#game master cinematic universe

[clarionglass]

for those of you keeping up with the sam reich!master/game master cinematic universe currently being masterminded by the delightful @northernfireart and my good self: oh BOY there's a part 3 coming, and she's a doozy, currently clocking in at 9600+ words with a decent chunk still to go. the end is in sight, though, and while i might split the final post into two or maybe three parts, depending on how i'm feeling, hopefully i'll be able to get the first of those parts out on sunday/monday (time zones...) to fill the hole left by the game changer episode that should be released at that time...

however! delayed gratification is for chumps! so to whet your collective appetite, i've put together a "trailer" of scene fragments >:3 feel free to read on its own, or while listening to this particular track for added ambience!

trailer starts under the cut for those who want to launch into part 3 when it comes out without spoilers :)

The Doctor ran his hands over the TARDIS console, marvelling at her clean lines and metallic flourishes, the way that even now she felt brand new but familiar, and paused. He’d just pop off for a quick adventure, nothing too dangerous, but—where to go?

He could scan for a distress call nearby, and pitch in to help. He could drop in on Donna and Shaun and Rose, beautiful Rose, and see how they were all doing. Or he could just hit the randomiser button, and jump in feet first wherever he ended up.

\\\

This was a game show. And with the Toymaker banished, and Satellite Five not coming into existence for another 198000 years, give or take, the Doctor found himself smiling. Maybe third time would be the charm.

///

“Get ready for a Game Changer!” came the host’s voice from onstage. “Tonight’s guests: he can shoot off a monologue with laser accuracy; it’s Brennan Lee Mulligan!”

Brennan, his back to the camera as the curtains opened, spun on his heel and, with a stone-cold expression, pointed finger guns straight down the barrel, before letting the facade crack open. “Hi!” he exclaimed, and walked over to the leftmost podium.

“It’s his first appearance, but he’s already on fire; it’s the Doctor!”

The Doctor leant against the archway to the stage and flashed a broad smile towards the camera, then in a few skipping steps, had bounded over to the next free podium. 

“And even in the toughest of mazes, you’ll always be able to find him; it’s Grant O’Brien!”

Grant dipped his lanky frame into an approximation of a curtsey, spreading his arms wide, then sauntered over to the closest podium with a grin.

“And your host, me!” Sam Reich announced, a ring of manic white showing around his irises as he beamed down the barrel of the camera. “I’ve been here the whole time!”

\\\

—and then came the crash, the explosive noise of heavy machinery moving relentlessly through a drywall set.

The Doctor was already moving. “Everyone down!”

“Duck!” Brennan yelled at the same time.

The two of them hit the ground within milliseconds of each other, but Grant was still paralysed in the face of the giant, science-fiction type laser cannon that had just ploughed through the wall. 

///

“I’m going to hate this so much,” Brennan muttered.

“So’s he,” Grant smirked, then raised his voice. “Oh, Daddy,” he started in a breathy singsong. “Daddy, do you want to make us play for you, huh? Do you want to degrade us, Daddy? Hurt us?”

\\\

“You’ll never get to them all in time,” came the voice through the speaker, dangerously soft. “You can try, of course, but if you die up here, well. That just leaves your new human friends alone with me while you regenerate, and goodness knows what I can do in that time.”

“You don’t get to do that,” the Doctor growled, even as another detonator deactivated. “You don’t get to hurt them because of me.”

For a moment, only laughter echoed into the room. “Better make your decision now, Doctor. Two detonators down, eleven to go, and they’ll reach spark point in ten… nine…”

///

“But you won't, don't you see? Nobody can win a rigged game—the best you can do is run it through to the end. You're standing at that podium, and we're over here, and that's why you can't win. Because no matter how many points you take away from me, you never had points at all. You want to beat me? Then play.” 

\\\

“Run?” Brennan suggested.

“Run!”

///

“And lastly, Doctor.” Sam’s smile broadened. “Sam says: say my name.”

“You can’t be,” the Doctor breathed. 

Sam smirked, leaning in across his podium. “Oh, but Doctor… I’ve been here the whole time,” he stage-whispered with a wink.

“He said you lost,” the Doctor said, shaking his head, looking wrong-footed for the first time that Brennan and Grant could recall. “You lost, and he trapped you.”

Sam just smiled, drumming his fingers against the podium with an audible beat, fast but distinct. Four taps, four taps, four taps. “I’m waiting.”

The Doctor took a slow, deep breath. Set his jaw. 

“Master.”

[guardian-of-da-gay]

For @sonicfashionweek's prompt: 'Traditional' (this isn't late shhh)

The high priestess would've performed a ceremony, formally welcoming the Master Emerald back to the tribe. But there are no more priestesses. There's no one else at all. So Knuckles makes do.

[northernfireart]

craziest duo EVERYONE GO AND READ THE FULL STORY BY @clarionglass !!!

[alfairy]

[flare-vortex]

MvC2isFree after all these years <33

I was planning on drawing Wolverine for X-Men '97, but I figured I'd make it Marvel vs Capcom related too and add Ken in there as well <3

[i-drink-and-i-write-fics]

Master List

Hey all! I wanted to post this again for any new followers. My link in the bio should still work, but this is easier for new readers.

These are also on AO3 so if you want to read them now and a link isn’t working, just click on my AO3 link in my description.

