#da vinci's hideout

[teecupangel]

Concept: Imagine if Altaïr had a habit of adopting birds of prey and stuff.

Ezio did the same thing except with cats (including a lion cub, if you know the reference to Da Vinci you'll get it)

Connor adopted canines constantly.

Desmond inherits all of these and takes in every single stray animal he finds. It doesn't matter if it's even safe to keep as a pet. He just adopts every single animal in sight.

In other words, through genetic manipulations, the Isus have created the ultimate savior of humanity:

A Disney Princess.

And it all started with Altaïr accidentally turning one of the towers in Masyaf as an aviary that only housed Birds of Prey.

No one knows how he did it.

They were pretty sure he started doing it after his father died and no one had the heart to tell a grieving child to stop adopting birds as a coping mechanism.

By the time Altaïr had been initiated, the aviary and its occupants have become just another staple in Masyaf.

Is it weird that they only listen to Altaïr?

Is it weird to hear Altaïr have a full blown conversation with them?

Very much so.

But it was Altaïr.

He was as weird as he was talented.

So people just left him be.

Time passed and Altaïr became a legend in the Brotherhood.

There were whispers that he could command any kind of birds of prey to do his bidding.

Perhaps he could.

Perhaps he could not.

No one found out the truth.

Ezio, on the other hand, was known as a hoarder of cats.

He gives food to even the dirtiest stray cats that could be found scurrying in the streets.

And they would follow him back to the Brotherhood’s hideout where some poor servant or recruit would have to bathe the cat, suffering the scratches and bites.

Only to be rewarded by the cat purring contently when it is presented to Ezio who holds it in his arms and calls it bella or bello.

And then… Ezio managed to get a hand on an illegally smuggled lion cub who grew up to be quite… large.

A very spoiled large cat who always loved it when Leonardo would come to visit because he would give the lion treats so it would let Leonardo study it.

Now, Ratonhnhaké:ton didn’t plan to adopt any animals. It just so happened that he joined a wolf pack in taking down preys once and now he was considered a… ‘kindred spirit’. They would join Ratonhnhaké:ton whenever he was off hunting and wouldn’t take his kills.

When he left the village, he saved a dog being mistreated by Red Coats and the dog just followed him to the homestead.

While he was sleeping the barn, he saw another dog, all skin and bones, rummaging the containers where the old man keeps the horses’ food for any scraps it might eat and he felt sorry for it so he would throw it a bit of the meat he would prepare for him and the first dog that kept following him.

By the time, Achilles finally agreed to train him, the wolf pack that he had hunted with near his village came to the homestead and… just followed him around.

Achilles thinks it’s a gift.

That there have been Assassins that had a close kinship with animals like Altaïr with his birds and Ezio with his cats.

The wolf pack stayed in the homestead when Ratonhnhaké:ton went with Achilles to Boston. The dog that Ratonhnhaké:ton fed also stayed because they learned that he was already quite an old dog.

Achilles didn’t say anything but the grief in his eyes made it clear that the old dog’s owner had been one of the many dead Assassins that Achilles knew.

When Ratonhnhaké:ton returned from Boston…

Not only was he accompanied by the first dog he adopted, he apparently adopted 3 more dogs along the way.

Achilles has himself to blame for that one.

And so, time moves on and Desmond Miles is born.

The window to his nursery was always close because birds and squirrels would come inside an open window and surround his cradle.

His mother had been worried that those squirrels and even some of the birds might carry something that would make a baby sick.

When he grew older, his friends were the animals in the woods surrounding the Farm and the guard dogs that Farm used.

The other children thought he was weird because of his affinity to animals.

Many adults found it to be a bit disturbing but also a sign of the greatness that Desmond would achieve.

Why else would he have the same ‘skill’ as Altaïr and Ezio, after all?

Then Desmond showed… to be lacking in training.

He wasn’t bad.

He was even better than a lot of the other kids.

The problem was…

Everyone expects him to be more than that.

And Desmond couldn’t take it.

So he ran away.

And the animals ran away with him.

And Desmond finds an abandoned farm where he finally carves out a place of happiness for himself and his friends.

… Desmond has no idea where the bear came from but he became docile after Desmond scolded him for destroying the trash bin and eating spoiled food.

[002yb]

You know, one of my favorite things about Nightwing as opposed to Red Hood is the suit differences. Dick has a whole suit made as a one piece pretty much, high tech, and as much of am independent spirit he would like to present, this suit most definitely gets work done on it in the cave and has some WayneTech in it and what have you. On the other hand, he is as much capable of modifications and engineering his own ad ons and molding windings.

Hood's "armor", can't describe it better, and his makeshift jackets, roster of helmets and masks, are extremely modified DIY stuff. He probably has some hideout with molds and electric circuits pile for all of his little exploding helmets or electrifying suits.

Imagine Jay and Dick in a moment of reprieve after a well-done drug bust or what have you, holed up with a sixpack of beer or whatever you choose, and of all places, it's literally this very hole with Hood's Tech Board where he devises his modifications, and there is a pair heavy duty hiking boots on the table in a middle of some intricate process.

And. And Dick? Of all things, in a moment of tact flown out of the window/too relaxed to register himself, remarks, how it reminds him his time as Robin, because this looks exactly like Bruce's early DIY modified suit pieces.

BAM.

[Loosely inspired by Bruce's sketchbooks and diaries from The Batman movie by Matt Reeves. Bonus points if Dick notices similar notebooks and sketches in pencil da Vinci style in Jason's hideout right on that very table and is mesmerized by them. They remind him of simpler times. He is fond, and he is smiling.

Jason? Now, there is a whirlwind of emotions on his face, right behind Dick's shoulder.]

