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denpa-dere · 1 year ago

Text

house arrest 1

afab!mc x mammon

description: NSFW, very fluffy, you are confined to your room for your own protection. But how long will that last when the only thing standing between you and your housemates is a door and some willpower? For Mammon, less than 24 hours.

warnings: Capital B breeding kink with talks of impregnation, afab reader with she/her pronouns, face sitting, dub con if you squint due to a misunderstanding. Mammon is a love sick fool for you.

|| Intro || Mammon || Asmo (mini) || Levi || Satan (mini) || Beel || Lucifer (mini) || Asmo || Belphie (mini) || Belphie || Barbatos (mini) || Satan || Diavolo (mini) ||

If there was anyone you could count on, it was Mammon.

Mammon, who was your first man.

Mammon, who was your partner in crime.

Mammon, who was practically crawling up the wall with need to be with you right now.

He pressed a pillow over his face and groaned into it. This was stupid. He felt stupid. You made him feel stupid. This morning, chaos swept through their home as soon as you rounded the corner. At first, you hadn’t noticed heads snapping one-by-one in your direction as you made your way to your usual spot at the table, serving yourself coffee whilst a dawning realization crept in amongst himself and his brothers.

When the atmosphere felt sufficiently suffocating, you looked up to find seven pairs of eyes boring holes into your skull. Mammon had wanted to scoop you up then and there, to hide you away in the safety of his room where you both could be alone he alone could protect you.

He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. His knuckles ached from the hole he had punched through the dining room wall in the ensuing scuffle. He didn't want to think about it. Lucifer had already let everyone off easy, seemingly too concerned with how to tactfully explain your absence to Lord Diavolo to string anyone up for fighting. Besides, it's not like Mammon was actually angry with anyone. Things just got out of hand.

He just didn't like how they were looking at you. That's all.

Only he was allowed to look at you like that.

Mammon chucked his pillow at the floor, but it didn't satisfy the irritation welling up in his gut. Every nerve in his body felt like it was screaming to be closer to you. He wondered if you could feel it, too. Surely, your bond with The Great Mammon was strong enough that you could sense his distress, right? You wanted him too, right? That's why you let this happen?

It's not like there'd be any harm in checking on you. You were his responsibility, after all. You were his human! He'd be quick about it, he reasoned. One quick trip to make sure no one was bothering you and he'd be back before Lucifer even noticed he was missing.

By the time he finished that thought, Mammon was already half way down the hall.

___

You jumped when you heard rapping at your door. It wasn't like anyone in this house to knock.

"Human, it's me," Mammon hissed.

You cracked your bedroom door, poking your head out to briefly scan the hallway for interlopers.

"Mamms, what are you doing here?" You asked in a harsh whisper and yanked him by the hand into your room, "Hurry before someone sees you!"

Mammon stumbled. Normally, he might have snapped at you for acting like you could push him around, but it was difficult to form words when he felt like he had been plunged headfirst into a pool of your scent. He had secretly always liked your smell, soft and sweet and indescribably you. It had taken on a headier shade, one that sank into his brain like an incense. There was something else, too. His stomach churned- Lucifer had been here, recently.

Of course he had. So, why did that piss him off?

"Mammon, you alright?" You called to him, louder this time. You looked so fragile, he thought, arms wrapped around yourself protectively. Surrounded by demons itching to take you apart piece by piece, right down to your pretty little soul, and you were asking if he was okay?

No, he wasn't okay. He waved you off dismissively, anyway. Mammon stalked off over to your bed to create some distance. He took a seat at the edge and began to pick at a loose thread on your comforter.

"I should be asking you that," He mumbled, face heating up. You began to close the gap between you two, arms still folded over your chest. The closer you stood, the quicker his resolve for an altruistic alibi crumbled, until you were right in front of him, cupping his face in your hands in that way that shot electric currents down his spine and out through his toes. The same way you did back when you kissed him for the first time, setting him on this confusing track in the first place.

"It's just me, Mamms," You soothed, brushing your thumb over his cheek. He wrapped his arms around your waist and buried his face in the swell of your stomach. The second-born grumbled something unintelligible and hoped you understood anyway.

A part of him foolishly hoped that visiting you would be enough to quell the terrible magnetic pull you had on him. Now, face pressed into the warm softness of your body, Mammon could admit he'd maybe let his greed lead him astray, again.

His head felt cloudy. He nuzzled into your belly, nose pushing up the bottom of your shirt, and stared up at you with honey-blue eyes. You were so pretty, he thought, his pretty little human who waited so patiently for her man to come find her in her time of need.

He wasn't thinking straight, letting his hands drift up and down your sides. It felt natural to hold you like this, to leave trails of goosebumps along your skin. A sensitive spot under your ribs drew a small whine from your throat and Mammon exhaled sharply. Don’t you know what noises like that do to him?

He tugged and you fell into his lap with a yelp. He was on you in an instant, nipping along your neck, hands up your shirt, nails scratching lightly down your back. Mammon rocked his hips against you, wanting you to feel just how hard you made him.

You sighed his name at the friction. The Avatar of Greed deigned not to answer, choosing to recline back against the headboard with you on top of him.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea-” You weren’t given a chance to finish your concern.

He pulled at your shirt roughly, taking your bra off with it. He hooked his fingers into the elastic waistband of your sleep shorts and pulled them halfway down your thighs, pausing briefly to admire the wet patch spreading on your panties. Were you already so worked up for him?

Mammon grabbed your hand, guiding it to the erection tenting in his pants. He moaned sweetly for you when your fingers grazed him. Please don’t stop now. You mercifully did not stop, instead deftly working to undo his fly and maneuver his bottoms off his hips. His heavy cock fell against his stomach, twitching and aching for attention.

"C'mere, c'mere," He ushered you forward, gently guiding you, adjusting until you hovered over his face. He felt like he was losing his mind having you so close and couldn't resist placing a kiss on your pussy over your panties, groaning into the damp fabric.

You gasped, reaching for the headboard to steady yourself. Mammon crooked a finger into your underwear, pulling them to the side for better access. When you felt his hot breath ghost over your skin, you were already dripping. When he brought his lips to yours, you could have cried. He eased your weight onto him, drunk on your taste.

"F-fuck, Mammon," You mewled. The hold he had on you rendered you powerless to do much more than roll your hips against his mouth. Each pass of his tongue through your folds teased something animalistic in him that at the best of times he'd be hopeless to describe. But he knew he needed you, and even this was beginning to not feel like enough. Determined to send you over the edge, the demon sucked on your clit and savored how you cried for him.

That animalistic something in Mammon snapped like a rubberband. He couldn't wait anymore. Your body was begging to be bred and he was going to be the one to take care of you. You were putty in his hands when he moved to lay your back flat against the mattress. Wanting nothing between you, he quickly shrugged off his shirt, then fell forward to meet you in a needy kiss.

A brief moment of lucidity flickered behind Mammon's eyes when you parted. Fuck, he loved you. He couldn't always say it, but he wanted everyone to know it.

So, what could be more undeniable, he wondered, rubbing his cock against you, gathering the slick of your cunt, than making you swell with his child? A low growl rumbled in his chest when he pushed into you. You clung to him and he felt his heart burst.

" 'll fuck you as many times as it takes," He slurred in your ear, "Fill you up again and again until…" Each word of his muddled thoughts was emphasized by a sharp snap of his hips against yours. He didn't understand why you had opted to choose him as your mate now, like this, but he was deliriously happy to give you what you wanted. As long as you kept looking at him like this, holding him like this, loving him like this, he'd give you anything.

You writhed beneath him, one hand buried in his snowy hair, the other stroking his back, toying with his wings that fluttered with a mind of their own. This was the first time you had gone this far with him, but you could tell by how he pulsed and throbbed inside of you that he wasn't going to last.

"So good for me, treasure, you feel so good," Once he started babbling, Mammon found that he couldn't stop. His voice was low and intense in your ear, "Gonna' cum- feel so fucking good. Fuck, baby, please, I'm gonna cum, please, please-"

Your velvety walls fluttered around him, causing his breath to hitch. He kissed you again urgently, tongue sliding against yours as he painted your insides white. He ground his hips against you, pushing his seed in deeper in the hopes it would stick. Mammon slowed, then parted from your kiss, a lewd string of saliva connecting you.

The door clicked open.

___

"Your shibari needs work."

Lucifer refused to look at you, tying off the ropes binding Mammon to the ceiling.

"If you touch these ropes, you'll be who I practice on next," The first-born seethed.

"Look on the bright side," You shrugged, "Only 5 more days to go."

"LEAVE."

#obey me smut #obey me fanfic #obey me x reader #mammon x reader #x reader

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goldenamaranthe-blog · 8 months ago

Note

We need Emily's reaction to Chaggie having a baby (if you havent done that already please?)

Hi, @maricantstandyou!

I have not done Emily reacting to Chaggie having a baby! This is about to get adorable!

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Emily: (enters the hotel) Hello! Charlie? Vaggie?

Charlie: (sitting pregnantly on the couch in the foyer with a tub of ice-cream in her lap, can of whipped cream to her left, jar of pickle juice to her right, and a stomach churning array of "topings" on the coffee table in front of her) HI, EMILY!!!

Emily: Good Lord! Charlie, what's going on?! Your belly is- well.... round.

Angel: That's because she's got a baby in there, toots.

Emily: YOU ATE A BABY?!?!?!

Vaggie: No! (glares at Angel) No, Emily, Charlie's pregnant.

Emily: Pregnant? .... (gets closer to the couch and peers over the arm to look at Charlie's swollen belly) I've.... never seen a pregnant woman before....

Charlie: (stuffing a pickle juice dipped spoon full of ice cream into her mouth) They don't have pregnancies in Heaven?

Emily: (shakes head as she continues to watch Charlie's belly) Heaven born I suppose, but I've never seen them.

Baby: (gives a little flutter in delight at the pickle ice-cream concoction)

Emily: (gasps and jumps adorably) Your belly moved!!!

Vaggie: They either want to say "Hi" or really like whatever Charlie just ate.

Emily: ooooooooOOoOoooh! (scoots closer and waves her fingers) Hi, baby.

Charlie: (giggles) Here, gimme your hand.

Emily: (gives Charlie her hand hesitantly)

Charlie: (places the hand on her belly)

Baby: (gently kicks and brushes at the area under the hand)

Emily: (immediately starts crying and sniffling) This.... is so.... beautiful..... (hugs Charlie briefly and kisses her hair platonically before throwing her arms around Vaggie) CONGRATULATIONS, YOU TWO!!!!

Vaggie: ACK!!! Thanks.... Emily.... Can't.... breathe....

Charlie: (starts growling as her demon traits grow)

Emily: (still holding Vaggie)

Charlie: *Grrrrrrrrrrr*

Emily: (still holding Vaggie and sighs) You're very warm.

Charlie: (snarling and growling viciously as she eats the empty ice cream container)

Vaggie: Emily..... (tries to peel herself away) Charlie's been really craving those Angel Food Cakes from Heaven lately. Could you maybe go get one quick?

Emily: *gasp* Really?! I can help with the pregnancy?!

Vaggie: Absolutely.

Emily: *SQUEEEEEE* I'll be right back!!! (disappears in a beam of light)

Charlie: (still growling as her tail wraps around Vaggie's waist and pulls her onto her very, very small and dwindling lap) Mine.....

Vaggie: (petting Charlie's hair) I know, hun. I know. (kisses Charlie's temple) Mine.

Emily: (reappears with nearly 50 cakes in tow) HERE YOU GO, CHARLIE!!!!

Charlie: (demon traits disappear and she stares at the mountain of cake with sparkling eyes) EMILY, I LOVE YOU RIGHT NOW!!!

#thank you maricantstandyou #pregnant charlie #chaggie #charlie #vaggie #emily #big sister emily #little sister emily #puppy love au #apple seed au #hazbin hotel #crossover

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fickleminder · 3 months ago

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first time for everything

DWBD AU. A series of firsts during Kirana's time in the Devildom.

It's been a while since I wrote about my F!OC in this AU. Masterlist here.

The first time Lucifer called Kirana into his office, it was to lecture her on her poor grades.

"But I've never even heard about any of this before—"

"That's no excuse. You are an ambassador of the human realm, a representative of the exchange program, and you will perform or else." Lucifer glared at her threateningly.

Kirana snapped her mouth shut and nodded meekly. She kept her head down until the demon finally dismissed her, and scurried away without another word.

The first time Mammon rummaged through Kirana's room, he stole her monthly allowance from under her bed.

Mammon didn't seem to understand the meaning of a locked door, so Kirana figured it was only a matter of time before her belongings fell victim to his greed. Reporting the issue to Lucifer only earned her Mammon's ire, and she knew her room was no longer safe.

Good thing she just opened a bank account to dump all her cash in. She owed Dracius a coffee the next time they worked the same shift at the royal library.

The first time Leviathan interacted with Kirana was to leave a comment on her Devilgram account.

The post was harmless enough, featuring a screenshot of her spirit collection in Mononoke Land. An event had just concluded, and Kirana was proud of her final haul despite not finishing the quests. She had grades to keep up, after all.

Seeing a notification on her D.D.D. about a new Devilgram comment, she opened the app and her face fell as she read it.

L3V1: LOL why bother playing if you're not gonna hit 100% completion? Get lost, normie!

The first time Satan cooked for Kirana, he almost set her tongue on fire.

"Sorry, I must have misheard you. I thought you liked spicy foods." Satan's smirk was anything but apologetic, and Kirana immediately knew he had done this on purpose. There wasn't a single dish on the table that wasn't loaded with spices.

