#ravnica girls night

[relentless-gruul-siegeseer]

Jasna downs two more drinks. "I swear y'all are targeting me~..."

Leta will shake her head “anyways. We’re not all here to share our tragic back stories and get into politics. Jasna, did you say you had a drinking game or something to do? I’ll order all of us another round.”

@relentless-gruul-siegeseer

[macabresymphonies]

I appriciate the implications for lore and larger story and all the supplemental stories (please don't get rid of those WOTC) of Thunder Junction, but the fact this is "an empty plane with no living beings before that" makes it feel so forgettable it's actually insane.

I tried to stay positive really, but it's just bunch of returning characters having a cowboy themed party. The events could happen literally anywhere else, Ixalan especially, because there was no inherent faction, history or structure that made it unique to the plane. The Marketable Plushie™ could have been locked in Niv-Mizzet's cabinet for all I care and it would actually make more lore significant, than a random vault desert plane with vaugely native american nomad faction visiting it (you know, it's like native american history, sans most of it's core).

With MKM feeling like "Clue night at Markov Mansion" (to the point actual Clue set came out with it), Caverns of Ixalan not originally being Ixalan, but being "too similar not to not change" (god forbid you have more than one native american set when you have your n-th "vaugely european fantasy" set), I'm afraid it's setting a bad precedent for the future where creativity is stifled by marketability.

"I know you got a plane that suddenly has pissed winged police all over it and crime can no longer fly in demon city, but we can't do two sets on the same plane in such a short time (unless it's scamming you on small packs of course) so the cops and robbers set is instead back on Ravnica, you guys like Ravnica don't you (the sales charts said so)? Look Teysa Karlov is here! Isn't she like your "gagachondra mother boss queen" or whataver you nerds like to say? We're still testing grounds since we lost our last goth girl bait to some "character growth" or whatever back in Strixhaven"

Hoping Blumburrow is good enough to maybe make them reconsider (at least epilogue sets were atrocious enough to make them stop any in the future). It at least looks like it has an original enough story that's not just "Jace is the main character despite not being that well liked".

[ourlittleforever]

Meet Me By Moonlight

Words: 1563

Ship: Millie/Lazav

The scent of fresh roses wafted through the air, and Millie sighed softly. They were sitting on a marble bench in the middle of a gorgeous sunlit park; birds sang, leaves rustled, and they were all alone in this perfect world. 

Except for him.

The mysterious stranger, wearing a leather cloak and smelling of sandalwood and geraniums, manifested from behind a bush. Millie couldn’t ever see his eyes, though sometimes, they swore they caught a cryptic glimmer shining from under the shadow of his hood. His shaggy blond hair hung loose around his scarred chin. The half-elf had wanted so badly to ask if they could remove his hood, just once – but for some reason, their throat closed up whenever they went to ask.

The stranger came closer, and even in a dream, Millie could feel the power reverberating off of him. “My dear girl,” he purred, extending a hand to them. “Walk with me.”

Millie stood, their teacup-length dark blue skirt swishing around their knees. The stranger’s hands were calloused and warm to the touch, and he squeezed their dainty little hand in his as he led them down a pathway lined with pink and white roses. 

The stranger plucked a white rose from one of the bushes and turned to Millie, placing it behind their ear. “There.” His lips curled into a sly smile beneath the shadows, and Millie couldn’t stop themself from leaning against him slightly. He was a blazing fire, and they were a fledgling moth, completely drawn into him. 

“How come I never get to see you outside of dreams?” Millie asked as he led them further down the path.

“I’m a busy person,” he replied nonchalantly.

“But you make time to see me in dreams,” the half-elf said, glancing up at him curiously. “What are you doing right now? Are you awake?”

“Hard to say.”

“You could be a little more forthright.” 

“That’s beyond my nature, kisa.”

Millie tried not to roll their eyes. This stranger, charming as he was, disliked when Millie behaved impolitely, or like a brat. And being an impolite brat included pressing him too hard for information, or outwardly disapproving of his mercurial, whimsical speech. 

“Though…” the stranger began, stopping in his tracks. A clearing had opened before the two, with a white fountain in the middle. He tugged Millie’s hand slightly, urging them forward. The sky had begun to darken. Even in dreams, the stranger distorted all sense of reality. 

“Though what?” Millie asked, trying to keep their tone even, mild.

“I want to see you. I want you to see me.”

Millie’s heart nearly leapt from their chest. “Really? Where? When?”

“Patience,” he chided, and Millie deflated a bit. “In the Tenth District, in Precinct Five – where the light of the full moon first hits Ravnica – that’s where you’ll find me.”

Another riddle. Still, Millie tried to be cheerful. He wanted to meet them – really meet them! And if they were being honest, someone putting in the effort to court them in their dream was more than could be said for any past crush or failed fling. The half-elf grinned in spite of themself. “I’ll find you,” they said.

“I know you will.” The stranger tipped their chin up with one finger, and Millie saw that mystical glimmer under his good once more.

Then, they awoke.

—

Days of research at the Ismeri Library had led Millie to this place: Dinrova Heights. The half-elf pulled their plaid overcoat tighter around their body. The night was clear and chilly; the full moon cast deep shadows over the streets. Millie knew they were in Dimir territory, but they hoped their mysterious paramour was watching out for them.

Still, the Dimir weren’t all bad – during the Invasion, Millie had helped a few agents out with healing spells, fresh food, and a bed to sleep in, and in turn, the agent had kept the Phyrexians at bay. Perhaps they were safe here, regardless of the stranger’s influence. 

The sign at the front of the building came into sharp focus.

WELCOME TO THE DIMIR PUBLIC OFFICES. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATH OR LOSS OF PROPERTY. BASEMENT OFF-LIMITS.

That was inviting.

The Dimir were thought to be destroyed during the invasion, but anyone with half a brain knew better. Some of the lights in the Dinrova building were still on; the building itself was in decent shape, all things considered. A few windows had been boarded up, but the majority just had the blinds tightly shut, save for a few busybodies working furiously in the upper echelons.

Millie stepped inside the building, where a soft buzz marked their entrance. The lobby was seemingly empty, but the half-elf got the feeling that they were being watched. Suddenly, they were acutely aware they may have walked right into a trap – all in the name of romance, like an idiot. 

The door swung shut behind them, and the Selesnya cleric swallowed hard. Nowhere to go but forward, they thought, setting their shoulders and marching to the elevator.

The elevator creaked open at their approach, and it seemed the entirety of Dinrova was inviting them further in. Millie stepped onto the rickety elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. The elevator dinged, the sound slightly distorted. The lift began its ascent, and Millie mentally prepared themself for whatever was going to happen next.

After a few moments, the elevator stopped moving, and the doors opened to a penthouse suite. It was lavishly furnished, if a bit dusty. Still, Millie knew this wasn’t what the stranger meant in his riddle, so they pressed forward, cautiously stepping into the apartment. 

Through the kitchen, Millie could see a lush balcony, where moonlit danced on silver brick. The cleric tiptoed over to the door and exited to the terrace.

The terrace’s edges were surrounded by rose bushes adorned with pink and white flowers. This was the place, then! Millie felt a surge of pride as they walked forward. They tried to take a thorough survey of their surroundings, but even with the bright moonlight, it was difficult to make out much. Curse their mother for giving them her human eyes.

Millie was pulled from their thoughts by a soft hum, and they glanced around, their heart picking up speed. They took a cautious step further into the terrace, and then, they felt it: that aura of undeniable, absolute power, followed by the scent of sandalwood and geraniums. At the edge of the balcony, the stranger revealed himself, his leather cloak blown by the breeze.

Somewhere, deep within Millie, a name echoed: Lazav. It was as if his name had been inside them all along, hidden in their bones. 

Beneath the shadows on his face, the stranger smiled.

“Millie,” he said pleasantly, extending his arms. “Come here. My clever girl.”

They obeyed – as if they could do anything else! – and tiptoed over to him, as if they were afraid to shatter this moment. Lazav took their hands in his, and they were just as warm and rough as Millie remembered. It was nearly overwhelming to stand this close to him; he radiated power, more power than Millie had ever witnessed. And he had taken interest in a lowly Selesnyan cleric, nearly abandoned by their own guild for their perceived ineptitude? This was a dream. It had to be. Right?

“I knew you would find me,” Lazav murmured. He tilted their chin up with the side of his pointer finger.

“Can I…” the half-elf’s throat felt dry, but they pressed forward. “Can I see your face?”

Lazav smiled gently. “You have earned it, haven’t you?”

