#emerald sword saga

[wigglywarpybogroots]

The patch shack debut; symphony of the enchanted lands

Some pictures of my latest piracy, for one my gavorite albums of all time. The shadows and lighting are especially based off of the Rhapsody patch made by desecrations of souls productions. Its one of a pair of patches, the second dragon is pictured below, which makes up the scene of the inner panel art from symphony of the enchanted lands. Here are some progress pictures:

I wasnt happy with the grey dragon at first, but now it reminds me of the illustration style for the how to train your dragon books, i might change the hem color though. These get the spot of honor, right on my vests shoulders \m/

[arkan1126]

Warrior Of Ice spirit fanart

[mapas-fantasticos]

Maps of the Enchanted Lands from Rhapsody of fire's Emerald Sword Saga.

[arkan1126]

OMG THAT HEADCANON IS SO GOOD

Headcanon that the Warrior of Ice in the Emerald Sword saga was named Loinir after the Sword's creator in the hopes it would bring him luck. Which it did, a little bit.

[stayallnite]

[ichore]

FRISSON | SNAKE (VINLAND SAGA)

synopsis: upon hearing the news of you becoming single, snake takes it upon himself to comfort you pairing: snake x fem!reader wc: est. 2.1k tags, warnings: smut, cunnilingus, unprotected p -> v, snake is obsessed with you, this fic is lowkey self-indulgent | @rottiens

Snake wasn’t one to meddle in his men’s personal lives, but the furrow between his brows deepened as he overheard his subordinates consoling their comrade with promises of a barrel of wine and a new girl to ease the sting of his parting from you. It was a mutual decision, the man claimed. Snake clicked his tongue against his teeth, unable to stomach any more of their foolish chatter.

His thoughts drifted instead to you — your hands deftly slicing vegetables as you prepared him dinner, the seagrass basket brimming with crops resting effortlessly against the curve of your hips. He wondered if your work on the farm ever left accidental bruises on your skin, and how sweet it would feel to kiss each one, tasting you as he soothed them away. No — he could never agree to leave you. 

With a swift kick of his heel, he urged his horse to gallop faster, putting distance between himself and the fool who had once been your lover. “You lot keep patrolling this area. I’m heading that way,” he barked to his men before veering off on his own. The closer he got to your house, the more impatient he became, each passing second only deepening his need to see you.

By the time he stood before your door, night had fallen. The moon hung high on the iron-hued sky, and the flicker of firelight glowed softly through the cracks in the wooden frame. The aroma of freshly made supper wafted out, but for once, his hunger had nothing to do with food. All he wanted was to see your face.

When the door creaked open, his heart sank at the sight of your tear-streaked lashes, your eyes rimmed with red sorrow, your chest rising and falling in uneven rhythm. His fists clenched at the thought of your former lover finding solace in another woman’s arms while you sat here, weeping above the meal you had lovingly prepared for him.

“What brings you here, Snake?” you asked, your voice shaky, barely above a whisper.

“Heard the news. Thought you might need some company,” he replied, his tone gruff, an attempt to mask the ache your sad smile stirred in his chest.

“Come in,” you said softly.

As he stepped inside, his broad frame seemed to fill the room, the firelight casting shadows across his sharp features. He set his sword down as you poured him a bowl of soup, your hands trembling slightly.

“How come you came here and didn’t tag along with the others?” you asked. You knew very well how the guards console their heartbroken comrades, and given Snake’s reputation as a gallivant, it surprised you to see him at your table.

“I’m more interested in how you’re doing,” he said, his emerald gaze steady on you. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me. It’s about time I returned the favor.”

“Well, I was fine during the day. Work had my mind occupied a little, but I'm afraid the silence and the lonely night will break my heart in two at times. But it's just a part of life. You're a smart man, you know that,” you sat ahead of him, your tears pouring as you watched the steam curl above his bowl.

“Look at you,” he pushed the food to the side to be able to reach across the table and place his calloused hands on yours, his thumbs caressing the back of your gentle hands. “You're going through so much pain and you still find a way to flatter me. You deserve better than him. No sane man would leave a woman like you,”

“I hardly believe he's been viewing me as a woman in a long while, but … I shouldn't tell you this, you're his boss.”

Snake's hold tightened on your skin, his emerald stare studying your cheeks that you turned away in shame until he realized just what you meant by your words. “How long since…?”

“It's been months.” you took your hands out of his hold to wipe away your tears began to swell faster and played drums against the wooden table. You rested your face against your palms as you began to sob uncontrollably, your body trembling ahead of him.

This sight of you painfully clawed at his heart and set his soul into a flickering ember of rage. To think one of his men dared to make you think less of yourself by not worshiping your body every night angered him.

He was searching for you in every girl he chased after on Ketil's farm ever since he first laid eyes on you; your hair shining in the afternoon sunlight, the curve of your brows, the kind light in your eyes and the gentle simper sitting on your lips whenever you greeted him. No matter how many women moaned under him, he always wished it was your laughter vibrating against his lips. And to think he respected his subordinate's relationship with you to find out he took you for granted, “What an idiot,” Snake mumbled as he stood up and made his way over to you. “Come here.”

His shadow loomed over you before he sat down next to you, his palm finding the curve of your nape to lead your face to his shoulder as his other hand caressed across the length of your back. He smelled of horse sweat and leather, the frostbitten mud stench of wind still lingering on his shirt as your tears wetted the material. His warmth wrapped around you as his stubble tickled the sensitive skin of your temple, and his fingers massaged the back of your head and his other hand found the small of your back to pull you closer against him. “You deserve better than him. Someone who worships every inch of your perfect being, who thanks the Gods they get to wake up right beside you and the first thing they see is your beautiful face. Someone who yearns to have your pretty lips moan their name like a mantra every night.”

