#raistlin and magic shows

[skull-bearer]

Chapters: 5/? Fandom: Dragonlance - Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dalamar the Dark/Raistlin Majere Characters: Raistlin Majere, Dalamar the Dark, Mari, William Sweetwater, Par-Salian (Dragonlance), Justarius (Dragonlance), Ladonna (Dragonlance), Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Coming Back, Second Chances, Changing the Darkness, Towers of High Sorcery, Return, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Optimism, Definitely Upbeat, Friendship, Dating, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, ish, Healing, Cuddles, Things Get Better, Secret Identity, Secret Identity Fail, magic shows, Raistlin actually having fun for once Series: Part 2 of A Second Chance Summary:

Raistlin is alive again, and determined to make the most of it. He meets old friends, and some both old and new.

Chapter 5 Dalamar finds Raistlin at last.

[clash-of-the-wizards]

CLASH OF THE WIZARDS ROUND 1-B BOUT 10

MOIRAINE DAMODRED (Wheel of Time) VS RAISTLIN MAJERE (Dragonlance)

Propaganda under the cut!

PROPAGANDA

MOIRAINE DAMODRED "What if Gandalf was a middle aged milf trying to drag the Chosen One to his destiny kicking and screaming? Stop Rejecting the Call, already, we have an apocalypse to win! In the tv show adaption, she’s played by Rosamund Pike & dating the wizard pope."

"Moiraine trained to become an Aes Sedai (an order of female mages) in the White Tower from a young age. She witnessed a prophecy about the Dragon Reborn being reincarnated to save or destroy the world, and dedicated the next 20 years of her life to finding the Dragon and protecting him from forces of evil that would try to use him to end the world. Moiraine is driven and ruthless in the service of her cause. She has sacrificed her personal desires and ambitions to live a life of constant danger and terrible secrets, in the hope of preventing the world from falling into Shadow. When the stakes are the continued existence of everything and everyone, how could she give less than everything she has?"

RAISTLIN MAJERE "Sadly created several decades too early to be a true tumblr sexy man, the magically powerful, emotionally tormented, sickly, evil for power he tries to use for good (sort of), Raistlin Majere is a classic poor little meow meow. Originating as the twin of Caramon Majere, in Wiess & Hickman’s ADD campaign, Raistlin is a hero* of the War of the Lance. He’s been featured in an impressive number of Dragonlance books (and the ‘08 animated movie), while alive, dead, returned, and undead. Check out his Wikipedia page! *hero/antihero/antagonist. It’s complicated when you’re in a ton of pulp action novels"

[kendertrove]

Dragons of Autumn Twilight highlights, part 3

-The draconians chase the group into the woods but then stop, figuring they have nowhere to escape to. Too bad the draconians didn’t block off Darken Wood.

-Sturm has a concussion from the fight and sees a white stag no one else can see. The stag leads them to Darken. Is it a hallucination as a result of his concussion, or a vision sent to guide him like the one that appeared to his hero Huma in the Age of Dreams? The world will never know.

-Raist is trying to put the pieces together but nobody wants to listen to him. “Children’s stories” indeed.

-Even though Raistlin knows more about Darken Wood than the rest of them combined, they still don’t want to listen to him. Surely he’s exaggerating the danger, right? Well, that’s the kind of thinking that gets you eaten, my friend.

-Soon after they stop, the group is surrounded by revenant warriors who can only communicate by using Raistlin’s voice. He gets overloaded a few times when the revenants all try to talk at once – that doesn’t seem pleasant.

-Tas gives the revenants the story thus far, in a way that wouldn’t make any sense at all if you hadn’t read the earlier scenes for yourself. I do love Tas’s stories.

-Since the party has the blue crystal staff everyone’s looking for, centaurs show up to take them to the Forestmaster.

-I’m honestly not sure how i feel about this whole sequence. It’s weird that in all the Dragonlance books i’ve read, this is the only part with centaurs, pegasi, and a unicorn. They just don’t seem to fit in with the rest of the world at all. Not to mention that the centaurs insist on addressing the party in Middle English, without any knowledge of grammar works in Middle English. I could go on a whole long rant about this, because it’s not – or shouldn’t be – that hard. The centaurs have worse grammar than gully dwarves, and that’s saying something.

-The Forestmaster throws them a party and tells them about the draconians and where Goldmoon needs to go next. When i write it out this way, it seems awfully contrived.

