#godkiller armor

[thegorydamnreaper]

“Clang Clang Clang”

Reap, in the Godkiller armor ft Bad Lass and Pyrphoros 🐺

Alternative version w/more rain below the cut!

[star--nymph]

Why did it take me months to do a simple character concept for Kass? Who knows. I work at a snail's pace. ANYWAY.

LOOK AT MY GLOWY GIRL WITH HER LIGHT-UP BOOTS.

[purplesauris]

And Through Her (I See Multitudes)

Pairing: Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook, Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook/Spite Rating: Teen Summary: Rook, deciding that they deal with too much doom and gloom already, decides that the team needs some sort of outing to have fun and relax. It goes about as well as one would expect. AKA the beach episode we all deserve.

If there's one thing that Lucanis didn't expect when finally escaping the Ossuary and being hired on as a godkiller, it's definitely the team dinners.

They've all gathered— even Bellara, who has spent the last few nights worrying away at her notebook, too lost in her myriad thoughts to sit down to eat with the rest of them— not at anyone's request, but because it's become a routine of sorts. They gather at the table plenty to gameplan, and Lucanis has spent more than his fair share of time simply sitting near the fire, sharpening his retinue of blades and oiling the leather of his armor to keep it supple, but it feels different somehow, to gather for a simple meal.

He isn't used to it, having people to eat with simply for the pleasure of it, and not because they're waiting for him to detect the small dose of poison they slipped in to see if he would notice before a normal dose would kill him. 

Rook volunteered to cook tonight, refusing any bit of help and waving all of them off as she worked— Lucanis included, which stung only until she brushed a kiss to his cheek and said that she wanted it to be a surprise for everyone.

Read more on AO3!

[the-quasar-hero]

Cassius, donning GodKiller armor: Wow, we both look handsome and dangerous tonight, Darrow.

Darrow: y’know, if you just said I look handsome and dangerous, I would’ve said the same about you.

Cassius: I couldn’t take that chance.

[ludinusdaleth]

i agree! it's very frustrating that so many people insist it's "ludinus is right, kill them all!" versus "they're all 100% good"

im glad to hear the support, anon. i feel like the cr fanbase has gotten more into theorizing & meta this campaign than last, which im deeply happy about, but i feel like it's come at a cost of not many actually.... analyzing well, beyond their own biases, which is vital.

something interesting to me is how i feel like the very story of c3 itself is partly about how vasselheim is so utterly focused on ludinus as a threat (which, he is undoubtedly one) that they have repeatedly enforced worse & failed in their efforts against him (literally occupying & preparing to obliterate marquet via airship just to get to him and getting eviscerated, kiro's rage about ludinus making her accuse orym of being with him which leads to our current mess). continually vasselheim refuses to assist or care for any other country or party that isnt wholly aligned to their goal. meanwhile in similar nature, the fandom is so completely sure that lud is a liar & a loser that anyone with an idealogy a few degrees south of his is seen as a threat instantly - the fanbase is so mad that this campaign is "anti god" that they're missing the most poignant pro faith statements characters have because they aren't paladins in shining armor plunging a spear into da'leth praising bahamut as they do so - but rather common-people as they try to embrace faith despite trauma & actual godkilling times. and it's at times frankly deeply uncomfortable, considering the characters deemed threats & whose views on faith have been cast aside have been deanna & frida (who have absolutely been treated weirdly to points of racism to their actors), & pagan natives oppressed by what matt outright stated were missionaries.

but in the same uncomfortability zone are people so consumed by their own personal biases with very obvious culturally christian religious trauma (i say this as someone with it too) that they cannot realize ludinus is partially metaphor for everyone who escapes christianity, thinks they're superior for it, but never for a moment unpacks the colonialist doomsday mindset that came with it. i admit i see this far less than the other side, so i dont see it as so much of a concern, but when i do it is unsettling - ludinus is so clearly showcasing far right tactics of alienation & preying on trauma to get people to join his cult, and real people are falling for it. matt has said that religion & art are connected & vital - when aeor fully stepped away from religion it became almost artless. you cannot strip something so important to humanity's core away because of your own experiences - your personal trauma is important but does not mean your bigotry or bias is justified and i feel that message is radiant in c3.

i think this campaign poses some of the most interesting questions on forgiveness & responsibility because, while it's impossible not to draw similarities in how mortals deal with religion, the exandrian pantheon itself cannot be viewed through our world's lens. the gods were warlords who nuked an entire city (that was fighting amongst itself!) to nothing because a few mages posed a threat to them. but afterwards they receded, & locked themselves away. what does that say about them? what does it mean now? do they deserve to be saved? does art surpass its creators? i want to explore these themes so much, and i love that campaign 3 is trying to in vibrant ways - i just hate that so few people want to embrace it & the changes to the fictional world that will come with it, because it's impossible to look past our own noses & embrace more than our own perspective even regarding fiction.

[navcommrelay]

KINSHIP 4

Time: D-Day + 74 Hours Location: KINSHIP Forward Operating Base Forces On Station: CFRI, Silver Wing, Barghest Company Forces En Route: CFRI Delta Lances [Error: Redirected] Objective: Engage enemy Jericho-class superheavy drone on approach.

After-Action Report:

Barghest Company Godkiller Star Engaged Superheavy Jericho Drone in combat. Initial speculation that the drone would be unable to target captured Celestial series Omni-mechs was correct, allowing Lt. Colonel Anya Corwin, Major Victoria Everheart, Major Bill Weaver, Major Kei Franklin and Major Elenor Von Strauss to inflict noticeable damage onto the drone during the initial stages of the engagement, knocking out the weapons on two legs and damaging the armor and main gun housing. The drone’s inability to target Godkiller did not extend for the duration of the engagement, resulting in Godkiller Star taking heavy fire from the drone and being forced into cover, sustaining major damage to all ‘mechs before they could get into cover. All mechs mobile and operational, however Major Elenor’s ‘mech sustained noticeably more damage due to its light weight compared to the rest of the star. CFRI Recon Elements moved to assist and sustained heavy losses (See CFRI Report below). The drone’s preoccupation and engagement with 1-Beta and 2-Alpha, as well as the small gap in the fire arcs provided by the damage sustained to the two legs, allowed Major Elenor Von Strauss to close with her heavily damaged Preta, and despite her mech being largely torn apart by the remaining weapons, throw her ‘mech beneath the Drone’s main body. A Long Tom artillery strike was called in from SLDF Regimental Artillery Battalion - “Caber” outside of Coen City by Major Elenor, resulting in heavy damage to the Drone’s capital-class XL(SCL), disabling the weapon, and inflicting general damage to the armor of the machine. Major Elenor was unable to escape the area and has been confirmed KIA. During the bombardment, remaining elements of Godkiller were able to pull back to Kinship FOB for rearmament and repair. Jericho Drone estimated at 80 - 75% offensive effectiveness remaining, and estimated 75% defensive effectiveness.

Barghest Company Comms log:

Godkiller 4: SLDF RAB Caber, this is…Godkiller 4, requesting immediate…artillery strike, my location…*sounds of wet coughing*

SLDF RAB Caber: This is Caber, Godkiller 4, we read you, designate target. We’re getting ECM interference your position.

Godkiller 4: …Godkiller 4 to…Caber…sending now…lock onto reactor signature for GM 270 Light Fusion engine…*sounds of wet coughing*...recommend…full barrage.

SLDF RAB Caber: Roger that, Godkiller 4, dropping the hammer. Suggest immediate evac of area surrounding designated target.

Godkiller 4: …negative…*coughing continues* unable to evac…can’t move my legs…and will bleed out before I get picked up…

SLDF RAB Caber: …Roger Godkiller 4…godspeed.

Further examination of comms chatter within Godkiller revealed that Major Elenor had suffered terminal injuries from shrapnel within her mech’s cockpit, including a severed spine, punctured lung, and significant lacerations. Major Elenor Von Strauss has been recommended for posthumous award of SLDF Medal of Honor.

Barghest Company Kinship FOB forces move forward to engage the remaining 14 Word escort ‘mechs, supported by elements of SWMC repaired after engagement with lead Word elements. Barghest Company mechs formed a V formation, with assaults and superheavy T-Rex taking point, followed by heavies, forcing the Word elements to choose between facing the oncoming mechs or braving the mined streets and pathways. Medium and Light ‘mechs held in reserve for repair and serve as a possible QRF in the event of flanking maneuvers through minefield. Engagement soon becomes a point blank brawl. Barghest Company mechs disable or kill nine enemy mechs, including both Omegas. Major Roberta is credited with the destruction of one Omega, and an Archangel, sustaining armor damage and an expenditure of all RAC10 ammo. Commander Owen McEvedy is credited with three kills, a Deva, Grigori, and Archangel. No damage sustained. Two Seraphs and the remaining Omega were taken out via combined efforts of Lt. Ann, Lt. Smith, Lt. Delila, Lt. Pam, Lt. Clara and Captain Bastian, with Lt. Delila scoring a cockpit shot on the Omega. All mechs involved are damaged, but not severely. Colonel Bell and Major Bridget Hazen killed another Seraph through focused fire as directed by Colonel Bell. Minor damage sustained to both Shrike and Mad Cat Mk II. Remaining Preta that was not present during forward element engagement crippled by anti-mech mines as it attempted to flee, pilot captured by CFRI infantry.

