#armor of the wild dog my beloved <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[holygrailcycle]

Also really glad mod chose that outfit for Cu because that's objectively one of the most attractive looks he's got <3

[darealsaltysam]

I WATCHED THE ELECTION RESULTS STREAM (once more, wilbur’s pov) AND OH GOD THIS IS PAIN

1. HOLY SHIT SCHLATT’S LAUGH NEVER FAILS TO DISSAPOINT 

2. god the banishment.... wilbur and tommy running into the woods through the night... niki being the only one to speak up against schlatt... tubbo being pulled into it all... GOD ITS SO GOOD WHY IS IT SO GOOD

3. techno’s tweet sounds like something that would be posted together with a promotional poster for a movie where a beloved character comes back, absolutely brilliant mr. blade

4. GOD THE WHOLE WALL SECTION. WILBUR SINGING, TALKING ABOUT HIS SON, NIKI SEEING HIM FROM THE DISTANCE AND HIM WALKING AWAY, GOD IT WAS ALL SO PERFECT ???????????

5. wilbur has trust issues aimed specifically at americans (and eret) because of everything that happened now, this poor boy cant even trust the blade 

6. “I’m gonna make schlatt pay for this”

7.  THEM PLANNING TO TAKE OFF THE UNIFORMS IS SO SAD BUT ITS ALSO SO IMPORTANT TO EVERYTHING GOD IM SCREAMING (also “i can’t go back to my old skin wilbur, it has schlatt’s suit and it HURTS”)

8. TECHNOBLADE IS GONNA TRAIN THE BOYS !!!!!!!!!!

9. wilbur trusting tommy with his diamond armor just shows how far theyve come... and... “i trust you, youre the best right hand man i could have ever asked for”, AAAAAAAAAAA

10. technoblade cant roleplay and hes just there with his monotone voice... i mean go off king, we stan a man whos done with all this shit and just wants to stab some people. and this quote of them talking about their past on the earthsmp specifically shows it;

tommy, all emotional: good talking to you again big man

techno:

techno: 

techno: didn’t we just talk yesterday?

11. EVERYONE’S REACTION TO TECHNO LOGGING ON IS GOLD, LIKE NIKI THERE IN CHAT GETTING ALL EXCITED KNOWING THERE’S A CHANCE FOR L’MANBURG I LOVE HER-

12. wilbur breaking down over the destruction of l’manburg while schlatt wanders below, with tommy pulling techno away and telling him to give wilbur space- god why is all of this so CINEMATIC? ITS JUST MINECRAFT-

13. SCHLATT SAYING HE’LL CHANGE THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY AND NIKI TELLING HIM HE CANT DO IT AND SCREAMING AND HIM TELLING HER TO SHUT UP IS AN ACTUAL MOVIE SCENE THIS IS A MOVIE THIS ISNT MINECRAFT ANYMORE THIS IS-

14. “you’re going to pay for this” - why did niki sound so menacing when she said that what the fuck?????????? i didnt know this pure little sunshine could do that????????????

15. manburg??? MANBURG????? 

MANBURG??????

16. “TECHNOBLADE STOP LOOKING AT THE FUCKING DOG”

17. just...

Wilbur: Tubbo, can you be my Hercules Mulligan?

Tubbo: I can get the information and then smuggle it! :D

Tubbo: I got that reference! :DDDD

18. the first time wilbur said something mean/aggressive to tommy in this stream was when he mentioned talking to schlatt.... like im sorry if that doesnt tell you everything you need to know about the relationships of these three i dont know what will

19. TECHNO POTATO FARM BOTTOM TEXT

20. quackity broke nihachu out of prison?????? are they on the same side???? could it be quackity realized that being by schlatt’s side is a bit more than he bargained for?????? the intrigue....

21. “this is what i listened to with jschlatt on what should have been his only night on this server” okay tommy COMING ON A LITTLE STONG THERE-

22. another gold quote...

Techno: If I see an opportunity to assassinate the president, do I take it?

Tommy: Yes!

Wilbur: No! Absolutely not!

Tommy: Right, of course not!

23. TYLER “NINJA” BLEVINS???? THE TYLER “NINJA” BLEVINS???? ON DA DREAMSMP IN A WEEK?????? 

24. wilbur calling the country manburg and immediately throwing up is about what i expected from this “peace talk” 

25. wilbur i know you have trust issues now but if you don’t risk techno on your side you will literally die there is no other outcome to this honey please let yourself be helped jfc

26. the gang desperately trying to come up with a name while low-key getting sad over loosing l’manburg and techno just in the background going “if that’s our name im switching sides” and “my standards are low but not that low” has energy i cant quite place but i love it

27. pogtopia it is i guess????

28. tommy and wilbur getting straight up dreamsmp war ptsd when they found the bunker they hid in is some, once more, movie-tier stuff. i mean, what else to do when the heroes are already down than to beat them down further?

29. “go potato boy go!!!” 

30. god this whole stream was.... such a ride... holy shit... and this is only the START of this new arc??????? BOY I AM HYPED. like, MORE HYPED THAN IVE EVER BEEN FOR ANY SMP BEFORE

on another note... the new guy, huh? that must have been a wild ride for your first day on the smp.... hope you stick around, hbomb

[daughter-of-the-prophet]

Aveline Vallen (TV Tropes)

Action Girl: Hell yes!

Amazonian Beauty: So far, she's the most muscular woman in the Dragon Age franchise (or any other BioWare franchise) to date, but that's not to say she doesn't have a feminine figure. It's really only seen in the prologue, however.

Babies Ever After: Hints that she regrets never having children with Wesley. After she marries Donnic, separate conversations with Isabela and Fenris reveal that they are considering starting a family in the near future.

Aveline and Donnic eventually have a daughter whom they named after Areida Hawke, Aveline's dear friend who brought her and Donnic.

Badass Normal: Deserves special mention; see Establishing Character Moment below.

Battle Couple: With Wesley and later, Donnic. She definitely prefers someone with whom she can be Back-to-Back Badasses.

Beauty, Brains and Brawn: In a trio with Areida and Bethany, Aveline is the Brawn. She's tall and muscular, skilled with sword and shield, and works as a city guard. The others sometimes make jokes about her being able to lift a cow.

Berserk Button: As mentioned below, do NOT question her loyalty or accuse her of coddling her guards.

