#ryn: two toned heart

[sunflowers-and-adoration]

“…”

Ryn looked utterly lost and confused. Wandering around the library. Internalizing his panic.

Last thing he remembered was Oberon stealing his body, and now he’s here.

He’ll just keep wandering.

[crowlesssunbathe]

@finn-from-art @holyitsquiverrflynn @trio-of-librarians

I TOLD YOU ITS GOING ON TUMBLR

[sunflowers-and-adoration]

Ryn was just standing there holding the goddamn bouquet.

No, he did not knock.

“…Gree—…hi.”

there is manfailure/bottom aura coming from outside the door

(Italics to make it more dramatic bc Ik i am SUCH a comedian)

[Finn was humming, cooking a veritable feast with every cooking appliance in the dorm except the stove and oven.]

Hmm~ Something doesn't feel right.

[He goes to open the door.]

[wellthebardsdead]

Clockwork heart pt30

Part 29 here

———

*several days later*

Wyrm: *quietly sitting at a table in the four shields tavern, visibly exhausted after the groups almost restless travel from riverwood to there, the urgency of the trip made at nerevars request purely because of his evident distain for Delphine, and want to get her bidding over with as fast as possible* do we have to get up so early Ata Ryn?… we haven’t had a proper rest in almost a week, everyone’s crabby and on edge, even inigo…

Voryn: *seated across from him, looking visibly tired as well* I’ll talk to Neht, and try to change his mind… he wishes to get whatever Delphine is planning over with.

Wyrm: ��He’s not happy with me agreeing to help her, is he?…

Voryn: he’s angry at her. Not you Hla Aka.

Wyrm: but he’s still not hap-

???: Excuse me? Wyrm Gro Shub I take it? I have a letter for you.

Wyrm: *blinks and looks up to see a courier approaching their table* oh yes- that’s me sir, thank you. *takes it and nods to him with a smile as the courier walks off*

Voryn: *glances at the letter* hm, such a fancy envelope. It wouldn’t be from the collage would it?

Wyrm: no papas envelopes are simple but if it was from him it’d be much bigger, he’d send his sugar cookies with it- *flips it over and pauses seeing the dominion seal, his stomach dropping thinking for a moment it could be about ancano, followed by immense panic as he recalls Delphine’s plan, worrying they’ve already been found out* …its… from the aldmeri dominion?… *opens the seal carefully before unfolding the letter and reading through it* …

Voryn: …Wyrm?…

Wyrm: I?… *looks up from the letter perplexed* someone named Caryalind Thallery wishes to meet me?

*glasses shattering*

Voryn: *instinctively jumps up to protect Wyrm only to see nerevar & Taliesin both standing there in shock, both having dropped the beverages they were bringing them in said shock*

Taliesin: THALL-

Nerevar: *slaps his hand over his mouth* SHHHH- *looks around* if someone of their name is here and knows about Wyrm they definitely have spies!!!

Wyrm: spies?

Kaidan: *walks over setting down more drinks after witnessing the two drop the others* haven’t clocked any spies, not here at least.

Voryn: You noticed spies?… where?…

Kaidan: Riverwood. After you suddenly appeared and cracked that perverts head like a melon. Spotted them as I looked back to make sure you were following us… Real… weird helms they were wearin…

Nerevar: weird hel-

Voryn: Redoran watchmen, at least. That’s what I first thought. Given skyrims close proximity to Solstheim I had hoped my fears were wrong and it was in fact just the council keeping tabs on our safety… but they… They definitely do not have our best interest at heart.

Kaidan: Aye. I thought so too. When I first saw em I thought it was a skeleton, then I saw the shape of the face guards, shaped like tentacles. White like bone.

Voryn: …Excuse me?

Kaidan: I?… we’re not… talking about the same thing?…

Everyone: *dead silence*

Wyrm: … *sighs and gets up shuffling to his room, too tired to even be bothered being afraid* I’m going to bed…

*a few minutes later*

Taliesin: *sighs walking into the room with his and Wyrms dinner to see the dunmer already snuggled in their bed for the night, and in his hands the dragon priest mask he’d collected on their way here after he and nerevar climbed a very large hill in hopes of getting a better advantage point, only to wake volsung from his grave* Darling- oh? You’re still awake- and… cleaning that thing?

Wyrm: *looks up at him with his one eye, his Pearl eye already on the bedside table with his arm* no, it’s clean now… *holds it up* it’ll fit you I think? I might need to refit it but it looks like it’ll fit comfortably.

Taliesin: I? Me?? Wear that- thing?! After it’s been glued to the face of a corpse for gods knows how long?!

Wyrm: *so tired his tone alone is enough to crack tears in the corner of his eye* I-it can help you pick me up- and breathe under water and-

Taliesin: no no no- *hurries to his side and sets the food down before gently taking the masks from his hand* I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset you, I was just… being playful. *sighs setting the mask down* thank you darling… I’ll use it if I have to I just… *looks at Wyrm and sees the bags under his eyes, even his closed one* You’re exhausted…

Wyrm: … *reaches out gently placing his hand on his cheek* you are too… everyone is… and it’s my fault…

Taliesin: oh darling, my little silk moth n-

Wyrm: it is… *looks down as he pulls away and grips the wooden blanket covering his legs* d-Delphine said this Esbern person could help us, and that the thalmor knew where he was. She was so sure of it I… and I agreed to help her, but now I don’t know anymore, and nerevars angry, everyone’s angry, everyone’s tired and upset and it’s my fault… I just… I don’t know what other possible leads there are beyond the greybeards and-

Taliesin: *suddenly lays him back into the pillows quieting him with a kiss. Just soft enough he knows Wyrm can push away if he’s not okay with the action but firm enough to reassure him that he’s in fact, not angry with him*

Wyrm: *just moans softly and sweetly, his hand letting go of the blanket to take his in its grasp as his heart flutters from his partners touch* mm-

Taliesin: *pulls away slowly, smiling as he feels Wyrms lips chase after his, returning his want with soft, feathery little pecks before pulling back enough to admire his dragons tired, pretty face* None of this, is your fault love… we’re all here because we want to be here. And whether nerevar likes it or not. *picks up Wyrms dinner* We’re, All, sleeping in tomorrow.

Wyrm: but Neht wan- *gasps as Taliesin feeds him a mouthful of his meal before he can protest* Mm??

Taliesin: *feeds him another mouthful* mmhm~

*meanwhile*

Voryn: *watching Kaidan & inigo both have a drink at another table while nerevar mutters under his breath to himself, his ear only pricking up as he hears “3am”* We are not leaving at 3am. The sun won’t even be up by the time we reach solitude.

Nerevar: *blinks and immediately snaps to the defence, his tired mind making his tone short and sharp even towards his dreamer* but it’ll give us time to scope out the city, settle into the inn and find this thallery before Delphine’s contact turns u-

Voryn: Then go by yourself. *leans back in his chair meeting him with the exact same tone and sharpness, folding his arms knowing full well nerevar will buckle* Everyone is tired. Wyrm more so than all of us and he’s kicking himself because of your insistence we get this over with as fast as possible. I haven’t even had a bath yet and you expect me to get up in 7 hours from now to travel less than an hour on horseback to solitude?

Nerevar: *realising his anger towards Delphine and the collapse of the blades had gotten the better of him, and the solitary adventuring lifestyle he’d once grown used, get the job done as fast as possible and get paid, to wasn’t fit for the group.* I… *finally notices the heavy bags under voryns eyes* I suppose… we haven’t had a proper rest since we left morthal huh?…

Voryn: *huffs and looks away knowing his moon and star is close to cracking* Since we left Winterhold more like. *stares at him with all three eyes* I’m exhausted, Neht.

Nerevar: … *gets up and walks around the table, lifting him up into his arms bridal style* Then let’s get some rest… we can sleep in tomorrow. I-… I’m sorry my dreamer, my love…

Voryn: *looks away from his gaze for a moment more with a tired pout before finally turning to face him with a long, drawn out sigh* okay, you’re forgiven… *gently strokes his cheek before pulling him down for a kiss* My moon and star…

Nerevar: *smiles gladly returning the kiss* Voryn…

Voryn: …I still want a bath first.

*the next day*

Wyrm: *gripping onto taliesins arm in a state of overstimulation as they set foot into the marketplace of solitude, his mind overwhelmed by the crowds of people far beyond what he’d seen in whiterun or riften, yet still over all at peace, completely oblivious to the execution the rest of the group had witnessed as they entered the city, purely because they blocked it from his view* s-so many stalls, so many people!

Taliesin: I know, it’s a lot to take in isn’t it? *pulls him in closer* shall we do some shopping while we’re here? As- quaint as the rest of skyrim is, they are lacking in adequate fashion choices or- speciality apparel makers.

Nerevar: we don’t have time, it’s nearly noon as we-

Voryn: *suddenly pinches him on the ass shutting him up* I think we’ve earned it. Neht and I will book us our stay at the inn first.

