#blighting pod au

[anwenevergreen]

Severed

Reality snapped around them and unfolded again in the shape of the aircraft's deck. Gasping for air, Anwen straightened and frantically looked around her, searching for her companions, relieved to find them all – disoriented but unscathed – on the floor around her.

“Brace yourself! It's gonna blow!”

The aircraft steered away, leaving the collapsing city far on starboard, as a blinding light engulfed the tetrahedron and a deafening silence shrouded the world around them before a thundering implosion. A hot dry wind swept the deck, a smothering scent of ozone drowning them before the salt and iodine from the sea returned, bearing a cold heavy rain and the constant whimper of the wind.

“Subtle.”, Sayida remarked. “I like your style, Commander.”

Anwen let out a breathless chuckle.

“Thank you. Is everyone alright?”

“I'm deaf.”, Braham shrugged. “But it could have been worse. Remind me again why I followed you through this?”

“Something about saving the world, I believe.”

“And destroying a good chunk of the bay at the same time.”, the corsair remarked. “You just won your friend the cactus quite a lot of money there, Commander! I never thought you'd manage to bring back everyone unscathed. Your new friend seems a bit disoriented, though.”, she noted, considering the sylvari, standing awkwardly apart from the rest of the group.

Anwen nodded pensively, the sudden weight of Braham and Meryw's gaze on her nape almost crippling.

“Meryw, would you escort our two guests inside? Taimi must be very anxious to meet them.”

“Dame Anwen... are you sure you’re alright?”

She let out a breathless chuckle. “No, but I will be... I must. I... owe him that much.”

She turned to Braham, his features drawn and his eyes darkened.

“Braham...”

“Go, now.”, the young norn offered with a forlorn smile. “I don't know what I would give for a second chance like this, Commander... so you better seize it.”

“I'm sorry. It's unfair.”

“Yes it is.”, he breathed shakily. “Life often is. So you gotta take what little it gives.”

Anwen nodded pensively and offered a reassuring smile to her shieldmaiden, who proceeded to escort the two rescued Inquest inside, where Taimi waited for them, while she crossed the deck to the prow and reached out to place her hand on Trahearne's shoulder.

A shiver ran him through at her touch, a painful confusion darkening his eyes and shadowing his glow.

“Everything is silent. The voice of Mordremoth is gone, but... The Dream–... Dear friend, you must tell me everything.”, he beseeched, turning a distressed glance to her.

“I don't know where to start.”, she murmured, a weight settling in her lungs as she struggled to breathe. “What do you remember? What's your last memory?”

“The defeat of the fleet, and... a prisoner caravan. Mordrems leading Destiny's Edge and myself into the jungle. They said Mordremoth had plans for us... What happened? Are Zojja and Captain Thackeray... ?”

“They're safe. We rescued them both.”

She took in a deep, quaking breath.

“We... defeated the dragon but... It came with a price.”

“Our people survived.”, he reasoned, a sudden dread overwhelming him. “Did our Mother...”

“She's alive.”, Anwen hastily reassured. “And, she was on the path of recovery, the last time I visited. But... The death of Mordremoth took a toll on her. On all of us...”

The evident relief on his face shattered her heart a little more.

“Trahearne, the attack on the Pale Tree, the loss of the Fleet, Mordremoth... That was three years ago. I searched for you after you disappeared. And I found you. But I was too late to save you. We defeated the dragon but... it had dug its claws too deep in you... it had claimed you as a Champion and... your last will was..." Her voice died in her throat. "You sacrificed yourself to destroy the dragon to the root... To save us all.”

An expression of grief and confusion shadowed his face, immediately enlightened by pensive resignation and relief.

“My greatest fear was to see my people in the clutches of this monster. If by my life, or my death, I could avoid it, I must not regret.”

She let out a broken breath. That sounded like him – of course it did! It was him. Except it wasn't... Trahearne was dead, dead by her hand, and yet he was here, right in front of her, breathing, thinking, remembering everything that made him who he was and... so confused, so pained, so forlorn that it broke a heart she thought his loss had already shattered.

He hesitantly shifted and reached for her, as if testing his own physicality, laying a warm, comforting hand on her shoulder. She blinked, furiously willing her breath to still as the pouring rain drowned away the tears burning her lids.

"Anwen..."

Her name was soft, almost silenced by the wind.

"If I... died", he hesitated, almost tasting the word as he said it. "how... How am I here? How did I return? How did I end up here, in... Elona?"

"The pod- ... The pod you were trapped into, it... served a purpose, other than to hold and detain. Mordremoth... We have found months afterwards that it had attuned Zhaitan’s magic... After the Pact defeated it, its domain was left unattended and the other dragons feasted on this magic, and claimed part of Zhaitan’s power to themselves."

Truth. Hardly ever pure and never simple. But it was a grounding notion. Familiar and reassuring, to see his interest piqued, his head tilt so slightly as his eyes lit with a spark of curiosity. She could have rambled on for hours, just to imprint this image of him, listening intently, his features drawn sharply against the setting sun filtering through the heavy storm clouds, his glow shifting with every touch of the rain.

“Mordremoth... used this to make his minions... turn our dead into soldiers for the dragon's army... and honed his power of creation to make his army undefeatable. Every time we felled one of his lieutenant, they reappeared, returned to torment those who had known them, the comrades who saw them die, who drowned in the guilt of being unable to save them... of having to kill them themselves..."

The last words turned to ash, the pain of burns never quite healed – scars that glistened and shifted on her skin where she had held him as he burst in flames – strangling her.

