#escape from the darklands

[pawnshopsouls]

If there was one bad thing about this whole situation, it was that Bonely had no idea where the blasted portal was. But he knew how to call and so he did. He howled for his youngins who howled back as they clung to their sire's mane. With them in earshot, Bonely chased after them, praying to his Sovereign that whatever magicks were involved, that they'd hold a little longer!

'Please! Please let whatever's goin' on hold!' he thought and skidded along the pathway towards his bond and kids.

Four howling little scamps come barrelling down the paths of the Darklands, following their Papi's call, the fifth hanging tightly to her big brother's horn nubs.

"Father!" the four older whelps call, "Papi!"

Bronte reaches them first, huffing and puffing as his siblings scramble behind him. "What's--happening? Why'd Papi--use his--home bellow?"

Gunmar very nearly tramples his own whelps.

"To me! Quickly!" He lowered his horns, pressing his brow to the ground so that the children could scamper onto his back. He didn't see Bonley anywhere, but that didn't stop him from turning and barrelling toward the portal.

He would throw them, if it started to close before he made it through he would throw them and WILL them to make it to the other side---

The portal did not close.

[toa-archive]

Another week means another storyboard sequence and this one is by Natasha Presler-Wicke for the episode, Escape from the Darklands! Due to paranoia of deletion and instagram being one of those sites people flatly ignore when it comes to storyboard reposting I've got and screenshot both uploads for your enjoyment. Very little of her work is available online and this one alone was hard to track down way back when.

Source for this set

Source for the second set

[brandileigh2003]

Wolfstar fic canon divergent fic recs: post-azkaban, bring back black, lie low at lupins

Let me know what I missed including self recs, and give the authors all the love.

•Remain in Light by @veeagainsttheday (175k)

•A Store of Happiness by coyotesuspect (10k)

•An Unexpected Reunion by @r33sespieces (37k) Remus raising Harry when Sirius escaped

•Till We Have Arrived Home Again by prouvairing (43k) in 99, harry visits with news

•Beyond the Veil by Atalan bring black back

•Leave the Children Behind by @montparnassee

•Dignity be Damned by @violetthistle1 (121k)

•How Long 'Til My Soul Gets It Right by krabapple @severedreamerfox 88k

•Chiaroscuro by krabapple 17k

•December's Light by krabapple (16k)

•Where do we go from here? by realismreading

•Darling, I’d go through it again by lez_writes13 (32k)

•It gets so hard to breathe (when you're looking at me) by arcane_illusions and @neondomino (57k)

•Wherever I Am/You'll Always Be series by @brigid-faye

•The Postwar Chronicles by @sliebman10 post canon series

•Give Quarter to Old Men - @krethes series

Open ended:

•used my best colours for your portrait by littleoldrachel

•I Keep Mine Hidden by insatiablerealist (36k)

-On my tbr/recs from others-

• Darklands by orestesfasting (wip 15/16)

•One to Speak, Another to Hear by @seventymilestobabylon (60k)

•It Wouldn't Be An Adventure Without You by @myheadsgonenumb

•Hounds of Love by estas_absentis (15k) lie low

•The Long Road Home by orphan_account (15k) bbb

•Three Days (The Rebuilding the Temple Remix) by victoria_p (musesfool) ootp era (15k)

•Be With Me Always by TheHufflebean (63k) bbb

•No One's Gonna Love You by Anonymous (109k)

•Laughing all the way by Wheatmarten

•beautiful boy (darling boy) by @impishTubist  roaming_the_greenwood1 mpreg at grimmauld and Sirius is able to get custody of Harry, navigating dynamics, plus pining wolfstar and get together

•A grave mistake by @soloorganaas Sirius back from the viel and navigating complicated situation with Remus being married to Tonks.

•Black Oblivion by @alandia-wings Remus Sirius and tonks all survive

•In Daylight by Essie_Cat

--check out wolfstar librarian list1. 2. She's awesome--

-- there is also a long list at wolfstar warehouse including older ones and many off of ao3--

[picturejasper20]

Jim Lake Jr is a character that we see going through multiple changes through the series Trollhunters. He starts as a teen who wants to have ¨some adventure¨ only to found out that he has been chosen to play a very important role in protecting both humans and trolls alike as the ¨Trollhunter¨.

While different aspects of him are explored and evolve through the show, one of his biggest inner conflicts would be his ¨atlas complex¨, what would be his feeling like he has to take the whole responsibility of the world on his own shoulders, that to an extent is understandable considering his role as protector.

Even before he became a Trollhunter near the age of sixteen, Jim acted more mature and responsible in contrast to other teens of his age. In his introduction scene from "Becoming" he is seen cooking breakfast for both him and his mother, Barbara, and cleaning everything before going to school with his friend Toby. In the first episodes it gets explored that this comes from how Jim’s father left Jim and Barbara when Jim was little and never came back. This forced Jim to grow up quicker than other kids from his age, taking on bigger responsibilities with Barbara usually being busy working at the hospital.

His father leaving clearly had an important impact on Jim growing up. While it isn’t explicitly stated, Jim very likely blames himself for his father leaving, probably thinking it was his own fault or he did something wrong. He has this mindset that he has to ¨take care¨ of his mom, even if makes himself be distracted or not pay attention enough to other aspects of his life as pointed out by Strickler in the first episode.

This tendency of feeling like he has to depend on his own and blaming himself for different things that happen drives a lot of the decisions he makes as Trollhunter. He often has the habit of believing that he has to take all the responsibility on his own, going on missions on his own in spite of how big the risk can be.

Through the show Jim goes through this constant struggle between doing things on his own vs allowing his friends to help him fight alongside him and supporting him with the problems he is dealing with. More than one time Jim finds himself in trouble for his risky behaviour of going alone and eventually realizing that he should have asked for help from his team first.

It isn’t that Jim does this because he considers his friends ¨weak¨ or his is too proud to let help him. This comes from his desire to protect them and wishing for them to not get hurt for something he would think that it is his own fault. He doesn’t want to feel like a burden to other people, which it tends to end up with pushing others away as result.

