#these are the books that kickstarted that and they are so dear to me

[myteastainedpages]

have suddenly been filled with a burning desire to reread the old books i loved as a child (a little princess - that one above all -, the secret garden, pollyanna...) and also hetty feather (largely bc i wanna see what i think of it now as an adult who knows more about that era than i did at the time, i have no memory of how accurate/inaccurate it is)

[erysium]

it’s already been more than a year since I posted the last pages of Kochab, and the complete print book was crowdfunded ❤️

I’m told that the last book preorders will finally be shipped out this week! Thank you so much to everyone who enjoyed and supported the webcomic all these years & during the kickstarter. It’s so amazing to me that anyone has read this story that was so dear to my heart for so long, and how kind, patient, and generous everyone has been.

If anyone missed the kickstarter and still wants to pick up a copy, I’ll have books available at CALA next weekend, and in my online shop ☃️

[motziedapul]

SUPPORT A QUEER FILIPINO ANIMATED FILM! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇭

Do you wanna see more queer and trans animated films, especially from Filipino creators?

If you're following me I assume you do, so:

CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING ANIMATED FILM BY MY DEAR FRIEND AVID!

@misteravid

Zsazsa Zaturnnah is a Filipino icon; a queer comic book superhero who's spawned many franchises, including TV shows, films, and even a musical.

The original comics are by the legendary Carlo Vergara!

A shy gay male*** salon worker named Ada finds a magic stone and eats it, transforming into the bombastic bodacious superwoman Zaturnnah.

With her newfound superpowers, Zsazsa fights against the alien Amazonistas and their many monsters, from giant chickens to zombies.

It's a comedic, action-packed, heartfelt film from the wonderful and talented Animators in the Philippines, who've been animating American cartoons for years, but rarely get to tell our own stories.

***This would take a longer discussion about queerness in the Philippines, but there's a lot of overlap between gay men, transwomen, and drag queens in the Philippines, under the term "bakla". Very often, this identity is attached to an expression of femininity by someone assigned male at birth. Because pronouns are not gendered in the Philippines, whether someone sees themselves as gay, trans, nonbinary, etc, is up to the person, even if they're all "bakla". Ada is, in international discussions, referred to as a gay man; but it's important to note he shows an adoration for his feminine body as Zsa zsa that may resonate with transfem readers. I'll continue to refer to Ada as "he" and Zsazsa as "she", but it's important to note that this is due to the gendered nature of discussing this in English, and culturally, there are nuances in the Philippines around the fluidity of gender as a result of our non-gendered pronouns. Thank you!

THE FUNDRAISER IS SO CLOSE TO THEIR GOAL WITH ONLY 16 DAYS TO GO, SO PLEASE SUPPORT IT AND SPREAD IT AROUND!

For the sake of Filipino animation, for the sake of international, Asian, Pinoy queer rep, and for the sake of longtime fans like myself: HELP US MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

✨SUPPORT IT ON KICKSTARTER HERE✨

[generalsmemories]

hello jing yuan's wife!! congrats on 1k followers! you very much deserved it 😊 may i please request for jing yuan with angst scenario #5? thank you in advance!

Stubbornness

✧ jing yuan x gn!reader

✧ prompt used: needing to go to an event after a party and having to pretend as if they aren’t angry with one another the entire time || 1k event

✧ contents: established relationship, hurt/comfort, alcohol consumption, arguments cause yeehaw, however happy ending cause they are functioning adults, mentions of other characters

✧ a/n: the amount of times ya'll have called me jing yuan's wife at this point HAHAH. anyway! first drabble to kickstart the 1k event is a sort of angsty one because why not but ya'll remember that one book where the sanctus medicus had 5 operations to try and get rid of jing yuan? yeah have that back in mind. - also not beta-read but who is surprised at this point LMFAO

"... You could've died."

Jing Yuan snorts, adjusting the bracers on his forearms without even sparing you a glance, "But I'm here right now breathing, aren't I?" he quips back instead, almost sounding amused at your worry.

It infuriates you. It baffles you how little he truly cared about the situation and at the severity of it. The hair you had for once tried to style already messy by the amount of times you've ran a hand through it out of stress or frustration the past two hours.

You're so glad you made Yanqing leave earlier to assist where it was necessary.

"Do you honestly see this as a mere joke, Jing Yuan?" you sneer, arms crossed whilst leaning one side against the doorframe. He must already know what you're referring to, being that you had finally opened the report handed to you from today - a report telling that there was yet another attempt on his life.

Another attempt that he didn't want to tell you about.

"Quite the contrary," he says, turning around to finally face you. His smile is still present on his lips which only serves to make you more agitated, "Nothing happened as you can see, and I'm perfectly fine. As such I didn't see the need to tell you about it because nothing happened. I wasn't even at the Artisanship Commission like they thought-"

"Because you got delayed."

He sighs, crossing his arms as well and cocking his head to the side, "Dear, with the amount you're worrying about me it makes me believe you have no trust in my capabilities to protect myself. Am I right to assume that?" he questions, his smile fading a bit after he had asked.

"Where the hell did you even get that from- Can I not worry about my lovers safety even when I'm aware of his swordmanship?" you ask, clicking your tongue whilst running yet another hand through your strands.

"And I'm telling you that it is a needless worry-"

"You're fucking unbelievable," you scoff, turning around to head for the entrance of your home, Jing Yuan quirking an eyebrow at your retreating form, "Oh? You're not going to nag at me further?" he asks, his tone may be lighthearted, but even you can pick out the slight bite it has to it.

"Even looking at you right now makes me want to punch you. The fact that you can't even see where I'm coming from is unbelievable enough, so fine! I won't worry more about our dear general," you bite back, slamming the door shut once you're at the other side.

You can come up with an excuse as to why the two of you arrive separately - it wouldn't be the first time after all.

"You must be quite delighted that the expedition finished earlier than planned, right [Name]?" Master Gongshu asks, handing you a glass and immediately clinking his own against it before taking a sip, "Even the tiny lieutenant made more of a name to himself out there."

You snicker, swirling the contents of the drink before you, stealing a brief glance over at Jing Yuan who is surrounded himself, "Indeed, I'm quite relieved to see him and Yanqing safely return to the Luofu."

Even though there was immediately another attempt on his life the moment he stepped one foot back onboard.

"But say, aren't you a bit saddened that the general haven't been by your side as much today? He's practically surrounded by the other commissioners and knights," master Gongshu points out, to which you only shake your head, "Why of course not, as long as I know that my husband is safe - I wouldn't have to worry about anything," you say - a bit louder than needed.

You know Jing Yuan heard you.

He kept his attention solely on the people before him though, not even sparing you a glance.

The sight makes you let out another loud sigh, bringing the glass to your lips only to immediately drink it in one gulp, Master Gongshu snickering beside you while calling another waiter over, "Oho, I see you're rearing to go so early! This is indeed what a celebration feast is about!" Master Gonshu roars, his laughter having been a bit too loud to attract the attention of other people, who merely snickered at his own energy.

Jing Yuan only narrowed his eyes, eyebrows furrowing in displeasure at your comment. It seems like you still haven't cooled down. But as soon as he heard his name get called, he was all smiles again, "Aren't you worried that [Name] is going to drink too much, general?" a solider jokingly asked, raising his own glass to have a toast with the general. Jing Yuan merely let out a low chuckle, "Of course not, and even if they were to, I'm here to take care of them."

At this point, the master diviner had made herself to your side with a few snacks - just in time to see your expression twist for a split second upon hearing what Jing Yuan said, letting out a laugh yourself, "Oh, don't worry dear. I know how to take care of myself, so there's no need for you to needlessly worry like this!"

She can practically sense the animosity between you two that no one else in the room has apparently picked up on.

But Fu Xuan does admit that seeing Jing Yuan's perfectly crafted smile twitch a bit in annoyance while his eyebrows furrowed a tiny bit did bring her satisfaction - a taste of his own medicine.

So while master Gongshu have wandered off to get a refill, she makes her way over to you with a raised eyebrow, "Trouble in paradise?" she asks lowly, you merely huff in return - turning around to lean on the fence, staring at the various starskiffs in the air, "... No."

"I applaud you for still wanting to lie in front of me," Fu Xuan comments, placing the tray of various snacks beside you for your perusal - you don't grab anything, already lost in thought.

"Is it a needless worry?" you end up asking, Fu Xuan having leaned against the fence herself while having her body turned to face you, "About what? His safety? Yes and no."

