#vi as sole survivor

[misfits-of-zaun]

Me, going back down the rabbithole of thinking about a Fallout 4 AU with the Arcane characters:

[melpcmene-a]

Meet Ava, Sole Survivor. I might make her in Fallout 4 ( eventually ) but I feel she'll be strength-based and melee-based. Likely ( or eventually ) part of the Brotherhood. Seeking out her son, and had been in a same-sex marriage. But going with the events-- her wife is now dead, killed by Kellogg. ( As how events go. ) Ava plans on murdering that bastard. Make him suffer. She holds grudges and such right to her heart.

[sweetrevxnge]

Ghosts In The Snow

Chapter Seven

Pairing: Vampire!Kylo Ren x Reader AU

Summary: Six long years had passed under the reign of the First Order. The bitter winters grew longer, and as they did, hope faded from the hearts of the citizens of Hosnian Prime. As a lieutenant in the Resistance cavalry, it was your duty to nurture that ember of hope. After a mission takes an unexpected turn, you are taken prisoner by a commander in the First Order, a mysterious man with an insatiable appetite—for violence, power, and you. In the coming days, you must keep the spark of your own hope alive from the dark confines of the Commander's castle.

Warnings: sexual content, violence, blood kink, gore, mentions/descriptions of injury and death

*concurrently being published on AO3 and Wattpad as well!

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Spotify Playlist

Word count: 3.6k

Chapter-specific CW: torture (what fun!), period-typical sexism

A/N: the dead speak! lmao at least that's what it feels like coming back after an entire YEAR??? I kinda got sucked into playing 1,200+ hours of baldur's gate 3, romancing a certain vampiric elf time and time again, which gave me plenty of inspiration to continue this fic. I never meant to be gone for so long, so if you're still interested in this story, please let me know!

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What have you done?

To say that you were restless would be an understatement. The first order of business when you returned to your chambers was finding a safe place to store your stolen weapon, and now, hours later, you had yet to succeed. 

You paced the room, wearing holes in the soles of your slippers as you wondered if you had made the right decision. It was unlike you to have sticky fingers, but then again, these were unprecedented times. Boldness meant survival.

Above all, you feared Ren was privy to your thievery, despite his silence on the walk back to your chambers. The prick of blood seemed enough to distract him for a moment, or perhaps he was practiced in hiding his tells. Either way, the consequences of him knowing gnawed at your sanity.

Rey had tended the hearth while you were away, ensuring your chambers were kept warm and filled with the familiar scent of dry wood. Her diligence as a handmaid proved to be an unforeseen complication in hiding your contraband.

Instinct urged you to keep it close to your bed, but reason told you it would be found too easily there. Same with the lounges circling the hearth, whose velour cushions could conceal many things if asked to. Though a dagger lodged in one’s rear would raise many concerns, as well as promise unspeakable punishments to come.

For these reasons, you ultimately settled on the bookcase.

Towering in the corner was a collection of books and texts, dense enough to put even the most curious scholars to sleep. A perfect place to hide a dagger.

Dragging a footstool over as a makeshift ladder, you reached for a leather-bound book embossed with gold letters along its spine. Imperium Nunquam Fuit. Though written in Old Basic, you understood its meaning.

The Empire That Never Was. A phrase coined by Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin to describe the destruction of Alderaan during the Revolution. An unsavory way to speak about a fallen civilization—considering he was the man responsible.

You made quick work of hollowing the historical text, skimming the page you’d turned to before defacing it. This passage detailed the last of the Imperial attacks on Alderaan, near the end of the Rebellion. One of the more infamous sieges of the war, earning its place in history with a tithe of blood and destruction.

The lines of script told the story of how Imperial soldiers salted Alderaan’s lands and butchered the citizens—babes and crones included. The Empire was thorough, wiping out an entire civilization over a mere conspiracy. With few survivors, and even fewer successors, Alderaanian blood was a rarity. You supposed that was one of the many things that set General Organa apart from the rest.

Considering the contents, it was a book of little interest to the First Order—a perfect hiding place.

The point of your blade pierced the parchment with ease, as if slicing through a block of butter rather than a thousand-page text. Tragic as it was to ruin a book like this, what other choice did you have? Hosnian Prime’s Grand Archives likely stored dozens of copies; one locked away in the depths of the First Order’s fortress would not be missed.

The fit was snug, but it would do for now. As for the pages you’d carved out, they laid in a pile at your feet, a messy reminder that your room was not private.

You slammed the book shut and returned it, hurrying to clean the shreds of paper scattered across the red carpets. Despite your efforts, the fragments proved too difficult to clean with just your hands alone, forcing you to sweep them into your skirts.

As you carried the pieces to the hearth, a gentle knock sounded through the oak doors. “Gods,” you muttered as you rushed towards the fire, dumping the pages unceremoniously onto the crackling wood.

Another rap on the door.

“Just a moment, please!” It was impossible to hide the panic in your voice as you prodded at the withering pages with an iron poker. Time seemed to slow as you watched the flames engulf the ink, turning Alderaan’s history to ash once more.

“It’s me, my lady.” Muffled by the wood, Rey’s voice was barely audible over the fire, hissing with fresh fodder. If any good came from her being your visitor, it was her staunch etiquette. She would not barge in uninvited—unlike some of the castle’s residents.

Brushing the slivers of evidence from your gown, you opened the doors, mindful of the lingering ash in the hearth. “My apologies. I was…” You cleared your throat, smoothing out your skirts before finishing your lie. “Indecent.”

Demure as ever, Rey dropped her gaze as she curtseyed before you. “It’s no matter, my lady. I was sent to fetch you; the Supreme Leader requests your presence.”

The moment his name left her lips, cotton filled your mouth, forcing its way down your throat as you swallowed your fear. What reason would the Supreme Leader have to summon you—at this late hour, no less?

Your thoughts immediately turned to Commander Ren. Perhaps he had noticed your theft after all and reported your offence to Snoke. If that were true, you vowed to slice his throat first. 

“Did he give a reason?” you asked, trying to maintain your resolve.

Rey’s throat knocked in her slender neck. “He did not say.”

Part of you wanted to take the damned blade with you, but recklessness wouldn’t serve you. Though you did not recognize him as your ruler, you were not keen on adding treason to your ledger.

You sighed, coming to stand beside Rey at the door, shoulders pressed back and hands folded over your lap. “I’m surprised he didn’t send you with manacles.”

She said nothing, but the trace smile on her lips told you all that you needed to know. You couldn’t blame her for watching her tongue around you. Given what transpired last night, you would do the same in her position.

The two of you walked in near silence to the throne chambers, passing countless tall windows with panes stained a deep red, dark enough to block most light from entering. What little light did manage to seep through painted the halls crimson, giving the appearance of blood spilling over the floor.

The burned pages of text flashed in your mind.

Every step forward was committed to memory, including the number of paces between notable fixtures, as well as where each one stood in relation to your chambers. Still, there was no sign of an access point in this section of the castle. But your resolve did not falter. If there was a means of entry into this accursed fortress, there must also be a means of escape.

As you rounded the corner to another corridor, you glanced at your handmaid, noticing that her usual singular bun had evolved into three smaller ones, meeting the nape of her neck in a uniform line.

