#but even monks I I think have the right to take an arrow to the knee

[soath]

Obviously, DnD characters are wish fulfillment and lots of people don’t want to address the slow senescence of the vulnerable human form in their fun games. That being said, narratively, I do think that levels should probably fluctuate over the course of a lifetime. The level twenty world-saver is going not going to stay level twenty into their old age—that’s not how athletes and retirement work! Wisdom and Charisma casters maybe, but your STR/CON/DEX builds are going to soften with age. They might still be the spryest bastards in the old people tai chi group, but “terrifyingly in shape 70 year old” is not the same as “deadliest man on the planet”. Drop those old folks a few levels, give them some creaky bones and presbyopia. It’s good for them, promise.

[damian-navarro-art]

BATGIRL & ROBIN

Finally guys after all the sneak peeks… my Cassandra Cain and Mia Mizoguchi Short Story! CASS AND MAPS!

I’ve been posting it on my instagram all this month and last week on my twitter but i had totally forgotten to post it in here, for 2 months there wasn’t a day i wasn’t thinking on them and i would have loved with all my heart to do something even longer but… building up a story, thinking over and over the layouts, drawing and coloring with this level of detail all on my own is really hard and i can’t but feel guilty of taking this long for just this 7 pages, but as little that is, with all my heart i just really hope you like them :’) , I tried to put many little easter eggs and references but i will mention some at the end to not spoil your reading.

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!

Okay, so some of the esster eggs:

PAGE 1: that Adam West Batman & Robin climbing a building shot which actually came to me from Bruno Redondo’s cover of Nightwing actually , and the rest of the panels hugely inspired by Batman The Animated Series!

PAGE 2: a portrait of Niccolai Tapes( The Mas Monk) on his early years and at his side Matt Wagner himself! , then a newspaper with a Batman based on his first appearances and a reference to the events from Batman vs the Mad Monk by Matt Wagner, and then ofc all the room filled with a bunch of objects taken exactly from the same pages of Matt when he draw The Monk’s Castle on the same book. and finally the book of Dracula for the same reason ;) , all this layout was inspired by one of the most iconic pages from Pax Americana by Frank Quitely

PAGE 3: all the vampires were based physically on Voldermort’s Death Eaters! but also the girl in black is Dala! Mad Monk’s more loyal acolyte which in the book she always desired to become a vampire but never could! , but from left to right, Barty Crocuh Jr. , Dala as Bellatrix, Peter Pettigrew, The Monk was “Voldemort” , then Snape, Lucius, Narcissa and Fenrir Greyback, and that last panel was a BLADE reference 🙂‍↕️🙌

PAGE 4: this whole Cass yellow panels with speedlines were supposed to represent the same kind of panels that Damion Scott drew when Cass was moving really fast in her Batgirl run, the whole layout was based on a page of Jamal Campbell from his Green Arrow run

PAGE 5: shot referencing the killing joke joker and batgirl cover, you can see a “Red sun” mode on the bat-flashlight apart from the Ultra Violet setting, them. Maps bites the Monk as she used to do a couple times in Gotham Academy, and Cass final attack is a reference to one of the moves she does in her 2000s run to stop the heart beats of a thug , and those circles were inspired by David Aja’s work on his Iron Fist and run!

PAGE 6: the building on the background purposely resembles the Bat ears, the GCPD have the uniforms from BTAS and you can see also Detective Montoya and Jack Ryder interviewing her :), Maps little hearts are taken from Karl Kerschl who used to do them on Gotham Academy a couple times, and finally the Grapple Gun reference from all the time Maps mentioned it on Gotham Academy 🙂‍↕️,ohh and the box of the gift was also the same feom Shadow of the Batgirl when Barbara gives her suit to Cass!

PAGE 7: Frank Miller’s Batman and Carrie Kelly cover 🙂‍↕️🫶

THANK U GUYS 🫶

[dangermousie]

I was wondering if there was going to be some obstacle to their rapid soulmatism and here we are.

This drama is so well-written. Because ostensibly it's a stray arrow by an idiot during a hunt but to her it brings all her trauma from first life back - both being shot at and his saving her (she does not react to any danger the way she does to arrows and it makes so much sense.)

And then she has that desperate conversation with the mysterious book author when she asks him, despairingly, that if she's changed so many things, why is it all still going the same way and his answer is basically nobody can change the grand sweep of history.

That is her conclusion, and that's when she loses it, and that is why she spends the rest of the episode pushing puzzled Song Mo away (even if she doesn't plan to marry her idiot first life husband either.)

Side note - I love that he makes it clear no he does not enjoy torture or being superior. She just said what she said because she's upset and terrified and grieving and lashing out, but he takes everything she says to heart. Every time he's so earnest tho it makes her more terrified because she does want to protect him, she wants to protect herself, and it reminds her of how dear he is and how doomed they both are by the narrative.

It makes SO much sense - she has decided that the ultimate fate is unavoidable and she's panicking and flailing - maybe if they are apart, they won't die together, she gets to live and so does he (though she's clearly worried even that won't work) or at the very worst, she won't have to see his tragic ending.

But that is what makes this so delicious - it's not just that for once a freak out makes sense (no ridiculous misunderstanding or case of idiocy here) but that clearly they will get married partway through the drama and will have a loving marriage all that - which means that at some point she goes "there is every chance of tragic ending for us - of his losing everything, of rebellion, opprobrium and death - every chance we will die together" and then still chooses to be with him, to love him, to try to overcome the unovercomable fate or if she can't do so then live with him as long as she can. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

She goes in with eyes wide open, knowing this is likely to end badly but going "worth it." I CAAAAAAN'T!!!

(Side note - I think the salvation is that the monk may be right - she may not be able to change the grand sweep of history. But she does not need to - she just needs to change at the margins so they get to live longer and happily. I mean it's all a question of what is big picture enough to be immutable - in one sense, everyone's life ends in death - so yeah the ending is the same in the sense both her and SM are bound to die some day - but maybe she can change enough they get to die old and after a good life.)

[dyaz-stories]

WIP Wednesday — Gojo Satoru x Kagome Higurashi

Hiii everyone, I wanted to post this little snippet on here for this niche crossover pairing I've been thinking about so much recently. I have ideas for a fic for them that I really want to work on and publish eventually, but in the meantime, here is a little part that I've written. I don't know if anyone who reads me will be in both fandoms and/or be interested but if you are PLEASE come scream about it with me, you'd be so so welcome to do so! Hope you'll enjoy!

“Gojo!”

Kagome sprints down the crater left by the collision. The dust hasn’t settled yet. She cannot hear anything but the sound of her own heart over the ringing left by the explosion, and her eyes cannot pick up anything through the thick veil of dirt and ashes.

She has no way of knowing what she will find down there, no way of knowing if Gojo is alive or if she will have to finish the enemy he could not take on, alone. She already has an arrow at the ready, fingers tight around the string of her bow. Her spiritual energy, which she’s so dutifully repressed for years, is pulsating under her skin, keeping up with her swirling emotions.

He’d said he was the strongest. He’d said it, and repeated it, and everyone around him had acted like it was obvious, and she’d believed them — but she barely knew him, and he barely knew her world. He was an exorcist, and these weren’t curses. Yokai, corrupt monks, dark priestesses… He could as easily not have made it.

But when she reaches the bottom of the crater, as the dust is starting to settle, she meets piercing blue eyes.

“Not bad, huh?” Satoru Gojo asks her. He’s grinning wildly, panting, sweat running down his neck.

He’s alive.

Relief washes over Kagome instantly, and she puts down her bow, letting the spiritual energy flow back in. She feels it protest, knows it wants out, wants her to stop constricting it. She still forces it back in.

“You’re okay,” she whispers.

His grin widens even more as he walks up to her. His tongue sticks out cockily between his teeth as he speaks.

“’course I’m okay. You didn’t think I was going to let that little thing beat me, huh?”

He’s towering over her, basking in the glory of his victory. His white hair frame his face, a glowing halo. He looks like an angel. He looks like a god.

Kagome feels the relief switch to fear, one that fills her veins and makes her head buzz. Half of it is canalized into anger right away, because that’s just how she’s wired,  but she knows. Deep down, she’s terrified.