No amount of water quelled the burning in her mouth; in fact, it only made the sensation worse. Kirana quickly excused herself and ran out of the dining room, leaving behind a napkin dotted with splotches of red.

The first time Beelzebub gave Kirana feedback on her cooking, it wasn't constructive in the slightest.

"It's not enough," Beel repeated for what seemed like the fifth time now. Kirana wasn't even surprised anymore; she only sighed and returned to the kitchen to prepare another round of food.

None of the other brothers bothered to lift a finger to help her, and by the time Beel was finally (finally!) sated, the only things left were her empty plate and a table full of dirty dishes.

The first time Belphegor cursed Kirana with nightmares, she knew she was never going to cook for him or his brothers again.

Belphie's smirk fell when Kirana came back lugging not baskets of fresh groceries, but a pile of takeout boxes. "What's all this?"

"Dinner." She gave him a firm look, a stark contrast from her usual downcast gaze. "That's what you wanted, right?"

She would need to pick up more shifts to avoid going completely broke, but it was worth not having to cook for those ungrateful, entitled brothers anymore.

The first time Asmodeus called Kirana by her name, it wasn't actually Asmo at all.

Kirana smiled sadly and stepped out of Asmo's warm hug, leaving him inside the magic circle. It was nice while it lasted. "These are the fakes, Lord Diavolo."

Things happened quickly after that. The clones were banished, the real brothers were released from their own magic circles, and Barbatos asked how she knew.

"They called me Kirana." She shrugged and turned away from seven guilty faces. "If we're done here, I have somewhere else to be. Please excuse me."

The first time Rache danced with Kirana was in the kitchen of Purgatory Hall.

The song blaring from the speakers of Rache's D.D.D. was in a foreign language, but it definitely wasn't demonic. Rache laughed at the look of surprise on Kirana's face. "I just discovered this the other day! How come you never told me humans had such interesting music?"

Before Kirana could even reply, the demoness started dancing to the beat, no doubt having memorized the choreography already.

"Come on, dance with me!" Rache held out her hand.

The dirty dishes in the sink were left forgotten as Kirana did her best to imitate Rache's moves, giggling when they both almost slipped on the tiles. She didn't know how Rache found out about K-pop, but in that moment it was the best damn thing ever invented.

The first time Igfuur successfully cursed an object, it was a gift for Kirana.

Igfuur never really liked curses. It was no fun to be afflicted with one, and they took too much effort to cast since they required a lot of intent to make their victims suffer. Personally, Igfuur would rather just leave justice up to karma.

But this time it was personal. Igfuur had but one goal: to make his sick friend feel better and leave her with something that could not be easily stolen. Kirana was not fooling any of them with the so-called 'ghost' in her room.

Several gloves later, the stuffed flame salamander was good to go. Kirana would be able to hold it with no issue, but the toy would burn anyone else who touched it.

Take that, Lord Mam— uh, 'ghost'!

The first time Vorgo cooked human world food was when Kirana was feeling homesick.

"I hope you don't mind, but I had to substitute a few ingredients," Vorgo explained apologetically, setting the steaming bowl of soup on the table. "The markets here don't really stock much from the human world."

"That's fine. Thank you for the meal."

"No, thank you for being my reliable taste tester!" The demon winked at her as she tried a spoonful. "So what do you think?"

"...Tastes just like chicken." Kirana's eyes were slightly watery, but there was no mistaking the warmth of gratitude in her eyes.

"That's great to hear! I actually had to use—" Vorgo cut themself off abruptly, thinking better of it. "Never mind, let's not spoil the moment. I hope you're hungry, because this is just the appetizer!"

The first time Talon carried Kirana was after a long day at RAD.

"Get on."

Kirana paused when Talon knelt down in front of her and faced away. "Uhh, what are you doing?"

"Giving you a lift, obviously. You're practically dead on your feet."

The offer was tempting, but... "You don't have to do that! I can manage—"

Talon rolled her eyes and smiled. "I get a workout, and you get a free ride. It's a win-win situation, so what's the problem?"

Well, when she put it that way. "Are you calling me heavy?" Kirana teased as she climbed on, sighing in relief as weight was lifted off of her aching feet.

"You're never too heavy for me, doll." The demoness stood up with ease. "Now just relax and let me do all the work, okay?"

The first time Belyth asked Kirana for help, it was for a school project.

"The course material is outdated. I ought to file a complaint." Belyth grumbled, taking her seat next to Kirana. "Good thing we're in the same class again. You're the only one I trust to provide accurate information."

"Just because I'm human doesn't mean I'm an expert on human culture. There's a lot of diversity among us, you know." Kirana pointed out. "In fact, I'd say Solomon knows way more than I do, especially given how long he's been around."

"If I want his help, I'll ask for it." That was a blatant lie and they both knew it. "It's not everyday our roles are reversed so don't get used to this."

"Whatever you say. Okay, so feet binding was a thing in ancient China..."

The first time Erkid gave Kirana flowers was when she was hospitalized.

Sprawling with white, pink and yellow lilies, the bouquet was so haphazardly arranged that Kirana suspected Erkid had put it together himself. Nevertheless, it was a sweet gesture and she thanked him as he stuffed it into an empty vase next to her bed.

"I hope you get better soon! And don't worry, we'll make sure those bullies don't get away with hurting you!" He promised. "Also I didn't find out until today but did you know different flowers came with different meanings? You can even make a bouquet that says 'fuck you'!"

The demon was rambling again. It was an endearing habit, but Kirana knew Erkid was worried and needed a distraction. "Tell me more," she said, leaning back and making herself comfortable.

The first time Dracius kissed Kirana, it was after making a pact with her.

"Are you sure about this?" Kirana looked absolutely bewildered. "I don’t want to give up my soul or anything, and I don't think you should be signing away your life like that."

"You make it sound as though I won’t have any free will left." Dracius cracked a small smile. "Besides, I trust you."

"But..."

"And I don't expect anything in return," he added quietly. "I may not be as strong as Talon, or as smart as Belyth, but I promise to have your back no matter what."

One look into Dracius' eyes and Kirana knew he meant every word. It made her wonder if he still harbored guilt over not being able to protect her all those weeks ago, but it seemed like he really wanted this. "Okay, I trust you too."

Dracius took her hand and swore an oath. Something warm branded itself onto Kirana's right arm, and she knew the pact had been forged.

Before she could promise him never to abuse his power, the demon lifted her hand and pressed his lips against her knuckles in a reverent kiss. Kirana froze at the implication, but Dracius only smiled before releasing her.

(Somewhere around the corner, hidden just out of sight, Satan gritted his teeth and scowled. A bouquet of red lilies dropped to the ground as he stomped away silently.)

#writing #obey me #obey me fanfic #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me oc #dwbd au

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matenrou-fan · 2 years ago

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Barbatos going down to his fem! darling

Femreader, teasing, begging, fingering, domBarbatos;;

NSFW UNDER THE CUT

-Surprisingly good at this, and always ready to go down to you, his darling.

-Always so slow in the beginning, kissing your thighs and gently caressing your hips with his soft hands, warming your body up.

-Your taste is so addicting and sweet for him, so he starts with long and sensitive licks, enjoying your little whimpers, as he slowly becomes more hungry and greedy.

-It looks like the more he is savoring you, the more he needs. So be ready for a few rounds before he will be satisfied.

-As much as Barbatos can be so caring and gentle, he also really likes to tease you during this little foreplay, suddenly slowing down when he can see that you're almost on edge. Or maybe suck your clit more rougher, pushing a sensitive spot with his tongue as you entrain him with surprised gasps and heavy moans.

-So yeah.. begging. This amused dark gaze that he gives you while sitting between your thighs making waves of tingles rushing through your body.. He lick his lips so predatory as he whisper in his usual, calm, but quite mocking tone:

"Now, now, darling… I can't hear your beautiful voice properly, so can you repeat what you just said?" - he will NOT continue until you ask him nicely.

-Even if you're a bratty type, Barbatos doesn't mind giving you a good lesson, as his fingertips slowly caressing your folds, touches so light but at the same time so close to your clit.. You can't last more than few minutes in this pleasuring torture, crying and begging for more friction, you ready to do anything..!

-That's where he finally pressed his lips to your trembling pussy again, probably immediately at a fast pace. You moan in a high pitched voice, finally feeling satisfied as you spread your legs wider, but Barbatos grabs them, pulls out of your cunt as suddenly as he pressed before.

"I think I should repeat my little punishment for you several times, so you will definitely remember, darling.." - such was his only reply to your disappointed groans. He chuckled, seeing your blushing face with furrowed brows and little tears of shame, as you whisper quietly, asking for more. He was enjoying this situation quite much..

-When you point this out he will just shrug his shoulders. What are you talking about? After all, his role in life is to be just a servant, and he's here to always serve you, leading in the world of satisfaction.. You just need to be more obedient, darling.

-Also, he just can't help himself, as he absolutely loves to see you so desperately in need, moaning loudly and whining. You throw your head back, lost in pleasure, eyes so cloudy as you can't see anything, only feel like all your nerves are concentrated in your core. The way your spine arches back, the way you weakly grasp sheets in his bed with your trembling arms..He can admire this beautiful view in front of him for hours.

-He doesn't mind doing it in some risky place, maybe in his office in Demon Lord's Castle..

-You sit in his chair, holding the table edge in tight grasp and looking directly at the door, afraid that at any moment Diavolo will come in, searching for his servant.. When his servant, in fact, was sitting under the table, face pressed to your wetness so close as he kept licking and sucking your sensitive spots, even faster and rougher than usual. You let a trembling whimper, feeling as slender and long finger enter inside you, immediately pushing your g spot.

-It's so hard to control your voice, slight taste of metal on your lips as you bite them too much.. You whine, whispering to him to stop being such a tease, but all you get back is another finger in your cunt, as Barbatos keeps sucking your clit and plays with your tight walls.

"What cute little sounds you can make.. Although they will lead you to nothing, as I will not stop.. I actually just want to hear more now.."

-After all, you didn't know that Diavolo was not even in the castle right now and that Barbatos actually locked the door so no one would interrupt your fun. He has big plans for you today, so just sit back and enjoy his service, only for you.

#obey me #obey me smut #obey me x reader #obey me x you #om barbatos #obey me barbatos #barbatos x you #barbatos x reader #barbatos smut #obey me barbatos x reader

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chiharuhashibira · 1 year ago

Note

Could I please request reader grinding against Giyu’s thighs please

I crave that please uwu 😩🥹

YES~ I would love to write about Giyu @pinejayy

Ughhhh~ I wanna write this one-shot so baddd and now I have the time so buckle up your seatbelts...

Here's the Giyu train~

𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽

But of course my babes, before I continue this...

MINORS DNI!

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖

𝐀 𝐆𝐢𝐲𝐮 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐤𝐚 𝐗 𝐅𝐞𝐦!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭

Content Warnings: Matured Themes/NSFW/Curse Words/Aggressive Giyu/Penetration/Round 2

NOTE: AGAIN, Minors. Do. Not. Interact.

(All images are not mine)

As Giyu Tomioka's tsugoku, you need to keep your cool around him. But honestly, the Water Hashira takes your breath away. His fine movements always made you wonder if he'd be great on be—

You stopped yourself before your thoughts drifted away again. You're attracted to the Water Hashira, as he was one of the finest and greatest demon slayers out there. But then, you can't show that easily. Even if your mission with him is done, if he sees you not focused, surely he'll be disappointed.

Giyu is silent, as always, as he settles down in the room, placing his sword gently on the table at the corner of the room. You also did it, assuming that, like you do with other demon slayers, you'd share a room with him. You looked at the Water Hashira in disbelief because he was astounded by your actions. It was the first time that both of you had a mission together, so you never knew if he had some rules or whatnot.

"You're sharing a room with me?" He asked with a surprised tone. You blinked in confusion and looked at him. "I guess? That's what we usually do, Tomioka-san. Unless there's a special rule that comes if your mission is with a Hashira?" You said firmly.

He just shrugged his shoulders, and that made you annoyed. He was the one who asked you to be his tsugoku, as you were trying to be Lord Tengen's. Yes, you wanted to learn Sound Breathing at first but this enigmatic man convinced you to learn Water Breathing instead.

He was nicer before, asking you how have you been but now, Giyu treats you coldly—colder than how he treats Shinobu—and that bothered you.

That's it... I'm so done with this.

"Do you hate me?" You asked, making him shoot a surprised glance at you. If looks can kill, you're definitely dead right now.

"I can't fathom why these thoughts bother you at all." He finally spoke up, crossing his arms and facing you completely.

"If I were Lord Tengen's tsugoku, he wouldn't just shrug me off. Surely he would make me feel like I'm one of the greatest tsugokus out there."

It was too late when you realised that what you said was too much. You gulped as the Water Hashira's eyebrow creased in frustration. He walked towards you, taking you aback. "T–Tomioka-san, sorry, I didn't—"

Your words were cut off as he suddenly wrapped his hand around your neck, tightening it but not too much to kill you. That made your eyes widen, and tears formed at the corners of your eyes. You tried to push him away but he caught your hand, squeezing it tight.

"What attention do you want to receive? This?"

You felt like you were drowning in the sound of your heartbeats as Giyu's lips smashed against yours, aggressively kissing you as he pinned you on the wall. All your strength slowly ebbed out of your body as he held your hands above your head and his kisses became sloppier.

Tomioka pulled out, looking at you with lust in his eyes. You gulped as your body betrayed you. You love what Tomioka does to you right now.

"I bet the Sound Hashira won't be able to make you feel this special with his three wives around him."

