#hello three (3) heretics

[mentallyisekaid]

「 ✦ Fatui Harbingers x Signora's Sister! Reader, PART 3.5✦ 」

---

Part 1 Part 2 Part 2.5 Part 3 [Part 3.5]

It's highly recommended to read the parts in order, otherwise few things will make sense!

A/N ~ I ACTUALLY GOT A CHAPTER OUT. Anyway, the next one might take... another while. I've got other stuff going on and life can be kinda chaotic sometimes. Hope you enjoy this one, though :')

Warnings: I'm not sure what to list here; slightly angsty stuff maybe, I also feel like Dottore & Pantalone are a warning of their own

Word count: 2.9k

---

More often than not, family wasn't the manifestation of perfect, unconditional love that you could foolishly rely on. Something... that would never harm you. Because this was, in the end, just what humans were like - so easily blinded by things like greed, anger and envy that they were bound to end up hurting those around them.

You'd learned this yourself a long time ago, and witnessing it again hardly should have swayed you anymore. But what it did was bring up memories; a hurtful echo that even time couldn't drown.

And this mission only served to remind you of what a 'lovely' thing blood relations could be...

"Who are they?" you finally asked, breaking the pointless silence.

Inside the cabin Dottore and Pantalone had led you into, you'd faced a young mother and her two children. Judging by how they looked, the three were undoubtedly victims of unjust fate, yet somehow unfazed even as Harbingers waltzed into their home. A certain dignity in their eyes never faded...

Then again, this was just what Snezhnayans were like.

"Well, these people here are yours to handle, miss 12th. If you please." The Doctor's words were somehow vague, and Pantalone's expression, too, implied that such a roundabout answer was probably not the entire truth.

Since it wasn't clear what anyone expected you to do, you could only test the waters.

With a somewhat polite smile on your lips, you addressed the residents. "Hello, ma'am. Hello, little ones~"

No response. Somehow unsurprising, seeing as you were a Harbinger; one half of Snezhnaya feared you, the other despised you.

And yet, they went and got involved with the Fatui anyway. How stupid!

You glanced at Pantalone. The Banker seemed oddly delighted about the situation, hence, it likely had something to do with Mora. Then again, this man always did seem like he was enjoying himself thoroughly.

As for Dottore, he was the silently measuring these people with his gaze, a sinful smile on his lips. You decided not to decipher what his thoughts on the matter were, or what, pray tell, was this corrupt heretic even doing on a field mission...

Their questionable work ethics were beyond your remit anyway.

"Now then," you sighed, "what are we sensible people dealing with here, and why won't anyone tell me?"

The woman gave a derisive scoff, finally speaking.

"Ha, it looks like Pantalone and company brought along yet another recruit this time - but she's just a little girl!~ How amusing."

"Careful there, I'm definitely old enough... And, by title, a full-fledged Harbinger. So," your smile was innocent yet subtly menacing, "...let's not get too uncivil now; we wouldn't want to upset your children."

Or maybe you don't actually care about them at all?

The young siblings stood firmly by their mother's side, observing you with lilac eyes as cold yet fragile as hoarfrost.

They're so brave. But perhaps brave for the wrong person, much like I once was. In that sense, I probably shouldn't be the one to meddle in whatever it is that's going on here... I want my paycheck, though.

Pantalone and Dottore had watched your interaction with amused curiosity while lingering near the doorway, wanting to see just how their little Harbinger would behave on her first mission.

But one slightly vexed look from you, and they deemed it best to give the situation a little push forward.

As the two men walked forward, stopping on each of your sides, both of them placed a praiseful hand on your shoulder. You hadn't actually done anything yet, but welcomed this with a content smile regardless~ These affectionate gestures hardly went unnoticed by anyone in the room, yet only a fool would have dared to make a comment about it!

"Now then, Dominika," Pantalone addressed the woman with a complacent smile. "It's high time to pay off your debt, don't you think?

A debt?

"Oh, I'm certain she agrees." Dottore commented. "Of course, there are alternative means of paying back. I could offer plenty."

You sighed. Pity those who had to do business with these two!

But this 'Dominika' woman seemed unbothered...

"Then, Lord Regrator," the lady commented, her voice as sharp as ice. "I ask that you show at least some decency. I don't have the whole sum gathered yet, so do wait for a month longer, as I'm certain that someone like you is not so short on Mora that you should have the heart to harass me like this."

Well, at least she had backbone? Though, it seemed to cover up something utterly immoral.

Pantalone entwined his fingers, the numerous silver rings decorating them clinking presumptuously.

"But, my friend, surely you realize that what you owe the Northland Bank is at least three times the amount I'm now here to collect. You've had plenty of time to pay back, too. Moreover, I surmise you have quite a profitable job? After all, when taking such monumental loans from us - 3 million Mora, to be exact - you must have been well prepared to return it. With interest, naturally~"

Ah, so that was it.

Yet, it made you frown. 3 million Mora? Something fishy was going on here!

You chuckled, patting his shoulder. "But, dear Pantalone..."

The log cabin - not even a house - was thoroughly ramshackle, it was freezing cold inside and there was an unpleasant, moldy smell in the air. And those two children looked so malnourished and sickly that it was hard to believe they'd had a proper meal or felt the warmth of a home in years, if ever.

...so then, where had all that money gone?

You gazed at the siblings, a sister and a brother, who stood by their mother's side, clearly not entirely oblivious despite of their young age yet devoted to shield their parent's crimes.

And you of all people had no right to condemn them for that.

The two Harbingers were observing you keenly, shrewd smiles on their faces, almost as if expecting you to do something unfavorable for the Fatui.

I swear, Pierro and his infinite need to test anyone and everyone!

Well, this certainly wasn't the time to question anyone's loyalties. You wanted to disclose this particular matter anyway...

"You don't have the money, then?" you questioned Dominika, cocking an eyebrow.

"No, and you don't even need it, so you damn cretins better leave us alone," she spat with such disrespect and malice that even the Balladeer would have been impressed.

"There's no need for such a violent tone-"

"Violent?" Dominika chuckled darkly. "The Fatui are the only true violence Snezhnaya has ever seen."

"Tut-tut," you scolded her. "The Fatui do NOT wish to harm the people, nor will they do so without a reason. If one of us has harmed you just for the sake of being cruel, I shall see myself that they are punished tenfold..."

"However," you looked at the kids, then at back their mother, "ma'am herself is not so innocent either, it seems?"

She threw you a nasty look. "You dare accuse me-"

"Then, does Dominika suggest the money just vanished into thin air?"

"I-I know! I can tell you," the little boy, no older than six, suddenly exclaimed. For their sake, it was better that at least somebody was smart enough to talk.

Guilt flashed in the mother's eyes before she raised her hand in a hasty attempt to silence her child. But before she could, Pantalone had moved swiftly to grab her arm, an ominous smile on his lips.

"Now, now, Dominika..."

Yet, someone was quick to follow their mother's lead. The girl was surely only eleven or so, but the look in her eyes was fierce as she slapped the back of her brother's head.

"Don't forget our promise, Lazár," she reprimanded the boy. "No tattletaling."

"I'm sorry, Liliya..."

You fixed 'Liliya' a warning look, though it quickly softened - the brave yet somehow lost look in her eyes reminded you a bit of yourself. But she desperately needed a reality check. No child should feel the need to cover up their parents' sins...

The girl didn't flinch as you cupped her cheek with your cold hand. This made you smile a bit.

"Liliya, was it? You don't have to protect your mother, you know. What has she done to deserve such devotion?"

"..."

Sighing, you turned to her brother.

"Does your mommy have... a lot of Mora?"

"Maybe..."

"And she uses that Mora to take care of you and your sister? To buy you food, warm clothes and... toys?"

Lazár tilted his head. "Mama gets us bread from the city."

"And what else does she buy?" Dottore asked with a subtle smirk on his lips, clearly in the know of everything relevant but insistent on letting you figure it out yourself.

The boy frowned as he searched for the right words (or wondered whether he should've kept his mouth shut after all).

"...Golden cans! There's nothing inside, though. You have to pay a lot of Mora to get them... Then the misters come, and take those. Liliya says they smell like foreigners - spices and the ocean. Mama gets big bags of Mora from them. But we're not supposed to know, so we don't really... know," he finally finished.

Canned knowledge? All the way in Snezhnaya?

You glanced at the Doctor, but he only gave you an amused look and shook his head, implying that he wasn't involved in this - not this time, at least.

Something still felt off, though.

"Even so, Dominika... your debt equals millions of Mora. It's clear that loan hasn't been used to take care of your family. I'm not judging you for smuggling foreign goods, per se. But then, on my travels I've also become quite familiar with Sumeru's market, and even canned knowledge isn't that expensive."

You sighed, "Well, forbidden knowledge, perhaps. Do enlighten me?"

Dottore broke his. "Marvellous, it seem Y/N truly is as knowledgeable in this particular matter as the Director claimed. I wonder why that is, hm?"

Another story, another time.

"But for what reason does she smuggle, if not to get money to feed her children?" Pantalone smiled.

Liliya had been quiet since earlier. She shrugged and spoke in an emotionless tone, "Mama has different family in a different land. They're important people. Dangerous people. I don't know. That's probably where the Mora goes, too."

"Ah, is that so?" You smiled darkly. What a disloyal woman.

The girl hesitated. "For them, she... runs all kinds of errands. But that money, too, just goes... poof."

Pantalone nodded. "Yes, Dominika here is quite the magician~"

Dottore clicked his tongue. "I suppose you would know."

"Let's try to behave ourselves..."

But really, the issue at hand was practically clear by now.

Smiling at the kids, you patted their heads and gave them two apples from under your cloak.

"Here, have some snacks as a 'thank you'... Liliya, take your brother to play outside for a bit, okay?"

Liliya just shrugged nonchalantly, taking Lazár's hand and leading him out of the cabin.

It was quiet for a while.

You stared at Dominika with a frown.

Dottore and Pantalone smiled ominously.

"You're a Snezhnayan," you pointed out, "yet your own kin is worth this little to you?"

The woman shrugged. "I do what I know I have the right to. There's nothing unholy about that."

"What about your children?"

"I never asked for them. Their father was a wretch. Hasn't my world, my Snezhnaya, already been cruel enough to me? And only a fool would to go out of their way to selflessly take care of children that life is going to treat unkindly regardless." She smiled darkly. "Plenty of people in this cold land have been on their own since childhood. I know I was, yet here I am, because I learned to survive."

