#do i do it with ahru though

[ishgard]

reading everyone's comments and appreciation for arr now i'm doubly like... I gotta go replay ARR.

[dravania]

"Gods but you are stubborn. Will you be still?"

"I will not! This is entirely unnecessary, put me down!"

"And you have the gall to complain about me and Ahru," he grumbles beneath his breath. At this she quiets, and for a moment their thoughts are aligned. On Ahru, and the rest of the Scions still back home, fighting an increasingly gruesome war.

If she must suffer the small ignominy of being hauled like a sack of popotoes, she finally relents, so be it. They have much work to do before the others arrive.

--

The AU where Yulania gets pulled to the first with Thancred and they actually learn to co-exist. Though not without some bumps along the way.

Usually she's semi-retired in Ishgard with Aymeric, so she missed out on First adventures in Ahru's main canon, but thinking about an Ahru/Aymeric verse spawned a whole new legion of ideas. :'D

[aamaranthiine]

Roleplay History

The rules are simple! Post characters you’d like to roleplay as, have roleplayed as, and might bring back. Then tag ten people to do the same (if you can’t think of ten, just write down however many you can and tag that number of people). Please repost, don’t reblog! Current Muses: Amalthea | The Last Unicorn Want to Write: Lester DeRosso | Bravely Default (3DS Game) - It's complicated though.. Zelda | The Legend of Zelda series Ezra | DnD OC - hope to add him to a multi blog. Ahru - Legend of Zelda OC - hope to also add her to a multi blog. And a few other One Piece OCs for said multi blog.. lol Have Written: (in terms of 'canons') Gajeel | Fairy Tail Roronoa Zoro | One Piece Eustass Kidd | One Piece Dracule Mihawk | One Piece Sigyn | Norse Mythology Inari | Shinto/Japanese Mythology and 20 years of Original Characters whom are way too many to list. I have primarily always written OCs and very sparingly did established character, usually only at the behest of friends. stolen from: @seaoftales tagging: points at you!

[ivanaskye]

“And then there’s Entangled Tongues….” // “A Holy of a Holy—“

And then there’s Entangled Tongues, the so-called ‘Holy bar’, although of course it doesn’t have any actual entrance requirements. Still, everyone knows. And it’s hard for drinks to be to everyone’s taste when they’re intended for a clientele that includes a number of people without taste buds.

i went through a tonnnn of possible names for this bar--even almost went a little out of the abrahamic purview and had a possible buddhism reference in mind (the jewel net), but i couldn't quite get it down to a good sounding bar name.

The wooden door opens with a slight creak to the darkened bar, where at least thirty people are piled on the floor.

“Hey, is anyone injured, does anyone need help?” Elīya asks.

There’s a moment of silence, one person starting to groan out a grumble—

But then Tamar shouts out, “So, guys, what’s up with God? Anyone have ideas?”

And at least twenty voices start talking, all at once.

this seems to be a favorite line for many, lol. one of my betas suddenly exclaimed "WAIT ARE HOLIES JEWS????" at this. i think more accurately i built the holies in general out of reasoning 'ok, what kind of person would make this choice--' but maybe that amounts to a fairly similar thing.

And Yairēn’s never met this many Holies at once before, and yet there’s something familiar about them, collapsed on each other and draping halfway down stairs as they are, lighting the room with fire from eyes and mouth and ears and glowing from the ember-char of burned limbs. They have seen someone—or heard Them, or spoke Them, or danced to Their song or grasped Their flame—enough to burn, and she knows what that’s like.

Knows someone who was so scared of something—not burning but similar—that they kept their very hand sealed away for years. Knows someone else who is nothing so hot but could fill you just as easily.

Yes, she thinks she understands the clientele here, just as she thinks she might suspect why they have all been knocked down in the way they have.

not much to say here

She sets the wheel-angel on a plush chair that seems like acceptable seating for someone of his shape;

tbh it's a little sad that it took me this long to get to a wheel-angel. love a good wheel friend.

Elīya props Tamar against the wall.

Someone nearby, legs like charcoal etched with shifting embers, maybe the most upright person here on account of their wheelchair catching them as they droop, notices the angel and shouts, “Hey, Wormwood, glad you could show up!”

Yairēn tilts her head at him. “You’re named after a… beverage ingredient?”

because, of course, that name wouldn't have any other connotations in this setting. (and in case you need the reminder, it's specifically one of the herbs used in absinthe.)

“Well—” he stumbles on this word and buzzes, then seems to shake himself, readjusting his wheels. “My real name’s Artiya’il, but a man can have”—his wing twitches, just like when it hit her in the face—“nicknames…”

i think andie suggested this name and i uhhhh may have forgotten why.

There’s people talking, raucous, shouting back and forth—Elīya’s in action, mostly fetching water for people, it seems—but Yairēn has nothing she needs to do and so she focuses on listening, though these are far from ideal conditions for one of her secondary languages.

So of course the first of the many overlapping shouting sentences she catches is, “God sounds like… there’s another Them?”

Yairēn straightens, her wings twitching. It is what she suspected, then. But how…? Jibril said They’d never really understood before…

yairēn's cute white birdlike wings, explicitly unlike angel wings,

“Oh, is it an evil twin, like in the books?” the Holy on the wheelchair says. “Because that sounds hot—”

whether they're referring just to evil twin books in general or a specific evil-twin-of-god trope is left to the reader

“Oh my God, Ahru, you are so predictable!” someone else shouts.

speaking of types of people who would choose to become holy,

“Pst, hey, not-Holy who wants to help,” someone says behind her, barely holding themself up by the stair railing. They’re eye-price like Tamar but are looking directly at her. “Can you help Enniš sit up? He’s tongue-price and can’t sign too well on the ground—”

“YOOO,” an ear-price suddenly shouts, “I CAN’T HEAR ANY OF YOU BUT I THINK GOD GOT HOLIFIED BY GOD?”

>_o

Yairēn was going to go help this Enniš, she really was, but now she’s stopped in her tracks.

Holified? By someone else? That’s not—that’s not a simple thing, not a casual thing—that’s something that would influence the world forever—

>>_oo

“Another… version of God?” “See, I’m saying there’s an evil twin—” “ANYONE UPRIGHT ENOUGH TO SIGN???”

extremely fun times in this bar :DD

From halfway across the bar, Elīya’s giving her a look. Shit—she’s pretty sure that’s the look that means she should actually be helping.

classic elīya moment, number who knows

But if the reason God finally knows is that… What kind of person would be that kind of God, would…

but yeah, these are important considerations

She shakes herself out of it and sets herself to propping the one guy upright, flames wisping and flickering out of his mouth, but irregularly. It seems irregular now for all the Holies, and this one angel she’s seen so far, which would make sense if—

God, she hopes whoever it is is someone Jibril can like. Can get along with.

'man i hope my friend who has the creator of the universe in their body is cool with this y2k network merger--'

And what does it mean for all these Holies, if God was made Holy to another, Themself? A Holy of a Holy—

i actually did not intend the 'holy of holies' reference :p

[mintdrop]

New Beginnings ;; 854 words

When was the last time she had been this busy? A busy-ness of her own doing, no less. Pots bubbled and boiled, the smells of freshly baked breads and meat-stuffed pies blending together in a cacophony one could compare to an ideal version of heaven if they wanted to. Half-prepped pastries sat along the counters and table, each awaiting their turn inside the small wood-burning stove tucked away in the Coerthan cottage as their creator happily hummed above the stove as she stirred one of the night's main dishes.