"When we entered the heart of the dragon's domain... we were faced with such clones... Logan... Zojja... And, now..."

His eyes darkened with clarity.

"Me..."

The sudden dimming of his glow filled her heart with dread.

“A weapon to a dead dragon... A revenant, come to haunt you..."

The Orrian had a saying – the dead return for either love or revenge.

"I am sorry, Anwen... I never meant to..."

"I'm not."

A gust of wind swept the deck of the aircraft, and a shiver ran her through even as she closed the gap between them.

“You haunt me, Trahearne – my every waking moment, my every dream, my every nightmare – ever since I lost you. Your absence haunts me. And if your presence must haunt me now, I will gladly accept it."

The words died on her lips... but he already knew.

"Anything rather than lose you again.”

Previous | Next (tbw)

[shimano]

vaelach (commander AU!) facts:

⤷ he is soundless

⤷ he almost became mordrem during HoT, but was pulled out of the blighting pod and 'saved' before being fully corrupted/transformed. his horns are a remnant of this that never disappeared.

⤷ he didn't become commander until halfway through HoT. the human that saved him was the commander at the time, but the rest of the pact was distrustful of having a weakened, half-transformed sylvari around in camp so, to put them at ease, the commander dragged vaelach everywhere with him to keep an eye on him.

⤷ this led to vaelach being there when aurene hatched and she, instead of bonding with the commander, saw something in vaelach that allowed her to bond with him.

⤷ from that point on, the previous commander and vaelach began to work together as co-commanders: the previous commander taking on the role of strategist and planner, and vaelach as ambassador and dragon champion.

[archesa]

Found a (possibly old) post by @i-mybrunettelady, showing a map to Nyra's scars (using this template) and I thought I'd give it a go with Anwen!

Storyverse aka Rosa Inter Spinas aka I really need to find it a name that doesn't sound pompous as eff!

In this verse, Anwen is not only built like a tank, but she has some insolent luck when it comes to scarring and keeping scars from her defeats. Since the Judge has to cheat through Trahearne's seal to resurrect her, she keeps none of the scars and very little of her memory of her fight against Balthazar. (the same cannot be said about her companions who saw what little remained of her to hold a funeral for...)

In the Blighting Pod AU, though...

Well, the death of Trahearne leaves scars. She holds him as he burns and if some of the explosion was absorbed by Caladbolg and redirected towards Aurene and the other dragons, she was severely burned and owes her survival only to Meryw. And without the protection against resurrection, the Judge could just stich her body back and send her soul back without actually forging (wrong choice of words!) her a new vessel.

Either way... ouch!

[roughtimeminicomics]

More AU Concepts and Ideas

:| I have to write these down so I don't forget lol

[Amphibia: Good King Andrias] Andrias is never evil or bad in this AU. He truly cares about getting the girls home. But he is also still aware of the Core and its plans. So to avoid the Core getting its hands on Marcy or any of the other girls, he keeps it a secret and helps the humans and their friends recharge the gems and even helps Marcy understand why they can’t truly stay there. In the end, the Core eventually gets a hold of the Calamity Box and uses it to escape to Earth and try and take over. Andrias confronts the Core himself but gets badly wounded, revealing his cyborg body. Eventually he explains what happened and helps the girls gain the power of the gems, even being able to retake the Calamity Box from the Core and use it to do so. In the end he is able to help stop the invasion and banish the Core forever using old Amphibia magic. He helps establish a permanent portal so the girls can go to and from Amphibia as they please. He also steps down from the throne and goes to farming.

[Amphibia/FNaF Fusion] Vanessa, Micheal, and Charlie take the place of the Calamity Trio, different eras of Animatronics are the different Frog species (Frogs=Classic, Toys, Withered/ Toads=Phantoms, Nightmares, Scraps/ Newts=Funtimes, Glamrocks, Rockstars), the Core is Glitchtrap, and the Calamity Box is called the Remnant Chest. The story is pretty much just Amphibia’s but maybe with minor changes. Ah yes, two trauma fandoms brought into one. MMMMMMM.

[Owl House: Good Odelia] Odelia is actually a very caring and understanding mother, which allows the Blight Twins and Amity to grow up to be more like what we know of them after their interactions with Luz. Odelia often visits the Owl House, motherly instinct wanting to see how Luz and Amity are doing as girlfriends. She also would be there to help try and stop Belos. And (for a fun twist) be there with Amity and the rest of Hexsqaud when the Collector appeared and sent them all to the Human Realm, now including Odelia. So Hexsquad now has an adult representative to help in their trials and errors in the human realm.

[Star Wars: The Stasis Base] Ashoka is approached by her old mentor Plo Koon to be part of a special and secret mission… only known to Plo Koon, Bo Katan, and Padme Amidala. Plo Koon has increasingly grown suspicious of Chancellor Palpatine, the supposed Inhibitor Chips, and the increasingly friendly actions towards Anakin. So he extended a hand to Bo Katan and Padme Amidala explaining the situation and telling Bo Katan if she helped he’d help her. Now with Ashoka on board, Plo Koon reveals a secret base hidden on Kamino, avoided from all Kaminoain and Republic and even Jedi records. The base holds over two legions worth of Stasis pods. So the plan is to secretly recruit clones to go into stasis in case the Chancellor indeed pulls a move. And so the deed is done, and Bo Katan hires some of her Mandalorian allies to help guard the base alongside some clones who have had their chips removed. Spoiler alert: The asleep clones are awakened by the Rebel Alliance to deal with the Empire.

