Cry Havoc™: A Shadow in the Light

[Rurik Harrgath]

2 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

MyProtein is the brand I use too! Glad we are of agreement on the salted caramel. I also flirt with the  Stracciatella flavour when I'm feeling fancy. 

 

It's our first time with them, but the deals were deadly... I'm excited to crack their Cran-Apple Iso and the Birthday Cake whey too!  

 

What is the stracciatella flavor?  I don't think it was an option when we ordered.  🤔

 

2 hours ago, Ann of Owlshire said:

Oh. Dreads are awesome. I’ve often considered them myself. But I’d rather do braids for him now (he’s 2.5). He can choose dreads later when he wants them on purpose XD 

 

Sounds like you're raising a proper pint-sized badass (if you'll forgive the language).

 

I personally am quite intrigued by 'dreadstensions' now that I've remembered those exist.  Now if I could just will my hair to grow a bit faster... 🤣

 

2 hours ago, mkdutch said:

The set up for your quest is absolutely masterful and straight up goals!

 

A new(er) face!  Thank you  it's been a labor of love for several challenges now but I think I've found something that really works for me now!

 

I love the line in your signature by the way.  "I want to be dangerous" is so epic!  And you're damn right.

[Rhovaniel]

5 minutes ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

What is the stracciatella flavor?  I don't think it was an option when we ordered.  🤔

Ah no, maybe a UK thing? I've never seen Cran-Apple ISO or birthday cake flavours on the site tbf.  Stracciatella is based off the ice-cream flavour - milk based with chocolate shavings. Having had the ice cream as well as the shake, I'd say it nails the flavour pretty well. It tastes gorgeous, just the hint of chocolate. 

[mkdutch]

31 minutes ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

A new(er) face!  Thank you  it's been a labor of love for several challenges now but I think I've found something that really works for me now!

 

I love the line in your signature by the way.  "I want to be dangerous" is so epic!  And you're damn right.

Yup! I plan to stick around for a good while this time. 

Gratsi, it has been my motivational quote of choice through all of my fitness endeavors. 

[Terra]

On 11/30/2020 at 10:08 AM, Rurik Harrgath said:

 

 

Except in my headcanon Oberyn won cuz Pedro Pascal is a badass AF.

I'm a little late to the challenge here but I just want to say I 100% agree with your headcannon! 

 

 

[spezzy]

On 12/9/2020 at 4:52 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Has Spezzy told you about the Texas Magic that is Whataburger yet?

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

7 hours ago, spezzy said:

 

[spezzy]

4 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

 

[Rurik Harrgath]

23 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

Ah no, maybe a UK thing? I've never seen Cran-Apple ISO or birthday cake flavours on the site tbf.  Stracciatella is based off the ice-cream flavour - milk based with chocolate shavings. Having had the ice cream as well as the shake, I'd say it nails the flavour pretty well. It tastes gorgeous, just the hint of chocolate. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they have different flavors stretched across their distribution networks.  Yours sounds like just enough flavor to make it interesting!

 

I think today's protein cookies might feature Birthday Cake protein just because it's Friday.   

 

23 hours ago, mkdutch said:

Yup! I plan to stick around for a good while this time. 

Gratsi, it has been my motivational quote of choice through all of my fitness endeavors. 

 

Couldn't be happier to see more faces sticking it out again.  2021 is going to be a devastatingly good year on the forums, I can feel it!

 

That line has definitely been ringing in my head the past 24 hours.  I'm a fan!

 

21 hours ago, Terra said:

I'm a little late to the challenge here but I just want to say I 100% agree with your headcannon! 

 

It's never too late to support Oberyn survival. 

 

The last few days of rewatching, I've come to the conclusion that my Game of Thrones character would have spent a year or two at the CItadel learning maestery things, growing board of that and traveling to learn the fighting skills of the water dancers of Braavos, like a Dothraki screamer, like a Westerosi knight in the Fighting Pits of Mereen, taking what I need from that to living as a sellsword with the Second Sons or Golden Company for maybe another year, then going on a far-ranging adventure, whether with pirates like Salladhor Saan or some Tyroshi trader.

 

Basically the sum of Oberyn and Daario's backgrounds.

