#king of winter king of rivers; king of ice and snow

[fairyofthefriz]

King of Winter, King of Rivers; King of Ice and Snow  Update!

Chapter Ten: You’re here for a Reason but you don’t know Why

White Wolf recovers some lost brothers Young Wolf gives Water Wolf some Jobs Flying Wolf Panics TM, but Lady Reed has Got This Water Wolf is still doing Jobs for Young Wolf (not happy jan, not happy) Red Crow needs a new system Wild Wolf s m i l e s They all just really love their siblings your honour!

ao3    ko-fi    insta    tiktok

[zoesblogsposts]

o 625 words to know in your target language o

There is a really interesting blog called "Fluent Forever" that aids foreign language learners in tricks, tips and techniques to guide them to achieving fluency "quickly" and efficiently. One of the tricks is to learn these 625 vocab words in your target language, that way you have a basis to start delving into grammar with ease as you can understand a lot of vocab right off the bat. Plus this list of words are common across the world and will aid you in whatever language you are learning. Here is the list in thematic order

• Animal: dog, cat, fish, bird, cow, pig, mouse, horse, wing, animal

• Transportation: train, plane, car, truck, bicycle, bus, boat, ship, tire, gasoline, engine, (train) ticket, transportation

• Location: city, house, apartment, street/road, airport, train station, bridge hotel, restaurant, farm, court, school, office, room, town, university, club, bar, park, camp, store/shop, theater, library, hospital, church, market, country (USA,

France, etc.), building, ground, space (outer space), bank, location

• Clothing: hat, dress, suit, skirt, shirt, T-shirt, pants, shoes, pocket, coat, stain, clothing

• Color: red, green, blue (light/dark), yellow, brown, pink, orange, black, white, gray, color

• People: son, daughter, mother, father, parent (= mother/father), baby, man, woman, brother, sister, family, grandfather, grandmother, husband, wife, king, queen, president, neighbor, boy, girl, child (= boy/girl), adult (= man/woman), human (# animal), friend (Add a friend's name), victim, player, fan, crowd, person

• Job: Teacher, student, lawyer, doctor, patient, waiter, secretary, priest, police, army, soldier, artist, author, manager, reporter, actor, job

• Society: religion, heaven, hell, death, medicine, money, dollar, bill, marriage, wedding, team, race (ethnicity), sex (the act), sex (gender), murder, prison, technology, energy, war, peace, attack, election, magazine, newspaper, poison, gun, sport, race (sport), exercise, ball, game, price, contract, drug, sign, science, God

• Art. band, song, instrument (musical), music, movie, art

• Beverages: coffee, tea, wine, beer, juice, water, milk, beverage

• Food: egg, cheese, bread, soup, cake, chicken, pork, beef, apple, banana orange, lemon, corn, rice, oil, seed, knife, spoon, fork, plate, cup, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sugar, salt, bottle, food

• Home: table, chair, bed, dream, window, door, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, pencil, pen, photograph, soap, book, page, key, paint, letter, note, wall, paper, floor, ceiling, roof, pool, lock, telephone, garden, yard, needle, bag, box, gift, card, ring, tool

• Electronics: clock, lamp, fan, cell phone, network, computer, program (computer), laptop, screen, camera, television, radio

• Body: head, neck, face, beard, hair, eye, mouth, lip, nose, tooth, ear, tear (drop), tongue, back, toe, finger, foot, hand, leg, arm, shoulder, heart, blood, brain, knee, sweat, disease, bone, voice, skin, body

• Nature: sea, ocean, river, mountain, rain, snow, tree, sun, moon, world, Earth, forest, sky, plant, wind, soil/earth, flower, valley, root, lake, star, grass, leaf, air, sand, beach, wave, fire, ice, island, hill, heat, nature

• Materials: glass, metal, plastic, wood, stone, diamond, clay, dust, gold, copper, silver, material

• Math/Measurements: meter, centimeter, kilogram, inch, foot, pound, half, circle, square, temperature, date, weight, edge, corner

• Misc Nouns: map, dot, consonant, vowel, light, sound, yes, no, piece, pain, injury, hole, image, pattern, noun, verb, adjective

• Directions: top, bottom, side, front, back, outside, inside, up, down, left, right, straight, north, south, east, west, direction

• Seasons: Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall, season

• Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72, 80, 81, 82, 90, 91, 92, 100, 101, 102, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 10000, 100000, million, billion, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, number

• Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

• Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

• Time: year, month, week, day, hour, minute, second, morning, afternoon, evening, night, time

• Verbs: work, play, walk, run, drive, fly, swim, go, stop, follow, think, speak/say, eat, drink, kill, die, smile, laugh, cry, buy, pay, sell, shoot(a gun), learn, jump, smell, hear (a sound), listen (music), taste, touch, see (a bird), watch (TV), kiss, burn, melt, dig, explode, sit, stand, love, pass by, cut, fight, lie down, dance, sleep, wake up, sing, count, marry, pray, win, lose, mix/stir, bend, wash, cook, open, close, write, call, turn, build, teach, grow, draw, feed, catch, throw, clean, find, fall, push, pull, carry, break, wear, hang, shake, sign, beat, lift

• Adjectives: long, short (long), tall, short (vs tall), wide, narrow, big/large, small/little, slow, fast, hot, cold, warm, cool, new, old (new), young, old (young), weak, dead, alive, heavy, light (heavy), dark, light (dark), nuclear, famous

[murmel-malt]

“Aright, you lot!”  Robb calls to them cheerily. “Back to work!”

Almost everyone gives him a quick aye, your grace! before doing exactly that.  Robb clapped his sister on the shoulder and smiled at her, saying, “Let’s go get started on this paperwork, alright?” Arya huffed at him, but Robb could see the uptick to her mouth all the same.

They take themselves back to the office he has claimed for himself, where they find Sansa surrounded by ravens.  They are balanced on the back of chairs, on books, on the desk and the table and the window seat and the window ledge – Sorrow and Mirth are on Sansa’s shoulders.  The Hound, looking mightily uncomfortable, is the only non-feathery surface in the whole room, excluding the walls.

“What the fuck,” Arya breathes behind Robb, and receives a sharp reprimand from Mother.  Sansa looks up from the scroll she was copying with a small smile.

King of Winter, King of Rivers; King of Ice and Snow - Chapter 11 by @fairyofthefriz​

[mcytadventevent]

@twice-past is creating for Day Eighteen:

Prompt: Snowed-In

Their piece is written, featuring BigB!

Credit Links: https://www.tumblr.com/twice-past https://archiveofourown.org/users/twice_past/pseuds/twice_past

(Piece under the cut!)

Winter comes early that year, heralded by an axe, a death, a king. 

Snow presses on the glass insistently, desperate, grasping hands searching for warmth. When BigB pushes the door to the Cookie Castle experimentally, it doesn’t budge a single centimetre. From what little he can see, the rest of the server has suffered a similar fate as him.

He is glad to have a break from the chaos– the image of red eyes is burning itself into his retinas. He’s much more in favour of the Christmas shade - the one that promises joy and laughter and good cheer. It means evenings spent in the Mafia HQ dipping cookies in hot chocolates. It means snowball fights with the Property Police ‘til they all collapse laughing. It meant gifts and warmth and friendship. It seems it doesn’t anymore.

He misses Mini, misses their misadventures, their schemes, their twin grins upon a successful prank. He misses Jimmy and Martyn and Grian too, the versions of them unburdened by the Red, by this world. Grian has long been lost to the rush and bloodshed of Scar’s adoration; Jimmy’s eyes simmer with flame;. Martyn is loyal to a king draped in scarlet. 

So is BigB, of course. But he had joined for friendship and stayed for the camaraderie of the army. He can no longer tell what Martyn wants; because though his eyes shine green, his heart glows red. Perhaps he has been lost to admiration too.

BigB sometimes thinks that he’s barely holding on to himself. Sometimes he imagines that he hasn’t changed all that much. Sometimes he doesn’t recognise himself in the mirror with his diamond armour pristine, his shield shined, hair dragged out of his face by a red headband, eyes colder than they were before.

He wears green like a cloak of holly leaves and Christmas wreaths, while red surges around him, a flowing river  dancing in the eyes of his enemies, in the eyes of his friends. 

