#vagrant story vibes

[escherstrange-ffxiv]

"You seek the truth? Then follow me, Riskbreaker."

Cathedral: Dynamis - Maduin | Empyreum - W9 - P60

Some extra pics from the set:

[seekerseekingsomething]

Vagrant Story for the PS1. if you havn't played it, come for the fairly interesting combat mechanics and reasonably done puzzles. Stay for the ocean deep weapon upgrade system and arcane fucking stat mechanics. Live and Breath the hilariously serious plot with the most queer twink you've ever laid eyes on making dommy passes at a man in assless chaps and his wanna-be-lover with a lip piercing who's dialogue sounds like it could have been shouted from the 2nd floor balcony of a gay club in london

My dearest followers and mutuals and friends and lovers. I am going to extend one deadly serious question to you on this beautiful afternoon.

What is your #1 video game recommendation

[popodoki]

Hey, teacher! Catwin AU part 4

Still sfw, but it is definitely going to get a different vibe in the next part x ;)

Precisely three seconds after Edwin turns, starts the short trek to his parked car, his brain catches up to his actions, 'You have just invited an absolute stranger to stay in your home.  Where you sleep.  Why? Because he's handsome? Handsome people can be murderers too, you know.' 

He tells his inner voice to stop being so paranoid, so skeptical. And Thomas is not handsome. He’s ... Just not, so be quiet.   

Not that he can just dismiss the concern entirely. Edwin's aware that this is not something most people would do, and for good reason. As he looks in the rearview mirror, he wonders what this strange man must think of him. Edwin is well aware that he comes across as stuffy, overly professional to the point of seeming borderline unapproachable. He actually doesn't mind that much, because for the most part, it's true. He's very particular, set in his ways, private and while he has a good grasp on his emotions that makes him quite excellent at controlling even the most rowdy classes, he does actually have a short temper at times, coupled with a low tolerance for foolish behavior. He was astonished, therefore, to discover that he actually enjoyed teaching, a profession that was 99% frustration and ever-changing affronts to his sanity.   

The rumble of the motorcycle's engine behind his car seems quieter than normal. Perhaps due to the low speeds they maintain, as Edwin resolutely follows the speed limit to the second digit, keeps a leisurely pace en route to his house. His house is extremely modest compared to the rest of the town. It sits perched behind a small lawn, on a dead-end street at the edge of Port Townsend, where it's quiet, vehicle traffic practically nonexistent. It has two stories, two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, a lovely small fireplace in the den and a wrap-around counter in the kitchen. It isn't grand or showy; rather an unassuming powder-blue house, his escape from the world. His solitude, haven, consistency.   

He pulls into the gravel driveway, parking his car far enough along that Thomas can fit his motorcycle as well, keep it off the street. Turning off his car, Edwin pauses with his hands on the steering wheel, watching for a moment, as Thomas cuts the motorcycle's engine, walks it into the driveway, puts the stand down and unbuckles his duffle bag from the back.   

Edwin takes a deep breath. Swings open his car door. Hopes that he doesn't end up regretting this.   

The sun has only just dipped under the horizon when they enter the house, but Edwin can tell that Thomas is almost dead on his feet. The sudden awkwardness that surrounds them as soon as the door closes is almost unbearable, so Edwin starts giving instructions, falling into familiar patterns as a way to break the tension. 

"Come, I'll show you where you'll stay." 

"Appreciate it, Ghostie, really."   

For a man who looks like such a vagrant, Edwin thinks, he really is very polite.   

The 'guest room' is on the first floor. It's a small room, really only big enough for one twin mattress and a modest dresser. There's no closet, only one window, and no personal decorations at all. The linens are rudimentary and plain. The furniture in the room hasn’t been disturbed in a long time.   

"I apologize that there's not much to it; I don't entertain company often." If Edwin was being truthful, he would have said 'ever’. He actually feels embarrassed, this is what he was afraid of. Here he is, opening his life, to someone who could judge him for being so antisocial, just as so many in the past have done. There's a swell of shame that he feels bubbling in his gut, harsh criticism of his lifestyle comes back to his memory from various colleagues, neighbours. How he's so solitary, so cold, so alone. 

"Edwin, after thinking my two possible options were either to ride through the night, through the rain, or to find another bench, ostensibly public or private, this might as well be a five-star pension." Thomas laughs, sets his duffel bag gently on the floor next to the bed. He looks at Edwin like he personally saved his life. “Even better than, I’d say. Staff’s much easier on the eyes.” He adds with a wink, possible charming effect somewhat lessened by the way he’s dripping water onto the carpet.  

Edwin can't help but chuckle gently.   

"Well, I hope you don't think I'm being rude, I wouldn’t want to warrant a bad review, but I… well if I might offer a decent shower…" At Thomas’ widening smile, answering nod, Edwin holds up a hand.  "I'll get you some towels. And give me your clothes, I can wash them. Or hang them up to dry, I’m not familiar with leather, I’ll take a look at the labels I suppose," muttering more to himself than to his guest, he turns on his heel, heads for the linen closet upstairs "oh," he stops short, one foot on the step, as a thought occurs to him. "Thomas, do you need a change of clothes? Just something to sleep in, I don't think anything besides my pyjamas would fit you." He peers around the corner, looks sceptically at Thomas's frame, top to bottom and back up, silently deciding that all of his trousers would definitely have to be folded once, or twice, to fall properly around the man's ankles.   

Thomas looks mildly shocked, blinking at him.  "I… uh, I mean if it's not…" 

Edwin nods, continues his journey upstairs. While he's upstairs, retrieving towels in three sizes and a pair of freshly washed pyjamas, he hears the shower downstairs turn on. Good, at least he's been saved the trouble of explaining the intricacies of the bathroom. He’s embarrassed himself quite enough already. 

He comes back downstairs, striding briskly into the guest bedroom, stopping short at the closed door of the bathroom. There Edwin hesitates, towels in hands. He knocks lightly on the door, opens it only slightly. Just enough room for his arm, just enough to push the towels through the gap, leave them on the closed lid of the toilet, for Thomas to find when he's done. He's not sure if Thomas heard him knock, but his arm will be in and out, the door neatly shut, before his intrusion can be noted. 

The toilet seat is up. 

Edwin barely muffles his undignified noise, resigns himself to widening the door by the merest sliver, elbowing the wood just enough to shift a little bit further. If he can drop the lid down with the back of his hand, he can still follow the plan, neatly drop the towels, keep his eyes firmly set on the shiny white tiles on the wall, and slink right back out. The toilet lid is quietly lowered. Thomas whistles a jaunty tune, eyes closed, while he soaps up his hair. The towels drop on the closed toilet lid. Edwin stares, as Thomas whistles a jaunty tune while he soaps up his hair. Suds drip down much like the earlier rain, swept up by the shower running a steady stream of warm water over wet hair, wet hands, wet arms, wet shoulders, wet chest, glistening chest, good grief that chest. Edwin’s cheeks feel like they might currently give off the same amount of steam as is fogging up the mirror on the wall. 

Time, he thinks, for laundry. 

[cringefaecompilation]

for character questions: veth, jester, caduceus

veth

First impression

also found cr through an animatic and the guy who made it made nott/veth curvy and sexy, and that disappointed me because i thought it was her canon design. i'm so happy it was just that guy being weird about women.

Impression now

genuinely my favorite pc sam has ever made. knocked scanlan right off his perch

Favorite moment

the scene where she's in the invulnerable vagrant with luc and yeza is so fucking cute and heartwarming every time.

