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beyondtheroll · 8 days ago

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Strix Alenka

((bio under the cut!))

Race: Tabaxi (snow leopard appearance)

Gender: agender (they/them)

Age: 38 years old

Height: 6'1"

Voice Claim: Charlize Theron (specifically her role as Monkey in Kubo and the Two Strings; audio example)

Hometown: Larnwick, Orkala Juna Outpost, Halivaara

Orientation: queer

Occupation: Ranger

Language(s): Kaalabi*; Common

*when speaking Kaalabi, I'll write whatever they say {between these brackets} to help differentiate it from common.

Family: Turek Alenka (father); Daleth Alenka (mother, deceased); Reyhana Alenka (older sister, deceased); Jiran Alenka (brother, deceased); Voru Alenka (brother)

Identifiable Marking(s): torn left ear

Associated Item(s): panpipes; simple longbow and leather quiver; magistonite dagger; luminous amulet

Notable Habit(s): whiskers twitching when amused; torn ear flicking at random; crossing their arms over their chest

Personality Trait(s):

positive: steadfast, loyal

neutral: cautious, strong-willed, deadpan

negative: reserved, relentless

Bonus: spotify; pinterest

Background:

cw/tw for: war, death, trauma, and depression

Orkala was a small, mountainous kingdom north of Archadia and east of Landis - further up in the mountains away from the coast - and home to the Tabaxi. The capital, Larnwick, sat closer toward the base of the mountains, though high enough for it to prove challenging to reach, and below the mines. Other races were a rare sight anywhere in Orkala and were usually only travelers, as the Tabaxi kept primarily to themselves - almost closed off from the rest of Ivalice, aside from the occasional travel outside their borders. They were peaceful and content with their way of living, and would have gone unnoticed, had it not been for the one thing that made Orkala known to many across the lands: magistonite.

Magistonite was a gemstone formed from decayed magicite. It lacked the full power offered by magicite, but it still contained enough magicks for anything made with it to be enchanted. It was strong and nearly unbreakable, highly valued and sought for its properties, and incredibly rare.

And it became a resource Archadia wanted.

Strix was the youngest triplet born to Turek and Daleth Alenka. Their father was Captain in Larnwick's militia and their mother was a jewelsmith, both highly respected in Larnwick, and their older sister, Reyhana, worked in the magistonite mines. Their family was tight-knit and warm, and Strix grew up happy and loved, close with both their siblings and their parents. But they dreamed of the outside world - of wild adventures and faraway lands, much to the dismay of their parents, and often talked to their brother, Jiran, of one day leaving Orkala and setting off as a sky pirate.

As they grew older, they helped Reyhana occasionally with her work, although was forbidden from going beyond the mouth of the mines without proper training. They were still too young, despite their insistence they wouldn't do any harm, and instead helped carry what minerals and stones were mined back to Larnwick. Voru was often seen following their father around as Turek trained him, and Jiran spent time with Daleth to help sell her wares. And when the triplets turned sixteen, Daleth crafted each of them their own unique amulet, just as she had for her eldest daughter. For Strix, it was a luminous amulet with a piece of magistonite, meant to remind them of home and the love of their family if they decided to leave Larnwick when they were older.

A year later, Archadia launched an attack. They didn't use magicite, as they would on Landis two years following their siege on Orkala, but their forces were still devastating to the small community. The Tabaxi fought back against the Archadians with Turek leading the charge, but it was a hopeless endeavor from the start. Archadia's forces were too great and could not be held back, and Larnwick was soon destroyed with many left dead in the wake of the cruel Empire. But as a desperate resort to prevent Archadia from getting to the magistonite, Reyhana rallied Strix and a few other miners together, and the small group fled for the mines amidst the chaos of battle, and destroyed the only way into the mines.

They gathered what explosives they had, normally used in small amounts in controlled conditions, and ran deep into the mines - setting the devices deep within and all the way to the mouth to ensure there would be no chance of Archadia finding the precious gemstone. But their plan went south when an explosive went off too soon, and--

Reyhana and a few others were caught in the collapse. Their mission was successful, but at a heavy cost. Strix tried to go back for their sister, but was held back by another to keep them from getting themself killed, and despite their devastation, they were able to be pulled away just before Archadia soldiers arrived at the mines. Although it was too late to save Larnwick, the collapse of the mine signified the end of the siege, and Archadia soon left. Without a way to access the magistonite, without knowledge of how to find more of it, and with the rarity of the gemstone, they decided it was no longer worth the effort. Their attack was painted as a necessity - a lie spread that Orkala had allied itself with Rozarria, and they had been a threat that needed to be dealt with. It was a battle that was swept aside, except for those that survived.

Strix would reunite with Turek and Voru, but Daleth and Jiran had been killed in the attack. The three were devastated and Turek swore his hatred to Archadia, and made his children promise they would never leave. Strix and Voru were quick to make such a promise, and with the other survivors, they scrounged what supplies they could find, and left.

No aid came to them from other kingdoms - something that only further Turek's bitterness. Their journey was long and arduous, and some fell along the way, but as they left Archadia's borders, the survivors split ways. Some decided to go to Bhujerba, feeling as though there would be safety in the high-flying city, while the rest decided they would travel even further. Halivaara, located west of Mt Bur-Omisace, was an old settlement of the Tabaxi, and the hope that it still stood was enough to fuel them. They would be far from Archadia and even further from home, but... the distance was needed. Strix hoped the further they were, the less it would hurt, but...

Their grief remained, and sharpened in anger and hatred of the Archadian Empire. They swore they would do whatever it took to see the end of it, and decided that would take precedence over the promise they had made to their father. Once their people were settled, they would leave, and seek those that shared the same goal.

As if the gods had taken pity, once the survivors reached Halivaara, they found the old Tabaxi settlement still standing. It was built in the side of the Halivaara mountain itself - as strong as the day it was completed, although worn. With repairs, it would become their home again, and the survivors settled in the newly named Juna Outpost - a hidden secret to Ivalice, but close to Mt Bur-Omisace, which would give them access to resources and aid when needed.

Strix became a ranger while Voru became a guard, and they spent days prowling the frozen forests that surrounded the mountain. Threats were driven away while those in need of refuge were sent on their way to Mt Bur-Omisace, as travelers could easily get lost in the connecting mountains and forests. They hunted and brought back their kills to the Outpost so their people could eat, but they never lost sight of their plan. And, a year after their people settled in Juna Outpost, Strix bid their father and brother farewell, despite their pleas for them to stay, and left.

Their travels brought them across Ivalice, from the Ozmone Plain to Balfonheim. To Bhujerba to Rabanastre and Nabudis. They made friends and enemies, and discovered the stirring Resistance - slowly gaining traction as Archadia continued her westward march toward Rozarria. Yet... Strix was not quick to join, unwilling to put themself at risk with something so new, and instead opted to watch from afar. Their anger remained, but in their travels, they were beginning to question their motives. To be exposed to other cultures and other races, to meet those who loved or hated or felt indifferent toward the Empire, began to change their view. It had been so easy to believe the Archadian Empire to be a monolith of evil, but... although reluctant to accept it, they were beginning to see there was far more to it than they once believed.

