#but sivi really turned it on!

[intriga-hounds]

sivi and ponzu moving at boofest

pc: michael boomer

[kikithedreamerwriter]

to all my tmnt fic creators out there what are your oc x s/o turtle head cannons? i would love to read them <3 (u don’t have to tho)

im tagging: @tinkabelle19 @miss-andromeda @m1dnyt3-w0lf @shinzowosasageyoooo @sharpwindow @pheradream-15 @fyreball66 @sivy-chan-blog @akesdraws-blog

pass it along if you want!

OC!Sayuri x Bayverse!Leonardo Headcannons

Sayuri Reference Photos: Kimono Mom - Moe

I found her really pretty and from the moment I first saw her content I was like: this is exactly how my OC is going to look like 🥰 (except with Sayuri’s signature pale grey-blue eyes ofc) lemme photo dump her here real quick

springtime in Japan💕🌸

tea ceremony class 🍵

study mode 📖🔬🧫

flower arrangement class 💐✨

They’re that pretty little princess x gentleman ✨ couple that you’d stare at as they pass by and contemplate why you’re still single af

I imagine that Leo can understand and read Japanese but he can’t speak it, so whenever he and Sayuri talk they do so frequently in Japanese (well… at least he tries to 😅)

She cooks and he cleans

He’s an early bird and she’s a night owl.

He’s by the book and she’s a free sprit.

When Sayuri studies, he brings her tea. When he trains, she wipes the sweat from his brow.

Sayuri, being a former karate athlete, practices some katas with Leo. Splinter finds them adorable btw.

Fav sleeping/cuddle position 💕: Leo laying his head on her chest (in my humble opinion, Leo is a boob guy)

Fav position 👀😉: missionary

They are giving geisha x samurai warrior

Sayuri always makes the tea, because Leo prefers how she makes it compared to how he does it.

They love reading the same books and binging anime together because they’re nerds and introverted weebs 🤓✨

And sometimes those binge sessions turn into something else (if u know what i mean)

They would spar playfully in the dojo from time to time

They both LOVE deep conversations (etc. meaning of life, point of existence, origins of the universe)

They def have plant children, and they have a watering and trimming schedule together 🥺🌱

Sayuri likes to cook for her turtle beau. Udon, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, onigiri, mochi, curry, miso. Leo learns a lot from Sayuri when they cook together. He now knows how to execute a good miso soup with rice.

Sayuri always carries a tracking charm and help button on her medical bracelet that Leo had requested Donnie to create. After how they first met, Sayuri doesn’t really mind.

Sayuri LOVES to watch Leo train. His amazing strength and precise technique astounds her every time. Not to mention those biceps 👀 Leo knows his girl is watching so he shows off a little too heheh

Their date nights are pretty vanilla. Cooking and having dinner together, movie nights, book club sessions, or even just conversation. Sometimes though, Leo will take her into the city and show her exclusive views.

Carrying her bridal style when they travel makes Leo feel so strong 💕 she’s his Queen 👸

not so big on PDA but Sayuri will initiate the occasional hand-holding and Leo will sling an arm across her waist and shoulders from time to time

When they argue, it’s usually because of either Leo’s arrogance or Sayuri’s stubbornness. They’re so like-minded that they tend to but heads sometimes.

Leo’s love language: acts of service and words of affirmation

Sayuri’s love language: gift-giving and physical touch

enjoyed this?

check out Leo and Sayuri’s first encounter series here!

[sadgirlshome]

I'll be honest. I haven't seen a single "Sivi is (X)" post that cites any source outside of their own word. I'm not saying to disregard media literacy just because of that: What I'm saying is that exclaiming such dire accusations like that with nothing to back you up isn't helpful to whatever cause you're trying to support. And assuming someone does support Sivi as much as you can support someone without it getting parasocial, the next person who shares concerns like this will be significantly less likely to be taken seriously. When Sivi still had her account, she stated in plain text that what bothered her about the poll was the people spreading rumors in its comments about her doing (X) or saying (X) without actually confronting her about it.

Whether she would, I wouldn't know. However, if someone is supposedly willing to learn, I would at the least follow through with directly raising your concern in a reasonable manner with them first. Otherwise, you could risk pushing them farther into isolation. Besides that, there are plenty of people who have gone after Sivi for things such as... not supporting child labor? So I'd be careful with sharing things without a source. There are plenty of people willing to hijack that narrative.

very very good points! That's why I turned off reblogs in that earlier ask because no one followed with any sources, no links, no screenshots (and these can be faked easily too), nothing to prove her being a bigot and so I did not want something like that to spread more. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and but in the end it was just a spineless anon.

What are some of you even doing on the weird people website™️ if you're just going to spend your entire time bullying someone for that. If you find someone annoying, block them. Don't interact with them. You don't need to makeup bullshit to justify your hatred of them. Really acting like a bunch of overgrown children whose parents shouldn't have let them on their electronics for too long.

[eedisgirlfriend]

i love it when i go full on Bitch mode and no one else is there but my girlfriend and they always have to deal with it God i hate myself sm

[theocseason4]

DONT LET THEM TURN U INTO A POPULAR TUMBLR DISCOURSE BLOG. but what’s going on is one of ratlikers friends sent sivi really gross rape messages a while ago. and now ratliker is saying some antiblack stuff and halodite argued with them and then got deleted rip. so sorry

I have. No idea who these people r and i dont

Plan on actually finding out dont worry

[ganymedesclock]

tell me about any of the lorn gods but specifically the ones you feel you haven't gotten the chance to ramble about as much

I'm gonna choose Tema specifically for this!

Tema in some ways out-of-universe was defined by the other characters. I had a vague concept of a plant/nature god before her but that figure arguably became the prototype for Sivi, which left me scratching my head for a great deal of time on what another god could be that wasn't overlapping with Sivi, since 'stone' and 'wood' are often conceptually united under earth. This ended up really fitting for her character, because she's steeply younger than the elder trio, and kind of trying to be her own god in their shadows more than any of them had to exist 'in the shadows' of the others considering they were fairly close in age and both Garu and Dena spread out heavily as children.

I'm a really big sucker for white mage/cleric type characters explored in unorthodox directions, since I think many fantasy stories have a bad habit of characterizing the healer as the most modest, restrained, unthreatening person, or at minimum someone who superficially comes off that way such that it's shocking or comedic if they aren't.

A big thing I tend to think of with gods in particular is that 'a god' to me is not merely a Being Of Great Power- they are also defined to some degree by a social role. Real historical pantheons are staffed by what mattered to the humans at this time- to the people of ancient Egypt, the yearly flooding of the Nile was vital to survival, so Isis- who was kind of a big cheese- was a goddess of the Nile and its floods.

It's also significant that the color gods go in sequence- they have a strict birth order and in some ways the ideas they embody commentate off each other. Dena in some ways embodies the raw promethean 'clay' that shaped the earth- molten rock- and when that cools, it becomes stone, Sivi's domain- just as Sivi's sense of foundations and civilization can't be born first without the raw, chaotic creation that Dena connects to. And likewise, Sivi's ordering of man and nature, the notion of not merely village but commonwealth and country- paves the way for Garu, a god of outcasts, rebels, and others who defy or are rejected/abandoned by an order.

So Tema in turn is shaped by all three of her older siblings, but particularly by Garu, even if she gets along better with Sivi. Compared to Aeon and Ilvi and their dramatic birth, Tema is superficially the "uncomplicated child" of the three younger gods, so that kind of made me think of her as the good girl who's trying hard to not be so needy at a point her older siblings are so busy and so worried. This tied well with one of the few surviving traits from the original concept- that she's quite bossy and pushy, the way that a growing tree might churn or throw things around with its roots, and plants can split foundations that lie underneath them.

This all came together into a life god- and one of my favorite ideas about life is how when you say "life god" the typical image is either a little girl or a motherly woman all with flowers in her hair, surrounded by beauty and grace- Persephone and Demeter.

But Tema isn't just life- she's a life who came as the fourth child after Garu- god of pestilence, hunger, dissatisfaction, anger, and frustration. The gnawing, furious, desperate thing that drove us to the first revolution of the stone age.

Life is... relentless. It seethes. It boils. Watch kudzu overtake a field or the concept of wolf trees- that devour so much from the soil nothing can grow around them- and for all the ways that fertility and vitality have been sought-after prizes for us, there is a "family resemblance" between Tema and her big brother, even when she doesn't like him- in particular because she doesn't like him. He's not the one she wants to be like- she wants to be like Sivi, all-beloved, all-adored.