One of the biggest examples of this is at the end of Season 1 in "Something Rotten This Way Comes" when Jim sees that Aaarrgghh has been turned into stone (which is seen as death for trolls) by Angor Rot when trying to defend Toby. A few episodes before this happened Jim had accidentally contributed to getting Angor Rot’s soul destroyed and making Angor Rot completely lose control ("It's About Time"). Because of this, he blamed himself for what happened to Aaarrgghh and feared losing other people he cared about.

Before anyone could notice, Jim decided to activate the gates that opened a portal to the Darklands to rescue Claire’s brother and defeat Gunma on his own. After he went through, the portal got closed, meaning others couldn't follow him from the other side. Jim is able to find and save Claire’s brother in the first episode of Season 2 but he isn’t able to make it out when the bridge gets fully destroyed. ("Escape from the Darklands")

In this first half of Season 2 the consequences of Jim’s decision get explored as his friends try to find a way out to rescue him. They have to face multiple obstacles which involve going against the Troll Market leader and making a deal with the Janus order. Finally in Episode 5 "Homecoming" they are able to get Jim out of the Darklands along with Nomura, who became an ally for Jim during the time he was trapped in the dimension.

In the episode that follows "Hiss Hiss, Bang Bang" the team confronts Jim for his risky decision at the end of Season 1 after Angor Rot’s defeat. They express feeling angry at Jim’s actions and a bit of betrayal since they are supposed to be a team. In response Jim admits that what he did was a very impulsive decision and he did it because he blamed himself for what happened to Aaarrgghh.

In "Hero with a Thousand Faces" explores this further as different sides of Jim manifest as copies of Jim and cause trouble at Claire’s parents barbecue because of a magic stone that was inside the amulet. The side that represents how Jim views himself as a hero, ¨Trollhunter Jim¨, begins to absorb other copies of Jim, seeing them as weaknesses. ¨Trollhunter Jim¨ reveals that Jim is really hard on himself and part of him believes that he would be better off if he didn’t rely on his friends along with other things. By the end of the episode Jim begins to accept that it isn’t the case and accepting helps from others is okay.

For a while Jim seems to be doing better with his atlas complex, however he still struggles with certain things. At the start of Season 3 he hides to Blinky that he has been training with Strickler to find ways to defeat Gunmar since he knows Blinky wouldn’t approve of Strickler’s methods. He still tries to hide his trollhunters duties from Barbara because he wants to ¨protect her¨.

In "Parental Guidance" Barbara is able to recall the events of Season 1 before her memories got supressed. When she remembers what happened, she decides to call Claire’s and Toby’s parents and confront the teens for what they have been hiding from them. At first Jim finds it hard to tell his mom about his duties but he explains to Barbara and his friends’ parents eventually. Through the episode Barbara reminds Jim multiple times that is her role as parent to look after him and not the other way around and he can be honest with her. She is seen helping the teens with fighting against the goblins and giving a hand in other ways in later episodes.

When Jim goes through Merlin’s plan of turning himself into half-human half-troll to defeat Gunmar, he falls into a similar pattern like he did back in Season 1 ending in "Jimhunters". At first he is thrilled about his new abilities as half troll until he realizes that it brings a lot of changes to his life: He can’t stay under the sun nor he can’t eat the same things he used to as human. All these things make him feel very confused and ran away from home.

His friends and family look for him at school where Jim is wandering and thinking about how different his life is going to be from now on. Claire and Toby find Jim in the roof and trying telling him that he is still him even if his is part troll. Barbara and Strickler join some minutes after and Barbara asks Jim to come back with her. When Jim is still unsure of what to do, Blinky and Aaarrgghh show up and Blinky tells Jim how proud he is of him, calling him ¨son¨. This is what finally clicks with Jim, as he approaches and hugs Blinky, telling him that he is scared.

By the end of the episode Jim doesn’t push others away and sees that they are going to help him with these new changes, as they remind him that he is still him after his transformation. This would act as overall conclusion of Jim’s overall character arc in the series, realizing that asking for help and relying on others is a okay thing to do and he doesn’t have to carry all his problems on his own in contrast to how he believed at the start of the show.

[yuki2sksksk]

Thinking about KNY x Trollhunters crossover and the comedically misunderstanding it can ensure;

" Oh! You know about them? (Talking about trolls) "

" If we're talking about creatures that perish under the sun, then yeah. (Talking about demons) "

" Huh, you're taking this fairly well about them. (Trolls) "

" Yeah, my ancestors have been fighting them so the stories get passed. (Demons) "

" Your ancestors fought the bad ones? Wow, they must've been warriors! (Gumm Gumm trolls) "

" They prefer the term slayers, and yes, the stories highlight that they are good ones. (Nezuko, Tamayo & Yushiro) "

" Huh, it would be nice if we could use some advice on how to defeat the bad ones. (Gumm Gumm trolls) "

" Why? They've perished a long time ago. (The Final Battle against Muzan) "

" They're still around? They're trying to escape from the other side you know? (Darklands) "

" What do you mean they're trying to escape from the afterlife? "

" You call the Darklands the afterlife? "

" Darklands?? "

" Yeah? Gunmar and the Gumm Gumm trolls were banished there centuries ago? "

A pause.

"...Trolls? You were talking about trolls? What are trolls??? "

Another pause.

" Wha -- of course I am talking about trolls! What did you think I was talking about?? "

" Demons?? Man eating creatures that can't be under the sun??? "

" That sounds a lot like the Gumm Gumm trolls. "

" I am literally talking about the demons -- the ones that have existed for centuries before they were defeated in the Taisho era??? "

A very, very long pause.

"... We're misunderstanding the whole thing, aren't we? "

"...It seems to be so. "

[feather-dancer]

Tales of Arcadia fanfic recommendations part 8

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7

If at all interested in my own writing you can find it here! Several of my own are currently getting scrubbed for improvement to make them more readable. Currently goal is for all of Spotlight being completed by the end of the year.

Been a while huh? This has still been sitting in my drafts though even when my brain decided “Nope not reading” for a while. Still got quite a hefty backlog to read through along with authors I’m subscribed to for their most recent works as and when they pop up. Regardless, determined to get back on top of it and unearth things I want to give a shoutout to because it’s cool shit :)

To you, fans past and present and surviors of RotT Tales of Arcadia fandom.