Kaidan: I’ll go check out the fletcher. Inigo?

Inigo: I’m right behind you- then maybe the alchemist? I need something for my fleas.

Kaidan: aye, I’ll need to grab an antidote there if we’re cutting back through that swamp. Especially if you’re going to chase me with a fungal pod again.

Inigo: hehehehehehe~

Taliesin: *glances down at wyrm* Wyrm? Is there anything you’d like to see here?

Wyrm: um?… maybe the bards collage if we have time but… Maybe somewhere I can get prepared for… tonight… *nervously grips onto him tighter*

Taliesin: *nods and gently pulls him in closer* we’ll get everything you need…

Voryn: *smiles reassuringly at Wyrm, easing his mind through their connection, knowing out of everyone here he needs to be the one keeping calm and level headed for his sake* Splendid. We’ll meet back at the inn in 2 hours, if you feel unsafe in any way though, or feel you’re being watched, return sooner.

Everyone: *nods and scatters off through the market, leaving the Hortator and councillor to themselves*

Nerevar: *finally speaks up again, voicing his displeasure* Voryn what are you thinking?! We don’t have time for thi-

Voryn: Wyrm is stressed and worried about tonight. Let them have a few hours to breathe… besides. *looks at the inn* I want to ensure this Caryalind fellow isn’t planning anything…

[intheseautumnhands]

I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT DAWSONS CHRISTIAN

I LOVE THAT SONG-

@nsfwitchy (you have good music taste pls gimme the rest of ur narrative songs)

IT'S SUCH A GREAT SONG. Also a favorite for singing along to, it can be so much fun in that telling-a-story kind of tone.

Man, where do we start, I love narrative songs nad I have way too many. XD Let's see, I might be stretching the definition slightly, some are more "songs clearly about a character in a way that sketches a story around it" if that makes sense, but --

Heather Dale does a lot, most is based on mythology/legends, but some favorites: Sedna, The Maiden and the Selkie, Joan, Skeleton Woman, Up Into the Pear Tree

SJ Tucker also does this a lot, often based on books. Seanan McGuire also does this a fair bit, but it's hard to find her music online. I am under the impression Talis Kimberly does this a fair bit too, but the only songs of hers I know well enough to recommend are Still Catch the Tide (which I REALLY REALLY do), Archetype Cafe, My Lady of the Underpass, and Small Mended Corners

Vixy & Tony: The Girl That's Never Been, The Collars, Ladies Don't Do Those Things, Thirteen, Persephone, Siren Song, Anna

Dessa also does a lot in a MUCH different tone; If and When is maybe my favorite, but also Mineshaft 2, Children's Work, Dixon's Girl, Skeleton Key, I Hope I'm Wrong, and if you don't mind some intense subject matter, The Lamb and Annabelle

Vienna Teng: 1br/1ba, Say Uncle, Shasta (Carrie's Song), Homecoming (Walter's Song), Passage, Grandmother Song, Radio

The Doubleclicks: Wrong About Gender, Now I Am the Fastest, Lasers and Feelings

Radical Face basically has like. a narrative career. at least three albums (the Family Tree albums + The Bastards) form the stories of various characters, starting with one family and sprawling from there. there are charts. the songs are beautiful alone and scratch this itch as well, but when you see the narratives develop it gets even better. special mentions: The Dead Waltz, Holy Branches, Secrets (Cellar Door)

Relatedly, Jordan Reyne's album Children of a Factory Nation tells a story through the album, and Mama Gina's album Nine-Toes the Bard is told in-character, giving the title character's life story and things that have happened around her

Dar Williams: The Christians and the Pagans; The Ocean; When I Was a Boy; The Babysitter's Here; This Is Not the House That Pain Built; The Pointless, Yet Poignant, Crisis of a Co-Ed; Mortal City

Sleeping at Last: Next to Me, Mars

Kat Flint: London Lullaby, Ohio, Saddest Blue Dress

Ani Difranco: Both Hands, Fixing Her Hair, Two Little Girls

I feel like I could name quite a few comedy songs that do this? Easier to make a joke from. XD But I'm specifically gonna go from the Brobdingnagian Bards for now, not all of which are original: Do Virgins Taste Better Medley, A Prudent Theif, A Fairy Story, The Unicorn Song, The Orange and the Green, Oor Hamlet

Misc:

Come On Eileen (Dexy's Midnight Runners)

A Better Place, A Better Time (Streetlight Manifesto)

Winter's Carol (Tori Amos)

Next to Me (Alan Cumming)

One Last Drink (Enter the Haggis)

Brother (Murder by Death)

My Manic and I (Laura Marling)

Anywhere On This Road (Lhasa de Sela)

Space Girl (The Imagined Village)

Home (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)

Fairies Stole My Keys (Emerald Rose)

Taylor, The Latte Boy (Kristen Chenoweth, but also the Alan Cumming version is adorable)

Hit and Run (LOLO)

The Wintry Queen (Coyote Run is my favorite of the available covers)

Pierre (Ryn Weaver)

Magic Man (Heart)

The Way (Fastball)

Your House (Alanis Morissette)

Larissa's Lagoon (Idina Menzel)

-- I feel like I'm gonna hit post and immediately think of like twenty more but that is probably. way more than enough. XD

[queen-scribbles]

The Long Burning Torch ch 2

Oh, look, there more! :D Second chapter for my Ryn/Red 20s AU brought you by @shepherds-of-haven ‘s summer event 

------

True to his word, Red called just a couple days later--with supremely perfect timing, too; Xaeryn had just returned from following a lead. She was in the process of unpinning her hat when the telephone rang and she ll but dove across the room, hatpin in hand, to answer it.

“Shrike Investigations,” she said with that borderline-cheerful professionalism people expected from anyone running a business.

“Xaeryn?” He sounded curious verging on concerned. “Everything alright?”

“Oh, hittin’ on all eight,” she assured him with a breathless laugh. “I just got back from chasing down a lead.” She left off how literal that was this time as she glared at the mud on her shoes. “He was... more help than he meant to be, I think. I’m just grateful it didn’t turn into another dead-end.”

Red laughed. “Glad to hear it.” The line crackled a bit in the moment’s silence before he continued, “I had a chance to do some research, turned up a few interesting things.”

Generally interesting, or Red-interesting? Xaeryn wondered with a fond smile, remembering his fascination with even the minutiae of everything he read. “Like what?” 

“At least some of what happened to the pendent after the Solimer lost it, and it’s a bit of a mess.” He laughed again, sheepishly this time, and Xaeryn pictured him running a hand through his hair. “It’s better explained in person. Should I come to you--”

“I’ll come there,” Xaeryn offered. “You’re doing me a favor, it’s the least I can do. And besides” --she grinned, even knowing he couldn’t see her-- “it’s a long drive and I wouldn’t want you to forget any of your notes.”

There was a long-suffering sigh, punctuated by a chuckle that made the line pop. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“No more than you let me live down the apple tree,” she retorted sweetly. “Does it work for me to come today? The guild’s getting antsy with the exhibit date drawing closer, but if you’re busy...”

“I have a lecture in... just under an hour.” Red paused, likely doing the same travel time vs lecture time calculations she was. “If you left soon, you’d probably get here just as I’m finishing, we could talk after?”

“Sounds good to me,” Xaeryn said scraping mud off her shoe against the chair leg. “I’ll see you in a couple hours, then.”

“Mm, see you then.”

She took a moment examining her shoes after they hung up and decided it would be best to change them before she left. Wouldn’t want to be tracking mud through Solhadur’s halls.

---

She couldn’t entirely bite back a laugh when she arrived and found Red behind his desk, the pencil woven between his fingers tapping against one of the three books open across the desk’s surface. “Well, I just lost a five lyss wager.”

“Huh?” His hair fell in his eyes when he looked up. “Over what?”

Xaeryn smiled as she leaned against the edge of the desk. “I was certain you would get carried away with jawing about whatever your lecture was on and I would be here first. Fortunately it was a wager with myself” --she leaned over to peek at what he was reading--”so there’s no real loss.”

Red laughed and nudged one of the books toward her. “Normally you would have won. I thought of something I wanted to double-check before you got here, so I made sure to end on time. The students thank you for that, by the way.”

She snickered and skimmed through the presented history text. “They’re most welcome. What did you learn?”

Red pushed out of his chair and circled the desk to give them the same angle on the book she held. “There’s a decade or so immediately after its loss that’s unaccounted for, but there are records from travelers who mention encountering a warlord deep in Jalis territory with a pendent that sounds an awful lot like Solimer’s torch. Here.” He leaned over to flip a few pages back from where she was and pointed at a sketched illustration.

While rudimentary in nature, it did bear a striking resemblance to the photographs Mr. Syndran had given her. Xaeryn hummed a quiet agreement, noting the sketched pendent seemed to be on an armband rather than loose as it was now, as she started reading the relevant text around the illustration. 

“Lean on details,” she frowned, tracing a finger over the words as she read.