Silver Wing Lances Alpha and Bravo departed Kinship following repair and rearm to assist Barghest Company forces that had also been stationed onsite. Both lances engaged additional elements of the drone escorts. In an extended firefight, four heavy enemy ‘mechs were outright destroyed, seemingly unwilling to retreat. Downed ‘mechs included a Mortis, a Crusader, a Falconer, and a White Flame. Two SWMC ‘mechs were downed during the fight. Bravo 2 suffered a loss of its gyro, causing the pilot to eject. Chute was spotted, but the pilot was not located. Alpha 1 received a blow to the head, causing the loss of contact with the pilot. The ‘mech then collapsed. No ejection spotted, pilot not recovered. Alpha 2 lost all weapons, but remains operational. Combat effective ‘mechs remained on station to further assist in the defense.

CFRI Recon Elements engaged the enemy superheavy in support of Barghest Company Godkiller Star once they began to take heavy fire from Jericho Drone. Due to the lack of targeting interference afforded to the repurposed Celestial-series BattleMechs fielded by the Godkiller Star, losses were immediate on contact. In order of occurrence: 1-Beta-1: (Thorn) On initial approach, the ‘Mech suffered catastrophic damage to its left side torso from pinpoint-accurate sustained Class-2 Ultra Autocannon fire at maximum engagement range, resulting in core destruction. Pilot ejected, but was killed mid-air by LRM fire. ‘Mech abandoned, classed non-repairable.

1-Beta-2, 1-Beta-3, 1-Beta-4: (Wasp, Stinger, Locust)1-Beta-4 was directly hit by the Jericho’s Naval-class primary weapon (XLSCL) and destroyed. The overwhelming and immediate energy input caused a catastrophic failure of the fusion bottle in the Locust’s extralight 160-rating engine, resulting in a chained fusion detonation. The explosion vaporized the ‘Mech and damaged the Stinger and Wasp beyond all hope of repair. Their pilots did not survive the radiation and heat of the explosion. 

2-Alpha-2: (Mongoose)

The second-wave approach by 2-Alpha was both slower and more cautious after the complete destruction of 1-Beta. As a result, 2-Alpha-2 was struck by enemy Class-10 cluster autocannon fire, disabling its left arm, but was already in partial cover and able to remain operationally effective. The destructive power and nature of the Jericho cannot be overstated, and sustained supporting fire by the surviving recon lance was able to account for, at absolute maximum estimate, minor armor damage. Advisory from 2-Alpha Lance Command urges extreme caution, noting the inhuman speed and reaction time of the drone, as well as its ability to focus clusters of weapons independently on separate targets, making fast-moving wolfpack tactics extremely risky, if not completely ineffective. Note for later record, award posthumous commendations.  @lt-chari @msn-04iinightingale @combined-arms-merc-groups @is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not

[shivering-isles-cryptid]

A Meeting of Godkillers

The room was silent, except for Doval’s fingers tapping on n the wooden table. To her left sat a man in silver armor, his yellow eyes and white hair glowing in the candle light. To her right, a woman wearing an extravagant dress and wielding a spear, the patches of grey skin dotted around her were the only indications of her previous race.

The man moved, the dice in his hand clattering on the wooden surface. “10.” He said, smirking at the two women. The Nerevarine hummed, grabbing the dice from their spot on the table. She shook them a bit before releasing. “12. I win.” Doval laughed lightly, laying back in her chair while watching Sheogoraths shocked expression.

“What say you, Shezzar?” Sheo looked at Doval, and eyebrow raised. “This is nothing but a game of luck, Sheo, and it seems our dear Demigod beat us both.” She laughed, fiddling with the red amulet around her neck. “Such is fate.” Moon-and-Star smiled as she picked up her winnings. “Now, what shall I do with this?” She tapped the end of her new staff against the ground a bit before throwing it to the side. It landed on her pile of artifacts and she picked the dice up again.

“Are you prepared for a new round?” She set the Mask of Almalexia down on the table and smirked at Sheo, who smiled his cat grin and placed down a book. “Bring it, you in Shezzar?” He turned to Doval, who chuckled and placed one of the Dragon Priest masks in the pile. “Show me what you got.”

3 hours later

Doval bit on her knuckle to keep from laughing as Sheo stared in shock at the table. She had just rolled an 11, winning not only all 3 Mask of the Tribunal, but also the Sword of Jyggalag and the Folium Discognitum. “What is happening?” Sheo said, gripping his hair. Moon-and-Star was laughing, banging her fist on the table. “Sorry Sheo. Seems the Isles is out of luck.” Doval laughed, adding the items to her pile. Sheo’s pile was growing exceptionally smaller with every game, while Doval and Moon-and-Star’s were both the size of the table.

“I don’t think this is fair. You can see the future, and your the daughter of the god of time.” Sheo huffed, crossing his arms. “True, but your the only actual god here Sheo. You should have an advantage over us.” Moon-and-Star pointed out, hand brushing over a weapon she won from Sheo that kept switching between a sword and an axe. “Yeah yeah.” He huffed again. “Tell you what Sheo, since I physically can’t bring any Daedric artifacts back with me to Sovengarde, you can have them back.” Doval said, separating I’ll of Sheo’s items from the rest of her pile and placing them on the table. “That feels like cheating…” he said, taking them anyway. “It is. Now I have to get going. Unlike you two, I’m in charge of a country, not a pocket realm.” Moon-and-Star said, standing from the table and disappearing in a flash of blue flames.

“I have to go too. You wouldn’t believe how much the Heroes and the Ziivahlok’s fight with each other.” Doval stood, waving at what was left of her pile, sending it to Sovengarde. “See you next time Sheogorath, I wish you better luck.” Doval said, a smirk on her lips as she disappeared.

Translation guide:

Dov-Al: Dragon-Destroyer

Zii-Vahlok: Soul-Protector

[msn-04iinightingale]

KINSHIP-4 Pt.1 Godkiller

The five mechs approached the massive drone superheavy with caution and trepidation. The thing was huge, standing on six thick crab legs with a large dome like turret on top of it.

Kinda looks like a Union class walking around…god how are we supposed to kill that with five mechs?

Anya shook the thought from her head. It was unhelpful at the moment, and she needed to focus.

“Ok…let's see how close we can get.” she said to the other members of the makeshift star. 

“God this is a stupid fucking idea…” Billy grumbles over the comms.

“Well, we don’t have any better ideas, so here we are.” Victoria says. “Alright, come on.”

The five mechs began to move closer to the machine slowly making its way towards FOB Kinship. So far, it had not fired on them, seeming to not register their presence as it trundled through the suburbs and scattered buildings.

So far so good.

They were within 100 meters when Anya called them to a halt. There were some buildings nearby that could serve as cover if things went for the worst.

“Ok…remember the briefing, we’re aiming to take out guns, especially that big one. If we can also disable its movement, so much the better.”

“Roger.”

“Got it!”

“This is the worst fucking idea I ever-”

“Understood…”

Anya braced her Deva, trying her best to ignore the cramped cockpit.

Like being in a coffin…

She shook her head again, bringing up the targeting reticule of her ER PPCs and engaging the targeting computer. The lines of data that streamed across her view were foreign, but she understood enough to know what they meant. She brought the twin ER PPCs up and centered her aim at the barrel of a Gauss Rifle on the closest leg. With any luck, the weapon would detonate and damage further systems. Her companions all marked targets.

“Ok, on my command…” she said, hoping this worked.

For Savannah and everyone else counting on her…

“Fire!”

All five of the battlemechs opened fire, sending a torrent of PPC, Missile, Laser and Autocannon  fire into the advancing machine, blasts of energy and rippling explosions peppering the foremost leg, with some scoring the armor of the main gun housing as well. They fired for a full three minutes of sustained fire.

Anya braced herself, expecting the hail of fire, the searing death of the naval weapon mounted on the drone to erase her from existence, for…

…for nothing.

The drone trundled on, seemingly oblivious to the damage done by the attacks, which had savaged the guns on one leg, damaging the Gauss Rifle and Autocannon there, and judging by the warped and bent barrels, they were at least inoperable.

“It…worked…it worked!” she laughed, relief washing over her. “Ok, let’s keep going! Let's see what we can do against that main gun!”

The four cheers she received helped stifle the feeling of dread in her heart.

