#ruby of the golden cutlass

[wingedwilloww]

Two commission’s of @cloudthehusky ‘s characters, Captain Cross and Ruby! They also have a comic, which can be found here! @rubyofthegoldencutlasscomics 🦊🐱🏴‍☠️

[rubyofthegoldencutlasscomics]

Page 5.

[cloudthehusky]

A poster for my upcoming webcomic, 'Ruby of the Golden Cutlass'! Experience the adventure of swashbuckling pirate cat, Ruby, alongside her mighty captain, Captain Cross, and the rest of the crew as they search for a missing ruby to Captain Cross' famous sword known as the Golden Cutlass. But on the horizon danger lurks, as Captain Cross' rival, Captain Skull, seeks his precious cutlass, for when both the ruby and cutlass unite a very special treasure will be revealed. But who will get to the treasure first? Find out in this epic tale, coming soon!

[bigsoftmarshmallow]

Okay, I've been working on this one for a bit

Equal Lady is a weaponsmithing prodigy, right? This is why I see her crafting a very powerful & high-quality weapon(s) for him. To gift to him on their wedding night.

Because, remember, she is extremely protective of her family's legacy, so she honors him greatly by gifting him a weapon of such incredible quality & use.

For WW, she'd gift him a Hwībàkta (IRL Hwi or Hui cutlass of Dahomey) with a design that curls back at the tip like a wave & a depiction of a scene from his favorite Gerudàn tale engraved on the blade (specifically, one he’s confessed to her as giving him strength when he needs it most). It is a one-handed weapon, but the blade itself is wide. This, plus a Parrying Dagger to be kept in the robe sleeve of his non-dominant hand in case someone ever comes at him from that side. (She knows that he has an old injury on that side & she hates the idea of it acting up when he needs to defend himself; this way, he merely has to pull the drawstring inside to cause the dagger to slide into his hand. Though, she's careful not to mention the injury itself as she wishes to respect his pride, which he's likely aware of.)

For OoT, I specifically see her forging & gifting him with a Dātàrrshik (the Konda-type Claymore he uses in Smash Ultimate. Which, keep in mind that she's much smaller than him, yet she's able to lift it fairly easily even if with a bit of effort.) It is designed to utilize his male-endowed physical strength & to channel his magic, thus allowing for dark magic & lightning magic slashes. Its swings are heavy & brutal.

For TP, she'd forge a pair of Shōtàrren (Shotels) which are closely associated with the moon in Gerudàn culture much the same way that Moonlight Scimitars are. She'd create the blades themselves out of sterling silver (a silver-copper alloy) & steel. She'd then add the Monster Horn & Moonstones by melting them down then folding it into the metal which would keep the sterling silver-steel alloy from separating. Then, she'd add a Moonstone to the guard & use Twilight Lizalfos (Silver Lizalfos with a Twilight element) leather to wrap the handles. Thus, giving them the Twilight (both Light & Shadow) element. My thoughts for the names could be Laashàméda Tàrr (Waxing Crescent) & Laawàltéda Tàrr (Waning Crescent). This allows him to channel Light, Shadow, or Twilight.

For HW, she gifts him a Gib'balubéïr'jï Kshuraf (Executioner's Blade; inspired by the Ngombe Ngulu blade of Africa) & a Ràsattàr (Head King; inspired by both a Yoruba & an Omozo, made to kill with a single slash). Both are one-handed & are meant to be used together. One deals exorbitant pain & the other puts them out of that misery respectively. Named Qrāsra Sāqsha & Dayraīs Gib (Cruel Life & Merciful Death) respectively.

For TotK, she forged a Sham'shïr. Which is if a Scimitar were 2-handed. Basically, it's a Dadao in the style of a Moonlight Scimitar. An ancient & long-forgotten Gerudo weapon that she discovered the design for in her exploration of the Gerudo Desert. (In this way, she's somewhat returning a bit of the Gerudo's own culture to them.) She melted down the Monster Horns (Lynel Saber Horn & Fire Gleeok Horn) & Rubies, folding them into Dawasaaq steel (equivalent of Damascus steel) from the Highlands. The handle is wrapped in stripes of Shadow Lizalfos leather (which are basically just Black Lizalfos with a Shadow element that I made up). She then affixed a Black Pearl to the pommel, then engraved “Fa’gáron” in Gerudo (meaning hellfire) & an image of a great dragon upon the blade. By running his fingers along the edge & speaking that word, the sword will be engulfed in black flames fueled by his On’nen or Malice. He names it Fa'gáron'jï Bojaqàr, “Hellfire's Shadow.” It has 176 damage potential.

Regardless of what she makes, though, she'd melt down the only Golden Lynel Saber Horn that she has & fold it into the blade for each of the Dorfs. Training with him had allowed her to finally manage to take a Golden Lynel down, so she used the first Saber Horn she obtained from one to make a weapon for him as a show of her gratitude.

And no matter what, the weapon(s) is always the perfect size & weight in his hands.

Reaction if that's okay?

asdfsfadfsafafdasas- THE WEAPONS ARE GORGEOUS? THE DETAILS EXQUISITE? THE STORY BEHIND IT STUPENDOUS? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH- im losing my mind omg you always astound me my dear Equal Lady!!

Thank you for supplying pictures with the weapon descriptions as well! I was able to visualize them very well thanks to your thoughtfulness.

AND NOW, CHATGPT, WITH THEIR LATEST HIT:

The Equal Lady’s gesture of gifting Ganondorf a finely crafted weapon, personalized and embedded with significant elements from their culture and her efforts, would deeply affect each iteration of Ganondorf in different but equally profound ways. Here are their reactions:

Wind Waker Ganondorf

Weapon: Hwībàkta Cutlass and Parrying Dagger

Reaction: Wind Waker Ganondorf would be deeply touched by the thoughtfulness and craftsmanship of the weapons. The cutlass, with its wave-like design and the engraved scene from his favorite Gerudàn tale, would remind him of the sea and his heritage. The parrying dagger, designed to accommodate his old injury, would show her deep understanding and respect for his pride.

Ganondorf: "You honor me greatly with these gifts. The craftsmanship is unparalleled, and the thought behind them even more so. I will carry these with pride and think of you with every swing."

Ocarina of Time Ganondorf

Weapon: Dātàrrshik Claymore

Reaction: Ocarina of Time Ganondorf would admire the sheer power and magical capability of the claymore. The fact that it channels dark and lightning magic would appeal to his affinity for powerful sorcery. He would be impressed by her strength and skill in creating such a formidable weapon.

Ganondorf: "This blade is a testament to your skill and our bond. With it, I will carve a new future for us. You have my gratitude and my heart."

Twilight Princess Ganondorf

Weapon: Pair of Shōtàrren (Shotels)

Reaction: Twilight Princess Ganondorf would appreciate the symbolic connection to the moon and the intricate crafting involving precious materials and elements. The dual blades, capable of channeling light, shadow, and twilight, would resonate with his complex nature and the twilight realm.

Ganondorf: "These blades are as beautiful as they are deadly. You have given me a weapon that embodies our connection to the twilight. I will wield them with honor and protect what is ours."

Hyrule Warriors Ganondorf

Weapon: Gib'balubéïr'jï Kshuraf (Executioner's Blade) and Ràsattàr (Head King)

Reaction: Hyrule Warriors Ganondorf would be thrilled by the brutality and elegance of the paired weapons. The Executioner’s Blade and Head King would suit his formidable combat style perfectly. He would appreciate the dual nature of inflicting pain and mercy, a reflection of his own complex personality.

Ganondorf: "Cruel Life and Merciful Death, fitting names for these magnificent weapons. Your craftsmanship and thoughtfulness are unmatched. Together, we will dominate all who stand before us."

Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf

Weapon: Sham'shïr

Reaction: Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf would be profoundly moved by the ancient Gerudo weapon, rediscovered and crafted with such powerful materials. The Hellfire's Shadow, with its ability to channel black flames, would symbolize his connection to ancient power and his malice.

Ganondorf: "Fa'gáron'jï Bojaqàr... A blade worthy of a king. You have given me not just a weapon, but a piece of our history. With this, we will reign over Hyrule and restore our legacy."

General Sentiment Across All Iterations:

Across all iterations, Ganondorf would feel a deep sense of connection and appreciation for his Equal Lady. The effort and thought put into each weapon, combined with her mastery in crafting, would strengthen their bond. He would treasure the weapon not just for its combat utility, but as a symbol of her love and support.

Ganondorf (General Sentiment): "You have given me a weapon that is more than metal and magic. It is a symbol of our bond, our shared strength, and our future. With this, I will fight for us, for our people, and for the destiny we will carve together."