“You’ve changed your hair.” The observation came out as more of a question than a comment.

“Yes, my lady,” she said, delicate fingers reaching to touch the one near her collar. “An effort to be closer to the gods.”

You furrowed your brows. “How’s that?”

“As there are three of them, there are three knots. We servants are forbidden to worship openly, so we find other ways.” She closed her eyes for a moment, tilting her chin towards her chest. “Divine strength allows clarity of the mind.”

While you were not necessarily a pious woman, you were familiar enough with the gods from your upbringing to understand what she meant. As a child, you often prayed at your family’s shrine, asking for a bountiful harvest, good health, and, most of all, peace in the realm. For many years, they fulfilled your wishes. Now, your faith provided you with little comfort.

“Certainly,” you said, not wanting to discuss the subject any further. “Are we nearly there?”

“Just down this hall,” she said, her tone clipped. Either she was annoyed with the change of subject, or just as uneasy about seeing the Supreme Leader as you were.

True to her word, Rey came to a stop near the end of the corridor, leaving a short distance between you and the two looming oak doors, with iron enforcements woven into the grain and a guard posted on either side. Their faces were concealed by crimson veils, the signature regalia of the Praetorian Guard. Those tasked with protecting the ruler of these lands, whether they carried the title of Chancellor, Emperor, or Supreme Leader.

The warmth drained from your face at the sight.

“This is where I leave you, my lady.” Her face lacked its usual peachy hue, her freckles washed away by the candlelight. “The Supreme Leader does not allow us to enter these chambers, save for when he is passing judgment upon us.”

Standing before the faceless guards, you understood her unease.

“Will you be here to escort me back?” you asked, palms growing damp as you clutched the fabric of your gown.

“It is late. I must turn in for the evening.” She shifted her weight, eyes darting between you and the guards, whose presence seemed to loom over you from meters away. “Besides, I should think you do not require my assistance from this point.”

With that, she turned on her heels and retreated, her steps muted as she faded into the stretching darkness of the hallway. Turning to face the guards, dread settled in your stomach. Surely these warriors would not accompany you back to your chambers.

You studied them for a moment, the strategist in your mind seeking to understand what threat they posed. Both were tall and well-fed, given the size of their uniforms. The one to your left carried a bisento, while the other held a tall voulge, both equally unnerving. Their blades were pristine, foreign to combat. You wondered if the same could be said for those wielding them, too.

As if seeking to test your theory, they readied their weapons as you approached, each blade humming as it sliced through the air.

You came to a halt, the hair on the back of your neck now stiff. “I’ve been summoned by the Supreme Leader.”

The two remained poised to strike for a long moment before returning to their sentry state, offering one another a brisk nod as they pushed the heavy doors open, revealing the grand throne room. With tentative steps, you approached, pausing at the threshold.

Black marble columns lined the walkway to the throne, each manned by a knight of the Praetorian Guard, their crimson armor matching the First Order banners draped along the cobbled walls. Above the throne was the room’s sole window, with red stained panels filling the space between the spokes of the First Order insignia. Six steps carved of the same dark mineral as the columns led to the throne, lined with black velvet upholstery and a towering slate backing. Perched comfortably in the seat was Supreme Leader Snoke, draped in golden robes that flowed over his limbs like smelted ore, barely concealing the matching jewelry wrapped snugly around his fingers.

The paragon of humility.

He was joined by another: the fire-haired General Hux. His gaze snapped to you as the doors creaked open, beady eyes piercing you like darts from across the chamber.

“Ah, my guest of honor,” Snoke crooned, clasping his hands before his chest in delight. His tone fell icy as he turned to address the General. “Leave us.”

Confusion spread across his pale features as he turned to face Snoke once more. “But, Supreme Leader, there is still much to be discussed.”

“Perhaps I did not make myself clear. You are to leave these chambers at once, General Hux, or you will be removed.” Snoke’s gravelly voice rumbled through the hall with the force of a thousand footsteps, and reluctantly, Hux obeyed.

You watched the scene play out before you from the safety of the doorway, your feet rooted to the floor.

Snoke relaxed in his chair once more, beckoning you in with a hand gesture. “Please, come in, darling.”

Willing your feet to move, you did as he asked, eyes flitting between the Praetorian guard and the approaching General Hux, whose expression could only be described as irate as he brushed past you, black coat fluttering behind him.

Your heart was lodged in your throat as you neared the throne, feeling like a lamb being shepherded towards the maw of a lion. You stopped in line with the last of the guards before the Supreme Leader, leaving some distance still.

Snoke watched you with keen eyes, a stark contrast to his stoic front. “I do hope you are well, my dear. I can only imagine the days spent in anticipation of your wedding are agonizing.”

You frowned. “Is that why you summoned me? To ask me about my wedding?”

“Of course not. But pleasantries are the foundation of any proper conversation.” The humor fell from his voice. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, Supreme Leader.” The words left a sour taste in your mouth, like wine crafted from grapes plucked too early.

Satisfied, he settled back into his throne, resting his hands over the ornate armrests. “See? Deference needn’t be cumbersome.”

His mocking tone made your vision red, but you held your tongue. Invisible threads tied you to him and his guards, each one pulled taught in the silence. It would take nothing more than a misstep to cause one of them to snap.

He spoke again, this time with authority. “It has come to my attention that you are unaware of what is expected of you as a noblewoman.”

You let out a terse exhale. “I suppose I am. Perhaps that is because of the conditions under which I am becoming one.”

A thin smile curled on the Supreme Leader’s lips. “These are unprecedented times, lieutenant.”

The emphasis on your title made your skin crawl. Snoke was calculated, sadistic. With his power, he was untouchable. The red veils surrounding you served as a constant reminder of his invulnerability.

“Now, I am curious. How did you manage that?” he added, tilting his head in intrigue. “A commoner like yourself rising to the rank of a commanding officer is no easy feat—even more so for a woman.”

You narrowed your eyes. “I hardly see how this is relevant to my new status as a noblewoman.”

Despite your outward naivety, you knew too well what being a noblewoman would entail. You’d known from the moment your betrothal was announced. You were to be the docile wife of a commander, providing him an heir, a spare, and a warm bed whenever he pleased. Your military career would be swept away by the title of Lady Ren, all traces of your independence lost to time. You couldn’t think of anything less appealing.

“As a Lady of the First Order, you will be granted privileges seldom given to others, such as this.” Snoke motioned to the surrounding space, and you found yourself unable to decipher his meaning.

He isn’t referring to having an audience with the ruler of the realm as a privilege, is he?

He continued, “The safety of the castle. Our stronghold. You will be protected within its walls.”

Oh. Of course.

You suppressed a scoff. “I find that hard to believe, considering Commander Ren has attempted to strangle me twice over since my arrival.”

“I see,” he mused, pressing an index finger to his lips in thought. “My mercurial underling. If only his mind were half as quick as his temper.”

Somehow, your first instinct was to defend Commander Ren from his inflaming remark. While the Supreme Leader was correct about Ren’s temperament, he didn’t see the side of him that you saw—however infrequently it may have showed itself. There was a tenderness to him, fleeting in nature, like a luminescent star ripping through the night sky. You saw it in his eyes as he sat before your hearth, again when he laced your bodice.

Or perhaps what you felt was just the lingering effects of his charm.

