#town festival battle map

[demartinidesigns]

Enjoy the long day and warm night of midsummer with the cheer of dance and celebration.

This map set can be found on Roll20, my Patreon Store, and more like it through the Interactive Map Directory at demartinidesigns.com/map-directory/

Receive early Roll20 and full res files twice per month, for less than the price of one Roll20 listing.

| patreon.com/demartinidesigns |

[jinbugs]

VIVERE

“Do you think you deserve it? To be punished?” “I think so, yes.”

A Pathfinder 2e Campaign Introduction Post!

MEET THE PARTY:

REVUN (@dovelydraws)

26 years old

he/they/she

A duel-wielding tiefling fighter. Easy-going freelance mercenary from Alephia, looking for a job that pays well and a little company.

FERRA (@artpepkin)

87 years old

she/her

A beastkin elven rogue from Chiei Thya. Playful vagabond who finds herself wherever the wind takes her. She's maybe gotten herself in a little over her head.

POLITES (@mossy-garden)

17 years old

he/him

A tiefling champion. Proud kingdom guard of Crimyria under the goddess Vildeas, who is willing and anxious to prove himself.

KWAN (@jinbugs)

39 years old

he/they/she

A human investigator. Cunning Po Lian scholar-official informant who is in pursuit of a dangerous secret, the centurion pearl. At any cost.

Glitch (@eternalglitch), our game master, weaves all our loose threads into one coherent story.

One fun rule we’ve incorporated into this campaign: players CANNOT share their character backstories with each other outside of gameplay.

It gives more mystery fun! It’s also driving us insane. Pray for us.

(Map created by @dovelydraws, summary also written by Dove)

A lot has gone into the cultures and politics of each of the countries our characters come from. Enough so that it doesn't make sense to get into all of it on an introductory post! But perhaps later in a reblog.

THE STORY SO FAR…

As of the writing of this post, we have now played 5 sessions of the campaign.

Our party all met each other in the small seaside town of Plumeport, Crimyria. We were all brought together in pursuit of the same thing: a legendary man-eating boar, said to hold the power of immortality.

It is believed that consuming the flesh of this boar would grant eternal life, and even just a bit of its fur or blood can extend a person's life, for a time. The King of Crimyria himself has offered whoever can take down this boar a large sum of wealth and a small offering of its blood for personal consumption. He wants the job to be done in time for the Crimyrian Festival of Flight, in a couple months time.

The bounty on the boar's head has drawn adventurers from all over the continent, but none so far have been able to take it down. Many have lost their lives. While each of our party members have their own reasons for wanting to take on this job, Kwan has a very personal stake in their success.

He has, reluctantly, revealed that he once knew the boar before it obtained the power it has today. He has reason to believe it has swallowed something once known as a centurion pearl: a powerful artifact that caused the fall of a once great kingdom, and threw the continent into tumultuous conflict. Kwan is adamant that this power should not be handed over to any king. Once it is killed, they want to extract the pearl from its body to make sure it can never fall into the wrong hands.

So far, Kwan has only revealed this to Revun. Polites, meanwhile, works directly under the king and wants to succeed on this mission to make him proud. Ferra seems to only be interested in the money and adventure. Revun has also said they were in this for the money, but vaguely admitted to Kwan that they also had their own personal reasons to go after the boar, and if he truly believes its power is too dangerous, they will follow his lead.

Once faced with the boar, however, the party was unprepared and outmatched. It was massive, its eyes as large as their heads, emanating a golden glow. It moved unlike a normal animal, and seemingly bore a higher level of intelligence than it should.

After a deceptively strong start, Polites went down in battle, and they were all forced to run to ensure everyone's survival. Before retreating though, Kwan shot the boar with a strange arrow, claiming they would be able to track it again later.

The party camped outside of the marsh, unable to sleep while waiting for Polites to wake up. They discussed next steps- going back to the city to regroup, get proper healing, and perhaps find a sponsor to help them in their next try. They still have a few weeks to get things figured out.

And that's all, so far! We're all pretty stoked and making tons of art and written works, so keep a look out, we might publish a zine when the sessions start wrapping up. Bye-bye, for now!

[bvtbxtch]

Welcome to Hawkins, Indiana. The sleepy city that can bring with you the sweetest dreams, or the most terrorizing nightmares.

WARNINGS: 18+ MDNI, Smut, Content might not be suitable for all readers (more updates coming)

If you would like to be notified of updates to this series, please add yourself to the taglist!

In collaboration with my love @darknesseddiem

"The quaint mundanity leaves Hawkins, Indiana a forgettable blip on the map. However, it casts a spell on you. Everyone in town has their jobs - go to work, take care of the kids, run their shops or prepare a new pot of coffee for the before-work rush. The neat and tidy form that lies in this sleepy city can make you fall in love, find yourself, or run into much more sinister happenings beneath the surface of the manicured lawns. It's your choice to figure out how to survive."

Jack O'Lantern Kiss - Carving pumpkins with bestfriend!Eddie leads to confessions you may or may not have always wanted to hear. Bestfriend!Eddie x Fem!Reader. Fluff, slight smut

Firestarter - Eddie has just told you he was bi, when the opportunity to explore appears at a bonfire at the Harrington house. Sub!Eddie x Dom!Reader x Switch!Steve. Smut

I Can Make You Scream - Your first collaboration with one of the most popular cam boys, Eddie, leaves you breathless and waiting for the next shoot with him. Camboy!Eddie x Camgirl!Reader. Smut

When It's Cold I'd Like to Die - The only way that Eddie feels he can get you out of the Upside Down safely is to sacrifice himself; but he forgot how stubborn you are. Boyfriend!Eddie x Fem! Reader. Angst, fluff

Paranoid - You watched Eddie make it out of the battle for Hawkins clinging to his life by a thread. Even though he has been acquitted for the crimes he was accused of, and life has gone back to normal, there is something not quite right with your boyfriend. Vecna'd!Eddie x Fem!Reader. Angst, fluff, slight smut

Dead by Daylight - You and Eddie have to stay together to survive your captors, a famous killing family situated on the outskirts of Indianapolis. Victim!Eddie x Victim!Reader. Angst, fluff

On the Line - Pumpkin Pie is back on the menu at Hank's Diner. What happens when the new waitress needs to stay with the Jaded line cook to prepare for fall festivities? Linecook!Eddie x Waitress!Reader. Fluff, smut

Let Me Love You - Eddie comes over to nurse you back to health after catching a cold. Bestfriend!Eddie x Sick!Reader. fluff

Jealous Guy - Steve Harrington is persistent with his advances towards you during the Hideout's Halloween party. Your co-bartender, Eddie, doesn't like the fact that you don't shoot him down right away. Bartender!Eddie x Bartender!Reader. Smut

Live From the Upside Down - There is a special Corroded Coffin show in Hawkins to celebrate Halloween. You've been a devoted fan since your brother, Dustin talked about Eddie and his band back in high school. Seeing the metalhead again stirs up feelings you forgot you had. Rockstar!Eddie x Henderson!Reader. Smut, fluff

Obsession - Eddie's obsession with you has been fun and games - late night drives, hookups and even a couple of dates. He has seemed to cross a line as of late... Ghostface!Eddie x Cheerleader!Reader. Smut

Children of the Corn - A group date in the new Hawkins corn maze sounded amazing to you: Hanging out with Steve, Robin, Nancy and Jonathan sounded like just your night, until your worst enemy is included in the plans. Eddie x Fem!Reader. Smut

Movie Marathon - Years after the Ghost face killer has ended his reign of terror on Hawkins, the local movie theatre has decided to put on a movie marathon of the movies inspired by the killer. You and Eddie decide to go and revel in his glory. Ghostface!Eddie x Fem! Reader. Smut

You Don't Scare Me - Eddie is used to scaring most of the people who walk through the Hawkins Haunted House in the old Starcourt mall. He's determined to make you scream after you walk through and show no signs of being scared by him. Scareactor!Eddie x Grumpy!Reader. Smut

Kiss Me Through the Phone - You nor Eddie could contain your excitement for your homecoming from college for thanksgiving... so much so that you needed a reminder of what you would be getting yourself into when you're back. A phone call would suffice, wouldn't it? Eddie x Fem!Reader. Fluff, Smut

Taglist: @eddies-acousticguitar @mmunson86 @sadbitchfangirl @hideoutside @anxiousobserver @tony-starks-ego @ohmeg

tagging some friends just for fun: @eddiemunsons-missingnipple @hellfiremunsonn @ali-r3n @andvys @eddie-munsons-mullet @changemunson

[dr-spectre]

Oh that last post is perfect timing for this question lol. A friend of mine mentioned that it'd be cool if they brought back Shifty Station back for the Grand Festival. So my question for you, oh cool dude on the internet, do you have a favorite Shifty Station map and/or which ones would you like to see again if they had the balls to actually bring them back

Honestly it's very hard for me to pick a single favourite one because i haven't played those shifty stations since they came out. I haven't even went back to them in private battles. So i just looked through inkipedia to see which ones i remember liking.

So first we got Zone of Glass.

This had the invisible platforms on it and i think this was my first ever shifty station. I think! I don't remember! I think Action vs Comedy was my first ever Splatfest so that's why i think this is the very first one i played on.

Then we got Cannon Fire Pearl.

Being able to use Ink cannons in multiplayer was awesome. That's all i gotta say really, it's just a cool gimmick.

Then we got The Bunker Games.

This is just a sick concept, being trapped in a dome as you battle in a small space. That's fire, i love it.

Then we have Grapplink Girl.

I like the grapples and it was fun to zip around from my vague memory lmao.

Sweet Valley Tentacles.

Squid vs Octopus was a crazy Splatfest in hindsight huh? It was a full on race war.... And they just treated it like a silly little competition... Man, Inklings and Octolings are fucking crazy and so unserious HAHAHAHA!

Railway Chillin'

Listen, I'm a Sonic the Hedgehog fan, grind rails make anything 100x better idc.

Gusher Towns.

I like gushers, they are just fun to climb up and reach new areas. Also... the jokes write themselves about gushers... not gonna elaborate, but look at the ink colour....

The Maze Dasher.

I LOVE DASH PANELS! THEY ARE SO FUN! WOOO!!!!!!!

Bridge to Tentaswitchia.

I LOOOOVEEEE THIS ONE! I love how you can see the enemy team on the other side of the map, i love the gimmick of having to ink enough on a surface before it eventually goes behind glass. It's so cool, love it.

The Chronicles of Rolonium.

I mean there's something so satisfying about chucking these giant ass things at enemies and splatting them. There's this primal satisfaction to it... I can't put my finger on it....

