#learn to multiple ship or enjoy a complicated slow burn

[oldfangirl81]

I am baffled by people who are baffled by the love of TommyBuck.

[etoilesombre]

Hi im a new here i finally watched black sails after someone convinced me. And im changed. I'm. Yeah. I'm not who i was before. It's a bizarrely good show?

I'm so so so glad that so many ppl on ao3 agree with me that flint and silver need to fuck. Have fucked. Will fuck.

This will be all i think about for the next month or so.

If you have fic recs do let me know. I'm in dire need.

Hi my friend and welcome to hell! It's the best, right? ("Month" is a HIGHLY optimistic estimate about how long this will consume your brain...)

So honored that you asked for recs! I don't think I've ever compiled a general list of favorites, I had a great time and I think I'm happy with the results. This is by no means comprehensive, and obviously HIGHLY reflective of my own tastes, which are... uh.. I am known to not enjoy nice things very much. I invite others to reblog with their own favorites. Here we go...

Notes: These are in vaguely chronological order. I'm including word count and brief descriptions so you know what you're getting into but no warnings or anything, that's all on AO3. They are all silverflint and all explicit (I think, there might be one or two 'mature' in there but, this is the they need to, have, and will fuck list.) I didn't include any of my own work because presumably that's how you found my blog so you're aware, but I do have a pinned list, and if you want recs for mine or to talk about any of these just message, I will talk about silverflint all day.

Overall Recommendations:

The Most Unexpected Things by forbiddenarchives (~20k words) I think this one is a great starting point. It is very.. fic flavored fic, if that makes sense, in a great way. Hits the spot. The author's description is "season 2 if everyone were 5000% hornier" and that is accurate. Note this is marked as unfinished, but the place it wraps up feels totally reasonable to me.

As Good as Gone by spinninginfinityboy (~5.5k words) Complicated hot weird semi-hate sex on the way to Charles Town. A thing with a Spanish Dubloon that is emblazoned on my brain forever.

Combat by equestrianstatue (~10k words) A two part series, which I think captures the push-pull early frenemies vibe of s1-2 perfectly. Also the writing itself is stellar.

All alone in a moonlit shanty by PrimalScream (4.3k) Celebrating a good day hunting, Flint gets very drunk and tells the crew a dirty story. Silver tries to put him to bed, but he has different ideas. By far one of the lighter things on this list.

after the winnowing by princesskay (~14k) Set after Silver loses his leg, early in his recovery. Silk pajamas, multiple orgasms and overstimulation as well as their usual codependent fuckery.

What It Feels Like Not to Hurt by Robotboy (~9k) Another recovery fic. As the author says, it's 9k of slowburn watersports but really it's about Silver's pain and autonomy and humiliation and. Just. Even if it's not your usual cup of tea it's hot, give it a try.

vigia by doomcountry (~3k) A short, perfect rendering of their dynamic during early s3 raid times. Heartwrenching character study, excellent porn.

The Sack of James Flint by princesskay (~107k) So, yes, this is a novel length sub!Flint cock and ball torture series. I would make the argument that it is one of the best character studies in the fandom, for real. Absolutely worth your time, but fuck, it hurts your heart as much as your captain's balls in the end.

Concurrence by ember_firedrake (~2.5k) Mid s3. The first time they call each other by their first names. Now, that's not actually a thing I think they do, but, good porn and lower angst.

appreciation by nysscientia (~8k) Flint cultivates a certain aloof persona, but Silver sees right through it, and eventually they kiss about it.

Don't Fear The Ships (Fear The Black) by Farasha (~10k) - Silverflint use learning to sail as a coded way to flirt and talk about feelings (and eventually they kiss about it).

A Ship Is A Republic by Robotboy (~20k) A slow burn fic set during the inter-season sword training times. Love this dynamic, this author does power bottom Flint and sub Silver so fucking well.

deliverance is ours by the light of the stars by piratecaptainraven (3.1k) Flint sees Silver and Madi together, and doesn't stop watching when he should. They don't technically fuck in this, but its SO much pining, and the writing is poetic and gorgeous.

frail and fragile bars by ajaxthegreat (~21k) Possibly the hottest thing I've ever read, this rewrote my brain chemistry. Slow burn-ish. It captures that late season love and dependence and resentment and power struggle.

Cold, Dark, Depraved by notfelix (~10k) When fucking fixes absolutely nothing. This hurts in a way that feels, to me, similar to canon. I hate it (affectionate).

Opportunist by anonymous (~6.1k) This was part of the kinkmeme event (see below) and it fucking changed me. If I recommend one fic and only one fic to process the ending, it's this. It's awful. It's necrophilia and light cannibalism. It's the only thing I can imagine happening after, if Silver actually shoots Flint on that island. It makes me feel bad in the best way.

hand in unlovable hand by brinnanza, Jaynovz (~9.9k) Affectionately known as the worst ending AU, this is actually a great followup to the last one. How Silver copes, after Skeleton Island.

Bonus: AUs. I don't generally read AUs, but these two worked for me, in very different ways that still felt very silverflint.

did the twin flame bruise paint you blue by Jaynovz (138k) Novel length mod AU where silverflint broke up, and we see their relationship along two different timelines, before and after. Toxic fucked up goodness, lots of BDSM dynamics, bonus silvervane! All set in NYC.

holy ghost fire by ajaxthegreat (~52k) Appalachia horror au! The author clearly knows the area, and silverflint is already a ghost story, so it works really well. If you've ever been there you'll know how right it feels, if not, just trust me.

extra bonus: fic event collections and rec lists

kinkmeme

built on sand

beach blanket black sails

@jaynovz has also compiled a number of much more specific rec lists, which can be found at #jay's esoteric rec lists

[msmargaretmurry]

Hello hello, I am intrigued by this vampire Leon idea (what are Mtkachuk's slutty ripped shirts and bitable neck for if not sinking teeth into, hmm?) and I was wondering if there were any other ideas re: vampire Leon or other Matthew/Leon plot bunnies or WIPs you felt comfortable sharing! Also, are there any other characters/ships that have grabbed your attention and you are thinking of writing about (or just thinking about?) After HAW I am of course having oblivious disaster Brady/mournful Quinn (why does he always look Like That, like he's a trusting kitten someone abandoned in a rainstorm who has had to learn far too quickly that the world is a cruel and heartless place) feels, and now we have Drouin/MacKinnon reunion, and Matthew/the rest of the NHL b/c he is also Like That, Brock Boeser/joy, etc etc etc and I would love to hear who's been occupying your thoughts lately!

