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belliesandburps · 3 years

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OCs play Uno, Monopoly, and Mario Kart at different times. GO.

I've never played Uno, so I'm sticking to Monopoly and Mario Kart.

Monopoly

Hakari: He's going to lose every time because he doesn't like the idea of bankrupting people. So, he'd always give his friends a break...who will promptly bankrupt him once he lands on Boardwalk. He'll take his loss gracefully, but he will frown beneath his mask and mutter, "...That hardly seems fair... >: \ "

Nara: Two hours in, she will start shooting at the board.

Aidan: ...That board's gettin' set on fire...

Isole: The gentle ice boi is gonna bleed every player dry because he's so unassuming and so kind that you forget, if he has to throw down, somebody is goin' down. And beneath that gentle demeanor, lies a veeeeery shrewd Monopoly Shark... >:)

Runo: He'd steal all the Monopoly money and run off to try and use it to buy burgers and be so cockily proud of himself. "I can't believe those idiots were just sittin' on all this cash! I'm RICH!!! >:D "

Lowell: ...He'll start chewing on the houses, thinking they're gummy houses or something...and it will take quite a few swallowed down before he realizes that gummy isn't supposed to be hard...or plastic...

Kentaro: You're already broke. You just don't know it yet. He knows this game like the back of his hand and has never lost. Being a greedy SOB and a veeeeery cunning business man is this fatass' MO. He'll make all the right trades and screw you so hard, you won't see it comin'...

Drayce: He's going to question the ethics of upcharging people just for stepping on your property and driving them broke. It kiiiiinda misses the whole point of the game, but only reinforces why he hates humans so much that bankrupting each other is now FUN for them. XD

Roarke: Well, his player piece would be his favorite rock. And he'd ask if using rocks instead of hotel pieces makes them stronger.

Cadmus: He'll just stare at you with the most bored look on his face if you even ask him to play. A look that says, "Real life is meaningless...and you want me to spend three or four hours playing pretend business mogul...?"

Koloss: He's going to just start stealing houses and cash from the bank and snarl at you if you call him out for cheating. Aaaaand unless you want a trip down his gullet...suddenly Virginia Avenue can have ten hotel pieces on it...

Kasumi: Yeaaaaah, good luck convincing a wraith to sit down and play a game more long and agonizing than his own death was...

Kai: He'll breathe fire over the entire board, stomp his taloned foot over it and start laughing victoriously at winning Monopoly and ordering you all to bow down before him and bask in his greatness. That's how HE plays it, at least...

Mako: ...He thought he was playing Checkers this whole time...and he was STILL playing that wrong...

Mauler: Do not play anything that takes too long around Mauler. Because if Mauler gets bored, he gets hungry. And if he gets hungry, everything becomes a chew toy for the mutant...

Rameel: He'll start complementing whoever is in the lead and worm his way into forming a shared mutual understanding with them...then find a way to betray them and get the railroads.

Nero: He will excuse himself, leave the room, lure whoever is in the lead away for a moment...KILL them...consume them, and proceed to disguise himself as them so he can win the game.

Loch: He only plays some future space version of Monopoly, with holograms and lasers. And he once used said lasers to cut someone's arm off when they tried to steal some of the banks money. Proooooobably don't offer to play with him...

Mario Kart

Hakari: He'll be really enamored by the beautiful, colorful worlds, too much so to even care if he's winning or losing.

Nara: She's gonna be veeeeery interested in asking Lev to try and make bullets or drones like Bullet Bill.

Aidan: ...Yeaaaaaah, that game's getting set on fire.

Isole: He's really good at drifting and gliding because of his own powers, so he'd be really good at the game, but giggle to himself anytime he falls off and comes back as an ice cube in the cold levels. "Hehehehe, thaaaat's not how it works... XP "

Runo: "...Yooooooooooo...! That monkey's drivin' a go-kart!!! 8O "

Lowell: Prepare for several minutes of Lowell sniffing at the control and nibbling on it, then looking at the TV veeeeery confused about all the were-creatures and why they look so fake.

Kentaro: His fingers are literally too fat to hold controllers.

Drayce: Every single time he slides off the stage, he'd just stare in confusion and ask what the button is to reveal your draconian wings and fly to safety.

Roarke: He'd just be very, very, veeeeery confused about all the strange mages using all these random powers. Then, he'd ask if turtles really fly on clouds...

Cadmus: He would not give a rats ass. He'd literally just be bored and pushing a single button over and over half-heartedly while his character barely moves.

Koloss: He'd be grinning and guffawing at how spot on it feels plowing through all the meatbags as Bowser...then snarl murderously when he slips on a banana peel and goes flying off a cliff...

Kasumi: ...If any vestige of his living self still exists, he'd be torn between wanting to show you he's the best at everything, and wanting to both kill you and consume your shade for even suggesting the idea of playing a video game to a wraith...

Kai: ...He'll...breath fire over the game, smash the TV and console to bits under his heavy, clawed foot, and guffaw in victory, demanding you bask in his greatness. He's...umm...not very good at figuring out video games...

Mako: ......He thought he was playing Angry Birds...and asked how to perform a fatality...

Mauler: Watching all those characters on screen is just gonna make him hungry, and once he chews on the TV and realizes he can't eat them...well...best abort when you can...

Rameel: He'd use his sand powers to temporary blind you and use that opportunity to win. Yes, Rameel's biggest strategy is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTAXUYLbFYk

Nero: He'd win in the most efficient way possible, scanning the game, other players and the AI's, and mastering the perfect plays after willfully losing one round just to 3D map the road in his central chip.

Loch: He'd get bored after one round then sell you to space traders.

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lover-of-skellies · 4 years

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HSHDSHH,, i give you a hug for last night dont worry about it!! youve written a lot so dhhdhfh. As for plot like?? I have no idea, i normally use a plot for roleplay but i'd like to see where you do with it. "One of Nightmare's subordinates fail the mission to get the star sanses, which nightmare placed on them because he believed they were capable to do it" I NORMALLY DO KILLER AND NIGHTMARE FOR THAT ONE THO BECAUSE im a hoe for nightkiller angst but go wild <3

Alrighty,, here's your NightKiller angst :P I added in a couple of my characters just to kinda help fill some spaces (if that makes sense), so if you see any names you don't recognize, that's probably why XP the characters in question aren't actually in the scene at all, and they're really only mentioned, but yeah

And also,, I know you said just one of Night's subordinates, but my lil rat brain went "mmmmmmm how about all of them" and I hope that's alright ^^"

On today's episode of: Nightmare Is A Bastard Man-

(Gonna put it under a cut because I dunno how long it'll be when formatted to a Tumblr post)

"So let me get this straight... You failed to capture the Star Sanses, once again?"

Cross was silent, his head hanging in shame as he slowly nodded. Beside him, Killer also nodded, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck vertebrae as he hummed in confirmation, "Yeah, Boss... That's right. We did everything we could to pin them down. Hell, Axe pushed himself too hard and passed out after trying to force his magic to work, Dust had a freak out and needed to be brought back here, and Error was a no show, for God's sake." Nightmare let out a deep sigh, his tentacles flicking in irritation, "And the girls. Where were they? I want to hear a valid excuse for why they didn't contribute more." Killer shrugged his shoulders helplessly, "406 took a direct hit from Ink, and she was out cold. Then Kali said she'd try to locate Error and get him to join." The guardian of negativity pinched the bridge of his nose, silent for a moment as he squeezed his socket shut and took a few breaths; This crew of his had been nothing but one huge disappointment as of lately, and something needed to be done to correct that. If they couldn't prove useful to him, he would have to get rid of them.