"Gee, that helps a lot."

"He's a general, [Name]. An attempt on his life is unfortunately common sense, moreso at this time too being that he had just returned from an expedition and would be by some standards - exhausted and have his senses dulled."

"So why-"

"But it's also because he is a general that precautions are taken. Even if he got delayed or not before coming to the Artisanship Commission, the Cloud Knights stationed had already intercepted the attempt - he would've still been safe."

You bite your tongue to prevent yourself from blurting anything more. In hindsight you were perfectly aware that Jing Yuan would be fine - but you're pretty sure there's not a single lover out there who would not worry about their own husbands' safety if his head had once again been targeted - even if it had been yet another failed attempt.

Before you can admit your wrongdoings to Fu Xuan, you feel an arm slither around your waist - delicate lips pressing against your temple, and from the faint breath Jing Yuan lets out, you can tell he's had a few more to drink than you in the span of your conversation with Fu Xuan.

"... I thought you didn't like to drink that much," you say softly, turning around in his hold only to be met with a smile, "And I thought you weren't going to speak to me?" he whispers back. You merely huff and let his head fall down to your shoulder, sending Fu Xuan a pleading gaze to which she immediately gets without you needing to say anything more - walking over to the crowd of onlookers to step in for both you and Jing Yuan.

"I am still mad," you finally utter after a few minutes of silence between the two of you.

"Whatever can I do to make my beloved not mad at me then?" he asks back in a whisper, careful to not let anyone else hear the two of you. You can tell from your peripheral vision that he's turned his head to face you, although you keep your gaze facing forward.

"Admit you were wrong," you huff, Jing Yuan letting out a low chuckle at how you're still holding onto that stubborness, "I'm pretty sure I saw that you were about to admit that you were wrong to the master diviner, no?"

You don't answer, merely looking away in a silent defiance. The sight making Jing Yuan sigh in amusement, "Alright, I'm sorry dear. I'll make sure to tell you in the future whenever I feel something amiss," he says in the end - but before you can accept that apology, he quickly adds on.

"In return, I do hope you tell me whenever the disciples also target you."

.... Oh.

"... You know you could've made me inform you in any other way than having us argue?" you state, back to your moody self - the switch in mood making your husband laugh, "Not such a great feeling being left in the dark, is it?" he reminds you - and you hate how effective this sort of method is.

So your only reply is to wrap your arms around his waist, "I'm sorry," You can feel his body shake with laughter, his own arms wrapping around your shoulders before you feel his lips pressing themselves at the top of your head, "Now stop being mad, because these few hours were quite tortuous for me."

"You just say that because I usually do all the talking."

"Precisely."

struggled with that ending for 3 days man.

[soul-eater-novel]

Suikoden I Soul Eater Light Novel Translation - Chapter 22!

For your reading pleasure and enjoyment, below the cut is the full rough English translation of chapter 22 of the official 1998 Suikoden I Soul Eater novel (volume 3 of 3). Individual page translations and original Japanese text can be found in the chapter 22 tag. As always, feedback on translations is welcome. Thank you so much to everyone for your support and your comments. They keep me going! Eventually I want to run a Kickstarter to officially license and print these books! Email me at rinuzuki@gmail.com if you're interested in helping plan this.

Chapter 22: The Man Who Chases the Night

A gentle, early summer breeze blew across Lake Toran. As the wind blew in through the window of Tir’s room, he was laying on his bed, gazing up at the blue sky. 

Four months had already passed since his battle with his father, Teo. After they defeated Teo’s units—the main force of the Imperial Army—there hadn’t been any other big battles, but a war was still raging in Tir’s heart. 

Just what is the Soul Eater?

He had been able to think of nothing else since Leknaat’s visit after the battle with his father. Even when he was training with his staff, even in the middle of military matters, even when he went out fishing with Yam Koo for a change of pace—all it took was him noticing one aching twinge of the rune on his hand to send his mind tumbling back to that question. 

Tir went around asking everyone he could think of. He started with Cleo, then the rune master, Jeane, and even Luc, Leknaat’s disciple who bore the True Wind Rune... but none of them knew anything about the Soul Eater. 

I only know two things for sure. One, the rune is cursed. Two, something strange happens to it each time someone dear to me loses their life. 

But these two facts brought him no closer to understanding the true nature of the rune, and his spirits failed to lift as the days passed. Gazing at the clear blue sky, Tir thought to himself, If I could leave on a journey right now, I’d try and look for clues about my rune. 

He took a breath and jumped up from his bed. Well, doesn’t hurt to try, right? he thought, and went to Mathiu’s room. 

There he found Mathiu, Lepant, Kasumi, Viktor, and Flik. The five of them were putting their heads together discussing something. 

“Heya, Tir! Perfect timing,” Viktor said, turning to him with a grin. He got up from his seat and stood next to Tir, smiling cheerfully. “We were actually just talkin’ about what to do next. Wanna go on a trip with us? Whaddya say?”

“A trip? Why?” Asked Tir, surprised by the sudden question. “What’s going on?”

“Lord Tir, the Liberation Army has already liberated the Great Forest and the Kunan region,” Lepant began by way of explanation. “For the moment, we have also taken back the Goran region, which Lord Teo’s forces had captured. Our strength grows by the day. If we can incite more revolts in other regions, the Imperial Army will focus their attention on putting those down.”

Mathiu continued, expanding on Lepant’s ideas. “We thought, for this purpose, it would be beneficial for us to spread the word in other regions about how we defeated Lord Teo, the strongest in the Empire. There’s no doubt that Lord Teo’s military might had everyone under the Empire’s thumb.”

Lepant spoke again. “Since we defeated Lord Teo, the Imperial Army is reorganizing. They are calling back their regional forces to put down the rebellions closer to the capital. This means that the Imperials have left many regions low on defense. So we’re thinking it’s best to seize on this gap in their armor to bring together rebel forces from many different regions into one force.” 

“Now we just need to decide where to go first.” This time it was Kasumi who spoke. “They say that, in recent days, the Imperial Army has completely withdrawn from the Lorimar religion in the southwest of Kunan. In the place of their army, it seems they have dispatched a single general to that area.” 

“And that general’s forces number how many?”

“None. The general is there alone.”

Flik crossed his arms. “Then what of the Lorimar Fortress?”

Lorimar Fortress was the name of the stronghold which straddled the upper reaches of the Dunan river that flows between the Lorimar and Kunan regions. 

Kasumi frowned. “The fortress was completely empty of soldiers, too. I went to see for myself. Not a single soul. But the weirdest part was that the graves for the fallen soldiers had all been disturbed.”

“Graves, eh?” Viktor rubbed his hand across his unshaven face. “How ‘bout it, Tir? A stronghold where all the graves’ve been messed with... everyone gone but the lone general... Lorimar’s sure fulla puzzles. Sounds like a pretty good adventure, don’t it?” 

“Mmh... but can I really go?” Tir hung his head, dejected. 

“Hear me out, Tir,” Flik chimed in. “In Lorimar, there’s this place called the Village of Warriors. Even the Empire recognizes their strength. See, in this village, all the men are warriors and all the women are mages. Ignoring all Viktor’s nonsense, if we could enlist the people of that village to the Liberation Army’s cause, they would make a powerful ally, don’t you think?” 

“You keep saying’ ‘they’ like they’re a buncha strangers.” Viktor butted in, grinning slyly. “Hey, Tir. Wanna hear somethin’ good? Flik’s actually from that very village of warriors. And his village has this very interesting ritual. To be recognized as a warrior, the men of the village gotta do this ceremony to become an adult, right? They go on a journey to make a name for themselves. Seems they can’t come back ‘till they’ve done somethin’ really noteworthy. And guess what? Till this day, Flik ain’t ever gone back...” 

“Put a sock in it!” Interrupted Flik, clearly riled. “I’m trying to go back now, aren’t I?!” 

He got up from his seat, pushed aside Viktor, and stood in front of Tir. “Come on, Tir. Let’s go. You gotta get some fresh air. Staying cooped up in the castle all the time is bringing you down, right?”

There was kindness in Flik’s voice. Tir lifted his eyes to look at his friend and saw a gentle smile on Flik’s face. But he hesitated before answering. 

I’m the leader of the Liberation Army. I can’t just leave the castle on a whim... 

