#Arno is NOT used to the country

[thou-babbling-brook]

ConArno living the cottagecore life, they told me themselves

Yes, they absolutely are, but there was definitely a learning curve for city boy Arno out in middle-of-nowhere Massachusetts 🫡

[teecupangel]

The lack of connor content on ao3 is slowly killing me. Do you have any fic recs or headcanons to feed this poor soul?

I am drawing blank on the fic rec other than my own works hahahaha, sorry.

So let’s focus on headcanons:

Ratonhnhaké:ton visits where his village used to be once a month after Achilles’ death. He doesn’t necessary believe his people would return there but he had hoped that maybe, just maybe, someone had left a sign or a clue for him or someone was visiting the site that could help him find his people. Once he officially became the mentor of the American Brotherhood, he visits once every few months. When he passed the title of mentor to his successor he visits the site every year on the death of his mother, no longer wishing for something to change but to simply visit his childhood home and talk to his mother.

Ratonhnhaké:ton and Aveline grew close during the reestablishment of the American Brotherhood. Some people debated on who should be the mentor between them but Aveline never truly had any desire to be a mentor, preferring the freedom that comes from being a Master Assassin. She is considered the unofficial second in command and would take over mentor duties when Ratonhnhaké:ton is out of the country.

Speaking of which, Ratonhnhaké:ton tried to visit Jenny one more time after their first meeting but Jenny told him to leave and never come back. According to Jenny, it was better for Ratonhnhaké:ton to ignore the fact that he was a Kenway and let the Kenway name die with her. While it may seem cruel, she believes her father would have preferred that Ratonhnhaké:ton would not be chained by the legacy and infamy that comes with the Kenway name.

Ratonhnhaké:ton also visited France and stayed for a few months. He meets Arno Dorian there and they developed a friendship. When Ratonhnhaké:ton returned to America, he brought with him a guillotine gun as a souvenir.

This man was a virgin during the time of AC3 XD

He absolutely knew that Benjamin Franklin was in a sex club later on. He didn’t join said sex club but Benjamin Franklin did write him a few raunchy letters describing what he did there in an effort to lure him into joining.

Ratonhnhaké:ton burned all those letters (and any historians would have cried a river if they knew)

[mariacallous]

I’ve been thinking about a famously orange-skinned former presenter of trashy TV programmes, who lives on a luxurious coastal estate. He has a history of racist and Islamophobic remarks, of blaming asylum seekers for bringing disease into the country and ranting about the “supercilious metropolitan elite”. He swept into a rightwing political party and refashioned it in his image, presenting himself as the antidote to politics-as-usual, whipping up culture wars and using the platform to boost his planet-sized ego.

I am, of course, describing the British former politician Robert Kilroy-Silk.

After he was sacked from his presenting job by the BBC for a crudely racist rant in the Sunday Express in 2004, he joined Ukip (the forerunner of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK), energising it and captivating the media with his culture war polemics against the EU, immigrants and “the political establishment”. His unnatural hue inspired the viral video Mr Tangerine Man. But when Ukip could no longer contain his ego, he broke away and started his own political party in 2005, Veritas (widely dubbed Vanitas), which quickly crashed and burned. Thank goodness there are no such characters on the world stage today!

I could just as well have been thinking of Silvio Berlusconi, the satsuma-tinged TV presenter and culture warrior, who, like a certain other politician, went to extreme lengths to hide his baldness. He became the demagogic, rightwing Italian prime minister, seeking (successfully) to return to power after being ejected from office, despite a long series of sexual and financial scandals and criminal charges. Like Donald Trump’s, his loyal supporters somehow managed to overlook his moral repulsiveness, childish attention-seeking and love-in with Vladimir Putin, and saw him as the saviour who would make Italy great again.

Of course, there are differences between these people, but every time one of these characters emerges, we are nonplussed by them. We react as if we’re dealing with something new, and appear to have little idea how to respond. But there are patterns to the emergence of extreme-right demagogues: patterns that repeat themselves with remarkable fidelity. By learning and understanding them, we can better defend ourselves.

I’ve spent part of my summer reading Arno Mayer, the great historian who died in 2023. His book Dynamics of Counterrevolution in Europe, 1870-1956, published in 1971, could have been written about any of the rightwing populists we face today: Trump, Farage, Viktor Orbán, Benjamin Netanyahu, Narendra Modi, the leaders of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany, the National Rally in France, the Brothers of Italy and – lately – Jair Bolsonaro and Boris Johnson.

Mayer’s descriptions of the demagogues of his period are uncannily familiar. These leaders created the impression “that they seek fundamental changes in government, society, and community”. But in reality, because they relied on the patronage of “incumbent elites” to gain power (think, today, of media moguls like Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk and Paul Marshall, and various billionaire funders), they sought no major changes “in class structure and property relations”. In fact, they ensured these were shored up. “They need to revile incumbent elites and institutions without foreclosing cooperation with them.” So their project “is far more militant in rhetoric, style and conduct than in political, social and economic substance”.

For this reason, Mayer explains how rightwing populists expose and overstate the cracks in a crisis-torn society, but fail to “account for them in any coherent and systematic way”. They direct popular anger away from genuine elites and towards fictional conspiracies and minorities. They variously blame these minorities (whether it be Jews, Muslims, asylum seekers, immigrants, Black and Brown people) for the sense of inadequacy and powerlessness felt by their supporters; helping “humiliated individuals to salvage their self-esteem by attributing their predicament to a plot” and giving them immediate targets on which to vent their frustrations and hatreds.

The fake firebrands often, Mayer remarks,also issued “rampant broadsides against science” (think of the climate science denial to which almost all today’s rightwing demagogues subscribe), and against innovation, modernism and cosmopolitanism. They combined “the glorification of traditional attitudes and behaviour patterns with the charge that these are being corrupted, subverted, and defiled by conspiratorial agents and influences”. Hello JD Vance and Ron DeSantis.

The demagogues of Mayer’s period adopted a purposely “ambiguous position”, when people who might have been inspired by their claims committed acts of violence – both inflaming the attacks and distancing themselves from them. This might trigger memories of Donald Trump during the January 6 assault on the Capitol, Modi during anti-Muslim pogroms and the video Farage made after the Southport murders, which is seen by many people as bearing some responsibility for last month’s racist riots.

But there is one major difference. In Mayer’s era, the development of what he called “crisis strata” of disillusioned, angry men to whom the demagogues appealed was a result of devastating war or state collapse.The rabble-rousers were able to appeal both to angry working-class men and to anxious elites by invoking the spectre of leftwing revolution. None of these conditions pertain today in countries like our own. So how does the current batch of populists succeed? I think they are responding to a crisis caused by a different force: 45 years of neoliberalism.

