#bonk alliance

[pushing500]

This crazy dinosaur doesn't know not to attack the guy with the brawler trait, kickass melee ability, and the magic hammer.

And Irwin is not clever enough to realise that when his toes get bitten off, he should maybe prioritise going to the hospital over eating his lunch. Silly boy.

I wonder where he keeps Xanxalbur when he's working? I just imagine he does the Animal Crossing thing and pulls it out of nowhere with that cheery little jingle.

I can't draw dinosaurs I'm sorry

Not sure how the genetics of two baseliners makes one yttakin, but I don't feel like questioning it right now. Anyway, turns out Wendy and Kawoo are related. That's kind of fun. Also, Wendy's dad is named "Liquid Science", which is the coolest name ever.

The flu has taken my sweet babies :(

This was just an excuse to draw Zonovo with his hair out, and Kaz looking after baby Andy (because despite being sick himself, Kaz is still one of my more competent doctors and decided to look after the kid before himself and I thought it was adorable).

Also, today I had a flat tyre and nothing to do but draw while I waited for it to get patched up, so here's what I accomplished with the sketchbook from my car (I have hidden sketchbooks everywhere just in case) and a felt pen I had in my bag. I liked it, so it gets to go on the blog. Enjoy!

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[windmill-ghost]

Okay, if you're wondering who's in the Wayne Empire AU, here's the heroes and villains I'm currently using in here.

Note: Not a definitive list, characters who are pretty much always in adaptations (Alfred, Gordon), ones whose existence is implied (Falcone, David Cain), or ones who I am not expecting anyone to be curious about the existence of (Dr. Gaige) are not listed.

Names in brackets are for when I have given them a new name or alias.

Wayne Family 

Robin— Damian Wayne

[Starling]— Tim Drake

Nightwing— Dick Grayson

Oracle— Barbara Gordon

Falcone Alliance

The Ventriloquist— Peyton Riley

Black Mask— Roman Sionis 

Erik Hanson 

Crime Doctor— Dr. Bradford Thorne  

Two Face— Harvey Dent

Dimitrov Family Associates

Poison Ivy— Dr. Pamela Isley

Scarecrow— Jonathan Crane

Bane— [Ruy De la Isla] 

Onomatopoeia

Cassandra Cain

Independent/Affiliation Not Listed

Ra's al Ghul

Batwoman— Katherine Kane

The Question— Renee Montoya

The Creeper— Jack Ryder

Red Hood— Jason Todd

The Joker

[Harlequin]— Dr. Harleen Quinzel 

The Great White Shark— Warren White

[Black Cat Burglar]— Selena Kyle

Collin Wilkes

[tubbytarchia]

Traffic/Life series roster as dinosaurs

A lot of these don't make for very good hybrids unless you wanna get into freaky territory or full on centaur but... Hope it's a fun scroll nonetheless!

Grian - Novialoidea

A small birdie... The name also means "New wings" which I find fun. New lives and death games to be part of, new wings to accompany him... (Honorable mention to "Shuvuuia" the "desert bird" who unfortunately is not a pterosaur (doesn't fly)) (Yes we're including pterosaurs! Just using "dinosaur" as a conveient blanket term)

Tango - Aratasaurus / Pyroraptor

Fire raptor! Either works just fine and Tango as a skittery little raptor is perfect for a creature like him

Scar - Apatosaurus

"Deceptive Lizard" harkening back to Scar's scamming tendencies. Though I've always liked the idea of him being some larger gentler animal in any hybrid scenario and a long-neck fits the bill well. He can poke his nose into people's conversations easily to start marketing something useless to them and swishes his tail to ward off anyone who's about to stop him

Impulse - Nasutoceratops

Ren - Regaliceratops

Horns. COOL horns. I don't know what else you want from me ceratopses are just way too awesome. Nasutoceratops is a wicked cool dinosaur for having its horns point so forward much like a bull and I for one can jive with some Impulse bull symbolism. Bulls are often viewed as strong, sturdy and loyal, traits also assigned to Impulse a LOT of the time. But though he IS intensely loyal in many cases (+ Ceratopses are also known for how they defend their own!), and he's not very outward about the following traits, he can get quite petty and bitchy and hold grudges. Still, you don't think of that when you look at him and he seems to agree! Eg him feeling like he should be accepted into Cleo's alliance in 3rd life without actually proving himself when Cleo was rightfully hesitant, at which Impulse more or less rolled his eyes. And him proclaiming "betrayal!" when killed by Bdubs when their alliance was as firm as a rat's tail

(And I feel the need to point this out too just in case: "bulls are also known for their temper" yeah but they're not like that! Bulls like many animals become defensive when exposed to aggravating behavior or movement! Which you could work into Impulse's grudge holding and intense loyalty...? I don't know enough about him sorry but do with that what you will)

Regaliceratops! Regal!! Crown shaped frill!!! Need I say more?

