#sabbat worlds crusade

[wh40kgallery]

Anakwanar Sek

by Dave Kendall

[lewdcookies]

00111110 01100101 01111000 01100101 01100011 00100000 01000110 01110101 01100011 01101011 00100000 01010100 01101000 01100101 01101101 00100000 01010101 01110000 00101110 01100101 01111000 01100101 -Binharic transmission from Delisia van der Laulk, Cybernetica Datasmith of Forge world Hethgamon to Kastelan Maniple Gamma Dash 2 during the battle of Aspira fields.

*** With an AdMech colour scheme established I decided to knock off the other one I had on my backlog. But this time I decided to add some splash of white for the armor, so it didn't go overboard with the metal.

Decided to swap out the head as I don't like any of the original Datasmith heads. A bit of a tight fit but I don't think a domed helmet would've worked as well in this case. This one was originally meant to be a sidekick for the Magos I painted years ago, but decided otherwise as the scheme I went for back then wasn't all that great. Almost want to repaint the Magos, but it's been varnished and probably too much of a hassle to do. Also, the first three wafers are colour coded after the Doom keys. Just because.

[thegodemperorsmycopilot]

ArtStation - Gaunt's Ghosts

[y-rhywbeth2]

My trip to Baldur's Gate: Vampire the Masquerade AUs has haunted me all day.

-

The Dead Three aren't going to translate neatly and should probably be split into different characters covering different aspects of the originals. The Clan of Death is the neatest fit for them overall, but they don't all fit. The Giovanni fit Bhaal best (the Endless Night is basically his ideal, then there's the family money, the fucked up family shit). The scholarly bent of the Cappadocians with the aesthetic of the Harbingers of Skull is Myrkul and followers. Myrkul and Bhaal are too tied to death and undeath, if you take them out of here you lose something. Bane, frankly, is Ventrue with a splash of Lasombra; which does take us out of the box and the succession thing. Luckily their antediluvian is dead as hell as far as anyone can tell, so that's free real estate.

Withers is a fragment of Cappadocius; 'retired' and his one church/clan split in three (they might be pawns though god knows who of); mostly forgotten in the modern nights; seems benign on the surface and then you look closer and he's the world's least trustworthy motherfucker. Jergal has never schemed to eat Ao's soul as far as I know, but I sure wouldn't put anything past him.

Failing that he's the Capuchin... assuming those two are so unrelated, although I'm pretty sure the Capuchin is Lazarus.

-

Haarlep is hosting the succubus club. I will overlook how much it annoys be that 5e stopped the succubus being strictly tanar'ri for the bit.

-

Durge: Extremely low generation Giovanni neonate... or Baali, if you want to go ultimate edgelord. Enjoys the principle of Taboo in their necromancy work too much.

Gale: Has an Oblivion-tainted chunk of Mr 'I Can Totally Eat God's Soul and Replace Him' in his chest, so Cappadocian, I guess. Formerly awakened, but he ignored his avatar when it warned him not to touch The Thing and here we are.

Astarion: World's Worst Tremere Wants Dark Thaumaturgy. So he doesn't have to actually study hermetic mysticism to get the rewards of blood sorcery. And also to be free of the pyramid. Cazador should not be a regent, but alas, he won his certamen against Velioth. And also diablerised him. And made a pact with an Archduke of Hell.

Shadowheart: Setite by faith, Lasombra Abyss Mystic by lineage. Is actually kinfolk to the Children of Gaia, but she neither knows that nor would it help her to know that in any way.

Karlach: Abandoned Gangrel fledgling is taken in by Kind Older Vampire who is Going to Show Her the Ropes and Definitely Not Scheming; This is heart-warming and definitely not going to be tragic. (The horns and tail are permanent frenzy mutations).

Wyll: I got Toreador vibes over here. He's got an insanely high humanity rating, but Mizora's a diabolist and Wyll's caught in the net. Haven't decided whether Mizora or, if I stretch, Ulder is his sire. It's probably Mizora.

Lae'zel: Still thinking on that one, but I do get Sabbat crusader vibes. Ventrue antitribu? I think that fits. She's had heavy modification from a deceased Tzimisce pack mate.

[historia-vitae-magistras]

The Danegeld Axe

Part Four: Assets

First Installment: Here. Last Installment: Here. Current Installment: You are here! Next Installment: Here.

Author's note: Inspired by the 1950s short story "The Man Who Came Early" by Poul Anderson. This installment of the Viking-time-travel au sees government employees being stupid, Matthew Williams being less stupid and Arthur Kirkland finally snapping.