hello anon!! thank you for this nice message! in case you missed it, i have now posted some vampire leon thoughts here and here, i hope you enjoy them ❤❤

i started grad school this fall so i have tragically not had the time/energy to write much, but i have done a LOT of rotating ideas and concepts on the hot dog roller of my mind. the main matthew'leon one i have right now is a futurefic set at the very ends of their careers (because sometimes it takes that long for it to be the right place and the right time). i am really interested in the very complicated feelings that come with a professional sports career coming to an end, not entirely on your own terms, and facing down the scary reality of the next phase of life, so i hope that i can eventually do something with that. the other, less serious one is a fantasy au based loosely on robin hobb's farseer trilogy — not really following the plot of it or anything but stealing the worldbuilding and magic system and some of the court intrigue concepts to put my guys into situations. it is quite silly but it's fun for telling myself bedtime stories.

other than them, i am at all times feeling brady/quinn feelings. obviously there is the brady/quinn HAW sequel, with poor pining quintin and oblivious brady finally figuring their shit out after only 5–8 business years. and i have my eldest daughter quinn hughes cisswap fic, which i know isn't everyone's cup of tea but i am having so much fun with it and that's the important thing. (eldest daughter quinn hughes anon, i see your follow-up message and i will reply soon!)

mackinnon/drouin reunion — absolutely living for it. deeply deeply want multiple people to write long angsty feelingsly second chance romance fics. would prefer for those people to not be me because i have enough on my plate already 😂

matthew/the rest of the nhl — look, i am a not an OTP kind of girl no matter how much i love a ship, i will ship widely and voraciously. love thinking about a nice long slow burn with matthew and sasha falling in love over the course of matthew's first season in florida, from matthew signing all the way through the stanley cup final. LOVE thinking about matthew/quinn concepts because who doesn't love a story about sneaking around with your best friend's hot older brother. honestly would love to hear about other people's matthew ships OR leon ships. i love to contain multitudes.

brock boeser/joy — my sweet boy 😭😭😭 he deserves a great season so much. i'm so happy for him and proud of him. way back on the backburner i do actually have a brock/petey futurefic idea that i really love, and also in general love pondering concepts involving any pairings or moresomes from the canucks polycule (brock, petey, quinn, thatcher, and i guess beau is kind of in there now too, or at least as much as he can be while mourning his lost long island love).

honestly this is all pretty much where my head is right now! other than thinking about the dark comedy that has been the start to the caps season (bless their hearts) and the absolute clownshow that is the nhl (welcome back pride tape!). thank you for the ask though, this was fun to reply to! ❤

[xbellaxcarolinax]

Forging A Heart (Ivar the Boneless) 16- Free

Pairing: Ivar x Artemis (OFC)

Word Count: 3381

Warnings: None.

AN: Thanks for the love guys, I appreciate it sooo much 😊 For those who have read this on Wattpad, I have edited the hell out of this story, so some parts have changed. Anyway, hope ya’ll enjoy.

15- York

...

One thing Ivar loved to do was sing.

They were usually the old lullabies his mother would sing to him as a child on nights when the pain was impossible to ignore. It remind him of his father. It was his peace of mind.

"Just wait, though wide he may roam, always a hero comes home,"

Ivar's hand hovered over the chess board as he contemplated his next move. His voice was almost a whisper, the melody ghosting over his pink lips, haunting yet beautiful.

"He goes where no one has gone, but always a hero comes home."

He quickly moves his piece forward, snatching his opponent's piece from the board and into the small horde of his collection. His opponent, the bishop, was as surprised as Artemis, his eyebrows shooting up at Ivar's quick attack. Ivar continues to hum the rest of the tune while waiting for the bishop to make his move. Apparently he learned the game from Prince Alfred sometime ago.

"What do you think of the bishop?" He suddenly asks her, his blue eyes following the bishop's scarred hand.

"I'm more interested in the game, I think."

Bishop Heahmund did not seem like a pleasant man. He often shot her accusatory glares after noticing the cross about her neck. He didn't resemble a man of the clergy with his leather clothes and cropped hair, and even less so with a sword in his hand. He didn't speak often, but when he did, it was rough and strained, as if he'd been screaming for an entire lifetime.

"He fascinates me. He is quite an impressive fighter." Ivar comments, turning his body to look at her from across the room, "His sword, I'd like you to examine it. It is unlike anything I've seen."

"As you wish, Prince."

The bishop mutters something to Ivar in that Saxon language. It was so dissimilar to the other languages of the Mediterranean, so foreign and strange. The way his mouth would move and how his tongue shifted to make certain sounds was beyond her, but Ivar grasped it with ease.

The bishop gazes at her with scrutiny in his eyes before looking back at Ivar's amused ones.

"He asks of your origins. He can clearly see you're not of the north."

"And I can clearly see he is no bishop." Ivar snorts at her comment, beckoning her closer. She was much too far for his liking. Artemis was hesitant in taking the seat that Ivar offered beside him, but she complies. She kept her eyes trained on the pieces on the chess board, very elaborately decorated.

Ivar speaks once again in the Saxon tongue, repeating her words and watching as the bishop rolled his eyes.

"I am Greek." She tells the man, waiting to see if he understood her. She didn't know whether he spoke her language or not, but most priests and clergymen did. He must have, because he hesitated, completely caught off guard.

"Do you understand me?"

"Minimal." The bishop answers brokenly. Perhaps he really was a bishop. "You are far from home." He continues.

"I have his brother to thank for that." She discreetly motions toward Ivar, who watches their conversation in fascination.

"Your people do not follow the Holy Father in Rome." Bishop Heahmund grunts out in his terrible Greek, finally losing his king piece to Ivar. Artemis rolls her eyes.

"Right. It has been a pleasure." She stands, pushing the chair back with an unpleasant screech before marching off to where she previously stood.