[twist-assist]

Okay well not to be cringe but here's a summary on the Logkeeper Arc, AKA TWSIT AU but with An AI, AKA The Squad Finds Out Aliens Exist

Prologue:

The Logkeepers (an intergalactic organization that's basically like Starfleet without the military and diplomatic stuff, just exploration and science) send an expedition team to Thedas (known as Ward 13)

Expedition team settles in the Frostback Basin

The Second Blight happens

Expedition team learns about the Blight, wonders if they can find a cure to it with their own tech and research

This is what is known as a protocol violation

The Logkeepers order them to evacuate because the Blight is dangerous and there's something else brewing in the Frostback Basin (Hakkon). The expedition team refuses

They abandon their facility and leave extra orders to their AI, ANN13 (Artificial Neural Network of Ward 13), which is also left behind. They don't tell the Logkeepers their reasons for abandoning the facility, just that they are

Logkeepers are unable to dismantle the facility themselves, but considering the other stuff happening in the Frostback Basin it's difficult to even go in. It's concluded that it's hidden enough to leave behind and write off the world itself

With the exception of one captain, the rest of the Logkeepers basically forget about Thedas

BASICALLY 800 YEARS LATER, 9:41 DRAGON:

The Squad™ (Kaaras, Malika, Ellana, Maxwell) are in the Frostback Basin post-Jaws of Hakkon

They're hired to clean up any other pockets of demons and Venatori in the area before scholars can come in and study the space

They find themselves in the hidden corner of the basin, surrounded by cliffs

There's nothing there but it's noticeably warmer and drier

Malika slaps a cliff and it wakes up ANN13

ANN13 scans them and immediately clocks Ellana as an elf, Maxwell as a human, and Malika as a dwarf. It thinks Kaaras is an unknown entity (he's kinda miffed about it)

Technically, ANN13 is not supposed to let Locals into the facility. It lets them into the facility due to "Omega Protocol"

The squad explores the facility. A bunch of things look unfamiliar to them. Other things do look familiar

They push buttons on a terminal and bring up some video logs, which ANN13 allows them to watch. They learn about the people who used to live there and what they did, and also what was happening in Thedas during that time

They see the final log that was sent to the Logkeepers (it announced their departure from the facility). However, there was a final final log, meant to only be given to Locals that would eventually discover the facility in the future, which would actually reveal why they left

Someone accidentally activates the facility's emergency beacon

The one (1) person who was constantly watching for any potential Logkeeper activity on Thedas notices it, and sends a team over to investigate

The squad panics. ANN13 tells them to hide in an ESC shuttle (basically an escape pod), but then also launches it (they didn't know that was gonna happen)

ANN13 assumes it was fine because ESC shuttles have stealth tech and would not be detected

The Logkeepers detect them (the stealth tech is 800 years out of date) and captures the shuttle

The squad gets interrogated

The interrogation is intervened by an admiral who, and this is important, is a furry an anthropomorphic fox. The squad is like. wtf

However she sees an opportunity because the squad has managed to communicate with ANN13 after the Logkeepers' failed attempts

She persuades them to have it answer the questions they were looking for. The squad refuses at first but then realize that ANN13 also refused to tell them. Even though it was willing to tell them everything else

Eventually, ANN13 reveals the info (and is like :( the whole time)

The admiral sends the squad down to the area where it's theorized the expedition team might have gone. It's west of Thedas

While trying to find the team, they run into some Grey Wardens (Elissa and Alim)

They too, are looking for rumours about a cure for the Blight

idk how it ends. They eventually find something of the team, whether or not it's the people (Logkeepers can live a long time) or whatever they left behind. Elissa and Alim decide to stay, Kaaras et al. leave

They say their goodbyes to ANN13. ANN13's fate is unknown, but it's likely not great. Miraculously, they don't get their memories erased. It's not like anyone would believe them anyway

They're dropped back in the basin, now completely silent

Then they're like "Soooo….do you think we'll still get paid for that job?"

[wolfmage553]

Rainbow Alicorn In A Realm Full Of Chaos AU Part 1

I was rewatching some of Lightning Bliss magic lesson episodes and I got to the conjuring episode with Inverted Shadow.

A certain scene came up and I thought "If Bliss did accidentally send herself careening through the multiverse there's a chance she could end up in the SMG4 universe."

Then this AU about what would've happened if she did started forming and I need to tell you guys about it.

(And before you say anything, this is about Lightning Bliss the alicorn not Lightning Bliss the content creator)

Lightning Bliss would probably arrive on either SMG4 or SMG3's Guardian Pod if we want her to be there from the start

Lightning Bliss' powers would make a situation worse rather than better with the major exception of them working flawlessly when her friends lives are on the line

There'd be a running joke of her trying to weasel her way out of the chaos of the day only to be dragged into the chaos kicking and screaming

Once Axol joins the main cast, he and Lightning Bliss would have multiple episodes together to build up their friendship

Lightning Bliss would definitely tease Axol for his crush on Melony

Lightning Bliss would definitely have been kidnapped by Francis during his plan to make an island of wifus

Lightning Bliss becomes Thunder Blight for the first time when Desti is about to be killed and she remains in her Thunder Blight form for the rest of the Anime Arc until she has a chat with the humanified Meggy

When Axol inevitably starts blaming himself for what happened in the second half of The Anime Arc, Lightning Bliss gives him a speech about how blaming himself wouldn't change the past and that he should resolve to be better in the future

The YouTube arc has an alternative cliffhanger of Axol being thrown into Lightning Bliss' 'debut episode', causing her to pop back to the Rift Cafe but still in her 3D model. She gets Dr.Wolf and Firebrand's help in not only getting back to the SMG4 universe but also stopping SMG3

Turns out, Lightning Bliss can travel between the Rift and the SMG4 universe with ease from then onwards, explaining her absence from certain episodes.

