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felassan · 1 year ago

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Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas lore compilation / notes / thoughts [Part 1 of 2]

(Link to Part 2, in text form (pls copy-paste) as Tumblr won't let me add it as a normal link: https://felassan.tumblr.com/post/732826339350102016/dragon-age-the-official-cookbook-tastes-of)

Reference, info & general observations/ramble post ◕‿◕ (Post contents under a cut, in case anyone would rather not read cookbook spoilers. also due to post length)

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If I have forgotten, misread or misunderstood something, please let me know.

This post is part 1 of 2, as it was getting rly long.

Dishes by type

Starters & Refreshments: Eggs à la Val Foret, Nevarran Blood Orange Salad, Fried Young Giant Spiders, Stuffed Deep Mushrooms, Rivaini Couscous Salad, Crab Cakes from Kirkwall, Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, Snail & Watercress Salad, Cave Beetles

For the Road: Spiced Jerky, Grey Warden Pastry Pockets, Pickled Eggs, Unidentified Meat, Seheron Fish Pockets, Fereldan Hearty Scones, Crow Feed, Black Lichen Bread, Hearth Cakes, Peasant Bread

Soups & Stews: Merrill's Blood Soup, Fereldan Potato and Leek Soup, The Hanged Man's Mystery Meat Stew, Fish Chowder, Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup, Lentil Soup, Nettle Soup, King Alistair's Lamb and Pea Stew

Main Courses: Stuffed Cabbage, Antivan Gnocchi, Antivan Paella, Grilled Poussin, Gurgut Roast with Lowlander Spices and Mushroom Sauce, Nug Pancakes, Fish in Salt Crust, Roasted Wyvern, Nug Bacon and Egg Pie, Starkhaven Fish and Egg Pie, Cacio e Pepe, Turnip and Mutton Pie, Smoked Ham from the Anderfels, Roasted Turkey with Sides

Sides: Sera's Yummy Corn, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Honey Carrots, Nevarran Flat Bread and Yogurt Dip

Sweet Delights: Blancmange, Poison Stings, Dalish Forest Fruit Cobbler, Dwarven Plum Jam, Sour Cherries in Cream, Treviso Energy Balls, Rice Pudding, Goat Custard

Baked Goods: Antivan Apple Grenade, Found Cake, Varric's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls, Croissants, Cherry Cupcakes, Chocolate Cake, Varric's Favorite Pastries, Sugar Cake, Lamprey Cake, Tevinter Pumpkin Bread

Drinks & Potions: Lichen Ale, The Hissing Drake, Hot Chocolate, Antivan Sip-Sip, Dragon Piss, Rivaini Tea Blend, The Golden Nug, The Emerald Valley, Chasind Sack Mead

Notes: These dish 'categories' are from the book contents pages, which can be viewed here.

Dishes by place / culture of origin (DA Cookbook-specific list)

Ferelden: Pickled Eggs, Fereldan Hearty Scones, Fereldan Potato and Leek Soup, Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup, King Alistair's Lamb and Pea Stew, Nug Bacon and Egg Pie, Turnip and Mutton Pie, Chocolate Cake

Kirkwall: Crab Cakes from Kirkwall, The Hanged Man's Mystery Meat Stew, Roasted Turkey with Sides

Orlais: Eggs à la Val Foret, Grey Warden Pastry Pockets, Honey Carrots, Blancmange, Sour Cherries in Cream, Croissants

Tevinter: Unidentified Meat, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Cherry Cupcakes, Tevinter Pumpkin Bread

Antiva: Crow Feed, Fish Chowder, Antivan Gnocchi, Antivan Paella, Cacio e Pepe, Treviso Energy Balls, Antivan Apple Grenade, Antivan Sip-Sip

Nevarra: Nevarran Blood Orange Salad, Nevarran Flat Bread and Yogurt Dip

Rivain: Rivaini Couscous Salad, Goat Custard, Rivaini Tea Blend

Seheron: Seheron Fish Pockets

Starkhaven: Starkhaven Fish and Egg Pie, Roasted Turkey with Sides

Free Marches: Roasted Turkey with Sides

Anderfels: Smoked Ham from the Anderfels

Avvar: Snail & Watercress Salad, Stuffed Cabbage, Gurgut Roast with Lowlander Spices and Mushroom Sauce, Fish in Salt Crust, Roasted Wyvern

Chasind: Grilled Poussin, Chasind Sack Mead

Dalish: Spiced Jerky, Hearth Cakes, Peasant Bread, Dalish Forest Fruit Cobbler

City Elf: Peasant Bread, Lentil Soup

Orzammar / dwarven: Fried Young Giant Spiders, Stuffed Deep Mushrooms, Cave Beetles, Nug Pancakes, Dwarven Plum Jam, Lichen Ale, Black Lichen Bread

Unspecified (DA Cookbook-specific list): Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, Merrill's Blood Soup, Nettle Soup, Sera's Yummy Corn, Poison Stings, Rice Pudding, Found Cake, Varric's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls, Varric's Favorite Pastries, Sugar Cake, Lamprey Cake, The Hissing Drake, Hot Chocolate, Dragon Piss, The Golden Nug, The Emerald Valley

Notes: Fluffy Mackerel Pudding seems to be Fereldan as it's found in DA:O in this Codex entry at the Arl of Redcliffe's Estate in Denerim. Snail & Watercress Salad isn't traditional Avvar cuisine; though snails are standard Avvar fare, this salad which has them in conjunction with other ingredients is Devon's take on snails that they made for their Avvar hosts. The given Spiced Jerky recipe is Dalish, but the book notes that preserved foods like it play an important role in many different Thedosian cultures. Grey Warden Pastry Pockets are a variation on a tough Grey Warden pastry which incorporates the far more delicate Orlesian puff pastry, that was championed by newer Warden recruits from Orlais. Unidentified Meat is usually served with Nevarran Flat Bread. Black Lichen Bread doesn't explicitly say but is clearly dwarven, as it references "underground" versus the "surface" and the dwarf Garin in Orzammar mentions it in DA:O. Peasant Bread is both Dalish and City Elf. Merrill's Blood Soup could be Dalish in origin as it's a recipe of Merrill's. Devon's Lentil Soup recipe has classic Tevinter flavors in it. Roasted Turkey with Sides is found throughout the Free Marches. Sera's Yummy Corn could be Fereldan in origin as it's a recipe of Sera's. Poison Stings is likely Tevinter as Dorian is fond of it. Rice Pudding could be Antivan or Rivaini as in Thedas you don't see much rice outside of Antiva or Rivain, or perhaps Tevinter or Qunari as it was a dish made by Krem, Iron Bull and the Chargers. Found Cake could be Fereldan as it's based on Dog's Found Cake in DA:O. Sugar Cake was purchased from a surface dwarf merchant and is based on Sugar Cake from DA:O (Feraldan dish? Dwarven?). Lamprey Cake was Devon's pickled lamprey-inspired cake, with pickled lamprey itself being a "singular" (implied: odd) favorite of an Orlesian noble. The Hissing Drake, The Golden Nug and The Emerald Valley are drinks served at the Gilded Horn in Orlais. The Emerald Valley's place of origin isn't given in the book, but we know from this Codex that it includes a spirit that is Orlesian, having been made in Lydes. Going by Iron Bull's dialogue with Varric, hot chocolate/cocoa is not from the south and is rare there. Dragon Piss could be Fereldan as it's based on Dragon Piss which is found in Ferelden.

Alphabetical ingredients / 'foodstuffs and drinks which exist in Thedas' list (DA Cookbook-specific list)

Notes: These ingredients are derived from the dish names and the lore blurbs (which appear to be in-world), not the recipes and associated ingredients lists themselves (which appear to be our world/irl-based). Also, this is a sort of scrappy list with mixed singular/plurals, some repeating stuff (e.g. I know pork, bacon, pig and ham is all "pig"), some non-specific stuff e.g. "herbs", and some stuff that is more 'a combo food' than 'a single ingredient' e.g. "dough", but just go with it ok hh, it's just meant to be a quick 'n' dirty reference list as a resource not a perfect culinary thing:

“Bitter greens”, Ale, Almonds, Antivan pasta, Antivan wine, Apples, Apple blossoms, Apricots, Assorted “forest fruits”, Ayesleigh gulabi goat (a breed of goat from which some goat’s milk is derived), Bacon, Bark, Bark bread, Barley, Beetroot, Biscuits, Black cherries, Black lichen, Blended teas, Blood oranges, Brandy, Bread, Buns, Butter (halla and other types), Cabbage, Carrot, Cave beetles, Celery, Chasind Wildwine, Cheese, Cheese sauce, Cherries, Chicken, Chickpeas, Chocolate, Chocolate cream cake, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Cocoa powder, Corn (yellow and non-yellow varieties), Couscous, Cows, Crab, Cranberry, Cream, Croutons, Currants, Custard (many variations), Cuttlefish, Dark bread, Deep mushrooms (several varieties), Dough, Dracolisk? (in one ‘sus meat’ recipe Devon wondered if it could be this), Dried fruit, Dry cheese, Eggs, Egg-white foam (for drinks, due to the The Gilded Horn’s Drink List codex), Fereldan ale, Fereldan barley, Figs, Fish, Flat bread, Flour, Flowers (over 70 different types of herbs and flowers used for food & drink exist), Giant spiders, Giant? (in one ‘sus meat’ recipe Devon wondered if it could be this), Gnocchi, Goat’s milk, Goats, Grains, Grapes, Grease, Gurguts, Halla butter, Ham, Harts, Herbs (over 70 different herbs and flowers used for food & drink exist), Hirol’s Lava Burst (due to the The Gilded Horn’s Drink List codex), Honey, Hot peppers, Jams & preserves, Jasmine flowers, Jerky, Lamb, Lamprey, Leeks, Lemon, Lemon juice, Lemon verbena, Lentils, Lichen (underground and surface varieties), Lichen ale, Licorice root, Llomerryn red, Llomerryn rum (due to the The Gilded Horn’s Drink List codex), Lurkers, Mackerel, Mango, Marshmallow (presumably meaning both the marshmallow plant and marshmallows, the confectionary that was originally made from the marshmallow plant. The form given in the cookbook is Orlesian guimauves, which accompany Iron Bull’s hot chocolate. “Guimauve” is French for marshmallow), Mead, Milk, Mincemeat, Mint, Mushroom, Mussels, Mutton, Nettle, Noodles, Nug, Nug bacon, Nuggets (nug-gets), Nutmeg (due to the The Gilded Horn’s Drink List codex), Nuts, Oats, Oil, Olives, Onion, Orange, Orange peel, Oregano, Pasta, Pastry, Peas, Peanut butter, Peanuts, Pepper (as in black pepper etc), Peppermint, Pickled things, Pickled vegetables, Pie, Pig, Plums, Pomegranate, Pork, Potatoes, Poussin, Prawns, Puff pastry, Pumpkin, Quillback (in one ‘sus meat’ recipe Devon wondered if it could be this, and in DA:I some NPCs mention it), Rabbit, Raisins, Rams, Raspberries, Red bell peppers, Red grapes, Rhubarb, Rice, Rolls, Royal elfroot (due to the The Gilded Horn’s Drink List codex), Rum (due to the The Gilded Horn’s Drink List codex), Saffron, Salt, Semolina flour, Sheep, Shrimp, Smoked meats, Snails, Sour ale, Sour cherries, Spices, Spinach, Spirits (as in alcohol), Strawberries, Sugar, Tea, Toasted bread, Tomatoes, Truffles, Turkey, Turnip, Tzatziki sauce, Vine leaves, Waffles, Water, Watercress, West Hill brandy, Wheat, Whipped cream, Whiskey (due to the The Gilded Horn’s Drink List codex), White chocolate, White frosting, White Seleny wine, White wine, Wildflowers, Wine, Wraps (soft), Wyverns, Yogurt

'See also' / 'did you know':

Eggs à la Val Foret

Fried Young Giant Spiders: previously made an appearance in the DA tabletop. The player party arrives at Chanra Thaig and sees "Bonfires built inside steel drums provide warm and heat for the dwarves huddled around them, cooking deepstalkers, what looks like the legs of giant spiders, and small rodent-like animals on spits". The dwarves have "fuel, water, and domesticated spiders and nugs in deeper chambers for food".

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding

Snail and Watercress Salad

Cave beetle previously made an appearance in the DA tabletop. They're described as "scavengers and carrion eaters", "black" and "hard-shelled". They're also known as "rock beetles" and are "little more than a nuisance on its own. Dwarves are even known to roast and eat them out of the shells".

Pickled Eggs (from "The Whole Nug" in World of Thedas)

Seheron Fish Pockets: Iron Bull has dialogue where he says "I remember one guy, he made these things - fish wrapped in thin bread". He was talking of a street food vendor in Seheron who had been forced by Tevinter spies to poison his food. Fittingly, in the cookbook Devon narrates that they learned this recipe from a Charger.

Black Lichen Bread: Garin from DA:O had an incident a few years back where he cut himself and some raw lyrium dust got into his blood. Since then it's been hard for him to concentrate and he's forgetful. He mentions bread that's made by using lichen (I think he mentioned that his lunch was a slice of lichen bread). interestingly, like lyrium, the cookbook lore blurb for Black Lichen Bread contains reference to how black lichen is toxic.

