#sterngazes

[superstarlena]

Chapter 4- Meet The Team

After agreeing to Sterngaze's terms, the party sets off for the CheddarSpice Tower. But not before meeting the rest of Ella's team accompanying her.

The team has met Peppino for less than 10 minutes and they're already shipping him with Ella.

[amo-ridere]

Farewell Sterngazer.

IDK if this is already known on here or not but, as I found out, Sterngazer, a much loved and very good Touhou Project translator, has for some reason vanished. Her (to my recollections) WordPress is gone and she’s not on Twitter anymore either. From what I’ve heard through Reddit, she doesn’t want to be contacted. 

No one knows what happened but I do know that we miss her.

[gaelshorne]

World Building Part 2

I’ve been all over the place with this. Normally, you’d start with your gods, and the creation myth. I did not. The countries, and people were my first concern. While the gods are real and meddlesome, I decided to focus  on what defines them, instead of the converse. But, I digress... First, I tackled the geography. People have to have some place to live. That is a big defining characteristic for them. On this continent, I have five countries. Each country has its own feel, geography with gradient areas between, and so on.  As a note, there is a major mountain range that runs the length of the continent. I also have only been able to focus on the western side of this range. In my head there’s kind of a “Fog of War” going on in the east. The main threat is supposed to be coming from there, so it kind of makes sense. That and it’s not my focus right now. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

In the north, we have the country of Eshax. It’s a generally cold place. In western Eshax the “Fields of Plenty” support the populous. These fields lie fallow in the winter months, but provide enough food for the entire year. As you move further east, hill and mountain country take over. Near the tip of the continent is a massive mountain dwarfed only by the Grand Mountain in Aplinea. It is called the “Cap of the World”, and from it springs the River Gallivant.  The people of Eshax are hardy, they have little choice. They tend towards the tall side of human, with lighter coloration. Think fictional vikings. Their capitol city is Fjornskald, named after their greatest hero, and founder. It lies on the western coast, and is a major sea trade hub.

Let’s follow the Gallivant River, shall we? As it meanders through the continent, it passes a now divided nation. In centuries past, the once proud nation of Amapanae was a power house, but internal struggles led to its fall. In its place are two distinct nations. Agrea to the west, and Aplinea to the east.  Agrea is a large grass plain. The humans that live there focus mainly on farming, and animal husbandry. It’s the “bread basket” for the continent. The people tend to be tallish, and a bit bowlegged from spending so much time on horseback. Their coloration tends to be darker, with black hair being common, and their skin seems to be eternally tanned. Orcs reside in the Argea plains as well. There they live a nomadic life. Similar to ancient Mongols, but with less warring, not much less, but less. In recent centuries, they seem to have cooled down, and are seeing the benefit of trade over raiding. This has made the human’s grudgingly respect them, and the knowledge they bring to the table. In the western part of Agrea, there is the Great Marsh of Galthanesh, named after a mythical dragon. There reside the lizardmen. In recent centuries, they have been making strides to join their fellow intelligent species. Some whisper it’s due to a lack of food, others say it’s due to a mysterious figure the lizardmen refer to as “the Shining Prophet.”  Aplinea is a hilly, and mountainous area. The Grand Mountain, or Old Ghira’s Peak, as it’s known to the dwarves, dominates the skyline. After the split with Agrea, the humans went into the mountains, and started to form a society there. They were somewhat more insular than the new Agreans, but they still drew the attention of the dwarves. Instead of going to war with the interloping humans, they  were directed to take mercy upon them. The Grand Priestess Thenno Sterngaze received a vision from their god, Ghira, to protect the humans. The dwarves marched down to the human’s budding town, but instead of razing it, as was feared, they assisted in building it. The humans of Aplinea tend toward the middle of human height, and run the full range of hair colors. They are a bit stockier than most humans, and their skin tends toward the lighter coloration. The dwarves of Aplinea are similar to regular fantasy dwarves, except in society. While the standard dwarf tropes apply to males, the ones for females are a bit different. When you want a fighting force that can break sieges, and ravage their enemies, you want a male dwarf army. If you want to survive a siege, or need a defensive force, you want female dwarves. A minor change, but it makes them a bit more mine. ;) 

The river flows ever southward... Vestary is next on our journey. It is the most “normal” of the fantasy country tropes. It has just about every geographical feature, and comprises a large portion of the continent. To the west are the fields that provide the food for the country, to the east, the mines and quarries in the hills and mountains. To the south are the twin forests of Eryneth, and Erynel. They’re split by the River Gallivant, known as Duinor to the elves.  The elves are a mysterious bunch here. No one knows how long they live. They just seem to show up one day with wanting to experience as much as they can. They’re around for about twenty years, and then they vanish. A similarly named elf may show up a century or so later, but is i the same one or a family member? No human knows... The half-elves have this wanderlust in spades. They can’t seem to stay in the same place for more than two years before wandering off. They are seen in a more positive light than most transients. Hal-elves usually bring news, goods, or both when they arrive. They always seem to have a story to tell, and always have interesting goods for sale. The humans of Vestary are your standard everyday humans. They run the gamut of coloration, and body styles. They do have one thing in common... rumor mongering... They are notorious for putting their nose in everyone’s business. A common saying in other lands is, “You talk more than a Vestrian house wife...” As you can see, to others it’s not a compliment, to Vesrtian? Yep... Vestrians tend toward adventuring and trade. Their capitol city is Rosemont. A walled city on a hill that overlooks a particularly wide stretch of the Gallivant. This gives them access to the river and all of its traffic. Tariffs and taxes are fair, and the people and merchants prosper. 

