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steviewashere · 2 months ago

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🪱🪱Worm Wednesday!!!!!🪱🪱

I was tagged by the lovely @hotluncheddie! Hello, I'm sorry for the rambling mess this is going to be. But I know I missed this like two weeks ago, so bear with me.

Okay, I'm going to try and be normal here. I have, honestly, so many worms in my brain. They're dancing and stomping and I'm just going fucking nuts with how much is in my brain at the moment. And also I took excedrin this morning for my migraine and that had caffeine in it and it's more caffeine than I would normally have—anyway.

Y'all already know one of my brain worms, the whole omega verse sensitive nips omega Steve thing. Which, I will plug the post here because I don't have the energy (yes, I do, but I don't want to echo myself) to share all the craziness about that in one post.

I'm also thinking about young Steve Harrington, which is kudos to this post and lots of people's tweets over on the twitter. I won't go into it, same reasons as the omega verse thing so just...again, bear with me.

But! But the actual brain worms I'm having currently, in this very moment, also have to do with another post I made on here. I want to go more in-depth with, though. So, some days ago, I came across an Instagram Reel that was a clip from the YouTube video interview between Jon Bernthal and Dungeon Master Deborah Ann Woll.

So, brief brief summary of this video is basically: Jon Bernthal says that he wants to play D&D, Deborah Ann Woll then gives him a scenario of walking through the woods and while he's walking he hears snap of twigs, and then she basically prompts him with "What do you do?" And he responds, now I can't remember exactly what he says, but I believe it had something to do with investigating the source of the snapped twigs.

Anyway, the video is excellent and you all should check it out. She basically explains D&D in a way that would make sense to anybody, in the matters of asking a player or a potential player what they'd do in certain scenarios, then bringing in the "rougher" elements such as the History checks or Perception checks in the game.

And I want to write something along the lines of Steve approaching Eddie about D&D. Maybe he wants to play because Dustin keeps bugging him about it, but he's too nervous to accept. Maybe he just wants to know what it's like. Maybe he even wants to be a substitute player one of these days just in case somebody can't show up. Something, y'know, where he's approaching Eddie. But he's really, really confused about where to even begin. He's got a character sheet, he's looking at the manuals loaned to him or he even bought himself, he's looking at all these stats and all these options and he just doesn't know where to begin.

Also, brief intervene here, I would be basing this off of 5e rules because that's what I play and frequently toy with. So...don't be mad at me if I get something "inaccurate for the time". I, first of all, honestly don't care. And second, I was not alive in like 1977 when the game first came out. And there's nobody in my life who played it then or possibly has played it ever outside of 5e. Moving on.

So, he tries to explain his character sheet to Eddie, obviously getting a bit overwhelmed in the process. But Eddie stops him. Says something like, "Hold on, okay? Let's just take a baby step here. I'm going to give you a scenario and then I want you to tell me what you'd do."

And he lays out that same, or even just something similar, to what Deborah Ann Woll gave. (I'm going to base this off of the video. Very original, I am.) So it's something like:

"Okay, you've got a small dagger attached to your belt, it's concealed within a hilt. And on your back, there's a bow and a quiver—or a pouch—of arrows. You're walking through the woods. It's dark, heavy clouds hanging overhead, moon obstructed, you can barely see your surroundings. There's leaves under your feet, gravel, sticks. But then, before you can step your foot down next, something crunches in the distance on your left. What do you do?"

There's a pause. A long moment where Steve is considering his options.

"It's a far away sound, right?" Steve checks and Eddie nods. There's a little hmph from Steve as he continues to think. "Can I tell how far away it is? Is there a way to distinct the length of it?"

Eddie maybe smirks, eyes already glowing. "Give a perception check." And at Steve's befuddled expression, leaning in and brows furrowed, Eddie continues on. "So, you're going to roll one of those dice that you always see the kids with. The D20, that's the one you'd use right now. 20 is the highest you can get"—

"The best I can get. And 1 is obviously the lowest, so the worst."

"Right! So...let's say you were to pick up a D20 right now and roll it. You get a...a fourteen. And your perception, one of those skills on the top of your paper"—and Eddie would grab Steve's character sheet, to point out the number he already placed there—"this one right here. And on your paper, it looks to be pretty high. A sixteen is what you have. So...I'm going to ask you to add three more to your dice roll."

Steve squints at the paper. He doesn't take long to do the math, muttering a little under his breath. "Okay...I'd have a seventeen for my perception check." And he looks up to Eddie for confirmation, in which he gets. "And if it's possible out of twenty...that means I can probably figure it out well, right?"

Eddie nods with a smug hum. "You're already a natural." He leans back a little from Steve. Eyes away in thought. Goes on, "So, I'll know right away, based on that number you give me that you're extremely perceptive. I tell you...okay, the sound you hear is roughly ten feet away on your left."

"That's really close," Steve murmurs. "I think I'll...I'll ready that bow on my back. Take it off, grab for one of my arrows. Poise it."

"Mmm...And as soon as you get your bow in the right position, you begin to make out what seems like a pair of eyes. From the darkness between the trees, those eyes emerge closer and closer, revealing the large figure of a sixteen foot owlbear. Its feathers are spread wide, splaying defensively. Eyes glowing, it seems, yellow and bright. The body girth of a bear, but the head and mannerisms of an owl. It trills and squawks in your face. What do you do?"

Anyway, it would go from there. Tried to figure out a monster that wasn't an owlbear because that's what was used in the video. But uh...my brain is not being original right now, so that's basically the whole example from the video. But I just adore that video so much, the simple, yet impactful way she taught the basics. And I think it could translate so well to Eddie and Steve messing with D&D together.

Sorry for a long ass post lmao

Tagging (no pressure): @puppy-steve @scoops-aboy86 @ataliagold @marvel-ous-m @pearynice

@wheneverfeasible @rogueddie @sidekick-hero

#stranger things #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #worm wednesday

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fandom-only · 21 days ago

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Project Sekai Original Unit Template

Haha! I have returned with another late night (in my timezone) creation. This time, it is a template for units. As per usual, erase or add as needed and an example is on the way once I am not dead tired or busy.

The formation basically means their own Main Story and Background for example (taken from the wiki):

Hanasato Minori has always dreamed of becoming an idol. Kiritani Haruka, Momoi Airi and Hinomori Shizuku were idols, but quit for various reasons.

Introduction [Unit Profile line] -Profile [Brief Introduction]

Background

History

Pre-formation

Formation

Post-formation

Members

[Unit]

Leader Role:

Character 1 Role:

Character 2 Role:

Character 3 Role:

Virtual Singers

Hatsune Miku (Describe her personality in this Sekai)

(Secondary Initial Virtual Singers) (Describe their personality in this Sekai)

Sekai

Brief Overview

Untitled Title -Producer (Add reason here, Optional)

Area Items

[Leader’s item] Effect (Level Max.): 30% Boost on all stats Character: [Leader] Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item description]

[Character 1’s item] Effect (Level Max.): 30% Boost on all stats Character: [Character 1] Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item description]

[Character 2’s item] Effect (Level Max.): 30% Boost on all stats Character: [Character 2] Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item description]

[Character 3’s item] Effect (Level Max.): 30% Boost on all stats Character: [Character 3] Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item description]

[Hatsune Miku’s item] Effect (Level Max.): 30% Boost on all stats Character: [Hatsune Miku] Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item description]

[Secondary Virtual Singer’s item] Effect (Level Max.): 30% Boost on all stats Character: [Secondary Virtual Singer] Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item description]

[Unit Item] Effect (Level Max.): 7.5% Boost on all stats Unit: [Unit] Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item Description]

[Virtual Singer’s Item] Effect (Level Max.): 7.5% Boost on all stats Unit: Charm Type: [Attribute] Description: [Item Description]

World Link Extension

Fragment Sekai

Colorful Festival

[Leader]

Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

[Character 1] Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

[Character 2] Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

[Character 3] Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

Bloom Festival

[Leader]

Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

[Character 1] Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

[Character 2] Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

[Character 3] Name : Skill Name : Skill : Attribute : Fragment : [Brief Description/Name] Costume :

Member Relationship :

Leader

Character 1

Character 2

Character 3

Character 1

Leader

Character 2

Character 3

Character 2

Leader

Character 1

Character 3

Leader

Character 1

Character 2

Virtual Singer’s Initial Cards:

2 Star

Character :

Name :

Skill Name �� :

Skill :

Attribute :

2 Star

Character :

Name :

Skill Name :

Skill :

Attribute :

3 Star

Character :

Name :

Card Voice :

Skill Name :

Skill :

Attribute :

Trivia

Themes/Associations

Color :

Unit Motif :

Sekai Motif :

Factoids

Etymology

#project sekai #project sekai colorful stage #hatsune miku colorful stage #prsk #pjsk #prsk oc #prsk oc template #pjsk oc template #oc #oc template

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vacantgodling · 4 months ago

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RE. ABOUT

WHO: REN (renjamin, rimz, vacant, lotus) writing as R.A.A

WHAT: he/him. black. queer. transmasc. 27. audhd rizz. libra (10/02)

WHERE: main/writeblr (here), rbs blog -> @babylonsfalling, discord -> @/vacantgodling (feel free to add me if we've talked), bluesky & ao3

LIKES: overwatch (derogatory. if i'm not on here i'm playing lol), digital art, history and mythology, names and etymology, anime (but i am particular about what i watch), kpop, vocaloid, jrock & visual kei, gothic lit, lotr, true crime and mysteries, wikidives about nonsense, bad movies, ... and probably more but i think that's enough of a list to get the gist

RE. WIPS

i have many wips and hundreds of characters. i talk about them all whenever inspo strikes. find more about them on my linked wip masterlist. however, the main wips i'm usually losing my mind about are:

PARAMOUR -> powerpoint intro || s: paramour

THE CHRONCILES OF LATHSBURY -> main crash course || origins of terrae || the first age pt. 1 || main plot ppt intro || s: tcol || tcol character tournament pt 2 || character intros

VAMPIRES DON'T TAKE ROADTRIPS -> powerpoint intro || s: vdtrt

BETWIXT THUMB & FOREFINGER -> powerpoint intro || s: btaf

i am open for ask games of any sort or just general inquiries about my wips, and just talking in general.

to see a list of all my wips: CLICK ME!

RE. NAVIGATION

talking -> musings and personal thoughts

about renjamin -> insight to me / who i am

ren analysis -> when i get meta about my wips

ren mix -> a treasure trove of my music taste

ren polls -> any polls i make

ren reads -> for my ramblings and analysis as i try to get back into books

friends tag -> talking with friends or boosting my friends work

others work -> boosting other writeblrs work

hall of fame -> praise / things that make me happy that i want to keep

ren writing -> all of my writing in one place

ren poems -> all of my poems in one place

short stories tag -> micro or flash fiction bits and bobs

ren art -> all my art

q eh you eh -> queue

sex mention -> tag for any sexual content.

worldbuilding -> all of my worldbuilding notes across all my wips

ren hot cakes -> specifically for my overly opinionated opinions

to read -> others works that i need to get around to reading

rens ocs but sims -> for when i make my ocs in the sims lol

ren plays -> me talking about video games but it’s usually overwatch

ren is jopping on main -> for the rare occasions where i talk about kpop

character stats -> when i decide to compare and contrast my ocs to see trends

ren rabbit hole -> i like history and mythology and the ancient world and i Will ramble about it

ren fights linguistics -> i'm starting to try and conlang!! it will be hard!!

writing in review -> for my end of the year lookback at wtf i was doing writing wise that year :) usually done in november bc december is a bad month for me usually

#about renjamin #writeblr intro

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dee-writes-anime · 2 months ago

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Hi! I love your works so far, I haven’t been following your blog for long but I am already sucked in😭 I thought I may as well request. Would you be open to writing a slowburn or semi-slowburn bkdk fic? You can choose if you would like to add smut and age-up, but I’d love to see you write their characters.🤍

THE STRIKE ZONE

FEATURING Katsuki Bakugo x Izuku Midoriya

SUMMARY Katsuki Bakugo is a world renowned picture at the top of his game. Izuku Midoriya is an up-and-coming sports analyst who got lucky enough to find himself in a long-term position analyzing and interviewing Bakugo. The two of them have unresolved history from their childhood and Izuku could have never expected that the spark was still just as fierce as the last time they talked.

