Ok then I'll send ask bc I am Interested... Any facts about Ash? 1) How did he meet Ford, David, Tom, and Ali? 2) Personal motivations? 3) Any interesting facts about his past? 4) Also lore? How exactly did the world get destroyed? 5) What exactly are tainted/grimbloods and how do they come to be? 6) How easy (or hard) would it be to befriend each of the bounty hunters?
Hell yeah! Ask time :) i got plenty on Ash
1) Ash was rescued by David actually, he found him when he had ended up captive in the same situation as Ash was in. If u have seen 10 Cloverfield lane, thats the situation. But after all that was dealt with David brought Ash back to HQ with him. From there he met the others... albeit in not a great way cause heâs extremely cautious and skittish. But after a while, Ali is actually the one who gets him to warm up a bit and the others follow sooth.
2) Ashâs personal motivations are a bit spoilery, but if anything his motivation is to help out the people who have shown him care. He loves them, and wants to help if he can. Even if he wonât let them in too too close, he wants to help them with their cause.
3) Ashâs past is unrelentingly awful, and its all out on Toyhouse! You can read it there! https://toyhou.se/1205326.ash-harris-sona-
4) The Overlord is the reason its destroyed, he wanted to create a blank state where he could gain power. His abilities are on par with Volites or Tom, So the way he went about it 600 years ago was he and some of his followers invaded a very important military space station in orbit. With his abilities amplified by stolen tech they projected a blast directly at the planet on New years. When the blast made contact with the planet it wiped out most life that had not taken shelter due to prior warning. The world was left scared and destroyed.
The world for 600 years festered, The destruction of the planet destroyed many Korbrix research buildings. (korbrix is a science corp, they own the bounty hunters in present time and while they used to be awful, theyâre sort of a sanctuary now) the destruction of these buildings polluted the world with mutagens theyâd be working on which kinda helped âhealâ the planet but really it made it mutant and wrong. None of the animals and plants that exist on the planet are how we know them.
5) Tainted/Grimbloods are classifications of Humans! They came to be by Korbrix INC. they were made by the efforts of The corporation during Project Reach. (A project intended to bring humanity forward in evolution) Essentially they are modified humans, No longer Pure humans which are essentially people like US. Like actually us. Tainted/Grims have powers, control over things.
6) well! The easiest ones to befriend are probably Tom and Ford. As theyâre very extroverted.
However the absolute hardest ones are Ash and David. Ash is extremely closed off and not keen on letting people into his life, heâs nice but far too nervous. David on the other hand is straight up unpleasant to be around at times, he is RUDE and he doesnât give a shit about people who annoy him. Heâs blunt and will let you know exactly how he feels.
A young dragon is separated from its parents by a blizzard.
This is a birthday gift for @arcalika , using her world. The character is a Getnum dragon, aligned with the elements Ice and Light.
1926 Words | 8 min reading time
To think that but yesterday I yearned for something other than the howling wind that had blasted me from the sky and the whiteout of snow. Now the cold silence, broken only by the crunching of my footsteps on fresh-fallen snow and the scraping of my limp left wing against the snow, made apparent just how isolated I was in the forest of snow-covered trees.
Two days ago, my father had seen something that scared him and insisted we leave immediately. My mother had worried about a coming storm, and my flight capabilities. He had insisted. She had been right. Now I was alone.
I had asked what they feared so, two big strong dragons like them, but they had neglected to answer further than âSomeday we will tell you.â I had not pressed for further answers, Iâd long since learnt to trust their judgment. Theyâd done their best to teach me of this harsh world.
Now, as I trudged onwards, it was time to apply what Iâd been taught. Find my bearings. Find somewhere sheltered where theyâd think to look. Stay there as long as it was safe. I recognized these mountain peaks. Many cycles of the moon had passed since we last travelled them, but I knew where to find the cave in which we had sheltered before. Before some creatures settled in the area.
My parents had called them humans. Said they were frail and fearful creatures. Their fear made them dangerous. Their frailty brought them the desire to change the natural order of things. They had no magic of their own but insisted on bending the world to their will. They went so against what nature had intended that their creations and magic, the lifeforce of the world, could not coexist.
My parents warned me that one day I might encounter these two-legs, that I should get away from them as soon as I could. They were unpredictable and could have many reasons for trying to kill me, fear of the unknown chief amongst them. Iâd be able to understand them by virtue of my magic, but the poor creatures would only see me as some beast.
