#but it's great they made groves so frequent

[sungrave]

Yesterday nobody could find the flow grove until someone ran into a single flow tree in flooded fortress saying apparently no grove spawned. When i went to help out because i was fishing in pavel's so it was close enough even for one flow tree, the pink hue was there. So someone literally took out 99% of the grove except for the biggest one that cant be cut alone. Yall are hilarious 😂

[doomed-era]

GBoH Link's pre-calamity backstory, part 1

Link was the first child of two knights of Hyrule, born about four months before the crown princess sometime in late fall. His parents were knights, both from military families and in the military, which wasn't technically a requirement for knighthood, but it was very common. Once they had Link they ended up moving from Hateno to Rauru Settlement. It was a sizable village that had a lot of retired soldiers, along with a few families who wanted to be near Castle Town while still enjoying country life. His mother, Grith, was a devout worshiper of Hylia, and taught Link how to pray to her as soon as he had the attention span for it.

 Hylia, watching over her worshipers as she tended to do, was happy with Grith. She didn't usually take it upon herself to choose a hero, but she wanted to reward Grith's loyalty and decided to watch over the boy and maybe pull a few strings so it was more likely for him to take on that role. The boy had a good lineage, was healthy and able-bodied, seemed to be taking to knighthood like a duck to water, was about the same age as the current Hyrulean princess…things looked like they were going to fall into place. When he was about four years old he told Grith he had a dream about a shining woman with a sweet voice and golden hair telling him he was special. Grith and Link's father Conter were baffled by this, but took it as a sign. 

A few other unusual things also happened around that time. Conter was ordered to do a sort of diplomatic mission where he would take some skilled soldiers from the Hyrulean Army and let them demonstrate their abilities to the Zora, while the Zora would exchange their knowledge of weaponry and spearmanship. This ended up backfiring because Conter took Link. Half of the soldiers under his command adored the little boy who would always ask them what they were doing and demand he fight them for "knight practice," so they'd stage mock battles for Link. The Zora had very different cultural practices concerning children, so most of them thought it was a genuine battle and that Link was beating grown Hylians specifically sent because they were good at fighting. Mipha was absolutely enchanted by this, but when a Zora warrior asked to fight Link and easily defeated him, Dorephan was not so impressed. 

After the Zora incident Link had a fairly normal childhood up until he was around twelve. He got along with his younger sister Nell and made friends with other children in Rauru. During the winter and fall his parents sent him and Nell to a school in Castle Town and he scraped by in his studies. Many students thought he was awkward and fidgety, and he would get in trouble frequently for having outbursts or picking fights. He was a formidable foe to anyone who went up against him—some kids swore he could move faster than lightning. The people who didn't mind his faults liked him, and his mischievous attitude made him a bit of a class clown. When he wasn't in school he often wandered into the woods near his home with Nell. They both could see Koroks, and loved playing pranks on the forest spirits. 

One summer day, Nell and Link wandered further into the forest than they ever had. They had found a Korok near their house hiding Grith's boots, and started chasing after it until they were deep in the Lost Woods. Nell wanted to turn back, but Link pulled her along as they went even deeper. He heard something calling to him. She wondered if they were going to be lost forever by the time they entered a bright clearing with a sword pedestal in the center. The deep voice of the Great Deku Tree welcomed them to his grove, and told Link that he had been expecting the boy. He had been chosen by the Master Sword.  Though it was a great deal of responsibility, he should take it and fight back the coming calamity.

When Grith and Conter saw their boy dragging the Master Sword behind him as he left the Lost Woods with Nell, they were thrilled, repeating the story of his dream to him and asking him what happened in the Great Deku Tree's grove. He told them about how he had gotten lost, how he had heard a strange voice, and how the sword he was holding felt so perfect in his hand. Before they could stop him, Link went to tell the story to the rest of Rauru. Soon the entire village was talking about him and planned to throw a party in his honor. Conter especially was unhappy about this. He thought Link had a bit of an arrogant streak, and he didn't want this getting to his head. Being outed as the chosen hero to too many people, he thought, would only increase Link's ego and possibly put him in danger. Once the party was over he told the villagers and Link to keep this a secret until Link was older and could actually take on the full responsibility of being a hero. They would not treat him any differently than they had before, and Link would never allow being chosen to get to his head.

[talonabraxas]

The Green Man by Talon Abraxas

Symbol of life and nature:

The most common and perhaps obvious interpretation of the Green Man is that of a pagan nature spirit, a symbol of man’s reliance on and union with nature, a symbol of the underlying life-force, and of the renewed cycle of growth each spring. In this respect, it seems likely that he has evolved from older nature deities such as the Celtic Cernunnos and the Greek Pan and Dionysus.

Some have gone so far as to make the argument that the Green Man represents a male counterpart - or son or lover or guardian - to Gaia (or the Earth Mother, or Great Goddess), a figure which has appeared throughout history in almost all cultures. In the 16th Century Cathedral at St-Bertrand de Comminges in southern France, there is even an example of a representation of a winged Earth Mother apparently giving birth to a smiling Green Man.

Because by far the most common occurrences of the Green Man are stone and wood carvings in churches, chapels, abbeys and cathedrals in Europe (particularly in Britain and France), some have seen this as evidence of the vitality of pre-Christian traditions surviving alongside, and even within, the dominant Christian mainstream. Much has been made of the boldness with which the Green Man was exhibited in early Christian churches, often appearing over main doorways, and surprisingly often in close proximity to representations of the Christ figure.

Incorporating a Green Man into the design of a medieval church or cathedral may therefore be seen as a kind of small act of faith on the part of the carver that life and fresh crops will return to the soil each spring and that the harvest will be plentiful. Pre-Christian pagan traditions and superstitions, particularly those related to nature and trees, were still a significant influence in early medieval times, as exemplified by the planting of yew trees (a prominent pagan symbol) in churchyards, and the maintenance of ancient “sacred groves” of trees.

Tree worship goes back into the prehistory of many of the cultures that directly influenced the people of Western Europe, not least the Greco-Roman and the Celtic, which is no great surprise when one considers that much of the continent of Europe was covered with vast forests in antiquity. It is perhaps also understandable that there are concentrations of Green Men in the churches of regions where there were large stretches of relict forests in ancient times, such as in Devon and Somerset, Yorkshire and the Midlands in England. The human-like attributes of trees (trunk-body, branches-arms, twigs-fingers, sap-blood), as well as their strength, beauty and longevity, make them an obvious subject for ancient worship. The Green Man can be seen as a continuing symbol of such beliefs, in much the same way as the later May Day pageants of the Early Modern period, many of which were led by the related figure of Jack-in-the-Green.

Symbol of fertility:

Although the Green Man is most often associated with spring, May Day, etc, there are also several examples which exhibit a more autumnal cast to the figure. For example, some Green Men prominently incorporate pairs of acorns into their designs (there is a good example in King's College Chapel, Cambridge), a motif which clearly has no springtime associations. In the same way, hawthorn leaves frequently appear on English Green Men (such as the famous one at Sutton Benger), and they are often accompanied by autumn berries rather than spring flowers. The Green Man in the Chapelle de Bauffremont in Dijon (one of the few to retain its original paint coloration) shows quite clearly its leaves in their autumn colours.

This may have been simple artistic license. However, acorns, partly due to their shape, were also a common medieval fertility symbol, and hawthorn is another tree which was explicitly associated with sexuality, all of which perhaps suggests a stronger link with fertility, as well as with harvest-time.

Symbol of death and rebirth:

The disgorging Green Man, sprouting vegetation from his orifices, may also be seen as a memento mori, or a reminder of the death that await all men, as well as a Pagan representation of resurrection and rebirth, as new life naturally springs out of our human remains. The Greek and Roman god Dionysus/Bacchus, often suggested as an early precursor of the Green Man, was also associated with death and rebirth in his parallel guise as Okeanus.

Several of the ancient Celtic demigods, Bran the Blessed being one of the best known, become prophetic oracles once their heads had been cut off (another variant on the theme of death and resurrection) and, although these figures were not traditionally represented as decorated with leaves, there may be a link between them and the later stand-alone Green Man heads.

There are several examples of self-consciously skull-like Green Men, with vegetation sprouting from eye-sockets, although these are more likely to be found on tombstones than as decoration in churches (good examples can be seen at Shebbear and Black Torrington in Devon, England). Such images might be interpreted as either representing rebirth and resurrection (in that the new life is growing out of death), or they might represent death and corruption (with the leaves growing parasitically through the decaying body).

The Green Man as archetype:

The very fact that images of the Green Man have appeared historically in such disparate and apparently unconnected locations have led some commentators, notably Roweena Pattee Kryder and William Anderson, to suggest that the figure is part of our collective unconscious, and represents a primeval archetype (in Jungian parlance) which is central to our relationship with Nature.

Phyllis Araneo has suggested that the appearance of the Green Man in European and worldwide art is a cyclical phenomenon triggered by times of crisis or significant change. For example, she suggests the proliferation of Green Man imagery after the 11th Century can perhaps be associated with feelings of relief and celebration after the widely predicted apocalypse of the millennium failed to materialize.

In the same way, the modern resurgence may have been triggered by the environmental crisis we are currently living through. In its modern revival, in the wake of James Lovelock’s Gaia Hypothesis and the birth of the modern Green movement, the Green Man can be seen as the archetype of the “conservator”, whose brief is to counsel us to take from the environment only what we need to survive and to conserve the rest, and to remind us of our responsibilities for the stewardship of the natural world. A quote from Mike Harding succinctly summarizes this position: “If anything on this poisoned planet gives us hope of renewal it is this simple foliate head that has been there in one form or another since the beginning.”

-The Enigma of the Green Man - Theories and Interpretations

[luna-the-bard]

Te'rra Intermission - Half-year point

Act II p.1 <- x -> Act II p.2

About half a year after Skeet’s rescue, they’re finally fully done with physical therapy and Samus charts a course for Te’rra.

She’d never admit it to anyone, but she actually had Skeets stay a month longer than the prescribed physical therapy course. Skeets was the last one of the group to return to Te’rra; although she was in frequent communication with her friends & family, giving them updates on her recovery, so no one thought she’s disappeared. 

She was also not yet ready to admit, even to herself, that she’s gotten used to having the little bird alien around; to another’s warmth in bed, or to spending time in conversation with each other, or learning new cooking recipes from her (Samus has never been a great cook, she was much more adept at grilling, and trying new and unfamiliar terran cuisine was exciting).

Naturally, when Skeets suggests Samus stay on Te’rra for a week or so to explore, Samus agrees with quite the enthusiasm.

She would’ve said yes to the offer either way, just for a chance to step foot on a planet no one has really been on in a millennia, but having to spend just a little bit more time with Skeets before she has to leave has an undeniable weight in that decision.

Skeets has no trouble whatsoever admitting to herself that she doesn’t want Samus to go.

The first night they’re apart, and Skeets is back at her parents’ house in her old childhood bedroom, she can’t sleep.

It’s late when she knocks on Samus’s door.

Skeets got too used to the comfort of sleeping with another living being in the months she spent on the ship.

And Samus is so uncomfortably cold without the warmth of Skeets’s body.

Of course she lets her in.

They sleep closer to each other than usual that night. 

Next morning, when Skeets has to sheepishly explain her disappearance to her moms, the two exchange a look the meaning of which will dawn on Skeets only months later.

She gives Samus an amazing tour of the city and the surrounding jungle.

She takes her to all her favorite places, even goes out of her way to bring her to a little secret spot in the jungle that has an abundance of honey-nectar flowers growing - Samus is as interested in tasting them as she is in meticulously studying the bugs that the nectar flowers catch.

The day before Samus has to depart, Skeets takes her down to a mechanic shop. Turns out terranians have a multitude of accessibility devices built for those who lacked wings for one reason or another. One of those devices is a small-engine glider, which Skeets has made arrangements to rent out for Samus. 

Samus got around the jungle in and out of the suit just fine, but this time Skeets wasn’t taking her to another flower-filled grove. She was taking her beyond the jungle’s borders, over the grassy plain and out onto the white-sanded coast.

The beach is about an hour’s flight away. They spend the whole day chasing jewel lizards and playing in the sand. They steer clear of the predators, instead scavenging for interesting finds in the tidepools. Samus digs a big ‘ol hole-in-the-sand and they fill it with warm water and dip their feet - Samus isn’t one to go out swimming in an unfamiliar ocean, and Skeets can’t really swim because of the feathers, but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying the beach to the fullest.

