#noble hunters and how that plays into succession

[rosella-writes]

MAN I wanna write a post or fic about infertility as a theme in Dragon Age but I dunno if I have the fortitude

[lady-nuggetz]

Because no one asked, I decided to draw up my OWN special interpretation of Team Hooligan, ✨WITH JEST!!✨

Mind you everything is mostly based off of my own headcanon, so enjoy it as you will!! I'll write brief descriptions that you can read right here !!!!

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Fang the Sniper/Hunter

He/Him // 21 yrs old // Australian🇦🇺 & Dominican🇩🇴 // Bisexual

Fang is a mercenary/bounty hunter and the leader of Team Hooligan. Though he often works alone for most gigs, he considers his team to be a found family of sorts, despite not always getting along with them. He has a great fascination for guns, but often uses his regular cork gun unless it's for serious situations. He's easy to anger and is heavily motivated by his greed and desire to prove himself as a top notch mercenary. Though things don't always work in his favor.

He's told very few people about his origins, how he had once descended from a noble family, until "one incident led to another and now suddenly I'm all on my own!" The one thing he absolutely REFUSES to tell people is that Fang isn't really his birth name.

• Cocky, Greedy, and Selfish. Probably has a slight tinge of insecurity due to past failures with Sonic and company.

• Keeps cigarette packs on his person often.

• Has a small shack he and the others share together over in Mirage Saloon Zone. He started sharing his room with Jest once she started hanging around.

• Loves mechanics, no one else but him drives the Marvelous Queen, it's a vehicle of his own design.

• Likes playing card games, spicy food, and keyboards.

—————————

Jest the Jack Rabbit

She/Her // 21 yrs old // Puerto Rican🇵🇷 & Trinidadian🇹🇹 // Bisexual

Jest is another bounty hunter, who despite her silly clown appearance, is a very threatening figure. She's agile, quick witted, and carries around a baseball bat she calls the Wacky Whammer, that's bound to give anyone a painful concussion. She came across Team Hooligan after they [Mainly just Fang] attempted to mug her, to which they received a harsh beating at her hand. She has found herself to be fixated on their leader however, and sticks around them to watch them struggle for success.

She grew up in a circus with her sisters, before finding herself fixated on the chaos emeralds and chaos energy. Unleashing an ultimate chaos has been her grand goal as she hopes to spread her madness across the world. She plans to achieve that, either by herself or with other comrades as her stepping stool.

• Loud, Annoying and Obnoxious. Loves to push Fang's buttons and watch him lose his cool. Her not so secret crush on him is absurd.

• A known sadist, she enjoys intimidating others and seeks out the emeralds for power and chaos.

• Enjoys gossiping with her friends, Ace and Solar, particularly about the Hooligans.

• What her and Fang have is a somewhat open secret. It's hard to tell if they hate each other or love each other. From their endless bickering to Jest's raunchy flirting.

• Likes cinnamon buns, yo-yos, and fondant.

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Bean the Dynamite

Any Pronouns // 15 yrs old // Brazilian🇧🇷 // Pansexual, Genderfluid

Bean is a young and spontaneous explosives expert, with a goofy and hyperactive personally that keeps the team on their toes. He carries around comically large bombs, no one is really sure HOW he does, but they don't ever seem to question his methods. Despite his lighthearted demeanor most of the time, no one can ever seem to tell what he's got cooking in that brain of his.

Not much is known of where Bean came from, but from what Bean's told about himself, he remembers being in an egg. And a great amount of movement. Up until he hatched and found himself all alone in the middle of the forest. Most just assume he hit his head or something before he ran into Bark.

• Silly, Scatterbrained, and Crazy. Hard to tell if he's a bad guy when he's so comedic.

• Fidgets constantly, he can't sit still for more than a few minutes.

• His bombs are handmade, and he likes gifting them to the others as surprises or as little pranks.

• Considers Bark to be an older brother figure who keeps him in check. Buys him Father's Day cards.

• Likes comic books, explosives, and gummies.

—————————

Bark the Polar Bear

He/They // 23 yrs old // Russian🇷🇺 & Haitian🇭🇹 // Pansexual Demiboy

Bark is the overall brawn of the team, being the strongest physically and able to do most of the heavy lifting if necessary. He's the most level headed as well, and finds himself being the one to pull everyone back when things get too complicated [If Fang himself isn't having a pissy fit]. He's particularly shy and doesn't really like communicating much with others, as he finds it quite difficult. And despite his rather prickly job, he means well and cares for others like Bean and Amy Rose.

Before he had become a member of Team Hooligan, it's been said that he's gotten his fighting experience from being that of a professional fighter. He doesn't enjoy bringing it up, but he prefers what he's got going on now. If any of the others ask to fight him, he'll consider the offer.

• Quiet, Tough, and Stoic. He cares though, he's just a bit shy when it comes to feelings.

• A walking furnace, he gets warm easily and has an itch for cold food often.

• Used to fight professionally at one point before joining Fang's gang.

• Selective mute and often communicates with sign language or writing.

• Likes seafood, belly rubs, and coloring books.

[polyhexian]

Okay, okay, I think I have a way to make the Enoch's Bones AU even more convoluted and angsty.

Let's say Hunter's motivations for leaving Belos are actually not that straightforward. The Martlet hasn't actually convinced him of anything. Instead, he's launching his very own Secret Mission as the Golden Guard and has his own agenda here. This mission is so secret that Hunter hasn't even told Belos he's doing it, and he feels really bad about that, but he's sure his uncle will understand after Hunter is successful!

The first part of his plan is all too easy. He can't believe he never had this idea before. It's literally been lying there for the taking for years. The next time Hunter has a one-on-one fight with the Martlet, no scouts or CATTs around, he indulges his weirdo stalker's apparent need for conversation. And again the next time, and the next. He isn't sure what game the Martlet's been playing all these years, but Hunter's finally gonna play back.

The Martlet is taken aback, then cautiously delighted, and after a month or so of weekend fights Hunter decides he's built up enough of a rapport with the guy to make his move. The Martlet has always tried to kidnap/capture/convince Hunter to leave Belos. All Hunter has to do is ask if that offer is still open.

Belos punishes Hunter on a Friday, and Hunter thinks "perfect" and doesn't do much tending to the wound, and on Saturday he shows up to his fight with the Martlet already hurt and bleeding and very meekly asks if the Martlet would still be willing to help him run away. It isn't even all that hard to act like he wants to leave his uncle. Like he's tired of hurting and failing and being punished and never being good enough. He tries not to think too hard about that.

The Martlet stares at Hunter for a long moment, apparently stunned speechless, before he says of course he'll help, and Hunter refrains from punching the air in victory. He's in.

Hunter says that if he's going to run away, they need to fake his death. He says this because he wants the Martlet to think he really is running away, but also because…he knows Belos would never approve of this mission. So Hunter's decided to do something noble and stupid and go behind Belos's back for the greater good.

Maybe Belos has been very hard on Hunter recently, and Hunter wants to do better as the Golden Guard but isn't sure how with all the limitations he's under. He knows he's a disappointing nephew. He's trying. He could accomplish so much if he could leave the castle on weekdays, and he really does think looking into wild magic could help cure his uncle's curse… Belos is hard on him because he loves him, but Hunter is starting to wonder if Belos is also subconsciously holding him back for the same reason. Obviously Belos is concerned about Hunter's wellbeing, which is sweet on an uncle/nephew level, but is pretty counterproductive on an Emperor/Golden Guard level.

Belos says that now that Hunter's the Golden Guard he needs to behave accordingly. They don't get to be uncle and nephew very often anymore. And Hunter understands…but it's no good if Belos keeps treating him like a child.

So clearly, for the good of the Empire, Hunter has to remove himself from the equation for a while. Hunter has to do this, for the Emperor. His uncle will understand.

(And maybe, selfishly, he hopes Belos will miss him, will realize how much he loves him, will be so relieved when Hunter returns that he'll overlook his transgressions… This is awful of him. He's an awful nephew. He's trying not to think about it, just like he's not thinking about how nice it might be to not fear his uncle's curse for a while, or how bad the punishment might be if this mission doesn't go as planned and he has to slink home in shame.)

So the plan is:

Get in good with the Martlet

Fake his death so his uncle can't stop him from doing what's best for the Emperor

Infiltrate the rebels and figure out all their plans

???

Return to the castle with tons of intel and lead a raid to arrest every member of the rebellion

I feel like Jasper has to be at least a little aware of what's going on here. Of course, there'd be good angst if he wasn't and then later learns that Hunter was lying the whole time. But Jasper isn't stupid and he trusts no one and he'd probably be very suspicious of Hunter suddenly getting (comparatively) chummy with him and then asking him for help. So he's probably fully aware that Hunter is trying to play him, but figures this is the best chance he's ever had and if he plays along he could potentially convince Hunter that he has to be saved before Hunter double-crosses him and goes back to Belos.

So Hunter's feeling pretty good about himself. Phase One is complete, Phase Two is a go, it won't be long before he's on to Phase Three and learning all the rebellion's secrets! This is going great!

And then Jasper decides it's worth the risk to immediately show Hunter the Grimwalker pit. He's in a race against time to convince his son that going back to Belos is a bad idea and he should run away for real, so as risky as it is, Jasper's going to make it immediately clear to Hunter that there is a LOT more going on here than he's aware of. Questions can be answered later; right now he has to fake a death and make his son realize that there are questions that need to be asked.

Hunter started this entire scheme in a bid to learn secrets and information, and now he's standing in a secret bone pit with waaaaaaaay freakier information than he was expecting. He's watching the Martlet holding a tape measure against skeletons like….what is happening? What is this place? What…what am I getting myself into?

And that's when Enoch shows up and starts making everything so much more confusing.

YESSSSS THATS PERFEFT OMG.... Enoch is NOT helping because jasper is t going to fight Belos while Hunter is alive and hunter is a pussy who isn't going to turn against his uncle. She needs to get hunter sad or weak so that she can try to possess him and do the job herself and she needs jasper Out of the way. So even though Hunter has just been shown some WILD shit that undermines his faith in Belos, Enoch is here is here to actively encourage him to kill the Martlet and go back to Belos so she can get closer to him.

[shimmerbeasts]

12 Tropes or Less.

How to play. Summarize Your Character in 12 Tropes. You may use tools like TVTropes to help you but you can make up trope names as you go too. There's no official rules!

It's a fun, creative way to help other Mods/Muns remember/understand your Muses in a tacit and unique way!

Enemy Within

Killer Rabbit

Dark and Troubled Past/Trauma Conga Line

Mafia Princess

Accuser of the Brethren: "I don't care that you are sorry and want to make amends! I won't forgive and I will punish you."

"Anger is healthy" Aesop/Unstoppable Rage

My Master, Right or Wrong/Undying Loyalty

Trigger-Happy Maglomaniac

Hearing Voices/Stress-induced Mental Voices

The Child Protegee

Crazy Equals Genius/Success Through Insanity

Everything Explodes Ending/Set The World On Fire

12 Tropes or Less.

How to play. Summarize Your Character in 12 Tropes. You may use tools like TVTropes to help you but you can make up trope names as you go too. There's no official rules!

It's a fun, creative way to help other Mods/Muns remember/understand your Muses in a tacit and unique way!