Idea for a story

i would put this in the headcanon section but i'm saving it for another thing. god it would be so funny if at the end of this mn interlude after they kill the weavemind veth says "hey so um... we're having another kid..." and the rest of the nein LOSES IT

Unpopular opinion

i don't think there's anything inherently bad with widobrave as a ship. i personally prefer vethyeza just because if a guy ever said to me "i don't want a poem, i want a wife" with the same tone that yeza did i'd love him for eternity, but widobrave being treated like it's a morally wrong ship because it'd turn caleb into a homewrecker or whatever feels odd to me.

Favorite relationship

her and jester and her and caleb! also honorary nod to the fjord/nott love-hate relationship

Favorite headcanon

veth also has picked up on some zemnian while traveling with caleb!

jester

First impression

i was worried i would dislike her. something about her seemed disingenuous compared to the rest of the nein and i guess i was worried her kindness and sweetness would be revealed to be a front or she would stick out like a sore thumb.

Impression now

i've never been happier to be wrong, jester you are my darling angel princess cinnamon apple and i love you

Favorite moment

jester's massive 700 hp point heal in the reunited special was so cool to see firsthand

Idea for a story

i think arty should keep fucking up and nearly getting killed so she can have more excuses to keep saving him

Unpopular opinion

i don't think she has autism/adhd. runs away

Favorite relationship

her and her mama and arty.

Favorite headcanon

i think if they had gotten tossed into jail instead of caleb showing off the beacon she would have been able to charm the guards and get them out. the power of jester.

caduceus

First impression

i got spoiled on him because i went out of order but i thought he was cool and loved his design

Impression now

Favorite moment

the comparatively underrated (according to fandom trends) scene where he reunites with his family

Idea for a story

i want him to see that orb vision of the gods destroying aeor so bad rn because i feel like it might make him trust melora MORE but i wanna be sure lol

Unpopular opinion

i sort of wish he'd stayed more morbid. taliesin went for the creepy vibes hard in the liveshow and then he fell off it just as hard and leaned into hippy. and that's not bad, and i get that he did it on purpose to push himself out of his comfort zone but it does make me curious as to what a "taliesin-friendly" caduceus would look like

Favorite relationship

finally giving fjord something with wildbrothers. i know a lot of people looking back on it now have problems with the portrayal of gods as wholly 100% good compared to "false" deities but hey, if going off the pact = addiction route, i think that's it's fair enough for fjord to recover from his addiction with faith and caduceus doesn't force his beliefs on him or imply it's the right thing to do

Favorite headcanon

intersex caduceus is real to ME

[archiveikemen]

Ellis Twilight Main Story: Chapter 3

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection. I do not own any of the original content. Please support CYBIRD by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

Warnings and FAQ

Ellis: Bodyguards?

At breakfast, Victor was talking about the unexpected incident that occured during my first job as the “fairytale keeper”.

Victor: That’s right! If Jude and Ellis protect Kate, our secrets will be kept safe too.

Victor: At the same time, Kate will also be able to observe the two of you up close and write everything down in her records…

Victor: It’s like killing two birds with one stone!

Victor: What do you think, Ellis?

Ellis: I’m fine with it if Kate is.

Ellis: Just because no one was hurt yesterday doesn't mean that sort of thing won't happen again… I want to be by Kate's side in case.

Victor smiled in response to Ellis and turned to Jude.

Victor: Of course you'll take this new responsibility seriously, right, Jude? You hate doing favours, don't you?

Jude: Tch…

(I feel safe being near Ellis, but…)

Ever since having my life threatened because I was with Ellis and being mistaken for “Jude Jazza’s woman”, I couldn't help but feel wary of Jude.

Jude: Don’t you start wailing when you get caught in a scary situation, princess.

(He’s so intimidating… but this was a good suggestion from Victor, so I mustn't chicken out.)

Kate: I’ll be fine. I’m surprisingly tough!

Jude: … Hah.

Jude snorted and went back to reading the newspaper.

Ellis: Then it’s decided. I’m looking forward to working with you, Kate.

Kate: I look forward to working with you too.

Unlike Jude, Ellis returned a soft smile.

Ellis: By the way, you can be more casual with me.

Kate: Huh…?

Ellis: You could say “yeah, me too” or something.

Kate: Y-Yeah… me too.

Ellis: Mm, much better.

I felt comforted by Ellis’ warm vibes.

Victor: Administrative matters aside, now let’s talk about your mission.

I straightened my back and listened attentively to Victor’s words.

(This will be my first real job as the fairytale keeper.)

I bear in mind that this was important in helping me gain their trust.

Victor: — Truth is, there is something I want you to collect information on.

Victor: It’s regarding the series of kidnapping cases happening all over London.

Kate: Kidnapping…?

That dangerous word brought back the same anxiousness I felt when I met the members of Crown for the first time.

Victor: Correct. The victims’ ages ranged from infants, to adolescents, and even grown adults.

Victor: One thing they have in common is that the adults were either prostitutes or street performers.

Victor: Popular songstresses from taverns have gone missing… many of them lived unstable lives without proper residential addresses.

Jude: Because the victims weren't people of high importance and mostly didn't have fixed addresses, no one reported them missing.

Jude: As usual, the police aren’t going to do anything about it either.

Unfortunately, like Jude mentioned, people who worked in the entertainment district were often looked down upon.

In that world of glitz and glamour, they were treated like pieces of trash in a garbage dump.

Victor: So, about the mission…

Victor: Have you heard about the ongoing art fair in London, the one with a few performers gathered there?

Kate: Yes. The scale of the event is not as big as the social season, but it’s rather crowded.

Victor: I want Jude and Ellis to go to that art fair and collect the necessary information.

Victor: These people may be vagrants, but they’re more bonded than you think.

Jude: Why do I have to go? This is useless.

Victor: Remember the human traffickers you dealt with in private? They might be connected to this case.

Victor: This has gone too far, don’t you think? Besides… today's your first day off in a long time.

That sounded like information Victor wouldn't be aware of, unless someone told him. Jude shot a glare at someone…

Jude: … Ellis.

Ellis: He asked, so I answered honestly. Sorry.

(The power balance between these two might surprisingly be of equal level…)

Victor: See you!

Victor sent us off with his cheerful voice and we headed for our mission.

…

(The fair is even more crowded this time round…!)

Colourfully decorated stalls lined the venue of the art fair and delicious aromas wafted through the air.

The people were entertained by not only the food, but also the street artists painting and performers showcasing their talents on stages around the city.

Walking around the fair, I couldn't help feeling immersed in the lively atmosphere.

(Oh no, I’m getting too carried away… I must focus on our mission.)

(Right. I should ask him now.)

Kate: Ellis. Jude. Could you tell me about your curses?

Ellis: We haven't told you yet?

Ellis: I have the curse of the “Briar Bushes”, and Jude has the curse of the “13th Fairy”.

Ellis: They’re based on a motif called “The Thorn Princess (Sleeping Beauty)”.

(Curse of the briar bushes and the curse of a fairy…)

The 13th fairy was an antagonist who placed a deadly curse on the princess out of spite for not being invited to her birthday party.

(I know that's the fairy’s sin, but…)

(What sin did the briar bushes commit?)

As I thought hard about it, Jude suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned around languidly.

Jude: We don’t need a party of three. You go in the other direction to search for information.

Ellis: What about protecting Kate?

Jude: You’ll be fine doing that alone.

Without another word, Jude disappeared into the sea of people.

Kate: … Does he hate me, by any chance?

Ellis: I don’t think so, he treats everyone like that.

Ellis: His intention was probably to protect you from danger by avoiding being seen with you.

(Hmm, I don't really think so…)

I swallowed those words that I almost blurted out.