“Snake…” you whispered breathlessly as his words became hot against your sensitive neck, forcing you to hold your thighs together tightly while the liquid luster began to dwell in between them. You let go of his back, placing your arms between you and him to be able to pull away and look at his face. His dark locks framed his desire filled face, his eyes dark with wanton that threw your heart into a burning ache and need to taste his lips. But for a second, you hesitated. “So you're just a man, after all,” you whispered with a trembling voice. “Thought I'd entertain you tonight? After having my heart broken? I'm nothing but an easy prey to you.”

“There's nothing ‘just’ about the way I've been feeling about you. Had your love for another man not blinded you, you would've realized it a long time ago,” he smoothed his knuckles against the soft of your tear-streaked cheeks before his palms cupped your face, his thumbs wiping away the remnants of your lament. Your lips trembled, parting instinctively as he claimed them for his own that night; he tasted of dried meat and cheap, red wine as his tongue deepened the kiss with a fervor that made your breath hitch. “Your kiss is even sweeter than I've ever imagined,” he whispers, his fingers tangled in your hair at the back of your head to gingerly tug at it and open your neck for his trail of kisses.

Your heart was pounding against your ribcage with guilt and excitement; to make love with your past lover's boss in the same bed you adored him in for years on the same night you two parted ways. Yet, Snake's words and touches made such eager moans bubble in your chest. Heat rises to your cheeks as you notice the bulge tenting on his lap, a wet spot expanding on his pants while the tip of his tongue rushed across your collarbone.

“Don't think of him,” he whispered, sensing your hesitation from the way your moans got stuck at your throat. “Think of me. Only me. I'll show you how beautiful you are. Will you allow me? Yes?”

It was strange to see him like this - always so composed and calculated, now so eager, almost pleading, just for a taste of you. You nodded, and in an instant, his strong arms lifted you effortlessly. Your legs wrapped around his waist as he carried you, laying you gently across the bed beside the flickering glow of the fireplace.

A soft smile tugged at your lips as he began to expertly remove your clothes, his movements precise yet reverent. His gaze swept over you, drinking in every inch of your revealed skin, his dark eyes heavy with desire that made your heart race as his face was between your thighs.

“I can't believe I finally get to taste you, gorgeous, and you're so wet for me already,” he took his pointing and middle fingers to spread your folds, rushing his fingerpads across while the thumb of his other hand found your clit. “Soaking fucking wet, dripping.”

“Oh, gods,” your cheeks flushed into crimson at his words and the way he never broke eye contact with you, not even when his upper lip teased your clit and his tongue sheathed into your gummy walls as two of fingers massaged them inside. It made your back arch and your face turn away as a sharp peak of pleasure was building at the pit of your stomach.

“Don't look away from me, sweetest,” he got on his knees to have his palm on your nape, gently forcing you to look into his eyes as his fingers took you to your first orgasm and tears of pleasure swollen in your eyes. Your wetness overflowed, traveling down on your body and pooling under you by the time he was done and he was licking his fingers while his thighs spread your legs open. The mix of your liquid desire and his saliva coated the tip of his dick while he rushed it across your folds. “I'll fuck that bastard right out of your pretty your head, okay? You want it?”

“Yes, Roald, please,” the sound of his real name falling from your lips, the eager arch of your pack to have his cock inside you immediately made him stop with any teasing and he slowly pushed himself in. His jaw hung low as he felt himself stretching you out, the vehement pulsing in your walls massaging his dick. His size snuffed the air out of you, making your brows furrow as the two of you watched him push the last inch in until his dark pubic hair was right against your clit. 

“You feel like you were made just for me, sweetest,” Snake placed his elbow right next to you, his naked chest resting against your breasts as he brushed your hair out of your face before he kissed you. “I love that you remember my name even though I told you about it once in a fleeting moment. Now, I want you to scream it to your heart's content. Don't hold back.”

As he began to move, his pace fast and measured, your nails raked across his back. Each thrust drew out a new whimper or moan against his groans, making you tightly wrap your legs around him as his hands rested on your shoulder blades to keep you in space. You felt your body reaching the heavens over and over again underneath him, your throat was dry from screaming the syllables of his name and your lips were raw from his kisses and love bites.

“Cum with me, gorgeous.” he groaned against your ear as his rhythm became uneven, but harder and faster. You felt the tip of his dick harden and throb before his seeds filled you up. His dark locks fell onto your face as he left gentle pecks all over your forehead, nose, eyelids and jawline while he kept cumming inside you. You whimpered each time his dick twitched with its last drop, and you moaned as he slowly pulled himself out.

“I made quite the mess here, darling,” Snake chuckled to himself as he found his subordinate's shirt to wipe you clean before he found a blanket to cover you with. Your gaze followed him as he put his clothes back on, your heart already aching at the thought that perhaps every word he told you that night was a lie.

As if he could read your thoughts, he sat right beside you and pressed his lips against your forehead. “I'm still on duty and I have to check on Gramps. I'll come back as soon as I can. I want you to rest now, sweetest.”

[arkan1126]

EMERALD SWORD FANART (The Last Winded Unicorn)???

Hardboard fantasy/surreal paintings

Fairy (2015) // Angels of Dragonland (2013) // The Last Winged Unicorn (2012) // Betta (2012)

[feotakahari]

Saga Emerald Beyond's tutorials are overcomplicated, so I'm testing whether I can explain the classes and techniques in a less confusing way. Please let me know if this makes sense.

Overview

Most of the techniques you use in combat can be described as weapon techniques, spell techniques, or relic techniques.

More rarely, there are mech techniques, ephemeral techniques, blood techniques, and soul techniques.

Not In This Guide

There are stats like strength and acuity, but I won't discuss them because this is complicated enough already. I will discuss how the mech and ephemeral classes interact with them.