 

14 hours ago, spezzy said:

 

 

6 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

 

Now now children... shouldn't we be focusing on Texas BBQ than greasy burgers?

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

6 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

 

Now now children... shouldn't we be focusing on Texas BBQ than greasy burgers?

 

This will always successfully bring Spezzy and I together when we are groping for common ground. 

[Rhovaniel]

17 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

Now now children... shouldn't we be focusing on Texas BBQ than greasy burgers?

 

And now I want to visit Texas! My mouth is watering... and it's not even Tank's thread!

[KB Girl]

I've been lurking (loving the character set up and you got me thinking about that for hours, hours) but eh I gotta unlurk for a second because

@HarrietI have all the faith that there will be epic deadlifts in your future and I look forward to it. 

[Rurik Harrgath]

  [A Shadow in the Light Quest Log]

Challenge Journal:  Date of 14.12.2020

Weight:  215.2lbs.

 

Ooooooooooopdate!

 

Last week was a bit of lighter, easier week again; gotta get into things proper this week though, so I'm going to focus on routine and tackling goals as they need to be tackled, when they need to be tackled, and focusing on my small nutrition wins.  I'll continue mapping out daily meals, trying to get my workouts done ASAP so I have the day to relax and possibly join Spezzy on her new program later in the day.  It's always a better day when I get into things sooner rather than later.

 

I've always started looking at my next challenge.  The first one of the year always feels like a big milestone, and there are a few things I really need to get done - especially if there's to be moving-related chaos at some point this year, whether it's May or October at this point.  So I spent some time this weekend, and will continue to today, figuring out my Big Why and my 2021 goals, and how my IRL RPG character fits into those...

 

And I'm happy to report I'm coming up with answers to those questions, for the most part.

 

Which is great considering there are only 16 days left in the month 🤣

 

So it's one week until A Very Harry Potter Yuletide Solstice, and 10+ days until A Very Merry Nerdy Christmas, both of which I'm excited to start planning this week!

 

It's Monday, nerds.  Go out and crush your goals this week, The Bromoa commands it thus!  #MomoaMonday

 

Spoiler

 

Chances are your Monday needs a Jason Momoa haka to kick things off  

 

Havoc

• Shadowstrike:  (⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤) 75%
• Claw Mastery:  105 / 105 hangboard pull-ups 
• Six-Sided Slash:  (HS) ☑☑☐. (MU) ☑☑☐
• Lashing Tail Kick:  (MT) ☑☑☐. (KB) ☑☑☐

Shadow Masteries

• Awakened Alchemy: Craft Crimson Vial:  ☑☑☑☑☑☑☑
• Cloak of Shadows:  ☑.☑
• Mirror Image:  ☑.☑☑☑☑☑

  Harrgath, the Shadow Who Danced.

   Race:  Human variant with features suggesting mixed, possibly distant Orcish ancestry. 

   Class:  [Level ??] Rogue (Assassin)/Monk (Shadow), with an Alchemist side hustle. 

   Alignment:  Chaotic spectrum, ranging from neutral to good. 

   Attribute points:  Brutality 15 | Finesse 14 | Insight 16 | Moxie  15 | Grit 15

   

Health Status: 

Inventory:  Katar wrist blades, scimitar, Leather Armor with silks, Kyoshiro's Soul Embrace legendary belt, thief's tools, alchemist's supplies.

Achievements:  

1 / 2  [Crimson Vial] health elixirs.

  10    dealt (100%).

  0    dealt by Spezzy (0%).

 

On 12/12/2020 at 3:24 AM, Rhovaniel said:

And now I want to visit Texas! My mouth is watering... and it's not even Tank's thread!

 

I've made it an unofficial personal rule to not check his challenge until after I've broken my fasting window for the day 🤣

 

Gonna be High Risk if that trend sneaks into mine too!  haha

 

22 hours ago, KB Girl said:

I've been lurking (loving the character set up and you got me thinking about that for hours, hours) but eh I gotta unlurk for a second because

@HarrietI have all the faith that there will be epic deadlifts in your future and I look forward to it. 

 

Welcome to the (over)Thinking For Hours Club.  We'd meet every second Tuesday but we'd probably overthink that too   but like I mentioned above, character stuff and my IRL RPG character soak up an inordinate amount of my free (and unfree) time!

