#sky high rpg

[hiddenwashington]

@svnlvght​ asked: Idk if I’m gonna do it, but can I possibly change my reserve to Layla Williams from Sky High?

of course you can! layla williams is reserved for marie until 12/23 at 2:08 am est! cindy lou who is reopened for applications!

[beetnik-jay]

“I confuse instinct for desire—isn’t bite also touch?”

― Natalie Diaz

D’wa and Darius, children of the night

Based on “Hellelil and Hildebrand, the Meeting on the Turret Stairs” by Frederic William Burton

[catmask]

genuine question – and i hope it doesn't come as weird – but how do get into...pokemon? </3

pokemon universe feels so big and there are so many games and i really like their designs – both for pokemons and trainers – making ocs in this setting would be so cool but i have no idea how to. begin!

could you give some advice?

ps leaving compliments for your comic and art in general!! i really like how your pieces are so colorful! gives the vibes of some small but cozy and fun town in a videogame..

no worries!! it seriously depends on what you are interested in - gamewise, region wise, and story wise.

heres what i can say. if you like typical top-down style pixel art rpg games where you solve tile puzzles and build a little team of monsters, any of the games before x and y is a good choice. platinum is a great introduction to the series because it doesn't baby you but is still decently difficult, heartgold/soulsilver are the 'coziest' games imo but may spoil you because of how much content there is, black/white and black/white 2 are the most story-driven of the games and bw2 is probably the longest play of all the games. emerald is also great, but its genuinely a hard game even as someone whos been a fan of the series for years. i would say to start with hgss because they're my favorites, but they're so good it might raise the bar too high for all the other games pixel-art games.

if you prefer 3D graphics, but still like the 'run around catching guys and solving tile puzzles', i think sun and moon are the best of the 3D games! the story is engaging and a little more modernized so that there are actual cut scenes, i think the pokemon available are cute and the region is really pretty. i thikn after that, x and y is pretty cute! the story is less strong in comparison to sun/moon. importantly; every game in the 3D era has a new type that was not present in the pixel art era - the fairy type, so if you want to learn the MODERN type chart and balances, the 3D games are where you'd need to start.

finally, if you're not a fan of the 'catch pokemon run around region' type games, pokemon has a LOT of really awesome spin off games. my favorites are as follows...

pokemon mystery dungeon explorers of sky. its the strongest story the pokemon company has ever written, and im a big fan of the mystery dungeon style gameplay.

pokemon ranger (any ranger game!) the story and graphics are cute, and it focuses on rescuing/rehabilitating pokemon more than capturing them. really lovely expansion of the pokemon universe.

pokemon go, because its free! so if you dont want to download a rom, or sink money into a new franchise, its an easy way to get into it.

pokemon snap - this was actually my very first pokemon game i ever played! (never owned it though heha) but there was just a remake for the switch, if you've got a switch that is. the game focuses on photographing pokemon in their natural habitat, and its really quite cute. slow paced and fun if you're not sure about battling yet.

finally... if you weren't looking to get into games at all, pokemon art + fan creations are personally my favorite things in the entire fandom! artists and writers and fangame devs are the people who hold this fandom up, engaging with their creations is a great and typically free way to involve yourself... im sorry this is so long, i hope this helps!! and ppl are free to add on to this hehe

[vintagerpg]

Friends, our time with Mayfair’s Role Aids line of D&D supplements is rapidly coming to an end. It’s been a wild ride! There is some terrible crap and some works of sheer genius (many of the latter are criminally overlooked), and honestly a surprising trend of beating TSR to the punch. It was a good line, all in all, and I will miss it.

This is Arch Magic (1993), one of the very last Role Aids box sets. It is an ambitious product. That’s fucking Dave McKean doing the cover art, a clear acknowledgment of how the ’90s had changed the aesthetics of RPGs. The interiors are all Roger Raup.

There are lots of things inside, which divide into two piles. The first is source material that seeks to push D&D magic far past the standard power levels into the astounding. This box wants ultra high level spells (reaching to 15th level) to inspire awe and I think it mostly works, at least on a conceptual level. The sample spells are suitably muscular. Enslave the Sky, for instance, gives the caster control of the weather, the ability to fly and active surveillance of any creature out under the open sky. There are new wizardly abodes, rules for grimoires and incredibly powerful new artifacts (like the Singularity Engine, which can make anything).

Then there is an adventure that takes players on a whirlwind tour of some of the wildest places I’ve seen laid out for a D&D game this side of Planescape. And on the other side, too. The Macrodome, the City of Bone and the Gibbering Cave maps are all instant favorite RPG maps. Holy crap this stuff is good — a suitably grand swan song.

[iridescent-solstice]

| Fic inspired by: {Reverse 1999} A 20th Century Time-Travel Strategic RPG Game |

Noticing her turning to leave, you panic and grab onto her wrist. A vice-like grip around it, almost as if when she leaves . . . She’d disappear and take everything you hold dear with her. 

“Timekeeper wait!” 

Vertin’s head snaps to look at you. So quickly, you swear it flew. A mixture of intense emotions written all over her face. Eyes widened in shock with her mouth slightly agape. She’s been on many missions that‘s brought new arcanists to the foundation, but never has anyone clung to her in such a manner. Its the storm, Vertin tells herself, the storm is what’s causing you to act like this. Why else would you cling to failure like her who can’t protect anyone? But then she looks into your eyes . . . Eyes that peer up at her so vulnerably. Never has anyone looked at her with such fondness in their eyes. Never . . . Has anyone but her mother held onto her like she’s their lifeline. 

“I-” You pull your arm back immediately, attempting to speak but the ability to speak has already left you. Apologies about to leave you, but she speaks up before you can even start. “Whatever it is that you wish to speak, you must be quick about it. The storm is almost here.” She speaks with finality in her voice. Ahh, another mission must have been assigned. 

Embarrassed, your eyes wander away from her face as you fidget with yourself. “I- . . . Timekeeper, I know you’re busy. It’s not my intention to keep you from your duties . . .” Trailing off again, you’re unable to speak. “But?” She says in an attempt to coax it out of you. The authoritative tone melts away to a voice as smooth as butter, so you cave. Like you always do with her.

“I know that you've been through these many times.” You swallow trying to gather the courage to speak to her so boldly. Openly for the first time. She watches you with such intensity that you get lost in her eyes. The same aloof expression as always has captivated you like no other face could ever. This causes your soul to jump to the sky in fright when you feel her hand grasp yours. Tight and warm, yet her touch is so gentle. . . . As if to say she’s here for you. “With lots of other arcanists but . . . This is my first time braving through the storm. I know you're needed elsewhere but if it's possible . . . Please could you . . . Could I stay with you please?” Your voice teeters off meekly at the last sentence. Tears welling up in your eyes, but you blink them away as you pull your hand away from hers. Face turning away in shame. “I MEAN . . . Forgive me, I just got carried away. You should go before someone comes to-” 

“I’ll stay.” Now it’s your turn to look shocked. Eyes finding hers again once more. The sad sea green ocean in her eyes moves you to huddle closer back to her. To comfort her, something tugs at your heart whenever her eyes get like that. Murky and dark, like she’s reminiscing on something that doesn’t exist anymore. Oh, how you wish you’d be allowed to know what goes on in her head. “I know what it’s like to be all alone with no one to turn to. Don’t worry about my mission, after all I'm not a timekeeper yet, so you shouldn’t keep calling me that either. My abilities are far too weak to be considered for high stake missions at the moment.” With that being said, she breaks your shared stare. An arm hesitantly wrapping around you. Looking outside the window, she observes the rain as it dances around the flowers outside the facility. “I’ll stay with you, as long as you need me to.”  Those words bring you more comfort than anything the foundation could ever offer. And they have offered a lot. Your ability is a game changer. By getting to you first, they got the first real upper hand on manus vindicate but all you feel like is a puppet they poke and prod at.

Vertin on the other hand, feels like home. God, you haven’t thought of that in a long while. Wordlessly, you lean your head on her shoulder. She lets you.

Together the two of you watch the world outside as the number on her wristwatch gets closer and closer to zero. Abnormalities beginning to appear, and soon the storm will begin.

5 4 3 2 1

. . . Her hand clutches yours even tighter and a whimper is heard. You're not sure if it's hers or yours.

[ ᴅɪᴠɪᴅᴇʀꜱ ʙʏ: @grungenglam]

[theresattrpgforthat]

hey what are some good zero-prep for players and good for one shot systems?

Theme: Zero-Prep Characters / One-Shots

Hello friend! I have some really fun games here that I think just produce straight-up Vibes for you to check out, although I also recommend checking out my Games To Run With Strangers recommendation post for some more great options.

Android Outbreak, by Munuxu.

