#due to portal between their worlds appearing

[unadulteratedsoulsweets]

A DC X DP IDEA #28

My Beloved

Imagine dis…

You know, I like misunderstandings…

I saw a bunch of prompts that Danny is the mother of Ellie and Dan who is angry and will destroy the world in the future.

I also saw a bunch of prompts of Danny and Phantom separating themselves and acting like two individual beings but having to be in proximity or else there would be consequences.

But I didn’t see anything about combining the two things…

HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

…

Daniel “Danny” Fenton knew that he had many powers, that kept on growing and appearing at the heat of the moment. He would sometimes forget how many powers he had due to his never-ending list. He has powers that he likes to use often, like levitation, flight, intangibility, his ghostly wail, and many more… But even he has a favorite, his duplication power.

Unlike Vlad who can create multiple clones of himself to do his bidding, he can only create one.

Now don’t go on and underestimate him just because he can only create one despite Vlad making multiple and who is also a halfa.

…

His clone is unique, when he first discovered this power of his he was all alone in the house full of guns to kill him when a passing thought passed his mind. Wes was getting on his nerves with how he adamantly tried to prove that he was Phantom. He knew the consequences when the people knew the truth, especially his parents, every time he closed his eyes it always showed him and his parents at the other end of the dissecting table.

He kept on saving them, poor animal ghosts who had just stumbled through the portal. He kept on stuffing his face with his pillows just to block out the screams.

He had just blinked, one moment he was all alone and all of a sudden another appeared in front of him.

He was startled at the notion while the clone looked at him with interest.

The clone was not human-HIM per se, but it was the ghostly-HIM aka Phantom but with more ghostly attributes.

Snow white hair that seems to sway, taller by a few feet, pointed ears, fanged teeth, skin so blue, and white freckles that seem to give off a faint glow.

He tried going ghost but was unable to do so, what he can do is a weaker version of flight, intangibility, and invisibility. While Phantom got most if not all of his powers whenever he went ghost.

At first, he was ecstatic with this new power of his not only he can throw people off who are looking too deeply into Phantom’s identity and put an end to Wes’s chatter but with this new power of his he can finally have some sort of normalcy.

But after a few minutes, he began to feel fatigued and nauseous, Phantom slowly moved towards Danny and merged himself with his human half causing a faint white glow all over his body that he got used to whenever he was going ghost.

It was a few minutes, Danny thought to himself, but it was enough to not only create a separation between the kid who always hides in the bathroom or disappears whenever there is a ghost attack and a ghost kid who looks the same age as he and only appears whenever he disappears.

But it was enough.

…

Everything was great, as Phantom was able to deal with the ghosts that constantly invaded his hometown but also, he is slowly bringing his grades up from where it was before the accident. He also created an alibi for himself so people will know that both Phantom and Danny and two separate people.

Both sides were able to go on separated from each other the more time they spent separated

…

After a few days, something also began to change.

Phantom would sometimes make a joke or a quip about death or even puns that made Danny laugh. Phantom would be more serious whenever they got too far from each other, small things that made both Danny and Phantom different from one another from an outside perspective.

Both made a mental connection to each other.

Not like romantically, but more of a deep platonic love for each other.

Devotion to each of their other halves. So deep that one might double-take whenever they saw the two.

Danny loves his friends and family but even they cannot understand him ever since the day of the accident. Jazz blessed his sister’s soul, who read every book in every existence known to man and tried to help him. But the thing is, those books are for humans, not ghosts, and especially not for someone like him.

He died and came back to life knowing instinctively that something was wrong with him. He stands in between life and death. He knew he died and felt every bolt of electricity that had killed him. He who had to sit still at the dinner table listening to their parents who were supposed to love them, listened in great detail to what they would do to Phantom when they had caught him. 

But Phantom, Phantom instinctively knew how he felt and heard his thoughts. When rough days came to Danny, Phantom quietly appeared behind him and offered his silent support.

Both needed each other to live, without the other one cannot survive on their own.

Phantom, when got too far and separated from his human for far too long got reckless, angry, cold, merciless, and ruthless. Nocturn got the burnt of it despite knowing that Phantom held back.

And Danny?

Got too emotional, and detached, and has that far-away look on his face. He would space out an entire war or destruction surrounding and he still would not notice.

Both are each other’s anchor and rock. And when both become one and become Phantom together then they will be unstoppable.

…

When Danny became the Ghost King it was clear they needed to separate often due to the amount of paperwork that was left pilling when Pariah Dark was in charge.

It became domestic, Danny thought as he paused for a bit when he was trying to write a book report from the Lord of the Rings courtesy of Mr. Lancer. Add the latest guests in his room he thought as he took a look at the sleeping and cuddled up Dan and Ellie who are now freshly de-aged due to some circumstances.

When Danny tried to explain to the two halves the reason why he and Phantom seemed to separate or why he was using this power of his almost every day.

Dan and Ellie seem the only two who didn’t feel weird at his new predicament. Both de-aged ghosts after a sudden bad melting episode and the start of someone’s redemption arc called human Danny is their mom while Phantom is their dad.

Danny at first surprised at the title given by the two but asked playfully to the twins why is he the mom. Phantom who was trying to cuddle the two de-aged ghosts whom he saw as his children at this point and his human counterpart mumbled about whether was it the time when he went and juggled flaming diapers or mastered the art of the 'mom stare' that could freeze a room?

Danny who is still in a bad mood from Dash’s bullying earlier snarked back at Phantom on how he got the dad title. Did he accidentally perfect the art of 'dad dancing' during ghostly gatherings? or accidentally stumble into a dad joke competition?

Sam, often would joke that if she didn’t know better, she would think the two would be lovers which would be found in Paulina’s A03 account and history.

Now that spread like wildfire, it spread faster than Wes could say Danny is Phantom. Now both GIW and his parents are out to get him for two different reasons… One Phantom mind controlled their precious son and now locked up Danny for his “own good” and two he was called a so-called “traitor” to his race as he fell in love with a creature who was not even sentient.

As things slowly went out of hand, Danny had to physically drag Phantom, who had been clawing and gripping to Danny like a lifetime ever since Danny told him to stay at the Infinite Realms for their safety, to a portal with the two children who have their eyes puffed red as they say their farewells to each other.

…

The JL is now confused, they kept seeing the same teen on the loose that appeared in various cities such as Metropolis, Central, Star City, and many more, with various government agents tailing him and trying to capture him.

At first, they thought it was another of Walker’s programs, in which they kidnap various kids who have a powerful meta ability to be part of a group that directly answers to the government.

But when it was revealed that he is another son of Bruce Wayne, it became personal.

Could it be another ploy to gain the Wayne enterprise through a much older and miniature appearance of Bruce Wayne, is it another ploy to gain Bruce Wayne’s wealth and money… They might never know.

…

Batman aka Bruce Wayne publicly announced that he had found another son who was rummaging in the trash of Gotham City, this way those mysterious agents could not publicly go after him as Danny had been publicly broadcasted and the manor is equipped with the latest security known to man.

Danny is very skittish the Batfam concluded, as if every move and twitch they made is something Danny should be wary of. Danny was too distracted to be sad, and have little to no energy to even join Dick and the rest of his siblings to bond over something.

However, that didn’t stop them from forming some sort of familial bond with Danny despite him being too guarded and too wary to get close to the family.

However, it all changed on a random day, as the entire noticed his change of mood. No longer the wariness, anxiety, and nervousness they encountered daily. Each of them began asking around within themselves if they were the one who made a change to Danny, even Alfred didn’t know who or what made him turn a 180.

Of course, when they tried to ask COUGH to interrogate COUGH Danny, he just kept quiet and smiled shyly.

..

Night comes and all the Bats are gathered at the cave to discuss what made Danny to be in a good mood before their patrol.

As they were just about to leave for their shift when Oracle notified them Danny leaving the manor.

Of course, all of them immediately followed him and followed him to a tall abandoned building with Danny sitting giddily on top of the said building. Of course, some of them have some dark thoughts about Danny sitting on top of a warehouse and seeming near the edge. One of the Bat broods is ready to interfere if Danny even makes any signs.

But all thoughts were thrown out as a crack seemed to tear through reality appeared behind Danny, Danny on the other hand looked ecstatic. As the tear/ crack opened up there they saw an underworldly being donned with a crown that is covered in various jewels, an outfit and cape fit for an emperor, and eyes that reminded them of the Lazarus pits.

Just as the moment they tried to calm their hearts down, Danny flung himself towards the unknown being and cried out beloved, the said being caught Danny and twirled him around.

Both are in their little world as they both keep laughing and hugging each other.

The Bat family who are still in the shadows kept their eyes on the two as they wanted to get Danny away from someone that made their instincts go haywire. Batman and Robin are both especially to grab Danny away from that thing.

Both the being and Danny finally settled down and began chatting to each other with little to no distance between the two. The being then summoned a basket that was full of unique and exotic food and then shared it with their new brother.

Then Danny suddenly asked about the kids, What kids!!! EVERYONE thought when suddenly two black blurs went and tackled Danny down, knocking the air out of him.

As the kids stopped hugging Danny, they all held their breaths, they looked like the perfect copy of Danny. Black hair and blue eyes, both kids exclaimed Danny as their mom while they pouted at the being and called him dad about hoarding their mom.

The reunited “family” began chatting about how they were at each other, more on the beings asking how Danny is especially doing.

Danny chatted about how the Waynes are too good for him and how he informed Batman since the Bats have a very close relationship with the Waynes. When one of the kids why mom needs to talk to Batman, Danny just casually reveals a bombshell on the Anti-Ecto laws, GIW, The Infinite realms...etc. So that both mom and dad could get together again, as mom aka Danny is trying everything to stop the war from the living world while their dad tries to stop the war from the Realms.

As they were chatting and catching up to one another, Danny looked at his wristwatch and told the kids that he had to get going or else the Waynes might notice that he snuck out. Both kids immediately cried and gripped Danny while the other being also known as dad didn’t even try to pry the kids off from Danny as he too wanted to stay with the human.

Of course, Danny gently pried off the three hands that were gripping and immediately one of the kids threw a tantrum at how Danny was not safe and might get him killed if he stayed there and Danny should just go with them. Of course, Danny shook his head and told the kid that Mommy was doing everything he could to protect both of them also he might not want to admit it in front of the Wayne but he did grow on them, like a fungus he can’t remove.

And so, the trio left the building after one last look and hug from Danny, Danny immediately lost the small life and cheerfulness that he had when he was meeting them and silently went back to the manor.

…

This made the Bat clan scramble to fix everything, all the while competing for the favorite uncle and aunt title while both Bruce and Alfred engage in their silent war for the grandpa title, when they showed their findings to the League both Booster Gold and the Flask stood up white as paper.

They claimed at the picture of Danny, that he may be the one who destroyed the future, but looked a little confused as some traits that they remembered were not on Danny which made them speculate that maybe he grew into. But when the two-time travelers explained in great detail his appearance, it matched the appearance of their nephew.

Is this the reason why Dan turned evil, humans have killed his family leaving him both angry and devastated that he let the world know of his pain?

…

PS: If someone out there wants to continue or make a fic about this you are free to do so, don’t forget to tag me though.

PPS: As you can see, I posted a bit early, I got a bunch of people to do and things to see. So uhh, bye-bye!

PPPS: This one got too long for my liking...

[absolutely-esme]

What if Tim was the Ghostliest Bat

Lots of DPxDC crossover writers have Tim Drake being the one non-liminal Bat, or becoming liminal late in the game. This is probably due to the fact that most of them have died and come back and Tim hasn't.

It makes sense, but, hear me out, what if Tim was actually the most liminal and had been liminal for the longest.

The other Bats had a more standard type of death and resurrection. Afterward, they are simply living people.

Tim's parents are archeologists and bring back artifacts from all over the world. At least some of these artifacts are kept in the house. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think that some of them have something ghostly to them.

The specifics could vary. Perhaps the artifacts just steadily release ectoplasm into the environment. Perhaps they thin the veil in places and Tim wanders in and out of the Ghost Zone, getting as much socialization from ghosts as from the living, if not more. Heck, maybe one of those artifacts was meant for travel between realms and Tim accidentally opens a portal on himself and becomes a halfa at a young age.

However it happens, Tim grows up exposed to ectoplasm day in and day out. He adapts to the environment he spends his formative years in. He gradually becomes more ghostly. No one notices for a while because no one around him recognizes the signs and Tim is a quick study at keeping up appearances, at least to surface-level observation.

Tim knows how to behave around strangers and distant acquaintances. That said, he doesn't necessarily realize that his more ghostly tendencies are abnormal and not simply something that etiquette dictates is not shared with strangers.

Tim pays relatively little concern to his own safety because some part of his subconscious knows that he's already assured an afterlife that's familiar and comfortable to some part of him, though he is still conscientious and considerate of the health and safety of others.

He obsesses over The Bats, follows them around and takes pictures. Ghosts tend to be fairly intense about what's important to them, so it doesn’t seem wrong to him. After all, he's not trying to force himself into their lives, and he makes a point to be unobtrusive with his photography so as not to impact them at all. By ghostly standards, he's being quite reserved by keeping his distance and taking care not to bother them, and his human social knowledge doesn't extend far beyond surface level.

He doesn't interact with the Bats at all until Batman's mental health becomes a public safety issue, and even then he tries to get them to resolve the matter internally, first. He only begins directly inserting himself into their lives after recieving express permission from a member of the family.

Once he does become one of them, however, he is intense and unreserved about it in the way that ghosts tend to be about everything that's important to them. He pays close attention and remembers everything. He goes above and beyond with anything they might ask of him, and even with some things they don't ask for but seem to need. He cares in a way that's just a bit uncanny.

No one talks to him about some of his more extreme tendencies. Maybe they just don't have the emotional bandwidth because they're still grieving. Maybe the Bats refrain from commenting on Tim's stalking and general over-the-top-ness because stones and glass houses.

Tim doesn't understand what went wrong in his relationship with Steph because human behavior standards and boundaries are not intuitive to him, nor has he been taught about them. Grief-stricken Bats are not a good resource when it comes to behavioral norms. For all that she's certain he'd never intentionally hurt or upset her, Tim is creepy. Sweet and caring, but creepy.

He also doesn't freak out when Steph comes back and pretends to be a hallucination. The deception doesn't work at all because his subconscious ghostliness means that his brain doesn't automatically reject the idea of a dead comrade being back. He just goes straight into "Hooray, you're back!" mode without stopping to question it. Steph doesn't take the deception any further because he's already caught onto it and he's so happy to see her.

They remain friends.

Jason comes back from the dead and Tim immediately latches on. He doesn't care if Jason is attacking him. Jason is one of his, and he's back. He grins and keeps his banter friendly and gushes about how happy he is to have Jason back through the entire beatdown at Titans Tower. He doesn't actually start sounding worried until Jason begins walking away after writing on the wall with his blood. Tim begs him not to go. The whole experience freaks Jason out.

Tim initially has a bit of an issue with Damian, not because of the murder attempts (which Tim doesn't especially care about), but because of Damian's insistence on not allowing Tim to remain in the family, and because his apparent goal of being Batman's only family member makes him register as a threat to others Tim cares about. Eventually, things settle a bit once it's made clear that Damian isn't going after anyone else and will not be allowed to kick him out.

The other Bats are equal parts wary of Tim (because he's creepy and unsettling in ways that are difficult to define) and worried for Tim (because he doesn't seem to have a sense of self preservation).

Lots and lots of Tim being spooky without realizing it and freaking everyone out with no explanation. No one understands what, exactly, is so off about Tim that makes him so unsettling, until Sam Manson gets dragged to a gala in Gotham and immediately clocks him.

Do with this as you will.

[satoshy12]

Danny learned from the Ghost Writer that other worlds exist, even his favorite world. The Justice League!

However, Ghost Writer has always been hesitant to use his portals to explore other realms. This is due to the immense power and danger lurking on the other side.