Snoke’s rough voice broke your reverie. “Nevertheless, I’m sure Commander Ren had his reasons. Just as I’m sure whatever actions may have led to these outbursts will cease henceforth, won’t they?”

Before you could answer, a searing pain sliced through your skull, its barbed tendrils reaching into the deepest part of your consciousness. Every muscle in your body became succinctly rigid, frozen in place as an invisible force suspended you midair. You squeezed your eyes shut and tried to call out; for the gods, for your mother—even for Commander Ren.

“You will behave yourself, insolent girl, or you will be disposed of.”

Despite your efforts, no sound would come from your throat. An eternity seemed to pass as the Supreme Leader kept you trapped, holding your feet to the fire of his anger. Mustering every ounce of strength, you forced your chin down in agreement, hot tears distorting your vision.

Without moving a muscle, he relinquished his hold on you, your knees cracking against the marble floor in an instant. The violet fabric of your gown pooled around you like the blood of a slain enemy, collecting the tears that fell from your chin.

Before you could find your voice, the creak of wood and subsequent rustling of armor behind you swiped your attention. The guards had readied their weapons, aiming at something other than you.

You flinched as the doors slammed shut, followed by a heavy—yet quick—footfall.

“What is the meaning of this?” Commander Ren’s voice was biting, filled with untamed fury as he entered the grand hall. His cloak rippled behind him like the night sea, silver sword in hand as he marched forward.

You scurried backwards on your tender palms, caught between his rage and the throne. He drew closer, only stopping at the intersection of two of the guards’ blades.

“Commander Ren, what a welcome surprise,” Snoke crooned. “Your bride was just leaving.”

His eyes found yours in an instant—wild and dark. Silently, you pleaded for his cooperation. If he were to strike at the guard, your life would be forfeit.

Outnumbered by eight blades, he stowed his own. “What have you done?” he demanded.

Though he was looking at you, his question was directed at the man atop the throne, whose enthusiasm at his subordinate’s display was palpable.

“Nothing you have not already done yourself,” Snoke growled. With that, he stood to his feet and stepped down from his throne, closing the gap you’d deliberately left and standing over you. “See her back to her chambers, Commander.”

A snarl flashed across Ren’s face as he pushed past the guards and kneeled before you, extending a gloved hand for you. Though he was quiet, his eyes were heavy with guilt.

With legs like a new foal, you accepted his help, gripping his hand like a lifeline as you stood. “Thank you.” The words floated from your mouth, burning your throat as they passed through.

He only nodded in return, guiding you away from the chamber. Because of his intrusion, the outer guards were now sealed inside, allowing some privacy in the dimly lit hall.

Ren came to a halt, moving both of his cool hands to rest on your shoulders, inspecting you. “Are you hurt?”

Averting your eyes, you shook your head dismissively, ignoring how your knees seemed to rattle with every step.

He let out an amused hum. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Believe what you will, Commander,” you managed to say through your dry mouth. “I’m fine.”

At that, the two of you carried on in silence, meandering through the castle, passing knights and servants alike down each corridor. Ren’s emotion rolled off of him like heat from a flame, slowly dwindling the further you were from the throne room.

As your legs regained their strength, so did your voice. “How did you know I was in there?”

“Does that really matter?”

“I’d say so. For all I know, you’re the reason he summoned me in the first place,” you argued, head spinning as you tried to recognize your surroundings. Only when you realized these walls were unfamiliar did your pace falter. “Stop!”

He obeyed, meeting you where you stood. “What?”

“Answer me.”

He let out a terse breath. “No, I am not the reason he summoned you. Come, we can discuss this later.”

At that, he began his stride again, but you didn’t follow. “No. I will not take one more step. Not before I know where you are taking me, as it is clearly not my chambers.”

“I’m bringing you somewhere private,” he finally answered.

“Are my chambers not private enough?”

“By the gods,” he hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “As I’m sure you’re well aware, it is unbecoming of me to be seen entering your chambers before we are wed.”

You scoffed. “How pragmatic of you.”

Ignoring your comment, he continued, “After your encounter with the Supreme Leader, I think it’s best if we avoid unnecessary speculation—for your sake.”

You couldn’t argue with him. If Snoke was inclined to submit you to the rawest agony over the slightest display of defiance, you could only imagine what else he was capable of.

“Fine,” you conceded, seeing reason in his words. “But let it be known that my cooperation does not reflect my satisfaction with this decision.”

A smile ghosted over his lips. “I know.”

[cambionkami]

Arcane Season 2 Spoilers you've been warned!

I love the team's attention to detail shown in Arcane. Especially this scene here:

Here we have Caitlyn. Her face shows her trying to be strong and push aside her grief to do "what needs to be done." Her back is straight, and her head is held high. She is aware of the horrors that Jinx can do. Back in season 1 episode 4, she was the sole survivor of one of Jinx's attacks on Piltover, then again at the end of season 1, she was kidnapped and watched the very attack that killed her mother.

Caitlyn is aware of her role and the power she's both been given and earned, making her believe she is responsible for taking out Jinx. This is reinforced by her saying to her father in the first episode of season 2 "I had the shot". She holds onto that grief of knowing she was in the position to prevent what Jinx did, maybe if she had taken the shot her mother would've survived. Leading her to take charge and create a strike force to assassinate Jinx, both in duty to the people who died due to the many attacks and revenge for her mother.

Then you have Vi, who follows behind Caitlyn, to show both support for her and her actions. She wears the enforcer uniform and the gauntlets and is standing side by side with other enforcers to take down the threat. But her body language speaks the opposite, her eyes are adverted and darting downward, frowning with a slouch, the whole time she's shown here her head is down. Sure she feels awful for what Caitlyn's been through but is also facing the responsibility of what her sister, Jinx, has become.

Vi carries the weight of her sister's actions and believes it is her responsibility to stop Jinx from hurting anyone else, she's seen the damage her sister can do firsthand and is fully aware that it can get worse if no action is taken. Sure, she doesn't want to kill or bring harm to her sister, nobody does, she spent all of season 1 tracking her sister down to be with her family again. Up until meeting Caitlyn, Vi has been all alone, without her family, her parents are dead, her adoptive family is dead, and her sister is still out there.

These two characters are the two faces of the same coin. They've both lost family and stability in their lives and feel the responsibility of correcting the terrors Jinx has caused is theirs to face and neutralize. But a lot of their direction in how to go about dealing with the issue are the same thing these characters accuse Jinx of being.

Vi clings to hope, hope that Powder is still inside of Jinx, any reasoning to see her sister as the way she remembers her being. A mindset that is slowly breaking her as she witnesses the horrors "Powder" is unleashing on the innocent, affecting men, women and children alike. She wants to cling to the idea of her sister being there, but she slowly starts echoing the people around her. Ekko mentions how Powder is no longer there, how she "changed", this is also reinforced by Jinx herself, "Powder fell down a well".

Vi is adjusting to these new changes, learning about Jinx alongside with the audience. Her face, voice and body language are soft when she addresses her sister when she views her as "Powder". She wants to view her sister as what they were long ago, two kids, sisters, and family. Vi struggles with seeing the anger that is Jinx bubbling to the surface in her sister and when it comes to the confrontation in Season 2 Episode 3, she is fully aware she is unable to do the job of killing her sister. Looking for someone else to do the job for her or any excuse to avoid the task.