“That one is,” Red agreed. “They were more concerned with other things, barely mention the pendent in their description of the warlord. It’s just the only one with an illustration.” He tugged the book away from her, swapped it for one of the others. “Going off the description, I think this is the same piece. But you can draw your own conclusions.” He sat in one of the chairs and Xaeryn stayed perched on the edge of the desk, one foot swinging idly a few inches off the ground as she read.

From the sound of it--bronze coiled around a jet black stone, said to be its owner’s lucky talisman--she was inclined to agree with Red.  The territory of this warlord, however, was rather far from the usual routes ascribed to the Solimer’s desert travels. How did it get there? she mused. Likely during the decade it had vanished, but she couldn’t even begin to guess the method. She’ was just finishing with the account when she caught Red smiling out of the corner of her eye.

She let the book dip to look at him instead. “What?”

Red’s eyes twinkled as he nodded at the hem of her mid-calf skirt. “That lead you mentioned chasing earlier wouldn’t have involved mud puddles, would it?”

Xaeryn followed his gaze and groaned at the mud staining the dusky rose fabric. “I wasn’t expecting him to run,” she muttered, flicking at the mud with one hand as she moved to the other chair.

“Your suspects usually just wait around, obligingly, for you to interrogate them, then?” 

She rolled  her eyes at his teasing tone and briefly debated whacking him with the book. “He wasn’t a suspect, he was a witness,” she retorted primly, setting the book back on his desk. “Potentially. Though with how cagey he was being, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was guilty of something.”

“A mystery for another day,” Red said with a grin.

“Precisely. As for today’s mystery, have you found anything more recent than this?” She tapped the book. “It’s still several hundred years ago.”

“Not much, and some of it’s contradictory; that’s part of why I said in person was better.” He ran one hand through his hair. “That territory is so deep in the Jalis desert, not many go there and come out again. Those who don’t live there frequently die visiting.”

“Charming place,” Xaeryn said dryly.

“Mmhm. It makes getting records difficult, to say the least. There’s a mention of this warlord’s territory being conquered by another, but no mention of what was taken as potential spoils, and the next thing I’ve found resembling Solimer’s torch is is when it was discovered in the grave of a different chieftain, name unknown--though there are theories--a hundred years ago and almost two hundred miles from where the nearest previous records indicated it being.”

“How’s a chieftain’s name unknown?” she frowned. 

“He was buried with the honors afforded warlords and chieftains, but any record of his identity had worn off in the desert wind, if it was there in the first place,” Red explained.

“And these theories about who he was?” 

“Numerous and with various levels of support,” he said wryly. “But if you want the longer version...?”

Xaeryn chuckled. “Always.” 

They spent the next hour or so discussing the myriad guesses people had made as to this mystery chieftain’s name, as well as the other details Red had unearthed about the pendent, and various sources’ credibility. They only got caught up in one or two rabbit trails of good-natured debate over peer review and scholarly reputation or historical patterns of desert travel. (Which was pretty good for them.)

“There are a lot of gaps,” Red acknowledged, thumbing the pages of one book. “But I have a lot more I can read to help with filling them in.” He twirled one hand to gesture at the shelves that lined the room.

“You don’t have to-”

“Xaeryn, have you ever known me to be unhappy reading a book?” he asked with a warm smile.

“Well, no,” Xaeryn laughed. “But you’re so busy now, Headmaster.”

Red arched a brow but didn’t further protest her use of the title. “I always have time for you,” he said with a shrug, then cleared his throat and pushed to his feet even as her heart pounded and she sternly informed herself he hadn’t meant it like that. (She was grateful his circling the desk meant he missed the moment of broken composure that surely flashed across her face.) “And research is even more fun when it’s for a purpose. Bottom line for you so far...” He picked up his dropped pencil and started shuffling through everything on his desk in search of paper.

She grinned and held out her notepad. “Here.”

He flashed a sheepish smile as he took it. “Thank you.” He flipped to the first blank page and started writing as he talked. “Descendants of either that unknown chieftain or the one whose wife originally found the torch would have the strongest claims of ownership.”

“If I can find them,” Xaeryn said dryly. “And if one of them’s not already the owner on record who lent the pendent to the exhibit.” She bit her lower lip. “I think I need to talk to Mr. Syndran again.”

And depending on what he told her, her own research into genealogy might be called for.

“Probably your best next step.” Red finished writing and handed back her notepad, several pages scrawled with bullet-points summation of what he’d found.  “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” Xaeryn smiled when she saw the notes were in their shorthand.  “Nice touch.”

He smiled and raised one shoulder in a shrug. “It takes less space, and you did say this is a secret...”

“Very true.” She flipped the pad closed and tucked it back in her handbag. “I really do appreciate your help, this wasn’t a a small request, and you got me some answers in very short order.”

“I’m not done reading, Xaeryn,” Red said, voice rife with amusement. He waved at the surrounding shelves again. “Like I said, there’s a lot more to check.”

I always have time for you.

“As long as you don’t mind, I would love to hear anything else you learn,” Xaeryn said with a smile. Far be it from her to stand between Liefred Antiqua and a research project he was excited about. She’d sooner snatch an ice cream away from a child. 

“I’ll call if I find anything else useful,” Red promised, already shifting toward one bookshelf.

She nodded, biting back a laugh and hoping he had a very loose definition of the word ‘useful’. “I’ll look forward to that, then.” Her neck and ears warmed and she hastily added, “more information is always helpful.” She stood, flicking at the stubborn mud on her skirt again. Next time she went interview-hunting, she was wearing trousers. “Though you have me off to an excellent start.” She headed for the door, paused with her hand on the knob. “Thank you for that, Liefred.”

“Anytime.” He leaned against the corner of his desk. “You can still call me Red, y’know, Xaeryn. Everyone does, so it’s hardly going to seem too familiar.”

True as that might be here at Solhadur, Haven was a different story. And she wouldn’t want to slip up. “I’ll keep that in mind,” Xaeryn said softly. “Until next time?”

“Mm-hm.” Something flickered in his eyes as he rubbed the back of his neck, then flashed her an easy smile. “I’ll look forward to it, then. I’m glad we reconnected.”

She smiled back as she twisted the knob. “Me, too.”

She didn’t have many friends, it was good to get one of the best ones back.

---

It was edging toward evening when Xaeryn made it back to her office. Which made it a bit of a surprise --fortuitous as it was-- to find Mr. Syndran waiting for her.

“Did we have a meeting I forgot about?” she asked apologetically as she unlocked the door. (They hadn’t, she was positive, but it was a diplomatic way of probing for why he was here.)

“We did not,” Mr. Syndran replied, arching a brow in a knowing look. “I had some other business in the area and decided to stop by in person to see how you are coming along, Miss Shrike.”

Xaeryn laughed and gestured toward the same chair he’d sat in on his first visit. “Then you have very good timing, instincts, or both, Mr. Syndran. I had some things I wanted to ask you; background information.”

His brow creased ever so slightly. “Should you not be far beyond mere background information? Have you not made progress?”

She sighed and sat in her chair behind the desk, pulling her notepad from her handbag and turning to a blank page. “Not of the ‘I’ve narrowed it down to two blocks, I just don’t know which house’ variety, no.” She tapped her pen against the desk. “But I have leads on suspects.”

Syndran gave a grunt that may have been displeasure. “And your questions for me?”

“Like I said; clarifying background information. When the Couriers were contracted to handle transport, how much were you told about the pieces?”

“Only the relevant details.” He brushed invisible lint off his sleeve. “Each one’s value, recorded owner, any special care instructions.”

Xaeryn nodded, pen poised over her pad. “I don’t suppose you recall the owner listed for the pendent?”

He paused to think a moment. “I’d have to have my secretary check to be completely certain, but I believe it was a Ms. Aescar. The name didn’t ring any bells for me.”

“And would I need to speak with the Hall of History and Culture if I wanted to find out how to contact her, or do you know?”

Syndran shook his head. “Whitestone Couriers were merely transporting the relics, Miss Shrike. Any communication with the owners was the concern of the museum curators. Why would you need to talk to her?”

“I might not,” Xaeryn said, scribbling the information down. “I just like to have all my chickens in the coop ahead of time, so there’s no scrambling if something winds up time-sensitive down the road.”

“Smart.” Syndran gave a nod of approval. “So long as you don’t spend so much time preparing for unlikely eventualities that you lose more promising leads.”

She back back a tart ‘I know how to do my job’ and nodded. “Of course.”

He paused a moment, lips pursed in thought. “I did have a wonder, Miss Shrike.”

Xaeryn cocked her head. “Oh?”

“Given the... likelihood this theft occurred somewhere between city customs and the museum and the utter lack of details my drivers have been able to provide about that stretch of the journey” --his expression soured-- “would it be possible for you to... revisit the scene with your abilities?” His brows arched meaningfully.  “You are Argentis, are you not? The benefit of hindsight might allow you to pick up on something relevant that didn’t register in the moment for my people.”