Gem - Therizinosaurus

Theris are so bad bitch coated to me and I would love to have one as my wife I mean um I couldn't decide on a less generic specimen so Gem can just be a Theri! A herbivore - often associated with the belief that herbivores are gentle passive creatures, but far from it, especially with Gem! She bares her claws like it's no one's business

Martyn - Stygmoloch

A Pachy with a tough head and a tendency to bonk people - I think it fits Martyn's tendency to perpetuate drama haha. The Stygmoloch's name though more or less translates to "demon of the styx river", the river of the underworld representing loathing of death. To me this makes sense with all the watcher lore (that I have a hard time understanding but whatever!!) especially with how Martyn became in LL. The watchers themselves don't loathe death (??) of course. They're death games. But someone within the game trying to stay alive and win? Probably loathes the idea of themselves dying. I have no clue what Im saying

Pearl - Carnotaurus

Ok maybe a hot take not to make her into a pteradon or even a raptor with wing-like features but those just didn't fit that well in my opinion. Rather I wanted her to have some kind of horn motif in place of her wings as visual symbolism for her character. I'd like to imagine her having fine horns, to then have them damaged (one broken off) and simultaneously the other more grown out. Think of how domesticated goats for example have their horns trimmed. I think human hybrids with horns would do the same to keep them from becoming a bother but Pearl would neglect to after her heartbreak in DL. I was heavily considering the Diabloceratops for this, especially because of the name (Devil horned face - good ostracizing material) but Pearl strikes me a lot more as a carnivore and there are only two horned carnivores out there so... Carnotaurus it is haha. And even now I'm making her horns unrealistically big but.... We can suspend some belief

BigB - Oryctodromeus

"Digging Runner"! I've already talked plenty of why BigB is very rabbit behavior to me and my reasons for assigning this burrowing dinosaur to him are similar. Tldr he is fidgety and cautious yet clever and constantly buries himself underground

Lizzie - Anurognathidae

I don't even fucking know man it made me think of Lizzie and then I wasn't able to assign anything else to her. Lizzie often claims to be confused and if any dinosaur looks to be in a perpetual state of confusion then its this one. I know a lot of people like to portray Lizzie as a butterfly also so there you go, wings!!! And it's quite cat-like too for those who like to draw her as a cat

Mumbo - Leinkupal

I really struggled with Mumbo... So many different dinos fit him imo but I figured it should be at least something moderately large (so "Technosaurus" was out of the question lol). Then I rediscovered this dinosaur whose name translates to "vanishing family" and then I thought about LL and SL and how Mumbo went out quickly after the initial death/s and left a very felt absence in someone's alliance and then I became really emotional and forgot what I was doing

Joel - Nodocephalosaurus

Bdubs - Psittacosaurus

"Knob Headed Lizard"

Joel as an Ankylosaur has been stuck in my head from day one of assigning dinosaurs to the Lifers and I'm frustrated that I can't truly explain why. You'd view an Ankylosaur as a slow and docile creature, even compared to other herbivores, but...

1. Maybe not so much nowadays, I don't know what non-dino nerds think, but I feel like ankylosaurs were largely believed to be HUGE back in the day, much like velociraptors, when in reality they're not that big. The Nodocephalosaurus is especially small even among other ankylosaurs. But, well, we all know what Joel loves to say about himself

2. Joel is or likes to make himself look well in control, just as ankylosaurs have little to worry about as far as predators go. Especially in earlier series where he was content basing mostly by himself. It's always when things get dire and he enters his red life that he becomes very impulsive and erratic like an ankylosaur flipped on its back

3. I know there's a distinction between Traffic Joel and Empires Joel and whatever other Joel but... Even in death games his more charitable traits shine through here and there. He really becomes a dangerous rascal for a large majority of the time and he's very good at it, he's not putting on a mask or anything, but I like to remember that underneath that tough spiky armor is gentleness and caring. His care towards Lizzie and Pearl and Etho etc etc

4. The image of Joel as a hell of a spiky creature is just really fun to me. Yet heavy and blunt ones! And someone once proposed the idea of him having a club tail but having chiselled it to be sharp to mirror him being a menace. (Added benefit also that it's lighter that way haha) To me he's always been an obvious heavy hitter rather than stealthy or particularly creative etc. Him as a carnivore just doesn't work as well for me

The name bares no fitting meaning but when I look at Bdubs I think of Psittaco. All other species close to it in looks are already ceratopsians and we have like... 3 of those already lol. Im sorry Bdubs you look so stupid

Cleo - Lythronax

There's so few predators in this roster lol oops, but Cleo deserves to be an apex one! The name translates to "Gore King" because you know, zombies... and you know, Cleo is very king so true. If any of the Lifers should be able to boast rows of razor sharp teeth to gore others it should be ZombieCleo

Scott - Theiophytalia

I've been really struggling with Scott but how about the dinosaur whose name translates to "Belonging to the garden of Gods". There's only one known specimen of this species and it's an Iguanadon looking dinosaur which I think a lot of people would regard as the most basic, possibly boring type of dinosaur (if it weren't for the Allosaurus which already takes the title of "basic straight white guy") but that further fits Scott imo. It's always been a strong point of appeal to me how MUCH there is to his character that so often goes under the radar or unexplored, and how he's very often portrayed as just some handsome looking guy as opposed to a hybrid etc. He's not at all extravagant yet has mastered his craft of bending fate in his favor, he so often has things perfectly under his control just as he wants them, etc... reflective of the name "Theiophytalia" even if you wouldn't think such a dinosaur to sport one of the most prolific names a dinosaur can have. Also garden something something flower husbans. Basically whatever Bree's take on Scott is lol. I don't wanna blab for 5 paragraphs about that blue mf here but. I hope this makes sense

