#isles innkeeper

[wisteriteeth]

some bonus art i made between sessions

[yuriisclumsy]

I'm so excited that more people started taking cale request!!!✧\(>o<)ﾉ✧

Anyway hiii! Can I have an enemy to lovers with cale henituse and fem.reader idk something cliche like a dance scene or one gets protective of the other or maybe a cute "oh shit I'm actually in love moment"

Sorry I'm bursting with ideas rn.~

Love's Dance

Part 1 (You are here) | Part 2 | Part 3

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 2,729

Authors note: You ask, and I shall deliver. PS. why did you give me such a good idea? like, I'm at 5k word for the overall thing, and I am not even done yet... (send help)

The streets of Roan Kingdom's Capital were bustling like usual. The vendors selling their goods, children running around carelessly, mothers screaming at them to not get dirty, and the usual underground activity Arm did. 

I strolled through these streets, thinking of nothing and relaxing ‘til I get another mission. 

“That reminds me…Arm has been quiet as of late. Sigh…they are up to no good…” I spoke to no one in particular, walking back to the Quiet Isle lodge. 

Quiet Isle is an inn in an area a little off the center of the Capital. I stayed there for the past three weeks after finishing my last mission. The price to stay is cheap, while still being comfortable. It has comfortable rooms, a clear view, free breakfast, and most importantly, it wasn’t noisy at all! Bonus points for the innkeepers, as they have been nothing but sweethearts.  

All-in-all, a good Inn if you’re looking to get your coins worth. 

I went through the inn’s doors, a sweet aroma of lavender hitting my nostrils as I neared the front desk.  

The Innkeepers were an old couple, and the misses genuinely enjoyed the smell of lavender. That is why, as you walk through the inn, you’ll be met with an influx of light purples from the flowers. 

Reaching the desk, I was greeted by a senior woman whose smile could cure all kinds of child injuries. 

“Oh! Why if it is the youth I’m all too familiar with!” The old granny said, delighted to see me. 

 “Greetings, Granny Fes,” I vowed curtly with a small smile. “Have there been any new guests at the inn?” I asked as she extended her hand to give me a piece of candy. 

Receiving the small candy, I offered a small ‘thank you.’ She said a quick ‘You’re welcome!’ before responding to my question. “Yes, yes! I welcomed a few new guests shortly after you left this morning for a stroll!” she excitedly told me. 

“Two of the five I welcomed are a couple expecting a child! Isn't that exciting? Ouu, to be young again…” 

“Oh, please. I say you are still quite young!” I say to get her head out of that cloud. 

“Fufufu, you are too kind [Name].” Granny Fes pinched my cheek as she got a bit flustered. “I believe one day you’ll meet a handsome young man that is suited just for you.” She added. 

I blushed a little, “Oh no, I don’t think that will happen…” I pause for a second. “Do you really think I’ll get lucky enough to have that...?” I asked, not believing I would get someone special to spend my days with. 

“Don’t give me that!” Granny Fes yelled, as if scolding one of her own. “You are beautiful! Which man wouldn't dream of having a wife such as yourself!?” 

All I could do was smile in response. This is how I want things to always go. Living in a peaceful area, sharing memories with people I meet along the way, even starting a family. Arm is nowhere near that picture. And it will never be. 

But alas. Good things always end. 

“Ah! That reminds me. [Name],” she called my name and handed me an envelope, “You received mail from a young lad. He said it was urgent.”  

Looking at the envelope as Granny Fes left to continue her job, I had an ominous feeling, yet I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.  

I turned it around only to see Arm’s seal stamped on it. Arm only sends letters if it is an important mission, and based on the color of the seal, it is of utmost importance.  

I am already not liking this I thought, refusing to open the letter. Maybe if I were to pretend its existence was nothing but a useless paper, it would disappear. But alas, I needed to open the envelope. With worry present in my face I opened it with the seal. Inside was a letter addressing Agent White Gold.  

That code name. It is the thing I despised most in this world. 

To Agent White Gold, 

Play time is up, White Gold. You have been assigned a mission in the Henituse Territory. We have discovered the traces of the leader of the organization known as ‘True Arm.’ Your mission is to go there and find out who the leader of the organization is, dead or alive. It is your choice which one you pick.  

A carriage will come to pick you up at sunrise, so don’t miss it.  

Once you arrive at your destination one of our men will greet you and guide you to your resting location and hand you an envelope. Inside, you will find descriptions of the one we are looking for, alongside a list of individuals that we found to match the description of our target. 

Remember, Agent, we are counting on your success. 

Don’t disappoint us, 

Arm 

Dammit… The moment I receive some peace after working for them like a slave…! I angrily store the letter to shreds, as if it were them instead of the letter. All I wanted was to disappear from the eyes of those bastards. They took me from my home, changed me to fit in an identity they made…they just can’t leave me alone, can they? 

 

I wanted to say no. To be able to run away to a far corner of the world so they would never be able to find me. But it is impossible. No one leaves. Rather, they die. Dying was the only way out. 

Yet, I want to live. 

I looked at Granny Fes as she talked with a few guests that were checking out. At that moment I knew that if I tried to escape, they would get everyone I was surrounded by. She doesn't deserve that. Neither does her husband, or her children and grandchildren. 

It is best I comply. 

“Sigh…Once you're in, there is no escaping their grasp…”  

The sky was tainted in hues of blues, purples, and oranges. The sun was rising from the nap it took, and fully ready to greet us. 

A carriage arrived early at the Quiet Isle Inn. Inside stood Granny Fes and Gramps Liy right next to me. Their eyes expressed sadness when looking at me. 

“Why so sad?” I asked the couple. 

“Oh, it’s just…it’s just that we’re both sad you’re leaving so soon.” Granny Fes confessed. Her husband, a bit more stubborn, only scuffed. Granny Fes elbowed him hard with a smile still shooting at me, gaining a small scowl from Gramps Liy. 

“AGHEM,” he raised one hand to fake a cough, “I guess you will be missed.” 

I laugh at his antics. Deep down he cares, he just has an unconventional way of expressing his feelings. 

“I’ll miss the two of you.” I looked at them with a small hinge of sadness but kept a smile to reassure them. I looked outside to see the coachman wave his hand signaling that he was ready for departure. “It seems I must go,” I turned to them, “see you later?” 

“Yes, yes. Goodbye little lady.” Gramps Liy ‘shud’ me to the carriage as he and his wife stared at me opening the door of the carriage. 

“Farewell, sweetheart. Make sure to take good care of yourself. And remember to look out for good lads while you’re traveling!” Granny Fes nagged me like I was about to never come back. Although, she was right about that. I don’t think I will be able to come back if I want to protect them. 

I laughed and said a small ‘I will!’ as I climbed into the carriage. Closing the door the carriage started moving. I waved to the couple one last time before I could not see them anymore. 

Sighting, I took out the map I packed. Looking at my destination, it was a few days from the capital. “This is going to be a loong trip…” I commented, making myself comfortable for the journey ahead. 

I hope I get this mission done quickly, so I can get another vacation from Arm. I looked up at the ceiling. I mean…how hard could it be to find this ‘leader’ anyways? 

… 

An old butler walks dutifully around the state halls. In hand, he holds a tray with a fancy tea set with a steel dome keeping the food inside warm; its aroma could be smelled by the passing housekeepers with wet laundry. 

The butler knocked at a door, he did not have to wait long, as he got an immediate response from the person inside. Opening the door he says his greetings. 

“Good morning, young master. I brought breakfast along with your favorite drink.” He says as he places down the tray on the table close to the window. 

“Ah, thank you, Ron.” A male voice thanked the butler. 

“It is my pleasure, young master Cale.” The butler, Ron, bowed. 

The man, who is now identified as Cale, sat down on the table to enjoy his breakfast. 

“Young master, if I may…” Ron waited for permission to continue speaking. 

“*Sight* Just spit it out.” Cale said in an uninterested voice. This is another one of his tangents. Drinking the lemonade that Ron made as he thinks of Ron’s earlier endeavors. 

Ron smiled, “I have detected Arm activity within the city.” 

“PFF–” spilling all the lemonade on the cup, he looked at Ron with widened eyes.

What is Arm doing here?! They have more pressing issues to deal with! Like, figuring out who Real Arm is! Cale’s thought went haywire.

 

Ron took his handkerchief out and gave it to Cale to use. 

“What do you mean there is Arm activity in the city? Is it more bombs?” He asked while using the cloth given to him to clean the mess he made. 

He shook his head, “no, at least not yet. I have seen them snoop around the city for information. It would seem we left them a small lead.” 

