was one mistake. One that cost him a life's worth of embarrassment in school. After all, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." That arrogance of his cost him his family jewels getting kicked by you. 

He missed the other cliché—crying makes you stronger.

Oh, and this backstory? Yeah, totally not related to the first paragraph. It's just Damian reminiscing back to the old days because he's appalled that you're still a hopeless romantic that makes him doubt that change is permanent. 

Damian Wayne-Al Ghul is sitting here listening to your girl problems. Not just any girl problem—it's your love problem! A recurring yet still difficult topic for both of you.

And how is it difficult, you may ask? Simple—the boyfriends you pick certainly aren't the brightest or the kindest, so even the logical Damian Wayne is troubled by how your boyfriend of the week is acting.

The use of their intelligence surpasses even his, and not in a positive way. How can he even begin to comprehend that one time when a guy who almost took you out on a date unhingedly recommended you not to search him up?

You must've thought, "Holy shit, is he a celebrity from another country?" and that would've been ideal if he weren't included in the local wanted list! That gorgeous specimen had charges of multiple felonies, arson, theft, and a lot more.

When you cried about it to him, you were more concerned about the fact that he specifically told you not to search him up. Like—just be quiet, bro. You didn't have to say all that. And the fact that he didn't even use a fake name? clever. Wow, Einstein would be turning in his grave from having his title of world's smartest man stolen.

With that pretty face of his, you wouldn't even think he'd do all of that, to be honest. But pretty privilege doesn't work on Damian. No matter who they were, they deserved a background check. Or perhaps a Google check would be fitting given the circumstances. Thank God he did. What could he have done when something happened to you?

Another funny, ironic cliché has happened to poor, little Damian. Fate rolled his dice of cliché, and it somehow ended up being the "the more you hate, the more you love" cliché that happens to characters that start off sour but end up falling in love with each other.

Only that it was one-sided—at the moment!—on his part.

His confession ended up being a total failure when he realized you didn't like him anymore like you once said you did. Damian still thought you did because of your words—those words of declaration you did 6 years ago, that is.

The flowers in his hand wilted downwards, saddened by the surprising rejection of their buyer.

"You told me I was yours?"

"Did I? I don't remember."

That stupid look on your face almost made him crash out.

"Do you even remember how we first met?" He groans, threading his fingers through his hair.

"What? You didn't just spawn in my life?!"

It was a miracle Damian didn't go berserk, Damian couldn't find the energy to be furious when that surprise in your voice was genuine. Did he throw you too hard, perhaps? If he did, he wanted to go back in time just to give you your own kick to the nuts. Not that you had one! Just figuratively speaking.

Damian dreads the thought of hurting you again. But if you were going to turn out less of a stuck-up rich kid and his friend? It was a small sacrifice to be made. But also... with a little hint of revenge 'cause that shit still hurts his pride.

Oh—so many conclusions in his mind that he's starting to laugh slowly like a maniac.

"None of that matters anyway! We're friends, Dami. This confession is the worst that could happen to us." You laugh at his face while having him in a headlock.

That chippy smile on your face looked so annoying to see, and yet, it also served as his tranquilizer.

How could he be mad when you already looked so happy to have him in your life? It slowly dawned on him that it wasn't that bad to be just your friend. 

Only until you went on a spree with love interests that were...

1.) Had the brain of a rock

Whether emotional or plain intelligence, the contenders could never have both. Having both was only a myth. A story you would only hear from your other girlfriends. It was amazing that they were blessed in the boyfriend department. Guess God really makes all of us equal with situations like this.

And the worst of the worst,

2.) Criminals

It's self-explanatory. If that's not enough to hear, Damian swears he wants to bash his head every time you tell him about your villain hear-me-outs. In exhibit A we had Poison Ivy and Arkham Knight. It was understandable at some point. When he asked you what part of them is attractive, he wasn't ready to hear your answer.

"First of all, are you too busy fighting for your life that you can't see Poison Ivy's gorgeous face? Dude, every stolen picture of her is totally hot! She's so photogenic."

"I could hear you out on Ivy, but Arkham Knight? Please, elaborate." He was so done with your bullshit. The way you even prepare yourself into that pose before you speak into an imaginary mic has him dumbfounded.

"I can't see his face."

"Pardon?"

"All aura. No face. Very hear-me-out material." You nod in agreement at yourself whilst the boy shakes his head sideways.

And then we have Exhibit B... Yeah, no. Not elaborating.

"Hear me out on Psimon."

Before Damian could process what you said, you had already passed by him with your friends. It wasn't of importance, just another hear me out. Then it clicked.

"The big-brained midget?!"

If only he wasn't in school, he would've yelled that with all of his might. The best he could do was whisper-shout with a disgusted look. It was just too shocking for him to not say it out loud. That information was something that needed to be spat out.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, his ears perking up at that custom notification sound he set up for you.

: As if you aren't? :p

Damian suddenly felt cold. Have you developed super hearing all this time? How long have you had those powers? Oh, shit—if you have super hearing, then all the compliments he whispered into the air, you heard all of that? Okay, no need to linger on it any further, Damian! What matters is that she didn't understand the compliments you said in Arabic.

With the secret out, he typed back.

: Super hearing... That's impressive.

Within a few seconds he already got your reply.

: Do I look like Superman's secret love child? My parents are the blandest and most boring people here in Gotham, dude. How can I have powers?

: Besides, this goes to show that I know you well enough to know what you're thinking. <3

He erupts into steam, his eyebrows furrowing at the small heart at the end of the message. The warmth in his ears teases him, a reminder of his feelings for you. It wasn't even intended that way, and he still finds it cute.

Ah, where were we?

Right, going back to your dating history—it was either academically and emotionally challenged ones or plain criminals.

Have you dated the mentioned criminals above?

No, you didn't. It was just crushes.

Ask Damian about it, and he'll tell you that exhibit A and exhibit B would be far better than the criminals you actually date. Because they actually have brains that the exhibit C of criminals—don't! The Google guy about 46 paragraphs ago is one of the prime examples of exhibit C.

Either way, Damian Wayne is still your best friend through and through, even if you are... questionable. You're one of the first to have broken down his walls.

You didn't soften the devil child with love. It wasn't that you saved him from a dire moment either because let's be honest with ourselves—who'd win in a fight? A sheltered heiress who rebels or a child born from a lineage of assassins and skilled crime fighters? It was such a coughing baby vs. hydrogen bomb question. 

Everything started when you started reading shojo mangas after the incident with Damian on the first day of school. You were too preoccupied by your manga that you bumped shoulders with him making you drop it onto his feet.

Damian already recognized you as the girl who kicked his nuts. A grimace on his face when he looked at the book that was once in your hands.

He picked up what you were reading and was immediately entranced by the wonderful colors the panel had. The romantic dialouge that was written with heart and soul was speaking to him so poetically. There's no context or any understanding about the story and yet he felt every word in this new profound piece of literature.

"If you want one, go ask your mommy or daddy to buy you one, because I am not sharing with the likes of you." 

You really have a way of annoying him. 

The confident strut you have in your walk annoys him further. It has arrogance like his. The others weren't important as long as you had fun and remained yourself. Even so, he's drawn in. He made sure to find you in recess. 

Damian finds you alone in the center with that book up in your face. It was no smiling matter but he was glad there was less people around you. Guess people can't keep with your stuck-up attitude too, huh. His own attitude falters with each step he takes towards you, it was getting hard to approach you after all that planning inside his head.

Was he shy? No way! Damian Wayne Al Ghul can't be shy now. Especially not to a girl who has her head up high in the clouds. He's just here for those books of yours. 

He smoothly sits down across you, eyes meeting anything but yours. And when it does, you're both surprised at the softness it held. Your mouth wants to say something. Something mean, something sassy, anything to push him away.

"Why are you here?" Your mind wants him to stay. 

Otherwise, you wouldn't have questioned him.

"What's that book you're reading?" He stretches himself to get a closer look at the manga.

A big smile adorns your face. You repeatedly slap the seat beside you, getting him to stand up.

"I'm glad you asked! And correction, it's called a manga." Damian doesn't find your eye rolls annoying now that he knows there's a humorous undertone to it.

He receives the manga with a smile when you held it out for him. 

"I'm Damian Wayne. You are?"