Danny's curiosity gets the better of him, and he can't resist using Ghost Writer's portals to go into the DC universe.

Danny was here to have fun, so he decides to dress up as various DC villains, but with his young age, it has an adorable twist: he appears as a tiny child version of them.

To his surprise, Danny realizes that these costumes give him access to the powers of the villains. He seemed to mimic them, like he did in a few of his fights against his enemies attacks.

Like Ghostly wails with Dan or Cloning with Vlad.

And just seeing this would be much more fun! He started his playful journey to meet iconic heroes and villains.

The first one Danny met was the Flash family while dressed as Reverse Flash. He stumbles upon a face-off between Flash, Kid Flash, and the real Reverse Flash. With his childlike innocence, Danny manages to confuse all three speedsters, much to Kid Flash's chagrin. Danny began to tease Kid Flash about a prank he played on him. "It was me, Wally; I shoved the coffee table ever so slightly so that you would stub your toe right before you were sent off to school." "It was me who made your mother and father see your adult magazine!" Thawne laughed as he heard what the boy did. Leaving after Eobard was defeated, leaving very confused Speedsters behind.

Next, Danny decides to become Ares, the God of War. This leads to a comical confrontation with Wonder Woman. Ares is perplexed by how this young boy possesses his godly powers, and Diana is equally confused by the mysterious demigod child.

The one he had most fun was the Ra's al Ghul cosplay, complete with a sword. Danny found himself entangled in a battle between the League of Assassins and Green Arrow with his sidekick Speedy. Ra's was puzzled by this unexpected child version of himself, and Green Arrow can't help but be amused and confused by the whole situation. After the battle, Danny poured the ectoplasm from his bottle on the ground and jumped into it. Which made it look like Green Arrow and Ra's that Danny just jumped into Lazarus water and was swallowed by it.

Sinestro and Hal Jordan were bewildered by the appearance of a child wearing a Yellow Lantern ring. The notion of such a young Yellow Lantern throws them off balance during their battle. Sinestro and Hal Jordan are utterly baffled as to why a child could even wield the power of fear.

Dressed up as the Ocean Master, Danny intervenes in a conflict between Aquaman and Aqualad against the vengeful Ocean Master. Initially mistaking him for Orm's son, Arthur planned to talk with the boy, only for him to leave after the fight.

When Danny dons the Lex Luthor Warsuit, he finds himself in a confrontation with Superman, catching the attention of Lex Luthor. Lex is intrigued by the young boy's capabilities and is somehow proud of him, even though they aren't fighting on the same side. If Lex sees potential in him and contemplates offering some guidance, the boy would go far. The Suit was like his own.

At Last, The Mr. Freeze Costume, Danny intervenes in a showdown between Batman, Robin, and Mr. Freeze in Gotham City. The Caped Crusader is intrigued by this young "villain" and contemplates whether the boy can be taught to use his abilities responsibly. As Danny was just talking about Dr. Victor Fries inventions and theories, Victor saw that the boy had good ideas and theories.

Danny had his fun, and he tried to return home, only for the portal not to work.

He used it many times and had to wait a short time. Well, what are a few days here?

[thefirstknife]

They're killing me with Echoes.

Some stuff from the exotic mission that is really interesting. I'll start with the stuff you can only get after you've done it once and you can start finding secret chests. On runs after your 1st, there will be a conflux in one of the side rooms that is otherwise empty.

Once you activate that, there will be a small puzzle and then a chest will appear. This will also change the room slightly and activate several Vex portals, turning the room into a sort of a nexus that will be used for other chests. More under, spoilers and long:

This is the room, btw, when you first run it and there's no conflux:

Okay. Although a lot has been altered, they're continuing with the trend of stripping away Mercury for parts: this is the base layout of the inside of the Lighthouse. Kicking and screaming and throwing things and eating through my walls.

Anyway, after you activate the conflux and the puzzle, the extra gates around the area will transform like this and the area will get a name "Ancillary Transit Nexus" :

This will later be used as portals to go into areas with other chests. There's two extra chests this week and we go through two of these portals, but there's a third as well. I'm assuming it might be some sort of a rotation by week.

The second chest you get this week is where the interesting part starts because you return back to this area, use one of the portals and go back to the area where the mission started where you do a puzzle and then get the chest. But when you do all that, you get new voice lines. This time... From Chioma Esi; one of Chiomas that got simulated by the Vex:

Aspect lore book fans stay winning!!!! So this is the format of how different iterations of the 227 simulated Ishtar scientist teams were designated and how they communicated with each other. Two of these teams are also specifically mentioned in Aspect. We don't know about .130 (130th iteration), but we do know .59 and .97. A devastating one for .59:

227.59 You lose Maya. You mourn. The thought of all the other Mayas out there doesn't help. They weren't the Maya you'd puzzled with over living basalt flowers, a world with seventeen moons, a continent that Shim had sworn up and down was sixteenth-century Australia and that Duane-McNiadh couldn't be dissuaded from calling Pangaea. You'd found a simulation with a city where you discovered a jewelry store, picked out a necklace, brought it home to her, and wished her a happy pseudo anniversary. Maya didn't like bracelets, said they always fouled her work. Her hair had been getting shaggy again and was due for a trim. She could never decide whether or not to grow it out. She laughed at you lifting weights to maintain simulated muscle, but she spotted for you all the same. There are other Mayas out there, layers of them, all the way up to the original, wherever she is. You hope they're doing well. But that doesn't stop you from missing this Maya, missing whatever arguments and discoveries you'd have shared in the rest of the lifetime you'd promised to one another. Shim and Duane-McNiadh pull you up from beside Maya's marker. A basalt lily rests on top of it, petals thin enough to let light through. You go on.

And .97:

227.97 Here's how it goes: you and Maya and Shim and Duane-McNiadh take your first cautious, sliding steps out into the Vex information network. You get your footing. You've got to translate everything into metaphor to understand it, here, and this is like tightrope walking on a greased line. You and Maya lean into each other. Shim slips, and you help him up. You explore. You go on.

They're both in the same lore tab. These groups were so distinct between each other and experienced vastly different things, so much that Praedyth could differentiate between the groups and knew which voices belonged to which number of them. These groups communicated with him to coordinate their potential escape.

The interesting bit is that in the voice line from this week we see .130 Chioma calling the Chioma from .59 (the one that lost and buried Maya), asking about the .97 group with whom they've apparently lost contact. And in Aspect, we see the .97 group doing fine. At least here at the beginning. But it appears that the idea is that at some point they either died or simply vanished, as they're not responding.

The third chest is the same; you go to the nexus and from there to another room where there's a puzzle and when you solve it, you get a chest and voice lines, this time from one of the simulated Mayas:

This Maya is from the 65th iteration and she's telling us that a lot of inviduals from each team are vanishing. We don't really know what that means and what is happening, but we do know from Aspect that at the end when they attempted their escape, there were significantly fewer individuals, possibly whole teams either vanished, dead or simply unreachable:

A hundred and sixty Mayas reach for the Chiomas by their side. A hundred and fifty-eight Chiomas reach back.

Down to 160 from 227 is a lot (and only 158 Chiomas). We never really knew what this meant and we still aren't sure now, but this might be an explanation. Something was happening to them in the network.

What makes this even more interesting is that this Maya mentioned "our singular friend." This can be none other than Praedyth. He wasn't a simulated copy, he was just one Praedyth, communicating with them from the Vault of Glass and helping them escape; a singular friend.

One Praedyth, waiting for the conductor's baton to drop.

Interesting word to use in this lore from 5 years ago. There's also no way that this is it and that they won't give us more lines about this because it feels like just the start of the explanation so I'm going absolutely bonkers insane. We have to get more lines next week and the week after since this is also all a way to get the pieces for the exotic gun. And there's one more portal that we haven't gone into so there has to be some sort of rotation and more information on this.

Besides this, the mission had another gut punch with Maya and Chioma, namely showing us Conductor!Maya experiments with Exo!Chioma; basically booting her up and checking her with personal questions until she finds the Chioma she wants. The lines are truly something else:

So that's fine. A few points that are interesting. Parthenogenic incubation! Really interesting look into the Golden Age technology; this is basically a way to reproduce without the need to fertilise an egg which allows for, in this case, two women to have biological offspring. Degaussing is also an interesting word to use; it's a complete destruction of data by affecting the magnetic field on magnetic storage. This is basically what the Veil was doing to Exos to erase them.

That aside, yeah. Maya was booting up Chiomas and testing them, then erasing them if they were proven to be unsatisfactory in some way which is obviously upsetting to Chioma who would at that point be a fully conscious person. She was also being booted in really bizarre hybrid Exo-Vex bodies like this:

Yeah.

Now we need to keep coming back to this place to find out more. I'm hoping for more exceptionally fucked up voice lines like this and also more voice lines about the whole simulated scientists part because there's no way that this is all we'll get. Maya is going through the network, searching through simulations for her Chioma, or at least a Chioma that he thinks is the best of them, as narrated at the start of the act. She wants not only to bring a Golden Age to the whole system, she wants to have her personal Golden Age with the woman she loves.

And ofc at the end with the seasonal lore book page, we get some insight into this as well, more about Maya, her using the Veil, ending up in the Vex Network, making herself a body and how she was looking for Chioma.

I left the reach of the Veil's threads when I collided with the familiar angles of the Vex network… didn't I? Yes, I did.

Maya also seemed genuinely convinced that Chioma would be amazed and proud of this and that she would join her. But we know from Veil Logs that Chioma was instead horrified. And the Maya that entered the network and shaped herself a body and realised that she can command the Vex? Her first impulse was to search for Chioma. I am crying!

"TELL ME HOW LONG HAS PASSED SINCE I LAST ENCOUNTERED THE VEX." They do, through the Vex at my feet; they whisper it in unencoded ease. The number is gargantuan. I begin to panic. It is impossible, and my first thought is of her, her— "TELL ME WHERE CHIOMA ESI IS." They search, and they tell me the woman who holds my heart in her hands has laid in a grave for hundreds of years. In a rage, I tell them to mutilate one another. The milk at my feet boils in violence. My Chioma would not depart so mundanely. My Chioma would come find me, my Chioma is still here. My beloved does not rot in a grave.

And the thing is... She's correct. Her Chioma didn't depart mundanely. We know this from Veil Logs. Chioma called the Vex to take her.

Chioma Esi: Years ago, back on Venus, the Vex simulated copies of us — Maya and I. Trapped in a virtual hell. After so long, even hell can look like heaven, can't it? [chuckles] I'm tired. I'm done. Maya has to be out there. The Maya I remember. And all I want is one more moment with her. To hold her in my arms. Tell her that I love her. So she can tell me to "hush" one more time. If… if we learned anything from the Veil, it's that eventually… we all have to learn to let go. So… I made contact with the Vex. I'm ready. And it's time to say goodbye.

So there's a Maya looking for this Chioma and a Chioma looking for this Maya, somewhere in the network, among other 227 copies of them that have been through so much and some of them are also vanishing. This makes me insane. Hello. From this week's lore tab:

Chioma, my world, my life, cannot be dead. She must have joined the VexNet again; she would have searched for me there, sorted among the hundreds of copies of us to find the TRUE version of myself, HER Maya. So, too, will I search. I love her, I would know her in the darkness of a cave and the blinding glare of a sun. She is unique in all ways, precious and without fault. I know the real Chioma is alive.

Why are we here? Just to suffer about old woman yuri? Yes.

We also now know what "primary query" is:

"PRIMARY QUERY; FIND THE TRUE CHIOMA ESI," I command through my tears.

And yeah, the parallels with Osiris and Saint? So deliberate. I will explode. Osiris noted so a long time ago, also because of Veil Logs, how much Maya was similar to him. And they basically had the same goal; find the person they loved who was lost to them. Except Maya is doing this in a way that's deeply unhinged and hurting Chioma, while Osiris did it also deeply unhinged, but hurting himself. And listening to the Veil Logs and Chioma's perspective affected him greatly and genuinely was one of the biggest points for his development when he realised just how much obsession could've destroyed him and all he loves further if he didn't stop it.

It's all about Chioma and Maya. They're such an important piece of lore literally for ten years and now we're getting so much about them and their interactions together and all the pain and suffering. Please please please this has to end with them reuniting somehow. Please.

Anyway, wanted to point out some of these things that are connecting to older stuff, especially Aspect and also Veil Logs. I will be running this mission maybe another 100 or 10000 times. Looking forward for extra stuff in the next two weeks.

[lixiepixiedust]

"You work just as hard as me"

pairing — idolbf!jeongin x fem!reader; established relationship

word count — 3.2k

warnings — she/her reader, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, lots of kissing and cuddling, mild cussing, insecurity themes, reader is depicted as being really smart

summary — jeongin has always been insecure about his academics. ever since he met you, he knew you were the smartest girl he's ever met. you also always made it feel like he learned more from you than from school itself and he admired you for it. he never really attended high school and barely ever had good grades. due to this, jeongin always told himself he was just stupid and never deserved someone like you.

As you anxiously logged into your student portal to check your midterm results, your heart raced. Jeongin, being the supportive boyfriend he is, sat beside you, his eyes filled with anticipation. You both knew how much effort you had put into your studies, and the results would finally unveil the fruits of your hard work.

As the grade appeared on the screen, your eyes widened with disbelief. You had not only passed but had excelled beyond your own expectations. A brilliant smile broke across your face as you turned to Jeongin, who was watching you with eager eyes.

"Jeongin, look!" you exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "I got a 96! Can you believe it?"

Jeongin's face lit up with genuine joy as he took in the fantastic news. "Wow, that's amazing, Y/n! I knew you could do it!" He enveloped you in a warm hug, radiating pride. "I'm so proud of you."

You couldn't contain your happiness. You leaned back, gazing into Jeongin's eyes. With a beaming smile, Jeongin cupped your face in his hands and planted a sweet kiss on your lips. The excited bubbled up within you, and without thinking, you jumped onto him in sheer joy.

Jeongin, caught by surprise, chuckled at your joy. He playfully tickled you, his fingers dancing along your sides as you giggled uncontrollably. The room echoed with the sound of your laughter. Jeongin's laughter mingling with yours made the celebration even more special. As the tickling subsided, you found yourselves catching your breath, still enveloped in each other's warmth.

"I'm so, so happy, Jeongin!" you exclaimed, your eyes shining with delight.

Jeongin grinned, his eyes reflecting the shared happiness. "Oh, Y/n, I can tell! I'm thrilled for you. I love seeing you this happy."

Suddenly, your phone rang, and you quickly grabbed it, excitement still coursing through your veins. It was your best friend, and as soon as you answered, both of you screamed into your phones simultaneously. Jeongin watched with amusement as you and your best friend shared your excitement.

"I got above 95!" your best friend exclaimed.

"Stop it right now, same. I knew you'd do good, I literally told you," you shouted back, a wide grin on your face.

Jeongin smiled fondly as you and your best friend screamed at each other over the phone.

After the call, you turned to Jeongin, still beaming. "Can you believe it, Jeongin? We both did so well!"

Jeongin's eyes softened with pride. "I never doubted you for a second."

"Oh yea and she wants to go get food together tonight. Wanna come? It's just gonna be a few friends."

Jeongin thought about it for a moment, his expression shifting between contemplating the invitation and the commitments he had. He had literally rushed over to your apartment from practice earlier to be in time to see the results with you.

"I'd love to, Y/N," he said with a warm smile. "But I might need to head back soon. Practice and all."

You nodded in understanding, "No worries, Jeongin. Thanks for being here with me though. You really didn't have to,"

Jeongin gently cupped your face, placing a tender kiss on your forehead. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Go enjoy dinner with your friends, and we'll celebrate properly after, just the two of us."

A grin played on your lips as you asked, "So, you're coming back after practice?"

Jeongin's eyes sparkled with affection, and he replied, "Of course. When you come home, I'll be waiting right here for you."

You couldn't help but break into a wide smile, and you wrapped your arms around him in a tight hug. "I can't wait, Jeongin."