Weapon Techniques/Kugutsu Part 1

Humanoids, meaning every class except monster and mech, learn weapon techniques. They can be subdivided into one-handed melee, two-handed melee, one-handed ranged, two-handed ranged, and martial arts, each of which has a different stat for how good you are at using them.

Yes, I'm counting martial arts as a weapon technique. Shut up.

Characters start with at least one weapon technique of each class. Using direct offensive techniques teaches you more of them, e.g. repeatedly punching teaches you to kick. Other techniques are learned situationally, e.g. if you repeatedly get attacked while holding a weapon that can parry, you'll eventually learn to parry.

The skills you learn later on can be sub-subdivided. E.g. an axe is a one-handed melee weapon, but using one can teach you moves that can only be used with an axe, not a sword. Thankfully, there's no specific axe substat--you just use the one-handed stat for damage.

There's a class called kugutsu that can't learn weapon techniques just by using the weapon. They have to watch other characters use the weapon in order to mimic them.

Spell Techniques

Every class except mech and squire can learn spells.

(Squires aren't mentioned elsewhere in the tutorials, so I'm not sure what their deal is.)

Spell techniques can be temporarily learned from equipment, and lost when the equipment is removed. Most characters don't start with spells, so they need an item to get them started.

Although spells have a single spell stat that improves as you repeatedly cast, they also have five elemental stats that, as far as I can tell, never improve at all.

Repeatedly casting a spell permanently teaches you other spells of the same element. You learn these spells faster if your element stat is high.

Relic Techniques/Monsters

Monster and mech classes use relic techniques. Some of the humanoid classes can use them too--it's pretty random.

Relics are equipment. They start out empty, but each can be filled with a relic technique if their user gets the killing blow on a monster-type enemy that uses that technique.

Each monster-type enemy has multiple techniques, and it seems to be random which one you learn.

If you're full up, you can "unleash" a relic technique in combat to remove it from the relic and make room for a new one.

Monsters have a permanent, unremovable relic technique to get them started. Other than that, you can't permanently learn relic techniques.

Monsters can't equip weapons or armor, only relics or accessories.

Mech Techniques/Mechs

Mech is the only class that uses these.

Every equippable item has a technique attached to it. Equipping it to a mech temporarily teaches the technique.

Mech techniques cannot be learned permanently, except for one permanent technique you start with.

Mech techniques that can attack are divided into melee and ranged, which have separate stats for your skill at using them. Mechs don't care about the one-handed or two-handed distinction.

Armor and accessories have techniques that give temporary buffs. These techniques have no associated stat.

Mechs can never permanently improve stats like strength or acuity, only stats associated with techniques.

Mechs can put any equipment in any equipment slot. There's nothing stopping you from giving them six weapons at once.

Ephemeral Techniques/Ephemerals

Some ephemerals are monsters. Others are humanoids.

Remember those stats like strength and acuity? Ephemerals get temporary bonuses to most of them as they survive more battles. These bonuses are accompanied by title changes, starting at juvenile and ending at elder.

However, title changes temporarily reduce endurance and max life points.

When an ephemeral's life points hit 0, they drop down to juvenile again, but get small permanent stat boosts and permanently learn some ephemeral techniques. The higher their title was, the better the gains. Gains stack as they repeatedly fall in battle, so make sure to endanger your elders!

Ephemeral techniques have no associated stat.

Blood Techniques/Vampires

Vampires are humanoids. Everything I know about them is from tutorials.

By defeating humanoid enemies, they improve their blood techniques.

Defeated humanoid enemies become new party members called thralls.

There's special equipment you can give to thralls to turn them into knights, which can use blood techniques.

If you remove a knight's special equipment, they permanently turn into a wastrel, which has 1 max life point and can never learn any more techniques of any kind.

Yes, this all sounds pretty evil.

Soul Techniques/Kugutsu part 2

Kugutsu learn something called soul techniques.

I know absolutely nothing about how these work.

[genesis-sabre]

Xenoblade 4 hint from Monolith Soft Recruitment page?

So Monolith Soft announced their RPG recruitment for a while back, and I'm surprised NOBODY has brought this up because I feel this RPG recruitment by Takahashi might give a hint about the project he's actually working on, and especially about the future of the Xenoblade series.

As you can see from the picture, there's a background with a simple gradient color. At first glance, it might not mean anything, right? BUT when you notice the colors of the gradient, they are strikingly similar to the Trinity Processor's color-coding. There's red (Ontos), green (Pneuma), and dark purple (Logos). There's also a hint of dark blue, but I'll elaborate on that later.

First, let’s start with the striking red. The red gradient bears a strong resemblance to Ontos’s core! The palette and gradient feel nearly identical, featuring that distinctive scarlet red with an orange-ish glow.

Next, we have the green, which closely matches Pneuma’s core. The shade leans toward a vibrant emerald green, making the similarity hard to ignore.

Finally, there’s Logos. This one is a bit trickier to spot because the purple is very dark, blending into the dark background and almost camouflaging itself. However, upon closer inspection, the hue is undeniably close to a deep purple, resembling Logos’s core.

Based on this picture, we can speculate that the "RPG" game Takahashi is developing might be Xenoblade 4. Could it focus on the Trinity Processor? It seems plausible, especially considering Takahashi’s comment in the XB3 artbook ~Aionios Moment~, where he mentioned that "he couldn't explain why Malos is in N's sword yet."

Among the Trinity Processor members in the Xenoblade trilogy, Logos is the only one who hasn’t had a game centered around him. Even Xenoblade 3 leaned heavily on Ontos and Pneuma’s stories.

There's also interesting color in the picture that you can see below, there's tiny hint of blue light

I wonder what this could mean. It might not be anything, but let’s take a wild guess.

From Monolith Soft’s 25th Anniversary video and the pictures of their office shared on Twitter, it’s strange how prominently they placed KOS-MOS in the spotlight. Sure, it could just be an homage to their first games, like Xenosaga, but it’s odd that they include KOS-MOS only and not other IPs.