We see in the same episode that she turns her back to allow Caitlyn to take the shot for her, apologising as she closes her eyes. She knows there's no undo button for what Jinx has done and knows the only resolution to the battle is her sister's head. There is no more reasoning, no more bargaining, and no more begging, what's done is done. Vi is in complete turmoil over her sister knowing that even though she's just gotten her back that she will soon have to say goodbye to her.

So we jump to later that same conflict, she's pinned down Jinx, and vi has won in securing the threat to neutralize for the greater good. But when Isha runs up, with a gun in hand, blocking Vi from stopping Jinx, she freezes in place. There is nothing really stopping Vi from disarming Isha and/or removing Isha from Jinx to secure a better shot. Even extending this excuse to Caitlyn, jumping in front of the shot to interfere with the 'shot'.

Vi grew up being the role model for her 3 younger siblings, a major influence in guiding people down the correct or incorrect path. She grew up with people following her lead and is now blocking Caitlyn from completing their mission. Vi only wants to help Caitlyn do what's right but also wants to protect what's left of her remaining family unintentionally.

Sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?

Caitlyn on the other hand is in complete turmoil over the grief of her mother's death, knowing she could've prevented it had she gone down and taken a different path. She grows distant and isolated in her grief as if disconnecting from her reality to best hide the pain she is suffering from as we see in season 2 episode 1. In season 1, she echoes a similar belief that her mother held, "the people of the underground deserve to breathe", this line can be taken both literally and metaphorically for the story and its symbolism. But with the death of her mother, this idea also dies in Caitlyn, voicing her views on them as "animals" with a bite to her words. In the very scene she says this, she bares her teeth, much like an animal would. Voicing her growing rage.

She believes she's at fault, and with the fact that she had the shot back at the end of season 1, she could've ended the madness Jinx unleashes. This drives Caitlyn through her grief in an attempt to 'fix' what has been broken and correct the wrongs that have been brought into her world. She knows Jinx will only take more lives if her abuse is left unchecked, many men, women and children count on Caitlyn to take the next shot as quickly and swiftly as possible. This leads to her conflict with Vi and Isha in episode 3.

She wants to take the shot, to neutralize Jinx, to secure the threat and eliminate it for good. In her mind, it would prevent any more terrors and stop the growing threat of war.

When Isha jumps onto Jinx and holds her close, Caitlyn attempts to take the shot, she is narrowed in on securing the death of Jinx, and she doesn't care that there might be the risk of hitting Isha or Vi. After all, the death of a few here in this fight might prevent the deaths of thousands. She wants to protect what's left of her family and destroy everything that is Jinx.

When Caitlyn is unsuccessful in assassinating Jinx yet again, it explains easier why Ambessa was easily able to single out and recruit Cait to lead in Marshal Law over Piltover and ride into Zaun to the drums of war. Caitlyn needs Jinx dead, she will not stop unless something breaks her current driving force, which is grief. She wants peace after all, which is what will aid her in justifying her actions and doing what she believes is the right thing to do.

Caitlyn is becoming the very threat she accuses the Zaunites and Jinx of being, as in war there will always be the innocent that are caught in the cross fire.

[numberonefyodorfan]

I hate arcane. I hate arcane. I hate arcane. I hate arcane. I hate arcane. Vi lost her only remaining family. She's the sole survivor of her family. I hate arcane. I hate arcane. Mel lost her lover, her friend good God. I hate arcane. I hate arcane. I hate arcane.

[avenger09]

Code Eikon: FFXVI/Code Geass Crossover

Many things have decided the course of history, Ambition, Will, Love. But none more so then the that the Dominates, individuals gifted godlike power and able to transform into avatars.

Through their coveted power, nations have risen and fallen, as have those who wielded them.

Once many, now only eight are publicly known:

Pheonix, Dominate of Fire

Garuda, Dominate of Wind

Titan, Dominate of Earth

Ramuh, Dominate of Lightning

Shiva, Dominate of Ice

Leviathen, Dominate of Water

Bahamut, Dominate of Light

Odin, Dominate of Darkness

All others are remembered only in the annals of history, with Leviathen being the most recent to number among these lost eikon's, its dominate vanishing in a fierce battle with Shiva over the Bering Strait a century past. Yet hope remains by those who belive that these lost simple lay await for one's worthy of their blessings.

But as these giants quaked the earth with their presence, another power, known to only a few has coexisted in the shadows, veiled by its subtle graces, the power of Geass.

Tied to influencing the minds of men, save for those of the Dominates, it's proven eqully a blessing and a curse. Should one ever hold the power of both, there is to telling what upheaval will be unleashed. Could such a person save the world, or usher its ruin?

----

Nations

Britannia - Eikon: Bahamut (Formerly: Knights of the Round)

An ever expanding nation, ruled by the Britannia royal family. Once able to call upon the spirit of the orignal Knights of the Round Table to fight in battle as host to the spirit of King Arthur himself by becoming a holy Paladin, however this power vanished from the Britannia bloodline when Charles Vi Britannia ascended the throne and began is imperialistic conquests.

It is clear to all, including Empeor himself, that those whom Britannia claim heritage to do not condone Britnania's self appointed reign over the world, but none dare speak this aloud for fear of losing face. Undeterred, Britannia instead makes use of the House Lesage, cousins to the royals, and dominates of Bahamut, the current being the beloved and courageous Prince Dion whose wings and flight of loyal dragoons, are a joyous sight to behold by Britannia forces, and dreaded by her enemies.

European Republic - Eikon: Titan

A conglomerate of nations and corporations bounded together by the promise of mutual gain and resistance against Britannia, the most powerful being DhalmekiCorp owned and headed by the Dominate of Titan, Hugo Kupka.

Though shrewd minded enough to leverage his influence as an invaluable asset, Hugo's infamous temper and the tremendous strength of Titan he wields is the true reason his word is often considered law among the European Council.

Rosaria (Annexed) - Eikon: Pheonix 

For years Rosaria stood as the sole nation able to resist Britannia on its own soil, by the grace of the Pheonix and the guile of the Rosfield line, they acted as a buffer between the bulk of the Imperial War machine and resource rich lands of its northern neighbor, fostering a strong fraternal alliance between the country's.

All this came to end sadly, when during a pilgrimage to the sacred site of Pheonix Gate the Duke and his loyal retinue came under attack by turncoats and Britannian black ops, in a traitorous plot engineered by the Duke''s own wife, Annabella, to gain favor with Britannia by returning them lands seceded.

During the fighting the Duke's two son's, Clive and the young Joshua, went missing, with the Duke Elwin found dead from gunshot wounds in his car a short distance from Pheonix Gate, the prevailing theory being that Joshua had primed for the first time during a failed getaway attempt with his father, only for his sickly body to become consumed by the power of the firebird, leaving no trace. However, despite the efforts of Britannia information suppression following Rosaria's annexation, survivor's of that terrible ordeal have been able to circulate that a second Eikon's flames may have burned that night, and that its dominant, along with the Rosfield's loyal canine Torgal, were seen being carried to parts unknown by a man in purple garb.