GN = Gender Neutral, OFC = Original Female Character, OMC = Original Male Character, Fem!Reader = Female Reader

/ or x = Romantic, & = Platonic

Most dividers by Firefly Graphics (others from Google search)

Gifs and Pics thanks to Google Search

All Marvel Stories Here.

DCEU Stories Here.

LoTR/The Hobbit Stories Here.

Game of Thrones Stories Here.

Into The Badlands Stories Here.

Sleepover Stories

[itsa-me-lily]

Listen I'm a Whore for Positive Feedback

Military Program Spouse has spiraled into this entire cinematic universe, it is going to include the other guys, the master playlist is here. This is the playlist for Simon and his reader Thimble

Note; hard limits are the following (meaning I don’t write for them) Piss, Scat, Animal Cruelty, Knife/Blood Play, Rape (cnc toes the line), Wanting to do Actual Serious Harm to your Partner. (This list is likely to expand as I think of more things)

Note note; I try to keep non Drabble asks under mps asks, we’ll see how well that works

Note note note; the only order these are in is the order of which I’ve thought of them and posted lol

Note^4; this AU is probably going to be a slow burn type thing. If I get an ask for something or I get inspiration for sure I'm going to post it, but I'm really liking thinking about about how this relationship really develops from strangers to whatever it is my brain cooks up. If you want an answer as to why check here

Original Idea

A Little Sugar

Welcome to the Crafter Life

Walking Petri Dish

Who’s God Damn Baby its That?

Good Soup

That’s My Purse

I Don’t Know You (Sequel to That’s My Purse. The titles make sense to me when you put them together)

Help Me Make it Through the Night

His Honor

What's in the Box?

Do Ya Have Any Grapes?

It's a Quarter After One

*Gasp* Nine Inches

A Thimble by Any Other Name

Pick Up Game

Who's Flying the Airplane?

Emotional Support Bat

Where's My Treat?

All The Small Things

If The Fates Allow

My Shiny Teeth and Me

General questions

Piiiiiiiiiigs

[okaystoptellingmetomakeanaccount]

Okay alright guys. It's two thousand twenty something, new year, Mickey Mouse is in the public domain, doctor who is starting from season 1 again and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is probably on fire right now(not in a good way). Disney is distracted and we must plague them into making their best villain into a big thing outside of comics.

This year we must infect the English speaking world with Phantom Blot propaganda as much as we can. We need them unknowing Americans to see the light.

Everybody has been complaining these days about there not being enough real good villains. Everybody wants the Phantom Blot. They just don't know it yet.

Blah blah Disney and their emotional trauma is the real villain, Disney and their terrible twist villains, etc etc. They have the solution right here

Look at him doesn't he look like a great solution?

There needs to be more Blot demand. I demand that he is actually the big bad in that stupid mobile game that now also has a manga. You will like the phantom blot I swear you will hes cool And cOOl aNd yOU WILL LIKE HIM WHY ARE YOU RUNNING AWAY

That picture is me, i stabbed them for not liking the phantom blot.

Anyways. Phantom Blot propaganda. That was it. By the end of the year I want everyone to know the guy. Soon he will be on the big screen, on the small screen(not as a magica hating loser smh ducktales) and they should sell black cloaks in Disneyland. Make the people aware that they need him because they do. Fantagraphics you can help where is the Nucci/Casty volume of Disney masters containing their three Phantom Blot stories

So here I declare 202? as the year of Blotty, ignore that it's Donald's 90th anniversary.

[lotusbxtch]

Lotusbxtch's Master List

Hello darlings! Check below for a list of all of my fics, broken down by characters. I'll continue updating this as I write more, but since I reblog like a maniac, it's easier to use this to navigate my writings.

As a general rule, my writing is mature/explicit and 18+. Please check the ratings, warnings, and tags before reading so you know what you're getting!

I'm also on AO3 if you prefer reading there, at lotusbxtch.

Pedro Pascal Cinematic Universe

Joel Miller - The Last of Us

Series:

-- SoCal to NorCal masterlist- Frankie Morales x f!Reader x Joel Miller (ft. Santiago Garcia) Joel is your rock, and Frankie is your ocean. So what happens when you bring the three of you together? || You and Frankie roadtrip up from Southern California to Northern California so he can meet Joel. A polyamory fic.

One-Shots:

-- Juno - Joel Miller x f!Reader NEW!

Your honeymoon with Joel is off to a bang.

— Lightning of the Blaze - Joel Miller x f!Reader

-- don't ruin this on me - Joel Miller x f! Reader

— and I lost you (Taylor Swift Drabble Challenge) - Joel Miller x f!Reader

— Sunlight (Hozier Drabble Challenge) - Joel Miller x gn!Reader Joel Miller has avoided love, pushed it away at the first sight to stay in the darkness. But then he meets you, and he wonders if he was wrong after all.

— a morning after drabble - Joel Miller x gn!Reader

Frankie Morales - Triple Frontier

Series:

-- SoCal to NorCal masterlist - Frankie Morales x f!Reader x Joel Miller (ft. Santiago Garcia)

Jack Daniels - Kingsmen: The Golden Circle

-- Ocean's Gold: An Offering Of Frith Story - Jack Daniels x f!Reader [Offering of Frith Challenge] Jack Daniels, retired from the Statesmen, signs you on as the business partner for his new brewpub. Sparks fly, and you wonder if it could ever be more.