“Not good…” 

“If you’d prefer, young master, I could go rabbit hunting.” 

Looking at Ron with a drop of sweat evident in his forehead, he reluctantly answered. “...do whatever you want.”  

“Hehe. Then I will take my leave.” He bowed before leaving the room without making a sound. 

Scary old man. He looked outside pouring more lemonade in his cup. It’s not a good sign if Arm is here. I need to prepare in case they strike. 

… 

“Hey, wake up! We’re almost there!” 

“WHAT? HUH–huh?” I got up from my seat at lightning speed, looking around in a daze. As I scoot closer to the window, I see the giant walls looming overhead. On top of one of the towers built in the wall was a flag. It was the Henituse’s family crest imprinted on it.  

I’m already in the Henituse territory! 

Getting closer at the entrance door of the city, the carriage stopped, as they had to do a check before letting anyone in. 

“Execute me, m’lady. May I have your identification paper?” A soldier asked me. 

Security check? When I traveled to other places, they didn’t ask for my identification but the coachman’s. 

I handed him the paper without complaint, receiving it right after he checked that everything was good. The other soldiers gave him a thumbs up after checking the carriage and the coachman. Without further interruption they let us through, wishing us a happy stay. 

“That was…something.” 

The coach man dropped me off at a tavern near the city square. Going upstairs to the second floor of the establishment, I sat down at a table near the edge of the balcony. Waiting for the man that was supposed to give me the information mentioned in the letter I looked out into the streets, I could see the liveliness of the people.  

They were too lively in my opinion. 

Hearing footsteps approaching my table I diverted my attention to them. I was greeted with a man wearing a hat with fancy clothing. 

“Hello, m’lady,” the man greeted by taking his hat off and vowing curtly. 

Didn’t know Arm also had rich allies. I thought, seeing the man's mannerisms. 

“Good evening,” I vowed slightly, “are you the one mentioned in the letter?” 

“Eager now, are we?” He sat down in front of me with a smug smile. He placed his hat down before taking out an envelope. He slid it across the table. As I grabbed it, I took out its content.  

It was a list of suspects. They all had red hair and were male. And that was it. No underground activities, no records, nothing. 

“That’s…it?”  

This is the only information they managed to find…seriously? I thought. Was someone able to sneak past Arm’s noses? How is that even possible? 

“Unfortunately, it is.” 

“Ha...!” I laughed at the absurdity of the situation. I looked up at the man after reviewing the list of suspects.  

“This is the only description we managed to find,” the smile on his face dropped into a frown, “only at the low cost of our scouts: a single spy was able to escape long enough to hide a piece of paper in a tree trunk…” he said. 

“....” I looked down at the list.  

To be able to kill all of our scouts…this is no meek foe. Just thinking of how strong they are sends shivers down my spine…  

“I have arranged a small room at an Inn close by here. I have left some equipment at your disposal. The location is on one of the papers in the envelope.” The man stood up and put his hat on, adjusting his suit a little before looking at me.  

“If you need anything else, I left a card at your place with instructions as to how you can contact me. Remember I’m at your service m’lady, Tata! ~” 

“I will keep that in mind.” 

Watching as he disappeared behind the doors of the second floor, I decided to order something to eat before heading to my fixed place. 

…

 

“…a festival?” Cale looked at the flier given to him. 

“That’s right,” Count Deruth, Cale’s father, said nonchalantly, “the festival will brighten the people's moods, as well as show that we are financially good.” 

Politics…. 

! 

“Wait, here it says the ‘Henituse’s’ are attending…I don’t have to attend…right?” 

Deruth raised an eyebrow in question. “You don’t have to go.” 

“...” 

I must go. *Sight* My well-deserved rest has been postponed once again… can’t I catch a break for once? 

“On that note, I have reserved a spot on the city square where we will be presiding during the time,” he said as Cale gave him back the paper.  

“You don’t have to talk–or better said–you don’t have to even move. Just sitting there is enough.” 

Cale smiled at this I don’t have to move? Seems perfect to me! 

“I’ll be attending in that case.” 

“The festival will start in a few days. Be ready.” 

Cale exited his father’s study, walking back to his room. 

I need to tell Ron about this. It’ll be no surprise if Arm takes advantage of the festival. There stands a man with black hair waiting outside Cale’s room for him to come. 

“!” 

“Young master Cale!” The man runs towards him with puppy-like energy. 

“Choi Han, is there something you need?” Cale asked. 

“I heard from Ron that there have been suspicious activities happening in the city. So, I came to ask for permission to investigate.” Hans explained. 

Cale hummed. Strange. Usually, you would do these types of things without letting me know. Perhaps he thinks this is a bit dangerous and if he doesn't return, we know where to look? 

“You can do as you please, no need to ask for my permission.” 

“I see…thank you young master,” Han vowed, “I will report back immediately once I find anything!” As he said that, he began to leave. 

“Oh, and, Choi Han?” Cale spoke before he could fully leave. 

“Yes, Cale?” 

“If you find anything, make sure to report first. Don’t go around making havoc, got it?” Cale instructed. 

“...yes” he responded with a bit of thinking, knowing it was the best decision. 

Let’s see what they have in store for us. Cale entered his room, he’ll laze around until the festival actually begins. What a bother… 

… 

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Master-List

[livingformintyoongi]

Masterlist

-> Welcome to my Masterlist!

Because the previous one felt a bit -too- complicated, I decided to make this new one where everything I've written will appear, here below I'll leave the guide for the genres ^^ (all requests/smut content are in the following link)

-> Key:

♡= Fluff | ♧= Smut | ◇= Angst | ♤= Suggestive | ☆= Crack

SHE'S ALL I WANNA BE (Band!AU) [5.4k] ♡ ◇

>> Part Of BOTN series

-> pt1 / pt2

-Summary: You were Jin's childhood friend, the one who always went to all his bass practices, the one who went to all his mini concerts, the one who tested the songs before he played them live, you were even the first person he ran to tell the news that his band had been dominated to his first award.

The problem with this? You were always just that to Jin, the typical childhood friend he wouldn't give up for anything in the world, but would never see as anything more.

A few months ago Jin started dating yet another girl, a certain Yeji, whom he had met in college.

You were starting to feel how awful it was to be just another friend, and you wanted to give it your last try before giving up forever with Jin and moving on with your life.

LEAP YEAR (Movie!AU) ♡ ☆

>> Part Of Romcom Nights series

-> Summary: Tired of waiting for a marriage proposal from your boyfriend, you decide to travel to Ireland to try out an old Irish tradition celebrated on February 29th. The problem? A severe storm stops your flight and forces you to stop on the Emerald Isle, miles away from your destination and your fiancé.

With time against you, you decide to ask for help to the handsome -but extremely irritating- innkeeper of a small hotel near the area, willing to do anything to reach your boyfriend and ask for his hand in marriage.

SOMEBODY I F*CKED ONCE (Band!AU) ♧ ♡

>> Part Of BOTN series

-> pt1

-> Drabbles: How did they meet? / ...

-> Summary: You had been in a fully sexual relationship with Yoongi for over 5 years. Yes, you went out on the occasional date in secret, but nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that would make the public think you were a couple, or sex partners.

You had never had a problem with this, until little by little you noticed how you started to feel things for him that definitely had nothing to do with your fully sexual relationship, so you did what you did best.

You ran away.

WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT (Horror!AU)

-> pt1 / pt2

-> Summary: The Han family has always been one of the most powerful and influential families in South Korea. They owned three of the most important companies in the country, in addition to the many others with which they had agreements and investments.

They were always known for their impeccable image, one that, in all the years they had been in the market, had never been tarnished.

Or at least it was until, on his 57th birthday, Mr. Han's body was found in his office. A gunshot to the head had caused his instant death.

A total of seven officers were assigned to handle the case, and absolutely none of them expected to encounter a family with such a dark and depraved background as the Han's.

KILLERS (Movie!AU) ☆

>> Part Of Romcom Nights series

-> Summary: Your life, in a nutshell, was perfect; you had a dream house, with an amazing husband and a good paying job. Things were finally starting to go uphill in your life - after the failed love affair you had before you met Yoongi -.

However, not all things are rosy, and that, to your misfortune, you found out in the worst possible way; arriving at your house -now in pieces- and finding your perfect husband holding a gun to his best friend's head.

YOU ARE IN LOVE (Band!AU) ◇ ♡

>> Part Of BOTN series

-> pt1

-> Summary: You met Hoseok in a dance class you had during your last years in college. The two of you hit it off perfectly and decided to stay in touch.

You talked to him when he won his first award, he talked to you when he heard you got a permanent contract at your current company. You called him when you found out he had landed a fairly well known girlfriend in the middle, he congratulated you on finding your fiancé.