Opening his eye and laying his arms on the desk before him, he centered his attention on Cross, a tentacle snaking through the space between them to capture the soldier's chin. As he was forced to look at his boss, he began to give off not only shame, but also fear. Sensing this, Nightmare tilted his head, "Cross. Where are 406, Axe, and Dust now?" The soldier drew in a nervous breath, "406 and Axe are in the infirmary, and we placed Dust in the anti-magic chamber as soon as we got back, Boss."

The goop covered guardian made a sound in acknowledgement, irritation beginning to bleed into his tone of voice, "Good. At least you idiots know how to do SOMETHING right." Cross flinched, and Nightmare was silent for another moment, before his tentacle released the other's jaw, "I will deal with Killer, Error, and Kali, and then I will decide how to punish you. Until then, get out of my sight." Cross nodded and murmured a soft "yes, Boss" and then proceeded to shortcut out of the guardian's office.

Once he knew Cross had truly left, he shifted his attention to Killer, who now was silent, his empty sockets focusing their gaze on the desktop. Nightmare slowly stood, his tendrils swaying idly behind him as he made his way around the desk to stand beside Killer. Lifting a hand to lightly cup his cheek, Nightmare tapped on the bone a couple times, prompting the other to look at him.

Meeting the guardian's gaze, his voice was soft, "Boss?... What're you-? He was cut off as Nightmare's hand slid down from his face to his chest, curling into the fabric of his shirt and yanking him closer. With their faces almost touching and Night's warm breath ghosting over his teeth, Killer's own breath hitched, his cheekbones turning the softest shade of crimson. Nightmare couldn't help the tiny smile that tugged at his teeth, a faint cyan dusting over his cheeks as well.

Pushing just close enough to brush his teeth over Killer's, his voice was nearly a purr as he breathed out, "Oh, Killer... If you weren't such a fucking disappointment, I'd call you cute right about now." Killer's soul pulsed in confusion and his brow bones became knit as he watched his boss, "Uhh... N-Night? What are you talking about?..." The guardian sighed softly, "I think you know already. Because I like you though, I'll play nice and repeat myself, but you'd better be paying attention." Killer gave a small nod in agreement and Nightmare continued, "The mission. All the times you've failed me as of lately. You seem to forget that I give you my affection as a reward. Unless you up your game, then there will be no more of this."

He put emphasis on the last word he spoke, his free hand sliding down the other's ribs. Killer drew in a shaky breath, then let out a surprised yelp as a tendril curled around his leg and threw him to the other side of the room. Nightmare folded his arms behind his back as he watched Killer's body collide with a stone wall, not even flinching at the loud crash that resulted from the impact. Killer let out a sharp cry of surprise and pain and tumbled to the floor, his sockets squeezed shut as he tried to collect himself. Remaining where he stood, the guardian's voice turned cold and uncaring, and it made Killer's soul ache as he spoke, "You'll be staying in Punishment Hall for the next three nights. While you're there, I want you to think about how greatly you disappointed me, and I want you to figure out how to make it right. Come up with a solution and quit being such a failure, and you'll earn back your rewards. Until then, I don't wanna hear a single word from you. Do you understand?"

Killer slowly pushed himself up to his feet, one hand clutching his side as he nodded silently. While one of Nightmare's tentacles opened the door to his office, a second became noticeably sharper and began ushering Killer out of the room. When he was gone, Nightmare let out a deep sigh; With Killer taking up one room in Punishment Hall, he now needed to make sure the other rooms were available as well. Cross and Error would also be placed there in their own rooms, as would Kali, and if they happened to go and die on him while they were locked up, then oh well.

They were idiots, and idiots were always replaceable.

#urlocalsans #asks #writing #i tried ok #i hope this is good #^^"#nightmare is a lil out of character i think #but eh #close enough #XP

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eurosong · 5 years

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My ESC 2019 ranking

Hey there, folks - after a lot of deliberation, I’ve decided upon my ranking of this year’s songs. I feel quite passionately about this year’s field, as always, and make some trenchant remarks, but a lot of them are tongue in cheek, and no shade is intended on those who like the songs I don’t or vice versa. Here’s my ranking with my thoughts on why I put each song where I did.

41. Croatia – The Dream I try to find a redeeming quality in every song, but sometimes the task proves impossible. This ironically-named nightmare of a track sounds like a poorly-produced early 00s track that tried to straddle the line between classic and futuristic and failed at both. The usual things that I hear in its defence are that Roko has a good voice, and that the Croatian segment is better. To the first point, maybe, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the voice doesn’t shine through the scream mode of most of the song; to the latter point, if you know some BCS, you’ll know that the Croatian language bit is as cloyingly cliché as the English part. Some people are saying that this could be a surprise qualifier. If that happens, I will shed tears of blood.

40. France – Roi If France don’t change their national final system to equalise the jury and televote more after this year, I don’t know when they will. Destination Eurovision had a bunch of good songs, but thanks to the power of a Youtuber’s fanbase, one of the least remarkable and most cloying songs got the nod instead. Roi is an unabashed hymn to self with the most criminal franglais abominations (rhyming beaucoup with boo, really?) to which I’ve ever been subjected. Now it’s supposedly got a chance of winning thanks to a gimmicky staging, which I feel uses people as props. I wouldn’t even mind the antipathetic performer and cringey, self-centred lyrics so much if the tune were interested, but it’s equally empty and pompous.

39. San Marino – Say na na na Well, this song certainly does get me saying nah, nah, nah. I do not get the amount of good will for it, as I neither find it a good track, nor enjoyable ironically like Who we are or Chain of lights were. It’s a “party track”, but the party in question is the kind I want to flee where the food is bad, the music is obnoxious and overbearing and the ambiance is that of an uncomfortable throwback. Bewildering how this is considered a worthy qualifier.

38. Moldova – Stay I swear Eurovision has songs like this just to be able to detect extra-terrestrials, because if anyone says this song is their favourite, and they’re neither Moldovan nor Romanian, then it confirms to me that they are aliens because this is banality writ large. Three minutes of contradictory and cliché rhymes (“it’s now or never, it’s forever”. Ok then mate), dull music, little progression, an oddly unpleasant vocal and even a staging that comes second-hand.

37. Finland – Look away My impulse is to look away from this song indeed – a dated slice of repetitive, oddly downbeat despite being uptempo EDM slathered with a simultaneously overwrought and undercooked social message and brought to us by an uncomfortable duo who look like two acquaintances whose fishing trip got interrupted abruptly and they had to cook up a Eurovision song last minute. There is nothing about this I like at all.

36. Israel – Home The one faintly interesting thing about this song is the remarkable wailing in its first few seconds, but they removed even that. This has to be one of the most maudlin songs I have ever heard, delivered gratingly. A friend of mine nicknamed Kobi the “Joystealer��, and the name is very apt. I feel like all the joy in the world is out of reach when listening to this lament, which is syrupy and bitter at the same time, like a coarse cough medicine. The “I am someone” has to be one of the most cloying lines of the entire year, too.

35. Estonia – Storm Estonia having to resort to sending a croaky renta-Swede to sing a budget Avicii b-side in front of a Windows XP screensaver with lyrics that imaginatively rhyme “this” with, well, “this” is like seeing someone who had always dressed elegantly having to resort to sporting torn, worn, ill-fitting hand-me-downs that were already out of fashion when bought first hand. This land of song and art can and should be doing so much better.

34. Montenegro – Heaven The fact this ironically infernal song is not just not bottom but also almost avoided my bottom 10 just goes to show how deep the bottom is this year. Sounds like Podgorica’s 56th best sixth form choir got some cassette tapes of bad late 90s R&B-lite, got a donation of a dodgy Casio keyboard and, at the last minute, got their granddad to do a bit of fiddling, mixed it all together and the result was this chaötic hot mess on ice. It’s a shame, because these kids seem genuinely nice, and they don’t deserve to be lumbered with the albatross around their neck of this song and the resultant cast iron “last in the semi” result it will achieve.

