#collectors' tome

[randomnameless]

If you could rewrite the church family (Rhea, Seteth, Flayn, Billy, Cyril, Catherine, Alois, idgaf about Jerry, and Shamir’s fans generally like Edelgard too much for me to vibe with them), how would you do it? I love your headcanons.

thanks lol

No Manu ???

I don't know if rewritting them is the word, or just, "using them", but it can range from anything like "summer AU" (like what FEH tries to sell even if Cyril and Alois will never be added and the lizards are in limbo) where everyone relaxes, to monastery hijinks like

Cyril's first day of class and everyone popping up to check if he's alright, like Alois passing by to say hello during class and cracking jokes as an excuse to see if the giant cookie stash Rhea gave Cyril is empty or not (if it's empty it means he shared some with his new friends!), Shamir being "suddenly ordered" to give archery seminars or Catherine inviting everyone to the training tower.

Alois's family sometimes visiting Garreg Mach and Flayn sort of befriends his daughter and loves to hear the story of how he and his wife met - Seteth, after many "hmph" and "maybes" finally accepts to accompany Alois to visit his family with Flayn (who wanted to talk to his daughter about fashionable stuff young people do nowadays and how normal people live!), but it ultimately became a trip to convince Alois not to buy the rumour that "there is a Great Sage living in Lake Teutates who can teach you how to master your fears" because 1/he knows his brother started this rumour since he was bored and wanted some company and usually it ends in a disaster 2/Indech loves to make magic ghosts/soldiers for fun, and if dropping kid!Rhea in a pond was supposed to help her "master her fear of water" he knows Indech is going to throw a hundred ghost soldiers at Alois to help him "master his fear of ghosts".

Rhea still gives the worst pointers to Billy on how to "people" correctly, to the point where Billy is the one who gives her pointers, but it doesn't really work - until Manu gives the ultimate advice to Billy, no one has to try to socialise with her, because everyone falls for her charm! So Billy tries to understand what "charm" is, which prompts Rhea to dust off some "subversive books" to help them.

Which of course spirals in a catastrophe, when Cyril who's starting to recognise letters, wonders what's "charm" to Catherine who tells him it's something like exchanging knight vows, like swearing your life to someone "a bit like a partnership then?", but it's totally not like that, so Catherine directs him to Manuela. Of course Cyril doesn't go and asks Rhea instead, who is very happy to tell him everything she knows about Great Emperor Wilhelm which leaves him completely puzzled, but he's too polite to point it out, so he nods.

Ultimately he asks Seteth when he returns "It's like swearing knight vows but not like a partnership and doing it like the First Emperor did?" and Seteth gives the longest sigh every, asking him to come to his office later to get a lecture about "romance and appropriate conduct", but Cyril replied that he was not interested in romance anyways, but the professor is, since they have books about it.

Of course, Alois volunteers to help Billy with their heart issues, and Billy spills the beans, they tried to make friends so they asked Manuela how to do so, and Rhea gave them those books.

It is rumoured Seteth's sigh echoed for days in the halls of the monastery.

Billy, while accompanying Seteth who pulled out one of his "straight to the Abyss" cardboard boxes to "cleanse the Archbishop's quarters" asked Cyril if he managed to make friends during his first day of class, and Cyril dismissed them saying they don't need friends anyways (which then made Alois confess he had been spying on Shamir's orders "But I saw your bag of cookies, you didn't share them with your friends?") the life at the monastery is more than enough for him.

Billy then said to everyone - who's reunited in Rhea's quarters because they were following first Seteth (who's hunting the "subversive books"), then Billy, then felt bad for Cyril (who brought fresh water for the flowers!) so followed him - everyone here is their friend.

Alois cried hugging them, Catherine called them stupid for saying something so corny but ruffled their hair, Flayn was so happy to hear it, Manu didn't hear anything since she was arguing with Seteth about "artistic licence" and "books of art" and Cyril still didn't see what was to great about having friends. Rhea returned from helping kittens (Duchess Whiskers the VIIth got a new litter!) she placed in Seteth's office seeing everyone hugging Billy in her quarters, who told her they have friends now.

Flayn then pulls out the "deluxe tea-time set" from Rhea's cupboard - she kept just in case hoping she would be able to have tea with a lot of people - and the "preserved thanks to Nabatean magic" cookies and everyone shared a cup of tea.

[beholding-moth]

for the oc ask thingy Austrat!!!! afsdgads it's so hard to choose the questions ywy i wanna know SO MANY THINGS

ok ok let's narrow it down to 5, 15, 29..... oh and G & H <333

i love how you chose him of all my OCs, the guy I'm playing as in my first bg3 run :')

*slaps Austrat* this purple warlock tiefling can fit so much religious trauma and gay yearning in him, he has hands down maybe one of the most traumatic backstories I have written aside from Meomy that is and maybe that would explain why he immediately felt a connection with Astarion

5. How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

very easy, his very first instinct is not to trust at all and once someone breaks his trust in any way possible he won't be able to trust them ever again

one thing that needs to be known however is that he values loyalty above all else and once someone gains his loyalty he will be devoted to it

15. How do they speak? Is what they say usually thought of on the spot, or do they rehearse it in their mind first?

he is very calculating about everything he says, he does come off as charming though. but also more often than not he deceives, doesn't like to talk about personal things and speaks half-truths if needed. In short: most of the things he says have been rehearsed in his brain a million times before, that it started to come to him naturally now. (all im saying is: he is a pathological liar)

29. Do they usually live up to their own ideals? 

his ideals are very in the morally grey area tbh. all he strives for is staying in control of his own decisions, providing his fey archon with little treasures and mysteries for entertainment and helping out wronged people. and if he has to kill for any of those? he will

but also what can i say :') it's hard to say what ideals one has when they are very dependent on whims...

G) What trait of theirs bothers you the most?

i think all his "ooh im so mysterious and untouchable" behaviour would kinda piss me off. id kick him in the shin for that, but only if i didn't know where he is coming from..... which i do... and i wanna give him a pat and tell him everything is gonna be ok, you will get your revenge

H) What trait do you admire most?

i think i admire how free spirited he is, he is trying his utmost best to let go of the past and enjoy the present moment, he does not think or worry about the future so much and i think all of this is admirable in a way

JKJKJK, unle-

[deliriousmonk]

Note to self: never go to the thrift on a Friday evening.

[witekspicsbanknotes]

Commemorative circulating banknotes from St. Thomas & Principe.

[emiliemaria]

.

[lathez]

So Bethesda's reasoning behind forcing a Miraak kill was that they had failed at creating a compelling dilemma. Originally you were going to trade some sort of tome to Mora, and they realized that no one was going to turn down saving a cool ass renegade cyborg sounding Dragon Priest for their little skill tree bit.

