#hearthbound

[songoftrillium]

HEARTHBOUND IS NOW A BESTSELLER

HOLY SHIT! A friend pointed out to me that Hearthbound is now a bestseller on Storytellers Vault! I never expected it to do so well, and I'm honored it's had such a positive public response.

If you've ever wanted a turnkey solution for confronting the less savory aspects of the Garou Nation in Werewolf: the Apocalypse, look no further!

When you take away the safety, agency, and credibility of a people, abuse them, and push them to the edges of society, it's only natural that they'll turn to each other for support. Hearthbound is an exploration of subculture that I feel will resonate with many of you.

Long ago held beneath the heels of the Garou Nation, Kinfolk have begun helping Crinos-Born defectors seeking to escape their Septs. Raising them in loving homes, these Crinos-Born have grown into a new tribe. They reflect the values and people of the cultures that raised them, proudly bearing the names their families gave them.

Existing as the children of Shantar, the Hearthbound value inventiveness above all else, finding unconventional solutions to deeply complex issues, both in the literal and abstract. Adhering to the Codes and Creeds of renown, they judge those in the Garou Nation who would use their power to abuse those weaker than them.

This module is usable in any edition of Werewolf: the Apocalypse and provides all the patron, tribe, gift, spellwork mechanics, and story seeds needed to work this new tribe into your new or existing tables!

This is Pay What You Want! Any amount you think is fair (including nothing, if that's what you want think it's worth)

[anyaboz]

See how I animated this scene for Hearthbound, a new queer audio drama.

48 hours left of the Kickstarter! We are so close! Please give if you can to make this project happen!

[ask-dawnanddusk]

When Maksviah and Loraifon exited the cave, the first thing they heard was the sound of wing beats, bringing with them a warm and humid stream of air that clearly hailed from more southern seas far from their current cold location. Raising their heads to look up, both smiled at the familiar figure who’d arrived.

“Big brother Vox!” Loraifon cheered.

“It has been far too long since your last visit, Voxgatum.” Maksviah said with a smile, “It is wonderful to see you doing well.”

“It’s great to see you too mother. And Loraifon, You’ve grown so much!” The lugia said with a smile. “I can’t wait to catch up with you both.”

Voxgatum is now open for asks!

[ohnoitstbskyen]

So: for LoL, which storyline is your favorite? And if you were to decide, what direction would you take it?

I mean, my favourite story set in any League of Legends thing by far is Arcane, but I suspect that's not quite what you mean.

Second to that is Ashe and Sejuani, specifically as their relationship is told in the Ashe: Warmother comic. It's a comic about the ways in which their relationships with their mothers shape them into the people they become - both of them consciously rejecting their mothers' legacies, and yet both of them utterly reflective of them.

Like, Ashe's mother Grena is this unflinching visionary, utterly possessed by a dream of ancient legacies, who is at once incredibly powerful and willing to sacrifice any number of lives for her vision, but also vulnerable, flawed and terrified of what her leadership will do both to her tribe and to her daughter.

And you see those qualities emerge in Ashe as she determines to become the protector of the weak in the Freljord, the champion of the Hearthbound and the vulnerable. She inherits Grena's steel-edged will and dedication to a vision of the future, even as she tries over and over again to reject her mother's obsession with ancient glories and mystical names.

Sejuani on the other hand is raised by... well, by a bitter, abusive drunk who sees her as nothing but a signifier of her own regrets and failures, and who projects all her own insecurities and weaknesses onto her child.

And Sejuani grows up both resentfully rejecting all the insecurity and pain her mother has been beating into her, but also inherits her mother's brutality and willingness to see the human beings under her command as disposable objects whose worth is measured in utility.

They are two reflections, two shadows of their mothers, and of the relationship they had to them, sisters by mutual choice and love, who are brought into conflict because their traumas have shaped them in irreconcilably different ways.

It is ENORMOUSLY compelling as a narrative about siblings, and as a framing device for the conflict in the Freljord - especially with Lissandra spooking around in the background as a universal mother-figure for the region, who in turn has her own traumas about being alienated from her sisters in ways that are similar to how Ashe and Sejuani were split apart.

The Freljord sometimes runs the risk of devolving into pop culture viking stereotypes and high fantasy pagan god nonsense (/affectionate, I love Ornn so much), but Ashe and Sejuani and their estrangement, especially as presented in Warmother, brings the thematic core of the region back down to some extremely fundamental questions about how to survive in an abusive environment - whether it be a harsh winter, or a broken family.

Warmother is a fantastic comic, everyone should read it (the art by Nina Vakueva absolutely fucks, and the approach to character design is strong as hell), and it breaks my heart that Riot's management couldn't keep their shit together with Marvel for long enough for it to get any kind of a sequel.

[anna-the-undertaker]

Hiii helloooo hiyaaa :3 really loved ur previous short🩷 whaddaya think about this: cottagecore themed MC? What if an MC has that vibe of a grandparent or an old storybook(like brambly hedge), is very caring and chill, likes to bake, enjoys nature and just feels like home

I loved the softness of this. It made me feel all warm inside just to write it.