Deal With The Devil/Magically Binding Contract/Read The Fine Print

Older Than Dirt

Lawful Evil

The Corrupter

The Hunter, through Wyll also Hunter of Monsters

Tempting Seductress/Femme Fatale/The Baroness

Soft-Spoken Sadist

It Amused Me.

Predation Is Natural.

Noble Demon.

Right-Hand Attack Dog Owner/Fluffy Tamer.

Grand Dame and Amoral Attorney.

Tagged by: @moxxietude

Tagging: @ferinehuntress (Karlach and Dame Aylin), @faerunscursed (Wyll), @ruinouss (Faye), @deaddoveadventures (Curume), @playgroundmonsters (Ran), @piltover-sharpshooter, @the-rogue-dragon

[thelastofusfansa]

The Last of US Full Games

Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was run-heavy in Dallas last season (eighth-highest designed run rate given the win probability parameters above), so I'm not even really basing this off one game. It's something to watch in Week 2 against Tennessee and going forward. First, analytics the last of us download writer Seth Walder breaks down five stat trends that could be pivotal on Sunday. Fantasy football writer Eric Moody runs through five players who are rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN fantasy football leagues as of Saturday who could be picked up and started in a jam this weekend. Brought to life by the latest iteration of the Naughty Dog engine, the deadly characters and world are more realistic and meticulously detailed than ever before. We recommend playing The Last of Us PC Download single-player story first. Although Left Behind has prequel story moments, it contains spoilers of the main story.

Their authoritarian security and containment policies are enforced by military and civilian draftees. FEDRA often has to contend with supply shortages, sieges by the Fireflies and other factions, and the ever-looming threat of further outbreaks. United in resistance the last of us download against the authoritarian military and the anarchistic Hunters, the Fireflies are a militia in pursuit of the cure for the Cordyceps infection. While their aspirations are noble, they are resourceful and determined to further their agenda by any means necessary.

His isolation has led to loneliness and paranoia – although he'd be the last person to admit that. Naughty Dog is collaborating with HBO to produce a series based on the original The Last of Us game, which premiered on HBO and HBO Max on January 15, 2023, and is now streaming. Play as Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie, across a post-apocalyptic United States. Confront the devastating physical and emotional repercussions of Ellie's actions. This is not a remaster or port to PS5 of a previous version of The Last of Us. Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Where i Can Download The Last of US Us, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards. After extensive rehab, however, Chubb returned the next season and rushed for 1,130 yards and five touchdowns.

Some narrative details, characters and themes will have a deeper meaning if players do start with The Last of Us Part I. These features also make The Last of Us Part I’s acclaimed storytelling richer and more tactile. The series has garnered universal acclaim from critics and players alike, and won numerous awards and honors. The success of the franchise the last of us pc download has resulted in the release of an television adaptation on HBO–following the cancellation of a planned film–as well as a stage adaptation, board games, podcast series, and others. The Last of Us Part I and Part II both feature a robust set of accessibility options that allow players to tune the gameplay experience to their needs and preferences.

While he shares his brother Joel's ruggedness and grit, Tommy's impulsive, compassionate and hopeful personality sets him apart. After a stint fighting with the Fireflies, he meets his future wife Maria and her community in Jackson, Wyoming. With this new direction in his values, he looks to create a meaningful, rich life despite the bleak circumstances. No, how to download the last of us there is currently no DLC available for The Last of Us Part I or Part II. Left Behind, which was initially released as DLC for the original The Last of Us game in 2013, is included with Part I. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, confront the devastating physical and emotional repercussions of Ellie's actions. Abby and Yara find him in the Seraphite settlement, where Lev has accidentally killed his mother in self-defense. Abby betrays the WLF to save Lev, and Yara sacrifices herself to allow Abby and Lev to escape. The pair return Where i Can Download The Last of US to find Owen and Mel dead and a map leading to Ellie's hideout. An enraged Abby shoots Tommy, impairing him, and severely beats Ellie and Dina. At Lev's insistence, Abby spares them and tells them to leave Seattle.

Before Tess kills him, Robert reveals that he traded the cache with the Fireflies, a rebel militia opposing the quarantine zone authorities. Pickett was sacked five times in the Week 1 loss to the Niners, and he'll see a pressure-heavy Browns defense on Monday night. Jim Schwartz's unit registered a blitz rate of 42.1% in Week 1 against Cincinnati, showcasing multiple fronts, blitzes and stunts. And the Browns' 69.6% pass rush win rate ranked No. 2 in the league in the opening week, while the Steelers' 55.0% pass block win rate was 17th. If you need an upset pick, then maybe take a look at the Patriots (+3) at home versus the Dolphins.

[trapangeles]

Tyllionaire: An Insight into Trading and Forex

Tylor K. Moore, popularly known as Tyllionaire or “TY,” is a successful trader, entrepreneur, and author. His interest in the stock market and forex started early in life, and he was inspired by Jay Z's business acumen. In this article, we delve into some of his responses to interview questions to learn more about his approach to trading.

Inspiration for Trading According to TY, he became interested in the stock market early on in life. He was inspired by Jay Z's hustle to sell drugs on the corners. While he looked up to Jay Z for his business moves, he never wanted to sell drugs like him. TY believed there was a faster way to make money and that trading offered that opportunity. He started looking into stocks using newspapers and the internet while in high school. After a few years, he discovered forex and hasn't looked back since.

Motivation to Write a Book on Forex TY has written a book on forex, which he believes will solidify his name in something bigger than himself. He thinks it's dope that people can go to Barnes and Noble, say his name at the desk, and order a copy of his book. Having a book is like a business card for him, which he uses to introduce himself to new people.

Factors to Consider in Trading Stocks and Forex TY believes that the most important factor to consider in trading is risk to reward. He emphasizes that trading is not gambling but using money wisely to make more money. Every little risk involves losing something, be it time, energy, or money. Therefore, having a concrete trading plan is essential. TY advises traders to think of trading like a business and treat it as such.

Risk Management To manage risk, TY uses a simple approach. Suppose you have $1000 in a micro account, and you're trading forex. In that case, you're only supposed to risk a maximum of 3% per trade professionally. That's about $30 per trade, and you're looking to make $60 to $100 from that $30 risk. While this may not seem like a lot, it can help you double your forex account if done five or ten times.

Trading Style TY is a scalper, which means he's a hunter on the 5-minute chart. He wakes up around 3 am every morning, smokes a blunt, plays some call of duty to get his mind right, and starts trading. Usually, he catches the late London session so he can scalp GBPUSD until the NY session a few hours later. If US30 or NAS100 starts moving earlier on, then he'll catch it before the United States stock market opens. He advises traders to exit once they've hit a lick, saying that once the money stacks up, it's time to go.

Understanding the Market TY believes he has a great understanding of the ebbs and flows of the market. He advises people to learn how to read charts, and they'll find it just like driving a car; they'll never forget. He recommends a video on his YouTube channel called "Understanding Japanese Candlesticks," which he believes will help anyone learn to read charts.

Emotions and Trading TY believes that treating trading like an investment helps remove the emotional attachment to money. He advises traders to think of trading as money invested, which could work or not work. This way, when the emotion is removed, it's easier to trade on a day-to-day basis.

Advice for New Traders TY advises new traders to do what works for them. Every person has their unique experience, and they should study every profitable moment and try to duplicate the situation. He believes that trading is similar to basketball, where the

You can find TY on YouTube by typing in “TY” or “Tyllionaire” or also by googling his name Tyler K. Moore

[petri808]

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Inukag Royalty Au

Queen Higurashi looked up after reading the letter. “What is the meaning of this Sango?” Her voice straining against lashing out in a mix of anger and confusion. “Prepare a wedding? For whom, Kagome? But where is Kagome?”

“I am very sorry your majesty,” Sango bowed, “but I am only the messenger for the Inutaisho. He didn’t tell me all the details either.”

The instructions sent by letter and stamped with the Inutaisho’s official seal explained that the Higurashi’s should prepare a secret wedding ceremony. It was a brief letter and requested the only other person that should be in attendance besides the royal family was the priest. All the trappings of a traditional royal wedding affair would not take place, such as inviting the nobles or holding a large ball to celebrate. It was important to maintain a secrecy.

“Then you tell me everything that you do know!” The King snapped. “This is our daughter!”

“I understand, your majesty, I really do. But I am doing this to protect the Princess. I agree with the Inutaisho that there is a potential spy, but we don’t know who or where they are to have found out about the cancelled marriage arrangement. So, secrecy is our only protection. Please just know the Princess is safe and everything will be made clear when the Inutaisho arrives here in a week.”

“Do you truly believe this spy exists?” The queen questioned the young woman.

Sango stood tall and firm in her conviction. “Yes, your majesty. I do.”

The queen and king shared a silent conversation before turning back to the attendant. “Very well, we will honor the Inutaisho’s request. But is there really nothing else we should be preparing? What will Kagome wear? Are no flowers needed?”

Sango shook her head. “If there really is a spy in our midst, ordering such things will raise suspicions and I got the impression that the Inutaisho will make sure anything else required will be taken care of. Right now, the important thing to do is act as normally as possible until they arrive.”

King and Queen Higurashi were concerned, but in the end, they knew Sango was loyal to their daughter and would never do anything that could put her in harm’s way. So, they chose to trust her. It had already been a shock to them to learn their daughter had been living an assumed life in the Inu kingdom but were even more confused on how the Inutaisho became involved. It was a relief in a way, despite not knowing all the details because King Naraku was not someone they’d want their daughter to marry. They’d been threatened with force if they hadn’t agreed to the marriage, so this might just be their saving grace. Their trusted priest was contacted and sworn to secrecy, to be ready in about a week’s time to perform a marriage ceremony, with the only other person told anything being their younger son Souta. The young man was less concerned over his sister’s whereabouts all this time and simply happy that he’ll be seeing her again.

And right as expected, a week later the castle guards were notified of the Inutaisho’s arrival. But not just the King, a full entourage including the whole royal family. The castle’s staff was sent into a full frenzy to ready enough sleeping quarters for the royals, and a meeting room was also readied so the two families could finally sort out just what in the world was going on.

Kagome led the Inu family into the meeting room and immediately upon seeing her mother the tears began to pool in her eyes from all the guilt of putting them through this. She rushed over and hugged the queen.

“I’m sorry for running away,” she quietly whimpered into her mother’s shoulder. “This is all my fault.”

“Oh, my dear, please don’t blame yourself.” The woman rubbed her hand up and down in a soothing manner along Kagome’s back. “We were partially to blame as well. Now dear,” the woman pulled away and cupped her daughter’s cheek while wiping away the tears. “Please tell us what is going on.”

Kagome looked back and gestured for Inuyasha to come to her. “It will all be explained, but first I’d like you to meet his son, prince Inuyasha.”

“Your majesty’s,” the man bowed his head to the royals.

“It is nice to finally meet you, prince Inuyasha,” the king and queen smiled at the handsome man.

Kagome then took Inuyasha’s hand and interlaced their fingers. “Mom, Inuyasha is the man I’ll be marrying.”

Her parent’s eyes widened. They’d suspected it, but to have it confirmed was a joy! “Oh, thank the gods!” The queen smiled. “But how did this happen?”

It was at this point that the Inutaisho stepped forward. “We should first discuss the more pressing issue that’s brought us here today.”

The Higurashi’s nodded and motioned towards a sitting area. From there the rest of the Inu family were introduced to the Higurashi’s before being escorted to their guest rooms. Only the Inutaisho, Queen Izayoi, Inuyasha, and Kagome were the ones to stay behind.