As you pulled away, Jeongin's phone buzzed with messages from his fellow members. He chuckled as he read the texts, realizing that he had overstayed his initially planned break.

"Looks like they want me back," Jeongin said, showing you the messages. "I told them I'd be away for only half an hour, but turns out I went over time."

You playfully shooed him away, "Go, go! They need you. We'll have plenty of time together later."

Jeongin grinned, giving you one last kiss before standing up from the couch. "I'll see you soon, Y/N. Save some of that happiness for me."

As he made his way towards the door, he slipped on his shoes. Opening the door, Jeongin turned to look at you, his eyes filled with fondness.

In a soft tone he said a little "Bye," with a smile. With that, he stepped out into the hallway, closing the door gently behind him.

Once Jeongin was out of your view, the smile that had adorned his face began to fade, replaced by a subtle expression of sadness. He had known all along that you were going to get a good grade, it didn't surprise him one bit.

His mind wandered to the times you rambled about your college experiences—the late nights filled with assignments, the tiring study sessions, and the challenges of balancing academics and life. Those were moments when he wished he could have experienced the college life, as difficult as you made it sound.

Yet, deep down, Jeongin knew that he willingly chose the path of an idol. The wide stage, the love of fans, and the thrill of performing were what he aspired to. It was a choice he made with full awareness, and yet, he sometimes longed for a different path.

What has always troubled him the most, however, was his insecurity about his academics. Ever since he met you, he could tell instantly how bright and insightful you were. When you'd explain concepts, like the intricacies of human behavior or the subtleties of psychology, he admired you. You had a way of teaching him that made it feel like he learned more from you than from school.

Jeongin always believed you were smarter than him, and that thought weighed on him heavily. He didn't really attend high school and barely ever had good grades. Due to this, Jeongin always told himself he was just stupid. But the truth was, he had been a trainee since he was only 13 so it wouldn't have been easy to leave room for school.

In his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was lacking compared to you. Your achievements made him question his own worth. The occasional longing for the academic experiences he missed out on only fueled his insecurities.

However, he never dared to share any of these feelings with you. Jeongin kept this internal struggle hidden, not wanting you to bear the weight or feel like you're the reason he's insecure. He valued your successes and happiness and didn't want them tainted by his own self-doubt. Instead, he chose to navigate these emotions privately, wanting to be the supportive boyfriend you deserved.

Jeongin arrived at the JYP building, the familiar surroundings enveloping him as he scanned his keycard to gain access. The glass doors slid open, and he made his way through the lobby, swiftly heading for the elevators.

As the elevator ascended, Jeongin's thoughts lingered. The elevator doors opened on the designated floor, and Jeongin walked down the corridor, passing by various studios and offices. Finally, he reached the door of the dance studio where he was practicing initially. He could feel the bass of the music from outside.

Jeongin opened the door and as he stepped inside, he found the members taking a break, scattered around the room, catching their breaths.

Lee Know, catching sight of Jeongin, approached him with a stern expression. "Jeongin, please don't stay out too long next time. You know it's bad habit," he said, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Jeongin, feeling a pang of guilt, quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, hyung."

Lee Know's stern expression softened, and he patted Jeongin on the shoulder, saying, "You're fine. Just try to be on time, okay?"

As the conversation shifted, Minho asked, "How did it go?"

"She did good, as always."

However, despite his words, Lee Know noticed Jeongin expression. "Aren't you happy for her?"

Jeongin immediately forced a smile. "No, I am. I guess I kinda zoned out."

Lee Know's expression remained uncertain, but he decided not to press further. "Alright, if you say so. Just remember, we're here for you if you need anything."

Jeongin nodded gratefully, appreciating Lee Know's understanding. He reached for his hoodie, pulling it off and revealing his practice attire underneath.

"Okay, we should wrap up. It's been like five hours, that's enough." Chan declared.

Jeongin, too caught up in dancing for the past few hours, checked the time and was surprised to see it was already 10 PM. His eyes widened.

He quickly grabbed his belongings and bid a quick farewell to the members. "See you guys tomorrow," he said with a tired smile.

Exiting the building, Jeongin was met with a sudden realization as he saw that it was pouring rain outside. He hadn't anticipated the weather, and the absence of an umbrella made the situation less than ideal. However, with your apartment only a few blocks away, he figured it could be worse.

Pulling his hood over his head, Jeongin braced himself for the rain and started to briskly walk along the sidewalk. The sound of raindrops hitting the pavement filled his ears, and with every step, he could feel himself getting more and more soaked.

The once dry sidewalk turned into a glistening path as the rain danced around him. Jeongin's clothes clung to his body, and his hair became a mess of damp strands.

Upon reaching your apartment building, he tried his best to dry himself off but he made his way inside. He quickly climbed the stairs, his wet footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. Unlocking the door with the spare keys you had given him, he stepped inside the familiar space.

In the entrance, Jeongin wasted no time. He removed his wet shoes, placing them on a rack to dry. His clothes clung uncomfortably, and he surveyed the living room, noticing the warm glow of lights.

As he made his way into the living room, he saw you. There you were, perhaps caught up in a book or lost in thought, unaware of his drenched arrival. He wanted to get home earlier than you and he cursed to himself knowing you beat him to it.

"Hey," he greeted.

Still absorbed in your book, you didn't look up immediately. "I assumed you weren't gonna show up after all. With the rain and everything."

Jeongin felt a pang of guilt. "Sorry, we got too caught up, and time flew," he explained.

"No, no, it's okay," you responded with a smile. Then, finally looking up, you noticed Jeongin. "Oh my god, you're soaking wet!"

A sheepish grin spread across Jeongin's face as he nodded. "Yeah, the rain got me good. Surprise, I guess?"

You couldn't help but chuckle at his unexpected entrance. "Surprise indeed! Let's get you out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold." The concern in your voice was evident as you motioned for him to follow you, warmth in your eyes. "Go to the bathroom, Jeongin. Change out of those and take a warm shower. I'll get some dry clothes out for you."

Jeongin nodded appreciatively. "Thanks, Y/N."

As he went into the bathroom, you headed to your wardrobe to retrieve some clothes for him. It wasn't unusual for Jeongin to stay over, so he had accumulated a fair share of his clothes at your place. You selected a comfortable set and laid them out on the bed, making sure everything was ready for him.

While Jeongin was in the shower, you went to the kitchen, deciding to prepare some tea to help him feel warmer. The comforting aroma of the tea filled the air as you carefully brewed it. Once ready, you carried the mug upstairs, hearing the shower turn off as you reached the top.

Setting the tea down on the nightstand, you took a seat on the bed. Moments later, Jeongin emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. His wet hair clung to his forehead, and droplets of water glistened on his skin.

You motioned for him to sit down beside you on the bed. Reaching for a bottle of moisturizer, you squeezed some onto your hands and gently started rubbing it onto his face. The subtle scent filled the room as you continued, your touch a soothing gesture.

Jeongin closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax under your care. As you worked on his shoulders, you couldn't help but smile at his tranquility.

"Thank you for taking care of me," Jeongin said with a sincere smile on his face.

Setting the moisturizer aside, you picked up the mug of warm tea and handed it to Jeongin. He took a sip, the comforting warmth spreading through him as he enjoyed the soothing effects of both the tea and your touch.

You then handed him the pile of dry clothes and Jeongin nodded appreciatively, proceeding to change. As he did, you subtly looked away, giving him the privacy he needed.

When he was done, Jeongin sat back down next to you. "I'm 100% sure I won't get a cold now," he declared with a satisfied grin.

"I hope so," you replied, returning his smile. Then, with a playful twinkle in your eye, you added, "Also, did you know that the rain itself can't actually make you sick? But if you stay wet and cold for a long time, it can lower your body temperature and weaken your immune system, making you more likely to catch a cold or flu."

"Way to go, Smarty," he responded with a teasing smile.

Your laughter filled the room as you playfully pulled him down, laying next to you. Leaning on him, you enjoyed the closeness, reveling in the comfort of the moment. Jeongin, not one to miss an opportunity, gently brought your chin up, and with a tender kiss, your lips met.

The initial softness of the kiss soon deepened into a passionate moment. Jeongin loved the sensation of being close to you, and the intimate connection sparked a desire for more. As the kiss continued, he gently teased, parting your lips. With a bold move, he inserted his tongue.

His hands, fuelled by a growing intensity, moved to your waist, feeling the warmth of your skin beneath his fingertips. In response, you reached under his shirt, your fingers tracing the contours of the milky skin on his chest and abs.

The moment, charged with desire, took an unexpected turn as Jeongin pulled away. His eyes, reflecting a mixture of emotions, met yours. "Y/N, you're so, so beautiful," he began, his voice filled with sincerity. "You're smart, you're caring—you're literally perfect. I'll never deserve you."

You looked back at him, a soft smile playing on your lips. "Jeongin, you're all those things too," you reassured him. "Smart, caring, and incredibly beautiful. What do you mean you don't deserve me? I feel like most people would think it's the other way around."

Jeongin's frustration and insecurities tugged at him, and he began to ramble, his words stumbling over each other. "It's just... I see you, and I see everything you are, and it's like you're this amazing person, and I'm just me. You're achieving so much more than I ever will. And I'm sorry that I can't measure up to what you deserve. That I'll never be enough for someone as perfect as you."

"Jeongin," you interrupted gently, reaching out to hold his hands. "I'm not perfect, so stop thinking that. And you've achieved so much. You're well known worldwide, you get to travel to these wonderful places. Sometimes, I wish I could do that too."

"But," he interjected, his frustration evident, "I feel bad when I can't help you with studying like your other friends do. I went into high school late, never even attended it much even after and you literally skipped a whole grade. I feel so stupid compared to you."

You squeezed his hands gently, "You do help me study, Jeongin. Just having you next to me while I'm studying helps me. That's why I always drag you to the library with me because you're my support. Your presence is more than enough."

Jeongin smiled slightly at the comment, his frustration easing a bit.

"And you know," you continued, "I learn a lot from you too. About different cultures from the countries you've visited, how you manage to sing trot, how to act, how to dance, how to get your perfect skin, and most importantly, how to tolerate seven guys who are constantly trying to baby us. You bring so much into my life, Jeongin. It's not about who's better or smarter. It's about how we make each other happy."

Jeongin looked at you, a hint of doubt still lingering. "But what about what other people think? Everyone will think you're so impressive, and I'm just a guy who wasn't smart enough to do anything else but music."

"Don't beat yourself up about what others think," you asserted. "Plus, nowadays, who cares about how well people do in college? They all know idols work their asses off to be what they are. Everyone admires you, Jeongin."

"But, Y/N," Jeongin began, "you work just as hard as me."

"And that's exactly my point," you replied, a warm smile on your face. "We both work hard in our own ways, and that's what matters. It's about the effort we put in, not some standard of success. You're amazing just the way you are, Jeongin."

Feeling the sincerity in your words, Jeongin buried his face in your neck, his arms wrapping around you in a tight embrace. "I love you so much, Y/N," he mumbled against your skin.

Smiling, you ran your fingers through his hair. "I love you too, Jeongin," you replied, causing him to hum contently against your skin. The two of you stayed in that comforting embrace for a while, the world outside seemingly fading away. However, a practical thought crossed your mind. "Wait, let me put your wet clothes in the washer," you suggested.

Jeongin, with his eyes closed, murmured, "Baby, no, stay. I was about to fall asleep."

You couldn't help but chuckle at his half-asleep endearment. "What did you just call me?" you teased. A soft, content smile graced Jeongin's face as he kept his eyes closed. "Okay, Innie, I'm staying," you replied, using the playful nickname his members often used.

In response, Jeongin shifted, scooting up to become the big spoon. His arms wrapped around you, squeezing you gently as if you were his favorite teddy bear. A chuckle escaped your lips as your legs tangled together, finding a comfortable position. He rested his head on yours, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest creating a soothing lullaby.

[fatehbaz]

The link between warfare and technological innovation has been well documented [...]. World War II was a particularly intense crucible of technological change, and the repurposing of military technologies and industries in the forging of a new post-war consumer [economy] is crucial [...]. Processes of technological bricolage turned the machines of war onto the natural world as global powers competed to cement their economic and imperial hegemony. In Great Britain’s post-war “groundnut scheme” in its East African territories (1946-51), this collision of nature, military hardware, and technical expertise was part of efforts to both produce more fats for the British diet and to demonstrate to the world (most importantly the United States) that, through a newly energized science-led developmentalism, British colonialism still had a “progressive” role to play in the postwar world.

The aim was to produce millions of tons of peanuts across Tanganyika using the latest methods of advanced scientific agriculture. The environmental conditions in the north, where the scheme was to begin, were known to be especially trying, not least the dry climate [...]. But faith in the power of mechanized agriculture was such that any natural limits were thought to be readily surmountable.

The groundnut scheme was to be, as its Director put it in an interview with the Tanganyika Standard, a “war” with nature, and an “economic Battle of Alamein” waged over some three million acres by an army of colonial technicians - many recruited from military ranks - and local laborers, for many of whom the scheme represented their first entry into the wage labor market.

But it wasn’t just the rhetoric of war that was repurposed.

Lancaster bombers were kitted out to survey and discover “new country” in East Africa for agricultural development. [...] [T]ractors and bulldozers from military surplus stores in Egypt proved unable to tackle the hard ground and tough vegetation, so the planners turned to a novel solution: repurposing surplus Sherman M4A2 tanks. The Vickers-Armstrong factory in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne set about rearranging key elements of the tanks’ construction [...]. The tractors, christened “Shervicks” for their hybrid origins, were [...] thought to be particularly suited to large-scale earth-moving and to the kind of heavy duty “bush clearing” that was required in Tanganyika.

Officials sought to dismiss concerns that large-scale bush clearing would have wider environmental consequences, using the well-worn colonial trope that any observed changes in local climate or erosion patterns were due to the “primitive” agricultural practices of the locals, not to the earth-moving practices of the colonists.  [...] As the plants continued to wilt in the sun, [...] [t]he stakes were high. As [J.R.] of the Colonial Development Corporation put it in a letter: “Our standing as an Imperial power in Africa is to a substantial extent bound up with the future of this scheme. To abandon it would be a humiliating blow to our prestige everywhere.” The only option left was to try and bend the weather itself to the scheme’s will, by seeding the clouds for rain. [...] “Balloon bombs” (photographic film canisters tethered to weather balloons) and a repurposed Royal Navy flare gun were used to target individual clouds [...]. The scheme itself has survived as a cautionary tale of governmental hubris, but it is instructive too as a case study of how technologies of war have been turned against other foes.

---

All text above by: Martin Mahony. “The Enemy is Nature: Military Machines and Technological Bricolage in Britain’s ‘Great Agricultural Experiment.’“ Environment and Society Portal, Arcadia (Spring 2021), no. 11. Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society. doi:10.5282/rcc/9191. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Images and their captions are shown unaltered as they originally appear in Mahony's article. Public Domain Mark 1.0 License for images: creativecommons dot org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/]

[maverickgalathynius]

Throne of glass head cannons I wholeheartedly believe and you can’t convince me otherwise

————————————————————————

• Aelin essentially became a wyrdkey at a certain point due to her knowledge of the wyrdmarks and her skill of using them to be able to open portals to other worlds (hell realm from CoM) with the addition of having a goddesses power

• Aelin would’ve had matching hand burns with Az bad Maeve not rebuilt her completely

• Aelin bound her life to Fenrys to save him which means someday when Aelin dies so will Fenrys

• If Sam had survived Rowan still would’ve waited for Aelin

•Aelin is Ambidextrous due to when she had to break her right hand when she was with Arobynn

•Bryce and Aelin share a title ‘The Queen who walked between worlds

• Aelin also gained another name where she was referred to as ‘Queen of the Underworld’ bc of her murder streak and success in war

• Eva just calls Aelin her aunt bc Aelin and Aedion act so much like siblings instead of cousins that Eva just got the impression they were brother and sister at one point and even after being corrected it just kind of stuck that she called her her aunt

• there have been several occasions for when Aedion points at Lysandra and says that’s his wife to a stranger but Lysandra is in her ghost leopard form so Aedion just looks crazy

• when Celaena was in the dungeons after Nehemiah’s death she was only drinking the drug infused water bc she hopes that there would be just enough sedatives in there to kill her

• you cannot convince me Celaena and Nehemia didn’t kiss each other at least once romantically

• when Aelin uses her magic and flames form in her hands or something she’s directly touching, the veins leading up to her wrist start to faintly glow a golden color like her fire bc her magic ‘flows directly through her veins’.