"You'll be gone for that long?" The question had been asked days before, in the least-sad tone she could muster. Although she was used to being away from a Estinien for extended periods of time, it never made the idea of it any easier to Mint. The two sat against each other on the couch in the den of their home, with the dragoon's long fingers brushing through the white mage's even longer hair.

"Aymeric is seeing to things near the Churning Mists, especially close to the Zenith. We may be at peace with the dragons, but I'm sure not all of them see the same as we do." His voice was apologetic, but both of them knew that it was something he would do, even if the Lord Commander had told him not to go. Mint wasn't one to keep him from his duties either, but to say she wouldn't be lonely would be an understatement, especially given that she had finally been given some freedom from her duties as a warrior of light. The Elezen looked down at her, only now noticing that she hadn't turned the page of her book in quite a while. "Perhaps you could take this time to invite your newly-found allies over. Isn't that something you'd been wishing to do?" The idea struck a chord with the Lalafell, and her face lit up as she turned her head up to grin at him.

"You're right! I had wanted to do it when both of us were free, but it's not like they can only be invited once." She beamed at Estinien, her face only obscured when he leaned down to press his smile against her own. Her cheeks flushed a healthy hue of red, and she couldn't help but look away after their lips had parted. "Can you come with me to the shops before you depart?" Her brows knitted together as she counted off on her fingers those she would invite. "I'll need... a lot."

--

A few weeks had passed since that conversation, though missives had been sent all over the realm. Initially, she had planned to invite partners along with the initial invitee, but had realized while scratching out the first invitation that she would most likely reignite her own loneliness. Instead, she wrote them out to each of her friends, with offers of fresh cooked food and an atmosphere to unwind.

While she had been reliant on the post moogle for the majority of the deliveries, Mint was able to employ a few middlemen for others; namely Alphinaud and Aymeric themselves. Alphinaud could easily relay a letter to Illya -- and by association of association, Laurelis, whereas Aymeric could give one to Yume before his departure, and Estinien could do the same for Shuri. For Lunya, Kiri, Ahru and Saoirse, the moogle was her saving grace. She'd also written an invitation to Kye -- that one miqo'te who was missing an eye until last week -- but realized that inviting him to a gathering of mostly women would be... odd, at best. Instead, she made a mental note to make him his own personal delivery and see it to him in the coming days, along with a good bottle of alcohol for them to share.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Mint looked upon the fruits of her labor that now nearly overflowed along the long wooden table. Stuffed cabbage rolls, perfectly cooked steaks, and several stews that each had their own mixture of meats and veggies were only a few of the options that her guests could choose from, along with several fish dishes. Salads of different varieties lined up on the counters, sharing their space with freshly baked, hand-kneaded loaves of bread and an assortment of cheeses.

Sitting on the windowsill were large glass jugs that held different teas and juices, while bottles of rum and wine rested on a rack just below. The oven was host to pastries and desserts that left them at their perfect temperatures, while jellies and honey-crusted croissants chilled near an open window -- a window that now needed to be closed now that the first signs of her guests arriving were here; a heavy knocking on her door.

To say she was anxious would be an understatement, but it was easily drowned out by the excitement sitting within her chest. It had been so long since she could do this; so long since she'd had those she could call friends. With a smile so bright it could rival the setting sun, she opened the heavy wooden door to her home. "Welcome!"

[twelveswood]

[ @ishgard​ requested something soft.... so I did what I could. I’m not super confident in this for whatever reason, but I am posting it for her anyway. ♥ Soft family AhruGaius.]

Ahru was exhausted, she had come straight home from her trip to the Steppe after making her annual appearance at the Naadam. She was getting old, wasn’t she? It was always a thrill, the massive battle for supremacy of the Steppe, but anymore it really took something out of her keeping up with all the fresh warriors of the various tribes. The time had grown late and all she wanted to do was collapse in her own bed, curled up beside Gaius, enveloped in his warmth. “Come on, boys,” she called behind her where a young Anastasius, perhaps around eight or nine, gently led an even younger Alphaeus by the hand behind their mother, one yawning followed by the other. “We’ve almost made it.” Her hand reached for the door and almost all her remaining energy left her as she opened the door. Sighing happily as she entered the threshold she managed to gather herself just enough to remove her shoes and drop her bags by the door. She had contacted Gaius to inform him that they would be home soon, but she assumed he’d have likely gone to bed by this time, so she moved quietly as she ushered the boys inside. “Go on now and head to bed,” she said with such a warmth, “You can see your dad in the morning, okay? And you can tell him about all of our adventures.” They were both too tired to make any argument about going to bed, they simply nodded, Anastasius yawning again as Alphaeus rubbed at his eyes. “G’night mom,” they mumbled in near unison, tottering off towards their room. As Ahru made her way further in she heard something… just ever so faintly. Her ears perked, tilting her head. She followed the sound and it only grew more distinct, and it did not take long for her to realize what it was. Humming. Gaius’s voice. 

She crept closer very quietly, enjoying the sound. She approached him from behind, standing a few feet away, simply listening. After a moment she moved so carefully her steps were all but silent as she peered over his shoulder where he sat. On his lap was Valeriana, curled up, head resting against his chest, sleeping. In his hand was a book he seemed quiet intent on. Seemed. “Welcome home,” he said abruptly, almost startling Ahru. “Shouldn’t you both be in bed?” her voice was soft, filled with mirth, not chiding in the least. “I thought you might be home late. Val insisted we stay up and wait for you. Though she did not make it, I figured I would carry on in her stead.” He sat the book aside and leaned his head back until he could see her where she was, leaned over his shoulder. “Well I would like to be in bed,” she said, her smile tired but so very bright, it rang through her tone. “With you, if you’re not so enraptured by what you’re reading that you might join me.” “I suppose I could oblige you,” there was just that soft hint of teasing in his voice. Ah, how her heart sang to be home and beside him. She placed her hands on either side of his head, kissing just above his third eye. “How very kind of you,” she returned his light teasing before she straightened her spine. Her fingertips ran through his hair as she drew her hands away, a sigh, so content, escaping her. With the utmost care he bundled Valeriana up in his arms as he stood. She stirred a little but remained fast asleep, merely gripping hold of him a little tighter. “Go on,” he gestured with his head towards their room, “I’ll put her to bed.” Ahru simply stood there smiling, taking in the sight of him standing there with their little girl sleeping in his arms. “She’ll be angry tomorrow that you didn’t wake her,” Ahru laughed a soft, musical little laugh and shook her head, “But that’s alright. I’d very much like a quiet night with you to myself.” Gaius simply offered her a smile before he moved along to put Valeriana in her bed. Ahru moved to their room and with a sigh of relief peeled away her layers of clothing and climbing into bed, the sinking feeling of sleep weighing her down immediately. By the time Gaius entered the room, she was fast asleep.