Kate: … If that’s the case, he’s actually rather kind-hearted, isn't he?

Ellis: I wouldn't say that. He loves hearing the people he hates scream in pain.

Kate: …

(It scares me how easy it is to imagine that…)

Ellis was the total opposite of him, showing kindness to everyone he met.

As though to prove me right, people all around us started approaching him the moment Jude left.

Flushed Man: Oh, you over there! Thanks for taking care of me that day!

Ellis: You’re welcome. Remember to drink in moderation today.

Kate: This is…?

Ellis: I found him passed out on the streets the other day, so I piggybacked him home. I don't know his name.

Kate: Eh!?

(You brought a random stranger home and nursed him back to health!?)

That wasn’t the only thing that left me in shock—.

Furniture Artisan: Business has been booming thanks to Ellis promoting my works to people!

Bespectacled Student: I’m so glad to run into you again! Um, I’d like to repay you for helping me fix my bike, could I have your contact information…

Cat: Nyaa.

(Even a CAT thanked him…!?)

(Or should I say, judging from the number of people who thanked him as we passed by…)

I could tell that Ellis did many good deeds on a daily basis.

Kate: I’m a postwoman, and yet you’re even more well-known than I am…!

Ellis: Really? I think this is pretty normal, though.

Ellis smiled gleefully as he watched the people smiling around him.

(Everything Ellis did for me yesterday is without a doubt just a usual thing for him.)

Someone who spreads joy.

Watching Ellis’ interactions with the people in town brought those words to my mind.

(Does someone like him even have any “sins” I can record down…?)

(Rather—)

(Why would someone this kind-hearted work for an assassination organisation or with Jude?)

Despite having personally witnessed his kindness… that question surfaced in my mind.

Ellis: Kate, Kate.

Kate: … Oh, I’m so sorry! I got lost in thought.

I came back to my senses and noticed Ellis peering into my face up close with his head tilted in puzzlement…

Ellis: Were you thinking about me?

Kate: …!?

Our eyes met at a close distance like a pair of lovers gazing at each other, sending my heart into a frenzy.

(Ellis doesn't seem to be conscious of it, but… this is too close.)

The situation was the same as when he went to see me in my room the morning after I came to Crown’s castle.

It was the second time seeing his twilight coloured eyes up close.

Feeling my cheeks turn red from the embarrassment, I turned my eyes away from him.

Ellis: Ah, hit the nail on the head.

Kate: How did you know?

Ellis: Hmm… just a hunch, I guess?

Ellis handed me a steaming mug with a smile.

Ellis: Here, I bought this milk tea from that shop over there while you were lost in thought about me.

Ellis: This is to thank you for helping me with my mail the other day.

(... Ellis is awesome…)

Ellis’ eyelashes lowered and he lightly blew on the cup of milk tea before taking a sip.

Ellis: If there’s anything you want to ask me, feel free to.

Kate: … Understood.

Ellis: Just “okay” is good.

Kate: … Ellis, why did you join Crown?

Ellis: Victor recruited Jude to join Crown, then Jude said OK and I joined too, I guess?

(You joined just because Jude did…?)

Kate: Why are you always with Jude?

Ellis: You have many questions, huh.

Ellis smiled and held his mug in both hands.

Ellis: My life was a mess before I met Jude. I moved from place to place, never having anywhere to settle down.

Ellis: When I came to London, I met Jude by coincidence.

Ellis: Some stuff happened, and we made a deal.

Kate: A deal…?

Ellis: That I’ll work for Jude, and he’ll comply with my request in return.

Ellis: So… we’ll be sticking together until the time comes when he fulfils his side of the deal.

My next question gave me a feeling that something might happen if I heard the answer, causing a stir in my chest.

Kate: What request did you make…?

Ellis: It's—

Performer with Flashy Hat: What is going on!?

(...!?)

The sudden yelling made me jump in shock and look in its direction.

Behind us, in the back of a temporary stage, a performer was scratching his head in distress.

Performer with Flashy Hat: Two people can’t make it for the performance… this is a DISASTER…!

(Two people… two performers… could it be?)

Kate: Ellis.

Ellie: … Yeah.

— “The victims of the serial kidnappings were often prostitutes or street performers”.

We exchanged looks and headed towards the distressed performer.

…

Kate: Um, excuse me.

Flashy Hat: Hm? Oh. My apologies, Miss, but my show has been postponed by another 10 minutes!

Ellis: We heard you saying just now that two people can’t make it to the show…

Flashy Hat: My buddy who is supposed to perform with me has gone missing without a word.

Flashy Hat: Geez, lots of people have been disappearing into thin air lately… it’s starting to get suspicious.

(Multiple people… going missing…)

(If we ask this person more about the disappearances, we might find something.)

Ellis: If it's alright with you, could you please tell us more?

Flashy Hat: Sorry, but I really don't have the time for that right now! Even if I have to do it alone, I must think of what to perform up on stage.

The performer shooed us away… but stopped and looked at us again as though he had just gotten an idea.

Flashy Hat: If you guys help me out with the show, that’ll be a whole other story.

Flashy Hat: Haha! I’m just kidding. Being short-handed is one thing, but it's a strict rule to never allow amateurs on stage.

He shook his head, seemingly to dismiss his suggestion as an impulsive one.

Ellis took a step closer.

Ellis: Help? What kind?

Flashy Hat: Haha! You’re serious about this? I was merely joking.

Ellis: But you said that you’ll tell us the details if we help you, didn't you?

Flashy Hat: … What? Hey man, you guys got a problem or something?

His friendly face twisted.

Flashy Hat: Giving out information about my buddies puts them in danger.

Flashy Hat: I can’t guarantee that you two don't have ill intentions. We're strangers that just met.

Kate: How can we earn your trust?

Flashy Hat: Let me think…

Flashy Hat: If you guys are willing to be used as a target for knife throwing, or tied up and thrown into a tank…

Flashy Hat: I’ll trust you.

(Target for knife throwing…!?)

Ellis: Okay. I’m good at that stuff.

Ellis unhesitatingly proceeded with the negotiations while I stood there, baffled.

(Ellis is so confident when it comes to negotiations. It must’ve come from his experience in working with Jude…)

Ellis agreed to help the performer with the show, but negotiations didn't go as we expected.

Flashy Hat: Tch tch tch… you alone isn’t going to be enough. That lady has to help out too.

Kate: Wha…!?

Ellis: … Why?

Flashy Hat: Perform, of course!

Flashy Hat: Just think of it. A tragic story about lovers being torn apart, building up and coming to a tear-jerking finale! The audience will definitely love it.

(... Knife throwing… being tied up in a tank…)

Ellis looked at me worriedly when he noticed my face turning pale.

Ellis: Kate, you don’t have to do it if you don't want to.

(Victor has done this knife throwing thing before, so Ellis will be fine with that.)

My physical abilities were nowhere nearly as good as Ellis’, and yet…

Whether or not we would get information from that person depended on me.

(I have to trust them and just go for it…)

Kate: V-Very well. I’ll help.

Letter

[sprintingowl]

Writing A Wargame When The World's A Bastard

I think most people looking at an rpg blog are probably familiar with the "Wow! Cool Robot!" meme.

And I think to an extent all play consists of "Situations I Don't Actually Want To Be In But It's Fun To Imagine The Scenario." Even tag and hide and seek simulate escaping from a predator.

However, when I say Over War is both a wargame and a tabletop roleplaying game, I want to be a little more precise about which inspirations I'm drawing on.

Yasumi Matsuno is a name that Final Fantasy XIV players might recognize, but he has a much broader body of work with incredibly consistent themes.