And that was just the start of Damian Wayne learning more about romance. With the help of mangas and his family, he learned to care about others and that there was different kinds of love. There was no denying that you were a big factor in creating who he is now. Thanks to you and your 'weird' interests.

It's just ironic that the knowledge he got from it is now used as reference for your bestie therapy. Damian wants to joke that you might've gotten him hooked on shojo's to make him your own love guru. 

And let's face it—even if Damian was helping you by comforting and giving advice... his only experience with love was the time he liked you and prior knowledge about how couples act from shojo manga alone.

To put it simply, he wasn't the best love guru you could've picked.

Still, he tries his best for you. Damian still had you in his heart. No hard feelings if he was only your friend. All that he wants now is for you to finally find your match here in Gotham.

He once recommended you to try long distance relationships. The men in Gotham aren't exactly romancable when they have a chance of having a criminal record. And as your best friend and love guru, candidates involved in crime is a no-go.

But you refused, you only wanted a man from Gotham. 

"I mean, you and Dick are from Gotham, you're both decent. Along with Bruce... I guess. So, there's hope!"

When you finally found a decent boyfriend who graduated college and has no criminal record, it was as if the heavens have heard both of your prayers to find you a man in Gotham who lives like a saint.

And yet, you're here. Crying in Damian's arms more than ever. 

You clearly loved this guy more than everyone you dated. He was just a guy. And that's why you love him. And because he was just a guy, he had the balls to cheat—cheat on you of all people!

"Saint my ass, the only thing blessed about him is his looks. If he didn't have that, he would be nothing! Can you imagine waking up early in the morning to go to gym, go home, doomscroll, eat, and sleep? God, I'd kill myself."

He knows he shouldn't laugh.

"It's okay to laugh, that's how I get through knowing my roster of ex lovers." You show him a sarcastic laugh that slowly makes him cease. He puts his hands up in mock defeat with an apologetic smile on his face.

"I'm sorry. Just... still not used to your words like that. It cracks me up." He laughs again. Yes, this is your emergency contact as well by the way.

"I'd seriously kill myself if I lived like that, Dami. Imagine a life like that—imagine it was completely opposite to the one you have now—you'd kill yourself too, right?!" You were so adamant with your words that he can't stop laughing. That dead serious stare was too much.

Damian ceases his laughter for your sake, having enough of clowning the situation and focusing on the real issue at hand.

"I get that this is your coping, beloved, but you'll have to tell me everything that happened for me to help you." His soft voice almost makes you cry again. Damian's gaze has you melting beneath his sight, full of affection for you to handle just yet. You nod slowly.

"Okay, okay, but let's do that."

"We'll do that, don't worry."

Damian plops you down on his bed, shutting his blinds and locking the door before you felt the bed dip beside you from his weight. The blanket flies up in the air and landed on both of you. His scent on the fabric surrounded you, basking you more with his warmth.

It was too dark to see, just like you wanted it. He wouldn't see your face, you wouldn't see his. It was perfect to say everything without worrying about the other.

His hands search for your face, cupping it gently. As you felt his arms cage your body close to his, it was your sign to start talking. 

"I don't understand how he could betray me like that. How they all could betray me. I've thought about it a lot. I can't seem to find any reason for them to leave." You notice your words and Damian could already feel how nervous you are with your slip up.

"Not that I say that in a negative way, I just—" 

"I know. I know you. You've changed."

You haven't and Damian prays you won't ever change. 

He feels your hold tighten around him. You're scared to lose him too.

"I say that there shouldn't be any reason for them to leave because I know our boundaries, I support them whatever and whenever I can, I give them assurance, I earn their trust, and I love them with all of my heart." Damian pats your head as you ramble. 

You were tearing up, making a stain on his shoulder. He hears your hiccups beside him, struggling to contain it any longer. 

"Do I have a quality that I can't see that makes people leave? Is it that unlovable and hideous? Dami, can you see it? If you do... tell me why I'm so hard to love."

The silence is agonizing for you. Damian can't even speak about it. You're overthinking that maybe you do have a bad quality that's unnoticeable to you. Is he thinking how to sugarcoat it? That only makes it worse. What's the point of doing this if he'll turn back on the agreement of saying nothing but the truth?

"Before I answer you—may I ask you a question, beloved?" 

Happiness swells in your heart when you hear his voice. He smiles when he feels your nod against his chest.

"Do you think they know your worth if they treated you like that?"

You feel his eyes stare at you through the darkness. You'd know it was him based on the warmth it radiates. So intense... and it was all directed at you. He shifts you closer before speaking again.

"Even a real diamond loses its worth if its seen as a fake' heard that before, beloved? And I'm sure you've noticed the way they treated you." Damian's anger was evident in his last sentence. He was pissed that they let you think you were below them. 

"If it was up to me, I'd treat you right. Even better than them."

He feels your head snap at his words, gazing back at him in the darkness. This wasn't the usual advice he gives. It doesn't sound like it came from a manga. It wouldn't have been if it came directly from Damian's heart. 

He had no mangas to help you today, no mangas with wisdom to share about your predicament, no cheesy quotes to relieve you off your stress... just his heart. It was words written by his heart long ago. The unsent letters it wrote inside of him was about to be delivered by his mouth unrelentlessly.

"I'd love you right, until you're reminded of your 'worth'." Fuck, how you wish you could see him right now. You want to see his face as he tells you everything that will cure your anxiety. 

The horrible dating history has left you with fear that if you let Damian in, he'll also notice that bad quality of yours that makes everyone leave. It terrifies you to even think of it. You can't handle getting your first love and friend taken away from you too. People just leave when they get to know you... or after they get something from you.

You seclude yourself to avoid that pain again. Damian understood that overtime. He also failed to see who you really were beneath that persona you created for yourself. But now that he's gotten to know you a lot better. Best believe that he'll make you feel that the 'worth' you fret so much about is as high as his inhertitance combined.

"But, do not base yourself on that metaphor. You are no diamond with an unstable 'worth'. You are you; a person worth loving." He sounds apologetic for bringing that diamond thing in the first place, but surely, you must've understood his intentions behind it... hopefully.

"And...—" A sudden bright headlight seeps through his blinds, giving you a clear view of his warm face staring at you as if you were the most precious person he's ever laid eyes on. It was quick to disappear as it was to appear, the dark room had nothing but both of you in Damian's bed having a second chance with confessions.

Has your name sounded this angelic with his tongue before? Yes, many times.

His big hand clasps with yours, the other pushes a strand back in your ear.

"I'll have various words to replace the word 'hard' in the words 'You aren't hard to love'. Be it difficult, punishing, strenous, heavy, tough, tiring, hellish, complicated—and a lot more, but shit, how can it be when its so easy for me to love you?" 

Ah—don't cry, don't cry, don't cry! 

Too late, you're sobbing.

He chuckles while wiping your tears away.

"Love has different forms, right? I was content having a platonic one that made loving you a dream. But if the men who can't even dream of loving you like me can have you—then, stay by my side instead." As if that wasn't making you cry, Damian wasn't done.

"I'm not difficult to love as well. I'm happy alone with the thought that the woman who taught me how to love—has learned to love me back after all these years."

His body melts at your touch, gently caressing his face with the warmth he longed for.

"Dumbass. I learned that years ago." 

How cliché can this be? You've loved him all this time.

extra scene - 01

It felt right for everything to end and start this way. If only your taste in men wasn't questionable enough to make you question yourself if you're lovable, you would have been snuggling like this with Damian years ago.

He hears you grumble about it.

"We've always done this before, beloved?"

"Platonically we did!"

Okay, ouch?

Damian stays silent, trying to mask his laughter with fake cries. You feel a pang in your chest, feeling bad for what you said.

Damian doesn't stop with his noise that it starts to feel fake.

You know he couldn't see your deadpan face but he can hear you.

"Are you finished?"

The doors shoot wide open revealing Dick and Jason with their feet up high. Of course they're the ones busting down doors but why?!

At the far back, there was Alfred holding a sign that said—WHAT THE FUCK?

"Say no to teenage pregnancy, say no to teenage pregnancy!" Jason and Dick chant by the door until they walked and surrounded both sides of the bed. They both apprehended you. Dick easily held your hands behind your back with his own and Jason had to pull out ropes to keep Damian contained.