Android Outbreak is a quick, skill/luck-based TTRPG that will have players taking the roles of escaped androids racing and battling their way towards an evac point on the other side of a megacity that is raised high in the sky above a burning miasma that's taken over the planet. 

Character creation is sleek, requiring one choice and a a roll or two to determine what your strengths are and how you are unique. Your goal is simple too - you just are trying to get out and get away. The game page itself is part of the rolling mechanics, with the lines on the page used to help measure at what distance you are throwing your dice onto the table. The GM is responsible for creating androids to pursue you as well as other obstacles such as weather events or events obstructing the streets. If you want a game that combines throwing skill with random chance, I recommend Android Outbreak.

Operation Final Monarch, by poorstudents.

A one-page espionage TTRPG in an alternate history 1940's. Assassinate Aleksander Von Korte on his opulent airship, The Watchful Luftrahmer.

Operation Final Monarch is a one-page Tabletop RPG for 4-6 players. One player will act as the GM, providing obstacles, portraying passengers, and describing the Watchful Luftrahmer. You play as Infiltrators, spies from the fallen countries around Arstarkan. Your final mission is to kill Aleksander Von Korte.

When situations get risky you gamble with danger and can always push your luck to try to succeed in any situation. Be careful not to roll a 1 though, as a devastating consequence will soon follow. Use can also use your leverage over the passengers of the Watchful Luftrahmer, asking them questions they don’t want to answer or enacting your special abilities.

Operation Final Monarch provides you with playbooks, which is one of the easiest ways to make the game little to no-prep for the players when they sit down to play. It also gives you a very specific goal - that of assassinating an important political figure while aboard a blimp. The setting is semi-historical, giving the players a frame of reference, but spices it up with elements like Machine Priests and steampunk technology.

Mechanically, the game uses a gambling mechanic that involves the GM rolling 1 dice publicly and 1 dice secretly. Players have to judge whether or not they can beat the total difficulty, and decide whether to Push or Call. Pushing gives you an extra dice but worsens the outcome should you fail, while Calling leaves the outcome up to chance, but minimizes consequences. One of those consequences may be revealing a character secret, which makes your character vulnerable, but also provides other characters the opportunity to help. I think the succinct way the game allows you to dive into character backstory as you are playing the game makes this a prime candidate for one-shot play.

CBR+PNK Core, by Emanoel Melo.

In CBR+PNK (Cyber plus Punk) you play as a team of RUNNERS—mercs, criminals, activists living on the edge and running in the shadows of a gritty, ultraviolent world.

In each game we play an entire new cast of characters making their LAST RUN.

CBR+PNK runs on a super-condensed version of John Harper's Forged in the Dark system, specially tweaked for action-packed ONE-SHOT sessions.

CBR+PNK is well known for its friendliness for one-shots, stripping away a lot of the mechanics that give Forged in the Dark games weight and length. The game is packaged into pamphlets, which means you can hand out only what is relevant to each person at the table: the GM pamphlet for the person running the game, and the character pamphlets to folks who will be playing characters. There are additional supplements that you can add to the game to alter or edit your experience.

The player pamphlet has two columns where you enter all your information, one column for character creation instructions, and a number columns with help and player instructions that you can use as a reference when you come across the relevant rule in play. The GM pamphlet takes a little bit more time to familiarize yourself with, and I think this game will be a lot easier to pick up if you’ve already played other Forged in the Dark games. That being said, this game has won a lot of awards and recognition for how concise it is, and I think it’s definitely worth checking out.

MotherFucker Stole My Baby, by Brabblemark Press.

MOTHERFUCKER STOLE MY BABY! is a quick-play roleplaying game inspired by Cradle 2 the Grave and other action films. 

You're a jewel thief - and you and your crew just nabbed a bag of black diamonds for a mysterious employer. You hand the jewels over to your fence for appraisal and kick back for a well-deserved party. Then comes the unexpected double whammy…

Gangsters robbed your fence and swiped the diamonds - and your only child has been kidnapped by the billionaire that you stole the diamonds from! Can you retrieve the diamonds and make the exchange - and how many bodies will litter the streets on your path to victory?

You can only wonder, as you stand in the rain and scream to the sky… MOTHERFUCKER STOLE MY BABY!

The genre and tone of this game are immediately understandable, and it shouldn’t take any time at all to communicate to your players exactly what’s going on in this game. Character creation is very simple - one of my favourite parts is that you circle three items from a list of possessions on your character sheet, and also that your character sheet looks like a Wanted poster.

The game itself is styled after Lasers and Feelings, with a single number representing your strengths, and your successes depending on whether you roll above or below the number. The game also comes with some d6 tables to help the GM craft scenes as you play. There’s also some very succinct but very helpful pieces of GM advice in the GM section, that I think will help you deliver a short but sweet experience for your players.

The Fall of House Prosh, by NotWriting.

The Emperor Hakkan VI has died without an heir. The Imperial throne world Lecatom Rex is empty. The previous Stewards of the throne, House Kotar, are leaving in shame. Their rivals, House Prosh, have ascended the other noble houses as new Stewards of the throne and the Imperial palace. 

Humanity lives on a thousand worlds. Star Witches fold spacetime to navigate the cosmos. Noble houses settle conflicts through duels. Prophecies and portents guide politics and religion. And now noble houses whisper of war and secession.

A thousand years of peace are in jeopardy.

The Fall of House Prosh is a sci-fi tabletop RPG about noble tragedy and melodrama inspired by stories like Dune, Shakespearian plays, and Game of Thrones. Players take on the role of characters within 3 factions: the powerful House Prosh, the maligned House Kotar, and the servants of both these houses. 

The Fall of House Prosh is a narrative guide through a story of tragedy and politics, where only one house can survive. You cannot decide who falls; you can only decide what that fall looks like. Players can choose to embody the members of House Prosh, House Kotar, or the servants of the two, with at least one character from each faction required to play the game. Each faction has their own special moves, half of which can be employed in the Day phase and half which can be employed in the Night phase. Over the course of the game, you add tokens to each houses’ tragedy pool; those tokens are then spent to carry out moves against each-other.

If you want a game about tragedy and epic stories of loss, you want The Fall of House Prosh.

The Family Rat, by V2S Games.

ONE OF YOU IS THE HEAD OF AN ORGANIZED CRIME FAMILY.

The rest of you are 'friends' or members of the family, who will be forced to decide where your loyalties lie. Who can you trust? Who'll be left standing? How will the family survive?

The Family Rat is a Tale of 21 and a hack of The King's Poisoner. It's a one-page tabletop roleplaying game for 3–8 players, which can be played with a deck of regular or virtual playing cards OR two ten-sided dice (2d10).

The Family Rat uses blackjack hands to navigate a story that carries the themes and vibes of the Godfather movies, setting up one player as the The Boss and the rest of the players as members of the Family. I think this game could be classified as GM-less, because even though the Boss has a different roll from the rest of the family, they’re still a solo character, which I think is an interesting format in which to couch this story.

Over the course of three acts, the family members will decide to make requests, moves, and suffer the consequences of their actions. The Boss enters each round with a significant advantage with their Blackjack Hand (having one card hidden from the others, and winning ties), and uses special mechanics at the end of the final act to dictate the actions they’ve taken for the good of the family.

This is a game with a winner and a loser, but I feel like it oozes with the same charms as the original movie. None of you are great people, and all of you have chances to pursue personal goals and leverage favours or debts against each-other, but at the end of the day, you’re depending on the heart of the cards to decide who comes out on top.

24XX - The Deep, by Chaosmeister

ONE DAY THE OCEANS DROWNED THE WORLD. Humanity survived below the waves. The sea birthed leviathans. Your crew owns a dingy old sub. Odd jobs, salvage, leviathan hunting and a few merc gigs keep you afloat and breathing.

I’ve played 24XX games a couple of times and all of the ones I’ve played before are definitely one-shot friendly and require minimal prep. Players choose a character class or type, and get everything associated with it, along with a few key choices like gear or background to flesh them out a little bit. All in all it can take as few as 5 minutes before you start play. The games also usually come with a bunch of roll-tables that give the Game Master interesting encounters, obstacles and goals without having to do a lot of prep. You can also easily condense an adventure into a couple of hours, making these ideal low-prep one shots.

What I like about The Deep is the setting. It’s an excellent example of how you can bake in unique setting elements in just a few roll-tables - for example, are you working for a genetic research & development group or a mining corporation? Does your submarine have giant claw markings from various dives, or a mural of a sea god that has importance to you? If you have a repelling electric net, what kinds of animals are you repelling? These kinds of details infuse the setting with flavour, which I think can really inspire and entice the people at your table.

