#champion interlude i

[pmdobt]

storytime… or stormy time?

[thatone-churro]

kieran and i end up alone by crawlers… by god someone save me from the brainrot…

[flowering-darkness]

🎧💕🎀 for clio!!

Certainly, friend!! Thank you very much for these!~

(question source: “Fluffy selfship asks!” by aceselfshippers)

🎧: What’s a song that reminds you of your F/O? - I have a couple of these for Clio! For example, a fair few SOLARIA originals make me think of her, because “SOLARIA with extra gender parameter and a Southern English accent” is in fact my voiceclaim for Clio (and yes it makes for a fun bit of “selfshipping twice at the same time”, given that SOLARIA is also one of my F/Os haha). Examples include Dawn by Circus, especially for the section that starts with “Caught in an avalanche”, and also At Your Word by NEOKIN, though ironically the lyrics of that one make it seem more like something Aria might be singing instead. So I suppose it reminds me of the whole selfship!

💕: Who confessed first? - This depends on which of my selfships with Clio you’re on about! In KHUX’s context (so, arilio), it’s Aria, in quite a hesitant sort of way; she doesn’t 100% understand that what she(?) feels for Clio is love and isn’t sure what to do with the feeling, so it’s actually by trying to express this to Clio that the answers are gleaned, and a confession/becoming girlfriends sort of falls out of the conversation. Clio had romantic feelings for Aria anyway, but was trying not to act on them because she didn’t want to put her(?) under any pressure to reciprocate - so, overall the confession is very (uncharacteristically!) nervous on Aria’s end and then becomes very relieving on both girls’ ends.

Conversely, for the FFXIV version of Clio, she is the one who confesses first to Lorenza (a bit spontaneously), and her doing so is what forces Lorenza to admit her(?) own rising feelings to herself. This happens.. either right at the end of the post-ARR story, or early into Heavensward; considering certain plot points in that area of the game, I can certainly envision some options for how things might get shoved into the spotlight more spontaneously.

🎀: What was your first date like? - Again, this changes a bit depending on the specific verse! (And is also the hardest one of these questions for me to answer, considering I’ve never been on a date IRL or anything.) I think, for KHUX, it would have been something along the lines of the two of us hanging out together in Daybreak Town one evening after coming back from a mission, which is something Aria and Clio would do quite often even before the confession, but usually Livian (Aria’s Nobody counterpart, and both girls’ best friend) would also come with them since the three often did missions together as a trio. So in an instance where they didn’t come along for whatever reason, and the two were doing fairly normal hangout things, I think Clio would pipe up and say “hehe do you think this counts as our first date” and Aria’s basically just like “maybe?? how do dates work???” because she’s desperate to get it right and figure out how to not mess up what she has gained (which is a running theme with her). She gets a lot more confident about it once she has a better sense of what Clio is happy with (which is, helpfully, pretty much everything - since Clio is quite an easygoing sort of girl in that regard, and a lot of things make her happy, which gives Aria the ability to then figure out what makes her(?) happy. And it all works out!)

In FFXIV, on the other hand, I think it might actually be Lorenza who takes the lead in setting up that first date, because I think it would take place somewhere in the Pillars of Ishgard, near the start of Heavensward. Even though things are somewhat tense at that point in time because of the aftermath of the bloody banquet, the matter remains that Clio and the others are guests of House Fortemps and do therefore have the right to be in Ishgard - so, why don’t they behave as any other wards of the High Houses would, and go explore the city and court each other and so on and so forth? (Clio may not particularly care for any of the typical stuffy noble nonsense that might feature in Ishgard, and Lorenza doesn’t too much either, but.. there is a certain element of something almost nostalgic about being in such an environment, given that she was once a noble’s daughter before the Flood of Darkness destroyed the Thirteenth. We don’t play along completely for the sake of it, though; it’s about blending in but also having a good time in our own rights.)

I hope that this answers your questions well, friend!! Thank you so much again for sending them in!~

[ratasum]

Thinking about the timeframe between the end of WLB/WLW and Interlude, and what Qirri was up to.

We'd pretty much established that after everything in Gyala Delve, Garrus made the decision to go to Agaue in Althoma and spend time with the Olmakhan, finalizing their relationship. Which left Qirri with the krewe, which she wouldn't leave regardless, as the last original member of Misfits Inc still traveling with Dragon's Watch.

But the time between WLW and the Interlude appears to be at bare minimum half a year, so I'm saying creeping up towards a year, putting Qirri at just shy of 27 at this point (her birthday is in the last quarter of the Tyrian year).

Which of course begs the question of what SHE was doing in the meantime.

I think she and the krewe took a couple of trips during this time as opposed to working nonstop (regardless of what canon may say because please let these kids take a break).

Anyway, first trip is over to Rata Sum to spend time with Qirri's family. She hasn't seen her parents or oldest sisters pretty much since she had to go home in HoT for health reasons, save for brief hellos when she had to pass through for whatever reason. It's a chance to spend some time with her family and introduce everyone to the krewe/her partners. (Ympp stayed behind in Cantha, largely as he was happily getting to know Yao in the meantime.)

