#the return of daud

[would-they-be-good-at-asmr]

[mdzdyd]

--- mdz

[pasdetrois]

i’m still thinking about the way billie phrases her surrender in the knife of dunwall’s low chaos finale: kill me or let me live, if it even matters to you. the fact that they're even there to have this conversation is proof of how this decision must have weighed on her; with her training and her skills and daud's mind scattered in a hundred different directions, she likely could have followed delilah's brutally practical advice to cut his throat and be done with it once and for all. but she hesitated until the final moment of reckoning when their narrative had finally come full circle, from daud placing a knife in a child’s hands to give her “something to live for”, to her returning it in defiant supplication years later ("my life is yours now"). yet, despite her certainty in the inevitability of this moment, she still can not be sure of such a decision burdening him as it did her until the very moment he must make it in turn. it's part of what makes the ending so poignant to me, whether in sparing her and echoing his first words to her (now giving her a life unburdened by the ticking clock hanging over him), or clasping the knife together with her as she only smiles and nods back in understanding, and holding her hand long after she is gone—it's then that you see how much it mattered to him as well. and the unspoken grief of it not only ending the game, but also leading to the only bookend of the dlc's to have no narration from daud. it's the outsider who must take over then to chronicle the tale, as he had to for corvo. for daud, the rest is silence.

[don1t1red]

Honestly, one thing about DotO which always bothered me is how Billie seems to be so lonely in her journey. And not in a way of "she is a lone-wolf" but in a literal sense of loneliness and not-belonging. It almost feels like it is her first day in Karnaca, a city where she doesn't know a single thing or person. Which isn't true. I know that a lot of people have already talked about this, and so I won't jump into the depth of criticism. Treat this post as a bunch of thoughts which occurred to me in my first playthrough.

Firstly, there is no recognition from different people. Stilton, for example. In DH2 she was ready to battle her way to his house and help him, she payed with her blood, her eye and her arm. And yet in DotO we don't see any valuable mentions of this man. Yes, we have a photo in her cabin but that's it! Nothing more nothing less, just a photo which exists in the cabin only to show us, the player, the Void rifts. Almost like it was never meant to actually represent their relationship, just a funny mechanic of the game.

Maybe I don't understand her character to that extent but when I firstly played and heard Billie's monologue about the state of the Dreadful Whale, I had a thought. Was there no one who could help her with that? And my first thought was Stilton, especially after I saw their photo together. But alas she didn't mention anything like that which was completely fine… till the The Stolen Archive mission. With a plot progression things became absurdly stupid. Billie learns that the cult uses Shindaerey as their hideout. And what is Shindaerey? It's a literal mining quarry.

And so you want to tell me that Billie who I know, cunning Billie, who was, by Daud's words, extremely good at unsolving mysteries, won't at least ask Stilton about this quarry? She won't ask a mining baron of Karnaca? Really? Give her skills some credit! I'm not asking for a 5 minute long cutscene but at least a small panel in the pre-mission briefing where Billie talks to him about that, and where we can see how worried he is for her. She is not alone and, no matter what, there is still at least one person who remembers her, sees her and wants the best for her. But again, for whatever reason Billie has no valuable connections in this game, it seems. So it didn't happen.

Two other people about which I keep thinking about are Thomas and that person who borrowed Billie's skiff and returned it during the Follow the Ink mission.

If that note from a certain T. was actually from Thomas I can't think of good enough reasons not to include some of the letter which might happen in between them during the events of the game. Thomas knew that both Billie and Daud were in Karnaca but he didn't know that Daud had died. And honestly an unfinished letter from Billie to him where she tries her best to write about their master's death but just can't - would be absolutely gut-wrenching and insightful. Also it could be interesting to see the difference in how Billie is talking about this event and how she is living through it in reality. Because - obviously - people's internal and external dialogues would be different and seeing that difference in Billie would help us, the player, to understand some shapes of her character.

Or maybe Thomas would learn about Daud's death himself somehow, maybe he could recognize Billie's work as she goes though the city to uncover its secrets. And, finally, it would be simply fun to find a small lootstach from Thomas on one of the missions, accompanied with a letter from him. How is he now? What are his thoughts about Billie? How do her actions are seen by the common folk? Or by the gangs? After all, a good character is not only divided by how the story sees that character but also how this character sees themselves and what other people in the story are thinking about this character. And, as I already said, this small letter exchange between Billie and Thomas could cover up those aspects.