Lightning Bliss would absolutely join the treasure hunt after the Teletubbies almost kidnap her

Lightning Bliss would absolutely be mistaken for a god alongside the rest but she'd use that to her advantage when Mario and Bob get caught trying to take the gold. She'd use her power to scare the Teletubbies into giving Axol back Inkweaver and letting them leave with one Gold Ingot each

Lightning Bliss keeps the Gold ingot as a keepsake

Lightning Bliss' powers overclock in WOTFI 2021 when not just her friend Axol's life but the entire universe is on the line

This leads to her falling in a deep slumber and Axol, feeling guilty that he's the reason she is now in the deep slumber, journeys to find a way to wake her up.

This leads into the events of the Revelations arc.

(End of Part 1)

[strangerrebelled]

[Some headcanons for my FF16 AU before i go to bed!]

The Lufenian cryopods were powered by aether siphons. When the cities came crashing down, they instead had only the aether of the land around them to draw upon. As a result, they became a contributing factor of the Blight spread in that area. His friends' pods, the ones that weren't crushed, sustained damage to one or several parts of the power supply, and thus ran out before his did.

Jack wears a pendant gifted from Astos, who had a matching one: a circle of ruby roses with a silver sword in the middle, wrapped in dark thorns, hanging from a sturdy silver chain. He also wears braided bracelets he made with his other friends: Jed's (blue) and Sophia's (green) on his left wrist, & Neon's (red) and Ash's (yellow) on his right wrist. They're often hidden by his gloves or sleeves, but he wears them constantly, like Astos' pendant.

The outfit he most often wears:

[archesa]

Late to the party, definitely too late for dessert, but may I interest you in some tea? ^^

Call me a basic ash birch, but I actually love humans in GW2!

They’re a dying species, their golden age long lost and forgotten and I find quite interesting to play around the idea of a fantasy-circa-regency sort of society, impeded in its continued survival by the intricacies of politics and etiquette, clinging to their way of life even when the world stands on the verge of destruction.

It’s in these troubled times that my human OCs thrive! Because they break the mold, because they’re outcast, because they refuse the role society would bestow upon them or because they thrive to be better than what is expected of them, to shine when the dying remnants of their civilization is bound to burn.

Elianora - Tempest

Elianora is the daughter of destitute noble who once owned an estate in Shaemoor and now own a little bookshop on the heights of Divinity’s Reach. Her family’s fall from grace and the subsequent mistreatment they received from people they once fancied as friends left a scar that never fully healed and Elianora’s unhinged, fiery character comes as much from her strong affinity with air and fire as her favored elements, as it comes from the still wounded pride of her teenage self.

A powerful elementalist, she is Commander of the Pact, and part of the canonverse.

Lucius Gwenvaël of Amnoon - Deadeye

Lucius of Amnoon is the son of a Vabbian noble, rumoured to descend from the Primeval Kings themselves, and a runaway ascalonian noble cast away on the shores of Elona while trying to escape an arranged marriage. His parents met and settled in the Free City of Amnoon, and Lucius joined the Order of Shadows to carry on his matrilineal crusade against His Supreme Putrescence, Palawa Joko.

Circa 1330, he is sent by the Order to distantly watch over the Commander during her crusade against Balthazar and officially joins Dragon’s Watch after the Lich’s demise.

Felanor Eurwén - Warrior

Felanor is Elianora’s childhood friend, and a Seraph. (Incidently, his birthday’s today! Happy birthday, Felanor!)

Anwen Evergreen - Guardian - Dragonhunter

Anwen lost her parents in what the Ministry’s inquiry determined to be a bandit raid when she was an infant. She was adopted by old friends of her late parents, Lord and Lady Faren and grew up amongst the high nobility of Divinity’s Reach, dotted upon by loving tutors and an adoring brother. But she was always more interested in the high vaults of the royal libraries and wide expenses of the training grounds than the gilded ornaments of ballrooms. As her family’s wealth allowed her to thrive without much need of the approval of Divinity’s Reach good society, she followed the path of a guardian knight of Kormir -- the goddess who blessed her at birth -- and swore herself to the defense of Tyria.

Her path led her to join the Priory, then the Pact, at Trahearne’s side.

And when Mordremoth possessed him, in the Heart of Thorns, she fought the dragon with all the might of desperation to save the one she just came to realise she held dearest of all.

Trahearne survived and, as they were always meant to be, the Marshal and the Commander now protect Tyria together.

Anwen Swynwr - Weaver

The Mists echo with a multitude of stories untold, of aborted futures and forgotten pasts. Yet sometimes, as ripples form on the surface of time and space, another present comes to be.

Anwen Swynwr is one of these echoes. A mirror shrouded with grief and enlightened with a miracle.

Trahearne died in Maguuma.

Yet in the depths of Rata Primus, awaken from the last of many blighting pods stolen from the foothills of the jungle, familiar eyes meet Anwen’s in the blinking light of the collapsing city.

Trahearne died in Maguuma. And she will always miss him.

Trahearne died in Maguuman. And she would always mourn him.

Trahearne died in Maguuma. And having him back would not relieve her of her guilt.

Trahearne died in Maguuma. And yet he’s here, with her.