General Tales of Arcadia

But Everything Hurts - You don’t come back from death with a free pass and Douxie’s fall from the castle cost was chronic pain for an immortal’s lifetime. He was told to learn how to live once, now it is learning to manage.

Of Hunger Pains and Old Habits - Food is hard when you’ve spent a very young life without it until life takes a strange turn and it becomes plentiful. Died in habits are hard though, Douxie will hear the unconvinced whispers for the rest of his life.

almost there - When Jim heads off until the Darklands alone Toby and Claire try to hold themselves together not knowing if he’ll ever return. This is set post season 1 and is wonderfully bittersweet.

Our Little Viginette - Moppet faces the end of an era with the fall of Camelot and (Temporary) loss of Merlin after the Battle of Killahead.

A way to cope - Jim pretends to cope with the trauma of being in the Darklands a lot better than he actually is, as long as he keeps the breakdowns out of sight then nobody can worry right?

dandelion eyes - In which Bellroc discovers the concept of nail polish.

Adieu - The final moments of Angor Rot

Saudade - It’s perfect. They beat Gunmar, nobody died and he can finally enjoy being a teenager again, Thinks Jim. Then why if he stops ignoring the feeling for even a few seconds does it all seem so hollow...?

Rise of the Titans

The Last Changeling - Jim escaped the timeline filled with mistakes in hopes of making things right. He didn’t account for those left behind to grieve or the changeling that suddenly found himself as the last.

I Can't Pull the Sword From the Stone - Jim went back and now Toby is the new Trollhunter which should be smooth sailing right? Except history is refusing to repeat it’s self exactly, little elements are already changing and Jim’s experiences have left him tainted with magic he can’t control along with all the memories and traumas. It’s hard to grieve for someone who is technically still alive but everything you had is gone without a soul out there to understand.

More is all you need - Jim has gone back, something stupid by his own admittance, however in sorting through his thoughts he comes to a realisation.

Stricklake

Comes Around - Post Trollhunters season 3, it’s a struggle to figure out what to do when you have a cradlestone full of babies and a changeling that no longer is but you have to just try and muddle through somehow... Perhaps a chance to try figure out what your relationship is meant to be too now things have calmed down a bit.

Media Consumption - Wholesome fluff that also involves Wally and creating an addict to the HtTyD franchise early on.  

A Measure of Intellect - The goblins are breaking into the stricklake household and they’ve already stolen the blender. The fun part is figuring out exactly what they’re up to. Related to Media Consumption.

enough - Figuring out a normal in the mundane of after everything has happened is quite a lot for a jaded changeling. Very fluffy.

The Wild Hunt - Letting your troll boyfriend hunt is good enrichment but the prize for capture is even better.

The Armour of Daylight - A little glimpse into a high fantasy world where everyone might just be a little bit cursed.

The School Of Janus - This is an AU while also being Stricklake so it lives here. The Darklands are the most prestigious educational process in the world according to their promo material and Jim is prepping to head there while putting off most of his packing as long as humanly possible. Good thing he does really the banter is delightful.

Ink Stains - An AU making an escape in the name of shipping again. Here Barbara married into court politics with her husband being an heir for Camelot and changelings are a secret guard force protecting those important hiding away in plain sight. Incredibly cool world building going on here.

Keen Swimmers 2023 - A collection from last year mostly in AU territory and very tasty. Read the summaries and off you go!

Special Delivery - Very short and sweet, if you’re interested in the ship just trust me and click it.

Locked Rooms - Barbara lost her memory. She doesn’t know how and she doesn’t really know why either. All she does know is that whatever they are seem to be behind a locked door and that strange imagery is leaking into her dreams.

Alternate Universe

Dig your eight graves - It was only supposed to be a fun trek out for Halloween for the Arcadia kids, test out the set up and give feedback so the owner could improve them for when it would officially open the next year. Nobody could have predicted how it’d go so horribly wrong.

Content warning: This fic is marked Mature for character death, body horror, desecration of corpses and for being of the general slasher genre. Please check the tags before proceeding.

Between Daylight and Darkness - The Sunshine AU is back and it’s time for the team to go Trollhunting.So how many spanners can Jim being the nearest equivilent to a were-troll throw into the works of canon? Well hopefully nothing fatal...

Toby's Appointment - Sometimes you need to read very silly things and this is probably the funniest possibility you could find in the dentist waiting room.

The Grave of the Felled Forest - A boy and his familiar go to check out Merlin’s places of power/various stash spots to make sure all is still well. They are not anticipating visitors or his intent to be poked. Part of The Heart of Janus AU.

[ringmaster-midori]

At The Tipsy Capybara Tavern in Willowside, Demetrius the tavernkeep tended to a stewpot of horse-bone stew supplemented with some local weeds that had been growing inside the town's defense wall. He sighed and shook his head as he finally gave in and added finely minced leather from some old belts for added protein. "This food shortage is killing us," he lamented to himself, "literally!"

The mayor's advisors and aides hunched over one of the tables, updating maps and notes with the latest information regarding the xulgath siege. One young man looked up hopefully as the leathery smell from the stewpot filled the common room, but hope gave way to culinary despair, and he returned to his papers, clutching at his grumbling belly.

The front door opened, letting Midori inside. Her once-red fur had been drained of its color, leaving it snowy white save for the dark circles around her eyes. Her cloak and scout gear had splatters of blood and dirt but otherwise remained undamaged.

Weak shouts of "Midori!" came from the mayor's people.

Demetrius eagerly shot out, "Didja bring back any meat this time? Any food at all?"

Midori shook her head. "No, not this time, sorry. At the dino corrals, the tyrannosauruses ended up eatin' the brontosauruses, so we had to cheese it outta there amid all the chaos. An' at the gug huts...well, nobody should be eatin' ghoul meat...an' we let the gugs escape to go back underground to the Darklands."

Petunia Sunnyridge, one of the mayor's aides, snapped, "Aren't you finished out there yet? The mayor is not pleased with the speed with which you are handling your tasks!"