[jakkwrites]

Another day, another fic! This one is set in the universe that @ma-setheneran​ and I created where their Khajiit dragonborn, J’shana, adopts Jakkuor. I wrote it for their birthday last year. It’s also title-less bc titles are not my forte and I couldn’t think of one. Enjoy!

   J'shana settled by the fire, sighing contently. Jakkuor and Derkeethus were both already in bed, asleep by now no doubt, but she'd wanted alone time before turning in for the night. She needed to recharge a little, though their company was appreciated more than they probably realized. It was nice to unwind for a bit after a day of being on the move, especially when they got to stay in an inn. A proper bed awaited her, surrounded by walls. Safety was a rare luxury when being hunted by the Thalmor.    She gazed into the fire, eyes starting to close and head drooping. She let out another sigh; it was time for bed. J'shana rose to her feet with a yawn.

   The creak of a floorboard from behind made her ears perk. She whirled around, reaching for her bow instinctively, only to find Jakkuor at the door looking sheepish.    "S-Sorry, I didn't realize you were up still..."    J'shana's heart lightened with relief; she offered a smile to the younger Khajiit. "I was just about to head off to sleep. Is everything alright?"    Jakk shrugged her shoulders, gaze flitting about, not quite meeting J'shana's eyes, "Just h-having some trouble sleeping. It's, um, n-not a big deal."    She was fidgeting more than normal, smoothing out her shirt three times alone as she spoke. Something was bothering her. They had a close call earlier in the day with the Thalmor, perhaps that was it?    "Something's on your mind." J'shana took one of Jakk's hands in both of hers, finding her palm slick with sweat.    "N-No, I-" Jakkuor shook her head quickly, too quickly. "I-I'm just tired, everything's fine..."    She was a terrible liar, which was the absolute opposite of a problem. J'shana hoped she never got any better at it.    "Why don't you come sit by the fire with me? We-"    "I-I don't want to talk... Please."    She seemed so unhappy, shoulders sagged, head tilted downward. J'shana wanted her to open up so badly, but she couldn't bring herself to push her to try.    "You don't have to if you don't want to, mahazi." She lightly squeezed Jakk's hand and beckoned towards the fireplace. If she didn't want to talk about what was bothering her, J'shana could at least try and help her get some rest. "We can just sit and relax."    "...Okay."    Jakkuor followed her over to the fire, plopping herself down on the rug in front of it. J'shana pulled her chair closer, as close behind her as she could, before taking a seat. Jakk shifted backwards a little, leaning back against her legs.    J'shana smiled to herself; the Cathay was becoming less averse to touch as the days went on. They were making progress, albeit slow. Overall, she looked much healthier. She was filling out, no longer so thin and sickly, and she'd even gotten a little taller since they started travelling together. She was getting better.    A peaceful silence settled over the two, broken only by the pops and crackles of the fire. Jakk absently trailed her fingers through the rug, staring deep into the flames as she rested against J'shana. She suddenly sighed and sat upright, hugging her knees to her chest.    "I-I don't think this is working..." she murmured. "Y-You should just go sleep, I'll probably be fine on my own."    "No way," J'shana shook her head, "I'm not going to leave you by yourself."    Especially since you've been on your own for far too long already. She joined Jakk on the floor, sitting beside her as she took a deep breath to steel herself. Like it or not, Jakkuor was going to have to talk about whatever was bugging her. She wasn't going to get it off her mind otherwise.    "Jakk..." J'shana began, trailing off when an idea popped into her head. Maybe she needed something to distract her. "Would you like to hear a story?"    "Huh?"    "A story. When I was younger and had trouble sleeping, my father used to tell me stories passed down by the other clan leaders." She paused a moment, remembering that she was the last one who knew these stories - no, these legends. She would have to keep them alive. They were all she had left of her clan.    "O-Okay!"    Jakk's words snapped her out her thoughts. She was focused on J'shana with an inquisitive sparkle in her eyes, head tilted to the side. Sha couldn't help but smile at her curiousity; she was still so young, though she didn't much act like it.    "How about Purna di San Shira? It roughly translates to... A Tale of Four Clans, and it was my favorite story."    "Alright," Jakk nodded enthusiastically.    J'shana got comfortable on the rug beside her, taking in a breath before plunging into the story. "Long, long ago, before either of us were born, there were four clans: the Tygra, the Shavaahr, the Ahru-Assa, and the Tsuravo."    Jakkuor listened attentively as she described the clans and their leaders; kind, nurturing Ta'igrah, cunning, charismatic Shavaahr, calm, passive Tsuravo, and Ahru-Assa, elegant, but never afraid to get her hands dirty, and the eventual dragon threat.    "... and they prayed to Alkosh for his help-"    "Alkosh?" Jakk interrupted.    "You would know him as Akatosh."    "Do the Khajiit worship the Divines too?"    "Some of them, yes. They're a little different from the ones the Nords worship, though."    "Ohh. Makes sense."    J'shana nodded, before carrying on. As she got to the part where the four clan leaders fought back against the dragons, she felt a weight on her shoulder. She glanced down to find Jakkuor asleep, head resting on her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat; Jakk felt safe enough around her to not only fall asleep near her but on her.    Now the question was what to do with her. J'shana wasn't nearly strong enough to carry her back to her room, and she definitely wasn't going to wake her. But she also couldn't just leave Jakkuor out here alone. She also couldn't sleep sitting up like this. She carefully maneuvered Jakk so she was lying on the rug, managing not to wake her in the process. The young Khajiit looked peaceful, chest rising and falling softly, barely twitching in her sleep. No nightmares. Not yet, at least.    Maybe they could sleep out here by the fire together. J'shana could take the pillows and blankets from their actual beds. It would be comfortable enough. She decided to do just that, getting to her feet and padding back to their rooms. She stripped off her armor, setting it on the table in her room before stripping the bed. She had half a mind to leave her bow as well, but the paranoia in her demanded it be kept nearby. It was all she had for defense, after all. She did the same to Jakk's bed, bringing the pile back out to the common area. Jakkuor was right where she'd left her, thankfully still asleep. J'shana knelt beside her, lifting her head carefully to slide the pillow underneath before draping the blanket over her, smoothing it out.    "Goodnight, little one," she purred. She set up her own 'bed' close by, ensuring Jakk still had some space but that she was near enough to help if need be. J'shana settled in, quietly content she had helped the girl. She soon drifted off, lulled to sleep by the sounds of the fire nearby.

[whitherliliesbloom]

28. “I think you are the sweetest thing.”

Pinterest based writing prompts (accepting!) | Sort of hinted Illya/Alphinaud & Ahru/Gaius | 546 words

“Are those roses that you’re crushing?” The voice that calls out behind the lalafell startles her momentarily, and she turns her head back to stare up at the miqo’te hovering over her, lips turned up in a gentle smile. 

So focused had she been on her task that she’d fail to notice Ahru approach, and her cheeks now burn a bright red in embarrassment for her obliviousness.

“Ah... Yes, I am..” Illya sets the stone pestle in her hand down into the mortar with the half crushed rose petals. The red of the flowers had begun to stain the bottom, and as Ahru peeked into the pitiable state the once beautiful flowers were now in, she could not help but to question Illya in curiosity.