Oscar Isaac Cinematic Universe

Poe Dameron - Star Wars

One-Shots:

-- The Best Ride in the Galaxy - Poe Dameron x f!Reader You have a thing for Poe's flight suit. He decides to be a cocky asshole about it. Sexy shenanigans ensue.

-- The Best Ride in the Galaxy, Pt. 2 - Poe Dameron x f!Reader You and Poe play games, but who ends up the winner?

Santiago Garcia - Triple Frontier

-- SoCal to NorCal Ch. 1: Malibu - Frankie Morales x f!Reader x Santiago Garcia You & Frankie visit your friend Santi at his Malibu mansion to kick off your roadtrip north, and you let desires guide the night.

Last updated: 11/20/24

[yandereaffections]

Yandereaffections Golden Masterlist of masterlists

a master list for all the masterlists? is it confusing? hopefully not.

all thats crossed out im no longer taking requests for, but you can enjoy what ive already made for it in the past❤

Amnesia (Otome)

Arcane (Netflix)

Attack On Titan

Black Butler

Castlevania

Death Note

Demon Slayer

Detroit Become Human

Creepy Pasta

Doki Doki Literature Club

Durarara

Fruits Basket

Game of Thrones

Haikyuu!!

Hannibal

Hellsing Ultimate

Hetalia

Joker (2019)

Jujutsu Kaisen

Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Marvel (Cinematic Universe)

My Hero Academia

Mystic Messenger 

Nameless, The one thing you must recall

Oran Highschool Host Club

Overwatch

Peter Parker (MCU)

Red Dead Redemption 2

Sherlock

Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse

Spy x family

Supernatural

The way of the house husband

Toilet bound Hanako-kun

Venom

Voltron

My OC’s!

Javier Adolfo

Agapito Adolfo

Nia Barnes

Aiden Cooper

Jamari Blackwood

Agapimari (Agapito x reader x Jamari)

Multi OC posts

YA’s OC Art

[shychick-52]

6, 10, and 17 for the fandom ask game please. 😊 ❤️

(6) Show us a bit of a wip!

My two DuckTales wips are on hiatus atm so I can focus on my Sofia the First wip. So, I'll share a snippet of that one (It's called 'The Master Wand'):

(10) What's your favorite piece of fanart for [Gyro and Boyd]?

Probably this one by @darkwingownsthenight, as it was the very first artwork of them I found even before I joined this site.

(17) What's a book, show, or movie you think [Boyd] would like?

I think he'd definitely be into the MCU, or as I hc it would be called in the Duckverse, the Marsh Cinematic Universe!

[clarionglass]

here we go :) part one of three, updates to be released weekly!

---

sam says 4 (game master cinematic universe, part 3)

Ruby was at her mum's for a family dinner she couldn't miss on pain of death, apparently, and the Doctor was many things, but a family dinner kind of guy wasn't one of them—particularly when Carla had already slapped him once in the short time he'd known her. He thought he'd broken his streak of bad luck with mums, but… well, seemingly not. So he was companionless for a few hours, and while he could wait for her to get back, maybe catch up on his reading—what was the point of waiting when you had a time machine? 

He ran his hands over the TARDIS console, marvelling at her clean lines and metallic flourishes, the way that even now she felt brand new but familiar, and paused. He’d just pop off for a quick adventure, nothing too dangerous, but—where to go?

He could scan for a distress call nearby, and pitch in to help. He could drop in on Donna and Shaun and Rose, beautiful Rose, and see how they were all doing. Or he could just hit the randomiser button, and jump in feet first wherever he ended up.

He remembered a conversation from a long time ago, when he wore a different face, and his gorgeous TARDIS wore a face too, for the first and only time.

“You didn't always take me where I wanted to go.”

“No, but I always took you where you needed to go.”

He grinned. Who could resist an offer like that? He pressed the button and whooped as the time rotor spun into action, ready to see where the universe would take him.

---

Apparently, he was needed pretty close to where he already was. Earth, 2024. Huh. Same planet, same time—within a few months of where he’d left Ruby, even. The main thing that had changed was the location: he was now in the good old US of A. California, to be more specific, and Los Angeles to be more specific still. And to really narrow it down, the Doctor discovered as he poked his head out of the TARDIS doors, he was in… a broom closet. Not bad, as a parking spot—a bit squeezy, but out of the way. And as he poked his head out of that door, he could finally see he was in the backstage corridors of a studio of some kind. Film or TV, if he was to hazard a guess, it was a different vibe from Abbey Road.

With a shrug, he decided to go exploring.

It couldn’t have been more than a minute before a young woman wearing the full-black outfit, headset, and permanently stressed expression of a production assistant came running up to him.

“Are you the fill-in Sam organised?” she asked breathlessly, and honestly, seeing the look on her face, the Doctor didn’t have the heart(s) to tell her no. And really, what was the Doctor, if not a professional fill-in? This, this was why he had a randomiser button on the control panel, because whatever he was about to get himself into was going to be fun.

“Sure!”

“Oh, thank god,” sighed the production assistant, relief dawning across her face. “When Ally tested positive this morning, I thought we were sunk for the record, because we called around and we couldn’t get a hold of anyone. But then Sam said he could get someone in, and, you know, here you are, and just in time, so—ah, yeah, if you could follow me this way?”