CONTENT WARNINGS slight angst, slow burn, no romance just yet, Bakugo being Bakugo

AUTHORS NOTE this is not the beast I promised because I decided I hated how I wrote it originally. I still haven't decided whether or not I even like what I wrote for the second time, but if you like it and maybe want to see this become a series, let me know! Hope you enjoy! <3

The afternoon sun hung low over the stadium, casting long shadows across the diamond as Katsuki Bakugo stepped onto the mound. His presence was a force of nature—a sharp contrast to the chatter and chaos of the crowd. His signature glare was locked in, focusing on the batter standing in his way. Everything else faded into the background. The only thing that mattered was the ball in his hand and the next strike.

From the press box, Izuku Midoriya could see the tension in Bakugo's shoulders, the fierce determination burning behind his eyes. It was unmistakable. He had seen it before, during countless games growing up, but now, this close to the action, it felt different. Personal.

“Bakugo’s been on fire this season,” he muttered, typing furiously on his tablet, his thoughts spinning into a series of detailed notes for his upcoming article. "Fastest recorded pitch in the league, unpredictable breaking balls... He's impossible to read.”

A flash of movement caught his eye as Bakugo reared back and fired another fastball. The sound of the bat slicing through the air echoed around the stadium—a clean miss. A strike.

Midoriya's heart raced.

This was his first live game as an official sports analyst, and of all the players, it had to be Bakugo Katsuki—the same Bakugo he’d known for years, ever since they were kids. They had grown apart after high school, their paths diverging sharply, but somehow, they were always drawn back into each other’s orbit. Like now.

Bakugo had made it to the top of the league, his explosive talent making him one of the most feared pitchers in Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, Midoriya had worked his way up through the ranks of sports journalism, his obsessive attention to detail and deep understanding of the game earning him respect as an analyst. Today was his debut covering the league’s biggest star, and he wasn’t sure if that was a coincidence—or a twist of fate.

As the game progressed, Midoriya found himself watching more than just the stats. He noticed the way Bakugo moved, the precision in his throws, the way his expression never wavered. Yet, there was something else beneath the surface—a crack in the mask that Bakugo wore so well. Maybe it was the exhaustion from a long season or the pressure of the spotlight, but Midoriya saw it. He always did.

Bakugo struck out another batter, ending the inning with a triumphant snarl, and as he walked off the mound, his eyes flickered briefly toward the press box. Their gazes met for a split second, and Midoriya froze. Did Bakugo recognize him? It had been years since they last spoke, but that brief connection sent a jolt through him, stirring memories of a rivalry long left behind.

Midoriya shook his head, pushing the thought away. He had a job to do, and he wasn’t here to dredge up the past. Yet, as Bakugo disappeared into the dugout, that old feeling of competition—of something unresolved—lingered in the back of his mind.

The rest of the game blurred by in a flurry of fastballs, curves, and strikeouts, with Bakugo dominating the mound like he always did. Midoriya couldn’t help but admire his former classmate’s skill—even if Bakugo had been insufferable back in the day. There was something mesmerizing about the way he commanded the game. Every move was calculated, every pitch perfectly placed, as if he had memorized every weak spot of every batter he faced.

Yet, as Bakugo continued to dominate, Midoriya’s mind wandered back to the years they spent growing up together—well, more like growing up beside each other. Their rivalry had been anything but friendly, always one-upping each other in everything from schoolwork to sports. And now, even though they hadn’t spoken in years, that tension was still there. Bakugo had made it to the top, and Midoriya couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still trying to catch up, even as a reporter.

The post-game buzz hummed through the stadium, and Midoriya gathered his notes, preparing for the real challenge: the locker room interview. He had to face Bakugo. Professionally, of course. They weren’t kids anymore, and Midoriya wasn’t about to let the past cloud his judgment. He took a steadying breath as he made his way to the locker room.

The atmosphere inside was intense, the heat of the game still palpable in the air. Players moved about, their voices low as they cooled down from the adrenaline rush. Midoriya scanned the room, catching sight of Bakugo in the back, sitting alone, as usual. His head was down, towel draped over his neck, muscles tense with post-game strain.

This was it.

Midoriya approached, his footsteps echoing louder than they should have in the silence between them. He hesitated for a split second before standing a few feet away from Bakugo. The air between them felt thick, charged with something unsaid.

“Bakugo,” Midoriya started, keeping his tone neutral, professional, though his voice felt a little too small for the moment. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Bakugo didn’t look up at first. He wiped the sweat from his face, then slowly lifted his eyes to meet Midoriya’s. And there it was—that flash of recognition. Sharp and unyielding, like a gust of wind hitting a flame.

“Deku?” Bakugo’s voice was low, rough from the game, but the familiar edge was still there, as if he hadn’t forgotten their history. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Midoriya straightened, doing his best to ignore the nickname. He wasn’t the same kid who used to cower under Bakugo’s sharp tongue. “I’m here as a reporter,” he replied evenly, holding his ground. “I wanted to talk about your game today.”

Bakugo let out a short, humorless laugh, tossing the towel aside. “Of course you are.” He leaned back against the locker, arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowing in that calculating way that always made Midoriya feel like he was being sized up. “Go ahead. Ask your damn questions.”

Midoriya steadied himself, forcing the tension out of his voice. “Your curveball was nearly untouchable today. What’s been your approach this season to refining your pitch? It seems like you’ve found new ways to stay unpredictable on the mound.”

For a moment, Bakugo didn’t respond. He just stared, as if debating whether to give a serious answer or brush Midoriya off like he used to. But then something shifted in his gaze, and he shrugged.

“Gotta stay ahead of the game,” Bakugo said, his voice casual, but there was an edge beneath it. “Everyone’s always watching, waiting for you to slip up. I don’t give them the chance.”

Midoriya nodded, scribbling down the response, though his focus wasn’t entirely on the words. There was something more going on here, something that went beyond the standard post-game interview. It wasn’t just the tension between them; it was the way Bakugo answered, like there was a wall between them that had only gotten thicker with time.

“And your fastball,” Midoriya continued, his tone carefully measured. “It’s faster than it’s ever been. What’s changed?”

Bakugo snorted, leaning forward slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “None of your business, Deku.”

The name stung, as it always did, but Midoriya swallowed it down. He was here to do his job. “It’s my job to ask, Bakugo. You know that.”

Bakugo’s eyes flickered with something—maybe frustration, maybe something deeper that Midoriya couldn’t quite place. “Yeah, I know,” Bakugo muttered, his voice softer now, almost resigned. He ran a hand through his hair, still damp from the game. “Look, you wanna know why I’m pitching better? Fine. It’s because I’m not thinking about anyone else but myself. That’s what it takes.”

Midoriya frowned slightly. “No one else? Not even your team?”

Bakugo’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, Midoriya thought he had gone too far. But then Bakugo stood, his posture towering and tense, the fire in his eyes blazing hotter than before.

“I don’t need anyone slowing me down,” Bakugo shot back, his voice rising just enough to make the rest of the locker room glance their way. “I’m the best, and I don’t need to prove it to anyone—not to you, not to them. Got it?”

The intensity in the air was unmistakable, crackling between them as if the years apart hadn’t dulled their connection at all. Midoriya was no longer the boy who would shrink beneath Bakugo’s glare, but that fire was still there, burning just as fiercely in the spaces between words.

Bakugo stood in front of him, arms crossed, muscles taut with frustration, his expression daring Midoriya to keep pressing, to say something that would make him lose control. But Midoriya knew better now. He’d learned to handle the sharp edges of Bakugo’s personality—he had to, if he was going to make it through this interview unscathed.

“Is that why you’ve been isolating yourself lately?” Midoriya asked, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. “I’ve noticed you’re not interacting with your teammates as much. Is this part of your strategy too?”

Bakugo’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, the room felt too small, too confined for the tension building between them. Midoriya could feel the weight of Bakugo’s stare, like a storm gathering on the horizon, ready to break at any moment.

“You’re really digging, huh, Deku?” Bakugo muttered, voice low, dangerous. He stepped closer, and Midoriya had to resist the urge to step back. “You think you know everything about me just because we used to go to the same school? Because we grew up in the same shitty town?”

Midoriya’s breath hitched, but he didn’t flinch. He met Bakugo’s stare head-on, refusing to let him push him away. “I’m not trying to dig up the past, Bakugo. I’m just asking about your approach. You’ve always played with that chip on your shoulder, but now it seems like it’s weighing you down more than ever.”

The locker room had gone quiet, the tension thick enough to suffocate. Bakugo’s fists clenched at his sides, and for a second, Midoriya wondered if this was it—if Bakugo was finally going to snap. But instead, Bakugo’s lips twisted into a tight, bitter smile.

“You think you know me, Deku?” Bakugo said, his voice soft but cutting. “You don’t know a damn thing. You never did.”

Midoriya’s heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of frustration and something deeper—something he wasn’t sure he could name yet—building inside him. This wasn’t how he expected the interview to go, but it was Bakugo. He should have known better than to think it would be simple.

“Then tell me,” Midoriya said quietly. “Tell me what I don’t know.”

For a moment, the challenge hung in the air between them, neither one willing to back down. Bakugo’s eyes blazed, his jaw tight, but just as quickly, the fire in his gaze dimmed, replaced by something Midoriya hadn’t seen before—something that looked a lot like weariness.

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” Bakugo muttered, turning away. “This interview’s over.”

Before Midoriya could respond, Bakugo stormed past him, his shoulder brushing against Midoriya’s just hard enough to send a jolt through him. Midoriya stood frozen for a moment, watching Bakugo’s retreating form, the locker room door slamming shut behind him.

Midoriya’s fingers tightened around his tablet. He had gotten the bare minimum out of Bakugo—certainly not the in-depth analysis he had hoped for. But even more frustrating was the way that familiar, unresolved feeling gnawed at him. There was still something there, something unfinished between them, and it was bigger than just an interview or a rivalry.

It was personal.

As Midoriya packed up his things, he couldn’t shake the sense that this was far from over. Bakugo wasn’t the type to let things lie, and now that they had crossed paths again, that old fire was burning brighter than ever.

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suzy-queued · 3 months ago

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DVD Commentary: These Foolish Games

@stocious asked if I could share behind-the-scenes commentary from These Foolish Games. @shamelessdvdcommentary

Give us some stats - (when you wrote it, word count, how long it took to finish, is it a one-shot/multi-chapter, etc) I wrote it from March through November of 2022. It's a 15-chapter fic, 96,884 words.

What was the initial inspiration for your story? I love the "Shop around the Corner" scenario where people fall in love via text but hate each other in person. I've only seen versions of that trope where the love portion happens via letters but they remain enemies in real life. I wanted to see what would happen if they were chasing each other in a huge love square. Picture me giggling and saying, "All we want out of Gallavich stories is to see them fall in love over and over again. What if every major character in this story is either Ian or Mickey in alternate forms?!"

What was your favorite scene to write? Hands down, it was chapter 4, when they watched the training video. This Mickey is based on a friend I had in high school named Jason. He and I had health class together, and we'd chat and joke around during class. But two strange things happened: (1) when we were OUT of class, he wouldn't even make eye contact with me. It was like I didn't exist. (2) when we watched videos IN class and the lights would go down, it was like we were dating. He'd hold my hand and lock our feet together and trace shapes on each other's arms. I never knew anyone who could Jekyll and Hyde so quickly between three different dynamics. Were we friends, strangers, or crushes? That history with him churns in my brain, and I wanted to capture how that felt in this story.