 

Epic deadlifts are the best deadlifts.  I'm gonna need heavier kettlebells before that's an option though!

[shaar]

14 minutes ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

I've always started looking at my next challenge.  The first one of the year always feels like a big milestone

 

YESSS I LOVE the first challenge of the year for this very reason!  SO PUMPED to start setting it up too, AND using more character elements to my favor!!

 

17 minutes ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

Which is great considering there are only 16 days left in the month 🤣

 

 

Wait what

 

[Rurik Harrgath]

  [A Shadow in the Light Quest Log]

Challenge Journal:  Date of 14.12.2020

Weight:  215.2lbs.

 

Happy Hump Day, y'all!

 

Got our Rangerly walk in across the frozen steppes yesterday morning, went right into a modified GMB workout (a format that has really been working for me lately).  This is what it looked like...

 

4rds each of

Plank swing through & KB windmills x8

Paralette handstands & Hangboard pull-ups MAX

Handstand push-ups & Candlestick roll-ups x8

Divebomber push-ups & Single-leg get-ups x8

CASH OUT 4 mins 30s on/off of:

Deadbug holds

Reverse lunges.

 

Also did 3:00 of breathwork followed by my 5:00 stretching immediately after.

 

So it was a productive start to the day.  Also went for an afternoon walk with the dog, so I grabbed my ruck and 36lbs plate to dial that up a notch!  Otherwise I've finally started reading a book again (Scars about primarch Jaghatai Khan and the White Scars Chapter of Space Marines from Warhammer 40k), started leveling Mag'har Orc Warrior in Arms spec as if he were an Orc Blademaster from old school Warcraft 3 which has been immensely satisfying as well.  Also slowly puttering away at my 2021 goals, polishing my IRL RPG character and challenge for the start of the new year, and starting planning on Harry Potter Winter Solstice Celebration Extravaganza™!    In preparation we've started the movies and it's mindblowing how far CGI has come since 2002... even just movie to movie.  I haven't watched them all the way through like this before, so it's been eye-opening.

 

Maybe LOTR next.

 

Today will be more of the same with a Muay Thai workout at some point but first I need caffeine and wakefulness which hasn't seen fit to bless me with its presence just yet.

 

 

I don't feel like this at all today, but it's still pretty cool

 

Havoc

• Shadowstrike:  (⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤⬤) 30%
• Claw Mastery:  22 / 105 hangboard pull-ups 
• Six-Sided Slash:  (HS) ☑☐☐. (MU) ☐☐☐
• Lashing Tail Kick:  (MT) ☐☐☐. (KB) ☑☐☐

Shadow Masteries

• Awakened Alchemy: Craft Crimson Vial:  ☑☑☐☐☐☐☐
• Cloak of Shadows:  ☑.☑
• Mirror Image:  ☑.☑☐☐☐☐

  Harrgath, the Shadow Who Danced.

   Race:  Human variant with features suggesting mixed, possibly distant Orcish ancestry. 

   Class:  [Level ??] Rogue (Assassin)/Monk (Shadow), with an Alchemist side hustle. 

   Alignment:  Chaotic spectrum, ranging from neutral to good. 

   Attribute points:  Brutality 15 | Finesse 14 | Insight 16 | Moxie  15 | Grit 15

   

Health Status: 

Inventory:  Katar wrist blades, scimitar, Leather Armor with silks, Kyoshiro's Soul Embrace legendary belt, thief's tools, alchemist's supplies.

Achievements:  

1 / 2  [Crimson Vial] health elixirs.

  10    dealt (100%).

  0    dealt by Spezzy (0%).

 

On 12/14/2020 at 9:28 AM, shaar said:

YESSS I LOVE the first challenge of the year for this very reason!  SO PUMPED to start setting it up too, AND using more character elements to my favor!!

 

Your challenges are always the sleep surprise, I can't wait to see what you come up with too!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

17 minutes ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

In preparation we've started the movies and it's mindblowing how far CGI has come since 2002... even just movie to movie.  I haven't watched them all the way through like this before, so it's been eye-opening.

 

Maybe LOTR next.

Just remember LOTR came out around the same time and the CGI in it holds up a LOT better than in HP.

