#But I do think a side-effect of speaking of them collectively is that it tends to generalize their experiences in a way that

[wonder-worker]

"Alice Perrers was perceived by her contemporaries to be an uncrowned queen and through an analysis of her activities it is clear she was able to utilise the practical benefits of queenship for her own ends. However, by taking on the mantle of queenship Alice fundamentally corrupted the sovereignty and kingship of Edward III. First, by her aggressively political behaviour she became the threat at the heart of the power structure that the gendered constructions of queenship were supposed to remove from a consort. Second, by taking on the practical aspects of queenship she inherently undermined the ideological role of queenship, both by the simple fact that she was a mistress and not a queen, and even more so because of her behaviour. The problems Alice caused and how she was perceived were amplified in contrast to the [...] demeanour of Philippa, who was widely respected and much loved by the people. Just as queens in their exalted position were ‘lightning rods’ for ideas about women and female power, so was Alice because of her proximity to the king."

-Laura Tompkins, The uncrowned queen: Alice Perrers, Edward III and political crisis in fourteenth-century England, 1360-1377 (Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2013)

"Alice's expansion of her power through the office of queenship was problematic for a number of reasons. First, while the queen’s power was legitimised by her marriage to the king and her coronation, Alice’s power was not formalised in this way and consequently would have been regarded as illegitimate. Second, she was not the right type of woman to share in the king’s dignity. She was not noble, she was not chaste and she was not virtuous. Instead, she was a low-born London widow and a businesswoman. Consequently, we find Alice being discussed in the language and stereotypes of queenship, but in a rather negative light. For example, while queens are routinely described as noble, beautiful and virtuous regardless of what they actually looked like, Walsingham is quick to emphasise that Alice was of low birth, and that, almost implied as a consequence, she ‘was not attractive or beautiful’. While we do not know what Alice looked like it seems unlikely that Edward III would have taken and kept her as a mistress for so long if she had been physically repellent. Third, and most significantly, not only was Alice an inappropriate mistress exercising illegitimate power, but she also broke all of the gendered rules that queenship was constructed around, inverting the ideal form of queenship to her advantage."

[samwisethewitch]

Two Banishing Powders from a Southern Folk Witch

In Southern folk magic, the formula used for a banishing spell varies a little bit based on whether you want to banish an actual person (basically getting them to leave you alone) or a spirit/energy/abstract concept.

Banishing formulas for getting rid of living people tend to focus on causing irritation and discomfort to get someone to leave, which may be less effective if they don't have a physical body. Banishing formulas for spirits/energy are more about deep cleansing and making the space inhospitable for undesirable spirits. The herbs and minerals a practitioner might reach for are different in these two situations.

Below are two all-purpose banishing formulas from my practice: one for living people, and one for spirits.

GTFO Powder

For getting rid of unwanted (living) people.

You will need:

The spiciest red pepper flakes/powder you can find (If you like spicy food, use something so hot you can't eat it in large amounts. I like spice and I use Szechuan pepper flakes, but cayenne will work, especially if you know the person you want to banish doesn't like any spice at all in their food. Discomfort is the goal here.)

Black pepper (Used here to cause mild inconvenience/discomfort/bad luck)

Salt (Good, old fashioned banishing)

(Optional) dried, crumbled wasps nest*

(Optional) dirt from the side of a busy road or highway**

*This is actually much easier to find than you'd think, but be careful not to get stung! This is a traditional ingredient in Southern folk magic because wasps are known for how viciously they protect their homes. Fair warning: this is a mean ingredient (since its purpose is to cause pain/discomfort), so I'll leave it up to you whether to include it or not. If you're dealing with a stalking or abuse situation, wasps nest can give you the extra oomph you need to help keep the abuser from returning.

**Only include this if you're trying to make someone physically leave your space or relocate to a different geographical area. And PLEASE be careful collecting this dirt! My advice is to try to collect it during a less busy time of day and to stay several feet away from the actual road.

How to Use It:

When you mix up this powder, speak over it and state your intention. You can enchant this powder for all-purpose banishing, or you could mix up a batch to banish a specific person. Either way, it is important that you tell the powder what it is meant to do. I like to speak directly to the spirits in the powder and ask them for their help.

Traditionally, you would use this powder by sprinkling some in your target's shoes, but that isn't always possible. You can use it in poppet spells by adding it to the feet of the poppet for the same effect. You can also use it to dress candles, add it to jar spells, or incorporate it into other types of banishing spells. Warning: do not burn this powder, as it can cause irritation or injuries to the lungs.

If you need to get rid of a specific person, you'll want to customize the powder to only work on them. The easiest way to do this is with a taglock (an item that has a physical connection to the target). Some of their hair would be ideal, but you can also use a photo of them or even a piece of paper with their name and address written on it, like you were addressing a letter. You'll want to burn the taglock to ash, then mix this ash into the powder. Make sure you burn it outside, because the smoke will be unpleasant.

You can use this powder to keep someone away from your home or another building by sprinkling a line of it across all entrances to the building. If you do this, make sure you've customized the powder for that person with the method above -- otherwise you may accidentally banish ALL visitors.

Ghost-Be-Gone Powder

For getting rid of unwanted spirits or psychic energy. Can also be used to banish non-physical things, like an illness or a bad habit.