Anyway, how about we get some positivity going here as well!

GW2 folks, show me your human OCs!! From human commanders to “just some guy”s, I wanna see what y’all have!

(GW1 OCs are absolutely welcome as well!!)

[anwenevergreen]

[gwtoomanyalts]

Just showing off some more pictures of Edris. Wanted to take some by a blighting pod, though in her AU I suppose they wouldn't be called that? Bonding pod lol?

[archesa]

1, 13, 21 for Anwen Swynwr :eyes:

 Yasss! A little insight on the Blighting Pod AU!! Be warned, long post is long! ^^ Thanks a lot for the ask ^^

1. Write a basic lowdown of your OC. What's their deal?

She’s an echo through the mists, a butterfly effect, an Anwen who’d have become an Elementalist instead of a Guardian.

She was adopted by her godparents, Lord and Lady Faren after the disappearance of her birth parents in a bandit raid — that would eventually prove to be an assassination performed by White Mangle against precious assets of the Shining Blade and secret but faithful servants of the crown — and raised in a loving house alongside an adoring brother.

She received the highest education but craved for a purpose beyond the one Divinity 's Reach high society would bestow upon her.

With the unwavering support of her parents, she learned to harness the power of elements and the arts of the blade.

After her heroism in the Battle of Shaemoor earned her the attention of both the Shining Blade and the Seraph, she became an emissary of the crown and investigated on the alarmingly increasing presence of Risen in the southern regions of Kryta. She found kindred spirits amongst the Priory and soon joined them under the tutelage of a recently anointed Magister Sieran.

Together, they led — or rather hopped on — a few expeditions and researches about draconic corruption and investigated the plea for help of an Itzel tribe fallen prey to Orrian malice, lured into sacrificing their strongest to false gods so their designated champions would rise again to serve Zhaitan.

She climbed the ranks of the Priory within a few months and soon became a Magister herself, devoting herself to deeper studies on the dragon cycle, when Sieran was appointed a new mentee.

Their paths would cross again on Claw Island, where different leads in separate investigations had led them both to an inevitable conclusion — Lion's Arch would soon fall prey to an attack.

Sieran's mentee, Meryw, had been sent to consult the world's foremost expert on Orrians and had brought him back on the Island to back their claim and shed more light upon the imminence of the threat. The Island would indeed fall prey to Zhaitan's forces within the day and Sieran sacrifice to allow others to escape.

United in their grief and loss, Anwen, Meryw and Trahearne returned to the Priory, and would seldom part ways in the future.

Upon the founding of the Pact, Anwen became Commander, Trahearne's second in command, and forged with Meryw an unbreakable friendship, born of the sylvari's vision of Anwen in her Dream and thriving upon a profound kinship — a knight and her shieldmaiden.

During the Campaign of Orr, Anwen grew quite close to Trahearne, but remained painfully oblivious of her own feelings, let alone those of the Firstborn!

It would take Trahearne being lost to the jungle for her to realise he meant more to her than she allowed herself to think.

She would fight her way through the depths of Maguuma to the summit of the Heart of Thorns, only to lose Trahearne to the dragon. One ultimate sacrifice to save them all.

After his death, she devoted herself to honouring his sacrifice, and making the dream of his life, the restoration of Orr, come to fruition and spent most of the following year working alongside botanists and druids to make the once corrupted continent verdant again. She also endeavours to restore Caladbolg, but the Thorn is too damaged, too shattered to ever be returned to its original form. Shorter, narrower, the Thorn still thrives and blossoms in her hold, and from the shards that could not be returned another, smaller blade blooms - Carnwennan.

The explosion of the Bloodstone and the threat of Primordius and Jormag's awakening tore her from the place she had come to call home.

And in her desperate search for the fallen god of War, Balthazar, she too will lose her life.

Her miraculous return stirs in her a profound feeling of injustice. Why her and not him?!

After the defeat of Balthazar, while the Free City of Amnoon celebrates the small respite the death of the deity offers them, she slithers into the temple and begs demands of the Six to give her a miracle.

In a twisted turn of events, by the will of the Six or by sheer blind luck, she will be granted her wish when, in the depths of Rata Primus, a dear friend awakens from a dreamless sleep, and emerges from a pod stolen from the very depths of the jungle.

13. How recognizable are they? Do they have a reputation?

She's the adored daughter of Lord and Lady Faren, the young woman who cast a suitor out of a window during a ball at her parents’ mansion, one of the wealthiest unmarried lady of Divinity’s Reach, a pillar of society, a recluse who prefers the quiet of libraries or the openness of training grounds to the limelight of ballrooms and the dim lightning of cigar rooms, a Magister of the Priory and the Commander of the Pact, so her reputation precedes her, really!

Outside of Divinity’s Reach and the highest circles of the Pact, she can blend in the crowd quite well. If her butterfly pauldrons and the two vegetal blades at her hip might betray her identity, Aurene’s magic leaves no visible mark upon her, unless she specifically calls onto it, and she takes great care to hide her most gruesome scars. The burns caused by the explosion of leyline energy upon Trahearne’s death and the slash running from her left hip to the middle of her chest, where Balthazar’s sword impaled her, will give the Firstborn pause the first time they’re intimate.

21. What song or songs do you associate with them?

Ohhhh! Hold on to your headsets because I have a few! ^^ Chronologically listed above!

"A world without you", from End of Dragons, that @lilypixy immediately upon hearing it in game pointed as THE Blighting Pod AU theme! And... oh does it fit!!

How will our world go on without you? Are we ready for this, Stay above the abyss?