My wing ached with a dull throbbing. The sheer pain had subsided, but claws of pain dug into my side any time I moved the wing further than where it dragged behind me. I was exhausted, and the cold wind nipped at me as it danced between the trees. I was resistant to the cold, but not immune. I wanted to get to the cave, to find shelter. Somewhere my parents might think to find me. So, I pushed on. There was still hope as long as I put one foot in front of the other.
One foot in front of the other. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Shuush. Shuush. Shuush. It all dragged on into an agonizing monotony that finally broke as I exited the tree line.
Yet, all too quickly my hopes were dashed against the frigid mountainside. I would not be finding shelter in the cave. From here I could see that it was occupied. By humans. They huddled around a pile of burning wood a short way into what had once been our den.
I promptly turned around, suppressing a growl as my wing cried in agony at the change in direction.
One foot in front of the other. I journeyed on but had lost the hope of shelter. I soon collapsed on the snow, in one of the few beams of the setting sunlight that made its way to the ground. Maybe it was time for a nap. Iâd either wake in the morning and deal with tomorrow's problems, or my ice-resistance would not prove enough for the midwinter night.
I did indeed awake, but it was not the next morning. The sun had not even fully set yet, glowing a bright orange that only taunted me of the warmth I would not have.
I heard the crunching of snow and raised my head to look in the direction. What I saw set my heart fluttering with terror. They were here, and they saw me. One pointed a stick at me. I forced myself to my feet and ran. Something stung me in the rear. Maybe if they realised I wasnât a threat to them, theyâd leave me alone.
I didnât make it far before my legs gave out. Loud stomping behind me told me I was still pursued. I turned to see the two two-legs. Maybe I had taken the wrong approach. They chased me because they did not fear me. I would need to change that if I were to survive. I turned around, flaring up my right wing to appear threatening, and released a blast of frost from my mouth in their direction. They both dived out of the way, then backed up - keeping their distance. They were frightened of me, but they still did not leave. The same one pointed its stick at me, and I felt a sting in my neck.
If I could not scare them away, I would have to make sure they could not follow me. I charged at them. Now they ran away, but they could not escape me even in my injured state. I inhaled forcefully exhaled. Yet, instead of a freezing blast catching the humans, a mere puff of frost escaped my mouth. I didnât feel too good. The world spun and I toppled onto my injured wing, releasing a roar comprised of pain and defiance before I lost track of the mortal plane.
Once again the sounds of crunching snow, accompanied by the sliding of objects on snow, filled my ears. I was vaguely aware that I was moving, but not of my own accord. I felt my tail and hind legs dragging against the snow, but the rest of my body lay on something at an angle to the snow.
I smelt dead things. Cold blood that barely released a smell, but it was there. When I managed to open my eyes, I found myself staring at a human dragging a platform behind it. On this platform lay the corpses of a few deer. We used to hunt deer when we lived here. We ate them. My mind struggled with the dilemma of what humans could want with deer. As slowly as the sun currently rising in the east, the realization dawned on me that the humans probably ate the deer too. The awareness reached me that I was also on one of these platforms, dragged along by another human I couldnât see.
As panic filled me and I struggled to move my unresponsive limbs, I heard a third human. âItâs stirring. Youâll need to tranq it again.â
I felt the movement stop, and the platform I was on get placed on the ground. I dully felt a sting on my neck again, before I again lost consciousness.
I was still out in the cold, but I had stopped moving. I could hear talking all around me. I struggled to make out any single conversation, but I could sense uncertainty and fear. The two things that made humans dangerous. I lay as still as I could while feeling returned to my frigid limbs.
A voice cut through the rest. âThe hunters should not have brought it here,â this voice held some authority - the rest silenced to listen, âbut they have. We now need to decide what to do with it.â
âKill it!â shouted someone.
âAnd bring the wrath of others onto us?â
âWhat others? This is the first weâve ever seen here!â
âLook at those feathers! Could make a warm coat.â
âTheyâre not soft. Jaden cut his hand on them earlier. It almost blasted me with ice when we caught it. I shouldnât have let Lucas talk me into that. This thing is dangerous. Itâs meant to kill.â
Somethings held both pairs of my legs together, meaning it would be even more difficult to make an escape now. My mouth was also trapped shut.
âItâs too small to pose a threat.â
âIt will get bigger.â
âNot if it doesnât live that long.â
âWe canât take care of it. Weâre overdue for a supply drop from the southeast and we barely have enough food for ourselves. Thatâs why we sent the men hunting in the first place!â
âSheâs right,â the authoritative voice concluded. âThe two who caught it, however, have the final say.â
âI say we kill it. See if we can get any use from the carcass. Lucas?â
Silence.