"What is this about?!" Damian tries breaking free.

"Master Dick said something about the curfew of having a girl in your room, Master Damian."

"We weren't even doing anything."

Dick flashes out a big, bright flashlight from his pants. You both look at him confused.

"I saw you both through the blinds. And Damian, your eyes... they never lie." The eldest brother gives him a questionable look.

Through the blinds? Damian's eyes? What is he saying—then the flashlight seemed oddly familiar. Damian figured it out before you.

"I thought it was just a truck."

"You don't know what it is 'til it hits you, kid." Dick smugly grins at him.

"You climbed up until the 3rd floor?"

"That's not the issue here, beloved..."

Damian groans. "I am not that type of guy anyways."

Jason laughs at his younger brother then goes silent in a flash.

"I know what you read." Damian gulps.

"What is it?" You pop in. "No—Todd, wait—"

"Best friends to lovers, 20k words, slow burn, romance, fluff, misunderstandings, light angst, heartbreak, hurt/comfort, and eventual smu—"

"TODD!"

[dailyadventureprompts]

Hearthfire Health and Resting Overhaul

Artsource

TLDR: You can solve nearly all problems with D&D's powercurve (and a lot of other problems beside) by limiting the overall hitpoints your party gets, basing it off profficency bonus rather than character level.

If you’ve played anywhere close to as much d&d as I have, you’ll notice the game tends to play best at levels 3-8. Lower than that feels like being trapped in the tutorial, with players denied the majority of their interesting character options and the DM having to use kid gloves or else risking a party wipe. High level play invariably breaks down as player abilities trivialize most encounters, forcing the DM to reach deeper and deeper into the monster roster to provide adequate challenge, making more work for themselves in the process. There’s a definite sweetspot, and like anyone with a head for game design I want to widen that sweetspot to encompass as much of the game as possible. 

As is typical of someone who’s into game design; I’ve bit off more than I can chew, deciding to build several interlocking rules changes/subsystems that I think will help me make the game function more like I want it to. This isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you’re feeling the need for a rules lite overhaul to rebalance how you plan encounters/ the rigours of adventure, this might be for you.  

Here’s the overhaul in short form: 

Character HP is determined as (Max Class HD + Con modifier) X proficiency bonus. This means they keep the same Max HP throughout the tier (1-4, 5-8 etc)

This means that low CR enemies stay relevant for far longer, making encounter building more reasonable. Likewise this prevents mid/high CR enemies from being trivialized.  It allows you as the DM deploy mundane threats ( a steep drop, a detachment of city guards, the threat of a building catching fire) as legitimate challenges well into the later chapters of the campaign.

Temporary HP can be gained from using improved provision consumables (including those harvested from monsters), or by resting at inns and better establishments in town. A hardy, homecooked meal gives the party the strength they need to take on greater challenges, far more than a diet of salt pork & hardtack. In rare cases permanent HP boosting items can be sought as treasure. 

Long resting in the wilderness is more difficult, requiring the party to find a safe campsite and spend provisions. Making sure they don't burn through these finite resources before encountering the real challenge makes for a great resource management challenge to go along with exploration based gameplay, acting as an informal ticking clock.

First, A small Testimonial: I've now tried this system with four different groups, and while there's still some bugs to work out I can say it feels a lot closer to my ideal form of d&d than the baseline rules. Planning combats is SO EASY, and I can actually scare my players with big monsters again. I've dropped the weird XP calculation and I can now use the group's level as a budget for medium-challenge combat encounters. Lower HP totals on both sides keep fights fast and punchy, which means I can fit more of them into a session, getting more progress through a gauntlet of challenges. While considering implmenting this system, I also encourage you to take a look at some of my combat hacks, which help to supplement fights the same way this system is meant to supplement exploration.

PROVISIONS: In order to get the benefits of a long rest while travelling you need 1) A place to set up camp that's not exposed to the elements 2) To spend a use of your provisions

Rather than beancounting individual servings per person, provisions are tracked through "The provision die", an abstract representation of what your party has left to eat that ranges from a d4 to a d20. This works off a depletion die system, meaning that every time provisions are used (generally once per night) you roll the die, and if it's a 1 or 2 it shrinks a size category. If it shrinks while it's a d4 the party is officially out of supplies and starts taking levels of exhaustion.

The base price or provisions is 5gp for a d4 depletion die, larger sizes of die may be bought based off the linked chart.

Alternatively, provisions (of an enhanced rarity even) may be salvaged from a monster, dungeon meshi style.

Without the extra carrying capacity from a bag of holding or wagon, the party's provision die is limited to a D6. Going offroad is tough, requiring characters to live off the land.

Living off the land generally requires a survival check with a DC based on how verdant the area is. Failure can mean a lack of finding anything suitable, or a delay in trying to acquire necessary provisions.

Features that can keep people fed like the outlander background or goodberry spell prevent the exhaustion buildup but still do not allow a long rest.

If ever the party is traveling for a week or more between settlements, their provision die drops by one size, regardless of how many times in the week they've rolled.

A party can buy better rations (consumable) or improve their camp gear (permanant) in order to gain temporary hitpoints when they consume provisions. A common upgrade will get you 2 class HD in temporary hitpoints, an uncommon will get you 4, a rare upgrade will get you 6. Enchanted camp gear (such as high quality tents, enchanted cookwear, rare spices) may also grant other bonuses when provisions are consumed, such as resistance to weather effects, bonuses to saves against fear, or even inspiration.

HAVENS: If the party is sticking in one place for a while it's likely that they'll be doing so in a Haven such as a tavern, outpost, or perhaps even their own bastion. Havens are rated on the same rarity system as camp upgrades and provisions are, which determines their overall level of quality and the amount of temporary HP they bestow per night.

As a guideline, if the party has to pay to stay in a haven, it costs 1sp per person per night for common accommodations, with the associated rarity price jump: (5 silver for uncommon, 5 gold for rare). Many inns have varying levels of accomidation, so some party members might chose to spring for greater amounts.

[sincerelyneo]

grow old with you | l.mk

"i want to carry you around when your arthritis is bad"

💿now playing: grow old with you by major league

❯ summary: Mark never really thought much about the future—until he met you. And now, you’re sort of, kind of, changing all of his plans….

❯ pairings: mark x gender neutral!reader

❯ genre: fluff, domestic!au

❯ words: 0.7k

❯ tags: tooth rotting fluff, domesticated fluff, swearing, a marriage proposal, literally just mark having an inner monologue about you being his future.

an: i rewatched the wedding singer today and remembered this song exists…also paige writing fluff??? someone check my temperature…

Mark never really gave much thought about the future—he was a live in the present, focus on the now kind of guy. In his mind, people spent way too much time chasing what could be and ended up missing out on what is.

And yet…

As he watches you from the sofa, your laughter bubbling out at some scene from the movie he let you choose, lips twitching in amusement, he can’t help it—he thinks about the future and what could be. What he could be—for you. 

He’d never thought that way about a partner before. But with you, everything was different. You felt like an extension of him, so effortlessly woven into every corner of his mind that there was this constant pull. The thoughts he never used to entertain, now taking up permanent space in his mind.

He pictures it so clearly sometimes, it almost scares him—soft mornings and quiet evenings. Your head resting on his shoulder, a cluttered house filled with the comfort of a million family photos. You’d still get to choose the movies at night, and he’d still pretend not to mind. Then, like always, you’d fall asleep against him, and he’d carry you to bed, careful and slow, because you’d never quite lose that habit he loves so much.

He can’t help it. Ever since he fell in love with you, he’s spent every living moment thinking about all the ways he could make you smile when you’re sad, all the meals he wants to cook for you, all the quiet, domestic things that come with forever.

And he wouldn’t mind—not one bit. Because he’d do anything to make you happy. Anything to make sure you feel just how deeply he loves you, how much he needs you. He’d give you his coat just to keep you warm, run to the pharmacy if you so much as sniffle. He wants to watch you laugh until your stomach hurts, get tipsy at dinner, and then carry you to bed when you’ve had one too many glasses of wine. He wants to kiss you when you’re grumpy, and kiss you when you’re happy. 

Hell, he’d even promise to do the dishes every night from now until forever, if that’s what it took to keep you.