Millie reached up and took his hood off, and they gasped. He was quite handsome, especially now that they could see his entire face. His blond hair had a lovely sheen in the moonlight, and his irises were like pure black ink. Crows’ feet crinkled up beside his eyes, and deep laugh lines framed his lips. The half-elf’s face warmed. This was their stranger? How had they gotten so lucky?

Lazav leaned closed, and Millie closed their eyes, allowing him to fill their senses completely. When he kissed them, it felt like they were falling through a starlit void, all other sensations melting away, replaced by him and him alone. Briefly, Millie wondered if they were dying; how else could they feel so close to heaven?

Millie followed Lazav’s lips as he pulled away, and the cloaked man chuckled. When Millie stood on their tiptoes to try and kiss him again, Lazav grabbed their cheeks in one hand, his thumb and fingers squishing the soft skin. 

The half-elf couldn't help but pout, to which Lazav laughed, and Millie couldn't tell if they were more furious at or desperate for him. “Oh, poor thing,” Lazav cooed, his voice soft yet mocking. He pulled Millie's face a little closer but refused to kiss them again, and smirked at their neediness. “Am I breaking your heart?”

When Millie didn't reply, he finally leaned close again, allowing his lips to grace theirs. “There,” he said when he pulled back. “That's better, isn't it?”

The half-elf nodded dreamily. “I found you,” they mumbled, more to themself than him, still dazed by his kiss. 

“You did. Now, you have me…” Lazav held them flush against his chest. “And I have you.”

What a wonderful thing, to be his.

[shardssystem]

WIP Ask Game

We got tagged in an ask game! Joy! Thanks for the tag, @brasideios! Always love having a chance to ramble, but feels weird to do it unprompted.

At the moment, I’m caught in a three-way dance, to use the wrestling parlance. In one corner: the long-awaited (I hope!) 5th chapter of A Planeswalker Story, the MTG/OC fanfic that’s been nearly 10 years in the creation (oof) In another corner: part 8 of Holiday In Eorzea, our MTG/OC/FFXIV crossover… thing. Look, it’s a bit tricky to describe. 😅

And in the third corner: that dastardly heel tag team of Mental Health & Writer’s Block. (boo, hiss).

But despite that, I still do my best in writing whenever I get the chance.

So first, we have A Tale Of Two In The City, which is the next part of APS. In the last chapter, we follow Liya’s travel to the plane of Ravnica, as she escapes imprisonment on Innistrad. This rewinds time a bit to introduce a couple of important characters, and tell some events from their point of view. Here’s a snippet of the latest part written:

“Boy, girl, whatever! It’s all made up anyway. You want to be a boy? Bam! Magic; you’re a boy now, it’s as easy as that.” He waggled his fingers in a dramatic flourish.

Zoe looked at herself; nothing had changed. She was still a girl.

“Nothing happened?”

“Exactly!”

It’s a careful line to walk, because it shows a character grappling with dysphoria and what it means to be transgender as they age. Especially because it’s a transmasc narrative, and it’s not an experience I share, so I’m trying my best to be faithful and respectful. Hopefully it’s a good piece!

Next, we have Holiday. Given that it’s a retelling of the main storyline (MSQ) of the game, it’s easier to source the material. The challenge is to personify a typically mute/blank slate player character in a way that still works with the existing work. Another issue is that although a different story, it’s still tied into the main APS “canon”. So there’s chapters and chapters of character development that lives only in my head, but is supposed to be already known at the point shown. The next chapter tentatively has the title of Back In The Saddle, and continues with Liya recovering from a shattered ankle from a fight to the death. Here’s a piece from that:

Try as I might, my musical ability was lacking, so trying to memorise one particular song I had fallen in love with, a sad flute piece named "My Home, Sweet Home" was a challenge by itself. I had also discovered a fictional tale within the collection entitled "Refraction", where a man has to face up to different versions of himself to solve some kind of mystery; I hadn't finished it yet. And, true enough, T'sutu's promotion of the chocobo races was indeed as exciting as her claim. A little overwhelming to the senses, but exciting nonetheless. Just before a midday meal was delivered, I watched a Miqo'te woman by the name of Rin Chalko bully her way to victory with a chocobo as black as night named Optimal Shield. Her tactics were normally something I would be against, but for some reason I felt myself cheering her on.

References are fun to sneak in, but it’s not something you can do too often without it being disruptive. Still, managing 3 in a paragraph is pretty good!

But that’s what I’ve got in the tank at the moment, thanks for following along! You can follow the written works on AO3, or here on Tumblr. And to finish off, I’ll tag (with no pressure to participate!) @writer-raven, @kosmosxipo, @cyndakip, and @leafdrake-haven! Yay, games!

[relentless-gruul-siegeseer]

Time off, huh? Sounds like you could use a GIRLS NIGHT!

today, the light fixtures in a neighboring classroom pulled an izzet and decided to spontaniously combust.

it also turns out that our administration has, in their infinite wisdom, decided that our fire extinguishers were probably still good and that replacing them was entirely unnecessary.

this is a long-winded way of saying that i've come into some time off and have no idea what to do with it.

[danco110]

The Azorius looked away, unable to continue watching the brutal Rakdos performance. She turned to leave, only to be stopped by a young homonculus tapping her shoulder.

“What’s wrong, Katerina? Squeamish?”

“No Fblthp,” the arrester growled. “It’s just that this is senseless murder.”

A goblin in the front row turned around. “Well, yeah! This is the one place we can go and watch fights without fighting for our own lives!”

“People are dying!”

A loxodon in the back joined the argument. “Yes, for the night! Death is a revolving door for the Rakdos. They have contracts with necromancers, and it’s a good thing they do. If all their members and victims stayed dead, Ravnica would be empty within a year. I mean, Massacre Girl and her lookalikes? Rakdos killing his audiences? The math over thousands of years just doesn’t work out without some magic.”

The arrester folded her arms. “It still doesn’t seem right. I’m leaving.”

The loxodon waved his arms and began to hiss, “Kate, no! Wait-”

The crowd scattered just in time to dodge the flaming spear that embedded itself into the ground at Katerina’s feet, blocking her exit. When the Azorius turned around and looked up, she saw a costumed cultist grinning down at her.

“Arrester,” the Rakdos chimed. “You weren’t thinking of leaving early, were you?”

Katerina grinned and drew her sword. “Actually, I was. I was getting bored.”

The cultist snarled and leapt forward, another spear in hand.

[runicmagitek]

Talk about your dnd OCs! I would love to hear about them 😁🌟

Oh Wiz! Thank you!! This is so sweet. Let me round up my faves I've collected over the years.

Viuly - this is one of my oldest OCs in general that I converted into a D&D character. She's a high elf pact of the blade warlock who accidentally became a warlock while coming home after essentially flunking wizard school. Her heart is in the right place, but her methods can be questionable. She's the vodka aunt of the group.

Ilumina - Viuly's kid sister, who was mostly an NPC in Viuly's campaign, but I played her in a follow-up campaign. She's a high elf knowledge domain cleric. She's a good girl who suffers from insomnia and just wants her sister to come home safe and sound. If Viuly is the "someone's gonna die" character, Ilumina is the one jumping in to go, "of fun! :D :D :D"

Rivyn - my anxious murder girl. She's a tiefling assassin rogue (with some levels in cleric) who grew up abandoned on the streets and is like a feral cat - kind of lashes out at anything that moves, but is a sweetie once she warms up to people. Her claim to fame was stumbling upon a cursed deck of many things and then making it her mission to destroy it.... yeaaaah it went exactly as well as you imagine it would. tl;dr - some deities got involved and before she was escorted to hell, Sarenrae intervened and took Rivyn in. So she's now an ascended tiefling(??? whatever we houseruled this) who acts on Sarenrae's behalf to bestow redemption in times of need (and she's a lot less murder-y about it lol). Whenever we do campaigns in that particular universe, sometimes Rivyn pops up as a patron saint to orphaned children. People respect her by leaving blankets out at night for her spirit to snuggle in (she had an extensive blanket collection).

Zaki - She's a half-elf battle master fighter. She was once a military officer with a promising career, but after discovering the toxicity behind the scenes, she abandoned that role to join others who wanted to do the right thing. Her campaign is about 200 years after Rivyn's and she used to idolize the (very exaggerated) stories of the now ascended tiefling; she even managed to summon Rivyn to "smite" a corrupt politician (probably the most epic 100 roll I've ever done). Sadly, Zaki's campaign has been on hold for a while, but last she left off was heading into another plane to stop a lich. You know, like you do.

