Raven of the Fountains
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ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Raven of the Fountains
@ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
160 followers 350 following 1.8K posts
Recently-hatched mid-40s AuDHD transbian gamer (she/her). Finder of Paths and Stars, Harbinger of Omens both Portentious and Pretentious. Intender Of Puns and Disciple of Lambatuin.
Adversor et admorsus
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ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Honestly, it never occurred to me that there WAS any other reasonable interpretation than the so-called "new" one. (And the splash damage "trick"... isn't-- it's *explicitly* ruled out in the GM Core Clarifications)
Text of the aforementioned GM Core clarification. The relevant sentence is second from the end: "Add splash damage together with the initial damage against the target before applying the target's resistance or weakness."
February 15, 2026 at 1:51 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Actually Splash is specifically called out in the GM Core Clarifications as *not* doubling up:
A portion of the erratta to the Pathfinder GM Core's description of the Splash trait. The newly erratta'd portion (about the Strength bonus) is in bold, but the relevant portion is in the second-to-last sentence: "Add splash damage together with the initial damage against the target beforee applying the target's resistance or weakness."
February 15, 2026 at 1:40 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Haven’t posted photos in a bit. Probs cause I’ve been in bad headspace. Guess I’m improving, cause I felt confident enough to share my “evil lesbian corporate executive supervillain” look.
Selfie of Raven, in a dark purple blazer over a bright magenta button-down, with the top buttons open to show a white undershirt. Just above is Raven’s ever-present trans symbol necklace. Her hair is parted on the right, swept across and curling down over her left eye, the visual cue to the audience that this corporate executive is secretly an evil lesbian supervillain. She looks attentively forward, glasses artfully askew—this is likely a boardroom meeting early on, with her watching a presentation by the unsuspecting superior she plans to seduce/depose/kill/all of the above later in the film. (Come to think, this archetype is usually bi, so she can seduce a male executive but also have sexual tension with the heroine—but I’m a trans lesbian, so this character is too. The unwitting pawns she seduces are all women, including the aforementioned superior) Mirror shot of Raven, in the same dark purple blazer, bright magenta button-down, white undershirt outfit. More of her torso is visible—the top button of the blazer is fastened, and her left hand is thrust into the garment’s pocket, with her right holding the phone (the logo on the case, mostly obscured by Raven’s hand, is for the Time Variance Authority from Loki). Her skewed glasses and trans symbol necklace are still present; her eyes have a similar intent expression as before, but there’s a hint of a smug smile at her mouth. The villainess’ plan is coming together nicely, and she’s preparing to make a major move. Selfie of Raven, again in the Blazer/Button-Down/Undershirt combo, with trans symbol necklace and skewed glasses. Same combed-across-swept-down hairstyle, but shot from Raven’s left, emphasizing the dramatic sweep-down, a visual cue that the “heartless corporate exec” part is less relevant than the “evil lesbian supervillain” part. She’s shot from a low angle, and is gazing downward with an unreadable expression—probably at her unwitting pawn whose use is at an end, that Raven either just has or is about to dispose of. Mirror shot again, same blazer/button-down/undershirt, same trans symbol necklace. Another full torso shot, the magenta shirt is a bit rumpled, and the skewed glasses a bit more noticeable. She snaps the pic with her right hand, the left and and arm are out of frame. She looks forward with a wry smile, but a tired expression. Her plots have been uncovered, her company’s stock is tanking, the board is trying to force her out. She’s going out to give a speech to salvage things long enough to deploy her superweapon (she’ll succeed—but get offed by her own superweapon, either via Evil Is Not A Toy if it’s sentient, or catastrophic malfunction if it’s not)
February 7, 2026 at 8:23 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
I was… proactive… in avoiding spoilers:
Picture of Ravens ‘Muted Terms’ list for this app. The list includes “Eleven”, “Hawkins”, “Demogorgon”, “Vecna”, “Upside-Down”, “Upside Down”, and “Stranger Things”.
