#atgs

[sunlightlion]

Hey I'm making a terrible mistake and working on a ttrpg based around squad warfare where you step into the shoes of Captains, Generals and Lord's of men. Oh also some armored guys.

[gangsofolympia]

The Proposal*

Excerpt from After the Great Storm

"Who are you?" The Bleádh in front of Leilae raised his nose and sniffed, stepping in front of the open doorway.

"I am Leilae, daughter of King Órothan of Caelenya. I wish to speak with Andóloreth Ingíl iedh Unaedhra Caëth."

"Oh, my lady," the elf said, bowing slightly and raising an eyebrow. He gave her a mocking smirk, clearly not convinced. He scanned her up and down, noting her worn shoes and dusty clothes. Her hair had taken on some frizz due to the humidity. "You don't look like any princess I've ever seen."

Leilae tightened her lips, holding her shoulders back in an authoritative stance.

"Perhaps you were expecting a petite, fragile thing in a long, flowing dress, adorned with jewelry of silver and gold and precious stones? Do you have any idea of the world outside this place? It is no place for dainty princesses, and it is especially unwise to travel wearing priceless Aelven jewelry, as doing so would only get me killed." She spat each word clearly with perfect diction, paying attention to the Bleádh's eyes as the words hit his face.

"I simply," she continued. "Have a few questions for Andóloreth Ingíl, and I would appreciate it if you, as his servant - "

The elf scoffed.

"I - I am no servant. Do I look like some dirty hu -- "

"I would appreciate it if you, Aelfe Bleádh, will please inform Andóloreth Ingíl of my presence and of my desire to speak with him." Leilae took a deep breath, satisfied. "If you value your job, that is," she added with a smirk.

"Let her in, Lenwyld," a voice said from inside.

Lenwyld the Aelven servant stepped aside, gesturing toward the doorway.

"You may enter," he said, avoiding her gaze.

Leilae strode inside, not bothering to thank the aelfe.

Andóloreth Ingíl of the Aelven city of Unaedhra Cäéth greeted Leilae with a low bow as she entered a small lounge. A fireplace crackled behind Ingil, making the light flicker in his silver hair.

"What a privilege that a princess of the Aelfe Milern would travel all this way to visit me. Please sit,  Ii-Leilae Órothan-ethróu iedh Caelenya." He beckoned her toward a plush chair lined with burgundy velvet.

Leilae settled into the seat, sighing. She hadn't realized how tired she was from her journey and was tempted to kick off her shoes and massage her feet. Of course, that would not be proper, and she, being the representative of Caelenya for the first time in many years, ignored her urge, crossing her legs instead.

The deathlands have turned me into nothing but another dirty ruffian, she thought.

Ingil took the seat across from her, resting his ankle on his knee. His robes draped over the side of the armchair, swathing him in sophistication and elegance. Leilae straightened her back, trying to look as dignified as she could in the dusty rags, lined with sweat and dust, that clung to her skin. She smiled.

"I apologize for my attire, gwa-Ingil," she said. "I had to leave some of my items behind after being attacked by bandits."

"Yes, I have heard it is quite dangerous on the outside. I am amazed that you have come all this way just to speak to an old Dolisië." He smirked.

Leilae found herself wondering if the aelfe before her knew why she had come. Ingil answered her question.

"You've traveled across the deathlands to see a spectacle. To gaze in awe at one of the first ones. Possibly the only one left in the world." He shifted his weight onto his right arm, resting his chin on the back of his hand. "But your objective has changed. I am no longer the spectacle, for you listened instead of simply looking. I applaud you for your wisdom, and I hope you listened well."

"Indeed, I did," Leilae replied. "I listened to you promise the Aelfe Bleádh that they would rise once again, becoming dominant over this world, but I could not help but notice that you did not mention the Milern and the Craoe. What of them? What of my people who hide in the mountains with the dwarves? We have never been at the top as have the Bleádh, and I find myself worrying that we will once again serve them.

"We have restored what glory we had before. We have a king, a beloved one at that, and we have taken back our culture that was so diluted by that of the Bleádh that we had to turn to history texts and ethnographies written by our oppressors to know how we once lived. I am here speaking to you to make sure that does not happen again. If the Bleádh succeed and once again rule over the world, I humbly request that you leave us be. Let the Milern live in their caves and mountain valleys in peace. That is all I ask."

Leilae bowed her head, swallowing involuntarily. Ingil considered her for a moment before speaking.

"I have always believed that the other Aelven races--the Milern, the Craoe and the Elia--are just as good as the Bleádh and should be considered equal. If it is your desire, I will make sure that you and your people are left alone, but I would also like to offer you the opportunity to live in equality with the Bleádh. They are your former oppressors, but no longer will I allow this disgraceful disharmony among the Aelfe. It is shameful how divided our people are. It makes us no better than the humans, from whom we strive to distance ourselves. Suddenly, we find ourselves laboring to highlight the differences between the Aelfe and the Dae Heinya." He took a deep breath, leaning forward. "Ii-Leilae, I would like to help you and your people." His golden eyes locked onto hers, and she nearly gasped. Ingil's irises glowed and swam as though they contained whole worlds--whole universes teeming with life.