There is no use in trying to break down the door, and he’s secluded enough on the mountain that no one will find him, at least this morning. But, he might be able to sleep away the bone deep exhaustion that clings to him like frostbite if he takes a nap. He can only hope.

When he drifts off, he dreams of a swirling mass of reds and greens, a pine forest in a storm of scarlet, and opens his eyes to hear that the red has claimed three lives.

--

Winter doesn’t end, but those who herald it fall under a rain of arrows, so BigB is left alone. The solitude looms above him, a hulking creature of snow and ice and frost.

He has the clarity of mind to pull the no kill pass from its frame above the staircase, gripping the lifeline as he leaves the Cookie Castle. He draws the weather around himself, a reminder of his lost friends that strengthens his resolve.

The red seethes in his veins, threatens to wrap around the throat of his enemies and  bring the server under his wrath. It’s irrational; fear and anger and isolation all braided into a single rope. BigB has seen it all before.

Is this how it ends? 

He goes out with a deception and cactus spines in his back, the no kill pass tucked into his palm.

When Grian falls, so do the first flurries of snow, flooding the grass where BigB had made his last stand, slain in the mud of the lake. With each falling flake the damage is swarmed under a miasma of crystalline snow, piling up layer by intricate layer.

A gale builds in the silence, wind howling through the castles and tunnels and the hollow absences where players once lived. Roofs are peeled away, nails ripped from wooden planks, walls crumble inwards. The snow only flurries harder and heavier.

The sun sets; the moon rises. Still the storm does not stop.

Is this how it ends? 

Rain thunders, the river swells and bursts at the banks washing away the stain of Cleo’s blood. The platform above Dogwarts splinters then cracks, sweeping their lives and livelihoods away. Snow and sand mingle, weighing upon the bunker’s roof until the pillars collapse, crushing the canary’s wings. 

It is almost as if no one had stepped foot here. A new sun beats down, erases the snow that erased the players. BigB, frozen in his ice cocoon, does not awake where he fell. He dreams of an endless void and opens his eyes in an unfamiliar world.

This is how it ends. The cycle begins again.

[morganatic-if]

DEMO

Morganatic is an in-development work of gothic romance set in a fantastical realm.

Fae have as many names as areas of patronage. The Algid: the whisper of fast falling snow, the hunger of howling gales scouring tundra bare, the glint of glacial ice. Winter is under his dominion. The cardinal embodiment of the North has long presided over lands bordered by the St. Marie and the St. Laurent, twin rivers flowing over powerful leylines. As the youngest child of a disgraced noble family, there was little room to negotiate when he named his price for continued benevolent rule. As tithe to a king before kings: a bride. But Andrei Daddano is no woman, and he will be no wife.

Last Update: ~4.3k update / 10,628 words total [Feb 4 2024]

[siltyriver]

DPxDC WIP — Conceal, Don’t Feel

(official continuation of this prompt post)

Pairings: Jason/Danny, Tim/Bernard, Dick/Wally

Idea: Frozen/Rise of the Guardians AU

Okay the brain worms won out so official new WIP here we go!

Jason is Elsa, Danny is Jack Frost

Basic premise is that Jason was abandoned as a young child and the Spirits gifted him with powers to help him stay alive after they witnessed him helping a young reindeer (no he does not adopt it lmao) and he’s eventually taken in by Bruce Wayne, King of Arendelle Gotham

His powers are a shock to Bruce, but they seem harmless enough and he mostly uses them to make little trinkets or mini snow storms/flurries when his emotions are high

He gains more control as he gets older and Dick and Tim are always asking him to make more action figures and slides and whatnot and he’s more than happy to comply, enjoying making his brothers happy

Until one night (ages are roughly: Dick 12, Jason 7, Tim 5) there’s an accident with Timmy jumping too fast on the pillars Jason was creating for him and he falls and Jason reaches out with too much power that hits his brother square in the chest

Dick runs to get Bruce as Jason cradles Tim who’s passed out and cold as ice and Jason is so, so scared

Bruce takes them all to John Constantine who is a hermit in the woods with lots of magical and arcane knowlege

He is able to heal Tim but he makes it very clear that Jason could have killed him and that if he continued to use his powers without tight control he could kill someone else

They’re all shaken enough to take this as meaning that Jason should just… never use his powers. Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them show

So life goes on and Jason locks himself away in his room most of the time (Bruce does not shut down the castle though — they just keep Jason’s powers a secret like usual). Tim doesn’t remember the accident or the fact that Jason has powers so he’s confused and hurt and Dick is worried about Jason but follows Bruce and his lead and doesn’t talk about it and tells Tim that Jason is just sick and needs his space

Their family grows as Bruce takes in Damian (Talia died when he was about 2, Bruce didn’t even know about him until the kid showed up at the Palace doors with a letter explaining the situation), and adopts Cass and Duke.

Babs is the daughter of the Captain of the Guard and Dick’s best friend so is basically part of the family and Steph (a street rat, daughter of a criminal) got attached to Tim and basically lives in the palace (but is NOT Bruce’s daughter, she reminds them all constantly). Other batfam members come in and out as they please lol

Bruce is presumed dead when Jason is 16 and Dick takes the throne at 21. Things are a bit tense but Dick has a solid support system and things go relatively smoothly, but Jason is having a harder time controlling his powers and emotions

Cut to his 18th birthday when he’s to get Crowned as Prince (I know this may be incorrect but I also Do Not care how monarchies work <3 — Maybe it could be Dick’s official Coronation or smth to make it easier, idc)

He really fucking doesn’t want to, but he also wants to act normal and make Dick proud so he suffers through it

Needless to say it goes terribly and ends with him basically turning the ballroom into ice and setting an eternal winter on all of Gotham as he flees to the mountains

Tim (who kind of set Jason off) tells Dick he’s going to track him down. (After a quick run-down explanation from Dick who is Stressed and Tim is so pissed that he didn’t remember the accident and that Jason felt the need to isolate himself — and that Bruce let him and convinced Dick it was for the best)

Dick goes with him and leaves the Kingdom in the capable hands of his Advisor (Babs) and Consort (Wally) and Alfred

They left very fast and aren’t the Most prepared and it’s a bit of a shitshow trek (cue Tim falling into a river trying to mimic Dick’s stupid gymnast moves and Dick getting a tree full of snow dumped on him for laughing) but they eventually make to to a little trading post (‘Look, Tim, they have a sauna!’) and are immediately recognized as Royalty and are getting products shoved at them left and right

Enter Bernard, local ice harvester, who is covered in snow and already annoyed at the Royal Roadshow when he needs to buy some real supplies

Tim and he immediately start bickering and when Dick overhears that Bernard knows the mountain he asks him to be their guide, much to both Tim and Bernard’s immediate refusals. But Dick offers a lot of money and Bernard caves

Meanwhile Jason has found himself collapsing in the snow and finally lets himself have the emotional release that he’s been holding in and his magic goes nuts creating things and he finds himself in a giant ice fortress, which, rad

What’s not rad is the freaky guy who shows up inside said fortress and starts poking around at both the ice and at Jason

It’s Danny, AKA Phantom Frost from the Legends

Now, Danny has been around for a century or two as a Winter Spirit and then became a Guardian when he kicked Pariah Dark’s ass back to the Eternal Darkness a couple hundred years ago. (Pariah Dark = Pitch Black/the Boogeyman)

He doesn’t remember his mortal life and no one is sure if he actually ever had a life Before or if he’s a manifestation of Magic herself. That rumor mixed with his defeat of Pariah leaves him revered among the Spirits and Guardians alike and he doesn’t love it because they often come to him with problems as if he can fix them (he does, every time)

He’s known as Phantom Frost but his closer friends call him Danny - the name he came into this world instinctively knowing as himself even when everything else was missing. (Maybe his squad can be Spirits/Guardians too? hmmm.)