—

/JERICHO AUTONOMOUS SUPERHEAVY DRONE #003

/CURRENTLY RUNNING COMMAND LINE [TAKE AND HOLD OBJECTIVE: COEN CITY SUBURBS]

/STATUS: OPERATIONAL

/QUERE: JERICHO AUTONOMOUS SUPERHEAVY DRONE #003 RECEIVING FIRE FROM UNKNOWN SOURCE

/ESCORT BATTLEMECHS [5] HAVE NOT ENGAGED SOURCE OF FIRE

/INITIATING SEARCH FOR COMMAND UNIT RE NEW ENGAGEMENT PARAMETERS

/SEARCHING…

/SEARCHING…

/SEARCHING…

/CLOSEST COMMAND LEVEL UNIT CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN COMBAT OUTSIDE OF ENGAGEMENT RANGE OF JERICHO AUTONOMOUS SUPERHEAVY DRONE #003

/QUERE: INITIATING CONTACT WITH JERICHO AUTONOMOUS SUPERHEAVY DRONE #004

/CONNECTING…

/CONNECTING…

/CONNECTING…

/CONTACT INITIATED BEGIN DATA SHARING FOR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

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/COMMUNICATION ENDED

/TAGGING ESCORTS [5] VALID TARGETS

/ENGAGING

—

The only sign something was wrong was the LRM launchers opening like flowers.

“Oh f- get to cover!” Billy shouted over the comms. His warning saved their lives.

The drone opened fire with all available weapons, barring the Capital-Class SCL, as the drone determined they were within the minimal field for fire it had allotted to avoid damaging itself.

Lasers, gauss slugs, LB-X rounds and missiles all slammed into the already moving mechs, peeling or blasting away armor, and damaging structure and weapons in the few seconds it took them to find cover.

“Fuck! Everyone damage report, stat!” Anya yells to be heard over the drone’s thunderous response.

“Godkiller 2, took some nasty gauss slug hits to my torso, along with some AC rounds to my arms. Armor holding, just.” Victoria replies.

“Godkiller 3, down my left arm, and my legs are pretty bad off, but I can keep going.” Kei says. “And it’s hot.”

“Godkiller 5, of fucking course I ain’t alright, jesus girl what kinda dumb ass-” Billy begins.

“Cut the crap, Billy! Report status!” Anya snaps at him.

“Alright, alright! I’m shot to shit, down the armor on my left side practically all fucking over, and I’m gonna fucking die in a cockpit I can barely move in, sir!”

Anya bit back a reply. “Godkiller 4, report.” 

Elenor does not respond.

“...Godkiller 4, come in.” she says, trying again.

“Hey Elenor, can you hear us?” Victoria asks, reaching out to tap the smaller, badly mauled mech with a hand.

Elenor’s Preta doesn’t respond. It’s hardly surprising, based on how it’s missing most of its armor, an arm, and looks an especially nasty hit to the gyro and center torso.

“...Elenor?” Kei asks, concern in her voice.

“...Godkiller 4, reporting…gyro’s hit…missing armor in 85% of…my mech…weapons systems down…” Elenor replies. She sounds…different.

“You ok, Elenor, you’re sounding kinda…fucky.” Billy adds, less than helpfully.

“...no. I am…not…” She coughs a bit. “...shrapnel…from the gyro or torso hit…cockpit breached…can’t…feel my legs…based on…location the lack of sensation starts…” she coughs some more, “...I suspect my spine has been severed above my hips…”

 “Oh no…we…we need to get you out of here.” Victoria says.

“How? That damn thing will shred us if we try!” Billy shouts at her.

“Well we have to try damnit!” She replies.

“Both of you SHUT UP!” Anya shouts over both of them. She flicks the comms open.

“This is Godkiller 1 to CFRI Recon Elements 1-Beta and 2-Alpha, we are taking heavy fire from the drone and have one pilot critically wounded, requesting support! Copy!”

Another shower of LRMs peppers the area around them, blooms of fire erupting from the ground and buildings they have as cover, a number hitting the pinned mechs. Kei moves to shield Elenor’s ‘mech from the worst of it.

“Repeat, this is Godkiller 1 to CFRI Recon Elements 1-Beta and 2-Alpha, we need immediate support!”

—

The call for aid was responded to promptly, 2-Beta lance moving to intercept the drone at high speed. The lance commander of 2-Beta was banking on using their speed and the available cover to engage the drone in hit and run tactics, in order to draw its attention away from Godkiller. With a Thorn, Wasp, Stinger and Locust, it was a good strategy. In a normal combat encounter it would have likely worked, forcing the enemy pilot/s to choose between pushing the advantage against the Barghest Company mechs and letting the lights run free in their rear armor, or focus on the new threat, allowing the pinned mechs to make a break for it or engage a divided force. 

The second the Thorn designated as 1-Beta-1 entered weapons range, the drone fired. It targeted the light mech with no fewer than three AC2’s, as well as a volley of LRM’s. The AC rounds smashed into the mech’s left torso simultaneously, stripping armor, staggering the light mech. Another salvo slamed into the same area as the first, punching through and into the internals, damaging the mech’s reactor. The pilot of 1-Beta-1 ejected as their mech died. They soon joined it, a LRM slamming into them before they even had a chance to deploy their shute.

The other members of 1-Beta picked up speed, aiming to get to cover before the drone could fire again. It was too late. At the first signs of additional targets, the Jericho had begun charging the Capital-Class SCL. The aperture that covered the massive weapon’s emitter slid open, and the targeting computer locked onto the desired target. The charge hit 100%, and the weapon fired. 

A fat beam of blindingly white energy lanced out from the drone, spearing its target, the Locust 1-Beta-4. The beam sliced through armor, rupturing the fusion bottle in the Locust’s extralight 160-rating engine, resulting in a chained fusion detonation. The blast vaporized the Locust, and the ensuing fusion reaction engulfed 1-Beta-2 and 1-Beta-3. Both mechs were toppled by the shockwave, armor melted into slag and myomer burned to cinders by the miniature sun that had appeared for an instant next to them. Neither pilot survived.

The beam was only operational for several seconds, but in that time it had ignited anything flammable within 10 meters of the beam.

2-Alpha fared better. Forewarned by the sudden deaths of 1-Beta, they approached more cautiously. This and judicious use of cover allowed them to escape complete destruction. Even so, upon engaging, 2-Alpha-2 caught an LB-X10 Cluster round, blasting the arm off the Mongoose in a shower of sparks, armor, and myomer fibers. Thankfully the mech was in partial cover, so escaped further damage. The four mechs did what they could, missiles, lasers and autocannon rounds peppering the drone, but were unable to do more than snapshots from cover. They at least had the drone’s attention, and it had slackened the level of fire it was aiming at the other pinned mechs.

The pilot of 1-Alpha-1 opened the comm line as they ducked out and let off a blast of laser fire at the advancing drone.

“This is 1-Alpha-1 to Godkiller 1, we’ve engaged the drone. If you’re gonna go, you better do it now, we’ll keep it busy long as we can.” 

—

“Come on, we have to go now!” Anya says, trying to ignore the panicked voices that filled the comms briefly. “They’re buying us some time!”

“Are you crazy?! That thing’ll cut us to ribbons!” Billy snaps back at her. “You heard what happened, we won’t survive five minutes let alone long enough to escape!”

Anya’s mind raced, he was right, but still, there had to be a way, there had to be-

“...I’ll do it…” Elenor says, quietly.

“What?”

“Do what?”

“...I’ll…buy you time…think it…hit one of my lungs too…”

Anya’s eyes went wide. Not again.

“Elenor, no, there has to be another way there-”

“...you won’t make it if I don’t…the drone…will cut you all down with 99% certainty…has to be me…” she says, weakly, but voice tinged with determination. 

Elenor lurches her mech upright, and before anyone can respond, has rounded the corner, into the waiting jaws of the drone.

“ELENOR!”

—

Elenor’s mind was surprisingly clear. She had been worried the injuries would affect her thinking and piloting, but not really. The gyro hit took most of the credit for that.

Her Preta stumbled and staggered forward, into what she had correctly, it seems, assumed would be a partial dead zone due to the damage they inflicted earlier. Even so, the drone opens fire with lasers and what remaining guns can target her mech this close. 

The beams of concentrated light and missiles tore at what remaining armor her mech had. She ignored it. She would make it. She’d run the calculations three times.

The remaining arm of her mech was shorn away in a shower of sparks and myomer fibers.

She was less than 20 meters when the leg on her mech failed, lanced through by a laser, and she began to fall. 

Elenor calmly triggered her jump jets, and let the forward momentum do the rest, bracing as best she can in her current state.

70% chance I survive the impact…

…chance of survival of this course of action…0.01%.

The Preta was launched forward, twisting in mid air to clang off one of the drone’s legs, before skidding to a halt beneath the machine.

Her head was swimming, although she wasn’t sure if that was from blood loss or the impact.

She fumbled with her controls, flicking the comms open and as rapidly toggling the right channel as her blurring vision and uncoordinated fingers would allow.

There. She finally had the right channel.

“SLDF RAB Caber, this is…Godkiller 4, requesting immediate…artillery strike, my location…”she said, before coughing wetly. She could taste the blood now.

“This is Caber, Godkiller 4, we read you, designate target. We’re getting ECM interference your position.”

“…Godkiller 4 to…Caber…sending now…lock onto reactor signature for GM 270 Light Fusion engine…” she said, pausing to cough more, “...recommend…full barrage.”

“Roger that, Godkiller 4, dropping the hammer. Suggest immediate evac of area surrounding designated target.”