33. Switzerland – She got me There’s little separating the female attempt at a duego and the male one for me. Luca radiates a smug energy that annoys me more, but the song is a smidgen less generic, but then using the same dancers as from Fuego made the decision easier. I’m not sure what she got him, but it certainly wasn’t a grammar book, as the song is filled with bizarrely affected ungrammatical English, because I guess it’s uncool to properly conjugate.

32. Cyprus – Replay It seems almost self-parodising that Cyprus lamely returned to try to catch lightning in the same jar with a song that is entitled, and feels like, a giant replay. Fuego was an encapsulation of many things I really don’t like at Eurovision – a lyrically empty song with limited musical merit or memorability that got a lot further than it would off the basis, mostly, of staging. This year, the staging is worse and the performer is less charismatic. If it does as well, I will be astounded.

31. Norway – Spirit in the sky What if Aqua came back – perish the thought – and, for their comeback single, took a rejected b-side from the late 90s of theirs in their typical bubblegum style, but injected it with a dreadful attempt at joik and an aesthetic inspired by their newfound animal spirits? It would sound something like this bizarre Norwegian song, whose victory over En livredd mann still bewilders me. It’s a bit infectious, but so are many diseases, and part of the reason that it buries itself into your mind is because of its pretty flagrant lifting of last year’s “Monsters”’ chorus, which in itself was all too familiar. One of the year’s biggest cringefests for me.

30. Lithuania – Run with the lions Take a guy most noted until now for screeching in the world’s worst falsetto whilst pretending not to sing, while a drag act that barely qualified as a baroness let alone a queen wás pretending to sing, also badly. Give him a song that advocates running alongside large carnivores who’d probably find humans an attractive snack. That combination should at least be interesting, but it’s one of the dullest propositions of the year. The only real interesting thing is that dodgy falsetto making a reappearance. It’s pleasant enough but forgotten instantly.

29. Russia – Scream Russia confined themselves to a few fruitless years in the desert with the Samojlova charade, and now they look to return to ESC superpower status by bringing back the guy who won them the public vote back in 2016. Their logic in trying to go one step further, though, was rather flawed. Concentrating on winning over the juries, they took for granted that the public was going to enjoy this rather melodramatic effort as much as they did You are the only one. I doubt they will, and I doubt the jury will be much swayed from last time. Musically, its orchestral touches represent a step up from YATOO for me, but it is let down by the emo lyrics and some bombastic staging.

28. Belarus – Like it When I first heard this song, where “you gonna like it” is repeated approximately 14 thousand times, my first impression was “no, I certainly am not going to.” It’s a bizarre stream of non-sequiturs dolled up with a technicolour assault to the eyes. I’ve softened to it somewhat, in part because of a reimagining of the lyrics as being a call for help after getting drafted into Eurovision by Lukaszenka, but I’ll still be stunned if it qualifies.

27. United Kingdom – Bigger than us I had a Freudian slip a few days ago when writing the “Undo my ESC” post – I wrote “Bigger than us” as “Better than us”. A fair swathe of the year’s field very much is more remarkable than this anodyne X factor winner’s single which seems to be aiming for 19th rather than first. Michael is a likeable character, but unfortunately that doesn’t come across too much in his live performance, most notable for him flapping around his arms as though they were on fire.

26. Iceland – Hatrið mun sigra Musically, there are elements of this that are really up my street. Decent throwbacks are rare, but the 80s’ techno ambience of the track is pretty good. I just wish it were not accompanied with a disdainful hauteur and the OTT attitude of a bunch of sophomore arts students who’ve just discovered irony. The last thing the world needs now is more hate, ironic or not.

25. Sweden – Too late for love Sweden made one step in the right direction this year – they’ve sent a man rather than an overgrown embryo, and someone with a bit more humility than Grosso last year. It’s a much better song for me than the past two attempts, but that’s not saying much – manufactured gospel has little soul, and there’s a charisma chasm here only partially filled by drafting in American mammas to sell the song as something more than what it is.

24. Poland – Pali się This is one that I wish I liked more. It’s middle of the pack for me. I like the fact that there are clear heritage influences but find the song itself to be rather too linear and the voices too shrill – and I am a fan of white voice.

23. Macedonia – Proud I had high hopes for Macedonia as I adored their artist, Tamara’s, imperious Brod što tone back in Skopjefest 2014 – a song that frankly got robbed of representing Macedonia. Where BST was subtle and poëtic in its message, Proud, which I regret wasn’t in Macedonian also, is rather too much on the nose for me and sounds a little like a charity single. This is augmented by the rather basic video which reminded me a little too much of Bebe’s “Ella.” Nonetheless, it’s a nice composition and well sung.

22. Spain – La venda Spain this year had a selection that they called “eurotemazos”. It’s difficult to translate, but Eurobangers, smashes or hits all carry a shade of the meaning. As soon as I heard that, I knew it was an ill omen, and indeed, the list of songs was full of bad attempts at bops and a few soporific ballads-by-computer. La venda was the best of a bad lot. Miki has energy but the song is completely inconsequential.

21. Germany – Sister Germany have once again invited disaster by inviting Chaosmeisterin, Barbara “Wild Eyes” Schönberger back to compère the national final. The end result was this inexperienced wildcard (when will you ever learn, Germany?) clinching the win with two gals who’d never met before this year singing about sisterhood in a group called S!sters with their song Sister. This is hotly tipped for last place in the final, but I feel it has sóme merit. The verses, and especially the bridge, are lovely, and seem to be building to something great – until we get a really generic, squawked chorus where the two non-sisters try to outshriek one another.

20. Australia – Zero gravity I’ll never get over the fact that we could have had something truly Australian in all senses of the word for once, and instead we got this. It’s catchy but repetitive and rather gimmicky, and I lament that it will qualify over better songs thanks to a rather cringey staging gimmick.

19. Belgium – Wake up This truly is a musical coitus interruptus. The moody verses get you in the mood, building a sense of urgency and direction, only for everything to get abandoned without warning with a very dreary, incongruous chorus. “City Lights” this ain’t, and it’s a shame, as it’s still decent, but could have been so much more satisfying.

18. Czechia – Friend of a friend Some countries take decades to find their niche at the contest. It seems like Czechia has found theirs in the space of a year and a bit, and found a particularly narrow niche. Field a cutesy lad with a retro-inspired, somewhat catchy but also somewhat problematic song inspired by infidelity. Last year’s “Lie to me” was written from the perspective of the cheated; this year’s, from a potential cheater who spends half the song listening with his girlfriend to his neighbours having noisy sex and the other half protesting he barely knows the female neighbour anymore. Truly weird.

17. Denmark – Love is forever This song reminds me of one time I was by the seaside and got offered to try a freakshake. It was one of the most OTT sweetest things I’ve ever had in my life. I enjoyed it, but it’s something I could only enjoy on an annual basis. This song is much the same. It’s bringing the Gallic cuteness where France failed, and the fact Leonora looks into your soul unnervingly whilst singing just adds more interest to the song for me.

16. Azerbaijan – Truth Azerbaijan bring a halfway decent song for the 2nd time so far, by my count. This is nowhere as near as good as “Skeletons”, but still strong. I like the atypical lyrical matter and the fact that the Symphonix crew created something contemporary but wearing Azeri traditional influences on its sleeve. The unplugged version of this is even better.