And maybe it’s that thought—that dizzying, soul-deep want—that has him blurting out: “Marry me.”

Your eyes snap from the screen to him, wide and stunned. Your boyfriend doesn’t look nervous. His lips aren’t twitching, his ears aren’t red—he’s not joking.

“W–what?” you breathe, like the word knocked the air out of you.

“Marry me,” he repeats. 

And Mark knows it’s not the best proposal in the world—not even close to anything you actually deserve. No ring, no speech, no grand romantic gesture. Just him, blurting it out on a random evening with a movie playing in the background. Because that live-in-the-moment personality of his doesn’t come with a filter.

You stare at him, still stunned, your heart thudding and your cheeks flushed. You can’t help but blink once, twice, and then—“Are you serious? You... want me to marry you?”

He doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t waver.

“Yes, Y/N, I want you to marry me.”

Your mouth is dry, and you’re barely breathing as you blink again, heart stumbling in your chest, and ask the only thing your dazed brain can manage: “Why?”

“Why?” he echoes, a little breathless himself, like he can’t believe you even have to ask. He shifts on the couch, eyes locked on yours, and exhales slowly. “Because I can’t imagine a future where you’re not in it.”

You shake your head, a disbelieving laugh slipping out. “You don’t think about the future.”

That makes him scoff. Then a crooked smile tugs at his lips. 

“Okay, how about this?” he says, leaning in slightly. “Every time I close my eyes, you’re there. When I try to stop thinking, I can’t—because it’s you. It’s always you, Y/N. Your laugh. Your eyes. Your fucking face is etched into my mind so deep, I swear I see you even when I blink.”

“Mark—”

“I’ve never been able to picture the future because I hadn’t met you yet,” he continues. “But now that I have? I want all of it. Everything. Coming home to you. Grocery runs. Bills. Sunday laundry. The quiet. The kisses. The fights. I want the whole damn lot, as long as it’s you I’m doing it with.”

He pauses, breath catching in his throat.

“So yeah... I’m serious. I want to marry you.”

And he means it. Because somewhere along the way, without even realising it, Mark stopped just loving the now and started wanting the always.

He wants to grow old with you.

[tswaney17]

Accidental Chemistry - Part 4: Instant Regret

Happy birthday to meeee. 🎂 What better way to celebrate my birthday than with an update to this fic? 💕 I've been sitting on this part for a while because I really struggled with it. But I am very excited to finally get this out for you.

My fanfic account: @tswaney17fics​​​

My ao3 account: tswaney17

Please let me know what you think about this update. I love getting your feedback. Constructive criticism is always welcome. 💕

Catch up here.

Credit to @featherymalignancy for Cassian’s nickname, Cash. 😘 Dedicated to @duskwhisperer. 💜

Trigger warnings: None, to my knowledge

Word Count: 5,583

This fic will be posted on AO3 only. Read the beginning below or click here to head to AO3.

Azriel pulled into the driveway at Rhys and Feyre’s place only thirty minutes past when they were expected. Which, he called a success, considering that just fifteen minutes ago, Oliver had been having a full meltdown and had taken skin-to-skin contact with him to calm him down.

He noticed it the other night when he cradled the boy to his chest, promptly getting him to settle enough to finally fall asleep. He wasn’t sure if it was the sound of his heartbeat or the warmth of his skin or the deep sound of his voice as he softly sang a lullaby his mother used to hum to him or a combination thereof, but Oliver always seemed content in his arms.

The memory of that night and earlier today made him smile. He’d grown attached to the sweet thing, perhaps too attached if Rhys’s warning still rang true. Az glanced over to his roommate in the passenger seat. Elain wore a burnt orange colored turtle neck sweater, black leggings, and boots. The perfect outfit to fight off the chill as winter began to clutch them in her grasp. Her thick locks were piled on top of her head, strands falling out to frame the delicate features of her face.

She was beautiful. It was as simple as that. Elain could pull off seven days without a shower and wearing a rucksack and still be gorgeous.

Az shook his head, pushing those thoughts about his roommate aside.

