#mock mmorpg | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

thegodthief · 25 days ago

Text

'Tis But A Game

Dreamt of an immersive MMORPG that all the "cool kids" (read: anyone younger than me) were playing. Players entered the world as "witches" and would play through an individual story line that occasionally called for group attacks on key NPC and locations.

My daughter got me to create an account and play. She was confident that my old ass would be able to not only catch up to her character level, but that I would exceed it quickly. Turns out, the immersive nature of the game meant you weren't limited by keyboard and mouse, only your intuition.

I started in the tutorial island, with a simple black robe and matching witch hat, and a styrofoam broom as my weapon and steed. She wasn't kidding about the immersive nature of the game. Everything felt real and tangible. She walked me through the initial quests and then it was time to level up.

The quest to leave the tutorial island was to mount the broom and fly over the chasm that separated it from the game's mainland. From there, I would have to navigate an obstacle course designed to test my connection to the elements before presenting myself to the Witchtree to be judged.

Along the way, my daughter encountered some friends of hers who were delighted that her mom was in the game. I quickly collected an impromptu coven of new and experienced players that became invested in my advancement. They showed me tricks to the game and cheered each encounter.

Someone spent money to bestow a custom title on me. "Witch Mom" My daughter laughed to see it. Even though I was the newest player, I had picked it up quick, so other new players assumed I was a mentor of some kind and would ask me to show them techniques. The coven encouraged it.

Finally, it was time for our group to enter the main world. I was last to arrive at the launch point, but I was able to observe how the experienced players mounted their brooms and flew across the chasm. I helped other players do the same until it was just me and my daughter remaining.

"Just like this, Mom!" She grabbed her broom and held it out. Without a word, she jumped and it moved forward with her momentum. Her character slipped into a side-saddle position on the broom and she hovered over me.

"Yours is wood though. This is kid-safe foam. It collapses under my grip and isn't going to bear my weight."

"Mom, you forgot! We're in a game. None of this is real. If you perceive it to be inadequate, then it will be. Part of the game is about focusing your will and I know how stubborn you are!"

I did forget. The NPC repeated the same set of instructions over and over. Across the chasm, the coven were cheering and calling for me to catch up to them. I stood on the launch point and felt the winds swirling around me. Game or no, I know this feeling. I knew what to do.

I held the foam broom out the same way my daughter held hers, but, instead of trying to jump on the shaft to bear me across, I willed the broom to shape the winds to bear me instead. Using the broom like a joystick, I flew across the chasm to the waiting coven.

"Hey, that's an advanced move! How did you do that, Witch Mom? I thought this was your first time playing!" "That's the starter broom, it can't move air like that, air moves it!" "Hey, kid, there's something about your mom that you're not telling, huh. What is she offline?"

Daughter looked at me and I just nodded in acceptance. "Mom's a witch offline. Kinda. It's complicated, but occult magic is her thing." The coven of players fell silent.

An advanced player quietly said, "Most offline witches look at us like trash. Like our MMO is mocking them or something. What do you think of the game, Witch Mom?"

"I think it's fun! What you think of yourself determines what you can do. This is encouraging."

"How so, Witch Mom?"

"You can have the most rare tools as a real witch. You could have a hundred spirits at your command. But if you have no sense of self, those tools are worthless. This game forces you to consider yourself first. How is that bad?"

The player that spoke up came to me. Now that they were close to me, the game told me they were an end-game player, having completed all the quests and trials. Their garb was as plain as my starter robes and hat. To anyone else, we were both novice initiates.

"I was going to give you some gear, but you don't need it. Instead, as someone who is not a witch offline, let me give you some advice. What you just said applies to mundane matters as well as occult. It's not the clothes that determines who you are, but who you are within them."

They turned to the waiting coven around us. "Alright, so you know how to fly! But, do you know how to move within the world? The Witchtree is waiting for us! Let us prove ourselves worthy!"

The coven cheered and began running to the next quest marker: The Trial of Elements.

Again, I was the last to enter the trials. But I was one of the first to emerge. The immersive nature of the game meant that I could call on my offline wooishness to navigate the challenges within the game's framework. When I stepped out of the trial, the advanced player stopped me.

"Let everyone else meet the Witchtree first. If this goes how I think it will, I do not want other new players to be disheartened when they can't duplicate your method of success." I agreed and waited to the rear of the area.

I watched other players, fresh from the trial and renewed by game mechanics, approach the massive tree that dominated the hilltop. I realized that the path of the trial had been formed by its roots, and that the Witchtree had been watching us this entire time.

The Witchtree is an individual encounter that others could witness but not interfere with. Each player would approach the Witchtree and be individually challenged by the elements of fire, water, earth, and air in that order. The challenge was tailored to the player's performance in the trials.

Failing an element would not fail the quest. Some players took the easiest route of just doing nothing and failing all elements. Most players gave it their best shot to varying degrees of success and failure. Very few players beat all four elements.

After that was an individual conversation with and judging by the Witchtree. The player would be asked what is their goal in life (within the context of the game). The Witchtree would then bestow upgraded armor and/or broom based on the answer.

Players that did the bare minimum received barely upgraded gear. Players that gave it their all but failed were given gear that supported their weaknesses. Players that gave it their all and triumphed were given gear with unique looks or titles.

"So, tell me Witch Mom, why do I dress plain here?"

I looked at them. "To not draw attention to yourself and make yourself a target of the PVP gloryhounds here. You have already out-leveled the gear needed for these areas. But there's always some fool that wants to prove themselves your better."

"Are you going to continue in the game after the Witchtree?"

"Probably not. I'm already playing this offline. If anything, it's showing me what I need to pay attention to there if I am going to continue on that path. I'm really here to make my daughter happy. It's something we can share."

"It's good to share things with the people you care about." They looked back at the slowly dwindling numbers. "When you meet the Witchtree, give it your all, please. I know this is just a game to you, but like you said, it is revealing things you wouldn't see any other way."

Finally, it was just me and the end-game player remaining before the Witchtree. I knew they could come and go from this zone at will, so I offered to shake their hand as a farewell. They accepted, but wanted to stay to observe my results.

"Why are you here, Witch?" Something about the Witchtree's question made me pause. I realized that the script called for the player to be addressed as "Initiate", but I was addressed as "Witch". This title was reserved for those who completed the first group battle. Too soon for my character.

I answered with the game's prompt. "I am here to discover my power and my place."

The Witchtree responded as scripted. "Your power is what I give to you and your place is where I bid you to."

I replied with the game's prompt again. "My power is what I make it to be and my place is where I am."

"Then, do you challenge me, Witch?" The wrong title again. I began to taste iron in my mouth. Something wasn't right with this game.

I kept to the script. "I do, as I challenge any that would stand against me."

"Then, be broken and humbled." That was NOT the game's script. The Witchtree is supposed to be a supportive character, not a sudden enemy. But before I could call out to the end-game player, the elemental trials began.

If I had relied only on what the game had taught as proper for the character, I would not have survived the first assault of Fire. But, as both my daughter and the end-game player knew, I drew on my offline witchy understanding and intuition.

Each element assaulted me with full intention of unmaking me. I heard the end-game player call out, "Be true to yourself, Witch, and don't hold back!" I realized that I was dreaming. Right. Weaver, it is, then.

I drew on my years of lucid dreaming and path-working to first defend myself against the elements, and then to retaliate and counter in turn. Drawing on my skills, tools, and understandings, I brought my entire self into the game. Fire, Water, and Earth fell quickly.