Strix remained a far traveler, even as weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. They continued to meet new people and continued to learn new things about Ivalice, and even as Archadia continued her war on Ivalice, their hatred began to fall away. While they helped the Resistance when they could, they decided it was better to focus on the people. They would travel to places recently attacked by Archadia, and focused on helping the survivors - something that began to lead them to Mt Bur-Omisace, as refugees began to flee to the holy sanctuary in the south.

And after several years of exploring Ivalice, Strix returned home.

They were not warmly welcomed by the others in the beginning, with many suspicious of where they had been and what they had done, and some convinced they would only leave again when things grew tough. But Turek and Voru welcomed them with open arms, and it was there they decided to remain. Strix became a ranger once more, having their fill of adventure and horrors of war, and focused on making sure their people would continue to survive. But they had a softer heart, compared to the other Taxabi, something that frustrated and worried their father, and they were unable to stay away from Mt Bur-Omisace for long. Although they would never be gone from Juno Outpost for more than a week, they would occasionally return to the holy sanctuary to help those in need - offering food and medical attention - and always returning home with something extra to help their own people. Their travels taught them how to heal with magicks and herbs, and they wanted to offer aid that they and their people never received when they needed it the most.

They continue to split their time between Juna Outpost and Mt Bur-Omisace, though as Archadia's shadow grows ever larger, their urge to fight back grows with it. Although they don't want to leave their people again - especially their father, who's old age has brought failing health and eyesight - they have promised to do whatever it takes to ensure a brighter future for all, instead of hiding away in the unforgiving mountains.

#((I'll include a picture in the future! I snagged a commission slot recently to get a design for them #so once that's done I'll update their bio to include it!))#about the muse

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l-r-christian · 2 years ago

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Title: 'Tied to one' part seven

Pairing: Poly!Mikaelsons x Witch!Black!Reader, mostly Klaus

Warnings: Fluff just Fluff, Spicy, Klaus being soft

A/N: I finally returned to this series after a spark of inspiration

Masterlist

A few days after the Strix party both Aiden and Kaine stayed to get to know their baby sister's soulmates as Y/N sat on the floor of her bedroom with things to make jewelry spread out. Y/N wanted to make her soulmates a gift and decided on doing protective charms that were simple pendents of their family crest. Y/N spent the day getting cute little animal charms and gem stones that matched her soulmates soulmates's strings colors.

Y/N sat working on Rebekah's first since she was more tougher to do. It was sterling silver chain with a tiger charm hanging off the chram as the gem stones matching the sapphire, ivory and royal purple colored as the gems were place around the family crest that was a pendant as Y/N work she noticed a fourth color on each of the strings.

'A fourth color is a color you share with your soulmates. It means you have a strong bond.' Y/N smiled remembering what her grandmother told her as she looked at Rebekah's string seeing a fiery rose color mixing with the pastels and Rebekah's colors.

Y/N shared a gorgeous turquoise with Kol, with Klaus she shared a silvery blue, Elijah and her shared a champagne color and Finn shared royal lilac with Y/N. The witch smiled just watching the colors mixing and glowing softly.

"I didn't know we shared such pretty colors." Y/N said gently touching the strings unaware that her soulmates were somewhere feeling a shiver of pleasure go down their backs as the strings glowed brighter.

Y/N smiled finishing up her gifts going to Rebekah first and got peppered with kisses then headed to Finn smiled kissing Y/N softly taking the gift. Kol had spent a good hour holding their little witch after accepting the gift before she could see Elijah who happily took the gift giving her a soft kiss.

"Nik, are you busy?" Y/N asked as the hybrid was sitting in front of a blank canvas as he told her no. Y/N smiled moving next to the hybrid feeling him pull her into his lap nuzzling her neck.

"No ideas?"

"No. I missed you, my love." Klaus muttered against Y/N's neck when he felt cool metal around his neck looking at the pendent that was next the wolf charm. Klaus smiled seeing the gem stones matching his soul strings finding her work just gorgeous.

Y/N squealed when she was suddenly on her back on top of a bed that was in the studio and Klaus kissing her deeply. Klaus gripped her thighs groaning against her mouth when Y/N grinding her hips his. Y/N gripped the back of Klaus's shirt whining as Klaus's kisses got rougher and Y/N's hand gripped his hair.

"Nik...please." Y/N breathed as Klaus was leaving dark marks on her neck and pulled away undressing her and moved to her thighs enjoying the moans he was pulling her. Klaus moved to to her abdomen leaving marks there then an idea entered Klaus's mind. Y/N moaned loudly as pleasure shot though her body when Klaus touched their soul string.

"Can't speak love?" Klaus teased watching Y/N writhing under the hybrid as his fingers moved along the string watching her with dark eyes.

"Nik....more." Y/N whimpered as Klaus growled gripping her thighs as he made her arch off the bed when his mouth came down on her soaked core. Klaus groaned against Y/N when she pulled his hair as his tongue found her clit.

"You taste divine love, I want more."

Finn was looking for Y/N and wasn't surprised to find her in Klaus's art studio where she layed on her belly in the bed with Klaus in only pants. Klaus was painting their soulmate in her soul colors, Finn found the painting just beautiful and looked at Y/N seeing the sunlight hit her giving her bronze skin a glow. Finn got Klaus's attention when he stepped into the studio.

"Came looking for our beloved?"

"I have. I see you had some fun with her." Finn says stepping over to the bed tracing the tattoo on her back as Klaus finished the painting as Finn moved to see it smiling as Klaus's talents had only grown.

"I see you have managed to capture her beauty Niklaus." Elijah says having stepped into the studio also looking for Y/N. Elijah smiled seeing Y/N nuzzle one of the pillows as Klaus and Finn looked her over.

"You three are being creepy."

"Sorry beloved." Finn says leaning over kissing Y/N's cheek and Elijah moved over lifting her up sheet and all making her giggle as the three men brighten at the sound as the strings glowed brightly. Klaus let Elijah and Finn take Y/N without a fight as both vampires wanted to take their soulmate out for dinner.

"Don't be out too late."

"We won't Nik." Y/N teased back making Elijah chuckle carrying her out as Finn and Klaus laughed.

#L.R writes #elijah mikaelson imagine #klaus mikaelson imagine #kol mikaelson imagine #rebekah mikaelson imagine #finn mikaelson imagine #mikaelson family x reader #Mikaelson family imagine

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dailycharacteroption · 4 years ago

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Animal Trainer (Pathfinder 2nd Edition Archetype)

The circus and animals have long gone together like peanut butter and jelly, as people enjoy seeing exotic beasts from across the world and the skill of animal trainers helping even the most mundane of animals perform extraordinary feats.

That being said, circuses and animals have, historically, not had the greatest track record, with a long string of cases of animal abuse, negligent conditions, and other inhumane practices marring that history across different companies and troupes.

Thankfully, in a fantasy RPG in which the player characters are circus performers, be it Extinction Curse or something else, they can live out a scenario where their circus would never dream of harming the animals in their care.

While the animal trainer archetype is circus themed, it really only has one feat that ties it to the circus life, and the ability to grant full animal companion mastery to any class can be a great boon to those seeking to fight alongside a bestial companion.

The dedication for this archetype grants a young animal companion, albeit one that is trained to perform rather than what they are normally associated with skill-wise.

While perfectly adept at interacting with beasts mundanely, many animal trainers pick up the basic magic to speak to beasts, and become adept at convincing them to act on their behalf.