"Why has he upset you? I thought you'd both get on well," Ivar waved his hand about to explain himself further, the king piece in his tight grip, "He even speaks your language."

"I am not Christian enough for him-" Ivar snorts at this, "The people of the east do not follow the pope of Rome."

"What? What is a pope?"

"A man who has power over all Christian men of the west, even the kings." Artemis tries to explain the petty rivalies of the church, making herself busy by sorting out all of Ivar's daggers and wiping them down with a dampened cloth.

"I do not understand," Ivar frowned, helping the bishop set up the board again for a new match, "Are you Christian's not all the same?"

"It is much more complicated than that," She says, "There are different rules and traditions." If she were facing him, she would have seen him roll his eyes.

"East, west, you are all the same to me." He says after moment, his eyes following Heahmund's first move.

There was a long silence that followed, and only the clinking of the chess pieces against the porcelain board filled the chamber. Artemis settled comfortably in her thoughts as she polished Ivar's daggers. It was a useless task, really, as they would probably be impaled into an unlucky brute soon.

"Are you his whore?" Heahmund's scratchy voice burned the insides of her ears.

She really didn't like him.

"Of all the words to learn, you learned that one?" The bishop shrugs.

"You learn the bad ones first." Artemis scrunched her face in displeasure, turning to look at him from over her shoulder.

"I am his blacksmith, bishop." Ivar looks between the two in confusion.

"It seems I will have to learn this language as well," Ivar grunts, "Did he offend you?"

"I believe you should ask him that."

Once again the odd sounds of the Saxon language filled the room unpleasantly until Ivar snorts again, a large smile breaking across his face.

"The man has humor." Ivar let's out the laugh he'd been holding in when he sees her obvious distaste for the bishop.

"I find no joy in his humor." Ivar sighs, but the annoying smile still plays on his lips.

"Then I shall put you at ease. You may go." She was glad for it, storing away his daggers in a leather pouch and setting them aside before turning and giving Ivar a respected bow. She didn't miss the bishop's glare, and she was quick to return the gesture.

"Artemis?" Ivar calls after her, "Do not try anything stupid."

What he meant to say was do not try anything stupid because I have a guard following you.

...

Ivar decided to have guards posted at every entrance way and anywhere he felt a need for them, reflecting his rising paranoia. He felt treachery at every corner and deception in every path. His anxiety escalated ever since he'd severed ties with his older brother.

When Ubbe left, he took a small fleet of boats with him back to Kattegat. He was in obvious disagreement with his youngest brother. He had no desire to venture farther into England for raiding. All he wanted was to live out their fathers dream and farm the land that was given to them by King Ecbert. Except, that land wasn't really rightfully theirs anyway.

It was sad to see such a family drift apart from each other, all because Ivar was ambitious and wanted more.

Hvitserk had hesitated, leaving with Ubbe aboard the ship until the very last moment, deciding to jump off and change his allegiance with Ivar. The oldest left quite solemnly, but it didn't deter him from what he felt was his duty. He didn't agree with Ivar nor his ideas or commands, and therefore he felt no need to remain under such leadership.

It was sad to watch Ubbe leave. He was the glue that kept the Ragnarson's together and was a good man with a heart of gold. Artemis offered him an apple before he left. It made the blonde smile.

Ivar felt betrayed.

Despite all the taunting he had done watching his brother leave, it hurt him so much more than he could express. Ubbe was his defender, the one who always looked out for him. Now he was gone.

Ivar did what he knew best, throwing things about in his fury. His anger lasted days, lashing out on anyone who dared to approach him. But the anger passed as it always did and the conquest in York continued.

He kept true to his word, having a guard monitor her whenever she was alone.

It was a trust issue at first, but then word spread that a slave woman was raped by one of his own men. In a different situation, Ivar wouldn't have batted an eye at that as it was no business of his what his men wanted to do with slaves. But then it had him thinking about his own slave. Not that the men would dare touch her for obvious reasons, but still, it was precaution.

She was safe, for the most part, but grew weary of such boring company. And she was sure this guard was bored of hers. If she wasn't followed by Ivar's guard then she was in the company of Hvitserk, who constantly joked about having to play caretaker. Artemis actually liked his company.

Spring was slowly beginning to transition into the summer heat, carrying with it the humid airs and more rain. Her hair didn't agree with the weather, the long strands expanding into disarray until she finally decided to sport them into mediocre braids.

It took Artemis some time to grow accustomed to the new city. She often explored it when she could spare the time, following the path of the river Thames's slow moving waters. She found herself admiring the English view.

But if anyone were to search for her, she could be found in York's forge. It was nothing like Ecbert's forge, but it was still impressive. The area was large and heated, made for multiple men to work at once, with a large pit for a blazing fire in the middle. She loved it.

She became aquainted with the technique of the northerners with Arvid's help, and now she strived to retain more knowledge from the Saxons, specifically the bishops sword. She had taken the sword to examine it as Ivar requested, and she understood why he was so fascinated by it.

It was forged of a stronger material, and she could already tell it was quite expensive to own. The long sword had a golden pommel, with precious stones embedded on the grip. There was something engraved into the blade, which only added to its mystery.

Heahmund was obviously once a rich man.

Artemis ran her fingers over the smoothness of the blade, working to shine it to perfection. She was reminded of her father, a master of crafting blades. She thought less of him. The less she thought of him, the less it hurt, burying it deep within herself as to not feel the emotional pain of having no family and being utterly alone.

...

Artemis had done a fantastic job staying away from Arvid.

She didn't speak to him, she didn't even glance in his direction. He'd catch her from time to time, speaking to his wife, sharing a laugh or two with her, inquiring on his health, but nothing more. He'd wondered how she managed to dance her way around him, despite them working together. He suppose he deserved it.

Arvid found a chance to speak to her, catching her sitting on the stool that Ivar sat on only days ago while enduring the painful pricking of a tattoo. Artemis hears his boots scuffing up the dirt, stopping in front of her. His handsome features were clouded with remorse.

"Do you hate me?" He asks bluntly.

"Hate is a strong word, Arvid."