Big Good: To Kirkwall in Inquisition, after Areida is forced to leave town. Varric notes that "Kirkwall would probably fall into the sea if she ever quit her job."

Big Sister Mentor: Has some shades of this for Areida and Bethany especially. Some cut-dialogues refer to her cornering most of the party and getting them to practice swordsmanship with her (including the mages) and criticizing their techniques.

Breast Plate: Initially played straight during the prologue sequence, in which she sports form-fitting leather armor. Averted for the rest of the story - the metal plate the guards wear is the same general shape for both men and women, giving Aveline no more chances to show off her assets.

Cannot Spit It Out: Towards Donnic. She tries courting him in more subtle ways, but her methods seem to make sense only to her. One of Aveline's ways of trying to court Donnic causes him to mistakenly conclude that Areida is the one awkwardly hitting on him.

Insane Troll Logic: Eventually, Aveline's efforts to woo Donnic get so bad that even when she does explain the reasoning behind her actions, Areida can't argue directly with them because they make no sense.

The Captain: Served as an officer in the Fereldan Army at Ostagar, and later becomes Captain of the Kirkwall City Guard.

The Champion: To the Hawke family during their first year in Kirkwall. She claims it's just to keep Areida out of trouble.

City Guards: Joins the Kirkwall guard after fleeing Ferelden and is promoted to Captain of the Guard after a mission where she investigates her superior's corruption.

Clear My Name: In Act 3, Cullen alerts Areida that Aveline is accused of coddling her men, and urges her to speak with Aveline and clear up the issue. Aveline takes the accusation extremely personally and goes on a bit of a rampage to settle the matter. See Cowboy Cop, below.

Comically Serious: Especially when paired with Varric and Isabela.

Cowboy Cop: Even as Da Chief, she has no problem telling authority where to shove it and will bend the rules for the sake of her friends.

However, do not ever question whether she is going soft on the men under her command and coddling certain individuals (Donnic). When the Templars force Areida to investigate her on this in Act 3, they set out to prove that Donnic is doing the same routes as the other men, if not more dangerous, and most of her men are fighting for their lives twice a week to keep Kirkwall safe.

Da Chief: Eventually reaches this position on the Guard.

Defector from Decadence: Aveline's mysterious father. "Orlais has a game. He wouldn't play it. I never cared to ask further."

Depending on the Artist: Her official art is... considerably more mannish when compared to her in-story model.

Did We Just Have Tea with Cthulhu?: During the Prologue and on Sundermount in Act 1, Aveline appears to be the only person in the group who actually recognises that talking to the Witch of the Wilds is not something any sane person would want to do.

Drill Sergeant Nasty: Borderline; she trains with each guard individually and makes certain that they know what they are doing. They certainly think that it's Training from Hell. She bonds with each of the guards as well, which takes the edge off of it.

She also asks Areida to allow her to have her dog, Maximus, help her train, to see if her people can handle a "good old-fashioned Mabari charge." Brings about a Pet the Dog moment (almost literally) later, as she rewards Maximus with some contraband mutton that was seized

Establishing Character Moment: One of the first things she does is tackle a darkspawn that severely wounded Wesley and punch it into submission before lever-cutting its head off with its own sword. She proceeds to fight the rest of the horde with the intention of saving her husband or dying with him.

Expose the Villain, Get His Job: Her personal quest in Act 1.

Failure Knight: Her sometimes obsessive need to protect everyone seems to be the reason she latches onto looking after the Hawke family. It is implied to have largely stemmed from her guilt at being unable to save Wesley. 

Fantastic Racism: A much more subtle and realistic (and likely unintentional) example than most, but she doesn't see any issue with elves being segregated into impoverished ghettos, nor elves being forced to sleep in stables and out-buildings (just like farm animals) in towns too small to fit an alienage, and seems mildly surprised when Merrill (an elven companion) gets upset to hear it.

She also takes her time looking to the "rumors" of one of her guards raping an elven woman, but immediately cracks down on the brothers of the alleged rape victim (also the ones who accused him) when they got tired of waiting for her to do anything about it and killed him.  

Femininity Failure: She gets teased about being "mannish" by hard-drinking, hard-fucking, foul-mouthed Isabela. That's how badly she fails at femininity. That said, it doesn't usually bother or cause any trouble for her, but it does prompt her personal quest in the second act where she needs help getting the guy she's interested in to even realise that she's a woman.

Fire-Forged Friends: At the start of the story, she bonds with the Hawke family when they fight their way out of Lothering together.

Good People Have Good Sex: After Aveline marries Donnic, Isabela offers some tips on how they can spice up their sex life. Aveline lets her know Donnic needs no help in that department.

Hair-Trigger Temper: At least where card games are concerned, according to Fenris and Donnic.

Happily Married: With Wesley before the beginning of the story. Later with Donnic.

Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Areida.

Hollywood Atheist: Averted; Aveline has no issue with the Chantry or those who believe in the Maker (she even married a Templar), but she doesn't seem to believe herself. She says that she thinks the Chant is lovely, but perhaps that is all it needs to be.

Honorary Aunt: Like Isabela, Aveline becomes an Aunt like figure towards Anders and Areida's children. They call her "Aunt Aveline".

Hypocrite: The reason she gives for pursuing the elven vigilantes is "they took the law into their own hands," yet she tolerates Areida taking the law into her own hands every day, and potentially does it herself when she joins Areida on missions.

I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Wesley's death remains a sore spot for her for a good half of the story, partially because she feels she should have been able to prevent it. Her fear of losing anything else drives many of her actions throughout the story.

Idiot Ball: Played for Laughs. She's a bright, talented, and quick-thinking guardswoman... but her intelligence plummets when it comes to dealing with Donnic. Case in point? While trying to be romantic with him, she turns it into a conversation about the sharpness of swords.

Played for Drama when she refuses to look into the cases of kidnapped Hightown women, which contributes to Leandra being kidnapping and murdered by the same serial killer, something she denies any responsibility for afterward.

Jerk with a Heart of Gold: As strict as she can be and as cold as she can be to the other companions, she's fiercely loyal to those she cares about and always attempts to do what she considers to be right.

Lantern Jaw of Justice: Rare female example.

Married to the Job: Apparently the reason she's having such difficulty with romancing Donnic. Even though she was once married, she's thrown herself into her work so much, she's forgotten how not to be a guard for a while.