I’m not suggesting we’ll get a Xenosaga remake or Episode 4. Given how Bandai Namco operates these days, that feels like a pipe dream. Contrary to what the fandom thinks, I don’t buy into the theory that Nintendo will buy the IP or fund remakes. That’s not how Nintendo typically operates, especially in their current situation. Plus, Xenosaga has blatant religious references (it literally has actual Jesus as a character & character recites freakin' bible scripture) no way Nintendo would touch that (as evidenced by how some religious references were omitted in Xenoblade 2 localization).

Now, back to the topic. I speculate that this “blue” connection might tie into the blue light falling to Earth in the ending of Future Redeemed (FR). I have a strong feeling that in XB4, we might see a character reminiscent of KOS-MOS 2.0 (basically akin to Saber face in Fates series), Monolith Soft might introduce a female character with blue hair, robotic traits, or a story/personality that nods to KOS-MOS. Alternatively, it could involve remnants of KOS-MOS, like her core or programming, reimagined as a weapon, relic, or machine central to the XB4 story.

If the leaks about Monolith Soft’s new game codenamed ''Project Legacy'' are true, this idea might fit perfectly with the potential XB4 theme: exploring the “legacy” of Klaus and his world. While the Klaus saga might be over, parts of his legacy—like the Trinity Processor and Origin—are still around. Origin especially feels like a magnet for conflict, practically begging for villains to emerge. Someone definitely want to control it.

Reminder FR hinted at space faring humans still existing in Klaus’s world—there are space colonies out there. In the Xeno series, the existence of Earth (a.k.a. Lost Jerusalem) has always been incredibly significant. The FR radio scene essentially confirms that XB’s world is connected to Lost Jerusalem, and the fact that it alludes to space faring humans is pretty important.

“What could this mean?” The next game might delve into the importance of the Conduit (I doubt the Conduit/Zohar is completely gone), space faring humans (!!!), and the Saviorite—artificial humans mentioned in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and FR (in Xenosaga, it's Realian). The Trinity Processor, Origin, and the mysterious blue light could all play major roles.

So many questions, but these things will definitely be highlights in the next game. I predict the villain might be from space—now that Earth is back, the humans in space might discover it sooner or later.

I’m also sure that Malos/Logos will play an important role! Logos is the only member of the Trinity Processor who hasn’t had his own game or a "human" partner to unlock his potential. The idea of seeing a Logos Ascended form a la Pneuma, possibly an alter ego for Logos/Malos and a Trinity Processor reunion? Gosh, it’s so exciting!  

Personally, I hope Xenoblade 4 is set thousands of years after the events of XB3. Frankly, I’d prefer that Mythra’s child doesn’t become the protagonist or even a relevant character, as it might undermine the message of XB3, IMO. Instead, they could establish Mythra’s child as a historical or influential figure—someone whose legacy or actions significantly impact the central conflict in XB4.

I think it would be more interesting if the protagonist of XB4 came from outer space rather than Earth. This could offer a fresh perspective on space faring human society, including their politics, culture, and way of life—something we know very little about. It would also be fascinating to see a protagonist experiencing cultural clashes or value conflicts with the people of Earth. Of course, Malos/Logos should play an important role, perhaps as the protagonist’s “Blade” or companion.

As for the protagonist's gender, I don't bother with it. If it’s a girl, I’d like her to be stoic—different from someone like Shion Xenosaga. Maybe she could be a researcher or an artificial human soldier. If it’s a boy, same with a girl but he's more mentally broken or menhera, to occurring joke that how Malos/Logos is always drawn to edgy, broken men in Japanese meme LOL.

I also want to see Pneuma as a potential antagonist or hostile entity. We’ve already seen other Trinity Processor members (Ontos-Alpha and Logos-Malos) become villain, but Pneuma has yet to take on an evil or antagonistic role. It would be intriguing to explore this side of her, especially since her philosophy and what she represents could make her the most cunning villain among her siblings—something akin to Miang from Xenogears.

Ultimately, I hope this game allows Takahashi to tell the story he’s been envisioning, maybe the ''imagined'' of Perfect Works Episode 6 or Xenosaga Episode 4. And hope we get chaos expy too!

Anyway, thanks for reading my ramblings! Please remember, this is just my analysis and speculation—none of it should be taken as fact. Regardless of what this project turns out to be, I’ll always be excited for Monolith Soft’s games!

[arkan1126]

Lately I've been drawing a lot of dumb Warrior Of Ice art

Nothing serious

[patchun]

Emerald Seaglass Elite 4 Saga

This is not a challenge romhack or anything but I am on Hard Mode and I do really like my team so I figured I'd document my experience here. Just one post this time no worries lol.

This has been a fairly casual run with me, as usual, coming overprepared and taking the game far more seriously than it should be taken for the majority of it - but nonetheless, in the interest of not wasting healing items and such because the economy was actually kind of rough, I've been playing on Switch mode. But, for the purposes of a more challenging Elite 4, I have switched() to Set.

First is Sydney. No real documentation on the trainer changes in this game so I'm just going to assume Mightyena lead. Fairy/Dragon Altaria should be more than enough to deal with pretty much his entire team, but should I need it, I do have Absol with Sacred Sword in the back. Here we go-a.

Yeah no Moonblast just wiped the floor with all of his Pokemon one by one lol. I kind of wish this WAS a challenge romhack because Pokemon is just kind of braindead otherwise BUT moving on

130 base Attack. Buffed to 95 base Speed. Sharpness. Night Slash, Psycho Cut, Sacred Sword - Absol is the best its probably ever been here. And if she isn't enough, Ghost/Normal Banette (whose best attacking move is unfortunately Phantom Force) should be able to handle anything else. The two complement each other well, with Banette being able to switch into Fighting moves and such.

