#knave outlaw

[lillified]

regarding your piece “outlaws” is it intended to be like an apartment or a spaceship? until corrected, and probably still after, i’m choosing to believe that swindle is doing the equivalent of living in his van

that being said, where *do* the other (they don’t let him inside 💔) decepticons live? I don’t think it’s been shown thus far

hey, that’s a great question!

the “outlaws” piece you see is from an earlier point in the war, and the location is Swindle’s passenger ship, The Knave. It isn’t meant to be a living space, but he’s converted it and uses it a bit like an RV/motor home. Since he spent most of his time (and kept a lot of his stuff) in there, it was one of his prized possessions. In the Outlaws pic he has it parked in a mostly Autobot occupied part of downtown Protihex, where he operates it like a caravan to sell weapons and things to patrolling soldiers.

This actually brings up a great opportunity to talk a bit more about locations, specifically airships and spaceships (I promise it’s relevant to the main Cons);

So, there are many different types of aircraft (beyond the Bots who can physically fly, obviously). On the smallest side you get tactical drones and fighter craft, which are either remotely manned or manned by one Bot, who physically controls the ship by hooking up to a sensory chamber-style pod. These are much less ideal than having a flightforme, but were developed out of necessity, given the central Cybertronian government and fliers have tended to be on opposite sides at different points of history (this trend remains true for the Autobots, who are at a severe deficiency).

Next up are scout ships, which fit a small squadron of Cybertronians (think the size of the X wing in starwars).

After that you get into passenger ship territory, where aircraft have multiple rooms. Swindle’s ship fits this category. They aren’t intended as mobile residences and moreso exist to carry large quantities of ‘Bots over a longer distance, like a train or a cruise ship with basic amenities, but as the war progressed it was hard not to find different uses for them.

Passenger ships can be very specialized, and the only major difference between the larger varieties and true warships is that passenger ships aren’t outfitted with guns or any other involved defenses. Ferry ships are extremely massive passenger ships designed in Nova’s expansion era with the intent of carrying nearly a city’s worth of people across space, to populate new colonies. As suggested, most of these ships were built well before the war, so their defense capabilities weren’t geared for conflict.

The last category, as suggested, are warships. Most warships were manufactured during the war, but there are some that were recovered from pre-Quintesson era. These can range in size from the capacity of a small hotel to an entire military base, or even a city. Their scope is only limited by the ability to fuel them, and many warships were designed to act as mobile camps in the event of crisis and exodus.

As of the current day, the Decepticons have essentially been exiled. The last major conflict on Cybertron put the Autobots in control of most major territories and left both sides materially decimated. Until they can regroup and establish resource control again, the only real strategy the Decepticons have is to lay low and survive.

This leaves Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Lockdown, Ravage, and Knockout on the Determination, which is a small scale warship. Like many slapdash offensive craft, it is flimsy and unreliable, but currently their only real option.

You haven’t seen most of it, but I can give you some sneak peeks:

you’ll see what these are for very soon…

As of right now, that’s all I have for you on spacecraft! I hope that answered your question :) thanks!

[theoutcastrogue]

Roguephonics

. "Rascals, would you live forever?" — Frederick the Great, trying with limited success to guilt-trip his soldiers to fight and kill and die for him

A is for Assassin who makes your heart stop cold B is for the Burglar who deftly picks your lock C is for the Cutpurse who swipes your gold and runs D is for the Dodger, all mischief and street smarts

E is for Enforcer who's bursting through your door F is for the Filcher who lifts coins, jewels, and all G is for the Grifter who takes you for a ride H is for Highwayman, your money or your life

I's for Infiltrator, the spy who gains your trust J is for the Jack of All Trades, master of none K is for the Knave who lacks an honest bone L is for Lawbreaker who fought the law and won

M is for the Mountebank whose swindles are an art N is for the Ne'er-Do-Well, that trouble-seeking scamp O is for the Outlaw, that outcast robber bold P is for the Pícaro who begged, borrowed, and stole

Q is for the Quack who lies and leads you on R is for the Rogue who takes the crooked road S is for the Scoundrel who's not afraid to swing T is for the Thief who swiftly palms your ring

U is for the Urchin who on barricades stood tall V is for the Vagabond who roves, rambles, and roams W is for the Waif who's cast out like a tramp X is for the X-Con who is free but wears the brand

Y is for the Yardbird who's always in the slammer Z's for daring Zorro and all dashing swashbucklers Rascals and rapscallions all, we cheat and steal and lie, and gathered here we do avow that never shall we die

[bowsersex]

Gender neutral alternatives for "You've been [a bad person]" for dirty talk:

an absolute scoundrel

a real rascal

a reprehesible wretch

a nasty knave

a horrid cur

the most despicable of charlatans

a wretched beast

a disgusting dastard

the most dastardly of tricksters

a real baddie

a slippery eel

a mischief-maker

a terrible troublemaker

a troublesome foe

a mischievous devil

an ill-mannered sicko

an outlaw for which I'm about to collect a bounty

an asshole, and brother, I'm about to starting eating

a dickhead, but I'll give your dick head anyways

a bloody cunt

A meanspirted shithead. A piece of shit. I straight up don't like you.

*fucking someone nonbinary* you've been a bad person

[justanoutlawfic]

Staying together verse. "Where the fuck did that baby come from?"

Takes place 15 years before the start of this story.

Also on AO3

15 minutes ago, Robin was a single dad of one, headingto work.

Now, he was apparently a father of two and there wasno way he was heading into work that day.

The baby wasn’t crying, she was pretty quiet…quite thecontrast from how Roland had been.

(Oh God, how was he supposed to explain this to Roland?)

Zelena was just supposed to be a one night stand. Itwas his first night out in forever and he had a few drinks with his buddies.The next thing he knew, they took a spin around the dance floor and were backat her apartment. They grabbed some breakfast the next morning, but that was that.Robin wasn’t devastated, she didn’t seem like soulmate material.

Then, she had just left this baby on his doorstep witha note saying that she couldn’t do it anymore. She had tried to make it workfor 2 weeks, but she was tired.

Robin hadn’t lifted the baby from the car seat, notyet. He was terrified. What if this was all some trick? What if the baby was someoneelse’s? Zelena never seemed that responsible, could it really be true.

Yet, he couldn’t deny that she had his nose and hiseyes. Leaning forward, he bent down and picked her up into his arms. She letout a soft noise before producing some spit bubbles. Robin had nearly forgottenhow small a baby could be.

“You’re a quiet little one, aren’t you,” he whispered,bouncing her a bit. “I’m sure you’ll have me pulling out my hair soon enough.”

The door opened and a moment later, his best friend Willwalked into the room. He nearly stumbled over his feet when he saw the sightbefore him.

“Where the fuck did that baby come from?”