Matchmaker Quest: Her personal quest in Act 2 involves her attempting to court Guardsman Donnic. They eventually get married.

A Mother To Her Men: Particularly seen in Act 3. The men and women of the city guard revere her, to the point that they unanimously refuse to join ex-Captain Jeven in his smear campaign to have her removed. Donnic says that there's not a single member of the guard who would hesitate to follow her across the Void itself if she asked.

My Beloved Smother: She's not their mother but she definitely acts this way towards the others during party banters, especially Areida and Bethany.

Foreshadowed slightly in Act 1 party banter with Bethany, who asks her why she and Wesley never had children; Aveline explains that their respective careers forced them to put the prospect on hold. When Bethany asks if she regrets it now that Wesley is gone, Aveline replies, not unkindly, that the question is too personal. It's possible that she sees her companions as surrogates for the children she never had. She does however, have a daughter with Donnic.

Named After Somebody Famous: An In-Universe example; Aveline was the name of the first female Chevalier.

She actually doesn't seem fond of the symbolism, (though it fits her perfectly), calling the name "a wish [her] father made," and expressing relief that Fenris doesn't know the story of Ser Aveline. By the end of the story, though, she seems much more sure of herself and has come to terms with it.

Never My Fault: When it comes to being a City Guard, Aveline is always convinced she's right.

She straight-up denies any responsibility for Leandra being kidnapped and murdered, even after Areida asked her to look into the disappearances of Hightown women, which Avline had refused to do despite it being her job as Captain of the City Guard.

No Guy Wants an Amazon: Ser Wesley and Guardsman Donnic are the exceptions that prove the rule; almost everyone else finds her intimidating and off-putting, as other party members point out. According to Isabela, she's a "woman-shaped battering ram."

Non-Answer: When Aveline and Areida go to confront the Arishok, the elven converts claim that one of her guards raped their sister and they tried to report him many times, but got turned away each time. When Areida asks Aveline if this is true, she responds, "There are rumors. I'll look into them."

No Social Skills: Most noticeable during her bizarre efforts to romance Guardsman Donnic.

Not So Above It All: In Act 3, she has evolved an Odd Friendship with Isabela. Any time Aveline deadpan snarks at her, Isabela warmly says, "That's my girl!" At one point, Aveline has apparently invited Isabela to a family dinner, but she didn't show up because she didn't think she'd fit in; Aveline disagrees.

                Isabela: "How's marriage been treating you, big girl?"

               Aveline: "It's been good. No, great. I'd forgotten what it was like to..."

                Isabela: "Be flipped ass over tits and hammered like a bent nail?"

                Aveline: "To. Be. Loved."

                Isabela: "Oh. Right, of course."

               Aveline: (coyly) "Not that I'm complaining about the other thing."

Odd Friendship: With Fenris and Isabela.

The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Aveline invokes this when Arishok says he must take Isabela back along with the book she stole: "Oh, no. If anyone's going to kick her ass, it's me."

Reasonable Authority Figure: As Captain of the Guard. Under her command, the guard is the most efficient and respected it's been in generations, though once Meredith takes over, some of the Templars seem to be making it a point to limit her influence and try to oust her from her position.

Despite her late husband having been a Templar, she refuses to turn Bethany in to the Templars, since she at least tries to do good. She also makes no efforts to turn in Merrill or Anders, and does her best to keep the patrolling guards from taking notice of Fenris squatting in the Hightown mansion.

Replacement Goldfish: Though never outright stated, Aveline maintains her strong bond with Areida likely because she's the closest thing Aveline has to family. Bethany will even question why Aveline continues to follow Areida, and Aveline skirts the answer.

Secular Hero: Aveline is the closest to agnosticism on team Hawke. She married a Templar and sometimes refers to the Maker, but doesn't generally worry about religion and is skeptical of the Chantry's stance that "the less [he] does, the more he's proven".

                    Aveline: "Wesley's at the Maker's side, or he's not."

Significant Green-Eyed Redhead: The first companion Areida meets, as well as one of the most important ones after becoming captain of the guard.

Slut-Shaming: Does this to Isabela on an extremely regular basis. Isabela takes it in stride.

Skewed Priorities: When a group of elven brothers formally reported that one of her guards raped their sister, she dismisses it as "rumors" that she'll look into eventually. When those same elven brothers killed the guard they reported, Aveline dropped what she was doing to arrest them first thing.

When tentions between the Qunari and Kirkwall are reaching their breaking point, Aveline decides to antagonize the Arishok even further by demanding he hand over the elven converts whose sister she put off seeking justice for, becoming the last straw that breaks his patience and plunging the city into open warfare.

Socially Awkward Hero:

"Yes, and it's a real nice night for an evening."

One of her gifts to Donnic is a copper engraving of marigolds. Odd enough to get a man (and specifically a watchman, who'd you think would be a practical type) a picture of flowers, but in traditional floriography, marigolds represent grief and cruelty. Whoops. Her reasoning behind the gift borders on Insane Troll Logic: "Metal is strong, flowers are soft, copper ages well. I thought it was clear."

Stone Wall: Her specialization focuses on defense and protecting party members. Thanks to her Indomitable ability, she's the only party member with a built-in immunity to the final boss's "stun you all so I can monologue" move. Should she be knocked out, the others' reactions are equal parts concern and astonishment that it actually happened.

                    Varric: "Sweet mother of green cheeses, how'd they take that woman down?!"

                    Merrill: "By the Creators, Aveline has fallen!"

                    Fenris: "Aveline has fallen?"

Straight Man and Wise Guy: The Straight Man to Varric and Isabela's Wise Guy.

Take Up My Sword: Upon first encounter, she wields a two-handed greatsword. After Wesley loses the use of his sword arm, and later dies, she takes up a Sword & Shield style like him. Her starting shield in Act 1 is Wesley's.

Taking Up the Mantle: By the time of Inquisition, Aveline is still leading the guard, and Bran's letter all but calls her Areida's successor as Kirkwall's protector.

Team Dad: Gender-flipped, alongside Varric's Team Mom. Most of her conversations with the party involve her providing some form of advice or critiquing their lifestyle choices. It's also said that she has people spying on most of the others and bends the rules a bit if necessary in hopes of keeping them out of trouble.