..was that necessary

Oh actually Mismagius is a genuinely scary Pokemon, Ghost/Fairy and undoubtedly going for Moonblast here. My Fairy answer is Yuumi the Chimecho so I'll pivot into her before switching Misery in on a Ghost move.

Misery took a Moonblast before going for Phantom Force,... which then gave Phoebe the opportunity to switch to her own Banette. A better physical Ghost move would have been cool here. Predicting a physical attack like Darkest Lariat, I switched to Walrein (Fur Coat... it's so bulky). But this is a special attacking Banette who used Thunderbolt, so I switched out again, this time to Chiyari.

Which brings in Froslass... Okay, these ghosts are actually pretty tough. I go Yuumi on the Ice Beam and then Jill on a... Will-o-Wisp. I then swap Skadi in on a 150 BP Infernal Parade... or at least, I thought it was 150 BP? Skadi basically took nothing. I'm not sure I'm telling you this walrus is insane in this game.

okay well fuck me for saying it was easy or whatever hahaha.

I finish Dusknoir off w Yuumi so that I'm in this position when Mismagius comes in. Highly expecting either Shadow Ball or Infernal Parade, one if which I'm confident I can survive - HOWEVER, I'm also confident that Flash Cannon won't kill here. However if all goes well I should be able to switch into Misery afterwards to get the kill with Shadow Sneak.

If this were a Nuzlocke losing Flygon would have been devastating. But it's not so onward

so yeah Ghost type was pretty rough to deal with but surely Ice wont be so bad ri-... *looks at team*... Well it really depends. I went ahead and taught Yuumi Calm Mind which I was holding off on. Skadi also knows it, and Jill has Sacred Sword - but bringing her in might not be possible, so I guess I'll lead with her. (side note you may notice my low level pokemon yes because my exp share is turned off for the sake of challenge(

What madman was responsible for making Walrein one of the best defensive Pokemon in the game lmao, the battle just came down to Skadi beating up the other ice types with Bouncy Bubble

Anyways onto Drake now, and I have quite a few answers for Dragon types. Gonna go ahead and turn the EXP Share back on for this fight seeing as I am now at a 6 level disadvantage that should be enough lol

What's particularly nostalgic about this, and the big reason I've been wanting to use Flygon lately, is that my very first time ever beating the Elite 4 was with a Flygon. Playing Ruby version at my grandmom's house in the country, I must have lost so many times, even though I'm 100% sure I was definitely using Groudon too. Probably Blaziken and Gardevoir and Breloom on there... good memories.

Drake brought in Altaria so I swapped to Yuumi,,, he then proceeded to set up two Dragon Dances and then hit me with a terrifying +0 Dazzling Gleam. lol.

Which brings in Drake's own Flygon but like... what is it gonna do to me. A weak Flamethrower? Oh Crunch no, that's actually bad. Okay Skadi your turn dear

A Crunch into a CRIT Earthquake did that much like... what is this

Now then, with my underleveled ass two water-resist ass team,,, onto Wallace.

I'll spare you the details as this fight was mostly stat-checking but Jill came in very clutch with a crit on Whiscash in the end and this one might have in fact been necessary >:D

[ghilliedubh]

Vrinda: The Ivy Queen

Exploring the connections between the Norse goddess Rindr/Vrinda and ivy folklore

I am writing this with my mind swathed in a dark emerald green. Last Yule night I drew the rune Gebo, the Ivy card from my Ogham deck and the Queen of Swords. This painted an interesting picture in my head, of a green lady wandering amongst ivy-clad ruins. I dived into ivy folklore and mythology, researching who this might be. I visited Hebe, the Maenads and the various Green Ladies of Britain, but one particular solemn figure was sitting and waiting for me.

Very little is known of the Goddess Rindr and her name’s origin is obscure, but it is thought to be connected to a Gotlandic word for ivy, rind. A variation of her name, Vrindr, Wrinda or Vrinda (the name I prefer), can possibly be found in the Ostergotland place name Vrinnevi, the meaning of which would in that case be Vrindar-Vé (Vrindr’s Shrine). Oscar Lundberg proposed that she was therefore a fertility goddess represented by ivy or perhaps even made of it. The theory of her being connected to Vrinnevi has been debated, and some argue that the place name simply means “Ivy forest”. Even so, the similarity between the name Rindr and the word rind is hard to ignore and I strongly feel that she is represented by ivy as Lundberg suggests. Previously I had only known her as some kind of winter goddess and as the unwilling bearer of Óðinn’s son, Váli. This connection to the ivy plant opened up a whole new dimension of her.

I want to start by criticizing Patricia Telesco’s interpretation of Vrinda being a goddess of accepting uncomfortable changes. That just as winter yields to spring, so does Vrinda yield to the advances of Óðinn and become warm and fertile. Whether or not Vrinda’s myth is a metaphor for the changing of seasons, I find it appalling that someone would look at a story about sexual assault and draw from it the lesson that one should not fight “positive change”. Change can be good, but that attitude in this context is disgusting and disrespectful to all that have had to go through such a horrible experience. Now, moving on…

First there is the madness. The maenads were wild, ecstatic worshipers of Dionysus who wore ivy. Often willing participants of the frenzy, but sometimes forced. In Gesta Danorum the tale is told of how Óðinn, when thrice rejected by Vrinda, uses magic to drive her mad and then ill. Disguised as a medicine woman called Wecha, Óðinn tells her father that he can cure her but it would cause a violent reaction. Vrinda is tied to her bed and Óðinn proceeds to commit one of his ugliest crimes. I connect these two instances of forced madness with certain properties of the ivy; ingesting the leaves can cause delirium, convulsions and even hallucinations. Surprisingly, wearing crowns of ivy was believed to prevent drunkenness. To me, all of the above makes Vrinda a goddess of madness, but as a sufferer. We who may have bouts of bad mental health may find comfort in her.