Other Games I’ve Talked About Before…

Something Is Wrong With The Chickens, by Elliot Davis.

Faewater, by A Smouldering Lighthouse.

The Children of Saturn, by Dan John Crowler.

Subway Runners, by Gem Room Games.

Gay Crime: Sapphics Against Capital, by Evey Lockhart.

Spirit Line, by Jhryne.

Cryptid TV, by yahahn.

Lady Blackbird, by John Harper.

[indierpgnewsletter]

New Itch Games From August and September 2024

Earth Mother, Sky Father: A two-player game based on Maori creation myth exploring the relationship between the two deities, people, and the world. (takataapui)

Blackacre: A noir game based on Fate with British gangsters and occult magic. It features beautiful black and white line art and a unique-sounding world. (Symberzite)

Wacky Race RPG: A narrative party-game where you adlib as sportcasters and play out wacky Contestants trying to outdo each other. (DeReel)

Dwellers Under the High Grave: An Ironsworn setting inspired by the folklore and history of Ukraine. (Mendercap)

Band-Aids & Bullet Holes: A card-based game of debts, vendettas, and revenge among a society of professional assassins. Basically, John Wick. (S Dunnewold)

One Last Dollar: A hack of Trophy where you play desperate people doing jobs in a weird, wild Great Depression. (Mynar Lenahan)

The Song of Eastlake: A really interesting group project where every hex is a multiversal reworking of the same prompt. I love that each location has the same monsters by name but each time, they’ve been completely reimagined.

Hirelings: You play a hireling climbing a tall tower on behalf of a hero. You also build a tower out of cards and answer prompts. (Armiger Games)

With the Cult of Crimson Revelers: A light-hearted OSR adventure of debauchery and drugs with art by Mun Kao and Dwiz. (Directsun Games)

Abode 2e: A gothic game of family and lineage where you build out a family tree and tell a story of inevitable doom. You know, ruin has come to our family, that kind of stuff. (Crackerjackalope)

This first came out in the Indie RPG Newsletter

[jimmyandthepulsatingmass]

The God of Crawling Eyes

Just in time for Halloween, I've added The God of Crawling Eyes to itch.io:

From the itch page:

The God of Crawling Eyes was a game I made in the early 2010s for a game jam on rpgmaker.net.  The game took around 20-25 days to make, mostly because of its short play time and minimalist aesthetic.  

I kind of made it just as a segue into the RPG Maker community, as I was going to upload A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky and thought I could get more eyes on the project if I won the game jam.  I don't think I won, but I did get a lot of eyes on this one--I was completely unaware at the time of the huge RPG Maker horror scene and the many people who were ravenous for games that fit that mold.  It ended up being my most-downloaded game on rpgmaker.net by far.

The story's about Max, a high school kid taking some experimental medication for his color blindness.  But, the medication is making him see...OtHeR tHiNgS...

Features:

-Genuine spooks! -Surprisingly good atmosphere for MIDI music tracks! -Adventure gamey, puzzley stuff--some of which isn't even that obtuse! -4 different endings! -Little secrets!

[quicktosimp]

Why Can't You See?

Summary: The RDA has returned. Since their return, we have not only been fighting with the humans but Jake and I cannot see eye to eye anymore. No matter how hard I try, Jake and I seem to be falling apart. I want to fight for our mateship, but I don't know how much longer I can fight.

Warnings: Canon violence, Disassociation, Attempted Smut (No Actual Smut)

I will never regret the day I met the Sully’s. They are the loves of my life, and I will always cherish them. Having four kids with them was another great gift from Eywa. But I am so tired.

Ever since the humans came back to Pandora, Neytiri and I have taken over the brunt of parenting; not only that, but we have had to fix everything Jake has been doing. He demands and orders the children, especially the boys, to do outrageous things that they end up failing. I then have to go around and reassure the boys before turning around and talking with Jake about it, leading to another argument: Neytiri standing between us, trying to get the two of us to see reason. This has gone on for over a year now, but today is going to be a good day. The raid has been planned to perfection. It’s going to be an in-and-out operation: blow up the tracks, grab the weaponry and supplies, and get out. We already have our chosen spotters: several men who passed their Iknimaya a little after Jake and I did. 

Jake and I lead the team, himself in the air on Bob, while I lead the ground forces on pa’li. My warriors were beside me as we waited for our signal. My anxious emotions were fed back to me by my pa’li, our tsaheylu keeping us connected. My pa’li stomped her hoves impatiently., I sent a wave of calmness to her as I pat her neck soothingly, never taking my eyes off the target. 

Over the comms, I heard Jake say, “Ground teams go,” And we were off.

The resounding sounds of battle cries rang through the air as we raced our way to the tracks. The explosives went off with a bang, turning the tracks to scrap metal, and the train itself flew off the rails, flinging into multiple pieces. Rolling over and on top of each other, each causing their own explosion. The fires were horrendously hot, and the sweltering heat nearly unbearable, but everything had gone as planned. 

I watched as Jake swooped down from the sky, shooting at the aircraft with a cry, Neytiri following after him with her bow, releasing a cry of her own. I shook my bow, releasing my own cry after them, pleased with the results, as I watched the carrier crash. 

“Go! Go!” I shouted at my warriors as we surrounded the crash, “We don’t have long, you know the plan! Stick to your stations!” I ordered as we got into position.

We all got to work; as the air team landed, I noticed that our spotters were on the ground, concerned I reached for my comm, “Devil Dog, you read me? Our spotters are on the ground; who’s in the air?” I asked assertively.

I was handed several more crates before my ear twitched with Jake’s response, “Fireball, we ended up with two more; I put them on spotting, so we have more on the ground.”

I growled as my irritation rose. Damn Jake and changing the plans without telling me.

“We’ll talk about this later,” I growled into the comms before running back to my pa’li and offloading what was in my arms. 

I ran back into the crash site as Jake landed. He watched over the scene, his gun in hand, but did not move a finger in helping us. Neytiri was on the ground, ordering those into collective files. The screeching of our ikrans and our battle cried, making it difficult to hear anything. 

“Let’s go, two minutes, people, let's go,” Jake’s voice rang in my ear. 

I relayed the information, “Two minutes! Let’s go!”

In my haste, I brushed off what I thought was Neteyam’s voice; my boys are back at High Ground; it’s just my paranoia.

On the other side of the destruction, I could hear Norm explaining to grab the high-priority items. I grabbed several more cases of RPGs and ammunition before I noticed my pa’li could carry no more. I swung onto my steed and shouted a call to my warriors, signaling it was time to head out. I looked over to my warriors, watching as they all mounted their pa’li when I heard a war cry, Lo’ak’s war cry. My eyes looked over the wreckage, trying to spot my son, but instead, I was met with the sight of a gunship. A spotter called it first, sounding the alarm. 

“Gunships in bound fall back!” Jake’s voice came through the com.

I hastily replied, “I heard Eagal Eye on the ground! I’m going in!” 

I sent the warriors on their way as I rushed my pa’li into the destruction. 

“Negative Fireball, I have it handled. Head back to base,” Jake ordered through the comm, but I refused even to reply, instead forcing my pa’li faster. 

The gunship fired two shots, blowing up the nearby ground and supplies; someone quickly shot at the gunship, taking out one of its propellers, quickly causing the gunship to spiral and crash. I continued on, the dust and debris coating my face and lungs as the heat became worse than before.

“Lo’ak! Neteyam!” I called as I looked for my sons.

“Lo’ak, where are you? Neteyam?” Jake yelled nearby.

I spotted Jake crouched over; as I approached, I saw Lo’ak in Jake’s arms. I was too relieved to be angry, seeing that Lo’ak was okay. I jumped off my pa’li, joining the two.

“Lo’ak! Are you okay?” I quickly checked over for any injuries. 

Lo’ak quickly nodded his head wordlessly.

“Where’s your brother?” Jake demanded.

Lo’ak attempted to stutter out an answer, only successfully pointing to a general area.

“You two get out of here; go on!” Jake demanded as he continued for Neteyam. 

It felt like a knife had been twisted in my chest, the idea of leaving one of my sons. But Lo’ak was in shock, and I needed to get him home.

I hold Lo’ak’s face in my hands, “Alright, come on, we gotta get out of here; your dad's got Neteyam, okay?”I moved down and grabbed Lo’ak’s hand, pulling him along. 

I rushed through the wreckage, pulling Lo’ak behind me and onto my pa’li, and with a yip, we were off. As we sped through the jungle, I could feel Lo’ak’s arms trembling around me. I reached around and patted at his hair, trying to soothe him the best I could. As we arrived at the meeting place, I helped Lo’ak off my pa’li before turning to the stolen goods.