Neoliberalism simultaneously promises the world and snatches it away. It tells us that if you work hard enough, you too can be an alpha. But it also creates the conditions which ensure that, no matter how hard you work, you are likely to remain subordinate and exploited. It has enabled the formation of a new rentier class, that owns the essential assets and ruthlessly exploits younger and poorer people. Young men step into a world of promises – to find all the golden doors are locked, and someone else has the key.

It is in the vast gap between the promises of neoliberalism and their fulfilment that frustration, humiliation and a desire for vengeance grow: the same emotions that followed military defeat or state collapse in Mayer’s time. These impulses are then exploited by conflict entrepreneurs. Today, some of these entrepreneurs stand for office; others, using opportunities that weren’t available in previous eras, monetise the anger, making a fortune through their social media outlets.

Understanding the tradition these demagogues follow, which long predates the rise of fascism in the 20th century, should help us to develop a more effective response to them. We begin to see this in Kamala Harris’s intelligent campaign, which, in contrast to Joe Biden’s, is starting to land heavy blows on Trump and Vance,drawing attention to their creepy intrusions on people’s private lives and their attacks on fundamental freedoms. If we want to anticipate and stop rightwing authoritarian rule, we should seek to comprehend its eerie consistencies.

[assassinschaoticcreed]

If the assassin gig is secret in the modern au what's everyone's "normal / cover up" job then?

I'm not sure if I posted this before or not but this is what I picture!

Altaïr: is a professor at a Collge for Philosphy. (he has a doctorate degree in Astronomy he likes to flaunt)

Arno: Cafe Owner (has multiple branches in different countries) but also a part time author.

Connor: an Architect

Desmond: Bar & Club Owner (he also has multiple branches but only in the US)

Ezio: CEO at one of the branches of his father's banks (there's also multiple of them in different countries)

Edward: Marine Technician

Jacob: High School History Teacher

[greenlaut]

fuck it,

LIST OF INCENSES I THINK AC 1 - AC UNITY CHARACTERS WOULD LIKE

credentials: (1) incense is a big thing in my country both for daily and religious uses; (2) i have a shit ton of incenses bc i use them regularly

ALTAÏR IBN LA'AHAD — his most familiar scent is frankincense bcs either umar or rashid lit up a lot of frankincense (haha old man incense). BUT his favorite scent is jasmine because it's sweet and calming it's like a soothing balm to his running thoughts and worries. also the scent of jasmine here has supernatural connotations, so i think it's fitting for altaïr as the master assassin herald of death etc etc

MALIK AL SAYF — oud. definitely oud. very charismatic and heavy. definitely suits him bcs as soon u enter his space u will think he's someone not to be trifled with. it also has a family/brotherly connotation to it which suits malik. if u want combination; oud + sandalwood

KADAR AL SAYF — champaca. it's sweet and bright. reminds u of a singing bird maybe? if u catch a whiff of it in the wind it feels like napping in a hazy afternoon.

MARIA THORPE — jasmine with tuberose. almost woody? floral. probably reminds you of moonlit night with silk curtains blowing in the wind

EZIO AUDITORE DA FIRENZE — sandalwood. a classic. with frankincense and myrhh. this scent reminds me of church (our churches usually light these scented incenses). it's heady and heavy. if you smell it too much it can overwhelm you.

LEONARDO DA VINCI — citrus and agarwood. very playful and has creative vibes to it. it also smells very unique and reminds me of a warm person

CONNOR KENWAY — majegau. this one is very specific. majegau is a type of tree sacred to people in bali region (i'm from java so i dont know much). but the scent is very mountainous. it reminds me slightly of sandalwood but much lighter, and gives off a more foresty vibes. it has a very respectful but down-to-earth air to it that suits connor's person

AVELINE DE GRANPRE — citrus and vanilla. i'll be honest i never had this one, but i'm trusting what people said. it's apparently very unique and refreshing scent when burnt. kind of woody surprisingly with just a hint of sweetness to it. i also think aveline would like clove incense. it's sweet and has something underneath that feels like it's ready to strike

ADÉWALÉ — also an oud enjoyer methinks. maaybe oud + frankincense. i think smelling the incense will help settle down his thoughts and pain, bcs it's a very meditative and heady scent. charismatic vibes

EDWARD KENWAY — tobacco, clove, and cinnamon. it's smoky and heady. kind of pirate vibes. it's a very overwhelming scent to some people bcs of the tobacco

HAYTHAM KENWAY — i feel like he has a very old man taste so i'm chucking lotus OR frankincense. i think he'd like both bcs they're the most "classic" incense scents. definitely charismatic tbh

SHAY CORMAC — tobacco. smoky. just a classic "smokes and mirrors". it's kinda sad? it's a very lonely scent i think

ARNO VICTOR DORIAN — vanilla with sandalwood. it's heady and sweet with woody undertone to it. it has a european vibes to it that i personally dont like to light (vanilla doesnt smell good in humid weather to me), but definitely suits arno. it's sensitive yet strong, kind of tragic

ÉLISE DE LA SERRE — rose. definitely rose. cloying, floral, and sweet. has mixed receptions; it's a classic scent but i personally dont like it. i think it suits élise for her complicated nature. flitting and impossible to mistake

fin.

[galaxyofhair]

How Assassin's Creed's Imagery Created Limitations on Later Sequels

Thesis: A lot of the imagery that made the Assassins so unique and recognizable in AC, and that came to define the series identity, was imagery that made the most sense in the context in which that imagery was originally created. Later sequels in later eras of history had big problems trying to force the clothing or armor of that era to match the aesthetic of the Levantine assassins

This issue presents itself in a few of the series key items that almost every assassin has: The hidden blade gauntlet, the eagle-beaked hood, and the white robes. In AC1, these items made the most sense: The hidden blade was an advanced piece of technology built using 12th century tools: So naturally it makes sense (or at least its easy to suspend disbelief) and say that the blade definitely works, but its a little bulky and requires that entire gauntlet piece that Altair has.

Additionally, the white robes made the most sense in the context of the crusades: The combination of hood, red sash, and white surcoat makes Altair a strange cross between monk and knight, and he can blend into both circumstances. And it makes sense to wear white is a desert setting, so Altair's outfit ends up looking both western and eastern at the same time, which is pretty cool.

Ezio's outfit isn't completely out of step: Is it conceivable that his robes would white? Sure--and I think Ubisoft did a great job of matching Ezio's color scheme to the setting and the setting to Ezio so screw it, it works. I think with AC2 I really only take issue with the hidden blade gauntlet---which is super noticeable, and has an assassin symbol stamped on the top. Even worse, when Ezio gets his second blade, it's actually hidden under his clothes.