MC. Princess Diaries.

I mean come on. I don't even need to explain why this one is so good. You already know! YOU ALREADY KNOW!

Anyways that was my ramble about Shifty Stations, i love the vibes of them and i want them to COME BACK NOW!!!! IF WE DON'T GET AN ORIGINAL SPLATFEST STAGE FOR SPLATOON 3 GRAND FEST I WILL ACTUALLY MURDER SOMEONE! I WANNA PLAY IN THE CRATER! PLEASE! LET THE FINALE OF SPLATOON 3 BE CLIMATIC AS ALL HELL! DO IT NINTENDO!!!!! ROARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Also by the way... look at the Shifty Stations on Inkipedia, their names are actually references to stuff! Really fun read, go check it out!

[purplekoop]

So I haven't really talked about maps much because I'm much better at understanding characters (in visual, narrative, and gameplay design) than locations. Easy solution though: use the characters as a jumping off point for the maps. Not necessarily directly, these aren't all the characters' dedicated "home maps", but they're in some way thematically adjacent to the cast. I haven't had many super crazy ideas about modes yet, so if I don't mention a payload of some kind then assume it's some basic control point based map.

Wilderoad: Railroad Gorge. A payload map set in a dusty desert, where the objective is a train car that the attackers have to escort along the rail from one small town to another.

Calber: Held Line. A historic battleground being fought on once again, with ruined outposts and scraps of fallen soldiers dotting the landscape.

Poppett: Concrete Park. An urban region of back-alley skate parks and other gathering grounds for rebellious youth, with tight alleyways connecting the major open focal points.

Yanno: Boardwalk Festival. A scenic nighttime party, with the attackers tasked with riding a party boat down a river into the main event. The boat itself can be used as a more convenient means of crossing the river, changing what paths are available to some characters as the attackers advance.

Velenna: Hazard Plant. A haphazard chemical facility with pools of corrosive chemicals that can rapidly damage any bots who stand in it.

Lyonn: Bio Dome. An environmental research facility that's very recently fallen into disarray. Previously home to some of the highest biodiversity on the planet, many specimens have broken free into the outer environment, though the amount of plant life that isn't trying to kill you is appreciably high.

Formann: Construction Site. A section of in-progress buildings, with destructible structures and moving mechanisms making some areas tricky to navigate.

Navea: Stormy Beach. A beachside battlefront with barricades and military outposts dotting the shoreline. The ever present water makes for a unique sort of cover, though it will eb and flow with the tides as the match progresses.

Harmony: Abandoned Theater. A once-respected venue now fallen into ruin, with the main stage acting as the focal point of the fight.

??????: Ghost Town. A deserted desert town in Outlander territory, with its forsaken buildings forcing some close-quarters battles.

Xenir: Uphill Mine. A spiraling mine where one team has to push a cart full of precious resources up to the top, while the other tries to stop them from above.

Soriser: ...gonna be honest, a bit stumped on this one. Definitely not a Keeper facility outright, that feels a bit too "sacred" to fight in, but maybe something nearby?

Otto: North Street. A run-down city street where the attackers are hired help to safely escort a local politician across town in his everything-proof car, while the defenders intercept his ride.

Nekross: Not certain here yet either. Probably some sort of bot graveyard or something.

Burnett: Tempered Workshop. Fight inside and outside a set of factory buildings, with cauldrons of molten metal that can melt an unwary bot into nothingness with just one wrong step.

Ezela: Power Line. A service tunnel used by the Power Managers, where the attackers are tasked with transporting a power cell along the uneasy corridors. At some points in the path, the cart carrying the cell has to be delivered up elevators, requiring the attackers to ride alongside it. Some sections of the path will energize the battery, giving all attackers nearby a damage boost in addition to the standard passive healing.

Arber: ...another one I'm unsure of. Maybe somewhere in Plantoid territory, but that might be a bit much for a PvP map. If so, then maybe one of the gimmicks is neutral Spring Blooms acting as jump pads.

??????: Offshore Outpost. An ocean research facility with paths that weave between above and below the water, though the control points are all in the open air. Moving platforms act as paths over the water, while underwater bubble vents can launch you back up.

Honestly already way more confident in the prospects of maps now, tried to come up with ideas that are interesting to explain without having full-on layouts already, with many of them having some kind of defined unique gimmick or some kind of "narrative".

also there's a couple somewhat sneaky hints at a few more unrevealed bots here. Though to be clear: neither of the mystery names are Hyvera, because god she's such a pain to figure out the logistics of and the new 4th support is just better I promise.

[kellanved-ammanas]

TF2 Drabbles: Sniper -Wutville

[A/N] And this is where I ran out of winter/winter holiday requests (at the time anyway, I have one more now which I will try to do before the end of the year but I don't know) so the final three are themed around some of the holiday maps. They're also the shortest of the lot because I was at the end of my creative rope and eager for my end of year break.

~

Upon hearing the name ‘Wutville’ Sniper hadn’t thought much of it beyond it being an odd name even compared to the other oddly named places they sometimes got stationed to fight over. But the place went far above and beyond the oddity of its name.

“It looks like Christmas threw up on this town,” Scout said. A very apt way of describing it for sure. It was barely even into December and yet the place was already decked out for the holiday. All the trees was heavily decorated, lights everywhere, and every single building was painted in festive designs that resembled Christmas wrapping paper or ugly Christmas sweaters.

“It’s making me feel like I wanna vomit too.” The slight slur to Demo’s words indicated that he might be serious. At least they were no longer in the car though so as long as he did so off in an ally somewhere it’d be fine.

“I like it,” Solider said as he stepped out in front of everyone. “It’s beautiful.”

“Ugly is more like it,” Spy said. “Why are we fighting in a place like this?”

“Same reason we fight over everything, our boss wants us to,” Engie said. “Redmond owns the place which makes Blutarch want it so he sent his folk here to try to get it or blow it up trying so we gotta defend it or blow it up trying.”

“Our boss is an idiot.” With that Spy turned back to the van to start gathering his stuff to carry into their new, festive base.

Their boss being an idiot was nothing new. As long as he continued to pay them good though, Sniper would put up with it. Though, with how clearly the townsfolk here were about their decorations, even if they weren’t to Sniper’s taste, it felt a shame to fight over it and likely harm it in the process. Nothing could be done about that though. And on the bright side, even before being able to get a good look around, several spots that looked as if they’d provide a good line of sight were already fairly obvious. So this was likely to be a good battle ground for Sniper at least.

[pkmntrainersquid]

What are the cities and towns in Ziibi like?

They're very diverse, and the map in my pinned post only has the locations of the gyms marked, which tend to be in the bigger cities.

Allium is in the south east, and is the largest city in the region. That's where the big Championship tournaments take place, and is the most typical place for travelers to enter the region.

Clawpost hosts the largest Fly-in every year during the Air Festival. I'm lucky that the seaplane base is less chaotic than the runways.

Ferromet and Dekilou are the farthest north, on the shores of Empress Lake. A lot of the people up there work either shipping on the Lake or mining copper.

Dolomite Point is pretty close to where I went to college, I went down there to watch gym battles a couple times. A beautiful city built on the bluffs around the Ziibi.

Those are the places I know the best, but there are tons of small towns that have their own interesting history and folktales.

[overnightshipping]

I finished up the first Pokémon Scarlet/Violet DLC, The Teal Mask, the other day - and wrapped up collecting the new 'mons for my living form dex today. It sure is more Pokémon SV, for better and for worse.

I had pretty high hopes for the DLC, since the DLC of Sword and Shield was some of the best content in the game in my opinion. Just being able to get explore a more open area with interesting places to go and environments to go around was a big improvement over the main game's Wild Area and simplistic routes. Teal Mask still has that - in fact, I would even argue that the little area is more fun to explore in some ways than the main Paldea map, primarily because it's smaller and more dense with interesting things to see. You get interesting cave systems and odd little biomes more often than in the overly-large Paldea. On the other hand, though, you only get one town and an additional little festival area so there's very little in the way of manmade structures to poke around at.

The game is still inexcusably broken, of course. The story is fine, not nearly as interesting as the one getting you through the base game, and the characters are similarly less interesting. Carmine is awful and I really can't stand her, I hate how weirdly sympathetic the narrative is towards her being an absolute ass to her brother. Perrin is a highlight, but her sidequest is really short.

As with Isle of Armor, the level balancing is a bit of a mess. There's a lower level version and a higher level version of the encounters, with the higher level ones seemingly balanced with the idea of you doing the DLC immediately after the main game. Which would be fine if it was a proper postgame included in the game, but as a DLC that came out a year later uh all my Pokémon are level 100 now lmao. You have to make your own challenge for the most part, though I do really appreciate that the battles late in the DLC are genuinely challenging if you have a team around the right level, with full teams of six Pokémon including held items and everything. I just wish there was something in place to make that difficulty actually work without the player having to handicap themself.

It's more SV. If you loved SV despite its flaws, this is worth trying. If you didn't, there's nothing here to convince you otherwise.

[mrneighbourlove]

Glass Love and Desire: Ch 3. Folded into the Empire

Chione's garden had expanded massively when the spring season came along to Al-Daidan. The waters were higher and flowed from the Aaru River to many farms near the riverbanks. As ridding the garden of weeds, Chione gathered the many vegetables to start canning to save for provisions. There were plenty of herbs to sell and flowers for the upcoming festival to celebrate the goddess of bountiful harvest, Haneen. It was going to be a good day at the market to sell all her goods.

A few suitors had tried to approach Chione with intentions of a courtship, but she had turned them down, saying she was not ready for a relationship. In reality, Chione did not want to be a concubine for a noble. Some were only interested because of her looks. Others pursued her because her father was famous for making maps across the continent. She was happy with her flowers, the garden grown by her mother, and the memories of her family here.

Al-Daida was rather quiet for another pleasant afternoon. What the people didn’t know was that the Hasai Civil War was about to come to a vicious and climatic end upon their land.

On this day, Prince Malakath dueled the last of the Dream Dragons. The creature had transformed into a living nightmare, taking on wings, fiery scales, and venom tripping from its fangs. 

Battling the creature over the sea, through the skies of Danjur, the battle came to an end in Al-Diada. Everyone, including Chione, saw a comet of fire fall to the earth. In a fantastic display, a detonation of flames and embers scattered across the earth. Across the impact zone, sand turned to glistening glass, the radius of a small town having formed. And, in the middle of it all, Malakath stood over the dead dragon.