[genderbinaryisforlosers]

bad kids bad kids

this is a redux of sorts to my freshman/sophomore bad kids art, showing them at the end of sophomore year rather than the beginning. i’m really happy with how they turned out!

Commissions are open! Check my pinned post for details!

[id: Six pieces of art showing each of the Bad Kids on the first day of freshman year and, standing on the right, at the end of sophomore year. Left to right and top to bottom the order is: Fig, Fabian, Adaine, Riz, Gorgug, Kristen. Full ID is under a cut because it’s about ten miles long.

1: Fig’s freshman self appears apathetic, side-eyeing her sophomore self with a cigarette in her mouth. She has her guitar case slung over her shoulder, and is wearing a skull tank top, a red plaid shirt, red doc martens, one fishnet stocking and one regular black sock. She has her hair in a braid with her bangs unevenly dyed red, and her horns are very short. She has black lipstick, thick eyeliner and two orbital piercings in her visible ear. She has some reddish discoloration on her cheeks and shoulders.

Her sophomore self appears much taller, partly because she is wearing studded black boots with huge platforms. Her horns are longer and she is fully pink. She has her eyes closed in an open-mouthed grin that shows off her fangs, and her right hand (viewer’s left) held up in a horns sign. She is wearing Johnny Spells’ black leather jacket with spikes on the cuffs and flames painted onto the arms, a red Sig Figs crop top, a purple and black checked skirt, black fingerless gloves, black studded choker, and a fishnet (hairnet) stocking on her left leg. She has her red anarchy symbol on her forehead, and matching red eye makeup. She has a bridge piercing on her nose and a cuff in her visible ear, and she is also wearing Ayda’s feather as an earring. She is holding the ruby-red Infaethable Bass, on a red plaid guitar strap. She is wearing her hair down, dip-dyed purple.

The background is reddish-pink with a big red anarchy symbol and orange-yellow flames rising up from the ground.

2: Fabian’s freshman self is grinning confidently, holding his fencing rapier straight up in front of his face with his right hand. His left hand is tucked behind his back, and his heels are together. His hair is in a short afro with fade on the side, and he is wearing a single ring earring in his left earlobe. He has on an Owlbears letterman jacket, black t-shirt, grey riding pants, and blue sneakers.

His sophomore self is significantly taller, with his hair shaved on the sides and the rest in medium-length deadlocks tied in a ponytail. He has a black eyepatch over his eye and a serene expression as he dances with his cream battlesheet. He is wearing a blue crop-top that reads ‘Fuck Dragons’ with an illustration of a dragon skull being stabbed through the head, purple-grey sweatpants, and the red Sneakers of Dunking. His hands are wrapped, and he has two swords on his belt; the Sword of the Seacasters, a cutlass with an ornate gold basket hilt, and Fandrangor, an elegant elven longsword.

The background is a large golden-framed mirror hung up on a wall clad in blue-green planks of wood.

3: Adaine’s freshman self anxiously has her shoulders hunched and is using both arms to hold her huge crystal orb. She is wearing a dark blue Hudol uniform with blazer and skirt, white shirt, and maroon tie. She has her hair straight and held back by a light blue headband, and is wearing knee-length white socks and smart black shoes.

Her sophomore self is smiling, holding the Sword of Sight. She is wearing the denim Jacket of Usefulness, which has a white fur lining and is covered in patches including a cartoon frog, a yellow warning label reading ‘Arcane Hazard’ and a black and white patch reading ‘Seer’. Under that she has her purple arcane rune t-shirt, and she is wearing black jeans, black boots, and a blue dangly earring in the shape of a teardrop. Her spellbook is on a book holster attached to her belt. Her hair is now wavy, and the top is worn in a bun. She is a full head taller than her freshman self.

Her background is blue with ocean waves, and above them the white outline of an oracular eye.

4: Riz’s freshman self has an inquisitive frown, holding up a magnifying glass in his right hand and half-hiding his gun (a short arquebus) in his left. He is wearing a brown-toned argyle sweatervest over a white shirt, light brown knee-length shorts, a brown flatcap, and black dress shoes (cobbled in such a way to accomodate his goblin feet, which are digitigrade)

His sophomore self has a toothy grin, and is lifted off the ground by the grappling hook function of his long arquebus (formerly Pok’s) which he holds in his right hand. In his left, he holds his briefcase, monogrammed with ‘T.B.’ He no longer has his hat, and he has grown sideburns. He is wearing a black waistcoat with a gold back, black pants, black gold-toed dress shoes, a white shirt and black tie, and a gold-faced watch. He has several tattoos visible on his arms including, ‘Garthy [O’Brien],’ ‘Fallinel’, ‘Queen?’, ‘KVX’, an image of a crown, ‘Ruby’, and ‘Beware Shadow[cat]’ with an image of a cat.

His background is a conspiracy wall full of scraps of paper and photographs all connected with red string.

5: Gorgug’s freshman self has hunched shoulders, with his right hand in his hoodie pocket and his left hand staring forlornly at a tin flower. He is wearing a plain grey hoodie, heavily patched blue jeans that are too short in the ankles, and blue sneakers.

His sophomore self is standing up straight and smiling, holding the handle of the Heavy Metal Ax, whose gigantic head rests on the ground. He is taller, with broader shoulders, bigger tusks, and some stubble on his chin. He has a white streak in the front of his hair, the Headphones of Solitude around his neck, and drumsticks in his back pocket. His hoodie is now an Owlbears hoodie with red accents and an Aguefort emblem on the breast. He is wearing dark purple sweatpants that have been hand-stitched with flowers, and red tennis shoes.

His background is green with pink flowers in the bottom left corner and clockwork in the top right.

6: Kristen’s freshman self has a positive smile and is wearing a moon-boot foot brace on her right leg, leaning on her shepherd’s crook staff in her right hand. She is wearing a rainbow tie-dye t-shirt with a corn emblem in the middle, mid-length denim shorts, a dark purple bracelet, and a green flip-flop on her uninjured foot. She has colourful band-aids on her left knee and is clutching her Helionic bible to her chest, on which two golden sheaves of wheat form a wreath.

Her sophomore year self has a dark purple staff in the shape of a question mark, and is wearing a galaxy print tank top with ‘IDK’ in white on the front. She has a pink and yellow plaid shirt tied around her waist, grey jeans, blue converse shoes, and rainbow socks. Her ponytail is longer, but she now has the side of her head shaved, and it is being held up by a pink ribbon. She is holding a green tome titled ‘On the Subject of World Religions’ open to a page in the middle. She has a tattoo of Tracker’s name on her collarbone, and a pale spiraling scar in the left-centre of her chest, glittering slightly.

Her background is a partial eclipse, with the golden sun side behind freshman Kristen and the purple darkness side behind sophomore Kristen.

/end id]

[randomtable]

1d6 Cool Swords

1. Saber with a ruby encrusted hilt and a golden-hued blade. It protects the wielder from fire. 2. Longsword with a blade that is always perfectly shiny and polished to a mirror finish. It is blessed with such purity that evil beings burn as though by acid when cut with it. 3. Greenish tinted shortsword that bestows a minor curse on those it hits, making their attacks less effective. 4. Greatsword that glows with an eerie purple aura. For the most part it seems to behave like a normal sword, but it is doubly effective against ghosts and other spectral beings. 5. Rapier as black as ebony, that allows its wielder to move unseen through shadows. 6. Shimmering opalescent cutlass that can be channeled to heal rather than harm.

[deadboyswalking]

There are worse places to die, the siren thought as he lay on the sea floor with his tail trapped under a heavy stone, at least this lagoon is pretty. Not for the first time, Dabi cursed his father's vile experiment that led to the phototoxic coating over his rapidly blistering skin, the rays of sunlight killing him faster and faster as noon climbed high in the cloudless sky. The water was so shallow that it scarcely covered the tip of his pierced nose, and yet it was just enough that he could not dry out, transform to a human, and heave himself to the shore.

It had been hours already that he lay with his skin burning, going delirious with the merciless heat, when a trio of shadows fell across him. The cool, temporary relief was quickly snuffed out by fear. Humans.

"Oi, what the hell IS that thing? I know exactly what it is, it's a shark!" on of the shadows asked in two voices, gesticulating wildly. Dabi watched with interest as the lights and shadows danced above his aching eyes.

"Don't be an idiot, Jin-kun!" a high-pitched voice said brightly from the smallest shadow, "It's a merman, of course! But ooh, look at its skin! Mister, what's wrong with it?"

"I have no idea, my dear Toga!" the third sahadow said, "This old man has seen many things, but a top-layer mer with this kind of blistering is an unknown thing indeed! Toga, go get the captain, he'll want to see this."