How did you come up with the title? I took the title from Jewel's song.

Other working titles included: This Bitter Chase Addicted to that Rush Shock + Awe Rules of Engagement Cock it and Pull it Locked and Loaded Brace for Impact A Shot in the Dark Caught in the Crossfire Come Out and Play Mark and Misfire

Are there any little moments or references you hope readers will notice? That every chapter (except one) had a two-word title. I like coming up with chapter titles, and I thought that was fun.

Was there anything you struggled to write? If so, how did you overcome this? I painted myself into a corner with the criminal aspect. My notes said something like, "Hector is doing something related to theft in the facility. This theft leads to unsafe circumstances. These unsafe circumstances are serious enough for his franchise to be threatened." I know nothing about trampoline engineering. I know very little about underground markets and precious metals. You don't hear a lot of media coverage of trampoline parks as mob fronts. I visited soooo many sketchy websites and researched what could possibly net Hector a decent enough chunk of change. I read documents about safety liability and franchise law. The takeaway is, anything can be solved with the right amount of research.

You know what was really fun to research? Videos of people doing wall runs.

youtube

Did the storyline change in any way as you wrote the story? I started with a more dramatic rivalry between the laser tag staff and the bounce center. It was a blood feud, and if you crossed those lines, you'd be dead. It was a life-threatening and tense dynamic, which we as the readers would see as parody but the characters would take 100% seriously. Total noir, Quentin Tarantino vibes. The more I wrote, I couldn't sustain that intensity with a straight face.

Jett was originally "Finn," but I didn't want "NotFinn" to have the same initials as "Noel Fisher." Chara was originally "Samantha."

If you are writing a particular trope or genre, was it your first time writing this? I never put so much texting into a story! Whew! It was cool to figure out how to do AO3 skins for this story. I set it up so that Ian's texts were always orange and Mickey's texts were always blue. That was done with a skin, so I didn't have to code it fresh for every chapter.

What are you most proud about in the story? (plot, characterization, dialogue, twist/cliffhanger, etc) I'm most proud of keeping the identities straight. It was … a lot. With all the Shakespearean name swapping, the reader could still follow who was who (I hope).

Are there any ‘behind the scenes’ info you’d like to share - e.g. what’s going on in a characters head in a certain scene or how you came to write a certain line? I can share a little about the process of keeping a long story straight. I made a dossier of all the characters, locations, and scenes as I was going. That way, I could glance at the notes instead of having to re-read entire chapters to find details.

As with all my stories, I hand-wrote this one. I filled three notebooks.

Are there any ‘easter eggs’ in your story - e.g. references to other stories you’ve written, a trope you often use etc? One trope is that I create art for each chapter. I also like to create logos for each story I make. Here is the full TigerZone logo:

I also create Spotify playlists for all my stories. Here is the one for These Foolish Games.

If you’ve chosen your most popular story, are you surprised by the popularity? This is my most commented-on and kudoed fic, which makes me so happy. I think it's well-deserved.

Were you nervous or excited to post this story? Yes. The nerves never go away, no matter how much you've written.

Anything else you’d like the readers to know about the story? Here are a few images that show the inspiration as well as what was happening in my life as I wrote it.

Our family (pre-covid) enjoyed laser tagging and trampolining.

We had a tornado and major power outage in 2022, which didn't stop me from writing. We took a trip to Chicago, and I was poking my head into every laser tag arena we saw.

That summer, as I was writing, Noel was in Brooklyn filming The Calling. I also went to Brooklyn, a few weeks later.

After the story was complete, my husband gifted me a printed copy. 😭❤️

This is open to all writers! Pick your favorite story you’ve written or your most popular or the one you think deserves some more love! Or ask your followers to suggest their favorite fic of yours!

Thank you for the ask! This is so much fun. I can't believe how many wonderful friends I made from this fic.

#gallavich fan fiction #these foolish games #dvd commentary #about me #Youtube

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penultimate-step · 4 months ago

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I've seen multiple people doing retrospectives on the LitRPG genre claim that the two major works that kicked off the rest of the genre were Sword Art Online and The Gamer. And I don't deny that those were definitely super influential, but I do wonder why those two get raised above all the others?

In specific, I definitely think The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor should be credited way more. And like, its not at all an obscure name - the site that most people associate with LitRPGs in EN spaces, Royal Road, is named after the series!

Especially because, when you look at that series, it's definitely way closer to what later litRPGs would look like. SAO may take place in a game world, but it doesn't care much for game mechanics - it cares much more for the vibe of playing old MMOs than tracking the characters' strength. And while The Gamer cares a lot more about tracking individual skills, it's honestly more of a urban fantasy thing - the protagonist's game mechanics stuff is pretty subordinate to that (though prevalent enough that I wouldn't rec it to someone who disliked LitRPGs.) Meanwhile LMS is exactly what you'd expect from the term litRPG - detailed discussion of character classes, stats, upgrades, levelling up, what have you.

And it came out in 2007 - far preceding the 2013 debut of The Gamer and the 2009 release of SAO's first volume. (Though technically SAO originally existed as a webnovel as far back as 2001; but I think at that point it was way too obscure to influence anybody).

I feel like in terms of influential pillars of the genre, between preceding basically every other major name, being super popular for it's time, and exemplifying a lot of the elements people both like and hate about the genre, it definitely deserves a mention in the genre history, right?

Though, the fact that both LMS and The Gamer are Korean works does make me wonder if they were working within an existing literary tradition that I am unaware of - as someone who doesn't speak the language I can only really talk about what was influential in EN spaces.

#litrpg #the legendary moonlight sculptor #step.blogger

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pjunicornart · 4 months ago

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Papercut (Reclaimed)

I've decided to reclaim Papercut for the fandom! Here's the explanation.

Papercut (a Fell variant of Paperjam) was originally created by the person who created PJ's Daycare and NaJ. I'm not name dropping them because... I just don't want to. Anyway, the creator (if you know you know) is not a great person. I believe fandoms can reclaim characters from people who were less than role models. Now, a QnA under a cut:

Doesn't Paperjam already have a Fell variant? Yes. They already have a canon Fell and Swap variant if I'm remembering correctly. That being said, this is what I propose for Papercut: He's a completely original variant away from the Fell labeling. He's from a universe where he was named Papercut instead of Paperjam. Outside influences made him edgy instead of it just being his nature.

What did you change about Cut's design? For starters, I made his design less "rule of cool" and more practical. Admittedly some of the AU Sans designs I think are bad because they follow too heavily on the rule of cool. His outfit ties into his new story. Plus, if I'm going to draw him again, I want his design to be simple. Second, I desaturated the color palette, except for around his face. I kept the "hairstyle" Cut had, because I think it makes him stand out compared to other Sanses.

What's his lore? Currently I'm going for a troubled teen angle. Gets mixed up with the wrong crowds, been in and out of juvie, that type of thing. He's clearly hurting, but his environment and home life make it worse and hard for him to stabilize his life. Speaking of his home life, Ink and Error are NOT his parents... creators... people. They don't even exist in this AU. Instead, his parents are two completely different people who will NOT be classified as Sanses. These two people are one of the many reasons for Cut's rebellious persona.

What are some specific details about Cut? He's 17, a cis boy (amab), and pronouns he/him. Because he's been suspended and put into juvie a lot, his formal education is lacking. He can read and write just fine, but he won't be able to answer questions about history or sex ed. If his parents cared, they'd realize he needs serious help in this regard. But they only care about themselves and making sure he's out of the way. He's been arrested for minor crimes - Theft, vandalism, and misdemeanors. His vandalism is graffiti, of which he is quite skilled. His graffiti includes the usual stuff (tagging and such), but also political and artistic pieces. He thinks he's only into girls.

Does he have any powers? Yes, but he's not especially powerful or skilled with them. He can control paint fairly well since graffiti art has given him practice with it. He got this power from his mom. His other natural born ability is a blade only he can summon. This is something he inherited from his dad's side of the family. All the men on this side have their own unique blades. His is a dagger with a serrated blade for a ripping flesh effect. As for learned abilities: Teleportation (short distances), Healing (can't heal major wounds, but he can heal a bruise), and various stat boosters (attack, defense, and speed - minor changes). He's not particularly powerful because he hasn't taken the time to learn his abilities.

Will his story have anything to do with The Playground? We'll see. His story is still in the early stages of being fleshed out, so things are definitely subject to change. However, if he were to be in The Playground, he would become Playjam's third little brother.

Since he's technically not a Fell variant, could he be put into RNaJ? Yeah, he definitely could! He'd probably skip class and hang out alone. Maybe smoke a joint or two. Very confrontational and rude at first, but if you tolerated him enough he might open up a little. His vulnerability will be layered under tons of jokes, though.

Outfits, roleplay, and fan stuff? Outfits: I don't have any more at the moment, but if you wanna design some, be my guest. Roleplay: I'm down to roleplay as him, but you can also rp as him if you wish. I'm not gonna police you about it. Fan stuff: Everything is pretty loosey-goosey right now, sooo... go nuts.

Any more questions I didn't address can be sent to my ask box!

#art #my art #digital art #rosey rambles #undertale #undertale au #sans au #paperjam #papercut #redesign #character redesign #reclaimed character

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gattnk · 9 months ago

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Terence and Scarlett, the youngest Deans in this Golden School's history. What kind of future do you think they'll bring?

I'm back on track my lovelies! Or rather, I never really left the AF train: I just needed some time to plan things out. I've sketched out the rest of the school staff, but I'll give priority to finishing chapter 5. Not gonna lie, I only finished these two first because I fell so in love with their designs I couldn't resist sharing them sooner!

Back in the early days of my production bible, I established the Golden School would offer other courses unrelated to guardian angels/devils; both the comic and S2 of the show inspired this concept. I came up with five faculties in total, with a pair of canon teachers at the helm of each. This is how Terence and Scarlett became my Academic Deans of the Tech and Support faculty.

Tech and Support is an engineering faculty: they're the mechanics behind mascots, vehicles like auto-spheres and motor-spikes, and pretty much every piece of angel/devil infrastructure on Earth. I chose Terence and Scarlett specifically because they're the least established teachers we see in canon. Simply put, they were the only teachers with enough wiggle room to fit the bill.

I took a long, hard look at what Terence and Scarlett were supposed to be in the series: the young, hip, hot new teachers in town when they first show up in the movie, the kind that make their younger students swoon and maybe stir some love trouble indirectly with their presence. I could definitely work with that!

Terence's original design looked like the kind of guy who brings an acoustic guitar to a college party, which is a very... 2000s kind of "hot". He needed an upgrade, stat. So I went on a quest and found that hunks are in vogue now, which is fine by me! And so a hunky engineer he became, with a high-visibility coverall, work boots, tool-bags and a helmet. He got to keep some stubble and his long hair (tied up in a ponytail for safety reasons) as a recall to his original design.

Scarlett's original design screams femme fatale, which is great for eye candy but not very practical when handling machinery. So I decided to gear her properly: strong-material overalls and shirt, work boots, welding gloves and safety goggles, protective horn cuffs, short hair and no jewelry (seriously, avoid wearing dangly bits like loose hair or jewelry when you're in a workshop). Properly geared women in STEM are, or so I'm told, pretty hot :v So mission accomplished!

While Terence and Scarlett's role in my rewrite is no longer to act as a romantic wedge between Raf and Sulfus, I ended up giving them shared traits with my Raf and Sulfus redesigns. It has a narrative purpose I won't disclose for now, but if you were wondering why they feel like grown-up genderbent versions of the protagonists, now you know.