•Same with her eyes where she can do the thing Nesta did and make her flame appear in her eyes where the golden ring is when she wants

•Imagine how it would be if death in the TOG world was similar to how death was believed to be in Ancient Greece where if the death was not acknowledged through a burial of some sorts or prayers sent up for the dead then the soul would forever be tied to the living world and not allowed to pass on, and then Celaena would just always be residing by Sam or Nehemia’s graves for the rest of eternity bc no one, not even Aelin thought to truly acknowledged that she was dead bc Aelin didn’t think it was possible for Celaena to become her own person after she died and everyone else didn’t like Celaena enough to try it

• it’s possible that Aelin has two carrenems, bc we know Rowan is one of them but we saw in the part where her and Dorian killed the king both of their magics worked together in a similar way, so it’s possible Dorian could also have a similar kind of thing with her but the reason it’s partly different is bc he’s human and doesn’t have some of the advanced abilities fae do.

•I fully believe that Aelin and Manon treat Elide like a divorced parents kid, Manon and the witches get her on the weekends, Aelin and her court get her on the weekdays

•friendly reminder that Gavriel could’ve used his magic to hold back the valg while he went through the gate but decided to stay behind because he couldn’t live thinking his son hated him

• I feel like Aelin has one small scar that survived Maeve and it’s a small scar on her cheek (which would’ve been covered by the mask) that she got from Arobynn absolutely back handing her and she got cut by a ring on his finger

• I can image Aelin being absolutely shit at social cues because Arobynn raised her practically separate from other people for the first few years apart from training with the other assassins in the guild sometimes and when he’d send her on assignments. Rowan realized that quickly and whenever they are in a situation where she’s not picking up certain looks or gestures Rowan just sends down the bond a little reminder to help her

•friendly reminder that Aelin’s fingers were slightly crooked in places before Maeve took her

•We also always had foreshadowing that Elide would end up with lorcan bc Anneith always is protecting Elide and whispering to her, Anneith is the consort to Hellas, and Hellas blessed Lorcan

•I feel like a core memory for manon would be when Lysandra threw up valg guts on lorcan

•I can imagine Aelin going to Rowan asking if he can cut into her back and pull out shards of iron that got caught in her skin bc Yrene was busy and then Rowan just being like a dear in headlights at the request so manon just strolls up and uses her nail like a scalpel and prying out shards of iron that Aelin’s Fae healing couldn’t get out bc Manon is fr a girls girl

•A reminder that when Aelin ran for the wall when she was “escaping” Endovier and when she was “escaping” from Carin. She never planned on escaping either, she planned to have them kill her so she could insure they’d never see her break

•Manon if she could use the internet:

If my boyfriend turns into a girl and I have sex with him does that make me queer?

•If memory works the same for the Fae as they do for humans Aelin will eventually forget what Sam looked like and what his voice sounded like

• After Celaena was sent to Endovior she lost the sheet music Sam gave her and she’s constantly guilty because it was the only gift from him she had apart from his clothes in their flat

•Rowan is Aelin’s mate.

But Sam was Celeanas

•I feel like when Lysandra get into an argument with Aedion and then when Aedion says some stupid shit she just shifts into his body and repeats what he said in a sarcastic/mocking tone

•When lorcan bound him and Elides life together instead of making him have a mortal lifespan it made her have an immortal life span.

————————————————————————

Anyway that’s all for now, sorry for the shit grammar I didn’t proofread

[sealixirfairytales]

So… He's from our world, around the victorian area… or so it seems.

Bram is around 16 or 19, nobody is sure of his age. He's actually born in twisted Wonderland and more importantly, in the Island of Woe, as his parents are both STYX's scientists.

But as a baby, only a month old, his parents remarked he seemed to absorb blot around him, like if he was a human magistone. Scared, they sealed any magic in him through some experiment for some time before throwing him into a random experimental portal because even with sealed magic, he was absorbing blot, just slower. Bram appeared in our world, right into the sea. (reason why he absorbe blot at the very end of this post)

But Bram actually is blessed with an incredible luck so as a little baby of barely 6 months, he survived by miracle and ended up on a flourished jungle island, untouched by humans.

He have been found by a female tiger. The "ruler" of the island, kind off. Thanks to his luck blessing, she decided to adopt him instead of eating him. So she raised him.

Bram is then totally wild and never saw another human. The closest were the monkeys… but as "a tiger" he just ate them. Bram's "father" didn't wanted him and tried to eat him, but his mother killed him to protect her cub. The large scar on his torso is due to his "father" attack.

Of course lots of other accidents. The bite on his thigh is from a crocodile. The large scar on his calf is because he felt and got this place pierced by a branche. He have cuts, bites and scratches kind of everywhere.

He also have a dark "scar" in his back, but it's actually the seal of his magic.

Bram love pretty colors and since he have seen parrots decorating their plumage with leaves or other feathers, he's doing the same by putting pretty flowers in his hairs. He loves flowers. DO NOT touch his flowers. He will bite.

Also, of course, he live completely naked and walking on all four

When he was around 11, his mom died. She wasn't killed. She was just already 17 (tigers lives usually between 10 and 15 years old, some rare case have been observed where they lived up to 26) So Bram lived alone since.

And suddenly… the mirror summoned him in another world…or more like back to his original world…

here come the day he's summoned to Twisted wonderland.

No need to say, he was shocked.

Need to know, in his head, he is a tiger. His mother just said he's "a little different" but he's "still a tiger".

So, I base it more like the manga for his arrival. He get out of the coffin when everyone is already here. And by himself. And without the ceremonial robe. So in his case, he's still naked.

I think you can imagine, when he woke up locked in a box, he panicked, and hit and struggled until he managed to open the lid of the coffin. When he see all the students and staff around him -human- he step back and hiss… yep, he will just act like a cat… more dangerous.

The staff try to calm him but nothing work. Until, recognizing how he act, Trein have the good idea to send Lucius. Bram can talk to animal. Howver, the animal language the mages use to talk to animal too don't work with Bram.

So thanks to Lucius, they learn that the naked kid in front of them think he's a tiger because he have been raised by one. After some tribulation, seing all the scars and how he act, the staff refuse to just send him back (and the mirror say he can't, anyway). Crewel decide to adopt him. And since I ship crewel and Crowley, Crowley adopt him too.

With Lucius help they slowly makes him understand they're not going to hurt him and Crewel manage to get him and carry him. Bram snuggle into his coat, reminding him of his mother fur, and purr. Lucius translate, saying the purr correspond to "mom" and Crewel just accept his fate XD

When he sees Grim, Bram try to hunt him, even catch him in his mouth XD Thanks the seven, the staff manage to makes him let go. Sam's little shadow friend bring a whole ham for Bram instead.

So they try to dress him… have you tried to dress a cat? No need to say, they can't. They just managed to pass him a boxer and a shirt barely buttoned. (the image)

Of course he also can't talk, he growl and hiss. First thing he will try to say will be his name, like "brrrr…. rraa… bbrrmmm… nrrr…. bbraaam".

Slowly, he start saying some words and even try to walk on two legs. then, you know the story… with some changes, of course. Crowley is "Da" and Crewel is "Ma"

About the overblots…. well he just jump on the phantom and bite it. And that's what he do in every fight, tiger style XD