Zephyr - Oh this little gem. Zephyr is a paladin of Shelyn (we incorporate a lot of Pathfinder lore, if that wasn't evident already), who most people believe is an aasimar. And they believe it too, because they were totally left on the temple's doorstep as an infant and not... you know, a newly hatched silver dragon separated from their family who panicked and turned into a human. They grew up surrounded by art and want nothing but to spread beauty and love wherever they go. I haven't gotten far in their campaign, but they are a ray of sunshine amongst a bunch of other nerds who'd rather talk things out than stab a guy.

Megami - We once ran a homebrew D&D game incorporating Shadowrun stuff, because while I love Shadowrun, I hate playing Shadowrun lol Megami is an elven bard (essentially a street shaman) who summons two kitsune to either buff or debuff, depending on what's going on. She dressed like an avant-garde cyberpunk kabuki actress and danced and sing to cast her spells. Her claim to fame was assuming some asshole hospital director's identity (I forget which bard ability it was, but wow did I jump on that) to go live on a broadcast stating that all homophobic/transphobic rules and regulations were lifted - this was a part of some quest we had with a biker gang that were turned down for gender-affirming surgery. It was amazing.

Damianos - my other murder child. He was a human rogue/paladin/sorcerer in a Ravnica campaign we did. He originally was a pirate from Theros, who was then ripped away and plopped into Ravnica, lost a bunch of his memories, and woke up as a Dimir spy. All he cared about was serving himself and trying to find a way back home (bonus points if he could bring his boyfriend with him, another Dimir informant). He was very bursty damage-wise, but quite squishy and had the worst luck with skill check rolls. A lot of "I can do this!" and immediately falling flat on his face. He was like if Jesper Fahey and Trevor Belmont had a kid. Sadly, he did not get a happy ending in that he couldn't break free from House Dimir or go back home, but he's at least got his boyfriend!

Also, not D&D characters, but here are some honorable mentions from other TTRPS:

Hiccups (from Shadowrun) - a human street mage who only became a runner so she could pay off her college debt. She's too pure for this world and the white mage of the group (her only weapon is a taser, I kid you not). Also doesn't do well with gruesome deaths and she earned her runner name due to constantly hiccupping and crying when she did witness an awful death.

Remi (from Vampire) - a Khaibit vampire from the punk rock days of London. She was the bodyguard for a Toreador vampire, specializing in boxing. She was a quick lil' thing who was also good with computers and preferred doodling in her spare time. Barely talked, but that's what her fists were for ;D

[ravnicaforgoblins]

Ravnica for Goblins

Bars & Taverns

It may be a Dungeons & Dragons cliché, but the reason is solid enough. Bars & taverns are a good place for characters to meet up, adventures to start, information to be gathered, and spontaneous fights to break out because the Fighter/Barbarian wants to hit something.

Seeing as Ravnica is only ever one person’s absence from descending into complete chaos, it’s very important to have places for its citizens to have a drink, have a bite, sing bad songs, and blow off steam. Whether you are an Izzet researcher looking for people to bounce invention ideas off of, a Rakdos cultist looking to build up your fanbase, a Boros wojek getting off a three-week shift in the Rubblebelt, or a Dimir agent eavesdropping on persons of interest; a bar can offer something for everyone. All the establishments listed below are canonical, aka from official Ravnica Lore, but in keeping with the tradition of said lore, there’s very little in the way of description and a good number of them exist outside the District 10 map you have to work with. Are you even surprised anymore? Anyway, here are some of the most intriguing watering holes to grab a drink in.

The First Vineyard

Located in Old Rav (Ninth District), one of the deeper & older areas of Ravnica, lies a Golgari tavern whose main claim to fame is that it is Ravnica’s oldest tavern. How old? Who knows. Considering the Golgari have embraced death, rot, preservation, and fermentation as a way of life, it’s a reasonably safe bet you’ll find the oldest and most well-aged wines in the entire plane in this spot. Some of these bottles are probably older than the Guildpact.

If you need to impress someone fancy and you don’t mind being surrounded by the smell of death, this is the place to go. Orzhov believe expensive taste coincides with great taste and thus place high value on objects of (predictably) high value. Hence they have pretty much cornered the market on the kind of expensive goods they value, meaning one has to buy Orzhov to fit in with Orzhov and one has to be Orzhov to afford to buy Orzhov. If you want to skip all that, this should be your first & only stop. This vineyard won’t break your bank, and a little prestidigitation is all it takes to prepare it for the most snobbish of advokists. As with most things Golgari, the recipient is always much happier not knowing where (or who) the cuisine came from.

Titan’s Keg Tavern

Also located in the Ninth District, in the burned-down & often rebuilt neighborhood of Merrytown, lies a pub designed specifically for clients of particularly advanced vertical prowess, aka, GIANTS. At least 4 different guilds include giants among their ranks (Boros, Orzhov, Gruul, Rakdos), and while the city has gone to notable lengths to accommodate these individuals in all city establishments, whether a chair can withstand one sitting down can still be pretty hit or miss. But not here.

This bar is the best place in Ravnica to find a giant, regardless of guild. This is also the best place in town to eat in silence without causing any fuss. Not because it’s quiet, it certainly isn’t (can you even imagine giant karaoke?), but because every patron in this bar is at least 12ft tall, smashes things for a living, and comes here so they can forget about little people for a while. If you are the little person who disrupts that, you are going to have a giant-sized tavern full of angry giant-sized GIANTS teach you some manners. And it doesn’t matter what level you’re at, 25 giants will kill you.

Just getting into this tavern can be an adventure. As the tavern’s main draw is that it’s built specifically for giants, not being one gives you a definite disadvantage. Imagine walking in and a 15ft-tall host (in a suit) asks you if you have a reservation. Imagine trying to muscle your way in passed a Giant in sunglasses who has skipped “bouncer” and gone straight to “splatter”. Imagine a heavily tattooed Bolrac Clan Smasher meeting you at the door with “Welcome to Giant’s Keg Tavern. How tough you?” Imagine a line scrawled on the entrance that says “you must be this tall to enter”.

The Smoking Wreckage

Located in the 4th Precinct of District 10 (huzzah, something actually on the map), the Smoking Wreckage is a (you might have guessed it) Izzet League bar. Expect mixology taken to places it’s never been before. Your drink may bubble, fizzle, explode, polymorph you into a viashino, trigger a wild magic surge, or teleport you into Ral Zarek’s personal laboratory. Or worse, it might get you drunk enough to try another one.

Most likely you won’t have to worry about bar brawls in here, the beer itself is far more dangerous than the broken bottle. Remember, the name isn’t just for flavor in here. This bar is still an Izzet facility and prone to spontaneous uncontrolled reaction; i.e. blowing up. The setup that makes all of this possible makes The Smoldering Wreckage just as much a laboratory as anything in Nivix, except with booze added to the equation.

And you thought Rakdos clubs were dangerous.

The Broken Toybox and Gore House

Speak of the Demon and his pubs shall appear. Hidden discreetly in Precinct 6 are Gore House, a club notorious even by Rakdos standards, and The Broken Toybox, a tavern/brothel that definitely doesn’t have anything strange going on in the basement. You don’t really go to either of these places for the food.

(Dramatic Voice) You go looking for trouble.

What can you expect at a typical Rakdos club? Blood, pain, fire, sharp objects, and entertainment that is guaranteed to take someone’s breath away. So for Gore House, expect that dialed up to eleven. This is where the heavy hitters of the Cult of Rakdos do their biggest shows. Judith the Scourge Diva, Masters of Cruelty, Blood Witches, and rising stars desperate to give the audience a show they’ll never forget, no matter how hard they try. Attendance is synonymous with madness; if you aren’t crazy going in, you will be walking out. If waking up with no memories of the night before next to a dead body and covered in someone else’s blood was a club, it’d be Gore House.

As for The Broken Toybox, if the name alone doesn’t steer you away, you may already be beyond hope. "Den of Sin” just barely scratches the surface. This is where the Cult brings your most twisted and depraved dreams to life behind closed doors with spiked chains on them. If you or a member of your party wants to go here alone, you might need to have a serious conversation with them. This is not a fun toybox. The only rational reason for delving into this dark sanctuary is trying to find something nasty. A Sire of Insanity lurking in the basement suites, a lead on Massacre Girl’s safe house, or an influential figure with dark secrets. You may wish you didn’t have darkvision after a visit.