Hearthbound

When the brothers first meet MC, they’re struck by their unusual presence. The Royals and the Angels are just as captivated by their charm and warm, nurturing personality. Unlike anyone they’ve ever encountered, MC exudes a serene energy that contrasts sharply with the chaos of the Devildom. Their clothes, always cozy and earth-toned, seem to belong more to a peaceful countryside than the underworld. They’re always wearing an apron, usually dusted with flour, and their hands are often busy kneading dough or tending to a small garden of herbs and flowers they’ve somehow managed to cultivate in the House of Lamentation.

Lucifer

Lucifer notices the change in the atmosphere first. The normally tense and foreboding air of the House of Lamentation has softened since MC’s arrival. He finds himself taking deeper breaths, as if trying to absorb the calming aura they bring. At first, he is perplexed by how someone so gentle could survive in the Devildom, but as he watches them bake a loaf of bread or brew a pot of tea, he begins to understand. The warmth of a fresh-baked pie and the comfort of MC’s presence have a way of disarming his stress, and though he doesn’t outwardly show it, he’s grateful. He’ll often find himself lingering in the kitchen, just to watch them move with such care and intention, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Mammon

Mammon is bewildered by MC’s nurturing ways. He’s used to adrenaline-pumping schemes and risky ventures, but with MC, everything slows down. They treat him with a kindness he’s unaccustomed to, knitting him warm scarves and offering him treats fresh from the oven. Mammon, at first, doesn’t know how to handle this kind of affection, but he quickly becomes addicted to the warmth MC brings. He’ll show up at their door at all hours, complaining about the cold or some imaginary ailment, just to be fussed over and spoiled. And when he smells fresh cookies, he’s the first to dart into the kitchen, hoping for a taste of whatever they’ve baked. There’s a particular chair in the kitchen he’s claimed as his own, and he’ll lounge there, watching them work with a contented grin.

Leviathan

Levi is awkward at first, unsure how to approach someone so different from what he’s used to. But when MC presents him with a hand-knitted blanket, soft and comforting, and bakes a cake decorated with his favorite anime characters, he’s smitten. He starts spending more time out of his room, drawn by the smell of MC’s cooking or the promise of a quiet conversation over tea. MC has a way of drawing him out of his shell, and he finds himself feeling more at ease in their presence than he has with anyone else. They remind him of the gentle characters in his favorite slice-of-life animes, and he treasures every moment they spend together.

Satan

Satan is fascinated by MC’s affinity for nature and the old-world charm they bring to the House. He’s captivated by the way they speak about the plants they’re growing, the herbal remedies they’re concocting, and the stories they tell that seem to come from another time. Satan often finds himself in the garden with them, discussing literature and nature, feeling a rare sense of peace. He admires the way they can make something beautiful out of nothing, turning even the most mundane moments into something special. When they bake, he’s often at their side, assisting with a calm enthusiasm that surprises even him. He feels a deep sense of connection with MC, as if they share an unspoken understanding of the world’s quieter joys.

Asmodeus

Asmo is enchanted by MC’s aesthetic. The softness of their demeanor, the care with which they tend to the house, and the simple beauty they bring to everything they touch—it’s all irresistible to him. He often sits with them as they bake, asking endless questions about the ingredients and marveling at the way they turn simple items into something extraordinary. Asmo loves the way MC makes everything feel cozy and inviting, and he’s constantly asking them to make little treats or craft small gifts that he can share with others. He finds their vibe to be the perfect counterbalance to his own flamboyant energy, and he delights in the way they make the house feel like a true home.

Beelzebub

Beel is immediately drawn to MC’s cooking. The scent of fresh bread or a pie cooling on the windowsill is enough to have him wandering into the kitchen, drawn by the promise of something delicious. MC quickly becomes his favorite person to hang out with, especially when they’re baking. Beel loves to watch them work, the way they move with such patience and care, and he’s always eager to taste-test whatever they’re making. But it’s more than just the food; he feels an undeniable sense of comfort in their presence, as if he’s finally found a place that feels like home. He’s protective of MC in a way that’s almost instinctual, always making sure they’re safe and well, and he never lets anyone disturb them when they’re in the kitchen.

Belphegor

Belphie is initially indifferent, preferring to spend his time napping in his usual spots. But MC’s presence slowly begins to permeate even his dreams. He finds himself seeking out the comfort they provide, often curling up on the couch where they’ve placed one of their handmade blankets. Belphie finds an odd sense of security in MC’s calm demeanor, and he starts to nap in the kitchen or the garden just to be near them. He’s drawn to their warmth and the way they make even the coldest days feel cozy. There’s something about the way MC creates a sense of family and belonging that resonates with him, and he finds himself relaxing in a way he hasn’t in a long time.

Diavolo

Diavolo is immediately fascinated by MC's ability to create an atmosphere of warmth and home in the Devildom. The future Demon King is used to grand events and the formalities of royal life, but MC’s simplicity and genuine kindness are a breath of fresh air for him. He finds himself drawn to the calm and peaceful energy that surrounds them, often seeking them out when he needs a break from his duties. He loves the way MC can make even the grandest castle feel like a cozy home, and he often invites them to the palace just to enjoy their company. He loves hearing about their life and experiences, finding their stories and outlook on life refreshing and grounding. He might even ask them to help him create a more welcoming atmosphere in the palace, valuing their input and enjoying the transformation they bring.