Another thing… he will keep picking flower and put it im his hair but also try to put it in others hair. It's his love language.

~~~~

Now, about the fact he absorbe blot. It's due to his signature spell. I got that idea with a dream about another MC (Xia, from my horror short story "The orphanage) but it fit Bram too.

So here is his signature spell :

"From the shadows to my call, gather and empower my rise; Abyssal Maw!"

"Abyssal Maw" makes him enter into a controlled overblot, where he still have his mind clear and can command the phantom (see the phantom as the Horned king). Due to that, instead of creating blot when he use magic, he is using blot. He absorbe blot around him because for him blot is like a fuel, not a waste. Since it was way too OP (I mean… most of signature spell are kind of OP, did you see Malleus'??) I had to makes some adjustement compared to the original dream.

So, when he don't get enough blot, he will feel weak and tired. Like if you haven't eat or sleep for days. And there is also a problem if he absorb too much.

Nope, he won't enter into a real overblot if he absorbe too much blot… but he will end up in a drunken-like stat. Will be really cuddle and completely out. Not able to think or react, dizzy and will totally faint after a while. That can be really dangerous if he's into a battle.

Of course he will be able later to control his blot absorption, but that will take time. And obviously, he absorbe a lot of blot during the other's overblot. Slowly, because his magic is sealed.

But all this is only if they find a way to break the seal.

[furiarossa]

Do ghosts have any holidays?

The festivities of the Ghost Zone are countless and of various nature. Some of them are exclusively local, each area having its own culture (which sometimes is a mirror of a corresponding human ethno-geographical area, with which a continuous exchange of information occurs, thanks to magical nodes and possible artificial portals), but there are some events that tend to be celebrated more extensively.

Due to the nature of the ghosts, it can happen that the festivities of the Ghost Zone make no sense to those who live on the material plane, appearing violent or in general of questionable taste.

+ Most important dates +

November 1-2: placed immediately after Halloween (which is the first day in which the "veil" that separates the spirits from the Material World becomes momentarily more permeable) the "feast of the dead" is one of the most important moments of the Ghost Zone culture. Halloween is a holiday for the nobles (the overlords or feudal lords, together with the major spirits), but the people mainly celebrate the night between the first and the second day of November: the reason why Halloween is not chosen as an official holiday is because the "first day belongs to the first", that is, the strongest spirits, those who usually have specific reasons to visit the material plane, have the right of passage. Some spirits bring small gifts to children, others join in the celebrations of humans, consuming food together with them (even if not all lemures are able to digest them, they are however able to taste them), others still indulge in wild dances. The celebrations take place simultaneously in the Ghost Zone and in the Material World, where festivals are organized in which the sky is "opened" like a screen, to observe the Moon and the stars as humans see them, an observation accompanied by music and banquets (often organized by a feudal lord).

Fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar: The Chinese celebrate the so-called “Hungry Ghosts Festival” (which in Chinese is known by different names: zhōngyuánjié中元节, guǐjié鬼节 or yúlánpénjié盂兰盆节 for the Buddhist translation) , while the ghosts celebrate the “Generous Chinese People” festival. Popular Chinese belief says that on this night the spirits of ancestors return to Earth to visit them, and that being hungry after a long journey, it is necessary to feed them; furthermore, the ritual burning of papier-mâché objects that reproduce material goods of common use takes place, in the hope that they can be used in the afterlife by loved ones. The spirits of the Ghost Zone do not consume the food that is offered to the deceased, but, unexpectedly, the heat from the combustion of papier-mâché objects, as well as sometimes sakè. Also, this is a time considered "supernatural" for the spirits: many of them swear that they have actually seen the ancestors of humans, which is why there is a stigma around tasting the food left as an offering, because it might belong to someone else. Have you ever seen a ghost who is afraid of ghosts? During the Festival of the Generous Chinese People, it might happen!

Birthday of the Ghost Monarch: date determined, of course, by the birthday of the person wearing the Ghost Crown at that time. The spirits are forced, often against their will, to celebrate another year of their ruler's life, participating in parades in which the banners of the monarch's "house" are waved, chants, ritual battles and heart-rending screams (which, although strange for people of flesh, are almost always very welcome to ghosts in positions of power).

August 31st: the Baby Ghost Festival is celebrated, a time when all the inhabitants of a phantomhive hunt down paralarvae, newborn or slightly larger spirits, with the aim of predicting the future from the first larva that is captured. The first adult spirit that captures a paralarva is rewarded and crowned "seer" for a day, then the characteristics of the paralarva will be analyzed (through criteria such as color, size, mobility and type of core) to determine what will happen. Sometimes the parents of the paralarva in question are annoyed by the fact that their baby has been scared, and this can lead to uncontrolled fights between the "seer" and the parents of the baby, often accompanied by the howls of the fans, who think they can get further details about the future from the outcome of the fight.

Independence Day: of extremely variable date, it represents the first day of a period of sleep of the Phantom Monarch, since sometimes these entities can sleep (not always naturally, but often induced) for very long periods of time. Independence Day is one of the most important among the various international celebrations and is celebrated with public speeches, songs and fireworks.

Of course there are many other small festival and holidays, but they're limited to phantomhives and there are too many to talk about in a single post!

All the ghost worldbuilding posts!

The “Ask us about ghost worldbuilding” post

Our ask is open

[tainted-liquor]

'Cuddle Monster(s)☾‧₊˚ ⋅

E42!Miles Morales x Witch!BlackFem!Reader ┆˚✧Ingredients: Crack, kisses, and a lil bit of smiles! ┆∘⋆TWs: Cursing, Reader being a menace, n I think that’s it? ┆⁺˚⋆W/C: I’ll fix this later😭 ┆`✦A/N: I lowkey used this as spanglish practice

"Miles? Can you get me some basil and patchouli while you're out?" You called from your bathroom as you heard your front door swing open. "I'm only going to the bodega, but I'll see what I can find Mami!" he shouted back from downstairs before swiftly exiting out your house. You smiled to yourself, thinking about just how much you loved your boyfriend as you threw a slew of items and herbs into a small jar. For the past 5 months, you've been perfecting your new craft of spirit-raising, the art of manifesting a living vessel from the hole between your world and theirs. These spirits, or "monsters" as many people would call them are...usually grateful when you raise them, often repaying your kindness by offering protection and energy in exchange for being their path to this world and theirs.

Since these spirits can be seen as an extension of you due to bringing them into this world, they tend to be in tune with your emotions. When you cried, they cried, when you yelled, they yelled, and when you loved, so did they. When Miles first learned about your ability to pull spirits through that invisible portal, he didn't really care. He's murdered people before, so what's a little witchcraft? After all, he hadn't actually seen exactly what came through that portal just yet.

You casually dumped more herbs and tiny crystals into your jar, maintaining perfect focus on the task at hand as you slowly dumped almond oil into the jar. When everything was finished, you sealed the jar with purple wax before throwing it rather aggressively into your full bathtub. You closed your eyes, silently hoping that you didn't do shit wrong as you kneeled down next to the tub, dunking a hand into the numbing and cold water for a couple of minutes. When you didn't notice anything happening, you sighed to yourself and went to pull your hand out of the water. But no sooner than you moved, you felt something unfamiliar and cold grab your hand.

You felt a harsh tug, then watched as what appeared to be an all-grey horned creature emerged through the tub. It was around 8 feet in height and looked like something straight out of a horror fantasy movie. It had no face, only one massive pitch-black eye where what would be a nose. It stared at you unblinkingly, processing its surroundings before emerging from your bathtub and standing behind you. It looked more afraid of you than you were slightly of it, so you gave it a small wave and a pat on the...knee? to calm it down.

It sat down motionless and limp in the bathroom, radiating content as you heard the front door open. It wasn't even a fraction of a second before the creature came darting out of the room, you following quickly behind it as it advanced toward Miles. Miles didn't even get the chance to scream before it scooped him up, hugging him like the tiniest of babies as its eye closed in joy. "WHEW. OKAY. MAMI, QUÉ ES ESTO?" He shouted with wide eyes. "It's...my new protector! I just raised it...It's not gonna hurt you it just loves you" you quickly explained as Miles froze up in the monster's hands. "Shit...warn me next time" he huffed, slowly relaxing as he processes what was happening.

From that day forward, he learned to accept the sudden appearance of various creatures in his house. A bone dog, a very very long horse, several people that weren't quite people, and various spirits that took on many many forms. He wasn't gonna pretend like it never caught him off guard or scared him, occasionally stepping out of the shower to see a monster or two staring at him silently always managed to raise his heart rate by a couple beats per minute. He knew they loved him with the same affection you always gave him, so he was never truly terrified by them. He had been told it was rude to not speak to them, so he always gave them a rather quiet and shaky "Hola..." whenever he saw them.

"Mama, te amo tan mucho...pero, por favor dime cuando tus 'spirits' will be watching me shower."

"Sorry love!"

And it never quite stopped there. Whenever you were outside of the house and a few entities decided to loom and fawn over your boyfriend, he always knew how you felt in the moment. There were times when he would be sitting on the couch, eating a nice bowl of cereal and a sea of non-human crying could be heard. He immediately jumped up from whatever it was he was doing, running to his phone to check on you. Whether you were minor stressed or full-blown crying, he was able to tell how you truly felt at the drop of a hat. In some sense he was grateful because it allowed him to further understand and navigate...you!

"Mami are you mad at me?"

"...no"

"Tell me the truth, c'mon muñequita"

"What makes you think I'm mad?"

"You deadass?" he huffed as he pointed at the strange thing hovering above him, staring at him with crossed arms and an annoyed grimace.

"okay maybe..."

[eshalstuf]

The second season of Pera Palace was not what I thought it would be.

ESRA: In the first season, the character Esra is presented as impulsive, curious and reckless, but always willing to help others. In season two, she embarks on a personal journey to discover her origins. However, what seemed like a promising development for the protagonist ended up resulting in her role being reduced to that of a secondary character. Esra starts to act according to other people's opinions, demonstrating less assertiveness towards the people around her and losing her playful behavior characteristic of the first season.

Although Ahmet's risk of extinction was resolved, the writers decided to turn this into a conflict between Esra and Halit again, now with the justification that Ahmet would not approve of the situation. However, Esra has the autonomy to make her own decisions and, despite her affection for Ahmet, shouldn't she be able to decide her relationship with Halit for herself, regardless of Ahmet's approval? Esra's true development only occurs in episodes 7 and 8, when she begins to make decisions that recall her personality from the first season. The question that arises is: why did this development take so long to come to fruition?

The change in Esra's behavior away from her playful ways in the upcoming third season is understandable considering everything she's been through. However, this transformation must be accompanied by development in maturity and greater autonomy in making their own decisions. I love Esra and I hope the third season explores and presents these aspects in a better way.

HALIT: Halit is, indeed, a captivating character, but his evolution in the second season raised some questions. Halit, previously described as enigmatic and mysterious, had the ability to understand subtleties and observe details with keen perception, while maintaining a reserved and suspicious demeanor. What made him such an intriguing character was precisely this mystery, combined with his ability to notice when something was wrong without necessarily verbalizing it.

However, in the second season, there is a noticeable change in his personality. Halit becomes more direct and open, which seems to contrast with the mysterious character that made him so charming in the first season. This change, however, is not accompanied by a consistent development that explains the transition. The way he expresses his love for Esra becomes more exaggerated and theatrical, rather than maintaining the subtle and mysterious tone that was one of his distinguishing qualities.

The moments I liked most were when his demonstration of love was done through details, like when he visits the hotel room months after Esra left, he avoids confronting Esra due to his fear of possible aggression (caused by the portal ) and when he puts his surname on Esra's fake document. These details are more in line with the Halit we knew.

My opinion is that, by trying to mold Halit into a more romantic character, the writers ended up disrespecting his essence and the unique way in which he expressed his love. This made her transformation feel forced and less authentic.

Last question. In the first season, Halit appears to value discretion and privacy, especially regarding sensitive and potentially impactful information. His behavior and the way he handles important information indicates that he would be extremely cautious when sharing secrets that could have global implications.

So it's surprising that in the second season, the writers have Halit reveal a world-changing secret to anyone. This decision seems to contradict the previously established nature of the character. It doesn't make sense.

ESHAL: Esra and Halit have few affectionate moments, which are quickly interrupted by external intrigue. Often, when the two are enjoying an intimate moment, the conversation is abruptly diverted to issues involving third parties. Even their first meeting was not fully enjoyed. I wish Esra and Halit had had the opportunity to talk about their lives, their families, their origins and their cultures. It would be interesting to see Esra share what it's like to live in the future and observe debates between them about their differences of opinion, considering that Halit is a 19th century man and Esra is a 21st century woman. Such conversations could have promoted a richer and deeper development of the couple.

Unfortunately, despite some standout moments, we didn't get enough for them to truly get to know each other, which would also have given viewers a fuller understanding of their personalities. The lack of moments of intimacy and mutual development is a missed opportunity that undoubtedly impacted the series' narrative.

-

I love this series, but with pain in my heart I say that this was not a good season. It was rushed, the characters weren't well written and the narrative wasn't that interesting. I hope that if there really is a third season, they can correct these mistakes and bring a good season again.

[iiitsnotbase]

Iyengar and the Portrayal of Class and Power in her Games.

Since its origin in 1974, Dungeons and Dragons has been used to tell multiple types of stories, all depending on the players at the table and the dungeon master at the head of it. Most of these games (and other Tabletop roleplaying games, of course) tend to have a central theme in common, which is the theme of power. Whether that be a power over the world, for example, a king or nobility or dragon terrorising the nation, or the gods having power, or anything in between those, power always comes into play. Especially when it is commonly argued that one person at those tables, the dungeon master, or the game master, has the majority of the power over the table (excluding dice rolls, obviously. Dice rolls are left to the whims of fate.). 

There is one Game Master who portrays power in not only her games, but her characters, and she portrays it well. Though at times the way she portrays this power is often subtle and un-noticed, it is there; As intrinsic to her characters as the fact that they are alive, as threaded into the worlds she builds as the people (or even stoats!) that live in them. The way is not too heavy-handed, but it is not so subtle that you cannot see it, it is a delicate balance that she always manages to strike. I am of course talking about the Game Master of (most recently, at the very least) Candela Obscura; Tide and Bone, Aabria Iyengar. Though Candela Obscura is her most recent project (as of writing, 30/2/24), she is also known for her work on Dimension 20’s A Court of Fey and Flowers, Burrows End, The Ravening War, Pirates of Leviathan, and Misfits and Magic, as well as her appearances on Critical Role and being a main cast member of World Beyond Number. She is also widely regarded in all of these fandom spaces as (jokingly) ‘One of our own’, due to her frequent appearance on fanblogs. This is also sometimes colloquially referred to as ‘getting Quiddied’. Although Iyengar’s portrayal of power is always there, it is never more obvious than in Dimension 20’s A Court of Fey and Flowers.

Whatever you are imagining for A Court Of Fey and Flowers, times it by 10, add much more court drama, secrets, espionage, and one single, drugged-up, horny Grandfather who is all the worst parts of birds, and you might have something somewhat close. The table for this season of Dimension 20 includes frequently famous fliers (bird pun fully intended) such as Emily Axford (Lady Chirp Featherfowl), Brennan Lee Mulligan (Captain K.P. Hob), and Lou Willson (Lord Squak Airavis), as well as newcomers such as Surena Marie (Gwyndolin Thistle-Hop/BINX Choppley), Oscar Montoya (Delloso de la Rue), and Omar Najam (Prince Andhera), with Aabria Iyengar at the head of it, controlling all of their fae fuckery (both literal and metaphorical).

A Court of Fey and Flowers is Bridgerton on steroids, with magic and dice and eating feathers, and it is exactly as insanely wonderful as you think it would be. Interwoven with the romance inherent to the regency genre (BINX/Prince Andhera and Delloso de la Rue/K.P. Hob), there are themes of class and social standing, not only among the general population of the courts, but among their peers. This is there right from the beginning, in fact, as across the series illegitimate marriages, secret engagements, and whole secret children are revealed. Being the Game Master of this season, Iyengar portrays these struggles with a gentle touch and an ice-cold grip, never letting you forget that they are there, waiting to be shown, in the background. 

In the very first scene we have with Axford and Wilson’s characters, we learn both must marry for power, which tips many off to the way this society works. Their Grandfather (portrayed by Iyengar), demands they marry for power. This move, on Iyengar’s part, is a masterful portal of class, and hints at the social standing the characters have in the show. Unlike every other character mentioned, these two do not belong to a court. The implications of needing to marry well so they are not tarnished and banished from future social events do not go unnoticed by the players or the audience. Axford and Wilson would both later go on to reveal their already secured, entirely inappropriate matches, and cause many issues for their Grandfather. 

Another, darker moment of power is the power that the parents have over their children in this world. ‘Parents’ is a strong word for what some of these relationships are, ‘maternal’ being an even stronger word, so we will, for the purposes of this essay, say they are the people who watched over these characters as they grew and now hold power over them. Starting with the positive parental relationships, Marie’s character is shown to have a very unique relationship with their parents and family.

Unique in the fact that they are dead, and still holding power over her (in a somewhat positive way). Marie’s character’s grief spurs her to action on multiple occasions, at one point almost causing the end of her life through a power more powerful than grief. This is also down to Marie’s performance as BINX, her grief is interwoven with her character, holding court on her seat with her. Iyengar, several times, uses the care Marie’s character shows to her old family against her; Particularly in Episode 10, when she brandished a weapon for the first time against Najam’s Characters sister. The scene is incredibly impactful, as Iyengar cuts across to use the moment BINX (Marie) removes Andhera’s (Najam’s) shard to show Suntar (Andhera’s sister, Iyengar) losing the little power she had over Najam’s Character. 