The thing is that this would have been ridiculously easy to fix with an addition of literally ANY interesting mechanic. So being a Miraak stannie, here are a few things the questline itself could lock behind Miraak's death to make me consider killing him:

Trade Dragon Souls for a Reduction in Shout Cool Down Time - A 1-2% increase for every shout spent. Actually gives the player motivation to seek out dragons and play a Thu'um build.

Trade Dragon Souls for an Increase in Shout Power - Fire Breath is one of the coolest in game shouts, and you get the fire Wyrm if you kill an enemy -- yet at higher levels it becomes almost useless. This goes for quite a few shouts.

Stacked Vahlok the Jailor Spectral Follower - A summon isn't enough to make me want to kill Miraak, but a spectral follower? That's cool as fuck. It makes sense, since you absorbed Miraak's soul, that Vahlok would want to follow you. Literally no one in their god damn mind would want to fuck with you and your floating dragon priest ghost going suplex city

Vahlok's Mask - Locking the final dragon priest mask behind a decision would actually make collectors twitch.

Marry Frea - Stupid as fuck that you can't marry Frea. Conversely, if you spare Miraak, you should be locked out of any remaining Skaal quests and merchants.

Ability to Craft Dragon Priest Armor - Yeah this would just be unbelievably fucking goated and I think you should get this regardless of decision if you collect all the masks, but whatever.

Bend Will That Actually Works - The ability to create up to two living thralls instead of two dead ones, effectively allowing you to increase your follower count, ie, you could have Teldryn, Serana, and Ralis at once.

Maybe someone who mods better than I do can tell me if these would be difficult to add, but honestly, I don't think a lot of them are as I've seen plenty of mods along these lines.

The pure laziness that went into the Dragonborn DLC -- which is fun, but criminally short and contained -- in comparison to the Dawnguard DLC is irritating, and it's even more irritating to know they had the voice lines ready to go and everything and decided to cut an actually good plot point last minute.

[the-fluffy-folio]

Living Bookmark – Tiny construct, neutral

The living bookmark is a quite literate being that loves to dwell in ancient tomes shelved in likewise aged cabinet of curiosities or burrow through reams of magical papers and mystical scrolls. It is a most welcome guest among lightsome librarians and cheerful scholars. Others, however, regard this peculiar construct as nothing more than a nuisance. Grumpy booksellers, nefarious spellcasters or excessively pedantic collectors consider it to be a pest only seeking to destroy their precious goods. To a certain extend, this might be true. Nevertheless, a well-treated living bookmark can indeed be an overly trusty companion and proficient adviser eagerly willing to share its knowledge to its best abilities.

🔮 If you like my work, kindly consider to support me on Patreon to gain access to monster pages, tokens & artwork of over 300 quirky creatures as well as dozens of potion & item cards based on their lore.

[odileeclipse]

Hello!! Could you do a shadow milk cookie x reader except one sided with smc liking reader and reader is smart but just nonchalant about everything and can see through Shadow milk cookie but doesn’t say anything about it since reader doesn’t really care about him. Reader also can manipulate other people really well but except reader just uses it when it is absolutely necessary and not just for fun

you could say it’s like manipulator x manipulator type of relationship 😭🙏🏻🙏🏻

so whenever smc tries to manipulate reader, they just look at him with no interest whatsoever and then after, reader just brushes him off lmao

A Scholar's Indifference

A/N I took the liberty to make them a scholar because they're intelligent so what better way to show it than be a scholar.

The Grand Archives were quiet, save for the faint scratching of quill against parchment. The scent of aged paper and candle wax lingered in the air, untouched by the passage of time. It was a sanctuary of knowledge, a place where scholars sought wisdom, where history was preserved and studied. And where, unfortunately, Shadow Milk Cookie had made himself a nuisance. “I can offer you more than dusty old tomes, you know.” His voice coiled through the air like a whispered spell, smooth and deliberate, laced with that ever-present undertone of mischief. He lounged atop your desk as if he belonged there, one leg lazily crossed over the other, his fingers absentmindedly toying with the edge of an open book.

You didn’t look up. “That’s nice.” Shadow Milk Cookie narrowed his eyes slightly. A non-response. Not rejection, not curiosity just sheer, effortless apathy. How irritating. “You wound me, dear scholar,” he sighed, dramatic as always, his free hand pressing against his chest. “Is it truly so awful to imagine a world beyond these walls? A world where you are not simply a collector of knowledge, but a wielder of it?” You dipped your quill into the ink, barely acknowledging him. “Knowledge doesn’t need to be wielded. It simply is.”

“Drowning yourself in scrolls again, dear scholar?”

Shadow Milk Cookie’s voice curled around you like wisps of ink in water, smooth and dark, filled with a performer's flourish. He emerged from between the bookshelves, mismatched eyes gleaming with playful intent. You didn’t bother to look up. “Drowning implies struggle,” you replied smoothly, scratching your quill against the parchment. “I find knowledge rather easy to breathe in.” He laughed, slow and rich. “Oh, how clever. But tell me, what will all this knowledge do for you, hm? You sit here, day after day, collecting truths like dust on old tomes. And yet, do you ever stop to wonder how small this kingdom makes you?” You turned a page. “Enlighten me.” Shadow Milk Cookie leaned against the desk beside you, propping his chin on his palm as he watched you work. “You are brilliant,” he mused, “yet your talents are wasted here, confined to these halls, buried beneath limitations.” He waved a hand, gesturing vaguely at the bookshelves around you. “The Vanilla Kingdom tells you what you can and cannot study. They sift through history, preserving only what benefits them. But me? Oh, starlight, I hold the knowledge they do not want you to find.”

At this, you finally lifted your gaze, eyes laced with the same disinterest you always regarded him with. “Let me guess, if I simply cast aside my oaths and follow you, you’ll show me the hidden truths of the world?” Shadow Milk Cookie smirked. “You say it so mockingly, and yet, I can see the hunger in you.” You let out a soft hum, studying him. “Tell me, Shadow Milk Cookie. If knowledge was truly your grand gift to me, why present it with such flair? Truth does not need theatrics. it stands on its own.” He faltered, just for a fraction of a second, but you caught it. You always did. You leaned back in your chair, folding your hands neatly. “You see, I know the difference between a charlatan and a scholar. Charlatans weave grand words, dress their lies in gold, make impossible promises to those desperate enough to believe them.” Your gaze sharpened. “And you? You are nothing more than a talented illusionist. A puppet master in a carnival of shadows.”