"What was that?" Chione had no clue it was Mally and a dragon. She thought it was perhaps a meteorite that fell to earth. It was too far away for her to tell what was truly going on but she had other matters to attend to for the day.

As the day went by, news quickly spread in town on the matter. 

“Did you see what happened? It was like God fell to earth!”

“No! It was a beast fighting a man!”

“The matriarch sent out guards to investigate.”

“There’s a holy demi-god of emerald and fire! He killed a dragon! The guards are bringing the body and the being here!”

Chione was never truly interested in gossip, but the rumors about a green man certainly caught her attention. Yet, she never voiced such and merely listened. Her people were still unsure of the newcomers. Were they a threat or were they a friend? It was best to leave these matters to the Patriarch and his council.

Soon enough, however, she didn’t have to hear rumours. 

Adorned in armour, a scimitar at his side, and tattered flowing cape, Malakath was paraded through the city to the Matriarch’s palace with the body of the dragon being dragged behind him by guards. 

The prince had managed to convince the local Militia he was a Royal blessed by god, and that the dragon would be a gift for their people as a sign of good will. He had managed to learn a basic amount of Chione’s language to communicate with them.

Chione had heard the rumors of the green man visiting the palace of the Patriarch and Matriarch. She wondered if it truly was Mally or someone else from his race? She hoped it was not his sister. Either way, if it was him, Chione wondered what his intentions were. The bontanist never thought she would meet him again after he returned home. Still, it was not her place to question things. So, she waited... waited to see if he would visit her or if he even remembered her at all. 

Tending to her garden in the early hours of the morning, Chione found a black snake, hiding in the growing strawberries. 

"Oh, it's good to see you here," Chione spoke to the snake. "You're eating the pests which try to devour my plants, aren't you?"

Of course, there was no reply from the snake. It merely laid there in the shade, fat and happy from so many mice. 

She told the snake, "You may stay. Enjoy your feast."

The snake simply hissed back at her.

"Now, now, don't be fresh." Chione left the snake to gather fruit from the growing mango trees. She took a few from the lower hanging limbs and gave a small sigh. Looking at her finger where the faintest of a scar resided, Chione wondered if Mally still enjoyed mangos. He ate so many when he was here. Going to her bench, she decided to peel a mango to enjoy as a snack. After slicing it into pieces, Chione nibbled on the juicy fruit and looked out upon her garden. Maybe it was time to... actually find someone, to have a relationship. Loneliness was starting to creep up on her. After her parents passed away, for the longest time, she just wanted to be left alone to process her grief. Now, she wondered if it was a sin to want to move on.

Suddenly, a voice spoke behind her in Hasai. “Hello Chione.”

Coming back into her life with a new freshly pressed cape and armour Malakath smiled brightly at the Nara.

Chione was so startled by the voice, having been deep in thought, almost dropping her fruit. Hurriedly standing from her bench, she whirled around and saw... Mally?! He was really here?! What was he doing back in Al-Daida? The rumors were obviously true of a man coming to the palace with a dead dragon as a tribute. 

"Mally?!" Chione's surprise was evident across her face. "You're here?!"

He took her hand, and gave it a gentle kiss. Then, he spoke in her language. “I came back. To see you again.”

"You came back to see---wait." Chione realized her was speaking in *her* tongue. Her mouth fell open as he kissed her knuckles, charming as ever. She was so stunned, but only for a moment, before asking questions. "How did you... where did you learn to speak Naran?! How did you find your way back?! Why were you fighting---no, no, no, wait a minute, I'm mad at you." The Naran crossed her arms, giving a small pout. "You kept me waiting and worrying that something was wrong."

“Mad? At me?” Malakath held his hands up, a sarcastic defense. “I took the time to learn. I understand well, but still need practice… speaking.”  

Malakath held her by the waist and led her to a couch, sitting down with her. “I was engaged… in a civil war. The other side were godless, devil worshipers. Stop them, I did.”

"You left, and then I hear rumors about a green man fighting a dragon, of course I'm mad at you! Doing something so reckless!" Chione swatted his arm lightly, not enough to hurt, but to get her point across to Mally. "Civil war or not, you need to be careful! I was thinking I was going to have to fish you out of a crater this time instead of the river."

As he led her to sit once again, Chione then supposed she could at least recognize his feat to learn her language. "Though, I am grateful you took the time to learn Naran. If you stopped these devil worshippers, then..." She asked, "Why did you come here to see me?"

“Because I came to realize something. Over this last year, there’s only one thing I could think about. After all the fighting. That’s you Chione. I can’t get you out of my head.”

"Fighting dragons and evil devil worshippers, you've certainly been busy." Chione was a bit flustered when he openly admitted that he had thought of her. It was very forward of Mally, for sure. "Me? You're a general, Mally, I'm just... a botanist."

"Militarily, I hold the rank of General. But I am actually a prince."

"... A WHAT?!" 

Chione was absolutely mortified. He was royalty?! She had him pull weeds! Wash dishes! Scrub dirty clothes! The Patriarch and Matriarch never lifted such a finger for trivial work! She scolded him like a child for being stubborn! What he must think of her!

Malakath chuckled at her reaction. "I'm a prince. Prince Malakath of the Kikai Empire."

"I... I..." Chione had no idea how to express her feeling of absolute surprise and extreme mortification. She had no idea he was a prince from another nation. If she had known, then she would have taken him to the palace for proper accommodations. The Nara was confused as to why he did not make his way there and stayed with her. Yet, at the moment, more than anything, she felt... incredibly small. 

Finally, Chione spoked, very quietly. "I... I'm so sorry." She apologized, her head bowed and staring at the ground. "I didn't know or I would have taken you to the palace."

"Hold your head high." Malakath spoke more boldly. When she followed his instructions, he lifted her up more with a gentle hand under her chin. "There we are. Straight and beautiful. When you found me, you saved my life. I'd have asked nothing more. I am grateful to you. I had no knowledge of where I was. My life was in your hands."

Mally was not... angry with her? Looking up at the prince of the Hasai, Chione supposed she should have realized he was of great importance. Yet, the armor she took off him at the river made her think he was a soldier or a general. The thought of Mally being royalty never crossed her mind since the noble families never donned armor for fighting. No, there were always guards or soldiers to protect them. 

"It was the right thing to do," Chione told Mally softly, "I didn't want to see you suffer, but I did not have enough money for a doctor."

"And yet, your actions brought me back to health. Without you, I would be dead. My people, I, have you to thank for aiding us." He held her hands in his own, his light smile upon his lips as he looked fondly into her eyes. "I must ask, have you thought of me since our departure?"

"Thought of you? Of course, I have!" Chione almost laughed at his question as his calloused fingers rubbed over her hands. How could she forget him? The green man she found in the river? "You flashed into my life like a lightning strike. You were here, and then you were gone."

"Have you thought of me... on a deeper level?"

"... do you mean the kiss you gave me?" Chione asked, her cheeks turning a touch pink. "That was... unexpected, but not unwelcome."

Malakath enjoyed the sound of that. “Welcomed. Is that an experience you want to go through again?”

"I... don't know the customs of Hasai culture, but usually affection, true affection, in such a manner of kissing is reserved for those who wish to court one another." Chione did not want to offend him but she did not want to assume either. "It's different than just... a night of passion."

“And, what if my true intentions in coming back here were to make you my wife?”

"...! But... I-I..." Chione was flabbergasted. Her? The wife of a prince? A prince of a foreign nation? "I... I have nothing to offer you." She appeared to be incredibly shocked but also a touch sad. The stories always told nobility marrying within their status. Families arranged marriages from an early age. A commoner marrying into a noble family or even royalty was unheard of in Al-Daida. "You're a prince and I... I'm just me."

Malakath looked slightly disappointed.  “Where’s that confidence you had when I first met you? This self pity is not your true character. I have seen it. You have strength in you. I have seen your Matriarch. I am not impressed. They will not do anything for themselves. If they consider themselves a royal, you must be holy above them.”

Confidence? Perhaps Chione had a touch of confidence before she knew he was a prince. He was just an everyday man then to her. But now, the knowledge of him being royalty, it did make her feel inferior. The royals were not cruel to their commoners, but knew how to keep them in place. Yet, here Mally was, comparing her to divinity. It was almost too sweet for him to say such words. If the guards of the palace heard, it would surely cause a ruckus! 

"I meant status and a dowry, Mally," Chione explained to the prince. "I'm not a noble. I have neither of those. Is it... different in Hasai? Do I not have to have these things to... to be with you?" She carefully placed her hands on his chest, leaning in a little closer. "You compare me to the divine, but I want no place among them. I'd rather be mortal, be here with you."

“My family only if we continue our line. Someone of your strength, and who is willing to do work, they would accept you. Hasai royalty do not sit on their chairs. We lead and forge the future.” Malakath, held her hands close to her chest. “Come with me. Marry me and I will help you achieve your best self. All I need from you is your love.”

Would his people really accept her? Mally had no reason to lie. If he did not have intentions toward her, he would have never returned at all. She would have just been another stranger in his life which was lost to time. Al-Daida held nothing for her here. Perhaps taking a chance would result in a better future besides loneliness. 

Leaning forward, Chione nuzzled her forehead against his. This was the deepest gesture of affection within Naran culture. She had thought of Mally often, and she did miss him. While love could blossom within time... was it wrong to deny the fact that she did feel something for him?

"... I'll become one with you, Mally." Chione agreed to Mally's request of her marrying him. She did not want him to leave, and he did not want to leave her. Perhaps, happiness was in her future after all.  "... may I take my plants?"

Malakath was overjoyed. Rubbing his forehead against hers, he purred. "You may. Chione, there's something I wish to show you. Consider it an engagement gift." 

Reaching into a sleeve in his cape, the prince took out a rectangular device. This box was carefully crafted to capture real to life images, printing out pictures of said images. Scrolling through the selection of images that had been recorded, the prince found what he was looking for; a massive glass house ready to be filled with plants. 

"See here? I had a greenhouse built for you. I hope you like it."

"An engagement gift?" Chione repeated, realizing Mally had been so confident that she was going to say yes, he had already prepared a present for her in his homeland. It was rather confident of him in manner, but it only caused her to laugh. The entire time Mally had spent with her, he had oozed confidence. "You are definitely sure of yourself."

When Mally pulled out the strange looking object, Chione gasped in surprise as floating images suddenly appeared. What kind of magic was this? The greenhouse was absolutely marvelous and gargantuan in size. This was... all for her?

Her eyes were transfixed on the image of the greenhouse as she murmured, "It's mine?"

“It’s all yours. Say the word, and I’ll take you to your new home.” Malakath smiled with wonder as he put the pictograph away. He knew this gift was the perfect idea.