Now, 2 years after that, you had no idea how to tell him that your husband and his fiancée were fucking in your bed.

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING (Movie!AU) ◇ ♡

>> Part Of Romcom Nights series

-> Summary: Working as a ticket seller on the subway was not your idea of an ideal job, not even close. Your goals in life were far from being fulfilled with the minimum wage you were offered, but none of that mattered, not when you had Mingyu coming and going through the cars every morning and evening.

He was your dream man; handsome, tall, charismatic… you were completely in love with him, you would do anything to help him, even if it meant pretending to be his girlfriend to his family after he lost his memory in an accident at the station where you worked.

ONE DAY (Band!AU) ♡

>> Part Of BOTN series

-> pt1

-> Summary: You were Bring On The Night's manager since their debut. You had taken good care of them, always tried to give them a reasonable schedule, always talked to interviewers before interviews, always tried to keep them safe without asking for anything in return. That's exactly what made Namjoon fall at your feet.

From the beginning he always had eyes for you, he always drowned in his feelings thinking about how annoying it might be for you to stay on the job knowing that he had feelings for you.

However, this same attitude not only attracted to him, but to other guys who worked in the same industry. It was this very thing that made Namjoon decide to fight for you, even if it would destroy your working relationship and friendship.

NO RESERVATION (Movie!AU) ☆ ♡

>> Part Of Romcom Nights series

-> Summary: You were always an organized person, your life was planned from start to finish, every detail perfectly polished. Absolutely nothing could disarm that order that you had tried so hard to put in your life.

Until a little girl and an obnoxious co-worker come into your life, turning everything you believed in upside down, and messing up your idea of a perfect life.

WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS (Band!AU) ♧ ♡ ◇

>> Part Of BOTN series

-> pt1

-> Summary: You were Jimin's girlfriend during his pre-debut era. You would go to support him at practice, bring him food, water, sometimes even a change of clothes. You loved the way he loved his job, but love wasn't always enough to overcome the adversities that made life as a star. That was made clear to you by the Ceo of Bring on the night's discography.

You broke up with him shortly after his debut, you didn't give him any explanation, you simply told him that you didn't want to be with him anymore and you left.

Years later, in the present day, Jimin had become a world star, famous for his talent on the keyboard, and you, for your part, had achieved your goal of becoming a critically acclaimed actress.

What you never thought was that, as you were both on the same level, you would inevitably meet at events such as awards shows, and, to be honest, you didn't think you could ever say no to Jimin again.

CONFESSION OF A SHOPAHOLIC (Movie!AU) ♡ ☆

>> Part Of Romcom Nights series

-> Summary: Since you were a child you had had an impeccable taste for fashion, you loved touching those fine fabrics that covered people's bodies with beauty and elegance, how a single garment could make you feel like the queen of the world, just by the way you could wear it.

It was that same obsessive love you had for fashion that you ended up in this situation; working for a stupid finance entrepreneur, in a boring and horrible magazine you had never even heard of, going to great lengths to get to your dream job as a writer at the most famous fashion magazine in town.

GOODNIGHT N GO (Band!AU) ♡ ◇ ♤

>> Part Of BOTN series

-> pt1

-> Drabbles: First Encounter / ...

-> Summary: For the first time in your entire career as an artist you had gotten into a scandal, and one of the worst scandals there could have been. A rapper whose name you didn't even know had told hundreds of gossip channels that the two of you were in a solely sexual relationship.

Now, with no excuse to give because no one would believe you without proof, you and your manager decided to make a completely risky bet; talk to Kim Taehyung, the guitarist of BOTN and ask him to pretend to be your boyfriend. To your surprise, he didn't hesitate to accept.

The deal was clear: neither would have feelings for the other, neither would meddle in the other's relationships, and neither owed the other any explanations.

At first you thought it would be simple, just another performance, just like you did for your music videos.

How wrong you were.

ECHOES OF LOVE [16.9k] ◇ ♡

-> Summary: You and Taehyung had a passing relationship four years ago, a relationship that felt like a hurricane; fleeting, sweeping, destructive. You had left a mark on him, one that, even as the years passed, was still present, and, no matter what he did, it seemed unwilling to go away.

GUILTY AS SIN? ◇ ♧

-> Preview I / Preview II / Preview III

-> Summary: You have just entered your new job as an intern in a hospital you worked so hard to get into; at last, after so many years, you had managed to fulfill your dreams, little by little, step by step. You had finished your studies with honors, you had a beautiful -and luxurious- apartment in the center of the city, you had just entered the job of your dreams and your relationship with your dream boyfriend was going great.

Or so you thought until you met Kim Taehyung, the clinical mentor you were in charge of, who doesn't seem to mind keeping his opinion about your relationship and your idealized vision - in his own words - of your life.

FRAGMENT OF US (ft. JJK) ◇

-> Summary: Have you ever thought about what you would do if your whole life was a lie? That every second of the last six years was just a long-lived hallucination that, sooner or later, would come to an end? Jungkook knew that feeling all too well, perhaps even too well for his own good.

Jungkook knew he was a person with a vivid imagination, he knew he was capable of creating fictitious situations in his head that looked vivid. However, he knows how to differentiate between reality and fantasy, that's why, when he wakes up and notices that there is no sign of your existence anywhere, he is more than determined to find out whatever is going on and, at any cost, get you back.

Or when Jungkook woke up six years in the past, making all the memories about his life with you become just another object of his imagination, just like you.

MISUNDERSTANDING [2.9k] ◇ ♡

-> Summary: It's basically your reaction to hearing about the dating rumours between Taehyung and Jennie while the two of you are still in a relationship. And obviously, he is trying to fix things as quickly as possible.

PRETTY WOMAN (Movie!AU) ♡ ♧ ◇

>> Part Of Romcom Nights series

-> Summary: Your job as a "night companion" had always been difficult for you, from the discomfort of flirting with complete strangers to the fact that you had to take them to bed. But there wasn’t much you could do; you didn’t earn enough money to afford a decent life. You could barely pay for a shared apartment, let alone a college education.

You had lost all hope of living a peaceful life, far from the dangerous streets and one-night stands—or at least that was the case until Kim Taehyung came into your life.

TREAT YOU BETTER (Band!AU) ♡ ◇ ♧

>> Part Of BOTN series

-> pt1

-> Drabbles: Princess Treatment / ...

-> Summary: Jungkook considered himself a very tolerant person. He tolerated Jin with his horrible jokes, he tolerated Namjoon breaking his stuff by accident from time to time, he even tolerated Jimin stealing his stuff, but there was one specific point where he would never tolerate any bullshit.

That point was you.

The day he found out the idiot you were dating, he almost broke his phone from how hard he smashed it against the wall. He believed you deserved better, no, he knew you deserved better, no doubt about it, and he was more than willing to show you what would be the minimum point you should accept in a man.

FRAGMENT OF US (ft. KTH) ◇

-> Summary: Have you ever thought about what you would do if your whole life was a lie? That every second of the last six years was just a long-lived hallucination that, sooner or later, would come to an end? Jungkook knew that feeling all too well, perhaps even too well for his own good.

Jungkook knew he was a person with a vivid imagination, he knew he was capable of creating fictitious situations in his head that looked vivid. However, he knows how to differentiate between reality and fantasy, that's why, when he wakes up and notices that there is no sign of your existence anywhere, he is more than determined to find out whatever is going on and, at any cost, get you back.

Or when Jungkook woke up six years in the past, making all the memories about his life with you become just another object of his imagination, just like you.

CHASING THE WHALE (Alien!AU) ♧ ◇ ♡

>> Part Of The Neonix Chronicles

-> Teaser

-> Moodboard

-> Summary: You were never the kind of person who believed in beings from beyond or intelligent life outside your planet; you were a down-to-earth person, the type who believed in the ideology of "seeing is believing." This is how you had lived almost 29 years of your life—until now.

How were you supposed to explain the fact that a flying ship, shaped like a whale, had just taken your twin brother right in front of your eyes? What were you supposed to do in a situation like this?

Even with the fear of your brother being in danger, and the possibility that the police would send you to a psychiatric ward for explaining the situation when asking for help, you decided to do the first thing that came to your mind: let them take you to their planet.

CROSS THE LINE ♡ ♤

>> Spin-off from Echoes Of Love

pt1 / pt2

-> Summary: After years of working with Jungkook, your insecurity about your feelings for him begins to grow and become more complex, bringing you to the point where you wonder if you can really keep fooling yourself or if it's time to face those feelings.