Their new colors are pretty much a mash-up of their canon palette and my usual colors for angels and devils. I wanted to subvert expectations a bit however, so I gave Terence a red halo and wings and Scarlett blue horns and wings. They're the same hue as each other's eyes for entirely aesthetic reasons.

Honestly, it's been real fun so far to work on the teachers! I love working on side characters, there's more room to explore in terms of design because there's less expectations surrounding them.

I'll Fly With You (rewrite fic) Art masterpost

#my art tag #angel's friends #angels friends #IFWY #character redesign #terence #scarlett

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docs-before-dawn · 1 year ago

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07 :: Digital Age

How many of my docs are made from OC or Canon docs I made originally for personal use? A lot of them. All of them, actually- that's what makes it fun! This doc was meant to be for a semi-futuristic character, so I tried to give it a futuristic kind of spark- but not too much of one. I think I'd go crazy if I made a doc that was silver and light blues.

How to use: Go to ‘File’ and select MAKE A COPY. DON’T REMOVE OR MODIFY THE CREDIT.

Please like/reblog if you end up using this doc template, danke!

Have fun editing, but please be careful! Certain elements of the doc weren’t built for text to go on too long or be too short, so you may have to make empty spaces to keep everything in place (or shrink/enlarge the text a bit!).

This is meant to be an OC Info template, complete with General, Appearance, Personality, Powers and Stats, and a History section!

Have fun!

Remember: ♥ < 🔁!

#docsbeforedawn #google doc #gdocs template #gdocs #google doc template #google docs #google docs template #roleplay resources #roleplay template #rp template #oc template #character template

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yourdeepestfathoms · 6 months ago

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The Ringmaster's Guide

a character guide for my TADC Dungeons & Dragons AU! this was originally gonna be the characters in the same universe, just LARPing the game, with Caine making the terrains and magic and stuff, but then i actually started thinking of backstories for everyone. so now it's a real AU in the DnD universe! (there's no exact full, fleshed-out plot line, and the fics i'm gonna write with this are gonna be random events!)

this guide contains stuff like the gangs' races, classes, designs, abilities, and some fun backstory tidbits ;)

(also even though they're not playing the game, i still included the stats, skills, and some written game mechanics for the vibes!)

RAGATHA

Race: Aasimar (Protector)

Class: Cleric (Order Domain)

Feats: Inspiring Leader, Great Weapon Master, Tough

Resistances: Radiant, Necrotic

—

Mother bear…

Oh, mother bear…

Where has thou cub gone?

—

STATS

HP: 135

AC: 20 (Mithral Plate)

SPEED: 30 ft. walking, 30 ft. flying

STR: 19 (+4) | DEX: 17 (+3) | CON: 18 (+4) | INT: 16 (+3) | WIS: 20 (+5) | CHA: 17 (+3)

Saving Throws

STR: +4

DEX: +3

CON: +4

INT: +3

WIS: +9

CHA: +7

Senses

Passive Perception: 19

Passive Investigation: 13

Passive Insight: 19

Skills

Acrobatics: +3

Animal Handling: +5

Arcana: +3

Athletics: +4

Deception: +3

History: +3

Insight: +9

Intimidation: +3

Investigation: +3

Medicine: +9

Nature: +3

Perception: +9

Performance: +3

Persuasion: +7

Religion: +7

Sleight of Hand: +3

Stealth: +3

Survival: +5

—

Wings like silver, slicing through the sky. Twisting, turning, as graceful as a starling. A dance between earth and sky, a ballet of feathers and air, where gravity’s pull was but a distant memory when up so high.

A tiny squeal of joy. Shining eyes casting downward. Shimmering eyes looking up.

“Aww, look at you,” she coos to the infant bound to her chest by soft fabric. The baby’s little wings, still covered in fluffy down, are extended fully and flapping gleefully.

The mother laughs. “Do you think you’re flying?”

“AH!” her infant shouts, wings flapping harder.

Another laugh. She brushes her fingers over her child’s cheek, then looks to the horizon. “One day, this will all belong to you.”

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Vicious Glaive

- Crossbow

Spells

- Cantrip: Guidance, Mending, Resistance, Sacred Flame, Spare The Dying

- 1st Level: Command, Guiding Bolt, Heroism, Inflict Wounds

- 2nd Level: Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon, Warding Bond, Zone of Truth

- 3rd Level: Mass Healing Word, Revivify, Slow

- 4th Level: Banishment, Compulsion, Locate Creature

- 5th Level: Dominate Person, Flame Strike, Greater Restoration, Hallow, Mass Cure Wounds

- 6th Level: Blade Barrier, Heal

—

The city in the sky is divine and shining. The sky is clear and a crisp blue, not a cloud in sight. Other Celestials dart to and fro, all of them radiant. She sits in the soft grass of one of the many parks, watching as her child toddles around. A guitarist is playing nearby.

It’s peaceful.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Voice of Authority- Ragatha is able to invoke the power of the law to strengthen an ally’s attack.

Order’s Demand- By raising her holy symbol, Ragatha can charm an enemy through exerting her presence over them.

Destroy Undead- If the will of an undead enemy fails against Ragatha casting Turn Undead, they are destroyed.

Embodiment of the Law- If casting a spell of the Enchantment school, she can quicken the casting time.

Divine Strike- Ragatha can deal an extra bout of Psychic damage upon hitting an enemy.

Divine Intervention- Ragatha can call upon her deity for aid.

Racial Abilities

Healing Hands- Ragatha’s very touch is nurturing and life-giving. She is able to draw from a wellspring of gentle energy to heal people for a certain amount.

Darkvision- Ragatha can see in the dark.

Celestial Legacy- Ragatha can cast the Light and Daylight cantrip at will.

Celestial Revelation: Radiant Consumption- Ragatha is able to unleash her full Celestial might on those who dare to test her. A bright, seething light pours from her eyes and mouth, and her very body acts as a beacon, radiating this same searing light in a radius. Any enemy who gets too close is scorched by this holy glow. All weapon attacks do extra Radiant damage.

Flight- Ragatha is able to fly with her angel wings.

—

Hunger.

The whisper of the woods.

A hulking beast - clawing up her insides, biting at her ribs.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Acolyte

Languages: Common, Celestial, Primordial, Elvish

Alignment: Lawful Good

Inventory

Money: 100 GP

- Alms Box

- Amulet (Holy Symbol)

- Baby Blanket

- Bag of Holding

- Blanket

- Box of Incense

- Candle

- Censer

- Crossbow Bolts

- Crossbow, light

- Photograph of her and a small child

- Prayer Book

- Rations

- Reliquary

- Shield

- Tinderbox

- Vestments

- Vicious Glaive

- Waterskin

Aasimar are well-known for their beauty, and Ragatha is no exception. She’s a well-built woman, bearing great muscles for someone of her appearance. Her skin has a lustrous sheen to it. Growing within her curly red hair are shimmering feathers of white-blue. An ethereal light glows in her black left eye, and the right probably would be the same if it weren’t for the fact that it’s been seemingly scratched out; a seething red scar extends down that side of her face, as though she had been struck by a bladed weapon.

Large, feathered wings extend from her back. They’re a beautiful silver-white color, fading to gradients of blue at their tips.

Strangely, she has sharper teeth and nails than would usually be seen in an Aasimar.

A red blemish, some kind of burn scar, encircles her throat, never to truly heal.

—

Blood in her eyes. Blood in her mouth.

Stinging, burning. Vicious pain, and yet the hunger and rage dominate everything.

So many eyes, watching.

Circling - a trapped beast.

Somewhere deep within, a voice screaming, “STOP IT! STOP!”

—

OTHER

- Lycanthrope (werebear)

—

Mama Bear,

Mama…

Please come home soon.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

JAX

Race: Tiefling-Harengon

Class: Rogue (Thief)

Feats: Shadow-Touched, Mobile, Gunner

Resistances: Fire

—

A fey bathed in infernal fire. Tainted, scorched. Searing flames burning inside and out.

—

STATS

HP: 63

AC: 15 (Leather Armor)

SPEED: 40 ft. walking

STR: 13 (+1) | DEX: 20 (+5) | CON: 10 (+0) | INT: 12 (+1) | WIS: 11 (+0) | CHA: 16 (+3)

Saving Throws

STR: +1

DEX: +9

CON: +0

INT: +5

WIS: +0

CHA: +3

Senses

Passive Perception: 10

Passive Investigation: 15

Passive Insight: 10

Skills

Acrobatics: +9

Animal Handling: +0

Arcana: +1

Athletics: +1

Deception: +11

History: +1

Insight: +0

Intimidation: +3

Investigation: +5

Medicine: +0

Nature: +1

Perception: +0

Performance: +3

Persuasion: +7

Religion: +1

Sleight of Hand: +12

Stealth: +12

Survival: +0

—

She tried so hard to raise him to be a good boy. But she always knew he would follow in his father’s footsteps.

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Rapier

- Daggers

- Shortbow

- Revolver

Spells

- Cantrip: Thaumaturgy

- 1st Level: False Life

- 2nd Level: Darkness, Hellish Rebuke, Invisibility

—

The smell of fire and brimstone. Ash dusting purple fur to black. Licking embers off his lips.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Sneak Attack- Jax is able to deal extra damage on attacks he has Advantage for.

Thieves’ Cant- As a Rogue, Jax can speak a language only other Rogues know.

Cunning Action- Jax’s agility allows him to make certain actions sooner than his allies would be able to.

Fast Hands- Jax can use an item as a Bonus Action instead of an Action.

Second-Story Work- Jax can climb faster than his allies.

Uncanny Dodge- When Jax can see the attacker who has hit him, he can half the damage.

Evasion- Jax is able to avoid taking damage from certain attacks if they require a Dexterity Saving Throw.

Supreme Sneak- As long as Jax doesn’t use half of his movement, he has Advantage on Stealth checks.

Reliable Talent- Jax is able to make the dice fall a little more in his favor.

Racial Abilities

Darkvision- Jax can see in the dark.

Hellish Resistance- Jax is resistant to Fire damage.

Infernal Legacy- Jax innately knows the Thaumaturgy cantrip and the Hellish Rebuke and Darkness spells.

Lucky Footwork- Just because he doesn’t have the rabbit legs of his Harengon mother doesn’t mean this fella isn’t dextrous. When he slips up or stumbles, Jax’s quick reaction time gives him a chance to steady himself.

Hare-Trigger- Jax’s fast rabbit reflexes sometimes allow him to strike first in combat.

—

Too fast for the guards. Too quick for the dogs to catch. Any lock can be broken, and no chains can hold him down for long.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Criminal

Languages: Common, Thieves’ Cant, Infernal

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Inventory

Money: 250 GP, 300 SP, 50 CP

- Alchemist's Fire (5)

- Arrows

- Bag of Holding

- Ball Bearings (bag of 1000)

- Beads of Fireball (10)

- Beads of Force (5)

- Bell

- Candle

- Crowbar

- Dagger (2)

- Deck of Many Things

- Grenade, Magical (3)

- Grenade, Smoke (5)

- Hammer

- Icon of Greed

- Lantern, Hooded

- Oil (flask)

- Piton

- Playing Cards

- Poisoner’s Kit

- Potion of Haste (3)

- Potion of Greater Healing

- Pouch of Gemstones

- Rapier

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Shortbow

- String

- Thieves’ Tools

- Tinderbox

- Vial of Acid (5)

- Waterskin

Anyone who looks at this guy can tell that he’s a hybrid. He’s a tall, lithe young man with a regular humanoid build. His entire torso is covered in thick purple fur that extends to his elbows on his arms and to his thighs on his legs—below that, it’s darker purple skin. Instead of rabbit feet, he has hooves, and his fingernails are sharp claws. Tufts of fur sprout from the base of his long tail, which ends in an arrowhead, before it tapers off to regular skin. His head is completely furry, and he has both the iconic rabbit ears and black horns that curve back over his scalp.