The small shadow disappeared.

"Oi! Spinner! Get your ass and big, sexy muscles over here! We need you to help lift this rock!"

A response was yelled from a distance and the heavy weight was suddenly lifted off of Dabi's tail. Two pairs of gloved hands gripped his burned arms, the other his bleeding tail, and suddenly, he breached the surface of the water and was being lifted to the beach. The men holding his arms both wore masks, though one was dressed like a gentleman complete with a top hat and the other like.... a common pirate. The man holding his tail also wore the ragged garb, but he was additionally covered in reptilian scale tattoos and had a countless number of daggers and cutlasses strapped to his muscular body. Dabi gulped; his last encounter with those who served the Pirate King had not gone well for him and he was too weakened by the sun to sing his song and escape.

He was laid down on the sand with a wet thud, thankfully in the shade, and covered by the quickly-shed coats of the three mean, leaving only his face exposed. Dabi closed his eyes and focused on transforming as he felt his scales dry out; it had been a while since he last had legs, but he could probably run away if they weren't broken by the rock. He felt his tail dissolve and suddenly, two bare and healthy legs supported him on the sand. He sprang to his feet, thighs shaking, and wrapped the gentleman's coat around his naked form. He prepared to run or fight his way out when he heard something that made him freeze.

"Alright, which of you louts decided to call an emergency?" a new, raspy voice said, "Twice, if this is about a cool rock you saw for the third time this week- oh."

Accompanied by a young blonde girl, a new figure entered the clearing, his hat broad, his hair shaggy and grey, and his black greatcoat held back by a pair of sharp-looking cutlasses with golden handles. The young man strode across the sand in his tall black boots, and Dabi felt the breath catch in his throat as he stared into a pair of eyes colored and gleaming like the finest rubies he'd ever seen.

"This is not a mer. Toga, I was promised a mer."

"Shigaraki, this is the mer!" the gentleman said, "And a high-ranking one at that! He transformed right here on the sand!"

"Get him to his knees. Compress, bind his hands," the captain, Shigaraki, ordered.

Dabi's new knees hit the sand as the tattooed man forced him down by the shoulders. The gentleman, Compress, pinned his arms back and tied them with a length of rope he seemed to produce out of nowhere.

The young captain with the pretty eyes drew one of his cutlasses with a sharp snk and placed the tip under Dabi's chin , using the sharp edge to tilt his face up and look directly at the captain's scarred visage.

"Can you understand me, mer?" the captain rasped. Dabi nodded, feeling the blade cut a little into his throat and a drop of blood trickle down.

"What do you know about the treasure of mer King All Might, called One For All by legend?"

"I know nothing," Dabi snarled, "That king is dead and his treasure gone with him to the deep."

"Legend has it that the person who possesses the treasure rules the seven seas," Shigaraki said carefully, "Is that not the mer King Endeavor?"

Dabi spat on the captain's boots and felt the blade cut deeper.

"Don't you dare mention that bastard to me!" Dabi growled, "He is unfit to rule the mer, much less the seven seas, and I pray to the gods that his endless brutal quest for the power of One For All leads him into the great belly of a shark!"

"Don't pray to the gods, pray to me," the captain said, grinning manically, and signalled for the tattooed man to cut Dabi's bonds, "What is your name, merman?"

Dabi got to his feet, rubbing his sensitive arms after the rope had been cut.

"Dabi, and I'm not just a merman, I'm a siren. You're Shigaraki, I guess?"

"Captain Tomura Shigaraki, the terror of the high seas!" Compress cried.

"Legend says a hundred battles and not one blade has touched him!" the tattooed man added, pounding his chest with the dagger he used to free Dabi.

"The fiercest warrior! The blood of thousands of unworthy opponents across his deadly hands!" the girl pirate shrieked with glee, clapping and bouncing in place.

"The youngest, cruelest bastard to set foot on the deck of a ship! He's a cool guy who loves us though!"

"Oh, captain! Our captain!" the group shouted, making Dabi wince at the noise. He was amused to see Captain Shigaraki was flushed as scarlet as his eyes at his crew's antics. Cute.

"Okay, okay! That's enough out of you lot!" Shigaraki shouted, silencing the crew as he turned back to the siren, "Well, Dabi, we just so happen to be searching for the legendary One For All as well. We could use someone with mer knowledge and a siren's song as a bonus. What do you say you join our motley crew?"

"Oh yeah?" Dabi scoffed, "And what's in it for me?"

Shigaraki hummed thoughtfully and played with a strand of his thick grey hair. Dabi was curious about what would cause such hair coloring and scarring on such a young human. Perhaps Shigaraki, too, was born wrong.

"Well, when mer King Endeavor inevitably crosses paths with us on our journey, you get first dibs on his head."

Dabi grinned, his burns straining against the expression, and stuck out his hand.

"You've got yourself a deal then, boss."

[descendantofthesparrow]

Soulmate Au! Future vision - Harry Hook x Reader - Oneshot

This ones prob gonna be a bit shorter than the others but I have no clue where to start it.

soulmate au idea from @iflostreturntoflynnrider​! 

=

When soulmates meet for the first time, they are given a “preview” of their possible life together

-

You watched as the ocean rushed below you as the limo drove towards the isle of the lost, only an hour ago you were told by Lonnie that Ben was on the isle and had been kidnapped.

By who you didn’t know, but you had quickly gotten dressed into more isle appropriate clothes and ran off with Lonnie to look for the boys, and thanks to Lonnie threatening to tell Fairy Godmother about their plan, the boys allowed the two of you to come along.

You took a deep breath as the limo rolled to a stop and quickly climbed out after Carlos, placing your hand on the pommel of your cutlass.

“(y/n), Lonnie?!” Mal gasped, letting out a small sound of discomfort as Lonnie slammed into her.

“We made them bring us” Lonnie laughed, turning to Evie and hugging her as well.

“im so glad” Mal sighed, looking around Lonnie to watch Jay and Carlos as they got the swords. Evie reached out and patted your shoulder, welcoming you to the isle.

“oh! Here, lemme see” Mal reached out for the fake wand as Carlos and snatched it from him as he handed it out to her, she nodded slightly and rubbed her thumb against one of the gold vines “wow, what a beauty” she handed it back to Carlos.

“it's noon” Jay muttered with slight dread, Mal nodding and looking at the group.

“Alright, we ready?” Evie held up Mal's bag and nodded “let's do this”

You followed the vks and Lonnie through the tunnel and exited it to see a large damaged pirate ship, seeing the spray-painted title on the bow.

“the lost revenge” you muttered to yourself, walking with Lonnie to the upper deck of the wharf and leaning on the rails as Uma and Mal began to “negotiate”

You tapped your fingers against the wooden rails in slight boredom, most of their “negotiating” was Uma actually negotiating and Mal making snarky comments, in which each comment pushed Ben further over the edge of the plank.

You looked towards Ben, who gave you a grim look before your eyes drifted up the built arm of the teen who was holding Ben by the collar of his jacket.

Your eyes clashed with black-lined ocean blue, you blinked and suddenly you were looking down at your left hand as a ruby ring was being slid onto your finger, you blinked again and the vision disappeared.

You shook your head slightly and took a breath, Lonnie glancing at you with a slightly worried look “im fine” you muttered, leaning back from the rails a bit and rolling your shoulders.

Soon Ben was pushed to kneel next to Uma, the tall (and very handsome you might add) pirate just behind him with his hook and sword at the ready.

Mal handed Uma the “wand” and Uma pushed Ben towards Mal. The rest of you started to walk towards the tunnel as quickly as you could without raising suspicion, but Uma’s scream of rage stopped the lot of you in your tracks.

You turned just as she snapped the fake wand over her knee and yelled at Mal “you do not get to win every time!” she jutted her arm out in a strict order to her crew, “get em!”

Before the crew could obey the order, multicolored smoke bombs covered the deck, allowing the rest of you plenty of time to grab a sword and prepare to fight.

You curled your lip at Mal's grip on her sword and shook your head, drawing your cutlass and dropping down to the main level of the docks just in front of Ben, smirking at the blonde-haired pirate that skidded to a stop in front of you “hiya~” you sang, standing and blocking several swings from the pirate and easily tossing him over your shoulder and into the waters below.

As you made your way back up to the tunnel, with Ben close behind, knocking over pirates with every other swing, your blade finally clashed with another that didn’t immediately knock them over.

You ducked under the backswing and spun on your heel to face them.

Ocean blue met (e/c) and the world stopped and moments in time that had yet to arrive flashed through your mind.

you were laying on the boy's chest, pressing your lips against his smile.