Eventually, their animal companion matures, and furthers it’s training in performance, even able to entrance with such maneuvers.

Masters of guiding animals, the trainers are rarely disobeyed.

There companions also continue to grow, growing into strong or agile examples of their species.

This comes to a full head when they develop fully, specializing in an appropriate way.

Even if you don’t use the circus motif, this archetype is an excellent way to grant an animal companion to a class that otherwise would not get one. Naturally, this works best with classes that gain no access to animal companions normally, but if you really wish you could try blending whatever specialized abilities of a class like druid or ranger with the ability to command and train animals for performances the way the archetype can. These can be anything from acrobatic performers that act alongside their animals, to those that command them to do tricks for onlookers, perhaps even performing magic with them.

With this archetype, your character is implied to have a particularly strong bond with one specific animal, though as part of a circus, they may also have other animals that they train as well, though one certainly remains more special than the others to them.

Living in the flooded city of Shariv, Gellin Barter befriended a crocodile whelp in her childhood. Naming him Leviathan, she has trained him to perform all sorts of underwater tricks, the massive reptile leaping high out of the water to bite treats and signal marks, all to earn coin from tourists.

Not content to stay on the ground, the strix known by her stage name of Peregrin is not content to stay on the ground while commanding her trained eagle, but rather joins her in the air, performing acrobatic diving and flying stunts through hoops and other perilous hairpin turns.

Unable to be convinced otherwise. Baron Valkner seeks a hieracosphinx for his circus menagerie, planning to train the creature into a worthy addition to his performance lineup. However, he sorely underestimates the cruel intelligence of such beings, and only disaster would result from such an endeavor.

#pathfinder 2nd edition #archetype #animal trainer #crocodile #strix #heiracosphinx #Legacy of the Lost God

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sagittarising · 6 years ago

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Four - Strix - Jaques Station - Colonia

18 Oct, 3302

The silent moment stretched on as the two sisters sipped their coffee, the one watching him warily, the other digesting his words. She blinked suddenly in surprise and looked at him, her green eyes wide.

"You... took us here? Oh... Well... Thank you. Pan! Be nice and tell him thank you!" The thought flashed through his mind as she spoke that some people did not leave cryogenic sleep unscathed. Unburned. Yet, as strange as she seemed - as strange as they both seemed - they were different than those who were sleep burnt. She was a puzzle. They both were.

Pandora returned her gaze stolidly, wordlessly sipping her coffee.

"Please don't turn us into slaves! We're not that suited to that lifestyle", the girl stuttered before freezing. Her pale brows furrowed in thought as she watched him.

"Mateo? Satsuma?" She could barely force the words out, her green eyes never leaving his face. She carefully set her cup down in the saucer and inhaled deeply.

"Oh my goodness", she gasped, shivering. "I am such a fan of yours! Oh my goodness! I keep track of your data, you know. Oh, the things you bring back... So wonderful! Can I have your autograph?" Her words tumbled out one after the other, ever faster. He chuckled uncomfortably as the girl began to bounce in her seat, excitement shining from her.

Pandora winced, then took his hand, shaking it in a businesslike manner. "Pan", she murmured. "Short for Pandora. My unstable sister is Eve." She released his hand, then sipped her coffee again.

"I can introduce myself!" Eve glared at Pan before turning back to Mateo, smiling brilliantly. "Hello, Mister Mateo, I'm Eve. Doctor Eve. I'm a biologist."

"It's... It's a pleasure to meet you both", he replied. He could feel his face burning in embarrassment, but he didn't know why. Was he embarrassed for himself? For her? He looked away, taking in the comfortable galley. The little table with its tablecloth, clips holding it on against gravity. A string of colored lights wound along the cabinets, and he suddenly could see himself as they must see him. A recluse. Someone who had no idea how to deal with people. He had been alone in space for a year, after all. More than a year. If you counted the time he'd spent in his escape capsule, he had spent more time alone in space than he had among people in gravity. He quickly shut down that line of thought, his brow furrowing at the painful memory.

He pushed all that down and suddenly was himself again. He grinned, then held up his hands in mock surrender. "And don't worry", he added, "you're not going to be slaves. I'll find a way to get you back where you need to go, wherever that is." He picked up his coffee and sipped before the thought occurred to him. "Speaking of that", he said, blinking, "where were you going? Unreal said he found you two in deep space, out towards the Sagittarius arm. It's not exactly a typical place for a liner to fly."

Eve stilled, her brow furrowing again, as if she were remembering something painful. "It... It was a research voyage", she said. "We were headed out that way to collect and record data. Then I guess something happened. I think... I think there was an explosion."

"Nothing on that ship would have caused an explosion", Pan said forcefully. She sipped her coffee, but he could see a muscle jumping in her jaw. "Point is, that's gone up in flames, and we don't have anywhere to go now." Her eyes met his and he felt a shock pass through him.

"That's gone up in flames, and you don't have anywhere to go", he agreed. "You probably won't believe me, but I know exactly how that feels. So, I'll tell you what. I'll help you out. I've got a little money set aside from selling data here. What do you need? What do you want to do?"

Eve blinked at him, then blushed suddenly, furiously. "No! You don't have to pay for a single thing! We can take care of ourselves!" She turned excitedly to her sister, her hands clenching and unclenching.

"We'll take the money", Pan said bluntly. Eve opened her mouth, then closed it again and nodded.

"We want to go back out into deep space", Eve said, almost sheepishly. "I want to go back out into deep space. I want to collect data. I want to learn more. I want to see everything. I want to discover new forms of life on planets." The words came out in a sudden rush again. It was as if she only had two modes of speech: Embarrassed, and relentlessly excited.

"I just want to be on a good ship and take care of it", Pandora murmured softly. "I'm a mechanic."

"Neither of us are pilots", Eve added breathily. "We don't know how to fly a ship. Well, Pan does, a little, but I can't. And..." Her voice dropped, furtive and quiet. "But we can't go out on our own..."

They would take the money. He looked at the pair of them, so alike and yet so different. He felt a sudden pang, a stabbing sensation in his stomach. He barely knew their names. He had known them for only about fifteen minutes - hell, they had stowed away on his ship! Yet suddenly the galley, in which he had enjoyed his silence with only the twinkling light for company, seemed lonely. He could see the dim chamber of the lounge with the holotable he had pulled out of the spare stateroom, and it struck him that despite everything he had here, he hadn't heard laughter or voices in months. More. And now they would take the money he offered and get off his ship and go on with their lives while he went on with his.

But the sudden glances Pandora gave Eve. There was more they weren't saying. The way they reacted when he spoke of finding them transport home. They were running from something. Running from something that drove them out into the black. That left them stranded at this space station so far from home.

"You know", he said, a hint of nervousness in his voice, "if that's what you want... There isn't any passenger service out here. You might wait months on this station for a trader with free berths who will sell you a passage back home. And it might take weeks to make the trip."

He looked down at the table, then back up at them, meeting their eyes in turn. "I'm leaving in a couple of weeks on an expedition. Something for IGER, the Institute for Galactic Exploration and Research. If you came along, you'd see some interesting sights. We're going to pass through a number of nebula on the way, and we'll be seeing the Great Annihilator and Sagittarius A." He paused to see Eve's reaction. Sagittarius A. The supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. There was something poetic about it. Something symbolic. He turned to Pandora, still speaking in the same reasonable, even voice. "And if you're looking for a good ship to take care of, there are few better than Strix. It's not exactly the warship it used to be, but it's a solid ship, and it's got long legs. You two could come along. I've got the room, and it would give you a chance to get your feet again. To figure out what you'll do."