Smiling all the way, the Doctor followed his guide through to hair and makeup, looking around as they went. The studio seemed to belong to a company called Dropout, according to the branding scattered around, and things seemed, at least on the surface, to be… well. Fine. He couldn't tell why he'd been brought here yet, which meant that when he found the reason, it was going to be particularly tangled. He couldn't wait! 

And then he looked back at his guide, still engulfed in a miasma of anxiety, and realised he'd been too busy looking for clues to notice the person right in front of him. 

“Hey, it's cool, you've found me,” he started with a gentle smile. “You can relax. Hi, I'm the Doctor. What's your name?”

“Oh!” she said, startled. “The Doctor, yeah, of course. Um, hi, I'm Kaylin. Look, sorry, it's just that I've been so busy this morning, I'm so distracted… Shit, and I would've completely forgotten to get your details too. There's paperwork to fill in, but you can do that later. Um, just for now, though, can I get your pronouns?”

The Doctor thought for a moment. “He/him, for now.”

Kaylin nodded, making a note on her phone. “Okay, cool! And do you have any socials?”

“Not me, babes,” he replied. “I'm hardly sitting down long enough to be able to update, you know?”

“On a day like this, I know exactly what you mean,” she said. “That's okay, Lou didn't have socials either for the longest time. Right, so if you go through there, the team will get you sorted, and once you're done, someone will take you up to the greenroom. All good?”

“All great,” the Doctor replied. Kaylin flashed him a quick, relieved smile, then hurried off.

Hair and makeup was a fairly quick process, the sound mixer fitted him with a microphone, and before too long, Kaylin was back to take him upstairs. 

“This is the greenroom,” she said, pushing the door open. “The rest of the cast for the episode are already here—they’re great guys, and they’ve both been on the show a lot, so they’ll be able to help if you’ve got questions. And if you need anything else, just come find me or any of the other PAs, okay?”

The Doctor nodded, beamed at Kaylin, and walked in.

---

The greenroom was small but comfortable, and its occupants, two men around the same age as the Doctor appeared, looked up as he entered.

“Oh, you’re new,” the taller of the pair said, clearly giving him the once-over.

The other sighed with a mixture of fondness and exasperation, just as clearly used to his friend’s antics.

“Hey, I’m Brennan,” he said, levering himself up to standing from his perch on a chair arm, and holding out a hand. “That’s Grant.”

The Doctor took it warmly. “The Doctor. Just passing through, and happy to help.”

Grant’s eyebrows quirked. “Doctor… something?” he prompted.

“Or is it just ‘the Doctor’?” Brennan asked.

“Just ‘the Doctor’,” the Time Lord confirmed cheerfully. “You’ll get used to it, everyone does.”

Grant didn’t look convinced, but—

“Copy that,” Brennan shrugged, and settled back on the arm of the chair, returning his gaze to the door.

Grant, in turn, looked at the Doctor and rolled his eyes in a clear expression of ‘no, I don’t know why he’s like this, either’.

“Okay,” the Doctor said after a moment of watching the watching. “I wasn’t going to ask, but now I think I have to. What’s up with the door?”

Brennan huffed a laugh. “Well, the last time there was one of those up—” he pointed to the Out of Order sign stuck to the bathroom door, “—we got locked in here for the game.”

“He’s paranoid,” Grant interjected.

“Well, yeah, maybe,” Brennan retorted. “Or just cautious. Because Sam’s been acting weird lately, and we’re coming up to the last few records of the season, so he’s probably planning something way out of the box for the finale. And the original cast was you, me and Beardsley, so…”

He shrugged one shoulder meaningfully, and Grant nodded, conceding both the point and the potential for chaos.

“So if Sam comes in to give us the briefing, rather than waiting til we’re on set,” Brennan continued, “or there’s anything else weird going on, I’m gonna know about it right from the beginning.”

He turned to the Doctor. “The only reason I'm not quizzing you is because I know for a fact Beardsley was genuinely scheduled for this, so you can't be a plant by the production team. No offence.”

“None taken,” the Doctor smiled. “That sort of thing happen often, does it?”

Grant and Brennan exchanged a look. 

“More than you'd think,” Grant answered with a grimace. 

“Alright,” the Doctor said slowly, then brightened. “So what is it we're actually doing?”

Grant gave him a disbelieving glance. “You don't know—?”

“Very last minute fill-in,” the Doctor said breezily. “But don't worry, I'm a quick study.”

“Well, you're not that much worse off than the rest of us,” Brennan said encouragingly. “You know about Game Changer, obviously, if you know Sam, and we only find out the rules of the game once we get on set. Hopefully,” he added, with a dark look back at the Out of Order sign. 

The Doctor nodded. No, he didn't know Sam, and he didn't know Game Changer, but he could work out the situation from context clues. This was a game show. And with the Toymaker banished, and Satellite Five not coming into existence for another 198000 years, give or take, he found himself smiling. Maybe third time would be the charm. 

“Mmm, hopefully they aren't going to throw you in the deep end,” Grant said. “Because Brennan might seem lovely now, but as soon as we get out there, he's a whore for points. He'll stab you in the back and won't even blink.”

Brennan barked with laughter. “Yeah, and you wouldn't?”

“Excuse you, I'm always a goddamn delight,” Grant replied, the very picture of injured dignity. 