Read More

~~~~~

Remember, sharing is caring! Please reblog if you liked the fic. It helps spread my work and I truly appreciate it. 💕

While I have moved most of my fics to AO3 only, I am still going to utilize a tag list here on Tumblr. This as a permanent solution and may change in the future. For notifications, you can follow and subscribe to my fanfic account where I will be reblogging updates and snippets only. You can also find me on ao3. If you would like to be added to my tag list, please leave a comment on this post.

My fanfic account: @tswaney17fics​

My ao3 account: tswaney17

Taglist: 

@nikethestatue

@reverie-tales

@123moiaussi

@duskwhisperer

@zdenkah

@nyxreads

@shedoessoshedoes

@athena-85

@jasmineandshadows

@nightcourtseer

@nivem565

@debramclaren

@illyrianvalkyriecarynthian

@secretpuppyflower

@justreallybored

@ultadverb

@the-regal-warrior

@roseandshadows

@tcursebreaker

@kingravinger

@mis-lil-red

@eloeloeheheh

@fawnandshadows

@swankii-art-teacher

@miss-bee-cat

@bookhhrelaz

@impossiblescissorspeachpaper

@elrielbaby

@lesolehabitantdelalune

@thoughtsaboutshows

@britishwings

@aelin21galathynius

@saz-griffin

@azrielslight

@bookstaninthesoul

@curiositywoman

@karsyn-b2

@elainsweetcobalt

@emilyondemand

Some tags seem to not want to link, which could be related to your visibility settings. Sorry about that!

[mbta-unofficial]

Gonna actually talk a little bit about the Great Mosque of Djenne, which has one of the coolest folk traditions around it in the world. The building itself is both at least 700 years old and incredibly fragile. It's made of adobe, and requires yearly resurfacing with fresh clay in order to prevent it from cracking structurally. It's incredibly distinct visually because of the planks which are a kind of permanent scaffold allowing access to every part of the structure for the purposes of annual maintenance.

Now, when I say "reject tradition" as practical advice for opposing fascism, I don't literally mean "abandon the centuries old practice of restoring this beloved building to its pristine condition," right? This building is gorgeous and also a house of worship used daily. Well, for one thing, I'm not a Djenne muslim. I've never been to Mali, although I would certainly like to visit. But even if I were, I certainly wouldn't say that we should just let this symbol of my faith and country and nation rot right?

WELL,

no. This is a genuinely beloved act of community and a wonderful tradition and

also less than 120 years old

and what you need to understand is that

FASCISTS LIE ABOUT HISTORY ALL THE FUCKING TIME

Did you catch that? The 700 year old mosque was demolished and reconstructed from scratch in 1906. It spent an unknown amount of time between the mid 1600s when the towers were built and 1800s rotting after it was abandoned.

I love this building. I really do. I don't want to pretend that 120 years is small potatoes either, that is a really long time. And I think it's a beautiful symbol of the way that keeping what we love about the world beautiful and present takes work, and that you have to love something to keep it around and that keeping things around is a form of love. But once you ask "how long have they really been doing things this way?" suddenly the mystique of the 700 year old mosque that has always been preserved starts to crack and become ugly.

In 2006, men inspecting the roof had to flee the city to avoid being lynched after they were accused of vandalizing it. They were literally paid by an international islamic cultural society to do restoration work and had to flee because their actions were misinterpreted as malicious. The story and the mystique of the building and its sacred untouchability (except in the festival where we all touch and fix it) could have killed them.

The point is that buildings change over time. The great Mosque of Djenne was a mosque, then a palace, then a mosque again, then a ruin, then a school, then an empty lot, and then a mosque again. And, arguably, it's still the same building. There has only ever been one Great Mosque of Djenne and it maybe moved around a bit or didn't exist or was some rich guy's house or had another Great Mosque of Djenne next to it but there has still only ever been one Great Mosque of Djenne and every year the whole community comes together to fix it except when they try to lynch the guys trying to fix it and it's beautiful. I mean that. It is beautiful that they have been doing this for as long as they have.

And you have to remember that The Great Mosque of Djenne is a story we are all telling. And, when you tell stories, things like "it was a ruin for almost 200 years" get left out because "every year for at least 700 years people have come together to fix it" is a better story. It makes it seem like the building has only ever been just one thing, immune to history and politics.

That what fascists want. Because they are people. Awful, small minded, incurious people, but people who like you, love stories and wish, desperately, for a world with buildings that don't change for 700 years. Because, if something doesn't change for that long, it must be Worth something, you know, cosmically. Everything is always changing, especially in politics, and in history and it's so fucking scary to just be Alive when everything keeps changing like that.

So it must be that the reason It didn't change is because We didn't change. We didn't let Them change it because They are new and aren't interested in keeping the 700 year old tradition that We all know and care about that makes us Us and them Them. When you lie about history, you don't need to face that We were Them and They changed Us and we were better for it. We don't have to think about the fact that the tradition isn't as old as we say it is.

But also the Great Mosque of Djenne is a rejection of that idea. Because it changes every year. You can't argue that it doesn't. You just have to pick up your bucket and change it into the future you want. Because if you do nothing, it will crack and crumble and fall into rubble in just a few decades. It isn't invulnerable. It's intensely human because it is a real actual literal sandcastle that people have been in the process of building for more than 100 years. The story changes. The building changes. Slowly, imperceptibly, and then suddenly, all at once, and then people act like it never happened. But that's just the story. And if you read the history you can see the truth which is that people are beautiful and creative and also sometimes riot because they think someone is touching their story wrong.

[tudhalias]

I could see this going one of several wayss:

Scenario 1, the Monologue:

Mojo Jojo wouldn't catch Kira directly, but he'd monologue out loud so much that one day Light would pick up the habit. Light says his whole plan out loud, on tape, in front of witnesses, and it's all over.

Scenario 2, Bubbles:

Light would be unable to kill Mojo Jojo, since "Mojo" is an assumed name and his original name as a lab assistant was "Jojo." Light would try to ask Misa to use Shinigami eyes to find Mojo's true name, but Misa is busy babysitting a spoiled rich kid named Princess whose dad she met through work, and they're in the middle of having their own disaster storyline. This would cause Light and Misa to have slightly more communication problems than usual, so no Shinigami eyes for Light.

Light would try to track down Mojo Jojo's previous identity, and start sniffing around Professor Utonium. The PPG would sense something was off about this dude and start doing some sniffing around of their own. Light would be helpless against their investigation because he is fundamentally incapable of conceiving that women (or girls) have internal thoughts and feelings. Instead, he would focus having a one-sided chess match with an oblivious Professor Utonium.

At some point the PPG would learn the truth, or at least enough of it. Enough of it to know that Professor Utonium is unquestionably in danger. Buttercup would want to fly off the handle immediately, but Blossom would restrain her and say they had to do it the right way. They argue. Neither of them notices that Bubbles has left the room.

Bubbles emerges from her fugue state having turned Light into a fine red paste. She picks up the Death Note. The old story closes, and a new one begins.

Scenario 3, the setup:

On the other hand, perhaps it wouldn't be a question of mortal action at all. In this scenario, Light tries to find out Mojo Jojo's true name, as in scenario 2. But in the course of his investigation he starts running into PPG villains, meaning he will meet HIM.

Which means Ryuk will also meet HIM.

At which point...

Scenario 3a, HIM teaches Ryuk to have fun:

HIM will see in Ryuk a kindred spirit, a supernatural being in search of amusement who doesn't play by the rules. But frankly Ryuk's machinations are piddling, little league stuff. Ryuk, Isn't it time you had some real fun?

There is no way that anything that happens afterwards will go well for Light. By the time the dust settles, Light will not necessarily physically die, but he will definitely wish he had.

That's assuming HIM and Ryuk haven't already met. But maybe...

Scenario 3b, Toxic Exes:

Eternity is a long time. Of course HIM already tried to corrupt Ryuk. They had a fling, and then a major falling out after (well, during) that whole "Troy" thing. Then another one at the end of the Han dynasty, and another one in Camelot. Oh, and there was that whole "Atlantis" thing, but they weren't technically even seeing each other then, they were just avoiding each other in close proximity. But you get the idea.

The world order as we know it is doomed, and Light has absolutely no chance of coming out of this alive. His fate is better left unsaid.

The PPG will survive, but barely, and forever changed. They will spend their days struggling to survive in a chaotic and harsh new world, doing good where they can but being unable (they now know) to truly "save the day" in any permanent sense.

In this world of chaos, only a special kind of mortal will thrive. Someone of pure intention, utter dedication, and ruthless perseverance even in the face of the harshest setbacks. Someone like...

MOJO JOJO!

[cripplecharacters]

i don't know if this counts as a research question, you can delete it if it does, i just can't find answers to these things specifically for hands

i have a character with mild burns from soap and bleach on his hands, just like i have

so i've given him all of the issues i have with my own hands, but the problem is i don't know if these symptoms i mention here can be attributed to the burns or may be related to other conditions i have, like i think the atrophy in my hands is from what's atrophying the rest of my muscles, not the burns

but the symptoms i'm most wondering about is that when my hands get hurt, the scars tend to stick around for a long time, i still have one right now from months ago, just from a scratch, and i have an intention tremor

are these things that can be caused by burns?

this character does have a bunch of undiagnosed and unexplained symptoms like i do so it's not really novel for him to have other symptoms that may also affect his hands, but

Hi asker,

Chemical burns on skin, depending on their intensity, can cause longer-term damage to the skin. This specific scar situation isn't something that is explicitly stated as being a side effect of burns, but chemical burns can cause affected skin to heal more slowly. This could potentially be what is happening with your scars that you could reflect on your character.