“What for?”

As far as she remembered, the girl loved flowers. And though a skilled botanist she may be, it wasn’t very often that she’d be willing to crush a set of perfectly grown flowers outside of medicinal use. 

The lalafell seems even more flustered now, and she brings her hand up to clasp together over her chest, fingers fidgeting sheepishly.

“It’s.. it’s for a muscle relief cream I’m making..for Gaius.”

Ahru’s eyebrow raises inquisitively. 

“Oh?”

“I-I still haven’t properly repaid him for what he did.” Illya’s gaze casts down to the ground beneath her, voice hitched a tad as she recalls the memories of watching Alphinaud’s unconscious body be carried towards her in the arms of a man she knew not whether to trust. She remembers the feeling of her heart dropping into the pit of her stomach, the nauseating fear of the worst that had almost forced her into her knees and hurl back then. 

She knew not what was worse, the revelation that the man carrying the body of the young man she’d only just confessed her feelings towards was in fact that Black Wolf, or that she could not have been there for Alphinaud as his soul was carried away, no doubt with his last moments being filled of regret and worry for her.

It took a while for her to trust him, despite even knowing of Ahru’s far more personal and complex bond with him.. But there wasn’t a shred of doubt in her mind now, that she’d forever be in-debt to Gaius. For saving Alphinaud, and in turn saving her.

“It’s been many summers now, Illya..” Ahru’s voice softens, and the woman lowers herself to Illya’s height to rest a hand upon her shoulder. “He holds no receipts over you. In fact, he only has guilt.”

“But even so..” Shaking her head, her violet eyes finally turn upwards to look back at Ahru, an unwavering conviction in her eyes her self-proclaimed adoptive mother far preferred over fearfulness or tears. “I want to give something in return.. as thanks for everything he has done.. For me, for Alphinaud... for you.”

There’s a momentary pause, until the older woman finally relents with a nod, smile growing wider now.  

“If that is what you truly wish to do.. then who am I to stop you?”

Finally, Illya smiles back up at Ahru. Satisfied, she straightens herself back up to now bring her hand up to gently pet the top of the lalafell’s head.

“You’re just the sweetest thing.” 

[ephemeralrequital]

When you get this, please respond with five things that make you happy~! Then, send to the last ten people in your notifications. You never know who might benefit from spreading positivity~! ❤❤❤

akdjakldja thank you so much Ahru ;; ❤❤❤I. My mutuals/friends! Honestly, I’m a surprised anyone follows this mess of a blog, even more so is interested in Laurla at all. It makes me super happy, I can’t stress that enough. Laurla is,,, super precious to me, so to have people interested in her just makes my day. Likewise people wanting to engage in conversation/playful banter/ect with ME. Ya’ll are great ❤ II. Drawing! As stressful as it can be sometimes, I’ve been making art since I was 12? So 11 years of just continuous practice and striving for improvement has been hard, but at this point in my life, how far I’ve come with it, I’m super pleased!! ( shamelessly plugs my dA account and art tag on here. )

III. Supporting other people’s characters and pairings! It’s no secret that I feed ya’ll. Truthfully seeing my mutuals post stuff about them just make me SMILE LIKE YA’LL REALLY OUT THERE DOIN YOUR BEST AND HAVING FUN,,, No one could ask for more ;; seeing ya’ll get into them oc/oc or oc/npc wHATEVER like ya’ll are cute and keep doing you. Your characters are GREAT and every day you post and hc or answer an ask about them you guys are really are just super great and creative ;;!!IV. Video Games! JRPGs! FFXIV is actually my first official MMO (I briefly played WoW, but it was my parents accounts and I didn’t play long considering well,,, they wanted to play LOL) and it’s been a worthwhile experience! I’m mostly a console player though, and I’ve played just about all the FFs, and quite a bit of other series like Persona! I like immersing myself in a new world and new possibilities, plus gives good character inspirations!!V. Not to be super gay on main but my boyfriend. He does a lot for me, if I ask him for something he hardly if ever says no, and he bends over backwards to make sure I’m happy and safe, and that’s really just all anyone could ever ask for. I took a big leap in 2017 with moving into a WHOLE new world (I grew up in small rural towns my whole life, both in Tennessee and in Kentucky, so moving to the BIG APPLE New York was a huge change for me) but I haven’t regret my decision. I couldn’t be happier.

[goldbasar]

18. What festivals of Eorzea does your character celebrate? Do they have a favourite? How do they go about spreading the festivities? Are there any they avoid - if so, why?

(thanks for the ask, ahru! )

18. What festivals of Eorzea does your character celebrate? Do they have a favourite? How do they go about spreading the festivities? Are there any they avoid - if so, why?

Onyx - she’s my WoL character, she somehow ends up attending most of them. Either due to curiousity (how do they work? what is the story? nice decoration!) or influence from others (Friends inviting her or people needing HELP). she really appreciates the Rising and feels it’s importance on a very emotional and personal level. Even though she has no recollection of witnessing the calamity, or anything that has happened before, she feels Eorzea’s core spirit so strongly. Fighting feels WORTH IT. it’s a special day. Avoid…Well, Moonfire Faire is always fun and the weather is great, but Onyx is sliiightly allergic to water and swimming. :’)  she still always attends. A festival she always seems to forget about is Heaven’s Turn. Valentione’s Day she never attends as in GIVING GIFTS herself, but she likes the mood and helps out when she can.

Nephillyr - She doesn’t really like crowds so she avoids most of them. Also, originally hailing from Othard, there’s no strong connection to any of the festivals in particular, although she enjoys fireworks. After most of the initial hustle and bustle passes, you may find her on a cliff at Costa del Sol, enjoying the view.She most definitely AVOIDS the Rising since she’s still not at the point where mourning and paying respect to those passed away is emotionally possible.  OH AND HECK does she avoid Valentione’s. It’s literally painful. she may open up to it in the future.

Eleyara - as a gridanian citizen, you will most definitely find her attending all the festivals being held there. Eleyara LOOOOVES the hatching tide (even more so since she found out silvairre actually /likes/ searching for the eggs :’) ) and is really eager to spread the excitement for it all around~ She’s generally quite the happy gal, so it’s easy to get her in the mood. she doesn’t avoid any of them on purpose, it’s more about how much free time she has for traveling.

Catherine - DEFINITELY STARLIGHT. it’s her favorite. She used to attend the Scholasticate and singing in the halonic choir was such a great honor. (I want to thank SE for the last starlight event and the ishgard mentions at this point). It’s simply the most wintery festival and I think every faithful ishgardian enjoys it. blissful events and come togethers, warm feelings, heartfelt prayers. She also appreciates Valentione’s as it is another festival hailing from Ishgard, but she never actually gave someone a present. As she didn’t leave Ishgard in her canon so far, she hardly celebrates any of the other festivals, unless it’s stated someday that Ishgardians have them as well. (I can see every state having their own traditions for heaven’s turn, though)

Adrien - He lost count of which day they even have a long time ago. straying heretics only celebrate dravanius mundi, if at all. Sometimes he gets wind of dates, but there’s no real reason to celebrate. He’s not bound to society after all. He does remember starlight back on the farm at hemlock but he hates feeling nostalgic, so whatever.