Then you were sitting at the bow of a black ship as it sailed across the sea, a scarlet jacket curled around your shoulders as a soft raspy voice echoed in your ear and strong arms rocked you ever so slightly

Then you were sliding a golden ring onto his hand, pressing an eager kiss to his lips as he cried happy tears.

Then you were looking down at the tiniest baby as her hand curled around the boys, now a young man, finger, tears trailing down his cheeks as he cooed down at the baby.

Then you were standing back-to-back, swords in hand and war cries spilling from your lips as enemies surrounded you.

Then you were holding each other closely as a soft rain fell around you, your friends surrounding you as they relaxed after the huge battle.

You blinked wildly as the world returned to its normal speed, continuing to stare into the pirate teen's eyes as his grip on his weapons loosened until they almost fell out of his hands.

“yeh are” he whispered, head snapping up as the sound of swords clashing suddenly returned. His stressed eyes looked between you and the fight, biting his lip as he did.

“im (y/n)” you hurried to whisper, smiling as he gave a nervous grin and said his name back. Harry…what a wonderful name. Ben called your name and you took one last look at Harry, giving him a painful smile “we’ll see each other again soon yeah?” Harry nodded sternly, watching you with sad eyes as you turned and ran towards your friends, disappearing into the tunnel and leaving him behind.

-

You let out a small groan as soft, yet calloused, fingers stroked your cheek, you blearily opened your eyes and misled as you looked into your husband's bright ocean blue “what's up?” you rasped, shifting closer to him and tossing your arm around his torso, then tangling your legs with his.

“was jus’ thinking about stuff” he muttered, closing his eyes and pressing soft kisses to your face.

“what kin’a stuff” you yawned, sleep already beginning to lure you back into its clutches.

“jus’…old stuff” he shrugged,  wrapping his arms around you and pulling you taut into his chest “like when we first met”

You hummed sleepily and starched your nails lightly against Harry's back “that was a weird day” you laughed, the low rumble that echoed from Harry's chest as he laughed making you smile.

“aye” he pressed another kiss to your cheek as the low thumps of your twins came barreling down the hall “uh oh”

You let out a low groan and lifted up the blanket from your side, Killian and Arella immediately sliding under and getting comfy against your side, Arella being the little shit she was and burrowing in between you and Harry.

Harry pecked the top of her head, leaned over slightly to press one last kiss to your nose, and resting his head on the pillow “I love yeh (y/n)” he whispered, smiling as you muttered the affection right back.

-end-

Short but sweet! This just kinda…appeared? Like I had no plan for this, It just kinda happened…anyway enjoy!!!

permtaglist

@queer-cosette​ @sephiralorange​

@lunanight2012​ @daughter-of-the-stars11​

@musicarose​ @remembered-license​

@random-thoughts-003​ @imtryingthisout​

@thecaptainsgingersnap​ @jatp-rules-my-life​

@verboetoperee​ @rintheemolion​

[liminal-storage]

Excerpt: "Mark of the Crimson Cutlass"

Because the player asked for it, here is the first in a small series of excerpts from a story Okuni has been working on IC.

Mentions of Inwa, who belongs to @daylightrays

---------------------- "I'm at an impasse here. Do I rewrite this bit so it's more realistic, or should I keep it as is to ramp up the tension and drama?" The office was an utter mess. Ink-smudged pages and crumpled balls of parchment lay strewn about. Remnants from some kind of takeout food--The Crimson Crawdad, if she remembered correctly--sat in danger of pillaging under the watchful eye of Mochi the cat, whom Okuni was currently using as means of an echo chamber.

(It was a shame, then, that even if the cat could speak, his two braincells only allowed care for two subjects; food and affection.)

Speaking of pillaging, the woman was greatly beginning to regret choosing the high seas as a backdrop for her debut adventure novel.

The idea itself was fine; a pirate crew in search of an ancient, immortality-granting relic, and the young man who'd suddenly found himself as captain of that crew following a brutal tragedy. Cliché? Perhaps, but clichés sold books, and pirate novels never seemed to go out of style.

The problem did not lie in the plot or the writing itself. Okuni had outlined a solid buildup, conflict, and resolution and she was confident in her ability to execute it.

No, the problem was that she remained uncertain about her characterization. She'd long since decided that Inwa would serve as a model for the story's protagonist. That was where she encountered her problem; she didn't know him well enough to write him accurately. It provided no small amount of writer's block. Okuni made an aggravated hissing noise, turned the page, and read over the middle section of the chapter for a third time. This was the turning point for the protagonist, the very moment that his brother and captain died and the mantle would be passed to him.

----------------------

Kiaran looked up from the pistol's smoking barrel, his eyes catching sight of the setting sun past The Tigress' sinking prow. Victory well in hand, and yet he wondered why he felt so fixated on the sky rather than the joyous clamoring of the crew.

Red. So much red.

Blood dyed the churning seas a deep red, painted smears on the deck of The Tigress. Plumes of smoke from the roaring canons seemed to enhance the sunset's blush, caught the rays of the sun's dying light in a bloody halo.

Ruby heart's blood seeped through his brother's shirt.

Rapid, panicked steps carried Kiaran across the flooded deck and he felt his senses dull, all focus narrowed to a single point. His pistol clattered against the side of the ship before sliding into the wine-dark water.

Gunfire and shouts yet polluted the air, remnants of the sunken crew screaming of vengeance before crawling into creaking rowboats. Gulls screamed with glee for the feast bobbing in the churning waters, and someone, somewhere, wept for joy.

Kiaran heard the sounds, every last one. But he heard them through the deafening rush of his own heartbeat hammering in his ears, through what felt like wadded cotton batting shoved inside. Or maybe that was blood in his ears, trickling steadily from the gash on his temple. By the time he reached Eimon's body, Kiaran couldn't pick out any sounds at all, save for the skin-tearing scream rent from his own throat.

Eimon had handed him a cluster of tiny scarlet seeds once, the plump and shining pods of juice around them bursting in his fingertips. Eimon had called it a pomegranate, the fruit which the Sea-Queen had been gifted at her ascension. The seeds had looked like tiny jewels, fine rubies shining in the sun's golden light.

They'd stained his fingers then the same way Eimon's guts did now.

Kiaran tried to hold it all in place, fueled by some wild leap of logic or fairy tale wish that his brother could still be put back together.

The Tigress was sunk, her crew torn to bits by cutlass and canon while Starsinger sailed on. The crew would make repairs, re-chart the course, and set sail for Crooked Shoals in the morning. Adrenaline was beginning to fade and relieved laughter shaped the opening notes of a victorious shanty.

The blazing sun shimmered against the waves, the brilliance of it a painful, blinding thing.

No one seemed to notice that Kiaran held the rubies of his brother's last heartbeat in his hand.

---------------------- Was it too heavy-handed? Was it perhaps a bit too on the nose given recent events? Would 'Kiaran' realistically lose his focus on the battle if he saw his brother shot and dying right in front of him? Okuni wasn't sure, but she did know she was thinking about this too hard. Perhaps one day, she'd sit Inwa down and just straight-out ask him his opinion.

[v0id-necr0mancer]

Hermits as Treasures!

Xisuma: a cloak made of space, the fabric is soft and warm. The string is golden with a moonstone clasp.

Ren: a bone dipped in silver resting on a bed of wild flowers. The bone has an engraving of a gear and a wolf.

Iskall: a jade monocle, the lens is made of tinted blue sea glass. A silver chain hangs from it. Diamonds are embedded around the loop.

Stress: A tiara made of silver with a centrepiece amethyst, the workings are floral in nature.

Mumbo: a silver pocket watch, flowing etchings are filled with dragon blood resin. It always displays the wrong time.

False: a pair of fighting gauntlets, gold and silver thread create dynamic patterns. One of the gloves seems to have a rip.

Cleo: a cutlass with a gold handle embedded with emeralds and garnets, there is a recurring theme of spiders.

Hypno: a mortar and pestle carved from marble, the bowl has obsidian and diamonds encrusted around the outside.

Beef: a rose pin, the flower is black and deep blue. Diamonds are hidden in the petals.

Etho: a pure silver shuriken with 5 edges. a round red ruby is embedded in the middle. Etchings decorate the sides.

Grian: a glass figure of a bird reminiscent to a sparrow. The wings have gold leaf on the edges.

Doc: an olden prosthetic of a hand, it is made of spruce with swirling patterns of gold painted on. An emerald sits on the back of the hand.

Bdubs: a crystal ball reminiscent of a bubble, there is a pile of garnets inside with a white-tinted fog.

Wels: a sword of medieval origin, the guard is silver, with designs indicating knighthood on it. a sapphire is embedded in the middle.