But that design choice illustrates the problem quite wonderfully: It was fine for Altair, who lived in a war torn country where armed soldiers of various allegiances were a common enough sight, and where the size of the hidden blade sort of demands the use of the gauntlet. It makes less sense on Ezio, who likely has greater motivation to actually hide the hidden blade---but he doesn't because what Ubisoft wanted to do was to romanticize the imagery of the hidden blade as the assassin's lightsaber equivalent.

Assassin's Creed 3 has a similar issue in which the white robes are suddenly a really odd choice given that virtually no one else is wearing white in the entire game except assassins. So Conner sticks out like a sore thumb, which again really undercuts your ability to feel anonymous, and incognito etc.

While later characters like Arno and Jacob Frye would challenge various aspects of the iconic assassin's outfit---the series still struggles with an issue that can be summed up in the joke: "How do you spot an assassin? Look for the white robed, fully armored jedi who sticks out of the crowd"

[peridot-tears]

I think a lot about how US-centrism is a really big thing, and something we USians commit whether we are conscious of it or not -- because, quite frankly, no matter how much we proclaim to dislike our country or want it to change, or straight up just want to leave it behind, it's already been deeply intertwined into our personalities.

But there's also that other factor where when it comes to fandom, we end up writing AUs set in the USA, because, well...that's still our home? That's what we're familiar with? So of course I want to play around and reimagine WangXian as diaspora Chinese growing up in New York, just like me. I think it'd be really funny to reimagine Arno as an exchange student who has to deal with NYU kids out here (I pity the man, NYU is an elitist nightmare). And if Tumblr is a US-based site, where most of us end up gathering, that's just math, right? There are going to be a lot of USians here writing about our experiences in this country, because they're the things that immediately affect us the most.

I don't think it's inherently bad to want to reimagine characters in the world we personally live in, but we do have to ask ourselves some hard questions about why we want to take these characters and put them in a setting that we are comfortable with. Would we appreciate them all the same if they were in a setting unfamiliar to us?

And if we were on a non-American site doing the same thing, and the people on that site got mad at us, how would we react? We have to be honest with ourselves.

Also, HUGE disclaimer:

This is not permission to whitewash characters.

If you're writing an AU with characters of non-American origin, do your research on their cultural norms.

Also, the USA is the "melting pot" or whatever the fuck you wanna call it, right. So is this character going to be an immigrant, a tourist, a tenth-generation American, or a second-generation American from another country's diaspora?

*Or are they Indigenous? In which case, what nation are they from, did they grow up on the rez, elsewhere, and what relationship do they have with their family and identity?

We should still think outside of our country. Realizing and acknowledging that we are raised to be ignorant of the world, and that our country holds a cultural Monopoly (i.e. our fucking media and entertainment are EVERYWHERE, and my roommate from Vietnam knows iCarly as well as I do, and I know someone from Nigeria who grew up on Johnny Bravo, just to name a few examples) are only the first step. We need to deprogram and see the rest of the world as a place that exists outside of us while still being affected by just how sprawling our influence is.

My personal experience:

I'm an immigrants' kid who grew up among other immigrants' kids in New York (note, I say "immigrants' kid," meaning I am explicitly not saying we immigrated, only that our parents did. People assume I came here just because I'm not white, which is some racist bullshit).

I have lived on other continents.

MDZS is easy for me because it's my culture. I've written them as diaspora Gen Z kids, Chinese people who grew up in mainland cities I'm familiar with, and in the canon Ye Olde China (Tang-dynasty-ish, but also a Ming-dynasty AU) setting.

I write French Frye in modern-day Paris and London very easily because as a USian, we're taught that "world history" is just "Western and Central European history." We're a Eurocentric society. Also, I've been in those cities and know people from there.

I struggle with writing Ratohnhaké:ton even though he is literally Indigenous to the land I grew up on (Kanien'kéha:ka were from upstate New York, just a day's drive from me, before colonization forced them to move further north). As a USian, that means I was taught the colonizers' attitude towards Indigenous folks, and despite all my research and talks with Indigenous folks to learn to be better, I will eventually trip up and accidentally say something racist or culturally offensive.

This isn't going to stop me from writing fanfic about him, but I'm gonna do my due diligence and consider the circumstances he would be in in a modern AU.

Yes, I want to write a modern-day AU where he goes to China and trains with Shao Jun, because I'm Chinese and I think that would be neat.

When I read modern AU MDZS fanfiction, I can tell who's not Chinese when I read about WangXian living in a house in China. I cannot emphasize how different the apartment-to-house ratio in most major Chinese cities is from the USA. I don't find it offensive, it's just a really strong tell.

If you're writing an AU set in NYC and there isn't a single "yerrrr" in it, you've already outed yourself (this is a joke).

[thesoulprophecies]

On November the 4th 1966, the river Arno flooded into Florence burying hundreds of thousands of books, manuscripts and artwork beneath mud, debris and putrid water. Due to this massive cultural and historical devastation, countries responded quickly with financial aid and restoration research. It became imperative to combine modern science with historical book making techniques in order to save and restore the damaged antiquarian books and manuscripts. Experimental research was used from The Institute of Book Pathology in Rome, and The Imperial College of Science and Technology in association with The Royal College of Art in London.

Damaged books were given emergency washing and drying treatments and then sterilised against bacteria and mould. The edges of a lot of books were badly stuck with mud, gelatine and sawdust. The covers/boards, spines, headbands and everything surrounding the text block were removed and catalogued in envelopes. Once the spine was clear the sewing was cut from the spines and the sections separated carefully. Mud was scraped from the leaves of the book, and especially bad books were soaked in an alcohol and water mixture and then interwoven with wet strength paper and washed again. Coloured plates and prints were sprayed with a solution of soluble nylon in alcohol to preserve them. Any oil that may have damaged the books was removed with a solution of xylene and trichloroethylene. Fuller’s Earth was applied delicately and brushed off to remove excess chemical solution and oil.

Thermostatically controlled, stainless steel, sinks were used to wash the books leaf by leaf in a fungicide solution. Some particularly fragile leaves were resized. pH tests were conducted and if a book had too much acidity, it was deacidified. Bleach staining is not considered good practice, and was limited to the leaves that were so stained that the text was illegible. The individual leaves were dried at controlled temperatures in specially made drying cabinets. Once dry, the leaves were checked and put in order. (Plates and prints were handled separately to the main text blocks as extra care had to be taken due to the colours.)

Before sewing and binding could take place, repairs were made to the leaves caused by the flood and early binding techniques. Lens tissue was used for small tears, and Japanese tissue paper was used for serious tears and missing sections of leaves.

