#230 in Under 14 Days

[zarvasace]

Description and a bit more info under the cut. 

A series of green, blue, and red graphics using a nice sans serif font and a Zelda display serif font with white and gold as accents. 

First picture. 2024 Linked Universe Fandom AO3 Wrapped, presented by Mina, @zarvasace. (That's me!) 

As a fandom, we wrote 2,273 fics in 2024

That's over 6 a day every day this year! 

In smaller text below: Counting only fics tagged with “Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda)” on AO3. Counting all fics last updated from Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024. Data pulled by hand on Jan 1, 2024 at ~2:00 AM GMT-7. 

Next picture. Our favorite tags this year were:

1, Hurt/Comfort with 432 tags

2, Fluff with 352 tags

3, Angst with 335 tags 

4, Not Beta Read with 260 tags. Here there is also a brief exchange in two handwriting styles. One arrow points to this tag with the remark, “perfectionists, much?” Another cursive hand replies “Be nice.” to which the first says, “no”

5, Legend-centric with 251 tags

At the bottom of this image is a piece of parchment. The scratchier handwriting says, “Ha, I'm the favorite. Take that.” and the curlier handwriting replies “Not so fast, Ledge… we aren't done yet.”

Next picture. Favorite tags continued:

6, Blood and Injury with 230 tags

7, Wild-centric with 204 tags 

8, Whump with 215 tags 

9, Emotional Hurt/Comfort with 181 tags

10, Good Older Sibling Warriors with 163 tags. Legend's handwriting says “Din give me strength—” to that. 

Section break, and a bit more: An average of 7.46% fics every month were tagged Whump. Except October, which saw a spike to 29.5%.

Next picture. Our favorite Links. This info is presented in a table, with names on the left and number of tags on the right, organized from most to least. 

Warriors, 1408 (his handwriting says: HA!! I won something!)

Legend, 1398 (his handwriting says: BY TEN.)

Twilight, 1371

Time, 1323

Wild, 1217

Hyrule, 1151

Wind, 1143

Sky, 1137

Four, 1027

At the bottom is another piece of parchment. Legend says: “JUST TEN.” Warriors says: “Jealous?” Legend replies: “I don't know if being the favorite is a good thing.”

Next picture. Our favorite secondary characters were Malon (176 tags) and Racio (160 tags)

Section break. and the most popular pairings were Malon/Time (161 tags), Legend/Racio (89 tags*), Sky/Sun (66 tags).

At the bottom is the asterisk footnote: it's no secret that our fandom tags are a little wonky sometimes. This number adds together the works tagged “Legend (Linked Universe)/Ravio” and “Link/Ravio” where the work was also tagged “Linked Universe,” assuming that people would only tag one. 

Next picture. 2024’s longest fic was: This is an Adjuration by @not-freyja (linked below). 

Editor’s note: linked here!

With a total of 312,547 words. That's almost 971 a day! 

Began July 14, 2023, Finished May 30, 2024. 

Screenshot of the tag summary from AO3, showing a Mature rating, Gen, an archive warning, and complete. 

Significant tags: Time Travel, the Chain as Family, Time Loop, Multiversal Time Travel, Temporal War Crimes, Chain Meets Chain, Chronically Ill Sky, Four Splits Into the Colors, Fairy Hyrule, Hyrule Has a Blood Curse. 

At the bottom, Legend’s writing says: “That sounds like a lot of time travel…”

Next four pictures are a set titled Fandom Trends by month. Each month has, in order, a Popular Link, Popular Duos, Popular Genre, and Unique Tags, along with occasional handwritten commentary. 

January: Twilight. Twilight & Wild. Hurt/Comfort. Crack, Soft Legend. Commentary: Warriors says “aww.” and Legend responds “I'm going to poison your milk.” 

February: Warriors. Twilight & Wild, Twilight & Warriors, Legend & Warriors. Angst. Febuwhump 2024. 

March: Twilight. Twilight & Wild, Time & Twilight. Fluff. One Shot, Linked Universe Discord Server’s 5th Birthday Gift Exchange.

April: Legend. Twilight & Wild, Twilight and Warriors. (Commentary from Legend: “wow Twi”) Fluff. Humor, Canon-Typical Violence.

May: Twilight, Warriors. Hyrule & Legend, Twilight & Wild. (Commentary from Legend, circling Hyrule’s name: “Finally some good taste.”) Fluff. Other Additional Tags to be Added. 

June: Twilight. Twilight & Wild, Time & Warriors. Hurt/Comfort. June of Doom 2024, Sky-centric, Twilight-centric. (Commentary from Warriors: “Wait, doom?! Oh, there's Sky”)

Editor's note: congratulations to @somer-writes who singlehandedly got June of Doom in the top 10 tags of June. :)

July: Warriors. Hyrule & Legend, Time & Twilight. Hurt/Comfort. Twilight-centric. (Commentary from Legend: “leave some for the rest of us”)

August: Legend. Hyrule & Legend, Legend & Warriors, Time & Twilight. Hurt/Comfort. Crack, Fluff and Angst. (Commentary from Warriors: “I'm concerned.”)

September: Legend. Time & Twilight, Twilight & Wild. Hurt/Comfort. Sicktember 2024, Legend Has a Bad Time. (Commentary from Legend: “Excuse me?!” Warriors says: “I suppose your immune system is awful now.” Legend responds with: “ha ha.”)

October: Warriors. Time & Twilight, Time & Warriors. Hurt/Comfort. Whumptober 2024, Warriors Has a Bad Time. (Commentary from Warriors: “oh no…” To which Legend responds: “HAHAHAHAH”) 

November: Warriors. Time & Warriors, Hyrule & Legend. Fluff. Crack, Good Older Sibling Warriors.

December: Legend. Hyrule & Legend, Twilight & Wild, Warriors & Wind. Hurt/Comfort. Families of Choice. 

Parchment at the bottom has Warriors saying, “That's a nice note to end on.” Legend responds, “Not so bad I guess.” 

Thanks for coming along with me on this fun stats journey! It's been a privilege to add to this fandom. 

I thought about adding a section for ratings or prevalence of Gen fics, but I think you can guess that we’re a Gen- and Teen-heavy fandom. You can see my raw data and some more charts over on the Google sheet right at this link. Ha, link. :) 

[deadpresidents]

Is the age difference between Trump and Vance the biggest between a potus and veep? And have there been many vps older than the presidents they served under?

Good questions!

Yes, the age difference between Donald Trump and JD Vance is the largest between any President and Vice President in American history, and by a pretty big margin. And while it would seem that most Presidents would choose a younger running mate, that's not really the case and it's been about even throughout history: 28 Presidents were older than their Vice Presidents and 24 Vice Presidents were the older side of the duo.

Here's the list of biggest age differences between Presidents who were OLDER than their Vice Presidents: 38 years, 49 days: Trump/Vance 29 years, 273 days: Buchanan/Breckinridge 22 years, 237 days: G.H.W. Bush/Quayle 22 years, 87 days: Eisenhower/Nixon 21 years, 334 days: Biden/Harris 17 years, 48 days: W.H. Harrison/Tyler 16 years, 54 days: Monroe/Tompkins 15 years, 271 days: McKinley/T. Roosevelt 15 years, 265 days: Jackson/Van Buren 15 years, 44 days: Taylor/Fillmore 15 years, 3 days: Jackson/Calhoun 14 years, 250 days: J.Q. Adams/Calhoun 13 years, 126 days: Reagan/G.H.W. Bush 12 years, 358 days: Trump/Pence 12 years, 299 days: Jefferson/Burr 7 years, 165 days: J. Adams/Jefferson 6 years, 250 days: F. Roosevelt/Wallace 6 years, 244 days: Harding/Coolidge 5 years, 304 days: Nixon/Agnew 3 years, 250 days: Washington/J. Adams 3 years, 96 days: Carter/Mondale 2 years, 273 days: L. Johnson/Humphrey 2 years, 98 days: F. Roosevelt/Truman 1 year, 224 days: Clinton/Gore 1 year, 125 days: McKinley/Hobart 330 days: Grant/Colfax 196 days: Lincoln/Hamlin 186 days: Nixon/Ford

And here is the list of biggest age differences between Presidents who were YOUNGER than their Vice Presidents: -18 years, 257 days: Obama/Biden -18 years, 230 days: Pierce/King -17 years, 192 days: Cleveland/Hendricks -14 years, 197 days: Hoover/Curtis -13 years, 69 days: F. Roosevelt/Garner -11 years, 233 days: Madison/G. Clinton -10 years, 70 days: Grant/H. Wilson -8 years, 275 days: Kennedy/L. Johnson -7 years, 96 days: B. Harrison/Morton -6 years, 311 days: Coolidge/Dawes -6 years, 242 days: Madison/Gerry -6 years, 169 days: T. Roosevelt/Fairbanks -6 years, 165 days: Truman/Barkley -5 years, 157 days: G.W. Bush/Cheney -5 years, 6 days: Ford/Rockefeller -3 years, 261 days: Jefferson/G. Clinton -3 years, 115 days: Polk/Dallas -3 years, 96 days: Hayes/Wheeler -2 years, 290 days: Wilson/Marshall -2 years, 49 days: Van Buren/R. Johnson -2 years, 45 days: Garfield/Arthur -1 year, 326 days: Taft/Sherman -1 year, 146 days: Cleveland/Stevenson -45 days: Lincoln/A. Johnson

[thequiver]

Who is...Theresa Cassidy | Siryn? - A Reading Guide

Theresa "Terry" Cassidy is an X-Men affiliated mutant from Marvel Comics first introduced in 1980. Terry is the daughter of Sean Cassidy (Banshee) and was raised by Tom Cassidy (Black Tom Cassidy) and Cain Marko (Juggernaut). She possesses her father's super-sonic scream and a hypnotic voice. Terry is most known for her affiliation with teams like X-Force and X-Factor, and having taken on the mantle of the ancient goddess, the Morrigan, in the 2010s.