“Alright, Lo’ak, I need your help. Grab some equipment and load it onto the ikrans,” I explain simply, knowing Lo’ak needs direct instructions. 

“Yes, Ma’am,” Lo’ak answered.

I grabbed his arm, gently pulling him to me; I brushed his braids out of his face, “I don’t care where we are; I’m not a ma’am to you; I’m your Mama.”

A small smile slipped over Lo’ak’s face, “Yes, Mama,” Before he went and continued his duties.

As we continued to transfer the weaponry, the pit in my stomach built. Not knowing if my other son was okay if Jake got Neteyam out of there, was Neteyam hurt? I chewed my lip as I worked on. I watched as Lo’ak started acting like himself again, a bit nervous but much better than before. My team didn’t take long, as soon we were all in the air on our ikrans. I searched the sky furiously, skewering for any signs of my family. Lo’ak flying close to me, he yipped for my attention; as I looked over, he pointed at three ikrans, Neytiri, Jake, and Neteyam. I was finally able to breathe again, seeing Neteyam well enough that he could fly on his own. But as my chest eased from worry, anger took its place. Neither of the kids was to be on this mission, yet Jake wasn’t even surprised! Because he knew, he chanced out the spotters; Lo’ak and Neteyam were the new spotters. Jake deliberately went behind my back and put the kids on the mission! By the time we landed, I was seething, my anger causing me to shake. 

“Sa’nu! Mama!” I heard Tuk yell as he hugged Neytiri. 

I bent over and embraced Tuk and Neytiri, an arm around both of them, using this moment to calm my ire. 

“Fall in,” Jake demanded gruffly, sounding just as pissed as I was.

I couldn’t stop the growl from slipping past my lips as the rage bloomed again. Neytiri and Tuk looked at me, Neytiri with concern and Tuk startled. I placed a kiss on Tuk’s forehead as I watched Lo’ak and Neteyam slowly walk over to stand in front of Jake, both nervous about the outcome. 

And Jake started right into them, “You’re supposed to be spotters. You spot bogeys, and you call ‘em in. From a distance!” Jake’s voice was angry but also wobbled in fear as he got into Neteyam’s face, “Does any of this sound familiar?” Jake turned to Lo’ak, demanding, “Get here!” Lo’ak slowly walked over as Kiri went to check on Neteyam, and Jake continued on, “Jesus! I let you two geniuses fly a mission, and you disobey direct orders.” Neteyam couldn’t even look Jake in the eye as his and Lo’ak’s tails flickered nervously.

Jake turned to Kiri, “Kiri, can you go help your grandmother with the wounded? Please?” His voice was softer yet urgent with our eldest daughter. 

Kiri looked at Jake and snarked, “My brother is wounded.”

Neteyam tried to brush off his injuries as Jake pleaded with Kiri, “Baby girl, please,” Tuk had wandered over to Lo’ak, trying to hold his hand, before Jake snapped at Tuk, “Tuk, go with her! Go!”

Our daughters sighed before walking away.

“Dad. Sir, I take full responsibility,” Neteyam started, trying to placate Jake.

“Yeah, you do. That’s right. ‘Cause you’re the older brother. You gotta act like it,” Jake snapped at Neteyam.

My anger could take no more, “That is enough, Jake,” I hissed at him, fangs barred.

Jake stepped back, shocked by my sudden outburst.

“You want to talk about responsibility? As parents, we had agreed that none of the kids would see the battlefield until they were 18, yet you went behind Neytiri and I’s back doing this. We already knew that they weren't mature enough for this! The responsibility for all of it is on you!” I growled out, my eyes wide, as I stalked forward, putting myself between Jake and the boys. 

I force myself to speak calmly, “Boys, go to your grandmother; we will continue this later,” But my eyes never left Jake.

“No! We are not done yet!” Jake demanded as the boys tried to walk away.

I hissed in response, causing Jake to flinch again.

“Ma’Jake, your son is actually bleeding,” Neytiri, the voice of reason, calmly intervenes.

“Sa’nu, it is fine. I..” Neteyam attempted to brush off again.

Jake shook his head, “Just go and get patched up. Go on, dismissed.”

Neteyam walked away, Neytiri following him as she looked back at Jake and me, worried about leaving us there for the moment.

“You do understand that you almost got your brother killed?” Jake demeanded from Lo’ak.

“Yes, Sir,” Lo’ak agreed degectively.

“Absolutely not,” I shut that down, “Lo’ak, you and Neteyam shouldn’t have been there in the first place. No, you shouldn’t have disobeyed your father's orders, and for that, you will be grounded, but the rest of it is on you, Jake,” I quickly turned to Jake.

Jake opened his mouth to speak, only to stop short, turning to Lo’ak, “You’re grounded. No flying for a month. Now see to the ikran. All of ‘em,” Despite wanting to protest, I agreed with the punishment. 

“Yes, Sir,” Lo’ak responded numbly.

And because Jake can’t keep his mouth shut, “And get that crap off your face,” He demanded before attempting to storm off.

I grab Jake’s arm, glaring at him, “This conversation is not over,” I growled before moving away and checking on Lo’ak.

Lo’ak was sulking as he went to bring Bob away; he looked up at me, his eyes dejected.

“Lo’ak, come here,” I demanded softly, opening my arms for him. 

Sluggishly, he shuffles his way to me, wrapping his arms around me as I pull him into a hug. I rest my cheek on top of his head and cradle him close.

“I love you so much, Lo’ak; you know that, right?” I ask him gently.

I could feel him nod his head as he hummed affirmatively.

“And while your father is horrible at admitting it, you know that Jake loves you, right?” I ask again, needing to know.

There was a pause before Lo’ak hesitantly nodded again. Tears pricked at my eyes. Lo’ak should never have to hesitate, yet here I am, holding my son as questions if his own father loves him. 

I kissed the top of his head before whispering, “I promise you, Lo’ak. Jake loves you; he loves every single one of you. I’m not going to go against Jake with your punishment, but I will be talking with him, okay?” 

“Okay, Mama. Can I go now? I have a lot to do,” Lo’ak asked but made no move to leave my arms.

“You can leave whenever you feel like it,” I answer, rubbing his back soothingly.

Lo’ak hugged me tighter before regretfully letting go, “Thank you, Mama.”

“You don’t have to thank me for loving you, baby, because that is what I was made to do,” I explain lovingly to him.

Lo’ak gave me a small smile before walking away. I smile sadly, wishing I could do more right now. I shake my head before spotting Spider out of the corner of my eye—the little human boy who hangs out a lot. I smile at him as I walk over.

“Hello, Spider,” I greet calmly, “I’m sorry you had to see all that,” I apologized, seeing how uncomfortable he was.

“It’s okay, Mrs. Sully, I know you didn’t mean it,” Spider sheepishly replied.

I frowned slightly, “No, Spider, it’s not okay; none of you kids should have seen that. And as an adult, I am in the wrong. I should have handled that better, and that is why I’m apologizing to you,” I placed a hand on his shoulder, “And none of that Mrs. Sully stuff, it’s (Y/N), or you can call me Mama too if you want. You’ve always been my third son,” I smile softly at the teenager.

“Thank you, Mrs., um, (Y/N), um,” Spider stumbled.

I chuckled lightly at him, “Don’t worry about it, kid. Now, why don’t you come over later? I know Lo’ak and Kiri would love to see you and have an excuse to leave the kelku.”

Spider brightened up at the offer, “Will do, Mrs-, Ma-, (Y/N)!”

“Anytime, Spider, it is always a joy when you're around.”

Spider brightened even more, smiling joyfully at me, “I’m- I’m going to go help Lo’ak now,” He explained, backing away.

“Thank you, Spider; I’ll see you later with Lo’ak,” I watch him walk away to tend to the ikran with Lo’ak.

But as I stood there, all the emotions from the day hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn’t know where to scream, cry, shout, punch something. It’s all there, trapping me in place, slowly leaving me numb. A pair of arms wrapped around me, one gentle hand moving my face, revealing Neytiri. Her face was sorrowful as she watched me.

“Ma’Muntxate, today has been hard on you, hasn’t it?” Neytiri’s voice was soothing.

I nod my head, feeling like I was moving through molasses.

“I got you, Syulang,” Neytiri cooed as she grabbed my arms, leading me off somewhere. 

I let her lead me aimlessly, the world nothing more than a blur as my emotions shut off completely. It seemed like it had been mere moments and yet hours simultaneously, but I felt warm. Gentle minstrains along my body, bringing feelings of comfort. I slowly looked around, noticing I was no longer at the High Ground but instead in a small hot spring hidden in the forest. The lush green calmed me. I breathed deeply, noticing that my armored vest was gone, as was my tewng. The colors of my war paint long gone, leaving me bare, just (Y/N), not a warrior, not a marine, not a parent, not a mate fighting for her children, just (Y/N).