She tapped her pen against her notepad. “I can give it a go, Mr. Syndran, but I’m more a Scryer than a Sage; my strongest talent is finding things in the present, not viewing the past. Though this is the recent past,” she mused. “Perhaps recent enough that with a focus from the caravan I’d have decent luck.”

“I’ll see what I can find for you.” Mr. Syndran pushed to his feet. “Anything in particular that will work best?”

“For viewing the past like this... something from the event is necessary, and the closer to central it is, the clearer a picture I’ll be able to get.” She leaned back in her chair. “Frankly, if you don’t mind my doing so, coming to the Couriers’ garage and using one of the trucks as my touchstone would work best.”

“Oh, that’s very doable,” he said with a nod. “As it’s getting late, what say we do it tomorrow?”

“Nine AM?” Xaeryn suggested.

“Acceptable.” He headed for the door. “I shall see you then, Miss Shrike.”

“See you then, Mr. Syndran.” Xaeryn waited until the door closed behind him to let out a slow breath. Scrying was easy enough, even if she didn’t always succeed, but peering into the past was usually a draining exercise for her. Mr. Syndran was correct, though; it was very likely the best way to glean new leads. Even if it meant she’d need a nap after.

She pushed to her feet and locked the door. One more glance over her notes before she called it a night. So it was fresh in her mind and she could mull it over.

She tried not to get too distracted by the difference between her small, crowded shorthand and Red’s larger, loose scrawl--he had a dreamer’s handwriting, which she’d teased him about when they were younger(he’d rolled his eyes but hadn’t denied it). The memory had her smiling all through dinner.

---

The weather was nice enough the next day Xaeryn opted to walk to the Whitestone Couriers’ garage, though she did take an umbrella in case the rain that hadn’t threatened the last few days decided to make an appearance. Mr. Syndran was waiting for her, looking all the more proper in these rough-shod surroundings. 

“Right on time, Miss Shrike,” he said with a tight smile. “This way.” He led her at a brisk pace to a gleaming black truck, the canvas cover a near-immaculate tan. “This is the one that was carrying the crate with the pendent, among other things.”

“Right.” Xaeryn circled to the passenger side, letting her fingers trail over the cool metal until they rested on the door. “I can’t make any promises, but let’s see if we can find anything useful.”

She pressed her hand flat against the side of the truck and murmured the correct ritual, felt her magic rise to do as she bade.

The scene around her--Mr. Syndran, the garage, everything but the truck--faded into shadow. Her view shifted, as if she were riding shotgun in the truck or hanging out the window as it crept through Haven’s streets. Tings were flickery and dim, the colors bled out and faded as she looked around. I don’t know how long I can hold this. Xaeryn peered intently at  what she could see of the surroundings, the other vehicles, the people, buildings, noting everything she could, no matter how mundane. A woman with a red hat, brim hiding most of her face. A young boy and his dog watching the caravan with interest. A man with vivid green eye and a small smile lounging against a wall, following the trucks’ progress from under his slouched cap. The cat that almost darted in front of the preceding truck before it spooked. The flapper with an armful of bracelets, glancing surreptitiously across the street-

The scene flickered sharply, her grasp on the ritual fading, the images slipping away--

And Xaeryn was back in the garage, leaning against the truck as her knees went to jelly. The few prior occasions she’d played the sage had left her feeling like she stood up too fast when they ended, and this was no exception.

“Are you alright, Miss Shrike?” Mr. Syndran gestured to a nearby worker who’d stopped to gawp and the man scuttled off.

“Just fine,” she said with a nod, turning to sit on the truck’s running board as she tugged out her notepad and rapidly scrawled out everything she’d seen. “Sage work can be taxing if it’s not your main talent, that’s all.”

He watched in silence as she scribbled down the vision’s contents, only speaking again when she finished. “Did you see anything of note?”

“Nothing too blatant, or it would have stood out even to the drivers,” Xaeryn said, leaning her head back against the truck. “But there were some passers-by that caught my attention...”

Mr. Syndran listened to her descriptions with utmost focus, but interrupted when she reached the green-eyes lounger. “Do you remember any other details about him?” he demanded, his hands twitching to a fractionally tighter grip on the head of his walking stick.

“Tall,” Xaeryn said slowly. The worker Syndran had sent away returned with a tumbler of water, which she accepted with a nod of thanks as she dug through the memory. “I think brown hair, but he was wearing a hat. Bright red vest, blue and green scarf ‘round his neck-”

“Thieves guild,” Syndran muttered. Despite the distaste on the words, a panther-like grin curved his lips. “I should have known.” The distaste shifted to satisfaction. “That would be your next lead, Miss Shrike.”

Xaeryn arched a brow. “Do tell.”

“Thieves guild has been a thorn in our side for years,” Syndran explained, “They aren’t even a true guild; more a loose association of ruffians and cutpurses who only call themselves such in another jape at legitimate businesses.” He sniffed. “They make their base in the warrened streets of Ashtown, but I believe I have worked out where their true headquarters are concealed. I can give you some direction, if you’re recovered enough to follow me to my office?”

She nodded, pushed to her feet. “Lead the way.”

It was good to have something tangible to pursue. Hopefully the weather would hold so she could follow it up now. Ashtown was no fun in the rain.

[sunflowers-and-adoration]

“HEFUCKINGKKSSEDMEANDINCIYEEMEOUTFORDINNEEHWTADOIDOINEEDTOGETREADYANDGETFLWOERSONMYGOD”

Ryn is very clearly having a CRISIS.

“ACACIA.”

-Ryn

”AH-….wha???”

[discotreque]

Disco 3.08: The Sanctuary

This week IRL was a real mixed bag for me: a lot of messy and barely-manageable anxiety about my health, my day job, and uhhhh *gestures outside*—but also I’ve recently fallen in love (from a responsible social distance)—so it’s been equal parts re-writing professional emails to edit the panic attack out of my tone and gazing dreamily at Discord notifications with cartoon hearts in my eyes. It feels like my life is going to hell in the cutest, coziest handbasket—which is to say that Michael Burnham could not possibly feel like a more relatable character to me right now.

I continue to have issues with the writing at a strange medium-level—somewhere between micro, where the dialogue and characters are really good, and macro, where I’m digging the pace of the overall season, it almost feels like something went wrong in the assembly process, and the script ended up a little bit less than the sum of its perfectly good parts. Again.

But that’s such vague criticism as to be nearly meaningless, and it’s hardly the most interesting level to spend time on anyway. If I zoom out, the parallel season arcs of “getting used to the future” and “the mystery of the Burn” are hanging together wayyyyy better than the Red Angel saga did last year.

And if I zoom in? This episode was funny as shit, wtf.

The discourse re: Tilly these past couple of weeks has been bullshit, and I have a whole angry thing to say about it—but honestly, if you can’t appreciate Doug Jones and Mary Wiseman as a comedic duo, I’m not really mad: mostly I pity the lack of joy in your heart.

Everyone on this show is so funny. Doug’s prissy little delivery absolutely slaughters me (“Execute!...?”), Mary will make a face sometimes that has me screaming laughter into my hands, and I’ve gone on before—and will again—about Sonequa Martin-Green’s egregiously underrated comedy chops.

They were obviously casting for folks w/ jokes in the new season too: David Ajada is no slouch in the dry-delivery or the goofy-face department; his energy and chemistry with Sonequa are as suited to comedy as they are to romance (i.e. extremely 🥵). Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz we knew about, but Blu del Barrio—a certified tiny baby!!!—holds their own and lands every smartass whiz-kid one-liner just on the right side of “too precious to stand.” (I almost always at least chuckle, and never roll my eyes, and for a “teen genius” character that’s literally as good as it gets.) And living legend Michelle Yeoh is clearly having the time of her life, omfg.

Disco’s not funny-funny like Lower Decks, but they do funny-on-purpose better than any live-action Trek except maybe DS9. They have such a deep comedic bench they don’t even need Tig Notaro—they have her on just to flex, I presume.

(I don’t know if I’m predicting, per se, that Strange New Worlds—with Rebecca Romjin’s deadpan, Anson Mount’s twinkly eyes, and Ethan Peck’s twinkly-eyed deadpan—is going to have a tone somewhere between Disco S3 and LwD—but I mean... it kinda has to, right? And you know they kept the number for Rainn Wilson’s agent.)

***

At the start of this episode, I was “sure, why the fuck not” about First Officer Tilly; by the end, I was completely on board. And to everyone who’s still wringing their hands about “the real military” this (always from people who have no idea how actual militaries work, lol) and “Lt. Nilsson” that (she... already has a job on the ship? And no character traits besides “stoic” and “furrows brow”? Oh, I get it—she’s skinny and blonde)—y’all are kind of embarrassing me.