Tir’s gaze shifted to Mathiu and he saw that the tactician was smiling, too. “Lord Tir, do not fret over us. The Empire does not even have the resources to launch an attack right now. Besides, as our leader, it is one of your duties to recruit new allies for the Liberation Army, is it not?” 

“Right! That’s that, then!” Viktor and Flik yelled at the same time, each thumping Tir on the shoulder. 

“Okay, hurry up and get ready, Tir! We leave tomorrow,” said Flik, already leaving the room himself at a brisk trot. 

“What, so soon?”

“Y’know what they say, gotta strike while the iron’s hot!” Viktor cackled gleefully, slipping past Tir, who was still reeling. 

Mathiu followed and called out, “I need to talk to you, Viktor!” 

Viktor turned on his heel and the pair went back to Mathiu’s rooms. 

Just as Tir was about to leave, Kasumi spoke his name softly.  “Lord Tir. It is good, sometimes, to take a trip and distance oneself from battle. Lorimar is beautiful this time of year.” 

“That’s true. I’ll be sure to keep my eyes open,” Tir replied absently on his way out. 

Maybe this is the perfect excuse to try to unravel the mystery of the Soul Eater. 

Tir’s hopes rose and his heart started to beat a little faster.

＊＊＊

The next day, Tir and the others took a boat from the castle docks, heading toward Kunan. The Lorimar region lay alongside the Kunan region, accessible via the Lorimar Fortress. Flik thought that, even on horseback, the trip would take about a week.

Tir’s guard was composed of Flik, Viktor, and Cleo. At first Tir had just planned to go with the two men, but Cleo asked to come along as well. Gremio and Teo’s deaths had left gaping holes in Tir’s heart, and he thought Cleo must be feeling similarly. So it was decided, in the end, that the four of them would go together to Warrior’s Village. 

They docked at the town of Teien off Lake Toran and offloaded their horses and cargo. Once they had everything ready, they left the town. Galloping across the fields, Tir saw what Flik had meant—the wind here felt different than at the castle.

Is it summer already…? 

This was the first time he had visited Kunan in the four months or so since the battle with his father, Teo. A pleasant, early summer wind blew here, laden with the scent of grass. The field at Scarleticia Castle that had run dark with blood during the battle now burst with fresh life, looking like a completely different place. 

As they continued their journey, traveling across the wide fields, camping outside, sitting around the fire, Cleo and Tir both slowly began to smile again. Maybe this change was due to the warm, pleasant weather, or maybe it was thanks to Viktor and Flik’s easygoing, amiable company. 

During their trip, Tir asked Flik more about Warrior’s Village. Flik told him that the mayor of the village was a man named Zorak, unrivaled with the sword, but also unmatched in his love of chatting endlessly. He also told him that once a man of the village was recognized as an adult, he could give his sword a name. Tir asked Flik what he had named his sword, but the older man just smiled sadly and didn’t answer. 

It took four days to cross the Kunan region on horseback. They passed through Lorimar Fortress, eerily empty, and continued on for three days. At last, the four arrived at Warrior’s Village. 

Nestled in lush greenery, the village felt quiet. Simple huts with straw-thatched roofs dotted the village. A clanging sound came from somewhere, perhaps a blacksmith at work. The four travelers felt their hearts relax in this peaceful environment. 

Feeling the evening breeze on his skin, Flik looked around the quiet village and let out a big sigh of relief. Maybe happy to be back in his hometown after so long, a smile played on his lips. “All right, first things first! Let’s go give the mayor a visit.”

Flik strode forward, the wind pushing his blue cape out behind him. Tir followed after, then Viktor, and Cleo came last. Flik walked through the village square and went straight to the large house on the left. He knocked on the door. 

“Mayor Zorak?” he called out. But there was no reply. 

“Is the mayor in?” Flik tried once more, but, again, no reply came. “No good, looks like he’s not home.”

“Flik, wait.” Cleo held a finger to her lips. 

Listening closely, they could hear the sound of someone muttering inside the house and clattering noises as if someone were ransacking the place, searching for something. 

“Hey.” Viktor whispered, pointing at the door. Flik nodded. He turned the doorknob and cautiously pushed the door open. It swung open slowly, hinges creaking. Peering through the gap, they saw a solidly built middle-aged man moving from room to room in a blind panic. Lost in his search, it seemed the man hadn’t heard Flik. 

“I’ll show you to look down on the Warrior’s Village, Neclord...!” they heard the man hiss. 

“What did you just say?!” Viktor cried in shock. 

“Viktor?” 

But Viktor ignored Tir and barged into the house. “Hey, old man! Did you just say ‘Neclord’?!”

“What the—?! Who the devil are you?!” The man stopped rummaging in his closet and turned to Viktor, a fierce glint in his eye. He had an eyepatch over one eye, his face covered in scars from sword wounds. It was Mayor Zorak. 

The mayor looked ready for battle. He wore a crimson cape, a dark green breastplate, and golden knee plates. His very expression brimmed with the dignity befitting the mayor of a village of warriors. 

To everyone’s astonishment, Viktor lashed out at the mayor, completely out of control. The man in front of them now bore no resemblance to their easy-going friend. 

“Shuddup! I’m the one askin’ questions here! Answer me! What do you know about Neclord?!”

Tir and the others rushed to pull Viktor away from Zorak. 

“What’s come over you, Viktor? Calm down.” Cleo spoke to him in soothing tones while Viktor continued to glare at the mayor. 

Something big must have happened to shake Viktor up this badly. 

Tir moved to stand in front of Zorak. “I am Tir McDohl, leader of the Liberation Army. My sincerest apologies for entering your house so suddenly and without permission. We meant no offense.”

Zorak’s remaining eye widened in surprise, then narrowed to look at Tir more closely. “What? Leader of the...? Well, this is a surprise.” He smiled good-naturedly. “I am Zorak, mayor of this village. Word of your activities have reached us even here. You honor me greatly by coming all this way to visit.” 

A little embarrassed by how politely Zorak spoke to him, Tir was at a loss as to how to reply. But Zorak looked past Tir, noticing Flik for the first time. 

“Oho! Why, if it isn’t Flik! Have you returned to our village to present your achievements?” His tone changed completely from the one he had used with Tir to a much stricter way of speaking. 

Flik wilted a little under Zorak’s gaze, but answered. “N-no, sir. That’s not why I’m here. I thought I would give you a report on what I hope to achieve, which is still in progress.” 

“Hmm. Well, in that case, get on with it, boy. Spit it out.”

“Mayor, you spoke of a Neclord just now. Who is that? It seems my colleague here is an acquaintance of his...”

“Acquaintance, my ass! I’m no friend of that bastard’s.”

Glancing over at Viktor’s outburst, Zorak agreed. “Mmh. It seems this gentleman does have some connection to Neclord. Let us discuss this matter in more detail.”

The mayor led them to the living room. They sat on the sofa, and Zorak began to speak, the words tumbling out in a rush. “This tale brings me great shame, but please hear me out. It was about three months ago that a new general, Neclord, first came here to rule over this region. In the beginning, our village was an ally of the Scarlet Moon Empire. If you follow the records back to Solar year twenty, Klift the Crusader...” 

“Mayor...” Flik hastened to intervene. “We’re not here for a history lesson. We would like to know about Neclord, please.”

“R-right. Of course. Neclord moved into this area and cast a terrible spell. He turned all of our dead into zombies and skeletons... undead monsters.”

“Ah, I see.” Cleo nodded. “That’s one mystery solved.”

The disturbed graves at Lorimar must have been the result of Neclord raising his forces. 

His gaze earnest, Zorak went on. “Neclord took the old castle in the southeast for his base and now he has begun using his army of undead to terrorize the neighboring villages. He made the villages hand over their young women. Our own daughters...!”

“Yep, that’s his M.O., all right,” Viktor grumbled. 

Zorak’s face suddenly clouded in frustration. “Neclord demanded the same of our village. I had to give him my own daughter, Tengaar. On our pride as the Warrior’s Village, we fought back... but Neclord used his powerful magic and defeated us.” 

“Yeah, that’s how it goes with him.” Viktor shut his eyes, scrubbing his hands along his scruffy stubble. 

For a moment, no one spoke. Flik broke the silence to ask, “So what became of Tengaar?”

“She was abducted, like all the rest! But the Warrior’s Village will not let it end like this!” Zorak roared, jumping to his feet. “I was just preparing to storm his castle and take back our daughters and our pride. Tomorrow I will march with fifty hand-picked warriors to attack. We’ll capture Neclord and wring his neck!”