Skeets waits for the right moment.

It’s a special day; a day on which Te’rra’s half-a-year-long cycle finally switches over, night replacing day and day replacing night. They came back right in time for the last week before the sun’s warmth was to be replaced with darkness illuminated by the planet’s bioluminescence.

The perfect moment that Skeets was waiting for comes at sunset. 

Samus is presented with perhaps the most beautiful pearl she’s ever seen.

It’s huge. She doesn’t know how Skeets managed not only to find one this big, but to also extract it without Samus noticing (it wasn’t hard. Samus was fully invested into some hermit crab drama precisely one tidepool over). The pearl glimmers with pinks and blues and purples, looking almost translucent with how the setting sun’s rays envelop it. Samus finds herself studying the way its color shifts under her gaze as she rolls the pearl around in her palm; she almost overlooks the warmth and slight coarseness of Skeets’s hands supporting her own. But the sensation is just too hard to miss…

By the time they come back from the beach it’s completely dark out. The city is glowing with crystal lights, hanging from branches and swinging gently in the wind above doorways and windows.

Skeets asks to stay in the ship again; just like she did every night before.

And as they’re laying in bed next to each other, almost asleep, a special kind of coziness than can only come from being tired, Skeets gathers her courage and quietly asks something she wanted to ask all week:

“Can I keep traveling with you?” 

Samus opens her eyes.

“I really liked seeing what life the universe holds beyond Te’rra…” Skeets pauses to breathe. Being so close to Samus’s face - as close as most nights, but why does it feel so different now? - does not help. 

She speaks her mind anyway. 

“I liked exploring it with you.”

If Samus’s eyes weren’t open and meticulously studying her, Skeets would’ve thought she fell asleep; this is how long the silence between them lasts. Until, finally,

“Yes.”

Skeets has the widest smile on her face when she tackle-hugs Samus and whispers her excited thank you’s. Samus weathers the attack formidably, despite not really being used to hugs - especially from other people and not just her bird dads or at least Kreatz and Mauk. 

It’s okay, she’s gonna have to get used to physical affection anyway.

They stay for an extra half-a-day so Skeets can pack some essentials (not like half of her new wardrobe was already aboard the ship anyway…) and say goodbye to her friends and moms; after that, they’re simply off to find new space adventures again, sightseeing and picking different corners of the universe to visit.

[halsinsbiceps]

A Great and Sudden Change Update

Well hey there, folx!

It's been a long time. I've been lurking around, liking a bunch of stuff and enjoying what you're all posting. I see I've gotten some new followers and reblogs; thank you all for the love!

I wish I could say I'm making a comeback, and while that's kinda true...I'm kinda not. Life is, as you all know, ever-changing and likes to hand it out in spades when it does. For the most part things have been good, but have left me with less time to write and spend on my own hobbies.

The biggest thing is that we're MOVING! So excited about this, being closer to family, and being back where my heart belongs. But also so fucking sad, because our life was here for so long.

It'll be good, I promise. And hopefully, that will mean more writing!

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

And in the meantime, enjoy Chapter 9 of A Great and Sudden Change!

Fic below the cut, or read on AO3 here.

Throughout the arguments against Kagha, Enelya was reminded - not for the first time in recent months - why she chose to not follow the path to leadership. 

Halsin heard each member of the grove out with a patience Enelya admired. It was no wonder he was held in such high regard; each person's words were just as important as the last. Still, she did not envy him the charge of being Archdruid. She could tell by the way he held himself - back straight, shoulders tense, eyes focused on each speaker - that his duties weighed more heavily on him than she had believed. 

Kagha and the druids who had followed her orders stood against the far wall. Kagha kept her arms crossed as their peers voiced their concerns and condemnation of the group's actions. Her eyes frequently flicked over to Enelya, and every time a scowl would etch into her face anew. 

Enelya did her best to ignore the venomous glares from the woman, but as time passed her skin began to crawl, the tadpole churned in her head, and she wished the ordeal were done and over with. She gripped the staff Halsin had given her and tried her best to pay attention to those speaking, but many of them made the same points as the rest, and soon her mind began to drift. 

Would this have been her life, had she not been waylaid by grief in the weeks after meeting Halsin?, she wondered. Sitting at his side, listening to the issues of the grove come forth each tenday? It was not unlike nobles and patriars in the great cities holding court, she mused. Druids might largely deny a relationship with civilization, but there were truly more similarities than not.

When the arguments against the offending party were finished, Halsin allowed the perpetrators a chance to defend themselves. Nearly all groveled before him for forgiveness, claiming they only wanted what was best for the grove and did not intend to align themselves with the Shadow Druids. Halsin heard them all with a careful, stony expression. When it came to be her turn Kagha chose not to defend herself, instead responding to Halsin’s inquiry with stoic silence. 

Finally, sometime after nightfall, Halsin rose from his stone chair and spoke, gesturing between himself and Enelya.

"Leave us."

Rath approached Halsin and the pair spoke in low tones. The guards took Kagha’s arms and led the accused parties out of the sanctum. Rath stepped away and joined the other druids as they filed out until only Enelya and Halsin remained. When the stone door slid shut above them, Halsin released a loud sigh and sank back onto the stone seat. His head fell back against his shoulders, and he rubbed his face before letting his arms drop limply to his knees. 

Enelya found herself slowly moving towards him, as if drawn by some unseen force. He was not looking at her - his eyes were closed - but she could tell he was aware of her presence in the way his body tensed and his breathing changed. It was only when she stood directly in front of him, her knees knocking softly against his, that their eyes met. 

Enelya longed to slowly reach out and slide her fingers into his auburn hair; to gently press the pads of her thumbs into his temples and scrape her fingernails across his scalp. She wanted to trace the tattoo that twisted down his cheek with a feather-light drag of her fingertips. She knew he would melt into her touch; that his chest would reverberate with a groan as his head fell forward to rest against her stomach. The tension would seep from his body, and his hands would slide up her thighs, gripping her hips as he pulled her down onto his lap…

Gods, she wanted it.

Halsin looked up at her expectantly, hazel eyes darkening and reflecting her desire, yet full of unanswered questions. When he spoke, it was a hoarse whisper.

"What happened, Enelya?"

She shivered - whether from the damp chill of the room or from hearing her name on his lips, she wasn't sure - and stepped away from him, shaking her head.

"Halsin, I know you are eager for answers, but this is really not the time for this conversation. Your thoughts should be on Kagha’s punishment, and I should be looking for a cure for... this .” She brushed her fingers vaguely across her temple with a deep sigh.

“I have already made my decision, and will enact it tomorrow." The tone of finality in Halsin’s voice allowed for no further discussion. Faithwarden or no, she didn't dare question his authority again after their confrontation earlier in the day. Halsin continued, “As for the rest, there is no more to be done tonight.”

“There is plenty to be done,” Enelya argued. She gripped the staff in her hands again, knuckles whitening against her skin. “You could tell me more about this Moonrise, or what you do know about the tadpole, for starters. Instead you'd rather rehash our brief history?”

He frowned and rose from his seat. Silence hung between them as he gazed at her, the frown deepening. "You were not one to avoid an uncomfortable discussion,” he finally replied. “But it appears you are no longer the person you once were.”

She raised an eyebrow at his statement. “You barely knew me.”

"No,” he admitted softly. “But I knew your spirit. Your soul drew me in, the way you shone brighter than the moon itself.” He raised his hand above him in a sweeping gesture. “The way you stood proud and tall, and danced with abandon. It was no wonder you were a champion of Mielikki. Now…” He shook his head. His hand dropped back to his side. “You do not hold yourself in the same way. There's a darkness in you, as if your brightness has been eclipsed."

Enelya crossed her arms. "I owe you no explanation for my change. The seasons come and go and yet you do not ask the trees why their leaves fall in autumn."

"You don’t owe me that, but you do owe me the truth.” He stepped even closer, close enough to touch. “I waited for you, Enelya. And when you didn't come to me, I sent birds to find you. When that didn't work, I wrote to Francesca. All she said was you had gone deep into the forest, and she did not know when you would return." He paused. “Or if you would return.”

Enelya did not reply. Her gaze drifted to the floor near Halsin’s feet.

He reached out then, slipping his fingers under her chin to lift her head until their eyes met.

"The truth is all I ask,” Halsin repeated gently. “Or, if you won't tell me that, then tell me our coupling meant nothing to you. Tell me you didn't feel the same connection I did, and the matter can rest."

His eyes bore into hers, and she was suddenly aware of his proximity, his warmth, the way his chest rose and fell with each breath. Her own chest tightened under his gaze, and she bit back the urge to nuzzle her face into his large palm and let him comfort her the way she craved.

She nodded, her throat dry.

"The truth, then.”

Halsin released her chin and stepped back. Enelya tried to ignore the crumbling sensation in her chest as he did so, instead gathering her thoughts and inhaling deeply to steady herself.

“Not two weeks after you left, as I was preparing to go to them…my mother and father died." Her voice was measured, matter-of-fact. Detached. "I honored them. I buried them. And then I retreated into the forest to grieve." She unfolded her arms and held them out from her body in a supplicating gesture. "There. Now you know."

Halsin's pained look reflected the sorrow he felt. "I am deeply sorry for your loss, Enelya."

She shrugged and let her arms fall back to her sides with a quiet thump. 

"...but why did you never write?"

" Gods , Halsin!” The words burst out of her and she glared at him. “What do you want me to say? I emerged from the forest after six months , and there was no word from you. Francesca said nothing to the contrary.” She paused briefly, biting her lower lip as she looked away. “I believed you had lost interest, or that you had found another, and I thought it best to leave you be. Our physical connection was brief, Halsin, and we can't make a garden grow where roots won't take." The words fell flat, even to her own ears.

Halsin shook his head, unconvinced by her entirely unconvincing argument.

“No. It's more than that," he said. "I knew from the moment I set eyes on you that this was more than mere desire. You know it as well as I, and I think you know it still. The roots of thiramin are dormant, they simply-”

“ Enough. ” Enelya’s sharp reprimand interrupted him and echoed in the large chamber. At the same time, she held a hand up to stop him speaking. Her eyes remained focused on the wall behind him. Her next words were quieter. "You deserve more than what I have to offer, Halsin."

His brows furrowed in confusion, and Enelya thought she saw a flash of hurt cross his face. "Why do you say that?"

"You see it better than I can explain. I’m no longer your thiramin , not really.” She shuffled her feet, lowered her head and whispered, “I’m broken.”

He reached out again, this time gripping her arms firmly, willing her to look at him. When she didn't - she'd surely fall into his arms if she did - he spoke urgently. "Enelya, none of us make it through this life unscarred. Do you think I would have asked you to be with me if I didn't want something imperfect? I want all of you. I want your pain and your anger and your sadness. All of it. But if you truly wish to break our bond…” He sighed and eased his grip, rubbing his thumbs once against the bare skin of her biceps as his voice dipped to a gravelly whisper. “...then I will not force you to stay."

Enelya believed him. She believed Halsin would take her just as she was and do all he could to make her see her worth every day for as long as they both would live…but she also knew he deserved better than that; deserved more than her tainted, angry self.

So she stayed silent and prayed that the lump in her throat would not give way to tears; her teeth ached from clenching her jaw. Water lapped softly at the rocky walls below them. 

Halsin finally huffed in frustration and pulled his hands from her arms. He spoke in a low, quiet voice, nearly a growl. "Go."

She raised her head then. "What?"

Halsin waved his hand in dismissal. "Go. Celebrate. Rest." A weary look settled onto his face as he sank down onto the stone bench once more. "I must tend to some things here. I'll be along later.”

Enelya nodded numbly, then turned and climbed the stairs out of the sanctum.

She felt Halsin's eyes on her every step of the way.

The grove was largely silent, only the chirping of crickets and the occasional shout or laugh breaking through the evening air. It had cooled to a comfortable temperature after sunset, and as Enelya made her way through the hills to the ruined chapel she found the slight chill on her skin to be a comfort. The knot that had formed in her chest during her discussion with Halsin slowly loosened as she walked.

“I want all of you.” Halsin’s words echoed in her mind. She could still feel the gentle brush of his calloused fingers on her arms.

Giddiness welled in her chest but was tempered by her sadness and her determination. Regardless of what she wanted, their thiramin must be broken, for Halsin’s sake. She could not drag him down this awful road with her. She clenched her jaw, pushed the thought of him from her mind, and kept walking.