“Oh, absolutely!” agreed a new voice. The Doctor turned to the now-open door to see a bearded man in a pinstriped suit smiling broadly. “That's why we keep inviting you back!”

Grant bowed sarcastically. “Why, thank you, Sam. Good to know I'm appreciated by someone here.”

“Always,” Sam replied, gently but firmly ending that particular path of the conversation. He scanned the room, and his eyes lit up when they landed on the Doctor. 

“Ah, you must be the Doctor!” he said with obvious delight, walking over with his hand outstretched. “I'm Sam—thanks for filling in for us, you've made sure we're going to have a good show. Seriously, it's a pleasure to have you here.”

“Aw, cheers!” the Doctor smiled, shaking the offered hand. “Glad I could help out, I'm really looking forward to this!”

“Well, great!” Sam exclaimed, then took a step back, regarding all three players in turn. “Now, folks, I'm just letting you know that we're just about ready to start the record, so if you can start heading down, that'd be great.”

Grant and Brennan nodded—Brennan, the Doctor noticed, with relief. 

“See you down there,” Sam said, smiling. “Have a great show, and—”

His eyes caught on the Doctor's for a second, twinkling. 

“Good luck.”

---

Backstage, the Doctor, Brennan and Grant were marshalled into podium order and given a final briefing from the crew. And then, with a thumbs-up from Kaylin, that was it.

Showtime.

“Get ready for a Game Changer!” came Sam's voice from onstage. “Tonight’s guests: he can shoot off a monologue with laser accuracy; it’s Brennan Lee Mulligan!”

Brennan, his back to the camera as the curtains opened, spun on his heel and, with a stone-cold expression, pointed finger guns straight down the barrel, before letting the facade crack open. “Hi!” he exclaimed, and walked over to the leftmost podium.

“It’s his first appearance, but he’s already on fire; it’s the Doctor!”

The Doctor leant against the archway to the stage and flashed a broad smile towards the camera, then in a few skipping steps, had bounded over to the next free podium. What the hell, why not make an entrance?

“And even in the toughest of mazes, you’ll always be able to find him; it’s Grant O’Brien!”

Grant dipped his lanky frame into an approximation of a curtsey, spreading his arms wide, then sauntered over to the closest podium with a grin.

“And your host, me!” Sam announced, a ring of manic white showing around his irises as he beamed down the barrel of the camera. “I’ve been here the whole time!”

“This,” he continued, pushing his microphone shut and stowing it in his jacket pocket, “is Game Changer, the only game show where the game changes every show. I am your host, Sam Reich!” 

As he said his name, he looked at his hands, front and back, as if he was pleasantly surprised to be himself, then gestured towards the three podiums.

“I am joined today by these three lovely contestants! Now, you understand how the game works.”

“Of course not,” Grant started. “You know we don't.”

“We can't, Sam, that's the whole point of the theatre you've set up here,” Brennan said over him. 

“Not yet,” was all the Doctor said, anticipation starting to drum a tattoo of excitement against the inside of his ribcage. 

“That’s right!” Sam said brightly, shooting finger guns at the camera. “Our players have no idea what game it is they’re about to play. The only way to learn is by playing. The only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning! So without further ado, let’s begin by giving each of our players fifty points.”

The Doctor, biding his time, watched the reactions of his fellow contestants. Grant looked at the front of his podium, checking the point total, and nodding approvingly when he saw that yes, it was sitting at a round fifty. Brennan, on the other hand, was starting to frown.

“Players, Sam says: touch your nose,” Sam began, and Brennan sighed the sigh of someone who wasn’t happy to be proved right.

“Oh, no,” he groaned. “Oh, you son of a bitch. Wasn’t one this season enough?”

He touched his nose anyway, as did the others, and Sam smiled encouragingly. “Sam says: touch your ear.”

When they all did, Sam nodded. “Touch your other ear.”

Everybody held still, fingers on the ears they had originally touched.

Sam beamed. “Easy, players, right?”

“You say that now,” Brennan said darkly. “Which makes it worse, because all you're doing is setting us up for failure.”

Sam gasped, pretending offence. “Would I do that?”

“Yes,” Brennan and Grant replied in unison, which drew a grin from the Doctor and set Sam off chuckling.

“And I'm not having it,” Brennan continued, leaning his elbows against his podium and pointing at Sam with the hand not touching his ear. “You better watch yourself, because I know how this game works, and you're not going to get one over on me.”

“Strong words, Brennan!” Sam said, clearly delighted by this response. “Okay, then, let's start making things a bit more interesting!”

The game continued as per Sam Says usual, some rounds done as a group and some individual. Points were won, sure, but lost slightly more frequently, and even the Doctor found he was having to concentrate to avoid getting caught in the host's traps. 

It was fun. Genuinely, it was like playing a game with friends, and the Doctor felt himself leaning into it. There wasn't any sign of danger—maybe there wasn't a mystery to solve at all, and the TARDIS just decided he needed a total break. 

Well, probably not. But the way things were going, he was able to let himself hope. 

“Alright, players,” Sam said a good few rounds in, just as pleasantly as he would start any other question, and the screen behind him dinged as a new prompt popped up. “Survive the death beam.”

For a second, everything was frozen perfectly still. 

And then came the crash, the explosive noise of heavy machinery moving relentlessly through a drywall set.

The Doctor was already moving. “Everyone down!”

“Duck!” Brennan yelled at the same time.

