#i also love how you can see live how i sporadically do full rendered pieces vs whatever fuck ass doodles i do

[nebuladreamz]

ART SUMMARY OF 2023 BAYBEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Template by Sherharon (You can find it here)!

[mediaeval-muse]

Video Game Review: Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (Ubisoft, 2010)

Genres: action-adventure, third person, open world

Premise: Picking up where Assassin’s Creed II left off, Ezio Auditore is back, this time working against the Borgia family to destabilize its hold on Rome. In the present day, Desmond Miles continues to struggle when differentiating the past from the present.

Platform Played On: PC (Windows)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

***Full review under the cut.***

I am evaluating this game based on four key aspects: story, characters, gameplay, and visuals. I will not be evaluating the multiplayer mode because I don’t like playing video games with other people.

Content Warnings: violence, blood, misogyny, attempted rape, incest, torture

Story: The main premise of Brotherhood’s story is that following the opening of the vault, Ezio and his family are attacked at Monteriggioni by Borgia forces. They manage to escape, but Ezio is wounded and Caesar Borgia steals the Piece of Eden. Ezio awakes some time later in Rome and must fight the corruption that results from the Borgia’s influence while hatching a plan for retrieving the Piece of Eden. The decision to focus more fully on the Borgias was a good choice - they’re perhaps the most notorious family from Renaissance Italy, so the plot about combating Templar corruption fit right in. Plus, it made for a more consolidated narrative and a single antagonist.

I also think Brotherhood improved on Desmond’s story. At first, it’s not much different from the main purpose of the frame narrative in ACII: Desmond and the present-day Assassins, led by Lucy Stillman, set up a new safe house in modern Monteriggioni, where they continue to use the Animus to track down the Piece of Eden using Ezio’s memories. But there are some nice moments that make the frame shine: Desmond and Lucy have to work together to explore the underground tunnels of Monteriggioni, and their banter really game me the sense that they were bonding.

The main things I didn’t like about these narratives are relatively small. In addition to the ending feeling rushed, I think the game could have done better regarding its female characters. In Ezio’s world, a side mission reveals what happened to Cristina, Ezio’s sometime lover before he became an assassin. On the one hand, it was great to see a more personal plotline that delved deeper into Ezio’s emotions. On the other hand, these flashbacks had moments that made me squirm. The plot details how they met, which basically consists of Ezio following Cristina home and saving her from being raped by an acquaintance that “refuses to wait for her to open her legs on her own.” Later, Cristina is killed and dies in Ezio’s arms. Likewise, Lucy meets a tragic fate in Desmond’s world, and though it’s less fridge-y than Cristina’s death, I was just personally not a fan.

Characters: Ezio, our protagonist and player-controlled character, is as charming as ever. He’s a little older and wiser in this game, which was pleasing in terms of character development. He’s still a bit of a flirt and womanizer, which I personally don’t really like, but to each their own. Leonardo is also back, albeit more sporadically, and I loved seeing their friendship continue.

The major supporting character in this game is Niccolo Machiavelli (yes, really). He appeared briefly in the previous game, but he has a much larger role this time around. He’s a bit grumpy and stuffy, which is understandable - Ezio allowed Rodrigo to live at the end of ACII, which threw a wrench in a lot of plans. Still, I liked how Ezio’s more playful characteristics played off of Machiavelli’s sternness.

Desmond also continued to grow on me. I liked that he had more confidence in his assassin abilities and how he seemed to be fully part of Lucy Stillman’s team, and yet, the game did a good job tempering his badassery by decreasing his ability to differentiate the present day from his ancestor’s memories. It’s one of my favorite tropes, though, so I may be a bit biased.

The Borgias were also very compelling villains. I liked Cesare’s intensity and lust for power, as well as Lucrezia’s balance of loneliness and loyalty to her family. I also think their incestuous relationship was handled well in that it wasn’t treated as the sole reason why these characters were evil; rather, to me, it read as a manifestation of the characters’ obsession with their own family, not as something “edgy” to put in the plot. 