Shadow Milk Cookie chuckled, though his grin was slightly tighter than before. “And yet, you keep listening.” You smirked. “Because you are a wonderful study in deception. I find you fascinating, in the same way one might study the tactics of a conman.” His eyes flickered, momentarily losing their playful gleam. “You wound me.” “No,” you said, tilting your head. “I intrigue you.” Silence stretched between you. For the first time, you had taken the stage. And Shadow Milk Cookie who had spent centuries puppeteering the minds of others found himself being played. The realization must have struck him as well, because after a moment, his lips curled into something more genuine than his usual theatrics a slow, appreciative grin. “Well, well,” he murmured, voice lower, smoother. “Perhaps I miscalculated. You’re not just another mind to mold, are you?” You lifted your quill, twirling it between your fingers. “Of course not. And that’s where you made your first mistake.” Shadow Milk Cookie laughed, a real laugh this time deep and delighted, his eyes gleaming not with victory, but with something far more dangerous. Interest. “You are wasted in this kingdom,” he purred, standing to his full height. “One day, you will see that. And when that day comes…” He let his words trail off, a silent promise woven between them. You merely returned to your parchment. “I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

He grinned, sharp and intrigued. “Spoken like a prisoner who doesn’t realize they’re in a cage.” You finally, finally lifted your gaze, leveling him with a stare so perfectly blank, so wholly unimpressed, that for a moment, he felt the slightest twinge of irritation. And then you smiled small, knowing, and just a little bit cruel. “If this is a cage,” you said, tilting your head, “why do you keep coming back?” Shadow Milk Cookie hesitated. Just for a second. Then, his grin widened. “Ah, but you mistake my presence for captivity, starlight. I am merely… entertained.” “Mm.” You turned back to your work, brushing away a stray ink blot. “So am I.” The amusement in his expression flickered, just for an instant, before he laughed. Genuinely. “You are playing with me.” It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation. You didn’t bother to confirm or deny it. Because you were. And he knew it. Shadow Milk Cookie had spent lifetimes weaving illusions, twisting perception, ensnaring minds in silken lies spun with the utmost precision. And yet, you? You saw through him. Not because you were searching for the truth. Not because you wished to challenge him. But because you simply did not care. And that was infuriating. “Oh, you are delightful,” he purred, resting his chin in his palm as he watched you work. “Truly, I cannot decide if I admire or despise you.”

“I don’t think about you enough to make that decision,” you replied idly. That one almost made him scowl. Almost. He hummed, watching as you dipped your quill back into the ink, utterly unbothered by his presence. “You’re wasted in this kingdom, you know,” he said, shifting tactics. His voice softened, dipping into something lower, something enticing. “They will never recognize your full potential here. But I will.” You let out a quiet hum, seemingly entertained by his attempt. “Is that what you tell everyone you want to recruit?” “Oh no, no, no,” he chuckled. “This is different.” He leaned closer, voice lowering to a whisper. “I see you, dear scholar. You and I? We are the same.” That made you pause. Just for a breath. Then, slowly, you turned to face him again. Your expression didn’t change. Your voice didn’t waver. But your words? Your words shattered him. “You mistake recognition for importance.” Silence. For the first time, Shadow Milk Cookie did not have a response. You let the moment stretch, tilting your head slightly. “I am no more like you than a scholar is like their book. You, Shadow Milk Cookie, are a performer.” You rested your chin against your hand, mirroring his own smug posture. “And I? I am simply watching the show.” His fingers twitched against the desk. It was annoying. It was intoxicating. It was exhilarating. “You are fascinating,” he murmured, his usual teasing lilt replaced with something real. Something dangerous. You shrugged. “I know.” And just like that, you turned away again, utterly, completely unbothered. Shadow Milk Cookie stared at you for a long moment. Then, he laughed. A breathy, delighted sound, as if he had stumbled upon the greatest puzzle he had ever encountered. “Oh, you are going to be my favorite,” he whispered, grinning to himself. You didn’t respond. Because as far as you were concerned, the conversation was already over.

[ironladle]

Tarot Card Legacy Challenge

Generation 1: The Fool

Pack Focus: High School Years, For Rent

Goals: 

Active, Outgoing, Adventurous

Master the Fitness skill to Level 10  by participating in school sports 

Complete the "Outdoor Enthusiast" or “Body Builder” aspiration, going on outdoor adventures with friends and exploring hidden spots in the neighborhood.

Collect all types of fish and insects in the neighborhood as a beginner angler and bug collector.

Achieve 10 charisma skill by making friends and socializing at school events and parties.

Gather collectibles like feathers and crystals by exploring secret areas around the neighborhood and completing after-school activities.

Romance: The Fool finds romance during high school, developing a crush on their lab partner or a fellow athlete. They navigate their first love through shy glances, secret notes, and stolen moments in between classes.

Generation 2: The Empress

Pack Focus: Dream Home Decorator, Growing Together

Goals:

Green Fiend, Family-oriented, Nature Lover

Master the Gardening skill to Level 10 by tending to the school garden and helping out,and personal garden

Complete the "Freelance Botanist" or “Super Parent” aspiration, selling home-grown produce and flowers 

Achieve Level 10 in the Parenting skill by babysitting younger siblings or volunteering

Collect all types of flowers and produce to create beautiful floral arrangements and healthy meals for the family.

Participate in neighborhood gardening competitions, showcasing the family's garden and winning prizes for their beautiful blooms.

Romance: The Empress meets their significant other at a community gardening event or through mutual friends. Their romance blossoms over shared interests in nature and sustainability, with romantic picnics in the park and stargazing under the moonlight.

Generation 3: The Emperor

Pack Focus: For Rent, Home Chef Hustle Stuff

Goals:

Handy, Ambitious,Outdoorsy

Master the Handiness skill to Level 10 by fixing up the family's rented home and helping neighbors with household repairs.

Complete the "Outdoor Enthusiast" or” Master Chef” aspiration, going on camping trips with friends and mastering the art of outdoor cooking.

Achieve Level 10 in the Logic skill 

Collect all types of fossils and crystals during outdoor adventures and neighborhood exploration.

Establish a successful food business, selling handcrafted meals made with locally sourced ingredients.

Romance: The Emperor finds love at a neighborhood block party or while volunteering at the local soup kitchen. Their relationship flourishes over shared meals and cozy nights in, with romantic dinners cooked together in their food truck.

Generation 4: The High Priestess

Pack Focus: Crystal Creations Stuff, Realm of Magic

Goals:

Bookworm, Paranoid, Creative

Master the Spellcasting skill and unlock all spells by studying ancient tomes and practicing magic rituals.

Complete the "Spellcraft & Sorcery" or “ Archaeology Scholar” aspiration, delving deeper into the mysteries of magic and mastering potion-making.

Achieve Level 10 in the Logic skill by experimenting with magical elements and researching arcane phenomena.

Collect all magical artifacts and tomes by exploring hidden caves and participating in magical duels.

Explore all hidden areas in Glimmerbrook and Forgotten Hollow to uncover ancient secrets and mystical creatures.

Romance: The High Priestess meets their soulmate at a magical gathering or during a séance. Their bond deepens through shared experiences in the magical realm, with romantic moonlit rituals and enchanted picnics in enchanted forests.

Generation 5: The Lovers

Pack Focus: My Wedding Stories, Get Together

Goals:

Romantic, Outgoing, Charismatic

Master the Acting skill to Level 10 by participating in school theater productions and joining drama clubs.