Matsuno also directed and wrote Final Fantasy Tactics, designed directed and wrote Tactics Ogre, designed directed produced and wrote Vagrant Story, and created Ogre Battle, which lit a fire in my head as a child and eventually led to the creation of this game.

In a Yasumi Matsuno story, you can generally expect gothic vibes, a baroque aesthetic, and messy, multi-sided political choices that orbit around resentment, societal disenfranchisement, and a struggle for a better world.

Those themes and elements are what I'm trying to channel in Over War.

There's more than a few splashes of the usual Sprinting Owl ridiculousness (you can build a unit out of just chupacabras and goats in the uneasiest alliance any fantasy world has ever seen,) but the game centers around questions like "Should anyone ever deserve to rule a land?" and "What compromises on integrity and vengeance are you personally willing to make to achieve your goals?"

There's a sidebar at the beginning of the book making it clear that I am not trying to draw real-world parallels---I'm not smart enough to do that without messing it up---but I do want the players to think when the game hands them a thorny issue, and to reach a decision that they are ultimately comfortable with.

This is tricky to do in a game which ultimately also needs to be fun, it won't sell if it's not fun, but those are the compromises I'm making in the hopes that this game will bring enjoyment and disquiet to folks.

[polijakefim]

F  L  A  U  N  T

TRAVIS FIMMEL

Girl's Gotta Eat

There are paths seen and unseen. There are paths taken. There are the Midwestern housewives who sit at home, who formerly popped bennies and ran topless through every jam band show at the local amphitheater. There are the vagrant, longhaired transients who receive stares as they push their cart of nothings around sweaty Southern towns, that formerly received stares only because they were professing at the front of a philosophy class. There are the attention-deficit young men, oft chastised for their inability to focus, but given open creativity, become playwrights and screenwriters. There are the balladeers. There are the celebrities. There is the you. There is the me. And there is Travis Fimmel, sitting in a hotel room in Vancouver, freezing his balls off. His is a story of barefooted farm boy turned bare-bodied model turned actor.

“It’s bloody cold,” he says in a relaxed Australian drawl. Of course it is. Fimmel grew up helping out on the family farm in a small town on the fork of two rivers in the middle of sunburnt Australia. He’s currently in the benumbed west Canadian port city filming Duncan Jones’ Warcraft: a film of epic proportion and expectation. But despite the video game-based spin-off, one gets the feeling Fimmel is the kind of lad who would much rather be chopping wood than mashing plastic buttons on a gaming controller. “I’d never heard of it,” he freely admits.

The path begins. When I ask about his early foray into Australian-rules football, he concedes what stymied the course, “Yeah but I sucked at it, man, I was very bad.” And thus he skipped the sporting life and tried college, “I didn’t pass any classes becauseI didn’t end up showing up—I was doing project managing for construction, like a foreman. Architecture and commerce [was the] main part of the course, I didn’t really want to go to college, I was just trying to fill in time…but then I ended up going overseas.” Fimmel wasn’t meant to be a paper-pushing desk jockey; just as Paul fucking Newman wasn’t meant to sling charred chicory at nine-to-fivers. With those baby blues and gilded locks it wasn’t long before Fimmel was modeling, most notably for Calvin Klein and most times wearing not a stitch. Previously Fimmel has played down his years of modeling, crediting favorable lighting, advanced cameras, and Photoshop for his looks and success. In fact, it’s speculated—and blatantly obvious upon viewing—that Fimmel was the inspiration behind Samantha’s washed-out brick-bod lover—“Jerry” Smith Jerrod—on Sex and the City.

The path winds. “Wound up in L.A., got into an acting class and then that’s where I started acting. I had no idea, never wanted to do this stuff, still don’t really want to do it, mate,” he admits. Fimmel is even-keeled, he exudes a thoughtless vibe, and as much as Fimmel plays it all down, one even has to question how hard he worked to get to his current status. Sometimes his nonchalant nature can come off as arrogant, and it’s easy to imagine he’s often misunderstood, but couldn’t care less; he’s just riding the wave. At first, Fimmel took jobs everyone in Hollywood thought would pay dividends but floundered [see: WB’s Tarzan] until he grew a beard and started swinging an axe. Ah, the farm boy swinging the axe again. It’s in History Channel’s Vikings that Fimmel found his niche, receiving acclaim for his portrayal of the contemplative but merciless, Ragnar Lothbrok, a deep-thinking maniac from Viking Age Europe. There is a swagger to his character that is maintained somewhere within Fimmel. When I ask about his association with Ragnar, he states, “Every guy that I know that fights is always the quietest guy in the room; I just try to think more than talk. You’ll always learn more by listening rather than being the loudest guy in the room. And whatever you do, you do because you enjoy it, so I try to make my character enjoy fighting.”

The path straightens. And so we find ourselves back in that Vancouver hotel room, freezing our balls off with Fimmel, as he’s in the midst of shooting the biggest film of his career. With all the aloofness Fimmel radiates, it piques one’s interest to know what he really is passionate about: “Farming, mate. That’s whatI want to do. I love the country. It’s hard to explain. When you grow up in the country you just enjoy it so much. I love animals and I love trees and anything country.”

And, lastly, that beard that’s quickly becoming his trademark: “It just grew I guess, I couldn’t for ages. I would have loved to grow one when I was a kid, I would have loved to have gone to prom and school and shit with a beard.”

Nothing to do with shedding the barefaced image of your Calvin Klein days? “[Audibly scoffs] Shit. I couldn’t grow one then. Otherwise I would have had one.”

That would have been a different path.

[wodenscild]

Mmm i wanna ramble for a bit about soulsborne games. I have played through DS1, 2, 3, Bloodborne, & Elden Ring at this point. & all of them have their own unique strengths & weaknesses. I was introduced to the series through DS1 Remastered so I’ll start there!

Honestly? I love it with all my heart! I love the interconnectivity of the world! I love the NPCs! I love the story & atmosphere! How there are still echos of the age of ancients within the age of fire! I love the feeling of getting lost & ending up somewhere like Ash Lake or the back entrance of Darkroot Garden! & OMGS the obtuse mechanics! Like genuinely I love how obscure some of the stuff in this game is! From Vagrants to Grave Lording I feel like there is just a lot of neat things & always more to learn! I think the only things I don’t like are the limited casts on spells & pyromancies! & how you are fully stymied when using estus! I also appreciate how you can just level up at any bonfire, without having to see a specific NPC like you have to in 2, 3, & Bloodborne! It is still my favourite game in the entire series.