Hearth Cakes (from "The Whole Nug" in World of Thedas)

Peasant Bread: appears in The Masked Empire. in the Dalish camp, Dalish cooks prepared a midday meal, which was served along with peasant bread. "It was almost equal parts wheat, salt, and grease, and in lean winters, it was sometimes the only thing that could put meat on a peasant's bones." Michel watches an old elven woman drizzle honey across a piece and remembers his City Elven mother putting a bit of sugar she had stolen from the tavern she worked in on his piece of bread. The cookbook lore blurb for Peasant Bread says it is eaten by Dalish elves and City elves alike in Orlais, with the recipe being "very straightforward, calling for wheat, salt, and grease in nearly equal parts". Also, in The Last Court, Seraultine (Orlesian) peasants are described as eating bread at mealtimes

The Hanged Man's Mystery Meat Stew: in a DAII loading screen, it says that the tavern's feature dish is a stew made from a different mystery meat every morning

Fish Chowder: in DA:O Zevran says "Can you smell that? Like rotting flesh. Just like back in Antiva City. Now if only you could find me a prostitute or two, a bowl of fish chowder and a corrupt politician, I'd really feel like I was home!"

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup (the cookbook lore blurb mentions the Orlesian troupe of actors from the show Wilkshire Downs. in this codex they are mentioned along with "cabbage stew")

King Alistair's Lamb and Pea Stew: Alistair and Leliana have this dialogue in DA:O about this dish (Ctrl-F "pea stew").

Antivan Gnocchi: In Tevinter Nights (Eight Little Talons), the Crow leaders eat gnocchi with dinner

Gurgut Roast with Lowlander Spices and Mushroom Sauce

Nug Pancakes, two

Fish in Salt Crust

Roasted Wyvern. Also Isabela has dialogue in Mark of the Assassin where she says "I hope I'm not expected to eat roast wyvern after this." The lore blurb in the cookbook for this dish also references this Codex

Starkhaven Fish and Egg Pie (from "The Whole Nug" in World of Thedas)

Cacio e Pepe: First mentioned in Tevinter Nights (The Wigmaker Job). Illario complains "This isn't Cacio e Pepe" while making a show of tapping his dagger against a plate of leftovers. Lucanis replies "You ordered an Antivan dish in Tevinter. What did you expect?", to which Illario quips "Something edible".

Turnip and Mutton Pie

Smoked Ham from the Anderfels: a servant in Mark of the Assassin offers Hawke and Tallis "smoked ham from the Anderfels. They say it tastes of despair". Tallis replies "Wait, does it really? How can ham taste of despair? Why would anyone eat it if it did?". The servant explains "That's what the importer said. They all talk like that" apparently. This dish is also mentioned in DA:I. After WEWH Dorian says "I hope you tried the ham they were serving, by the way. Tastes of despair. Fascinating". The cookbook lore blurb asserts that contrary to rumors and what the importers say, this ham does not, in fact, taste of despair. Also, see The Jade Ham (tumblr won't let me add it as a proper link: https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/The_Jade_Ham), as the cookbook lore blurb references this item and its description

Roasted Turkey with Sides: Roast turkey previously made an appearance in the DA tabletop. Lady Sennova hosts a gala/party in Orlais, which players infiltrate/attend and at which food and drink is served. "The Game is about appearances as much as it is about outright treachery, so a dead rat discovered in the roast turkey could serve as a crueler twist of the knife than an actual twisting of the knife". The cookbook lore blurb references the comic Knight Errant, which involves Sebastian's birthday dinner party

Sera's Yummy Corn (from "The Whole Nug" in World of Thedas)

Dwarven Plum Jam: in DA:O a Diamond Quarter noble dwarf says something like "I will die without my favorite plum jam from the surface!" The cookbook lore blurb references the fact that in Orzammar, jam from the surface, especially jams made from plums, are in especially high demand and cost exorbitant prices

Rice Pudding: in DA:I Krem mentions a time when he, Iron Bull and the Chargers defended a village from fifty bandits. Afterwards the villagers paid them for their services in bags of rice. He says that they made rice pudding after that. The cookbook lore blurb references this story of Krem's

(new text block because the previous text block hit a character limit hh)

Antivan Apple Grenade: the cookbook lore blurb references Antivan Fire Grenades (two), which spread sticky fire. maybe it's my brain conjuring up sticky toffee/toffee apples, but I wanna say that this dish would not only be hot but also sticky :)

Found Cake

Varric's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls: in DAII Sandal says that Orana smells of cinnamon rolls, which was interesting to me as DAII is the game where Varric is introduced and his first (and greatest) batch of cinnamon roll friends, the Kirkwall Crew, are featured in

Croissants: Calix and Vaea eat something which arguably look like croissants in the comic Dragon Age: Deception, in an inn in Tevinter.

Cherry Cupcakes: the cookbook lore blurb says these are served by servants on stilts at the Tevinter theature. in the comic Dragon Age: Magekiller, Marius is depicted serving an array of treats and snacks to a Tevinter elite at the Tevinter theatre while on stilts. some of the cupcakes on his tray bear somewhat of a resemblance to the cupcakes in this recipe.

Sugar Cake

Pickled Lamprey: the cookbook lore blurb is referencing the book Last Flight, where Norbert de la Haine and his unfortunate fondness for pickled lampreys is mentioned.

Lichen Ale

The Hissing Drake. the cookbook lore blurb mentions the Gilded Horn

Hot Chocolate: Iron Bull discusses his penchant for this drink with Varric. "How do you guys live without this stuff?" he says. Varric replies "I don't see what the deal is, honestly, but different tastes..." / "Now I just need some hot milk and some of those Orlesian guimauves to put in it" / "Hey, what you do with this 'cocoa' is up to you. I don't need to hear about it"

Antivan Sip-Sip

Dragon Piss, two

Rivaini Tea Blend: In Masked Empire Celene drinks a Rivaini blend of tea containing cinnamon, ginger and cloves, sweetened with honey. the cookbook lore blurb references Celene drinking Rivaini Tea Blend throughout the day to combat headaches, but this tea blend consists of peppermint, lemon verbena, oregano and licorice root. Rivaini tea also crops up here.

The Golden Nug, two

The Emerald Valley

Chasind Sack Mead

Characters mentioned or alluded to in the cookbook

Devon (new character, writer and narrator of the book), Merrill, Alistair, Sera, Varric, Solas, Cassandra, Fenris, Cullen, Sten, Iron Bull, Bull's Chargers, Krem, Nan (possibly, if she is Devon's mother), Norah (possibly, as the waitress at The Hanged Man), Zevran, Morrigan, the Hero of Ferelden, the Inquisitor, Josephine, Paragon Varen, Leliana, Schmooples, the Hero of Ferelden's mabari, Sebastian, Cole, Vivienne, Dorian, Anders, Loghain, Bethany, Hawke, the Couslands, Bodahn Feddic (possibly, as the Sugar Cake item in DA:O is sold by him and Devon narrates that they purchased one from a surface dwarf merchant who said that the Hero of Ferelden purchased some for their companions), Norbert de la Haine, Isabela, Celene, Briala, Gaspard

"Cookbook canon" (notes about the particular worldstate/universe that Devon wrote the cookbook in)

The cookbook was written at some point after the appointment of Divine Victoria, placing it at at least one month after the DA:I base game concludes (at least one month after the defeat of Corypheus). The narrator, Devon, has met and spoken to at least some of the companions & related prominent NPCs, including Varric and Krem. Devon visited Haven.

The HoF was a Cousland. The HoF caught Schmooples for Leliana. Loghain survived DA:O and DA:I, as he's referred to in the present-tense at the time the cookbook is written. Alistair is King of Ferelden. The HoF may have been a lady who romanced Alistair (if you argue that the inclusion of Alistair's love letter to the Warden & the necklace from this merch item as a prop in the photo for Rivaini Couscous Salad as indicator. interesting that the photo where this item is prominently displayed is for the Couscous of all things. back in the day I remember folks calling Cousland "Couscous" hhh).

Hawke was a warrior or rogue and Carver died in the prologue. Hawke was probably Diplomatic. Hawke did not romance Sebastian (in the cookbook he is Prince, and Sebastian reclaims his title as Prince by DA:I unless romanced, in which case he's the Chantry advisor in Starkhaven).

The "worst of [Cullen's] lyrium withdrawals" are mentioned so it could be that the Inquisitor advised Cullen to stop taking lyrium. Cassandra Pentaghast is the Divine. Celene is the Empress of Orlais - possibly ruling "alone" or possibly in the Celene-Gaspard-Briala "work together option", going by "Given how messy Orlesian politics are wont to be, with chevalier cousins vying for the throne and elven handmaids turned both spymaster and lover".

Also, this might be just me and my assumptions or reading of it, but of the companion characters referenced in the book (see section above, Characters mentioned or alluded to in the cookbook), such as Cole, Sera, Merrill, Fenris etc, I feel like it's safe to assume that in this worldstate they were all recruited by the relevant PCs are alive and well (including the Chargers).

Merch items & similar that appear as props or edits in photos

Alistair romance bundle (necklace and letter in Rivaini Couscous Salad. the necklace appears again in Goat Custard. the box can be seen in The Golden Nug)

Grey Warden pendant that shows the griffon heraldry (not sure if this is from the Gear Store or somewhere like Etsy. Grey Warden Pastry Pockets). this reappears in Sugar Cake

Solas Jawbone Necklace (Pickled Eggs. hhhh. unlike in Eggs à la Val Foret the blurb here doesn't mention Solas, but he's repped here anyway by the necklace hanging in the background hh)

Cullen's Lucky Coin (The Hanged Man's Mystery Meat Stew, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Antivan Sip-Sip)

In Nug Pancakes this red Inquisition banner with the handprint is in the background (seems to be from game files/in-game props). the red Inquisition banner appears again in Chasind Sack Mead

In Nug Bacon and Egg Pie, there is a nug in the background, presumably looking on in horror as their spouse has been transformed into a pie

In Turnip and Mutton Pie is a necklace that looks like the one Varric wears

Templar Banner (Roasted Turkey with Sides)

Inquisitor's iconic helmet replica (Roasted Turkey with Sides. hhh, this reminds me of the ones that are props in the queue area for the Dragon Age-not Dragon Age-ride)

In the background of Dalish Forest Fruit Cobbler a nug is peeking out

Antivan Apple Grenade contains a map of Westeros hhh. You can see the Three Sisters, the Neck and the Bite

A physical version of this Thedas map appears at various points e.g. Chasind Sack Mead

DA:I advisors coin set (Tevinter Pumpkin Bread) - for some reason Tumblr won't allow me to add the link to this one as an actual link, but you can find it here: gear.bioware.com/en-eu/products/dragon-age-three-advisors-coin-set

A green orb that I would guess is meant to be reminiscent of the ones Solas has you use during Measuring the Veil (Tevinter Pumpkin Bread)

Inquisition symbol pendant (not sure if this is from the Gear Store or somewhere like Etsy)

(You can get 20% off in the BioWare Gear Store until November 6th using my latest discount code BWCUISINE. After that date check back here for a new code. alternatively, you can use my >tracking link<.)

Some random thoughts

Shoutout to the photo for Starkhaven Fish and Egg Pie. It looks a lot like the illustration in World of Thedas of this dish! you can see that they really took it into consideration when creating this dish/image.

I feel like you can also sense the inspiration in general vibe/feel in Dalish Forest Fruit Cobbler from Dalish Deep Forest Comfort in WoT.

The black and gold theme colors of the cover remind me of when DA:D branding was black and gold.

Recipe pages I have posted that you can view in full: Spiced Jerky, Dalish Forest Fruit Cobbler, Hearth Cakes, Merrill's Blood Soup, Lentil Soup, Peasant Bread, Dragon Piss

Recipe and other pages that were already available to view in full from the official preview pages: intro page, intro page 2, intro page 3, Contents page 1, Contents page 2, intro page 4, Devon's letter, intro page 5, Starters & Refreshments section intro page, Eggs à la Val Foret, Fried Young Giant Spiders, Fereldan Hearty Scones, Nug Pancakes, Roasted Turkey with Sides, Varric's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls, Nevarran Blood Orange Salad recipe (pic), Stuffed Deep Mushrooms recipe (pic), Rivaini Couscous Salad recipe (pic), Crab Cakes from Kirkwall recipe (pic), Fluffy Mackerel Pudding recipe (pic), Snail & Watercress Salad recipe (pic), Cave Beetles

Source of the above information: Dragon Age The Official Cookbook - Tastes of Thedas

If you’re not able to get the book, and there’s a recipe or two in the Contents that you’d like to see/read, let me know and I’ll show you (❁´◡`❁)

Link to Part 2, in text form (pls copy-paste) as Tumblr won't let me add it as a normal link: https://felassan.tumblr.com/post/732826339350102016/dragon-age-the-official-cookbook-tastes-of

A post you may also be interested in: Food and drink lore compilation from Dragon Age: The Last Court

[☕ found this post or blog interesting or useful? my ko-fi is here if you feel inclined. thank you 🙏]

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princesssarisa · 8 months ago

Text

Cinderella Tales From Around the World has now taken me to Southeast Asia, with tales from the Philippines and Indonesia.

*The book features six Cinderella stories from the Philippines, but all except one are just variations on the same story:

**The heroine is named Maria. The royal man she marries is usually a king, typically named King Enrico, though he can be a prince instead.

**The setting is sometimes given as Hungary, though not always.

**Maria has a stepmother and two stepsisters. In several versions, at the beginning, her father falls in love with the future stepmother while his first wife is still alive, and so he murders his wife by drowning her in the sea.

**Maria befriends a talking crab, who is sometimes said to be the spirit of her mother. But either the stepmother orders Maria to kill it and cook it, or the crab itself asks her to do so. Either way, she buries its shell in the garden, a lukban (pomelo) tree grows from it, and from this tree she gets her finery for church or for a ball.

**In some versions, she also gains either a star or a shining jewel on her forehead, much like in Iran's The Story of Little Fatima.