21st Century Washington DC Diplomatic Security Service

"Does the name Kirkland mean anything to you?"

"Costco brand home goods?" He grinned and slid a cup of shitty coffee to his executive branch counterpart. “Yeah, some aquaintance of my primary asset.”

“He’s your asset’s father, as far as anyone can tell.”

“Is that how they’re related? Huh. Good to know. The name has come up here and there.”

“Didn’t they tell you?”

“They don’t tell me shit. Everyone knows this is a cushy post. Keep the genius on board and try to keep his tinkering budget below world-ending for a couple of years. Do that, get one of the prestige posts overseas. Boom, career made. Jones hasn’t done anything but cooperate since I got here. What else did I need to know?”

“Yeah, well, he’s a well-connected genius. The father is old world money. And I mean old. The kind of money that's been bulking up interest since the crusades.”

"Jesus. Why do you ask?"

"He got wind you were looking for his other kid before he went missing."

“Matthew Williams was old European money? You’re not serious. He did grass with homeless guys in Stanley Park and drove a 78 Chevy. Everyone knows Alfred has got the brains and business sense.”

"As best anyone can tell, Alfred was probably conceived in Kirkland's navy days.”

Corcoran snorted. “Half of Boston is a Fleet Week baby.”

“Not an English fleet week, baby. No one knows. Williams was probably from Halifax or Arctic Command, maybe. No one knows their mother, if she's even the same one. They don’t live like old money, but the Kirklands spend way too much time around Downing Street to be nobodies, though.“

"There are more than one?”

“Three brothers at least. Unconfirmed but suspected sister somewhere in the mix.”

"So?"

"So tread carefully is all I'm saying. You’ve just lost his other kid on the ISS. And he’s bound to find out eventually.”

“I did what?”

British Embassy Washington D.C.

“What did you find?” Arthur sprang to his feet as soon as Matthew passed through the door. He hadn’t even gotten the fucking key out of the door before his father sprung on him.

“Nothing. Not a fucking thing. His place is in its usual state when he’s up there.” Complete chaos. Matt pressed his fingers into his temple, and the executive office and the state department were completely normal. Everything is normal. Nothing looks wrong. No one said anything. Nothing on the computers, nothing in the records.”

"Is your access still that high?”

“Of course not,” Matt snorted. “As far as the US government knows, I’ve been dead for about a year. I just use Alfred’s third set of back-ups.”

“How on earth—”

“Last time I took a northwoods sabbatical.”

“You mean the last time you had a mental breakdown and spent three months in the woods eating possum liver?"

“I prefer racoons thank you, and…” Matthew rubbed the back of his neck, preparing for the backlash. “Well, that was the second to last time.”

“What?” His father’s face was instantly furious and even more worrying, his father was concerned. “Matthew!”

He wasn’t having it. Not today. “I’m fine. I’m not the one missing from this mortal fucking plane. Point is, as far as the US government is concerned, I don’t exist.”

His father’s brain was working, his worry between Matthew standing before him and his firstborn clearly in conflict. Not on his face, never on his face, but Matthew knew what the slight flex of one hand meant. Alfred won. He always won. “And there’s no chance of them noticing? All that you’ve been doing?”

“What do you think?” Matthew snapped as he collapsed in a chair, and as fast as his temper had flared, it was gone. He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled, feeling sick where there’d been a fire a moment ago. “Sorry.”

Arthur approached gently. “You didn’t sense anything?”

“Nothing.” He pressed his palms into his eyes. “Not a fucking thing. I woke up two nights ago feeling like this and it hasn’t changed.” The sick, cold feeling was back. It was like missing organs, or his skin, or half of himself. Maybe more than half of himself.

“You should sleep. You haven’t since I arrived.”

“I can’t sleep! I need answers.”

“We can’t get answers if you collapse on me. And we will get answers.” Matt hadn’t cried so far, but Arthur pushed his hair off his face and tapped him under the jaw in that affectionate ‘chin up, lad’ sort of way, and he couldn’t stop himself. His eyes itched, but he would not cry. Instead, he buried his face in his father’s shoulder, pressing his forehead hard enough to hurt. It was pathetic. He was grown. But he couldn't bring himself to care. Alfred was lost, and his entire body felt so wrong, with only his frosted fields and forests and none of the blast of noise and life that was his brother.

“You know what? Fuck this. I brought your good knife. Let's get answers.”

