#1238.

[widowshill]

collinses are always so affectionate to their brothers' wives it's very sweet of them.

[rosiefairlands]

Hi SCP Tumblr I missed y’all have Batch 5 :3

Probably my last SCP batch for now considering I may be busy with school stuff but that doesn’t mean I’m done with SCP probably just a small break lol.

Sigurrós and Cameron are the bebys though love them.

[akutagawa-daily]

Akutagawa daily 1238/★

[every-rgsa-moment-ever]

look at these cuties

[tabr1-s]

aventurine rant and personal critiques about 2.1's writing below

(to preface... i am biased towards Sunday and his plight, and firmly against the IPC and their plans concerning retaking Penacony. but that's not to say that i support the Family as a whole either.)

why was 80% of the 2.1 quest about Aventurine? isn't that what character stories and companion quests are for?

to begin, the first thing that bothered me was how the game seemed to want the player to believe that Aventurine's offer wasn't forced. examples below:

although it... was forced. you can tell him that you won't associate with the IPC and he will tell you not to worry about it, and just "reconsider it" by talking to your companions (mainly the Navigator, Himeko) at the express (basically implying that our opinion does not matter to him in the slightest). dialogue below:

(now i don't know if it's my personal hatred for being controlled and told what to do that's making me see this differently... but i have talked this over with a friend of mine and they do agree that it Does seem forced. i might be putting myself in an echo chamber by doing this, but at least i'm not alone!)

my point with the above is that the game tries to get you to sympathize with Aventurine from the beginning, and forces your hand when it comes to agreeing to his proposal by making some - frankly - stupid excuses as to why we should trust him. maybe others found them to be convincing/enough, but to me it just seemed like a cheap way to get the story rolling. (also, since when did we become pawns of the IPC? Penacony's debt is none of our business, and, not to get political... but it reminds me of real life sentiments that colonialist people hold about countries that "belonged to them in the past", despite that country having years of history and development since/before then (and i do not care if that country's political system is corrupt, or that they have unpaid debt. that is not an excuse to bring about war and occupation.). also, i sincerely hate how Aventurine wasn't even hiding that he views Robin's death as an opportunity, or, in his words, a "bargaining chip". we're made to sympathize with him and his dead family but he can't read the room and show some genuine sympathy himself, can he?)

...so the story goes on. we get some Welt and Acheron bits, a bit of Black Swan, and some investigation on the front of Himeko, March 7th, and the trailblazer. then the focus falls back on Aventurine. but, for the time being, it's fine - because at least he's alongside Dr. Ratio and their bickering is entertaining.

which leads to the scene where Sunday confronts Aventurine. yes, Sunday is manipulative. he begins by praising Aventurine and buttering him up, seemingly trying to get Aventurine to lower his guard. but let's not forget that Aventurine is also being manipulative - using Sunday's recent close family death as leverage for his own schemes. Sunday knows this, and so calls upon the help of Xipe, the Harmony, to bring the truth to light.

now, Sunday doesn't outright warn him about the consequences of not answering or answering falsely, but the implication is there. Sunday gives Aventurine a chance to come clean. and what does Aventurine do? he lies, basically securing his own fate like that. another example of Sunday giving Aventurine a chance to admit the truth was here:

"it's your last chance to defend your honor". up until the point where he gave Aventurine the box, Aventurine had countless chances to stop betting with his life and do the simplest thing - answer truthfully. but he didn't. so, my question is: why does all the blame fall on Sunday when it was Aventurine who got himself into that predicament in the first place? it also gets implied multiple times that Aventurine wanted that conclusion all along...

...which leads me to the next topic. people viewing him as this "genius mastermind" - when in reality, he's no more than a self-destructive gambler that simply puts faith in his good luck to lead him to the conclusion that he wants. and, honestly? that seems like a very immature mentality to me. there's nothing admirable about him risking it all time and time again, and i'm not sure why exactly i'm meant to sympathize with that part of him. also...

don't be a hypocrite yourself, Aventurine. you also lied and was planning to manipulate from the beginning - them expecting the truth from you shouldn't come as a surprise.

now, i'm not going to fully go into the 2 or so hours of pure Aventurine³ content (or, as my friend put it, "exposition vomit"), other than saying that his story could've definitely been told in a much more concise manner than what we got. i mean, good for the Aventurine fans out there, i'm happy for them. but, writing-wise, that was pretty out of place. in comparison, Acheron's backstory only got implied, and was kept mostly a mystery. you can only find bits and pieces of Sunday and Robin's upbringing by reading the letter Robin sent to her brother, and observing the "concert for two" lightcone in that same room. Firefly says some things about her condition and spends a significant part of the 2.0 quest with Trailblazer, but at least the main character is part of that story. Aventurine's case seemed like a blatant pity party from the writers - from the beginning of 2.1 til the end. now i'm not saying that his backstory isn't tragic; the first time i played through the story i sympathized with him. it was heartbreaking. but that genuinely could've been saved for a companion quest.