Barbatos

Barbatos is perhaps the most subtly affected by MC’s presence. As someone who takes immense pride in his role and responsibilities, Barbatos is not easily swayed by emotions or attachments. However, MC’s quiet strength and nurturing nature do not go unnoticed by him. He admires their attention to detail, whether it’s in baking a perfect loaf of bread or tending to their small garden. Barbatos often finds himself silently watching as MC works, appreciating the care they put into everything they do. He might even join them in the kitchen from time to time, offering his assistance and sharing in the peacefulness of the moment. Their influence softens his strict demeanor, and he finds a rare sense of calm in their presence, something he hadn’t realized he was missing.

Simeon

Simeon is immediately charmed by MC’s gentle nature and the serene atmosphere they create. As an angel who appreciates beauty and harmony, Simeon finds great joy in MC’s cottagecore lifestyle. He often visits them to share tea and enjoy quiet conversations, finding solace in the simplicity and purity of their company. MC’s love for nature resonates deeply with Simeon, and they often bond over their shared appreciation for the natural world. He might bring them small gifts from the Celestial Realm, like a rare flower or a special blend of tea, wanting to share a piece of his world with them. Simeon feels a deep connection to MC, appreciating the way they bring light and warmth to the Devildom, and he often finds himself inspired to write about them in his stories.

Solomon

Solomon is intrigued by MC’s unique presence in the Devildom. As a human who has seen and experienced much, he’s not easily impressed, but there’s something about MC that fascinates him. Their lifestyle, their nurturing nature, and the way they’ve managed to make even the Devildom feel like home pique his curiosity. Solomon enjoys teasing MC, often challenging their calm demeanor with his playful antics, but he also deeply respects the peace they bring. He might ask them to share their recipes or engage them in discussions about herbal remedies and natural magic, valuing their knowledge and perspective. Solomon finds a certain comfort in MC’s presence, appreciating the balance they bring to the often chaotic world of the Devildom. Their relationship is a mix of playful banter and deep mutual respect, and Solomon finds himself looking forward to their time together.

Luke

Luke is immediately drawn to MC’s warmth and kindness. As the youngest and most innocent of the group, Luke quickly becomes attached to MC, viewing them almost like a parental figure. He loves spending time with them in the kitchen, helping them bake cookies or tend to their garden. Luke feels safe and loved in MC’s presence, and he often seeks them out when he’s feeling homesick or overwhelmed by the Devildom. MC’s nurturing nature brings out Luke’s protective instincts, and he often declares that he’ll keep them safe from any harm, despite his small stature. He’s deeply appreciative of the way MC treats him with such care and gentleness, and he often brings them little gifts or tries to help them with their tasks as a way of showing his gratitude.

In the end, they all come to realize that MC, with their cottagecore charm and nurturing ways, has filled their lives with a sense of warmth and love they hadn’t known they were missing. Each of them, in their own way, becomes attached to the feeling of home that MC brings, and they all find themselves seeking out the comfort of their presence, knowing that with MC around, even the darkest corners of the Devildom feel a little brighter.

[camlannpod]

Me again but these questions are so good - 7, 13, 17, 19? Whichever ones you feel like! Thanks for answering my last ask!

Hehe thank you! Honestly it's lovely that people are still interested in the show!! It's kind of a scary time after a season finale, you worry everyone will just forget about you. So it's extremely charming and kind of you - please send as many asks as you like!

(If you want to send us an audio drama ask, you can do that here!)

7. Tag a show you think would make a great crossover with your own (and maybe make it happen, who knows 👀)

Ooooh this is so haaaard. I mean I don't think we can ever do an official crossover because it'd break the world a bit - but in terms of sheer Vibes: Twelvelms from @hangingslothcentral, @nightshiftpodcast (would Dai fall instantly in love with Seb? Yeah! Probably!), aaand Hearthbound. Two of these shows aren't out rn but still. Trust me.

13. What’s your favourite portion of sound design from the show?

How do I CHOOSE. Perry's fight with the Lantern Man is great - I love how Amber did the swinging of the lantern. And generally that whole sequence in the woods was very much how I imagined it. I also really love the episode 8 finale. And the episode 5 climax. And the bit with the dogs that Cai did for us in episode 4. I'm spoilt for choice - Oli, Cai and @tincanaudio are very good at what they do.

17. What’s something that inspired your show?

The Mabinogion! It's a collection of medieval Welsh stories, the oldest we have. It's fantastic and gorgeous and fascinating and I've been obsessed with it for many many years. If you haven't read it please do! I recommend Sioned Davies' translation. (Also BBC Merlin, but I feel like that must be obvious.)

19. Do you have any playlists/music you listen to while working on production?

DO I.

Ok so I made my writing playlist public for you

But also there's:

The show playlist

The compilation playlist that has show songs + character songs

Dai

Morgan

Perry

Gwen

Gwaine

Generally I listen to music I associate with whichever character I'm focusing on in an episode! And when in doubt I come back to Dai, who's very much the heart of the series.

[kx0e]

Hiii I love all your yuri meals thank you for the food!!!!! Also I was wondering, do you have any other favorite video games beside Persona ?

hi ! no problem ^^

Yeah ! i got into persona pretty recently actually thanks to one of my friends, i was really into genshin/honkai/hsr before (i still play it but more casually now), i'm also a big splatoon and animal crossing fan !

there's also games ive finished i really liked like oneshot, hearthbound (games not finished yet i think), deltarune (same as before), undertale, ddlc

for some reasons i have 300h on pokemon X so yeah i like that game too

[songoftrillium]

Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of my actions before me. 