Silverplaine (Annexed) - Eikon: Shiva 

A land rich in natural splendour and resources. Long an ally to its neighbour Rosaria, the commonwealth and the duchy have held each other in high regard, safeguarding the other from the covetous eye of Britannia.

Japan (Annexed) - Eikon: Leviathen (Lost) 

A nation with a storied history, Japan's past is rife with various conflicts as warring factionsz sought to guide it's destiny, however upon the openingg of its borders Japan united as never before when it beheld the various powers which threatened to swallow the island whole.

Modernising at a rapid rate, Japan sought to secure it's position on the world stage as a force to be reckoned with by seeking dominion over the Pacific, it's impressive navy and air force, flaked by the dominate of water, Leviathen, seemingly invincible as it expanded across the waves. However these aspirations were literally forzen in their tracks when Japan's military excursions into the northern territories protected by the Silverplaine Commonwealth brought the attention of the Frost Maiden, Shiva herself, who sealed the Lord of the Depths beneath the very waves they commanded.

Without Leviathen, Japan retreated back into a period of isolationism, but as superpowers such as the Chinese Federation, and the European Republic began to arise, the nation switched tactics once more, hoping to secure it's independence by foster of stronger diplomatic ties with foreign powers such as Britannia,  which seemed promising initially, with the Emperor giving two of his own children, the Prince and Princess Leuloch and Nannaly, as ward's of the Japanese prime minister. Tragically this proved but a ploy, with Britannia invading and annexing the island with its new knightmare frames in a swift and brutal war which seemingly claimed the lives of the young Prince and Princess as victims in the crossfire.

Now Japan is a nation occupied, its people denied even the dignity of a name, save the designation of Area 11, as various factions arising to resist their conquerors even seven years since their  official surrender, from remnants of the army, to youths continuing the fight their elders began, with little success against the substantially more advanced occupying forces. But a unifying factor may yet deliver salvation from this tyranny, even from an unexpected source, while others yet cling to the hope of Leviathen's resurgence to enact vengeance in Japan's name, needless of the danger that such hatred filled tides may drown them along with their foes.

Waloed - Eikon: Odin and Garuda 

A rising superpower orignating from Scandinavia, for the last fifty years Waloed has steadily grown into a nation to be reckoned with under the rule of Barnabus Tharmr, who seized control of his homeland when his powers as the dominant of Odin manifested. Renown throughout the world as the "Last King" for being the only remaining monarch still recognized outside of Britannia, Barnabus has successfully beaten back every foe he's faced, with not even the most advanced knightmare frame being a match for the Warden of Darkness on the field.

While their initial expansion made them an opponent of the European Republic, Tharm was able to form a tentative peace with them when the Chinese Federation siezed the opportunity to take control of the E.R's Eureasan territory when Barnabus' campaign began, in exchange for acting as a buffer between the two powers.

Though its clear to all the Republic now regrets this bargian, having underestimated the amount of territory that Waloed had the abiltiy to hold once the Federal forces were evicted. Now they must tread carefully less Odin's eye again turns to their borders. But Odin alone is not their only advantage, for the last few decades Barnabus has sought out Dominates seemingly for the purpose of bringing them under his command and securing his kingdoms position, rather then eliminate rivals as others have done in the past, and while this objective has had a setback when the dominant of Ramuh split from Waloed, the dominant of Garuda, Benedikta Harman remains steadfast as the head of the Waloed Intelligence Bureau, who rumour had it continues to hunt for her former mentor across the globe. While Britannia had in the past been content in ignoring Waloed as a potential rival, that soon changed when Britannia sought to contest their  ownership of Iceland, marking the first official engagement between the two powers.

However Britannia is reluctant to escalate the conflict beyond skirmishe with the majority of their forces still engaged with the European Republic, all the same it led to a spectacular event for the opposing armies when word of Prince Dion joining the fight prompted a appearance from Barnabus himself, the Eikons of Light and Darkness clashing in the skies above Iceland soon after, the island yet remains in dispute.

What many subject is truly given Britannia pause is the existence of two massive submersible vessels capable of launching powerful burst missiles, as well as drone support, which guard the nation, preventing any large scale air or sea assaults, the only means that Britannia would have of reaching Waloed territory. Indeed so long as the Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi remain operational, any hope of challenging Waloed directly will remain out of reach. 

[inquisitormanatee]

"You just went white as a sheet." 👀

"You just went white as a sheet" - I'm gonna change it up a bit cause reasons 🙃 I also don't know how known it is but it probably is out there cause I yap about it a lot but Revas is a Lavellan that is the sole (so far and besides Syl'tal) survivor of the Lavellan Clan after it was wiped out during Inquisition.

Revas stared at Viago, his mouth hung slightly open as he repeated the words in his head over and over. They weren't words he thought he'd ever hear but that was his fault, everyone can be told this. Just because he was taken under Viago's wing doesn't mean he was safe from consequences.

"You are stripped of your title as a Crow until you prove to me that you've earned it back."

Revas snapped his mouth shut when it registered that Viago had expected him to respond. But what would he say that was appropriate? He didn't agree with the call but who was he to decide it? He wanted to argue and shout but what help would that provide?

Revas looked away with a clenched jaw and only nodded before he turned to leave. He didn't make it far before he nearly bumped into Teia. She was going to make some quick comment about Revas not being aware of his surroundings but the words fell short on her tongue when she looked him over.

Her voice was gentler than he wanted it to be, pity dripped into each word, "you are white as a sheet. What did Vi tell you?"

Revas's brows pinched together in frustration but he kept the sharp words to himself. She'd know, why was she acting like she didn't? He stood there for a few seconds before he took a breath and gave a slight shrug, "it looks like I've lost my second home."

[ao3feed-piltovers-finest]

Our Love

by Ma_Meilleure_Ennemie

No matter how many years passed after the war, the guilt and loss never subsided. The memories of the family and friends they lost remained ever-present in their lives, and the guilt of being one of the sole survivors didn’t help.

OR, Piltover's finest got what they wished for—as Janna grants them a chance to go back in time, with the memories of everything yet to come. Can they rewrite their fate and finally achieve the happy ending they’ve longed for? And will their love endure the trials of this dramatic shift in time?

Words: 2772, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F

Characters: Vi (League of Legends), Caitlyn (League of Legends), Jinx (League of Legends), Vander (League of Legends), Ekko (League of Legends), Mylo (Arcane: League of Legends), Claggor (Arcane: League of Legends), Grayson (Arcane: League of Legends), Silco (Arcane: League of Legends), Viktor (League of Legends), Jayce (League of Legends), Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends), Cassandra Kiramman

Relationships: Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)

Additional Tags: Jinx Goes by Powder (League of Legends), Time Travel Fix-It, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Teenage Vi (League of Legends), Teenage Caitlyn (League of Legends), Canon Rewrite, Caitlyn and Vi are in Love (League of Legends), Good Sibling Vi (League of Legends)

Read on A03. from AO3 works tagged ‘Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)’

[monowires]

Big profile textpost about my personal canon Shepard! There is a Lot of stuff under the readmore (I added the readmore so that y'all don't have to scroll 3,000ft to get past my post), just warning you.

