#conniving razor sharp creatures

[demon-blood-youths]

Cursed Predator || Closed RP

Smoke fills the house after the monster that emerged from Taz comes out. Glowing orange eyes before the black mass engulfs her body before the room was swallowed up in darkness. After Yukio’s chanting, Taz’s demonical laughter, and house shaking. The monster rips through the building with ease.

“Rust?! Maggie? Hellmare?! Taz!”

“Cough! I’m fine!” Rust pushes off a wall, using the wall by saving Yuki and Yuji from the rubble. 

“Where’s the others?! Atsushi? Dazai? Ranpo?”

“We’re fine!” Maggie said as she is with them. She covers them as well. Okay, okay. Ink breathes, trying to calm down. “Hellmare?”

“I’m fine! Where is Taz?” Hellmare asked. 

“Up there!” Rust pointed to see a monster standing on top of a connivence store. It had black fur, it looks to be gasly thing but it is a monster alright.

“T-taz?” Hellmare speaks. The monster in name had glowing yellow eyes as it razor sharp teeth, it had red markings around its small glowing orange eyes. Markings are glowing on and off, it had pearly sharp fangs and claws. It’s like came out of a painting to real-life.

This can’t be Taz. Right? Right?!

“Grrrr....” The creature growled before it howls to the night sky before it jumps to one rooftop to the next.

“We gotta chase after this thing!” Ink said. “Ophelia! Heal everyone in the house and Jaron makes sure everyone is okay! Someone needs to tell Rin and the others about what happened.

Shdwkyz curses and so did Hellmare who follows after Ink who is chasing after demon Taz.

-----

Little did everyone knew, this mere beast wasn’t on the rampage. It’s looking for something.

-----

“Damn you!” The curse user Takumi Nori “You’re not getting in the way of my ultimate masterpiece! You guys ruined my work!” When Takumi Nori was founded out. Takumi explained his history to the trio. Heis a fellow co-worker of Jido Kidou that work at the funeral parlor. Both are in occult and done the things to the bodies back at the house. He summoned his cursed spirits and commands them to attack. 

“You lousy fucks ruined EVERYTHING! We’re about to summon a demon and it give us power” Takumi yelled.

Nobara growls. “Damn you! You’re going to pay for ruining my beauty sleep!”

“The hell ya talking about?! The hell with your beauty sleep!” Takumi commands of cursed spirit monsters to attack her, Rin and Megumi as he laughs. 

@the-silver-peahen-residence​

[janumun]

I imagine being captured by Overblot Malleus would feel like a mixture of sleeping beauty's and Rapunzel's lifes. Like we all know Mal absolutely doesn't want Yuu leaving. This dude is the heir to a dark fae throne, so he likely has some empty buildings or towers around for his uses. Overblot Mal probably locks us in there. And he probably goes extra miles as well. Depending on how resistant we'll be and what exactly the situation is when he overblots, he probably has a little cage in the shape of a coffin he puts us in from some weird, cursed magic mumbo-jumbo (CUZ COFFINS ARE HIS CHARACTER Ill DIE ON THAT HILL. This would work out as a pretty interesting episode/lesson.

Malleus going overblot under extreme corruption of stress and fear of denial from his most important person, Yuu being very concerned for their love interest, going to check on him only to see his room a total mess, when their guard is down Malleus walks out of the shadows to use his magic to put his dear under a sleep spell, putting them in a magic coffin of thorns that protects their being from the intruders he knows will come very soon, Deuce and Ace hearing their friend was kidnapped by the dragon from his the dorm's members, so they have to get some help and save Yuu before Malleus takes over Twisted Wonderland and does something...quite undesirable to his prisoner! :O It'd be curious to see how the group works together to bring down Mal.

Gods I am having so much rot over this (And the potential hentai anime this would make don't look at me I am allowed to dream! Overblot Mal in love is a fucking yandere we all know. Super handsome evil dragon fae man kidnapping his true love and claiming them to show them how pent up his desires became when he met them AAAA >;O).

Your mind and dream are A+++ and valid, Nonny. Your concept of a coffin (?!) for his choice of prison is also stellar. Rescuing Yuu, however. Would they even be able to? 🥰 I don’t think it would be possible, unless the minds of individuals like, say Leona and Azul, could be put together, to use. If they ever agreed to cooperate, that is. That is a delicious brain-rot LOL thank you for sharing.

