Category Archives: Writing

Fiction, non-fiction, fanfiction, poetry…

Devil’s Due: Part 16: Out of the Cooler and Into the Freezer

Murlesson works in Celcius because the Empire uses metric. And hey, I managed to recycle something from Tatooine (even though I replayed that months ago so I don’t have any of the actual dialogue). I just thought it would be more interesting to do it this way than to blandly exposit ‘rumours’.

Next chapter is slowly taking shape but it’s still taking some time to sand the less-good corners off everything.

Part 15: Insignificant Haircut

 

Part 16: Out of the Cooler and Into the Freezer

Belsavis was the weirdest planet he’d been on yet. As Revel had described to him, massive three-to-four-hundred-metres-high glaciers blanketed most of the planet, thanks to its orbit on the outer side of its star’s habitable zone. But the planet’s huge, hot core had, via volcanic activity, melted giant gaps in the ice, leaving them free to be filled with rich, thermal-powered jungles. From space, the planet looked like it had green acne. Charming. Continue reading

Devil’s Due: Part 15: Insignificant Haircut

Gave Murlesson some nice loot from that side-quest. Might mean I ramble less about logistics and base management. A little bit. Yes, we are going to Belsavis next. It won’t take long, I’m starting to get impatient about Hoth.

For anyone wondering what Murlesson looks like in-game, I believe his appearance is:
Body Type 2
Head 2
Scars 1 (none)
Complexion ??? (probably 1?)
Eye colour 1
Tattoos 3 (although I’m not sure how canonical that is; supposedly the facial markings are applied at a coming-of-age ceremony, but given how he’s been a slave all his life, how could he have a coming-of-age ceremony? There’s a strong chance he doesn’t have tattoos, and I’m not sure how important he would consider them to get them just to match his character model) (EDIT: he got them in Part 4)
Horns and Hair 2 (15 before it grows out)
Hair colour 5
Skin colour 2
Before the above-mentioned Insignificant Haircut, his hair probably looks something like this. But with Zabrak horns of course. Although, that’s probably too much hair – he’s only had a few months to grow it out – but you get the idea. Continue reading

Devil’s Due: Part 14: The Trouble with Hutts

Threw in a bit of episodic ‘monster of the week’ adventure; I edited a bit of last chapter to smooth out the set-up. It’s maybe a bit on the cheesy side, but at least it’s original cheese? Nanowrimo has been good so far; I’m almost done the next chapter as well.

Part 13: Historical Destroyer

 

Part 14: The Trouble with Hutts

Quesh was a disgusting cesspool of poison and smoke, but it was as far as his apprentices had managed to run after being caught stealing. Murlesson was angry, but he supposed it had been bound to happen sooner or later. Especially with a prize like the key to Thanaton’s meditation chamber. What had they been thinking!? And yet their audacity was encouraging. If they survived this, he’d start treating them like actual apprentices. Continue reading

Devil’s Due: Part 13: Historical Destroyer

Ah, a slow, self-indulgent chapter, considering there is NO main story quest in it at all lol. Hope you like Ashara! I realize they wouldn’t put all this slow resource management and development in an action rpg, but I’m making use of it because I think way too much about logistics in stories. And then, oops, an action scene showed up out of nowhere. Do you think it’s too big? I kind of wanted it to be shorter.

I did a bit of a dumb a few days ago; I stayed up late reading the MOST AMAZING Rurouni Kenshin/Star Wars fanfic ever; but the upshot of it was “I need to consider the Force ambience more” because the author makes it seem so effortless how the Force-users see through the Force as naturally as with their eyes, so I went back and edited all the previous chapters in a tiny way (I don’t have the energy to do a big rework right now).

Listened to a lot of Disturbed writing this! I have two new CDs and they make good background music, though I’m planning to use some of it more thematically later…

Part 12: The Maiden and the Assassins

 

Chapter 13: Historical Destroyer

Maliss’s smirk widened into a smug grin as Murlesson dismounted the speeder bike, Ashara following him. “Excellent. Truly remarkable. My lord, you are utterly clever and resourceful. You turned the Jedi!”

This could get complicated very quickly if he didn’t shut it down. “If this is what it looks like, you should know that you’re not going to live very long.” Continue reading

Devil’s Due: Part 12: The Maiden and the Assassins

You may already have noticed that I changed the location from Taris to Yavin 4. That’s because I don’t think Taris really fits what the Inquisitor is trying to do, even if I realize the game has to go there for mechanical reasons. So… Yavin 4, which has a decent Legacy trove of lore to draw on. Hopefully this doesn’t clash with the expansion that I’ll probably never ever play, lol. And I have detailed criticisms of basically every part of the Taris missions. I could pick them apart for pages… or I could just post this chapter, and you can see my criticisms in what I decided to change (N.B. not all changes are criticisms, but all criticisms are changes).

I’ve really been looking forward to finally getting Ashara in here! I love her as a character. I don’t know what she’s like Dark Side, but Light Side she’s a bundle of fun.

There’s another scene here that I’ve been looking forward to which is exclusive to Murlesson; I’m sure you’ll know it when you read it. Here’s the music you should be listening to with it muahahahahaha… It’s written as a 1:1 cutscene with the music, so if you read super fast, it will line up if you press play at “He was a brave man to have penetrated these forgotten depths alone…” but I don’t recommend reading it super fast, I spent a lot of time on that part! XD

I was actually going to have this chapter out earlier but I got stuck on the fight scenes. (and lots of life events going on – I moved to a new apartment! Which event promptly kicked the mental stuffing out of me) Continue reading

Devil’s Due: Part 11: Into the Shadows

Why yes hello I also write about emo Sith bois once in a while (wow it’s been a whole year!)