Dark Souls 2 is… interesting kdfksk you can tell Miyazaki wasn’t at the helm of this game. People shit on this game a lot, saying it is the worse of the series. I wouldn’t call it the worse, rather than it is just weaker than the others. It doesn’t have that same emotional oomph. What I do like about the game is the introduction of power stancing! Something which doesn’t return until Elden Ring! I do love the maze like map design within each map! I love the enemy designs! I love the bonfire ascetic system! Letting you advance individual areas to the next NG cycle! And cos this game locks certain things behind NG+ & beyond, that is both cool and useful! & I love the Covenant of Champions! &… that’s about all I liked dkckd the big flaws that has stood out to me was estus healing times, enemies stopping being respawned after the 12th kill (which is annoying if you are farming for souls or loot- Cov of Champs does allow them, but idk it is just annoying & it is telling that this covenant is only present in the Scholar of the First Sin edition), statues locked with Fragrant Branches of Yore, the health decreases when hollowed (which I know harkens back to Demon’s Souls, & DS2 is a lot more forgiving with this- but I think the health changes between hollow/human is done best in DS3, where rather than hollowing/unkindling decreases your max HP, & shows that on the health bar- it instead increases your max HP when human/kindled, & that changes the health bar- less emphasis on an item that comes in relatively low supply). Also the enemy AI’s feel weird, the number of areas that are intended for multiplayer is annoying on many levels (glares at the Black Gulch, & the path to the Blue Smelter Demon), & hhh yeah. I will say tho, I am pretty neutral on ADP! I like the concept that you can invest in your iFrames when rolling! & I appreciate how they reworked the level up costs with this stat in mind! & I then also appreciate how they balanced the game around being at higher soul levels cos of how cheap it is! & then implemented soul memory to de-emphasise soul level based match making! DS2 id the awkward teenager of the DS games- you can tell it isn’t made by Miyazaki. It had hella cool concepts! But it also was just annoying to play. It feels weak emotionally, but is still a decent time to play! It is kinda the Subnautica Below Zero of the Dark Souls games FDLSLDKC

Imma talk about Bloodborne next as it is the next to release in the series chronologically! Iirc this is the project Miyazaki was working on while DS2 was being developed! It is also the game that launched Soulsborne into major public consciousness. & it is easy to see why! The vibes & design are just on point! A beautiful hybrid of gothic & lovecraftian horror! The game has so many cool features! Iirc this is the first one in the series to have a stat explicitly influence your discovery stat! Good gods the fast healing with blood vials! THE TRICK WEAPONS! The music! The bosses! & man imo up until this point never has a DLC felt so seemlessly part of the base game! I love the concept of chalice dungeons! ESPECIALLY how there are community dungeons that aid with grinding up blood echos, insight, and blood stones! & Ofc the story & lore of this game is wonderful, & will just leave you asking & wanting more! Tbh I don’t have much to say about what I don’t like- other than needing to see a specific NPC to level up, early access to warp which de-emphasises exploring somewhat- & how this is the first game of the series to not let you upgrade your armours, a feature that has stuck with us up to Elden Ring (which sucks for Fashion Souls lovers who wanna wear gender armour but also have protection too <//3).

DS3 feels like a love letter to DS1. It has that same emotional oomph that DS1 had, & feels like it is part of the same universe. So there is a lot of insight that DS1 can gleem into DS3! I have already mentioned how much nicer DS3’s health management is with their hollowing/unkindling. You can see a lot of influence of Bloodborne in this game! Especially within Irythill, from its design to its enemies! This game iirc is the first to introduce FP! So no more hard limits on the number of times you can cast your pyromancies, spells, & miracles! The game feels a lot more polished! & idk what it is but I feel so much more inclined to explore this world! & this game rewards it so hard! I also love the insane number of mimics here too XD I think I have had more mimic chests than non-mimics! What I find annoying tho about this game is that again you can’t upgrade your armours- which sucks! Cos there are some hella cool armours I would love to wear more! But alas <//3 it is a reflection on the designers wanting to make combat in these games more proactive than defensive. I again am not a big fan of having levelling up tied to an NPC over just at the bonfire. & I am kinda sad too see power stancing (tho we do have paired weapons), ADP & bonfire ascetics leave us behind! Bonfire ascetics would have been a great addition to this game! Especially cos there are items locked behind the later NG cycles! & they absolutely could have used this as an opportunity to include the black phantoms of these later cycles too like DS2 did!

Lastly (cos I haven’t played Sekiro or Demon’s Souls yet) is Elden Ring. The Breath of the Wild of the Soulsborne games! I love this game! It is large! Immersive! Easy to get lost in! Fun! & just- it is an experience! I appreciate how this game lets you level up at the bonfires/graces again! It isn’t as immersion breaking this way & you can just keep on slogging through! The story is interesting! & the number of secrets you can find just by poking around is truely wonderful on so many levels! & I keep coming back to this game! The only other game other than DS1 that I play the higher cycles on! I think the only 2 things I don’t like about this game is again lack of armour levelling, & the lack of multiplayer that just happens to you. Player invasions are turned off unless you have summoned a player, which sorta sucks as someone who always enjoyed being invaded at random & having a goof ball fight (I know you can use the Dried Finger iirc to allow invasions without a summon but it just doesn’t feel the same, ya know?). There isn’t anything like the Grave Lord servants to randomly make your world harder & you gotta invade them to stop the black phantoms. There isn’t anything like the Blue Sentinels or grey spirits to be summoned without a summon sign to help other players. & all of this can make Elden Ring feel a bit lonely. Which is inevitable with open world games, & this sorta stuff would’ve helped a tonne with easing that.

DOFKSKF ANYWAY BIG RAMBLE ABOUT THESE GAMES. THEY ARE ALL PRETTY NEAR REGARDLESS. If I had to rank them it would DS1, 3, Elden Ring, Bloodborne, then DS2 dkdkdksjd all of them are good all things considered! Best lore games are DS1 & 3. Best exploration 3 & Elden Ring. Best combat Bloodborne, 3 & Elden Ring. Best sequence breaking DS1 & Elden Ring. Best NG+ experience DS2 & 3. Best obtuse mechanics DS1. &- yeah that’s it dkfksk

[spextr1m]

My headcanons of Vagabond Trio (Amari Taymiyyah, Emery Rivera and Makoto Shizuka)

A/N: Why not writing those three people after I did a research that Amari does interact with Makoto when he's downed.

Warning: Vagrants getting killed, Cursing, getting sick, Arguing, angst, dead body

- Since Amari is oldest among the trio, Makoto jokingly calls him "Big brother" which his ears have blushing and told her not to call him that.

- Amari is a big spoon, Emery getting sandwiched while Makoto tags along cuddling those two.

- Both Makoto and Amari watch Emery's magic tricks.

- Amari would've tell a story about Sanjana ("Back in my days, we killed Vagrants like you" "what the fuck-")

- Makoto and Amari comfort Emery when the latter is sad or thinks Showstopper is right about him for being naïve.

- Emery calls Amari "Mari" while Amari calls "Em", Makoto would call both of them "Ari" and "Merry", the duo would call call Makoto "Koto".

- Amari is type of person who listens, Makoto is both while Emery is a rambler. - Only Emery was reassured that he isn't annoying.

- Since Amari is tall next to Emery, Makoto would jump on him whenever he pokes fun of her (in sibling way) and call him "Lamppost".

- If it weren't for the mist sending three of them, I think Vagabond Trio would've have different lives but meet each other in another timeline.

- I think Makoto ask things about astrology stuff only Em info dumps.

- If one of them is sick, I think Amari would get sick that's where Makoto asks how many fingers is she holding only Amari's eyes blurred and weakly said "12" only her fingers are counted as "7". - If Makoto is sick, both Amari and Emery are gonna merge their talents (Music and magic) to her just to entertain her boredom.    - If Emery is sick, Amari would've ask Iris first but for Makoto, she made Plan B (Getting meds)

- If the crowds getting bigger and bigger, Makoto would've use Amari since he's tall and wanting to see view.

- I think Makoto is type of person who spills those teas to them. - Emery is eager to listen and adds more fuel in there while Amari stands there like bitmoji    - If he (Mari) have gossips, they would've be surprised at him despite he has "Idgaf" presence.

- They defend one and another if another survivor play the blaming game. - Okay let's have Emery getting blamed only both of them defend him.    - Makoto getting blamed would've be Emery defending her later joins by Amari.      - Amari getting blamed,  have two defenders whooping yo asses.