Inutaisho spoke first. “I shall leave the details of how Kagome originally came to us for her to tell you later.” He explained how his son had fallen in love and that is what prompted him to call off the original marriage arrangement, but of course at the time they didn’t know of Kagome’s true identity. It was only revealed when Sango arrived to take her home. “Once that happened, I was shocked to find out she was the original princess he was betrothed to, but also furious to learn Naraku had swept in and threatened you over her hand. That is not something I will tolerate, because it means he’d had spies either in my palace, your castle, or both to have learned such information.”

“So, what are you saying?” King Higurashi questioned. “We’re still bound by the new contract, and he is probably on his way right now.”

“I believe,” the Inutaisho continued, “that this is both our faults for not telling our children the truth right from the beginning. Had we introduced them before setting up the arrangement, perhaps none of this would have happened. But we cannot undo the the past and therefore, I feel there is a way to set things right again. Our new arrangement provided that the Inu Kingdom would step in to protect this one and that is exactly what I plan to do.”

“And how do you propose to do so?” King Higurashi questioned.

“I have already hidden a garrison in the surrounding area.”

“Will one be enough?” Queen Higurashi questioned.

“Yes. They are our strongest yokai division. So, when King Naraku arrives he will have no chance against them.”

“But why did we need to prepare for a wedding ceremony?”

“To make Kagome and Inuyasha’s marriage official before he got here. Between a binding marriage vow and the threat of destruction, Naraku would be a fool to test my might. If once everything has been settled, you wish to hold a proper celebration, I see no harm in that.”

“Thank you, your majesty.” King and queen Higurashi bowed their heads to Inutaisho.

“I want you to know that over the course of these months, Kagome has truly become a part of our family. So, it is my honor to play a role in setting things right.” Inutaisho smiled. “Plus, she’s a very good match for my son.”

Queen Higurashi sighed in relief. “It’s a genuine pleasure to see my daughter happy too.”

Before Queen Izayoi took her leave, she explained to her counterpart that Kagome’s dress was already made, and flowers had been brought in for a bouquet. They were also instructed to tell their staff that the Inu clan was just there to attend the upcoming wedding in order to keep rumors lowered. Next the two kings moved onto outlining what will happen when Naraku arrived. One plan was to confront him immediately before they even arrived at the gate, while another was to allow him entry and confront him in the throne room. The second option came down to if the hunter Inutaisho brought to track down Naraku’s spy was successful.

While the men discussed the military details, queen Higurashi, Kagome, and Inuyasha retreated to another private room. As soon as the trio sat down, the refined poise of a queen was turned off. “Alright, spill it.” The woman scolded the couple in a light tone. “I want all the details and starting from the beginning.”

The couples faces turned pink in embarrassment, but nevertheless, Kagome began telling the tale of how she’d become princess Rin’s attendant at the palace, to the budding romance between she and Inuyasha. “We both tried so hard to fight our feelings,” the woman looked down in nervous shame. “But it just grew stronger instead.”

“That’s when I’d fought with my father to cancel the arrangement. I told him I’d rather stay single if it meant living with Kagome in the palace for the rest of my life.”

“I probably should have told Inu the truth right there,” Kagome admitted. “But I was so afraid the king would kick me out because not only did I want to stay with Inuyasha, but I didn’t want to leave Rin as well.”

Inuyasha grasped Kagome’s fidgeting fingers. “And I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for her. Rin’s truly blossomed because of you.”

“Kagome,” her mother addressed her. “I hope you know that we always had the best intentions for you and I’m sorry that because we weren’t honest with you it drove you to run away. I was more afraid then upset not knowing if you were okay, so it warms my heart to know you’ve been in good hands all along.”

“The Inu’s made me feel like family from the beginning, and I can’t thank them enough for their hospitality.”

The queen smiled. “I’m proud of you Kagome. To know I bore such a strong woman, I can rest well, knowing you’ll be able to weather anything thrown at you.”

Kagome’s eyes teared up as she moved over to hug her mother. “Thank you, that means the world to me to hear that.”

The queen hugged her back. “Oh, I love you so much my dear.”

“I love you too mom.”

“And thank you, Inuyasha, for taking care of my little girl. I have no doubt that your marriage will be a long and happy one.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Inuyasha smiled. “I will treat her like a queen.”

The following day, the royal families gathered in the chapel to solidify the marriage between Inuyasha and Kagome. While a small affair, it was still a special one with Rin playing a flower bearer, Sango a bridesmaid, and Miroku a groomsman. Inuyasha wore a white ceremonial military uniform with red and gold accouterments and decked out with the royal Inu family crest. Kagome’s white dress followed the style of the Inu kingdom with a form fitting top and flowing floor length dress, decorated with red and gold patterns to mirror Inuyasha’s garb.

The couple stood facing one another before the priest who took their hands and placed one on top of the other, then lightly wrapped the layered hands with a white sash to signify their union. He then placed his own hand on top and began the sermon.

“There is nothing more blessed than the coming together of two individuals in matrimony. To love each other and support each other through sickness and in health until the end of their days. And what I see before me is a tested love that shall endure whatever trials or tribulations may come their way.”

“Prince Inuyasha, do you take princess Kagome to be your wedded wife, to cherish and honor with love and loyalty until the end of your days?”

“I do.”

“And do you, princess Kagome, take prince Inuyasha to be your wedded husband, to cherish and honor with love and loyalty until the end of your days?”

“I do.”

“Then unless there is any here that objects to this Union, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

“Finally,” Inuyasha breathed out as he swooped in and kissed a giggling Kagome.

Cheers and clapping from all around the couple went ignored, and the attendees simply became a faded background. This had been the moment they’d been fated for all along and to finally have it consummated, truly felt like a new beginning. When she ran away from home, Kagome never imagined this is where she’d end up. Marrying a man, she’d fallen in love with all on her own instead of through an arranged marriage. Perhaps the gods had been on her side all along.

Inuyasha’s fingers swept gently over her cheek as he stared with blissful intent into her eyes. “I love you, Kagome.”

She leaned into his hand as her eyes softened. “I love you too, Inuyasha.”

Just a little longer and they’ll truly be free…

[sunder-the-gold]

Can any of my FGO-playing Followers help me brainstorm a fan Servant for fun?

The Record of Ragnarok manga got me wondering about a more “accurate” version of Adam (First Man, Grand Father of Humanity) as a super-human being.

Here’s my thoughts, and I’d like to hear yours.

Suffer the Children

As with RoR’s Adam, this Adam prioritizes his children (all of humanity) above all else, and would gladly fight any beast, demon, or god to the death to defend them, to the point of striking harder against targets bearing the “Threat to Humanity” quality, and having some ability to protect his descendants when fighting alongside them.

But his love for his children is a big reason why Adam hasn’t appeared before, especially in Grail Wars or Lost Belts. Just as Adam did not kill his son Cain after Cain murdered Abel, Adam cannot bring himself to fight any of his descendants, much less to side with one faction and condemn another, or even just to stand back and watch them fight each other as a Ruler. So, if Adam is even physically capable of attacking humans, he would at least suffer a damage penalty when striking at them.

For this purpose, I would furthermore introduce a new quality called “Child of Man”, which applies equally to fully-human characters, demi-gods, and even beings artificially created by humanity such as Frankenstein’s Monster and Voyager. (Divine spirits merely borrowing shapes from humans, like Ishtar, are probably exempt from Adam’s mercy.)

Grand Father

But by the same token, Adam radiates an authority over all of his descendants, such that even demi-gods like Gilgamesh face some kind of damage penalty when attacking him.

When summoned as an Assassin, Adam gains a Skill that supersedes Presence Concealment like Jack the Ripper's Information Erasure does, though Adam's Class Skill combines his authority to demand humans not see him together with his perfectly medium appearance to transition from "beautifully ideal" to "unremarkably average". The higher someone's Divinity, the less this skill affects them.

When summoned as a Ruler, Adam’s rank in True Name Discernment, when used against other humans, is second only to Eve’s.

One Treasure: God-Given Tunic — Garment of First Sacrifice

“The price of sin is death.” When the first humans broke the law, God made the first animal sacrifice on their behalf to buy their pardon, and from the animal’s hide God fashioned tunics to signify their cleansing, cover their nakedness, and protect their flesh from violence.

Adam and Eve wore these tunics until the day they died, relying upon their divine protection as they fought demons and beasts to keep their children safe, until humanity had grown too numerous for anyone but God to protect or destroy.

Later worn by Nimrod and Esau. Wearing the clothes gave Nimrod great success as a hunter and warrior, but it could not protect him from a prophecy that he would killed by a child of Abraham.

This defensive Noble Phantasm is inferior to Avalon, particularly in that it does not extend life-span, but it ought to be comparable to Herakles' Nemean Lion Hide.

Where the Nemean Lion Hide protected one from all man-made weapons, the Garments of First Sacrifice need only protect against all beasts and monsters and demons, but not from other humans or divine beings. With no protection from other humans, Nimrod had no special protection from Esau.

Pioneer of Human Crafts

Adam and Eve first explored human capabilities and passed their knowledge down to their children and descendants. Therefore, they possess all knowledge and skills discovered by humanity, similar to how Gilgamesh possesses a prototype of every device made by humanity.

No version of Adam or Eve can access humanity’s manufactured treasures in the same way, because they did not horde the products of their own hands or those of their children. They kept their God-given tunics to themselves, but everything they personally made, they gave away freely to their children so their children could defend and enrich themselves.

Nevertheless, Adam has the authority to use any physical Noble Phantasm made by human hands, even those whose skills equaled that of the gods. But Divine weapons made by Emiya Shirou's Reality Marble would not become exceptions to this rule.

Adam best expresses his craftsmanship when summoned as a Caster.

Unified Language

I don’t fully know what the Unified Language can do, but that one antagonist in Kara no Kyoukai would pale in comparison to the man who spoke that language first. Whatever these abilities, Adam would express them most strongly as a Caster or as a Ruler (especially together with a Ruler’s ability to discern true names), though Eve would be more adept.

Namer of Beasts

Whether by actual history or mere legend, Adam possesses special authority over beasts as the man who first named them all. Whatever form this authority takes (such as resistance to their attacks or bonus damage against them), he expresses it most strongly as a Ruler or Rider, and it supersedes the Riding Skill. 

The effect is weaker against phantasmal or demi-god beasts.

Eve did not name the beasts herself, but she was born directly from Adam’s flesh, and so shares equally in his authority over the beasts.

"Earth"

Here’s where I take a stab at cosmological mechanics I don’t really understand.

Adam’s birth ushered in the emergence of the human-derived World Texture, along with Alaya and the Counter Force. When Adam sinned, all of these things became destined to die, and be reborn.

“Adam” doesn’t just mean “Human” and “Humankind”, but also “Earth”, for the flesh of the first humans’ bodies was made from the earth. The first humans’ collective sin cursed both them and the Earth (the human world) to death, with their deaths returning their bodies to the earth (Gaia) from which they were made, and with a prophecy of the Earth itself dying after humanity’s bodies are resurrected from its soil.

Adam’s personal sin further estranged him from the Earth (Gaia), turning it into his adversary. For the rest of his life, instead of freely providing him food, the soil would produce thorns and thistles against him, and he would need to struggle to cultivate food from it. The struggle between the earth and humanity began, with the birth of the “world texture of humanity”. God blessed and commanded Man to assert dominion over the earth.