“You cannot do things like that,” she says slowly, taking the time to articulate so she doesn’t lose it. “You don’t know enough about the yokai, or the wielders of spiritual energy. You don’t know what we can do.”

“Neither do you,” he answers casually, leaning his shoulders back. “There’s nothing you can throw at me that I wouldn’t be able to take.”

The worst part is, she doesn’t even believe that that is untrue. He probably could. If he had any idea of what might be coming his way, which he clearly, emphatically, doesn’t.

“You don’t understand,” she says. “I told you before. Spiritual energy— it can dispel cursed energy. Whether it’s curses, or any spell.”

He tilts his head, studying her. His eyes are shining.

“Just like that?” he asks. His tone is mocking, and she can tell he doesn’t believe her one bit. She gets it. He’s never seen it happen. This is a world he never even knew existed, and he’s used to nothing being able to hide from him. But she has to, she needs to make him believe her.

So she reaches out. His Infinity is always a light glow around him, one that she knows others cannot see, so she knows it’s activated. She lets her fingers get in contact with it, slowly. It stretches like a glove at first, before the spiritual energy that irrigates her entire body whether she wants it or not sets to purifying it. It doesn’t pop like a bubble, though she suspects she could do that, if she chose to, just letting her index finger through, then her entire hand, then her wrist. Finally, she places her hand on Gojo’s heaving chest, all while he’s staring at her, mouth slightly agape now.

“Any spell,” she repeats.

For context:

This takes place post high school arc for Satoru but pre-Yuta. Satoru is around 24 I want to say? Maybe a little younger. I haven't decided yet if he's already a teacher at Jujutsu High but I'm leaning towards no.

Kagome is the same age, living in the modern era for reasons that will be explored later on. The well is closed. I'm leaning towards InuKag having always been platonic in this universe, but with a very very strong bond nonetheless (obviously)

[another-heroine]

Friends to lovers for Katya & Lann ❤️: 10. getting physically close during the denial phase. IMAGINE KISSING AND FREAKING OUT SAYING, "friends... kiss. right?"

friends to lovers heart fluttering moments

Another episode of IT TOOK ME FOREVER BUT THERE WE GO

CW: Act 4 Quests, Angel Path

Lann acknowledged his limitations. Not in front of Daeran, of course, but deep down in his soul, where his weaknesses should be. For example, there were a lot of words he had no idea what they mean: mellifluous, eidetic, tintinnabulation, and so on. But at least he knew what boundaries were.

Something that Nenio apparently chose to ignore every single day.

They were back to the Nexus, after the last stroll in the Abyss has taken its toll from the team. He stood further from the fire, taking care of his bow and making more arrows. It was late and many already had said they good-nights and went off sleep.

Then he listened to a familiar giggle, one he hasn't heard since Galfrey sent them to that ominous place.

"She what!?" Seelah couldn’t believe that. Her whisper was a little bit higher than she expected.

"I know, right." Ekaterina nodded. "She simply asked me to take off my clothes because, by her research, some friends do that!"

"Oh Nenio." The paladin wiped her face. "What she gonna ask next?"

"I'd rather not to think about it." The Commander grimaced.

Lann frowned. What that nutty fox was doing? He overheard she abording some of the Nexus' people early, but had no idea what was going on. She was too unpredicable. Like when she asked him to take off his clothes because she wanted to make an anatomic drawing of a mongrel.

The monk scratched his chin, nervously. He would never understand.

"Then I explained her that not every friend do those things," the druid told, like she was talking about a toddler. "Kissing and sleeping together many times are related to partners."

"Do you think she really understood?" Seelah asked and laughed afterwards, when the Commander shook her head.

Lann frowned, trying to focus on the arrows. Uplanders were curious, too. Instead of giving rats or pelts to their significant other, they used to give flowers, chocolates and wine.

And about the kissing part... Nobody among the neathlanders were familiar to that. He recalled poorly his parents' relationship, his father was not fond to show physical affection, but his mother was, always hugging them, tucking their hair and kissing their foreheads.

"Hey, how are you doing?"

Ekaterina approached, bringing him to the present.

She sat next to him, sorting the materials he was using. Lann always made a mess while was creating anything. It was good to have someone tidy around.

"Almost done," he lied. The mongrel got distracted eavesdropping her conversation about Nenio and her experiments.

"I'm not talking about the arrows, you know?"

He stopped and glanced at her. She was serene, observing him with a subtly smile.

Oh, if a look could kill, that one could lift any curses he ever had.

She has found him at the Bad Luck Tavern after their encounter with Savamelekh. He would be lying if say he remembered exactly what they talked about, but the feeling that she also cared about him lingered.

"I'm getting better." He nodded. "I... still feel ashamed for making you worry, but hopefully I'll recover from that too."

The woman hummed, "Glad to hear it."

His throat was dry. Lann muttered, "Also, if you need anything, I’m all ears."

"Oh, not at all. I... just want to make you some company." Her eyes darted to the floor. "This place is oddly cold. And empty. Even I'm feeling uncomfortable with it."

Lann took a deep breath and put his bow aside.

"I told you that I will fight for you until the end, right?"

The aasimar looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

He had no idea either. But he wanted to say something epic, breathtaking, romantic. Like those cheap novel books in Mendev.

"Well," he cleaned the throat. "Keep you safe from the cold and the emptiness are also part of my goal."

First, she looked at him up and down. Then she arched a brow. "Do you wanna sleep with me?"

Uh, oh, Nenio, there was your biggest rival. Lann felt both warm and cold blood abandoning his face.

"No! I mean, err, yes? But not like, uh..." His hands waved in the air, like he was trying to weave the time-space and come back to the moment when his mouth was pretty shut.

Ekaterina covered her mouth, muting her laughter. "Calm down, I’m joking with you. Though I don’t have any objections."

Lann looked at her in panic. Was that an invite or a joke? She leaned her forehead on his, and the mongrel couldn’t take off his attentive eyes of her. They have never been that close until that very moment.

"Friends kiss... right?" The words tripped.

"You tell me."

Lann felt her lips pressing against his, and like a magical trickery, she found her way in.

[blackjackkent]

random thought, feel free to ignore- but i wonder, considering the similarity in location, if the "selunite enclave outside the city" aylin and isobel mentioned would be hector's monastery in this worldstate?

HOLY SHIT. \o/

Hang on, I need to drop everything and roll with this idea because I love it. You just made my whole evening.

------

"Father Enric!"

The young acolyte is breathing hard as he comes to a stop inside the small chapel on the north end of Silverlight Monastery.

Enric, startled from his prayers, looks up with a raised eyebrow, then slowly, painfully shifts himself to his feet. (Age is telling on him, after all these years, despite all the training and discipline to which he has devoted his life.) "Calm yourself, Jakob," he says gently, keeping his voice deliberately calm in the face of the younger man's agitation. "Speak softly and without heat. What is it?"

In truth, he can guess. Another sally by the Absolutists - that terrible cult that has risen from the south. They have made three attacks against the monastery thus far, and the walls have held against their arrows and battering rams-- but not without damage, and not without casualty to the monks and clerics within.

The last attack was only three days ago, he thinks bleakly. We are not ready for another so soon.

But Jakob's news surprises him - it is not that at all.

"Two visitors on the road, Father Abbot, sir," the boy says. He is trying to maintain his composure but failing-- there is fear in his expression, and also a sort of perplexed excitement. "They come alone, but armed. One of them is an aasimar, father, and Brother Lloyd on the wall says that where the moonlight touched her, she glowed like a beacon!"

Enric's eyes widen. He reaches out to put a hand on Jakob's shoulder. "See that they are brought to my office at once. And wake someone in the kitchens."

-----

An hour or so later, there is a soft knock at his office door.

"Come in." He turns from where he is standing by the window, and finds himself meeting the eyes of a woman some three or four inches taller than he himself.

She puts an arm across her chest, bows respectfully. "In the name of the Lady we both serve, I greet you, Father Abbot," she says gravely.