"Tomioka-san—"

"You'll never know how I kept my calm with you, Y/N. But fuck! You're trying my patience!"

That was the first time you saw Giyu unleash his frustrations, and it shocked you. But the Water Hashira took this as an opportunity to carry you down the futon, making you straddle his thighs. You tried to protest, but the man slammed his lips against yours once again, squeezing your ass over your skirt.

The adrenaline surged through your body, causing you to moan as you began to kiss him back. You slowly felt him get hard as you slowly grinded on his clothed thighs. Giyu pulled your hair back and started kissing your neck, using his other hand to unbutton your uniform.

"Do you want this?" He said it through his kisses. You knew that his biting and sucking on your neck would leave a mark on your skin, but you didn't care. "Y-Yes... Tomioka-san... I want this!"

He stopped kissing you for a moment, and for the first time in your life, you saw a smile on his lips. But that immediately faded as he pulled you closer once again, moaning in your mouth as you grinded your hips against his thighs.

With your underwear wet with your passion, you slowly wrapped your arms around Giyu's head as he buried his face between your exposed breasts, licking and sucking on the sensitive nipples.

"G-Giyu..." His first name rolled smoothly off your tongue, which made him chuckle. "Calling me... *kiss* by... mmm *sucks on your left nipples and gropes your right breast* my first name... now huh?" He said, biting your nipple a bit—enough to make you moan louder than earlier and squirm on his thighs.

He slowly worked his way through your underwear, pulling them down so you could feel him more. You moaned as your wet pussy finally grinded on his clothed thighs. It's so good, but you bet that his skin would feel better.

You aggressively rubbed your wet pussy against his thighs, moaning between his kisses and chuckles. And with a blink of an eye, you felt the familiar churn in your stomach, and you finally almost screamed, "F-Fuck! I'm cumming," when Giyu covered your mouth and gave you a smile as you grinded on his thighs faster.

"Cum for me, Y/N... You're so good." He gave you a sly smile, looking at your eyes with oozing lust in them. "You've always been a good girl, Y/N. Great at fights, great as my tsugoku, and of course, perfect to be fucked on my bed. You've always made me proud, baby."

The man gave you compliments that sounded so seductive that you never expected to hear them from him. That aroused you more, and you finally bit your lip, held tight to his shoulder, and locked eyes with the Water Hashira.

"Ahhhhh~" You finally said, as your pussy throbbed in pleasure as you rubbed it against his thighs. When the waves calmed down in you, Tomioka placed you beside him, looking at you with such intense eyes.

"You've come already. How about me?" He said it so casually that it made you blush. Tomioka's head was resting on his hand as he looked at you with building lusts in his eyes. You looked back at him once again and saw how wonderful he was against the rays of the moonlight.

You were so drowning in passion that you kissed his hand, which was reaching out to touch your cheeks. Tomioka suddenly went over you, slowly undressing you as he showered your body in kisses.

"I'm not *kiss* as showy as Uzui-san *sucks on your neck* but if *massages your titties* you have told me *kisses your lips* that it bothers— haaaah~"

As you slid your hand inside his pants and felt his hardened cock between your palms, he was caught off guard. "Fuck... just like that..." He said as he pulled his pants down and lifted your skirt. You felt his hot cock against your stomach as he removed your shirt and tossed it aside.

He stopped kissing you for a moment and looked into your eyes once more.

"If you only told me that it bothers you, I would've shown you how special you are to me."

"Tomioka-san..."

"And you wouldn't even think that Uzui-san would treat you better. Because I know I can treat you the best, as my tsugoku and as my girl." He said with his voice sounding so confident.

"I didn't mean to say that..." You blushed, ashamed of what you had said earlier. You know how nice Giyu is, but it's just that you're not happy with his coldness.

"Do you really want this?"

He asked politely, caressing your cheek as he rubbed the tip of his cock on your clit. You can't help but squirm with the stimulation. The Water Hashira's next question definitely triggered your fuck-me mode once more.

"Would you like to cum with me, Y/N?"

"Y-yes please. Fuck me hard, Giyu. I'm fucking thirsty for you~."

The Water Hashira spread your legs and finally entered you. A moan of pleasure escaped both of your mouths in unison as Giyu buried his face in the crook of your neck as he felt how tight you were.

You held tightly on his shoulders as he buried himself deeper, making you almost scream in pain and pleasure.

"Fuck, Y/N. Is this your first time?" He asked in a whisper as he soothed you with a kiss on the lips. "Yes..." you said, making him chuckle. "I want to tell you that I'll be gentle, but you pissed me off earlier. But I'll definitely make this feel good, love."

The nickname he gave you made you bite your lip, and as you did so, Giyu finally managed to enter you completely, filling your pussy with his hot and warm cock.

He slid in and out of you, making your breasts move up and down with his motion. Giyu savoured this as he licked your sensitive nipples, moaning loudly as he did so, causing you to nearly cum once more.

But whenever you feel your peak, Giyu will slow down and kiss your lips, both of your tongues fighting for dominance, which leaves you a happy loser as he wins over and over.

Giyu's hands wandered over your body, touching every crevice that he never imagined reaching. "You're mine." He said this as he fucked you so hard that you were on the verge of passing out in pleasure. The first time he did it, when he heard the most erotic sound coming from your lips, he repeatedly hit the sweet spot in you.

As quiet as he is in fights, Giyu's definitely a moaner in bed. With his sexy groans and raspy voice coming to your senses, you can't help but feel like you don't want this to end.

"Mmmm~ Giyu almost there!"

With this, the Water Hashira felt the warmth building up on his stomach as well. The dam will break soon, and you're happy to be flooded by it. "Me too, love..."

He said as his thrusts became quicker and deeper, making you moan harder in pleasure. As he fucked you harder, Giyu lifted your legs and placed them on his clothed shoulders. He held on to your waist and kissed your lips so passionately.

"Ahhhh!" You shouted in unison, as both of you hadn't been able to stop yourselves from doing so because of too much pleasure. His cum filled your pussy and you definitely loved it.

Giyu passed out over you, feeling his strength ooze out of his body. You embraced him and buried your face on his shoulders.

"Sorry for what I said earlier... I'm just frustrated because... I like you." You said you were still feeling guilty about what you did. "I'm sorry too for not showing you how much I appreciate you. I really like you too, Y/N." He whispered back, making your heart jump inside your chest.

Giyu finally looked into your eyes, giving you a smile. "But at least now I know how I will show you how proud I am of you."

You blushed at his words; you clearly know what he's implying.

The night ended with you kissing and fucking over and over again. At least you also know now how the Water Hashira performs on bed. You love it, and you definitely look forward to it again.

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

𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒆𝒙𝒚?

As a Giyu's girl, I crave this too soooo thanks again for requesting @pinejayy☺️

I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did. YES I DID ENJOY WRITING GIYU SMUT HAHAHA My gosh, the man's so hot. I can't contain it anymore XD

And I am definitely lucky to find those pics on Google, so shout out to the owner XD It boosted my imagination! HAHAH!

Anyways, that's it for now. 💓 Feel free to request anything ^^ Also, check out my chaptered fic, 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮 - 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢 𝐗 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 (𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐀𝐔) as more surprises will come soon~

NOTE: AGAIN, Minors. Do. Not. Interact.

Ja ne~

~𝓒𝓱𝓲𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓾-𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷🌸

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iameliseposts · 2 years ago

Note

Headcanons of dating Diavolo, Barbatos, Solomon, Simeon, Mephistopheles, and Raphael?

Dating Headcanons - Diavolo, Barbatos, Simeon, Solomon, Mephistopheles, Raphael

The first post since I was back! Thank you for waiting anon. I hope the hcs are worth the wait! I hope you enjoy!

Diavolo:

Each day is living the rich dream

Diavolo will definitely ask you to live with him in Demon Lord Castle

Spoiled day in and day out by your loving boyfriend

Mention something you wanted and it appears on your bed within the hour

If you decide to spend time in the student council room, he’ll definitely appreciate your company

He appreciates you so much and wants to spend as much time with you as his position allows

Diavolo’s act of affection is definitely quality time

You’ll both spend your time chatting away as the sound of Diavolo’s pen harmonizes in the background

Barbatos:

Pampered by your beloved

You’re hungry? Barbatos has made lunch

You’re tired? Barbatos has prepared your bed

You want company? Barbatos will provide you with all the love you want

His presence is like a ray of sunlight that makes you feel warm and protected

Barbatos’ act of affection are acts of service

Even though he is Diavolo’s butler, he stills helps you with any and everything

You both love to have little tea party dates

And of course Barbatos knows your favourite tea flavours!

Simeon:

Loved by the purest of loves

Simeon has never been in love before you, especially not after the Celestial War incident

So he’s a little new with relationships, but his devotion is true

Invites you over to Purgatory Hall on the regular because you brighten up his days

Simeon’s act of affection are words of affirmation

He has no shame to tell you now much he adores you and how he was lucky to have met you

He wears a little smile after he rambles about his love for you and look at that, your heart is doing loops!

Solomon:

The thrill remains to matter the years

Dating Solomon is the most exhilarating relationship you’d had

Whether it be testing new potions, traveling across realms or dealing with the Sorcerer’s Association, there’s always something fun!

You wish to know something? No problem! Solomon is known as Solomon the Wise after all

Solomon’s act of affection is giving and receiving gifts

He’s been everywhere since he’s lived for so long

You want something strange or exotic? Solomon knows where to get it and will buy it for you, even if you didn’t ask

And if you decided to give him something, why, it would make him happier than anything in all the 3 realms!

Mephistopheles:

Devoted and true

He lets you call him any abbreviation of his name

It’s obvious you’re his favourite just by the way he talks to you

He’s a lot gentler when talking to you; the last thing he wants is to say something harsh and make you upset

Mephistopheles’ act of affection is giving and receiving gifts

He’ll buy you the finest clothes, jewelry and chocolate money can buy

If you refuse because of the price, then he’ll try making something for you

It’s a new concept for him, making things from scratch, but for you he’ll do it

Though, he might need your help and pricking his finger with the needle 20 times

Raphael:

His face might be stoic, but his heart isn’t

You’ve been in the Devildom for far longer than him, so you showed him the ropes

There’s one easy way to avoid being attacked by Raphael’s spears of light and that’s hiding behind you

After all, a spear wouldn’t even go near you on his watch

Raphael’s act of affection is quality time

Raphael is interested in any hobbies you have and would love to join you

Study dates are common as he likes the company while studying hard

Sitting at a small round table together, asking each other study questions while holding hands

690 notes · View notes

yiga-hellhole · 3 months ago

Text

TFTK 23&24

His forces gathered, Zant plots his next move. The Triforce of Power is within reach now, and he will need little more than a Blade to retrieve it.

hiiii everyone. since i've added the prologue (which will be getting its own promo image.. eventually...) the chapter counts are a bit out of wack so this update is both. the update has been up on ao3 for a bit but artfight season made me a little slow on the visual art side! but no longer! SOOO excited to bring you all this update!

once again thank you to the lovely @bulgariansumo and @orfeolookback for betareading!!!

CW this chapter for body horror, graphic violence, mutilation

ao3 mirror

As the days at the Bulblin settlement went on, so did their army grow. Those who stayed at the encampment as visitors spread the word home, and as perilous as it was to spread the information of the deceptively alive lieutenants, Zant had permitted it gladly. After all, Hyrule was much too busy celebrating victory to pay any mind to those fractured tribes, now without a cause to unite under. Oh, what little did they know!

Very much united under a cause, Zant had gathered commanders from their haphazard bands in the new Chief’s tent – Earl Eydra, second daughter of the late Hallra, also accompanied by Lord Banayu, spokesman of the Bokoblin tribes. His very own Ghirahim, of course, stood right beside him, etching away at a map that Zant gingerly brushed his fingertips along.

The Valley of Seers. Zant had never seen it, but Ghirahim had twice over. Being meticulous as ever, he had of course committed every second of footage to memory, and translated every measurement and possible point of interest onto paper.

Negotiations followed as usual. Instead of being a silent bystander who offered his knowledge only when an interruption was permitted, Zant took an active role. He stood at the front of the map, all his pegs and baubles at his disposal, and commandeered it as though his movements would shift the fabric of reality itself. Intel was exchanged for commands ‘round the strategy table. One bokoblin stood by the side of one particularly dull-looking, flat-faced hound man, relaying information through a different tongue in hushed whispers. The dimwitted lug nodded hard, his floppy ears wiggling with the effort. Ghirahim wondered if brute strength among dolts like those would be enough to win them this battle.

But he supposed that’s what he and Zant were for.

Ghirahim quickly returned to sketching his map. Zant was catching up to him, his brow increasingly furrowed by what he saw. “Is it not possible that, at this point, Sorceress Lana is instead taking residence in the Temple of Souls?” asked Zant, seeming perturbed by the inhospitable sights of the Valley.

“We find it unlikely, Sire,” hissed a Hyrulean soldier from across the tent, bearing a voice far slimier than a human would suggest.

This out-of-place figure soon turned out to be perfectly where he should be. He grimaced, his hands tightening in claws. The metal on his gauntlets melted to black, then to skin, then to dark brown fur over clawed, spindly paws. Helmet and pauldrons similarly fused to his flesh, until it became his flesh itself. The plumed feather on his helmet ripped into two, twitching to each side of his head to form ears. Finally, his cloak unfurled into a pair of ink-black bat wings, quivering and flapping with relief of freedom. Now revealed, the Ache perched its hands on the edge of the table and leered at his General with great anticipation.