Books were sewn back together with thread and techniques dependent on their size and publication date. Appropriate bindings were also chosen depending on the use of the book and its time period. The majority of the damaged Antonio Magliabechi manuscripts and volumes from the National Library of Florence were bound in limp vellum. Other rare books required new leather bindings.

The restoration of books, manuscripts, art and historical artefacts from the 1966 flood is still an ongoing process today. Many people had to be trained specially to restore books on site in Florence, as shipping damaged books to experts across the world was deemed to be impractical and quality could not be controlled. There was also the risk that the books would be lost or damaged further in transit.

Floods and natural disasters cause widespread damage but are fortunately not that common. Some books are damaged over time due to use and age. Working in a second-hand bookshop, I see a lot of old books that are damaged; missing spines and boards, detached boards, bumped corners, missing labels and stained. Modern books are notoriously poor quality and tend to fall apart easily in comparison to their sewn, medieval ancestors. There is a genuine calling for restoration and book binding experts. Some old books are scarce, and some books have signatures or notes in their margins from historically important people which make them unique and irreplaceable. For the individual, books passed down through the generations hold significant sentimental value and may need repairs or complete new bindings. If history teaches us anything, it is that we need to continue to find methods and solutions to protect and save items of historical importance.

References:

The Restoration of Books: Florence – 1968. – YouTube

The Disaster that Deluged Florence’s Cultural Treasures – HISTORY

The great flood of Florence, 50 years on | Art and design | The Guardian

https://blog.outletpublishinggroup.com/2023/02/23/blog-156-the-importance-of-book-restoration/ 

[dmc345-blog]

WARNING: This story may contain abuse, aggression , s&xu@l content, woman-to-woman kisses and perhaps a possible threesome. It is not confirmed if there will be one.

Ship that could probably happen and is not Canon:

Arno x Elise x Liane (Oc)

Guys, I'm using Google Translate to write this story in English. Maybe a lot of people don't know, but I'm Brazilian and I'm still learning English.

CHAPTER I :

1789 voyage from England to France:

The large ship traveled to France, carrying very luxurious passengers and a few low-class passengers. Elise, who had been exiled in London for a long time, now returned to France, she seemed happy to finally return to her country, see her father and a certain someone called Arno Victor Dorian who was certainly causing trouble.

However, she did not appear to be unaccompanied:

Liane Leroy, a young Englishwoman, daughter of a luxurious family in England and met Elise, traveled with her. Her reason for leaving England is because her father, Lord Eros Leroy, forced her to accept his marriage proposal of a Count Henri de Beauvoir who lived in France. Which left her in a prison without freedom for such a young and young girl of just 18 years old who had to deal with an adult life when she turned 13 and when she entered adulthood.

Unfortunately, the young woman had no way of freeing herself from her father's decision, for just one young girl she did not seem to have the right to freedom.

—Liane!_Elise called out to the young woman and approached her, but she could tell that the young woman was unhappy when she saw her leaning against the wood of the ship._You have been very silent, is it about the wedding?

Liane stopped looking at the sea water and turned her face to look at Elise beside her._I haven't been very well, I haven't been able to sleep well.

Elise realizes that that wasn't the reason and comes closer, placing a hand on hers._I can see that that's not what you're bothered about, I understand that this marriage of yours doesn't please you because you're being suffocated by your father's decision.

Liane then has a neutral expression and looks back at the sea, only silence now dominates her, not wanting to say something that bothers her.

Elise then let out a sigh as she removed her hand from the girl's._It's no use you're in this silence. At some point you'll have to talk and vent about your imprisonment.

Liane just remained silent, wanting to say just one thing but she didn't know how to describe it so she just remained silent.

Elise just presses her lips together and feels sorry for her friend. She then turns to walk away, until she sees Liane's father and her expression of pity changes to a harsh one when she sees the person responsible for her friend's arrest, not pleased with his presence then moves away.

Lord Eros Leroy then looks away and sees his daughter. He walks with his cane next to her, but it was obvious that he only looked at the sea and not at her._Why aren't you with your stepmother and your younger sister? new?

Liane remained in a moment of silence without looking at her father._I needed fresh air, being down there just sitting and talking was making me understood.

Eros just continued with a serious expression and without looking at the young woman beside him._You know it's not polite for a high-class girl like you to be walking around the ship alone.

—I wasn't alone, I was with Elise._Liane responds seriously and continues without looking at the oldest.

Eros frowned when he noticed the seriousness in his daughter's voice._This doesn't change anything. You must behave according to your position. I don't want to see you alone again.

Liane felt a shiver and remained silent. His father wouldn't understand his feelings.

—Let's go._Eros ordered._Return to the cabin._And get ready, we're almost arriving in France.

Liane obeyed, leaving Elise worried about her friend's fate. The ship continued its course, carrying secrets and dreams. Liane remained trapped in her loneliness.

Liane remained silent as she sat at a table with her stepmother and her younger sister Cassaia Leroy, a young girl of just 10 years old and as sweet as an angel, but underneath was a devil when it came to someone mistreating her sister Liane.

—Liane, don't give up._Cassaia says she tries to calm her sister._There's always a way out.

Liane looked at her younger sister for a moment._I don't see any way out.

Cassaia held his hand._Together, we will find a solution.

But the stepmother Kathleen looked at both of them, this woman was a witch in Liane's life._Liane, I don't want to see you talking to your sister now, stay silent.

Liane looked at her stepmother with a serious expression and was just silent.

However, Cassaia looked at her stepmother with a hard expression as if a demon was awakening inside her.

But meanwhile in France:

Arno had gotten into more trouble after gambling and losing his watch. But it was obvious that he wasn't going to leave his father's watch with Victor forever.

When he recovered it caused him torment that almost led to his arrest. But thanks to Mr. François de La Serre, he escaped being ored.

Arno entered Mr. De La Serre room and saw a beautiful painting with Elise's face. _Don't look at me like that. Victor everyone knows how to cheat when playing cards.

—Arno._But soon François appeared hearing the voice of his protégé talking to "someone", but he was confused._Who are you talking to?

—With no one, sir._Arno replied, pretending he wasn't talking to himself with a certain person in the painting.

—You'll be glad I convinced Olivier not to call the police._Says François as he walks to a table._Again

—Thank you very much, sir._Arno thanked Mr. De La Serre again for saving him from being arrested.

—What is this? The sixth time, the seventh? François asked, wanting to know which time he managed to save Arno from a loss. There were so many that it left him confused._A new hobby could help your health.

—In fact, playing cards allows me a great opportunity of exercise and air bottle._Arno says with a smile thinking that this was good for his taste.

—We'll talk about this later._Says François, taking his black hat and walking._I have business in town and must fetch Elise before I can attend to it.

—Is Elise here?_Arno asked with a happy smile upon receiving the news that Elise was back.