“Oh, ya know, I’m just opening a daycare now.” Robinrolled his eyes. “What have I told you about cursing around here?”

“Roland’s not home and it’s not as if this one will berepeating me any time soon.” Will sat next to him, tilting his head. “DidRegina and Emma finally have another?”

“No, I think Henry’s about all they can handle fornow. Do you remember that night almost a year ago? You and the guys took meout?”

“Oh yeah.” Will laughed. “You hooked up with that redhead…” He trailed off and then winced. “No.”

“Apparently this is the result.”

“You didn’t use a condom?”

“I did. I guess it didn’t work.”

“Damn. She just left her with you? What did she say?”

“Nothing, she just left her on the porch and ran, sheleft a note behind.” He handed it over and Will scanned it.

“She named the kid, Robin? After you?”

“She wasn’t planning on telling me, she wanted her tohave a piece of me, I guess.”

“Well…what are you going to do now?”

“Get a DNA test, but the timing does add up. She wasborn exactly 9 months after the night we hooked up, according to the birthcertificate she left in the bag.”

“How are you going to tell Roland?”

Robin bit his lip, adjusting the baby girl in hisarms. He didn’t even date. Part of that was the fact that his heart was still withMarian, but the other came from his fear of explaining a girlfriend to Roland. Ifhe wasn’t ready to explain a girlfriend, how was he supposed to explain a baby?

“I don’t know. I think I’ll have John watch him tonight,try to get some stuff together.”

“I’ll cover your shifts for the next few days.”

“Thanks, Will.” Robin briefly smiled.

Will shrugged. “We were all there for you when Mariandied, this will be no different. And hey, congratulations.” He patted him onthe back. “You’re a daddy again.”

Robin’s gaze went back down to his daughter, who hadfallen asleep. “Yeah…I guess I am.”

[eights-of-spades]

Masquerade Brawl:

You can tell a lot about a person by what’s in their pockets. You can tell more by what’s in their shoes...

What’s better for team building exercises? Trust falls and kumbayah or bare-knuckled, no-holds-barred brawling? When it’s a rag-tag team of would-be criminals with mysterious motives then it’s most certainly the latter.

The Charlatan arranged an exciting little get together out in Southern Thanalan; ditching the straightforward arena method for a variety of landscapes in a small area. Rocks, ridges, desert sand and even a water hazard. The crew was gathered and paired off to blow off a little steam as well as getting to know each other a little better in the common language of thinly veiled aggression.

Aurum and Outlaw squared off, rather than simply standing around posing menacingly at each other they tried their best at first to keep it clean. Unfortunately for them and their codes of honor Felicia and Frey were facing off simultaneously in a battle that quickly devolved into kicks up to Thal, pocket sand and ‘breast crimes’. While Frey was eventually taken down with a violent de-shoeing the shenanigans spilled over into the other fight, with said crimes being enough to distract Outlaw into a blushing mess that was taken down by an opportunistic Aurum.

Slick and Knave were up next to take on the winners, having to leave their comfortable makeshift snackbar with Charlatan. Slick went head to head with the boot-bandit Felicia to avenge the fallen Frey, showing her a few tricks of her own with a deadly use of shoe-fu. Meanwhile Aurum had to deal with Knave’s showboating antics and saliva-based tricks. While the fights were fierce, Felicia was too powerful despite sandy cleavage and the questionably-good doctor was taken down. Aurum was eventually forced to yield or risk a loogie being dripped on bare skin.

By that time the day as well as the excess energy had run out, allowing Charlatan to skate by without a round. This time...

Charlatan: @guttergodsknife

Knave: @eights-of-spades

Aurum: @atomicdeke

Outlaw: @the-wanted-man

Felicia: @twofaced-xiv

Frey: @sola-ffxiv

Slick: @lazne-of-the-urit

((OOC: Special Thanks to @lazne-of-the-urit for additional screenshots))

[tamsinbeybey-she-no-porcupine]

I have way to many blorbos and I feel bad that these didn't make it on earlier lists so I'm gonna pretend @evilregalpanda tagged me and also I'll tag her though she won't do it. Bussi geht raus :*

Once again the order of these is not tied to importance. I have also yet some blorbos left in me, but I will leave it after this list.

21.) Laurits Seier/Loki (best Loki in anything ever tbh) - Ragnarok

22.) Tom McNair /Hal Yorke/ Alex Millar - Being Human (I can't seperate them)

23.) Robin the caveman- BBC Ghosts

24.) Wise elder Vex- Yonderland

25.) Cassandra Cilian- the Librarians

26.) Eowyn_Lotr

27.)Will Scarlet/Knave of Hearts- Once upon a time in Wonderland

28.)Gwaine-Merlin

29.) Saz Kaur-Some Girls

30.) Frank James- American Outlaws

1 bonus blorbo:

Will Scarlet (again)- Robin Hood Prince of thieves

if anyone else wants to do this feel tagged by me

[scarletooyoroi]

Every instinct found itself stirred into a frenzy at the elevated weight of her presence. As if her authority was attempting to make the very land itself buckle at her presence, simply unable to 'combat' a power that exists on another spectrum entirely. All it introduces to Thoma is the vivid reflection of that bloodlustful dance they found themselves thrust into. ...And for Fixer turned Outlaw, a thread of danger that extends into a finely spun web.

Burning a gallant show of jade towards the pleased expression of the knave hadn't been the plan. No, the sensible thought would be to understand the danger, how the existence of her presence held the promise of eradicating all life she found worthless.

Sickening.

Yet it wired into a much more complicated madness the instant their gazes locked. Even now the remnant of her soul seethed within that... wound left that found itself dominating his skin, proudly lording the fact his life was once helplessly cradled in her palm, in an act that blurred intimacy with voracity. "Incorrigible." The word was spat, remnants of flame and steam shamelessly drawn from his lips despite the frantic rush of his heart. He searched, he braved, all warnings ignored.

And here she was, exactly what he wanted.

"You think I'd let you out of my sight for long?" Was it a trick of the eyes? Or was the raw heat that her presence conjured beginning to turn the surroundings hazy?

"There's nowhere in Teyvat you'd be able to hide, not that you would. Prepared to face the new aspect you've made?"

▸▸ [ @scarletooyoroi || arle dialogue starter call ]

─「アルレッキーノ」─  " those eyes, have you been searching for me ? " the ABYSSAL HUES deepened as those scarlet crosses glowed in the slightest. her line of vision landed upon the pyro user, feeling the burn of his element radiating even from here. what she was eyeing in particular was, however, the bite mark that was partially hidden but plastered upon his skin. she knew it, and the mark itself was resonating with her POWER. she smirked, amused, approved. she knew she had been in his head. the knave wouldn't have it any other way.

[scotianostra]

On 5th July 1530 Border reiver, John Armstrong of Gilnockie, up to 50, (numbers vary) of his men were hanged for blackmail by James V..