Only to have the gloved hand of his Lieutenant smashed indignantly in his face.

“You will not speak unless permitted,” snarled Ghirahim, baring his teeth at this defiance. “Now you may continue.”

The lesser demon whined, rubbing its wrinkled snout. It gulped down any other sniffles and spoke. “Egh… Th-... The Temple is currently being used as a jail. Lieutenants Yuga and Wizzro are held prisoner there, awaiting prosecution, Sire.”

Zant perked up almost pleasantly. “Is that so? I expected them to have been executed by now. Well, that saves me some time and effort.”

Before Ghirahim could frown too hard at his statement, Zant disturbed him even further. “Perhaps Hyrule noticed that right now, for Yuga, being alive is enough of a punishment. But that will have to wait until later. Tell me of our battlefield.”

The team of scouts relayed their findings. Having eyes in the skies once again worked thoroughly in their favor; the whole of the Valley had been surveyed in practically no time at all. On a dark, cloudy night, the hides of their demon forces would be noticed by none. And to their luck, as Zant expected, their target was scarcely guarded. A handful of outposts, at most, with hardly five hundred men huddled about in total. A disaster to encounter in formation, but pathetic when spread thin across the entire territory. Even better, with Ganon’s defeat, Hyrule had sent its guests across time home in a teary goodbye. Left in this realm were only the Princess, her Knight, her General, and the Sorceress. In other words, Lana was thoroughly unprepared for any sort of siege.

“How awfully convenient,” said Ghirahim, bringing a hand skeptically to his face. “I’d almost think this is a trap.”

Zant snickered under his breath, arranging pawns wherever the little tippy-taps of batty fingers told him where outposts sat. “On the contrary, Ghirahim. It makes perfect sense. What enemies does Hyrule expect to have left, that they cannot confidently tackle in isolated groups?”

Pawns thwacked decisively in place. “It’s clear to me. Tell me, Lord Eydra, have you heard anything, at all, from our neighbors further out into the sands?”

Eydra shook her head, her horns clacking and bangles jingling. “None at all, Sir. Not a peep from ‘em since ‘ey’ve gone and blown up a couple weeks ago.”

Ah, that whole incident. So he was not suspected of having caused the moon crash in the desert. At least, not by these people. Ghirahim restrained his expression and turned to him. “So they’re leaving the Gerudo alone. That means…”

“The ones who birthed their nemesis? Who conspired against Hyrule’s throne? That ought to have been their first order to persecute. Yet they are not. Most definitely, Hyrule is laying low. Staying out of trouble as it rebuilds, I’ll wager,” Zant smiled, flicking Ghirahim’s finger as he pointed it at the map. “Oh, my blade. Taking the Valley will be a breeze. And the Triforce with it.”

That was when a slight snort caught their attention. Lord Banayu stuck his snout over the table and made himself heard. “Respectfully, Sire. If it will be such a ‘breeze’, as you say… I don’t see why our starting numbers are to be so small,” he asked, tapping a thick-nailed finger at a group of pawns on the map. “We ought to clear them out as quickly as possible.”

“On the contrary. I intend to deceive her.”

Brows raised around the room.

Their collective confusion only served to make Zant grin more. “If we go all out from the start as you suggest, Lord Banayu, the Sorceress will cry to the Palace before we can even reach her dwelling. If we give her the idea she can win on her own… She will spell her own doom, and we will decimate her at the last second.”

As his fellow conspirator stood there, palms upturned in an inviting gesture and his ego swelling to burst, Ghirahim clicked his tongue. “A bit of a cowardly move.”

Earl Eydra, once hesitant, now nodded along to Ghirahim’s words. “Aye. Your old boss never would have bothered with such mind games.”

“And that’s precisely why he is dead and I remain standing,” Zant stated bluntly, unflinchingly, his hands folded behind his back. “Any further questions?”

–

Their march would be a long one, rife with delays and detours. They simply could not risk their procession being spotted by any opposing force; tension in Eldin, in particular, ran wild, with clades once squashed now once again vying for territory. But the Valley was right around the corner. Zant’s forces had set up their camp (the one he was in, at least), just past the hills that separated the rain-shadowed grasslands of the south with the green hills of the north. Beyond the tallest of those hills, the Valley was in sight.

That was where Ghirahim and Zant then stood, overlooking that promised land. It was strange seeing the place free from Cia’s influence. Where the sky was once swirling and ominously crimson, it was no different from the dark blue veil of the horizon now. They would gather no intel just standing there, watching from afar. Zant likely just wanted to brood.

Speak of the devil, there he went, and said, “just between us, Ghirahim.”

Ghirahim perked up, not looking at him just yet. “My. I’m privy to your secrets, now?”

Zant frowned a little. “I’ve none more to keep from you. Either way… We will be the only ones to face Lana tomorrow. I’ve played up our strengths to our men, but they will only be taking care of her fodder. That being said, we cannot underestimate the Sorceress whatsoever.”

“Oh? We’ve taken care of her just fine before,” Ghirahim noted, idly turning a dagger in his hand to check it for nicks.

Shaking his head, Zant looked down the hills. “And yet I believe she’s stronger than she lets on. In fact, I think she might be older than this land itself.”

“Impossible,” Ghirahim frowned, dismissing the dagger with a snap of his fingers. “I’ve never heard of her until I arrived here, and I’ve lived eons before Hyrule came to be.”

Zant stepped up to loom over him, eyes narrowing. “You’re not listening. I meant this land.”

Whenever Zant was being vague like this, he’d usually think he caught onto some mystery or other. Ghirahim saw no point in delaying the inevitable and sighed. “This again… Fine, prattle away.”

At once, the shadow over his eyes faded, replaced by a manic glint. Ghirahim almost spotted a smile when Zant turned away from him. “I was doing some digging before we entered this phase of the assault,” because naturally, he had. “Of course, I wasn't the first to be curious about the nature of this world. I stumbled upon it in the Sorceress’ library – the bizarre ways of timekeeping in this area, the oddities in the landscape; it did not escape the notice of scholars in this time.”

Ghirahim put his hands on his sides, fully prepared to stand there for another hour or two. “And, I take it, they came to a similar conclusion?”

“Indeed. At some point, the different branches of time must have converged, and their landscapes with it. We saw it in Faron Woods, and the Master Sword’s pedestal, deep within,” he said, his gestures leaving light trails behind his hands. Odd runes shaped into approximate images of the locations he named, but could hardly take shape before he clawed them to smoke and turned insistently to Ghirahim. “Which, in and of itself, was a duplicate! An empty husk!”

When he thought on it, he recalled that the Master Sword of this era had been stored in a different temple, right in the middle of Lake Dumoria, southwest of Faron Woods. Yet, a pedestal remained in Faron, the one they saw for themselves. Did the sealing place change? Ghirahim realized any question he asked might leak into another hour, so he simply nodded. “As you say.”

“Think about it, Ghirahim. For Lana – for me, to have command over allies and monsters of the past, all of these worlds must have once existed. Otherwise, we would have to reach across realities, a power befitting only a God. And I, not yet, have recognized such power, neither in her or in myself.”

Suddenly, Zant turned around, giving himself room to pace about frantically. “But for them to merge in the first place… This would explain why the magicks she uses are unknown to us both. They must have been born from divine force, to be uniquely wielded by Cialana, with the Triforce of Power as its conduit. It must have been her to merge these worlds.”

Ghirahim frowned, cocking his head. “... Right. And, you don’t suppose this god-like power could have perished with Cia?”

Turning back to look at the Valley, Zant’s expression lightened by an uncharacteristic degree. “I wholeheartedly admit I haven’t the slightest clue. Let us not risk finding out.”

Bemused by his attitude, Ghirahim sidled up next to him, deciding to give him attitude by bending at the hip and leaned into his field of vision. “And what do you want me to do about it?”

Zant grinned. “I’ve combed a fair share through this magic. It requires vocal commands first and foremost. When we come to face her, silence her,” he said, reaching to cup Ghirahim’s chin in his fingers. He tilted him back upright, guiding their eyes to meet. “Cut her tongue out if you must.”

Ghirahim returned a smile. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Zant seemed content with this exchange, though the thumb stroking across the Sword Spirit’s chin and the eyes latching onto him for a moment made it seem like he’d wished for more. But the open air always made Zant uneasy, and Ghirahim knew this. So when the former did indeed step away, the latter was only mildly disappointed. “If all that is clear to you,” Zant said, “I’m going to do something I should have done a long time ago. When my usurpation comes to fruition, I’ll be far too busy for it.”

The allure of bloodshed putting him in a bit of a mood, Ghirahim turned to him with a croon. “And what might that be?”

With thorough nonchalance, Zant then proceeded to kick off his shoes. Toes wriggling in the grass, he promptly set off almost gleefully, as if mere seconds prior they hadn’t discussed a violent coup.

“You’re a looney,” Ghirahim said, watching him wade through the plains. “You’re sick in the head.”

“And you are functionally immortal,” Zant quipped back. He climbed up on the roots of a gnarled cedar nearby, his hand resting on its bark. “Confident as I am in our victory, I’m grabbing my little shreds of joy where I can get them. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Ears piqued at the sound of some insect, Zant’s eyes scanned the green expanse before him. When spotting what he was looking for, he didn’t so much as prowl for it as he hopped down from his vantage point, shambled towards it, and launched himself into the grass with a slapdash vault.

“As I thought,” he exclaimed, struggling to keep the object of his interest trapped in his cupped hands. “I haven’t seen this species yet!”

It was a miracle he’d even caught the damned thing. How could he think about such frivolous things now? Ghirahim stood and shook his head in sheer disbelief, but felt compelled to follow him either way. Just in case, (and it was likely), Zant’s lack of self-preservation had remained even as his plans were unfolding successfully, and he somehow managed to slip and crack his head on a rock, or some such nonsense. A little nest of grass denting below him, Zant sat in the meadows, the brittle strands of his hair waving along in the wind with the sea of green. He cradled a bottle with the cricket carefully in one hand and consulted his field journal in the other, a smile on his face as he noticed Ghirahim beside him.

So calm he was, the night before a crucial, all-deciding siege. Normally, mortals would pace before a war, even the mightiest of generals anxious in the face of death. Lacking sleep, decreased appetites, heart rates skyrocketing, and pleasantries ‘round the camp dwindling to an all-consuming air of dread. Consuming all but Ghirahim, at least. Battle was his purpose, his joy. Nerves were just about the last thing on his mind.

And now, beside him, there was a man studying wildflowers like it was just another day. Ghirahim found himself jarred by just how much he understood him, then. So, an odd, tickling weight rolling about in his core, he kneeled beside him and watched along.

—

The night of their assault arrived quietly. A deep black sky, with stars shimmering like the facets of an onyx, served as the hiding blanket for hundreds of demons. On foot, the first wave of their army marched to the hills circling the Valley. Without Cia’s influence, the Valley appeared that much more tranquil. Heather grasses and saplings reared their heads timidly above healing soil, not knowing they’d have been better off staying below. In the epicenter of the Valley, hovering above a fog-stained cliff, was the Sorceress’ altar. Like swarms of ants, the alerted soldiers rushed their way to their posts, all eyes aimed at the hills where they would meet their match. Down the dozens of staircases, they ran, clinging themselves to every corner they could think to fortify, and then, lay in wait.

Beside Ghirahim, Zant was calm. He was without helmet, and would remain that way, it seemed. When Lana broke it back in the Gerudo Desert, it must have been gone for good. They had been spotted by a band of Hyrulean scouts much earlier, whose horses kicked up a concealing cloud of dust as they galloped to warn their commander of the impending ambush. But they would not know all – beyond the hills, many more Blins were waiting, and their aerial troops remained undetected.

How eerily this first stretch of the battle resembled Zant’s exact plans.

In this initial quiet, before Zant could raise his hand and release the floodgates on their troops, Ghirahim pondered just how strange a situation he was in. Once again, he was at war, taking commands from a man other than his Master. For Cia, it had been the promise of Demise that had strung him along sufficiently enough to tolerate it. But Zant… By all means, he should hate this man. And he did, in a way, but the anger he felt no longer needed a vengeful release.

They had shared a bed again. Hands wrapped lovingly, yet fiercely around his waist, his wrists, his throat, as if grasping onto his hilt. Ever since Zant had used part of him to behead the late Bulblin Earl, he’d been drunk on the feeling of being wielded. So he didn’t care anymore, how treacherous it felt to have a part of him presently thrumming in Zant’s zealous grip. He sensed death in the eyes of the man who wielded his so-precious shard, and like the starved hunting dog he was, he wanted to chase after it. There was blood to be spilled, power to be taken. As any legendary blade, Ghirahim lusted for his name to be chronicled. In the past, he had scarcely been remembered. This changed today.

Zant marched onward, and onward, and onward. Eyes set on nothing but his goal, he waded his way through the crowd as if it hadn't existed at all. Any soldiers that dared close in on him were repelled instantly by an unseen force, and those that did manage to push past, met their end by the instinctive lash of Ghirahim’s blades. The Demon trailed his false king like a shadow, as thoroughly under his dominion as all of darkness had ever been. His scimitar swung over his shoulder, he hadn’t drawn it even once, depending instead on his Blade to guard him differently. Their passage left a scar on the battlefield, of dead meat and soil. That was how they combed through the Valley, cleaving the crowd as they traversed the scattered islands that would lead them to their prize.

The only thing to shake Zant out of his enduring resolve was the first display of the Sorceress’ magic. A pale blue light appeared ‘round the corner of the Altar’s gates. From it, swinging its pincers fiercely, came a towering Gohma, scuttling its way directly to the pair of commanders.