“…negative…” she coughs more “unable to evac…can’t move my legs…and will bleed out before I get picked up…”

“…Roger Godkiller 4…godspeed.”

—

The first shells impact the drone near dead center, causing the machine to rock and dip slightly, with one landing directly on the aperture for the SCL, sending showers of metal fragments this way and that. The rest of the barrage lasts for several minutes, cratering the ground around the drone and stripping armor from the great machine. In the chaos, smoke, and fire, four mechs slink away, leaving the fifth behind.

The rain of shells hammered down on the drone like the wrath of a vengeful god. It managed to move forward another block under the barrage, before it died. One shell found its way deep into the innards of the machine before detonating, setting off ammo bins and tearing apart myomer and circuitry. It came to a shuddering halt, spasming with internal detonations sending fire and metal spewing through rents in its armor. Its reactor ruptured. The drone's rudimentary artificial intelligence tried to reroute power, to keep going, somehow.

It failed. Full system shutdown occurred. The drone became so much immobile scrap in the suburbs of Coen, the only sounds the creaking of superheated metal and crackle of flames as myomer and plastics caught fire.

It was a victory, of a sort, but still left a bitter taste in Anya’s mouth as the group exited the engagement zone. The reactor signal of the drone was gone. Cold and dead...just like...

She punched the comms button to Kinship.

“...This is Godkiller 1 to Kinship, pulling back, drone dead, repeat, drone dead…all units badly damaged…one casualty…Godkiller 4. Returning to FOB for repair and rearmament.”

—---

Helios

Coen City Suburbs

White Petal Medical Clinic

1.5 Hours Later

Dr. Elise Morrow pulled the cigarette from the pack and lit it, taking a long drag on it and blowing out the smoke. She stood on the step in front of the small clinic, surveying the smoke rising from the distance in both the city proper, and closer at hand.

It had been a hell of a day.

Ever since the first days of the war, since that was what this is, regardless of what either side said, she had more work than she had known what to do with. Minor injuries, people trying to stock up on medication, collateral damage…

She sighed heavily. She was so, so tired.

Once the evacuation had been ordered, most of the non critical patients had been moved, not that there were all that many, they weren’t a terribly large facility after all.

That just left a handful that weren’t stable enough, and any that came in. That had helped. What had decidedly not helped was most of her staff doing a runner at the first signs of actual combat in the area, despite Elise telling them that it was safer in a non-military target than out.

Taking another drag of her cigarette, she listened to the rumbling of distant combat, and watched the occasional flash of a skyward laser or PPC.

She was no stranger to this, war that is. She’d been through several. 

Still…never got much easier…

“Doctor?” came a voice behind her, one of her remaining orderlies. “The patient is awake.”

—

Everything hurt. Which was good, and bad. Good, because it meant you were alive. Bad, because it hurt. Arms covered in bandages weakly moved to block the bright light coming from the ceiling lights, lightly jostling the IV bags next to the bed. It was hard to breath and there was an oxygen mask on their face, and their back and side were on fire with a deep, deep ache. 

But, again, the pain was reassuring in a way. Can’t hurt if you’re dead.

Where…

“Ah, so you are awake.” came a voice from the door, a middle aged woman, hair going prematurely gray from life as a doctor, most likely, steps into the room.

The woman checks the chart at the foot of the bed, scrolling through the digital display for a few moments.

“And by the looks of it, everything went better than expected. You’re extremely lucky to be alive, you know? The shrapnel saved your life, ironically. If it hadn’t been white hot and partially cauterized your wounds…” she pauses, shaking her head.

“Sorry, old combat medic talking, I’m Dr. Elise Morrow. Is there anything you need?”

“...painkillers…and a radio…”

“Well, there’s a button for morphine next to you, dear, just don’t get too attached to it, we don’t have a lot right now, and after all the work I did putting your spine back together, you ODing would make me very upset. As for the radio…” Elise says, putting a hand on her hip, ”I’ll handle that, got your tags after all”

The doctor pulls a pair of dog tags from her pocket, before setting them down on the bedside table.

“...understood…”

“Glad we’re on the same page then, dear.” Elise says with a smile, resuming checking her chart.

“...how…did I get here?”

The doctor pauses in her checking of the chart again.

“Well, a couple “good samaritans”, looters or scavengers most likely, practically dropped you on our doorstep about an hour and a half ago. Pulled you out of what had once been a ‘mech. Like I said, if your wounds hadn’t been partially cauterized, you’d be a goner by now. And you got extremely lucky, your left lung was nicked rather than properly holed. Any more and without the mild cauterization, you’d have bought the farm.”

“The worst of it is your spine. I did what I could with a neuro/spinal bypass, but you’ll need someone with a proper full medical suite to actually fix it properly. The bypass is a quick and dirty method to get you somewhere better equipped. But for the moment…” she pauses, pulling a small device from her pocket, and gently prodding the toes of each of the patient's feet with it. 

The patient’s eyes grow slightly wider when it registers they were able to feel that.

“...I think I did alright.” Elise says with a smile. “Also you’re going to be short of breath for a while, and there will be a weight in the left side of your chest. That’s the sealant foam. It’ll keep you from bleeding into your lungs at least until you see a proper, well equipped doctor, rather than an ex medic who knows how to keep you pumping air and walking until then. There’s also the stitches and staples, but again, same thing.”

“...I...thank you…”

“Don’t just yet. Like I said, have someone with a full suite take a look at you when you get back. I’ll go make that call now. You just rest for now.”

“...understood.”

“Good, if you need anything, it’s that red button there.” Elise says, before taking her leave to check the rest of her patients.

The patient lay there for a few moments, deep in thought. After a while, they gingerly reached over and picked the dog tags up off the table.

—-------------------------------- VON STRAUSS ELENOR 904372189 B POS AGNOSTIC —--------------------------------

Elenor stared at the dog tags for a while, before setting them down again.

She had heard once, a phrase that stuck with her.

“You can’t fight the math.”

She had believed it, for most of her relatively short life.

She wasn’t so sure now. Sometimes, it seems, you can fight the math.

Sometimes miracles happen.

---

End part 1

@is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not

@lt-chari

@navcommrelay

@combined-arms-merc-groups

[tanjirou-no-au]

Demon Slayer Kami Rangers

Five hundred years ago, a sickly but cruel nobleman tapped into the spirit world and forged a dark pact, giving him immortality and a bevy of dark power at the cost of never living under the sun again. Despite this, he began a reign of terror across Japan, using his powers to turn humans and Yokai into monstrous bloodthirsty demons.

In response, the gods bestowed their powers to human champions, who sealed him away from the mortal and spirit worlds.

But centuries later, he plots his return, sending his agents into the mortal world to wreak havoc and, one way or another, break the seal and release him back into the world and bathe it eternal night.

Main Kami Rangers

Sun God KamiRed-Tanjiro Kamado

Weapon: Woodcutter Axe/Seven Branched Sword

Zord: Tanuki (Forms the torso of the Kami Megazord)

Trivia: His power coin is Yoriichi's, given to the Kamados.

Demon Goddess KamiBlack-Nezuko Kamado

Weapon: Tekko Kagi Claws and Bladed Boots

Zord: Iriomote Cat (Forms the right arm of the Kami Megazord)

Trivia: Given a cursed power coin by Kokushibo, but Tanjiro's power kept it from taking her over.

Thunder God KamiYellow-Zenitsu Agatsuma

Weapon: Spear

Zord: Sparrow (Forms the head of the Kami Megazord)

Trivia: Adopted by another descendant of Yoriichi's orginal rangers, with Kaigaku resenting him for it.

Beast God KamiBlue-Inosuke Hashibira

Weapon: Twin Serrated Daggers

Zord: Boar (Forms legs and waist of Kami Megazord)

Trivia: Cared for by a boar spirit a la Princess Mononoke

Forest God KamiPink-Kanao Tsuyuri

Weapon: Yami Bow

Zord: Sika Deer (Forms the left arm of the Kami Megazord)

Trivia: Yet another adoptee of the original rangers.

Godkiller KamiGreen-Genya Shinazugawa

Weapon: Twin Shotguns

Zord: Green Dragon (Its own zord with a humanoid form), Beetle, (armor for Kami Megazord and green Dragonzord)

Trivia: Kokushibou's second attempt at creating a Ranger loyal to Muzan.

Trivia

The main Auxiliry Rangers are gonna be Muichiro (Cyan Trickster God), Giyuu (Indigo River God), & Shinobu (Purple Poison God), while the rest of the Hashira are Yokai and humans.

There was a Previous lineup with Kyojuro (Red Fire God), Tengen (Yellow Thunder God), Gyomei (Black Mountain God), Kanae (Pink Forest God), Sabito (Blue River God) & Makomo (Cyan Trickster God).

Kagaya is the spirit of Muzan's brother and the team's mentor, and the rest of the Ubuyashikis are also spirits and helpers.

All the rangers are empowered by katanas made of spirit infused, magical nichirin steel, transmogrified into coins for modern day usage. The Ranger's special weapons are derived from these katanas.