February 5, 2026 at 12:23 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Drop an alien that’s not from Star Wars or Star Trek:
(For the uninitiated of my favorite ‘technically correct’ facts is that #Pathfinder elves are canonically aliens—and that that lore significantly predates the existence of #Starfinder)
The iconic Elf Rogue, Merisiel, from the Pathfinder RPG (yes, elves are aliens in the setting!) Slender, pale-skinned woman with long white hair, long ears, red leather armor, a rapier, and more daggers than any reasonable person should need.
January 26, 2026 at 7:43 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
What gets me the most is how utterly powerless I am to do anything personally. I’m too distant to help directly, too broke to donate, and lack both the reach to organize online, and the social skills to do so IRL. I’m completely useless.
But I had to feel like I was doing *something*, so…
A large white candle sitting on a wooden table. It has three wicks; all lit. A window behind looks out to the darkness outside.
January 25, 2026 at 4:11 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Well, in the science-fantasy universe of the #Starfinder RPG, it’s a lovely spell that can inflict the Doomed status via grim news updates!
Actual scrolls have mostly been displaced by ‘spell gems’ in the far future… but it’s compatible with #Pathfinder, so a Scroll of ‘doom scroll’ is possible!
Entry for the “Doom Scroll” spell in Starfinder Second Edition. It blasts depressing news on nearby digital displays, forcing creatures to roll their Will save (i.e. mental resilience). If they do really, really well, they’re unaffected, but… (Spell description continues) …outcomes get progressively worse, from merely being distracted as they stare at the feeds, to being distracted AND filled with terror at the news, to being distracted, even MORE terrified, and literally Doomed (i.e. the character has less ‘buffer’ against death) if they REALLY flub the roll. Nasty spell, as thematic as it is memetic.
January 24, 2026 at 7:55 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Picture of Daniel Craig's detective Benoit Blanc, from the movie Glass Onion, in the eponymous glass-walled room, looking attentive and worried. Caption reads: "Benoit Blanc will return... ...in Avengers: DOOMSDAY"
January 16, 2026 at 11:11 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Oh, wow, I nearly forgot—my White Mage knows Raise! I could use that to revive Argath. I mean, I’m not *GOING* to, obviously. But I could. If I wanted to. Which I don’t. Because he’s terrible.
#FFTactics #DorterSlums #EatItArgath
Similar to the last pic, but the White Mage’s spell menu is open to show that yes, I did in fact teach him Raise.
December 28, 2025 at 6:58 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Welp, he dodged the arrow, and tanked one Fire, but the second dropped him. Very sad. Anyway. The other Archer and the Knight hung back after taking a pair of bolts (crossbow and lightning, respectively) to their faces on the first turn, so time to avenge Argath… or whatever.
#FFTactics #DorterSlums
Bottom part of the map again. Argath is face-down in the mud, as is only proper. The top Archer and bottom Mage (who caught the same Thunder spell as the Knight) are badly damaged, their team is spread thin, and my units are all about to go. I like my odds.
December 28, 2025 at 6:58 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Things start off well. That Archer up top learned why that’s unwise in a thunderstorm, after only getting a single Aim into Delita. The two Mages are both casting spells—but only on Argath, so no biggie. (He’s also being aimed at!)
#FFTactics #DorterSlums
Tower atop the Dorter Slum map. The Archer up there, infamous for picking short-range parties apart while Argath and Delita slowly climb up to deal with her, has gone down. Lower on the map. The remaining enemies are all up, but the upper Archer and the Knight at the bottom have decent damage on them and are hanging back. The two Black Mages are casting spells, and the lower Archer is charging an Aim, but good ol’ Argath is ready to tank it all! How noble! *swoon*
December 28, 2025 at 6:58 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Alright, time for the game to get real in Dorter Slums. As you can surmise, this ain’t my first rodeo.
#FFTactics
Formation screen for the early-game “Dorter Slums” map; infamous bane of inexperienced players who go in still rocking Squires and Chemists. Wise Raven, on the other hand, has brought an Archer, a Black Mage, and a White Mage to accompany Ramza. Be like Raven, kids!
December 28, 2025 at 4:56 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Gods, just a little later in the story, and not only would I happily pick the first objective—I’d forego the Brave boost from it, KO Argath myself, and help that bandit brainstorm suggestions.