So, Tema is all of that restlessness, all of that seething, bone-chewing, blood-drinking life that is born from successful predation. When windfalls blow in the right direction, when fortune smiles and the vicious work of Garu's domain pays off... it gives way to a different direction to that energy. The hunter-gatherer becomes the forest-tender, or the field-tiller; seeds are sown, weeds are pruned. Custodianship, symbiosis, and diligence. Living things, far more than anything else, have a contrast between if they're wild or tamed.

Tema, like Sivi, has an animal motif that is a domesticated creature, something whose nature changes when it is known by humans. In her case, it's a sheep or goat- ambitious climber and boundless energy. An angry goat isn't quite as destructive as a charging bull, but goats and sheep aren't beasts of burden that often- mostly they're valued for their coats.

Lambs are also seen as a symbol of innocence which comes back to that contradictory nature of Tema, that she is a wild thing, like climbing ivy or a goat on a mountainside- even if she is further from "the mother sun" she is ambitious enough to try and reach for that idea of All-Color anyway. But also, that ambition ironically makes her covet order- she's trying to be the bellwether herding everybody into place. So she thinks of herself- presents herself- as the sweet shepherd-child leading people back into order, diligence, "just till your field and be happy with it, good things will follow, prosperity is reliable and you don't have to gamble or hurt others" after Garu and before the truly untameable aspects of Aeon-

...but in practice, there is something pretty ungovernable about Tema herself. Every peaceful grazing herbivore will fight to defend itself and will resort to opportunistic meat-eating if food grows scarce. For the field to stay flourishing, its appetites must be sated.

So Tema, out of the gods, is probably the one who is simultaneously wild and tame, and has the biggest conflict with it. She has widely celebrated and welcomed healing magic, but that magic can also cause a body to run wild very easily. The truly-terrifying deathless abominations, ever-shifting, that she's given rise to in desperation to fix problems, are a testament to how powerful the 'little sapling' truly is- and how uneasily her power bends itself to being tamed or pruned into shape. Cut a bud off a tree and it will grow new ones as long as it has the resources to do so; the act of keeping a bonsai or a farm field is a continuous effort against a force that cannot tire.

And when the closest sibling to her in age is Aeon- the great pelagic force of destruction and entropy that rages so untamed as to be feared by their other siblings, this doesn't settle Tema's conflict at all, but exacerbates it. Her need to have power, to stay in control, drives her wild side at the same time she covets tameness for it- she is a good little girl, and she is loved by mortals for being a good little girl, daughter of paddocks and fields, priestess of honest work and princess among sovereigns- and she is a thing terribly, terribly afraid of growing up, because once she leaves this flowerpot, she suspects she will not be nearly so lovely to the mortals who don't see her family resemblance.

[remusownsmyuwus]

In Your Arms (In Your Wings)

This fic was inspired by @delimeful 's au

Taglist: @blanketflakes @iwantafroyo @aleiimm @xbrad-pitifulx

Genre: Fluff, very mild, resolved angst

Warnings: Swearing, crying, self-deprecation, probably some that I missed I'm sorry

Words: 1,970

Author's note: You know it, I know it. @xbrad-pitifulx knows it. My mutuals know it. I'm their writing slave. Please let me out of the cell I wrote another story and this is for them! :) I also used *these* to mark where italics would go, so I might have missed some.

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Virgil crawled toward Patton’s room, wings tucked neatly against his back. He felt a little guilty, lying to the Moral side this way, but it was worth it. Patton had spilled his guts to Virgil, although he didn’t know it was Virgil, for several weeks now. Virgil, transformed into the small, cat-sized dragon he became when particularly overwhelmed or stressed. He used a claw to scratch at the back of an ear before getting to Patton’s door and nudging his head through the catflap Patton had installed after Virgil’s second visit. 

“Oh! If it isn’t little Silvie!” Patton squealed, swinging his legs off of his bed and sitting up. Virgil took a few steps into the room, letting the catflap close behind him. Patton stood up off the bed and crouched down in front of the little dragon, whose tail was moving slowly from side to side.

"Sivie, you're looking so very extra cute today! Want to hear about my day?" Patton's voice was happy with only a tinge of sadness, and he hadn't been crying when Virgil came in, so at least there was that. Virgil scurried forward, bumping his scaly forehead against Patton's leg in a way he hoped seemed oblivious.

"Well, this morning I was fixing breakfast for everyone, and I noticed yesterday that Logan was really bothered about something, I can never tell what. He's so much smarter than me." Virgil gently closed his mouth around Patton's finger to remind him that he was smart, smarter than Logan in a lot of ways, in a lot of ways that mattered, too. Patton chuckled.

"Anyway, I decided to make crêpes because he likes them, he just fills them with Crofter's. Isn't that funny, Slivie?" Patton had pulled Virgil into his lap, gently stroking along the scales of Virgil's back. "So I was just finishing the batter and grabbing the Crofter's from the cabinet so he wouldn't have to grab it himself, when he walked down the stairs." Patton paused for a moment, seeming to shuffle his thoughts and compose himself, absent-mindedly stroking Virgil's scales.

"He walks into the kitchen, and he looks at me, and he says, "I'm looking for Virgil. Have you seen him?" and I say "Sorry, Logan, I haven't seen him today.' and Logan seems to be looking right through me, right through me, you know? And he says, "I haven't seen him since the day before yesterday," so I say "okay, if you find him, tell him to come down for breakfast," and he just…" Patton trailed off, moving a hand under Virgil's chin, scratching lightly. "Turns to go. To leave! So I say, "Take care of yourself," and he turns around and he says to me, "Patton, I need your help."" Patton stopped scratching, letting his head fall back and bump against the frame of his bed.

"He never asks me for help. Ever. So now I know something's really wrong." Virgil felt uncomfort stew in his gut, felt like he was hearing a conversation he wasn't supposed to hear, if second-hand. "--So I said, "Sure, Logan! I'd love to help you!" And he looks at me with those big, brown eyes of his, and there's this far-away look to them, Silvie, like broken windows getting rained on." Patton moves his hand again, petting Virgil's wings, and Virgil leaned into the touch, because he knew Paton needed someone (or something) to be there for him.

"And then, right then, he says "I think I'm in love with someone."" Patton's eyes open from where they had drifted closed and he looks down at Virgil. Virgil stared up at him, surprised. He knew Logan felt, knew that just like the rest of them he felt sad and frustrated and happy, but… Virgil had always assumed that being so Logical, love, or at least the romantic kind, wouldn't be something he felt, one of the main reasons Virgil had squished his crush on Logan down so much.

""Congratulations!" I tell him, but he looks so worried. He looks like he's afraid his whole life is gonna crash down around him. So I take him by the shoulder and sit him down on the counter, and in the smallest whisper, he says to me, "I'm afraid. I'm afraid that he'll say no. Because I don't want to ruin the unsteady friendship we've developed. Because I couldn't live without him in my life." I'm so shaken, Silvie. I don't know what to do with myself. I say, "I'm sure he'd understand if he doesn't feel the same way," and he says, under his breath, like I'm not supposed to hear it, "But Virgil always blames himself, and I don't want him to blame himself for my… illogical behavior."" Patton stopped his stoking to look at the now very agitated dragon on his lap.

Virgil scampered around Patton's stomach, brain a mile a minute. Logan liked him romantically? And he cared about my feelings? Patton's hand gently stopped Virgil halfway through his third circle around himself.

"And then he looks up! And he sees that I heard him. And he got up, and he left. I wanted to give him time to cool down, but after Roman and I had finished cleaning up from breakfast, I went up to his room and I knocked on his door, and," Patton's voice was a tiny whisper. "I heard him crying, through the door. Full-on sobbing. So I knock, just loud enough to get his attention, and-" Patton was cut off by Virgil running off of his lap and darting through the catflap.

Logan needs me. He's crying, and he's alone, and he needs me was all that was running through Virgil's head as he took the stairs two at a time, his wings flapping when he jumped to give him an extra boost. He was already at Logan's door and had scrabbled at it for a good five seconds before he realized he was a) not human and b) very small compared to Logan. He hoped Logan didn't want to experiment on him or anything. But, it was too late.