—

Every jail cell looks the same after a while. None are impressive. And they’re all so easy to get out of.

—

OTHER

- Son to the Demon of Greed

- Criminal of the state

- Wanted for several crimes

—

Chained to a wall. Slated for execution. Death by beheading.

Ha.

That’s cute.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

ZOOBLE

Name: Zooble

Race: Simic Hybrid

Class: Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior)

Feats: Savage Attacker, Sentinel, Slasher

Resistances: N/A

—

They were someone, once. Normal skin. Normal hair. All their fingers and toes. All their teeth.

But that was a long time ago.

They can’t even remember their name.

—

STATS

HP: 137

AC: 19 (no armor)

SPEED: 40 ft. walking

STR: 20 (+5) | DEX: 16 (+3) | CON: 19 (+4) | INT: 10 (+0) | WIS: 13 (+1) | CHA: 9 (-1)

Saving Throws

STR: +9

DEX: +3

CON: +8

INT: +0

WIS: +1

CHA: -1

Senses

Passive Perception: 11

Passive Investigation: 10

Passive Insight: 11

Skills

Acrobatics: +3

Animal Handling: +1

Arcana: +0

Athletics: +9

Deception: -1

History: +0

Insight: +1

Intimidation: +3

Investigation: +0

Medicine: +1

Nature: +0

Perception: +1

Performance: +3

Persuasion: -1

Religion: +0

Sleight of Hand: +3

Stealth: +3

Survival: +1

—

For a long time, it seemed that they were going to waste away. Life was harsh, and their money was scarce.

And then, they found their way to the great bronze city.

Everything changed when they stepped through those giant gates.

To this day, they still don’t know why they caught the eye of those aristocrats, but they were offered a job. It would give them housing and paid well.

But there was a catch, of course. Two of them, to be precise. Everything came with strings attached. Nothing was ever that good.

Surprisingly, though, they found themself not minding these “conditions.” If anything, it sounded interesting.

And they did pride themself in their high pain tolerance.

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Greataxe

- Handaxe (2)

- Javelin (4)

Spells

- 1st Level: Beast Bond, Speak With Animals

- 5th Level: Commune With Nature

—

Ow. Ow. OW.

It hurt worse than they were expecting, but the enhancements fit just right. They did well.

They’ll be fine.

They’re strong.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Rage- Zooble is able to enter a Rage in battle that makes them resistant to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage.

Unarmored Defense- Zooble’s AC is higher when not wearing armor.

Reckless Attack- Zooble can choose to attack heedlessly, giving them an Advantage on the hit, but also giving all enemies Advantage to hit them.

Spirit Seeker- Zooble has an attunement with the natural world. They are able to cast Beast Bond and Speak With Animals as ritual spells.

Totem Spirit: Bear- Zooble has picked the bear as their Totem Spirit. While in a Rage, they are resistant to all damage except Psychic.

Fast Movement- Zooble’s movement is boosted by ten feet when not wearing heavy armor.

Aspect of The Beast: Elk- Zooble has chosen the elk as their animal aspect. Party travel is faster than it usually would be.

Feral Instinct- Zooble’s might allow them to attack quicker in combat.

Brutal Critical- Through sheer savagery, Zooble can increase the damage done to an enemy.

Spirit Walker- Zooble can cast Commune With Nature as a ritual spell.

Relentless Rage- Zooble’s fury urges them forward. When they otherwise would have fallen unconscious, if in a Rage, Zooble can cling on for just a little bit longer to keep fighting.

Racial Abilities

Animal Enhancement- As a Simic Hybrid, Zooble has had new body parts added to them to make them more powerful.

Manta Glide- Zooble has ray-like fins on their back that allow them to glide and fall safely, though they can’t fly with them.

Grappling Appendages- Zooble has an additional pair of appendages growing alongside their arms, which they are able to grapple and attack enemies with.

Darkvision- Zooble can see in the dark.

—

All around them, they’re being watched. So many people, so many more eyes.

The sun is high in the sky. The walls around them gleam. The sand of the coliseum floor is warm beneath their feet.

In their hands, they heft their greataxe, then charge forward.

This will be easy.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Champion

Languages: Common, Elvish

Alignment: Neutral

Inventory

Money: 10 GP

- Bedroll

- Greataxe

- Handaxe (2)

- Mess Kit

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Tinderbox

- Torch

- Waterskin

Zooble is a bit of an anomaly, as many Simic Hybrids are. Their body is a strange clash of bits and parts, like they’re a puzzle made of pieces from other puzzles.

Their torso and right arm are humanoid—and those are pretty much the only normal things about them. However, their torso is mottled in orange and yellow for an unknown reason. Their left arm is similar to that of a crustacean’s, red in color and ending in a large claw. Their left leg is hooved, while their right leg is that of a bear’s, both having come from their Totem Spirit rather than from being a Simic Hybrid. Two appendages, similar to the arms of a praying mantis, extend from their back. Also on their back are two fin-like membranes that are almost like wings, allowing them to glide.

They constantly wear a helmet that they rarely ever take off. The helmet is grated in the front and has two horns curving out from the top.

—

Fighting. Training. Growing stronger and stronger.

More battles. All victories.

They’re called a champion.

No one can make them fall.

They will never lose.

—

OTHER

- They were something great. Once.

—

It’s their first time tasting blood, and it is a rank venom in their mouth.

Their body aches all over. They can barely move their limbs—if they’re even still attached to their body. It’s difficult to tell.

All around them, the forest is buzzing with noise, and yet all they can hear is their own shallow breathing and the echoing roar of a crowd, slowly fading out…

They should have died that day. Their injuries were grievous. But fate had other plans.

Something in the forest stirs. Like those aristocrats, it saw something inside of them. So, it approaches, tentative and slow, then accepts them in its embrace.

Infused with the vitality of the earth and its kin, they stand.

They will never lose again.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

GANGLE

Race: Plasmoid

Class: Druid (Circle of Stars)

Feats: Healer, Elemental Adept, Mage Slayer

Resistances: Poison

—

Bright light.

A roll of thunder.

Pain pulsing through every inch of her body.

“Yes! YES!”

Awakened.

—

STATS

HP: 87

AC: 15 (Leather Armor)

SPEED: 30 ft. walking

STR: 10 (+0) | DEX: 14 (+2) | CON: 14 (+2) | INT: 16 (+3) | WIS: 17 (+3) | CHA: 12 (+1)

Saving Throws

STR: +0

DEX: +2

CON: +2

INT: +7

WIS: +7

CHA: +1

Senses

Passive Perception: 13

Passive Investigation: 13

Passive Insight: 17

Skills

Acrobatics: +2

Animal Handling: +3

Arcana: +7

Athletics: +0 (Advantage)

Deception: +1

History: +3

Insight: +7

Intimidation: +1

Investigation: +3

Medicine: +7

Nature: +3

Perception: +3

Performance: +1

Persuasion: +1

Religion: +3

Sleight of Hand: +6

Stealth: +6

Survival: +3

—

The tower is nice. The woods outside of it are even nicer. So many animals. So many flowers.

It’s a shame she can’t stray very far.

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Scimitar

Spells

- Cantrips: Druidcraft, Magic Stone, Mold Earth, Produce Flame

- 1st Level: Cure Wounds, Entangle

- 2nd Level: Flame Blade, Heat Metal, Moonbeam

- 3rd Level: Call Lightning, Conjure Animals

- 4th Level: Polymorph, Stoneskin

- 5th Level: Antilife Shell, Mass Cure Wounds

- 6th Level: Primordial Ward

—

Elf ears. Marigolds. Shriveled bat wings. Powered flame. A piece of a unicorn horn.

She enjoys watching the cauldron be mixed around and around.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Druidic- Gangle knows Druidic, the secret language of the Druids.

Wild Shape- Gangle can shapeshift into animals.

Star Map- Gangle has a special starry map that gives her several different benefits.

Starry Form- Instead of turning into an animal, Gangle can use her Wild Shape to take on a certain kind of Starry Form of her choosing, with each one giving a different benefit.

Cosmic Omen- Gangle can consult her star map for omens to predict how an action might pan out.

Twinkling Constellation- Even after she’s already selected a Starry Form, Gangle can change it to something else.

Racial Abilities

Amorphous- Gangle can squeeze through spaces as narrow as 1 inch wide.

Darkvision- Gangle can see in the dark.

Hold Breath- Gangle can hold her breath for up to an hour.

Natural Resilience- Gangle has resistance to Poison damage and to being poisoned.

Shape Self- Gangle can mold and shape her body however she pleases.

—

Her master’s power grows.

As does her worry.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Servant

Languages: Common, Druidic, Giant, Ooze

Alignment: Lawful Good

Inventory

Money: 15 GP

- Bedroll

- Calligrapher’s Supplies

- Candle

- Holy Symbol

- Mess Kit

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Scimitar

- Wooden Shield

- Tinderbox

- Torch

- Totem

- Waterskin

- Weaver’s Tools

As a Plasmoid, Gangle appears much like a blob of slime molded into the vague shape of a humanoid. The pale red ooze making up her body is shaped in a way that makes it look like she’s swathed in ribbon. Within her body, a nervous system can be seen, glowing ever so slightly. Upon her head, she wears a white mask that acts as her face, as it is enchanted to emote and speak.

—

Perhaps it is time to leave.

The forest calls.

—

OTHER

- She was once the servant to a Lich.

—

Freedom.

Finally.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

KINGER

Race: Warforged

Class: Ranger (Swarmkeeper)

Feats: Sharpshooter, Durable, Alert

Resistances: Poison, Disease

—

His kingdom is flourishing.

Within the city walls, life blooms in every crevice. Queenie loves flowers, so he’s covered every possible surface in plant life for her. It really brightens the streets.

They’re happy.

—

STATS

HP: 124

AC: 17 (Scale Mail)

SPEED: 30 ft. walking

STR: 12 (+1) | DEX: 14 (+2) | CON: 18 (+4) | INT: 8 (-1) | WIS: 13 (+1) | CHA: 14 (+2)

Saving Throws

STR: +5

DEX: +6

CON: +4

INT: -1

WIS: +1

CHA: +2

Senses

Passive Perception: 15

Passive Investigation: 9

Passive Insight: 11

Skills

Acrobatics: +2

Animal Handling: +5

Arcana: -1

Athletics: +1

Deception: +2

History: +3

Insight: +1

Intimidation: +2

Investigation: -1

Medicine: +1

Nature: +3

Perception: +5

Performance: +2

Persuasion: +6

Religion: -1

Sleight of Hand: +2

Stealth: +2

Survival: +5

—

He’s down at the stables one day when the marshal comes up to him, asking if they could take a stablehand under their wing to help with the workload.

Weird. He could have sworn he hired a stablehand… But perhaps he’s just thinking wrong. Queenie always says he would lose his head if it wasn’t attached to his neck!

He agrees to the marshal’s request, and a new stablehand is hired.

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Longbow

- Quarterstaff

- Spear

Spells

- 1st Level: Cure Wounds, Longstrider

- 2nd Level: Pass Without Trace

- 3rd Level: Conjure Animals, Plant Growth, Water Walk

—

Kinger goes to a bookstore to pick up the newest copy of Queenie’s favorite book series.

“How’s your wife been?” he asks the clerk.

The clerk looks at him oddly. “I’ve never been married.”

Kinger is confused. He could have sworn a young, cute couple ran this store together. He remembered meeting them when they first arrived in his city.

But…

No. He didn’t.

By the next day, he’d forgotten about the clerk’s wife.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Favored Enemy- Kinger has expertise on tracking, hunting, studying, and interacting with two creature types of his choice (monstrosities and beasts).

Natural Explorer- Kinger is adept at traveling through certain types of terrain (forest, grassland, mountains).

Primeval Awareness- Kinger can focus on the immediate area around him and try to sense aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead within a 1 mile radius.

