#space ace dexter

[head-vampire]

Space Ace (1984) model sheet

Source

[kabishkat19]

Non/Disney NextGen

(Don Bluth : Space Ace🪐)

Austin (16) Golden child/Born leader

Max (13) Rambunctious dreamer

[lgspears]

I nominated Wolfgang Novogratz as Ace, Maude Apatow as Kimberly, John C. Reilly as Commander Borf and Tyler Wladis as Dexter in the Space Ace movie.

[pembrokewkorgi]

Cartoon Commentary - Circus Gnarly

In the newest installment of Cartoon Commentary @KrunchyLex and I go to the circus. THE SPACE CIRCUS! https://youtu.be/x_FwjA76Iw8

Posted using PostyBirb

[the-griffons-saddlebag]

💎 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺! Bell of Pspspsp
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) ___ This golden bell has 9 charges and regains 1d6 + 3 expended charges daily at dawn. You can use a bonus action to ring the bell and expend 1 of its charges. When you do, the bell emits a soft, tinkling chime, and a swarm of cats magically appears in your space: treat the swarm as if it were a swarm of rats, but it has AC 12 and a +2 bonus to saving throws. You can verbally command the swarm on each of your turns (no action required), which takes its turn immediately after you. The swarm remains for 1 minute or until it’s reduced to 0 hit points, at which point the cats disappear in a small cloud of fur. For the duration, you can use a bonus action to ring the bell again, without expending any charges, to cause the swarm to magically return to your space (provided it’s on the same plane of existence as you) and regain 2d6 hit points; its Swarm trait doesn’t prevent it from regaining hit points in this way. A Medium or smaller creature (other than you) that starts its turn in the same space as the swarm of cats must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. If a creature falls prone in this way, the swarm can immediately use its reaction to make a bite attack against the target. Alternatively, while holding the bell, you can use an action to expend 1 of the bell’s charges to cast the “speak with animals” spell from it. This version of the spell only allows you to communicate with cats or similarly feline creatures, even if they aren’t a beast (such as a lion, griffon, or chimera). The spell ends early if the bell is no longer on your person. You gain a +5 bonus to any Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Charisma check you make to interact with such creatures for the duration of the spell. If you expend the last charge from the bell, roll a d20. On a 1, the bell ceases to make any noise when it’s rung and loses its magic. ___ ✨ Patrons get huge perks! Access this and hundreds of other item cards, art files, and compendium entries when you support The Griffon's Saddlebag on Patreon for as little as $3 a month!

[gameraboy2]

Dexter and Kimberly production cel from Space Ace (1983)

[soylent-crocodile]

Myr (Monsters)

(Silver Myr by Kev Walker)

(I FUCKING LOVE MYR! They're cute, they're iconic, they're interesting bits of worldbuilding... I HAD to make 'em! Mercifully, I've separated Mirrodin from New Phyrexia, and created the Plane of Steel, a fun little plot hook roughly referencing Mirrodin's creation. If you want to make these native to the Plane of Metal- new to PF2- or simply old machines of a dead culture, feel free.

Also, this will contain rules for Mana Myr, which I spiraled off the five colors of Magic, but expect more myr in the future!)

Myr are mysterious creatures native to the Plane of Steel, an artificial plane ripped from the Plane of Earth and turned into a vast network of self-sustaining machines. Myr themselves are the most common denizens of the plane, servitors to an unknown master and performing upkeep on their more complicated cohabitants.

Myr have been imported from the Plane of Steel in rare quantities, and serve as a rare treasure on the Material Plane, loyal servants infused with magical energy. Some, however, fear inviting such mysterious creatures into their homes, especially paranoid wizards and watchful politicians, as it's a known fact that myr are vulnerable to scrying- and it's a distinct possibility that their master is still watching.

Myr are unique among constructs in being easily repairable once slain. Upon reaching 0 health, a construct with the Myr subtype is not destroyed; rather, it turns inactive, and will reactivate upon being returned to positive hit points. However, a myr that reaches -20hp is destroyed as usual. Additionally, the knowledge of how to create myr has been lost or well-hidden, and they lack rules for construction. Fortunately for myr, they are capable of reproducing themselves, although attempts to study how they do so have not succeeded in creating animate constructs.

There are thousands of different kinds of myr, most being only slight modifications on a basic design; what is presented are some common archetypes and a few notable variations.

Mana Myr

(Myr Moonvessel by Danny Orizio)

Among the most common servitor myr, mana myr work on the machinery that makes up the bulk of the Plane of Metal, and these servitors are attuned to one of the eight schools of magic. Of the myr of the plane, it is the mana myr who are most desired, and those who find themselves in possession of multiple, or let them reproduce, sell them for exorbitant prices.

Each school of magic produces a myr of a different color. Even though they are all made of the same substance, the magic forged into their bodies makes them appear as one of a variety of colors; the mana myr of each school of magic is named after a metal or mineral it resembles.

This small humanoid construct has a strange head shaped like a heavy beak. It resonates with magical energy.