"It was not my intention to-"

"I do not understand what your intentions were." She interrupts him with a sigh. Her small fingers held onto a whetstone, sharpening the bishop's sword. When Arvid steps closer for a better look at it, the guard he failed to notice made his presence known, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. They were part of Ivar's personal guard. The guard was quite a distance away, but he held a threatening stance. Arvid frowns.

"What is done, is done," Artemis continued to say, posture becoming more rigid the longer he stood there.

"Surely you have much more to say than that." Arvid insists.

"Not really."

Arvid runs a hand down his rugged face. He wanted to shout at her and elicit something from her, but he was better off steadying his tone if this guard was watching.

"Odin help me. You are infuriating."

"And you are a traitor. You do not value our friendship," She replied harshly, sheathing the sword and placing it at her feet with less care then she should have before crossing her arms. "You sold me out for your own selfish reasons, and now you want to reconcile?"

"I did not wish to see you make a mistake." His tone drops lower, and his blue eyes shone with regret. He didn't want to have a simple friendship, his passionate heart wouldn't allow it.

"That was my mkstake to make," Artemis remained with her arms crossed, but her anger slowly faded, leaving nothing but a frown in its wake, "He could have killed me, you know."

"Nonsense, he cares for you," Arvid scoffs with a roll of his eyes, "He even has that nice guard to watch over you,"

"Now is not the time for your petty jealousy," Artemis, stands grabbing the heavy sword in her hands, "I could have been home. I had a chance." A wave of emotion erupted in her like a storm out at sea, and angry tears blurred her vision. She told herself she wouldn't cry anymore, she refused to show such weakness, but her voice quivered terribly, and her skin flushed pink from the stress of tears.

She was emotionally tired.

Arvid felt terrible. His attempt at making amends was failing miserably. The last thing he wanted was to see her weep.

"Forgive me." He says dumbly to her, but he knew that wouldn't be suffice. He was pathetic, pining over a women that would always belong to Ivar. The youngest prince of Kattegat did not hide his feelings well, it was obvious. He cared for Artemis in his own way, even if he couldn't admit it.

Arvid had no right to be envious. He had a beautiful and loyal wife who cared for him as any wife should her husband, yet he felt the jealously tighten its hold on him. He should not have been so selfish.

"Artemis?" The sound of Hvitserk's voice made her quickly wipe her face free of any tears.

"Ivar is requesting your presence." His brows rose in silent questioning, but he says nothing, only watching with eyes of suspicion as she casts Arvid one last look before walking over to Hvitserk.

"Prince Hvitserk."

"You know, I tire of such formalities." He says with a small smile, draping his arm about her shoulders as he usually did when he was being particularly friendly. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the rare sunlight that poked through her wet lashes before turning her gaze to the Ragnarson.

"Hvitserk." She corrected herself, rubbing at her nose with the back of her hand.

"What did he want?" Hvitserk looks over his shoulder. At least Ivar trusted him enough for the guard to slink away when he came around.

"He was seeking forgiveness." She mutters, clutching the sword tight.

"I should be seeking yours as well." He laughs, ruffling her already messy curls over the area where her wound should've healed by now. He did it to ease her discomfort, but only succeeded in making her feel like a child. She swats his hand away, offering him a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

"Can you forgive me?"

"I suppose," She begins, looking away from him, "What does Ivar need?"

"I am not sure, you know he refuses to disclose his plans." He was clearly annoyed about it. Hvitserk stayed behind with Ivar expecting for them to share the role of leader, but Ivar always kept his older brother out of the loop, leaving him in a foul mood.

"But he appeared to be in better spirits, so I'm sure he is up to something." He shrug, laughing when she playfully pushes him off before entering the church.

She wished she could have seen it in its glory, before it was desecrated. The walls were draped in Ivar's new sigil, a red banner with a circle of gold and black swirls. It was a sign of the future king he desired to be.

A blonde woman came skittering out into the hall, barely dressed and a large grin on her face. Artemis recognized her as Freydis, a pretty slave that roamed about the camp as a woman of pleasure. Freydis passes her, giving her a wolfish grin. She runs off in a flurry of giggles, pulling her tattered dress over her thin shoulders.

That was strange.

Artemis rounds the corner to see Ivar sitting on his throne with a blush dusting his chiseled cheekbones. He clears his throat when he sees her approach.

"Artemis."

"What can I do for you, Prince?"

"I have news." Artemis's brows knit in confusion.

"News?" He smiles, glancing at the sheathed sword in her hands.

"Yes, but first, how fair's the bishop's sword?"

"...It is impressive, made of superior steel, but surely not by any dwarfs." She jokes, which in turn makes Ivar smirk, resting his chin on his hand. He wore his metal legs, tapping a finger along the dark iron.

"You know nothing of the dwarfs, Artemis," He says with a chuckle, before straightening his posture, and suddenly he wore a thoughtful expression. He cleared his throat, bringing his hands together and lacing his fingers across his lap.

"I've decided to grant you what you most desire."

The words barely hit her, her mind slowly wrapping around the meaning. She opens her mouth as if to speak, but stops herself, not knowing what to say.

"I thought you'd be more excited," He was rather serious, staring at her with an odd intensity, "You have your freedom." His brow wrinkles as he awaited her response.

"I do not understand." She says, feeling her kneecaps shake, "Why did you not let me go with Bjorn?"

"...I did not want you to leave...under such circumstances, and without my consent," He hesitates, unable to meet her eyes, "I thought it would be the right thing to do." She had longed to hear him say such words. She lowers her head in disbelief, placing a hand to her brow as a weight lifted off her shoulders. It seemed too easy.

"No, none of that." Ivar says with a roll of his eyes. When she turns her eyes towards him he frowns, leaning forward on his throne as if to examine her features closely.

"Have you been crying?" Ivar grips his axe tightly, making movements to stand, "Has someone hurt you?" She shakes her head, biting her lip, but otherwise remains quiet.

"Are you hurt?" He urges, this time his tone was softer than she's ever heard it before. She sighs.

"Only my heart. I am homesick,"

"You are a free women now," His demeanor changes instantly, straightening his back against his makeshift throne, "You are free to navigate, but I cannot spare you any ships or men to help you, I need them all at my disposal." Artemis nods, keeping her eyes downcast.