Again, you could only judge a person so far.

You nodded. "I see. I'm not a saint, either. I... was not loved by my parents, either. I'm not sure if I can love like that, either."

"However," you paused for a bit, gazing out of the window at Liliya and Lazár who were busy building a snowman, "as someone who serves the Archon of Love, there is one sin I cannot overlook... a parent forsaking their child."

A wistful smile curved your lips, "For as much as Liliya and Lazár are your children, they are the Tsaritsa's children as well. And she loves all her children fiercely~"

Dominika was silent. Perhaps because she did not care. Perhaps because she did.

Regardless, the time of her retribution was nigh. And, in the end, it was also for a reason much simpler than the 'crime' of being an unloving mother...

She didn't have Pantalone's money, and that was that.

The Banker walked to stand by your side, softly brushing your cheek with the back of his gloved hand. The rings felt cold, yet the touch was somehow... incredibly warm.

"What does Y/N wish to do with those children, then?"

You smiled.

"The House of the Hearth is no heaven... but it's better for Liliya and Lazár there than out on the streets by themselves. And despite what ignorant people say, Arlecchino is not a monster - I'll personally ask her to look after these two."

And I will look out for them as well, so that they will never have to make the same mistakes I did.

Sudden anger flashed in Dominika's lifeless eyes. She took a quick step forward with her hand raised threateningly. "You witch-"

...I dare you.

But Dottore had already pulled you back a bit, a few centimeters behind him.

You smiled.

"I'm quite capable of protecting myself, Doctor~"

"Quite, but it's her I was shielding. That's a scary gaze you have there, Y/N, and as much as I'd enjoy observing just how violent you can be, Pierro specifically asked us to fetch this woman with all her limbs still attached."

You pouted. " I wasn't going to-" Not too much, at least!

Zandik chuckled, patting your head. "Yes, yes, I believe you~"

The woman didn't speak another word nor struggle when a couple of Fatui agents came in and restrained her - who knows if this was proof of the dignity of a Snezhnayan, or the lack thereof.

Dottore injected her with something that dimmed the last flicker of a flame still glowing in those dull eyes.

You frowned at this.

"Just a mild sedative, don't worry," said the Doctor and you dared not question it further - though you probably should have...

---

After Dominika was gone, and Liliya and Lazár had been sent on their way to the House of the Hearth, Snezhnaya's sun had reached its zenith.

You stood outside in the snow, a hand shielding your eyes from the cold, pale yellow rays.

Pantalone had since remained inside the cabin with his subordinates, likely discussing the distraint of the property - not that it was worth much anything.

Celestia knows where Dottore had gone...

A hollow ache was left in your chest.

Was it resentment, melancholy, indifference, all of the above, or perhaps something else that you just couldn't admit to feeling - regardless, it was there.

But who would you have shed a tear for? It would've just frozen in this frigid weather anyway.

"Shall we head back, dear?" Pantalone's soft voice came from next to you. Dottore had disappeared and then appeared again, now standing on your other side, humming to himself while resting a hand on your shoulder.

Back...

"I think I'll stay behind for a bit. I've got an errand to run nearby." Your voice was devoid of any emotion, faltering ever so slightly.

It wasn't a lie, but at most, a half-truth. You really just wanted some time to clear your head - just a little more to pull yourself together, so that your Harbingers wouldn't discover too big of a crack in your defences.

Being vulnerable was quite scary.

"No, no, that won't do at all." Pantalone looked down at you sternly yet gently. "I couldn't possibly agree to leave our little Y/N here in such a state."

"I'm fine."

"Y/N is very strong, after all."

He leaned closed, his breath fanning across your cheek.

"But I do find there is a certain irresistible charm about strong people who think they need to be tough all the time. It makes their broken parts appear all the more beautiful~"

You frowned. "Um... I-I see. Is that so, huh..."

Dottore sighed, wrapping his outer cloak around yours.

"In any case, Pierro would be quite displeased if we were to tell him that we diligently finished the job, but lost our precious little Harbinger somewhere in Snezhnaya..."

His comment actually made you chuckle a bit, along with the fact that this impossible duo seemed more than ready to (gently) drag you back to the Headquarters if you really tried to stay.

"Heh~"

The Doctor suddenly leaned closer, lifting his mask to plant a soft kiss on your forehead. Uncharacteristic, and a bit weird? Well, not really, since it appeared this really was one of his "gentler" segments. What instead stole your attention were those strikingly red eyes...

It was the first time you'd seen his face fully uncovered.

You didn't know how to feel about that. You didn't know how too feel about a lot things these days.

And, maybe... that was okay.

"Shall we go home, then?" The Doctor held your hand.

"Little Harbinger?~" Pantalone also held your hand.

You smiled. 'Home' was perhaps not the right term. Not yet, at least. But in that moment, it didn't really matter. Sometimes just trusting someone, even if not completely, was enough.

And so...

"Mm, let's go home~"

[kit-williams]

War wife

@bispecsual here you go your space wolves

I think I'm getting the hang of doing x reader (still not my favorite as I'd prefer to make OCs but hey its an exercise in just writing)

Not 100% happy with this but happy enough

Tw: Yandere behavior & Plot

"Why hello Captain Arkyn." You cooed up at the space marine Captain as he always made a beeline to you. The now dubbed 'work wife' as the space wolves under him have openly said 'Where is Captain Arkyn's wifey?'

"Hello elskling." The timber of his voice seemed to shake the air around him as his voice dipped an octave in his greeting. "How is my aspiring Captain doing." He picked you up and just easily buried his face into the crook of your neck and you could hear the deep inhale. It was hard to stop the blush that danced over your cheeks... the butterflies that fluttered in your gut... oh you were a hardened veteran of 3 battlefields you shouldn't be getting all flustered but it was an Angel of the Emperor!

You wrapped your arms around the man and you let out the sigh as his hands felt so tender on you even in his power armor. "Come now Arkyn I'm very far off from being a captain and you shouldn't be all affectionate with the kids around." She spoke and could hear him snicker.

"The kids are fine I'm certain my boys are focused on other things then what daddy is doing right now." Arkyn growled out showing those enlarged canines of his. He drank in her groan of embarrassment but he could smell what he was saying was doing to her. A heady smell... not sweet it was salty... but thick like a musk... it was distinctively yours and he was addicted to it. "I'm feeling quite thirsty elskling."

You let out a shuttering breath as you could practically hear the lapping noise. This was the second battlefield you've met Captain Arkyn on and you two had left off on a good note. Well you survived that first note and even if it had been nearly a decade since that first encounter.... Captain Arkyn treated it as no time had passed at all. "Arkyn..." is all you manage to say on a shaky exhale.

Oh but for Arkyn time had passed and it drove him mad. For the Space Wolves it was a horribly kept secret that they indulged in the finer things in life... and they didn't leave it at just mead... they enjoyed their women too. For those with mates it's always a scent that drives them to pick their next mate... a smell that all the pretty little mortals all share in common regardless of if they can give the Brother children or not. Oh yes another horribly kept Fenrisian secret as half of the serfs and a quarter of the brothers were just offspring of other space wolves.

Arkyn just thought your scent was a fluke. You were a happy little thing... a tenacious little vixen... a courageous elskling. And he had driven himself mad at the fact he let you get away. He had spent 3652 days in his bed alone without you!!!! Oh he fixed that once he found out you were there. You looked older... it hurt him that he missed three thousand days of yours... three thousand days you could have been smiling at him... having his pups... thousands of days of laughter... tears... hopes and fears... sighs of delight and sighs of being fed up with his antics. Something in him snapped when he saw you again.

You... you just kept on surviving with your little misfit band that seemed to kept swapping in and out of members. You were thankful for Arkyn being here after the last of your original friends died in your arms. And here you thought Arkyn just wanted to relive the magical moments from back in the day but you were so thankful that he was there to hold onto you. And he always had a knack of holding onto you.

"RICO!" You screamed as you watched the man turn to mist as Arkyn's massive hand wrapped around your chest as he grabbed you and ran toward the Land Speeder. "They're all dead... they're all dead!" You screamed as you shot back at the damn heretics!

Thank the God Emperor for your helmet as when Arkyn jumped into the Speeder your head all but smashed into the armored chest. "Hang on!" He howled at you as all that was keeping you from flying off of the Speeder was his arm.

His mind was racing just like the Land Speeder was as bolters exploded out of the barrels. But a part of him was howling with laughter as it couldn't have lined up better! He really had to thank his Brothers for helping him. Oh yes he was a fool for letting her go the first time but they were here to help!

"Arkyn where are we going?!" You connect to his private vox line as you realize you're not heading back to camp and are seeing more space wolves and space marines around.

"To meet up with the rest of the Vlka Fenryka and let them know what has occurred."

"Alright when do you think I'll be heading back to the guard outpost?" That seemed to be said as he patched you to the rest of the wolves with him. It went silent for a beat before they all started to laugh.

"Oh she's a funny one Captain!"

"Oh when do I go back?" One said in a mocking tone as they laughed harder at the look on your face.

"Arkyn!" You looked up at the expressionless mask unaware of the enamored look on the man's face as his hand just moves so gently over what he can without crushing you. "Arkyn what are they talking about!?"

"Oh it seems yer man is tongue tied."

"The past ten years lassie... you're all that he could talk about."

You leaned away suddenly feeling very trapped and afraid as they speak like what is about to happen is just normal. But the fact you couldn't see their faces just made this a bit more horrifying.

"Really I don't know how he could have fucked you and let you go. It's like what I did with my little wifey. I fucked her so good that she didn't even realize that I snatched her up. "

"I've got a little husband this time around..." You hear one of them start but you soon only focus on the sound of breathing coming over the vox and realize it's Arkyn's breathing and the sound of chops being licked.

"You let Rico die...." Is all you could get out.

"He was too close to you elskling." Arkyn said as if it was the most logical thing.

You would often like to say that you were a fighter. You would fight against anything until the bitter end but you just shut down as you barely listened to the Fenrisian though you had a feeling it was about you. And when you woke up next... you'd be in Arkyn's room with a pretty new collar.