-Everyone’s trying to guess what the “greatest treasure” waiting for them in Xak Tsaroth is. Coins? Jewels? A magic sword? Flint figures “a keg of ale, and Otik’s spiced potatoes.” Someone has his priorities in order.

-As a side note, i found a recipe for Otik’s spiced potatoes once (i think in the Annotated Chronicles or Legends?) and it’s been a staple of my family’s diet ever since. I think it’s my favorite way to eat potatoes.

-The Forestmaster promised them all a ride to Xak Tsaroth, but her pegasi stop less than halfway because they’re scared to go any further. What was even the point then?

-Everyone has to be under a magical sleep while flying. What’s the point of that, either? I mean, i get that naturally landed beings might panic while up in the sky, but i think Tanis’s group aren’t getting enough credit. They know they’re going to fly, and it’s probably safer if you’re consciously holding on rather than just flopping around unconsciously.

[honourablejester]

Homebrew Magic Item: Gauntglass

Well. More like a homebrew magic material? You got a couple of options for how to use it and what objects to put it in.

Raistlin Majere’s hourglass eyes from Dragonlance were a bit of an inspiration for this, as were Dracula’s blue spectacles in 1992’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (we will not speak of the plot of said movie, but the costumes were absolutely stunning). And, as always, there’s a bit of the Masque of the Red Death in here too. Can’t go wrong with Poe.

GAUNTGLASS

Gauntglass is faintly bluish clear glass, the manufacture of which (or, possibly, mining of which, if you listen to certain rumours) is a closely guarded secret. Gauntglass has one very simple property and effect: it reverses the perception of vitality. Any living creature viewed through or reflected in gauntglass will appear as if dead, and any corpse or undead creature will appear as they were in life. In addition, gauntglass, tied as it is to more arcane perception, is not affected by illusions. It will show death as life and life as death, regardless of what masks either should wear.

Gauntglass has been used in several ways and objects over the years.

A small gauntglass handmirror is considered a useful tool for monster hunters and other people who have reason to believe they may encounter the undead, possibly disguised as corpses or, worse, as living people.

Gauntglass spectacles are also considered useful for such endeavours, though they are considered more dangerous and mentally damaging over time, as the more permanent view of all living things in a state of decay around the wearer has … adverse effects. Gauntglass spectacles are also used by some investigatory organisations, as a way to identify badly damaged or decomposed corpses by viewing them as they would have appeared in life.

Larger gauntglass mirrors have been used as both defenses against undead, such as in public buildings, and as macabre decorations by those who can afford the material in large quantities. For several years there was a craze among certain sections of the nobility for the danse macabre, lavish parties set in ballrooms ringed with gauntglass mirrors, so all there would see their deaths awaiting them in their reflections as they partied.

There have been rumours, also, of gauntglass lenses being used in larger apparatuses. In particular, there are rumours of a telescope of gauntglass, through which one can witness the dead stars and moons and perhaps worlds that litter the skies. Dead, of course, because of the effects of gauntglass. But one wonders if there will come a time when what appears to be a living star will be viewed through the bluish glass …

[mage-of-black-robes]

Send Spicy Pics of Your Muse | @runyou-clever-boy

Several years had passed since the battle of Hogwarts; Raistlin was nearing thirty now, and so much had changed. He no longer wore glasses, preferring contacts because they meant fewer visits to the eye doctor, and thus fewer questions about what the hell had happened to his eyes. Amber irises were one thing, but his hourglass shaped pupils always drew an undignified gasp from any who examined them. His hair had grown out long and silky, still carrying its soft waves, but had been turned stark white by a mishap with some sort of dark magic that he’d long since abandoned. His work had carried him all over the world, hunting down ex-Death Eaters and newly emerging evils, and it was starting to show in his face, though just barely. A small crease in his forehead here, a few tiny worry lines at the corners of his eyes there. He’d grown up.

From the looks of the photo Zacharias had sent him just now, so had he, a thought that made Raistlin smirk as he laid in bed bathed in the soft glow of early morning, gazing at his phone. Zacharias Smith was one of the few classmates he’d kept in touch with, despite their brief falling out after the battle. He had genuinely been relieved when the other’s roommate had finally convinced him to get a phone; owls were slow and too much of a hassle. They’d been texting back and forth ever since, with Raistlin occasionally stopping by to ‘visit’ him. Seeing such a beautiful image of his friend made him crave another such visit, and he wondered if the other felt the same.

[text]{Pretty Boy 🖤} - What a sight to wake up to. Is that your way of telling me you miss me?