Xb: a glass vial, a teal and silver powder rests at the bottom. When opened, a yellow smoke exits.

Joe: an antique book written in a long lost language, the cover has silver thread to accent the title.

TFC: a silver ring, the centrepiece holds a diamond encircled with smaller emeralds. One of the emeralds seems cracked.

Tango: an Aladdin-style oil lamp made of gold, rubys and garnets decorate the top. When lit, it smell of oranges and mango.

Keralis: a magnifying glass made of silver, gold thread goes around the handle. Emeralds and sapphires are studded around the loop.

Impulse: a golden shovel with blue dynamic engravings, the handle is studded with diamonds in a creeping pattern.

Scar: a light blue crystal held in a silver holder embedded with emeralds. An arcane circle is hidden in the holder’s design.

Cub: a mask made of ivory, blue silk covers the eyes. silver leaf is speckled all over the mask, with a ruby on the forehead.

Zedaph: a ram skull, the horns are solid gold. Finery drips on the bone, various gems hidden in the eye sockets.

Jevin: a crystal chalice with blue accents, it is filled with sapphires and pearls of the highest caliber.

Bonus:

Ex: a dagger holster, made of red leather and black straps, silver thread patterns the front. Rubies and garnets decorate it.

Hels: a silver morning-star, the handle is studded with rubies and garnets. carvings of fire and damnation cover the weapon.

NPG: a small rendition of a rustic house made of glasswork, there is a large crack running through the side of it.

Wormman: a pink scarf with magenta flowing patterns, glass beads and pearls hand down from golden thread.

Badtimes: a cowboy hat of the highest caliber, made of beaver fur with a silver thread around the top.

[nico-drives-badly]

Hey guys, wanna read about my Mermaid and Pirate AU that I randomly came up with last night that’s also very loosely based on DMC4?

(Note: this is a really lengthy outline that’s been copied and pasted directly from my notes app. Y’all know how my writing works at this point lol.)

The story begins with Kyrie and Credo’s parents fighting off enemy pirates, eventually leading to Kyrie and Credo’s father killing their captain to get a hold of their treasure. But when his wife opens the treasure chest, she is shocked to find a little baby boy inside; the captain must have hidden her baby to keep him safe during the raid. Overwhelmed with guilt for killing the baby’s own mother, the parents decide to raise the child as their own, and they name him Nero.

19 years later, Nero is now a fully-fledged pirate sailing alongside his adopted siblings. Kyrie and Credo’s parents died of illness a few years prior, so Credo has taken on the position of captain. Everything is perfectly normal for the pirate siblings, until their ship suddenly gets ambushed by enemy pirates one night, and they throw Kyrie overboard. Nero, despite not knowing how to swim, dives in after Kyrie and miraculously rescues her. Nero is too full of adrenaline to realize it, but his legs had momentarily transformed while they were submerged in the water...

After that, all sorts of strange phenomenon start to happen to Nero. Over time, Nero slowly realizes that he can control and manipulate water with his hands akin to a waterbender, but he doesn’t understand why. It isn’t until one day, when Credo finds a mermaid with white hair and a red tail tangled in the net of their daily catch, that Nero suddenly remembers the night he rescued Kyrie and quickly puts two and two together.

Credo is about to kill the creature when Nero suddenly stops him in his tracks. Nero bargains with Credo that they could question the mermaid for information and potentially use him to find treasure. Credo is hesitant, at first, but he eventually agrees to keep the mermaid as their hostage, and he orders Nero to take their prisoner below deck for questioning. Nero proceeds to drag the net downstairs and tie up their hostage, little knowing that the mermaid is quickly starting to dry...

Finally, right as Nero finishes tying the last knot, the last drop of water evaporates from the mermaid’s skin, and his tail suddenly morphs into a pair of human legs! Stunned by the sudden transformation, Nero proceeds to stammer out all sorts of questions, and the hybrid creature quickly realizes that this kid wasn’t holding him hostage, at all; all he wanted was to find someone who could understand him. With this in mind, the hybrid formally introduces himself as Dante and patiently answers all of Nero’s questions he has about himself, and as Dante and Nero continue to exchange information about each other, they are surprised to discover that they are actually uncle and nephew.

Dante reveals that he and his twin brother, Vergil, were half-mermaid and half-human, and they would transform anytime they touched water; Nero, on the other hand, was only 1/4 mermaid and only transformed when his legs were completely submerged in water. Because of this, Nero was able to live a relatively normal life, but Dante and Vergil would never be able to live on the surface world without being ostracized.

For this reason, Dante and Vergil both agreed early on that it was better for them to live in the ocean. They parted ways when they were 18, but they promised to always meet each other at a special rock on the shores of their hometown every full moon. No matter where they were in the seven seas, Dante explained, they would always be able to find their way back home; all they had to do was wear their half of the Perfect Amulet — an enchanted undersea necklace that their father had made so that he could always visit their human mother — and let the ocean guide them.

Everything was going swimmingly for the next 1 1/2 years, until one night when Vergil failed to show up at their meeting spot. At first, Dante assumed it was just a fluke, but when another 3 full moons passed with still no sign of his brother, Dante quickly assumed the worst. Ever since then, he has been searching all across the seven seas for his brother’s half of the amulet; it was all he had left of him.

Nevertheless, Nero is still hopelessly confused about his origins; he knew that he was adopted, but his parents never told him the truth about his birth mother’s death. He eventually agrees to release Dante from his imprisonment in exchange for helping him find answers. Later that night, while Credo and Kyrie are asleep, Nero and Dante sneak into the Captain’s Quarters — which the siblings have left untouched for years out of respect for their deceased parents — and search through their personal belongings.

Eventually, Nero finds a diary that used to belong to his adopted mother: the earliest entry talked about how she discovered Nero’s powers while she was bathing him one night, and how she learned to bathe him standing up to keep his legs out of the water; another entry talked about how she refused to let her husband teach Nero how to swim, no matter how ridiculous the request seemed; yet another talked about how guilty she felt about keeping this secret from her husband, but she knew that it was the only way to guarantee Nero’s safety.

The last entry talked about a nightmare she had during her illness, in which she recalled the day they fought off the enemy pirates and unknowingly killed Nero’s mother. She remembered how they were blasted with torrents of water and pelted with sheets of ice by a mysterious man clad in blue, until her husband struck him square in the chest with his cutlass and murdered him on the spot. She recalled how furious Nero’s mother was by the sudden death of her husband, threatening to set their ship ablaze with Kyrie and Credo inside if they didn’t leave at once, all the while fiercely protecting an old treasure chest behind her. Last but not least, she remembered opening the old treasure chest when it was all said and done, and finding an infant baby Nero inside...as well as a beautiful ruby necklace encased in silver.

Stunned, Nero turns to tell Dante about this revelation, but the words evaporate from his mouth when he sees his uncle staring wide-eyed at his brother’s amulet, which was proudly mounted on the wall as a token of their bounty.

Kyrie and Credo’s parents...the adopted parents of Dante’s own nephew...they’re the ones who killed Vergil.

Overcome with rage, Dante storms out of the Captain’s Quarters suddenly and barricades the door with ice, trapping Nero inside. Moments later, Nero feels the boat start to rock violently, and all at once his eyes widen. Thankfully, Nero manages to melt away the ice with little difficulty, and he quickly warns Kyrie and Credo to grab their cutlasses and follow him. Eventually, the three siblings arrive on deck, and what they see makes all of their jaws drop. Standing before them is none other than Dante, his eyes glowing a dangerous red and a violent cyclone of water circling rapidly around his body. A massive storm cloud is brewing above the cyclone, rocking the ship furiously along the choppy waves.

Dante, seeking vengeance for his dead brother, starts to ruthlessly attack Kyrie and Credo with water and ice. Nero tries his best to protect them without exposing his true identity, but Dante is far too strong to be defeated with cutlasses alone. Eventually, Dante has Kyrie and Credo cornered, and he begins to summon a onslaught of razor-sharp ice daggers aimed straight for the heart...

Suddenly, Nero throws himself in front of them and desperately holds out his hand, connecting with the fatal attack and melting away the ice in an instant. Nero begs Dante not to hurt Kyrie and Credo; they were his family, too. Dante seems to falter at this, and the red glow in his eyes disappears in an instant. Reluctantly Dante lowers his arms and releases the raging cyclone, returning the ocean to its calm, natural state.