"But," He continues, "I will offer to have you stay in my service as a blacksmith if you wish to remain loyal to me. You shall always have a roof over your head and food in your belly, if you choose to accept." She shifts on her feet, holding the bishop's sword to her chest in thought.

"You will be protected." He adds, noting the doubt in her eyes. After a few moments of silence, she nods, raking a hand through her hair. She hoped it wouldn't be a mistake.

"I accept the offer, Prince Ivar," He smiles at her, a genuine smile that could light every candle in the hall.

"Excellent choice," He says, "I shall like you to come back to Norway with me, to King Harald's lands. It is time to enact my revenge on Lagertha."

...

A Hero Comes Home- Beowulf

...

@heavenly1927 @didiintheblog @rastakami23

[ashitanoyuki-on-ao3]

Hello there! Its been a while since I reviewed. On the latest chapter of Desideratum, one word. Hive-Mind. It was totally wicked! And yes, the slow burn is glacial, but that's the beauty of it. But me, I would like to see Lotor get angry at Keith, rather than on Keith's behalf. At least once. 'Cause he really does seem like Prince Perfect. I mean, the only vulnerability he shows in front of his team is things outside the team- like his daddy issues, or his exile, and psychotic generals- but(1/?)

(2/?) he doesn’t really show much emotion towards his generals. Like, sure he seems friendly, and nice, and holds his generals in favour, but he rarely gets upset with anyone of the team (except maybe Natri) So yeah, I would like that. And also, I was wondering who’s in the red lion? Matt? Or maybe Lance? And will Keith get the red lion? And if he does, what about his position as general? Or will it just strengthen the alliance? And what of Keith’s mother? The big reveal took place after all…

(3/?) But apart from that, are there any side relationships? Does Natri die in this AU? Also, what do the other generals think about the developing Keitor? I’m fairly certain that it isn’t just my imagination that Lotor is paying more attention to Keith compared to the others. Or maybe it is? But anyways, it was a good chapter. I hope to see another one soon!

Hey there, anon! I’m glad you’re enjoying so far, and it’s always nice to hear feedback!

I’ve actually deliberately kept Lotor from showing anger towards Keith or strong emotion towards the generals on purpose. A lot of that comes from my interpretation of him as someone who needs to be in control, and control of his emotions is part of that. In canon, we very rarely see him act in strong negative emotion, and almost never does he seem upset with his generals (and the times he does have strong outward circumstances). Not trying to portray him as prince-perfect, but Lotor seems to me to be someone whose anger burns cold, and who prizes control over everything else. I’ve actually written several scenes in this fic where, if they were told from Lotor’s point of view, would basically just be giant screaming messes, but since I am working with Keith’s POV, Lotor seems mildly rattled at worst. I’m a big believer in Lotor hiding his vulnerabilities, and he has had quite a long time to learn that art to perfection. Lotor actually has gotten mad at Keith in fic canon, but he prizes control so much that unless you were in his head reading his mind, you wouldn’t realize. (I can think of a few instances.) Sorry if you want something more obvious, but I can’t see Lotor as someone who would explode with anger or even make it clear when he is mad, so… I guess have fun looking back at some of his measured or even tones looking for anger? Lotor loves his control.

That said, we will eventually see Lotor lose composure. It will just take more dire circumstances than any we have seen yet. Lotor loves and trusts his team, but not enough to break down in front of them.

Someone’s in the red lion, that is for sure. I started planning this fic before season 4 had aired, and I finalized the Desideratum lion flying squad after season 4 dropped, that’s all I am saying. I’m comfortable saying that this isn’t a spoiler - Keith is not going to be the red paladin or fly a lion in this fic. I’ve had multiple people either directly ask me about that or imply that they want that to happen, and while I’m sorry to disappoint, Keith won’t be flying a lion. It’s not that there won’t be any references to his potential to fly red, but in this reality, he missed his chance.

Keith’s mother… Man, that’s complicated. I’ll take Keith’s Abandonment Issues for 200, please.

Acxa/Ezor/Zethrid is low-key a thing, though I tend to keep it to vague references. They are discreet. There might be inter-paladin relationships? I haven’t decided. I promised my best friend that even if it doesn’t get active screentime, Coran/Kolivan is a thing because we are both disasters who ship that particular rare-pair. (Which probably will get maybe two sentences of implication.) Keith/Lotor is the only major pairing, like 50 chapters from now when these dumbasses decide to get together for real. (I actually have a solid plan on when and how they become official, and it is farther in the future than anyone wants, so suffer through the glacial burn I offer in the meantime. Their relationship is set in stone and will happen, but it will take a Very Painfully Long Time.)

And um. As for Narti being alive or dead? If I am merciful and Narti is lucky, she’s dead. If not? :) I have plans :)

[aion-rsa]

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 8 Review: The Sanctuary

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This Star Trek: Discovery review contains spoilers.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, Episode 8

From the very beginning, Star Trek: Discovery has loved putting Michael Burnham in an impossible situation, and making her choose. This isn’t a bad narrative habit, especially for a show as thematically-driven as Star Trek, but some Kobayashi Maru scenarios are more interesting than others and, some, well… some are just plain clunky. This was the case in “The Sanctuary,” which saw not only Michael but the whole Discovery crew sent to Book’s home planet, Kwejian, to strictly observe, Emerald Chain leader Oysraa show up to bully the trance worm-loving planet. As far as no-win scenarios go, this one has a pretty obvious moral high ground. From the moment Admiral Vance allowed Saru to captain his ship to Kwejian, I think we all knew where this was going to end…

And what an ending it was. Oysraa shows up on the scene, and almost immediately sets about using coercion and violence in an attempt to get what she wants. Saru is easily persuaded into engagement, using the thinly-veiled excuse that it isn’t the Federation who is engaging; it’s Book’s Millennium Falcon-esque ship. Oysraa, understandably, doesn’t care about Saru’s superficial reasoning—to her, the Federation has attacked—but the damage has been done. Detmer, with Ryn as a co-pilot, gets to show off her considerable piloting skills in an epic space assault that loses no points in my book for being heavily reminiscent of Star Wars. It’s been a pleasure to see Detmer’s character used more this season, and watching her go “full manual” is only one entertaining example.