I am delighted to announce that Dead Mountain's release, initially slated for Halloween 2023, has been delayed!!! 

Wait, what?

This post is enormous, but please take the time to read it. Likes don’t increase visibility to others! Please reblog this to spread the word! 

When I started this project, my stance on Werewolf: the Apocalypse underwent a series of evolutions between then and now. In short, Dead Mountain, a chronicle meant to simultaneously provide a game module and queer inclusivity at gaming tables, has grown beyond its original design and size and into something much bigger and bolder than what I initially set out to do. It has become a more significant task than one person can accomplish alone. Of course, I could delay Dead Mountain's release a few months to get it completed, and I will still be releasing it standalone eventually.  I could also put it out, but what would come out would fall short of presenting Werewolf in a way I feel does the game justice.

In many ways, nothing changes; it just happens later. In its current form, however, Werewolf: the Apocalypse doesn’t provide a game that fully supports the scale and inclusivity this chronicle demands. The project rapidly ballooned the chronicle into something more resembling a corebook; while fun to imagine, it is more than I initially set out to accomplish. The volume of literature needing redrafts and the need for this to be a single chronicle alone are at odds with each other, and more than one person can write independently.

I plan to reapproach this in a way that has the team excited, and I think this will excite you, too. See the rest below the cut.

As work on Dead Mountain progressed and drew closer to completion, the things I needed to include to make it happen in a way that did its subject matter justice grew beyond its original scope. The more aspects of inclusivity, culture, and story that turned up missing from the newest edition out of the occasional paragraph, the more I came to realize that if I wanted Werewolf: the Apocalypse to represent what good I see in it, I needed to also make the game itself presented in a fundamentally different way than it has before. 

I have a challenge to World of Darkness writers: 

New players should only have to read for no longer than an hour to start coming up with character concepts. 

Every Werewolf corebook put to print is falling short of that goal. It would be unjust to force players to wade through the old literature to explore all the game has to offer, and I think y’all deserve better. The tribes they read about should focus less on everything wrong with them out of the starting gates and provide players and storytellers with something worth fighting for and motivates them to action.

Over the past few weeks, we have realized that the things we need to include to do justice to the subject matter of Dead Mountain have grown beyond the project's original scope. We want to ensure the game is inclusive, culturally representative, and accessible to new players. Given the available core literature released with the latest edition lacking coherent structuring, our writing has had to balloon beyond a typical RPG supplement size to provide a functional game representative of, and relevant to, queer culture. Therefore, we have decided to delay the game's release by one year to Halloween 2024. This extra time will allow us to create a game that meets our high standards and provides an enriching experience for all players, and make Werewolf: the Apocalypse a more accessible game, particularly regarding accessibility to new players and storytellers. 

My goal is simple: Nobody new to the World of Darkness and Werewolf with an 8th-grade reading comprehension level should do more than an hour’s reading (10,000 words) to comprehend Werewolf: the Apocalypse well enough to start thinking up character concepts. New players shouldn’t have to wade into problematic legacy literature to get the specifics of Garou society or to seek cultural representation. Storytellers should have guidelines on creating chronicles with their players and interlinking them with stories. 

A series of players guides and storyteller handbooks intended to streamline the flow of information to the reader, sorted by Garou ranks, both in terms of gaming power levels and depth of information relevant to Garou of that rank. New players want to know how to make new characters. Storytellers wish to know the kinds of NPCs appropriate to characters of that power and how to run games. This is not a corebook but a series of reference guides intended to keep the depth of the world we all love in the legacy game in an easily navigated format while only revealing the most pertinent information for a given Garou’s rank and a ready-to-go adventure to pair with that game ranking. With each successive release, more information about the world of the Garou, Garou society, their enemies, and the complexity of available storytelling tools will also evolve to grow the game in tandem with players and storytellers.

Book 1: Cliath — Contains enough information for new players and storytellers to get started, focusing on character generation, Rites of Passage, and culture.

Book 2: Fostern — Expanded Garou powers for the ‘citizenry and society (and not-so-nice things that happen in the background that they keep hidden from the cubs and cliath) of the Garou. 

Books 3: Adren — Explodes into an anthology of Tribebooks with expanded powers and tribal customs and detailed septs, camps, and factions vital for any Adren fighting for Gaia.

Book 4: Athro — exploration of spirit and history. The secrets that bind society and a more lucid view of what elders in the Garou Nation face, with expanded Garou stats covering both rank 4 and 5.

Book 5: Elder — The Storytellers guide, focusing on world-building and running one's own chronicles in the World of Darkness.This puts all prior ST info in one place with a master index and any extra systems errata needed.

Our small team consists of seasoned storytellers, writers, and werewolf academics working on making Werewolf more accessible to new players. We’ve been researching, playing, or running inclusive Werewolf tables for over 60 years combined, and are self-taught experts in everything Werewolf. Everyone on this project deeply loves the game and sees its inherent value and well-meaning beneath its 90s liberal veneer. Many of us have spent decades perfecting our craft and knowledge of this game, and we want the rest of you to see the Werewolf that we see in the pages.