He grinned as he sent the teasing text, but it was bittersweet. There were times when being half a world away from the other genuinely made his heart ache, and not in the literal sense that he was used to. This was starting to feel like one of those times. To combat his growing loneliness, the wizard decided to retaliate, yawning, stretching, and padding over to the sliding glass door that led to his hotel room’s balcony. Tokyo’s skyline at sunrise would make a gorgeous backdrop for this. His bare torso glimmered sunkissed, pale locks still tied back in the messy bun he’d slept in, and as he snapped the selfie, his handsome face bore a sultry yet casual expression. He sent it off without looking it over, embarrassed that he’d even thought to do it in the first place, and quickly set about getting ready for his day.

[echo-bleu]

Tidbit Tuesday

Thanks for the tag @thescrapwitch!

I have been writing very little lately, and crucially no Silm fic, but my Last Trial obsession is holding me fast and I started a couple of Dragonlance fics as a result, so I do actually have some writing to show.

Dalamar should finish him off. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t— Takhisis had not come, but Raistlin would forever be a danger to the world. A master too powerful, too ambitious—much like Fistandantilus before him, he would come back to haunt them all. He couldn’t be allowed to live. Or was that was Par-Salian had convinced him of? Caramon and Tanis were both yelling behind him, but Dalamar couldn’t make sense of their words. Couldn’t make sense of anything but Raistlin before him, but the agony in his body and the echoes in his head, the world reduced to a small point. A spear, at the tip of his fingers. A choice. Finally taking a great gulp of air—had Dalamar loosened the spell without meaning to?—Raistlin met his eyes. “Shirak,” he mouthed, one hand twitching. Nothing happened. And Dalamar knew. The choice was barely a choice at all. He let the spell go. Raistlin fell to his knees, coughing and hacking once more. “What are you doing, you need to kill him—” Tanis was still yelling at his back, but Dalamar cut him off. “He is no danger to us anymore. He has no magic.”

tagging @chthonion @t-lane-writes @thelordofgifs @camille-lachenille

[adacalmlove]

Hi there Ada,

My name is Dylan and I came upon you're chibi drawing of Raistlin pre-black robes awhile ago and fell in love with it. I really want an animated version of it to use as an Avatar and was wondering if it would be possible to commission you to make one. The animation would be nothing to complex, just basically him walking, blinking and maybe some sort of magic effect on the staff head. If you do not do animations, would it be possible for me to purchase a license from you with permission to commission an animation for it from somewhere else like fiver?

Hello! Thank you so much for your attention to my work and for sharing your love for this character! I don't take commissions due to limited time. You can use the drawing for non-commercial use in any way for free

I would be grateful if you show me the result!

[onewomancitadel]

I think you could almost definitely write a Darklina romance that kept in accordance with the themes the author wanted to explore which would chiefly have to involve the persona of the Darkling dying. You would definitely have to keep the decentralisation of magic. There is no version of a Darklina endgame I can envision that doesn't completely change the fabric of the books to become an entirely separate series though.

The idea never was for Alina to become empowered by the Darkling, he's a corrupting force, but it ends up textually muddied because of the intertextual influences and the way the author really, really clearly flirted with the idea and felt bad about it. To the point the shame Alina should feel feels like the shame the author feels for enjoying bad wizards (as she's attested to in interviews).

The problem is that of course the worldbuilding of the books is sort of pseudo-realistic (not really) and so is its handling of magic ('small science') and its morality is similarly sort of high fantasy through a cynical lense so I understand why she went with the death penalty for the Darkling since Bardugo is not all that imaginative and her ethics seem pretty questionable. But the symbolic 'death' of the Darkling would have ameliorated this. Taking on a mortal identity and living out his days with Alina - his symbolic assumption of humanity answering her own rejection of all-consuming power - is possible to make work.

But I don't think I've ever seen any transformative works of the Darklina pairing explore this (correct me if I'm wrong) mostly because what's appealing about Darklina is that dark fantasy which you're supposed to feel bad about. It's a problem to the author, of course, when you don't feel bad about it. (Did I mention I hate finger wagging narrative).

It doesn't help that Alina/Mal in the books is laughably terrible (like - seriously misogynistic and not cute, though it's really funny because shipping Darklina means you want women to get hurt apparently) and so of course there's going to be interest in the alternatives. The show adaptation is trying very hard to fix this as it's an obvious weakspot (which doesn't speak too strongly to the author's writing abilities since it's the endgame romance that everything was building towards).