Though Suntar is not the only person who held power over Najam’s character, his Mother, the Queen of Air and Darkness (again, Iyengar) is shown to terrify them. In fact, the power The Queen holds over her son is so deeply rooted into his character, it is a part of his design, a shard shoved into his neck that rains on him when he gets upset, or any strong emotion. This allows Iyengar to offer reminders to the cast, even when Najam is portraying the emotions, that there is always someone more powerful than the main six out there, waiting. This impact is made even heavier by the fact Najam plays one of the most powerful characters at the table himself, a Prince of a court that is widely well known and highly regarded. There is a case to be made about how he might play the most powerful character at the table, because while Marie’s Character is the leader of their court, that court is diminished, and Montoya’s character still answers to other people. 

Speaking of Montoya’s character answering to other people, The Chorus are some of the most prominent threats despite never being explicitly stated as villains (like characters such as Prince Apollo (Iyengar) are). They run one of the most powerful courts, The Court of Wonder, and help put together the entire event the story takes place in, The Bloom. The power they have over Montoya’s Character (Delloso de la Rue) is never unnoticed. It is integral to the character, given that they wore a glamour (a magical illusion to make them look like a green-skinned elf) every single day, to hide the fact they really are an owlbear, which are typically considered monsters. The Chorus only really exert their power once in a threatening way, but just because something is not said does not mean it is not felt. For example, Wuvvy (Iyengar) is a member of the Court of Wonder, and although she is Delloso de la Rue’s assistant, she is still a member of the Court of Wonder, which means she also answers directly to The Chorus if she is asked. Though all the examples mentioned so far are subtle in their power, one court likes people to know they have power, perhaps because the people in it are so very tiny. 

Mulligan portrays Captain K.P Hob of The Goblin Court, which holds the most explicit power in the season. Before we have even learnt the name of Mulligan’s character, we learn he is a Captain, which might mean something in another, kinder universe. This ties back into the Goblin Court holding all the power, K.P is a captain of their court, and this is so important to him we don’t learn his first or second name until much later. Iyengar and Mulligan work together to portray the court gaining and losing power rapidly, and using its members with significant ranks to find and hold that power. This is shown when the Viscountess Grabalba marries the Head of the Trickster Court after her previous engagement is called off. It is shown, in a much more solemn light, when K.P Hob is promoted to Major and ordered to marry for the court, which he does. 

There is also power in the way the cast chose to do their romances in this world, which Iyengar facilitates with several events throughout the ten-episode season, such as a Masquerade Ball and a Hedge Maze. There is power in the way Axford’s character has her own, secret family, in the way Wilson’s has a lover in every court, in the way Marie and Najam’s characters find each other, and in the way both Montoya and Mulligan’s leave their old lives behind for love (in Montoya’s case, in an almost direct parallel to Wuvvy). You could write an essay on the romances in A Court of Fey and Flowers, but this is an essay about power, and while love does have power, I would next like to discuss another Dimension 20 season headed by Iyengar and featuring Mulligan that heavily plays on power. 

Dimension 20: Burrows End is Chernobyl (the TV show) meets Chicken Run (but replace the chickens with stoats) meets Peter Rabbit (but they are stoats) meets 1984 (but with stoats). There are a lot of stoats in this season. Almost every character is a stoat, with exception of the two named humans (one of whom is secretly a stoat). Again, this cast includes some frequent flyers, such as Brennan Lee Mulligan (Tula), Isabella Rolland (Lila), Siobhan Thompson (Jayshon), and Erika Ishii (Ava), as well as the transition of Rashawn Nadine Scott (Viola) from Play It By Ear to Dimension 20, and 3 Black Halflings’ Jasper William Cartwright (Thorn Vale). All in all, this cast is best described as a powerhouse. 

Iyengar portrays class and power in this season in a subtler, more intimidating way. It is not so obvious at the beginning, as all the power seems to be in the hands of Cartwright’s Thorn Vale, the leader of an exclusive cult that worships The Blue. There is an argument to be made here that The Blue is the one with the power, despite not being a technical character in the season, it holds its place by being constant, whether that be through Cartwright and Scott’s character’s cult, or whether that is through forcing the beating of Mulligan’s character’s (Tula) heart. In this, the force which holds all the power is not a character at all; It is similar to what holds all the power in our world, which is simply nature. 

When the main six reach a location known as Last Bast, or The Last Bastion of The Light, or Warren Peace Nuclear Power Plant (we’ll continue to refer to it as Last Bast), some of the first characters there that they meet have the least power. They meet the working-class of stoats first, before anyone else, and thus begin to see Last Bast from their perspective. They meet these working class stoats when they are dying, when it is implied they are expendable because they have no power. In reality, they have all the power, being the ones to provide the food for the rest of Last Bast, and being the ones to provide the food, which keeps the area going. In reality, as much as the ruling class don’t think the working class have any power here, they have all the power. 

One of these working class stoats (as a reminder, these are all stoats) is an outspoken adolescent named Sybil, who loses her brother in the first meeting with the main six. Though initially she is portrayed as weak and powerless (literally being dead in her first appearance), we learn that she is resourceful, and if she is not strong in the literal sense, she is strong in the mental sense. She is also used to show the power that the leader, The First Stoats, have over their people, when they kill her in front of the Main Six to prove a point. Her death is explicitly described as being “The price of treason,” (Iyengar). Though Sybil is often argued as just simply being ‘a narrative device’, could the same not be said for all the characters in this story?

Sybil is also used to portray the idea of love conquering all, an overused trope but a trope for a reason. One of the most popular phrases in Last Bast, and a phrase used to guide other stoats towards it is “Follow your instincts towards the light.” Sybil takes this extremely literally, following her brother and breaking rules for her family, such as saying Curtis’s name even after he died (an act forbidden by The First Stoats).

Which brings me nicely onto the next point, the way The First Stoats attempt to hold power over death. The first way this is shown is through the disallowance of names for the dead, for the people who don’t technically exist anymore. This furthur shows their dictatorship and need for power and control; The way they cannot control death so they outlaw the names, taking away the family’s process of mourning and grief. The second way they do this is through Sybil’s aforementioned execution by them. They capture and kill her, showing again how they have the level of power and control that other stoats in Last Bast do not have. 

Candela Obscura; Tide & Bone is not only a masterclass in relationships and trust between players at the table, but a masterclass in power. The cast includes Sam Riegel (Oscar Grimm), Noshir Dalal (Professor Rajan Savrimuthu), Gina Darling (Madam Cordelia Glask), Ashly Burch (Dr Elsie Roberts), and Liam O’Brian (Professor Cosmo Grimm). This cast includes Critical Role old and new friends, all voice acting powerhouses in their own right, and is headed, as all these tables are, by Aabria Iyengar. 

Tide & Bone does not only choose to focus on the power of human emotions, but on the power of nature, and the freakish things we cannot control even when trying our best. To understand the portrayal of power in this game, we first need to understand the characters and their relationships to each other, since one of the long-standing themes across the circle is what power, and how much power, do our emotions have over us?

This theme is most obviously portrayed through Burch’s performance as Dr Elsie Roberts, a young Doctor with Cullet and a panic disorder that materialises as a terrible monster when she gets too stressed (take it literally), and Dalal’s performance as Professor Rajan Savrimuthu, a professor with a hive in his chest. I highlight these two not because they are the only people to portray the theme of emotions holding more power than they are worth, but because they are the most obvious. It is well stated that the professor and the doctor were together (romantically), “For a time.” (Burch). 

The scene that highlights this the most is the opening scene to Episode 3, Candles in The Dark, where it is revealed to the audience that, for an unknown reason, Professor Rajan Savrimuthu spent the whole night outside Dr Elsie Robert’s bedroom door, after him leaving in the previous episode. This scene, or the opening to it, shows how people are easily manipulated by their emotions, especially people such as Professor Savrimuthu and Dr Roberts. 

This theme is further explored later in the scene with the line “(Oscar) is interesting. He has certainly earned your trust.” Said by Dalal as Professor Savrimuthu. Oscar Grimm is one of Dr Robert’s best friends, and the only person to have ever seen her transform into the beast outside of herself (“I would have seen it before, right? So I know.” (Reigel as Oscar Grimm, narrating his internal monologue.)). This is further questioned by Dr Roberts, when she wonders why exactly ‘Raj’ is choosing to bring up this moment now, when they are about to go on the run, saying Elsie’s internal monologue is asking “Is this an inopportune moment of jealousy? What’s going on here?”.

However, romantic emotions are not the only emotions shown to have power over people. When Dr Roberts transforms into The Beast for the first time on-screen in Episode 1, it is not Professor Savrimuthu who comforts her through it, it is (one of) her best (and only) friends, Oscar Grimm. ‘Comforts her through it’ is a generous term to say ‘he is the one who takes the fall, not only for Elsie but for the rest of their circle, as she kills him’. Oscar Grimm cannot die, but he can still be killed, and he is. As he is being killed, though knowing she cannot hear him, he whispers, “It’s ok. I’ll be fine.” and then promptly dies and comes back.

This is another way that Iyengar portray’s power in this story; The power of death, and those who defy it, through Oscar Grimm, Empress Iomene, and Cosmo Grimm. While many other themes are ran rampant throughout their story, the main one is death and mourning, and finding power over those things.

For Oscar, the man who never dies, death is not something to fear. He cannot comprehend or remember what happens when he dies, and though he is often not alone, he dies far more than any one person should. Both him and his son, Cosmo Grimm, have power over death in separate ways. Whilst Oscar does not actively seek death, it seeks him, and he keeps coming back, whereas Cosmo actually seeks death and does not find it. The constant death for the elder member and the constant undeath for the younger one make this duo interesting and give them some of the most power in this circle. 

The last character to explore power in a unique way in this circle is Gina Darling’s Madam Cordelia Glask. She shows us the power of the gods, who took her entire family from her. Darling also, during her portrayal of Glask, holds a necklace like a rosary, showing how she still has faith in the gods that raised her and ripped her family from her. This point also further proves the power that our childhoods hold over us, even when we are in a different location, as Glask is. 

There are then the themes of communal power that are portrayed in the story, most obviously the power of names and titles. In Newfaire, there is a literal divide between the Eaves and the rest of the city, the literal divide being the staircase into the Eaves. This is evidenced in the circle by the fact that only one of them is not titled in any way shape or form; That person also being the eldest in the circle, Oscar Grimm. Whilst all the other characters are titled somehow, with either Professor or Doctor, offering academic achievements, or Madam, offering social achievements. This creates a divide in the circle, which is particularly emphasised when you realise that Oscar works for Madam Glask.

In conclusion, although power has multiple meanings, somehow Iyengar is able to portray all of them across the games she leads. This essay only covers the elements of her games, it mentions nothing of her characters, the ones who destroy themselves for power (Suvi and Laerryn) and the ones who let power destroy them (Karna). Power, as most things are, is a storytelling device that can often be overused. Iyengar does not do that. Iyengar’s take on power is refreshing, and in so many words (3410 to be exact), oddly comforting.

[localcanadiancreature62]

AUGGHH ABIGALE HORACE JESSAMINE. @aria-greenhoodie the Abigale Enjoyer, have this. Also some Horace and Jessamine stuff too ig.

Horace backstory + Epilogue - BACKSTORY: Horace was always an athletic man,he practiced football everyday ever since he was a young lad despite his parents urging him to study to be a lawyer or doctor. His father Benjamin Broadshoulder used to be a boxing champion before he retired and instead became a doctor,aiming to heal people rather than pummel them to the ground while his mother Lindsey Broadshoulder (née Quinton) was an attorney who helped defend criminals civilians and other fellows in legal issues,neither of them supported their son's dream to become a skilled and famous athlete but he did it anyway. He joined the Spitting Cobras soccer team and eventually became the 10 years running champion of every game due to his 18 years of training (he started at 18,he's 28 now at this period). Horace had gained the fame he always wanted as he used his large frame to aim the ball to his victory every time. He achieved his dreams against all odds,even when his parents didn't approve of his goal (pun unintended). He was happy as he finally became just as successful as his amazing parents,his luck was going strong as he appeared on the news and everyone shouted his name in admiration as well as glory. Until it eventually ran out two years later,when he broke his leg while he was out biking with his soccer team members and the fracture was so bad that it never fully healed to the point of him having to limp all the time. This made his coach lay him off the team,as his damaged leg would prevent him from playing and participating in matches would probably damage it further as he didn't have the money to have it surgically fixed due to using the money to support his aging parents' retirement fund. This absolutely devastated Horace,whose entire life revolved around sports and football. He accepted his fate regardless,and decided to reluctantly go to community college to become a doctor. But then months into his first semester he remembered how much his football coach inspired him and that he wanted to inspire others as well,so he decided to become a professional football coach as he went on with his washed up celebrity lifestyle. The man mourning his glory days and the success he used to have before he got his injury. He was down on his luck as he was depressed over not being able to relive his glory days,but then a demon fellow named William Lucipher came to him saying that he could help him get his celebrity status back while healing his injury but only if he helped crank up the project he's been working on. A huge steel mechanism that could allow people to travel between worlds. He agreed without any doubts or hesitation,as he was never the street wise type with his meatheaded personality plus he really wanted to regain his success. Bill proceeded to then possess Horace and make him rob a bank to get the money for fixing his damaged leg,getting the surgery as the man's leg is good as new,then making the athlete's old coach accept him back through intimidation,thus fulfilling his end of the bargain. Horace then agrees to crank up the portal while Abigale works on it and Jessamine guards the warehouse it's being built in,the plan is going smoothly for Bill as his new pawns start to move in their places. But then Jessamine snaps,and so does Abigale,the two quit despite everything the triangle did to make them stay,Horace tries to leave too after realizing that this project was busted from the start ever since the inventress explained what's truly happening as she argued with the demon. But Bill won't let this one get off easily. He thought that the meathead of all people would be easy to manipulate,but he failed like the other three pawns that failed to go through with the deal (O'Pimm Jessamine and Abigale) ,which is why this one's betrayal was so earth shattering for the triangle.

So he decided to torment the man with nightmares day and night,possessing him in his sleep as he regained his success but at what cost. He's a celebrity star player in football once more as the audience shouted his name in admiration again while his mind wasn't in good shape with him having horrible nightmares rather than practicing for the game as his body got weary from the demon taking it on crime sprees every other night. The nightmares drove him crazy as he then tried to bash his own head into the wall to get the demon to stop,but he then decided against it after realizing that attacking from the outside wouldn't work from the inside. He then sought revenge against the bastard that kept making his life a living hell despite William giving him what he wanted,aiming to beat him into submission. His luck ran again as an article detailing a man named Thurburt that went through the same situation as him with the article being captioned "Kill the triangle in my brain. Reward: Opium". So he went over to the man's address in order to get rid of the triangular pest that's ruining his life along with a few other fellows,knowing that he'll be able to destroy that creature with his bare hands once those people come up with a way to weaken it. EPILOGUE: Thurburt got institutionalized,Abigale got married to some rich fellow after moving far west,Horace... went on with his life as a professional football coach without any triangle meddling in his affairs. He was happy again,as he finally got that glory and recognition back after the demon helped him which he surprisingly felt grateful for despite the creature giving him nightmares soon after. However Bill wasn't done with him yet,he was still pissed at the athlete for subverting his expectations of him being an easy catch when the man turned out to be wiser than he thought (not considering that even an idiot knows when to stop when things are getting out of hand). Bill decided to possess him in his sleep,then made him jump off a cliff punch his hands against a steel anvil until they broke and then erased his memory of everything he knew about football and sports,seeing as the man was useless anyway so he might as well throw out the trash that is his strong frame and his talent for sports. Horace woke up in a hospital while crippled beyond repair,with almost every bone in his body being broken as he couldn't remember his passion for football. Then he found a note that says "Have fun being an even more useless meathead,Tophat.",the man soon realizing that the note was written by the triangle as he then screamed in anger and anguish.

Jessamine backstory + Epilogue - BACKSTORY: She's not actually a cowgirl,that's just an act for her western sideshow job. However she *IS* actually a good gun slinger due to her father being in the army and the man teaching her a few tricks regarding firearms when she was younger. Her father Harold Gulch was a former veteran now horse ranch owner while her mother Emmeline Gulch (née Wurst) was a farm hand and seamstress,Jessamine and her family were quite poor due to their meat as well as fruit sales not really doing well with everyone opting to buy from the supermarket or the nobles' luxury produce stores which is why she made sure to work extra hard at school to be able to provide for her family one day. She was a spunky kid,always causing trouble across town and having a silver tongue that often got her into sticky situations regarding the higher class folk. Jessamine was strong,and knew how to get herself out of things via her persuasive words as well as her marksmanship skills taught to her by her father. She planned to own a clothing store when she grew up as she always watched her mother create such beautiful garments and she wanted to do that too in order to wear fabulous dresses rather than the old ones made out of sack fabric plus this could help her family's financial situation,she plans to use her hard work and persuasive tongue to get what she wanted. But alas,she got expelled from high school due to her trying to shoot her bullies down with her revolver and her father won't let her go back because she'll just cause trouble again no matter what he said about keeping her guns and her silver tongue to herself. Harold then banned her from making clothes because "such an irresponsible wench like you shouldn't be trusted with a growing business like you want",so there goes Jessamine's plans of getting her family out of the dirty haybale dump that is the Gulch Ranch. At 19,Jessamine decided to take up a job as a performer for a western sideshow act at the local circus,deeming her gun slinging skills to be perfect for the job. She ended up becoming a pretend cowgirl there as she rode horses and made it do tricks within the circus,she got paid a minimum wage but it was better than nothing. Jessamine was miserable as she didn't get to achieve her dreams nor help her family and now her father hates her for being a troublemaker back then,she hit rock bottom and she didn't know how to get up. But then a certain demon triangle appeared before her and told her that he could help with her predicament as well as give her the riches she needed to help her family,he just needed her gun slinging skills for his project. He wanted to have her as a bodyguard of sorts while his engineer (Abigale) built a huge steel mechanism for traveling across worlds. Jessamine accepted with no hesitation as she was desperate and she NEEDED that money as her family's living situation was getting worse as they got their water cut off plus their farm animals are dying from illness thus no more meat produce sales and the sideshow money isn't enough to sustain them. However William Lucipher made her stay awake for hours as she guarded the portal while not letting her contact her family,making her antsy and stressed over having to guard a machine with her life lest she get her skin melted off while her family is still struggling out there. She ignored the issue for a while until she eventually snapped from the pressure of basically being a shield for a project that probably won't even be completed (cuz the portal needs six people to work),confronting the demon and then attempting to leave without warning soon as Bill let her leave but not without hatching a plan to get revenge on the woman who failed to hold up her end of the bargain.