Eve opened her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelieve. "S-s-s-s-s-s-sagitt..." She was stuttering, unable to complete the word. Pandora's face paled with surprise before she cupped her sister's chin and gently closed her mouth.

"Thank you", she said quietly. "Strix is a good ship. I'd be honored."

Eve tried to speak again, fumbling with the sounds before Pandora sighed and gently stroked Eve's cheek. "Yes", Pandora said. "Sagittarius A*."

Eve drew a shuddering breath, and then the words tumbled out of her again. "Yes! I would love to! We! We would love to! Pan! This is perfect! An expedition with a real explorer! Oh my! So much to learn from you!"

Pandora raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lip quirking as she looked at him. "You sure you want us with you, in this ship, for a long time?"

#Pandora #Eve #Colonia #Strix #Satsuma

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elyssebeeart · 7 years ago

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Starlit Garden

A writing commission for @spottedwings-psychicdreams (PDF on dA)

Series: Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go Pairing: FandomxCanon (MhairixGibson) Word count: ~4k Rating: G Previous: Save the Last Dance For Me

“Alright, that’s two carbonated fruit infused beverages filled to near maximum capacity. Both managed to survive that onslaught.” Gibson smiled in triumph, holding the pair of drinks he’d managed to snag. It was suppose to be a simple recovery mission but instead the robotic blue simian had found himself swamped by people wishing to meet him and quiz him about the team’s exploits. The Grypherian gala had turned into a full-blown social event.

Momentarily detained by enthusiastic fans Gibson was forced to stop and humor the folks, some whom he was certain were political figures; he swore someone tried to swipe his bowtie just to have something belonging one of the legendary Hyperforce.

Finally after a few minutes, exactly 8 minutes 30.3 seconds, he politely excused himself and made way back to where he came. However the intended recipient of the other glass was nowhere to be seen, the spot where he’d left her now vacant.

“Mhairi?” He blinked, realizing he was talking to thin air, and looked around, trying to spot his companion for the evening. He heard a string of angry mutters and a few foreign curses as he saw one Grypherian hopping on one foot, grumbling about something. He caught bits of the utterance thanks to his enhanced audio receivers:

“-crazy! Good for nothing dirt scratcher-”

Instantly he frowned and turned away, shifting his gaze over the crowd to spot his teammate. It was a sea of almost all Grypherians, ones with various shades of fur and feather color, shapes and sizes. There was no familiar yellow fur with black spots however indicating Mhairi was no longer here. He made his way towards the edge of the large room, noting the balcony that open doors led to.

As he stepped out onto the open night air, grasping the glasses still, he spotted her leaning against the rail, looking out into the scenery. She was dressed in an elegant green dress and had white heels on and it made Gibson flush as she stood there. However her face looked stormy, half way between calm and sad.

“You okay?”

Mhairi glanced at him seemingly surprised he was there but just let out a sigh, closing her blue eyes. “Yeah. Some people just get under my skin. Sorry I disappeared.”

“It is fine, no worries. It is perfectly rational.”

“It’s just, I thought things were changing and then I run into someone like that jerk. Then it’s like I’m back to square one.”

Gibson was quiet, not willing to pry and simply lend a sympathetic ear. Silence sometimes was the best comfort one could offer and just let another talk.

“I’m just standing there minding my own business when this eggbrain walks up to me, all smiles and pleasantries. He begins by praising my work with you guys, the great heroes of the universe, and then proceeds to talk about my reputation. Goes on and says I’ve come a long way from having a stormy temper that made others ‘disinterested’ in working with me; how I’ve become respectable.”

It was true Mhairi did have a bit of a temper as well as a sharp tongue, but like all people it was a flaw and she was working on hers. Gibson admired how far she’d come from her cutting tone and abrasiveness towards him when they’d first met. He was snapped out of his momentary playback of the memories as Mhairi continued.

“I managed to keep calm and just nod. Though I swear if I had teeth I’d be grinding them.” She gripped the railing harder with her talons, her brow furrowing. “But just as I’m about to excuse myself the featherclod goes and says in this total sugarcoated voice: At least you have something to show for your research and work now. Can’t say the same for that crazy uncle of yours. He’s not respectable in the slightest with his featherbrained claims and fabricated findings.”

“And you lost it.” Gibson surmised, noting the hopping Grypherian he saw. It didn’t take a genius to guess she’d stomped full force on his foot, making use of her heels.

Mhairi shrugged as she looked at him. “I swear I would have done a sonic scream and ranted if I opened my mouth. Can’t really make much of a scene at a fancy gala, it’ll reflect badly on the museum.”

“Very logical.”

“I’m just sick of people talking badly about Uncle Strix. I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for him and his passion. Even when others looked down on him he continued his search for knowledge and the truth. He’d tell me not to mind them, that some people are just naturally birdbrains with little room for anything but a few thoughts. He said we’d eventually prove our work and we did… but everyone thinks that I, his niece, somehow escaped the full-blown crazy gene and got success by cutting ties.”

“Well, you are both respectable members of the scientific and historical community in my book.”

Mhairi gave a little nod, a small smile tweaking her mouth but it disappeared, “Did you know there is a rumor that I ran off with the Hyperforce just to get away? That the only reason I have success is because I was under the wing of the legendary heroes? That my uncle was dragging me down with his crazy talk?”

“Now that is crazy.” Gibson frowned back, “Your achievements are your own, not because of the team. Maybe we helped give you an opportunity to further expand your horizons and research but it was you who found and deciphered the map, uncovered ancient Grypherian artifacts that lead to the truth and even helped start mending the centuries old feud with the Aquarians. Your uncle lit the way to your passion and helped guide you, train you. He is as creditable for his accomplishments as you.”

“I know… I just wish others knew the truth so they’d shut their beaks. And not just know but accepted it, like how they accepted the lies we’ve been telling in our history lessons but this time it’s the truth.”

“We know the truth, and one day others will too given enough time. You’re a strong person who is persistent and I’m sure eventually someone’s going to have to lend you their high ranking ear to acknowledge not just your accomplishments but your uncle’s as well.”

“Hm, hopefully.” She murmured, a light blush coloring her cheeks as the night air gently brushed her fur. A talon reached up and pushed her hair back out of her face. “Thanks.”

“Here.” He offered one of the drinks he was still holding. “You look like you could use it about now.”

“Thank you. That jerk better be thankful he just got away with an aching foot. If I’d had this earlier he’d be drenched and in pain.” She reached out and took the glass, seeming to consider going back and doing just that but resigned as thanks to her companion she felt much more at ease.

“I don’t know, he looked hopping mad when I saw him.” Gibson cracked, smirking as he took a sip of the bubbly drink. Mhairi however slightly choked as she took a drink right as she heard the pun.

The Grypherian’s coughs subsided into laughter, tears in her eyes as she wiped them away. “That one was pretty good.”

“My humor is superb, nearly equal to my high intellect. Got to keep modest though and not be a genius at all things.”