Her eyes are so pale as to be almost white, and her skin to match, shot through with lines of gold like a piece of mended pottery. The wings at her back would likely stretch the width of the small office if she extended them, but one is furled at her back and the other wrapped around the shoulders of a smaller and rather exhausted-looking half-elf woman, who is leaned up against the aasimar's side as if huddled against a tree in a storm.

"And I you," Enric answers, inclining his head politely. "You are--" He hesitates. "I hope you will forgive the presumption, but I hope my guess is correct. Are you the Dame Aylin that once walked these lands as our lady's right hand?"

She smiles slowly. "I am. It may be told by the moonlight upon my sword and the righteous fire within my heart."

Enric allows himself the briefest flash of pride at the monastery's record-keeping; even to the armor she wears, she looks exactly as the histories describe her. But that pride is almost lost in a much greater wave of emotion that is pure awe, for Dame Aylin (those same histories say) is the daughter of Selune herself. She has not been seen in the flesh for over a century. The last records of her are in letters from Moonrise before that cursed place fell to darkness.

"You honor us with your presence at Silverlight," he says. He starts to kneel, but she shakes her head impatiently, reaches out and takes him by the arm.

"We have come to aid your fight," she says briskly. "For we have seen the darkness of the Absolute face to face, and know the struggle that has set upon you these many weeks. My darling Isobel and I shall be the sword and shield of my mother on your behalf."

The half-elf at Aylin's side -- Isobel? -- smiles wearily. "After a night's rest, I should hope," she murmurs, then adds to Enric, "We have come many leagues in a short time, that we might be of service to you."

Enric's practiced self-control is serving him well here -- but only with difficulty. The urge to simply gape in astonishment at the two new arrivals is considerable. "To stand at your side against this evil is a blessing none of us would have dreamed of," he says softly. "We would gladly accept, and offer you in return all that is ours in sustenance and shelter."

Aylin looks pleased. "A bargain it is, then," she says. Lifting one eyebrow, she studies Enric thoughtfully for a moment. "I see shades of him in you, most certainly - the shades which would have been passed by a lifetime's teaching. I am sure you are the man Hector has often spoken of. Enric of Trielta."

Enric is so startled that for a moment his self-control slips utterly. And though some of the surprise is at hearing this divine creature utter his name, more is for the source she mentions for her knowledge.

"Hector?" he asks. His eyebrows lift in sudden urgent question. "Forgive me-- do you speak of Hector Carlisle?"

Twin smiles flash onto the faces of both women at the name. "She does indeed," Isobel says.

"Hector is alive?" Even Enric himself is a little surprised at the rush of joy that goes through him at the news. "We all thought-- when the attack came upon the city, that terrible ship... we thought he must be dead. He was only in the market long enough to purchase supplies, but he never came back..."

"I can assure you," Aylin says, "Hector has not only climbed from the pit of that ship but triumphed over forces the likes of which we may all fervently hope you can never comprehend. You should be deeply proud to call him brother."

"As I am, and have been, and will be. Moonmaiden be praised... you are truly a bearer of all the best of news."

A flash of something that might be humor goes through the aasimar's eyes. "Should you expect anything else of Dame Aylin?" she says, raising one eyebrow.

"I--" He blinks, stammering uncertainly.

"My love jests," Isobel says, a little dryly. "It is hard to tell sometimes, I know."

Aylin makes a soft snorting noise but does not dispute the statement.

"But what she says of Hector is true," the half-elf goes on. "He saved us both from a deep darkness at Moonrise Towers, after a century of loss, and has gone on to the city to face down the heart of the Absolute. I will not tell you his story while he still remains to perhaps one day tell you himself... but I will say that he speaks of you, of this place, every day-- with loyalty and gratitude."

She hesitates, then adds delicately, "You may, I suspect, not quite recognize him as the man who left, when he returns again."

That is a sobering thought, and Enric has to pause to consider it for a while before answering. "If he has faced the darkness so closely as you say, it would be foolish of me to expect it," he says finally. "But I cannot express how much it gladdens me to hear that he lives. He has been greatly missed, these last months."

He gestures to the chairs in front of his desk. "Please. Sit. I will have food and drink brought, and I hope you will tell me more of what you have seen, and what still lies ahead to do."

[nightmarerodent]

Satoshi Lives AU Snippet for @running-with-the-feels

Just a little something I whipped up for @running-with-the-feels with their AU where Hanzo's son was taken by the Lin Kuei instead of being killed and it now out for revenge because he thinks his father replaced and forgot about him. Enjoy:

Satoshi watched from his hidden perch amongst the trees as the Special Forces team approached their transport, talking amongst themselves, completely unaware of his presence. Sloppy, he thought, eyeing the object of his malic as he cracked some joke that had the archer rolling his eyes and his dark skinned companion laughing and kissing his cheek. He gritted his teeth. He did not know the man’s name. He did not care to know this pretender’s name. He wore colors he had no right to wear, stood where he had no right to stand; and hurting him, killing him, would hurt his father. And really, that was all that truly mattered. Serves him right for replacing his son. For replacing him. He raised his crossbow and aimed for the back of his head. His guard was down, their leader already in the transport. An easy kill. A death befitting this embarrassment of a Chujin.

Just as he pulled the trigger to let the bolt loose, the Shirai Ryu’s stance shifted to one of alert. He grabbed his companion and brought her to the ground with him, shielding her as the bolt whizzed past them and embedded itself into the dirt. A hairline miss. Satoshi hissed. How?

“Takeda!” the Shaolin ran to his friend’s aid, drawing his bow and readying an arrow.

His target whipped around and scanned the treeline, eyes immediately locking onto Satoshi’s, “Treeline! One o’ clock high!” he called out and the archer aimed and fired.

Satoshi cursed as he leapt from his perch, the arrow just missing him. He drew his sword and charged. So a fight it was. Even with four against one the odds were still in his favor. He will kill this man. He will kill him, send his head to his father, and then kill him too. Satoshi will have his revenge! At any cost! If these fools wanted to get in the way, he'd kill them too.

He brought the sword down at an ark forcing Takeda to dodge. His lady friend landed a punch to the side of Satoshi’s head, forcing his attention onto her. He blocked another of her punches, grabbing her arm and tossing her aside with a grunt. The Shaolin was next, another arrow whizzing past him as the monk closed in. He dodged several swings of Satoshi’s blade before one got too close, grazing him on the cheek. It was enough of a distraction for Satoshi to land a solid roundhouse kick to the side of the man’s head, stunning him and bringing him to the ground. A bang rang through the air as the blond now returned from inside the transport, firing her gun at him but missing by an inch. Satoshi returned the favor by unclipping his light crossbow and single handedly firing another bolt her way, causing her to have to take cover. The other woman and Takeda were now back. She landed an elbow onto his outstretched arm, causing him to drop the crossbow entirely as Takeda, his true target, kicked him in his chest, forcing him back.

“Who are you? Why me, specifically?” Takeda demanded but Satoshi only drew his second blade as a response, ignoring the sudden itch in the back of his skull.

“Alright, so we’re doing this,” Takeda took a stance next to his girlfriend, a series of small clicks as the end of one of his metal whips hit the ground and the hidden blades sprung out.

“You got anything?” Jacqui asked, her gauntlets charging up.

“Just that he hates me,” Takeda responded, “Give me a sec.”

“I’ll try to buy you time.”

“Elsa picked a hell of a day to be out sick.”

Satoshi charged again, sparks flying as he parried the incoming whiplash with one of his blades, the other swinging out to slash the two combatants. Jacqui blocked it with one of her gauntlets and threw an energy charged punch with the other. He toughed it out, going for a kick to her stomach but his leg was caught by another’s hand reaching out and grabbing his ankle.

“Come here!” Takeda yanked him over to him and as Satoshi brought one of his swords down at an ark, Takeda’s other grabbed him by the wrist and stopped him.

Satoshi tried to bring his other sword down upon Takeda but he released his ankle and caught his other wrist too. The two were in a deadlock, Satoshi trying to strike his target and Takeda trying to keep him in place. The itch in the back of his skull was a dull pain now, spreading through his brain. 

