#where is the flavour. the variety.

[vcrnons]

sorry 2 be me on main but vernon’s playlists. damn

[total-drama-brainrot]

Need more themed seasons like Action and World Tour.

Get the reboot cast off of that fucking Island. Put them somewhere else. Put them on a giant spaceship and have the elimination ceremony be shooting them towards Earth in little escape pods. Put them in a giant wizard tower and have each subsequent challenge take place on a higher floor of the tower until the winner reaches the top. Put them in New Jersey.

[metronn]

i'm choosing to believe that my character playlists aren't that popular because y'all can't handle the groove... it's not true but that's what i'm choosing to believe

[queershakespeare]

why isn't whiskey and ginger ice cream a thing i feel it should be a thing

[oswaldddavis]

(They think the other is a idiot)

[crystallinestars]

Domestic Headcanons

Alternative title: Acting like a married couple. These were supposed to be sleeping and waking HCs but I went overboard so these turned out as more general domestic HCs.

Contains: fluff, domesticity, acting like a married couple while not being married, more fluff, and a giant wall of text (this is 14 pages on Word).

Jing Yuan's part was partially inspired by this video where we can see his morning routine.

Characters: Jiaoqiu, Aventurine, Jing Yuan, Argenti, and Dan Heng.

Jiaoqiu

🌶️ As a doctor, Jiaoqiu can’t help but fuss over your health. If you have a habit of staying up late at night, he will reprimand you for depriving your body of necessary sleep, especially if you have to wake up early the following day. He nags at you to set aside your phone or work and go to sleep, tail swaying side-to-side in annoyance if you don’t comply quickly enough for his liking.

🌶️ If you remain stubborn in your habits, Jiaoqiu will find a way to coax you to bed. As a healer specializing in food medicine, he knows the effects of a vast variety of herbs and spices and concocts a special blend of tea for you to drink around bedtime. It’s sweet aroma and soothing flavour help you relax enough for your exhaustion to take effect and urge you to go to bed. If you’re not a fan of tea, Jiaoqiu could whip up a cup of steamed puffergoat milk with honey to induce a similar effect or come up with another unique drink to suit your preferences.

🌶️ Aside from baiting you with consumables, Jiaoqiu also has another ace up his sleeve to get you to sleep at a decent time. You like massages, right? How about he gives you a back rub before bed? Jiaoqiu knows all the most common spots on the neck and back that tend to suffer from tension, and his skilled hands do wonders to relieve any muscle knots or discomfort that you may have in those areas. He may even give you a leg massage and a foot rub if you ask, or even a full body massage if he feels like you deserve one. Jiaoqiu enjoys watching you melt and grow drowsy from the kneading of his hands, and feels accomplished if you do end up falling asleep because of his massage.

🌶️ As fussy as Jiaoqiu could be about your bedtime, he’s much more lax with his own. Sometimes his duties to General Feixiao force him to work overtime, much to his dismay. He’d love nothing more than to spend this time cuddling with you in bed, but here he is, poring over a stack of urgent documents. He usually sends you text messages telling you he will come home late and to not wait for him but will be pleasantly surprised if you stay up late to welcome him home. He lightly chastises you for not going to bed without him but will feel touched if you say you couldn’t sleep well without him by your side. You’ll get brownie points if you cooked him dinner. It may not be on par with his own cooking, but he does appreciate you looking out for him. Besides, coming home to a warm meal after an exhausting day can do wonders for one’s mood. Jiaoqiu rewards you with a kiss and a compliment on your cooking, which is high praise coming from him.

🌶️ When it comes to sleeping, Jiaoqiu generally likes to do so while holding you close. His most preferred position is to spoon you from behind but he’s also happy to let you spoon him instead. When he holds you, he likes tucking your head under his chin and draping his fluffy tail over you, ensuring you are completely wrapped up in his arms. It’s a great position during colder temperatures, but he’ll reluctantly let you go if you get too hot.

🌶️ If you’re the one spooning him, just know that Jiaoqiu knows whenever you stroke his tail. He sometimes pretends to be asleep during your “secret” petting sessions, letting you run your hands along the soft fur before suddenly tickling your face with the tip of his tail. His stifled laughter gives away that he’s not sleeping, but he can never contain himself when he hears you squeak and sputter in surprise at getting a face-full of fur. Pranking aside, Jiaoqiu does enjoy the feeling of you lightly combing your fingers through his tail. If you do it gently enough, it can lull him into a relaxed state and even make him drowsy. You can get a similar reaction out of him by rubbing the base of his ears where the fluffy part meets his head. Rub gentle circles against the fur with your thumbs, and Jiaoqiu will turn to putty in your hands, leaning his head into your touch.

🌶️ Jiaoqiu is used to waking up early. When he was younger, he would wake up early to gather herbs to use in his cooking. Though that habit was disrupted during his time on the battlefield, he picked it back up when he ran a restaurant. Once he became Feixiao’s retainer, Jiaoqiu woke up early to cook her breakfasts since Feixiao also had a habit of getting up early to train, or to take care of some important duties. As a result, Jiaoqiu tends to wake up earlier than you. He spends a few minutes just basking in the warmth of your body, admiring how peaceful you look while asleep before slowly getting up. He’s good at being quiet so he usually slips away from you unnoticed.

🌶️ If you have to wake up for an occasion like work or a meeting, Jiaoqiu will make sure you get up on time. If you’re the type to laze around in bed for a while or hit snooze repeatedly, Jiaoqiu will be there to serve as another alarm clock and nag at you to get up. He’ll start off by gently coaxing you to wake up, trying to bribe you with comments about having made your favourite meal for breakfast. If you continue to be lazy, he’ll put on more pressure, like tugging the blankets off of you and opening the curtains to let sunlight in, chiding you about being late if you don’t get moving. Jiaoqiu’s nagging can be annoying, but he’s only doing it to look out for you. He doesn’t want you to stress about being late.

🌶️ If you have time to sleep in, by the time you wake up, you’ll be greeted to a delicious aroma of sizzling food. Jiaoqiu makes the two of you a balanced and hearty breakfast. He often goes on about the importance of a balanced diet and eating three meals a day, and will be aghast if he finds out you have a habit of skipping meals or eating poorly. He will personally make it his mission to make sure you eat three meals a day (no skipping breakfast on his watch) and that your meals are more balanced (eat your veggies!). He just worries about you, both as a doctor and your boyfriend. On the plus side, all your meals are guaranteed to be delicious.

🌶️ While Jiaoqiu waits for you to wake up, he also makes you a lunch to bring with you to work. It gives him something to do and also serves as a peace of mind knowing you’ll at least have a healthy lunch, or so he says when you ask him why he goes through so much trouble for your sake. Truth is, he just wants to do something nice for you because he loves you. Cooking for you is one of the ways he shows he cares, plus it boosts his ego to hear you compliment his cooking. If he’s in a good mood, Jiaoqiu will make cute little faces on the sausages or egg rolls, or write a message on the rice with sauce or seaweed such as “You’re doing good” or a cheesy “I love you” to brighten up your day. He’s true husband material.

🌶️ On the rare days you wake up before him, Jiaoqiu likes coming into the kitchen to find you busy cooking breakfast. As mentioned before, he appreciates you going out of your way to take care of him. He’s so used to taking care of others that he can sometimes neglect himself, so having you there to do that for him makes him fall in love with you all over again. While you’re busy at the stove, he quietly sneaks up behind you, only revealing his presence with a teasing remark about your poor cutting technique. The way you huff at him for nitpicking at your cooking skills just makes you all the more endearing to him, and Jiaoqiu hugs you from behind and nuzzles into the crook of your neck, tail swishing in joy. He may not say out loud how touched he is by your care, but he lets you know through his actions.

🌶️ Depending on your cooking skill, Jiaoqiu will either sit back and idly watch you cook with a happy grin on his face or offer to assist you. If you’re proficient in the kitchen, he will be content to watch you work and quietly anticipate the moment he gets to try your cooking since it’s not something he gets to eat often. While sampling your dish, he’ll compliment you on the things you cooked well and give feedback on what you could do to improve your method if something isn’t quite right.

🌶️ If cooking isn’t your strong suit, Jiaoqiu offers to help. Though he prefers to work alone in the kitchen, he can make an exception for you. Besides, he can use this as the perfect opportunity to teach you some cooking skills and bond with you over a shared activity. Jiaoqiu loves cooking and also loves you, so as far as he’s concerned, he’s getting a two-for-one deal. He also finds it cute the way you pay such careful attention to his instructions and try your best to carry them out, even if you still lack the skills to do it perfectly.

🌶️ Regardless of whether it’s you or him making breakfast, Jiaoqiu will be happy just to start his morning off by sharing a meal with you. There’s something domestic about cooking for each other, eating around the same table while still dressed in pajamas, and kissing each other goodbye when you both leave for work. He could get used to this, Jiaoqiu notes with a smile. Though you jokingly call him your husband now, he’d like it if that title became a reality one day.