You will need:

Asafoetida*

Salt (Again, used here for good, old fashioned banishing)

Garlic (You know how garlic is supposed to repel vampires? That's basically what it's doing here.)

Rosemary (Used for cleansing and banishing)

(Optional) dirt from a church, temple, or other place of worship**

*Honestly, I've used asafoetida by itself for banishing and gotten really good results. This is definitely the Big Daddy of cleansing herbs in Southern folk magic. You can usually find this in international grocery stores or get it online for fairly cheap, and it's one of the few herbs I think are worth going out of your way to get. Warning: a lot of people complain about the smell of asafoetida, but it honestly just smells like a stronger, more pungent garlic to me so your mileage may vary.

**While dirt from a church is traditional, use something tied to a religion YOU believe in. If you aren't Christian, don't use church dirt. For myself, I might use dirt from the Wiccan temple near my home or from another pagan holy site. The point here is to call on your personal spiritual allies for help. If you are an atheist or agnostic, just leave the dirt out entirely.

How to Use It:

When you mix up this powder, speak over it and state your intention. You can enchant this powder for all-purpose banishing, or you could mix up a batch to banish a specific spirit. Either way, it is important that you tell the powder what it is meant to do. I like to speak directly to the spirits in the powder and ask them for their help.

To use this powder to remove a spirit from your home, use it to clean your floors. You can sprinkle it on the floor, let it sit for a few minutes, and then sweep or vacuum it up.

I don't recommend burning this powder as incense, but you can use it in spells. You can place a ring of it around the base of a black candle or add some to a jar spell, for example. You can also use this to cast a circle around your spellwork if you want to protect it from interference in the spiritual realm.

A Note on Cultural Appropriation

Every time I post some of the more folksy parts of my practice online, I get asked whether it's okay for others to use these spells. Specifically, people want to know if these spells come from a closed tradition or if they have to live in the South to use them.

The folk magic tradition I practice is not tied to any closed cultural practice. I will never post anything from a closed practice online. So yes, you can use these powders no matter who you are or where you are from. You don't have to live in the South or be from the South to practice Southern folk magic, but you will get more out of your practice if you have a connection to the region.

On a related note: some of y'all may have noticed that these powders are similar to formulas used in Hoodoo. The GTFO Powder specifically is very similar to Hotfoot Powder, which is used for a similar purpose in Hoodoo. Hoodoo is a semi-closed African-American tradition that is typically passed down in families or communities. When I post about my practice, I do occasionally get comments accusing me of appropriating from Hoodoo.

Here's the thing: my practice does have some overlap with Hoodoo, because I am in the same geographical region and part of the same regional culture that Hoodoo comes from. Over hundreds of years, ideas get exchanged across racial and cultural lines. Just like some elements of Hoodoo come from European traditions, some elements of white folk magic in the South come from African roots. It's not appropriation -- it's a natural result of living in multicultural communities.

All of this is just to say, what I do is not Hoodoo, but I think of my tradition and Hoodoo as cousins. There's some shared DNA, but also a lot of differences. How I do things might look similar to how a Hoodoo practitioner does them, but the theory or exact ritual process may be different.

[mytheoristavenue]

Hello, I was just thinking about your alt band au for mha and I wanted to ask, do you headcanon the guys as sounding like any particular artists? I recall one of your posts stating that they each do vocals to some degree, so I was wondering if you had any thoughts about specific singers or songs that you feel would match their voices/vocal styles.

I've been so excited to answer this! I was actually planning to post about this soon anyways!

Fallen Angels!AU Voice Claims HCs

Summary: Musicians that the guys sound like or are inspired by, as well as their tastes in music!

Warnings: Mentions of music about sex/drugs, mentions of late musicians

Fumikage Tokoyami:

🎤 Of the three, Tokoyami has the deepest voice, speaking and singing wise. However, Shoji's voice goes deeper, but he can't hold lower notes as consistantly as Toko can.

🎤 His voice is increadibly clear and smooth. He lacks the same gravel that the tohers have, but their fans adore him for it. He holds long, passionate notes that taste like melted chocolate.

🎤 Toko is a classically trained baritone, and tends to take his biggest vocal inspirations from many who are as well, though it isn't a requirement. These include but are not limited to Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria, Amy Lee of Evanescence, and David Draiman of Disturbed.

🎤 As for who he actually sounds like, his voice has been compared to that of Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace more than anyone else. He has also been told he sounds like Benjamin Burnley of Breaking Benjamin. On the tracks that Ojiro takes the lead and Tokoyami raps, he takes after Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and Fort Minor.

🎸 When it comes to guitar, he's increadibly well rounded, being able to play accousitc, electric, and bass with not only ease but extreme skill. He perfers electric most, just because it's what's easiest to sing with and it garners him the most attention.

🎸 Has a massive guitar collection and is VERY particular about his instruments. Nearly everyone he uses on stage after the hit it big is custom made and he chooses a few to take on tour with him so none of them get too used. His favorite two are a red flying V electric that fades to black at the tips, and a black bass with indigo feathers airbrushed up the side.