[wilanserulia]

I love making OCs, but as I keep refining the design of my newest one I feel the struggle of giving good representation to all of them.

Some of them I haven't drawn in forever, while some are new and need more art to express themselves. Some are old favorites of mine who I'll draw every now and then, and some used to be favorites of mine but I haven't had new material for them in forever. Some were fun to design but they were used in short adventures and I never explored them too much. Some I used to like but I look at today and feel they'd be in need of a re-design. And some were conceptualized for adventures that haven't yet took off the ground, and maybe never will. I'm ashamed to say there's even some others I sometimes forget about.

I've decided to compile a short list, more or less in chronological order. Most of them are from DnD games or other TTRPG settings ranging from Fantasy, Cyberpunk and even Steampunk, but I'm including my two FFXIV characters in here as well as honorary OCs because of how much I've written about them.

Sorcerer of draconic descent, whose family has been killed in the Crusade's effort to close a gigantic planar rift over the Abyss, leading him to swear vengeance against demonkind.

A veteran traveling paladin, who despite his old age still puts himself in harm's way for what's right.

A swashbuckling adventurer, whose tongue is as sharp as his sword. Second-born to a rich family of bankers, he left home to pursue a selfish desire of indipendence.

Born from an accomplished barbarian king and his spellcasting trophy wife, the young McLut is slowly being overcome by a creeping sense of inadequacy as over the years he keeps failing to live up to his family's legacy.

Warrior of Light and hero of the people, Wilan slowly buckles under the ever-increasing weight of the responsabilities that come with his many titles, despite having become an adventurer over a decade prior simply moved by a simple desire of seeing the world.

Refugee from a colony of the totalitarian empire of Garlemald, Delen is slowly trying to rebuild her life in the free realm of Eorzea, where she would forge meaningful connections and, once she's come out enough of her shell, embrace the adventurer's lifestyle.

A half-elf girl who, in spite of a harsh childhood of domestic abuses and a delinquent adolescence, has managed to grow up into a cheerful, optimistic young woman thanks to the positive influence of her found family.

First-born daughter of an old aristocratic family and latest bearer of a family curse, Jane dedicated her life to academic studies and became an accomplished archaeologist. The only thing preventing the curse from taking effect is an old pact with a devil, the same devil who whispers in her ear to temp her into accepting more power.

A once successful arcanotech engineer, Roy's life fell apart after a tragic accident led to the death of his very young daughter and, subsequently, losing his job and divorcing his wife. Suffering from depression, he's adopted an unhealthy, self-destructive lifestyle both as a way to feel something and to put himself through punishment.

Hailing from a remote archipelago in the middle of the ocean to the east, Chiyu is an elf who is training in a temple that curiously fuses martial arts with percussion music. Chiyu took a sabbatical decade away from her training because she wants to experience more of the world before she's 100 years old.

Known as "Don Raskar", he's a militaristic cleric stripped of his rank and relocated to a different region of the world for abusing his authority. Determined to rise the ranks again, Raskar is not shy to throw the weight of his social status around to get what he needs.

A nomad barbarian of the robot-infested wastelands. Being born too close to a planar rift made her into a tiefling, granting her an appearance resembling a balor and command over electricity. Despite being one of the many freaks of the region, she's nonetheless an accomplished mercenary and capable fighter.

Heir to a prominent family in the airship industry, Julian has witnessed his father's empire being ripped apart by competing families following his early death. He appropriated one of the airships, the Luminaria, and fled the city to live outside the law as a sky pirate.

Despite being a naturally creative and imaginative girl, Hoshiko has put aside anything she considers too childish to meet the many, many expectations placed on her and dedicated herself to the academic study of magic. That is, until a botched familiar summoning ritual conjured forth an otherwordly magical cat, who is bound to bring chaos into her life and maybe help her reconnect with her more genuine self in the process.

[thesixthplaneteer]

Welcome to my blog! I am a hobby writer, mostly writing things about my OCs and posting to jazz myself up to write more.

My primary interests are Vampire: The Masquerade, other World of Darkness titles, Warhammer 40,000, and TTRPGs of all sorts. I can't make any promises on the consistency of types of posts on this blog since it's basically my only blog, so a little bit of my writing and ton of other things I saw and liked.

The other purpose of this blog is to shower my awesome wife, @crownedinmarigolds, with love and support for her art. Our OCs are pretty heavily tied together usually so you'll see amazing art of her and my OCs on her blog!

OC directory under the cut for the benefit of anyone wanting to take a read at things I've got going on.