"Hello? Come in?" Said a soft, hoarse voice from inside. Virgil, being unable to come in but hearing the brokenness is Logan's voice, rammed his head against the door a few times. "Fine, I'm coming," Said the voice, and gentle footfalls neared. 

The door swung open, and there was Logan, eyes red and puffy. “Hello?” Logan’s voice cracked, and a tear slipped out of his left eye. “Is anybody there?”

Virgil flapped a wing against Logan’s shoe, hoping to get his attention without being kicked or stepped on.

“Oh!” Logan said, crouching down to look at Virgil better. Up close, he looked wrecked. His hair was falling over his eyes, which were bloodshot, and his skin was blotchy with red patches and there were dark circles under his sunken eyes. He pushed lopsided glasses up his nose to stare at Virgil. “Would you like to come in?”

Virgil took a few steps forward, stopping with his face a few centimeters from Logan’s. He flicked out his tongue, licking a tear off of Logan’s cheek. Logan laughed and opened his arms for Virgil, who crawled into them.

Logan stood, looking from side to side before shuffling back into his room and closing the door with his foot, a tiny dragon held in his arms. He dragged his feet to the bed and sat down, making sure not to jostle Virgil. “Aren’t you a curious creature? I’ve never seen a dragon like you in the Imagination…” He lay back on the bed, Virgil resting on his stomach. Virgil settled his head against his claws, looking at Logan, whose chest was rising and falling evenly underneath him. 

“You want to know why I’m crying? Why I’ve been crying for hours?” Logan said to the air above him. Virgil tilted his head as if to invite Logan to continue. “I’m in love with… with a close friend. And he’s so wonderful, so smart and sarcastic and beautiful. And-” Logan’s voice died in his throat and he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. “-And he could never love me. He could never love me back, because I’m stupid, and I don’t understand humor, and I’m ugly.” Logan brought a hand up to his face, rubbing at his eyes and pushing his glasses onto his forehead. 

Distressed, Virgil launched himself at Logan’s face, licking the tears off of his cheeks, trying to comfort him any way he could. Logan was brilliant, he was funny in that dry, professor-y way of his, and anyone with eyes could see that he was gorgeous.

Logan laughed wetly, tickled by Virgil’s tongue. “Stop, stop, I’m fine. I’m fine!” Logan moved a hand to playfully bat the dragon away. “I just wish Virgil would love me back.”

That stopped Virgil in his tracks, because yeah, Patton had told him, but to hear that- that Logan loved him? To have Logan tell him that he loved Virgil? It was too much to bear. He sat on Logan’s chest, dumbfounded.

“You okay?” came the voice of the logical side through Virgil’s reeling thoughts. Virgil looked at Logan, who looked worried, his eyes searching the dragon’s small form. Virgil crawled up to where one of Logan’s hands was resting against his chest, nuzzling against it, loving feeling the warmth of Logan’s skin against his scales. He couldn’t tell Logan that he did love him back in this state, but maybe Virgil could at least offer his (hopefully) future boyfriend some comfort. Well, if he still wanted Virgil after he would inevitably find out that Virgil was the dragon he had confessed to.

"I really love him. I just don't know how to tell him-" Logan began, but he was interrupted by the suddenly panicked dragon growing and glowing and scampering off his chest. Virgil realized what was happening, but it was already too late and he couldn't get out of Logan's room fast enough, so he settled for just getting off of Logan, ending up finishing his transformation lying next to a very shocked Logan.

"I can explain!" Said Virgil, although he really couldn't, but he could try.

"I admit, I'm a little shocked to see you here, Virgil. I'm-" Logan looked down at his hands, which were knotting around each other in his lap. "-Sorry, you had to hear that."

Virgil leaned forward quickly, grabbing one of Logan's hands. "Don't apologise! I- I-" Virgil's voice shrunk, mumbling into the hood of his hoodie. "I love you, too."

Logan's shoulders shook with a sob he swallowed. "That's so good to hear!" He squeezed Virgil's hand, his voice still hoarse from the crying. Virgil let his own tears fall, dripping off of his chin.

"I'm sorry for not… for just bursting in. I was just talking to Patton, and he said you were crying and I rushed here without thinking…" Virgil's breathing was ragged as he tried to explain, but he felt like his lame excuse fell short.

"You don't have to apologize for being here, Virgil. I feel much better, now that you're here."

"You do?"

"Of course I do, you're here." Virgil looked up at Logan when he said this, locking eyes with him.

"You know what would be even better than holding you hand?" Virgil said, rubbing his thumb across Logan's knuckles.

"I'm close to certain that this is perfection, but let's hear your idea."

Virgil kicked off his shoes and moved so he was lying on Logan's bed. He spread his arms, gesturing to Logan. "Come here, LoLo."

Logan breathed a laugh and crawled into Virgil's arms. "You know, you're right."

Virgil laughed and pulled Logan on top of him, wrapping his arms around the logical side's chest. "You doubted me?"

"Never."

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This was really fun to write! Thank you to @delimeful for the au idea, @xbrad-pitifulx for being my muse (as always), and to @sanders-stuffs and @blanketflakes for always supporting me!

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Postscriptum: Warning: this message from the author contains suicidal tendencies, intrusive thoughts, and depression + anxiety mentions.

Right now, I'm (the author) in a bad place. I'm depressed, my anxiety has been worse, and I feel useless and listless. Right now, the one thing I'm living for is this fandom. This blog, with it's followers in the single digits and the love I get from fellow fanders is what's keeping me alive, as well as my passion for writing. I'd just like to thank the people who continue to stand my existance on this website. You guys are amazing, and I'd like to thank all of you.

[wearebloodhunter]

Blood Hunter in Eberron: Part 4: Dragonmarked Houses

We’re here, at the (likely) finale of the “Blood Hunter in Eberron” series. We’ve talked locations, we’ve talked races, now it’s time to talk dragonmarked houses.

The Houses are a central part of life in Eberron, and the dragonmarks unique to each House give you slight magical abilities. A dragonmark is a distinctive symbol that appears anywhere on the skin; only twelve dragonmarks are known, and each has a unique design and a unique power. Some players may wish to say that their blood hunter abilities come from a dragonmark instead of the Hunter’s Bane, which I think would actually be really neat! For human and half-orc characters, having a dragonmark means playing a variant version of the race; half-elf characters treat having a dragonmark as a variant race but keep some standard half-elf traits; and dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings treat having a dragonmark as playing a subrace. So, what are these abilities, and how can they help a blood hunter?

Mark of Detection: The Mark of Detection is exclusive to half-elves and is associated with House Medani. House Medani members serve as bodyguards and inquisitives. 

The Mark of Detection allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Investigation and Insight checks. You can also cast detect magic and detect poison and disease as rituals, with Intelligence as your spellcasting ability for these rituals. These are really handy for blood hunters, especially if you’re trying to figure out what happened or what’s going on.

Mark of Finding: The Mark of Finding is available to humans or half-orcs and is associated with House Tharashk. Members of House Tharashk serve as inquisitives, bounty hunters, and prospectors.

The Mark of Finding gives you darkvision. It also allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Survival and Perception checks. Finally, you can “imprint” a creature you can see on your mind, allowing you to double the intuition die on Survival and Perception checks to track the imprinted creature and sense its location once you’re within 60 feet of it. This is a great thing for blood hunters because it augments the Hunter’s Bane feature you get at 1st level.

Mark of Handling: The Mark of Handling is exclusive to humans and is associated with House Vadalis. Members of House Vadalis often serve as ranchers and animal trainers.

The Mark of Handling allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Animal Handling and Nature checks. You can also use the Help action to aid an allied animal companion or mount within 30 feet of you. You can cast animal friendship once per short or long rest using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability. Finally, when you cast a spell that affects only beasts it also affects monstrosities with an Intelligence score of 3 or lower. These effects aren’t going to be useful for your average blood hunter.

Mark of Healing: The Mark of Healing is exclusive to halflings and is associated with House Jorasco. Members of House Jorasco are often healers.

The Mark of Healing allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Medicine checks. You can also use an action and spend one of your Hit Die to heal yourself or a creature you touch. If you’re going to play a healer, this is great, but blood hunters tend to need their Hit Die for healing on short rests, so this might not be the best choice for a blood hunter.

Mark of Hospitality: The Mark of Hospitality is exclusive to halflings and is associated with House Ghallanda. Members of this House are often innkeepers or occupy similar roles.