"Look, Petunia," Midori, her patience wearing thin, shot back at the middle-aged halfling woman, "we just need to clear out the last corral or whatever full o' demon dinosaurs an' xulgaths, then we're comin' back to rest up for the night an' replenish our spells so we'll be prepared for the assault on the massed xulgath army out there. One more day! Give us a break, gods damn it!"

The kitsune sighed and turned to the tavernkeep. "Any booze left?"

Demetrius shook his head. "Nope. I had to add the last of it into the stewpot for the calories. Our reserves are bone-dry. Can I get you a bowl of stew?"

Midori sniffed the air and grimaced. "Hard pass. Save it for the townsfolk."

The blonde halfling interrupted, "Booze? Drinking instead of fighting? Get back out there! Lives are at stake!"

Midori rounded on her, "Hakuna your tatas, lady! I'm here to talk to somebody I met who's willin' to help us all out with the siege. Cayden H. Cailean in a chicken basket! Have some patience! She should be showin' up here any minute now."

@chainxdancer

[sludge-wizard]

List of my headcanons that are real from the movie:

-Luigi struggles to keep up with Mario for health reasons (He states he has bad knees in the opening) -Luigi is scared of big dogs -Luigi 100% swears ("That HELLhound is gonna escape!") -Luigi was a gifted kid ("You're bringing your brother down with you", the refusal to talk back at dinner, the block castle) -Luigi 100% eats whatever Mario doesn't like (Taking the mushrooms from his pasta, eating it when Mario doesn't want to) -Mario and Luigi are VERY SMALL GUYS -Mario was NOT a golden/perfect child -Luigi is a bit of a mama's boy, likely due to being shy and her needing to do things on his behalf (Giving him his soup directly after he struggled to get any bread or salad, THANKS UNCLE TONY) -The boys share a room -Mario sucks as video games but still plays them because he's stubborn -Large immigrant family living together -Mario is an INCREDIBLY stubborn person -Princess Peach is less of a ruler and more of a guardian/protector/spokesperson -King Boo and the presence of boos in Bowser's strongholds implies he's taken over their former spaces when they were alive ("the darklands. they're under Bowser's control") -The shell is NOT part of the Koopa's body (The dry bones had a separated spine from the shell) -Coins are pretty big -The blue shell is the highest ranking troop, with other shell colours indicating rank as well. -Power ups are as much a tool as a weapon -Cheep cheeps are just fish -There's an entire kingdom of Kongs, containing both monkeys and gorillas -Cranky Kong is Donkey Kong Senior, and Donkey Kong's father -Mario was not a natural at all, even if he was a sporty kid -Power-ups can actively transform the body and not JUST augment it (The super-bell giving mario cat reflexes and adjusting his joints to operate like a cat's. also a plus, he purrs when grooming himself and makes biscuits on DK's back briefly) -Shortcuts to skip worlds are real (The cannons, rainbow road) -Anti grav can be toggled, but will auto enable under certain conditions -Bowser's green scales run down his back and under his shell (it's hard to see but noticeable in the fake proposal scene) -Mario is a kart guy and peach is a Bike gal -Koopas tend to greatly admire feats of strength and power, and sparing somebody is seen as very romantic. -bullet bills are sentient -all humans are cartoony -Bowser isn't just a bully, he's actually a sad and hurt person who grew up alone and likely fought for the throne

[pianokantzart]

The One To Blame

A one shot based off this discussion, so I hold @a-la-orilla-del-rio and @istadris responsible.

UPDATE: It has expanded past being a one shot and is now available on A03, (or you can continue reading it here on Tumblr): Part 2 Part 3

______ Luigi hid amongst the jagged stone and brutish architecture of Bowser's castle, thankful for the large collection of self-aggrandizing statues that provided the perfect cover, creating long dark shadows and small cramped corners he could hide in. At the same time, the decor pricked at old memories that he struggled to push aside: bound and frightened, disoriented and confused, dragged by aching wrists to where he and Bowser first met face to face. Luigi would’ve been happy to stay a thousand miles away from The Darklands for the rest of his life, but he couldn't allow his brother to embark on this rescue mission all by himself. Even if Luigi knew for certain that Mario didn't need his help, he wished to do everything in his power to see to Princess Peach's safe return. She had put her life on the line to save him once before, it was only right to do the same for her.

Luigi's head began to ache from unreleased adrenaline as he crept along the edges of the throne room, slowly venturing near enough to hear the group of voices gathered around Bowser. The small plumber tentatively peeked out from obsidian pedestal of one of the statues, and observed the unfolding scene. The King of The Koopas stood at the base of his towering throne of masonry and wrought iron, Kamek at one side, and on his other side Princess Peach, locked in an enormous gilded cage of rose gold, filled with plush pink furniture. She was safe. Unhappy, of course, but unharmed. Luigi allowed himself a quiet sigh of relief.

Bowser was commiserating with a squadron of paratroopers, the most highly decorated of them fluttering at the forefront, eye-to-eye with the king.

"The Prison Ship was forced to make an emergency landing near The Valley Fortress,” the soldier explained with a salute. “Word got back that Mario has disappeared, but he couldn’t have gone far! We'll recapture him soon enough."

Hearing this, Luigi couldn't help but smile. The Prison Ship was where he and Mario were forced to split up. It was where Luigi had no choice but to run for the sake of his own survival and leave his big brother behind. Mario did his best to ease Luigi's fears, swearing his own safety and promising that he'd figure out a plan. It appeared Mario was true to his word, and now Bowser's forces were running themselves ragged trying to track him down. It was as good a spur-of-the-moment plan as any: Mario would hold the attention of The Dark Lands while he– Luigi – freed Princess Peach. They’d escape the castle, regroup with Mario, and find their way back to The Mushroom Kingdom. Simple. Easy. No problem.

The paratrooper proved himself worthy of his position as he remained firm in his saluting position, not even flinching as Bowser began to shout.

"Don't recapture him! Sparing him at all was a mistake! Give the order to kill on sight!" "No!" The harsh voice of Princess Peach, normally so calm and gentle, was startling to hear as she slammed her fists against the cage door. The sincerity in her upset appeared to flip a switch in Bowser's manner, evoking something resembling sympathy. He dismissed his troops, and as they fluttered out of the room Bowser turned to his beloved, hands held out plaintively.