Air, an element I have not achieved certain milestones with in my offline life, almost broke me. Just because Weaver has a raven aspect doesn't mean that all matters of air come easy to them. The fight against Air was drawn out and bloody, but Weaver triumphed in the end, barely.

My gear was ripped and torn. The tip of the witchhat had been neatly severed and the crown of my bloodied head was exposed. The gloves had been burnt off by fire and my fingers were nearly black from Earth's blight attacks. I struggled to breathe and had to keep reminding myself that I'm dreaming.

The poor foam broom was a cooling puddle of plastic slag behind me. The ground around me in the quest circle was still settling. My ears were ringing. I could not sense anything outside of the quest circle. It suddenly expanded to include the Witchtree.

The Witchtree moved. Great branches lowered themselves like arms and extended towards me. From their extremities hung clothes. A plain black robe. A new black hat. New gloves, pants, and durable shoes. It broke off one of its smaller branches and gave me a new broom. I dressed quickly.

"Well done. Weaver."

I looked up at the Witchtree in surprise. It felt like I had seen that tree before even as I recognized its appearance to be a mashup of at least three distinct species. It laughed and its appearance changed. The end-game player now stood before me.

They came close and pulled a cloth from their robes. "Here. [Static.] You will need this as well, both for the reasons you think and the reasons you have yet to discover." They wrapped a gauzy shawl loosely around my head and neck like an hijab.

"If you decide to continue in this game, know that it will be much harder for you than it will be for others, /Witch Mom/, because you know that this game and /that/ game are the same. You are most yourself when you're not trying to live up to expectations, after all."

"Be yourself, please. Be yourself and break those that would break you. Humble those that would humble you. And that includes yourself as self-deprecation makes you your own worst enemy."

They called their broom to their hand and pointed to a new path leading down the far side of the hill. "If you want to continue playing in this sandbox of a dream, follow that path to catch up to the other players."

They stepped close and pointed to my heart. "If you want to find out just what the hell you even are, follow this path to catch up with your selves."

"Farewell for now, Weaver. Do level up, in this world or the other. I look forward to seeing what you are capable of when you are fully yourself." They hopped on their broom and flew away to catch up with the novice coven. They took my "Witch Mom" title with them and bore it themselves.

Night fell in the game and the empty hilltop felt desolate as darkness crept up from all around. I looked at my in-game character and saw just how many of Weaver's markings were softly glowing upon it. Accepting the lucidity, I logged out of the game, and in doing so, woke up.

#dream #I would add a read-more but it turns out you have to be logged in to see what follows.

3 notes · View notes

cienie-isengardu · 1 year ago

Text

Cienie’s take on Mandalorian Culture: Kad Ha’rangir and mandalorian traditional weapons, p. 5

part 1 — part 2 — part 3 -- part 4

Caution: I have never personally played The Old Republic MMORPG game and all my knowledge about Mandalorians of that era comes from tie-in material including those published on dedicated to SWTOR sites and watching playthrough videos, especially of the last patch, Legacy of the Sith. Keeping that in mind, let’s wrap up the final part.

The Old Republic MMORPG game takes place a few hundred years after the regime of Mandalore the Indomitable, The Ultimate and the Preserver (Wookiepedia claims the story of SWTOR currently covers the era of 3643–3626 BBY). For the first(?) time an in-universe source contemporary with the events taking place directly mentions Kad Ha’rangir and praying practice:

The Fall of Mandalore the Vindicated Firsthand account from Ralia of Clan Lok: The Skytroopers surrounded us. Two dozen, blasters aimed at our heads. We had already begun our death roar. And then Mandalore the Vindicated cut through them, scattering their metal parts. He ordered us to rejoin the clan and leave the Skytroopers to him. But the droids had called for backup; suddenly, dozens were swarming him. Mandalore dismantled them two at a time with a war cry like thunder. They kept coming, waves and waves, till we could no longer see him. I started to charge forward, but Droga stopped me. “He’s already gone.” He was Ardus Lok. My brother, our Mand’alor. And he fell to machines. He will not be honored. I pray to Kad Ha’rangir this pointless war will end soon.

This account gives us a lot of interesting details about the Ralia of Clan Lok’s mindset. On one hand, “he fell to the machine. He will not be honored” line fit with what game itself presented by Torian Cadera

and Khomo Fett's mocking saying

Which implies she and similar minded warriors followed very harsh rules according to which dying in battle against machines may bring dishonor - even if Mandalore sacrificed himself to save his people, as Ralia herself said: He ordered us to rejoin the clan and leave the Skytroopers to him.

However the author of this account didn’t pray to Kad Ha’rangir to acknowledge and/or have mercy on the soul of the “dishonored” clan brother but prayed for pointless war to end soon. Which is surprising, given that War was a central part of her culture - approximately three hundred ago, Taungs and Neo Crusaders considered War to be divine and SWTOR’s lore object outright says “War is the Mandalorians’ way of life”, while describing Mandalorians as “trained from birth to fight in battle”, who “embrace conflict and admire strength” and “believe confrontation is required for growth — on the personal, as well as the cultural level."

Mandalorian praying for war to end seems to be acting against the most basic principles on which the whole warrior culture is built. Even more surprising is the fact, the prayer was said to Kad Ha’rangir, the god known as Destructor who demanded from his followers to face challenges and trials in the first place and not, for example, to Arasuum, the god supposedly opposite to Destructor. And yes, the Mandalorians: People and Culture and Death Watch Manifesto call Arasuum the god of stagnation and idle consumption however in the traditional understanding of myth, opposition to destruction wouldn’t actually mean prosperity as time not dominated by war?

Showdown on Ruhnuk (included in Legacy of the Sith, 2023) went even further with the religious aspect of Mandalorian culture by introducing the clan Ha’rangir, whose members are said to be descended from the god Kad Ha’rangir himself. Within the game itself, this information is passed to player by Lane Vizla:

"Clan Ha'rangir claims they 're descended from Kad Ha'rangir, an old Mandalorian god of destruction."

SW:TOR provided also a codex entry for Ha’rangir Clan (x):

Named for Kad Ha'rangir, the ancient Mandalorian god of destruction and bringer of change and growth, Clan Ha'rangir was founded by Mandalorians who believed their people were being weakened by cowardice and inaction. The clan began a bloody expansion called "Ha'rangir's Path" in the latter half of 3732 BBY. Their early success encouraged more raids and occupations, which earned the clan a fortune in resources. This vast war chest sustained Clan Ha'rangir during the decades of reactionary conflict that followed. Their empire building peaked in the 3600's and slowly declined as newer generations of Clan Ha'rangir avoided the front lines, preferring instead to manage and expand their wealth. Once formidable conquerors, Clan Ha'rangir's power today resides in the credits they command, rather than their military might. Some within their ranks, however, are questioning their role within the galaxy, perhaps yearning for a return to their expansionist ways.

Lane Vizsla describes this clan as “old money, with an even older name”

However Lane notes also how the fame, prestige and credits corrupted those Mandalorians, including current leader, the Kur Ha’rangir.

Decades of that kind of notoriety, power, and credits have given them quite that inflated self-image.

He does whatever he wants - no matter how dishonorable - and his name and his money pay for everyone to ignore it.

They consider it an insult if you don't recognize their prestigious history. They consider it a threat if you don't give them the respect they demand.