I’ve been having a rough start to the fall so I figured why not channel my wild mood swings and general depression into something that benefits from negativity? So here we go, let’s crank the Corpse Party OST and plumb the dark depraved depths of BioWare’s garbage writing!

This chapter was one of the most important ones for giving the Inquisitor back some agency. In the game, they just run off at Thanaton’s order, almost get killed, and then Grandpa shows up to save them and yell at them for being stupid when the player isn’t allowed any other choice? I don’t like that. If BioWare’s pretending I’m playing a cunning, scheming character, that’s bad writing. I also don’t like getting scraped off the floor by Kaal and Corrin because the Inquisitor was too dumb to plan any sort of escape route (in b4 anyone complains that there was no time to execute an escape route), even if I do like the part where the Inquisitor straight up dies-but-not (cockroach like). The confrontation wasn’t the worst writing ever, it was just lazy. So I’m adding some proper drama.

Researching ambiance; Thanaton show-down music!

Part 10: Lord Kallig

 

Part 11: Into the Shadows Continue reading

FFXIV: Shining Ishgard Among the Clouds

In which Tam is a massive ace. (His medallion was last mentioned halfway through Chapter 4 if you care.)

I tried to take a break from fic writing BUT I CAN’T so have another chapter of random bits and pieces

Description of Ishgard should be read with Solid in mind (Ishgard should always be beheld with Solid in mind; still my favourite city theme! MY HEART)

Also, fun fact: since Tharash has quit the video game, Crim/Yllamse talked him into DMing a FFXIV-themed 5.0 DnD game for us based on pre-HW Ishgard (I’m still working through the lore resource lol). Crim is playing another Xaela grump, Yllamse is an astro, and I’m playing my Temple Knight sunshine boi Syndael Argennoux who was mentioned a couple times in this fic.

Chapter 19: The Parting Glass

 

Chapter 20: Shining Ishgard Among the Clouds

Achiyo had said they would go to Ishgard, and she still wished to. The way they’d been chased through Ul’dah… She feared to return to Eorzea, and Ishgard’s ingrained hostility towards her race seemed far more mild and bearable than Eorzea suspecting her of being a murderer. And, too, there was a nagging feeling of responsibility… Ishgard’s wards had fallen, and they’d already suffered dragon raids as a direct result. If they’d been able to hold the dragon back a little longer… Continue reading

FFXIV: The Parting Glass

And BOOM goes the dramatic tension! Thanks for reading everyone! I’m going to take a break from writing for a bit to play Legend of Dragoon, but I’m sure I’ll be back with HW sooner or later!

Regarding the song Thancred and R’nyath sing at the beginning of the chapter: I was subbing for a choir earlier this year, and one of the pieces they were singing was ‘Quick, we have but a second‘ by Stanford, and I realized immediately that it fit this chapter perfectly. And I’ve been waiting for this one… Vivienne’s fight song is RichaadEB’s cover of Bad Apple!

R’inwa is actually a lot taller than R’nyath, I learned when making him into a retainer; his height is at max, and I think R’nyath’s in the bottom third of the scale.

EDIT: Vivienne’s soul crystal has broken for story purposes.

Chapter 18: Blushes and Blood Pearls

 

Chapter 19: The Parting Glass

The air in the Rising Stones was merry, despite everything that had happened in the last little while, despite the tension that Rinala felt in her chest like a distant thundercloud. But if the others were worried, though she suspected they were, she couldn’t tell from their demeanour. Perhaps they were pretending and putting on a good face, as the other folk at the banquet would neither know nor care about the horrible murder that had just happened, or the sinister plot behind it that no one would tell her about. She didn’t begrudge them maintaining her ignorance; she was terrible with secrets, only… she wanted to know what to be worried about, and also she was just curious! Continue reading

FFXIV: Blushes and Blood Pearls

I’m weak. I started playing R’nyath Tia lol.

At the beach, Rinala’s wearing the 2017 summer top with the 2018 summer bottom, both dyed Dalamud red; R’nyath is wearing the 2018 top in Meadow green and bottom in Nophica green.

Chapter 17: Faith in Her Fury

 

Chapter 18: Blushes and Blood Pearls

 

At first it was just one out-of-place woman in town, a blonde Miqo’te dressed in a beautiful white dress and looking about in wonderment. And then it was another, a brunette Hyur from Ul’dah, and another, a long-legged Elezen, and another, and another, and one by one they were all directed to the Rising Stones. Continue reading

FFXIV: Faith in Her Fury

This chapter is obviously named for an OST track; one of my favourite tracks (a shame it’s only used for this one trial!) and one I absolutely needed for writing inspiration. Other OST used in this chapter would be Battle Theme 1.x, which is Chuchupa’s theme!

Only two more chapters left in ARR!

Chapter 16: The Tightening Noose

 

Chapter 17: Faith in Her Fury

 

As promised, Aymeric rode in haste to Camp Dragonhead with Estinien to meet with Haurchefant and the Warriors of Light. Lucia was already with them. Iceheart had shattered Ishgard’s outermost defensive wards, the Temple Knights had had terrible losses in the northwest, and he knew Commander Leveilleur was going to try and be clever rather than helpful. But his beautiful city was more direly threatened than any other time in their nation’s history, and he needed reinforcements. Any reinforcements. If but a single Warrior of Light were to come to their aid, well, it would be a start. But somehow he did not think they would turn a cold shoulder to his impassioned plea. And not simply because it was impassioned. Continue reading