Aventurine

🦚 Due to Aventurine’s busy schedule, it’s difficult to have a set bedtime routine. He does try to get off work on time to have a few extra hours to spend with you, but sometimes meetings run late, or he gets saddled with missions that force him apart from you, so he has no choice but to message you to let you know he’ll be coming home late. His texts are light-hearted and teasing to try and soften the news for you, but he feels guilty for being unable to spend time with you even if it’s not his fault. Aventurine only hopes you don’t hate him for being too busy to see you. He may not say it out loud, but one of his fears is you leaving him because he doesn’t make you feel loved enough. He does love you, very much so, which is why he spoils you with expensive gifts and excursions to all kinds of luxurious or VIP places, but he knows money doesn’t make up for neglected emotions.

🦚 On the nights he makes it home on time, Aventurine likes to spend his free time with you. You guys can do anything, he doesn’t have a strong preference as long as he gets to be with you. If you like, he can take you out on a date. He’s wealthy enough to land a spot at a fancy restaurant. You could dress up and let him wine and dine you, and then maybe go on a walk along one of the more scenic places belonging to the IPC.

🦚 If you’re not in the mood for something fancy, Aventurine could take you to your favorite café, the movies, or even the arcade. He certainly wouldn’t mind an opportunity to show off his luck and win you as many plushies and prizes as your heart desires. You can also test your luck against his over card or dice games at home. He’ll set some stakes to make it more fun, such as the loser having to grant the winner’s wish or pay for the next meal. If you’re in the mood for something spicy, you guys can play a few games of strip poker. He wouldn’t mind, but don’t expect him to go easy on you.

🦚 Alternatively, Aventurine is content to stay home and relax with a movie. He lets you pick what to watch since he’s not as interested in the movie as he is in you, but he delights in seeing the excited shine in your eye when you choose something you’ve been looking forward to watching. Aventurine likes it even more when you cuddle with him on the couch while watching said movie. Feeling your arms around him, your hands absentmindedly combing through his hair, and the rise and fall of your chest under his head soothes him. After a gruelling day of sifting through reports, putting on fake smiles, and making dangerous gambles to outwit his opponents, your gentle touch works wonders to help Aventurine relax. It’s not often that he feels safe and comfortable enough to let his walls come down but being enveloped by your warm and tender caresses makes him want to give in and let go for a bit. As soon as he does, his exhaustion washes over him, and Aventurine could easily fall asleep if he’s not careful. Do forgive him if he falls asleep on you during the movie session, but your presence is simply too calming for him to resist.

🦚 When it comes to sleeping in bed, things can get a bit cramped. Due to having slept in a big bed by himself for a while, Aventurine tends to sprawl his limbs out. He can unintentionally hit you with an arm or trap you in an embrace in his sleep if you’re within reach. His cat cakes also join you in bed. A couple will settle at your feet while another will sleep beside your heads. Some shameless ones will even lay on top of you as if you were their pillow. It’s not rare for you to wake up in a tangle of sheets and limbs, your attempts to break free accompanied by annoyed meows.

🦚 Despite his cocky and suave attitude, Aventurine doesn’t come onto you unless he knows you want him to, even in bed. He remains respectful of your personal space, at most allowing himself to hold your hand while you chat about your day or drape an arm around you. His heart skips a beat when you press yourself closer to him and rest your head on his chest or pull him down to lay on yours. It makes him feel a complicated type of way to be this intimate with another person, to know you want to be that close to him, and to feel so cherished by you. He’s gotten more used to receiving your affection compared to before, but it can still overwhelm him sometimes. If you pet his hair, stroke along his back, or give him kisses, it helps him relax and accept your touch. Aventurine hasn’t felt this kind of affection in a very long time, which is why he needs some time to get used to it, but he does enjoy it. He likes being pampered and held by you.

🦚 Aventurine finds that he sleeps better with you by his side. He sometimes has nightmares about his past and wakes up in a cold sweat. He doesn’t like disturbing you, but he feels relieved whenever you wake up alongside him. Just hearing your voice and feeling your touch helps ground him. Aventurine doesn’t like showing his vulnerabilities so easily, so he tends to brush off your concern and tell you to not worry. He just had a bad dream, it’s nothing for you to concern yourself with. He’s unlikely to share any details about his nightmares with you until he feels 100% comfortable with opening up and being vulnerable, but he appreciates your attempts to comfort him, nonetheless. Just feeling your warm embrace and hearing you say things are okay and that what he saw was just a dream helps him calm down and drift off back to sleep easier than when he had to deal with these feelings alone. Aventurine notes that in general, he’s been having less nightmares ever since he started sharing a bed with you. Perhaps feeling the warmth of another person by his side eases his mind on some subconscious level, or whatever other scientific explanation the Intelligentsia Guild offers on the matter. All Aventurine knows is that you bring a soothing presence into his life.

🦚 Unfortunately, Aventurine can’t spend every night wrapped up in your arms, much to his disappointment. His work requires him to travel a lot, often to carry out dangerous missions that could end with him losing his life if something went wrong. Some people would be envious of the luxurious hotels he gets to stay in for the duration of the missions, but the lavish décor and extravagant furnishing do little to fill the void in Aventurine’s heart. Despite the softness of the mattress, he tosses and turns, finding it difficult to fall asleep in the unfamiliar room and just lays awake, thinking about how he would be much happier sleeping on the floor as long as he got to hold you in his arms.

🦚 During his business trips, Aventurine likes to call you while getting ready for bed. It's an opportunity for you to catch up and find out how the other is doing. Even if all you have to share are mundane things, he wants to hear them. Just hearing you talk about your day gives him a sense of normalcy and peace, taking his mind off the demanding tasks that await him the next day. Even if you’re not much of a talker, Aventurine will find topics of interest that he knows will get you to talk just so he could hear your voice. It’s not rare for you to talk at length about something only to realize that Aventurine fell asleep on the other line because your voice lulled him to sleep. He teases you all the time about missing him, but the truth that he doesn’t want to admit is that he misses you just as much, which is why he makes these frequent phone calls. Your voice provides him with a bit of comfort and reminds him to finish his mission as quickly as possible so he can see you again.

🦚 Aventurine tends to wake up on time most mornings when he has to go to work. Some days he wakes up earlier than you if he’s got an important meeting to attend, but usually he wakes around the same time as you do. He never gave much thought to the act of getting ready in the morning, but it’s become one of the highlights of his day ever since you started living with him. Something about the act of waking up in each other’s arms, laughing if one of you tripped over a cat cake while getting out of bed, and eating breakfast at the same table is comforting. Such moments make him think of home, back when his sister was still with him. Being with you is not the same, but the feeling of contentment and happiness he feels in sharing his living space with you are similar.

🦚 Aventurine is usually good at ensuring his appearance is impeccable, but even he has moments of letting a detail slip. The first time you pointed out that his tie was crooked, he reached to adjust it, but you beat him to it, retying his tie and carefully smoothing it down. The act surprised Aventurine but he found that he liked it when you fussed over him like that. From then on, he sometimes purposely tied his tie a little crookedly just so you would adjust it for him. While your eyes are directed at the tie, Aventurine’s are fixed directly on you, his gaze softening with a subtle smile. Just when he thought he couldn’t fall in love with you more, you prove him wrong by showing your undying loyalty and care for his wellbeing. Aventurine doesn’t feel deserving of it, but he does appreciate you more than he can say. Later that day, expect to receive a bouquet of your favourite flowers and a card with an invitation to a restaurant as a thank you for helping him with the tie.

Jing Yuan

🦁 Jing Yuan tries his best to come home at a decent time, but being the Luofu General sometimes means he has to stay behind to deal with important matters for the safety of Luofu’s citizens. Such is the burden he must bear as the one with great power. He won’t blame you for going to bed without him, but he’ll be saddened about not receiving a welcoming kiss from you. If he sees you already snoozing away cuddled under the sheets, he’ll join you after going through his bedtime routine, pulling you close to him and quietly apologizing for waking you in the process. After a long and tiring day, he just wants to hold you and breathe in the comforting scent of your hair while drifting off to sleep. He doesn’t ask for much, so please grant him this simple wish.

🦁 Whenever Jing Yuan gets to go home on time, his mood is usually lifted at the prospect of having finished all work for the day and having the chance to relax at home with you. He sometimes makes a little detour to buy you some snacks for tea, already picturing in his head the tranquil moment he’ll share with you while drinking tea and eating delicious pastries fresh from a bakery.

🦁 What he loves most about coming home is being welcomed back by you and his cat. Seeing the white feline running up to the door with you following in tow as soon as he walks in is the cutest sight. Jing Yuan also developed a routine of receiving a kiss whenever he comes home, and he’ll lean down with the expectation of getting one from you. Never mind that he hasn’t taken off his shoes or jacket yet, he won’t move until he gets his kiss.

🦁 Evenings with Jing Yuan are generally lazy. He eats dinner with you while discussing the day’s events, complaining to you about the amount of work piled up on him, reminiscing about past memories, or making plans for the future so he can book a day off in advance. After dinner, he’s content to spend time with you doing nothing. His favourite is resting his head on your lap and feeling you comb your fingers through his messy hair. He finds your touch comforting and loving, just the thing he needs after a hard day. Of course, he wouldn’t be the Dozing General if he didn’t fall asleep on your lap, but he can’t help himself. The tranquillity of the moment makes him sleepy, plus your thighs make a good pillow to take a nap on.

🦁 Sometimes Jing Yuan invites Yanqing over to spar or play a game of star chess. He likes watching you get along with his apprentice, especially when you both team up against Jing Yuan during board games after he sneakily steals a piece from the board. Your outraged reactions are too amusing, so the Luofu General can’t resist from purposely getting a reaction out of you and his apprentice.