The two of them hit the ground within milliseconds of each other, but Grant was still paralysed in the face of the giant, science-fiction type laser cannon that had just ploughed through the wall. 

It whined ominously, screaming its way to fever pitch. And then a sharp pain in Grant’s ankle made him stagger, pitching forwards onto the carpet behind the podiums as the Doctor rolled away to avoid getting pinned.

“Sorry, babes,” the Doctor whispered. “But it was either kick you to get you down, or—”

A hideous metallic screech ripped through the air, and all three of them could feel the crackle of ozone as a beam of energy swept across what had, moments ago, been neck height.

“…Or that,” the Doctor finished with a grimace.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Grant breathed, suddenly very conscious of every inch of his 6’9 frame. “Thanks.”

“Well done, players!” Sam exclaimed delightedly from above them. “But… sorry, I didn’t say ‘Sam says’, so that’s a point off for everyone.”

“What the fuck!” Brennan snapped.

“Are you actually insane?” Grant demanded at the same time, his voice overlapping with Brennan’s.

In response, Sam just wheezed with laughter. “You can come back to your podiums,” he said, cheerfully ignoring them.

Nobody moved.

“Very good!” he acknowledged, and even without seeing his face, the grin was obvious in his voice. “Okay, Sam says: come back to your podiums.”

Although the words were innocuous, and his tone was just as light and breezy as usual, there was nevertheless an edge hiding just underneath the surface. And while the death beam loomed large in the minds of all three players, it was impossible to consider disobedience as an option.

Slowly, they stood, returning to their places. Now they had the time to look at it properly, the death beam was even more sinister, and Brennan and Grant both kept flicking nervous glances its way, ready to move if it looked like it was charging up again.

The Doctor, however, was focused purely on the man standing in front of them. Unbothered, Sam met his gaze like a challenge, a mischievous smile playing about his lips.

“Oh, you’ll love this one,” he said, and the screen changed. “Sam says, starting with Grant: say my name.”

Grant frowned in confusion, but answered quickly nonetheless. “Sam Reich?”

The man himself shrugged tolerantly, moving on. “Brennan?”

Brennan just stared at him coolly. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“Well caught, Brennan!” Sam said happily. “Sam says: say my name.”

“Sam,” Brennan replied, suspicion clear in his voice. “Samuel Dalton Reich.”

He nodded, still with a hint of indifference. “And lastly, Doctor.” His smile broadened. “Sam says: say my name.”

It was easy. Too easy. And as the Doctor looked into the eyes of the man calling himself Sam Reich, he felt his hearts stutter in recognition, because something had changed. He wasn’t hiding himself anymore, and while the face was different yet again, the Doctor would know the shape of that soul anywhere. It was impossible. It was inevitable.

“You can’t be,” he breathed. 

Sam smirked, leaning in across his podium. “Oh, but Doctor… I’ve been here the whole time,” he stage-whispered with a wink.

“He said you lost,” the Doctor said, shaking his head, looking wrong-footed for the first time that Brennan and Grant could recall. “You lost, and he trapped you.”

The other two watched, uncomprehending, but Sam just smiled, drumming his fingers against the podium with an audible beat, fast but distinct. Four taps, four taps, four taps. “I’m waiting.”

The Doctor took a slow, deep breath. Set his jaw. 

“Master.”

---

missed an installment of the game master cinematic universe?

original idea by @ace-whovian-neuroscientist: x

art by @northernfireart concept: x scissor sisters sketch: x sam and his doppelganger: x

writing by me (!) part one (escape the greenroom): x part two (deja vu): x part three (sam says 4): you are here!

[felassan]

A conversation/interview video with Mark Darrah called "Mark Darrah on Mass Effect, open world games, and sustaining a fandom (Channel 44 Chat)": [source and watch link]

Video description:

"Fred and Dan chat with Mark Darrah about his career at BioWare, including his work on Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate, and more. Join the veteran game devs as they discuss the art of storytelling in an open world, and highlight the influence of The Ur-Quan Masters on the Mass Effect series. 0:00 - Theme music 0:14 - Introductions 1:54 - Ur-Quan Masters and Mass Effect 4:14 - Exploring open worlds 10:25 - Storytelling in open worlds 12:18 - Multiplayer storytelling 23:27 - Main content vs side content 25:14 - What do fandoms like 30:30 - Storytelling techniques 34:18 - Making games in teams 43:25 - Conflicting visions and Dragon Age: Inquisition 53:23 - Making a satisfying sequel 1:10:56 - Mark and UQM"

Some quotes under the cut:

"Now I'm consulting with [BioWare] on finishing up Dragon Age: Dreadwolf right now." (Introductions segment. it sounds like the video was recorded around Thanksgiving/the holiday period in 2023)

"Something that Mass Effect 2 struggled with is a lot of people just went planet-scanning, for, like, they basically planet-scanned every single planet, stopped playing the game, planet-scanned every single planet and then sort've picked it up. So it's almost like they had, ME2 for some people turned into essentially three games: everything you did before you started planet-scanning, all of the planet-scanning, and then 'in the end'. And then a lot of people just kinda stopped playing in the middle of planet-scanning because it was pretty thin. So I think if you want people to dip in and out you do sometimes kind of have to force the issue. So something that was discussed after the fact for ME2 was, you know, if the Normandy can only carry 9 probes or something, then it's like, you go out, probe 9 planets, then you gotta do something else, get more probes." "If you want people to be dipping in and out, it's important to push them back and forth somehow. So if they're on the critical path, there's something that's gonna push them back out into the open world, if that's what you want them to do. Dragon Age: Inquisition does that with Power. You need more Power in order to advance the crit path. So you've reached a blocking point, you have to engage in the open world. Now what DA:I didn't do a very good job of was, now that you're out in the open world, pushing you back to the critical path. So you've got some people kinda getting lost out there forever." (Exploring open worlds segment)