And what does Oysraa want? Ryn, the Andorian refugee we met in “Scavengers,” whom we’re told again and again in this episode has unique value to The Emerald Chain. While the set-up and execution isn’t particularly elegant, perhaps it doesn’t need to be. The way in which Osyraa doesn’t bat a viridian eyelid before carpet-bombing Kwejian tells us viewers everything we need to know about The Emerald Chain’s dominance: they’re not used to being met with any resistance—or at least any resistance that stands a chance. This is why Ryn is so unique, Detmer spells out for us: he’s the only person to have ever stood up to Osyraa.

Again, it’s an effective but inelegant plot point. Not only is it hard to believe that no one else has ever stood up to The Emerald Chain, but it’s even harder to believe that Osyraa didn’t simply kill Ryn years ago. Once Discovery has earned Ryn’s respect for standing up to Osyraa, we discover that Ryn’s value lies in knowledge: he knows that The Emerald Chain is running out of dilithium. It’s a weird secret, honestly; resources, even for crime syndicates, involve supply chains and supply chains are made up of people. It seems unlikely that Ryn would be the only person who knows this deep, dark secret. But, like most plot elements in this episode, I am willing to go with it—one, because Discovery has earned itself a great deal of narrative goodwill this season and, two, because it sets up an interesting parallel between The Emerald Chain and the pre-Burn Federation.

This season has hinted multiple times that the mystery of what caused The Burn is probably related to the Federation’s desperation to either find new sources of dilithium or to find an alternate way of getting around. As we learned in “Unification III,” the Ni’Var had been convinced for more than a century that their own experimental alternate transport project led to the tragedy. While that theory has been discredited by Michael and the rest of the Discovery crew, it’s not hard to imagine that the Federation’s desperation to solve their dilithium problem didn’t lead to The Burn in some way. After all, The Burn happened because most dilithium in the galaxy went mysteriously inert, causing the detonation of every active warp core.

Read more

TV

Star Trek: Discovery — What Do Georgiou’s Mirror Universe Flashbacks Mean?

By Ryan Britt

TV

What Is the Burn? Star Trek: Discovery Season 3’s Biggest Mystery Explained

By Ryan Britt

The Burn may have been a tragedy of epic proportions, but it was what followed that truly sent the universe into disarray. Without the Federation to keep the peace and stability of the universe, a power vacuum formed that allowed a force like The Emerald Chain to grow up in its place. In “The Sanctuary,” we finally get our first proper look at what seems to be the Season 3 Big Bad, and they’re just as power-hungry and ruthless as we’ve been told. Heck, Osyraa is introduced in a scene that sees her feeding her own nephew to a trance worm for being bad at his job. I’ve written before about how much I’ve enjoyed this slow-burn approach to introducing the Season 3 villain. Rather than giving us scenes of Osyraa being a jerk, the cruel dominance of The Emerald Chain has been built into the all-important worldbuilding of the season in subtle and consistent ways. Because of this, the actual introduction of Osyraa is a bit underwhelming. But it intrigues me that, in their first encounter with the Big Bad, the Discovery is so victorious. It makes me think things are going to get worse for them before they get better. This was all a little too easy.

Presumably, Osyraa will take retributory action against the Federation for the Discovery’s actions at Kwejian, which will make the easy choice Saru made here more complicated. In this moment, Saru understandably stepped up to protect the vulnerable people and creatures of Book’s homeworld, but will other vulnerable planets and populations be made to suffer because of it? Either way, I think Saru made the right choice here, but, narratively, I would like to see Osyraa strike back in some other way. Otherwise, The Emerald Chain is going to lose some serious cred as the season’s Big Bad, effectively lowering the stakes of the entire Season 3 plot, which has been so gloriously built thus far.

For now, the Discovery is safe and happy. Michael isn’t the rogue officer this time. Saru made the executive decision to disobey Vance’s direct orders, though you can tell he’s hoping to get away with it on a technicality. With five episodes left in the season, I hope the Discovery crew is enjoying this calm before what it sure to be a season-ending storm.

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Additional thoughts.

Here are all of the Star Trek Easter eggs and references we found in “The Sanctuary.”

“Where I am from, the emperor’s personal physician was buried with them when they died.” Oh yeah, Georgiou might be dying? Luckily, Hugh “Oracle of the Mess Hall” Culber. It says a lot about how far Georgiou has become integrated into this crew that she is actually allowing him to look into whatever brain dysfunction is going on. It also tells us how terrified she is. (You can tell how scared Georgiou is by the number of aggressive quips she gets out per second. The more she threatens to poison your children, the more terrified, she is.)

“If I had time, I’d poison your children.” “If I had time, I’d have children.”

Book and Michael’s relationship continues to be a beacon of healthy TV romance.

“Carry on.” Are you into Saru’s catchphrase? I am.

The Discovery science team has found a source for The Burn, using the Ni’Var data. It started in a mysterious nebula, and seems to be connected to a distress beacon sent out by a loss Federation ship. The plot thickens!

The post Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 8 Review: The Sanctuary appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[lovefortheheartless]

what do you think of nolanverse joker? i read one of your posts that said you didn't ship batjokes from nolan TDK, so im just curious why you prefer comic batjokes to nolanverse. Is there any difference between the two or is it just the characterization that you prefer?

Hi anon! I’m so glad that you asked because oh boy it’s finally time for my inner Batjokes fangirl to roam free! Firstly though, I want to point out that one of my favorite things about loving comic book characters is that there are different versions and multiple interpretations of one single character depending on who writes them; this is, of course, fortunate because it gives us the freedom to choose which one best appeals to us and which one doesn’t (that’s saying I do not wish to make anyone feel uncomfortable with my expression of personal preference, for I mean no harm).  

In regard to characterization, Heath Ledger’s Joker may not be my favorite version of the Joker, but he is a great Joker nonetheless. I love how he still occupies his trademark stand as chaos to Batman’s order: this Joker is whimsical, perverse, unhinged, ingenious, anarchic, unremitting, and is an absolute delight to watch; every time he appears, he steals the fucking show! The reason he is not on the top of my list, however, is that I prefer my favorite characters to dress in a specific dress code, which explains why I have a thing for comic!Joker’s sartorial taste in fabulous, flamboyant suits, and why I find his dramatic panache and soliloquies so enticing. So yeah, the characterization of the Joker has something to do with why I enjoy the comics more then the movies.    