THE PROPOSAL (Movie!AU) ☆ ♡

>> Part Of Romcom Nights series

-> Summary: Saying that the people at your workplace hated you was an understatement. You were quite a... strict boss. You liked efficient people, those who acted instead of talked; your life was far too busy to worry about such insignificant details, and you expected everyone to act—or at least pretend—that they shared the same mindset as you.

It was precisely that kind of thinking that led you to ask—beg—your secretary, Jeon Jungkook, to marry you. It was a simple business deal, no love involved; he wanted you to help him become a writer, and you needed to stay in the country without being deported. No feelings, no complications, easy and straightforward.

THE HAN FAMILY [Currently On Hiatus]

-> Moodboards

-> Summary: Your boss -with whom you had been working for more than seven years- had given you the job of going to check out one of his most recent projects, a large house on the outskirts of a rather quiet town that was quite far from the city.

It wasn't until you spent the first week staying at the house that you realized something important. From dead animals, to the shadow of a badly wounded young woman screaming at your window in the early morning hours, every single thing that happened during your stay there was screaming at you to leave, warning you about what your future would be.

It had taken you a long time to realize that, much to your disgrace, you had no escape. You were trapped in that place, and it was no longer just your job that was at stake, after all, how could you work when you were dead?

BRING ON THE NIGHT (Band!AU)

-> Summary: Get to know the life of the members of Bring On The Night! The pop/rock band of the moment that has a whole generation addicted to their music, lyrics and performers.

THE NEONIX CHRONICLES (Alien!AU)

-> Summary: Seven people, none related to each other, end up stranded in a sector of the planet where, according to some rumors, people disappear out of nowhere, leaving no trace, making no sound, almost as if they never existed.

Each of these people went there for a different purpose; some went there out of mere curiosity, others went there with the intention of disappearing as the legend dictated.

Regardless of their different purposes, there was one thing that connected them; all seven had been abducted by a huge whale-shaped ship and taken to a planet they did not know, full of species that did not look at all friendly and, worst of all, being taken straight to the black market to be sold to the highest bidder.

ROMCOMS NIGHT (Movie!AU)

-> Summary: The movie theater lights begin to dim as the curtains that lightly cover the large screen are pulled aside to leave it completely uncovered. It is only then, when there is no trace of light or fabric to block the view, that the countdown to the start of the film begins.

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[thevelaryons]

What do you think the Velaryon’s trading looked like during the Corlys’ peak time as Lord of the Tides?

House Velaryon became rather “isolated” from the Crown’s influence within a couple of years after Corlys became the head of the family (due to their conflicting political aims from Jaehaerys and later, Viserys). So I think Corlys would’ve focused more on trade with Essos over Westeros. While trade with Westeros would still exist, it would be to a lesser degree than with Essos, and I believe Corlys would’ve encouraged trade in Westerosi port towns other than King’s Landing (White Harbor/Gulltown/Oldtown/Lannisport). He definitely wouldn’t want to provide direct economical support to the royal family he’s at odds with.

Driftmark is already conveniently situated in spot where many ships pass through. The book suggests that Corlys merely took advantage of this by further developing the shipping ports there.

Sitting athwart the Gullet, Driftmark was closer to the narrow sea than Duskendale or King’s Landing, so Spicetown soon began to usurp much of the shipping that would elsewise have made for those ports, and House Velaryon grew ever richer and more powerful.

Not only that, but I think it’s likely Corlys would maintain the same tax policy as his grandfather, which would help to build wealth in the long run (Corlys doesn’t really need to worry about building short term wealth at this point since he’s already so rich).

Port fees were tripled, certain goods were to be taxed both coming into and out of the city, and new levies were asked of innkeeps and builders.

None of these measures had the desired effect of filling up the treasury vaults. Instead building slowed to a halt, the inns emptied, and trade declined notably as merchants diverted their ships from King’s Landing to Driftmark, Duskendale, Maidenpool, and other ports where they might evade taxation.

If Driftmark is not charging the same tax rate as King’s Landing, it diverts even more trade away from the royal family and towards house Velaryon.

It is actually stated that King’s Landing wasn’t seeing as much profit from trade as Driftmark.

So much trade came to flow to and from Driftmark that the towns of Hull and Spicetown sprang up, becoming the chief ports of trade in Blackwater Bay for a time, surpassing even King’s Landing.

Any ships coming in from Essos would be more likely to make port at Driftmark just because it’s closer and because there might be advantages in place, such as lower taxes.

Corlys also gave priority to the shipping lanes in the Narrow Sea as well, especially when the Triarchy took power in the Stepstones. He was obviously concerned with the loss of profits through trade going to and from Essos.

Of themselves the isles were of little worth, but placed as they were, they controlled the sea lanes to and from the narrow sea, and merchant ships passing through those waters were often preyed on by their inhabitants. […] Order had replaced chaos, and if the Three Daughters demanded a toll of any ship passing through their waters, that seemed a small price to pay to be rid of the pirates. The avarice of Craghas Crabfeeder and his partners in conquest soon turned feelings against them, however; the toll was raised again, and yet again, soon becoming so ruinous that merchants who had once paid gladly now sought to slip past the galleys of the Triarchy as once they had the pirates. […] Of all the lords of Westeros, none suffered so much from these practices as Corlys Velaryon, Lord of the Tides, whose fleets had made him as wealthy and powerful as any man in the Seven Kingdoms. The Sea Snake was determined to put an end to the Triarchy’s rule over the Stepstones.

Since Corlys originally betrothed his daughter to the son of the Sealord of Braavos (a city known for its seafaring culture which includes trade), this further adds to the idea that Corlys was more focused on trade with Essosi ports.

Though once house Velaryon reforged their relationship with the Crown, I can definitely see Corlys allowing more of the trade to go to King’s Landing.

[maxparkhurst]

Druxy

During my tenure with the Seventh Son’s Trading Company, I specialized in mycology. Fungi are adaptive. They flourish in nearly any terrain; however, this particular species is resilient unlike variants found in places such as the Zaralek Caverns. These caverns below the Isle of Dorn house a myriad of lifeforms co-existing alongside the founts of residual magic left behind by Dalaran’s fall. The mycobloom has not only adapted but evolved with it. The mycelium, left untouched for thousands of years, seems to have fed on this teeming energy. It is a wonder what their limitations might possibly be… - from the field notes of Maxinora Parkhurst

It mattered surprisingly little to Maxinora where the Alliance embassy stationed her. Stored and transported in a velveteen coffer, her alchemy equipment was portable. Her and her work were bound by no border nor boundary; the only limitation was the conflict between ravenous curiosity and overwhelming apathy. Whichever won over the other dictated where the Alchemist would burrow. In the week following her arrival in Gundargaz, Maxinora found herself to possess an insatiable hunger…

By the misfortune of an Earthen innkeeper, Max charmed her way into a spacious room. Clever words and disarming smiles are a foxes key tools, after all. She retreated there after grueling days spent drudging through the Ringing Deeps. Her muzzle soddened in red as she drug the prizes of her hunt home - venom sacs and deepflayer glands, orbinid bulbs and luredrop heads, leyline ash and effervescent spores. A bounty of secrets and truths waiting to be gutted and devoured. And in the cool shadows of a slumbering hearth, she could digest in peace.

The carnage of Maxinora’s curiosity laid waste to any order the room might’ve possessed. Books and parchment, scrolls and maps, gurgling beakers and boiling admixtures. It was an organized chaos understood only by the Alchemist. She found it to be a welcomed comfort. A facsimile that echoed close to home. Enough for her to remember why she sank her teeth into her work, and how to emerge as human once she picked her molars clean. A stalk of mycobloom harvested from the Waterworks was her most recent prize. It lay on a metal tray beneath a the halo of an alchemical lantern. She breathed a slow hum as she cut into the flesh of the decapitated bloom. A skilled incision from the scalpel divided the gills from the cap. Irradiated spores oozed from the wound, drenching the air in a pungently sweet and metallic scent. It was inorganic. Electrical, even.

Max substituted her scalpel for a pair of tweezers. She worked the tip under plant tissue and coaxed the wound open enough to take a peek. She released an nonplussed whistle. Inside - clusters of spores made bulbous and fat from the arcane energy swirling inside them.

“And still I continued to be amazed.”

“What is it? Lemme see…”

The voice. Familiar yet different. Always continuing to be different. Somehow sounding exactly like her brother, and yet not at all. It possessed neither weight nor texture as it reverberated from the shadows, nestling close to Maxinora’s ear. The shadows at her shoulder shifted. A feline shape emerged from the dark, paper-flat and semi-translucent. Its gaze, lament eyes burning bright as green-glass fire, widened then narrowed.