**Her stepmother and stepsisters tie her up and put her in a sack to hide her from the king when he searches for the golden slipper's owner, but of course he finds her.

**After her marriage, Maria gives birth to septuplets (or in one version just triplets), but the stepmother kidnaps and abandons the babies and replaces them with a litter of puppies. Thinking his wife is a puppy-bearing freak, the king has her imprisoned. But the babies are found and raised by either a shepherd, an enchanter, or a supernatural being, and when they grow up, at their guardian's instructions, they go to the castle, meet the king, and insist on meeting Maria. When Maria sees them, milk flies from her breasts into their mouths, revealing their identity. The family is reunited, and king has the stepmother dragged to her death by "fiery horses." (Some versions leave out this portion and just end the story with Maria's marriage.)

*The alternate Philippino Cinderella is called Abadeja, or Abadeha, and is a simpler tale. Abadeja's stepmother repeatedly sends her out of the house to do impossible tasks, but each time a beautiful woman appears from the river and does the tasks for her. Eventually the woman gives Abadeja the gift of a beautiful chicken, but the stepmother kills it. At the river-woman's instructions, Abadeja buries its legs in the forest, and a tree grows from the spot that bears beautiful dresses and jewelry. One day a rich man's son discovers the tree, picks off a ring and puts it on his finger, but then can't get it off. His father invites every young girl to try to remove the ring, with the promise of his son's hand in marriage to the one who succeeds. Of course Abadeja is the only one who can remove it.

**A footnote mentions that this story can also be combined with the other one described above. In another variant, the heroine's name is Maria, her father drowns her mother so he can marry another woman, and her helper from the water is her mother's spirit.

*The two near-identical Indonesian Cinderella stories seem more closely related to the Chinese and Vietnamese versions, but have their own distinct identity too. In these versions, the heroine is the youngest of seven orphaned sisters. One day she catches a beautiful fish and secretly cares for it, feeding it so much of her own food that she grows thin, until her sisters find out, and either out of cruelty or out of concern for their little sister's health, they kill it. The heroine buries its bones, and an enormous iron tree with silken leaves grows from the spot. One leaf blows off its branch and drifts to the king of Java, who is amazed by its beauty and searches for the tree from which it came. When he finds it, he also finds the girl. The tree identifies her as its owner by bowing down before her, so of course the king marries her.

Next we travel to the USA for some Native American tales.

@ariel-seagull-wings, @adarkrainbow, @themousefromfantasyland

#cinderella #fairy tale #variations #cinderella tales from around the world #heidi ann heiner #the philippines #indonesia #tw: violence #tw: murder #tw: drowning

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thisisnotthenerd · 9 months ago

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Dimension 20 Episode of the Day: 2/26

Today's Episode is: Fantasy High: Sophomore Year, Episode 15, My Green Heaven

Original Release Date: 2/26/2020

The Quick Synopsis: Riz meets his dad in heaven and encounters the Lower Planar Reconnaissance Task Force. Meanwhile, Fabian crashes the Goldenrod, Ayda gifts a spell, Gorgug makes a donation, and the Bad Kids throw a shrimp party.

Quotes:

"I think there might be more than one way to get this, kiddo. I think this is a general plague. I don't think this is necessarily..."

"A sex plague?" ~ Pok & Riz Gukgak

"Can we go? We have to find our little angel." ~ Fabian Seacaster

Cool, you guys start livestreaming your shrimp party. ~ Brennan Lee Mulligan

"Wow. The Ball is the crab king, of course." ~ Fabian Seacaster

#dimension 20 #dimension 20 spoilers #d20 episode of the day #fantasy high sophomore year #the bad kids

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duhragonball · 2 years ago

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Dragon Ball Super Manga Ch.30-32

Last time, Goku lost a match when his opponent, Toppo, kicked him in the dick. Then he talks to Toppo, who informs him that he knows a guy who kicks people in the dick even harder. Goku takes that news a lot better than I would...

With the Zeno Expo concluded, the Grand Minister lays out the rules and stipulations for the Tournament of Power. He declares the Super Dragon Balls will be the prize, and asks Champa to surrender the three SDB’s he has on hand. This was mentioned briefly in the anime, but I didn’t quite understand the timing of it. I don’t know why Beerus is pissed at Champa for collecting them... oh, wait, he was mad at Champa before because he was trespassing in Universe 7 to get them all.

I thought Goku called Beerus a “slut” in this panel, so I just wanted to put this here for posterity.

Toppo returns to his duties as the leader of the Pride Troopers, and he helps his team battle some big crab-looking alien. He needs the whole team assembled for the Tournament of Power, but Jiren is handling a different case on another planet... or he was, but now...

Yeah, so Jiren not only wrapped up his own mission, but then he flew here to one-shot this monster. Oh, and he flew here without a spaceship.

He also has some weapon that compacts the bad guy into a tiny little capsule. I guess that beats getting kicked in the dick, but not by much.

Belmod is confident that U11 can win the Tournament of Power as long as they have Jiren on the team, but the problem is that Jiren is too fixated on justice. He won’t want to leave Universe 11 unprotected, and he wouldn’t want to destroy the other universes, even to preserve his own. But Belmod knows he can persuade Jiren by telling him about the Super Dragon Balls.

Hey, look! It’s Cell, and Mr. Satan’s beating the fuck out of him! This comic rules!

This is part of a TV interview with Mr. Satan, and one of the questions concerns evidence of a man who appeared at the spot where Cell was finally destroyed. I guess that makes sense? I never really thought about where 17 would be when he got resurrected. I guess technically he died on King Kai’s planet, but it wouldn’t do for Shenron to put him there.

Of course, this is just a way to reintroduce 17 to the story while Goku seeks him out for the Tournament of Power. Dende moves the Lookout to 17′s island, and we see him tell Goku about Uub, just like in the anime, except this version shows us Uub as a little kid. D’awww.

In this version, Goku runs into the poachers first, and since he has no idea what 17 looks like, he mistakes the lead poacher for 17, and he takes off the guy’s mask because he thinks it gives 17 special powers. Okay...?

So when 17 shows up, he doesn’t recognize Goku because of the mask, and by the time Goku removes it, he has to turn Super Saiyan 3 to keep up with 17′s attacks, so 17 still can’t tell who this is. Things don’t settle down until Goku talks to him and 17 recognizes his voice.

In this version, there’s more than one minotaur, which is nice.

In the anime, I didn’t understand what convinced 17 to join the U7 team, but in this version, it’s Krillin, whom 17 feels indebted to for arranging to have the bombs removed from himself and 18.

Mr. Satan returns from his TV interview to inform Buu about the Tournament of Power, but he’s already sacked out before he can even explain it to him. I kind of like this way better. The anime version almost made it seem like Buu hibernated on purpose just to dick the others around. At least this way it’s purely innocent.

Gohan doesn’t appear in this preliminary stuff until near the end, so there’s a greater emphasis on whether or not he’ll be able to deliver when the time comes.

Meanwhile, in Universe 6, Cabba recruits Caulifla, and this version sheds a little more light on her gang. She hijacks vehicles from the Sadala Army, and shares the spoils with the less fortunate.

She steals a necklace along with the rest of it, and Cabba swipes it back while demonstrating the Super Saiyan form to her. Then Kale swips it back from him without him even noticing it, suggesting that Kale might be more than meets the eye. They never try to teach her to become a Super Saiyan in this scene. Cabba simply brings her along just because the U6 team needs all the fighters they can get.

Although, maybe he was impressed with the way she did that trick. I don’t know.

Finally, we have this part where Vegeta greets the rest of the team while they wait for Goku to return with Frieza. I’m kind of uneasy with how gregarious Vegeta is being here. I half expected him to walk up to Frieza and give him a big kiss on the mouth.

All right, that’s everything. The waiting is finally over, and the Tournament of Power can finally begin.... Tomorrow, because I’m all liveblogged out tonight. Later...

#dragon ball #dragon ball super manga #goku #beerus #whis #toppo #top #jiren #android 17 #cabba #caulifla #kale #vegeta #mr satan #cell #perfect cell #uub #and the rest

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exhausted-archivist · 1 year ago

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Cookbook Sample Preview...

I'm perfectly normal about this, totally calm. But I noticed on Sunday that the Dragon Age official cookbook had a preview/sample that it didn't have last time I checked. To summarize, it shows the Table of Contents and 7 new preview recipes along with 2 from an earlier sample release. It's basically previews the whole first section "Starters and Refreshments".

I will be putting things under cuts in case people don't wanna see things. From now on and after its release, the tag I will be using for the cookbook if you want to block is #tastes of thedas or #da: tot

I will also be silently combusting inside as I try not to let the excitement amp me up too much. I expect to fail this mission lol. (Spoiler I did fail and have been making my excitement everyone's problem.)

So, the cookbook sample. Amazon had a scrolling preview that wasn't as nice as the spreads so I made them into spreads like we got with the previous six recipes. You can see them here in this post.

But the following is the full spread of the sample from the cookbook. It gives us the cover, the two title pages, the table of contents, an introduction of a new character/narrator, the table of contents for the Starters and Refreshers section, and the 9 recipes within that section.

Beneath the images, I have transcribed the lore blurbs of the recipe as well as give an image description, but I didn't type out the recipes. That's for a later post (Also because it doesn't fit on this post. I hit the limit, sorry.) For a similar reason, I'm not adding my commentary to any of the recipes.

Contents

Introduction - 7

Starters & Refreshments

Eggs à la Val Foret - 11 Nevarran Blood Orange Salad - 13 Fried Young Giant Spider - 15 Stuffed Deep Mushrooms - 17 Rivaini Couscous Salad - 19 Crab Cakes from Kirkwall - 21 Fluffy Mackerel Pudding - 23 Snail & Watercress Salad - 25 Cave Beetles - 27

For the Road

Spiced Jerky - 31 Grey Warden Pastry Pockets - 33 Pickled Eggs - 35 Unidentified Meat - 37 Seheron Fish Pockets - 39 Crow Feed - 43 Black Lichen Bread - 45 Hearth Cakes - 47 Peasant Bread - 49

Soups & Stews

Merril's Blood Soup - 53 Fereldan Potato and Leek Soup - 55 The Hanged Man's Mystery Meat Stew - 57 Fish Chowder - 59 Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup - 61 Lentil Soup - 63 Nettle Soup - 65 King Alistair's Lamb and Pea Soup - 67

Main Courses

Stuffed Cabbage - 71 Antivan Gnochi - 73 Antivan Paella - 75 Grilled Poussin - 77 Gurgut Roast with Lowlander Spices and Mushroom Sauce - 79 Nug Pancakes - 81 Fish in Salt Crust - 83 Roasted Wyvern - 85 Nug Bacon and Egg Pie - 87 Starkhaven Fish and Egg Pie - 89 Cacio e Pepe - 91 Turnip and Mutton Pie - 93 Smoked Ham from the Anderfels - 95 Roasted Turkey with Sides - 97

Sides

Sera's Yummy Corn - 103 Stuffed Vine Leaves - 105 Honey Carrots - 107 Nevarran Flat Bread and Yogurt Dip - 109

Sweet Delights

Blancmange - 113 Poison Stings - 115 Dalish Forest Fruit Cobbler - 117 Dwarven Plum Jam - 119 Sour Cherries in Cream - 121 Treviso Energy Balls - 123 Rice Pudding - 125 Goat Custard - 127

Baked Goods

Antivan Apple Grenade - 131 Found Cake - 133 Varric's Favorite Cinnamon Rolls - 135 Croissants - 137 Cherry Cupcakes - 139 Chocolate Cake - 141 Varric's Favorite Pastries - 143 Sugar Cake - 145 Lamprey Cake - 147 Tevinter Pumpkin Bread - 151

Drinks & Potions

Lichen Ale - 155 The Hissing Drake - 157 Hot Chocolate - 159 Antivan Sip-Sip - 161 Dragon Piss - 163 Rivaini Tea Blend - 165 The Golden Nug - 167 The Emerald Valley - 169 Chasind Sack Mead - 171

Conversion Charts - 173 About the Authors and Photographers - 174

Introduction

Dear Mum,

It's me, Devon! I'm all grown up now-- or, well, more grown up than before. You always said I was too much like a child for my own good, and given the number of times you caught me daydreaming about going off on some grand adventure instead of sweeping the floors, I will grudgingly admit that you probably - probably - had a point. But guess what? I finally went on an adventure! A big one! Just like the Hero of Ferelden!

Okay, well, maybe not exactly like the Hero of Ferelden. But I did travel across Thedas! From Ferelden to Orlais, to Rivain, and even Tevinter. Plus, everything in between. It was a long journey, Mum. Weeks and weeks on the road, with the occasional bandit or beast. You'd probably have hated it, but, by Andraste, I loved every second of it! The sights! The sounds! The food.

Oh yes, the food. The reason why I set out on this journey to begin with. I know that I wasn't particularly adept in the kitchen the last time we saw each other. And, yes, I do remember that I nearly set Castle Cousland aflame with my first attempt at a stew. But I am pleased to inform you that I have been practicing extensively, and I think that, if the position still existed, I could take up your mantle as the Cousland family's cook. Granted, I doubt I would be able to fill your shoes completely; no one could manage such an impossible task. But I like to tell myself that I still would be able to make you proud.

And that takes me back to this journey and the all-important question of why. Why did I spend the last year traveling from one end of Thedas to the other, sampling whatever local cuisine I could get my hands on, even dishes that were downright strange? You're probably thinking that it's because the Hero of Ferelden ate it at some point - yes, that's certainly part of it, though I'll have you know that I tracked down foods enjoyed by the Champion of Kirkwall and the Inquisitor as well! Not to mention all their companions. But the truth is, Mum, throughout all of this, you were right there with them at the forefront of my mind. Because when I thought of ways to honor you, I kept coming back to the most important lesson you taught me: Love through food.