[ishgard]

Gave Vena (thanahru kid) some little non-mod-dependent tweaks and I love her sm. Playing with the idea of expanding the time between EW and DT to at leeeeast about two years so-

Born some time post-EW

She has a slight over-abundance of light aether owing to moms [gestures to all of Shadowbringers] but it's been carefully managed through the help of [gestures to all of Ahru's friends and acquaintances and all else].

Natural proclivity for white magic, little surprise.

Has a greater aetheric density than most.

She likes to dabble in everything though, very influenced by her super cool mama. Studying other forms of magic helps balance and manage her aether.

Has little white freckles all over her body that glow a bit when she uses magic, and when she's really dialing it up her eyes glow too 😌

She was helping mama make dads magically enchanted bullets as a wee kiddo 😅

(May or may not be able to traverse the rift safely. But timeline wise who knows if we won't find a way to do that soon anyway.)

Not super spoilery but some Dawntrail-related bits:

So when Wuk Lamat comes looking for her champion Ahru delegates the role (maybe to Leto, haven't decided yet) but still tags along to help/offer assistance when needed the most - but is mostly just chilling and enjoying the sights with a toddler strapped to her back giggling all the way.

Very happy baby! Curious and excited about all the new things, very little danger sense lmao. (Hard, I guess, when your mom IS the danger.)

Gets passed around a few times between Thancred and Ahru

LOVES Wuk Lamat!! LOVES Gulool Ja Ja!! LOVES Sphene!! LOVES Bakool Ja Ja (hilarious) LOVES Erenville!! anyway the point is she loves everyone.

Erenville in particular is uncle though please imagine Ahru handing her over to him while sneaking around in Shaaloani and him just standing there, deadpan, with this tiny child chewing and drooling on one of his ears.

Zoraal Ja's vibes on the other hand made her cry once and it's On Sight for Ahru ever since.

Got to stay with Shale and Gulool Ja during Everkeep.

Got to stay with dad when mom went into Living Memory.

I'm gonna be thinking about these things for a while... 😂 Since she was born in 6.X she probably 'met' Zero too. Alas I think Ahru did not take the baby to the void lmao. Which is a fun fix in my head for Thancred's awful absence.

And then while I don't particularly plan on it being canon by any stretch of the means, while I'm playing around on her my mind inevitably leans towards 'haha of course she was messing around with mom's Azem tools and somehow got bapped into another timeline where she has to become the Warrior of Light'. 🤷‍♀️

[dravania]

Fluffvember, Day 1: First Kiss

Pairing: Thancred & Ahru (ffxiv wolcred) Word Count: 1,571 Warning: idk alcohol use? two stupid infatuated idiots? AO3 Link

Joining the Scions had been a bit of a no-brainer. Ahru was looking for work, answers, and the person offering her both was Thancred of all people. They’d spent more than a few nights at the Quicksand since their reunion under the Sultantree that fateful day. Reminiscing over their misspent youths in Limsa Lominsa, touching faintly on where their paths had taken them after his sudden departure, and both of them tip-toeing around saying too much about what they’d done in more recent years.

It was almost difficult at times to reconcile the handsome, charming man she shared drinks with to the guarded, stubborn, dirt-smeared boy from the docks. Nowadays it seemed plenty of folks around Ul’dah’s taverns knew him very well, and he had a quip or compliment for each of them.

“Gods, but you were insufferable,” he had chuckled one night as he sloshed the ale in his cup around, “Like a beam of sunlight, the one that’s always aiming right for your eyes.”

“Better that than a storm cloud, glowering around and grumpy everywhere he sulks,” she teased with a toothy grin, and he shook his head at her, smirking before he took the drink.

She’d have been lying if she said she wasn’t interested, and with how close they often found themselves once several cups had been emptied, he was giving her the distinct impression he felt the same. Their hands would touch, a brush against the arm or even the face, light and testing, ‘innocent’, but only at a glance. Though surely, anyone who saw them would have thought anything but.

Yet at the heart of those little touches was a sentiment neither of them would ponder too deeply just yet. The looks in their eyes betrayed them though, perhaps not some heart-pounding discovery, but a gentle, fond recognition of: ‘There you are’, and ‘It’s really you, isn’t it?’

She was curious, how much of all this levity was surface-level. If she got her nails in him, would she find the storm clouds underneath? One way or another didn’t matter so much to her, not now. She wasn’t exactly a beam of sunlight beneath the grins and guffaws after all.

Now, however, they were colleagues, and she wasn’t entirely sure if that was a death knell for… whatever it was they had going on between them. She’d met the others, and been given her first assignment, but it’d be a few days yet before they set out.

When all was said and done, she hadn’t joined the Scions just to get close to him again. That was more of an added benefit. She wanted to better understand these visions, what the Crystal had beckoned her to do, what… any of it meant. She’d be happy though, if it also meant she got to have an old friend back. And if there was more? Well... she wouldn't argue with that either.

“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Speak of the devil. Or ‘think’, in this case.

Ahru’s ears perked up at the sound of his voice; even when he’d been into a few cups she noticed how quiet his footsteps were. Sat at the end of a corridor in the Waking Sands atop some storage crates she looked up at him from her own cup. She smiled as she cast a glance past him, to the plain view of the relatively open hall before glancing back to him, silently suggesting: ‘It wouldn’t have been that difficult to find me.’

But instead she simply said: “It looks like you’ve found me.”

He glanced back the way she'd looked, and then to her again, shrugging as he hopped up to sit beside her.

“So I have,” he sighed, setting his cup back on the crate behind him before leaning back on his palms. Quiet for just a moment, he turned his head to look at her and ask: “How do you like it?”

Her brows lifted, tail swishing slowly at her side. She could only assume he meant… here. The Waking Sands. The Scions. Not like she’d been here long enough to really form much of an opinion. Feeling a bit ashamed she lowered her gaze back to her cup.

“It’s… kind of a lot,” she admitted quietly. It wasn’t just the drink that made her feel like she could be a bit more brave, and a lot more honest. They may have tip-toed around the ugly spots, but both of them had some inkling of where the other had been in these long years. There was no judgment between them, and she took comfort in that.

“But I think… I’d like to get used to it,” she continued, looking up at the wall across from her as she sat her cup aside, before slowly shifting her gaze back to him. “It seems like good work.” The emphasis placed on ‘good’. Not just another good paying job, but work that did good. It was almost a little hard to imagine herself in a place like this, after where she’d come from.

“You’ll fit in just fine,” he chuckled, and she wondered if he was recalling the little girl who brought him warm honey muffins and the fresh fish she’d caught. That girl, yes, would have been a good fit here.

Reaching his hand up he patted it against the top of her head in a soft, slow, reassuring gesture. A pat on the shoulder might have sufficed, but she smiled and closed her eyes a moment, indeed reassured by it. When was the last time anyone had offered her such a kind touch? Let alone one so comfortably welcomed.

“Ahru,” his voice was quiet and a little strange, pulling her, blinking quickly, from that momentary reprieve. She lifted her gaze again to meet him, finding him much closer now, enough to stop her breath for an instant.