Terry's central story deals with topics that may be triggering such as alcoholism, infant death (X-Factor 2005), and suicide (X-Factor 2020). These are all central themes to her story across the years, if you struggle with triggers related to these topics please proceed with caution and make sure to take care of yourself.

Reading list under the cut!

Crime and Muir Island

Terry's appearances open with her as a criminal alongside Black Tom Cassidy and the Juggernaut. Her heart, however, was not in it, and Tom helped her to reunite with her father, Sean, and Terry then split her time between her father's home and the Muir Island Mutant Research Facility.

Spider-Woman (1978) #37-38 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #148 Fallen Angels (1987) #1-8 Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #43D Uncanny X-Men Annual (1986) #15A X-Factor (1986) # Annual 6A Uncanny X-Men (1981) #278 X-Factor (1986) #69 Uncanny X-Men (1981) #280

X-Force

Terry initially joined X-Force to stop her former father-figures, Tom and Cain, from bombing the World Trade Center but stayed with the team for its entire duration. While on the team Terry would become deputy leader, and with the help of Warpath would recover from alcoholism. Towards the end of the team's tenure Terry lost her voice and subsequently her powers- and would regain her voice/powers (bad), lose them again, and then regain her voice/powers again (good) with the help of her recurring romantic mistake, Deadpool.

X-Force (1991) #3 Spider-Man (1990) #16 X-Force (1991) #4-7, 9, 11-15 X-Cutioner’s Song X-Force (1991) #19, 21-26, Annual 2, 27-28 Cable (1993) #5, 7-8 X-Force (1991) #29-33 New Warriors (1990) #46 X-Force (1991) #34, Annual 3B Cable (1993) #14 X-Force (1991) #35-36, 38-41 Deadpool (1994) #1-4 X-Force (1991) #42-44, 46-50 X-Force and Cable '95 (1995) #1A X-Force (1991) #51-58 X-Force and Cable '96 (1996) #1A X-Force (1991) #59-61 Deadpool (1997) #2-5 X-Force (1991) #63-71 Deadpool (1997) #12 X-Force (1991) #72-84 Generation X (1994) #44 X-Force/Champions Annual '98 (1998) #1 X-Force (1991) #85-91, 99-100 Wolverine (1988) #154-155 Deadpool (1997) #56, 61

X-Corps and X-Corporation

Despite what the name might suggest, these are in fact different things. Terry's father, Sean, formed the paramilitary X-Corps, which was frankly a disaster that had to be reigned in by the X-Men, leaving Sean wounded. Terry joined X-Corporation, a secret branch of the X-Men who operated internationally.

New X-Men (2001) #128, 130 Domino (2003) #3 (just at the beginning) Cable and Deadpool (2004) #15-18 X-Men: Deadly Genesis (2006) #6 (Sean is buried in this issue and Terry is present for the funeral in one panel at the end, important for her character)

X-Factor Investigations

Following the events of M-Day, Terry would join X-Factor Investigations and restart her relationship with Jamie Madrox that had first started back on Muir Island. During this period of time, Terry and Jamie lose their baby, and Terry will come to take on the mantle of the Morrigan.

X-Factor (2005) #1-19, 21A-39, 41-44, 46-50 Nation X: X-Factor (2010) #1 X-Factor (2005) #200, 205-209, 211-213, 217-219, 221-224-228, 230, 233-235, 237-239, 241, 243-244, 262

Krakoa

After disappearing from comics for around 6-7 years following becoming an ancient Irish sovereignty, war, and death deity- Terry, like many mutants, came back on the mutant island nation of Krakoa. Things were not quite paradise here for her courtesy of some things with her dad (not his fault this time)- and also Leah Williams' complete bastardization of the Morrigan arc (in X-Factor 2020) which was literally Terry's last appearances, how fucking hard is it to read like 5 issues of comics Leah? How fucking hard could it possibly be? Terry has less than 300 appearances, get it together.

House of X (2019) #6 Hellions (2020) #1 X of Swords: Creation (2020) #1 X-Factor (2020) #4-10 (THIS IS LEAH WILLIAMS' AWFUL MORRIGAN ARC, BUT IT HAS TERRYLORNA CRUMBS AND REMEMBERS THAT SHATTERSTAR AND TERRY ARE CLOSE WHICH IS THE ONLY REASON IT'S EVEN READABLE) X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (2021) #26 X-Men: Hellfire Gala Confessionals Infinity Comic (2022) #1 X-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic (2021) #50-55

After the Fall

Krakoa fell apart (as all things run by Charles Xavier do), and things are ROUGH for mutants now. We find Terry now imprisoned by the anti-mutant terrorist organization, Orchis, in the Greymalkin Prison.

Free Comic Book Day 2024 Blood Hunt/X-Men

EXTRA:

Wolverine: First Class (2008) #6, 16 (there's no clear place for these in continuity OR in Terry's established backstory, but it's cute and supposedly 616 so it's here)

[antimony-medusa]

MCYT on Ao3 — May '23

The state of MCYT on Ao3, just for fun. Yes I do this every month, I like numbers. 

The Cube SMP (8 works)

Slamacow Minecraft Animations (Web Series) (10 works)

iDots SMP (14 works)

Legacy SMP (27 works)

30 Day SMP | Free Trial SMP (28 works)

Dominion SMP (31 works)

Epic SMP (31 works)

Cogchamp SMP (32 works)

Art of Survival SMP (33 works)

X Life SMP (38 works)

Shady Oaks SMP (39 works)

Area Unknown SMP (49 works)

IvoryCello's Prison Escapes (Web Series) (50 works)

Bear SMP (54 works)

100 Hours Hardcore SMP (55 works)

Magic Animal Club (86 works)

Tortillaland SMP (92 works)

Slimecicle Cinematic Universe (Web Series) (94 works)

House Builder Gang SMP | HBG SMP (122 works)

WitchCraft SMP (131 works)

Rats SMP (196 works)

SMPEarth (230 works)

Outsiders SMP (249 works)

SMPLive (266 works)

Yandere High School (Web Series) (332 works)

Mianite (Web Series) (348 works)

Afterlife SMP (364 works)

Evolution SMP (440 works)

MindCrack RPF (490 works)

Fable SMP (629 works)

Karmaland SMP (693 works)

Lifesteal SMP (915 works)

QSMP | Quackity SMP (936 works)

Origins SMP (1,322 works)

Empires SMP (4,791 works)

3rd Life | Last Life SMP Series (6,400 works)

Hermitcraft SMP (15,361 works)

Dream SMP (75,289 works)

Minecraft (Video Game) (107,146 works)

Video Blogging RPF (248,098 works)

Notes:

Everything italicized is new, and there are two new SMPs this month! Last month's post missed the canonization of QSMP by days, and in the interim a LOT of new fics have been posted.

Fics are primarily in English, but now we have three exceptions with significant Spanish fics: Karmaland, Tortilla SMP, and QSMP. QSMP also includes fics in Brazilian Portugese!

We saw a lot more of the smaller fandoms remain static this month, and have less decreases than last month. Lots of 0-fic increases.

The standout of tiny fandoms was SCU, which saw a 13-fic increase, though that might be attributable to people tagging with the new fandom.

Witchcraft SMP was the biggest gainer in small fandoms, with a 30-fic increase, but SMPEarth saw a 26-fic increase and outsiders saw a 14-fic increase. I happen to know that the SMPEarth increase is almost entirely attributable to one person who did a monthly challenge with new fics each day.

QSMP gained so much (816 fics) that I hesitate to categorize it as a mid-size fandom. I am very confident that it's going to break a thousand fics and no longer be Yuletide-eligable by next month. Lifesteal also is coming up on that thousand-fic mark, and though they only saw 51 fics this month, they did see 117 last month, so who knows, maybe they'll be no longer officially a "small fandom" by next month!

With the major fandoms, most SMPs saw a smaller increase than previous months. 3rd Life's 581 didn't beat the previous months 671, Hermitcraft's 604 did beat the previous month's 596, but not by a lot, and DSMP continued to decline sharply with 1,243 fics in contrast to last month's 1,744.

With the exception of QSMP, most fandoms saw a smaller increase than previous months.

Detailed breakdown of increases under the cut.