Things have been quiet for a couple of decades and then one day his instinctual alarm bells start going off telling him that something is wrong and Unbalanced with Winter so he goes to investigate

He finds out that an Eternal Winter has been set on the Kingdom of Gotham and discovers a truly spectacular fortress built from ice in the mountains north of the kingdom

He goes inside and meets Jason who has clearly been Gifted by Magic herself and is so Unbalanced within his own soul that it makes Danny shiver

He knows he needs to help the guy and ends up showing off some of his own powers and gaining a bit of trust from Jason who ends up telling him the rundown of what led up to this and Danny is Pissed (and confused on how he had never known about Jason throughout the years) and vows to help him learn how to properly control his powers without trying to shut them off and harm his soul

After a bit of training and huge improvements with Jason’s abilities, Dick and Tim (and Bernard) come to find him and when Jason figures out he set off an Eternal Winter (Danny did Not inform him of that fact) he kind of spirals and ends up lashing out at Tim for the second time in his life and Danny has to calm him down so they can Fix the situation

Dick is (rightfully) freaking the fuck out and doesn’t trust Danny all the way so Danny agrees to go with them to visit their local Hermit/Arcane Expert to get a second opinion and who, from what Danny heard from Jason, deserves an ass kicking anyway (it’s John Constantine and he’d been the person Bruce took Tim to when the first accident happened and who had basically convinced them all to fear Jason’s powers and led to him trying to pretend they didn’t exist)

John Constantine is So Tired

Meeting Phantom Frost is overwhelming enough, but having to yet again deal with a Wayne level Situation… he feels like maybe he should move

But he helps, calling on Magic and finding the situation much more dire than any of them thought

He tells them the solution and they all pretty much laugh in his face (all except Phantom, who knows Magic better than John could ever even hope to and who wouldn’t dare laugh or scoff at Her power)

Only an act of True Love can thaw the ice that has set in Tim’s heart

aaaaand… to be continued ;)

[loz-untold-myths]

The Mage's Lantern Worldbuilding

◇▪︎ Darune Town ▪︎◇

Concept map (2024).

Darune Town (also known as Darune Village among the townspeople) is a settlement constructed where one was previously devastated by the Silver Tempest and swarms of monsters. It is named after an ancient Sage of Fire in hopes of fortune against the severe cold Hyrule has been stricken with. It is Link's hometown and primarily run by the Link (Arnson) and Lon families.

Basic Info

Darune Town is Link's hometown.

The town has no mayor, due to only recently being recognized as a new township. Link's father Arn, however, is often treated as the equivalent of one.

Their main livestock consists of Highland Cows that used to roam Hyrule Field. They also raise horses, although they're only of use for deliveries along the Stone Road (a pathway constructed throughout the plains of Hyrule Field). Usually, dogsleds are used for shorter travels; especially when going to retrieve materials. Alternatively, there are a select few fishing spots with Hyrulean Salmon that were trapped by the cut-off of a stream.

Construction

During the arduous construction, entire sections of the snow would be dug and re-dug each morning, as well as the thick layers of ice formed over the soil by the Silver Tempest. This was to prevent any misconceptions in the building process: to make sure nothing relied on the packed snow for support.

If the snow were to ever disappear, the buildings would still be structurally sound– they are supported by layers of carved stone. The paths used for the horses are, as well. Darune’s roads have step-like borders, they just are never visible due to the snow’s buildup. Sometimes, not even the elevated pathways are really visible... that's where the sled rental service comes in.

Torches are posted along the roads, but are snuffed out quickly. Only certain spots have lanterns, as it's more important to keep the public spaces visible in the event of an emergency. The lamppost man's sole job for the town is to run across the town keeping all the torches and lanterns lit, night and day. Occasionally, he likes to do hearth and chimney inspections just to be doing something else...

The ranch and stables are given a sort of “roof” that is made of retractable but sturdy tiles, requiring multiple people to deploy and remove. They took years to make, but the project was funded by the King once he heard of the effort (he believed it would be vital for other remaining settlements to be able to replicate). Lanterns are meant to try and simulate natural light for the horses and cows as well as keep them warm– Epona likes to rub her face against them despite Arn's efforts to discourage the habit.

Most of the village has cellars for the winter and days of particularly unfortunate weather. The cellar doors, instead of being built at ground level, are built on elevated cobble pillars against the cellar chimneys. They're more so storm shelters.

Origin

Darune Village was built after the collapse of many homes in the general area during the Silver Tempest's awakening.

The town was built specifically with the storm in mind, on the backs of many hardworking and determined individuals. So much work went into the construction that it is rumored that some of the volunteers died on site from exhaustion.

Location Info + Climate

Darune is in a region of Hyrule Field called the Greater Hyrulean Plains, making it one of the closest settlements to the eye of the Silver Tempest.

The pond has been cut off from the stream that originally let water in from the river, so some villagers gather snowfall in a bucket to turn into boiling water for drinking.

The pond also has been almost entirely frozen over in a thick top layer, except for the center area. The center area's ice is much thinner, so it may break if disturbed for too long. There have been cases of people falling in and becoming ill.

Before the tempest, the Darune area tended to be around 76° average during the summer and about 33° average during the winter. Now, the summer average is 30°, and the winter average is only 17° at best and -32° at worst. Winters are unlivable across Hyrule and become a sort of lockdown, and in late autumn, the king usually issues out supplies rationed throughout the year to minimize how many people must starve. Castle Town folks have it even worse, but at least have easier access to trade routes.

Luckily, Darune mostly gets snow or ice rain rather than the Castle Town or Hebra Region's persistent hailstorms. This makes it a safe travel spot for those who accidentally find themselves off the Stone Road, but since the only "inn" is just a rest stop with two beds, villagers just take turns letting people rest in their homes.

The Temple of Time

The Temple of Time was what connected the old village to Castle Town. It was the site of many ceremonies, especially weddings; it was said to be representative of the Spirit Maiden, Hylia, and her eternal love for a mortal soul destined to meet her again throughout time (a common Hyrulean fairytale).

The Temple closed its doors to the public shortly before the Silver Tempest came about.

Around the time Darune was built, the Temple's upkeep seemingly stopped. However, village children still insist they see shadows crawling towards it on clear nights... which adults don't really believe, since there aren't often clear nights anymore.

Within the Temple of Time, Link finds a chamber dedicated to heroes of the past: spirits and fae who guided heroes to meeting Hylia in the past. The center of the room holds a little lantern, containing the fire spirit, Searis. Link has no idea why the spirit was locked inside or who placed him there... but perhaps he is the key to saving his village from their neverending struggle to survive?

Spectacle Rock

The village's primary source of Rock Salt. Ore deposits often appear from the strange stone.

Residents (NPCs)

Link and his family know just about everyone in town. It's small, after all. Some NPCs may be recognizable. Others, not so much.

Link

Arn

Aryll

Malon

Talon

Ingo

Old Man Linebeck

Wane (Lamppost Man)

Kyndlewax

Wulf

Dot

❄️ NPC art post will be linked here once completed. ❄️

Side Quests

If I got to actually format The Mage's Lantern as a game without Nintendo having my head, there would be a slightly longer beginning section similar to that of Ordon Village in Twilight Princess. This would include the chance to do a series of sidequests before Link wanders to Spectacle Rock.

❄️ Chapters 1-6 as a game. ❄️ (WIP)

Includes: Warm Apology, Horse Training, A Fishy Situation

. . .

Warm Apology (Quest Get)

I was supposed to spend time with Aryll today, but I completely slept through it... The least I can do is help her feel better in whatever way I can. I want to get something that'll fight off her sickness, too... but I don't have any money. People lose stuff in the snow all the time, though! Maybe I can find something...

Warm Apology (Bought Safflina)

I managed to gather enough rupees to buy the most expensive thing at Wax & Wane's General Shop. It's a flower called an Amber Safflina from somewhere far away... apparently it fights the cold (both the weather and the illness, so they say). I'm not so sure I can believe it, but I have to give it a try. They rarely have these lately... And who sees flowers anymore?! Aryll won't believe it, either!

Warm Apology (Complete)

I gave Aryll the Amber Safflina as an apology gift. She seemed really happy, so I think I'm forgiven. Phew. She even wanted to save one of them.

...

I forget that she doesn't get to go outside much until she recovers... and that she's only seen a few flowers ever. Mama used to tell me there were hundreds.

. . .

Horse Training (Quest Get)

I found Malon sneaking around the stables again, for some reason. She likes to work here with the horses instead of the cows at the ranch.

...

Anyway, that growl Papa was talking about seems to have scared all of the horses except for Epona. Now they just won't listen to Malon, even with her song. I'll have to soothe them all before they go back into the stable...