The judicial murder of Johnnie and his men was a shameful crime by the young Stewart monarch.

Johnny Armstrong of Gilnockie was youngest son of the Laird of Mangerton, the clan chief. He was probably the most famous of all the Border reivers, dreaded on the English side of the Border, but dearly loved by his people, a highly respected and gifted chief.

Johnnie had established a very successful and lucrative protection racket which extended into England as far south as the River Tyne. All within this region paid tribute to him for their own safety and protection.

In 1530 disorder was widespread. The king made determined efforts to establish the rule of law. From Edinburgh, escorted by a strong force, he set off to go hunting in Ettrick forest. On the way, several prominent outlaws were caught and sent back to Edinburgh where they were executed.

Eventually, the king encamped at Caerlanrig near Teviothead, and invited the principals of the reiving clans to meet him with promises that their lives would be spared if they were prepared to submit themselves to their king.

Gilnockie, apparently, was among those invited. Considering his experience and astuteness, he must have been quite sure of the assurances of his safety he received. Confidently, Gilnockie set off from Langholm Castle accompanied by an entourage of about 50 men, included Elliots, Littles and Irvines. They prepared well for the meeting equipping themselves in the very best attire and rode north.

Passing through the narrows of Moss Paul they were ambushed by detachment of the king’s horsemen who escorted them to Caerlanrig. At Caerlanrig, they were brought before James who, when he saw them so finely attired, expressed his anger that they should surpass the king in finery, and said;’ What wants yon knave that a king should have’.

In the confrontation that followed it soon became clear that the king had no intention of granting any pardon and he ordered that Gilnockie and his companions be taken away and hanged.

Gilnockie did not plead for their lives but he did offer many inducements if their lives were spared as he was a powerful chief and could offer much.

However, it became clear that the king would not be swayed and proudly he said: ‘I am but a fool to seek grace in a graceless face, but if I had known, sir, that you would have taken my life this day, I would have lived upon the Border in spite of King Harry (Henry VIII) and you both and would have don my best horse with gold to know that I was condemned to die this day. And so they were led away outside and he and all his men were hanged.

There is no official record in Scotland or in London of a trial, and it is quite clear that no trial took place.

The previous year, 1530, the people of Eskdale had received remission and there is no reason for believing that any further charges had been brought against Gilnockie. He and his followers were reprehensibly betrayed and were hanged without any pretext of a trial.

At Caerlanrig, beside the church and within a railed enclosure are the graves of Johnny Armstrong and his numerous followers, hanged without trial by the boy king James V in 1531.

'Ye lied, ye lied, now King,’ he says 'Altho’ a King and Prince ye be! For I’ve luved naething in my life’ I weel dare say it, but honesty!’

The murder of Gilnockie and his men caused, first, disbelief and then rage, not only with the local clans but throughout much of the borders. Clans came out in open rebellion against James. Even the Border barons turned against him.

This was an act of supreme treachery and recognised as such by so many.

Gilnockie was a shrewd and wily chief and a great survivor. While there are no contemporary account of the arrangements that may have been made, it is impossible to believe that he would have deliberately submitted himself, and his men, to the king’s authority unless he had received irrefutable assurances from the king of safe conduct.

The fact that this act resulted in widespread revulsion and condemnation by so many, even those close to the king, adds force to the theory that the Gilnockie party were lured to their deaths by an amoral, treacherous king.

One of the Child Ballads tells the story of Johnnie Armstrong,. the Child Ballads is the colloquial name given to a collection of 305 ballads collected in the 19th century by Francis James Child and originally published in ten volumes between 1882 and 1898 under the title The English and Scottish Popular Ballads.

Johnny Armstrong

Some speak as oor lords, some speak as oor lairds, And sic-like men o' high degree. Of a gentleman I sing a song, Sometimes called Laird o' Gilnockie.

The king he writes a loving letter, Wi' his ain hand sae tenderly; And he has sent it tae Johnny Armstrong, Tae come and speak wi' him speedily.

The Eliots and Armstrongs did convene, They were a gallant company; “We'll gang and meet our royal king, And bring him safe tae Gilnockie.”

“Make kinnon and capon ready then, And venison in great plenty; We'll welcome hame our royal king, I hope he'll dine on Gilnockie.”

When Johnny came before the king, Wi' a' his men sae brave tae see; The king he movit his bonnet tae him, He weened he was a king as well as he.

“May I find grace, my sovereign liege, Grace for my loyal men and me? For my name is Johnny Armstrong, And subject of yours, my liege”, said he.

“Away, away, thou traitor strang, Out of my sight thou may soon be; I granted never a traitor's life, And now I'll not begin wi' thee.”

“Grant me my life, my liege, my king, And a bonny gift I'll gie tae thee; Full four and twenty milk-white steeds, Were a' foaled in a year tae me.”

“Away, away, thou traitor strang, Out of my sight thou may soon be; I granted never a traitor's life, And now I'll not begin wi' thee.”

“Grant me my life, my liege, my king, And a brave gift I'll gie tae thee; All between here and Newcastle town, Shall pay their yearly rent tae thee.”

“Away, away, thou traitor strang, Out of my sight thou may soon be; I granted never a traitor's life. And now I'll not begin with thee.”

“Tae seek het water frae cold ice, Surely it is a great folly; For I have asked grace of a graceless face, But there is nane for my men and me.”

“Had I my horse and harness guid, And riding as I want tae be; It sall hae been told this hundred years, The meeting of my king and me.”

“Fareweel, thou bonny Gilnock Hall, Where on Esk-side thou standest stout. Gin I had lived but seven mair years, I would hae gilt thee round about.”

John murdered was at Carlin Rigg, Wi' a' his gallant company; But Scotland's hairt was ne'er sae wae, Tae see sae mony brave men dee.

Because they loved their country dear, Frae Englishmen, nane were sae bold; When Johnny lived on the border-side, Nane o' them daur come near his hauld.

[johnnycrass]

dni: highwaymen, bandits, knaves, deserters, ruffians, robbers, outlaws, pillagers, marauders, wretches, scoundrels, swindlers, charlatans, wrong'uns, scalawags, tudor loyalists, rapscallions

[thelittlesttimelord]

The Littlest Timelord: The New Doctor Chapter 10

TITLE: The Littlest Timelord: The New Doctor Chapter 10 PAIRING: No Pairing RATING: T CHAPTER: 10/? SUMMARY: With the Doctor newly regenerated, he and Elise must now navigate their new relationship. The Doctor is an old man and Elise is a headstrong young woman. She is no longer the scared little girl the Doctor saved all those years ago. Will Clara be able to keep them from killing each other?

The three of them left the cell with Robin holding the block they were chained to.

“Now what?” Robin asked.

“First, a blacksmith's forge,” the Doctor said.

“So as to remove our chains?”