Viktor sighed loudly, stopping Zorak in his tracks. He looked straight at them and said bluntly, quietly, “Yeah, it ain’t gonna work.” 

His words were met with shocked silence. Zorak raised his voice. “Wh-what?! Explain yourself, sir!”

“Like I said, it ain’t gonna work.” Viktor drawled in his usual laid-back way of speaking. “You attack Neclord by any normal means, you’re just sendin’ your men to an early grave for no damn reason.”

Zorak grabbed him. “You dare mock the warriors of this village?! Your insolence knows no bounds, sir!”

Flik and Tir hurriedly got between the two and pacified the older man. The mayor glared daggers at Viktor for a while in loathing, but eventually spoke again. “My apologies for getting worked up. However, Lord Viktor, why ever would you say that we cannot bring down this enemy?”

“Mr. Mayor, Zorak...” Viktor replied, his voice soft. “I understand how frustrated you must be feelin’, havin’ your daughter abducted like that. But you gotta understand. Neclord ain’t a creature you can defeat by any normal means of attack. It’s best ya just think of him as a impossibly powerful opponent.”

“Yes, of course we realize how powerful he is. That is why we—”

Viktor once again interrupted the mayor with a loud sigh. “That’s not what I’m sayin’. Neclord ain’t human. The power of his rune turned him into a vampire. That’s why normal weapons won’t even scratch him.”

“What?!”

“You need somethin’ special to bring that bastard down. Beats me what that something is, but until you find a weapon that’ll have an effect on him, no point in rushin’ in.” 

“I see...” Zorak stared at the floor. “I had no idea, Lord Viktor. I apologize for losing my temper. Please forgive me.”

“S’all good. You’re worried about your daughter, ain’tcha? It was me who got bent outta shape first.” Viktor smiled, looking oddly forlorn. “By the by, you know anywhere we could get our hands on a weapon that’ll defeat a vampire? Since you’re the mayor of the Warrior’s Village an’ all, figured you’d know a thing or two ‘bout weapons.”

“Hmm...” Zorak hummed in thought. “While I do not know of a specific weapon, there is a temple to the west of here. Qlon Temple. They are said to be miracle workers. Especially for those who have troubles with runes—knock on their gates, and they may offer you an answer in the form of a divine revelation...”  

“What did you say?!” Now it was Tir’s turn to shout in surprise. 

Troubles with runes! That’s me! I’ve got those!

Staring at Tir, Zorak continued. “It may sound odd, but that is what the rumors say. If it was a rune that turned Neclord into a vampire, then they may be able to tell us a method of defeating him.” 

“Qlon Temple, got it!” Viktor practically leapt out of his chair. “Okay, I’m gonna go check it out. I’ll head there, and if there’s a weapon that’ll defeat Neclord, I’ll find it and bring it back.”

“But I couldn’t possibly wrap you all up in this—it isn’t your battle to fight...”

“It’s okay, Mayor Zorak.” Tir jumped to his feet, too. “The Liberation Army was formed in order to free people from the misrule of the Empire. If this Neclord is harassing you, then it is our duty to fight him and put a stop to it. Please, allow us to travel to Qlon Temple on your behalf.” 

“Lord Tir...” Zorak let out the breath he had been holding. “Of course. Thank you so much. We will continue our preparations for the raid on Neclord’s castle, and will await your return.”

“‘Sides, I’ve got a private score to settle with Neclord,” Viktor growled almost to himself, his tone brooking no argument.  

***

Their next course of action was decided. They would depart for Qlon temple in the morning. Zorak let them stay at his house that night. The four travelers were able to eat a meal and rest their bodies, exhausted after their travels.

Though he was getting a little tired of the mayor’s chatter, Tir did enjoy the tour he gave them of family heirlooms—weapons, armor, and other artifacts—passed down through the generations. And so the night deepened. 

Flik came back from meeting up with old childhood friends and, at long last, everyone climbed into their beds. Wrapped up in his warm blankets, Tir listened to the sound of the wind blowing outside the window and thought. 

If I go to Qlon Temple, maybe I’ll learn something about the Soul Eater.

Once again, he began pondering the nature of the rune on his right hand. 

Creak...

He heard the quiet creak of floorboards. Listening closely, he heard footsteps walking over to the window, where moonlight flooded in, and then a big sigh. Viktor stood at the window, looking at the moon, which had risen high in the sky.

“What’s up, Viktor?” Tir got out of bed and went over to stand at the window with him. Standing in the moonlight, Viktor’s expression looked sorrowful, somehow.

“What’s up with you, Tir? Can’t sleep?”

“Yeah, guess so.”

Of course, Tir was worrying over the Soul Eater. But since they came to this village and met the mayor, he had gained yet another worry to add to his list. Viktor, who knew so much about Neclord. Viktor, who turned into a completely different person when it came to the subject of Neclord. 

What in the world has he been through?

“Hey, Viktor. How do you know so much about Neclord, anyhow?”

Viktor’s sharp gaze met his, like a knife to the stomach. “You really wanna know?”

“I... think so...” Tir faltered. Staring back into Viktor’s eyes, Tir recalled that Viktor had never spoken a word about his own past. Not a word. Not when they first met, not during all their travels together, not even when they fought at each other’s backs.

“Tell me, Viktor,” Tir commanded, still looking him straight in the eye. 

“All right... but you asked for it.” 

Sighing wearily, Viktor began his tale. 

He had come from the City-States of Jowston—that age-old enemy of the Scarlet Moon Empire. Born and raised in North Window village in the south of the city-states. 

One night, when he was twenty-one years old, Viktor had gone to a neighboring village to buy something. But when he returned to North Window, he found his home utterly changed. Fires burned throughout the village. As he made his way through the town, his ears were filled with the moans of the suffering, and even covering his nose, his nostrils still filled with the stench of rotting flesh. Treading carefully, he returned home… to find his family had been turned to zombies, and were eating each other’s flesh. 

He was shaken to his core. The villagers-turned-zombies swooped down on him. Amid his tears and his rage, he swung his sword, chopping down zombies in droves. 

That was when Neclord appeared before him. Purple hair oiled and slicked back, his face as pale as a corpse. The man’s lips twisted in an unpleasant, condescending smile. His long, skeleton-thin body was clad in pitch-black formal attire and a cape, black on one side and crimson on the other. He leered at Viktor and declared, “It was I who turned your friends and family into zombies.”

Unable to contain his rage, Viktor stabbed Neclord. But being a vampire, Viktor’s attacks had no effect. Instead, he himself was driven nearly to death’s door. 

“And that’s when my journey to hunt down Neclord began...” finished Viktor, still looking up at the moon. 

“I’m so sorry, Viktor...” Tir mumbled, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I had no idea...”

He understood how painful it was to recall these kinds of memories and felt bad for making Viktor talk about his troubled past. But Viktor’s usual carefree manner returned and he spoke to Tir kindly. “S’okay. Was thinkin’ I’d have to tell you about it someday, anyway. ‘Bout time I found the bastard, eh?”

The ghost of a smile twisting up the corners of his mouth, Viktor ruffled Tir’s hair, making a bird’s nest of it. “Get some rest, kiddo. I’m gonna look at the moon a while longer.” 

“Okay, Viktor...”

Tir padded across the wooden floor and climbed back into his bed. Viktor eventually got under his own blankets. Tir fell asleep listening to him sigh. 

*** Table of Contents

★ Chapters 0-1 ★ Chapters 2-3  ★ Chapters 4-5  ★ Chapters 6-7  ★ Chapters 8-9 ★ Chapters 10-11  ★ Chapters 12-13  ★ Chapters 14-15 ★ Chapters 16-17 ★ Chapters 18-19 ★ Chapter 20-21

«-first // archive // Ramsus-kun Scanslations

[goodshipskypirate]

Okay, so I know this is a sketch from Kickstarter showing a small part of the Great Archives, so this is likely more concept than final. What intrigues me is the man in the photo with a sword strapped to his back. Or at least, I originally thought it was a photo before I realized he might just be decoration for the book's cover.

Who is that man? Just a random doodle? Aephorul before the creators' finalized his design? Some other dude that might have been important and recorded into that specific book? Resh'an's first boyfriend during his awkward high school years, Chad, who unironically kissed his arm muscles every morning and smelled of AXE body spray?