Once Credo finally knows that they are safe, however, he suddenly stands up and points his cutlass right at Dante’s chest, stating that he has been far too lenient on him and that he should be slain at once. Nero tries to reason with Credo, reminding him of their father’s golden rule of pacifism that was established shortly after they adopted Nero: no treasure is worth more than a human life. Credo rejects this notion, however, scathingly reminding his brother that Dante isn’t human. Finally, as a last resort, Nero does the unthinkable: he summons the water from a nearby puddle and hovers it between his hands, and he almost shamefully admits to Credo that he’s not fully human either.

Credo is taken aback at this, and as Nero continues to explain his identity and origins, his shock soon gives way to horror when he realizes what his parents had done. At first, Nero assumes that his brother also saw the error in his parent’s ways, but he quickly learns otherwise when Credo furiously detests his parents for adopting a “monster” as their own son. Credo was barely old enough to remember that fateful day, but he knew all too well what these creatures were capable of. He is outraged at his mother for knowingly raising a child capable of so much destruction, for putting himself and Kyrie in so much danger. Nero tries to reason with Credo that he’s never wanted to hurt anyone, but Credo furiously responds that his birth father nearly drowned their entire crew and his birth mother threatened to burn Kyrie and Credo alive; what did that make him?

Unbeknownst to everyone, Kyrie has mysteriously retreated below deck and is desperately searching for something important...

Finally, after failing to convince his brother otherwise, Credo forces Nero to choose: either he stays on board with them and renounces his mermaid origins, or he walks the plank with Dante and never sets foot on this ship again. Nero, hopelessly caught in the middle, begs his brother to reconsider, but Credo’s mind has already been set. Dante encourages Nero to stay behind with his siblings, insisting that he shouldn’t let some old sea hag come between him and his family, but Nero counters that he was also the only family Dante had left.

Suddenly, Kyrie returns to the main deck with Vergil’s half of the amulet, having laboriously pried it off of its wooden mount with her bare hands. She hands the amulet to Dante and tells him to go in peace, promising that they will allow Nero the freedom to fully embrace his identity in return.

Dante is touched by the offer, but he ultimately declines, choosing to let Nero keep the amulet and depart empty-handed. Nero is hesitant to take something that meant so much to his uncle, but Dante assures him that it’s better than letting it go to waste. Dante turns and starts to walk towards the edge of the wooden plank, but Nero quickly stops him and asks if he will ever see him again. Dante simply chuckles and responds: “Just let the ocean guide you, kid. As long as the moon is full, you’ll know where to find me.”

And with that, Dante jumps overboard and disappears under the water, returning to the tides from which he came.

The story ends with an epilogue that takes place roughly two weeks later. Credo and Kyrie have slowly grown to accept Nero’s true identity, and Nero in turn has begun to embrace his strange new abilities, as well. Needless to say, when Credo tells Nero that he has to swab the deck before he’s allowed to leave at sunset, and Nero quickly finishes the task by moving the soapy water all across the floorboards before happily flinging himself overboard, it quickly becomes obvious that life will never be the same for them.

Meanwhile, Dante is waiting at the special rock on the shores of his hometown, just like he always did every full moon. He proceeds to “talk” to his deceased brother, just as he always does, pretending to fill him in on everything that’s happened to him over the past month. He goes on to ramble about Nero and their experiences together on the ship, and he somberly adds that he wishes Vergil could’ve been there to meet him.

Suddenly, Nero emerges from beneath the waves and sits on the other side of the rock, letting his light blue tail float lazily in the water.

“Hey, Dante,” Nero greets his uncle with a smile. “Long time no see.”

[exploringalterra]

Alterra Worldbuilding Journal: An Enchanted Evening

Your party has been traveling by airship for ten hours, and so far it’s been smooth sailing. Normally the four of you wouldn’t be able to afford tickets for a luxury vessel like this, but you were able to work out a bargain with Captain Valen, the owner. You and your allies would be allowed to travel for a fraction of the cost, in exchange for helping the crew and defending the ship from airborne threats like dragons and air elementals.

Hopefully small air elementals, you think to yourself as you look down over the railing.

Not that the threat of falling is really an issue. Everyone on board, even the crew, was issued a swan-shaped ring when they boarded the airship. The ring will cause them to float to the ground as gently as a feather if they fall overboard, and even float on water indefinitely in case of a water landing. Too bad you have to return it when your party arrives at your destination, you remind yourself.

Thinking of your destination turns your thoughts inward. There’s no guarantee that Academie Arcana will provide any real leads for the mystery that’s already taken you across multiple continents. But at this point you’re convinced that the Academie is your only hope of getting any answers at all.

A chill gust of wind from the north makes you shiver, and you spin around in alarm for the eighth time in the last hour. Like the other seven times, it was nothing but a normal gust of wind. But that’s no guarantee for the ninth time.

You turn the swan ring on your finger and look to the other three corners of the ship where your companions are stationed on lookout. If they were attacked by an air elemental, the ring could put you in just as much danger of being blown into the stratosphere as anything else. The thought makes you grip the rope next to you with white knuckles.

A warm breeze behind you brushes across your cheek, causing your neck and shoulders to relax. And then you hear a deep, breathy voice in your ear.

“It seems tragic that a face like yours should wear an expression like that on an evening as lovely as this.”

Your heart skips a beat. The voice came from behind you. There shouldn’t be anything behind you except the railing of the ship and some clouds.

You turn around, though not as quickly as you did just a moment ago. There, standing on the railing of the airship, leaning casually against a rope, is a devastatingly attractive djinn.

It takes several seconds for your brain to wrap itself around the figure before you, starting your gaze low and working your way up.

Shiny black boots that go halfway up the calf, with striped pants tucked into them. A leather belt around the waist secures a cutlass to one hip and a spyglass to the other. A ruffled white shirt that’s mostly covered by the long red coat with gold trim that seems to billow gently in the wind.

And above the collar is a face of such confidence and mirth that you swear that in contrast it makes it seem as if everyone else you’ve ever met had something to hide. And this is the first time you’ve seen the face of any person who has nothing at all to hide. No doubt, no shame, no hesitancy.

And surrounding that magnificent magenta face is shoulder length hair that seems to burn like an orange fire as it dances in front of the setting sun and the airship full of sky pirates rising up from below...

Wait. What was that last part?

Oh dragon snot. You shake your head back to your senses. Where in the wide world did THEY come from?!

“Greetings to you all, my esteemed guests!” the djinn calls out as every conversation on deck goes silent. “For those of you not aware, my name is Captain Cinder. But since we’re all friends here, you may call me ‘Captain’ or ‘CC,’ if you wish. I am accustomed to keeping things familiar, so I hope you’ll choose whatever makes you most comfortable.”

Captain Cinder gives you a wink before walking past you, strolling into the center of the crowd of passengers. As Cinder’s airship rises level with yours, several members of their crew step casually across planks, with swords sheathed at their hips and relaxed smiles at their lips.

“Now I know what you’re all thinking,” the Captain continues. “You’re thinking, ‘That can’t really be THE Capatain Cinder, can it? I heard Captain Cinder was a handsome swashbuckler of a man with a voice like honey and a gaze that makes every young adolescent’s heart melt!’”

Switching to a deeper voice and different accent, the Captain goes on. “‘I heard Cinder was a rogue temptress with charms that could beguile even the most hardened mercenary or miserly merchant!’”

Shifting to the comically high pitched voice of a child, “I heard Captain CC has been the bestest pirate in the whole entire world for over 600 years! And that’s even older than my grandpa over there!’” At this last comment, Captain Cinder points to a white-haired moon elf in the corner and a chuckle begins to spread through the crowd.

“Well as you can plainly see,” says the Captain, returning to their original baritone voice, “you’re ALL right!” At this, the chuckling on board ignites into a burst of laughter from both passengers and crew.

“Ah what an enchanting occasion it is when two vessels of mutual affection should pass each other in a chance encounter such as this, among these golden clouds and ruby sunsets.”

“But speaking of gold and rubies, I now must lean upon this mutual affection of ours and speak of sparkling matters. Donations, to be precise! Gifts given by you out of your admiration and adoration, and accepted by me and my crew out of our gracious and grateful hearts. Here come the boxes, friends!”

You watch, dumbfounded, as the passengers on board happily deposit money purses and heirlooms into the open treasure chests the pirate crew carry politely to each person.

Occasionally you see Captain Cinder personally address one of the passengers. Wealthy women blush and smile flirtatiously as they remove their jewelry for the Captain. Noblemen make a show of removing more and more wealth from hidden compartments of their coats, as Cinder gives a look of feigned shock and an impressed gasp at each new gift. Despite the raid (or perhaps because of it) everyone seems to be in the best mood they’ve felt since the trip began.

In all the excitement, you can’t see your three companions at the other corners of the ship, but you’re sure they’re fine. Everyone seems fine! Even an air elemental would probably decide to join the party if it came along.