🦁 It sometimes surprises Jing Yuan when you compliment him on his fighting prowess or cunning chess play during his spars and chess games with Yanqing. The General doesn’t do these things to show off, but he feels flattered that you pay attention to him and recognize his talents. He has a reputation of being lazy and laidback, and his frequent “breaks” to come visit you instead of doing his paperwork do him no favours. However, he isn’t the Luofu General just for his good looks, and he appreciates you recognizing that. Jing Yuan internally preens at your praise while trying to play it cool in front of Yanqing, but will later wrap you up in a hug and nuzzle against your neck like an affectionate cat, overcome by a surge of love because of your compliments.

🦁 Another one of Jing Yuan’s favourite evening activities is bathing with you. He’s got a large tub that can fit both of you comfortably, so why not make use of it? He enjoys the non-sexual intimacy that comes with sharing a bath. He enjoys the moment of closeness when you’re both at your most vulnerable. Just soaking in the warm water while holding you against him feels cozy to Jing Yuan and helps him relax. He also enjoys making silly little games using soap foam, such as constructing foam horns on your head or dabbing some foam on your nose to make you laugh. Additionally, he likes letting you pamper him by washing his hair or scrubbing his back. Something about being taken care of by you is soothing to him, and he makes sure to return the favour by washing you in return if you’ll let him.

🦁 When it comes to sleeping, Jing Yuan likes positions where he can feel your body against his. Whether you’ve got your head on his chest or he’s spooning you from behind, he doesn’t care as long as he can feel you. It helps him fall asleep easier knowing you’re beside him. His cat also joins you in bed, usually sleeping by your feet or next to your heads. It’s become a routine for it to curl up and sleep with your pair.

🦁 Before actually falling asleep, Jing Yuan likes to chat with you about everything and anything. Nighttime is when you have a moment strictly to yourselves, away from the responsibilities that weigh down on you during the day. To Jing Yuan, nighttime is when you can forget about the things that happened that day and the things that await you tomorrow and just live in the present moment, even if just for a few minutes. He finds it to be the most comfortable time for philosophical discussions, revelations about your pasts, musings for future ambitions, or quirky questions and answers that make you both laugh. It’s a time when you can both be yourselves without any pretences or expectations and bond on a more intimate level. Furthermore, Jing Yuan has developed a habit of wishing you goodnight and kissing your forehead before going to sleep. Even in situations where you fall asleep before he does, he still lightly kisses your forehead before joining you in dreamland.

🦁 Mornings with Jing Yuan are even lazier than the evenings. After his alarm goes off, he’s in no rush to get up, preferring to stay cozied up under the sheets for another few minutes. If you try to shake him awake before he’s ready to get up, Jing Yuan will just wrap an arm around you and pull you close, sleepily mumbling to give him five more minutes while nuzzling into your hair. Despite him being only partially awake, you’ll be immobilized by his sheer strength. It can be a hassle getting him up, but if you nag him enough, Jing Yuan will reluctantly get out of bed.

🦁 When the Luofu General has no pressing matters to attend, he will get ready for work slowly. Everything he does is unhurried, whether it be brushing his teeth, getting dressed, or eating breakfast. He takes his time with each task. He’d like it if you could slow down and savour these moments with him but won’t force you to match his pace if it’s not your thing. He’ll only sigh in disappointment if you rush about the house, scrambling to get ready, and lament about being unable to enjoy a slow morning with you.

🦁 As a General, Jing Yuan usually has his meals prepared for him by professional chefs under his employ, so you and he get to eat a big and delicious breakfast each morning. However, if you offer to make breakfast for the two of you, he can make arrangements to hand over breakfast duty to you. Even if the things you make aren’t as grandiose as what his chefs could make, Jing Yuan still looks forward to eating your cooking. How could he possibly turn down the opportunity to eat food made specially for him by the one he loves? If anything, having you cook for him would make Jing Yuan feel spoiled and loved. He’ll smile like a happy cat while chowing down on your cooking and thank you for the delicious meal with a hug and a kiss.

🦁 Jing Yuan isn’t a sloppy man, but his sleepiness can affect his appearance. When getting dressed, he might forget to button the cuffs or tie a ribbon crookedly, so he greatly appreciates you coming to his rescue by pointing out when things look out of place. He may be called the Dozing General and have a reputation for being lazy, but he can’t afford to appear dishevelled in front of his subordinates. Likewise, Jing Yuan keeps an eye on your outfit too, pointing out if you put on something backwards or if your socks don’t match and things like that. He’s also got a good memory and helps you find items you’ve misplaced, like your keys or phone. He finds mutually helping each other a natural part of living together.

🦁 Jing Yuan’s morning wouldn’t be complete without a goodbye kiss from you. Regardless of which one of you leaves the house first, it became a habit for you to kiss the other goodbye. Jing Yuan will even drag himself out of bed while still half-asleep just to see you off if you leave earlier than him. It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but he finds it heartwarming to wish you a nice day and get the same sentiment in return. He likes being able to see you one more time before being whisked away to his mountain of duties as a General and will be a little brat if you deny him a kiss. Jing Yuan’s day feels brighter just knowing you care enough about him to see him off, and he looks forward to seeing you again after work so he can feel your lips on his once more when he returns.

Argenti

🌹 Having a set routine with Argenti is difficult because he travels so much. The only way you could consistently see him is by traveling alongside him through the universe on his One and Only, and even then, he could disappear on a planet for extended periods of time. As a chivalrous knight, Argenti was notorious for getting wrapped up in strange incidents or rescuing people from monsters and catastrophes. It’s not rare for you to not see him for several days before he returns covered in bruises and scratches and a lengthy apology for leaving your side for so long. It makes him happy whenever you welcome his return with a hug or a kiss after a long absence because he dearly misses your affection.

🌹 Your evenings with Argenti are varied. If he comes home injured, you know to get the first aid kit to treat any minor wounds. Argenti reassures you that you don’t have to trouble yourself on his behalf, but he’s thankful for your kind heart and desire to care for him. He makes sure to express his gratitude by taking your hand and kissing the back of it while saying his thanks.

🌹 If he sustains heavier injuries and must get treatment from a doctor, Argenti makes sure to message you the first chance he gets to let you know he won’t be able to see you until he recovers. It breaks his heart to leave you alone, but he knows you’ll be more upset at him for not getting the treatment he needs, so he stays put. In events like these, he makes sure to message and call you every day until he gets released, wanting to know how you’re doing.

🌹 On most evenings, Argenti comes home with little gifts. Sometimes it a piece of a monster he defeated that he found interesting and wanted to show off to you. Other times it’s things from planets he visited, like a trinket that caught his eye or a delicacy he wants you to try. Argenti enjoys learning about other cultures and exploring the unique things the universe has to offer, and he wants to share that joy with you. Since you can’t always join Argenti on his adventures, he uses these items to connect you to them and let you experience a tiny fraction of his journey.

🌹 Argenti also likes to spend his evenings polishing his armour and lance. You’re welcome to join him if you like, Argenti will show you how to do it properly. As a Knight of Beauty, he is particular about his appearance. How can he relay the magnificence and importance of his beloved Idrila if he lets his armour and weapon grow dull and rusty from neglect? He would bring dishonour on his Aeon and his title as a knight, which is why he polishes his armour until it reflects your faces like a mirror. If you manage to come close with your polishing, Argenti will be proud of you and will praise you for your hard work and dedication to beauty.

🌹 The Knight of Beauty has always been fascinated with all kinds of dances, be it ballet, tango, contemporary, hip-hop, and many more. Pretty much anything is appealing to him as long as it’s not crass and sexual. While he could learn some solo dance styles, a few others required him to have a dance partner which he didn’t have until he started living with you. He suggests for you to learn a dance together and will be happy if you agree, but disappointed and understanding if you turn down his offer. Argenti isn’t a perfect dancer but he’s eager to learn and improve. Having you as his dance partner is perfect because he can improve his skills while simultaneously doing something romantic with you. He doesn’t mind if you have two left feet or step on his toes, he just wants to spend some quality time with you.

🌹 In general, Argenti lets you choose what you guys will do in the evenings. He’s happy to join you on your hobbies and watches you with a soft look in his eyes. Argenti thinks you’re at your most beautiful when you’re talking about the things you love. The way your expression lights up in excitement makes his heart melt. He may not understand the appeal behind some of your hobbies or be bad at them, but he’s determined to learn all he can about them simply because they make you happy.

🌹 If he comes home late and finds you asleep in the lounge while waiting for him, Argenti feels immense guilt. He doesn’t like keeping you waiting or making you worry about him, and while he wishes to apologize immediately, he swallows his words in favour of letting you sleep. He carefully picks you up and carries you to bed, silently promising to make it up to you in the morning.

🌹 Argenti is a gentleman, so when you sleep in the same bed together, he tries his best to respect your boundaries. Unless you tell him it’s okay, he will keep his hands to himself and stay on his side of the bed. It may seem like he doesn’t want to be close to you, but in reality, he’s just worried about invading your personal space. Kissing and hugging when you’re out and about it one thing, but sleeping all cuddled up isn’t for everyone, and he knows that. Nevertheless, he’ll be really happy if you express a desire to be closer and let him hold you. Even then, he tries to be respectful by simply wrapping an arm around you but will hug you more if you tell him to. If you want to cuddle him, he lets you, relishing in your affection. The scent and warmth of your skin soothe him, and Argenti finds he grows sleepy quicker when you hold him.