"I want to go with you." Chione knew this place held nothing for her but memories. Her parents would have wanted her to be happy, whether it was in Al-Daida or somewhere else. Maybe now, her fate was intertwined with Mally's. "But... will your people accept me? I don't know your language, your customs... I will have to learn."

“The Empire is made of different species. We are all Hasai. You marrying me, an Ocho, will not be looked down upon. For the matter of blood, God has a way of working things out for the Ocho.” Malakath lifted her up by the hands, grinning. “You will be given the time and care to learn much. Now that matters of engagement are settied, is there anything you need to take with you? Any goodbyes?”

"Besides my plants?" Chione thought of her few items in the humble home she had. "Just my clothes and my mementos of my parents. It shouldn't take long to pack."

“I have transportation that’s ready to retrieve us. Gather your things while I signal them here.” Giving her a kiss on her cheek, the prince made his way outside as he readied to launch a firework into the air with his pyrokenesis. His mind wandered to his encounter yesterday with the Dragon. With its final breath, it cursed him. “You will never know true happiness, Prince Malakath. Nor glory. Your bonds will be tainted, and your children shall inherit the power you can only dream of. May that fact drive you to envy and doom.”

Malakath sneered at the thought. He was going to have all the happiness he could dream of. And with Chione as his wife, the next great link in his family's chain was secured.

~

The Kikai Empire was located on a continent far from Al-David’s across the sea. It was known for lush farmland, beautiful mountains, and the most beautiful trees. Mt. Frey, a dormant volcano, stood as a monument overlooking the empire. A month into arriving, Chione was being drilled on Hasai culture and language on the boat ride over.

She learned about the caste system of different Hasai. The blue skinned and purple eyed Romtan, who couldn’t conjure fire themselves, but still supplied much contribution to the empire through engineering and metal work. The snow white skinned Skurge, the main source of protection of the Empire, fire benders who made good soldiers, but also bakers. There was a quick lesson on the Waku, traitors and devil worshippers who had to be expunged. Then finally, the Ocho. Demi-Gods who had their bloodline blessed by Exodrum, God of Fire and Evolution.

Malakath was excited when he finally saw his home in the distance on the final day of the trip. Rushing into Chione’s tutor lesson on Hasai language, he smiled brightly. “Come to the deck, we’re here!”

There was so much to learn. In the days leading up to the arrival, Chione had done her best to learn about the Kikai Empire. The caste system, the culture, the customs, the traditions, the dos the don'ts, and what would be required of her as the role of Princess Consort. There was so much to memorize. Honestly, Chione felt a little overwhelmed but so much information, but did her best. Learning the Hasai language was a bit challenging for her, but once she understood the basics, it became easier. 

Currently, Chione was trying her best to write in the Hasai language, but her penmanship was sorely lacking. Writing in Naran and now Hasai was completely different. While she was grasping speaking the language, writing it was harder than she anticipated. Still, the Naran kept trying to make the correct strokes.

As Mally busted into the room, Chione nearly dropped her quill from the sudden intrusion. Nonetheless, she was delighted to see her intended. The tutors had kept her quite occupied with lessons.

"Mally!" Chione never did drop the nickname. It was her endearment for him. Others, of course, she could tell disapproved, but she did not care. She would use proper titles only if necessary. Yet, when it was just him, she wanted to express love in her own way. "We are almost to the... ah..." She had to pause to translate the word in her head. "Island?"

“Very good.” Taking her hand, Malakath promised to speak with her in Hasai when around others, but he would speak Naran when alone with her. Reaching the deck, she pointed to the bay they were driving into. “This is my homeland. The very origins of the Empire are located here.”

"It is beautiful," Chione was amazed at the sight from the blimp. Malakath described how it was just simply one of the newer wonders his people had recently created. Never in her life had she seen so many plants. Yet, she had never been so high in the air before either. A sand ray could only leap so far into the sky. "It is so... green."

She looked around, a little confused and gestured to the sky around them and the land ahead. "You said you were the blood of a dragon, yes? Where are the dragons?"

Malakath held his breath, slowly talking and choosing his words carefully. “They’re gone Chione. They became corrupted by the Waku. It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but we had to destroy them. It was them, or the rest of the Empire. My subjects, their children, their futures.”

"Oh... I'm sorry it came to that." Chione sounded disappointed as she looked out at the sky. "I was really hoping to see one," She explained to Mally, not meaning any offense, just curious. "I've seen Daidan Drakes, but I've never seen a dragon."

Malakath gave his fiancé a pat on the back. “We have Wyverns, as well as creatures far more unique than a dragon. Put them out of your mind my dear.”

"There is so much to see and so much to learn too." Chione asked Mally as the blimp continued inland. "I want to know, but sometimes, it feels so daunting---oh my goodness! Is that your palace?!"

Descending downwards onto the landing pad, the Red Palace was in full display. A marvelous piece of architecture full of towers and arches. Built in a courtyard she could see a massive greenhouse that was ready for her. “Welcome home Chione.”

"This is... home?" Chione was dumbfounded. This was far larger than the Matriarch's palace. As Mally led her off the landing platform, the Nara stared in wonder at the regality of the Hasai Palace. "How do you not get lost?"

“You’ll learn.” Malakath could see his family approaching. He braced himself , but was quick to brace Chione. “You have met my sister, so you know what she’s like. My mother, Empress Keara, is a Romtan, married into the family. She might take interest in you, she might not. She’s rather aloof these days. My father, Emperor Chillowack, is the type of man who uses friendliness as a weapon. Don’t show any weakness around him, he might use it against you.”

This certainly was a lot to process. It did not seem that Mally's family would hold any love for her. Then again, Chione expected that the royals would not outright welcome her. She was a foreigner, she held no immense power, and she had no titles. There was nothing the Nara could offer to Mally's family. Though, Chione was not foolish enough to believe every issue would be sunshine and rainbows either. She knew the life of a royal was harsh, never knowing who to trust. If Mally told her to be careful, she would do so. It was a rather frightening feeling to realize that within these walls, it was a high possibility that he was the only one that she could trust.

"Is there anyone besides you that I can rely on?" Chione asked Mally rather quickly in Naran as she held onto his arm tightly. "... I will be careful."

“I have a close friend, a colonel Bellum. Loyal, and wise. You can trust him as well. In time, you might find others.” 

Landing, a red carpet was rolled out for the prince. Standing at an impress, 6’7ft, Emperor Chillowack, another Ocho, opened his arms to the couple. “At last, the Hero of the Civil War has arrived! Welcome home my boy!”

The Emperor spoke in a very proper, upper class accent, unlike his children. The Empress eyed Chione, but it was almost robotic, glazed over in her analysis of the Nara. Silvia merely folded her arms, a small squint at Chione forming. With a flamboyant wave of his hand, the Emperor cheerfully addressed his son. “Malakath. Please introduce me to your chosen mate.”

With a graceful bow, the prince gestured to his wife as if she were a precious treasure. “This is Chione, my fiancé, and soon to be princess.”

The Emperor smiled, offering a hug to his son, then Chione. “You have exquisite taste in jewelry.”

Chione felt a prickle at the base of her tail when setting eyes on Mally's father. There were no indications the man was a threat. Yet, there was a part of her instincts which screamed to run, to avoid this man at all costs. Was he even a man... or perhaps a monster? While Chillowack gazed at her up and down, she felt physically sick, like he viewed her as inferior, as a specimen, as some *thing* to be under his heel. No, no, Mally warned her not to show weakness. She had to put on a mask, even if the man unnerved her. Figuring out Mally's mother and sister could come later, for now, Chione had to tangle with this... beast. There was no way she'd lose.

"Your son heat sand and make for me." Chione spoke in the Hasai language as best as she could, giving the Emperor a polite bow as the tutor had taught her. To accept a hug from him, that was not a line she wanted to cross. But weakness... she could not show it. So, instead, she would show strength. Squeezing the Emperor tightly, not enough to cause pain, but enough for display, Chione actually lifted him off the ground slightly. "It nice to greet you, soon father-in-law!!!"

Emperor Chillowack immediately hugged her back, letting out a chortle. "Oh my! Excellent form on this one~" 

When he was set down, he gestured to the palace behind him. "I look forward to having a daughter who might be able to throw her strength around! Please! Unload your belongings, then join us for dinner! We have much to discuss about ourselves!"

"I discuss what can." Chione agreed with a smile, not letting her guard down in front of the man. It was easier to play along for now. Perhaps, if he needed her worthy, the Emperor would eventually leave her be. "The Hasai tongue is... what is word? New? I do best to answer questions."

"I'm sure you will." The Emperor and the Empress were the first to turn to leave. Princess Silvia glowered a little more at the pair, then turned to leave.

Malakath was quick to take his wife's hand, leading her in. "I think that went rather well."

As Silvia glared at her, Chione did not allow the disdain to get a rise out of her. She merely smiled in return.

"... I did squeeze him rather hard." Chione murmured into Mally's ear as he led her inside the palace. "Maybe I shouldn't have?"

"No, you showed him your strength. That's won you over a great deal in his eyes. I don't know if you'll ever win over my mother, so don't worry about that."

"As long as I have you, I believe I'll be fine," Chione leaned in to rub her forehead against his once more. "I still have more to learn to become known with your culture."

~

At the dinner table, a large sushi dinner was presented for the prince and his fiancé. Sitting closer to the head, Malakath made sure his wife was being treated fairly. Silvia, however, couldn’t stop going back and forth with daggers in her eyes at her brother, Chione, and her father.

As the servants brought out the food, Chione was stunned by the amount of uncooked fish placed in front of her. Did the cooks think her too skinny? Surely, all this food was not just for her on this plate. Glancing at the other plates, Chione realized it seemed similar to the others, and wondered how she was going to eat all of the food. Wasn't fish supposed to be cooked before eating? The last thing she wanted to do was be rude or insulting. It was probably a good idea to at least try the food. 

"Thanks prepare food for me." Chione tried her best to express gratitude to the servants in her limited Hasai language, and then to Mally's family, despite his sister's constant scowl. "Thanks for invite to table. What is called?" She pointed to the plate of sushi in front of her. "In Al-Daida, fish... uh... heated? No, no..." She took a moment to try to think of the correct translation. "In pan. In fire. Prepped?"

"Oh! That's adorable! No, this is sushi! The rice and fish is okay to be eaten raw! What you do is pick up the food like so with these utensils." The Emperor raised the chop sticks, showing off. "Then you dip the food into sauces like so! It adds flavour darling." 