COMMANDER JOHN SHEPARD

PRONOUNS: he/him | SEXUALITY: Gay | BIRTHDAY: April 11, 2154

AGE: 29 (ME1), 31 (ME2), 32 (ME3)

ORIGIN: Earthborn | BACKGROUND: Sole Survivor | CLASS: Adept

COMBAT ROLE: Long-Range Offensive Support

WEAPON SPECIALIZATIONS: Sniper Rifles (Primary), Assault Rifles & Handguns (Secondary)

DOES NOT USE: SMGs, Shotguns

BIOTIC SKILLS (ITALICIZED = MOST USED; BOLD = MOST PROFICIENT): Backlash, Barrier, Cluster Grenade, Flare, Lash, Pull, Reave, Shockwave, Singularity, Slam, Throw, Warp

NOTE 1: Backlash is a ME:A exclusive skill, but I like it so much (and am somewhat salty about it not being in the trilogy), so in my canon, Shepard knows this skill. I also felt it was unrealistic to confine him to 8 skills; while this is a gameplay mechanic, canonically there technically wouldn't be a limit on skills he can learn.

NOTE 2: He is also capable of deploying a spherical biotic shield (much like the ones deployed by asari, or by Cora in the beginning of ME:A). Because his specialization is long-range offense rather than defense, this exhausts him relatively quickly; it is something he only discovers via protecting his squad in a situation that would've otherwise killed them.

Shepard's combat style differs from that of a Vanguard or even most Adepts in that he prefers to maintain distance. He occupies a support-esque offensive role, backing his squad with sniper fire while deploying his biotics from range. Having trained for many years (both in- and outside of the N7 program), he has a refined control over his biotics and thus is capable of devastating the enemy with biotics regardless of the space between them. His most often used combat method is to deploy a Singularity field from range before picking them off with his sniper rifle.

Originally, Shepard was outfitted with L3 implants. During the Lazarus project, he was equipped with L5x implants. This upgrade allowed him to expand his arsenal of biotic skills. Though he lacked access to Alliance training facilities, he trained himself in these new skills with help from the many biotics aboard the SR-2. It was after his revival that he learned the skills Flare, Reave, and Slam.

MASS EFFECT 1 SPECIFICS:

MORALITY (BEGINNING OF GAME): Paragon (roughly 90% paragon, 10% renegade).

MORALITY (END OF GAME): Paragon (roughly 80% paragon, 20% renegade).

COMBAT DISPOSITION: Pacifist; violently capable, but often disinclined to engage in combat unless given no other choice.

GENERAL DISPOSITION: Though not optimistic to the point of ignorance, Shepard has a relatively bright outlook on his future. He has finally crawled out of the shadow of Akuze and reestablished his footing serving as Lieutenant-Commander on the Normandy SR-1. Though the images given to him by the Prothean beacon leave him troubled, it is more of a motivator than anything; Akuze left him without a sense of purpose, and stopping Saren/the Reapers allows him to have a central focus again.

He does, however, have a ruthless side, holding the mentality that sometimes the only way to get rid of a problem is to get rid of it.

RELATIONSHIPS: Shepard establishes a casual friendship with all of his crew; he does not consider himself a social person, though, and often avoids close relationships. Early on, he does develop a small crush on Kaidan, though it's more of a "wow, he's good looking" than anything else. He becomes close friends with him, growing to trust him outside of their Alliance-related relationship. Though his feelings deepen, both regulations and fear of rejection prevent him from ever acting upon them, and he is content to just be friends.

MAJOR CHOICES:

Recruited all potential companions/allies.

Saved the entire colony on Feros.

Released the Rachni Queen on Noveria.

Spared Balak on X-57.

Talked Wrex down on Virmire.

Saved Kaidan on Virmire.

Kept Kirrahe alive on Virmire.

Told Saren that Sovereign would betray him, avoiding the first half of his boss fight.

Saved the Council.

Chose Anderson as humanity's representative.

LESSER CHOICES:

Killed Fist himself.

Saved Rita's sister.

Intimidated Helena Blake into disbanding her gang.

Disabled the Rogue VI on Earth's Moon.

Hung up on the Council only once, after being challenged/taunted for saving the Feros colony.

Chose Renegade options in Garrus's dialogues.

Gave Tali the Geth data.

Recovered Wrex's family armor.

Completed all smaller assignments (i.e. the collection assignments or smaller tasks pertaining to NPCs).

MASS EFFECT 2 SPECIFICS:

MORALITY (BEGINNING OF GAME): Paragade (roughly 65% paragon, 35% renegade).

MORALITY (END OF GAME): Paragade (roughly 75% paragon, 25% renegade).

COMBAT DISPOSITION: Abrasive; prefers to shoot first, but does not stand for needless violence.

GENERAL DISPOSITION: Working with Cerberus leaves him distrustful, especially after having learned of their involvement with the Akuze disaster. He adopts a pessimistic/realistic viewpoint which contributes to the worsening of his scars. He is a bit more ruthless, often intimidating and/or harming people if they don't give him what he needs (though he doesn't behave violently towards civilians). He is still tethered to his own moral code, but has experienced a drastic upheaval in that he has been stripped of the Alliance identity he's maintained for the past 11 years.

He also somewhat blames himself for the destruction of the SR-1, a fact that is only worsened as the game progresses, since it's shown that Harbinger has a direct interest in him. This causes him to adopt a mindset wherein he feels that the only way to keep his crew safe is by eliminating threats at their source. Because of this, he will often seek revenge and/or refuse to show mercy to his enemies (unless taking revenge would endanger civilians/innocent people, in which case he relents, though it does stress him out to do so).

He has a more positive outlook towards the end of the game, though, when he manages to free himself of the Illusive Man's influence and reminds himself of who he is.

RELATIONSHIPS: Though wounded by Kaidan's distrust on Horizon, he does understand it. However, due to working with Cerberus, he is generally distrustful towards people and thus does not establish a solid support system as he did before. His friendship deepens with both Garrus and Joker, and he finds new friends in Kasumi, Samara, and Thane.

MAJOR CHOICES:

Recruited all potential companions/allies.

Completed all loyalty missions successfully.

Maintained cooperation between all companions.

Installed all Normandy upgrades (aside from the Med-Bay upgrade).

Saved Maelon's data.

Destroyed the Geth heretics.

Saved the entire SR-2 crew from the Collectors.

Destroyed the Collector Base.

Everyone survived the suicide mission.

LESSER CHOICES:

Completed all DLC/lesser assignments.

Sent David to Grissom Academy.

Let Veetor go with Tali.

Got Kal'Reegar to stand down.

Set the memorial at the SR-1 crash site.

MASS EFFECT 3 SPECIFICS:

MORALITY (BEGINNING OF GAME): Paragade (roughly 75% paragon, 25% renegade).

MORALITY (END OF GAME): Renegon (roughly 20% paragon, 80% renegade).

COMBAT DISPOSITION: Violent; shows no weakness or mercy, especially with Cerberus. Does his best to avoid civilian casualties but acknowledges them as often being unavoidable.

GENERAL DISPOSITION: The invasion of the Reapers despite his warnings causes Shepard a great deal of stress. Dealing with his stresses alone while also having his worst fears realized causes him to become more abrasive. As the war progresses, his patience grows thinner and thinner, especially as the expectations placed upon him seem to only grow in magnitude. Hardened by the obvious fact that his word only matters when it conveniences others, he adopts a colder personality. He detaches himself from the war, unable to psychologically handle the stress otherwise, and views things in black and white.