Their eyes locked once more. Burning hatred met sheer determination. Satoshi recalled the few times he had spied on the Shirai Ryu compound during the early stages of his investigation. He had watched this man train with the other Chujin, watched as the grandmaster came out to observe, the realization of who he was, him putting a hand on this kid’s shoulder, calling him Son. Looking at him now, being in this deadlock; it only pissed him off more. Something flashed across his opponent’s eyes. Confusion? Pity? Then he uttered the one thing that could really set Satoshi off.

“Otou-San?”

Satoshi headbutted him, causing Takeda to reel back. The dark skinned woman made to grab him, the blond was rushing him too. Before they could, Satoshi dropped a smoke bomb, filling the air and their lungs with soot.

When the coughing fits ceased and the air finally cleared their assailant was no longer there, leaving the team bruised and very confused. Cassie helped Kung Jin off the ground and checked him over. The cut on his cheek was superficial but the kick he took to the head did leave him with a concussion. Takeda eyed the crossbow that was left behind, noting the dragonfly engraved in its handle. He caught a glimpse of the white hot hatred this unknown assassin had for him and his master but its origin still eluded him. Once they got back to base he was heading for the Shirai Ryu. Master Hanzo needed to know of this new threat and the grudge that they apparently had against them.

Meanwhile Satoshi ran as fast as he could from the scene, angry tears blurred his vision. Seeing it from afar was one thing, but having it confirmed right to his face was another. He did not know how the kid was able to read into his mind like that and he did not care, his instinct was to call his father dad. His father replaced him, and this Takeda person was more than happy to stand where he once stood. He didn’t even bother to look for him, just fill the role with the next child that came along. He’ll pay. They both will. He will kill Takeda, bring his body before his father, and kill him too. It’s what he deserves for abandoning and replacing his real son.

[journeytothewestresearch]

How to Turn Sun Wukong into a Woman

No, this post has nothing to do with the 72 changes. It is a byproduct of my recent "How to Kill Sun Wukong" article. It details a ritual (from another famous vernacular novel) that secretly steals an immortal's spirit, tethers it to a straw effigy, and then kills the target by shooting it with arrows. In that article, I introduced a story idea where Zhu Bajie and/or Sha Wujing could race to stop the ritual. But what if they failed and the Monkey King was killed?

The rite only terminates the immortal's physical body. It doesn't destroy the spirit. And since Wukong hasn't yet achieved Buddha-Nature, meaning he is still subject to the wheel of rebirth, his spirit would report to the underworld for processing. He could definitely be transferred to a new reincarnation; however, considering the journey would still be ongoing and the Tang Monk is always in trouble, heaven might rush to find our hero a new body. This actually happens to a minor character in the 1592 JTTW.

The ledgers of hell show that the deceased wife of a Tang official was fated to live a long life (i.e. she wasn't supposed to be dead). Therefore, the underworld bureaucracy takes the timely passing of the Tang Emperor's sister as an opportunity to force the soul of the official's wife into the princess' body. The best part is that she still retains her memories from her past life (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, pp. 268-269)!

Heaven might find the only suitable body that can contain Monkey's soul is a recently deceased demoness (fox, yaksha, tree, etc.). [1] I imagine this would result in Sun Wukong being weaker, not because she's now a woman, but because few beings can match Monkey's original physical and magical might. This would naturally lead to her coming to terms with a loss of power. She could still be a very strong fighter, just not as strong as her past life. This might cause her to use more cunning when dealing with especially powerful evils encountered along the journey.

What do you think?

Image found here. By @elysiel.

Note:

1) I even considered Princess Iron Fan as the receptacle. However, she is said to having a positive fate in the novel: "In the end she, too, attained the right fruit [i.e. Buddhist merit] and a lasting reputation in the sutras” (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 3, p. 163). I think choosing her would muddy our Lady's accomplishments.

Source:

Wu, C., & Yu, A. C. (2012). The Journey to the West (Vols. 1-4) (Rev. ed.). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.

[all-pacas]

honor run!!!

I'm level 4, planning on multiclassing people soon. Gonna make Lae'zel a Fighter/Paladin, maybe Wyll a Bardlock, Astarion gloomstalker assassin. Might also take a level or two of monk for Durge, we'll see.

I just cleared the goblin camp. Almost TPK'd ooooof. When I was fighting Minthara, ALL the goblins got aggro'd. I actually took her out no problem, but the Swarm overwhelmed me. Lae'zel kept going down, then Durge, Gale held on surprisingly long, but it got to the point where I just had Astarion make a break for it. Revived everyone, grabbed Halsin, freed the spiders, attempt 2 went much better.

Then the goddamn Bullette almost killed me in the underdark. Literally everyone was dead but Durge, I didn't have a bonus action to jump to safety, THANKFULLY the bullette decided to burrow right then or that would have been it. Honestly, the battles aren't too bad, it's the lack of save scumming out of bad scenarios that's Getting Me.

I know the dueger slaver fight is hard, even WITH mushroom dude helping, so I'm trying to take out little guys and get up to 5 before I try it. Not even going NEAR Ethel until then, either.

Karlach has hit on me, and I picked the "friends" option when Gale gave me a magic class. Astarion really likes me, but hasn't propositioned me yet. Weirdly, neither has Lae'zel. Why isn't everyone hitting on me???

I'm getting the hang of spore druid and it's actually pretty fun! I'm basically playing them like a ranger, lmao. Got a bow, throw down Spike Growth, hit them with Spore Arrows. Tempted to take a level or two of monk to give me a little more melee power, but ranger would also work. Both go well with my dex/wis build. I've never used wildshape in combat, which is a lot of fun? And seriously. Spike Growth has saved my ass so many times.

When I was fighting Mother Gut in her room, she called for backup and oops! Can't save scum! AND Roah and her buddies got in on it too. So I basically just Spike Growth'd the door and got out of the way. Half the goblins killed themselves trying to get to me, I was able to pick off the rest. It took forever, but aside from Roah CHEATING and using LIGHTNING BOLT to almost kill Karlach, I had no KO's. Why have I been sleeping on Spike Growth?? I use Hunger of Hadar or Wall of Fire, but I think I was overlooking how fast Spike's damage builds? I was like ohhh 2d4 that's nothing, I didn't quite realize it was WHENEVER THEY MOVE.

[lesbianspeedy]

Sorry if this is a bad question or more likely just hopeless. I’ve been trying to find a good Connor Hawke comic to read (first found out about him in Damian’s Robin solo and he and Rose were the only two things I liked besides the Robin chase but I’m a bat brat) and I’ve only read the Silver Monkey story and as I’m not a fan of Oliver Green at all (my exposure to him has in no way been positive) and I HATE Dixon and I know he’s the main writer for Connor, but I had to drop the Tim solo because of his obvious, I guess bigotry would be the right word to use here, but he is one of the three writers I refuse to let myself read anymore to try and keep my blood pressure low. Are there any Connor stories or series that exist outside of those parameters to read because I’m having 0 luck. I’m also not sure if you’re a fan of Mia or Emilio or have any go-to stories for them, but I know nothing about them and I’d like to change that if at all possible.

i understand, i do i do. while i think dixon is capable of good character writing, and he did manage to do it in connor's run, i also understand his very very obvious politics shine through all the time and it gets tiresome (at one point in his ga run he manages to write OLIVER QUEEN "both sides"ing literal nazis that he and hal fought in GL/GA). here's the best i can do for recs outside of dixon (though few and far between)

Before i start, i do wanna clarify that his character in robin is. well. pretty different from his actual pre-established character. I'm not saying you won't like him, and im genuinely begging you to give him a shot, but if youre looking for the snarky brawler type, you might be a lil thrown by the polite buddhist monk you're gonna get.

you are in luck, as his first few appearances were by kelley puckett, so if you havent already read GA vol. 2 #0, do that first! #91 and #92 are also by puckett until dixon takes over for #93, so read those if you dont mind just stopping in the middle of an arc, otherwise avoid.

now this next rec IS 1/3 written by dixon but if you can get through it, the crossover connor has with wally and kyle is enjoyable, thats Green Lantern Vol. 3 #96, GA Vol. 2 #130, and The Flash Vol. 2 #135

Connor's JLA run! JLA Vol. 1 #8-#15, #8 and #9 are specifically about connor saving and joining the league, the rest of the issues just feature him in a team setting, as, well, its the league.

if you want to read mia as well, read Green Arrow: Quiver (GA Vol. 3 #1-#10), Connor plays an important role but its almost entirely in the very last issue, and it's more about Ollie's role dynamic with him than anything else, so just read that if it tickles your fancy.