Every time I left your kitchen with a warm, full belly, I felt your love for me. And though I can't do the same for you anymore, I can fill this book. I can stuff it full of different recipes, dishes you've probably never even heard of, and think of you with each new entry. Because, you see, Mum, underneath all that childlike excitement, the dreams of adventure and heroism, I'm still very much your child. And I always will be.

Thank you for everything, Mum. I can't wait to share this book and the lessons that inspired it with the rest of the world.

Love, Devon

Starters & Refreshments

Eggs à la Val Foret

Image Description: A pancake with ham and a sliced poached egg with paprika and herbs on top sit on a silver platter.

Recipe Blurb: Ah, yes. Tons of cream! Exactly what I've come to expect from Orlesian cuisine. Do I have any tips for creating the perfect poached egg? Well, ever since I heard that Solas's bald head was once likened to an egg, I simply try to make my eggs just as round and shiny! So far, it's worked wonderfully and never ceases to put a smile on my face.

Nevarran Blood Orange Salad

Image Description: A wooden bowl rests on a rock, it holds a colourful salad with blood orange slices resting on top.

Recipe Blurb: Although I knew that Divine Victoria left behind a life of wealth and privilege to join the Seekers of Truth, it wasn't until I was in Nevarra, seeing exactly what she'd given up, that I truly gained an appreciation for the path she'd chosen. The best way to describe my first glimpse of the gardens of Nevarra is that it was like seeing a painting come to life. For a long moment, I could only stand there, so dazzled by the richness and vibrancy of it all that I was half-convinced I was actually still napping in the carriage. Surely, there was no way such beauty could be found outside of a dream. And yet the beauty before me was very much real.

So, too, was the picturesque tableau that arrived later that day on a plate: perfectly cut slices of blood orange artfully arranged on a lush pillow of bitter greens. Was this a meal or a still life, I wondered. In truth, the answer was both. For Nevarrans, food is as much a feast for the eyes as for the mouth. But even if your arrangement isn't quite worthy of being displayed in a museum, this salad will sing a symphony on your tastebuds.

Fried Young Giant Spiders

Image Description: A metal bowl filled with salad greens and fried crab legs arranged on top. Plate sits on a wooden table with a metal item and a smoking pot in the background.

Recipe Blurb: Just as people on the surface raise cows and goats, the dwarves underground raise spiders. Yes, to eat. The legs are fried and served with a sauce, which, true to dwarven fashion, is made with some type of alcohol. The precise kind depends on the establishment where you're eating your spider legs. Unfortunately, I couldn't get an exact recipe from any of the chefs I spoke to. These sauces are apparently closely guarded secrets and have spurred many a nefarious plot to acquire them-the competiontion to be crowned Orzammar's Best Sauce is fierce. But I've been assured that lichen ale is generally not used.

I've therefore come up with my own recipe, based on the many varieties I sampled while in Orzammar. Given that sourcing the requisite spider legs above ground is not nearly so easy, and the demand for such exports is minimal, I've subsituted them with crab legs. It's not a perfect match, but it's close enough to satisfy me.

Stuffed Deep Mushrooms

Image Description: Three mushroom caps fulled with a green, cheesy blend topped with chives. Placed on a platter that looks like a cut of wood, red capped mushrooms with white spots in the right hand corner in the foreground.

Recipe Blurb: Though the mushrooms growing underground in caves and in many parts of the Deep Roads are all called "deep mushrooms," there is no singular variety. In fact, there are several! Some mushrooms are squat, with broad, flat caps, while others are long and spindly, reaching toward the sky like an old man's gnarled fingers. They also have a multitude of applications, used in the creation of everything from restorative potions to deadly poisons. But in Orzammar, mushrooms are farmed for eating!

I was able to sample some of these dwarven delicacies, prized for their unique flavor and intoxicating scent. After only a few bites, I was struck with inspiration. How delicious would one of these mushrooms be when stuffed with cheese and spinach? The answer is: very. Rest assured that I selected this particular variety of deep mushroom not only for its shape, which is ideal for holding the maximum amount of cheese (and spinach), but also for the fact that it does not carry the darkspawn taint. While certain dwarves will insist that a deep mushroom's proximity to lyrium and darkspawn can only improve its flavor, I am quite content to leave that particular question a mystery, especially where lyrium is concerned. Although I'm hardly and expert on the stuff, I can't help but think about Fenris and how much suffering he endured as a result of his lyrium-infused markings. It seems to me that, barring any natural resistance, lyrium and the body are two things that probably shouldn't mix.

Rivaini Couscous Salad

Image Description: A copper bowl filled with couscous, mixed with various veggies and a mint leaf on top. A letter with an amulet from Alistair in the bottom left corner - merch from the BioWare store.

Recipe Blurb: When I first encountered couscous, I mistakenly believed it to be a grain, like rice or the more familiar Fereldan barley. I was swiftly corrected. In fact, couscous is a sort of pasta, made with semolina flour and water, although it's far smaller than your typical Antivan pasta. Couscous has a very mild flavor on its own--maybe slightly nutty. But where it excels is in its ability to soak up surrounding flavors, making it a perfect base for any salad. I'd love to experiment further, but so far, this particular combination of red bell pepper and mint has proven to be incredibly pleasing.

Crab Cakes from Kirkwall

Image Description: A caste iron pan over a bed of coals and flames, filled with battered soft shelled crabs, red peppers, and lemon slices.

Recipe Blurb: I love it when recipes add a dash of whimsy into the mix. Food shoulf be fun. I, therefore, took it upon myself to put this into practice with a classic Kirkwall dish. After all, who hasn't looked at their crab cakes and wished they looked a little more like crabs? Okay, maybe I'm the only one who's thought this. But now that I've brought this possibility to your attention, I'm certain you're interested as well! Best of all, these extra-crabby crab cakes stay true to the original recipe's flavors, so nothig is lost--only gained!

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding

Image Description: Two red small bowls with baked masked potatoes and a slice of hard boiled egg on top sit on a net with a starfish in the background.

Recipe Blurb: Can it really be Feast Day without fluffy mackerel pudding? No! In fact, there's no dish I associate more strongly with the holiday than this unique combination of mackerel, onion, celery, and eggs. Granted, I've heard stories that, several decades ago, someone once attempted a diet consisting entirely of fluffy mackerel pudding. Now, that I certainly wouldn't recommend. It stops being Feast Day Fish if you eat it every day, no?

Snail & Watercress Salad

Image Description: A wooden bowl resting on a river rock, filled with a salad comprised of mixed greens, radishes, and cooked snails.

Recipe Blurb: When the Avvar can't get their hands on a gurgut or a wyvern, they turn their attention to smaller prey. Much smaller prey. Snails are found on many a hillside boulder, making them an abundant source of food for the Avvar. Now, while some would wrinkle their noses or cry out in disgust at the prospect of eating a snail, I am pleased to report that, when prepared correctly, the texture. and flavor are actually good! I could happily eat a plate full of snails dressed in butter and oil, but those still on the fence about a snail's place

Cave Beetles

Image Description: A carved bowl holding cooked whole prawns, lemon slices and herbs sit on a rock with fake beetles and a black rock with blue glowing lines in the background.

Recipe Blurb: You think that, after snails, I'd balk at beetles? Never! In fact, I greatly enjoyed this dwarven dish, which involves roasting cave beetles in their shells. However, I recognize that many may not have a palate that's nearly so adventurous. If that's the case, the cave beetles can be replaced with whole prawns while keeping the rest of the recipe the same. That being said, if you do enjoy the variation with prawns, I really recommend giving the cave beetles a try. They're quite similar in both texture and flavor. If you were to blindfold yourself, I doubt you could tell the difference!

#dragon age #dragon age cookbook #da: tot #da: tastes of thedas #tastes of thedas #long post #I am so excited this is just so good so far #I almost have bingo #archi is yelling into the void #I see that it mentioned it taking a year to traverse Thedas and we will all ignore that. Thank you.#I have feelings and observations which is for another post lol

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sugarlesswriting · 2 years ago

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Thanks for tagging me @the-type-a :)

🖌 - Do you have/want any tattoos?

No tattoos and even though I think they’re pretty I would never get one, I’m to much of a baby when it comes to pain lol

💚 - What’s your favourite colour?

Pink or anything pastel

🍕 - What’s the last thing you ate?

Spaghetti and crab meat, we out to eat with friends and since it was pay day I decided to treat myself.

🕰 - What time is it where you are rn?

9:21 pm, ready for bed so tired

🌟 - What is your zodiac sign?

Scorpio

🌍 - What is your favourite accent?

I never really thought about it, I mean Irish and Scottish is pretty hot I guess

⚡️ - Do you have any scars?

Yes, two are from surgery on my foot and on my back. I have a scar on my hand that I don’t know how I got it. And a long scar on my arm and a small one on my upper lip from my cat using my body as a baseboard to jump in the window (thanks Huntress)

🌺 - What’s your MBTI type?

INFP

🥀 - Favourite animated movie?

I’m listing my top 5 in no particular order, Balto, An American Tail, Scooby Doo on Zombie Island, Coco and Cinderella

📺 - Favourite show?

I have several: Psych, The Venture Bros., Community, Modern Family, Happy Endings, and King of the Hill, probs more but these are just my current rotations of shows at the moment lol.

😂 - Are you ticklish?

💍 - Do you ever want to get married?

Yes, but I just need to find the poor soul that can deal with my annoying ass 🤪

😳 - Do you like your name?

Yes

💙 - What colour is your bedroom?

Grey

🤓 - How did you get your name?

My dad promised his dying friend to name his son after him but got me instead lol.

🎓 - When did/do you graduate?

Was in school a bit longer than I needed to be so I graduated in 2020, didn’t have a graduation, but I wouldn’t have gone anyways - too boring lol. Got to keep my cap and gown though!

🍄 - Do you have/want any piercings?

Got my ears pierced when I was 11, but the holes covered up because I never wore earrings once I got to high school. Now I want to get them repierced.

👀 - What colour are your eyes?

If I was pretentious or a main character in a YA novel I’d say icy blue

👱🏻‍♀️ - What is your go to hairstyle?

Keep it down, besides I can’t do anything with it because the humidity is where good hairstyles go to die.

🥂 - Have you ever drank underage?

Yes? I mean a few times but never enough to get drunk like a shot here and there.

🍾 - Have you ever gotten drunk?

Yes. I never drink but one time, like 6 months after we turned 21, Hannah and I went to a friends place for a small party and I got drunk on this vodka lemonade our friends then boyfriend now husband made. I started to finish off other’s drinks that didn’t want them and I got a little sloppy lol. Her boyfriend asked if I was okay and I just said, ‘I’m good, I know what’s going on around me.’ To which he went to go find Hannah because I couldn’t stand up. The other time was this year at a friend's Christmas party and I got a little tipsy and that’s when I found out that I talk in third person. ‘Carley’s a little tipsy teehee.’ ‘ Carley’s hungry.’ Again a mess lol.

😱 - What’s your biggest fear?

I got two, one’s heights, can’t even watch a movie that deals with heights I get dizzy. Second is the dark, my anxiety plays with my mind too much lol.

🥵 - Would you rather be too hot or too cold?

Too cold, I live in the South so it’s always hot as balls here so of course I’d want to be cold. It’s not like I can take off my skin!

🌦 - What’s your favourite weather?

Cloudy and chilly. We only get like three weeks of that weather though.

🍂 - What’s your favourite season?

Aesthetically? Fall. Temperature? Winter.

🐷 - What’s your favourite animal?

Arctic Fox, they’re just so cute 🥺

🐶 - Do you have any pets?

Yes, the little boobie Huntress

😴 - What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

Like 20 hours I think? But I like to sleep so it rarely happens.

🎨 - Any hobbies?

I like to write, cook and bake. Cooking and baking calms me lol. Also collecting clocks and old cookbooks.

🛩 - If travelling was free, where’s the first place you’d go?

Probably Ireland or Scotland, I want to visit their historical sites

🎇 - What’s your most searched thing on Google?

Probably youtube because I have several tabs open, one for songs for this book, one for songs for that book, and funny videos.

📱 - Favourite app on your phone?

Reddit, sorry Tumblr girlies but Momma likes to read HobbyDrama and her other niche interests.

🤠 - Are you more of a city person or a country person?

I’mma cheat and say Suburbia. Cities too loud but the country is too quiet. See, someone from the city would say that where I live is country to them but you don’t know what country is until you get out of cell service and the only source of entertainment is going from Sonic to the Dairy Queen and there’s a Walmart 45 minutes away. 😂

#i think everyone I follow was tagged?#sugarless thoughts

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rambling-fool · 6 months ago

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(I was originally writing a thing in the tags but I hit the fucking limit so here we fucking go I guess!!)

(The first like 6 tags are remnants from me shaking the fucking bars and running around my cage)

So like, they don't escape the loops. For literal years, theyre just stuck. They try over and over and over again. Nothing. Not a single dang scratch on their trap.

At some point they break. Over the course of like 20 loops they have a massive breakdown. They vent a year worth of loop angst to everyone around them (they would vent more but they can't BLINDING REMEMBER!!!!!), they sleep for a week straight, they eat Bonnie's entire bag like 3 times.

After a while they manage to regain their ability to act. Back to the stage, siffrin.

They do a dozen, two dozen, three dozen. Nothing changes.

Another breakdown.

Again.

And again.

And again again again.

Again again again again again again again again again!!!!

Stars.