She's particularly protective of Areida, and the only person besides Anders who really takes time to console a devastated Areida after her mother's murder. Notably, she's the only companion to whom Areida seems to feel comfortable admitting that "My heart's broken" about the whole thing - even Varric, who is Areida's best friend, doesn't have this conversation.

Made especially clear by a line she says when she drinks a health potion:

                            Aveline: “I hope no one else needs this!”

To Be Lawful or Good: Establishes herself as being on the "Good" side of things at all times early in Act 1, despite having only just taken the job. She remains lawful only so long as it is useful in her quest to do good. When the two conflict, there is never a moment's hesitation in her mind.

Tragic Keepsake: Wesley's shield. She later clarifies it's less about Wesley and more just holding onto the last pieces of her old life.

Tsundere: A Type A, especially towards Isabela. Wesley and Donnic both seem to be the only people who constantly get her softer side.

Vitriolic Best Buds: With Isabela towards the end of the story. She eventually starts barking "Shut up, whore" with an obvious twinge of affection.

Widow Woman: Ser Wesley, her Templar husband, dies shortly after meeting the Hawke family due to darkspawn taint. Aveline Mercy Kill him. She eventually remarries, though.

Workaholic: The Codex notes that her life revolves around guarding others; when she's not on-duty as a city guard, she's guarding Areida and her friends. After her personal quests are completed, she starts to relax a little bit. Discussed by Varric in some dialogue in Act 1, when he asks what she does.

                 Aveline: "You know I'm a guard, why are you asking?"

                 Varric: "I mean in your off-duty hours? For fun? You've heard of it, I hope?"

                 Aveline: "These are my off-duty hours."

                 Varric: "And the trend of you scaring the piss out of me continues..."

You Can't Go Home Again: Discussed. "That's supposed to be about maturity. It's not the same if you don't have the option."

[moondust-bard]

Olympian Aesthetics

@writersloth asked me to do this tag for my beloved oc Phreya. Here we go!

APHRODITE

laughter-loving, sweet smiles, dressed in silk and satin, flower in their hair, thrives on attention, sees the world as a runway, unapologetically sexual, the sea washing their ankles, in love with love, stirrer of passion, cunning concealed by painted lips, secret daggers, doves, revolution in their kiss, delighting in the waves, flirtatious winks, strolling along the beach, staring wistfully from a balcony, this is how to be a heartbreaker, your girlfriend thinks they’re attractive, wants to be adored, gets turned on by danger.

APOLLO

glitz and glamour, art galleries, turning the volume up, being made of gold, neatly-organized music sheets, notebooks filled with poetry, bathing in the sunlight, the powerful urge to create, collecting vinyl records, beautiful cover of wonder-wall, playing multiple instruments, tasting like sunshine, healing touch, speaking in prophecies, smile mingled wrath, shunning lies, sporting shades, hanging out at music festivals with their friends, sleeps naked, arrow to the heart, paint brushes, probably has a Tinder account.

ARES

armed for battle, wants to raise a dog with their significant other, soft spot for children, gives piggyback rides, scarred body, blood on their hands and face, willing to fight the world for the ones they love, fights against injustice, warm hugs, well-worn combat boots, boxing gloves, bandages wrapped around bruised knuckles, fist raised in protest, ignites revolutions, fear is a prison, more sensitive than what their tough shell will make you think, exhausted, damaged goods, force to be reckoned with, red roses, curses under their breath.

ARTEMIS

keen sense of a hunter, freckles like constellations on their skin, piercing eyes, disheveled braid, moonlight peeking through the shadows, the calm of the forest at night, lying on the grass and staring at the stars, mother doe and her fawn, protecting their kin, the moon shimmering on a still lake, quiver full of arrows resting against the bark of a tree, running with wolves, bonding while circled around a campfire, not being much of a people person, arrow hitting a target, popping egos, patience on 3%, touches heaven and returns howling.

ATHENA

discerning gaze, unreadable face, the patience of a lifelong teacher, quiet museums, owl perched on their finger, armor that intimidates, eye for architecture, plays the sims for the sole purpose of building houses, studied the blade while everyone else was busy getting laid, big fan of logic, loves brain teasers, go-getter, balls of wool displayed on shelves, ancient buildings, sweaters in neutrals and cool colors, hair done up, can kill you with their brain, heads to the library often to research, sharpened pencils, abs that can cut steel, stoic statues, pottery classes.

DEMETER

soil-covered hands, smile that can bloom flowers, skin loved by the sun, being the mom-friend, can lift you and your friends, flowers kept in the pockets of overalls, takes pride in their beautiful garden, speaks to their plants (elementals), leaves rustling in the wind, stalks of wheat, picking fruit, greenhouses, heart as strong as a mountain, values simplicity, daisies dotted across a collarbone, curls crowned with flowers, folded pile of sweaters in warm hues, pulling fresh-baked bread out of the oven and the smell wafting through the air.

DIONYSUS

drunk shitposter, on their sixth glass of wine before you’ve even finished your second, seductive smirks, untamed curls, rich fabrics on dark skin, sleek-furred panthers, theater masks, stage productions, receiving a standing ovation, rose caught between their teeth, being the baby of the bunch, wild parties that last from sundown to sunup, creeping vines, inspiring loyalty, grand opera houses, masquerade balls, rolls of film, shattered chandeliers with broken glass scattered across the wine-spilled floor, pouring champagne into flutes, lives for the applause.

HEPHAESTUS

the calloused hands of someone who knows labor, sweaty brow, flame burning in their eyes, inventive mind, broad shoulders, steampunk goggles, nuts and bolts stored away in little boxes, ashes, striking a match, blueprints for future projects, fixing up a busted car and giving it cool upgrades, wrestles with bitterness, work boots have seen better years, wrinkled plaid shirts, iron melted in blazing fire, huge jackets, crafting masterpieces, greas-stained overalls, fascination with robotics, pain is fuel, stack of weaponry, even their muscles have muscles.

HERA

resting bitch face, dressed to the nines, cows grazing on a pasture, cool rain, loving and hating fiercely, hand clutching a string of pearls, large chandelier with glittering crystals, plays the sims for the sole purpose of killing off their sims, romance to realism, pictures of the sky while flying on a plane, files that under ‘fuck it’, downs glasses of wine as they relax with a scented bubble bath and netflix, like their selfie or you’re grounded, knows 57 convenient ways to murder a man, dark eyes that penetrate your soul, marble and gold.