- Trust me, they switch each others' clothes either by accident or intentional (an idea by Emery and Makoto) - Makoto: Oh shit, it looks baggy than I thought! (Wearing Amari's clothes)    - Amari: Guess I'm not only who wears baggy clothes *Grinning* (wearing Emery's clothes)       - Emery: I look so cool! (Wearing Makoto's clothes)

- The three gives me vibes of sibling dynamic (Makoto as annoying middle sister towards Amari).

- Makoto would listen band like Gorillaz while Amari is more on someone like Keshi's songs (soothing something) while Emery is random listener but memorize MLP lyrics. - Makoto: *Blasts Feel Good Inc.*    - Amari: *Blasts Keshi*       - Emery: *Blasts random songs*

- Emery is surprisingly type of person getting angry and he's like an angry blueberry. - One time was when Amari and Emery were arguing only Em snaps at him and was pissy so bad until he stormed off inside the cabin but couldn't recall his outbursts.    - Amari gifted a Fluttershy pin as an apology gift.     - Emery's anger is terrifying out of most trio members.

- If Emery dies, Amari apologizes a lot to his grave and tend to stay with his grave until he dies. - If Makoto dies, Emery mourns while Amari comforts him when seeing her dead body.    - If Amari dies, Emery mourns very longer and thinks it's all his fault while Makoto reassures that it's not his fault.

(That's all folks-)

[actorsmask]

Voicelines: Playables

(Only applicable to characters they know, not including rp atm)

About Sampo: Sampo? Yeah, he’s my big brother all right. Contrary to popular belief, he’s not a deadbeat and he’s most definitely not actively putting me in dangerous situations with his scams and dealings. Never mentioned me? Eh, he does that to “ensure my safety” and “make sure the guys he deals with don’t find me too easily.” Something like that I think. Since you’re the trailblazer, there’s no need to pretend I’m not his sibling. But if it didn’t risk those shady men finding me, I’d be proud to call him my brother, and to be his sibling.

About Sparkle: Don’t deal with her. Ever. If you really need to, keep it short and sweet alright? She’s on the crazier side of the Masked Fools, and her pranks can go from zero to a billion in a matter of seconds. Not to mention how she can shapeshift, which is SO annoying to deal with… Look, just try not to talk to her often, lest she makes you a victim of her little “pranks.”

About Natasha: I don’t know how she does it. Be a doctor, take care of the kids, and be the leader of Wildfire all at once. But at the same time, it really suits her personality don’t you think? Kind enough to be approachable for patients and children, yet strict enough to make sure the kids behave and to run an entire organization. Not to mention her insanely large weapon!

About Luka: We’re pretty close! We met when I first joined Wildfire, and when I tell you I physically recoiled from how nice he is… It was a bit hard to believe someone could be that kind-hearted and caring at the time, but his warmth infected me. We like to spar to pass the time or fight the Fragmentum in Rivet Town, or I just watch his matches in the Fight Club. *Sigh* He’s… Really one of the best people I’ve ever met, and I love spending time with him. Huh? I’m not dreamy!!

About Seele: If you ask me, she could be a biiiiit nicer but oh well! But honestly, she’s like a teddy bear at heart… If only she wasn’t as prickly as a cactus on the outside. Huh? Oh no, no, we do get along! I just like teasing her… She’s a good person, that’s for sure. People tend to not look past the thorns when dealing with people in general, so be patient with her!

About Hook: You must mean Pitch-Dark Hook The Great, haha! I try to take some time to play with her and the other Moles often. Usually beforehand, I set up a set path so they can have an adventure through the Underworld while making sure they stay safe. Sometimes Luka joins in and the Moles have more fun with the extra company. It was the most I could do for those who haven’t seen the sky!

About Clara: She’s one of the sweetest girls I’ve met honestly, so willing to help others and to make sure everyone gets along… I can relate to that. She helped a lot in maintaining the peace between Wildfire and the vagrants due to her relationship with Svarog, and with helping provide medical supplies. Though I wish she would wear socks at least, her feet could step on something sharp…

About Pela: For someone of her profession, you’d never expect her to write the kind of things she writes or reads. Even illustrate! But I’ll be honest, she has good taste… Uh, there’s this one story she showed me called… I think “Palace Swimmer”? About some mermaids, and one’s a beacon… I haven’t been reading up on the more recent books yet, but she has a tendency to go for the sad ones…

About Serval: One of the best sisters I could ever ask for, of course~! She’s taught me a myriad of things: Guitar, machinery, make-up, some fashion advice… Yeah! Serval just has that approachable vibe to her now that I think about it, though I do remember being slightly intimidated by her when I first met her… Then again, I was scared to meet anyone back then.

About Lynx: Sadly, since she isn’t around Belobog often, we usually only text or have video calls of sorts. Sometimes I’ll teleport to wherever she’s camping and we catch up on things while stargazing or foraging for ingredients for cooking. Lynx always has something interesting to tell me about as someone who’s trying to traverse the entirety of Jarilo-VI, so it’s never boring at all! In return, I tell her about the planets I’ve visited!

About Gepard: Another big brother of mine! Honestly, I don’t even know how we got close. After not having evidence to arrest me multiple times, he just… Stopped. So I kind of just kept bothering him about random things whenever I could or when I was bored and Sampo wasn’t around. But I do have him to thank for helping me get to know Serval, Lynx, Pela, and the others. And for just being there in general.

About Bronya: I only started to really talk to her after the Stellaron incident on Jarilo-VI, since she was steadfast in her beliefs and wouldn't dream of interacting with a criminal back then! She was… Nicer than I expected, to be honest. Though, she works way too much that I swear I can see a few wrinkles… She isn’t Sampo’s age yet, so it’s just blasphemy! She needs more rest, but apparently Seele has been helping~

About Aventurine: … I don’t really know him, nor do I want to get to know him. He’s a Stoneheart from the IPC, and that speaks more than enough for me. For all I know, he could get me arrested or try to take Jarilo-VI into the IPC’s greedy hands. I don’t want anything to do with him.

About Topaz and Numby: I also don’t like her. All this campaign and for what? It’s not even a 100% guarantee that Belobog would’ve continued to thrive under the IPC’s care. If anything, if they got too advanced, they would’ve just nuked them. I just don’t like how she made everyone tip-toe. But I do admit her pet trotter is cute…

BONUS! About Oleg: He’s apparently some kind of legend in the Overworld, which was surprising but not surprising at the same time? I heard about him from Gepard, then asked Oleg himself. He told me a lot of stories from his heyday, and they never fail to impress me. It’s hard to believe that old man used to do that much back then, much less imagine it… But he has helped me train tons, so I suppose that tells me enough.

[lunarsilkscreen]

Counting Cards

Turns out, Casinos use reverse psychology to fake you out when you have advantage.

This was an accidental realization on my part; I won a couple hundred dollars at the cheap [BlackJack]{21} tables the only time I went to Las Vegas, and while one of them was a fluke; I Happened to be drunk on casino freebies, and sat down with a group I recognized, who told me to get lost after I won a couple of hands... Where they didn't... I'm sure they're still mad about that to this day....

I couldn't read the table at the time, but in hindsight; they were playing a strategy that required them to agree not to hit on dealer-17 (or lower) (because the dealer *must hit*) and so the odds are in the favor of the players to assume the dealer will draw 5+ especially if there are plenty 4(or less) on the table.

It's a simple strategy to consider in order to maximize table wins over dealer wins--this isn't a trick; it's just following the "odds card" in tandem. The odds card every casino gives you so you "play by the book" and have a basic understanding of the game.

Hitting less *also* means the deck is shuffled less; because overall less cards are drawn.

My two other wins; turns out, they will start telling you stories about people who "win it big" only to "lose it all" in order to discourage your bet and force you to rethink your strategy.