Eventually, loop leaves. They come back, at some point. Sif barely notices. When they're back, that is. They always notice when they're gone.

It does not help.

They start breaking reality. Every loop. Every blinding loop. God form. Rain of fire. A tear in the sky.

Eventually, he's just.... Out. They can't talk. They can't think. They can't breath. Walk, three step, attack.

They break reality again. By now they're used to this. They beat the king, mirabelle cast something. They can't remember. By now their memory is less a swiss cheese or strainer, it's more a black hole. A singularity of grief, exhaustion, pain.

Mira says something.

He ignores it.

Isa, odile, they say something. Do they? Yeah, their mouths are moving.

Stars, he's tired.

After a few turns of battle, Bonnie braces themselves. They run forward, and they...

They just... Hug you?

What.

What's happening.

What the crab.

You... Lift your hand.

It's excruciating. Knives, hundreds. All cut into your hand. Your nose, your eyes, your throat, all feel like they're being burned, with the power of the stars themselves. Odile says something.

Stars, your back hurts.

You put your hand on... Something.

It's the kid

They're... Crying?

Why are they crying?!

WHY ARE THEY CRYING!!?

your eyes are burning. You...

You cry.

You cry you cry you cry.

You cry you cry you cry You cry you cry you cry

You feel more hands on you.

It's your... Actors.

They're all... Hugging, you?

Don't they know?

DONT THEY KNOW?

You're too tired to warn them. You ball your eyes out.

At some point, you fade.

You wake up.

Piou piou

WHAT

NO NO NO NO NONONONONONON-

There's a hand on your forehead. Thats new.

You're... Not on the grass?

You... Dare not open your eye.

Are y'all ready for some angst? because oh boi, do I have a funny little au in my head.

No, the posts won't be in order, where would be the fun in that ;). This au takes place after act 4, but it never got further, and Sif has been looping, searching for a solution for a loong time.

Anyway, say hi to "Still Alive" ISAT au

does it start with the end? is it? or not ? you'll have to wait and see :)

(ps: a lil time passes between each panel)

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pulsdmedia · 2 years ago

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The Week Ahead 11/20-11/26

Ahhh it’s beginning to look along like - Turkey Day! Thanksgiving is in 4 days and while we’re excited about the fun & the feasting, we’re more jazzed about the city this time of year. It’s the most festive, fabulous season, centered around celebration and fun. Let us help you dive into it all...

$149: 4 Course Thanksgiving Feast & Wine Bottle For 2, Tribeca

If you forgot to grab a turkey, head to Filé Gumbo Bar in Tribeca and completely immerse yourself in turkey day vibes with a Creole & Cajun twist! You’ll enjoy a 4 Course Thanksgiving Dinner For Two that includes 2 Louisiana-Style Thanksgiving Feasts. Expect Family-Style Servings of Starters, Main Centerpieces, Sides, and Desserts, as well as 1 Bottle of Red or White Wine. The banquet is family-style, meaning abundant servings of Pimento Cheese & Warm Crab Dip, Roasted Turkey with Cajun Butter, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Crawfish Mac & Cheese, Cornbread Sausage Dressing, Ham Hocks Green Beans, and so much more, not to mention desserts such as Bread Pudding! We love New York City, but why not celebrate the festivities like you're in New Orleans...

SEA NY Sample Sale

Join 260 Sample Store at their SoHo location to shop pieces from SEA New York! Shop their best pieces at a steep discount to refresh your wardrobe. It's the holiday season, so you deserve to treat yourself!

$19 Ticket To An Open Bar Thanksgiving Eve Party, LIC

Add a dose of stress-busting fun to your holiday plans with a night at Gamehaus! Their whole scene is based on tapping into your playful side, repping a rotating craft beer program, potent cocktails, luscious wines, and the like that will fuel the fun at their Open Bar Thanksgiving Eve Party! The 5,000-square-foot multifunctional space is the ideal gem to celebrate this revelrous night. Celebrated in Time Out, Gamehaus is chock full of interactive & arcade games - think Atari Pong, Ms. Pac-Man, Jurassic Park, Pop-a-Shot and Skee Ball, just to name a few. You'll partake in some friendly competition while you drink endless swigs from a free-flowing open bar. And when hunger makes an entrance, order some juicy burgers, overflowing tacos, and the like from the spot's decadent menu. We're feeling extra thankful for this holiday shindig...

NYCRUNS Turkey Trot 5K

Governors Island is now open year round and that means more chances to run there, including this 5K! The foliage is amazing this late in the fall and NYCRUNS can't imagine a better view of America than the one you get from Governors Island. Your entry to the NYCRUNS Turkey Trot includes a ferry ride, your race-entry, a snazzy long sleeve t-shirt, and post-race eats!

$19 VIP Ticket: Open Bar Studio 54 Themed Disco Fever Party

After you’ve consumed all those calories, burn them off, adorned in glitter & sequins, dancing to the music of the 70s at Casa 51's Disco Fever Fridays. Just $19 gets you a VIP Ticket that includes admission to this fabulous fête, as well as a 2 Hour Open Bar featuring Nostalgic 70s Inspired Cocktails. Walk the red carpet while photographers snap black and white photos reminiscent of the Studio 54 vintage shots of Mick Jagger, Cher, Diana Ross and the like. You'll also get a chance to learn to Hustle, and manifest your inner disco queen or king. Retro Disco Drinks include the favorite of Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones in 1972, the "Tequila Sunrise," while modern libation interpretations include the glittery, sweet "Disco Fever" and the fiery, spicy margarita "The Inferno." Groovy, baby...

Bryant Park Tree Lighting

The Bryant Park annual Tree Lighting at Bank of America Winter Village returns to the park! Join Broadway stars and co-hosts Jessica Vosk and Jelani Remy as you enjoy performances by world-class skaters Mirai Nagasu, Polina Edmunds, and others. Plus enjoy singing, fireworks, and more!

0 notes

coderfortourette · 3 years ago

Text

State Fidget Toys

This is inspired by the most recent sketch featuring Mrs. Bench sharing Fidget Toys with the states. Even though only 6 states, and Gov, showed in the video, I like to imagine they were all there and they all got toys.

Mrs Bench’s shop is Fidget Toys Plus. All the toys I mention in this post are specifically from there.

Since this is a long post, I’ll put it under the cut

Starting with those featured in the video:

Florida: Got a squishy gator like creature. It’s a quiet fidget, it’s a gator, and it actually kept him preoccupied in the sketch despite Gov’s worries.

Louisiana: He got something that squeezes and also exercises the fingers (because Florida wouldn’t share). It’s also quiet, and since he’s the type to hold things (usually his cup), it works for him.

Texas: A giant colorful knife horse (unicorn) pop it. Because he is the second biggest state, has the second biggest population, and is compensating for something.

Alaska: Not shown in the video, but I like to imagine that he got a pop it as well. His was smaller, the normal size for one, and it’s shaped like a polar bear.

New York: Got the cheese-mouse/rat. He named it Splinter after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Of course, he’s the Rat King because of lovely NYC.

California: He took all the fidgets. The guy needs a friend.

States not in the video:

Alabama - Red Bike Chain Fidget

Arizona - Snake Fidget Toy

Arkansas - Grape squishy

Colorado -

Connecticut - regular blue stress ball

Delaware - 1 shaped pop it

Georgia - Peach squishy

Hawai’i - wasn’t present, didn’t get one

Idaho - Fidget Pad

Illinois - Pizza shaped dimple

Indiana - Owl Pop it

Kansas - Fidget Cube

Kentucky - Bike chain fidget

Maine - Fidget Cube

Maryland - Crab tangle

Massachusetts - Donut dimple

Michigan - Nintendo Switch Pop it

Minnesota - Fidget Cube

Mississippi - Bike Chain

Missouri - Ice cream dimple

Montana - Bike chain fidget

Nebraska - Stress Ball

Nevada - Crown pop it

New Hampshire - Fidget Pad

New Jersey - Squirrel Squeeze (Like what Cali gets at the beginning)

New Mexico - Solar System dimple

North Carolina - Jet Pop it

North Dakota - A slime fidget

Ohio - Football Pop it

Oklahoma - Infinity Cube

Oregon - Magnetic Dice

Pennsylvania - Stress ball (many)

Rhode Island - Pop tube

South Carolina - Mesh and Marble

South Dakota - A slime fidget

Tennessee - Balloon Horse fidget

Utah - Fidget cube

Vermont - Pop tube

Virginia - Stress Ball

Washington - Pop Dice

West Virginia - Fidget pad

Wisconsin - Cookies and milk dimples

Wyoming - Bike chain

#ben brainard #wttsh #wttt #welcome to the table #welcome to the statehouse #fidget #fidget toys #headcanons

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veronicasvanitycc · 4 years ago

Photo

This post is specifically for other CC creators. If you can/would make any of these items for the Sims community, I would lose my mind. Or if you know where they can already be found, please let me know! ❤ All credit of course will be given and you will be shared on my tumblr and patreon. I am also a member of TBS/DSC on facebook so you will be shared there as well when I post! If you see anything on the list that you would love to see in the S4 Community, reblog pleaseeeee!

If any of these items are found, I will update the list with a link for everyone. ❤

Lot Traits

Aquarium

Stripclub

Fraternity

Sorority

Dispensary

Psychologist

Elementary School

High School

Waterpark

Salon/Nail Salon

Tattoo Studio

Low Income Housing

Apartment Building

Bachelor Pad

Farm

Deco Sims

Sitting Santa (LP Photos)

Models

Male Strippers

Toddlers (Daycare)

Babies (LP Maternity Ward)

Gothic/Emo

Celebrities

Zoo Keepers/Amusement Park Workers/Disney Characters

Homeless

Casino/Resort Workers

Dentist/Psychologist

Basketball/Football Players

Teens (Prom/School/Having Fun etc)

Prison Inmates

Band "Geeks"

School Jocks

Cheerleaders

Tanning/Waxing Salon Clients

Tarot/Paranormal Sims (Tarot shop)

Fishing

Security

Maids

Singers

Church (Pastor/Choir/Confessional)

TSA/Airport Staff/Judge

Postal Workers

Edible Foods & Recipes

Beef & Cheddar Sandwich (Arbys)

Gyro

Baklava

Curly Fries

Chili Dogs

Spanakopita

Cheese Curds

Fried Okra

Garlic Parmesan Fries

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Honey Walnut Shrimp (Panda Express)

Crab Rangoon

Teriyaki Chicken

Fried Cabbage W/ Bacon

Brisket/Cornbread/Collard Greens

Corn Dogs

Funnel Cake

Mushroom & Swiss Burger

Colesaw

Taco Platter/Rice/Beans

Chorizo/Egg/Cheese Burrito

Biscuits & Gravy (I thought I saw this released???)

Sweet Potatoes W/ Brown Sugar & Marshmallows

California Sushi Roll

Shrimp Tempura Sushi Roll

Philadelphia Sushi Roll

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Sloppy Joes & Chips

Mexican Red Rice

Toastadas & Ceviche

Taco Salad

Carne Asada Tacos

Birria Tacos W/ Consumme

Dolmades

Honey Biscuits (Churchs Chicken)

Dirty Rice (Bojangles/Cajun Style)

Souvlaki

Loukomades

Sub Sandwiches (Subway Build)

Bratwurst W/ Saurkraut

Carnitas W/ Red Rice

Waffle Fries (Chick Fil A)

Swedish Meatballs W/ Butter Noodles

French Dip Sandwich W/ Au Jus

Seafood Boil

Chicken Fries (Burger King)

Spicy Chicken Sandwich (Popeyes!!!!!!!!!❤)

Whopper Sandwich (Burger King)

Salt Fish & Cabbage

Jambalaya

Dumbo

Cobb Salad

Creamy Chicken Over Rice

Ackee & Salt Fish

Boiled Peanuts

Sweet Tea

Hushpuppies

Objects

Functionality is hard so decor items are are just as good!

Diving Cage (Decor/LP Use)

Waterslides (Is it possible to make other designs through necrodogs functional water slide?)

Earring Display Turnstyle (Claires Build)

Ear Pericing Gun

Earring Stud Stand (Choose your studs before you get your ears pierced lol)

Ear Cleaner

Tattoo Goo

Incense Tubes (Retail Style/Pick & Choose)

Aquarium Touch Pool (Anything works for this!)

Wall Candy Dispensers

Prison Visitor Phone (Anything for a visitation room)

Dunk Tank (Necrodog Fair Pack Add On?)

Whack a Mole

Tall Froyo Ice Cream Machine

Ring Toss (Necrodog Fair Pack Add On? Jcope?)

Goldfish Toss (Necrodog Fair Pack Add On? Jcope?)

Kiddie Coster (Necrodog Fair Pack Add On?)

Balloon Darts (Necrodog Fair Pack Add On? Jcope has one, but something not as circus related?)

Bumper Boats ( I am dyinggggg for this!!! Even if its decor only)

Cornhole Game (horseshoe toss style)

Snow Cone Machine (This would be dope to be functional!)

Coin Operated Rides (outside of stores)

Functional/Non Functional Casino Stuff/Games Etc

Wet Bar (Sims 3 Conversion?)

Freakshow Decor (Venice Beach Freakshow)

Bingo Ball Spinner/Cage/Caller? (What do you call it lol)

Bingo Cards

Plastic Surgeon Chair

Sol De Janeiro Stuff (I need!!!)