Jimmy - Yinlong

I struggled with this mf the most because he's another very hashtag deep character. I felt really bad to remove his bird motifs completely because the canary is so essential to him, but a raptor nor a pteradon fit my image of him at all. I spent so much time looking into various species but it just aint it, but Yinlong was possibly quilled and we can still cover him in feathers, even if he has nothing close to wings haha... BUT ANYWAY. Yinlong is a small kind of pathetic looking dinosaur, and Jimmy definitely isn't small but he'd sure be made to feel that way. Yinlong translates to "Hidden Dragon" however, a rather thought-provoking name for such a dinosaur. Given his character, it sure does feel like there's a soul of a dragon laying dormant somewhere in him, buried by all the self deprecation and curse labels. Honorable mention to Tianyulong, a very similar dinosaur who was named after a museum, but "Tianyu" also translates to peace and content. Something that Jimmy can't yet but deserves to be

Etho - undefined raptor

Already made a loong post about raptor Etho haha which I assume yall have seen since the support towards that post is the only reason I'm even making this post

Skizz - Olorotitan

"Titanic Swan" close enough to an angel right. I feel the whole angel thing is a bit overdone when Skizz can become a malicious little creature every now and then, but swans much like angels do get viewed as beautiful and taken as symbolism of love. Much like Skizz is largely viewed as an angel and often as someone who can do no wrong. But mostly I wanted Skizz to be a hadrosaur/duck-billed dinosaur, because those are dinosaurs known for their speculated vocalizations. And what is Skizz good at? Talking and voicing his love and appreciation? Yeah? Yeah... I'm so sorry Skizz btw this hybrid idea does not work out

Again, a lot of these don't work so well as hybrids... Some like the long-neck ones I cant imagine to have more than a spiky spine back and a tail, but! These picks aren't based on hybrid potential but rather what I think genuinely fits. I did really work on this all day looking through a bunch of dinosaurs and research haha, but I do love dinosaurs a lot... If you disagree with any hey thats cool! Feel free to give me your opinions if you've any and I hope this was fun to scroll through regardless

[alasoi]

*holds hand out* hi. eat me and ya get Radiation poisoning. . . .BONK! HAHAH

This is why medics are important. They have power: if u don't respect them or give them what they want , they won't heal you in return. (Mutual respect is important. Most times its enough for the medic that u won't try to physically hurt him).

Medic individuals are like businesses: they want to get as much as customers as possible, therefore gaining protection and respect. Ofc not all medics operate the same, some just stick to keeping few monsters alive that are their neighbors. It's possible for a medic and another monster/monster pack to have an alliance where Medic is constantly/most times around them or living in their territory for free.

[memories-of-ancients]

The Restoration of the Roman Republic ... in the Middle Ages? The Forgotten Commune of Rome

Today it seems men often have Rome on their minds with Tik Toks and polls indicating that men often think about Rome on a daily basis. I'm assuming that most of these thoughts revolve around the Roman Empire, lesser so the Roman republic, some the Eastern Roman (Byzantine Empire), and few think about the Roman monarchy. However I guarantee that almost no one thinks about the medieval Roman Republic known as the Commune of Rome.

In the 12th century central Italy was directly ruled by the Pope through the Papal States. One of the hot topic political issues of the day was the "investiture controversy", which was debate over who had the power to install bishops and other important clergy; the Pope or secular authorities. This evolved into a debate on who would have ultimate governing authority, the Pope, or the secular government, most notably the Holy Roman Empire. At the time, many cities in Italy were growing disgruntled with the rule of the Pope and the rule of nobles who supported the Pope. This resulted in popular uprisings in which cities overthrew the Papal government and declared themselves independent, thus forming various city states and communes in Italy.

In 1143 a wealthy Italian banker named Geordano Pierlione led a revolt against Papal authority, kicking the Pope out of Rome and declaring an independent Commune of Rome. The next year a monk and priest named Arnold of Brescia arrived in the city, becoming the intellectual leader of the movement and establishing the new Roman Republic. Arnold was a controversial reformer who railed against abuses of Church and Papal authority, decried Church corruption, and advocated a thorough reformation of the Church. Among his ideas he believed that clergy needed to return to apostolic poverty, renouncing all wealth and ownership of property, and also renouncing secular political power. Here's a statue of him in Brescia, Italy today.

With Arnold at it's head a new Roman government was formed and modeled after the ancient Roman Republic, with 56 senators who were not of noble class, 4 from each of Rome's medieval districts, and executive authority invested in a "patrician". The new republic refused to use the title "consul" as it had become an inherited noble title after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Nobles and aristocrats above the rank of knight were not allowed and thus most noble titles were abolished.