🌹 The red-haired knight is an early riser, so he usually wakes up long before you do. He’s used to waking up early to go training, but it’s been harder for him to get out of bed ever since you started sleeping with him. Waking up to the sight of your sleeping face never gets old for Argenti. Even when your hair is messy and there’s drool dripping out of the corner of your mouth, Argenti still thinks you’re the loveliest view he has ever seen, and he takes a moment to admire how beautiful you look in your sleep. If he wakes up to find your head on his chest and your limbs wrapped around his body, his heart skips a beat. There’s something so endearing about you using him as a pillow and pressing close like that, that Argenti struggles to summon the will to leave you. How could he when you look so cute? Alas, he regretfully parts from your side to start his day, but he shelves that memory to fondly reminisce over later that day.

🌹 Argenti’s mornings usually start with training. He wants to be in top physical condition and keep his skills sharp to handle any situation that comes his way, especially when it comes to slaying monsters. He’s lost a few people dear to him because he wasn’t strong enough, so he’s determined to improve and grow stronger so he can protect others and most of all you. If you express an interest in exercising in the mornings, Argenti would be happy assist you in any way he could. He’ll wake you up early, make you breakfast, and help you with your workouts if you need it. He’s always up to spar with you, eager to help both of you improve your fighting skills, but he can also assist you with stretches or keep you company for cardio exercises if those are more your thing.

🌹 If you prefer sleeping in, Argenti tries to surprise you with breakfast in bed. It’s nothing fancy as he’s not the best cook, but he tries to make it look appetizing. He wakes you up and gives you a good morning kiss before placing down a tray sprinkled with rose petals on your lap. On the tray you can spot a hearty sandwich, some scrambled eggs, coffee or tea, and a red rose perched in a vase. It’s not much but he hopes it makes you happy. If you praise his efforts, Argenti will light up like the sun, proud for having pleased you and helped you start your day off right. Nevertheless, he wants to surprise you with more elaborate dishes which is why he takes up practicing some recipes in secret. His attempts aren’t always a success, but he keeps at it until he succeeds because he wants to impress you.

🌹 If you offer to cook breakfast instead, Argenti will look forward to whatever it is you make. It can be an elaborate dish or something lumpy and a little overcooked, he will eat it all simply because you made it. Regardless of whether you’re a great or bad cook, Argenti will always give your food and yourself a compliment because he’s touched by the effort you put in to make something for him. He also offers to wash the dishes afterwards, claiming you did your part by cooking breakfast.

Dan Heng

🐉 When you joined the Astral Express as a pathstrider of the Trailblaze and Dan Heng’s lover, Pom Pom was in a bind about where you could sleep on the train. The Express didn’t have enough bedrooms for this many people, so Pom Pom was relieved when you agreed to share the archives room with Dan Heng. For his part, Dan Heng tried to convince you to look for a proper bedroom because it would be more comfortable than sleeping in the archives, but ultimately accepted to having you move in with him.

🐉 March 7th teased you for sharing a room, commenting how you and Dan Heng were like a married couple, but in truth, Dan Heng treated you more like a roommate than a romantic partner. He got you a spare futon and placed it in a free corner of the archives, designating that as your personal spot, and reassured that you will get used to the hum and lights of the machines. His attitude might seem aloof and almost cold, but he is just trying to respect your personal space.

🐉 Thoughts of sharing a bed with you did cross Dan Heng’s mind, but he brushed them off, thinking he would make you uncomfortable if he asked so soon. Sharing a room is already a huge step and he didn’t dare cross the line by asking you to sleep with him. If you want to share a bed with Dan Heng, you will have to make the suggestion yourself because he won’t think to do so anytime soon.

🐉 Dan Heng doesn’t mind how you choose to spend your free time in the evenings. A lot of the members of the Astral Express are eager to spend time with you, so he understands if you’re too busy playing chess with Welt and listening to him rave about animation or helping March take photos and shop for cute items to spend time with him. If you do decide to spend time with Dan Heng, expect to do something productive. Since he’s read a lot of data entries in the database about all kinds of things out there in the universe, Dan Heng naturally wants to test a few things out for himself. He lets you join in on his experiments if you’re curious about them, all the while explaining the theory and science behind the project in a way that you can easily understand.

🐉 Another way he likes to spend time with you is playing board games. Chess is his go-to but he can play others things like cards and whatever else you suggest. Dan Heng usually wins in most of your games but he can make a tactful loss if it means making you happy. If there are games you want to play that require more people, March 7th and the Trailblazer get roped in to play. Having them around usually makes the games chaotic yet fun, but Dan Heng makes sure to keep an eye on everyone lest things spiral out of control.

🐉 His absolute favorite activity to do with you is reading. Settling in a quiet corner of the train with a good book and a cup of hot tea in hand is Dan Heng’s preferred way to unwind. He enjoys it when you join him with a book of your own or another quiet activity so you can spend some time together just doing your own thing. Dan Heng is also happy to discuss any books with you. Though he usually reads scientific literature, he’s willing to read things you like so you can talk about it and share your impressions. He’ll be happy if you try to do the same with his books and will be understanding if his reading material is difficult for you to grasp. In such an event, he will explain what his book is about and basically teach you the material if you’re willing to hear him out.

🐉 Dan Heng also likes to read before bed. When everyone is settling in for the night, he stays up to read in bed with his nightlight on. He doesn’t mind if you ask him to read aloud to you even if he finds it awkward at first. His books are dry, so he won’t blame you if you fall asleep while listening to him, but he’ll be touched and a little flustered if you say you like the sound of his voice. He never thought much about his own voice, but it’s flattering to hear you want him to read out loud just because you like listening to it.

🐉 When sharing a bed with you, Dan Heng likes to drape an arm around your waist or hug you against his chest. He also barely moves in his sleep unless he’s having nightmares, so you’ll find him in the same position he went to sleep. He’s a light sleeper and will easily wake up if you move around too much or make any noise such as going to the bathroom (but he’ll wait for you to return before going back to sleep). Times when you manage to get out of bed without waking Dan Heng are rare, and usually only happen if he’s extremely tired.

🐉 Sharing a bed with another person and being so physically close is foreign to Dan Heng, but he doesn’t mind as long as its you. He did feel a bit awkward at the start but has sense grown used to having you so close. He found he even likes feeling your presence beside him because it reassures a subconscious part of him that you’re safe. In fact, he grows so used to it that he becomes unable to fall asleep without you as easily because he has a constant sense as if something important were missing. Dan Heng also developed a habit of kissing your forehead and wishing you goodnight right before going to sleep, but if he can’t do it because you’re separated for a mission, then he makes sure to at least send you a text to check in on you and wish you goodnight.

🐉 Though he doesn’t get nightmares as often as he used to, Dan Heng still experiences occasional bad dreams about his past life. He became better at coping with them ever since he came to terms with his identity, but some of the scenes in his dreams still leave him rattled and he struggles to fall back asleep. If his thrashing wakes you, Dan Heng apologizes and tells you to go back to sleep while he steps out for some air. If you follow after him with questions and worries about what happened, he’ll share his nightmares and confide in you, trusting you as his partner to reveal that information about his past. Dan Heng doesn’t require comfort since these scenes are all in the past and they’re not technically “his” memories either, but he appreciates you being willing to hear him out. Talking to you about his dreams can sometimes help him sort out his feelings and feel at ease again.

🐉 Chances to sleep in on the Express are rare since Pom Pom ensures everyone is up on time for breakfast. As a natural early riser, Dan Heng seldom has problems waking up early and getting out of bed and will wake you up too, so Pom Pom won’t yell at you to get up. If you’re someone who struggles to wake up early, Dan Heng won’t force you to get up if you’re reluctant to get out of bed, but he’ll warn you that the conductor won’t let others eat unless everyone is gathered at the table. As annoying as they are, such are the rules at the Astral Express. Whatever Pom Pom says, goes.

🐉 Much like everyone else on the train, you are also a part of cooking duty. Everyone must do their part to help keep the place running, as Pom Pom explained. Even if you’re not the best chef in the world, if you’re better than Himeko then that’s more than enough reason to keep you on the schedule. If you really struggle with cooking, then Dan Heng will help you prepare breakfast. He knows a lot of recipes and is an adept cook, arguably the best on the Express, so he knows his way around the kitchen. Rest assured you will be in good hands with him in charge, and something delicious will be ready for the crew to indulge in regardless of how much you screwed up in the process. If you like, he could even teach you how to prepare some basic dishes.

🐉 If you’re a good cook, then Dan Heng will ask you to teach him some of your recipes, particularly ones from your home planet that he hadn’t encountered before. He likes learning new things and finds it valuable to learn more about your culture and customs. It’s a part of your life, and Dan Heng wants to know you as best he can both as his partner and as a person.

🐉 When it’s his turn to cook, Dan Heng will accept any suggestions you might have about what he should make for breakfast. Sometimes he takes your preferences into account and either makes one of your favourite dishes or incorporates one of your favourite foods into whatever he’s making. He doesn’t do it all the time though, so the rest of the Express crew won’t think he’s showing favouritism (March knows and rats him out).