Fake Nails (Boxes for retail)

Body Jewelry Decor Displays

Store Signs

Del Taco

Whataburger

Bojangles

Burger King

Churchs Chicken

Jack In The Box

Culvers

Golden Corral

Cheesecake Factory

Cracker Barrel

In & Out

Dairy Queen

Raising Canes

A&W

Texas Roadhouse

Zaxbys

Carls Jr,

Captain D's

Bush's Chicken

Blockbuster

Seaworld

Disney World

Horrorland (Goosebumps Style)

Cascade

Ulta Beauty

Museum Of Death (LA Museum)

Claires

Shady Acres (Junky Sign/Trailer Park Build)

Jelly Belly

NFL Store

Spelman College (Britechester/Foxbury Text Override Mod)

Morehouse College (Britechester/Foxbury Text Override Mod)

Michael's (Craft store)

Hobby Lobby

Caesars Palace

Hells Kitchen

Party City

American Girl Dolls

"The Boardwalk" (Like the Santa Monica Pier Arch)

Charlotte Russe

Motel 6

Good Burger

Mondo Burger

Planned Parenthood

Sanrio

Rainforest Cafe

Universal Studios

If you know of any place I can find these items, please let me know!!! If they are used in any of my builds, I will give you that entire build early access as well as share you all over and probably obsess over you for the rest of my life. ❤ (creator or not) I am aware that this gives away my future ideas, but oh well. We can all win yall.

#s4 #ts4 #ts4cc #ts4requests #S4CC

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yikesharringrove · 5 years ago

Note

Steve is always excited when Billy uses his nicknames as "princess, handsome boy, king" or calls him "mine" and Billy finds out.

So anything Leslie calls Ann in Parks and Rec, I can 100% imagine Billy calling Steve. You are a beautiful, talented, brilliant, powerful musk ox.

Billy is a nicknamin’ kinda guy. Always has been.

Sometimes he can’t remember people’s names, so he sticks with somethin’ tried and true. Call a girl Doll or Sweet Heart, and she’s putty in your hands. Any guy will respond just fine to man or dude, any of that stupid shit.

Steve loves nicknames. It’s hard to make anything outta Steve, sometimes Tommy would call him Stevie, but that was usually when he wanted to mock him. Steve’s own parents were fans of the full name, either Steven or sometimes first and middle name, always said coldly, like he was an ugly lamp in the sitting room, not their child.

So when Steve first begins hanging out with Billy, Billy is always callin’ something new. Stevie is a classic, but Pretty Boy comes just as often. Steve preen every time something other than Steve comes outta that mouth.

Billy doesn’t notice, just keeps truckin’ along, throwing in Princess every now and then. He was in a silly mood when Mac n’ Steve first happened, and he was in love with the way Steve giggled for several minutes, whispering Mac n’ Steve to himself.

Once they started dating, the nicknames changed a little. It was my Pretty Boy, my Stevie, my Sweet Thing. Billy didn’t even notice the switch, it just came naturally to him.

Steve on the other hand noticed. Every time Billy called him his, his stomach would jolt, his cock would twitch, and his mind would go blank, in that order.

The first time they had sex, Billy was cooing and purring in Steve’s ear the whole time, telling him he was such a good little slut, and Princess, you feel so good for me. Steve was a mess, the mindblowing sex mixed with Billy’s dirty talk mixed with the fucking nicknames? Steve blew his load embarrassingly fast.

Billy had begun to clue in. Took note of the way Steve’s breath would hitch, his back would arch, when he leaned over him and muttered, you’re all mine, Pretty Boy. Notice how even in Steve’s sleep, he would sigh and turn into putty if Billy whispered my perfect little Princess.

So he went ham. He hadn’t said Steve outside of a further nickname in months. Used everything he could think of, silly ones, sexy ones, sweet ones, ones he usually reserved for girls, ones he had heard in bad pornos, anything he could think of.

Steve melted every time there was something new, every time Billy brushed past him to say looking good, Doll or even when he said stupid shit like how you doin’, my precious little beach ball.

He finally asks Steve about it one night, when they’re trying to untangle themselves from the ruined sheets.

“What’s with you and nicknames?” Steve went red, embarrassed and Billy realized he probably could have worded it better. “I just mean,” he hurried, not wanting Steve to curl in on himself, insecure. “I like callin’ you nicknames, but you always get real responsive when I do it, even the bad ones.” He was, of course, referring to not even five minutes ago when he said you wanna be my good little bitch? and Steve had cum with a scream.

“I just, I like it.” He shrugged, face still flushed. “Make me feel like I’m important to you. ‘Specially when you call me, yours.” Billy scooted Steve in close, his pretty back to Billy’s front.

“Good. ‘Cause you are mine.” Steve sighed. “And you are important to me. Really fuckin’ important, Pretty Boy.”

“My parents just, they never called me anything but my full name, so when you say other stuff, I guess I just,” He shrugged, trailing off. Billy had one hand on his tummy, squeezed it a little bit.

“Keep talkin’, Silkworm.”

“Well, I just, I don’t even know. You literally just called me a fucking silkworm, probably just the first animal that came to your brain, and I have literally never felt more loved.”

“Good.”

“‘Do you mean, ‘good’.”

“I’m glad you feel loved. I mean, that’s why I do it. Because I love you.” They hadn’t said it before, always dancing around the words. The last time Steve had said them, heard them, it wasn’t real. The last time Billy said them, heard them, his mother had left anyway, so they hadn’t said it. Until Billy. Until Billy just said it.

Steve turned around in his arms, wanting to see what his face looked like.

“Say it again.”

“I love you, Dungeness Crab.” Steve laughed, loud and joyful.

“I love you, Bill. I love you so much.” he buried his face into Billy’s neck, giggling Dungeness Crab into the skin.

#yikes writes #my bf and i thought it would be funny to call each other random animals #so i call him silkworm #and he calls me dungeness crab #so that's where that came from #steve harrington #steve harrington x billy hargrove #billy hargrove x steve harrington #billy hargrove #harringrove #harringrove fic #harringrove ficlet #harringrove drabble

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askkrenko · 4 years ago

Text

Krenko's Guide to Pokemon: Slowpoke Line

Posted as early as could be expected.

DESIGN:

Slowpoke is some sort of hippo lizard sloth thing, and honestly I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I do know that it's cute, goofy, and unique. There's a great deal of simplicity to Slowpoke, but it all works out in its favor, making it just seem like some sort of normal animal that exists in an environment.

The Galarian form has some yellow bits which, honestly, I do not care about. I don't have a probelm with the design of Galarian Slowpoke, I just think that it's not different enough from regular Slowpoke for me to care.

Slowbro takes the basic Slowpoke and puts it upright by balancing it with the huge shell on its tail. It adds an interesting visual component similar to a hermit crab, but I'll admit, I don't really get it. I don't dislike it or anything, but I don't understand how having an angry shell on its tail makes Slowbro smarter and more powerful.

Galarian Slowbro, on the other hand, takes that shell and uses it to shoot some sort of toxic whatever, and frankly I love that idea. You've added a megabuster-like-weapon to a slowpoke and you've got something that's clearly displaying new attack forms. Weirdly, it relies on the assumption taht the shell is high in poison, which means a Shellder, a non-poison Pokemon, transformed into something high in Poison. The fact that Turban never became its own Pokemon really seems like we're missing a lot of explanation on this.

And then there's Mega Slowbro which I can't even take seriously enough to talk about look at this stupid thing I love it so much it's the dumbest design ever and I can't stop grinning.

Slowking, the alternate evolution, involves the shell biting Slowpoke's head instead of its tail, turning into a hat. This directly injects the poisons that Shellder DOESN'T HAVE into Slowpoke's brain, making it much smarter somehow. Seriously, we need to see Turban as a Water/Poison type so we can get our understanding of how Slowpoke works better.

Galarian Slowking is a similar design, but the Evolved Shellder is lower and covers its face, because on this Pokemon, the Shellder is in charge. Gone is your Slowpoke entirely. Like with Parasect or Hydreigon, you have effectively killed your Pokemon by evolving it. I hope you're proud of yourself, you monster.

Visually, I don’t like how the purple goes. It looks too much like the top half is in shadow rather than the top half being a different color. I’d much rather the purple appear in more of a pattern, or spots, like on Galarian Slowbro.

EVOLUTIONS:

Uuuuuuugh.

Slowpoke evolves into Slowpoke at 37, or Slowking when traded with a King's Rock, but Galarian Slowpoke uses a Galarica Cuff or a Galarica Wreath to evolve, which are basically the same thing, and none of these evolutions address the question of where the Shellder comes from and how it evolves into Turban. This is possibly the messiest evolutionary line in all of Pokemon.

And then there's a Mega Slowbro, which is cool, but only one of the four potential Slowpoke evolutions gets a Mega Form, and that's just weird, right? It's like if there was a Mega Jolteon and no other Mega Eevees, or if there was a Mega Hitmonlee but not a Mega Hitmonchan or Mega Hitmontop.

Art by JoshuaDunlop

TYPING:

Slowpoke, Slowbro, and Slowking are all Water/Psychic, as is Mega Slowbro. Galarian Slowpoke is pure psychic, with both Galarian evolutions being Psychic/Poison.

Water/Psychic is a decent defensive type, with five weaknesses and six resistances. Offensively, the pair only works Super-Effective against five types, but with no shared resistances, Slowbro and Slowking don't need to worry about additional attacks for coverage.

Psychic/Poison has just three weaknesses, but also only four resistances, which is a reasonable tradeoff. Offensively, it's much weaker, only super-effective against four types, and with no attacks that work well against Steel type opponents.

Art by Twarda8

STATS:

Stats of the four Slowpoke evolution are all somewhat similar. All have a respectable 95 HP and an expectedly awful 30 speed. Most have 100 special attack, with Galarian Slowking's a bit better at 110. Their physical attacks vary wildly, but only Galarian Slowbro's, at 100, is high enough to warrant using Physical Attacks with. The rest are strictly special attackers. The tradeoff comes in that Galarian Slowbro also has the worst defenses, with its defenses being 95 and 70 instead of the 110 and 80 (physical lean for Slowpoke, special for Slowking) that the other three have.

Mega Slowbro is of course just better. Though its special defense is still only 80, its physical defense is a whopping 180, and its special attack jumps to 130, making it something that can both take hits and dish them out.

Art by Carbonated-James

ABILITIES:

Every Slowpoke evolution has Own Tempo, which prevents Confusion and Intimidate, and it's frankly the wrong answer for all of them. Confusion's just not that huge an issue.

The Water-Type evolutions can also get Oblivious, which prevents infatuation, taunting, and intimidate, which is... still not really important.

Galarian Slowbro gets a unique ability option called QUick Draw, which gives Slowbro a chance to go first even when it has slower speed, which is most of the time. This is decent, but a 30% chance means it's unreliable. Long term it'll come up often enough, but not enough to ensure it matters when you need it to.

Galarian Slowking has a unique ability called Curious Medicine, which resets stat changes of ally Pokemon when it enters the battlefield. This only matters in 2v2s, and even then is a niche feature, because switching out a pokemon resets its stat changes anyway.

But then they all get Regenerator.

Regenerator heals the pokemon by 1/3 its max HP when you switch it out. This means switching isn't a waste of a turn, and Slowpoke's evolutions all have decent enough HP that 1/3 is a reasonable number. It's a hidden ability, but the simple fact is that Regenerator is the best choice for all Slowpokes.

Mega Slowbro has Shell Armor, making it immune to critical hits. This is fine. It's not the most impressive, but it's the only option.

Yadon Bay by Tymkiev

MOVES:

Water-type Slowbro and Slowking are Scald Tanks. Their role is very simple: They use Scald to do damage and burn the target, then they use Slack Off to heal up. Leftovers help. Everything else is secondary. Their only real differences are that one's better against physical attacks and the other's better against special attacks... and Slowbro can Mega Evolve.

Everything else is secondary. Nasty Plot or Calm Mind can be used to increase damage. Psychic, Psyshock, or Future Sight can be used as a second attack for coverage, as can off-type attacks like Shadow Ball, Flamethrower, and Ice Beam. Thunder Wave can reduce damage from special attackers. With Regenerator, Slowbro and Slowking users will often want to make use of Teleport, as it lets you switch after taking a hit rather than before. Assuming the hit doesn't drop your Slowpokemon, they'll immediately heal some of it while your other pokemon arrives without eating an attack.

Galarian Slowbro's signature attack, Shell Side Arm, uses Physical or Special attack depending on the opponent's defenses, suggesting that it should focus on being good at both physical and special attacks. This can prove advantageous against many pokemon and inhibits the ability to tank against it. Unfortunately, while Galarian Slowbro has access to Calm Mind, Curse, Nasty Plot, and Belly Drum, it doesn't get any way to increase both Physical and Special attack at the same time, and investing in both physical and special attack for stats means taking away from other places. Losing the heightened defenses of the Slowbro in favor of being able to use both physical and special attacks just isn't a great deal.

Galarian Slowbro is still competent enough that it can be built as a special attacker with Sludge Bomb, Psychic, decent coverage moves, Nasty Plot or Calm Mind, and reasonable bulk, but it's just going to be generally weaker about it than Galarian Slowking, which goes the other way and trades off the Physical Attack it wasn't using for more Special Attack.

Galarian Slowking's signature attack, Eerie Spell, is a bit weaker than Psychic, but also does PP damage. It's possible this winds up being tactically useful, especailly if building Galarian Slowking with Slack Off for longer combats, but I expect Galarian Slowking's best psychic attack option to be Psychic, Psyshock, or the slow-but-powerful Future Sight. For a Poison attack, Sludge Bomb is the obvious answer.

Despite not being water type Galarian Slowking can still use Scaled to try and poison its targets, both doing damage while it Slacks Off and reducing their physical attack. Similarly, Thunder Wave is still an option. Really, you can just build Galarian Slowking as you would a Kantonian Slowbro or Slowking, with the note that you're also able to use Sludge Bomb.