My OCs Dr. Nythanel Glenn Loken PhD- A VTM Thinblood that I have lovingly crafted over years and my number 1 OC (pictured at the head of this post). He's not charismatic, he's just handsome and full of audacity. A trans gay man that has forged his own path in the world of vampires as a master alchemist (he likes to call himself the Elder Thinblood) along with his necromancer bestfriend Noa(wife's OC). These two are the primary subjects of my writing! They are the keystone of our overall VTM story and canon, Wilted Roses.

Ralph (Randolph Gaylord King III)- Another VTM Thinblood that I have come to love and a bit of a self insert. He's former Spec Ops and lost his right leg on his first deployment. Stumbling into a successful career as a instahottie he was caught up in the "glamorous" influencer life until one night a Nosferatu in Atlanta GA just couldn't stand to see another vapid pretty man living the highlife. After some "beating his sire's face with a brick" therapy Ralph was introduced into the world of vampires where he eventually meets his girlfriend Khloe! (wife's OC). These two are involved in an active solo chronicle called The Poisoned Peach: ATL by Night. Hopefully I'll be able to share more but I don't want to spoil anything for my player!

Harrakhty Hamdi AKA Harri- A VTM Setite (not Ministry). A ancient vampire that walked with Set himself. A living embodiment of debauchery. A self idealized god among mortals. His skin shimmers gold in the light, his body toned and sculpted to be perfect, his history written on his flesh with enchanted inks. He is known as the Hierophant to the cult. A husband to his wife of several millennia, Parvati. A father to Kahanni, a daughter born of him and Parvati thanks to several dark magics performed in a single agonizing ritual. (Parvati and Kahanni are my wife's OCs)

Sir Godwynn Forrester - A VTM OC (shocking I know) Godwynn was born to low nobility in 1459 in England. From birth to grave he was entrenched in warfare. He saw little in life worth pursuing outside of a battle field. He had a wife as expected of him and had children as expected of him but nothing filled him with purpose more than the clash of steel. An injury in 1487 lead to him being embraced into the Sabbat as a Ventrue, a Crusader. His preferred prey are blood sorcerers and even developed abilities to counter their magics. His preferred blood, damsels in distress. In modern nights he unhappily plays the role of Sheriff for a Prince that was his Bishop. But he wont suffer this fate forever, one way or another.

[disgruntled-foreign-patriarch]

If you're taking recommendations for Warhammer novels, I strongly recommend both the Eisenhorn trilogy and the Gaunt's Ghost series. Eisenhorn is about the Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn, and his slow descent into more and more radical measures to protect the Imperium. Gaunt's Ghost meanwhile is Ciaphas Cain's darker cousin, depicting Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt his regiment, the Tanith First-and-Only, in their experiences as a part of crusade to liberate the Sabbat Worlds. Dan Abnett is a master at depicting the grimdarkness of the 40k universe, as well as having some of the more interesting depictions of Chaos, and his stories are one of the things that really got me interested in the 40k setting as a whole.

I've heard that but see my friend I have one issue:

I like fun. Gotrek and Felix gives me fun, so does Ciaphas Cain. in 40K.

The world I live in is already grimdark enough. I want heroes.

But I thank you for your recommendations...truly!

[ahzek]

Way too excited to continue our Rogue Trader Pen and Paper campaign on Tuesday...

Had my players start into the Sabbat Worlds Crusade on Tanith, meeting Ibram Gaunt and they might actually manage to prevent the planets destruction. However the space battle won't be easy!

[geektradingco-official]

Ghostmaker: A Short Story Masterpiece or a Disjointed Mess?

Ghostmaker is the second novel in Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series. The novel is set during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade on the Chaos-infested world of Monthax. Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and the Tanith First and Only, or Gaunt’s Ghosts, are waiting in trenches for orders to attack The book is structured as a series of interconnected short stories interspersed with a framing narrative of the…

[wh40kgallery]

Saint Sabbat

Artist Unknown

[lewdcookies]

Xi 4-Phaym, Skitarii Ranger Alpha of 2nd Maniple, 1st Cohort, Macroclade Secundus of Hethgamon*, seen here after the battle of Aspira fields during the liberation of Czibor that saw the annihilation of two whole Blood Pact companies by joint Mechanicus and Guard forces during one ferocious battle.

*A minor, semi-aquatic Forge world located in the outer rim of the Sabbat Worlds. Liberated during Slaydo's Operation Newfound, it has provided supplies and combat troops to the Crusade efforts since then.