Bitter End Tavern

Hidden within Avaric, an official Orzhov territory, but one harboring deep anti-guild atmosphere, lies the Bitter End Tavern. While not officially a Guildless-Only bar, you can definitely expect some nasty looks from the patrons if you are flashing any Guild insignias. It technically exists outside the Ten Districts, so put it wherever you want. Guildless don’t have a ton of lore, which makes this a good location for any storylines or NPCs you might have designed that don’t really fit in with any of the 10 Guilds or even Ravnica as a whole. You can basically hang a sign over the door saying “Homebrews Welcome”.

You might find ancient worshipers of the Nephilim gathered here, or groups plotting a coup against a powerful member of a particular guild. Sooner or later, any notable Guildless or Anti-Guild individual will end up here for a bite. Same time, you can also find large groups of people willing to help out other un-affiliated citizens navigate this confusing cityscape world. Heroes of the Precinct likely drink for free here, and they’re always willing to help someone in a bad place with no one else to turn to. A certain mad Voidwielder might also pop in for a nightcap between insane schemes as well. Or just your garden-variety NPC commoners in bulk, lest we forget half the population of Ravnica is Guildless.

[xzienne]

@rockford-peach​ tagged me in this and by golly anything to not do my script revision

1. nickname

I mean, Tom is a nickname, but my family also call me Tunky and various variations on that theme.

2. gender

"Cis” Male, or more accurately, a noncommittal handwave before saying male

3. star sign

Sagittarius 

4. height

189cm

5. time

9:17am

6. birthday

December 18

7. favorite bands/groups

Fall Out Boy, Green Day, Hey Ocean!, The National, fun., Thirsty Merc

8. favorite solo artist

Hozier and Sherri Parry

9. song stuck in my head

Currently its that sick tiktok 5 part mens a capella arrangement of The Wellerman

10. last movie

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, playing in the background while I played Hades

11. last show

Amphibia, because I had run out of The Owl House. It’s...not nearly as good.

12. when did i create this blog

2010

13. what do i post

Anything that makes me a. giggle, b. angry, or c. go “woah”

14. last thing googled

Scarborough Fair lyrics

15. other blogs

ProbablyOTTRPGIdeas

16. do i get asks

Very very rarely, maybe 1 or 2 a year, across both blogs

17. why did i choose this url

It’s been my online handle since high school. It’s the name of my first too-edgy-4-U OCs

18. following

377

19. followers

199 here, 2972 on OTT 

20. average hours of sleep

8 hours trying with limited success

21. lucky number

19

22. instruments

Just my voice

23. what am i wearing

Black tracksuit pants and a blue t-shirt

24. dream job

Games developer for a TTRPG company or Youth Services work running theatre and D&D for at-risk youth (which I already do in a limited capacity but like, with a degree and actual skills)

25. dream trip

London and Seattle

26. favorite food

Devilled Chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy

27. nationality

Australian

28. favorite song

Shrike by Hozier

29. last book read

Last book completed was Troy by Stephen Fry. Currently working my way through The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making by Cathrynne M Valente, and The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.

30. three fictional universes you'd like to live in

Discworld, Night’s Dawn, and Ravnica.

So now I gotta tag people... well, @aethersea and @acetrainerjess and @wastelandcryptid are obvious but I’ll also take a go at whether @rowan-a-human or @shnipshnap will answer either.

[thedarksideofriverdale]

In Unity There is Strength

Chapter 15: The Banshee

Masterlist // Playlist // Character Guide // Face-Claim

A/N: I really can’t excuse my absence. School has bogged me down since it’s my final year at university, but some of my motivation has come back to continue this fic. I never realized how popular it had gotten, and it was never my Intention to keep you all hanging.

XXXX

Zara felt her body being shaken and heard what sounded like “Wake up,” but she was too sleepy to be sure. She cracked her eyes open, and the blurry shape of Kurtz came Into view. “What?” she muttered, closing her eyes again and nestling Into her pillow.

Meanwhile Kurtz was panicking, trying to awake Zara after hearing his emissary’s words. “…a red headed girl…” Who else could that be other than the banshee of the Red Circle. “Zara, wake up!” he shouted, shaking the girl harder now. “It’s urgent!”

After the third or fourth shake, Zara become more coherent and asked, “What’s going on? What’s urgent?” She sat up quickly, blinking as a slight wave of dizziness overcame her. Looking out the window, she sighed. “It’s the middle of the night, Kurtz. Couldn’t it have wait ’til morning?”

“No!” he yelled lowly, remembering Zara’s mother sleeping down the hall. “Your banshee friend is in danger.”

Zara looked up at him with worried eyes. “W-what do you mean? How do you know?”

“My emissary, he saw a vision. The next attack would be on a red headed girl. Do you know that many red heads in Riverdale, let alone those who were taken In by the Sisters?”

“Oh my god, Cheryl,” Zara whispered, getting up from her sleeping bag. Straightening out her shirt, she said, “We have to warn Archie!”

Leaving the house quickly, the two entered the car in the woods, and Kurtz sped down the empty 3 am streets of the town until Archie’s suburban home came Into sight. Zara unbuckled her seat belt quickly, but before she could open the door, Kurtz wrapped his hand around her other wrist. “Doesn’t Archie live with his father?” Kurtz asked, turning off the ignition. “I’ll climb up to Archie’s room-“

“Oh, that’s rich. You think Archie wants to see you right now?” Zara asked angrily. “There’s a thing called a cellphone, smart one,” she said, raising her phone up to her ear. “Archie, it’s me. Come outside, it’s urgent… Yes, I’ll explain.”

The pair In the car watched as the alpha climbed out of his bedroom window and jump down onto the side lawn. Then, he broke out into a run towards the car. Zara exited the car and went up to hug Archie, but stopped herself, remembering the events from two days ago. “Hey,” she said meekly. “Uh, Kurtz found out something.”

“Did he now?” Archie replied, acid dripping from his tone. “Go ahead; what is it?”

“Your banshee’s life is In peril,” Kurtz chimed In as he stood near the car door, his elbows folded on top of the roof of the vehicle. “We came to warn you.”

“And, why should I believe anything you say?” Archie asked, crossing his arms across his chest. “It’s not like you want to help my pack, lone wolf.”

“I have a duty to make a new, sustainable pack In this town, and In order to do so, I have to play nice with the only other alpha here. Excuse me if I want peace for a change.”

Archie let out a dark chuckle. “Let’s say you are telling me the truth, why Cheryl? She’s one of the most powerful creatures in this world. Her magic is hard to come by, let alone able to be absorbed by dark powers.”

“I have no idea, Andrews. My emissary saw the vision; I’m just relaying it back to you, but if you’re too much of a thick-headed fool to understand-“

“Kurtz,” Zara said sternly before looking back at Archie. “It’s not that far fetched to see her on the hit list, seeing as she was admitted to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Maybe, our killer is getting bold.” She looked back at Kurtz, who was scanning the surroundings. “Regardless of what you think of him, even if his story is false, we still should protect Cheryl. She doesn’t even know the full extent of her powers; she’s practically defenseless.”

Archie looked at her pensively, which Zara understood. In all honesty, it was a wonder why he even agreed to see her after the events that transpired between the three of them. But, Zara hoped that, despite all of the bad blood, Archie would get passed that and understand that he needed to protect Cheryl.

Cheryl may be a friend, but she was an unique chess piece no other pack had on their side of the board. She was an emissary, but better. And, it was still a shock to most that she received those powers when she should’ve transformed Into a wolf when her brother Jason attacked her under the full moon and was subsequently shot by Hiram Lodge. She was unconscious for three days, and when Zara checked her wounds, none of them had healed. Cheryl was allowed to be a human despite her brush with lycanthropy, and she was gifted on top of that.

At first, she hated being able to find dead bodies around the town, namely because Hiram’s handy work with omegas was rather gruesome to see. But, she never backed down. Day by day, her powers grew, but they weren’t fully fleshed out for her to be able to protect herself during an attack from a magic-hungry dark wizard.

Archie’s expression was unreadable, but finally, he nodded. “Okay, I’ll call her. But, I still don’t trust him.”

“Neither do I,” Zara replied to which Kurtz winced slightly. “However, if she’s truly In danger-“

“I have to protect her, I know.” Archie pursed his lips while the line rang. “Yes, Cheryl, I realize you need your beauty sleep, but you’re In danger… Uh, I can’t exactly tell you how I know, just that you are… Please, Cheryl, try to understand. I’m coming over to yours In a bit. Stay safe until then. Use your senses.” He hung up and looked at Zara. “Well, let’s go. I definitely need you when she starts throwing a fit.”