Zant instantly zipped himself behind his lieutenant. A light, encouraging tap on his shoulder and a whisper, caught Ghirahim’s attention.

“Buy me some time.”

So he did. Ghirahim swerved around to the raging creature’s legs, jabbing his swords into its joints, to little more avail than slowing it down. Out of earshot, Zant had hissed an incantation, and though he hadn’t followed its words, Ghirahim knew the spell had been cast from the eerie chill that traveled to his every extremity. Piercing past the droning arcane hum from earlier, a screech and the flapping of wings prompted Ghirahim to get out of dodge as soon as he could. Once he had joined Zant’s side again, he could see a King Helmaroc, pecking the Gohma to bits.

They intended to slip past this distraction, but Lana wouldn't let them. Cyan lights broke past nearly every corner of the battlefield, massive shadows raining down from pillars of light. More and more monsters poured forth, pulled from corners of the past even Ghirahim could recognize. And though Zant made his best efforts by summoning beasts to their defense, Ghirahim yanked him out of focus before he could rip open his fourth portal. When he pulled back, the glove he’d covered Zant’s mouth with was smeared with blood.

Panting, wiping the thin streams of crimson that poured from his eyes and nostrils, Zant never took his eyes off the altar.

“This… This is incredible, Ghirahim,” he stammered, a mad grin on his face. “I can’t keep up.”

Ghirahim ducked behind him with a grin and ran through the first soldier who dared to approach. “Singing praises of our enemy now?”

Now, Zant drew his scimitar, hacking it into an ambushing Hyrulean in one clean swing. As Ghirahim faintly shivered with delight, Zant berated him. “Fool! Of course I do! That is the power I covet, that I deserve,” Zant snarled through his teeth, fending off soldiers by the dozen. His speech, his violence, equal in cold execution. “I was unflinchingly loyal to his cause, to him, and yet, Ganon kept everything to himself. Now that I have it all within my grasp… How can I not fawn over it?”

“You can save your fawning for when it’s actually within your hands, you lunatic,” pulled from his basking, Ghirahim bit back, spying trouble as the pair guarded each other's flanks. The monsters Zant couldn't keep up with were catching up. “And, for when we are not under the threat of these beasts! Collect yourself, and go!”

“No… No, not yet,” Zant yelled, flinching when an enemy blade bounced off his wards. “We are to mask ourselves in the chaos of these giants, and when we’ve kicked up enough dust… We will go straight to her.”

As if hearing of this plan, a last-ditch effort exploded from the north. The stone bridge connecting the Altar to the rest of the valley had collapsed.

Zant saw this and hardly batted an eye. Their troops, however, seemed far more alarmed. Bridge after bridge crumbled into the depths, some with their men still traversing, plummeting right along. The setback left their army with fewer and fewer routes to advance. Hyrulean and Blin numbers were almost even now, Ghirahim reckoned from their vantage point. And as their side was funneled back out through the remaining bridges, Ghirahim looked behind him.

Zant nodded. Taking a page out of the Hyruleans’ book, Ghirahim raised his fingers to the sky, and set loose a trail of diamond sparks. Strings of light whistled and twisted high, high up above, red and flashy among Lana’s still-bleeding portals. The reaction was almost immediate. Rushing forth from the hills, Blins cascaded onto the battlefield and rushed through the bridges still left intact. What was once intended for the escape of the invading forces, now simply funneled in more. Men were pushed off the bridges and trampled in the footfall, while a select few managed to die a dignified death amidst the senseless crowd.

Above them, the stars in the night sky seemed to flicker. A deluge of airborne demons rushed by them, undetected until crossing the threshold of the altar’s pale moonlit stone. Hyrulean soldiers were lifted off the ground, others eviscerated on the spot, all while a desperate few hacked and slashed with wild abandon in an attempt to defend themselves.

Chaos. Exactly what they were looking for. Another Gohma, almost fallen into the abyss, clambered back onto the cliff’s edge and made for the pair of commanders. Just as its pincer was about to bore into them, Zant grabbed onto Ghirahim’s wrist and pulled him into the shadows.

When they reappeared, Ghirahim looked around to find himself in the altar’s inner room, strewn with bookcases of which the contents were largely toppled. But before anything else caught his eye, there stood the Sorceress, hunched desperately before a scrying orb. She whipped around the second Zant’s transportation magic rustled behind her.

“Hello, Lana,” Zant said pleasantly. Lana glared back, placing one hand back on the crystal ball. The sight made Zant smile. “Oh, please. Do you think your precious Hyrule will be here in time? Who do you think they’ll send? A few little platoons? Clearly, they’ve already given you what they could afford. And those men are not holding out very well out there.”

His words were emphasized by the sounds of clashing outside. Soldiers yelling, screaming, the sound of arms hitting armor and lifeless bodies hitting the ground.

“This will take a minute, at most. Hold still, if you’d please.”

For a moment, Lana looked afraid, deathly so. But her courage gathered itself remarkably quickly, giving her the strength to turn around and shield her crystal ball behind herself. “ ‘Hold still’? Who do you think you are, you creep!?” she yelled. “How dare you come into this sanctuary and defile it, just as we worked so hard to recover it!”

Zant grinned at her, squinting his eyes the slightest bit. “That’s a funny thing to accuse me of, considering the dynamic here. Either way… Ghirahim, if you will.”

At once, Ghirahim launched himself at the Sorceress. The first slice of his sword she just barely managed to step back from, but not without drawing the slightest bit of blood from her collar. In response, Lana strengthened her wards – a shimmering layer of pale, iridescent blue flashed in view to cover her body.

But the barrier would not save her from what was to come. As Lana became duly occupied with defending herself against the Sword Spirit’s merciless attacks, Zant began weaving his spell.

The first sentence was enough to make her flinch, but the second sent her into full-blown alarm. In her urgency, she ceased simply defending and instead attempted to push back against Ghirahim. She intended to break past him at all costs, and put an end to the words pouring from the Twilight King. Try as she might, though the whacks of thunder from her spellbook jittered Ghirahim down to the teeth, he would not let her gain even an inch on him. They were at a thorough standstill – one incapable of drawing blood, the other, finding a weakness but finding her enemy’s will too strong to overpower. All the while Zant kept chanting, and chanting, and chanting, the world around them not silenced, but rather, the three of them cast in a muffling cloak of darkness. But soon, Ghirahim would lose. Annihilation, his most precious weapon, failed him when he needed it most, and wouldn’t reward his wicked strikes with more than a nick past his opponent’s clothing. She truly was strong. Just a few more thundershocks and he would be brought to his knees, and with his Blade out of commission, Zant would not be able to defend himself against her.

He had to knock that grimoire out of her hand. The makeshift wards on her body protected her from the cutting edge of his sword, but the impact of his swings could still knock her off balance.

Ghirahim didn't get the chance to just yet, though. Their sprawling army of demons found her little hideout. The lot of them crawled along the windows, claws dragging and fists pounding on the barriers. Were they to break through, the enemy commander would be overtaken in seconds.

Lana realized this too. She withdrew instantly, her grimoire snapped shut, and made for the only spot in the wall unoccupied by bookcases. She, of course, ran straight through. Had Ghirahim’s intuition not stopped him, he would have smacked face-first into it. One hand bracing against the stone barrier, he realized it would need a key phrase to grant him passage.

Or, as per Zant’s stroke of simple genius, simply blow the wall to smithereens. Powder-turned stone and pebbles blasting outward around him, Ghirahim burst through the rubble and sprinted after the first sight of cyan he could catch. Bouncing against the walls, masking her every direction in this endless maze, Lana recited her counter-incantation.

Behind him, Zant laughed at the challenge, weaving his spell longer and longer. Ahead of him, Lana’s rapid footsteps kept his prey drive red-hot.

Run, run, but there’s no hiding from me. Along the floor, the thrum of Ghirahim’s core showed him the path the Sorceress had taken. He remembered these hallways perhaps better than she was aware of and, wagering a lucky guess at her meandering trajectory, he cut a few corners. He rammed solidly into her at the intersection. Just as he wanted, the grimoire went flying, and he placed himself between her and its landing spot.

Unfortunately for him, it didn’t render her powerless. But she did become weaker. The lightning she flung behind her as they resumed her chase was enough to hurt him, but not to slow him down. The little drops of blood he’d drawn that disappointed him before now worked as an irresistible lure, second to his expert dowsing. He could hear her breath, her heartbeat, and almost, every panicked thought as she tried to stall for enough time to think of a better plan than simply running and chanting with her heaving breath. Such was the power of that delectable fear! He had to have it. Closer, and closer, and closer he drew, his once graceful run now turning into a desperate, bestial sprint. She, the poor thing, was slowing, immortal in soul but human in guise. When even her last ditch effort, the casting of a lightning bolt point blank at his core, didn’t work, her desperation buckled her. Hands clawed, Ghirahim swiped for her.

At long last, he’d grabbed her, her arms locked in his elbows. Lana struggled fiercely, but no matter the power she borrowed, she couldn’t break free from steel of this caliber. How lucky she was, that his daggers couldn’t pierce her! Grappling fresh blood like this made him feel positively starved.

Even then, he wouldn’t have been able to play for very long. Zant had carefully followed his blade, his every step haunted by the all-consuming echo of his voice. As that voice grew closer, the world became still around them. Colder. Twin breaths turned to foggy clouds as the pair of locked combatants panted, their eyes each glued on the hallway before them. Shadows poured around the corner, only to be drowned out by a pale blue light, hovering around the Twilight King like an aura. His eyes, normally golden, now carried that same ethereal hue. When he extended his hand, there was a cavity in his palm, the void of which made Ghirahim’s core spin just looking at it.

Lana struggled again, until she steeled herself. The incantations she’d failed to recite in their scuffle came back to the forefront of her mind, the first words passing her lips. Just one glance from Zant, and Ghirahim moved instinctually. He rushed his hand to her face, and stuck the point of his dagger against her tongue. Of course, none would think to place wards there. The Sorceress shrieked, but every movement of her head sliced deeper into her cheek, her lips, the inside of her mouth. Ghirahim shushing in her ear, she froze wide-eyed, her chest heaving up and down rapidly in breathing. Like a rabbit on a butchery table.

One more sentence and Lana began to writhe, groaning in pain. Zant stood before them, palm upturned. It was almost done – Ghirahim could feel it. It was practically in their hands. He couldn’t take his eyes off of the face hovering above them. All else disappeared. Not even the blood, that precious ambrosia that trickled from his dagger down his glove, could shake him from his mesmerization.

With those last words, the skies went dark. The rim of light once encircling Zant burst outward into shards, leaving only an endless dark that splattered across the walls like paint. It left them in a void; cold, and deafened, and unfeeling, just the three of them locked inside. Just the three of them, and the little golden triangle hovering between them. Lana wept in terror, in regret, in pain, while her two adversaries made no sound at all. For just a moment, childlike wonder sparkled in Zant’s eyes, before that little bit of innocent hope was throttled by an overwhelming flame of greed and vengeance. From having their treasure dance above his palm, he suddenly seized it, snatching it out of the air.

With a deafening roar, like the sound of a mighty river rushing by overhead, the shadowy expanse around them imploded in on itself. Every inch of its fabric tore rapidly to one point: below Zant’s feet, sucked into his shadow. When the light returned to the hall again, there stood Zant, the same man as before.

The triforce now glowed on his palm.

But past that gently humming light, another sound caught their attention, now that the veil was lifted. War horns, far unlike theirs. Lana had stalled for enough time.

The second the both of them turned to the sound, Lana wrenched herself free. Though claws tore into her arms, and the dagger sliced through the corner of her mouth, she stumbled from Ghirahim’s grip and made for the light at the end of the hallway.

“Ghirahim-ili, how unlike you… Ah, well. I say let her run. She will be useless without this, anyhow,” he giggled, admiring the back of his hand.

But Ghirahim knew better. Eyes set on the desperately shambling woman, he aimed for her, hand outstretched, and snapped his fingers. A trio of daggers glistened in the light as they soared through the hallway, and thwacked into her back. Then he ripped back around, bound for his general in a steadfast march before the man could praise him – and it was a look of praise that colored his face – and snatched him by the wrist.

Yet Zant shook himself loose. His eyes blazed with unparalleled drive and fury. He glared down the still-stumbling Sorceress from afar, before clenching his fists. A throat-rending cackle ripped loose from him as his head was encased in shadows. Shrouded he was, then he was not, as particles of blackness burst outward to reveal a new sight.

Zant’s helmet. Once again perched on his shoulders, but entirely different. A wicked snarl was encased in the metal, and a finned collar encircled the reptilian face. At the peak of it all, a crown of horns declared him king. Now, Zant accepted Ghirahim’s so-hastily offered hand, and blinked the both of them outside the altar.

After just that split second, Ghirahim was jarred to find himself floating, high, high above the Valley, Zant’s fingers still lacing around his’. With a raise of his hand, and his triumphant, wet giggling still holding, he forced Lana’s portals to a close. One more wiggle of his fingers… that was all it took, and one by one, their troops disappeared from the battlefield.

Before Lana’s body could hit the ground, the two invaders were gone. Her efforts had been for naught. When the Hyrulean reinforcements finally crossed the foothills, the Valley was empty.

#ghirazant #ghirahim #zant #lana #lana hyrule warriors #hyrule warriors #loz fanfic #tftk #beararts #bearwrites

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eddiebrockx · 9 months ago

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“Want to dance?”