[vexwerewolf]

If I could ask you for some advice, what do you think helps the flavour text of a mech or piece of equipment sell a player on the fantasy of using it?

I'm finding it frustratingly difficult to do so with my own homebrew content: I can come up with lore and backstory easily enough, but re-reading it feels dry, and I can't help but contrast it with how the descrptions in official content and other supplements is more evocative, at least for mechs.

Let's observe some corebook Lancer flavour text and examine the various varieties it comes in.

Purely Functional

While it's usually not the most fun type of flavour text, this just tells us what the weapon is, and - if it has any particular tags or on-hit effects - why it's like that. The Hand Cannon is a good example: here's what it is (modified pistol), here's why it does more damage, and here's why it has Loading.

The main advantage of Purely Functional flavour text is that it provides space for other types of flavour text to breathe. Flavour text is a great place for jokes, but it's not good for every piece of flavour text to be a joke - the pauses between notes in music are just as important as the notes.

Obfuscating Vendorspeak

The Bristlecrown Flechette Launcher this is a great example of dark humour that Lancer uses quite often: marketing fast-talk to cover up something really unpleasant. The joke here is based on us understanding precisely what the equipment does mechanically, and then seeing how the manufacturer tries to sell it. There's a bunch of dense technobabble here meant to obfuscate the fact that this weapon fires knives in every direction specifically designed to kill infantry.

Deadpan Weirdness

The joke here relies on describing something extremely weird like it's the most natural thing in the world. Wait, you're telling me that in a world where I can just print new parts if the old ones break, they put DRM on my fucking knife and I have to apologise to the fucking knife maker to get a new one? What the fuck, dude? Why are you acting like this makes any sense?!

My sword uploads fucking what to the Space Internet?!

Third-Act Twist

This type of flavour text disguises itself as something else - most often Purely Functional - and then hits you with Third Act Twist. It makes you go "wait, what?!" It's very classic setup-punchline stuff. You're telling me my mech can rot?!

As a side note, Lancer loves to use this for its NHPs.

WHY DID YOU PUT THAT IN SCARE QUOTES, LUCIFER

Worldbuilding

This is similar to the Purely Functional, but instead of just describing technical specifications of the weapons, it puts the weapon in the broader context of the setting's history. Okay, so we know what this weapon is and what it does - why was it built? What was the original use case, and why? Most importantly, what can the existence of this weapon tell us about the world that build it?

Whimsical Aside

This is the insertion of a light-hearted, humanising little insertion regarding how this piece of equipment gets used in the field. This serves to remind us that soldiers aren't cold, unfeeling killing machines: they can be as emotional, irreverent and silly as the rest of us, and they do things like name their mobile bombs...

... or call resupply drones "mech snacks."

The Ominous Out-Of-Context Quote That Explains Nothing And Only Raises More Questions

As I've said in multiple textmash memes, this is basically Tom and Miguel's shorthand for "this technology is Intensely Fucked Up in a way that it is more fun and scary not to explain." This is essentially Lancer's version of SCP's [REDACTED].

You might think this is the domain of HORUS, and you'd be right, but every single manufacturer indulges in these - although IPS-N had to wait until NRFaW to get theirs:

What the fuck do you mean by that, Lancer?

[navillee]

can you please write more Zayne sub? :( no one does sub Zayne like you

Because everyday is a good day to talk about sub Zayne. ♪

Cozy Holliday's Zayne. What about it?

Zayne subtle sub behavior pt. VI

I'll repeat again, Zayne is such a home husband, all the poor man can think is heading home to his wife;

Especially in december's Hollidays. When the snow covers Linkon city after a day that didn't seem to past fast enough for Zayne at Akso hospital;

Zayne always arrives at home with a shopping bag. He can't help it but want to see your curious glances at him whenever he step inside with new flavours of cakes, pastries, chocolates and other variety of fresh sweet new recepies out of some cozy bakery that still open the day before his day off;

It's okay for him to wait in line, and to get his pitch black hair white with snow, he's heading home after all, nothing on the way matters;

Zayne stopped to use an umbrella in the trajectory from his car to the house's door. So he always arrives looking like a stray black cat covered with white little snowflakes;

That may be true, he did transform into half of it a couple of years ago, right? Maybe there's still some influence from the kitty card's cats from that cafe still running through his veins, after all, you always brush the thin white coat from his hair, and everytime he melts just as the snow in the front door;

He said he avoids kissing you when arriving because the cold weather outside made his face half freezing. But let's face it, his adorable all wrapped up in his scarf with the tip of his nose and ears red, it's like your little personal snowman, and both of you enjoy a way lot the temperature shock when your mouths collide into a warm welcome kiss. Zayne couldn't ask for more, he's home now, and the affect you have on him start to working just like magic, from the moment he step inside;

Zayne always cooks for you, when he has time. Even if he doesn't, he makes time for it;

He knows he got your attention when he rolls up his sleeves preparing the recepies he knows that are your favorites;

When he chops some vegetables and the sleeve garters of his shirt tighten around his arms and he knows you're devouring him with your eyes. Oh, he loves it;

You know when Zayne is entering that space in his mind, he starts to sigh, suave and longs sighs with time intervals that decrease as he feels more impatient, more hungry. It's not about managing the food, forget about it. He needs your actions, towards him preferably;

That's when you know that the conversation about where's the best spot to watch the new year's fireworks at Linkon new year's festival should take a break for now;

When you now that's time to pour two glasses of a sweet fancy champagne brand and offer to him. Drinking a sip first just to show him it's safe, that he won't get out of control this time, like he always does;

What a lie;

Enticing and dangerous as the alcohol running down his throat;

But never as tempting as you adjusting his garters on his shirt, bringing his memories of you adjusting some look alike leather accessory on his neck, days ago;

Or even you hugging him from his back, kissing his shoulder and praising him for doing such a good job;

He's a so very dedicated husband, but he gets sighing and blushing every time you remember him of that;

He stopped your hands from wondering on his inner thighs, more by the necessity of finishing dinner than by anything else;

He has the need to serve you after all. He can get his reward after he does it, he can always wait, like a proper ideal husband would, right?

But when he places you on his lap at the couch, after you provoked him during the entire Christmas eve dinner barely letting you set an ambience soft piano background playlist, you know he had enough;

You watch him as he puts a small ginger bread between his lips for you to catch. He does that all the time, that's how he loves to share chocolate with you, a sweet kiss after a sugary taste is the best;

When he gets bold like that, he always looks fro your approval, it's a soft, warm and inviting look on his eyes;

When Zayne wants sex, when's he's needy to adore you, his eyes get dark;

It's not a metaphor to say how pent up he is. His pupils literally dilate, consuming the bright greenish tone of his eyes into a yearning and relaxed hungry darkness;

Even the Christmas tree cozy lights can't hide the sincerity his eyes show you;

Neither can't his tongue, thanks to alcohol;

When that happens he's vocal. He's a confessor. All the dirty things he thought during the day, how he can't stop those thoughts and how frustrating they are slip out his mouth as he mumbles;

He wants you to forgive him, or to make him worse even. It doesn't matter. Kiss him, or mark him, loose his belt or pull his tie, make him beg and almost cry, freeze until death or meltdown completely;

As the snow accumulates outside, slowly falling from the dark night sky, it doesn't matter to Zayne. It's Christmas eve and he's back home, again. As he should be.

I appreciate the way you guys enjoy my sub!Zayne writing. This is a way shorter than the other parts, but I needed to talk abou him and Christmas/new year's since "snowman - sia" is playing on my head rent free and it's such a Zayne song.

[theresattrpgforthat]

hi! have you seen the TTRPGS for Palestine bundle yet? and do you have any recommendations from it

https://tiltify.com/@jesthehuman/ttrpgs-for-palestine

THEME: TTRPGS for Palestine

The TTRPGs for Palestine Bundle is going from April 12 to May 7, so there's not much time left to get it, but here's some recommendations of some really awesome games that you can find in it.

Gubat Banwa, by makapatag.

GUBAT BANWA is a Martial Arts Tactics and War Drama Tabletop RPG where you play as martial artists poised to change the world: Kadungganan: the cavalry, the wandering swordsmen, the tide turners, the knights-errant, the ones to call in darkest night in a world inspired and centering Southeast Asian folklore.

Witness, grand warriors, honorable gallants that trudge and toil under kings and haloes. Witness, KADUNGGANAN, that refulgent name. That blasted name: WITNESS NOW. The end of days is upon us: and the new world MUST BE BORN. Bear your blades, incant your magicks. Cut open your tomorrow from the womb of violence. Inscribe your name upon the very akasha of this world. 

Gubat Banwa is designed for fans of 4th edition D&D, with in-depth character abilities that make you feel both unique and powerful, in a colourful and flavourful world full of vibrant cultures and clashing conflicts. The game uses an action economy with different action options carrying different weights, which also reminds me quite a bit of Lancer. If you want a game that pushes you to strategize with your friends and weigh your advancement options carefully, you want Gubat Banwa.

Gun & Slinger, by Nevyn Holmes.