Mhairi smiled knowingly, thinking back on Gibson’s past attempts at humor. It was precious to see him attempt to make a joke in order to cheer her up, even if it was corny. She paused for a moment, placing the glass on the railing as she glanced out towards the scenery once more. “Want to do something more fun than this stuffy old gala?”

“Like what?”

“You have to catch me first and find out.” She grinned and suddenly took off down the stairs connecting to the balcony. Despite wearing heels the Grypherian moved rather speedily, the clacks of the shoes hitting pavement that turned into dirt becoming faint as she gained distance.

“Ah! Mhairi!” Gibson called, caught off guard. He hastily placed his glass on the railing as well and hurried after the disappearing figure.

“Hurry up, slowpoke!” She answered back, not slowing down in the slightest.

The two ran through giant hedges that served as walls, seemingly entering a maze. Gibson could hear Mhairi laughing and caught glimpses of her as she paused to make sure he wasn’t too far behind. Thankfully the bell on her neck gently jingled and it was enough to tip the simian off as to where she’d gone.

After a few minutes of chasing the maze seemed to end, opening up. The Grypherian was waiting patiently for her companion to catch up. She stood there beaming in the moonlight, hands behind her back as Gibson exited the maze.

“Ta da~” Mhairi sang, gesturing to the scenery around them. From where the walls of hedge ended it opened up to a wide area that was full of trees and flowers. In the middle was a fountain whose centerpiece was a Grypherian holding a telescope in one talon and pointing with the other to the sky above. “What do you think?”

“Beautiful.” Gibson breathed, staring at Mhairi as she stood beneath the fresh moonlight, a gentle night breeze ruffling her hair and dress. He snapped his mouth shut and cleared his throat, shifting his gaze to the rest of the scenery as he came forward. “Amazing, what is this place? I’ve never seen such botanical life forms.”

“This is the Museum Garden. I use to come here as a cub. Funny enough this place has been here for ages yet hardly anyone comes here. It’s like a secret garden now.”

“Well it’s certainly not abandoned, the life here looks well taken care of.” He observed, drawing near to some of the flowers. “This looks like some kind of wildflower variety but they are managed so they grow naturally without crowding the other specie.”

“There’s an old caretaker here that lives on the grounds. She’s really nice though she appears rather grouchy and abrasive, namely if she thinks you’re going to ruin the plants. Just don’t try making flower crowns with freshly bloomed buds.”

“Sounds like someone not to be trifled with.”

Mhairi let out a laugh. “You have no idea. Though I got to know her well enough she actually tolerates me calling her Miss Fyre. I haven’t been back here in years though, but it looks like she’s keeping the place going.”

“How’d you know about this place?”

“When I was a cub I used to run and hide here. This place was like my sanctuary.”

“Hide? From what?”

“Different things.” She shrugged but her face showed the memory was fresh. “Mostly when I got into fights over people talking bad about my uncle, people calling me names, me getting into trouble… just being upset for whatever reason like cubs do.”

“I’m sorry.” Was all he could offer, knowing it was the past but that those were still sore spots for her. “People can be rather cold-hearted and lack proper cerebral activity even though they have adequate cranial capacity.”

“Thanks.” Mhairi smirked, appreciating his unique way of trying to cheer her up. “Come on, I’ll show you around. It’s actually quite large.”

“Lead the way.” Gibson gestured, joining her side as the two began their tour through the seemingly secret garden.

“This place is beautiful during the day but at night it’s magical.” Mhairi informed, pointing at a few identical plants spread about the place. “See those? They are lunaris flowers, they bloom during the nighttime under the moon’s glow. During a full moon they will release luminous spores that float upwards so it looks like they’re releasing light. And see those? They’re stellarium! At night they twinkle from the sunlight they’ve absorbed during the day, watch!”

“An archeologist and a biologist! Who knew?” Gibson praised, smiling at Mhairi as the two stopped before the stellarium as they pulsed from bright to faint, seemingly twinkling.

“These flowers have appeared throughout our history, including as carvings on ancient artifacts; our current ruler, Queen Sahara, has them on her emblem as well as a sun to represent the light will never disappear, day or night. But I admit I learned more about them just by hanging out here in the garden and watching.”

“Fascinating!”

“Plus I sort of got impromptu lessons from Miss Fyre if I hung around long enough. She’d rope me into helping her out and teach me, telling me moping would do me no good and if I loved digging so much I should put that trait to good use.”

“Seems like sound advice.”

She nodded before hopping up onto the nearby low brick wall that kept the dirt off the path and began walking on top. She balanced with a cat’s grace as she went along, Gibson following along with a watchful eye.

“Be careful.”

“Please, I’m an expert at balancing! I use to do this all the time as a cub.”

“Well, doing that in heels may not be the safest idea.”

“Is that a challenge?” She grinned as she moved along, her arms spread to help create a counterbalance. “I’ll take you up on it. Come up here, we can take turns wearing them.”

“No thanks. I’d rather stick with what I know and stay on the ground. Enjoy though.”

“Hm, that’s what I like about you. Ever the grounded one with logic and reasoning, calculating all the facts to make sure the odds are favorable.”

“Huh, really? I thought you liked something else about me.”

“Like what?”

“My sexy accent.” Gibson grinned, an eyebrow raised as he glanced at her. “At least, that’s what I heard.”

“Wha-” She exclaimed, flushing red as she whirled around to face him. As she did so her heel caught on the bricks and snapped. One minute she was on top and the next she was falling.

Instantly Gibson was right next to her, arms ready and she fell into them. The monkey held her tight, saving her from impacting the ground though the fall would have been rather short but mildly painful.

“Whoa.” She breathed, catching her breath from the momentary scare. As she composed herself she looked at Gibson and flushed again, her yellow fur turning scarlet.

“Well I was planning to sweep you off your feet this evening, I just didn’t expect it to be this way.”

“What did you mean by that?” Mhairi demanded, her face in her talons as she tried to calm down, feeling the warmth beneath her feathers. She was too flustered to try to jump out of his arms; and honestly she didn’t mind except how she ended up there.

“Sweep you off your feet? I was considering-“

“No, not that! The other thing!” She insisted, turning even redder in Gibson’s arms.

“Like I said, that’s what I heard.”

“From whom!?”

“Straight from the horse’s mouth. Well, the Grypherian’s mouth.”

“You heard that?” She just about shrieked burying her face into her talons, feeling a new wave of embarrassment wash over her. The fact he’d heard her outburst confession regarding her feelings for him some time ago made her want to dig a hole and join the flowers. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It was before the big mission. We all had a lot on our mind and I had to figure out my feelings while trying to save the universe.”

“Is that why you gave me the bell?” She tentatively touched her collar that had the item fastened to it.

“Partly yes, I admit. I wanted to give you something to remember me by and show my appreciation for all you’d done. I honestly wasn’t sure if you still felt the same way and with you leaving, I didn’t want to hinder your plans of returning home.”

“You mean you would have just kept quiet if we never saw each other again?” She nearly whispered, her blue eyes wide as she looked up at him.

The blue monkey was quiet for a moment. “Yes. Knowing I might never see you again and being so far away was hard enough. If you knew how I felt I deduced it would hinder your progress and mental well-being.”

“You idiot.” Mhairi mumbled, releasing the bell and gently touching Gibson’s face. “You’re a brilliant idiot.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He smiled, placing a hand on top of her talon. “Even a genius has to have moments of being an ignoramus to keep himself humble.”