This is so darling. Something about Dick getting all nostalgic and feeling fondness for times long past is so good. And this being a moment where he looks at Jason and sees some of the best of Bruce from those early days omg - the passion and resilience and tenacity; fortitude for days and Dick is emotions. (ಥ﹏ಥ)

Jason put in the design for Nightwing's iconic finger stripes. They were never a thing before Jaybin took a blue pen to Dick's rough designs and drew them in and Dick adores them 1) because they look good but mostly 2) because Jason

Dick designs and makes Jason something similar to batarangs and wingdings. He sneaks them onto Jason's work table alongside one of Jason's sketchbooks with a cheeky note so that Jason knows that they're called 'little wings' omgggggggggg

[esamastation]

Heyo! Idk if you remember, but I sent you some pictures from the Leonardo da Vinci museum in Milano about a year ago? And I am once again in Italy and look at what I walked past today:

Welcome to la Isola Tiberian, Ezio's hideout in Rome :)

Thank you for writing such amazing fic 💚

(ps: I wouldn't mind sharing some more AC related pics, if you want them? But only if I'm not bothering you)

Ahh I'm so jealous. Looks so nice.

Feel free to share more, I shall live vicariously through you

[katamarigender]

Nobody asked but these are my favourite little big planet songs: (not ranked because I really can't decide which ones are better)

LBP 1: orb of dreamers, left bank two, the pod theme, the gardens theme, get it together, rock the jungle, volver a comenzar, cornman, dancing drums, my advice parts 1 and 2

LBP 2: da vinci's hideout theme, infotain me, limehouse blues, my rocket theme, rock your body rock, sleepy head, the factory of a better tomorrow theme, vision one, what are you waiting for

LBP 3: one-armed bandit, banana boy, introvert, photon, rabbit pushing mower, togens hule, pinball of the undead, waltz of the flowers, the pod theme (again)

[decaffinatedtunes]

Da Vinci Tutorial | LittleBigPlanet 2 (2011) - Richard Jacques

[haxorus-imp]

I've seen a couple of the Human in CraftWorld scenario, and I thought I'd like to know what would happen here

What if a jittery and problem avoidant human met the Alliance?

The accusations of them being a threat is quickly thrown out the window the moment they attempt to establish a meeting and communicate with them. Upon their arrival in Craftworld, the human was terribly shy and ran away from anyone that tried to come near them. Thankfully, they were easy for them to track down because of a negativity trail they would leave behind on the ground wherever they walked. The human is always producing a low aura of negativity that corrupts minuscule pieces of craftworld. It doesn't matter if everything is okay at that moment, they always seem to be looking over their shoulder and the aura is always present. Even if they don't know why. Da Vinci is quick to make a connection between their scar that was received from unknown origins and the human's constantly stressed behavior. Theorizing that maybe an accident is responsibly for the human's overly cautious and timid behavior. The human is rather skittish and flat out refuses to go to some areas of craftworld, or even entire domains. One place in particular is Clive's factory, which they avoid at all costs. Bombs, spikes, machinery, loud noises...it's everything they don't like and would rather not be placed in. The second one is Avalonia. Too many risks there too, with lazers and electric panels and various other hazardous components. Even Victoria is not safe from their overarching fears as they also do not enter her domain. For the same reasons that they refuse to go to Clive's and Avalon's dwellings. The human doesn't mean to insult them, but they would rather not be subjected to stress.

The few places they seem to visit primarily are Eve's Asylum, who is home to their favorite Curator out of the Alliance, and Da Vinci's hideout. As it has a tame and cozy atmosphere, with the aura of a calm library. They just stay clear of localized danger while they visit. Their personality is rather quiet. Despite being loss, the human always seems to have a consistent level of anxiety and lacks communication skills. They tend to hang out with Sack Thing the most, as they're the most appropriate one they tend to get along with and they make for the perfect cuddle companion when things become far too overwhelming for the human to deal with.

[aurata-rin]

Fate/Grand Order Gudaguda 2021 (Ryouma Close Call) - prologue + chapter 1 summary

I don’t think I’ll translate all the dialogue fully, but I figure I might as well finally start doing some story summaries for Fate. This is from my own reading experience of the event, so if there are any mistakes in my reading comprehension, corrections are appreciated!

Prologue

The scene fades in to Nobunaga missing her head. They’re not quite sure where it went, so they seek out Da Vinci for some help (who initially claims she is too busy to help). Nobukatsu comes running in saying he found her head, and it turns out it’s just a sign with a drawing of Nobu’s face on. She is not amused.

Sion and Da Vinci help out and locate a signal of Nobu’s head within a singularity set around 1870 (which is just after the end of the Edo/Tokugawa period). The Shinsengumi Servants don’t qualify to enter the singularity, and Nobu is staying home due to... well, missing her head. Nobukatsu stays where his sister stays. As such, Chacha and Nagayoshi seem the only candidates to go with Master, as Mashu cannot join, either -- which does not inspire much confidence, until Sakamoto and Oryo pop up to say they’re coming along too. Izou rushes in last minute, in his new fancy outfit, to insist he’s coming too.

The group Rayshifts, but shortly after they’re gone, Sion picks up signs of an incoming threat. It turns out to be an intruder, who forces their way past the Servants gathered in the room to get access to a coffin to also rayshift. The prologue ends.

Chapter 1

Master wakes up (alone) in a Tokyo that looks very foreign. A radio broadcast reveals that this is the new capital, SAITAMA, and likewise mentions the Bloody Surrender of Edo Castle and warns citizens to watch out for Imperial Loyalists and report if they see anything. Some people near Master gossip about the Loyalists being up to something again, and make mention of “Shouwa”. Master wanders into an alleyway and ponders about that -- it should, by all acounts, be the Meiji era, not Shouwa.

Because Master just can’t catch a break, a voice rings out from somewhere. It’s from above. Someone is falling from the sky and land right on top of Master. It’s the person who barged into Chaldea to rayshift. She stumbles to her feet and looks for her eyepatch, but Master has already seen her red eye; as such, Master must die, despite having cushioned the mystery person’s fall. Master keeps dodging, mystery person collapses due to lack of “Ranmanium” to strengthen her, and eventually a third person shows up -- Sakamoto. Except he’s alone, and doesn’t feel like his usual self.

Master’s gut feeling is correct when Sakamoto calls a group of Mini Nobu forth to target the mystery person; Sakamoto refers to her as a Servant, and seems to need her as some sort of sacrifice. Master protects her, and she gives up on trying to kill Master, instead complaining about her lack of power and “if only there was someone chosen by my planet, someone with command seals”. Obviously, Master flashes their command seals, the two form a contract, she gives her name as “Mysterious Ranmaru X”, and they beat Sakamoto’s platoon of Nobu. Sakamoto retreats, but just before running, casts a spell on Chacha and Nagayoshi who conveniently pop up. Chacha turns Avenger (Nagayoshi is unaffected), attacks master, and Oryo jumps in just in time to block the blow. The Sakamoto of Chaldea joins up with the rest, and they knock some sense into Chacha. Literally.