GUN&SLINGER is an RPG geared for short, episodic sessions about a weapon and a wanderer. A Maestro and two players (Gun and Slinger) set out into a dead planet mutated by a god's forgotten child and hunt strange bounties, investigate the world and unlock hidden powers. During play, they seek to learn the nature of what’s hunting the Slinger, figure out why the Gun is sentient and discover how the world died.

This game is specifically for three players, using the rules of Go Fish as a resolution system. Gun & Slinger is all about using your resources to the best of their ability, and your resources might exist on your character sheet, but they also exist as cards in your hand.

What really intrigues me is the lore that’s baked into your character sheets. One of you is a wanderer in a twisted world, tempted by strange powers that guarantee to change you into a monster. One of you is a sentient magical gun, borne by that wanderer and designed to deliver death and pain.

Gun & Slinger has expansions included, allowing you to instead play as a wanderer possessed by a demon, a mech and a pilot fused as one, or someone who bears a cursed sword. I think the fact that it requires a small table and the fact that the characters’ lives are tied together makes this a high-stakes, terribly intimate game.

Apocalypse Frame, by Binary Star Games.

In a ruined and terraformed world where most of humanity is under the yoke of a brutal regime, the former workers of a once-remote factory - now known as The Collective - have risen up to create a future of freedom from oppression. You are an Ace - a highly skilled pilot referred from a Division in The Collective and assigned a humanoid combat vehicle known as a Frame. You and your Strike Team of fellow Aces must take on The Collective’s greatest threats, ensure its survival, and carve a path for its continued success.

Apocalypse Frame takes mechs and fits them into the LUMEN system, which centres competency as well as fast but effective rounds of combat. The game includes a variety of different threats, allowing you to tailor your campaign to your group’s tastes, and the tailoring doesn’t stop there. You choose both a division that your character belongs to, and then one of three mechs within that division, allowing players to share similar fighting styles but differ in weapons. You can also modify your basic frame, adding general modular systems alongside systems and armaments that can come with your mech, making character creation and progression exciting for folks who love tweaking and tailoring to their heart’s content.

If you’re a fan of Armored Core or Battletech, you’ll want to check out Apocalypse Frame.

Here, There Be Monsters!, by wendi yu.

No matter what they tell you, there’s still weirdness and wonder everywhere. You just have to know where to look. At the edges and cracks of ‘normal’ life we exist, we persist, and we resist: the monsters, the magicians, the anomalies, the freaks, and the outcasts. We gather in the shadows, trying our best to live our lives in a world that, when it doesn’t exactly fear or hate us, doesn't even believe in our existence.

here, there, be monsters! is a rules-lite response to monster-hunting media from the monsters' point of view. It's both a love letter and a middle finger to stuff like Hellboy (and the BPRD), the SCP Foundation, the Men in Black, the World of Darkness games and the Urban Fantasy genre in general. It is an explicitly queer, antifascist and anti-capitalist game about the monstrous and the weird, in any flavor you want, not as something to be feared, but to be cherished and protected.

Here, There, Be Monsters is a love-letter to anyone who has been made to feel monstrous, as well as an homage to media such as Hellboy, the SCP Foundation, and Men in Black. It’s urban fantasy meets organized power structures, and as the monsters, you’re here to burn those structures down.

This game uses descriptive tags to slap onto your characters to represent what they can do. You can choose from a number of different monster character backgrounds to give you guidance towards, and there’s plenty of monsters both in the base game and in the game jam wendi ran back in 2022. If you want a game of power, anti-capitalism, and punching up, this is the game for you.

Pale Dot, by Devin Nelson.

Pale Dot is a collaborative storytelling game for 2-5 players about a crew of non-human cosmonauts leaving their planet to explore a strange solar system, finding threads to unravel the unknown along the way. It is fantastical, surreal, and perhaps very unlike humanity’s own ventures in space exploration. Though one thing is universal: leaving home is terrifying, dangerous, humbling, and a catalyst for changing one’s perspective. 

Pale Dot is a GM-less game where players work together to create an alien setting and subsequently envelop it in cosmic mystery, embodying cosmonauts called Dustlings, as well as one of 5 different settings. During their journey they will be able to travel to 24 different locations within their solar system, each with several prompts for improvisational scenes. Each player will also have to manage the integrity of their cosmonaut and their shared ship while avoiding space's many perils.

The cover for Pale Dot gripped me the first time I saw it; a tiny creature in an astronaut suit, looking up in fear at something in the sky, as vegetation blooms inside their helmet. You play as the Dustlings, non-human but sentient species exploring the Cosmos, a strange, horrifying and wonderful universe that changes those who venture into it.

Mechanically, Pale Dot uses a GM-less structure similar to Dream Askew, but there feels to be a much bigger emphasis on the setting your cosmonauts explore, rather than the cosmonauts themselves. Your characters are assembled traits, drives and equipment, almost all of which can be expended to cause or solve problems. Each player is also responsible for at least one setting element, such as The Cosmic Wilderness, The Wondrous Endeavour, or The Omnipresent Danger. As you visit locations, different elements will be prompted to influence the scene, while your cosmonauts try to navigate the scene and try to finish the mission. If you want a game that is collaborative and evocative, I definitely recommend Pale Dot.

Fractal Romance, by Ostrichmonkey Games.

A never ending abstract landscape of rhythm and soft glamour. Wander the halls, rooms, and chambers. Encounter strange Denizens and get to know them better; befriend them, fall in love, just chill. Try and fill out your own blurred edges. Fractal Romance is a tabletop role playing hangout. You will pick up a character to play and explore the Fractal Palace, generating its infinite sprawl and the Denizens that inhabit it, as you play.

Fractal Romance is all about searching; for something you need, something you want, or even for who you are. It feels rather surreal, perhaps like a dream dimension that you are moving through. The game uses a deck of cards to generate rooms, as well as the denizens of this gigantic, dream-like palace. This game uses rather simplistic playbooks, each asking you to choose three descriptive words, and then uses cards to fuel your character’s actions: you have things you can always do, things that cost a card to do, and things that you must do in order to draw another card.

If what you want out of a game is a chill time with friends, moving from one vibe to another, and generating emotional stories for your characters, you might want to check out Fractal Romance.

Himbos of Myth and Mettle, by huge boar.

You are big. Big arms, big tits, big thighs, big brai- you're big where it matters. In addition to a heaving, throbbing body, glistening lightly with a thin sheen of pleasantly fragrant perspirant, you have one singular unifying trait  - come hell or high water, you are going to help.

Himbos of Myth & Mettle is a high fantasy, high camp role playing game of epic proportions (of body), for 2-5 players, one of whom will act as Game Guide.  The rules center around a simple roll under mechanic and prioritize narrative flair and cinematic descriptions. Himbos is inspired by many classic fantasy properties (and could be considered OSR adjacent) , but leans towards a more garish, salacious and queer (gay or odd, pick your fighter) style of play. It is designed with comedy and flamboyance in mind, but is not without it deeper and darker touches. It's definitely not grimdark, but there will probably be blood. Think classic fantasy pulp in style, but contemporary sensibilities, modern rules-lite mechanics, and a player philosophy centred in helping, kindness and being fucking hot.

I’ve heard rave reviews for Himbos, and I think the idea of leading an entire group of well-meaning but possibly over-ambitious adventurers is a great set-up for a game full of laughs. Himbos is very much designed for a light-hearted evening of fun, flirting, and fucking up (but in the best way).

Other Games from the Bundle I've Recommended:

Space Taxi, and Creation Myths, by GothHoblin.

Caltrop Core, by Titanomachy.

Souvenirs, by Rémi Töötätä.

Thunder in Our Hearts, by Marn. S.

Eldritch Courts of Some Repute, by AlanofAllTrades.

[coneheads-deserved-a-noble-prize]

I AM SO TIRED OF PEOPLE ASSOCIATING ALASTOR WITH ONLY JAMBALAYA SO HERE ARE OTHER CREOLE DISHES YOU HEATHENS

Fanfiction and Comic creators, this is for you especially.

Crawfish Étouffée

This beautiful dish was invented in Breaux Bridge Louisiana, where our favourite radio star is from! Although it's invention is attributed the Herbet Hotel in the 1950s -after Alastors death- it is a classic.

Crawfish Étouffée has a sauce typically made from a blonde roux with that classic cajun seasoning. It contains the Holy Trinity of cajun cooking too: bell peppers, onions and celery. The main meat of this dish is crawfish tails and it is usually served with carbs like cornbread, cajun rice or vegetables such as green beans and potato salad.

It is chock full of flavour, and a filling inexpensive dish for low income families - which I believe Alastor is from.

Some alternatives to the crawfish are chicken and shrimp.

-----

The difference between Étouffée and Gumbo.

These two often get mixed up, and I understand, they're both classic Bayou dishes. Here's how to differentiate them.

Texture: Both dishes use shrimp, chicken, or crawfish tail broth. BUT Jumbo has a thicker consistency, it's made from a dark roux and it tends to use more liquid to remain stew-like.

Flavour: Gumbo and Étouffée both use Cajun seasoning, but due to Étouffées blonde roux, it has a lighter, sweeter taste than the darker, fullness of flavour in Gumbo.

Meat: Gumbo uses a variety of meats at the same time (often shrimp and sausage are key components), as mentioned in the alternatives above, Étouffée typically does not.

