#bitterfrost

[fanclangen]

JasperClan

JasperClan is founded on a stormy newleaf day...

The seven cats had escaped from the burning forest, bounding onto the sandy beach, the salt water washing the ashes from their paws. Here, they would start their new life...

Jaspershade had been chosen to lead this new clan. They took on the name Jasperstar, and were hailed as founder of JasperClan.

Jasperstar chose Bassneedle, a shameless, long-furred silver marbled tabby and white tom, to lead by their side.

Slitjaw had always been a little strange, so it came to no one’s surprise when she was chosen by StarClan to become the first medicine cat of JasperClan.

Curlypatch had always been adventurous, so this new clan thing was right up his alley. His slight crush on Bassneedle definitely hadn’t been what persuaded him.

Daypaw had a lot of respect for Jasperstar for starting their own clan. She was incredibly excited to be their apprentice.

Pythonkit had followed the group all the way to their new beach home, so they adopted her in.

Gravelkit  had followed the group all the way to their new beach home, so they adopted her in.

The group had lost one of their own, Bitterfrost, along the way. He will never fade from their memory.

[eparch]

into the cold

[archesa]

have 1, 8, 24, and 27 for anwen, mayhaps? :D @kerra-and-company

Ooooooh thanks so much for these! 😁 Always super happy to talk about Anwen (especially since I'm trying to get back onto continuing the fic and I need to rekindle my obsession love for her to get back to writing !

1 / What’s the one thing they would save in a fire?

There's nothing she cares about enough that she'd risk her life going back into a fire to get...

But there are quite some things she'd be particularly sad about losing, and she'd absolutely grab on her way out, given that everyone is safe and sound, far from the fire.

The letters she and Trahearne exchanged — a lot of them dating from 1325 to 1328 unsent — over the years.

A few original editions from her library.

And a huge soft shawl Meryw knitted for her. 💙

8 / If they were an animal, which one would they be? Which one would they think they’d be?

It took me a while pondering this : I reviewed a few, called onto my teenage-'His Dark Materials'-fan-self and wondered what Anwen's daemon would be... and suddenly it hit me! Clever, loyal to a fault, ruthlessly protective, hyperactive...

A border collie!

Works quite well with her (shep)herding nature! 😁

I don't know how she'd see herself, though... As a fern-hound perhaps 😁🌱

24 / Do they have any phobias?

Her investigation and battle against Kellach left an indelible imprint on her, leaving her terrified of being corrupted and risen, to be used to harm the ones she loves. As such, risen, mordrem and forged stir something very uncomfortable in her...

(Guess a few forged and a certain god of war are gonna end on the recieving end of this infamous jump-kick... From a 12' tall Trahearne! Ouch!)

On a whole other level, @lilypixy and I joked a few times that she could absolutely not afford to develop a phobia to fire... Quite some luck then that the Judge took care to shroud a very specific memory of hers before Grenth sent her back... Not even a scar for her to remember Balthazar killing her.

27 / What’s their favorite genre of music?

From a very young age, she has loved ballads, love and adventure tales, simple celebrations of life and time passing by...

As the years have passed and she has written her own legend and bards now sing the tale of the Commander and the Marshal, the heroics of the knight and her shieldmaiden, the saga of the Dragon full of Light and her Champion, the courage, determination and friendship uniting this strange group of friends, this found family crystalized around the last Elder Dragon, she has turned from her once favoured genre to instrumental music... She is particularly keen on harps and cords, bells and glockenspiel... Sounds that remind her her daughter 💙

[shuang-hua]

songxiao at baixue for new year... they'll go inside in a minute ok...

this has alt text. extended description below the cut.

(a little late because i was sleepy yesterday... but thank you everyone for the prompts/suggestions!!! i've posted them below the cut too)

@shockingheaven @bitterfrosts combo (～￣▽￣)～

@demonicvulcan rest assured they will be staying up all night and snuggling all morning <333

@heyholmesletsgo i wish i had time to draw a dragon as well ; - ; i hope they have a nice time and that the dragon appears from the river to save a-qing one day in return * - *

---

Extended main image ID:

Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen stand close together, exchanging kisses under the blossoming branches of a plum tree. They are lit by the glow from the windows of the room behind them, where others are gathering at a dinner table inside. The colour is loosely painted, bright orange light dappled among the pink petals and gilding the edges of the scene.