Granted, Lane Vizla isn’t an objective source, as she holds personal grudge against Kur Ha’rangir for killing her brother in an unfair duel over a trivial matter[12], yet what game presented on screen (Kur’s treatment of basilisk war droids) so far supports Lane’s claim. Even Codex entry for leader of Ha’rangir clan (x) highlight his egotistical and arrogant nature:

Ruthless, arrogant, and egotistical, Kur Ha'rangir embodies all of the traits that the members of his clan, Clan Ha'rangir, consider important. Claiming to descend from Kad Ha'rangir, the old Mandalorian god, Kur sees his clan as the supreme embodiment of Mandalorian strength and power. To reflect Clan Ha'rangir's status, Kur believes that he should possess the strongest and most powerful weapons. Although Basilisk war droids--the infamous Mandalorian mounts that wreaked havoc across the galaxy during the Great Sith War and the Mandalorian Wars--are exceedingly rare, Kur Ha'rangir has no interest in preserving them for future generations. His only goal is to collect and continually improve the best of them, even if it means sacrificing the increasingly limited number of Basilisk droids for their parts. As the number of available Basilisk droids dwindles, Kur has turned his attention to learning how to build the war droids--a craft that was lost when the droids' original creators destroyed their own planet. Legend tells of beacons, full of schematics and construction plans, that were scattered across the galaxy when Basilisk was destroyed, and although Clan Ha'rangir has pledged themselves to fight alongside Heta Kol and the Hidden Chain, Kur has not let their desires interfere with his own obsession.

There are plenty of conclusions that can be drawn from the above sources. The most important one is that Kad Ha’rangir is known as an old Mandalorian god of Destruction and whose importance remains strong enough to allow the “descendants” bathe in his glory solely for supposedly sharing the same blood and surname. We still can’t be sure if original Mandalorians worshiped this deity under this exact name (or if even knew him at all), but if Kad was part of Taung mythology, then we can assume the mythological knowledge (religion) was passed down to newcomers before Taung died out. This is actually quite an interesting detail in regard to religious reformation that happened before The Sith War, when original Crusaders are said to change their customs and start worshiping War itself.

The second vital information is how Mandalorian society has changed by the last three to four hundred years. For one, a clan like Ha’rangir isn’t held at this point in respect due to members’ individual deeds or military might but solely for supposedly having a prestige ancestor and money to cover for their dishonor behavior. Though we do not have that many sources about original Mandalorians, I think it is safe to say clan Ha’rangir is the beginning of the emerging aristocracy while also an antithesis of Taung warrior society. Especially in the matter of equality of clans, personal honor (prestige) and money.

Taungs, as far as we know, respected hierarchy but their social structures were built on warriors’ personal achievements not who their forefathers were. They did seem to hold past ancestors (clan members) in high regard[13], as at some point in the past they renamed themselves from Shadow Warriors to Mandalorians in honor of their legendary “warrior king”, Mandalore the First. However no one so far claimed to be a direct descendant of said leader or gods nor the leadership was passed down on such a basis. The title of Mandal’or is outright stated to not be democracy nor hereditary bestowen - which means only the person who dared to take the title (responsibility) and proved their worth may lead other warriors. This approach to the leadership was mentioned in SWTOR tie-in source, the The Old Republic Encyclopedia:

and summarized by Canderous Ordo: “When our leader falls in battle, the most worthy takes his place”. (Star Wars Miniatures)

Similar approach could be seen in regard to hierarchy between clans and its members. For example, Galaxy At War Sourcebook describes Taung society as “clan-based nomadic culture” in which ”veterans of successful battles are held in high regard, to such an extent that they are de facto leaders of their communities. Only the leader of all the Mandalorians, known simply as Mandalore, holds greater sway with the clans.”

while SW:TOR Encyclopedia states “Although clans may have ties or rivalries with other clans, there is no formal hierarchy. All clan chieftains report directly to the Mandalore”.

(The lack of formal hierarchy wll change overtime, as some old and/or powerful mandalorian clans like Vizsla and Kryze turned into Houses. The sources so far did not provide enough data about inner workings of said Houses, although Sabine’s introduction in Rebels: Protectors of Concord Dawn [S02E13] as “I'm Clan Wren, House Vizsla” implies other, lesser(?) clans are subject to them. Similarly, House Kryze at some point became officially acknowledged as the Royal Family that ruled Mandalore before and during the Clone Wars. Simultaneously, the number of clans is not constant and limited, as sources provide examples of new clans formed during different eras.)

At the same time, the Mandalore, clan leaders and veterans - the broadly understood "ruling class" - may be challenged by anyone and according to the law, the honorable duel will officially settle the conflict[14]. This law apparently survived to modern times as could be seen in

Death Watch Manifesto: “to ensure we would be led by the most powerful, we decreed that any warrior could challenge the Secret Mandalore for leadership of Death Watch”

and The Clone Wars TV animated series when Maul challenged Pre Vizsla to a fight over control of Mandalore & Death Watch:

Almec: “Clearly you are powerful, but how can two of you overthrow Vizsla and his supporters?” Maul: “Vizsla is a soldier and, like every soldier, he is bound by honor. I will challenge him to single combat in front of his men. He will not deny me.” Almec: “Hmm. If you defeat him, according to the ancient laws of Mandalore, his soldiers will be honor-bound to follow you.” [TCW S05E15: Shades of Reason]

All of this implies that Mandalore and even the highly renewed veterans do not stand above the law - and maybe, ironically, are even more bound to follow it, as their honor is at stake.

Now, Ha’rangir clan is said to get away with dishonorable act during an official duel because of the religious connection and money and in all fairness, this speaks a lot about Mandalorians of that time. The roots of this corruption however reach the end of the Mandalorian Wars and the following decade(s) which brings me to another vital point. How exactly Ha’rangir clan got their fortune?

Lane Vizla described members of said clan as “old money with an even older name”. while Shae Vizla further explained:

Player: Clan Ha’rangir? Shae Vizla: I figured we’d see them around. Like I said before, they’re old money. Many clans got rich from plunder during the Mandalorian Wars generations ago. They want those days back, and Heta’s the answer.

If we agree that Ha’rangir clan got rich from plunder during the Mandalorian Wars, the clan dates to at least the last phase of Taung era (and Lane suggests the clan is even older than that). As much as it is true that Crusaders and Neo-Crusaders raided and robbed many planets, Taungs weren’t exactly focused on material wealth. Yes, they prized advanced technology and generally understood weapons were always at the top of list to steal, but money and similar goods? KotOR Campaign Guide states that “trade within Mandalorian communities is based on barter, with jewelry and precious metals used as portable commodities alongside weapons and armor” and that Mandalorians were familiar with galaxy currency however beside that one paragraph, the traditional culture didn’t seem to hold material goods other than an armor in any real regard, as only personal achievements allowed warrior to rise in the social hierarchy.

Thinking about this matter, KotOR tie-in materials allowed us to dwell into the Mandalorian mindset and majority if not all named Mandalorian characters showed no real concern over the money.