“I’m glad you’re here. Truly,” he said softly, not so much that she had to focus clearly to hear what he was saying, but certainly in a way that drew her in to the detriment of the world around them.

“So am I,” she managed, struggling slightly with this breathless, heart-racing anticipation that in many ways both was, and was not, familiar to her. She was hardly ‘inexperienced’, but at this moment she felt like she very well may have been. Did he feel it too? That, and this insatiable tug between them, daring them to defy the space that remained.

His hand had slipped down to the side of her face now, brushing her hair back as he dipped in closer still. Eyes low, they flitted up to hers as if to ask one final time: ‘Is this all right?’ The same way they had a dozen times before now, with each subtly stolen touch.

She let her eyes drift shut and answered him, as always, with a touch of her own.

The warmth of his lips seemed to her as familiar as his eyes had been, though she’d never known them half as well. Save, perhaps, by sight, for how many times she’d found herself glancing at them in the low light of the Quicksand. The liquor on both their tongues was a fitting mix of bitter and sweet; enough to soften their inhibitions maybe, but not enough for either to question their clarity.

But certainly enough to fuel their fervor. What had started as soft and a little tentative gradually deepened, as warmth kindled low in her gut. Soon enough his other hand crossed over to her opposite side to angle them closer, and both her hands were on him, at shoulder and chest, gripping the fabric of his clothes to keep him closer.

What had deepened then began to quickly grow feverish -his hand was in her hair now, one of hers sliding up beneath his shirt. It wasn’t until they heard a shout from the far room at the other end of the hall that breathless, they both nearly jumped away. With wide-eyes they looked at each other as if they’d nearly been caught doing something they shouldn’t have. Yet their hands lingered on each other, far more chastely than they had been a moment before, but still unwilling to let go.

Slowly, in unison, they both turned their heads towards the far room, where the other Scions were drinking and laughing behind the closed doors. The shout had been followed by laughter, and it didn’t look as if anyone was coming out just yet.

“Should we…?” she started to say in a whisper, but her words soon enough trailed off, not knowing how to end the question. ‘Go back and join the others?’ It was technically supposed to be a little welcome party for her, though it did seem they were managing just fine on their own.

“Find some place a little more private?” The other option that hung on her tongue he seemed to have found for her, looking at her with a smirk that could have been ‘playful’ or ‘inviting’. Depending on how she answered, he’d spin it either way.

Really, what other answer was there?

Shifting her gaze she hummed quietly to herself, before hopping up from the crate with a grin and taking him by the hand. “I trust you know just the spot around here.”

“My darling,” he chuckled, happy to lead on, “I’ll show you several.”

[thephotopitmagazine]

If anyone asked me to name bands that people must-see live, Nonpoint will always be on that list. I’ve seen them so many times over their career and always enjoy every single performance. The last time I saw Nonpoint was on August 24, 2018, when they were touring off their latest album X. You can read that review HERE. It was a show I would never forget. When I heard they were returning to the House of Blues Orlando on September 27th, I knew I had to be there. It was a solid crowd that night with the Nonpoint fans and members of Orlando’s rock station 101.1 WJRR ready for a night of rock and metal for The Red Tape Tour.

Los Angeles Zero Theorem opened the show that night. The band describes themselves via their Facebook page as “hard rock and metal with a dark science fiction aesthetic”. In 2018 they released their EP Ataraxis and are currently working on a two-part installment titled The Killing. The band consists of Caesar (vocals), Jake Hayden (drums), Eloy Palacios (bass), and Roy Lev-Ari (guitar). This was my first time getting to hear the band live and they left a good impression on me. I found their music to be more hard rock, but when they dropped the heavy sounds, it thundered in the House of Blues. Caesar’s vocals were powerful, Eloy’s and Roy’s playing was stellar, and Jake was one of the calmest drummers I’ve seen for someone who rocked the set. The band was energetic on stage and had the crowd cheering them on till the end of their set. You can find their merch and music at https://zerotheoremband.com and see a full gallery of pics of their performance HERE.

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Their setlist from that night was:

The Killing

Low

Area

Becoming

Rorschach

Cannonball

You

Threads

Next to the stage was Madame Mayhem. Natalie Ann Cohen (better known as Madame Mayhem) is a New York City born singer and songwriter whose fashion and music scream rock. Though she’s a classically trained vocalist, pianist, and guitarist, the power of rock was stronger and fans are grateful for it. Madame Mayhem has shared the stage with bands such as Sevendust, Memphis May Fire, Fozzy, Doro, and now that evening Nonpoint. She has released three albums with her most recent Ready For Me in 2017. Though I had heard of Madame Mayhem before, I had not the opportunity to see her perform live. Madame Mayhem hits the stage with the presence of Amy Lee and Lzzy Hale and the vocals to match. She and her band are energetic on stage, constantly moving, and doing it with style and pizazz. The music is heart-pounding rock with blissful vocals that will jaw drop you. Needless to say, I was beyond impressed with Madame Mayhem and look forward to seeing them come through Orlando again. You can find their merch and music at http://www.madamemayhem.com/ and see a full gallery of pics of their performance HERE.

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Their setlist from that night was:

War You Started

Breaking Down

Broken

Monster

I Am More

Cruel Heart

Something Better (Now You Know)

Then the Orlando crowd was in for a real treat to have one of our own bands, Devils Envy, grace the stage. First formed in 2016 the band went through a number of challenges and lineup changes. Determined to not give up on music, the band continued forward and solidified their lineup. They performed their first show together at The Haven in Winter Park at the annual Halloween Havoc. The band re-released their EP Dead Inside and have released additional singles while working on material for their debut album. Devils Envy is Angel Graves (vocals), Sean St. John (drums), Austin Diaz (guitar), Brian Kizer (guitar), and Paul Ziccardi (bass). From the opening note, you could tell we were in for something special. The music ripped through the crowd hard and heavy and they went insane for hometown band. Angel’s vocals were very impressive being able to go through various notes with ease and power. Austin’s intense guitar playing truly caught my attention as he made his way across the stage. Angel urged the crowd to jump and move and the crowd was happy to do so. I truly loved at the end of the show, Angel brought his son out on stage to celebrate with him. It was a truly touching moment. Devils Envy gave notice with their performance that we are going to see bigger things coming from them soon and I’m looking forward to seeing it. You can find their music at https://devilsenvymusic.com and see a full gallery of pics of their performance HERE.

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Finally, the crowd was ready for the headliners Nonpoint. The metal band from Ft. Lauderdale, FL started off back in early 1997 before self-releasing their first album ‘Separate Yourself’ later that year. And it was only the start of a successful career. They signed a record deal with MCA and released ‘Statement’ in 2000. Their fourth studio album ‘To The Pain’ would release one of their most recognizable songs “Bullet With a Name”. Each of Nonpoint’s album made it into the Billboard Top 200 with their highest ranking album came with ‘The Return’ in 2014 peaking at #39. And this evening the band released their 10th album ‘X’. Nonpoint is Elias Soriano (vocals), Robb Rivera (drums), Rasheed Thomas (rhythm guitar), Adam Woloszyn (bass), and this time touring musician Ahrue Luster (lead guitar) who played with both Ill Nino and Machine Head.