After some time spent in Rata Sum, a few weeks at least, it was on to Gendarran Fields and the hamlet of Applenook to visit with Vezz, Rissia, and their twin progeny. With the Dragonwatch Krewe taking up the largest room in the nearby inn, they get to catch the former commanders up on everything that's been happening and spend some time with them and the little ones.

It's honestly a much needed break for everyone, especially Qirri, who's very prone to pushing herself until she can't anymore. Something she and Taimi have had in common since they met, really.

After a long several weeks spent with them, it's right back to krewe work until Qirri, Garrus, Vezz, and Rissia are called to Aurene's side for a quiet moment with her before the inevitable. Qirri still questions why she was called, but Aurene insists she couldn't sleep without saying goodbye to her "little sister" as well.

But she did want to see her champions together once more.

[jksarchives]

YOONGI

❖ mic drop — by @ve1vetyoongi

when underground rapper min yoongi uncovers the dirty secret behind his biggest rival, your brother and hip hop champion kim namjoon’s success, he is determined to take home this year’s mic drop contest trophy no matter who he hurts along the way. you’re behind the camera, content with capturing namjoon’s picture perfect persona from the sidelines but when his hard-faced enemy Gloss, makes you realise you could be more than just the point and shoot, you start to feel your loyalties shifting. | 29k [s, a, f]

❖ because of me — by @taexual

Yoongi never thought dreams held any value, so, after waking up from a nightmare, he was simply annoyed he didn’t get a good night’s sleep. He had no idea his nightmare would come true. | 3.7k [a]

❖ back-burner — by @yoonpobs

sometimes you felt like you were the back-burner of a two-decade-long friendship. how could you ever compete? | series [a, s, f]

❖ punch drunk — by @joonbird

Min Yoongi talks with his fists, and the only language he knows is one of anger and pain. He’s damaged, untouchable, a boxing underdog with something to prove. You are the sister of Yoongi’s rival - Jeon Jungkook, the number one elite boxer in your prefecture - and as Yoongi soon discovers, you are also his one and only weakness. | 33k [a, s]

❖ untitled — by @here2bbtstrash

yoongi fingering you til you squirt. | 4.8k [s]

❖ we don’t talk together — by @yoonpobs

it's hard to say it's over. | 2.8k [a]

❖ adrift — by @dumpywrites

He only comes to sleep with you and you accept because your heart allows you to. | ? [a, f, a]

❖ till the end of the line — by @kimvvantae

the world has ended and everything you have ever loved died with it. now, you have nothing but a gunshot, an old van, and most importantly - him. | 11k [a]

❖ the early shift — by @hobidreams

21.4k | [a, f, s]

❖ love language — by @gukslut

Your boyfriend obviously loves you, but his silence has you questioning if he *wants* you. If you could only get past your damn insecurities maybe you could appreciate what you have. | 5.3k [a, f, s]

❖ what do you look like when your lie? — @ugh-yoongi

“i grew a flower that can’t be bloomed in a dream that can’t come true.” | 7.7k [a]

❖ fail-safe — @jiminrings

growing up, your brother's best friend always berated you for not having a passion in life outside of loving him from afar. when yoongi leaves everything he's ever known for everything he's ever wanted, trying to move on from him becomes your biggest aspiration. | series [a, f]

❖ interlude — by @yoongiofmine

All Yoongi wanted was to use the last few months before enlisting to work on his solo projects, prepare for his tour. When the silence left around him as his members started to go one by one got too loud, he needed to find something else to fill in the void. But Yoongi would never have guessed that it would come in the form of you… Someone he would never expect to fall in love with. | series [a, s, f]

❖ slide — by @back2bluesidex

You would go back in time and fall in love with Yoongi over and over and over again even after knowing that he would never once be yours in any of the timeline. | series [a, s]

[redjademilktea]

Last night's episode of 4 Sided Dive was absolutely wonderful in terms of the amount of insight and perspective we got. Not only the Crown Keepers interlude, but also for campaign 3's themes as a whole.

Specifically what fascinated me though, was the incredible analogy Aimee drew between the Ruidian culture and colonial influence on indigenous/colonized spaces in real life (around the 1h32m mark for reference). It was amazing question to ask and I'll love Aimee endlessly for it because it touches on am interesting parallel between the discourse surrounding the Exandiran gods and what they thematically can represent to us as an audience.

Before I dive into my thoughts, I want to preface this by saying this is my specific perspective as a queer woman of color and daughter of a refugee. While my year-5-in-a-PhD-program brain may just be over analyzing this too much, what Aimee brought up just deeply resonated with me in a way that I don't really see talked about in discussions around the themes of campaign 3. Additionally, the ideas I'll be talking about borrow heavily from Christine Taitano DeLisle's Placental Politics: CHamoru Women, White Womanhood, and Indigeneity under U.S. Colonialism in Guam (2023). Its an incredible piece on indigenous knowledge production and political action that importantly looks to decenter colonial perspectives and history (and more importantly recenter indigenous histories, knowledge, and perspectives in a way that allows us to dislodge the idea that colonialism is something that is immutable and inevitable.)