XXXX

“Why is the circus rat here?” Cheryl promptly asked, looking at the three visitors. Kurtz snarled, but Zara put a hand on his wrist, and he calmed down. Archie noticed the exchange and clenched his jaw.

“Are you okay?” Zara asked, stepping into to the foyer of Thornhill.

“I’m fine. I have still yet not received an answer as to why you think I might be. Well?”

“Kurtz said-“

“Ah, so Kurtz said, and I’m just supposed to believe him. I’m meant to hate him after the stunt he pulled with Archie a mere days ago. But, I’m just supposed to take that you three are buddies again?” She cross her arms across her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.

“You don’t need to believe me, but rather in the supernatural. My emissary had a premonition, something akin to your powers. Trust in his ability as you trust in yours,” Kurtz replied, his commanding presence unwavering.

Cheryl glared at him before sighing. “Well, I assume we’re all staying up tonight? And, here I thought I would finally get a decent night’s sleep. But, this is Thornhill and-“ A crash from upstairs startled the group, and Archie held up a finger to his lips to keep the rest silent. He slowly ascended the stairs and went to the source of the noise. Zara looked at Kurtz and said, “Keep her safe.” She then followed Archie, but she knew Kurtz wanted to protest. When she entered the room, she fought hard not to vomit. On Cheryl’s bed laid Ethel Muggs, throat slit with her hands spread.

XXXX

“How could we have forgotten that Ethel was a viable option?” Betty said, frowning. She rested her head in her hands, elbows on a table at Pop’s. Jughead rubbed her back slowly as he shook his head.

Cheryl rolled her eyes. “It’s Ethel Muggs. She’s the most forgettable person in the school. It made way more sense that it could’ve been me. I mean, the monster broke in to my home! Clearly, he was trying to do something to me. Now, Daddy’s being Interrogated by the police, and he’s done nothing wrong.” She then looked at Zara. “I’m just glad that the three of you cleared out before the police suspected you.”

Zara nodded, furrowing her brows. “Ethel being planted in your house was obviously deliberate, and I think I might know why.” She cleared her throat as she folded her hands on top of the table. “Ethel’s father works with Hiram in his side job.”

“You mean-“ Betty started.

“That a member of Archie’s pack had a the dead body of a hunter’s daughter in it? Yeah, that’s exactly what she means,” Jughead finished. “Definitely not a coincidence.”

“Do you think V might try something?” Betty asked Zara, to which Zara replied with a shrug. “To be honest, I’m not too sure what Veronica Is capable of these days,” Zara whispered.

“But, this is enough motivation for the hunter’s council to deem our pack a threat. Before, it was just petty threats from Hiram. Now, it’s going to be a full blown war between us, the hunters, and the-“

“Siphon,” Zara said in realization. “I didn’t pay attention to this in Greendale as much as I should’ve, but one of the book in the Academy had a chapter on siphoning magic. People with true dark abilities can siphon magic from any supernatural creature.”

“How does this help us, though?” Betty asked, furrowing her brows. “We knew from the beginning that he took magic from the people he sacrificed. Why does knowing what he is add on to this information?”

“Because every supernatural creature has a weakness. It’s a means by which nature corrects the perversion. Every wizard has their own weaknesses, but siphons have the same. It was on the last page of that book.” Zara rammed the table forcefully, shocking the rest of the guests. “I have to call Sabrina. She’s the only one that can give us our weapon.”

XXXX

Notification Squad:

@-thatgirloverthere-

@the-gargoyle-queen

@that-idiot125

@sweetscamille

@kurtzyoufunkylittledruggy

@thispreviewsme

@jinxfanfics

@lilhemmo​

@littlebizarrethings​

@sebby-ravnica​

@dusty-old-crow

@fearxthexbloodmoon​

[jones-friend]

Legendary Commentary: War of the Spark

The guildless are monocolor creatures looked down upon for not belonging to a guild. There’s a lot of them in this set, and to start we’re goint one set backwards:

The Haunt of Hightower has a few different avenues to go. If Atraxa taught us anything its lifelink on a counter based commander is always good. Sanguine Bond can score extra lifeloss. Your counters build through three ways: mill (Dread Summons, Shared Trauma), discard (Creeping Dread, Struggle for Sanity), or kill (Fleshbag Marauder, Ravenous Chupacabra). You have a variety of ways to amass your counters for commander damage.

Fblthp is... not a commander props to you if you can run him as one but he is not a very strong commander. So here I’m going to talk about why Fblthp is legitimately good as part of the 99. He’s a draw 2 for 2, a Sign in Blood or Night’s Whisper on a body. We just need him to come out from a library. We have cascade effects (Maelstrom Nexus) that can do the job, casting Commander’s Sphere and cascading into a Fblthp for 2 cards and a body seems good. There’s also effects like Possibility Storm and Sunbird’s Invocation that allow us to toss him out from the library specifically. In my cast triggers EDH he’s always been welcome draw after an Esper Charm or something similar.

Krenko 2.0 isn’t immediately as strong as 1.0 and I think a lot of people passed by his potential. Monored doesn’t really do counters, but don’t misread his ability. Gonlins equal to Krenko’s POWER, not COUNTERS. That means you can load him up with Argentum Armor for 7 goblins and a vindicate per swing. If goblin equips isn’t your cup of tea he fits in most boros augments and boros equipment decks very easily. Remember, its about boosting his power, extra counters are incidental.

This is not a commander. This fits into all of one commander deck: Noyan Dar. And even then there’s better cards to run. Ral your BF is orzhov trash (I mean Ral IS izzet trash, maybe its meant to be).

Massacre Girl brought us Last Laugh as a legendary creature and its crazy. Essentially you’d be running removal as your commander. To make the boardwipe work you’re making sure toughness is a set of stairs. We got 1 toughness, 2 toughness, 3 toughness, and so on so they domino effect each other. Beware, effects like Blood Artist will not help you here. Blood Artist dies, resolves, causing the next Massacre Girl trigger to hit.

LOOK AT THAT GOOD BOYE!!!!!!!!!!

Neheb 3.0 (Neheb 1.0: Rakdos, Nebeb 2.0: Afflict) fits into WAR’s counter theme. Like Krenko the more power you have the better the effect and I don’t think Neheb gets the attention he deserves. Even as a commander he seems good, discarding for filter and mana to make sure you’re landing the cards you need. He even comes with Trample and a STACKED 5 power on a 4 drop. He’s definitely worth revisiting and tinkering with if you don’t run one, its potent stuff.

That wraps up the guildless. We have one more series to work through to wrap up Ravnica. Safe planeswalking.

[wifelinkmtg]

this blog can be cast from your graveyard

yeah what’s up it’s that thing again where i look at magic the gathering card art purely for how hot the women in it are, but it’s not sexist because i’m lesbian. where the fuck were we.

RAVNICA ALLEGIANCE

right, everyone’s favorite Prague-inspired squabbling ecumenopolis. it’s got mermaid surgeons, ghost vicars, sphinxes-at-law, and demonic burlesque troupes, but the real way you can tell it’s a fantasy setting is all of these women are tops. we’ll take it by guild, starting with

AZORIUS

jk Azorius is entirely composed of bureaucratic surveillance cops and prosecuting attorneys. ACAB, next!

SIMIC

Simic is also a wash, i’m afraid. you might think that’s because these mad biologists have grafted crab limbs or worse onto all available women, but i would hope you’d know me well enough to know that’s not a deal-breaker. no, the real reason none of them make the cut is because they’re all a bunch of nerds.

GRUUL

okay anarchy in the UK time

Nikya of the Old Ways (art by Ryan Pancoast)

pros: tall, good tattoos, great hair, a very coherent personal aesthetic, will definitely step on you. cons: the logistical difficulties of centaur-human relations, difficult to touch her without accidentally impaling yourself on any number of bones, will definitely step on you fatally. conclusion: a great last fling if you’ve just been diagnosed with something terminal, but Nikya is probably too high-risk in any other circumstance.

RAKDOS

someone say BDSM circus act from hell? no? well, they’re here.

Spikewheel Acrobat (art by Alexander Deruchenko)

hey do you feel like your life is missing some excitement? have you been having Gay Thoughts about Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn? do you have an extremely robust renter’s insurance policy? if you answered yes to all three of these questions, good news! Spikewheel Acrobat is statuesque, very athletic, currently single, and has gotten her one-night-stand-to-burn-ward-visit ratio down to about one in three!