—Just for tonight._ François replied, stopping walking and looking at his protégé._ She returns to Paris this morning.

—She will need a companion while he is busy._Arno suggested with a smile wanting to stay by the girl's side.

—One of us creating trouble is enough._Says François._And she will not be unaccompanied, Liane will accompany her.

—Liane? Who is that? Arno asked, curious to know who the girl François mentioned was.

—A girl from the Leroy family whom Elise knew, she had married the Count Henri de Beauvoir and will live here in France when she marries him._ François replied as he put on his hat._But enough talking, I have to go now. See if Olivier has any tasks for you.

—I bet he does._Arno says, disappointed that he can't go see Elise and has to put up with Olivier.

—What did you say?_Asked François who didn't hear what the boy said.

—Give my regards to Elise...and congratulations to her friend._Arno says with a fake smile.He really wanted to go see Elise and maybe meet this girl called Liane.

But meanwhile at the pier

Under the golden glow of the setting sun, the ship with its unfurled sails and majestic hull, sailed through the calm waters of the channel, slowly approaching the French pier. The air vibrated with the effusive waves and shouts of joy of those reuniting family and friends after a long separation.

Liane remained static on the deck, leaning against the polished wood of the ship, her gaze divided between admiration and despair. His heart, racing with emotion, pounded in his chest.

—Liane!_Elise then called her, quickly pulling her by the hand and walking with her._Come on, we're going to disembark now.

Seeing the ship's bridge lowering against the pier, people got off, some carrying luggage while others were already being greeted.

—Oh my God, just look at this place!_Says the stepmother admiring the French city with an admiring smile._Isn't it wonderful?

—It stinks of rotten fish and manure here._Cassaia replied with her naivety as she walked with her family.

—Watch your mouth, Cassaia. Have more manners, that's no way for a lady to speak._Eros says with a harsh voice to his youngest daughter while still walking with the cane.

—I have to agree with Cassaia, I don't see anything wrong with it._Liane says in a whisper to Elise next to her.

A radiant look at Liane reflected the majesty of that city, with its towers and domes standing tall like giants, bathed in twilight light. The city, with its paved streets and imposing buildings, seemed like a palace of dreams, transcending the pages of the books that once described it.

However, the other look, dark and discerning, penetrated beyond the surface, foreseeing a dark destiny. Liane saw beyond the beauty and opulence, noticing the scum that hid behind the luxurious facade. His heart sensed that that place, which should have been a refuge, would become a golden prison, where his freedom would be sacrificed to the engagement imposed by his father.

But in the meantime, a carriage stopped at the dock and the door was opened. François got out of the carriage as he saw his daughter Elise with the Leroy family and walked towards them.

Elise smiled happily when she saw her father and approached him. _Dad!_ She happily hugged the eldest, killing the longing she felt for him.

François returned the hug and stood apart, observing her face. _You are more beautiful than before, Elise._ He said with a light smile, he soon saw Lord Eros and approached him. _You must be Lord Eros.

—It's a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur de La Serre._Eros says greeting the other with a handshake and then lets go, deciding to introduce his family. _This is my wife, Kathleen Leroy and my two daughters.

The two girls nodded as if greeting the Frenchman, both of them looked neutral as they remained silent.

—They really are very beautiful girls._François says praising the two girls, until his eyes stop on the oldest._So it is this young Liane, who is going to marry Count Henri.

—Exactly._Says Eros with seriousness on his face and in his voice._Greet Mr. De La Serre, Liane.

Liane then forced a slight smile and greeted François by kneeling a little and then standing up. _It's a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur de La Serre.

François then smiled slightly but felt sorry for the girl, for he could see that she was too young to marry.But then he turned and looked at Elise._Well, we better go now, we need to go to the palace to celebrate your return, Elise.

—Dad, where's Arno?_Elise asked, immediately remembering Arno._I wanted to be able to introduce him to Liane before I leave for Paris tomorrow.

—Arno is in the mansion doing the tasks that Olivier probably gave him, and once again he almost got arrested again._ François replied.

Elise then rolls her eyes with a slight smile.And it seemed like she was already waiting for something like this._As always, he caused a lot of trouble.

—Well, enough talk. Let's go to the palace immediately._Says François guiding Elise to the carriage.

The Leroy family also follows them going to another carriage behind the or.But Elise looked at Liane before going and then looked at her father. _Dad, could Liane travel with me?

François then looks at the Leroy family and then at Elise. _I see no problem in letting her travel with you in the carriage.

Elise then smiles gratefully and then goes to the carriage seeing Liane almost entering. _Liane!_ Her call caught the girl's attention. _ Do you want to come travel with me in the carriage?

Liane then becomes thoughtful and smiles slightly, but soon looks at her father who doesn't seem to care much about her. _Well... if you're inviting me, then I can't refuse.

Elise then smiles as she takes the girl's hand and lifts her up to the carriage, letting her climb in first.

But Cassaia, seeing that through the carriage window, was a little sad because her sister would not accompany her, so she just remained silent and read.

The carriages then begin to move slowly through the open spaces where people left space to let others pass.

Liane felt the carriage moving as she looked out the door window at the city, she still maintained the same views of what she thought of the city in silence.

—So, Miss Liane, what do you usually do in your free time? François asked, wanting to break the silence of the young people.

Liane presses her lips together in a moment of silence and not wanting to talk too much about the boring things he does, and had to lie about the secret things she used to do._I... usually study about exotic countries, arts and mathematics, I also usually go for walks... attend special occasions when I am invited.

François nods his head in understanding but with a not very convinced expression and decides to change the conversation. _You... are you happy about your marriage with the Count?

Elise then looks at her father and becomes a little serious when she realizes that he has involved her in a subject that Liane would not like to talk about.

Liane remains silent as her expression becomes a little serious at Mr. de La Serre question, but then smiles slightly. _Yes, I am very happy with my marriage to the Count

—Oh, I didn't expect that answer._Says François, somewhat surprised._You seem too young to marry someone older, you should be enjoying your youth.

—Father..._Elise quickly intervened by placing a hand on her father's wrist and returning a look that made the older man stop talking.

François then stops talking, understanding, and soon looks out the window and smiles. _Oh, it looks like we've arrived.

The coachmen then stop the carriage and then get out and open the door for the nobles.

François gets out of the carriage and breathes in the pure fresh air, then helps Elise and Liane get out of the carriage.

As the Leroy family stepped onto the polished pavement, they could not help but admire the architectural beauty of the palace, with its tall columns and manicured gardens. The sound of laughter and excited murmurs filled the air as guests mingled, sharing stories and intrigue and being guided by François.

