DearTrickster

The Elder Scrolls: Vengeance of the Deep

Working on my new post today~

Neon Nohl [Brink & DearTrickster Cyberpunk 1x1]

Give me space for exposition and I will wholly take advantage of it. Tis a dangerous prospect.

Neon Nohl [Brink & DearTrickster Cyberpunk 1x1]

---

Chapter 1

_{January 12 2079}

Varya was pleased with the praise from Oleg, it carried weight. He never said things lightly nor gave praise easily. Oleg carried on once he signed off on the order, bidding the pair of them a good night. She wrapped a long extension cord around the crook of her elbow, Artem had packed his own equipment away.

“Hey, Varya. I know this place. Cheap drinks, alright music. Lets head over there later, I think you owe me a round after I saved your Nav-box.” She looked up, clearly caught off guard by the invitation. Before she could reply with a yes or no he already had a set time and place. “I need to get changed though. If I text you where it is want to meet? say eight?”

He left it at that then disappeared into the locker rooms. Varya hummed, tying the extension cord out then hanging it up. Her eyes roamed away from his retreating back. Would it be appropriate to meet with a coworker? It was generally a normal thing, to catch up afterhours with friends from work. It felt weird to Varya, she hardly wanted to seem the part of a loner. She shook her head, when did that ever matter to her in the first place?

Varya dropped her tablet off at charging table then headed to the locker rooms as well. Ready to head home.

---

When she arrived home, tapping her boots free of snow she called out, “Papa! I am home!”

A text-to-voice mechanical reply came, “Var-ya. Welcome ho-me.”

She stripped free of her winter gear, walking through the small two bedroom apartment to the living room where the blinds were pulled back and her father was sitting up in his wheelchair, short cropped black hair, glasses wrapped around his head, the text-to-voice speaker hanging off his shirt. Little transmitter circlet sat comfortably around the crown of his head. He smiled with some difficulty up at his daughter.

She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, “How was your day? Did Ms Petrov visit today?”

He replied, “Yes. She spent a few hours with me while she kni-tted, reheated the left-overs for me. Appar-ently her son is single.”

Varya laughed patting his shoulder heading to the kitchen, her father followed her. “She was ve-ry pushy.”

She rummaged about the kitchen, it was in decent shape. Some dishes leftover in the sink, counters wiped down and the floor swept. Ms Petrov usually more than happy to help, good neighbours charmed by her father’s witty company rather than pity. Anton kept in good humour making it easy for visitors or friends to feel at ease with his new life.

“Things will never be right until I have snatched up a husband it seems.” Varya said with a grim sarcasm, “I’ll cook us some dinner but I guess I’ll be going out after.”

“Oh?” He hesitated, curious.

“Not sure if I want to, worked with someone new today and he invited me out for drinks tonight.” She said, sipping at a glass of water drumming at the countertop. “I spent the majority of the time insulting him-”

“Var-ya” He snapped quickly, making her wince. Insistently ploughing into a lecture, “You will push the wrong butt-ons one day and you will get in serious trou-ble. You need friends who will supp-ort you where I can-not.”

“Please relax, he laughed it off and dished it back.” She reassured him. “I can support us, Papa. Please don’t worry.” Finishing off her water, then hugging him in a quick one arm.

He hummed with discontent, she knew that's not what he meant. Varya wasn't interested in continuing that lonely line of thought. Friends she made in school didn't have time for a visit while online the friends she made were countries away. They were not wholly interested in seeing through a healthy friendship as opposed to who can help hack their ex boss' email database to retrieve a poorly worded message written when one of them was drunk. Business e-mail servers were unsurprisingly difficult to break undetected.

“You’re hungry right?”

Having served the pair of them up some dinner, she packed away the leftovers into the freezer quickly heading into the shower to rinse away the shop. She left her hair down then bundled up once again, receiving the message from Artem she swiped the address to search for it but the bar sounded familiar. A popular spot. She replied a confirmation, short and pointed. Braving the cold once again she headed to the bus stop to catch a warm ride over to Tsentralny District.

She elbowed her way into the bar, past some crowds hanging about by the door for a smoke. Descending down some stairs, white lights dotting the way down. She pulled off her hat stuffing it into her small pack, pulling the zipper of her jacket open greeted by the warmth. Varya wore nothing actually nice, an old blue short sleeved shirt with a black skirt and black leggings. The skirt had pockets hidden in the seams, she loved it. Her winter boots squeaked across the floor.