“A mutation!”

Maxinora licked that morsel of truth from a canine as she worked the tweezers tips around an irradiated spore. With a great degree of care and deliberation, she coaxed it from the fungi’s fibers and placed it in an awaiting dish. “The mycelium must have absorbed the arcane energy from Dalaran’s fall.”

“This far underground?” The shadow cat glided from Max’s shoulder, collecting onto the table like a cloud of smoke. Its head canted as it watched her slide the dish under a scope’s lens. A moment of silence passed. Then its eyes brightened like midsummer fireflies. “Oh. The water channels… They’re all connected .”

Maxinora rewarded the shade with a toothy grin as she peered down the scope’s eye piece. It took adjusting the turret to a higher lens and a bit of fine tuning with the focus knobs to bring forth a clear image. The spore was composed of agglomerating pockets encased in a clear, keratin coat. Housed in the core of each pocket was a cortex of spiraling arcane mana. “Ah,” she laughed, the sound equal parts mirthful as it was sly, “You are capable of clever moments, little brother.”

Her jest was met with an unexpected fold of silence that momentarily curbed her appetite. She stole a glance up at the shadow cat to find its eyes gone dark and its form nearly transparent. It wavered. Struggled. Then lingered like an autumnal fog. She tempered her smile as she waited. A moment passed into a minute before the shade darkened and its eyes suddenly reignited.

“Ah! Sorry…” The voice sounded warped. Guttural. Pitch black. Wrong. The distortion lasted only a brief second before being corrected. Her brother’s voice spoke in sync with the shadow cat, “It is hard to keep the connection across such a great distance. What were you saying?”

The fox faded from Maxinora’s smile as she turned towards her work. “Oh, yes,” she offhandedly remarked as she opted for a pair of point tip forceps, “Simply that you are very clever, Augustine.” In a different time, different place, she would be all but certain of his puckish grin. Of the delight shining so bright in wonder-struck eyes. But things were inexplicably different, now. She did not dare to even glance at the shadow cat, afraid to catch a glimpse into its starved gaze. Instead, she pierced the spore and dug beneath its keratin skin. Electricity jolted up her arm as the tines clasped a thread of coalescing arcane, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to bristle. She gritted her teeth and uncoiled a cluster of cores with a single tug.

Nothing but a ringing in her ears.

And a sudden flash of white. A lightning strike.

Blood roared in her ears like the distant roll of thunder as her vision cleared. She possessed no recollection of the interim between extraction and now, though during such time she deposited the volatile thread into a separate tray. Her gaze momentarily flicked to the fiber, watching as it oxidized and was slowly reduced to shimmering dust. “Leyline residue,” she concluded, tossing the forceps onto the worktable, “How… Shocking.”

“Perhaps it would be best,” spoke the shadow cat, eyes following Max as she rose and crossed the room to a leaning tower of books, “If I were to travel there, too.” Its tail swayed from shoulder to shoulder, eyes narrowed in a display of concern. “I worry for you, you know.”

Max dismissed his concern with an offhanded wave. Her gaze scanned the tower’s titles: Letters of Avaloren, Coreway Catalysts, Curse of the Flesh, Observational Reports: Mycology, The Order of Azeroth. “Your concern is appreciated,” she remarked, casting the first tome aside and cracking open the second, “But misplaced. Mishka is a formidable combatant and a serviceable escort.” Coreway Catalysts had been devoured and digested within the first few hours of Max’s arrival, yet she found it worthy of a second glance as a sudden thought piqued her interest. The book spoke of the varying magical lifeforms inhabiting Khaz Algar, particularly those with close proximity to the Coreway. The link shared between them and the World Soul have caused some herbs to partially crystallize. This made Max exceptionally curious: If such creations were capable of adapting to both arcane and life energy, what else might they absorb?

“You know that’s not what I- Hm. Listen. Your methodology is a bit… Well, it lends itself to the extreme.”

“Oh-ho. So said the pot to the kettle.” Max plucked Curse of the Flesh from the tower and added it to her growing stack. Stepping over a moor of discarded notes and theories, she meandered back to the worktable. The tray of shimmering dust was scooted closer, and a fresh piece of parchment was drawn from an awaiting stack. “A bit of sacrifice is necessary, especially when unraveling mysteries as complex as the wilds of Khaz Algar.” She found a quill amidst the cluttered table and dipped it in a half-dried inkwell. There was enough pigment to draw up a legible draft.

“Sacrifices…” echoed the shadow cat.

“Yes. Such is the First Law.”

“I am aware of Equivalent Exchange…”

There was a momentary pause during which Maxinora refused to look up despite having not written a single word.

“But you must know that there are people who value you more than your work? Surely some part of you does.”

Max barked an arsenic-sharp laugh as she set the quill aside. Such a vulpine sound. Her lips twitched up into a sly grin, breath drawn in retort, when she looked up to find the shadow cat gone. Naught left but an ever-dissipating trail of smoke.

Alone again.

Max suddenly dropped her gaze, hands clasped in her lap. Sitting amidst the massacre of her ravenous curiosity, ink drying like blood on her fingers, cannibalized theories and speculations stuck in her teeth, mouth salivating for more and more and more… She suddenly felt very abashed. “I am my work…” she whispered, gossamer soft.

If Maxinora did not possess a shimmering spark for alchemy, an insatiable hunger for knowledge… Then what remained other than a husk of a mycobloom dying dark on a metal tray?

Prologue | Previous chapter |

[cozynerdreviews]

Best Cozy Games in Steam Fest

After Love EP

RELEASE DATE: Q3 2024

DEVELOPER: Pikselnesia

PUBLISHER: Fellow Traveller

A story that will pull at your heartstrings and let you experience many different emotions at once, all while you enjoy fun, rhythm-action gameplay. If you feel like playing osu! but want something less challenging to cozy up with then After Love EP will be perfect for you.

Just… remember things might get a bit emotional, so maybe get some tissues ready, just in case.

Tiny Glade

RELEASE DATE: Q3 2024

DEVELOPER: Pounce Light

PUBLISHER: Pounce Light

Tiny Glade wants to give you as much cozy as you can physically handle! Enter a whimsical fantasy world where you can build lovely, rustic castles without worrying about the details or needing a specific plan. Just let your imagination take over… 

Take a screenshot of your beautiful creation once you are done and fantasize about all the mischief you could do if you lived in a fantasy world… at least, that’s what I like to do on my lonely Thursday afternoons.

Airborne Empire

RELEASE DATE: Q3 2024

DEVELOPER: The Wandering Band LLC

PUBLISHER: The Wandering Band , Strayfawn Publishing

Do we have any fans of strategy games amongst our readers? I know some of them can stress you out with all the mechanics, but if strategy is your cup of tea and you feel comfortable in figuring out how to create your village, town, kingdom, or empire… why not take it to the skies!?

Airborne Empire gives you exactly that, and while my mediocre skills got my hangar burned rather quickly (don’t ask), I am sure strategy fans will love this take on the genre! This strategy game felt very relaxing, even if I burned down my hangar.

Amber Isle

RELEASE DATE: TBA

DEVELOPER: Ambertail Games

PUBLISHER: Team17

Are you bored of farming cozy games and need something more… EXCITING? Or maybe you secretly dream about opening a shop with handmade goods?

Amber Isle is a wonderful little game where you gather resources, talk with both residents and visitors of Amber Isle, and build your fortune by selling your own crafts! It was so nice to get lost in making all sorts of things, learning new recipes, and selling the products of your own making.

Oh, I almost forgot the best part! DINOSAURS! Yes! You will be the very best Dinosaur, gathering resources, crafting your items and rebuilding Amber Isle!

Tavern Talk

RELEASE DATE: 20th June 2024

DEVELOPER: Troll Entertainment

PUBLISHER: Troll Entertainment

Tavern Talk is your comfy fantasy novel in the form of a little game where you’re the innkeeper making fancy drinks and planning out quests in between listening to the stories of travelers who visit your establishment. 

The game has all the necessary vibes to make you feel like you’re in the middle of a D&D session – though, rather during the roleplay session while the party rests at the tavern than during action-packed fights. Which makes it perfect for your lazy evenings.

Angela de Frost (Writer) Lucine Zhang (Editor)

[v-thinks-on]

In the year 1187, I began as a journeyman to the village apothecary. When the call came to follow the noble King Richard the Lionheart, like many young men, I eagerly went. The Crusades brought honours and penitence to many, but for me it had nothing but misfortune and disaster. After months of delirious fever, I was fortunate to return to my native England with little worse than a limp and a lame shoulder.