A drawing for my awesome amazing friend @mossyflowers for winning my birthday quiz !!!! Thanks for giving me the prompt to draw these two 🩷🫶✨

#ace combat #ace combat zero #ace combat zero fanart #planes #larry foulke #solo wing pixy #cipher #demon lord of the round table #fanart #art #my art #this is moss’s cipher design!! look at him!!!!#I love these two sm you have no idea #ciphixy

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lockheed-martin-unofficial · 5 months ago

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Ciphixy WIP. Actually the first time I’ve drawn them properly, I asked my friends how to get Pixy accurate:

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vikingschism · 3 months ago

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Thoughts on the Stormlight TTRPG

This will be a fairly lengthy post detailing my impressions of the Stormlight Archives TTRPG by Brotherwise Games based on a session played with some other fans of Sanderson's works. Some general details of the scenario are discussed as well as the details of the pre-generated character I played, but is otherwise spoiler-free.

Background

I like Brandon Sanderson's books well enough so I was naturally interested in an RPG set in his most epic series (The Stormlight Archives). My tastes in TTRPGs generally tend towards the more narrative focused games - I enjoy PBTA, FitD and Resistance Engine games - so seeing that it was going to be a D20 system with a D&D 5e style character sheet had me a bit worried. I have enjoyed tactical combat before with systems like Draw Steel (having tried it out in a playtest - looking forward to another session soon) or even Pathfinder 2E (even if I find that system to be a bit much in other places), so there was still some hope.

I decided to take part as a player in an adventure making use of a prepared scenario using the freely available beta rules. This scenario was intended to show off the game and get new players, possibly new to TTRPGs as a whole, going. The basic premise is that the players are on an expedition towards some ancient ruins

The Character

There were multiple pre-generated characters available so I elected to play as Vedd - a disgraced Alethi soldier serving in the bridge crews. This was essentially the basic warrior class which suited me well enough, though in a full campaign there would be the option to have the character become a Radiant which would definitely give more opportunity to express the character through the powers selected. The character notes gave some good hooks to get the player into character; in the case of Vedd it was his connections to his bridge crew, his grizzled nature as one of the longest serving Bridgemen, and that he has attracted the attention of a spren who appears as a streak of light when he takes heroic or self sacrificing action.

The character sheet was serviceable, though it was sometimes hard to locate the skills I was looking for when making a test due to the amount present, so the organisation maybe could've been better. There's also just a lot of derived stats on the sheet - do we really need a carrying capacity for example? That seems a bit more simulationist than this game needs. I do like the idea of having Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual defences and them being placed between the two stats that determine the value is nice. It's also nice that the stats are just the bonus rather than needing to derive the bonus like in 5e. Skill modifiers also made sense since you just add the points in that skill to the relevant stat to calculate the modifier.

In the scenario my character's skills were mostly in athletics, perception, and heavy weaponry. The social skills weren't too high, although intimidation was definitely on the table. This spread of skills suggested a character who was taciturn in social settings but excelled when it came time to put himself into the thick of the action.

Combat

Overall it felt good to play, the combat system allowed for a lot of flexibility and I appreciated its action economy. Players can choose to take a fast or slow turn - a fast turn grants 2 actions, a slow turn grants 3. Fast players go first, then fast enemies, then slow players, then slow enemies - within each category there is no set initiative order, players can work it out themselves). On a turn you have a number of actions you can take, and some will cost more action points (for example a recovery costs two points - however you may want to do this on a fast turn if you think an enemy will attack first). This draws on both Pathfinder 2e (with the action point system) and Shadow of the Demon Lord with the fast/slow turns.

In each round everyone gets a single reaction too. Most of these reactions require spending a point of focus, but they give good options for mitigating damage or assisting in the fight (for example Reactive Strike is the Opportunity Attack equivalent, however it requires a focus point to use - these are limited and can be recovered or are regained fully on a long rest). In our fights in the session I didn't remember that I could use the reaction to dodge which would've given the enemy disadvantage on their strike, leading to me taking a large amount of damage. Another reaction involves assisting an ally when they attempt a test in combat in order to grant them advantage on the roll. This combos quite nicely with an action that allows the player to attempt a skill test to gain advantage on their next roll.

The abilities that my character had weren't too flashy, though I should've remembered to enter vigilant stance at the start of combat - this grants advantage on perception, increases deflect, and causes enemies to require 2 actions to attack allies. Combat training also meant I could graze (upon missing, deal the value of the damage dice with no modifier) a single enemy per round for free - normally grazing would cost a focus point.

Exploration

Outside of combat I had more mixed opinions - mainly related to the plot die. This is intended to add more narrative twists to skill tests - the intention is that this is rolled for tests that are more high stakes (the process of asking for it to be rolled is called "raising the stakes"). This is a d6 (although a proprietary die with symbols is available), and rolling a 5 or 6 grants an Opportunity while a 1 or 2 imposes a Complication as well as granting a bonus of double the value on the die face to the roll (which could be enough to push a bad roll into a success). A result of 3 or 4 does nothing, and rolling a 20 or 1 on any test grants an Opportunity and a Complication respectively (this does mean they can stack when rolling the die).

Opportunities can be spent to regain a focus point, grant advantage to an ally on their next test, turn a hit into a critical hit (on attack tests in combat), or on a beneficial narrative event (which the GM must rubber stamp) - some abilities also interact with these. Complications are imposed by the GM and can essentially do the opposite of what an Opportunity can do.

So what's my issue with it? I personally found that having a null result on the die (3 and 4) meant that Opportunities and Complications felt a little rarer than I would've liked - if the roll matters enough to use the plot die then I feel like it should really have one result or the other.

This system also interacts with Events - these are similar to clocks in games like Blades in the Dark where they signal an impending event. These are ticked, depending on whether the event is positive or negative with an Opportunity or a Complication. This never came up in the scenario, however I think this is another reason I'd prefer the plot die to always produce an Opportunity or Complication; as is Opportunities and Complications just don't come up that often, so it might make Events a bit harder to use. In a system like Blades the clocks are constantly being ticked which really contributes to the sense of impending danger, or gives players a focus on an objective in the scene (eg: escaping from something chasing them).

Skill tests otherwise were straightforward, and advantage is a standard roll 2 dice and pick the higher result (although interestingly advantage can stack and be applied to multiple dice in the roll - which does mean you can give the plot die advantage as well as the d20 if you have two advantages on a roll).

The Scenario

I don't want to spoil the scenario, however I will say it was decently put together. There was a fair amount of railroading, however since we were all there for that adventure I think that was ok. There wasn't anything that stood at as being too egregious and there was some nice artwork along the way to help picture the events. It also gave some good opportunities to play into the pregen characters. All of the players came out being fairly satisfied with the adventure; it will be interesting to see how the game plays once Radiant powers are involved.

Conclusion

Overall I feel the game was competently put together and will be a fun way to explore the worlds of Sanderson. I don't think it's going to be replacing any of my favourite narrative systems, however, and some areas (like the plot die) left something to be desired. The combat was fun and will likely only get more fun once characters have access to Radiant powers, so I wouldn't be against playing again. I likely would not want to GM however, as there is a bit more crunch than I prefer in my systems. It does also remain to be seen how the game will adapt other worlds such as Scadrial from Mistborn given the different tone and nature of the world.

For those who have read all of this, thank you - I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on the Stormlight TTRPG and I'm curious to know what other people think of it so far.

#ttrpg #review #ttrpg review #cosmere #the way of kings #brandon sanderson #the cosmere #words of radiance #the stormlight archive #stormlight archive #rpg #role playing game #tabletop roleplaying #tabletop role playing game #tabletop

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heartfullofleeches · 2 years ago

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Need more of THIS please. I. Am b e g g i n g.

[Orion (Demon lord) and Priest Reader for context]

"Priest...."

A crimson pendant hangs before your eyes; chain puppeteer by pale flesh which coos to you so sweetly from the shadows. Mutted wails flicker along its cracks; a cry etched so deeply into memory you could hear them as clear as day. Forgiveness your most sacred virtue; you held no anger nor joy at the fruits of your comrades blasphemy. A fool who sought for might greater than your all power lord's, only to be crushed beneath its heels.

To add more fuel to the fire they've started, the devil would not leave after taking their soul. Just like mankind, he had succumbed to greed and longed to corrupt at least one more of god's soldiers before he returned. A delectable feast despite its ease. One could only imagine his delight when you all up ignored him on your first meeting. His promises of riches and fame did little for you, but your passiveness of his presence did wonders for him.

Stalking you to learn your life desires lead to poor success, but something about your devotion was...charming. He soon wondered what it would be like the subject of your prayers. The one who's glory was your own. To have his name rolled off your tongue as easily and life bearing as a second breath. In an urge to satisfy these thoughts, he offered not to take your soul, but instead a prayer for a single wish of your choice. How deliciously cruel was the smile you gave him that day.

"Know they're still alive. You can saved this damned soul and lead them back to God's house if you give me us one thing."

"Hmm.." You light another candle with the wax held in hand, preparing for service as always. "I know that it is in your nature, but please do not lie to me, demon. Even if they were still living, they've choose their path and I aim unable to provide them anything but a mention in prayer."

Orion scoffs at your words. "It may be a common tactic, but I have never lied to you, Priest. My precious diamond. Their body lies in the hospital, correct? Wasting away after that awful fire, but still breathing. Just say the word and they're free to go."

"May we continue this at a later date? I have to open the doors soon."

The embers of the candles die with a gush of wind. Peeling from the cover of shadows, Orion stalks over to you and advances until your back hits the alter. It is part of what drew him in, but how he tires of this little game you play. Stop worshiping a dead idol and give your love him already. In the face of a force overpowering you in both stature and strength, you merely smile as if greeting an old friend. He pins you in place by slamming his fists into the table, sweeping its contents onto the floor as you fall back against it. More hands appeared from the crater in his spine, locking around your legs and waist.

"Don't think you can ignore me, Priest." He hisses. "I will have what I want. Your mind, your flesh, your affection - all will belong to me. Your Creator is dead. Gone. I am all that will ever remain of their former glory so you. are. mine."

A laugh breaks through the quiet halls of the church. A haunting melody, which rings to the heavens and through the devil's skull. He is unsure whether to kiss you, or shut you up and drag you back to hell. In a complete change of direction, you reach for his hand. Yours doesn't even fit round his wrist, yet he follows your command as you bring it to your lips.

"If that is the case, why are you the one who comes to me? Obsessing over the attention of someone with not even a fraction of your lifespan or power. It's as clear as day that you need me. Not the other way around. You worship me, even if you are unaware. Before anything can truly be accomplished you must accept one thing."

His hand siffens as your lips connect with it, smile played against his skin.

"I am your God."

#Kinda popped off here imo #yandere oc #yandere #yandere x you #yandere headcanons #yandere x reader #yandere imagines #yandere scenarios #male yandere #yandere blurb #yandere insert #yandere x y/n #yandere x darling #yandere drabble #yandere demon x reader #yandere teratophilia #yandere monster #Orion my oc

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bethanythebogwitch · 1 year ago

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Digimon & mythology: the Royal Knights

Of all the Digimon groups, none are as famous as the Royal Knights. These 13 holy knight Digimon are the guardians of the Digital World and act as the highest form of network security. The Royal Knights are appointed to the position by and answer to Yggdrasil, the computer who runs the Digital World. While part of a group, each member of the Royal Knights has their own goals, motivations, philosophies, and opinions on the nature of their duties and justice. As a result, they often don't get along with each other and work independently. They may even clash with each other should they have conflicting goals or ideals. When they do work together, however, nothing can stand against them. Most of them rarely show their faces to the common people of the Digital World, instead aloofly performing their duties. While there are 13 Royal Knights, it took time both in-universe and in real life for all 13 members to appear.

The Royal Knights are also heavily connected with the x-antibody, featuring both in the original x-antibody storyline and its follow-up Digimon Chronicle and Digimon Chronicle X. In the storyline, the Digital World is reaching its capacity due to Digimon reproducing out of control. To keep the Digital World from collapsing, Yggdrasil choses a select few Digimon to move to a new Digital World and uses a program called the x-program to kill the remainders. However, the x-antibody begins spreading through the surviving Digimon, mutating them into new x-antibody forms that can survive the x-program and trying to invade the new Digital World. Yggdrasil sends the Royal Knights to kill these x-antibody Digimon. Eventually, a schism forms in the Royal Knights between those who obey Yggdrasil and those who don't want to kill off the vast majority of all Digimon. In the end, Yggdrasil is forcibly reset and the original and new Digital Worlds exist side by side, occasionally interacting with each other. Both world would later come under threat by x-antibody versions of the Seven Great Demon Lords, which ended with the Royal Knights combining their powers to allow the newest member, JESmon, to save the day.

While the Royal Knights are supposed to be the defenders of the Digital World, they, or at least some of them, are often used as villains in various Digimon media. This is often because they serve Yggdrasil, who is a villain in almost every appearance. Sometimes they will start as villains but later change sides. This was the case in Digimon Savers/Data Squad where Yggdrasil viewed humanity has an existential threat and sent the Royal Knights to destroy the human world. The Knights later turned on Yggdrasil after the protagonists showed them that humans and Digimon can coexist in peace. In other cases the Knights will have a schism based on following Yggdrasil's orders. This is the case in the x-antibody storyline and in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, where the Knights become divided between those who wish to exterminate humanity to save the Digital World and those who wish to spare humanity and find a different solution to the problem.