“No. So I can knock up an ornamental plant stand. Of course it's so we can get rid of our chains. I don't want to be manacled to you all night and I know Elise sure as hell doesn’t.”

You read my mind.

The Doctor looked at her. Course I did.

Elise’s eyes went wide. This was the first time this Doctor had communicated with her telepathically.

Robin laughed.

“Oh, no. Please, don't do that,” the Doctor told him.

“Ornamental plant stand.”

“It's not even that funny.”

“You're an amusing fellow, Doctor.”

“Oh, don't. Can you just stop! You'll give yourself a hernia.”

Robin continued laughing.

I’m about two seconds away from murdering him.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. I wouldn’t blame you honestly.

They managed to get free of their chains and they came across a metal doorway.

He looked over at Elise, who nodded.

They walked through it and stepped into a room with a glowing sphere attached to a console.

“At last. Something real. No more fairy tales,” the Doctor said.

“What is this place?” Robin asked.

“A spaceship. More twenty ninth century than twelfth.”

The Doctor danced around the databanks, making Elise smile. It reminded her of the regeneration that raised her.

“Data banks, data banks, data banks. Where was this ship headed?”

The computer screen responded to the Doctor’s voice.

“The Promised Land again. Like the Half-Faced Man, but more sophisticated. It disguised itself as a twelfth century castle. It merges into the culture, tries to keep a low profile, so no one notices. That explains the robot knights.”

The sphere in the middle of the room was smoking.

“But the engines. The engines are damaged. They're leaking radiation into the local atmosphere, creating a temporary climate of staggering benevolence.”

“I beg pardon?” Robin asked.

“I told you. It's too sunny. It's too green. And there is even an evil sheriff to oppress the locals. This explains everything, even you.”

“It does?”

“Well, what does every oppressed peasant workforce need? The illusion of hope. Some silly story to get them through the day, lull them into docility, and keep them working. Ship's data banks. Full of every myth and legend you could hope for, including Robin Hood.”

Various pictures of Robin Hood popped up on the screen.

Elise recognized some of them from books she’d read.

“Isn't it time you came clean with me? You're not real and you know it,” the Doctor told him, “Look at you. Perfect eyes, perfect teeth. Nobody has a jawline like that. You're as much a part of what is happening here as the Sheriff and his metal knights. You're a robot.”

“You dare to accuse me of collusion with that villain, the Sheriff?”

“I dare.”

“You false-tongued knave. I should have skewered you when I had the chance.”

“I would like to see you try.”

The door was blown open.

“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,” the Doctor muttered.

The Sheriff entered with Clara and the knights. “Surrender, outlaw,” the Sheriff demanded.

“Very good,” the Doctor commented.

“Kill him. Kill Robin Hood.”

“You can drop all that stuff now, Sheriff.”

“Doctor?” Clara asked.

“He is not what you think he is. This is all play-acting.”

“We can't just let them kill him!”

“You're not fooling anyone, Sheriff.”

A blast from a knight knocked him to the ground.

Clara put herself between the knight and Robin. Robin stumbled to his feet and grabbed Clara around the waist. They backed up towards the window.

“What the hell are you doing?” Clara asked him.

“Surviving.”

“No!”

Robin fell backward out the window with Clara.

“CLARA!” Elise screamed, running over to the window, “No, no, no.” Elise waited for them to surface from the moat, but they didn’t. Elise’s knees buckled. “No,” she breathed.

They’d lost Clara again. For good this time.

“Yeah, sorry about the girl. Such a pretty thing. What a queen she would have made,” the Sheriff said. He turned away and the Doctor and Elise saw Robin climb out of the moat with Clara in his arms.

“Stop pretending. You and your fancy robots. I get it. I understand,” the Doctor told him.

“Oh, so you too know my plans?” the Sheriff asked.

“You and your robots plundering the surrounding countryside for all it's worth. Gold. Gold.” The Doctor snapped his fingers. “Of course. Gold. You are creating a matrix of gold to repair the engine circuitry.”

“This is the scheme the Mechanicals have devised. Soon this skyship will depart. Destination, London. There I will obliterate the King and take my rightful place as ruler of this sceptered isle.”

“It won't work. There's not a chance. I've seen the instruments. There's been too much damage. You are stoking up a gigantic bomb!”

The Sheriff hushed him. A knight knocked the Doctor out.

Elise gasped. The knights approached her and she looked at the window. If Clara and Robin survived, she could too. Before she could make a break for it, the Sheriff grabbed her.

“Ah, ah, love. I couldn’t make the other one my Queen, so you have to do instead.”

“Over my dead body!” Elise snapped.

“Pity.”

The robot knight wrapped his hand around Elise’s neck and everything went black.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Elise woke up next to her father, chained to a wall. Again.

“Engine capacity at forty eight percent,” the robot knight said.

“It's not enough. That's not enough. It'll never make orbit,” the Doctor told him.

There was rumbling in the distance.

“Something tells me that’s not a thunderstorm,” Elise said.

“That's the engines, building in power. Stupid, stupid Sheriff,” the Doctor muttered. The Doctor struggled against the chains. “Go on, give! Give, you stupid things.”

Elise elbowed him and gestured to the girl sitting next to them. It briefly crossed Elise’s mind that the girl looked vaguely like her first body.

“What are you looking at?” the Doctor asked.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

The Doctor quickly explained everything.

“I think I understand you. The Sheriff's using the gold to replace something,” she said.

“That's the principle. But he's a moron. If he tries to fly this ship, it'll explode and wipe out half the country. What we need is a little riot. Time to reflect on lasers and gold. Spread the word.”

The girl freed the Doctor and Elise.

A knight walked up to them. “You are fit for labor. Stand aside while this peasant unit is freed.”

“I'm afraid you're a little late,” the Doctor told it.

“Explain.”

“I'm already free!”

The knight fired a blast at the Doctor who reflected it with a golden plate. The knight fired another one. The girl grabbed another golden plate and the beam reflected back to the knight, blowing it’s head off. More knights appeared and the peasants armed themselves with golden plates. The battle between the knights and the peasants waged on, reminding Elise a lot of their time on Trenzalore. Finally, there was one knight left.

“Everyone, the last one!” the Doctor yelled.

The beam reflected off several of the golden plates, building up power and momentum. It hit the knight, who exploded with a loud BOOM!

Everyone cheered.

“Out, out! Everyone, quickly, get out. Quickly!” the Doctor told them.

“You've saved us all, clever one,” the girl said. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

The Doctor touched his cheek.

“Engine capacity at eighty two percent,” they heard.

“You are indeed an ingenious fellow, Doctor. You and your ward. But do you really think your peasants' revolt can stop me?” the Sheriff asked.

“I rather think you're the revolting one around here. I'm bantering. I'm bantering. Listen to me. You don't have enough gold content to seal the engine breach. If you try and take off, you'll wipe out half of England.”