Next I want to talk about the Green Ladies of Britain, specifically the melancholy yet usually benevolent ghosts that haunt castles. The Green Ladies are dead but are still kind, often protecting living residents of their haunts. The Green Lady of Huntingtower Castle in Perthshire (known as Lady Greensleeves) is said to have healed a young boy who lived in a house on the estate. Ivy was also seen as a protective plant in Britain.This protective element also be a domain of Vrinda, John McKinnell writes about a kenning for a warrior in the saga of Guðmundur Arason, serkja Rindar Sannr. Sannr is a name of Óðinn meaning “truth”, Rindar serkur would be “Rindur’s serk”. According to McKinnell this hints that she may have been able to enchant clothing to work as a protective charm. But back to the Green Ladies. Most of them are thought to be the ghosts of particular women of noble lineage that lived in the castles and were usually killed in horrible ways. The Green Lady of Caerphilly Castle is the ghost of Alice de la Marche of France who died of shock when she learned of her husband’s men killing her lover. I mention her specifically because of her ability to blend into the ivy that grows on the castle walls. The ivy in this story feels like a very appropriate symbol and I feel it could be extended to the rest of the Green Ladies. Ivy clings to ruins, it clings to trees long after they die. I want to quote the first stanza of Henry Kendall’s The Ivy on the Wall:

The verdant ivy clings around

Yon moss be-mantled wall,

As if it sought to hide the stones,

That crumbling soon must fall:

That relic of a bygone age

Now tottering to decay,

Has but one friend—the ivy—left.

The rest have passed away.

I believe this sentiment lives with Vrinda. In this aspect, she is a goddess of mourning and trauma, of yearning for the irretrievable past. But at the same time she is a goddess of protection and overcoming hardships and devastation. As ivy holds together and decorates the weathered stones of an old castle, so too can Vrinda help hold together our broken hearts and shattered selves.

Then there is winter. I have read many articles and blogs online written by pagans associating Vrinda with winter and almost nothing else. I never actually saw mentioned any concrete reason for it, but now that I have become aware of her ivy realm it has become obvious. Most people are familiar with the carol The Holly and the Ivy. Both plants are evergreen and are part of a family of yule plants alongside mistletoe and yew. Ivy and Holly historically represented the feminine vs masculine, in parts of England there are still dances between the Holly boy and the Ivy girl. It was supposedly custom once for men and women to light-heartedly taunt each other through song. Sadly it seems mostly the songs praising Holly have been preserved, an example is the following verse:

Nay, Ivy, nay; it shall not be i-wys ;

Let Holly hafe the maystery, as the manner is.

Holly stond in the Halle fayre to behold;

Ivy stond without the dore; she is full sore acold.

Holly and his merry men they dancyn and they sing.

Ivy and hur maidens they wepyn and they wryng.

(Ballad from the time of Henry VI)

In a more positive light, holly and ivy feature in a poem by Henry VIII called Green Groweth the Holly. Here ivy's steadfast color throughout winter symbolizes fidelity. It is a charming poem if a bit ironic, since Henry himself wasn’t exactly a paragon of fidelity. I’ll let you read the third and fourth verse:

As the holly groweth green

With ivy all alone

When flowers cannot be seen

And greenwood leaves be gone,

Now unto my lady

Promise to her I make,

From all other only

To her I me betake.

It is not strange that Henry made this connection. In the language of flowers ivy represents fidelity, wedded love and friendship. Ancient Greek brides would carry ivy as a symbol of undying love and sprigs of it are often found in wedding bouquets today. I think ivy being an evergreen as well as it’s ability to cling tightly are good reasons for it being a symbol for faithful love. We also see generosity and kindness as ivy provides berries for birds in winter. These aspects all together give me the feeling that, yes, Vrinda is a winter goddess. However, I feel she is more a goddess of persevering winter, rather than a goddess of the frost and cold itself. She stays living, green and fruitful when other plants lie dead. Her love persists through hardships. Winter or summer, it holds on.

Just before I conclude I’d like to touch upon animal associations. There is not a lot to work with, but the color and winding tendencies of ivy invoke the spirit of a serpent. Perhaps an adder, with its ivy-like pattern and ability to hibernate. The adder, like the ivy, is also toxic. The maenads wore serpents as well as ivy so it's not entirely far-fetched to see snakes as a favorite of Vrinda, but I’m not sure how well it fits. Perhaps the wren, a bird often seen darting through ivy bushes and has connections to winter. The word “wren” is of obscure origin but the words wren, rind (the Gotland word for ivy) and rindill (the Icelandic word for wren) sound curiously similar to Wrinda and Rindur.

Then there are owls. In Britain ivy has a special relationship with the tawny owl, which is sometimes even called an ivy-owl. Most people are familiar with owls being traditionally associated with death, but it may surprise some that ivy is so as well. This seems contradictory to it’s tolerance of winter, the death of the year, but this association likely stems again from fidelity as well as ivy’s tendency to grow over tombstones. Ivy was also a frequent motif on headstones and there it likely represents immortality and eternal life. Both snakes and owls are carved on headstones too. Ivy was also used to foretell death.

This association with death ties well in with the aforementioned Green Ladies. Owls and ivy are paired together in the idiom “like an owl in an ivy-bush”, which is used to describe a person with a vacant stare (usually due to drunkenness) or in some cases those with a frightened and dishevelled appearance. I almost forgot to mention that tawny owls usually mate for life, fidelity again. Finally, the carol I mentioned earlier has a couple of verses mentioning owls:

Ivy hath berries black as any sloe;

There come the owl and eat him as she go

…

Good ivy, what birds hast thou?

None but the owlet that cries how, how.