Curiously she looked around at the colourful aesthetics, art and general splashes of colour wherever she turned. Once past the doors it was a quiet night. The tables were sparsely occupied, there were a few people on the dance floor, while there were open barstools. There were various age groups and types. What caught her eye was the android bartending, long light brown hair flipped over one side of her head, exposing her smooth head. Seams of intersecting faceplates curving with a natural line of her nose and cheeks. Some reparation scars along her temple, bright white mechanical eyes made eye contact with Varya welcoming her without a word. She wore a tank top exposing her chest, on her shoulders was a small fashionable leather jacket. At the bar was Artem he waved her over, wearing a characteristically charming smirk.

Hesitating she stepped over the threshold approaching the bar, shrugging off her jacket hanging it up on the back of the barstool back. Stainless steel barside and weathered leather seats, probably more comfortable the drunker one became. The bar was arguably low-tech, the backdrop of various liquor bottles behind the bartender was on mechanical arms extending out to her solely as she reached for them. She expected some sort of menu glasstop to be displayed at the bar to connect instantly to the android. She sat beside Artem even sitting taller by his torso alone. She brushed her hair away.

“Hi, can I please get the cheapest vodka you have on the rocks. Something indistinguishable to mouth wash.” Varya asked, addressing - she squinted at the name printed on a tag. “Elena, thanks.”

The android laughed, smooth movement as she moved away. “Sure, please refrain from gargling at my bar.”

“Bet you’re surprised to see me actually show up.” She commented to Artem waiting for her drink. “I surprised myself, actually. Who knows how on the nose I was with the spoon thing.” She joked.

The Elder Scrolls: Vengeance of the Deep

Judena would do quite well in modern society I believe. More awareness of disabilities and accessible services. She’d probably be working out of a museum, using a voice memo audio log to help her. Along with being a social media shark, readily keeping up with a news feed for new information. She’d be a curator for sure or alternatively be a straight up archeologist. Judena would readily take advantage of all her resources and have a comparatively easier time.

Also be the best spinster you’ve ever met.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Time: Christmas Day - Six Months Ago
Location: West Bronx, New York City

Christmas decorations were in every direction, snow had freshly fallen over the city much to everyone’s delight. The family had all eaten their weight in turkey, ham and dessert. Now they were all hanging about, talking, drinking, enjoying themselves. Every bit of extended family had arrived to New York City in one piece, aunts, uncles, cousins all to boot. Charlie’s aunt Josephine and her uncle Harold’s high rise apartment in Riverdale had plenty of room to accommodate every Croll. Josephine was actually Doctor Croll, a heart surgeon. While her husband, Harold had a job as a journalist at the New York Times. He came from a family of seers, able to see small glimpses into the past or future. Their son, whom Charlie was trying to avoid, was Charles. Her sole cousin the same age as her and her self-proclaimed ‘rival.’

Jules and Joe thought it was funny to name their first born children the feminine and masculine versions of the same name. Everyone got a kick out of it, save for Charlie. Sure their rivalry started off as fun, they always had each other to run around and cause trouble. Every occasion was met with excitement when they got the chance to spar. The competition became stiff as Charles won multiple scholarships, had a bright career path in medicine. While Charlie floundered with little to no ambition, let alone ideas to what she really wanted to do. She distanced herself.

With only a semester left in her graduating year, Charlie dodged the polite questions of “What are your plans after graduation?” at every turn. She settled to retreating away with half answers, drinking eggnog with her sister and her younger cousins. Some of the younger Croll’s were showing off their newly carved staves, while some of the older ones were brainstorming with them. A large majority of her aunts and uncles were exchanging notes, arguing over new ideas. While others explained their new modifications. Every Croll family gathering was to this similar effect, the flow of ideas and knowledge was readily exchanged. No one held back, there was a couple new faces of boyfriends and girlfriends looking rather intimidated for the first time meeting. So many names to remember, in a sea of scientists and alchemical minds. Quite naturally they were introduced to the magic side of it before attending but to the uninitiated, it was overwhelming.

Most the family married into magic in some form, whether it’s witches, alchemists, enchanters, seers, clairvoyants. Anyone with magical blood to keep the Croll line diverse and saturated. It brought with it professions outside of the scientific community.

Her uncle Maurice, an illustrations professor at the University of Manchester, had finally figured out how to transmute carbon dust into diamond, real solid diamond. Not it’s dusty equivalent. He was demonstrating to Nathaniel, Aunt Sam and unfortunately to Charles as well. Charlie wanted to badly watch on but again, Charles was right there. She’d see about getting notes from her gramps later.

Charlie poked at Harry who was scratching her head over helping their cousin Kerry, he found a crack in his new staff, “Tell Kerry he’s gonna want to add sodium first-”

Harry bumped her away, “I was gonna say that, go hang out with the adults Char. You’re being a bug.”