The Cube SMP (8 works, 8 works last month, 0-work increase)

Slamacow Minecraft Animations (Web Series) (10 works, 10 works last month, 0-fic increase)

iDots SMP (14 works, 14 works last month, 0-fic increase)

Legacy SMP (27 works, 26 works last month, 1-fic increase)

30 Day SMP | Free Trial SMP (28 works, 28 works last month, 0-fic increase)

Dominion SMP (31 works, 31 works last month, 0-fic increase)

Epic SMP (31 works, 31 works last month, 0-fic increase)

Cogchamp SMP (32 works, 31 works last month, 1-fic increase)

Art of Survival SMP (33 works, 30 works last month, 3-fic increase)

X Life SMP (38 works, 37 works last month, 1-fic increase)

Shady Oaks SMP (39 works, 39 works last month, 0-fic increase)

Area Unknown SMP (49 works, 47 works last month, 2-fic increase)

IvoryCello's Prison Escapes (Web Series) (50 works, 50 works last month, 0-fic increase)

Bear SMP (54 works, 54 works last month, 0-fic increase)

100 Hours Hardcore SMP (55 works, 57 works last month, 2-fic decrease.)

Magic Animal Club (86 works, 85 works last month, 1-fic increase)

Tortillaland SMP (92 works, newly canonized)

Slimecicle Cinematic Universe (Web Series) (94 works, 81 works last month, 13-fic increase)

House Builder Gang SMP | HBG SMP (122 works, 122 works last month, 0-fic increase)

WitchCraft SMP (131 works, 101 works last month, 30-fic increase)

Rats SMP (196 works, 191 works last month, 5-fic increase)

SMPEarth (230 works, 204 works last month, 26-fic increase)

Outsiders SMP (249 works, 235 works last month, 14-fic increase)

SMPLive (266 works, 265 works last month, 1-fic increase)

Yandere High School (Web Series) (332 works, 303 works last month, 29-fic increase)

Mianite (Web Series) (348 works, 343 works last month, 5-fic increase)

Afterlife SMP (364 works, 355 works last month, 9-fic increase)

Evolution SMP (440 works, 402 works last month, 38-fic increase)

MindCrack RPF (490 works, 484 works last month, 6-fic increase)

Fable SMP (629 works, 588 works last month, 41-fic increase)

Karmaland SMP (693 works, 680 works last month, 13-fic increase)

Lifesteal SMP (915 works, 864 works last month, 51-fic increase)

QSMP | Quackity SMP (936 works, ~120 fics last month, 816-fic increase)

Origins SMP (1,322 works, 1278 works last month, 44-fic increase)

Empires SMP (4,791 works, 4,471 works last month, 320-fic increase)

3rd Life | Last Life SMP Series (6,400 works, 5,819 last month, 581-fic increase)

Hermitcraft SMP (15,361 works, 14,757 last month, 604-fic increase)

Dream SMP (75,289 works, 74,046 last month, 1,243-fic increase)

Minecraft (Video Game) (107,146 works, 106,444 last month, 702-fic increase)

Video Blogging RPF (248,098 works, 244,330 last month, 3,768-fic increase)

[hollowfaith]

Aurlaus Timeline

making a list for personal reference (full thread collection on /logs)

Pre-Isola:

230+ years ago - Dominic asserts power as divinus imperator.

225 years ago - Aurelius is born. All of Heaven celebrates. Solara forges and gifts Ithuriel to the baby as a weapon.

210 years ago - At 15, Aurelius quells his first demon invasion.

110 years ago - At 115, he overthrows the demon king single-handedly in battle.

109 years ago - The Kingdom of Eryngium falls with its demon princess after Aurelius' victory.

22 years ago - Anghelescu is born. All of Heaven decries him. His parents are forced to flee from heaven and his mother, Lacrimosa, dies in the attempt.

21 years ago - Solara and Anghelescu begin their life of hiding with Morriss and Miyena.

18 years ago - Solara gives Anghelescu a new pseudonym, "Klaus Avenue."

14 years ago - Among the different angelic legions, Aurelius' team is the first to track down Solara and Anghelescu. Solara tells Morriss to take his son away before self-destructing to buy them time.

10 years ago - When Aurelius is 215, a third successful war against the legions of Hell is finished. Dominic assigns him to formally hunt down Klaus.

8 years ago - Aurelius tracks down Klaus and party.

7 years ago - Aurelius fails to assassinate Klaus.

6 years ago - Aurelius fails to assassinate Klaus.

5 years ago - Aurelius fails to assassinate Klaus.

4 years ago - Aurelius tentatively approaches Klaus' camp and is accepted among their ranks. He travels with them for a month before Dominic attempts to kill Klaus with his own forces. In the aftermath of fighting them off, Aurelius leaves the group to return to Heaven. He attempts to convince his Father to remove the assassination order on Klaus but is rejected.

2 years ago - Aurelius kills and consumes Dominic before taking his place.

3 months ago - Aurelius solidifies his position as divinus imperator while eradicating forces opposed to Klaus.

Present day in canon - Aurelius is brought to Spirale City.

(Q: what does aurelius do in his gap years? A: sleep.)

In Isola:

2023 April

Aurelius arrives in Spirale City during Fragmemoria and meets Klaus. Both are missing crucial memories about themselves and each other, but recognize that they're from the same world and become friends. They spar in the Sky-Strewn isles and eventually regain their memories, reuniting properly.

2023 May

Aurelius and Klaus spend time together as friends.

Aurelius meets Klaus' mentor, Kratos, and discovers that their dislike is mutual.

Klaus kisses a drunken Aurelius after a ball before confessing his feelings. Aurelius mistakes the kiss for hostile action. He falls asleep before Klaus can explain properly.

2023 June

Klaus handfeeds Aurelius at home after the events of S.H.O.R.E. as they continue their talk from the ball. They end up kissing, then getting intimate. In the aftermath, they realize they've connected as soulmates.

Aurelius gifts Klaus a crown of droplets illuminated by the sunset as a blessing for his birthday.

2023 July

During The Challenge's Path, Aurelius and Klaus bond over Aurelius' spiramonster Ardere as its "parents."

Aurelius opens Sanctus Clinic and waits for Klaus to show up and praise him. He delivers.

2023 October-November

(Temporary departure from Spirale City)

2023 December

Aurelius returns to Spirale City and reminiscences over Klaus' birthday present for him.

2024 January

Klaus returns to Spirale City and Aurelius greets him. They are intimate.

Aurelius eats the wrong candy during Cupid Shuffle and minor chaos ensues.

2024 February

Klaus attempts to let Aurelius understand the deeper extent of his feelings and gifts him a pocket watch, asking him to be his. Unfortunately, they are interrupted when the city goes into Endless Aurora.

2024 April

Aurelius breaks his arm in a fight with Constantine and Klaus keeps him under house arrest for a week. Spoiler: he likes it.

Klaus takes Aurelius to a flower festival later that week anyways, where Aurelius...gets in a fight with Eiden. Klaus has to break them up.

2024 May

Emphatheorem arrives.

Dar'khol gets wind of Aurelius' heritage through his memories + body. Aurelius tells him to keep away from Klaus.

Aurelius learns from Kratos that Klaus was expected to learn how to kill, and fights Klaus over it.

2024 June

Thanks to body-switching shenanigans, Aurelius...misses Klaus' birthday? oh no

2024 July

Klaus loses parts of his memories and powers.

Aurelius takes Klaus to the tundra and builds him a model of the Kingdom of Heaven, as well as gifting him a tiny ice sculpture of his mother. He reveals some truths about himself, but not all, leaving their relationship strained.

2024 September

Klaus avoids Aurelius for a while until they meet again at the masquerade ball. They end the night on the living room couch.

Klaus takes Aurelius out to eat for his birthday.

2024 October

Klaus comes to rescue Aurelius after he is attacked by Sebastian.

2024 November

A small outing together in the snow.

An intimate evening. An alternative meal.

The Hannibal murders keeps Klaus busy at work.

Alternative Allegory event drops.

Aurelius and demon!Dar'khol have another unhappy meeting.

Aurelius meets and kills angel!Fiyero, and is killed multiple times by Seofon in turn.

2024 December

Klaus revives Aurelius and nearly kills him before putting him into a coma.

Klaus asks Indigo for a place to let Aurelius rest in peace.

Aurelius sleeps.

After rerunning Homecoming for his events, Aurelius wakes and tries to escape.

[pleistocene-pride]

Hypsignathus monstrosus better known as the hammer headed bat, horse head bat, hammer head fruit bat, big lipped bat, or hammerhead bat, is a species of megabat widely distributed in West and Central Africa, and is the only member of its genus Hypsignathus. They are a lowland species which tends to inhabit rainforests, swamps, & riverine woodlands. They are a nocturnal species which spends its days roosting in trees in groups of 4 to 25 individuals, before taking flight at sunset to search for food in the form of fruits like figs, bananas, mangos, guavas, and berries. Hammer head bats are themselves eaten by large snakes and birds of prey such as the long tailed hawk. Reaching some 7.5 to 14 inches (19 to 36cms) in body length, .5 to 1lb (230 to 450g) in weight, with a 27.2 to 38.2in (69 to 97cm) wingspan, with males being twice as heavy as females, the hammerhead bat is the largest species of bat native to continental Africa. Males and females also greatly differ in appearance, making it the most sexually dimorphic bat species. Males sport numerous adaptations to produce and amplify vocalizations such as there giant larynges and multiple large facial resonating chambers. Resulting in males having much more boxy heads, whilst females have narrower snouts and more foxlike faces. Both adult male and female bats have dark brown fur that is paler on the sides and back of the neck. The ears are triangular, and the black-brown eyes are very large. Hammerhead bats mate twice a year during the dry seasons, and are believed to be the only bat species which have a lek mating system, wherein males gather on a "lek", where they perform loud, honking vocalizations to attract females. Females visit the lek and select a male to mate with, after a 6 month pregnancy a mother hammer head bat will give birth to 1 -2 young. Under ideal conditions a female hammerhead bat will reach sexual maturity at around 9 months of age, and males at 18 months, both sexes may live up to 30 years.