🎸 When it comes to inspirations, he craves complicated solos, and looks to Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria and James Hetfield of Metallica. Though Tokoyami isn't as into classic rock as Shoji is, he has taken a liking to the dramatic solos that Metallica is known for, and he's caught himself staying up for days trying to learn riffs like 'Welcome Home', by Coheed and Cambria.

🎧 Out of the three of them, Tokoyami enjoys the heaviest music and the darkest themes. He's a bit of a gatekeeper when it comes to bands he likes, so he'll for sure make sure he knows all their most underground songs. He likes raw, unfiltered anger and emotion in his music. He's not particularly interested in the 'sex, drugs' and rock n' roll' type of lifestyle, so it doesn't interest his taste in music either. He prefers depressing, thought-provoking lyrics, but he can overlook vulgar words if he likes the instrumentals.

🎧 Ranging from heaviest to lightest, his preferences are:

Rammstein

Rob Zombie

Coheed and Cambria

Three Days Grace

Skillet

Breaking Benajim

Flyleaf

Evanessance

Paramore

Mezo Shoji:

🎤 Shoji actually has the highest voice in the group, but Ojiro is a very close second. He also has a surprising range, dipping even lower than Tokoyami's with the same high note limit as Ojiro. His voice has significant gravel, even in his normal speaking voice.

🎤 Because of his quirk, he can duplicate more mouths for a small choir-like effect, which lets them all harmonize beautifully. It also makes their overall sound really unique and recognizable as the band tries to utilize Shoji for reprises, bridges, and choruses as often as possible.

🎤 They also like that they need to use less technical effects to match their studio recorded music while playing live because they don't have to record over their voices to get the effect like most other musicians. Shoji did it himself in the studio, and he loves doing it onstage even more.

🎤 Shoji doesn't tend to put much stock into who he wants to sound like, since he does the least amount of singing of the three. He mostly just repeats what the others say or gives background feedback. However, he is a big fan of classic rock and he really digs vocal twang. One of his biggest vocal inspirations is Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. He likes to practice calls and responses with himself, especially when he drums and Sweating Bullets is one of his favorite songs to do that to. Often times during downtime in rehearsal which Ojiro and Tokoyami are songwriting, Shoji starts in on the drums to the song saying: "Well me, it's nice talkin' to myself," with a big grin while one of his dupli-mouths says: "A credit to dementia."

🎤 As for what Shoji actually sounds like, he is perfect for that gravelly, cocky dad-rock vibe. He's been compared to Matt Walst of My Darkest Days and Three Days Grace, as well as Johnny Vanderhoven of Good with Grenades.

🥁 Just like with his vocals, Shoji takes full advantage of his quirk when it comes to drumming. He has an incredibly complex setup with multiple snares, kick drums, and symbols. He doesn't tend to you more than two pairs of sticks at a time so he can still sing, but for a few songs with especially complicated solos, he's been known to use up to three or even four.

🥁 Almost never uses the same pair of sticks twice. Not only does he lose them, but he snaps them very frequently. He keeps extra pairs near him, stuck in crevices between drums and stuck down the back of his shirt so he can toss the broken ones behind his head and reach back for new ones seamlessly. He also loves tossing them into the audience or giving them to cute groupies after shows.

🥁 He absolutely loves performing and all the attention that being a rockstar gets him. He was at first very reserved, but when he realized how many fans he- not just the band as a whole- had, he was instantly addicted to it. He contanstly shows off to his fans, spending his free time on the bus or backstage teaching himself tricks like twirling his sticks in his fingers.

🥁 Just like with vocals, he doesn't so much take inspiration from other drummers but, by far his favorite is Josh Eppard of Coheed and Cambria. He admires his skill and outlook on the rockstar life, and has spent weeks trying to learn certain parts in his songs.

🎧 Shoji really likes anything fun. He's not as stuck up about lyrics as Tokoyami and Ojiro are. He likes music about sex and drugs, even though he's not acutally that experienced in the former and would never be tempted with the latter. His playlist matches that of a divorced dad.

🎧 Ranging for heaviest to lightest, this is what he likes:

Rob Zombie

Megadeth

Metallica

Coheed and Cambria

Three Days Grace

Van Halen

K.I.S.S.

ACDC

My Darkest Days

Nickleback

Mashirao Ojrio:

🎤 Ojrio has the second highest voice in the group, after Shoji but he can hold high notes a lot longer than he can. He also has a really nice screaming voice that has a lot of passion behind it, and a significant gavel that gets raspier the louder he gets. When he's just casually singing or singing something other than rock, he has a really pretty, soothing voice.

🎤 Ojrio didn't sing at all at first seeing as Tokoyami was already the lead singer of the band, and Shoji can do backups with his quirk. But, when it was discovered how naturally talented he was, the others insisted he sing at least occasionally. Now, him and Tokoyami write at least two songs on every album where he takes the spotlight.

🎤 Despite being the lead singer on a few tracks, he still perfers to do duets with Tokoyami, because the thought of all the attention being on him scares him to bits. Though he'd never admit it, he does slowly begin to fall in love with the publicity off it all over time. He loves screaming a chorus and having the crowd echo it with just as much enthusiasm. And from the frint of the stage, he can see the audience better, its such a good time. He can't handle it all the time though, so he's content with his few minutes of fame before going back to the side lines.