Their special power up involves red swords, Dragon motifs and Slayer Marks.

Amongst the OG Kami Rangers, Yoriichi was the Golden Dragon Ranger

[thatboreddrake]

The Identity of the Gloam-Eyed Queen

Okay, so. I am once again asking you to bear with me as I attempt to stitch a cohesive lore from approximately three item descriptions and one line of dialogue. This was the product of one of my first forays into Elden Ring headcanoning, but I think this one actually holds some warning.

Once again, obligatory "this is a headcanon theory with, at best, threadbare evidence in the actual game, but also it makes the whole story make more sense to me" warning. This time, we will be looking at, if I am correct, the only character in Elden Ring who is never referenced by name by another NPC and the identity of a long-dead Empyrean whose servants are some of the most annoying bosses in-game. I am speaking, of course, of Melina, the Kindling Maiden and the Gloam-Eyed Queen.

As before, we're going to start with item descriptions to get an idea of what we know from the game:

Godskin Apostle set: "The apostles, once said to serve Destined Death, are wielders of the god-slaying black flame.  But after their defeat by Maliketh, the Black Blade, the source of their power was sealed away."

Godslayer's Greatsword: "Sacred sword of the Gloam-Eyed Queen who controlled the Godskin Apostles before her defeat at the hands of Maliketh."

Black Flame Ritual: "The Gloam-Eyed Queen led the apostles. It is said that she was an Empyrean chosen by the Fingers."

Black Flame Protection: "The Apostles were all embraced by the Gloam-Eyed Queen, and the black flame was their armor within."

Scouring Black Flame: "The black flame could once slay gods. But when Maliketh sealed Destined Death, the true power of the black flame was lost."

Godskin Swaddling Cloth: "The Gloam-Eyed Queen cradles newborn apostles swaddled in this cloth. Soon they will grow to become the death of the gods."

To summarize, we know that the Gloam-Eyed Queen was an Empyrean chosen by "the Fingers" (it is interesting to note that it does not specify whether she was chosen by the Two Fingers or Three Fingers) who led the Godskin Apostles and was eventually defeated by Maliketh. She also wielded a godkilling black flame, which lost its potency after Maliketh sealed away Destined Death.

As for Melina:

Blade of Calling: "Dagger given to one who set out on a journey to fulfill her duty long ago. The power of its former owner, the kindling maiden, is still apparent. The one who walks alongside flame, Shall one day meet the road of Destined Death." (note: i'm assuming this was Melina's dagger because she uses it as an NPC summon during the fight against Morgott)

Aaaaaaaaaand I'm fairly certain that that's it.

In case you hadn't already guessed, I propose that Melina is the true identity of the Gloam-Eyed Queen. For one, consider the following line of dialogue from the Frenzied Flame ending:

"Lord of Frenzied Flame... I will seek you, as far as you may travel... To deliver you what is yours. Destined Death."

Metal. This is also significant because it shows Melina opening her left eye, which we never see at any other point in the game. The eye is of course a murky, "gloamy" color, as other's have pointed out before.

Given that we don't exactly know what the criteria is for a person to become an Empyrean, we don't really have any other evidence or clues to go off of, so Melina is the most reasonable choice for the role.

"But wait," you may say, "why does Melina talk as though her only purpose is to burn the Erdtree if she's the Gloam-Eyed Queen?"

I'm so glad you asked, random voice in my head.

The timeline would follow as such (speculation ahead):

Melina is the first daughter of Godfrey and Marika (more on this later). She's born fairly early during the conquest of the Lands Between, possibly even before the conclusion of the War of the Giants. As such, Marika has her trained in combat and incantations from a young age to help take down her enemies (Melina in-game has strikingly similar animations to the Black Knife Assassins, indicating to me that she received her training from the same source). Melina receives her training/mentorship directly from Malekith, the original wielder of the godslaying black flame.

When the Golden Order is established, Marika plucks the Rune of Death (Destined Death) and gifts is to Melina who goes on to serve as Marika's personal assassin (killing enemy gods and the like). In the interrim, Marika bears the twin omens, Morgott and Mohg, but all is right in the world while Godfrey is around. That all changes when Godfrey goes off to conquer the rest of Limgrave, and Marika gives birth to baby Godwyn

Melina returns home after a mission to find that her younger brothers have been thrown into the sewers. Naturally, being a good sister, she takes issue with this and confronts Marika about it. Marika dismisses her with a speech about how they don't need the omens anymore because she has a "proper heir" now. Melina storms out and begins talking amongst the other members of the Queen's Blades (proto-Black Knife Assassins name from @catcas22). Melina goes throughout the Lands Between recruiting from groups that have been ostracized by the Golden Order (Drake Knights, Crucible Knights, omens, and the like). These soldiers rebrand themselves as "the Godslayers" and swear loyalty to Melina.

The final recruit Melina needs is someone to hold off her own shadow while she goes after Marika (assuming that she has a shadow because I think all empyreans have them? anyway). For this job, Melina recruits Vargram, the Raging Wolf. Vargram was one of the first Tarnished, and aspired to be the shadow of an Empyrean (Raging Wolf Armor). I cast him in this role specifically because he wields the Godslayer's Greatsword in-game. Could be coincidence, but I don't believe in coincidence in Souls games.

Anyway, point being that the Godslayers and Melina march on Leyndell and demand that Marika surrender, so as to avoid unnecessary casualties. Marika, being Marika, absolutely refuses and sends out Maliketh to deal with the self-titled "Blackflame Rebellion." The battle ends with Vargram barely escaping with his life, Melina losing an eye, and Maliketh taking the Rune of Death and sealing it within himself.

Furthermore, Godfrey is banished from the Lands Between after returning from his final conquest, as Marika judges that he has too close of a connection to the Crucible. Also the fact that, based on his pre-fight dialogue, Godfrey had quite a close connection with his Omen children.

This whole chain of events would explain why Melina is not mentioned by any NPC in-game. She's been dead for so long and Marika has a good enough propaganda engine (her PR guy is called "the All Knowing" for a reason) that she is only remembered as "The Gloam-Eyed Queen." The only NPC we ever meet who would've known her personally, we unceremoniously murder for the Volcano Manor before we can talk to. In the aftermath of the Rebellion, many of the Godslayers lose their way, having forgotten the reason for their fight against Marika, and eventually devolve into the Godskin Nobles and Apostles that we fight in-game.

Random Thoughts that Don't Fit in the Main Theory:

Melina may have been the child of Radagon and Marika, rather than Marika and Godfrey. Don't like this one, personally, for the implications if nothing else, but anyway. For one, her name fits the convention of the Haligtree twins better than the convention of Godfrey's kids. Furthermore, there are three types of butterflies in Elden Ring: the Nascent Butterfly (Miquella), the Aeonian Butterfly (Malenia), and the Smoldering Butterfly (which is described as eternally burning). One theory posits that the Smoldering Butterfly represents Melina because she is called the "kindling maiden" and is an Empyrean like the Twins.

Melina was likely the one who planted the idea in Ranni's head of the Night of the Black Knives. The original plan would have been that Ranni kill Marika with the other half of the cursemark, thus granting Ranni her freedom and satisfying Melina's revenge. However, Ranni instead uses it on Godwyn, one of the few people Melina desperately wanted to keep safe.

Playlists for those who are interested:

Melina's internal conflict/character arc: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ObmoqE0FSmehCPSiZgcNU?si=97e1b1c5cc6b4f37

The main events of the Blackflame Rebellion, courtesy of @catcas22: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7IRpa8iQV0Fqf9bvzUEwQ0?si=44f877dc2a544752

[thegorydamnreaper]

The Reaper, Darrow of Mars

Ft. The Godkiller armor 😏

[stupid-elf]

Consider this your permission to rant about comics as modern myths, from a classics major who would love to hear it :)

HI OKAY so this ask might've been months ago but it's fine we're here to answer it now

SO BASICALLY one of the main features of myths is that they're archetypal, right? So long as you follow the archetypes and the general flow of the story it's the same myth. There is no definitive version, only the teller's version. Think about this with comic reboots and different versions and timelines. So long as Spider-Man is funny, slings webs, and lives in a city with a rogues gallery, that's Spider-Man. Actually, Across The Spider-Verse has somewhat demonstrated even that list is hewing too close to the bone, Spider-Man is more flexible even than that.

Consider Batman. Grim backstory, detective, uses fear as a weapon for good, has a dual identity with one consuming the other. Who to make, then, of Godkiller Batman? Of Chaos Nexus Batman? We still recognize them as Batman, but they're not detectives, they don't have dual identities, they're arguably not even fighting on the good side. Still the same character. But Owl-man? No, that's somebody else. That's a narrative foil.

We have good indications that what we assume about Dionysus isn't who Dionysus was to the people that worshipped him. Similarly, Red Hood is not, to me, who Red Hood is to somebody obsessed with the resurrected wrong trope.

If you're looking for modern myths, comics characters are your best bet. You don't have to have read, watched, or listened to Spider-Man content to know who that is. Living in the US or our sphere of cultural hegemony is enough. Similarly, a random Greek might not be able to list the 12 labors, but they know who Heracles was supposed to be.