Of course the Pope, then Lucius II, was not going to tolerate such a rebellion and attempted to take back the city. In 1145 he formed an army and laid siege to the city. Amazingly the Romans drove away the invaders, with Pope Lucius II being killed in the battle after being bonked in the head with a rock.

The new republic flourished; drafting news laws, reforming medieval Roman society, making alliances with other Italian city states and war with others, setting up courts, and minting coins.

The Roman army was reformed, and a new capital building was constructed on the Capitoline Hill known as the Palazzo Senatorio (the Senate Palace), which still stands today but is much different after being heavily renovated by Michelangelo in the 1530's.

Originally the new Roman Republic swore fealty to the Holy Roman Emperor. However Rome and the Empire had a falling out. In 1149 the Roman Senate invited the German king Conrad III to the city to be coronated Roman Emperor. Rome's enemies were growing, so the Roman Senate offered Conrad this title in return for protection. Conrad had already been elected as Holy Roman Emperor and was due to be coronated, but the Roman Senate was proposing that he be THE Roman Emperor, as in like, a real Roman Emperor whose authority is defined by the Roman Senate, and not a Holy Roman Emperor whose authority was defined by the Pope and a loose confederation of high ranking German, Italian, Austrian, and Czech nobles. In the Holy Roman Empire the emperor is elected by the highest ranking nobles of the land. The Roman Senate was claiming that it had the authority to choose Roman emperors as the senate did during the ancient Roman Empire. Well, lets just say that Conrad probably didn't take too kindly to the Roman Senate attempting to usurp the governing structure of the Holy Roman Empire. In the middle ages a group of lower class burghers and knights cosplaying as Roman senators was not a good basis for a Europe spanning universal imperial monarchy. When Conrad died he was already cutting a deal with the Pope to snuff out the republic.

Conrad died in 1152 but his successor, Frederick Barbarossa continued the deal with the Pope to end the Roman Republic. It was one of the few times Frederick and the Pope agreed on anything. In 1155 a combined Papal/Imperial army invaded Rome. The city quickly fell and Arnold of Brescia was captured and burned at the stake. His ashes were scattered into the Tiber River.

Amazingly the Roman Republic lived on. Frederick Barbarossa was coronated by Pope Adrian IV as Holy Roman Emperor, an act which led to a new revolt among the Romans. Frederick put down this revolt, killing 1,000 Romans in the process, but afterwards he simply left the city and never returned after becoming bogged down in the complex politics of Italy. The Pope also left Rome, having to deal with a papal schism, resulting in no one being left in charge of the city and thus another restoration of the Roman Republic.

In 1167 Rome made war on the neighboring city of Tusculum, a long time rival of Rome who had supported the Pope and became a papal capital after the foundation of the republic. The Count of Tusculum appealed for help to the Holy Roman Empire, and Frederick I sent a small army of 1600 men. The Romans had an army of 10,000 made up of peasant militia who were poorly armed and poorly trained. While heavily outnumbered the Imperial army consisted of well armed and trained knights and professional soldiers. The Imperial army easily defeated the Romans at the Battle of Monte Porizio on May 29th, 1167, a battle which would later be called, "the Cannae of the Middle Ages". The Imperial army would continue to march on Rome, but by a stroke of luck for the Romans would be struck with the plague and forced to turn back. The Romans got their revenge against Tusculum in 1183 when they conquered and burned the city to the ground Carthage style.

The beginning of the end of the republic came in 1188 when Pope Clement III made a power sharing deal with the senate in which the people would elect senators but the Pope would have to approve the senators. The senate agreed to this in order to secure the protection of the Pope as the Holy Roman Empire was still a threat. Over the coming decades popes would reduce the number of senators until by the early 13th century, there was just one. Soon that single senate post was directly chosen by the Pope, and eventually it became a hereditary position. Before you knew it, French and Spanish nobles were becoming Roman senators and Roman senators ruled as autocrats at the behest of the Pope. By the end of the 13th century, the Roman Republic was dead.

[zarasu]

Bingyuan, Sy transmigrated into a wife, post "Bingge vs Bingmei extra" Bingge

Prompt: arranged marriage

---

Shen Yuan was admittedly a little nervous.

It was one thing to transmigrate into a woman. It was another thing to transmigrate into a woman who was being married off to Luo Binghe for political advantage.

His "father" was the leader of the last rebel group of cultivators fighting against Luo Binghe's regime. But even they had to eventually admit defeat and the rebel leader used his only daughter to declare their alliance.

It was typical that Shen Yuan would manage to transmigrate into a cultivator, but never get to really use his new powers before becoming a wife. At least he would meet his favourite character (of this novel!)

Still, as they entered the throne room, Shen Yuan's hands shook a little with nerves. Because, at the other end of the hall, Luo Binghe sat on his throne, surrounded by wives and advisors.

Really, he was more handsome than the novel had managed to convey! Regal too, with his robes and wild hair! Nonetheless, Shen Yuan couldn't help but think that he looked a little... cold.

He wasn't even looking at the delegation entering the hall. Instead, his eyes were turned towards the distance, no expression on his face.