The triangle sabotaged her western sideshow act at the circus by possessing a guy to mess everything up,making the props faulty and gravely injuring the horses while making it look like it's her fault by putting her guns near the scene so that when she comes back home to her town,she comes home to disaster. Also she found that her parents got murdered with HER guns,thus making it look like she murdered her own parents. Jessamine got fired from her job for sabotaging the equipment and also got chased by the police for killing her parents after one of the farm hands from Gulch Ranch saw the "evidence",she had to run away and hitch a ride on a wagon to escape. She had no job,and no family,no nothing. All because of that stupid demon. Which is why she made it her mission to shoot that beast down,no matter what it takes. And to her surprise,an article regarding a fellow named Thurburt that wants to do the same thing to William Lucipher quite literally flies into her lap because of the wind,the caption reading "Kill the triangle in my brain. Reward: Opium". So she set out to the address to destroy that triangle,hopefully this plan will make her hard work worthwhile. EPILOGUE: After the Anti Cipherites disbanded the moment Thurburt made a laughingstock of all the members with his blatant public speech about the supposed brain goblin in his mind and requesting one million dollars from the US government,Jessamine had no further prospects other than to return to her old western sideshow job but by working at a different place. However,she had an idea after watching some train bandits rob a noble woman's valuable belongings while riding on the train back home to her town. She decided to become a bandit herself,deeming her childhood thirst for adventure and trouble to be a perfect fit for this new career plus her gun slinging skills would finally be put to use other than for dumb cowboy shows. The woman merrily robbed every pub train building and noble folk establishment without a care in the world,getting the riches she and her family always wanted while having the time of her life as she never got caught. She became known as the Glorious Gulch,dubbed for her infamy and beauty. Jessamine felt this was the happiest moment in her life as she finally got the money she always wanted as she's no longer a penniless farm girl while being free from always staying in that rickety ranch all the time,although she wondered if her fellows from the Anti Cipher Society were doing just as well as her..

Abigale backstory + Epilogue - BACKSTORY: Her father Mortimer Blackwing was a brilliant man,the man who invented the typographer Braille sewing machine the wrench the loom and various other things. She watched her father create technological masterpieces with awe and wonder,and she was lucky to be as brilliant as him. Mortimer taught her everything she knew,and was the very reason why she's such an excellent inventor today. Abigale never knew her mother Constance Blackwing (née Kimbrough) as she and Mortimer filed for a divorce when she was born,the two were too different with Constance desiring to make it on her own with her fashion company while Mortimer wanted to start a family. Abigale created more and more wonderful works the older she got,going from a simple telegraph machine at age 17 to an elaborate carriage at age 21. Her brilliance was so great that her father wanted her to go to college,knowing that despite her being a woman,she would be appreciated for her works,he wanted to share his daughter's talent with the world. She was able to be accepted into the Alabama Polytechnic Institute after her father sent her in with a referral letter as well as proof of her works,the man using his influence as a renowned inventor himself to get the college board to agree. She then graduated with flying colors but not before ending the graduation with a bang,literally,she exploded the entrance to the university with a new cannon she made. Abigale was then able to build her own engineering research facility called the Blackwing Institute with her father's help,the inventor using his influence and power once more to support his daughter as she created more brilliant works to share with the world despite people thinking that a woman could never possibly invent such innovations. Things were going well for the genius,until a fellow researcher of hers falsified documents of her apparently embezzling from a successful oil company in order to fund her inventions 10 years later. With the perpetrator doing such in order to "expose" Abigale as a fraud and thus disgrace her from her position,then taking credit for her works as the man was jealous of the fact that a mere wench such her managed to be so successful with her inventions while his own were ignored. She was then kicked out of the Blackwing Institute and her father stopped believing in her,the man regretting his decision to support such an atrocious person. This permanently broke Abigale as the reputation she worked so hard to build as well as the fact that the only family she had now hates her were such devastating events to her. Abigale was down on her luck as she then had to use her college grant money to buy a small apartment as she used to live in the Blackwing Institute building but now that's not an option anymore. She sought revenge against the perpetrator as she planned on making a machine to agonizingly torment and kill him. However a certain evil demon triangle appeared before her and told her he could do something much more horrific and satisfying than torturing the perpetrator,if she just gave him her help with a different machine. "Hey,Goggles. Down on your luck?,hit rock bottom?. Yeesh. How the mighty have fallen,like they say." Bill says as Abigale then rubbed her eyes to see if she wasn't hallucinating from the sleep deprivation caused by her thinking about the torture device all week,only realizing that the creature before her was real once she blinked and it didn't disappear. "I don't need your pity,demon. Leave me alone to deal with my failure and maybe i won't have to throw purifying salt in your eye." Abigale remarks in frustration,turning away from the creature as she just wanted to get her life back without this thing distracting her. "Rude. I just want to help. That dumb traitor of yours?,i can do SO MUCH MORE than just torture him like that machine you're building can do.

I can turn his organs inside out,i can give him nightmares that'll be so painful that he'd want to kill himself. Just do a favor for me,and i'll do a favor for you in dealing with that pesky double-crosser. And i can even give you your reputation back." Bill replied as he then held out his flaming hand for the woman to shake,the inventress considering the offer as she hesitantly held out her own hand as she then pulled away to figure out what she's getting into. "I will do it. But first, what do you want from me?." Abigale asks while looking at the beast straight in the eye. "I just need your tinkering skills for my own project. A huge steel mechanism that'll be able to let other worlds bleed into yours,and i can't do it without your skilled hands. Making that portal will give you your life back,the world will rue the day they made a mockery of you with those claims of fraud once they see how brilliant you really are." Bill explains as he sneaked in some praise with his explanation in order to make the woman seal the deal. "That sounds extraordinary. And i do want to have the last laugh whenever i make fun of those traitors in their faces once i make something great enough to make them regret ever doubting me. I accept your proposition." Abigale replied as she then firmly shook the triangle's hand,the creature grinning as the woman just fell into his trap. Abigale then went on to create the portal while following instructions from Bill,although he told her that they needed six stout men to fully operate the device so he didn't let her finish until he gets those men. Abigale later became weary as she lost sleep and barely ate while building the portal as "William Lucipher" refused to let her rest from his impatience regarding the machine despite knowing that she would drop dead at this rate. He kept working her to the bone without any time to deal with her other projects until Abigale snapped and confronted him about this issue. She remarks that she won't be able to work on the portal properly without going insane from the lack of sleep and lack of food while Bill tells her to walk it off,Abigale then tries to quit the project but then Bill threatens to strangle her as he says that she's bluffing and that she would never give up on her life's work but he did let her rest for exactly three weeks in order to stop her whining. Abigale then distanced herself from the triangle as she started to realize that she got into something much bigger than she thought. She kept ignoring his visits,she used special crystals to successfully ward off the demon from her house and her mind,as well as stopped working on the portal while still leaving it intact in fear of what the creature would do if she destroyed it. Bill got more and more impatient from the woman as he reluctantly let her have her break,starting to think that she wasn't resting and was actively revolting against him. His suspicion proved to be true once he realized that he can't go into her mind or possess her,discovering that she's been using some strange crystals to prevent him from doing so. He then angrily destroyed the crystals after he managed to break the barrier that the crystals made with his hands,he then possessed the woman in her sleep and began to commit crimes while using her body in order for Abigale to wake up to a burning Alabama town and a letter detailing her exile as revenge for the genius DARING to go against him. Abigale was furious and upset upon realizing that she's now been banished from her beloved town all because of that dastardly demon committing fraud (she actually *DID* commit fraud this time) murdering people and burning everything down with her hands,no longer being able to rebuild her life again since her home and her family are now gone. She then sought to kill that triangle for destroying her life and ruining her chances of regaining success.

And as if a miracle were performed before her,she found an article that detailed exactly that. An article written by a fellow named Thurburt who was also tormented by the creature and is now seeking out other fellows to help get rid of William Lucipher. She then went to the address and found three other fellows who want to destroy the triangle. Abigale is going to get that success and regain her life back,no matter what cost. EPILOGUE: I think that her husband *IS* a Northwest and she ends up rich. But i don't believe that her husband is horrible. He's actually a nice guy and treats her well with fancy ass romantic dates while also giving her everything she wants like some queen. But he's also lowkey insane cuz he's secretly part of a Northwest Bill worshipping cult that has spanned for billions of years (based on my theory that the Northwests are secretly in kahoots with Bill which explains why they're so rich and powerful,to explain why the Northwest Manor currently has a weird ass Bill tapestry as seen in Northwest Mansion Mystery). Long story short,this woman killed her husband via bashing his head in with a metal pipe after finding out that he was totally triangle crazy when Bill possessed him in order to try to kill her for fun. He wanted to play a game with her,"will the brit give into her rage or do what's right?".

(lumping them in one place to make it easier. i don't wanna write two separate things when i'm almost finished with these Bill hating chucklefucks).

BONUS: What if Jessamine and Horace went for each other?. And Abigale is an aroace mad scientist? (she only married her husband cuz she confused strong feelings of friendship with love. that guy is a nerd like her).

Abigale Blackwing is so babygirl actually. Best woman ever. She's aroace. She killed her husband. She's insane. She innovated machinery and inventions with quality and brilliance years ahead of her time. She never had any biological children and opted to adopt a poor homeless boy in need even when the other nobles decided against it (she wanted children but not through sex,this explains how the Northwest line continued despite her lack of attraction). She didn't partake in the Northwests' corrupt bullshittery despite how much her servants/fellow nobles told her to and decided to live her life on her own terms,happily making inventions to her heart's content rather than scorching the world with harmful oil and fossil fuels using capitalist factories. She made a diary to document her studies so that whenever the future historians try to hide her contributions because of her being a woman (she knew this would happen so she made a whole book for posterity),at least her descendants would be able to find her contributions within her secret Anti Bill Bunker (it's built next to the Northwest Manor basement,the room can be accessed whenever a certain lamp is pulled like a lever),Pacifica discovering her Grandma Abigale while cleaning out the house with Ford and Fidds... Also i imagine that Abigale might tinker with the anomalies,just a little bit. Like using unicorn hair to protect the manor from Bill soon after that possession fiasco or making deals with the gnomes to bring her magical ingredients to power up her machinery. Her discoveries rival that of Ford's if not being better than his and he would come to greatly admire her once reading her diary.

I wanted to write for Abigale too cuz i figured i could throw in my Northwest theory into her epilogue for funsies,also she's such a fun mad scientist lady and i neglected her in favor of the gay priest journalist dynamic im sorry Abigale 😔.

Also the way i wrote the Anti Cipherites' lives getting destroyed by Bill are in order of the passage in the book aka "All of their run ins with Cipher had ended in disaster -- banishment,firing,divorce, despair". O'Pimm is divorce,Abigale is banishment,Jessamine is firing,and Horace is despair :].

[smeowchi]

Helllllo! Don't mind silly Simple man asking you to ramble abt your fav AU that you created, wanna hear it<3

BOY HOWDY DO I HAVE SOME AUS FOR YA

Or, well, one is more of a story? Kinda? Set between seasons 1 & 2

Either way I love both of em so I’m gonna talk about both of em! ;3c (Below a cut because there’s gonna be. a lot.)

Okay, so first off, we have what I’ve decided to finally name properly (totally not just thought up a cool name as I’m typing this, haha, what, nooo..)

Re: Chipped!

It’s a lot of what I’ve posted about in terms of AUs, and what I’ve gotten built up the most out of the two of em. Essentially, on a very base level, it’s ‘haha what if PAMA didn’t fully leave Lukas and takes over his body again’

You can actually find the first chapter of it here! I’m still working on chapter two because life stuff has kicked me, but yknow! It’s something I adore a good bit, given I both adore angst and such, and Lukas is one of ,y favorites <3 (Sorry, buddy, you must suffer because I like you!)

Beyond just the basic ‘what if’ premise, though, it has a lot more detail. It’s not just the regular ‘oh, PAMA is back, people get chipped again/it gets policed’, nonono. Not only does PAMA study Lukas and learn how to fly under the Radar (quite literally, in one case, haha), but after Harper is called to deal with the situation.. PAMA gains a new directive. Not to mention the fact that PAMA is able to blend in a lot more easily, due to the ‘red eye’ thing.. not exactly being as prevalent anymore. Who knows what’ll happen if PAMA isn’t kept under lock and key. Especially once it remembers Redstonia or the portal hallway from Lukas’ memories..

In terms of my other (and actually proper) AU, Admin’s Pawns, here’s a blurb I typed up on a previous post!

“Have you ever wanted to see what would happen if Season 2 starred all the ‘villains’ from the portal hall arc? Well, now you can! Romeo’s picked up a new set of champions, enemies from Jesse’s past who have been specially trained to catch them off guard and attempt to defeat them. Cassie (+ Winslow <3), Aiden, Hadrian, Mevia, and even a few extra familiar faces make an appearance, as the Admin’s army grows to give Beacontown’s hero an adventure they’ll never forget.. for better, or worse.”

It’s also something I’ve been writing here and there, and will post on AO3 at some point! ;3c

There, alas, isn’t much to share story-wise, given it’s not fully fleshed out, but I can share some character details! Although Romeo had to fight tooth and nail to get the group together in the first place, especially given his powers don’t work as well when not in the ‘base world’. When gathering those who were through the portal hallway, he was much weaker. But boy, oh boy, would it be worth it.

Aiden was trained as a sort of guard. Relying on strength alone whilst fighting, and being able to give blows while tanking some himself, he wields an enchanted diamond claymore.

Cassie is much more stealth-based. She relies on being able to catch the enemy off guard. An assassin or rogue type, if you will. Using a hooded cloak, and a face mask reminiscent of her serial killer alter ego, she’s able to stick to the shadows. Popping out to swing one of her diamond axes through her target before using one of her handcrafted ender pearl throwing knives to teleport away again. (She also does keep Winslow with her at all times, not wanting to risk potentially losing him again.)

Hadrian and Mevia’s roles aren’t exactly solidified yet, unfortunately. But as of right now, they’re more advisors than anything. Not exactly fighting, but doing things behind the scenes. That, or you can also think of them as the equivalent to Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets. (/hj)

Amongst their living quarters, however, there seems to be.. a workshop of some sort. The group has been advised never to open the door, but they can hear the goings on within. Sometimes hearing voices, one of which ringing slight bells to only Aiden. The other, however, remains a mystery. Oh, well. Best to follow the boss’ orders, right?

Sorry, I know this is a lot to read, but if you have questions or wanna know more, feel free to ask!! I’d love to share more about my silly things <;3c (This goes for anyone btw, not just Simple!)

[99liners]

I missed you a lot here 💜 good to see you back!

I've been struggling with insomnia for a while now and I keep searching for soft ASMR or drabbles to fall asleep.

I have a soft taetaeme req (☠️) yeah I'll choose the most unusual genre of man to make you write fluffy drabble for me.

Kaiho!Jungkook (oops 🥹)

I want this inhuman to be like a human even if it's for a short span of time.

maybe could you write a fluffy drabble of him being all soft for her, back hugging her in the shower while she brushes her teeth half asleep with closed eyes but she woke up just to cook for him (even tho it's a sunday)

and he kisses her and maybe rewards her with sum intense oral uwu. You obviously do add and enhance according to your ideas.

Much love

Evie 🧚🏻‍♀️

opus kaiho, drabble number 3 / tatemae series 建前:

pairing: detective!jeon jeongguk x trophy!wife reader genre: fluff, smut, marriage!au, age-gap!au (7 years). words: 3.375. (cmon guys, it's been long established that i am incapable of understanding the meaning of the word 'drabble'.) warnings: i suck at fluff so brace yourselves for the second-hand embarrassment lmao, showering together, smexy times, eating out, fingering, pussy licking, orgasm (f), kaiho!jjk accidentally walks through a portal and becomes soft for a night ahaha, js. original one-shot: kaiho part of: tatemae; 建前 — a bts series a/n: i am sorry love that you are having sleeping issues. i have had insomnia since middle school now and at this point i have just given up on having a sleeping routine. i really hope you can return back to your rhythm very soon! i had to physically restrain myself from writing angst ahahah xD also, if it feels like jk is not that great at pleasuring his wife, it's intentional because although i wanted to make it super fluffy for you but kaiho!jk gotta stay true to his character to some degree uwu. hope you enjoy! <3

jeongguk unlocked the front door with the personal key attached to his car keys and his desk-locker key from work. his head coming in contact with the material of the door briefly while his hands manoeuvred the lock to finally open the door as he let out a soft sigh.

he hates summers, it is brutal. while the world is enjoying summer breaks, he is working double shifts due to the sheer number of officers submitting requests for vacations.

bam greeted his owner at the doorway, sniffing jeongguk's pant legs while his tail wagged. he can always smell the faint traces of the police labrador retriever dog from his owner's work clothes.

"there's my good boy," a smile appeared on jeongguk's otherwise tired face as he scratched bam's head affectionately.

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.  

the detective made his way inside the house, with bam on his tail, taking off his jacket and discarding it on the kitchen countertop. he was expecting to see you in the kitchen, given you usually are arranging dinner at this time. finding the space empty, he meant to walk away to the bedroom but noticed two boxes of chocolate wrapped in a ribbon. they looked like they were about to melt so jeongguk stored them in the refrigerator before finally making his way to the bedroom.