Franchises don't usually work. There's a canon, definitive version of Obi-wan Kenobi. You can't really have a re-imagining of Old Ben. A re-imagining of Iron Man though? There's 3 of them being printed right now, with no relation to the MCU besides the idea of a guy and a suit. There's one where it's a knight in an unconventionally advanced suit of armor set during the middle ages, but a reader can look at that and go "yeah, that's Iron Man alright." I'm not sure how besides "archetypes just work like that," it's probably helped by the stamping of the name on the cover (similarly to how there's a couple dozen myths about different things Prometheus did, and some of them don't even seem like the same guy but short of a persistent translation error we're to understand it is; the storyteller often begins with "let me tell you a story of the titan Prometheus," or some variation to that effect).

All of this comes from a class I took on Ancient Mythology and a couple classes on genre, archetypal thinking, and characterization. I'm not an expert, but I'm fascinated by the ways humanity hasn't really changed, even over several millennia. We still just have our blorbos, and believe me there's people on this hellsite that would go in the woods and hold a Bacchanal if society was still structured in a way that allowed it.

[unjest]

oh man oh man I'm soooo fucking excited to FINALLY run this campaign after soooo many years. think I'm going with the mortally coiled offshoot one rather than The Pit only because The Pit really needs a non-DnD playbook to work right + it still needs a TON of work

but anyways here's some of the things I'm planning hehehe

first session starts out with a basic "local tavern has a rat infestation in the basement" quest. except when the party goes down to clear them out. those are not rats. the tavern has an infestation of crawling claws. the first combat of the campaign is against a swarm of undead severed hands

bigger plot is revealed via finding out who the FUCK put crawling claws in the basement. VERY suspicious wizard has been chilling in the corner reading some books and hightails it out of there it when he realizes that the crawling claws are all dead

one book is left behind. if the players try to read it it's revealed that theres some sort of enchantment on it preventing them from reading it (text always appears in a language they dont know ie if one player sees it in infernal but the player that can speak infernal sees it in orcish etc etc). if they try to dispel it somehow all the text will just be Gone

two major leads- big cemetery where the hands were probably sourced from + wizard library the book came from (the language thing meant to be an anti-theft measure since the books arent ever supposed to leave the tower)

if they go to the cemetery: they get ambushed by a group of mercenaries in bright-colored robes/armor, mimicking the uniform of an old specialized strike team for a long-dead empire that shouldnt exist anymore

if they go to the wizard library: they find out that the suspicious wizard has a workaround to the anti-book theft enchantments, and that they were researching a REALLY weird combo of magic, including shit like self-necromancy, identifying + tracking extraplanar beings, item duplication, etc

if the party follows the wizard to private/restricted floors, they find out that he's working under another guy (its rasputin)

reviving an old dmpc of mine, Ward. not sure whether im keeping him as a cleric or swap over to druid. he's following a god of chance so ill roll a dice at the beginning of each session to see if he shows up or not. big plans for this fucker

oh also it turns out that rasputin is trying to revive the dead empire from earlier and the guys with bright colored armor keep showing up. its the children of unseeing eyes

lots of other shit happens and they meet gazer who's pretending to be a golden dragonborn despite being a lizardfolk

gazer turns out to be rasputin's apprentice surprise surprise

rasputin's bbeg plan is revealed that he's hunting down and killing minor gods/spirits with a special godkiller dagger to add to their own power

gazer eventually grows to hate rasputin and tries to usurp his plan by taking it FURTHER. there's a magic artifact he's tracking down thats supposed to let him reshape reality

finds it. gazer + party + whoever else is present gets sucked into a mind prison hellscape where theyre in the suburbs while their bodies slowly die of thirst

they break out. maybe they ally with gazer because they all trauma bond together in the suburbia hellzone. maybe they kill him. either way they eventually take down rasputin

[star--nymph]

Hey! <3 1 for Artemis, 26 for Kass and Blaine, and 42 for Eury (or some combination of those if that's too many!)

Artemis

How does your character think of their father? What do they hate and love about him? What influence - literal or imagined - did the father have?

Ohohohoho. This can of worms you just opened up is hefty, Artemis hates his father. Loathes him. Would and will attempt to run him through if ever sees him again. Seth is a coward in his eyes; a weak shitstain of a man who puffed his medal decorated chest and then was too scared to stick around when his child turned out to be a freak of nature. He abandoned his family--his pregnant wife and child--and it wasn't for their sake, pretending like they were better off with out because of that fear. No, he left because he was just scared and wanted to protect himself. And then he disappeared while his family suffered. Was kidnapped, tortured, shredded, and murdered. Maybe he couldn't have saved them but fuck, if he had stuck around at least it meant he cared. That resentment in Artemis only grew when he become a father--a relatively young one, too. Dolly wasn't a choice, he didn't know about her, and she's an anomaly. She could absolutely end up killing Artemis one day but Artemis doesn't care. Dolly could turn out to be a full blown curse of nature and he still wouldn't leave her. The thought of abandoning her to the world like he was by his father boils Artemis' blood. So yeah, there is an influence there, in that Artemis is going to be everything his father isn't and at the same time everything he fears. He thought his baby boy was a monster? Okay, Dad, he'll give you a monster. In summary:

Kass and Blaine

26. What does your character’s home look like? Personal taste? Clothing? Hair? Appearance?

The Godkiller HQ is a former office building because that's all they could afford at the time. For the most part, it's not a bad place. They gutted one floor for training purposes, a second floor the medbay and the arsenal, a third floor for the interrogation/war room meetings, and then the upper levels are the living areas. The main living area is open concept with the kitchen and living room, loft above that leads to Blaine, Kass, Guest Room (later Asha's room), Amy's room, and Holly's room (which is combined with the surveillance). The living room has a door leading to Ryu's room and another leading to Utah's. There is also bathroom, another guest room, and a random scrap room that's also used for laundry. There is a stair case that leads directly to the roof as well. That's a lot but you asked for a home. As for Kass' personal taste/theme I guess? Kass is all sunset colors. Red, pink, yellows, oranges. Anything bright goes. I'm trying to figure out what in terms of fashion Kass is--cause she's kind of both very edgy rocker chick but also she likes very pretty clothing like dresses and mini skirts. Depending on her mood, she could be in damaged skinny jeans and boots or in a flowy summer dress. What she likes is comfortable above all else but most importantly, she always needs a leather jacket. Kass as a leather jacket for every color and if she doesn't, she'll go hunting for one. She just likes being cute, she likes being sexy, she likes her colors and glitter, she likes being able to move. She wants to feel good in her clothing and I think she's get a boost when she at least looks stylish even if she feels like shit. That said, her look for combat is all black, red, and grey--for good reason. She needs to blend in with her surroundings but her signature bright red jacket and power strips on her armor, braces, and boots key people in that she's not a civilian, but an active combatant. For Blaine, his colors are blues, useless leaning into muted hues or steel blues. He likes his pops of colors too, though. Yellows, greens, whites. I think his look is very casual and kind of loosey? Nice fitted jeans with baggy dress shirts, hoodies, sweaters. He has a lot of shirts that also have patterns too (yes he does have and happily wear Hawaiian shirts). He does that flannel over a graphic t-shirt look (the graphic is like 'local cryptic is my boyfriend', don't question it). Loves a good pair of high rise sneakers or boots. He likes wearing earrings and necklaces too. He also has a couple of bomber jackets and denim jackets. I think I'd call Blaine's entire look very...sleek? Homebody? Nerd? He does look a collar shirt under a sweater. Combat wise, Blaine is a greys and blues. Like Kass, his armor, boots and braces have subtle blue power strips running through to regulate strength and impact. Blaine's combat suit has external padding on the knees and elbows and over all has a close resemblance to a fencing uniform.

Eurydice

42. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain?

Freedom. I don't think Eurydice is aware of how much but she hungers for freedom and choice in her life. It's the saddest part of Inquisition because nothing that brought or kept here there was her choice. Eurydice stays as First out of Duty, she leaves for the conclave out of loyalty, she is forced into the position of Herald and the Inquisitor under threat of imprisonment by human hands. She doesn't want any of those positions and for most of her life, she's be forced into a very tight place by the people controlling her. The second she has agency, she doesn't keep the Inquisition. She disbands--she leaves. She hates being Inquisitor. So much of Eury's story is about her chasing freedom and being able to choose things for herself. She chooses to be a witch without a clan, she chooses to marry Cullen, she chooses to be a mother, she choose leave. Someone once told me that Eurydice felt more at home in an AU where she was a Avvar Augur than she ever did as Inquisitor and yeah, that's by design. She chose to be an Augur. Happy Ending in every story with Eurydice? She leaves and travels the world. No one is ever able to find her unless she allows them to. I think of a worse fate for Eurydice than her being chained to the Inquisition and Chantry for the rest of her days--except the fate where she chained to her father. This is why in the Fade her tombstone would read 'Possession': Eurydice doesn't simple fear being possessed by a demon, she fears any form of agency or captivity. She fears being a Tranquil, she fears being trapped in the Circle, she fears that she is an empty, heartless shell of a person like her father says she is. She fears objectification and dehumanization. There is no way out of she doesn't have a choice. And what Eurydice is willing a lot to achieve it? Gnawing her own arm off for one, which kind of feels like what happened in Trespasser anyway? Allowing the chantry to burn? Being exiled and hated by her clan even if she loves them with all her heart? The world? Well yes in the situation where Eurydice becomes a creature of the forest with no connection to anything or anyone besides her animals and her things and her space? Then yeah, the world can burn if it means her freedom? What does she care? The world is loud anyway. Gotta love that sense of self preservation that never goes away.