As they came closer, Shen Yuan noticed an odd detail: on the side of his head was a little braid in his hair. It looked like it should have been long brushed out, tangled and falling apart.

The next moment, he was distracted by the delegation coming to a halt in front of the throne. They all bowed and the rebel leader started to declare their alliance.

Shen Yuan was barely listening, but even he got the gist of it and let out a relieved breath when it was done.

Of course, then, the rebel leader gestured him forward and started the whole spiel about offering him up as a bride, to become part of the harem.

Truthfully, Shen Yuan wasn't overly worried about that part. In the story, his character had played an extremely minor role at best. She had appeared, Luo Binghe had married her, and she never showed up again after. Even the wedding night had been cursory and lacklustre at best.

Honestly, Shen Yuan hoped to just vanish into the masses of the harem to be forgotten and do his own thing for the rest of his life.

As expected, Luo Binghe accepted him as his bride, barely even looking at Shen Yuan. After that, he was allowed to step back again.

As the rebel leader and Luo Binghe talked more negotiations, Shen Yuan was pulled aside by his own maid. The adorable thing had accompanied him all the way and was determined to stay with him, even though she'd been shaking like a leaf when they entered the palace.

"Outrageous," she now whispered heatedly into Shen Yuan's ear. "He didn't even look at you, Miss! The disrespect-"

Over the course of the trip to the palace, Shen Yuan had grown rather fond of the girl. Still, he couldn't leave a statement like that unaddressed.

With a now practiced movement, he pulled his fan out of his sleeve and gently bonked her head with it. "Silly girl," he scolded her. "Aren't you too old to talk nonsense like that? Think! To have the attention of a powerful man like that brings nothing but trouble. No, I'd much rather he not pay any attention to me at all. In any case, it's not your place to question the Emperor."

She rubbed her head and pouted at him, and Shen Yuan couldn't help but sigh and pat her head gently. "It's alright now, don't cry, ah!"

It was only then that he suddenly noticed the dead silence around them.

He looked around and saw that everyone was looking at them with different degrees of confusion. Shen Yuan wasn't sure why at first, until he caught sight of Luo Binghe.

There was nothing left of his earlier icy expression. Now, he was staring at Shen Yuan with wide, surprised eyes.

Uncertain what had inspired this change, he quickly looked away and slid his fan back into his sleeve.

Before he could say something sufficiently polite and distracting, though, Luo Binghe actually stood up from his throne, to the hushed whispers of his wives and advisors.

He walked down the steps of the dias and stopped right before Shen Yuan.

"I must apologise," Luo Binghe said, and Shen Yuan jolted in surprise. "I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced. I'm sure you already know, but my name is Luo Binghe."

Before Shen Yuan could stop him, he dipped into a gallant bow.

Hastily, he mirrored him. "Shen- that is, my name is Zuo Anwen."

Luo Binghe's eyes flashed dangerously, just for a second, before he smiled amicably and reached out to take Shen Yuan's hands into his own.

"I know you must be overwhelmed. But would you do me a favour?"

Shen Yuan was aware he couldn't say anything but yes. So, he nodded.

"I want you to answer me a question," Luo Binghe continued, the smile on his face turning stranger with every second. "Please, answer honestly, tell me whatever you truly think. I promise there won't be any consequences. Your answer won't affect the marriage, you have my word."

Shen Yuan thought this sounded like a trap. Nevertheless, he took a deep breath and nodded.

Luo Binghe's eyes gained an even sharper edge and he asked: "You must have fought against many demons in your life. Do you think... are they all unforgivably evil and should be killed without prejudice?"

What kind of question was this??

Helplessly, Shen Yuan looked past Luo Binghe at his "father", who was frantically shaking his head at him.

The next second, Luo Binghe stepped to the side and obstructed his view with his body. He squeezed Shen Yuan's hand and reminded him: "Your true opinion."

Shen Yuan sighed wearily and decided that, since he didn't know what exactly Luo Binghe wanted to hear, he might as well say his honest opinion.

"Not necessarily," he started slowly. "There are good and bad humans. It stands to reason that it'd be the same for demons. Humans only ever see the hurts that demons inflict on other humans. But there might be instances where demons are just as badly hurt by humans. People are influenced by their prejudices like that, and the divide between demons and humans only gets deeper."

It was like the sun broke out on Luo Binghe's face. From one second to another, his smile turned into a wild grin, startling in its intensity, and his eyes got so wide and dark that he started to look a little bit insane.

Spooked, Shen Yuan tried to take a step back but was stopped by the tight grip Luo Binghe kept on his hand.

He pulled Shen Yuan in closer, fangs flashing as he leaned down to whisper into his ear: "Hello there. I have been looking for you."

After a long moment of silence, he slowly drew back again, although he still didn't release Shen Yuan's hand.

"Yes," Luo Binghe finally said, for everyone to hear, "I think this marriage will be very fruitful for both of us."