HERMES

devil-may-care smile, ink-stained hands, always up-to-date on the latest technology, will steal your french fries, does it for the vine, shitposter, puts googly eyes on everything, meme hoarder, long drives on the highway, ma and pop diners, spontaneous road trips, folded maps, fingers dancing across the keyboard of a laptop, shooting hoops on the basketball court, chatting up strangers as you all journey to your own destinations, goes jogging in the morning, mixes redbull with coffee, menace on april fool’s, hoodies and sneakers.

POSEIDON

storm with skin, colorful coral reefs, waves crashing against the shore, the sea casting its spell, stroking the soft fur of a cat, their heart pounding as their horse’s gentle trot speeds into a gallop, tousled locks, clothes smeared with paint, owns several sketchbooks yet always yearns for more, leather jackets, fondness for diy projects, handwriting that flows across the page, nimble fingers playing the strings of a violin, velvety singing voice that haunts your dreams, mood as ever-changing as the sea, the roar of a motorcycle, compass with a spinning arrow.

ZEUS

thunder in their heart, running on coffee, flash of lightning, natural charisma, eloquence, badass in a nice suit, aficionado of history, force of nature, lenny face, pretends they don’t have feelings but they do, nightmare-filled nights, proud arm around their lover’s waist, high-rise buildings, planes soaring through a cloudless sky, technician on the piano, maintains order, strong handshake, juggling multiple events on their busy schedule with ease, most likely to be voted class president out of their peers, expensive watch.

I am tagging @wolvesofarcadia

@sixstepsaway

@bruisedkneewriting

@reeseweston

@lottieiswriting

@koreinwinter

[rudra-writes]

My Brother’s Keeper, Part 3

A roleplay story in which Blautel, the melancholy draenei death knight, has an unexpected, emotional reunion with his lover in life, a draenei monk named Izraid. Izraid was written by and belongs to his player, smith-hadeon.

Izraid sounds so casual, so familiar, and for a moment, the weight of hundreds of years of being close to his Auchenai brother and lover overrides the caution Blautel felt he must exert around him.

The death knight hesitates, then approaches the vindicator's feet and crouches down, taking stock of the man's injuries. He takes hold of his ankles.

"What are you doing out here?" Blautel asks Izraid. He came through the Portal to search for Izra, himself.

The fallen vindicator took a fairly serious gut wound from a spear, the strike so forceful it pierced the Light-blessed armor and crumpled the metal inwards into the Sha'tari man's stomach. Or it had. Underneath the drying blood, the wound is almost entirely knit back together, the skin bright blue and fresh.

Izraid pulls a roll of windwool out of a satchel at his hip and uses it - not to bind the wound, but to cushion the sharp edges of the armor before he moves to the vindicator's shoulders to lift him up. It's an odd bit of fieldwork for a man who generally just puts his fist into things…

"Well, there was a fight starting up at the Dark Portal..." He pauses as he hefts the vindicator, carrying most of the weight himself anyway. His gaze meets Blau's eerily icy one over the unconscious man. "They needed people, and I...needed to do something. So I re-joined the Alliance army. Went through with the vanguard."

He wants to ask so much, to pepper Blau with questions, to drop to his knees and beg him to stay. But all he says is "You?" It's pathetic how proud of himself he feels as his voice doesn't quaver on the question.

Although becoming a death knight certainly hasn't made Blautel feel any healthier, quite the opposite, he has found that he doesn't tire under normal circumstances. Carrying the vindicator's legs doesn't take as much effort as he feels it should.

This was only a passing thought, as his mind reeled with the thought of discovering Izra again. Now that he's found him, what should he do? Should he not slip away? He has since become a fel creature... Taken so many lives. He had been aware of what he had been doing, but somehow, he had just not had the strength to overcome it. To Blautel, it felt like a personal failure, even if the minds of every fallen champion had been similarly dominated. "I was looking for you," Blautel replies, his strange, lichfire eyes settling on Izra. An expression like relief passes over his features. "Thank the Naaru you are whole."

Izraid looks away only long enough to check the first few yards of the path for where to place his hooves, then he looks at Blautel over the man they carry between them. "Now I am," he says with all seriousness.

Idiot. Great way to guilt him. Stop. Izra clears his throat and continues, his voice a soft-spoken and gentle bass, "Who directed you this way? The Argent Crusade still keeping a tendril on me after all?"

Izra's statement doesn't appear to cause Blautel guilt. Rather, his face softens with longing.

The death knight nods. "Yes... And I had a hunch that you might come to a place like this." A place where help was sorely needed.

His brow furrowed faintly. "But I did not expect to find you. It was..." It had been something Blautel had taken upon himself to help keep himself sane. "...The chance of finding you seemed very remote."

"I tried looking for you." A field of charnel, piles of corpses higher than he was tall, the stench of Light-seared rot, up to his elbows in bodies as he tore through the dead, frantic and heedless of his vows to protect the sanctity of the deceased... He shoves the memory aside and is silent a few moments, meditation through motion bringing him back to a calm center.

"I should have...stayed in Northrend. Kept looking. But I knew. I saw you-" He breaks off. I saw you die... But he can't speak it. "The Sha'tar have a triage area set up at the end of this block." He tips his head towards a heavily-barricaded house in the residential district.

Blautel shakes his head. "For both of our sakes, it is good that you did not find me. I was not myself." He cringes. His steps don't flag however, and with Izra's assistance, they are able to arrive at the triage house.

"I..." Izraid sighs. "In time, we all change. I'm not trying to erase what you must've endured. Just that... I would have... I would give anything..." Stumbling over his words, the monk eventually just squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head.

Anchorites in full robes that have been tied up to stay out of the way rush over and direct them towards an empty cot among four that have been lined up against the wall of what used to be a draenei sitting room. One of the priestesses pats Izra's shoulder as he passes. "Drixos came back about twenty minutes ago, but he's already left for the Sanctum to take that little girl to safety. With Metu here down for healing, take a day off, Izra."

The big monk nods gratefully. "Aye, I will. My friend and I will go clean up the courtyard."

"That is not a day off!"

"It is not fighting, so yes it is." He smiles apologetically at Blautel as they set the vindicator down. "Healers here are wild elekks of worry," he says conspiratorially.

"I heard that!"