Complete the "World-Famous Celebrity" or “ Soulmate” aspiration, climbing the ranks of fame and hosting extravagant parties.

Achieve Level 10 in the Charisma skill by networking at social events and building a large circle of friends.

Collect all celebrity memorabilia and awards by attending exclusive parties 

Host extravagant parties and events in luxury penthouses, showcasing the glamorous lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Romance: The Lovers meet at a high-profile gala or VIP event, instantly drawn to each other's charisma and charm. Their love story unfolds amidst the glittering lights of the city, with romantic rooftop dinners and spontaneous adventures in the nightlife scene.

Generation 6: The Chariot

Pack Focus: Horse Ranch, Werewolves

Animal Lover, Adventurous, Independent

Goals:

Master the Robotics skill and build advanced robots to assist with farm chores and household tasks.

Complete the "Renaissance Sim" or “Championship Rider”  aspiration, excelling in multiple fields of study and expertise, including horse riding and animal training.

Achieve Level 10 in the Handiness skill by repairing farm equipment and maintaining the family's homestead.

Collect all elements and crystals to craft potent potions and futuristic inventions for the family ranch.

Travel to all vacation worlds and explore cultural landmarks and local traditions, incorporating new techniques into the family's farming practices.

Romance: The Chariot finds love in the countryside, meeting their partner at a local rodeo or equestrian event. Their romance flourishes over horseback rides through scenic trails and cozy nights by the fireplace.

Generation 7: Strength

Pack Focus: Cats & Dogs, Seasons

Animal Lover, Family-oriented, Athletic

Goals:

Master the Veterinary skill to Level 10 by opening a veterinary clinic and caring for pets and wildlife in the community.

Complete the "Animal Enthusiast" or “Friend of the Animals” aspiration, fostering strong bonds with animals and participating in pet competitions.

Achieve Level 10 in the Wellness skill by practicing yoga and promoting physical and emotional well-being for Sims and animals alike.

Collect all types of feathers and notes in a bottle, to create unique crafts and decorations for the family's pet-friendly home.

Participate in seasonal festivals and competitions

Romance: Strength meets their partner at a local animal shelter or while walking their pets in the park. Their love grows through shared adventures with their furry companions, with romantic picnics and sunset walks along the beach.

Generation 8: The Hermit

Pack Focus: For Rent, StrangerVille

Paranoid, Bookworm, Loner

Goals:

Master the Herbalism skill to Level 10 by foraging for rare plants and brewing potent potions to unravel the mysteries of StrangerVille.

Complete the "Paranormal Investigator" or “Strangerville Mystery”  aspiration, investigating strange occurrences and uncovering hidden truths in the mysterious town.

Achieve Level 10 in the Logic skill by analyzing evidence and conducting experiments to solve the town's supernatural mysteries.

Collect all types of artifacts and relics by exploring secret labs and hidden caves, documenting strange occurrences and encounters.

Investigate secret conspiracies and alien encounters, uncovering the truth behind the town's strange phenomena.

Romance: The Hermit finds love amidst the mysteries of StrangerVille, meeting their partner while investigating paranormal activity or sharing theories at the local diner. Their romance deepens as they work together to uncover the town's secrets, with late-night stakeouts and passionate debates over conspiracy theories.

Generation 9: The Wheel of Fortune

Pack Focus: My Wedding Stories, For Rent

Party Animal, Outgoing, Ambitious

Goals:

Master the DJ Mixing skill and become a renowned DJ by hosting epic parties and events in the community.

Complete the "Party Animal" or “Fabulously Wealthy” aspiration, mastering the art of socializing and bringing people together through music and entertainment.

Achieve Level 10 in the Cooking skill by experimenting with new recipes and hosting seasonal feasts and gatherings.

Collect all types of rare and exotic fruits and vegetables to create signature dishes and cocktails for their events.

Participate in seasonal festivals and competitions, winning prizes and earning recognition for their contributions to community spirit and celebration.

Romance: The Wheel of Fortune finds love on the dance floor, meeting their partner at a lively nightclub or music festival. Their romance ignites through shared passion for music and nightlife, with spontaneous dance-offs and intimate moments under the stars.

Generation 10: The Star

Pack Focus: Get Famous, Dream Home Decorator

Goals:

Charismatic,Ambitious, High- Maintenance 

Rise to stardom as a celebrity in the entertainment industry, pursuing careers in acting, music, or comedy, and gaining fame and recognition.

Develop culinary skills to create stunning dishes and desserts, showcasing talents through cooking shows or hosting celebrity dinner parties.

Utilize interior design expertise to decorate lavish homes and venues for celebrity clients, earning acclaim for their exquisite taste.

Master the photography skill to capture glamorous moments on red carpets, at exclusive events, and during intimate gatherings.

Utilize gaming expertise to engage with fans through live streams and gaming events, building a dedicated online following fascinated by their celebrity lifestyle.

Romance: The Star finds love amidst the glitz and glamour of celebrity life, meeting their partner at industry events, through mutual connections, or even on the set of a blockbuster film. Their romance plays out in the public eye, with paparazzi capturing their every move and fans speculating about their relationship. Despite the challenges of fame, their love remains strong, and they ultimately tie the knot in a star-studded ceremony, attended by fellow celebrities and broadcasted to millions of viewers worldwide.

Complete World-Famous Celebrity or Master Actor/Master Actress aspiration

-Slay, I will be fixing this challenge little by little.

#TS4TarotLegacy

[disneytva]

Dynamite Comics Launches Kickstarter for GARGOYLES Classic Comics As Part Of The Show's 30th Anniversary.

Dynamite Comics and Disney Comics are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Gargoyles with the first-ever Kickstarter campaign featuring brand new graphic novels collecting long out-of-print Gargoyles comic books.

Dynamite Entertainment brought back Gargoyles as a comic series in 2022 to great acclaim. Now the publisher is crowdfunding a reprint of the classic comics based on the beloved animated series. To celebrate the 30th anniversary, Dynamite is excited to offer three beautiful tomes collecting all of these previous tales for fans. The set is initially being offered on Kickstarter to reach and communicate with diverse fans of all ages directly.

“I’m honestly thrilled that these three volumes will finally give Gargoyles fans easy access to these great stories, including the canon SLG tales!” said Weisman. “I think the Dynamite Kickstarter is a great way for Gargoyles fans to get the word out and to reserve their copies. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I hope our fans don’t miss out!”

The first volume is the hotly anticipated compilation of the first-ever Gargoyles comic series from 1995. This 11-issue title was originally released by Marvel Comics and is set loosely between the first two seasons of the original TV show. The memorable first issue featured a jaw-dropping cover by artist Joe Madureira, one of the biggest superstars of the era from his work on Uncanny X-Men. The series was written by Martin Pasko (Superman) and Mort Todd.