"Peaches! I know it's hard to accept, but this is what is best for us, I promise you!" "Us?!" Peach huffed, struggling to maintain her royal composure. "There is no us! Ever since we've met you have done nothing but try to destroy everything I care about!" "Exactly! we've been fighting each other for so long when we should have been fighting for each other! You didn't even have time to recognize my good qualities, just like it took me so long to finally recognize yours..." He looked almost pitiable, big-eyed and pleading as he kneeled down and held his hands over his heart. "But you'll see! I'll prove to you how much of a match we are. You'll forget those silly, fleeting feelings you had for Mario-" "No! I… There are no feelings, Bowser!" Luigi couldn't help but feel Peach's voice lacked conviction, but he hoped that the draconic tyrant would take her for her word as she continued... "We're friends. Just friends, don't you understand? And Mario doesn't love me either. The only reason he ever accompanied me was because he was worried about his brother."

A strange silence hung in the air. Luigi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and Peach placed her hands to her mouth in slow realization of the dangers of what she'd just said. Before she could make an effort to undo her mistake, Bowser broke the silence.

"His brother... Luigi," he muttered in a voice thick with revulsion. "So, he's the one Mario told you he was after? And if the gossip that floats between your palace guards is worth believing, Luigi is also the one who first discovered the warp pipe that led to our world."

"Bowser, please don't." Peach begged, "he's my friend too." "Why!?" Luigi couldn't help but cover his ears as Bowser's voice shook the throne room. Smoke poured from his nostrils, his chest heaving with rage. "He didn't train with you! He didn't travel alongside you! He didn't go to the ends of the earth to win you over! All he ever did was jump in at the last second to save Mario!" That final sentence triggered a fresh wave of anger. His eyes flashed red, clawed hands curling in front of him like he was trying to wring an invisible throat. "Mario. I'd have already killed him if it wasn't for his stinkin' brother! I knew he was trouble since he first snuck into my territory... speaking to me like I was an idiot! Telling lies!... Telling me that I... I wasn't good enough for you!" And just like that, his fearsome roars tapered off into the whimpering tone of a spurned teenager. Luigi– backing a little further into the shadows cast by the stone– never felt so confused in his life. Hearing a creature of such fearful, unrestrained power act so hurt over a mere insult was bewildering in and of itself, but Luigi was certain he hadn’t said anything like that. He still couldn't quite remember how that conversation went... the memory was too terrifying to recall between the moment he admitted his brother's name and the moment he was thrown to the floor, but surely he didn’t say that!

Then, beyond the haze of confusion, a new realization dawned on him… Kamek had been awfully silent. Luigi glanced about the throne room, slowly realizing that he had been so focused on Peach and Bowser’s conversation that he didn’t see where Kamek had disappeared to. That was when an innate sense of danger pricked at his heart, and a familiar voice spoke from behind him: “Well well well! Speak of the devil…” On instinct Luigi ducked to the side, dodging a blast of magic that would have rendered him immobile. With equal swiftness, he followed it up with a kick to Kamek’s hand that sent his wand flying across the room. Luigi would’ve congratulated himself for his quick reflexes, had the heavy thud of fast-approaching footsteps not robbed him of all sense of victory.

The struggle was brief. A clawed hand came down, narrowly dodged. Luigi flinched and stumbled as bits of rubble from the damaged statue pelted his face, and that moment of half-blindness was all that Bowser needed. Next thing Luigi knew, a familiar, scaly palm clamped down around his torso and lifted him into the air, squeezing so tight he couldn’t even take a breath.

 “Kamek!” Bowser’s voice called. “Yes, sire?” The wizard asked meekly, fixing his glasses and rubbing his sore hand while crossing the room to recollect his wand. “Keep an eye on my bride to be. I have a score to settle” Luigi felt his body jolted about like a ragdoll with every step Bowser took toward the doors leading out of the room. The plumber struggled, kicking his feet and twisting his body, trying to wrench himself free until Bowser’s grip tightened further, and Luigi’s inability to breathe turned into a sharp pain that made him fear being snapped in half. He went passive then, falling limp in hopes of buying himself some time. Head bowed, he stared hopelessly at Princess Peach as the distance between them grew wider. He mouthed an attempt at an apology. The Princess stretched a hand through the bars, as though if she strained against her cage hard enough she could break through and come to his aid. “Don’t hurt him! Please!” she begged. “We’re both royals, aren’t we? Let’s negotiate! Bowser!”

Her words went unheeded. She only had time to call Bowser’s name once more before her voice was cut off by the heavy doors slamming shut, leaving Bowser alone with his new scapegoat clasped tightly in the palm of his hand.

[girl4music]

AKEMI: “I’ll be your student, Xena. You’ll take me with you. You’ll teach me everything you know.”

Oh, the audacity, Tapert. THE AUDACITY!

I swear this was riskier than the actual episode.

Xena. The woman warrior known for picking up young girls and falling in love with them. And then they die.

Except it was the other way around this time. Xena died. And the young girl had to live without her. Until she died and then they’d reunite again in another life.

And on and on and on. To me this was way better than “happily ever after” but I digress. I’m one of the very few longtime Xenites that actually likes ‘AFIN’. Appreciates it for its beautiful aesthetics even if the story is a little whack and the endgame is so unfair.

However, watching ‘AFIN’ in the Spaghettl Order is not that bad considering it’s a mid-season finale instead and ‘When Fates Collide’ rewrites the timeline and then it moves straight on to The Ring Trilogy.

Anyone else find it ironic that Xena’s sins with the most grievous consequences were unintended arson?

Cirra, Callisto’s hometown. A fire she never intended to cause wiping out Callisto’s family all except for her, resulting in her going on a life-long venge-streak to hunt Xena down and absolutely destroy her soul.

Higuchi, capital of Japa. A fire she never intended to cause wiping out 40,000 men, women and children because she was intoxicated and grieving over a young girl she had fallen in love with and committed seppuku to whose souls ended up becoming devoured by Yodoshi, Lord of the Darklands so that they died unabsolved, were trapped and had to be avenged.

It’s just ironic to me that the things that had the worst consequences for Xena were things she never even meant to happen. Has anyone else even picked up on this parallel and about Xena’s individual arc in general?