Charlie stood up with a huff, “Well fine then. Be that way.”

She stood up and nearly bumped into Charles himself. He was only an inch taller than her, bright brown eyes and long wavy blonde hair. Clear complexion, red dress shirt with black slacks and dress shoes. Opposite to her hoodie and mismatched socks. He had his staff in his one hand and bottle of beer in the other. He had a sycamore staff as well, their staves were cut from the same wood. “Charlene! Running off again?”

“Merry Christmas Charles, now I need a refill on the eggnog.” She sidestepped him and Charles moved in front of her again. The younger cousin’s ooh’d.

“I see no girlfriend again this year.” He commented nonchalantly tugging on one of her braids. “University can’t be that challenging over in Lost Haven to prevent you from finding a date. Jesus, Charlene. Figured you’d graduate early like everyone else.”

She scrunched her face up with a glare then faked left and went right around him, “Trying to egg me on while I’m getting eggnog. Real clever.”

“What about you Charles, no boyfriend?”

“He’s off in Vermont skiing with his family.” Charles supplied smoothly, letting her by. “‘Sides, you and I haven’t had a good sparring match since summer solstice barbeque.”

“I don’t want to spar with you Charles. I’m thirsty.” She said, jutting her jaw out not paying attention to her feet. He stuck out his staff in between her legs, tripping her face first into the floor splashing eggnog up the side of her face.

“Whoops.”

She stood up, alchemically removing the eggnog into the palm of her hand as solid cube. Calmly standing up she deposited it down the sink changing it back to liquid. With an angry grunt, “It’s not going to work Charles. Kindly, fuck off.”

“The Trash Can Croll too afraid to take me on after her bitter defeat at the barbeque? Come on, we’ll go up to the roof and fight it out. I know you want some redemption, I’ll go easy on you too.” Charles said with a grin, the name calling got a few laughs from the younger cousins, he took a long sip of beer. “Do you really want to say no in front of our family’s patron? Let our grandfather down?”

Nathaniel called out, among the few disinterested in the fight. He parroted Charlie’s words, “Fuck off Charles. If she says no, she means no.”

Charles shrugged at that, “She always has a choice, Grandpa.”

Josephine and Julianne had stopped their card game watching the exchange as well. The pair of sisters remained quiet.

Charlie dug deep finding some calm, finding a little resolve. Fighting him would make him shut up in the short term but it’d fuel the next fight for sure. She weighed her options, dodging him was more work, even if she lost she’d give him a black eye or a fat lip. “Nothing to be bitter about, but I will kick your ass tonight. One fight then you leave me the fuck alone and you quit bothering me.”

Jules slid some money discreetly to Joe at Charlie’s challenge.

The lot of aunts, uncles and cousins that wanted to see the fight bundled up and followed the two up to the roof. Charlie pulled on her boots fine with a hoodie. Harry was behind her whispering, “What was all that ranting about not wanting to fight Charles this year? C’mon Charlie this is stupid, you’re just beefing up his ego.”

“I’ll knock it down a few pegs.”

“Now that’s your ego talking.”

“Shut up will you? Everyone keeps bugging me about school or any measurable success. It’s getting on my nerves so I’m giving them something else to talk about.”

Harry shook her head, knowing full well she’d be hearing about how much she regretted the fight after Charlie asked her to help nurse her pride.

“Whatever.”

They squared off, Uncle Maurice a tall skinny bearded man volunteered to referee. “Alright, the first one to submit loses, or who loses their staff to their opponent also loses. No alchemy. Everyone understand?”

Charlie and Charles both nodded. Everyone knew the rules to a spar. They bent in different ways, settling for their own natural stances. Charlie shifted her center of balance for an offensive stance, while Charles took on a more defensive stance, he was expecting her to barrage him first. The ground was snow covered, sure to be slippery. Charlie counted her boots for better traction than dress shoes.

“Ready… Start!”

Charlie took off in a hard start. Swinging the butt of her staff around to his midsection, Charles deflected it with a grunt serving up his own attack above her head where she met the tip of his staff successfully blocking it. She pushed off from the force of the block creating space. They stepped around each other, warming up.

“So Trash Can Croll, what made you change your mind? We can always talk honestly here. No bullshit.” He said, eye contact steady while they moved.

“I figured a fat lip would shut you up.” She shot back then jolted forward for another set of attacks, blocking his reply in return. Their staves connected with snaps, clacking without much heat.