As she reached the hollow outside the ruins where they had freed Lae’zel, a quiet whimper reached her ears, shortly followed by a soft thump and a groan.

“Silence, istik , or I will slice you belly to neck.” Enelya recognized the low rasp of the gith’s voice. Her heart sank, and she sprinted toward the sound.

“I told you what I know! They’re in the mountain pass, I don’t know how many!”

“Lae’zel!”

The githyanki’s head snapped up. Her eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Enelya striding toward her. “Leave us be.”

A young tiefling man knelt before Lae’zel, holding his stomach gingerly. Judging by the way he shook and how he kept his eyes fixed on Lae’zel’s boots, Enelya guessed he was terrified.

She shoved Lae’zel away from him. “What are you doing?” she snapped. Her pain and frustration boiled into anger here, away from prying eyes.

Lae’zel’s eyes flashed at the provocation and she stepped forward again, bringing her face close to Enelya’s as she snarled. “He knows where to find a creche . Since you have been less than accommodating in my endeavor, I have chosen to take matters into my own hands.”

The tiefling scrambled to his feet and ran back to the ruins, leaving the two women to glare at each other. 

“You don’t get to go around accosting innocent people for information,” Enelya said in a low voice. She could feel her veins pulsing, anger bubbling to the surface. She bit her tongue as Lae’zel pressed even closer to her, struggling to keep her frustration in check. The gith’s breath was hot on her face.

“And what would you have me do, istik ? Stumble around this forsaken place until we become ghaik ?” Lae’zel spat. “No. I will find this creche , and a ghustil will cure me of this tadpole. It is the only way.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“My people were slaves to these mindflayers long before you even drew breath, elf. We know how they are defeated. We know how to cure ourselves of their parasites. A zaith’isk will purify me, and I will return to my path of glory.” Lae’zel stepped away then, although her glare lost none of its venom. “And I will go alone.”

The anger dissipated from Enelya’s body suddenly and her eyes widened in shock. “Lae’zel, if you leave the protection of the artefact, you’ll die before you make it to the mountains.”

“I will fall on my sword before that happens.” Uncertainty briefly crossed the gith’s face, and Enelya seized the opportunity like a hawk on its prey.

“And if you can’t?” She kept her voice soft, placating. “We were lucky last night, but ceremorphosis could be instantaneous. I know you don’t want that.”

“Do not presume to know what I want!” Lae’zel snapped again. “You have all but ignored my wishes, my advice, instead prancing around playing she'lak to everyone we come across.”

Her accusation gave Enelya pause. She hadn’t realized she was ignoring Lae’zel; the gith had been quiet, keeping mostly to herself. But she was right. Enelya had been so wrapped up in helping others - saving the tieflings, saving Halsin, stopping Kagha - that she hadn’t given any thought to helping herself, nor helping those who were helping her. Beneath Lae’zel’s angry facade, Enelya sensed there was another message: the woman was feeling left out, and wanted to be heard. Enelya shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Lae’zel. I should have taken your advice more seriously.”

Lae’zel scoffed, but her eyes softened ever so slightly. “Your apologies are a weakness.”

“Maybe among githyanki , but I do my best to listen to all my companions.” Enelya held the other woman’s gaze sincerely. “I dismissed your insight, and I should not have. Truly, seeking out this creche may be the best lead we have, now that we know Halsin cannot heal us.”

Lae’zel’s chin lifted in pride. “It is our only lead.”

“Then we will discuss a plan of action with the others in the morning. I know you are eager to be purified, but we must stick together. I ask you to be patient just a bit longer while we prepare ourselves for what’s to come.”

Lae’zel considered her solemnly. “You are soft,” she said finally, her lip turning up into a small sneer. “But you are right. Our survival seems to be contingent on the artefact, and I will not leave its protection until we know more. But you must swear we will seek out the creche at our first chance.”

“I swear it.”

Enelya stuck her right hand out. Lae’zel eyed the offered hand warily, then slapped it with her own.

Enelya laughed suddenly, and she felt lighter than she had in days. “No, it’s a handshake.” She grabbed Lae’zel’s wrist and slid her hand into the gith’s, squeezing firmly. “It means we’re holding each other to our word.”

Lae’zel scoffed, but gripped Enelya’s hand in return. “Your customs are confounding,” she grumbled.

Enelya shrugged and released Lae’zel’s hand. “You’ll get used to them.”

Lae’zel returned to the ruins with Enelya in silence, stalking off to her chosen corner. Karlach intercepted Enelya and handed her a drink.

“Look!” Karlach reached out and pressed the tips of her fingers against Enelya’s forearm before the elf even realized what was happening.

“Karlach!” Enelya gasped and pulled her arm away, then paused when she felt no pain. “Wait.” She reached out and grabbed the tiefling’s arm. “You’re not hot!”

“Ouch, let a girl down easy,” Karlach said, feigning hurt as she pressed her other hand to her chest. But a moment later she grinned. “Dammon - that’s the blacksmith - he had some extra infernal iron laying around and fixed my engine, for now anyway. Great, innit?” She suddenly pulled Enelya into a crushing hug.

“Oh!” Enelya laughed breathlessly and patted Karlach’s back awkwardly. “I’m glad, Karlach. You seem happy.”

“I am! And now, I need to find someone to cuddle with. You should too.” With a wink, Karlach waltzed off to the fire, where a group  of tieflings and a handful of druids was already gathered and dancing, drinks in hand. Enelya shook her head with a smile and went off in search of her other companions.

Besides Karlach, no one seemed to be in a particularly festive mood. Lae’zel still kept her distance. Gale was quite melancholy, waxing poetic about his magical malady. Astarion complained about the wine. Wyll was on edge, barely able to converse as he continuously glanced over his shoulder. He finally excused himself and slipped away to gaze pensively over the river.

It was when Enelya sat down next to Shadowheart that the evening finally took a more interesting turn.

The women sat in comfortable silence and nursed their drinks for several minutes, during which Halsin appeared through a crumbling doorway. An excited chorus of cheers erupted from the group dancing around the fire. Zevlor approached him with a wide smile and gripped his arm in welcome. Enelya watched Halsin’s movements keenly, unaware that she was also being watched.

Shadowheart smirked and took a drink of wine. "You lied."

Enelya glanced at her with a frown. "About what?"

"About knowing Halsin." She gestured over to the hulking druid, who was now speaking animatedly with Zevlor and a number of others who had gathered. "The tension is practically roiling off you.”

Enelya hummed, hesitating before answering. "It's…complicated," she said, looking down into her own empty cup.

"Oh?" Shadowheart sounded intrigued. She grabbed the bottle of wine next to her and leaned to pour a generous amount into Enelya's goblet, giggling as she did so. "Do tell."

Enelya chuckled at the younger woman's eagerness, then sighed and rolled out her shoulders. She gazed upwards, watching the embers from the fire spark and pop into nothingness against the night sky. "You know about soulmates, right?"

"Yes, I know about soulmates. Not sure how much I actually believe in it, but…" Shadowheart eyed her. "You and Halsin are…?"

" Thiramin is what we call it in Elven. Not just anyone can be a soulmate for us, like humans believe. Only one true thiramin exists for each elf, and we might go our whole lives without meeting them. Halsin and I met two years ago, and it was an immediate and…” Enelya shifted, trying to find the right words. “ Intense connection."

Shadowheart sucked in a breath. Her eyes gleamed. "Did you…"

"Oh yes." The wine was making Enelya bold, her tongue more loose than it normally would be. It felt good, she realized, to talk to Shadowheart about these salacious bits of her life. She bit her lip as she raised her glass again. "Several times."

Shadowheart giggled. "You climbed Mount Halsin!" she teased. It seemed Enelya was not the only one feeling the effects of the vintage swirling in their cups.

Enelya laughed in earnest then, loud and throaty with her head thrown back. "Gods. We stayed in my room for two days. It was…" she trailed off, her cheeks warming from the wine and memories. 

Shadowheart nodded. "I'm sure it was."

They sat in silence for a moment, each of them quietly watching the man in question as he chatted with the others, unaware of their gazes. 

"I'm going to break thiramin ," Enelya said abruptly. 

Shadowheart looked at her in surprise. 

Enelya continued, "I can't bind him to me any longer, not after everything I've done - to him, to others. And with this tadpole, my days are numbered. Better to give him that than nothing." She smiled ruefully and sipped at her wine.

Shadowheart murmured her sympathies. Enelya thanked her, then paused.

"Actually…a cleric of Shar would be able to perform the rite I need." Enelya looked at her hopefully. "If you're open to it, that is. It would be helpful."

Shadowheart thought for a moment. "Normally I would…but I have no memory of such a rite. It would have to wait until we get to Baldur's Gate, if we don't find someone who can do it otherwise." Shadowheart ran a finger around the lip of her cup. "And, if I'm honest, even if I could do it, I probably shouldn’t."

Enelya frowned. "Why not?"

"My own feelings toward Halsin are…also complicated," Shadowheart said slowly. She swirled her wine in her goblet. "My Lady does have rules, you know. It would be quite the conflict of interest to pursue a man I have released from a soulmate."

Enelya's mouth dropped open into an o, and she glanced away. "I see." 

"But if you don't want me to…I mean, you'd have to be dead to not notice someone like that!"

"Agreed," Astarion drawled as he plopped down behind Shadowheart, goblet in hand. His eyes roved lasciviously over Halsin.

"You're undead ," Shadowheart reminded him, her eyebrow quirking in amusement. 

Astarion waved his hand dismissively. "A technicality, my dear."

Enelya chuckled and stared into her cup. "Shadowheart, if you would like to try your hand at climbing Mount Halsin yourself, be my guest."

"Truly?"

"He is not beholden to me, thiramin or no. Halsin has a very open mind about relationships, and we aren't…in love, or anything like that. We barely even know each other really. Even if we were together, he would be allowed to pursue his desires, and I mine."

"Wait, you two were…" Astarion looked over at her, confusion and excitement in his eyes. 

"Yes," Enelya replied. "We were."

He gave a harsh, barking laugh. "Well, that is interesting!" He flashed a smile, then took a gulp of wine and grimaced.

At Astarion's laugh, Halsin finally caught their eyes on him, and with an amused, curious quirk of his brow, he excused himself and made his way across the clearing.

"I can't help but feel I am the subject of your discussion," he said as he reached them. A smirk twisted at the corner of his mouth.

"Why yes, Master Halsin," Shadowheart said. Her words were teasing and slightly slurred. "Enelya was just telling us how the two of you met." 

"Is that so?" He looked down at Enelya, a glint in his eye. "Well, Enelya…please don't go spilling all of my secrets." He looked down at Shadowheart, and a heated look passed between them. "I would like to keep some things to myself."

A sharp pang of jealousy roiled through Enelya’s gut. She gripped the metal stem of her goblet and tried to ignore the feeling. Jealousy and envy were not becoming traits amongst elves and druids, where casual relations and polyamory were the norm. Halsin was not her possession, even if they were currently bound by thiramin . It was her choice to end it, and to avoid her longing until she could. She would not deny him or anyone else a chance at happiness.

She watched Shadowheart as her eyes followed the movement of Halsin's hips as he slowly sauntered away. Then she looked back, and to her surprise, Astarion’s crimson eyes were trained on her. 

He glanced away quickly, but not before Enelya caught the pity in his gaze.

[rd0265667]

Lily x Reader: Beautiful Stranger

This is just short fluff, for the soul. Dedicated to the beautiful strangers that take up a fraction of your lives

Permanent Taglist: @cwpiqwon@justme-idle

You always hated the train. Dirty, grimy, home to the homeless. The screeching of the tracks, the noise pollution of inconsiderate assholes, you dreaded it all. So you avoided the train. As much as you could.

You grew up in a family who frequented the train, your financial status not great enough to afford a car, so long trips turned to a long ride of misery, the stench of musty carriages blocking any attempt to enjoy the ride, and beginning your disdain for trains

Even now, as an adult, you didn't like the train. You endured an odd ride here or there, your friends regularly frustrated at having to ferry you around. But it was always a relief when the journey was finally over, and you could breathe a sign of relief, leaving the train behind you

Today was one of those odd rides. Yujin had an important meeting to attend, and Wonyoung had to cover an emergency shift, so here you were, standing on the train to avoid the seat that was inexplicably wet, your walk in already hampered by leftover gum on the ground. God you hated trains. Then you saw her. Her hair lightly disheveled, a bundle of newspapers in her hand. The beautiful stranger was just sitting right there, looked up at me and my dark curly hair. Looked up for a second, didn't want to be rude, but you felt an urge to look back. Beautiful stranger sitting right there, reading the newspaper, stuck to her chair, You swore that she smiled, then you felt your heart drop. 'Now at: Ladbroke grove."