15. Netherlands – Arcade Perhaps I would enjoy this more were it not for the intense amount of hype, the hubristic arrogance of many people in thinking the win is already in the bag, and the amount of condescending barbs flung my way on other corners of the net for not considering this some transcendental masterpiece that deserves to win more than any other song. It’s not in the same league as the oft-compared, timeless Amar pelos dois for me. It’s a nice, heartfelt song – albeit one that relies too much on a head voice that I find rather unappealing – and it has a few clever turns of phrase, but I will never understand why this one has been singled out when there are several songs I consider more moving in this final.

14. Georgia – Sul tsin iare This song has really grown on me. It has an incredible, almost scary intensity and was written on an epic, orchestral scale. It feels like the music to the climax of a war film. I felt what it meant before I understood the Georgian. I particularly love the chorus backing Oto and the staging that matches the song’s drama.

13. Hungary – Az én apam I expected a lot of things from a Joci Papai return, and this song only delivers some of them, but it’s a song worthy of enjoying in its own right. If Origo was fire and had an undercurrent of hurt, Az én apam is water, but is warm in its own right. It’s a nostalgic song with the same poetry I expected of Joci.

12. Latvia – That night Latvia’s song has been criticised for not being very impactful, and it isn’t, but therein lies its charm. It’s a low-key, saudadic effort that beautifully occupies three minutes. It is the kind of track I imagine listening to whilst, and which makes me imagine as a result, driving down a long, lonely road at night in the rain. It’s hushed, it’s delicate, and it sounds to me like petrichor smells.

11. Greece – Better love Greece is sending something very atypical from them, almost as an allergic reaction to doing so badly with the more ostensibly ethnic “Oneiro mou” last year. I’d be disappointed, but this is really quite good indeed, a very professional and rounded effort that has produced a soaring, anthemic song. Katerine’s voice has a beautiful, dark and deep huskiness that imbues a certain quality too. My only problem with this song are the careless lyrics that seem like a compilation of Instagram clichés.

10. Ireland – 22 My dear Ireland sneaks into my top 10 for the first time in a few years thanks to a full-on earworm of a song that has become one of my most played tracks this year. This song is very simple, but sometimes unassuming simplicity is elegant. It’s got a retro, blue-eyed soul feel and is at once nostalgic and catchy. It deserved a lot better than the slot of death to which Björkman consigned it.

09. Malta – Chameleon Malta getting into my top 10 for the first time since 2014, with a song that is even more contrary to our expectations of Maltese songs than “Tomorrow” was. This song is aptly named, as it is an explosion of colour – not just in the clever video, but also, the music itself is so vibrant and fun. The only part I don’t like is the rather cliché bridge, because both the drop-based chorus, the slow build of the verses and the exuberant post-chorus are really good. GIVE ME X I’M A Y is one of the lyrical memes of the year and is infectious. From beige to a rainbow; well done, Malta.

08. Slovenia – Sebi Slovenia are on the money for the second year in a row. Whilst “Hvala ne” was an in your face, high-octane buzz of a song, this year, we’ve gone in the completely opposite direction: a very contemplative, intimate song that imbues a sense of peace and harmony. What they do have in common is some of the best lyrics of the year. In Sebi’s case, the text is graceful in its effortless simplicity and minimalism. It feels like the only thing that matters during those 3 minutes for the song’s performers are each other, which creates a particular atmosphere indeed.

07. Albania – Ktheju tokës When I heard the venerable Festival i këngës, Albania’s selection process, was essentially going to revamp itself, I was worried that it would lose its magic, but in the end, I needn’t have so much. For the second year running, the best song by far won – a song full of dramatic potential. Thank heavens they left the song in the wonderful mellifluous Albanian language and did not dig out the song’s heart with a needless revamp. I hope Shqipëria can keep this trend and momentum up. Ktheju tokës is a heartrending song about immigration and divided families, inspired by true experience, and performed with power and style by the enigmatic Jonida.

06. Armenia – Walking out Another country for whom I have a lot of time at the contest is Armenia, who always tend to bring something different to the show. I was initially a bit confused by their effort this year because of its abrupt stops between different parts of the song which at first sounded rather jarring. Now, this, and the great variation in tone and style between the verses, the gentle bridge and the ferocious choruses are part of what make the song for me. Srbuk has charisma and a fierce set of pipes. All these elements have made Walking out one of the major earworms of the year for me.

05. Austria – Limits The first time I heard this, I was underwhelmed. It’s a nice song, but it is lacking a bit in instant impact. Nonetheless, something about it demanded repeated listens; with each one, my appreciation for this confessional, Kate Bush-inspired slice of heartrending emotion grew exponentially. I am hoping that the live performance will give it the instancy it needs to bring to life how exceptionally good a song this is. It’s up there with the very best in terms of the lyrics. It’s so personal, so intimate, so searing and one of the most underrated tracks of the year. 04. Serbia – Kruna Pretty much everyone who knows my ESC predilections knows I am a huge fan of Serbia. They generally stick with their own language, and bring songs that highlight their rich musical traditions. My support isn’t categorical – I despised “Beauty never lies” and felt let down by last year’s style pastiche, though I felt Balkanika were wonderful contestants – so this year, I was relieved to see them back at the height of their powers with an unassumingly lovely ballad, performed with power and purpose by the mesmerising Nevena. It’s a song of few words, and it feels like every single one was weighed out carefully to pack the most meaning. Delightful.

03. Romania – On a Sunday One of the biggest surprises of the season for me has been Romania. I had no interest in their national selection, and was nonplussed when this won, albeit grateful that it beat two truly dreadful frontrunners. My first impression was that it was an odd but catchy song, and that it was weird and a little funny how the grown woman singing it seemed to throw a tantrum in the middle of the performance. Something about it made me listen again, and again, and again – and then the amazingly theatrical and imaginative video came out, which added to my appreciation even more. It’s a really emotional song, which somehow invigorates rather than saddens me, perhaps because of the bewitching power of Ester’s performance. She delivers this with an unbelievable intensity and has such a singular voice. I fear for its chances because it’s not the most accessible song – but I really hope this will at least qualify.

02. Portugal – Telemóveis I remember my first reäction to this well. I was confused and a little perturbed – it seemed like the rantings of a madman over highly dissonant, if rather bewitching, music. It stuck in my head, though, and very soon, the confusion grew into appreciation and then full on love for probably the most singular, sui generis offering of the entire year. This is a song that sounds timeless but futuristic; that could not have been composed by any other country, but which blends influence of fado with sounds from the subcontinent, the near and far east and what seem to be other planets. The text – all too often dismissed as “lol he’s singing about cellphones, how random lmao” – is a deep, introspective, metaphorical look at mortality that is gushing with saudade. The fact that this, the most forward-thinking proposal of 2019, might not even qualify is scandalous; it should be in it to win it.

01. Italy – Soldi As much as I adore Telemóveis, there’s a song that I love even more. The first time I saw Soldi performed live, it was like a punch to the gut in the best possible way. This song about a deadbeat dad and how money can tear a family apart is just one example of how Italy is brimming with exceptional lyricists. I’d translate some of my favourite lyrics, but firstly, I find every line to be powerfully moving, and secondly, the English can’t quite do justice to the perfectly measured rhythm and cadence of the original as well as the emotion. On top of that, musically, it’s one of the freshest tracks of the year, with super modern production but symphonic touches. Who thinks of making a trap-inspired song, but with an orchestra? Italy, that is who, and I so, so hope they finish this barnstormer of a decade for them with a much awaited win.