As the river completes its journey to the Shining Sea, we pass through the exotic country of Eplesh. Eplesh is a study in contrasts. On one hand, it’s a fertaile, and civilized land, on the other, it’s a dangerous desert that has known to swallow entire caravans. The banks of the Gallivant bring life to this arid region. There are also strips of fertility along the coasts. They work their way north from the Yawning Delta and hug the west and east coasts. The fertile areas are filled with fruit trees, palms, and other tropical, and subtropical plants. The humans tend toward the more swarthy hues, and darker. Hair colors are also dark, with the rare light brown hair thrown in. The other major race here are the hobgoblins. They are seen as the best mercenaries money can buy, and they do their best to keep this thought going. It’s usually lucrative for them, and for their clients. It’s not unheard of to have opposing hobgoblin armies actually be friends, and still fight like enemies. They know they’re bred for war, and fight and die as such. I don’t have much on the humans at this time. I know I want two distinct divisions. Like desert dwellers, and the more “civilized” be either like the ancient Egyptians, or even the ancient Indians... Hmm... I need more research...

Well, that’s all for this session. In the next, I hope to answer my own questions on the civilizations of Eplesh, and I’ll tackle the whole gods and creation myth. Until next time!

[orderandsophism]

It’s been how many years, and I still love @sterngazes

[regiusdea]

Yours are eyes that stand out in a crowd, wide, round and young, with a layer of depth to them I have not often seen. You hold a rare soul in yours.

how would your muse describe my muse’s eyes?

               She listens intently, nodding when he finishes.          She agrees with his words, she’s just surprised           to hear such things from the commander – she           didn’t think she stood out that much.                    “Th-thank you, sir.”

[racjonalny-blog]

❝ Wait a minute … someone’s watching . ❞

BANTER | THE WOLF AMONG US ; a

    rico had noticed the extra pair of eyes that followed them long ago. it had been in the way the very AIR had shifted to accommodate another body in their midst. she knew the signs. she knew what to look for, to FEEL for. she was SHARPER than steel freshly forged in cosmic fire. she was a SURVIVOR too, a warrior with finely tuned senses that would never STOP, even in the midst of allies && friends. she never felt safe. rico brzenska was always AWARE.

   at her companion’s comment, she held back a scoff with tight lips && controlled precision. her stride did not change, she did not wait. TO WAIT was to alert the watcher && that was a fool’s mistake.

         ❛ —- keep walking.

    not even a BREATH wasted. her pitch did not change. her tone neither harsh nor soft. too slippery to name – always professional, always so cold.

                   they would catch the insidious head later. for now, they must play the game.

[praeliix-blog]

✿

Send a ✿ to my inbox and my muse will fill this out about yours!

A thought about them that they’d never share: “ I wonder what he does in his free time?  He  always  seems  to  be working …  “First impression of them: “ He seems stern, but dependable. “ Favorite thing about them: His ability to lead  and  inspire  soldiersto follow him into battle and garner trustLeast favorite thing about them: How impossible it is to know what he istruly thinking or feeling– it’s hard to tellwhen he has an  ulterior  motive  whichmakes interaction with him difficult  forher and she’s constantly worried about his    intentions    with    his     behavior. Hopes for their future relationship: That she could be a soldier he can depend on.

[the-adamant]

sterngazes

He blinks once in afternoon sunlight as it beams from behind heavyset clouds above him. He blinks again to find only the illuminated moon and is smacked across the face by a stench far too reminiscent of the underground and the very driving reason he stands upon the surface today.

Levi has paid nearly no attention whatsoever to his surroundings in the past five hours. He cares not for the mud of past torrential downpour that dries to crust upon his cloak and leather boots. --Not for the acrid stench of civilization's air as he re-enters through the outermost gate to hundreds of pairs of eyes as they peer with horror, pity, and disdain. --Not for the stares he himself receives upon scattered word of mouth of his performance outside.

Slate-grey irises run down the view of cremation altars built in alignment in forming a single row; parallel to it, mismatched lengths of white sheets that envelope those lost and silenced forevermore. Death is a jealous thing, Levi surmises, never respected, coveted, or thought of in awe by a species of living things who've only interest in survival. Death leaves terrible wounds and voids of the mind in attempt to receive attention; this, he has understood from so early on.  That he should receive two of such wounds and a pair of thoughts to puncture through his conscience in one day, he was not prepared for.  That he should no longer hear the voices of his two most-coveted people-- those he thoughtfully entitled as his family to protect and eternally share his time with, Levi was not prepared for. 