However, Liane, the Leroys' young daughter, maintained a serious and contemplative expression. His eyes, like two deep lakes, reflected a melancholy that contrasted with the festive atmosphere. The pomp and circumstance did not seem to awaken in his soul the same admiration that it inspired in the other members of the family. Her erect and reserved posture denoted an introspection that distanced her from the collective joy.

While the family mingled with the guests, Liane remained apart with Elise, observing the spectacle with a mixture of curiosity and detachment. His gaze roamed the room, registering every detail, but without revealing emotion. It was as if his soul was trapped in an inner world, where beauty and luxury had no access.

Continued...

Notes: I really can't believe I'm going to release an Assassin's Creed fanfic here.

I was thinking about posting it on Wattpad, but I had little chance of people not liking it and finding it too boring.

So I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to the next parts of the chapters that are coming.

[moonlitfirefly]

“PETERS PROJECTION MAP

Maps not only represent the world, they shape the way we see it. The revolutionary Peters Projection map presents countries in their true proportion to one another: it has been adopted by the UN, aid agencies, schools and businesses around the world.

WHAT IS THE PETERS MAP

The Peters World Map is an Equal Area cylindrical projection with standard parallels at 45 degrees thus resulting in a distortion of shape which is stretched about the equator and squashed towards the poles, but having the great advantage that all countries are correct in size in relation to each other. Widely used in educational and business circles as an icon of the modern concept of world equality.

THE HISTORY

Traditional map projections, of which the Mercator is one example, have tended to show countries incorrectly in proportion to one another, exaggerating the size of high latitude countries such as Canada and making tropical regions such as Africa appear much too small. Mercator’s projection was designed in the 16th century for navigational use but was adopted, inappropriately, for use as a world reference map. Most alternative projections now in use, such as Robinson, Van der Grinten, or Eckert IV, still do not preserve the quality of ‘equal area’. The Peters map, the work of the German historian Arno Peters, provides a helpful corrective to the distortions of traditional maps. While the Peters projection map is superior in its portrayal of proportions and sizes, its importance goes far beyond questions of cartographic accuracy – it challenges our view of the world.

CHARACTERISTICS

EQUAL AREA

The map shows all areas – whether countries, continents or oceans – according to their actual size. Accurate comparisons become possible.

EQUAL AXIS

All North-South lines run vertically on this map. Thus, geographic points can be seen in their correct geographical relationship – northwest, northeast, southwest or southeast.

EQUAL POSITIONS

All East-West lines run parallel. Thus the relationship of any point on the map to its distance from the Equator or to the angle of the sun can easily be determined.

FAIRNESS TO ALL PEOPLES

By setting forth all countries in their true size and location, this map allows each one its actual position in the world.

In this complex and interdependent world, all people deserve the most accurate possible portrayal of their place in the world. The Peters Projection Map is that map for our time!”

[der-nacht-falter]

Life is a collection of art

A vibrant museum of art, that's how I've been viewing my life through Rotterdam's rose-colored glasses.

Let me take you through my digital journey in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where every corner tells us a tale. I promise you it'd be re(mark)able.

As I meandered through the collection of exquisitely beautiful artworks in Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen and marveled at its innovative design, I pictured myself as an independent artist at full liberty of sketching and sculpting every elements of my life however I see fit. Letting it come alive in their own lights.

#MarkeuNote:

- In reflecting Rotterdam's skyline in the soaring curved exterior, the idea is that as people look at The Depot, they see themselves.

- The Depot is equipped with an ultra-sustainable energy system and its own heat and cold storage. #HighTech #VeryCool

As I soar skywards in a glass elevator, an eclectic collection is visible from the six-storey atrium. Traversing, transparent staircases are meant to encourage visitors to explore beyond their comfort zones and discover new realms.

#MarkeuNote: Until 1984 Donald Judd limited his palette to the industrial colours of the materials he worked with. After he encountered the technique of enamelled aluminium in Switzerland, he made a series of coloured works like this (right pic). He sought combinations in the colours that were neither harmonious nor disharmonious. He looked for the multiple manifestations of the colour, without seeking to construct an aesthetic effect.

Wandering through the whimsical Cube Houses had me feeling like I was caught inside a living sculpture.

The whimsical architecture inspired me to embrace life’s unique shapes and dimensions, reminding me that I don’t have to fit into a fixed mold just to impress the passing eyes who cannot see past the shallow beauty.

#MarkeuNote: The Cube Houses (Piet Blom, 1978-1984) are part of the Blaakse Bos (Blaakse Wood) development which borders on the Laurenskwartier district and the Waterfront area. The architect wanted to design a kind of village within the city and saw the houses as trees and the whole area as a wood. The Cube Houses are tipped to one side as it were, making three sides face the ground and three face the sky.

I stood before the mirrored exterior of the Markthal and the Depot, and saw my own reflection amidst the beauty surrounding me. I took my own musings to heart: “Wander through life and adapt to every room you enter, but never forget who you truly are.”

My journey continued through the Horn of Plenty, a testament to the city’s artistic flair that left me in awe, and the Marten Toonder Monument, which connected me to the rich literary heritage woven into the urban landscape.

#MarkeuNote:

1. Horn of Plenty

When you wander amongst the market stands of Markthal, you have to look up to enjoy the massive artwork sprawled across the ceiling: the ‘Horn of Plenty’ by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. Boasted as a gigantic digital 'ceiling painting', the cornucopia is a colorful, but almost surreal still life, in which fruit, vegetables and flowers symbolize the enticements of paradise (and the Markthal itself).

2. Marten Toonder Monument

Created as a tribute to Dutch cartoonist Marten Toonder, the Toonder Monument is a whimsical commemoration of a legacy that continues to impact the culture of the Netherlands. Formally titled Homage Marten Toonder, the Toonder Monument honors the Rotterdam-born comic-book author who had a great influence on the Dutch language by introducing new words and expressions. Numerous characters in Toonder’s comics have their own peculiar dialect of Dutch, impacting the culture of the region and country in a profound manner. He has been recognized as the most well-known Dutch cartoonist.