Gathered Swarm- Kinger has befriended a swarm of insects that act as his allies and will attack with him.

Extra Attack- Kinger can attack twice.

Writhing Tide- Kinger can focus his swarm around him, allowing the swarm to lift him up so he can hover around.

Land’s Stride- Kinger can move through non-magical difficult terrain without wasting any excess movement.

Hide In Plain Sight- Kinger can camouflage himself.

Mighty Swarm- Kinger’s swarm grows stronger, allowing it to deal more damage.

Racial Abilities

Constructed Resilience- Due to Kinger not having a body of flesh, he has great fortitude that grants him several benefits: resistance to Poison damage and being poisoned, immune to disease, doesn’t need to sleep, doesn’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.

Sentry’s Rest- Instead of sleeping, Kinger can stand or sit motionless doing nothing and gain the same benefits of a rest.

Integrated Protection- Kinger’s body gives him natural protection.

—

It seems like the city is getting smaller.

He and Queenie held their usual Flower Festival the day before, where butterflies would fill the sky in their multitude of colors. But for some reason, it felt like not as many people showed up. He doesn’t know why.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Noble

Languages: Common, Draconic, Quori, Undercommon

Alignment: Lawful Good

Inventory

Money: 25 GP

- Arrows

- Bedroll

- Books

- Longbow

- Mess Kit

- Quarterstaff

- Rations

- Rope (50 feet)

- Scroll of Pedigree

- Signet Ring

- Spear

- Tinderbox

- Torch

- Waterskin

- Wedding Ring

Kinger almost looks like a regular man, except instead of skin, he looks to have been chiseled out of marble - a grand statue given life. He has no mouth, and upon his head is a crown carved to always be present. His hands seem like they were broken off somehow, replaced by swarms of insects forming the shape of hands. Butterflies follow him around and are usually perched on his shoulders and head.

—

The sound of singing haunts his dreams. A gentle dire, a murmured beckon. He refuses to sleep, and for a while, Queenie is there to coax him to rest, but then…

Wait.

Who is Queenie?

—

OTHER

- He’s strayed far from his kingdom.

—

He’s never been married.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

POMNI

Race: Shifter (Swiftstride)

Class: Warlock (The Void)

Feats: Mounted Combatant, Fey-Touched, Actor

Resistances: N/A

—

Stuffed in a cage, the kitten quivers, pressed into the furthest corner to stay out of reach. She’s crying, hyperventilating. She’s so scared. She wants to go home.

—

STATS

HP: 87

AC: 15 (Leather Armor)

SPEED: 40 ft. walking

STR: 5 (-3) | DEX: 18 (+4) | CON: 15 (+3) | INT: 12 (+1) | WIS: 12 (+1) | CHA: 20 (+5)

Saving Throws

STR: -3

DEX: +4

CON: +2

INT: +1

WIS: +5

CHA: +8

Senses

Passive Perception: 11

Passive Investigation: 11

Passive Insight: 11

Skills

Acrobatics: +8

Animal Handling: +1

Arcana: +5

Athletics: -3

Deception: +5

History: +5

Insight: +1

Intimidation: +5

Investigation: +1

Medicine: +1

Nature: +1

Perception: 1

Performance: +12

Persuasion: +5

Religion: +1

Sleight of Hand: +8

Stealth: +4

Survival: +1

—

Bright colors and flashing lights. A calliope is playing happily. Dozens of people fill the stands to watch the show, and she is the main act.

Don’t mess up.

—

WEAPONS/SPELLS

Weapons

- Dagger (2)

- Sickle

- Sling

Spells

- Cantrips: Chill Touch, Eldritch Blast, Fire Bolt, True Strike, Mage Hand, Magic Stone, Prestidigitation

- 1st Level: Bless, Hellish Rebuke, Inflict Wounds, Misty Step

- 2nd Level: Blindness/Deafness, Shatter

- 3rd Level: Bestow Curse, Counterspell, Vampiric Touch

- 4th Level: Blight, Dimension Door, Elemental Bane

- 5th Level: Hold Monster

- 6th Level: Investiture of Fire

—

The lick of a whip dragging its blood-wet tongue across her back. Chains around her wrists, holding her down. A bridle in her mouth, choking back the screams that so desperately want to be heard.

—

CLASS FEATURES/RACIAL ABILITIES

Class Features

Touched By The Void- Sometimes, Pomni’s body will flicker in and out of existence. When this happens, she gains Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, causing the attack to phase right through her. Additionally, she has Advantage on Death Saving Throws, but if she were to die, she would be dragged back into the Void and devoured.

Eldritch Invocations- Pomni has a number of eldritch knowledge at her disposal, granting her a number of benefits.

Eldritch Spear- The range of Eldritch Blast is extended to 300 feet.

Agonizing Blast- More damage is added to Eldritch Blast.

One With Shadows- If in an area with dim light or darkness, Pomni can become invisible.

Relentless Hex- Pomni can create a temporary connection with a creature. When connected, she can teleport up to 30 feet towards the creature.

Maddening Hex- Pomni can deal extra Psychic damage by creating a psychic disturbance.

Repelling Blast- Eldritch Blast will move the target back by 10 feet.

Pact Boon: Pact of the Tome- Pomni has been given a Book of Shadows by her patron, granting her three extra cantrips.

Abyssal Field- Pomni creates a sort of field that rips at the veil of reality, opening up a space to the Void in the material plane. Within this field, weak objects crumble away and are destroyed, while everything and everyone aside from Pomni takes damage.

Entropy Awaits- After reducing an enemy to 0, Pomni can thrust their soul into the Void, feeding it and allowing her to regain a number of hit points back.

Mystic Arcanum- Pomni’s patron has bestowed upon her an arcanum, which allows her to gain a higher level spell earlier than she normally would.

Racial Abilities

Darkvision- Pomni can see in the dark.

Shifting- Pomni can take on a more bestial appearance. As a Swiftstride Shifter, when she is shifted, she moves faster than she normally would.

—

Something is wrong. Something happened. The train took too sharp of a turn, and suddenly, she’s falling. Falling. Falling.

She braces herself for impact, for the terrified release of death…but it never happens.

She opens her eyes.

There’s nothing.

Everything is just…empty.

—

DESCRIPTION

Background: Circus Freak

Languages: Common, Abyssal, Undercommon, Deep Speech, Sylvan, Goblin

Alignment: Neutral Good

Inventory

Money: 10 SP

- Book of Shadows

- Component Pouch

- Dagger (2)

- Ink

- Ink Pen

- Little Bag of Sand

- Parchment

- Sickle

- Sling

- Small Knife

- Woodcarver’s Tools

Unlike others of her kind, Pomni isn’t exactly the most ferocious or intimidating—both in personality and appearance. She’s a small, stout young woman—so short that she constitutes as a Small creature. All Shifters resemble some kind of animal, and she resembles a tiger, which is rather hilarious due to the previous mention of her being tiny and pathetic. Weirdly, her fur is red and blue instead of black and orange…but given everything else that’s just been mentioned about her, that’s pretty on-par.

Round little tiger ears poke out of her scruffy black hair, and she has a tiger tail. Her fingers and toes are clawed, and her teeth are sharp. Blue stripes are scored along her upper arms, thighs, neck, and cheeks. The bottom of her feet are padded, making it more comfortable for her to walk around without shoes on, which she usually does. She also appears to be somewhat digitigrade, often walking on her toes (perhaps to look taller?). Her nose is pink like a tiger’s. Her fingers have been permanently stained to a black gradient.

When she’s shifted, Pomni gains a slightly more intimidating edge. Fur sprouts up her limbs and along her back, and her face takes on a more bestial appearance.

There are red blisters around her wrists and ankles.

However, there’s something…weird about Pomni. Something almost…uncanny. Sometimes her muscles will visibly spasm beneath her skin, like they’re alive and want to get free. Sometimes her flesh will ripple. Upon her back, she has a pair of strange, vestigial wings beneath the skin. Occasionally, little black tentacles will sprout from random parts of her body. Two horn buds rise from her crown.

And her eyes…they’re just not right.

—

She doesn’t know how long she’s been down here. Days? Weeks? Months? Years? It doesn’t matter anymore.

She’s alone. All alone.

She’s tried screaming. She’s tried to claw her way out. She’s tried praying to every god in existence.

Nothing.

It’s like the entire world has shut her out.

She always knew there were fates worse than death.

She thinks she may have found the worst.

—

OTHER

- She was once an act in a traveling magical circus that would go around via train on the borders between different planes.

- Aberrant Horror

—

Light. Freedom.

She’s out. She’s free.

But she’s not alone. Not anymore.

Something whispers in her mind. And something writhes beneath her flesh.

She’s scared.

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littlecelestialmoth · 4 months ago

Text

For Whom the Clock Bells Toll

CHAPTER FIVE: FIRST MIX

Eddie flops back onto his bed, barely bothering to kick off his Reeboks before combing his hands through his frizzy bangs.

Long days at school always make him feel like his brain was going to spring a leak and drain his mind of consciousness forever. Was that a dramatic line of thought? Yes. Was Eddie known for being dramatic? Also yes.

He resolves to think about his music to-do list after he’s had some time to recover. He has a mixtape to make for Steven Goddamn Harrington after all.

Eddie knows the guy has fallen off the social ladder, Dustin’s nerdy hero worship proving the point further. He’d still love to know how Hawkins High's ‘Keg King’ became a real life Paladin, but it’s one of the only things Dustin refrains from elaborating on. Which, for Dustin, is a huge effort. It’ll be nice to hang out with someone his own age and someone who apparently understands the sass and snark of one Dustin Henderson.

He makes his way under white windowpane patterned and stained comforter, all the spare blankets piled on for maximum weight and comfort. The silence feels like a sweet relief after the noise and chaos of highschool halls.

Yeah, he knows it’s ironic. Eddie Munson loves noise and chaos and writing music and campaign plots in the dozens of notebooks he’s collected over the years! Well, the truth is Eddie Munson also needs quiet and solitude and stability in a situation. Contradictory little Eddie Munson can’t make his brain crank out an English paper until the night before it’s due when the library is hours past closing on top of all of that. Planning out his next great twist in the Hellfire campaign or jotting down new bars for the song he’s working on has always felt easier and more desirable than struggling through a History assignment that requires date memorization. How is he meant to remember when some rich racist asshat died when he can barely keep track of what day of the week it presently is. Mr Andrews is never amused when he gives that explanation for his centuries-off citations.

It's like Eddie the ‘Freak’ is a whole other character sheet with disadvantage on every stat.

Not knowing what will happen and not having control makes him anxious. It makes him seem larger than life when he takes control, always the ring leader, the dungeon master, the man with the cards in his hand, black mail and leverage that makes him almost untouchable.

That’s what scares him about letting Steve peel that back, even just a little. It makes him feel like a drugstore label, peel to read more. An invitation to take a peek at all the wires and pipes behind the big red curtain and find out what makes Eddie Munson a person.

He’s getting ahead of himself, he always manages to stumble over his own feet, too quick when it comes to someone that has the potential to be the object of his affection. Granted he has to get to know the guy first to catch real feelings, but a small something still presses out from within his ribcage. The excitement of it is what’s alluring to him right now. That maybe Steve Harrington is a good person. And maybe he’ll see Eddie as a good person too.

Eddie shoves off his comforter, pushing it to the end of his bed. He’s done daydreaming and has enough energy to be engaged in the task of compiling music.

He wants to very gently introduce Steve to the world of metal and begrudgingly hard rock. It’s not the best in his books but understanding the roots of metal and how it all ties into each other is just as important. He’s a musician, he knows how to pick out the bits that developed into what he loves and has an ear for skill outside of metal too. He resolves that Steve’s music re-education should start in its true and deep roots: the Blues.

