#i used the official book but i only have a digital copy + gotta wait for a physical one

[dordey]

the lengths i just went to for sylvanian clothing patterns

[matchasprouts]

Listen Closer - Chapter 15

[ can't wait for Strahm to get pegged <3 we have so much more pining to get through first though ]

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It took some doing, but the water box was done by the start of the next month. It was… rough figuring out how he was supposed to get Strahm into the box without needing to weld it back together on his head.

Eventually he just settled for a metal bottom that he would clip back together when it was on him. They were locked, so he couldn’t just undo them and escape. No, if he wanted to live, he would have to get hurt.

Once it was finished, he got the trap set up in one of the rooms of the packing plant, one that wasn’t currently in use. It took some doing to get it hanging and attach the pipes that would fill it with water, but he managed it with a little bit of help from Lawrence.

Next was the trap for one Ivan Landness- and, as excited as he was for it, it was going to be difficult. He couldn’t build it all together, and it had to be made with the bed it was going to be attached to in mind.

Luckily, Garrett loved a challenge.

The only problem was that he was now legally Mark’s specialist, meaning he had to be brought in for every Jigsaw case.

So that’s why he was, very unwillingly, standing over a crispy corpse.

This was one of Amanda’s traps, he remembered seeing her pack up the chains surrounding the body to bring to the room they were standing in. He’d been told that they had to burn the door open, meaning the player had no chance to escape whatsoever.

“Who do you think put this one together?” Strahm asked when he realized Garrett was there, gaining a soft, thoughtful hum from him.

“Looks like Amanda Young,” he replied, lightly kicking one of the scorched chains. “I heard the door was welded shut. He couldn’t have escaped it even if he won. He was always doomed to death.”

Was he lowkey calling Amanda out on her bullshit when she wasn’t around? Yes. He was still pissed about Kerry’s trap.

“How many of her traps have you seen?” Strahm seemed at least a little bit concerned that he could guess who it was almost immediately, but Garrett just shrugged.

He brought a hand up to his face to lightly scratch at his scar before responding. “Not many. This is a new development, to be honest. But any trap put together by Kramer is escapable, if not difficult.”

“There’s also the third unknown apprentice,” Strahm offered, and Garrett genuinely found it funny that he was talking about this mysterious third apprentice to one of the longest standing ones.

Garrett just hummed again, taking another look at the body, before looking up at the ceiling and finding more chains hanging from the ceiling.

He should probably make his sketch so he could get out of there. He found a comfy spot on the floor that gave him a good view of all the chains and got to work in his Official Work sketchbook, vaguely noting that people were staying out of his way whenever he looked up.

Man, being an actual specialist was pretty fucking cool.

“Okay, I’ve gotta head out, but give me a call if you need any clarification,” he said as he finished the sketch, ripping it out of the book and handing it over to Strahm. “Try not to find another- whoa, did this scar?” He had meant to run out of there, but he got distracted by Strahm’s hand when he reached up to grab the sketch,

Garrett immediately grabbed Strahm’s hand to check out the bite scar on it, grinning at the idea that one simple bite from one very feral man was enough to scar him.

Strahm fucking froze at the contact, and Garrett could feel his arm tense up where he was holding it. Of course, this just made him want to fuck with him.

So he put Strahm’s hand in his mouth, perfectly lined up his teeth with the scar, and gently bit down.

It wasn’t enough pressure to pierce the skin, but Garrett could feel Strahm shaking at the feeling. Garrett grinned, pulling back only to bite down on the agent’s exposed forearm, leaving him with another bleeding bite mark as he made his way out of the room, licking his lips clean of the blood.

At this point, the only way Strahm would escape his teeth is by arresting him.

Unfortunately he couldn’t go straight home. Part of being an official specialist meant that after he looked over every trap, he had to go down to the precinct to file his own report about it. Apparently that was the easiest way to ensure that no information was missed in the file.

Luckily, it was only the trap that he had to report on, nothing about the victim or anything that would lead them to Jigsaw. Just the trap. Thank god, because he straight up didn’t pay attention to crime scenes.

He did, however, have his own mini office now! It was small, but that was okay, because it had windows so he could watch everyone passing by. It was a simple and easy way to get to know people without actually talking to them.