🎤 His biggest inspirations, by far are Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons. Luckily for him, these are also the voices he's compared to most often. Ojrio has the skill of matching his voice extremely well to others', so with practice, he was able to make his voice similar to his inspirations.

🎸 Ojiro doesn't really take as much of an interest in inspiration when it comes to the instruments he plays, but as for bass, Tokoyami got him into the lighter side of Coheed and Cambria's music and he fell in love with Zach Zooper's style of playing immediately. He listened to 'Number City' relentlessly for days on repeat, obsessed with the basslines and trying to recreat them.

🎸 Though he doesn't use the skills much in the band, Ojiro can actually play quite a few string instruments including bass, acoustic, and electric guitar (though not as well as Tokoyami can), cello, violin, and banjo. He learned classical strings in elementary school where he was placed in an orchestra class. His mother wanted him to learn violin, but he always performed the cello, he was very talented with each, though. In middle school, he had a folk-rock phase where he became obsessed with Mumford and Sons. That led him to learning the banjo, which is his favorite instrument by far.

🎧 Ojrio has by far the lightest taste in music of the three, perferring softer, catchier tunes with deeper meanings behind the lyrics. He likes songs that make him think about real world problems and make him feel empowered to face them at the same time.

🎧 From heaviest to lightest, his favorite bands are:

Coheed and Cambria

Three Days Grace

Breaking Benjamin

Poor Man's Poison

Linkin Park

Of Monsters and Men

Mumford and Sons

Fish in a Birdcage

Hozier

So sorry this took so long to finish! I wanted to think each one of them out heavily since this is one of the first big things I've posted for the AU! I'm always excited to talk about this AU so if anyone has any questions please drop them in my inbox!

[crowfeatherd]

deep dive character sheet

stolen from: old dash game from TOA tagging: you!

NAME: MOZE

BODY

height: 180cm / 5′ 11

strength ★★★☆☆ (he's muscular and well-built but not a powerhouse / relies on the element of surprise)

dexterity ★★★★★

health ★★★★☆ (one good thing that came out of his time with the disciples of sanctus medicus is that the experiments fixed his congenital defects and practically superboosted his immunity)

energy ★★★★☆ (doesn't have as much as feixiao but he can at least keep up)

beauty ★★★★☆ (conventionally attractive and nice to look at, but moze is entirely oblivious to this)

style ☆☆☆☆☆ (boy does not even brush his hair)

hygiene ★★★★★ (obsession with cleanliness is likely a trauma response)

SKILLS

perception ★★★★★

communication ★☆☆☆☆ (he gets one star because when he DOES communicate, he's usually do the point; but getting him to share his ideas is a challenge in itself)

persuasion ★★★☆☆ (insofar as a knife is persuasive)

mediation ★★★★☆ (moze does seem to frequently play the mediator between jiaoqiu and feixiao)

literacy ★★★☆☆

creativity ★★☆☆☆ (has a very rigid and superficial way of thinking)

cooking ★★★☆☆ (learned from jiaoqiu how to make food that's edible and filling should he find himself without the good doctor for a while, but would otherwise prefer jiaoqiu to cook)

tech savvy ★★★☆☆

combat ★★★★★ (born and raised for battle)

survival ★★★★★ (protects himself first and foremost)

stealth ★★★★★

street smarts ★★★☆☆ (he'd probably not fall for a scam but he'd fumble anything that required being indirect or talking in code)

seduction ★☆☆☆☆ (lmao)

luck ★★★☆☆

handling animals ★★★☆☆

pacifying children ★★☆☆☆ (people who tend to think in simpler terms usually are pretty decent with children)

MIND

intelligence ★★★☆☆ (generally speaking, he's good at figuring things out with his hands but can be otherwise rigid and simpleminded)

happiness ★★★☆☆ (generally speaking)

spirituality ★☆☆☆☆

confidence ★★★★★ (he knows what he's good at and what he's bad at)

humor ★★★★☆ (moze does have a sense of humor, albeit an incredibly dry one, that he uses to lighten the mood or smooth things over)

anxiety ★☆☆☆☆

patience ★★★☆☆

passion ★☆☆☆☆ (he's still looking for something to give his life meaning)

nice         ☆☆★☆☆ mean

brave       ★☆☆☆☆ cowardly (bravery goes hand-in-hand with his confidence)

pacifist     ☆☆☆★☆ violent (his whole life is colored by violence and blood)

thoughtful ☆★☆☆☆ impulsive 

agreeable ☆☆☆★☆ contrary (as we see in the shackling prison quest, moze loves to be contrary for the sake of it)

idealistic   ☆☆☆☆★ pragmatic

frugal        ★☆☆☆☆ big spender

extrovert   ☆☆☆☆★ introvert (an introvert who likes to be around his people but would rather do so quietly)

collected   ☆☆★☆☆ wild (once a feral child, always a little bit of a feral child)

ambitious / possessive / stubborn / jealous / decisive / perfectionist

SOCIAL

charisma ☆☆☆☆☆ (he is famously Not)

empathy ★★★☆☆ (while not very good at communicating, empathy fuels much of his actions with feixiao and jiaoqiu)

generosity ★★☆☆☆

wealth ★★★★★ (I assume retainers of an Alliance general are pretty well off)

honest  ★☆☆☆☆ deceptive (to a fault, one might argue)

leader   ☆☆☆☆★ follower

polite    ☆☆☆☆★  rude (rude in the sense that he's blunt, direct, and doesn't really follow social etiquette)

political ☆☆☆★☆ indifferent (feixiao's causes are moze's causes but he still views them like a job / requirement than something he's internalized)