[Harriet]

On 12/14/2020 at 6:09 PM, Rurik Harrgath said:

So it's one week until A Very Harry Potter Yuletide Solstice

 

2 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

Also slowly puttering away at my 2021 goals, polishing my IRL RPG character and challenge for the start of the new year, and starting planning on Harry Potter Winter Solstice Celebration Extravaganza™!    In preparation we've started the movies and it's mindblowing how far CGI has come since 2002... even just movie to movie.  I haven't watched them all the way through like this before, so it's been eye-opening.

 

Can I ask about your yule/midwinter celebrations? It's my first year celebrating yule instead of Christmas. Everyone in my real life is atheist, Christian or Buddhist, so I'm making my  own rituals.

 

It's not just the CGI, it's the acting, as well. I'm watching both the original star trek, and the shiny new version (I LOVe it). Such a dramatic difference. Pun intended.

[Renate]

2 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Just remember LOTR came out around the same time and the CGI in it holds up a LOT better than in HP.

 

Meanie.(*) LOTR had many many adult scholars to impress. HP mostly a young audience. Fair or foul? 😇

 

(*) I actually don't mind at all but it's my honest reaction when I read your post 😄

[Rurik Harrgath]

6 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Just remember LOTR came out around the same time and the CGI in it holds up a LOT better than in HP.

 

I'd like to think budget has something to do with that but simply put, LOTR is just so much more epic in scale.  Period.

 

 

4 hours ago, Harriet said:

Can I ask about your yule/midwinter celebrations? It's my first year celebrating yule instead of Christmas. Everyone in my real life is atheist, Christian or Buddhist, so I'm making my  own rituals.

 

It's not just the CGI, it's the acting, as well. I'm watching both the original star trek, and the shiny new version (I LOVe it). Such a dramatic difference. Pun intended.

 

You absolutely may ask anything you'd like, however I will offer the disclaimer now that I am not a practicing pagan of any creed.  Once upon a time I dabbled in Norse heathenry, but am strictly now a non-believer of anything beyond the inevitability of death.  Though, because of that step into the greater pagan pool, and Norwegian ancestry, and a Harry Potter themed meal, plus no access to family due to COVID, Yule is the plan this year.

 

I've celebrated Yule to various degrees over the years, from the full yuletide ham and mulled ale from my drinking horn to the toasts to my ancestors and the landvaettir, to a more modern interpretation of celebrating the true changing of the seasons and the Yule season.  There will be a full Harry Potter-inspired spread, winter warmer ale in my drinking horn, with treats and frivolity for the lady and our sundry furry children!  So I can't really comment on rituals, per se.

 

4 hours ago, Aθena said:

Meanie.(*) LOTR had many many adult scholars to impress. HP mostly a young audience. Fair or foul? 😇

 

(*) I actually don't mind at all but it's my honest reaction when I read your post 😄

 

And even then the scholars still bitch about the changes twenty years later 🤣 although the later HP movies were so much better than their start, and I would even hazard to say better than The Hobbit trilogy (except maybe the Battle of FIve Armies scenes, but I'm looking at you, Goblin city :eyeroll:)

 

It's really comparing apples and minivans.  Two very different scales, two very different approaches, and two very different source materials/audiences.

[h3r0]

8 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

  (Scars about primarch Jaghatai Khan and the White Scars Chapter of Space Marines from Warhammer 40k)

 

Yessssss! Love me some 40k 

For the Emperor! 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

6 hours ago, Aθena said:

Meanie.(*) LOTR had many many adult scholars to impress. HP mostly a young audience. Fair or foul? 😇

 

(*) I actually don't mind at all but it's my honest reaction when I read your post 😄

I think Rurik gave the best answers, they were two different franchises with two different scopes. And I think the earlier LOTR trilogy holds up better than the later Hobbit Trilogy because the LOTR trilogy was a work of love and the Hobbit Trilogy was a cash grab by the studio.

 

3 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

I've celebrated Yule to various degrees over the years, from the full yuletide ham and mulled ale from my drinking horn to the toasts to my ancestors and the landvaettir, to a more modern interpretation of celebrating the true changing of the seasons and the Yule season.  There will be a full Harry Potter-inspired spread, winter warmer ale in my drinking horn, with treats and frivolity for the lady and our sundry furry children!  So I can't really comment on rituals, per se.