Horse Training (Complete)

I had to ride each horse back into the stables individually, but they're safe now. Malon gave them some straw so they'll stay put.

She told me not to tell, but she gave me some rupees as a reward. I tried to turn them down - she was pretty insistent... I guess these could be useful, though.

. . .

A Fishy Situation (Quest Get)

Because of the monster, not even Papa's friends can keep on track... It really must be bad. Usually, Papa's the sort of leader to get anybody on task!

I wonder if there's something I can do to help, even if Papa says different. Maybe if I ask around..

A Fishy Situation (Mystery Solved)

I asked around a little bit, and it seems like all the workers are just hungry. I think I get why they're so distracted now... but what can I bring them?

...

I guess I can find them some fish at the pond... I'm probably going to regret this, aren't I?

A Fishy Situation (Fishing Done)

It felt weird to go back to the pond after these past couple of weeks. It looks almost completely frozen over again - they must have had to re-carve the fishing holes. Would Aryll be mad at me for walking around here? Papa?

Old Man Linebeck was in his usual spot, where the ice is thick. And as usual, didn't want to be bothered. Surprisingly, he said he'd teach me to spear fish... but only a little, since I'm not paying. He was fuming every time I slipped up, but he said for a price he could teach me more. Did he enjoy fishing with somebody else or not?! I just can't read that guy!

...

For now, I'm just fine with the few salmon I managed to catch. This ought to get everyone's heads back in the right place.

A Fishy Situation (Complete)

Papa managed to start a fire and grilled the salmon I brought back for the workers (after I bothered him for a little while). He let me have some, too! It was sweet and savory. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside! So flaky and delicious...

...

Oh, and everyone seemed to calm down a little.

. . .

❄️ HEY! This section will be expanded as the story progresses! ❄️

Link

Hypothetical gameplay talk aside, here is the storyline in novelized form! Chapter 7 to be released in two parts between December of 2024 and January of 2025.

[iceywolf24]

I love how since the Old Gods are linked to many elements they represent a different quality of Bran

"The stone is strong, Bran told himself, the roots of the trees go deep, and under the ground the Kings of Winter sit their thrones." - Bran VII ACOK

"The Strongest trees are rooted in the darkest places of the world" - Bran III ADWD

Earth represents growth and strength showing how Bran can endure anything.

"Rivers turn and twist," Bran said uncertainly, "and where there's lakes and hills, you need to go around." - Bran I ADWD

Water represents fluidity as shown in Bran's abilities to inhabitant a hundred skins and adapt.

"Who do you think sends the wind, if not the gods?" - Bran VI AGOT

Winds represent words, communication and comfort.

"And through the mist of centuries the broken boy could only watch" - Bran III ADWD

A crescent moon was floating in a dark sky, half-obscured by mist, like an eye peering through a veil of silk

He had never seen the godswood like this, though—grey and ghostly, filled with warm mists and floating lights and whispered voices that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. - The Prince of Winterfell ADWD

Mist represents time but also invisibility for Bran.

Fire consumes, but cold preserves - Samwell III AFF

"The gods have turned against us," old Lord Locke was heard to say in the Great Hall. "This is their wroth. A wind as cold as hell itself and snows that never end. We are cursed." - The Turncloak ADWD

Ice preserves like the Old Gods preserve the forgotten past.

Ice can also be a storm sent to bring vengeance or justice.

[pompomqt]

Journey to the West Chapter 48

Traders: The ice is totally thick enough to walk on. *Wink Wink*

The Pilgrims:

In this chapter of Journey to the West with @journeythroughjourneytothewest we get to find out how Pigsy and Monkey's sacrifice gambit turns out. So let's get into it shall we?

So Pigsy and Monkey are disguised as the young children of the Chen family to be sacrificed to the 'Great King of Numinous Power'. The villagers set everything up as they usually do, before leaving Pigsy and Monkey to deal with the situation. Pigsy is all for leaving with the villagers, but Monkey reminds them why they are here. Turns out Pigsy though Monkey was joking about the whole being sacrificed in the kid's place thing.' Monkey however is determined to see this through to the end.

Before the two of them can argue more, the Demon of the Week shows up, and Monkey tells Pigsy to let him do all the talking. Which turns out to be a mistake on Pigsy's part as Monkey is so nonchalant about the whole being sacrificed and eaten thing, that he freaks the demon out enough that he decides to eat the girl first instead. Pigsy of course freaks out about this. And as soon as the demon starts to reach for him, he returns to his true form and gives him a wack with his rake, and manages to knock some fish scales off the demon.

The demon didn't come here expecting a fight, so he quickly decides to exit stage left pursued by Monkey and Pig. The Demon demands to know why these two are chasing him around and robbing him of his offerings. And Monkey brazenly answers by saying they are the Disciples of the Great Tang Monk, here to punish the demon for all his wrongdoings. This simply solidifies the Demon's decision to bail, so before Pigsy can get in one last hit with his rake, the demon turns into a gust of wind and returns to the river. Monkey's never cared to follow a foe into a body of water, so they decide to head back to the village and tell everyone the good news.

So Monkey gives Tripitaka the recap of what happens, and the old men are thrilled that their children are safe, and offer to host the pilgrims for another night. Meanwhile the demon's homecoming wasn't as nice. The other demon's notice that he's in a bit of a mood, which is strange since he usually loves the yearly sacrifice! The Demon King explains that while he's usually able to bring them all back some left overs, he didn't even get anything himself this time! Since the disciples of the Tang Monk disguised themselves as his sacrifices and chased him off. And while he'd love to eat the Tang Monk he's heard so much about, he has no idea how he could do that with Monkey and Pigsy guarding him.

Luckily one of his demon entourage has an idea on how to go about this, all she asks is that he share in the bounty if the plan succeeds. The Demon King agrees and says he'll even become her bond brother. So the demoness asks if the Demon King can summon snow like he does other type of weather, and if he can create ice and freeze things. The Demon King confirms that that is all included in his power set. So the Demoness suggests that they freeze over the river, and have some of their fellow demon's disguise themselves as humans and walk across it to show Tripitaka that it is safe to cross. And once the Pilgrims get to the middle of the river, they can bust through the ice and grab him. The Demon King gives his thumbs up to this plan and starts the snow storm.

Meanwhile the pilgrims are having a very cold night at the Chen's house, and wake up to find the village has transformed into a winter wonderland. Tripitaka asks the Chen's about the unusual weather, but they assure him that snow isn't to uncommon here at this time of year. Tripitaka begins to cry because this journey is taking forever, he had hoped to be back like- four years ago. And he had been hoping to borrow a boat from them to cross the river, but now they are going to be delayed on their journey even further. The Chen's try and assure him that a few more days isn't going to make or break the journey and that they'll help him get across once the ice melts.

So the pilgrims spend a nice day with the Chen's with lots of warm tea and wine while they wax poetics about the beauty of snow. By the end of the day however they start hearing rumors that the river has frozen over and people are now walking across it. Tripitaka immediately wants to investigate but the Chen's persuade him that it can wait until morning.

So the next morning they investigate the river as promised and see that people are indeed crossing it. So Tripitaka asks Chen where those people are going, and Chen explains that they must be traders heading for Western Kingdom of Women. Which definitely sounds like the kind of place our Pilgrims are going to end up later. Anyways since boats are limited the traders must be taking this opportunity to cross all at once. Tripitaka also wants to take this opportunity to cross, but Sandy and the Chen's try and persuade him not to risk it, and just stay here until the ice melts instead. Pigsy then buts in and say's that he'll just test the ice, so he gives it a good wack with his rake. Seeing that it didn't break, Pigsy gives Tripitaka the go ahead and say's it's safe to walk on.

So Tripitaka gives his goodbye's the Chen's and they offer him some rations. They also try and give him a tray full of gold and silver as thanks for saving their children, but Tripitaka refuses it since he's a monk and all. The two old men however are so insistent about it that eventually Monkey takes a single silver piece just so the old men won't feel bad about it. Pigsy also gets some straw from the family to winter proof their horse's hooves. And it seems that Pigsy actually has some knowledge about how to transverse ice. Since he also suggests that Tripitaka carry his staff across his lap, while the rest of them carry their weapons on their shoulders. This way if they fall through the ice, their weapons will catch the sides of the ice and prevent them from falling all the way through.