And so we are left with only one character whose presence and absence in Billie's story bothers me. That person who borrowed the skiff. Because the skiff was Billie's main link between the shore and the Dreadful Whale. We learnt from DH2 that in any port there would be a “fee” for leaving the ship there, later, in DotO she complains that hiding her ship wasn't an easy task. So whoever borrowed it must be a good friend of Billie, as absence of the skiff puts her in a bad and potentially dangerous situation. Besides there is a note by a certain M., which talks about meeting with Billie later. I was kinda excited to see who this person might be. Someone whom I already know? Character from the first game? Maybe from the second one? Would it be a howler or black market dealer? Would they give me some special mission akin to one that Emily can get in the Royal Conservatory mission? Well, should I say that I was left wondering as there was not a single special NPC which met the criteria.

What? I forgot about someone? Deirdre? Oh, right. Deirdre. The best person in Billie's life and the worst death in Billie's memory. Right. It's almost too easy to forget that she exists, as Billie talks about her approximately two times in the game? More or less so. Should she talk more about her? Maybe, I don't know. But I remember thinking about using the rat charm in the Void or in the quarry. I thought that in the Void I could hear the real Deirdre speaking, this idea gave me chills back then. To adjust to the voice of your loved one's from rats, only to hear her cursing you for all you have done or to call you from beyond. I thought that she would appear somewhere in the Void, just in the corner of my vision. But again it didn't happen. And I don't know for better or for worse. As in the current state if you want to completely strip her out from the game - you won't lose a single thing. After all, a rat charm is just a rat charm, and so is a voice in it, as it never changes and never really speaks to Billie, it was never a personal matter.

Overall, I don't want to be another person who throws rocks at DotO as, honestly, I like Billie and I'm just… sad, I guess. I'm sad that the game about such a character fails to make me think more of her. I'm sad that the plot of this game was kinda ruined with a terrible script. And, at the end of the day, I'm just sad that Billies didn't get her chance to shine in her own game.

But nonetheless I still like Billie and, at least, her sarcastic comments on the surrounding was always a delight to hear, so I'm gonna replay this game one more time in vain hopes to find what I see in it.

[nevermindigotthis]

I think there should be a Dishonored TV show.

Imagine this: The Series follows several POV characters: Corvo (duh, probably in a low chaos run with some deaths), Emily (duh, little girl and the horrible no good very bad day, we see how she deals with the conspiracy and it can give some background on the villains), Daud (big regrets, has his whole Delilah story which, for TV reasons, happens at the same time as Corvo's revenge plot so the series can cut between them), and lastly Billie (lovestory with Delilah, betrayal of Daud, mercy in the end)

There can be amazing parallels between Corvo's low chaos revenge and Daud's quest for redemption, with a tense confrontation in Episode 8/9. Delilah as this secret foil that Corvo doesn't even know about, for dramatic purposes Daud has to defeat her in the last episode, so there can be a moment where the audience doesn't quite know if the Emily Corvo just rescued is still Emily. (For dramatic purposes this also needs to be the high chaos ending where Emily almost falls to her death, even though we're in mostly low chaos)

The Series (rough draft):

Episode 1: Corvo returns from his trip. Jess is murdered, Emily abducted. Title Screen. 6 months later. Corvo is being tortured in Coldridge. Daud is depressed and guiltridden. Billie is unimpressed. Episode ends with Corvo breaking out of Coldridge.

Episode 2: Corvo meets the Loyalists. Daud meets the Outsider who gives him the name "Delilah". Also he turns down contracts. Billie expresses her disapproval (again) and leaves the hideout to cool off. Emily is being held captive by the Pendletons who are being creepy and she tries to find a way out. Corvo gains the Mark of the Outsider and the Heart.

Episode 3: Corvo goes after Campbell, rescuing Martin along the way. Daud starts investigating (slaughterhouse). Billie is angry and leaves the hideout, meeting up with a lover who is afterwards revealed to be Delilah (her first appearance). Emily almost gets away from her captors, but is caught at the last second.

Episode 4: Corvo goes to the Golden Cat to rescue Emily. Daud investigates the Timshs. Billie scemes with Delilah to overthrow Daud. Episode ends with Corvo reuniting with Emily.

Episode 5: The Whaler hideout is overrun by Overseers. Billie reveals her betrayal, fights Daud and escapes. Corvo has a nice bonding moment with Emily. Corvo kidnaps Sokolov. Emily talks with the loyalists and gets the vibes that something is not right here.

Episode 6: The Boyle's party. Corvo identifies the right Boyle Lady and deals with her. Billie returns to Delilah who comforts her about having failed to kill Daud. Daud recovers from her betrayal. Emily has nightmares about Corvo dying.

Episode 7: Corvo goes to dispatch Burrows. Emily listens in on the Loyalists and their plans. Daud goes looking for a boat, and then for Lizzy Stride. Delilah reveals the beginning of her painting to Billie. Corvo returns to the Hounds Pit Pub and Emily tries to warn him, but is held back and locked in her room. Corvo is poisoned, Episode ends on him passing out.