Malakath slowly eyed his wife, giving her a nod. He had prepared her for the use of the dinner ware in his culture. He hoped she had practiced enough.

"Su-shi?" Chione repeated, looking at Mally for clarification. Once he gave an approval, the Nara reached for the utensils. It was rather odd not using her hands to eat food. Most of what she used to fix at home required only the usage of her hands as a utensil. Yet, she learned rather quickly how to use the chopsticks. Copying the motions of Chillowack, Chione tried a bite of the sushi with the brown sauce. It was... very salty, and the texture of the fish mixed with rice was certainly different. It was not a bad taste, she was just unused to such food. "Different than Al-Daida. Different but good."

"Oh that sounds wonderful dear! I'm glad you can enjoy our culture! Oh do tell us about yourself! I noticed your parents didn't join us. I hope they weren't closed off to an interspecies romance." 

Malakath held his breath, watching closely at how his father tested Chione's boundries. His language, while playful, had a hidden edge to it. While the Ocho often needed to mate with other factions of Hasai, or even species to not inbreed, there was still a great deal of care to not sully their genes with completely inferior beings. They were always blessed to have full blooded Ocho children, but the wrong partner could breed weakness. Malakath knew that, and his father would look out for that. 

"I sad to inform Emperor parents are um..." Chione expected such a question. It was only natural to be curious about her parents just as she was about Mally's. She quickly realized she did not know the Hasai word for death. Using words she did know, Chione explained to the Emperor, "Not on earth. Not here. With Amek, in not life."

"Oh, my condolences dear. I suppose death comes to us all at some point. Perhaps they would want to hear about how you've come to love my son? It is so good that one of my children could find love."

Silvia scowled for a moment, but continued to eat her sushi.

"Your son, I fish out water in river." Chione figured there was no reason to lie. The Emperor would find out one way or another even if Mally had not told him all the details. "He ready go leave, not rest to heal. I fix and feed. Time spent together good. He leave. I miss. He come back," She then gave Mally a soft smile, "Then take me Kikai with him."

“That’s such a wonderful story. Thank goodness you found him. Without my darling little Angel, we would have never turned the tide of the war. I am so grateful to you my son. You ended the dreadful dragons and brought us peace! I am so thankful that on top of this special occasion, you’ll be able to continue to bloodline with your wonderful marriage. Truly a prime candidate for the throne.”

While Malakath beamed brightly, Silvia actually looked hurt for a moment, then turned away in disgust.

Evidently, the Emperor struck a nerve with Silvia when referencing the fight and a lover, Chione could tell by her future sister-in-law's disdain for the topic. The Nara felt a bit of pity for Silvia. Yet, she had to keep up appearances for now in front of Mally's father. It would not be easy to keep this man on his toes since he was so invested in his son's future. More than likely, Chillowack would have his nose in every detail of their life. It was best to be careful and to be cautious. 

"I want Mally," Chione told her future in-laws, "Be happy."

“Oh. Don’t we all.” Chillowack smiled, but for none of the right reasons.

Malakath simply took his gin and basked in his sense of accomplishments. He knew that his sister would certainly try to triple her efforts to obtain the throne, and of course he’d have to be careful, but that was for tomorrow’s worries. In a week, he would be married. Then it would only be a matter of time of having twins of his own. In his eyes, he was the prince victorious.

The Emperor wiped his mouth with a napkin, before shifting the subject. “I heard you have quite the green thumb. Malakath insisted on constructing you quite the greenhouse. I expect you to fill it up.”

"My mother garden. She teach me." Chione was eagerly awaiting to see the greenhouse, but exercised patience. Perhaps she could keep his attention off Silvia for now if he was interested in her. It would not hurt to be a little talkative, as much as she could, right? "Many plants. Kamazu plant best for injuries. It grow in water."

“If you need water, we can hook up irrigation for you.” It was the first time the Empress spoke. Seemed that the conversation had taken a turn to capture her interest. Even Malakath was surprised by this.

"I thank for kindness." Chione smiled brightly at Mally's mother. Maybe she liked to enjoy the presence of every plant beautiful and green as well? It could be an attempt to know her better, to earn her favor. "You and me, garden? I grow flowers for you."

“Perhaps. I just like tinkering.” And just like that, the attachment to the subject was leaving her. 

Having finished his meal, Malakath listened to his fiancé, proud of her being able to keep the conversation up. However, that was muddled when his sister had to put in a snide remark.

“It’s you and I. Even then, it’s not a full sentence. Hope you do learn better.”

Malakath cleared his throat, then spoke out an insult he hadn’t taught Chione yet. “Maybe you need to learn some manners first sister. But then it’s very much like you to be a soulful skank when you feel upstaged by someone prettier than you.”

Silvia rose from the table with a slam, but her father didn’t seem bothered by it. If anything, he was entertained. The princess pointed a finger right at Malakath. “Anything can happen. To you or your desert peasant. You’ll regret choosing her, as she’ll come to regret choosing you.”

“I very much doubt that. And I doubt, if you want to even have a chance at the throne, you have a choice in your love.”

At that comment, Silvia sneered and turned to leave. “We’ll see how long until she gets sick of you, brother.”

The rest of the family merely shrugged as she left. Chillowack in particular yawned. “Well, I would love to smell your roses every now and then.”

"You welcome visit greenhouse." Chione still smiled at Mally's mother, despite her sudden disinterest. "You welcome with me."

Though with Silivia's snide remark, Chione felt embarrassed at her butchering of the Hasai tongue. She was trying her best to grasp the language, but only had a couple of weeks practice while traveling to the island. Though, when Mally spoke up on her behalf, she did not quite understand all the words, but knew from his tone it was certainly an insult to his sister. Yet, the threatening insinuation from Silvia certainly caught Chione's attention. It made her angry. She did nothing to deserve such treatment! There was no way the Nara left her homeland for such hostility from others she barely knew!

Frowning at Silvia, Chione watched as she tromped away in a huff.

Malakath held her hand, giving her a reassuring smile. “Would you like to see your greenhouse?”

"Yes, please!" Chione wanted a positive note to the beginning of her time at the palace. "And my plants?"

“Already taken there. You two love birds go have fun!” 

Malakath stood and gave his father a respectful bow. “Thank you for the early dismissal.”

"I thank for food and talk." Chione copied Mally's mannerisms and then followed him outside. Giving a sigh of relief, she felt comfortable to speak Naran to Mally now in the absence of many watchful eyes. "That was exhausting. Your mother is disinterested, your father is too interested, and your sister hates me. I suppose it couldn't have gone better, no?"

“Perhaps. If we were in another world. My mother is apathetic to most things. I think she liked you, in her own way. You got her able to talk about a subject. For my father, you kept him engaged and happy. That’s good enough. As for my sister, Silvia will be a rival. Her anger stems from her need for the throne. She will have to sacrifice much to be Empress if she hopes to catch up to my success.”

"I suppose that is acceptable for now, though your sister could be a problem in the future," Chione seemed a little nervous about that aspect. "When we do have... um..." She could not believe she was saying this aloud. Children were a future thought, not one of the present! The Nara wanted some time with Mally before a family was started. "A family one day, I don't want her trying to harm our children."

“I will not allow that to happen. We may have been born from the same womb, but I will not hesitate to tear out her heart before she harms the ones who I have given my own to. As for when we have children, I believe we should wait until after our marriage.”

“I would never dream of it.” With that comment, he trailed a finger along one of her horns. “When I take you, it’ll be at the height of passion as husband and wife. You, my princess. Me, your prince.”

"Hrrrrnnhhhmmppppnnnn." Chione could not suppress the delighted purr at Mally gently tracing one her horns. It was instinctual, not something she could control. Even her tail started to wrap around his leg to pull him closer. Still flustered, she relaxed her head on his shoulder as she linked arms with him while walking to the greenhouse. "Only if I don't jump you first."

“When Hasai bond, they bond for life. We especially value our first times. I’m sure you ‘jumping me’ would be memorable, but let’s do so somewhere with some space.”

"... oh." This was new information. Then again, she supposed Mally probably wanted to inform her of this instead of the tutor. While she knew Hasai were a monogamous culture, Chione did not know of the bond. "I... um... does it matter if it's... my first time?"

“No. Just for us.” Malakath raised a curious brow. “Would it be your first time?”

"... no." Chione admitted, looking downcast. "There was a man who my parents fancied for me to marry and I did like him, but... he turned out to be more interested in the opposite sex than me."

“Ah. His loss I suppose.” Malakath reached the door of the greenhouse, and opened it to a fantastic sight. “Our gain.”

"... oh!!!" Chione was not expecting to see her plants already prepared for her in the greenhouse. She was expecting it to be mostly empty except for the plants she had brought from home. Yet, here it was, full to the brim of some species the Nara had never seen before. "This... this is..." She struggled to find the words, absolutely amazed. There was even a fountain in the middle! With fish! "This is something from one of my dreams..."

“And I can make all your dreams come true. Go. Enjoy yourself my dear.”

"Are you coming with me?" Chione looked around the greenhouse in complete and utter awe. Never before had she seen such splendor in the form of plants. She could not stop the smile from spreading across her face. "Some species I do not know yet from your island. You could tell me!"

Malakath allowed himself to be swept up in the euphoria of Chione’s love for life, chuckling as he swaggered over. “Very well. I’m a particular fan of cherry blossoms and dragon lilies.”

Giving her a pat, the prince breathed in the air around him. There was nothing that was going to stop him from having the perfect life he wanted. ______________________________________________________________

Written with @ridersoftheapocalypse Prequel to War of Fire.

Previous Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/739289093975031808/glass-love-and-desire-ch-2-return-to-home

Next Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/741968339918848000/glass-love-and-desire-ch-4-love-desire-and

[year2fmprv]

5 games researching #idea 2

overwatch - (junkenstein's revenge) Overwatch's Junkenstein's Revenge is a co-op mode set in the spooky town of Adlersbrunn during Halloween. Players team up to defend the castle gates against waves of zombified heroes led by Dr. Junkenstein. With a limited hero roster, each featuring unique abilities, players must work together to face escalating challenges and epic boss battles. This mode adds a festive and cooperative twist to Overwatch, offering players a thrilling Halloween experience.

terraria terraria features a captivating pixel art style that blends retro aesthetics with vibrant colors, creating a visually immersive world. The game's diverse landscapes, creatures, and bosses showcase intricate design, contributing to its nostalgic charm. The pixel art strikes a balance between simplicity and complexity, adding to the game's enduring popularity and timeless appeal.

cod zombies call of duty zombies gameplay is intense, featuring cooperative survival against waves of undead in various maps. Players strategize, fortify positions, and face escalating challenges with a variety of weapons and power-ups. The fast-paced rounds, boss encounters, and map-specific objectives contribute to the adrenaline-fueled atmosphere, making Zombies a beloved and enduring mode in the franchise.