Judith, the Scourge Diva (art by Wesley Burt)

the neat thing about Judy here is that you immediately know exactly what you’re in for and whether or not that’s something that appeals to you. you WILL call her mistress, you will NOT speak unless given permission, and there will be NO aftercare of any kind except medically necessary. if you’ve been waiting for an M-rated Maleficent lookalike to flog you into a blood trance, Judy’s your girl.

ORZHOV

[insert True Blood AMV set to Take Me to Church by Hozier at 75% speed]

Kaya, Orzhov Usurper (art by Yongjae Choi)

look, every time a woman power-walks at the camera in one of these pieces she makes the list, it really is that simple. the boots don’t hurt, the cape surely doesn’t hurt, but the hottest part about this is the room full of people who obviously aren’t happy that Kaya here has killed their ghost capos and is now in charge, but equally obviously are completely unable to do anything to stop her. power walks are hotter against a background of impotent resentment from a humiliated criminal syndicate, and that’s just science.

Seraph of the Scales (art by Magali Villeneuve)

Magali just paints very pretty women very consistently. they’ve always got good cheekbones and lustrous hair and i never have much to say about them, but they go on the list. hey, goth angel, tho!

Priestess of the Forgotten Gods (art by Zack Stella)

black and gold ALWAYS go well with blood sacrifice. a classic look for any season.

Pitiless Pontiff (art by Yongjae Choi)

oh shit okay fuck everything but this particular Devil Wears Prada vampire AU holy fuck this is hot her look is unassailable the camera angle puts you very much in your place. absolute power rolls off her like perfume. jesus.

like...okay here’s the way this plays out: if you are a very, very good girl you may be permitted to kiss the length of her calfskin boot. at the top, when you raise your inquisitive eyes to hers, she places a gentle finger under your chin and tilts your head up, then to the side. when she bites your neck it will be slow and deliberate, and she will suck just enough blood to leave you swaying and light-headed, before wiping her mouth and saying, very quietly, “that’s all.”

[arvadthecursed]

May I ask you about Chiara’s backstory

of course!! I’m sorry that this took awhile to answer, I’ve been trying to flesh out details and bc there’s not a ton on Fiora, I’ve had to make up some lore. Her story is also pretty long bc it requires the background of her father and uncle’s story.

I put everything under the cut! The first part tells of her father and uncle then we actually get into Chiara’s story lol.

Ambrosio Acardi is the twin brother to Chiara’s father, Pietro Acardi. While Ambrosio always held an interest in politics, he was more strongly driven by knowledge and religion, so he happily let his brother be the primary heir to the family legacy. Ambrosio was drawn to the Custodi and threw himself into his studies.

Ambrosio was often the puppetmaster behind his brother’s actions in King Brago’s court. He never wanted to be the center of conflict; he was perfectly content to direct Pietro from the sidelines. He occasionally used his hidden talent of telepathy to influence Pietro’s actions in the court.

Their father, Leonardo, died when the men were 25 and Pietro ascended to lordship. Ambrosio continued to pull strings behind the scenes while continuing to study under the Custodi. Yet Ambrosio still felt as though the Custodi were missing something. That was when he discovered a box of tarot cards hidden away in a vault in the Custodi Library. These cards allowed him access to knowledge beyond his understanding. Fascinated by the cards, he stole them from the Library.

Calumia Azarola, the Azra planeswalker from Kylem, arrived on Fiora ten years later. Pietro became enamored with Calumia. Ambrosio, on the other hand, despised her from the start. Ambrosio warned his brother against becoming too close to Calumia, though Pietro didn’t listen.

Calumia became one of King Brago’s assassins. Again, Ambrosio warned Pietro, but saw that his brother was completely under Calumia’s control. Ambrosio resolved himself to freeing Pietro and began to plot Calumia’s death. His natural talent for manipulation through minor telepathy became much stronger, and soon, Ambrosio gained knowledge of abjuration, illusion, and conjuration through his studies under the Custodi. 

Ambrosio did a tarot reading one night and was terrified by the knowledge he received: Calumia was pregnant. Ambrosio went to Pietro and told him the news. Pietro thought that this was a wonderful thing, but Ambrosio told him that Calumia would seek vengeance upon him. Pietro insisted that their tryst had been consensual. Ambrosio said that he knew, but despite that, Calumia would not forgive him for getting her pregnant.

Calumia had left Fiora in an attempt to end the unborn child’s left through planeswalking, but was horrified and disgusted when she realized that the child had not died -- it also had a spark. 

During Calumia’s absence, Pietro married Lady Giovanna Damiani. Damiani became pregnant shortly after their marriage.

Calumia returned to Fiora months later, when the Great Plague had struck Paliano. She gave birth and threw the child into Pietro’s arms. Pietro was dying of the Plague at that time; Calumia told him that she hoped he died along with the “infernal bastard” he now had. She then left the Acardi residence, though she did not leave Fiora; she wouldn’t leave until she saw Pietro die the horrible, tragic death of the Plague.

Ambrosio took the child away from Pietro. Through his cards, he knew that Calumia was still in Fiora, so he had to be quick and secretive. Using his magical abilities, Ambrosio disguised himself and the child. He brought the baby to a Custodi orphanage and gave the child to Sister Agata. The Custodi would see Chiara and her demon blood as holy, and would love and defend her, so Ambrosio figured they would be the best option. When Agata asked what the child’s name was, Ambrosio realized the baby didn’t have one; he chose the name “Chiara” (beloved).

Once Chiara was safe with the Custodi, Ambrosio hunted for Calumia and found her sitting in the high tower on the Acardi estate. Calumia bragged that she had murdered Pietro, and was going to slaughter their “half-breed” child next. Ambrosio lied to Calumia and told her that the child had contracted the plague and that he’d killed it out of mercy. He then challenged Calumia to a fight. Their battle nearly destroyed the tower’s roof. Hours passed, and both were losing their strength. In one last bout of effort, Ambrosio grabbed Calumia and leapt off the tower with her. The Azra planeswalked away, satisfied that Ambrosio would die.

Ambrosio, however, sparked.

He wandered the multiverse, gaining knowledge and strengthening his magical abilities. Yet he always returned to Fiora to check on his niece.

He never directly spoke to her (or the woman he’d entrusted to care for her), but Ambrosio left Chiara little gifts to let her know that someone was watching out for her. On the night of her very first on-stage performance, he left a bouquet of flowers in her room with a note: “To my dearest Chiara -- excellent show. I’m proud of you.” Chiara thought that she had a secret admirer. Really, she had a guardian.

While Ambrosio’s schemes across the multiverse cannot be described as good or well-intentioned, his love for Chiara certainly can be. He sees Pietro in Chiara, and seeks to save Chiara from heartbreak and tragedy where he couldn’t save Pietro.

When Chiara is older, the two finally meet, and Ambrosio tells her everything. Chiara is the only person Ambrosio will be totally honest with.

---

Chiara Acardi, the bastard daughter of Lord Pietro Acardi of Paliano, was raised by the Custodi. She always knew who her father was, but was told that her mother was an unknown prostitute who had died during the Great Plague, shortly after Chiara’s birth.

The clergy saw her as being blessed by Asmoleth himself, so she was often given preferential treatment. Chiara was close with several clergy members such as Agata and Father Dulio. 

She began studying under the Custodi at the age of five, though she struggled greatly in school. Brother Ampelio saw Chiara’s struggles as being similar to his own at that age, so he became her personal tutor. With Ampelio’s help, Chiara saw great success and even skipped lower-level classes in favor of higher-level education. While she loved theology, Chiara’s true passion was performance. She led the girls’ choir for a short time until she realized her ultimate gift: electromancy.

Chiara was fearful of her power at first, Brother Ampelio taught her how to channel and control her lightning. While Ampelio was not an electromancer himself, he viewed lightning as moving like the spirits he summoned. Chiara’s fluid style of fighting is influenced by Ampelio’s elegance in summoning spirits, which is how he taught Chiara to summon and control lightning.

Ampelio was Chiara’s biggest supporter and encouraged her to join the High Theater as a theater mage at age 13. Chiara was a popular theater mage, though her happiness was short-lived.

Ampelio came down with a mysterious illness and died suddenly. Chiara was completely devastated, and for nearly a year she refused to perform. It was only after a heart-to-heart with Father Dulio that Chiara returned to the stage, though her performances were never quite the same.

When Chiara was 18, she fell for her director, Mateo Russo. Russo was a manipulative, cruel man who began to abuse Chiara. One night after a show, Russo’s wife confronted the duo, and stabbed Russo to death. She was about to kill Chiara when the Azra sparked, sending her across the universe to Ravnica. She arrived shortly after the War had ended.