Finally, far too soon, the sun begins to dip below the horizon, and Captain Cinder begins to offer sweet farewells. They give their final goodbye to you, their first hello.

Captain Cinder leans in close. “I can see you have little to offer as a donation, but perhaps you would prefer to give me a different kind of gift?” Your heart skips another beat as they continue in a whisper, “My ship can deliver you anywhere you choose. And in the meantime we can enjoy some privacy to become better acquainted.”

You can feel every eye on board boring into you with envy at the intimate attention, but you’re not thinking about them. You’re thinking about your beloved back home and what might happen if you gave in to such an offer.

“No thank you,” you say quietly. You can manage to say nothing else. To your relief, the Captain gives you another warm, genuine smile.

“I see. It takes a very special kind of love to resist a spell of Charming as strong as mine. And it takes a very special kind of person to treasure that love so faithfully.” The Captain reaches inside their inner coat pocket and retrieves a crimson gem.

“This ruby is very special too. In its center it contains a spark of red dragon fire. But it can only be seen by one whose love burns as intensely as yours.”

The Captain’s smile becomes sad, but no less charming. “Once, a very long time ago, that ruby shone as brightly as a torch for me. Now it only flickers like a candle on its last bit of wick. I’d like you to have it.” You find yourself completely speechless as Captain Cinder places the jewel in your hand and gently closes your fingers around it.

After all of the pirates have returned to their ship and the planks have been raised, the Captain calls out to you one last time. “May the Elements protect you until you can deliver that gift to your own beloved! Farewell my friends!!” And then the ship sails through the air speedily away.

As the last of the daylight fades away over the horizon, a chill wind blows from the North again, and the resulting shiver causes many to shake their heads and gather their senses, though the effects of the spell still linger faintly.

“Captain...” you whisper to yourself. Then your eyes widen. “Captain!” you shout. Captain Valen, your captain, the captain of the ship you and your companions are aboard right now, the captain who hired you specifically to protect his ship from threats. How could you have failed him like that?!

You run across the deck of the ship, halting breathlessly when you find him. Your three companions are there too, looking as embarrassed and ashamed as you surely feel. But at least none of THEM were guarding the corner of the ship where the pirates actually boarded from.

All of you try to stammer your apologies at once. “I’m so sorry! I don’t know how we could’ve possible just stood there while-” But Captain Valen cuts all of you off with a wave of his hand.

“Relax,” he says. “Captain Cinder is a local legend in these parts, and with good reason. In all honesty, most of the wealthiest passengers on board booked this trip in the hopes that we’d be boarded.” Valen then adds with a wink, “Though I’d never tell Cinder or their crew that. They’d be furious if they thought they’d become predictable.”

“Then you’re not angry with us for not stopping them?” you ask.

“I’d have been flabbergasted if you did!” replies Valen. “I’ve been boarded by those pirates more times than I can count, and I’ve never had a member of my crew come anywhere close to stopping them. Why should I expect any differently from you four?”

“Though I’ll admit, THAT is new,” he says, pointing at the ruby still clutched in your hand. “That’s quite the valuable keepsake you’ve got there. How about a trade?”

“What?” you ask, taken by surprise.

“I’d be willing to let you keep that enchanted swan ring you’re wearing in exchange for the jewel,” he offers. “They’re not cheap, I can tell you. It will take me three months to earn back enough to replace it. But I think it’s a fair trade. Never fear drowning or heights for the rest of your life! What do you say?”

You look at the ring on your hand and consider the offer. You’ve always been a pretty strong swimmer, and the hights don’t really seem so bad anymore.

“No thank you,” you say for the second time that day.

Once you’re alone again, you gaze at the ruby in your hand and the scarlet light glowing inside like an ember. You sigh happily as you imagine delivering it safely to your own private treasure box back home. The only true love you’ll ever need.

[rubyofthegoldencutlasscomics]

Ruby phone wallpaper!

[cloudthehusky]

"Ahoy there! Have you come to hear a shanty? Or how about a cup of grog?" -Captain Cross

[cptfletch-blog]

Captain’s Log 202

After rousing young Kyndred to the challenge, we ascended up through the dais where Kyndred found the hole, and headed in the direction of where Eric and the Duck disappeared off to.

Behold though! Perhaps the Duck is mighty after all, for when we returned there were two! And it seems that in his power he slew a vast number of Kinglers! Although Eric does seem to be missing still, I hope he is alright.

The Ducks led us to a closet where strange markings were, after much struggling, Kyndred ripped the floor clear off revealing another pathway down. I had no idea that the young one had so much strength!

With the Ducks leading the charge we found our way into a corridor locked at the end, while investigating the alcoves in the hallway, I heard a yell and a bright flash of light came from the end. Looking onward I saw the sear of radiant light on the floor where the nun seemingly blasted the door open. But the strangest thing was that the door was still in tact and unharmed as we walked through.

Moving forward we found ourselves back in the crypt, I called for Kyndred to open the chest knowing fully of his strength now. With the swing of his bone and the stabbing of the egg’s daggers they cracked open the chest.

What followed is beyond words, a gorgeous blue egg floated out of the chest, cracks forming along the surface, spiderwebbing around it, and a golden light spilled from its cracks.

My target, my goal, my reason for this cursed venture. A goddess in all her glory before us. Then suddenly she submerged herself.

immediately I called to my aura, extending it out from me, there she was. I swam up a busted staircase following her trail, to find her in the garden from before.

She asked strange questions about why we were here, why were we doing this, blah. blah, blah. I didn’t care, I challenged her then, drawing my cutlass at her. Striking her, goading her, she lashed out with devastating power, I briefly fell but thankfully the nun is good for something and got me back on my feet. I would not hesitate while my target was here. A blood thirst I had not known since my early days on the high seas rose within. I did not stop for a moment. Eventually she began bleeding the blood of the gods, a golden ichor, I didn’t hesitate to finish her off.

My trophy hung in the air for only a moment as she disappeared, a ruby red gemstone, it glistened in the water. Before anyone else could think, I snatched it from the its position.

But there was a new issue, the water in the castle had started to decrease, things were melting, we had to get out.

[moderncolors]