[jennyfromthebes]

hello! are you going to any of the following mountain goats concerts: 04/19 Salina KS, 04/20 St Louis MO, 04/21 Pelham TN? hey wow I'm going to those three shows! and what's more, I've made patches to give away (for free!!) to people at those shows! here's what some of them look like:

[image description: a set of four patches with black printed designs laid out across the back of my jacket. they are: a nametag design reading "I am just a broken machine" printed on blue, a cluster of flowers and a flame reading "I feel so proud to be alive" printed on a trans flag, a boot with a footprint and the words "be untraceable" printed on yellow, and a pair of interlocked hands with the words "twin high maintenance machines" printed on white. end ID]

i've got eight designs in total and multiple colors of each one! find me as the person in the black jacket with the big gold spikes on one shoulder and I'll let you grab a patch - the trans flag heretic pride one will be specifically upon request because I don't have as many of that one, so if you want that one please ask me for it! looking forward to hopefully seeing some of y'all out there <3

[cursedfortune]

It's mentioned that the inspiration for Mortem comes from historical portrayals of witch craft, what part of history and folk traditions has been the main focus?

@swordduels

Hello! And thanks for the lovely question. ^^ <3

I'm thinking you mean this part of my rules warning about content on this blog? (Totally correct me if I'm wrong!!)

I mixed some real world topics regarding witches and the perception people have of them into the lore I made for my own witches.

I meant this as: I utilized the perception people throughout history have towards witches, the accusations towards women (specifically), the actuality of what women (specifically) who were accused of witchcraft were doing. There are some aspects of folklore and historical things but it's more of a timeline or to play into types of witches that exist. Not a means to build lore upon it. If that makes sense?

CUTTING CAUSE IT GOT LONG OOPS.

I designed a specific lore for Mortem's canon story she's a part of. The first thing to know is Mortem isn't on the original Earth. She's a sixth generation witch whose bloodline does date back to the original Earth, however. Half of her ancestors hailed from Ireland! Specifically the first three of her ancestors lived and died there, the fourth (her grandmother) lived almost half her life there before she was forced to the version of Earth that Mortem calls home today.

The third generation witch, Maeveen, lived during the 5th century Ireland and frequently traveled between England and Scotland as well. Intentionally she sparked some of the Arthurian Legends, adding some flair and magic into a world that lacked fantastical things outside of witches and some other natural forces. It backfired in many ways when others began promoting and rewriting her tales and stories to fit a narrative that continued to subjugate witches and what not as heretics.

That being said, the main themes I utilize about witches throughout history is their practice coming from a scientific angle and being denounced by various parties. Witches in my lore are often accused by others of 'witchcraft' as being magic, when it isn't inherently that.

Given what witches are in my lore (forces of nature that abide a purpose but also possess mortal souls to act as a balance between mortals and immortals) they have their own way of being, their own culture amongst their kind that only they understand. Which is to be expected, of course. But naturally the themes of rejecting religion (for themselves, personally - some witches may outright express disdain, others don't care about mortals' beliefs), going against what was meant to be commonplace for gender roles (witches a predominantly female due to oppression igniting their wills to become witches - but bloodlines carried down have given birth to male witches, too).

I mostly tried to stay shallow on historical events because it felt more respectful that way. But borrowing from folklore across Ireland, England, Scotland and later (vaguely) parts of Salem regarding beliefs, cruelty and just general timeline stuff to help establish some continuity for Mortem's bloodline specifically.

Given that witches in my lore live to be about 1200 naturally (though Maeveen and Mortem are the two to go beyond due to spells they forged), so you can probably imagine how long this bloodline dates back if Maeveen was considering young in the 5th century. xD

A lot of early accusations just centered around a witch's desire to not conform. Possessing strong wills. Her first three and a half ancestors fought in the various witch hunts that took place throughout history. Maeveen specifically fought the majority of them and her daughter did as well before she was eventually thrown off-world. Those parts of history I found important to keep though I didn't want to dive into the details of them too much. I wrote instead fictional encounters, trials, battles, etc.

In terms of folklore, I borrowed from all over to help give me a range of what a witch's purpose could mean. From being something more mundane, like a healer or alchemist, to being a witch of a more demanding purpose (like Mortem). Their abilities ranging from being basically a glorified farmer that can maybe heal crops better, brew better potions, to witches that can possess an ungodly amount of power. We see plenty of historical accusations of witches committing offenses like theft to sometimes the most silliest of accusations. And in folklore, we have witches who are seen less as mortals and more as creatures or deities to some degree. So I wanted that full range of perception because a witch can be absolutely anything. The only common factor is possessing a will so strong it breaks the confinement of common mortality.

I hope that answered things well, new friend! Feel free to ask for clarification on anything! ^^

[heretolurkandnothingmore]

tag game time! 5 current favourite songs.

big thank you to 3 of my wonderful mutuals and treasured friends, (@cottonraincoat @willameena and @kingdomvel) for tagging me! you guys rock.

picking just five was a riddle and a half, so i elected to leave out the musicals and anything that's in russian. just let me know if you want the other (russian) list :D

i extend the invitation to @yourfavoritefridge, @piecesofeden11, @palfriendpatine66, @virahaus and @dreaminghour. have fun, dear ones)

now, in no particular order:

1. the oh hellos - soap. here representing the folk part of my playlist, filling in for the crane wives and of monsters and men. this song is a comfort. it's a midday drive on a long empty road with the windows open. it's dandelions breaking through the pavement in spring. basically, if you want a song telling you you're loved, look no further.

choice lyric: "all the things we've broken can be puzzled again and again."

2. mother mother - until it doesn't hurt. hello fellow shut-ins! did you just discover you haven't seen the light of day for three days? me too! and this song is just the thing to make us feel better about it. careful, side effects may include: feeling like you're in a kick-ass movie about revenge, getting goosebumps from the chorus, being inspired to write a new character. ok, that last one may just be me. but the song is still pretty good.

choice lyric: "i wanna fight, i wanna bite, i wanna swallow all the light"

3. the mountain goats - sax rohmer 1, here representing the lo-fi end of the spectrum. i have recommended tallahassee the album on this blog twice already, so today we're picking heretic pride. as a wise youtube comment once said, "the affection of no creature is left unrepresented in their songs" - this one is for those of us gritting their teeth through every day of all of this.

choice lyric: "all roads lead toward the same blocked intersection"

4. fall out boy - headfirst slide into cooperstown on a bad bet. time for a little guilty pleasure! i was torn between this and the killers or panic at the disco. the battle has been won by this beautiful earworm. perfect fit for when you need the music to just wash over you and drown out the rest.

choice lyric: "i don't just want to be a footnote in someone else's happiness"

5. daughter - run. and the final one, here for all the other sad songs, having won over placebo, amigo the devil and florence of florence and the machine. i dare you to imagine your otp to this one - it's hard not to!)) good pick for those evenings when you need a singer to cry with you.

choice lyric: "i won't tell my mother, it's better she don't know. and he won't tell his folks, 'cause they're already ghosts"

[darknessawaits28]

<Let The Darkness In>

~Hello my beautiful lovies! So I wanted to do something different again! I am currently working on like a hundred stories right now so I wanted to take a break and just write some short stories for yall! Some of them will be love stories, some will be simple, and some might be turned into a longer version lol! Hope you enjoy! I love you all and thank you for your support! You are awesome! Love yall! Don't forget to like, follow, and obey! :3 :3 :P

Sounds of chanting could be heard ringing along the ears of the sacrificial lamb. Everyone around was screaming and shouting in blissful ignorance.

"My people of Rainwood, today will be the last day that this beast terrorizes our homes!" "With this sacrifice , our worries will soon cease to exist!"

"Y/n....I'm sorry...." a red haired man whispered apologetically to you, wishing that you weren't in this confounded cage.

You glared daggers at the man that you had trusted with your secret, "Do not talk to me Samuel, I trusted you, and you just gave it all away!"

Samuel gripped the rope tightly when he heard you, "I never meant to hurt you, I was simply trying to save our home from this ravenous beast!"

"Why of course, saving your own skin to be part of the five great heretics, right?"

"They welcomed me to join a family that I've never had, what do you expect, for me to say no?!"

"My brother Samuel, it is time to wheel this virgin into the beasts' lair!" The speaker signaled Samuel who reluctantly began to pull the rope.

"I hope you die!" you screamed at him, gripping onto the metal bars worriedly as the cage began to slowly move along the tracks. The wheels screeched against the metal tracks as it went further inside, deep into the dark abyss of the beasts' lair.

"Please.....please....Daru......god of protection....protect me from this beast!" you begged, the cage coming to a halt.

Your breathing quickened as you stood in complete darkness, the cage being your only protection against whatever was out there in the dark.

"So...you're the virgin they've given me as a gift hmmm?" A dark and sinister voice spoke.

"Who's there?!" you gasped, trying to get your eyes to adjust to the dark to find where this voice was coming from but to no avail.

The voice chuckled hungrily, its' footsteps coming closer and closer to you. "Do not fear me my child, I'm simply studying you."

"Studying me....why?"

"To see if you are worthy of becoming my bride."

"Excuse me, your bride, but I thought I was just a meal for you?"

"Yes, if you do not possess the elements I'm looking for" The beast growled, tearing the cage open with all its' brutish force.

You screamed in fear, moving away from the opening until you heard its' menacing chuckle.

"I do enjoy when my food is full of fear."

"I-I'm not scared of you!" you lied through your teeth, pulling out the three symbol cross on your neck and held it tightly.

The beast glanced at the three crosses you held, his intruige peaking. "The protection of the Neshai, I haven't seen that symbol in a long time."

Without warning, fire rose from four pillars, illuminating the cave you were in.

You flinched at the sudden brightness of the fire until your eyes widened at the sight of the beast in all its glory. It was enormous in stature, its skin black as night, its fingers inhumanely long, and its face.....resemblance of an ungodly creature.

"What is your name, my dear?"

"Y/n."

"Hmm....well my dear y/n....you seem worthy enough to not be eaten." The beast slowly exited the cage and waited for you to come out.

You, confused by this entire interaction, exited the cage cautiously and looked up at the beast with curious eyes. "Why aren't you going to eat me....are you going to make me your bride.....I mean...I'm not saying that I want you to eat me.....I'm just asking in curiosity?"

The beast let out another chuckle, "Because you wear that symbol." "And bride...well.....we shall decide that later....if you are willing to be with such a beast."

"Uh, well I....think we should wait for the whole bride thing..". "And, yes I wear this symbol, what's wrong with me wearing it?"

The beast nodded in respect at your answer, until you spoke about the symbol on your necklace, "Those who wore that symbol were fierce warriors that fought alongside my brothers and sisters to halt the attack of the heretics." "The Neshai were kind hearted people that never judged us and always protected our people." "You belong to them and therefore, will not be harmed."

"Wow, I have never heard such....wonderful stories of my people."