I heard this exact story twice in two days; was about a person that won the jackpot, quit his job, and then lost it all gambling; At the cheap seats. I'm not saying it's not a true story. I am saying they use it as a "suggestion".

<aside>Suggestion; meaning to implant an idea, change how you feel, change the mood, or general vibe Intentionally. But not technically in the players beat interest. Tho... Who you gonna believe when the casinos say they actively discourage players from gambling is in "their best interest"</aside>

At first; I thought this was strictly targeted at me personally. And it may be so that it was. However--I think that they use sociological techniques and story-telling in tandem with card counting in an attempt to adjust player behavior. (Poker Tales suggest that this is correct).

*AND* now with a pit boss and to review every betting cam, and use image recognition to count cards for you; I'd assume it's more prevalent.

You can assume that the "house" is counting cards, *and*, presently; using AI assisted tools to influence player behavior. Since you can assume the House is using these tactics; you can assume that they want to ensure you don't take advantage of the stack when it's in your favor to do so. And that "Suggestion" is used when they think it'll influence that specific player a certain way.

For me: both times; I ended up winning the hand, and the second time; I split twice times and won all.

<aside>A "split" is when you're dealt a pair, and then increase your bet to play two hands, one with each card. You're dealt two new cards, and you can split as often as you have a matching pair in a hand and the casino rules allow you to.</aside>

The only reason I split 10s twice; was because I heard the story before. Again; at this point I assumed that they just wanted me out, and I cannot disprove that theory.

The Dealer said "Well Played" and I did actually disengage from the table.

I don't really care for gambling; It's too easy to have a lot of fun losing money. 40$ here and there for several hours of fun (leave your debit card somewhere you won't want to whip it out) seems like a single day of fun. But you're *at* best likely to break even.

I mean, I probably did.

Edit; I just realized I didn't actually say the whole idea outloud. Basically; if you can assume they're counting cards, *and* trying to influence player behavior; the only thing you actually need to know is how they're trying to influence you as the player.

If it feels like they're trying to get you to leave the table; maybe it's because you smell like a vagrant. But maybe; it's because it's in their best interest to do so.

Think smarter, not harder.

[milkmaidovich]

15 questions, 15 mutuals

15 questions, 15 mutuals! tagged by @gardenerian. thaaaaaaaanks!

were you named after anyone? nope, my mom found my name in a book and went "sure"

when was the last time you cried? uh yesterday but it wasn't like full crying? anyway I was listening to Hozier's "Unknown" and it makes me all teary every single time and has since the stupid tiktok preview so

do you have kids? one (1) and that will be all.

do you use sarcasm a lot? nah. never. couldn't be me. it definitely hasn't affected my ability to gauge tone in text based conversations

whats the first thing you notice about people? hair, then shoes, then vibe because the first two can really influence the last one

what’s your eye color? green, baby

scary movies or happy endings? not-scary. They don't have to be happy endings, just well told stories and the endings need to make sense for the characters

any special talents? I'm a diy-bi and was born with the "how hard could it be?" gene so idk that its special talents so much as. an odd collection of weird skills

where were you born? Ventura, California

what are your hobbies? d&d, writing romance novels w/my bff, reading

have any pets? 3 cats and a dog!

what sports do you play/have you played? OH BOY well I irish danced for 15 years soooooooo

how tall are you? 5'3.5" (my fellow petites will know that yes the .5 is necessary)

favorite subject in school? history history history

dream job? TOO MANY I just want to do so many things but ummmm maybe a librarian???? idk I gotta figure it out so I can be a Grown Up In College soon

okaaaaaay tagging @mickeyheartian @suzy-queued @bawlbrayker @heymrspatel @harrowhark-a-vagrant @vintagelacerosette @gallawitchxx @such-a-barbarian @juliakayyy @rereadanon @imnotbrokenimme @fuckmefuckyoufuckallthis @stocious @mikhailoisbaby and anyone else who wants to play!

[circle-bircle]

any obscure games I can feel like a hipster playing? don't care if they're technically mediocre sometimes they vibe more that way.

sure here's a list of niche games (perhaps not obscure) i enjoy:

final fantasy 2 - obligatory rec; technically mediocre for sure and i guess you'll either feel like a hipster or a nerd and i think both are acceptable. please please please please please please etc etc

lufia 2 - as someone who has only played loz link's awakening this feels like that with jrpg fights. it is really good and the og is on my to-play list eventually but this game is just so fucking cool. plot is a little wack but whatever. music is really good too

suikoden - i personally like the first more than the second but both ps1 titles are really good - standard jrpg affair but i would consider them niche enough to put on a list here. i am sloooowly playing through the third game but i have enjoyed my time with it through the first few bits

legend of the dark witch - anime babe platformer. decent mix of easy and hard entries but i had a fun time with the series

terranigma - truthfully I haven't gotten very far into it but it is niche so could be worth your time nona

vagrant story - tbh I don't care for the plot but the gameplay is straight fire and sydney losstarot is very cool

legend of dragoon - BURNING RUSH... SPINNING CANE... MORE AND MORE.... COOOOOL BOOGIE... SUMMON FOUR GODS... etc etc. plot gets kind of wack in the later discs but holy FUCK is the gameplay so good.

etrian odyssey just in general - i had a fun time playing the fafnir knight; prolly best to google this series bc youtube can explain it better than i can

final fantasy tactics advance - not obscure but my favorite tactics game. it's a tactics game. not much more to say

ace combat - probably obscure to you if you're looking at my blog; but i really liked ace combat 2. if you enjoy plane shootey games it is good

if you like schlocky fanservice games lord of magna: maiden heaven is a fun romp with hot anime babes. twas little circle's awakening to the vast world of video games (outside pokémon and project diva) so it holds a special place in my heart. grant george voices the antag. so.... yeah

if you like mystery dungeon games i really enjoyed chocobo dungeon 2; the ffx-2 dungeon game I didn't really get into but it is niche

once i finally escape from Scholarly Hell for summer the next game i plan on playing is legend of legaia. truthfully it seems like xenogears with the combat system but i cannot tell whether it is better or worse but i will probably make a post about it in a few months

oh. you know what? play xenogears. play xenogears, nona. you should play xenogears.

or final fantasy 2. because it is good. at least if you squint really hard and tilt your head and squint a little more

[touloserlautrec]

Happy STS!

What’s your favorite bit of worldbuilding and what inspired it?

Hi there! Thanks for asking!

I think my favorite bit of world-building in Sunset is The Church. They're a group of religiously fanatical monster-hunting vagrants, and they're SUCH a stark contrast to the slick, corporate world of SolCorp.

They call themselves the Children of God, and they live in sort of run-down, gross homes that serve as way stations, lit with red lights (to preserve night vision) and constantly stinking of smoke. People wander in and out as they travel, and even though they're absolutely single-minded in their mission and pretty off-putting, they're also fiercely loyal, protective, driven, and have this unconditional love and hospitality that's unmatched. They call each other Brother or Sister or Sibling. Their homes may be temporary, but they're also called Sanctuaries because no matter who you are, you're safe there, no questions asked. I also love exploring their spirituality-- they're not dedicated to any one religion, but each member of The Church is deeply connected with their particular faith, which they know to be unquestionably real, whatever it is. It's really fun to write.

And the monsters they hunt-- whoof. Not quite vampires, not quite zombies, definitely cannibals, definitely horrible. The Church refers to them as Dogs. Here's a wee excerpt when someone asks them why (answered by two Catholics, but notably, not all members of the Church are Christian):

Warren answered without opening his eyes. “Revelations Twenty-two Fifteen, ‘Outside are the dogs; the wild unholy who devoured the dead.” Noah said, “Psalms Fifty-nine Six. ‘They return each evening, suffer the hunger of dogs, and prowl the streets.’”