Ink and watercolour on paper.

[clemmykins]

This one spot in Bitterfrost Frontier... so pinkish yellow..

[lanwangjihouse]

tag of the week:

#xxc is in there going 😵‍💫 ✳ @amaranthinelover #gonna reincarnate w vertigo at birth </3 poor xingchen#stop shaking the baby! ✳ @chenqingssuibian #be more careful your uncle is in there! ✳ @bitterfrosts

[bluebudgie]

I heard it's GW2 map hours

And just because I feel like it. An appreciation post for LS3. The story throughout that season may have been a little choppy, but man if it didn't deliver in the map department.

Bloodstone Fen. Absolutely tiny and gimmicky. And so much fun. A new map aesthetic we've never seen before. Introduced new gliding masteries that felt somewhat relevant on release. Evading obstacles while flying? Getting adventurous now! Map completion in <15 minutes? Say no more, your ultimate keyfarm friend is here. Best experienced without mounts.

Ember Bay. A giant SKULL SHAPED volcano. Probably the most brutal jumping puzzle in the game. Doesn't get more metal than that. Introduced a new way to travel around the map. Which wasn't optional. You had to use it to get to places. Mounts made that obsolete though.

Bitterfrost Frontier. Another tiny one. Had that one mechanic where you had to craft a tonic to be able to enter a part of the map bc otherwise you'd freeze to death. Literally noone liked that mechanic but if you get into the freezing place and move to the right part of the mountain you get an absolutely gorgeous view. Also great forest section. And that one cheesy cherry tree lookout that used to be restricted but can now be flown into with mounts.

Lake Doric

Draconis Mons. Do I even need to say anything about that one. Oakheart Essence. Explore the map by becoming spider man. Absolutely gorgeous map with a fun layout and tight meta bosses. An amazing jumping puzzle that seems confusing at first, but once you figure out the clever hints that point you in the right direction becomes an absolute feast to complete. They truly didn't do anything quite like this map since 😔Best experienced without mounts.

Siren's Landing. Hey it's Orr! But it's less deadly and more varied. (ilu OG Orr no hatred here). First time we got a weird waypoints-that-aren't-waypoints mechanic. Trying to get up to the stupid spider boss with updrafts only was.... interesting. (Or was it a mastery point? Was it both?). Another amazing jumping puzzle! A perfect breather after the two complex puzzles in the maps before, but still posing a decent enough challenge.

LS3 had sooo much variety. Hell pit swamp! Fire! Ice! Jungle! Each map had such unique features. Absolute top tier season for map design.

[i-mybrunettelady]

gw2 screenshot ask game

Do we have gpose/photo capture mode? No, unfortunately, but it doesn't stop us from taking beautiful screenshots and gifs and making beautiful kiddos and dressing them up! In honor of that, I'm borrowing an ask game I once saw on the ff14 side of things - send someone a character you'd like to see and one of these prompts below! Screenshots and gifs are all welcome! I'll try to cover most of the game, too! Let's show how gorgeous Tyria and gw2 can be <3

Screenshot associated with base game (Central Tyria maps)

Screenshot associated with LWS1 (Southsun Cove)

Screenshot associated with LWS2 (Dry Top and Silverwastes)

Screenshot associated with Heart of Thorns (Verdant Brink, Auric Basin, Tangled Depths, Dragon's Stand)

Screenshot associated with LWS3 (Bloodstone Fen, Ember Bay, Bitterfrost Frontier, Lake Doric, Draconis Mons, Siren's Landing)

Screenshot associated with Path of Fire (Crystal Oasis, Elon Riverlands, Desolation, Domain of Vabbi, Desert Highlands)

Screenshot associated with LWS4 (Domain of Istan, Sandswept Isles, Domain of Kourna, Jahai Bluffs, Thunderhead Peak, Dragonfall)

Screenshot associated with Icebrood Saga (Grothmar Valley, Bjora Marches, Drizzlewood Coast)

Screenshot associated with End of Dragons (Seitung Province, New Kaineng City, Echovald Wilds, Dragon's End, Gyala Delve)

Screenshot associated with Secrets of the Obscure (Skywatch Archipelago, Wizard's Tower, Amnytas, Inner Nayos)

Screenshot associated with racial cities (Hoelbrak, Divinity's Reach, Rata Sum, Black Citadel, Grove + Lion's Arch)

[heyholmesletsgo]

Writing Patterns

rules: share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able and see if there are any patterns!