[exn0bisstudios]

hiya! if it isn't spoiler-y or you won't be making a separate post for it, could you tell us a bit about the work hunters and seers do? does being a member of the order as a hunter always guarantee that you'll have a seer for a partner, or do they have different kinds of work that don't require a partner, or maybe require a bigger group to work with?

I will be making a post about it. After that, you'll obviously get a more in-depth look during the game itself. Still, since I have some other things lined up first, I would be happy to give some cursory notes here in this ask!

Please be aware that this info might seem a bit jumbled since I'm just tossing out notes (also I’m running on two hours of sleep lmao). This also got really long, so I apologize for that! As I said, I'll eventually get a much more organized & concise post up for you guys!

About Seers of The Twilight Order

What is a Seer?

Seers are magically gifted individuals of strong mentality who have been soul-bound to a Nightmare, which allows them to use Void magic. Said magic is the only thing that can actually destroy a Nightmare - yes, they can be hurt by weapons. Still, they'll eventually reform from the damage unless a Seer comes along and wipes them out. Since the Void is essentially power in its most raw form, it is not meant to be used by mortals. So, the Order devised the binding to allow an adept enough mage to use a Nightmare as a proxy. It's a messy necessity since, without Seers, Yereth-Shai would have fallen to the Nightmares a long, long time ago.

Unfortunately, this proxy system is hugely flawed. Nightmares, by their very nature, are corrupted, as is the Void. The forcible melding of a mortal soul to this corrupted being will eventually erode the mortal, no matter how mentally resilient they are. The more they use the Void magic, the faster that corruption sets in. Not to mention that the binding ritual itself can be deadly outright.

In short, becoming a Seer is a death sentence. Most last for around 5 years before corruption kills them. Unfortunately, it's also common for Seers to go insane, either from corruption or just from having a primordial creature that hates them living in their head. The Order has a care facility set up for any non-violent Seers who have lost their minds, where they can live out what's left of their lives in peace and safety. Sadly most that go nuts are also violent, though, and are mercy-killed by The Order before they can cause civilian casualties.

If you're asking, "why would anyone want to be a Seer" the answer is, again, purely because it's necessary for the survival of mortal-kind. Many people who volunteer to become a Seer do so because they see it as a way to atone for past sins. Some do so to be a hero, however short-lived it might be. Some just see it as a civic duty. Regardless of why the Order won't turn away volunteers.

Who can become a Seer?

The only actual requirements are that the candidate must be willing, mentally resilient, and magically capable. Of course, it's always preferable for a candidate to be young and healthy. Such individuals typically prove more resilient to both the required training and the ritual itself. However, so long as they meet the core necessities and make it through Seer training, the Order won't turn anyone away.

A candidate will go through 5 to 8 years of relentless training to prepare for the binding ritual. The training is brutal and has been deadly but is necessary if the candidate hopes to survive the binding. In addition to physical and mental exercise, a Seer candidate is trained in advanced magic techniques. A particular focus on personal control is crucial, considering the Order has no desire to give someone prone to violence access to raw power.

What can a Seer do?

In addition to their ability to wield Void magic as a weapon, they can manipulate it in other ways that benefit the general public. Destroying Nightmares is always a Seers primary duty. Still, they are also often called in to clear an area of Void corruption. A little-understood phenomenon, Void corruption tends to occur in populated areas and acts as a beacon for Nightmares. A Seer can absorb and neutralize the corruption at their own expense. They can also 'see' Void energy, appearing as a kind of smokey aura, which helps them find problem areas or address concerns of corruption/possession.

Some Seer facts

The tell-tale sign of a Seer is the solid black sclera, resulting from their tie to a Nightmare. Black stripes/spots in the sclera are typical in corruption or possession cases, but only Seers have solid black.

Even though many Seers were previously criminals, they are almost always received with respect. Regardless of their past deeds, people recognize the altruistic sacrifice they've made by becoming a Seer and honor them for that. On the flip side, most Seers are understandably received with an equal amount of fear.

Seers cannot comprehend or cohesively communicate with their bound Nightmare while awake, getting at most snippets of violent imagery or projected emotions. They are also plagued by violent nightmares when they sleep due to their subconscious trying to process the foreign presence in their mind. The more a Seer's mental barriers deteriorate, the more the Nightmare can torture them inside their own head.

While they are given combat training, Seers are adamantly encouraged to stay out of active combat as much as possible. They are under strict orders to not use their Void magic unless against a Nightmare or Void-related emergency. They are too valuable to risk on the front line, and using their Void powers speeds up their corruption (and thus, demise) too much to just use them recklessly.

Regarding our dear MC...

Take everything you just read about Seers and throw it out the window.

MC is an entirely unique, never-before-seen case. To start, they never underwent a binding ritual. As far as the Order can tell, MC's Nightmare has been there at least in a cursory sense for their whole life because it has chosen to be there. MC's sclera went black when it finally bonded with them (age depends on MC's background but from 8-11 y/o). It was an entirely painless experience for MC.

MC is the only Seer who has been able to actively communicate with their Nightmare in any capacity. The fact their Nightmare introduced itself and keeps a running commentary on what MC is up to during their waking hours is seemingly inexplicable. MC doesn't suffer any nightmares due to The One's presence, either, and is instead able to interact with a dream manifestation of them.

The MC shows no signs of possession and seems to suffer no ill side effects from the One's presence or from using Void magic. They are also the most potent Void magic user the Order has ever had. This penalty-free relationship has allowed them to be the only Seer to hold the position for more than 8 years.

The general public is not aware of pretty much any of this, however. The official story is intentionally vague, saying that the MC is a prodigy and ends the conversation there. They're somewhere between a myth and a legend to the general public, and the majority would not recognize them in person. The MC is under strict orders not to reveal the truth of their situation unless they deem it absolutely necessary. This is mainly for their own safety. After all, just because the Order trusts them doesn't mean the rest of the world will.

In short, the MC is very special. You'll have to play the game to find out why.

About Hunters of The Twilight Order

What is a Hunter?

A Hunter is a specialized member of the Order's main military force, highly trained in martial and magical combat and tactics. Their primary function is to suppress Nightmare and Void-related violence to allow for a Seer to safely end the engagement, as well as to serve as a Seer's protector and right hand.

They put themselves in danger so that a Seer doesn't have to. However, they are not seen as expendable or as shock troops. Instead, they are provided years of highly specialized, rigorous training to ensure they survive the impossible odds they're frequently up against. As a result, hunters are, without exception, the most effective and impressive fighting force on Yereth-Shai.

Who can become a Hunter?

Anyone, so long as they are willing and survive the training. Hunter backgrounds are incredibly varied, from noble to urchin, but all of them give up their old lives for the sake of the Order. Most candidates are given over to the Order young and spend near their entire lives as members of the Twilight family.

It should be noted that orphans make up the largest demographic, as the Order provides food, lodging, education, and eventually a salary for life. For a child with nothing, it's often the most stable option they have.

What can a Hunter do?

In addition to killing virtually anything with appropriately nightmarish skill, Hunters are known for being brilliant - if unconventional - tacticians and skilled generals. Many a monarch has tried to buy themself a Hunter with a laughable pittance of a success rate.

Hunters are also gifted with a unique soul-bound weapon upon graduation. While these weapons are not strictly sentient, they have a sort of will of their own and are inextricably part of their owner. This bond gives a magical boost to the Hunter's natural prowess, in addition to acting as a powerful channel for their own magic. Soul-bound weapons cannot be used to harm their master. In fact, most cannot even be touched without their master's permission, causing grave injury to the individual attempting. These weapons cannot be broken and, if lost, will find their way back to their master. A Hunter also takes their weapon to their grave, as it will decay upon its master's death.

The forges of Twilight Order are the only place to create these weapons, and the technique has never been shared outside of Order smiths and enchanters.

Some Hunter facts

Hunters almost always outlive Seers simply because, as dangerous as their job is, their powers aren't slowly killing them. As such, there are a lot more Hunters in the Order than there are Seers.

The mass majority of Hunters will never be paired with a Seer. Bodyguard duty is reserved for the elite. The Order takes excellent care in choosing these pairs, and transfers to a different partner are rare. Once a Hunter is assigned to a Seer, they are expected to stay together until one of them dies.

Most Hunter-Seer pairings develop an unshakable bond, so much so that Hunters that lose their Seer struggle to function as well with a new partner. As such, a Hunter who has lost their Seer will return to regular troop duties, often as an officer. Their career as bodyguard is over.

That said, if a Seer needs to be neutralized, it is traditionally their paired Hunter's job to strike the killing blow. While being a Hunter is usually a lifetime career, those who have had to kill their Seer can retire from service. The Order is not unsympathetic to their trauma.

Regarding our dear Mira...

Mira is unique in their own way, though not to the same extent that the MC is.

In Mira's case, they genuinely are a prodigy. They've been with the Order since they were a child and took to the training like a fish to water. Their proficiency is precisely why they were paired with MC - who better to protect the Order's most precious Seer than their most skilled Hunter?

Mira is also special in that they have four soul-bound weapons. No touchy.

About The Twilight Order

The Twilight Order is a neutral faction that pays no homage to any nation but demands fealty from them all. It was formed for the sole purpose of defeating the Nightmare threat, and they have stayed true to that through the decades. Members of the Order are strictly forbidden from meddling with politics unless it furthers their mission. The faction itself takes no interest in the rise and fall of kingdoms outside of keeping their funding secure.

The Order is given a begrudging kind of respect on the global politics scale. Many people view the Order with suspicion, especially considering the number of secrets they keep and how they pointedly disregard whatever laws suit them. However, no one dares rise against them - not just because the Hunter army could decimate a country, but because they're the only ones who can tame the Void.

Though thankfully most governments are content to leave the Order alone, it is a delicate diplomatic balance, so long as they stay out of the political sphere.

Some relevant facts about the Order

Once you are initiated into the Order, you leave your old life behind. Each member takes on the surname 'Twilight' and is encouraged to completely sever ties to their old life. This rule is less strictly enforced with members who have been with the Order for a while. It's common for commanding officers to look the other way if their subordinates exchange letters with their original families. So long as the individual isn't compromised by these engagements, it's quietly allowed to happen.

The Order takes a similarly vague approach to romantic relationships involving its members. Physical relations & romance are not forbidden, nor is marriage or attempting to start a family. However, if such a relationship compromises the participants, it will be condemned, and those involved are punished. Duty above all, for the sake of all. No exceptions.

[antiiromanticx]

✑  Cassandra Cohen “The Priest”

AGE: 35 FACTION: Human - Human Faction Leader OCCUPATION: Public Relations Representative at Governor’s Office + Charismatic, Rational, Practical, Perceptive, Firm. - Insensitive, Impatient, Risk-Prone, Confrontational.

✑ ABOUT CASSANDRA:

Despite being human, Cassandra has always known of the existent of the supernatural.  Her father was an ex-hunter and war veteran general of Greek descent who made sure he raised a strong daughter. Not just mentally but physically as well. 

Cassandra’s mother came from a family that considered themselves Legacy Keepers, or Priests- Hence the name Cohen (Origin meaning Priest in Hebrew). the Israeli family have records upon records, upon records of the history of the world. Regardless of all of the information, there were still chunks missing as well as stolen.