In KotOR: War, new recruits were provided with armor and weapons, warriors did not complain about living in harsh, frontline conditions even while raising children. Ko Sornell's advice to a newcomer (Zayne) was “find some wall to lean against. During invasions we sleep in armor. You'll get used to it” [KotOR:War #2]

Another example comes from Interference short story taking place in early 3963 B.B.Y. When Mandalorians were faced with republic propaganda broadcasting on their communication frequency, taunting with luxury, even talking about how the Republic has “Real beds. Running water” in contrast to mandalorian camps and finally promising wealth:

And it is an offer. They say that Mandalorians deal with things in a Mandalorian way. Well, the same is true of the Republic. And what is the Republic at heart, if not first and foremost, a vehicle for the enrichment of all peoples? There isn't any reason at all why the forces of Mandalore can't have a seat at the table like anyone else. And so the offer is this: The Republic would welcome a cessation of hostilities with the Mando'ade. In return, the Senate would be willing to commit a share of all taxation from Republic planets and hyperspace lanes currently under Mandalorian occupation to go to the occupiers. That's right: the spoils of war, to stop the war. It is a fair price, and one that should more than satisfy all your requirements. With your victories in these weeks, your honor has been restored. The galaxy knows it. The Jedi did nothing to stop you; they know it. And you will have the prize -- part of the wealth of these stars, without having to continue to enforce your will on them. You'll be free to explore your options elsewhere, in directions away from the Republic -- and you'll be better funded to be able to do it. “

Ko Sornell reported to her superior, Cassus Fett, this:

Yes, Cassus, I responded already. I used the transmitter here on Zongorlu. I know I should have waited. Who is Koblus Sornell, anyway? Just a warrior. A signals expert, but a warrior. A Mandalorian warrior… ... and as a Mandalorian warrior, their "choice" was really no choice at all. I spoke for all of us: Their "bargain" was ridiculous. Think about it: They could have a glorious battle, a true measure of what we're worth. That's a bargain. Instead, they're trying to choose -- a bribe? To buy peace like a peasant at a shop? All it costs is whatever guts they ever had. And they thought we might agree to it! Whatever gave them that idea? Just like with this "Captain Goodvalor" business. Pretending to be the victor of great battles -- that's insulting enough all on its own. But big talk about what they can do, how big their forces are? Lies about people leaving our side? Did they really think any true Mandalorian would listen? Do they really fear us so little?

Cassus Fett himself showed little care for wealth, as can be seen in short interaction with Gromar [KotOR #23].

"--you listen to Cassus Fett and your son's sons will have nothing to do -- because you'll have concquered everything!"

Cassus admitted Mandalorians didn’t make full use of the resources of the conquered lands because they rarely stayed in one place for long (the curse of nomad life, as he called it) however he did not promise wealth to his subordinate but that Mandalorians are gonna conquer the whole galaxy leaving nothing for new generations.

Canderous Ordo mentioned in some of his game dialogues the fortunes (wealth):

Canderous: You want to hear tales of my exploits? Of the wars I've seen and fought, the enemies I've seen die by my hand? Heh, sure, I'll humor you. My name's Canderous of the Mandalorian clan Ordo. I've been fighting across the galaxy for 40 of your years. For my people it's the honor and glory of battle that rules us. It's through combat that we prove our worth, gain renown and make our fortunes. [KotOR game]

Mandalore: The Republic thinks my people are dead, scattered. They are wrong. You should have destroyed us when you had the chance. As long as one Mandalorian lives, we will survive. Our honor, fortunes, and lives revolve around battle. From our earliest history, this has been our way, as it will be, always. [KotOR 2 game]

however other tales made it clear money itself did not have the same value as armor, weapon and basilisk droids, as losing those three (cultural) things hurted defeated Mandalorians the most:

Canderous: The war we had with the Republic was supposed to be the most glorious battle of our history, but… it was a very costly one. I guess we didn't think of how much we could lose in it. [...] There weren't many of us left after that last battle. Mandalore himself was killed at the hands of the Jedi Revan. The best of us could not defeat him! After that last battle, those of us that survived were stripped of our weapons, our armor, and our Basilisks. Revan's forces destroyed them while we were forced to watch. Those who hadn't fled earlier were left with nothing to call their own: no weapons, no armor… only the honor of having fought in the battle we just lost. For many this was not enough. While the rest of us were sent into exile on the Outer Rim, they tried to relive the old days – raiding worlds. They're nothing more than bandits now. [KotOR game]

Canderous specifically said “Those who hadn't fled earlier were left with nothing to call their own: no weapons, no armor” so clearly, the “warrior equipment” is the wealth that Mandalorians cared for, not credits or other material luxuries. Similarly approach was seen a decade later in Mandalorian Camp on Dxun:

That idiot Kumus will be working off his shame for the rest of his days. Equipment eaten by cannoks - it would have been better if he'd let the jungle take him. [KotOR II]

However, as Canderous mentioned, after the Mandalorian Wars, this mindset changed in favor of money. Some Mandalorians turned into mercenaries, some kept raiding worlds, some turned into bandits attacking simple farmers. This sentiment was repeat by Veela from The Old Republic: Revan:

“When Revan hid Mandalore`s Mask, most of our people scattered in disgrace. But some of us refused to give up. We stayed behind to look for what was lost instead of running off to become mercenaries and hired thugs.”

Similar statements comes from History of the Mandalorians:

“Following their failed campaign, the Crusaders found a new object of worship -- the almighty credits. Decimated and embittered, the surviving Mandalorian warriors turned ruthlessly mercenary in order to survive. Informally called the Mandalorian Merc, these individuals hired out their lethal talents to the highest bidders without regard to silly notions like justice, morals, and honor.”

So, did members of Ha’rangir Clan enriched themselves during the Mandalorian Wars, as Shae Vizla said, or did they get their fortune from post-war raids, as Codex Entry suggests? This is an important question in context: how old the clan truly is? Because there is a chance that the clan's origin grew into myth over the time, the same as their “cultural” role.

I mean, Canderous and Veela of clan Ordo were eyewitnesses of change happening in their society while Shae Vizla and contemporary Mandalorians may only rely on knowledge passed down to them by their predecessors. Considering how Mandalorian people were broken and divided after war, it is quite possible that a lot of historical knowledge was lost or misrepresented, even on purpose.

At the same time, there were attempts to bring back Mandalorians to their honorable ways. The best known example is Canderous Ordo, who for his efforts earned the title Mandalore the Preserver. In KotOR II: Sith Lords, he said “Many Mandalorians have fallen from the path of honor and are now no more than common mercenaries. But that is changing” yet despite Ordo’s best intentions, the unity of Mandalorian clans is much more fragile than what it was under Taung leadership. But if Canderous could dedicate his life to rebuilding Mandalorian society under his banner (against Sith as Revan wanted), then logically thinking there could be more reformators like him. Which is another possibility to see Kad Ha’rangir. Not as a literal deity but actual historical figure who could renamed himself in honor of the warrior god[15], either presenting himself as “chosen” warrior / tool or maybe even as the god’s prophet of some sort or whose fame (interpretation of warrior culture) overtime grew into a myth that benefited the entire clan. TOR game presented us with Mandalorians such as Kur Ha’rangir and Arla Ha’rangir so Kad Ha’rangir easily could be a full name of real person who started the Ha’rangir family in the first place and whose person at some point merged into one with the mythical god in mandalorian collective consciousness. This brings back the question - did Taung truly knew Kad Ha’rangir under this exact name and not just, for example, simply as Ha’rangir?

As I hopefully established in previous parts, swords weren’t the traditional Mandalorian (Taung) weapon while the Kad Ha’rangir name, for the first time showed in in-universe source coexisting with the events taking place approximately 300 years after Taung died out. This is of course matter of game mechanics, but The Old Republic presents on screen

Mandalorian characters using commonly swords

lore entries like Mandalorian Relics: The Final Blade of Dunesa Rul (x)

[...] Rul's creations, prized within the Mandalorians, were often handed down from one clan leader to the next, but demand for new work was overwhelming. Rul was killed in an explosion during an altercation between Clan Mettir and Clan Ironstone, who sought to lay claim to a masterwork weapon--a durasteel dagger--he had created. Both clans were hunted down and destroyed in retaliation for the grievous loss. The dagger itself was never found.