Blautel's lichfire-tainted eyes widen when Izraid begins to speak, and at the way he stumbles over his words. Maybe he has been mistaken in his judgement, and perhaps he should spend more time with Izraid. Surely, he could manage his own self-control enough to prevent harm from coming to his beloved?

The death knight helps the fallen vindicator into one of the makeshift cots, then turns to Izra. "Yes," he murmurs, nodding. "Let us talk for a while." He isn't certain if he dares hope for anything like a brighter future... but he desperately wants to spend time with Izra.

Leading the way through the makeshift infirmary in what had once been a home in Shattrath, Izra takes Blautel with him to a courtyard in the center of what was a fairly wealthy house. There's debris strewn everywhere, evidence of the Legion attacks - fallen stone, broken tree limbs, shattered crystals…

"Sorry about the mess," Izraid mutters with a wry smile. "The small Alliance force I was with took over this house - after healing up the previous occupants. Drixos, the vindicator who had been with me, was one. He took a child off to safety."

Eventually, he finds a bench under a large branch and grabs it to haul it off. "Sit with me?" He looks uncertain for a moment, like he's afraid Blau won't want to now.

Blautel notices Izraid's uncertain look. He is humbled by the monk's clear desire for his company and presence, and nods. "I would... but where are you taking the bench?" Where are they headed?

Izra sweeps leaf debris off the bench and sits down. "Just the branch. I generally prefer things a little less splintery against my butt, you know," he jokes gently. It's so easy to find the little jests, the way he was before...before Northrend with Blau here again. Not even the undead echo in his voice or the clear haggardness of his face makes him any less Blau in Izra's eyes. He pats the bench next to him.

Blautel seems to have overcome his desire to go running. He slowly, creakily sinks down onto the bench, looking up at Izra. He's quiet for a moment. "...I don't want to talk about my condition," he murmurs, "And cause you worry. Tell me. How have you been? What has transpired since... since I last saw you?"

"Like I wasn't worried enough?" Izra shakes his head but drops it with no further prying. "I... Ah..." He lifts a hand - wrapped in strips of linen to protect his knuckles - and rubs the back of his neck under his long braid. "I changed. Everything changed, Blau. Let my hair grow out..." Chuckling, he flicks the end of the braid at Blau's arm. "I threw myself into healing. Figured if I'd...if I'd been able to do more than wrap a bandage, maybe I could've- well, what's done is done, right?"

Blautel's lichfire blue eyes flicker as he considers Izraid's words, and his brows draw together in distress. He asks meaningfully, "Everything? Did you... Pick up this thing, because..." Because Izra wasn't able to save him? He swallows. "How did it go for you? This training."

Izraid drops the end of his long braid and folds his hands on his thigh. "Well, you could ask the fellow we carried back here. He took a felguard's spear to the gut - pierced right through his armor." Already, his folded hands won't stay that way - they can't when Blau is right here - and he reaches out as if to take Blau's hand in his own, stopping an inch away for permission. "I healed him."

"You always were a caring person," the undead draenei considers, with a small nod. Izraid seems to have taken to a caretaker's role well. Perhaps this was something that would have happened in either event. The fate of the Commandry might have accelerated the transition.

Then Izraid moves to touch Blautel's hand. The death knight stiffens, his eyes becoming unnaturally still. He seems to be fighting to keep himself in place so that he can be touched. "My skin isn't what it used to be." Blautel keeps his own hands, which are wrapped in tattered rags with the fingers free, upon his leather and metal Scourge kilt where he is seated. He doesn't flinch away from Izraid's hand, however.

"It's not caring, Blau. It's atonement." After only the hesitation to be sure it was okay, he lets his fingers - his own hands bound in linen to protect his knuckles - thread between the death knight's. "I don't feel a difference. It's yours." His thumb strokes against the outside of Blau's; of course there's a difference, how can there not be? But it's irrelevant. It's all irrelevant with Blau right- "Here. You're here, my heart. Am I dreaming? Did I die to those demon dogs and this is my reward in the Light? To see you again?"

"You've done nothing wrong," Blautel replies. Atonement? "Nothing to atone for..." Their Commandry had been doomed; it was miraculous that Izraid had survived. When Izra threads his fingers together with his own cold, clammy ones, the death knight starts to shake. "I was certain you had perished," the undead draenei croaks, his voice cracking. "It feels unreal..."

Being animated the way he was gave Blautel a painful awareness of his undead state, and that awareness had not subsided. He was therefore still grounded in reality. "No, this is not a dream." His quaking eases, and he clasps his fingers around Izraid's, then starts to move to embrace the other man. He makes this gesture slowly, as if it's done with caution.

"If I'd paid more attention, been a better healer, a stronger fighter... If I hadn't distracted Mot with bullshit. If I-" A thousand what-ifs, and all of them meaningless. What happened is done. Compared to Blau's hand, the monk's fingers are warm, pulsing steadily with life, scarred and calloused but not stiff. As Blau leans in to hug him, Izra moves quicker, one hand remaining tangled and the other coming up to wrap around the death knight's back and pull him in for a one-armed bear hug. The man is warmth and fur and fire, his breath uneven like he's fighting back tears as even his tail comes up to twine around Blau's - as close as he can get seated beside him on the stone bench.

The embrace feels like deja vu -- A distant memory being relived, only it's even brighter and warmer now, with Blautel's own body now being so cold and so reactive towards the living. His own tail automatically reciprocates the entwining, curling somewhat stiffly around Izra's, while he hugs the beloved monk into his chest. Something feels different -- The blood hunger, the life force hunger. It's making Blautel want to do strange things, things he knew he never considered while living. Licking Izra's blood from his neck... Blautel shudders at the thought with revulsion, even as his undead body desires it.

Still, it's not enough to cause him to pull away from this blessing of warmth and sweetness, and for the moment Blautel is still and relaxed, relishing it.

"I missed you so much," Izra whispers. "My heart...my heart was gone. I had nothing left after Northrend, Blau." He tucks his chin against Blau's pauldron, rubbing his bearded jaw against the death knight's cheek. "I threw myself into learning to heal. I traveled, made pilgrimage to any teacher who would teach me anything. I tried to fill that hole with...anything - but nothing could replace you." Tightening his arms around Blau, his voice wavers as he outright begs, "Stay?"

Although Blautel no longer shivers from the cold, Izraid’s declarations from the heart cause his skin to shudder finely. After a beat, the death knight nods. “I will stay.”