Which brings me to the second point: while the movie introduced me to Batjokes, the comic is what keeps me aboard this ship for so long. Now I honestly think that the Nolanverse!Batjokes interaction is well-done because it denotes the lethal yet irresistible attraction, the monomaniac obsession and complicated mutual dependency, in which the Joker exists because of Batman and vice versa and so they have to deal with it. The major difference is that Nolanverse portrays the start of their relationship, while in the comics, these two have already gotten such a long and complicated /history/ together: not only they have been around for over 70 years, but also the impact they had on one another was massive.

Particularly in the comic, while Gotham villains have done their fair share of misdeeds ranging from reprehensible to execrable, and the Joker just might come out on top; he is also the only villain that asserts himself into Bruce’s personal life and wrecks him in a way that no one has ever done before, not least because he killed Jason Todd, crippled Barbara, and even struck a close-to-fatal blow to Bruce’s heart by trying to exterminate the Batfam in N52. Hence while I love the Joker, I still think it’s uncontrovertible that he is a human disaster and deserves everything he gets.

What caught me, however, is that despite all the bullshit the Joker pulled, Batman had not only /not/ killed him, but also saved him numerous times - here and there for the most ludicrous reasons that bordered on ridiculousness and irrationality. No matter how much the Joker strived to maul and break his arch-nemesis, Batman would still come back, crooked yet strong and firm as a mountain; and this impervious resolution is exactly what prompted the Joker to try again and again in hope of both breaking and /not/ breaking Batman because otherwise their game would be over. Thus, this locks these two in an endless dance in which they know the rules and their roles, and learn to play it to perfection.

In comparison to Nolanverse!Batjokes, this consistency is missing - or more accurately has yet been cultivated - because the characters has only settled on the first page of their arrangement (not that we could blame them, for there was limited room to develop when you only got 2 hours or so for one movie). Nolan’s TDK is the beginning, while the comics are so much more because their Batjokes is a slow burn in which both characters have already been familiar with one another and thus formed an unbreakable bond, whether one side in particular is willing to concede it or not.

Of course, I would never deny that the Nolanverse has its own merits; for example, it lends us a chance to mull over the Batjokes ship in their early stage and what would happen when the Joker did not commit egregious crimes that devastated Bruce the way he did in the comics (not that the asshole did not ruin Bruce’s life enough by killing his girlfriend in TDK). Nevertheless, I personally favor comic!Batjokes because it’s a long-lasting, intricate structure built upon passion, obsession, co-dependency, and most importantly the vehement, absolute conviction that they would come back to resume their dance - this is, after all, the ultimate rule that governs and maintains their relationship.                      

[engagedfamilygaming]

Kickstarter Campaign of the Week: Fire Tower

Fire Tower is a area control and hand management fire fighting board game that is currently live on Kickstarter.  It was designed and is being published by Runaway Parade Games. They took the time to answer some questions for us about their campaign. Take a look below and check out the campaign! It is currently funded and a copy of the game is only $39 with free shipping in the United States.

Can you give us a “Tale of the Tape” for your game? The title, genre, playtime, age ranges, etc.

Fire Tower is for 2-4 players, ages 13+ (although this is only because of certification, since 7-year-olds have enjoyed this game). The game takes 15 – 30 minutes, and is a competitive forest fire fighting game.

What is the elevator pitch?

Prepare for a unique experience, a relentless battle for survival packed with shocking reversals and exhilarating victories. Fire Tower is a competitive fire fighting game for 2-4 players where each player mans a fire tower in the forest. Most games about firefighting have some cooperative aspect, with players working together to beat back the flames and stem the chaos. In Fire Tower your objectives are to protect your own tower and spread the flames towards your opponents. Can you be the last tower standing?

One of the main mechanics in the game is the wind, an unrelenting natural force that can be diverted but never stopped. At the start of each turn you must expand the fire in the direction of the current wind. If you find the flames encroaching on your tower, you’ll want to look to your action cards. In your five card hand you’ll find wind cards that allow you to harness the destructive force of the gale. Fire cards add a varying of patterns of fire to the board.  Water cards beat back the flames. Firebreak cards that let you remove combustible vegetation to create barriers that slow the blaze.

Your opponents will come after you with explosions, burning snags, and flare ups, but you can fight back by calling in airdrops of water, deploying fire engines and smoke jumpers, or constructing fire breaks. Undermine your opponent’s defenses by replanting trees they’ve removed, or douse flames on your tower with your trusty bucket. The choices are numerous; it’s up you to make the right one.

Fire Tower is easy to learn, has minimal set-up time, and is intuitive to play, so that the action begins within minutes of opening the box. That said, this is not a simple game to master: multiple variables allow for a wide range of strategies, and no two games look alike. Fire Tower features a vibrant watercolor design by celebrated artist Kevin Ruelle. You can see Kevin’s fine art by visiting his website, ruellefineart.com.

When is your Kickstarter going live

The Kickstarter launched April 24, 2018, and funded in 2 hours.

Where are you in production/development? How close are you to complete?

The game is finished, has been heavily play-tested, the artwork is complete, and the manufacturer is chosen. We have spent the past 3 years working on the game, tweaking it, paying close attention to every detail. Of course, we are open to new ideas, and we always welcome feedback from the game community, which has been incredibly warm and welcoming to us throughout this entire process.

Are there any other games that you think are comparable to your game?

One of our favorite things about Fire Tower is that people who play our game can never think of another game that is quite like it. There are other games about fire fighting, but all the ones we know are cooperative games. There are other games that use patterns and spatial planning to strategize, but most of them are abstract games that don’t also include the more secretive elements that come with having a hand of action cards. What we love about Fire Tower is it has a retro look and feel, but the mechanics themselves are very unique.

You’re a game designer. You could have made any game you wanted. Why did you make THIS game?

This is the first game that we have taken this far into the production process, so it is definitely our baby! The two of us have always loved board games and board game design, and our conversations often start with, “What if you made a game about…” and go on for hours and hours.