BELIEFS

higher power ★★☆☆☆ (his time with the disciples has made him disillusioned with the aeons)

fate/destiny ★★☆☆☆ (doesn't think about it much)

magic ★★★★★

soulmates ☆☆☆☆☆

good and evil ★☆☆☆☆

luck ★☆☆☆☆

PRIORITIES

family ★★★★★ (feixiao and jiaoqiu are his everything)

friends ★★★★☆ (doesn't have many but does seem to value them)

love ☆☆☆☆☆

home ★★★★☆ (home is wherever feixiao and jiaoqiu are)

health ★★☆☆☆

praise ★★★☆☆ (he is not immune to someone being impressed by him)

justice ★☆☆☆☆

truth ☆☆☆☆☆

power ★☆☆☆☆ (likes it as a side effect, but doesn't pursue it)

fame ☆☆☆☆☆

wealth ★☆☆☆☆

others' opinions ★☆☆☆☆ (only very specific people matter to him)

[nickeverdeen]

Hehehe could I get an Arcane and/or Nimona matchup😋 I’mma yap a lot so prepare LMAOO

My name is Kathryn (or Kat for short) and I'm in school for graphic design and communications - I originally wanted to go into cosmetology to become a desairologist, but I didn't get in. I play piano, dance (hip hop, ballet, tap, and jazz), and sing. I also produce my own music.

Idk how to classify my style so I'lI say it alternates between morute, gloomy coquette, dollette, gothic, and alternative. I also lean heavily towards the feminine side of the spectrum.

I practice witchcraft and l'm also a Christian. I have a weird fascination with dolls and I collect them, specifically porcelain dolls. Like, it's so bad LMAO my friends are scared to come into my room atp!!! Literally I'm probs on someone's rob list I have one worth $400😭🙏

I also collect vinyls. I have over $600 worth of them save me…

Some of my favorite music artists are Bambi Baker, Melanie Martinez, Solya, Elita, Ha Vay, Baby Bugs, and Mercy Necromancy. I also like a lot of rock; AC/DC, Scene Queen, Delilah Bon, BANSHEE, Gurldoll, Ashnikko (she's sometimes rock), and Ennaria

I suppress literally everything until I just burst and it’s been building for two years now so uh yay😍

My humor’s honestly really weird. I can laugh at bread falling but find a really good dad joke stupid and unfunny. I also tend to match the personality of the person I'm speaking to. I’ve also been told I’m really great at comfort but I don’t know about that. A lot of people confide in me with their problems. Like a lot..🥲 not that I mind, it just gets a bit tiring

I’m more attracted to masc leaning people but I’ve also dated fems before. It doesn’t really matter to me as long as we have chemistry, but I do find myself eyeing a lot more masculine girls.. I’m kind of attracted to men, but not a whole lot.

I also don’t like touch unless I’ve known the person for at least 6 months or I initiate it. I’ve had multiple breakdowns because someone who wasn’t a “safe person” touched me without giving any warning…… I tense up MASSIVELY when someone hugs me even if I know they’re going to. The only people that don’t have that effect on me are my best friend (who I’ve known for 4 years) and my dad.

I took a state personality test and I’m exactly 50% INFP and 50% INFJ. Legit confused the test and it gave me both💀

Im diagnosed with anxiety & depression. I've been told I might have OCD, BPD and some sort of depersonalization/derealization disorder.

I believe I could have autism or ADHD. I also have heavy hallucinations that can last either 30 minutes or 2 weeks. I have major mood swings too. One minute I can literally be bouncing up and down while wanting to blow something up and then the next I’ll be crying on the floor😭

Aaanyway I think that’s enough of me yapping have a great day babes<3

Your Arcane match is…

Caitlyn Kiramman

Caitlyn would love discussing your music collection, especially rock and alternative genres

It may not seem like it, but she has a soft spot for underground bands and loves discovering new music

Caitlyn’s patient and empathetic nature makes her a great listener, offering comfort and understanding when you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious

She’d be your rock during your mood swings

Provides a calming presence and helpes you through tough moments with patience and care

Caitlyn respects your need for personal space and takes care not to touch you without permission, understanding the importance of consent and comfort

Caitlyn would plan unique and adventurous dates, like exploring hidden spots in Piltover or attending underground music gigs

She herself would maybe prefer a classic restaurant one, but when she tried this she prefered this

Caitlyn would like your unique style and often compliment your outfits, even suggesting accessories or outfits that might suit your aesthetic

She’d be a bit unsure and creeped out by the doll thing, though

Caitlyn would silently encourage you to express your emotions and not suppress them

Caitlyn’s love for photography would complement your graphic design skills, and you’d often collaborate on creative projects

She would cherish quiet, quality time with you

Whether it’s listening to music together, having deep conversations, or simply enjoying each other’s company