Even the official duel between Mandalore the Avenger and Field Marshal Kol Heta was done with ceremonial swords

while so far the only axes I noticed are Gamorrean made (x)

and vibro axe (x)

and none of those are even close in shape to traditional Mandalorian (Taung) ones. This kind of weapon seems to have lost its importance in the favor of swords/sabers, so if Kad Ha’rangir was a historical figure who either claimed or was hailed by others as descendant of an old god, he could be also a reason (impulse) for the switch from axes to swords. As in, Mandalorians considered him to have divine connections - or even be the embodiment of divine will - and started preferring swords as a symbol of their renewed faith to honor god. The mentioned in Codex Entry “a bloody expansion called "Ha'rangir's Path" in the latter half of 3732 BBY” fits well in that assumption and even could be treated as the approximate date of “religious (weapon) reformation”.

Like it was already mentioned, the unity between Mandalorian (human dominated) clans is a much more fragile matter than what we know about the Mandalorian society under leadership of the last two Taung rulers - the Indomitable and Ultimate. The conflict between old fashioned warriors and mercenaries started after Mandalorian Wars and will last to modern days however in The Old Republic game it took a surprising shape. The current conflict has divided Mandalorians into supporters of Mandalore the Avenger (Shae Vizsla, a former bounty hunter herself) and Field Marshal Kol Heta (leader of Hidden Chain) who wants to bring Mandalorians to their warrior roots and regain the lost independence. The surprising part of this conflict is that both sides acknowledged the need to preserve material artifacts to keep their culture intact and give people tangible connection to their history and past deeds.

And so TOR game included:

The Importance of Mandalorian Relics codex Lore Entry: For many Mandalorians, relics are an important touchstone to connect with their long and fractured history. The cultural identity of this clan-based group is centered around conflict and combat, so a chaotic history of war is expected. While grounded in a common creed and code, those who wish to understand and honor past achievements will look to items that gained significance during a specific event, battle, or because they were wielded by a person of great renown. These relics can become symbols of the core tenants of the Mandalorian beliefs; a physical embodiment of a philosophy that is rooted in the most primitive of contests between creatures of flesh and blood. Perhaps more than the leaders before her, Mandalore the Avenger recognized the importance of these relics in helping to unify the clans with a history they could see and touch, and so began to collect and house important artifacts from the past in order to smooth the path to the future.

Seeker's Vigil codex: Lore Entry: This heavily-guarded space-faring vault serves as a monument to what the Ash'ad consider the glories of Mandalorian culture. Within these fortified walls lay the history of conquest, raiding, victory, loss, and struggle that characterize a true Mandalorian warrior's existence. There are so many tomes in the libraries that the archivists have lost count. Tableaus and frescoes line the hallways, depicting Mandalorian battles whose names may be forgotten, but are still part of their history. It would take multiple lifetimes to even begin to uncover all of the knowledge hoarded within, and those that call this vessel home will ensure that if the Mandalorian way ever falters, they will be there to teach new generations what it really means to hunt and live the life of a raider.

Troya Ajak: "Field Marshal Kol promised the Ash'ad the relics. They belong to those who believe in honor. Shae Vizla does not." "They are priceless symbols to those with honor. A reminder of what the Mandalorians once were."

The importance of relics collected by Shae Vizla’s supporters and Kol Heta’s Hidden Chain could also lead to a renewal of religion - however how true to original faith it was, is of course up to debate.

During Spirit of Vengeance Arc, the player was forced to walk through enemy ships belonging to Mandalorian clans such as Varad and Ash’ad. Here, clearly the various items

are treated differently than what we could see in frames presenting Shea Vizsla’s or Kol Heta’s meeting room.

The skulls and fire flames reminds me mentioned in previous part (#4) details from Cassus Fett and Demagol’s workplaces and may be a continuation of the same magical-religious traditions. What stands out the most is presents of altars and/or place of sacrifice.

On one of the ships, there was even a great statue that resembles Mandalore the Ultimate

but could actually represent a god (Destructor maybe?), considering all the bones - sacrifices? - piled up around.

This is one of the better documented examples of likely religious practice among warriors.

In general, The Old Republic game is so far the one major source providing the most direct information about Kad Ha’rangir in relation to the events taking place, while “Death Watch Manifesto” [Bounty Hunter Code] and “Industry. Honor. Savagery: Shaping the Mandalorian Soul” [The Essential Guide to Warfare] were written in distant modern times. At the same time, the game did not include the traditional Mandalorian (Taung) mythosaur axe, as in this era the swords are the most common weapon alongside blasters. Which leads me to believe that Kad Ha’rangir may be a side effect of religious renewal that happened decades after the original Mandalorians died out, as religion in itself is a very good carrier of culture and binder for a broken community. As post-KotOR sources provided, Mandalorian people were divided and in need of symbol(s) under which they could unite - a need recognized by both Shae Vizsla and Kol Heta. Thus the founder of the Ha'rangir clan could become one of such symbols and his achievements and/or charisma at some point grew into a myth affecting Mandalorian people’s perception of original (Taung) gods. As humans dominated warrior society, it makes sense that some aspects of older culture took different shapes to fulfill their needs.

My final conclusion (theory) is that the “Destructor” was part of Taung mythology albeit there was no connection between warrior god and sword/sabers - if anything, the deity’s attribute was an axe which is why the weapon was held in such great regard. However once Taung died out leaving remnants of Mandalorians scattered and broken, some warriors took upon themselves to resurrect their culture. Ordo Canderous tried to unite Mandalorians under his banner (against Sith), while some time later, Kad Ha’rangir, as a historical figure, brought changes - religious reformation? - that influenced perception of old mythology and somehow, maybe in honor of his name, swords for good replaced mythosaur axes. Later, Tarre Vizsla - the first Mandalorian Jedi - created darksaber that became another important relic that affected his people’s spiritual and material culture.

The modern authors based their knowledge in majority on sources that were passed down to their era and could over time become distorted or their original meaning has completely lost. Which could explain the discrepancies between what sources showed and the knowledge of the (in-universe) authors.

SIDENOTES:

[12] Lane said this story about her brother's death:

Years ago, Kur Ha'rangir challenged my brother to a duel. Over some perceived slight against his famous name. Kur used nothing but underhanded tricks-like he does with everything else, There was no honor in the way he fought... He killed by brother... and no one called out Kur's deception. Typical, for a Ha'rangir.

[13] Another example implying Taungs & Neo-Crusaders had a special respect for (dead) ancestors/family members is the specific greeting used by Mandalore the Ultimate during meeting with Arkanian leader

... and all honor to your family's dead [KotOR #20]

And Ko Sornell while adressing Cassus Fett (one of the closest advisors of Mandalore):

Su'cuy, Cassus Fett, and all honor to your family's dead. [KotOR: Interference short story]

[14] The honor duel does not exactly need to end with the loser's death, as Ulic spared Mandalore the Indomitable’s life but as sources show, death was an usual occurrence. Frankly, the example of Canderous Ordo vs Jagi implies that once the challenge was issued there was no way to revoke it. Even though Jagi learned that his former commander’s action were not motivated by selfishness (glory-seeking) as he assumed for years and accepted his accusation turned out to be false and unfair, the man committed suicide to clean his own name:

Canderous: I saw a chance and had to take it. It ended the battle quicker than we would have otherwise, and many of our warriors may have died. Mandalore taught us that opportunism and flexibility in battle were to be admired. You may contradict me, but do you contradict him as well? Jagi: No! I... I... I see that I have been wrong. I have not been true to the teachings of Mandalore. You were right. I was wrong to question your honor. But I must now cleanse mine with my life.