That brings us to the end. It’s quite bold of me, I know, to just give Vrinda all these associations purely based on ivy folklore and mythology. However, I feel so uncomfortable just leaving her bound to that one, grisly story of her impregnation. It’s unfair. I really do feel she may have shown herself to me that Yule night, or at least an aspect of herself, and I’d rather she lived in my mind as a lush and complex entity. Maybe I am getting lost in a thick forest of wishful thinking but maybe, like the Green Lady of Caerphilly Castle, she has indeed been hiding in the ivy.

Vrinda the broken, Vrinda the crazed,

Vrinda the wanderer of ruins and graves.

Vrinda the devoted, Vrinda the evergeen.

Vrinda the beautiful, unwavering Ivy Queen

Hrafnsunna Ross

Sources and further reading:

On English ivy folklore and mythology:

http://khkeeler.blogspot.com/2021/10/plant-story-folklore-of-english-ivy.html

https://interestingliterature.com/2021/05/ivy-symbolism-in-literature-religion-mythology-analysis-meaning/

https://from-bedroom-to-study.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-hedonistic-history-of-interesting.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR3kerXYa_Nud94rzbCuhPlv-qH8Dah2R2jibqFLPYV4d8GmGTP87GJgVBQ

https://books.google.is/books?id=eOvyDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=ivy+drunkenness+folklore&source=bl&ots=n3L6TNUO9e&sig=ACfU3U1PGGIezufv-sZbxklBhjBdNuqwKw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjDi6SxgYT1AhWTEMAKHcEyBN4Q6AF6BAg0EAM#v=onepage&q=iv

y%20drunkenness%20folklore&f=false

https://speakingofwitchwands.net/2017/11/16/the-magick-of-ivy/

https://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/blog/hedgerow-medicines/ivy/

Properties of English ivy:

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hedera-helix/

On Maenads:

https://www.thecollector.com/maenads-women-bacchus/ On Green Ladies: https://www.spookyisles.com/scottish-green-lady-stories/

Wedding flower customs:

https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-flowers-customs-traditions

Wren:

https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=rindill

https://www.bardsinthewoods.com/2012/12/the-wren-wren.html

Tawny Owl:

https://www.peakdistrictonline.co.uk/birds-of-prey-the-tawny-owl/

Evidence pointing to Rindr being a worker of protective magic:

https://secureservercdn.net/198.71.233.138/16i.962.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/John_McKinnell_Meeting_the_Other_in_Norse_Myth_ab-ok.cc.pdf

https://norse.ulver.com/src/biskup/gudmunda/index.html

Gesta Danorum book 3, where the story of her assault is written:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1150/1150-h/1150-h.htm

Possible etymology of her name:

https://books.google.is/books?id=DtcMCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA160&lpg=PA160&dq=scandinavia+ivy+goddess&source=bl&ots=GMILPvloOP&sig=ACfU3U3EX9SDhIxFUwiTT_sNHFbMbxOlng&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjv-_fXvYP1AhUwQEEAHdY1D9cQ6AF6BAgfEAM#v=onepage&q=scandinavia%20ivy%20goddess&f=false

Headstone symbolism:

https://headstonesymbols.co.uk/

[arkan1126]

HISHADSKASDKJNHKJS EMERALD SWORD FANART

Inktober 2017

1. Swift - Swift dragonswift 2. Divided - 3. Poison - Salamndra salamandra salamandra (salamandrine) 4. Underwater - 5. Long - That didn’t quite hit the mark! But I will know for the future drawing similar to this… 6. Sword - Only a warrior with a clear heart could have the honour to be kissed by the sun Yes, I’m that warrior I followed my way led by the force of cosmic soul I can reach the sword (Rhapsody - Emeralnd Sword) 7. Shy - Done for azraelangelo.deviantart.com/ar… 8. Crooked - Boardragon 9. Screech - 10. Gigantic - Done with Promarker and my first drawing done by Promarker… and I love it!

11. Run - Runing Liliensternus 12. Shattered - Done for azraelangelo.deviantart.com/ar… 13. Teeming - Vipera berus 14. Fierce - 15. Mysterious - 16. Fat - Bufo bufo 17. Graceful - 18. Filthy - Filthy little dragon… too curious! 19. Cloud - Smutná saň // Sad dragoness 20. Deep - What to think about one who draw this?…

21. Furious 22. Trail 23. Juicy 24. Blind - Third eye blind. Can you see beings around? 25. Ship 26. Squeak - Archaeopteryx lithographica 27. Climb 28. Fall 29. United - Sumer Solstice 30. Found 31. Mask

[spiderman616]

i need to know your favorite parts of archie. i wanna hear you talk about this so bad. er. read your thoughts about this so bad. zonic is obvious but what else (leaning toward you with chin in hands)