She always associated herself more with the role her mother played with the hunter and other supernatural. Despite her father having an aversion towards the supernatural, her mother liked to work along side them. Her mother always felt this deeper connection to something and Cassandra always wanted to emulate that but she was far too pragmatic for it. Regardless of the differences, this was a role Cassandra wanted to take.

Early in her academic career, Cassandra was involved in things like Student Council, debate club, or anything that stimulated/challenged her sociably. She learned very quickly she like communications, but to be exact, to control a narrative for the betterment or benefit of something. That’s why, Cassandra studied Communication in NYU but did her masters program at Columbia.

Through out all of her academic career, her mother was feeding her the role she had played in the community she had been a part of. Along side her mother, her father was training as if she was going to be a hunter regardless of the fact that Cassandra had no interest to follow that and go through hunter trials. 

Once done with all of her schooling, and her parents basic training was done. She had a clear conviction that she could help aid the interaction between humans, hunters, and all supernatural. She knew she wanted to be front line and involved in it. She began to work for the Governor’s office to make sure she had an inside of the political movements happening, she wanted to be fully aware. Besides that, she approached the Human Faction leader and began to work as their second.

The minute Cassandra began to work for the Human Faction Leader, she realized there was a lot being mishandled and she spoke up when she could but the leader always had the final word. But what she took advantage of was the access to special information the human faction leader had. She did not hesitate to bring on her families information inheritance and make it part of the faction leader library. 

The night the faction leader had died, Cassandra had been so consumed in her work that she did not check on her parents. That night, not only did it take her leader away, but both of her parents as well. Never had she had to grieve in that way, while the weight of the mantel was over her shoulders. 

✑ MUSINGS:

Cassandra is confident, motivated and brave when necessary but do not actively seek out trouble. She is a proactive decision maker, taking responsibility for making the hard choices where others are not comfortable with doing so.

Cassandra needs quiet time to allow them to think, strategize and steadily execute their actions to succeed.

Guided in life by her noble and well-meaning intentions, defining her success or failure in the world by how effectively she’s able to actually help and positively impact her surroundings.

Sometimes, when alone and incredibly stressed; Cassandra resents her past and what feels like a “calling”. She wishes she hadn’t known so much and could live blissfully ignorant. 

✑ CONNECTIONS:

Dylan Sawyer — best-friend They bonded over the leader mishandlings, soon developing a close friendship.

Pierce Bancroft  — ex-boyfriend It was only natural that as she worked with the faction, she became closer to those that knew the truth and were allies to the work. That was Pierce to Cassandra when it all started. They hit it off the few times they worked together which persuaded them to try it out as more than just a working and friendly relationship. However, Cassandra made herself a little unavailable as she was married to her work. It started out well, but soon it was clear what she was prioritizing and it wasn’t him. She was incredibly sad for Pierce when she found out what happened to his Emily. Then enraged to learn about the mishandling of it all. Because of that she hopes to reconnect and due better by him as a faction leader. 

[tigerkirby215]

5e Katarina, the Sinister Blade build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Riot Games. In b4 Tumblr gives me ToS for this picture.)

In my defense I had this build planned since pre-Tasha’s. With Katarina being absolutely nuts in preseason right now along with her just generally being one of League’s most popular champs I’d have to get around to making a build for her eventually.

Look it was either her or Zac. The only other build I really want to do right now is Miss Fortune and truthfully I’m kinda stumped on her. This build isn’t a build it’s a cry for help.

GOALS

Preparation - We’ll need to always be ready for a fight, with a weapon in hand and ways to rush in.

Shunpo - We’ll also need a way to jump on our foes, or jump away.

Death Lotus - When push comes to shove we’ll need to shred through everyone close by spinning and throwing daggers at a rapid pace!

RACE

Katarina is a human but with some special, magical talents. I’m sure by now people know my aversion to Variant Humans and my love of Eberron Dragonmarks so the Mark of Finding is perfect for finding marks and ending them.

With the Mark of Finding you get some Ability Score Improvements but thanks to Tasha’s we can get a +2 to our Intelligence and a +1 to our Dexterity. You also have Darkvision up to 60 feet, and Hunter’s Intuition, letting you add a d4 to Perception and Survival checks. Finally Finder’s Magic giving you some innate spells.

ABILITY SCORES

15; DEXTERITY - You’re an assassin who hops, skips, and jumps around the battlefield.

14; INTELLIGENCE - For whatever reason Katerina does AP damage? I mean she did. Now she builds Kraken Slayer because lol Rito balance.

13; CHARISMA - People don’t only main you because you’re strong.

12; WISDOM - Kata in lore is a bit of a hot-head but Wisdom is attached to many skills that an assassin needs.

10; CONSTITUTION - You’re a squishy midlaner.

8; STRENGTH - We simply don’t need Strength and with your build I doubt you have much. Even if jumping around like that requires a lot of muscles in the legs and chest.

BACKGROUND

So apparently Katerina is part of a Noxian Noble family? Regardless as a Noble you gain proficiency in History but I’d suggest swapping your Persuasion proficiency with Intimidation instead. You also get proficiency with a gaming set and a language of your choice.

Thanks to your noble birth you have a Position of Privilege, meaning that other nobles will welcome you within their circles and common folk will do their best to please you in order to avoid getting a dagger in their throat. You can even secure an audience with a noble if you need to! Perhaps you need to put a knife in their throat? An assassin doesn’t ask questions.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - ROGUE 1

Starting off as a Rogue for skill proficiencies also because yeah duh. As a Rogue you get proficiency in four skills from the Rogue list: Acrobatics is an obvious choice, Athletics will help your poor Strength score, Perception will help you spot incoming hooded assassins, and Stealth will let you do Rogue things. Rogue things like Sneak Attack if an ally is near an enemy or you have advantage, granting you an extra d6 on the attack roll.

You also get Expertise in two of your skills: both Stealth and Acrobatics make sense for an assassin. Speaking of assassin Thieves’ Cant will let you communicate with them in a way that your enemies can’t understand. And to top it off Finder’s Magic you can cast Hunter’s Mark once per Long Rest. Smite and Ignite to get First Blood.

LEVEL 2 - ROGUE 2

Second level Rogues get Cunning Action to Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a Bonus Action. "Never play fair."

LEVEL 3 - ROGUE 3

Third level Rogues get to choose their Roguish Archetype and there’s two important things about your knives:

They do magic damage (for some reason.)

You throw them a lot.

With that in mind we shall be going for the Soulknife from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. As a Soulknife you get Psionic Power for a pool of d6 Psionic Energy die that can be used for a variety of features. Psi-Bolstered Knack will let you boost your ability checks as long as you’re proficient, and Psychic Whispers will let you keep assassination plans to team chat.

Of course what we’re really here for is Psychic Blades, a magic d6 psychic damage knife that you can make when you attack which can be dual-wielded and thrown up to 60 feet. You can also attack again with your Bonus Action if you already stabbed with your main action, but the extra attack will only do a d4 instead of a d6.

Speaking of magic: you also get Locate Object from Finder’s Magic. Perhaps not as useful as Find Person, but thievery isn’t beneath you. Your Sneak Attack also increases to 2d6.

LEVEL 4 - ROGUE 4

4th level Rogues get an Ability Score Improvement: turns out Dexterity is pretty important for a Rogue so increase that by 2.

(Artwork by Jennifer Wuestling. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 5 - WIZARD 1

Time for an AP boost. First level Wizards get Spellcasting because what else did you think they got? You learn three cantrips and six leveled spells when starting out as a Wizard, even if you can only prepare a number of spells equal to your Wizard level plus your Intelligence modifier:

CANTRIPS

Instead of making a dinky d4 knife empower it with Booming Blade for some Thunder damage, and even more damage if the enemy moves.

To twirl around with Voracity Sword Burst will strike everyone near one of your daggers with your knives.

For a long ranged damage tool that inflicts Grievous Wounds Chill Touch will let you make sure your lane opponent doesn’t run away and heal up.

SPELLS

Mage Armor will help you avoid a few more hits.

For a Bouncing Blade (sorta) take Ice Knife to hit your target and anyone close to them.

For a shield thanks to Gunblade (like it’s TFT) take False Life to bolster yourself somewhat.

Disguise Self will be helpful for any infiltration missions.

Detect Magic likewise is useful to locate any magical traps.

Every good Rogue has a backup plan: Feather Fall is always useful in a pinch.

You also get Arcane Recovery, allowing you to recover spell slots with a combined total level of half your Wizard level.

LEVEL 6 - WIZARD 2

Second level Wizards get to choose their Arcane Tradition. There is actually a school for magic knives and that school is the art of Bladesinging! As a Bladesinger you get Training in War and Song for proficiency in Performance along with a one-handed melee weapon of your choice: for whatever reason Rogues don’t get proficiency in Scimitars so grab that I guess?

But much more importantly you can invoke a Bladesong as a Bonus Action, which lasts for 1 minute but ends early if you are incapacitated. (Or if you don medium or heavy armor or a shield, or if you use two hands to make an attack with a weapon. I guess.) You can also dismiss the Bladesong at any time with no action required.

While your Bladesong is active you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier, your walking speed increases by 10 feet, you have advantage on Acrobatics checks, and you gain a bonus to Concentration checks equal to your Intelligence modifier. You can activate Bladesong a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

You can also learn more spells like Color Spray for a getaway option, or Cause Fear of incoming ganks.

LEVEL 7 - WIZARD 3

Third level Wizards can learn second level spells like Mirror Image to be everywhere at once, and Misty Step for legally not Flash.

LEVEL 8 - WIZARD 4

4th level Wizards get an Ability Score Improvement: more Dexterity means more AC and deadlier stabs with your knife.

You can also learn more spells like Invisibility for some Duskblade resets, and Enhance Ability (ty Tasha’s) to make sure you’re the best around. And you can learn another cantrip like Prestidigitation for some generic utility sorcery.

LEVEL 9 - WIZARD 5

5th level Wizards can learn third level spells like Haste to up your APM, and Spirit Shroud to make all your stabs all the deadlier.

LEVEL 10 - WIZARD 6

At 6th level you get an Extra Attack as a Bladesinger, but unlike most Extra Attacks you can also cast a cantrip along with attacking! The interesting thing about this is that (rules as written) you can attack twice after casting Booming Blade with this! And depending on your DM you might even still have your Cunning Action!

And on the subject of spells you can learn two more such as Clairvoyance for some Farsight Alterations, and Nondetection to... not be detected...

(Artwork by Atey Ghailan. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 11 - ROGUE 5

5th level Rogues get Uncanny Dodge. When you’re hit with an attack you can use your reaction to halve the damage. Additionally your Psionic Energy die increases to a d8, and your Sneak Attack increases to 3d6.

LEVEL 12 - ROGUE 6

6th level Rogues get Expertise in two more skills: Perception will help you avoid ganks and Intimidation will help you extract information.

LEVEL 13 - ROGUE 7

7th level Rogues get Evasion. If you’re forced to make a Dexterity save you can make some pro plays to dodge, taking no damage on a successful save and half damage on a failed save.

Your Sneak Attack also increases to 4d6, so you can jump onto them after dodging their skill shot.

LEVEL 14 - ROGUE 8

8th level Rogues get another Ability Score Improvement: since your Dexterity is maxed let’s invest in that Intelligence... sorta. The Observant feat will let you increase your Intelligence by 1 along with granting a +5 bonus to passive Perception and Investigation so you can watch those wards, and the ability to read lips! Definitely helpful for an assassin.