Jagi didn't haveto fight Canderous, and you tried to persuade him not to. The Mandalorian sense of honor, however, would not let him live having done what he has. Jagi took his own life in the Dune Sea. This has deeply affected Candeour. [KotOR game]

[15] Similar like clone trooper KADDAK used the name of Mandalorian god in Darth Vader: Cry of the Shadow

He named himself Kaddak. They say he took the first name of the Mandalorian Destroyer God, Kad Ha'rangir, and used it forwards and backwards.

#star wars #mandalorians #mandalorian culture #Cienie’s take on Mandalorian Culture #kad ha'rangir #taungs #to my regret i couldn't use all screenshots and frames I had collected due to picture limits lol #i finally finished it #i strongly believe that taungs knew the god of destruction but rather under simple name of ha'rangir #while the “kad” part was added over time #and started the era of sword / saber and its special role in mandalorian culture & religion #mandalorian culture is pretty dynamic one when it comes to changes and evolutions or rather revolutions

17 notes · View notes

investingestincest · 1 year ago

Text

slight shade to the popular isekai genres but i NEED an isekai about a depressed shut-in piece of shit NEET getting thrown into a fantasy with worldbuilding that's not a fucking MMORPG and just having him travel around and discover the new world in his own pace. he could have an old passion for photography that he was mocked for that made him stop and became an incel and then it gets brought back the more he take pictures during his travels. he could get character development too whatever. i don't give a shit if there's a harem full of girls/boys involved (fucking hell i'd support it even cause i'd probably want to join the harem and crush after the guy too) just give me a guy just learning to love life through his new hobbies and NOT him needing to defeat/marry the demon king man...

5 notes · View notes

dktrps · 1 year ago

Text

🌌 MINISTORY: A DEATHLY VISION

In a distant realm of Astrallis, its newly elected ruler experiences an unsettling vision, that has some serious consequences. But who could be behind a nightmare that he just went through?

Ok, first of all, I thought I'd mock up this fan cover of Colin Farrell as the Astral Mage, whom you will meet in this story for this occasion, as I didn't plan to have any graphics for these additional shorter chapters, and making an BF audio cover for it seemed fitting. I probably won't do more of these .

But there it is, the first entry in that whole thing. There are some teases, some you will get answers to soon, others not so much, you may pick up references to the lore of a certain MMORPG game, or not, there was definitely some inspiration for the lore.

This one wasn't chronologically the first in order of writing, but it was always fairly obvious to me that this is the beginning, in one way or the other.

#dktr ps #dr who #doctor who #doctor who fanfiction #oc #writeblr #original writing #whoniverse #dw art #new who #writers on tumblr #creative writing #ministory #short story #fanfic #fanfiction #oneshot

2 notes · View notes

gimpcar · 1 year ago

Text

Posted on Reddit so might as well post here. TMNT MMORPG mock-up

#tmnt #fanart #mmorpg #teenage mutant ninja turtles #mockup #concept

0 notes

tousey-mousy · 7 months ago

Text

Games not currently on this list:

Hollow Knight (2017): Largely regarded as one of the greatest titles in the Metroidvania genre, possibly the single MOST influential game in the genre that's not literally part of the genre's name (i.e. a "Metroid" or "Castlevania" title). Its charming art style, intricate world, engaging yet simple mechanics, and unbelievably polished controls and combat have led it to become possibly the single most lauded game of its genre in over a decade prior to its release, and it's now functionally impossible for a 2D platformer to released that isn't in some way going to end up being compared to "Hollow Knight".

System Shock (1994): While "System Shock 2" (1999) is rightly included on this list, I think people are far too quick to ignore how much of SS2's success was built upon the absolute god of a game that was "System Shock". It was revolutionary in the genre of immersive sims in the same way that "Thief: The Dark Project" (1998) was, but while "Thief" contributed to the now-popular fantasy immersive sim genre "System Shock" contributed to the cyberpunk genre. It's a literary continuation that extends directly from other popular cyberpunk gaming of the day, including the eponymous TTRPG, and "System Shock 2" would not have been nearly so influential had the original not existed. To deny its place as one of the greatest games of all time is a massive oversight.

RuneScape (2001): Britain's most famous MMORPG and one of the largest MMOs of all time, "RuneScape" continues to have an enormous impact on the genre to this day. Its place in the cultural zeitgeist is complex, and it has had more of an impact outside the USA (which overwhelmingly dominates this list as Wikipedia records it), which means its omission is understandable... but it deserves a spot at the table for its sheer breadth. Given the simplistic mechanics allowing someone with literally a single semi-functioning hand - or even simple eye-blink controls - to play it at or nearly at the level of a top-tier player... it's a godsend for disabled gamers who want to engage in an MMO.

Binding of Isaac (2011): In a year dominated by "Minecraft", "Binding of Isaac" nevertheless managed to absolutely infect gamers across the world. Its creator is also responsible for Super Meat Boy (2010), which IS on this list (much deserved), and that's possibly the reason this was overlooked... his prior game was already such a raging success that possibly people would feel bad about putting him on the list twice in two years. "Binding of Isaac" has been absolutely monstrous in the field of roguelite bullet hells, to the point that (much like with "Hollow Knight" and Metroidvanias) it's now just a common convention to relate new bullet hells TO BoI. Bonkers that it's not on the list.

Spore (2008): Guys, it might be fun to mock and all (and, make no mistake, it IS fun to mock), but "Spore" was an absolute juggernaut for what it was. Yes, it had its flaws... but it was also the driver of an entire new ecosystem (lol) of games. Nobody had even attempted to make something of this scale before, and it prove to EA and other large publishers that such a thing was not only possible but desirable. The idea of a galactic scale immersive sim was just insane, and "Spore" managed to make that not just a game, but a fun (albeit buggy and insanely campy) one.

Pikmin (2001): They literally didn't include fucking "Pikmin". The game that introduced an entire generation to RTS and what we would later (with the arrival of "Pikmin 4 (2024)") start calling "dandori" - basically time and inventory management. It's one of the best RTS games of all time and they decided not to list it. I'm just mad about this one.

Don't stress about this list. It has some weird-ass omissions. I didn't even mention that it decided not to include "Fallout: New Vegas", "Slay the Spire", or that it decided the only games from the "Ultima" series worth including were "Ultima IV" and "Ultima VII", despite I-III being like... some of the best RPGs ever made in any genre? According to almost everyone?

This list also HEAVILY favours console games, AAA-studio games, and "blockbuster" hits, while disfavouring non-English-language games and games that are from English-language studios but are primarily popular with overseas audiences. For example, "Stellaris" isn't listed despite it being wildly successful, especially in the Chinese market, because it's one of the only 4X games that supports the Chinese language natively; and, despite personally hating it, "Genshin Impact" is absolutely unambiguously one of the most influential games of the last decade (at least) and is completely worthy of being placed onto this list.

This is, ultimately, because of how the list is collated:

It must be published in a recognised journalist piece that's entitled something like "Top X Best Games Of ".

It must be on at least six (6) such lists.

The writers of the wikipedia article have to be able to read said list.

This is HEAVILY BIASED.