So the pilgrim spends their day and night trekking across the frozen river without issue. However the next day they start to hear a rending sound from the ice, which greatly startles the horse. Tripitaka asks what that sound was, but Pigsy assures him it was probably just the ice grating the river bed and they continue on their way. Ignoring this sound however turns out to be a mistake since they don't get much further before the ice breaks apart- dumping Tripitaka, Sandy, Pigsy, and their horse into the freezing river. Monkey just sort of... flies to avoid it. With that the demon's successfully kidnap Tripitaka and brings him back to their base.

The Demon King is all jazzed to feast of Tripitaka with his new bond sister. Said sister however says they should probably hold off on the party until they are sure Tripitaka's disciples aren't going to break down their door and ruin their party. So for now Tripitaka is just shoved into a stone box to await his rescue.

Meanwhile Sandy and Pigsy have managed to get themselves as well as the horse and luggage out of the river, without a problem, after all Pigsy used to be a marshal stationed on a river, and Sandy is literally a river demon. Anyways when Monkey asks where Tripitaka is, Pigsy says that he's changed his family name to 'Sink' and his given name to 'To-the-Bottom'. Well that's one way to break the news. So the three of them decide to go back to the Chen's place for now in order to figure out a game plan.

The Chen's make sure to say 'I told you so' when they see the disciples back here dripping wet and missing their master. Monkey assures them that Tripitaka isn't dead yet, since when has any demon ever tried to eat him right away, and they even have a good idea on who took him this time. So the pilgrims have a quick meal with the Chen's before telling them to watch their horse while they rescue their master and deal with their local demon problem once and for all.

Current Sun Wukong Stats: Names/Titles: Monkey, The Stone Monkey, The Handsome Monkey King, Sun Wukong (Monkey awakened to the void), Bimawen (Banhorseplague), The Great Sage Equal To Heaven and Pilgrim Sun. Immortality: 5 + 94,000 years Weapon: The Compliant Golden Hooped Rod Abilities: 72 Transformations, Cloud-Somersault, Ability to transform his individual hairs, super strength, Ability to Summon Wind, Water restriction charm, and the ability to change into a huge war form, ability to duplicate his staff, ability to immobilize others, the ability to put others to sleep, and the Fiery eyes and Diamond Pupils, intimidating horses, churning large bodies of water, sleeplessness, seizing the wind, enhanced smell, discerning good and evil within a thousand miles, Spirit Summoning, lock picking, object transformation, distance reduction, vanishing in a flash of light, super healing and transforming others. Demon Kill Count: 9+ Unknown Number of Minions Human Kill Count: 1009 God's Defeated: 22 + Unknown number Defeats: 5 Crime List: Robbery, Murder, Mass Murder, Arson, Theft, Coercion, Threatening a Government Official, Resisting Arrest, Assault, Forgery, Employee Theft, False Imprisonment, Impersonating a Government Official, Treason, attempted murder, failure to control or report a dangerous fire, desecrating a corpse, breaking and entering, trespassing, violating Tree Law, looting corpses, trading counterfeit goods, criminal threat, animal abuse, Assisting or Instigating Escape, Damage to Religious Property, contaminating a substance for human consumption and Identity Fraud. Cry Count: 7 + 3 fake cries Mountains Trapped Under: 4

Current Tang Sanzang stats: Names/Titles: River Float, Xuanzang, Tang Sanzang, Tripitaka and the Tang Monk Abilities: Curing Blindness, making branches point a certain direction (allegedly), reciting sutras, pretty privilege, memorization, Heart Sutra and Meditation. Cry Count: 24 Tight Fillet Spell Uses: 31 Paralyzed by fear: 5 Bandit Problems: 2 Kidnapped by demons: 7 Falling Off Horses: 8

Current Bai Long Ma Stats: Names/Titles: Bai Long Ma (White Dragon Horse), Prince of the Western Ocean, and third prince jade dragon of the dragon king Aorun Abilities: Transforming into a human, a water snake, and a horse, eating a horse in one bite, flight, Magic of Water Restriction, Singing, and Sword Dancing. Cry Count: 1 Crime List: Arson, and Grave Disobedience. Contributions to the plot: 2

Current Zhu Wuneng Stats: Names/Titles: The Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds, Zhu Wuneng (Pig who is aware of ability), Zhu Ganglie, Pigsy, Idiot and Eight Rules. Weapon: Rake Abilities: 36 Transformations, parting water, fighting underwater, cloud soaring, size enhancement and CPR Demon Kill Count/Kill steals: 2 Kidnapped by Demons: 3 Human Kill Count: 1 Failed Flirtation/romances Attempts: 3 Cry Count: 1 Crime List: Sexual Harassment, Murder, Kidnapping, arson, defamation, Damage to Religious Property, contaminating a substance for human consumption and Identity Fraud

Current Sha Wujing Stats: Names/Titles: The Curtain-Raising General, Sha Wujing (Sand Aware of Purity), Sandy and Sha Monk Weapon: Monster Taming Staff Abilities: Fighting underwater and Cloud soaring. Demon Kill Count: Unknown number of minions. Kidnapped by Demons: 2 Human Kill Count: 1 Crime List: Breaking a Crystal Cup, murder, desecration of a human corpse, Damage to Religious Property and contaminating a substance for human consumption

Previous - Masterpost - Next

[kingmagnificoofrosas]

Midnight King

Beauty and grace, handsome face.

Eyes like early morning skies, deep as oceans, reflecting love, batting lashes tender like a flying dove.

Heart as fierce as a lion, gentle like a breeze, so kind yet easy to break. Hiding away all the pain and the fear, longing for someone to understand, someone he could allow near.

Tall elegance, majestic with each step, proudly striding ahead.

A smile warm like golden rays of the sun, a mysterious gleam like the beam of the moon. Shining north star, pedal of a rose. Flooded nightsky, twinkling stars, planets and glaxies, soul full of scars.

Hair silver like a winter river, ice and snow, like slate stone, agate, marble, like diamonts, grey clouds bringing rain to a desert, soft like silk gloves.

Misunderstood hero, only wanted what is good. Safety and happiness, but weakend by that fear, and there was this book.

Danger and evil, looming darkness, treacherous call, waiting for its prey to trip up and fall.

He wasn't himself, It wasn't his fault, poor wounded soul so desperate for a hold.

Soul now trapped, evil took control, down below kicking and screaming, hoping for someone to see. Pleading - Please end my misery!

Betrayed, used, left alone and given up upon, it wasn't him but them who broke his crown.

Liar, monster, beast was their call, traitor and villian they said, they didn't understand at all.

Selfless dream, once made so good and pure, he gave so much, thought his way of protecting would be the cure. Paranoid, driven by that fear, his past a never ending nighmare, "It can never happen again!" so he held the wishes near.

The shadows of the past ever present. Echo of death, wails and screams, tormenting stench of smoke choking steams. Piercing pain, like a thousand swords, cutting through his soul like hurricane storms.

He never wanted to do this, swore he'd never do this, but they didn't understand what trauma can do, it was this that forced him to that book, that is what's true.

The child once stripped of everything, they didn't see him still drowning in the excruciating pain within.

And there they were thinking they did everything right, while he was further caught, trapped in this endless night. Deaf to his pleas and cries, why wouldn't they understand? Because their hearts were like ice. Selfish and greedy, ungrateful and respectless. Undeserving of his altruismn, his benevolence, for this magnificent gem was far too precious for all of them.

|| Poem written by me ||

[hiswordsarekisses]

"Who told you that the night would never end in day? Who told you that the sea of circumstances would ebb out until there should be nothing left but long leagues of the mud of horrible poverty? Who told you that the winter of your discontent would proceed from frost to frost, from snow, and ice, and hail, to deeper snow, and yet more heavy tempest of despair? Don't you know that day follows night, that flood comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter? Hope then! Hope always! For God does not fail you. Don't you know that your God loves you in the midst of all this? ~ Charles Spurgeon

“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword. Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.” Zechariah‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬-‭17l

[fairyofthefriz]

King of Winter, King of Rivers; King of Ice and Snow update!