“Oh yes, your humbleness is another thing.” She grinned back, “Though as much as I’m enjoying this, you can put me down. I think I’ve been swept up long enough.”

“Fair enough.” He gently let her down, the Grypherian standing uneven due to the state of her footwear. She reached out and held onto his shoulder to keep her balance.

“Ugh these shoes.” Mhairi fussed, grabbing the shoe with the broken heel and taking it off. She then began removing the other shoe to have equal footing. “Being pretty is overrated; whoever designed these clearly didn’t wear them for more than thirty seconds.”

“Well I doubt they thought they would be wore on a brick wall or run in like there was some marathon. Besides you seemed to be doing fine until your spill.”

“Either way, poor research and design choice. This was the true field test.”

“Well, shoes or no shoes, you still look pretty to me.” Gibson admitted before he realized what he’d said. Instantly he slapped a hand over his mouth, the blue monkey starting to feel his internal temperature starting to rise. He looked wide-eyed at Mhairi who appeared shocked as well but instantly let out a laugh, turning red herself once more.

“Stars, what a pair we are.” She gasped out between breaths as she laughed, hysteria taking over. “Can hardly compliment one another without getting bashful. How long did it take for us knuckleheads to get together? So much for being observ-” She stopped for a minute seemingly having a thought. “Actually…”

“What is it?”

“Come on, this way.” She gestured, talking Gibson’s hand and gently pulling him along. “There’s something I’ve got to show you. I can’t believe I almost forgot.”

“Another surprise?”

“You bet, but this time no peeking. Close your eyes!”

Gibson complied, wondering what Mhairi had in store for him. He felt her lead him along, guiding him as they took a few twists and turns in the garden. After a few minutes he felt her stop.

“Okay, you can look.”

“Wow, what is this place?” He admired, opening his eyes and seeing a tall cylinder shaped building with a round top before him. Some plants had begun winding their way around it, various blooms popping up as they seemed to try to integrate it. The building looked worn and slightly in disrepair but for the most part sturdy.

“It’s an old observatory! I can’t believe I almost forgot it was even here. Both this and the fountain are supposed to be the landmarks of the garden. However it’s mostly been neglected since more modern ones have been made, namely the one housed at the museum.”

“That is a shame, this one has some charm to it.”

“I think so too. Unfortunately the telescope has long been removed, but the observatory window still functions. You just need a telescope in hand and you can still stargaze, much like my ancestors who lacked the jumbo sized ones we have today. Come on, I’ll show you what’s inside; it’s way more charming.”

“It’s unlocked?” “It should be. If not I’ve got the perfect lock pick.” She held up her shoe with the broken heel, mischief in her eyes.

“You wouldn’t.” Gibson gasped, not certain whether or not she was joking.

“Maybe.” She smiled back and headed over to the door of the observatory. It was a large ornate door with carvings of stars and planets on it. “Though honestly if I break the lock I’ll just tell Miss Fyre and replace it. Most of the time it’s open for anyone to explore, so no worries about breaking and entering.”

She tested the door and it gave way easily, swinging open with a creak. Letting out a shout of triumph Mhairi looked at the monkey. “Come on!”

She grabbed his hand once more and pulled him inside, pushing the door wide open. Inside was a large round room that was fairly empty. Some dust had settled on the floor and shelves but inside it looked fairly intact.

“Incredible.” Gibson breathed, looking around the old building, gazing up at the fading mural on the ceiling that was a map of stars. “Grypherian craftsmanship really is impressive.”

“It gets better.” Mhairi walked over to one of the walls and grabbed a lever. Grunting she pressed it down and instantly there was the sound of gears turning. The ceiling let out a groan and the dome shutters parted slowly, revealing the night sky above. She pulled another lever and the dome began to rotate, swinging toward where the moon was shining. “Still functional.”

“This really is breathtaking.” Gibson stared at the view above as Mhairi came over to join him, both now standing in the moonlight. “Thank you for showing me.”

“Of course.”

As quiet settled over the observatory and the pair inside the sound of music from the gala could be heard faintly in the distance. The melody was soft and slow, indicating it was a traditional pairing dance and not just ambience.

“You know… we never did get a dance in. And I do recall you promising to save at least one dance for me.” He turned toward the Grypherian, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“Just one?”

“Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about you saving just the last dance, given we are the only ones here. Plus we did do all that practicing, it would be a shame to not dance at all let alone do just one dance.”

“I suppose you are right.”

“Would you give me this dance, my fair lady?” Gibson bowed, extending his hand like a true gentleman of dance after adjusting his bowtie.

“Dancing in the moonlight? How romantic.” Mhairi teased before tossing her shoes aside and taking his hand gently. She smiled at him, “It would be my honor.”

Gibson beamed and gently pulled Mhairi into a hold. Both of them looked at each other for a few moments before taking a step, Gibson leading the way as the music’s tempo carried in the air. The two of them moved back and forth in the observatory, the moon and stars their only audience to their private dance.

“You are a quick learner.” She praised, thinking of how badly he danced only a few days ago as she held onto his hand and shoulder. “Impressive.”

“Well, I am good at studying.”

“Can’t argue with that. Though we probably should practice some more.”

“Oh, I’ve got a few surprises for you myself.”

“Like what?”

Suddenly Gibson’s hold on her back shifted and his grip on her extended talon tightened. He took a step and was guiding her backwards before he abruptly leaned forward, casing her to arch backwards as he leaned towards the floor, entering a dip.

“So what do you think?” He asked, looking down at Mhairi’s surprised face as she was swept into the unexpected dip. “Did I sweep you off of your feet?”

Mhairi took a moment as she looked up at his face, still posed in the dip. However after a minute as fresh red colored her cheeks she smiled with a purr, “Rawr.” She suddenly leaned upward, kissing Gibson, catching him off guard. She smiled, looking back at the monkey’s astonished face. “Surprise.”

“Indeed.” Gibson murmured, looking dumbly back at her. However a grin appeared and he leaned down, returning the kiss. Together the two stood in each other’s embrace as the music continued, though forgotten, as the stars glowed above seemingly winking knowingly to one another.

It was a good night.

#writing commission #commission #fandom #OC #commissioned #ElysseBee Writing #ElysseB writing #spottedwings-psychicdreams #srmthfg #Hal Gibson #Gibson #fandom writing #fanfic #fan fic #Mhairi #SRMTHG

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chesslawrence · 7 years ago

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how tragic || self-para

WHO: Luciano ft Chester Lawrence. Strix Witch. (Sister Alexis) WHERE: ?? WHEN: 2nd May, 2018 TRIGGER WARNINGS: Death, vioelnce, torture, blood, gore.

At this point in time, being Chester could be so easy if he wanted it to be.

As much as he hated the whining from the warlock, the information he’d gain after he dug around in his head was actually very useful. He’s thankful the longer he was in his body, the quieter his voice got, the likeliness of him taking permanent residence in his body was only becoming more reachable. To Luc, knowledge had always been power. The more he knew, the better and for Chester to be having taught magic from an elite group of coven witches was good information. In dark magic which he was more drawn to than Chester ever was.How such a mess had weaselled his way into Tristan’s fondness to get this access had Luciano scoffing in annoyance. Though the boy had drastically improved his magic, he was limited by his unwillingness to go darker. To go all out. Something Luciano, of course, wasn’t afraid of doing. He couldn’t afford to be limited in such a body of great potential.