[fuckingloginwall]

✎ Flesh Torn Voids

《Eldritch Games》 《Origins Biology》

—☵☵☰☰☰☵☵—

One day the Vessels were taken out of their world and returned irreversibly changed. These entities placed their eternal mark.

But just where do these Vessels disappear to when the entities will it so? Would you like to see?

—☵☵☰☰☰☵☵—

⌡ 🔏 Listen well, oh Reader from Faraway⌠

⌡ 🔏 Autonomy is lost. That is all I believe you need to beware⌠

⌡ 🔏 If I failed to caution thee against anything else within this tale, please tell me so⌠

—☵☵☰☰☰☵☵—

Flesh Torn Voids Ep.1 ✨ Wardrobe Changes & Strange Rearrangements

G🌘tt1stT🌑tt

6.9K subscribers

· ⋆ ⋯ ✶⌣✦⌣✶ ⋯ ⋆ ·

Almost pitch black. Frantic breathing. Jumping and hitting the ceiling. Fist keeps hitting bedrock up above.

It keeps going.

It keeps going.

It keeps going.

The bedrock breaks. Jumping higher than ever before.

Clawing.

Clawing.

Clawing.

Breaking bedrock.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Stone . . .

Stone. Stone. Stone. Stone.

dirtdirtdirtdirt.

LUMINESCENCE . . .

blinking...blinking...blinking...

Jump up. Jump up. Jump up.

Green leaves rustling. Brown bark. Blue skies. White clouds. The sun up above.

Someone walking. Pale skin. Blonde hair. Green eye. Eyepatch. Black and purple clothes. Looks into the hole. Looks at them. Crouches.

A quiet feminine voice. "Hey, you good there?"

A man's voice rasps. "I've seen better days."

"Me too." The blonde stands up. "So where'd you come from?"

He turns around, looks into the tunnel. "I— I think I came out of the void." He faces the blonde again.

The blonde's voice isn't quiet. "What the fuck, you too?"

"Yes, where'd you get out from?" He drags himself out of his hole. Green grass under him now.

The blonde walks. "I dug out at around here, here come check it out." He follows them.

Another hole, as deep as his. They both look down.

"This is where I came out of."

"Ugh, I'm not looking down there. Don't want to see that shit again. I'll just believe you for now." He looks at the blonde.

The blonde starts looking all around them. "Nice to know that somebody else is in this predicament. Don't think you know where this place is either." They look at him. "Wanna be Void Buddies?"

"No. No more voids after today. I'm getting as far away from here as possible and burrying these holes til' they're filled." He looks back at the hole and where he came from.

"You wanna fill the void." He looks at the blonde.

"You know what I mean." A pause. "Do you know where you're from and what you were doing before the void happened to you?"

"Yeah I was beating the Ender Dragon with me and my friends." The blonde looks to the ground, walks aimlessly. "But then . . . I think we all died. Fell into the void too. Fuck I hope they're okay."

"Shit, you too? One minute I'm going to be a hero, the next I'm breaking bedrock." He sighs. "I hope my team is alright. Especially Mune . . . "

"A—" The blonde cuts themself off. Silence. They clear their throat. Their voice is clearer than ever before. "Did you happen to have a sword named The Blade Of Fallen Gods? Armor named after a fellow Godkiller?"

"H— How did you know that, who the hell are you?" He raises his voice, his voice that croaks. They stepp away.

A pause . . . the blonde stutters...

"T0ttle . . . ?" Their gaze is fixated on them.

His voice hitches. "You're the one tottling...Mune . . . ?" He looks at her.

"It's me alright, I had a kitten who was black and she was my familiar of Malum, her name was Malum and...what the hell happened to you? Last I checked your hair isn't blue."

"And you look like Fischl from Genshin Impact."

"Fischl? Genshin Impact?"

A tch. "You're uncultured as always. Where's some water to check myself out?"

"I dunno, it's just trees as far as I can see." BaAaAaAa "And animals."

"Well we've gotta find one then to see how we've changed." T0ttle walks towards nowhere.

"Yeah." Mune follows him.

Animals. Grass under their feet. The only audio for minutes.

The silence breaks to his voice. "So, how did the Void treat you? Are you still alright after it?"

She's quiet... "I'm thinking about it now and I don't actually remember anything. I remember how scared I was of everything, I remember dying and loads of emotions but before I broke bedrock I knew nothing."

They keep walking.

It's getting darker. The sun beyond the trees falls lower.

"How about you?"

"I don't remember anything either. I just know my emotions back then as well."

"That's a problem."

"Yup."

A pond up ahead. They run. Looking into it.

"Oh yes! Holy shit I'm Kaeya!"

"Is he from Genshin Impact also? Did we take over their bodies? Bodyswapping? Are they in our bodies now?"

"No, Kaeya didn't have stars in his hair or stars for freckles everywhere unless I missed something." He looks back at her. "You're also not wearing her Vision either, a gem that gives Fischl her powers."

"Awww, that's sucks. I never saw a gem on you either." She looks at him.

"Daww."

"And our voices are still the same. I feel stupid for not recognizing you earlier."

"We were disoriented and clawed out of the Void, don't beat yoursself over it."

They can see the stars.

She yawns. "It's getting dark."

"Oh shit you're right, quick we've gotta make shelter real quick." He runs to a tree. He collects wood.

She walks to a nearby tree. Chops it down.

Groaning. Rattling.

Swift whispering. "Quick, quick, quick!"

"Yeah yeah yeah!"

He makes a crafting table. A wooden pick.

A shriek. He looks to it. Too many skeletons. They weren't there before. They're surrounding her. They're shooting mobs surrounding them. They're shooting him. He runs behind trees. Walls himself off with wood.

Pitch black.

Rattling. Arrows. Groaning. Her panic.

Wheezing.

Clucking...

The planks in front of him breaks. Mune's face. "It's— it's safe now. They're all gone now! I'm not hurt!"

"Mune. Where the hell did all those skeletons come from?" He breaks down the remaining planks.

"I dunno! One minute a zombie's hitting me the next skeletons are all around me." She digs dirt with a wooden shovel.

"Well then how did you do that?" He follows her into the staircase. He closes the entrance. He's moving sluggishly.

She stops. She looks towards him. "Hey you're emitting light."

"Wha—" He looks down. He can easily sees what's right next to him in the dark. Further along is difficult. "Holy, I am."

She gets behind him. "You can see so you take the lead."

"Huh?! We were stuck in the void, surely you can see in the dark just as well."

Amusement. "You're the nightlight."

A huff. "Fine."

He mines stone.

He mines stone.

He mines coal.

"Oh yes! Torches!"

He places one nearby. He climbs up the steps.

He lights the staircase walls.

He digs into the wall.

A five by five space. Three blocks of height.

He digs out the floor. He places dirt.

"This is probably better to sleep on than just stone."

"Yeh."

She lies down. He lies down.

Fading to black. Shifting in dirt. Tossing. Turning.

There's light now. T0ttle's and torches.

He looks at Mune. She sits against the wall. She looks down.

"Mune . . . you have to sleep . . . "

"I can't and neither can you. You probably just closed your eyes like I did."

" . . . "

"Why can't you sleep?"

"I've slept in worse, several times before but..." she stands up. She paces. "The idea of closing my eyes, laying down on the ground and sleeping paralyzed me. It gave me the same feeling when the zombie hit me and the skeletons popped up to save me."

She stands still.

"Can you describe that feeling?" He gets up.

"I can't I can't, I just think..."

"I think it came from the void."

"Claustrophobia?"

"N- no I haven't felt that. Nothing's wrong with where I sleep, it's sleeping I'm scared off."

"Oh. Well how is your fear of sleeping connected to your new powers?"

"Um . . . I...think it's connected to death somehow. I can see bodies that aren't there. Bodies of people who are dead I think. And I think I pulled a bunch of them out and made them skeletons when I made them..."

"Since when could you raise the dead?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything about how I got this knowledge T0ttle. I know so much about death and dying and raising the dead but I don't know where it came from and— and— it scared me and—"

Voice cracking. Sobbing. "T0ttle I don't think I'm alright! I don't think I'm alright—!"

Hitching. He walks up to her. She raised her arms. Hugging.

"What the fuck did the Void do to us Mune? What the fuck did it do?"

Her sobbing . . .

The intro plays now.