Chapter Twelve: Best to Give me your Loyalty / Cause I'm taking the World, you see

Tyrion knows things and drinks Arya just wants a Drink Robb: it's ok storebought children are fine too Talisa is Not having a Good Day Rickon would like everyone to remember that actually he is Baby Sansa becomes Odin Allfather -- no, not the Marvel one

All of the links

[lilitblaukatz]

Librarygate addition from the time-unrelated side

Richie's joking. But I'm not.

We know that the Duffers are huge Stephen King fans.

There are three significant library arcs in Stephen King's works which I can remember (add if you can, please): the novella "The Library Policeman" (1990, one of the FOUR HOUR STRIKES (the third) in "FOUR past midnight" collection); and two belong to "It": Mike Hanlon was a librarian, but also Ben Hanscom has a big arc with the Derry Library.

I will start with Ben (he is a part of our love triangle parallel after all). Ben's ties to the Derry Library are shown both in miniseries and in recent movies, but to know the full story you of course need to read the book. I've read it two times and the last one was about 15 years ago, so forgive me for any wrong memories (pun intended).

1.. Ben loved the Derry Library. Not only because he was lonely and it was a place he could spend time. He liked to learn, he had good relationship with the librarian. But most of all he liked the bridge part between the two library buildings (idk how to call it in English, that part joins the children library and the grown'ups one with well-lit warm hall with glass sides and roof, probably?). When Ben grew up, he built a building based on that hall and got an architect award for it. He liked the hall because you could use it to go from one library to another even in the winter and be warm and dry and look at all the cold and snow outside. It is probably a metaphor for that tween period of life King loves so much that most of his kid characters end up being eaten by monsters about 11-12.

Ben had bad things happen to him there as well. I don't really remember the accident with the boy and easter eggs in the book, but Ben was really scared of that photograph and the story of Kitcheners' blow up and killing a hundred of kids. Also when he was staying late helping the librarian one winter night, he saw Pennywise on the ice when Ben was crossing the river by the bridge. Yeah, that same bridge Adrian Mellon was thrown from years after Ben's encounter.

But also Ben wrote that poem about Beverly's hair in the library :)

2.. Mike Hanlon. Mike was a fellow loser to Ben. He was interested in Derry history as a kid and figured out that awful things happen in Derry every 27 years for centuries. He grew up and became a librarian in Derry Library. He was the one with his memories intact and called all the Losers when It came back 27 years later.

3.. Library Policeman. It is a hard story. I've read it when I was a kid myself, maybe 12, 13? Years later I remembered the chill and re-read it. It was still years from now so yeah, I'll do what I can with Wikipedia not helping much.

The protagonist of the novella is Sam. When Sam was a child, he was r*ped in the bushes outside of his hometown library by a man who called himself the Library Policeman who punish children who don't return their books on time. At another place, where grown-up Sam lives, he needs some books from the local library for the first time since his childhood. He accidentaly destroys the books after he uses them and then supernatural stuff start to happen. The entity calling itself the Library Policeman is terrorizing him, and the old librarian who gave him the books is long dead. That woman was not human. It is a monster who is feeding on childrens' fear.

Sam, his friend with whom he falls in love with, and a former lover of the librarian are on the mission to defeat the monster, who wants a NEW HOST to attach itself to, like a parasite. The former lover DIES while helping Sam and his friend, the monster manages to attach itself to the friend's neck and Sam saves her by pulling it off of HER NECK and throwing it under the wheels of upcoming train where it is smashed out of existence. It is a heartbreaking moment: he makes her to look forward and recite a poem or count, I don't remember, while standing behind her he lifts her hair and sees this thing on her neck (which causes some personality changes in her or just a headache I don't remember sorry), and he takes it off when the train is almost there and throws... This monster was compared to a spider too (the flesh form of It was a spider). I like the idea that it is a soteria in Will's neck, but I'm afraid it can be a part of the Mind Flayer.

So we have Hopper and Joyce go into the Upside Down through the Lab gate to find Will. S01 was heavily influenced by Alien and the Duffers don't just do an homage, they use easter eggs and parallels in the plot.

The first thing Hopper finds in the UD (the first thing Ben Hanscom had found in the sewers… was an orange Pennywise pom-pom when he was a child and red Audra Denbrough's purse as an adult) is a busted-out-of egg which is of course an egg a facehugger is grown in.

Who was born from that egg in the Stranger Things is unclear. Could be a demogorgon. Dragons lay eggs btw.

Then Joyce and Hopper inspect the Castle Byers remnants, go to Byers' house where amazed Jonathan recognizes his mother in the lights and Joyce hear him calling her gently. It is irrelevant here but fascinating. Then they follow the trace of blood into the Hawkins Public Library.

There is some kind of lair. It is similar to both the egg lair in the Alien and in the Aliens.

The difference is that in Aliens Momma is still around. Also we have cocooned corpses in the Aliens too:

Stranger things s01e08:

It's all of course from the Aliens and It: Hopper and Joyce parallel the couple from Aliens who found the ship with the eggs, the death of the father points to Hopper's future death.

Joyce finds Will like Ripley finds Newt in the lair, cocooned:

Bill Denbrough finds his wife Audra in the lair, cocooned.

But whose lair is it?!

Vecna had his lair in his old house, where he was being charged in a dock like an electronic toy...

Flesh form of It (the Spider) layed eggs in its lair which Losers destroyed (sadly, not on screen in both the miniseries and the movies) by stepping on them.

Alien Queen layed eggs in its lair which Ripley destroyed (by fire!)

Who lays those eggs (we saw one) in the UD? Whose lair is in the library???

And just what else I have on the place: Will was FOUND in the library on Nov 12th, but the sign says (Vote here) Nov. 6th when he was taken walked willingly disappeared. So can library be a part of his dissapearance too? Or even in the first place.

Dragons steal princesses and keep them in their lairs too...

King's prototype of It was a troll from a fairytale, who lives under the bridge and eats children. Do trolls eat princesses? I'm not that familiar with foreign folklore...

And the last but not least:

Team Tigers vs team Falcons:

(the shots of the library with pigeons and then pigeons were followed by shots of Joyce in her car arriving at Melvalds s01e02)

Many noticed the stalker shots and Vecna's parallels to birds.

Birds were absolutely the spies in the Duma Key by Stephen King.

[alwaysdevilday]

So I found an interesting worldgen… (Icemourn Pt. 1)

Last night I got the itch to play some Dwarf Fortress (the Steam version because I love me some pretty graphics and menus) so I loaded it up and generated a world.

Much to my surprise, one of the options for a starting civilization (a nation of origin from which my dwarves can be from) was this:

What you're looking at is a civilization of one (1). The king of this entire nation is also its only member, and he spends all his time sitting in his castle alone at the edge of the known world surrounded by ice and frozen peaks. There ain't anybody else other than my seven starting dwarves.

I thought to myself "oh this is gonna suck, there's no way I can't do this", and decided to go for it. I was gonna raise this nation out of the dirt as if my life depended on it.

I chose a spot in the frigid coniferous forests off the landmass's southern coast. No close neighbors, just me and the bears and whoever decided to pass through.

For my preparations, I loaded up on the bare essentials until I ran out of points, gave my dwarves the standard spread of jack-of-all-trades skills and took a few animals for emergency food and protection. The water buffalo are hard to take down and although they eat a lot of grass in pasture, they yield lots of useful resources if I have to Do The Deed. War dogs would take up the task of saving my hide from any potentially dangerous wildlife.

I named the fortress "Icemourn" or Ushilleshal in the dwarven tongue. I thought it appropriate, given that the land remains frozen and blanketed with snow 9 months out of the year.

My embark location was rather auspicious, sporting a wide range of towering trees and plenty of fruit during the admittedly brief surface growing season. The presence of a small river and a natural (if shallow) cliffside did not go unappreciated.

My first task was to carve out a chunk of the hill into something more useful (and aesthetically pleasing). It was there that I would set up my home base, digging out soft and heavy earth to make room for rudimentary bedrooms and the first two workshop areas. The room to the north would be my first dining room, something I planned to convert to a tavern's main floor later.

Initial setup complete, I set about securing my dwarves' safety with some log walls around the entrance. A drawbridge would block all but the biggest and meanest of hostiles from entering in times of emergency. Thankfully, trees were so plentiful in this location that I almost certainly would never run out of usable wood (though that might spell trouble if elves decide to visit later).