Gameplay: A lot of the mechanics that formed the basis of ACII reappear in Brotherhood. There are armor and weapon upgrades, treasure stashes, puzzles, and the like. Instead of upgrading the villa, however, players are given the opportunity to make improvements to and stimulate the economy of Rome by repairing and investing in tailors’ shops, blacksmiths’ forges, art merchants’ stalls, banks, stables, medicine stands, aqueducts, and many other things. I found the investment system to be interesting, but a little confusing - it’s dependent on how other players interact with the stores in the game, so I didn’t quite get why it’s included in story mode. I think I could have done without it or at least made it dependent on other factors that are more useful to those who don’t necessarily care what a larger Ubisoft “community” is doing.

In order to unlock all the public works projects, players have to free areas of the map from Borgia influence. To do this, players complete assassination missions in which you kill the captain of the guard responsible for overseeing a Borgia-controlled tower, then you blow it up. These missions vary in difficulty, and each one has a unique setting with different kinds of environmental challenges, so I was pleased by the level of variety.

Players are also given the task of doing “shop quests” in which Ezio collects rare valuables (like ambergris, diamonds, etc.) to unlock additional items in the shops. For example, completing the art shop quest unlocks additional treasure maps. I found this interesting yet irritating, since I wasn’t quite sure how to get these rare items aside from stumbling onto them randomly or investing in businesses smartly (smart investments yield high rewards, sometimes). Along similar lines, Ezio can complete guild challenges, in which he performs various combat or stealth maneuvers as well as assists courtesans, thieves, mercenaries, and assassins to gain additional XP as well as discounts when enlisting any of the guilds to help.

In terms of the combat and stealth aspects, most of the mechanics are the same. You’re given a crossbow in this game, which is fun, as well as a parachute for gliding, but other than that, there’s nothing vastly different. I actually liked the continuity, since it meant I could focus more on the new things and not learn whole new ways of moving around. I will say, though, that the glyphs were a bit more annoying in that I couldn’t use my keyboard to turn things around - I HAD to click on arrows on the screen. It was tedious, but I got through it.

I also liked the introduction of assassin recruits. Players get to recruit citizens to Ezio’s cause and level up their XP by sending them on missions across Europe, kind of like the war table missions in Dragon Age: Inquisition. These recruits can also be called upon during combat to help Ezio fight off enemies, though they need some time to “recharge” after each use. It was kind of fun to manage a team, and I did like the options it afforded for gaining resources and completing missions.

I will say, though, that I absolutely detested the missions or challenges in the game that were timed. Timed activities stress me out, and I’d rather have the option to do something well rather than fast. I also hated the introduction of “complete synchronization.” Basically, each mission is accompanied by a condition - such as avoiding detection, using a specific weapon, or completing a task in a certain amount of time - that will grant players 100% synchronization of Ezio’s memories. If you don’t meet the condition, you can still advance the plot, and you can go back and replay the mission for 100% sync, but honestly, I didn’t find this mechanic fun. Some of these conditions were tedious or so challenging that in order to meet them, you have to play through long scenarios without skipping to certain checkpoints multiple times. For experienced gamers, these conditions might offer some additional challenge to a video game that otherwise doesn’t have easy/moderate/hard modes, but I personally didn’t find the 100% sync rewarding, and I was constantly stressed about missing something due to lack of syncing.

I also had some problems with the camera and controls. In several missions where time was a factor, it was frustrating when the camera would whip around and controls would change to accommodate the new angle. I hated this, because it caused me to fall and desynchronize a few times, as well as cause me to lose my target.

Visuals: As with ACII, the visuals of Brotherhood were stunning. I loved seeing the aerial views of Rome from the high vantage points, and I loved the rendering on Ezio’s assassin armor. I don’t think there was a major, noticeable difference in the quality of the visuals between the games - maybe a few more smooth animations, some more believable/realistic rendering. It was certainly appreciated. I could look at this game for hours.

Recommendations: I would recommend this game if you’re interested in the Italian Renaissance, the history of the Borgia family, stealth, action-adventure games, and parkour.

Final Verdict: Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is a charming follow-up to Assassin’s Creed II, balancing familiarity and novelty in the gameplay to keep the player both engaged and grounded.