[lovelyprincessn64]

Christmas request event

🎄Jingle Bells Jingle Bells all I want for Christmas is you. 🎁 it is the special time of the year December a month of Christmas joy and happiness and this year I'm giving it to everyone special for everyone to enjoy🎁

Don't be shy and have a happy holidays of a lifetime:

1. 12 days of Christmas

2. Jingle the reindeer

3. Toy day

4. Hot cocoa hot tub

5. Christmas from Japan

6. Sexy Santa fan service

7. Too much eggnog

8. Any type of Christmas theme

9. Hot cocoa nights

10. Secret Santa

11. Some cheese with that whine

12. Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

13. Horrific Xmas Tales

14. Icy nights

15. Snowball at Met Gala

16. Your ocs (Christmas theme)

17. Under the mistletoe

18. Home Alone

19. Cute elf

20. Kiss at the fireplace

21. Mean one Grinch

22. Christmas with Disney

23. Jingle Bells

24. Eating at grillby's

25. Don't tell on me

26. Ice Zone

27. Mythical wishes

28. Sugar plum Clefairy

29. Handsome nutcrackers

30. Dark times in Midwinter

31. Ugly sweaters

32. Drunk like crazy

33. Minty fresh

34. Shopping like crazy

35. Troublesome toys

36. Psycho Happy Fella

37. White elephant gift exchange

38. Grumpy bah humbug

39. Candle of Hope

40. Hanukkah

41. Zombie Santa (he's from Eddsworld zanta)

42. KFC rather than turkey

43. All I Want For Christmas

44. Naughty or nice

45. Winter vacation

46. Ice skating

47. Sugar coma

48. Bayonetta's birthday

49. Delicious cake rather than fruit cake

50. Christmas prompts

51. Time of the 90s

52. Isabel's birthday

53. Retro from the past

53. Holiday High Jinks

54. Pizza dinner

55. Kiss me at midnight

56. Time for a new year

57. South Park like crazy

58. Russia's too cold for me

59. Tea party at France

60. Joyful spirit

61. Wishing for a snow day

62. Fruit cakes

63. Ready for the new year

64. Yandere surprises

65. Overwatch winter event

66. Nightmare Before Christmas

67. Gothic styles

68. Christmas with NiGHTS

69. National cookie day

70. Beauty of a snow angel

71. Just a dream

72. Special Starbucks month

73. Dangerous frostbites

74. Nintendo prizes

75. Cabin Fever

76. Cutest gingerbread

77. Happy gift big smile

78. Jolly Sora

79. Christmas with Charlie Brown

80. Horror tales Christmas

81. Winter Legends

82. Milk and cookies

83. Whipping up with cream

84. Sonic Channel arts

85. Ben 10 anniversary

86. Snowball fights

87. Lovely Vintages

88. Winter Aesthetics or Christmas Aesthetics

89. Ed Edd and Eddy

90. Once Upon a December

91. Miracles in a best way

92. Baby don't go outside

93. Christmas wedding days

94. Baking cookies

95. Redraws gifts

96. Colors of poinsettias

97. Frosty the Snowman

98. McDonald's special

99. Aurora lights

100. Made with love

101. Wishing on a shooting star

102. Together stargazing

103. Satire of gifts

104. Ice cream dreams

105. Run over by a reindeer

106. Licorice taste

107. Hanging by a candy cane

108. You don't seem marry

109. Frostbite heart attack

110. Smashmas

112. My lips turn blue when I'm with you

113. Holidays with Eddsworld

114. He enjoys the feast

115. A hole in my heart a rip in the face

116. You better watch out

117. Sing along

118. Desires of a heart

119. Stealing crayons

200. Evil Candy Bar

201. Dashing through the snow

203. If I was your vampire

204. Golden hours

205. Sneaking through the fridge

206. Choices of flavors

207. Chandelier woman

208. Present from Mario

209. Playing with Game Boy

210. Decoration fun time

211. Toy store Mayhem

212. Countdown to end

213. Exotic joys

214. Dead on silver platter

215. Bacon for breakfast

216. Frozen

217. Served cold

218. Lilith and snowy

219. Coca-Cola season

220. Ornament creations

221. Animal Crossing

222. DIY times

223. Cartoon times

224. Thinking fruity

225. Wine and dine

226. Horror mix

227. Cheap chills

228. Party at Club Penguin

229. December birthdays

230. Nostalgia from the past

230. Gaming through the 90s

231. Time with coffee house

232. Makeup for a lame Christmas

233. Last Christmas

234. This year I'm giving it someone special

235. Daily activities

236. Holidays with Pokémon

237. True love gave to me

238. Making Reindeer nip

239. Got bloody

240. Dead by Christmas

241. Christmas or Halloween

242. Drink of ice coffee

243. Cookies on the Run

244. Mickey's Christmas Carol

245. Sing me a story

246. kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii

247. Woman you are a lump of coal

248. Boy to the world

249. Building gingerbreads

250. Waking within morning

251. Wonders of life

252. Fruit cakes

253. Lollipop crazy

254. Don't hike in snow

255. Frostbites

256. Sing of carols

257. Isabel's birthday

258. Holiday Bashs

259. Revenge of the snow plow

300. Colors of snow cones

301. Coffee & Mints

302. SpongeBob Christmas specials

303. Nezuko's birthday

304. For my Nezuko

303. Villain Hawks

304. Hawks's birthday

305. My favorite food is chicken

306. Hawks wearing US military uniform

307. Chibi Nezuko

308. Last minute shopper’s

311. Green Monday

310. Chocolate covered anything 

311. National cotton candy day

312. Too much cotton candy

313. Drunk idiot

314. Sacher-Torte

315. Gazpacho

316. National Cookie Cutter Day

317. Cyber Monday

318. Peppermint Bark

319. Chibi Hawks

320. National Pastry Day

321. Filo-style pastries

322. Winter lolita fashion

323. Frost Queen Cookie

324. Ochaco Uraraka's birthday

325. Chibi Ochaco Uraraka

326. Ochaco Uraraka wearing a wedding dress

327. 35 Years of the Simpsons

328. Antonblast

329. Toycember

330. Winter kimono

331. Xmas in Rio

332. What does Christmas mean to you

333. Happiness is Holiday

334. Magic night

335. Winter sleep

336. London miss you at Christmas

337. Mistletoe fantasies

338. Jólakötturinn / Yule cat

339. Pohutukawa

340. St. Lucia day

341. Yule goat

342. Father Frost

343. Kutia

344. Kalach

345. Varenyky

346. Borshch

347. Kisel

348. Holubtsi

349. Pampushky

350. Cured Herring

351. Vushka

352. Kholodets

353. Sweet colorful jelly

354. Frau Perchta

355. Yearwalkers

356. Boreas

357. Khione

358. Glastonbury holy thorn

359. Hans Trapp

360. Evergreen ivy

361. Joulupukki

362. Kallikantzaroi

363. La Befana

364. Lord of Misrule

365. Mari Lwyd

366. Morozko

367. Queen of winter

368. Robin Redbreast

369. Saturnalia

370. Snegurochka

371. Tomte

372. Mary Lwyd

373. The Tomten 

374. Belsnicking

375. Yule Lads

376. No one fears Santa the way they fear Belsnickel

377. Kallikantzaroi

378. Knecht Ruprecht

379. Sinterklaas

380. Belsnickel

381. December Solstice

382. Ty's gingerbread man beanie baby

383. Dragocember

384. Kurisumasu Keki

385. Puppet combo christmas massacre (https://puppetcombo.fandom.com/wiki/Christmas_Massacre)

386. A little snow fairy sugar (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_A_Little_Snow_Fairy_Sugar_episodes)

387. Where Mega Man, Bass and Magic Man are cozying up with some nice synthetic hot cocoa

388. Winter fairy coquette

Note: please read the rules before requesting also if you prefer Halloween or Thanksgiving feel free to go these events also have a Merry Christmas🎄.

[thecraftingwell]

Rolife TGB05 Falling Sakura DIY Book Nook/End

Manufacturer’s Description

Robotime-Rolife Falling Sakura DIY Book Nook TGB05 is a creative assembly bookshelf insert in form of a miniature house. We have offered you everything you need to build this mini cherry blossom wonderland - with all the wooden pieces and tools, you will gradually recover the entire 'Falling Sakura' scene, such as the buildings, mountain valley, moon, trees, river, etc. You will feel the spring romance during the fun and immersive assembling process. This book nook shelf insert will also be a unique and exquisite decoration for your bookshelf and office desk after you finish. It will look even more beautiful when you put it in the dark with the warm lights on.

Specifications

Assembled Size: 180*110*240mm

Package Size: 230*310*46mm

Weight: 1070g

Theme：3D Wooden Puzzle Assembly

Pieces: 340 PCS

Package included: Precutting wooden pieces, English instruction, Warm light strings, Auxiliary tools ( screwdriver and small parts)

Main materials: Wood, Paper, Metal

Recommended age: 14+

Estimated assembly time: About 4-6 hours

Notes

This Falling Sakura book nook kit has been beautifully pre-colored, with no paint required. But some parts in the kit may need to be painted. If you have more creative paint ideas, we are happy to see excellent work from you.

The package includes important information and please keep it well for future reference.

Children must assemble under the guidance of adults in case of swallowing.

The product requires 2 pieces of AAA batteries.

Due to customs policy, glue, battery, or pigment may not be included in the package.