***

Another nice and uncomplicated project, figuring out the base took probably the most time. And I would like to add that I am incredibly proud of how well the spiked helmet came out, even during assembly.

Had to order a backpack from elsewhere, and that one turned out to be one of the special weapons ones too so I stuck a box on there to cover up the hole. The helmet is a Reaver jetbike one that I got real lucky finding at the LGS in town while hunting for other bits.

Also would've wanted to do more of them, but none of my other pair legs and torsos matched each other. That's what you get for buying skitarii pieces separately I guess. And couldn't find anyone to trade me for better ones either sadly. So adding a full team will have to wait.

[culpableblueblood]

🎨- @/ineed-to-sleep

💜This is an in character Vampire: The Masquerade/World of Darkness Blog 💜 💥My Personal Blog - Call me Chiss👋 Any pronouns work 💥 👇Character Info 👇 [+ rules @ the bottom]

[Pinterest Link]

[TRANSMISSION BEGINS]

My opinion on the Camarilla? What a trite question. One that's surely not asked with the intent of setting me up in any way... For the record, then: We're a necessity. Cut and dry, plain and simple. The Anarch Movement, for all their grandstanding and claims to moral superiority, is not equipped in any way, shape, or form to deal with the real problems that darken our doorsteps, be they our Elders returning from their mysterious beckoning, Second Inquisition goons, or the Black Hand returning from their war games with their tails in between their legs, if the Lasombra are anything to go by. They're too disjointed, too disparate. Lacking in anything of substance other than vague appeals to ethos. Should they, God forbid, manage to actually topple the Ivory Tower, they would almost certainly turn that misguided vitriol inwards onto, cannibalizing the many and varied ideologies in a decadent show of bravado and machismo. Once the dust settles, the vitae dries, and there are no more enemies to vanquish - provided that no one had taken advantage of the chaos as members of our kind are want to do - they'll have to take a long, hard look at themselves and what they've wrought. Only then, I think, will they begin to come to similar conclusions as Hardestadt and his brood did when he gave birth to our organization. So, again, The Camarilla is a necessity. Off the record, however?

[TRANSMISSION ENDS]

A "Brief" Introduction

Name: Eliza Doyle Clan: Ventrue Pronouns: She/Her Kindred Age Range: Neonate Political Rank: Tribune [Ventrue] | N/A [New Orleans]

Familia Est Precipua. [Long, drawn out backstory that has changed in bits since its inception. Think of it as her first draft.] (link to my Tumblr blog)

[The Brood by Sam Wolfe Connelly] [Sam's Website]

Notable Merits/Advantages

Status (Camarilla) [from Sect War Veteran] [V5] INFLUENTIAL: You hold authority over part of the group, an average elder.

Clan Friendship [Toreador 🌹] [V20] Eliza has made her amity for the Roses no real secret, seemingly spending more time fraternizing amongst their ranks than she does bothering with Boardroom Meetings. This isn't to say she neglects her clanly duties - far from it, Dignitas is a valuable resource - just that the Roses very clearly hold a special place in her unbeating heart.

Notable Flaws

Disliked [The Anarch Movement]

Despised [The Sabbat]

Dark Secret [Dread Anathema!] Two members of the Coterie Doyle cobbled together to headhunt Sabbat packs defected to the Anarch Movement - taking with them wild, unsubstantiated rumors of the vilest misconduct… Any such rumors relating to Miss Doyle have long since been quelled, be they covered up or patently dismissed, but digging them up would hardly be a Sisyphean task. Were they true, the black stains marking her soul would have long since dissipated making concrete evidence particularly difficult to come by…

Loresheets

Active Participant: Camarilla War Hero/ [Sect War Veteran] To hear Harpies in Elysium relay the tales, Doyle's rise from an abject nobody - your average low level Ventrue, really - to War Hero of the Camarilla was a decade long crusade with the intent of beating the veritable horde of Sabbat "Cainites" back with a stick with her at the helm of a coterie that were no longer content with to wait and react defensively while the Sword of Caine took potshots from the shadows. When all was said and done, the coterie was afforded the prestigious title of 'War Heroes of the Camarilla' - A lofty title, no doubt, to tout with one's comrades in arms and an extremely dangerous one to lay claim to in the presence of anyone who may be looking for a leg up…

A Lineage of Title [Pure Ventrue Lineage] Descended from a lengthy list of Princes - stretching well before the Convention of Thorns was even a twinkle in Hardestadt's eye, Doyle's bloodline has no small amount repute in more politically inclined Ventrue circles.