Tagged by @peridot-tears, thank you :)

I'm gonna do 8 since it's been a year since I was last tagged on a similar sharing first lines post. All but one are MDZS/songxiao joined by a new fandom, Dead Boy Detectives!

Song Zichen loved routine. (Our Belonging, an Our Dining Table AU)

A single gunshot rings out in a public park near midnight, sending Wen Ruohan—arms raised, mid-speech, calling for all gangs to unite to take over the city—tumbling off a raised platform for all the invited, unarmed gang delegates to see. (The Wanderers (The Yicheng Sanren), a Warriors (1979) AU)

Completely soaked from a drawn out battle with water ghosts in an infested lake, Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan trudged into the nearest town. (Little Reason, farce/one shot)

As the influence and reach of the five major cultivation sects increased and grew wider, the further west Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen traveled into lands neither had been to before. (Shangri-La la la, fluff and crack, one shot)

The man was tall and handsome, but his affections fickle, fleeting. (The Two Births of Song Lan, fairy tale curse)

Freshly fired from his job at the supermarket—caught rescuing food they were going to throw out anyway, to bring home to his foster children—Xiao Xingchen returned home to find two life-changing pieces of paper in the mail. (Having A Proton Blast, Ghostbusters: Afterlife AU)

Song Lan has never been called to the principal’s office—ever, not in his entire academic life, nor in all his ten-year-old daughter’s previous years of attending school. (The Bad Luck Bunch, single parents meet-ugly)

Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland are hanging on the side of a building after a case, evading Death once again. (Beating Death, a Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey AU)

I do so love an em-dash :) I also seem to vacillate between something simple and a run on sentence :P

Tagging: @alectoperdita, @aoxue, @galauvant, @bitterfrosts, @wifiwuxians,

@thesilversun, @williamvapespeare and @snarkivistfic if you'd like to do it ♥

[aoxue]

Writing Patterns

rules: share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able and see if there are any patterns!

Tagged a little while ago by both @heyholmesletsgo and @bitterfrosts !

Since I only have a couple works up and published, I am going to bend the rules a bit and include a few soon-to-be-published stories as well 😬

Summer is not yet come, but the sun burns hot, and the air is thick with moisture. (on the wild nights, who can call you home?)

The moon is high, the inn is filled with bright light and laughter, and Xiao Xingchen only wants to be gone. (if this were my last glimpse of winter)

The world is covered in white. (on a clear day)

Someone likes to kick things off with a description of the setting!!! Not the back-to-back 3-clause-sentence combo too lmao. And obviously, it's all songxiao. ✨

And then, for what's still cooking:

"Do you think she'll be able to find her way here?" (taste of home) Modern diaspora songxiao w/ A-Qing, which will be in the 2024 MXTX Food Zine! Projected release in November.

The little farmstead is peaceful as the day winds down. (shiver the whole night through) A little scene from the same folk horror/historical fantasy AU as wild nights that I'm going to put up around Halloween, just to get it out there.

A-Qing knew that she should have stuck to the woods, but in the end, her stomach got the best of her. Still untitled and very much WIP songxiao Ladyhawke AU. No estimated date, but it's one I'm excited about currently. :)

Still a little bit of scene description, but I'm glad to see I'm varying it a little more with my hooks lol

My couple usual go-to people have already been tagged, so anyone who would like to do this next can!