I had neither kith nor kin in England, and was therefore free as air—or as free as a man with neither health nor livelihood can be. Under such circumstances, I found myself wandering the countryside, where all the loungers and idlers live by their wits and the fleeting generosity of strangers. It was a meaningless, comfortless existence, spending what little health I had far more freely than I ought.

I knew I could not last like this for much longer; I had no choice but to make some drastic alteration in my style of living. The day I had come to this conclusion was in late spring, graced with the charming weather of my native isle; a heavy blanket of grey hanging above the tree tops and a chill in the air, which made my shoulder ache and my legs stiff, and I feared a turn for rain.

I hoped it was not far to the next village. It had already been some days since the kindly innkeeper, who had traded some food and a place to rest for the night for a poultice for his ailing daughter, had pointed me in this direction. These woods were dangerous, he had said, but there was a man in these parts who might be able to help a poor wanderer such as myself. It seemed an unlikely solution, but even a brief respite would be a relief to me.

The deeper I went into these woods, the thicker the growth became; the trees gathered tighter together and it became increasingly laborious to pick my way through the dense undergrowth. Only a dim light filtered through the canopy of clouds and leaves above, leaving the whole forest in twilight, with who knew what manner of men or creatures lurking within—I thought I spied the glint of a Sacaren spear, but it was only a shiny drop of dew upon a thorny bramble.

However, the whiz of an arrow through the air was unmistakable. I had no sword—I was no knight, merely a village apothecary who had gone to tend the brave souls who followed the King into battle, but when the battle began, all men became soldiers—but still I tensed for a fight, glancing around me in search of my assailant. But I saw nothing, only the deep dense woods and an arrow embedded in the tree behind me, mere inches from where my head had been.

“You had better be careful, an old campaigner travelling through these woods alone.”

I started at the voice which sounded just into my ear and turned to find myself face-to-face with a long, thin man who appeared to have materialised from the woods themselves. He was dressed all in green, with aquiline features, and rough bow in hand, another arrow already knocked into place.

“You were at Acre, I perceive,” the man said.

“Y-yes,” I said, too startled to protest at the pronouncement, “did you also follow King Richard the Lionheart?”

He shakes his head, a laughing curl to his thin lips, though there’s a darker irony lurking in his keen eyes. “I have only heard tales of the destruction.”

I can only bow my head in acknowledgement; the evidence of my hardships is unconcealable.

[snowberry-crostata]

Languages of Skyrim

Back to our irregularly scheduled programming, with more headcanons about Skyrim.

Nordic is still the primary language spoken throughout Skyrim, but is slowly becoming less universal as Cyrodiilic, the lingua franca of the Empire, spreads. The Nordic language is descended from the Atmoran language (also called Nedic, which developed from Ehlnofex in the Merethic Era along a separate path from the development of Aldmeris by the elves). One of the most notable linguistic differences between Nordic and other Ehlnofex-derived languages is the influence of Dovahzul on its words and pronunciations due to the long subjugation of the Nords by the Dovah.

In the current day, most people living outside of cities speak Nordic as their primary language, even non-Nords born in Skyrim. For many Nords, Nordic is their only language. However, immigrants to Skyrim such as Dunmer refugees and Khajiit caravaners primarily speak the dialects of their homelands and often teach their native language to their children. Among Mer, attitudes vary around how important it is to speak the language of one’s ancestors; the Dunmer tend to feel strongly that their Skyrim-born children should know how to speak Dunmeris, and they incorporate Dunmeri words and phrases into their speech. Meanwhile, Altmer immigrants often choose not to teach their children any Altmeri at all (this is a result of both the political climate of Skyrim and the distaste that Altmer emigrants tend to have for the current rulers of the Summerset Isles). Merchants and innkeepers in all but the most rural settlements typically speak both Nordic and (at least some) Cyrodiilic.

Orcs living in strongholds throughout Skyrim mostly speak in the Wrothgarian dialect of Orsinian, though the Orcs of Narzulbur speak the Velothi dialect. They know enough Nordic or Cyrodiilic to get by with the occasional trader (trade is typically conducted in a Nordic-Orsinian pidgin), but the languages of men are not commonly heard inside the compounds nor are they formally taught to Orc children. Orcs typically pick up other languages through immersion, which is one reason why Orsimer who leave their strongholds are sometimes perceived as being “slow” or unintelligent by others - they are still learning the local language.

[scotianostra]

18th August 1773 saw Samuel Johnson and James Boswell set out on their three month tour of the Highlands and the Inner Hebrides.

Boswell enticed his famous English friend Samuel Johnson to accompany him on a tour through the highlands and western islands of Scotland.

James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh, like many young men he longed to visit the bright lights of London and in 1760 he deserted the family home to live in the English capital for a few months. It was during his second stay in 1762-63 that he met his literary hero and model, the poet, essayist and dictionary maker Dr. Samuel Johnson. In August 1763 Boswell embarked upon a 2½ year Grand Tour of Europe, during which he met many notable men and women, including Voltaire and Rousseau. On returning to Scotland he practised law as an advocate. During this time he made occasional visits London to spend time with Dr Johnson and others of his circle, including Oliver Goldsmith, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Edmund Burke. He was also on familiar terms with David Hume, Adam Smith and other leading figures of the Scottish Enlightenment.

Johnston and Boswell set off less than 30 years after the '45 Uprising, when whisky was still distilled illegally, roads were scarce and travel was by foot, bone-jangling carriage, horseback or over very turbulent seas in a rickety boat.

Their extraordinary journey to the Highlands and the Hebrides during an autumnal season of relentless rain and storms, took Johnson - plump, partially deaf and blind and who had rarely travelled outside of London - on a grand Scottish tour which led to two of the earliest travel books and paved the way for centuries of tourists who would also explore the nation’s wild islands and highland

While for the then 32-year-old Boswell there was a chance to witness Johnson up close for nearly three months, providing a wealth of material for his admired biography, Life of Samuel Johnson. The travel journal was a massive hit and a humorous account of their journey.

Boswell was Scots to his roots and is very defensive about the Scots and Scottishness, while Johnson has this very English take on it all. These two things fuel the humour, Johnson is like this English bulldog and Boswell is like a Scottish terrier. Together they are a hoot! Add to that the facts that as you would expect from a Scotsman, Boswell was a heavy drinker and Johnson was teetotal, which leads to all kinds of escapades. It’s like 18th century Laurel and Hardy.

Boswell, quoted their first conversation in the biography, Life of Samuel Johnson, saying: “Mr Johnson, I do indeed come from Scotland, but I cannot help it”. To which Johnson replied: “That, Sir, I find, is what a great many of your countrymen cannot help.”

It set the scene for a friendship driven by verbal sparring, with Johnson’s deprecating remarks about Scots robustly foiled by Boswell’s defence of homeland.

Their travels began in mid-August at Boyd’s Inn in Edinburgh, where the cleanliness dismayed Johnson. Boswell wrote: “He asked to have his lemonade made sweeter; upon which the waiter, with his greasy fingers, lifted a lump of sugar, and put it into it. The Doctor, in indignation, threw it out of the window”.

The pair then travelled up the east coast, stopping at St Andrews to indulge their interest in John Knox and Mary, Queen of Scots, Following the coast towards Aberdeenshire, a bit like today’s NC500 tourists plotting their route, they took an anti-clockwise course along the Moray Coast to Inverness and then to the Western Isles.

At times their journey resembled a lengthy pub crawl as they noted the quality of the inns and the food.

In Montrose, Johnson noted: “At our inn we did not find a reception such as we thought proportionate to the commercial importance of the place; but Mr Boswell desired me to observe the innkeeper was an Englishman, and I then defended him as well as I could.” Dundee, it was noted, was “dirty, despicable”. They even recorded their first taste of Arbroath smokies.

Having travelled through Glen Shiel, the pair arrived at the inn at Glenelg. Often praised today, Boswell and Johnson gave it the equivalent of a one-star TripAdvisor review. Having arrived “wearing and peevish”, they discovered “no meat, no milk, no bread, no eggs, no wine. We did not express much satisfaction.”

The Highland terrain posed even greater stress. Dangerous and often impassable except on foot, they were often in remote spots, miles from inns or shelter or ankle deep in a peat bog. Nevertheless, they trudged on through stormy weather and with Johnson often suffering from colds, increasing deafness and seasickness on the journeys between the islands.

The trip from Coll to Skye was undertaken during a vicious storm, with Boswell fretting over whether the boat might sink or explode, and troubled that he couldn’t understand the sailors’ Gaelic! Johnson was no great fan of the language, describing it as “the rude speech of a barbarous people, who had few thoughts to express, and were content, as they conceived grossly, to be grossly understood”.