The end~

(Btw, you might be wondering: how is this Bingwife? Well, it's not shown but it is heavily implied that Shen Yuan is gonna turn Bingge into his loved and pampered wife through the power of kissies and headpats. There you go😌)

[renaultmograine]

i know i'm in the minority abt this but bfa was actually fun outside of the gameplay aspects everyone derides it for. the regions were new and exciting while being about people that have existed in lore for forever, it actually felt like a horde and alliance conflict rather than running around doing other shit and also bonking a few opposite faction members on the side, the war campaign story was hilarious and brought back so many minor npcs we've already seen before and fleshed them out more. 8.3 is out of place in all of it but the concept of a raid that moves locations depending on where the corruption of the raid boss is strongest is so neat. how bfa saw fit to have us return to old areas with both the war fronts and 8.3 dailies, so it actually felt like time is progressing in the world?

there were a lot of good shit in that expansion but everyone just remembers the azerite grind and the tree burning.

[thevikingwoman]

FFXIVWrite2024 - Prompt 10

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV | Words: 227

Meryta Khatin (wol) | ARR patches Rating: Gen. Just chocobo feelings

Stable

Meryta leads Lucida, her chocobo, into the stables in Mor Dhona. The yellow bird chirps, and shakes her head when Meryta untacks her. She finds some gysahl greens and feeds her, then Meryta cleans and hangs the tack.

She goes back to the stall, and rests her forehead against Lucida’s feathers. The bird gently touches her beak against her horn, making her smile. So much is happening. A Royal banquet, a new alliance with the reclusive nation of Ishgard. It’s very much over her head, but she hopes she doesn’t make a fool of herself and the Scions.

Lucida chirps and bonks her again.

“I got it, I got it.”

She finds an apple in her pouch, and a handful gysahl more. She remembers when they first were introduced in Bentbranch Meadows, what now feels so long ago. Meryta was unaccustomed to chocobo, used to the horses of the Steppe and deeply suspicious of the long legged birds. Lucida won her over, though, her demeanor sweet - as long as treats are on the horizon. Meryta checks her legs and claws. Everything looks fine.

“You be good here, while I’m in Ul’dah. We’re travelling by aetheryte.  No need to arrive dusty for the fancy banquet.”

Hopefully everything will go smoothly, and she won’t have to say much. Lucida will be fed and happy here in the meantime.

[oogalaboogalabich]

Currently working on Durgetash scene that may never be published so im gushing about it here for self encouragement and attention.

-

where Astarions watching Durge help Enver up after dude stumbles. Gortash got up so fast his blood pressure dropped and his bum knee acted up.

Dude trips and durge is ON it. Catches him n they have their lil meet-cute moment.

Astarion's fumin watching these two middle aged dudes get all wide eyed and lose 20 years between them in their smiles.

- is like Excuse me who is this Upstart Fake (and hideous. Not ruggedly hansome at all. Nope.) Noble? Durge has to have better taste than this, surely.

But then Orins lackeys show up at the corronation thing, and he has to watch as Durge's normal

"swingin two hammers to terminally bonk things while narrowly avoiding astarion half the time"

is just abandoned entirely in leu of

"artfully spinning in a haze of flying daggars and flourished cape swings while back to back with Gortash like two mufukkin dancers"

Bro bro is feelin territorial and tries to show off how HE has durge now, necking/kissing them all passionate n shit after plans and alliances are made -off in a sort of corner at the entranceway to the great hall.

And gortash sees. Of course he does. Astarion made sure it would be entirely visible. Durge is into it, he doesnt remember too many details bout enver. Just little snippets of memory. but its enough to have his feelings all churned up.

Durge Loves the extra attention from astarion and hams it up a bit to make them feel a little better about all of this. Durge may be a bit of an ass and something of an emotional sadist. So he knows astarions steamin at the ears about gortash and decides to encourage whatever rivalry ol boy tries to initiate. Dude gets a little loud with the moaning and feels them teeth grinning all smug-like under his jaw.

gortash just enjoys watching durge writhe and get loved on like that. Just like old times honestly. This is fairly similar to something pre-tad durge did a lot. Theyd pick someone they thought might stand a chance against the would-be tyrant. Theyd prance and prowl about with them in full view for a few tendays, and then turn the tables in hopes of provoking one of them into agressing the other. Gortash never once made the first move, but he always dealt the final blow. And gods Durge was insatiable after seeing the man kill for him.

The one time both parties had come to an arrangement without a fight had ended in carnage regardless. After an exceptional and lengthly dalliance in Bhaals temple, Envers 'rival' had served as a fine meal between a few of Durges favored accolytes.

No. Enver is decidedly unbothered by this display.

When Astarion looks over at Enver to gauge his reaction, dude just lifts an eyebrow, gives our vampire a little unimpressed once over and scoffs/smirks before leaving the hall.

[starrletnight]

Staaarryyyy~~ Tell the class your Pressure Copy™️ idea you were yapping about at 5am in Discord

you call ME out for being awake at 5am, why were YOU awake too? if youre who i think you are, you also responded immediately sooo,,, 😵😵😵

ANYWAY i dont wanna make this a long read but basically, who you are doesnt matter: son, daughter, wife, husband, mother, father, nothing matters. what matters is that you need money, and a russian agent is willing to pay you a hefty sum for for any junk you bring back from one of the abandoned bunkers on an isolated island.