Episode 8: Samuel drops Corvo in the Flooded District. Daud returns and finds Corvo. Emily is angry and ready to throw hands with the "loyalists", gets threatened. Bille and Delilah prepare for the ritual, Delilah tells Billie that afterwards she can go and kill Daud for real this time. Corvo wakes up and confronts Daud. They duel, Daud loses, asks for his life, Corvo doesn't say anything, but doesn't kill him. Corvo returns to the Pub.

Episode 9: Emily feels all alone in a cruel world, believing Corvo to be dead. Corvo and Daud both prepare for their final missions in a cool montage. Corvo infiltrates the Fort/Lighthouse and deals with Pendleton and Martin. Daud arrives at Brigmore manor, infiltrates it and finds the entrance to the void. Corvo goes on to search for Emily, her room is empty. Daud talks to the Outsider and confronts Billie and Delilah. Corvo finds Emily and Havelock. Daud fights Billie while Delilah (almost) completes her ritual. Corvo shoots Havelock and catches Emily. Daud injures Billie and goes to stop Delilah, bright flash of light. Emily looks up at Corvo with a strange smile. Delilah has vanished. Daud asks Billie if she's done it. Billie is angry as Delilah is gone, but has a heart to heart with Daud where they leave on relatively okay terms. Daud breathes a sigh of relief. Emily smiles and hugs Corvo, it's clear that she's still herself. Epilogue narration that everything turned out fine. End credit scene of Delilah very angry, but also very alive, in the Void.

Why 9 episodes, you ask? Well because I was trying for 10 but my planning which I came up with just now only wanted 9. 8 or 10 would make more sense from a TV standpoint though. I just think this would be such a cool series...

[icedjuiceboxes]

Do you ever think about if the whalers actually meant to kill Jessamine in front of Emily?

Like, maybe I missed details about them and Daud. But I swear they never torture targets unless deemed necessary (ie for information). And Dishonored isn't the game to hold back on horrible things people done to others. There's lots of notes/books detailing shit what gangs have done, and its clear gangs tortured people, to either make a point or revenge. but the whalers? I can't recall any mention of it. I only remember reading they're a) really fucking good assassins and b) Daud and the outsider.

So to kill a mother in front of her daughter? Traumatizing her like that? I think it was another mishap. Another mistake they didn't plan for just like Corvo showing up two days early. I think Daud was meant to kidnap Emily first.

When he shows up in the gazebo, the first thing he does is grab Emily. Maybe it was so she didn't run off, but with his abilities? It's not like she couldn't have ran far. Jessamine then attacks Daud to release Emily, and that's when his attention is turned to her and he stabs her. Then, the whaler holding Corvo releases him to grab Emily as she tries to run.

But what if. He also didn't expect Emily to be there either. We know Billie was involved with the assassination. But we don't see her at all during the attack. Why would she not be there for the killing? The most important part of the mission? Because she was the one tasked to kidnapping Emily. Daud handles the killing, and Billie was trusted with the kidnapping. So what if Billie was in the Tower, searching every room for the young empress that should have been there. Maybe Emily had a lesson, but as soon as she caught wind Corvo's ship was returning, she rushed out to be there to greet him.

Anyway. Some food for thought. Also I need to explore Daud's regret of killing an empress, but does he regret killing a mother? And Emily deserves to confront his ass about it. If only I had a comic about that- oh wait I do. And 3 parts are out already hahahaha. Wow crazy.

(Read that here)

[presiding]

How you'd rewrite Dishonored death of the outsider if it was fully fledged game with 10 missions? (like Dishonored or Dishonored 2)

Oooh!! Enrichment in my enclosure - thank you for asking! Thinking about a total rewrite was a great exercise. Fair disclaimer: I haven’t read the books & their canon-status can’t hurt me. To me, the Dishonored games stand out due to their immsim design philosophy, and thinking about some of the industry reasons for DotO’s departure from that, if I could make a standalone game with ~ten levels I would, but with the same budget I’d also happily make two DLCs made slowly over a longer timeframe with greater attention to detail.

Game structure

Finding Daud // Billie’s past

The fate of the Outsider // Billie’s future

Game story

Setting & Characters

Billie: What has Billie been doing since she’s returned to Serkonos? Knowing the Dreadful Wale will sink, she’s sold it for scrap & has set up an agency in Lower Aventa. She’s something of a detective/odd-jobs man (& assassin when it suits her). Business is booming, life is good. I think a long-running implication that she's becoming Daud in some ways would make for an interesting subplot.

Karnaca: a city that unfolds. In the first levels, Billie feels like a forgotten woman, a ghost slipped through the cracks, but as levels progress there are hints & references to how her past actions have affected others & shaped the city

Alignments: Witches, gangs, religion, industry; missions for clients who can’t necessarily pay their way. Missions that allow the player to explore/understand Karnaca in a deeper way.