The announcer on the train pulled you out of your daze, your hands grabbing your bags as you weaved out of the closing door, turning around to catch one last glimpse at the beautiful stranger. There was just something magnetic about her, your gaze remained glued to her. Too bad this was the last time you would see her. Your presence on a train was rare enough, let alone one with her on it. But something curious occured. The train ride didn't seem like a drag this time. The stench didn't get to you, the noise didn't even disturb you. All because of her. Your beautiful stranger. A little part of you regretted getting up. What if you hadn't left the train at Ladbroke grove? Dared to stand up and ask for her name? Maybe you could have exchanged a few words. A fairy tale moment could have occured, but your beautiful stranger, will have to remain, a stranger until you see her again. If you saw her again.

Yujin was surprised. She felt guilty making you go out on your own, considering her rent was much lower than it was supposed to be, an offer you had made her for her to help ferry you around when she could. So she offered you the next ride, but you declined. You'd volunteered to take the train. Yujin was curious to what had spurred on this change in her roommate, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Getting on the train wasn't as much of a chore anymore. This was your third day of taking the train. Coincidentally, a week since you saw your beautiful stranger. Maybe this was a good sign. Third times the charm, right? Turns out, yeh. Walking into the train, you collided into a familiar figure. Your beautiful stranger was there again, you could hear a distinct Australian accent as she hurriedly apologised, dusting you off as she grabbed your scattered things, handing them back to you. You could barely hide your blush after the encounter. It must have been fate that you collided, right then, back there. Maybe she felt the same way as you. Just an innocent crush on the morning commute. That's all this was, right?

Once again, your eyes felt glued to your beautiful stranger. She had swapped out the newspaper for a music sheet, her melodious humming turned singing filling the cabin. Great, as if she wasn't already perfect. Shutting your eyes for a moment, you began to appreciate the music, a smile flashing across your face as you unknowingly began humming along with her. A glance would have afforded you the knowledge that your beautiful stranger had since laid her gaze upon you now, her smile now bigger as she saw someone who enjoyed her singing. When you did eventually open your eyes, you caught your beautiful stranger's gaze, locking eyes with her. Averting your gaze from the intense eye contact, you blushed as you could still feel her gaze on you. The ride continued, with you and your beautiful stranger stealing glances, till eventually,

'Now at: Ladbroke grove."

With a sigh, you took your bag, stealing one last glance at the beautiful stranger as she had redirected her attention to the music sheets in her hands. As you walked to the gate, you faltered in your step. Were you really going to leave, when you were miraculously able to see your beautiful stranger again? Let this love be one that came and left with the train? No. You didn't think so. Turning back, you mustered all the courage you could, walking up to the beautiful stranger

"Is this seat available?" You gently prodded, ignoring the furious thumping of your heart. Your beautiful stranger looked up in slight shock, staring at you wordlessly for a short while. The two of you stayed that way as you cursed yourself for making things awkward. "Oh, yes, of course, please, sit." She rambled, her australian accent detailing her speech as you giggled slightly at her small movements. "Isn't Ladbroke Grove your stop? You left there last week, I was so disappointed." She asked, before quickly realising what she had said. "Disappointed you say? Also, you were watching me? Stalker much?" You playfully jabbed as a horrified look crossed her face. "No No, I was just...erm..." She rambled on, unable to find an answer as she couldn't formulate an answer, or an excuse. "Don't worry, I found it cute." You reassured her, as she looked back to you, a light tint of red adorning her face. "So, my beautiful stranger, your name please?" You dramatically bowed as she laughed at your theatrics "Lily." She said, as her hands fidgeted "Beautiful name for a beautiful girl." You said, finding it fun to see Lily blush "What a sweet talker...So, what's your name?" Lily asked "How about, your lover?"

[dawn-of-worlds]

Sparks of Genius

(T8, second age: Zoreinak has 4 + 3 + 2d6->5 = 12 points)

Zoreinak ought to be joyful, not? Mortals had willed and warred. Aims had been declared, sacrifices made, a final victory achieved. In the end, the side of war unending had lost.

To reach down now and wipe out the resistance would be impermissible. To save the conquerors' lives, likewise. The Curse was a resolution - the world choosing peace at great cost - and it would have to be respected.

And yet... a world of Man and only Man? That sort of uniformity was unacceptable as well. And so Zoreinak acts, this time not to spark war, but to make the world more interesting.

A storm of unprecedented size takes form above the inner sea, then slowly drifts inland. Heedless of the Cradle's mountains, it floats over the Tolinakka heartland. Strong winds destroy countless homes: groves are struck by lightning and burnt to ash. Then, after days of this devastation, as the curse takes hold of the Cradle, lightning strikes hundreds of Tolinakka within a single moment.

They don't survive. But as they die, something else is born.

The Vottaina are sapient ball lightning trapped in shells of long-dead chitin. Their control over their forms is rudimentary: enough to fly and produce a screeching sort of speech: not enough to precisely control their body or exert significant force. They are as intelligent as the Tolinakka were, and similar in personality, but think at a much faster pace and thus appear geniuses to some.

Much of their time is spent dwelling in the upper atmosphere, though in time many will take an interest in mortal matters and become anything from diplomats to scheming advisors. They seemingly have no need for air, food, or drink, and it is unclear whether they reproduce, though a Vottaina might change so much within mere years as to be considered a wholly different person.

A single place is seemingly sacred to them: the encircled lake on the northeastern continent, where conditions conspire to create frequent lightning storms. There thus lies the Vottalanak, the Home of Sparks.

(Create subrace 12-4 = 8)

Meanwhile, the Quiet City, devastated by war as it might be, greatly advances its study of curses. The study of doomed Tolinakka, and analysis of Ainko's desperate gift, results in an advanced theoretical understanding of curses and blasphemies. Some are turned towards productive ends: a school of medicine figures ways of selectively cursing parasites and germs. But others might just as easily be turned towards more martial ends, should the need arise...

(Advance city 8 - 4 = 4)

[bandcampfun2021]

When it comes to the first Halloween 1978 and its immediate sequel Halloween II 1981, the two films are great on their own right. Halloween II (1981) actually ends in a way where it doesn't need any timeline films to continue the story of Michael Myers.

Seriously, after watching the disaster that was Halloween Ends (2022) and how Michael was basically pushed to the sidelines in favor of Corey, it's made me appreciate Halloween II (1981) much more. Even more so, each timeline starts out with a great first film--Halloween 4, H20, and Halloween 2018. And yet, each timeline torpedoes both the second and third films into something unrecognizable.

When it comes to Halloween II (1981), it manages to pick up perfectly where the first film left off and perfectly highlights what miscommunication can do to people, seeing what happened to Ben Tramer. The fact that it takes place in a hospital with dark shadows and lighting also scores massive points with me. The whole time Michael was in the hospital, I felt goosebumps and even was on the edge of my seat as he entered the NICU with a bunch of newborn infants.

Now, when it comes to the twist of the film, in all honesty, I find the twist not to be as bad as people think. I find it much more scarier than anything else.

If you think about it, by the morning of October 31st, 1981, Laurie Strode was just a normal everyday teenager, concerned with her babysitting duties and frequently exasperated and amused by the antics of her friends Lynda and Annie. In her mind, everything is perfect--she has a good job as a babysitter, she has two best friends, her life is going normal...

However, by the time midnight rolls around, Laurie goes through some serious trauma: hearing her friends making concerning noises and finding out what's happened to them and the fact she couldn't protect them...

Then, this mysterious masked man shows up behind her, wielding a knife, and she has to fight for her life. Someone she probably thought would never happen, given how peaceful the neighborhood was.

Now, let's go to Halloween II (1981), just hours after her nightmare began...

Within hours of her nightmare first beginning, she has to go through being in the hospital by herself, and her parents can't even be there because the news of her attack is still very new. It's likely very possible that both Morgan and Pamela Strode likely didn't get word of the attack until the phone-lines had been repaired.

While at the hospital, she finds out the identity of her attacker and completely panics, her mind going a million miles in each direction.

Finally succumbing to her exhaustion, this is where I think her repressed memories come int9 play.

The first thing I want to know is, "Who tells this to a child? I'm not your mother?" That's not the way to tell a child, especially one with a family history like Laurie's, that they're adopted. For me, this somewhat implies that the relationship between Laurie and her adoptive mother was strained at the very least before the events of Halloween 1978.

For those who don't know, the Halloween Chaos comics does shed some insight about what happened to the Myers parents after October 31st, 1963, and it is nothing short of heartbreaking: as a result of Michael's trial, Donald Myers starts drinking heavily while Edith Myers sinks into a depression. It doesn't take long for Donald Myers to ban any mention of Michael. Something that's also somewhat overlooked is that Laurie was only two years old when she lost her sister Judith Myers.

Not wanting to listen to her husband, Edith Myers does end up taking little three-year-old Cynthia (this was Laurie's birth name before the Strode family legally changed it) to see Michael at Smith's Grove on a few occasions. This is my interpretation, but I do believe the reason Edith took her to see Michael is because deep down, the poor woman was hoping that seeing his youngest sister would help bring back the little boy Michael once was.

Not only does bringing her to see Michael not succeed, but one day, little Cynthia babbles about Michael in front of Donald. This man proceeds to beat little Cynthia/Laurie (who's only three at most) until she stops talking. This is when I believe little Laurie started repressing her memories of her biological family due to her father beating her, her mother's depression, and being emotionally neglected at just two/three years old.

With this backstory in mind, this twist becomes more heartbreaking if you think about it. In just a span of few hours, Laurie goes from a normal teenage girl to someone with a dark family history she was completely unprepared for, someone whose name isn't even Laurie, someone whose brother hurt her in more ways than her adoptive family's secrets ever could...

And as if things couldn't get worse, Laurie is given no time to mentally process this reveal and the knowledge that her whole life has been a lie because her life is immediately in danger once more.

Even more so, when Michael comes after her in the boiler room, when Laurie calls out his name, it's full of confusion and hurt, almost as if she can't understand why. Why is her brother hurting her?

So, while some may find Halloween II (1981) a bit underwhelming, I think it's a pretty good sequel to the original Halloween 1978 film on its own right and concludes the story in a satisfying way that doesn't even need the other timeline films to be satisfied.

[hello-eeveev]

How to Rest: Director's Commentary—Chapter 3

| Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 |

This chapter has a bit of a different vibe than the rest of the fic because it features a Mighty Nein get-together, making it something of a spiritual successor to Miss You Dearly, I suppose. It’s about Caleb and Essek’s relationship, but it also deals with Essek’s relationship to the Mighty Nein as a whole.

I’m excited to discuss it!

(spoiler warning for the entirely of How to Rest)

The crisp, cool air of the Blooming Grove was a reprieve from the stifling heat and humidity of Jrusar’s rainy season when Essek teleported in.

lol can you tell that I started writing this chapter when Bells Hells were still in or around Jrusar? And then by the time I actually finished and published it, we were episode 60-something in campaign 3. Wild. Time is fake (sorry Essek).

Early stages of planning for this chapter included references to the Verin jam story because that dropped right around when I was formulating this whole story, if you can believe it! Ultimately it got cut, though I did drop some of the Verin discussion in this post!

He barely caught a flash of blue before the wind was knocked out of him and arms were thrown around his waist. “Hello, Jester,” he wheezed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Hi!” Jester squeezed his ribs tightly, and he narrowly avoided getting hit in the chin by one of her horns as she pressed her face to his chest. “I’m so happy you made it!”

This scene makes me so happy!!! Jesties my beloveds!!!! I love every scene I write of Jester and Essek because they are always so fun and frequently so so cute, but this is one of my favorites! For a lot of reasons, including:

Essek having to dodge a horn to the chin

Jester making Caleb wait his turn for Essek hugs and Essek just accepting that

Jester looking up at Essek with big puppy dog eyes to convince him to go along with her usurping hug-time from Caleb

Jester-sandwich! Jester-sandwich!!

Essek using dunamancy to help Caleb pick Jester up

It’s just all so cute and I feel like it highlights the kind of friendship Essek and Jester (and Caleb too!) have and I love them so much I want to explode.