To quickly summarize Aimee's point/follow up question, she pointed out that the way Ruidians have engaged with, repurposed, and were resentful towards Exandrian cultures mirrors some of the real life experiences of colonized/marginalized communities in relation to colonialism. It was such a powerful comparison to make because in a lot of ways, the struggle of the Ruidian people over the course of the campaign along with the looming question about the gods and whether or not to save them is (intentional or not) deeply resonant with the idea of colonialism and the ways it is deeply ingrained in the even mundane aspects of our life.

In a lot of ways, the Exandrian pantheon can be seen as a colonial force. One that came in and displaced a preexisting order of things and entrenched itself in the new way of being it established. Ashton and Laudna have repeatedly pointed this out throughout the campaign. There was life and existence before the gods. The gods are merely a different mode of being, not the only and inevitable mode of being. Life, society, and being can and did exist without them.

And its important to recognize that aspect of the gods, because it helps us understand their motivations that much better. Aabria in her description of what Opal saw in the Spider Queen as she tried to take Opal as her champion was poignant. Opal did not see an omniscient, unknowable entity. She saw a woman. A woman who was frustrated, angry, and most importantly frightened. They keep Predathos chained away not to protect life on Exandria nor because they feel a moral obligation to do so. They are doing so because they are afraid. Their mortality is at stake. And, as Aabria keenly pointed out, their pride is as well. Every action, every move is out of self preservation. An attempt to save themselves because Predathos demonstrate that not even the gods are a permanent thing.

You'll find (as Anne Stoler writes about frequently) that colonial systems are much the same. They are vehemently intent on self preservation. Any action they undertake and any narrative they create about themselves is solely done to preserve the way things are currently. And that includes narratives that the way things are currently is somehow inevitable. That things were always coming to this moment. Often, this is done at the expense of framing other modes of being as somehow antithetical to the way things are now. That it needs to be this way. And that this way is right and forever.

To me, its important to recognize these parallels. While Ruidians may engage with, adapt, and innovate off of Exandrian ideas, culture, and art, it is only because - as Aimee aptly phrased it - Exandrian culture as a direct result of the gods actions has "sucked all the air out" everything. What is there to engage with, if not the looming orb in the sky that has shaped every aspect of their existence?

It really brings the campaign-wide question of "should we save the gods?" into new light, at least in my opinion. Because its suddenly not about "saving the gods in a morally righteous act to preserve all life." It becomes a layered and complicated network of issues that makes the answer to that question incredibly difficult to answer. Is preserving the status quo because its how things operate now worth it at the expense of the suffering of others? What would saving the gods and the Ruidians look like? Is it even possible to save both? What changes to how things operate would be a result of that? How would those changes be handled?

I bring this up because there is a tendency in some discourse that I've seen to frame questioning the validity of saving the gods as inherently the "wrong" choice to make. When instead, when you see the cast struggling over the question, its because the answer is not straight forward. The gods are not necessary for life. They never were. They just are necessary for life the way things are now. And the question of what disrupting that means is such a fascinating one to engage with.

[autumnslance]

I really appreciate Gulool Ja Ja as a ruler, a father, and a hero in his own right. There were concerns about why the Scions, as outsiders, would be participating in a contest of succession, and everything we learn about Gulool Ja Ja's younger years, and his reasons for the Rite of Succession, neatly addresses that.

As a much younger man, Dad^2 traveled the lands of Tural with his own diverse group of comrades, from all races and walks of life. From Kettenramm as the foreigner, to Cahciua the long-lived Shetona wilderness expert, to Pelupelu and Yok Huy, to Hanu and Xbraal; especially given the animosity between some of those clans at that time.

And along the way, Gulool Ja Ja learned how much stronger they were together. Alone he is a formidable champion, but even Blessed Siblings can't do it all. He also learned about the diverse peoples and cultures of his homeland. It's not so far off from the Warrior of Light's journey; traveling with competent heroic companions as we adventured through the 3 Continents and lands beyond them for so long, loving people and places we found along the way.

But Gulool Ja Ja also became Dawnservant, and now as his years catch up to him, a new ruler must be found. And it's in the conversation after dueling the WoL that he bluntly states his reasoning, speaking to them as a peer:

Even this early in the contest, you must have realized…As potential rulers, all four claimants are lacking. This is why I elected to hold the rite of succession─not to choose a fitting candidate, but to cultivate one. And if no one has impressed me by the end of it, then to no one will I yield my throne. As a parent, I pray that my children rise to the occasion…With outsiders dragged into my game, I am also hopeful that the different perspectives you and your companions have to offer will inspire them to grow. I imagine you in particular have traveled many lands. Known many peoples and cultures─loved them and been loved in turn. Guide Lamaty'i as you think best. Walk at her side and, when needed, push her to walk ahead. Watch over her, champion. Koana's recruits are no less sharp─as one might expect of Galuf's countrymen. They saw the flaws in our claimants from the outset. The other two, though… They dismiss comrades willing to point out their shortcomings, and no good can come of it…

Emphasis mine.