I wish i could recommend more of GA Vol. 3 for connor, unfortunately he's pretty fucking sidelined, and for every good moment theres 2 bad ones. (immediately after quiver he is shot and put in a coma for an arc, somehow this isnt the last time this happens.) Though i do recommend #11, and i think #21 is a good issue to read for ollie and him, but it also includes a pretty huge retcon to Connor and Ollie's past

Other than those, he has One-shots in Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: "One", DC Pride 2022: "Think Of Me", and DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration: "Hawke & Kong"

to answer your second question, my URL aint lesbianspeedy for nothin! Mia is what i breathe and bleed, my recs for her are here!

as for Emi, your best bets are Green Arrow Vol. 5 #18-#20, #22, #28-#34 for her origin (though read N52 green arrow at your own risk, even i havent properly read these), Green Arrow Vol. 6 #1-#7 (this may feel like a completely new character, i'm sorry, dc has a angsty characterisation problem, if you enjoy either of these characterisations, i'd recommend you keep reading said runs past my specific recs for more issues with her!) and Stargirl Spring Break Special + Stargirl: The Lost Children #1-#6

[candont]

Not what you asked @olloollo but here's the martial arts and adjacent films that live rent free in my head

I'll watch anything by Sammo Hung. Always entertaining but mostly because I love Wheels on Meals. Not the least because, as I've written before, it has a scene on (ON!!!!!!) Sagrada Familia.

Similarly anything by or with Stephen Chow.

I keep meaning to watch more films by Xu Haofeng. And I really wish someone might translate some of his books into english. I was so obsessed with The Final Master (sometimes just The Master) I wound up via tenuous IG connections tracking down the owner of a record label in China to get a copy of the soundtrack. So that's a must but maybe even more so is Judge Archer which is the last movie I actually bought a physical copy of. It conspicoulsy references and plays with Spaghetti Western man with no name tropes. Also the "close-up" duels/challenges between masters are unlike anything I've seen elsewhere.

As for unlike anything, let's spare a moment for Six-String Samurai one part samurai flick of course, one part Road Warrior, one part Wizard of Oz, one part The Stand and it's a comedy. Its star and co-writer Jeffrey Falcon is a bit of a mystery and occasional internet rabbit hole of mine: apparently chucking the movie business and maybe possibly now married in China, or a maybe a monk in a buddhist monastery or maybe working security at LAX. He's also supposed to have some good fight scenes against fellow anglo in Hong Kong actioners Cynthia Rothrock which I do keep meaning to check out.

Another mystery is Man of Tai Chi which may not break any new ground but has some decent fight scenes. But did you know Keanu Reaves directed this movie?!?! Did you know he casts himself as and plays the oddly affectless anglo baddie typical in a Chinese martial arts flick? Not sure why I don't see this mentioned more.

More traditionally Five Deadly Venoms. Of course, right! But also from around the same time Black Lizard which brings a more ghostly vibe to the action. Which is a perfect jumping off point to a double feature of Legend of The Mountain and A Chinese Ghost Story two radically different takes on similar material straight out of Strange Tales From A Chinese Studio.

And how about a wuxia flick with almost no fighting? Aren't there all sort of tales of masters staring at each other wordlessly as they stage their fight in their heads and then they just walk away? Or maybe something closer to if you haven't bested your opponent in three moves you have essentially lost? Regardless Hsiao-Hsien Hou's The Assassin based on a 17th century story/legend is a revelation I long to see on the big screen.

Honorable mentions to War of The Arrows: the drama portions are a bit slow but the chase that takes up the last hour maybe hour and a half of the movie is for me some of the best action as story outside of Fury Road. And Sword of Doom: holy shit is that a movie that messes with your expectations in the best possible way. I saw it leave a whole sold out theater slack jawed and thrilled to be so and have not stopped thinking about it since.

[ga-yuu]

[Don't Reveal Your Heart ~ What If I Was Man Story Event] Yoshitsune Summary

So our beloved Yoshino-chan is dressed as a man now.....because she has her own reasons. She's still a pharmacist though. One day, she finds herself on a battlefield and sees Yoshitsune. Seeing him fight so bravely, mesmerized her, and she couldn't take her eyes off him. But suddenly she sees the enemy aiming his bow at Yoshitsune from behind. She immediately shouts at him to watch out and Yoshitsune, thanks to her, avoided the arrow.

Yoshino then comes back to her senses and was about to run away, but another enemy comes to attack her with his sword. Thankfully, Yoshitsune rushed toward them and killed the enemy instantly. Yoshitsune then makes sure Yoshino was okay, and Yoshino who was about to nod realizes that the enemy's sword might have ripped the upper part of her kimono slightly, revealing her cleavage. She holds the ripped part tightly to make sure it doesn't fall off. Yoshitsune insisted that he wants to make sure 'he' is okay and asked 'him' to show his injury.

Of course, Yoshino instantly rejects that idea, and Yoshitsune also didn't push any further despite looking confused. He then notices her medicine box and asks if it belongs to 'him'. Yoshino nods and said it belonged to her dad and now she owns it. Then Yoshino remembers a small memory of her past, where she and her father went to a certain monk temple when she was a little girl. While her father was praying, she was out playing in the flower field and met an injured little boy. The boy looked about the same age as her and she ran towards him to make sure he was okay. She then called her father and her father treated the little boy.

Yoshino comes back to reality and noticed that Yoshitsune's face resembles that of the little boy she met at that flower field. Yoshitsune was also staring at her, a little confused, and whispered to himself---

Yoshitsune: "So you're his son, huh."

After that as a thank you for saving his life, Yoshitsune offers to take him to Hiraizumi. Yoshino grabbed this opportunity because she might have a chance to open her own pharmacy. Yoshino says yes.

Two months later, Yoshino is still working for the Rebel army and managed to hide her real gender without any problems. She also bonded with every soldiers and they also loved her. Sometimes, she get's dragged by the soldiers to work out with them or help them with heavy-lifting job. Of course Yoshino didn't want to say no because they might grow suspicious. At the end of the day, Yoshino was completely covered in sweat and her entire body was sore. Benkei and Yoichi also comes to cheer her up. Benkei slaps her back as way of encouraging her but the slap was a little to hard for a delicate woman like her. On top of that, she was even more scared that her sarashi might come off. Yoichi also insisted in taking baths with them and he would personally wash Yoshino's back. Of course Yoshino IMMEDIATELY rejected the offer and ran to her room saying she going to change her clothes.

In her room, Yoshino removed the upper part of her kimono and the sarashi to wipe her sweat. Suddenly she hears, Yoshitsune calling out to her, outside her room. In a moment of panic, she grabbed whatever sheets were there in front of her to cover her breasts. Before she can ask him to wait outside, Yoshitsune was already inside her room. Yoshitsune was completely expressionless (as usual) and stared at her. Yoshino was tightly gripping the sheets and only her shoulders and arms were exposed. Yoshitsune realized that 'he' was changing and told 'him' to change, while he waits. Yoshitsune sits down and watches 'him'. Yoshino, of course, was panicking even more, because she couldn't change right in front of Yoshitsune and she also couldn't tell him to leave because it will feel rude and also suspicious. While Yoshino was thinking about what to do, Yoshitsune comes closer and holds 'his' shoulder. With an expressionless face, he tells him that he looks more like a woman. Of course, Yoshino was shocked. Yoshitsune goes on to tell him that his shoulders and arms feel soft and delicate. Yoshino feels embarrassed because she started feeling conscious about Yoshitsune. She tells him that she's made fun of because she looks like a girl and that's why she doesn't like to change in front of people. Yoshitsune apologizes on behalf of his soldiers for making him do all the heavy-lifting jobs. He still kept touching and rubbing her arms because they were soft. Yoshino felt even more embarrassed and guilty for hiding her real gender. Seeing her face completely red, Yoshitsune stops and looks away. He then asks her why 'he' wanted to become a pharmacist and Yoshino reveals her backstory.