"Why is that?"

"My mother gave me this necklace as a gift and told me that I'd be a stronger warrior just like her; and protect the creatures of psy." "But I have never heard stories about fighting alongside you glorious creatures."

"Why thank you." "However, you need to work on that strong part since you seemed quite afraid of my appearance just a while ago."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault, you had me in complete darkness and threatened to eat me!"

"Heh, well, I apologize, but when I see such a delicious girl, I cannot help myself" The beast hummed as his long slender finger ran along your already blushing cheeks.

"Now, do you wish to get your revenge against those awful people?"

Shaking your head slightly to regain your composure, you turned your gaze towards the entrance of the cave.

"They have wronged you my dear, betrayed your trust, and let you fall victim to their venom....do you want revenge?" the beast asked again with a dark grin, its' fingers grabbing a hold of your right shoulder.

"I....I do" you smirked darkly, your eyes shifting to a dark black color without your knowledge, the symbol on your neck slowly glowing bright red.

"Good, let us show them what true darkness is~"

[moonlightheretic]

Hello again!

It's been a while! I haven't really been in the writing sphere since last May. I finished my long fic at that time and posted the final chapter with much relief. I immediately launched into my next project which was due in August and never really....looked back.

Actually, I ended up forgetting about it almost entirely.

I had projects lined up, one after another up until Christmas.

I know it's no excuse, but 7 years of planning and writing The Heretic sort of flew out the window. Hell, I haven't even written anything DA or Fan fic related in the last 6 months. It never crossed my mind again, until very recently when I had someone binge it and nearly comment on every chapter. While the fic has 2000+ hits over its 7-year posting schedule, I have never thought of it as popular or well-received. In fact, it might be quite low in terms of engagement for how long it's been hanging around on AO3. It did have its handful of regular fans which I am immensely grateful for! But after about a week after the final chapter's posting, it sorta died as I expected it to. Which is why it has stayed forgotten in the recesses of my mind until about a week ago.

First of all, I was incredibly impressed that they binged it in 2.5 days It is really not meant to be read that way since I throw so much information out at the reader, plus the twists and turns, and for the fact that each chapter's length is more like two or three in terms of word count, it is really meant to be read, slept on, thought about and then pursued again. Ideally.

Regardless I was overjoyed and grateful that it had engaged someone to that level of commitment. I've never had a reader binge it before! Thank you so much for reading and commenting, it truly made my December!

I suppose my point is, that without the reader, I wouldn't have been brought back to it. I would have continued on forgetting. It was sort of emotional going back through it. Those 7 years flooded back and I finally gave it the credit it deserved.

While writing it in the back of my mind, there was a bit of disdain for it, considering it was my first fic, it must automatically be bad right? I have no experience in the area and it is the first time, therefore it must be bad. But I really don't think that way anymore. I don't think it is bad. I think it could be improved like anything else and I am actually rather proud of it now. It was a piece of fiction I made for fun, why do I need to be so critical of it? If I enjoyed my time writing it, that's all that matters.

This whole week I have been in a sort of strange state of delayed mourning. Like I am depressed that it is finished. I never processed those emotions back in May, I was way too busy completing a massive three-year-long Cosplay project for a competition in August, and every scrap of time was dedicated to EVA foam and glue. Then my health took a turn. So to say the year as a whole was wild would be an understatement. So here I am, in the dark depths of late December mourning over something with no tangible form. Others have suggested I write a sequel to dispel my melancholy. But honestly, I am no longer the same person who wrote it. That person died when she posted the last chapter and I have no idea why. I don't think I could even convince myself back into the headspace. Plus, a sequel would be sort of ....well, I don't want to say impossible, but it ended the way it did for a reason. Don't want to reveal any spoilers here.

For now, with all of this said, I think I will just enjoy it. Maybe I will try reading it from start to finish in 2.5 days too. Haha! But I do want to throw some encouragement to other writers here on Tumblr. Don't ever doubt yourself. Even if it is your first fic, your first drabble, or one-shot, never doubt yourself and your work. Just have fun. <3

Going to post this here, because going forward I am proud to share it.

[fourgods-nobrakes]

Sometimes a family is three dirtbags and their spiritual advisor*! His more distant influence earlier in the game probably also helped push von Valancius away from being a respectable servant of the God-Emperor and toward the two-fisted heresy it takes to keep up with the other two.

Also hello! I'm delighted to meet other people doing fun things with the heretical bits of this game. The characters are just so much fun <3

*also a dirtbag

So the Epitaph Discord Server has some funny ass topics

The most heinous Chaos Polycule goes to McEmperor's after a glorious hunt. Oh, and Uralon is there.

[sacrilegious-skeletal-scribe]

My deepest apologies, heretics, for my lack of activity in the past weeks, my seeming disinterest stemmed nowhere from you. My workflow, as all who have been here for more than a week might have acquired, stems entirely from my ability to justify it. If I can’t think of anything witty to say, I just, uh… won’t.

Speak.

And you might see where this could cause concerns when I am attempting to produce engaging, quality content at least one a week. So to confirm: I am not Dead, I will not be abandoning this platform I’ve managed to scrape out for myself, and I do Actually create things! Content even. For you.

As it currently sits, I have been eyeing a few more submission possibilities for my work, and should one in particular pan out, I will have the honor of seeing my work bring me money for the first time… ever. Which would be neat.

I, do not wish to vent, on here. I feel I have set a degree of separation between my observable work and my personal life, and I think that’s for the best. You all have seen some of the most explicit emotional expression I’ve ever created, yes, and that’s what I want my art to do, but all the same I’d rather you not have the floor-plans to my mild mystery murder basement.

All this to say, I am a human being. Constant heresy is draining, and braziers are hard to acquire on mass. I am not going to stop creating, so long as it brings a smidgen of enjoyment and satisfaction to myself, and a little bit more blasphemy into your lives.

The concept of publishing an anthology of my shorter work, novellas I’ve been bleeding into, or, god forbid (he’s been trying to) the novel that started this whole thing in the first place, is scarier than certain cosmic horrors I’ve met. I even made a few of them.

I solemnly hope, that you enjoy what I’ve been throwing at the walls, for the last year or so, and I hope you will stick around for what else I have planned, but I hope you know, that each one of you, that’s ever given me and my menagerie a chance, you’ve made my goddamn world. I have a life beyond you, a lot of you will never know me more than a name on a screen, the same for me, and that’s okay.

I can’t goddamn wait to see measurable compensation for the work I put into this, but before that was possible, before I could ever hope to have somebody listen to my work, you all did. And some of you continue to do so.

So keep yourselves ice-shatteringly crunchy, keep your ears piqued towards bloodstained corners, and keep the heresy in your side-holster as polished as violent self-expression screaming under a moon-day sun, and As Always, To You.

[faery-the-diamond]

*note and voice recorder at crownbert’s house*

On the note: *In normal ink*

“Hello again, since you are on a crusade and the sun is rising I left a note here to answer some few more questions. Also, the recorder is there if you don’t know how to write (Narinder). Just press and hold the button and speak into it.

1) Do you wonder about how some of the old faith’s followers can turn into monsters and they would possibly turn into monsters in the cult grounds as a possible tactic?

2) To Narinder: how was the time with your sons Baal and Aym?

3) What is the first reaction of the heretics when they saw Narinder not chained up?

4) *Written on ink that the others cannot see*

To my good friend Lambert: I only ask in threes so no one will believe otherwise. Do you know the devil in the dark. He expects your visit. Seek the symbols in the places you were before but not of the enemy. Only come when the sun don’t shine and come alone.

*In normal ink* There’s a bag of gold and a ruby relic I left at the altar to compensate the inconvenience. Good luck and see you again soon

*Unrelated* I love your au since when I saw some dubs of it and I want to appreciate your work in this trying times. Here is *anything you want* for you.

Narinder: *reads the part about the voice recorder* Aw, come on! I can write now! Not perfectly, but still!

------------------

Lambert: Uh... They turned into monsters because the bishops did it. That's, like... Literally how I turn my followers into demons.

------------------

Narinder: .... You're walking on a very thin ice right now...

------------------

Well, the heretics — with their brainwashed minds— think that if they kill Narinder, the bishops would be back. This, of course, isn't true, but they are still clinging to this vage hope that gradually drives them insane. So when they saw Narinder their only reaction was to attack him, trying to kill him with any means possible.

------------------

Thank you! Glad you like it :>

But I want to say something that I think I should've said earlier.

I'm assuming that by "the devil in the dark" you mean the Fox. If that's true, then sorry, but the Fox already has a strict role in my story, so I can't answer this.

And even if I'm wrong, I already know all the key points of the story and I don't want there to be something that's gonna contradict them.

Hope you'll understand :">

[pyrrhiccomedy]

Hello! I'm curious if you could expand on how you run a 3-2-1 combat system in your 1:1 game? I've been on-and-off playing 1:1 with my partner and combat is always clunky, crunchy, and strange, no matter what we try and rip off or scale. Thank you so much. Love everything you are sharing about Heretic!!!

Yeah lemme talk about Heretic’s combat system, because we’ve really tested it out now and it’s been super fun for both 1:1 combat and for group fights.

So "3-2-1 combat" refers to the length of a fight: combat is always resolved in 3 rounds. After the 3rd round, we narrate the outcome, which could launch us into a chase sequence if the other guy tries to get away, or maybe one side surrenders, or one side is too injured or depleted to continue, etc, etc. Three rounds, you’re done. Fight’s over. So every action you take needs to be super tactical, and one good (or bad) roll can change the outcome of the entire combat.

Because it’s a 1:1 game, Emily controls her character, plus her ‘party’ (up to 3 NPC allies at a time). I control everyone else. And it was so important to me to keep rolling fast-paced. So every character’s entire turn is determined with 1 roll. That one roll decides if you successfully attack, how much damage your attack does, if you get to use magic this round, how successful your magic is if you pull it off, if you gain any levels of dodge, & if you get to pull off any combat maneuvers, like binding your opponent’s weapon, taking damage for an ally, changing your combat stance, etc, etc.

You also get:

- A Yield. Once per combat, you may, on being successfully attacked, declare that the enemy misses instead, because you fell back. If you yield, you cannot attack this round, as you must spend the time making up your lost ground and rejoining the fight. You can still maneuver and dodge, however.

- Armor. You can have up to 5 dots in armor. One dot is light leather, and allows you to, once per combat, ignore 1 level of bashing or piercing damage. Five dots is full plate, and allows you to, twice per combat, ignore 2 levels of damage from pretty much any source: but comes with a bunch of drawbacks to things like movement and stealth.