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.  

taking off his department badge, he kept it away on the nightstand but owing to his carelessness, the badge fell to the floor in the narrow space between the bed and the nightstand. he would have picked it up but his mind was preoccupied with the sound of the shower running. barely unbuttoning his shirt, jeongguk pushed open the bathroom door with a soft nudge of his feet.

there you were, taking a cold shower to fight the summer. you were facing the shower, just letting it wash away the heat while some pop song blasted through your mobile that you had propped somehow to prevent it from touching the water.

jeongguk walked in through the crack in the shower curtains with his work trousers still on, "hey baby," his hands slowly wrapped around your waist, closing in a wrap with one hand on top of the other right above your belly button.

you wringed the water from your hair, which trailed down jeongguk's chest, before turning to him, "hi," a lump in your throat from the inactivity. it has been way too hot these days and you refuse to go out anywhere, only ever stepping out if it is an utmost necessity.

(the game of 'do i absolutely need this?' 'is it absolutely necessary for survival?' playing way too often on your mind)

earlier in the afternoon you noticed that bam's dog food had finished so you made a trip to the local supermarket with bam. you love shopping with him, because although he is a ray of sunshine but a doberman still scares the shit out of people so the annoying salesmen stationed at almost every other aisle these days with their free samples never approach you; an all-in-all peaceful shopping trip.

while you were checking out the items, at the cashier counter there were boxes of chocolates stacked with the tag 'buy 1 get 1!'. you cannot recall seeing your husband eating sugary food as much, he mostly eats meals at home and you do not really keep track of what he eats while he is at work. you would not necessarily call him a dessert person. so the debate went on for a while before you finally got one box and checked it out too. you are not sure why you bought them but you just wanted to get your husband some chocolates? what is so wrong with it? why can't you just get your husband some chocolates? :/

"you are taking an early shower today," your husband mentioned from behind you, his chin coming to rest on your shoulder, letting the shower water run over him.

"gguk, it's 1am," you mumbled, your hands coming down to rest atop his. unspoken, your bodies started swaying slightly to the tune of the song blasting through your phone as a slow song came on the shuffle.

for a brief moment he stopped moving but then continued the motion, "right. i am sorry, it's been so tiring these days. i've lost track of time. did you have dinner?"

"no." you replied with bated breath, a part of you was waiting for him to initiate something. i mean given his past nature, isn't it a given that this is going to lead to sex?

but your husband lives to surprise you. his hands never unclasped from your waist, but instead stayed firmly in place.

"you don't need to wait for me if i'm late," his face nuzzled in the crook of your neck, inhaling the scent of your body wash.

"it's not fun eating alone," you finally released the tension, letting your figure slump back on his.

"mhm," humming, jeongguk closed his eyes.

"hey hey hey," your sprinkled some water on his face watching him scrunch his nose up which made you chuckle, "i know you are going to fall asleep. let's go eat."

"noooo," there was a whiny tone in his voice, as he only tightened his grip when you tried to break free.

"you need to eat, don't you have duty in the morning?"

"i am going to set fire to that precinct, every time i finish some paperwork, another pile of files just get dumped on my desk."

"wow, any other pyromaniac tendencies that i should know of?"

"please let's just stay like this, just for a while," jeongguk turned you around to face him this time, to stare into your eyes as intently as he had on your wedding day while reciting his vows.

"you'll catch a cold, sick gguk is a whiny little complaining brat," you chuckled, wrapping your arms around his neck, your bare chest coming in contact with his.

"i don't care," he kept swaying with you, his hold around you comforting as his arms enveloped you whole like a warm shawl.

"we shouldn't waste water," you suggested once more.

"i don't care," he reiterated again. there was not a single ounce of annoyance in his voice, he seemed at peace with his face nuzzling into your neck again.

a few moments passed before you reached your hand behind your back to turn the knob off, "i got you chocolates."

"huh? why?" again, he was not annoyed, just genuinely surprised.

"what do you mean why? i can't get my husband some chocolates?!" you pulled away from the embrace, your hands propped on his chest, the vein in your forehead pulsing; ready to throw hands.

"whoa whoa whoa, baby, calm down."

"no tell me why! why can't i just get you chocolates? what's so wrong in that?" you glared daggers at him.

"you..." jeongguk let a soft chuckle, "you are so tiny and cute."

"i got you chocolates and you are going to eat them."

"won't say i'm much fond of them but i guess it won't hurt to try."

"yes, you're going to eat them and smile and say 'thank you my dear wife, you're the best. what would i possibly do without you'"

"is that so?"

"yes and then-"

he cut you off this time, "and then i will return the favour and maybe eat you out for the dessert after dessert."

you hit his chest laughing before finally breaking free of the embrace this time, "wash up, i will get dinner ready."

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.  

"where are the chocolates?" you asked as you walked into the bedroom after warming up the dinner.

jeongguk was sprawled across the bed, his eyelids drooping down with sleep, the water from his semi-wet hair being soaked by the pillow cover, "i put them in the fridge," he yawned mid-sentence.

"well, the food's ready. let's go."

"you take out the chocolates and i will be there."

humming, you walked out to the kitchen and opened the fridge door but did not find the box anywhere. rummaging around the vegetables tray and behind the other tupperware boxes, you opened the freezer door just to be sure and lo and behold, he had put it in the freezer over the ice tray and now the packet was frozen and sticking to the ice tray.

"jeon jeongguk!" you speed-walked to the bedroom only to find him fast asleep, soft snores filling the silence in the room.

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

next morning:

pressing on the volume up button, you quieted down the alarm blaring like a war horn on a beautiful sunday morning at 05:00. your husband gets early day offs on sundays but he has to clock into work early too.

putting on a headband to keep your hair away from the face, you walked to the washroom by muscle memory as your eyes were half-lidded from sleep. you reckoned if you had fallen asleep again, you might not be able to wake up on time so you pushed yourself off the bed. you squeezed the toothpaste tube on the bristles of your toothbrush, unsure if it indeed was the toothpaste or your facewash, you started brushing. your rhythm faltered every now and then as you kept falling asleep doing the mundane routine.

most mornings you wake up about half an hour before jeongguk has to leave for work. he is not a picky eater and eats whatever you put on a plate in front of him. actually, most mornings he is done making sandwiches by the time you wake up to make him something. you both then enjoy the sandwich he made as you see him off to work.

since he went to sleep last night on an empty stomach (and so did you, missy), you wanted to make him a heavy breakfast, something more than just two pieces of bread.

halfway through, you heard your alarm again and your eyes shot open. you must have snoozed your alarm instead of dismissing it and five minutes later it blared again. your brain must have lagged from the sleep because by the time you finally decided that 'oh hey i should turn off the alarm before jeongguk wakes up,' jeongguk already had woken up and appeared behind you.

"morning," he mumbled before walking inside to use the toilet.

you finally finished washing up and pat dry your face with the towel by the time your husband walked out, his eyes all scrunched up, his hand scratching an itch on his belly.

"why are you up so early?"

"to make breakfast for you," you said walking into the bedroom.

"i don't leave for like more than two hours, let's go back to sleep."

"i know," you hummed, fixing your hair.

before he could protest further and albeit successfully convince you to come back to bed, you walked to the kitchen and got the breakfast started.

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

you served two bowls of naengmyeon and galbitang before returning to the cooking station to finish the last dish which you mean to pack for his lunch at work.

by the time you turned the stove off after giving it a last stir, the bibimbap was perfectly cooked. still standing there meaning to clean up, you felt jeongguk sneaking up behind you, hugging you close. this movement and position are slowly feeling so familiar to you; you can get used to this.

"who is going to eat all this?" he asked softly, placing soft kisses along the side of your neckline.

"you are," you asserted, wiping away the spills from the stovetop.

"but then what about my dessert?"

"the chocolates?"

"no, you."

your head had a whiplash with the way you turned to him.

"what? you thought i was rambling last night? i remember everything i say, baby."

"you have to go to work," shrugging, you casually mentioned the time restraint.

"it's worth to be late 'cause of that."

"get ready," elbowing him in the belly, you tried to pus him away but jeongguk was unrelenting today.

his lips were already on your soft spot, his tongue darting out to allow soft kittenish licks — you held your place but what definitely pushed you over the edge was his hand, wrapped around your lower stomach, slowly creeping down, his palm taking shape to sculpt your mound. the moment his hand came in touch with the sensitive bundle of nerves down there, your spine bent over — almost in routinely motion to such ministrations — giving way for your ass to attach snuggly and poke into his crotch area.

"your body is so soft and sensitive to my touch," your husband mentioned from behind you. he took a step back and helped guide you to the kitchen countertop on the other side of the cooking station, urging you — with soft touches and gestures of his hands to get on top of the counter. you did as he bid, getting on your knees on the counter, your ankles slightly falling off the edge but were firmly supported by jeongguk's hands which crept up the satin slip dress. it already barely covered your asscheeks, all he had to do was push it up by a few inches and he had a clear view of your panties.

"so delicious," he hummed, more to himself, as he lowered himself to come face to face with your heat. his hands which crept up to your hips moved towards the hem of your panties — hooking his fingers on either side, he slid the material down to your bent knees. a single string of arousal connected to the crotch of your panties stretched, extended to its limit and broke into thin air following that movement. jeongguk licked his lips, the corners of his mouth watering at the sight in front of him — he is hungry, both literally and figuratively.

he let his fingers massage your clitoral hood, the thin flap of skin moving in a rhythmic motion, sending incomplete jolts throughout your body. feeling the bit of arousal now on the pad of his fingers, jeongguk used his index fingers to hold the flaps open to expose the tiny nub of flesh full of nerve endings to the open air. it felt both cold and hot at the same time, making your toes twitch.

it felt like eternity but in reality it had been only mere seconds before jeongguk's tongue protruded out and flicked against your little nub, slowly at first before picking up a steady tempo — stimulating that tight bundle of nerves as they let out tension, becoming putty at your husband's expense. all this time, you held your lips tautly together, only letting escape soft hums of affirmation; 'nnngh' 'mmhm'. one of your palms was connected flat out to the marble top while the other was curled at the edge, holding on to the cold surface to maintain your balance.

jeongguk touched your vulva with the base of his tongue and slowly moved his head upwards from the bottom of your vagina to the top till the tip of his tongue passed over your clitoris. he repeated the motion a few times, breaking contact every time he reached the top and then starting over from the bottom till he started feeling the arousal now leak out on his tongue. to cover as much of your vagina, he kept his tongue relaxed, wide and flat, letting his head and neck muscles do the work while his tongue stayed unmoving. (the secret to that killer jawline.) he was able to maintain the pace for a few moments before speeding up his ministrations.

a soft 'ah' left your lips, finally verbalizing your moaning but much like female masturbation, speed only takes you over to the edge but does not bring about that much needed final release. looking forward, you glanced at the clock in the dining hall which read 06:59 and your husband has to leave by 07:30 for duty. letting your upper body lower down to the cold marble — your nipples becoming hard and sticking out in a painful stance — you let your dominant hand reach down to that little bundle of nerves and started massaging it, accompanying jeongguk's movements.

"yes, just like that," you almost regretted moaning that out because your husband quickened up his pace. you made a mental note to tell him later that just like that does not mean speed up, it always means keep that steady motion.

bursting away those thought bubbles, you let yourself drown in the overstimulation, feeling yourself reaching that edge.

"let it go baby, let me taste it all," he lapped his tongue at the arousal, making sinful noises echo throughout the walls. this time when he started over, you did not feel his tongue on your vagina next but his lips as he sucked up your clit — sucking and releasing.

"fuck," your toes curled up, eyes closed shut as your fingers picked up speed as well.

"mine mine mine, yes," he let a slap on your right asscheek.

just a bit more of his growing unsteady ministrations along with your fingers working that coiled nub and you came undone on his tongue, finally letting your upper body completely flat on the countertop, your lungs taking in the air.

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

jeongguk took a quick shower and got dressed, trying to hurry up as he was going to be late.

"well what about the breakfast? i made all that for you!"

"pack it all, i will eat in the precinct."

"no you wont, i know your team will eat the most of it."

"i promise i will eat it."

"well you better, i am your wife and i made that food for you." you pointed your index finger and tapped at his chest.

"well of course you are my wife and yes that food is for me. now hurry up, baby," he gently spanked your left asscheek this time, making it even from earlier, after finishing buttoning up his shirt. you rolled your eyes walking out to the kitchen to pack the food.

jam-packing all of the food into bento boxes, you finished with keeping the box of chocolates on top of the insulated carry-on lunch bag.

jeongguk, now completely clad in his uniform, came out and took the bag from you in a hurry. well, it was 07:47 already so he was late, "bye," pecking your lips, he walked out.

after the door closed behind him, you took out last night's dinner and put it in the oven to warm it up since you still haven't eaten anything and just packed away all of the breakfast.

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

it hadn't even been ten minutes when you heard your phone ringing.

"hey, what's up?"

"i left my badge at home."

"where is it?"

"i think i put it on the nightstand."

you were already in the bedroom looking for the badge by the time he mentioned it, "nope, it's not here."

"then i don't know woman, i need it."

"men," you rolled your eyes before cutting the call.

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

after finishing your breakfast and retrieving the badge with the help of bam, you walked into your husband's precinct with the badge in your hand when you noticed the team gathered around jeongguk's table.

making your way over, the smell of food wafted your nostrils and you watched as the team relished the breakfast while your husband had maybe bit of it.

minjun turned after swallowing the last spoonful of the bibimbap, "oh mrs jeon, thank you so much for the breakfast. it's great!"

you gave him a close-lipped smile, blinking a few too many times before turning to your husband who took a visible gulp.

after the crowd in front of your dispersed you slammed the badge down on his table and meant to walk away, but jeongguk got a hold of your wrist.

"look i saved the chocolates for myself."

"ahha? you mean the one that i see in yoona's hand?"

jeongguk stared down at his desk in panic, his eyes searching for the box of chocolates that he had kept aside to eat later, "those sneaky bastards."

"i am never cooking for you again, jeon jeongguk."

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚.

feedback is deeply appreciated. ✨

masterlist | bts masterlist | rules | ask box

- jaimie

© 𝟫𝟫𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟥. 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃.

[pandiongames]

Substratum Protocol, the Solo+ Apocalyptic Mystery TTRPG by Pandion Games

The Substratum Protocol campaign is nearing its end! There are less than 24 hours left to join over 600 scientists on the expedition to save the planet!

If you haven’t yet, check out the campaign before it’s too late!

There have been some fun updates since launch, including additional artwork by Galen Pejeau, new rules for environmental hazards, and a big story update!

If you want to see what the game is about, we also have a free preview PDF for you on the campaign page.

An Anomaly

During our interview with Rascal News, we realized we had made a fundamental mistake in writing an open-ended mystery: We said what was at the core of the planet, an interdimensional portal. The portal being is now just one possibility. We spent last weekend updating all the writing to now be an anomaly. The otherworldly abilities you get from taking stress are now Anomaly Influences, rather than Portal Influences, for instance. The Expedition can still decide it's a portal, but calling it an anomaly opens up a huge range of possibilities. What is the anomaly that's splitting the earth open?

Is it a massive cosmic egg hatching a world eater as part of a natural lifecycle? 

Did an advance interstellar ship accidentally exit hyperspace at the center of the planet due to a miscalculation, and its damaged engines are holding open a hyperspace bubble? 

Is there a cult of advanced species calling forth eldritch gods with a powerful ritual that consumes planets to power it?

Substratum Protocol is about letting the clues and your answers determine what is really happening, and we think this update opens the floodgates for it.

Depth Sector Deep Dives

In our campaign updates, we have been talking about the different sectors players can visit and their inspiration. These are all available publicly on the campaign - but we wanted to share the Fracture Opening sector with you here.

How the Depth Sectors Work

Substratum Protocol is a collaborative mystery game. The text gives hints and whispers of possibilities, but strays away from definite answers. What you discover and imagine at your table becomes canon to the story and the setting. Each sector shows its location in the Fracture, includes in-universe handwritten notes from an unknown scientist, relevant art, and a table of events - each giving a glimpse into what the sector contains. Scientists can spend as much or as little time in a Sector as they want. When they're ready to venture deeper, whoever leads the way rolls for the Travel Action.

The Fracture Opening

This is the first sector of the expedition experiences. At 1,300 kilometers long, it covers the distance between New York City to Miami, Florida. London, England to Naples, Italy. Melbourne, Australia to Alice Springs. Buenos Aires, Argentina to São Paulo, Brazil. It is massive. Where did the fracture open in your game? What exists teetering at its cliff walls? The world at the surface is a hellscape of the apocalypse, and much of the Fracture Opening is littered with crumbling buildings, detritus, and ancillary debris of civilization. Oceans spilling over the edge seem small in scale. Sitting suspended over it, is the Fracture Observatory. The Fracture Observatory, the home of Mission Control.

Furthest from the anomaly, this sector is rooted most in the reality of the surface. Here, players may find groups of survivors from the cities that tumbled into the great fracture, steam vents, cave ins, and earthquakes make finding solid footing and a reliable path difficult, and even here, strange subterranean creatures may make an appearance. Old research stations, part of the Substratum Protocol's monitoring efforts may still be intact here, and dangerous fast flowing waters threaten to whisk away scientists into massive whirlpools to further below. When we were first designing Substratum Protocol, the thought was that players would start in the action of the expedition and wouldn't really spend time on the Fracture Observatory or on the surface. The Fracture Opening was our way of showing what the surface was going through while still being en route. It is meant to showcase the incredible destruction happening, and give the players a sense of urgency to stop it from getting worse. How do the scientists descend into the fracture before being left to their own power? Lowered on a cable lift? Paraglide down? Or perhaps they are more like hell jumpers, free-falling through the gargantuan opening (or Link entering the depths in Tears of the Kingdom!)?

The title screen fades to klaxon alarms and screams of the world above, slowly giving way to a deafening silence of rushing wind as the expedition descends past the cliff walls into the abyssal black depths of the Fracture Opening...

Join the Expedition!