He reaches for his boxes of cassettes, pulling out the oldest one first. In his own way Eddie had been led down the Metal to Blues pipeline, only having Tapes and Records that Wayne owned originally. It had taken him a while to understand what music he liked, slow progress from up-beat Blues to Blues Rock to Metal Rock to Heavy Metal.

It was one of the earliest things little Eddie could be convinced to do with Wayne. Being twelve, Wayne thought he was old enough to develop interest in things but hadn’t yet and therefore he tried to make small efforts to include Eddie in the few things he enjoyed. They would sit on the couch in the evenings, back when Wayne worked early but not night shift early in an effort to be home to make Eddie dinner, and Wayne would put on a tape.

Eddie now was sprawled out on the floor, a smaller notebook open. A messy list of songs was jotted down in it, some scratched out, their replacements crammed in the space between. He made himself pack up and put away the tapes he wasn’t using so he could focus on the carefully refined list. One of his favorites from the selection, Smokestack Lightnin’, howling in the background.

Thank god Eddie had already copied all his and Wayne’s Vinyls onto Cassettes, it was making his life much easier. It was easier to skip around on a Cassette than a Vinyl. Saving up for the slightly more expensive sound system was worth it, mostly for making Corroded Coffin tapes with overlapping tracks.

Hours later after scouring every single tape and record between him and Wayne combined he has compiled a list and recorded it on a Cassette. It’s in order of chronological release that shows the timeline of Blue to Rock to Metal without it being too lengthy. He puts the finishing touches on the Cassette itself, carefully pening the tracklist down on the insertable card and titling the mix: ’Eddie Munson’s Music Re-Education’. A self satisfied grin breaks out on his face, sharpie lid between his teeth as he holds the tape up, giving it a last once over.

Only one last test to pass: Steve.

READ THE REST ON AO3

Header by steddiecameraroll-graphics

#steddie #stranger things #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things fic #steddie fic #platonic stobin #stobin #steddie fanfiction #steve and eddie #juniebugwrites

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theriu · 2 years ago

Text

By a stroke of unexpected blessing, I acquired an actual in-store copy of LoZ: Tears of the Kingdom! Behold!

And the natural first thing to do was inform my niece and nephew who are also avidly awaiting it. This was quickly followed by impromptu arrangements for a Cool Aunt Sleepover including said niece and nephew and also another niece and nephew. We took turns playing through the intro and exploring the first map and completely lost track of time! And now, slightly out of context potential spoilers under the cut as I recount our reactions and my favorite moments of the night:

[Link crawling on the ceiling like a lizard while Older Nephew searches for Clues] Zelda: Oh! Link, the master sword is glowing! [Link back on the ground, but tbf she totally could have noticed the sword glowing while he was crawling on the ceiling]

“[Older Nephew], can you PLEASE keep moving?” “I need to click Zelda a fifth time to make sure we got all the dialogue!”

Awwwwww ZELDA IS A LIL HISTORY NERD BLESS HER HEART

“Those rocks are definitely patterned like breakable rocks. I bet we can come back later and break them.” “Yeah they are you’re probably right.” (We were not right.)

Older Nephew: “Just what is Ganon smoking for there to be so much? He must have horrible lung problems.”

Me, totally nervous about upcoming creepy scene: “[Younger Nephew] you’re gonna need to leave pretty soon, this next scene is probably gonna be SUPER CREEPY” (It was indeed creepy but nowhere NEAR as creepy as I expected from the trailers, altho I did close my eyes for the one head-turning part, dont judge me)

Older Nephew: “Yeah, dead Ganon. Ganon without water. Dehydrated Ganon.”

“SO THAT’S HOW THEY RESET HIS STATS”

[Everyone to Younger Nephew] “You can come back in now!”

“Where did his shirt go?” “Magic” “Why are his PANTS gone?” “No idea”

[After finding pants] “Did we miss his shirt?!” [The quest for a shirt continues]

“The portal is down there—“ “I KNOW I’m EXPLORING”

Link really just walked up to a giant drop into open air without his parasail and went “Time to yeet,” no answers given and no questions asked. Classic.

“Giant lilypads!”

“I found a STICK!”

“NEW MUSHROOMS!!!”

[Everyone while Older Niece was breaking pots] “Destroy ancient relics! Demolish personal property for cash! Commit vandalism!”

Older Niece decides her talents are better served livetexting our progress on Discord.

Younger Niece is delighted that the new fuzzy race have big wing-shaped ears like her original character and is now calling Rauru her grandfather.

“I bet you can ride the emus!” (You can’t and I’m still mad about it)

[While I am searching a tree for eggs] Older Nephew: “Are there any eggs? Do we get to consume a bird’s children-to-be?”

Younger Nephew ends turn early because he hasn’t learned how to hit yet and there is an enemy robot RIGHT OVER THERE. Understandable, really.

Older Nephew slides down to explore dangerous ledge hovering over the abyss. Younger Nephew, repeatedly: “This is dumb.” Me: “Yeah, it is.” Older Nephew: [finds a hidden chest] Me: “Never mind!”

Older Nephew has dubbed first hand power Magic Superglue. I don’t remember what it’s actually called, so apparantly it stuck (ha!)

“THE KOROKS ARE BACK!” [cheering]

The children cheering me on as I fuse six giant blocks into SUPER BRIDGE

Accidentally glueing comically small-by-comparison crate to the very corner of Super Bridge

Younger Niece gets jumpscared by an emu BOLTING out of the trees RIGHT AT THE SCREEN. Gameplay paused while room recovers from laughing fits.

“We can FUSE STUFF INTO NEW WEAPONS?!! This is the BEST THING EVER!!!” [Older Nephew and Younger Niece conduct rigorous experiments resulting in some actually cool weapons, a stambulb arrow, and an apple stick.]

REVENGE OF YOUNGER NEPHEW: Comes out of shrine and destroys a robot in two hits with Boulder Sword.

[After 2 1/2 hours] “WE FOUND HIS SHIRT!!!” [cheering]

“You hit the fans to make them work!” [Older Nephew forgets to unequip ax and obliterates half the raft]

Utterly delighted over discovering the glow seed arrow trick myself while ineffectively trying to kill a robot.

Younger Niece: “How come you always find the eggs?” Me: I’m just that good. It’s because I own birds.”

[Group hilarity] “MINE CART SHIELD!”

[Group insanity] “MINE CART HAMMER!!!!”

And that’s when I looked at the clock and realized it was 1:30 in the morning, so we wrapped up and went to bed. AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!

#loz #tears of the kingdom #totk #legend of zelda #botw #rauru #totk rauru #link #zelda

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wonderfull-star · 5 months ago

Text

So here is my main headcanon about the swap skelebrothers: for me in Underswap it’s Papyrus who is older and not Sans. We are still talking about swap, right? This means that not only the character or appearance of the character can change, but also their age and therefore their year of birth. Because of which, I believe, some characters may be completely absent or replaced by new ones! I think this is how Swap AU should work and not just a change of clothes and character.

WARNING: long post + my Undertale theory.

Therefore, logically: in the original, according to my theory, the past royal scientist Dr. Gaster decided to create someone like himself. Perhaps even stronger (and I don’t mean in terms of statistics, but in terms of magic). Naturally, according to his idea, it should be able to dodge. According to the rules of the “game”, this can be done by someone who has low health (after all, this will have a lot of JUSTICE, right?). Because of his(Sans’s) low statistics, he is very vulnerable, so he created a second sample(Papyrus), which is the opposite of the previous one: physically strong, high statistics and also merciful. And so that’s how two skelebrothers was “born”: one is a seemingly simple monster hiding powerful magic within himself but having critically low statistics, the other is very strong and is always ready to protect the other( Papyrus most likely has less magic and attacks than Sans, since he has high stats and therefore lacks the ability to dodge, but still has his own special attack. Definitely, Gaster also gave Papyrus his own power, which even Sans does not have. Most likely these are not Gaster Blasters!). That is, Gaster created them for different purposes: Sans- to fight with humans who fell into the underground and taking their souls. And for this, as we all know from the game’s lore, you need a special power. After all, after death, the soul is broken, which means that for this it is necessary to take it by force before their death. But a simple monster clearly cannot do this. I would say that ALL the monsters. Now it’s clear why Asgore hire Sans as the royal judge. After all, perhaps it is he, of all monsters, who is capable of taking the soul from a still living owner.Papyrus-For guard. As I noticed earlier, since he was created for defense (and this also applies to battle), he should have not only high statistics but also a SPECIAL attack too. It's entirely possible that we don't even know half about Papyrus. Therefore, I will even say that Gaster himself had a weapon specifically for Papyrus. If Sans has a blaster, then most likely Papyrus has a shield! And not just a shield, but a shield made of bones! I think it would go perfectly with his look! It turns out that while Sans has a ranged combat, Papyrus has a close-range one!

So what about Swaps? If characters close to each other exchanged roles and character, then they also exchanged their history and date of birth (however, it is worth considering that there are exceptions). Swap Gaster(?), just like Undertale Gaster, decided to create someone similar to himself, but unlike the other, he decided to go a different route. While Gaster decided to create the first one for long-range combat, his Swap version decided to create someone for close combat with humans. But at the same time with the ability to dodge. This means that the scheme with low statistics also works with Swap Papyrus (however, just like the Undertale Papyrus, according to my theory, he also has a shield). Therefore, for his defense, Swap Gaster later created a second skeleton. According to his idea, unlike the first skeleton, the second one had to be not only strong in statistics but also in magic. However, like Papyrus from Undertale, Swap Sans turned out to be too mercyful towards the others. That's why he never realizes his true potential...

However, as I said earlier, Papyrus has less magic and attacks than Sans but not Swap Sans since he was created by Swap Gaster as a more perfect version of the first sample (Swap Paryrus). That is, the Swap brothers have a different story( with more angst) and relationship with each other! Swap Papyrus, as a child, soon learned about Swap Gaster’s plan and start treating Swap Sans with jealousy and even hate. Only later he realize that Swap Sans was not to blame for anything and that their “father” was the one who really deserved to be blamed. Soon the relationship between the Swap brothers improved over the years and only became stronger. Yes, in my version of Swap Papyrus, to put it mildly, HATES Swap Gaster. However, as events unfold, Swap Gaster will try to apologize to skelebrothers(especially to Papyrus) for everything he has done (Yes, he is not at all such a jerk as I describe him and for many years he experienced a strong feeling of guilt).

#undertale #underswap #undertale theory #sans #papyrus #wd gaster #dr gaster #mysteryman #swap gaster #swap sans #swap papyrus #in my version Swap Gaster did a lot of bad things like Undertale Gaster (according to the theory of many he was a mad scientist)#I would even say he is a little worse but not intentionally #since Swap Gaster still mentally abused skelebrothers since in the past he mostly was more concerned about his job and saving the monsters

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grailfinders · 8 months ago

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Grailfinders Viewers' Choice #25: Suzuka Gozen (Santa)

today on Grailfinders we’re finally striking back against arcade by building one of their unique servants! sure they finished their story and stopped releasing new servants almost a year ago, but it’s better late than never!

today we’re building Suzuka Gozen Santa, who is to date the only evil santa servant, afaik. she’s a Peace Cleric to inspire love in those around her, as well as a Divine Soul Sorcerer to get her demon fox magicks. there’s precious little arcade info available outside of official trailers and machine translations, so forgive us if we speculate.

check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Ancestry & Background

once again, since we’re building an existing servant in a new outfit, her race and background are pretty much unchanged from the original. mostly because WotC still hasn’t returned our calls about adding a fox race to D&D, but I digress. Suzuka’s a Swiftstride Shifter, giving her Darkvision and free proficiency in the Acrobatics skill. she can also fox it up with some Shifting, giving her faux ears for up to a minute as a bonus action. while be-eared, she gains temporary HP equal to her level + her constitution modifier, and gains an extra 10’ of movement speed. on top of that, you can react to someone moving within melee range to run away from them without provoking opportunity attacks. she also gets +2 Dexterity and +1 Charisma.

as Santa Suzuka’s probably more of an acolyte than before, but it still gives her proficiency in Insight and Performance.