Also, dear LORD. Once again, this man is a mess. His chemical properties are dangerously close to these books. This is a fire hazard waiting to happen. Look at that ink pot on top of a piece of paper with a clear blot. He's gonna get ink all over his books! He is absolutely the epitome of The Messy Desk Artist. Resh'an, if you weren't a God who could literally snap your area clean, I would SCREAM.

I am, however, tickled pink, that the sketch has a cup of tea or coffee on the lower right corner. It's just cute, Resh'an taking his caffeine black and getting back to work. He probably doesn't need a caffeine boost, but it probably helps stimulant the brain... and prevents caffeine headache.

[orangepenguino]

Hey Tumblr friends!

Today, my dear friend Kyle Walters has his first board game launching on Kickstarter! He's poured three years of hard work into crafting an incredible board game called Storyburg, and I really hope you'll check it out.

Kickstarter Launch Details

Launch Date: Tuesday, September 19th at 8am Eastern

Kickstarter Link

I playtested the game from its earliest stages and I really, really want it to be a success. What is Storyburg?

Storyburg is an adventure board game that transports you to a world where familiar stories collide. You can step into the shoes of iconic characters like Peter from Peter Pan, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, or Little Nemo from Little Nemo in Slumberland.

The gameplay combines elements of dungeon-crawlers, deck-building, and choose-your-own-adventure games, ensuring every session is filled with surprises and excitement.

There are over 300 original illustrations Kyle drew for the game! He's spent countless hours researching all elements of game production and design. It's a beautiful piece of work.

To ensure Storyburg's Kickstarter campaign gets off to the best possible start, Kyle has prepared a special Launch Day Deal available today only. Kyle has assured me that it's important to get as many backers as possible in the first 48 hours of the campaign. It makes the algorithms happy! Every backer, no matter the pledge amount, plays a pivotal role in making this dream a reality.

If you're not an avid board gamer or have budget constraints, even a $1 pledge goes a long way in boosting the campaign's visibility and momentum. If your shelves are too full of games and/or you're feeling extra generous, Kyle has partnered with ComicBooks 4 Kids, a charity that provides comic books and other pop culture items to children in hospitals. If you buy a $1 Pledge (or any Pledge Level) and then choose the ComicBooks 4 Kids ADD-ON, a copy of the game will be sent to sick children and teens in hospitals and cancer centers. It's a wonderful way to share the joy of gaming with those who need it most. I'm truly passionate about Storyburg's success. Not only do I want the best for my friend, but I really think it's a great game. Unfortunately, Storyburg only gets made if the Kickstarter is successful. It would mean a lot to me if you consider supporting the campaign, but even spreading the word would be a great help. Your support, whether through pledging or simply spreading the Kickstarter link, contributes to getting this fantastic game out into the world. Thank you for getting this far. I dislike writing marketing posts considerably more than I dislike reading them, so you can safely know that I really and truly think this is a project worth your attention. If you are able, consider supporting this Kickstarter campaign and help bring Storyburg to life! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to learn more. Wishing you a wonderful day filled with excitement and adventure! (Or if you prefer, a fun board game with friends and a nice mug of tea.)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

Catch me in Miami! I'll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables TOMORROW (Jan 22) at 8PM. Berliners: Otherland has added a second date (Jan 28) for my book-talk after the first one sold out - book now!

#20yrsago RIP, Whole Earth Review https://web.archive.org/web/20040202031838/https://www.worldchanging.com/archives/000338.html

#15yrsago Media helped create the financial meltdown https://web.archive.org/web/20090125204013/http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/01/23/the_medias_role_in_the_financial_crisis/

#10yrsago Ukraine government sends text to protesters: “Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance” https://memex.craphound.com/2014/01/23/ukraine-government-sends-text-to-protesters-dear-subscriber-you-are-registered-as-a-participant-in-a-mass-disturbance/

#10yrsago What Makes Jo Walton So Great https://www.tor.com/2014/01/21/what-makes-jo-walton-so-great/

#5yrsago After Net Neutrality repeal, Comcast, Charter and Verizon cut investment in their networks https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/01/sorry-ajit-comcast-lowered-cable-investment-despite-net-neutrality-repeal/

#5yrsago Data-broker implicated in bounty-hunters’ access to mobile location data lobbied FCC to fight consent for sharing location data https://www.vice.com/en/article/vbwgw8/zumigo-phone-location-data-sold-lobbied-fcc-consent

#5yrsago Limits to trickle-down: Trump’s tax-cut “boom” fizzles https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/23/business/investment-boom-tax-cuts-economy/index.html

#5yrsago Corporate America projects giant profits from climate disasters https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-22/muggy-disney-parks-downed-at-t-towers-firms-tally-climate-risk

#5yrsago After six days, LA teachers settle their strike, wringing huge concessions out of the school district https://jacobin.com/2019/01/la-teachers-strike-contract-arlene-inouye/

#5yrsago Winners Take All: the Davos Edition (how elites launder looting with phoney philanthropy) https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/jan/22/the-new-elites-phoney-crusade-to-save-the-world-without-changing-anything

#5yrsago How a political outsider’s fundraising tool is helping insurgent, working-class Dems mount primary challenges and campaigns https://theintercept.com/2019/01/23/grassroots-analytics-campaign-donations/

#1yrago Eggflation is just more price-gouging https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/23/cant-make-an-omelet/#keep-calm-and-crack-on

I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

[night-market-if]

Hello dear author,

Just wanted to say that I had no idea Milo was a non-monogamous character. Maybe that is on me, maybe you left clues I just missed, who knows. I can be dense, and this is something a bit out of my wheelhouse.

Regardless, I love Milo with all my heart (and I've read chapter 12), and though I love Malcolm's character, I just don't feel any inclination to romance him. So the plan is to let Milo be Milo and just put my faith in your incredible writing skills that we won't end up feeling like an extra that he could take or leave, and that the relationship still feels natural to someone who has no experience with polyamory.

Would this still work if MC remained monogamous? Malcolm is just too level headed and stable for me... now Caliban, if he were an option.. 👀

I do truly love your writing and cannot wait for more.

Okay, so I want to highlight this ask because you, dear anon, have all the love and respect from me right now.

Thank you. I can not state this enough. Thank you. Please have faith that I am not casting the MC aside in that relationship with Milo. This is not about to become the Milo and Mal romance with MC begging for scrapes. You do not have to enter a poly at all and the words "let Milo be Milo" is the perfect way to approach this. I have so many plans for MC and Milo (if you've read chapter 12 you know I'm going to have to) and I do hope that people who do not wish to do the poly route, go into this next book with the mindset that you have.

Essentially, how a route like this is going to look is eventually, Milo and Mal are going to come back together. And when I say eventually, I mean far down the line. Because first and foremost, there are things that need to be addressed with Milo and MC. If you are choosing the non poly route, that coming back together does not even really play out in the story. Milo will talk to the MC so it's not a behind their back thing, but it's not like you are going to be having to read a poly route with a headcannon of monogamous. Essentially, MC knows that there is something between Milo and Mal. They are tender with each other at times. But you better believe I am not going to be writing this thing where MC has to beg for attention. Because that shouldn't happen in ANY relationship.

Also, I may need to clear something up a bit because I do feel like a lot of people are taking this from a very sexual standpoint (in general. This is not directed at you anon). When Milo and Mal do come back together, they are not going to go off and start going at it like bunnies. Malcolm is not super into sex. So, for the asks that have come in about that? I'm hoping that helps a bit.

Thank you so much for having faith in me. I know that this is not what most people had hoped for when they started this game but knowing that you all can look at this and trust that I'm not going to do you wrong? It's an amazing feeling.