“Liar! From my sky vessel, I shall rule omnipotent.”

“You pudding-headed primitive, shut down the engines. What you're doing will alter the course of history.”

“I sincerely hope so, or I wouldn't be bothering.” The Sheriff motioned for the knights to grab the Doctor and Elise.

“Listen to me. It doesn't have to end like this. Shut it all down, return Clara to me and I'll do what I can.”

“I don't have Clara.”

“Robin's one of yours.”

The Sheriff held up his hand to stop the knights. “What did you say?”

“He's one of your tin-headed puppets, just like these brutes here.”

“Robin Hood is not one of mine.”

“Of course he is. He's a robot, created by your mechanical mates.”

“Why would they do that?”

“To pacify the locals, give them false hope. He's the opiate of the masses.”

“Why would we create an enemy to fight us? What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea.”

“Yes! Yes, it would. Wouldn't it? Yes, that would be a rubbish idea. Why would you do that? But he can't be. He's not real. He's a legend!”

Robin appeared up in the gallery. “Too kind! And this legend does not come alone.”

Clara appeared behind him. “Hiya!”

Robin stuck his dagger into a tapestry and slid down with Clara holding onto him. “You all right?” Robin asked Clara.

“Hell, yeah.”

“Good. My men have taken the castle.”

“No!” the Sheriff snapped.

“Now I'm going to take you.”

“This one's all mine.” The Sheriff deactivated the knights with the amulet hanging around his neck. “What do you say, outlaw? A final reckoning?”

“Oh, yes.”

The Sheriff and Robin started to fight, while Clara ran over to the Doctor and Elise.

“Are you okay?” the Doctor asked her.

“Fine, yeah.”

“Good. We don't have long.”

The castle started to rumble and shake.

“I shall avenge every slight, outlaw,” the Sheriff said.

“Doctor…” Clara said, staring at the ceiling.

“I know. The whole castle's about to blow.”

“You have long been a thorn in my side,” the Sheriff told Robin.

“Well, everyone should have a hobby. Mine's annoying you.”

“I'll have you boiled in oil at the castle by sunset.”

“Can we make it a little earlier? Cos that's a little past my bedtime.” Robin cut a rope and flew up onto a cross-beam.

“I'm too much for you, outlaw. The first of a new breed. Half man, half engine.” The Sheriff copied Robin’s move and they continued to fight up on the beam. “Never ageing. Never tiring.”

“Are you still talking?”

Elise gasped as the Sheriff sliced at Robin’s arm. He dropped his sword and held his arms out, ready for the killing blow.

“Bow down before your new king, you prince of knaves!” the Sheriff demanded. He charged at Robin who turned so they were back to back, just like he had with the Doctor.

Robin kicked the back of the Sheriff’s knee and he fell into the vat of boiling gold. Robin slid down by the rope. “Sorry. Was that, er, was that showing off?”

“That was amazing,” Clara told him.

The castle shook and stones started to fall.

“Run! Come on, run!” the Doctor yelled.

They made it outside and watched stones crumbled to allow the spaceship to take off.

“It's never going to make it. Not enough gold. It'll never make it into orbit. Where is it? Where did it go?” the Doctor asked Robin.

“Where did what go?” Clara asked.

“The golden arrow.”

“Tuck!” Robin yelled.

“You took it?” the Doctor asked.

“Of course we did. We're robbers,” Tuck said.

“I love you boys.”

“Doctor, what are you suggesting?” Clara asked.

“Golden arrow. It might just be enough gold content to get the ship into orbit and out of harm's way.” The Doctor offered the bow and arrow to Robin.

“No, it has to be you. My arm is injured,” Robin told him.

The Doctor tried and failed to get the arrow onto the bowstring.

“You're good at this. I saw you. You won the tournament,” Clara said.

“I cheated. I made a special arrow with a homing device,” he confessed.

“Oh, brilliant. Right, let me have a go.”

“You? You do Tae Kwon Do. That's not the same thing as this.”

Elise rolled her eyes and grabbed the bow and arrow. She notched the arrow expertly and aimed it at one of the engines.

It hit perfectly and the ship blasted into orbit and away from England. It hit the upper atmosphere and exploded.

Everyone around them cheered. The Merry Men started laughing.

“Still not keen on the laughing thing?” Clara asked the Doctor.

“No, not at all.”

Clara laughed and Robin chuckled.

The Doctor looked around annoyed, so Elise put a hand on his back, silently telling him she agreed with him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Elise and the Doctor hung back while Clara and Robin said their goodbyes. Once Clara had gone inside, they approached him.

“So, is it true, Doctor?” Robin asked.

“Is what true?”

“That in the future I am forgotten as a real man? I am but a legend?”

“I'm afraid it is.”

“Hmm. Good. History is a burden. Stories can make us fly.”

“Well said,” Elise commented.

“I'm still having a little trouble believing yours, I'm afraid,” the Doctor told Robin.

“Is it so hard to credit? That a man born into wealth and privilege should find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear...”

“I know...”

“Until one night he is moved to steal a TARDIS? Fly among the stars, fighting the good fight. Clara told me your stories.”

“She should not have told you any of that.”

“Well. Well, once the story started, she could hardly stop herself. You are their hero, I think.” Robin looked at Elise.

“I'm not a hero.”

“Well, neither am I. But if we both keep pretending to be. Ha-ha! Perhaps others will be heroes in our name. Perhaps we will both be stories. And may those stories never end.”

The two of them shook hands.

“Goodbye, Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey.” Robin took Elise’s hand in his and gently kissed the back of her hand. “Goodbye, fair Elise Smith. May you and your suitor meet again.”

“Excuse me?”

“The one who calls you Red. A dashing young fellow named…”

“That’s enough. Goodbye, Robin Hood, Earl of Loxley.” The Doctor wrapped a hand around Elise’s arm and gently pulled her towards the TARDIS.

“And remember, Doctor. I'm just as real as you are.”

They entered the TARDIS and the Doctor put her in flight.

What had Robin been about to say before the Doctor cut him off?

[themattress]

OUAT AND ME: IN WONDERLAND

Story - Because this spin-off series only lasted for one season's worth of 13 episodes, its story is simply the Wonderland Saga and nothing else beyond that, which is for the best given that the story reaches far too complete an ending for anything beyond it to make any sense. The story is about Alice and what transpired after she returned from her original journey through Wonderland as a little girl, leading up to her romance with a young genie named Cyrus as a teenager, their tragic separation, her commitment to a mental institution, and her return to Wonderland in order to reunite with her lost love alongside her friend the Knave of Hearts, all while facing threats from the Red Queen and Jafar who seek to use Cyrus’ genie powers to break the laws of magic in order to accomplish their own secret goals.