Daud: Billie is unsure if Daud again will bring her any closure. She’s been thinking of him since her time with Emily, and his name keeps popping up.

Deirdre: the charm is a more functional heart, similar to Jessamine, as well as her own character design. Perhaps she doesn’t see Deirdre until she chooses the powers, or until she’s in the void (see next point)

First arc: Finding Daud // Billie’s past

Powers: the Outsider offers Billie powers even though her life is finally, actually good, so she’s pissed off. A choice - she can take them, or play no powers mode.

Breanna Ashworth is this arc’s villain - she wants Delilah back, and knows that Daud has banished her before, wants to know how he did it. Grief & desperation has changed her, and she no longer has her high society veneer. The remnants of the Karnaca coven, now powerless, have stolen from the Overseers to arm themselves to the teeth, and to neutralise Daud’s powers, in addition to black bonecharms.

Billie’s in a race against time against Breanna to find Daud, but by the last level it becomes clear that Breanna *has* found Daud, and has been torturing him for information about the void. Her dynamic with Billie is complicated by their past.

I think betrayal would be an interesting theme, so maybe one of the levels gives you the option to ally yourself with Breanna under false pretences.

Second arc: choosing the fate of the Outsider // Billie’s future

Delilah is the core villain, but she’s obsessed with killing the Outsider so she can take his place, having been violently ripped from her perfect world in her own painting by Breanna (who meant well), & knowing the Empire doesn’t hold her interest... but a perfectly mouldable void & infinite power does take her fancy.

As remorseful Daud is obsessing about preventing Delilah from taking power, Billie’s doing some detective work and learns more about the Outsider (he’s not showing up and monologuing - she’s finding this out herself. A level idea could be a raid on a ‘haunted’ houses where the void is thin)

Delilah succeeds in taking the Outsider's place, leaving the Outsider dead or mortal depending on if you are able to save him. Delilah has split her soul from herself before and she’s very much clever enough to learn the Outsider’s name to render him mortal.

Daud knows he’s dying, though, and it might be an ultimate sacrifice to save both Billie’s life, and the Outsider’s.

So during the final battle, there’s an option to make Daud the Outsider, because Daud wants Billie and the Outsider to have a shot at a normal life, and his life was forfeit in his own mind…

… or, reluctantly accepting the Outsider’s help, Billie finds a way to cut the void’s access to the world, rendering Delilah an all powerful god over a dead & silent world.

Because of the past/present focus of this you could even have levels set in the past - missions with Billie & Daud. Perhaps Billie as POV character, and Daud dropping by the way that Billie did in Knife of Dunwall. That’d be neat.

A heap of ideas here, hope there was something you liked :)

[tenebrare]

Inktober 2023 / Day 20 - Frost/ Dishonored How this correlates to 'frost' perhaps could do with small back story and explanation .

In my country in old folk tales was belief that the way to the land of the dead is trough cold and frosty places. Each February, when it is coldest in here, sometimes the dead might come back to visit us too. We even lit candles in February so that ancestors spirits would find their way to us so they can see we are doing well. Putting lights on our windows is still a tradition (and not related to Christmas). When I was meditating on what should I do to nr.20: Frost, and closed my eyes, this one song started to play on my local playlist while outside was snowing. Yello- "Monolith" (<- YT link) ... and I immediately got of a scene of Daud after his death taking journey slowly trough the Void on board of Dreadful Wale towards the shimmer and empty forgetting who he is and who he was. The Void always felt cold and frosty to me. Daud's journey after death might be something I return to after Inktober outside the Inktobers time limitations. Down-scaling probably again killed some details. Also after inktober might post better versions of all those DH environments. From same Dishonored related series as prompts 3 and 14 and one of few works without any Hellraiser reference (even when I almost added Leviathan in it as there's some similarities of the Old God in DotO and HR leviathan)

[vladdocs]

Do you have any more fun facts about Vlad Dracul?

Not many at hand but I know from where to take them (If you know Romanian):

Something that is less talked about on the internet is the Danube campaign after the failed Crusade of Varna where Walerand de Wavrin and Vlad Dracul team up to take Giurgiu: We are in Varna, not far from the Black Sea coast, and it is November 10, 1444. A horrific battle has just ended. Over 30,000 crusaders were overwhelmed by the Ottomans, who were twice as numerous, so half of the Christians were killed. King Vladislav III of Poland and Hungary died on the battlefield(Before the Battle Vlad Dracul offered him a Wallachian horse which were the best horses at that time (That's why a castrated horse in german is called "Wallach") but the king refused it), beheaded. He paid with his life for the haste (Before they learned about the death of Vladislav III The pope asked Vlad Dracul to negotiate with the ottomans for his release, since Vlad Dracul was seen as mediator between the Ottomans and Christians), impulsiveness and pride that led him to disregard the tactical plan drawn up by the experienced and brave voivode of Transylvania, John Hunyadi. The Turks are victorious and their opponents are retreating. The news of the defeat at Varna sends shivers down the spine of all of Europe. The only one putting the work on the ottomans at Varna was Vlad's older brother the 15-year-old Mircea, That till (if we believe the chronicle of the clown Michael Beheim) Murad II sent a letter to him: "Many of them, a countless number, were killed. When the Emperor(Murad II) heard what great losses his men were suffering, he sent a message to Trakal(Dracul/Mircea): if he did not stop fighting before more messages came to him, he would kill his two brothers whom he had captured. He would do this if he did not show restraint in battle."