- if that character has at least 2 dots in any Lore, a combat stance. Most combat stances provide lore-specific combat bonuses or abilities that can only be used once per fight. If the character has 2 dots in multiple Lores, it may behoove them to use a rolled maneuver success to change stances during the fight, in order to use multiple stance advantages.

Since we’re using 3-2-1 combat, there’s a ‘smoke’em if you’ve got’em’ attitude towards your yields, armor charges, dodge levels (if you’re in mano e mano with an opponent or if you’ve successfully picked up some dodge during your rolls), and Lore abilities. There’s no ‘saving the potion for when you really need it.’ Use them all, every single fight! You’ll get them all back at the start of the next fight.

There are also special rules for going mano e mano with an opponent (fixating on them to gain an advantage against them, but your tunnel vision makes you more vulnerable to other things on the battlefield) or for taking cover (where you can only use ranged attacks, but all attacks against you fire at -1 level of success).

There is no in-combat healing. Healing is precious and limited, and only happens after combat is over.

So how does rolling work?

In Heretic, you are trying to roll pairs on d10s. If you get a pair, you succeed at what you’re trying to do. If you roll a pair of 9s, you are significantly more successful than if you roll a pair of 2s. The ‘height’ of the pair determines your degree of success. In combat, that looks like:

Rolling a pair of 1-3s: inflict 1 lvl of damage

Rolling a pair of 4-6s: inflict 2 lvls of damage

Rolling a pair of 7-9s: inflict 3 lvls of damage

Rolling a pair of 10s: inflict 4 lvls of damage

What if you roll more than one pair?

That’s when it gets fun! Your highest pair goes to your attack, and any additional pairs give you extra actions. In combat, these are your “versatile actions.”

On a pair of 1-3s: Gain a level of dodge.

On a pair of 4-7: You get to execute a Maneuver. Those are things like changing stance, forcing your opponent out of cover, gaining a lvl of damage on your next attack, sweeping, lunging, binding, etc. There are 10 maneuvers in total. Beat is an especially useful one as it forces your opponent to immediately use his Yield in response to your attack.

On an 8-10: Cast magic, if you have at least 1 dot in any lore. Magic can be rolled as a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree success, depending on if you rolled a pair of 8s, 9s, or 10s.

What if you roll three of a kind?

You can split the roll into 2 pairs at one height lower than the rolled success (so, you can turn three 6s into two pairs of 5s) or you can raise the level of your success by 1 (so you can turn three 9s into a pair of 10s).

Okay, so what does this look like?

So, Bastian (Emily’s PC) and his squire Volo (an NPC who is under Emily’s control during combat) are going to fight A Cultist Wizard and the Wizard’s Wolf Familiar (both controlled by me). Initiative order is determined by each character’s Speed + their Alertness. In this combat, the order will be:

1 - The Wolf

2 - Volo

3 - Bastian

4 - The Cultist

Round 1

The Wolf’s turn:

I roll the wolf’s attack stat, which is its Fitness + Brawl. That gives me 7 dice, on which I roll a pair of 6s and a pair of 2s. The wolf attacks Bastian: with a pair of 6s, it deals 2 levels of damage. Bastian, a lord, has 4 dots in armor: twice per combat, he can ignore 1 lvl of damage from most sources, so he declares that he only takes 1 level of damage and his armor soaks the rest.

The wolf also finds advantageous ground, gaining a level of dodge.

Volo’s turn:

Volo’s Fitness + Swords is 6, so he has 6 die to roll for his attack. He rolls a pair of 4s. Emily declares that he is attacking the wolf, to draw its attention away from Bastian! Wolves (obviously) have no armor, but the wolf did get a level of dodge just now, so it can ignore 1 of the two levels of damage Volo has just dealt out, by dancing nimbly out of the way.

Bastian’s turn:

Bastian also has an attack stat of 7. He rolls 2 pairs of 5s! That means he gets access to a Maneuver. Emily decides that she wants to force the Cultist to waste his yield on a fairly lackluster attack, so she declares that Bastian is using Beat. The damage dealt with the pair of 5s is now irrelevant, as the Cultist stumbles back from his blade: but the Yield is now no longer in play.

The Cultist’s turn:

The Cultist was forced to Yield this turn, so he can’t attack, but he still gets to roll his Fitness + Knives (8 dice) to see how well he capitalizes on the situation on the battlefield. He gets a pair of 7s and a pair of 4s. I decide that, since he uses short weapons, I’ll use the pair of 7s to execute a Corps-a-Corps Maneuver against Bastian, and the Cultist bodies Bastian to the ground. Bastian will need to spend a success of 7 or greater to throw the Cultist off of him, and neither of them can attack with any weapon longer than a knife until that happens. Now, Bastian has a knife, secreted about his person: but he only has an attack stat of 6 in knives, so it’s to his advantage to get this asshole off of him. Meanwhile, my Cultist will take 1 lvl of damage every round until the Corps-a-Corps is broken: but I use my pair of 4s to instantly grant myself a lvl of dodge (you can always downgrade a rolled success to a lesser degree of success if you don’t actually want to cast or use a maneuver), saying that he expertly ducks Bastian’s first blow as he tackles him to the ground.

Recap: Bastian has used 1 armor charge and lost 1 lvl of health. The wolf has lost 1 lvl of health. The Cultist has lost his Yield.

Round 2.

The Wolf’s turn:

Its attention successfully drawn by Volo, it lunges for the squire. Two pairs of 2s, boo. That’s only 1 lvl of damage for the attack, & Volo has 3 dots in armor, so he just ignores it. The other pair of 2s gives the wolf a level of dodge.

Volo’s turn:

His master is in danger! After shrugging off the wolf’s attack, Volo turns his attention to the Cultist. He gets a pair of 8s and a pair of 5s, and Emily declares the Maneuver to be Protect, which means he will take 1 lvl of damage on Bastian’s behalf this combat. The pair of 8s means he deals 3 lvls of damage to the Cultist - who uses one of his 2 armor charges to turn that into 2 lvls of damage. Still, the Cultist is bloodied.

Bastian’s turn:

Bastian is forced to use his Fitness+Knives this round, instead of his better Fitness+Swords skill, so he only has 6 dice to roll. Still, he gets the pair of 7s he needs to throw the Cultist off of him, plus an additional pair of 1s. However, on reflection, Emily decides she’s fine with Bastian using his pair of 7s to attack with his knives: this would have been a much more serious disadvantage if Bastian hadn’t had that knife hidden in his boot. So she ignores the Corps-a-Corps and inflicts 3 lvls of damage instead, which the Cultist’s 2nd of 2 armor charges turns into 2 lvls of damage instead. The Cultist will take another level of damage just from being in Corps-A-Corps at the end of the round, which should knock him out of the fight. Bastian also gets a level of dodge from the pair of 1s.

The Cultist’s turn:

The Cultist also knows he’s fucked up, but he’s not going down without a fight. He rolls two pairs of 8s. That’s bad, because the Cultist knows magic. The pair of 8s grants him 3 lvls of damage against Bastian, and Bastian can’t Yield since he’s currently being pinned by the Corps-a-Corps. However, Bastian does have a level of dodge this round, and Volo’s Protect: so that turns into 1 lvl of damage, which Emily decides to use her second armor charge to ignore as well. The Cultist’s savage attack goes off of Bastian’s defenses, leaving him none the worse for wear. The bigger problem is that this is a Lamp Cultist, and the Lamp combat cast is Frenzy. The Cultist gets a 1st level casting success on Bastian to force him to Frenzy and use his next attack on the closest target: and with Volo standing over him, Volo is his nearest target. 

Then Bastian’s elbow catches him in the face (that Corps-a-Corps tick damage is brutal), and the Cultist is knocked out cold.

Recap: Bastian has lost 1 lvl of health, has used both of his armor charges, and is Frenzied. The Wolf has lost 1 lvl of health. The Cultist is out of the fight. Volo has used 1 charge of his armor.

Round 3: the Final Round.

The Wolf’s turn:

The Wolf leaps for Bastian, who it’s just seen fell its master! It rolls a pair of 10s, a pair of 5s, and a pair of 1s. I figure the Wolf is enraged, so I declare the maneuver to be Lunge: this adds 1 lvl of damage to its attack this round, but it can’t use any dodges or its Yield this round. That would be a whopping five lvls of damage to Bastian if it landed, and would knock him straight out of the fight, but Emily immediately declares that she is going to use her Yield. I think about it for a second: can a Frenzied character Yield? I decide to let her roll Bastian’s Charisma+Occult to see if he can overcome the Cultist’s magic in a moment of mortal peril, and tell her that she will need to roll at least as high a success as the Cutlist rolled in casting the magic in the first place (so she needs a pair of 8s or better). Charisma+Occult is...not Bastian’s best stat. He fails. The Wolf’s attack lands. Bastian is knocked down cold as the wolf finds a weak point in his armor and tears open his leg.

Volo’s turn:

Volo rolls a pair of 9s and nothing else, but since the Wolf Lunged this round, it can’t do anything to mitigate the damage. Volo deals 3 levels of damage to the wolf.

Combat is over! Assessment: The Cultist and Bastian are both out of the fight, and while Bastian is hurt worse, of the two actual remaining combatants, Volo is totally unharmed and the Wolf is grievously wounded. I declare that the Wolf slinks into the corner, snarling and shivering in terror, crouched pathetically over its bleeding master, surrendering the ground to triumphant Volo.

With combat being over, everyone regains 1 lvl of health. Volo passes a successful Intelligence+Medicine check, and administers first aid to Bastian, which gives him another level of health back and restores him to consciousness. Bastian, as student of Frost Lore, can now attempt to heal himself: which he does successfully, gaining a third level of health back and taking him to -3. He is badly hurt, but on his feet: he’ll need to rest for a few days to heal any further. Now they can decide what they’re going to do about the defeated Cultist and the cowed and injured Wolf.

[justathoughtfulangel]

Finally Revived - New Lease on Live, Chapter 4 (Kai Parker Fanfiction)

Hello everyone! Welcome to Chapter 4 of my Kai Parker BDSM Fanfiction, New Lease on Life.

If you haven’t yet, please read this details post. It’s very important to understanding the universe I’ve created for this series.