We see this too, in the interludes to Team Second Promise, as Thancred and Urianger turn on their own Dad Skills and gently guide Koana toward his own realization: that innovation is all well and good, but so is taking into account the traditions and needs of his people. As he watches his sister's growth, and how the people love and trust her to respect their ways of life, to help them because it's the right thing to do.

And Wuk Lamat learns and grows, gaining confidence, learning when to rely on her comrades, how and when to face a challenge on her own. The Wuk Lamat after level 96 is a different woman than the girl we met in Sharlayan. She's not done growing and learning, not in so short a time, but the cultivation Gulool Ja Ja put in place succeeds in her and Koana--because they are willing to learn, and listen, and love.

The other two claimants, as Dad^2 noted, don't understand the reasons for the Rite, for the methods the electors choose, or what the Dawnservant is looking for. And they refuse to entertain perspectives that would attempt to point that out, surrounded by sycophants and cronies.

Bakool Ja Ja doesn't learn the same lessons, though he comes around; he was never shown kindness and understanding, never asked what HE wanted, until Wuk Lamat demands he say it out loud. His growth is a surprising one, and along a trajectory he could never have imagined.

And Zarool Ja...his arc is a negative one, and a tragedy of his own making. He works as an antagonist because his fall is entirely avoidable, but utterly inevitable. It didn't have to be this way, yet there's no other way it could go. He internalized all the pressure and potential, all the comparisons, until it ate him alive.

This is a story about the complicated politics and demands of leading countries, of there being no easy answer to peace even when you wish there was. But it's more a story about family, and legacy, and honoring the past while striving to build a better future.

The Warrior of Light sees their own story reflected in Gulool Ja Ja's history, and in the shaping of Wuk Lamat. To fulfill their love of adventure and exploration, but from a new perspective. And taking all that experience and skill and applying it in a slightly different way, though perhaps not so different from some previous side and job quests where we help others and introduce them to friends so they can continue to grow and help themselves after WoL's moved on.

Hydaelyn's brave little spark has long been a beacon of hope for others to follow. As inheritor to the Shepherd of the Stars, the WoL takes steps toward shaping their legacy, still an active participant, but also seeing how those other stars might shine, and like Gulool Ja Ja, finding that some of those stars need a nudge to find their own glowing potential.

[cosmereplay]

Slipping it in the night before the previews start, here's my Wind and Truth bingo card! Some are things I think are likely to happen, some are things I just think would be cool. If I hit any during preview times, I'll repost with my hits! After the book comes out I'll come back to it and see how I did.

Numbers refer to bonus predictions, listed below the image description.

[ID: A 5x5 bingo card titled cosmereplay's Wind and Truth bingo.

B column: Kaladin tells Wandersail to Szeth. Wit/Jasnah breakup. Rysn & Cord at Horneater Peaks. Fused Dalinar. Navani collects scholar Bondsmith squires.

I column: Embarrassing Shallan moment (1). Detective Adolin is on the case! Malata interlude (3). Bondsmith Thude. Syl pulled completely into Physical Realm.

N column: Leshwi POV. Rock interlude (2). Free centre space: Cry like a bitch. Gavinor interlude (5). Szeth vs his sister SHOWDOWN.

G column: Jasnah meets Hessi in person. Szeth founds new Skybreaker sect. Lift interlude (4). Shallan meets Thaidakar. Sja-anat's enlightened spren are from deadeyes.

O column: Rlain & Renarin hold hands. Moash gets help from Shalash. 17th Shard catches Hoid. Szeth destroys Shinovar Oathgate with division. Ishar Odium's champion. End ID.]

Notes:

1. Bonus if the embarrassing Shallan moment is related to Veil in some way (e.g., crush on Kaladin, she thinks she can play breakneck now but she still sucks)

2. Bonus if the Rock interlude is the establishing chapter of the eventual Horneater novella and puts Rock in danger.

3. Bonus if the Malata interlude includes gathering more Dustbringers/Releasers.

4. Bonus if Lift interlude includes her deciding to put down roots.

5. Bonus if Gavinor interlude includes thoughts about vengeance.

[sisiren]

I discovered Audacity was free and decided to make a TAZ: Balance edit! More information under the cut.