#eurovision #esc #esc 2019 #eurovision song contest #opinion #eurovision 2019

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kazeharuhime · 7 years

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Mermay #14 - Blue Ribbon Eel Mer Sooo I really went all out with this one. I think I shopped it too much even... XD But uh. Yeah. And I decided too to upload a bunch of other junk with it. Like a process gif (seen those here on tumblr and thought it was a great idea XD), a line, color and final version of it kinda show the progression better. Was thinking about how portfolio people like to see your process and I thought maybe tumblr people might like to see my process too so... why not? XD So yeah I usually don’t edit this much in Photoshop when I’m working traditional but I got carried away and really rendered this one out XD; It’s still got heavy traces of the traditional like that tail bit I forgot to fill in... looked nice on paper but horrible in digital. XD But what was I going to say... Right blue ribbon eels are fun. Did the generator again and after a couple dozen tries it gave me ribbon eel and though I’d sworn off eels after it gave me three in a row, the blue ribbon eel mer was way too cool to pass up. I had to change up the tail from the very early WIP (yeah, the blurry photo that’ll take you almost a minute to see for 5 seconds in the process gif if you missed it) because the way it was configured had it backwards, but I managed to get it so I could keep the pose and not have the tail be as weird... Frankly it still looks kinda wonky if I compare it to the first WIP picture and I do like the silhouette just a little bit better from that one. Was clearer and more fluid and a little less squashed-looking at the bottom. But what was I gonna say... Oh yeah and I apologize if some of the process shots in the gif are kinda blinding... I really pumped up the colors way too much at first and kept trying to downplay it. Even now it looks tolerable but before yeah it was kinda blinding XD; Anyways uh yeah. Sooo that’s the deal. I think I was going to say something else but I don’t remember and it’s late. I think I’m just gonna submit this and call it good... I think I was going to try to explain my process more instead of just babbling on... Don’t know if I accomplished that, but I guess it’s pretty straightforward. Sketch, line with pencil, sometimes I render it a bit with pencil too, then I color it which can be more finished and polished from traditional or less so like in this one where it’s nearly a flat color. Then I use photoshop to adjust colors, fix mistakes, erase smudges or color bleeds from previous pages, maybe fix spacing issues with the eyes, etc etc and to heighten the contrast between my light and shadow areas. Usually it’s minor if I’ve already rendered it out well traditionally, but this time I was pretty heavy-handed with PS because I don’t trust my blue markers that much to give me the right color... My baby blue copic is sometimes the only one that works reliably, so I worked exclusively with my baby blue copic and a cheap crayola yellow marker to produce the traditional color draft. I started out small working in photoshop, just darkening my shadows and lightening my highlights, but then I got carried away because it didn’t look like the proper shade of blue... And that’s when chaos ensued. XD It took me practically the whole day to do this pic and hours in photoshop to get the final product. I would have worked longer on it probably too if it wasn’t super late. But anyways. Sooo that’s the deal. I could probably go into more detail about the use of color balance, adjustments, brush settings and yada yada yada but it’s really late and I keep rambling. So before I type anything else that probably won’t even be read by the casual tumblr scroller I’m just gonna submit this already, put in my tags and get it over with. Or well tags first, then the submitting... You get the point. XP

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cathylee123things-blog · 7 years

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Hands on with Runescape 3: a brave new world

It’s been seven long years since I played Runescape. It was my first MMO. Back then, Runescape was magical. Runescape 3 Gold It marked the beginning of my, and many other’s, fascination with huge worlds populated by real people. But I left Gielinor behind: moved on to new games and brand new places.

Today, Jagex want me, and the millions of the other players that fell for the original Runescape back. They have a new plan, a new way of breathing life into Gielinor. They want to create a living world, content updates created from player demands, a game built to play across computers and tablets via HTML5, and an overhauled UI.

It’s the most ambitious project in Jagex’s history.

The question is: is it enough?

Runescape is big. According to Jagex In the twelve years since launch, 200 million accounts have been created, resulting in a 450 billion minutes of play time. These impressive figures are overshadowed by one important fact: Runescape is still growing.

Last year Runescape saw such explosive growth that Jagex decided to double the size of their development team, and begin work on their third evolution of their iconic MMO: Runescape three.

The first question the team had to answer was technological. “Java really isn’t in a great state anymore” Cheap Runescape Gold said executive producer Phil Mansell. “Java has a real ceiling over what it can provide architecturally, but we’re still grateful for what it has been able to provide us and our players until now”. Instead, the team have embraced HTML 5.

That’s led to a significantly prettier game: the draw distance is now far into the horizon - removing the thick grey fog that plagued the previous game. Shadows have also been improved, with the now visible sun projecting a soft shade of my character on the floor.

Most noticeable is the sky: it sounds like a small thing but since launch, Runescape has been without a skybox. Now, the camera can now move in a true 360 degrees.

There’s a new interface, too. It feels familiar to old players, but includes what Jagex call “a tear as well as share system. ” It’s also closer to the standard you’d expect from other MMOs: you can alter the UI’s size and colour, or mimic the current UI or legacy USER INTERFACE to ease your transition. UI changes are saved to your account, following you wherever you log in.

HTML five is cross platform: it delivers the same experience in a browser across multiple machines. That means Runescape can and will appear on other platforms, including tablets.

“We’re pleased to announce that Runescape 3 will be coming to tablets and other devices by the end of the year” announced lead content designer Mark Ogilvie, otherwise known as Mod Mark. “With HTML5 we can deliver our own game to even more of our community whether they’re on the PC or on the move”.

But how does it play?

Like an aged friend. Within a few moments of logging in, I was running around town, feeling the wave of nostalgia. On a pre-made account, I stumbled into a bank. In the vault, I found a Ring associated with Kinship, and equipped it immediately. It had an activate option. I clicked, and also was immediately engulfed in a wave of light.

I reappeared in the Wilderness.

This is when the nostalgia really hit me. The Wilderness was the home to my greatest triumphs seven years ago. It’s a place where player combat is condoned. It’s about risk and reward: die here and you lose nearly all your inventory and equipment. But the Wilderness is home to the actual shiniest loot, and also the most powerful of monsters.

Today, I felt safe. I was clad in super high level armour, and I had been fairly certain no other journalist was here. It felt like a perfect opportunity to test out Runescape’s new combat.

I found an imp that needed beating up. You can start fighting by either clicking on your target or even using a contextual menu. When you enter fight, you switch between hitting in melee and firing at range, depending on the type of weapon equipped. Something that’s new to me is the new adrenaline system. It’s already in the current game, but’s been refined. By using skills you can increase your adrenaline bar, which can be spent on powerful combos and finishers.

Skills have always been a foundation of Runescape, determining your effectiveness, level along with utility. The community possess always wanted new ways to increase these skills, as they slowly become another staple grind. Dungeoneering is one of the solutions: a repeatable, random and dynamic dungeon which helps you improve your combat skills alongside the aptly named “Dungeoneering” skill.

The actual build that I played featured over fifty floors. Each consists of randomly generated rooms and monsters. Upon entering you are presented with an armoury that’s filled with equipment. You can then choose a direction to head in, with each door opened building a room and foes on the spot. Some areas will require you to find keys to advance, others ask you to kill every enemy in sight. At the end of each floor, gamers face a boss before they can advance to the next floor. Slaying bosses reward participants with XP in addition to items, according to a bonus score system. Killing every enemies, taking no damage plus finding all the secrets in a floor will multiply your score. It’s a clever, fun addition; a time sink that every MMO should consider.

It’s not the only innovation. Jagex tend to be exploring the idea of allowing players to determine the story of their episodic content material. They’ll write multiple choices and outcomes and change them according to the actions regarding players. This includes fully voiced cutscenes and even dialogue.

“We want to put the power within the players hands with Runescape 3” says Mod Dean. “What we’re really trying to get across is that we’re redefining the relationship between the players and the video game, something that hasn’t been done until now. ”

It’s a tough ask, but Jagex have got form. Runescape is already updated every week, and their quests and writing is better than you might anticipate.