The group retreats to Sakamoto’s hideout, as it turns out the team got separated during the Rayshift and he arrived earlier than the others. He’s set up his new detective agency. Chacha wonders if Ranmaru is the one her aunt (Nobunaga) has talked about, but Nagayoshi says that now that he thinks about it, she doesn’t feel like Naritoshi (Ranmaru’s other name). Ranmaru explains she is a Ranmaru from among Ranmarus -- chosen among many Ranmarus. 

Ranmaru wanders off to make tea in a room she dubs the “Ranmaru Café”, the others meet up, and discuss their next course of action. Sakamoto explains what he’s learned so far: in this Singularity, Edo has been destroyed, and Saitama is the new capital. What should have been a bloodless surrender of Edo Castle negotiated by Katsu Kaishu turned bloody, and many of the shogunate’s people, along with important people from the Satsuma and Choshu, were killed. Furthermore, the Meiji restoration did not take place here. It jumped past Meiji and Taishou to end up at Shouwa right away. The state of Japan has advanced 50 years ahead. In real history, there were a lot of miraculous reforms from overseas coming to Japan in the Meiji era, but this town is powered by magical energy and has advanced to a strange level of civilization. Currently, the Takasugi Industries (or “Takasugi Heavy Industry”) is in power -- likely a reference to Takasugi Shinsaku or his family, as Oryo seems to recognise the name from somewhere; he was another influential person in the early Meiji restoration.

Ranmaru proceeds to question Sakamoto about the other Sakamoto from earlier. Sakamoto says he does have siblings, but his brother and he look nothing alike and are quite apart in age. They’ll have to investigate this. Ranmaru will join in for the sake of Master, and her original objective which she cannot recall.

The scene fades, and we cut to Izou wandering the town, not knowing what’s what. He picks up on someone following him and calls out to them, to which a mystery man in a black suit steps out. Izou and he recognize each other, and the scene fades out.

Chapter end.

[snezandsickheadcanons]

Sicktember Day 15: Frostbite

Characters: Diarmuid, Ritsuka

Fandom: Fate

i actually wrote this YEARS ago for some other fic writing challenge thing but never posted it. i just spruced it up a little

Their current Rayshift had taken them to a frozen tundra. They’d been there for a few days already, and were closing in on the true culprit of the Singularity. 

According to Da Vinci, if they kept walking a little further, they would reach the enemy Servant’s location. 

That was easier said than done, though, as it was snowing and positively freezing. Ritsuka was fine with their mystic code, but their Servants weren’t as lucky. This was most obvious with Diarmuid, whose outfit didn’t include a shirt. He was shivering like mad, hands gripped tightly on his spears and biting his lip to keep his teeth from chattering.

“Diarmuid… uh… do you want my coat?” Ritsuka asked.

He looked at her in surprise then fiercely shook his head. “Of c-course not, M-master. It is my d-duty to protect you, and th-that includes from harsh environments. We cannot have you g-getting sick. I assure you, I will be f-fine. Servants cannot get h-hypothermia. Heh… HESHOO!” 

Ritsuka narrowed their eyes. “Uh huh.”

Diarmuid sniffled, a bit of color rising to his face. “A-anyway, do not t-trouble yourself with my well-being any longer. W-we’re almost there.”

Sure enough, there was a suspicious-looking cave up ahead with a light inside. If anyone asked them, Ritsuka would say it was a bit on the nose for an evil hideout. Together they and their band of Servants made their way to the depths of a cave, where a Shadow Servant was waiting.

The battle didn’t take very long; this particular enemy seemed to be all talk. And though everyone would have liked to go back to Chaldea immediately, they had to escort the kidnapped townspeople back to their village, which meant slogging back through the entire way they came.

By this point, Diarmuid’s fingers and ears had turned a bright red. Ritsuka kept giving him worried glances.

Suddenly, a large cracking noise split through the air, causing everyone to look around in surprise. But there was nothing in sight.

“Wait a minute!” suddenly came Da Vinci’s voice over the comms. “Right now, you guys are standing on—!”

Ritsuka felt the ground beneath them shift, and suddenly they were falling. The ice beneath them had split in two, and they were about to fall into the frozen lake beneath.

“Master!” Diarmuid cried. Using his Servant speed and strength, he grabbed Ritsuka’s arm just in time to save them from the icy water, flinging them backwards onto safety. However, the momentum, combined with his limbs being already stiff from the cold, caused him to fall in instead with a loud splash.

“Diarmuid!” 

As the icy water soaked through him, Diarmuid gasped and grabbed onto the edge of the ice. He managed to pull himself out, but he was now shivering ten times as hard as before, huddling in on himself and kneeling on the cold ground.

Ritsuka slid to take a spot right next to him on the ground, ripping their coat off and draping it around Diarmuid’s shoulders. 

Too cold to protest, and too shocked by the water to turn into spirit form, he turned away from Ritsuka just as he was hit by several sneezes. Icy droplets dripped from his hair onto his skin. His lips had begun to turn blue.

“Hang in there, okay!” Ritsuka said, then pressed their comms button. “Doctor, we’re going to need the Rayshift ready as soon as we get back to the village!”

***

Back at Chaldea, Diarmuid was wrapped in about a dozen blankets, sitting by a heater in the infirmary. He was no longer dressed in his soaked Servant garb, but rather a pair of sweats Dr. Roman had lying around. The color had returned to his face, but he was still shivering like crazy, and blisters were beginning to form on his red swollen fingers. 

“Are you sure there’s nothing else you need?” Ritsuka asked.

“N-no, M-Master. Y-you must… HeKSHOO! —m-must be cold as well. Y-you should g-go take a hot bath.”

At that moment, Dr. Roman walked in, eating a lollipop. “That’s not a bad idea,” he said. 