🪷✨🪷✨ If you want to support me 🪷 ✨🪷✨ 

Demo 🌿 Patreon 🌿 Ko-fi 🌿Discord🌿Kickstarter

[sophiesbookishthings]

July Reads

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I read this like 2 days before the allegations against Neil Gaiman came out 🫤. And since now it feels too weird to talk too much about anything regarding him right now, I'm not gonna fully review this book. I considered not putting this here at all, but I want an honest chronicle of the books I've read. And I feel like this little non-review isnt gonna cause anyone to go read his books or support him in any way. So, I will just say that I did enjoy this book, and it's one of my favorites I've read from him, but I'll leave it at that.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Pale Dreamer by Samantha Shannon

This is a little prequel novella to The Bone Season. I enjoyed seeing the dynamic of Paige and her seven dials gang before she gets thrown into the whole main plot of the series. It also gives a bit of interesting insight into why she and the other 6 act the way they do in The Bone Season.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Bone Season (author's preferred text) by Samantha Shannon

This is a really interesting dystopian book. This is the first book in a seven book series and I'm intrigued to see where it goes. The main character Paige has really interesting psychic powers that I think are going to get really badass as the series goes on. There's also the rephaim and I really want to know more about their whole thing. Can't wait to keep reading these. I went and got the authors preferred text editions when they came out cause Samantha Shannon is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

I got an absolutely gorgeous edition of this book from litjoy, and I think I read it like a day or two after I got it in the mail. I remember watching the movie when I was a kid, but I'd never read the book. Sometimes, it's better to watch the movie first, I think. Because I liked the movie, but it's not a lot like the book, and had I known that I probably would've liked the movie less. Anyway! I loved the love story in this book. Ella and Char match each other’s energy and quirkiness so perfectly. And the fantasy element of the book is really cool. There's centaurs, fairies, giants, and elves, and the way they were done felt like an old fairy tale, which I feel like doesn't get done too much anymore.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

I'm going to do a single review for these two novellas because I basically read them as one continuous book and I don't know how well I can deferentiate between the events that occur in each one. This book is very philosophical but also very cozy and sweet. There were some ideas and quotes in these two books that I will probably be thinking about for a long time. The friendship between the main characters (a tea monk and a robot) was incredibly well done and I really liked both of them. These books ultimately hold such kindness at their heart and I think we need more of that. I highly recommend these books.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Secrets of Blackthorn Hall by Cassandra Clare

I read this before when it was being released on tumblr but I received the Kickstarter hardback edition and it's absolutely gorgeous. Shadowhunters is always a comfort series to me, especially anything involving the Blackthorns and Malec.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson

As per the Stormlight Archive, so much happened in this book, dear lord... So much happened in the last like 300ish pages alone (which i guess is the length of a normal book). This is also the longest book I've ever read, so that's fun. For a lot of this book, I was really thinking that Kaladin/Shallan/Adolin all have two hands, and Sanderson should stop being a coward lol. But anyway... I loved reading from the perspective of bridge 4 through the book and seeing what they're doing outside of kaladin. I need to know more about like all of the singers because I've been lowkey rooting for them since the first book. Which is really a testament to Sanderson's writing because I could tell that they really weren't the bad guys, and that there was something deeper going on, and some of that was revealed in this book.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Chlorine by Jade Song

I didn't love this book. I think it was the fact I really didn't like a single one of the characters and there was very little dialog to the point it almost felt just like stating of events and the narrators (usually all negative) feelings about the events and the people involved. I will give it that it had the first scene I've ever read to make me actually physically uncomfortable. It was gay but in a very messy pining way that never really felt like it went anywhere. I think that there are people that would really like this book cause it did have potential, but it just didn't worj for me. I will admit I have been thinking about it a lot, though, so there's that anyway.

3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I haven't watched the Amazon series of this, and I'm mad that they changed the songs for it from the ones in the book. I wanted to listen to those ☹️. I feel like I shouldn't like that it was so obviously based on Fleetwood Mac, but I kinda did. I've always found their whole extremely messy deal fascinating, and this was basically the fictional version of that.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

This was really interesting to read after having read the whole lotr trilogy first. This reads like a children's book (because it is) which was a bit surprising because of the much different tone I was expecting after lotr and the Hobbit movies. Also, it basically says the elves are fae. It refers to the Undying Lands as Faerie. Why do people not talk about that more??? It makes so much sense. They act like fae. They're whole vibe and lore is so fae like. It makes sense. Regular elves are little guys! Tolkien elves are fae! Anyway, lol, I really liked this book. I do think I liked lotr more just cause I love books/series that are lore heavy and also Samwise Gamgee.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[edwinspaynes]

Hey hey hey Shadowhunter’s It-Girl (yes i meant it, when i said you ARE the it queeen)

RE Feel good vibes!

OMG just readingggg through your wonderful message and how deliciously indulgent your replies are gave me mad feel good vibes and made me want to bedoink a hammer on my head for not doing it sooner!!!!

I am so glad to hear you’re visiting Japan! What prompted you to want to go there? Like walk me through that brain thought 😊.

Re Dead Boy Detectives!

I am veryyyy aware of your love for Dead Boy Detectives! I love how much you love them! And massive fingers crossed that it gets renewed for a season 2! I know on the ends of comics (non exclusive to just the Dead Boys ongoing but also Fables, Sandman essentially everything that ISN’T batman or a superhero comic) tends to be very much on the ‘unlikely to get a run’ so i’m always fingers crossed. YK? CUZ I GET IT.

Re Book recs

Thank you sooooo much for the lovely book recs! Even if their random if you have more please let me know them! And who/and what do you think a shadowhunter character would react while reading it, or if they would reccomend it to another internally? 🤭

Re Matthewwwwwwwwww

Also a bit of a, in medias reas inserted ask- If TMI is fall, and TID is winter, and TDA is Summer… what do you think is the most appropriate synergistic time to read/reread TLH? Wicked Powers does give me for some reason Spring vibes. But maybe it will be Summer cuz Los Angeles and all… ANYWAY would love to know your thoughts on that!

And OMG, LOVEEEE That Matthew is with his golden retirever! have you managed to sus out from easter egg droppings any intel on his ship? If its a she…? or him… or they.?

Re Asking the It-Girl of Shadowhunters to potentially give me the low down of what i have missed from the fandom these past two-three months i have been away!

I really am soooo out of the loop on all recent happenings and shiftings and lurkings in the fandom? Have there been any? Any new releases? Any new CC updates?

Have you bought anything new shadowhunter related? Like either in terms of art… or memorabilia?

Finally, my kickstarter box hasn’t been shipped either girlie! I am right there with you!!!!! I am not really that mad because I feel like i know this might sound weird, but even from my hiatus of Shadowhunters i still felt really well fed with all the lovely bonus chapters you always post! I loveddd two days ago the newly posted James and Cordelia’s Primemark Adventure bonus chap for example. It just REALLY Just is so well written AND it always satiates that era and time period of London so deeply!

Cheers to more ❤️‍🔥🌈🌈🌈🤗

JAPAN! So one of my best friends lives there. She's dear to me. I'm visiting her! But also, I've wanted to go to Japan since I was a little kid because I grew up in a Japanese language/culture immersion program. So this is like, a lifelong dream coming true!

I'm going to do TSC blorbo book recs in another post :) Just for you!

Honestly, TLH is always going to give me spring vibes. (Oddly, this is probably my strongest time-of-the-year TSC association - it's just such a gentle and comforting series, like a breezy spring day with flowers blooming after the frost is gone for the year.) I associate it from start to finish with light academia pastel vibes and dewy flowers, and the end of ChoT is New Beginnings incarnate.

Here's a recent commission I bought that reflects the Vibe of TLH for me! It's on my wall now. :)

But yes, agree that TID is winter (for Wessa proposal lmao) and that TMI is fall based on Vibes. Not sure about TWP yet since I've only read the first chapter, I'll wait and see what I think when it comes out!

Re: Matthew ship! We got a snippet (now on Cassie's Tumblr) that brought up a young man named Sylvain Allard. I thought from Moment 1 that he was probably Matthew's love interest.

Catching Up With the Fandom.

Some stuff you may have missed!

Matthew snippets one and two. three. The novella is called A Sea Change! Matthew art is what I showed you before.

The Matthew sticker was accidentally excluded from the first KS box, so he will be arriving fashionably late in the same box as his novella.

The Thomas journal is unfortunately paperback rather than hardback as advertised. This has disappointed me, but it's okay.

I assume you got the Better in Black list, but if not, it's Wessa, Herondaisy, Thomastair, Arianna, Clace, Sizzy, Sebastian/Seelie Queen, Luke/Jocelyn, Blackstairs, and Kierarktina.

First chapter of TWP has been making the rounds via DM, I have indeed read it. It met my expectations. Let me know if you want me to DM it to you.

Anddd....

I'm so glad that you have been enjoying my "bonus chapters!" I hope to have one I'm currently working on up in a couple of days. We shall see. :)

I'm not upset that my box hasn't shipped, there are four (4) people shipping out like 10,000 boxes. It's gonna take a while, and it's okay. I'll be happy when it gets here!