We are using By Night Studios' edition of Mind’s Eye Theater: Werewolf as a baseline reference for this project. Much work has already been done to bring inclusivity to the game and encourage character investment in the world, and translating that to the tabletop will be a more inclusive baseline to utilize than any other corebook. We will continue the metaplot of Werewolf: the Apocalypse, with a handful of changes to tribes and factions of Garou. Due to the MET systems translations needing to be done, we still have our work cut out for us and plenty of writing to do. This game will be shifting the formatting to prioritize ease of identifying information pertinent to players versus storytellers while prioritizing keeping culture, mechanics, or cross-edition compatibility as best we can with updated sensibilities.

Stay tuned for another post this afternoon to learn more about our first upcoming book in the series!

[vbsvartalf]

One podcast that you think person interested in audio drama should listen to: Alice Isn't Dead, my overall favorite podcast. It has a wonderfully engaging story about searching the hinterlands of society for things that may or may not exist, and has a lot to say about the power of anxiety.

One podcast that has community around it you love interacting with: Kingmaker Histories, hands down. I'll admit I'm an Ariadne stan despite the fact that she'd kill me, and apparently I'm not the only one.

One podcast that inspired you to create something: Old Gods of Appalachia. It's a very well known podcast, sure, but the single narrator, nonlinear storytelling inspired me to look at my own landscape and the stories I've written about it and begin writing my own podcast

One podcast that have music you could listen on repeat: Oh man, this one is not as easy as you'd think. I'm super persnickety about music, given that I used to write extensively about literary theory in music. I'm gonna go with Rogue Runners though. That theme song is chef's kiss and the incidental music is just noticeable enough to be appreciated

One podcast that’s new and you need more people to join in appreciation: Long Night in Egypt is just a few episodes old, from Violet Hour Media. Imagine a slasher, a good one like the old Friday the 13th or Halloween films, but put it in audio format, and put them in Egypt to deal with a Hammer Horror antagonist gone amok. Good stuff!

One podcast you can’t wait for: Hearthbound, classical myth retellings? queerified? what's not to like? I've been a fan of this particular genre since I read Circe a few years ago, now I can't get enough of it

Hello audio drama community! I would love to interest you in little podcast appreciation-recommendation game. Please reblog/comment and share with me:

One podcast that you think person interested in audio drama should listen to (either because of the influence on the medium, a cool way of using audio format, general amazing sound, performance etc, whatever you think falls in this category)

One podcast that has community around it you love interacting with (fandom, artists, discord server, official accounts, etc)

One podcast that inspired you to create something (fanart, fanfic, something handmade, cosplay, headcanons, something completely original, etc)

One podcast that have music you could listen on repeat (theme, musical episodes, any songs included)

One podcast that’s new and you need more people to join in appreciation (like max one season, even better if not complete)

One podcast you can’t wait for (is not yet released)

RULES: One podcast per category, you can put the same podcasts in few if you want but I encourage trying to pick six different. I know that probably you have more than one that can fit every category but still I ask for one – I don’t want you to treat it as the one you put is your favourite or the best one, just the one you thought about now, is lately on your mind. If you can’t think about one for certain category you can leave it empty. If you want you can add explanations why this one, the description of the podcast or generally show some love but that’s completely voluntary. And if you are official podcast account and want to join the fun, came and join! Put your own podcast in any category and share your other choices.

And of course just have fun with it and share some positivity!

I’ll start:

One podcast that you think person loving audio drama should listen to: The Orphans - extremely interesting way of telling the story with amazing cast and quality

One podcast that has community around it you love interacting with: The Amelia Project - Soon after I listened to TAP the cocoa collars took place and it was so nice to see so many people show love to this podcast. Love you my besties <3

One podcast that inspired you to create something: Stellar Firma - I embroidered one of the quotes and plan on making it into a pillow, it will be an amazing extremely confusing pillow

One podcast that have music you could listen on repeat: Night Shift: An Urban Fantasy Audio Drama - “Give it all up” is stuck in my brain and I already added it to my playlist to listen on repeat

One podcast that’s new and you need more people to join in appreciation: The Kingmaker Histories - Listened to latest episode today and I just love the number of cool dangerous women that are introduced, you would love them tumblr

One podcast you can’t wait for: Cry Havoc! Ask Questions Later - Every bit of info I get about this podcast just make me more and more excited

[draklorn]

☁️ for a HAPPY childhood memory!

The air was crisp with cold, and the sky glowed with the false promise of a sun in it's periwinkle shade where it showed through the grey clouds. Devan inhaled nasally, still not used to the funny sound their new nose shape made after their recent, big tumble. The fur hood shaped to their round face needed to be brushed again, stray strands ticking their cheeks as a mitten palm attempted to get them out of the way. After appreciating the flat landscape blanketed in fog, they return their gaze to the riverbed beneath them. The muddy bank had the current gently lap against it, and further up, the end of their tool drew distinct lines. Hard at work on a latest addition, the young one only pauses when they hear approaching footsteps through the mud and stone.

The man carried a barrel in one hand and a fishing pole over a shoulder, more skin exposed to the elements than a hearthbound could ever dream of doing and living to tell how cold it was. He stops short of where the mud-scribbles began, and gave the child centered in the encircling drawings they had enclosed themself in, a smile.

"Keir! Look at my drawings!" The child calls out, arms extended and waving the man down even as he had already placed the bucket down, fish tails peeking over its lip and twitching now and then. He gestures to one of the scribbles nearer to him. "Very nice, Devan. Is that one you?"