"If there’s too much there, if everything is in the box, like, 'I’m gonna give you the box and it contains literally the entire universe', then there’s nothing to kinda chew on. You want there to be unanswered questions and things to think like, 'well how did we get into this situation? Let’s talk about it on the Reddit board/post'. In fact, I’ve seen this happen with Dragon Age games when, like, David Gaider, back when BioWare had its own forums, would go into the discussions about lore and stuff, and answer the questions. They didn’t really want that. But they thought they did, but when he did it it just, it just sucks all the life out of the conversation, because if I’m like, ‘oh, I really wonder if maybe the Qunari are secretly bird people??’. And someone comes in, ‘no, they’re not’, and you’re like ‘ohh… well.. Okay…’" (What do fandoms like segment)

"With a Dragon Age game, you're sort've trying to get people, the writers thinking from the perspective of, imagine this is a television show, or a movie or something like that, and if you wouldn't say it out loud in a television show or a movie you probably don't, you probably shouldn't be saying it out loud or writing it down in this game. But it's still incredibly expensive to do cinematics. So sometimes you succeed at that, you get them to trust, and that trust is, maybe not misplaced, but simply we didn't have the budget to do the three minute long cinematic that would've been a better way to do this and in fact we needed you to say, 'and then a castle full of castles crashed into another castle and blew the entire universe up'. Like you're not filming that. You gotta just say that. Or you gotta find another way to do it through visual storytelling, like during a 2D scene or something. So I guess my short answer is I don't know that I've ever successfully gotten the departments to fully trust the others to do this properly." (Storytelling techniques segment)

"One thing that has been a struggle for me is even just getting players to engage in the environment art. Like, it's the most expensive thing in your entire game, in most cases, and a lot of times players just sorta stare at the minimap and dive around on the minimap and it's like well, wait a minute, why are we spending all this money on this beautiful vista if you're not even looking at it?" (Storytelling techniques segment)

[source]

[alexesguerra]

Murdle: Volume 2; 100 Elementary to Impossible Mysteries to Solve Using Logic, Skill & the Power of Deduction (Murdle #2) Murdle: Volume 2; 100 Elementary to Impossible Mysteries to Solve Using Logic, Skill & the Power of Deduction (Murdle #2) Contributor(s): Karber, G T (Author) Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin ISBN: 1250892325 Physical Info: 1.01" H x 9.1" L x 6.18" W (0.84 lbs) 384 pages Praise for Murdle: "An absolute phenomenon." --Richard Osman, bestselling author of the Thursday Murder Club mysteries "Murdle is a must-read." --CBS Essentials "Murdle is brilliant fun! Each one is like working to unravel an Agatha Christie-esque mini-mystery in a visually enticing logic puzzle. Move over Wordle, my brain cells want to solve a Murdle!" --Celeste Connally, author of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord "Murdle is a high-speed game of Clue that tortures your brain in the most enjoyable way. " --Mindy Quigley, author of Six Feet Deep Dish and Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust "I'm completely obsessed with the highly addictive Murdle, a unique intersection of logic puzzles and armchair sleuthing. With an enjoyable story and challenging puzzles, I'm left wondering if anyone can be trusted." --Olivia Blacke, author of Vinyl Resting Place and A Fatal Groove "The ultimate puzzle for secret sleuths. Sure to get those little gray cells firing." --Ellie Alexander, author of the Bakeshop Mystery series "Thoroughly entertaining and equally as challenging. These bite-sized mysteries will keep even the most seasoned sleuths guessing." --Vivien Chien, author of the Noodle Shop Mystery series "Murdle is perfect for the armchair detective. With a mystery story, a challenging puzzle, and just enough clues, you can be your new favorite sleuth." --Dianne Freeman, author of the award-winning Countess of Harleigh mystery series "Clever, satisfying and utterly addictive" --Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal Contributor Bio: Karber, G T G. T. Karber grew up in a small town in Arkansas, the son of a judge and a civil rights attorney. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a degree in mathematics and English literature. Then, he moved to Los Angeles, where he received a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. As the General Secretary of the Hollywood Mystery Society, a theater ensemble and cinematic social club, he has overseen the staging of dozens of immersive whodunits in the Los Angeles area.

[satoshi-mochida]

Penny Blood: Hellbound now available - Gematsu

Penny Blood: Hellbound has left Early Access and is now available for PC via Steam for $19.99 with a limited-time 20 percent-off launch discount, publisher and developer YUKIKAZE, and developers STUDIO WILDROSE and Natsume Atari announced.

The roguelike companion game set in the world of the upcoming RPG Penny Blood first launched in Early Access on March 7.