The Wonderland Saga is as tight as tight can be, with one chief setting (Wonderland), a relatively small cast of characters, and a 4-episode beginning, 4-episode middle, and 5-episode end. Of course, this wouldn't matter if it wasn't an engaging story with enjoyable characters, but thankfully it very much is. This series is the brainchild of not just Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, but also of Jane Espenson and Zack Estrin, and because of this fact combined with its limited length, it actually surpasses the original Once Upon a Time when you stack the two completed shows up against each other. Sometimes, less is more.

As I said, the story is divided into a clear-cut beginning, middle, and end. The beginning focuses on the early part of Alice and the Knave's journey and establishing who they are and what their deal is, while Jafar and the Red Queen's goals and motivations are kept enigmatic and Cyrus is trapped in a cage for the whole duration of the time. The middle lets Cyrus escape, sheds light on Jafar and the Red Queen's goals and motivations, and explores the darker sides of Alice and the Knave as we see just how badly their past traumas have affected them. And the end is all about the alliance of Alice, Cyrus, the Knave and the Red Queen as they fight Jafar and his new ally the Jabberwocky to decide the fate of Wonderland. It's here that all lingering questions are answered and all character arcs are fully completed.

As far as stories go, this is top tier OUAT. I think I like the Dark Curse and Neverland Sagas slightly more, but the Wonderland Saga comes in at an incredibly close third place.

Characters - There are less of them than in the main show, so this will be easy.

* We start with Alice, played by Sophie Lowe as a teenager and by pre-Stranger Things Millie Bobby Brown as a child. She is a wonderfully multi-faceted heroine, capable of great love and great hate, great kindness and great cruelty, great ingenuity and great gullibility, and always treading the line between holding to hope and giving into despair. While her romance with Cyrus is the focal point of the story, I love that it's not the only important aspect to her character. We also delve into her fractured relationship with her father; her initially unsteady but eventually rock solid friendship with Will; her hate, fear and distrust of Anastasia up until she finally sees the girl behind the queenly mask and how very much alike they truly are; and even her internal mental and emotional conflicts with herself on various matters that sometimes go external due to how Wonderland works. And no offense to Emma Swan, who is great in her prime, but I feel like Alice is ultimately the stronger and more likable lead.

* Cyrus really impresses me, because being the romantic male object of the heroine's attention and a guy who spends the entire first third of the story stuck in a cage, he could have very easily been a boring character. But very quickly, he shows that good looks and magic powers aren't all there is to him - this guy is smart. His cleverness and ingenuity that allows him to affect the plot even when inside his cage is something to behold, and he only gets better once he's free from his prison and gets to play off other characters with more frequency. Add to this a backstory where we see he used to be a selfish con artist, and it being his love for Alice that changed the selfish part while repurposing the con artist part for the cause of good, and you have a character you can enjoy and a couple you can root for.

* The show's breakout character, for better or for worse (no, it's definitely for worse, as we'll see in the next post) is the Knave of Hearts / Will Scarlet. Played excellently by Michael Socha, Will was formerly one of Robin Hood's Merry Men but is now an outlaw all to himself in Wonderland. He's sardonic and quippy, selfish and yet reliable at the same time, eerily muted in his emotions due to having his heart removed from his chest and yet clearly possessing deep feelings within his soul that occasionally bubble to the surface. We watch him go from an untrustworthy, cowardly cad who refuses to accept responsibility for anything to a brave and loyal friend who will sacrifice his own well-being for those he cares about. And his love story with Anastasia honestly steals the show from Alice and Cyrus', as it's full of betrayal and heartbreak and fights and truces and reconciliations before its happy ending, and that honestly feels more human than Alice and Cyrus' entirely plot-based separation.

* Speaking of the Red Queen / Anastasia, she is the female villain with a redemption arc that Regina (and Zelena, to a lesser extent) wishes she was. When she first appears, the Red Queen seems to be a chillingly calm and poised sociopath without moral scruples, but she quickly starts displaying vulnerability, and kudos must be given to Emma Rigby for conveying this through her amazing performance. Her cool, haughty face is like a mask, with more and more cracks beginning to show until we see who she really is - Anastasia, a peasant girl who was misled into a life that was full of power and privilege but that was also lonely and way over her capability to endure in the long run, and who desperately wants to take it all back and return to who she used to be. Once she realizes that she won't be getting the magic shortcut she seeks and that in the process of seeking it she'd wrought even more damage to Wonderland, Anastasia fully commits herself to doing better by everyone that she'd hurt. Even horrific torture, temporary death and mind control doesn't stop her from aiding in the cause to save Wonderland! She's amazing and more than earns her happy ending with Will.

* I could gush about Jafar, the Big Bad of the story, all day long. Jafar has always been my favorite Disney Villain, but he's the villain of an animated musical comedy, so I guess I've always had the question in the back of my mind as to what he'd be like if applied to something with a more serious tone? Well, this version of the character, played to chilling perfection by Naveen Andrews, answers that question. Stripped of most of his caricatured and humorous elements, Jafar is a psychotic, power-hungry madman who will stop at nothing to get what he desires. There is no-one he won't manipulate or torture or murder in his quest to become all-powerful. And the show also gives him a feasible, compelling and incredibly dark backstory (he's the bastard child of an Agrabahn sultan who rejected him to the point of trying to murder him) that explains why he is the way he is but is never used to excuse him or entertain the slightest notion that he might be redeemable.  This version of Jafar perfectly embodies what Roy Disney and Jeffrey Katzenberg said about the original: “Jafar is just pure evil. He wants to take over the kingdom and kill everybody in sight or enslave them, or whatever suits his fancy." "This is the guy that wants it all. You know right from the start that he is a desperate character, capable of doing anything and everything to get what he wants".

* The White Rabbit / Percy is a purely CGI character, and you'd fear that this wouldn't work, but the show embraces how cartoony he is and so it actually works perfectly. He's a very appealing character as well: very neurotic and cowardly, but also a family man whose heart is in the right place and who can be very brave when push comes to shove. A lot of his likability also comes from the fact that John Lithgow (yes, I'm surprised they were able to get him too!) does his voice, and I can't think of anyone else who could voice such a character better.

* In terms of side characters, we have many Wonderland staples reimagined for this show, such as the Cheshire Cat who is now a feral beast voiced by Keith David, the Caterpillar who is now a Jabba the Hutt-esque crime boss voiced by Iggy Pop (who sounds nothing like the voice from the main show, but I digress), Tweedledee and Tweedledum who are the Red Queen's manservants (one being undyingly loyal while the other is a spy for Jafar), the sleazy Red King who tempts Anastasia into becoming his bride, the Carpenter who is trapped in a drug-like haze in the Boro Grove, the White Knight who stands guard over an important pair of doorways, and the Jabberwocky, a monster in the form of a humanoid woman whose power is being able to see a person's greatest fear and use it to psychologically torture them.