Ability Scores

her stats, on the other hand, have changed rather dramatically. this time her Charisma is as high as possible, with her Wisdom in a close second. everyone loves Santa, and you probably have four ears so you’re great at hearing things. spears are still Strength weapons, so that has to be decent, and I’m not going to be cruel enough to give you a +0 in Constitution, so those are third and fourth, respectively. that means your Dexterity isn’t great, but we’re dumping Intelligence. I don’t think Suzuka’s actually that dumb, but I do think she’d act that dumb to play the part of a high school girl better.

Class Levels

1. Cleric 1: if we want to be a lancer, we need to start as a cleric. that means we get proficiency in Wisdom and Charisma saves, as well as Religion and History. Saint Nick’s old as balls, and since you’re a Santa Cleric, I guess that means Santa’s a god now. not the weirdest basis for a religion I’ve ever seen. as a Peace Cleric, you are an Implement of Peace, giving you proficiency in Persuasion. Santas publicly admit that they watch children while they sleep and nobody’s creeped out by that, that’s some god-tier persuasion right there.

you can also give your party an Emboldening Bond as an action Proficiency times a day, choosing up to Proficiency number of creatures to bond with for up to ten minutes. as long as any two of those creatures are within 30’ of each other, they can add 1d4 per turn to an attack, check, or save. kind of like guidance, but through the power of love.

you also learn some Spells, which you prep and cast using Wisdom. since you can change spells to match the occasion, the exact ones you pick each day don’t matter, but I’ll give you some highlights. that being said, Clerics have one of the strongest spell lists in the game, so you’re definitely spoiled for choice.

that being said your cantrips are pretty stuck on, so let’s go over them, Light lets you make your spear all shiny, and since it doesn’t specify the light has to be a static color you can totally make your spear say something if you spin it around fast enough. Thaumaturgy will help your ho-ho-hos carry through the night, and Resistance will help you not die. nobody likes dying, so don’t do it, lest whatever killed you becomes the new Santa.

as a peace Cleric you’ll always have Heroism and Sanctuary prepped- the former gives a teammate extra HP and immunity to fear, while the latter gives a creature protection from attack for up to a minute, or until they attack first. honestly, who would punch santa? anyone who succeeds on their wisdom saves. you also get spells like Ceremony, which isn’t in character but it does mean you can marry people, which feels like a natural endpoint for the “make everyone fall in love” character. you can also Cure Wounds now. think of it as a little christmas gift to whoever has the lowest HP.

2. Cleric 2: second level Clerics can Channel Divinity as an action, either Turning Undead and making them run away, or delivering a Balm of Peace to your allies. with this, you can move up to your speed without getting attacked, giving every friend you pass a little pick-me-up as you go. and that’s how you deliver presents to everyone in the party in a single turn.

3. Cleric 3: third level Clerics get second level spells, like Aid and Warding Bond. aid makes extra HP for everyone, and warding bond lets you take hits for someone else. but you barely have positive constitution, so. don’t. you can also Calm Emotions now, which sounds like the opposite of what we’re trying to do, but it’s hard to let love into your heart when anger’s in there too, y’know? you could also Enhance Ability to make someone more charismatic, or make a Prayer of Healing for a group heal when you have the downtime.

4. cleric 4: at fourth level you become a dual wielder thanks to ur first ability score improvement! this one doesn’t improve your ability scores which makes the name kind of pointless but it does let you carry two spears at once! while doin that u get a +1 bonus to ac which you rlly need and you can draw both spears at the same time!

this is actually a pretty bad feat but we need it for lore reasons!

5. cleric 5: fifth level clerics get to Destroy Undead instead of turning it, instantly killing any undead monster of CR ½ or lower whomst fails their wisdom save. they also get third level spells or whatever.

Sending lets you direct tweet anyone 25 words or less and they can send a message back, though if you try to target someone on another plane, there’s a 5% chance the spell fails. Beacon of Hope gives as many creatures as you wish within 30’ of you advantage on wisdom and death saves, as well as maxed-out healing.

as for your chosen spells, Bestow Curse and Remove Curse are kind of like single-person versions of your NP, weakening obstacles to love, or freeing someone to find love, respectively. if you just want an AoE attack, get Spirit Guardians.

6. Cleric 6: at sixth level Clerics can channel divinity twice as often, and your bond is now a Protective Bond, so if any bonded creature takes damage while another one is nearby, the latter can teleport next to the former and take the damage for them. given that you currently have less than 30 HP and an AC of 11, you’ll probably get a lot of use out of this.

7. Cleric 7: seventh level Clerics get fourth level spells! you get Aura of Purity and Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere for free, and to be honest there’s not much else we need for the build here so let’s just enjoy the mercifully short level for a change.

8. Sorcerer 1: okay enough of that time to pile it back on. as a Divine Soul sorcerer, you’re Favored by the Gods, letting you add 2d4 to any failed save or attack roll once a short rest. foxes are just cooler, it’s a fact.

you also get Divine Magic, which is like normal sorcerer magic, (cast with charisma, mixes with cleric magic so check the phb to see how many spell slots you have, spells only change on level-up,) but you can also pick from Cleric spells too! you could already pick from Cleric spells by being a Cleric, and with more freedom due to the preparation system, but it’s there.

in more useful news, you get Inflict Wounds for free, so now you can deal a lot of damage in a short amount of time. you also get another cavalcade of cantrips, like Friends to make friends, Mending to keep your unrealistic battle outfit in one piece, Message for more texting, and Sword Burst to spin around and poke stuff.

on top of that, you get first level spells like Charm Person to again make friends, and Fog Cloud to set the scene. I imagine reflavoring the fog to be a bunch of falling snow wouldn’t be too big a stretch.

9. Sorcerer 2: second level sorcerers are a Font of Magic, letting you turn spell slots into sorcery points and vice-versa. right now, this just means you have an extra 1st level spell slot every day you remember it exists.

you can use that spell slot to cast Mage Armor, so your AC is no longer terrible! now it’s just kind of bad!

10. Sorcerer 3: third level sorcerers can spend their sorcery points on Metamagic! it’s magic, but meeeetaa! you can make a spell Heightened to force whatever you’re hitting to have disadvantage on the save or Subtle so nobody can notice you cast the spell.

you can also turn one of your spears into a Magic Weapon, dealing +1 damage and gaining a +1 on all attack rolls. ideally your legendary spears would be given by the DM at some point, but if you need a magic spear, now its here.

11. Sorcerer 4: fourth level sorcerers get another ASI, and with Piercer your Strength can finally get evened out while also making all your spears better! now you can reroll one piercing attack’s damage die once per turn to avoid 1’s, and your critical piercing hits get an extra die of damage slapped on! I wouldn’t call suzuka a melee powerhouse, but she’s got more mightocondria now.

you can also cast Blade Ward now to not die on impact with an actual fighter, and Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm. Suzuka probably can’t summon snowballs at will, but it feels Santa-ish and nobody can say otherwise.

12. Sorcerer 5: fifth level sorcerers can spend their SP on Magical Guidance, letting you re-roll a failed check. you also get magical magic like Slow, our real NP for the build. I’m sure the part in Suzuka’s bio that talks about hindering obstacles to love isn’t quite so literal, but for a third level spell it can seriously mess people up- up to six creatures can be affected, and if they fail their wisdom save they’ll have half speed, -2 AC and dex saves, can’t use reactions, and have to choose between their action or bonus action. on top of that, spells have a 50/50 chance to take two turns to cast. the big downside is they keep making wisdom saves every turn, but particularly unwise individuals can get slowed down for up to a minute.

13. Sorcerer 6: sixth level holy soulies have Empowered Healing- whenever you or someone next to you casts a healing spell, you can spend 1 SP to re-roll any number of dice you wish. dying is a pretty big obstacle to love. so are fireballs, now that I think of it, so grab Protection from Energy as well.

14. Sorcerer 7: our last level of sorcerer is just to pick up the fourth level spell Dimension Door. you gotta be able to take all your selfies at the best angle, after all.

15. Cleric 8: now that we’re back in our original class, you get a long-awaited ASI to spend on Wisdom. plus, you get a stronger Destroy Undead that kills anything CR 1 or lower, and Blessed Strikes! once per turn, you can add an extra die of radiant damage to any damaging cantrip you cast or attack you make. turns out jamming a glo-stick into someone’s ribs hurts!

16. Cleric 9: ninth level Clerics get fifth level spells, and again there’s not really much to talk about- though that’s because the one I really wanted you get for free. Greater Restoration can cure an ally of tons of different kinds of impairments to love, like exhaustion, petrification, or paradoxically enough, charming. true love doesn’t come from the magic of magic, it comes from the magic of christmas! you also get Rary’s Telepathic Bond if you want to put everyone on your cell plan.

17. Cleric 10: tenth level Clerics get one of the most powerful features in the game when it works, Divine Intervention. basically, once a day (with a week’s cooldown upon working) you have a 1/10 chance of calling up your dad and having him solve whatever problem you’re dealing with. given that he’s a demon king, that might end badly.

or you can use your last cantrip Guidance for a 1d4 bonus to an ability check for a bit after you cast it. if guidance could help I’d hold off on summoning a god.

18. Cleric 11: Destroy Undead hits CR 2 creatures now, and you get 6th level spells like Heroes’ Feast, one of the better party-wide buffs you can use. you spend a short rest chowing down with friends to cure all diseases and poisons, gain immunity to the poisoned and frightened conditions, gain advantage on all wisdom saves, and their HP maximum goes up for 24 hours. (also you could argue that combining this with Beacon of Hope’s healing feature you can max out the HP buff for a couple people, but that’s pretty close to rules lawyering)

19. Cleric 12: we get one last ASI, so bump up that Wisdom once more for stronger spells and harder to make saves.

20. Cleric 13: our final level of the build gives us access to Suzuka’s reality marble, letting her make a Temple of the Gods, or in Santa terms, a shopping mall. this spell takes an hour to cast, but lets you set up a 120 square foot complex of your choosing, and your temple can block out certain types of creatures, forcing them out if they fail a charisma save and reducing all their rolls while inside. it also blocks divination, and improves your healing to boot!

Pros & Cons

Pros:

this santa does a little bit of everything, with offensive spells for damage, weapon skills to fall back on if magic fails, healing, buffing, debuffing, and even social spells, you’ll never be a fish out of water. because you’re a fox, and a fox out of water is pretty standard all things considered.

while a lot of buffers tend to focus on making one character powerful, you have access to a suite of party-wide buffs to make everyone a bit better! love doesn’t play favorites, after all! (also you never know who the necromancer’s going to try and charm, even if it probably will be the barbarian again)

thanks to being a swiftstride shifter, you move a lil faster than most casters, and that means it’s easier for you to stay out of danger. you’ve also got access to plenty of ways to escape from melee range without provoking attacks, which can really come in handy when you resort to throwing spears around.

Cons:

you need all that speed, because if you do get caught unawares you’re going to go down easily. you have barely over 100 HP at level 20, and your AC is atrocious right up until you get mage armor at level 9. don’t get killed, we can’t take another santa clause reboot.

we didn’t have enough ASIs to max out your casting features, so your heightened spells are a godsend. unfortunately, you don’t have a lot of sorcerer points, so you can’t actually use them too much without burning spell slots.

on a related note, this build lacks focus. that’s not inherently a bad thing, but it means you’ll have to get creative to stand on par with more specialized builds.

#fgo #fate grand order #D&D 5e #DND #Suzuka Gozen #fgo arcade #cleric #sorcerer

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