"A new age is coming," he said. "Let us start anew. Let us not make the mistakes of the past. This time, the Aelfe will be unified, and we will give the Deinya no mercy. We will sweep over the world and take what is ours."

"What will happen to the Deinya?" Leilae looked searchingly into Ingil's face.

"They will be put in their place. Below the Aelfe. They will serve us, and all will be as it should be."

"They won't go quietly," Lou replied. "Their lives are short, and therefore, they are much more willing to sacrifice their lives."

"This is true," Ingil said with a slight nod. For a moment, Leilae caught Ingil's eyes lingering above her own. He quickly corrected himself, lowering his gaze.

"I am no king," he said. "But I believe I can lead the Aelfe to a better future. A future in which humans will be treated as intelligent beasts. That is all they are. Talking animals."

Leilae shifted in her chair.

"I wouldn't go so far as to-- "

" --Are you not angry?" Ingil interrupted, turning his head upward. He meant to cut in, and he was not sorry. "You have been betrayed by someone you thought was your friend. Many Aelfe have gone through the same situation. There is no need for us to answer to, or even respect, these Deinya. They are fragile, sickly, and ugly." He scoffed. "Who would create such pitiful creatures if not for them to serve the Aelfe? If not to be beaten down and disciplined until they become mindless slaves? You see, when we let them climb onto our shoulders, once they had their grip on the top level, they beat us down, leaving us trapped below them. Then they destroyed all that had been given to us. The very world outside these walls is evidence of their inferiority--their tendency toward destruction. Their inability to become responsible for themselves and the world around them. They kill each other off, and then they kill everything else. We have every reason to take this world back. To heal it and to set things right. Or would you simply have us all die because of the humans' recklessness? Or to their envy combined with their murderous nature, as did the Dolisie?"

Ingil leaned forward, taking Leilae's hands. She felt a jolt travel throughout her body and a wave of pleasure, as though electricity flowed from his skin. She looked down at her hands and watched as Ingil's glow touched them, the light seemingly soaking into her skin. Ingil gave her a smile that caused her heart to flutter.

"Let us end this reign of terror. Let us rise up to bring light to the darkness. Let us heal the earth and restore the pride of our people. Let us--you, Ii-Leilae Órothan-ethróu iedh Caelenya, and I, and the Bleádh, the Milern, the Craoe, and the Elia, all the Aelfe--band together, hand in hand, for a better future."

He let go of Leilae's hands, and she stared at her fingers, mesmerized, as the glow lingered on her skin, emitting a tingly warmth. Soon, the glow faded, and she was back to normal. Ingil watched her in silence, his eyes smiling at Leilae's moment of childish awe.

"I want to share my light with you," Ingil said softly. "I want to share it with you completely. Let us form an alliance, Leilae. Let us wed, ensuring the future for both our clans."

*(This will not be in Gangs of Olympia, but it will happen at some point in the AtGS series)

[tomsmusictaste]

I know a fair few people aren’t as keen on UH, but you know what, it’s just as good as the rest of them and i’m tired of pretending it’s not 

[prodigygraffiti]

The writing’s on the wall, it won’t go away!

[bogantest-blog]

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[artemisia-at-salamis]

Pretty sure I'm successfully flirting with this dude by sending him links to cute cat/animal videos and posts. Internet skillz ftw.

[pagesofkenna]

A large duffel bag lay open on Sunal’s bed, only a few items thrown in so far for the trip. More clothes lay piled on the floor in a sort of chaotic order Sunal did not have the energy to work through. Mi-ryung sat cross-legged with her curly black hair in a mess, sorting through what she could.

“So you haven’t actually done any research,” she said.

Sunal stared up at the ceiling from the floor beside her sister, unkempt and still in her nightshirt. “They talk about bending academies at school,” she said, “but I never actually looked into it before. There was no point. I didn’t think I’d be going to study there.”

“So you lied to the white cloaks”

“I lied,” Sunal agreed. She wanted to make up an excuse but there was no real way around it. “And it worked, and now I have to actually figure out what I’m doing.”

After a month longer than necessary, chapter 2 of ATGS, my earthbender!Avatar longfic, is finally finished!

[pagesofkenna]

e!A reference post

Avatar: The Guardian Spirit, Book 1: Stability

Sunal (pronounced ‘soon-all’, nicknamed Sun) 筍謁 (순알) (15) - Avatar. slight skill in all four elements (earth > water > fire > air). Takes after their father

Jinnak (nicknamed Jin) 辰諾 (진낙) (20) - Sunal’s older sister, nonbender. Takes after their mother

Mi-ryung (nicknamed Mi) 美竜 (미령) (11) - Sun and Jin's littlest sister, earthbender. Takes after their father

Parents - not named (yet). Mother is a waterbender immigrant from the Northern Water Tribe, father is a nonbender whose family lives in the United Republic of Nations and Earth Kingdom.

OWLs

Kalzang (nicknamed Kal) 格桑 (བསྐལ་བཟང་) (17) - airbender, Order of the White Lotus trainee, great great grandson of Aang (appears later)

Captain Zhong, area captain in charge of communication with the Avatar and her family

C1 (The Incident) Meeting family, white lotus, discussing what to do, decision to leave (~6k)

C2 (Departure) Packing to leave, exposition of characters, learning more about family, boarding the train (~4k)

C3 (?)