Chiara was found by Ral Zarek, who took her under his wing. However, he knew he wouldn’t be able to fully train her, so he also gave her another mentor, a Viashino wizard named Pavel.

Ral knew that Azra weren’t native to Fiora, so when he asked Chiara about her backstory, he was shocked that Chiara thought her mother was a human. Ral suggested to Chiara that her mother was a planeswalker, and offered to take her to Kylem, where Azra were native. Upon reaching Kylem, Chiara broke down as she saw the countless Azra before her. Her mother could be anywhere on the plane -- or nowhere at all. Chiara fled back to Ravnica, and threw herself into her studies under Pavel, until she was called to join the Gatewatch by Jace Beleren. She reluctantly ventured out into the Multiverse, determined to make those who loved her proud.

[iv-kplpt]

ravnican interlude 2

a very short (~1k words) scene pertaining to a dnd campaign i have going on with my friends, written because i can’t enjoy anything casually.

“where’s interlude 1″ i only sent it to our dm, because i don’t need my co-players finding out about my character’s secret. so... it’s hidden.

Igni found his way to Krenko’s cell without much trouble.

One of the prison guards owed his friend a favor, and said friend owed Belladonna one for saving his sorry ass; and Igni always knew exactly what to say to make it look like she sent him. It’s not like anyone was brave enough to actually ask her if she’s really letting him cash in a favor someone owed her; everyone knew they’re buddies.

So, all it took for Igni to pay Krenko a visit was talking to a few people. And then waiting. And then paying them a visit, to remind them of their last conversation.

(Some people thought him to be patient. Those people never made that mistake again.)

(Unless, of course, they were his honey bee.)

“Krenko! You’ve got a visitor.” the prison guard said, opening the door to Krenko’s cell. “You have five minutes, Rakdos trash. Make it quick.”

Without a word, Igni handed the guard a coin purse; the guard cleared his throat, putting it into his pocket.

“You have ten minutes, Rakdos trash.” he said in the same exact tone. “Make it quick.”

“I will.” Igni said, taking his hood off. “Now leave us.”

“And who the blasted hell are you?” Krenko - short, ugly (even for a goblin), green skinned and covered in scars - asked. “If you’re ‘ere to intimidate me-”

“I’m not here to intimidate you, you slimy shitstain.” Igni interrupted him flatly. “I’m here to deliver a message.”

Krenko let out an ugly snicker that sounded like a sound an orcish infant would make when seated on a white-hot shattered glass.

“That’s jus’ a nice way of saying intimidate, friend.” he said. “But alright. Humor me. What message do you have to deliver?”

“A very, very simple one. Serah Beatrizia Catriona Sokolov-Petrovski sends her regards.” he said, watching the goblin closely. “And advises against any further attempts at intimidating judge Petrovski. Also… Goris is dead. Allegedly, he died screaming.”

(“I kissed him on the cheek, I whispered into his ear… And I pushed a dagger through his heart when what I said finally sank in. Oh, he was a screamer.” “You kissed him?” “Oh, Igni, you know me. I just can’t help myself around half orc men… Don’t worry though. He never had a chance with me anyway.”)

Krenko fell silent for a long while.

“I should’ve known better.” he said finally; and Igni couldn’t help but smirk at the sound of barely concealed fury in the goblin’s voice. “That fucking bitch.”

“Allegedly, Goris also made the mistake of calling her that. Didn’t end well for him.”

“So it was her.” Krenko muttered under his breath. “Fucking cunt. Oh, I’ll get her. And when I do… She’s gonna regret everything.”

“You’re not going to get her though. Remember? Your bargaining chip in the war of wits with her father, your judge, killed your second in command… And got away.” Igni pointed out. “So, to reiterate the original message… You’re fucked.”

“We’ll see.” Krenko muttered, seemingly more to himself, than to Igni. “I have money. I have men. I’ll get out… And I’ll get her. And I’ll get her good. Her and those freaks who got me into this shitpot in the first place.”

“Undoubtedly.” Igni said, pretending to be fixing his coat; but he only did so to make Krenko look at his hand - or rather the ring he was wearing.

“Well, well, well.” the goblin muttered. “I’ll be damned. You’re the Ogilvy boy. Would-be Ravnica’s best and brightest… Turned Senate’s errand boy and a piece of Rakdos trash.”

“That’s me.” Ignatius confirmed, slightly straightening his back and puffing up his chest. “Though I wouldn’t exactly call myself Senate’s errand boy. The judge’s daughter pays well for favors… And after all, I am but a piece of Rakdos trash. Can’t say no to money. Also can’t say no to the daughter of a Senate judge.”

“Heh.” Krenko muttered under his breath. “S’funny. Bet we can help each other, boy. I can give you whoever ruined your ma’ and pa’... And you, you can give me that Petrovski bitch.” Oooh, he’s getting frantic. Nice. “I’m afraid I must refuse.” Igni said with a polite nod. “You see, mister Krenko… I don’t fancy ending up same way Goris did - screaming. Stabbed right through the heart by a girl he was supposed to kidnap.”

Just when he turned around - Krenko began to scream.

Ignatius smirked, knocking at the cell door; all Krenko could do was scream - the powerful spell put on the whole prison complex completely prevented the prisoners from physically assaulting anyone. They could still talk back, or scream - but they never posed any threat.

Krenko’s piercing screams echoed through the entire max security wing, masking Igni’s footsteps; but the warlock couldn’t care less. He simply pulled the hood of his coat over his head - and vanished into the night.

(“So… How did it go?” “Splendid, honey bee, absolutely splendid. I pissed him off beyond comprehension. As soon as he gets out - because let’s be honest, honey bee, he is going to get out, not even Isperia herself can change that - he’s going to hunt me and the judge’s daughter down.” “You sound… Giddy.” “What can I say? I love a good game of cat and mouse. It’s not my fault Krenko’s a fool who doesn’t realize his prey has awfully sharp teeth.” “I love it when you get all mischievous and smart.” “What can I say? I was made to be loved. C’mere. Give me some of that well-earned adoration.” Bee giggled as he pulled her closer; they vanished into the night, without a trace, without a care.)

[bardicknowledgeblogger]

RPG Minis Guide: Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica (Rakdos)

The next round of miniatures will be focusing on the Rakdos! You can see my prior round ups for Gruul, Dimir, and Golgari

Rakdos was fun to pull together. There’s a lovely spread from actually horrifying to honestly a bit silly, and i think that fits best for whatever “vibe” you want at a time. Plus a lot of the minis can be free handed and have minor alterations made to have some more... unsettling details.

Warhammer Minis

These minis are not going to be quite the same scale as traditional D&D minis, so keep that in mind - and maybe buy smaller bases

Skarbrand

Daemons of Khorne Bloodthirster

Judgements of Khorne

Skarr Bloodwrath

Daemons of Khorne Bloodletters

Skullmaster, Herald of Khorne

Karanak, The Hound of Vengeance

Flesh Hounds

Scyla Anfingrimm

Shalaxi Helbane

The Masque

Herald of Slaanesh

The Unmade

Khinerai Lifetakers

Sisters of Slaughter

Auric Runesmiter on Magmadroth

Wizkids: Nolzur’s Marvelous Minis

72563: Familiars

73400: Flesh Golem

72556: Goblins

73201: Tiefling Sorcerer

73202: Tiefling Sorcerer

73388: Tiefling Warlock

Wizkids: Pathfinder Battles Deep Cuts Minis

73354: Medium Fire Elemental

73184: Dire Wolf

72581: Hell Hounds

Wizkids: Deep Cuts Unpainted Minis

73368: Magic Dais

73089: Swarm of Rats

73369: Workbench & Tools

73421: Stocks

73424: Assistant & Torture Cross

73419: Cage & Chains

73423: Iron Maiden

73422: Pile of Bones & Entrails

73418: Torture Rack

Reaper Minis

This is the longest list of minis to peruse, but should have PLENTY of choices!