Also having an office was fucking banger and anybody who didn’t like him before was now stuck with him.

Upon arriving at his little office (he had his own keycard to get into this part of the building now- a keycard! He was growing too powerful) he immediately tossed his bag onto the ground and started up his computer, as well as grabbing the blank form he had to fill out every time he looked at a trap.

Apparently, they liked to have a physical record as well as a digital one. This was very unfortunate for Garrett, because he hated doing the same thing twice, and he hated waiting for photos of the trap too.

To distract himself from how much he hated paperwork, he got to work on the paperwork. He started with the physical copy first, just because it would be easier to type it word for word and not worry about losing what he’d already written.

He was just about to start on the digital copy when there was a knock on his door. “You better have my photos,” Garrett said when he noticed who it was, and Strahm took that as his invitation to come in.

His arms were completely covered now, probably to hide the fresh mark Garrett left him with. That made him smirk a little, before sticking his hand out and making the grabby hand motion at him so he’d hand over the photos.

Once they were in his grasp, he immediately took out a sharpie and began to label the parts of the trap. He was allowed to do this solely because they made extra copies separate to the ones he used.

“How’s your arm doing?” Garrett asked, keeping his focus on his work but also incredibly aware that Strahm was just standing there. At the promise of conversation, Strahm finally sat down.

“Did you have to do that? Like, really?” Strahm replied, and Garrett could vaguely see him reach up to loosen his tie, even undoing a few of the buttons on his shirt.

“Yes, I did,” Garrett responded without a moment’s hesitation, flipping to the next photo he needed to label. “I’m not sorry for scarring you, by the way. I’d only known you for, like, an hour and it freaked me out.”

Strahm just hummed, a sort of non-verbal way of saying he understood. Garrett flipped to the next, and last, photo and finished up his labelling, moving back to the computer to finish the digital version of the report.

There was an awkward silence- well, awkward on Strahm’s end. He clearly had something he wanted to ask, but was seemingly afraid of doing. Garrett, on the other hand, was just vibing.

And finally, he asked his burning question. “Do you think Hoffman is Jigsaw?”

Holy SHIT.

Garrett almost choked and the suddenness, suddenly very grateful that Strahm couldn’t see him behind his monitor. Did he… really just ask… if he thought his boyfriend was Jigsaw…?

He wasn’t sure whether to tell him straight up that they were both Jigsaw, or fuck him on the spot for being a fucking idiot.

After a moment of deliberation, he decided he was going to give him another gay panic attack. “Why would I think that? I live with him, I think I would have noticed if he was running off to play Jigsaw.”

Strahm tensed up a little at that, apparently not having processed that Garrett and Mark weren’t just… hanging out when he showed up to check on him after he left the hospital.

“I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but there’s just- I don’t know how to describe it, it’s just how he acts with Jigsaw cases and how he’s one of the only members of the task force left-”

He was rambling now, giving Garrett ample time to get up from his desk, walk around it, and plant himself behind Strahm’s chair. When he placed his hands on the back of it, his knuckles brushing against the agent’s back, that was when he shut up, freezing suddenly.

Garrett took his chance, leaning down until he was right next to Strahm’s ear. “You shouldn’t worry yourself with that sort of thing, Special Agent,” he whispered, noticing a minute shiver from Strahm at the feeling of warm breath against his neck. “We know who Jigsaw is. And I would tell you if I suspected Detective Hoffman.”

His hands had moved to Strahm’s shoulders, one toying with the collar of his shirt and the other messing with the top most button.

Strahm was so easy to rile up. Garrett could tell he was trying not to make a sound.

“But… you’ll keep me updated on this theory of yours, yes?” he asked, and Strahm stiffly nodded. Garrett smiled, leaning close enough that his lips brushed against Strahm’s neck. “Good boy.”

He pressed a kiss to Strahm’s neck, trailing his tongue over the spot before biting down gently- still hard enough to leave a mark, but not enough to bleed-, and then pulling away and sitting back down at his desk. “Could you take this up to Mark for me?” he asked, holding the file out to Strahm, who was flushed down to his neck.