However, he is not evil, and is in fact often overburdened with his own sense of empathy and responsibility. The major shift in his psyche occurs on Thessia, as he holds himself completely responsible for the deaths after his defeat—both on and off the planet. After this defeat, his taste for revenge which began in ME2 grows stronger, as he knows that the only way to truly put things to rest between himself and Kai Leng would be to kill him.

He struggles with his morality, too, as combat inevitably becomes his only outlet; this subsequently causes a subconscious inclination towards violence, as it is one of his only methods of release. He is prone to violent reactions in the face of adversaries, though he does not act without thought (with the exception of the Omega DLC, where he restarted the reactor without hesitation despite the consequences; this was because he refused to allow Cerberus to try and get the upper hand on him again by manipulating his qualities).

NOTE: It's important that I emphasize his shift towards Renegade is a direct result of his traumas/their aftermath. He is not by any means intended to be a "cruel for the sake of it" kind of charcter.

RELATIONSHIPS: Despite his inner turmoil, Shepard actually develops closer relationships over the course of the war, partially because he recognizes that he may never otherwise get the chance. His closest friends are Garrus, Joker, and EDI. He initiates a romantic relationship with Kaidan, which is maintained even after the game's ending.

MAJOR CHOICES:

Chose Paragon options in the conversations with Kaidan on Mars; automatically had his trust by the end of Priority: Citadel (II).

Revealed the Shroud sabotage to Eve and Wrex.

Disabled the Geth fighter squadrons.

Saved Admiral Koris.

Brokered peace between the Geth and the Quarians.

Saved the Rachni Queen a second time.

Achieved the Destroy Ending with necessary TMS to get the bonus scene, thus confirming his survival.

LESSER CHOICES:

Rescued Grissom Academy's students.

Saved Samara on Lesuss.

Killed both his clone and Brooks in the Citadel DLC.

Held a revenge-driven/hostile attitude during the Omega DLC.

Restarted the reactor (Renegade interrupt) during the Omega DLC.

[fortunegambled]

this list of luxord's thoughts (and feelings, if we dare to be so bold) of his fellow members of organization xiii is not in a rigid order. generally, i do have those he likes more towards the top (with the four memorialized in the gambler nobodies at the very top, of course) and those he likes least towards the bottom — although there are some complicated situations and this is not a wholly linear list.

larxene - xii - the hanged man : what a remarkable woman, isn't she? while luxord often (and vocally) does not support her constant and open antagonizing of some of the other members and has been known to intervene to at least put a hold on whatever is happening, he's also been known to hang out and bitch with her. he can't help but admire her spark and wit, and he'll say as much. there is a fair share of platonic flirting from him in her direction.

marluxia - xi - justice : similar to larxene, luxord finds marluxia fun to be around. they tend to enable each other when it comes to using words that make others have to think about what they're saying, and they can usually exist on a fairly similar wavelength. that said, they never got to know each other well, with marluxia's time in the organization being so short-lived.

vexen - iv - the emperor : it's difficult for luxord to see eye-to-eye with vexen in some regards, as very basic aspects of their personalities clash... and yet he's fond of vexen and the banter those differences necessitate. he's challenging, and luxord does enjoy a challenge. there is some flirting in vexen's direction, although it isn't as obvious as it could be.

lexaeus - v - the hierophant : these two exist on a similar wavelength, but in the opposite direction of luxord's camaraderie with marluxia; these two can simply exist around each other in a very calm way, with only minimal chatter... and it doesn't get awkward. they simply are.

xigbar - ii - the high priestess : xigbar... is a complicated one. on one hand, xigbar is one of luxord's favorites to be around for a myriad of reasons. on the other hand, he doesn't trust xigbar — which is something partly due to his status as number ii, and partly due to something about him setting luxord on-edge at times. that said, xigbar is the other one luxord will flirt with. such is life.

demyx - ix - the hermit : i hesitate to say that he likes demyx beyond finding him to be amusing at times, but he does defend demyx nonetheless. there is definitely more solidarity once they're the only "new members" of no import left behind once the castle oblivion crew fails to return.

roxas - xiii - death : as he says, he envies the children. that said... his interactions with roxas leave something to be desired. he's a rather dense child, and that's something luxord finds difficult to deal with. his own difficulty engaging aside, he sincerely wants the best for roxas.

xion - xiv - temperance : oh, xion... he never gets to spend much time with her, so most of his feelings (forgetting aside) are like those of roxas. but know that he would like her more than him in the present if they all hung out.

axel - viii - strength : luxord calls axel a grifter till the end, and it's delivered with a fond tone, but it isn't a fond word — and that dichotomy perfectly summarizes his feelings on axel. he finds him fun to be around, and he'll gladly spend casual time with him... but he does not trust axel, and that lack of trust only becomes more apparent when axel is the sole survivor of castle oblivion.

zexion - vi - the lovers : he does not trust zexion, but he also pities him. luxord's smart enough to do the math and knows that zexion was young when this all started, and something about that doesn't settle right. but there's also nothing he can do about it, so all he can do is sit back and mind his distance.

saïx - vii - the chariot : similar to zexion, honestly, but a bit more begrudging. this is particularly ironic due to the plot of khiii, but luxord is unaware of that entire scheme. as it stands in his awareness, saïx is not someone to trust due to his tendency to curry favor of xemnas.

xemnas - i - the magician : xemnas is the biggest question mark to luxord. he lacks the reverence and fear most other members have for the superior, but that does not make them friendly. xemnas is his boss, nothing more — and not a boss he particularly cares for, at that.

xaldin - iii - the empress : something about xaldin... they just do not click, but not in a fun way. xaldin's incredibly divorced energy just does something to luxord that isn't particularly pleasant, and add that to the way that xaldin seems to lean into nobodies not existing as a hard rule in speech like metaphors and wordplay do not exist...

[havendance]

6 10 27

6. Favorite title you used

I really love Batman for Dummies for being fun, but since that one I started last year, let's go with Neither Heir nor Spare (The Sole Survivor) for capturing the vibe.

10. What work was the quickest to write?

Probably one of the drabbles, let's say Fathers.

27. What do you listen to while writing?

I listen to a lot of instrumental music! This year I've got a playlist of mostly music from Final Fantasy VI that I've been listening to a lot.

[kleinewahines]

V: Orthrus (i'm being lazy again)

Mass Effect Verse

Vi Commander Vi Shepard. Colonist, sole survivor. Soldier. No biotics to speak of and doesn't want them. Actually really fucking hates being around biotics due to an event early in her military career (commiserating with Vega on this is a huge source of comfort for Vi). 'Lost' Powder on Mindoir.

Micah Tasked with helping those who left Cerberus for whatever reason, she makes sure everyone's health is on the up and up. Because of her neurology training, she helps the almost Indoctrinated the most. Is involved only slightly in the Crucible Project, if only because there isn't much cause for a neuropathologist on such an engineering project. She is just meant to track peoples' neurology to search for any Indoctrinated saboteurs.

Jessie Biotic and loving it. She stole the latest amp coming out of the company she works for and nobody knows it and she lies on all her forms about which amp she has. Ostensibly is only in biotic research anyway, has no contract or contact with the Alliance. As with Micah, no work with the Crucible.