The Slowpoke Family by Zerochan923600

OVERALL:

Slowbro and Slowking are basically the same Pokemon, and it's actually kind of weird that they're not. The only relevant difference is which is higher of physical or special defense, and while I suppose that IS relevant, it's odd that we have four Pokemon here that all basically play the same... Except Galarian Slowbro which just got the short end of the stick.

Overall I like Slowbro and both Slowkings, but Galarian Slowbro really feels like it needs a bit more oomf to compete with all of them. A higher physical attack would be great, or if Shell Side Arm always used Slowbro's Special but could attack Physical or Special defense, or even just getting "Work Up" or something that increased both Physical and Special at once would be good, but the simple fact is, Galarian Slowbro's offense increase doesn't really matter in the face of Galarian Slowking. And why the hell can’t Galarian Slowbro learn Toxic? Its pokedex entry absolutely says it can.

Also, at this point I'm confident in saying Eevee's going to be more than one article.

#Krenko's Pokemon Guide #Slowpoke #Slowbro #Slowking

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jovialyouthmusic · 4 years ago

Text

Silver Service

The Court visits the Cormery Isles without Lady Olivia. Lucretia makes plans and Anton makes an unpleasant discovery.

Word Count 2964

A/N Apologies for the delay in posting. the chapter is short, but a lot happens. Warning - harm to a major character.

19 We move closer...

‘Excuse me your Grace’ James knocked on the door of Liam’s bedroom, where he was packing for the trip to Cormery.

‘What is it, James?’ He asked, and he entered, standing by the door in the stoic posture of the King’s Guard.

‘I thought you’d like to know Lady Olivia is returning from her meeting with Lucretia, Sir.’

‘Already? I thought she’d be longer. Do we know what entrance she’ll be using? I’d like to meet her straight away’ James pressed a finger to his earpiece, listening intently

‘Follow me sir’ he replied ‘I’ll take you there, her route is being monitored’

Liam was just in time to greet Olivia as she swept in the staff entrance at speed, but she wouldn’t stop. He ran to keep up with her as she made her way to her suite. She refused to speak until she got there, when she seized the nearest object – a heavy vase full of flowers. She picked it up and held it up to hurl it down on the ground, but Liam stopped her, catching hold of her hands and helping her to put it down safely. She pulled away from him abruptly

‘That old bitch’ she stormed ‘She knows’ She went to the desk and swept the papers off the desk. Liam followed her and caught at her wrists before she did any more damage.

‘Knows what, Livvy?’ he asked urgently ‘What does Lucretia know?’ Olivia’s eyes were full of fire and she glared at him for a moment before letting her arms go limp and dropping her head.

‘She knows I’m pregnant’ she said quietly ‘She worked it out, the witch’

‘Calm down Livvy. We can handle this’ Liam said soothingly ‘Take a deep breath’

‘How are we going to keep this quiet?’ She said ‘It’s too soon’

‘It’s okay, she’s under house arrest’ Liam reminded her ‘She has no means of contacting anyone outside the house, it will be fine’ He let her go, and she went over to lean on the desk.

‘We have to up our profile’ she said ‘I hate the idea of going to Cormery, but perhaps I should be seen with you’

‘I think we’re doing alright’ said Liam ‘I’ll make sure you’re mentioned in the press releases. I’ll get Sophia to work on a positive spin on your absence. You need to go home to recharge your batteries. If all goes well, we’ll have found a way to neutralise Anton’s claims, and then we can announce our intentions.’

‘And if he succeeds?’ Olivia said shortly

‘Then we go into exile. I’ll stay with you Livvy, whatever happens’

------

‘This has to be the dullest leg of the tour so far’ murmured Sophia to Riley ‘Standing around watching nobles hit a ball around a golf course isn’t my idea of fun’

‘Quiet please’ came the request from the referee. Yet another ball was hit, sailing off down the green, and the hushed crowd made appreciative noises. There was a low murmur as everyone moved off to the next vantage point, and the three of them trailed at the back of the crowd.

‘Tell me about it’ said Riley ‘Let’s go back to the clubhouse’ Drake snorted in reply ‘What?’ she said ‘At least they have a bar there’

‘You really think they’ll let riff raff like us in? he laughed drily ‘Dream on’ Riley sighed

‘Surely they’ll let us in, we’re official guests’

‘You can try’ grunted Drake ‘Even if they do, the prices are sky high’

‘In any case I think I’d rather drink from a hip flask in Bas’s SUV than traipse round after these blowhards’ she replied.

‘We can’t just cut out’ Sophia pointed out ‘If the press sees us…’

‘Excuse me, we’re not exactly newsworthy guests, all the attention is on the players, and the outfits all the noble ladies are wearing’ Drake pointed out.

‘I’ll ask Bas’ Sophia offered ‘He’ll have some sort of get out’ She tapped away on her phone.

This is dull as ditchwater. How can we bail out?

We?

Me, Riley, Drake

Grin and bear it

Will bribery work?

Don’t distract me

I’ll wear stockings for a week

Wicked woman

You love it

Leave it with me

‘What does Bas say?’ Riley hissed as they reached the hole

‘He’ll bail us out somehow’ At that moment, one of the guards tapped Sophia on the shoulder

‘Miss Turner, there’s an urgent message for you, come with me. You might want some company, I think it’s bad news’

‘Oh’ Sophia said, hand flying to her mouth ‘Riley had better come then’ She turned to Riley and grabbed at her hand. Drake looked alarmed

‘I’d better go with you’ he said ‘For support’ The three of them hurried away, a few of the audience casting a gaze over them as they went. Once they were out of sight of the crowd, the guard spoke.

‘Just for the record, Captain Lykel has asked me to escort you to the staff bar and has requested that you stay there until he contacts you at the end of the tournament. On no account are you to leave except for – and I quote – a life threatening emergency’

‘Anyone would think we were with Maxwell’ muttered Drake.

‘There’s a limited tab for you at the bar, and a buffet’ the guard told Sophia as they approached the clubhouse. ‘Two drinks each, and after that you pay for them yourself. Please be moderate with your quota’ He pressed his earpiece and nodded ‘The Captain says no expensive single malts or bottles of champagne. By the glass only’

Sophia crooked an eyebrow and glanced at Drake. He made a sour face as they reached the building, and the guard lead them to the unimposing bar reserved for staff at the club. A couple of chauffeurs and other aides sat at the tables set out, so Sophia chose somewhere to sit while Drake went to order. He had a whisky, and Sophia and Riley ordered white wine. The barman indicated a buffet table at the side of the room, and as soon as Drake had taken the drinks to the girls he took a plate and started to heap it up.

‘Steady on Drake, leave some for the Guard’ Riley scolded

‘Come on, this is proper food’ Drake complained ‘not the fiddly crab bruschetta and fishy crackers the nobles get’

‘Well I’m not really hungry’ Sophia declared ‘Knock yourself out’

‘Don’t worry Sir, we’ve actually got plenty to go round’ the barman assured him ‘We know the nobles just pick at the food, and the club manager usually adjusts the budget so that most of the allowance is for staff – there’s far more of them than there are nobles anyway. Just go easy on the sauce – a lot of staff don’t drink on duty, so that budget’s limited’ Drake nodded in appreciation

‘Thanks man’ He grinned, and reached into his back pocket, producing a hip flask ‘I always carry this on stuffy noble occasions anyway’

‘So what are your quarters like?’ Sophia asked. She and Bastien had been allocated the best of the staff quarters, and that wasn’t saying much. Lord Delacouer obviously thought luxuries like en suite facilities wasted on mere lackeys, and they had to share a bathroom with Lewis. Altogether, going to the Cormery Isles was like taking a step back a few decades in time. Riley made a face that told Sophia all she needed to know.

‘I think we picked the short straw’ she said ‘We asked for a double room and we got one – or rather, two beds pushed together and just enough room to walk round them. From what Drake tells me, our host doesn’t think much of commoners, so he really scraped the bottom of the barrel for us.’

‘I’m looking forward to moving on to Lythikos’ Sophia said ‘Of course I’ve been there before, but I think Olivia will be more accommodating than our last visit’

‘I’ll believe it when I see it’ said Drake darkly.

‘I’m just glad we won’t be seeing Lucretia’ Riley said with a shudder, obviously remembering the time Anton had kidnapped them and taken them to Lucretia’s stronghold.

‘I wonder what the old bitch is doing now’ Drake said ‘At least she’s somewhere she can’t do any harm’

-------

‘Good afternoon, your Grace’ Lucretia’s lawyer greeted the old woman as she entered her study. The Duchess sat at her desk, writing. She spoke without looking up.

‘I have some information that concerns both claimants to the crown, and I need your advice, Miss Bouvoir’ she said.

‘I’ll do what I can, your Grace’ the younger woman said smoothly, sitting even though she hadn’t been invited to. Lucretia looked up at last, her piercing gaze making her shift uncomfortably.

‘It have a strong conviction that my niece is pregnant’ she said ‘and as she has refused to meet her betrothed, I can only presume that the father of the child is none other than King Liam’

‘That’s an extremely controversial claim, your Grace’ the young lawyer said in shock. Lucretia sniffed.

‘It certainly is, and I’d like you to look into the implications should it be found to be true’

‘It depends whose claim is found to be true of course. If Anton’s claim is proved, Lady Olivia would be guilty of adultery and possible treason.’

‘Surely adultery is not relevant in today’s society’

‘Not where it involves a Royal heir, your Grace. If King Liam’s case is proved, it is possible that Lady Olivia’s child might be taken into Royal custody as heir to the Crown, but as she is a Nevrakis and has a claim to the throne should either Anton or Liam be incapacitated, it makes the whole matter even more complicated. The legalities of all three cases could be argued for years’

‘What would happen to the child if the King were to legitimately marry another woman, who would presumably be crowned Queen, and have another child?’

‘Again your Grace, the matter would be complicated, and more time would be spent arguing which child was the legitimate heir, but a child with both Nevrakis and Rys blood would have a very strong claim.’

‘Humour me please, Miss Bouvior. What if the child were found to be Lord Severus’s?’

‘I – still can’t say for certain. It would have to be decided in a court of Law’ Lucretia rolled her eyes upward and sighed heavily. She folded the paper she had been writing on and placed it in an envelope, writing a name on it with a flourish.

‘Thankyou Miss Bouvoir. I’d be obliged if you would hand this to my housekeeper in person’

‘You know I have to show any communications to the Guard to be vetted, your Grace.’

‘Of course, they’ll only find instructions on how she should continue to run my estate. I still have property that needs to be managed. It’s not sealed’

‘Very well your Grace, I’ll hand it over as soon as possible’

‘You may be gone a day or so to deliver it. I’d like you to return to me with her inevitable reply. Again, I’m sure the Guard will find nothing of concern. You may go’ Miss Bouvoir rose, reached over the desk to take the letter, and left the room to go and report to the guard at the door of the cottage.

------

‘So Lady Olivia declined the invitation to my event’ Neville Delacoeur sniffed haughtily ‘I’ve a mind to decline her invitation to Lythikos’ The golfing event over, all the guests milled around in the clubhouse lounge, picking at the lavish buffet and sipping champagne. He stood looking out over the greens, and Madeleine stood next to him.

‘I wouldn’t do that’ she said drily ‘I need all the help I can get exposing her as the King’s mistress’ Neville scowled

‘I presume if you expose her, you get closer to being Queen yourself’

‘And I’d be able to reward those who aid me’ she smiled

‘Lord Delacouer’ Madeleine turned smoothly at the King’s voice ‘Lady Madeleine’ he gave them both a little bow. Neville almost bent himself double with his own return bow, but Madeleine barely bobbed. ‘The greens are impressive, Neville – I hope you’ve managed to raise an acceptable amount for the Library in the capital’ The young Duke almost fell over himself bowing again to hear the King using his first name.

‘My secretary is calculating the figures right now, Your Majesty’

‘Please Neville, call me Liam. I well recall attending birthday parties in the Isles when we were younger, and I recollect that you visited the Palace on a few such occasions too. We’ve known each other a long time’

‘Indeed your – Liam’ he said obsequiously ‘I’m honoured that you remember’

‘I hope Lady Olivia is managing with the arrangements for the events in her home Duchy’ Madeleine cut in.

‘Yes, such a pity she couldn’t come’ Neville added ‘I had the suite next to yours prepared, just as you asked.’

‘Olivia likes things done properly’ Liam replied ‘I’m sure her staff are more than capable of taking care of things very well, but she feels personally responsible for everyone’s enjoyment of her events’

‘Admirable’ Madeleine said ‘As am I. It distressed me deeply that she demanded to move rooms at Karlingford’

‘I’m afraid that was rather my fault’ Liam replied ‘Something came up and I needed to be able to call on her at a moment’s notice. Her original suite was at the other end of the property’

‘Olivia’s a strong healthy woman’ Madeleine remarked ‘Surely she could have walked…’

‘Your Majesty!’ Neville’s father greeted Liam, leaning heavily on his cane. He was rarely seen at court and travelled even less frequently, relying on his son to take his place at official meetings. ‘I hope you enjoyed the greens. How unfortunate that Landon beat you by a whisker’ Liam turned to the older man.

‘Superb greens your grace’ he smiled ‘and the better man won – my golf skills were rather rusty’

‘You should come more often my boy, get some practice in. It’s a pleasure and an honour to have you here’

‘I fear matters of State may take up a lot more of my time now, your grace, but I’ll bear it in mind.’ He looked across the room ‘if you’ll excuse me, I must go and talk to Landon, eat a little humble pie’ He bowed to the group and turned away.