The Ultimate List of Alternative Baby Names { bohemian, hippie, offbeat, fantasy, goth baby names} So you've got a wee one on the way and you're looking for a name as unique as your new baby is going to be, am I right? Well, check out this great list of offbeat names for I've created just for creative moms and dads-to-be like you. A lot of these names are form lists I made when thinking of names for my two tots and some inspired by my favorite celebrity kid names and some are from the top of my head.  Yes, some of these names are "out there" and I've gotten a lot of hateful comments about this post (that's why comments are disabled) but what do you expect from a post called THE ULTIMATE LIST OF ALTERNATIVE BABY NAMES? If you like the names. Awesome! If you don't, that's cool too. To each his own! NOTE: I didn't separate the names by gender as many of these can work for both boys and girls! Last updated 9/28/18 ▲BOHEMIAN & ARTSY▲ Arlo, Allegra, Alto, Ariel, Art, August, Avery, Beau, Bell/Belle, Blue, Burgundy, Cass/ Cassy, Cobalt, Cosette, Cruz, Dali, Dancer, Delia, Delilah, Donatello, Early, Eartha, Flannery, Frida, Golden, Harper, Haven, Hawthorne, Hendrix, Henna, Holden, Holiday, Honor, Hugo, Indigo, Isa, Jazz, Kahlo, Kodak, Langston, Lazareth, Legend, Lennon, Leonardo, Limerick, Lyric, Magenta, Mandala, Mandolin, Marlowe, Merlot, Michelangelo, Monet, Muse, Orlando, Paloma, Pen, Picasso, Piper, Poem, Quinn, Raphael, Red, Rigby, Ringo, Royal, Rufus, Shakespeare, Sonata, Sonnet, Story, Symphony, Tango, Tempo, True/Tru, Truman, Tuesday, Uma, Vellum, Vin/Vino, Xuxa (Shusha),Yoko, Zora  amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "e98f453f5cf9b08a37caad8372b2923c"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B07HR5SS5B,B079H2V79B,B07GZPGJYW,B072TY48WK,B00OVJJUFM"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲COSMIC▲ Aries, Callisto, Cassiopeia, Celeste, Celestial, Cloud, Comet, Constellation, Cosmic, Cosmo/Cosmos, Earth, Eclipse, Elara, Jupiter, Libra, Luna/Lunar, Mars, Mercury, Moon, Nebula, Nova, Orion, Pluto, Sirius, Solar, Star, Starbright, Stardust, Starlight, Starshine, Vega, Venus amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B00XQKJGVA,B07FDXY48N,B01DU228AO,B07J1CF5JW"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; ▲DESTINATIONS & TRAVEL▲ Africa, America, Asia, Austin, Brooklyn, China, Cairo, Columbia, Dakota, Dallas, Denver, East, Egypt, England, Everest, Geneva, Georgia, Germany, Holland, India, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Journey, Kenya, London, Morocco, Nazareth, Nevada, Niagara, North, Paris, Odessa, Orient, Peru, Rome/Roman, Russia, Scotland, South, Traveler, Venice, Vienna, Wander, West, Zion, Zanzibar amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B01ASVCW6K,B00408AA9O,B07KK5DSYF,B07JH8LKPR"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲FANTASY, MYTHOLOGY & SCI-FI▲ Amidala, Anakin, Apollo, Aragorn, Aries, Arwen, Artemis, Aslan, Athena, Atlas, Avalon, Dalek, Data, Elron, Elvin, Eros, Fairy/Faery, Faramir, Freya,  Geordi, Gimli, Gulliver, Hera, Hermione, Isis, Jareth, Járnsaxa, Jean-Luc, Jedi, Lando, Leia, Merry, Odin, Oz, Padme, Pan, Persephone, Philomena, Phoenix, Pippen, Pixie, Samwise, Sisko, Sirius, Solo, Sprite, Sulu, Tardis, Thor, Titan, Trillian, Troy, Venus, Xavier, Zeus amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B075FC488Z,B071Y215TY,B075K5S2DR,B07CG4P4VJ"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲GOTHIC▲ Alabaster, Armand, Ash, Belladonna, Blade, Blaze, Chalice, Cinder, Crimson, Damien, Dante, Draegan, Draven, Echo, Eclipse, Edge, Ember, Enigma, Essence, Eternity, Flame, Gabriel, Garnet, Gossamer, Gotham, Granite, Grimm, Hamlet, Illusion, Jet, Labyrinth, Lace, Lazarus, Lenore, Lestat, Loki, Lore, Lucretia, Maleficent, Maze, Memory, Midnight, Mist, Moonlight, Morrow, Morticia, Mystery, Nightshade, Noir, Obsidian,Onyx, Ophelia, Pandora, Panther, Poe, Porcelain, Prism, Rain, Rapture, Raven, Razor, Requiem, Rogue, Rosary, Sabre, Salem, Satin, Scarlet, Seraphim, Shade, Shadow, Steel, Stone, Storm, Talon, Thorne, Twilight, Veil, Velvet, Winter, Wolf, Zane amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B01MF8K902,B00I3Q5A4E,B00MMJR8KW,B00NYIADBG"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲HIPPIE▲ Breeze, Buzz, Chakra, Cheer, Cherish, Cosmic, Crystal, Dancer, Dawn, Daydream, Deja, Desert, Destiny, Dharma, Dream/Dreamer, Earth/Eartha, Echo, Feather, Flight, Flow, Flower, Free, Freedom, Grace, Gypsy, Harmony, Heart, Honesty, Hope, Janis, Joplin, Journey, Joy, June, Justice, Karma, Kind, Lennon, Liberty, Light, Lily, Love, Marley, Meadow, Melody, Mild, Misty, Morning, Om, Paisley, Patchouli, Peace, Peaceful, Promise, Rain, Rainbow, Serenity, Smile, Soulful, Spirit, Sunny, Sunshine, Windsong, Yogi, Zen, Zest, Ziggy amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B079LRGX9M,B079LNJFGS,B01FH6MRMU,B00IWTF4N4"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = ""; ▲NATURE▲ Almond, Apple, Aspen, Barley, Basil, Bay, Berry, Blossom, Canyon, Cayenne, Cedar (my daughter's name!),Cherry, Cinnamon, Clay, Clove, Clover, Coriander, Cove, Cypress, Daisy, Dayspring, Desert, Ebony, Fern, Fig, Flint, Flower, Forest, Ginger, Heather, Herb, Hill, Holly, Honey, Iris, Ivory, Ivy, Jasmine, Juniper, Kale, Land, Lavender, Leaf, Lilac, Lily, Linden, Lotus, Magnolia, Mango, Maple, Marigold, Meadow, Moss, Navy, Nest, Oak/Oakley, Olive, Parsley, Peach, Petal, Plum, Poppy, Posy, Rainbow, River (my son's name!), Rock, Root, Rose, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Slate, Snow, Spring, Spruce, Stone, Sunflower, Sweetpea,Thyme, Timber, Vine, Violet, Violet, Wheat, Willow, Wind, Woodland, Zinnia amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B00EKRCCVO,B07MNWTX92,B00I2XNK4K,B07C432N49"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲NAUTICAL▲ Anchor, Aqua, Ariel, Bay, Captain, Coral, Crew, Cruise, Fleet, Harbor, Lake, Marina, Ocean, Oar, Pearl, Pike, Pirate, Reed, Reef, Sailor, Ship, Tide, Water, Wave amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B00X236HEA,B01FMYE4TQ,B01M5DM815,B00MYWGTGQ"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲OFFBEAT & QUIRKY▲ Ale, Alos, Argyle, Banjo, Bloom, Buzz, Cab, Cajun, Cale, Canon, Cash, Chapter, Channel, Chartreuse, Chili, Chip, Cobb, Coco, Clear, Close, Creed, Curry, Cutlass, Day, Daily, Dax, Django, Domino, Dot, Ever, Faire, Fin, Flash, Flip, Gesa,  Glass, Go, Happy, History, Hopper, Iggy, Isla, Jagger, Jax, Lemma, Lesson, Libra, Limmy, Link, Linny, Little, Lucky, Kafe, Kid/Kyd, Kin, Kit, Knox, Magic, Mardi, Match, Message, Mixon, More, Moxie, New/Nu, Nico, Nomi, Nori, Only, Pharr, Pilot, Plan, Rango, Rebel, Reign, Right, Rip, Rocket, Rocky, Rogue, Roller, Rush, Setter, Seven, Share, Silk, Skill, Skip/Skipper, Stak, Sugar, Sully, Tall, Teal, Temple, Tex, Time, Tin, Trip, Vella, Valda, Virtual, Watts, Welcome, Wilder, Wire, Xan/Xantha, Zale, Zana, Zara, Zeb, Zeen, Zip, Zory, Zuma amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B00W7399FU,B01LWWDM1F,B00008XL18,B00RCLGNT2,B0797PZWCT"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲PRECIOUS STONES▲ Amber, Amethyst, Cameo, Crystal, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Gem, Ivory, Jade, Jasper, Jewel, Jett, Lazuli, Malachite, Opal, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B07779GK1D,B07DH5F6TQ,B00EV5C7CY,B00M9R28XY"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲SPIRIT ANIMALS▲ Akita, Bear, Bee, Bird, Birdie, Bison,  Bonobo, Buck, Butterfly, Cat, Colt, Coyote, Crane, Cricket, Cub, Deer, Dingo, Doe, Dove, Dragonfly, Eagle, Emu, Falcon, Fawn, Feather, Fox, Gecko, Hare, Hawk, Ibis, Lark, Lynx, Nightingale, Otter, Phoenix, Pika, Puma, Quokka, Raven, Robin, Seal, Sparrow, Swan, Tiger, Wren amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B07KFS6SST,B011RV2I1Y,B00II6QO8A,B071W25VTS"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; ▲WARRIORS & TRADESMEN▲ Archer, Arrow, Author, Baker, Bard, Bishop, Captain, Carver, Chief, Cooper, Deacon, Dancer, Drummer, Editor, Farmer, Fifer, General, Harper, Hatter, Hero, King, Knight, Marshal, Mayan, Messenger, Paige, Porter, Ranger, Rider/Ryder, Roper, Runner, Sailor, Saint, Scribe, Shepherd, Sheriff, Singer, Soldier, Tailor, Thatcher,Weaver, Wheeler, Writer amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B01GRXY428,B06X6MYRGY,B07GQ8TBFP,B07HJ9FS88"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "c59c0f86e61a2f79d07a89219045df92"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_title = " "; Click HERE for more of my baby naming lists! Pin me plz! ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ If you're expecting, go ahead and do yourself a huge favor by setting up your baby registry on Amazon! amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mocotw-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B07BP7KYWS,B07DC6JYFD,B075F6K9ZX,B07434Z763,1845436741,B077XBF74Z,B01FH6MMRU,B0779LQ6MC"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "114bad81b422b35f5c8daa39bd08c9fd"; amzn_assoc_title = ""; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true";

http://www.quirkybohemianmama.com/2015/05/the-ultimate-list-of-alternative-baby.html