Caduceus rested a hand on his shoulder. “Of course. We’re always happy to have you. Here—” He bent down, picked up a wide-brimmed hat sitting on top of a pile of gardening supplies, and handed it to Essek. “It’s going to be sunny later today.” Essek took the hat in both hands, running his thumbs along the edge. It appeared to be the same one the Clays had lent to him after Ikithon attacked the Grove. It was a little more worn than the last time he had borrowed it, but he recognized the pattern and texture of the weave. He smiled, a gentle warmth blooming in his chest at the thought the this hat might have been saved for him. “Ah. Thank you.”

Even though this is quite thoroughly a shadowgast fic, I cannot (and wouldn’t want to) ignore that the entire rest of the Mighty Nein love Essek too. My go-to is jesties, but in this chapter, Caduceus is the one to show a very deliberate care for Essek by not only giving him a sunhat, but remembering which one was the one he used last time. I like that kind of… consistency? repetition? tradition? so I think that’s a very sweet way to show someone consideration :)

As he knelt and began selecting his flowers, he heard Caduceus sigh. When he looked up, Caduceus glanced at him for a moment before looking out over the Mighty Nein and all their colorful chaos, a warm, contented smile settling on his face. “Yeah,” Caduceus said. “This is gonna be great.” Essek followed his gaze and took in the sight of his dearest friends, gathered together as a whole for the first time in several months. Veth was nearby, already hard at work planting one of many yellow flowers she had beside her. Fjord was leaned up against Jester as she explained her vision for her plot, a fond expression on his face. A little off to the side, Yasha wove a flower into Beau’s hair, Kingsley resting at her back, his tail flicking happily.

Everyone in the Mighty Nein gets a cameo, even if they don’t play much of a role in this chapter. I love them. I am writing to paint a picture of all of them together to keep in my heart, just like Caduceus is doing with the flowers.

Caleb was rolling up his sleeves, and the diffused light of the sun through the clouds made the orange in his hair almost seem to glow. He was beautiful—always, but especially amongst the flowers and greenery in the Grove, his warmth all the brighter for the coolness that surrounded him.

Essek, you think he’s so pretty it makes you look stupid (affectionate).

Essek let himself look and admire and memorize. For so long, he had taken in the image of Caleb in glances, at first too ashamed and then too nervous to look at him for any longer than a moment. Now, he could observe and know that it was welcome. Know that Caleb would look back at him and smile. What a gift it was to see Caleb Widogast and be seen by him in return.

And then the comfort that Essek has grown into in this relationship!!! The confidence in Caleb’s reciprocation of his feelings!!!! They don’t have to be awkward anymore because they share an understanding!!!!!! I’m fine!!!!!!!

(anyone else do the thing where they get a crush on someone and immediately cannot physically look at them? Like if you look at them for more than a split second, they’ll know you have a crush on them, which is a fate worse than death? anyway yeah when I write Essek, I’m pulling a lot from experience lol)

Essek flushed and shook away whatever foolish expression was on his face.

Listen, just because he knows Caleb isn’t going judge him for staring doesn’t mean Essek isn’t going to judge himself sometimes. He’s still learning.

Now we get into the actual gardening bit. I did wayyyy to much looking into flower meanings and put wayyyy too much thought into something that went largely unused. I don’t even know if my sources were accurate. I don’t particularly care. (the main one is the flower meanings page on the old farmer’s almanac fwiw?) But from my notes, I have written that amongst Essek’s batch of plants is sorrel, which supposedly means “affection” and tarragon, meaning lasting interest. Caleb’s purple hydrangeas are meant to symbolize a “desire to deeply understand someone.” 

They start out working separately but they just naturally stop caring about a hard separation. Almost like how they’re slowly but surely blending their lives more and more until they become one. wow! (listen, my brain is not built for esoteric and/or opaque metaphors, but a little bit of “this thing is like another thing”? that’s fine that’s good we can have a little fun with it)

Eyes drifting to the flowers they had yet to plant, Essek plucked one that Caleb had chosen. It was a bright, purplish blue, its pointed petals forming a ruff around the center.

The cornflower enters the picture, but Essek doesn’t know what it is. He just thinks it’s pretty and that it’s a nice contrasting color to Caleb’s hair.

Essek twirled the flower between his thumb and forefinger before brushing aside a lock of Caleb’s hair that had escaped its tie and tucking the flower behind his ear.

The rituals are intricate, etc., etc.

Essek adjusted the flower for a few moments more, making sure it would stay in place, and shrugged.

Yeah, bud. Suuure, you wanna make sure it stays in place, no other reason. Once again, intricate rituals.

“What is this for?” Caleb asked. Essek chuckled. “Do I need a reason?”   Caleb grinned, the red of his cheeks deepening. “No.” [...] “It complements your hair.”

Heyyyy throwback to chapter 2! But now that I think about it, this repeated exchange is kind of an emotional intelligence practice and a way to become more comfortable expressing their not-so-conscious thoughts with with each other. Like, no, there don’t have to be reasons for impulsive displays of affection (and they are becoming more comfortable with that too!), but if they pause for a second to reflect on why they did something, there is usually some reason for it, even if it is as simple as “I like you” or “I thought these colors went well together”. It’s about building the communication and the emotional intimacyyyyy.

“Thank you, dear.” [...] Dear. He quite liked the sound of that.

I would like to thank Liam O’Brien’s usage of ‘dear’ at the end of Mighty Nein Reunited Part 2 for my life.

Warmth spread throughout Essek’s entire body, coursing through his limbs and settling deep inside his ribs. It was dizzying, this slow and steady burn that only Caleb was able to spark, but Essek was not afraid. Caleb was an expert with fire. He would tend to this flame well, and Essek would bask in its heat and light, granted a comfort and a safety he had never known before.

you ever—you ever just— 

yeah.

Caleb is the only person for whom Essek has felt this depth of feeling, this kind of feeling. Vulnerability is frequently frightening, exhausting, especially if you have as little experience with it as Essek. But he knows Caleb well enough by now and trusts that he will not be careless with him. And it’s because of this confidence in Caleb that Essek is able to enjoy being vulnerable and being known. 

“You have some dirt on your face.” He reached for Essek again and rubbed his thumb along his cheekbone.  Essek squinted against the pressure but leaned into it anyway. “And whose fault is that, Caleb Widogast?” he said softly.  “Guilty as charged.” Caleb ran the backs of his fingers along Essek’s jaw before letting his hand fall away.

It is endlessly funny to me that Essek is like “I will not kiss Caleb in front of our friends.” And then he’s doing this like, 20 feet from them. I don’t know, bud, this feels more intense than a peck on the lips to say hello, but you do you. 

[…] the nearby trees grew up and over, their branches intertwining to create a natural canopy over the patio.

Being the keepers of the nature god’s temple means you can have some cool plant features. I love you, Wildmother <3 

A shout came from the direction of the clearing. Essek tensed and leaned forward in his chair, placing his weight on the balls of his feet, ready for a fight. Caduceus merely chuckled. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.”

Essek plays it cool for the most part, and it’s not hard when he’s with the Mighty Nein, but he is stressed and afraid most of the time nowadays, and he’s ready to defend himself at a moment’s notice. 

Essek whipped around, baffled by Caduceus’s non-reaction. Then he heard a loud, mischievous cackle that could only be Veth. There was more shouting. It was Fjord, he recognized. Of course it was. Shoving his paranoia aside, Essek could hear the good-natured tone of it all. The sharpness he had thought meant danger he now recognized as Fjord’s playful melodrama. 

This is my love letter to the Fjord & Veth bickering. A special shout-out to “Critical Role: Sam vs. Travis vs. Fjord vs. Veth,” one of the best videos on the internet. 

“I cannot say I have missed this part of the Nein,” he said. […] “But I cannot say I haven’t, either.” Caduceus raised his cup. “I know exactly how you feel.”

m9 latecomers bonding over loving the Nein while also being frequently overwhelmed by them <3

One of Caduceus’s ears flicked a few times, and he grinned, setting his now-empty tea cup down. […] Only a few seconds after Caduceus disappeared from view, another figure rounded the corner of the house. Essek brightened, the lingering pang in his chest morphing into something soft and sweet at the sight of Caleb Widogast.

Caduceus’s ear flicking is his insanely high passive perception hearing Caleb’s approach and he very kindly exits to give the wizards some alone time. 

And Essek is smitten :)

He held out his cup to Caleb. Caleb nodded his thanks and drank from it. “Hm. Not bad.” “I quite like it,” Essek said, taking the cup back for another sip. Caleb gave his hand a squeeze. “I will have to ask Caduceus if I can bring some home, then.”

The little intimacy of casually sharing a cup. 

Caleb!! making his home a place for Essek!!! with the things he prefers ready and waiting for him!!!

He cast about for a distraction from the flood of emotions. Caleb’s hair had fallen in front of his face in sweaty, unruly strands. He smoothed it back with his free hand, fingers passing over the blue flower still tucked behind Caleb’s ear.

Is playing with your beloved’s hair the best course of action when you are trying to distract yourself from how flustered you are because he is sweet to you? I would argue no, but Essek’s the one with the >20 intelligence. Surely his wisdom must match it? Surely. (/s i do not believe this man has a high wisdom stat)

“They are meant to symbolize good fortune and hope and—” He shook his head and held the cornflower out to Essek. “Anyways. This is for you.”

Blumenthal’s traditions that feature cornflowers are pretty much just European cornflower symbolism. However, there is one tradition that Caleb deliberately does not mention, which is that cornflowers are sometimes called bachelor’s buttons because they were sometimes worn in men’s buttonholes to show they were in love. Fun little fact for you. 

While not in love with Essek yet, Caleb is having some strong falling-in-love type feelings towards Essek. He was having them last chapter, he’s having them this chapter. And talking about his happy memories of home and seeing Essek wearing one of the symbols of it is only working to make those feelings grow. 

“I would very much like to kiss you right now.”

I realized after writing this that I pretty much wholesale yoinked it from the book I wrote in high school that will likely never see the light of day but is nonetheless so precious to me. I liked this line in its original context, I like it here. 

“I see. Well…” Essek looked around at the quiet, empty clearing before turning back to Caleb with a grin. He lifted a hand to Caleb’s jaw, rough and warm. “That can be arranged,” he said, and he tilted Caleb’s chin up and pressed their lips together.

I get it, Caleb. I get it so much. You’re so lucky, my dude. Essek is so cute it’s unfair.

An unmistakable squeal pierced through the air, sending Essek reeling back. He screwed his eyes shut and dropped his head onto Caleb’s shoulder, hot, roiling embarrassment churning in his stomach. “Do you think if we ignore her, she will forget what she saw?” Caleb pressed his face into Essek’s hair and chuckled sheepishly. “Not a chance.”

I love putting Essek in mildly mortifying scenarios. It’s how I show affection :) And Jester getting as excited as me about shadowgast kisses is a great way to do that :) 

Yasha, who Essek had assumed would show more discretion, smiled and nodded enthusiastically, giving him a thumbs-up. Essek smiled tightly and returned the gesture. Yasha was—thankfully—quick to recognize his discomfort. She wrapped an arm around Jester’s shoulders and herded her back in the direction they came, but Jester twisted in her grasp to give Essek and Caleb one last smile and an aggressive wiggle of her eyebrows before allowing herself to be led away.

Yasha is very supportive! Essek said “aww” when she and Beau kissed in Cognouza, so she’s just doing the same for him!! I love Yasha so much. She’s so silly and so sweet and I wanted to make sure that shows here <3

And writing Jester continues to be one of the most fun parts of writing critrole fics. Her mannerisms are so clear in my mind and I feel like they add such a good vibe to every scene that she’s in. Sometimes I have to restrain myself from not writing 1000 words of Jester every time she shows up. 

“They are going to tell everyone,” Essek said as he watched them retreat, his cheeks still burning with embarrassment. “Naturally,” Caleb replied.

I imagine that they’re doing the thing where they’re saying this through their teeth while smiling and waving at Yasha and Jester.

“We are both very powerful wizards.” Essek turned to Caleb with a look that was as close to pleading as he could get without surrendering his final scrap of dignity. “What is stopping us from teleporting away before we are forced to suffer that humiliation?” “That we love our friends—” Essek wasn’t sure how much he loved them right now. “—and that Jester would find more ammunition in us running off together than she has from seeing a single kiss.”

embarrassed!Essek gets a little dramatic and I think it’s funny and cute. Also, I like the casual admission that he loves his friends by saying that he doesn’t love them all that much in this particular moment.