Your Nimona match is…

Nimona

Nimona’s playful nature would match your quirky humor

She’d often make you laugh with her antics and shapeshifting abilities

Nimona would love going on spontaneous adventures with you, whether it’s exploring new places or trying out new activities

Nimona’s fierce loyalty means she’d be incredibly protective of you, always ready to stand up for you if anyone tried to harm or disrespect you

Nimona would appreciate your artistic talents and often encourage you to express yourself through your art and music

Her unconventional ways of comforting might seem odd, but they’d always make you feel better, like turning into a cute animal to cheer you up

Slowly she would learn to respect your boundaries over time, ensuring she doesn’t touch you without your consent

Nimona would love discovering new music with you and often play your favorite songs during your adventures together

Despite her tough exterior, Nimona has a deep understanding of emotions and would be there for you during your highs and lows

Nimona’s idea of a date would be anything but ordinary – from sneaking into restricted areas to watching thunderstorms from a safe spot

She’d like your unique style and individuality, often praising your confidence

[everlasting-elegy]

how would the brothers treat reader's little sister when they have to bring their sister to the devildom? and the sister hates them and doesn't trust them because theyre demons.

I have spent so long just cackling at this prompt it’s so funny I LOVE THIS IDEA ANON (even though this has been sitting in my inbox for almost a year WHOOPS)

I’m also presuming MC’s little sibling is SUPER young, like 5 years old in this-

Asmodeus, Belphegor, Leviathan and Mammon with MC’s Little Sibling Who Hates Demons

Genre: Fluff, Comedy Word Count: 1.3k A/N: Experimenting with formatting~ Checked out the posts on my phone and realised everything looked MASSIVE-

Asmodeus

Asmodeus’ appearance has a bewitching effect on your sibling. Although they’re terrified of demons and well aware that Asmo is one, they’re naturally enthralled by his beauty at a distance

But the instant Asmo closes in, they're crying, running away from the Avatar of Lust and taking Asmo’s pride along with them. He’s absolutely devastated and now he’s crying too-

Unfortunately for your sibling, anyone who doesn’t love Asmo is considered an outlier and Asmo will do anything in his power to rectify that. He showers them with little toys, dolls, play makeup and the like so that they at least associate good things with him but it still doesn’t work

He’s been tempted to just charm your sibling on multiple occasions so that they’d like him. But every time he tries, he sees you standing menacingly in the corner, staring daggers into his figure… so he figures that idea is probably off the table

Asmodeus tends to go all out, he doesn’t slowly introduce your sibling into demonic qualities, he just walks around flaunting off his demonic form, he has no concept of moderation. Miraculously, it works. After a few times of your little sibling running to you in tears, they’re now indifferent to Asmo’s alternate form and just run towards him with grabby hands

Naturally as the Avatar of Lust has set his eyes on you, Asmo does all he can to be the best parental figure, always speaking boisterously of how much he's done for your sibling whenever you’re in earshot so that you’d view him in a positive light. Can’t you see just how well he matches with your family? Don’t you think he’d be such an excellent partner?

Don’t be fooled by his supposedly impulsive words though, Asmo keeps by his word and goes above and beyond for your sibling. If you ever leave your sibling in his care, not even a single hair on their head will be out of place when you return

Belphegor

Oh, you have some tiny little relative? Great, keep it away from him. Belphegor couldn’t care less about them

At the start, Belphie was unbearable when it came to your sibling. How dare this thing dare interrupt your time with him? No, he doesn’t care that you two are siblings, you and he are closer than that, right?

Belphie knew his appearance frightened your poor younger relative and he took advantage of that to the fullest. He has no qualms strutting to you in his demon form to make your little sibling cry and run away so that he can have all of your attention

The seventh born will absolutely throw a tantrum if he finds your little sibling tugging at your pants, asking for you to join them for nap time. The world of dreams is his domain and one of his favourite ways to spend time with you and now this little brat is taking your collective alone time away from him?

He’ll only stop his antics once you confront him. He’s a demon. Unless his actions goes against your wishes, he’ll simply keep making your sibling’s life a living hell until they know to shoo

Despite this, he always been like a house cat in how he shows fondness towards your sibling. He’ll grumble and whine about how annoying your sibling is, yet whenever you check in on them you’re bound to find Belphie hovering around the area, sometimes lazing on the opposite side of the room with an eye on them

Belphie easily slips into the teasing older brother role. He doesn’t mollycoddle your sibling but he’s always watching over them and ready to swoop in if any other demons give them a hard time

He’ll never vocalise how your little sibling grew on him. But actions speak louder than words, and when you head up to the attic one day to see your sibling snuggled in his arms for an afternoon nap, you can’t help but smile. They seem to have made amends~

Leviathan

Leviathan panics. They’re even smaller and unpredictable than Luke. They’re terrified of him and he’s terrified of them- no, MC don’t leave yet, Leviathan has no idea what to do! At least tell him they like anime, maybe they can bond over that? Are they even old enough to know what anime is?!

It’s pure awkwardness between the two when you first introduced them. They were standing on opposite sides of the room when you left for fifteen minutes and when you came back they somehow seemed to be even further apart?