Slow, deliberate footsteps towards me. I opened my eyes to see a human with a stick pointed at me. He held it as if it possessed some great danger. More concerned with my life than the charade pretending to be asleep, I struggled against my bonds. I tried to open my mouth and defend myself with ice, but I could not open my mouth either. Whisps of frost escaped the gaps at the sides of my mouth as I panicked.
âDaddy, no!â A tiny human ran from behind the one with the stick and jumped between him and me. It practically touched me. This close, I noticed how its body repelled my magic aura. But also the warmth that it released.
âLexy, move. We canât look after it.â
âYou can give it my food!â
âLexyâŠâ
âDaddy, please.â
I stopped my panicked struggle and lay still once again, awaiting the decision.
âFine.â The human lowered its stick. Then looked at the leader. âWeâll look after it.â
âVery well. You will, however, not be receiving extra rations. If I feel it poses a danger to any of us, it will be killed. You will need to keep it under control.â
âUnderstood.â I, too, took note of the words. I would need the humans to believe I would not harm them until I had the opportunity to escape. Shouldnât be too hard, right? I felt relief wash over me.
âDaddy,â called the tiny human who had been staring at me, âits eyes changed colour.â
As members of the crowd moved in closer, my aura felt practically stifled, but I remained calm.
âYou think it understands us?â
âA wild animal understanding a human? These things arenât dogs, stupid.â
âMy nan used to tell me that these things were very clever. That they could understand us.â
âYour nan now an authority on magic creatures?â
âThe magic is how they understand us!â
Some arguing broke out, but the little human remained focused on me, crouching down so its head was only a little above mine. âDo you understand me?â I wasnât sure how to respond. âBreathe out a puff of air if you do.â
The fully-grown humans stopped and watched. I did as instructed.
The parent of the little human now addressed me. âWiggle your tail if you wonât hurt us if we take the rope off your muzzle.â I did this, too.
After some hesitation, the human did free my mouth. Avoiding making sudden movements, I raised my head and looked around. I then bowed my head slightly in appreciation to the human whoâd chosen not to kill me and its hatchling.
âIâd like to contribute some of my familyâs rations to help it too.â
âMe too.â
âAs you wish,â replied the apparent leader.
âThank you. Come Lexy, letâs take it home.â They moved to pick up the platform I still lay on. âPlease stay still,â it now addressed me, âWe will take you home, get you warm and fix up that wing of yours.â
2. what work of yours, if any, are you the most embarrassed about existing?
 heck,,so i had this smutty vampire lesbian fic i was working on for a few months,,, âcept it was some years back so it wasnât actually smut but like, it wouldve been you know what i mean
The small town of Eldham was both well-known and held little interest for anyone. The nearest king didn't even bother sending ambassadors to declare his sovereignty. The town had sprung up beside a well-passaged road - many travellers and merchants slept within the inns and browsed the farmerâs market, but none of them stayed nor set up shop.
Well, almost no-one. The locals were few enough in number that they knew each other, and knew when some youngster decided to try their luck at big city life, which one of the butcherâs sons did last year - or when the rare traveller decided to join their ranks, such as Old Man Roran.
The folk of Eldham were not sophisticated - what little currency merchants left them with was often pooled together to buy supplies essential to the upkeep and running of the town and its inns. If there were no inns, there would be no business - and the small town of Eldham would be forgotten.
Unfortunately, as is with many roads in these times, bandits and highwaymen abounded. The small town of Eldham had had to hope that the wealthy merchants travelling to or from Golssam brought enough of their own guards - for the townâs meagre defences and self-trained guards stood little chance against any determined raiders.
That is until Old Man Roran arrived several years ago. He spoke with an accent unknown to the townsfolk of Eldham. He did not like to talk about himself much, but the villagers had pieced together some of his story. His still-strong build despite his age and his battle-scars spoke volumes on their own.
He had spent his first few months in the town drinking to the point that the innkeepers had had to source alcohol from passing merchants. The villagers were not fond of him, but he did not disturb them overly much and he supplied them with coin, so they tolerated him.
Things changed the night he broke down. At first innkeeper Johan was preparing to throw him out until he sobered up, until he realised that this was not a drunken rage but a drunken mourning. Johan led the drunk to the room he rented and spoke to him - partially out of concern for the previously stoic old man and partially in the hopes of learning more about his past.
Gossip of what was said quickly spread through the town. These rumours, although not the most accurate, gave the villagers an idea of his past and softened their hearts to him.