The Mark of Hospitality allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Persuasion checks or ability checks involving brewer’s supplies or cook’s utensils. You also know the cantrips friends and prestidigitation, and Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them. These are handy if you want to play a blood hunter that’s better in social encounters, but overall they’re likely to be less useful to you.

Mark of Making: The Mark of Making is exclusive to humans and is associated with House Cannith. Members of House Cannith are often artisans of some sort.

The Mark of Making allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to an ability check with any type of artisan’s tools. You know the mending cantrip and gain proficiency with one type of artisan’s tools. You can make a temporary magic item out of common materials that until your next long rest gives you access to a cantrip from the wizard spell list. You can also spend one minute weaving a temporary enchantment into a nonmagical armor or weapon, giving it a +1 bonus to AC if it’s armor or a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls if it’s a weapon. These last two features are neat and would be useful to a blood hunter.

Mark of Passage: The Mark of Passage is exclusive to humans and is associated with House Orien. Members of House Orien are often involved in land transportation.

The Mark of Passage increases your base speed to 40 feet. It also allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Athletics checks or ability checks to maintain and operate land vehicles. When you use the Dash action, difficult terrain doesn’t cost you extra movement on that turn. Finally, as a bonus action once per long rest you can teleport up to your base speed to an unoccupied space you can see and you can bring a willing creature of your size or smaller with you. These are handy abilities for a blood hunter to have because of the increased mobility, but there are probably other dragonmarks that are more useful.

Mark of Scribing: The Mark of Scribing is exclusive to gnomes and is associated with House Sivis. Members of House Sivis are often involved in long-distance communication.

The Mark of Scribing allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to ability checks when you use calligrapher’s supplies or forgery kits, which you also get proficiency with. Once per long rest, you can cast comprehend languages, and you know the message cantrip. You also know an extra language of your choice. These are going to be highly situational for blood hunters and aren’t your best choice.

Mark of Sentinel: The Mark of Sentinel is exclusive to humans and is associated with House Deneith. Members of House Deneith are often mercenaries, bodyguards, or law enforcement. 

The Mark of Sentinel allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to initiative rolls and Perception checks to notice a threat. In addition, you know the blade ward cantrip and can cast shield once per short or long rest. Finally, as an action you can designate an ally as your ward. You have advantage on Insight and Perception checks to identify threats to your ward, and when you are within 5 feet of your ward and your ward is the target of an attack you can use your reaction to swap places with your ward, making you the target of the attack instead. Personally, I like this dragonmark, but it’s probably not the best choice for blood hunters, especially because you’re a glass cannon. That said, any bonus to initiative rolls and noticing a threat is useful, and blade ward and shield might come in handy.

Mark of Shadow: The Mark of Shadow is exclusive to elves and is associated with Houses Thuranni and Phiarlan. Members of these Houses are often spies.

The Mark of Shadow gives you proficiency with a musical instrument or with the Performance skill. In addition, you can roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Performance or Stealth checks. You know the minor illusion cantrip and use Charisma as your spellcasting ability for it. Once per short or long rest, you can use the Hide action as a bonus action regardless of what cover is available. These traits are useful for sneaking up on monsters and distracting them, so don’t overlook this one.

Mark of Storm: The Mark of Storm is exclusive to half-elves and is associated with House Lyrandar. Members of this House are often sailors.

The Mark of Storm gives you a swim speed of 30 feet. You can also roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to Acrobatics checks or ability checks involving operating or maintaining a water or air vehicle. You have resistance to lightning damage and know the gust cantrip. At 3rd level you can cast gust of wind once per long rest. These are going to be very situational for blood hunters and probably shouldn’t be your first choice unless you expect a lot of sailing to be happening.

Mark of Warding: The Mark of Warding is exclusive to dwarves and is associated with House Kundarak. Members of this House are often security specialists or bankers.

The Mark of Warding allows you to roll a d4 intuition die and add the result to History, Investigation, or Thieves’ Tool checks associated with locks and trap mechanisms. You can also cast the alarm spell as a ritual and at 3rd level you can cast arcane lock once per long rest. These are not your best choice if you’re playing a blood hunter, as the uses are going to be very situational.

[intriga-hounds]

eloise is honestly so gorgeous i love her

same i’m kinda bummed none of the pups look like her

[dangreth]

War

Self inventory in the morning: My strength of will? Precarious. My dignity? Absent. My motivations? Selfish. My pride? Oh, my pride.

The bunker shook slightly with each round of cannonfire, even with the distance between Hillsbrad Foothills and Lordaeron. The Alliance wanted blood, and blood they would get. Meanwhile, those within Magetank Industries tried to keep busy, a neutral party in all of this warfare. The blast doors were sealed tight, the technomage’s irritated steps making his way past Dangreth to assess the integrity of the seals. So far, no one had made an attempt to break in or even set foot outside. The threat of the Forsaken was at the forefront, the undead possibly making their way to Arathi and raze everything in their path if they were to lose Undercity. But Sachiel wouldn’t let it happen. Horde or Alliance, anyone who set foot near this bunker would be shot or blown to bits.

Another round of cannonfire shook the compound, Dangreth’s ears catching mutters across the workers and employees nearby. “Amberblade, how are the mines looking outside? Anyone to report?” one of the workers asked, knowing Dangreth’s spectral sight could see through the door. The demon hunter peered through rock and steel, tracing each buried landmine and looking for anyone unfortunate enough to step close. “Nothing. Everyone must be focused on the war right now. No stragglers yet.” Sachiel said nothing, stepping past Dangreth again to check on the other defenses. For now, everyone was just sitting ducks. Passing the time with menial tasks or keeping tabs on their weaponry was their only option. Frowning, Dangreth began to make his way lower into the bunker, another shake of its walls making his head spin.

Everything was supposed to end after their trip to Argus. Returning to more war made Dangreth grit his teeth in disgust, remembering several wars that came to pass in the eleven thousand years he had been alive. While his people fought satyrs and demons alike in the past, the Alliance and Horde were perfectly content with fighting each other, wounding the land heavily. But now, the kaldorei sought blood, their lovely home of Teldrassil burning to the ground. Dangreth felt nothing to Darnassus, being cast out by the night elves before he made a home there. Seeing it burn however made him feel for his people, the other races doing nothing but destroy everything they built. As he made his way lower into the bunker, the telltale sound of a blade on stone caught his attention, the sound angry and full of rage.

Solelin Shadebough, a sentinel angrily sharpened knives and axes, shaking as the need for vengeance shook her very core. Her home was in ruins. And the Horde were to blame. Dangreth could hear the arrows in her quiver shake from sheer rage, but he also could feel great sorrow seep from her movements. It was too dangerous to return to Kalimdor now, and it was rightfully theirs. The thought of Dangreth’s former home in Darkshore made him wince a little, realizing it was most likely destroyed by Horde forces. Still, he could not feel vengeance like his friend did, and in passing, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Darnassian fell from his lips to keep the conversation mostly private. “Do you plan on joining the battle nearby?”

“I must. For my--our people. I won’t rest until every drop of their blood is spilled.” Dangreth sighed as he heard Solelin drag her knife across the stone angrily, and he turned to leave her be. “Be careful. You will cut yourself if you sharpen those so aggressively.” The woman sneered, but slowed her movements regardless. The demon hunter stepped carefully towards the den, but a particularly loud cannon blast rocked the bunker once again, his knees nearly buckling. All the noise made it difficult to see, jostling his vision all over the place, Instead, he placed his hand against a wall, and allowed it to guide him further in. Was peace truly unobtainable? Sure, Dangreth would have to continue his consumption of demons to survive, but that wasn’t much of an issue. He longed for the days where the only thing he had to worry about was a splinter in his fingers, and not whether or not his friends would end up in mass graves. Friends. Dangreth’s eyes widened in sudden realization of the situation, his allies now all in turmoil. In his time of being illidari, most of his friends were sin’dorei, the men and women providing excellent support in defeating the Legion on Argus and the Broken Shore. With the war in full swing, it was likely their alliance would be severed, and the kaldorei  panicked lightly. He feared for their safety, praying they all would make it out of this alive. Glancing around, Dangreth leaned against the wall, and pulled the speechstone from his pocket, speaking quickly and quietly. “Vyndoriell, this is Dangreth. Do you copy?” No answer. “Karthuro, if you’re dead, I am going to be really fucking angry.” No answer. “..Ana?” No answer.