(Artwork by Katie “TeaTime” De Sousa. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 15 - ROGUE 9

Hey how about we get your actual abilities at total level 15? Finally with level 9 in Soul KInife you get Soul Blades for two new abilities that use your Psionic Energy die. Homing Strikes will let you add your Psionic Energy die to an attack roll if you miss, and Psychic Teleportation will let you throw out a knife and teleport to it!

Something something read how the ability works yourself because these are guides on how to make a character and I won’t tell you what every class in Tasha’s does. Oh your Sneak Attack also increases to 5d6 now.

LEVEL 16 - WIZARD 7

7th level Wizards get 4th level spells like Phantasmal Killer to make your own jungler (one who’ll actually gank!), and Dimension Door to Teleport into lane. Or out!

LEVEL 17 - WIZARD 8

Level 8? How about an ASI? You may notice that we have two uneven ability scores: increase both your Intelligence and Charisma by 1.

You can also learn more spells but there honestly isn’t much I want from fourth level so hop back to level 3 for Sending. But you can also take Greater Invisibility for some Duskblade resets. Look I just really need a 5th level spell but it’s hard to justify magic on a champion who throws knives and nothing else.

LEVEL 18 - WIZARD 9

Time to finally get the last ability we’re missing: Death Lotus. Or more precisely Steel Wind Strike to hit everyone with your daggers and then maybe Shunpo to them after the fact. Speaking of Shunpo for seemingly unlimited jumps take Far Step, allowing you to be everywhere at once. Just know that you’ll only have one 5th level slot.

(Artwork by Esben Lash Rasmussen. Made for Riot Games.)

LEVEL 19 - ROGUE 10

Picking up our last two levels in Rogue: level 10 means another ASI. Capped off Intelligence woo!

LEVEL 20 - ROGUE 11

11th level Rogues get Reliable Talent, meaning that you can’t roll below a 10 on any skill you’re proficient in. As a capstone skill let’s check what the minimum roll you can get on your skills is:

27 on Acrobatics and Stealth

24 on Intimidation

23 on Perception

21 on History

18 on Performance (Bladesinger lul)

15 on Athletics

And to top it off your Psionic Energy die increases to a d10, along with your Sneak Attack capping off at 6d6!

FINAL BUILD

PROS

They fear my weapons? I am the weapon - Regardless of your choice of tools you are extremely deadly. On one hand 6d6 sneak attack daggers you can apply 3d8 Booming Blade damage to, and on the other hand plenty of potent spells like Haste and Spirit Shroud.

If you run, you won't see me stab you! - You are also incredibly mobile with Misty Step, Far Step, Psychic Teleportation, Bladesong, and just general Cunning Actions. Not to mention that Bladesong gives a big boost to AC which combines well with Uncanny Dodge and Evasion.

A victory is sweetest when it leads to another - Rogues are meant to be skilled professionals and you are certainly that. The skills you are proficient in can be boosted by psionics. Oh and 28 Passive Perception thanks to Observant is just a little bit nutty.

CONS

Ready for trouble? - While you have many a skill you have many more that are lacking. You can put on a mean face sure, but for an important check like Arcana your psionic potential won’t save you.

Better dead than dull - Your spell slots are limited, and quite notably you only have one 5th level slot for Death Lotus IE Steel Wind Strike. While magic can supplement you nicely remember to ration yourself appropriately.

Come on, live a little... while you can! - You know what class doesn’t have a lot of health? Wizards, and half your levels are in Wizard. With a 10 in CON and most of your hit die being d6s your enemies won’t even need to hit you to Power Word Kill you.

But as an assassin you prove why your house is the best in the business. Talk is cheap and you’re always prepared: go in with knives at the ready, take out your target and anyone in their way before slipping out unscathed. You can always reset after a rest; just be sure to remember your cooldowns.

(Artwork by West Studios. Made for Riot Games.)

[athrivingpadawan]

This episode was so good!

First off, it’s crazy to think I’ve got followers on this account now--I originally joined Tumblr just to reblog a few things here and there, enjoy all the cool recipes and aesthetic posts, have my own little corner of the internet...then my inner nerd kicked in this past year and now I’m addicted! It’s been fun to join in with the rest of the Star Wars community on here, especially as The Bad Batch has come out and everyone’s put on their tinfoil hats to speculate about where it’s going. I’m grateful for all of you who have followed me, and for the discussions I’ve had with some of you about TBB. ^^

Now, heads up for spoilers if you haven’t seen the latest episode, because I do want to share my thoughts about it. And forgive me in advance, I’m a little tired, so a few of my thoughts might be messy: 

Alright, where do I even begin with War Mantle...like, jeez louise, that was insane. Like, Republic Commandos?? My dude Gregor??? I was not expecting them at all, and both were happy surprises! And getting to see Echo have more emotional moments--even leading the squad into taking on the mission to rescue Gregor--was wonderful. Especially when he reminds the guys that they stuck out their necks to rescue him on Skako Minor...He had so many great moments this episode, and I hope in the next one, we get to see him step up as a leader in place of Hunter, and possibly even have another reunion with Rex. 

Then there’s Kamino. Enough time has passed that project War Mantle has effectively taken over, and the clones are being successfully phased out. I just want to know where all the clones are going? Nala Se is evacuating a lot of them, but I’m honestly getting weird vibes about their future. After all, we only see three clones in Rebels, and there’s no hint that there are others out there. I’m definitely curious about where that is going, and how the writers will reveal what happened to the clones who make it off Kamino. And speaking of Nala Se, she’s always been a mysterious character, and I used to think she was on the side of the Empire, but now I’m not so sure. I’ve seen people on Reddit talking about how she really did care for the clones, but was protective of the inhibitor chip, because it was there as a failsafe. That she never really knew the true purpose of them. In this episode, she really does seem to care about what happens to the clones, even if she only sees them as projects, and wants nothing to do with Lama Su and his future plans. I have so many more thoughts on Nala Se, but I do think we’re leading up to her either sacrificing herself in some way, or even leading an uprising against the Empire. Because she did not seem excited about Rampart’s offer to her, and hasn’t said anything to agree with the Empire’s opinions against clones that I remember...

At the end of the episode, with Hunter, don’t get me started on how sad that was. One of the codes he lives by is not leaving any of the Batch behind. He followed it for Omega after finding out who she was. He’s been struggling the whole season with the guilt of leaving Crosshair to the Empire, to the point he’s been shoving it down and trying to avoid it. He broke his code, and that’s broken him. Then he gets captured, and orders his brothers to leave him. The code is shattered again, and it is gut wrenching. Then you’ve got that scene with Omega begging the others to not leave him, and for once, her desire to help falls flat on everyone’s ears. They have to follow their sergeant’s orders even though they don’t want to; they have to stay safe, for his sake. It goes back to the arguments on here about leaving Crosshair...how can you rescue your brother, if you die in the process of trying to save him? 

 As sad as this scene was, as a writer, I have to say how proud of it I am too.  The writing team did a fantastic job, in my opinion, setting up Omega specifically, to fail here. Even though Echo was the primary reason the group took on this mission, Omega’s altruism played a role in it. The past two episodes, her beautiful selflessness has led to success, securing the Batch a true ally in Cid, and possibly one in Roland down the road, because she stood up for him. However, while her selflessness (and to an extent, the purity of her young heart) is noble, it can easily be turned against her, resulting in her or others getting into trouble. At some point, it was bound to lead to a loss of some capacity for the group. Yes, she has helped the Batch to see things from a different perspective. After all, they haven’t exactly been all that altruistic since the fall of the Republic, so there was a good purpose in her pushing them in that way. She’s been giving them a purpose outside of simple survival. But now, Omega is getting a necessary dose of harsh, cold reality that will humble and mature her moving forward. I can imagine that next episode, she’s going to be feeling guilty, or angry in some way. The light in her eyes is going to be dimmer, and Omega is going to start becoming a different character, if the writers execute this well. 

It all reminds me of Ahsoka, in the early seasons of TCW. Y’all remember when she was super cocky and headstrong, and that was the most annoying part about her? Then it caused an entire fighter squadron’s deaths, because she wanted to do things her way? It led to her developing into a more collected, rational person, maturing her in ways lectures from Anakin never would have. Omega is luckily not this extreme, but her big flaw has been her naivety, her heroic little heart, and unfortunately, despite what Hunter and the others have been trying to tell her, she’s been determined to help as many people as she can. It’s overridden her ability to properly strategize, and see situations for what they really are. She has now learned, the hard way, what Hunter has been saying all along. 

Finally, the animation in this episode. I watch this show with my dad, and we’re both always in awe of how realistic it is. And this episode, is it even possible to say it’s been better than the others? Like the trees around Hunter when he’s fallen to the forest floor are so real, I thought they had tweaked a real photo. The sun shining through the leaves, the particle effects of the dirt, and the shadow effects are all perfect. It made me feel like I was watching a movie, and I hope that the animators get nominated for an award for it. They’ve done such a fantastic job this season, and continue to knock it out of the park each week. 

I’m sorry this was long...there was so much to love about this episode, and even more to think about. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the end of the season, and I’m excited to see what you guys thought of this episode! 

[gascon-en-exil]

Dark Deity Pre-Release Character Opinions

This isn't actually a tier list, but someone helpfully created a template for this game and it's as good a way as any to do a little visual showcase for this cast. Characters are listed by their class sets, which are fixed but offer a nice variety in terms of promotion options. My opinions on each are as follows, from left to right in each row. Most characters have introductory profiles written up on the DD subreddit, if you'd like to check them out yourself.

Warriors

Alexa

You know those buff female blacksmiths in Echoes and Three Houses that some people wish were playable characters? That's pretty much Alexa. Can't say I'm too hyped about her myself, but warrior + tomboyish female character will do that for me...or not do it, I suppose.

Benji

Seems to have been written to become a meme, and I still can't decide whether that's clever or stupid. Kind of like Raphael only with a bigger emphasis on training than on eating, and with brotherly devotion replaced with brotherly angst that might theoretically go somewhere if the character isn't reduced to being a goofy joke all the time.

Fenton

Doesn't have a character profile, so as far as I know he's just a generic dwarf because DD swaps out its inspiration's loli dragons and other vaguely fetishistic shapeshifters for the two most cliché non-human races in Western fantasy. I wonder whether his VA will voice him with a Scottish accent, to go all in on the (ironic?) laziness. There are a handful of elves in the playable cast, but Fenton is the only dwarf so for better or worse he's representing.

Helena

She's the embodiment of the FE exotic swordswoman archetype, but curiously DD seems to have turned that broad ethnic brush inward. Helena's last name is apparently a Japanese verb, her art shows her with a spear (as in the association of the naginata with women), and she studied and trained in a monastery that seems to blend elements of Buddhism and Shintoism. Not sure how all that fits into the larger setting yet, but at this point she's still got more background development than Petra.

Irving

Our Hero, the one front and center on the cover art. He sounds a bit on the blander side as far as lords or lord equivalents go, with his most promising hook for me being his established friendship with Garrick (see the ranger section). At best I can hope for a bit of a romantic friendship dynamic, although they sound a bit rougher overall as they're military academy schoolmates I wonder why DD went with that instead of lordlings of different territories.

Rogues

Brooke

Looks like Camilla; has a backstory like Niles. Cleavage aside though the sexual element of both is toned down here, and there might be some sapphic bodyguard shenanigans to be had as her current employers are a pair of highborn sisters further down this list.