[junghelioseok]

beautiful.

↳ he didn’t tell you often enough.

  ◇ jimin x reader   ◇ fluff | smut   ◇ 1.6k [1/1]

notes: this will probably be the last piece of writing i post until after new year’s. i’ll be visiting my parents and getting my wisdom teeth out (save me, i’m so anxious) later this week, so it’s safe to say that i won’t be at 100% for a bit. also, my parents have the slowest internet on the face of the earth. i can barely get tumblr to load over there, but my queue should keep me semi-active.

in other news, i firmly believe that we all need a park jimin in our lives. pretty sure i just had ‘serendipity’ playing on repeat while writing this. jimin’s voice is so lovely. everything about him is lovely. i mean, look at him. listen to him. stunning. 

From the very moment he wakes up, Jimin knows that something is wrong. You aren’t in bed beside him like you usually are, curled up against his side with your face buried in the crook of his neck. Blinking, he rolls over and spots you standing in front of the closet mirror, brows furrowed. 

“God, I look like shit today.” 

Those are the first words out of your mouth, and, as Jimin looks you over, he can’t help but think that you couldn’t have been more wrong. Sleepy {e/c} eyes are framed perfectly by tousled hair, and your skin all but glows in the pale morning sun streaming in through the window. Your lips twist into a frown as you throw open the closet door, and he’s positively itching to go over there and kiss you until it’s gone. Before he can put his plan into action, however, you pull off the oversized t-shirt you usually wear to bed, carelessly tossing it on a chair. Jimin’s gaze traverses the soft curves of your figure, body unconsciously reacting to the sight. 

You are stunning. You may not always realize it, and he probably doesn’t tell you enough, but you are. He’s never found anyone who meshes with him so well, who understands him so completely and wholeheartedly. Jimin can imagine no one more perfect for him, and wouldn’t trade the past year with you for anything. A fond smile settles on his lips and you turn around at that exact moment, noting the look on his face. “What?” you ask curiously, taking a few steps back toward the bed. 

He grins at you. “Come here,” he says, reaching out for your hands. Twining your fingers with his, he tugs you into his lap. 

“Jimin, I’m literally only wearing underwear,” you tell him pointedly, trying to free your hands and cover yourself. 

“That’s unfortunate,” he replies with a smirk. “I wish you were wearing less. But I can make it work.” 

The mattress creaks in protest as Jimin shifts, adjusting you so that you are straddling his hips before tilting you down for a kiss, his tongue delving in and tangling with yours. By the time you pull apart, both of you are gasping for air. His breath fans across your face as he regards you, a soft smile playing on his lips. 

“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” He brushes your cheek tenderly, leaning up to plant a chaste kiss on your waiting mouth. “How did I get so lucky?” 

You flush with embarrassment, trying to hide it with a roll of your eyes. “Oh, stop that.” 

“Never.” Jimin sits up suddenly, bringing you with him. Strong arms wrap around your waist to keep you from falling off his lap, hands smoothing down the skin of your hips. “I don’t tell you enough. I need to be a better boyfriend.” His gaze travels away from you, brown eyes regarding the slanting sunlight coming through the parted curtains. 

Your eyes widen at his sudden statement, hands flying up to cup his face gently. “No, Jimin, you’re amazing,” you protest, urging him to look at you. 

“I’m never here,” he mumbles, grabbing one of your hands and lacing your fingers together. 

You squeeze it gently, reassuringly. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.” When he still doesn’t meet your eyes, you lean forward, pressing a kiss to his jawline, just below his left ear. “Jimin… you’re an amazing boyfriend. Really. I couldn’t ask for more.” 

He moves so suddenly, a surprised yelp is torn from your throat. You find yourself lying on your back, your shirtless boyfriend hovering above you with the tiniest of smirks tugging at his lips. “See, I believe you,” he breathes lowly, running a hand through his blond hair. “I believe you when you tell me I’m amazing, so why won’t you believe me when I tell you that you’re beautiful?” 