The agent stood up quickly, grabbed the file, and left without another word.

Yeah, Garrett could use this attraction. Besides, it made working with him so much more fun.

[alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer]

Runaways Comics Reading Guide

So, you wanna read Runaways, huh? Maybe the wait for season 2 is taking too long and you’re desperate for content or you heard that this amazing series was revived last September. Whatever the reason, you're in luck, because I sold my soul to Brian K Vaughn and all of his characters when I was 12!

You're also in luck because, compared to some other comic book series, Runaways is a little less confusing to figure out. Now, it seems a bit daunting at first, but the series is easily digestible, and you could easily get through all the comics in a couple days if you had a lot of free time. However, if you don't want to read their smaller arcs, I will note which ones are alright to skip. Here's my self determined reading order:

Runaways- Volume 1 (18 issues): must-read! Duh, this is where the story starts! The TV show takes off from here, but fair warning, the comics are radically different from the show (understandably, tv shows and comic books are much different mediums with different capabilities, but that's a different post). This is where you get to know our gang and the conflict with their parents, which is pretty important because the backstories are a lot different than in the show. 

Runaways- Volume 2 (30 issues): vitally important, even if it will rip you apart inside and crush all of your dreams. At least through issue 24. After issue 24, our Lord BKV left, so some people regard the rest of the series as trash (tbh joss whedon is trash sooo). I guess from issue 25 onward, it's not all that important to read them, but I did and I would.

Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways (4 issues): nonessential to any plot, but I’m Young Avengers trash as much as I am Runaways trash, so I loved it. You may find it a bit boring if you’re not familiar with the Young Avengers. Note: this limited series takes place in the middle of Runaways Vol 2, I think in between #24 and #25. Since there’s no important plot, it doesn’t matter if you read it then, but definitely don’t read it before volume 2 to avoid spoilers. 

Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers (3 issues): this one actually DOES take place between v2 and v3! like the other crossover, it’s not essential to the plot of Runaways. If you’re not familiar with the Young Avengers, you probably won’t understand what’s happening. As a Young Avengers fan, though, I loved it! 

Runaways- Volume 3 (14 issues): like I said, most people find these ones to be throwaway comics, but personally I would read literally any content with these characters so like,, yeah. You should read V3 if you're going to read the Runaways arcs in Daken and Avengers Academy.

Daken: The Dark Wolverine- Issues #17-19: not necessary to read at all, maybe a lil interesting if you read Vol 3 Runaways bc it ends on a cliffhanger and this is the only time in comic canon where it's addressed, even in the vaguest way possible ("yeah, this character got hit by a fucking car. But they're fINE. Just pErFeCT.")

Avengers Academy- Issues #27-28: must read if you read Vol 3! You can either read the whole series just for the Runaways arc, or just read these 2 issues with the Runaways (which is what I did, but I went back and read the whole series bc I loved the characters, and they will appear again in a moment!) read for some wholesome dino fun (not,, but.. ehhhhh angst w a happy ending???)

Avenger's Arena (18 issues): battle royale meets teenage superheroes. A bunch of teens w powers (incl. Nico, chase, darkhawk, and some people from Avengers Academy) are thrown onto an island designed to kill them & make them kill each other. I understand that this kind of gore isn't what everyone looks for in a comic book and it's a bit childish, but I found it entertaining. Not necessary to read if you want to pick up the new series, but its events are referenced.

Avengers Undercover (10 issues): I didn't enjoy these that much (actually I probably spent more time ranting about these comics than anything, I really didn't enjoy them at all), but they are a continuation of avengers arena so you should probably read them if you read AA. Completely nonessential to understanding anything in any other comics ever.

Runaways- Volume 4 (4 issues): to be honest, I never actually read these. I tried, but the characters aren't even in it?? Why is a part of runaways??? The world may never know. Maybe if you understand more about Battleworld then it's more entertaining, but I was completely lost and confused.

A-Force- Volume 1 (5 issues): like Vol 4 Runaways, this takes place on battleworld, so like Vol 4, I was very lost and confused. However Nico is a main character and all the characters are totally badass and amazing and I have officially adopted Singularity so yeah? Also America Chavez is a BAMF. I think I'd recommend reading them? Sooo many bi vibes (bibes?) from Nico. since this takes place on a different world, it's not really relevant, but it sets up A-Force Vol 2.