Dangreth gritted his teeth, the fear now spreading through him like mad. “Acario. Sideburns, where the hell are you?” Nothing.

Dangreth’s back straightened against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut. He really shouldn’t panic, but he felt he was letting Medas down in some way. The kaldorei promised the small elf that he’d keep Karthuro out of trouble, and the others as well, but he was breaking it already. Medas was one of the only people who gave the demon hunter a chance, and letting him down made his stomach ache. If any of them ended up dead, Dangreth would see the blood on his hands. With a sigh, Dangreth placed the speechstone back into his armor, and continued on his way.

The sound of tinkering caught his attention, ears perking up a little. Working while all of this was going on? Turning the corner, Dangreth spotted the telltale sign of goggles and a variety of enchantments. Sivy tried to focus on the object in her hands, but yelped at each and every bout of artillery going off in Lordaeron nearby. The kaldorei could hear the shake in her hands, the lack of focus in her work. Distracted. The elf had been here prior to the battle nearby, hiding from what Dangreth figured was a threat to her well-being. He never questioned it, knowing Sachiel had everything taken care of, but he still worried about her. Elune, he barely even knew Sivyraithe, but she had a heart of gold as far as he knew. Carefully, Dangreth made sure to make noise to signal his approach, knowing a demon hunter suddenly nearby would scare the daylights out of her.  “D-Dangreth! H-Hi!” She pressed the goggles from her face and forced a smile, but stopped as soon as Dangreth placed a hand on her shoulder. She bit her lips, staring at his feet. Calmly, Dangreth spoke, and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay, I’m afraid for them too.” Sivy looked up at the demon hunter, eyes shielded away so it was hard to gauge what he was thinking. “I-I really hope they’re all o-okay. And...I’m really sorry with what happened to Darnassus. M-Must have been terrible…” The young woman turned around to tinker once more, the bunker rumbling once again. Dangreth blinked, unused to such nice words despite his lack of care for the night elven home. But still, she was kind to offer condolences. Smiling, he gave a gentle shrug. “In the end...it’s just a tree. My people are strong, and will rebuild once more.”

Dangreth finally made his way to the den, where his facade of clarity finally fell. Lips pulled into a tight frown, and the kaldorei leaned against a wall, only to slide down and hug his knees. A hand reached to rake his nails through his hair, an exhausted sigh escaping him. This war was going to last for a long time, wasn’t it?

Vyndoriell, Karthuro, Ana, Medas, Acario. Be safe. Please be safe.

[sentrava]

Where to Drink the Best Natural Wine in Copenhagen

What is natural wine, or naturvin, and why do Danes love it so much? As a city famed for its beer traditions, Copenhagen isn’t somewhere you’d expect to find a thriving wine scene. But while the French revere classic Bordeauxes and Italians praise Tuscan reds, Danes have a special penchant for natural wines.

Natural wine producers don’t work with industrial pesticides or preservatives. Instead, they use environmentally sensitive cultivation methods and native yeasts during fermentation. Experts say this practice creates wines closely reflecting the climate and ecology of individual vineyards.

In Denmark, members of the New Nordic culinary movement were some of the first to bring natural wines to the public’s attention. Chefs offering dishes with sustainable, seasonal ingredients sought beverages with similar properties, and found natural wine to be the perfect accompaniment.

Copenhagen’s natural wine scene is now one of the most dynamic in Europe. These are the best spots in the city to enjoy a glass or bottle of natural wine (naturvin):

  Den Vandrette

Rosforth & Rosforth, one of Denmark’s oldest natural wine importers, owns Den Vandrette, a bar and restaurant located close to Nyhavn’s seaward entrance.

“Sune Rosforth started importing natural wines in the early 90s,” explains Anders Duedam, Den Vandrette’s manager. “He’s half French and originally sourced his wines from the Loire valley. This bar has only ever been about natural wines.”

  With links to producers all over the world, Den Vandrette’s wine selection is often eclectic. “We import a lot of wine from Georgia,” says Anders. “The country is really important within natural wine these days, and I think we, with Sune Rosforth, have been a big part of that.”

These wines also influence the restaurant’s cuisine: “Two weeks ago we did a whole Georgian week – full Georgian wine list, full Georgian menu,” Anders adds.

    Den Vandrette’s day-to-day menu features a range of small sharing dishes. “We’re pretty fish and vegetable-focused,” Anders says. “But we have a new head chef, Dave Harrison, who worked at Au Passage in Paris for six years. He likes to do homemade charcuterie, using whole animals and game as much as possible.”

Something to drink:

  1. Rkatsiteli-Mtsvane: “GoGo” 2017; Kakheti, Georgia; Rkatsiteli and Saperavi 75 DKK per glass, 375 per bottle

2. Laureano: “terme de guiu” 2017; Catalonia, Spain; Macabeo, Granache blanca 90 DKK per glass, 450 per bottle

3. Belloti: Rosso Étoile du Raisin 2007, Piemonte, Italy; Barbera 150 per glass; 750 per bottle

  Den Vandrette

Havnegade 53A 1058 København K

Opening Hours: Mon – Sat 4:00 – 11:00 pm Sun Closed  

    Ved Stranden 10

Ved Stranden 10, an elegant wine bar that overlooks Christiansborg Palace, was one of the first to fully embrace natural wines in Copenhagen.

“When we opened in 2009, the wines we enjoyed happened to be made with a sense of responsibility for the environment and weren’t full of chemicals and preservatives,” explains manager Maurice Chapman. “Today, each of the wines we have here conveys a sense of time and place; when they were harvested and from where.”

With one of the city’s most extensive cellars, Maurice works closely with his guests to satisfy their needs. “We have 1700 references but no wine list,” he says. “So it requires quite a lot on our part to decipher what our guest are after.”

  He continues, “we’re happy to give as many options as it takes to find something that’s agreeable, and the longer one works here, the better one gets at saying, “Ah! I know just what you want.”

Ved Stranden 10 also offers a range of French-influenced dishes, including charcuterie, cheeses, and their famous croque monsieur.

Something to drink:

  1. White Ecke; Niederösterreich, Austria; Welschriesling, Röter Veltliner 75 DKK per glass, 375 DKK per bottle

2. Cuvée 910; Macon, France; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay 135 DKK per glass, 675 DKK per bottle

3. Sønne; Steierland, Austria; Sauvignon Blanc 145 DKK per glass, 695 DKK per bottle

  Ved Stranden 10

Ved Stranden 10 1061 København K

Opening hours: Mon – Sat 12:00 – 10:00 pm Sun Closed  

    Pompette

Before co-founding Pompette, Martin Ho spent ten years working with natural wines and their producers across Europe and the US. On returning to Copenhagen, he was surprised by the high cost.

“In France, most good natural winemakers sell their bottles for around five to fifteen euros,” he says, “but by the time they were reaching consumers in Denmark, I found they weren’t accessibly priced anymore. My partner and I wanted Pompette to be a place that made natural wines available to everyone, the way the winemakers intended.”

When Martin opened Pompette with his business partner Jesper Emil Norrie last year, they listed wines at 50 kroner per glass. “At 50 kroner, anyone can come on board,” Martin says.

  He continues: “With fair markups and brutally honest pricing, we’re not making a crazy profit. But who cares when almost anyone can come and enjoy it. Price should never be a barrier for trying natural wine.”

Guests at Pompette can also buy bottles to take home and snack on a range of appetizers, including cheeses and charcuterie, a concept inspired by France’s “cave” wine stores.

Something to drink:

  1. Janko Stekar: Sivi Pinot 2017; Goriska Brda, Slovenia; Pinot Gris 50 DKK per glass, 260 DKK per bottle

2. Weingut Brand: Riesling Free 2018; Pfalz, Germany; Riesling 50 DKK per glass, 272 DKK per bottle

3. Anna & Martin Arndorfer: Pompette Orange 2017; Kamptal, Austria; Gelber Muskateller, Muller-Thurgau, Grüner Veltliner 50 DKK per glass, 316 DKK per bottle

Pompette

Møllegade 3 2200 København N

Opening Hours: Everyday 2:00 pm – midnight  

    Vinsupernatural

After working for several years in fashion and design, Jonathan Soriano established Vinsupernatural, a bottle shop combined with a lifestyle store and deli, with his business partners Joachim Friis & Lars Christensen in January 2019.