Here’s an example: one quest I tried is called “Let all of them eat pie”. The particular setup was odd: a local merchant called Rolo had been buying up all the food and reselling it at a vast markup. If I could make him ill, I could sneak into his house, steal his seal, and fake a letter that would release his stock to the locals. The answer: I needed to bake a poisonous pie.

It sounds simple, but I had to make a maggot infested baked good appear and taste appetising. Many of Runescape’s quests involve using non-combat skills. Here, We used cooking to combine a muddy fish, an old potato together with maggot filled wheat. Spicing it made it edible. Rolo’s accomplice had some, however wasn’t willing to part with it. I had to take it by other means: pickpocketing.

With the pie ready, I walked into the tavern where he was usually found. Rolo was easy to spot, he was exceptionally obese. What happened next was horrific: Jagex’s sound developers clearly enjoyed creating the vomit effects. And more.

Runescape’s PvP includes a new mode: Castle Wars. It’s capture the flag, set between castles, and includes siege weapons and barricades. There isn’t any limit to the team sizes, as long as they’re balanced. As a returning gamer I was able to rating a few kills as well as points here and there, yet fast paced action was a little clunky. I’m putting that down to my own inexperience: JMODs (community moderators) didn’t appear to have any problems playing.

Runescape 3 should be welcomed with open arms by the existing community. The HTML a few shift by itself would be huge news: bringing Runescape to tablets and more is a spectacular feat of engineering.

For new or lapsed players, though, it’s a harder sell. Runescape is a better online game than you might give it credit for: its strength is in it’s accessibility and a wealth of content.

And it is free. You should probably try it when Runescape a few launches this summer. http://www.rsgoldfast.com

#Cheap Runescape 3 Gold

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shannaraisles · 7 years

Text

Set In Darkness

Chapter: 8 Author name: ShannaraIsles Rating: M (for language) Warnings: Canon-typical injury and violence; attempted rape/non-con Summary: She’s a Modern Girl in Thedas, but it isn’t what she wanted. There’s a scary dose of reality as soon as she arrives. It isn’t her story. People get hurt here; people die here, and there’s no option to reload if you make a bad decision. So what’s stopping her from plunging head first into the Void at the drop of a hat?

The Unwary

Why did she drink so much last night?

After her highly stimulating session with the commander, Rory had made the unwise decision to go to the tavern, where Varric had introduced her to the wonders of fermented berry wine and then attempted to embarrass her with a game of Wicked Grace, where the stakes were either secrets or clothes. What he didn't know was that, even drunk, Rory could hold her own. Wicked Grace was not that different from poker, and she'd learned how to play poker from an elderly lady with advanced dementia on some interminable night shifts. By the time he called a halt to the game, Varric was down to his pants - having refused to stake secrets himself - and all Rory had had to give up was one expletive-ridden anecdote about the scar on her inner left forearm. She'd gone to bed feeling very pleased with herself, but, oh, she was paying for it today.

But despite the killer hangover, she still had work to do. There were medicines to make up, bandages to change, the clinic to clean. Fabian needed more lessons in basic care, which was normally easy when she didn't have a queasy stomach and dizzy head. By mid-morning, they'd opened the clinic, and soon had a line of people waiting to see them; mostly newcomers, soldiers and servants from the retinues of nobles passing through Haven on their way to the Temple. By the middle of the afternoon, however, they'd seen all these, and Rory was going stir-crazy being stuck inside. So when she overheard Master Taigen complain of being low on elfroot, she immediately volunteered to go and gather more.

With a canvas sack in hand, she passed through the training ground on her way east to the forest where elfroot grew in abundance.

"Hey, Rory!"

Pausing, she turned at the sound of the familiar voice, smiling as Rylen jogged over to her.

"And where're you off to, oh illustrious healer of warts and all?" he asked cheerfully. "You look like a woman on a mission."

"Afternoon, Rylen," she greeted him warmly, shading her eyes from the sun. "I am on a mission. I have to fill my sack with elfroot leaves, or Master Taigen will turn into a kindly old man."

"Och, we can't have that, can we?" The Starkhaven captain laughed his robust laugh. "Haven might sink if he learned how to smile."

She laughed with him. "I'm doing my bit for the good of the community."

Rylen's smile faded as he glanced at the trees. "Just don't go far, aye?" he suggested. "My boys mentioned seeing a camp out that way. We might have some unwelcome visitors in the those woods."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Rory assured him. "I won't be gone long."

"Mind you're not, I'll be keeping an eye out for you," he warned with a smile. "Good hunting, Ror."

"Have fun beating the dummies, Ry," she answered, smiling as she turned to continue on her way. She liked Rylen; he always managed to send her off with a smile, no matter her mood.

Still, it was a little unsettling to be walking alone into the woods after his warning. Until now, Haven had been a safe place to be. Oh, she knew that wasn't going to last, but she'd convinced herself that demons were all she had to worry about in the near future. It hadn't occurred to her that humans or elves might be a threat to her safety, despite all the play-throughs with predictable bandits. But then, bandit was just a word to her; avatars who only attacked the well-armed and armored player character so she could up her XP. She'd forgotten that here, bandit could mean anyone, and they were actually more likely to prey on the defenseless. And defenseless was a very good word to describe Rory in this world.

All the same, she did carry a knife, even if that little blade spent most of its time in the sheath at her belt. Not today, though. Today, her little knife was busy, harvesting leaves from the elfroot stems she found growing in abundance in a wide patch just beyond the logging stand. To date, she wasn't sure why only the leaves were required from a plant called elfroot, but she wasn't going to start experimenting. Tried and tested techniques that worked in this world were just fine.

Time spent outside did wonders for her lingering headache, the last of her hangover easing away in the fresh air and the quiet. That was something she was still getting used to - Haven was so noisy. From dawn 'til dusk, the little village rang with the sound of people going about their business. There was the forge, the training ground, the chatter of men and women as they gossiped over their chores, and underneath it all, the continuous drone of the Chant of Light. Even at night, the Chantry stayed awake, brothers and sisters reciting the canticles in shifts, fulfilling their part of Andraste's promise. Yet out here, in the middle of the day, it was so quiet. Just half an hour from the village, and you could be forgiven for thinking you were miles away from any kind of civilization. All she could hear was the breeze in the trees, and the shuffling crunch of druffalo hooves over the snow. It was peaceful, calming, and as she worked, Rory found herself humming, making music for the first time since Ria's death. The intrusion of an unexpected voice brought her humming to an abrupt end.

"Pretty tune from a pretty girl."

The accent was French - Orlesian, Rory - and belonged to a man about her own age, dressed in hunting leathers, and lounging against a tree not too far away. He was armed with long knives at his belt, and was looking at her with more than simple interest.

Rory's fingers tightened about the hilt of her small knife. "Thank you," she said warily. "What brings you out here?"

"Milord prefers to eat game hunted by those he trusts," the hunter told her, pushing away from his tree. "As for me, I am delighted to find beauty in these ill-favored wilds."

Forget the elfroot. Feeling the alarm bells ringing in her nerves, she rose to her feet, her half-filled sack in her hand. "Well, I'm expected back at the village," she informed him. She knew this feeling, had felt it often enough when walking home late at night through London's quiet streets. It was fear, naked and raw, and cramping her throat as her heart began to pound. "They'll miss me if I'm gone too long."

She made to leave the little clearing, but he stepped in front of her, a predatory darkness about his eyes that made her back away quickly, gripping her knife harder. A knife she didn't know how to use. If this was a story, rescue would already be on its way. But as he advanced on her, she knew this was no story. She was alone, defenseless, and this man was a born predator who had found easy prey.