"Yes!" The end of their pole points at the small figure, a crooked line across it's face mimicking the way their nose now bent. Soon, it is pointing to the other, scribbled formations one after another. "And here's you, and Momma, and Karver, and- oh, I gave you lots of fish so you'll catch a lot for everyone!"

"For luck? Thank you, Devan." The man gives each portrait a moment of his time, his smile growing as the child nods excitedly at his deduction. He always understood their drawings and stories and games. That was why he was their favourite Oathfather - though they would never say such a thing aloud. They loved all of their family. With carefully placed steps to both not disturb any drawings or land on any awkward rocks, Keir closed the distance between the two until he could place a hand on the child's hood. "But you know, if I had another pair of hands helping me fish, I know we could catch even more together. And I'm sure that spear would catch fish just as well as it draws." Devan's beam up to him slowly morphs into a pout, knowing well that there had been a task they had put off. But they also knew that Keir wouldn't nag or punish them. Maybe next time, if they did all their hunting quickly, he would even play with them.

Clutching the spear in a hug, the child takes a moment to think as dark eyes turn about. And when they settle of Keir's warm expression, it isn't long until they are matching it. "… Can you show me how to throw, again?"

-

The muddy riverbank crunches underfoot from both rock and ice. They watch for where the frozen crust over the slow river was thinnest, so their long strides would carry them over it in a few steps. A distant memory whispers in their mind; another time, but a similar feeling beneath their boots. There is a face, and names, but nothing they can recall fully. Just the sense of warmth, and safety, and love.

Devan pauses, attempting to grasp its details tighter before a heavy snort behind them pulls the Draklorn back to the present, Summer's Bane urging them on so the pair could make it over the stream before more of the ice cracked. A wispy smile is given to the steed before they march onward. And soon the mud is replaced completely with the uncomfortable feeling of snow filling the space between loose rocks with every step.

Catching some fish while in the area wasn't a bad idea.

childhood memories

[peggy-sue-reads-a-book]

Hello! Apologies for the cold message— I'm reimagining The Odyssey as a queer road trip audio drama across the Great Basin, and I thought maybe it would be up your alley and of interest to your followers. I've linked two posts I've made about it below. One a trailer and the other more light-hearted. If it feels like your jam, I'd be grateful for a signal boost of one or both of the posts! Regardless, thanks for reading and I hope you have a great rest of your week!

Hearthbound Trailer: https://www.tumblr.com/everjoslightly/703633557900460033/1-ext-nevada-desert-night?source=share

4 Reasons Why You Might Like Hearthbound: https://www.tumblr.com/everjoslightly/703715308260753408/ive-been-sitting-on-slide-4-for-3?source=share

This is so cool! I’m flattered you sent it to me. Yes, this does seem like mr jam and if I know anything about my followers, we all love a queer road trip. I’m in, fam.

I’m sorry for the late reply — new bean in my belly. Very exciting but sometimes I’m just too beat to get to things like my inbox.

Anyway! This looks great! Keep me updated!

[fearforthestorm]

i already said this in the tags but fuck it, I'll put it in the actual post: y'all might enjoy hearthbound! it's not quite this comedy/horror tone, but it's a musical audio drama retelling of the odyssey as a post-apocalyptic roadtrip!

My friend said "modern au odyssey where it's just a fucked up road trip" and I haven't stopped thinking of it since

[warmothered]

hc + what if? (ashe wasn't destined to become warmother and was a commoner)

@freljordi

» — >  ⌜ OOC PROMPTS & ASKS⌟ , always accepting

— @freljordi

that's hard to answer because nothing ashe got happened easily or because she was at the right place at the right time. it might be destiny, but it could just as easily be strength and resilience and determination.

if you look at her journey, yes, her mother was the avarosan's warmother and everyone expected her to be next — but ashe lost that. she was left with nothing and no one; she had no people to lead. when she starts what we currently see as the avarosan tribe, she's essentially nothing but an iceborn willing to defend the hearthbound and try the impossible with helping them survive the ice sea. the girl had a bow and a dream and that was it aksdnfajksfn

ashe became warmother because she made that path for herself — not even because of ambition but because she was so set on doing what she thought was right. it would have been easier to follow sejuani, and she wouldn't have been unhappy to do so in different circumstances. but the way it was, she saw innocent people sentenced to death and decided she had to protect them. she chose to take action. you can see that as destiny or not, but it's definitely not just that she was meant to be warmother. she wouldn't if not by her choices to take action.

to try and give an answer to that is still hard in that it depends on how things happen? if it's about her not becoming warmother, does she still leave sej but fails in her attempt to survive the ice sea with her new tribe? then i think she'd stay surviving alone until eventually dying. does she stay with sejuani's tribe? then she'd likely become her battlesister, maybe something close to a second in command. but if it's like 'what if she wasn't born as grena's daughter and was never meant to be warmother' then... that's an entirely different character. it's so vastly different i wouldn't even know where to start, because it wouldn't be this ashe anymore.

idsufhaiduhf sorry if it isn't a satisfactory answer, it was the best i could do

[mygamereview]

From DOTA (2003) to League of Legends (2009): the Original Items Collection (Part 2)

Radiance (DOTA) vs Sunfire Cap (LoL)

Radiance is an item that inflicts 40 damage per second to nearby enemies. Sunfire Aegis in its earliest versions also inflicted roughly 40 damage per second to nearby enemies.