Cia

For some reason she reminds me of Tressa from Octopath Traveler, only bustier and a bartender rather than a merchant. She's still just a small town girl with big city dreams, and this being a tactical war game following those dreams will inevitably involve stabbing people.

Corvan

Hard to judge him at the moment, as his profile was only the second written and so isn't terribly detailed. He's a moon elf with scholarly interests, apparently. Still, as of right now he's the only rogue who doesn't slot loosely into either a ninja/assassin or pirate aesthetic, so that's kind of neat. Also, he's one of several characters to have FEH-esque beach fanart made of them already, so clearly someone's into elf twinks.

Ford

A former officer at the military academy Irving attends and a smuggler who dotes on his niece, Ford has major dad energy. Per developer reveals he's also bi, and as I mentioned before I'm totally fine with that. More bear sex, please - but what guy in this cast would hop in the sack with Ford? Only time will tell. His personal skill makes him extra dodgy, which combined with the mug of booze in his art makes me think of WoW brewmasters who dodge-tank through the power of being wasted.

Wren

Like Brooke, he's an assassin from a foreign nation - in his case the same one as Helena so presumably he's a not!Japanese ninja. I'm not really feeling him at the moment. What is it about Hao'Fen (the city/territory he and Helena come from) and massive families? That comes up in both their backstories.

Rangers

Caius

I feel like this is the third or fourth character to grow up in some slum or other; at least they've all been in different towns so far. The relative rarity of noble characters is certainly different from FE, but it reduces the political stakes which leaves me wondering a bit about the story. Anyway, Caius is a small town desert hunter who learned how to make arrows out of animal bones. How aerodynamic is bone, I wonder?

Garrick

Irving's BFF and seemingly the Hector to Irving's Eliwood, only with more flirting (his intro doesn't specify that Garrick is flirting with women, but I'm not going so far as to say that indicates anything). He's the academy headmaster's son, with a strained relationship with his father for some of that hotheaded lead tension. Notably, his VA is the one I'm most familiar with in this cast, as he's the voice of Revali from Breath of the Wild as well as love interests in two different erotic gay dating sims I've played. In other words, I know what this guy sounds like making awkwardly simulated sex noises...and I have no idea what to do with that information.

Maeve

She's a half-elf with a very storied background, so much so that it's all rather hard to follow her exploits when little of what's being described has been fully revealed yet. I'm expecting her to be a mid/lategame recruit, unless she's dropped in early on to reveal that (sun) elves exist or something.

Rose

Imagine if Bernadetta were a commoner, although we can only hope they'll be less screaming. Alternatively, Neimi without an obvious boyfriend. She won the beach contest so now she has official swimsuit art, which I guess makes her a top-tier waifu in the eyes of players who care about such things.

Sophia

A ranger in the "has animal companions" sense, although whether that will come into play mechanically aside from her personal skill - Butter the ferret can attack with her! - remains to be seen. Her preference for the company of animals is explained by a lack of social graces, so prepare for klutz-related humor. Of note to those interested in F/F is that her introduction specifically brings up her connection with Sloane (see the mage section) and how close the two of them are.

Clerics

Faust

Doesn't have a profile yet, so not much to go off other than his decidedly unhinged look. The cleric class set does feature some darker-flavored options, so presumably he's more naturally aligned with those. His VA was announced to be the YouTuber behind So This is Basically Fire Emblem and other similar videos, so I'm picturing a kooky and somewhat demented Henry type.

Lincoln

Also lacks a profile at time of writing...clerics get so little love. The Discord has identified him a bland blond paladin sort, but as we know from the likes of Perceval and especially Dimitri that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be boring (or not gay).

Maren

The soft-spoken healer type, and also a childhood friend of Garrick although her intro sibling-zones him but then this game is inspired by FE so who knows if that'll stick. She may have some interesting thoughts on the theology of the setting, as there seem to be several faiths and she's said to have a complicated relationship with her own. I will be utterly shocked if she's not either Irving or Garrick's eventual love interest.

Samara

One of two princesses of the country of Aramor, which appears to be loosely inspired by the Middle East. Heaven help us if the Khalidstans ever get wind of this game. Unfortunately aside from her bond with her older sister (in the mage section) and the knowledge that Brooke has been hired as their bodyguard there's not much to Samara at the moment. Hopefully the clerics all do some comparative theology in their bond conversations, and this isn't like Sacred Stones where none of the clergy characters from different countries ever compare notes. The succession crisis involving Samara and her sister vs. their less-loved cousin the king's son might be a major plot hook? It's still too early to tell.

Vesta

Much like Maeve her backstory has entirely too much going on to really follow at the moment. Basically she's a human who grew up in a sun elf city because Reasons (seriously, I don't know what they are) and was called to a clerical vocation and also something about taking a journey. Has an unfortunate case of silly boob armor, which unlike a certain other character probably won't be rectified this close to release.

Mages

Alden

Maren's precocious younger brother, also basically Ricken up to and including the comically oversized hat. As a unit he follows the tradition of Donnel, Mozu, and Cyril of having a personal skill that buffs his stat gains, so it's safe to say he's a growth unit. At least he'll probably join early.

Liberty

Comes with dead brother angst and a connection to the "aspects" system that will hopefully make more sense once I've played the game and know how it functions both mechanically and from a storytelling perspective. Otherwise she looks to be a busty older - as in, not a teenage - mage in the vein of Calill.

Monroe

Got the first ever character profile, so it's really short. He's the son of a duke and sounds like a bit of a snob, albeit one that can make explosions happen to back up his haughtiness. He's got some scarring around his eye that surely must come with a story. Someone also made featured fanart of him in Heroes summer banner style, so I guess he's got somebody horny already.

Sara

Samara's half-sister, with comparable fantasy Middle Eastern flavoring. Has an interest in discovering magical artifacts and being a just ruler in the event she winds up on the throne (so, almost definitely), and she and Samara travel around with the assassin Brooke as their bodyguard. There's maybe some lesbian possibilities there? Either way, Sara has enough development where I could see her as a major supporting character.

Sloane

Comes with a genuinely fascinating backstory involving manipulative double-crossing parents, an education in the cruelties and deceptions of social life (reflected in her personal skill), and disinheritance - and yet it's all likely to be overshadowed because she may go down as DD's equivalent to Fates's face-touching. Her initial art is even more revealing than Camilla's, and while the developers later gave her a more modest redesign after negative feedback I get the feeling that this controversy may live on. Her introduction mentions her hunting for both heirs and heiresses and she's now been linked to Sophia, so safe to say she's another confirmed bi character.

Adepts

While the other class sets are standard fantasy fare adepts require a bit more explanation. They have innate magical abilities and appear to be feared and distrusted most places in the setting. Functionally they remind me of adepts from the Golden Sun series, if anyone is familiar with those games. The classes in the adept group tend more toward physical/magical hybridization than those of other sets, so that will probably be their mechanical niche. Oh, and their default weapon type is lances, which is a plus in my book.

Aurima

Along with Caius and the royal sisters, he's another one from the desert nation of Aramor. An arena fighter who got touched by a god in what I assume was a non-sexual way and came out of it with a new appearance and adept powers. Also, he's confirmed to be over 40 - how often do you see that in games like this?

Bianca

Looks like a more carefree Mathilda from Echoes. She's a ranking officer in the Delian army which sounds like it'd sit uneasily with her adept powers. Her profile describes Lincoln as her close friend, which is still about the most we know about him at this point.

Elias

This guy's writing plays more into the fairly standard coding that comes with adept powers, as we know they manifested shortly before he was going to confess his feelings to a male paramour and afterwards he was forced to flee his homeland and wander the world. He also spent time among dwarves, so insert short bear jokes here? In the present he's attached to Cia in what seems to be a platonic way; maybe she's a fruit fly, or maybe she just likes having a friend who can light drunken assholes on fire? Elias is definitely into guys, but I would still be a little surprised if he turned out to be totally gay as that's such a rarity in these sorts of things.

Iris

Oof, another lengthy and rough backstory. Iris had better parents than Sloane, but she also had to deal with permanent facial scarring (hence the mask) after a bandit kidnapping and the stigma of manifesting as an adept pretty much eliminating the prospects of her making a good political marriage. Also, she and Elias both come from Neullais, which is prominently featured on the continental map on the DD subreddit but doesn't seem to come up all too often in backstories. I think it's a not!France? Hard to tell.

Thae'lanel

A World of Warcraft blood elf, flowing anime hair and apostrophe'd name and all. I like WoW so that's not terribly grating, but as he has no profile yet there's little else I can say. Thae'lanel is mentioned in Maeve's introduction as a member of a sun elf group called the Exiled, which I'm guessing is tied to his adept status in some way. He and Maeve form yet another adventurer/bodyguard duo.

[rpmemesbyarat]

RP Meme from "Chapter Two: Nine Tribes" in the Bastet breedbook from "Werewolf: The Apocalypse" Part One of Two

You look awful. What happened?

Someone turned my home inside out.

You’re such a pretty kitten, too. I don’t see kittens like you every day. I wonder why.

You don’t see kittens like me every day. When I get done with you, you won’t see anything... anyday.

Maybe it went into the air and never came down. Maybe it went into the ground and never came back up. Maybe someday it’ll show up.

Maybe someday they’ll be back. Personally, I doubt it.

What can be said about a race of individuals?

Does it puzzle you that our natures should be twofold, threefold, yet one?

Do you wonder why the gods, who have decreed a place for each thing, have offered us so many places in one?

I tell you a truth. It is but one of many, but it will serve.

The people kept to themselves, and they respected the land.

Hunters crept into the forests to skin the cats for their beautiful coats, and cats raced through the villages, bearing off children to eat in the night.

Days and nights rang with screams.

When the monsoons came, they carried rivers of blood to the seas.

She was spirited and strong, yet disobedient.

Our lands are cursed!

The serpents’ name is judgment, and they answer the dark calling inside each mortal secret.

Each mortal carries snake seeds inside.

You can do nothing.

I cannot leave my family this way!

It is not your place to change them, or to cleanse their sins.

I do not care about my place!

What can I do? This cannot continue!

If you would make peace, lay with them.

Take wild cats as mates?

Have you decided?

I am wisdom

I am anger

I have the wisdom to call the gods, the anger to fight, and the love to give myself for my people.

The monsoon howled and rain poured down.

We seek out the serpent of corruption and crush its head between our jaws.

She’s slow to rage, but when she does, nothing but total destruction will satisfy her.

They are wiser than their fury suggests.

Listen to them in good spirits and watch the visions they bring.

They bargained their souls away long ago, and cannot be trusted.

It’s said their kind is dead, but I am not certain.

Anything is possible.

It weakens them.

I cannot trust anyone so landless.

They believe they walk alone upon the earth, but they are wrong.

Wise liars and grand tricksters.

Long ago, I’ve heard, they were noble. Not now.

I’ve never spoken to one long enough to learn much, but I’ve heard they keep the sacred places safe.

That is enough to earn my respect.

We are the daughters and sons of the moon.

To anger the jaguar is to turn the jungle against you.

Woe to such a man and his family, for they will slowly starve.

When the whites came, they brought their evil with them.

Vile spirits of disease and mania plagued the humans.

The world went dark.

Their anger was too great.

Many wanted revenge.