"We won't be long, petit," he told her, laughing as she raised her little knife between them. "Be a good girl, and I won't slice your pretty throat with your pretty little blade."

"That's my choice?" she heard herself demand shakily, unable to keep her incredulity silenced. "Lie back and take it, or you'll kill me when you're finished?"

"You will not get a better offer, petit."

It wasn't the words that frightened her so much as the way he said them - as though no one would blame him even if he did kill her. As though she deserved what he intended simply by virtue of being female and out of sight of help. As though raping her was his right, and somehow her life was a generous gift in exchange.

A sensible person would probably have taken the offer, knowing without needing to test the theory that he was more than capable of doing worse than just raping and killing her. Rory, however, had regular bouts of unsensible behavior, especially under duress. "I think I'll take my chances, thanks," she spat at him in sheer bravado, and lunged, slashing wildly at his face with her knife.

He easily sidestepped her attack, catching her wrist as she made an attempt to get past him. Strong fingers bent her hand back, cruel eyes glinting as she cried out in pain, the knife falling from her fingers. Caught, she tried to pull away, opening her mouth to scream for help in the vain hope that someone might be near enough to hear. The hunter dragged her back, throwing her down onto the unforgiving snow with enough force to knock the breath from her lungs, and before she could raise herself to scramble away, he was on her. Rough hands ripped at the laces of her bodice, tearing the linen shift beneath, snarling as she cried hot tears, begging him not to do this. He ignored those tears, too strong to fight off; a monster in human form that pawed and bit at her bared flesh, too hot, too heavy, too hungry, too self-important to care that she was unwilling.

His mouth slobbered over her neck, teeth biting savagely as she struggled, big hands reaching down to drag her skirt upward, to push his pants downward, discounting the push of her hands, the kick of her legs ... and suddenly he roared in pain, blood spurting from a wound in his shoulder to splatter hot against her skin. The hunter raised himself from his prey, and a short figure seemed to materialize from nowhere beside him, planting a firm kick into that injured shoulder to send him sprawling onto his back. As Rory scrambled back, curling tightly into a sobbing ball, a second figure ambled out from the trees and brought a great hammer down onto the hunter's chest. No amount of fancy leather armor could have stopped that blow, the blunt weapon staving in breastbone and ribs, each one puncturing some organ vital to life. A great geyser of blood erupted from the hunter's mouth and nose, staining the snow with more than blood as death took him swiftly.

It was all over in seconds. Shocked, shaken, terrified, Rory stared at her saviors with wide eyes, unable to keep the tears from flowing. They were dwarves, male and female, cleaning off their respective weapons as though there wasn't a half-naked corpse with very little chest left lying between them.

"Happy now, Malika?" the bearded male was saying. "You know she's going to tell them she saw us."

"Oh, and you would have preferred to just walk past?" the female snapped back. "She won't say a word. Look at her - she's so shaken up, she probably can't even see us."

The male scratched his beard, eyeing Rory thoughtfully. "If you say so," he conceded, nodding to his companion. "Grab his pouch, let's get going."

In a mess, her mind jumbled with thoughts of what almost happened and what did happen, Rory lowered her head to her knees, hugging herself tight as she struggled through her own fear and relief toward some kind of calmness. He might have - But he didn't. He tried to - But he didn't. I could have - But you weren't. Pull yourself together, girl, and get back to Haven. On your feet.

She staggered upright, pulling her torn bodice over her bruised skin, forcing herself to look around the clearing. Who knew how long she'd been crying there? She was alone again but for the cooling body of her attacker, her rescuers long gone. But her half-filled sack of elfroot leaves stood by the path toward Haven, filled to the brim and tied shut, her little knife resting on top of it. Despite her state, she actually laughed at the sight of it, at the knowledge that two dwarven warriors had stopped long enough to finish her harvesting and clean her knife before continuing on their way. Grateful, but desperate to be gone from here, she snatched up the sack and the knife, and ran for the track that would take her back to Haven.

She had just passed Master Taigen's cabin when the Fates conspired to try and kill her with fright for the second time that day. Reassured by the nearing sounds of swords clashing, her frantic pace had slowed enough that she could convince herself to stop and make an effort to repair the damage to her appearance. Her dress wasn't that badly torn, on reflection - the laces were snapped and would have to be replaced, and a long tear along the seam at her left shoulder would need to be sewed up, but on the whole, it wasn't a disaster. The shift beneath was torn to the breast, but again, salvageable. She could feel a bite mark rising into a bruise on her neck, and another where her neck met her shoulder, and her wrist throbbed painfully, but she knew she had been very lucky. She couldn't expect to be that lucky again.

And then a burst of flame ignited the path directly in front of her, ripping a scream from her bruised throat.

"Don't turn around, shem."

The voice was harsh, female, and Rory had no doubt that turning around would result in the next flame taking hold of her. This was not her day. She was never leaving Haven's walls ever, ever again.

"Well, now you've scared her speechless, fa'lon, mind if I do the talking?" a second voice interjected. This one was male, and a lot friendlier.

"Be quick," the female ordered in an unforgiving tone. "They'll have heard her scream."

"This is why the Keeper didn't want you to come, you know," the male responded. He sighed, and Rory heard footsteps moving closer to her back. "Where's the Temple of Ages, please?"

Trembling all over, Rory took a slow breath. Someone will have heard you scream. Answer the nice elf before his friend decides to flambé you. "Temple of Sacred Ashes," she heard herself say in a voice that was too scared to be hers. "Past the village, over the river. It's at the head of the valley." Please don't hurt me.

She heard them move away, but her eyes were focused on a familiar figure visible through the trees ahead of her. They did hear me. Thank gods. Five figures were running toward her as she sank down onto her knees, shaking like a leaf.

"Rory! You all right? What happened?"

Suddenly safe, the shock of her afternoon hit her with the force of a hurricane. She burst into tears, groping her way forward to throw her arms around Rylen as she sobbed out the incoherent story of her misadventures. Her friend held his naked sword away from her as he tucked an arm about her shoulders, listening patiently as she pieced together everything that had happened since she'd left the village.

"You, go back to Haven," he ordered one of his soldiers. "Report to the commander that we need a perimeter sweep now. You three, go to the logging stand and retrieve the body." As the four saluted, moving to follow those orders without a moment's hesitation, he sheathed his sword, turning his attention back to the shaking woman under his arm. "All right, darlin', I've got you. Come along with me, let's get you back to Haven."

Clinging to him, Rory was only too happy to be guided back to the deceptive safety of the stockaded village, too shaken to notice the curious eyes that followed their progress to the clinic, where a horrified Fabian took charge of his traumatized senior. She didn't know how angry people were as word spread of the attack on their healer, how alarmed they were that Dalish elves and unknown dwarves were in the area. She didn't witness how tense things suddenly became when the dead hunter was identified as a man-at-arms in the service of an Orlesian marquis, who had the gall to demand that she was punished for his death. No one told her that Cullen almost broke his hand on the marquis' nose in answer, or that Haven was hastily declared off-limits to all the parties passing through to the Conclave. No one could be trusted but their own, clearly.

All she knew was that the world of Thedas was suddenly a very real, very frightening place. The time had come to start taking things very seriously indeed.

#set in darkness #multi-chapter fic #cullen rutherford/original female character #cullen rutherford/rory allen #rory allen #rylen #cadash #lavellan #non-con #attempted rape #canon-typical violence #cadash saves the day

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onlineuni-blog · 7 years

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Playing it keen: the Sony Xperia Ion survey A 12MP camera and awesome battery life are among the $99 telephone's solid points.