Postage Information

All our scale model orders are shipped via Royal Mail tracked 48 for domestic post and International Tracked for all overseas orders. All items are sent wherever possible on the next available working day. Our kits are packaged in cardboard boxes with recycled/recyclable packing materials. We at times wherever possible use recycled boxes and paper in order to have as lower environmental impact as possible.

[reddanceragain]

Heather Cox Richardson

March 8, 2025

Heather Cox Richardson

Mar 9

Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made it clear that the Trump administration’s goal is to slash the federal government and to privatize its current services. As the stock market has dropped and economists have warned of a dramatic slowdown in the economy, he told CNBC “There’s going to be a natural adjustment as we move away from public spending to private spending. The market and the economy have just become hooked, we’ve become addicted to this government spending, and there’s going to be a detox period.”

Bessent’s comments reveal that the White House is beginning to feel the pressure of the unpopularity of its policies. Trump’s rejection of 80 years of U.S. foreign policy in order to prop up Russia’s Vladimir Putin has left many Americans as well as allies aghast. Trump’s claims that Putin wants peace were belied when Russia launched massive strikes at Ukraine as soon as Trump stopped sharing intelligence with Ukrainian forces that enabled them to shoot down incoming fire.

The administration’s dramatic—and likely illegal and unconstitutional—cuts are infuriating Americans who did not expect Trump to reorder the American government so completely. While billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump repeatedly say they are cutting only “waste, fraud, and abuse” from the government, that insistence appears to be rhetorical rather than backed by fact. And yesterday, new cuts appeared to continue the gutting of government services that generally appear to be important to Americans’ health, safety, and economic security.

On Friday night, employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—about 80,000 of them—received an email offering them a buyout of up to $25,000 if they resign and giving them a deadline of March 14 to respond.

Also as of Friday, nearly 230 cases of measles have been confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, and two people have died.

The secretary of HHS, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is frustrating even allies with his response to the outbreak. Kennedy, who has long been an anti-vaccine activist, said last week that measles outbreaks were “not unusual,” and then on Sunday he posted pictures of himself hiking above Coachella Valley in California. On Monday the top spokesperson at HHS, a former Kennedy ally, quit in protest. As Adam Cancryn of Politico reported, Kennedy has said that the measles vaccine protects children and the community, but has said the decision to vaccinate is personal and that parents should talk to healthcare providers about their options. He has also talked a lot about the benefits of nutritional supplements like cod liver oil, which is high in Vitamin A, in treating measles. In fact, vaccines are the key element in preventing people from contracting the disease..

“It’s a serious role, he’s just a couple of weeks in and measles is not a common occurrence, and it should be all hands on deck,” one former Trump official told Adam Cancryn, Sophie Garder, and Chelsea Cirruzzo of Politico. “When you’re taking a selfie out at Coachella, it’s pretty clear that you’re checked out.”

In another blockbuster story that dropped yesterday, the Social Security Administration announced it will begin to withhold 100% of a person’s Social Security benefits if they are overpaid, even if the overpayment is not their fault. Under President Joe Biden the agency had changed the policy to recover overpayments at 10% of monthly benefits or $10, whichever was greater.

(HOW UTTERLY FUCKING EVIL!!!!! PEOPLE WILL DIE!)

Those who can’t afford that level of repayment can contact Social Security, the notice says, but acting commissioner Leland Dudek has said he plans to cut at least 7,000 jobs—more than 12% of the agency—although its staff is already at a 50-year low. He is also closing field offices, and senior staff with the agency have either left or been fired.

Dudek yesterday retracted an order from the day before that required parents of babies born in Maine to go to a Social Security office to register their baby rather than filling out a form in the hospital. Another on Thursday would also have stopped funeral homes from filing death records electronically.

One new father told Joe Lawlor of the Portland Press Herald that he had filled out the form for his son’s social security number and then his wife got a call saying they would have to go to the Social Security office. But when he tried to call Social Security headquarters to figure out what was going on, the wait time was an estimated two hours. So he called a local office, where no one knew what he was talking about. “They keep talking about efficiency,” he said. “This seemed to be something that worked incredibly efficiently, and they broke it overnight.”

The administration did not explain why it had imposed this rule in Maine. Senator Angus King of Maine, an Independent, said he was glad the administration had changed its mind, but added that “this rapid reversal has raised concerns among Maine people and left many unanswered questions about the Social Security Administration’s motivations.”

Trump has said that Social Security “won’t be touched” as his administration slashes through the federal government.

(AND YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF HIS MOUTH IS A FREAKING LIE!!!)

Trump also said there would not be cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, but on Wednesday the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which figures the financial cost of legislation, said that Republicans will have to cut either Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program in order to meet their goal of cutting at least $880 billion from the funding controlled by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Cutting the funding for every other program in the committee’s purview would save a maximum of $135 billion, Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post noted, meaning the committee will have to turn to the biggest ticket items: healthcare programs.

(CUT THE TAX BREAKS TO THE WEALTHY AND EVERYTHING IS FIXED!!!!)

Also yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security said it was getting rid of union protections for the approximately 47,000 employees of the Transportation Security Administration who screen about 2.5 million passengers a day before they can board airplanes. A new agreement in May 2024 raised wages for TSA workers, whose pay has lagged behind that of other government employees. Union leaders say the move is retaliation for its challenges to the actions of the administration toward the 800,000 or so federal workers it represents.

As Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman of the New York Times have reported more detail about the Cabinet meeting Trump convened abruptly on Thursday, we have learned more about Musk’s determination to cut the government. As Musk appeared to take charge of the meeting, he clashed with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who complained that Musk’s team at the Department of Government Efficiency is trying to lay off air traffic controllers.

Swan and Haberman report that Duffy asked what he was supposed to do. He continued by saying: I have multiple plane crashes to deal with now, and your people want me to fire air traffic controllers? Musk said it was a lie that they were laying off air traffic controllers, and also insisted that there were people hired under diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives working as air traffic controllers. When Duffy pushed back, Musk said Duffy should call him with any concerns, an echo of the message he gave to members of Congress. Like them, Cabinet members are constitutionally part of the government. Musk is not.

What Musk is, according to an interview published today by Aaron Rupar and Thor Benson in Public Notice, is a businessman who believes that there is waste wherever you look and that it is always possible to do something more cheaply. Ryan Mac and Kate Conger, who wrote a book about Musk’s takeover of Twitter, Character Limit, said that creating confusion is part of the point. Musk creates drama, Conger said, to scare away workers he doesn’t want and attract ones he does.

The pain that he is inflicting on the country is not making him popular, though. Protests at Tesla dealerships that handle his cars are growing, as are instances of vandalism against Tesla dealerships and charging stations, which now number more than a dozen, including attacks with bottles filled with gasoline and set on fire. Pranshu Verma and Trisha Thadani of the Washington Post report that Tesla’s stock has dropped more than 35% since Trump took office. Tesla sales have dropped 76% in Germany, 48% in Norway and Denmark, and 45% in France.

On Thursday, another of Musk’s SpaceX rockets exploded, raining debris near south Florida and the Bahamas. The Federal Aviation Administration said 240 flights were disrupted by the debris.

The New York Times editorial board today lamented the instability that Musk is creating, noting that the government is not a business, that “[t]here are already signs the chaos is hurting the economy,” and that “Americans can’t afford for the basic functions of government to fail. If Twitter stops working, people can’t tweet. When government services break down, people can die.”

The editorial board did not let Trump hide behind Musk entirely, noting that he has increased instability not only with DOGE, but also “with his flurry of executive orders purporting to rewrite environmental policy, the meaning of the 14th Amendment and more; his on-again-off-again tariffs; and his inversion of American foreign policy, wooing Vladimir Putin while disdaining longtime allies.”

One of the things that the radical extremists in power hated about the modern American state was that it was a nonpartisan machine that functioned pretty well regardless of which party was in charge. Now Musk, who is acting as if he is not bound by the constitution that set up that machine, is taking a sledgehammer to it.

In the Public Notice interview, Thor Benson asked Ryan Mac: “What’s something about Elon’s huge role in the Trump administration that people perhaps aren’t understanding?” Mac answered that Musk is the manifestation of the nation’s extreme wealth inequality. “What happens,” he asked, “when there is unfettered capitalism that allows people to accumulate this much money and this much power?”

[speculativeartisan]

Chapter 4

Not much of a preamble this time, lets get right into it. Spoilers under the cut as always. The tag is Amygdala if you want to find the other chapters on my blog.

Well pull away from the street level to the courts in this chapter, changing focus for a moment from the day to day lives of regular citizens to the people who shape how it all works. The structure as laid out so far is that we have the Voices, akin to a mayor or department head. We have Voices for specific districts within the city, but we also have Voices for things like 'Light' and 'Water.' Then under them are 'whispers' or employees delegated specific tasks by the Voice. Apart from these we have the paradigmn judge, whose role appears to be as something of a mediator for when two or more voices are in conflict with one another. They present their arguments to him and he will make a decision which they will both have to abide by. And then we have the hree descendants. Sombra the Grand Architecht, Locket the Grand Voice, and Winifred the Grand Whisper.