hmmm well if im going chronologically mecha madness is an easy one to put in. people talk about it all the time as being hype as fuck but it is. its hype as fuck idk what to say. a less discussed one is super sonic vs hyper knuckles. that was ALSO hype as fuck but had less stakes than mecha madness it was a lot more light hearted. sonic quest is also a fun little thing related to the classic games but its pretty entrenched in the current comics plot. and then after robotnik died the politics stuff is very hit or miss but it was pretty convoluted sometimes. however the whole sonic+tails world tour/fighting ixis naugus went pretty hard. not good 100% of the time but its really fun stuff. archie knuckles has some fun stuff too once in a while but not enough to reccomend full bits of it. if anything i would reccomend reading the arc where elias is recovered from angel island since it concludes a side plot from the sonic series. sonic vs knuckles battle royale is also good. the return of robo robotnik is built up really well, as well as the issue where sonic gets his adventure design via shenanigans with the super emerald. the adventure adaptation is slept on honestly, it plays very by the books in terms of adaptations because of behind the scenes reasons, but its still quite enjoyable to see the game's story put into the terms of archie AND how those developments affect the plot later down the line, and this is the last and in my opinion best full game adaptation in preboot. the rest are either omitted or only cover the beginning or abridge them into side stories. honestly ALL the stuff with mammoth mogul is a blast to read because he brings a very unique villain archetype to sonic that eggman doesnt, where eggman lacks foresight and patience mammoth mogul is literally immortal and concocts very elaborate plans and schemes. the plot about the source of all/sword of acorns is pretty good too, although that may be only when compared to everything else of its time so your mileage may vary. sonic adventure 2.5/tossed in space is a MUST READ though. even if you don't know archie that is really just top notch stuff. return to angel island also really nice especially if you want knuckles moments. jon grays art really does help a lot in this case. and of course the extended anonymous saga is awesome too, especially if youre a long term reader since it brings in a lot of stuff from previous stories. house of cards is dogged on a LOT which i dont think is quite fair. its a pretty compelling read. the scourge stuff could get grating depending on your opinions, but it has its moments. hedgehog havoc being a highlight of those moments too. the entire iron dominion saga is a good one too, (including journey to the east of course.) and its nice seeing it shake up the status quo with more game elements incorporated. the new mobotropolis thing is pretty short but its fun. extended chaotix being in knothole/the city leads to some fun moments as well since angel island is in a bit of a complication. of course that leads to the whole knuxerjak thing, which is quite honestly really awesome stuff if not resolved in a pretty lame way. the sonic universe series as a whole is really fun but highlights include the silver saga tails adventure and chaotix quest. and to cap it all off the whole mecha sally arc (coupled with silvers whole. gestures) is nice although again. the ending is pretty cheap which is a big problem with a lot of archie sonic arcs as a whole.

Now in terms of smaller MOMENTS. I mean. damn thats pretty hard to pick out since there are so many characters and interactions. but general rule of thumb if character pairings are out of left field that almost always means they'll be fun to witness if not only for a little since most stories are sonic centric. expected character pairings are also nice to see sometimes if only to deepen established relationships. in terms of set pieces it really depends on the artist, but action scenes are usually done well when there is low amounts of punching and high amounts of slapstick/cartoony violence

[hanzajesthanza]

gimme calanthe (i am so unpredictible i know)

a beast kickass mother unleashed - first of all, i'm not calling her a beast, that seems rude. but i wanted to select this option because just knowing how she did everything to protect pavetta and ciri, i think this is really where her 'lioness' moniker shines. i mean, regarding emhyr, if it were not for her who knows what would have happened to pavetta and ciri, and sooner! one of the worst things a parent can do is be careless about the safety of their child... i adore and respect that calanthe guarded them from evil, even when the evil was in the house:

‘(...) Calanthe was keeping a weather eye on me.’ ‘She never trusted you.’ ‘I know. I think she knew something about that prediction. And would have done anything to hamper me, and in Cintra I was in her power. (...) Calanthe guarded little Ciri like the apple of her eye. I couldn’t even have dreamed of kidnapping her.’

my friend's favorite, the blorbo by proxy -hiii :D and well, it's true. especially since i'm more of an aficionado of the saga than the short stories, i think you got me to appreciate calanthe a lot more and i'm very grateful for that <3

the fandom is so mean smh - or, alternatively phrased, unfortunately, our apartment's wall is right up against that of the netflix fandom's. but the book fandom also doesn't treat her well, particularly on reddit i've read some nasty comments about her with armchair military direction, essentially saying that they could have done a better job at defending cintra... guys. it's a story, and in this story the fairytale land is trampled by the big evil empire - no matter how good of a queen or military strategist calanthe ever was, no matter how good of defense cintra had, the massacre of cintra was going to happen because its what the plot demanded. i also think it's inaccurate to lambast calanthe for the nilfgaardian invasion, because not only are the nilfgaardians depicted as some kind of medieval-esque fantasy blitzkrieg, in these circumstances it's actually depicted that calanthe did a great and heroic job defending cintra. compare and contrast with the other northern monarchs during time of contempt! foltest, hem hem!

"They surrounded the Cintran army in the Marnadal valley. A battle was joined lasting the whole day, from dawn till dusk. The forces of Cintra fought courageously, but were decimated. The king fell, and then their queen (…) headed off a stampede, didn’t let them disperse, gathered anyone she was able to around herself and the standard. (...) They fought their way through the encirclement and fell back across the river towards the city. She defended the river crossing with a handful of knights, and shielded the retreat. They say she fought like a man, threw herself like a woman possessed into the greatest turmoil. They stabbed her with pikes as she charged the Nilfgaardian foot. She was transported to the city gravely wounded."

that's a solid design right there - "Calanthe adjusted the narrow golden circlet on her curled ash-gray hair (...)" "Calanthe, her fingers tapping an emerald necklace, the smallest stone of which was the size of a bumblebee (...)" i adore her design, it's so wonderfully fantastical, which adds to the entire fairytale atmosphere of "a question of price" and cintra in general. and i also appreciate how it is mentioned that she gained weight in her grief following pavetta's death. i also really love the imagery of her in geralt's brokilonian vision: "The woman is wearing a silvery suit of armour, bloody, dented and punctured by the points of pikes or halberds. Blood drips in a thin stream from the corner of her mysteriously and hideously smiling mouth." strikingly saintworthy.

literally i would kiss them - i'm sure one of her "unfailing smiles" would make me blush!

if anything happens to them i will cry - i guess, "when things happened to them i cried," the massacre of cintra especially told through geralt's vision in "sword of destiny" and dandelion's account in "something more" are crushing, and especially taking into account the end of calanthe's part in "something more" where she tells geralt that she feels it will be the last time they see each other. there was so much vision, foreshadowing, and premonition around her death that it's like a wave of dark molasses... it inches closer and closer, as a reader you're entirely powerless. and i believe calanthe herself felt this too, but refused to live any different way because she would not abandon her country and people.

character bingo

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