The second and third volumes of the Gargoyles Classic Years will be an incredible treat. From 2006 to 2009, a new Gargoyles comic series was launched from SLG Publishing in association with CreatureComics — the first written by Weisman. The main series, often referred to as “Clan Building,” was joined by a companion title, Bad Guys. Issues #9-12 of Gargoyles and #5-6 of Bad Guys did not see release and were only printed in paperback collections with small print runs. They were produced at a smaller digest size and have been incredibly expensive for years on the secondary market. 

The three-volume set is available in multiple variations for different kinds of fans and collectors. Each is available as either hardcover or paperback. Deluxe hardcover editions with signed tip-in pages are being offered. For the Gargoyles diehards, the most premium option will be the Gargoyles 30th Anniversary Premier Editions limited to just 1,000 copies each!

In addition to the books at the center of this celebration, the campaign will offer several add-ons for backers, including lithograph prints of Jae Lee and Amanda Conner’s covers for Dynamite’s Gargoyles #1. The most premium art piece anyone can get will be a deluxe signed and remarqued giclée print of Lee’s Gargoyles art.

In addition to the reprint of the full series, fans can get special facsimile editions of the very first issue with gold or purple foil stamping. Sketch cover options are also available, as well as commissioned original art from Lee. Plus, collector packs of variant cover sets or premium limited editions and metal covers for Dynamite’s series can be added.

[avocado-writing]

What places in the city do you think Astarion would want to show you or take you to? Thinking about the city and its undiscovered streets/shops/places as I was gazing out over Baldur's Gate from Ramazith's tower. Would he sit on the edge of the balcony and tell you things about the city or his experiences?

oooo, what a question...

if there's a chance his favourite tea shop from when he was alive is still there (possible, if its owners were elvish) he takes you for a cup of assam and a slice of cake. he watches you enjoy your food and talks to you about when he used to come here, how things have changed, what he recalls of the original decor.

later, he probably knows the hole-in-the-wall places and little-known bars which serve the best drinks. the fine vintages which they aren't really meant to have their hands on, but somehow they find their way to the owners anyway. he buys you a couple of glasses and watches you light up in pleasure at the taste. he was a wine snob in life, he knows what the best bottle is.

when he was stalking around as a spawn, he saw so many tailors he wanted to go and visit. now he finally has a chance! the two of you buy whole new wardrobes, spending a long afternoon getting measured and discussing fabric together. you are the best-dressed couple in Baldur's Gate.

takes you to his favourite bookshop. yes, he has one. it sells old tomes at far too high a price, but they're all first editions and collector's items. he tells you not to let Gale know about this place, because he thinks it's funny to keep it a secret. you pretend to tell him off but agree to keep this only between the two of you.

he knows the best spot to watch the sun set over the water, see the way the orange light dances across the waves. he's too busy to enjoy it himself, though, because he can't stop staring at you.

doesn't tell Rolan he's taking you up to the top of Ramazith's Tower (that little tiefling can't stop him anyway, and it's better to ask forgiveness than permission). the two of you sit, sharing a bottle you bought earlier, looking out across the whole of the city. he tells you of his life two hundred years ago here, what's changed, what's not. how he's so much more glad to be experiencing all this with you this time. you're a new light in his life.

he kisses you, lays you down on the balcony, and makes love to you over the top of the city in the sweet summer air. a celebration of your new life together here. with you, his future is bright for the first time.

bonus: rolan finds you embraced together the next morning and is apoplectic. the two of you have to run away, half-dressing yourselves and giggling as you go.

[dailyadventureprompts]

Monsterhunt: Lixivioth, that which Bleeds from Beyond

Artsource

It starts as a ripple in the air, a churning beneath the skin of reality, then a silvery limb breaks the boundary before melting back into unexistance. Like a drowning soul thrashing in the sea, a body breaches the 'surface' full of a wild and desperate impulse to survive, a willingness to drag anything down if it meant keeping their head above water a little longer.

This is Lixivioth, a celestial who's time in the outer void has so deeply warped it that nothing remains but a cataclysmic desire to return no matter the cost. Once an explorer and collector of knowledge, Lixivioth's curiosity tragically drew it not just to the unknown but past the boundary of what could be known, beyond which laid nothing but dissolution.

Adventure Hooks:

Seeking forbidden knowledge, a devotee of Vecna has summoned and bound Lixivioth to a magic mirror, tormenting the spirit with glimpses of a reality it cannot touch. While infiltrating the villain's lair, the party come across the mirror and have the opportunity to ask it questions that might give them an edge against their foe. There is a magical procedure they must follow though, as every question that does not ascribe to the proper magical formalities puts a hairline crack in the glass, weakening the celestial bindings and giving it a chance to break free.

Days before needing to perform an important spell for the safety/prosperity of the realm, a great wizard was found dead in his study bleeding mercury form every hole in his skull, a tome of celestial learning in his hands. His body cannot be moved and the flow has yet to cease, slowly flooding his tower as his apprentices (and local authorities) scramble for answers. Lixivioth is using the wizard's body and magic to manifest in the material plane, and by the time the party are called to help it will be a matter of hours before the eldritch angel crawls it's way up his throat. To win the day they'll need to piece together the components of a binding spell from the mage's libraries while fending off quicksilver elementals and the tower's malfunctioning defences.

Beyond the borders of the party's homeland, an order of elven oracles were once rumored to seek wisdom of the distant future and past in the ripples of a silver spring, at least until a marauding band of centaurs overran their glade acting on their mystic's visions. Generations of ensuing seers, all mad as haters through imbibing magical mercury, have led the herd to become stronger and more violent all while unwittingly doing Lixivioth's bidding. A renegade has broken free, seeking aid from the people her herd has spent lifetimes raiding in the hopes of stopping an upcoming ritual.

[coochiequeens]

‘100% feminist’: how Eleanor Rathbone invented child benefit – and changed women’s lives for ever

She was an MP and author with a formidable reputation, fighting for the rights of women and refugees, and opposing the appeasement of Hitler. Why isn’t she better known today?

Ladies please reblog to give her the recognition she deserves

By Susanna Rustin Thu 4 Jul 2024

My used copy of the first edition of The Disinherited Family arrives in the post from a secondhand bookseller in Lancashire. A dark blue hardback inscribed with the name of its first owner, Miss M Marshall, and the year of publication, 1924, it cost just £12.99. I am not a collector of old tomes but am thrilled to have this one. It has a case to be considered among the most important feminist economics books ever written.

Its centenary has so far received little, if any, attention. Yet the arguments it sets out are the reason nearly all mothers in the UK receive child benefit from the government. Its author, Eleanor Rathbone, was one of the most influential women in politics in the first half of the 20th century. She led the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship (Nusec, the main suffragist organisation, also formerly known as the National Union of Women Suffrage Societies) from 1919, when Millicent Fawcett stood down, until the roughly five million women who were not enfranchised in 1918 gained the vote 10 years later. In 1929, aged 57, she became an MP, and remained in parliament until her death in 1946. While there, she built up a formidable reputation based on her advocacy for women’s rights, welfare reform and the rights of refugees, and her opposition to the appeasement of Hitler.