Sombra and Winifred are Locket's siblings, born of the same vessel. While fowlers normally turn on each other shortly after tearing free of their host parent, these three managed to fall into cooperation instead. And as the city's founders they hold the highest positions of office. Locket's position as implied by her title is to oversee all the other voices, create new departments as needed, and close old departments as they become obsolete. Winifred oversees the city's police force/military and sets policy on matters of the yolsh. It's unclear what Sombra's role is, though it's implied that at least part of it is appointing the paradigm judge so we might assume he plays a similar role in mediating between his siblings. Architect also implies a degree of city planning perhaps?

Anyway we enter in on Sombra chewing out a man called Nathaniel, the most recently appointed judge, for appearing to show favoritism to one of the Voices and as a result fucking up the economy of the Hammerlow, one of the city's districts. We've heard previously that Methusa, Voice of the Hammerlow, has raised her taxes significantly, but now is when we learn that the hike is apparently to SEVENTY PERCENT. Not by seventy, to seventy. I have no idea if that's a print error or not. To explain, the tax in the district she's in a pissing contest with is fourteen. If she'd raised her taxes BY seventy percent that would mean she'd raised them by 70% of 14, to a total of 24%. High certainly, enough to be an inconvenience, but not nearly so astronomical as raising them TO 70%.

But the book says to and not by so I'm left reeling a little.

This is where it becomes hard to conceptualize how this is supposed to work though. If I understood Ludwig's explanation in chapter three then the way tax works is something like this.

An Inkhouse needs 200 units of paper to fulfill its contractual obligations + some set aside for direct trade. Lets say 150 for their contracts, and then 50 units for direct trade. Their Bookburrow requires 14% of the units of paper made be submitted back to them as Tax, so that there will be a stockpile of raw materials available to them and other businesses in the event of a shortage and/or for use in public services such as they are. Service jobs, since they don't generate materials, are not subject to tax.

Now there are two points the tax could come out of their stock.

The tax comes out of the total number of units produced. So 14% of 200, so the bookburrow is owed 28 units of paper, and the Inkhouse produces 230 to cover their obligations + tax, similar to how income tax works.

The tax comes out of the units produced for direct trade. So 14% of 50, or 7 units owed and the inkhouse produces 210 to cover their obligations + tax similar to how sales tax works.

In either case raising taxes should cause a corresponding INCREASE in demand rather than a DECREASE in revenue since we're operating on trade not profit margins. A high tax in a currency system can cause problems for a business if workers don't have enough in their paychecks to make rent, or if it drives prices past what the market can sustain. In this system the problem is inverted. If three Inkhouses contracted to a lumber yard suddenly need enough wood pulp to produce 360 units of paper vs 230 (using the gross model), and the lumber yard only produces enough wood pulp to make 800 units of paper per tax cycle, then yeah what happens is probably a shortage. Though how much of one is complicated by the fact that bookburrows are supposed to use taxes collected to provide extra materials in the event that demand outstrips supply. So at least some of those taxes should be going back out to the businesses requesting them?

However if the tax is only coming out of the units set aside for direct sale then the business can choose to take a hit to direct trade in lieu of placing unreasonable demands on their supplier. This probably means the employees have less available to trade for luxuries, but as long as the contractual obligations are met everyone is still being fed and housed and the business is not in danger of folding.

I have to assume given Sombra's vehement disapproval that we're working with something closer to scenario one, where the tax is coming out of the gross units produced and thus is causing supply shortages that for whatever reason the bookburrows aren't equipped to mitigate, meaning that merchants have been leaving Hammerlow in droves to ply their trade elsewhere. But this is definitely a case where I wish things had been explained a little more clearly.

I get it, tax code, economics, market forces, even in our present day society these things are impenetrable bordering on occult unless you've spent six years and a PhD working to understand them. I don't envy writers who try to tackle it in their political dramas without having that backing and I can count on one hand the number of books I've read where I felt it was handled well. But if you're going to do it then you've gotta put your whole pussy into it, otherwise it's going to fall flat. It feels like too much is being left to inference and that weakens the reader's understanding of what the problem is even supposed to be.

Once Nathanial is done getting chewed out by Sombra he heads down to go hold court, where the matter of taxes is going to be addressed and Locket is going to propose a new department. You see she's given the barter system some time to breathe after it's initial implementation and now that the dust is settled she thinks this is a good time to create a department to oversee it. A Voice of Trade to create a uniform system rather than leaving it to the Voices of each district to set their own policies (and thus potentially get into pissing contests with each other over it). Among other things.

This is the chapter is also where we get Locket's own viewpoint for the first time as we pivot to her arriving at court.

Locket is fearsome certainly, ruthless absolutely, but she isn't quite the iron-fisted tyrant the stories make her out to be. She finds the fear and awe to be a little tiring, appreciates the people willing to argue with her, and is unexpectedly kind to her subordinates. While she believes wholeheartedly and with sincere conviction that progress cannot be made without the fear of death nipping at your heels, she's not the sort of person who takes joy from that belief. To her this is simply a solemn inescapable (objective perhaps) reality of civilization, but that doesn't mean she's going to be a dick to her coworkers or her citizens. She's both proud of what she's built, and willing to share the credit. She knows she couldn't have done this alone, even if she was the one who got the ball rolling.

It's a fascinating character portrait that reminds me very much of the quote from K.A. Applegate about how ruthlessness is often misunderstood as malice rather than as the conceptualization of a clean bright line from problem to solution, where the only thing that matters is the elegance of it. Locket is not a monster, she doesn't delight in terror and suffering. She just believes with her whole chest that a minimum amount of suffering is necessary for society. That complacency and peace will lead to stagnation and decay.

Anyway a lot gets discussed here so I'm just going to summarize the highlights:

The raid conducted on the toy shop and the death of the owner has caused something of a commotion among the populace for understandable reasons. Wexle, the Voice of the Yolsh and second to Winifred, plans to release an official report to the inkhouses that will hopefully allay fears while not revealing anything that would tip their hand to Fontaine. Namely the fact that the Yolsh used a blackhall to sort of kind of maybe circumvent the laws about unreasonable search and seizure. That would be an unpopular admission among the public to say the least.

The supposed Erillion shortage is a farce, Sombra's run the numbers and there should be plenty of stock available from the mines and the bookburrows to keep everyone tottering along as usual. Somehow this rumor got started among the populace and while normally one might assume it caught on out of ignorance, in light of all the other trade fuckery that's been happening with Mire and the tax hike Locket starts to suspect that this was spread intentionally to try and kick off yet another economic collapse. Sombra proposes that he release an official report on the Erillion stocks available, while Winifred have the Yolsh make a big public display of venturing out of the city to get a new shipment from the mines.

We're introduced to Methusa and Yeshua. The voice's of the city's respective main districts. Methusa is the Voice of the Hammerlow, a position she earned by saving it in some unspecified way but presumably related to the trade revolution and currency collapse. Yeshua is the Voice of the Kasino and the mind behind the Dollhouses. Methusa is pink, round, soft and motherly, Yeshua is flashy, theatrical, suave, and a bit greasy. They get into it over taxes, and eventually she agrees to decrease the tax rate from 70% to 50% which she seems happy with and Yeshua does not. He implies the higher tax rates in her district are affecting him negatively in some way but it's not clear how exactly. Market oversaturation from migrating merchants? Who knows.

Yeshua is under some pressure to figure out what or who caused the fire in the needlemire dollhouse. Kivs seem to work on 'the thing' rules so a cut or a bump on the head is unlikely to kill them but fire will take one right out even in small amounts. So Arson is a Big Fucking Deal.

Ultimately I think this chapter and chapter 5 after it are some of the weaker ones so far. They are largely long exposition dumps with a few scant character interactions amidst the setup. They do a lot of heavy lifting, but it feels like somehow they explain both too much and too little, conversations tend to be repetitive as the same information is conveyed several times to different sets of characters. And so many characters get introduced here. There is a reason I haven't been describing people as we reach them and that's because if I did we would be here all fucking day. Half of this book is description and I get that this is part of the cost of having a high concept alien species as your protagonists but jesus christ when you drop nine of them on me at once I am going to lose track of how many eyes tails and limbs everyone is supposed to have. It gets more than a little overwhelming. I long to get back to Lucy and her much more manageable crew of four.

[cagemasterfantasy]

DND Monsters: Greater Death Dragon

From: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Huge Undead, typically Chaotic Evil

AC 16 (natural armor)

HP 230 (20d12 + 100)

Speed 40 ft., Fly 80 ft.

Str 23 +6 Dex 10 +0 Con 20 +5 Int 11 +0 Wis 14 +2 Cha 10 +0

Saves Dex +5 Wis +7

Skills Perception +7, Stealth +5

Resistances Piercing

Immunities Necrotic, Poison;

Cannot Be Exhausted, Poisoned

Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft.

Languages Common, Draconic

CR 14

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Unusual Nature. The dragon doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragon makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 19). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the dragon can't bite a different target.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft. one target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) slashing damage.

Cataclysmic Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales a wave of ghostly purple flames in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature dies if the breath reduces it to 0 hit points. Additionally, any Medium or smaller Humanoid killed by the breath's damage, as well as every corpse of such a creature within the cone, becomes a zombie (see the Monster Manual) under the dragon's control. The zombie acts on the dragon's initiative but immediately after the dragon's turn. Absent any other command, the zombie tries to kill any non-Undead creature it encounters.

Legendary Actions

Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature's turn, The greater death dragon can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The greater death dragon regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.

Claw. The dragon makes one Claw attack.

Cataclysmic Rush (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon moves up to half its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks, carrying with it any creatures it is grappling. During this move, if it enters the space of a Medium or smaller creature, that creature takes 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn.