[wyldblunt]

hi i saw you mention on an infusion-related post that you previewed infusions on "herta"? is that some kind of fan made plugin or something else? when i google it i only get results about the bloodstone gobbler predictably :/

if you use the herta gobbler while in auric basin, it actually applies the liquid aurillium infusion affect to your character!! so it's basically a workaround to preview ONLY that infusion on your character. (kind of similar to how the koda's warmth infusion and the effect you get while carrying one of the brazier torches in bitterfrost are the same)

[tricos-here]

🖋 × faryen 😳?

ahem. info dumps you about her family

-her mother, Jodis, used to be a pirate that primarily operated in the Far Shiverpeaks and the Janthir Bay, taking after her father. She’d already been trained as a Shaman of Wolf like her own mother, which she used to empower her crew - she returned to Hoelbrak when her mother fell ill and took over her responsibilities as a Wolf Havroun. She’s taught the kids (Faryen, Aelfsi, Rafe, Revna) about everything and anything, from sailing to stalking prey on land, how to use a bow and arrow as well and make them, how to make improvised weapons from the land and survive in the harsh climate of the Shivepeaks and so on

-her father, Einar, is a fisherman and a hunter, comes and goes from Hoelbrak, venturing out as far as the Bitterfrost Frontier, often accompanied by his own mother who’s a seasoned hunter. Though he’s bought into the ideology of Wolf after meeting Jodis, he’s mainly a follower of Bear. He’s likewise taught the kids a lot, like fishing and hunting, but with his profession and taking care of his mother who’s stubbornly continuing to live out in Frostgorge, he’s absent a lot

-Faryen and Aelfsi were born on 1308AE only minutes apart, despite their differences in personality they were inseparable growing up, until Fary left Hoelbrak with Eir in 1325AE, something Aelf is still salty about because she stayed behind to become Wolfborn alongside Rafe

Aelfsi is a ranger, she has a pet wolf and raven, named Hallie and Arne respectively, Hallie she adopted and raised as a cub from one of the many Wolf shrines they’d visit with their mother, and y she found injured in Borealis Forest once, which she mended back to health and have been inseparable since

-Rafe was found at the age of 10 (in 1313 AE) by their father, wandering around the Shiverpeaks by himself after his home was ransacked and his parents killed by the Svanir. With no other known family he was taken in and he readily picked up the role of the older brother to the girls. At some point he fell in with Skarti and Sigfast, joining the Wolfborn and would later vouch for his Aelf and Revna to join as well.

Before Fary left around 1325AE after gaining the title of Slayer of Issomir, he argued with her about staying in Hoelbrak and to not split up the pack, gifting her an arctic fox kit and alpine wolf cub in an attempt to convince her, but she flipped the argument on him and how they should join her instead, rather than sit around waiting for some prophesized hero to crack the Tooth of Jormag. Neither Rafe nor Aelfsi joined her though

- Revna was born in 1315AE, she was a timid girl growing up, preferring to stick close to their mother and observing the various rituals she’d perform as a Havroun. All three, Fary, Aelf and Rafe did pick up the mantle of the older siblings and would teach her anything they could, taking her out to hunting parties and moots etc. She’d join the Wolfborn too, fighting as a ranger though instead of utilizing any pets in combat she’d instead channel animal spirits

[eohachu]

So. Some time ago I reached 1000 followers on this blog, and I'm in the mood to celebrate, chat, and most importantly, take requests!! This is how it works:

Send me...

🦋 + make me choose (between dramas/films/characters/dynamics) 🌵 + ask me my favourite (drama/film/character/dynamic) ❓ for a surprise bag gifset 👀

Much love to everyone who supports my gifmaking, it really means a lot to see people enjoy my art <3

Took prompt inspo from @khaotunqs 🌈

Tagging a few people who I want to especially thank:

@bienmoreau @bitterfrosts @dengswei @evakant @flamingwell @gege @hedvig-ulrika @highwarlockkareena @huaschengs @jiaoliqiao @lan-xichens @lesbianmangoes @sandushengshou @shuangdaozhang @suibianjie @treemaidengeek @weiwuxian @yibo-wang @yohankang

i hope i forgot noone, if so, i'm so sorry and i love you 🥺💙

[diamond-dangeresque]

For the OC's Background game: 👑🌹🐾 for the OC who is on your mind right this moment!

I had Dragon Age on the brain, but seeing Charr pfp dragged my dumbass back into Guild Wars Lalaland, soooooooooo

surprise! it's not my Revenant!