“Rank” and “position” (and “seniority” and “day-to-day duties”...) aren’t the same thing, in Star Trek or any IRL military. Yes, the permanent first officers of normal-duty Starfleet ships we’ve seen have usually been command-division officers with the rank of Commander—but not always. Star Trek: Discovery-A, if you will, is a unique show about a unique ship in a unique situation: “B-b-but that’s not how they do it on Star Trek!!!” isn’t a legitimate criticism, not of this—it’s the mournful cry of an entitled pissbaby who isn’t having their hand held all the way to the fireworks factory.

Here’s what an argument supported by the text of the first 37 episodes of Star Trek: Discovery actually looks like: Sylvia Tilly is nervous and lacks self-confidence, but once she gets over herself—which she can do pretty much instantly in a crisis, even when hilariously intoxicated—she is competent as hell. In lower-stakes situations, without intense pressure to focus her attention, she sometimes gets sidetracked by her own insecurities; at her best, she channels that anxious energy into ambition, drive, and being scrupulously organized.

The only person Tilly doesn’t always get along with is Stamets, and even Stamets’s husband thinks he’s an asshole. Since Season 1, we’ve seen her easily socializing with the rest of the crew, who seem to universally adore her. And she’s also happy to leave her social comfort zone at a moment’s notice: she aligned herself with Ash Tyler (miss you, Shazad!) when no one else would, and she instantly befriended Po even when Po was in Weird Feral Alien Princess mode and Tilly had salad in her hair. She doesn’t like confrontation, but she’s brave enough to initiate it anyway if she needs to, and she’s compassionate with other people’s feelings while still setting firm boundaries. (Her graceful dodge of Rhys’s tipsy kiss at the party in 1.07 lives rent-free in my head to this day.)

No, Tilly didn’t finish the Command Training Program—but she started it, which is almost certainly more command training than any of the lieutenants whose names we know, all of whom are Ops or Science personnel with, presumably, specialized non-command training of their own. The same could be assumed for any unseen ranking officers on this science ship with an entirely volunteer skeleton crew.

And seriously, about Nilsson: she’s my #3 background bae after Octopus Head and the lady on Pike’s Enterprise with the spiky red face, but her job is Spore Drive Ops, not personnel. If she’s running after Saru with a holo-clipboard, who’s going to look serious and push holo-buttons when there’s a Black Alert? *drops holo-mic* Drumhead!

***

The stuff on Kwejian, though. Ooof. Ol’ Two-Takes Frakes directed this one, and between the kinetic energy he always adds to the camera and the scintillating performances he evokes, things stayed moving so briskly I almost didn’t notice Book’s entire “homeworld” was a rental house outside Vancouver, a couple acres of adjacent woods, and like six or seven people.

It’s a hot mess in retrospect, but in the moment it gave us the intensity of Book and Kyheem trying to hurt each other’s feelings by poking at 15-year-old wounds, which as a sibling with complicated sibling relationships I found both funny and devastating—not to mention Frakes directing “shaky bridge” explosion falls at an obvious intensity of “10” on an outdoor location shoot. It falls apart at the slightest scrutiny, but I can’t lie, on first viewing I was totally along for the ride.

***

I’m dying to see where this Georgiou thing goes. It doesn’t feel like a stretch to assume she got Cronenberg’d a couple weeks ago, probably to get her under the thumb of this century’s Section 31, and that her arc is going to take Michelle Yeoh off this show in a way that sets up the S31 show. But also, I don’t care so much whether I’m right, I just want to watch Michelle Yeoh—and Sonequa Martin-Green, and also David Cronenberg tbh, and bring back Shazad Latif while you’re at it—get wherever they’re going.

It’s also a fun and interesting direction to take the comically-evil comic relief character and show that her performative moustache-twirling is partly habit and partly a transparent emotional defence against very real fear and vulnerability. We’re all products of our circumstances, and a radical enough change in circumstances can afford almost anyone at least the opportunity to change. I can’t say Emperor Georgiou would have been my first choice of protagonist for that storyline, but it’s not like Michelle Yeoh’s not going to fuckin’ crush it.

***

Miscellany:

So the Burn had an origin point, and now that point is broadcasting a signal that’s somehow both a haunting melody that everyone seems to know—but no one can remember learning—and a Federation distress signal. What the fuck, y’all. I have full-body goosebumps just typing that.

Saru workshopping his own captainly catchphrase with the aid of Tilly’s extreme sincerity and organizational skills is probably the funniest thing that’s ever happened on this show—followed closely by the uncomfortably lingering reaction shots when he’s trying them out on the bridge 😂 (And omg please give Rhys and Bryce the dumbass buddy-comedy C-plots they deserve next season, I beg you.)

I would do a little “prop watch” entry on those Kwejianian(?) bolt-throwing rifles, but I’d have to stop drooling over them first. “Curvy polished hardwood” seems to be New Trek shorthand for “extra sleek and futuristic” (cf. the bridge of the USS Titan in the LwD finale), and I have to say: I am fully into it.

Restating my prediction that we will not see Detmer and Owosekun get together this season, because we will find out that they’ve been together for ages. Everyone knew—Pike even knew!—it just never came up in front of the audience before. That would be one of the cutest ways to do it imho, and one of the funniest too, especially as a meta-joke about how much character development didn’t happen in the first two seasons. (That said, if we get to see their first kiss, I will be screaming with incoherent joy for days, so this is a real win-win for me.)

Speaking of cute: IRL spouses Mary Wiseman and Noah Averbach-Katz, both Julliard-trained actors (it’s where they met!), can’t quite hide their chemistry in the scenes between Tilly and Ryn. I loved seeing Tilly be a hardass when Ryn was rude to the captain, but that sparkle in her eyes didn’t quite match the context <3

And speaking of people who are VERY OBVIOUSLY IN LOVE: that last scene with Book and Michael, and his nervous little “yeah, I said it” eyebrow lift, and her irrepressible giggle as she’s walking away... it was almost too much. Especially right after the queer-family scenes with Stamets and Culber and Adira. My poor heart is going through a lot lately, and I guess I’m just glad Season 3’s emotional intensity is melting it with soft sweet scenes like that instead of kicking it down repeated flights of stairs like Season 1.

***

Next week: everyone stops caring about the Burn and starts trying to solve an even more important mystery—why is this (holographic) dude wearing an early-2360s uniform with an early-2370s combadge?

[bluehairedbanshee]

New Girl Poe Dameron x Reader

Title is still WIP, I know it’s cringey please bear with me. Content warning, talk of ptsd and abuse later in the story. I’ve had this idea in my head for a while and wanted to write it., and posting them gives me motivation to actually finish writing. Words: 1346 Pairing: Poe/FemReader

Poe left the medbay in a hurry, needing to talk to Leia to give her updates after being out on a mission for an entire month. His frustration was already high after practically being drug out of his X-Wing to see medical attention, even after he said multiple times that he didn’t need to, the cut on his jaw looked worse than it was. Ten stitches later, he was practically sprinting to find the general.

“Have you seen BB8?” Poe grabbed Finn’s arm, almost making him drop his datapad, asking him quickly.

“Nice to see you too, I’ve been great this past month thanks for ask-” Poe cut him off before he could finish his sarcastic statement.

“Where’s my damn droid?” He asked again, patience wearing thin. Finn let out a sigh.

“He’s in tech room four, with the new girl.” He answered.

“New girl?” Poe asked

“Yeah she came here a little after you left.”

“She hasn’t even been here an entire month and they’re already trusting her with my droid?” Poe growled out, storming off to the before mentioned tech room, ignoring anyone who said hello to him.

“What are you doing to my BB unit?” Poe said before he fully walked into the threshold.

The girl jumped, dropping the screwdriver that was in her gloved hand to the floor. She looked up after picking it up and setting it on the desk with shaky hands. She pushed her long dark hair out of her face and turned to look at Poe. His eyebrows raised, Finn forgot to mention how heartbreakingly beautiful the new girl was. Long eyelashes framed Y/E/C eyes, heart shaped lips parted to respond to his question. She wore a navy button up shirt over a black turtleneck with blue jeans.

“I’m backing up his data and running a diagnostic.” She said in a quiet, shaky voice, not yet recovered from Poe unintentionally scaring her.

“When will it be done? He has data that needs to be shown to General Organa immediately.” Poe asked in the most level tone he's spoken in all day. She looked at the screen in front of her, watching the bar move before pulling the wire from BB8’s port. “It’s finished now.” She responded. BB8 chimed from the floor.

“I didn’t get to introduce myself, I’m Poe Dameron.” He said with his award winning smile. She looked away after meeting his gaze momentarily.

“I’m Y/N Ryn. You can leave now Commander Dameron, you said earlier that you needed to speak with General Organa.” She said before moving her chair directly in front of the screen.

In taking in the new girl’s beauty, Poe completely forgot about having to talk with Leia.