Blood must be paid with blood.

But it is just a reflection, nothing more.

What they don’t like, they attack, and they don’t like much.

This peace ended as human settlements and firms began cutting through the rain forests.

Take your demon filth and get out of my home.

Stay, and die.

You take life far too lightly, my friends.

I watch you from far away, but my eyes are too filled with tears for me to dance.

They weren’t strong enough to survive. I’ll drink to their honor, but their dust is not my problem.

Honored brothers, if you need me, I will come.

Where were you when we needed you?

Wandering a trail? How nice.

You’re no longer welcome, brother.

We all do what we must to survive.

If they find happiness in solitude, it is a pleasure I can understand.

Make no mistake; We are older than the pyramids. Older than the Pharaohs.

We were the first. All others are usurpers.

There were gods in those days. If they are gone, I will not weep. We have more freedom without their strictures, anyway.

When need be, we hunted them like rats, but overcome by curiosity, we soon allowed ourselves to become their friends.

Then too proud for our liking. They would have to be punished. And they were.

Great plagues fell upon them.

I will never say we ruled. Why should we rule?

Merely say that we received our due; food, shelter and secrets. Many secrets.

I must say we were impressed.

We defended them in the night.

Slain, or worse yet, turned into blooddrinking ghouls.

This was not, I should add, the worst outcome of the war.

I tell you this secret now, so you will understand our path; We committed sacrilege against ourselves.

You and I suffer today a curse our ancestors earned millennia ago.

There are some shadows that hide secrets too evil for consumption.

Black as midnight, yes?

This is the cost of those endless nights of spying.

We learned secrets that should have been left alone. Worse, we still hunger for them, even now.

Our race is all but vanished, but still we prevail.

One day, we will return to power.

Aside from these gruesome relics, the breed has been extinct for 2000 years.

These ghoulish beasts, now swollen to the size of panthers, live blind in filthy pens.

Occasionally, one might even be allowed to mate with it.

This insult has not gone unrewarded.

A bitter if one-sided war has crept quietly along for nearly 2000 years.

The vampires may receive an unpleasant surprise in the coming decades.

Surprisingly, they have never fled their homeland despite their setbacks and ancient enemies.

Perhaps it’s pride that keeps them rooted to Egyptian soil, or maybe it’s something more.

Some outsiders claim there’s a mystical connection between the tribe and their motherland.

Weird magical rites, including experiments with vampire blood and enchanted human “hosts,” have bred feline offspring from human mothers.

Horrifying tales of women giving birth to cats in Cairo delivery rooms attest that such experiments are occasionally. . . successful.

Only time will tell.

Better death than the serpent’s kiss.

If there’s a viper in your soul, purge it.

The road we walk is treacherous enough alone.

Noble, I’ll confess, but hopelessly rural. They favor their wild sides too much to be as enlightened as they would believe.

Savage, bloodthirsty monsters. How I would love to have one or two around for errands!

It’s said that their kind is extinct, but being “extinct” myself, I find that difficult to believe.

I’ve heard a great deal about them, but they keep to their land and I to mine.

Too obtuse for my tastes.

If their chattering held wisdom, I would gladly listen.

Obnoxious louts who deserve to be shaved. Some day soon, they will be. I’d be pleased to do the honors. Perhaps I shall.

They make lovely pets if you convince them they’re free.

Kid, we don’t just collect secrets, we are secrets.

There’s a lot of folks who’d put us in chains — real ones and magic ones — if they knew we were still breathing, so listen close while I tell you a fairy tale.

It’s important, kid, so shut up till I finish.

A long time ago, the world was a dream. No, I’m not being cute — it was. All our kind were dreamed into existence.

Have you ever seen a dream walking? Well, take a look in a mirror, kid.

Those cold folks needed some company.

Well, those cold hearts turned on us soon enough.

We can be a nasty folk when we set our minds to it, and those who danced with us set themselves apart.

Our secrets got out.

I doubt they did it under their own power.

But we did survive.

There was a price. There always is.

We stay underground. Way underground.

You remember what I said about our ties to passion?

So keep your head down, kid, and never say what you are.

As usual, the legends lie

Messages are hidden in lyrics and chord structures.

Come in with laughter, leave in tears and always keep ‘em guessing

The locals still lock their doors on that night, and no one dares to go a-spying.

She may return to her old ways eventually, but cannot settle into any role for long.

Elusive as they are, they love digging up dirt about others.

Such clothes allow them to be their flamboyant selves and get away with it.

Art is the expression of a dream. And dreams, my friend, are what we are at heart.

Oh, yeah, a lot of help they were when we were stuck.

Shut up, hothead.

At least you’ve still got your own name.

Oh, yes it is fun to play in the dark, but you have to come up for air eventually.

Brutal and mean.

I respect their courage, but lighten up, guys!

Wise. Very wise. When one speaks, listen up.

Damn thing outran my car.

Must be nice.

[c-is-for-circinate]

But guys I am so proud of my party’s bard, the one I was asking for clip recs for the other day.  We played last night and I’m so happy for her!

The party decided, after MUCH debate and discourse, to spend an entire month camping out with a colony of kobolds they’d saved from some gargoyles.  Over the course of the month they each did various things, rolled some dice to see how well it went, and made it to level 3.

So like, our forge cleric had a full-on HGTV experience trying to help the kobolds rebuild and discovering that working with a crew of untrained amateurs is NOT the same as going onto a project with his buddies from trade school, and spent a lot of time muttering about his swatches and trying to talk them out of last-minute design changes like suddenly switching out the bathroom tile.  Our paladin buried themself in the secret basement library of their church, went full research academic for a month and kept forgetting about, oh right, there are actual gods involved in this that I’m supposed to be praying to, and took their oath at three in the morning in a study blackout after 22 hours straight of trying to teach themselves Abyssal because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.  Our rogue and barbarian both tried gamely to investigate the ancient ruin where the kobolds are now living, with some pretty poor success (both of the players have ADHD and found it all INTENSELY relatable), and ended up spending alternating days out in the woods with the kobold hunters, where the barbarian got so into having the chance to fight again that he started sprouting a tail and using it to whack escaping deer, and the city-raised rogue finally learned enough about the woods to become a scout.  It was awesome.

The bard, though!  The kobolds had expressed some interest in learning to defend themselves, and I’d thrown several resistant-to-nonmagical-damage enemies at them so far because I like making them work for it, so the party figured that magic lessons were the obvious answer.  Since the bard is the only non-divine spellcaster in the party, she and her player jumped on it.  The character thus far has been very much a friendly chaotic anarchist rebel without much of a cause, with some of those not-yet-unpicked delicious bard layers of “look at me! (please look at me tell me I’m good at something)”, and not much in the way of goals or direction so far.  So this turned out to be great.

She did reasonably well on Persuasion to convince a few kobolds to come and learn from her, and pretty well in Performance to teach them a little basic bardery, including some clever use of invoking individual NPCs and asking for help from other party members, which means that she’s now founded what is possibly Onde’s very first all-kobold bard dance troupe.  Then I made her roll Insight to see how well she actually paid attention to her students and the community they come from, a skill for which even bardic jack-of-all-trades only just got her up to a 0 modifier, and very much a skill at the heart of what we’d spent like half an hour talking about for this particular bard and College of Satire.  (You can do college of satire without it, but--if you’re going to set your character path about pricking overstuffed egos and taking down the systems and machines of corrupt society around you, you need to understand them first.)  This is not a skill this bard has historically been good at.  It’s built into her character backstory, that she’s not always great at paying attention to other people.

Y’all, the look on the player’s face when she rolled a nat 17.  She was so happy!!!  And then I got to narrate for her a little bit about what that meant over the course of the month, and like, at “you know the names of all 40 kobolds in the colony” I think she almost cried.

One of the great bits of advice y’all had the other day was, ‘invest in a specific flavor of charisma’, and I really like that for her.  This bard is not a suave, sophisticated seducer.  She is a friendly, energetic, slightly rough-around-the-edges punk who you can’t help but trust, and she’s learning to listen to people.  She’s learning to do her own thing (and not be intimidated by the noble-background paladin, who’s good at persuasion and formality and who’s been the party’s face a lot so far).  She’s not going to seduce any dragons, but she is absolutely going to befriend local children and accidentally (or intentionally) start revolutions.

So she’s level 3 now, and she took Insight as her bonus college proficiency, and now she has some sense of what a character arc could look like for the next howeverlong we play.  I’m real proud.

Also I probably need to hand her a revolution to start or something, soon.

[dailycharacteroption]

Roleplaying Races 8: Adaros

 The water is a place of wild nature, the birthplace of all life. In worlds of magic, this also includes intelligence and civilization as well.

Today’s subject, however, leans a bit more on the wild side of things.

Based on a Solomon Island mythological being that occurs when the evil in a deceased person’s soul reincarnates as a savage shark-man that torments the living, I give you the adaro!

In Pathfinder, adaro are a nomadic people that follow the currents, and wholly embrace their shark-like, predatory nature, reveling in the hunt and the raw power of nature, their favorite and deemed most sacred being thunderstorms, the excitement of which whips them into a violent, jubilant frenzy.

All this is well and good, but the fact that most tribes view all non-adaro as sources of food and sport most of the time makes diplomacy a hard sell for them and their neighbors both aquatic and terrestrial.

Of course, in this modern age of cultural awareness, having fantasy races be depicted as one-note savages is a bit outdated, so if you want to give them a lot more nuance, go for it, downplaying their bloodlust or up playing moments of kindness. At the same time, the “noble savage” archetype can be equally as problematic, so the best advice I can give is think of them as people first and monsters second.

In any case, the adaro appear to be extremely muscular merfolk with fish tails resembling that of sharks, but with greater shark-like elements over all. Shark-like skin all over the body; wide, toothy grins; dorsal fins on their heads and back.

 Strong, agile, and tough, adaros are physically impressive specimens, though they aren’t exactly built for in-depth reasoning.

Like the sharks they resemble, they also have keen senses, including darkness-adapted eyes, a keen sense of smell, and even electroreceptive senses.

As befits a creature with a similar body plant to merfolk, they are sluggish and ungainly on land, but incredibly swift in the water.

Their tough hide also makes them harder to injure.

Like sharks, they have sharp teeth and powerful jaws with which to bite foes.

Storms and rain excite an adaro like nothing else, and they whip themselves into a battle-frenzy when near enough to the surface during one to hear the thunder and rain above.

Pragmatic hunters, they have no qualms about using poisons to ensure success in the hunt or battle, and are trained from an early age how to apply it to their weapons without afflicting themselves.

Like sahuagins, another shark-like race, adaro have a near-empathetic link to sharks, and are able to issue basic commands to them.

 Whether you paint them as rare adaro capable of controlling their bloodthirst or as more nuanced beings, it is entirely possible to see adaro adventurers. Of course, as a high Race Point race, many GMs may be hesitant to allow them as being too powerful for all but high-level play. Either way, adaro excel at all physically-minded classes, and are moderately good at most casters, with the exception of those based on intelligence. I imagine most of these shark-merfolk having little patience for book magic, bargaining with patrons, or having an interest in the sciences of alchemy or logic. In any case, even the most civilized adaro likely revels in the hunt and the whirlwind of combat, which colors their approach to adventuring and heroics. While not the slowest of the aquatic races on land, very few have a reason to travel out of the water for extended periods. However, that doesn’t mean that there are not reasons to do so.