But in Skye, they were delighted to meet Flora MacDonald, and slept in the same room that Bonnie Prince Charlie had slept in. “Both were over the moon because they were besotted with the story,” he wrote.

Don’t judge Johnson on his dislike of the Gaelic language though, the pair told of finding the Highlands still occupied by military garrisons, cleared by immigration and spoke of the suppression of Highland culture and oppression of the clans.

The isle of Raasay turned out to be a favourite spot, where the pair enjoyed the clan chief’s hospitality and a raucous ceilidh, with Boswell dancing a jig on the flat summit of Dun Caan. Both felt that in Raasay they had come close to authentic old Gaelic culture and way of life.

By October 1773 they were in the Saracen Head Inn in Glasgow’s Gallowgate, revelling in a roaring coal fire and conversation with professors from Glasgow University.

The trip would come to a sorry end, however, at Boswell’s family’s Ayrshire home at Johnson and Boswell’s father had an enormous row; they were total opposites in religious and political beliefs,

Johnson was a kind of father figure to Boswell. He knew Boswell could be a bit out of hand, but he also knew he was a real literary talent.”

Johnson’s A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, was published in 1775, followed a exactly decade later by Boswell’s The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson. Both wrote their own versions of their tour differently. They go to the same places but see things differently.

[brinefathomcaves]

Aug 24: The Normal Village (6, 10)

This island is home to a village that’s just… ordinary. If encountered on one of the other islands in the Whistling Isle’s archipelago, it would be completely unremarkable. The mostly-human population of about 100 grows crops, raises animals, and generally behaves as though they live on the normal ocean rather than the Sunless Sea. Travelers can get any service they could from a similarly-sized village—lodging, food, smithing, etc., especially by asking around at the single tavern, the Crooked Palm Inn. The locals have little cash and prefer barter.

The local populace deflects questions about their odd circumstances and become uncomfortable and annoyed if pressed. If a villager’s reality is challenged strongly enough, they may mutate into a screecher (long claws, hunched posture, bleeding eyes, constant screaming that deals psychic damage) and attack the nearest creature. There is a secret cavern under the mayor’s house where two screechers are being restrained and muzzled in cells in the hope that the village’s cleric can cure them. So far, nothing’s worked. The villagers do not understand how screechers happen.

Village NPCs

Obasi Mondesir (M Human, LG): Village magistrate and coroner. Late middle age, with receding gray hair drawn back into a ponytail. Desperate to convince his people that everything’s fine; willing to lie to do it but means well. Nervous talker. Always a little sweaty.

Calder Gammidge (M Halfling, NG): Priest of an ocean god. Blue-green robes, thick spectacles. Currently having a crisis of faith that some of his congregant are turning into monsters and there’s nothing he can do to help, but tries not to show it. Wears tall shoes. No inside voice.

Aolina Fors (F Human, N): Innkeeper and bartender at the Crooked Palm Inn. Fat, freckled. Knows everybody’s business and is happy to share gossip, though she pretends otherwise. Lost her husband and kids to a fever a few years ago. Easy mark for a good sob story, very interested in talking to people from outside the island.

Darice Sandeux (M Human, NG): Young windower whose wife turned into a screecher. Frizzy fright-white hair, deep eyebags. Spends all his time at the Crooked Palm now, drinking and generally being miserable. Doesn't know that his wife is one of the screechers Mondesir manged to subdue and capture.

[quicksilverdrabbles]

Inside Dead Man's Drink

Lucien: Excuse me, er..

Morana: *staring blankly at Lucien through her mask* ...?

Lucien: *doesn't know what to call her* Um.. Si- Mada-? Uh.

Morana: *muttering under her breath as she pulls out her notebook* What on earth could he want..? *writing* Can I help you with something?

Lucien: *feeling uncomfortable* Ah, um.. I-I was just wondering-

Inigo: *heard Morana speaking, got curious* My friend, is everything- Oh, hello there!

Lucien: Oh thank Gods- H-Hello! My name is Lucien Flavius!

Inigo: It is a pleasure to meet you, Lucien! My name is Inigo, and my friend here is Morana. She has a very weak voice, and can not typically be heard by others, so she writes in her notebook. Please be patient with her.

Morana: *turning her head to look st Inigo, raising her hand to her chin in a sign for 'thank you'*

Inigo: Hehe, I remember what that one means. You are welcome, my friend.

Lucien: Oh! Do you know sign language? *moving his hands to gesture along with his words* I studied Imperial Sign Language quite a bit in Cyrodiil, but I didn't have much of a chance to practice.

Morana: !!! *rapid-fire signing* You know ISL?

Lucien: Yes! I've been studying a bit of Nordic Sign as well, but it's apparently much less common, even here in Skyrim. The local Nords seem.. rather offended whenever I try to ask about it, for some reason. Like they think the language is ridiculous!

Morana: Nords don't like talking with anything but their fists.

Lucien: Haha! You're not wrong there.

Inigo: Er.. Excuse me, but I did not recognize those words. What did she say?

Lucien: *chuckling* She said that Nords prefer to talk with their fists rather than with their hands.. But aren't their fists also their hands? Doesn't that mean sign language should theoretically be their preferred language? Questions for the ages.

Morana: *quietly giggling, her shoulders shaking* I don't think many of them would remember to take their hands out of fists in order to speak with them.

Lucien: You may just be right!

Kaidan: Right, I'm back with drinks for us. Innkeep was nice enough to- *spotting Lucien and Morana engaged in a conversation with Inigo looking quite lost* ... Who's this, then?

Inigo: This is Lucien Flavius! He knows sign language. I have no idea what they are talking about now. It is very confusing.

Kaidan: Sign language? The 'speaking with hands' Morana mentioned, you mean?

Lucien: Hello there! Erm-

Morana: This is Kaidan.

Lucien: K-Kay-den?

Morana: *shaking her head* Higher.

Lucien: Kaidan?

Morana: Yes.

Kaidan: Nice to meet you. So, Morana doesn't need her notebook to speak to you, does she?

Lucien: Well, I'm sure there may be times where she could still use it, but I'd be glad to be a practice buddy with her!

Morana: I haven't had anyone to speak to like this since I traveled the Summerset Isles.

Lucien: Which was how long ago?

Morana: ... *counting on her fingers* ... four years ago.

Lucien: You've been using a notebook for four years?!

Kaidan: Really?

Morana: Well I've had to use a notebook for much longer. I've travelled to just about every country, and not many people know sign language. Before I left, I had an entire wall of bookshelves full of notebooks in my room.

Lucien: Fascinating! I imagine the change in your handwriting is quite jarring if you compare your earliest notebooks to your current one. Did I see you writing with your left hand?

Morana: Yes.

Inigo: Is that such a strange thing?

Lucien: Most people back in the Imperial City write with their right hands! It's quite uncommon there!

Morana: Most people in the Imperial City never needed to wield a dagger while writing at the same time.

Lucien: You did?

Morana: It was part of my training.

Lucien: Quite gruesome training.

Kaidan: Do you have any idea what they're talking about?

Inigo: I do not have a clue. But, our friend looks happy. Perhaps this Lucien fellow can be another good friend to her.

Kaidan: *Watching the way Morana's hands move with a frown* Yeah.. Feels kinda like we're being left out though, doesn't it?

Inigo: Perhaps Lucien can teach us sign language! That would be fun! And we would be able to speak to our friend without waiting for her to write out her thoughts.

Kaidan: I suppose.. Yes, that could work.

~

Quick recap on Morana's forms of speaking

Italics - Writing, either in her notebook, or on scraps of paper

Bold - Sign language!

Small - Whispering, using her voice. Can't be done too often or else her throat gets sore.

[wisteriteeth]

session 6 of isles inn is finished :--] heres all the cutscene art!!

[satoshi-mochida]

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island coming west on February 27, 2024

Gematsu Source

Spike Chunsoft will release Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island for Switch on February 27, 2024 worldwide, the publisher announced.

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island was announced during the Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast on September 14, but did not appear in the western broadcast. It is the sixth numbered entry in the dungeon RPG series.

Here is an overview of the game, via Spike Chunsoft:

■ Main Visual

■ The Mystery Dungeon System

The Mystery Dungeon offers endless gameplay with procedurally generated dungeon maps, enemies, and loot to ensure that every game will be a new challenge for even the most seasoned adventurers. Shiren starts at level one each time he enters a dungeon, so he needs to grow by defeating enemies, gathering loot, and building strength. All the gear and levels Shiren accumulates will be lost if he collapses during exploration and must restart from scratch. The action progresses on a turn-based system, which allows players to plan carefully and thoughtfully. Players must use their accumulated knowledge, experience, and imagination to succeed.