Misc- CR1 LN Small Construct (Myr) HD2 Init:+2 Senses: Perception:+3 Stats- Str:8(-1) Dex:15(+2) Con:- Int:4(-3) Wis:14(+2) Cha:14(+2) BAB:+2 Space:2.5ft Reach:0ft Defense- HP:21(2d10+10) AC:13(+1 Size, +2 Dexterity) Fort:- Ref:+4 Will:+2 CMD:13 Special Defenses: Construct traits Offense- Slam +2(1d3-1) CMB:+0 Speed:25ft Special Attacks:  Feats- Lightning Reflexes Skills- Perception +3, Spellcraft +0 Spell-like Abilities-  Share Memory /at-will Make Whole 1/day Special Qualities- Mana Servant, Scrying Focus Ecology- Environment- Any Languages- Common (Can’t speak) Organization- Solitary Treasure- None Special Abilities- Mana Servant- A mana myr is designed as a vessel for magic. When created, it is infused with magic from one of the eight schools of magic. When used as a focus to cast a spell of that school, the spell is cast at a +1 caster level and with a +1 DC. A mana myr registers as strong magic of its school when viewed through Detect Magic or similar spells. Scrying Focus- Myr are perfect vessels for scrying on. They get a -5 penalty to saves against spells with the Scrying descriptor, and magical sensors made to scry on a myr and its surroundings get a +5 bonus against rolls to perceive it. Additionally, myr- and any object or creature they are in contact with- are not protected by spells such as Nondetection and Screen.

[lair-master]

6 Magic Items for D&D

I wrote these as presents for PCs in my weekly D&D campaign (text versions under the cut).

*** Dancing Boots Wondrous item, uncommon These boots have 4 charges and regain 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. While you wear these boots, you can use a bonus action to expend 1 charge and move up to half your speed. Until you stop moving, you have a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws. For every 5 feet you move, you restore 2 hit points to yourself or another creature of your choice within 30 feet of you. Minor Property: Graceful. The bearer has advantage on ability checks to dance. *** Dragonfire Bow Weapon (longbow), uncommon When you attack with this magic weapon and speak its command word, the ammunition creates a streak of fire in a line between you and the target that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line except the target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d8 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The attack deals an extra 3d8 fire damage to the target on a hit, or half that on a miss. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. Creator: Dracolich. The item is made of dragon bone. A special gemstone on it contains the spirit of a dragon. *** Knightbreaker Weapon (warhammer), uncommon You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon.  Creator: Necromancer. Death magic burns an ill mark into this shadow-veiled weapon whenever it deals a killing blow. History: Disgraced. A fallen crusader wielded this weapon against a pious chivalric order. Minor Property: Scary. When its bearer makes a Charisma (Intimidation) check, the bearer can expend one ill mark to add 3 to the roll. Quirk: Incendiary. The item’s bearer feels compelled to play with fire. *** Orb of Twofold Vigor Wondrous item, uncommon Two fiendish eyes smolder from within this arcane focus. The orb has 2 charges, and regains all expended charges daily at dawn. Whenever you gain temporary hit points, you can expend 1 charge to regain the same number of actual hit points, or grant a creature within 30 feet of you the same number of temporary hit points. Quirk: Unblinking. The item doesn't allow its bearer to blink. *** Shell of Sliding Armor (shield), uncommon (requires attunement by a tortle) This magic shield is made from a turtle shell. When you use your shell defense trait, you can move 40 feet in a straight line as part of the same action. You move through the space of any creature in the line, ignoring difficult terrain, without provoking opportunity attacks. When you enter a creature’s space, it must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 bludgeoning damage. A creature takes this damage only once per turn. If you hit a wall, you bounce off it in a random direction. Until you emerge from your shell, you repeat this movement on each of your turns. *** Very Big Fork Weapon (trident), uncommon Using this magic fork, you can eat any nonmagical object that fits in your mouth. You can use a bonus action to speak the fork’s command word and become very big. For 1 minute, you are Large, and you add 1d4 to Strength checks, Strength saving throws, and Strength-based damage rolls. This property can’t be used again until the next dawn. History: Notorious. This item was used to both eat and kill at the infamous Backstabbers Feast, where it inspired the goblin proverb, “The bigger they are, the bigger their fork.”

[nerdknowledgepool]

Say what you will, Kurt's a BAMF.

Nightcrawler’s Cutlass

Melee Weapon, Cutlass, Legendary

(Requires Attunement)

“Every so often, liebchen, since I look like a demon... I have this irresistible urge to play the part.”

Damage: 2d4

Damage Type: Slashing

Modifiers: Attacks +3, Damage +3

Properties: Light, Finesse

Uncanny Agility: While attuned to this sword, you gain +3 to your Dexterity Score to a maximum of 24. If you become the target of an attack, as a reaction you may raise your AC by an amount equal to your Dexterity bonus.

Spatial Cognition: While attuned to this sword, you have a limited awareness of the topography of your surroundings, even if you can’t see them. You are aware of any open or empty spaces, as well as the positions of walls, floors, and ceilings within 30 feet. You cannot sense creatures, or more complex structures, such as traps.