Rotterdam, that was a blast. I'll wait for you to ring me back home. 📞

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.4 (after 1960)

1960 – At the Kasakela Chimpanzee Community in Tanzania, Dr. Jane Goodall observes chimpanzees creating tools, the first-ever observation in non-human animals. 1962 – The United States concludes Operation Fishbowl, its final above-ground nuclear weapons testing series, in anticipation of the 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. 1966 – The Arno River floods Florence, Italy, to a maximum depth of 6.7 m (22 ft), leaving thousands homeless and destroying millions of masterpieces of art and rare books. Venice is also submerged on the same day at its record all-time acqua alta of 194 cm (76 in). 1967 – Iberia Flight 062 crashes in Blackdown, West Sussex, killing all 37 people on board including British actress June Thorburn. 1970 – Vietnam War: The United States turns over control of the air base at Bình Thủy in the Mekong Delta to South Vietnam. 1970 – Salvador Allende takes office as President of Chile, the first Marxist to become president of a Latin American country through open elections. 1973 – The Netherlands experiences the first car-free Sunday caused by the 1973 oil crisis. Highways are used only by cyclists and roller skaters. 1979 – Iran hostage crisis: A group of Iranian college students overruns the U.S. embassy in Tehran and takes 90 hostages. 1980 – Ronald Reagan is elected as the 40th President of the United States, defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter. 1993 – China Airlines Flight 605, a brand-new 747-400, overruns the runway at Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport. 1995 – Israel-Palestinian conflict: Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated by an extremist Israeli. 2002 – Chinese authorities arrest cyber-dissident He Depu for signing a pro-democracy letter to the 16th Communist Party Congress. 2008 – Barack Obama becomes the first person of biracial or African-American descent to be elected as President of the United States. 2010 – Aero Caribbean Flight 883 crashes into Guasimal, Sancti Spíritus; all 68 passengers and crew are killed. 2010 – Qantas Flight 32, an Airbus A380, suffers an uncontained engine failure over Indonesia shortly after taking off from Singapore, crippling the jet. The crew manage to safely return to Singapore, saving all 469 passengers and crew. 2015 – A cargo plane crashes shortly after takeoff from Juba International Airport in Juba, South Sudan, killing at least 37 people. 2015 – A building collapses in the Pakistani city of Lahore resulting in at least 45 deaths and at least 100 injuries. 2020 – The Tigray War begins with Tigrayan rebels launching attacks on Ethiopian command centers.

[teecupangel]

Hey, so, assassins creed x Idols (Kpop?). From the comments of the other post I remember the band "Now United" where every member is from a different country, maybe it can be used as a concept for the band?, idk I'm just giving ideas but I really want to continue the idea of them as group bc I found it hilarious lmao.

I tried looking for the post where we talk about this but I can’t find it anymore TTATT

(Also, it’s kinda funny that I’m answering this ask now the same day I watched the last Hololive concert with my friend. What a coincidence lol)

So, first things first, since my idol era happened during the early 2000s with Jpop, I’m going to borrow the setup of Debut or Die for this one to make it feel more Kpop XD

First things first, we’ll set up what we need in the idol group:

Lead Vocalist

Sub Vocalist

Main Dancer

Lead Rapper

(there are other parts like “Face of the Group” or “Main Visual”… aka the most photogenic one, maybe even something like the group’s composer/lyricist if we want that)

Anyway, we’re focusing on those 4 because this is the formation for Desmond, Altaïr, Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton.

Okay, let’s be honest. We’re going to put Desmond in the lead vocalist part because it’s me XD

But, putting him as sub vocalist would be a random reference to the fact that Desmond’s voice actor, Nolan North, sang the sub vocalist part of Saint Row IV’s Opposite Attract singalong scene

(this also help show how high Nolan North can sing I guess?)

Also, also, Ratonhnhaké:ton has to be the lead vocalist. His voice actor, Noah Watts, has a 13+ min video showing why Ratonhnhaké:ton should be the lead vocalist.

Altaïr would be the main dancer because I like the idea of Ezio being the main rapper and Altaïr’s body build would make him a good dancer.

So our final setup would be

Ratonhnhaké:ton – Lead Vocalist and Maknae (the youngest by one year)

Desmond – Sub Vocalist and the reluctant leader

Altaïr – Main Dancer and maybe their dance coordinator?

Ezio – Lead Rapper and Face of the Group + Main Visual

Now, I think you asked what Edward’s part will be?

Normally I would say Edward can a retired idol turned into this group’s manager but let’s fuck with the timeline and make everyone around the same ages and turn this into…

ACB48

hehehehe

(for those wondering, this is a reference to one of the longest idol group in Japan, AKB48)

So Desmond’s group would be part of ACB48 together.

Other groups include:

A group composed of Edward, Arno, Evie and Jacob (fans jokingly calls them the Hundred Years War Group)

A group composed of Shao Jun, Arbaaz Mir, Nikolai Orelov and Aguilar de Nerha.

A group composed of Kassandra, Alexios, and the twins Eivor and Havi.

A group composed of Bayek, Aya and Basim.

(Modern Assassins will be assistants or managers. Other historical Assassins can have their own group: like maybe Malik and Federico with their own group??? An all girls group of Claudia, Mary Read, Anne Bonny (even if she's not really an Assassin), María, Rebekah and Roshan)

And, of course, one of their rival idol group is made of Haytham Kenway, Shay Cormac (who was once part of ACB48), Daniel Cross and Maria Thorpe. (The CEO of their company is Warren Vidic)

Since they’re all of similar ages (around late teens early to mid twenties), Edward and Haytham are brothers and Ratonhnhaké:ton is their half-brother. Whether they’re cousins with Ezio is up to you.

[mariacallous]

On Saturday afternoon in Magdeburg a man stood outside Johanniskirche (St John’s church), contemplating a lake of candles, flowers and soft toys. Then he loudly voiced his disbelief. “And then they say he supported the AfD. As if. You just can’t believe the media any more.”

People had gathered here to mourn. The photo of a dead nine-year-old boy was being shown around. Used rescue blankets piled up at the roadside as police guarded the now empty market.

St John’s, the oldest church in the city, now deconsecrated, has a special place in the hearts of Magdeburgers. We, even as atheists, mark important family events there: it is where I had my formal, secular, coming of age ceremony – just like many others in this part of eastern Germany do. But after Friday night, this place, just metres away from the scene of the attack, carries a new scar.

That evening, a man drove an SUV into the nearby Christmas market, killing five people and injuring 200.

Magdeburg is, naturally, still in shock. The Christmas market was a popular meeting place in a city that lost its historical core in the second world war and got rebuilt as a rather airy, wide-open space. The angry man at St John’s church echoed how its people struggle to make sense of this violence – and especially of what has become known about the attacker since.

Once the suspect’s nationality became public, representatives of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland wasted no time. While Magdeburg’s mayor, Simone Borris, could not hold back tears during a Friday night press statement, the AfD declared that an attack like this would have not happened before 2015, the year of the big migrant surge. There were calls for “consequences” and blame for the ruling parties.

As details emerged about him, however, the image of Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old Saudi, became more blurry. The psychiatrist arrived in Germany in 2006 and was later granted political asylum which – in theory – makes him one of the very few “truly vulnerable” people that even AfD-hardliners have claimed they would allow into the country.