Song: Experience - Ludovico Einaudi

Quotes (in order of which they appear in the audio): “One day I made the decision to… stop championing other people's heroism and to take the direction of my life into my own hands.” - Lunar Interlude III, Rest and Relaxation

“This is just for a little bit, I’m gonna stop this, what we’ve done to this world.” - The Stolen Century 7

“And, I lost dear, dear friends because of that decision, but it was the only one to make.” - Lunar Interlude III, Rest and Relaxation

“I’m gonna find you a place where you can be happy again, it’s just for a little while, and then, you’ll remember, I promise.” - The Stolen Century 7

“Magnus Burnsides” - Here There be Gerblins 1

“T-A-A-K-O” - Here There be Gerblins 1

“Merle Highchurch” - Here There be Gerblins 1

“Barry Bluejeans” - Lunar Interlude V, Reunion Tour 1

“I’m Davenport” - The Stolen Century 7

“Blasted the letters L U P into the wall.” - Lunar Interlude III, Rest and Relaxation

“I pull out the Umbra Staff and I point it at Lucretia” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“You fucking took everything from me” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“Oh shit! Is it today?” - The Stolen Century 6

“It’s today.” - The Stolen Century 6

“I did this one already. I did this world and kind of… crushed it.” - The Stolen Century 1

“I’m begging you, let me finish this and we can talk about it.” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“Are you my friend?” - The Stolen Century 4

“To have friendship, Merle, it requires you to...[sighs] love someone.” - The Stolen Century 4

“Our capacity for love increases with each person we cross paths with throughout our lives, and with each moment we spend with those people.” - The Stolen Century 5

“I said: I love you, Jules.” -The Eleventh Hour 8

“You are my heart.” - The Stolen Century 6

“I - I love you dad.” - Story and Song, Finale 3

“I love you too, baby.” - Story and Song, Finale 3

“And these things, Merle, friendship and love and happiness, they’re- they’re all so… small.” - The Stolen Century 4

“But I’ve been living a hundred years with me and one year with millions of people.” - The Stolen Century 7

“Honestly; do whatever you want. I don’t care anymore.” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“Everybody else that I ever met, aside from the six of you, were dust.” - The Stolen Century 7

“Dead…got turned into ash.” - Lunar Interlude V, Reunion Tour 1

“They were just talking dust.” - The Stolen Century 7

“I have nothing, and I don’t give a shit. The world is ending, and I. Don't. Care.” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“But the one thing we do have, is the thing that people in love rarely ever have enough of. And it’s time.” - The Stolen Century 5

“You found her! Maybe not how you expected to, but when you weren’t looking you found her.” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“Who?” - The Stolen Century 7

“I wonder which one would be worse to take from you: the person that you loved or the person that you… hate.” - The Suffering Game 5

“They are beings of pure, concentrated evil.” - The Suffering Game 1

“And they’ve all been evil?” - The Suffering Game 1

“Invariably.” - The Suffering Game 1

“Lup, they don't trust me.” - The Eleventh Hour 9

“The light is a sickeningly powerful energy source. Any items powered by that energy are going to be...devastating.” - The Stolen Century 7

“This is it!” - The Stolen Century 7

“Lup made us promise that we would never again put a world in danger just to thwart The Hunger's plans. And that is exactly, exactly, what we did to this world!” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“Did we make the right decision?” - The Stolen Century 7

“Sometimes there aren’t right decisions. Sometimes there’s just decisions.” - The Stolen Century 7

“Kind of seems like I've got you right here.” - The Stolen Century 4

“And the devastation it wreaks is immeasurable.” - The Stolen Century 7

“What if you didn’t have to worry and you could just cut out the bullshit and do good recklessly?” - The Eleventh Hour 7

“Merle...will you sit with me? Just...just for a moment?” - Story and Song, Finale 3

“...You got it, buddy.” - Story and Song, Finale 3

“And suddenly thousands of bonds are threaded between the three of you.” - Story and Song, Finale 3

“I know we don’t say this enough, but… Thank you.” - The Stolen Century 7

“I saw seven birds: The Twins.” - The Crystal Kingdom 11

“You ready bro?” - The Stolen Century 7

“Hell yeah!” - The Stolen Century 7

“The Lover.” - The Crystal Kingdom 11

“It’s only been twe— Um… Twenty-one years…” - The Stolen Century 3

“The Protector.” - The Crystal Kingdom 7

“Magnus rushes in.” - Story and Song, Finale 3

“The Lonely Journal Keeper.” - The Crystal Kingdom 7

“I’m gonna save us all, I - I promise.” - Story and Song, Finale 1

“The Peacemaker.” - The Crystal Kingdom 7

“I find joy whatever I do.” - The Stolen Century 4

“And The Wordless One.” - The Crystal Kingdom 7

“Have we not… earned a little wrath?” - The Stolen Century 6

“You got all the time in the world, my man.” - The Stolen Century 3

[pmdobt]

inigo and dielle back there gotta make up for all the hero/partner exclusive dungeons by providing free labor

[mer-acle]

Hear me out. Champion by Neoni, but it's Athena escaping from Zeus' head

(I have no time for an animatic rn, but here's the vision:)

First verse (until "This is my moment"): Athena looking for a weak spot in Zeus' skull. She lifts up her spear, gripping it with both hands as she raises it to strike-

First Chorus: Flashback to Metis telling Athena what to do (I know you're a champion)and saying goodbye

Second Verse and Chorus: Athena starts hitting her spear against Zeus' skull repeatedly

Interlude: Quick Flash of Zeus fucking suffering

Bridge until "I'll never be broken": Athena rests on her spear briefly, panting, but then her eyes glow with determination and she raises her weapon again.