Essek lifted Caleb’s hand from his leg and threaded their fingers together slowly, voice quiet. “It is not that I am against them knowing, and I am not so mired in court propriety that I feel scandalized. Rather…” He held their hands to his sternum, just below the cornflower affixed to his collar. “This is not something I do lightly. I am not frivolous with such things. And I am unused to sharing that which is…” Several words flashed through his mind—important, precious, beloved—until he fixed upon one that Caleb used earlier. “…dear to me, with others. I was not made for it.”  Caleb ran a thumb across Essek’s knuckles, while his other hand cupped his cheek. “I would not ask you to be,” he said. “I am happy with you, Essek. With us. Regardless of what the others know or think about it.”

hnnnnffghghnmm i’m fine i’m normal

Like, it’s the fact that it his relationship with Caleb is so important to him and he’s so emotionally invested in it that makes it hard for Essek to let anyone else see it. It’s like that quote from Emma: “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.” (side note: bbc miniseries Emma and Mr Knightley? arospec icons i will not and cannot elaborate) To let anyone get a glimpse of how deeply he feels about Caleb is equivalent to baring his entire soul.

And Caleb is happy to take things slow and keep things more private. I’ve mentioned before/elsewhere that the fact that in all the post-campaign one-shots, Caleb refuses to talk about Essek and brushes off any bid from the m9 to bring him up is endlessly funny to me. He’s so cagey about his relationship and I think it’s hilarious. But it speaks to the idea that his relationship with Essek is something just for them. It doesn’t need to be loud or obvious or overtly romantic to be good.

Caleb’s line also harkens back (forward?) to something he says in On the Nature of Attraction:

“...they [the Mighty Nein] do not have any expectations in regards to how our relationship develops. And even if they did, it would have no bearing on what we do. Whatever pace you set is one I’m happy to match.”

Same thesis, different set dressing.

Figuring out the ending for this chapter was very difficult for me. I ended up just cutting at a place that felt… okay? I considered adding more to it for a while, which I don’t like to do after something’s been published, but when I looked at it again a few months later, I felt alright with where it ended. But let me give you some of the stuff I was considering because I do think some of it is pretty fun.

Caleb: “Is this any more frightening than Aeor? Or Cognouza?” Essek: “I don’t think you want me to answer that.”

Before they rounded the corner of the house, Caleb hesitated, tightening his grip on Essek’s hand. “Are you ready?” “No.” “Me neither,” he said. “If I die of embarrassment, will you avenge me?” Essek laughed. “Bold of you to assume it would not kill me first, Caleb Widogast.”

Images/thoughts we could leave off on: - Essek love Caleb so much - Caleb is a bit silly and Essek loves him - Walking into the mighty nein’s clearing is like walking into the pits of hell - Jester’s adorable laughter is a harbinger of doom - God (Jester Lavorre) won’t let me die

And that’s chapter 3! I like this chapter a whole lot. It’s got some silly moments and some sweet ones, which meant I got to have a lot of fun writing it. See you next time for chapter 4!

[ajgrey9647]

reaching out, grabbing their hand + Boom! Comics; Tommy/Jason POST-introduction to the Coinless Arc but PRE-Shattered Grid (might as well make it a challenge)~

Tightening the Bond

He did not know whether to consider it a blessing or a curse, though he was heavily leading toward the latter. How many people have been ‘privileged’ enough to meet another version of themselves, one that had made vastly different choices and lived a life they’d never conceived of?

Tommy felt it was not what it was cracked up to be. He would not have recommended it to another, that’s for damn sure!

Following the surreal experience of meeting an older, eviler, more psychotic, power hungry asshole of a ‘Tommy Oliver’, the Green Ranger found that he frequently searched his friends’ faces as he chatted, joked, sparred, and fought beside them.

Did they look at him and see Lord Drakkon? Did they find that they were right in the beginning to have reservations about letting him join their team? In their heart of hearts, did they fear him, have nightmares that he’d one day turn on them?

Letting out a deep sigh, the teen pulled his knees to his chest, his forehead dropping to rest upon the green denim. His face flushed with embarrassment and shame and guilt though he’d done nothing wrong.

‘Drakkon is the tyrannical monster who tortured, maimed, traumatized, and murdered the Rangers of his world. Not me! I could never be so heinous!’

It didn’t help that immediately after tangling with the vicious dictator, Tommy had returned home to discover his ‘old man’ had been on a three day bender and was primed to insult, spit, and strike his ‘prissy’ adopted son. The earlier part of the evening had been spent listening the dick scream, yell, and degrade him up one side and down another. Nothing he said was new, it was all part and parcel of his usual vile diatribe.

But hearing how screwed up he was, how unwanted, how he was such an annoyance, a leech, a pain in the ass so soon after being confronted with the prima donna that was Lord Drakkon was vastly more painful. He was acutely aware that the other Rangers knew or suspected his home life sucked ass. Tommy took great pains to keep them from coming to his home or meeting his ‘folks.’

Jason already had a taste of the majesty that passed for Mr. Oliver, he knew and it still twisted his stomach in queasy knots when he thought back on the experience. For some reason, the Red Ranger had taken it in his head to swing up unannounced to pick Tommy up for school, once the weirdness between them in those early days had subsided. And par for the course, his ‘dad’ was still hung over when he yanked the door open and squinted out into the early morning light. 

“The fuck you want?” he slurred, gripping the tattered door frame for what tenuous support it could offer.

Jason’s dark eyes blinked rapidly as he took in the old drunk glaring at him suspiciously.

“Umm… I was coming to pick Tommy up for school, sir,” he tried, plastering a friendly smile across his face.

Abruptly, the scuffed door slammed shut and stupidly Jason continued to stand on the crumbled front stoop, waiting anxiously and shifting his weight from foot to foot. From the other side, he could hear angry yelling peppered with a variety of obscenities and slurs. He was getting ready to open the door when it opened and Tommy’s lanky frame was barrelling through, his face reddened and eyes moist.

Mr. Oliver’s voice bellowed out after him.

“I’m not fucking around with you, princess! Not under this motherfucking roof! I won’t tolerate that disgusting…”

Boldly, Jason leaned around and pulled the knob, cutting off whatever cruel insult was dripping from the old man’s lips. He’d returned to his car, where Tommy huddled in the passenger seat, chewing his inner cheek and picking at the hem of his t-shirt. A herd of oxen couldn’t drag anything from the teen and he was silent the entire ride to Angel Grove High.

Now, here he sat atop a picnic table in the park, alone, and ruminating on the exact point of divergence between himself and Drakkon. They shared this sad, abusive history, yet they branched off in differing directions at some juncture. What was it that persuaded them toward good or evil?

Stars twinkled over and the moon glowed like an otherworldly jewel. Was Rita staring down at him right now? If so, she should probably rethink fucking with him considering her fate at Drakkon’s hands. And if any of that wildness resided in Tommy, she’d be wise to give him a wide berth.

Faintly, the Green Ranger heard soft footsteps over his shoulder and he turned slightly to see Jason carefully approaching.

“Hey,” the Red Ranger called softly. “Room for one more up there?”

Tommy managed a small smile as he swung around to face his leader.

“You’re a long way from home, Jase. What brings you out this way?” he asked even as he patted the tabletop beside him.

Bounding up to take the place at Tommy’s side, the dark-haired teen sighed.

“I was worried about you… After everything that happened with Drakkon,” he responded. “Zordon told me you were out here. Alone.”

The Green Ranger’s hands fidgeted in his lap, self conscious at the news that Zordon had been watching him. Perhaps he was concerned about Tommy’s true nature as well?

“Well, I had to get out of the house. I couldn’t take the screaming and insults. My old man’s been on a bender and he’s a fight looking for a place to happen.”

Jason nodded in understanding and he slid a comforting hand on the other teen’s shoulder.

“Sorry, man. Isn’t there anything someone can do about what’s going on?”

“Nah… been there, done that. With my shiny track record, I get all the blame and nothing ever gets better, just worse. I’m biding my time until I can get the hell out of there on my own,” Tommy murmured, relishing the feeling of Jason’s warm, soothing touch.

The Red Ranger was silent a moment, unsure what he could even say that would mean anything right now. 

“Jason?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you trust me?” Tommy whispered, afraid to meet his best friend’s eyes. “I mean… after all this mess…”

Mouth agape, Jason was stunned at the teen’s question. His opinions on Tommy hadn’t changed despite being confronted with his darker self. Tommy wasn’t Drakkon. To him, it was that simple.

“What do you mean? Of course, I trust you, Tommy Oliver,” he said firmly. “Why would you think I wouldn’t?”

Tommy shrugged weakly and averted his face, licking his lips before giving voice to his darkest worries.

“Do you think it says something about me if I admit that I can see why Drakkon killed his old man? And that I sometimes wish I had the balls to do the same?” he blurted out. “Sometimes I worry that I don’t know where I end and he begins!”

Tugging on his shoulder, Jason forced Tommy to look at him.

“That monster was an anomaly! That’s not who you are, or you would have killed him a long time ago!”

“Is he though, Jason? Is he really the anomaly or am I? Drakkon makes sense, not me! What reasons do I have to be a good person? Because everything in my life has railroaded me to go down a bad path.”

He ran a shaky hand through his long tresses.

“You know I have a seedy past, Jase. Getting in trouble at school, getting expelled, going to juvenile hall. Picked up for fighting, drinking, smoking, vandalism, theft. I screamed, cursed, spit at, and fought almost every authority figure that came my way.”

Tommy swallowed, tears threatening. He hadn’t meant to go this deep into confession, but here he was and he might as well have out with it.

“Until you. Well, after I was freed from Rita’s spell,” he continued. “I mean, I know we’ve butted heads a time or two because we’re both stubborn as hell, but… I actually care what you think of me and I want you to be proud of me.”

Jason was dumbfounded. He had no idea Tommy felt this way and he struggled to come up with some sort of reply. When he didn’t speak, the Green Ranger went on, feeling more small and foolish and vulnerable. 

“I’ve never had a best friend before, any friends for that matter. Only acquaintances. And they weren’t anyone I’d trust or confide in or give two shits about.”

His shoulders hunched under Jason’s hand and the Red Ranger felt his frame shake slightly as the tears started to roll down his freckled cheeks.

“When the Coinless told me that Drakkon killed his Jason, I almost cried, right there in front of them and Billy. Because I couldn’t believe you didn’t exist in that world anymore, that that asshole could be such a fucking idiot to not see it…”

Hazel eyes flashed with intense passion before Tommy abruptly stopped speaking, his teeth biting harshly into his lip. He’d almost fucked up and said something that he couldn’t take back. His brain frantically tried to find a way to redirect the conversation before Jason could ask questions.

“I’m afraid that you will see Drakkon in me and turn your back, banish me from the Rangers, and I’ll be alone again.”

“Listen to me, Tommy! That will never happen, ok? I trust you with my life. We go into battle together and I know you’ve got my back, no questions. I wouldn’t hesitate to have you as my partner against Rita and her goons any day of the week!” Jason argued, taking both of the Green Ranger’s shoulders in his hands, fighting the urge to shake him soundly.

“I meant what I said that day on the beach when I asked you to join us. I offered you my hand and I’m still offering it to you, even after Drakkon and his bullshit. It changes nothing in my mind about whether or not I trust you or if you’ll turn on me.” 

Dropping one of his arms, Jason extended his hand towards Tommy. The teen gazed down at it through the haze of tears and sniffed. This meant more to him than the Red Ranger could fathom. 

“Say you’ll stay with me, Tommy, stay with the team… We need you. And we want you.”

A wobbly smile curved the boy’s lips and he gratefully reached out and grabbed Jason’s strong, steady hand.

“You have my word. As long as I’m breathing, I’m your Green Ranger, Jase…”

[adelaidehillswinetours]

Beyond Wine: Things You can Explore on a McLaren Vale Wine Tour!

Rich Shiraz as well as world-class wineries are frequently thought of when people think about McLaren Vale wine tours, but the area has much more to offer than just outstanding vineyards. McLaren Vale offers a wealth of distinctive experiences, including gourmet goods, local artwork, as well as stunning hiking paths.

In addition to a McLaren Vale wine journey, here are some more things you might enjoy.