But Abdulmohsen appears to have been a prolific activist who posted various crude theories on his X account. A recurring theme there was open sympathy for the AfD and its anti-Islamic and anti-migrant stance. Some AfD politicians have called mentions of these claims a “morally reprehensible abuse” of the attack to undermine the party’s chances in federal elections in February.

But politics are at play and even as AfD officials laid down wreaths at St John’s the party’s MEP Arno Bausemer called for “remigration”, a far-right concept to push migrants out of the country. An AfD rally and a silent march announced for Monday night will be a familiar sight.

Over the past nine years I’ve witnessed the AfD repeatedly taking to the streets of my home town. From early on it has managed to draw crowds of 1,000 people or more. The topics they have rallied around have varied over the years, but the noise they make has only got more radical. On one occasion in 2023, at a gathering labelled a “peace rally”, a prominent speaker declared: “When we have a government that wages war against us, then we wage war against this government.” He was talking about Germany’s support for Ukraine.

Initially, the rallies helped the then freshly formed party gain a shocking 24.3% in the 2016 state election. Today the AfD is the only serious challenger of the governing conservatives, but still, at a local level, it sticks to the groundwork. When – during the Covid pandemic – authorities tried to suppress semi-spontaneous mass demonstrations for public health reasons it was the AfD that offered cover through their own rallies – and presented themselves as troubleshooters both on the streets and in online chat groups. The rise of Covid conspiracy theorists seemed secondary at that time.

In working-class cities such as Magdeburg and even more so in smaller towns, this continuous offline presence offers a chance to recreate something historically rare in the former East Germany: identity via party affiliation. The far-right party also capitalises on a certain kind of scepticism towards authorities and media that many supporters claim is a legacy of their German Democratic Republic past. The AfD’s more extreme positions are often either ignored, downplayed or celebrated.

Two stabbings in the west German cities of Mannheim and Solingen propelled previous AfD campaigns. Now, after Magdeburg, the party leader, Alice Weidel, can set the tone for her’s. The AfD lead candidate for the national elections has recently been attempting to rebrand the party’s image in a Marine Le Pen-like fashion.

Weidel’s most recent statement does not focus on the suspected Magdeburg attacker’s background but on the role of the authorities who seem to have ignored more than one warning before the attack.

Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, an AfD politician in the Saxony-Anhalt region (of which Magdeburg is the capital), may take a different approach. On Facebook, Tillschneider called for a “roll-back of globalised migration flows” to fight the arrival of those who are “culturally other”. No word from him on how the AfD might have influenced Abdulmohsen.

But Magdeburg is already finding other ways to mourn. On Saturday evening local people gathered in the gothic cathedral for a commemoration service. “It’s like darkness falling,” said Friedrich Kramer, a bishop of the Evangelical Church. Outside, thousands of Magdeburgers listened silently. Kramer had a message for them. “Don’t open your heart to hate speech and violence, but keep it generous.”

I have seen enough of how the AfD operates on the ground to know they will not only platform grief and incomprehension but also anger to their advantage. I’ve watched the city being turned into a training ground for the party’s mass mobilisation.

Just a few blocks aways from where the bishop was urging restraint, hundreds attended a demo organised by outright neo-Nazis. And migrant organisations reported a sudden increase in threats and insults against people in Magdeburg who are presumed to be Arabs or Muslims.

[assassinschaoticcreed]

Ok, we got the modern Au

But do you have any other aus? If you do, I would love to hear them!

oooooo~

• I love a good fantasy AU: but like not all of them are humans. (these aren't specific to any games just a heads up)

I see Arno as a High Elf and Connor as a Woodland Elf.

Ezio and Desmond as Dragon Shapshifters: they tend to use their human appearance in public but if they are with friends, family or just relaxing they take on their Dragon forms. Ezio is a Giant Fire Dragon and Desmond is a Large Wyvern, hes got White and Red colors.

Altaïr is a Demon Shapshifter: he also prefers his human form if there are other humans around other than that he couldn't care less what people think of him.

Jacob & Evie are half elves, their father is human and their mother was a High Elf (I HC that it was frowned upon for humans and elves to be in a relationship let alone have kids so she was killed, and their father didnt want to raise them especially if it would make his image look bad). they tend to flock to Arno and Connor due to the elven blood in them. they both take the twins in, and when the twins ask specifically about High Elves, Arno is MORE than happy to educate them of their lineage.

Edward is a Zora-like Shapshifter: he's got gold and blue colors to him in his Zora-like form. this man doesn't come to shore often and even when he does he doesn't care what form hes in. if he's lazy it's the Zora-like, if he's looking for a lady friend he's human.

• I like an AU of the boys being Prince's of their respected countries.

• the boys with Modern Day Jobs:

Arno is a Cafe owner and writes storylines for plays & movies, also has a Masters Degree in Archaeology. (has several branches in different countries)

Ezio is a Banker like his dad (CEO) and a part time Model.

Desmond owns his own bar, and be bartends there. he also has a few different branches in the U.S. he has a Bachelors in Accounting though, was going to work for the Auditores but changed careers.

Altaïr has a doctrate degree in Astronomy and Philosophy. he's a Professor for both at a University.

Edward is a Marine Technician.

Connor is an Architect, he builds what he comes up with too. the jack of all trades.

Jacob is a High School History Teacher, I just think that it suits him for some reason.

Evie was a kindergarten teacher, she ended up transferring later on to a first grade teacher though since she felt like she got to spend more time with the kids and teach them more.

• I also like the idea of the boys being streamers, Altaïr & Connor are the ones always having Scuffs. it makes me laugh thinking of all the content they make together or in pairs, depending on who's up for it at the time.

[darkmaga-returns]

German carmaker Volkswagen has been forced to consider plant closures, termination of employee protections agreed with unions, and other cost-cutting measures amid surging energy prices, increasingly stiff competition from China, and European Union policy decisions that have stripped the company of its competitive advantage.

Battered by shrinking sales, Volkswagen is asking its workers to agree to a 10% pay cut and revised bonus system.

The beleaguered German automotive giant contends that such drastic cost-cutting measures are the only way to avoid shutting down factories and retain competitive status.

The carmaker’s proposals were hailed as a “first small signal” of progress in negotiations by Daniela Cavallo, the automaker’s top labor leader. However, she added that shuttering plants isn’t completely off the table.

Volkswagen eyes plant closures in Germany as country’s economy sabotaged by US Volkswagen is considering its first ever German plant closures in the company’s 87-year history as the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline and US-backed sanctions on Russian gas continue to wreak… pic.twitter.com/dzRYLHEgWQ— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) September 3, 2024

Overall, VW is considering more than 10 billion euros ($10.8 billion) in cost cuts, according to its finance chief Arno Antlitz.

Volkswagen’s next round of talks with labor unions is set for November 21. Failing further breakthroughs, strikes are likely from December 1.