Anwen spends months willing herself to accept his death, and with the constant support of her friends and family she manages to keep herself afloat, but she knows she will never move on, as the world will never be the same without him.

There's never been a world without you. Can we find our own way? Keep the darkness at bay?

But she'd endeavour to honour his sacrifice, to keep a distant watch on the work of his life - ensure the Pact would survive his loss -- and to stand stalwart between Tyria and the threats that would bring forth the end of their world.

Step by step we press on t'ward tomorrow. Head up high we face all that's unknown. A life of service that's our code to follow, So we may honor your great sacrifice.

She takes at heart to find her new place in this world without him, wholeheartedly accepts the mantle of Champion of Aurene, and leader of Dragon’s Watch, but there’s a gaping void in her heart, something not even the constant love and support of those who know her best can soothe.

How will my heart go on without you? Won't you linger a while? Be with me through the trials?

Her brother has known her the longest, Meryw knows her the best, and Canach knows the darkest of her. But there are facets of her soul that could only shine in Trahearne’s presence, and she knows in her heart that she will never burn as birght as she would if he were there, with her.

There's never been a world without you. I will fight for each day, Live or die, come what may. We will fight for each day, Live or die, come what may.

Still she carries on, does not only what is expected of her, but what she’s always wanted to do - protect Tyria - until the day death inevitably reaps her and she hopefully finds him in the Mists.

"Waiting on a miracle", from Encanto is her praying yelling at the gods, begging them to return Trahearne to her.

And of course, there's the darkest, twisted version of "Fear Not This Night" from season 4, but it's more a general theme for the Blighting Pod AU than an Anwen theme! As the song serves as a trailer to "A Bug in the System", it got me wondering of the reason why... And basically birthed this whole AU!

[lilypixy]

Unable to bear the cold stare of the Commander, the newly-demoted novice tried for a hasty retreat, only to be met by a closed and suspiciously blue glowing door.

From the shadows of the shelves filled with precious tomes, an ashen hand alight with cerulean fire emerged, followed by a pair of big blue eyes, seemingly willing to drill an icy crater in the now-profusely-sweating buffoon's forehead...

[wako-dreamer]

“No Feelings Attached.”

An Au of Owl house by me, Wako Dreamer. Amity Blight. A top abomination student from Hexside, captain of the grudgby team, and engaged with Luz Noceda: A top Bard student from Glandus High and drum major to the Marching Bards. Can they put their competive differences aside to make the relationship work just in time for the wedding? Let’s see.

So why and how are they engaged? Well Odalia was at work. Kikimori had started a rather...manuplitive friendly argument that made Odalia blindly agree to have one of her children marry a top student from another school. Amity was furious when she found out Luz was a Glandus student. Glandus by all things. Luz was a friendly individual that didn’t quite feel upset nor excited. It would be a rather interesting experience to her. She’s willing to cooperate with the aggressive Blight.

Some information of the families and each members:

The Blights:

Odalia works for the Emperor’s coven while Alador works for the Family business along with the twins. Though Mr. Blight is working on retirement plans for him and his wife as Amity is close to graduating. Though his focus changes when something came up. I.e the marriage.

Alador and Amity are very close. They’re two peas in a pod.

Amity hair was dyed because witches didn’t think she was Odalia’s kid when Alador wasn’t around. Even Amity agreed to the hair dye. But as a 16-18 year old her features were clear she is in fact Odalia’s kid, perhaps Amity will stop the dyeing?

Amity is a gothic girl, stoic and serious but behind closed doors, she’s quite playful and friendly.

Speaking of hiding. Amity does in fact hide her freckles because she thinks it makes her look weak or too innocent. Not intimidating enough.

Alador and Odalia were arranged in marriage. Thankfully they were in the same school. Yet when they were young they had agreed they wouldn’t want to marry their kids off. Sadly Kikimori would make them break that sweet promise.

Amity being captain of the grudgby team, she always pushes her team to do their best.

Big Tsundere vibes.

The Nocedas:

Camila is an excellent healer. Hell the Nocedas were a long family line of fine healers. Luz would be one of the few to break it off as she choose to be a bard student.

Luz would often find ways to lie to her mom to see Eda. The most powerful witch of the isles. She wants to learn all magic but with the dumb rule. She secretly learns some potion magic from Eda and observed healing magic from her mom.

Luz has smaller ears than some. A quality trait a Noceda has.

Luz absolutely loves her mom but they don’t exactly see eye to eye on regarding the ‘Hocus Focus’ rule.

Her father worked in the Emperor’s coven infact being the high status Luz was able to access mock entree tests and learn a martial art the coven practice at a early age. Granted she’s not interested in being a part of the coven.

Mr. Noceda sadly disappeared in a patrol. No body retrieved or evidence to his where abouts.

Luz has ventured out into the human world for Eda. She fell in love with the idea of traveling the world. She knows human culture better than everyone. Especially the human appreciation society at local schools.

Luz is drum major to the Glandus Kraken Marching Bards. After every competition, she eats at a pancake shop for victory pancakes.

If I were to describe Luz personality. It would be like Po from Kung Fu Panda.

Any questions? Put them down in the comments or dm me. I’ll be happy to answer them.

[kerra-and-company]

I’d be very curious to hear about timeline 10 👀 (also don’t worry about sending me one lol, I honestly still have asks from this set I keep forgetting to answer so I’m still working through it myself ^^;)

Gotcha gotcha lol, and thanks so much for the ask! :D @mystery-salad

10. the timeline in which something big to them never happened.