It was powerful information he was now going to use.

Once he found himself a tuxedo to wear, he left the store without paying and snapping the very human owners snap with a simple click of the finger.

Luciano picked up Chester’s phone and went straight to his contacts to call a witch known to him as Alexis to arrange for a lesson.

Though Chester was taught in different fields of magic by different sisters of the coven, the one he connected most with and saw most often was Sister Alexis. She created a good learning environment for the young warlock. A perfect balance of fun and enjoyment as well as strictness and discipline Chester needed to learn in low focus. Oh, how Luciano could exploit that close relationship so easily it’s humouring.

Finally meeting up at their regular practising hall, Luciano appeared smoothly from the shadows with a coy smirk on his lip. “Sister.” He greeted with a nod as his approached her. “Lovely to see you, as always.” A game of charm Chess could play, Luciano could play ten-times harder. A possible seduction as he gets closer. The Strix witch ushers away. She’s used to Chester’s flirting but she couldn’t spot the difference. Luciano was smoother. He had a way with words that Chester couldn’t even begin to understand.

“Chester, don’t be some inappropriate. You came here to learn. Did you not?”

“Yeah, course.” Luciano hums. “But I do have a question for you?”

“Yes, what is it” She replies.

“I was doing some reading. Yes, I know. I’m shocked too. Of those books, you leant me. And I couldn’t help but stop of the rituals of magic absorption. Do you remember the one? It’s very ghastly. Requires a lot of blood and you know how I feel about blood.”

Chester’s squeamishness of the sort was such a polar opposite to Luciano who found it fascinating. He’d read medical books just for the added knowledge. With a click of his fingers again, he lights the candles on the floor to encase them in a contained circle. Luciano remembers spells similar to the ones he had read so he could improvise. It was still the same, that human and witch sacrifices alike could be used to increase his strength no matter how twisted it was done in. He could take what he needed to better himself and at the end of the day, everyone else was expendable. Meaningless. As long as he had no restrictions on his magic and he could increase it, who is anyone to stop him?

“You told me you haven’t done the process. Which was to kill someone very violently right to channel energy behind it? I just wondered why not?” He steps closer to her. A dark gleam in his eye and small pout followed. The restriction of a smile was hard to contain when this was so much fun to him around.

It started to make sense to Sister Alexis that this wasn’t who he said he was. A recognition that struck her like “What have you done to-”

And she was cut off by Luciano using spell to torture her mind of pain, lowering her to the ground. The screams so yells are honestly nothing. He blocks them out. To get what he wanted, it was a must. She seemed sweet but she was just collateral to the magic he wanted for himself. She was powerful and really, he’d go for the whole coven one by one. Though it’d get harder for him to knock them all out.

“It’s a shame really. The kid really liked you too, didn’t he? Pity” He said before taking the knife he had contained inside his tux to stab her whilst making eye contact. He could tell this all came as a surprise to her. Well good. He had intended on that. Her shrieking makes it like the earth beneath them was vibrating. Glasses start to break. He could also hear Chester shouting no but really, Luciano was pulling the strings on this puppet.

He twisted the knife and let her bleed onto the floor as kicked her. He used his own memory of spell incantations he remembers watching the grown-ups of his coven do. The words were crystal clear. He started to chant them from memory in the Spanish language. Over. And Over. He crouched down. Luciano grabbed her face and he could see her losing all her energy.

“Awww, sweetie. You tried.” Luciano before he stares into those eyes of her. He wants the leave her eyes. That and he wants the memory and sight to bother his host too. Chester hated this. The force for her magic which made her strong was going. But if she just died, who would it go to if he wasn’t her to snatch it from her. But it didn't work just yet. He remembers the energy to do some other things. So even when she hadn’t closed her eyes, he used the sharp knife to slice into her to cut her open. Disturbing, yes but a must. The blood on his hands. Staining them in the crimson liquid as he breathes in and starts the incantation again, now he could feel the energy flow into him as he felt organs in his two hands.

The candles flicker with gusts of wind behind Luciano and once it stops it means he completely drained her magic from her just because she crossed over to next side. Or as they call it, The Other Side which he hadn’t gone to when trapped in Prison world he was in for years. Or maybe she wasn’t a witch anymore. He stripped her of that title and maybe she died human? He didn’t care because either way, he felt re-energized. Satisfied beyond belief. Powerful. Reborn.

He looks at the body, tutting his tongue.He dropped the organs on the blood pool floor.

“Oh, Sister Alexis. What a mess you’ve made. How tragic.”

#self para #tw:blood #tw:torture #tw:sacrifice #tw:violence

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g40st-hardwar3 · 5 years ago

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The Best Gaming PCs and Accessories For Pupils

PC gaming is serious business. This is the area where game lovers go when they need the highest resolution, lowest latency and exact experiences available, from first-person shooters to approach names and outside. PC games are slick -- and that's your equipment.

It's simple to break the lender in this entire world, particularly for a student on a budget. With gambling laptops starting at $1,000 and panels priced higher, it is important to acquire gear that is durable, high quality and as affordable as possible. That is why we've compiled the following listing of notebooks, PCs and accessories which produce the most sense for pupils in 2019.

PC gaming is ideal for streaming, marathon play sessions or creating new friends (dorm-wide tournaments, anybody?) from MegaMods . You are going to need more than only a notebook computer to accomplish all these items. In addition to processing power and graphics cards, you will find mice to take into account, headsets to mull overkeyboards to check and loading boxes to put through their paces.

And should you want to justify the charge to anyone (ahem, mother ), just place it this way: You will have the ability to utilize the majority of these items for assignments, too.

ASUS ROG STRIX GL12

It isn't tough to locate gaming laptops nowadays, but finding one that has been overclocked from the box is much rarer. The ASUS ROG STRIX GL12 sports Intel's Core running outside 5GHz, paired with the cream of the crop RTX 2080 Ti graphics card of NVIDIA. There is also a RAID settings for SSDs, for if you need a speed increase. It is a good investment if you are expecting to play with another a year's worth of matches that are triple-A or simply need a machine that's strong enough to encourage your budding profession. It seems like it has endured several scuffles.

Corsair One i140

If distance is a problem on your dorm however you do not wish to compromise gaming electricity, the Corsair One i140 must fit your bill. It is a gaming monster with an eight-core Intel Core i7-9700K CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, 32GB of DDR4-2666 RAM and a 480GB M.w NVMe SSD, however, includes a small compact form factor and weighs only 7.38kg (16 lbs ). In addition to this, it is very silent, so it will not disturb you when researching, or disturb your roommates through an Fortnite session. The downsides are the cost ($3,000) and fair hard disk storage driveway.