It would not be true to say that Eleanor Rathbone has been forgotten. Her portrait by James Gunn hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. Twenty years ago she was the subject of a fine biography and she is remembered at Somerville college, Oxford – where she studied in the 1890s and ran a society called the Associated Prigs. (While the name was a joke, Rathbone did have a priggish side – as well as being an original thinker, tremendous campaigner, and stubborn, sensitive personality.) She also features in Rachel Reeves’s book The Women Who Made Modern Economics, although Reeves – who hopes shortly to become the UK’s first female chancellor – pays more attention to her contemporary, Beatrice Webb.

A thrilling tome … The Disinherited Family by Eleanor Rathbone. Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian

But Rathbone, who came from a wealthy dynasty of nonconformist merchants, does not have anything like the name-recognition of the Pankhursts or Millicent Fawcett, or of pioneering politicians including Nancy Astor and Ellen Wilkinson. Nor does she enjoy the cachet of writers such as Virginia Woolf, whose polemic about women’s opportunities, A Room of One’s Own, was published five years after Rathbone’s magnum opus.

There are many reasons for Rathbone’s relative obscurity. One is that she was the first woman elected to parliament as an independent (and one of a handful of men at the time). Thus there is no political party with an interest in turning her into an icon. Having spent the past three years writing a book about the British women’s movement, I am embarrassed to admit that when I started, I didn’t know who she was.

Rathbone was not the first person to propose state benefits paid to mothers. The endowment of motherhood or family allowances, as the policy was known, was written about by the Swedish feminist Ellen Key, and tried out as a project of the Fabian Women’s Group, who published their findings in a pamphlet in 1912. But Rathbone pushed the idea to the forefront. A first attempt to get Nusec to adopt it was knocked back in 1921, and she then spent three years conducting research. The title she gave the book she produced, The Disinherited Family, reflected her view that women and children were being deprived of their rightful share of the country’s wealth.

The problem, as she saw it, was one of distribution. While the wage system in industrialised countries treated all workers on a given pay grade the same, some households needed more money than others. While unions argued for higher wages across the board, Rathbone believed the state should supplement the incomes of larger families. She opened the book with an archly phrased rhetorical question: “Whether there is any subject in the world of equal importance that has received so little consideration as the economic status of the family?” She went on to accuse economists of behaving as if they were “self-propagating bachelors” – so little did the lives of mothers appear to interest them.

Rathbone’s twin aims were to end wives’ dependence on husbands and reward their domestic labour. Family allowances paid directly to them could either be spent on housekeeping or childcare, enabling them to go out to work. Ellen Wilkinson, the radical Labour MP for Middlesbrough (and future minister for education), was among early supporters. William Beveridge read the book when he was director of the London School of Economics, declared himself a convert and introduced one of the first schemes of family-linked payments for his staff.

But others were strongly opposed. Conservative objections to such a radical expansion of the state were predictable. But they were echoed by liberal feminists including Millicent Fawcett, who called the plan “a step in the direction of practical socialism”. Trade unions preferred to push for a living wage, while some male MPs thought the policy undermined the role of men as breadwinners. Labour and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) finally swung behind family allowances in 1942. As the war drew to a close, Rathbone led a backbench rebellion against ministers who wanted to pay the benefit to fathers instead.

Rathbone celebrates the Silver Jubilee of the Women’s Vote in London, 20 February 1943. Photograph: Picture Post/Getty Images

It is for this signature policy that she is most often remembered today. At a time when hundreds of thousands of children have been pushed into poverty by the two-child limit on benefit payments, Rathbone’s advocacy on behalf of larger families could hardly be more relevant. The limit, devised by George Osborne, applies to universal and child tax credits – and not child benefit itself. But Rishi Sunak’s government announced changes to the latter in this year’s budget. From 2026, eligibility will be assessed on a household rather than individual basis. This is intended to limit payments to better-off, dual-income families. But the UK Women’s Budget Group and others have objected on grounds that child benefit should retain its original purpose of directly remunerating primary carers (the vast majority of them mothers) for the work of rearing children. It remains to be seen whether this plan will be carried through by the next government.

Rathbone once told the House of Commons she was “100% feminist”, and few MPs have been as single-minded in their commitment to women’s causes. As president of Nusec (the law-abiding wing of the suffrage campaign), she played a vital role in finishing the job of winning votes for women.

The last few years have seen a resurgence of interest in women’s suffrage, partly due to the centenary of the first women’s suffrage act. Thanks to a brilliant campaign by Caroline Criado Perez, a statue of Millicent Fawcett, the nonmilitant suffragist leader, now stands in Westminster, a few minutes walk from the bronze memorial of Emmeline Pankhurst erected in 1930. Suffragette direct action has long been a source of fascination. What is less well known is that militants played little part in the movement after 1918. It was law-abiding constitutionalists – suffragists rather than suffragettes – who pushed through the 1920s to win votes for the younger and poorer women who did not yet have them. Rathbone helped lead this final phase of the campaign, along with Conservative MP Nancy Astor and others.

Rathbone was highly critical of the militants, and once claimed that they “came within an inch of wrecking the suffrage movement, perhaps for a generation”. Today, with climate groups including Just Stop Oil copying the suffragette tactic of vandalising paintings, it is worth remembering that many women’s suffrage campaigners opposed such methods.

Schismatic though it was, the suffrage movement at least had a shared goal. An even greater challenge for feminists in the 1920s was agreeing on future priorities. Equal pay, parental rights and an end to the sexual double standard were among demands that had broad support. After the arrival in the House of Commons of the first female MPs, legislative successes included the removal of the bar on women’s entry to the professions, new rights for mothers and widows’ pensions. But there were also fierce disagreements.

Tensions between class and sexual politics were longstanding, with some on the left regarding feminism as a distraction. The Labour MP Marion Phillips, for example, thought membership of single-sex groups placed women “in danger of getting their political opinions muddled”. There was also renewed conflict over protective legislation – the name given to employment laws that differentiated between men and women. While such measures included maternity leave and safety rules for pregnant women, many feminists believed their true purpose was to keep jobs for men – and prevent female workers from competing.

Underlying such arguments was the question of whether women, once enfranchised, should strive for equal treatment, or push for measures designed to address their specific needs. As the debate grew more heated, partisans on either side gave themselves the labels of “old” and “new” feminists. While the former, also called equalitarians, wanted to focus on the obstacles that prevented women from participating in public life on the same terms as men, the new feminists led by Rathbone sought to pioneer an innovative, woman-centred politics. Since this brought to the fore issues such as reproductive health and mothers’ poverty, it is known as “maternalist feminism”.