The Church was inspired by a lot of things-- classic vampire hunting stories like Dracula and Van Helsing (and honestly, campier vampire hunting stories too, like Buffy or Vampires: Los Muertos-- even though it's definitely not the vibe, it's in my brain as part of the zeitgeist), White Wolf's Hunter: The Reckoning TTRPGs, various religious and spiritual texts, and Blood Plus, all immediately come to mind.

[caribbeanhobo]

The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Perfect Hobo Hat

The classic hobo hat captures carefree wanderlust and adventurous living. Its wide brims and loose style nod to vagrant ramblers riding the rails ages ago. Though originally utilitarian headgear for laborers and itinerant migrants, today the hobo hat makes a fashion statement embracing nonconformity. CaribbeanHobo.com offers a fabulous selection of hats repping island life for the modern hobo. Keep reading for an in-depth guide to finding the ideal hat fitting your personal style. Learn pro tips for choosing fabrics, sizes and custom details so your hat becomes a staple of your iconic island-hopping ensemble.

Consider Hat Fabrics

Hobo lifestyle hats come in a range of materials that balance aesthetics, breathability and durability. Straw options like raffia make ultra-lightweight statement hats perfect for beach settings and tropical climates. Straw breathes well, though offers less warmth and structural integrity over time than other fabrics. Felt or wool styles provide sturdier, shape-holding options in classic hobo looks. Canvas hat with a waterproof wax coating add weatherproofing. This guide focuses on selecting stylish hat shapes and embellishments, as CaribbeanHobo.com conveniently allows you to customize any design on your choice of fabrics.

Compare Styles: Fedora, Gambler or Flat-Brimmed

The floppy silhouettes of hobo hats encompass a few distinct crown and brim shapes. Classic fedora styles have indented crowns and slightly upturned brims. Gambler hats have flat tops and wide, down-turned brims. Flat-brim styles mimic baseball caps with horizontal tops and visors. CaribbeanHobo.com offers all three stylish shapes to match your personal vibes. Those wanting vintage throwback appeal might choose a rugged wool fedora, while beach bums may prefer a raffia gambler hat.

Size Your Hobo Hat Properly

Sizing your custom hobo hat prevents problems like headaches or looking overwhelmed. Measure the circumference of your head to determine ideal hat dimensions accounting for hair volume. Loose-fittinggambler and fedora hat styles Drape well slightly above or resting on your ears. Stiff canvas flat-brims should align with the top of ears without drooping too low over eyes. Tall crown heights help hats stay anchored on heads for adequate shade and rain protection. For folded storage while island hopping,consider sizing up. All CaribbeanHobo.com hat patterns include specific sizing instructions and size chart recommendations for a precision fit.

Pick Hat Colors and Patterns

What colors and prints make you feel most island adventurous? CaribbeanHobo.com offers hobo hats ranging from nautical navy styles to vibrant island floral designs. Customize ideal combinations of hat fabric and print patterns for your personal island vibe. Contrasting hatband ribbon colors also help designs pop. Or choose rich solids in ocean blues, island greens or sand hues. Prints showing palm trees, pineapple motifs or Caribbean flags inject region-appropriate looks.

Add Custom Details

Elevate basic hobo hats with thoughtful custom details that tell your travel story. Consider an engraved nameplate or sentimental patch sewn onto your hat’s side band. The crown offers space for embroidery signatures, island mantras or compass motifs to guide your journey. For globetrotters and digital nomads, customize a hat with collected destination pin badges marking past sites and future plans.

If wearing Hobo lifestyle hats to promote brands, products or causes, order custom logo patches added with reliable stitching. CaribbeanHobo.com makes it easy to integrate personalized touches onto any hat order. Get creative dreaming up unique embellishments aligned to your island identity. Then rest assured knowing expert in-house tailoring handles ornamenting your custom vagabond headgear.

Conclusion

Hopefully this guide brought you closer to discovering your perfect island wandering companion hat at caribbeanhobo.com. Their designs empower embodying the modern hobo ethos however you envision it, from vintage train hopper to backpack beach bum. What added touches will make your hat truly yours?

[lrussellconceptart]

Live brief: Horror

Research

Horror is not my thing in the slightest. If we are talking jump scares, intense music and horrific paranormal activity, you can find me under the pillow. However, I found out that horror is not all that. Yes that s what instantly comes to mind, but is not always the case. I started off with doing a mind map to truly find many forms of horror and what was deemed most popular and well known.

From this mind map I found it interesting what creatures were deemed horrific and terrifying. Interestingly, the Kelpie came up which gave me some comfort as I have already used the Kelpie as one of my projects main inspirations. I also found it interesting that one of my favourite TV-series 'Teen Wolf' was listed in the 100 best horror TV-series of all time on Rotten Tomatoes. This shows that 'Teen Wolf' was on the lighter side of horror and more of a teens drama horror, along with 'Vampire Diaries' and 'The Originals'. This made me think that not all horror is based on jump scares and absolutely horrifying the audience till they can't sleep at night. To get things started I just sketched up some silhouettes with ideas on some potential.

After receiving feedback on the sketches. The buffalo-type creature seemed to have the most potential. With a few ideas in place for its backstory I still wasn't fully vibing with the idea. After re-visiting the mind map I was going back to 'Teen Wolf'. In the show there is the character Parrish, who is a deputy in the police department. Under that human form is a vicious Hellhound. A Hellhound is a hound that is on fire and is immensely strong and resilient.

Hellhounds may resemble or have abilities related to fire in cultures where the afterlife is associated with fire. They frequently take on responsibilities relating to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as searching for missing souls or guarding a supernatural treasure, or to guard the gates to the land of the dead, such as cemeteries and burial grounds. In European folklore, encountering a hellhound or hearing it howl might be a fatal sign or possibly the direct cause of death.

'Teen Wolf' took a different spin on the traditional Hellhound with it being only human based for most of the series. We never get to see him as a full hound, however he is still very much a Hellhound. Bellow is what a traditional hellhound would roughly look like. There appear to be many forms in which people design the Hellhound, some molten and some with burning fur. This Hellhound designed by Jason Kang appears to be more Molten based with hard rock for the body and only flames along the head and spine. It appears that its home is around a volcano.

On the other hand this Hellhound is engulfed in flames and appears to be spreading fire upon sand and smoking out the air above it. Dave Allsop clearly wanted to exaggerate the hellish nature of the hound. This design would clearly bring hell to anywhere that it would go and would set it all ablaze. This design also leaves it open to interpretation on what the hound would look like if it was wet.

These creatures are also nicknamed the 'bearer of death'. Moving forward I will take inspiration from my research in beginning the sketched ideas for my own styled Hellhound.

References:

Image 3: Nephilim, B. (2017) Pin on catch me outside how about that, Pinterest. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/421649583849049102/ (Accessed: February 21, 2023).

Image 4: Kang, J. (no date) Akoum Hellhound, Art of Magic: the Gathering. Zendikar Rising. Available at: https://www.artofmtg.com/art/akoum-hellhound/ (Accessed: February 21, 2023).

Image 5: Allsop, D. (2008) Hell hound by Daveallsop on DeviantArt, by DaveAllsop on DeviantArt. Available at: https://www.deviantart.com/daveallsop/art/Hell-Hound-90931414 (Accessed: February 21, 2023).

Hellhound (vagrant story) (no date) Final Fantasy Wiki. Available at: https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Hellhound_(Vagrant_Story) (Accessed: February 21, 2023).