Bridge pt. 2: She hits the bone and small cracks start appearing. Suddenly, light falls in from outside as the world around her shakes like an earthquake. Athena's eyes widen, then her mouth twists in a triumphant smile.

Third Chorus: Pov, Olympus. Zeus' skull splits open and Athena emerges in a flash of silver, spear drawn, head held high. She whips around, raising her weapon, ready to defend herself as the gods look at her in shock.

so yeah I thought that'd be sick lol

[storiesoflilies]

of angels and curses

warnings: light smut? i don’t know, it’s a lil spicy.

a/n: these interludes will have no addition to the main plot in any way. i suppose they are more of a drabble, anyways it’s just me in my feels. enjoy :) Ko-Fi.

next part — chapter 4

interlude (i)

they lay together intertwined in his garden of bluebells, looking up at the tapestry of starlight galaxies above them. she knew she was dreaming, but it felt so real – he felt so real.

“if i could cast a spell on you, i would,” gojo said, like it was the most simple thing in the world.

how could he not be real? the way his chest rose and fell as he breathed, the way their shoulders touched, and the way he looked at the celestial sky all felt real.

“really? what for?” she asked softly, as delicate as the rain that fell from the heavens that cried whenever angels died.

his eyes twinkled with starlight and silver as he replied, “so you won’t ever forget me.”

she giggled naively, “why, i could never forget you.”

“yes you could,” he quickly said, his words tumbling and rolling like stones from an avalanche. “you would. you know i already love you, but you won’t let me because of him.”

“but i’m here now, doesn’t that count for something?”

“no it doesn’t, because you already think he’s beautiful and he loves you,” he murmured, pointing at a star shooting across the sky, a momentary distraction.

“but i’m here with you now, i’m already yours,” she said, stroking away the blades of grass that clung to his snowy hair.

he shook his head, “you never were. you’re like a little stream running away to join the sea, and i’ve tried so hard to follow you all this time.”

he was so different under the light of moon and stars. here was her champion, reduced to bare bones and flesh, his soul raw and exposed for her to feast on.

“i don’t want to know what you feel anymore, or i’ll start to love you less,” his voice cracked, like ice crashing against stone.

“oh, don’t say that. don’t ever say that,”

he rolled over on top of her, his hands clasping both sides of her head, kissing her face fervently, full of reverence. it felt wrong, this wasn’t holy, underneath the eyes of heaven and the universe.

“i won’t, i won’t,” he whispered, his blue eyes like deep infinite pools that she saw her whole life play out within. “just give me a chance.”

but it would be a lie, and she knew it; so did he. she didn’t think he cared. he was just a fool in the big grand scheme of the universe, but in that moment he was hers, and she couldn’t help but love him the way he wanted to be loved.

“please don’t lie to me, don’t,” he begged, but his voice had become as sharp as thorns and razors, and his fingers dug crescent moons into her arms.

and her heart broke for him, because all she wanted to do was run away from him. it was easier to think he never loved her really, because all any of it had ever been was lies and a facade. he kissed her lips suddenly, trying to be gentle, but he was made of ice and she of the sun. it hurt him more than it did her, and he gasped loudly.

“you can’t leave me, i’ll haunt you, I’ll follow you,” he vowed, his lips all swollen and wet brushing against hers as he spoke, and forbidden desire pooled between them. “is he really worth this?”

his hand travelled in waves and swirls down to her navel, dancing just above the dip in between her thighs, while his other held the back of her head, fingers intertwined into her hair.

“i won’t leave, you can be my beautiful sea now,” she breathed shakily, as his cold lips worshipped her neck.

all lies. she didn’t belong here with him, because he was worth everything she could give. he settled his face between the dip of her neck and shoulder, breathing hard and heavy, and rumbled, “darling, i’m an ocean.”

she shivered as his white hair tickled her chin, and he said, “you’ll hear the sound of my waves, and you’ll know.”

his fingers ghosted over that forbidden spot, and she fought back against the moan that threatened to escape her mouth. he looked at her with those infinite eyes, desire and anger pooling in them, and she knew then she had to be careful against the storm.

“you’ll know that you can never get away from me, from this,” he whispered, his stray hand traveling back up to cup her face.

she said nothing, and they stared at each other like first loves dancing together in between the weaves of fate. time was cruel, and maybe in another life they would have been each other’s dreams. but for now, she would take her chances and turn around and run away.

and run.

run towards him instead, because his love was real.