Rules N' Such

Minors, away with you. 🫵(blocked where spotted) [have a good day, though!👋]

Note: I'm 21.

I generally try to avoid anything ~too~ pointed, but if anything ever crosses a line, please do not hesitate to lmk!!

Still new-ish to Tumblr RP, please have mercy on me; Caine bless.

I am also hella inactive.

More Art

Bust 🎨 - Cemeterygrotesque

Bust 🎨- bugcouncil

The full art of her and Damsel. 🎨- ineed-to-sleep

Two others on this post, given that they don't have formal posts of their own. [🎨- Glamfellens, vtmgremlin,]

SOURCES

Agents At Large / Tribunes (Ventrue Rank) [Clanbook: Ventrue, Revised Edition. Page 42] The Ephorate maintains a loose network of contacts and “field operatives” around the world. These Kindred are referred to as both tribunes and agents at large, and they serve as the ephors’ eyes and ears in Camarilla (and sometimes even Sabbat) cities. They have no official powers or duties, and they often do not even acknowl- edge their title publicly (a hard thing for any Ventrue). The tribunes tend to be young Ventrue who the lictors or strategoi have decided show promise. They not only have a strong track record and reputable dignitas, they also have a history of respect for their elders and the Ventrue traditions, at least some of the time. Most nights, tribunes do nothing in their titular capacity. Sometimes, though, they receive messages from the ephors (passed on by strategoi) that they must deliver to prominent local clan members. In turn, they report to their superiors what takes place in their city. Often, the city’s tribunes call upon a strategos for help rather than the city’s elders doing so. Not bound up in their own dignitas as city leaders, they usually have no qualms about asking for help when it’s needed. A tribune occasionally calls for assistance when it’s not necessary, but few make the mistake twice. The local and clanwide repercussions for such a mistake usually force the wolf-crying tribune out of office and possibly even the city. Perhaps most important of all, a tribune must be on hand to assist any lictor or strategos who comes to town. Although tribunes often hold other ranks and titles within both the Ventrue clan and the Camarilla, they are expected to put them aside and serve the Ephorate (and its entourage) first and foremost. Doing so can sometimes make local clanmates jealous and angry, but the ephors typically reward the loyalty their subordinates show them handsomely.

Pure Ventrue Lineage Loresheet [V5 Camarilla Sourcebook, p. 187]

Sect War Veteran Loresheet [V5 Corebook, p. 392]

Status Advantage [V5 Corebook, p. 194]

Clan Friendship Merit [V20 Corebook, page 489]

Despised / Disliked Flaw [V5 Corebook, p. 187]

[Miss Katherine Powell, 1909. Art by George Lambert] (Wikipedia page. He's dead.)

[eimearkuopio]

I've been reading a bit more stuff about random members of the Roman Catholic Church because of Reasons, and what struck me is the number of times it said something like "his health failed" for the good ones, and something like "he continued his crusade/mission/preaching throughout his life" for the arseholes.

Got me thinking about the concept of Shabbat and sabbaticals. It's not just meant to be every seventh day we rest. It's also meant to be every seventh year that we get to act as if the world is already good enough. And you need to have things set up properly to run that system the way it's meant to be, but it absolutely is possible.

There's also the ACAB thing, where the authority and lack of accountability associated with a career in law enforcement in the USA is the reason, not just that so many sociopathic abusive arseholes end up as cops, but that the only people who can survive that system are the sociopathic abusive arseholes and their enablers.

If you try to be a Good Cop, you will inevitably burn out or be corrupted by the bad apples or be drummed out on some excuse - or perhaps you'll become an enabler by accident, because you can't believe other cops aren't Good People too, and you can't believe Good People could ever do evil things.

If you sign up to be an authority figure in an institution that claims God will stop them from making mistakes, even if you ring-fence that claim in as many layers of red tape as you want, someone will inevitably misuse that claim. It might not even be their fault! "I'm a priest! God won't let me hurt people!" Wrong. God isn't going to stop you. Should He need to? Shepherds are fallible. Heck, sheepdogs are fallible; but if you train them right, and let them use their instincts unless you can see a genuine and specific reason not to, you can have an amazing team. Unfortunately, if you train a sheepdog poorly, it will do more harm than good and it will be your own fault. So maybe improve the quality of your shepherds.