It biases towards console and/or AAA-studio games, because those are the games that can pay journalists (or rather, the publishers) to advertise their game by including it in such a list. The only games that don't need to do this in the modern day are games like Hades and Baldur's Gate III, games of such overwhelming dominance that literally nothing else can possibly compare in that year. Every other game? If you're not paying to win at journalism, then you're not going to. Media attention is a pay-to-win, capture-the-flag MOBA.

It biases towards games of a certain type, because those get written about. Obscure-as-shit indie games? Doesn't matter how incredible it is, it's not going on the list. Baba is You is one of the best puzzle games of all time, but honestly I don't think most journalists give enough of a shit to try it out so it's not on the list because it's not written about enough.

HEAVILY biased towards English-language games, because the journal articles written about those games are legible to the Wikipedia editors who make the list. This list is written by humans, and humans struggle with finding sources not in their own native language. Is your game primarily popular with Chinese speakers? Well, it's not going on the list, is it?

Lots of other shit. Basically, don't be shocked if a game you love isn't on here. "Celeste" isn't on here, and it's the best precision platformer ever made in my personal opinion (suck it, Super Meat Boy).

Man, looking at the Wikipedia list of video games considered the best is a little bit upsetting if I'm being honest

694 notes · View notes

descentintosiblingcon · 2 years ago

Text

Chapter 6

Hotaru sends Shugo an email stating that she appreciates his help, Pikey is fine and she looks forward to coming on the Japanese server again.

(Time to know how to ban a contact, Shugo...)

Balmung and Reki are planning a new event and Reki thinks Balmung might be trolling too close to the sun this time. Balmung brushes him off and refuses to host the event itself, wanting to see it from the player's point of view (He's basically Jigsaw in the first Saw movie, so to speak.). He looks at bamboo leaves and thinks of a random chick...

Speaking of chicks, Rena, Mirielle, Ouka and Hotaru (Damn it, Shugo) are in kimonos writing wishes on the back of bamboo sticks. Shugo is having trouble thinking of his own wish so he spies on the others' wishes (Bad form). Mireille wants a rare life experience, Ouka wants to fight strong enemies and Hotaru wishes for world peace and no more fighting. Yeah, I agree with Shugo's assessment: their wishes suck. They're all platinum compared to Kamiya's wish though: he wants Rena's white socks (On a public server? Have you no shame, man?). What did Rena wish for? Well---

FUCK HER, THE EVENT IS ABOUT TO BEGIN! It's the fight for the Weaving Maiden and it's called Tanabata De Myudan (According to a translator note, it's a metaphor and has almost the same pronunciation as Tanabata, which means to take something without working for it.). Nobody likes the event name and Reki takes the heat for it (even though Balmung came up with it.). So what great event will entice all the players? First, a weaving maiden is chosen! The grand prize for the event is a night with the weaving maiden!

...

...Did Balmung just...prostitute a random player in this MMORPG?

If you think I'm reading too much into things, one of the encouragements is that the person can possibly build a romantic relationship with the weaving maiden in the real world. Is any of this legal? Who cares?! It's a VR game! No one cares! Shugo thinks the event is interesting. Rena is pissed and, even though she's pissed for the wrong reasons, for once, I'm on her side.

In the most disgusting karmic twist I've seen in a while, Rena is picked as the Weaving Maiden. Rena is pressured to talk about herself and, to the adoration of the attendants, reveals that she's 13 years old. Welp, she's a minor. We gotta pick someone else now considering that she's not even legal---

Fuck this manga.

(A guy in the crowd calls her experienced. Let's hope someone electrocutes him with his own laptop.)

Shugo now suddenly has a problem with a woman being treated as a prize when his sister is on the line, the other crowd member uncaring to his hypocritical plight. Anyway, off to the special area. At the Broad and Blue River, everyone participating has to play the part of the cowherd and rush over to see the Weaving Maiden on the other side of a large river. Shugo is intimidated (Shocker) but his sister needs him (not really) so he gears up to cross. Balmung shows up to participate and Shugo somehow recognizes him, declaring he won't let him get his hands on his sister. Mireille, Ouka and Hotaru decline to participate (because why bother giving somebody non-horny minded to root for?) and the race starts.

The river is deep and competition is fierce. Balmung smugly reveals he got top marks in PE and somehow, that matters in a personal environment. Also, there are sharks. Good. Everyone involved in this deserves to die. Mireille and Ouka watching, upon seeing a shark devour someone before their eyes, marvel over the rarity (Mireille) and the power (Ouka) of the shark. They jump in to fight and Shugo leaves them to it. Kamiya rides his giant Pikey through the water to give himself an edge while mocking everyone. Remembering Kamiya's gross-ass wish, Shugo punches his Pikey in the ass causing it to buck him off into the water, allowing Shugo to swim ahead. There are still at least three guys ahead of him though.

Meanwhile, Rena is waiting on her brother to rescue her (Come on...I mean, he is frighteningly enough the best option but there is no universe, situation or event where your best option is "get chosen for a date by my brother"). Rena complains about being singled out but Reki assures that they pick randomly. Rena lets it go, certain that Shugo will win. Reki quietly notes that they really do pick at random but Rena being picked out of all the girls just proves she is the chosen one.

Shugo is out of healing potions and douchey pervs (pervier than him anyway...somehow) are trying to kill him for his sister's hands. He fights them all off. A shark comes for him and he's doomed...until Balmung saves him. Shugo (again, understandably) won't thank him for helping but Balmung doesn't care. In fact, he helps him further by asking if he can't fight off a shark, how can he possibly hope to protect his sister? Shugo is pissed, all according to plan. He speeds off, resolve renewed, and...manages to tie with Balmung, who Rena fawns over. It turns out Shugo wins by a hat but Rena no longer cares. Having arrived and raised hell, Balmung leaves.

Back to the bamboo forest, Shugo is bummed and Rena tries to cheer him up (now that Balmung is gone, she's stuck with the incestuous booby prize). At least he knows what he wants to wish for now: he wishes to be strong. And now we know what Rena wishes for: she wishes for Shugo to be a warrior. Aura is watching as Shugo silently wishes to also see her again...

The chapter ends with Hotaru being pinched by a crab. Chapter saved.

THOUGHTS

OI, drop the incest angle already. And if you're commit to it, don't make Rena such a freaking hypocrite about her feelings concerning Shugo's libido. Portray them as normal siblings or make them a likable couple! Can't believe this is the kind of complaints I gotta make for a .hack manga. God, this is a dumb manga.

#.hack #.hack//legend of the twilight #good incest ships should twist your stomach in horror #not because it's forced #not because there's nothing there #but because the family members are portrayed as actual family #and there is something for everyone to read into #you guys are a long way away from elsanna #and homestuck could stomp the writers of this manga in a minute #look at this #this is the type of whining i have to do about this comment #this is all that's worth talking about #are you happy tatsuya #is this moe enough for you?#tw: incest

0 notes

omgtatercat · 25 days ago

Video

youtube

Gardenia and Marlo [4] Dot Hack// Outbreak

4 notes · View notes

creationvibes · 6 years ago

Photo

Character Creation

Working on a mock-up for the character creation window. Right now we’re just going to shoot for 3 races but have plans for more such as Elf, Dwarf, and maybe, Halfling. The Wizard is just a placeholder for the third race since we haven’t made that sprite yet. We’re thinking of having each race give it’s own skill bonuses for the combat-related skills they’d be naturally gifted in. Obviously, an elf would be more gifted in archery than an Orc or a Human, a human would be more gifted with a blade than an orc, though, not by much, and an orc would be more gifted with blunt weapons and defense since they’re bigger and stronger than humans are naturally.