The things she meant to do, she never payed for.

The things she didn’t, she payed a huge price for.

It’s like it’s saying it doesn’t matter what she does - be it good or evil - she can’t escape from it and will suffer.

Imagine purposefully committing all these crimes, destroying all these lives and causing so much pain….

And yet you’re brought to justice over something you never even meant or wanted to happen. It’s insane.

But it’s as I keep saying. Redemption is not chosen. You can’t make it happen. It’s decided by others.

You can devote your life (and your unlife) to redeeming yourself from the evil you’ve done (or haven’t done)

It makes no damn difference because what YOU do wont’t ever matter. All that matters is what you do.

So absolutely,… the greatest consequences to your actions may not even be actions you ever intended.

Which just goes to show you how much actions in general do have consequences. There’s no control. Things spiral out of order and the chaos will damn you.

I understand ‘AFIN’. I don’t like what it’s telling me or showing me but I understand the awful message of it.

Redemption isn’t earned. It can’t be. It’s only decided.

It’s not up to you. You either get it or you don’t.

So whatever you do to atone for your sins or continue to perpetuate those sins doesn’t matter at all.

You just do it anyway because that’s all that matters.

Xena got let off for everything she intended to do.

But she paid the worst cost for everything she didn’t.

The only choice she could make in this was what happened to her. The choice to stay alive or stay dead.

She chose to stay dead and leave behind her love.

THAT is what ultimately redeemed her.

[rosemaidenvixen]

Tales of Arcadia Halloween Fic recs

Any TOA fans out there looking for something spooky to read around Halloween? Well then this is the the list for you! A compilation of my favorite horror and Halloween themed Tales of Arcadia fics. Some of these are safe for all ages, but some do lean hard into horror, so mind the tags and read with caution.

Arcane Blight @avirxy Do you like horror? Do you like Tales of Arcadia? If the answer is yes to both then stop what you're doing and read this. Takes place in an alternate universe where Jim is the new kid in Arcadia, and he quickly realizes that this innocent looking town has dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. To say any more would ruin a lot of the truly gut punching, jaw dropping twists and turns this story has.

The Changeling Masquerade @earth-ambassador-jim Takes place in the author's changeling Toby au. Shows how exactly changelings celebrate Halloween, but with a sinister twist.

Tear Me In Two (The Moonlight Will Anyway) @avirxy Two words. Werewolf Claire. In a monster hunter au Claire gets a nasty bite from a lycanthrope and the whole group struggles with the consequences. One of my all time favorite pieces of werewolf media for the absolutely phenomenal way it explores what it means to unleash the beast within.

Through the Veil @pinkytoothlesso11 This one's just getting started, but holy hell what a start! Jim doesn't given much credibility to Eli's ramblings of monsters and conspiracies in their town, until he witnesses someone he trusts performing a horrific ritual on Halloween night that brings everything he thought he knew into question. Now Jim and his friends are far from home and lost in a world hostile to human kind, and no guarantee that they'll make it home safe.

Something's wrong with Arcadia @earth-ambassador-jim When Jim and team Trollhunters aren't running around causing problems, what does the average Joe think of the strangeness going on in Arcadia? Bular and goblins and changelings shown from a mundane point of view in a way that's absolutely chilling.

31 Days in the Darklands @xdeusxmachinax Not technically a Halloween story, but takes place near and on Halloween with tons of horror and spooky imagery. I always give it a re-read each spooky season. In the wake of an unconventional treaty Strickler struggles to keep balance between Trollmarket, the Janus order, Arcadia, and the Darklands but the universe seems to sabotage him at each stage, and there's more than just pumpkin spice in the air this year in Arcadia.

Snippets, Snails, and Trollish Tales @whitherwanderyouspirit Some mostly Stricklake centered Halloween one shoots ranging from sweet to spooky to downright terrifying.

The Manor atop the Hill @avirxy A Haunted House story like you've never seen done before. When a desperate and frightened Jim follows his mother into the mysterious mansion on the outskirts of town he finds himself trapped in more ways than one. No one has lived in this house for as long as anyone can remember, but it is far from empty. Forced to rely on ghosts and a mysterious girl, Jim has to keep his wits about him if he wants to escape with his life, and his soul, intact.

cave bestiam @rosemaidenvixen Based on the online two sentance horror story "A girl heard her mom yell her name from downstairs, so she got up and started to head down. As she got to the stairs, her mom pulled her into her room and said, “I heard that, too.” But staring Barbara and Jim.

Fear of Fears @rosemaidenvixen An alternate take on my sunshine au. Jim decideds to sneak out on Halloween by passing his troll form off as a costume, a decision that will ripple outward into horrific consequences.

Tales of All Hallows Eve @rosemaidenvixen Collection of my Halloween themed one shots and drabbles.

Dig your eight graves @rosemaidenvixen Eight teens from Arcadia wander far from home and suffer a brutal attack from an evil that was much closer to home than they could ever imagine. Alone and traumatized, one of them makes a bargain in order to reclaim what was taken from them. They gain everything they ask for and more, but lose more than they ever thought possible.

A Bunch of Hocus Pocus @rosemaidenvixen A collection of 31 spooky and Halloween themed one shots for Tales of Arcadia and The Owl House, released one per day each day of October until Halloween.

[monstersdownthepath]

Monster Spotlight: Destrachan

CR 8

Neutral Evil Large Aberration

Bestiary 2, pg. 83 (image from 2nd Edition's Bestiary 2, pg. 71)

These are one of my favorite creatures and I never did an article on them? Huh. I could have sworn I already did! Oh well! Here we go...

These sadistic stalkers always have an ear out for potential prey, as they're utterly blind and navigate entirely by sound and smell. They're willing and able to feed on whatever carrion they may stumble across, but they prize live meat--of course everyone who knows Golarion's predators will know the next sentence by heart--especially the meat of sapient creatures, as they draw immense amusement from hearing their screams. Almost as much as they love meat, they love fun, and their primary fun comes from stalking and tormenting potential prey, going so far as to know local languages just so they can better understand the pleas for mercy coming from their meals.