This is NOT meant to be read as a standalone one-shot. If you haven’t, please check out the previous chapters here:

Chapter 1 ~ Chapter 2 ~ Chapter 3

*not my gif

Word count: 2,764

Pairings: Heretic!Kai x Heretic!Reader; bestfriend!Damon x reader (platonic); Damon x Elena

Proofreader: @socio-kai-path1972 (thank you, my friend <3)

I don’t like writing with Y/N in the place of character names, but this IS a reader insert fanfiction. I use Rosalie Wilson as a placeholder. Use Rose/Rosalie as a substitution for Y/N.

Warnings: SMUT (minors stay out, please!), mature language, mentions of childhood trauma, and mentions of physical abuse

Warnings (cont.): BDSM themes, Daddy kink, Dom!Kai, oral sex (female receiving), fingering, and orgasm control/denial

The story begins now. I hope you enjoy it :)

~~~

Rosalie's POV:

It was late afternoon, but Malachai would not let me get out of bed. We rolled around in the warm sheets; our bodies pressed together, humming in delight. “Mmm... Daddy…” He relentlessly touched me, knowing exactly how to elicit the sweetest sounds from my lips. “Yes?”

His fingertips pressed against my clit, rubbing it slowly and artfully. I whimpered below him, and my nails dug into his shoulders. “May I please cum?”

“Again? Hmmm… I don’t know, love. I have half a mind to keep you right here, on this edge, all day.” His head disappeared below the sheets then, and his tongue joined his fingers. It lay flat against my soaking sex, tasting all the love juices flowing from me. “Fuck, I can’t ever get enough of you, baby girl.”

“Dadddddyy!” I whined and moaned, desperate for release. “Please let me cum, pleasssseee!” He didn’t bother validating my groveling with a response at first, only eating me out more ferociously and nibbling on the outermost folds for good measure. “No. Now, be a good girl and let Daddy take what he wants.”

My hips squirmed in his solid grip, thoroughly enjoying the sensation but moving closer and closer to overstimulation. Daddy’s hands groped what belonged to him with his face buried between my legs. Every muscle in my body tensed to obey, to hold off the tsunami growing more irresistible by the second. He was merciless, and my vision blurred.

“I have an idea, baby. I think you’ll rather like it.” Though he spoke, he didn’t slow down. His beautiful eyes searched mine; he found only excitement and approval. “I’m going to count down from five, and when I reach zero, you have permission to cum? That fair to you, princess? Just five more seconds?”

Mewling in unimaginable pleasure, I grabbed the pillow beside me and covered my face, screaming into it. Daddy laughed, “I’ll take that as a yes. Five…” Two of his fingers thrust into me, only adding to the frenzy. “Four…” Oh my fucking goodness, time does NOT work like that! “Three…” The edge was deliciously torturous, but I knew what awaited beyond it. I craved that riveting sensation more than anything. “Two… One and a half…”

“Cum for me, baby girl. Cum for Daddy, right fucking now!” Stars exploded behind my eyelids; electric fire sang in my every nerve, singeing my defenses and leaving me writhing and squealing. Kai’s lips consumed mine, his tongue meshing with my own. Spent, I pulled him down beside me, nuzzling into his neck. “I love you, Daddy.”

Kai's POV:

I ran my fingers through Rose’s hair, exhilarated yet calm. “I love you too, Rosalie. My Rosalie.” Her head nestled between my shoulder and neck perfectly, her fingertips idly drawing nonsensical patterns into the skin right above my heart. This silence between us was the thing that soothed me most. I could hold her – feel her flesh warm my own – and know it wasn’t a dream.

Her heartbeat, slowly but surely, became one with mine. I listened to the gentle thrumming, calmed beyond belief. The sun disappeared in the horizon’s embrace, twilight filling the room. Then, everything shifted.

Another sound pounded over the rhythm of our hearts. Perhaps Rose was too worn to hear it, but it shook me to my core. It seemed to grow louder, overtaking my consciousness. It assailed my remaining senses, and Rosalie noticed the tightening of my muscles below her. “Malachai? What’s wrong?”

I had to get out of there. Gently but swiftly, I moved from under her, dressing with supernatural speed. I couldn’t look at her, not right now. “I-I have to go.” The air was disappearing from my lungs, suffocating me. “Kai… you’re worrying me. What happened?”

Without looking at her, without saying another word, I rushed past our door and descended seven flights of stairs in a single second. I couldn’t do this. I could not do this. Failure beyond anyone’s imagination awaited me. I was never meant to be… I would disappoint her, and it would be unbearable.

The sound I had heard? A third heartbeat emanating from within her.

Rosalie's POV:

My breath hitched in my throat. I watched his back disappear, and despite myself, I found my eyes welling with tears of hurt and confusion. What had I done? I, too, gathered myself up off the bed and dressed. While Kai had sped off, I was slow, taking great care to pluck each item of clothing from the ground.

Normally, I’d wear Malachai’s shirts at home. Today, for the first time in weeks, I went into my own wardrobe, choosing some black leggings to go along with a sweater very dear to my heart. It was hand-stitched; the wool was capable of warming my heart as it threatened to freeze over. The sweater had belonged to my mother – not the woman who gave birth to me, but the woman who accepted me as her own.

Turning on the tap, I listened to the sound of the rushing water. I watched it swirl down the drain for long-lasting moments before splashing the cool liquid on my face. It didn’t do much to calm the torment inside me. What had gone wrong? Everything had been perfect… until it wasn’t.

I couldn’t dwell on it much, then. My head turned in dizziness, and I caught myself against the marble counter. It wasn’t enough. Just as my consciousness faded away, I heard three muffled knocks against our door…

Damon's POV:

My knuckles clinked against Rosalie’s door. The coffee – the peace offering in exchange for a favor – was warm in my hands. “Rose! Open up. It’s your favorite person in the entire world, and I come bearing gifts!” I was in a rather good mood.

That mood dissipated when I heard nothing but silence in return. “Rosalie?” Without any hesitation, I dialed Rosalie’s number. The tone rang and rang behind the door, but no one answered. God damn it. I called Kai too, praying that they were just out and that she forgot her phone at home. No answer.

A pit of dread settled in my stomach. Something was very, very wrong.

I didn’t have any supernatural strength, but I still found enough within me to kick in the door. My ankle shrieked in protest, but I ignored it. My eyes glanced around wildly, aching to find her. I pushed through the throbbing pain, halting only when I found her insentient on the bathroom floor.

Two hours later…

Rose hadn’t woken yet. Why wasn’t she awake? There was no vervain near her, and Kai wouldn’t have siphoned her to the point of unconsciousness. His phone remained unreachable while his girlfriend lay in a hospital bed. When he showed his face again, I was going to kill him.

Heretics aren’t supposed to faint, damn it! My soles wore out the squeaky hospital floor as I paced back and forth. Jo ordered Elena around, running every test she could think of, and Alaric kept a watch on me. I was one second away from snapping, and everyone knew it. Swallowing back a growl, I pushed past Alaric, hurrying out the glass doors, only to run into Stefan. “Move, Stefan.” He blocked my path, staring at me intensely. “Don’t give me the brooding hero eyes, brother. Not right now.” Not while my best friend was… “She… She has to be okay.”

I knew what I had signed up for. I wanted a normal, human life with Elena. Kai had given that to me. But he had also, unknowingly, given me one more gift. I would never lose anyone again. I demanded that I die before Elena, just so that I wouldn’t have to exist in a world without her. Stefan and Rosalie – the two people I loved most in the world, my family – would live long, long after me. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Kai's POV:

The Falls gurgled in front of me, and stars shined above. They brought me no peace. Not tonight. I was not capable of being a father. The very notion of caring for a child…

It wasn’t that I didn’t want it. Of course not. It was a miracle in itself – one that I couldn’t comprehend, but a miracle, nonetheless. Our love had been powerful enough to create a life, but I was not powerful enough to sustain it. I would constantly be afraid of doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong thing, or hurting my child in any way. I was certain to fail as a father, and I would fail Rosalie too.

Of all the disappointments and misery, the loss of her terrified me the most. I did not know how to be a father. My own had… well, Rosalie knew what he had done.

“Yay, Josie!” Everyone clapped and laughed as Jo levitated her teddy bear. Kai sat in a corner, whimpering in pain. Everything hurt. Something was wrong with him. Tears rushed down his cheeks, but no one even looked his way. Everyone was happy for Josie, and he was alone.

Soon, people trickled out of the room, and Josie approached her twin brother. She looked sad to see Kai sad, and he loved her for it. She held out her teddy bear for Malachai to hug with a smile, and he embraced her instead. Then, she screamed, pulling away from Kai like he’d burned her. “Josie! What’s wr–”

“Do not touch your sister, Malachai.” He was worried about Josie, but the heat in his skin wasn’t as unbearable. It had gone away, but the concern for Josie did not leave him. “J-Josie, I’m sorry.” Joshua Parker looked at his son just once. Then, he struck the child across the face, hard enough for Kai to fall on the ground. Josie’s teddy fell with him, too. “You’re an abomination.”

Something tore through me, then. This voracious, insatiable thing ripped through the self-pity and guilt. I yanked myself up, feeling as if my bleeding heart had been encased in magma and then cooled in ice. It was impenetrable, now. Unbreakable. There had been enough torment. Now, no force from heaven or hell could keep me away from my family. I had been revived; I would be the best father, giving it everything I had until time itself came to an end or the sun exhausted its vapors.

I made haste back to my home. Back to my Rosalie. I would never run again. Desperate to hear her voice, I turned my phone back on to call her. The sight awaiting me made my blood run cold. My screen lit up and a notification covered the smiling screensaver of my girl. It read, “Damon Salvatore: 12 missed calls.”

Rosalie's POV:

Beep… beep… beep…

I woke to the sound of a heart rate monitor and the scent of cleanliness. Damon jumped up from his seat, immediately rushing to my side. His eyes were soft, filled with tears of surprise and relief. “Hey… you’re okay.” I hated hospitals. Wincing at the needle in my arm, I nearly ripped it out before Damon caught my wrist, wrapping his hand around mine. “Leave it. You need it.”

Need it for what? Josette and Elena entered the room, then. Their expressions were simultaneously happy and incredulous. Elena sat on my bed, close enough to take my other hand. “Rosalie, we don’t understand why or how, but… you’re pregnant.” I nearly fainted again. Far too many emotions overwhelmed me at once. The heartrate monitor increased in tempo, giving me away. Damon asked Elena and Jo to give us a moment alone, and I succumbed to my anxiety.

I had given up on having a family many, many years ago. Damon was my only family until Kai came along. I wasn’t supposed to be a mother. I couldn’t be a mother, not when my own had…

A five-year-old Rosalie cried in the rain, looking around at the street where she was left. Night was about to fall, and she was terrified. She screamed and screamed for the mother that left her behind before huddling under a wheelbarrow, freezing and desolate.

Now ten years old, Rosalie ran through the market, the one hunk of bread she managed to steal for her meals hugged to her chest. The baker shouted after her in rage but lost track of her amongst the crowds…

Fourteen. The girl who lived behind the library was an enigma to most. She barely spoke, spending her time learning to read and write when she wasn’t trying to earn some semblance of money to feed and clothe herself…

At sixteen, Rosalie tumbled into the house of the Wilson’s in an attempt to escape the horrid approaching storm, not knowing then she had found her true parents. They loved her as if they’d been her parents all along and helped her understand her abilities. She couldn’t help the way she was born.

Rose turned at 19. When a vampire attacked her, she protected herself the only way she knew how: siphoning. In the days to come, the bloodlust would terrify her, but she had her family every step of the way.

Damon’s ringing phone was shrill, breaking me away from my memories. I heard his jaw snap shut. Kai’s voice was panicked on the other end, eager to know where I was. “She’s in the hospital. Get your ass down here, right now.” The call ended as quickly as it came, the dial tone foreboding. “Damon… I can’t do this.” Damon took my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. His eyes shined with affection. “Yes, you can. Have you met you? You’re the most caring person I know.”

“But… a baby… how is this even possible?” Malachai burst through the door. “Rosalie! What happened?” Kai… I had been reminded of too much heartache, today. The cauldron of my tolerance finally bubbled over. The first tear fell, followed by a tsunami of grief, fear, and loss. Wordlessly, Kai scooped me into his arms, moving gingerly around the IV plugged into me. He didn’t ask any more questions, he just sat there as he held me close.

Malachai's POV:

As I cradled my love tenderly, I felt my resolve strengthen. It was scary and wonderful, frightening but perfect. Every fiber of my being vowed to be by Rosalie’s side forever, vowing to protect her and the life within her. My fingers swept away her tears readily, understanding each ounce of emotion hidden in them. “It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.” Resting my forehead against hers, I nodded reassuringly. “You’re not alone.” You’ll never be alone again.

Five months later…

I fought back my wince, letting Rosalie siphon the energy she needed from me. We weren’t exactly sure how we were able to conceive, but Jo had a theory. Vampires cannot procreate, but siphons and witches can. Since both of us were half of each, we would likely have a child that would be a siphon but not a creature of the night. That explained her fainting spell at the very start. Her energy had been siphoned out of her, and now, I gave her my own every day.

Rosalie and I both were terrified of being parents, and with good reason, too. Neither had the example of excellent biological parents, but in a strange way, I think that made us even more capable of giving our baby the loving home they deserved. We’d know exactly how not to speak to our child, exactly how not to act. Rose spent a lot of her time resting – mostly because I wouldn’t let her do much of anything else – and reading parenting books.

I would be a nuisance and fuss over her, making sure Rose had everything she could possibly want or need before she even had to ask. At that moment, she lay asleep on my chest. I listened to Rose’s heartbeat and the much faster one inside her, having a vision. It wasn’t a prophecy of any sort, just a probable future.

We would not mature in our age or looks, but I imagined Rosalie as a mother. Her gaze and movements would be softer, even gentler than they are now. I recalled the touch she grazed through my hair with and foreshadowed our baby receiving the same. I had never thought myself able to love anyone like this, and now, I had enough adoration for two. That would only grow exponentially in the years to come, growing every day as our life together continued.