If it’s any comfort, I think even the usual Malleus has the propensity for darker impulsions. I count him among the few characters in twst, with a nice, untapped yandere potential, were you to ever trip him that way [on purpose, kind of like Mystic Messenger’s bad ends] LOL. Withstanding the delectable fact that any of the boys can be flipped over, under the proper, guiding… circumstances 😌 they’re villains, ahem

How I see fae, in particular; they do not share the same inclinations and morals as humans do, nor are they bound by some of our – what fae consider foolish – ideals.

Also going via canon, you see Lilia far used to, and knowledgeable of the ways of humankind, while Malleus still finds their certain habits odd and fascinating. And when he does, I believe he genuinely cannot fathom why humans do the particular things they do, and often turns to Lilia for his insight on their strange customs.

This is more of a personal thought but I also believe the fae cannot lie, as have been depicted via various fictional iterations, throughout the ages. I immensely enjoyed myself, exploring that particular inhumane aspect of fae, a bit, in a recent spicy Lilia story I posted, but in short, since they are incapable of lies, their quick-witted, devious natures lead them to carving other, effective alternatives. And any who consider their incapability to lie, a spot to exploit, would soon find themselves proved very, very wrong, if not… dead. 😇

They honor and respect one who is true in tongue and spirit. And when one is genuine of heart, and in their love, why ever would they shy away from expressing that love? Among the fae, they value honesty, above all, after all. No pride of his is scarred or belittled in Malleus’ frank display of devotion and adoration towards you, and who is to say there would ever be... inhibitions set into place, or even considered, in his love?

Oh, humans, with their silly little peculiarities 😇

Lilia certainly won’t be one to stand in the way of his precious ward’s first, and only, beloved.

[heroes-of-legend]

Races

Reminder, this is a very rough overview of each race; not an in-depth or serious look into them.

Consider this as a sort of a appetizer to pique your interest; this is normally how I describe them to new players, to help them along picking one to play as.

(In this, they are listed from “most humanlike” to “least humanlike”)

Terran

Terran are the most “human” of all the races, and would likely pass a squint test for most people. They have tan, earthy-toned skin, often with freckles, dark hair, and often brown or sometimes green eyes. 

Most Terran make their living as nomadic tribesfolk and shepherds, in traditional tribal and family groups that can sometimes trace their lineages back over a thousand years. Some Terran have recently started establishing walled cities at the edge of their territory, imitating their former neighbors, the Nafrin. 

Nafrin

The Nafrin are a race of slightly short, blue-skinned humanoids, with metallic-colored hair and often gold-colored eyes. In those eyes sits a glint, a shimmer of a military mind, as every Nafrin who desires any political power, or even the right to vote, serves in their massive legion for 2 years, at the least. 

They hold claim to one of the greatest empires in recent memory, though that empire has been gradually collapsing inward due to overexpansion of borders, political infighting, a lack of strong leadership, and a series of failed wars against the Terran and Cranid. Most Nafrin are very proud of their families and their empire, and want to see the glory days restored, though many are also very keen to do whatever it takes to push their family to the front of political power, even at the expense of the empire as a whole. 

Davien

The Davien are a race of roan-skinned peoples, with digitigrade feet, dark curly hair, and bald, prehensile tails that end in a small tuft of black hair. Quick with a smile and a witty word, they are famous as the group that brokered a peace between the Nafrin and Cranid, ending a 8-year-long war that was devastating to all sides.

Davien occupy a land if mostly desert, with a few fertile rivers turning long strips of land into fertile oasis's. They have a government of loosely affiliated tribes and kingdoms, all of which view for power among themselves. This can be seen as a weakness, until some other force attacks them, in which time it becomes clear they do this to keep their blades and military minds both sharp and steeled. They control the land trade routes between the northern continent and southern continent; making them both an invaluable ally, and often a very wealthy one.

Ijosai

The Ijosai are a race of semi-amphibious humanoids, with rough, almost sandpapery skin, streamlined features, webbed fingers, and rows and sharp, serrated front teeth.  Despite their wild, almost bestial features, many are very easy-going, if incredibly sarcastic. Famous pirates and seafaring explorers, they control their territory incredibly tightly.

Ijosai control a series of islands and coastal cities, with a navy which has essentially no equal among the races. Their government, a confederation island states which each choose a representative to sit on a central council, allow each isl;and state (sometimes groups of islands) to maintain a level of autonomy, while still being capable of handling greater issues. Most Ijosai have wild, bright blue tattoos on their bodies and faces; often these tattoos and scars are marks of an ancestral rite of passage for young Ijosai, where they seek out a variety of giant cephalapod and wrestle it to death, underwater, often with their bare hands and sometimes a simple flint knife or stick. The fight riddles them with small injuries from the barbed suckers of the creature and it’s razor-sharp beak, and after they succeed, they tear the creature open and pour the ink sac of the creature over their heads, giving them their tattoos.