Subanutica Subnautica offers an immersive underwater survival experience on planet 4546B, combining resource management and exploration. The game's climax involves crafting the Neptune Escape Rocket to leave the planet, presenting players with thrilling challenges and a satisfying departure from the alien waters.

dead space Surviving in Dead Space requires strategic resource management, dismemberment-based combat, and facing unpredictable horrors. As Isaac Clarke, players navigate the haunting USG Ishimura, grapple with limited resources, and engage in innovative limb-focused combat. The game's chilling atmosphere and suspenseful narrative keep players on edge.

[my-weird-news]

🔥 Disaster Strikes: Dozens of Buildings Ravaged in BC Wildfires!

#KelownaInferno: A Comedy of Fiery Follies! So, there's this place called Kelowna in British Columbia, and let me tell you, it's been having a real "hot" party lately. Like, the kind of party where even the buildings are getting a taste of the action. 🏠🔥 But don't worry, folks, it's all in good fun, right? Imagine, at least 50 buildings turned into roasted marshmallows in the name of wildfires! Not your regular marshmallow-toasting bonanza, mind you, but a legit wildfire fiesta. 🍢🔥 Officials, the same folks who always seem to crash the party, declared that it's not over yet. They're like the party poopers who tell you the party's still going on even when the chips are burnt. This dude named Jason Brolund, the big cheese of firefighting in West Kelowna, says the worst-hit neighborhoods are yet to reveal their true crispy potential. Picture him saying this with a straight face, while behind him, buildings are playing their sizzling symphony. 🎶🏢🎵 And let's talk about the chaos of trying to assess the aftermath. It's like they're playing a game of "Let's Find the Address" but with melted street signs and destroyed house numbers. Can you imagine firefighters wandering around with Google Maps and Siri, going, "Nope, this is definitely not 123 Fire Lane"? 🗺️🔍 But wait, there's more! The party crashers list includes felled power lines and trees, just to make sure the firefighters have a proper obstacle course. It's like someone combined "American Ninja Warrior" with a barbeque festival. 🌳🔌🍖 So, this whole shindig started on Saturday, and the fire decided to take a chill pill for a change. I guess even wildfires need their beauty sleep, right? 🌬️🔥 And for a full 24 hours, the buildings have been saved from becoming extra-crispy nuggets. Can you hear the sigh of relief from the fire extinguishers? Phew! Chief Brolund, our superhero in this blazing adventure, calls it the "day-to-day grind of firefighting." Yep, because what's more routine than battling flames that want to turn your town into a roasted marshmallow festival? 🦸‍♂️🔥 In other news, British Columbia is like the host of the biggest bonfire bash ever. They've got 380 fires on their RSVP list, and around 30,000 people were politely asked to vacate the premises. That's right, folks, the ultimate game of "Fire or Flee" is in full swing. 🔥🏃‍♀️ And guess what? The firefighters are the real party animals here. Around 500 of them from different places are joining the fight, along with the province's own wildfire superheroes. It's like a "Firefighters United" meetup, except with way more flames. 👨‍🚒🔥👩‍🚒 But wait, the plot thickens! A fancy resort got toasted on the shores of Okanagan Lake. It's like Mother Nature decided to RSVP last minute and brought her own fiery marshmallows. Meanwhile, the city's airport has a "Sorry, we're closed" sign hanging during the day, just to give those water-bombing aircraft and firefighting helicopters some VIP airspace. And here's the kicker – the province's wildfire service claims that the sun's throwing shade thanks to all the smoke. I mean, who knew smoke signals worked on the sun? But hey, that's what you get when you invite hundreds of active fires to the party. The whole province is like, "Can someone turn off the smoke machine, please? It's getting hard to breathe." 🌞�� Oh, and there's this other fire, like the rebellious sibling, chilling about 100 miles north of Kelowna. It's like they heard about the marshmallow roast and decided to host their own mini-bonfire. Sibling rivalry at its finest, folks. 🔥👫 Now, let's talk about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau throwing shade at the big bad wolf – I mean, Facebook's parent company, Meta. He's all like, "Hey, Meta, stop blocking the news, or I'll give you a timeout!" Apparently, they blocked news for Canadians, and now folks affected by the fires can't find their daily dose of fire-fighting drama. But don't worry, Meta activated an "emergency service," so now you can get your fire updates while you scroll past cat videos. 🐱🔥📰 In conclusion, Kelowna's fire situation is like the wildest party you didn't RSVP for. Buildings are toasting, smoke signals are confusing the sun, and even Meta joined the fray. It's a circus, a carnival, and a marshmallow roast all rolled into one flaming extravaganza! 🎪🔥🍢## #KelownaInferno: A Comedy of Fiery Follies! So, there's this place called Kelowna in British Columbia, and let me tell you, it's been having a real "hot" party lately. Like, the kind of party where even the buildings are getting a taste of the action. 🏠🔥 But don't worry, folks, it's all in good fun, right? Imagine, at least 50 buildings turned into roasted marshmallows in the name of wildfires! Not your regular marshmallow-toasting bonanza, mind you, but a legit wildfire fiesta. 🍢🔥 Officials, the same folks who always seem to crash the party, declared that it's not over yet. They're like the party poopers who tell you the party's still going on even when the chips are burnt. This dude named Jason Brolund, the big cheese of firefighting in West Kelowna, says the worst-hit neighborhoods are yet to reveal their true crispy potential. Picture him saying this with a straight face, while behind him, buildings are playing their sizzling symphony. 🎶🏢🎵 And let's talk about the chaos of trying to assess the aftermath. It's like they're playing a game of "Let's Find the Address" but with melted street signs and destroyed house numbers. Can you imagine firefighters wandering around with Google Maps and Siri, going, "Nope, this is definitely not 123 Fire Lane"? 🗺️🔍 But wait, there's more! The party crashers list includes felled power lines and trees, just to make sure the firefighters have a proper obstacle course. It's like someone combined "American Ninja Warrior" with a barbeque festival. 🌳🔌🍖 So, this whole shindig started on Saturday, and the fire decided to take a chill pill for a change. I guess even wildfires need their beauty sleep, right? 🌬️🔥 And for a full 24 hours, the buildings have been saved from becoming extra-crispy nuggets. Can you hear the sigh of relief from the fire extinguishers? Phew! Chief Brolund, our superhero in this blazing adventure, calls it the "day-to-day grind of firefighting." Yep, because what's more routine than battling flames that want to turn your town into a roasted marshmallow festival? 🦸‍♂️🔥 In other news, British Columbia is like the host of the biggest bonfire bash ever. They've got 380 fires on their RSVP list, and around 30,000 people were politely asked to vacate the premises. That's right, folks, the ultimate game of "Fire or Flee" is in full swing. 🔥🏃‍♀️ And guess what? The firefighters are the real party animals here. Around 500 of them from different places are joining the fight, along with the province's own wildfire superheroes. It's like a "Firefighters United" meetup, except with way more flames. 👨‍🚒🔥👩‍🚒 But wait, the plot thickens! A fancy resort got toasted on the shores of Okanagan Lake. It's like Mother Nature decided to RSVP last minute and brought her own fiery marshmallows. Meanwhile, the city's airport has a "Sorry, we're closed" sign hanging during the day, just to give those water-bombing aircraft and firefighting helicopters some VIP airspace. And here's the kicker – the province's wildfire service claims that the sun's throwing shade thanks to all the smoke. I mean, who knew smoke signals worked on the sun? But hey, that's what you get when you invite hundreds of active fires to the party. The whole province is like, "Can someone turn off the smoke machine, please? It's getting hard to breathe." 🌞🚬 Oh, and there's this other fire, like the rebellious sibling, chilling about 100 miles north of Kelowna. It's like they heard about the marshmallow roast and decided to host their own mini-bonfire. Sibling rivalry at its finest, folks. 🔥👫 Now, let's talk about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau throwing shade at the big bad wolf – I mean, Facebook's parent company, Meta. He's all like, "Hey, Meta, stop blocking the news, or I'll give you a timeout!" Apparently, they blocked news for Canadians, and now folks affected by the fires can't find their daily dose of fire-fighting drama. But don't worry, Meta activated an "emergency service," so now you can get your fire updates while you scroll past cat videos. 🐱🔥📰 In conclusion, Kelowna's fire situation is like the wildest party you didn't RSVP for. Buildings are toasting, smoke signals are confusing the sun, and even Meta joined the fray. It's a circus, a carnival, and a marshmallow roast all rolled into one flaming extravaganza! 🎪🔥🍢 Read the full article

[demartinidesigns]

A time for celebration with a side of intrigue.

This map set can be found on Roll20 and more like it through the Interactive Map Directory on demartinidesigns.com

Help pick new map topics and receive early Roll20 and full res files. | patreon.com/demartinidesigns |

[brookston]

Holidays 7.10

Holidays

Armed Forces Day (Mauritania)

Battle of Britain Anniversary Day

Beatles Day (Liverpool, Hamburg)

Capybara Appreciation Day

Chronic Disease Awareness Day

Clerihew Day

Cumin Day (French Republic)

Don't Step On A Bee Day

Flag Day (Mongolia)

Global Energy Independence Day

Gospel Day (Kiribati)

His Masters Voice Day

International Glut1 Awareness Day

International Safeguards Day

Lá Cuimhneacháin Náisiúnta (National Day of Commemoration; Ireland)

Lady Godiva Day

Merchant’s Festival (Elder Scrolls)

Minion Day

Naadam Day (Mongolia)

National All American Pet Photo Day

National Caleb Day

National Fish Farmers Day (India)

National Kitten Day

National Lineworker Appreciation Day (Canada)

National Stella Day

National Transplant Financial Coordinator Day

Natto Day (Japan)

Nikola Tesla Day

Oils and Concentrates Day

Police Radio Day

Silence Day (Meher Baba)

Srebrenica Memorial Day

Stay Away From Bees Day

Teddy Bear's Picnic Day

Uniwaine (Senior Citizens’ Day; Kiribati)

U.S. Energy Independence Day

World Airway Disorders Day

World Miniature Golf Day

World Shuvit Cancer Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer Distributors Day

National Piña Colada Day

National Pizza Day (Brazil)

Pick Blueberries Day

2nd Monday in July

International Town Criers Day [2nd Monday]

Peace Day (Antarctica)

Sempach Commemoration Day (Switzerland) [Monday after 4th]