101.1 WJRR’s Supa Dave came out to announce the band, as he does every time Nonpoint plays in Orlando. The rock station has always been so supportive of Nonpoint throughout their career. He got the crowd started with the way they always come out, with a very soft chant of “Nonpoint, Nonpoint, Nonpoint” and then let the crowd take it over getting louder and louder until they came onto the stage. The crowd went insane and Elias was all smiles looking over the crowd. The band started off with “Miracle” the title track from their sixth album and followed with “Endure” from Statement. Nonpoint as always was on a roll getting the crowd hyped up. Elias vocals are always solid, Rasheed is a maniac whipping his hair around and playing fast, Adam was headbanging away, Robb was smashing the drums as he does so well, and even Ahrue was grooving along with the music. The band was having fun and the crowd was enjoying it.

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Nonpoint was having fun with the fans during the show. Elias and Robb once again played “Who Can Make Their Side Cheer Louder”. Elias had his side going strong. Robb took over slightly. Elias had control of his side going from high to low to high again. Robb looked at Elias in disgust, pulled down his shorts, and threw his hands in the air, which made all the crowd cheer and Elias and the rest of the band started laughing. And yes, he was wearing underwear. It was an unexpected moment and hilarious. Elias reminded the moshers to pick people up if they got knocked over as he saw some people go down on the mosh pit. And overall you could just see they were having a great time on stage.

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

The setlist was different than the last show bringing back some songs they haven’t played in a while. Notably missing was their cover of “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins and “Generation Idiot”. I did love them bringing back “Lights, Camera, Action” and “I Said It”. Elias ripped through the lyrics on both of those so easily even though they are both heavy on lyrics. Nonpoint kept one of my personal favorites “What a Day” and of course “El Diablo”, a huge fan favorite song. The band played from X “Dodge Your Destiny”, “Chaos and Earthquakes” (another personal favorite), and their most recent single “Fix This”. I’m not sure what it is about that song but “Fix This” absolutely grabs me to play it on repeat over an over. The band, of course, wrapped up with “Bullet With A Name” to a massive ovation when they finished.

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

Photo by Talon Kane Photography

You can find Nonpoint music and merch at their website http://nonpoint.com/ and see a full gallery of pics of their performance HERE.

Their setlist for that night:

Miracle

Endure

Breaking Skin

That Day

Dodge Your Destiny

Your Signs

The Truth

Lights, Camera, Action

I Said It

El Diablo

What a Day

Rabia

Orgullo

Chaos and Earthquakes

Fix This

Alive and Kicking

Bullet with a Name

There was no encore performance that night but they took a photo of them with the crowd which they were going to sell at the merch booth upstairs. he merch line was huge of people waiting to get their chance to buy merch, get a selfie with them, and even just to say hello. And what I’ve always loved about Nonpoint is that they take time to spend with their fans who support them. After all these years playing shows and 10 albums they haven’t forgotten the fans. Before the show started, I was walking to the House of Blues to pick up my pass and ticket and saw outside the venue Elias and Rasheed just chit-chatting with two fans. I took a moment to wait until they were done and they both happily took the time to chat. It’s the little things like this that fans remember and make them such a huge supporters of Nonpoint.

So when the opportunity for you arises to see Nonpoint, go. Honestly, I can’t wait until they come back again.

From The Pit To The Crowd: Nonpoint with Devils Envy, Madame Mayhem, and Zero Theorem Review – House of Blues Orlando – Lake Buena Vista FL – September 27, 2019 If anyone asked me to name bands that people must-see live, Nonpoint will always be on that list.

[rockrevoltmagazine]

Interview: Mike Little of The Swifts

The Swifts are an outstanding punk band that land in the pop end of the genre but the band member’s roots are in metal plus they enlisted Ahrue Luster of Ill Niño to record and produce their exceptional new album All Sunshine. So basically a bunch of metal guys have made one of the best pop-punk albums I have heard in the last couple years. Go figure. Here is vocalist Mike Little of The Swifts.

  Hello Mike, how are things in the The Swifts camp these days?

Things are great. We’re excited to have All Sunshine finished and ready to get out and start playing.

Okay so let’s get to work. Why do you play punk music? Why not something else especially since some of you have backgrounds in metal?

Rob put the band together around the concept of doing 80s covers played super-fast in kind of a punk style. We had a blast playing the covers but eventually started writing our own songs. I grew up in the punk genre almost exclusively. So when I starting writing songs for the Swifts, punk is what came out. I really like that we do not all come from punk backgrounds. I think you can hear the musical diversity in how the songs are played.

The name of your new album All Sunshine has a sarcastic tone to it. Is that the vibe of the whole album?

Yes it is meant to be sarcastic. I wouldn’t say the tone of the whole record is sarcastic. But it is somewhat cynical with sprinkles of sarcasm.

What sort of message are you delivering with the new tunes?

There’s no one particular message. It’s really a reflection of the last couple years of our lives. Some of the songs are really serious and some are very not serious.

Lyrically, what are some of your most personal moments that are discussed in the songs?

“October Sky” is the most personal as it is about my mom passing away. My dad and I were with her when she died in the middle of the night. After I left the hospital I didn’t want to go home so I drove to a parking lot by myself and just sat there until the sun came up. I had the chorus written almost immediately afterwards.

Ahrue Luster produced All Sunshine. How was it working with Mr. Luster?

Ahrue is a really talented producer, musician and all around great guy. A producer’s job is to challenge us and push us to be creative in ways we wouldn’t have done on our own. I think he did just that. He has such a great ear for hearing little things that make the songs better. I can’t wait to work with him again.

Why do you feel that people really need to hear All Sunshine?

Even though lyrically some of the songs are dark, it’s all pretty melodic. Ahrue once said our music is “like getting hit with the happy stick.” So if you need to be hit with a happy stick, then you need to hear All Sunshine.

What bands would have to breed in order to have a child that is The Swifts?

The Descendants and Judas Priest.

Who are the members of Swifts, what do they do in the band, and how did they get there?

Mike Little – Lead vocals and rhythm guitar Jim Boutell : Bass and backup vocals Rich Arbuckle : Drums and backup vocals Rob Hinerman : Lead guitar and backup vocals

We’ve all played in lots of different bands over the past several years. We’ve covered just about every genre out there including punk, metal, jazz, Dixieland. Especially Rich. If you were in a band in the last twenty years there’s a good chance Rich was in it.

“Normal” is a very rockin tune. Who, what, and how is that song all about?

After my mom died, I was reflecting a lot on the past and being young and remembering how fun it was. “Normal” came out of that. I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was when I was young…stress free and simple. The line in the chorus “…maybe more rock and roll, guitars and cheap whiskey” is a throwback to playing in bands back in my early twenties. No care in world.

I’m totally digging the album artwork you are using. Who is the artist and where can we see more?

Mike King designed the album artwork. He’s super talented and a great guy. His stuff can be found at www.velveteenrobot.com.

How has your songwriting evolved over time?