Most of the time ideas and themes you want to explore are not the problem and they can be worked out and fixed. The thinking and execution in The Grisha Trilogy and its implicit commentary on its influential material (e.g. the Raistlins of fantasy) are really where it gets embarrassing. That plus I don't think she researched anything Russian or Chinese whatsoever for any of her worldbuilding and there's no justifying it. The Greg Trilogy indeed.

[kendertrove]

Dragons of Autumn Twilight highlights, part 1

-A quest has to originate in a tavern. Always.

-There’s a mysterious old man arranging things according to narrative necessity. I wonder if he’ll be important. Not.

-Everyone’s introduced as old comrades who haven’t seen each other in years. I really like this method. You get a lot of exposition out of the way when they catch up with each other, but the characters are already used to each other and work well together.

-In Tas’s first appearance, he pranks Tanis and Flint, especially Flint. Now that’s a great introduction to his character.

-There are hints that new, bad stuff is going on in their hometown.

-A joyful reunion. It gets awkward because of how things have changed in the past few years. Nobody is comfortable around Raistlin. Kitiara never even bothered to show up, because her new job is more important. At least she sent a note.

-The mysterious old man throws his party. Like all good parties, it involves exposition through song, lighting a dude on fire, and magic. Everyone has to run away.

-Goldmoon has the magic staff the goblins have all been looking for. It can heal people, but it doesn’t want Raistlin touching it.

-Tanis and company end up having to take the barbarians to safety. No one could have seen that coming. Mysterious old man, you have arranged things well.

-The worldbuilding is really casual. Weis & Hickman don’t dwell on things like what kind of creatures live here or how many moons there are; it just gets mentioned and then we move on. I like it.

[curiouselleth]

Okay so Kazmin’s Dalamar is definitely less unhinged, but he has such Creature Vibes it’s a bit predatory, like Raistlins in his territory and he has all the power now… wonderful. Yarik also screamed MAMA so desperately he sounded so destroyed

His trying to crawl away from Takhisis but her magically pulling him back was SO well done too! Someone wrap him up in a blanket, put him out of Takhisis’s reach, and give him therapy.

And he was trembling, trying to fight her SO HARD at the end but he couldn’t do it. AARGGGG YARIK YOURE AMAZING

Then his not being able to stay standing for more than a second and falling down again, then after a few seconds him standing so surely and strong for the first time in tie show�� then his steps becoming uncertain but for such a different reason…

AND HE WAS HITTING AND PUNCHING THE FLOOR BEFORE DIVING AND KISSING CRYSANIA AND HOLDING HIS HEAD WHILE WALKING AWAY

I just- AAARGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH

Then he was smiling a bit, triumphantly before Lord of Nothing, and it defiantly lingered through his first verse, then it slowly went away as he looked around and realization hit… and he sounded like he started crying and fighting back the sobs in the second to last verse then falling completely down, face on the stage, sobbing once, then the last verse when he stands for the last time 😭😭😭

This is not okay. Yaroslav Bayarunas how dare you? (<- extremely complementary)

Yarik brought his A game and then some. In conclusion, I have gone insane, am crying, and need floor time 👍

I 100% recommend this performance

(also Crysania (Yanvaria?) got a standing ovation she looked so happy it was wonderful, they had to zoom out because they couldn’t see the stage past the audiences standing ovation! They also closed the curtain too early before everyone got flowers and Yarik very dramatically stopped it which was funny. Yarik, Yanvaria and Kazmin were all overloaded with flowers which was delightful)

I’m watching the May 6th 2023 preformance of the last trial for the first time and. Yarik (Raistlin) was making CHOICES on May 6th but they’re coming to get me NOW on October 10th. (Also Alexander Kazmin as Dalamar, 💯 A+)

I’m not even to intermission and Yarik is killing me. Pathetic coughing? Off the charts. Amazing. I wanted to force him to sit down and drink water, it sounded painful. He was falling down coughing.

Micro expressions and general desperation? INSANE. Just. So much more than usual he’s killing me it’s SO GOOD. He said Caramon like 3 times, each louder and more panicked after finding out Caramon was captured.

He was desperately and somewhat panicky running after Crysania in prosecutor.

He was sitting down, rocking back and forth with his head down after Crysania stopped them from hurting Caramon more, looking like he was trying so hard not to have a full on freak out.

Just the little things in how he’s saying lines is infusing SO MUCH into his performance I don’t have the words.