This title brings new elements to the Mystery Dungeon, such as Shiren taking on new, powerful transformations and giant Behemoth monsters that hunt him through the dungeon.

■ Characters

Shiren

A heroic wanderer who travels the land in search of adventure with nothing but his partner Koppa, his wits, and his iconic hat and cape.

Koppa

Shiren’s loyal companion. Koppa is one of the last talking ferrets, able to speak with both humans and animals fluently.

Asuka

A wandering swordswoman who is old friends with Shiren and Koppa. She’s come to Serpentcoil Island for her own reasons and is reunited with her allies.

Suzuna

The cheerful innkeeper at Uzumaki-Ya, ready to support Shiren and Koppa while they plan their adventures on Serpentcoil Island.

■ Pre-Order the Physical Version Today

As a first-run bonus, a 2.75” x 3” sticker featuring the protagonist Shiren and the game’s traditional Japanese art style will be included with the game. *Image for illustration purposes only. Design and details are subject to change without notice. While supplies last. For details on where to pre-order Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island visit the official website. Physical version published in European regions by Reef Entertainment.

About Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island

After receiving a vision of a mysterious girl held captive by a terrible monster, Shiren and Koppa make their way to Serpentcoil Island—a distant isle rumored to be the lost stronghold of treasure-hoarding pirates. To brave the many dangers that await them, Shiren and Koppa must traverse complex dungeons filled with hostile monsters, hidden traps, and useful items. All the gear and experience Shiren accumulates will be lost if he collapses during exploration, so beware of rushing in unprepared! Rescue the mysterious girl and uncover the mystery that clouds Serpentcoil Island. The forthcoming release for Nintendo Switch marks the series’ latest mainline entry to come to the West since Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate was released on PlayStation Vita in 2016 and then on Nintendo Switch in 2020. While preserving the traditional gameplay, this installment introduces new elements and 3D graphics to create a fresh and exciting adventure.

About the Shiren the Wanderer Series

Shiren the Wanderer series of roguelike RPG games began with the 1995 release of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer for the Super Famicom in Japan. Players venture into a “Mystery Dungeon” that changes each time they enter. To succeed, they need to rely on their wits, experience, and creative thinking to overcome monsters, avoid perilous traps, and conquer the dungeon. Players who run out of energy during their journey will lose all of their possessions including tools, money, and gear, and must start again at level one. Players will experience a thrilling and tense adventure with unexpected events and risks that cannot be redone.

Watch the announcement trailer below. View a set of screenshots at the gallery.

Announce Trailer

English

Japanese

[livingformintyoongi]

Romcoms night | A BTS Series

The movie theater lights begin to dim as the curtains that lightly cover the large screen are pulled aside to leave it completely uncovered. It is only then, when there is no trace of light or fabric to block the view, that the countdown to the start of the film begins. 10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0...

| Kim Seokjin

Tired of waiting for a marriage proposal from your boyfriend, you decide to travel to Ireland to try out an old Irish tradition celebrated on February 29th. The problem? A severe storm stops your flight and forces you to stop on the Emerald Isle, miles away from your destination and your fiancé.

With time against you, you decide to ask for help to the handsome -but extremely irritating- innkeeper of a small hotel near the area, willing to do anything to reach your boyfriend and ask for his hand in marriage.

| Min Yoongi

Your life, in a nutshell, was perfect; you had a dream house, with an amazing husband and a good paying job. Things were finally starting to go uphill in your life - after the failed love affair you had before you met Yoongi -.

However, not all things are rosy, and that, to your misfortune, you found out in the worst possible way; arriving at your house -now in pieces- and finding your perfect husband holding a gun to his best friend's head.

| Jung Hoseok

Working as a ticket seller on the subway was not your idea of an ideal job, not even close. Your goals in life were far from being fulfilled with the minimum wage you were offered, but none of that mattered, not when you had Mingyu coming and going through the cars every morning and evening.

He was your dream man; handsome, tall, charismatic… you were completely in love with him, you would do anything to help him, even if it meant pretending to be his girlfriend to his family after he lost his memory in an accident at the station where you worked.

| Kim Namjoon

You were always an organized person, your life was planned from start to finish, every detail perfectly polished. Absolutely nothing could disarm that order that you had tried so hard to put in your life.

Until a little girl and an obnoxious co-worker come into your life, turning everything you believed in upside down, and messing up your idea of a perfect life.

| Park Jimin

Since you were a child you had had an impeccable taste for fashion, you loved touching those fine fabrics that covered people's bodies with beauty and elegance, how a single garment could make you feel like the queen of the world, just by the way you could wear it.

It was that same obsessive love you had for fashion that you ended up in this situation; working for a stupid finance entrepreneur, in a boring and horrible magazine you had never even heard of, going to great lengths to get to your dream job as a writer at the most famous fashion magazine in town.

| Kim Taehyung

Your job as a "night companion" had always been difficult for you, from the discomfort of flirting with complete strangers to the fact that you had to take them to bed. But there wasn’t much you could do; you didn’t earn enough money to afford a decent life. You could barely pay for a shared apartment, let alone a college education.

You had lost all hope of living a peaceful life, far from the dangerous streets and one-night stands—or at least that was the case until Kim Taehyung came into your life.

| Jeon Jungkook

Saying that the people at your workplace hated you was an understatement. You were quite a... strict boss. You liked efficient people, those who acted instead of talked; your life was far too busy to worry about such insignificant details, and you expected everyone to act—or at least pretend—that they shared the same mindset as you.

It was precisely that kind of thinking that led you to ask—beg—your secretary, Jeon Jungkook, to marry you. It was a simple business deal, no love involved; he wanted you to help him become a writer, and you needed to stay in the country without being deported. No feelings, no complications, easy and straightforward.

Masterlist.

Dividers by @silkholland <3

[miraakulous-cloud-district]

For Ravonna: If you didn't have to worry about money, politics, or logistics, where would you travel? What would you do first once you arrived at your destination?

This is for this ask game!

Hello there! I don't really care about politics, to he honest. I hate the Thalmor, so I probably wouldn't go to the Summerset Isles. That's where their main base is, right? Or maybe I would sneak there, but my friends tell me I'm a terrible sneak, apparently...

Aaah, I don't even know! I would go everywhere! Each province has its beauties and songs. And special drinks! My initial life plan, before the whole dragonborn thing was to become a bard and eventually travel the world. I wanted to sing at least once in every tavern ever. And be a crazy wizard-bard. Now I'm a crazy wizard-bard who needs to defeat Alduin because otherwise this whole beautiful world will end. No pressure at all...

The first thing I'd do anywhere would be go to the local tavern and see the people there. See who the fun people are and who are the assholes. Talk a bit with the innkeeper and get the special drinks, whatever those are. Maybe even get the recipe. Then, after a few of those, I'd probably try to impress the people with my singing or my party tricks.

[ainews]

On the 26th of April 1643, the sleepy town of Peel on the Isle of Man made headlines as a long-forgotten ghost made its presence famous. The specter in question was a ‘torpid ghast’; a term used to refer to a sleeping ghost that remained dormant in a state of suspended animation over the last centuries.

According to Isle of Man folklore, the torpid ghast was once an innkeeper who situated himself and his establishment in the town of Peel. The innkeeper's untimely demise triggered the emergence of the supernatural entity that eventually settled in the abandoned building, and haunted its residents for hundreds of years.

On the fateful day of the April 26th, the ghast unexpectedly woke up and set in its wake a terrifying ripple effect of events. Various accounts describe a series of poltergeist occurrences, such as objects flying around and lights mysteriously flicking off and on.

The arrival of the torpid ghast awakened a dormant local superstition that had seemingly been forgotten by successive generations of islanders. As rumors began to circulate about the ghast's presence, fear soon began to creep its way into the small town.

Local authorities decided to investigate the matter further and called in renowned English occultist and amateur folklorist, Reverend J.T. Bloxham. After performing a thorough investigation of the torpid ghast's haunt, Rev. Bloxham concluded that the lively specter was an ancient entity known as “The Torpid Ghast of Peel.”

The case of the torpid ghast of Peel made waves throughout the island, and has become a continued source of fascination among many Islanders. The apparition has been referred to in multiple historical texts as one of the earliest recorded occurrences of the supernatural in the Isle of Man.

Today, the story of the torpid ghast remains part of Manx folklore and stands as a testament to the courage and resilience of the Isle of Man's people in times of hardship and uncertainty. It serves as a reminder of the lasting presence of the Otherworld in the Town of Peel and beyond.