For what Mircea II did at Varna watch this video, really worthy it, really sad ending too:

The Christian Crusade launched in 1443 did not end there, however. There was one last stage, known as the Danube Campaign, to which we now turn our attention.

At the request of the Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaeologus, Pope Eugenius IV ordered a new Christian campaign, Burgundo-papal, to take place in the second half of 1445. It was commanded by Walerand de Wavrin, counselor and chamberlain of the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, and commander of the crusader fleet in recent years. He was joined by the Venetian cardinal Francesco Condulmer (nephew of Pope Eugenius). The Venetians were very interested in this Danube campaign: let us not forget that the Turks had given the Genoese a commercial monopoly in Dobruja, at the mouths of the Danube, and Genoa and Venice were on different sides of the war.

The declared objective of the campaign was to destabilize the Ottoman Empire and replace the child sultan Mehmed II (the future Mehmed the Conqueror, 1444-1446, 1451-1481) with Daud Celebi, a pretender favored by the Crusaders. John Hunyadi, Voivode of Transylvania (future regent of Hungary), and Vlad Dracul, Voivode of Wallachia, were also persuaded to participate in the campaign.

The Burgundo-Papal fleet, consisting of a few dozen ships, sets sail from Constantinople and enters the Black Sea. Wavrin was in serious financial trouble: the money he had received from the Pope was gone, and he still had debts from equipping the ships. Before raising anchor, he sells his jewels for 1,000 ducats, but this is not enough. He engages in piracy in the Black Sea, plundering Turkish merchant ships. He is not alone, as two other Burgundian navigators, Geoffroy de Thoisy and Regnault de Confide, had done the same thing, in another area, closer to the Georgian Pontic coast. Thoisy returns to Constantinople, but Confide joins his ships with Wavrin's fleet.

The Burgundians arrive at Panguala, present-day Mangalia. Here, the commander (or "fleet captain" as he appears in some sources) sees the submerged ruins of the ancient city of Callatis as well as the rocky outcrops in the area that made navigation dangerous. From Panguala, the Crusaders go north and enter the Danube at Chilia. Officer Pietre Vasquez is sent to Wallachia and Transylvania to inform Vlad Dracul and John Hunyadi that the crusade expedition is ready. The fleet then arrives at Isaccea and finally at Brăila. Here Vasquez also returns and conveys to Wavrin John's order: to go up the Danube with 8 galleys and wait for the land forces in September. John was to bring some 10,000 soldiers and Vlad Dracul, about 5,000-6,000. In this late August 1445, an Ottoman prince (other than Daud), named Savci, who claimed to be the grandson of Murad II and who, with the help of Hungary, dreamed of the Ottoman imperial throne, also boarded one of the Burgundian ships. The Burgundian fleet reaches Silistra, which is heavily fortified. The Burgundians do not dare to besiege it and Savci does not succeed in convincing the soldiers to surrender the fortress to him. On August 29, the Burgundian fleet - from the water and Vlad Dracul's forces - from the land - destroyed Tutrakan (Turtucaia), then arrived at Giurgiu. John had not yet arrived, but the Christians nevertheless attacked Giurgiu. Here is what is mentioned in Wavrin's military journal: "The Lord of Wallachia sends news that a day's journey away by navigable water with a favorable wind, there is a fortress four times larger than Tutrakan, on a large island and which was called Giurgiu." Vlad says that it belonged to Wallachia, claims it and asks Wavrin to attack it. The Crusaders accept and a bombard (cannon) is brought from the captain's galley and dragged on sled runners to the front of the walls. Wavrin and his second-in-command Confide withdraw at one point and leave the Wallachians the cannon. The siege continues, especially since the shells seem to destroy part of the wall (it's just an appearance, according to sources). Uninspired, they fire frequently and the bombard breaks down, its rings burst and two gunners are killed in the accident. Wavrin and Vlad decide to pile wood next to the walls and set it on fire. The Ottoman garrison suffocates so the Turks decide to surrender and over 60 of them are taken hostage and the rest are allowed to leave (But In the same Wavrin chronicle, Mircea and Wavrin spoke:

“In the meantime, the son of the lord of Wallachia went to visit the lord of Wavrin, to whom, after greeting him, had an interpreter say that he was planning an enterprise against the Turks: and, if he promised him not to judging him badly, he would tell him his secret; which the lord of Wavrin absolutely swore to him. And then the interpreter, having received instructions from the son of The ruler of Wallachia, spoke in this way: "My father sent for me and told me that, if I do not avenge him of that subachi of that castle of Georgye (Giurgiu), he will disown me and he no longer considers me his son; because he is the one who betrayed him and who, with a safe conduct from the Turk, made him go to the aforementioned Turk, then took him prisoner to the castle of Gallipoli, where he held him for a long time with chains on his legs . Now the fact is that he and his Saracens have now surrendered to my father, their lives and possessions must be spared, and they must be taken to Vulgarye (Bulgaria); and I will go, along with 2000 Wallachians, two leagues from here, cross the river and set up an ambush on their path: so, when they try to go to Nicopolis, I will be in front of them, so I will put them all to death . ” A thing to which the aforementioned lord of Wavrin did not answer a single word, neither good nor bad. So the aforementioned son of Wallachia went away, to go and carry out his enterprise.“

So technically Vlad Dracul let them go but Mircea had other orders, he caught them, skinned them and put their empty husks on display next to the ottoman border (Deserved ngl) After Giurgiu, they go to Ruse, to Nicopolis and then further on, to Turnu Măgurele. John Hunyadi also arrives on the Danube on September 15. There are minor skirmishes with the Turks but everything ends on September 29, when, for fear of being caught in the ice on the Wallachian waters, the Crusaders decide to return to Constantinople. The crusade expedition fails but the memory of the huge crusade ships that sailed on the waves of the Pontus and the waters of the Danube, at Panguala, Chilia and Isaccea, then at Silistra and Tutrakan, remains…

[seiden-spinner]

i'm so normal about daud's pov in the return of daud, i'm SO normal about it. "i can't abide a mystery" he says, and then goes on and on about some super important item he's been failing to track and lay his hands on without naming the item in question Even Once (he does name it, eventually, but my point still stands)

[2manyhusbandos]

Daud

Uncle Daud

Daddy Daud and his kids

Parkour

Young Daud

The Knife of Dunwall

Return of Delilah

Mercy

Meme art

Exhausted Daud

Family

I do no see it (meme)

The Dad

Daud x Corvo

[exalok]

(blink)

(from this voidtober list)

Blink and you'll miss me, was what Corvo thought the first time he turned into a prick of light in the real world, the dark and drizzling street, and shot from one balcony to the next. It'd been disorienting in the Void, all blue-gray open space and shambling landmarks, but there—in the air, in the moment of a back turned and a conversation peaking—it was safety.

The scene under him has moved: lights out, a figure huddled at a back window, the next one over from where it started. He might have a better view from the small balcony overhead rather than atop this streetlight—had been on his way out, stymied by the lack of entries, when he caught sight of the figure in the bushes. Maybe the trip wouldn't be completely wasted, he'd considered, stopping to watch. He could always return to sniff through Lord Farthing's business on another sleepless night.

He eyes the distance to the balcony—might need a starting jump—crouches lower, springs, and catches sight of the figure turning towards him just as he turns to light.

The split second of movement stretches out with thought: couldn't have seen, streetlight was behind me, moved just in time, and then his soles hit the balcony rail in silence and down below the figure is already looking up at him, already moving, the spark of eyes in its hood meeting his like they followed the light.

And then they're there—next to him—a familiar flicker around them—he leaps back, blinks to the next balcony over, then the roof, tiles solid but grating against each other, too loud, the pinch of Void-burn in his hand and chest and he starts forward on foot to give himself time to recover but the figure in the hood appears nearly on top of him and they stumble and almost slide and his back hits the tiles—hope no one hears enough to come looking—and his hand moves to grab a wrist before he's fully registered that there's a knife being pressed to his throat. Their arms tense and twist and hold, neither giving ground. Corvo looks up into the hood.

The scar—no. He's not supposed to be here.

"You're the one who's been watching me?" Daud, wanted assassin, hisses incredulously.

"The Greaves job?" Cleaned out when he got there. "The Perth-Warrens?" That time he'd caught sight of someone leaving and never managed to catch them.

Daud edges back, barely a sliver of an inch, and then their standoff with the knife has it jerking closer to his chin, Corvo's crushing grip taking the upper hand. It evens out again with Daud gritting his teeth. His eyes flick between Corvo's a moment, mouth tight, face not giving anything more away.

"Window locks won't slide," he grunts. "You could break the glass. Or I hear there's a way in from the river." Then his arm twists in Corvo's hold and in a second he's gone, Corvo surging up to follow then settling, stopping, ears open for commotion from inside the house.