There will be fewer mythological references in this entry than my posts on the Sovereigns and Deva, Seven Great Demon Lords, and Angel Digimon. This is because the Royal Knights have fewer mythological references in general than those groups. I will do what I can though. The Royal Knights are collectively based on the legends of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. The stories of King Arthur are varied and have been rewritten many times. The oldest version of the story we can track down comes from 5th-6th century Welsh sources where Arthur is the king of the Britons in the post-Roman period who defended Britain against Anglo-Saxon invaders. Later writers incorporated their own stories and themes into the mix, such as the addition of chivalric and Christian themes. Christian themes, such as the famous search for the holy grail, were added by later Christian authors while some famous characters like Lancelot were the result of French influence. There really isn't one story of King Arthur and the knights of the round table, there are many. One common trait of the stories is that the round table is round to symbolize that everyone sitting at it is an equal, which is reflected in the the Royal Knights having no internal hierarchy. None of the knights is the master of any other, they are all independent and of equal rank. Kenji Watanabe, one of the main designers for Digimon, has commented that many of the stories have far more than 13 knights of the round table and he isn't opposed to adding more Royal Knights. He has also said he would like to tell a story of the Royal Knights passing the baton to a new generation. I think it would be cool to add more Arthurian references to the Digimon Mythos, making Digimon versions of characters like Merlin, Morgan le Fay, and Mordred. The King Arthur figure could either be Yggdrasil or Imperialdramon Paladin Mode, who founded the Royal Knights but is not a member. I also don't believe there is any official Digimon media telling the story of the founding of the Royal Knights, which I think would be a great story. They are said to be natural enemies of the Seven Great Demon Lords, so I think it makes sense for them to have been founded in response to Lucemon's rebellion and fall.

The first three Digimon specifically identified as Royal Knights were final forms of the main character's partner Digimon from the first 3 anime series: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure 02, and Digimon Tamers. The first of them to debut and the most famous Royal Knight of all is Omegamon, named Omnimon in English. It was born out of a fusion of two powerful Digimon, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, triggered by the hopes and wills of people wishing for goodness and peace. Because it is a fusion of two Digimon, it can use both of their abilities. making it a master of close and long range combat. Each of its arms resembles the head of one of its components and weapons are stored in the mouths. Its right arm is the MetalGarurumon head, which contains the Garuru Cannon, which can fire energy blasts at absolute zero. Its left arm is the WarGreymon head and contains the Grey Sword and has a powerful shield on the shoulder. Omegamon's role in thr Royal Knights is to protect Yggdrasil's justice and elevate the name of the Royal Knights to greater heights. Omegamon is easily the most popular of the Royal Knights in real life and has showed up in a ton of different animes, mangas, games, etc. Honestly, he's overused in my opinion. Omegamon also has a ton of variants and homages, way too many for me to list here. As with all the Royal Knights, he has an x-antibody variant. Omegamon X possesses a power called Omega inForce, a form of precognition which allows it to foresee what its opponents will do, making it theoretically impossible for it to ever lose a fight. Omegamon X is one of the better x designs for the Royal Knights because it doesn't change much. It just gets spikier. There are much worse designs coming.

Omagemon (left) and Omegamon X (right)

Omegamon debuted in Digimon Adventure. Debuting in Digimon Adventure 02 is Magnamon. Magnamon is the only member of the Royal Knights who is not of the Ultimate/Mega level. Instead, he's an armor Digimon, the result of a Digimon using with the power of one of the relics called Digimentals. Magnamon uses the Digimental of miracles, which grants to power to overcome any predicament. While Magnamon is not a Ultimate/Mega level and is usually depicted as the smallest of the Royal Knights, it is just as powerful as the rest and is the best at defense. In fact, it forms the cornerstone of the Royal Knight's defensive efforts. Magnamon X gains the ability to cause its armor to change shape, further increasing its defensive efforts and giving it more utility.

Magnamon (left) and Magnamon X (right)

Debuting in Digimon Tamers is Dukemon, named Gallantmon in English. A few of the Royal Knights got name changes in English and for most of them I don't have a strong opinion on which is better. In this case though, I think Gallantmon is a way better name than Dukemon and I'm going to use it here. Gallantmon is a living contradiction. Its evolution line bears the Digital Hazard, a force of destruction that could destroy the Digital World. Gallantmon has chosen to restrain that power and protect the world it was born to destroy. Because it understands having to constantly resist the temptation of destruction, it holds itself and its fellows to a very high standard and works to defend the weak. In many different stories, it is depicted as the first one to defect from the Royal Knights should they begin to turn bad or stray from the cause of defending the Digital World. Gallantmon bears the lance Gram and shield Aegis and sometimes rides a mount named Grani. Gram and Grani both come from the Scandinavian legend of Sigurd, a great hero the slew the dragon Fafnir. Gram was the sword wielded by Sigurd which was then passed down to many other heroes. Grani was Sigurd's steed, granted to him by the god Odin and descended from Odin's own steed Sleipnir. Aegis comes from Greek mythology, where it was the shield used by Zeus and Athena. Another reference to the legend of Sigurd comes from the alternate Ultimate/Mega level form of Gallantmon's evolution line: Megidramon. While Gallantmon expresses the power of the Digital Hazards and chooses to be a hero, Megidramon gave into the Hazard and is a mindless, draconic force of destruction. Depending on the the circumstances, it can either be the hero Sigurd or the dragon Fafnir he was sent to slay. The mane of Megidramon comes from Megiddo, the location where the end times will begin according to the Bible's Book of Revelation. It is better known by its Greek name Armageddon. Gallantmon can temporarily mode change into Gallantmon Crimson Mode. In this form, it becomes much more powerful, but it can only stay in this form temporarily. In this from it weirds weapons made of light named Gungnir and Blutgang. Gungnir was the spear of the greek god Odin and Blutgang is the name of the sword of the hero Heime of Germanic legend. Gallantmon X increases its power and transforms Gram into a lance made of light.

Left to right: Gallantmon, Gallantmon Crimson Mode, and Gallantmon X

The most unconventional Royal Knight is Alphamon. Despite being a Royal Knight, it acts as a deterrent force intended to oppose the other Royal Knights and it only appears in exceptional circumstances. Because it so rarely appears, it is known as the empty seat. This is a reference to the siege perilous from Arthurian legend. The siege perilous was an empty seat at the round table set aside by merlin for the knight who completed the quest for the holy grail. In earlier versions of the story, the knight who eventually earned the seat was Percival, though his role was given to Galahad in 13th century French tellings. Alphamon's role as a deterrent force is often interpreted as him being given the job of insuring the other Royal Knights do not go too far or stray from their role as the Digital World's protectors. As such, Alphamon is heroic in most of its appearances. Alphamon is one of an evolution line of prototype Digimon and is often associated with fellow prototype Digimon Ouryumon. Oryumon has the power to transform itself into a mighty blade called the Ouryuken. Only Alphamon is able to wield the Ouryuken and when doing so, it becomes known as Alphamon Ouryuken. Many depictions of Alphamon instead treat the Ouryuken as something that Alphamon can summon whenever he wants and ignore Ourumon's role. Alphamon has a power called the Alpha inForce, which allows it to rewind time to the beginning of a battle and fight over and over again. From an external perspective, it will appear as though Alphamon cut down its enemy with a single blow but the battle may have actually been fought multiple times until Alphamon foound the best outcome. Alphamon naturally compliments Omegamon and their namec come from the phrase "I am the alpha and omega" from the Bible. Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and the phrase is supposed to portray god as both the beginning and end of everything. Alphamon is the only Royal Knight that doesn't have an x-antibody form because it is a natural carrier, a Digimon with the x-antibody that doesn't have a non- x-antibody counterpart.

Alphamon (left) and Alphamon Ouryuken (right)

Like how Omegamon, Magnamon, and Gallantmon all debuted as partners of a main character from one anime season. Ulforce V-dramon (eng: UlforceVeedramon) was the partner of the main character of the manga Digimon Adventure V-Tamer 01. Ulforce V-dramon is the fastest of the Royal Knights and there is no being that can track its movements. Its armor is immensely strong but also very lightweight, enabling its fast movement. It wears bracelets from which extend energy blades called Ulforce Sabers. It wields the power called Ulforce, which is born from joy and the desire to protect loved ones. The Ulforce is a code that can overwrite a Digimon's data. Most such codes will increase power but damage data, ultimately harming the Digimon using them. The Ulforce instead repairs data, allowing Ulforce V-dramon to heal even as it increases in power. Ulforce V-dramon X increases the power of the Ulforce even more, allowing Ulforce V-dramon to heal from wounds so fast that it appears that it appears it was never wounded in the first place. The v stands for victory, btw.

Ulforce V-dramon (left) and Ulforce V-dramon X (right)

Dynasmon is unusual among the fiercely independent Royal Knights because it will willingly submit to and serve other beings that chare its sense of justice. Once Dynasmon calls another lord, it will serve then with deep and unquestioning loyalty even if their actions could be considered evil. It follows the moral codes of chivalry and bushido, both of which encourage honor, loyalty, and combat prowess. Dynasmon values devotion, fidelity, and curtesy. Becuase it will follow its lord with unquestioning loyalty, Dynasmon is frequently a villain in stories it appears in due to it following an evil lord. Its power comes from wyverns, a type of dragons with two wings and two legs that were often found in medieval heraldry. Dynasmon X increases its wyvern influence, making it more draconic and granting it the best aerial combat prowess of all the Royal Knights. It is also probably the ugliest of the Royal Knight's x-antibody forms and there is fierce competition in that department. There are so many lines on that picture I can barely tell what's going on

Dynasmon (left) and Dynasmon X (right)

Craniummon is the Royal Knight that most understands decorum and follows a knightly code of honor. While very obsessed with decorum, it is also a perfectionist that competes with the other Royal Knights for the highest mission completion rates. It also loves combat and enjoys nothing more than a fight with a truly skilled opponent. Yggdrasil personally modified Craniummon's data, increasing the defensive properties of its armor and giving it the power to generate its weapon and shield from its armor. It carries the double-headed spear Claíomn Solais and shield Avalon. Claíomn Solais, which means "sword of light" appears as a motif in multiple Scottish and Gaelic folk tales, often as an object the hero obtains as part of a quest he must undertake to marry his desired bride. Avalon is the name of a mythical island in Arthurian lore, a magical land where Arthur was taken on his deathbed to one day rise again when Britain needs him most. Craniummon X has further increased the defenses of its armor and it now wears its shield on its back because it is certain it will not be needed. Its x-antibody art is also absolutely hideous, maybe worse than Dynasmon's.

Craniummon (left) and Craniummon X (left)

Duftmon (eng: Leopardmon) is the Royal Knight acknowledged by its fellows as the greatest strategist. This is both because it has an extremely cunning and strategic mind, and because its the only person who can get all the Royal Knights to work together despite their disagreements and opposing values. It believes that justice equals power, though it can be debated whether this means that the most powerful get to decide what justice is or that acting with justice will give one power. When Duftmon chooses to fight, it mode changed to Duftmon Leopard mode, a quadruped that can run and fly at high sppeds and cause rock pillars to erupt from the ground. And yes, its name in English is Leopardmon Leopard Mode. Interestingly, Duftmon has a very French motif, but its name and the name of its attacks are all in German. Specifically, it was based on the chanracter of Oscar François de Jarjayes from the manga The Rose of Versailles. She was a beautiful woman who was raised as and dresses as a man and is a skilled fighter. Despite being designed based on a woman, Duftmon is still generally depicted as masculine or genderless. Duftmon X gains powerful but flexible armor, allowing it to dodge incoming attacks from multiple directions and strike back with taijutsu (martial arts) and datotsu (kendo). It no longer relies on a mode change to fight.

Left to right: Duftmon, Duftmon Leopard Mode, and Duftmon X

Seipmon was the first Royal Knight introduced who is not humanoid and one of only two in total. Instead, it is shaped like a centaur, though with an additional pair of legs and a horse's head. Its six legs give it unsurpassed mobility and it can move far faster than its bulky frame would suggest. though it is still not as fast as Ulforce V-dramon. Its name was changed to Kentaurosmon in English, which is the only Royal Knight name change I really don't like. It resides at the Digital World's north pole, where it guards super-ancient ruins that lie beneath the ice. Within these ruins is said to lie programs that were used to create Digimon. If evildoers were to get ahold of such data, they would be able to create an unlimited army of Digimon to serve them. Sleipmon weilds the power of fire and ice. In its left hand is the crossbow Múspellsheimr which fires burning arrows in an attack called Bifröst. In its right hand is the shield Niflheimr, which can unleash a blizzard. In Norse mythology, Múspellsheimr and Niflheimr are primordial wrlds of fire and ice, the intermingling of which led to the creation of the rest of the universe. From the same mythology, the Bifröst is a rainbow bridge that links Midgard (Earth) and Asgard (realm of the gods). Sleipmon's name and appearance also gome from Norse mythology. Sleipnir was an eight-legged horse who was the god Odin's personal steed. Sleipmon X gains an additional two arms, letting it load and fire its bow at lightning speed.

Sleipmon (left) and Sleipmon X (right)

LordKnightmon (eng: Crusadermon) is the least pleasant of the Royal Knights. It cares nothing for morality, instead following its own brutal and utilitarian code of justice. It is incredibly ruthless and shows no compassion for the weak, instead ruling by force and even culling the weak to ensure only the strong survive. Naturally, LordKnightmon is a villain in nearly every appearance. It is also to monarch of the Knightmon species and presides over all knight Digimon, giving it a personal army to do its will. LordKnightmon is one of only two virus-attribute Royal Knights, the other being Gallantmon. While Gallantmon resists its destructive urges to protect the weak, LordKnightmon is just a total asshole. It carries no weeapon, but the ribbons coming from its body can be used as blades and its shield contains a pile bunker. Interestingly, LordKnightmon is the only Royal Knight to have been portrayed as female and different appearances treat it alternately as feminine, masculine, or genderless. Probably because it's pink and likes roses. LordKnightmon X gains a major rose motif and gets to have a sword. It battles in a manner like dancing that invokes fear in those who see it.