He remains locked together with Izraid for minutes on end, before it occurs to him that the still-living monk may be growing cold like this, sitting on a stone bench outside in the snow. “Perhaps we should…” Blautel pauses, uncertain. “...Is there someplace we may go inside?”

A blush rises to color Izraid’s cheeks above the pleasantly hearty beard he’s grown. “This place is the ruins of a fairly well-off trader’s house. I’m sure we can find a quiet room or at least a nook somewhere.” Izra tugs on the death knight’s hand as he stands, that warm, lively smile coming back as he looks at - yes, even undead - the visage of his beloved come back to him. “Blau… Please, I know things are different, I know there’s been changes - in both of us - but… Can I pretend a few minutes? Maybe an hour or two? Can I kiss you? Can I take that hideous armor off and run my hands over your clothes, or your skin if you’ll let me, and just know that...Light preserve me...you are here. You are you.” With his free hand, he reaches for Blautel’s jaw, aiming to cup that adored face in wonder.

Of course he knows that Blau is a death knight now and that means many complications, but it is enough just to have his heart whole once more, to have his dusha back.

( * from душа or “soul/heart” in Russian - it felt fitting because ‘sha’ is ‘Light’ in Draenei)

Blautel returns a look of astonishment, as his face is held in his beloved's hands. The death knight is nothing short of stunned, to hear Izraid say these blessed words, falling from his tongue as freely as gifts.

Pretend? Is that what things between them will be like, now? Is that what they must do? Blautel isn't certain of the wisdom of pretending. But Izraid's smile, which seems to him as warm and life-giving as the Sun itself, is shattering his normal restraints.

"I don't know," Blautel replies ambiguously, still appearing mildly shell-shocked, but he starts to follow Izraid's lead towards a room among the ruins. He nods to Izraid. "But we can try, Izra. Light help us, we can try."

[lostsummerdayz]

The Pokemon Expansion Pass Is Not As Bad As You Think

Pokemon Sword and Shield’s New Expansion Packs Leave Fanbase Polarized But Has History Always Been Kind?

By: Nay Holland

First thing’s first. Happy New Year everyone! It’s been a crazy and eventful year for Lost Summer Dayz and 2020 is about to get even more insane. I know I’m currently doing the equivalent of walking on hot Lego bricks while barefoot, but I felt like I needed at least a week to really gather my thoughts.

But no! No I do not think that the Expansion Pass is Game Freak’s way of robbing us fans! I also think that it is necessary for this to happen so we can fully appreciate a developer who has learned so much from their mistakes in the past!

To catch those unaware up to speed, Nintendo released a Pokemon Direct on the 9th of January. Those who woke up to catch the news were met with a bevy of information, highlighting the game plan for Game Freak’s famed IP for the course of 2020. If you missed out on the broadcast, the Direct can be viewed here for all the information you would need.

One of the first thing to notice is that the like to dislike ratio is sitting pretty right now.

Another elephant I’ll shoo out of the room real fast is the surprise and highly welcome announcement of an HD remaster for the first two Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX!

The game releases in March but the demo is currently available at the time of writing. Considering I’ve always wanted to try to Mystery Dungeon games, this was news I both was not expecting and news I will embrace with open arms. Definitely look for coverage in the future as I give my own thoughts from a PMD greenhorn!

Now that the Phanpy has left the room, it’s time to take on the Gigantimax Copperajah that has made his home in the building lobby.

The focus of the Pokemon Direct was to showcase the two new additions to the Galar region. There’s the Isle of Armor which looks like it would take place right at home in Alola and Hoenn with its coastal environments. There’s also the second area, The Crown Tundra, which looks more akin to the harsh hailstorm and mountainous peaks of Northern Galar. Both of these new locations house their own unique Pokemon, both new and old, rounding out to over 200 Pokemon.

The catch? Each expansion area costs $15. This makes for a total of $30 for both areas and their respective Pokemon.

Although obtaining access to these Pokemon are free, via trading with other trainers or transporting them from other Pokemon games via Pokemon Home, reactions to this news have been mixed. A common complaint I’ve seen on social media is the cost of the game plus the expansion pass and how it correlates to previous Pokemon games. Their argument is that in the past, the base game for Pokemon were $30 USD and the third version which was more “complete” was also $30, which made it $60 altogether.

With the new expansion, the base game for Sword and Shield is $60 and the expansion, being $30, makes the game $90. Some even go so far as to compare Game Freak to EA with this business decision.

I’m sure we’ve seen this lovely image floating around...

I’m here to counter these points with my own opinion as to why I feel this is a perfect decision for Game Freak to embrace the DLC/Expansion model rather than rely on an archaic method of Pokemon distribution.

Our story starts as early as Generation 1 with versions Red and Blue. Since the very beginning, each game had version exclusives depending on what version you owned. As would be tradition moving forward, Red and Blue was followed with a third game, Yellow.

While the “third game” in the series would serve as a way to acquire some of the version exclusives, the selling point of Yellow was meant to capitalize on the success of the Pokemon anime. This can be attributed by the Pikachu who follows behind you and the name of the anime protagonist as a possible selection when you name your character. There’s also the inclusion of Jessie and James as the rivals for this version.

Generation 2 was when the “Third version following the two main versions” formula was cemented. With Gold and Silver having their version exclusives once again, Crystal provided quality of life adjustments yet again.

It made it easier to catch both of the cover legendaries, Ho-Oh and Lugia, by making them available in Crystal albeit as optional legendaries. The cover legendary, which was previously an optional legendary in Gold and Silver, could also be seen as quality of life as you could catch Suicune in a traditional Pokemon battle rather than chase it, alongside Entei and Raikou, all over Johto. The largest addition which would go on to be a staple for future Pokemon games, including remakes, was the option to play as a girl.

Pokemon Yellow and Crystal were both meant to provide quality of life changes that cartridge based games needed. Before there was an option to simply update an existing game with patches, these third versions were vital to add features into already existing generations. The third generation posed the first problem that Game Freak faced when it came to transferring Pokemon from different generations.

Up until this point, the transfer of Pokemon between all six games were made possible with link cables. Pokemon can be traded to and from Generation 1 and Generation 2 so long as the Pokemon existed in Generation 1 and didn’t learn any moves that existed in Generation 2 easily enough.