Once there was this guy, who was her senior, a brother-like figure to her, and also a talented pharmacist. He was supposed to be the successor to her father. But then a tragedy happened and he died in a war. Her father also soon died from the shock or something because he now didn't have any successors. Yoshino couldn't be her father's successor because she is a female. After hearing this Yoshitsune also remembered that he too has a brother. He then gets up to leave but before leaving he asks if she sees anyone else other than the guy in her past as her brother and she says no.

Yoshitsune then leaves without saying another word. After he left, Yoshitsune was blushing hard as he walked through the hallway. Sueharu who was walking from the other side, saw him and asked if he was okay or not. Yoshitsune looked surprised and asked him if he was actually blushing. Sueharu thought Yoshitsune has a fever or something and advised him to get checked by Yoshino. After Sueharu leaves, Yoshitsune started thinking. Soon this dumbass airhead finally realized he is in love with Yoshino.

Premium End:

Yoshino was as usual doing her job but her mind was entirely filled with Yoshitsune. She realized she was in love with him after spending all these days with him and also tasting his kindness. She also started feeling guilty about not revealing her true gender to Yoshitsune and all his friends and misleading them.

Then she sees, Yoshitsune chatting with one of his soldiers. Their eyes suddenly meet and Yoshitsune stared at her lovingly. Yoshino instantly started feeling pain in her chest because she couldn't stand to look at Yoshitsune's loving gaze because of all the guilt. When she was about to walk towards him, she started feeling dizzy and fell to the ground.

She hears, Yoshitsune calling her name. Yoshitsune rushed towards her and held her body. Yoshino was in a daze and her vision was blurry. She could faintly hear Yoshitsune talking to her but it wasn't clear. Yoshitsune on the other hand, was calling Yoshino's name over and over again. He assumes that it's a heatstroke, and he tells her that he is going to remove his kimono to get some air. When he saw the sarashi covering his chest part, he felt confused. When he slowly removed it and saw her cleavage. Yoshitsune finally realized that Yoshino is a man with boobs.

When the soldiers came running towards them, worried, Yoshitsune immediately covers Yoshino and lifts her up. The worried soldiers asked if Yoshino was okay and offered to carry Yoshino to 'his' room. Of course, Yoshitsune immediately orders NO ONE to touch her or come close to her room.

Yoshino wakes up to see that she is inside her room. When she gets up, she realized that she wasn't wearing her sarashi anymore. She understood that Yoshitsune knows about her real identity. She felt even more guilty and couldn't face Yoshitsune anymore. She writes a letter apologizing to everyone and tells them that she is leaving.

After she leaves, Yoshitsune comes to her room with a tub filled with water and a towel. When he realized that Yoshino is not there, he panicked. He saw her letter and immediately rushed outside to catch up to her.

In a flower field, Yoshino was crouching down and crying. She hears Yoshitsune calling out to her. When she looks back, Yoshitsune was running towards her. She immediately gets up to run away, but then she hears a painful cry. She turns back and sees Yoshitsune, this time crouching down, holding his hand painfully. She rushes towards him to see if he I alright. But Yoshitsune simply smiles and looks at her.

Yoshitsune: "You're that little girl."

Yoshino was surprised to find out that Yoshitsune too remembered the memory from their childhood. Yoshino immediately apologized for not telling him but Yoshitsune shakes his head, telling her that he understands her situation. He confesses his love and both of them kiss. Yoshitsune smiles and plays with the tips of her short hair.

Yoshitsune: "You had long beautiful hair."

Yoshino: "Do you like it when I have long hair?"

Yoshitsune: "No matter how you look or what gender you are, I will always love you."

He proceeds to kiss her again and tells her that he wants to........leave 'marks' on her.

[hanmajoerin]

Things to Keep Summary: There were others who loved and needed Kagome even though InuYasha was meant to be with her. He knew this, but gods, the cost of it. A one-shot that was edited and polished to shine just for its 2nd Anniversary.

A/N: Two years ago today, I thanked a close friend for inspiring me with a dream she had because every day InuYasha spent without Kagome must've felt like an unending dream. A few months ago, I polished up "Things to Keep" and submitted it for a Rumic Fanzine project. Unfortunately it was rejected since I'd already published a previous version, but I still wanted to give this piece back to you because I'd fallen in love with my edits. And more than that, I knew you guys loved the original enough to nominate it for the 2021 2nd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards and you believed in it enough for the story to win third place in the best one shot category. Thank your support back then (and now, too!), and I hope you enjoy reading this special version, taking note of all the little changes.

-X-

Things to Keep (Anniversary Version)

InuYasha lounged under the shade of one of many trees lining the river near Kaede’s village. Miroku washed his family’s night robes with Gyokuto strapped to his back while Sango burped Kin’u. It’d been over a year since the well sealed. InuYasha still thought about the surprised look on Kagome’s face when he was pulled down the well, but he preferred to remember her safe in her mother’s arms. It was difficult to do. 

Kin’u burped and, within seconds, Sango had the newborn secured to her back. She knelt next to Miroku, telling him she’d take over as if she never stopped. InuYasha’s ear flicked. Despite catching their conversations more often, Sango’s tone was gentler than the half-demon was used to hearing. Miroku switched roles effortlessly, choosing to trade Sango’s clean pieces of laundry for dirty ones. 

And this was how they all lived now: resting by the greenery and exchanging cloth instead of sutras, oversized boomerangs, arrows, and swords. InuYasha wondered if Kagome’s days were boring like his; she always seemed frantic when he came to pick her up. Maybe she didn’t have time to think about them anymore. It would be easier for her that way.

Miroku shifted, putting InuYasha in Gyokuto’s line of vision. The newborn extended her arm out to him, and he was fascinated by the way her fingers flexed. The spaces between them were bigger than last month, putting him in a rotten mood. He hated seeing more of the world through those tiny fingers; it just meant the days Kagome spent here were getting smaller than the time they spent apart—if those types of things could even be compared. InuYasha had never really been around human babies before, so how was he supposed to know whether or not the emptiness Kagome left was even similar to babies growing up? The half-demon sharply turned away to offer Kin’u a passing glance instead. It’d be easier to watch that icicle of drool fall onto Sango’s back. 

The spring sun warmed everything in its path, something that only InuYasha’s legs understood while he lounged. 

Now Kin’u was gurgling, gnawing on her fist. 

Miroku once told him how remarkable it was that he always knew which twin was which, but the monk must’ve forgotten about InuYasha’s nose. The girls looked the same, but their scents were unique. It was kind of like Kikyo and Kagome’s: similar but only on the first sniff.

The afternoons were getting longer again. 

The sun’s reflection on the river’s surface shone like a beam now, hitting InuYasha right in the eyes. He blinked a few times, scowling. Damn thing made it nearly impossible to get a good look at that fibrous white towel, the one with the unmistakable blue polka dots that Sango was taking from Miroku. 

As if possessed by a demon, InuYasha was there. Standing by the river, standing before Sango. ....

Want to read the rest?

"Things to Keep (Anniversary Version)" II AO3 II II Fanfiction.net II

"Things to Keep" (OG) II AO3 II II Fanfiction.net II

[mewtagen-mau]

Entry 5

We investigated the glassworks.

Things…didn’t go the way we expected them to. Not at all.

Lonjiku was innocent. He was an ass, but he was innocent. Now he’s dead. We didn’t put two and two together in time.

There was another Kaijitsu behind the goblin attacks all along.

Let me start from the beginning. This morning. When we went downstairs, Bethana was in a tizzy. No one had lit the stoves or started making breakfast. Ameiko always got up first thing and did that. So Bethana had gone looking around to make sure she was okay. Ameiko was nowhere to be found, but she found a note. Addressed to Ameiko, from her brother Tsuto.

We’d heard a little about Tsudo in passing. He’s a half-elf, Ameiko’s older half-brother, and a bastard child seeing as Ameiko’s parents are both very much human. It was his birth that caused Lonjiku to declare Ameiko’s mother dead to him—although he apparently remained married to her and had a daughter with her, so what exactly that meant is unclear.