Independence Days

Bahamas (from UK, 1973)

Carnival Monday (Saint Vincent and Grenadines)

Federal Republic of New Potato Land (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Wyoming Statehood Day (#44; 1890)

Feast Days

Amalberga of Maubeuge (Christian; Saint)

St. Bathilda (Positivist; Saint)

Canute IV of Denmark (Christian; Saint)

Day of Her (Goddess of the Underworld; Anglo-Saxon, Norse)

Feast Day of Knut the Reaper, Hela, Holda and Skadi (Norse)

Feast of Translation of Saint Maclovius, Bishop of Saint-Malo (Christian; Confessor)

Feast of The Seven Brothers (Januarius, Felix, Philip, Silvanus, Alexander, Vitalis, and Martialis; Christian; Martyrs)

Felicitas of Rome (Christian; Martyr)

Hela’s Day (Pagan)

James McNeill Whistler (Artology)

Kanute IV, King of Denmark (Christian; Martyr)

Knut the Reaper's Day (Norse; Scotland)

Mel Blanc Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

New Robe for Athena Day (Ancient Greece)

Pina Colada Day (Pastafarian)

Rufina and Secunda (Christian; Saints)

Rusty (Muppetism)

Septic Bralu Diena (Ancient Latvia)

Seven Brothers (Christian; Saints)

Tita or Tatata Ita (Muppetism)

U Festinu (a.k.a. Feast of St. Rosalia; Palermo, Italy) [thru 7.15]

Victoria, Anatolia, and Audax (Christian; Saints)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fatal Day (Pagan) [13 of 24]

Prime Number Day: 191 [43 of 72]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [39 of 57]

Premieres

The Brave Little Toaster (Animated Film; 1987)

Cool World (Animated Film; 1992)

Do Way Diddy Diddy, by Manfred Mann (Song; 1964)

Escape from New York (Film; 1981)

The Fox and the Hound (Animated Disney Film; 1981)

Greyhound (Film; 2020)

A Hard Day’s Night, by The Beatles (Album; 1964)

Heat Wave, by Martha and the Vandellas (Song; 1963)

Lethal Weapon 4 (Film; 1998)

I Got You Babe, by Sonny and Cher (Song; 1965)

I Love You Beth Cooper (Film; 2009)

In Search of Lost Time, by Marcel Proust (Novel; 1927)

In the Midnight Hour, by Wilson Pickett (Song; 1965)

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (Film; 1985)

Minions (Animated Film; 2015)

Moon (Film; 2009)

New Maps of Hell, by Bad Religion (Album; 2007)

Ode to Billie Joe, by Bobbie Gentry (Song; 1967)

The Oily American (WB MM Cartoon; 1954)

The Old Guard (Film; 2020)

Once Upon a Mouse (Disney Cartoon Documentary; 1981)

Palm Springs (Film; 2020)

Parachutes, by Coldplay (Album; 2000)

Pi (Film; 1998)

She Wolf, by Shakira (Album; 2009)

Small Soldiers (Animated Film; 1998)

Smoke Signal (Animated Film; 2018)

Son of Schmilsson, by Harry Nilsson (Album; 1972)

Summertime, recorded by Ella Fitzgerald (Song; 1936)

Tempted, by Squeeze (Song; 1981)

Unnatural Death, by Dorothy L. Sayers (Novel; 1927) [Peter Wimsey #3]

We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You, by Queen (UK Song; 1977)

Your Hit Parade (TV Series; 1950)

Today’s Name Days

Engelbert, Knud, Raphael (Austria)

Feliks, Srećko, Viktorija (Croatia)

Amálie, Libuše (Czech Republic)

Knud (Denmark)

Saima, Saime, Saimi (Estonia)

Saima, Saimi (Finland)

Ulrich (France)

Knud, Engelbert, Raphael, Sascha (Germany)

Amália (Greece)

Amália (Hungary)

Armando, Marziale, Pietro, Rufina (Italy)

Lielvardis, Lija, Olīvija, Uve (Latvia)

Amalija, Eirimė, Gilvainas (Lithuania)

Anita, Anja (Norway)

Aleksander, Amelia, Aniela, Filip, January, Radziwoj, Rufina, Samson, Sylwan, Sylwana, Witalis (Poland)

Amália (Slovakia)

Cristóbal (Spain)

André, Andrea, Anund (Sweden)

Anthony (Ukraine)

Emanuel, Emmanuel, Gage, Immanuel, Manuel, Manuela (USA)

Emanuel, Immanuel, Maos, Manuela, Ulla, Ulrich, Ulrika, Ulrike (Universal)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 191 of 2024; 174 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 28 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 1 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 23 (Ji-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 21 Tammuz 5783

Islamic: 21 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444

J Cal: 11 Lux; Foursday [11 of 30]

Julian: 27 June 2023

Moon: 43%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 23 Charlemagne (7th Month) [St. Bathilda]

Runic Half Month: Feoh (Wealth) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 20 of 94)

Zodiac: Cancer (Day 20 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Tinne (Holly) [Celtic Tree Calendar; Month 7 of 13]

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 7.10

Holidays

Armed Forces Day (Mauritania)

Battle of Britain Anniversary Day

Beatles Day (Liverpool, Hamburg)

Capybara Appreciation Day

Chronic Disease Awareness Day

Clerihew Day

Cumin Day (French Republic)

Don't Step On A Bee Day

Flag Day (Mongolia)

Global Energy Independence Day

Gospel Day (Kiribati)

His Masters Voice Day

International Glut1 Awareness Day

International Safeguards Day

Lá Cuimhneacháin Náisiúnta (National Day of Commemoration; Ireland)

Lady Godiva Day

Merchant’s Festival (Elder Scrolls)

Minion Day

Naadam Day (Mongolia)

National All American Pet Photo Day

National Caleb Day

National Fish Farmers Day (India)

National Kitten Day

National Lineworker Appreciation Day (Canada)

National Stella Day

National Transplant Financial Coordinator Day

Natto Day (Japan)

Nikola Tesla Day

Oils and Concentrates Day

Police Radio Day

Silence Day (Meher Baba)

Srebrenica Memorial Day

Stay Away From Bees Day

Teddy Bear's Picnic Day

Uniwaine (Senior Citizens’ Day; Kiribati)

U.S. Energy Independence Day

World Airway Disorders Day

World Miniature Golf Day

World Shuvit Cancer Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer Distributors Day

National Piña Colada Day

National Pizza Day (Brazil)

Pick Blueberries Day

2nd Monday in July

International Town Criers Day [2nd Monday]

Peace Day (Antarctica)

Sempach Commemoration Day (Switzerland) [Monday after 4th]

Independence Days

Bahamas (from UK, 1973)

Carnival Monday (Saint Vincent and Grenadines)

Federal Republic of New Potato Land (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Wyoming Statehood Day (#44; 1890)

Feast Days

Amalberga of Maubeuge (Christian; Saint)

St. Bathilda (Positivist; Saint)

Canute IV of Denmark (Christian; Saint)

Day of Her (Goddess of the Underworld; Anglo-Saxon, Norse)

Feast Day of Knut the Reaper, Hela, Holda and Skadi (Norse)

Feast of Translation of Saint Maclovius, Bishop of Saint-Malo (Christian; Confessor)

Feast of The Seven Brothers (Januarius, Felix, Philip, Silvanus, Alexander, Vitalis, and Martialis; Christian; Martyrs)

Felicitas of Rome (Christian; Martyr)

Hela’s Day (Pagan)

James McNeill Whistler (Artology)

Kanute IV, King of Denmark (Christian; Martyr)

Knut the Reaper's Day (Norse; Scotland)

Mel Blanc Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

New Robe for Athena Day (Ancient Greece)

Pina Colada Day (Pastafarian)

Rufina and Secunda (Christian; Saints)

Rusty (Muppetism)

Septic Bralu Diena (Ancient Latvia)

Seven Brothers (Christian; Saints)

Tita or Tatata Ita (Muppetism)

U Festinu (a.k.a. Feast of St. Rosalia; Palermo, Italy) [thru 7.15]

Victoria, Anatolia, and Audax (Christian; Saints)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fatal Day (Pagan) [13 of 24]

Prime Number Day: 191 [43 of 72]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [39 of 57]

Premieres

The Brave Little Toaster (Animated Film; 1987)

Cool World (Animated Film; 1992)

Do Way Diddy Diddy, by Manfred Mann (Song; 1964)

Escape from New York (Film; 1981)

The Fox and the Hound (Animated Disney Film; 1981)

Greyhound (Film; 2020)

A Hard Day’s Night, by The Beatles (Album; 1964)

Heat Wave, by Martha and the Vandellas (Song; 1963)

Lethal Weapon 4 (Film; 1998)

I Got You Babe, by Sonny and Cher (Song; 1965)

I Love You Beth Cooper (Film; 2009)

In Search of Lost Time, by Marcel Proust (Novel; 1927)

In the Midnight Hour, by Wilson Pickett (Song; 1965)

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (Film; 1985)

Minions (Animated Film; 2015)

Moon (Film; 2009)

New Maps of Hell, by Bad Religion (Album; 2007)

Ode to Billie Joe, by Bobbie Gentry (Song; 1967)

The Oily American (WB MM Cartoon; 1954)

The Old Guard (Film; 2020)

Once Upon a Mouse (Disney Cartoon Documentary; 1981)

Palm Springs (Film; 2020)

Parachutes, by Coldplay (Album; 2000)

Pi (Film; 1998)

She Wolf, by Shakira (Album; 2009)

Small Soldiers (Animated Film; 1998)

Smoke Signal (Animated Film; 2018)

Son of Schmilsson, by Harry Nilsson (Album; 1972)

Summertime, recorded by Ella Fitzgerald (Song; 1936)

Tempted, by Squeeze (Song; 1981)

Unnatural Death, by Dorothy L. Sayers (Novel; 1927) [Peter Wimsey #3]

We Are the Champions/We Will Rock You, by Queen (UK Song; 1977)

Your Hit Parade (TV Series; 1950)

Today’s Name Days

Engelbert, Knud, Raphael (Austria)

Feliks, Srećko, Viktorija (Croatia)

Amálie, Libuše (Czech Republic)

Knud (Denmark)

Saima, Saime, Saimi (Estonia)

Saima, Saimi (Finland)

Ulrich (France)

Knud, Engelbert, Raphael, Sascha (Germany)

Amália (Greece)

Amália (Hungary)

Armando, Marziale, Pietro, Rufina (Italy)

Lielvardis, Lija, Olīvija, Uve (Latvia)

Amalija, Eirimė, Gilvainas (Lithuania)

Anita, Anja (Norway)

Aleksander, Amelia, Aniela, Filip, January, Radziwoj, Rufina, Samson, Sylwan, Sylwana, Witalis (Poland)

Amália (Slovakia)

Cristóbal (Spain)

André, Andrea, Anund (Sweden)

Anthony (Ukraine)

Emanuel, Emmanuel, Gage, Immanuel, Manuel, Manuela (USA)

Emanuel, Immanuel, Maos, Manuela, Ulla, Ulrich, Ulrika, Ulrike (Universal)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 191 of 2024; 174 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 28 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 1 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 23 (Ji-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 21 Tammuz 5783

Islamic: 21 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444

J Cal: 11 Lux; Foursday [11 of 30]

Julian: 27 June 2023

Moon: 43%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 23 Charlemagne (7th Month) [St. Bathilda]

Runic Half Month: Feoh (Wealth) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 20 of 94)

Zodiac: Cancer (Day 20 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Tinne (Holly) [Celtic Tree Calendar; Month 7 of 13]

[2minutetabletop]

This is my largest city battle map yet, a 44x32+ town center and its surround roads, rooftops, and alleyways. It also connects to 5 more maps! Four on each side and The Shanty in the lower-left.