61 notes · View notes

doom-ocean · 6 months ago

Text

Back in my WoW days, I'd regularly see in gaming forums people mocking WoW and other MMORPG players for playing as female characters, saying 'RPG' stood for 'Role Playing as Girls'. It was a regular thing for people to joke about. It's almost as if people will find any reason to get mad at gamers regardless of what they do.

Ironic that quantum-dragon is supposedly against "unreasonable" bigotry, but apparently a) blocked everyone who replied, and b) pre-blocked me.

Doesn't seem very reasonable.

The supportive notes are still there, of course.

376 notes · View notes

moemammon · 4 years ago

Text

The demon brothers reacting to MC dropping their phone on their face while laying down:

Lucifer

Why are you laying around on your phone anyway? Why, because Lucifer was buried in paperwork and couldn't give you the time of day!

He wanted to, of course, but you knew better than to pester this workaholic while he was doing stuff.

So instead, you decided to keep him company with your presence, rather than your words. And he appreciates it. Having you around clears his head and encourages him to work faster, somehow.

Maybe it's because he wants to get back to you as quickly as he can? He's rather spend time with you, anyway.

And it seemed like you'd need it since you just destroyed your nose with your phone.

All you wanted was to scroll through the group texts to pass the time.... why did gravity betray you like this...

Lucifer hears the soft smack of your phone against your face, and the grunt of pain that follows it.

He doesn't even need to look up. He knows what happened. Maybe he's trying to spare your feelings?

You don't see it, but a smile tugs at the corners of his lips. What a sadist...

"I did tell you to sit properly while you use your D.D.D., didn't I? I hope you've learned your lesson."

You narrow your eyes at the demon, not sure whether to be embarrassed or irritated.

Lucifer finally looks up at you with that judging gaze of his. But he's not going to mock you, of course! The eldest is too mature for that.

"Maybe it's time I took a break. It seems that you need something other than your D.D.D. to keep you busy."

So all you had to do was pull a Mammon and he’d start paying attention to you, huh?

You make a mental note of that.

Mammon

You were in Mammon's room, lounging around in comfortable silence. You were laying across his sofa on your back, arms propped up to hold your phone over your face while you watched a video.

And that's when the inevitable happened. Your fingers slipped, and....

The moment your phone makes contact with your face, Mammon's practically in tears.

Seriously. He has to shove his face into his pillow so he can calm himself down. But did you HEAR the sound you just made-

He's dropped his phone on his face so many times that he's glad HE gets to laugh for once, instead of the other way around!

He feels your pain though, so once he recovers from laughing for ten years, he asks if your nose is okay

Which you reply that it is not.

May he offer you a bandaid in these trying times?

"Don't look at me like that! I already said I was sorry for laughing at ya, didn't I?? C'mon MC... Oi, don't ignore me!"

Levi

Levi's back is to you and his eyes are trained on his computer screen, watching the pixilated game characters move across the screen.

You don't mind, since you're absorbed in your own game, a new mobile mmorpg he introduced you to!

And you've taken the liberty of stealing his bathtub bed for yourself, and we're currently laying on your back, arms raised high as if that would channel power into your character's move combo.

But it seems like you got a little too excited, because your phone slipped out of your grasp, and right into your poor face.

When you yelped, Levi pauses his game and takes his headset off to see what??? you just did??

Then he sees it.

His dear Henry has lost the battle against their D.D.D... he knows you fought honorably...

No but seriously, you good?

He's probably the one who's done it the most out of all of his brothers, what with all of his hobbies involving browsing the internet.

"Uh... I don't have any ice, but you can use this soda can..? It's still cold."

Thanks Levi. That was very poggers of you.

Satan

You were laying about, scrolling the internet to figure out the meaning of a word you'd just read.

Impignorate??? What was THAT. Not even Satan had an answer, so you had to rely on google to give you a hand.

Speaking of hands, yours decided to betray you and send your phone into your face, which Satan just witnessed.

He was mostly paying attention to the book his nose was buried in, but he’d sneak glances at you from time to time.

And he just happened to get lucky enough to witness your murder

This man lets out a very audible "Pfft-"

He was trying not to laugh. He swears. It's just that the sound of the phone hitting your face was just

Chef kiss

And now he will offer you a kiss, too, to your lil red nose.

He gets up to make sure you're good, still obviously laughing about it.

"Maybe you should sit up next time you use your D.D.D., hm?"

Now where have you heard that one-

He's definitely logging that memory into his brain forever though lmao

He didn't know humans could make a sound like that

Asmo

Does this scenario even need explaining??

There was nothing unusual about you and Asmo laying around his enormous bed, scrolling through devilgram, fashion blogs, and rolling over to show each other your latest internet find.

But all that rolling around and laughing came at a price...

That price being the structural integrity of your skull, after your phone just dive bombed into it.

Asmo IMMEDIATELY sits up

If there's anyone who knows how dangerous a blow to the face can be, it's Asmo!

He's not even laughing about it. Just cupping you're cheeks and checking you over like a worried wife mom

"Are you okay?? Nothing seems to be swelling, and I don't see any bruises... How's your nose? Does it hurt?? I'll get you some ice! We don't want any marks on that adorable face of yours!"

Nurse Asmo will heal your superficial wounds

Speeds up the recovery process with a million butterfly kisses all over your face

May or may not turn into a few kisses going lower and lower, until-

Anyway, just be careful next time, okay? You nearly gave him a heart attack!

Beel

What do you do when you run out of ideas for what to make for dinner?

You look to the internet for some recipes! Preferably easy ones that can be made quickly and in huge batches, per Beel's request.

He's looking, too! There are plenty of cookbooks to flip through, so while you handle the googling, he's busy... drooling over the photos in the books.

At this rate, he might just eat the books themselves...

So you get up from your cozy lounge spot on the counter- Or, that was the plan anyway. But one thing led to another, and the only thing moving was your cell phone.

Rapidly.

Toward your face.

Beel hears the smack and then the curse you mumble under your breath, and looks over with worry.

His hunger is temporarily forgotten since he's got to make sure you're okay. Humans are fragile, after all!

Maybe not fragile enough to seriously be hurt by something like this, but he still doesn't like when you get hurt.

"Are you okay..? That sounded like it hurt."

Carefully inspecting your face. When he concludes that you seem perfectly fine, he gives your hair an affectionate ruffle.

"Why don't we look through the cookbooks together? I found a recipe that looks tasty. I want to make it with you."

The pain in your face seems to fly away in the presence of this sunshine man.... you have truly been blessed...

Belphie

Hanging out under the stars with Belphie was always so relaxing. You couldn't get enough of it!

And this time, you had the great idea of snapping a few photos of the display above your heads.

After a couple of selfies and a few shots overhead, to position your phone to take one last photo of yourself and Belphegor, when your finger slips.

Belphie has abandoned you.

He rolls away at light speed to prevent the phone from possibly hitting HIM, and lets you take the hit.

You've never felt more betrayed....

And he has the nerve to chuckle???

He grabs your phone from your face, inching close enough to look you over.

"Sorry. I didn't want to get hit. That must've hurt, huh?"

Yeah, no kidding.

Probably imitates the sound you made at random times throughout the day just to get on your nerves tbh

He's annoyingly good at it, too

Evil man

Gremlin

2K notes · View notes