Mortei

The Mortei, at first glance, look to be walking trees, more foliage than flesh; this is a clever camoflage, with their bark-like skin doubling as toughened, natural armor. Skilled infiltrators, survivalists, and woodsmen, they tend to be reclusive, or at least introverted, though that isn’t always the rule.

Mortei control a relatively small amount fo land, on the southern continent, and are separated from their main neighbors, the Avur, by a impressive mountain range. In that series of valleys and gulches, thick, sometimes tropical forests are rife, filled with both the Mortei, and the beasts which would try to make them food. Living here has instilled a sort of subtle paranoia in the Mortei, who are always careful to pass with as little notice, if at a ll possible. Yet, this desire to be unnoticed should not be mistaken for weakness; as the Avur have found many times, to their own pain and embarrassment. Mortei export mostly timber, rare spices, and some medicinal plants; but there are very few cosmopolitan harbor cities in their land, as foreigners are often driven out, either with force, or through seclusion. 

Elemeis

The Elemeis, in a word, were bred for war. Literally. Crafted by the Nafrin over 100 years, they are the culmination of experiments in grafting life itself through magic. They have an imposing build, covered in short, coarse fur, with feline heads that hold a glint of cold, military intellect behind them. 

The Elemeis are, in no small part, a people searching both for a home, and for a culture. After a bloody and violent rebellion against their forebears, the Nafrin, they’ve essentially been filling the gaps, living nomadic lives of diaspora wherevery they can. Some have banded together to make small towns, even some small cities, but most have been scattered along the front lines of the Nafrin’s old borders. It’s not uncommon to see some still in owenrship of the Nafrin; as they never officially stopped fielding Elemeis troops, or keeping them as property, but it’s far less common now, both because of the social stigma, and the mortality rates of Elemeis under Nafrinan command. 

Avur

The Avur appear in one of two flavors; the somewhat shorter, and often brilliantly colored males, whose fine silks and finer manners are the truest marks of a gentlemen in Avur culture, and the more muted, more severe appearance of the females, who hold the real political and military power in their culture.

Avur hold  a great amount of land, and have theoretically the largest standing army; but they’re hamstrung by the divided noble houses which vie for power and influence. Generations-long quarrels, grudges, alliances, and intrigue are almost baked into the very fabric of the culture. Young males vie to be seen as good suitors, both through gentlemanly acts as well as more conniving ones, but it’s the matriarch of each noble house, the mistress of each lineage, that has the final say on all arranged marriages of the men under her purview.

Cranid

Cranid are, out of all the races, likely the most alien and least human-looking. While bipedal and roughly humanoid in shape, they have compact, short torsos and long, lanky limbs, with thick necks and heads with 6 iridescent, compound eyes that seem to shimmer in the light. 

Despite this appearance, and their reputation as impressive ambushers and warriors, the Cranid are mostly peaceful; their culture prizes industriousness and individualism above all else, and many Cranid are skilled architects, engineers, and cosmopolitan travelers, returning to their ancestral homeland with goods, knowledge, and resources. Their biggest issue, in dealing with foreign groups, is their lack of a centralized government, something which they only temporarily precipitated to deal with the recent war with the Nafrin. That said, times are changing for the Cranid people, as this centralized war council has strengthened both the ethnic identity of the Cranid as a whole, and is reticent to return the powers it has, out of fear of further attacks by the Nafrin. 

[jackgibbsreviews-blog]

The Great Wall

The name Zhang Yimou is not unknown in the Western world. Though he has immersed himself more down-to-earth dramas in recent years, he gave such sweeping martial arts masterpieces as Hero and House of Flying Daggers to the world. These critically acclaimed films, renowned for their acrobatic feats of martial prowess, character drama and tragedy and splendid editing, have embedded themselves in popular consciousness – over a decade on they are still remembered as defining examples of martial arts movies in the early 20th century. When a director has already built up a reputation so impressive, one must tread carefully – and in this case, the final product is found wanting.

The Great Wall marks a return to the genre for Yimou, a film marked by considerable controversy and accusations of whitewashing surrounding its casting. It is not the first time the director has had a Western actor in his films, as Christian Bale starred in 2012’s Flowers of War. Damon is an accomplished action man and Yimou is a veteran action director, yet the result is something that lacks the striking qualities of its predecessors. Ten years on from his last feature in the field of fisticuffs – Curse of the Golden Flower – Yimou has now elected to run martial arts through a fantastical wringer.