Rathbone and other Liverpool suffragettes campaigning in 1910. Photograph: Shawshots/Alamy

The faultline extended beyond Britain. But Rathbone and her foes had some of the angriest clashes. At one international convention, Lady Rhondda, a wealthy former suffragette, used a speech to deride rivals who chose to “putter away” at welfare work, instead of the issues she considered important.

The specific policy points at issue have, of course, changed over the past century. But arguments about how much emphasis feminists should place on biological differences between men and women carry on.

Eleanor Rathbone did not live long enough to see the welfare state, including child benefit paid to mothers, take root in postwar Britain. Her election to parliament coincided with the Depression, and the lengthening shadows of fascism and nazism meant that she, like her colleagues, became preoccupied with foreign affairs. In the general election of 1935, the number of female MPs fell from 15 to nine, meaning Rathbone’s was one of just a handful of women’s voices. She used hers to oppose the policy of appeasement, and support the rights of refugees, including those escaping Franco’s Spain. During the war she helped run an extra-parliamentary “woman-power committee”, which advocated for female workers.

She also became a supporter of Indian women’s rights, though her liberal imperialism led to tensions with Indian feminists. During the war she angered India’s most eminent writer, Rabindranath Tagore, and its future prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, when she attacked the Congress party’s policy of noncooperation with Britain’s war effort. Tagore criticised what he called the “sheer insolent self-complacency” of her demand that the anti-colonial struggle should be set aside while Britain fought Germany.

Rathbone turned down a damehood. After their first shared house in Westminster was bombed, she and her life partner, the Scottish social worker Elizabeth Macadam, moved around the corner to a flat on Tufton Street (Macadam destroyed their letters, meaning that Rathbone’s intimate life remains obscure, but historians believe the relationship was platonic). From there they moved to a larger, quieter house in Highgate. On 2 January 1946, Rathbone suddenly died.

Rathbone’s blue plaque at Tufton Court. Photograph: PjrPlaques/Alamy

A blue plaque on Tufton Street commemorates her as the “pioneer of family allowances” – providing an alternative claim on posterity for an address more commonly associated with the Brexit campaign, since a house a few doors down became its headquarters. She is remembered, too, in Liverpool, where her experience of dispersing welfare to desperately poor soldiers’ wives in the first world war changed the course of her life, and where one of her former homes is being restored by the university.

I don’t believe in ghosts. But walking in Westminster recently, I imagined her hastening across St James’s Park to one of her meetings at Nancy Astor’s house near the London Library. Today, suffragettes are celebrated for their innovative direct action. But Rathbone blazed a trail, too, with her dedication as a campaigner, writer, lobbyist and “100% feminist” parliamentarian.

 Sexed: A History of British Feminism by Susanna Rustin is published by Polity Press (£20). To support the Guardian order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply

[ualthum]

A kind thank you~

To all those who have downloaded my new edition of The Dirokvul over the last month, my sincerest gratitude. The release of the free book on the Sul'voth runes has exceeded my expectations and I greatly appreciate the kind messages I have been receiving across my platforms. It's been a goal to have this new edition on the runes be finished as a final version, and will now allow me to turn to creating more work and focusing on the Lexicon itself. I took some extra time with this edition of The Dirokvul to ensure cohesiveness, a better artistic version, and to trim the mess of aesthetics that the initial edition held.

I have been hard at work formatting a special physical release of the book through Amazon's publishing sector. This edition hold about 99.9% identical information, with the addition of 4 handmade illustrations to fit the theme of the content. This version will only be available as a Hardcover, and serves as a collector's item for those who wish to possess a physical tome. Release for the Physical Edition is currently scheduled for March 10th!

For those who have not yet downloaded a free version of the book, you may find it here:

Thank you again. Dark blessings.

[evolutionsvoid]

I can already hear Eucella readying to blow like an angry puffball, because once again I am writing about areas I have no expertise. She'll see this entry and lay into me with a storm of scathing edits and sharp quills, but yet I soldier forth! I can't help it when something catches my interest, and when it does I can't stop myself from reaching for my pen. Indeed it is a magical creature of impossible origin that has no ties to the natural world, but at the end of the day it is still a creature! And with that, I must write!

For the average person, this is a creature they would have no reason to encounter or even hear about. It is already a rare beast, and it would be even rarer for regular people who typically don't have what this species wants. If you were to ask someone if they ever saw a Book Shredder, they would assume you were talking about some cutting contraption or perhaps a person with a hatred for libraries. But nope, this is an actual creature we are talking about! A large beast that appears to be an insect, but whose relatives we cannot properly identify due to magical shenanigans. The best guess is silverfish, but once again, when magic is in play, all obvious answers are put into question.

The Book Shredder seemingly has a pretty regular setup when it comes to insect anatomy. Hefty exoskeleton, six legs, antenna and what not. What really draws the eye are the massive winged blades that jut out from its head, as if their front end was transformed into an axe. They not only look wicked sharp, they actually are! If one of these things charged you, you could get some nasty lacerations from it! Maybe even lose a leg! What an intimidating weapon, no doubt it uses it to bring down prey and fight dangerous foes! Well, not really. Check the name again, it is called "Book Shredder." Why is that? Because its diet is made entirely of books. But not just any romance novel or pulp will do, they want magic books.

Book Shredders feed exclusively on magical tomes and enchanted scrolls, draining the energy away while gleefully tearing into the paper like an excited puppy. What kind of magic contained within doesn't seem to matter, though some have appeared to get a taste for specific subjects. Regardless, they scurry about the land in search of these enchanted objects to eat, though obviously magical books aren't in ample supply. So it seems that they tide themselves over by draining any magic-infused items they come across, using their long feathery antenna to do the job. If you were to watch a Book Shredder, you would notice that these appendages are incredibly dexterous, almost like tentacles with hands at the end! Their purpose is to sniff out magical energy, pointing the rest of the body in the right direction. When they hunt it down, they are quick to snare it in their grasp. This grip immediately starts to drain away the energy, while these tendrils stuff the physical book into their toothy jaws. Many teeth rip and tear, turning precious artifacts into confetti within seconds. After gorging upon a heavy magic meal, they will retreat to burrows and nests to rest and digest. But once that is over, they are back to scurrying about like madmen.

As you could guess, Book Shredders are the bane of any tome collector or magic user. Anyone who owns an enchanted piece of paper must be on constant vigil, as the Book Shredders may catch a whiff of this prize and come running. Wizards and mages hate them, and are always ready to blow them away once they spot the slightest evidence of them. However, this is easier said than done, as Book Shredders are well equipped for dealing with angry mages. These insects are insanely fast, moving like a blur when they have the scent of food. They combine this with incredible agility, allowing them to run on any surface and jump between walls without losing momentum. Fireballs and magic missiles will seem sluggish in comparison to their target, as they weave past spells as they hurtle towards their prize. Even if you do hit one, their exoskeletons seems to have a resistance to magic, dampening the effects. It isn't full immunity, but it is sturdy enough against spells that the few you do land on them will seem pitiful.