“But Diarmuid…”

Roman waved his hand. “He’ll be fine.” He turned to the Servant in question. “You’re lucky you’re a Heroic Spirit, though. Your frostnip there isn’t too serious, but if you were still human you could’ve died from hypothermia. I am surprised you were able to catch a cold, though.”

Diarmuid sighed. “So am I.” He took a tissue from the box on his lap and blew his nose (he would normally never do such a vulgar thing in front of his Master, but Ritsuka had given him express permission).

“Wait. Actually, I’ll be right back,” Ritsuka said, giving one last look to their Servant before leaving the room.

A few minutes later they returned, holding two mugs of hot tea. They handed one to Diarmuid, who thankfully had stopped shivering enough to hold it without spilling, and took a sip from the other one.

Roman pouted. “None for me?”

Ritsuka shrugged. “Two hands. Plus you didn’t have to walk around that frozen environment.”

Smiling as Roman pouted some more, Diarmuid held the mug close and took a deep inhale of the steam, only to find his nose was beginning to stuff up.

“Good thing we don’t have any missions for a while, huh?” Ritsuka teased with a grin.

Diarmuid gave a small laugh. “Thank you for being so kind, Master.” 

Instead of responding, Ritsuka leaned closer to him and held his free hand, still frozen cold.

[katya-goncharov]

actually criminal that spn had episodes set in scotland but they never went to rosslyn chapel. it would have been the perfect setting for a secret men of letters hideout or something. i mean rosslyn chapel was literally in the da vinci code! easily trashy enough for supernatural

[reflectionsofacreator]

Ezio’s a Painter

I somehow kinda glossed over this during my ac2 and Brotherhood play throughs, mostly because I kept meaning to make a larger post about it, then kept putting it off. I guess that’s now. This is probably old news to a lot of people, but I wanted to write a post on it anyways. 

This is a researched theory, not explicitly confirmed, either via verbal or textual evidence. That being said, there is a mountain of worldbuilding evidence, if you go digging and give some thought to it. 

So early on in ac2, when you’re introduced to Ezio’s family, Maria Auditore, you hear this gem of a conversation as they walk through the city: 

Maria: Self expression is vital to understanding and enjoying life. You should find an outlet. Ezio: I have plenty of outlets.  Maria (dryly): I meant besides vaginas.  Ezio: Mother! 

During the outing, she leads him to meet Leonardo da Vinci, a family friend and local artist. This is the first time Ezio’s met Leonardo, and when Leo asks what Ezio intends to do with his life, Ezio says something about being “A banker, I suppose”, like he doesn’t really know what to do with his life. 

It isn’t until after the trial and murder of his father and brothers that Ezio truly becomes friends with Leonardo, and receives upgrades. It’s implied to take a few days, and Ezio doesn’t exactly have anywhere to go, so it’s likely that he ended up staying over at Leonardo’s while all of this went down, or over at Paola’s. It’s likely that Ezio took an interest in painting because of Leonardo, though this is never outright said. 

Now, Ezio being a painter isn’t touched upon at all until you get access to the Auditore Villa in Monteriggioni, and even then it’s not exactly called attention to. At most, you get the ability to wander around, and see Ezio’s room. In one of the corners is a painting of Ezio’s first victims, Uberto Alberti, the man directly responsible for the Auditore’s murder. 

Notice how it says “my”. 

This is something that’s actually happened in Ezio’s life. The Animus can only take so many shortcuts with his life, but the important things tend to stick there, in some way, shape, or form. Rebuilding Monteriggioni was important to Ezio, so it was incorporated as an economic mechanic. Painting was important, so we have portraits of the people Ezio’s killed. 

As ac2 progresses, Ezio’s room slowly fills up with more and more with portraits of the people he’s slain, all listed with a date of death, their name, and who they are. A few of them have personal descriptions, always written in first person, versus how the Animus uses second person to denote things. 

The language choices aren’t precisely significant in an earth shattering way, but it’s important enough to note it. It’s part of why I feel like these portraits are actually made by Ezio himself, instead of simply being commissioned-- the simple fact of the use of “my, I” etc. 

If you go downstairs in the villa, you can see an artist easel, as well as painting supplies. I, initially, thought maybe it was supplies for Leonardo, but at that point in 1476-8, Leonardo wasn’t living with the Auditores in their Villa. But they’re clearly there for a reason, meaning that someone in the Villa used them. This is the kind of environmental storytelling that I really enjoy, where there’s depth that you can dig for, but it’s not exactly the forefront of things. 

Additionally, Ezio’s home is filled with an art gallery, with whole rooms and halls dedicated to the stuff. This is true for Brotherhood even, after the loss of Monteriggioni, but the art gallery in the Tiber Island Hideout is much smaller. 

What’s interesting in ac2 is that most of the paintings that Ezio owns relate back to the stories of the gods, or of Adam and Eve, which is ironic considering the nature of the Assassin’s Creed backstory. Or it could be simply really subtle forshadowing, though of what I’m not sure. 

All the paintings that Ezio owns in Brotherhood, that aren’t his, are works from Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael. I checked -- all of them are by Raphael, whereas the ones in ac2 were from an assortment of artists, Leonardo among them. It just strikes me as a little odd that every single painting in his Brotherhood era gallery is by Raphael, but who am I to judge. Ezio’s just missing a statue from Michelangelo, and he’d have scored a Renaissance Trifecta. 

Ezio’s habit of painting his victims continues on into Brotherhood, where his targets are the focus of much larger paintings. His works in ac2 are roughly 2 feet at most, while the works in Brotherhood take up at least a whole wall’s worth.  

Another thing to notice is that the portraits in Brotherhood instead have more of an artistic look about them. Compare how all the portraits in ac2 look like simply in game renders with filters, versus how this painting of Lucrezia looks. 

Stylistically, the portraits in Brotherhood clash horribly with Raphael’s paintings, but I suspect that’s due to the artists taking more freedom with how they want to portray Ezio’s art. It’s much more modern than the time period would suggest his painting would be, but we ignore that because they’re cool looking. 

Ezio had nine paintings in base ac2, with the dlc adding on an extra two paintings, and sixteen subjects between all of them. Brotherhood has six paintings, and six subjects. Of the two groups, only one person is painted twice: Rodrigo Borgia. 