There is also mention of Alice having met Jefferson the Mad Hatter when she was a child, and Cora the Queen of Hearts herself appears in the flashback that shows how she manipulated events so that Will became the Knave of Hearts and ensure that Anastasia remained the Red Queen, whom she taught magic and villainy to and treated like a daughter. Regina, Zelena, Anastasia...is there no young woman that Cora won’t attempt to ruin?

Other side characters from other realms include Alice's highly flawed yet ultimately repentant father Edwin, his bitch of a new wife Sarah and her precocious young daughter Millie, and the cold-hearted Dr. Lydgate all from Alice's Victorian world; Robin Hood, Maleficent (voice-over only) and Anastasia's mother Lady Tremaine all from the Enchanted Forest; Nyx the guardian of a sacred well, Cyrus' mother and Jafar's teacher Amara, Cyrus' brothers Taj and Rafi, and Jafar's father the Sultan and half-brother Mirza all from Agrabah. The Sultan, by the way, is a particularly interesting character, as he's introduced as Cyrus' kindly old cellmate and you really get to thinking of him as a good guy, only to then learn who he really is and just what an utterly horrible person he was in the past. His tale is a tragic one, as while he sincerely commits to repenting, it’s not good enough and thus he cannot escape fatal poetic justice.

And then there's one side character that just really gets my goat: Elizabeth aka the Lizard, a cute young thief who has a crush on Will. She appears in the 4th episode and doesn't really do much of anything, then disappears for a while. I thought maybe she was going to end up paired with that "Mr. Darcy" suitor of Alice's from her world and it was going to be a big Pride and Prejudice reference...but instead, she reappears in the 9th episode, becomes the now genified Will's master, and makes a wish that accidentally kills her in order to give Will man-pain. And then she isn't really spoken of again afterward. What was even the point of her!? You could cut all of her scenes and actions from this story and miss absolutely nothing!

Atmosphere - I would describe this show's atmosphere as light and dark, back to back. When it's light, it is much lighter than Once Upon a Time, being very whimsical and romantic and fluffy and hopeful to an even higher degree than its parent show at its best. However, this kind of lightness helps to make the dark elements come off as that much darker as a result. And while there's certainly some dark stuff where Alice in concerned, from an intended lobotomy in the premiere episode to the intense clashing she has with her father, and in the troubled pasts of Will and Anastasia, nothing comes close to the darkness of everything Jafar-related. It's a guarantee that he will do something horrible to someone at least once per episode, although it's usually more than once. The nature of his backstory as a bastard child whose father attempts to drown him plus the intensity of his depraved power-lust also make him a particularly dark character, as is his eventual partner, the terrifying Jabberwocky. Personally, I have always appreciated stories that can balance light and dark in this way and am able to handle both of them, so this show's atmosphere is very appealing to me.

Episode Quality - All I can say here is that there is only one dud in this series, and it's not hard to spot which episode it is. Like I said, while the beginning and middle portions of the show are 4 episodes each, the end is 5 episodes...and the first of those 5, "Nothing to Fear", is incredibly awkward and poorly executed. On top of being where the aforementioned death of the Lizard occurs, the plotline with Alice, Cyrus and Anastasia is also botched. Alice clinginess to Cyrus out of worry that he might become separated from her again and she wants to savor the time she has with him now doesn't really work in the context of needing to find where the freshly genified Will went ASAP, and it makes Alice look bad - Will went through "Bloody Hell" to help her reunite with Cyrus, and now that she's been reunited with him at the direct expense of Will, she doesn't give a fuck? She feels no urgent desire to pay her friend back and be as dedicated to helping him as he was to helping her? Also, the way she verbalizes her issues sounds too ripped off of Emma Swan from the similarly clumsy episode "The New Neverland", and what works for Emma doesn't really work for Alice.

Alice's distrust of Anastasia and dislike of working with her is also badly written, in literally every other episode the tense dynamic between these two has been handled with more care and nuance, but here Alice just comes off as a bratty child. Again, Will is missing and you need to find him quickly, so being able to put aside your differences with Anastasia maturely would go a long way in helping make that happen, Alice! Also, there's a sequence with angry peasants tying Anastasia, Alice and Cyrus to stakes to be eaten by nocturnal wolf-like creatures, and it's so thoroughly mishandled to the point of coming across as comical (Anastasia really can't fight back or escape her binding despite the skills we've seen her have before? Cyrus really thought an eloquent speech was going to instantly convince the peasants to do what he wants of them? The peasants act like they're righteous people who are getting justice against their oppressor and yet then tie two completely innocent people up for daring to go against the grain on the matter? And oh my God, those wolves look awful!)

The only good parts of the episode are the very last scene between Alice, Cyrus, Anastasia and (finally!) Will, plus all of the scenes with Jafar which lead up to the Jabberwocky's debut. Otherwise, this was a transitional episode that needed a lot of fine-tuning from its makers.

Overall - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland is now on Disney+, so if you have that streaming service and haven't watched it, please do so. It's a very well-made limited series that features a great story and great characters played by great actors, and is a definite part of OUAT in its prime. And again, when both completed shows are compared, this one wins hands-down.

[cursedserpentads]

           We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves

The crew of the Cursed Serpent is known as the most formidable outlaws of the age. Never afraid of a fight, they have stormed ships, stolen riches, laughed in the face of the law, and embarked on dangerous adventures together. Like all pirates, they have suffered losses, but they have remained loyal to one another, and moreover, loyal to their true quest: to find the Jewels of Destiny. 

          We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs

After the recent loss of their former Captain, the crew is more motivated than ever to find the Jewels. The journey won’t be easy, for the dangers the crew faces along the way won’t just be those of creatures, other pirates, or the law. Every crew member has their own motivations, and like the creators of the Jewels, may find the pull of power too strong to resist. In the end, the most dangerous obstacle in the crew’s way….is themselves.

                        Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me

SYNOPSIS: The Cursed Serpent is a semi-appless fantasy pirate rp set in 1694. A crew of formidable pirates is on a quest to locate the lost Jewels of Destiny, which, when united, will make them the most powerful force on both sea and land. Together, they will have to face many dangers, including their own inner demons. (Click the source link to learn more!)

[jana-hallford]

Mattel Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts

My previous post about Liddle Kiddles was quite popular. These little dolls by Mattel remain very loved.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, here is more information about the Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts, starting with, of course, the King and Queen of Hearts.

Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts the King and Queen of Hearts.  The heart-shaped stands came with the set. They both have red hair and blue eyes. Note their detailed costumes. From my personal collection.

There were four Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts sets. According to dollreference.com, they were available 1968 - 1970, although I believe the packaging dates them at 1967 (probably when they were registered for trademark). These were tiny dolls, one inch in height or less. 