1. Tastings of Olive Oil

Numerous olive groves in McLaren Vale deliver tastings where you may taste their premium olive oils and discover the methods used in their production. Try the olive oils from Coriole Vineyards, which are made with the same love and care as their wines. A rich and delectable perspective on the flavors of the region can be gained by tasting olive oils with wines.

2. Sculpture Trails and Art Galleries

There is a flourishing arts culture in McLaren Vale, with numerous galleries and exhibitions highlighting regional artists. With pieces by regional painters, sculptors, and ceramicists, the Fleurieu Arthouse in the old HardysTintara vineyard is a haven for art lovers. Visit the d'Arenberg Cube, a museum and eclectic art venue with views of vineyards, for a one-of-a-kind outdoor experience.

3. Regional Marketplaces

Local product lovers should not miss the Willunga Farmers Market, which is only a short drive from McLaren Vale's center. This lively market, which is open every Saturday, features artisan goods from all over the area along with fresh fruits, veggies, cheeses, and pastries. It's a great way to sample regional cuisine and bring home some of McLaren Vale's best goods.

4. Beautiful Trails for Biking and Hiking

There are many pathways in McLaren Vale that highlight the breathtaking scenery of the area for those who like the great outdoors. Hikers and cyclists alike love the Shiraz Trail, which meanders through vineyards and provides breathtaking views of the valleys and coasts. This picturesque journey is a great way to add some exercise and fresh air to your tasting day.

So, time to accept the Variety of Offerings from McLaren Vale. There is something for every visitor, including vibrant markets, art galleries, olive oils, and picturesque hikes. McLaren Vale wine tours provide more than simply wine for visitors looking for a well-rounded experience; they give a genuine flavor of South Australia's dynamic way of life.

[caelumcreative]

Kirenii Conclaves, the Children of the Wyld

"Let their blood nourish the soil, let their bones feed the worms, for our sacred mother mountain has tested these outsiders and found them wanting."

The Ildreth of the earth are not like many other creatures of nature, they do not swing in the trees and glades and sing songs of the unity of nature...no. They dwell in the dark corners, the bones of the earth, the mountains and caves that are numerous throughout the northern realms of Caelum. There deep within, you will find cities of stone and crystal that can rival any even among the Thanatari. These Ildreth have embraced their new home readily, birthed from the womb of the land itself along with all her other creatures. The Kirenii are closer to beast than man, they view all outsiders as threats to the sacred land they guard and they will make sure all outsiders know when they have trespassed. The Kirenii, from centuries under the stone, are a pale color and can resemble ghosts or wraiths in their way. Their hands bare claws and their teeth are fanged. Unlike the other Ildreth, who still honor the ancient elemental gods of their ancestors, the Kirenii have embraced the native Ur-Spirits of creation. The most important of which is Vah'leth, the great mother of the mountains, she who coils through the core of the land. Vah'leth is often depicted, like many of the Ur-spirits, as an animal but unlike most Vah'leth is described as a massive serpent with a woman being birthed from its mouth. Vah'leth is at the heart of all the Kirenii do, they hold the veins of the earth to be the most sacred places under the mountains and only those blessed by the mother, the Vathrik (Blessed by the fangs). These mages are uniquely tapped into the ways of the Ur-spirits and the primal connection of the earth element, they frequently grow horns on their bodies in a variety of sizes and quantities due to this connection. The Kirenii are most famous for their flesh crafting or Vahlikir (The Shape of Life) and the creations that the Kirenii are capable of making are horrifying for many outsiders to witness but they view it as a natural process being guided along, an advanced evolution. The creatures guard the sacred veins and entrances to the mountain homes of the Kirenii, the Ghaulik, stone stalkers, are a creature made from the flesh of mountain cats and the deepest dwelling reptiles, the Kirenii frequently ride these creatures into battle during their raides on neighboring human kingdoms or passing Tarrandai groves. The Kirenii are not mindless savages however, they do not attack without reason and they never do so unprovoked though what they consider provocation varies from Conclave to Conclave. One of the most important markers of Kirenii society is their scars, the many markings that cover a Kirenii throughout their lives. They are enchanted with crystalline dyes and glow even in the deepest darkness, and each are unique to their role in the Conclave. Each Conclave is organized into clans or Mekh'na and each of those Mekh'na provide a service to the Conclave. The Kirenii,though brutal to their neighbors, do not wage war on one another and instead resolve conflict through a sacred contest known as the Raekhal, this is a series of trials headed by a neutral conclave to resolve the dispute of two others, The Kharaz-Vorak or Test of Wills is a mock battle, competitors fight in an arena and work as a team to remove the Fle, a hair braid that all Kirenii warriors wear, from the other team. The Kharaz-Va’leth or test of spirit is a test of magical ability where the two chosen Vathrik willingly become possessed by spirits of fear and see who is able to remove the spirit first. and finally the Kharaz-Thal the Test of Stones, competitors carry massive stone slabs across dangerous terrain or are forced to wrestle a powerful flesh crafted creature whichever the overseeing Conclave decides. The winner of the Raekhal is final and accepted by all, afterwards the two apposing sides must cease all conflict and renew ties to one another in a Marak'Thal or Stone Binding a ritualistic marriage between the two Conclave Leaders who swear on the Mountain mother to stop all conflict for an allotted time.

[talonabraxas]

The Enigma of the Green Man

Symbol of life and nature: The Celtic nature god Cernunnos from the Gundestrup Cauldron (1st Century BCE, now in the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen)

The Celtic nature god Cernunnos from the Gundestrup Cauldron (1st Century BCE, now in the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen)

The most common and perhaps obvious interpretation of the Green Man is that of a pagan nature spirit, a symbol of man’s reliance on and union with nature, a symbol of the underlying life-force, and of the renewed cycle of growth each spring. In this respect, it seems likely that he has evolved from older nature deities such as the Celtic Cernunnos and the Greek Pan and Dionysus.

Some have gone so far as to make the argument that the Green Man represents a male counterpart - or son or lover or guardian - to Gaia (or the Earth Mother, or Great Goddess), a figure which has appeared throughout history in almost all cultures. In the 16th Century Cathedral at St-Bertrand de Comminges in southern France, there is even an example of a representation of a winged Earth Mother apparently giving birth to a smiling Green Man.

Because by far the most common occurrences of the Green Man are stone and wood carvings in churches, chapels, abbeys and cathedrals in Europe (particularly in Britain and France), some have seen this as evidence of the vitality of pre-Christian traditions surviving alongside, and even within, the dominant Christian mainstream. Much has been made of the boldness with which the Green Man was exhibited in early Christian churches, often appearing over main doorways, and surprisingly often in close proximity to representations of the Christ figure.

Incorporating a Green Man into the design of a medieval church or cathedral may therefore be seen as a kind of small act of faith on the part of the carver that life and fresh crops will return to the soil each spring and that the harvest will be plentiful. Pre-Christian pagan traditions and superstitions, particularly those related to nature and trees, were still a significant influence in early medieval times, as exemplified by the planting of yew trees (a prominent pagan symbol) in churchyards, and the maintenance of ancient “sacred groves” of trees.

Tree worship goes back into the prehistory of many of the cultures that directly influenced the people of Western Europe, not least the Greco-Roman and the Celtic, which is no great surprise when one considers that much of the continent of Europe was covered with vast forests in antiquity. It is perhaps also understandable that there are concentrations of Green Men in the churches of regions where there were large stretches of relict forests in ancient times, such as in Devon and Somerset, Yorkshire and the Midlands in England. The human-like attributes of trees (trunk-body, branches-arms, twigs-fingers, sap-blood), as well as their strength, beauty and longevity, make them an obvious subject for ancient worship. The Green Man can be seen as a continuing symbol of such beliefs, in much the same way as the later May Day pageants of the Early Modern period, many of which were led by the related figure of Jack-in-the-Green.

Symbol of fertility: Although the Green Man is most often associated with spring, May Day, etc, there are also several examples which exhibit a more autumnal cast to the figure. For example, some Green Men prominently incorporate pairs of acorns into their designs (there is a good example in King's College Chapel, Cambridge), a motif which clearly has no springtime associations. In the same way, hawthorn leaves frequently appear on English Green Men (such as the famous one at Sutton Benger), and they are often accompanied by autumn berries rather than spring flowers. The Green Man in the Chapelle de Bauffremont in Dijon (one of the few to retain its original paint coloration) shows quite clearly its leaves in their autumn colours.

This may have been simple artistic license. However, acorns, partly due to their shape, were also a common medieval fertility symbol, and hawthorn is another tree which was explicitly associated with sexuality, all of which perhaps suggests a stronger link with fertility, as well as with harvest-time.

Symbol of death and rebirth: Green Man in the form of a skull on a gravestone in Shebbear, Devon, England (photo Simon Garbutt)

Green Man in the form of a skull on a gravestone in Shebbear, Devon, England

The disgorging Green Man, sprouting vegetation from his orifices, may also be seen as a memento mori, or a reminder of the death that await all men, as well as a Pagan representation of resurrection and rebirth, as new life naturally springs out of our human remains. The Greek and Roman god Dionysus/Bacchus, often suggested as an early precursor of the Green Man, was also associated with death and rebirth in his parallel guise as Okeanus.

Several of the ancient Celtic demigods, Bran the Blessed being one of the best known, become prophetic oracles once their heads had been cut off (another variant on the theme of death and resurrection) and, although these figures were not traditionally represented as decorated with leaves, there may be a link between them and the later stand-alone Green Man heads.

There are several examples of self-consciously skull-like Green Men, with vegetation sprouting from eye-sockets, although these are more likely to be found on tombstones than as decoration in churches (good examples can be seen at Shebbear and Black Torrington in Devon, England). Such images might be interpreted as either representing rebirth and resurrection (in that the new life is growing out of death), or they might represent death and corruption (with the leaves growing parasitically through the decaying body).

The Green Man by Talon Abraxas

[plazapizzaohio]

Taste-Tested: The Best Pizza in Ohio According to Locals

When it comes to discovering the best pizza in Ohio, locals are the ultimate guides. From bustling urban neighborhoods to serene suburban streets, Ohio's pizza enthusiasts frequent their favorite spots for a slice that feels just like home. One such revered spot is Plaza Pizza, a place that stands out not only for its immediate delights but also for its pizzas that are just as tasty when reheated. For those wondering how to perfectly reheat pizza in the oven, places like Plaza Pizza provide pies that maintain their integrity and taste, even on the second day.

Plaza Pizza: A Local Favorite

Plaza Pizza has woven itself into the fabric of Ohio’s culinary culture with a steadfast dedication to quality and authenticity. At the heart of Plaza Pizza’s charm is its commitment to using high-quality, local ingredients. Every pizza starts with a base of freshly made dough, combined with a secret sauce that locals rave about—a sauce that keeps its rich flavor, even when you reheat pizza in the oven the next day.

Their diverse menu caters to all tastes, from timeless classics to bold, inventive toppings meant to satisfy both traditionalists and culinary adventurers alike. Additionally, Plaza Pizza embraces the community by offering options for every diet, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices, making sure everyone can join in on a slice.

What Makes a Pizza Great?

Ohioans are particular about what makes a great pizza, typically judging based on several key factors:

Crust: Whether it's thin, classic hand-tossed, or a hearty deep-dish, the crust is the foundation of any great pizza. It should taste fresh and boast a satisfying texture that holds up well, especially when you reheat pizza in the oven.

Sauce: The hallmark of any memorable pizza, the sauce should have a perfect harmony of herbs and tomatoes, rich and inviting, without overwhelming the other ingredients.

Cheese: It’s all about the quality and melt-factor of the cheese—a good cheese doesn't just taste great fresh but also when melted again during a quick reheat.

Toppings: Fresh, quality toppings make all the difference, offering bursts of flavor that keep the pizza exciting with every bite, even on reheating.

More Than Just Food

In Ohio, a great pizzeria like Plaza Pizza doubles as a community center. These establishments are where families gather to celebrate, sports teams come to enjoy a meal post-game, and friends meet for a catch-up. The warm, inviting atmosphere of such places is just as important as the quality of the food served.

The Lasting Impression

Locals will tell you that the test of the true quality of a pizza is not just how it tastes when freshly made, but also how well it holds up on a second heating. Plaza Pizza passes this test with flying colors, providing a pizza that is as delightful reheated as it is served fresh. This quality makes it a go-to recommendation for those seeking the best pizza in Ohio—perfect for any meal, fresh or reheated.