[martyrbat]

[ID: a screenshot of an Instagram post by Visualizing Palestine. The main post image is an info-graphic contextualizing 2007 to May 2021, displaying a 14-year-old Palestinian's life in Gaza. The caption of the post reads: “Around half of Gaza's population of 2 million are children, and 41% are aged 14 or under, which means hundreds of thousands of Palestinian kids have known only life under the dire conditions of the Israeli blockade. Today's 14-year-olds in Gaza have survived 4 Israeli bombardments.” END ID]

[Video link] from Viualizing Palestine's website. In the video, a fourteen year old Gazan child reads the above info-graphic with a little bit of extra commentary. Listed sources for the info-graphic are all linked [here] on a Google Spreadsheet from Visualizing Palestine.

[ID: same info-graphic from the Instagram post but in higher quality and with a section for ‘Lifelong Conditions’ to the left and ‘Types of Trauma’ to the right. The infographic is titled ‘Four Wars Old. Fourteen years of childhood in Gaza.’ Next to the title is text that reads: ‘Of the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, 41% are children aged 14 or under. These children have lived their entire lives under Israeli blockade and experience multiple types of trauma.’

Underneath the title is a simple graphic of a child. They start off at 0 and goes up to age 14, each drawing showing the different stages of their life and the conditions they have lived through. In all stages, the child is drawn with half a face to reveal yellow, blue, and later red ’thread’ going through their heads to symbolize the traumas that are impacting the child. Inside their head, the threads get more and more jumbled up and the child grows more distressed.

To the left of the graphic is text that reads: Lifelong Conditions: Water Crisis: 97% of fresh water contaminated. Lack of access to clean drinking water is a leading cause of illness and child mortality in Gaza. Deep Poverty: 64% poverty rate/69% food insecurity: 35% of Palestinian children under 5 at risk of not reaching their developmental potential due to chronic trauma. Right to Education: 2/3 of schools in Gaza operate on double shifts due to classroom shortages. Mental Health: 88% of Gaza children participating in one study had experienced personal trauma; 54% meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria.

2007, age zero: Born a Refugee: ‘I was born as one of the more than 70% of Palestinians in Gaza whose families were originally displaced during the Nakba in 1948’. Blockade: ‘The year I was born, Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza (ongoing as of 2021) by land, air, and sea. intensifying earlier restrictions’.

December 2008 to January 2009, age two: First War: ‘I survived a 22 day attack on Gaza. Israeli forces killed 1,385 Palestinians, including 318 children’.

November 2012, age five: Second War: ‘I survived an eight day attack as Israeli forces killed 168 Palestinians in Gaza, including 33 children’.

July 2014, age seven: Third War: ‘I survived fifty days of onslaught as Israeli forces killed 2,251 Palestinians in Gaza, including 556 children. Over 1,500 children were orphaned’.

March 2018 to December 2019, age eleven: Great Return March: ‘For two years, I saw my community turn. out en masse to protest the blockade. İsraeli forces killed 214 protesters, including 46 children, and injured 8,800 children with live ammunition, rubber bullets, and tear gas’.

May 2021, age fourteen: Fourth War: ‘I survived an eleven day attack as Israeli forces killed 230 Palestinians, Twelve of the 67 children killed were participating in a trauma recovery program’.

A quote from Samah Jabr, Chair of Mental Health Unit, Palestinian Ministry of Health that reads: “In Gaza, there is no ‘post’ [traumatic] because the trauma is repetitive and ongoing and continuous.” Underneath the quote is the section for types of trauma that an average Palestinian child will experience:

Chronic Trauma: Prolonged, pervasive distressing events such as poverty or institutionalized discrimination.

Intergenerational Trauma: Psychological trauma experienced by the descendants of a person who has survived a traumatic event.

Acute Trauma: An extremely distressing individual event.

END ID]

Something that breaks my heart when it comes to Gaza is that so many Palestinians, aside from perhaps the youngest, are survivors of other “wars” with Israel. Imagine surviving countless assaults and air strikes just to end up losing your life in one. This is not even considering those who lost their lives during a ceasefire, like the Palestinians who were killed by Israel during the Great March of Return.

Peace is only ever temporary for Palestinians in Gaza. You’d have to be sick that even after all this, you’re still blaming Hamas and not the actual people ie Israel who have reduced them to this fate.

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Virat Kohli for RCB and Pat Cummins for SRH (PC: IPL/X) Royal Challengers Bengaluru Players Retained – Virat Kohli (21 cr), Rajat Patidar (11 cr) and Yash Dayal (5 cr) Purse Remaining – 83 cr No. of RTMs Available – 3 (1 uncapped plus 2 capped players, or 3 capped) What do the retained players bring to the table? Virat Kohli has been the fulcrum of the RCB line-up for more than a decade and a half. The RCB opener accumulated 741 runs at an average of just under 62 last season. At his best, Kohli is the kind of player, who can turn out to be the foundation stone while chasing down the target. He can also galvanise the side with his spirited and lively outlook. Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar is an excellent player of spin, especially against leg-spin. His strike rate against that mode of bowling is more than 200. Patidar also has a range of shots while facing off-spinners and pace bowling. Yash Dayal, the left-arm pace bowler, made a fine comeback after a disappointing 2023 IPL season. In 2024, Dayal was the highest wicket-taker for RCB with 15 scalps. Up front, the left-arm bowler mainly looks to generate away swing. With the older ball, he mostly attempts yorkers and mixes up his pace as well as angles. The disadvantages of RCB letting go of key players: Faf du Plessis, who captained RCB for a few seasons, compiled 1636 runs for the franchise at a strike rate of 146.99. However, at 40, he isn’t getting any younger. On the other hand, Will Jacks accrued 230 runs at an incredible strike rate of 175.57 in 2024. He can also bowl off-spin. Mohammed Siraj and Vijaykumar Vyshak haven’t been retained either. Both of them have some noteworthy skills, but the duo have been rather inconsistent. For the Latest Sports News: Click Here Virat Kohli with Yash Dayal for RCB (PC: X) Players RCB could look to reclaim in the auction: Jacks could be high on the list. The batting all-rounder is a quintessential modern-day T20 player, and quite suited to the conditions at the Chinnaswamy. Depending on how the auction goes, they could still eye Swapnil Singh, who did an adequate job with the ball in hand last season. There could still be a slim chance of RCB bidding for Mahipal Lomror or Vyshak. Sunrisers Hyderabad Players retained – Heinrich Klaasen (23 cr), Pat Cummins (18 cr), Abhishek Sharma (14 cr), Travis Head (14 cr) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (6 cr). Purse Remaining – 45 cr No. of RTMs available – 1 (uncapped player) What do the retained players bring to the table? SRH has basically retained the core of the players who powered them to the summit clash in IPL ’17. Klaasen has been the go-to man of SRH’s batting unit. He has gained a reputation as a superb spin-hitter, exemplified by his strike rate of 173.92 in the IPL. He is also adept at taking on pace bowling. Pat Cummins, the incumbent captain, was praised for his leadership skills in IPL 2024. He also largely bowled the tough overs, employing defensive hit-the-deck bowling to good effect. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head were instrumental in giving the side whirlwind starts, which is again capsulised by their respective strike rates of 191.55 and 204.21. Nitish Reddy provides balance to the side with his all-round abilities. Travis Head and Heinrich Klassen (PC: X) The disadvantages of SRH letting go of key players: T Natarajan, the left-arm pacer, was one of the mainstays of the pace attack in 2024. He took 19 scalps at 24.47 and was a vital cog of the side in the death overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been a core member of the side for many years. However, last year, he only took 11 wickets at an average over 48. The medium pacer has plenty of bowling experience at different phases of the innings. Rahul Tripathi has played some valuable knocks for the franchise over the years, but SRH has decided to release him. Umran Malik has also been released. In 2022, Umran had a very good season, but he has struggled for consistency since then. There is a school of thought that the SRH coaching staff didn’t use him well.