You can’t form a coherent answer as he slides gracefully against you, forcing your legs wider to accommodate his body between them. Leaning down, he kisses you, teeth tugging gently at your bottom lip before moving down to the most sensitive spots of your neck, nipping at them delicately. A little moan escapes you and you tilt your head to give him better access. 

“I want you to believe me,” he murmurs, teasing your collarbone. “And I can think of a couple ways to convince you.” His hands move down to your breasts, caressing the soft flesh before flicking at a nipple. You gasp, and Jimin’s mouth tilts up into a smirk. “That sounds nice, but I know you can do better than that.” The tip of his tongue pokes out from between plush lips, lapping delicately at the sensitive nub while his fingers pay tribute to the other. Heat spikes through you at the feeling. 

“Aah, Jimin…” 

His smirk widens. Slowly, he descends farther, pressing feather-light kisses against your stomach. Once he reaches your navel, he hooks his thumbs in the waistband of your panties, tugging them off in one fluid motion and tossing them aside carelessly. You gnaw your lip in anticipation as he settles between your legs, winding his arms around them and splaying his palms against your hips. Rendered immobile, the first flick of his tongue against your clit seems all the sweeter. Then he is flattening his tongue, laving at you in earnest. You moan his name, fingers twisting in the sheets as you try to ground yourself, and the sound only seems to spur him on. Jimin experimentally dips his tongue inside you, once, twice, before replacing it with a finger. A second soon joins in, stretching you wonderfully as he sets a languid pace. His mouth returns to your clit, sucking harshly at the bundle of nerves before circling it with his wet tongue, and you can feel the way his lips twist into a pleased smile when he’s rewarded with a breathy moan. 

Pleasure is building in the pit of your stomach. Jimin seems to sense this, for he renews his efforts, alternating between sucking and lapping at your core. Meanwhile, his fingers curl inside you, hitting that one spot that has you crying out. Your body quakes underneath him, his name escaping your lips in desperate pants. 

Jimin groans appreciatively at the sound. “Come for me, {Name},” he croons, lips brushing against your sopping core with every word, hot breath washing across you. “Come for me.” 

The low, throaty command sends you careening off the edge, clenching around his fingers as your hips desperately try to buck up into him. Jimin chuckles, his unoccupied hand coming up to squeeze your ass, kneading the flesh softly as you come down from your high. 

“Good girl,” he praises, planting a kiss on your inner thigh. Moving upward, he memorizes every inch of your body with his mouth before reaching your lips, tongue dominating yours with ease. Your eyes slide shut as you lose yourself in the feeling of him—he kisses you lazily, languidly, and you can still taste the tang of your own juices, but it’s somehow perfect just like that. 

The sudden press of something hard against your thigh brings you out of your dazed state. Reaching down, you gently palm his erection through the thin pajama pants he’s wearing. He pulls back from the kiss and rakes a hand through his hair, his gaze dark and heady. Clearly, Jimin is done teasing, for he frees himself from his pants within seconds. You give him a few good strokes before he is pushing inside you, lips parting to release a low groan. 

“Oh god, Jimin. Please.” You buck your hips, desperate for him to begin moving. 

He gives you a lopsided smirk, and you can see a brief flash of mischief cross his face as he decides whether or not to make you beg more. In the next moment, he seems to banish the idea, for he starts up a slow rhythm, his hips rolling sinfully against yours. You sigh at the hot, full weight of him inside you, wrapping your legs around his waist. 

You’re close. The first orgasm left your body oversensitive, and you can already feel pleasure beginning to coil in the pit of your stomach again. Your hands fly up to his muscular shoulders, holding on for dear life as his rhythm picks up speed, relentlessly thrusting into you. Fragmented obscenities and words of praise fall from his lips, backed by sound of skin slapping against skin. Your body tenses up. 

And then you are lost to the world, chanting his name like a mantra. 

Jimin’s head flops forward, hissing as you clamp down around him. “Fuck,” he groans, his fingers gripping your hips with almost bruising force. “You’re so… tight…” Scrunching his eyes shut, his pace grows more sporadic as more muttered curses and whispers of your name leave his mouth. He follows you off the edge just seconds later, his entire body tensing before you feel warmth flooding through you. Threading your fingers through Jimin’s hair, you pull him down and kiss him deeply. He responds in kind, his hands sliding along your sides before wrapping around you. 