Suprise!! the bunkers were human testing facilities in the soviet times! so, if you want the junk, your limbs intact, and most importantly, To Leave,, you gotta use your wits, maybe bonk a creature or two, and make uneasy alliances with whatever retains a human enough mind down there.

make it out? money is yours! and if youre interested, so is repeat business :] after all, you now know what to expect, and ones pockets are never lined with enough money

[cosmica-galaxy]

How would the alliance ocs react to human giving them like small smooch, thanking them for saying their ass, as they leave. But that one unit group(camera, speaker, tv) was there to watch it all, and that one speakerman plays the "careless whisper"

Camron (Starts to overheat immediately) "H-Human! Wh-What are...what--" (Crashes) DJ (GTA wasted sound effect plays as he collapsed to the ground while steam pours from his vents) Vee (Freezes in place for a unprecedented amount of time before taking notice of the units nearby and teleporting away. Nobody saw ANYTHING. Definitely not his flustered expression!) Buddy (Licks the human back full force) Pal "O-Oh! Human friend! Thank you for your affection! Let me...try to return it!" (Gentle bonk) "There!" Fiend "SCREEE--" (Jumps away as a flustered mess and thinks about it for the rest of the week)

[joys-of-everyday]

On QJL...

So we all love to hate QJL. That’s fine. I hate QJL for what he did to Jiumei >.<

But, for a brain teasers, here’s this.

Popular theory is that QJL lusted after his sister, but the actual phrasing was something like… he was spoilt, thought himself above everyone, the only person he cared about was Haitang, and didn’t want her to marry. So this sounds sus, but back in the day marriage (particularly for rich nobles) wasn’t that romantic. It’d probably be part of some deal between families, arranged by the parents. The young lady would be shipped off to wherever, expected to stay at home and produce heirs, with little to protect her from a bad husband. So it’s also plausible the QJL really cared about QHT and was paranoid about her being mistreated outside his home.

Marrying his sister to a freed slave is a wild move. It would have turned a lot of heads. The other family members must have been tripping over themselves trying to figure out what the hell he’s doing (and those same family members would probably not have blinked an eye at QJL abusing said slave).

It’s implied that QJL taught SJ to read and write on good (???) will. Like in the extras there’s this bit: ‘standing nice and upright… he actually looked quite pitiful… an odd feeling arose within him, as well as he notion that he rather liked the boy, and he pulled back the foot he’d originally planned to kick him with’, before he asks SJ to write down some letters and is impressed at how well he does it.

So what if... there was a tiny part of QJL that actually wanted this to work out. How he sees it, he pulled this kid out of a gutter, taught him how to be a decent human, then entrusted him with his beloved sister. So what if he gave him a few beatings – he was a lord, SJ was a slave. He’d never really been taught that this was Not Okay (not that he was innocent - he hid it from QHT. But like... he probably thought it was bad rather than unacceptable). And granted, he was right about one thing – Wu Yanzi was a scam artist.

Another thing to bear in mind, QJL was 16 when SJ came, 19 when his father died and he took over as family head. That doesn’t excuse anything, but that’s… kinda young.

All this in mind, here’s a (fanfic? Background?) idea:

QJL and QHT’s parents consisted of 1) a father who was the eldest in the family but the son of a concubine, who’d bonked off a brother in a succession battle to get to where he was. He was 80% an okay human being but also had really bad anger management issues, was extremely distrusting, and a terrible husband. Many characteristics diffused to his son. 2) a mother who was a young lady from an exceptionally good background, who was meant to marry the original heir, but after QJL’s father bonked him off, her family didn’t want to lose the marriage alliance, so they sent her off to him instead (Catherine of Aragon style). She hated him but was extremely prideful of her position in the household (Madam Yu style).

Both parents had heavy expectations for QJL, their eldest son. They’re both paranoid about an uncle taking over so they strictly punish anyone who shows the slightest hint of disrespect for QJL, which over time teaches the kid that everyone below him are dirt and he can get away with anything. Simultaneously, they constantly berate him for not being good enough, so he grows up full of unvented stress. (This is also where his distrust for outsiders and his extreme sister complex come from.)

He vents by going around beating servants and whipping beggars, generally being a huge a**hole. When he first comes across SJ, he acts in the same way. But then he decides he likes him and keeps him close by, giving him nice clothes and tutoring him personally. Everyone on the outside (who can’t see the full picture) thinks he’s pampering a slave (which is the story QHT also hears). And despite his slither of good will, QJL is still an a**hole and ends up abusing SJ worse than if he’d thought nothing of him.

This doesn’t make QJL a good person (or even that tragic tbh, compared to the other characters) but it does make him more believable??? Beyond just ‘scummy villain who’s scummy for no reason’. 

Also, QJL to SJ is SJ to LBH, right? Poetic parallels.