Brimstone Step: While attuned to this sword, you know the Misty Step spell and may cast it without expending a spell slot. When cast this way, you do not need to be able to see your destination, and the spell’s teleportation range is increased by an amount of feet equal to 5 times your Dexterity Modifier.

[penpenpenchant]

Headcanons I have ♡

Sunday

- i think he had MANY eyes, and they have like. partial vision, so it's all shadowy and menacing!!

- i think he's really into shows like Dexter.

- i like to imagine that he's a lil pudgy because of the space and muscle needed for Waist Wings

- there is no way in hell he and gallagher were not in some kind of QPR and I'm willing to die on this hill

- i also think he's ace (like me)

🪽

Yanqing

- asthma. he had asthma.

- also autistic. yes i am projecting

- tea drinker

- also aromantic

I rp as him a LOT so i do have more but it all like. lil things so.. yeahhh

⚔️

Ororon

Its just the one but....

- i know that he needs to do things to feel useful, and he gets really frustrated when he can help but people won't let him. like. borderline about to yell at someone.

🦇

Al Haitham

i never have yapped about him. time to talk.

- i like to think hes the kind of partner who's attentive. like. kaveh mentions that he wants to try a new kind of wine and al haitham like. tries it with him even though he doesn't really enjoy it.

- 4ggravate qpr. trust me on this.

- i also think he's like. big on petnames but he likes to be called them. (tighnari called him his lotus in a fic ONCE) (now im obsessed)

- he Dislikes chocolate.

🪴

[cloaksandcapes]

A magic item for use in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition tabletop role-playing game. This is a homebrew magic item created by Cloaks and Capes.

Chameleon Web Sphere

Consumable, very rare

“A clear orb that fits in the palm of your hand. Inside you can see a liquid swirling and swooshing around even when the orb is still. The liquid changes its color from time to time. When this orb is used and the liquid is exposed to oxygen it begins to rapidly expand and traps anything it can in a plasmoid-like substance.”

You can take a Magic action to activate this grenade and throw it to a space within 60 feet of you. Any creatures in a 10-foot radius Sphere must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 Acid damage and have the Invisible and Restrained condition (escape DC 16). On a success they take half damage. If a creature is Restrained at the start of their turn they take 2d6 Acid damage. The Invisible condition only ends if the Restrained condition is ended.

Another creature can use an attack action, at Disadvantage, to destroy the restraints on a Restrained creature, freeing them. The restraining substance has 14 AC, 20 Hit Points, and is Immune to Psychic damage.

[head-vampire]

Space Ace (1983) model sheet

Art by Don Bluth

Source

[pathfinderunlocked]

Werewitch - CR4 Humanoid

She has claws. Twice.

Artwork by andrewkmar on Tumblr and Artstation. Original post seemingly now deleted.

This witch uses a modified (nerfed) version of the Protective Luck hex. Fun fact, the author of the hex admitted on the Paizo forums that they didn't realize other similar hexes like Fortune and Misfortune were limited. Fortune only works on a single roll, Misfortune has a save to negate it, and both of them can only be cast on the same target once per day. I modified Protective Luck (both in this creature, and for players in my games who use it) to have similar restrictions to Misfortune.

Anyway, I saw this art and was instantly like, "That's a skinwalker tatterdemalion witch that uses Dancing Strings on the animal skins she wears to make them claw people." And then I had to make a stat block for it.

Werewitch - CR 4

Draped in ragged animal hides, this woman's form resembles a wolf, but she doesn't appear to be a true werewolf. The animal hide seems to be moving on its own, trying to claw at you.

XP 1,200 Skinwalker (werewolf-kin) witch (bouda, tatterdemalion) 4, shifter 1 CE Medium humanoid (shapechanger, skinwalker) Init +3 Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural) hp 29 (1d10+4d6+5) Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +5

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee 2 claws +6 (1d4+1) and bite +7 (1d6+2) and dancing strings +1 (1d3+1) or Melee mwk dagger +7 (1d4+1/19-20) and bite +1 (1d6) and dancing strings +1 (1d3+1) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with dancing strings) Special Attacks dancing strings, hexes (bouda's eye [–2, 6 rounds], moth-eaten, protective luck), shifter aspect (wolf), shifter's claws (alternate natural attack: bite)

Skinwalker Spell-like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +3)     1/day—magic fang (already cast on bite)

Witch Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +7)     2nd—cat's grace (already cast), lipstitch (DC 15)     1st—animate rope, cause fear (DC 14), cheetah's sprint, jump (already cast)     0 (at will)—detect magic, mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation

Patron Agility

BASE STATISTICS

Without cat's grace, jump, and magic fang, the werewitch's statistics are: Init +1; AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11; Ref +4; Melee 2 claws +4 (1d4+1) and bite +4 (1d6+1); or Melee dagger +4 (1d4+1/19-20) and bite -1 (1d6); CMD 16; Skills Acrobatics +7, Ride +5