They both fit into the same sets as they’re painted in, with the first matching the other severe paintings, but I kinda feel like that’s more an art direction choice than a choice of Ezio as a painter/character. Obviously more thought was put into the Brotherhood paintings, so they have more life to them, and more detail, but even then, Rodrigo’s portrait doesn’t exactly stand out among the set. It’s still interesting to see the differences between the two, and kinda wonder at what they say. 

I’ll admit that the timing for Rodrigo’s first portrait is kind of ... odd? The attack on Monteriggioni happens almost directly after Ezio’s confrontation with Rodrigo, so there isn’t that much time for him to paint the man. I do feel that’s more of an issue with the games being made several years apart-- the player should get Rodrigo’s portrait after Ezio beats him at the end of ac2, and Brotherhood wouldn’t come out for another year or two. 

I kinda posit that Ezio painted the first one over the course of years, slowly, probably in the timeskips between sequences 12/13/14, and it wasn’t until Ezio beat the man at the end of ac2 that he considered it “finished” and put it up.

Admittedly I’m thinking of doing a series of posts where it’s just the various portraits, just because I can, and I kinda want to show them off. Maybe. 

Anyways Ezio’s a painter and I’m not going back on this. Take it as you will. 

[namelessarcher]

Prompt: Pile of Blankets

The winter morning was always too cold, and quite frankly, it was even worse when Romani would sleep and wake up at the same location as where he was last working. His neck was sore and he felt a sharp pain as he tried to sit up properly. A small groan escapes his lips and he slumps back over on his desk.

I’m so tired… Romani’s eyes slowly closed again before groggily blinking a few times. He was just super exhausted. There was so much that he had to do, so much that he had wanted to do, and he was honestly unsure about which task to handle first. There was just so much on his plate. He slowly sat up, rolling out his back and stretching his arms slowly as to help circulate blood easier.

As he stretched out his arms, he felt a little bit better. The pinch in his neck wasn’t as bad and he didn’t feel like his limbs were disconnected from him. He sat still for a few moments. Romani wasn’t quite ready to start the day, and judging by how the Command Room was nearly empty save for the few early starters. They gave him a tired nod and a soft smile before returning to their respective jobs. Romani smiled in return and slowly pushed himself off of his chair.

Honestly, he wouldn’t even be surprised if he suddenly became one with his chair and desk. There was already evidence that he’s slept there if the small pillow and flimsy blanket draped on the back of his chair and his armrest. He grabbed his empty coffee mug from last night and dragged himself out of the command room and towards his own room.

On the way back, he took a quick detour to the kitchen, dropping the cup off at the wash station before shuffling back out. Romani’s steps were sluggish, and anyone looking at him could tell that he was in desperate need of a good night’s rest. But really, Romani wasn’t quite sure if he could afford to take a break.

I still need to file those reports… and tell Da Vinci to set up the system. I should also do a health check up for Mash and [Name]. At the mere thought of you, a soft smile touches upon his lips. I wonder if [Name] is asleep still.

Romani shook his head fondly and mumbled, “I hope so.”

However he’s shocked when he sees you walking towards him. You had an empty tray of what he would assume was breakfast and upon noticing him, the smile on your face was bright and filled with joy.

“Good morning, Dr. Roman!”

“Good mor-”

A yawn cuts him off and he doesn’t even bother covering his mouth. You could see the dark circles beneath his eyes. He weakly lifted his arm in an attempt to wave to you, but you’re almost certain that it was only through pure willpower that Romani was even standing right now. You quickly rushed to drop off the tray and came back out to find Romani staring at you sleepily.

“Good morning, [Name],” he softly chuckled. You smiled and shook your head, “Did you stay up late again?”

“I don’t know if I slept,” he yawned once more and murmured, “I’m tired.”

“Come on, you should take a nap.”

“But work-”

“You can have Da Vinci cover you. Can’t have our only doctor burning himself out, now can we?”

Romani didn’t bother arguing or pushing for his point, especially since the feeling of your hand on his back was so warm and cozy. He almost wanted to put all his weight onto you. You glanced at him again and laughed, “Here, let’s bring you to my room instead.”

Now that nearly woke him up. He had groggily nodded in agreement before realizing with a start that he’d be in your room. “Wait, but [Name]-”

“It used to be your secret hideout right? Come on, you can get some rest in there without anyone bothering you.”

Romani’s eyes widened slightly at the memory of your first meeting and he lowered his head in resignation. A small laugh slips through and he smiled, “Okay.”

***

The next time Romani opens his eyes, he’s covered in a pile of blankets. Each one was of different fabric or texture. But the one he was literally wrapped up in was soft and fluffy, it almost reminded him of clouds… or Fou’s fur. It was so soft. As his vision got adjusted to the darkness of the room, he found that the warmth on the bed was not just from the blankets, but also because you had fallen asleep curled up on the other side of the bed. Much like him, you were also cocooned in a blanket, with the only thing visible being your face.

He almost laughed at the situation. Somehow or another, both of you had slept in, much more than what the original nap was supposed to be. But instead he gently rolled his own burrito just a bit closer to yours and after much squirming, freed his arms. As carefully as possible, he shifted you into a more comfortable position that wouldn’t give you any strange pains in weird areas.

He didn’t want to wake you up, especially since you deserved all the rest you could get to. But as he attempted to slide off the bed, he felt your hand grasp at his through the blanket. Your eyes were slowly blinking away the sleep and you murmured, “Stay for a bit longer?”

It was one of the few times you’ve ever asked him to stay, how could he possibly refuse? He sighed and curled back in bed to lay beside you and smiled, “Okay, but if Da Vinci gets mad…”

“I’ll just say I stole you away, it’ll be okay,” you chuckled as you snuggled up a bit closer to him.

It was cold in the morning when he was all alone at the Command Room, but it sure did feel nice and toasty to be laying here in bed with you again.