A-Force- Volume 2 (10 issues): takes place back in the same world as the original runaways comics. I don't wanna spoil anything but there's more badass bisexual Nico. All in all, the series isn't necessary to understand any Runaways plots, but they are briefly mentioned in the new comics. They're also super awesome and if you like Nico you should definitely read them!!

Avengers AI (12 issues)- I've gotta be honest I never particularly cared for Victor so I didn't read these, what happens is probably important to the new Runaways but like,, I figured it out so you can too. I mean, I'll get around to reading them one of these days, I'm sure they're great comics but ya victors a ho

Runaways- Volume 5 (9 issues thus far): the new series!! Some characters come back from the dead and The Band Gets Back Together!!!!!!

I'd say if you just want to read the new series, the only ones completely vital are the Runaways comics, up to Vol 2 #24. However, all the rest are amazing (albeit frustrating sometimes) comics that I highly recommend you read!! They add a lot more depth to the characters and their experiences. I’m sure I’m missing some comics that they’ve appeared in, but I think these are all of the important ones? Correct me if I’m wrong! 

Okay, okay this all sounds amazing. I'm so ready! How do I read them???

First of all, no one is ever ready. Second of all.. you have a few options, not all of them everyone will like

Buy them. Either at marvel.com, on their app, or at a comic book store.

Take them out from the library. I've never actually done this but once comics have been released issue by issue, they're then published as a volume. I'd assume some libraries might have these consolidated comics.

Read them online. I know, I know, this is bad. But realistically, not everyone can afford to buy every single comic, and not everyone has access to a library where they can take them out. HOWEVER, I'm begging you not to use this option for the new comics. Marvel can (and HAS in the past) cancel the series if it's not making enough money. Each issue is $4USD. Every issue that you can buy counts. If you don't have access to a comic book store where you can buy them (I get it, I live in morocco), you can buy a digital copy online on Marvel's website or their app. Personally, I only own one random copy from Runaways Vol 2 that I found in a comic book store in Madrid, but I own every single new comic either hard copy, digitally, or both. Please, please, please support these comics whichever way you can!! Now that I've made my plea, you can find all of the comics online here.

I hope maybe my rambling helped you somehow. I absolutely adore these characters and these stories. Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions or want to talk about the comics! Happy reading, and welcome to the abyss.

[hermanwatts]

Sensor Sweep: Halo, Pathfinder, Jack Higgins, Beyond the Black River

Publishing (Walker’s Retreat): Rothfuss got outed as another Martin-tier procrastinator by his editor today. He ain’t the only one. ‘Kingkiller Chronicle’ Editor Believes Author Hasn’t Written Anything for Years https://t.co/SLM3CAGEXd— LJ Ramones (@LjRamones) July 29, 2020               This is a major problem with OldPub authors. Scalzi’s been hammered for it. Scott Lynch got nailed for it. Years-long delays that fuck up publication schedules and hurt both the actual target for OldPub authors (the publishers) and the purported target (the readers) accordingly are too common, and sadly not even for reasons one could excuse if there were measurable results to offset them.

T.V. (RMWC Reviews): The third of Tsuburaya Productions 10th anniversary shows, Jumborg Ace was different from Ultraman Taro and Fireman in that it was chock full of robots. Jumborg Ace began airing on January 17, 1973 on Mainichi Broadcasting System, the show ran for 50 episodes and was primarily produced by staff who had previously worked on Mirrorman under the direction of Yoshiyuki Kuroda.

New (Wasteland & Sky):  Finally, today is the day we’ve been waiting for. The Pulp Mindset is out for everyone on amazon. This guide has been in the works for awhile and now I can finally show you just what I’ve been working on behind the scenes for the past couple of months. It’s a guide for new creatives who wish to understand just how to approach art in the modern age, and for those who wish to understand just what this NewPub thing is about. You can find it on amazon here.