~~~

This concludes Chapter 4 of my Kai Parker BDSM Fanfiction! Thank you for reading :) Please feel free to leave me any thoughts/comments/constructive criticisms you have.

If you’d like to be added to the taglist for this story/my other Kai works, please leave a message in the comments/send me a message.

Chapter 5 is now posted! Read it here. :)

Until next time, JustAThoughtfulAngel <3

taglist: @bluelicious, @prettybitchfatwitch, @genevivetaylor, @niiight-dreamerrrr, @stefans-wife

[carryonthroughtheages]

Hello everyone!

Another year of Carry On Through The Ages is over and done! We have emotions and exhaustion, but we're so happy that this year had the hype and excitement that it did.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, to all of the AMAZING creators who spent the last several months working away at their historical content!

Thank you also to the hard-working mods: @bazzybelle, @giishu, @palimpsessed, and @xivz . This fest would not have been as successful as it has been without you!

We encourage everyone to look under the page break for all the fics and art. They're all fantastic!

Here is the link to the AO3 Collection: Carry On Through The Ages 2021!

Thank you all, and until next year! 🧡🧡🧡

MONDAY:

1) sun on the sea (T) - @trenchcoat-moth : AO3 // Tumblr

Tensions run high in England, and Malcolm decides it's for the best he sends Baz to live with Fiona, where he'll be safer.

That is, until Baz's ship is attacked.

2) The Words I Long To Say (M) - @bazzybelle : AO3 // Tumblr

Simon Snow was dead.

Baz Pitch was sure of it. Simon had gone away seven years ago to fight a war in the jungle and he hadn't come home.

So, when Simon shows up in Baz's club, investigating a string of brutal murders, all Baz wants to do is hold him close and never let him go.

But these aren't the same boys from 1960 and Baz has a lot of processing to do before he's ready to believe in Simon again.

3) we are slaves to gods, whatever gods are (M) - @wellbelesbian : AO3 // Tumblr

I don’t fully understand what plagues him, but I know it’s bad, and I know it goes deeper than guilt. He didn’t want to kill his father, not really, but we were instructed to do so by Apollo. Cleanse the house of its sins, dispose of a murderer to set things right. It was only right that I join him; he was avenging my mother as much as his. Clearly, Apollo didn’t seem to consider that such an act would make Simon a murderer in his father’s place. It seems I got off fine, but as far as Simon is concerned, the vengeful spirits that once spun and danced on the roof of the palace now hunt him down, determined not to stop until he rids the world of himself.

4) World War II Era Art - @stardustasincocaine : Tumblr

TUESDAY:

1) the art of loving you (E) - @one-more-offbeat-anthem : AO3 // Tumblr

1955. London. Young love.

Forbidden love.

A year ago, starving artist Simon Snow met Baz Pitch, son of a wealthy art patron, at a party, and their days (and nights) together have been a wonderful secret.

But Simon is tired of being a secret and knows it's time for things to end.

(Baz has other ideas.)

2) Reliquary of an Arsonist (T) - @tea-brigade : AO3 // Tumblr

Simon Snow grew up a ward of Watford Abbey, but when his magic manifested in an explosive accident as a child, he became the Abbey’s anchorite—never to leave Watford’s walls, for his own protection. That is, until Abbot David sends him on an important errand…

Basilton Pitch paints portraits for his patron, Lord Grimm. But he’s never forgotten the magic he learned from his mother—nor the men who condemned her to death as a heretic. When Simon arrives and offers Baz a commission from Watford Abbey, he sees his chance to avenge his mother once and for all...and he’s willing to burn down everything in his path to that end.

But it was no coincidence that pulled these two unlikely souls together. Something more sinister is underway at Watford Abbey, and only Simon and Baz can uncover the truth before everything goes up in flames.

3) Westward Son (E) - @aristocratic-otter : AO3 // Tumblr

Simon and Baz have found each other again, but there's nowhere in Brooklyn or Virginia where they can safely be together. So now, they venture the hazards and struggles of the Oregon trail, to perhaps find a little homestead in Oregon of their own.

4) A Way Out (T) - @lying-on-the-sofa : AO3

I frown at him..“You don’t know me.”

He offers his hand. “Simon.”

Simon. I feel the name around in my mind and assign it to his face. Simon. I don’t shake his hand. They’ve still got my arms pinned. “Basilton.”

Simon nods at me. “Now we know each other. Let him go.” Very casually, he takes his other hand from behind his back. A sword, flashing. He leans on it and smiles invitingly. “Let him go.”

This time, they listen.

--

Simon Snow has been trained for years to become a tribute—one of the fighters Athens sends every ninth year into the Minotaur’s labyrinth. He wants to know the way out, if only for Penny’s sake. Luckily for him, Prince Basilton of Crete also wants a way out—off the island, where no one will know he’s the half-brother of the Minotaur.

Unluckily for both of them, they don’t exactly form the most agreeable pair.

WEDNESDAY

1) long is the road the leads me home (G) - @wellbelesbian : AO3 (Version 1) (Version 2) // Tumblr

Baz has a rather unremarkable life, and he's fine with that. Running his late mother's beloved inn with his temperamental aunt, estranged from his father and step-siblings, he's successfully convinced himself that he's better off without attachments.

Then Simon barrels into his life, guns blazing and rapier drawn, and Baz is swept up in dramatic plot he never bargained for.

Worse still, he finds he quite likes the thrill.

2) New Romantics (T) - @ninemagicks : AO3 // Tumblr

Basilton Pitch, twenty-two years old and a famed poet of the Romantic era, has fled to the countryside. In Mummers House, the fabled haunt of literary greats, he sulks himself into oblivion and awaits a sad, disappointing end to his brief years of brilliance. The cause of his downfall? None other than Simon Snow, the so-called “bad boy of English poetry”, breaker of rules and eternal thorn in his side. Baz hopes that Mummers House might mean an escape from London, from Snow and his increasingly virulent popularity... but the rain that comes has other ideas.

3) thnétos (T) - @snowybank : AO3 // Tumblr

thnétos: subject to death, mortal

a retelling of Apollo and Hyacinthus

4) A Medieval AU art piece - @thewriterxj : Tumblr

THURSDAY

1) From Eden (E) - @orange-peony : AO3 // Tumblr

I wonder if his skin is warm or cold to the touch. I tell myself it’s simple curiosity, that I’m an artist and capturing things on paper or canvas is my way to make sense of the world. That drawing him feels so natural, so I should just follow my instincts. Ebb used to say it all the time. Follow your heart. It knows where you’re supposed to go.

I wish I could. I wish I had enough money and freedom to just draw what I want. To paint him in his unattainable beauty. To draw him the way I want to. Naked and vulnerable, raw. Without frills and expensive suits.

Just Baz on paper, my fingers tracing his delicate and beautiful lines with simple charcoal.