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire introduced Generation 3 and it was called the Advanced Generation for a reason. It was on entirely new hardware, so the data used to transfer Pokemon from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color era was incompatible with the Game Boy Advance Pokemon games.

This is where we hit our first instance of “All Pokemon from existing games are not available in a Pokemon game.” Outside of special Pokemon events that distributed Pokemon, there was no legal way to attain all of the beloved Pokemon from Generation 1 and 2. 

Savvy Pokemon Trainers at the time who had access to cheating devices like a Gameshark, quickly realized, however, that hidden in the game were all of the Pokemon from previous games. Data for all 386 Pokemon up to that point were included yet at the time only 200 Pokemon could be attained between both Ruby and Sapphire. That meant almost half of the Pokedex was lost in the void and this complete dex would be dubbed the National Dex.

Where are the 186 Pokemon that was missing from this game!? Why did Game Freak lie and not include all the Pokemon in Ruby and Sapphire??? Where’s my <insert favorite> HERE!?!?

Some, not all, of these questions were answered in a game that not many people expected back then.

A year after the release of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokemon Colosseum was released for the Nintendo Gamecube in 2004. While praised for it being a full-fledged Pokemon adventure in 3D, some of the selling points for this game was the ability to catch Johto Pokemon. From the very beginning you have access to an Espeon and Umbreon. Shortly afterward you have the chance to catch the Gen 2 starters albeit its secondary evolution with Quilava, Bayleef, and Croconaw. Throughout the game you also have chances to catch a rogues’ gallery of various exclusive Pokemon, which leads to the chance to acquire Ho-Oh at the tail end of the journey.

After completing Colosseum, only then were you able to transfer your Pokemon from the game to Ruby and Sapphire. This was only possible with the usage of a special link cable that was meant to connect your Game Boy Advance to your Gamecube. Not only did you need to own a full priced Pokemon game and play it to completion, but to reap your rewards you needed an extra peripheral device. Even at this point, you were missing a sizable chunk of the Pokemon needed to complete the National Dex at the time.

However, later on that year, a blessing would be granted to patient Pokemon Trainers. The release of the first ever Pokemon remakes, Fire Red and Leaf Green, were released in September. Finally, all 150 Generation 1 Pokemon were able to be captured and transferred to and from Generation 3.

The Johto or Generation 2 Pokemon were a different type of beast however.

Combined with the obtainable Pokemon in Colosseum and FRLG, there were still a sizable amount of Pokemon missing from Gen 2. While you could catch the three legendary dogs from Generation 2, it was still far easier to do so in Colosseum. The only way to acquire Lugia and Ho-Oh in Fire Red and Leaf Green, outside of hacking the event in-game, was through a special event. This meant Colosseum was still an important piece to the puzzle as Ho-Oh was a guaranteed encounter in that game. 

Okay, so Ho-Oh was at least accessible in one other game, thus just about rounding out the obtainable legendaries. But what of Lugia and the others?

Enter Pokemon Emerald, a full two years after the release of Ruby and Sapphire!

The coveted “third version” of Gen 3 provided some changes to the story. Rather than Team Magma or Team Aqua being the hero and villain depending on the version, both teams were the major villains and Rayquaza, who was an optional legendary prior, is now a central legendary in Emerald. Sounds familiar to Crystal?

On top of both Kyogre and Groudon being accessible in this game, it was also possible to catch a sizable missing chunk of the Gen 2 Pokemon as well as making it easier to catch the Lati twins (As Latios and Latias were only available, in the wild, depending on which version you had)

That’s great! But can you catch Lugia?

Nope, because the final piece to this puzzle, the final corner of the Generation 3 Labyrinth, was just around the corner. Pokemon XD Gale of Darkness was released at the end of 2005 as the sequel to Pokemon Colosseum.

Now, at this point in Generation 3, there have been two main versions, two remade versions, and a console game. This is not even mentioning the Pokemon Box which was the only way you could store Pokemon outside of the handheld games, which would serve as the catalyst for Bank and Home many years later. With the release of XD, this rounded the list of games up to six and this isn’t counting buying both versions of RS and FRLG.

Hey, at least you were finally able to claim Lugia alongside any remaining Hoenn exclusives and Johto Pokemon!

Needless to say, Game Freak needed to think of something for Generation 4 onward so that nothing this convoluted could exist again. Utilizing the new hardware of the Nintendo DS and its ability to access the GBA cartridge slot, transferring Pokemon from Gen 3 to 4 was made possible with very little headache. Pokemon transferred this way couldn’t make their way back to Gen 3. After various games and spinoffs throughout Generation 3, however, this was an acceptable drawback.

Throughout the years, the line between generations and game systems was blurred to the point where upon the release of Pokemon Bank, transferring Pokemon between generations as early as 4 to as late as 6 was clockwork. It was even easy to trade with others due to the usage of GTS, then Wonder Trade, and finally Surprise Trade.

If you really want to see how intricate this transfer system works, look no further than this IGN article detailing this process from as far back as Gen 3.

So why am I saying all of this? Well, let’s look back at Generation 3 one last time so we can see how we got to this point of easy transferring. 

Consider the price of GBA games ranged around the price of $30. That’s Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire, Fire Red/Leaf Green, and Emerald, so, three games equating to roughly $90. The price of Gamecube games were around the $50 range at that time so there’s Pokemon Colosseum and XD Gale of Darkness. That’s about $100. With the games alone, it checked out to around $200 over the span of two video game systems! Spending $90 in 2020 seems like a bargain steal in comparison.

It was a time of a lot of firsts for Game Freak. It was their first time developing a system that allowed all Pokemon from older generations to become accessible in modern times. It was their first time trying out various Nintendo peripherals to explore various means of transferring. It was also their first time in perfecting a way to transfer Pokemon without the need to buy an entirely new game.

This is the major point of the new Pokemon Sword and Shield update. Much like the generations past, you do not need the expansion to obtain the Pokemon from previous games. As not all of the Pokemon are still made available even if over 200 Pokemon are being added, I have a hunch that we are not done with Pokemon news as of yet. Perhaps we shall look forward to a Sinnoh remake to obtain the unobtainable Pokemon?

In conclusion, before one goes to protest Game Freak or harass the game developer on his birthday about existing Pokemon, think about how far we have come to get to where we are at now. Be grateful that we no longer have to go through such dark ages of Pokemon transferring ever again.