>heavensword

(An alteration of "Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires," aka Child Ballad 140, to be about a Keeper of the Moon folk heroine from FFXIV)

There are twelve moons in all the year,
And for each a place is there,
But the merriest moon in all the year,
Is the moon of Llymlaen fair.

Now Hooded Robh is to Quarrymill gone,
With a link a down and a day,
And there she met a sorry old woman,
Was weeping on the way.

What news? what news, thou sorry old woman?
What news has thou for I?
Said she, There’s three lasses in Quarrymill town
To-day is condemned to die.

O have they a Hedgetree burnt?
Or have they innocents slain?
Or have they robbed any widow,
Nor with any by force have lain?

They have not a Hedgetree burnt, good miss,
Nor yet have innocents slain,
Nor have they robbed any widow,
Nor with any by force have lain.

O what have they done? said bold Hooded Robh,
I pray thee tell to me.
It’s for slaying the Hearer’s fallow deer,
Bearing their short bows with thee.

Dost thou not mind, old woman, she said,
Since thou made me sup and dine?
By the truth of my body, quoth bold Hooded Robh,
You could not tell it in better time?

Now Hooded Robh is to Quarrymill gone,
With a link a down and a day,
And there she met with a sorry old beggar,
Was walking along the high way.

What news? what news, thou sorry old man?
What news I do thee pray?
Said he, Three lasses in Quarrymill town,
Are condemned to die this day.

Come change thy apparel with me, old man,
Come change thy apparel for mine;
Here is eighty gil both spick and span,
Go drink it in mead or wine.

O thine apparel is good, he said,
And mine is ragged and torn;
Wherever you go, wherever you ride,
Laugh ne’er an old man to scorn.

Come change thy apparel with me, old bones,
Come change thy apparel with mine;
Here are forty pieces of good tomestones,
Go feast thy brethren with wine.

Then she put on the old man’s hat,
It fit her ears in the crown:
Tho’ first bold bargain that I come at,
It shall make thee come down.

Then she put on the old man's cape,
Was patch’d black, blue and red,
But her tail it would in full drape,
To pass as Hyur instead.

Then she put on the old man's breeks,
Was patch’d from ballup to side;
By the truth of my body, daring Robh can say,
This man lov’d little pride.

Then she put on the old man's hose,
Were patch’d from knee to wrist;
By the truth of my body, said bold Hooded Robh,
I'd laugh if I had any list.

Then she put on the old man's shoes,
Were patch’d both beneath and above;
Then Hooded Robh swore a solemn oath,
By a woman’s good habit drove.

Now Hooded Robh is to Quarrymill gone,
With a link a day and a down,
And there she met with the proud sheriff,
Was walking along the town.

O save, O save, O sheriff, she said,
O save, and you may see!
And what will you give to a poor old woman
To-day will your hangman be?

Some suits, some suits, the sheriff he said,
Some suits, I'll give to thee;
Some suits, some suits, and gil thirteen
To-day's a hangman's fee.

Then Robh she turns him around about,
And jumps from stock to stone;
By the truth of my body, the sheriff he said,
That's well jumpt, thou spry old woman.

I was ne’er a hangman in all my life,
Nor yet intends to trade;
But curst be she, said daring Robh,
That first a hangman was made.

I've a bag for meal, and a bag for malt,
And a bag for barley and corn;
A bag for bread, and a bag for beef.
And a bag for my little small horn.

I have a horn in my pocket,
I got from Robh o’ the Hood,
And still when I set it to my mouth,
For thee it blows little good.

O wind thy horn, thou proud matron,
Of thee I have no doubt;
I wish that thou give such a blast
Till both thy eyes fall out.

The first loud blast that she did blow,
She blew both loud and shrill;
A good dozen twice of Hooded Robh's women
Came riding over the hill.

The next loud blast that she did give,
She blew both loud and amain,
And swift ten more of Hooded Robh’s women
Came shining over the plain.

O who are you, the sheriff he said,
Come tripping over the lee?
They're my attendants, daring Robh did say,
They'll pay a visit to thee.

They took the gallows from the slack,
They set it in the glen,
They hang’d the proud sheriff on that,
Releas’d their own women.

• 🎮 Minami Lane (2024)
• 🎮 Pentiment (2022)
• 📺 The Apothecary Diaries (2023)
• 📺 Psycho (1960)
• 🎮 In Stars And Time (2022)
• 📺 I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
• 📺 The Dead Don't Die (2019)
• 🎮 Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail (2024)

Pentiment is an absolutely astounding achievement, a staggeringly beautiful reflection on community, family, and history. It drew me in with its charming and novel style, and every detail of it sings. I think Pentiment is a very "human" game, the way I'd say the same about Disco Elysium - a game that is very interested in, and very in love with, people. Gave me my first "accidentally played it til 4am and almost tried to keep going" night in many years. Left me crying, crying, crying - and warm and fulfilled in a way I can't quite describe.

In Stars And Time was a game I went into with a little hesitancy. I love a time loop, and I love a game that telegraphs an interesting dramatic turn - but the slightly "twee" sense of humour had me assuming I might not be taken in by the emotional arc when things got heavier. I love to be wrong! ISAT uses what cutesy cards it has to play to extremely good effect. The narrative is built and reinforced with its mechanics very deftly - and I was haunted by the relationships, realisations, and dread that it served up. Sobbed through the back three hours. What's better than this. If you're the sort of person that's sold when someone says "I can't say much about it, you should just check it out" - you should play In Stars And Time.

What fiction means to people, the way they carry it inside themselves, the way they are changed by it - this has been a galvinising force in my adult life, a critical aesthetic and philosophical interest. I think all I have to say about I Saw the TV Glow is that it hit me like a fucking truck.

Breaking the crying combo: I found Dawntrail's story rough around the edges, though it did have moments that worked for me. But saying it's my least favourite expansion, of one of my primary ways to spend time, is like saying it's my least favourite ice cream. FF14 is a game I play near-daily, and it's the primary social space I share with some of my dearest friends. Tural is a blast to explore and hang out in, and even if the story didn't 100% land for me, the environments and encounter design were some of the best in my opinion. I was laughing, delighted, through every boss in Arcadion so far. I am so excited for whatever's next.

Biggest Dawntrail goal I've done: caught all the Dawntrail fish

Is this how fisher mains feel so powerful