2) Slings and Eros (M) - @palimpsessed : AO3 // Tumblr

Young god of love Simonides is tasked by his father, the god of war, to bring about the ruin of a mortal prince to punish his blasphemy. However, once Simonides sees his intended victim, he begins to have misgivings. Prince Tyrannus might have offended the gods with his very existence, but all Simonides can see is how beautiful and lonely he is.

Or, a very loose interpretation of the Eros and Psyche myth.

3) I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire (M) - @knitbelove : AO3 // Tumblr

September 1940: Going back to Watford feels different this year, and not just because England is at the brink of war with Germany and Italy. Penelope seems unsettled by everything, and Agatha is distant, and Baz is … simply not here.

What if Carry On but during the Blitz?? Yeah.

4) A Fool's Oath (M) - @thewriterxj : AO3 // Tumblr

A simple soldier is invited to join the ranks of the royal guard. He and his appointed mage arrive at the royal city to find themselves at the mercy of an unmerciful court. As he struggles to find his place in this foreign environment, he also finds himself entranced by music that only he seems to hear that floats out about the city. He makes an oath to wed whoever makes such beautiful music.

Too bad that person is the crown prince.

FRIDAY

1) Stranger Tides (T) - @tea-brigade & @xivz : AO3 // Tumblr

“If some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep, even so I will endure…” Captain Simon Snow of the Chosen One is many things—cunning, handsome, ruthless. Greedy. It’s no surprise that Snow finds a way to piss off the God of the Sea, he always manages to get himself into some type of trouble. This time, however, he’s not the only one who will suffer the consequences. Poseidon promises to not stop his pursuit until Snow and all of his men are dead.

Enter Basilton Pitch—rich, beautiful, mysterious. Suspicious. He offers the crew of the Chosen One a hefty sum to take him back to Europe from the Caribbean. And who is Captain Snow to refuse so much coin? After all, Greek gods aren’t real.

Right?

2) The wayward heir [comic] (M) - @letraspal : AO3 // Tumblr

Like a folk song, our love will be passed on. Simon Snow wants to be an artist. He used to live in Fiesole where he worked in the wool shop of his good friend Ebeneza Petty. He has now chosen to return to his native Florence in order to participate in an art contest hosted by the Pitch family, the most important bankers in all the three continents and Simon’s last chance for an art patronage. No matter how much he hates them.

But being back in Florence also brings back the memories Simon wanted to leave behind : his days as an orphan, the mystery about his mother, and once more being under the inquisitive eyes of his godfather, the new archbishop Davy. The archbishop is very same man who would never forgive him for dropping out the priesthood and ruining his secret plans against the Pitches.

The last thing Simon needed was an unbearably handsome jerk getting him into trouble on his very first day in Florence. How can focus when this man is the most annoying person he has ever met and yet his major source of inspiration.

3) Prohibition Blues (T) - @heyyyandrea : AO3

Simon Snow is a baker and aspiring playwright in Prohibition Era New York City. When he meets a handsome man at Shepherd's speakeasy who is interested in his work, he can't help but think it feels too good to be true.

4) Earth Below & Sky Above (M) - @phoxphyre : AO3 // Tumblr

In the depth of the palace of King Minos of Crete lurks a creature known as the Minotaur.

Baz, prince of Athens and chosen of the god Poseidon, has heard the stories. And now he’s volunteered to come to Crete as one of the annual tributes—to dance with the king’s bulls and fulfill his destiny. He just wants to survive the bulls, protect his people, and go home.

But what if the Minotaur isn’t a monster—but just a boy? And what if instead of slaying him, Baz fell in love with him?

A Carry On retelling of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, set in Bronze Age Crete.

5) A 1980s AU Art piece by @stardustasincocaine : Tumblr // Instagram (Slightly NSFW)

[evernauts-if]

Oooh this seems really cool!! Can you tell us more about some potential characters? Thank you!!

Hello hello!! Thank you so much <3

Here are three characters you (may) meet in your journey aboard:

Hal- Hal is an outspoken Promised to the Heart, a part of the religious Order of the Everfell. By outspoken, I mean he's an absolute heretic. It may surprise you how many of the Order speak openly about disbelieving the teachings, few more cynically than Hal. He says he stays with the Order because that is where the power lies.

Annet- Annet is also Promised, but just about the opposite of Hal in every way. She is devout and keeps to herself, speaking softly and providing a gentle presence. Do not take this to mean she won't stand up for herself or her faith, though. It's the quiet ones you need to watch out for... (Annet will be faction-locked, so you'll only meet her if you are also Promised.)

Rory- Rory (gender selectable m, f, nb) is a surface-dweller. You met Rory when you disembarked three years ago in Eskia, a heavily forested country somewhere in the southern hemisphere. It was a long stop, to allow for the construction of a second boiler room on the first deck. You had time to bond- you choose whether you were friends or something more, whether you left without a word or asked them to come with you. Either way, they didn't. You never thought you'd see them again...

[bunny-carrothunter]

Hello! I was wondering if you have any recommendations of any fanfics of Frost from Dragon Ball Super. (Feel free to add any shippings, like Frit).

Hello why yes of course! 👀 💙 Sorry it took so long to reply but I didn't know where to begin- A few of my faves:

Travel Companion. (Frost x Hit) Short and in-character, ended so cute I actually drew a little doodle the moment I finished reading it. Fics about Hit being the one to initiate wanting to spend time with Frost (and basically attaching himself to him) are so interesting and adorable, instantly a fave. [1 Chapter.]

Where New Lines Intersect. (Frost/Hit & Frieza/Yamcha) Lizard rivals introduce their partners and it goes as well as you'd expect. I love their banter and Frost's silver tongue is as entertaining as it always is. 10/10 [2 Chapters]

The S in DBS Stands for Skeld (also sus). (Universe 6) U6 team in Among Us setting is everything I wanted in life, and this was just perfect. Love love LOVE this fic! I enjoy any fics that center around the Universe 6 team in general. [1 Chapter]

A Little Universe 6 Christmas. (Universe 6) U6 gathers for Christmas, and Frost may or may not have had too much to drink. bits of Frost/Cabba and Frost/Hit thrown in there. [1]

MORE UNDER THE CUT

A few more to recommend~

I’m Still Here. (Frost/Hit) Hit still has nightmares about what happened to Frost in ToP. His partner helps him soothe him. [1]

I Trust You. (Frost/Hit) Hit offers to take Frost under his wing. After his meeting with Frieza, he has his doubts. [1]

After the Tournament. (Frost centered) Three short chapters about what Frost plans to do after the ToP. Each chapter comes with illustrated images. Well written and enticing. Story only readable in reblogs now. [Part 1, Part 2, Part 3]

Dream Come True. (Frost/Hit) Short story about Frost and Hit's reunion after being brought back from the ToP. Mildly suggestive. [1]

Frit Poem. (Frost/Hit) A beautifully written mild-nsfw story that doubles as a poem in an amazing rhythm. Love, trust and angst. [1]

Dear Rabbit. (Frost/Hit) Frit songfic based on "I Know I'm a Wolf" by Young Heretics. [2 Chapters]

Champagne. (Frost/Hit). Short fic based on Hit's POV as he tries to imagine the perfect date for him and Frost after the ToP as he experiences the recruitment, the tournament, and Frost's erasure. Clearly angst, and I love it. [1]

5 Things I love about you. (Frieza/Frost) Short fluffy fic with the two lizards.

As you can see, I favor more Frit than anything. ^^ There's probably ones I missed but 1) I haven't read them all, and 2) I didn't know if you wanted just SFW or also involve NSFW. Cuz that could be a different list on its own. 👀

Happy reading!

[tsainami]

— A MASTERLIST OF T. SAI’S ONGOING PROJECTS

hello, hi! my name is sai (otherwise known - at least at this point in time - as t.sai or @tsainami​) and i write fantasy. (i also avidly read fantasy, which is probably obvious but... if you care to talk about fantasy books... i’m all ears) under the cut you will find a list of all my ongoing, active wips to benefit those who are curious and are seeking to know. i have a total of three primary works. all fantasy (though they do vary in sub genres). as you can read them practically everywhere else i’ve linked, i have included no blurbs in this post - just the main tropes and comp titles + elevator pitches. feel free to take a look see!

↳ adult / ya fantasy > clockpunk — page ⋄ tag ⋄ characters ⋄ playlists ⋄ wattpad

arkane studio’s dishonored meets v. e. schwab’s a darker shade of magic in this story of an outcast from a destroyed universe trying to find his missing heart...

tropes: addictive magic, alternate identity amnesia, ancestral worship, another dimension, another world, artifact of doom, bad powers + good people (and vice versa), betrayal, bizarrchitecture, bit of dungeon punk, crapsack world, creepy clockwork, cults (just a bit in this installment), estranged siblings, family angst, fate worse than death, gray and grey morality, grouchy guardsmen, hero or villain, magic a is magic a, magitek (just a bit in this installment), mausoleums as churches, organ theft, punk punk things, rogue royalty, soul jar, technology vs. magic, time is of the essence (actually tho), villainous rescue. [to be updated]

↳ adult fantasy > science fiction fantasy — page ⋄ tag ⋄ characters ⋄ playlists ⋄ wattpad

mark lawrence’s red sister meets asuka katsura’s blood+ in this tale of religious intrigue set in a world inhabited by a banished race of humans tinged with cannibalistic tendencies... 

tropes: all romantic love is unrequited, a.n.g.s.t., anti-villain, anyone can die, ascent to a higher plane of existence, black-and-grey morality, body horror, corrupted clerics, crystal dragon god, even evil has its standards, fictional racism (sort of - it goes for what type of ‘cannibal’ you are), heretical hell, precursors, science vs. faith, terror heroine. [to be updated]

↳ adult / ya fantasy > historical fiction — page ⋄ tag ⋄ characters ⋄ playlist ⋄ wattpad

osamu dazai’s the setting sun meets amal el-mohtar & max gladstone’s this is how you lose the time war in this story of political intrigue, monsters and magic set in a world inspired by shōwa japan... 

tropes: anti-heroine, bad bromance, botany things, deadpan dueling, curses, fate worse than death, hanahaki disease, japanese folklore & myth, found family + found family fluff + family angst, insert paranormal tropes, immortality pursuits, mad scientist, necromancy, plaaants, politics, several things worse than necromancy + politics (and at least 1 other thing as great as plaaants), rivals to other things, realism with running gags, the tragic villain.  [to be updated]

if you want to be added to the taglists for any of these or my general taglist or have any questions (if that’s a thing) - feel free to yell at me via my ask box! thank you for your time!!! <3