STATISTICS

Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 7 Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 18 Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +9 (+19 to jump), Climb +8, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (nature) +11, Perception +8, Ride +7, Spellcraft +11, Survival +4; Racial Modifiers +2 on wild empathy checks Languages Common, Druidic, Gnoll, Orc, Sylvan SQ fetish, wild empathy Gear mwk dagger, cloak of resistance +1

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bouda’s Eye (Su) A werewitch's gaze can bestow ill fortune on her enemies. This hex can affect a creature within 30 feet that the werewitch can see. The target takes a –2 penalty on one of the following (werewitch's choice): AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. The hex lasts for 6 rounds. A successful DC 15 Will saving throw reduces the duration of the hex to 1 round. Once per day when the werewitch uses this hex, she can impose two different penalties on the target instead of just one. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Dancing Strings (Su) A werewitch can control her clothing (including furs) and cloth, rope, or woven fabric she wears, causing it to grow up to 10 feet long or to shrink to its normal length, and can manipulate such materials as if they were a limb with a Strength score equal to her Intelligence score (usually +3). Her dancing strings have a reach of 10 feet, and she can use them as a secondary natural attack that deals 1d3 points of damage. Her dancing strings can manipulate objects (but not weapons) as dexterously as a human hand.

The dancing strings cannot be sundered or attacked as a separate creature. Pieces cut from the werewitch's dancing strings shrink away to nothing. The werewitch can manipulate her dancing strings for 4 minutes each day; these minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments.

Fetish (Su) In place of a familiar, a werewitch has a fetish which contains her known spells. Once per day, she can use her fetish to deliver a touch spell, changing it into a ranged touch spell within a range of 30 feet.

Moth-Eaten (Sp) As a standard action, 4 times per day, a werewitch can make a touch attack that damages leather, rope, or cloth like rusting grasp damages metal.

Protective Luck (Su) The werewitch can cause fate to twist so that it benefits a creature other than herself within 30 feet for 1 round. Whenever that creature is targeted by an effect that requires an attack roll, including weapon attacks, the attacker must roll twice and take the worse result. The first time an attacker makes an attack roll against a target with Protective Luck, the attacker can make a will save to ignore the werewitch's Protective Luck for the rest of the day.

Shifter Aspect (Su) A werewitch can gain scent to a range of 10 ft. for 4 minutes per day. The duration need not be consecutive but must be spent in 1-minute increments. Shifting into a minor form is a swift action, while ending the effect is a free action.

[justicegundam82]

New PF1e Creature: Ajatar

Here's a new idea for a creature for your Pathfinder 1e games. This creature is an evil spirit from Finnish folklore, though the idea for the conversion in and of itself comes from the 5e product Dragonix' Deadly Denizens 2. I may not be a fan of D&D 5e, but his works are really good, and I'd really advise taking a look at them.

I hope my conversion works well enough, while at least keeping some of the original myth's flavour. This creature has a lot of natural attacks, so I hope it doesn't feel overwhelming.

Please let me know what you think.

AJATAR

Author unknown, taken from Dragonix's Deadly Denizens II

This creature looks like a winged, reptilian biped with large dragonlike wings and the head of a wretched crone. It stands about twice as tall as a grown man.

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

AJATAR       CR 11

XP 12’800

CE Large Monstrous Humanoid

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +25

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

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 21 (+4 Dex, +12 natural, -1 size)

hp  147 (14d10+70) 

Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +13;

Damage Reduction 10/cold iron and magic

Resist acid 10, cold 10; Immune disease, poison

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

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)

Melee bite +21 (2d6+8 plus poison), 2 claws +21 (1d8+8 plus grab), tail slap +19 (1d8+4), 2 wing slaps +19 (1d6+4)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks haunting scream, pestilent gaze, poison

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th, concentration +17)

     At will – dancing lights, darkness, entangle (DC 14), ghost sound (DC 13), gust of wind (DC 15)

     3/day – contagion (DC 16), dimension door, invisibility, major image (DC 16), stinking cloud (DC 16)

     1/day – cloudkill (DC 18), control weather, summon (1d3 fiendish amphisbenas or fiendish emperor cobras, as summon monster VI)

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

STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 19, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 17

Base Atk +14; CMB +23; CMD 37

Feats Cleave, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Hover, Intimidating Prowess, Multiattack, Power Attack

Skills Bluff +17, Fly +14, Intimidate +28, Knowledge (nature) +14, Perception +25, Stealth +22, Survival +16; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Stealth

Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Sylvan

Special Qualities rotting presence

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

ECOLOGY

Environment cold forests and swamps

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

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

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Haunting Scream (Su): Once every 1d4+1 rounds, as a full-round action, the ajatar can emit a terrible psychic scream that assaults the mind of every non-reptilian creature within a radius of 60 feet from the creature. This attack deals 10d6 points of damage and leaves any victim frightened for 1 round. A successful Will save (DC 20) halves the damage and negates the frightened condition. The save DC is Charisma-based 

Pestilent Gaze (Su): Three times per day, an ajatar can use a gaze attack on a single living creature within 30 ft. of it. A victim must succeed on a Will saving throw or be subject to the curse of the debilitating rot.