HE KINDA TENDERLY HELD CARAMONS HEAD BEFORE SENDING HIM TO THE ARENA AND THEN AGAIN TO TRY TO REASSURE CARAMON AFTER HE THREW DOWN HIS WEAPON REFUSING TO FIGHT

Anyway in conclusion I am going insane and am going to be having floor time for the next few days. (Link to where to buy this performance if anyone’s interested 💖)

[storytelller-drabbles-english]

«The Last Trial». Takhisis, Raistlin Majere, Rosamun Majere. Death (#1)

Notes:

I write in Russian and use a translator. If you find any errors, please let me know about it.

___

Takhisis stretched on her throne in boredom. After damn Raistlin Majere sealed the Gates of the Abyss to save the world (and locked her inside), nothing interesting happened in the Abyss itself.

He's weak. He is so weak, but he was able to defeat her, the very Mistress of Darkness! Takhisis hissed irritably, not wanting to admit final defeat. She'll get to him. She would make him pay for everything he had done! She closed her eyes, searching for him in the Darkness.

Where are you...

I'll find you...

He was sleeping peacefully. In the dream, he was with his mother and brother and seemed very happy. The sky above them was bright blue, the twins' mother, Rosamun, was smiling at them both, and the boys were snuggled up to her, basking in the rays of the warm sun. Takhisis hissed softly, letting out his nightmares. She crouched in the shadows, watching and waiting for the right moment. Very soon she will break it. He will become an obedient toy in her hands and then she will force him to open the Gate. Takhisis smiled softly, tasting the sweet taste of his fear when he realized she was here. She knew what needed to be done in order to start breaking him — to take his mother, the most precious thing he has.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed. The sky quickly overcast and the wind came. Rosamun tightened her arms around her sons, as if she understood what was going to happen. But she couldn't stop it. Caramon and Raistlin clung to their mother, but only one of them clearly understood what would happen next and therefore clung to his mother more desperately.

When tentacles reached out from the Darkness, Raistlin screamed and jumped to his feet, and then ran forward, trying to protect his mother.

"Raistlin," Rosamun called softly, looking at the approaching tentacles. They circled around him as if they couldn't go any further. Then they surrounded him. The sphere was getting darker and darker…

Rosamun got to her feet, clasping her eldest son's hands in hers.

"It's all right, honey," she assured him, leaving a long goodbye kiss on his forehead, "I love you".

"I love you, Mom," Caramon's voice reached Takhisis.

Rosamun moved toward Raistlin, looking around warily. She seemed to hold her breath until she approached her youngest son.

She easily walked right into the shadows, driving them away from herself and Raistlin, but they were still circling nearby. When the young magician looked at his mother in bewilderment, she sat down next to him.

"I love you, Raistlin. Please don't give in to the Darkness," Rosamun looked at him seriously, "it won't lead to anything good."

When Raistlin nodded, she gently hugged him and kissed him on the forehead. He held out his hands to his mother, but she pulled away, walking towards the shadows.

"No, Mom!" He cried desperately, clinging to the hem of her dress. "Stay, Mom, stay! Don't go there!"

"I have to, honey," Rosamun smiled sadly at him, "please go to your brother, okay? He will help you."

"I love you, Mom, don't leave! Please don't leave!" Raistlin was getting more and more desperate and was already on the verge of tears.

She gently unhooked his hands and gave Caramon a little push.

"Go. And goodbye," came to him with the wind.

Raistlin's desperate cry was drowned out by the descending Darkness.

"Don't touch them. You need me, so take it, but don't touch my children," the woman whispered.

"I can't swear," Takhisis smiled.

"Raistlin is a smart boy, he won't mess with magic like I do, and Caramon isn't interested in it," Rosamun smiled with relief, "they're safe. You can't touch them."

"Why won't it? See for yourself."

Takhisis showed the astonished mother how her sonhad really changed.

"Your son defeated me and imprisoned me in the Abyss with the help of magic", the goddess hissed.

"No…" Rosamun whispered in amazement, shaking her head as if refusing to believe it.

"He defeated me, but soon I will break him... with your help."

The woman didn't even have time to turn around. Rosamun's scream was swallowed up by Darkness.

Takhisis smiled. From now on, she would be the only one in his dreams. She'll break it. And then he will come and open the Gates to her.

And she will win.