Ooh boy, okay. I have many thoughts on this, so we’re doing it for Kerra and Ari. I was going to do more characters, but this got super long and I have homework, so we’re sticking to those two for now. Under a cut because as mentioned before, this got kinda long lmao. Spoilers for pretty much the entire story, up to and including Icebrood.

Kerra: If we take her as the focal character for this, a major event in her life was the discovery that her Wyld Hunt was “wrong”--the Dream wasn’t telling her to go after Zhaitan, but another dragon (who turned out to be Mordremoth). If that wasn’t true--if her Wyld Hunt was actually Zhaitan--she would have stayed with the Pact after his defeat and continued to help Orr or wherever else the Pact was focused. She might never have met most of Dragon’s Watch, and she probably wouldn’t have participated in the majority of LWS1 unless called on by Logan, Rytlock, or Eir. In that case, she’d have joined as an outsider, clearly known to be the Commander, and it would have taken Braham longer to warm up to her (esp. if she came on Eir’s recommendation).

Additionally, the events in spiral are prompted by Kerra’s realization that she had a different Hunt than she thought, but the majority of the emotions she exhibits there are still tendencies she had prior to that. She felt immensely guilty for every death caused on her watch, and she felt like she had to be perfect. Without that realization, she’d keep trying to be perfect, and she’d push herself to the limit to do so. Her new breaking point would be at the end of LWS2 with the reveal of the Pale Tree and Caithe’s Mordremoth secret, and it would be absolutely terrible timing. She wouldn’t be able to run, so she’d have to keep fighting while desperately needing space to process or, at the very least, someone to tell her why, if she’s been perfect, her Mother and her sister kept lying to her. And, as she is still very much actually with the Pact in this AU, there’s a high chance that she would have been on the Glory of Tyria at Trahearne’s side when the fleet was brought down. And if captured by Mordremoth (likely, since all of the leadership on that ship was), she’d have been stuck in a blighting pod, too.

There’s two ways that could go: one, considering her emotional turmoil at this point, she could be more vulnerable to Mordremoth and therefore be turned Mordrem. She’d be an absolute terror as a dragon minion (or champion), and a lot more lives would be lost, if the dragon was ever defeated at all. Two (the happier version), she could be forced to fight for herself, thereby forcing her to at least slightly accept herself if she doesn’t want to die. She’d make it out of the pod, weak and her physical form slightly altered but still very much her. Funnily enough, it might actually be easier for her to save Trahearne in this AU--she’s been touched by Mordremoth’s corruption and could force her way into his mind on her own. And after the dragon was defeated, whatever form that ended up taking, she’d make her way to Caithe and Tarir and meet still-in-the-egg Aurene. She’d be Champion, but the road would be rougher, and more people would die.

(On a less main-story note, this also would push Kerra getting involved with her partners way farther down the line, probably to PoF at the earliest and the end of LWS4 at the latest (and therefore pushing her sprouts’ birthdays down the line, too). And she’d actually be a lot closer to Caithe here. Having firsthand felt just about the strongest pressure the dragon had to offer and knowing your sister felt it too tends to bond you, and in this AU it also makes Kerra forgive her much more readily.)

Ari: Her biggest event would be Weylon’s betrayal, hands down. Without that, her warband would have stayed together, and her ‘bandmate Pol would still be alive. None of them would have joined any of the Orders for a while, so they’d have kept running missions for Ash against the Flame Legion and the Branded. Ari would have learned to drive tanks, not airships. Pol would eventually have been headhunted by the Priory around the time the Pact was targeting Kralkatorrik, so they all would have gone to Thunderhead Peaks and then Dragonfall. Brook probably would have joined the Crystal Bloom, and Casca would have joined as well, for them.

On one level, it’d be really hard for Ari. On another, at least it would be an amicable parting (unlike in the main canon), which is definitely not nothing. She’d find a new home fighting with Almorra--in this AU, she’d join the Vigil, not Whispers--and she’d keep in touch with her ‘band as much as possible. Weylon and Lifa would fight with Ari until Kralkatorrik’s death and then rejoin the legions. In this version of canon, both of them would be swayed by Bangar’s “one charr” crap, and they’d end up with Dominion. In the main canon, it’s only Lifa who does--Weylon’s firmly Flame Legion. However, both of them are also much more likely to be talked out of it in this AU (probably by Ari and Pol), so there’s a good chance they leave before being turned Frost Legion under Ryland.

Ari would meet Cio in Drizzlewood, the Vigil recruit learning to fly choppers and the Priory engineer who knows how to fix them. It’d be a much different first meeting; here, they’d hit it off right away, though it’d still take them a while to fall for each other.

[archesa]

Ooooh! I didn't notice that! *Blighting pod AU intensifies*

Season 4 bug in the system ominous fear not this night version 😟😟😟😟

[trahearnetrash]

do it to us

@lynndoran

SINCE YOU ASKED

Up ahead, trigger warnings: self harm, suicide mentionAlso, story spoilers for Heart of Thorns, LS3 and Path of Fire

So, basics (or an overview? timeline?) first.In my AU, the Commander (Alaritheis, human necromancer, in my humble case) straightup ignores Trahearne’s request, and instead of killing him with Caladbolg uses the Sword to cut his Blighting Pod free from the rest of the dragon. The unconscious Trahearne, including all extra vegetation, is then transported into the care of the Pact via Chopper.