Within the tunnels and caverns of the Darklands, one must keep an ear out for the distinct trills and clicks they make as they echolocate, because by the time you hear it, it's likely heard you, and you have about 6 seconds to figure out what you're going to do about it. Their sense of smell is nothing to write home about (they lack Scent), but the true star of the show is their sense of hearing, a sense more acute than most creatures far above their own CR. The book notes that their ears are so complex that they can 'filter' unwanted sounds out while still catching others, which mechanically grants them Sonic Resistance 30 and heightened saves versus Sonic effects and spells. Lore-wise, this allows them to hear conversations being spoken over underground waterfalls, the skittering of mice over their own footsteps... and the hammering heart of a creature struggling to stand still and stay silent.

There is no hiding from one of these creatures; if you're near enough to hear it walking and breathing, that's far too late. If a Destrachan is acting like it hasn't noticed you, it's toying with you and relishing in your panic. With an incredible 100ft of blindsight and +27 to Perception besides, there's very few creatures that can evade the sensory radius of a Destrachan when it's searching for prey, and with +19 to Survival checks to track creatures who've managed to escape it, the only real way out of being hunted by one of these horrors is to either kill it, or hope some more amusing prey comes along.

Up close, Destrachan are just as lethal as they look. Their Claw-Claw-Bite deals 1d8+4 and 2d6+4 damage, respective, though they have Vital Strike available if prey is too mobile for them to make Full-Attacks against; especially easy, considering their tiny arms means they only have a 5ft reach instead of the normal 10. Of course, if prey is too mobile, they have another far more horrible attack at their disposal, one heard for miles around echoing through the tunnels of the Darklands: Destructive Harmonics. This incredibly flexible and dangerous attack is the Destrachan's bread and butter, quickly incapacitating or killing nearly any creature they encounter.

Destructive Harmonics has five modes, divided between two areas (an 80ft line or 30ft burst), two effects (Destruction and Pain), and one fifth category we'll get into later, and the horror can switch between them on the fly with zero effort or preparation. Unlike other breath weapons, this ability is usable at will and has no cooldown, allowing it to freely torment foes with a form of attack there's little defense against. The charmingly named modes of this attack, Destruction and Pain, both have different utility to the beast; Pain shocks a victim's nervous system with a shrill shriek so disorienting that it can stun any creature caught in the blast for 1 round and deafen them for 1d6 more if a DC 19 Fortitude save is failed, while Destruction is much more straightforward as a blast of 8d6 Sonic damage that a DC 19 Reflex save halves. If it so wishes, it can cause the damage to be nonlethal instead of Sonic damage, potentially knocking out prey so it can be dragged back to the Destrachan's nest and/or hungry packmates and enjoyed fresh.

Destruction has more to it than just pure creature damage, though. Normally, items caught in an AoE blast aren't considered unless the effect itself specifies they are, and even then items take half damage from all elemental effects, but these sonic lizards have ways around that. The Destrachan can target any item made of crystal, stone, metal, wood, or similar within 80ft of it and deliver an alarmingly precise blast of subsonic energy to that object alone rather than blasting an area with concussive force. The subsonic blast deals full damage to whatever it hits aside from whatever is subtracted by Hardness, and with an average damage of around 26, it can break through most impediments (and shatter most mundane equipment) in short order, leaving its prey defenseless. This power allows the horrors to play sadistic games with their prey, destroying their weapons before breaking every piece of cover they hoped to hide behind, all the while getting closer every round until it can practically taste them...

I like to imagine a party hiding inside a sturdy house or similar from one, only to hear it prowling outside, gently tapping on the walls with its claws to assure it gets the frequency right, then it steps away, giving the party some relief... and then they hear a strange sound that puts an unusual pressure on their ears seconds before the wall suddenly caves in, leaving them open to the next, far more harmful scream that's likely to tear them to ribbons. Do you think Destrachan have Skull Exploding Contests with each other?

You can read more about them here.

[cuppajj]

If you are bold enough--and unfortunate enough--to venture into the dark forsaken tunnels where no flower grows, deep into the abyssal labyrinth that only those well trained to traverse them dare to go, you will enter the hunting grounds of the Darkland's most terrifying occupant. He is not known by name, but is given many from the fear he has struck into Thalamhan's sparks. No one knows where he came from and why he does what he does, and all attempts to slay him have been futile.

[more info below but TW for robocannibalism]

He is unnaturally large for a Thalamite. His servos can easily encompass an entire head, and he can pick most Thalamites up with ease. It is unknown why he has such great size, but no matter the case, it renders an encounter with him even trickier to escape; and chances of such are already next to none. He is an extremely proficient hunter, blending into the darkness with near-silent footfalls, stalking prey who are none the wiser. His prey are other Thalamites, which he eats indiscriminately--darklanders included.

When he catches his prey, he lets his presence known by illuminating himself a ghastly blue. Then, with his antennae and throat, creates deep and reverberating melodies that disorient them, stripping them of their spatial awareness. As he doesn't like seeing his prey struggle, he paralyzes them so they can no longer move. Finally, he bites into their metal and protoform, assuring a quicker death by tearing off a chunk of their neck. Once done with his meal, he leaves almost no trace behind.

He usually devours Thalamites in centipede mode; however, if the Thalamite is on the smaller side, he will partially transform back into his root mode, using his smaller mouth to eat instead.

He believes in purpose, that his prey were meant to be his food, no matter who they are.

[albentelisa]

Hi there! Any headcannon about Jim and Nomura?

Hi!

I consider Nomura one of the characters Jim 'liberated' in some manner (much like Draal). When they bonded in the Darklands, Nomura was obviously at that low point in her life when she just had given up on any chance to escape from the confines of the Janus Order and simply decided to go with the flow.

I can imagine that her life before that hadn't been that favorable. I have a headcanon that Nomura's familiar family wasn't that kind and loving to her (most likely, at least one of them suspected something was off). I also believe that Nomura isn't very good when it comes to acting skills or something like charming people (she's too straight-forward for that), and that didn't give her many favor points within the Janus Order (she had only gotten that high because Stricklander cherished her battle prowess).