Photo by Julia Gubina (https://vk.com/photo-48269334_457256277)

[mage-of-black-robes]

PINNED (Vax; @mxrvelouscreations

Send "PINNED" for your muse to pin mine against a wall. | @mxrvelouscreations

Honestly, of all the reasons for Vax’ildan to pin him down, all the fantasies and nightmares that plagued his mind day and night about the dashing rogue, this was one he had never considered. It still flustered him, of course; how could one not be moved to blush when the object of his affections handled him in such a manner? “I meant no harm,” he defended, keeping his voice steady as he tried to explain his shenanigans with Grog and Scanlan. “Well…alright, perhaps a little bit of harm. But not to those two! Or us, or any innocent bystanders!” This wasn’t going well. Clearly.

He let out a frustrated sigh, trying to get his words in order. Perhaps simply telling the truth, or most of it, would get Vax to back off a little. “Do you remember that snobby noble fellow from a day or two ago? The one who was going on about how certain people didn’t belong in polite society, and then got upset when Perceval asked him how he could possibly know what polite society was like?” It was one of the few moments where he and the bespectacled gunsmith had actually agreed on something. The man was a prick, and Raistlin greatly admired the casual manner in which Percy had knocked the wind out of his sails. Not that he would ever admit it out loud. “Well, apparently, Scanlan thought something was off about him, so he looked into it, and discovered a scandal worth airing out. Nothing dangerous. Or so we thought. He and Grog and I had been working on our whole ‘traveling band of circus freaks’ schtick, and he thought that would be the perfect time to put it to use. By the way, if you’re wondering, purple suits me very nicely; leotards, not so much.” He laughed dryly, hoping to bring a bit of much needed levity to the situation, then continued to explain how the trio had used their show to expose the now-disgraced noble in spectacular fashion, and how it had all gone sideways.

The man’s personal guards had chased them for several blocks, causing chaos throughout the city. Raistlin had resorted to polymorphing the others and himself into rats in order to shake them off. It had truly been one of the strangest and most disgusting hours of his life. “At least we survived,” he tried, knowing full well that it was no excuse. He should never have accepted Scanlan’s proposal, but it had seemed like a fun idea at the time. Not even a good one. Just…fun. Like the capers he and his brother used to pull off with Tanis and the others in their youth. Before the Test, before the war and Takhisis, long before he’d ended up in this world that was still so foreign to him. He’d even been performing magic tricks that he hadn’t attempted in at least a decade, making people laugh and smile! “I’m sorry,” he finally said, deflating. “It will never happen again. You have my word.”

[warlock-enthusiast]

Dragonlance week #6 - changes

I'm late, I'm late! But here some mild Raistlin x Dalamar, because they were one of my first ships.

Fandom: Dragonlance

Characters: Raistlin x Dalamar

Rating: M

@dragonlance-week

------

With his conflicting emotions, Dalamar found himself staring at his master. The subtle movements of his fingers, his self-assured usage of magic. Damnation. He hated himself for lacking concentration and focusing on Raistlin instead of learning the spell.

“Come here, dark-elf.”

Dalamar gulped and quickly hid beneath the hem of his hood. “Of course.”

“Closer.”

Did Raistlin smile? No, he must’ve imagined it. His master seldom showed emotions besides cruelty and sarcasm.

Raistlin’s skin smelled like herbs and ointments though. Dalamar felt heat beneath those black robes and hoped that his body wouldn’t betray him. He needed to get his minds of such things, of his master. Maybe he’d be allowed to visit a town, preferable one large enough to offer the services of a brothel. Just to clear his mind. Hire some slender, young guy and be done with it.

“I need the diamond dust.”

Dalamar handed it to him and cursed himself for letting his mind wander.

In comparison, Raistlin didn’t move a single muscle and watched the ingredients and spell sheet in front of him. “The brimstone and a dash of ash.”

“This isn’t brimstone.” His master turned around to watch Dalamar.

“Ah… I….”

His eyes appeared bright and clear. “Dalamar, you need to focus.”

“I know.”

“Then focus.”

Nodding, he stood a bit straighter.

Focus!

The incantation seemed to be in draconic, an old and strange language, which had returned to Krynn a few years ago. Dalamar though himself capable of understanding the most of it, but faced troubles with the barbaric sounding syllables and watched his master’s mouth forming each word with precision.

Suddenly Raistlin’s body shook. At first it sounded an awful lot like coughing but after a few seconds it turned into laughter.

Actual laughter.

“Master?”