“Are you back with me, Tìyawn?” Neytiri asked as she pressed her naked body to mine, holding me close.

I sluggishly wrapped my arms around her waist, leaning my head on her shoulder, “Yeah, ‘m back,” My voice was as sluggish as my body.

We stand there holding each other in the hot spring, simply enjoying each other's presence.

“Do you remember the first time we found this place?” Neytiri asked me as she threaded her fingers in my hair. 

“Yeah, it was when you were teaching Jake still. He had gone and done something stupid. You walked off, and I followed. Didn’t think I’d find your bathing,” I chuckled lightly.

“I was planning on doing much more than bathing, but I heard you coming. Your footsteps were so loud back then,” She chuckled in return.

“Much more? Damn, maybe I should have waited a bit longer,” I hummed appreciatively.

“Skxawng,” Neytiri mumbled back.

“What, that would have been nice. You’d probably have plucked my eyes out, but it would have been worth it,” I smile so hard it hurts my face.

I lay a small kiss on Neytiri’s neck; she sighs, leaning her head to give me more room. I continue leaving open-mouthed kisses along her neck, sucking her flesh into my mouth, knowing that marks will be left in their wake. Neytiri threads her fingers into my hair, pulling me closer as one of her hands travels south. But her touch didn’t bring the pleasure it usually does, instead leaving me wanting to get away. I tried to push through it, only for a sob to break through. 

I back off slowly, disappointed in myself, “I’m sorry, Love, but I can’t right now.” I blinked back tears, hating that I couldn’t give Neytiri what she needed right now. 

Neytiri pulled my face so we were face to face, her forehead resting on mine, “Do not apologize for something you cannot control, Yawnetu. Now come, rest with me.”

I let her pull me deeper into the hot spring. A small ledge in the water allows us to sit submerged up to our necks. Neytiri pulls me into her lap, holding me close as I wrap my arms around her neck. 

For now, everything is fine.

Taglist: @loakstahni, @eywaite

Dividers by @cafekitsune

[satoshi-mochida]

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster now available for PC

From Gematsu

Publisher Bandai Namco and developer logicalbeat have released Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster for PC via Steam for $49.99.

All purchases made by July 17 will be automatically upgraded to the “Month 1 Edition,” which includes a digital art book featuring concept art, character designs, historical documents, and the latest visuals for both games included in the collection.

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster first launched for Switch on September 14, 2023. It includes remastered versions of Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins, which were originally released for GameCube.

Here is an overview of the collection, via its Steam page:

About

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins are now on Steam with improved graphics and new features to aid game progression, making them even easier to play! Delve into the world of Baten Kaitos as you strategize with the unique card-based battle system in these two immersive RPG masterpieces. Play as a guardian spirit who guides the colorful cast as they struggle against destiny itself. A long time ago, there was a great conflict between the evil god and the people. After a fierce battle, the people managed to seal off the evil god, but what was left behind was only a desolate land. The people thus chose to abandon the land and live in the sky. Such fairy tales were passed down as legends. At this time, people had wings called Wings of the Heart and lived a peaceful life. It was an era of long-lasting tranquility… But the collapse had quietly begun. When a young man calls your name, the name of the spirit, the story begins to unfold. A story set on a floating continent in the sky, where thoughts and prayers intersect.

Unique Magnus Battle System

In the world of Baten Kaitos, the true essences of all manner of things, including equipment and items, can be extracted and stored inside cards called magnus. A magnus’ contents can be released at any time, returning the magna essence sealed inside to its original form. These magnus form the basis of the Baten Kaitos battle system. Battles run in real time, so you’ll need to employ quick thinking to select the right magnus for the situation. Strategize against enemies of various elements using elemental magnus of your own, and experiment with mixing and matching different magnus to discover and unlock powerful combo attacks!

Vivid Graphics Remastered in High-Definition

The two titles have been fully remastered in high-definition, including retouched battle backgrounds, character graphics, and user interface. Enjoy Baten Kaitos with even more vibrant visuals.

Aspect ratio expanded from 4:3 to 16:9 for play on wider screens!

Main character and boss graphics have been completely renewed in vivid detail!

All-new menu screens! Enjoy smoother gameplay with refreshed menu layouts, newly added sorting features, and more.

Pre-existing graphics have been used for in-game maps as well as some screens and character models.

New Features for Better Gameplay

Along with improved graphics, the features below have been added to make game progression much smoother!

Auto-save feature

Help menu containing terminology and hints for progressing through the game

New Game+ mode, unlocked after clearing the game once, which starts a new game while retaining all magnus, levels, and ranks

 New Game- mode, a mode with level restrictions for an extra thrilling challenge

Six new game system options have now been added, including adjustable game speeds and no-encounter mode.

Save your settings as a Custom Set and turn them on or off at any time.

Watch a new trailer below.

PC Launch Trailer

[charsui]

One Piece And Favourite Video Games

Straw Hats:

Luffy - 1, 2, Switch, Eye Toy, and games with motion controls - the faster the better

Zoro - Nioh, Ghost of Tsushima, Sekiro Shadows Die Twice - he loves something with katanas and as high a difficulty as possible

Nami - Payday, Thief, Hitman - stealth but ones where you either get bank or murder people in elaborate ways, as well as Sea of Thieves and she gets the whole crew in on playing

Usopp - he's huge on FPS games, mainly ones that are a power fantasy like Halo, Gears of War, but also loves Sniper Elite games and Jedi Fallen Order/Survivor. The out of left field one though is Risen 2 as he gets to be a captain of his own crew

Sanji - I'll say now he hates Cooking Mama although he's really good at it - he loves Dance Dance Revolution, SIFU, those weird free Steam dating sims, but also loves fishing minigames

Chopper - any and all farming type sims like Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and if he plays an RPG he can never be mean to anyone and reloads hours of game to make sure he's made the kindest choices

Robin - No Man's Sky, Tomb Raider games, she gets lost in big games to try and find those one of a kind weapons and gear to store in her in-game house - for example Bethsoft RPGs and making her house a museum

Franky - Cyberpunk 2077, The Turing Test etc as can be expected, but also plays a load of Sims titles as it reminds him of his Franky Family, he also plays online games with them where he can

Jinbe - he barely plays any games and has to have a lot explained to him, but he plays alongside others, likes the Buzz quiz games as it tests his knowledge, plays some Mario Kart, and wildly dominates at fighting games but no one knows how or why, even him.

[hardearnedwisdom]

I am Profoundly excited for Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd.

TL;DR—Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd coming out is very big for me personally, and this is why.

I remember the first time I played a Dragon Age game. The year was 2014, I was obsessed with The Sims 4, and my dad was helping me set something up on my computer. He insisted that we check in Origin, EA’s infamous game launcher, had any free games. That day, the free game was Dragon Age: Origins. Now, when I first played Dragon Age: Origins, I was nine years old and never made it past the Dalish Rouge backstory and tutorial.

That same year, my dad got his prized PlayStation 4. I remember holding the sleek black controller, controlling the second player avatar for Knack, and feeling the haptic feedback for the first time. I was astounded that this was something that was possible with gaming. I felt like I was a part of the world.

At some point, my dad got Dragon Age: Inquisition. I remember him telling me about the hole in the sky that you needed to close, and how that was just the beginning of your story. I was instantly intrigued. I made my first inquisitor, a Dalish Elf Rouge named Lyme, and never got past the tutorial.

Flash forward a couple of years to December of 2018. I’m fourteen, it’s winter break, and three weeks prior I had been dumped. I didn’t know what to do with myself, and so I decided to pick up the PlayStation remote and take on the world I had been thinking about for years but had never had the time—or skill—to explore. That December, I spent hours exploring the Hinterlands, battling dragons on the storm coast, and making alliances. After my first heartbreak, I found solace in Solas, the kind elf who liked my inquisitor—and by extension, me—for my wit and intelligence. January came too soon, and I had to put down the controller and return to the frightening world of middle school.

I changed schools for High School, and the world shut down the spring of my freshman year. I found myself coming back to gaming and fantasy RPG’s to escape the world around me and connect with friends and family. I started playing World of Warcraft with my dad and my friends, and I came back to Inquisition. I moved from the PlayStation to the PC, and I had to start the game over again, but I didn’t mind. It just gave me an excuse to stay in Thedas for longer. My inquisitor, Elvera Levellan, embodied the strength, grit, and intelligence that I needed to channel during such a difficult and confusing time. I found myself falling again for the quiet elf, siding with the mages, and immersing myself in the intrigue of the conflict occurring around me.