“You’re beautiful,” he tells you when he pulls away, his eyes glimmering with sweetness and love, and in that moment, you believe him wholeheartedly.

[vermiculus-incipiens]

OOC INFORMATION:

What’s your name? Lia

Preferred pronouns: she/her

Timezone: CST

IC INFORMATION: 

Character Name: Dorcas Emery Meadowes

What’s a hobby or pastime that your character enjoys? Dorcas is phenomenal at making up and telling stories. Though she grew knowing she was referred to as ‘the help’ in the house her mother kept, she always made sure to leave an impact (and perhaps plant some fondness) in the hearts of the family who owned the home by entertaining them to no end with wild, enchanting tales. Her mother referred to it as the 'writers brain’. She claimed it was the reason Dorcas had so much trouble sleeping at night. She simply could not shut off her mind until she came up with the perfect solution to whatever it was plaguing her. Her gift gave her confidence to speak in front of anyone, no nerves barring her performance, and as she grew she learned to adapt her gift to not only help her when a really good excuse was needed, but also to land gigs she excelled at, such as commentating for the quidditch games at school.

Do you have any preferred ships or anti-ships? Dorcas doesn’t do intimacy that leads to vulnerability, but rather to keep a hold on her anxiety. It’s a brash way to put it, but she’s come to find having a healthy sex life keeps her a little less manic than if she was going through a dry spell. Her blasé attitude about it hasn’t lend its hand to many relationships in her life. For that reason I would say I can only imagine shipping Dorcas with whatever chemistry sparks best.

What do you think your character’s Boggart would be? If their greatest fear isn’t something that could easily take a solid form, what is it? Why? Fog. Dorcas’ greatest fear is the unknown factor, for how can she fight what she does not know? The first time she encountered the creature, the mist initially confused her. It was only when it began to grow, rising up over her ankles, her knees, encompassing everything it touched until she was rendered blind, that she felt the fear. The fog relates back to her fears in the war. While she can be found launching herself head first into a fight, it’s the dark alleys outside her windows that keep her up at night.

What’s your character’s biggest pet peeve? Being 'bubble wrapped’. When Dorcas is on a tear, wanting to make a change, trying to throw herself headlong into the action, anyone who tries to make her see reason gets accused of treating her like fine china. It inevitably leads to a heated argument from her, and an anger that seethes if she isn’t heard out. 

What would you consider to be an eccentricity of your character? Dorcas doesn’t know how to fly. The first time she lifted off from the ground, she felt the same familiar sinking feeling in her stomach that she got around 3 in the morning. To her, there is no way to assure she can’t fall. It isn’t the height that scares her, but the fall that could occur. She can climb the tallest tree, or stand on the edge of a building all day long, but the idea of nothing being below her to anchor to makes her want to scream out in fear, so she never tried to master it. Her avoidance of flying lessons led her straight to a detention a time or two, but after she got past that hiccup and over the years she got very crafty at making up excuses to make sure she didn’t have to. She even managed to keep it a secret, too.

What is/was your character’s favorite subject in school? Why? Contrary to popular belief, Dorcas’ favorite subject was not Defense Against the Dark Arts. While she loved excelling at something for a change, and thoroughly enjoyed the hands on lessons, she always (more secretly than openly) held astronomy closer to her heart. As a child she would lie on the roof of the estate her mother kept stare up at the stars, making up stories of what it was like to live on each one. The practice of making herself smaller in light of recognizing the universe was so much more vast than her own problems helped to quell the burning in her stomach on nights when existential crises were all the rage in her bed. It only made sense that as she grew, so did not only her love for the night sky, but also her knowledge of it as well.