[historia-vitae-magistras]

“They don’t tell me shit. Everyone knows this is a cushy post. Keep the genius on board and try to keep his tinkering budget below world-ending for a couple of years. Do that, get one of the prestige posts overseas. Boom, career made. Jones hasn’t done anything but cooperate since I got here. What else did I need to know?”

I love this little glimpse into Alfred's relationship with the government - the idea that they give him a "tinkering budget" that needs to be carefully managed is fun, but even more intriguing is the implication that it's a stepping stone to higher posts because there are times Jones doesn't cooperate.

“Matthew Williams was old European money? You’re not serious. He did grass with homeless guys in Stanley Park and drove a 78 Chevy. Everyone knows Alfred has got the brains and business sense.”

Okay, it's a little bit Matt's fault for smoking pot in the park, but I feel bad that even to humans viewing them as humans Alfred's the exceptional one. That's heartbreaking.

On the flip side, this whole thing was deeply amusing - a bored bureaucrat finding out that the impulsive genius and his stoner brother are the heirs to Crusades-era wealth is a funny premise, and I liked the added angle of "we know what's really going on, but how does it get explained to humans?" (Also, kudos to Brighid for being "unconfirmed" - Arthur doesn't deserve to get credited with being related to her.)

“Last time I took a northwoods sabbatical.”

“You mean the last time you had a mental breakdown and spent three months in the woods eating possum liver?"

“I prefer racoons thank you, and…” Matthew rubbed the back of his neck, preparing for the backlash. “Well, that was the second to last time.”

“What?” His father’s face was instantly furious and even more worrying, his father was concerned. “Matthew!”

Aaaaand emotion. "Northwoods sabbatical" is hilarious, but I can't decide what's more heartbreaking - Matt not telling his father about every time, or Arthur finding out that his son's been having these breakdowns more often than he thought. At least Matt knew Arthur would be upset? Like, it's horrible that he feels like he has to manage other people's feelings like that, but at least it's "it'll worry him" instead of "he won't care"?

His father’s brain was working, his worry between Matthew standing before him and his firstborn clearly in conflict. Not on his face, never on his face, but Matthew knew what the slight flex of one hand meant. Alfred won. He always won.

Seriously, you're so fucking good at balancing feeling bad for Arthur with hating him for being a shit father (and obviously feeling bad for Matt.) Like, he's worried about both of his kids. Matt's saying concerning things and that does bother him! And I feel bad for him because I'm sure he feels awful about that, and of course he's worried sick about Alfred.

But it's largely his fault that Matt acts like that, and it's precisely because Alfred always wins. He loves them so much, and I feel bad for him because of how hard this must be, but he's a shit, favorites-playing father and his pain is partially self-inflicted and deserved. And you balance that perfectly every time.

And the way you write it... "Alfred won. He always won." The resignation is absolutely heartbreaking, and Matt being able to read Arthur so well that he knows when Alfred's won - not from his face, because Arthur's good enough to keep it out of his expression, but from something as small as his hand flexing... it's a gut punch.

The sick, cold feeling was back. It was like missing organs, or his skin, or half of himself. Maybe more than half of himself.

Sobbing The poor baby... it was bad enough with the first two sentences and then "Maybe more than half of himself" actually gutted me. They're so close, but more than that - Matt's humanity is bound up with Alfred in a lot of ways. So maybe more than half of him is missing.

Alfred was lost, and his entire body felt so wrong, with only his frosted fields and forests and none of the blast of noise and life that was his brother.

I don't have much to say here, it's just that this one gutted me exactly like the last one. Matt's pain is so clear and heartbreaking, you're too good at this.

“You know what? Fuck this. I brought your good knife. Let's get answers.”

On the one hand, YAY THE MURDER MOOSE IS COMING. On the other hand, the image of them shifting from being on the verge of collapsing emotionally into that very bloodthirsty determination is still hurting me. They love Alfred so much and they're hellbent on finding him. (But also, Arthur is once again enabling/calling on the lost-humanity/violent/perfect soldier side of Matt that Alfred hates so much and I think that is a very interesting dynamic - they're motivated by how much they love him, and they're using tools he hates because they harm the brother he loves. And it's Matt's choice to a great extent, but from Alfred's perspective this would look like Arthur sacrificing Matt for his preferred son. It is very twisty emotionally.)

I was planning to go to sleep before you posted and then I dropped EVERYTHING to read. I know I'm repeating myself, but this story and every chapter in it is absolutely excellent. Thank you so, so much for this.

God your comments make my brain go brrrrr and crystalize so many of the things I'm trying to get across without being super conscious about it ahhhh.