-------

Anton blinked himself awake in the enormous four poster bed. He had had strange dreams, one of which involved Olivia coming to visit him in the night, sitting on the edge of his bed. She refused to speak to him, and when he went to touch her, she melted away. He had been keeping up to date with the Charity tour, and knew that the Court had left Cormery and was making its way over the next day or so to Lythikos.

There was an envelope on the dressing table. It had not been there when he went to bed. He got out of bed, pulling on his dressing gown and going across to pick it up. The envelope was blank. He opened it, not noticing a faint cloud of dust that flew up into the air from the piece of paper inside. He opened it out, and discovered a single sentence written on the sheet.

Your wife is pregnant with the King’s child. Your attempt at the throne is futile.

His face changed as rage gripped him, but then he realised that his throat felt odd. It started as a tickle, and turned to a burning sensation. He looked at the piece of paper, only now noticing a slight line of white dust in the crease. He dropped it immediately and jumped away, screaming as an acrid smell drifted up to his nostrils. He ran to the door and wrenched it open, shouting out down the hall.

‘Help me – help! Poison! I’m being poisoned’ He clutched at his throat at the burning increased, and before the guard on duty could reach him, he had fallen to the floor, gasping for air.

------

‘How the hell did this happen?’ Bastien stormed. The King and the King’s Guard had returned to the Palace, now declared safe, and was stopping off in order to pack for Lythikos. Parker was accounting for the disaster at the safe house where Anton had been kept.

‘I don’t know, Sir’ Parker said, rigid with shame and dismay ‘We had the manor locked down tight. Everyone was vetted and observed.’

‘Let’s go over the facts again’ Bastien leaned back in his seat, steepling his fingers together. Lewis sat beside him, bleary from being roused from his sleep after a night shift.

‘Very well, Sir. At eight thirty today, Anton came out of his room in some distress shouting out that he’d been poisoned. He collapsed with severe swelling to his throat, and lost consciousness due to his airway being compromised. It was around five minutes before he received medical attention from one of our first aiders, who managed to establish an airway of sorts. The emergency services were called and they sent a helicopter within half an hour. He was airlifted to the hospital in the capital and remains on ventilation and is unconscious.’ He took a breath as Bastien looked at him intently

‘Go on, Parker’

‘On examining the room, a blank envelope was discovered on the floor along with a single sheet of paper. There was evidence of some powder inside which has been sent to our labs for examination.’ He paused ‘There’s something else, Sir’

‘Spit it out, man’

‘The paper had the crest of House Nevrakis printed at the top’

#silver service #sophia x bastien #drake x riley #liam x olivia #protect and serve #anton severus #lucretia nevrakis

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gameofdrarry · 4 years ago

Text

Wizards Hearts: A Night on the Town!

Wizards Hearts Game/Fest ran for a full four months, and is now officially over, though we are ever appreciative towards our readers for spreading love to Drarry fics old and new, short and long. 900 comments were left as a result of the game.

Players are sorted and assigned at random to four different teams. All team activities and discussions are completely optional but can yield extra points to help win the game! There are weekly team activities and longer, creative team activities where players can imagine new, fun headcanons in the Harry Potter universe and perhaps a few stories of their own!

Team Activity 5: Celebrity Visitations and Incidents

As was previously reported on, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter made visitations at multiple casinos. Those casinos have been kind enough to share their footage surveillance and first person accounts of what exactly happened during these visits. Some went much better than others, of course.

Teams were asked to 1) Write a fic about the incident at their casino (as written by their rival casinos) and tell it from the perspective of A) Harry or Draco or B) a 3rd Person Narrator for a minimum for 500 words. 2) Create an image to accompany their fics.

View the first Team Activity post here

View the second Team Activity post here

View the third Team Activity post here

View the fourth Team Activity post here

View the final Team Activity post under the cut!

Team 1: Loch Lomond’s Treasure

Before Draco was inside the casino, he thought the whole thing to be rather silly. A masquerade ball he would have been right at home in. But the way Harry had described it, this was almost closer to a costume party, and he wasn’t entirely a fan of their chosen costumes. He understood why Harry had chosen them, of course, but that didn’t mean he had to like them.

But when he stepped inside the Loch Lomond’s Treasure casino, all of his worries were dashed away, and he was taken aback. He had known about the Gillyweed Ball, but goodness Merlin… It was exquisite. The way the lights danced around the water seemed to make everything sparkle, and everyone was laughing and having a grand old time. Near immediately, the two of them were approached. Even behind the shoddy glamour, Draco was able to recognize Mr. Richens. Elder gentleman, halfblood, and owner of an up-and-coming potions shop down in Diagon. “Ah, Mr. Potter!”

And just like Harry said, it worked. Everyone thought that he was Harry, and that Harry was him! He watched the way Richens seemed to fall all over himself to speak with him, all while snubbing Harry. Unable to help himself, Draco threw a smirk to Harry for what he knew would come at the end of the night when everyone cast off their costumes. Harry chuckled at his side, and it seemed to throw Richens off a bit, but Draco gave the man credit where credit was due. He plowed on as though nothing were amiss.

And that was what went on for the rest of the night as well. Business owners, politicians, and anyone looking to get anything to sell to the papers all came flocking towards him as though he truly were Harry Potter. He supposed that was what they believed to be true, at least. “Mr. Potter, everyone is just dying to know who made your costumes,” one of the women tittered. Draco barely kept from rolling his eyes.

“Blaise Zabini, of course,” he answered, and no one noticed the smoother, more cultured tones of his voice, as opposed to the rough and tumble way Harry spilled out his words. “He’s a new designer, and one to certainly be on the lookout for. He was anxious to make these for us, and I think we can agree that he did a fabulous job on them.”

When he and Harry were separated, Draco saw out of the corner of his eye, multiple people that Harry bumped into or tried to play nice with all give him cold glares, and seem to spit venom at him. Harry, of course, took none of it seriously and answered it all with one of those sunshine smiles of his.

Later in the evening, Harry called him over, “Harry,” he said, and Draco heard that teasing tone in his voice clear as day. “Come on over here, they’re announcing the winners of the costume contest.”

Draco chuckled to himself. “Alright, alright. You won’t let me go until I do.” So Draco walked over to stand beside him.

He wasn’t much surprised when he and Harry were announced as the Kings of the costume contest. Everyone pleaded with them to remove their costumes, and Draco glanced to Harry. When Harry nodded, Draco smirked and waved his wand silently to send their costumes away. The shock, awe, and fear on the faces of many in attendance did so warm Draco’s heart.

At his side, Harry’s fingertips brushed against his arm. “You enjoy some more of the buffet. I’ve got a few… business partners to talk to.”

Draco near purred, “Sounds lovely. Would you like me to save you a few crab canapés? They’re absolutely divine.”

“I think you’d be happier to have them all to yourself,” Harry chuckled, and Draco did so love the sound, as the shivers running through his spine attested to. “Just save me a seat?”

“For you? Always.”

Team 2: Golden Scales

It was All Hallows Eve, a day that Harry tried to forget. Harry usually spent this day locked up in his room at Grimmauld Place. Ron and Hermione would visit him to make sure he ate and give him company. This year, the duo was busy with their newborn child, Rose, and hence, Harry was going to spend the day alone.

Draco and Harry had struck up a new friendship after Ginny and Pansy’s wedding. Draco knew from the girls that this day was always hard on Harry, and so he took it upon himself to do something fun this year.

That’s how they ended up at the entrance of the Golden Scales Casino. The Casino was organising a Masquerade and Bonfire Night to welcome the season. Bring your best mask and your whimsy and prepare for a magical evening, the pamphlet had read. It was just what they needed to take Harry’s mind off of gloom and doom.

Draco had worn a beautiful silver mask with green feathers and rhinestones. Harry looked equally handsome in a red and black mask that accentuated his emerald green eyes. They met in the front lobby of the casino near the dragon statue. Before walking in, Draco rubbed the golden ace card held by the dragon, which was rumoured to bring patrons good luck. Their masks were a blessing, and not many heads turned.

The boys tried their hand at the casino’s patent game ‘Bluffing the Dragon’, and Draco even won a round and graciously treated Harry to a shot of Dragon Bite. They were sitting by the bonfire, enjoying the warmth and spectacular light show performed by the casino’s miniature dragons when a flame from one of the dragons skimmed Harry's face, causing him to panic and jerk away, spilling Draco’s drink in the process.

“Watch it, Potter, this suit is Italian and very expensive,” Draco said irritably.

Harry, however, had started hyperventilating.

“Calm down, Potter. You’re drawing attention to us,” he said.

“Shut. Up. Malfoy.” Harry bit out, and soon they had reverted to their schoolboy ways of hurling insults at each other.

The commotion had alerted the authorities, and two burly bouncers approached their table. Seeing this, Draco put an arm on Harry’s shoulder to calm him down, but Harry pushed him away, ripping his mask off and pointing his wand at Draco’s throat. A collective gasp was heard, and then the room went silent.

Draco looked at Harry, eyes wide and full of hurt. Harry, realising his overreaction, dropped his wand. Draco turned on his heel and started leaving when Harry came back to his senses and ran after him, but Draco pushed him and apparated away.

Harry had bumped into another patron who had consumed the Queen of the Night cocktail, causing a coughing cum fire breathing fit. The ensuing commotion was too much, and when the bouncers escorted him to the golden elevator, he went willingly.

The previous night’s debacle was all over the papers the next day. Everyone had a take on what must have transpired. Some called it a lover’s tiff, others a spat between friends, and some even speculated that Harry had been led to the Casino by devious means. Of course, none of it was true, and the only person who deserved to know the truth was Draco. Harry had to set things right—the look on Draco’s face had haunted him all night.

He wasn’t sure if Draco would want to see him, so he wrote him a letter explaining how he’d been lost in his own head. The flames had taken him by surprise, plunging him back to the night in the Room of Requirement when he and Draco had almost perished in the Fiendfyre. He didn't expect Draco to forgive him, but he had to apologise.

An hour later, Harry’s floo chimed and Draco stepped out of it, wrapping Harry in a tight hug.

Team 3: Vanaheim

It was stiflingly hot inside the infamous Vanaheim Casino, and the glamour Romilda wore didn’t help matters much since it clogged every pore of her face, making her feeling more uncomfortable. But she didn’t dare take off her glamour and risk being detected. Ever since she’d been caught bribing Mundungus Fletcher to steal things from the more noteworthy guests, she’d been banned from the premises under threat of public humiliation.

Tonight had been dreadfully dull though. She’d had high hopes for this event, with both Harry Potter and his more than questionable choice of boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, as guests. But everything was going smoothly. Too smoothly. Not even a row over winnings or counting cards or anything, just a slow hum of voices and the occasional outcry whenever someone won at that weird dice game they insisted on playing here that she could never understand or remember the rules for.

She sighed, glancing at her wristwatch, when something caught her eye. How on earth could she have missed this? She was sure she had kept her eyes firmly on Potter the entire night, but somehow she hadn’t noticed him walking up to… to none other than the literal god and eligible bachelor Thor Odinsson. Oh, this was good. This was almost too good to be true. But where was Malfoy?

It was difficult trying to scan the room for Malfoy while simultaneously keeping track of what Potter was doing with Odinsson, but when Potter leaned into the other man, placing a hand on his big bicep and whispering in his ear, Romilda felt like she had found the thirteenth use of dragon’s blood. Surely she would get promoted after writing a story about this?

Unbelievably, it got even better when she heard a cry of rage to her right, and saw Malfoy elbow his way through the crowd towards the two men. Romilda was whispering furiously to her Quick Quotes Quill while Malfoy started having a shouting match with Potter, and even went so far as to push Potter away from Odinsson. But in her haste to get everything written down, she had forgotten to keep her glamour, and she felt it slip enough that the bouncer by the door noticed her. He’d always had a keen eye, that one, and wasn’t easily distracted by gossip-worthy fights, not even a big one like this. Luckily for her, Malfoy yanked Potter away towards the loos by grabbing his collar. She took the opportunity to slink away in the general commotion that caused, grieving that she hadn’t become an unregistered Animagus like her predecessor Rita Skeeter so she could follow the two men and see the rest of the row. By the look of Malfoy’s face, it promised to get juicy.

* * * * *

Draco pushed Potter unceremoniously into the loo and slammed the door behind them. After a quick check to make sure they were alone, he cast Colloportus and pushed Potter up against the sink.

“I saw you,” Draco growled.

Potter’s eyes widened but he didn’t move.

“In front of everyone. They were all watching their Saviour. They think I don’t deserve you.” Draco took a step closer until they were inches apart. “I saw you. Whispering in his ear, touching him, and he looked like he wanted to devour you. Make you his.”

Potter exhaled, his eyes dark. “How did that make you feel?”

Draco slid his thigh between Potter’s and crowded into his space. “Incredibly turned on. He wanted you, thought he could have you.”

“The look on your face,” Potter murmured in Draco’s ear. “I was watching you the whole time. I love it when your cheeks and neck get flushed. You’re gorgeous when you’re jealous.”

“Fuck, Potter.” Draco leaned in and brushed his lips against Harry’s jaw, kissed down his neck and Harry tilted his head to the side in encouragement. “But you’re mine, aren’t you?”

Harry’s breath hitched as Draco nipped at the sensitive spot by his ear. “All yours. You’re the only one I want.”

Draco sucked a bruise into Harry’s neck to mark what was his, then came up and claimed his lips in a searing kiss. When they broke apart, Draco had only one coherent thought on his mind. “Apparate us home. Right now.”

With a loud crack, the room was once again empty.

Team 4: Arc en Ciel

Read here on AO3

#drarry #game of drarry #wizards hearts #wh team activities

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