The four Storybbok Kiddles Sweethearts pairs consisted of Romeo and Juliet; Robin Hood and Maid Marion; King and Queen of Hearts; and Rapunzel and the Prince. Each set included a pair of heart-shaped stands for the dolls, a necklace, and, appropriately, a little story about the featured characters. Tie-in paper dolls were sold separately. Mattel was so tuned into what little girls would love!

I find it interesting that unlike the previous Storybook Kiddles, these four sets are simply named for the characters of familiar stories, without trying to make any of the names rhyme with “KIddle.” My guess is that it would simply have been too cumbersome to try to give them Kiddle names.

The Kiddle Queen of Hearts is clearly not the temperamental “blind fury” described by Lewis Carrol in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and later portrayed in Walt Disney’s animated adaptation of Carroll’s story. The Kiddle King and Queen are a sweet and happy looking couple. They are likely inspired by the traditional nursery rhyme:

The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts,       All on a summer’s day; The knave of Hearts, he stole the tarts,       And took them clean away.   The King of Hearts   Called for the tarts,   And beat the Knave full sore;   The Knave of Hearts   Brought back the tarts,   And vowed he’d steal no more.

Tie-in paper dolls of the Queen and King of Hearts from Mattel’s Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts series. They are illustrated with the red hair of the actual dolls, but their eyes are green instead of blues. Also, the Queen of Hearts paper doll does not have the veil the three-dimensional doll wears with her crown.

Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts King and Queen of Hearts, still in their original packaging.

The story of the King & Queen of Hearts included with the set. I like the theme of being willing to find a solution to a disagreement.

Back of the package shows the four pairs of Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts in the series: Romeo and Juliet; Robin Hood and Maid Marion; King and Queen of Hearts; and Rapunzel and the Prince.

Here’s a look at the other three Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts.

Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts Robin Hood and Maid Marion, portraying the legendary heroic outlaw and his lady love. He has brown hair and she is blonde. They both have brown eyes. The Robin Hood in this particular set is missing his hat.

Story of Robin Hood & Maid Marion included in the packaging. I like that they are portrayed as childhood friends who later fall in love as young adults.

Tie-in paper dolls of Robin Hood and Maid Marion.

Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts Juliet and her Romeo, on the heart-shaped stands included with each set. They both have dark hair and blue eyes.

Storybook Sweethearts Romeo and Juliet, in their original packaging.

Paper dolls of Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts Romeo and Juliet.

Storybook Sweetheart Rapunzel and the Prince in original package. She has blonde hair and the Prince has light brown hair. Her eyes are blue, and his are brown.

Story of Rapunzel and the Prince included with their Storybook Sweethearts Kiddles set. He is a considerate young man, who climbs her hair gently and frees her.

Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts paper dolls of Rapunzel and The Prince. Here they both have blue eyes, but in the doll set, her eyes are blue and his are brown.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at the Storybook Kiddles Sweethearts.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

[echocsofu]

           We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves

The crew of the Cursed Serpent is known as the most formidable outlaws of the age. Never afraid of a fight, they have stormed ships, stolen riches, laughed in the face of the law, and embarked on dangerous adventures together. Like all pirates, they have suffered losses, but they have remained loyal to one another, and moreover, loyal to their true quest: to find the Jewels of Destiny. 

          We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs

After the recent loss of their former Captain, the crew is more motivated than ever to find the Jewels. The journey won’t be easy, for the dangers the crew faces along the way won’t just be those of creatures, other pirates, or the law. Every crew member has their own motivations, and like the creators of the Jewels, may find the pull of power too strong to resist. In the end, the most dangerous obstacle in the crew’s way….is themselves.

                        Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me

SYNOPSIS: The Cursed Serpent is a semi-appless fantasy pirate rp set in 1694. A crew of formidable pirates is on a quest to locate the lost Jewels of Destiny, which, when united, will make them the most powerful force on both sea and land. Together, they will have to face many dangers, including their own inner demons. We open at seven muns!

                       MAIN | PLOT | RULES | NAVIGATION | WANTED

[spiderforestcomics]

Threads: A Gallery of Rogues is now on Kickstarter!

Do you love scalawags, sneaks, & ne'er-do-wells? The theme of our newest anthology is "Rogues" and our comic creators made 15 great stories for it! We’re into the first week of our Kickstarter over at spiderforest.com/kickstarter and need your help to bring it to print!

Stories include:

Light Work by Lucy Lyall of Spare Keys for Strange Doors. Two supernatural experts find that solving a minor crime gives them a major headache.

K&A by A. Laraine Steele of The Ferrin. The robbery seemed to go down just as planned... ( @theferrin )

Thief's Apprentice by Sophie Pfrotzschner of Soul's Journey. A pickpocket is mentored to turn into a master thief. 

Royal Pain by Jen Zyren Smith of LaSalle's Legacy. A young noblewoman yearns for a challenge. ( @zyrenskistudios )

Lost Things by Andy Purviance of I, Mummy. When magic is outlawed only outlaws use magic. ( @abocode )

The Quiet Apprentice by Blake Chen of Twilight Lady. Two Nemsiiki warriors enter a hive of scum and villainy. Will they get out alive and with their sanity intact?

The Knight and the Knave by Christina Major of Sombulus. A virtuous paladin tries to win a wager, but sometimes the only card that can win against a knave is another knave. ( @delphina2k )

All That Glitters by Kat Feete of Sunset Grill. A rising young gangster faces a terrible ordeal: his grandmother's birthday party. ( @katastropheinmotion )

The Chasbury Job by Felix Wright of From The Machine. A young thief is hired by a sky-pirate gang to carry out a heist. ( @felix-duskglass )

The Trickster by Ewa U of Bits Fair. A talking snake needs some assistance. ( @bitsfair )

Relics by Ally Rom Colthoff of Chirault. Two urban explorers enter a derelict power plant, and find it's not as abandoned as they thought. ( @varethane )

Shifting Sands by Kristen Kiomall-Evans of XII: Of Magic & Muses. A group of bandits find out some gems are best left untouched. ( @batichi )

The Grand Heist!! by Star Prichard of Castoff. Stealth! Action! Intrigue! A self-proclaimed master thief tells the story of her greatest heist yet... to anyone willing to listen. ( @starfishsketches )

Eye of the Beholder by Tiffany Ross of The Cyantian Chronicles. Rama, Cyantia's most infamous villain, was a cub once. ( @shivae )

In Space! by Caroline Parkinson of Beneath the Clouds. A space pirate decides to rob a cargo ship. Kite-surfing, space whales , hijinks and more!

Our Kicksarter ends in two weeks (June 25)! Let’s bring these rogues to print! spiderforest.com/kickstarter

[reverieinsimlish]

Roan: By royal decree, the serving of fish to children is hereby outlawed! Henceforth only all beef patties and french fried potatoes are fit for our divine palate! You like fish and chips you say? Knave! Wretch! Off with your head!