Nomura calls Jim Little Gynt, but to my mind, she is Gynt in her own story too, endlessly searching for her own place in the world. 'Peer Gynt' had resonated with her for a reason. Not to mention, that the ending of that one is somehow hopeful, meaning that young Nomura felt there could be a salvation for her too. Another headcanon I have is that Nomura believed that her place could be by Draal's side at some point, but when he discovered her true nature and never listened to her explanation, everything just went to hell, probably nearly obliterating any resolve she had.

And then Nomura got trapped in the Darklands and used as a scapegoat by Gunmar, even though nothing was her fault. I feel that was the lowest.

It's where Jim came into the picture, refusing to give up despite being just a human child and defying all the odds. Somehow, I keep imagining him talking a lot to Nomura while they stayed in cells next to each other, keeping the mood hopeful. Most likely, he told her about his trollhunting adventures (and I hope that Draal also came up a lot).

Nomura didn't expect to be saved from the Darklands. She was a villain, she had no one to care about her and most importantly, she had her hopes crushed too many times before. So Jim insisting on saving her despite everything meant a lot to her afterward. I feel that when she was out she decided to live her life anew, this time true to herself.

When Nomura returned in season three, I feel she did it for Jim's sake. I think that Nomura is highly devoted to those she cherishes and after getting away from the Janus Order she's free to demonstrate it. And obviously, Jim is dear to her heart. One of my friends believes that Strickler talked Nomura into returning, but personally I love the idea of them both coming to the same decision separately and meeting while heading back to Arcadia.

I know that it's quite a common idea that Nomura is Jim's adoptive aunt, but I feel that she is both aunt and an older sister figure. Though, again, do we need any labels when it comes to found family?

Another of my headcanons is that Jim and Nomura bonded even more during their journey to New Jersey. She most likely was his sparring partner and the one who helped him with finding some balance between human and troll instincts (Strickler too - but he could only call occasionally). I can imagine that it was when Nomura finally got opened more to talk about her past. And both she and jim mourned Draal's death together.

[yuki2sksksk]

[ Demon Slayer × Trollhunters idea ] (2)

[ Sengoku era ]

" No, no, you don't understand! That girl is a demon! She's not my daughter! GIVE MY BABY BACK YOU DEMON -- !! "

Someone drapes a haori over Nomura, covering her view from the commotion. She doesn't know why she stands around like an idiot, she wasn't trained to be stilled when an enemy struck to hurt. But then again...even she needed a moment after almost being drowned to death by her 'mother'.

Leave it a mother's intuition to reveal the changeling's true nature...

Nomura supposes a day like this will come, for her the mother to seek the truth of her real daughter. It just didn't come to the young changeling's mind that the woman would do something as drastic as this; attempting to drown her while bombarding her with questions. If it wasn't for the passerby, maybe Nomura had to kill the woman in order to survive.

Her heart (whatever is left of it) aches. The mother didn't start out like this in the beginning, only to become suspicious after a few years raising the changeling like her own daughter. Attachment is a dangerous thing, her naivety and hope has led to this mess...

" Nomura, is it? "

The man that had given her his haori kneels down to her level. She manages to dart her eyes away from the screaming and struggling mother being carried away by other people. Reminding herself of her purpose, she gathers tears to spill, eyebrows already furrowed as she brings her hands to grasp tightly on her kimono, a mask of sorrow is about to be slid on --

Green eyes find maroon-red ones, and a sudden pressure makes the changeling freezes.

The human before her doesn't look too much out of the ordinary. He looks simple, humble even. His expression says nothing of his emotions, but Nomura notices the way his hand rests on the hilt of his sheathed sword by his hip. The earrings on his ears sway as he tilts his head a bit.

" What are you? " He doesn't beat around the bushes.

A spark of panic rises in her. Something is off with this human, and every danger senses of hers are screaming in terror.

" M-Mister...what are you talking about..? " Play innocent, play weak, play clueless --

" You're not a demon. " His voice draws on without a single tone of anything that reveals his emotions.

" Of c-course I am not, mister -- "

" Do you eat humans? "

The question almost has her stagger. No, she doesn't eat humans. Her other changeling comrades may find some pleasure in doing so, but she has never tasted a human's blood since she came out of the Darklands.

" No. "

Nomura curses herself, for allowing her voice cracks and revealing that she's not a pitiful looking child that she masked herself to be. She darts her eyes around, trying to find an opening for her escape. Fighting back is not option unless she wants more people to see her for what she is. She can scream, draw more attention for the others to come and separate her from this man --

" Is she safe? "

This one has her gaze snaps back to the man immediately.

" What? "

" The child you replaced, " his gaze never waver, " is she safe? "

For once, the truth is her saving grace. Nomura nods. " Yes. "

The man stares at her for a few more seconds before withdrawing away, his hand leaves his sword and he straightens up. Despite the clear space between them, this doesn't reassure the changeling the slightest.

Her human father comes to fetch Nomura, and she silently curses her guardian for being so late. The haori stays on as they take their leave, and she can feel the man's stare on her back like a sharp dagger.

Nomura doesn't dare to look back.

[sofiafantasies]

MASTERLIST

Rise of the Guardians

This is inspired by two posts of @procrastinatorimagines

Jack Frost

Imagine: Jack seeing you for the first time but you can’t see him

Imagine: Jack observing you tuck in your sibling into bed that believes in him

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Tales of Arcadia

Day 1, Incorrect Quotes

Day 3, Incorrect Quotes, Tales of Arcadia

Day 4, Incorrect Quotes, Tales of Arcadia

Day 5, Incorrect Quotes, Tales of Arcadia

Day 6, Incorrect Quotes, Tales of Arcadia

Day 7, Incorrect Quotes, Tales of Arcadia

Day 8, Incorrect Quotes, Tales of Arcadia

Reblog

Tales of Arcadia, Incorrect Quotes

Who's the Imposter?

A random Oc of mine plotted in a few episodes of Trollhunters.

Something Rotten This Way Comes - S1 Ep26

Escape from the Darklands - S2 Ep1

x reader

A Snow Experiment

A Snow Experiment Part 2

3 Below

Arcadia Tales, Krel Tarron x alien!reader

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The Flash, Netflix

IMAGINE: being Nora's wife and going back in time to save Barry and Iris

Epic: The Musical

Just because...

Don’t be Afraid…I’m Home