One day we were going for a walk in the woods and we were talking about how coop games are fun because you are playing against the game, and competitive games are fun because you are playing against each other. What about a game where you are playing against both? We wanted to create an experience that ramps up over time, one where it becomes increasingly difficult to resist the building momentum of the game. A forest fire really stuck out to us as an exciting theme with a natural progression that would be both formidable and exhilarating.

What was your design process like?

You can always tell when one of us is really excited about a game, because they start building a prototype right away. After we went for that walk, we couldn’t stop talking about Fire Tower, and it was only a matter of days before we had a prototype built and were playtesting it. Of course, the game was very different from what it is now. The mechanics were different, the cards were different, and we were playing on this huge piece of white board that took up half our dining room. But the basic idea was the same, and after we played the game once, we couldn’t wait to play again. That’s how we knew we were onto something.

We’ve been lucky to have an amazing community of gamers and designers around us as we’ve gone through this process. We can’t thank them enough for all the insights they’ve offered. The two of us kept meticulous notes on all suggestions received, and have developed a framework to apply this information. We really tried to distill player’s impressions of the game into positive change, and learned the importance of finding common ground in what at first seems like contradicting feedback. Parsing out the trends in our data led to important developments that have been essential to Fire Tower.

What is the number one reason why a family MUST purchase this game?

This game takes about five minutes to learn and gets everyone laughing almost instantly. It is competitive, but at the same time lighthearted. One of our favorite parts about demoing Fire Tower at conventions has been watching the interactions between families as they battle for control of the forest. We love showing this game to kids and their parents, because it’s fun to listen to their hilarious banter as they go after each other. The game also works well for families because it presents core gameplay that young gamers can easily grasp, while at the same time offering unique mechanics and strategies that appeal to more seasoned gamers. This keeps every age bracket invested in the action, and also leaves room for kids to develop more nuanced strategies over time.

We wanted to create a game that was accessible to different types of learners, and tried to make it as intuitive as possible. We included cards that have both text and visual-based instructions, with a grid on each card that shows how it can be used. At one convention we met a father whose son had a hard time understanding text-based instructions and was pleasantly surprised that he found the visual directions of Fire Tower easy to digest. We’re overjoyed that Fire Tower is an inclusive experience that spans age and learning style. The social interactions the game encourages also compliment family gaming. Temporary alliances form and break as the wind changes, with players working together to send the fire away from themselves (and towards the other opponents).

Fire Tower forces players to try to predict how others will react to a varying range of situations, which leads to a lot of interesting interplay between personalities. The game is fiercely competitive, but at 15-30 minutes a game, it’s hard to be too sore of a loser (especially when you can just play again). In the meantime, kids are learning wildfire fighting terms and enhancing their spatial planning skills.

How long has this game been in development?

Just about three years. We are excited to finally get the game into the hands of gamers!

What obstacles did you encounter making this game?

Because Fire Tower is the first game we’ve taken to the edge of production, and our first KS project, we have had to educate ourselves on every aspect that goes into making a game.  Ranging from the first design concept to the final product on your shelf. It’s hard to imagine the entire process while drawing your first prototype on a piece of poster board! We want to make sure that we manufacture a high quality product that is affordable for gamers. This means spending countless hours finding the perfect component.  This included waking up in the middle of the night and weighing options of card size or the shade of our fire gems. We needed to consider sizing the game box to fit efficiently on pallets, and so much more. Overcoming these obstacles has helped us create a better product.

As co-designers it is hard to give up on some of your own ideas, even if you know they aren’t right. Both of us have had to learn to step back and ask, “Am I defending this idea because it truly enhances the game, or because I came up with it?”.  Some of the hardest choices in the design process have been deciding when something has run its course and letting it go. Although some of these missteps end up fueling the next breakthrough! Creating Fire Tower has been one of the most challenging and rewarding logic puzzles we have ever encountered.

Designing a game brings out that same feeling of exhilaration you receive when planning out a complicated move for your next turn at game night. Designing Fire Tower has turned out to be one of the most addictive games we have ever played. Where all the limitations imposed on gameplay are up to your own discretion, and the possibilities for adjustments are endless.

What did your first prototype look like?

Our first prototype was this monolithic piece of poster board that had five or six versions of the game board. We used a lot of different things to represent the fire gems at first: plastic golden coins with a skull and crossbone printed on one side, pennies, torn pieces of paper, and sugar packets when we were in a bind once. Our first playtesters got to pick from a pile of plastic animals to represent their towers on the board. People often argued about who got to play as the jellyfish.

The first version of the firebreak tokens were ceramic tiles we found at a craft store. We had various friends with artistic skills who helped us draw the initial art on the cards. The deck was always changing! We used this setup until we’d locked down the core mechanics of the game. It was very exciting when we finally had some real artwork and were able to print a prototype through The Game Crafter. Still, sometimes we miss our giant poster board game.

Why did you get into making games?

Both of us have played around with game designing our whole lives. As kids we developed games that we played with our parents and close friends. At a certain point we were bouncing around so many ideas that we just had to see one all the way through. Designing a game was also an excuse to embed gaming even more into our lives. Meeting designers and playing their games has been one of our favorite parts of this whole process. Once we have Fire Tower produced and delivered we’re excited to turn our attention to other designs we’ve been working on!

What other information do you want us to know about you, your company, and/or your game?

Runaway Parade Games has a core mission to bring enjoyment to gamers through unique tabletop experiences. We’ve really enjoyed the process of showing Fire Tower to people at a range of extraordinary conventions including The Connecticut Festival of Indie Games, SnowCon, Pax Unplugged, Total Con, The Boston Festival of Indie Games, RetroWorld Expo, Too Many Games, Metatopia, and more. Games have been a lifelong passion for us. We’re excited to bring a new edition to a world that has brought us an extraordinary amount of joy. We’ve received a warm welcome from the tabletop world as a whole. Going forward we want to give back to the community, and share everything we’ve learned with people who are now embarking on the same journey we started three years ago.

  The post Kickstarter Campaign of the Week: Fire Tower appeared first on Engaged Family Gaming.

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