It's not the night for it. He'll deal with both problems later.

[tasmiq]

Jumu'ah Sohbet: 20 December 2024

This week involved connecting to Allah through service in our various forms in our Tariqa (Spiritual school of Sufism). For me, that involved connecting to Allah as a daughter, as a mother who is blessed to manifest Allah's beauty through her art, and as murids that are learning about Aqim es-Salaat (Systems of Divine connection) through the Sufi Retreat itself. We are therefore attuning our learning as we are immersed in Allah's wonders, Subhana'Allah (Divine glory)!

#1. Brother Daud, on a Saturday Sohbet (spiritual conversation) reflected that our beloved Shaykh Taner reminded us the reasons that traveling is obligatory upon us Sufis. It provides us opportunities to connect, observe, and gaze in order to experience Allah's Oneness, which he also profoundly identified as Infinity, Subhana'Allah!

Allah actually gives each of us various opportunities throughout creation to manifest these experiences. Therefore, the local Sufi Retreat, as our holiday with your beloved Nana and Nanu (grandparents), certainly rejuvenated our systems of connection to Allah ... and for that, we express, Shukran Ya Allah (Divine gratitude)!

#2. Your holiday here with your beloved Nana and Nanu is where I was inspired to complete your Yaaseen Bhai's art, Alhamdulillah. I explained the inner symbolism for him and feline family as:

- You appear in earthy tones because you are inherently down to earth.

- One that is a gifted "Cat whisperer" as our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was.

- The warm colours represent the undeniable love that you radiate in your existence.

Furthermore, because of the political turmoil being faced by Bangladesh, your Nana and Nanu cannot return home these holidays. Allah inspired me to comfort them both by painting their own beloved ones' resting places in this world, with Allah. Until we are all reunited in the afterlife insha'Allah. Pictured beneath in Madaripur of Bangladesh, lay your Nanu's own parents and her younger brother, your Shaheen Nana. Allah forgive them for their worldly errors and reward them with Nur (Divine light) for caring as deeply as they did for us.

#3. This was a post-Khutbah analysis of the shortest Khuthbah ever given, which lasted only a few minutes but resounded eternally with a simple haqq (Allah's truth). As parents, we must shape our children's lives at home, with truth and love instead of tortured lies. Abbu, this Muslim brother uncannily tied the macro of the moment (ie. the revealed horrors of Syria) to our micro lives!

In conclusion, we were left with the blessed discovery of the Sufi way in an acceptance that everything is as Allah wishes, through the expression of Eyvallah! Eyvallah for when things do and don't work out as we plan! ☺️ Eyvallah for the unsuccessful connection in spite of our collective will to connect as Sufi souls, at least we are certain we willed to be united in Allah's love, peace, and goodness as spiritual family:

Ya Wadud Ya Salaam Ya Jami Ya Nafi

We can of course enjoy every day for and with Allah 🥰🤲

[don1t1red]

Today I present you a daudmartin angst. Tomorrow? Who knows.

Have you ever considered the fact that Daud left to Morley after the events of D1 because Martin wanted to be buried in his homeland? Have you ever thought how hard it might be for Daud to hold this burial without an actual body? It was just him and an empty hole in the ground missing a body and maybe even a gravestone. How Daud would carefully wrap all things that Martin gifted him through the years because it's all he can do to fulfill his close one's last will.

Some stuff was pretty expensive (a lighter with inlaid gems, Matin never told him where he dug that thing - Daud never used it, kept as an emergency money source; but now it's priceless); some stuff was pretty useful in the past (neatly done leather straps with pouches for extra bolts or practically anything. Daud wasn’t superstitious but when this thing tore off a few days before his and Martin relationship “tore off” he felt uneasy); oh, and Martin's favorite cigars, Daud would never allow himself such a fancy pack but today it wasn't about him (Daud remembers how Martin offered him this pack and a bottle of rom as a small gift to celebrate their done job. That one where Martin helped him plan the Empress's assassination and asked to do the same to Burrows. But when Daud declined, Martin didn't say anything but “And that's why I told you not to kill Corvo if he returned earlier'').

It's a strange thing to stand near the grave of someone who betrayed you the last time you saw them. It's a strange feeling of something squeezing your lungs and blocking your throat. A need to remind yourself to breathe. And a feeling of guilt because even now, when no one is looking, you can't cry on the grave of someone who betrayed you. A strange, not-an-actual-burial, not even done properly and definitely not how Martin would like to go but still better than nothing. Martin would still be remembered after all.

[icedjuiceboxes]

New dishonored au bc I'm insane okay:

Billie being DH1!Emily royal protector

So.

While heirs to the throne get to choose their royal protector at the age 11, Jessamine and Corvo decides to let Emily choose her a year early. Especially with Corvo about to take his trip across with the Isles to find aid for the plague.