But as I don’t yet know the dude, the Rescue option feels truer to Ramza.
#FFTactics
Pre-battle pic with a choice of objectives: Defeat the Brigade or Rescue their captive. (The second means if Argath goes down, you lose the battle; the first means he just gets KOed, and you get a small boost to your Brave for picking it.) A bandit, standing over the injured Argath, asks his compatriot: “Looks like this one’s still alive. What do we do with him?” (The second bandit’s response is an annoyed “Whaddaya THINK?”, more or less; if they knew the guy better they’d be considering To the Pain instead)
December 27, 2025 at 4:18 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
First stop: the warrior’s guild, and exercising my lesbian prerogative to procure replacements for the two male squires—male chemist only stays so I can have a Bard).
(Don’t feel bad; one Squire was the son of an arms merchant, the other *bragged* about not having a thought in his head)
#FFTactics
Formation screen, showing Ramza and six other units; four Squires and two Chemists. The game’s default assortment is an even M/F split; my party has one Male Chemist, with all four Squires and the other Chemist being women.
December 27, 2025 at 3:42 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Barbaneth may be an impeccable judge of character when it comes to his sons, but… he’s slightly less on point with Delita. (In his defense, that’s kind of Delita’s “thing”—pretty much everyone in the game misjudges him in some way or other, usually to their own detriment)
#FFTactics #Delita
Barbaneth telling Ramza that his friend Delita is “a good boy” (HIGHLY questionable) and “can serve you well” (FALSE, excepting cases where ‘serving Ramza’ and ‘serving Delita’ happen to coincide). Barbaneth continuing, “In the years ahead you will need someone you can trust. You could do far worse than Delita”. The first sentence is true; the second is *TECHNICALLY* correct, but only in the sense that Delita will only betray you if it benefits him in some way, as opposed to other characters who’ll do it For the Evulz.
December 27, 2025 at 2:12 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Okay, Ramza’s dad seems like a decent dude. RIP. I’m guessing those positive reports Zalbaag and Dycedarg (who both suck) gave him were lies of the “let’s let him die happy” variety, given the scene is in the war’s final days, and we know Ivalice is the loser.
#FFTactics
Ramza’s dad tells him “Become a knight worthy of your name. Tolerate no injustice. Stray not from the true path.” [SPOILERS: He does, in spades. Granted, a lot of people would disagree… but they’re all somewhere between “massive jerk” and “literal world-ending megalomaniac”, so they don’t count.] Barbaneth Beoulve tells Ramza to “…show these brothers of yours what it is…what it is to be a knight”. Ooh, burn! Dad Beoulve’s on his literal deathbed, and uses his dying breaths to throw passive-aggressive shade on the older bros! He knows what’s up!
December 27, 2025 at 1:40 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Gariland failed to knock us all down. Mr Corpse Brigade here talked big, but couldn’t back it up. And while his vitriol is obviously from being relentlessly shit on by the kingdom and nobility, it makes Ramza and Delita’s lack of sympathy for him understandable.
#FFTactics #Gariland
Battle banter during the Gariland fight, with a Corpse Brigade Squire telling Ramza and co (who he’s just found out are Akademy trainees) that they’re “in over their heads”. Sorry buddy, you’re thinking of Dorter, next town over. Victory screen! I got some cash, a Mythril Knife, and a couple healing items. Star player was Eleanor the Squire.
December 27, 2025 at 1:23 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Voice acting for “pompous a-hole Knight” also on-point. I wanted to punch this guy (and his counterpart at Orbonne) soon as he opened his mouth. Anyway, time for my first *REAL* fight.
#FFTactics #Gariland
Scene from the game with a knight addressing a crowd of cadets, talking shit on a ‘seditious lot with a grudge against the Crown’, i.e. ex-knights who got stiffed on their pay and turned to banditry because they need to eat. (Admittedly, calling themselves the Corpse Brigade isn’t great for their optics)
December 26, 2025 at 10:53 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Playing Enhanced Mode, Knight (i.e. Normal) difficulty, and using my actual birthday, as I’ve always done. As I recall, Aries doesn’t give any particularly major advantages or disadvantages, anyway.