[primatechnosynthpop]

Ok so the idea is in my mind now thanks to what my classmates were posting about on the myinfo discussion boards earlier, and I know that nobody here cares about this, but I need to gather my thoughts here. So here's an outline for what I think would happen in a Da Vinci Code/ Black Echo crossover

It starts with Langdon being involved in a high-profile documentary about the grail and the priory that's being filmed in Hollywood. Then a bunch of people involved in the documentary start being murdered, and Bosch is assigned to the case

They meet at the crime scene for one of the murders; Langdon is shaken up because the people working on the documentary with him were people he'd worked with before and gotten along with, and he's trying not to show how shaken he is and play himself off as cool, but Bosch sees right through him and recognizes his distraught emotional state. He's sympathetic, but he does have a job to do here... it's time to ask this guy some questions

HB: Professor Langdon, right? I'm officer Bosch. I have a few questions for you.

RL: Bosch... that's an interesting name

HB: Like the painter, yes. You wouldn't be the first to point it out, believe me.

RL: I've done many lectures on the religious symbolism in that man's paintings. Tell me, officer, how familiar with his work are you?

HB: Not very. Now, Mr. Langdon--

RL: You can call me Robert if you want.

HB: ...Mr. Langdon, what kind of relationship did you have with the victim?

...You get the picture; they don't get along very well at first. Bosch thinks Langdon is too self-obsessed and show-offy, while Langdon thinks Bosch is too grim and doesn't approve of his smoking habit

But since Bosch is a devoted and hardworking detective, he puts aside his mild annoyance with Langdon and does his best to solve the case. Problem is, Langdon clearly knows something about the case that he's refusing to tell anyone. *sonic voice* That's no good!

Bosch confronts Langdon about this in private, very angry... maybe cue a wall slam except that Bosch is shorter than Langdon so it does maybe look just a little bit silly. But more importantly a little bit homoerotic in an angry and repressed kinda way

After a bit of arguing and a very thorough check of the room they're in to make sure nobody is watching or listening in, Langdon confides to Bosch about the Grail and his experiences with it

Bosch is skeptical, but he's no stranger to tangled webs of dark secrets, so his reaction to all this is less "wow!!" and more "shit. Really? Fuck. Okay... huh. I need a drink." So Langdon pours him a drink, they agree to team up to collaborate on solving the case, and this is bonding moment #1 in which their barriers start to crack just a little bit

But of course Bosch, a decent guy at heart who cares about people's lives, isn't gonna let some random symbologist get too wrapped up in what's clearly a dangerous case. So after he and Langdon figure out together where the killer might be hiding out, Bosch goes to the location alone--armed and ready, but alone nonetheless

It goes bad!

Meanwhile, Langdon figures out by talking to some of the other cops where Bosch has taken off to. He gets there just in time to see the cloud of dust as the killer gets away, leaving a badly injured Bosch lying on the ground. Probably in some dark alleyway or dingy apartment or something idk. Very dark and very dramatic

Shifting in and out of consciousness in the backseat as Langdon drives him to a hospital, Bosch starts having a PTSD flashback nightmare. There's nothing Langdon can really do to help him out there, and he feels bad about it

Flash forward a couple days. We get bonding moment #2 as Langdon scolds a recovering Bosch for being so reckless

RL: I mean, you could have been killed!

HB: That's part of my job. Always has been.

RL: But still--

HB: I'm not like you, remember? You may have gotten involved in some dangerous situations before, but at the end of the day, you're still a civilian. It's my job to protect you.

RL: How would you dying help us get to the bottom of this case? If you want to help me, then stay alive and work with me.

HB: Fine. So, did you just come here to yell at me?

RL: Actually, that's not the only reason. I figured something out about the case... something that I think can help us

(This probably wouldn't be the exact dialogue but you get the gist)

Also Langdon sees Bosch's tattoo and if he asks about it then Bosch definitely does not answer. But when he gets home Langdon researches rat imagery and symbolism and eventually figures out, if not the connection to the war, at least that this dude has probably been through some tough times

They also each individually make the realization that Bosch having a rat tattoo + Langdon having a mickey mouse wristwatch is kind of an interesting coincidence... but when Langdon brings it up Bosch gets kinda snappy with him because, believe me, it's really not even remotely close to the same thing

So they get back to work on the case, but as soon as Bosch is back on his feet he retreats back into his shell, which disheartens Langdon somewhat for reasons that he can't pinpoint. (Hint: it's that Langdon was beginning to recognize the soft heart buried beneath Bosch's rough exterior, and guess that he must have had a pretty rough life, and on some subconscious level he was beginning to drift toward the "I can fix him!" mentality)

Still, they've got a job to do. They spend a few days, maybe a week tracking down the killer, during which we get a couple more small bonding moments during which Bosch demonstrates his kind and caring side, and Langdon starts spending maybe a little longer than necessary staring at him when he's not looking. Bosch wonders when he stopped finding Langdon's tendency for sharing information annoying and started to like the sound of his voice. But neither of them are at a stage where they're gonna be like "so basically I have ptsd and claustrophobia because of my traumatic backstory" or anything

At some point, though (maybe when he's slightly drunk) Bosch makes a gruff remark in passing about having been betrayed before, and Langdon replies that he's been betrayed too, by a close friend. They kind of raise their eyebrows at each other, an unspoken realization that they're connected by more bonds than expected, and they clink their glasses together

So the killer's hideout involves crawling through a small enclosed space and they both know this in advance and the plan they come up with is "one of us goes in while the other waits outside and stands guard" (the way the killer's lair is set up would make this a good plan. I'm not gonna come up with all the details right now, because if I could do that, then I'd become a mystery novelist) but they haven't laid out who'll be going in the small enclosed space and they're both secretly counting on the other doing it

Then they get there and it's like. Hmm. Oops! Neither of them want to go in because they both have the same psychological issues

An argument ensues, but they're less trying to convince each other to go in the small enclosed space and more frustrated at the other for keeping secrets. Eventually Langdon agrees to be the one to go in because by now he's pieced together that Bosch is a vet and that his trauma is therefore probably a lot "worse" (not that those things are really quantifiable)

Bosch is super grateful but also feels terrible, like it's his fault for being too weak, and promises Langdon to make it up for him later--"So be sure to stay alive for me, okay, Robert?"

RL: Wait, did you just call me by my first name? I think that's the first time I've heard you say it.

HB: Hey, what can I say? You've grown on me.

RL: Heh. You... you've grown on me, too, Harry.

HB: Robert..... good luck in there.