Hiram Burrows overhears this. He drags Billie lurk into the Tower and fabricates all the documents that says shes been with the watch for some time. Well accomplished- even saved the high overseer Campbell's life at some point. It's perfect- bring in Daud's right hand man to do recon right at the source in plain sight.

Corvo and Jess are none the wiser- Corvo double checks Billie's background, but finds little to argue with when he has testimonials from Burrows and Campbell. She's not a bad match, young, full of energy. can keep up with Emily.

Emily was tempted to argue with the choice, especially since she didn't get to choose, and worse of all Burrows picked Billie- a man Emily hates with all the fury a ten y/o could muster. She was tempted- but excitement won over being petty. And it did helped Billie mindlessly made a comment about Burrows, throwing him under the bus in favor to win Emily over.

So that was it. Billie joined Emily's side, and by extension, the empress' side as well while Corvo traveled the isles.

Emily showed Billie all the best hiding spots in the Tower, and all the ways she sneaks away to get away from lessons. When Billie wasn't needed, she reported back to Daud, every little detail the young empress was so kind to share.

At some point Delilah meets with Billie, knowing what she plans to do. They can all get what they want. Billie just needs to bring Emily to her after the assassination.

Despite learning to enjoy Emily's company and the life the Tower brought, Billie went through with it.

That day. Corvo came back early. It didn't stop them though. It was going to happened. Billie stood with the three in the gazebo, watching the waterlock. Emily was the first to point out the approaching whalers.

When they appeared, Corvo was quick to draw his sword. Billie simply stood in front of Jess and Emily, it wasn't time to drop the facade. Corvo was a force to be reckoned with, he didn't need Billie's help regardless.

When Daud showed up though. It was over. Time to drop the act. Thomas held Corvo in the air. Daud came face to face with her, the Empress behind her and Emily hugging her legs.

She stepped aside, taking Emily with her. As Daud took Jess by her neck, Billie was just barely quick enough to cover Emily's eyes, she being frozen in a state of fear and shock. As Jessamine's body fell to the floor, Billie's hand slipped off Emily's face. Emily stared up at her, emotionless and barely just choked out "You lied." Emily was spared the sight, but she wasn't oblivious to the sounds to put together what conspired.

Billie barely just managed to transverse in time with Thomas and Daud as Emily said those words.

Billie was still in charge of Emily after she and the whalers returned to HQ. Emily fought Billie, and had punch hard enough to leave bruises, before breaking down and screaming and crying and pleading for answers on Billie's betrayal. And then she fell asleep, exhausted. Billie had a choice. She could hand over Emily to the Pendletons, and follow Burrows plan. Or hand her over to Delilah, who powers Billie been borrowing over the last few months.

In the dead of the night. Billie left with Emily for the Brigmore Manor.

Long story short Delilah was insane, and Billie had to get Emily out. She regretted choosing Delilah, not that the Pendletons was a much better choice. She was stuck in between a rock and a hard place.

So there was Billie Lurk alone with Emily. Ally to no one. Burned every bridge she had. The whalers. The coven. The royal family.

Emily had no choice but to go wherever Billie took her, up against the whole entire city of dunwal.

[screwtheprinceimtakingthehorse]

lie to me (i've never lied to you, bodyguard)

Corvo comes to see Daud at night—he doesn't have to state his purpose here, it’s in the set of his jaw and the tense arch of his shoulders.

“Where have you been?” he asks. It might have been the words of a possessive lover, had Corvo any notion of jealousy or, indeed, of love. If jealousy it is, then he’s envious of hollow nights and empty streets.

“Away,” Daud grates. "There was a matter in the Estate District. It's sorted.”

“You might have left word,” Corvo says, his eyes narrowed and sharp. Like flint. “We might have gone together.”

“No matter what the children think,” Daud returns with acid in his tone that's as corrosive as shame but refuses to bear the name, “we’re not joint at the hip, Attano.”

Hurt flashes across Corvo’s face so quickly, he seems to surprise himself. It’s quickly supplanted by suspicion—a safer avenue it’s not, for either of them. But the words will slice less deeply into his tongue. This is how I kill this before it can kill me, Daud thinks, and congratulates himself on his mulishness.

“You’re hiding something from me,” Corvo says.

“I’ve never lied to you, bodyguard,” Daud growls. Regrets the words; not for the first time as they leave his lips. His traitorous, cruel mouth. He’s never made fine words with it—meant to cut, meant to teach. Never to ensnare. Beguiling is not who he is, and yet this man sways toward him as though called by the Void.

He can’t tell the truth. But that doesn't leave him with only lies to show for it.

It leaves him with silence.

Silence that Corvo is doing his best to break—and so, everybody knows, something has to give.

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