Tsudo had apparently been sent away to some school, never visited by any family except for Ameiko for most of his life. Until they, too, had a falling out. Then at their mother’s funeral he’d accused his father of killing his mother, and when Lonjitsu struck him, the boy left Sandpoint.

Apparently now he’s returned.

The letter said what we’d expected: that Tsuto had discovered that their father was connected to the attacks on the town, but he believed if they went to the authorities he would get himself off easy. So he wanted Ameiko to meet him at the glassworks at midnight, do a secret knock so he’d know it was her, and then they’d handle things together.

Seeing as Ameiko hadn’t returned, it seemed something had gone horribly wrong.

We decided to check the Glassworks first, as it was the closest between it and the Kaijistu estate.

Before we left, Nanel pulled us aside, saying he had something important to discuss before we left. He showed us the boxspring of his bed in the inn, upon which a name was carved—over and over. He told us he had a deity of sorts, which granted him his power. And this being had granted him a new form to take in combat. But to his understanding, taking this form would affect his mind somewhat—he said he might say some strange things.

I shrugged it off at the time. I don’t think I took it as seriously as perhaps I should have.

Having an ally not in their right mind in battle is dangerous.

Anyways. When we arrived to the Glassworks, the curtains were all drawn shut. The doors were all locked. There was smoke coming from the smokestack, but it smelled…off. I couldn’t put my finger on it at the time.

Krysa solved the problem of the door being locked, clever little rat they are. They picked the lock and we all slipped inside.

We heard sounds coming from a door to our left. Suspiciously goblin-y sounds. We burst in, and found a number of goblins playing with broken glass—and throwing human remains into the glassworks fires.

That’s what the smell had been. Burning flesh and hair.

And by one of the windows, their masterpiece—Lonjitsu Kaijitsu, propped up in a chair, encased in glass. Quite likely burned alive in hot liquid glass. Even for a man like that…what a horrific fate.

There was no time to linger on it, however, as we has a swarm of goblins to contend with. Our little gang worked together well, clearing out the first few goblins who were nearest us. It seemed like it would be another easy fight.

Then he showed up.

A half-elf with a bow and a passing resemblance to Ameiko. He spoke in goblin to the little bastards, giving them tactical commands so they wouldn’t just throw themselves at us blindly like the others.

Krysa was the first to realize that shooting him would be a bad idea—his stance indicated monk training, and likely the speed and practice to deflect projectiles. That meant my bombs were out of the question, too.

Getting to him to engage in close combat was easier said than done, though. He was shooting arrows at us, and there were still his remaining goblins to contend with. And even when we did finally engage him, he was incredibly fast. And he knew right where to hit you to make it hurt. Right where it would do the most damage.

When I engaged him, he stepped around me like liquid fire, until suddenly one of his goblin cronies was at my back and he was flying at me with precise punches that snapped bone and tore muscle.

At about the same time, whatever that plant form is that Nanel took shot thorns out everywhere—missing Tsuto, but empaling me. I snapped something at him that he brushed off, but I could only really hear the sound of my own heart pounding.

I could taste blood. Smell blood. Everything was tinged in red, like I was drowning in it. I could barely keep my balance—and I felt as though I was standing at the precipice of a black hole. If I fell in there would be no coming back.

Then all at once the pounding in my ears eased. The red in my vision faded. I could breath freely again. Tabot was at my side now, and had used his utterly impossible paladin abilities to stitch my wounds back together. If I couldn’t still taste the metallic tang in my mouth I’d think I’d only been imagining nearly dying a moment before—he’d healed me as effectively as any potion, if not more-so.

I hesitate to call it miraculous, but what else can you call a man pulling someone from the bring of death in the name of a god who is also, by all accounts, dead?

Tsuto saw the way the wind was blowing, as his last goblin flunkies fell, leaving him alone and outnumbered. He darted around my blade and out the nearest door. I ran after him, just close enough behind to see him disappear down a stairwell. The others were in hot pursuit.

As I made it to the bottom of the stairs, I saw Tsuto trying to bring down a door at the end of the hall. He stopped and turned when he heard us. He stood his ground, ready to fight round two—there would be no surrender from him.

Tabot ran in and got a swing at him. Blood coated the ground. Krysa tried to get a shot at him to make an opening for me, but it went wide and he didn’t let his guard down. So instead of wasting a bomb, I darted around Tabot and skewered the man with my blade.

In his last moments he laughed at me. He said I’d made someone very upset, and that’s why I had a target on my back. Then he told me ‘she’s going to burn you, and then eat you alive’.

Then he slumped, his final breath used in cryptic threats.

I don’t understand. I still don’t. Who could I have possibly made so angry?

I think I know who this ‘her’ is though. Tsuto had sketches on his person, and writings. About an aasimar who wanted to burn away her divinity. The pictures depicted this aasimar with some kind of twisted demonic appendage, and spoke of her undergoing some kind of ritual to be reborn in a fiendish form. Tsuto seemed to have hopes that she would become something akin to a succubus—deceptive beauty masking the monster within—as he found her current demonic arm repulsive compared to her original angelic beauty.

I’d never met her—the fire happened before I’d come to town—but I’d heard enough to put her name to the face and the scraps of information in the journal. I think it is Nualia.

[allronix]

I rant a lot about the Corps on my fandom metas because of how it plays into KOTOR lore as a "simmering in the background" element. Telos was the dumpsite for the Jedi's unwanted kids (and a fallback plan for the Order if they lost their other bases), which is why it got targeted by Revan.

@masteroftime231 makes a point I very much agree with. Okay, take how the Force is supposed to be; all about life, growth, connection, caretaking, sustainability. All that happy, spiritual stuff.

Something that I found telling - not in a good way - was how the "warrior" Jedi are lionized. They were the only ones who had leadership positions, representation when it came to the Order's direction and say in how things were run. Even in times of peace, they are operating as a highly militarized police force that cosplay as monks. The very symbol of their organization is a weapon that can only maim or kill (at least in the movies).

Meanwhile, the ones who were growing crops to relieve famines, terraforming blighted worlds, exploring new hyperspace routes and making first contact with new civilizations, running schools and orphanages for underprivileged children, and even the HEALERS were openly looked down on. They were called "washouts," "failures," "low potential," "weak," and so forth. These life-affirming positions were a place where the Jedi sent their unwanted. There was some "on paper" talk about how their contributions were valued. but they certainly were never TREATED like they were valued! Just see the notes Dooku and Anakin leave on this page! Obi Wan is only sympathetic because HE was one of those "failures" at one point, and Qui-Gon essentially plucked him out of the compost heap with a "You'll do" when Qui-Gon's chosen Padawan decided the Dark Side was a better deal.

@tragicfantasy-girl - I'm thinking of that line: “I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” Well, the Corps is all the stuff that's being defended, but where's the love for them? Seems the Jedi love the sharpness of the sword far more.

Kill people to the exclusion of all other things, and you can get a Council seat or even become Grandmaster. Heal people, heal worlds, give a safe place for children, and some punk ass Padawan will outrank you and look down their nose like some Karen to the barista. No career advancement, no chance of being represented in the Order's leadership, or having a say in the future of the organization. It certainly tells me where the Jedi Order's priorities and mission really seem to be - killing Sith or acting as law enforcement for the Republic ruling class (who gives them material support to kill Sith)

Quite by accident, they kinda prove the Sith right with the whole "Peace is a Lie." The Jedi simply do not value peace or peaceful application of the Force with their actions, even though they give it lip service. The Sith simply don't bother with the lip service. The Force becomes just another resource to jealously guard and control. "My Side" has to have complete control and dominance over this resource, and cradle to grave ownership of all who can access it, enforced by swordpoint.

Oh, and to the Jedi apologists - THIS is your so called "loving adoption." If you can't kill, then you aren't wanted. Here's a dead end, low status job doing grunt work on some planet where we never have to deal with you. Go away.

Add some of the snarkier speculation about the sexist fallout a "Sex allowed, attachment not" policy would be and where the inevitable bastards might be sent, as well as female/carrying Jedi who *gasp* get pregnant, which would sadly explain why the Jedi management looks like such a sausage fest. Or the uglier implications of maybe the Telosian agricorps of the KOTOR era were not subject to the nonattachment policies, since they needed to build a functioning colony...which is great, until you realize that Sensitivity runs in families, meaning grain and produce were probably NOT the primary crops of Telos...