Another thing about scars is that most of them fade over time, but everyone has a different skin makeup that affects how long this takes, and some people scar way easier. My boyfriend scars very easily, so a small scratch can leave a permanent scar on him while the same scratch will fade away completely for me. (I know this very well because we have a cat.)

It's possible that your hands used to have one particular tendency to scar, but after the mild burns, this tendency changed, and now your hands specifically are more prone to scarring or to visible scarring.

I don't know anything about muscle atrophy and scarring nor could a cursory search tell me anything specifically, but I wonder if they're tangentially related even if the skin isn't a muscle.

I don't think there's any specific answers to the causes that we could give you, but those are some possible options that could be the case for your character or for you.

I hope this helps at least somewhat,

mod sparrow

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Hello!

I am writing my first story in English, which is not my first language, and while doing research everything is so confusing and way too much information for what I need, and I’m not sure how much I can trust translations.

One of the main characters is a young catholic priest sent to his first small town parish as a second priest to the main one.

I would like to know how to call them, address them (can the young priest be referred to as Father, and can the senior be called that too?)

What basic duties do they usually do (the ones I mainly want to touch on are confession and last rites.)

Thank you I will appreciate the help so much!

Writing Notes: Priesthood

Ecclesiastical Titles. The Catholic clergy is organized as follows:

Pope: Head of the church, he is based at the Vatican. The Pope is addressed as "His Holiness" or "Your Holiness".

Cardinal: Appointed by the pope, cardinals worldwide make up the College of Cardinals. As a body, it advises the pope and, on his death, elects a new pope. The Cardinal is addressed as "His Eminence" or "Your Eminence".

Archbishop: An archbishop is a bishop of a main or metropolitan diocese, also called an archdiocese. A cardinal can concurrently hold the title. The Archbishop is addressed as "His Grace" or "Your Grace".

Bishop: A bishop, like a priest, is ordained to this station. He is a teacher of church doctrine, a priest of sacred worship, and a minister of church government. The Bishop is the head teacher; head liturgist and father of the poor. The Bishop is addressed as "His Excellency" or "Your Excellency". 

Priest: The priest is an ordained minister who can administer most of the sacraments, including the Eucharist, baptism, and marriage. He can be with a particular religious order or committed to serving a congregation. The Priest is addressed as "Father".

Deacon: A transitional deacon is a seminarian studying for the priesthood. A permanent deacon can be married and assists a priest by administering some of the sacraments. The Deacon is addressed as "Reverend Mr."

NOTE: The title Monsignor is granted to priests as a reward for service to the church or as a sign of some special function they serve in church governance. It is usually on the proposal of the local bishop that the Pope grants to Catholic diocesan clergy this title. The grant is subject to the criteria of the Holy See, including a minimum age, which Pope Francis has raised to 65 years. The Holy See announced the changes in January of 2014 highlighting a renewed sense of simplicity and humility.  

In the Catholic Church, a parish priest (also known as a pastor) is a priest appointed by the bishop to represent him to the local parish, which is a collection of neighborhoods in one small region of a county within a given state. A given city may support a number of parishes, depending on the Catholic population.

Types of Priests

Catholic priests are either:

diocesan priests who belong to the diocese they’re located in or

religious order priests, whose affiliation is with a particular religious order.

The typical parish priest is usually a diocesan priest. He makes a promise of obedience to the local bishop and a promise of celibacy.

The pastor is helped by a parochial vicar (formerly known as a curate or an assistant pastor) and/or a permanent deacon, religious sister, or lay parishioners — all known as pastoral associates. The parish council and finance committee, which are made up of lay parishioners for the most part, advise and counsel the pastor but don’t have administrative or executive authority.

Duties of a Parish Priest

A parish priest:

celebrates daily Mass,

hears confessions every week,

gives marriage counseling,

provides prenuptial counseling,

gives spiritual direction,

anoints and visits shut-ins and the sick in hospitals and nursing homes,

teaches catechism (a book that contains the doctrines of Catholicism) to children and adults,

baptizes,

witnesses marriages,

performs funerals and burials,

attends numerous parish and diocesan meetings,

prays privately every day,

does spiritual and theological reading, and

finds time to relax now and then with family and friends.

And once a year, he’s expected to make a five-day retreat in addition to doing his regular spiritual direction and daily prayer. 

Confession

The Sacrament of Penance, commonly called the Sacrament of Reconciliation

One of the 7 sacraments of the Catholic Church.

A step-by-step guide to confession

My Side of the Confessional: What Is It Like for a Priest?

Code of Canon Law: The Sacrament of Penance

Last Rites

In the case of an emergency, the patient or a family member should ask the hospital chaplain or pastoral care staff to arrange for the Anointing of the Sick and/or the “Last Rites.”

The "Last Rites" include Confession, Holy Communion and prayers for the dying, and are reserved for persons who are in immediate danger of death.

Neither the Anointing of the Sick or the Last Rites may be administered if a person has died.

If the person has died, the pastor, a parish staff member, or a member of the hospital's pastoral care staff may lead family members in prayer and reflection for the deceased.

Catholics who are divorced and remarried outside of the Church may receive the Sacrament of Anointing and Last Rites if they are in danger of death.

The Priest, vested in a surplice and violet stole, enters the room of the dying person and says: “Peace be unto this house.” [Read the full ceremony/practice here]

Living the Life of a Diocesan Priest

A diocesan priest gets a modest monthly salary from the parish.

In addition, the parish or diocese normally provides room and board (meals and lodging) and health insurance, but only a few dioceses also provide car insurance.

Diocesan priests live in parishes alone or with another priest, but basically have their own living quarters inside the rectory — the house where the parish priests live.

They do their own work and usually just share one meal together.

Diocesan priests are responsible for buying and maintaining their own automobiles as well as personal property — clothing, books, computers, televisions, stereos, and so on. The individual diocesan priest pays his federal, state, and local taxes, including Social Security taxes.

A Religious, or Regular, Priest

Religious priests are known as order priests after the religious order they belong to, such as the Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Benedictines, and Augustinians.

They wear particular habits (religious garb) and take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

They don’t own their own cars or have personal possessions.

They may use a community vehicle that everyone in the order shares along with the community television, stereo, computer, and so on.

They own the clothes on their back and little else.

They normally live together with three or more members of the community in the same house, which encourages them to recreate together, because they must also live together, pray together, and work together.

The Parish Church

Parish Church - where the priest does his job and where the parishioners attend Mass Saturday evening or Sunday morning.

The parish church is also where most Catholics get baptized, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, are confirmed, get married, and are buried from.

A few American parishes still have a parochial school connected to them, and even fewer have a convent of nuns who staff the school.

Economics, demographics, and declining numbers of religious sisters and brothers have resulted in the consolidation and closing of many parish schools.

Some Catholic Terminology

Brother. A man who has taken vows in a religious order but is not ordained or studying for the priesthood. Sometimes he is called a lay brother to distinguish him from clerical members of religious orders.

Celibacy. Refers to a decision to live chastely in the unmarried state. At ordination, a diocesan priest or unmarried deacon in the Latin rite Catholic Church makes a promise of celibacy. The promise should not be called a "vow."

Clergy. In Catholic usage, a collective term referring to all those ordained—bishops, priests and deacons—who administer the rites of the church.

College of Cardinals. A group of men chosen by the pope as his chief advisers. Most are heads of major dioceses around the world or of the major departments of the Vatican, or are retired from such posts. In the interregnum following the death of the pope, the College of Cardinals administers the church, and those under the age of 80 meet in a conclave to elect a new pope.

Conclave. The gathering of the world's Catholic cardinals, after the death of a pope, to elect a new pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed into a conclave under current church rules.

Delict. The church term for a crime. Church crimes are spelled out in the Code of Canon Law for the Latin rite and in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches for Eastern Catholic churches.

Diocese. A particular church; the ordinary territorial division of the church headed by a bishop. The chief diocese of a group of dioceses is called an archdiocese.

Holy See. The primary official term of reference for the Diocese of Rome, as the chief diocese of Catholic Christendom; used to refer to the pope and the Roman Curia—congregations, tribunals, and various other offices—in their role of authority over and service to the Catholic Church around the world. In most news uses, Vatican is synonymous with Holy See: A Holy See representative is a Vatican representative, a congregation of the Holy See is a Vatican congregation, etc.

Laicization. The process by which a priest is returned to the lay state. It is sometimes used as a penalty for a serious crime or scandal, but more often it comes at the request of the priest. A laicized priest is barred from all priestly ministry with one exception: He may give absolution to someone in immediate danger of death. The pope must approve all requests for laicization. When a priest is laicized without his consent, for a crime such as living in concubinage, committing child sexual abuse or using the confessional to solicit sex, it is sometimes called defrocking or unfrocking. Those terms, which are not used in church law, should be restricted to forcible laicizations, since they connote a penalty.

Liturgy. The general term for all the church's official acts of worship. It includes the Mass (also called the Eucharistic liturgy), the celebration of the other sacraments, and the Liturgy of the Hours, which contains the official prayers recited by priests and some others to sanctify parts of the day.