 

They celebrated Yule in Middle Earth too. It's mentioned offhandedly at the tail end of The Hobbit and In the section on calendars in the Appendices at the end of Return of the King.

[Rurik Harrgath]

3 hours ago, h3r0 said:

Yessssss! Love me some 40k 

For the Emperor! 

 

Jaghatai is my phone wallpaper right now.  That MFer is motivation goals AF   

 

I've read a good handful of the novellas and, must say, big fan!  After I polish off the White Scars trilogy, I'm going to conquer the Adeptus Custodes books!  And then possibly Rogue Trader if I'm not burned out haha.  40k is favorite sci-fi/fantasy universe, tied with Azeroth of course.

 

But seriously who doesn't want to be a Primarch Space Marine (okay, better .gifs)?  Like damn.

 

 

2 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I think Rurik gave the best answers, they were two different franchises with two different scopes. And I think the earlier LOTR trilogy holds up better than the later Hobbit Trilogy because the LOTR trilogy was a work of love and the Hobbit Trilogy was a cash grab by the studio.

 

They celebrated Yule in Middle Earth too. It's mentioned offhandedly at the tail end of The Hobbit and In the section on calendars in the Appendices at the end of Return of the King.

 

I still to this day lament what The Hobbit could have been... SO MANY DWARVES RUINED, NO BEARDS TUCKED INTO BELTS 😭

[h3r0]

You talking about The Emperor's Legion book? It's on my list along with the Fabius Bile books. My all time favorite is the Enforcer omnibus. Arbites are awesome! 

 

[Harriet]

8 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

You absolutely may ask anything you'd like, however I will offer the disclaimer now that I am not a practicing pagan of any creed.  Once upon a time I dabbled in Norse heathenry, but am strictly now a non-believer of anything beyond the inevitability of death.  Though, because of that step into the greater pagan pool, and Norwegian ancestry, and a Harry Potter themed meal, plus no access to family due to COVID, Yule is the plan this year.

 

I've celebrated Yule to various degrees over the years, from the full yuletide ham and mulled ale from my drinking horn to the toasts to my ancestors and the landvaettir, to a more modern interpretation of celebrating the true changing of the seasons and the Yule season.  There will be a full Harry Potter-inspired spread, winter warmer ale in my drinking horn, with treats and frivolity for the lady and our sundry furry children!  So I can't really comment on rituals, per se.

 

Ah, amazing. We don't have to talk about beliefs, since I have decided to go straight for practices and see what beliefs fall out as a result, rather than the other way around. So you went for heathenry? I like that they have a range of interesting deities (not enough goddesses, though) but surely there's not much in the way of practices to piece together after all this time? If you know a good source for modern interpretations and practices, I would love to know of it. Thank you for sharing some of the practices--I never know what the difference is between beer and ale, except that beer sounds so modern, and ale sounds more epic and toastable. Your children are furry??? Oh, oh, I see. I was worried for a moment and now I'm relieved.

 

4 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

They celebrated Yule in Middle Earth too. It's mentioned offhandedly at the tail end of The Hobbit and In the section on calendars in the Appendices at the end of Return of the King.

 

Did they indeed? What a wonderful detail to learn, thank you Tank ❤️

 

3 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

I still to this day lament what The Hobbit could have been... SO MANY DWARVES RUINED, NO BEARDS TUCKED INTO BELTS 😭

 

I thought the dwarves were delightful. Several of them had frankly magnificent hair, textual accuracy be damned.

[Renate]

8 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

LOTR trilogy holds up better than the later Hobbit Trilogy because the LOTR trilogy was a work of love and the Hobbit Trilogy was a cash grab by the studio.

 

I agree 😭

 

7 hours ago, Rurik Harrgath said:

still to this day lament what The Hobbit could have been... SO MANY DWARVES RUINED, NO BEARDS TUCKED INTO BELTS 😭

 

Haha that explains it!

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

7 hours ago, Harriet said:

Ah, amazing. We don't have to talk about beliefs, since I have decided to go straight for practices and see what beliefs fall out as a result, rather than the other way around.

This is a time honored method. The early Celtic Christians would allow newcomers into their communities and let them participate in communion and every other aspect of worship and life, and then decide at some point later whether or not the believed and wanted to stay.