Kath N7 Marine a few years before either Leng or Shepard were in the program but after the First Contact War. During an assignment, was exposed to demozane in an explosion which broke a number of bones from the chest down. Is technically retired now but does work security for the Crucible Project.

[matrotas-muse-hub]

Potential Muses - Part Two

Continued from here, same deal as before. I’ve listed eight more muses below the cut, muses which are not officially part of this blog but may end up on here at some point. If there’s any interest in knowing more about them or starting a thread, hmu!

Lionel / Guardian - Lionel was originally a tool - nothing but a shield for a faction called V’aarn Athil, a radical sect of psychics who fought the void’s encroachment on the material plane. After his base was wiped out, he lost his memory and was found by a farmer. When he instinctually used his psychic powers to heal the farmer during a prayer, the farmer mistakenly assumed Lionel had been blessed by the god of light, and had become a paladin. Lionel, not knowing any better, became a follower of the light god. He travels the world seeking to help others using psychic powers he believes to be divine.

Ren’dalar Eventide (art by filibusterfrog​) - A shadar-kai swiftblade who died trying to stop a mad wizard from completing an ascension ritual to transform himself into a dragon. The ritual went haywire, trapping the mad wizard - now a dragon - and Ren’dalar in an endless cycle of reincarnation. The two have been fighting and killing one another for thousands of years.

Rob Wylde - A human sellsword who spent many years as a bandit. After killing some adventurers in a brutal conflict alongside the remnants of his old band, Rob, the sole survivor, finished the adventurer’s contract in hopes to cash in on their quest. He was scouted by some other adventurers when he showed up at the guild and, with no bandit troupe to return to, he decided to try the life of a “legal” mercenary.

Sir Rowan Adelard - A knight by social class alone, Sir Rowan Adelard is a skilled warrior who uses feints and sleight of hand to get the upper hand in combat, a man with little aversion to “fighting dirty.” He is a staunch defender of the people, and some rumors say he even has ties to a rogueish syndicate. But that would be preposterous, seeing how he’s a knight and all!

Theran Stryker - Son of the famed hero Scout Stryker, Theran has always lived in his fathers’ shadow. He grew up on the road, never having a stable home and never knowing his mother who died giving birth to him. Forced to learn the ways of the warrior from a living legend of a father, Theran fell short, unable to match up to his dad. After failing a particularly important mission, his father decided Theran needs to travel alone, as he cannot accompany him forever. While his father saw this as a push towards independence, Theran saw it as a betrayal, as if he had been disowned.

Vaelin Goldenbrow - Vaelin is a high elf scholar who taught at a rather diverse school for people from all over the world. After his only daughter marries a human, Vaelin fears for her happiness as she is bound to far outlive him. Wanting his daughter’s marriage to be a long and happy one, Vaelin sets out on a journey to unlock the secrets of chronomancy - looking for a way to make his new son-in-law age much, much slower.

Vivian Song - Vivian, or Vi (pronounced “vee”) as some of her friends call her, is a narcoleptic noblewoman. Frail since birth, she is visited by a god in her dreams who promises her health in exchange for her worship. She accepts, finding herself slowly becoming more physically fit. Once she feels confident, Vivian steals some armor from her family’s storehouse and runs away, hoping to make good use of the divine magic she’s now acquired. She dreams of getting rich quick and retiring, sleeping all day in a comfy bed with servants to bring her food and tend to her needs.

Willow Belvari - Willow is a priestess, a holy woman known for having an interest in scholarly pursuits. What people don’t know is that she is in fact a void fanatic, obsessed with eldritch knowledge that would break the mind of a lesser mortal. She dreams of joining the horrors who lurk beyond the stars - not as a servant, but as an equal.

[weatherman667]

Armoured Core VI: The Fires of Rubicon

Incredibly disappointed. Not because it's a bad game, as it's an incredible game, but because they made some idiotic that design decision that stop it from being a great game.

It combines Real Robot with Super Robot and Dark Souls.

The real robot parts are done incredibly well. Movement is great. Main controls (Dark Souls Tank Controls). Jump is excessive, and you learn why the boost controls are so stupid. Enemies have awareness, allowing sneak attacks and flanking.

As you get into the first mission and face your first boss. The in-game equivalent of an attack helicopter. Except it's the size of the giant airship from Avatar (blue one), with incredible mobility, and only the ability to attack in pretty much every direction, but also the ability to attack FROM every direction. And there is no way you can avoid all of the attacks and do enough damage to take it out. One heavy volley is enough to take our around half of your HP (AP/Armour Points), and your weapons just don't have enough ammo.

The right answer is to punch it in the face. The problem is you don't have the controls or orientation to do this well, and if you miss, you set yourself up perfectly for his heavy attack. And sometimes you can literally ram into him, and your attack will miss. You also don't have the 3D awareness, to the point the giant "attack helicopter" constantly launching numerous volleys at you, can actually be pretty sneaky.

Daemon x Machina did the real + super aspects much better. And the mercenary in a super robot world better. That's not saying it's a better game, but just one that is more cohesive.

And in all honesty, if they wanted to do the game with a sole survivor aspect, it would work incredibly well with the real robot engine they made. I mean, if they had just focused on it, you do do Metal Gear Solid with real robots. That's how good the real robot engine is.

And then they decided to put make it a super robot genre.

This reminds me of the RWBY joke, where RWBY (team) is playing Devil May Cry while Jaune Arc is playing Dark Souls. I thought it was impossible, until Stellar Blade combined them together magnificently.

TL;DR not as fair as a FROMsoft game should be. Otherwise it's as good as a FROMsoft game should be.

[faxxmodem]

part 6 - saw vi (2009)

i have an obvious bias towards saw v for obvious obvious reasons but saw vi is like. the platonic ideal of saw films. a beautiful balance between horrifying traps and interpersonal bullshit that doesn't get the recognition it deserves. i love the stupid plot twists within plot twists i love the montages i love the turducken of vengeance and forgiveness happening within the jigsquad! it's john taking revenge on the two people he considers most responsible for his death: william for denying him healthcare and hoffman for blackmailing amanda in a way that ensured she and john would die. and he picks jill to avenge amanda's death, amanda who jill has just found out is partially responsible for the death of her unborn son and the dissolution of her entire life, and jill DOES IT! as much i enjoy the bakc third of the franchise, i think it would've tied up nicely if hoffman had died in the rbt2.0 and left jill as the sole survivor

saw 0.5 saw saw ii scott tibbs documentary saw iii saw iv saw v saw vi saw vii jigsaw spiral saw x

[iinfiltrator]

#IINFILTRATOR ——— independent commander shepard of bioware's mass effect trilogy. earthborn, sole survivor, paragon. canon ships are shiara and shali. established august 2014. rebooted in april 2024. anti-bioware. partners must be 21+ (minors please do not interact). written by chaya (30+ she/her). low activity. 

this story is an exploration of: heroism through unwavering faith, equanimity in the face of monstrosity, dispensing justice and equality above all else, healing the universe while others seek to destroy it, and most importantly, shielding those who cannot protect themselves. 

LINKS.   i. refresh. ii. askbox. iii. google doc. iv. threads list. v. pinterest. vi. blogroll.