Solas was everything I wanted from a boyfriend when I was younger. He was kind, flirted with his wit, kissed passionately, he took things slow, and danced with me at the ball. I was gutted when he left my inquisitor. Years prior I had projected my heartbreak onto him, naively thinking that there was no way this nerdy elf would break my heart. Boy was I wrong.

I finished the base game after one hundred and twenty hours of playtime, and I saved the DLC for hard moments in my life when I needed to return to Thedas. The last time I was in Thedas was in the spring of 2021 when I finished Trespasser. I don’t recall the decisions I made regarding the fate of the Inquisition or who became the divine, but I remember Iron Bull's betrayal, and how my heartache and need to find Solas through the Elluvians mirrored that of my inquisitor. We both needed answers. We both wanted closure. I was angry and hurt and mad at an egg for gods sake.

In my life's most challenging moments, I have looked to Elvera--my inquisitor—for strength to borrow. From getting molds taken of my mouth at the orthodontist (an experience which I hate) to comforting a friend on their deathbed, she has been a source of strength, a suit of armor to don in my most vulnerable moments when I cannot falter. That strength looks different in a dentist's chair and on a deathbed, but It is strength nonetheless.

Needless to say, I am so excited to return to Thedas in thirty days. Every week for the past several years, I had done a quick Google search for “Dragon Age 4”, desperate for news of the next installment. I always felt a pang of disappointment each time I found that there was no news, but I never gave up hope. I delayed travel plans this summer so that I could watch the first gameplay demo with my dad this summer.

The Dragon Age series, and Inquisition in particular hold such a special place in my heart. They were part of my introduction to gaming, and you never forget your first games. They brought me comfort and an escape from the world when I felt as if a hole had been blown in our sky. The characters have lent me strength when I have needed it most.

I cannot wait to create my Rook and explore Tevinter. I can only hope that my inquisitor can finally get the closure that we both need. I am excited to fall in love with Dragon Age and Thedas all over again.

[universallydestinytaco]

A Wild Nerve-Ending on a Friday Night (Oneshot)

*mood music*

Well, tonight is the end of S2, beautiful friends…it’s been a lot of fun. I’d like to thank each and every one of you who made this off the wall, chaotic shitposting journey with us. This blog wouldn’t have been anything without y’all! Hopefully this show left us with some good memes….

So, until S3, I’m gonna keep writing silly little fanfics like this! Stay gold, critters.

….bang. /ref

Inspired by this post from @friendlysmiler

Pim is canonically quite the party animal himself from what we saw in everyone’s favorite episode so who knows what hijinks the little pink imp gets into? XD

Side Note: Bill and Smormu are not only both alive here but they’re a wlw couple here, Bill is a he/him lesbian and Smormu is transfemme and sapphic, because that’s how I roll.

Monday, 7:15am

A fresh start to a brand new week at the Smiling Friends charity has officially began as everyone punched in and awaited their breakfast Alan theatrically-prepared while he channeled his inner Joichiro Yukihira in the breakroom kitchen.

Charlie was scrolling through his phone while smirking at old Rage Comics from over a decade ago with Glep watching on his shoulder and making a similar goofy smirk while Pim happily drew a picture of his co-workers in colored pencils to stick onto the fridge while quietly singing a song from one of his comfort shows.

“Take a moment to think of juuuust, flexibility love and truuust~”

Once Pim colored inside the lines, he hopped out of his chair and scurried to the fridge to display his masterpiece. “Excuse me, I’m just going to grab the cheese to melt over our deluxe omelette.” asked Alan in his usual monotone voice while Pim let out a nervous squeak while stepping out of Alan’s way. While Alan grabbed what he needed he inspected Pim’s drawing a with an impressed smile. “I really like your picture here, you even perfectly replicated my scales.”

Pim started excitedly fidgeting his hands as he chirped: “Thank you, Alan, I always find it weird whenever people draw you, they tend to forget or deliberately leave it out. I think your scales are beautiful!” Alan got a bit bashful while trying to stay focused on finding the cheese grater, uttering a somewhat-shaker “Thank you, you’re too kind….damn can’t find it, don’t want to burn the omelette so I’ll just-“ Alan grabbed a knife and precisely peeled thin-layers of cheddar to gently lay on top of the fluffy eggy clouds seasoned with garden-fresh herbs and spring onions.

Charlie couldn’t resist making a cheap shot at his slinky red co-worker: “Hey guys, Alan cut the cheese.”, such was a line that caused him and Glep to burst into laughter as if they where in grade school. Alan, who was serving plates carrying slices of the omelette, wasn’t amused and was tempted to gift the two wisecracking ingrates each an equally-tasteless surprise of pulling a Glep into their food, but took the high-brow road with a classy remark: “Let’s switch the conversation to a topic with actual substance…so, how did everyone’s weekend go?”

Charlie piped up first: “I played through the entirety of this one cool RPG for two days straight then when I finally beat it I celebrated getting wasted at the bar before getting kicked out for starting another brawl and spent all Sunday sleeping off my hangover.” He lifted his right sleeve to reveal the cherry on top: “On the way home I got this bitchin’ tattoo.” Lovingly detailed on Charlie’s arm was a crudely-drawn snake-dragon thing with arms breathing fire.

Alan then turned to Pim, asking: “How was yours?” to which Pim casually replied: “Oh, nothing much, the highlight was me and some friends hanging out at a pool.”

…

Friday, 6:00pm ~ Three Nights Ago…

Pim was sneaking around with a group of familiar faces as the moon hung in the sky like a charm on a bracelet, a chorus of snickering harmonized with the chirping crickets and the hooting owls. They stop at their final destination: the fence barring access to a familiar estate from the common folk….that didn’t stop the wild bunch from helping each other break in by climbing over and slipping through. Greeting the mischievous party was a grandiose pool yard just begging for the crowd to jump in. “Ah, the perks of having connections with an A-List Celebrity….” Pim monologued to himself, before taking his shirts and shorts off revealing underneath was a hot sparkly teal one-piece with a star-shaped hole at the back for his pollywog tail to peek through. Smormu, who wore a pink floral-print bikini under her button-up and capri-pants whispered to Pim: “Are you sure we’re not going to get caught?” Pim replied with a grin: “Don’t worry, love, Mr. Frog’s out and about somewhere, probably at a crummy bar, and probably causing his usual commotions there so he isn’t too concerned with whatever’s happening here.” As Duncan and Dj Spitz set the mood by the former playing a 90s bop out of a retro boombox and the latter breaking out the booze, Everyone stampeded over to the pool in unison, each individual jumping in the cold crisp waters in various amusing ways as the loud victory cry of “GERONIMOOOO!!!!” bursted out of the ever-excitable Filmore’s mouth like a firework into the sky. It was a rip-roaring time with just a hint of good-old-fashioned chaos, just the way Pim liked it.

Just three nights night ago around this time, Pim was uncontrollably sobbing to himself in a pillow over the fact that his fickle sister Amy invited literally everyone she knew to her wedding… except for her ever-loyal and loving baby brother, bragging about having Mr. Frog as a celebrity guest. Sick of crying his eyes out and being excluded from his family’s lives on a daily basis, he figured he could have a celebration of his own! The only downside was his co-workers having plans of their for that weekend, otherwise he would have invited them over for this late-night dive.

“A toast to our dear comrade and member of the Pennsylvania UFO-Hunting Squad, the ever-lovable Pimling!” Bill proposed as he raised his glass, everyone followed suit, chanting Pim’s name, except for a heavily-intoxicated Dj Spitz pounding in his chest and hollering out: “FUCK YEAH ROCK ON LIL PINK MAN!!!” Of course Pim immediately got flustered, his face turned a vivid shade of hot pink as a result of all the positive attention while mustering the confidence to reply until grinning sheepishly and raising his own glass, stuttering: “T-thank you everyone, you’re all too kind…all this hype about little ol’ me.” In a rush off of the praise and the sheer audacity of his actions, he chugged his drink down without a second thought. Everything after that was a string of vague, discombobulated visions of what happened in-between the rest of the night…

Saturday, 5:02am

It was a very early morning when the dizzy, light-headed Pim woke up front-facing the twilight sky melting into daytime, getting up and finding himself floating inside Mr. Frog’s grandiose fountain in front of his house until he immediately snapped out of it upon just noticing the strewn toilet paper and graffiti all over the statue. In a panic, Pim swam out and scurried around looking for everyone else and making sure nobody was left behind, his heart raced discovering more of the shameless if not karmic defilement of Mr. Frog’s property: overturned lawn chairs with one thrown into a window, discarded junk inside the pool and the jacuzzi, more TP strewn around like party streamers and someone’s trunks (presumably Duncan’s) hung like a flagpole like a comical take on a windsock. It seemed everyone except Pim had taken off before sunrise if not gotten arrested. Combined with the panic attack he was getting and the unambiguous symptoms of a hangover reeking havoc on his body, Pim tried to reach for a trash can to stress-vomit until he collapsed and relieved his bile in the jacuzzi. Minutes went by as Pim felt weak like a newborn kitten, prepared for the legal trouble he was about to get himself in if Mr. Frog wasn’t going to maim him Spamtopia-style first….just then a familiar voice rang in Pim’s ears that filled him with relief, Pim’s eyes cracked open as he started upward at a sober Bill holding the hand of his stumbling partner, Smormu. “Morning, buddy, need a hand?” Pim responded without so much words as it was a tired grunt and raising his stubby pink hand to initiate Bill and Smormu helping their friend up. “Let’s hurry and get out of here, unless we wanna throw a party in the county tank.” Bill chuckled.