[ultfreakme]

Who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? Feel free if you want to write the reasons or not of why you love them...

Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Hi Anon!! Hope you're doing well! OOOOH this is a tough one, I have so many ships I enjoy, I think I change pairings and find new ones every few months. But if I had to pick........

AkaFuri (Akashi x Furihata from Kuroko No Basuke): I've shipped them the longest, I'm pretty sure my writing got better through writing and researching for fics of the ship. I also transitioned from traditional to digital drawing through drawing this ship, so yay it's them! I love them because Furihata was someone Akashi and everyone underestimated but Furihata defied everyone's expectations, conquered his fears and managed to stand up against him. Kuroko and the Seirin basketball team changed Akashi's opinions and made him see everyone as equals, but Furihata sorta kickstarted that.

ItaJun (Itadori x Junpei from Jujutsu Kaisen): I actually shipped them back when JJK was first airing! So that's three years with them dear god. I made a post about them but to summarize, I love the potential they had & loved how they clicked together!

Zukka (Zuko x Sokka from Avatar The Last Airbender): This one's relatively new but they got me obsessed enough to write a 300k word for for them and made me go on an unstoppable and frankly unhealthy drawing spree for months (I have a callous on my hand...unsure if it's because of just them but they definitely didn't help). I love their dynamic, they play off each other well, make up for each other's weaknesses and their interactions are always funny to watch. They're very cute to me.

JonJay/JayJon (Jon Kent x Jay Nakamura from DC Comics): A CANON COUPLE!!! They're very adorable and I enjoyed watching the way they helped each other get to their goals in their introduction comic as a couple(Superman Son of Kal El). Watching Superman be bi and have an Asian bf was just, very inspiring. The way Jon's heroism and ideals are defined by Jay's ideals is so cool.

I have a lot more which I can put as honorable mentions: Korrasami (The Legend of Korra), SatoSugu(Jujutsu Kaisen), Stucky (the Captain America Trilogy was awesome and the only part I like from the MCU), KiriBaku(I think I'm pretty much over them now unless I get back into BNHA), Calliette(bring back First Kill please please PLEASE), XiCheng(Jiang Cheng x Lan Xichen from MDZS), BingQiu & MoShang (both from Scum Villain Self-Saving system).

These are the ones I remember. There's probably some crucial formative ship for me that I'm missing but rn I think this is it.

My qualifications for being obsessed with a ship are:

HAS to be gay

They should be complementary in some way

The franchise they come from needs to have a plot that isn't their relationship, but their relationship, or just the character's motivation is sorta woven into the overarching theme of the story. Example; In AkaFuri, Furihata is instrumental in defeating Akashi and his team because Furihata isn't there to exactly take down Akashi. He CAN'T. But if he works with everyone else on his team, he stands a chance and can make a difference. The ultimate theme of KNB is that we should value friendship, teammates and should lift each other up rather than view the world as enemies to defeat. Korra and Asami are seemingly polar opposite with Korra being a representative of spirits while Asami is a representative of human technological advancement. TLOK is about harmony between these two aspects of the world, and Korrasami's relationship is a representation of that. I think pretty much all my ships can work like that (Jiang Cheng is too cynical, never lets anyone close and is prone to conflict, Lan Xichen is too trusting and too complicit, never wanting conflict and therefore not really confronting anything and BOTH of these flaws of theirs are to their detriment, etc etc).

I think I like ships which I can use to examine the themes of the main story, and see how the union of two people could influence the meaning of the canon.

And, I'll be honest, it's also about how aesthetic they are together and how good the smut potential is. It's shipping in the end, and I can write thousand-word meta essays but also be going gaga over their smut lmao.

Hope this was an adequate reply!! Also please don't apologize, I hadn't answered this before I think? haha i keep forgetting what i write.

[aquilathefighter]

Ten Books To Know Me

Rules: 10 (non-ancient) books for people to get to know you better, or that you just really like.

Thanks for the tag @littledreamling and @mathomhouse-e!!

I'm taking non-ancient literally, you will be getting literature from the 19th century lmao. In no particular order:

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

This book was my hook into the sci-fi genre! It's such a fun adventure to live in the world underwater in the Nautilus! I still have the annotated version my parents got me when I was around 9 or 10 with a very beat-up, well-loved dust jacket.

2. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Vonnegut's style is so influential. I adore the non-linearity of the story, how Billy gets "unstuck in time" and we see snippets of his past and his future. Of course the anti-war message is near and dear to my heart and the perspective of people who have been to war is so critical to hear. Vonnegut also has a special place in my heart as someone who taught the Iowa Writers' Workshop because that program is something my home state produces that I can be very proud of.

3. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

C'mon, I'm an ecologist! I have a degree in environmental science! This is an obvious choice for someone who cares about the environment, as it demonstrated the dangers of DDT to the public. Carson is a personal hero of mine as she essentially kickstarted the environmental movement and became one of the best science communicators in the United States. Her writing is simple, clear, and easy to understand even if you have no background in biology and chemistry. An amazing way to make people see what we are doing to our Earth.

4. Welcome to Subbirdia by John Marzluff

Woohoo! First bird book on the list! I read this in my first year seminar in college and it opened my eyes to how cool urban ecology is. I learned so much about how inhospitable suburbia can be for wildlife and what we can do to invite them back to where we live, so we can actually live beside native plants, animals, and other organisms. It's a great entry-level book about birds, the biodiversity crisis, and urban ecology.

5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

I love the weird, the silly, and the bizarre. Hitchhiker's Guide has had such an impact on my sense of humor and outlook on life. I'm gonna use this space to recommend the entire trilogy in five parts to you.

6. American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Are we shocked that a Neil book landed on here? I read this in 2021 when I was working just outside the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. It actually made me a friend who introduced me to Good Omens and then Discworld. I miss him dearly. Anyways, what a fantastic world that I really felt quite at home in as a Midwesterner. Sam Black Crow is one of my favorite characters of all time.

7. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

One of my earliest beloved poets. Whitman does so much with rhythm and sound in his poems; it's no surprise he's recognized as one of the American greats. I love his use of natural imagery and the way he explores the connections between people. And the powerful homoeroticism.

8. What Do We Know by Mary Oliver

Another poet, and a tumblr favorite at that! Oliver's poetry really speaks to my soul as someone who takes in the wonders all around us, big and small. Her prose poems are truly skilled, and if you read any of them I really adore At Blackwater Pond to get a taste.

9. Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

I am so, so soft-hearted for the ecology of the Midwest and for the people who take the time to look and listen and learn from all the living beings that surround us. I've shared a quote from this book before but it really gets to the crux of what is so beautiful about the essays and natural history within:

"It is fortunate, perhaps, that no matter how intently one studies the hundred little dramas of the woods and meadows, one can never learn all of the salient facts about any one of them."

10. The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2nd Edition by David Allen Sibley

Last but not least, my favorite bird guide! This thing has been everywhere with me. I'm 95% sure that some of the pages have my blood on them. It's certainly got dirt all over it. This book is my bible. I take it wherever I go when I lead birding trips and when I'm somewhere that has unfamiliar birds. It is the best field guide for North American birds in my opinion.

Not sure who hasn't done this yet! Obviously no pressure to do it <3

@altair214 @lenreli @galacticstingray @pintobordeaux

[rodski1]

Can you see the official foods of a college student??? If you're not following my art account @johnlee_art, here's the pitch: TLDR: I started a kickstarter for a comic book. Help me out and pledge! Link in bio ............... I just launched my Kickstarter for a passion project of mine. A few years back, I decided that I was going to make a comic book from beginning to end. So I did it. I wrote the script. I did the artwork. I colored and I lettered. Every moment I got outside of work and family went to this book. I have 3 issues complete with issue 4's artwork nearly done. I have a goal to finish book 5 and 6 by the end of the year to complete this story arc. I'm publishing through my dear friends at @npccomics but here's where you can help! The kickstarter is to help pay for various things like shipping and I have rewards like stickers, pins, and post cards just to name a few! If we can get to the stretch Goals, we can unlock the other books as add ons! This is my pandemic baby. I'm proud of what I have done and I want to share it with the world. It's my love letter to comics. This story has a lot of Easter eggs, some only thay I know and some that you will know if you grew up with me. Cassie also does brunch and she likes 떡볶이 ... If you like comics or just want a cool read with great art, please help me out! Please check out the link and enjoy the interior samples. Share it with all your friends! Come give me a follow on my art account too! I draw all the time! (at Torrance, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp1g_oEu-Xt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tinky-dinky]

Your takes on Lyanna are objectively correct and her actions did set up what would be the eventual War of the Five Kings lol. The fact that there is pushback on this from those Lyanna apologists is hilarious to me as it is objectively what happened. She gets treated with such kid gloves by fandom it drives me crazy. The only characterization we have of her is her bitching how she doesn't want to marry Robert because he can't 'stick to one bed' and has a bastard child already and then she runs off with the married crown prince who has a true wife and two trueborn children at home. The fact that she died as a result of giving birth to her bastard affair baby after bitching about Robert's bastard is one of the more hilarious examples of karmic justice in the books lol.