“This place is a concept store that’s rooted in natural wines; we’re using the wines to open up other spaces and new ideas,” he explains.

“Here, we identify ourselves more as customers, as aficionados who are working with wines. In other stores, they’ll inform you about the terroir, the history, the grapes. We’re the guys who’ll ask: ‘What’s your favorite junk food?’ ‘What do you like to do when you don’t drink wine?’ We’re more focused on life – this is basically our 360,” Jonathan says.

  Besides its numerous side projects, including pop-up events and product launches, Vinsupernatural holds an enviable wine collection.

“We’re a great entry-level place; we have so many people who are new to natural wines coming here,” Jonathan says. “But we also have many people who are down with natural wines coming here, because we have a selection that others don’t.”

Something to drink:

  1. Dom. des Sarradels; France; Roussillon, Grenache; 125 DKK per bottle

2. Peach of Mind; Ardeche, France; Syrah, Viognier; 200 DKK per bottle

3. Skeveldra; France; Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc; 310 DKK per bottle

  Vinsupernaturel

Gl. Kongevej 37 1610 København V

Opening Hours: Mon 2:00 – 4:30 pm Tues & Weds 2:00 – 5:30 pm Thurs & Fri 2:00 – 7:00 pm Sat 12:00 – 5:00 pm Sun Closed  

    Manfreds

Manfreds, which opened on Jægersborggade in 2010, was one of the initial restaurants to integrate natural wines within its food menu, an approach extending from its “farm to table” ethos.

“When we opened, Christian Puglisi [Manfred’s owner] wanted to serve as much organic food as possible to guests,” explains Isacco Bartolini, the restaurant’s beverage director. “And later, after the Relæ Community acquired its own organic farm, it was equally important to focus on wines that were free from industrial manipulation – that reflected the terroir, the soil where they were harvested.”

The process of pairing natural wines with dishes in Manfreds, the sister restaurant (and across-the-streeet neighbour) to Michelin-starred Relæ, is unique to each guest.

  “At Manfreds, we have a tasting menu that you can combine with ‘the sommelier’s choice’, which is a set of three different wines by the glass,” Isacco explains. “But if you order à la carte, it’s more common that we’ll direct you to wines that simply follow the flow of your dining experience.”

“Compared with Relæ, where you receive a glass of wine with each dish, it’s a bit more relaxed and freestyle,” he adds. If you don’t feel like a full meal, you can take a seat at the bar and enjoy a glass or two.

Something to drink:

  1. Etienne Courtois: Cuvée des Etourneaux 2014; Solonge, France; Gamay; 125 DKK per glass, 625 DKK per bottle

2. Jean Yves Peron: Cotillon des Dames 2013; Savoy, France; Jacquere; 775 DKK per bottle

3. Colombaia: Vigna Nuova 2016, Colle Val d’Elsa, Italy; Sangiovese; 85 DKK per glass, 425 DKK per bottle

  Manfreds

Jægersborggade 40 2200 København N

Opening Hours: Everyday 12:00 – 3:30 pm (lunch) 5:00 – 10:00 pm (dinner)  

    Peryton

Nick Garner opened Peryton in 2017, a wine bar equipped with a basement art space and its own publication, Oberon.

“When we make a magazine, we have the idea for what we want the vibe to be, but we work with specialists in certain fields,” he explains. “And that’s also what we do with the wines at Pertyon.”

  Nick continues, “I’m not a wine nerd; I’m an enthusiast. So I pick the styles I like and work with those who are super passionate about their products.”

Alongside his food options, which include salads, toasted sandwiches, and bar snacks, Nick offers ten natural wines, a selection he consciously limits. “I want a simple menu that has good, reliable wines on it,” he says. “I’m a little bit turned off by the bourgeois nature of natural wine, so there’s a philosophy behind it: to be straight forward.”

  Nick also holds regular events at Peryton. “We do lots of experimental music evenings which go really well with natural wine, activating the setting in a cultural way,” he says. “But the main idea is to offer a social space for people to meet.”

Something to drink:

  1. Nagelsbjerg Vin: “Amager Wildstyle”; sparkling apple wine from the southern tip of Amager, Denmark; Spontaneous fermentation, no added sulfite 80 DKK per glass, 300 DKK per bottle

2. Eric Kamm: Riesling Sec; Alsace, France 90 DKK per glass, 450 DKK per bottle

3. Viña Sanroke’s “Kilako Espumante”; Itata Valley, Chili; Moscatel de Alejandría 90 DKK per glass, 450 DKK per bottle

  Peryton

Dronningens Tværgade 52 1302 København K

Opening Hours: Weds – Sat 3:00 pm – “late” Sat 1:00 pm – midnight Sun – Tues Closed  

    Ancestrale

Johann Duedahl Jacobsen, Ancestrale’s co-owner, came across natural wines during the latter days of his formal education as a chef and waiter.

“I was trained ‘classically,’ and I’ve tried almost anything you can think of – all the big-name wines in the most peculiar vintages,” he says. “But just as I was about to finish my apprenticeships, I tasted some wines made without herbicides or pesticides, made with indigenous yeast. They stood out to me, and I’ve loved them ever since.”

  Later founding Ancestrale in Vesterbro, Johann stresses the wide-ranging merits of natural wines to his guests via his selection.

“We want to emphasize the quality in wines made via biodynamic practices,” he says. “All of our wines are organic or biodynamic, and we see a future within sustainable approaches to farming and agriculture. It’s what we find interesting in our personal lives and everyday work, and it makes sense for us to promote these values through our small business.”

The wine bar also offers five small dishes, which can be bought singularly for 95 kroner or together for 375 kroner.

Something to drink:

    1. Weingut Brand; Pfalz, Germany; Pinot Blanc 400 DKK per bottle

2. Matassa: Marguerite; Côtes Catalanes, France; Muscat, Viognier, Macabeu 600 DKK per bottle

3. Sextant: Monthélie premier cru; Burgundy, France; Pinot Noir 800 DKK per bottle

  Ancestrale

Oehlenschlægersgade 12 1663 København V

Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 16:00 – 23:00 Fri & Sat 16:00 – 24:00 Sun Closed  

    Mother Wine

David Biffani co-founded Mother Wine alongside his successful Italian restaurant, Mother, in 2009, during the early years of Copenhagen’s gastronomic revolution.

“What we liked about natural wines was that they offered something new and different each year,” he explains. “Natural wines aren’t supposed to please the market but reflect their environment; we took a similar approach with our food.”

Mother Wine stocks natural, organic and biodynamic bottles from Italy. David and his business partner Nick Pound were among the first to bring these products to Denmark.

  “We started importing wines from day one of opening,” he says, “but at the time, the producers in Italy were quite timid.”

“The first contract we secured was with Lorano, a producer in the Marche region. After trying their wines, we realized the flavors were changing with every sip, and that’s when we knew we wanted this experience every time,” David recalls.

While Mother Wine holds some exclusive brands, David’s philosophy focuses on accessibility: “We’re trying to put natural wine within the everyday context because we think everybody deserves something good to drink,” he says.

Something to drink:

  1. Piccolo Bacco dei Quaroni; Lombardy, Italy; Pinot Nero; 75DKK per glass (restaurant price) 110 DKK per bottle (shop price)

2. Lorano 2014; Marche, Italy; Sangiovese; 95 DKK per glass (restaurant price) 220 DKK per bottle (shop price)

3. Habemus 2012; Lazio, Italy; Granache, Sirah, Carignan 430 DKK per bottle (shop price)

  Mother Wine

Gammel Mønt 33 1117 København K

Wine Bar Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 10:00 am – 7:00 pm Fri – Sat 10:00 am – 10:00 pm Sun Closed

Mother

Høkerboderne 9 1712 København V

Restaurant Opening Hours: Everyday 11:00 – 1:00 am

    Honorable mentions

This isn’t all! The natural wine scene is continuously growing here in Copenahgen. We also highly recommend Barabba, Gaarden & Gaden and Apollo Bar. And of course, there’s always more to come!

Want more wine in Copenhagen? Check out our recommendations for the best wine bars. Not into wine? Try these beer or cocktail bars instead!