As many had already been certain of, he came from a far-off kingdom. The gossip varied greatly on what exactly he had once done for a living, but the townspeople knew what had brought that to a stop: thieves had killed his wife when he was not there to defend her. Sometimes he had had children, sometimes he had only a wife. He tracked down the thieves and killed them, each telling of the story added more creative methods of killing. Some say that upon returning home once his bloodlust was sated, he found something precious that his wife had hidden. But the empty home was too painful, so he travelled. Various recitations of the story told about how he crossed kingdoms, barren wildernesses and navigated much of the known world in search of somewhere he could call home - only to find himself still restless. Eventually, he had arrived at Eldham, bordered by deep forests on one side and mountains that touched the sky on the other, and had given up his search and fallen to drink.
Before returning to his duty as inn host, Johan had told the old man that anyone who could contribute to the town was welcome. To Johanâs surprise, he found Roranâs room empty in the morning. The old man was not seen in the town for a couple of weeks, but he was eventually spotted returning to the town with a determined look on his face. He spoke to the elders and offered to help the good people of Eldham defend themselves from the increasing bandit activity. After some discussion and him conceding that his only pay would be lodging in an inn and free food, they agreed.
He spent the following months training the townâs few guards, recruiting a few more, overseeing major overhauls to the town fortifications, and also eating more food than Johan thought possible.
Eldham quickly saw the benefits of Roranâs work. The defences, more skilled guards, and Roran's fierce fighting in the town's defence quickly made it clear to raiders that this town was no longer a soft target. Attacks on the central town ceased soon enough - but it became clear that travellers and the villageâs farmers were still having issues, albeit somewhat lessened. Roran began setting up patrols, but they were not very effective due to how little population Eldham could spare for its defence. He would have to settle for having made the core town a safer place.
Nonetheless, the bandit attacks steadily decreased in frequency and the villagers were grateful for his help. Eventually, the elders donated some land to him and the town came together to help him build something he could finally call home again. With this act, he was considered part of the village.
This was all years ago. Although Roran spent large amounts of time out of town, presumably on patrol for signs of bandit activity using his astounding tracking skills, when he was in town he worked hard and made himself a valued member of the community. He soon joined the town elders in decision making, considering his wizened age and considerable contributions to the town.
Tonight, the town was buzzing. Activity had been increasing over the past few weeks. The people who now overflowed the inns were not ordinary travellers or merchants - they were knights and their entourages. There were tents pitched outside town and the occasional knightly quarry.
What could cause all this excitement, you may ask? Well, one of the town guard patrols claimed to have had spotted a dragon. Although this claim seemed ludicrous, as dragons had been exceedingly rare for many generations, the patrol members were trustworthy and nothing could stop rumours from spreading. Those rumours eventually reached the ears of travellers and merchants, who spread them yet further. Despite there being no other sightings from trustworthy sources, supposed evidence of dragons came out of the woodwork. Once the first knight arrived, this attracted the attention of others. Eventually, it became a sort of competition to see who could find the dragon first and claim its loot. Even some poets and bards appeared, searching for source material.
Weeks of search parties turned up empty handed - even the town guardsâ search parties found nothing. Interest would begin to wane, but every now and then a search party would vanish - reigniting the excitement and focusing searches in that area.
At nights, the inns and taverns were jam-packed. Knights were sharing discoveries and looking for hints that might give them an advantage over their competitors. Villagers also participated in this somewhat but were more there to devour and spread any gossip of what the knights found.
On this particular night in Johanâs inn, one of the patrol group who had spotted the dragon was again being questioned by a newly-arrived by a knight. This knight was somewhat different to the others - his family had cultivated the reputation of being dragon-slayers. Despite not having killed a dragon since his grandfatherâs time due to the decline in the beastsâ appearances, this still lent Lord Dellworth the air of an accomplished fighter.
âI swear, Tom and I saw it bright as day.â
âHow come it did not see you?â
âWe know how to move stealthily through the forest and when to not get too close, you can take my word for it.â
âHmf. And how big was it? Please save the exaggerations for the poets.â
âNot all that big. Its shoulder height was probably a little greater than a horseâs.â
âOh⊠thatâs fairly small. It must be only several years old. I doubt this beast has accumulated enough wealth to be worth all the rah-rah, especially if it has spent all its time in these parts.â
âYouâre welcome to leave it to us, Lord Dellworth,â piped up another wealthy knight - Lord Hemington. âI've lost a squad - all seasoned fighters. No way a monster that small could have got them. I think there is a bigger fish to fry.â
âHmm, my family did observe in the past that younger dragons are occasionally watched over by what is presumably their parents. My apologies Lord Hemington, I think I shall stay.â
âNo need to apologise. I believe it would be in the spirit of healthy sportsmanship for me to share information. Additionally, if we were to work together somewhat, this could also be of a benefit to our - and our menâs health.â
The whole inn seemingly quieted and collectively leaned in to hear what was being said.