Writers (Kairos): To call Ambrose Bierce a writer would be an understatement. This famous–some might say infamous–author, journalist, solider, and adventurer left a mark on American culture comparable only to the likes of Poe, Lovecraft, Greeley, and Twain. His Devil’s Dictionary skewered official and media doubletalk a century before the politically correct crowd’s drive to deform language began in earnest.

RPG (Table Top Gaming News): Crypt of the Mellified Mage Adventure Now Available for Forbidden Lands RPG. I have to say, I don’t know what it means to be “mellified.” Spellcheck is telling me it’s not even a word. So, I’m pretty sure it’s bad if it happens to you. And if it happens to a mage, that’s gotta be worse, right? And if that mage is in a crypt? That’s just dangerous. Good thing you’re a band of adventurers that goes out of their way to find such dangers, right? The Crypt of the Mellified Mage is now available for Forbidden Lands. You can pick up your copies online now.

Fiction (Superversive SF): The third book of the chronicles begins 18 months after the destruction of the Black Cauldron and details the Princess Eilonwy’s journey to become a proper young lady and magic user. Not understanding why she must learn court protocol and leave Caer Dalben, she is understandably upset. However, she goes, as is her duty. Things quickly turn upside down as she is kidnapped by agents of the defeated Queen Achren! Taran and friends set out to rescue her. Along the way, they will make new friends and new enemies.

Robert E. Howard (John C. Wright): Conan here is once again the archetypal noble savage. The superiority of the grand and lonely barbarian, a man who prevails with no sort of civilization to aid or soften him, is once again clearly on display. Indeed, the quality is one that can be seen with the eyes, spotted before a word is spoken. Thus is Conan described when he first steps into view on a path of a deadly forest.    … [Conan] wore a sleeveless hauberk of dark mesh-mail in place of a tunic, and a helmet perched on his black mane. That helmet held the other’s gaze; it was without a crest, but adorned by short bull’s horns. No civilized hand ever forged that head-piece.”

Art (DMR Books): Ed Emshwiller, who commonly went by the nickname “Emsh”, died on this date in 1990. I’ve only really studied his work in the past few years, but that’s made me realize the man and his art are both worth knowing more about. He was an early illustrator of Conan, as well as Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. I plan on doing a “Savage Swords of” post devoted to Emsh at some point in the future, but today I think an overview of his life and work is more appropriate.

Fiction (Paperback Warrior): Using the names Jack Higgins, Martin Fallon, and Hugh Marlowe, Henry Patterson had a successful, early literary career throughout the 1960s and early 1970s with a high-adventure template utilized by Alistair MacLean, Desmond Bagley and Hammond Innes. Five-years prior to Patterson becoming a household name with The Eagle Has Landed (as Jack Higgins, 1975), he used the name James Graham to write a traditional WW2 adventure novel called A Game for Heroes (1970). It was published as a hardcover in 1970 by Macmillan and reprinted countless times over by the likes of Dell, Harper Collins and Penguin. It remains in print today in both physical and digital versions.

Pulp Magazines (Men’s Adventure Magazines): It also got me started on a hunt for Mike Shayne stories in men’s adventure magazines (MAMs). There’s very little information online about Shayne stories in MAMs. The most significant clues about them are in a list on Philsp.com, the awesome, indispensable “Galactic Central” site that provides information about thousands of different vintage magazines. As I looked through the Galactic Central list, I realized it wasn’t quite complete.

Gaming (Gamespot): Season 3 of Halo: The Master Chief Collection will be a very big deal for Halo 3 in particular. Design director Max Szlagor said in a new blog post that Season 3 will contain many more customization options across the board, including brand-new content for Halo 3. Season 3 will add new weapon skins, new visors, and “other content” for Halo 3, Szlagor said. This is a big deal because Halo 3 has never had weapon skins. “This marks the first step in our expansion of Halo 3 customization,” Szlagor said.

RPG (Morrus’ Unofficial Table Top RPG News): The pandemic-mandated online version of Gen Con is going on right now, and many companies traditionally use the event for big releases. The fact that it’s online isn’t holding Paizo back as they release their new products, including the Advanced Player’s Guide for Pathfinder and the Starship Operations Manual for Starfinder.

Sensor Sweep: Halo, Pathfinder, Jack Higgins, Beyond the Black River published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/