Where to Drink the Best Natural Wine in Copenhagen published first on https://medium.com/@OCEANDREAMCHARTERS

[b-sidemusic]

INTERVIEW: STRANGER THAN FICTION - REAL LIFE VICTORIANA WITH THY LAST DROP

Once upon an evening stormy, as I pondered there before me A quaint and curious band of fellows gathered close within As the rain outside was lashing and the lightning bolts were flashing And the rolls of thunder crashing through the walls so old and thin The leader raised his glass and turned towards me with a grin Quoth the Crowe: “Let us begin…”

Thy Last Drop are as unlikely a group of vagabonds as you’ll chance to meet in Bury St Edmunds – a band of storytellers who weave their tales through toe-tapping tunes and morbid, gravelly vocals. Friend of the band Sivy named the genre 'Victorian Murder Punk', and it stuck. Inspired by Poe, Hogarth and a slew of folk styles from Cornwall to Russia, the band’s songs cover subjects from witch-hunts to insane asylums, grave-robbers to hangings at Tyburn.

I joined Thy Last Drop in one of the members’ place of work, a printing warehouse that he’s turned into an extension of their Odditorium. I noticed several bird cages, various dismembered mannequins, a dodgy looking leather contraption, and Donald Trump’s head in a jar. Ask nicely and you’ll get a demonstration of a 1920s gramophone - in my opinion, a far more interesting audio throwback than the current vinyl resurgence.

Thy Last Drop came to be after singer/guitarist Mr Crowe and accordion player Squeezy met up after years of musical inertia, both having come out of a decades-long drought to discover a desire to play some folk music. They ‘made noises’ for about a year before picking up first bandurrian player Amil (an occupational therapist/heavy metal musician from the Philippines) and then bassist Momo (former founder/producer at Vibe FM), who – after some coercion - each brought their own style to the outfit.  

The band is a favourite in Bury, but is more often called out into surrounding areas for gigs. This is partly because Bury St Edmunds just doesn’t have that many big venues, although the newly revitalised Constitutional Club, their old haunt The Hunter Club and a willing Oakes Barn have meant a few more local gigs of late.

B-Side: So, who’s in charge here?

Momo: It’s Mr Crowe.

Mr Crowe: I’m a diva. They humour me.

B-Side: Do you all get on pretty well, though?

Mr Crowe: Yeah, it’s easy. I mean, we’re older as well – we’re not chasing the same things as a younger band. We couldn’t do ten months of tour without dying.

B-Side: How did the band get from anonymous noise making to being booked several times a month?

Mr Crowe: We started out in open mics and folk nights – but we became a bit loud and energetic for them. So we started setting up things and working with other bands and things went from there. We now only try to do the things we want to do.

B-Side: So, the Victoriana aesthetic and matching themes in the music – going largely by moustache here, Mr Crowe, I’m guessing it comes from you?

Mr Crowe: It’s definitely a major obsession of mine. There’s such a dark side to Victorian history. Hogarth was a major influence for some of the songs – I’ve always loved that satirical artwork from the 18th and 19th Century. Then, literature-wise, Edgar Allen Poe and Dickens. When I say my stuff’s historical, it comes from a literary side of history – I want to reinvent the gothic stories rather than reflect reality.

Amil: I’ve learned a lot of history. Even if I don’t learn the words to the song I’ll ask “What’s the song about?” and it’s always interesting.

B-Side: How do Thy Last Drop’s songs get written?

Mr Crowe: Most of the songs get written around a phrase I particularly like and mull over in my head for a while. I write lyrics and melody at the same time – not one before the other. Then it goes to the band, who add twists that I didn’t imagine.

B-Side: Your music is definitely very upbeat for the morbid subjects it covers.

Mr Crowe:  Yeah, absolutely – but that’s folk music for you. Folk music’s storylines often have awful things happening, but it’s set to a dance because that’s what the peasants wanted. And that’s what it’s all about: drinking and dancing.

B-Side: Who are your peasants? What’s your audience demographic like?

Mr Crowe: Very varied. We’ve got a bunch of 40-and-overs, but also a lot of young people who like to come and bounce around. We’ve done a lot of festival stuff (Latitude, Maui Waui, Strawberry Fair, Secret Garden Party), so it’s that kind of crowd.

B-Side: How have you found the local music scene? Is East Anglia a good place to do music in?

Squeezy: It’s changed a lot since we were kids. When I was a kid in a band it was very hostile, the punk scene. People were envious of each other and a bit scornful of folk. But since things like Washing Machine started, Bury St Edmunds has had a really nice crowd, very supportive.

Mr Crowe: Although there are some great venues there are certain restrictions – residents, time restrictions – in Bury that can be difficult, especially for the younger lot who play heavier music. But across East Anglia, in Ipswich and Colchester, there are some great venues for them as well.

Amil: We played Oakes Barn recently, which is good - it was absolutely packed. Apparently it was so good that some of the people who just popped in got so excited that they ate daffodils.

B-Side: What?!

Amil: Yeah.

(The band offers no further explanation.)

B-Side: Right, okay then... outside of daffodil season, do you have a favourite venue to perform at?

Mr Crowe: The Coronet Theatre in London. It’s a fantastic venue.

Momo: We actually perform best on a tiny stage, or tent, or whatever it is, though – it’s the atmosphere.

Amil: Anywhere, I don’t care, as long as we don’t mess up.

B-Side: Ooh, have there been any big mess ups?

All: No, no!

B-Side: Hmm.

Momo: You probably can’t tell when we’ve messed up, unless we’re up there laughing.

Mr Crowe: We can tell if we’ve messed up, because our fans know all the words – so they’re standing there staring at us if we get it wrong.

B-Side: What’s the most memorable gig you’ve had?

Amil: The first time I saw Hallowe’en was at the Coronet Theatre. I thought it was crazy – people were naked, wearing only antlers and glitter. I’d come from the Catholic Philippines and thought the UK was a proper pagan country!

Squeezy: We played the International Burlesque Festival, that was a bit crazy. There was someone dressed as David Icke, doing a routine to a backing track of him. It was perfectly choreographed.

B-Side: So you’ve ended up doing some pretty weird shit.

Mr Crowe: Yeah, weird is our remit. Having said that, the one that stands out for me, really, was the album launch at Moyses Hall. It was a home crowd for us, and the resonance in that building is fantastic.

B-Side: Speaking of which, it’s been two years since (debut LP) ‘Tales from the Triple Tree’ was released – when are we getting a new record?

Mr Crowe: We’re working on it. It’s in the pipeline.  We’ll be re-releasing our first EP – ‘Dead Drunk for Two’ – properly first. Look out for new material next year.  

B-Side: Any idea which media you’ll be releasing onto?

Mr Crowe: We can’t really afford this vinyl stuff. Maybe mini-discs. Phonographs. But come to see us live if you can, that’s really what it’s all about. We try to contain it on a disk, but it’s really all about the mistakes, and the laughs, and the live noise.

Amil: The pressure of cracking cables. The buttons getting stuck. “Amil, you have small hands, fix it!” Ah, the excitement.

B-Side: Who are your musical influences?

Mr Crowe: 80s bands such as New Model Army; Justin Sullivan is one of my favourite songwriters ever. I’m influenced by really dark music from that era. I love Abba, obviously. Also things like Strauss, though – I probably listen to classical music the most. I just don’t like anything that has apathy.

Squeezy: Classical music, of course. My parents listened to a lot of folk music as well. I’m married to a Russian, so there’s also the whole Eastern European/Asian thing going on at home.

Momo: Mine’s very eclectic. The punk scene was my thing, it was when I had my first proper band – not loud punky stuff, more like The Police, The Stranglers, The Jam. I moved to London in the 80s and the whole decade went over my head, so I started again in the 90s. I also listen to a lot of classical and jazz stuff.  

Amil: I respect so many bands but honestly I can’t often remember the names of them. Everything I hear around here is foreign to me. Some of the groups we’ve been able to play with have been so great, though. We played with The Thinking Men for Washing Machine and they are so good. These guys also introduce me to lots of tunes, like The Rolling Stones.

Mr Crowe: Oh, god, Amil’s point of reference is amazing. Coming from the Philippines we’ve been able to introduce him to all sorts.

Amil: Lots of British music got to us, but we always just assumed it was American. I told my mum that Eric Clapton was British and she was so surprised. I was in Ireland before I was in England, and it was amazing to see people singing a capella in pubs and things. But then again, in the Philippines, you’ll get karaoke machines in bus stops.

B-Side: I suddenly desperately want to visit the Philippines, so we’d better wrap up. Let’s have the cliché question: do you have any tips for our readers that want to go into music?