The Commander doesn’t leave his side against the pleas and concerns of their companions, and doesn’t sleep until he first wakes up. Even then, they only do so after Trahearne tells them to and assures them he will still be there when they wake up - and only because Rytlock has a cot brought so they can sleep next to the Marshal. The horrible thought of waking up one morning, realising it’s all been a dream and find Trahearne dead, or back in the jungle begging them to kill him, never truly leaves the Commander’s mind, though, many years later.

Trahearne’s deformed state is an issue for both of them at first. Not a big one for the Commander, not as much - they don’t mind the extra height, nor the bark or thorns, if anything, they’re in grateful disbelief that they get to keep their Marshal at all. But this disbelief is part of something else, a secret wish for the security of their time before Mordremoth, and with it, the old, unblighted Trahearne. The Marshal notices this, and while he understands it entirely, sharing the wish, it hurts him, and his insecurity about his new physique takes root deeply inside his soul. It’s only with the tons of love and affection that the Commander continues to shower him with that he learns to believe they really don’t mind hus new look.

Most of Trahearne’s healing takes place during and in between the LS3 events. The first few days after his waking up, he and the Commander spend with their friends and Aurene, who, feeling their parents’ love for him, adores Trahearne and accepts him as a caretaker from the first second after getting used to his Mordremesque shape.Taimi’s prowess is vital to first aiding him in this state (stuck in a blighting pod with the dragon’s voice still in his head - and only his), she’s experienced enough with wheelchair-alternative options to design something of a vehicle that carries him around.

While this is in the making, to lighten the mood, Trahearne and the Commander take a short-notice trip to Divinity’s Reach, enjoy some peace (my Commander is human, so it’s their hometown and they get to meet up with their folks) and, though originally entering as a joke, win second prize in the Royal Gardening contest (with Trahearne as the rated plant - in a proper pot and all, since the wheelchair is still being built.) The distance to Maguuma and the Commander’s company makes Mordremoth’s voice more bearable to Trahearne, which only makes them all the more inseperable.

One night during their stay in DR, Trahearne wakes up lying on the ground in the sizzling (pretty gross) remains of his blighting pod. His legs are too weak to walk and covered in bark like the rest of him, but otherwise intact. The Commander

and him, after informing a disgruntled Taimi, decide to travel to the Grove and see the Pale tree and her menders.

As the events of LS3 kicks in and the Commander has to travel again, Trahearne stays in the grove to reconcile with the Pale Tree, whose presence can at least partially soothe Mordremoth’s influence (although being around each other in person strains them both.) Despite being home, Trahearne is starting to believe that one day, he won’t be able to contain the dragon any more, and thinks about what precautions might be necessary - or more specifically, how he can ensure he dies before that happens.

It is around this time that with the help of the menders (in my universe, one of them is my druid Íluve), Trahearne’s corruption regresses if not completely, at least significantly. He comes close to his old body height again, and while the majority of his skin is still bark, it’s less tough in most places, and even one of his eyes heals. The surface of his legs remains relatively distorted, but with the healing and daily training, he learns to walk again.

Taimi’s research into Elder Dragon “frequencies” ultimately gets Trahearne fully back into the game as she develops implants that go under his temples and suppress Mordremoth’s voice, which helps him regain the hope of continuing his life. He returns to Fort Trinity and continues the Pact’s efforts against the dragon minions rampaging all over Tyria while the Commander deals with Balthazar, Joko and Kralkatorrik in the Crystal Desert. The Commander regularly visits when they can, and during one of their visits, after they have killed Joko, the two take a walk along the Straits of Devastation which are becoming gradually more beautiful (which is why the Commander voices their intent to have the area renamed “Firstborn’s Reverie” after the Marshal).

Having had enough time to think about his life, Trahearne proposes to them. It’s extremely cute, there’s a ring made from a branch the Pale Tree sprouted specificially for that purpose when her Firstborn told her of his plan and the craftsmanship of a jeweler of the Commander’s people.After the marriage (either in the Grove or the Commander’s home city - Aurene the bridesmaid makes it snow snow-flake thin crystal flowers), the newlyweds take an airship trip and Trahearne gets to see Elona and so many other places together with his spouse, and for a while they’re just at peace.

More feels:

When the Commander is asked to assume the position of Pact Marshal, they nearly lose it with rage.“Don’t you dare talk about him as if he’s dead! As if he isn’t sacrificing himself again and again, every day!”

The Commander knows not killing Trahearne was an extremely selfish choice, and disregarding of a more than important wish of his. They see it the most during the time when he still lacks Taimi’s implants. Trahearne can barely sleep, when he does, he wakes up screaming more often than not, and sometimes he becomes entirely unresponsive when what remains of Mordremoth tries to take him over. On one occasion, he slams his hand into one of his thorns to distract himself, and it breaks the Commander’s heart.

Every day, they ask themselves if having the courage - or lack of will? - to kill Trahearne like he requested wouldn’t have been the kinder choice, much kinder than effectively damning him to contain the presence of an Elder Dragon in his mind. Sometimes, though it deeply shames him and he tries to hide it along with whatever Mordremoth-related pain he can hide from them, Trahearne blames the Commander like they blame themselves.While it gets easier when the couple learns how much worse Mordremoth’s death would have made everything, and simultaneously get to see other Mordrem revert into sylvari, it never gets easy. But it gets close when they are together, and in a moment of peace are reminded that it’s their sacrifices - Trahearne’s obvious ones, and the Commander’s, to him, poorly concealed guilt - which are making it possible for the two of them to continue to love and support each other through whatever death and destruction is yet to come.

Thank you so much for letting me do it to ‘em

i hope you enjoyed the rant