What time of day is your character’s favorite? What time of year? If you asked her, she would say dawn. She certainly spends enough time awaiting the break of day for it to be believable. When her flat becomes too suffocating for she to breathe, Dorcas climbs out on the fire escape. She climbs to the top, then perches on the ledge of the roof, feet hanging precariously over a sleeping London, and she waits for the first sign of light to breach the eastern horizon. Her previous inability to breathe releases its grip, and the cool morning air surges through her once again. Sure, morning is her favorite, but it’s the middle of the night that holds her most alive. Her anxiety does not allow for what most call a peaceful slumber (she refers to it as a rarity), which leaves her with ample time to crack the mysteries of the waking world. Dorcas’ favorite time of year is summer. It’s the one time of year that everyone is a little more laid back. The family her mother worked for had a summer home on the coast of England where they all spent three glorious months of the year. Ever since she was a child, her heart counted down the days until it was time to return. Now as an adult she simply adventures on her own when the sun warms the earth.

What’s your character’s Patronus? If they can’t conjure one, what would it be if they could? Why? Dorcas is full of curiosity, secrecy, adaptability, which for her produces a raccoon patronus. She can be defensive and aloof when she is anxious, staying to the night like a raccoon, or charismatic and unpredictable if the mood calls. Raccoon is a symbol of disguise, transformation, and open mindedness, all of which Dorcas uses to meet her ends.

What is your character’s biggest vice (bad habit or immoral craving)?  Dorcas is manipulative to a fault when she’s catching blowback from an idea she wants to execute. Instead of going the moral route of explaining her side of the story, she tends to alienate an ally into working with her, dragging them into either danger or trouble with her. She doesn’t do it out of malice, but rather out of habit. It has always worked for her, and with her anxiety growing with each new shred of horrible news, she grows more and more rash with her decisions. Hardly any rational thought is available when she makes her mind up, and that is when she realizes she needs the help to pull it off. It is an old habit that is definitely dying hard.

Is your character an introvert or extrovert? How well do they handle social situations? I believe Dorcas is an ambivert. While she draws a lot of her energy from the world around her, she also cherishes her alone time for that’s when she usually solves her issues. She doesn’t know how to hurt openly. She is so used to being the 'tough one’ that showing any sign of weakness to anyone is a lot like pulling teeth. Her extroverted nature allows for her to recharge within a group of people she loves. She even is able to make herself appear comfortable in a crowd of people she doesn’t know, but Dorcas always needs space to clear her head.

What is your character’s diet like? What’s his or her favorite food? Dorcas is a very sporadic eater. She doesn’t find herself hungry at socially acceptable times like breakfast or lunch. Her cravings usually hit her in the middle of the afternoons or at 3 in the morning. She is often seen at diners well before the sun is up, feasting on anything and everything, stocking up for the next time she misses a few meals. Her favorite food is bread. She’s often seen walking around nibbling on a piece she’s stowed away, tearing it off piece by piece as she talks or riddles a problem through.

How do you think your character’s psychological issues have manifested and changed your character up to this point?  Dorcas always knew her brain worked a little bit harder than others, thanks to her mother, who labeled her anxiety, 'writer’s brain’. She never held anything back from her mom, telling her all the gory, gruesome details of her nightmares, and as she got older, her stories from the war, which helped her keep the fear at bay. There was always someone there to vent to when the feelings inside became too much, but then her mother died. That lifeline on the other end of the tether keeping her with one foot inside the sanity she had so artfully erected as a facade was gone. So far Dorcas has internalized it all, releasing only what she can when she feels her lid on the verge of blowing by thrusting herself headlong into the cause. Each day it gets harder and harder to harness the darkness, and she doesn’t know what to do or who to trust with everything she feels. The guilt of feeling sorry for herself overpowers her need for release, which is when she ends up staring at the sky once more.

Give us a headcanon for your character. Anything is acceptable.  Dorcas smokes marijuana as a stress reliever. It began as a recreational treat in school that blossomed to a full blown habit as the war progressed. She does it at night, while she’s brainstorming about how to fix the world, and also while the monsters lurk closer to the front of her mind rather than the dark recesses they return to during the day, but lately she’s become rave at doing it before meeting with friends. It’s only happened a few times, but with each passing day she feels the need to use it as a crutch for one more encounter.