LordKnightmon (left) and LordKnightmon X (left)

Examon, along with Sleipmon, is one of the two non-humanoid Royal Knights, being a gigantic dragon. It is one of the more recent members, both in and out of universe, because it is so large that new technology had to be invented to render the sheer amount of data that makes up its body. While a member of the Royal Knights, Examon also holds the position as the greatest of all dragon Digimon, holding the title Dragon Emperor. Its wings are named Caledfwlch and have a mind of their own, being able to transform into an unbreakable shield to protect it. The lance it holds is named Ambrosius and is used in attacks called Avalon's Gate and Pendragon's Glory. Examon is based on the Y Ddraig Goch, the red dragon of Wales. The dragon is a symbol of Wales and the Welsh people. In the ancient Welsh book of stories Mabinogion, the Red Dragon is seen battling a white dragon. The white dragon represents the Anglo-Saxons who were colonizing Britain and the story says that the red dragon will soon win. Caledfwlch is the original Welsh name for King Arthur's sword Excalibur. Ambrosius comes from Ambrosius Aurelianus, a war leader in Roman Britain who defeated the Anglo-Saxons in a major battle and was later incorporated into Arthurian legend as Arthur's uncle. The attack names come from the same Avalon mentioned in Craniummon's entry and Pendragon, the surname of King Arthur. Examon X becomes humanoid and gains the power to make swords out of lightning. I actually kind of like Examon X's design, I just think it should be its own Digimon instead of a variant.

Examon (left) and Examon X (right)

Gankoomon one of the two final Royal Knights released for the franchise's 15th anniversary. Unlike the other Royal Knights, who are aloof and distant, Gankoomon spends a lot of time with common Digimon and helps out with smaller problems, making it very popular in the Digital World. Gankoomon also works well with other Digimon, in contrast to the other Royal Knights, who work alone. In particular, it allies with Sistermon Blanc and Sistermon Noir and is training Hackmon as a successor. Gankoomon acks like a stern father figure, treating Hackmon severely and arguably cruelly and rarely showing pride or affection, but it does genuinely want Hackmon to succeed and become a Royal Knight. The fiery, dragon-shaped aura above Gankoomon is actually another Digimon named Hinukamuy bonded to Gankoomon. Hinukamuy is an Adult/Champion level and when it evolves, there won't be any Digimon who can rival it. Unlike the other very regal and European Royal Knights, Gankoomon is unconcerned with decorum and prefers beating enemies with its fists instead of swords. Gankoomon is visually and behaviorally based on banchos, the leaders of Japanese delinquent groups. Hinukamuy's name is a combination of Hinukan, a fire god from the religion of Japan's Ryuku islands, and Kamuy, the Ainu (natives of the Japanese island of Hokkaido) word for a god. Gankoomon X merges with Hinukamuy and can release it as a surging aura that empowers it and destroys the landscape around it. It also takes off its shirt.

Gankoomon (left) and Gankoomon X (right)

The final and most recent member of the Royal Knights, debuting for the franchise's 15th anniversary, is JESmon. JES is an abbreviation of Justice Edge Swordsman. JESmon started out as Hackmon, a promising Child/Rookie level Digimon who aspired to be a Royal Knight. Gankoomon saw in it the potential to become the 13th Knight and put it through an intense training regiment. Eventually, Hackmon evolved to JESmon and was accepted by Yggdrasil as the 13th Royal Knight. Like its mentor, JESmon is a team player that works well with others, unlike the other Royal Knights. In working with others, JESmon lears to trust others and keep itself from becoming overconfident in its own abilities. Its usual allies are Sistermon Blanc and Sistermon Noir and it will also coordinate with the Digimon local to wherever it goes. JESmon has the ability to sense abnormalities and signs of chaos around the Digital World and will rush to stop them, making it the first of the Royal Knights to rush in to stop disasters. It has three familiars named Atho, René, and Por that fight along side it and can come together for an attack called Un Pour Tous. The familiars are named after Athos, Aramis, and Porthos, the Three Muskateers. Similarly, the attack is named after their catchphrase "Un pour tous, tous pour un" or "one for all, all for one", the motto of the Three Muskateers. JESmon X gains even more compat bower and turns Atho, René, and Por into two powerful arms. JESMon X and further evolve to JESmon GX, in which it has fully masters its power. In this form, it becomes the vessel for Knight's Intruder, a blade that contains the power of all the Royal Knights and will only be used in response to threats that would end the Digital World.

Left to right: JESmon, JESmon X, and JESmon GX

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mask131 · 8 months ago

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Arthurian myth: Merlin (2)

A continuation of the loose translation of the "Merlin" article by Yves Vadé for the "Dictionnaire des Mythes Littéraires".

II/ Merlin in the Arthurian literature

As early as 1155, the Normand writer Wace transposed, for Alienor of Aquitaine, the “Historia Regum Britanniae” in French verse, in his “Roman de Brut”. He adds to the work the episode of the creation of the Round Table by Arthur, of whom Merlin will later become the prophet and the agent.

Merlin was barely mentioned by Chrétien de Troyes ; it is with Robert de Boron that he truly became the inspiration of the Grail’s knighthood. His work in verse, that contained at least the three romans known as “Joseph of Arimathea”, “Merlin” and “Perceval”, is partially lost in its original version, and it maybe even was unfinished. However, the prose translation of the “Merlin” was preserved, and seems to be quite faithful to Boron’s poem. The beginning of the roman takes back the motif of Merlin being born of an incubus demon, but it is now placed within a greater theological context: the demons wishes to produce an Antichrist, born of a virgin just like the Christ, in order to counter the Holy Incarnation. A demon managed, after some difficulties, to trick an honest young girl, but she immediately confessed her sin and she had the child baptized. From his father, the devil, Merlin received the knowledge of the entire past; and to counter this gift, God gave him the power to know the future. As such, Merlin is born with an universal knowledge. He uses it in the first months of his life to save his mother, threatened with burning at the stake ; then, at seven years old, he reveals to the usurper Vertigier the existence of the two dragons hidden under the foundations of his tower. He also reveals their meaning: the red dragon (Vertigier) will be killed by the white dragon (the young princes Pendragon and Uter, sons of the king Constant). Uter became king, and Merlin his advisor. He allows him to vanquish the Saxon during the battle of Salisbury, battle where Pendragon loses his life: Merlin had Stonehenge built in his memory, and Uter ruled under the name of Uterpendragon. A new element that would change the Merlin legend forever: it is through the idea and advice of Merlin that Uterpendragon has the Table of the Grail built, the “third table” after the one of Joseph of Arimathea, which itself was a copy of the table of the Last Supper. And, just like within Geoffroy’s work, it is thanks to Merlin that Uter can give birth to Arthur by uniting himself with the duchess Ygerne, that he marries soon after. Merlin raises Arthur in secret then he ensures his crowning and his rule. Merlin will keep assisting Arthur, so that both his kingdom and Christianity could prosper.

Visibly inspired by, if not written by, Robert de Boron, the “Perceval” of the Modène and Didot manuscripts give to Merlin a peaceful end, though an enigmatic one… After guiding Perceval through his quest, he announces the end of the enchantments within the Grail Castle. Once it is done, Merlin builds himself a home in the woods called “esplumeor” (a word with an unknown meaning). There, he escapes from both the flow of time and the sight of men, but he keeps making prophecies about what God asked him to reveal to humanity.

During the first half of the 13th century, two prose cycles formed themselves in France, each continuing Merlin’s story in a different way.

1) In the “Suite-Vulgate”, included within the greater cycle of the “Lancelot-Graal” or “Vulgate” (1215-1230), Merlin is the military advisor and strategist of Arthur in his battles against the barons that refuse his authority, then in his war against the Saxon, and finally in his feud against the emperor of Rome. Through Merlin, Arthur manages to marry Guenièvre, daughter of the king Laodegan, and he becomes the ruler in charge of the Round Table. But more importantly, it is here that Merlin encounters Viviane, the daughter of a lord named Dionas, at the edge of a fountain in the forest of Brocéliande. Wrapped around the tales of battles is a love story, during which Merlin allows Viviane to take away from him his magical knowledge. In order to keep Merlin all for herself, Viviane ends up capturing him within a “prison of air”, from where the prophet, now invisible, can still make his voice heard.

2) In the “Suite-Huth”, part of a cycle that was wrongly attributed to Robert de Boron, Merlin predicts the birth of Mordret, and the disasters caused by Balaain, the knight with two swords. It is Balaain that shall strike the “harmful blow” that will wound the king Pellehan and turn his kingdom in the “Terre Gaste”. Merlin is here much more involved in the adventures of the wandering knights than before. His role as an enchanter is put forward, as he is depicted commanding the wind, making the depiction of a dragon spit fire, open by magic the doors of a city, and preparing an enchanted bed that will remove from those that sleep within it their memory and their senses. The tale ends by the unfortunate love of Merlin and Viviane, which is a repetition of the love between Diana and Faunus. After bewitching Merlin, Viviane throws him into a vault whose stone cannot be removed. In his grave, Merlin screams one last time – and this last cry of the enchanter becomes the subject of an independent tale known as the “Conte du Brait”.

The first mention of Viviane is older than the “Suite-Vulgate”. She appears in the beginning of the “Lancelot” (or “Proper Lancelot”), under the name of Niniène, and she is depicted as a fairy of Bretagne that raised Lancelot in her wealthy domain hidden under a lake. Merlin appears here under a negative light. While his popularity is attested (it is said he was “so dreaded and so honored” by the people of Britany that all called him a “holy prophet” and common folks even called him a “god”), he is said to be “disloyal” and “deceiving” due to the nature of his father, and his knowledge is one of “perverse science”. The lady of the lake refuses his love out of wisdom, and she manages to trap him in “a cave within the dangerous forest of Darnantes”.

As such the character, that Robert de Boron tried to turn into the prophet of Christian knighthood, does not escape the ambiguity due to his composite origins, and which fits his genealogy, half-devil half-virgin. One can also see in his gift of shapeshifting a manifestation of his unstable personality, and of the contradiction of the several traits that compose him. This Proteus-like nature, certainly a remnant of the powers that were once attributed to the druids, allows Merlin to appear sometimes as a young man, sometimes as an old man, other times as a “woods-man/wild man”, and even as a great “branched stag”, as in the story of Grisandole (part of the “Suite-Vulgate”).

Built of successive additions, the tale of Merlin was reproduced, synthetized and translated, partially or entirely, by all the literatures of Europe until the end of the Middle-Ages. Even before 1250, the “Merlin” of Robert had been translated in the provençal language. The character also appears within numerous French verse romans of the 13th century: in “Fergus” (which places his lair in an isolated mountain), within “Le Chevalier aux Deux Epées”, within the “Roman du Hem”, within “Escanor”, within the “Roman de Silence” (where the Grisandole tale is found), and especially within “Claris et Laris”, which explains Merlin’s solitude by a crime he needs to expiate until his death. In the Prose Tristan (after 1240, Merlin takes care of Tristan, whose mother recently died, and gives him to a preceptor (just like he had done for Arthur in Robert de Boron’s text). Identified as a wizard, he builds a magical boat, the “nef de la joie”, for the king of Northomberlande. Outside of the knight-tales, a fairytale in verse of the beginning of the 12th century, “Du villain qui devient riche et puis pauvre”, also known as the “Dit de Merlin-merlot”, confirms the role among the “folk people” of Merlin as an embodiment of the supernatural.

The one that Dante called the “buon incantatore” was very popular in Italy, especially in relation to the work of Joachim of Flore. Among his apocryphal works there is an “Expositio Sibyllae et Merlini”. The tradition of Merlin as a prophet was enriched by a huge book of “Prophecies”, which mixed political predictions, sermons, and fictional stories. It was written in French between 1276 and 1279 by Venetian, probably a Franciscan. In the beginning of the 14th century, the Florentine Paolino Pieri mixed in his “Storia di Merlini” a tale of Merlin’s youth and the Italian translation of a part of the “Prophecies”. In 1480, Venice saw published six volumes of the “Historia di Merlino”, a great part also made of these prophecies supposedly made by Merlin.

In England, the “Merlin” of Robert and the “Suite-Vulgate” were recapped in a verse work known as “Arthour and Merlin” (1250-1300). Henri Lovelich gave an alternate version of this text in his “Merlin” (1430). A translation in Middle-English of the “Merlin-Vulgate” dates from the middle of the 15th century. Finally, sir Thomas Malory split the “Merlin” of Robert throughout the five first books of his “Morte d’Arthur”. This work, written in the prison of Newgate where Malory spent the last twenty years of his life, was printed in 1485 and constantly republished, and it ensured the fame of Arthur and Merlin within English-speaking countries.

In Germany, “Merlin und Seifrid de Ardemont”, by Albrecht von Scharfenberg (13th century) recaps Robert’s Merlin, with very important modifications (for example Pandragon and Uter are now the sons of Merlin). Other translations appeared in Holland. In Spain, the cycle of the pseudo-Robert de Boron was translated in the 14th century by the brother Juan Vivas, while the “Demanda del Sancto Grial” included a “Baladro del sabio Merlin”, derived from the lost “Brait de Merlin”. A Castilian version appeared at Burgos in 1498, and then another was published in Seville in 1535.

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