—☵☵☰☰☰☵☵—

letsago

Minecraft Hardcore Survival ft. AbyssBorneDream

Surprise surprise Flesh Torn Voids was in fact a sequel to a Minecraft Hardcore series with little roleplaying if any at all.

There was one main goal across the whole series and it was to defeat the Ender Dragon.

They died trying, ending the series.

Abyss played a character and roleplayed sometimes. G0tt just played the game normally, occasionally playing along with Abyss in roleplaying.

G0tt and Abyss played all by themselves at first but occasionally had guests in the form of some friends. Some guests were temporary while others came back for the final battle against the Ender Dragon.

They all died. Some died on the islands whilst others fell into the void.

Flesh Torn Voids

Years after the end of the Hardcore series, Abyss would get the idea to make a more roleplay-oriented smp. One with mods.

Using their Hardcore series as inspiration, she would come up with the concept of everyone in the final battle having fallen into the void, dead or alive, and be permanently changed by it.

It would take a long time, but everyone escapes the void.

She convinces not just G0tt, but the eight other friends—some of them guests from the past series and some new—to join in.

The degree to which everyone roleplays varies. (See Mune not knowing Genshin Impact because she has no canonical means of knowing it while T0ttle knows it because G0tt knows it)

Nevertheless everyone plays a character, and has a Genshin Skin for the roleplay. It's going to become a reoccuring gag.

Everyone is recording their POVs and uploading them on YouTube. Everyone starts their series around the same time the duo does.

Anyways here's some lore.

The team dies against the Enderdragon and succumbs to the Void.

An unknown period of time later, they all successfully tear open the void with just their limbs, and break bedrock—two feats said to be impossible—and clawed into the world. Let's not even get to how they always resurrect after death as Mune and T0ttle will find.

Aside from Mune and T0ttle, everyone ends up in different dimesions and locations, no matter how illogical.

As they find one another around in this new world, they must work together to rediscover their missing memories, learn why they have these powers now (origins), and bond along the way.

That isn't to say that some people want to pursue the truth, however; they escaped death once, and wish not to tempt fate once again. So please, may they have a life where they may forget death?

Some people like WardeNyah just made their accounts recently since they wanted to join the server.

In terms of the lore, some characters look different than before the void, others do not. Example: WardeNyah's character

When I said that AbyssBorneDream was dedicated to roleplaying? I meant it. If any addons and mods down below are uncompatible, bet on Abyss to have reprogrammed them to be compatible. She also likely modifies them for a friend who wants some part of a mod to work differently, for quality of life chances, or for the sake of the lore.

The Modpack includes: Optifine, Pehkui, Origins, Origins: Umbrellas, Medieval Origins, Lato Origins, Quickster Origins, Volcanic Dragon Origins, Honey Bee Origin, Genesis, Starborne Origin V5.

The Aether, The Twilight Forest, Biomes O' Plenty, The Bumblezone, Blue Skies, The Undergarden, Runic Dungeons, Dimensional Doors

Probably some other mods in there, but those can be whatever you want.

"The void, doesn't take just all of your items. When you fall out of the world, you lose your everything." "Or at least we were supposed to." "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." -Dialogue idea for the RP

The Players

Yeah everyone wanted Genshin Impact skins for a Minecraft Roleplay lol. They also take their Skins to other servers like Hypixel or single player worlds as well

That doesn't mean they don't fuck around in Genshin Impact however, they have plenty of fun running around in Teyvat with eachother, wrecking havoc, building shit, mining, exploring the Abyss and trying to build up to Celestia whilst getting smited down again and again.

"cmon cmon we can totally kill Celestia this time around, CMON!"

Somebody asks their friends to help cuz they got lost in the Abyss, set their spawnpoint there and keep gettign spawn killed.

The death messages give everyone an aneurysm.

Someone is gonna try to fight the Players so that they release the Skins from their hold but they'll learn it's futile rip

The Skins

AKA The Vessels

Poor guys are trapped in their bodies and can only watch their bodies be piloted.

They also feel everything the Players do with them. From pain to moving, to the beds they sleep in, they still feel everything and maybe it helps with muscle memory for some tricks like speedbridging.

Yeah idk if i mentioned this is Creeper, AWWW Man! but they have inventory as well plus the ability to break and build like a player

Speaking of inventories, anything a Player keeps in their inventory after logging off stays in the inventories of their Skins, meaning the Skins can keep otherworldly shit on them and use it in Teyvat.

Also, uh, if T0ttle, saying that Kaeya has no star freckles nor stars in his hair didn't make it obvious, the Players modified their Skins to fit with their Origins and those changes are permanent to their bodies. Clothes not so much, those can be changed but body modifications are permanent.

Also their origins obviously alter their biologies permanently.

What are everyone's said Origins now you ask?

Kaeya -> Starborne

Fischl -> Necromancer

Eremite -> Warden

Tartaglia -> Merling

Wanderer -> Quickster

Kazuha's Friend -> Phantom

Hu Tao -> Nukelian

Dorian -> Honey Bee

FellFlower -> Siren

Geo Abyss Mage -> Dragonkin turned Volcanic Dragon

More on this in Origins Biology.`

[uncomplicatedbookreviews]

Godkiller

Author: Hannah Kaner

Series: Fallen Gods (#1)

My Rating: 7/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads rating: 3.93/5

Date Read: March 2024

'Fate was a fairy story and a bullshit one at that; fate could get fucked and go bother someone else.' ------------------------------

Plot Summary: Kissen is a godkiller, a warrior who travels through the country killing gods who have started harming their followers. She's a no baggage traveler...that is until Inara, a young girl spiritually connected to Skediceth the god of white lies, seeks her out in an attempt to figure out exactly why the girl and god are bound together. Kissen reluctantly takes on the task of taking the girl to the old city of gods after witnessing the girl's entire household burn to the ground. Along the way they run into Elogast, the once captain of the kind's knights and King Arren's closest friend. Together the dysfunctional traveling group must fight mysterious forces trying to stop them from reaching their destination, bickering and butting heads the entire way.

TL:DR: This book really shines in it's characters and the amount of representation throughout. POC, queer, disabled characters are given the center stage and they are wonderfully written. There are some pacing issues, but the world that is built is fascinating and fully fleshed out.

Characters:

Kissen - a fierce warrior whose family was killed as a sacrifice to a god of fire. Kissen is stubborn, bitingly sarcastic, tough and uncaring. At least at first glance. She hunts and destroys gods that have begun to harm the humans who worship them on behalf of the king. She keeps everyone but her closest family at arms length and does not care for new friendships. She stumbles her way into a deeper mission that she never anticipated or wanted.

Inara - a young 12 year old girl who has been bound to the small god of white lies Skediceth from birth. She has lived much of her life in the solitary confinement of her mother's estate, hiding her connection to a god who is illegal. She has to tap into her suppressed bravery to seek out answers about her connection with Skediceth and the arson responsible for killing her family. She's brash and determined to start controlling her own fate and revenge.

Skediceth - the god of white lies who is connected to Inara by a bond that neither of them know anything about. He has no memories of his life before Inara and his powers are small. He dreams of one day being free of Inara, but he also cares for his friend deeply. He protects his existence by using his powers of white lies which is reflected in his timid and threat avoidant nature.

Elogast - the king's closest friend and the commander of his army. Elo is a noble knight who suffers from symptoms of PTSD related to his experiences in the war between humans and gods. All he wants to do is live a life of baking bread in his small village, but his sense of duty and love for the king forces him to pick his sword back up and go on one last mission. He's a good guy with a genuine nature. A true knight in shining armor

Thoughts and Feelings: Besides some minor pacing issues this book was really fantastic. The world that is created is amazing, well described, easy to understand, and vibrant with culture, unique mythology, and extensive history. I have never read about another world that is like the one created in Godkiller. The dynamics between humans and gods is fresh and unique. Human faith is the only reason that the gods exist so if the humans stop believing the gods fade away. But if the gods become too powerful they become greedy for more devotion and require sacrifices that harm their followers. Super cool. And the fact that the book begins with gods OUTLAWED is so cool.

THE CHARACTERS ARE AMAZING. There is not a character in this book that does not hit. Kissen is a badass with personal relationship issues and a fucked up past that makes her very cold. But she also can't help but care for Inara who reminds her so much of herself as a child. Inara is a typical kid in a lot of ways. She starts the book very timid and scared but gradually becomes more brave. She acts brashly at times and doesn't think through the consequences of her actions, but she is actually willing to grow because of her mistakes. Elogast is this seemingly perfect noble knight, but he is hiding a lot of PTSD and self worth issues. These characters are also just the tip of the iceberg for the beautiful diversity of this book. There are queer characters, there are disabled characters, there are mentally ill characters almost anything you can think of is present here and the kicker is that THEY. ARE. ALL. WELL. WRITTEN. Every one of these characters is well rounded. Their character traits are important parts of them, but they don't completely define them. it's incredible.

Now the only small issue is parts of the book are a little slow and it doesn't quite click, but it is not enough to detract from the rest of it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy settings, strong female characters, strong characters in general, and unique mythologies.