“I said, no bullshit.” Charles said rolling his staff in his hands. “It never takes much to get you into a fight. Trash Can Croll has a temper.”

Charlie glared, “Stop calling me that!” She delivered another set, seriously hoping to land a hit. “Why are you constantly on my back about everything?”

Charles deflected then he landed a hit on her thigh, it stung forcing her to back off. “Because for all this pride you have as a Croll you refuse to do anything with it!” The crowd of family around them muttered amongst themselves at that.

She snarled, “What the hell is that supposed to mean!”

Charles pointed with his staff, “Exactly what I said, Charlene. You know, not too long ago it used to be you egging me on to spar and fight.”

She launched into a new set, furiously throwing more attacks. Finally swiping his feet out from under him. Charles rolled away, getting snowy. “You’ve been ignoring me, distancing yourself away from me. We used to be partners in crime, then suddenly. Poof, you're suddenly a stranger.”

“Oh please-” She began then was hit again in the same spot, cheeky and making the sting worse.

“You were my first friend, for fuckssakes Charlie you taught me how to talk with the confidence of the slimiest lawyer in any courtroom drama. You were the one chasing off dickhead boyfriends. What happened?” He asked serious, his expression hurt.

She huffed, swiping at her nose with her sleeve. “I don’t know-”

He roared, “More bullshit!” He forced her to deflect more blows, forcing more space than she was willing to give.

She found some traction at last putting her weight against his, “I was going to say, you fucking interrupting bulldozer, that I don’t know what I want to do. I’m getting my masters in chemistry but fuck if I know what I want to do after that. Everyone, including you, expects me to know and I don’t. I’m happy dumpster diving, I’m happy working in the shop or grinding at hours of being a lame lab assistant. Okay? That good enough answer for you?”

"Are you really just okay with that?"

"No, but I'm figuring it out."

Charles relented slightly, Charlie took the opportunity to take a shot at his hand. Landing the hit successfully she slapped his staff out of his hands. He yelped. They both dived for it wrestling. Their grunts turned to laughter, relenting from the serious turn in their sparring. Charlie snatched away the staff standing back up, holding it up, “HA!”

Charles huffed holding his hands close to his chest trying to warm them up. Maurice called the match in her favour.

“Fair and square.” Charles said, Charlie offered a hand for him up. She gave him a hug.

“Sorry for being an idiot. The pressure sucks, I felt like you were the one mounting it with every new thing you succeeded at.” She said patting his arm, he grinned then pulled her into a headlock.

“Yeah, I guess digging around in a dumpster enough could bring your IQ down a bit.” He laughed.

Charlie elbowed him and they started wrestling anew. Their family laughed along with them, relieved the tension was aired and dissipated. Joe discreetly passed money back to Jules, whatever they bet on not quite clear.

Across the street shrouded by a cloak, a figure watched on, carefully staying hidden. Close enough to hear and watch the two young Crolls spar, he shuffled his scarf up closer to his face. Satisfied with what he saw he backed away meaning to move on. He held his hand up, dark dust particles moved at his will appearing from the multiple pockets across his person. In his hand a dark solid staff took shape, when the transmutation was complete the dark sheen fell away to reveal the clear form of solid diamond.

He leaned into the staff walking away, a gentle smile across dry cracked lips.

“Fröhliche Weihnachten.” Oswald Croll murmured.

Neon Nohl [Brink & DearTrickster Cyberpunk 1x1]

@DearTrickster

@DearTrickster

@DearTrickster

@Brink

T h a nk~~ c:

Neon Nohl [Brink & DearTrickster Cyberpunk 1x1]

---

Chapter 1

_{January 12 2079}

Varya jerked up from under the console checking her tablet and the errors quieted. One more irritable pull of a wire, she yanked it free. Brushing away a stray hair from her forehead with the back of her hand. Varya put the tablet down then moved out of the cockpit. Stepping up to Artem squinting at what was under the hood. “What are you smirking at, Dzagoev? Run out of smoke breaks?” She said pointedly poking his chest pocket the crinkle of the empty packet evident. She finally flashed a crooked toothy smile herself, amused.

“We’ve both got our work cut out for us today, I’m elevating the work order up a tier so Boss man knows.” She said reaching forward and wiggling the chip set free of the navigator box. They were hot to the touch and she winced fanning them about. Examining the fried piece of tech. “Fuck, these are in bad shape. I can salvage what data I can and just install new chips. Which is minimal compared to installing a brand new navigator box.” She commented turning them over in her hand looking up to Artem. “I’d be here all night trying to salvage all the data stored in there just to get the onboard systems back up to functionality.”