Poe let out a groan as he was woken up from his neighbor screaming, as soon as the fog caused by sleep cleared from his mind, he jumped up and pulled on a pair of sweatpants that were laid over the chair in his room and bolted out of his door. Just in the short time period it took Poe to go next door, the screaming had stopped, but he knocked anyway, just in case. He heard rustling come from the small room before the door slowly opened, revealing the new girl he met earlier that day. She was wearing a black turtleneck that looked like she had just thrown it over her pajamas, telling by the tshirt that spilled out from the bottom of the turtleneck. The sleeves of the shirt were pulled over her hands, only her fingertips poking out. From this close up, Poe could see the details of her face he couldn’t see in the tech room. The biggest one being the impossibly dark circles under her eyes, then it was her closed off stance, her arms wrapped around herself tightly and refusing to make eye contact.

“Commander Dameron? Oh my stars I’m so sorry, did I wake you?” Y/n asked.

“No, don’t apologize, it's fine, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He said. “Did you have a nightmare?”

“I did, I’m sorry I’ll try-” She started but Poe cut her off.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked.

“Commander Dameron-”

“Call me Poe.”

“-I appreciate you coming to check on me. Have a good rest of your night. I hope you fall back to sleep quickly and I didn’t cost you too much rest.” She said quietly before shutting the door.

Poe did lose sleep, trying to figure out the mystery that was the new girl, Y/N Ryn.

“I don’t know how the hell Leia knew the information I gained from the mission before I was able to tell her.” Poe said, pushing his food around his plate in frustration knowing he risked his life for information Leia somehow, already got before he came home.

“I heard Leia talking about a new informant. Maybe they gave the information to her.” Rey responded

“It sucks that you went out there for nothing though.” Finn added. Poe shrugged, he knew he didn’t go there for nothing per se, he just felt unneeded. Something Poe rarely felt.

Poe noticed almost immediately of Y/n Ryn walking into the mess hall, she never left his mind and it was starting to drive him crazy. He felt like he came back from a mission to a whole new galaxy, when in reality he was only aware that one thing had changed while he was gone, Y/n joined the resistance. He watched as she grabbed her serving and then left the mess hall. Today she was wearing black jeans, a burgundy button up, and of course, a turtleneck and gloves.

“I’ll be back in a second guys.” Poe said before walking out and following Y/n. He didn’t have to follow her far, as she only walked to the edge of the forest before sitting down.

“Hey-” She jumped before staring at him with wide eyes. “-I didn’t mean to scare you I’m sorry- Do you want to sit with my friends and I to eat?” He asked, getting nostalgia from when he was in primary school.

“Thank you for the offer Commander Dameron, but I am okay.” She responded.

“Are you sure? I would hate for you to have to sit alone just because you just got here.” Poe asked.

“I’m not out here because I don’t have any friends, if that's what you’re implying. The mess hall is just too loud and crowded. I also haven’t ‘just got here’, I’ve been here for a month.” She said. “Thank you, but I prefer to be alone.” She added, and Poe turned around and returned to the mess hall without another word.

“New girl rejected you?” Finn asked as soon as Poe sat down.

“What’s with your new fascination with her?” Rey asked.

“What do you know about my ‘fascination’ with the new girl?” Poe asked, putting air quotes around the word.

“You’ve stared at her every time she’s entered a room for the past four days.” Rey responded.

“She lives in the room next to mine and she’s woken up screaming almost every night. The first night I actually went and checked on her and she just dismissed me. I don’t know, there’s just-”

“Something about her?” Finn finished for him, pointing out the cliche in his statement.

“You’re coming on too strong.” Rey told him. “She doesn’t know you, at all. Give her space.” Poe looked at the table, nodding.

“Rey’s right. You’re probably freaking her out.” Finn added. “Anyway, how’s your training going Rey?” He changed the subject, prompting Poe to zone out.

You weren’t like anyone he met, he could already see that, and he wanted to know what made you so different. Why you covered your skin, why were you so guarded, what you had nightmares about, did you two share nightmares?

He shook his head as a voice in his head told him it was none of his business, you weren’t his to figure out in the first place.

[outlawsandcircles]

Til Death Do Us Part

Wow, that episode was amazing and truly heartbreaking. Their is so much going on, but thankfully everything is out in the open. Their are no more secrets. This entire episode was just everything I love about shipping. The beginning was hot and then it progressed into a comfortable bliss. I knew Ben would come to his senses because at the end of the day he has a big heart and would never put that type of pressure in Ryn. I just hope they find a way to be together in the end. Also the intensity of the emotion in the eyes between Ben and Ryn was electric. I know that some feel like Maddie is getting edged out, but I don’t see it that way. In fact Maddie didn’t seem to be bothered that she only got a peck or that Ryn was clearly spending more time with Ben. She is out here living her best life getting to know Rob and falling head over heals. She isn’t in the least bit in mourning nor does it seem like she feels like she is being sidelined. In fact she purposely stated to Ryn that no matter what she would always be there for her regardless if they are together or not. I think what it comes down to is that the writers may have made it seem like this was going to be the dynamic for the entire show and that doesn’t seem to be the case. I may be wrong and that’s cool, because I think both dynamics are cute. Ship and let ship and let’s just hope we get another season of this show and these three characters regardless of relationship status. My thoughts are that Ben and Ryn and Maddie will always be love, but that love has taken on a different tone. polymarine was always so pressous because it showed a deep love between the three and how mermaids have no labels and that is beautiful, but their is just something between Ben and Ryn that I have always held onto. They even flashed back to the moment they met as they said the words meetcute in the background. At first seeing how Ben saw not just the good but all the bad moments too was a bit disturbing, but then it made me realize this really is for better or worse: these two would walk through fire for one another and they both also realize that kind of love can be dangerous, but at the end of the day you can’t help who you almost hit with your car and then help hide from the authorities. The only thing I know for sure is it seems that Tia has to die to break the song and save Xander so she better die soon. They better not kill him off and I can’t wait to see Rob come back. I really like how he makes Maddie light up like a school girl and she doesn’t mind the long distance thing so I’m excited to see where this goes. I think it’s clear from the last couple of episodes that the relationships are taking on different forms, but that doesn’t in anyway negate what they will always have for each other. Also Ryn basically proposing to Ben was all I need to cement a happy ending, even if we don’t get another season or Ben dies, because he always had a piece of her heart. I also think it’s possible that since he’s been slowly changing that if he does die we could see him still have that connection with Ryn from beyond just like Sarge and Helen. I’ll take a bittersweet endgame over no endgame at all.

[sunflowers-and-adoration]

“I personally believe you should do it, if you are referring to the extraction captain, she may end up dying to an abnormality or ordeal that is within her department. Your fear is reasonable, but if you are unlucky, your fear will lead to heartbreak.”

Ryn appeared behind Wetherby from seemingly nowhere. He sounded incredibly genuine and supportive, though his advice was quite blunt and unhelpful.

He is trying.

”…should I tell her?”

“…Nevermind. I don’t wanna ruin our friendship.”

[sunflowers-and-adoration]

Ryn groggily wakes up, rubbing his eyes…though something is different.

[sunflowers-and-adoration]

Ryn nodded, solemnly.

“…I am…quite worried about what that means. The city is far from kind. This may be our last day…ever.”

“Did…you hear the announcement?”

Ryn was fidgeting with the sleeves of his EGO suit, clearly anxious.

Yep. Last day here, huh?

[musicallynerdy]

hey ryn long time no see that d&d ask meme is insanely cool (frankly I love all of them so I tried to choose but there are still a lot, feel free not to answer all of these), so: 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 20, 23, 24, 26, 27, 31, 33, 35, 44, 60, 72, 77, 87, 93, 94, 97!

Hi Taylor! Long time no see! I hope you’re hanging in there! @hoot-h00t So, Hannah sent me a few of these last night on my D&D sideblog (@gmsguild) so I’ll skip those ones but I’m gonna do the rest! I’m gonna focus on my primary character, Sahar, my tiefling wizard in my home Tal’Dorei game.  2. Who in the party would your character trust the most with their life? I think our party rogue most likely. A few weeks ago (in game time) the rogue saved her life (literally- failed death save, would have been dead if that shadow hit me again), and Sahar returned the favor in a fight with a succubus, so there’s some trust there. 

3. What are your character’s core moral beliefs? I think she’s redeveloping her morals for the first time in a decade. She’s becoming a better person and it’s interesting really interesting to play. She never hurts kids, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect those she loves, and she’s devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. She’s got a dark side and isn’t afraid to hurt or kill to get what she needs, but she’s starting to try not to cause more harm. I think she feels the need to make up for what she’s done in the past. 