On a final note, the whole Qiu household get a lot of ‘they deserved to die’ but realistically, most of those servants had no say in what went down. They could do what? Quit their job? Then starve on the streets? Also, sure SJ didn’t kill the women, but he did just destroy their livelihoods. It’s like LBH burning down the whole of Cang Qiong after SQQ+some disciples caused him misery. We love parallels~~.  

(And speaking of parallels, imagine if the Jiang family from MDZS were the better version of the Qiu family – they even have the purple colour scheme lol)

[lensman-arms-race]

*Bonks you with Titan Speakerman Ideas* Titan Speaker is always constantly listen to music of any kind that his speaker buddies bring to him or he finds on his own when there's no fighting. He's actually incredibly shy but hasn't had to be himself since the infection and has been "masking" his normal personality but he's also a feral gremlin of a Titan and has been using that side more then he typically does. (He's going to crash and burn with this energy, which he'll become incredibly shy, but will keep fighting and trying to keep others safe) He will PURR like no one's business when he is with the Alliance, which has scared a few members because he's incredibly loud!

Thank you for the brain worms!

I wonder if he has a favourite genre of music - we know the speakers love Everybody Wants to Rule the World and they've been seen to enjoy Depeche Mode and Kate Bush. I'm hoping they will discover metal one day, or bass-heavy dance music (gabber, dubstep, etc.). I really need speakers blasting heavy metal, barking flames with Rammstein-style face-mounted flamethrowers!

'Actually shy but has to mask out of necessity' = oops, highly relatable

I like the bassy buzz noise he makes in episode 64 to get Titan Camera's attention - I headcanon that he makes a softer (but still v loud) version of that to show contentment.

[usagimen]

Here’s a quick little synopsis of Sayuri’s BG3 verse

Raised by her father Minato in Baldur’s Gate, he is a tailor that is consistently known for intricate patterns && the usage of refined silks from different spiders. A quiet, patient, kind man that keeps his daughter close but overly spoils her due to the matriarch system of drows. She is Seldarine, thus, her alliance with Lolth is considered none as she seems to have a hard time digesting the history but can explain it rather easily. Lovely green eyes instead of red, in the evenings, there is a soft lilac sheen. Her color schemes revolve around amethyst && gold within this verse to compliment her undertones along with moon-like nature. Oddly, they are Selune worshippers 

Sorcerer, Minato used any profits && earnings that he came up with toward her tutelage. More elemental based, she prefers lightning for a chaotic flare, versed in low levels of healing. Will use her staff to bonk someone, Sayuri has custom weaponry made for her but at the start of Act One, she’s seen with a wooden polearm.

The best guide in the underdark during Act Two, she can identify certain variations of fungi, for a personal quest she will ask for you to help retrieve certain specimens. All unknowing, that her stoic nature && haughty arrogance hides the more gentler parts of her. She will approve highly of acts of kindness, heroism, self sacrifice though in positions where violence begets violence; she encourages lethal means. A firm but gentle companion, who sighs each times she hears someone point out drow in daylight.

Competitive good natured chiding with Rolan, they’re both arrogant && bumping chests when speaking about their abilities. No one is sure what they are doing, Sayuri refuses to give him any satisfaction in believing he is the best spellcaster.

Her camp attire is often meant to resemble spider webs or the long legs of an arachnid, gothic romantic heroine, even her camp quarters resemble her rather eerie nature. Except for the owlbear plushie she has lovingly named Ema that Minato has patched thousands of times. She can be seen playing the lyre attracting small spiders that listen intensely to her, unknown unless one enters a platonic or romantic relationship with Sayuri is that she is a remarkable dancer who voices she enjoyed the more robust parties in Baldur’s Gate.

Her good ending is using the fungi specimens not for potions, toxins, poisons, but instead inviting those around her to the small cottage in the city she owns. Her home, a place she shares the hearth with new && old friends, where the underdark lives but radiates a brilliance, the dish is served in a piping hot mushroom stew as she beams with utmost pride.  

[lens-guy-art]

So I was thinking that the cameramen, speakermen, and tvmen (all alliance members) couldn't have the ability to kiss so instead they do hugs or do an equivalent to a forehead-to-forehead contact while holding hands

Until my brother suggested that they either bonk their heads or do the Wall-E tiny shock kiss

[personaei]

@luposcainus

There was something about the Darkmoon Faire that for all its obvious grift and tricks that Ariadne always found incredibly wonderful, because at its core it was about coming together, no matter who you were. Alliance, Horde, or otherwise -- it didn't matter. All were welcome.

Because they wanted your money.

Still, there was a comfort in that, an honesty that Ariadne could appreciate especially after scores of people using deception and trickery for significantly higher stakes. Gold was just gold, at the end of the day, and after killing a literal golem made of the stuff Ariadne couldn't be all that fussed about it anymore.

Especially not when she got to take a hammer and whack every damned gnoll she saw, knowing full well they were just stuffed animals. After all, it was somehow more cathartic than the real thing, probably because it all smelled much better.

"Take that!" Hogger had been annoying in life, and somehow still smug in stitched animal form. Besides, how many times did she get to bonk something with a giant mallet as a mage? Hardly ever, that's how often.

She just hoped those in line weren't too impatient for their turn.