Mr Crowe: Just. Do. It. Don’t second guess yourself, just get out there and get involved. Sitting at home going “I’m not good enough” for 20 years is no good. Getting out there can lead to anything. Nowadays around here, everyone’s so supportive – you don’t have to be good!

Momo: What he said with an extension. Do everything. Don’t just say “I’m going to be a rock God”. Do everything and learn from it all, so you can get back to a point and say “that’s me”.

Squeezy: It’s a bit like a foundation course in art where you try everything and then you find something you want to be.

Mr Crowe: Yeah, don’t be a genre snob.

Amil: Anyone who wants to get into music needs to know themselves.

Mr Crowe: As Ashlene said on Big Brother…

Amil: No, wait: you have to know yourself. In particular if you’re in a group. If you’re starting a band there could be lots of personalities and styles. If you’re comfortable with how you are musically and artistically, you can always stand back and let the song writer write the song with no clashes.

Squeezy: One extra thing that’s so important: just be mates.

Listen to Thy Last Drop on Bandcamp (https://thylastdrop.bandcamp.com)

THE LOWDOWN: THY LAST DROP Members: Mr Crowe (lead vocals and guitar - the guitar is arch-top, strung like a mandolin with only five strings – and twirly-moustaching), Squeezy (accordion, manic grinning), Momo (bass, drums, vocals, multi-tasking), Amil (bandurrian, vocals, prancing), Swampy (unofficial member, Carnival Minister and roadie). From: Bury St Edmunds Listen to: ‘Tales From The Triple Tree’ album, CD and download, out now. See them live at:  Bury St Edmunds Constitutional Club, 7th October (Fundraiser for Gatehouse with Scare The Normals) Keep up with them on: Facebook - Twitter

Words by Francine Carrel Photo by Towillen.com

[zitak]

I finally made it to Seattle, Washington. It’s a city I’ve wanted to visit for a long time and so I was quite happy to hear that my cruise to Alaska would begin and end there. My husband and I flew out a couple of days ahead of our cruise so that we could adjust to the time difference and enjoy some free time before we’d get down to filming.

We chose to stay at the Inn at El Gaucho in the Belltown neighborhood since this would be close to the cruise terminal as well as a lot of the city’s main sights. What a gem of a place this turned out to be. It’s a small boutique hotel with an old world kind of vibe, quite retro really. The staff were so friendly and helpful that even when we checked in close to midnight, we were helped with our luggage, given cookies and a welcome note and they even called the restaurant downstairs to make sure we could get something to eat and drink. My midnight snack turned into a gluttonous rack of sticky pork ribs and a couple of glasses of the Willa Kenzie Estate Giselle Pinot Noir. I’d say a quite tasty start to this trip.

It was so fantastic to wake up and have sunshine in a city where it’s known to rain pretty much on a daily basis. My husband and I took off walking and found CJ’s Eatery, a scrumptious place for breakfast where I had the best salmon eggs benedict and delicious Seattle Coffee. Feeling fueled up, we made our way to the Seattle Center for a closer look at the Space Needle, walked around in the Armory (where a Phillipine festival was taking place) and continued on the famous Pike’s Place Market, one of the country’s oldest continuously operating farmers markets that is also one of Seattle’s most visited locations. I can see why with the 500 or so vendors selling pretty much everything. Of course the flying fish at the fish market is a must see.

On our way back to the hotel since it was nearing happy hour, we popped into a pretty looking bar called Absinthe. The name says it all with a huge list of absinthe cocktails as well as a nice list of wine and beer. My husband and I both figured that absinthe would do  us in  for the night so we opted for a glass of house white wine with an order of pork wings to tide us over until dinner.

Dinner turned out to be a special treat at Dahlia Lounge, one of Seattle’s long established and distinguished restaurants started by renowned Chef Tom Douglas back in 1989. We enjoyed a selection of their “tastes from the sea” with black cod, Dungeness crab, tuna and rockfish.

The next day began with sunshine again and brunch at Revel, a kind of Fusion like Korean place in the artsy neighborhood of Fremont. I had their Revel ramen with pork belly, kimchi and a soft boiled egg served hot. (They give you a choice of cold or hot.) It was a quite tasty and filling breakfast to say the least and I was glad to have a few hours to digest and unwind before filming later in the day.

Around 3PM, we were picked up by our guide James from Show Me Seattle and taken to Aqua by El Gaucho, a magnificent seafood restaurant on the waterfront. The restaurant’s lovely General Manager, Sivi arranged for me to be in the kitchen with Chef Wes while he prepared and cooked one of his special halibut dishes for me and then the three of us sat down to chat with a glass of Sancerre and this incredibly fresh fish dish.

From that beautiful location it was off to historic Pioneer Square, Seattle’s oldest neighborhood and a stop at Good Bar for some tasty cocktails and yummy food with owner Nancy Kelly. She ordered us the fabulous Commercial Bank #2 –  shochu, lychee liqueur, yuzu, shiso tincture, orange oil and the Barbecue Burns -islay scotch, campari, bénédictine, charred hickory, sparkling rosé and candied fresno pepper plus mussels, sloppy joe and a cheese plate. Oh yes- this really is a good bar!

Next on my plate were oysters! We headed to Taylor Shellfish and Oyster Bar just a few blocks away where I was given a mountain of crab and a dozen of the most delicious oysters I’ve ever eaten. Thanks Tom for this incredible tasting.

There was still one more stop that night at Saltys, another waterfront restaurant but across the bay on Alki Beach with the best views of the Seattle skyline. We were unexpectedly greeted by owners Gerry and Kathy Keegan who generously offered me their grand seafood platter full of Dungeness crab, oysters, tuna poke and prawns as well as calamari, crab cakes and their famous seafood chowder along with some Washington State Riesling. What a terrific ending to this 2nd sunny day in Seattle.

When I woke up the next day and the sun was shining yet again, I couldn’t  help but feel overjoyed. It was the perfect day to tour around and see the beauty of the city before we’d be heading to the cruise ship. But first, our stomachs were rumbling and it was time for a full on greasy spoon breakfast. Dave, our guide/driver for that day eagerly took us to The 5 Point Café, he said his  favorite local “dive” that has the best breakfast around. After filling up on eggs, chorizo and spicy black beans at this unusual but fun place, we spent a couple of hours just driving around the city before we were taken to the port.

Although the visit was short, I enjoyed so much about this pretty city and looked forward to one more day there after returning from the cruise.

Cheers and all the best,

Zita

        Sunny in Seattle I finally made it to Seattle, Washington. It's a city I've wanted to visit for a long time and so I was quite happy to hear that my cruise to Alaska would begin and end there.

[intriga-hounds]

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my cat is purring

[intriga-hounds]

Ponzu puppy sitting reminds me of when Baz was young and you and Sivi would take turns wrangling and entertaining him. It’s nice that you ended up with some helpful companions!

sivi was NEVER this helpful so i’m glad ponzu is the one enamored with the babies bc she really is a big help!

[intriga-hounds]

How did you bring yourself to get Ponzu after Baz's troubles? I have a Siberian, love of my life retired show dog and now rally-o dog, and have been on a waitlist for a Samoyed for years, but my sibe has had essentially just health issue after health issue after she got pyo at 3 (2 yrs ago) and the anxiety of going through this again has become an obstacle for me. It makes me want to pull my name from the waitlist and not get another dog lately. Did you have any feelings like this while waiting for Ponzu? If so, how did you overcome them?

if you don’t want to get another dog, don’t get another dog.

i had my name thrown out there for ponzu before her dam was even close to being in heat, before i had even really accepted how bad baz really was, and certainly before i planned on giving him to my sister. i was just going to have three dogs.

sivi was really hard too. my main motivation each time has just sort of been Please God Let This One Be Good lmao. not a great strategy in all honesty but i was hopeful with baz bc his dam is the most amazing dog ever.

with ponzu, i was absolutely in love with both parents, so i definitely feel that the odds are more in my favor this time around. i’m wary of getting my hopes up, though. if she turns out to be a maniac i think i’ll be done with silkens.

i also do different things with each dog and there was still a space open in the agility/rally department, which i’ve wanted to try since i got sivi. ponzu’s sire does both sports successfully, and her dam has that intelligent, friendly, sassy personality that i adore. i’ve watched a lot of litters pass by over the last few years and after meeting olive, i just couldn’t live without at least trying for this litter.