Mass. The central act of worship in the Catholic Church. In most Eastern Catholic churches the Mass is called the Divine Liturgy. The Mass is divided into two main parts. The Liturgy of the Word includes Scripture readings and a homily and ends with the general intercessions. The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the offering of the gifts, followed by consecration of the bread and wine and the reception of Communion. Catholics believe that in the consecration the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ.

Ministry. A broad term in Catholic usage for any activity conducive to the salvation of souls. It can include ordained ministry such as liturgical leadership and administration of the sacraments, or lay ministry such as instructing children in the faith, serving the poor, visiting the sick, or being an altar server, reader or music leader at Mass.

Sacraments. Catholics, like Orthodox Christians, believe that there are 7 sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, matrimony, holy orders and the anointing of the sick. The first three are also called the sacraments of Christian initiation, and in the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox traditions they are administered together in infancy. In the Latin rite Church baptism is administered to infants, but the first reception of the Eucharist (first Communion) and confirmation are typically delayed until the child has reached the use of reason, generally regarded as about the age of seven. Eastern Catholics and Orthodox usually refer to confirmation as chrismation. Penance is also called the sacrament of reconciliation. The anointing of the sick used to be called extreme unction when it was only given to those gravely ill or in danger of death. Now it can be administered to anyone who is seriously or chronically ill.

Seminary. An educational institution for men preparing for the priesthood.

Vespers. Also called evening prayer, vespers is part of the Liturgy of the Hours, the series of psalms, prayers and readings for different parts of the day that Catholic priests and deacons are obligated to pray daily. Often a new bishop will present his letter of appointment to the priests of the diocese during a vespers service at the cathedral.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Hi, based on these sources, both of them (regardless of age and experience) are addressed as "Father", as long as they are both priests. Also included other titles used by the clergy, in case you may find it useful. For how they conduct Confessions and Last Rites, you can read through the links for full transcripts of the practices if you want to include those in their dialogue, and describe what they actually do. They were too long for me to include here. You could find more details in the other links as well. All the best with your first English story, sounds exciting!

[daily-dubois]

PLSSS explain more abt harrys hores design

IM SOSOSOOSOS GLAD YOU ASK THANK YOU SO MUCH. So history of the design real quick.

These are the first designs for the disco neighlysium ponies, as you can see, Harry was not Tequila Sunset Yet. He became Tequila Sunset when i realized hes a HORSE and i can get COLOURFUL. So this was my second pass over of the draft

Nowwww for explanation of the design, I’m gonna be so honest rn a big inspiration was Bojack fucking Horseman’s face marking

His white stripe with his pink nose? Heavy inspiration of how i could adapt harry’s permanently flushed face into a horse.

His tail has also an explanation. So when there’s 2 mixed pony type couples, say like, earth pony or pegasus, i like fucking around with the secondary characteristics. Im gonna use rq an unrelated example to explain what i mean.

So some time ago (last year?) i made a twipie fanchild based on my mane 6 redesigns, and since twilight is a unicorn and pinkie is an earth pony, i gave Neat Trinkets over here a unicorn tail, even if shes an earth pony

So all this to say. As we know Harry has an absent father

I headcanon his mom to be an earth pony and his dad to be a unicorn, meaning the only thing Harry could ever gather on this man would come from the fact his tail isn’t the typical earth pony tail, i think it’d be interesting for the only thing he could ever have known of his father comes from himself in the first place yk? Something something he only really made him, he never raised him.

Plus i like the idea of since he was poor, earth pony yk? Not saying earth ponies are poor (i mean look at Stinkin Rich) but it feels like they usually lead the simpler kind of lifetstyle, so it fits!!

Moving on colour wise there’s not as much planning, i knew he HAD to be green, meanwhile his mane came on naturally to reference his Sunset aspect. But I do heavily reference all his skills with his eye colour changing based on his build

I gave him lashes because #bigender harry du bois

The other reference to his skills is in his cutie mark, which i have lore on :3

So it IS possible to have 2 cutie marks, we know this through some fuckass background character named Davenport

His cutie mark is a quill and a sofa and guess what, he sells quills and sofas. 2 very different things. So this is the point where I take some artistic liberties.

So Harry has 2 phases of his cutie mark. The first one is just a dumbbell with some small stripes at the bottom to indicate his skills (I’m a strong believer he had them prior to losing his memory). He got it while for being a gym teacher!

The second one however is how his cutiemark changed when he became TEQUILA SUNSET, because fun fact, Tequila Sunset is NOT his actual name, it’s Ironhide! Taken directly frkm here.

So his cutie mark changes while he has a 3 day bender 💀. Speaking of changes im currently making a graph of his hair, i like to think his hair was originally the colour of the tips of his hair

And as it grows it got darker, giving him the Sunset look, aka making him Tequila Sunset. Which does mean he would’ve been blonde originally but it’s a colourful cartoon horse! So it’s fine!!!

Last detail of note is his little nose freckle, its there because it Felt Right and seemed a good way to represent his bumpy bumpy nose

[niuttuc]

Alright, the poll is over, so solution and explanation time! This post will also be edited onto the original post after this reblog, for ease of access.

First, the Correct answer, and then the rest under the cut!

Whenever this creature becomes goaded, it fights up to one target creature (35.4%)

This first answer was the correct one, as was recognized by the majority (most of which, I assume, are Magic players who recognized the rest.) It was written as something that makes flavorful sense, and inspired by both Goad and the old mechanic of Provoke using similar meanings. Provoke later evolved into Fighting.

As mentioned, I like this effect, I ended up making a custom card with that mechanic while waiting for the poll to be over, though the wording is slightly different and that won't be in this post.

--

This creature isn't a creature (17.5%)

This text doesn't appear printed on any card, but it is the current text of Weeping Angel from the Doctor Who set following a templating update of cards to avoid using their own name to refer to themselves, except for legends. Of course, within larger context. I've seen some people guess Gods from Theros as the source of this text, but since they're all legendary, they use their own names still, or a shortened version rather.

This is such a nonsensical line to be on a card that I knew it needed an inclusion here.

--

Put a +1/+2 counter on target creature. (10.7%)

In the early days of magic, stats-buffing (or stats-reducing) counters weren't relegated to mere +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters. There were some +2/+2, -0/-1, +0/+1 counters and more, and when they mixed it made tracking the size of a creature with them a nightmare, so they stopped doing that. During that time, exactly ONE card, Armor Thrull, was created that put a +1/+2 counters on a creature. Neat and also weird!

--

Redistribute any number of players’ life totals. (9.1%)

A very unique effect, Reverse the Sands is rarely worth the inclusion in any deck, but it is quite impactful. Printed in a game before commander hit big, expecting two players most of the time, it wasn't that different from other life swapping effects, but with Multiplayer becoming such a big part of the game nowadays, it's fun to have around.

--

Your devotion to each color and each combination of colors is increased by one. (7.5%)

Devotion is a mechanic found in the ancient greek mythology setting of Theros within magic, caring how deeply you commit yourself to any given colors by encouraging you to play harder-to-cast permanents of that color. In the latest return to Theros, there is one card, Altar of the Pantheon, that has a weird effect of artificially altering your devotion without any cost shenanigans.

--

If this creature would be destroyed, regenerate it. (5.8%)

Mossbridge Troll has a unique effect of just ALWAYS regenerating for free whenever it would be destroyed, be it by damage or destroy effects. In practice, it's mostly a fancy version of indestructible.

It also allows me to mention Mossbridge Troll from Shadowmoor is the creature associated with Mosswort Bridge from Lorwyn. Each of the five original Hideaway lands in Lorwyn had an associated "awakened" creature in Shadowmoor! Not the most obscure fact, but neat to know about.

--

Other creatures are Food (3.9%)

A delightfully flavorful (well, except for all the salt) piece of rules text from Ygra here. Everything is Food for the Eater of All.

--

1/1 named Legitimate Businessperson. (2.9%)

Witness Protection is a pretty normal design, but changing the name of the creature is a really neat touch that just adds a bit of flavor and makes it a card dear to many. It's funny how a small change like that can make a boring common into a card many remember for years to come. It even made its way into the "core" experience of the game through the Foundations expansion later on!

--

You draw cards from the bottom of your library rather than the top. (2.6%)

Another appearance from Doctor Who, this time with River Song, who has an ability that is pretty flavorful, but in practice doesn't do much, since the cards at the bottom of your library are just as random as the ones on the top. Or are they? It's marginally easier to set up the bottom of your deck than the top of it, and to create loops with that and cards that put stuff back onto the bottom of your deck from your graveyard.

Unfortunately, that easily devolves back into infinite extra turns, which is very flavorful for a time traveler, but generally frowned upon in more social environments.

--

Whenever another creature you control dies, investigate. (1.9%)

This one isn't that weird, but I wanted to include it for just how flavorful it is to investigate the murder of your creatures. Except of course you're likely the one to be doing the murdering for all those sweet clues. Oops?

This effect does not specify nontoken creatures, which means it's actually quite easy to make bucketloads of clues with it. Or an infinity, if you turn your clues into creatures themselves, so be wary of that because it's easy to end up in an infinite loop you can't stop, which causes the game to end in a draw, drowned in clues.

Protection from everything (1.6%)

Protection from everything has appeared on a few cards, but the most iconic (though not the most played, that'd be Teferi's Protection), is Progenitus, the first to feature it. A giant creature that's almost impossible to cast and can't be cheated into play from the graveyard, Progenitus has impressed many a player!