Curse of the Debilitating Rot: Type curse; Save Will DC 20 negates; Onset immediate; Frequency 1/day; Effects 1d3 Con damage and the victim is unable to heal damage naturally. An healing spell cast on the victim must succeed at a caster level check (DC 20) or have no effect on the victim.

Poison (Ex): Bite—injury; save Fort DC 22; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4+1 Dexterity damage and slowed, a victim reduced to Dexterity 0 begins taking Constitution damage at the same rate; cure 3 consecutive saves (includes bonuses from rotting presence). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rotting Presence (Ex): The presence of an ajatar makes all diseases and poisons more resilient and virulent. Any disease or poison effect within a radius of 1 mile from the ajatar’s lair requires one more successful saving throw to be cured, and any ability damage they inflict is increased by 1 point. Any attempt to magically heal a creature suffering from disease or poison within the radius of the rotting presence must succeed on a DC 22 caster level check, or the spell does not function. Success indicates that the disease or the poison is removed normally.

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

A grotesque being that symbolizes rot and decay, an ajatar infests remote natural places, preying upon unsuspecting animals and travelers and infecting them with debilitating maladies. The ajatar revels in the chaos and suffering she sows, and takes a twisted delight in seeing animals and vegetation wither and die. This makes the ajatar a sworn enemy to all druids, and many druidic orders will go out of their way to exterminate any such creature that settles in their territories.

While an ajatar is not exactly cowardly, it much prefers to weaken the opposition before entering direct combat. An ajatar’s corruptive presence influences a vast area around its territory, making it harder to resist infections and poisons. An ajatar also has a limited control over the weather, which it uses to further confound prey and would-be hunters. When it actually gets ahold of its opponents, the creature tries to fight from the air, summoning foul serpents to keep them occupied or poisonous gases to slowly choke them to death. It can also unleash a bloodcurling psychic scream that leaves most victims shivering in terror or outright dead. Once most opponents are incapacitated, an ajatar typically swoops down on those who are still moving, overwhelming them with a flurry of physical attacks.  

The ajatar’s hatred for natural creatures makes exception for serpents, which the creature regards as pets and servitors. The presence of an ajatar often results in an increase of unnatural reptilian beings in the area, and the creature often enters alliances with evil fey, hags or even black dragons. However, the ajatar’s arrogance and power usually causes it to see itself as the dominant party in these partnerships.

An ajatar is about 9 feet tall on average, and weighs little more than 300 pounds.       

[inglorionamy-ammy]

Of Home and Haven (Ch6/6) The end

Chapter snippet:

Gale is sitting beneath the elevated spectator stand, together with the emergency cleric team that is set up next to the ground entrance. He gives you a small smile of reassurance, though his posture is tense. Tara leans on his shoulder, her twitching tail betraying her anticipation.

The finale.

Summary: A tender tale between an outlander barbarian and a scholarly wizard, navigating life, love, and belonging (aka. What "being together" means for them) in Waterdeep and beyond.

Pairing: Half-orc Barbarian F!Tav X Gale Mature

Word count: 3k

@senualothbrok My beta, my reader, my friend. She aced all roles.

AO3 link: here

Chapter Five: here

[This chapter's illustration hides at the end ;)]

The first thing you see across the circular field is a gigantic steel sentinel.

It is similar to the ones that guarded the school entrance, only this time bigger, almost the height of a two-storey house. On top of its shoulder is an average build humanoid man in a wizard’s robe, seeking whatever high ground there is in this vast empty space. His eyes are glowing slightly, their color matching his steel companion, controlling it in concentration.

The second thing you notice is, in fact, your husband, behind your opponents. Gale is sitting beneath the elevated spectator stand, together with the emergency cleric team that is set up next to the ground entrance. He gives you a small smile of reassurance, though his posture is tense. Tara leans on his shoulder, her twitching tail betraying her anticipation. Your gazes lock for a second.

Technically, the battle should be non-lethal, but both of you know that only melee attacks can be controlled with such precision. In addition, to prevent the fight from over-stretching, you and your opponent are only allowed to bring one healing potion, unfavorable to a typical barbarian’s reckless fighting style. To test how much room for error you have, you close the distance with a small leap before throwing the trident, aiming for the man’s face.

Clang!

With a whoosh of the sentinel’s arm the trident is sent flying right to the ground, the amour untouched by the small thunder explosion it caused. For a construct of this size, its attack is strong and unexpectedly fast. A small cheer comes from the crowd. You frown.

The Nyrulna returns to your hand. You and your enemies start stalking around each other like a pair of beasts waiting for the other to strike first. You must think of something to break the stalemate.

The sun is now behind you. Shrouded in shadow, you discreetly produce a small gadget from your pack, sending it to the man’s head again. A contemptuous smirk crosses his face as the sentinel swats it like he is dismissing a fly, but this time it explodes inwards.