Here's a preview:

I've been meaning to draw a map of this sort for a long while now! A sizeable city scene, that is. This one should fit the bill, and has plenty of room to maneuver both in the streets below and the rooftops above.

The color scheme is a vibrant, sun-baked one suitable for an optimistic, thriving community. The yellow tents and buntings hint at festivity, and surely there is a lot of fun to be had here for an adventurer.

Downloads → The TOWN CENTER City Battle Map

We've got one more large-scale map coming next weekend - that cave I've been teasing - and then I plan to make them a semi-regular release. They're a lot of fun to draw!

That's all for this weekend though. I hope you enjoy!

[iamasphodelknox]

Suptober Day 2: No Vacancy

“Is there a festival in town or something?” Dean groaned, gripping his hands on Baby’s wheel like he could wish an empty motel to spring up into existence. He’d been looking forward to a real bed after eight hours driving Baby across the country but the flashing red “No Vacancy” sign at the Barely There Inn was the fourth one they’d seen in the last half hour. 

Honestly, he was getting too old for this.

Cas humphed next to him, quietly munching on a homemade granola bar Dean had made from the pumpkins and apples in Cas’s garden. He’d been quiet for most of the drive, unless he was answering a question Dean tossed his way when Zep wasn’t enough to fill the silence. 

Dean could practically hear Sam’s voice in his head. You have to talk to him and get your head out of your ass, Dean! You can’t get to where you want to be with him without opening up a little! Dean was trying, alright? Talking was hard when it meant being vulnerable, especially when your companion was the guy you were in love with but in denial about. But Cas had seemed willing enough to go on this case with Dean, since Sam was holding down the phones at the bunker for some of the younger hunters. Cas had even made a comment that it’d be nice for them to get out of town together for a bit.

Dean drove a little further down the highway, spotting another sign just ahead. 

“KOA?” Cas read out loud as they passed the sign. “What’s KOA?” 

Dean felt his heart give a twinge. He hadn’t ever stayed at a KOA, not in all of his and Sam’s treks across the country. Not since… he shook his head once to himself.

“Kampgrounds of America,” Dean muttered. He gripped Baby’s steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. 

“Dean,” Cas turned in his seat, looking back at the sign behind them. “We can camp. It’s not a motel bed, but…”

“No way, Cas,” Dean said, his voice rougher than he meant, rougher than he’d usually be. “No camping.” 

“Dean, we don’t have any other options,” Cas said, annoyingly patient. “And it’s more comfortable than sleeping in the car.” 

“Don’t…” Dean started but Cas cut him off. 

“I’m not mocking your car, Dean,” Cas said with a placating hand on Dean’s shoulder. “I’m being practical. And isn’t camping something humans do for fun? We should try it.” Cas almost sounded excited.

“What’s fun about getting your balls frozen off?” Dean grunted. He could practically feel Cas roll his eyes at him. “We don’t even have a tent.” 

“I’ll build us a shelter,” Cas said as if it was the easiest thing in the world. “Turn the car around.” 

Dean paused just for a moment, debating about how far he wanted to push it. But Cas had a point. He glanced sideways at Cas and met Cas’s eyes. Damn. He couldn’t say no to his angel no matter how hard he tried. 

Considering Cas wasn’t even his, Dean didn’t know what that made him. Whipped? A sucker? Hopeless? He was sure Sam would use all those terms to describe Dean’s feelings for Cas.

With a dramatic sigh, Dean turned Baby around and drove back to the KOA. It was just after sunset, the barest tint of sunlight just disappearing beneath the trees. 

Dean pulled up to the booth at the entrance, his stomach in knots. He hadn’t been camping since he was five. Hell, he didn’t even have a sleeping bag. But Cas was right. It was worth a shot. 

Dean rolled down the window and was greeted by an unnervingly peppy teenager dressed in a bright yellow shirt, with KOA in red lettering on the shoulder. She grinned at them like it was her purpose in life.

“Hi, welcome! Do you have a reservation?” She spoke in such a way that all her words blended together due to enthusiasm. 

“Uh…” Dean paused. He hadn’t actually thought that part through. How charming did he need to be? Did he need to flirt his way to a campsite? Cas leaned over him, his shoulder tucking into Dean’s chest. 

“Do you have any openings?” Cas asked, suddenly turning into the smooth one in this operation. Dean swallowed, trying not to do anything awkward, like bury his nose in Cas’s neck or something.

The young woman smiled and nodded. “We’re pretty packed tonight, but you guys are lucky. We have one tent site left. How many nights are you wanting to stay?” 

“Just tonight,” Dean grunted, disconcerted by Cas’s… calmness in this whole thing. How was Cas being better at being a human than Dean? 

“That’ll be thirty dollars then,” Peppy-Teen said. Dean passed over the cash and took the map she handed him. 

“Bathrooms are by this building,” she said, circling a spot on the map with a red pen. Cas and Dean watched as she drew a line from the circle to another spot on the map. “This is your campsite.” 

She drew another line from the campsite to what was presumably their current location at the entrance. “Just follow the road to campsite 49. You can’t miss it.” 

“Thank you very much,” Cas said with one of his wide grins, still leaning into Dean like this was something they did every day. Camping, road tripping, just the two of them. 

Dean nodded, smiled - or was it a grimace? - and they bid Peppy-Teen goodnight. Cas pulled away, sitting back in the passenger seat and Dean swallowed down the desire to pull Cas back into his chest. 

Dean drove Baby forward, following the signs, past a playground, the entrance to a lake, what looked like a cafeteria of some sort, a group having a huge bonfire, and finally, three identical mobile homes in a row, to get to site #49. Dean carefully pulled Baby into the parking spot and turned off the motor.

They sat for a moment in perfect silence, the faint singing of some camping song Dean had known a long time ago filtering through the windows. 

“Dean,” Cas said. “Are we going to get out of the car?” 

Dean started, nodded, and opened the door, climbing out of the car. The campsite itself was nice. There was a picnic table, a fire pit, and even an electricity hookup by the parking spot. Not too bad, Dean thought to himself. If they even had camping gear. Or actually went camping. 

It took Dean a moment to realize that Cas was bustling around the campsite gathering sticks and twigs like he was burrowing in for winter. Or planning a massive bonfire of their own. 

“Cas, what’re you doing?” Dean asked, still frozen by the driver’s door. 

“We’ll build an A-frame,” Cas said, passing a bundle of sticks to Dean. “There’s that tarp in the trunk and I think Sam tucked a safety blanket in the glovebox. We’ll use those as insulation and for something to sleep on. With a small fire at the entrance, we should be nice and warm.” 

“Did you take a survival class or something?” Dean asked, still standing still. Maybe it was shock preventing his feet from moving and not the battle of distinct, sentimental emotions from when he was five piling onto his heart after too long of being ignored. 

Cas nodded vaguely. “Online.” 

“Huh,” Dean said. Cas took classes online? What else did Dean not know… first the garden, now online classes? 

Cas bustled about a little longer, piling up sticks and twigs and moss at Dean’s feet like a pyre. Finally, he put the last bundle down on the ground and stood with his hands on his hips, looking pleased with himself. 

“So,” Dean said, clearing his throat, “how does all this become a tent?” 

Cas grinned good-naturedly at Dean. “I’ll show you.”

And that was how Dean learned to build an emergency shelter. Which, honestly, was something he should have earned from his dad considering he grew up on the road. Why hadn’t they ever camped? It had been something his parents loved. 

Cas walked Dean through setting up the A-frame, then draping piles of sticks, twigs, leaves and moss over it to essentially form a natural tent. There was just enough room for the two of them to sleep side by side. 

They built the A-frame close to the fire pit. Dean ran back to Baby’s trunk to grab lighting fluid and matches, piling up wood in the fire pit with no finesse. A hand on his arm stopped him from pouring the whole bottle of lighting fluid on the pile. 

“Actually,” Cas said, his eyes sparkling, “I want to try lighting a fire with just the matches.” 

He looked so giddy and excited, Dean just handed him the matches. 

It took several tries and a lot of twigs, but eventually, they had a comfortable fire. They sat side by side on a log, munching on apple muffins Dean had made with apples from Cas’s garden. Dean felt Cas’s heat all along his side and whenever their shoulders brushed, Dean fought the urge to just lean into Cas without reservation. 

“Thank you, Dean,” Cas said into the silence. “For humoring me.” 

Dean shrugged and this time their shoulders stayed touching. “It’s no problem, Cas.” 

And it wasn’t, not really. Sitting out by a fire, watching the stars, getting to just be, with Cas, for once. Maybe it wasn’t as hard as Dean thought. Maybe getting to where he wanted to be with Cas, with them together, didn’t have to be as insurmountable or as impossible as he feared. Sam did tell him to just talk to Cas, to just be himself and let some of his walls down.

Dean swallowed. He could try. 

“I…” Dean started, twisting fingers together, “I haven’t been camping since my mom was alive. I forgot how nice it can be.” 

Cas didn’t reply right away. Dean could feel Cas looking at him, digesting his statement and all it meant. Cas leaned a bit more into Dean’s shoulder and carefully rested a hand on Dean’s knee. A knot undid itself in Dean’s heart. 

“It is,” Cas said, his voice warming Dean down to his toes. “It’s very nice indeed.”

Read the whole fic as I post chapters throughout Suptober on AO3! Link in comments. :)