That done, my next task was to start carving out the uppermost workshop and stockpile rooms to ensure that my dwarves could carry out essential tasks without being forced to venture into the harsh winter. Dirt walls are ugly and unpleasant, but they get the job done. Beautification would have to come later.

The bare essentials on their way, I had time to order my dwarves to dig deeper, down about 8 z-levels (units of height, estimated to be about 2 meters) until we struck rock. To my delight, the substance proved to be shiny black obsidian. An aesthetically pleasing material, and one I could make basic weaponry out of without having to go to the effort of setting up forges. And as a bonus, fire opal gemstones! Right at my fingertips!

By this time the year's thaw had come, right on schedule in the middle of the summer. Pretty! Warm! Hospitable!

This brought to mind the fact that sooner or later, I would need a water source, so I set my dwarves to tunnel out some of the loam towards the river, forming a subterranean channel that would pipe fresh water into a cavity beneath my entrance's "courtyard". A covered well would allow the dwarves access to drinkable water year round, without concern for it freezing easily.

As autumn approached, the first traders arrived from somewhere far away. I hastily set up a trade depot for them and dumped my sole bin of wooden crafts onto the offering table. By the time the deal was done, we had procured several barrels of alcohol (and the trader had procured a nearly 60% profit, absurdly) and had lightened our load a bit. Unfortunately, our three months of sunlight was over and the snow once again began to fall as the traders packed their things and hastily left.

Continued Later

[jonsnowunemploymentera]

JON SNOW FORTNIGHT EVENT 2023

Day 4 - Unsung Connections 🔍🧩: Bran Stark

The Holly King and Oak King are personifications of the winter and summer in various neopagan traditions. The two kings engage in endless "battle" reflecting the seasonal cycles of the year: not only solar light and dark, but also crop renewal and growth. During warm days of Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength; the Holly King regains power at the Autumn equinox, then his strength peaks during Midwinter, at which point the Oak King is reborn, regaining power at the Spring equinox, and perpetuating the succession.

Source

At the Winter Solstice, or Yule, the Oak King conquers the Holly King, and then reigns until Midsummer, or Litha. Once the Summer Solstice arrives, the Holly King returns to do battle with the old king, and defeats him. In the legends of some belief systems, the dates of these events are shifted; the battle takes place at the Equinoxes, so that the Oak King is at his strongest during Midsummer, or Litha, and the Holly King is dominant during Yule. From a folkloric and agricultural standpoint, this interpretation seems to make more sense.

Franco over at WitchVox says that the Oak and Holly Kings represent the light and the darkness throughout the year. At the winter solstice we mark: “the rebirth of the Sun or the Oak King. On this day the light is reborn and we celebrate the renewal of the light of the year. Oops! Are we not forgetting someone? Why do we deck the halls with boughs of Holly? This day is the Holly King’s day — the Dark Lord reigns. He is the god of transformation and one who brings us to birth new ways. Why do you think we make “New Year’s Resolutions”? We want to shed our old ways and give way to the new!"

Source

Jon Snow, the bastard, will remain in the far north. He will mature into a ranger of great daring, and ultimately will succeed his uncle as the commander of the Night's Watch. When Winterfell burns, Catelyn Stark will be forced to flee north with her son Bran and her daughter Arya. Wounded by Lannister riders, they will seek refuge at the Wall, but the men of the Night's Watch give up their families when they take the black, and Jon and Benjen will not be able to help, to Jon's anguish. It will lead to a bitter estrangement between Jon and Bran.

Bran sits free. Yet his seat is hardly a comfortable one. In the north, Jon Snow is his bitter enemy.

- GRRM’s 1993 Outline

It’s clear that George R. R, Martin has drawn inspiration from different mythological frameworks throughout A Song of Ice and Fire. More specifically, we’ve seen the influence of Celtic myths in this story from the legend of the Corn King, to the Fisher King, to several different iterations of King Arthur’s legend. One Celtic myth that could be at the center of the magical side of this story is that of the Oak King and the Holly King.

In this tale, two kings fight for dominion twice a year. Their great battle is analogous to the changing of the seasons: fall -> winter -> spring -> summer. This also represents the cycle of death and rebirth, and the cycle of fertility in the land. In some traditions, they are dual aspects of one god. In others, they are two brothers (one older, one younger). Among ASOIAF’s cast, Jon Snow and Bran Stark fit this myth the best.

Bran, for the most part, seems to be based on the Oak King.

Prince. The man-sound came into his head suddenly, yet he could feel the rightness of it. Prince of the green, prince of the wolfswood. He was strong and swift and fierce, and all that lived in the good green world went in fear of him.

- Bran I, ASOS

On the other side the wind was colder still, the wolf sensed. That was where his brother was, the grey brother who smelled of summer.

- Jon I, ADWD

As the Oak King is representative of fertility and vegetation, Bran has explicitly been linked to the woods, rivers, and green of the hills - he is the representation of summer in this story.

Jon, on the other hand, is a great candidate for the Holly King figure.

Lannister studied his face. “Yes,” he said. “I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers.”

- Jon I, AGOT

“Jon is the only brother that remains to me. Should I die without issue, I want him to succeed me as King in the North. I had hoped you would support my choice.”

- Catelyn V, ASOS

“I am the Lord of Winterfell,” Jon screamed. It was Robb before him now, his hair wet with melting snow. Longclaw took his head off. Then a gnarled hand seized Jon roughly by the shoulder. He whirled …

- Jon XII, ADWD

The Holly King is one of the earliest iterations of Father Christmas (also called in “Prince Christmas” or “King of Christmas”). And Jon is a character who is deeply linked to the north and Winter. His very name is analogous to Jack Frost - the mythological “Old Man Winter” (a personification of the spirit of winter). His arc so far has been about gaining lordship over a castle that sits atop a giant ice wall. And, he has also been linked to the lineage of the Kings of Winter (through his crypt dreams) and currently serves as Robb’s heir to Winterfell.

However, an argument can be made that Jon and Bran could represent both kings at the same time.

In addition to serving as a representative of winter, Jon also has elements of a spring deity: Persephone, Baldur, the Corn King, Jesus Christ, etc. If we dig deeper, many of the mythological parallels that drive Jon’s arc (e.g., Osiris, Mithras, Jesus, and many more) often represent the idea of life after death. So Jon is not wholly representative of death and Winter, but rather the cycle of life and rebirth - spring. Based on these mythological frameworks, we can conclude that Jon is closer to the idea of rebirth after death: winter -> spring. He has also been literally called “corn king” in the text itself…

He rose and dressed in darkness, as Mormont’s raven muttered across the room. “Corn,” the bird said, and, “King,” and, “Snow, Jon Snow, Jon Snow.” That was queer. The bird had never said his full name before, as best Jon could recall.

- Jon XII, ADWD

Note: the Corn King is a fertility god whose sacrifice every winter is related to rebirth and vegetation - spring. A summary of the Corn King sounds a lot like the Oak King…

And the term “dream of spring” is only ever mentioned in Jon’s arc.

His lord father had once talked about raising new lords and settling them in the abandoned holdfasts as a shield against wildlings. The plan would have required the Watch to yield back a large part of the Gift, but his uncle Benjen believed the Lord Commander could be won around, so long as the new lordlings paid taxes to Castle Black rather than Winterfell. “It is a dream for spring, though,” Lord Eddard had said. “Even the promise of land will not lure men north with a winter coming on.”

- Jon V, ASOS

So Jon has elements of the Oak King who represents spring vegetation and rebirth.

Bran, on the other hand, also has elements of the Holly King due to his identity as the heir to Winterfell and Prince of the North. His official title is “Prince of Winterfell”.

When he got out from under it and scrambled up near the sky, Bran could see all of Winterfell in a glance. He liked the way it looked, spread out beneath him, only birds wheeling over his head while all the life of the castle went on below. Bran could perch for hours among the shapeless, rain-worn gargoyles that brooded over the First Keep, watching it all: the men drilling with wood and steel in the yard, the cooks tending their vegetables in the glass garden, restless dogs running back and forth in the kennels, the silence of the godswood, the girls gossiping beside the washing well. It made him feel like he was lord of the castle, in a way even Robb would never know.