“So... thanks for not wasting time and staying calm.” She said with firm sincerity, making eye contact. A pause hung after she said her thanks, then her expression dropped back down to something rather deadpan once again. “I sincerely hope that the tattoos you got were because they looked scary versus the amount of people you killed with a spoon or some shit.”

“I think that would max out my capacity for stupid for the day.”

And so, they worked. It took the better part of the day for both of them to do their respective areas. Even breaking for lunch and eating together. Varya considered her snarky remarks to be on the gentle side, but if she were pressed to admit that was...largely a subjective point. He returned the same level of banter, poking fun at her in a similar way she did to him. They drifted between bouts and comfortable quiet with the radio droning on. When the work was finally complete the hour closed in on pick up time.

They tidied up. Buffing fingerprints from the hood, rubbing away the watermarks on the wings. Neatly tucking wires away, returning all idling screens to their original settings. Whatever evidence they had of having touched the vehicle was removed ready for the client to resume.

Oleg came to check in, doing a final once over and grunting his approval signing off on the work order as complete. “Good job handling the unexpected repairs, keeping cost to a minimum for the client. That’s what I like about the pair of you. Don’t need me to hold your hand, you figure things out for yourselves.”

Varya smiled a small smile, “Thanks, boss.”

He turned next to Artem, “Sharp eye on that engine. Others would have passed that up and let it go for another few months only to get worse, then cashing in on a pricier repair. Thanks for being honest.” He fished out of his pocket a fresh pack of smokes, the same brand Artem liked. “If I catch you smoking these inside I will drown you in grunt work for a week, ya hear me?”

He laughed at Artem’s expression, a big barrel of a laugh.

Varya grinned, Oleg’s infectious good nature difficult to not appreciate.

The Elder Scrolls: Swords & Septims

@Hank so any light at the end of the tunnel?

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

I won’t soothe your pain, I won’t ease your strain

---

Time: Evening - Present Day
Location: Smithy’s Grocery Store, Las Vegas

The Ambassador was back with Mandate and shuddered with a start at the first gun shots, the smoke easily obscuring her vision, the snarls and screeches of rage from the Fey drifted through. It was as expected, she pushed herself close to Mandate avoiding the civilians who could move to flee for their lives. While others took shots to their legs were rendered unable to move, moaning for mercy. Bullets pinged loudly off of Mandate, the golem tossed the wolf in her hand into the smoke. She had a few ideas to deal with the visibility, they had resources all around them. She coughed once, twice the burn of the smoke stinging her eyes. She lifted her hand up to cup her nose and mouth.

“Mandate, if you could please go forward to kill the black armoured people. The fey around us will guide you to them, follow the sound of their voices. I will distract them.” She said, phrasing as she always did, as if it was simply a suggestion instead of an order. “I will ward myself to protect from-”

The sudden explosion of force through a wall interrupted her, she assumed it was one of the giant twins. She rolled her eyes, “Feel free to turn them into gore splatters, strike fear into their very hearts as I will play a part in that myself.”

She nodded stepping away, whispering Words of Power into her palms casting a physical ward over her body, wrapping in layers of three. Sheen of blue light passed over her several times, rapidly encasing her. When the spell was complete, she took a deep breath. Bach shrunk in a burst of autumn leaves settling in his familiar place on her shoulder. In french he whispered in her ear, “All according to plan, my lady.”

Odette allowed a momentary smirk, chaos surrounding them all. She brought the palm of her hand to her mouth whispering the illusionary trick up her sleeve. Like blue particles they drifted away from her hand carrying through the air. As they reached her fey allies, whispers of her orders came on them. The fey’s raging screeches halted. Shortly after a brief pause, distinct tinkling bells could be heard instead. Ethereal, quiet, and distinct even amidst all the noise. Guiding Mandate with sound. Odette cupped her hands whispering further, this time the particles flew following the bells, appearing alongside the terrorists.

_{“Pitiful mortals, your lives will paint our hands with vengeance for the spirit."
“Invalid. Sacrilegious. Disgusting. Tainted. Your souls will find no peace, for there is none to be had."
“Lay down, submit, moan your despair. Time. Horror. Filth. Your progeny will feel this curse for generations to come.”}

Her words carried various points of her message to them, insistent, impossible to ignore. The sound of her voice echoing a throb behind their eyes. The spell cloaked its listeners in a emotional dampener. She blew across her palm, the light of her magic casting her expression in a cold blue. Curling perfectly manicured fingers closed. A genuine smile curled, crinkling her eyes.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Commissioned some art for my two characters, done by the illustrious @Baklava her commission thread can be found on RPG right here! Link!