02106: Hecklemeyer, Jester

60159: Jolistina Susperio

50277: Circus Ringmaster

06175: Darkthrall Cultists (9)

77518: Cultist Priests (2)

77517: Cultists (3)

03470: Khalatine, Evil Cultist

60116: Skinsaw Cultist

77223: Kristianna

06151: Chain Gang (9), Razig Adept

02986: Eldessa, Necromancer

03170: Lurien, Ghost

14436: Rahl, Duke of Pain

77315: Fire Demon

03747: Bat Demon

03321: Damien, Hellborn Wizard

03609: Hell Hound

02522: Hell Hounds (2)

03432: DHL Classics - Undead Hounds

14215: Hound of Judgement, Crusaders Solo

03695: Death Dog

03728: Blood Demon

03749: Succubus

03110: Nathrae, Dark Elf Cleric

03138: Necromancer with Tome

06112: Paintenders (9) Darkspawn Adept

60087: Master Spy

03648: Hyrekia, Dragonthrall Mage

06145: Daughter of the Whip (9), Overlords Adept

06129: Chattel (9) Necropolis Agent

02501: Mirari the Seductress

02448: Dancing Girls

60061: Shazathared, Marid

02279: Baalbek of Jalahandra

14020: Lola, Overlords Hero

02643: Diedra Dark Willow

02826: Terezinya and Familiar

02823: Rasia, w/ Spiked Chain

03262: Beetle Swarm and Victim

03266: Lodoni, Female Rogue

03308: Marise Greyshroud

50139: Vermina, Rat Queen

02353: Rat Swarm

02889: Dire Rats

03394: Rat Swarm (2)

77129: Vermin: Rat Swarm (2)

77198: Barrow Rats (2)

02544: Barrow Rats

60129: Chelaxian Infernal Binder

03621: Gremlins (4)

89004: Pathfinder Goblin Warchanter

89002: Pathfinder Goblin Pyros

14472: Razig Weapons Pack (15)

14609: Darkshade Raider

02251: Fire Elemental

77082: Large Fire Elemental

02779: Fire Elemental

77081: Burning Sphere (3)

77080: Wall of Fire (3)

14583: Hirodash, Orcish Painmaster

60153: Dungeon Torturer

77442: Torture Equipment 1

77443: Torture Equipment 2

14547: Night Spectre

03479: Murder of Crows

03124: Storm Steed

03718: Ghost Bride

14131: Elsabeth, Necropolis Captain

03660: Amrielle, Female Ranger

[xantchaslegacy]

MtG Month of the Ship Day 19 - Accidental Confession

(This one references a bunch of relationships up front but I promise there is a confession waiting for all the good MtG fic lovers out there)

 “No. Absolutely not.”

“Lavinia-”

“Don’t even start with me. Do I really have to explain why this is unacceptable?”

Jace scratched his head under his hood, wishing he could pull it over the rest of his face and disappear from this conversation. He tried picking up his pace, but the metallic clank-ing of Lavinia’s boots on the stone hallway simply grew more rapid as she matched his stride.

“It’s one date, Lavinia. What’s the big deal?”

“Do you not see the ethical and legal issues of the living guildpact romancing a guild leader? Do you really not understand how that’s going to cause trouble?”

“Well, she’s on her way here now to pick me up, so it’s a little late to be bringing this up now.”

"Teysa, would you please back me up on this?" Lavinia looked to her side, and, finding no-one, turned back down the hallway. "Teysa?"

"Oh don't mind me, just a century-plus year-old woman with a limp!" Teysa was striding after them as quickly as her leg and cane would allow, though still looking immensely amused by their conversation. "Back you up on what? That inter-guild relationships are forbidden? You'd have to start arresting half the city." She caught up with them, and stamped the floor with her cane for emphasis. "Besides, you'd almost certainly be breaking a poor blood-witch's heart."

Jace wasn't sure if he'd ever seen a face turn red so fast, or if he'd ever seen Lavinia blush at all, actually.

"Th-that's different! Exava isn't in a position to use our...her access to an Azorius official for political gain-"

“No, but from a legal perspective it doesn’t look great.” Teysa sighed. “Look, we're all living, feeling creatures here. I'm sure it's 'unethical' that I'm dating my guildmaster-"

"You're what?"

"-or that I'm romantically involved with a Boros legionnaire who I committed a major felony with. But that's just life."

Lavinia but both hands on her temple. "It definitely isn't"

"Wait, Kaya?” Jace cocked his head, curious. “I thought I saw her with Samut after-"

"It's a happy, open relationship," Teysa shrugged. "Thus the legionnaire."

"This is all very much besides the point. We cannot allow one particular guild leader to have intimate access to the guildpact without incurring-" The rest of her sentence was cut off as Teysa failed to contain a laugh and bent over, clutching her staff and her stomach. "-oh grow up."

“See? It’s not just me.” Jace started off again, slower this time for Teysa’s sake. They were entering a more crowded set of hallways, so he kept his voice lower. “I’m a guildpact of the people, so I should live like one of them, right?”

“It’s not that simple. The law-”

Jace spun around. “Look, I’ll make a new law right now. ‘The living guildpact is hereby permitted to spend quality time with the woman he’s madly in love with.’ How about that? Any objections?”

He must have struck a nerve, because Lavinia fell silent immediately, her eyes wide. Teysa also looked taken aback.

“Jace,” Teysa started, an odd smile forming on her lips. “Do you absolutely, certainly mean that?”

“Obviously yes!” Jace threw his hands up. “She’s amazing! She’s brave and kind and just about one of the most intelligent people I’ve met on any plane! I’d have to be a fool not to be in love with her. I’m not about to let a few thousand years of legal nonsense scribbled up by some pompous sphinx keep me away from her!”

Lavinia looked up at the ceiling, her cheeks pink for some reason. Teysa coughed into her glove, and pointed behind Jace with the hand on her cane.

Jace spun around, and froze up immediately. Vraska was standing right behind him, a triumphant smile on her face, and an escort of kraul warriors. She looked every bit as fierce, powerful, and absolutely beautiful as she had on the first day they’d met. She’d promised back then that she could turn him to stone, and right then, it almost felt like that promise had come true.

"Hmmm, I bet that's the first good news anyone's heard in an Azorius building since the decamillenial." She strode forward and planted a kiss on Jace’s cheek. “Is that legally binding, then?”

“Uh…” Jace found that his voice had left him entirely. His cheeks were red-hot. He had to stop just staring, but…

…she was perfect.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She kissed him again, on his other cheek, and looked up at Lavinia and Teysa. “Aww, did you bring bodyguards as well?”

Lavinia threw her hands up. “Fine. Fine. Everyone just do as they please, but no-one is leaving here until we get some paperwork filled out with some ground rules.”

“Lavinia…” Teysa lay a hand on the arrester’s shoulder.

“We have to maintain some kind of accountability here.” Lavinia sighed and crossed here arms. “I get it, okay? You can’t help what your heart wants, but you can control your own actions. I’d spend every night out in the city having fun with Exava if I could; I love her. But the fact of the matter is-”

“Wait, you love me??”

This time everyone spun around. There, at the intersection of the last hallway Jace had passed, two arresters were escorting a tall, dark-skinned Rakdos bloodwitch to the courtrooms.

Lavinia let out a small spluttering squeak. “E-Exava? What are you doing here??”

“Getting fined!”  The blood-witch grinned broadly. “Private indecency!”

“Don’t you mean public indecency?”

“Nope!” Exava blew a kiss toward Lavinia as the arresters struggled to keep her moving down the hallway and out of sight. “I love you too, law-girl. I love youuuuu~!”

“Isperia’s wings…” Lavinia sprinted off after them, her blue cape billowing behind her.

There was a short silence between the rest of them, broken only by the inquisitive buzzing of the kraul guards. Teysa coughed into her hand. She looked and sounded as though she were trying very hard to contain a laugh.

“Well, I seem to have found my next client. Guildpact. Guildmaster.” She started off in the direction Lavinia had run, humming to herself.

Vraska laughed. “Interesting people you work with.”

“It’s a laugh a minute here, all right.” Jace smiled up at her, starting to feel a bit more at ease. “Thank you for coming to meet me. I should have told you I’d be late. I hope everything was alright coming in? No one gave you any trouble.”

“Just the minimum mandated amount of Azorius trouble.” They started walking toward the main entrance. They caught a few stares, but official hours were winding down for the day, and most people were more interested in getting home. “It’s fine. There’s finally something worth coming inside this place for. You’re sweet to ask, though.”

They emerged onto the front steps. The afternoon sun was low in the sky, lighting up the plaza and fountain in front of New Prahv. They stood together at the top of the stairs for a moment, taking in the many citizens of Ravnica going about their business.

Vraska offered Jace her arm. "Ready? I've found us the loveliest little bookshop and rented it out for the evening. Lots of forbidden tomes. I think you'll like it."

Jace looped his arm through hers and they started off down the steps.

  The above is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.