The void bulb. It was one of your best discoveries from the Nautiloid, lovingly reproduced by the skillful deep gnome craftsman Barcus Wroot. When he had sent a box of these as your wedding gift, Gale had had a good laugh.

In an instant the man is pulled off the sentinel. He falls, with a yelp, unceremoniously towards the ground.

You are just about to strike when he mutters a quick incantation in midair. Misty step. You watch as he appears far behind his companion, another flick of his hand renders him invisible. You huff. His dexterity is annoying, but rather impressive.

The sentinel now sprints towards you. You narrowly dodge the first swinging fist and roll forward to escape the second. Any one of these would send you prone, and without lightning spells it seems indestructible. It’s time for some distance. You jump, striking your trident to the ground, and ride its force for a great leap forward and over, landing somewhere far behind it. This should buy you some time —

A snap of magic. You are hit, full force, by a lightning bolt.

Cheers erupt from the audience. Gale, now only tens of meters from you, is white as a sheet.

Suddenly you are overwhelmed by the need to reassure him. You bite your tongue to sharpen your half-burnt mind, pulling yourself together. With a fast gulp of a healing potion, you let out an exaggerated sigh.

“’S that all you got?” You raise a challenging eyebrow. Sometimes it is the attitude that matters.

The man is having none of it. He remains careful, guarded, and with another misty step lands right back onto his metal companion.

A grunt of frustration threatens to escape your throat, but you force it down. Instead, you try your luck. For the third time in a row, you throw the gadget in your hand at him.

Now cautious with the trick, he pauses for a split second. That is all the opening you need.

He realizes too late that it is only an empty healing flask. At the same time, your reinvigorated surge of action powers your great leap and you jam your trident into the armor’s elbow gap with a loud clang. He tries to shake you off, grab you by his other fist, but you are fast as you crawl and grab and push yourself up to where he is. Your grin is manic as you sense his panic building up. He is, after all, a fragile human against a frenzied half-orc. His control starts to slip, the sentinel’s movement imprecise. In desperation he escapes right before you strike him, abandoning the construct with another misty step, landing far back where he hits you with that damn lightning.

You now occupy high ground. The Nyrulna strikes into the neck of the sentinel — a bit deeper than necessary — as you balance yourself. It is after all much easier to dodge someone’s attack when you are on top of them. Looking down on him, you mock his disheveled state in a booming volume, “helpless without your toys, little wizard?”

At that, something snaps. You frown as you realize his concentration with the sentinel is severed.

Then, a sharp, invasive pain penetrates your brain. You gasp as you realize he wants to make you his toy. You only have the time to draw out one last item before he has taken total control, and that tiny pack slips from your hand and falls, its content spilling over the ground. You pray that it’s enough.

The arena is now silent, breaths held back for this battle of wit.

On the first round, you mind is hazy as you slowly climb down from the unmoving sentinel, your movements precise, almost polite, for they are not yours. Your Nyrulna lies forgotten behind you.

On the second round, you are made to do a little twirl. It should be insulting, but the mist in your brain is shrouding any coherent thoughts. For a moment you think you see Gale, knuckles white as he grips so hard he almost tears his robe. It somehow pains you too, but the sensation is fleeting, and soon fades to oblivion.

On the third round, you walk towards him, as he tries to position you within his attack range. You take one step, and another, then step on something.

One of the spiked bulbs you spilled explodes.

The small scratch is all you need. In an instant your wisdom is back. You leap across the field and tackle the surprised man down, his head hitting the floor with a concussing force. A quick flick of your hidden dagger makes him hiss. But he is relentless. Even pinned under you, he attempts an incantation, a dance of his hand — but there is nothing.

He has been silenced.

His eyes slowly widen in shock, finally catching on the blue glowing blade in your hand—a sussur dagger. He begins to shiver.

“DO YOU YIELD?” you demand with a growl, pressing the dagger against his throat.

Carefully, the man nods. Gasps echo in the arena.

You rise. Your gaze falls upon each and every person in the spectator stand, before returning to the man at your feet. When you extend your hand out to him, he turns away in defiance.

You sigh. Might as well take a chance.

“…The first time I lost a fight to my father, who trained me, I hid in the toilet and cried for three hours,” Your voice projects in the amphitheater. As he tentatively turns towards you, eyes full of suspicion, you continue with a nod.

“At first, Ma and Da were worried, especially Ma, and she knocked and cooed relentlessly. But then Da wanted to pee, and he kicked open the door so hard he broke it. We didn’t have a proper toilet door for three months.”

A snort. The man shakes his head and slowly stands up. He still doesn’t take your hand, but as he wipes the dust off his butt, he says, “We have spells for that. If only he knew Knock.”

Suddenly, you recognize his voice — a solid version of that hollow echo shared between the two Academy entrance guards, who barred your entry a year ago, believing that you had lied about your relationship with Gale. It still has the same pinched haughtiness, far from welcoming, but much less condescending now.

“Yeah,” you smile, “if only.”