another thing i thought was out of place was Aventurine's hatred for the Family. seeing his backstory, i believed that they were leading up to the Family being somehow responsible for his rough upbringing/period of slavery, so that was Aventurine enacting his revenge on them. but that was... not the case. instead, he's only(?) doing this for the IPC, with no true motivation of his own. in other words, why is he trying to bring the Family down so avidly? i'm not convinced that his reasons are good enough for him to cause so much chaos to a nation/organization that has nothing to do with him. if it is purely because of the IPC's whims, then that is not very "free will" of him.

despite all my qualms, i don't hate Aventurine. the Penacony characters are hard to hate in general, for they're all intriguing in their own ways. but i do think i've been a bit too over-exposed to him. maybe i'd go as far as to say that he was overhyped - they could've handled his story better, and not simply thrown everything they had for him in one singular questline right before his release. personally, even with the characters that i have biases towards, i would prefer for their stories to be told through character stories, companion quests, texts, and readables. that way, you find out about the character on your own volition without it feeling forced. and, if their backstories are relevant to the main storyline, you can easily make it brief and showcase what's, well...

relevant.

[steddieficfind]

Hi! Looking for a fic with Bat Eddie. I remember that he was in Steve's attic, I think maybe there were multiple bats up there? Hope this rings a bell to anyone.

Request 1238! Send us an ask if you recognize this fic!

[maslimanny]

Islamic arts: Western Islamic art: Moorish.. The palace and grounds!!

The Alhambra is situated in a locale of rare natural beauty. The plateau upon which it was built overlooks the Albaicín (Albayzin) quarter of Granada’s Moorish old city. At the base of the plateau, the Darro River flows through a deep ravine on the north. The park outside the palace (Alameda de la Alhambra) was planted by the Moors with roses, oranges, and myrtles. Its most characteristic feature, however, is the dense wood of English elms brought there in 1812 by the duke of Wellington during the Peninsular War.

[beebisbeeble]

1238 my beloved

[wolkewatcher]

BRB MOVING TO THE COUNTRY WHERE KINGS OF LEON SEX ON FIRE IS IN THEIR THIS WEEK'S TOP TRENDING SONGS

[rabbitcruiser]

Valencian Community Day

When is Valencia Community Day?

Celebrated annually on October 9th, this is a public holiday in the Valenciana region of Spain. Valencia is the principal city in the region.

If October 9th falls on a weekend, this holiday may be substituted by another. For instance, in 2016, as October 9th is a Sunday, Valenciana will observe Easter Monday as a public holiday instead.

History of Valencia Community Day

Known as 'Día de la Comunidad Valenciana', this holiday commemorates the capture of the city of Valencia from Moorish forces in 1238 by King James I of Aragon

Founded as Valencia by the Romans, the city has passed from Christian to Moorish control from the 8th century to the 13th century.

In 1238, King James I of Aragon laid siege to Valencia and after five months, the Moors finally surrendered on September 28th. On October 9th, James took possession of the city.

Whilst many people from different religions were allowed to stay, Fifty thousand Moors were forced to leave. After the Christian victory, the city was divided between the forces who had participated in the conquest.

James granted the city new charters of law (known as the Furs of Valencia). The changes brought by James redefined the city and the region in many ways, forming the basis of the character and key traditions of the Valencian regions.

The Valencian region gained full autonomy in 1982.

October 9th is also Saint Dionysuis' Day. Dionysius is regarded as the patron saint of lovers for Valencians and this day is considered to be the most romantic day of the year. As a sign of love and appreciation, women may recieve a Mocadora, a handcrafted marzipan figurine wrapped in silk.

On Valencian Community Day, many businesses and other organisations are closed. Most stores are closed, although some bakers and smaller food stores may open. Public transport services may run on a Sunday or reduced schedule. The parades and other public events that form part of the celebrations may cause local disruption to traffic, especially in the centres of towns and villages.

Source

[widowshill]

The Revised Statutes of the State of Maine, passed October 22, 1840; To Which Are Prefixed The Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Maine and To Which Are Subjoined the Other Public Laws of 1840 and 1841, Title XII Chapter 160 § 4

[negreabsolut]

Entrada triomfal del rei En Jaume I a la ciutat de València, per Fernando Richart. Oli en llenç, 390 x 665 cm; 1884.

[nikolamga]

[every-rgsa-moment-ever]

mako-chan is here!

[lostdrarryfics]

So I remember a case fic, but I can’t for the life of me find it. If you are able to help, I will be forever in your debt. I believe there was something to do with stealing children. I remember the main villain may have had something to do with the Selwyn family. There may have been a stolen child decades before from that family as well. I quite quite remember why the children are being kidnapped. I feel like there were children stolen pre war, and then starting up again post war. The first child to be stolen was almost definitely related to the main villain. I’m sorry this is vague and all over the place. Not being able to remember clearly is driving me mad. Any help you are able to offer will be much appreciated.

Hello! We seem to have found three different fics that fit your description:

All Missing Things ( Can Be Found ) (100k, E) by daisymondays

Wanted for Duty (224k, E) by Holz9364

Defined by love (54k, E) by lyonessheart

Please let us know if one of them is the right one!