I love this little glimpse into Alfred's relationship with the government - the idea that they give him a "tinkering budget" that needs to be carefully managed is fun, but even more intriguing is the implication that it's a stepping stone to higher posts because there are times Jones doesn't cooperate.

Oh, he very much does not cooperate when he doesn’t want to. Arthur half abandoned that kid in the 17th century, and Alfred’s been getting himself in and out of trouble for 400 years. He won't be found if he doesn't want to be found. Good luck putting a collar on a nuclear-powered half immortal with more experience getting out of nets than a fucken eel.

Okay, it's a little bit Matt's fault for smoking pot in the park, but I feel bad that even to humans viewing them as humans Alfred's the exceptional one. That's heartbreaking.

Matt’s the family burn-out freeloading off his brother’s defence budget, and he prefers it that way. No one’s up in his business like they are Alfred’s, lol. Alfred’s brain is full of bees, business and brilliance, and Matt’s been recycling the 1 serotonin for 400 years

It’s sad, but it's also very protective for Matt. Faking his death every so often is the easiest way for him to duck out responsibilities.

Aaaaand emotion. "Northwoods sabbatical" is hilarious, but I can't decide what's more heartbreaking - Matt not telling his father about every time, or Arthur finding out that his son's been having these breakdowns more often than he thought. At least Matt knew Arthur would be upset? Like, it's horrible that he feels like he has to manage other people's feelings like that, but at least it's "it'll worry him" instead of "he won't care"?

At least! Arthur is terrible, but he does give most of a fuck. gahhhh they’re killing me.

[candlekept]

character list

video games

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition

Ravanys Aldyr ♕ — Moon Elf | Swashbuckler | Chaotic Evil | ♡ Dorn | ☆

Dragon Age (Series)

Found here.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker

Lyss Pimbernickle — Bleachling Gnome | Sylvan Sorcerer | Neutral Good | ♡ Nyrissa | ☆

Rasimirra ♕ — Motherless Tiefling | Herald Caller of Rovagug | Chaotic Evil

Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Varnhold's Lot

Ziana Vzyli — Varisian Half-Elf | Thundercaller Bard | Chaotic Neutral | ♡ Maegar

Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous

Lucinus Callistan ♕ — Nidalese Human | Emissary | Fighter & Aldori Swordlord & Duelist | Trickster → Legend | Chaotic Evil | ♡ Camellia | ☆

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

Gracian von Valancius ♕ — Imperial World | Noble | Officer & Master Tactician | Biomancy | Heretical | ♡ Marazhai | ☆

Alodia von Valancius — Voidborn | Sanctioned Psyker | Soldier & Master Tactician | Pyromancy & Divination | Dogmatic | ♡ Yrliet

tabletop

Golarion (PF2e)

Cyrielle ♕ — Musetouched Aasimar Human | Cultist | Tyrant of Zon-Kuthon & Shadowcaster | Lawful Evil | ☆

Bukka — Irongut Goblin | Goblinblood Orphan | Ancestor Mystery Oracle | True Neutral

Spelljammer (D&D5e → PF2e Conversion)

Gilda Glizenstine ♕ — Autognome | Astral Drifter | Divination Wizard & Blessed One | Chaotic Good | ☆

Ravanyx Xirean ♕ — Astral Elf | Xaryxian Outcast | Animal Instinct Barbarian & Aberrant Bloodline Sorcerer & Vampire | Chaotic Evil | ☆

Homebrew Settings (PF2e)

Cybele — Yuan-Ti Abomination | Acolyte | Monk & Cleric of Dendar | Neutral Evil | ☆

Vampire: the Masquerade (V5)

Nate Black ♕ — Lasombra Fledgling | Cleaver | Anarch | ☆

Tommie — Gangrel Shovelhead | Roadside Killer | Sabbat

Vera Montez — Lamia Bloodline Neonate | Bagger | Hecata

Lancer

Amita Arkidu ♕ — SSC Supersoldier | Skirmisher, Spotter, Technophile | Lich Frame Pilot | ☆

Warhammer 40,000 (Wrath & Glory)

Doz — Ork | Weird Boy | Pyromancy

Epsilon-Upsilon — Adeptus Mechanicus | Skitarius

Warhammer 40,000 (Black Crusade)

Gracian di Baldassari — Renegade Rogue Trader | Apostate | Slaanesh

Hrafen — Renegade Space Wolf | Sorcerer | Unaligned