#FFTactics
Screenshot giving my Zodiac sign in the Ivalician calendar as Aries
December 26, 2025 at 10:18 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Wore myself out hosting family Christmas yesterday, and got this—a game I’ve been dreaming of playing an updated version of for probably a decade plus—as a present.
If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my bunk.
‘Final Fantasy Tactics: the Ivalice Chronicles’ for the Nintendo Switch; a newly remastered version of the game with various improvements, most importantly an actually-comprehensible translation.
December 26, 2025 at 10:00 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Second and third posters, artist’s rendering:
Scene from “The Princess Bride”. Wallace Shawn’s Vizzini, a bald Caucasian man in ‘medieval courtier’ clothes, holds a dagger to the neck of Robin Wright’s Buttercup, a pale-skinned woman in red robes with a white cloth blindfold and a blonde ponytail. They’re outdoors, and a sealed wine bottle is visible on the table in front of her. Vizzini has a comical look, his mouth open as he waxes overconfident. Buttercup looks nervous—as well one might be while blindfolded with a knife to the throat!
December 25, 2025 at 5:44 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Of course, #Paizo subscription delivery day *also* meant I got this beauty in my grubby mitts. Worth it for the art alone, including this amazing cover by Miguel Regodon Harkness! #DraconicCodex
Gorgeous cover art of Pathfinder’s Draconic Codex, depicting two dragons: one a silver-grey Requiem Dragon, with matching horns curling back, one up from their forehead, the other down from their chin; the other a dark, partially-amorphous, skeletal-looking Resurrection Dragon. They circle each other before a deep purple “sky”, with a single brilliant, sun-like, light source in the distant background—the River of Souls, flowing from its origin point in Creation’s Forge. Art by Miguel Regodon Harkness
December 10, 2025 at 3:37 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Had #RevengeOfTheRunelords volume 3 digitally for a bit, but haven’t touched it (or the first two volumes) until the physical copy today. First thing I flipped to was the stats for my absolute fave Golarion villain:
Runelord Xanderghul; Creature 25 Unique; Medium; Human; Humanoid; Mythic Perception +41; darkvision; truesight
December 10, 2025 at 1:27 AM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Show me a fictional character that altered your brain chemistry:
19-year-old me: “Wow, I am utterly in love with everything about this character—I’m sure this is just how it feels to be a dude with a crush on a fictional girl.”
Mid-forties transbian me: “…Ooooooh!”
#WantHerOrWantToBeHer
#Yes
Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) from The Matrix, a Caucasian woman with short dark hair, seen from the shoulders up. She’s wearing a shiny black tank top in a phone booth (ask your parents!), facing the camera, holding the receiver to her ear. She’s gorgeous and also goals.
December 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
ostentatiouscorvid.northsky.social
Also, gotta shout out a personal fave in Organsight. Hey 12th-level Cleric; you got a crazy Medicine bonus, right? And you know Needle Darts, right? Right. Glad we had this talk. Enjoy being an auto-turret. (With precious metal ammo!) Heighten not only unneeded, but imo not worth the higher slot.
The spell "Organsight" from Pathfinder Second Edition. It lets the caster view a target's organs "as though dissected and arrayed before you". It boosts Medicine checks that concern organs (but penalizes them if they involve the skin. On casting, it lets you Recall Knowledge about the target with either an appropriate Lore or Medicine (which will of course benefit from the bonus) to spot a vital organ. If you succeed (which a Cleric with maxed Medicine is likely to), the next time you deal piercing or slashing damage (with a weapon OR a spell) to the target, you add 4d6 precision damage. And you can repeat the same check once per turn as a single action for up to a minute. So, if you happen to have a Cantrip that can deal that type of damage reliably turn after turn, you can be a pretty decent auto-turret against your target (a very nice Cantrip fitting that description is available to *every* caster) It *does* scale up with heightening... but not so much as to obsolete the base version.
December 2, 2025 at 1:57 AM