Later that day saw a double-dose of tea and drama Pim was secretly and gleefully catching up with, from Pim’s mother recanting to Pim how much of a disaster Amy’s wedding was when Mr. Frog showed his ass once again by getting drunk and trashing the place, even spilling red wine on her wedding dress. Then the news that Mr. Frog came home to his place utterly savaged, claiming he’d seek revenge on the purp but considering the type of person he was, everyone assumed that Frog did it himself after coming home from the wedding he was invited too and was too drunk to remember.

Monday, 7:27am

Pim finished with an uproar of laughter from his co-workers plus Mr. Boss, all of them in shock and awe that the one always perceived as the cute little “goody-two-shoes” of the Smiling Friends charity was capable of getting up to some serious frat boy-level shenanigans. Charlie felt as if he wasted his time spending his weekend the same as the last, so he asked his best friend: “Hey Pim, you think I can hang out with you next weekend?” Pim made an innocent pose, putting his finger on his lips as if he was a kid who got caught stealing from a cookie jar. “Well, maybe not same-the-same-place but I know another celebrity’s pool yard to break into! I hear the Krombledashians are hosting the Meep Gala next Saturday…”

[areeis]

Vrains RPG charas (3/4)

Aoi&Aqua

Aoi&Aqua (Elf mage and ignis companion -DEF-ATK strength+MP+turn speed+move speed+evade chance) Fighting style: Close to mid range attacks using a whip, chance to cause poison upon landing a critical Defense style: Aqua generates water bubbles that change from mist to ice to obscure enemy vision and form a protective shield Special: Blue Ring (Surrounds all enemies with a ring of poison, chance to poison, chance to lower turn Speed; casting cost cannot be reduced) Blue Bite (Attacks one target with an icy whip, chance to lower movement Speed, chance to lower turn Speed) Party main: Inventory, debuffs and damage

Takeru&Flame

Takeru&Flame (half beastman warrior and ignis companion +ATK strength-move speed+turn speed+DEF) Fighting style: Close to mid range attacks using claws and Flame's fire Defense style: Takeru doesn't change from attack stance but Flame's fire surrounds him in an effort to protect him from attacks and hold him back Special: Blazing Breaker (Pummels one target with flaming fists, chance to cause burning; own max HP are reduced by 10% with each use until the end of battle) Sky High (Raises own and allies' ATK by 5% for three turns) Party main: Damage and buffs (inventory when on low HP)

[vintagerpg]

When I finally got around to posting about classic Traveller, half a dozen people messaged me with some variation of, “Hey, Slough Feg has an album based on this game.” To those people I say: thank you.

This album fucking rips. It’s a concept album, telling the story of the time the spore-generating space pirate Baltec Budapest got turned into a dog person as part of Professor Rickets’ plan to use gene splicing to create a warrior race with which he can conquer the galaxy. The drama of the story is sky high, there are laments galore but in the truest of RPG fashions, despite all the travails and tumultuous changes, the state of the galaxy is restored to “normal” at the end of the saga. It is obviously non-canon, but comes from a place of deep love for the game — there is a song called “High Passage/Low Passage,” for Pete’s sake!

Slough Feg (previous The Lord Weird Slough Feg) is essentially the work of one man, Mike Scalzi. I’ve casually enjoyed a song here and there before, but this is the first time the band really grabbed me and shook me by the collar. The album has riffs galore, but while there are repeating refrains, I don’t think there is a single chorus in the whole album. And yet it is catchy as hell. I haven’t listened to it in a couple months but I can instantly call some of the melodies to mind. Scalzi’s got a strange sound, too, that lies a little outside my usual metal interests. I can hear the influence of Iron Maiden and Manilla Road, sure, but also…Thin Lizzy and maybe even a baseline of musical theater? It’s very dramatic. Go listen! I dare you to listen to “The Final Gambit” and not feel like your spirit is soaring the stars.

[elfhawk3]

A friend linked me a cohost post for an RPG that uses a tarot deck to build the city the game takes place in. I went ‘that’s the sort of GM solo play I love to do’ and grabbed one of my many tarot decks and a copy of the pay-what-you-want ‘just the city builder’ preview of the full book.

I don’t have a cohost and the area I inhabit here isn’t into RPGs, so this is going to do zero advertising for a cool-looking game,  but whatever, I’m making this for me and if you enjoy it, cool. 

Step One: The Central Power 

The first card drawn decides who rules the city. After pulling out all the major arcana per the instructions, I drew the 10 of Wands.

“The Cult of the God-King reigns. The Crow-Headed Queen will be deified upon her death, but through her sorceries she has reigned for over 120 years. The Temple of the God-Kings stands in the center of the City.”

So this is a place ruled by an immortal sorcerer. Did the Cult control the City before she took over or did it rise up around her? If the former, she might just be the latest in a line of God-Kings. The Cult might be getting antsy about her immortality. Can’t have a proper God-King if your King refuses to die and move on to their bigger duties as God. If it’s the latter, she formed it herself around her ambitions to ascend from mortal to divine. Going by some of the other text, this setting is one where magic is weird and distrusted. What effect has a century (centuries?) of a sorcerer on the throne had on the people of the City? 

I love the symbolism here of a woman holding up a city. It matches so well.

Step 2: Form the Core Districts 

The oldest parts of the city. What was the City originally like? Draw four cards and place them on each side of the Central Power card.

North - 7 of Wands - The Sidereal House

“This institution seeks to understand the lights of the sky and their significance for those who dwell on earth. The Sidereal House is home to a sect of natural philosophers. These astronomers calculate the motions and positions of various planets, their dance, conjunctions, and the timing of eclipses.”

The City’s northernmost district is astronomers on a high plateau away from the smog and lights of city life, tracking time as they watch the skies. As one of the oldest locations in the City, is it possible it started entirely separate from the rest of the City for its prime stargazing spot and the City’s growth expanded to include it? Their duties include tracking, recording, and naming new years; some previous ruler must have wanted better recordkeepers and there was a tower of detail-oriented philosophers just over there.

East - 4 of Pentacles - The Curio Curia

“Seditious materials, false coinage, human chattel, and dangerous sorcerous artifacts are never traded in the Omphalic Market. The answer to economic constraint is the black market. In the City, this takes the form of the Curio Curia, a shadow economy for any illicit good.” 

The Omphalic Market mentioned in the blurb is one of the constants of city design that gets placed after the cards decide the rest of the city layout, so let’s ignore that for now.

The City’s major eastern district is home to the blackest of black markets. I get ‘set up right by the water’ vibes from this. Easy to bring stuff in, easy for a fast getaway when you get into trouble peddling nudes of the Crow-Headed Queen. Perhaps the market is even entirely on the river, and city law stops at the edge of the piers. This would make the entire stretch of the river through the City  something of a no man’s land, which could be interesting. Also tricky to figure out which boat is just someone fishing and which is your smuggler friend’s actual contact pretending to fish.

South - Knight of Cups - The Old Queen’s Library

“Books were the singular obsession of the Old Queen. So much so that this was the one tax she imposed upon the City: any person passing the gates or docking ship must yield up any book in their possession.”

The City’s southern district is home to a major library, love it. A long-dead queen was obsessed with books and had her people collect books to copy. She’d have the copies returned and retained the originals. This is pulled straight from history- there’s Greek writing about the Library of Alexandria collecting books from ships that came into port and doing the same thing. The Curio Curia could even have gotten its start with people trying to get their first editions back and making the queen’s library keep the copy her scribes made. I imagine the library itself isn’t on the water, but on a main street leading directly from what originally was a major dock, though it might no longer be. Today the library is tended by librarian nuns and allows the Cult’s historians, scholars, poets, and lawyers to peruse their stacks. They definitely don’t lend the books out.

As a court card, this is a rich district. Considering the odds of drawing more, this might even be *the* noble district. This library is most certainly not open to the public at large. Devotees of the Cult might be able to swing a day pass, but not that often.