“why don’t you shine down on me?” he murmured, capturing her lips again, his tongue swiping across them, begging for entrance.

and she let him in, just this once, their tongues twisting and turning together in a fast waltz. he fisted his fingers in her hair and gripped her waist like she was going to melt away from him. in another lifetime, this would have been so right; the way he held her as he started to move into her, the way she wrapped her arms around his neck, and she wouldn’t be pretending it wasn’t gojo making her feel this good.

he finally broke away from her, their foreheads touching, and said, “you can’t, can you? you’ve already spent all your light on him.”

she could only nod, and he sighed in defeat. here was the strongest of them all, a titan brought low, broken and bent, because he could never possibly hope to compete against him.

“you won’t remember this,” he said, bowing his head as the tears fell like a tragedy down his smooth skin. “you won’t remember me.”

“i will,” she stated firmly, comfortingly. this, she would promise.

“no, you won’t,” he sobbed. she’d broken him forever.

and his garden of bluebells disappeared with the wind, as the echoes of his heartbreak cried out to her soul.

-•-

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[l3st1b0urn3s-707]

I read interludes 5 and 6 of Wind and truth and I'm so happy that Axies the collector appeared!!! For sure one of the most interesting characters in stormlight, despite his few interactions with any character. But I was really hoping to see him in book 5, so I'm very happy about it.

Taravangian's chapter was very concerning tho (as usual). Is he planning to cure Moash's blindness? Not looking good.

Anyway, I'm a day closer to the contest of champions, yay!

[syllarinfirinne]

Random thoughts about Wind and Truth (some of them mainly about the ending and the fallout thereof, so spoiler warning):

If Roshar is in a time bubble where roughly 10 years will pass while 70-80 will pass outside of it I cannot wait to see what technological advancements worlds like Scadrial, Sel, Nalthis, Komashi, and even Lumar or Canticle (which while neither have a Shard, both have large amounts of Investiture and have been visited by spacefaring Scadrialians). Specifically Id love to see what kind of advancements Scadrial and Komashi make in the next 80 years, as the former has created trains while being on pace for discovering the radio while the latter has electricity. Steam and Electric power, without magic, signaled a technological boom in our own history, as within 100 years of Steam Powered Trains we had cars, and within 80 years of the light bulb we were going to space. With Hoin and Metal Bending, who knows what those worlds could get up to while Roshar is stuck in time.

Is Braize, or whatever/wherever Kaladin took the Heralds, within the time bubble? I am assuming, from my understanding of the text, that its not. Which means Kaladin will have close to 100 years to work with the Heralds, hopefully bringing them some peace.

I would really love an Edgedancer/Secret History/Dawnshard type novella/interlude exploring the 20 years that Odium trapped Gav in the Spiritual Realm to brainwash him. I was totally shocked when he appeared as the Champion of Odium, I think that couldve been seeded better to make the reader/audience suspect while it still being a Holy Shit moment, but getting away from teh Shock of it, it did feel a bit cheap. I would like to experience his experiences and re-read the reveal with the context of what he went through.

Ive read a few reviews and a few posts (thankfully no more than a handful, but of course the ones I disagree with are the reviews I remember) saying that Wind and Truth was somehow a "character assassination" of Kaladin. None of them really went into detail explaining their reasoning so to them I just wanna say a general "Huh?" Cause...like...how is Depressed Man Focused On Helping People Accepting That He Cant Help Everyone But Still Trying To Do His Best To Help Those Who Ask and Those In Need not Kaladins best ending??

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hello! I’m sorry if you’ve answered this already, but do you have any recs (or anything you want to say for fun) about games with multiple GMs?

Theme: Multiple GMs

Hello friend, I may have recommended games similar to this but I don't know if I've actually fulfilled this prompt before! I'll do my best to show you some interesting games, and you can check out previous posts at the bottom in case there's something there that fits your tastes more.

Questlandia: Second Edition, by Turtlebun.

In Questlandia, you and your friends will invent a world from scratch. It might be fantastic or bizarre, from a remembered past or imagined future.You’ll paint a picture of your society and its people, their laws and customs, how they live and how they dream.

But your society is failing. As you play, your characters will attempt to find beauty and purpose amidst the chaos of a changing world.

Questlandia is a tabletop roleplaying game that creates fantastical worlds in states of change. It may be medieval fantasy in a ghost-haunted kingdom, neo-noir in a roboticized undercity, or microscopic slipstream suburbia in a puddle. The possible settings are boundless, but will always come from the interests of those at the table. Bring in real-world themes that intrigue you, references that inspire you, worldbuilding that follows your curiosity.

Questlandia uses dice and cards to help you create a society, as well as your character’s role in that society. I think this is a good example of a game where every person is a character, but every player is also a GM. You’ll roll against each-other to determine whether or not your society will be able to overcome their troubles. Overall, I think Questlandia is great for telling a story that spans a number of factions or nations.

Pantheon, by harpoon_gun.