Eaglehorn (DOTA) vs Recurve Bow (LoL)

Eaglehorn confers 25 points of agility / attack speed to DOTA heroes. The recurve bow more or less does the same thing. With a single primary stat modifier, they're both unremarkable, but very similar.

Shiva's Guard (DOTA) vs Frozen Heart (LoL)

Their key functions are identical; they both offset physical damage, boost mana of user, and penalize nearby enemy units by slowing their attacks by 15-20%. Frozen Heart has accumulated additional attributes over the years, but retains the principle functions of Shiva's Guard. Shiva's Guard hails back to the days of WC III; so it is more or less the father of Frozen Heart.

The artwork for Shiva's Guard was lifted from the Warcraft III game. It served as an icon for a principle upgrade for the night elves.

Circlet of Nobility (DOTA) vs Crown of the Shattered (LoL)

Circlet gives a general boost to stats. Crown more or less does the same thing, at significantly higher values. Neither directly confers to attack stats, but serve to confer basic stat boosts to users. Their artwork is proximate, modelled on the same concept: a headband with a green gem front and center.

Lothar's Edge (DOTA) vs Hearthbound Axe

Lother's Edge is one of the few axes in DOTA that confers both attack damage, attack speed, and a special ability that increase move speed by 20%. Hearthbound Axe also confers attack damage, attack speed, and a "unique" attribute that increases move speed by 20. Their stat modifiers vary by value, but functionally are the same.

Note: WC III images are the property of Microsoft / Blizzard. WC III images employed in DOTA game are the property of Microsoft / Blizzard.

Backstory: DOTA is a WC III mod that got away from Blizzard, generating or inspiring future MOBA games. In response: Blizzard made it generally impossible for Blizzard users to "own" any custom game they create using Blizzard game tools. This makes sense: Blizzard is a business and generally does not support its competitors present or future. LoL is an unintended side-effect of Blizzard's free game editing tools. So, Blizzard indirectly created a competitor that consistently competes with their games in terms of user registrations and micro-sales.

"Gaming has no plagiarism like League of Legends." - Eugene Beatty

[ask-dawnanddusk]

Zantzu@Maksviah: Seeing the size, its unique color, and he never seen a reshiram in person, he was mesmerized...after a bit of staring, he asked nervously, ("I-Uh, W-Where did you c-come from ma'am?")

"My rather unique birth left me wandering and untethered. I felt no draw to rest, I simply created. Billions upon billions of galaxies came forth at my command. It wasn't until a relative recent time that I chose to rest upon a planet, as most earthly beings do. I originated from the very realm itself, you see? Thus is why I look so unique, and why the answer to your question is what it is.”

[ohnoitstbskyen]

Building a Better Ashe

About a year ago I took a pass at redesigning Ashe the Frost Archer from League of Legends with the help of Ainsworth "Apple_Cork" Lin (https://www.instagram.com/apple_cork/ || https://linktr.ee/apple_cork) who I commissioned for the artwork.

We took Ashe through a number of ideations and various approaches to her character design, which you'll find below the Read More cutoff.

If you want to watch the video version of our design process (it's pretty good!) you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fi5fuv1nLs

Goals:

The goal was to create a version of Ashe that puts less priority of simply making her "appealing" or look pretty, and more on doing storytelling for the kind of role she plays in the story of the Freljord.

Ashe as she exists now is basically a riff on the Drow Ranger from Dota, complete with WarCraft 3 style Hot Elven Ranger getup. She's a queen of the frozen north, but she runs around in a miniskirt, thigh-highs and a paper-thin cloak because

this design was originally put together to be running around sunny Elven forests on Azeroth, and got interpolated through Dota into League of Legends without ever really reconsidering the concept

it was designed for League of Legends at a time when worldbuilding and character storytelling simply were not priorities in their character design - characters were broad recognizable fantasy archetypes being thrown together Smash Bros style for a fighting tournament

Late 2000s high fantasy character design in gaming had a default preference for Sexy Cleavage Babes for female character design that permeated the entire design space, especially at Blizzard, whose influence formed the basis for League of Legends

Over a decade later, Ashe has been fleshed out as much more of a real character, with a place and role in the world and cosmology of the Freljord far beyond her original archetype. Now she is specifically constructed as a counterpart to Lissandra's imperious, manipulative, sovereign mysticism and to Sejuani's martial brutality. The Avarosa are the only faction in the Freljord (and one of the very few in Runeterra) who argue explicitly for a softer life with less violence and struggle as the ideal. Ashe wants to reform and abolish the blood-soaked warrior culture of the Freljord and replace it with communal mutual aid and sharing, with tribes pooling their collective resources rather than relying on constant raiding and warfare. She's also a notable champion of the Hearthbound, the "normal" people of the Freljord who are not blessed with Iceborn blood or noble lineages.

The Avarosa have successfully recruited a huge swath of tribes to their cause, and through collaboration and a focus on agriculture and mutual protection have become the breadbasket of the Freljord, able to extend their political reach simply by offering new tribes access to reliable sources of food.