100% agreed with you, my dear nonnie.

The fandom doesn’t hold Lyanna accountable for her decisions and actions because she’s a child….and yet the Stark children are all held accountable for their actions, despite all being younger than Lyanna.

I haven’t seen a single person say Robb isn’t to blame for the consequences of his decision to marry Jeyne because he’s a child. He’s a year, maybe two, younger than Lyanna.

I see a lot of people demonise Robert pre-Rebellion, and it seriously irritates me. Before the rebellion- so when Lyanna was complaining about him sleeping around and fathering bastards- he had one bastard, Mya Stone. Who was born somewhere around a year after Robert watched his parents die. If you factor in travel time from the Stormlands to the Vale, it seems Robert left the Stormlands as soon as he could and almost immediately fathered Mya. Given he later takes to drinking and whoring to bury his pain and grief over Lyanna, is it not possible he was doing the same with his pain and grief for his parents?

Another insane thing about the fandom I’ve seen is people excusing that show!Lyanna named her son Aegon, seemingly to replace Rhaegar’s literally just brutally murdered baby of the same name. Rhaegar gets blamed for this, even though he was dead. And had been dead for some time. There was no reason for Lyanna to stick with his name choice unless she agreed with it. Which, given she also agreed to marry Rhaegar in and hide out in the kingdom his wife was from (jesus christ poor Elia could these two have been bigger assholes?!), does not seem out of character. But that is show!Lyanna of course.

I’ve seen suggestions that Lyanna will name Jon a northern name (begging the question of why, then, Ned would change it?). Like Brandon, to honour her brother. The one who died a horrific death directly because of her choice to run off with the married prince. Delightful.

As for the subject of the War of the Five Kings, I feel the need to clarify as one idiot did claim I blamed Lyanna directly for it, when I did not and do not. I do blame her (and Rhaegar) for the Rebellion, the ramifications of which led to the WOFK, those being:

- No ‘kidnapping’, no dead Rickard and Brandon, meaning either Rickard or Brandon would be Lord of Winterfell and Brandon would be married to Catelyn, not Ned. This, of course, changes things dramatically.

- No Rebellion, no King Robert, no forced marriage to Cersei. Robert doesn’t father a billion bastards and isn’t murdered. Cersei…may well still have twincest bastards but wouldn’t be queen, wouldn’t put one of said twincest bastards on the throne, no execution of Ned.

- No Rebellion, no dead Elbert and Denys Arryn, no marriage between Jon Arryn and Lysa Tully, no manipulations via Baelish. Without Lysa to convince Jon to elevate Petyr to higher positions, Baelish can’t kickstart wars or fuck people over so much.

- No Rebellion, no exiled Targaryens, no dragons, no tyrannical pyromaniacal dragon queen and potentially a sane Viserys.

- No Rebellion, no dead Elia, Rhaenys and Aegon. No rebelling from Dorne.

- No Rebellion, no death of Quellon Greyjoy, likely no Ironborn rebellion, hopefully less messed up Theon.

I could go on. The ramifications of Lyanna and Rhaegar’s selfishness and stupidity run deep. But I think I’ve made my point.

[dollycas]

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday! Today I am sharing my thoughts about Booked for Murder by P. J. Nelson! Booked for Murder: An Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting - Georgia Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books (December 10, 2024) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250909953 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250909954 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CQHKW46Z Audiobook ASIN B0DNNDBBHX In this atmospheric southern cozy debut, Madeline Brimley returns to the bookstore she inherited, discovering that small towns hold deadly secrets. Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she's left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately. But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there's another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim. Dollycas's Thoughts Like most young adults from Enigma, Georgia, Madeline Brimley left town for college and to follow her dreams of becoming an actress. While she had some minor success she still hadn't gotten that big break. When she learns her dear Aunt Rose has passed away she is heartbroken, but her aunt has left her bookstore which is as eccentric as she was. The Old Juniper Bookstore is right in her aunt's Victorian mansion so ready to kickstart her life Madeline loads her belongings in her old Fiat and heads to Enigma. Not everyone is happy that Madeline has come to town. On her first night there, someone sets the gazebo in the backyard on fire, shortly followed by a phone call telling her to leave town or next time the whole house will be set ablaze. The calls continue but Madeline has to remain in Enigma. Apparently, the caller wasn't messing around, Madeline woke up to find the store on fire and a dead body on the floor. Upset and unsure what to do she decides to try to find the person who is dead serious about wanting her gone. Can she do that or will the killer catch her first? ___ The author jumped right into the action giving readers the bare minimum of details about the protagonist or the setting of Enigma, Georgia. I was just getting comfortable with how The Old Juniper Bookstore was set up and meeting a couple of characters when WHAM! One of those characters is murdered. A character Rose, Madeline, and I liked. I slammed the cover of my Kindle and put it down. After several minutes I talked myself into continuing the book and I am glad I did. Madeline didn't give me that warm and fuzzy feeling I sometimes get from a main character. She is stubborn and closed off and needs more development. I know her sleuthing skills will improve as the series continues and she finds herself facing more challenges. Rose's closest friend Philomena Waldrop comes to welcome Madeline as soon as she arrives. The head of the psychology department of the nearby Barnsley College and long time resident she knows everybody and everything about them. She tries to take Madeline under her wing and visits her daily like she did her Aunt Rose. She introduces Madeline to Father Gloria Coleman. Like Madeline, she is relatively new to town. She also has a very interesting past. Madeline meets Fire Captain Mike Jordan when he arrives to take care of the gazebo fire. They get off to a bad start almost immediately. With the damage to the gazebo and other events, handyman David Madison enters the story. He is an intriguing individual. Madeline also reconnects with Officer Billy Sanders, she babysat him twice when he was nine. We meet some college students and other residents too. All the characters were interesting, some quirky, and most need more development which is common for the first book in a series. The fire and murder investigations were handled differently than any I have read. Understanding that Enigma is a small town with a small police force I still would have expected that Madeline would have to leave the residence and the bookstore would be closed for at least a couple of days but that wasn't the case. She answered some questions, went upstairs to bed, and opened the bookstore the next day, even after the murder. People came in to shop/see where the crime had been committed or stopped by for coffee. It just felt strange. Madeline does try to investigate the crimes and sometimes takes Gloria along, but at one time or another, she thinks everyone she talks to is the killer. Then when she needs to follow-up she goes alone and that is never a good idea. But it is even worse when the murderer comes to you. After I got over my dismay over who the victim was I had a good idea who killed them but I did enjoy following along with the new amateur sleuth and her journey to find the truth. The takedown was dramatic, exhilarating, and satisfying. Booked for Murder was an Enjoyable Getaway. It has good bones. Set in a unique small town, with a wonderful bookstore, and characters I want to know better makes me keen to know what the author has up their sleeve for the next installment of this series. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent   About the Author PJ NELSON is the pseudonym of an award-winning actor, dramatist, professor, and novelist (among many other professions) who has done just about everything except run a bookstore. He lives in Decatur, Georgia. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Thanks to the publisher I have 1 hardcover copy to give away! The contest is open to anyone over 18  with a US mailing address. Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited. You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find something you like here and become a follower. Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow. Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Following My Facebook Fan Page. Add this book to your WANT TO READ shelf on GoodReads for 3 Bonus Entries. Follow MINOTAUR Books on Threads for 2 Bonus Entries! Follow Minotaur Books on Facebook for 2 Bonus Entries! Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries. If you share the giveaway on Threads or Facebook or anywhere you will receive 5 Bonus Entries For Each Link. The  Contest Will End December 18, 2024, at 11:59 PM CST The Winner Will Be Chosen Using Random.org The Winner will be notified by email and posted here in the sidebar. Click Here For Entry Form Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” Read the full article