Dell G7 15

A nice gaming notebook does not need to cost a lot. The G string laptops of dell have shown that over the last couple of decades, cramming at a surprising quantity of power for a cost. The G7 15 is a fantastic bet for pupils: It begins at only $999 using NVIDIA's GTX 1060 graphics card and can be updated to incorporate the RTX 2080. Its big 15.6-inch screen will be ideal for gaming and media creation equally, and its layout is lively enough to feel at home in a lecture hall. And at 5.5 lbs, it is much lighter than gambling notebooks from a couple of short years back. (If you are wanting to save a little bit of money, Dell's G5 15 is also worth a look. It provides a lot of the hardware without a LED keyboard and some cooling system

youtube

#the best gaming pc

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tech-battery · 4 years ago

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Best B550 motherboard for gaming

The best B550 motherboard means picking from the latest pool of AMD motherboards rocking a second-tier chipset, and will become ever more relevant as the next generation AMD Ryzen 4000 CPUs become available towards the end of the year. But what are you missing by opting for a B550 motherboard compared to the top-end X570 AMD gaming motherboards?

Honestly, not a great deal. It's been a long time coming, however; almost a year after the original 500-series AMD Ryzen motherboard was launched this mainstream chipset has hit the market, bringing PCIe 4.0 support into the more affordable end of the board market. Well, we say 'more affordable' but there have been many cases where B550 versions of a manufacturer's board cost more than the X570 ones.

That's a symptom of the B550 motherboards lagging behind, with existing X570 boards in the market almost inevitably getting cheaper 12 months post launch, but also because a B550 board can deliver performance pretty much on par.

The main difference between B550 and X570 chipsets is that AMD has replaced the PCIe Gen 4 interface used on the high-end boards, which connects the CPU socket to the platform controller hub (PCH) chip at the heart of the chipset, with a PCIe Gen 3 version for these second-string boards. The Ryzen 3000 CPUs can still offer PCIe 4.0 support itself, delivering 16 high-speed lanes for a GPU and a further four for lightning-fast SSDs, but means the B550 can't support secondary PCIe 4.0 SSDs or graphics cards.

The tighter bandwidth on offer does hit other sensitive areas, such as USB connectivity, but on the whole doesn't actually affect gaming performance one jot. And it all means we will have a pair of 500-series chipsets once AMD's next-gen processors arrive this year to lay siege to our best CPU for gaming list.

1. Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming

The best B550 motherboard

Form factor: ATX | Memory support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, up to DDR4-4600 | Expansion slots: 2x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4 | Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gbps | Networking: Intel WiFi 6, Intel 2.5Gb ethernet, Bluetooth 5.1 | Rear USB: 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 4 x USB 2.0

Extensive feature set

Build quality

Top-end networking

Sure, the Asus ROG Strix B550-E is the same price as other X570 motherboards, in fact it pretty much matches our favourite of AMD's top-end boards, the MSI MPG X570 Gaming Pro Carbon. But it's a premium motherboard, with all the trappings you'd expect from Asus' Republic of Gamers stable, such as 14+2 power stage, M.2 heatsinks, and pre-installed backplates. You also get Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking as well as Intel 2.5Gb ethernet too. And RGB LEDs, of course.

Performance too is typically good for a high-end Asus board, matching X570 motherboards for gaming performance without issue. That said, of the B550 boards we've tested, it's the far more affordable MSI board that actually comes out top in our straight performance testing. But the Asus can overclock far better, even if it does chew up more raw power from the plug on the whole.

The Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming is the whole package then, and right now is our all-round pick for the best B550 motherboard. Though that still feels like a tough recommendation when X570 boards are the same price…

2. MSI MAG B550M Mortar

The best B550 motherboard for pure gaming performance

Form factor: Micro-ATX | Memory support: 4x DIMM, up to 128GB, up to DDR4-4400 | Expansion slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4 | Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gbps | Networking: Realtek 2.5Gb ethernet | Rear USB: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2x USB 2.0

Great stock-clock performance and efficiency

Slick BIOS

Competitive pricing

When it comes to gaming performance above all else then MSI's micro-ATX MAG B550M Mortar is your best bet for an affordable next-gen Ryzen machine. It comes in around the $160 mark, making it cheaper than a great many X570 and other B500 motherboards on the market right now.

The gaming frame rates of the MSI B550 Mortar put it above the rest of the B550 crew we've tested so far, and indeed its straight CPU performance puts it up there with some of the best X570s. That bodes well if you're looking for an affordable home for your AMD Zen 3 CPU of the future, this B550 has a great chance to ensure it performs to its fullest stock-clocked potential without breaking the bank.

But you will be missing out on extra PCIe 4.0 M.2 and x16 graphics slots if those extras mean a lot to you. You can also opt to ditch wireless networking too, depending on whether you pick the straight Mortar or the more expensive Mortar Wi-Fi version. The 8+2+1 power phase design is arguably a more unwelcome miss, however, as that results in a board that isn't going to spark any overclocking joy in your heart. But, as an affordable gaming board without OC pretensions, it's a great shout.

3. ASRock B550 Taichi

The best-looking B550 motherboard

Form factor: ATX | Expansion slots: 2x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4 | Storage: 2x M.2, 8x SATA 6Gbps | Networking: Intel WiFi 6, Intel 2.5Gb ethernet, Bluetooth 5.1 | Rear USB: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0

Seriously robust

Great performance

Strong feature set

The geared aesthetic of ASRock's premium Taichi motherboards makes this the best-looking of all the B550 boards we've checked out, though that premium nature does make it also the most expensive. Indeed it's priced higher than the ASRock X570 Taichi, which makes this a difficult recommendation until the almost inevitable price correction which will surely happen over time.

But it's got the same sort of specs list as the excellent Asus ROG Strix B550-E, and means you get all the networking niceties, and the gaming performance to put it around the top of the list. It's also got some overclocking chops too, allowing us to hit 4.2GHz on the Ryzen 3 3100 budget gaming chip.

It's also incredibly well-built, with a metal structure that makes it one of the most robust B550 motherboards around. But yeah, it's tough to look at that price, and feel this second-tier chipset is where you want to put your Ryzen money.

Should I buy a B550 or X570 motherboard?

When it comes to straight performance there really isn't any tangible difference between the top two AMD 500-series motherboard chipsets. The CPU itself is still offering a PCIe 4.0 connection to the main graphics slot and the primary M.2 SSD connection, ensuring all the bandwidth you could need for a standard AMD gaming PC.

And there are B550 motherboards, such as the Asus ROG and ASRock Taichi boards above, which offer the sort of power componentry to deliver overclocking performance too. AMD has also confirmed that both B550 and X570 will support the next generation of Ryzen CPUs.

Where they really differ, however, is in the extended feature set. While those two premium B550 boards do have an impressive feature list, the B550 chipset means that bandwidth-sensitive connections on the motherboard will be behind the top range of boards, thanks to the connection between the PCH on the chipset and the CPU using PCIe Gen3 as opposed to the complete Gen 4 solution across the X570s.

In general the B550 motherboards are also rather expensive at the moment, with the ASRock B550 Taichi being the most obvious example. It's actually around the same price as the ASRock X570 Taichi, which is arguably the better board, or at least the more fully featured.

There are cheaper B550 boards out there, such as the ASRock B550 HDV, but then you really are losing out on luxuries like decent power phase design, and potentially then overall performance. That might just be a cut too far if you're aiming for an affordable home for your next AMD Ryzen CPU purchase.

Your best bet is to keep in mind what features really mean the most to you. Do you need wireless networking, will you be overclocking, and how many Gen 4 SSDs are you likely to drop into your new AMD PC? If the answers are no, no, and one, then a B550 will be a good shout. Just make sure the one you pick doesn't have a similarly specced, similarly priced X570 twin lurking around.

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