--

The fight is over, but there are no cheers, no boos. The audience is stunted. For a while, the only motion in the field is the cleric team, who dutifully approaches and checks on the pair of you.

Then there is Gale and Tara. Gale, who has been hanging on the edge of his seat for so long, is now splinting towards you, his face flushed with elation. As he crushes into your waiting arms, Tara elegantly glides through the air, landing gracefully before you.

“A wonderful display of strength and tactics, young Mrs. Dekarios,” she appraises calmly, as if she had always predicted your victory, though her tail, still a bit puffed, betrayed her dread just a moment ago. She looks past you cautiously.

You turn and find your match — Endorick, the clerics called him — a senior apprentice in charge of security matters. He seems to have the talent of maintaining a straight face and a puffed chest despite looking absolutely disheveled. As he raises an eyebrow at you, you find yourself more amused than annoyed.

“My husband.” You stifle a smirk as you purposefully flash him your matching wedding earrings, and he rolls his eyes. In defeat, you assume.

Gale is drenched in cold sweat, but as he pulls back and looks up at you, his voice swells with warmth.

“My love, my heart, my beautiful wife.” He punctuates every declaration with a kiss on your bruised knuckles, never letting your hand go. “What a fight that was. What a sight you are!”

You suspect Endorick has had enough of whatever this is, as he turns to pace away with a sigh, limping slightly.

You look back at Gale. His bright brown eyes are shimmering, his body quivering with giddy excitement. The smile on his face is so eager, so tender, it makes your heart so full it could burst. You simply must do something about it.

So, you scoop Gale up and twirl him in midair, silencing his surprised yelp by crushing your lips to his. His legs immediately wrap around your waist to pull you closer, deepening the kiss. Finally, there is some proper cheering.

--

It is winter again, and this year, you receive an invitation to the annual Blackstaff Winter Ball as part of their faculty.

To be fair, you are more an adjunct part-time lecturer on temporary contract, managing an elective combat-based course that students either love or hate, but still.

In this past academic year, you encountered some conservatives who insisted that Blackstaff is a serious arcane research institute and should not provide such extra curriculum activities. Yet there were also enthusiasts who sought your help in developing magic-infused melee weapons and testing their combat skills, sometimes in very passionate ways.

Endorick, surprisingly, was the latter. He still carries an air of arrogant nonchalance, but somehow, he would mysteriously appear by your table every first-day lunch break, yapping about the lack of funding for security, the declining manpower and resources, so on and so forth. Recently he had even allowed you to visit his sentinel workshop, and as you have learnt to deal with wizards, you dutifully allowed him to impress you. This has become a fun little experiment, and you are rather curious to see how far this strange relationship can go.

There were days when your teaching left you covered in bruises. It earned you a very stern warning from Professor Dekarios, albeit those often ended up delivered in bed or in the baths he insisted to draw you. In any case, you enjoyed the thrill of battle too much to truly walk away, not to mention that you had caught glimpses of him multiple times when you fought in your class, eyes blown wide and lips parted, his own duties temporarily forgotten.

As you have predicted, students who dreamed of being adventurers enjoyed your lessons the most. One of them even decided that the arcane arts were, after all, not their true calling, and consulted you on taking melee trainings instead.

What you didn’t expect were those who took an academic interest in half-orc matters. From what you have heard, there hasn’t been a half-orc associated with Blackstaff for a long time. You received some interesting invitations to record what they call "oral history", which basically boiled down to you telling stories of your life. You humored them with snippets from your childhood, both the epic and the mundane, and the students listened in bated breath as they relived the memories with you.

You told them about mud wrestling, how Da saw it almost as a sacred ritual when he taught you how to cultivate the soil before stepping into the ring. Their eyes sparkled in curiosity, and that evening ended in an impromptu wrestling workshop, drawing confused gazes from other mages.

You told them about the collection Da built for Ma to honor her noble past, and the more sentimental students swooned. But when Gale joined in to supply his anecdotal observations of your parents’ relationship with great enthusiasm, by the end of the session, you were the one who swooned.

When Ma learned of the project, she earnestly invited the group to her rooftop greenhouse for a chat over tea. That was when you realized there was so much more about your parents that you didn’t know. You sat there, thoughtful, as the students laughed roaringly at Ma’s retelling of how she convinced Da to try the bizarre etiquette trainings she went through as a child.

At the end of the day, you find yourself smiling more often, the stillness that once trapped you receding further. It makes you feel hopeful, knowing that in a way, Da will live on in these bright, eager minds.

Tonight, however, your task is more demanding. Being presentable and sociable in a formal setting still drains you. Associating with the title of Blackstaff, even just slightly, has allowed you to access a degree of comfort and respect that used to be out of reach. It is somewhat ironic that the work you do is essentially the same — combat — but suddenly you are allowed among polite society, among people whose acceptance you used to crave, particularly when you were desperate for an anchor in a new life.

You are learning a foreign language, of nods and bows, of feasts and fashions, and of titles and status. In these social events, you are usually content with observing from the sidelines.