And yeah, any KOTOR fanfic writer wanting to go there, this definitely would explain a few things about the TSF's policy for the Exile and also explain a couple things about the Onasi boys, like why Dustil was in a Sith academy, despite what the Sith did to the planet. I also used it to explain why Mical was able to get the "completely trusted" honor with Carth - crunch the timelines, and Mical would have been heading to Telos to be dumped at about the same time Saul's ship was leaving.

(this is from star wars: the jedi path, published in 2013)

for those of you who may not know: not every jedi ended up becoming a jedi knight. there were four "civilian" divisions of the service corps that would absorb any initiates who failed to become padawans. this allowed them to remain jedi, to maintain their relationship with the force, and to use their abilities for the betterment of the galaxy.

the service corps consist of agricultural, medical, educational, and exploration divisions. the agricultural division used the force to help planets improve agriculture to avoid famine. the medical corps worked in the halls of healing on coruscant to heal jedi and non-jedi alike. the educational corps employed teachers, scholars, and archivists. and the exploration corps conducted archeological research throughout the galaxy.

anyways, that's what this page & the commentary written on it is referring to. there's... so many things to unpack here!

dooku's elitism. he wants to completely kick these poor pre-teens out of the order (their family) for not being special enough in his eyes, and he has zero appreciation or recognition for the work the service corps does

obi-wan's empathy, but also his genuine respect for others who are seen as less "powerful" or "important" and his appreciation for the roles that every jedi played in bettering the galaxy, no matter how small

anakin's blatant fascism (it was not in fact just a gimmick) and his refusal to value those he views as less "talented" (true "fuck them kids" energy)

[senstless]

Splinterlands BATTLE MAGE SECRETS Featuring Little League in Bronze 1

Featuring Bronze League Summoner and Monsters in Action!

This week's battle mage secrets challenge was to highlight it battle that featured the Little League game ruleset. This means only monsters and summoners that cost 4 mana or less can be used, and this can make things more difficult as most of these monsters will have low health, and do low damage. Becomes hard to balance attack versus longevity. Let's take a look at this bronze battle that I used for utilizing my bronze leak level account. I'm still working my way up the silver for this season and I'll see if I can get there.

CHALLENGE RULES

RULESET: LITTLE LEAGUE

Description: Only monsters and summoners which have a mana cost of 4 or less may be used.

Reasons Why I like it It takes away the factor that you're sometimes unable to compete against your opponent when they have every legendary and every epic, legendary seminar in the game along with the super rare promo cards. Little League typically levels the playing field for everyone and it becomes a very strategic game on how to end out on top.

The Matchup - Where Rules Sets, Splinters and Mana Collide

The Rule Sets

Watch the Match Here

MANA: 34

Ruleset: Little League: Only monsters and summoners which have a mana cost of 4 or less may be used.

SPLINTERS: Fire, Water, Death, Dragon

Initial Rule Set and Mana Gameplay Thoughts

Rulesets Little League will make this difficult, and all the splinters that are available have both pros and cons to them. Fire has took decent cards with heavy melee attacks and opportunity and sneak to attack from oppositions. Water has the speed and armor boost while death takes away one of the very limited health that little league cards has while providing a a low Mana flying card that has scavenger making it difficult to taxi eliminate. I think any of these options can be effective depending on what your opponent plays

Mana Mana it's almost irrelevant as a limited to 35. Even at 35 the max mana that could be used in 34 so it doesn't really have an impact on this game

Splinters As discussed before I don't think there's any real limit here to which splinter can be used. I know typically Earth is favored in these matches for Hill Giant plus magic attack plus armor protection but since it's out we don't have to worry about that.

Summoner KELYA FRENDUL I like the idea of adding both speed plus armor. That armor will help protect against both melee and arrow attacks and keep my little monsters around for another round

First Position CRUEL SETHROPOD Actually a card that I like a lot but if I find myself forgetting to use. It has three armor and for health. Well it doesn't look like a lot it may take a couple of text to get through that armor and it will extend its life.

Second Position TIDE BITER Probably one of my trending favorite cards. The combination of its speed reach and attack may get attractive to play in a lot of cases. It's base speed will likely push it to be one of the first monsters to attack which can help set things in the right direction

Third Position VENARI MARKSRAT I figured I should add a card here with murder. If it happens to go early in the match I'll be quite happy as tight biter and the monk will get a boost, but if it only dies when it gets the first position then I'm still giving them much needed boost to Monk

Fourth Position XENITH MONK I went back and forth with this card here as it would also be nice to have another monster that can attack for the back row. In the end I felt it was necessary to give up an attack to have a card that has tank heel and can help ward off any attack that only does two damage each round.

Fifth Position FEASTING SEAWEED While it's slow, it still does three damage while attacking the lowest health card. And little league that means it could secure a knockout on its first attack if it hits.

Sixth Position KULU SWIMHUNTER This is a super card, five health and 3 speed will deliver in two arrow attacks is pretty special. It has one of the higher health for little league card while dealing damage and attacking early.

Opponent Lineup & Match Play

Summoner KELYA FRENDUL Good news for me since we both picked this is that neither of us will have a speed advantage over the other since we both get plus one speed

XENTH MONK Great minds think alike they chose to put in first position and have it ward off elimination for around or two

PARASTIC GROWTH Actually really like this card in combination with the other opportunity cards. I don't play it because I only have a level one and it's just not that good it's a levellevel

FEASTING SEAWEED They are also playing feasting seaweed it appears with both have very similar lineups

CORAL WRAITH I do miss the coral wraith. The two magic damage sneak attack is pretty damaging in most lineups let alone Little League

URAEUS Great choice with a two damage sneak attack card. Can really help mow down the back row

KELP INIATE Not sure why they played this year. I probably would have picked her an attacking card that had similar health although much lower speed. I guess they were trying to have a bunch of missed attacks if I was also playing a sneak heavy lineup

Round 1

Round one starts it's clearly going to be a very active around with 19 actions before this round is over. The first attack happens on number 6 and gets the ball rolling. Well there is a lot of action and attacks there's only one knockout this round where I lose Markscrat. I'm actually pretty happy with this as it was attacked the opportunity and gives a booth to both tide biter and monk.

Round 2

I don't think it looks like much has changed for around two other than I've gotten some stat boosts and I lost the only card. As the round progresses I secure my first knockout as I eliminate Xenith Monk. Unfortunately this is quickly followed by me losing kulu swim Hunter. The round ends with a couple of misses and an exchange of blows before early on round 3

Round 3

Things are booking questionable at this point I feel. I'm getting behind on cards, but I have my most powerful cards still in play. It's around three starts I secured the first knockout on the first attack before a losing my feasting seaweed. At least the only three cards for the rest of the game

Round 4

The good news is now that I'm starting to notice that Tide biter is having a bigger impact since it's doing three damage on its attack on the first monster. This means I will start round four with a knockout . We trade blows for the rest of the round before moving on to the fifth round.

Round 5

As the fifth round starts I noticed that I'm going to start to eliminate monsters fairly quickly. I start the round off by eliminating Coral wraith before losing my Sethropod. Either way it doesn't matter as I'll start the next round with another elimination and that'll be the last attacking card

Round 6

As you can see I will attack first and this attack will lead to the elimination of the only card they have left doing any damage. Let's skip ahead to round nine where it shows that things look exactly the same and I will win on the first attack.

Round 9

Looking pretty good there, I mowed down a level to gold foil team that's clearly the contender. Let's take a look at how the percentages play out

Thoughts - and Chances to Win Again

A bit surprised to see that I'm a 100% chance to win again. They were quite a few misses or an opportunities I felt like maybe things could change but I also boosted my monk which was still at the rear of my team untouched. It alone could probably have done a significant amount of damage to my opponent as it would have taken several rounds to train his health enough to knock it out. Outside of that I'm very happy with my team and I think I'm going to try to continue to develop this team under lower mena sets

~~@senstless