7. Describe your character’s current appearance: clothes, armor, scars they’ve picked up along the journey, etc? Sahar Tel’Urdyn is a deep purple-skinned tiefling with these stormy grey eyes with catlike pupils and a light blue nictitating membrane that she can flick over them. Her horns come from her forehead and then curl back forward similar to but not the same as a bighorn sheep (I don’t really know how to describe them?), and she has a thin pointed tail that flicks like a cat’s when she’s excited. Her hair is a darker purple, close to black, and is pulled back in a single french braid. She has a number of piercings, earlobes and cartilage. One of her cartilage piercings has a thin chain that connects to a band around one of her horns. She also has a belly button piercing, a nose stud, and a ring in her tail, all in silver tones. With the exception of the chain, she wears almost entirely studs, bars, or rings. Nothing that could catch on something or make noise. She has a number of scars and tattoos from the Tragic Backstory, but the most interesting is probably a lot of blackwork on her left arm that extends from her hand up to her elbow, almost like she dipped her arm in ink (although there is a triangular design on the hand, almost looking like a bit of that type of glove that only attaches to the middle finger?)-- or more accurately it looks like blackwork but it’s actually a lot of really intricate work, lots of script and sigils.  She wears a white, v-necked, with lacing in the V, like a flowy pirate shirt sorta thing, with black pants and brown leather boots, and a dark blue almost black sash around her waist. She has a dagger at her waist and her spellbook sort of sits in a bit of a holster thing in the small of her back. She hasn’t actually picked up much over the journey... she’s got a really nice dark gray traveling cloak she took off of... some dead body somewhere. She’s also got a wand of magic missiles tucked into a leather thigh sheath. She’s probably got a scar or two from the one battle I’ll detail below in number 15.  9. What deity, if any, does your character worship? What’s their opinion on other people’s worship? She grew up worshiping the Moonweaver but sort of lost a lot of her faith during the Tragic Backstory period. As a wizard she also prays occasionally to Ioun. She doesn’t really have opinions on other people’s worship so long as it doesn’t start causing her problems.  

11. Describe your character’s current relationship with the player character sitting to your right. So my group is a crew of old friends from my hometown, so we haven’t played in person in a while. 

12. What is your character’s current goal, summed up in one sentence? To crack this puzzle cube and learn more about conjuration and transmutation magic in the process. 

15. What battle in the campaign has been most memorable to your character? Oof so we broke this girl out of prison, she’s the daughter of a crime lord, but in the process we sort of... alerted the entire town to what we were doing and our barbarian punched the guard captain in the face? So we were burnt and tried to get out of town and hide, but they sent guards after us and we had no spells left and our barbarian had one rage and our rogue, our warlock, and our druid all went in with like low health and Sahar ended up having to be a tank for the battle and was just casting shocking grasp and somehow we still won? We killed six guards coming after us and somehow got away. That was the moment it was like ok we’re a team and we have each other’s backs even when shit royally hits the fan. 

16. If your character wasn’t whatever class they are, what would they be instead? Probably a bard or a warlock. Magic is just like, ingrained in her and she’s a curious motherfucker so like, if her troupe had lived she probably would have become a bard, or she would have stumbled into something deep and dark and made a pact with something for knowledge. If she had focused in her Tragic Backstory more on the sneaking bit of being an assassin rather than the “i will kill people creatively with magic” bit, possibly a rogue too. 

23. If your character could go back in time and change one thing about their life, what would it be? To not get kidnapped by the crew of the Talon’s Breath because that just started a decade of bad things. On the other hand, without that she probably would never have gotten to Tal’Dorei from Marquet and would never have found the party, which she’s starting to count as the best experience in her life. But it doesn’t erase the previous decade. 

24. Which other player character does your character find themselves having the most in common with? Definitely our party rogue. Tragic Backstory Buddies

26. What would your character say their best trait would be? “My Wit, of course” (her virtue name she used for years was Wit, so that’s a pun)

27. What is your character’s greatest fear? Deep, irrational? Ooh tough one. She’s afraid of losing her powers, I think. Her magic has been what has kept her alive and allowed her to become who she is and I think she’s wrapped up so much of her identity into the magic she wouldn’t know who she is without it. She uses minor illusion like people in the real world use a fidget spinner. I think she’d have a hard time functioning without her magic. It was a source of trauma and now it’s the way she’s helped herself through that trauma. She’s definitely going to need to deal with that at some point but therapists are hard to come by in Tal’Dorei. 

31. What stereotypical group role does your character play in the party? (The Mom, the Mess, the Comic Relief, etc. Optionally: What role would your character play in the “Five Man Band” structure?) Ya know I’m not sure. She’s sort of the brains (her intelligence is like a full 4 points above anyone else’s in the party) but really our party is six dumbasses held together by spit and a prayer and the fact that they keep stumbling on sketchy shit in every small town they come to (literally, they’ve had one town that hasn’t had sketchy shit going on in it) (well, and one city. So two stops on their entire journey). 

33. What person does your character admire most? In our party? Tough choice. Probably Thea, our warlock. She’s a 16 year old human girl and Sahar just thinks the world of this kid. She also has this huge Big Sister drive to keep this girl safe and also teach her about magic. 

35. Why is your character’s lowest stat their lowest (the in-character reason, not ���because there’s no reason for a wizard to have 16 strength, duh”)? 10 in strength (I rolled well) but in character, she never really had a chance to develop it. She was the prisoner of a cartel for years and just didn’t have the space or the means to build up her strength. 

44. Does your character think more with their heart or their brain? Brain. 18 intelligence. She’s a wizard. Everything is logic. 

60. What decision would the party have to make in order for your character to consider splitting off from the group? Answered over at @gmsguild with number 20!

72. Who in the party would your character trust the most to keep an important secret? Oof yikes... honestly? Probably Mire, our barbarian. 

77. If your character had to multiclass into a class they currently aren’t the next time they level up, what would it be and what reason would they have for doing so? hmmm..... Something with spells. She’s such a magic nerd she would do something stupid for knowledge. 

87. What major arcana tarot card best represents your character? I’m only skipping this one because I’m not really familiar with tarot

93. Who in the party does your character trust the least? All of them. We all have flaws that make us untrustworthy in particular circumstances. But also she knows all of them have her back if she needs it. She just needs to know their weaknesses so she can help protect them. 

94. What is your character’s biggest flaw? She always has to be in control. It comes from years of not being in control and now she’s a bit of a control freak. 

97. What is most important to your character: health, wealth, or happiness? Happiness. I don’t think she knows what that means yet, but she left employment with a crime lord that could have made her very rich because she knew it wasn’t making her happy.  Thanks, Taylor, that was fun! Took me like 2 hours, but whatev. Hope you’re hanging in there!  Also I’m reading back through this and realizing like, folks trying to piece together her Tragic Backstory from this and my post on @gmsguild are going to have a rough time Much love to my party yall are amazing and I love you (@geekoz87, @skirtsandbattleaxes, @miniaturetanks, @vaguelyconcerning, @tenebris-felidae)

[slaughterjaw]

The Protector pt. 2

[Part 1]

The forsaken hugged the sobbing Human child against her cold armor. Despite the tears trailing down her scarred breastplate, Celaryn unbuckled the pin holding her darkhound cloak and draped it over the girl's shoulders. Still sniffling, the child pulled its edges inward, enveloping herself in much-needed warmth. Celaryn pushed the pin across the fabric and fixed the cloak in place. She chuckled, crimson eyes crinkling as she smiled behind her visor. The length of the cloak was undoubtedly too long, but it would have to do.

The forsaken opened her mouth to speak and took a moment to find the right words in Common, "What... is your name?"

Sniffling, the child peered up to Celaryn's helmeted face. "Anya," she managed to utter in between shaky breaths.

Celaryn brought her scarred leather palm to Anya's head, gently brushing her scalp. "Anya. That's a beautiful name."

Anya's lips lifted as she mustered a hint of a smile. "W-what’s yours?" she asked as her eyes widened at the forsaken's pointed ears.

"Celaryn," the captain answered before sounding out each syllable. "Cel-a-ryn."

The child attempted to repeat each sound, "Cel-uh-reen." High Elven names seemed lost on her tongue. "Reen." Anya nodded, deciding on a shortened nickname rather than try her luck at Thalassian again.

"That will do." 

The deathguard behind Celaryn stammered in Gutterspeak, "C-aptain? You can't be serious." Shadowbiter's gaze ping-ponged between the two with an agape mouth. He turned his pale face toward the moonlit window and looked to the rest of the village in shambles. "We're in the heart of Forsaken territory, and you want to take a Human child under your protection?"

Celaryn peered over her pauldron to her junior. Anya's dry lips tightened as she shut her eyes tight. "Reen..." She squeezed her arms around the warrior's cuirass, refusing to let go.

"She is just a child, Shadowbiter. Even as Deathguard, there are lines we do not cross. Without aid, she will die in these lands." An armored gauntlet patted Anya's back in reassurance as Celaryn switched to the Forsaken tongue. Red eyes stared holes into the back of the deathguard's head. "You are free to leave if you wish no part in this. I will not stop you."

Shadowbiter nodded, looking to his sides as he thought. Pointed claws rubbed circles in his temples as he paced back and forth across the bloodstained floor.

"But know that I will utterly destroy anything, Forsaken or otherwise, that wishes harm to this child." Celaryn's every word held a measured tone as Shadowbiter felt her gaze staring daggers into him. Each crimson, unblinking eye said the same thing: Do not test me.