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2. Red Beans and Rice

We're on a roll guys! This is another dish from Louisiana! Although, it is specifically associated with New Orleans, where Alastor hosted his radio show. It has a fascinating history, partly due to it's African and French/Spanish routes - But it was also a struggle meal during the Great Depression. It was originally a Creole, not Cajun dish.

(Note: Red Beans and Kidney Beans are different legumes)

This dish also contains the Holy Trinity, as well as bay leaves, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and more. Its protein comes from Andouille sausages, but like Gumbo, a variety of meats are used. If you want Alastor to be traditional about it, he should make it on a Monday incorporating the left over ham bones from Sunday dinner. It is also complimented with long grain white rice and green beans, amongst many other things.

Considering Alastor witnessed the Stock Market Crash of 1929 -which led to the Great Depression - There is no way he hasn't come across this dish before.

3. Creole Bread Pudding

The queen of Creole Dessert has arrived. Can you guess where she's from? DING-DING-DING! That's right! New Orleans Louisiana baby! Recipes of this treat have been recorded since 1885, so it suffices to say she's a classic.

Like most bread puddings, it is made by combining stale bread (preferably French), beaten eggs and milk. However, this variation often has an incredible amount of vanilla extract. What it will be complimented with varies from person to person. Some examples are: Whipped meringue and whisky, raisins and apple, or walnuts and butter.

Although not as popular in the modern day, I like to imagine this is something Mimzy, Rosie and Alastor might share together on a day out.

-----

There you go! I hope you enjoyed this - but more importantly I hope this helps people create a more diverse version of those cosy Alastor cooking scenes that I love.

[velnna]

What are the races in your under garden comic? And how did you come up with them?

Oh oh oh juicy question

We're still exploring what "races" we have, how mixed they can get, etc etc, but I love yapping about this so I'll give a bit of a TL:DR

The Under Garden started off with me and my cowriter having a couple of DnD characters we got very attached to and didn't want to dispose, so the "basis" for their races was attached to DnD somewhat - namely drow and tiefling

HOWEVER when we decided to make it its own world we basically broke off with that and decided to, for starters, have a basic "elf" like race for humanoids. The range is basically any vaguely human creature with pointy ears, and then other physical attributes might determine where they're from but wouldn't exactly count as a whole separate thing.

When we worked out some of the large scale history of the world, we decided as well that the people we first interact with, with skin in shades of purple/blue and hair in shades of silver, would have been dominant at some point, then driven to seclusion in small pockets of the world. Meaning that if someone were to look vaguely.. "drowish" I suppose, they'd be linked to this ancient powerful people and the few places they're known to still exist in. They've got the longest lifespan (~250 years) and are also more intertwined with the high level magic system in this world.

For example:

From here we sort of made room for types of elf we haven't pinned down yet, and will probably parallel anything from bluer "sea" elves to stockier more dwarf-like people, and for all intended purposes even if someone just looks like a human they're a flavour of elf. For example:

And again, the further you go from the silver hair - purpleish skin combo the less connection you have to the OG magic dwellers. There's more nuance to the magic system but that's the gist of it.

ASIDE FROM ELVES HOWEVER we now get into what we decided to do with the "tiefling" side of it. The thought process here was funny because we had a character inspired by a cyborg but no way to have actual cyborg shit justified in this world without an extra layer of complication. So I was like yo what if he's like a bug instead. Exoskeleton vibes n all. So then we decided fuck it out more wack looking people will be mostly inspired by bugs. Within them you DO have a bigger variety of "races", lifespans, physiologies, etc, and there's a lot of room for us to wiggle. They're generally non magical and can cross breed with elves so bugness is also a spectrum.

Some bugs:

Some bug hybrids:

Basically anything with a weird number of limbs, eyes, odd scleras, exoskeletons, wings, etc is some flavour of bug or bug hybrid. They tend to be as far removed from magic as possible.

Obviously there's a bunch of more and lesser known types of bugs and the sheer diversity makes for some interesting worldbuilding questions and dynamics but as a whole it's a work in progress

*takes a bow*

[kiragecko]

I've gots the Weird Neurodivergent Eating going on, and just realized it might not be normal to need three varieties of tea so that it can keep tasting good. Many of you ALSO have the Weird Neurodivergent Eating going on, and I'm curious where we all fall!

[hpowellsmith]

Chemistry in Project Amble

All my games have slightly different romance structures behind the scenes.

Blood Money has a base level of romantic eligibility that can be gated first by the PC's orientation (so you can't romance Nico if you're a lesbian, for instance), and then by various actions. There are variables describing being in a committed romance and also being ineligible. (Fun fact, I did this in the same way that Baldur's Gate 2 does its romances, because modding BG2 was where I first wrote interactive romances.)

In Creme de la Creme, there are romance_expressed variables which represent having flirted with someone or having started a romance, then romance_locked which means you're committed to a particular character. Then there are seriousbreakup variables for each character that describe having been committed to someone before breaking up.

In Noblesse Oblige, it's simplified, with a romance variable, a friendship variable, and end-romance variables.

In Royal Affairs, there are romance_expressed variables and slowburn variables. This is the first one where there's a dedicated flirt variable tracked.

In Honor Bound, there's an added complication in which you can discuss romance with someone without officially starting a romance, either because you're keeping things casual or the other character is reluctant for whatever reason (the latter is what can happen if you make a move on one of the slower-burn characters early on). I also separated being interested in a character with flirting, so the PC can silently yearn without showing it if they wanted to. There are also different kinds of breakup, like in Creme, where the NPC is more upset with you afterwards if you've broken up under more fraught circumstances.

In starting Project Amble, I've already planned the different possible shapes of the romances. Each character's romance has distinct tones, but also includes a lot of variety in how you can engage with it. So for example, one character is up for having an early fling. It can be a one-off thing, something that remains emotionally casual throughout, or becomes romantic - slowly or quickly. Or you can not do the fling at all and get to know them over a longer period, becoming romantic later on.

I'm keeping the silent-yearning options from Honor Bound as I know players are into it (so am I!), and the potential fraught-breakup variables from it and the earlier games. Project Amble has the most dramatic breakup possibilities of any of my games.

What I'm adding for this one is a hidden chemistry meter. It's separate to the relationship meter, and it tracks when the PC does something that the NPC thinks is particularly attractive. It likely won't gate off starting a romance, but it'll add flavour, so for example if the PC initiates a romance there might be these sorts of responses:

"I can't believe I'm actually thinking of romancing you when you're SO frustrating, ugh, I can't stop thinking about you" - low relationship, high chemistry

"I've been thinking about this but wasn't sure how to say it - yes, I want to be with you!" - high relationship, high chemistry

"I've been really liking how close we've become and - wow, I never thought of it like that but I'd love to see how we can make it work" - high relationship, low chemistry

"You're serious about this? Well. Maybe we can try..." -low relationship, low chemistry

The reason I'm doing this is:

there are characters for whom I want to be able to have more specific interactions based on the sort of things listed above.

various characters will think the PC is doing something attractive... without necessarily liking the PC more.

I love the Dragon Age 2 style friendship/rivalry romance structure and while this is a bit different, it means I can stretch some muscles in that direction

I want to experiment with NPCs developing crushes on the PC and tweaking if/how/when they initiate or flirt with the PC. I did this a bit in Honor Bound with the more flirty characters and built in responses to the PC overtly flirting, but would like to develop this more for Project Amble.

Some of this was inspired by Michelle Clough's work. I'm not someone who necessarily minds a "do sidequests/bring gifts for NPCs and then they like you more" structure, but I do enjoy different ways of doing things and I especially like when NPCs respond in ways you don't expect (or when they cause trouble for the PC even if they're in a romance). I'd very much recommend Clough's Kindness Coins, or Chemistry Casino? for a deeper dive on this subject.

[fr33time]

Ghouls favourite desserts pt. 3

Featuring the boys in Hotarubi, Obscuary, and Mortkranken ♡

A/N: I love talking about sweets, some of the sweets I’ve written about are ones that I want to try in the future. This one took a while to come out because I’ve been focusing on important things in my personal life ^^ I currently have a Jin focused fic in the making, it was an old request of mine, but I accidentally deleted it and I’m hoping the person who requested it will find it when it comes out. Have a lovely day!

divider credits: @konatasoup Genre: Headcanons

See: Pt. 1, Pt. 2

Requesting rules here! (View them before asking)

╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗

☆Subaru

Fried ice cream - Subaru likes many desserts, especially desserts from his childhood, but ever since he discovered fried ice cream it changed everything for him. Not only did he find the technique behind fried ice cream interesting, but he loves the combined textures of the crispy batter and the soft ice cream. He feels like it’s heaven hitting his tongue, sometimes Sho makes him some as a gift.

☆Haku

Dango - Haku is another person that has a preference for desserts from his childhood. He likes going to traditional stands to support local and it reminds him of when he was younger in his family home. It’s not too sweet of a dessert and even though there’s many different flavours and styles to try, he sticks with his regular which is hanami dango when it’s available in the spring time.

☆Zenji

Fruit tarts - Zenji is pretty much as sweet as a fruit tart. He loves how they come in small bites, and have a variety of fresh fruits on top of a white custard. He loves eating sweets, and fruit tarts are apart of his many joys in life. It’s also one of the greatest experiences that he misses and how the tart would crumble when he bit into it. He tries to find a way to replicate the same sweetness that he loves.