In this universe, the titular Great Wall of China does not exist solely as a means of deterring the encroaching Mongol hordes and as a future tourist trap. Instead, it also acts as a barrier defending the capital and the rest of the mainland from roving extra-terrestrials known as the Taotie. Very loosely based off a symbol relating to Chinese mythology, these creatures are mostly oversized dogs armed with rows of razor-sharp teeth and sporting enough eyes to make arachnids jealous. The wall is manned by a military unit known as the Nameless Order whose soldiers and commanders alike strut around in color-coded armour that has them come across as medieval Power Rangers. Two roving mercenaries, an "Irishman" of questionable accent by the name of William (Matt Damon) and a Spaniard named Tovar (Pedro Pascal) are inadvertently roped into defending the wall after a run-in with one of the creatures, and it is from there that our generic tale emerges.

There’s certainly a lot of spectacle on display, almost from the outset, and while it’s doubtlessly beneficial for audiences who came expecting frenetic action sequences it is heavily detrimental to the characters involved – we don’t even learn their names until after the conclusion of the first proper set piece, with Tovar’s name being mentioned only once throughout the entire film, and considering the movie’s fleeting 104-minute runtime such an approach is more of a drawback than a boon. There’s a few inventive tricks here and there as the film does its damndest to display Chinese military efficiency at work in unique ways, such as hidden pulley-operated blades within the walls and the soldiers of the Crane Troop, an all-female unit led by Commander Lin Mae (Jing Tian) who operate via essentially bungee-jumping from platforms built on the edges of the wall to thrust their spears into the horde of alien nasties below. The scenes in the opening battle are somewhat evocative of Yimou’s earlier works, and it is a treat to watch – and yet, with so much time spent on preparations for it and the event itself, the flow of the film suffers for it.

At the same time, the feature comes across as lacking in true grandeur and scale and even feels a touch hollow after the impact made by Flying Daggers and Hero. Not merely with regards to the fighting – with a budget of $135 million and standing as the most expensive film to be shot entirely in China, the CGI on display is effective enough, but you are reminded all too frequently, especially in 3D, that the actors are effectively playing out a pantomime and swinging swords and spears at green screens and digitised images. It’s nowhere near as outstandingly egregious as the later Star Wars prequels, say, but there is a constant disconnect that lingers at the back of your mind made all the starker after comparing the action on display here with the mesmerizing sequences from Yimou’s earlier productions.

Little can be said with regards to the plot. It’s a by-the-numbers, run of the mill alien invasion story with historical window dressing that attempts to pass itself off as one of the "legends" surrounding the Great Wall’s construction and existence. With mercenaries as the central characters it has all the standard beats that one would come to expect from such people being the centre of attention – initial reluctance to join the cause, talk of escape with ill-gotten gains, learning to trust others and doing the right thing, and all the other predictable events that accompany such a story. It’s not necessarily to the film’s detriment. It contains some moralising on the nature of warfare and human greed mostly done in the form of conversations between William and Lin which ultimately serves to have the former come out of his shell and have both parties form mutual respect, but it never tries to be anything too grand even if the message on avarice is rather slapdash. This mutual respect also supersedes any forced romance, and this is a nice touch as Damon and Tian play off each other well enough for their shared scenes to be meaningful.

The interactions between characters are mostly serviceable, even if some of them are given far too little focus for viewers to develop an attachment to them despite the film’s insistence, and others, such as Ballard, a fellow foreigner and a conniving language teacher played by Willem Dafoe seem to be awkwardly shoved-in leftovers of what may have been ideas half-picked up from the cutting room floor. Given that the script was bounced about between no less than six writers, including Tony Gilroy and Max Brooks, such a thing may well be a likely possibility – and despite so many writers being involved, even if the dialogue if serviceable, their talents cannot elevate the dialogue above cliché most of the time. The verve and flair put into the action and the leads’ decent interaction, with Pascal and Tian providing some decent quips on top of it, are what keeps this film afloat.

As an action film, it’s passable. As a showcase of rather fantastical Chinese martial prowess and certain customs associated with them, it’s certainly a spectacle in that sense. But in comparison to his previous efforts, Yimou’s action blockbuster falls squarely in the middle of the road. It’s a silly premise that makes for decent fun, and contains a couple of timely if simple messages to take away, but ultimately there are simply better action films available, and better products from Yimou himself.