“I’m sorry, my apprentice, but …” Another fit of laughter. “You can’t hide your secrets. All of them are clearly written on your face.”

“You want this?” Raistlin laughed even louder. “This broken body? This remains of someone that once was a mere human? This tainted flesh.”

His golden eyes sparked with mirth.

“Dalamar, you’re even more stupid than I’d thought.”

Anger cursed through his veins and Dalamar took a step closer and grabbed Raistlin’s wrist. “I’m not stupid for wanting… this.”

He forced his body close to the other man and his words sounded like a whisper. “Foolish, yes, but not stupid.”

“That is debatable.” Raistlin smiled.

Dalamar forfeit his life, leaned in, and kissed him then. His life was already over, his mark on the world nothing more than a faint echo. But he wouldn’t go without giving in just for once. Consequences be damned.

But instead of killing him, Raistlin moved to free his wrist and grabbed Dalamar by the robes. He pressed his mouth against his and well, his master wasn’t a particularly skilled kisser, but didn’t lack the passion when he pushed him against a cabinet.

Where did he find the sudden strength?

Raistlin's lips tasted like wine and a sweet afterthought and they kissed until both needed to break apart to breathe again. Dalamar didn't dare to open his eyes, because flushed, golden skin would look far too desirable and inviting.

Dalamar opened his mouth to say something meaningful, maybe something to explain himself. “Not in front of the brimstone.”

Well, that wasn't meaningful.

Raistlin took Dalamar’s hand, but wouldn’t meet his eyes, as if afraid of breaking the spell between the two of them.

“Yes. Yes, come with me.”

[maiaofmischief]

Raistlin is really showing off the spells today, huh. First featherfall, then the light spell and now sleep.

Can I just say I love the language they chose for magic? I always wanted to sit down and make a list of all the different ones they use throughout the different books for reference to use in my own Krynn game.

"Ast tasarak sinuralan krynawi" apparently is the incantation for the sleep spell in Krynn.

[missn11]

Salty asks, VTM -- 5, 6, 13 (Nines), 23

@robotslenderman ohh time to be a little salty then... XD

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?

Okay I have two pairings that got ruined for me personally due to reading one fic with them and it made me nope out hard.

The first one was Jill Valentine/Albert Wesker, I’m a big fan of hero/villain pairings and hey why wouldn’t I like this one? Well, I read a fanfic with this pairing and it wasn’t good, poor reasoning why the two should be together and demonising of Chris Redfield who rightfully has a issuse with Wesker, cause you know he had been attacked and his sister threatened by Wesker and also he kind bretrayed S.T.A.R.S! XD

I think the author could have done a better job if they acknowledged the complincations with loving someone who has donenbad things to you and your friends in the past. It could have been good but they instead put me off the pairing. I might be willing to try find fics that do a better job of writing this pairing in the future but I’m in no rush.

Now this second pairing though, I’m sorry but the author nuked Raistlin/Tika for me that I still feel icky even thinking of the pairing, which sucks cause there were some things in the canon that made me see potential.

Like Raistlin Majere is this super grumpy mage, whose plotline in the first three Dragonlance books is that he is going towards becoming evil and Tika is a sweet but no nonsense barmaid turned hero, who ends up with Raistlin’s twin brother Caramon Majere and at one point when the Dragonlance party needed money, Raistlin put on magic shows and Tika made him this bedazled red robe for him and it’s sweet ^_^

So I could have been on board but the only fic where at first Raistlin bascially sexually assults Tika for a bit until (I think?) she’s into it and they fuck but it’s so awful and unsexy and I was grossed out that the author had Tika fantasie about that moment years later when married to Caramon -_- so that ruined that pairing for me hard. If anyone knows of any fics that have this pairing and way better than this and aren’t demonising towards Caramon, please let me know.

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?

I never hated LaCroix/Nines but I had a hard time seeing something in canon since they hated each other so much! XD But then I started seeing fics on the pairing and remembered ‘hey I like enemies to lovers so why shouldn’t I like this pairing?’ due to how good the fics were and was hooked on LaCroix/Nines even since and it became the building block for my eventual OTP3 LaCroix/Nines/Ming Xiao. (the other building blocks was of course LaCroix/Ming Xiao and Nine/Ming Xiao XD) Honestly there some really great fics of LaCroix/Nines on A03 that I really implore you to look at if you are interested in the pairing https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Sebastian%20LaCroix*s*Nines%20Rodriguez/works