The power and rhetoric of the Avarosa thus rests on

A rejection of martial warrior culture in favor of a culture of nurturing and mutual care

Embrace of vulnerability and "weakness"

The promise of plenty, of full food stores and protection from failed harvests and the bitter winter cold

So, the design goals are:

Contrast Ashe visually with both Lissandra and especially with Sejuani, who is her most direct opposite.

Tell the story not only of Ashe herself, but of the faction she represents, and represent its values in her design.

Make her unique and recognizable against the lineup of other League of Legends characters in a way that currently she simply isn't.

Early ideation:

Here we start by identifying silhouettes and the basic ideas of costuming that we want to run with. Since League of Legends women also generally have a bad case of Chronic Sameface Syndrome, we also explore a bunch of different face shapes and ideas for distinguishing Ashe physically outside of costuming and body shape.

Refinement:

We pick out a smaller number of variations to play with, and Apple_Cork explores various options for the costuming.

At this point we've settled on two main ideas: a "Warrior" Ashe, who is characterized by the hard life she's had to lead. Her struggles and suffering, especially the loss of her mother and the betrayal of Sejuani, are the emotional impetus that leads to her reaching the ideals of the Avarosans as an antidote to and rebellion against the Freljord's bloody history. We decide to use the A2 and A3 variation as a base for this, with addition of details like scarring and a somewhat bulkier musculature. This runs the risk of making her physically quite similar to Sejuani, which is a trade-off that might be worth it since the two of them are repeatedly positioned as sisters (even if not by blood) in their stories, and are very alike in their experiences and traumas, even if they've reached opposite conclusions from it.

The other idea is "Warmother Ashe." The Freljord is organized around matrilineal tribal leadership, with a significant emphasis on the social role of motherhood, with the leader of the tribe conceptualized as its primary mother figure. Most Warmothers we've known are hard-bitten, violent and domineering matriarchs, emphasizing the war bit of the name, and since Ashe represents a decisive break with that tradition, we want to create a design that puts emphasis on the mother part of the idea.

So an Ashe who is visually soft, associated with typical traits of nurturing motherhood and who visibly rejects struggle, deprivation and violence as part of her identity. The C1 and C2 variations form the basis for this character.

Both designs are intended to provide a strong visual contrast to the stark black-and-blue statuesque angularity of Lissandra, as well as the armored, hard-shelled, segmented look of Sejuani

A note on body politics and character design

It is generally Problematic™ to equate any one body type with any one set of personality traits, whether positively or negatively. A lot of common character design associations and shorthand is based on body stereotypes, and on a systemic scale, they can reinforce existing social bigotries.

The most common example: character design often employ the idea that good people tend to be beautiful and evil people tend to be ugly, and that a person's inner moral character can be read in their physical traits.

This is a trope with an extremely bad history, especially when it intersects with the politics of beauty, with eugenics and with racial caricature. Whiteness and the constructed features of whiteness are often used as the basis of beauty ideals, while traits and features associated with non-whiteness are considered ugly or undesirable, and thus in visual storytelling these traits can become markers of moral degeneracy or evil. Disney villains do this all the time, to various degrees of Problematicness.

I bring this up here because we decided to use a fat body-type on one of our Ashe designs specifically to code the design to be associated with softness, kindness, motherly nurturing and so on. These are positive traits, and it is meant to establish her as a contrast with Sejuani who is hard-edged, muscled and brutal. But also, yeah, fat bodies being associated with those traits is a reductive stereotype, just the same as associating highly trained, skinny and fit bodies with emotional coldness, lack of kindness and violence is reductive.

Character design is a tightrope walk between using available associations and stereotypes to create coding and shorthand so the audience can easily read the design on the one hand, and trying to redefine and re-associate traits in creative ways to create better storytelling on the other hand. League of Legends is a game that relies very, very heavily on existing and known archetypes, and we redesigned Ashe on those terms as well. It is fair to criticize our redesign for those trade-offs, within reason, and within the context of the problems of the design it is intended to improve upon. League of Legends as a franchise is generally unwilling to allow fat bodies to exist in ANY positive context, and especially not in women, whose visual priority 9 times out of 10 is to be conventionally beautiful and skinny above all else.

Final designs:

Warrior Ashe This design hews closer to her original design, employing the skirt, waist-wrap and thigh-high boots, albeit updated to look more appropriate for the fashion culture and environment of the Freljord.

The emphasis here is on Ashe as a war-leader and fighter, and we've added facial scars and her design generally features more hard and sharp lines and metallic accents to give her a more hard-bitten and warlike look. This is an Ashe who has led a heard and difficult life, marked by fighting and struggle.

Warmother Ashe This design pulls away hard from the original design, with only really the hood and cloak and white hair as identifying feature of the old version. She wears a lot of fabrics and furs, and is generally designed around stoutness and visual softness, and does not share the hardness or angular facial features of Warrior Ashe. Her clothes are finely embroidered with her tribe's iconography and she has pendants and trinkets associated with the various tribes that have been integrated into the Avarosa, or perhaps gifted to her by allies or friends.

She still has leather chest armor, albeit covered up by her cloak, and a shoulder pauldron, but it's ringed by fine feathers making it more of a showpiece. Same with the archery bracer, which is ostentatious and the bright brass makes it contrast with the rest of the design, which is meant to give the vibe of "this is a thing she puts on when necessary" but not a natural, integrated part of her fashion. Compare and contrast with the bracers on Warrior Ashe above.

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