âYes, I must say that the âcompetitionâ the lesser knights have been holding here had been rather counter-productive.â
âI concur. So, the squad that I mentioned? They were searching in the direction of the mountains. A later squad found charred rock and shrubbery, but I have no means to confirm what caused this. I imagine that your familyâs âresearchâ has discovered that dragons prefer to live in caves?â
âYes, but the peasant here says he saw the creature in the forest.â
âDragons are mobile creatures!â Added a sundry knight.
âBut the most reported disappearances I have heard of were in the direction of the mountains,â countered Hemington. He turned back to Dellworth. âI say we search more systematically than the hodgepodge that has preceded us.â
âThe mountains are dangerous for anyone not prepared,â warned Old Man Roran. âIf this is the dragon rather than naivety, it could be doing this on purpose to lead you astray. Iâve also led parties that way and weâve found nothing.â
âIndeedâŠâ muttered Dellworth, âThey are remarkably intelligent for beasts. Has anyone drawn up a map of the area?â
A map was offered to the knight by another, and the rest of the evening was spent planning search patterns. It seemed that the knights, at least those present, were finally planning on working together.
The following morning, the town was woken by shouting watchmen. Groggy-eyed knights and soldiers emerged from the inns and tents, trying to find out what the commotion was about. They soon discovered it for themselves.
A massive golden dragon - far taller than a house - easily stepped over the town walls and, with massive strides, soon arrived at the centre of town. Only utter shock, at the sudden appearance of the quarry they had spent weeks searching for, and the sheer size of said quarry, prevented a fair number of knights taking up their swords and charging to their deaths. Though they quickly started gathering the courage to do so.
The dragonâs scales glittered like freshly-minted coins in the morning sun, fitting together to make the strongest chainmail. Its wings were furled sails, and its horns the finest ivory. Fire burned in its eyes and its belly. Yet, it was not without flaw. There were chips on its horns, chinks in its chainmail and scars on its wings. Those shining eyes also held great age and a weathered countenance. This dragon had fought before.
âKnights!â The dragon called in a voice so powerful and deep, vibrations could be felt in the knightsâ equipment. âIt is clear to me that you do not wish to cease your search for me. Your hearts are full of the greed your stories so often depict us as having. Let it be known: I have no treasure for you monsters. Not unless you were to kill, butcher and sell me like barbarians. I protect my offspring and I protect the small town of Eldham along with the good people who reside within it. Any who wish to do harm to either shall face my wrath. If, having heard there is no mountain of gold, you have set your gluttonous eyes on me - you are welcome to do battle with me. There is a large clearing in the forest half a dayâs march from here. Head southeast until you find a stream, then follow it downriver until you find yourself at the edge of the clearing. I shall wait there for three days for any who wish to challenge me. After this, I expect you to abscond from here or swear upon your honour that you shall become defenders of Eldham. Be warned, however, ye who wish to battle me. I am not unpracticed in fighting humans, Dellworth.â That last, pointed, statement being said, it took a deep breath and spewed a pillar of intense flame skyward, causing all those nearby to shield their faces from the heat. It then unfurled its wings, leapt to the air and flew away - the downward wind knocking over all the knights who had been slowly approaching. The dragon swiftly flew away, vanishing from sight surprisingly quickly.
The dragon had struggled with the enunciation of the human vocabulary, but its message was clear. The town sat in silence for some time in the dragonâs wake, before erupting into debate.
Tales of what happened next are not all in agreement. Some say that most of the Knights quietly and cowardly dispersed with only a few fighting the dragon. Others say that they all banded together to attack the dragon. Yet more claim that the village elders decided it would be beneficial to have a dragon as the townâs guardian, and drove the greedy knights out of the town.
Where the stories do agree is that the Dellworth family line ended in flames the next day. Two days following that, the small town of Eldham officially accepted the dragon and its children as their guardians. Protectors that defended their treasure fiercely. In the decades following that, the town became not so small, a lot more scholarly and a centre of trade rather than a forgettable pause on the trade route. His job now taken care of, Roran said his farewells to the town - saying it was high time to see his kids. Very soon Eldham was no longer a worthless settlement that King Dezari could ignore and, seeing the benefits reaped so far, he decided it would be mutually beneficial to declare the dragon an earl of the kingdom.