Thankfully, your little sibling does seem to recognise some of the anime covers and figurines in Levi’s room. However, they call them ‘cartoons’ and it takes all of Levi’s self control not to correct them

The two eventually end up bonding through parallel play. As Leviathan works tirelessly for hours on a new cosplay, your little sibling will be eyeing him before joining in and trying to make some fabric creation of their own. Otherwise they’re just silently doing their own things in proximity to each other, no word being exchanged for hours between them but they’re getting along all the same

Levi also appreciates how good of a listener your sibling is… technically. As he starts rambling about his latest franchise obsession your sibling is silent in all of it. His words are likely going in one ear and out the other but it’s no problem, he shall enlighten them to the existence of Ruri-chan at a young age!

As much as he loves your little sibling, Levi’s always quick to hand them back to you when you arrive. His poor heart can’t handle the responsibility, but for you he’ll do it. He’ll definitely try if you just need some help taking care of them but you’re still around to guide him. Taking care of your sibling together reminds him of this romance anime he watched recently and now he’s bright red as he realises that the two of you are behaving like a married couple now

Mammon

When you said “I’d like you to meet my family”, Mammon was nervous but ecstatic. People will introduce others to family when they’re super close, even considering marriage, right? You’re saying you love him, right?

What Mammon did not expect was a little kid hiding behind you as they clamped onto your leg, about to burst into tears when Mammon just looked at them. Oh… oh no…

Mammon is the most sensitive and the unofficial mother of the brothers. He’s had to put up with all the outbursts of his brothers when they were little, he can do it all over again if he has to. He adjusts the easiest when he sees your sibling’s discomfort, knows when to pull away and when to come back

In classic Mammon fashion, even if your sibling doesn’t view him in the best light, he is still incredibly protective of them. Lesser demons won’t even have a chance to look in your sibling’s general direction until they’re whisked away and quietly “dealt with” by the Avatar of Greed

Despite how protective he is and how much he reluctantly adores your sibling, he’s a terrible influence. The majority of their ‘bonding’ time is just Mammon trying to drag your little sibling along for his next money making scheme and ends up being extremely defensive when you catch him

“Even in the human world, you gotta learn finance and economics, right? Listen here, kiddo, I’m showin’ ya how to make a real profit- OW, MC, let go of me!”

If your sibling gets so close to Mammon as to call him “papa” or “uncle Mammon”, he will cry tears of joy. He’ll chalk it up to some dust in his eyes but don’t be mistaken, he really feels like he’s a part of your family now

Obey Me! Masterlist

[encrucijada]

infodump abt pathetic man adam

funniest ask i've ever gotten. no context. anonymous. a simple request.

a list of things i think i haven't talked about regarding adam, some that i have, from both the pjoverse and dreamersverse:

adam is actually pretty decent around kids. he was second in command of the apollo cabin for 5ish years before his brother lee fletcher died in the battle of the labyrinth and he was made counsellor for the battle of manhattan. adam is like that cool older brother in a 90s tv show who lets you drink beer when you shouldn't have.

in both verses he works at a bar. both as a bartender and as entertainment, depends on the day of the week. he does gigs elsewhere when he can. forewent university, didn't think he had the brain for it because of his frankly debilitating adhd. adam barely graduated high school.

weapon of choice in the pjoverse is the recurve bow because son of apollo. is capable of fighting melee (with a sword) if the situation demands it, but just barely. in the dreamersverse it's actually the opposite, he doesn't shoot with a bow at all and prefers to have something he can brute force hit things with.

speaking of debilitating adhd. adam is always fidgeting even if just a little, rarely does his leg stop bouncing and he has a clicker toy he carries in his pocket. plays around with rubix cubes not to solve them but just to spin them around. hums songs as a stim (<- he shares this one with piedad). cannot function without caffeine.

has the talent but not the creativity. can sing just about anything but not write any of his own music.

in the pjoverse he avoids singing in uncontrolled environments, because even having control over his powers he never knows if he could cause some weird side effects. only feels truly unrestrained in battle or at camp.

adam is the way he is because i was trying super hard not to make your typical "golden boy" son of apollo. also because i found the loveless cover of middle of the night. my hand accidentally slipped and now... he's this.

my best friend irl called him "cold, cutting, and prideful".

i dunno about pjoverse adam but dreamersverse adam's got a couple of tattoos. including but not limited to: a sun on his forearm, wings from his shoulder blades to the backs of his arms, a hawk eating a rabbit, three stars on his ribs, and my notes says i'm giving him a sleeve tattoo.

he never participated in a proper quest but he was there for every single bead that's on annabeth's camp necklace. was already at camp when luke first arrived.

his fatal flaw is arrogance ("however bright you shine, i shine brighter")

has a substantial collection of scars as every demigod does but of note we've got: on his cheekbone, going down from his collarbone, the stab scar on his gut. these also translate to the dreamersverse.

the only thing he got from apollo appearance-wise are the eyes. adam tends to let his hair get long until he starts considering it obnoxious, then he asks the aphrodite cabin to cut it. if you're in cabin 7 and have had hairclips gone missing, he probably took them.

if you've read pt.1 of pointed north you know candy calls adam "mi príncipe". this means "my prince."

i might be giving him brown eyes in keep staring.

his last names are flipped depending on the verse! pjoverse he's adam rubio guerra, since rubio means "fair-haired" and i thought it sounded like a child of apollo lastname. in the dreamersverse he's adam guerra rubio, guerra means "war".

has always wanted a dog.

having a weighed blanket would cure him but he doesn't know this. what he does know is he sleeps best when piedad lays on top of him.

broke his nose and it never healed quite right.

never dare him to do something while he's drunk. he will do it, no matter how dangerous it might be. the safest thing he could be doing post-break up is making out with whoever gives him attention while inebriated.