There was no room for argument. Shadowbiter shrank away and raised both palms. He ran his claws into the oily green weeds that were his hair as a croaking sigh escaped him. "Good luck, captain." Shaking his head, Shadowbiter turned to the axed-in door and swiftly exited the cottage, heavy boots plodding through the mud to continue the ordered patrol alone.

"Anya," the forsaken switched back to an accented Common. Her eyes drifted away from the damaged door to the two bodies sprawled out on the bloodied floor. "Are you scared?"

The girl's eyes followed Celaryn's to her parents. She gasped as she averted her gaze from the corpses and sobbed, cupping both palms over her face. Celaryn reached behind Anya’s nape and pulled the cloak's hood over her eyes. "Don't look.”

"I'm scared." Anya's voice grew hoarse as she mustered her words. "Reen. I'm scared."

"I know it's scary." Celaryn cooed, wrapping Anya in a tight embrace and rocking her lightly from side to side. "This is horrible, and I am so sorry you had to see this." The black-armored soldier never broke her hug no matter how loud the girl's despaired wails grew. "They want you to be safe, and they need you to be strong." Anya buried her face into Celaryn's armor. She didn't know how long she cried until she felt her tear ducts dry up.

"Anya, I can get you away from this scary place, but I need you to trust me." Celaryn gently wiped the child's tears from her cheek with her thumb. "Will you trust me?"

Anya whimpered against Celaryn's chest. The child's voice was barely audible as she summoned what sliver of courage she could muster.

"Yes."

[jising-jisang-jisung]

Sugar Lips | Huang Renjun

Genre: floof

Word count: 1.7k

A/n: this is one of the longest fics I've ever written and not at all based off of a boy from my school whom I dislike sorry about the rushed ending I didnt know where I was going with that :/

~~~~~

You and Renjun had never gotten along. He sat behind you in math and was constantly picking on you. Yeah, you could have destroyed him with some sick burns, but you held your tongue out of consideration for his gigantic ego. Half the school thought you two liked each other and the other knew that yall were mortal enemies. The thought of you liking Renjun made you want to stab your eyes out with sporks. However, you couldnt deny that Renjun was hot. Like, this boi had been hand sculpted by God himself. Seriously damn. You had to give credit where credit is due. But, as I said, you do NOT like Renjun.

After the rumors started that you and Renjun like each other, you tried to react less to him. You no longer argued and paid little attention to him. Much to your dismay, your teachers seemed to find your ability to ignore Renjun as a good quality that most of the others students lacked. This resulted in you sitting by him in most of your classes. But obviously you didnt let this affect you. You just had to sit there and pay him no attention. Easier said than done. You were always trying to not notice him, despite always looking at him because hes hot.

One night your friend, let's call her Ryn for fun, forced you out to a party and then ditched you. Skew you, Ryn! You weren't the biggest fan of parties so you sat on one of the counters in the kitchen, by yourself, patiently waiting for Ryn to be ready to leave. That's when something caught your eye. Renjun was also alone in the kitchen and he was looking right at you. Or at least, you thought he was, but he could easily be looking at something else. Why would he be looking at you anyways? You looked back down at your drink, avoiding any eye contact with the boy you have to ignore.

By this point in the year, you had gotten very good at ignoring him. You didnt even notice when he started walking towards you. And you didnt even react when he grabbed your hand. You paid him no attention as he led you into an empty room. All you had to do was not pay attention to Renjun. That's seriously all you had to do. So you didnt pay attention to him as he leaned towards you. But he grabbed your chin, causing you to look him in the eye. Shoot. Just dont react, you thought to yourself. You tried not reacting as he leaned closer and closer. Until..

He stopped? "Do you want me to stop" he asks innocently, a blush leaking onto his cheeks. Okay stay calm, just dont do anything rash- You tried to tell yourself but instead you grabbed his shirt in a fist and pulled him until the little space between you was now nonexistent. His lips were sweet, like sugar. They were as forbidden as they were sweet. And you were completely aware that you should not be doing what you were doing. Yet, you did not pull away. Thankfully, neither did Renjun. He just wrapped his arms around your waist and held you as close as he physically could.

The next thing you knew, your phone was going off. The musical tone signaling a call from Ryn who, to your dismay, was ready to leave and looking for you. Renjun took a small step back, wiped his mouth, and walked out of the room you to had shared. He didnt even say anything. Confused, you left as well, in search of Ryn. You found her by the door and explained everything that happened on your way home. Leaving out no details, it was a bit hard to believe considering Renjun was known to be you mortal enemy. What will happen when you sit by him in class tomorrow? Will he say something about it to embarrass you? Or will he stay quiet and pretend it never happened? Oh gosh, what if he says it was only because he was drunk? Thinking back to your memory, his mouth didnt taste like alcohol at all, so even if he tried to blame it on drinking, it wasnt feasible. But now you were thinking about kissing him,,, and that thought didnt go away easily.

~

You walk into your first class to see him already there surrounded by the other boys. You had planned to avoid eye contact and avoid him in general because you were worried about what he would do. But you locked eyes and to your dismay, he just smirked. Dare you say, is was a really handsome smirk too. Luckily nobody was paying attention so this interaction went unnoticed as you sat at your seat beside him.

Half the class went by without mishap and you hoped you would never have to deal with Renjun again. However, you are not that fortunate. He slid you a note discreetly.

Y/N, for acting like you have a pole stuck up your ass 80% of the time, you're a surprisingly good kisser ;)

You tried so hard to hold yourself back. To not react. To go back to how things were with Renjun as your enemy of mutual disgust. But you could help but write back.

Only 80% of the time?

You busy later?

I am completely free tonight

Good, my family is out for the night

And then the bell rang and you were off to your next class which you didnt have with Renjun. Before you knew it the school day had ended and you were rushing to leave. Maybe you were going too fast because you didnt see the person in front of you until after you ran right into them.

"Y/N! Can you fucking watch where you're going?!" Renjun said. You were taken aback by his antics because he was acting so weird in your classes today. I guess this makes it seem like nothing has changed between you two to the rest of the school.

"Watch where you're going, Renjun, you stepped out right in front of me." You spit back before you walked away without another word.

~

You arrived at Renjuns house around 5. When he opened the door, you could tell he was nervous but tried to play it off. You wanted to kiss him again, but he hadnt made another move. Yolo! You grabbed his shirt in a fist and aggressively pulled him towards you. His eyes were big, surprised by your actions. He kissed you back more delicately than before. It was as if he was no longer fueled by the lust he had at the party.

Renjun was the first to pull away. His face was bright red as he invited you further into his home. "Are you hungry?" He asked. "Yeah, maybe a little" He then went to his kitchen and got some snacks. "Listen, Y/N" his voice was shakey, "I know that we made out at that party and we havent really gotten along before but what I'm trying to say is" his eyes fell to the snacks in his hands, "I actually like you." Your jaw actually hit the floor when he admitted this. Obviously your reaction didnt do much help for Renjuns nerves. He scratched the back of his head when you didnt respond and spoke again, " I know I act like I hate you and that's because you hate me, dont you? So I'm not expecting you to like me, but I just thought I'd let you know the truth."

You couldnt believe what the boy was saying. Right now he looked so shy and small compared to his usual cocky, confident self. "I dont hate you, Renjun." You tried to say but it only came out in a whisper. His face lit up. "You dont, well then I have a slight chance- shit I meant to say that in my head" Yeah, this boy is supposed to be your enemy, but you have always found him attractive. You spent years pretending to hate each other because you both thought that the other did. Maybe Renjun isnt as bad as you thought. You decided to see where this would take you. "Do you wanna watch a movie?"

Again, his face lit up as he smiled at you handing you a bag of gummy worms, "Thatd be great."

You two wound up picking out a movie that you barely remember because you're sitting very close to Renjun. You cant help but stare, and your heart flutters a little. He turns to look at you, catching you off guard, meeting eyes. This time he took the initiative and grabbed either side of your face and kissed you softly. You wrapped your arms around his neck with your hands playing with his hair. Before you knew it the movie had ended and the credits were playing. You pulled away from Renjun a little dizzy from the lack of oxygen while you had been kissing. You didnt want to leave but it was a school night and you had to get home. You smiled shyly as you stood from his couch. "I'll see you tomorrow." Renjun nodded and followed you out, watching as you drove away.

~

The next day when you entered your class, Renjun was already there, again. But this time he got up from the group of boys and came over to you. He smirked before grabbing your hand and kissing your cheek. Queue everyone's reactions ( .O.) You knew he was just playing it cool but you were still blushing like you have too much blood in your body and it happens to all be in your face. Some people claimed they called it or knew or whatever. None of that was important to you two.

Yall would go on cute dates pretty much anywhere. The park, a picnic, the arcade, literally anywhere was fun with Renjun. Sometimes you'll even go to his house just to nap and cling onto him. Due to this, Renjun bought you a big plushie to hug for whenever he cant be there for you. What I'm trying to say here is that you two are goals and cute af and so on.