Here is an overview of the game, via YUKIKAZE:

About

Penny Blood: Hellbound invites players to unleash chaos in an action-packed roguelike based on the world of Penny Blood. Take control of six uniquely skilled anarchists, the Hellhounders, as they battle to escape an interdimensional prison controlled by the equally enigmatic Celestial Rainbow gang. Set against the haunting backdrop of the Roaring 1920s and inspired by real-world history and true crime, players will gather malice, forge alliances, and master bloody combat techniques to grow stronger with every attempt. With stunning art by Miyako Kato, an engaging soundtrack from Yoshitaka Hirota and Noriyuki Iwadare, and supervised by dark JRPG mastermind Matsuzo Machida, Penny Blood: Hellbound delivers an unforgettable taste of Penny Blood‘s sinister universe.

New Features in the Full Release

New Area – Explore the final, most challenging area of the game, pushing players to their limits as they uncover the final outcome of the story.

Final Boss – Confront the terrifying and enigmatic leader of Celestial Rainbow who will test your combat mastery and resolve.

New Playable Character – Vito, the last of the Hellhounders, is now playable, bringing a unique playstyle and a fresh approach to the runs.

New Weapons – Each of the six playable characters can now unlock a third weapon, offering three distinct playstyles per character.

Two New Dungeon NPCs

Padre – A fervent man of the cloth with a fiery personality and a claim to a dark historical lineage.

Z14 – A grotesque creature harboring a deep vendetta against the Void Wizard.

Expanded Quests and Story Scenes – Immerse yourself in additional narrative depth with new quests for NPCs and expanded main story sequences.

Epic Conclusion – Experience the thrilling conclusion of the main story, complete with cinematic scenes and a powerful ending.

New Badges – Unlockable achievements for dedicated adventurers.

Gameplay Balancing – Improved mechanics in both single player and online multiplayer modes.

Secrets and Challenges – Hidden surprises await those brave enough to uncover them!

Watch a new trailer below.

Version 1.0 Launch Trailer

English

Japanese

[gaddaboutgriffon]

Going to work on turns this into a master post of prompts I’ve made. Prompts I like, and things I alike and would be willing to write things on.

My own Posts. Superwoman AU

Super Phantom DCxDP

Future Son?! DCxDP

Super X-man

DND Young Justice

DPxDC A Tale of Two Jacks

Age Reversal

Teenage Mutant Ninja Wizard

Alien PETA

Young Justice Spider

The Year of the Dragon

Superwoman Kara

Spleen Surprise DCxDP

Benders in DC (ATLA x justice league)

Random OC Villain Character not connected to any existing media

Not mine but I am invested in.

Time Winder. Connected to Time Travel Teen Parents

Re-alive ray superson

Pack less misunderstandings

Thermon aka Ghost Pokémon

Niche unheard of crossover ideas. (Some not even a one shot on ao3🥲

Wild Kratts x How to Train Your Dragon

Series and media I like or liked and enjoy fan discussion and fics on (may include Cartoons, Books, Movies or Games.)1 How to train your dragon2 Transformers Prime (cartoons, NOT the movies)3 Avatar the last air-bender. (Not including Korra)4 Teenage mutant ninja turtles (cartoon series)5 Spectacular Spider-man (cartoon Series)6 Redwall (cartoon and book series)7 Pokemon (cartoon and game)8 Sonic the hedgehog (cartoons, and comics.)9 Justice league (the 1990 animated series. NOT the live action movies) And batman animated. 10 My Little pony FIM (G4 cartoon) 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe (before Disney bought it)12 Wings of Fire (books)13 Ben 10 (cartoon)14 Star wars (past liked not present)15 Star trek original series (past liked not present)16 Neo-pets ( Toys. great concept but not the best executed game)17 Kungfu Panda (cartoons)18 Teen titans (original Cartoon, not go)19 Rangers apprentice (books)20 Kim possible (cartoon)21 Lilo and stitch (cartoon)22 American Dragon (Cartoon)23 Big Hero 6 (cartoon) 24 Guardians of Ga’Hoole (books. don’t bother with the movie)25 Epic (animated movie by Blue Sky studios)26 Atlantis the lost Empire (Disney cartoon)27 Big bang theory (TV)28 Lord of the Rings (movies and books.)29 Dragon Quest (games)30 Wild Krats (cartoon)31 The Fluppy Dogs (cartoon)32 Zootopia (cartoon)33 Nelvana Care bears (cartoon specifically the 1985 to 1988 series)34 Last man standing (what can I say he reminds me of my dad)35 Bones (TV)36 Warrior cats. (books only read up until power of three arc)37 Flash (TV)38 Home improvement (TV)39 Steven Universe (cartoon. concept was good but poorly executed story)40 Phineas and Ferb (cartoons)41 Milo Murphy’s law (cartoon)42 Amphibia (cartoon)43 Emperors new groove. (cartoon)44 Harry Potter (books)45 Chronicles of Narnia (books)46 Dinotopia (TV movie, and books)47 Encanto (cartoon)48 Jane and the dragon. (cartoon)49 Gravity falls (cartoon)50 Swat Kats (cartoon)51 Chip and Dale rescue rangers (cartoon) 52 Ducktales (cartoon) 53 Prince of Egypt. (Animated movie) 54 Danny Phantom. (Cartoon) 55 Puss in Boots (dreamworks movies)56 Young Justice (cartoon have not read the comics) 57 Batman Wayne family adventures (web comic. 58 Tower dungeon farmer (web comic)