After Sony purchased out the versatile bit of its long-lasting Sony-Ericsson organization, the organization chosen to join the cell phone war decisively. On the off chance that we don't number the specialty Xperia Play, Sony is terrifyingly late to the gathering, particularly for an organization that tries to make the same number of the screens an individual takes a gander at during that time as humanly conceivable.

While a few parts of the telephone appear to express abhor for the need to remain up to date (discharging the handset with Android 2.3 Gingerbread as opposed to the most recent Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, for example), this is a strong passage at a mid-level $99 value point. Sony had valued the past on involving the top of the line scope of each item section. Yet, being new as it is to this space, it appears as though it was a more intelligent decision for Sony to get its feet wet as opposed to attempting to jump ahead to contend with the huge names like Apple, Samsung, and HTC.

Equipment

The XP has a bended, brushed metal back with calculated sides. A trapdoor on the left side shrouds a microUSB port and microSD opening, and a little segment of the back about the camera slides off for access to the SIM. Since it's a Gingerbread telephone, in any event for the time being, there are four delicate keys along the base of the screen: menu, home, back and seek, from left to right. The symbols are screened on underneath the glass, and little dash-formed LEDs enlighten underneath them when they're initiated. The equipment catches (rest, volume rocker, and camera) are all on the right-hand side.

With respect to holding it, the body of the telephone feels like it sits ideal on the edge of an agreeable width (2.7 inches). I don't hold the telephone such that the arch of the back became an integral factor, so that was a non-starter; the calculated sides were agreeable to hold, however.

Another intriguing body-outline elegance note: when the Xperia Ion is laying face-up on the table, the main focuses touching are the base edge and the metal ring the surrounds the camera. This might be a measure to both secure the camera focal point and in addition save the brushed metal back, which is powerless to scratches.The way the delicate catches react to human touch is abnormal, not at all like any Android telephone I've ever used–that is, they appear to be lethargic. When I initially utilized the telephone at CES, I speculated in my grasp on that I was simply hitting them on the wrong spot, and ought to have been going for the lights, not the symbols. As I utilized the telephone more I found the issue wasn't the place I was tapping, however how. The Xperia Ion needs, not taps, but rather genuine presses, where your finger gets a decent square centimeter of contact for perhaps a fourth of a moment.

This appears like an exacting refinement, yet it truly had an impact on my experience–I would tap, tap, tap, as yet nothing, tap the light, tap the symbol, tap the light, and after that at long last recollect to press, and the telephone would do as I told. Being that I've never encountered this, I expect it's a product change from Sony, maybe to moderate the impact of coincidental brushes against the catches. Be that as it may, again as far as I can tell, that is never been an issue, so it's taking care of an issue that needn't bother with tackling. Best case scenario, this will take a honed client of some other cell phone a touch of time to get used to.

Screen, camera, sound

The Xperia Ion has a 4.55-inch 1280x720 show, and it's one of the better components of the telephone. Everything, including content, looks sharp. Shading astute, there's a warm thrown to it beneath 75 percent shine or something like that, and hues tend to look brighter than on different screens.

One odd oversight for the Xperia Ion: there's no programmed shine setting for the screen. There has all the earmarks of being some sort of sensor under the glass beside the AT&T logo, yet in the event that it's an encompassing light sensor, Sony just picked not to make utilization of it. Sony had not yet given remark on this matter at the season of distribution.

One of Sony's enormous offering focuses for the Xperia Ion is its 12-megapixel camera. The organization makes specific note of the way that the telephone can go from rest to photograph prepared in 1.5 seconds, and has a shot-to-shot time of short of what one moment. Likewise with general execution, this is of note at this current telephone's cost section, yet there are a modest bunch of telephones that are speedier, including the Galaxy Nexus and now Galaxy S III.

Truth be told, the 1.5-second photograph prepared element is excessively savvy for its own particular great: the telephone gives clients a chance to hold down the equipment camera catch, and once that second or so has slipped by the camera application flies up on the telephone. Essentially, you may end up saying: "Gee, every one of the 16GB of capacity on my Xperia Ion is full. What was the deal? Gracious look, four thousand photos of my pocket." There doesn't give off an impression of being an approach to turn this association with the catch off, and it stays on notwithstanding when we set a security password (for this situation, whatever is left of the telephone's components are inaccessible).(Update: a Sony representative expresses that there is a choice to kill the brisk dispatch include by hitting the menu enter in the Camera application, choosing "Speedy dispatch," and afterward choosing "Off.")The nature of the camera is very noteworthy, particularly in very close shots; the photo of blooms above truly inspired us. The glimmer appears to trigger a bit too effortlessly in low light situations, however it's less brilliant than the vast majority of the LED flashes we see on cell phones. Indoor shots were somewhat grainy, and as appeared by the photograph of the plant waving a bit in the breeze of a fan, the shade is none too snappy.

Telephone calls sound sufficient on the telephone, nothing outstanding there; similarly, my discussion accomplices said I seemed like I was on a mobile phone, yet it wasn't prominently awful. The speaker on the back of the telephone, however is frightful. Sadly awful, even at the most elevated volumes it sounds calm (consideration producers: in reverse guiding speakers are likely the simplest from a plan point of view, however look bad for the customer). This was quite a state of hold back, spending plan astute. Expect nothing from this speaker, and you may even now be fairly disappointed.Performance

A Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon chipset powers the Xperia Ion, with a double center 1.5GHz processor and Adreno 220 GPU. The telephone can get to AT&T's 4G LTE arrange, which still has genuinely restricted accessibility.

Running GLBenchmark 2.1.4 on Android 2.3 (Android 4.0 is guaranteed at an amorphous future date), the Xperia Ion gets mediocre scores: it broke 35fps on the Pro-Standard test, yet just 17fps on Egypt-High. For examination, the Galaxy Nexus, which now retails at $149 with a two-year contract on Verizon, got 19.9fps, separately, on similar tests. On Linpack, the Xperia Ion pumped out 95MFLOPS in single-and multi-strung procedures (the GNex got 45 and 37MFLOPS). This isn't front line execution, however more than respectable for a $99 mid-go telephone.

In subjective regular utilize, we do once in a while observe some of that activity falter that was basic in before Android telephones, as though the visuals can't move as fast as the equipment needs it to. Be that as it may, this was typically when the telephone was quite recently awakening or upon come back to the home screen in the wake of utilizing an application; after several swipes, it was by all accounts up to speed. Something else, the telephone is genuinely smart all-around; the screen has none of the responsiveness issues that the catches do.

How a telephone grabs WiFi is normally not a state of note for our cell phone surveys, yet we saw that the WiFi motion on our Xperia Ion was very low, notwithstanding when two gadgets promptly by it were lifting it up superbly. This could be expected to a limited extent to the metal packaging on the telephone, a characteristic conceived foe of WiFi flag. We can't state if this is an across the board issue in view of our one gadget and WiFi setup, however it merits being careful about on the off chance that you choose to check this telephone out.Battery

A sizeable 1900mAh battery controls the Xperia Ion, which Sony rates at 10 hours of talk time and 12 hours of music playback (regardless of whether WiFi/GPS is on and other such parameters are not indicated). With WiFi, GPS, and 4G associations on, volume as far as possible up, we could get around seven and a half hours of battery life while playing video. In general use with similar settings on, some light email, messaging, photograph taking, a couple application downloads and a touch of gaming, the telephone could last an entire day of utilization.

Sony without Ericsson still isn't exactly up to the assignment of rivaling the enormous young men—an iPhone or Galaxy S III this is not, particularly being so woefully behind as to even now be running Android 2.3. Still, we turned out awed, particularly given the sensible value point—ideally issues like the treatment of the camera catch and delicate keys, can be settled with programming refreshes. The Xperia Ion touches base in AT&T's on the web and retail outlets on June 24, evaluated at $99.99 with a two-year contract.

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