Players SRH could look to reclaim in the auction: The backroom staff might bid for Natarajan as he will add variety and nous to the bowling line-up. If they don’t get adequate replacements, Tripathi, Mayank Markande or Bhuvneshwar could still come into the equation. Also Read: RR and GT: A peek into their retention lists and likely auction strategies The post RCB and SRH retentions: A few bold calls and different strategies appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Virat Kohli for RCB and Pat Cummins for SRH (PC: IPL/X) Royal Challengers Bengaluru Players Retained – Virat Kohli (21 cr), Rajat Patidar (11 cr) and Yash Dayal (5 cr) Purse Remaining – 83 cr No. of RTMs Available – 3 (1 uncapped plus 2 capped players, or 3 capped) What do the retained players bring to the table? Virat Kohli has been the fulcrum of the RCB line-up for more than a decade and a half. The RCB opener accumulated 741 runs at an average of just under 62 last season. At his best, Kohli is the kind of player, who can turn out to be the foundation stone while chasing down the target. He can also galvanise the side with his spirited and lively outlook. Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar is an excellent player of spin, especially against leg-spin. His strike rate against that mode of bowling is more than 200. Patidar also has a range of shots while facing off-spinners and pace bowling. Yash Dayal, the left-arm pace bowler, made a fine comeback after a disappointing 2023 IPL season. In 2024, Dayal was the highest wicket-taker for RCB with 15 scalps. Up front, the left-arm bowler mainly looks to generate away swing. With the older ball, he mostly attempts yorkers and mixes up his pace as well as angles. The disadvantages of RCB letting go of key players: Faf du Plessis, who captained RCB for a few seasons, compiled 1636 runs for the franchise at a strike rate of 146.99. However, at 40, he isn’t getting any younger. On the other hand, Will Jacks accrued 230 runs at an incredible strike rate of 175.57 in 2024. He can also bowl off-spin. Mohammed Siraj and Vijaykumar Vyshak haven’t been retained either. Both of them have some noteworthy skills, but the duo have been rather inconsistent. For the Latest Sports News: Click Here Virat Kohli with Yash Dayal for RCB (PC: X) Players RCB could look to reclaim in the auction: Jacks could be high on the list. The batting all-rounder is a quintessential modern-day T20 player, and quite suited to the conditions at the Chinnaswamy. Depending on how the auction goes, they could still eye Swapnil Singh, who did an adequate job with the ball in hand last season. There could still be a slim chance of RCB bidding for Mahipal Lomror or Vyshak. Sunrisers Hyderabad Players retained – Heinrich Klaasen (23 cr), Pat Cummins (18 cr), Abhishek Sharma (14 cr), Travis Head (14 cr) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (6 cr). Purse Remaining – 45 cr No. of RTMs available – 1 (uncapped player) What do the retained players bring to the table? SRH has basically retained the core of the players who powered them to the summit clash in IPL ’17. Klaasen has been the go-to man of SRH’s batting unit. He has gained a reputation as a superb spin-hitter, exemplified by his strike rate of 173.92 in the IPL. He is also adept at taking on pace bowling. Pat Cummins, the incumbent captain, was praised for his leadership skills in IPL 2024. He also largely bowled the tough overs, employing defensive hit-the-deck bowling to good effect. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head were instrumental in giving the side whirlwind starts, which is again capsulised by their respective strike rates of 191.55 and 204.21. Nitish Reddy provides balance to the side with his all-round abilities. Travis Head and Heinrich Klassen (PC: X) The disadvantages of SRH letting go of key players: T Natarajan, the left-arm pacer, was one of the mainstays of the pace attack in 2024. He took 19 scalps at 24.47 and was a vital cog of the side in the death overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been a core member of the side for many years. However, last year, he only took 11 wickets at an average over 48. The medium pacer has plenty of bowling experience at different phases of the innings. Rahul Tripathi has played some valuable knocks for the franchise over the years, but SRH has decided to release him. Umran Malik has also been released. In 2022, Umran had a very good season, but he has struggled for consistency since then. There is a school of thought that the SRH coaching staff didn’t use him well.

Players SRH could look to reclaim in the auction: The backroom staff might bid for Natarajan as he will add variety and nous to the bowling line-up. If they don’t get adequate replacements, Tripathi, Mayank Markande or Bhuvneshwar could still come into the equation. Also Read: RR and GT: A peek into their retention lists and likely auction strategies The post RCB and SRH retentions: A few bold calls and different strategies appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[fr0ggs]

[image id 1: text on an off-white bakground reading "(black) NUMBER OF (red) PALESTINIANS (black) KILLED EACH DAY SINCE ISRAEL'S INVASION". to the upper right, there is an SZH logo. in the bottom right corner there is a tiktok credit to '@but.not.all.men'. /end id.]

[image id 2: an image with the same background, tiktok credit, and logo, now headed with large red text reading "WE REMEMBER" with black text underneath listing off days and numbers of deaths. in the bottom left there is smaller black text reading "Source: Gaza Ministry of Health". the list reads:

Day 1: 198 Day 2: 58 Day 3: 180 Day 4: 329 Day 5: 290 Day 6: 148 Day 7: 506 Day 8: 506 Day 9: 235 Day 10: 358 Day 11: 198 Day 12: 472 Day 13: 307 Day 14: 352 Day 15: 248 Day 16: 266 Day 17: 436 Day 18: 704 Day 19: 755 Day 20: 482 (next column) Day 21: 298 Day 22: 377 Day 23: 302 Day 24: 301 Day 25: 219 Day 26: 280 Day 27: 256 Day 28: 196 Day 29: 231 Day 30: 282 Day 31: 230 Day 32: 328 Day 33: 241 Day 34: 249 Day 35: 260 Day 36: 51 Day 37: 51 Day 38: 60 Day 39: 80 Day 40: 180 (next column) Day 41: 500 Day 42: NA Day 43: 300 Day 44: 700 Day 45: 300 Day 46: 828 Day 47: 404 Day 48: 322 Day 49: 146 Day 50: NA Day 51: NA Day 52: NA Day 53: NA Day 54: NA Day 55: NA Day 56: 110 Day 57: 97 Day 58: 316 Day 59: 376 Day 60: 349

/end id.]

[image id 3: the image looks the same as image 2, just with a continuation of the list:

Day 61: 579 Day 62: 350 Day 63: 310 Day 64: 213 Day 65: 297 Day 66: 208 Day 67: 207 Day 68: 196 Day 69: 179 Day 70: 13 Day 71: 217 Day 72: 218 Day 73: 218 Day 74: 217 Day 75: 130 Day 76: 130 Day 77: 130 Day 78: 201 Day 79: 166 Day 80: 250 (next column) Day 81: 241 Day 82: 195 Day 83: 210 Day 84: 187 Day 85: 165 Day 86: 150 Day 87: 156 Day 88: 207 Day 89: 128 Day 90: 125 Day 91: 162 Day 92: 122 Day 93: 113 Day 94: 249 Day 95: 126 Day 96: 147 Day 97: 112 Day 98: 239 Day 99: 135 Day 100: 125 (next column) Day 101: 132 Day 102: 185 Day 103: 163 Day 104: 172 Day 105: 142 Day 106: 165 Day 107: 178 Day 108: 190 Day 109: 195 Day 110: 210 Day 111: 200 Day 112: 183 Day 113: 174 Day 114: 165 Day 115: 215 Day 116: 114 Day 117: 150 Day 118: 118 Day 119: 112 Day 120: 107

/end id.]

[image id 4: the image looks the same as image 2, just with a continuation of the list:

Day 121: 127 Day 122: 113 Day 123: 107 Day 124: 123 Day 125: 130 Day 126: 107 Day 127: 117 Day 128: 112 Day 129: 164 Day 130 (13 Feb, 2024): 133

(slightly larger text) Total: 28,473 and 7000+ under the rubble

/end id.]

[image id 5: the same off-white background, tiktok credit, and szh logo, now with medium black text reading "This is what genocide looks like, one funded by our tax dollars and enabled by our weapons. (next line) Palestinians are not numbers; They are humans, just like us. (next line) Today's casualties could have been saved by a ceasefire. Please continue to post, protest, and pressure your reps until we see a ceasefire and a free Palestine." /end id.]

The more you ignore the more we are going to keep pushing.

[ofcourtfables]

𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 2 wanted connections have been added to the document.

( romantic ) mother hold you, VIEGO LEONHART as they look for their FIRST LOVE/THE FAE THAT SAVED HIS LIFE. they are said to resemble FLORENCE PUGH, AMBER MIDTHUNDER, MILLY ALCOCK, BAILEY BASS, ANY FEMME PRESENTING FC RLLY!! and should be around the ages of 230 and 300. though before they make their way to the dusk court they CAN BUT DO NOT HAVE TO contact LUNA ( LICHTUNDSCHATTENS ). (DEATH TW) once upon a time, viego was the crown prince of his kingdom before it got invaded and was forced to flee as the last remaining survivor with his personal guard. he lived a nomadic lifestyle from the age of 14 and onward, simply hunting animals and selling their hides for a living. he stumbles on this fae one day before accidentally almost hitting her with an arrow. from there, she kept showing up to his usual hunting grounds which eventually led to a friendship blossoming between them. due to a bounty being on his head, he keeps their friendship a secret from his guard, afraid of losing his only friend. they eventually form a secret relationship, and his guard does catch them together. long story short, viego's guard tries to shoot her and it ends up in viego throwing himself in front of her, leading to his inevitable death. the only reason viego is alive today is because she saved his life by turning him into a fae via the cauldron, but that was his last memory of her: the fear in her eyes as he fell to his death. after he wakes to his new life as a fae, she was gone, never to be seen again. she instead entrusted him to the day court's spymaster (meant to be a close friend to her), whom did her the grand favor of taking him under her wing and showing him the ways of the fae. it has been 3 years since he last saw her, and while he's never gone out of his way to look for her, his heart aches thinking of her, feeling an overwhelming sense abandonment. despite this, he feels grateful at getting a second chance at life, even if it is in an entirely different world. overall, he feels confusion and pretty hurt. this is meant to be a mostly angsty connection, as he wouldn't feel like she's fully trustworthy anymore and will feel pretty confused and betrayed when he does see her again.

( staff ) mother hold you, ELYSIA ACHESON as they look for their PERSONAL GUARD. they are said to resemble ANY FC and should be around the ages of 300 and 450. though before they make their way to the dusk court they CAN BUT DO NOT HAVE TO contact LUNA ( LICHTUNDSCHATTENS ). after elysia was appointed high priestess of her court (estimatedly around 5 years ago), she appointed a personal guard to her name for her own safety. they should have a mostly platonic relationship, seeing them as the next closest thing to a best friend as they have seen her through her most vulnerable moments. they essentially follow her around unless they are dismissed. we can definitely plot more about their dynamic together!