I’d like to think we’ve become a little bit more mature. For example, “Zombie” is the first song we ever wrote. It’s a love song about a couple that becomes zombies but stay boyfriend and girlfriend. It is a stupid premise but became one of the live favorites so we decided to put it on the record. We stopped writing songs about zombies immediately after that and moved on to more mature topics. But seriously, we owe a lot to Ahrue. He really helped us understand how to structure songs and put them together in better ways than we did in the past.

What can people expect at a Swifts performance?

We really try to give it everything we’ve got. We barely pause between songs. And we play “Zombie” about three times faster than it’s recorded.

What are your band goals for 2019?

We are excited to get out and play more. We didn’t play as much as we’d like in 2018 since we were focused on the record.

Anything else you would like to tell people about The Swifts and All Sunshine?

We had a blast recording it. We worked really hard on it and are proud of it. We hope people give it a listen.

All Sunshine Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5TUTnEWGZnZqce9wl07Bn9 Bandcamp: https://theswiftsrock.bandcamp.com/album/all-sunshine

The Swifts Band Links: https://www.facebook.com/theswiftsrock/ https://theswiftsrock.com/

Interview: Mike Little of The Swifts was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

[ishgard]

dog - for the single word drabble prompt!

"A drabble is 100 words, a drabble is a hundred words" I chant to myself as I go over 500.

Thank you so much though!! As soon as I saw it I knew exactly what old scene to finally write that's been in my head since grinding Holminster Switch and getting the Black Hayate. 😂

"Can't imagine why you'd want to come back here already." Ardbert's voice emerged from the silence, a frown etched into his features as he surveyed the smoldering ruins of Holminster Switch. It was a town of ghosts now, naught but a few embers still glistening under the blanket of night. 

She can never quite know when her favorite ghost is going to chime in, but it is a surprise tonight. 

"I'm not sure, either." She replied, nudging over a broken piece of fence before continuing along the winding road. "There's so little civilization left here, I suppose I just..." Lips pursed, her brow furrowed as her gaze swept over the wreckage. "Wanted to get an idea of what it was like. Without all the fighting and screaming." 

Ardbert said nothing, but his silence was so heavy it could have been worth a thousand words. 

What broke the silence was not either of their voices but instead a tiny, distinct whimpering. Frowning, Ahru’s hand went for the hilt of her rapier, gaze scanning around her. 

“…Do sineaters typically make sounds like that?” She asked in a whisper. 

“Far be it from me to assume they couldn’t… But not any that I’m aware of.” 

The sound came again, this time accompanied by the shifting of shadows from beneath one of the half-toppled buildings. Her fingers gripped the handle as her eyes made out the form of-

Oh. A dog. A puppy, to be exact; black and white with the cutest ears and -less cute- a limp in its front paw. It gave a pathetic little wag of it’s tail, clearly exhausted but happy to see people. 

“Aww, you poor thing!” Ahru cooed, taking only a few steps forward before crouching down with her hands held out - she didn’t want to scare it. “Come here, sweetie.”

It’s tail wagged again and it limped forward, sniffing at her fingertips and licking them feebly. Grabbing some dried meat from her satchel she held it out to him and he ate it up eagerly, visibly perking up. 

“Can’t believe the little guy survived all that.” Ardbert mused, crouching down beside her. As calm and stoic as he acted, she was pretty sure from the smile on his face and the glint in his eye he very much wanted to scoop the creature up and give it a good thorough petting.

“You must be pretty clever, huh?” She asked to a response of eager yips. After a testing scratch behind his ears, she gingerly touched her hand to his injured leg, infusing it with healing magicks. Fortunately the wound wasn’t too bad, and within seconds he was bouncing around, yipping and wagging his tail like wild, licking at her hands. 

“Doesn’t look like he has a collar…”Ardbert murmured, clearly far more interested than she imagined he’d ever admit to. “He’ll need a name.”

Just as amusing was the fact they were, despite saying nothing of it, on the same page. Evidently being a Warrior of Light also indicated a habit of picking up strays, at least where they were concerned. Laughing she gave the dog ‘a good thorough petting’, before plucking him up into her arms. 

“I’ve got it. I’ll call you Ardbert!”

“What?”

The pup yipped and howled, wiggling in her arms as its tail practically spun in happy circles. 

“See? He likes it!”

[ishgard]

Rambly first impressions but I'll probably be turning DT around in my head for a while still. Spoilers obviously touched on but I try to be vague about it as much as possible X'D

Overall I enjoyed it! imo it was far from their strongest expac and is admittedly pretty low on my mental expac tierlist (fittingly, about equal with ARR, which isn't a bad thing per se), but it did a decent enough job at what it did, especially so in the first half. I'm in love with Tural and the people, the cast of characters, the lore - it was all delightful!

I absolutely understand peoples complaints about their presence feeling kind of pointless at times, but I also didn't mind taking a side/mentor role either (I've had potential plot/headcanons for Ahru doing as much for a long time now, so it works for me). I don't think they always balanced it well at all, though.

I also would have loved to see more interactions between, say, the Scions and Lamaty'i, but it was nice taking things at a slow steady pace and just enjoying the world building. They had a lot on their plate to show us, and they did it well.

The second half... played with some themes I enjoyed well enough, but suffered from some questionable writing that often gave me whiplash.

I love!! the aesthetics of Solution 9, it was another one of the few things that piqued my interest for DT initially. The overall lore and story was enjoyable, just kind of an echo of things we've dealt with before which isn't a criticism exactly.

I'm typically pretty good at immersing myself and smoothing over rough edges in my mind as I go, filling in blanks and grounding myself in my characters' reactions, but there were a number of times I felt kicked in the teeth and taken out by some of the choices. There were definitely more than a few scenes I immediately had to be like "well Ahru is just not here for this because that just would not have happened" lmao I'd be groaning and rolling my eyes one minute, only to be balling my eyes out the next, so just a lot of whiplash 😂

I kept feeling like the second half would have benefited from more time building some of that stuff up, but instead we got a lot of things repeated to us multiple times and obvious things drawn out for us.

Also though they got their moments in some of the very final quests, I had really hoped to see more of Erenville and Krile's stories throughout the overall MSQ. (THAT scene with Erenville got me ugly crying though omfg.)

I feel like I'm mostly complaining but this is probably one of my most 'mixed feelings' expansions in the ten+ years I've been playing. Like, that's fine though, SHB and EW were ALL up my alley and delicious, this can be a little less 'for me', and it was enjoyable enough I don't feel entirely disconnected from the game I love. The high notes it hit really well, I'm in love with Tural and the lore, and I'm super excited and interested to see where they take us next - and what we do with Azem's key. 👀

I was utterly blind-sided by a certain two-headed mamool ja so now I guess I'm a Bakool Ja Ja fucker. 🤷‍♀️ Also I have a new son and if anything happens to him I'll kill everyone and myself. (p.s. trial 2's boss was the worst villain I've ever suffered and this is coming from a lifelong villain fucker, they were a big detractor from my enjoyment at times tbh)

I am begging for another adventure with Erenville because that snippet was hands-down one of the highlights for me for purely biased reasons. Admittedly, there were a number of times I was the 'do it for him' meme with Erenville's face plastered all over it. I'll probably need to do a whole other rant about him tbh

My slightly joking prediction is chemist for 8.0 just on account of his whole two times mentioning he had potions on him to help the wounded.