[fletriis-blog]

/leers at because CURFEW

      May or may not have snuck out to grab some extra food to store       in her room. It’s why her words are sharper than she means them       to be, but she’s not going to apologize for it. Apple goes behind       her back, and she turns to look at him.                                      “—Did y’need somethin’?” 

[heendures]

“They’re coming.”

Meme; Send me a sentence for my muse’s reaction

( -♕- ):&& you can hear their stampede. it QUAKES the ground of soil coated in seas of BLOOD unseen from PRYING eyes. ( oh, but they know what lies beneath them ). They walk on BONES buried, on LIFE evaporated into obscurity. They STAND on the names FORGOTTEN with FEAR of reality that they, too, will PERISH. Terror is sickly sweet, it hangs in the air, it seeps to their pores and it is TANGIBLE. Quivering eyes, and shaking hands, PAWNS of the front line ( this is war ) BRAVE your DESPAIRING souls PLAGUE and RISE.

          THEY’RE HERE.

( oh, for whom does the bell toll?? )

       ‘I’m going ahead!’

It is said without warning, without waiting. ORDERS mean nothing when surviving HELL means everything. 

                      ( i don’t want to lose anyone else!! )

Carnal, barbarous, he BITES. Sharpened ivories lacerate ageless flesh, SELF MUTILATION. He tears and tastes the thickest of CRIMSONS, it fills his mouth; iron, the taste of combat.

‘—……!!’

               FIGHT!

AH, but it HIS cry that trembles the hearts of the LIVING. ( hope )         Humanities offense, it’s their turn now!!

[hitchisms]

Many have heard me, yet nobody has seen me, and I will not speak back when spoken to. What am I?

“Uh… Is this a trick question, Sir?”

[xkiritsu]

sterngazes replied to your post: “are you always angry or are your eyebrows just shaped that way to...”:

Too many times have I heard this before...

well you do look a bit angry at all times.

[praeliix-blog]

sterngazes has arrived

     ↳  Failure.  She was a failure.   Ellen shuffled her feet through the corridors, head bowed, as she mused on her shortcomings.  She had been training her titan shifting with Hange and while she could now easily make a shift-- knowing that she had to have a concrete goal was all it took to overcome that hurdle, and it was easy enough for her to find reason-- she could not yet control her titan form.  Certainly, she had some semblance of control at first, following Hange’s commands with ease and going through the motions of the experiment, but within moments, all of that "control” had evaporated, leaving her as mindless and dangerous as any other titan. 

     ↳  She had lost control again, she posed a threat to her comrades again, the captain had had to cut her out again, she had completely and utterly failed again.  To make matters worse, she couldn’t even remember. She had yet to ever retain memories from her titan form, only having a general inkling of overwhelming heat when within the titan shape, and it was even more discouraging to hear of her shortcomings secondhand; her comrades sugar-coated things to spare her, she wondered just how much they weren't telling her.

     ↳How could she truly become “Humanity’s Last Hope” when all she brought was disappointment?  Really, the thought that she could bring hope to anyone filled her with bitter amusement; she couldn't even bring hope  herself.  

     ↳She was lost in these thoughts and wasn't paying attention to her surroundings or to where she stepped-- a mistake, as a true soldier should always be aware of their area-- and nearly missed the sight of two booted feet on the ground before her.  She jumped back, avoiding the near-collision, and her head snapped up into attention.  Realizing that it was the commander who stood in front of her, she quickly straightened her back and brought her fist to her chest in a salute.

     { "Commander, I apologize.  I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

    ↳  She chewed on her lower lip in thought-- she wondered if he had heard of her failures in training today?  Doubtless he had.  She sighed and bowed her head.

    { "I apologize also for my failure today.  I promise I will work harder. 

     ↳The promise wasn't empty.  She fully intended to train harder, to work harder, to master her titan form.  At this point, she is willing to do whatever it would take.

[the-adamant]

What word is shorter when you add two letters to it?

“For the love of Trost, do you sincerely have nothing else to take pleasure in besides tormenting your subordinates when you aren’t up to your bolo tie in paperwork? You could spare a guy once in a while.”

[THE ANSWER IS “SHORT” >:U] 

[hanswrittenarchive-blog]

It doesn't look serious.

[polishedforsurvival]

❦ /bye--

Send me a ❦ and my muse will give yours a piggyback ride

He huffs, cursing under his breath at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. It’d be humiliating if he wasn’t already planning a way to get back at him for it later. “Been indulging in seconds at supper lately, Erwin? You’re lucky I haven’t fallen on my ass.” Not that the commander’s necessarily too heavy for him, but having a man much larger than himself on his back is proving to be a challenge to Levi’s balance.

"So, Erwin." Eyes on the path ahead, he’s looking less than enthusiastic. "Remind me again why I’m carrying you around like a child."