West - 8 of Cups - The Philosophers’ Forum

“There is a (currently popular) branch of philosophy that rejects modern educational standards, the esteem of the City’s various colleges, and even the utility of the written word. These iconoclast philosophers hang out in the district called the Philosophers’ Forum. In essence, these philosophers live as paupers (though they would use the term “aesthetic mendicant”), and make a poor living by selling their treatises, giving public recitations, and betting on rhetorical contests.”

The City’s western district is even more drawn from Greek history than the library. Turn the right corner in this district of eloquent illiterate paupers and you may bump into Fantasy Diogenes. (Be sure to wash afterwards.) Street philosophers debating anything and everything have got to make this a contender for the noisiest district. I imagine quite a few folks living here are just Something Awful forum members, egging philosophical debates into becoming fistfights. Visually speaking, I imagine most of the district is in a pretty heavy state of disrepair- the philosophers don’t brook with currency or upkeep.

It’s fascinating that three of these districts are about knowledge. The City could have gotten its start as a center for learning, but has it remained so? The librarian nuns probably beat the philosophers with sticks when they visit to debate the hoarding of books for just the Cult and the wealthy and then again when other philosophers show up to denounce reading as a crime against the natural order of the world. We’ll see what sprawl builds a buffer from the riotous thinkers of western district for their recordkeeping neighbors to the north and south. 

Step Three: Add The Sprawl

These are the younger districts, springing up as the City expands and contracts through history. The suit of each core district decides how many others have grown around it. Zero for the swords of the military, one for pentacles and the lower class, two for cups for the faithful and the institutions they fund, and three for the wands of the weirdos.

North and the Sidereal House:

As a wand district, three cards let me put the distance between the astronomy tower from the city center that I wanted.

1 - Queen of Pentacles - The Street of Beggars

“It hosts leper houses, orphanages, religious mendicants, and a vast homeless population. Despite its residents being in abject poverty, the Street of Beggars is the home to one of the City’s most powerful factions: the Beggars Guild. The Beggars Guild regulates all petty crime.”

Now this is a great card for the sort of sprawl connecting the City center to a tower on a plateau. People shoved out of the nicer districts to the south slowly growing towards the tower. And people trying to reach the City and just giving up and settling for here. I can just imagine everything sixty feet back from the king’s road connecting the administrative tasks of the tower to the heart of the City is shoddy row houses and even shabbier lean-tos. 

2 - 2 of Wands - Newt Row

“Sorcerers scoff at Newt Row. This hedge-witchery is basically junk (more or less). It’s essentially a tourist’s destination in the City: a place where folks from Far Away can get spooked by a sibyl and pay too much for a blue-eye amulet.”

So this is obviously along the main drag from the central district to our distant tower. The Las Vegas Strip where tourists spend 90% of their time because all around it is nothing. Makes sense that the Beggars Guild would take it over. The merchants probably pay the Guild for protection from getting robbed by the locals as both parties fleece newcomers for all they're worth. 

3 - 9 of Pentacles - The Lichyard Market

“The Lichyard Market is the main meat market, a gourmand’s delight, and a grotesque spectacle. It houses some of the finest taverns, popular thermopolia, and cesspools of biowaste in the City.”

Another market, with even weirder smells. I think the north gates are where most people arrive in the City, or at least this is shaping up to be where most of the commerce goes on. The river I’ve put going through the east district must go somewhere through the north district. Perhaps what separates the tower from the rest of the City is the river.

East and the Curio Curia:

1 - 3 of Cups - Stone

“Each architect displays their masterpieces in the district’s squares, forums, and thoroughfares. The bridges of Stone are colossal statues providing egress; the public fountains are instruments that play music as they burble; the apartment buildings rise as high as cathedrals.”

Oh perfect, engineers to build complicated bridges to connect our astronomers to the rest of the City. It’s amusing I’ve described the Philosophers’ Forum as dilapidated as this district offers plenty of masons and architects for fixing things up. Well, this is one of the newer districts, maybe they’re very new and have been rebuilding the whole city and haven’t made it that far yet. Which makes sense, those guys don’t have any money, whereas the librarian nuns have their Cult’s coffers. The residential parts of this district probably are safe to live in but also miserable due to the sounds of construction.

South and the Old Queen’s Library:

1 - 6 of Cups - The Madrasa of Maiden Wisdom

“Founded by the Crow-Headed Queen and renamed for the mother of Mythrys, the Madrasa of Maiden Wisdom is a public institution of learning. There are a dozen or so colleges inside the City, but the Madrasa of Maiden Wisdom is the largest and most esteemed. It is unique in that it offers free education to anybody, boy or girl, human or non-human.”

I feel like the Crow-Headed Queen founded this before she became ruler. Like it was part of her putting her name on the map. The school is split into two main parts - “the lower houses” cover general education requirements for a diploma, the “upper houses” are for your degree’s specialized main courses. Offering free education doesn’t necessarily mean everything they have is free, so I’m wondering if the lower houses is the free education and the upper houses require payment. This probably is in a buffer zone separating the rich district the library is in from their poor neighbors.

Considering the free education offered here versus ‘you must be a member of the Cult’ the library has,  I can see the two institutes being at loggerheads. Behind the scenes, of course. Both are funded by the Cult and don’t want to draw its attention to their drama. 

2 - 4 of Wands - Kobalosgaard

“The orcs consider their blood oath to the ruler sacrosanct and inviolable. They will fight to the death in defense of their charge. However, if the ruler does happen to die, they see no reason to join them in the afterlife. As part of their pact, the honor guard has the right to leave the City with as much booty from the treasury as they can carry.”

This district is dedicated to the needs of the honor guard of twenty fireblooded orcs housed in a palace here. They’re not local and thought to be completely loyal to the ruler, since they have no ties to any of the factions of the City by virtue of not being local. Side effect, though, is it implies mistrust of the citizenry. But I also haven’t drawn any swords cards yet, this isn’t a particularly militaristic city. 

I do like that they have a retirement option- leave after the boss dies with all the loot they can carry. I wonder how that works when the Crow-Headed Queen has been in charge for 120 years. How long do orcs live? Does their contract allow them an out after a certain number of years served? Or have several generations of orcs gone without the spoils this alliance was supposed to provide them and their people back home? How much trouble is simmering under the surface here?

West and the Philosophers' Forum:

1 - 3 of Pentacles - The Gambol

“It consists of ramshackle bridges spanning chimneys, attics, and garrets. Its residents spend days, perhaps even weeks, never setting foot on solid ground. There’s an old adage that runs, “People never look up.” As such, the Gambol is favored by those who want to disappear: debtors, revolutionaries, and deposed tyrants from foreign lands.”

An entirely aerial district, which means it’s built above another one, or even more. I get the feeling this district got its start with two different things- people trying to escape the philosophy discussions and people trying to hide from the Beggar’s Guild and other criminal elements. The factions make themselves.

2 - 3 of Wands - The Lotus Eater’s District

“The Lotus Eater’s District caters to lotus addicts, but also sells intoxicants of all descriptions. Many kith and kin have found surprising ways to get fucked up, and they can all be found here: dragonteeth blunts, rackety-tam, angelshit, troll spice, takalashi jelly, etc.”

The city has ended up with a lot of Greek references, huh? Stoned potheads probably make good neighbors for the rowdy philosophers. Or at least they don’t care so much as bakers who have to be up at 3 in the morning. The philosophers would be the district’s main customers were they not all broke. Alternatively- this is really why most of them are broke. The citizens of the Gambol probably try to stay off their roofs to avoid tripping in a whole different way than they usually worry about.

Step Four: Place the Constants

Every incarnation of the City has three features that never change- though the exact locations will:

The Grey is a major river that flows through the City. It’s just as important to the City as the Nile is to Cairo. It also has pirates. I think the Curio Curia just became an extremely dangerous place to do business.

The Ossuary is the City’s Paris Catacombs alternate though it’s a former plaster mine, not limestone. It’s most recent expansion uncovered a door carved of ivory that monsters poured out of. They’ve managed to seal it. This is going to go over on the plateau of astronomy, to give them lots of room. Being an underground operation, it won’t have a lot of light pollution.

The Omphalic Market is THE place to go to shop. The true beating heart of the city. Nowhere really jumps out for where to put it, so I’m just going to shove it in somewhere and call it a day.

And voila, a City ready to explore the Underground of. One that speaks of ancient knowledge and wisdom that swung towards commerce and has created a strict divide between the haves and the have-nots.

How very every college town ever of it.

Is the Crow-Headed Queen’s free college (and potential other good works) enough to keep the rumblings at bay or has she spent too long on the distant throne of her temple to remember her own days in the hard-scrabble scrum of survival?