[behaein]

♡ ˙ ˖ ✧ — SR MEDIA CALLBACK. aka haein gets a second chance with sr media and performs how can i love the heartbreak, you're the one i love (ref / 2:45-3:45)

when haein first receives the message from sr media, she has to blink twice to make sure she wasn't misreading anything. considering that she never made it to the next round for the other labels, she wasn't expecting anything with sr media either. the audition tape was her messiest yet when it came to video quality, and she was dressed in such comfortable clothing. if someone were to only take a quick glimpse at it, they would have mistaken it for a practice video.

nevertheless, she starts preparing right away. the message reads ballad song, and she's got flashbacks of the last time she's sung a ballad, but she quickly pushes those thoughts behind. having her mind occupied with something from the past will only do her more harm than good, and she's promised herself to continue living forward.

first, she decides to make a list of the ballads she even knows. haein's never been a huge ballad fan because she enjoys music that allows her to bop her head, but it looks like sr media has something in mind when they ask for this specific task. dancing is allowed, as the message says, but she believes that her dancing skills have already been shown through the audition tape, original choreography and all. she's proven she can dance, so now it's time to show them she can sing.

now she knows she's not a power vocalist. she's not going to be able to belt out high notes and push her diaphragm hard enough to impress anybody. so she seeks out songs where she can be emotionally invested because while she may not be the strongest vocalist out there, she's quite confident in the way she can express lyrics and songs. that's why she's mostly a dancer to begin with. there's something so fascinating about being able to deliver emotions and sentiments through her body, but now she's got to do that with her voice.

she probably seeks for about a week before she settles on a song she feels she can confidently do. the song is filled with emotions, within her range, and requires just the amount of technique, which she can pull off. maybe she sounds too confident, but that's not it. this was always what oh haein was like. the past couple of months was uncharacteristic of her, but she's gotten back on her two feet, and she was ready to impress the judges once more.

/

seven am feels like an early call time, but she's there, bright and early with a smile on her face. after everything that's happened, this feels like absolutely nothing. she can feel some glimpses here and there as she waits to be called along with a couple of other potential trainees.

as she waits, she does a couple of vocal exercises and stretches. while she won't be dancing today, being relaxed is important. if her body tenses up, so will her vocals, and she doesn't want that happening today.

when she's called in, she goes through the camera test first. stand here, please stare at the camera, please turn to the left, now the right, we'll also be taking a picture of you from the back, now please show us five different poses. this isn't haein's first rodeo, so this part pretty much flies by, and soon she finds herself in front of the panel of judges.

she thinks she recognizes a few of them from next gen, but she can't be sure. not when she's already in heartbreak mode for the song she's chosen. haein clears her throat, takes a sip from the water bottle that's been given to her and gives them a nod to signal she's ready.

haein knows more than anybody else that sixty seconds is a short time. probably not long enough for most people to show off everything they've got to show, but that's the reality she's faced with, so she pours her heart out into the song. her eyes are closed for a good portion of it, but she makes sure to open them at the very end to face the judges. as she's always been coached, she makes sure to make eye contact with one of them, and the song cuts off.

her sixty seconds is up.

initially, she thought this experience would be nervewrecking. maybe it's because she's been caught up in living in the past for the last couple of months. however, she feels free. she's quite confident she's shown them everything she can with the first audition tape and now this short ballad cover. before she can ask them if there's anything else, she's interrupted by one of the judges.

"please reflect on your time during the next gen audition process and tell us what you would like to do differently, should you be invited to participate in a second season."

she can't help but smile at the question because haein was expecting them to ask about next gen sometime or another. of course, she expected them to be more direct with the question and maybe ask her about the vocal crack itself, so she's rather pleased that it's a more general question.

"i believe i've learned a lot from it. it was a rather humbling experience, seeing so many other talented trainees give it their all. i was eliminated earlier than i would have liked," she decides to be honest because what more harm can that really do, "but it was a nice way to reflect back on my skills. seeing myself filmed and aired like that was a great way to see exactly what my strength and weaknesses were, and i've been working on improving on those apsects."

haein pauses for a moment before answering the second part of the question. does she even want to participate in a second season? can she answer it like that? she knows there's a running joke that sr media, the very company building she's standing in, is known for giving second choices to many trainees and artists. will her answer be received negatively if she says she doesn't want the second chance?

"frankly, i'm not sure if i'd participate in a second season. i believe i'd be more likely to take on a new, different challenge," she answers, deciding that being honest is the better choice here. again, the worst that can happen now is them not giving her a trainee contract, but at least she won't be walking out of this place with the thought that she'd lied to everyone. "however, if i were to participate in a second season, i think i'd spend more time evaluating each mission before beginning to go straight to practicing. we were given such short time spans that i was so focused on trying to get to the task at hand that i completely missed out on what the judges wanted from each round."

the judges whisper among themselves for a few seconds before the man in the center gives her a nod and thanks her for her time. with that, she bows toward everybody there and gives them one last smile.

does she think she did a good job? well, maybe not to them, but the deep breath she lets out and the wide grin on her face once she leaves the building is proof that she poured everything she could into this audition.

now all there's left to do is wait.