☆Edward

Chocolate -Edward is a bit of a plain jane, he says that it’s the “ultimate dessert” and arguably the most romantic out of all sweets. He prefers a mix of chocolate flavours, mainly a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate where he can get a taste of bitterness and sweetness in one go. He doesn’t particularly like many sweets, but chocolate has been around the longest for him and he finds it comforting when he lays in bed all day.

☆Rui

Swedish delight - Rui finds it adorable how Swedish delight comes in little cubes, and he loves the soft jelly texture when he bites into it. He can’t Swedish delight in most places, so he also needs to order it. He works a lot around Obscuary, so this is his tiny sweet treat as a reward. He can’t resist the soft sweetness in it. When he receives the package, he makes sure to hide it because it’s the one thing he gets to enjoy.

☆Lyca

Crepes - The first time Lyca tried a crepe, he looked like he was about to explode. Since he’s out of his jail cell, he wants to try as many flavours as he possibly can. A crepe was one of the first desserts he ever tried and he fell in love with a simple strawberry crepe with whipped cream in it. He was confused on how to hold a crepe at first and eat it, so it got really messy real fast.

☆Yuri

Macarons - Yuri is extra and only eats food that he deems good enough for him. For him, a lot of macarons at the store are too sweet for him so he needs to specially get them. He mainly has them with his tea, and he appreciates the soft crunch of the macaron. If he could pick his favourite flavour, he would always get lime or a flavour that mimics green tea. He eats them in his spare time and gets embarrassed when someone walks in, he hides them with the utmost speed and makes himself seem suspicious.

☆Jiro

Jello - Jiro can’t process solid foods so Jello is his best bet. He’s not one that eats sweets, he’ll only order something if someone insists that they need to feed him. He eats jello that is sugarless, this isn’t just because he can’t handle the sheer amount of stuff they put in the jello, but also because Yuri stresses to him that he can’t eat too much sugar or else there’s complications. If anything, he just loves the texture and how easy it is to eat.

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[starleska]

Rolando x Reader headcanons? You know you want to 😤

oh my god YESSSSSSS i would be delighted!!! 🙈🙈💖💖💖 warning, this one is a teensy bit NSFW, of the 'Rolando would quite like to devour you, mind and body' variety 😉 tws for canon-compliant fearmongering, fearplay, invasive behaviour, mild body horror and and general monsterfucking 👀 (i mean, y'all saw the episode, you know what you're in for-)

Rolando x Human!Reader headcanons 🐟💖

🐟 the people who darken the door of the One Star Wonder are always at the end of their tether, and Rolando wouldn't have it any other way. each one is more pathetic than the last: delicious morsels dripping with depression, anxiety and jealousy, and their bubble-headed selves all caught up in their oh-so-human concerns. Rolando greets each one with the same greasy charm, yet he makes sure to flavour his guests with just one too many inhuman gaffes. an incorrect turn of phrase here, a flash of too many teeth there, and before long, he has successfully unsettled his meat. so the night You step over the threshold and greet him with a warm, unknowing smile, he grinned right back, sure of a particularly tasty meal.

🐟 "Well, aren't you a precious little thing!" Rolando cooed, working in a lascivious gaze in the hopes of making You squirm. You stammered out a flustered thanks, and asked him if he had a room for the night. Rolando was dizzy; he could smell the indecision on You like pheromones, those little top notes of apprehension and fear, and it was all he could do to not clamber into your brain right then and there. "I've got just the room for you, dear, right at the back. And don't let anyone here give you shit under my watch. How abouts I escort you there myself? I'd hate for some filthy pervert to gobble you up along the way." before You could protest Rolando slipped around the desk, pressed a spindly claw into the small of your back and ushered You down a damp, ill-lit hallway.

🐟 as he guided You under the broken lights, Rolando's piscine gaze drank in the contours of your form. he'd played carnal games with humans before—desperate creatures that they were, their strangled whines as pleasure bled into pain never failed to amuse him. yet he'd never been so struck by the beauty of your kind. "So, what brings you to my malign establishment?" Rolando asked, as he carded his fingers through your hair. You shivered, but didn't pull away...a response which confused Rolando, but gave his Infestor heart a quiet thrill. You told him that you'd been kicked out of your home, and electricity shot down his back. he couldn't wait any longer. "Poor love...how could anyone be so cruel? Don't you worry your pretty little head. Tonight...you're all mine." 🐟 the few remaining lights in the hallway burst, and Rolando slipped into the blackness. You cried out in confusion as something cold and wet seized around your ankle and yanked You to the floor. chilling laughter echoed around the hallway, where it reverberated off impossible dimensions, like the hotel had yawned open to swallow You. "Oh, aren't you a hoot?" Rolando cackled. "Such fear...such excitement...what a delectable combination." Rolando's yellow-green eyes flashed in the dark, and the deathly edges of his teeth glimmered with saliva. You tried to run, but he dissolved into the dark and snatched at your shadow, tripping you with ease. Rolando's inky, gelatinous form drooled up your side and pinned You to the floor by the wrists, neck, and ankles.

🐟 "Running ain't the smartest move, sweetheart..." Rolando hissed, "...but boy, is it fun!" his monstrous tongue curled around your earlobe and invaded the delicate flesh of your ear itself, lapping in a way far too wet and obscene. You curled in on yourself, trying to make yourself small enough to escape, but Rolando's invertebrate form slipped between your joints and stretched out your limbs until it hurt. one dirty yellow light flickered into life above You and illuminated Rolando's sickly smirk. "Golly," said Rolando, putting his head on one side. "By now, normally I've got 'em screaming and wailing...but save a few sweet little sounds, you're quiet as a mouse." he wrapped himself around your face and breathed a blasphemy against your lips: "If I didn't know better...I'd say you're rather enjoying this." 🐟 a litany of protests tumbled from your mouth, but all they did was make Rolando laugh harder. "Don't deny it, sugar! I see everything tucked up inside that nasty little brain of yours...and fear ain't winning this race, honey." a nail as sharp as a blade tucked itself under your chin, and curled, tilting your face up to his. in the dark, Rolando's smile gleamed with bad intentions. "Tell you what...how about we play a game? You try to keep those lovely lips of yours shut..." a slight sting, and Rolando draws back his claw to admire a rivulet of blood. "...and I see how long it takes to make you scream."

[3lsmp]

"The canary curse and why I absolutely hate it" - an in depth tumblr post by celebi 3lsmp (in a state of covid sickbrain) (with assistance from my friend fern)

Hi. as many of you know, i fucking hate the canary curse Jimmy headcanon. It sucks. I hate it here. but have you ever wondered WHY? Celebi, WHY do you hate jimmy solidarity canary curse headcanon. WELL LET ME TELL YOU !!

In general I try not to be a hater, fandom spaces generally hate unpopular opinions so I keep my mouth shut but Ive decided today I have the audacity to argue my case. You may think I'm being a nit-picker with this but. hear me out.

For starters, IN MY OPINION, a lot of the fandom has forgotten what the real story of the canary in the coalmine is. Canarys were used in coalmines in the 1900s to aid coal miners in recognising when harmful gasses were within the cave and when the canary would collapse and die they would exit the cave to safety. While yes, Jimmy does run out of lives (permadie) first in 4/5 seasons of the life series, he doesnt actually die first. He permadies first in 3rd life, but doesnt lose the first life! This honour goes to scar with the grian creeper prank. In last life, the first life lost is Grian! in Double life it's . technically Tango. In Limited life it's Skizz, in secret life it's Martyn. So would their deaths not be considered omens of death also?

Secondly, Jimmy's permadeaths are often considered "omens of the end" or "omens of future tragedy" which, have you watched the series? have you watched the seasons? were they not tragic from the start? This idea almost implies that the life series isnt tragic until Jimmy dies? Which I do not like. Jimmy has plenty of tragic moments to his own character before his death.

This brings me onto the fandom's "woobification" of jimmy. If you take nothing away from this post other than this I will be happy, because people need to be more aware of the fact that he is completely being infantalized. Jimmy is an adult man. AN ADULT MAN. He does not need to be saved from the big bad curse of death or the "coal mine" or anything. Just because he sucks at minecraft does not make him a sweet little baby bird that needs to saved. You wouldn't treat Bigb, or Ren or Martyn like a wet kitten in a cardboard box because they die a lot. Shockingly, other people suck at minecraft in this series too. Have you seen Joels traps? is he the canary of the tnt minecart? are we gonna make him a sweet little baby bird too? No, we aren't. Jimmy is an adult man with balls. treat him like one.

Lastly, creating this headcanon which entirely around Jimmy's death, to me, erases the importance of the things he did when he was alive within the series. Would the Flower Husbands have gone to war against dogwarts if Jimmy hadn't burned the dogwarts flag in front of Ren & Martyn? Would The southlands have ended the same if Jimmy hadn't robbed the life from the lifeswapping ritual? Jimmy has more impact in his story than his deaths. He is not a character who dies off to further 3L! Scott's arc, he is not the silly background comedy of the southlands and he is more than just a death curse.

TLDR : use your brain and be more creative and please for the love of god free me from canary jimmy.

also im sick of everyone being birds. where is the flavour. where is the variety.