They sort of smile and nod at each other, solemn and melancholy (and repressed). And then Langdon goes in and does the thing but of course it's some kind of a trap and he gets stuck in the small enclosed space and Bosch hears him getting attacked in there and hey, Bosch can't magically overcome his severe war trauma but in that moment his brain just kinda turns off and he's able to power through it long enough to go in and get Langdon out safely

They're both very shaken from all this but now they've got the killer out in the open so it's time for the final showdown. Working together, they elaborately lure the killer into confessing to the murders of the people working on the Grail documentary... those people knew too much, they couldn't be allowed to keep living. Naturally, Bosch is wearing a wire that's picking all this up and recording it

But then the killer finishes with "and you, the symbologist who knows the true location of the Grail... you can't be allowed to live either!" and before either of them can react he shoots Langdon! This makes Bosch extremely angry and he immediately shoots the killer like five consecutive times in the chest

Turns out Langdon's alive, the bullet just missed his heart or lungs or whatever, and he's lying on the ground in shock from getting shot staring up at Bosch and is like "...you killed him...?"

HB: Oh, right, I almost forgot... you've never killed someone before, have you?

RL: No, although I've been acquainted with more murders than I would like...

HB: Well, here's one more murderer you're acquainted with, then. Come on, let's go

Hospital time redux ft. congratulating each other on solving the case and a whole lot going unsaid between them. They both agree that they ended up making a decent team in the end...

In a quiet moment when he thinks Langdon is asleep, Bosch starts reminiscing out loud about his childhood, his time in the war, all the blood he's seen spilled and spilled himself both as a veteran and a detective. Of course Langdon was actually awake to hear all that, and after a long moment of silence he starts talking quietly about falling down a well as a child, as well as some of the scarier moments in his past adventures and how those have messed him up a little

RL: Of course, what I've been through is nothing compared to you... I mean, you, you're amazing. I can't believe I ever judged you for having a cold exterior.

HB: I wouldn't call myself amazing. More like, a poor bastard doing his best to keep his head afloat.

RL: No, no, that's... that's why you're amazing. The fact that you are where you are now.

HB: What, in a hospital at the bedside of a symbology professor who's lucky to be alive after solving an elaborate murder case?

RL: Hey, it's not my first rodeo.

HB: Mine neither. (Heh...) maybe we should start a club.

At the end they say goodbye to each other and they like shake hands or something but they're still repressed so they just go their separate ways and don't see each other again

But MAYBE a few months or years down the line Bosch eventually leaves the police force (either because he wisens up and realizes that acab, or because he acts up too much and gets fired) and can no longer afford to live in LA so he moves to a different part of the country and by pure coincidence it ends up being where Langdon lives. And he finds out when he sees an ad for one of Langdon's lectures, and he attends and Langdon spots him in the crowd and he sort of visibly stiffens and then softens. You can figure out where things go from there

(I actually don't know where exactly things would go from there but maybe, someday, eventually they kiss?)

[pilotseason2020]

CLARICE (ordered to pilot)

based on “The Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris

Set in 1993, a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs. The series is a deep dive into the untold personal story of Clarice Starling, as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high stakes political world of Washington, D.C.

Cast (thus far)

Rebecca Breeds (The Originals) as Clarice Starling. Brilliant and vulnerable, Clarice graduated Magna from UVA with a double major in psych and criminology. Her bravery gives her an inner light that draws monsters and madmen to her. Her complex psychological makeup comes from a challenging childhood, and her drive comes from her need to escape the burden of family secrets that have haunted her throughout her life. Jodie Foster won an Oscar for the 1991 movie adaptation, and Clarice was then played in the 2001 sequel by Julianne Moore. (Feb 26)

Lucca De Oliveira (SEAL Team) as Tomas Esquivel, who attended Dartmouth on an ROTC scholarship and became a counter-sniper during Operation Desert Storm. He is initially suspicious of Clarice, and her singular background in the Bureau. Esquivel has gone through his own kind of hazing, and is torn between his love of service, and his belief that the FBI needs to shake off its “Old School” mentality. (Mar 10)

Devyn A. Tyler (The Purge) as Ardelia Mapp, Clarice’s closest friend and her roommate at the FBI Academy. Ardelia is brilliant and has developed strong coping mechanisms as a black woman working in the white male universe of the FBI. Ardelia has landed at the Department of Justice where she is an Asst. U.S. Attorney. She is vocal and open about the discrimination that’s rampant in the Bureau and in the D.O.J. (Mar 10)

Series Creator: Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet

Pilot Director: Heather Kadin

Producers: Jenny Lumet, Alex Kurtzman

Studios: MGM Television, CBS Television Studios, Secret Hideout

Genre: Thriller

Primetimer Pilot Preview: “recommend”

NBC is at this same time piloting “Langdon,” which also uses its protagonist’s surname as title. They are adapting the narrative of “The Lost Symbol,” a sequel to book-turned-film “The Da Vinci Code,” as an origin story for its protagonist, and that book was set in Washington, D.C. as well.

For three seasons, from 2013-2015, NBC was home to the television show “Hannibal,” also derived from Thomas Harris’ novels.

This pilot comes just after the conclusion of “Criminal Minds” after 15 seasons, so the network may be looking for a similar psychological thriller.

[writerjodie]

Hey there, fellow assassin! Can I request two sets of headcanons about Ezio - one about him falling for the most dangerous and skilled assassin (far more skilled and experienced than him) from the Spanish Brotherhood + another about being his twin sister. ?

of course!!! I hope you enjoy these!! I don’t often write for ezio - so this makes a nice change, here we go:

Ezio Falling in Love:

Ezio may have been an Assassin for a few years now, and he may know some of the most talented people in the Brotherhood - but nothing prepared him for seeing her fight

As a visitor from the Spanish Brotherhood, she surprises Ezio with her knowledge of languages - her Italian is practically fluent!