Of course, there is one person you particularly enjoy observing. Gale is charming and witty, true, but most recently you realize something else — he has newly acquired the magical ability to turn an intoxicating status fight into a mutual appreciation of the arcane arts, his sincere passion sometimes capable of winning over the most skeptical hearts. It is truly a beautiful sight to watch: Your husband’s eyes keen and bright, his communicative hands assisting his presentation as usual, as the colleagues around him listen intently with set brows and occasional nods.

You are sampling the delicate little cakes when you catch his gaze across the hall, amusement evident on his face as he sees how full your plate is. You frown, then wipe some cream off the corner of your mouth. His smile breaks into a teasing grin.

In return, you lift the long table in one swift motion, allowing the poor waiter to clean up a glass of spilled champagne beneath. You know how your muscles look when you flex them. You barely suppress the smugness on your face when he turns away with a cough, his ear flushing red. Perhaps it’s time for a more private conversation.

"Ta'V?" An exhausted voice calls you from behind. You huff.

Endorick strides towards you, unwillingly caught between you and Gale again. He gestures to a pair of figures behind him. "A guest would like to meet you,” he mouths, “a funder.”

“And isn’t that our newest edition, the talk of the Academy?”

The man’s voice drips with feigned familiarity. You recognize him as Fenris Goldsinger, one of the closest apprentices to the Blackstaff herself. You know this because he never stops flaunting this fact.

As you give him and the elderly lady by his side a stiff bow, he continues to turn between you and the lady. “A true rarity, she is. Not only a half-orc but a non-magic user, who has, against all odds, fought her way into the heart of our institution!”

The lady tilts her head as she appraises you. She has the regal air of an ancient elf. Only her ears betray her human race. Despite her age she stands tall, silvery hair braided into a tight and elaborate bun. Her attention is piercing, and it lands straight at your golden necklace, the gift from your mother.

“Ta’V, you must meet —”

The lady stops Fenris with a rise of her palm. Her emerald eyes now languidly measure you.

“Lady Riversong,” she lets the words hang for a few moments and observes your reaction, before she continues, “a patron of the arcane arts.”

She raises an eyebrow as if expecting an answer, but you are too stunned by her first words. Your gazes lock silently, and she gives you a half-smile.

“Now forgive me, for I’ll have to leave for a meeting soon. But I am most eager to meet you, and your husband, somewhere, sometime.”

You thought she would just turn away, but she is in fact waiting for your answer. So, you agree, mind still whirling. With a satisfied smile from Lady Riversong and an awkward shoulder pat from Fenris, the pair turn and disappear into the night.

Endorick is visibly relieved. “For the love of Mystra, what have you done?” he exclaims in a hushed tone, but you aren’t paying attention.

You can’t wait to tell Ma what happened.

The end

Dear all, thank you for embarking on this journey with me. I am beyond honored that you read through Ta'V and Gale's adventure, or even more so, be touched by it. Even with tears, I think this story is ultimately rather hopeful, rather optimistic. I am particularly thrilled with how many liked the original characters, with Ta'V, and especially Da! I did not expect him to be a reader's favorite (the quiet loving dad and husband who speaks with action eh?), and how it makes me smile to read all of your comments and learn your thoughts.

I think I will do a celebratory drawing giveaway in these two weeks. If you're interested in that, stay tuned!

More of my works: here

[the-griffons-saddlebag]

⚔️ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺! Hailstorm Bow
Weapon (longbow), legendary (requires attunement) ___ This bow is made of pure ice, which only becomes pliable in your hands once you attune to it. While the bow is on your person, your skin becomes covered in a thin layer of protective frost, granting you a +1 bonus to AC and immunity to cold damage. An arrow that’s fired from the bow becomes covered in ice, which deals an extra 1d6 cold damage to any target it hits. If you hit a target within 5 feet of you using the bow on your turn, the target also has disadvantage on any attack rolls it makes until the end of your current turn. The bow has 7 charges and regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn. While holding the bow, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to use either of the following properties. 𝙃𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙑𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮. For each charge you expend, you fire a magical arrow of pure ice from the bow into the sky centered directly above a point that you can see within 120 feet of you. Sharp hail then falls from the sky in a 20-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on the point. Each creature in the area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 cold damage, plus 1d8 cold damage for each expended charge after the first. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much cold damage. The hailstones then turn the area into difficult terrain until the end of your next turn. 𝙄𝙘𝙚 𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙡. For each charge you expend, you fire a magical arrow of pure ice from the bow at a different point on the ground that you can see within 120 feet of you. Each arrow then grows into a 10-foot-square panel that’s 1 foot thick and perpendicular to the ground. Each panel has AC 12, 30 hit points, and is vulnerable to fire damage. If the wall cuts through a creature’s space when it appears, the creature is pushed to one side of the wall (your choice which side) and must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 3d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Each panel remains for 1 minute or until it’s reduced to 0 hit points. ___ ✨ Patrons get huge perks! Access this and hundreds of other item cards, art files, and compendium entries when you support The Griffon's Saddlebag on Patreon for less than $10 a month!