4-6 GMs, who are distant Gods with their own desires and needs, and up to 3 players, champions of the Gods who are being forced to do their chores. Take turns toying with the champions, screwing over the other Gods, and building relationships of both the positive and negative variety. 

All I know about this game is what I can divine from the description, but I would hazard a guess that much of this gameplay is going to feel a little bit like PvP. The gods that your GMs are embodying will have conflicting goals and desires, so expect to run into a lot of backbiting and backstabbing. The game itself was designed for the Bad TTRPGS Jam, which encouraged designers to fuck around with rules and see where it got them. So no guarantees for a balanced game here - but maybe an interesting experiment!

Fool’s Errand, by Myles Wirth.

You are a group of questants, pledged to a seemingly-impossible task. You must set out alone into the world, each following your own path by which the quest might be fulfilled. They will be long and difficult journeys, with no guarantee of success.

Inspired by legends and travelogues, Fool's Errand is a single-page tabletop game about perseverance in the face of uncertainty and the joy of worldbuilding together. It is prepless, gm-less, setting-agnostic, and can be played on its own or as a setup or interlude for another game. Rather than flattening Player-GM distinctions entirely, it inverts the traditional balance of a ttrpg table; players take turns as "seekers", individual characters traversing the world in search of an impossible goal, while the rest of the table forms the "Chorus", building and refining the world around the seeker as they explore it.

Fools’ Errand asks you to make some travellers and give them a quest that they cannot achieve. The game occurs over a series of turns; on your turn you’ll control your Seeker and declare what you want to do. The rest of the table becomes the Chorus, and build the Location that Seeker is in. The Seeker may then attempt to convince the Chorus that the way in which they will attempt to solve the problem is something they would be good at; and then rolls 3d6. Your result may grant you a Boon or a Burden, which may draw you closer to or pull you farther from your character’s goal. Your characters also have a Resolve pool, which will diminish over the course of play.

I think success is still technically possible in this game, but it’s highly unlikely. What is more likely is that characters will slowly give up on their quest, and join the Chorus in telling the story of who remains.

Bleak Spirit, by potatocubed.

Bleak Spirit is a storytelling game where you and your friends create a brooding, cryptic tale about a stranger in a strange land. Everything is falling apart, crumbling, corrupted, and the wanderer carries the potential for a return to past glories – or the power to sweep away all that remains.

Everyone contributes to the tale, sharing the sense of mystery that comes from no-one knowing the entire truth of what's going on. Everyone takes turns being the world for a scene, introducing lore which hints at the history of the setting. After every scene everyone leaps to conclusions based on the lore which has been revealed – and these conclusions affect the sorts of lore they will introduce when it's their turn to be the world.

Bleak Spirit is meant to replicate the narrative beats of Dark Souls, Hollow Knight, and Bloodborne. It gives everyone at the table a chance to play the Wanderer, a chance to play the World - and a chance to sit as part of the Chorus. The game is very structured, which I think helps the table keep on track, since everyone is going to have a chance to contribute to the story. The Wanderer dictates the character’s actions, but never their internal thought or feelings. The World creates Areas and Locations that the Wanderer will visit. The Chorus will introduce themes, descriptions, and motifs that are meant to make the world full of grandeur, mystique and decay.

This is a game that you might be interested if you like melancholic tones, large gaps in historical knowledge, and collaborative world building. The creator has also created a Cat version of this game, called Cat Spirit!

Two Weeks One Summer, by Rick Cockram.

In Two Weeks One Summer the players take the role of a family visiting a rambling old house in the woods during a summer holiday. The game focusses on the activities of the children of the family as they explore the house, it's grounds and the surrounding woodland. It is a game about finding things to do, creating your own excitement and exploring an unfamiliar environment.

This game divides the participants into two roles: the Children and the Grown-Ups. Over the course of the game, each of these roles will contribute different things to the description of the house, and the events that happen as you stay here. I think this works well for a slice-of life game, but it also might be an interesting source of inspiration for telling stories that are more dramatic or fantastical.

I'd Also Recommend Checking Out...

Co-Optional Games Rec Post

Unique Player Responsibilities / Rotating GMs

Asymmetrical Games Rec Post

[vivitalks]

amnesty lodge interlude. aubrey is teaching her fellow sylvan lodgers a card game from earth. she is also definitely, definitely cheating.

moira is holding her own, but only because she is also cheating. barclay is cheating by pretending he's never played this game even though he's been playing it against mama for years, but he keeps getting distracted making eye contact with agent stern and losing his focus at critical moments.

jake coolice is still struggling to understand the rules.

dani is somehow wiping the floor with everyone, even though she has never played this game before and is definitely not cheating because "i have principles, aubrey." her winning streak is six games long, and aubrey's cards are starting to smoke. at which point jake gives up, barclay taps out to go make some dinner, moira retires to the piano, and aubrey has no choice but to declare dani the reigning card game champion of amnesty lodge.

"that comes with both a medal AND a crown, right?" dani says cheekily, and aubrey very maturely sticks her tongue out.