The real issue comes when the Book Shredder closes in, as that speeding bug has a pair of knives attached to its face. If it rushes you, you may be more shredded than your precious book! But for mages, the real danger comes from their antennae. The mere touch of them drains away magic, and that can apply to any infused thing. And that includes the magic user themself! Mana and memories of spells may be sapped away when you are struck by their antennae, causing you to fumble and fail when it comes to casting. Thankfully, their draining touch is temporary, and enough time will see these things return. However, when you are relying on magic to ward off a hungry Book Shredder, these moments of dumbness and magical lethargy may spell doom. And this is what the Book Shredder relies on. Disable the wielder and snatch the magic trinkets while they struggle to form a simple fireball. Once the prize has been seized, they are gone in a flash. Leaving you empty handed and absent minded.

Now the question is: where do these things come from? Are they some sort of anti-magic creation, built to ruin the day of any sorcerer or mage? We all thought that at first, as it seemed pretty straightforward. But remember what I said when it comes to magic nonsense! It is never so easy! As it turns out, no one made Book Shredders, they appeared on their own. How can this be? Doesn't make much sense, what with them suddenly appearing and becoming a menace out of nowhere. If they existed like any other natural animal, we would have seen them before! True, but not if they come from somewhere else! Because as it turns out, Book Shredders are an invasive species, one that has accidentally been introduced to our lands and is now running rampant! "But an invasive species from where?!" you may be yelling. Well, you see.....ho boy this is going to get complicated. Eucella, please don't get mad.

I want to say this up front: I am not a magic dryad or a magic anything. To me, it is all gibberish and invisible forces. I got no clue how this stuff works, to me it just looks pretty and blows things up from time to time. So when it comes to this subject, I am woefully ignorant. But since I can't get anyone else to write this stuff, you are just going to have to suffer my attempts at explaining it. SO! The answer to where Book Shredders come from is: Forgotten Libraries. Wow, that was easy....until you ask me what those are. Here comes the hard part. Forgotten Libraries are not places that exist on our plane of existence, they are more like weird dimensional tumors upon our reality. How this happens ties to libraries of magical sorts. As you can imagine, there are many magical artifacts and tomes out there, and thus many people and places who collect them. Over the centuries, people have amassed vast libraries and archives just packed with enchanted scrolls and whatnot. Archives and vaults that have enough magical energy and knowledge in them to level a kingdom. And so people hide them, seal them, concentrate them into a special archive or library so that they are safe and secure. But what happens when that owner dies? Or when they get neglected? What happens when hundreds, if not thousands, of magic infused books sit in one place and slowly degrade over the course of decades? What happens is that the magic leaks out, and it begins to do crazy stuff. The best way I can describe it is that when enough magic books degrade and the seeping aura of mana permeates a long forgotten place, it just eats a hole through our reality.

If you find my description painfully vague or confusing, join the club. But I am trying my best here! So when this happens, the abandoned library essentially makes a hole that all the magic and books sink into. But it is not like a house being eaten by a sinkhole, it is more that the bookshelves and corridors start to stretch and deform as they are pulled into this magic abyss. Enter this strange portal and you will find yourself in a library without end or coherence. Bookshelves that go on forever both outward and upward. Hallways and corridors that make no sense, all lined with millions of books that appear random in appearance and subject. Imagine the biggest most confusing library you ever visited, then turn it into an endless labyrinth that has no end or meaning. Forgotten Libraries are this, dimensions of bookshelves, paper and ink, maintained by leaking mana that has corrupted the very concept of space and time. So it is just an impossible library filled with books that have no meaning? A little, yes, but it turns out that life actually found a way in there!

The hows or whys, I can't say, but it appears that Forgotten Libraries are ecosystems themselves. They host a strange variety of life that has been born from the books, ink and magic, and it would seem that the Book Shredders are one of them! Their speed and scurrying abilities are perfect for scaling the endless walls, while their antennae find ripe books that have magic inside. They can easily survive off this diet because the Forgotten Libraries are rife with these strange tomes, it is just a matter of sniffing out the ones that contain the goods amongst the rest of the nonsensical pulp. They are creatures designed for these impossible places, but have somehow found their way into our world! There is a question of if these specimens can make it back to their real home, but I feel the question is: do they want to? Because there is little competition here and they are doing quite well despite the hate they receive. So why go back to a place where there are obviously many others who would fight them for food? I honestly think these little buggers are here to stay, we just have to focus on making sure more things don't come out into our reality. If they can get out or survive our world. I imagine their magic origins may make them dependent on habitats steeped in mana residue.

As you can see, I know nothing about this magical stuff or how it works, but I can't help but be endlessly curious about what lies in these Forgotten Libraries! Imagine! An entire ecosystem born from magic and books, thriving as if it were just any forest or tundra! What life is in there? How does it all work? I would love to know, but the issue is that I cannot risk entering such a place. Forgotten Libraries are rare and dangerous, these portals secret or heavily guarded. If I did enter, there is a high chance I could never come back. The labyrinth would be impossible for me to navigate, and if I got lost then there would be no hope of return. As much as it excites me, it does scare me. I wouldn't want to be trapped for eternity in an endless library with animals and forces I couldn't understand. My survival knowledge would be useless, and I would be doomed to live with fear and regret for the rest of my days. It...is just something I cannot risk. Which is a real shame, as I wish I could see something so strange with my very eyes. But that only matters if I can make it back to tell the tale!

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

"We see your interest and your worries, which is why we write to you now. We may have a solution to your problem, Writer of Worlds, if your Divine Editor sees it fit for addition. Perhaps our land may not be so impossible for you if we were to be at your side." - Whispers of the Enchanted Heart, Speaker of the 851st

"This was not here when you gave me these notes, Chlora. Who wrote this? Is this supposed to be a joke? I swear if you are breaking into my office to prank me..." Eucella Raviida, (Divine) Editor

--------------------------------------------

Now you see, this one eats magic books while the other one eats metal stuff! They are distinct! Legally distinct you see!

[kingoftieland]

It wasn’t easy finding this out-of-print book from 2018, but I finally managed to track one down! Red Dead Redemption 2: The Complete Official Guide (Collector's Edition) is a gamer’s indispensable companion to the vast, dangerous, and breathtaking world crafted by Rockstar. With a whopping 384 pages printed on superior-quality art paper, this hardcover puts every event in the game at your fingertips – from the most memorable missions to the rarest chance encounters – so you need never miss a single moment of the story. Throw in a bonus art gallery of all the major characters along with unique biographies and you have an epic tome worthy of any bookshelf! 📕

UPDATE: One of my former students was lucky enough to have Roger Clark – the voice of Arthur Morgan – as their adjunct professor last semester and was able to get this book signed for me! AMAZING!!!