Even before she arrives, La Volpe tells him tales of her - El viento, they call her, the wind

Seeing her fight now, her dark robes whirling behind her like sails in the storm, Ezio knows exactly why they call her that

Each movement is performed with such fluidity and power that it is almost as if watching a goddess fight, her sabre is but an extension of her body, swinging out to meet the steel of the guard’s armour in a flurry of bright sparks

After the fight, as they flee together across the rooftops of Venice, Ezio can’t help but feel clumsy aside el viento, she jumps from roof to roof with such grace that one would believe the very winds themselves carry her

Luckily, she sees him slip before he even realises it, and lashes out to steady him before he tumbles into the inky waters below

Ha, she barely strains to pull him back up, pausing to check him over for any injuries as he merely gazes upon her face, himself transfixed by the glow of her eyes against the starlight

In those eyes, she carries the swirling storms of a hundred battles, the raging tempests of a thousand wars…oh with one look she could most likely kill him, one flick of her wrist to gut him there and then, yet she simply smiles, the act sending Ezio’s stomach into a swarm of butterflies

“For a master Assassin, you are very clumsy,” she laughs, the noise at complete odds with her appearance

As she moves away, already racing across rooftops back to their hideout, Ezio watches her, his lower jaw utterly losing all purpose and falling to the floor

Oh, he realises with a start: I’m in love.

Being Ezio’s Twin Sister

Being Ezio’s twin is one of the craziest things ever

When you two were younger, you would both run rings around your poor mother and father

Even Federico used to despair sometimes!

As you grew older, however, you and Ezio realised your different interests - while you quite enjoyed painting and art, Ezio was more interested in flirting with your friends, and causing trouble

That’s not to say either of you were exempt from playing pranks on your family at any time - ah, Claudia’s face when that water tipped on her was priceless!!

Eventually, you became close friends with one Leonardo da Vinci, even going as far as be be tutored by him

When your family was arrested, and your brothers hung, you were at the da Vinci studio - and you didn’t find out anything until Ezio arrived in your father’s Assassin robes.

When you finally made it to Uncle Mario’s, you refused to let Ezio undertake his quest alone, and begged to be trained as an Assassin - a notion which upset your mother at first, until she realised it would make you happy

Now…the two of you enjoy running rings around the Templars instead, who curse you two - dubbing you both ‘i gemelli’ - the twins…

[servingliesarch]

MERLIN + LOCATIONS   #1    —    MERLIN’S HUT BY THE CRYSTAL CAVE. it’s  a  personal  headcanon,  please  don’t  reblog !!

a mysterious,  most secret of places that is almost as old as merlin himself.  it has originated as a simple hut he had chosen to live in towards the end of his original lifetime,  situated by the crystal cave which he had sworn to protect.  having to leave albion behind,  merlin charmed his hut along with the cave,  shielding them from those that hoped to use the crystals within in it,  thrusting them to be forever hidden in a sort of pocket dimension.  no one can find the place unless he allows them in,  or even know where to look,  and very few people had the pleasure of being invited inside over the centuries of his immortal life.

though he can appear and disappear from it at will,  the official entrance is led by a boat through clear waters of a narrow cave tunnel.  there stands the same hut that has stood there for centuries,  with a small garden and a stony path that leads to a cave containing the magical crystals allowing those able to use them to see the past,  present and future  ( a dangerous,  addicting hazard merlin’s learned to use with caution ).  in same cave,  there is a small pool containing the waters of avalon,  one he once could have channeled to contact freya,  the lady of the lake,  until the start of the twentieth century where the contact seemed to be lost.

coming inside,  there is a small,  inconspicuous chamber with a fireplace,  a cauldron,  comfortable armchairs,  with herbs drying close to the ceiling.  it seems like exactly the kind of a room one would expect from the exterior,  and yet it takes a closer look to see a mysterious door leading somewhere to the back of the hut.  long ago,  merlin bewitched the hut   ——   though it appears just a small shack on the outside,  it is bigger on the inside.

the mysterious door leads to a large two - floor atrium,  with a big staircase that leads to many different rooms  ( a patchwork of many styles and periods of time,  depending on the time of their creation ).  the whole place is a mine of magic,  knowledge and history.  there is a huge greenhouse that contains many plants that have been extinct for long years.  one of the rooms contains a large library filled with books and scrolls,  some older than merlin himself,  texts on magic,  on medicine,  on politics   ——   or novels he keeps just for fun.  he has a room that is an apothecary conjoined with a study  ( there hardly could be a more stereotypical place for merlin to possess ).

there are large rooms filled with things he safekeeps from the past,  all of which are magically preserved from the passage of time  ;  things such as paintings of people he knew,  or things that belonged to them  ( trinkets of the loved ones he often does not even remember ).  there are letters he wrote or received,  gifts he saved as it didn’t feel right to dispose of them   ——   some as notable as personal sketches of himself drawn by leonardo da vinci,  or personally signed original copies of jane austen’s books.  he has an entire room filled with journals that date so far back he no longer remembers what they contain,  another one for paintings or photographs of himself.  there is one just filled with instruments he knew how to play  ( as only the piano is fixed in the drawing room,  an instrument he likes to play the most ).  a big room is saved just for the rows of clothes he particularly liked and wanted to preserve.

there is a place where he keeps his liquor,  some so old he’s not sure they should still be drank.  there is a place where he keeps his riches,  dully collected in his immortal years.  there are some doors that lead to nowhere,  some that lead to other places he owns.  there is a large room filled with magical artifacts,  the most notable of them would most certainly be the cup of life  ( because of course merlin would have the holy grail stuck on his shelf ).  there are some rotating rooms,  or those he only conjurs when he feels like  ( much like a pool room,  or a room that has been an almost perfect replica of freddie mercury’s birthday party ).  

perhaps the most ominous room of them all,  one that is usually hidden even when someone is invited into that magical place,  is a room that contains nothing but names etched into the stone of the wall,  and an everlasting flame that accompanies them.  the room had begun as just a part of a wall,  into which merlin long ago carved the names of those he lost   ——   list beginning with his first childhood friend’s name,  william.  it goes from runes to different alphabets,  different names   ——   representing all those merlin had loved and lost,  so many of them already forgotten due to the passage of time  ( and yet not quite,  as the flame in the room is bewitched to never die ).

merlin has a bedroom in this hut,  one he uses if he wants to hide as he knows no one can find him where he is,  but he doesn’t like to stay there. he doesn’t see the place as his home,  but rather a hideout of sorts   ——   a place where he can store his things and keep them safe,  not a place of living.