Visiting Plaza Pizza offers more than just a meal; it’s an exploration of flavors and an immersion into local dining culture. So, when you're in Ohio and craving a slice, remember where the locals go—and why they return, especially when they have a slice or two left to reheat in the oven at home.

Pine Grove Veterinary Hospital 4351 Burnside Line, Severn, ON L3V 0W1, Canada 17053252279 https://pinegroveveterinaryhospital.ca/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/4XyNmAfH5LZSGpSMA

[ravenspeakrp]

Welcome to Raven’s Peak, Dusto, we’re excited to have you! Jonathan “Johnny” Haven (Werewolf, Andrew Garfield) has been accepted. Please be sure to stop by the CHECKLIST for the follow list, tags to track, and other reminders.

IN CHARACTER 

FULL NAME: Jonathan “Johnny” Haven

SPECIES: werewolf

AGE: Thirty-eight

DATE OF BIRTH: July 21st

GENDER IDENTITY: cis-male

NEIGHBORHOOD: Deadman Acres

OCCUPATION: Unemployed/Musician

WORKPLACE: N/A

POSITIVE TRAITS: Brave, romantic, jovial

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Impulsive, stubborn, boisterous

LENGTH OF TIME IN RAVEN’S PEAK: Newly arrived

FACE CLAIM: Andrew Garfield 

BIOGRAPHY

TRIGGER WARNING: Death, injury

What you’re looking for won’t be found easily,

It grows upon the mountains in a sacred place,

Up beyond the clouds an ancient ground so they say,

And many men have died trekking up that way.

- La Belle Fleur Sauvage, Lord Huron

Life on the road, traveling from town to town and playing folk music for bars full of strangers that would become familiar faces over the years was more than alright with Johnny Haven. He became something of a legend; within the region of the United States that he frequented, at least. Never with a massive following, but always garnering enough interest to keep the dream alive and support the lifestyle of a traveling minstrel, his enigmatic aura created a feeling of intrigue and mystery, and that, along with his considerable talent, was enough to gain him a quiet reputation as the act that you didn’t want to miss when he blew into town. 

Unlike many in shoes similar to his though, Johnny never anticipated that this life would go on forever, nor did he really have any desire for it to. He always expected that he would come across a pretty face that he just couldn’t shake, and he knew when that time came, he would be prepared to give it all up to settle down and start a life with her. And sure enough, in a small town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, he met the girl he’d been waiting on: the prettiest flower by the name of Lily. Like so many before her, Lily was charmed by Johnny, but Johnny was not the only man who was vying for her affection. When asked what he could do to set himself apart from the rest, Lily told Johnny of an olden tradition that the people of her little town had once practiced, and still spoke of, wherein a man who wanted to prove his love for a woman and win her hand, would travel to a place untouched by time, where a very rare and very beautiful flower was known to grow. The journey, she warned, was a dangerous one, that had even claimed lives in the past. But, if Johnny could do it, then he would prove that this was something more to him than the nights that Lily knew from his reputation he had shared with many other women in his travels throughout the years.

Determined to prove his love for Lily, Johnny took upon himself the task of retrieving the rare flower from its secluded grove. He traveled on foot for many days through wilderness untamed, through forest and grassland, over rocks and through water, and finally up the mountain and through snow and freezing cold, until at last he reached the place where the flower grew. Its beauty was second only to Lily herself in his eyes, and he could think of nothing more fitting than presenting it as a token of his affection to her. 

Unfortunately, the trip to get to the flower was only half of the journey, and it was during the trip back that the physical toll began to really set in. It was on the way back down the mountain that a particularly frigid night set in and sapped him of a great deal of any remaining energy that he had. By the time he made it to the bottom of the mountain, he had nothing left to give, and though he tried to continue pushing on, only to fall down in a heap upon the ground many times, Johnny realized that it was likely that he would die here, and never be able to give Lily the flower he had gone to such lengths to get for her.

And that certainly would have been the case, were it not for the fact that someone had been watching him this entire time.

It turned out that the area at the base of the mountain was home to a pack of werewolves who lived off the beaten path, and they had been keeping an eye on Johnny ever since he had passed through their territory the first time. Upon seeing him collapse, succumbing to exhaustion and wounds he’d sustained from his stubborn refusal to rest and regain his strength, they carried him back to their camp, where they did everything they could to try and help him. It quickly became clear though, that their medicinal remedies were not going to be enough to keep him alive, and so one amongst them, an ancient werewolf who did not technically belong to this pack, but in a sense, belonged to every pack, made a decision to turn him into a werewolf, so that the transformation brought on by the full moon the next night would give him strength and allow him to heal.

Upon returning to his human form the morning following the transformation that had saved his life, Johnny had many questions, but the one that dominated his mind was simple: where was the flower? It brought him great relief to know that it had been retrieved and brought to the camp when he was, and from there, he was able to dive into asking the many other questions he had about what he now was, and what it meant for how his life would be moving forward. The pack was prepared to take him in as one of their own, but Johnny’s heart still longed for Lily, and so with a promise to return someday, he said goodbye to the wolves who had saved him and returned to the small town where Lily lived.

But nothing could have prepared him for what he would find upon making that return.

Lily, it turned out, had married another of her suitors in the time that Johnny had been gone. With guilt etched upon her features, she explained that she had already made up her mind on marrying the man she had ended up marrying before Johnny had left, and that she had never actually expected him to take on the task of retrieving the flower. At most, she had thought that he would maybe try, but would give up halfway through the difficult journey and move on. With an apology that did nothing to ease the pain that Johnny felt in that moment, Lily returned the flower he had presented her, and left him standing there with his heart in tatters. 

After that, Johnny returned to the wolves who had saved him, far sooner than he had ever expected to, and found solace in the acceptance they showed him. But perhaps more importantly, he found a sense of kinship with the wolf who had turned him; one that managed to make his hurt and embarrassment over what had happened with Lily seem to fade away into nothingness far more quickly than it would have otherwise. And so, when his new friend declared that he was leaving this pack and moving on to another, Johnny decided that he would go with him, thus beginning what would become the pair of them traveling all across the country, meeting and staying with different packs of wolves living their lives away from humans, and forging a bond of brotherhood between them through their antics.

Now, with his bonded brother returning to the town that was apparently once his home, Johnny has followed him here to Raven’s Peak, where he will experience living amongst civilization again for the first time in a few years. With him, he brings very little, but there is the one thing that he brings with him everywhere: the flower, which he has continued to care for and preserve, in the hopes of one day finding a heart who deserves the love and effort that he put into retrieving it. Whether or not he’ll find that here, he has no idea; in fact, he really has no idea what to expect from being in Raven’s Peak at all. But he does know that as long as his best friend is here, he’s here to stay. 

EXTRAS

FILLING CONNECTION: No INSPIRATIONS: None!

[yashvitours]

A Local’s Guide to Singapore: All the Must-Visit Places

Singapore is also known as the Lion City and it boasts of being a diverse metropolis with a vibrant lifestyle as well as modern facilities. As highlighted earlier, whether it is your first time or you are a frequent visitor; this city will never cease to amaze you because of its distinctive features that are always changing. This article is intended to serve as a comprehensive overview of some tourist destinations with Singapore Tour packages one can look at from his or her own perspective other than what others have said about them. In order for you to reach this city without any hitches we organize trips that we have customized for each client so that all he does is just enjoy every minute spent there.

Marina Bay

Begin your exploration of Singapore by checking out the legendary Marina Bay Sands — a single grand hotel complex containing super luxurious hotels, rooftop pools that never end shopping paradise and worlds best casino. The SkyPark is another great area for incredible snapshots as it offers awe-inspiring panoramic sights over city lines.

Gardens by the Bay is an advanced park which represents a blend between technology with the environment located in our vicinity. You should ensure that the Supertree Grove with overgrown tree-like structures plus Cloud Forest — a glossy greenhouse holding mists and green plants around always appeals to visitors when in its vicinity. While touring here never fail to observe the nightlong Garden Rhapsody that involves lighting plus music at the Supertree Grove.

Sentosa Island

Head to Sentosa Island during your free day: it’s a man-made island resort with countless exciting things to see at any age. Universal Studios Singapore for its rides and shows or just lie down by Palawan shore — both are completely tranquil spots. Adventure Cove Waterpark will offer you lots of water-based entertainment and learn at S.E.A. Aquarium.

In Sentosa, there are also historical places such as Fort Siloso where one can be taught the military history of Singapore; the cable car ride to Sentosa will surely create some memories as you enjoy the amazing views over the island and the city.

Singapore Zoo and Night Safari

A visit to the Singapore Zoo is something that any nature lover would enjoy because it is famous for its open habitat enclosures and variety of animals. With such immersive exhibitions like the Fragile Forest or The Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia, which bring animals face to face with humans near their natural habitats, this place attracts those who appreciate nature most.

Watch nocturnal creatures in their habitat at Night Safari, the first of its kind. Put money into either a tram ride with a guide or walking trail through the park and see these animals in their natural surroundings. The Night Safari is an experience like no other which allows people to connect more closely with it during those hours when things are still quiet and most asleep.

Chinatown

Visit Chinatown to submerge yourself in Singapore Culture. This section is full of both old-fashioned and contemporary sights; historic structures as well as temples; colorful marketplaces as well as other establishments where the religions or other items are located nearby. Make sure you go to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple which is an awesome edifice built around one of Buddha’s remaining bones.

Go for a walk along Chinatown’s narrow streets. Discover the Chinatown Heritage Centre, which is a peep into the lives of early Chinese immigrants opening its door for you. To have an unforgettable experience, be sure to see the vibrant street art and murals illustrating the history and culture of the place.

Little India

Go for a walk along Chinatown’s narrow streets. Discover the Chinatown Heritage Centre, which is a peep into the lives of early Chinese immigrants opening its door for you. To have an unforgettable experience, be sure to see the vibrant street art and murals illustrating the history and culture of the place.

Stroll down the Serangoon Road and check out the range of dress materials, Indian jewelry and spices that are available in different shops. The Mustafa Centre is a 24-hour bazaar where you will certainly be able to find whatever you need under the sun.

Kampong Glam

Kampong Glam is simply a historic district which reflects Malay and Arab heritage of Singapore and that is centered on an imposing landmark which is the Sultan Mosque featuring its golden dome and grandiose architecture whereas Malay Heritage Centre is an institution that seeks to delve into the culture and history of the Singaporean Malay community.

Haji Lane, a minor Japanese language zone in Kampong Glam is well known for its fashionable shops, chic restaurants, bars or cafes. This is the best place to buy original designer outfits or just watch as artists decorate its walls with different colorful pictures.

Clarke Quay

For an exciting outing, visit Clarke Quay — a riverside quay popular for its vibrant nightlife and entertainment activities. It is covered with bars, clubs, and restaurants that are located inside renovated warehouses. You can take a scenic cruise along the Singapore River while looking at the city’s famous landmarks.

In addition, certain tourist destinations are situated at Clarke Quay; like the Fort Canning Park with its historical sites and lush green vegetation, as well as the G-Max Reverse Bungy.

Orchard Road

You must do shopping spree on Orchard Road when visiting Singapore. This prominent shopping district is full of life hosting big malls besides upscale fashion houses and luxury stores. Be you in search of designer labels, electronics or just ordinary souvenirs, Orchard Road takes care of everything.

To enjoy a distinct shopping experience, come to Ion Orchard — an ultramodern shopping center with a roof terrace that provides a panoramic view of the town.

East Coast Park

To get away from the busy life of the town, East Coast Park provides an opportunity for people to relax while enjoying various recreational activities as it’s beautifully located along the coastline. One may hire a bicycle so as to cruise on the cycling paths in this area or opt to relax on sandy beaches. Furthermore, this is a common place where people come for lunching out, roasting meat and using water for fun.

East Coast Park offers an ideal setting for an enjoyable day at the beach, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Conclusion

Singapore is a city of endless possibilities, offering a mix of modern attractions, cultural experiences, and natural beauty. From the futuristic Gardens by the Bay to the historic streets of Chinatown, there’s something for every traveler. Yashvi Tours and Travels known for being the best travel company in Ahmedabad, we provide customized tours and travel packages to help you explore the best of Singapore, ensuring a memorable and hassle-free experience. Whether you’re looking for international holiday packages from Ahmedabad or domestic tour packages from Ahmedabad, we have you covered. Additionally, we offer air ticket booking in Gandhinagar to make your travel arrangements even more convenient.

So pack your bags, and get ready to discover the Lion City like a local with the best tours and travels in Ahmedabad!