Unfortunately, it's both clunky to actually use and not immune to everything. While EVERYTHING does mean everything, Protection has a relatively narrow definition in the game rules, and Magic is a game where very specific rules matter. Getting rid of a Progenitus is difficult, but far from impossible. Any effect that blankets destroys or exiles all creatures will remove it just as easily as everything else.

Venture into the dungeon. (1%)

Venture into the Dungeon was one of the main mechanics for the first D&D set Magic has done, Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. They revisited it later on in the second with a slight variation. While flavorful, the mechanic involved a lot of extra baggage involving having three extra Dungeon cards to pick from each with several abilities and to plan a trip through them and... It ended up seeing just a little bit of play, and not being the designers' best work, even if it had a LOT of flavor.

Thank you for participating and reading through all this! See you in the fifth edition if I ever put it together!

Weird Magic: the Gathering effects: Fourth edition

Starting last year, and on three separate occasions, I've ran polling games listing weird magic the gathering card effects among which hid one fake one, to see how easy it was to figure out. It's time for another!

Like previous instances, this is intended for people who aren't experts at magic and would recognize all the cards instantly, more as entertainment for people outside the game, but I've been told it also works for plenty of actual magic players. There are certainly effects there I didn't know existed in specific before pulling this poll together.

As last time, only the current text of effects is used, not necessarily the one printed on the card. Limited to cards that exist in paper, and are legal to play in at least some tournament formats. Though I did expand in previous polls to text that's part of keyword rules or that's part of the current reminder text on at least one card, and that might apply here as well.

This time some of the cards are less obscure, but I wanted to include them because they're flavorful bits of text. Without further ado...

I will give one bit of context for people who don't play the game at all: your library is what your deck of cards is called while a game is going.

[tomurakii]

I like bloodweave. Okay. But I DON'T like the version of them in fanfic where Astarion is a dick and Gale is like. Whining and pleading for him to be emotionally vulnerable (or just. Nice to him) prior to the relationship being established. Because that is just not accurate. Gale needs the player to express interest in him during his weave-teaching scene before he even considers hitting on them properly. Gale is entirely resigned to his fate and needs someone else to pull him away from it. Gale only starts being sweet and romantic and devoted after you accept his love confession and give him hope for the future. Gale says fuck all and then slinks away to cry privately if you break up with him.

Like he isn't chasing after people lmao. He isn't dropping to his knees and crying about anything much less this dickhead he met a week ago. He is overwhelmingly passive about literally everything personal to him up to and including his own death (provided there are no casualties/there is a good reason) until after the player expresses that they care about him. Astarion is not doing that in any of these fics.

Like Gale is friendly and a dork and doesn't wanna get murdered but he fully has a suicide plan. He thought the artefacts would help him survive but he didn't believe he'd ever truly live again. If Gale confessed and Astarion said/did like one (1) mean thing afterward Gale's romance is closed off forever. He's wandering into the forest to cry. He's killing himself immediately. His fragile ego and self worth can't take it. You have to understand that when we joke about him being pathetic it's not bc he's like. Sopping wet and chasing people down and begging for a scrap of attention. It's because he craves affection but would literally rather die than ask or even hope for it until someone else forces that hope back into his serotonin-deficient tadpole brain.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

MDZS x Hollow Knight Part 3: The Rebugging

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 4

[yay855]

Not to mention that your story can exist in a smaller focus and still have knock on effects or even just a little epilogue saying "and they somehow survived canon and now are living as best they can".

The problem comes when, instead of writing about minor characters or changes that wouldn't impact the canon events meaningfully, people take the main character and make them no longer the person who could save the day. This is especially bad with Wormfic because instead of using OCs or tertiary characters, it's always about Taylor.

Stories where Taylor has a power that wouldn't let her reasonably survive Leviathan, for example; instead of using her sensor Thinker power to find people in need of rescue and stay away from the fighting, she has a gimmicky Brute power that's strong enough to take on the merchants or maybe Lung if you get in a clean shot before he ramps up, but would be relegated to the front lines of an Endbringer fight and die there. Or worse, she's strong enough or weak enough to survive Leviathan but has no reasonable method to solve Gold Morning.

The way the setting works on a fundamental level is that clever use of a niche power can get you a lot farther than raw force. Taylor's bugs saved her life and made her more terrifying over and over in ways that straightforward powers wouldn't, giving her more authority and chance of surviving everything. And when she became Khepri, it was her own power and the skills she had developed through it that let her save every single Earth when the greatest warriors and tacticians and monsters couldn't.

But so much of the fandom doesn't get that. And instead of altering Taylor's circumstances but keeping her powers and uses the same, or giving her a power that's roughly equivalent but would change the path she took, they give her a power from some other franchise they're fond of and play it completely straight. Like making Taylor the protagonist of Ghost in the Shell, or the Dovahkiin, or the Gamer, or a tinker whose creations are all intelligent beings that she sees as family to protect.

The best idea I've had for my own kind of Wormfic that actually plays into the same themes and would work with unavoidable canon events is having Taylor's power turn inwards instead, allowing her to create essentially shadow clones ala Naruto except the clones' consciousnesses are permanent and there is no real original, so instead of bugs, she has an army of Taylors who can effectively teleport between one another and all immediately know what the rest do, gaining another copy or finding another trick every time she can't run away from or defeat something.

And that's just the first trigger, since unlike bugs, people can open doors and operate telephones. The second comes when sheer masses of teenage girls armed with knives and pistols aren't enough to find safety.

It carries the same basic concept of Taylor treating people like tools and having a crapton of intimidation factor and utility, but now she sees herself as the tool and slowly stops being able to trust anyone but herself and her clones. Especially since having a more visible power means she gets recruited by the Protectorate almost immediately and realizes that many of them ren't great people but have the veneer of authority to make people not question them. And also that they're hiding active murderers like Shadow Stalker, and the argument that "you didn't know" that your own ward nearly killed an innocent civilian via septic shock after an extended campaign of harassment and violence against her to the point of a trigger event doesn't make you look better. Especially since she told you the civilian name of the Ward who nearly killed her when you recruited her.

Piggot cares more about holding onto her existing power and fears than actually making a difference, and most of the heroes don't have the knowledge or sway to do things themselves. Armsmaster arguably might, but he cares more about his own glory and success than ethical behavior until after Leviathan. The Undersiders also don't encounter Lung until months after the locker incident, and this time around Taylor is both much more experienced and trained and is desperate to find people who will actually defend her and her interests - and if the government is corrupt and the gangs are all even worse, a small time group of thieves who owe you their lives seemingly isn't a bad place to find refuge.

Seemingly.

Why does every Wormfic have to be about saving the world... can't you just save like, a moderately sized city? Or not save it at all?

[jamiebluewind]

Today has been one of those "Sorry! I couldn't hear you over the texture of my socks" days.

[notmoreflippingelves]

It's dawned on me suddenly

And for no obvious reason

That I can't go on

Living as I am.

[saturdaysky]

Creepin on your tags… Mayfic? Mayhew fic?? Mayhew fic for us Mayhew lovers???

Is it is a WIP or is there anything published so far?

Mayhew fic for us Mayhew lovers!!!

Nothing is published yet. I will be completing the fic first, and publishing it weekly once it's done and edited. I also am hoping to illustrate it like I did for my friend's critrole mercaleb fic! (like so: one, two)

The premise

After events of the game, Gale leaves to become a god (but pinky promises he'll come back), while Wyll, Karlach, and Mayhew (now a very grudging mind flayer) go to Avernus to find a cure for Karlach. All four of these people have just leapt into the crucible. What shape do they choose to become?

I'm exploring what actually happens in those six months between the endgame and the epilogue party.

Mayhew/Flayhew: What is it actually like to become a mind flayer, and how long can you ignore the fact that you did? What if it gives you the power you've always wanted? It will cost you the better self you're trying to be, but your clock is ticking. How much faith can you put in promises made by someone who left you behind?

Karlach: What is it actually like to walk back into Hell with only trust and wishes in your pockets? How do you keep going when those wishes run out? The friend who wouldn't let you die is now slowly dying inside himself, so what do you do now that the shoe is on the other foot?

Wyll: What is it actually like to be a powerless warlock who swore to protect your friends? Hell will kill all of you if any one of you is the weak link, but you're not trapping yourself into another pact. How do you make up the difference? In your duty of protection, when does a friend become a monster, and when does a monster become a threat?

Gale: What is it actually like to become a god? What do you do when you play for ultimate power and win? Your divine future awaits, and mortality already seems distant and petty. You can leave everything behind to claim perfection, right now, and no one can stop you. So...do you keep those old, mortal promises you made?

Altogether, these are novel-length ideas to chew on, and the word count reflects it. It's novel-length already 😂 but this is because I want the fic to be robust enough to stand on its own and prove its own points, like a novel must do. I also want it to be readable even if you haven't played BG3. It's a ton of work to write, but it's very fun.

The shorter premise is: sometimes, just sometimes, if you play out two bad endings long enough, they can become one good ending.