👑 ~ "Person who raised your OC and/or was important during their formative years": While his mother Natalie raised him for the bulk of his life, the most important figure in his life was his father Arthur. He vanishes from Erik's life when the boy's about four or five years old, basically just leaving the family one night with no explanation and no context that Erik is cognizant of. Arthur was a proud man with a kind heart and lots of love for his only son, though Erik doesn't remember too much else about him. Where Natalie tried to harden her son's heart, Arthur remains as the lingering memory and lesson that being soft is not weakness.

There's an old, ratty devourer plush Erik takes meticulous care of through his exemplary Tailor training. It was once the grand prize of a trick archery game stand from a carnival that passed through Queensdale. His father won it for little Erik, and it's one of the last physical things of his father he still has.

🌹 ~ "First relationship": Of course, Erik is attached to the hip of one Braham Eirsson. They had met in the early months after Zhaitan's demise, but their relationship didn't officially take off until at some point when the Commander reaches Elona, and specifically after the events that lead to the God of War's demise. Some rumormongers peddle the idea that it started earlier, such as after Braham's last sighting in Bitterfrost Frontier, but rumors are all it is.

For those within the Pact, and especially from the Pact's early days, the Commander and the first Marshal had a closeness that couldn't quite be called "friendship", but calling it a "relationship" was also something of an exaggeration. It started with bonding over Orr and its history and sharing what each knew, and soon the talks grew longer into the night, less about Orr, and eventually behind closed doors altogether.

Only two people know the truth, and one of them's dead in a dragon corpse.

🐾 ~ "Pets": Despite his father's Ranger proficiencies, Erik only ever had one pet: a small white rabbit named Nemmy who was originally used to lure a salamander drake and ended up surviving its job by virtue of said drake never needing to be lured (itself a long story). He keeps and raises it for several years, and it lives a good long life as a spoiled white rabbit.

And then it dies. Of natural causes, of course. The rabbit wanted for nothing and, again, was well-cared for. Nemmy went to sleep one day and simply didn't wake up. A good death by pet standards.

There's a whole other story about young boy Erik awakening his necromantic magic by accidentally "resurrecting" Nemmy and creating his first Bone Minion, but that's also not for this post. Nemmy is still around in the Haptem manor, a large and old Bone Minion with a pretty pink ribbon around its thin, sinewy neck.

[clemmykins]

can you tell i like ansel adams and bitterfrost frontier no way couldn't be me

[eldritch-elrics]

writing patterns

rules: share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able and see if there are any patterns!

this seemed fun! "tagged" by @bitterfrosts , who said that anyone who wants to can do it :3

When P03’s waterlogged circuits sputter back to life, he’s been perched on a stool before an old wooden table in a dark room, and gazing down at him are the eyes of the beast who ripped off his head. (stripped screw)

The thought comes to Solaire as easily and openly as if it were beamed from the heavens: There’s something special about that undead knight. (sun-kissed carrion)

Louie wakes up alone in a space station hotel, and his first thought is that he has to leave right now. (interstellar communications 101)

My dearest wife, today I begin the long voyage to the planet ISE-500. (interstellar development plans)

It starts like this: there’s a set of volatile warp modules that need to get from Hocotate to the Ohri Space Station, safety regulations state that at least two workers must be present on the vessel at all times while transporting this sort of freight, and when Louie stumbles into the shipyard early Monday morning, he is startled to learn that his partner for this mission is none other than Captain Olimar. (experimental handling procedures)

Olimar keeps having the strangest dreams. (subterranean web, infest my soul)

Brian finds Tim and Jay’s new motel easily enough. (Vicarious)

To all YoRHa units: After a long period of research and refinement, we are pleased to announce that a number of recreational body modifications are once again available to all members of the force. (the end of desire)

When sealed in a prison outside of reality, one must, of course, become accustomed to the way that time and space start to fractal around them. (two stars keep not their motion in one sphere)

The first time it happens, Zacharie’s in Alma: loitering outside Dedan’s office, watching the meat waves schlap gently against the shore as they ebb and flow. (Sweetening the Pepper Steak)

one pattern i noticed - which is not necessarily something you'd get just from looking at these lines on their own - is that i often like to make the first line its own paragraph. makes it stand out a little! often these are about setting the scene, too. also, it's fun that two of these fics start with emails...

tagging @the-golden-ghost, @qilingxiong, @woodswolf, and any other fic writers who want to!