13. Unpopular opinion about Nines?

I suppose an unpopular thing about Nines in my book is the thing I’ve seen in some fics is that I don’t think he would be sexually aggressive with his partner(s) without making sure that they are okay with it first? And I have talked about this before (maybe? or I’ve reblogged people talking about this, so I doubt this is unpopluar by this point XD) but I do find it super annoying that 15+ years later, Nines can’t decide to be actually the leader of the Anarchs or not, like it’s super tiring and kind pisses me off in LA by Night as well since he lets Annabelle (a two month Kindred) be the face of the rebellion, at least he mentors her but fucking hell!) Also I don’t love it when people have Nines as a ball of anger at times or waiting outside of Ventrue tower basically preaching the Anarch cause in fics! (that last one is funny to me tbh, I kind would love if people lampshade it!) XD

23. Unpopular character you love?

While Ming Xiao isn’t unpopular when it comes to fanart on here but I wish there were more fics of her in general, there is so much you can explore with Ming Xiao and the Kuei-jin that it makes me sad there isn’t a lot, and I know it’s because most people haven’t looked into the Kindred of the East source books but I do think you should check them out, since they add so much context to her and the Kuei-jin’s actions through out VTMB. (but you do have to take some of the stuff said in the books with a pinch of salt at times since late 90s and likely written by white men who don’t understand everything about East Asian mythology)

That’s all I can think of atm, thanks again to @robotslenderman for letting me be a little salty again! XD

[wearemage]

What's your favorite magic system? Which fantasy worlds type of magic would you prefer to be in/use?

Hello Anon,

Sorry for such a late answer, lately I had very little time and it’s a very good question.

Obviously the short answer would be that I love every kind of magic. Divine included, I shall play again my fanatic priest on this weekend’s LARP.

A longer and more detailed would be that I have an affinity for low fantasy settings with mages and magic items being rare and uncertain. People there could live their whole lives without meeting a wizard or seeing a single spell or even a trinket. Of course, some would even say magic is just superstition... I love seeing them being proven wrong.

Also my personal preference goes to ritualistic magic. Circles, candles, incantation, sacrifices… Speaking of which, magic, especially its powerful forms, needs to come with a price higher than “just” years of hard work. Blood, very rare components, lifeforce, pleasures, loved ones… I live for the drama of such hard choices. It does work very well for both evil and good spellcasters, of course.

While I would probably sacrifice a lot to be able to cast fireballs, I have a special interest for universes where nothing can be done with a wave of the hand. Where mages, when the protagonist finally find them, explain finally that magic is hard, complicated and far less (or more) powerful and dangerous or just remotely alien, than whatever they imagined in the first place.

I’ve really fell in love with those ideas through Dragon Lance’s Raistlin Majere and Narrenturm’s trilogy by A. Sapkowski (mostly known for being the Witcher’s author). While the first one is a pretty classic DnD setting, Raistlin pays a very high price for more and more power which, when I was 12-15, seemed really cool… Don’t judge me. The second one relayed a lot on actual superstitions remastered for fantasy needs. It was like trying to using “Le Dictionnaire Infernal” by C. de Plancy (I’m referencing a re-print from XXXX) an actual spellbook. A lot of fun.

LOTR’s universe is also filled with magic in such a subtle way, I can only love it. Even the GoT show presents an excellent magical setting as far as I can tell. Of course we’re exclusively talking about magic here. I don’t want a war in the notes.

In RPG settings, my most obvious example is of course the Call of Cthulhu were every single spell comes with a price of sanity and requires both extensive knowledge, components, adequate places to perform the ritual and of course even executed perfectly comes with a great risk of failure and doom. And some of the, very rare, wizards will only perform one or two rituals in their lives… But the Chronicles of Darkness offer a lot in this kind of magic as well.

Recently, I’ve been posting here a little bit about the Shadows of Esteren (a French RPG). That’s the kind of magic setting I could live in. While the life on Esteren (at least in Tri-Kazel) is hard, divine, druidic and lovecraftian magics exist along with steampunk-like, Nature’s energy-powered technology. It seems like a lot, but most people don’t see much of those wonders. Using them is complicated, a lot of knowledge has been lost or is reserved for hermetic factions and their members. But savage and dangerous territories still covers most important parts of the Three Kingdoms and hide a lot of mysteries and dark secrets to unravel…

All of that being said… I would jump head first into the first universe that opens to me with a “Wizards Inside” sign on it.

I hope it answers your question, Anon. Feel free to follow-up.