- Bran II, AGOT

I’m a prince of the north, a Stark of Winterfell, almost a man grown, I have to be as brave as Robb.

- Bran IV, ASOS

Bran’s story has also been decidedly northern, as he has been so deeply entrenched with northern mysticism, lore, and politics.

Many readers speculate that Jon will serve as the King of Winter for a time, until Bran comes to claim his throne as the summer king. This definitely is in line with the framework laid out in the Oak King and Holly king myth: the older brother steps down and lets his younger brother rule.

However, the myth also states that the younger brother will have to step down after some time so that his older brother may have his time to reign. It’s a cycle - no one brother is permanently replaced. The whole thing represents balance. And thematically, it’s seems more likely that GRRM will stick to this idea of balance so we will not have a winter that never ends or a summer that never ends. After all, we have been promised a resolution to the seasons being so out of balance.

But it would be strange and almost comical to have Bran and Jon playing royal musical chairs with the throne. Given that GRRM likes to play with tropes, it could mean that instead of a constant exchange of power, both brothers will reign as kings at the same time, keeping each other and themselves in check. Perhaps they will reign in different parts of the world (as has been my own speculation for some time now - Jon up North and Bran somewhere near the Isle of Faces). Again, it’s all about balance. Summer will come and go, just as winter always has to come and go. The Oak King and the Holly King, these two brothers, need each other. And the world needs them both.

[sacrifeis]

﹟ 𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙑 ⁝ welcome eleanor tully to king ’ s landing . the lady of riverrun is known to all as a charming , loyal individual . however , amidst the chaos of the realm , they find themselves becoming more vain and manipulative . visions of flowing fabrics in shades of blue and silver , reminiscent of the waters of riverrun . freshwater pearls woven into the braided styles of noble , coquettish youth . a relentless wondering of your place in this world , youngest of five .

INDENTIFICATION .

full name : eleanor tully

title : lady

nicknames : ellie ( family and close friends only . )

gender : cis - female

pronouns : she & her

age : twenty - five

place of birth : riverrun , the riverlands

current location : king ' s landing , the crownlands

nationality : westerosi , riverlander

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION .

face claim : phoebe dynevor

hair color : light auburn

eye color : river blue

height : 5 ' 5 " ( 165 cm )

usual expression : open , amicable

distinguishing characteristics : soft , well kept auburn hair and a porcelain - like complexion . her coloring brings attention to tully blue eyes

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION .

zodiac sign : leo sun , libra moon , cancer rising

meyer - briggs : esfp : the entertainer

enneagram : type 3 , wing 4

moral alignment : chaotic neutral

positive traits : charming , optimistic , ambitious , adaptable

negative traits : vain , insecure , manipulative , jealous , superficial

CHARACTER COMPARISONS .

amy march ( little woman ) , margaery tyrell ( a song of ice and fire ) , emma woodhouse ( emma ) , lydia bennett ( pride & prejudice ) , scarlett o ' hara ( gone with the wind ) , marianne dashwood ( sense & sensibility ) , lavinia swire ( downton abbey ) , rosaline capulet ( still star - crossed )

STORY .

born  in  the  quiet  halls  of  riverrun,  eleanor  tully  is  the  youngest  of  five  children,  always  living  in  the  shadow  of  her  older  siblings.  as  a  child,  she  watches  with  wide  eyes  as  her  sisters  parade  in  their  beautiful  gowns  and  sparkling  jewels,  each  day  filled  with  the  laughter  and  chatter  of  family  life.  but  when  her  father  sends  her  to  winterfell  to  foster  with  her  aunt,  she  finds  herself  in  a  world  as  different  from  her  own  as  the  summer  sun  is  from  the  winter's  chill.  the  north  is  a  land  of  stark  beauty,  where  the  wind  howls  through  the  trees  and  snow  blankets  the  ground,  yet  eleanor  longs  for  the  warmth  and  color  of  the  south,  where  life  feels  vibrant  and  alive.

when  she  returns  to  riverrun  as  a  young  woman,  the  pressure  to  marry  and  secure  her  place  in  the  world  weighs  heavily  on  her  shoulders.  her  family  eyes  her  with  hope,  eager  to  see  her  follow  in  her  sisters'  footsteps  and  catch  the  attention  of  a  worthy  suitor.  but  eleanor  is  no  simple  girl  to  be  wed  off  without  a  thought.  beneath  her  charming  smile  lies  a  fierce  desire  to  carve  out  her  own  path.  as  whispers  of  marriage  proposals  surround  her,  she  begins  to  learn  the  art  of  courtly  games,  determined  to  use  her  beauty  and  wit  to  her  advantage.  yet,  even  as  she  navigates  the  complexities  of  her  future,  the  allure  of  the  south  still  tugs  at  her  heart,  a  reminder  of  the  life  she  yearns  for  beyond  the  walls  of  riverrun.

WANTED CONNECTIONS .

the spider ' s web . a  cunning  and  influential  court  figure  who  sees  eleanor’s  potential  and  skillfully  weaves  her  into  their  intricate  web  of  manipulation.  they  teach  eleanor  the  art  of  courtly  games,  molding  her  into  a  political  player,  but  their  tutelage  comes  with  strings  attached—and  eleanor  may  eventually  find  herself  tangled  in  their  schemes. ( 0 / 1 )

the serpent in silk . a  beautiful  and  ambitious  rival  who  competes  with  eleanor  for  attention,  influence,  and  status.  beneath  their  charm  and  grace  lies  venomous  intent,  and  their  relationship  is  a  constant  back-and-forth  of  subtle  sabotage  and  power  plays.  this  rivalry  forces  eleanor  to  sharpen  her  own  manipulative  skills,  testing  her  limits. ( 0 / 1 )

the thorned rose . a  suitor  who  is  captivated  by  eleanor’s  beauty  and  charm  but  harbors  their  own  ambitions.  the  thorned  rose  presents  a  relationship  full  of  intrigue  and  complication—either  as  someone  eleanor  can  use  to  advance  her  status  or  as  a  potential  love  interest  who  challenges  her  to  confront  her  deeper  insecurities  and  desires.  whether  they  bloom  together  or  hurt  each  other  with  their  ambitions  remains  to  be  seen. ( 0 / 1 )

the charming rogue . a  dashing  and  charismatic  individual  who  effortlessly  captures  the  attention  of  all,  including  eleanor.  their  playful  banter  and  flirty  demeanor  create  a  whirlwind  of  attraction  that  draws  her  in,  igniting  her  vanity  and  desire  for  attention.  however,  beneath  the  charm  lies  a  mysterious  past  and  ulterior  motives.  this  flirtation  challenges  eleanor  to  navigate  her  feelings  and  ambitions,  forcing  her  to  consider  whether  their  connection  is  genuine  or  just  another  game  in  the  court. ( 0 / 1 )

the mirror . a  confidant  who  reflects  eleanor’s  true  self  back  at  her,  seeing  past  her  outward  beauty  and  ambition  to  the  vulnerability  beneath.  they  are  someone  she  can  be  real  with,  offering  a  rare  and  cherished  bond.  however,  as  eleanor  delves  deeper  into  manipulation  and  superficiality,  their  relationship  may  fracture,  forcing  her  to  confront  whether  she’s  losing  herself  in  the  process. ( 0 / 1 )

the fox in the henhouse . a  clever  opportunist  who  seeks  to  exploit  eleanor’s  rising  influence  for  their  own  gain.  the  fox  flatters  eleanor  and  tempts  her  with  the  promise  of  more  power,  alliances,  or  wealth,  but  always  with  a  hidden  agenda.  eleanor  must  learn  to  recognize  their  schemes—or  she  might  end  up  their  pawn.  alternatively,  she  could  embrace  the  partnership  for  mutual  gain. ( 0 / 1 )

the iron butterfly . the  most  powerful  woman  at  court,  both  admired  and  feared  by  all.  this  formidable  figure  becomes  eleanor’s  role  model,  someone  she  initially  idolizes  and  seeks  to  impress.  as  eleanor’s  own  ambitions  grow,  she  must  decide  whether  to  remain  an  ally  of  the  iron  butterfly  or  challenge  her  for  dominance.  their  interactions  push  eleanor  to  decide  whether  she  wants  to  be  a  graceful  follower  or  a  dangerous  rival. ( 0 / 1 )