[sca-nerd]

renn fair tips!!!

yes bring water, but also figure out how you can bring that water, some places only let you bring in sealed, never opened, bottles (cause alcohol is a large part of event revenue)

CASH, most sellers have got a square card reader or paypal or something, but those work at the whims of cell service, and cell service tends to suck in parks

also with cash depending on the seller they might just wave the tax. things are priced to even dollars most of the time

the crafts people (leather, blacksmiths, silversmiths, glassblowers) are where you really want to "focus" your money, not because there's anything wrong with the clothing stalls, it's just that it's harder to get those items online, and you're helping a small business

also some of the clothing sellers just buy in bulk from a place like amazon and clip off the tag, "wevez" is where i get my skirts, and the price markup can be anywhere from 2 to 3 times what you'd pay if you bought from the seller directly

the end of the last day of the weekend you can get food for cheaper, so if you're staying until close and don't want to find a fast food joint, get a turkey leg

bed bugs, (SPRAYS DO NOT WORK ON THESE MOTHER FUCKERS) the horrible truth of the matter is, it is a valid concern, moreso since COVID. so if you do buy anything, im talking books, tunics, hair wraps, corsets, trousers, a kilt. anything a bed bug could be hanging out in, you put that in a seperate plastic bag, seal it, and stick it in the freezer when you get home. then you beat out the thing a few hours later.

this doesn't kill them, but it does make them hibernate, which means you can shake them out then kill them or if youre feeling vindictive, pop them in the oven, a minimum of 120F for 90 mins gets all bugs and possible eggs. you could also put the things in your dryer on high for the longest setting, but i personally prefer the oven (and not just because i don't have a drier)

business cards! i personally collect business cards for convience and maybe one day i'll go back to pursuing graphic design, but having a designated pocket for business cards or pamphlets cause you may be grabbing a lot of them

the vibes: Its a bunch of weird nerds getting dressed up to play pretend and get drunk in the park. It can get weird, and it can get raunchy (not horny, just crass) i have witnessed several different parents huff off with their kid cause a performer made a low brow joke that was obvious enough that the kid knew smth dirty was said, MOST of the people are chill with boundries, but some never got out of that phase of being a dick cause they think it's funny

speaking of phases, renn faires are still the only place i have ever been where you've got the flagrantly queer and menanist douchebags bumping shoulders. like side eyes are made im sure, but you can walk down a path, past somebody in the loudest, most obviously gay garb you have seen outside of a drag show, then a few feet behind them is somebody else with a trump denim vest

also, back to the rauchy bit, there will likely be people there who are cool, but use outdated/offensive lingo. like I got called a fairy by a guy waiting in line for a kebob, he did try and backpedel, but im fine with being called that and his girlfriend (who obviously dragged him there) was dressed up like a fairy, so jokes were had and expensive kebab's purchased (idk what they used to season those things but they were so fkin good for just being some meat on a stick)

if you do a craft (knitting/crochet) check if you can bring your supplies in because some places don't let guest bring in knitting needles (they are often 11 in long pointy sticks so fair enough)

ASK QUESTIONS not just at the small semi educational areas they sometimes have, but also the people selling things, i love hearing people talk about their crafts (also renn faire drama is real and it is wild, and it's much more exciting because it's effect on you is almost null)

WATER WATER WATER

I KNOW I SAID THIS AT THE TOP BUT IM SAYING IT AGAIN

DRINK SOME FUCKING WATER

some faires have pub crawls and i have witnessed many a stumbling drunk get escorted out by EMTs cause he didn't pace himself and drank on an empty stomach

[dyingporcupine42]

I can has ozempic?

Yeah so you need to go to this website called https://churchofshrek.yolasite.com/

I know the URL seems weird it's just so the Authorities don't catch us

Anyway it's gonna ask you for some personal info (age, gender, weight, a quick essay about feminism, mothers maiden name, social security, credit card info, list of previous addresses, list of organs donated, etc. etc.) and then we can get you some ozempie girlypop

Once you receive it in the mail we're also gonna need you to complete a lil survey but there's a coupon attached for a free curderburger at Culver's once you finish it it's just customer satisfaction shit we gotta do. Haha gotta give the people what they want amirite

Anyway typically costs are a little odd because we operate on a trade and barter/odd favors system and it really depends on what shalesman we pair you with like if you get paired with me I typically ask for either my chemical romance tickets and some cash for travel expenses or a set of Turkish flutes but my buddy Shreven tends to go the first born child route. Some people just wanna be written into your will or to go out for drinks or like go on an ice fishing excursion it is all over the place my guy

But yeah that's pretty much everything I think um it's kinda an off brand ozempic we like to call it bozempic around these parts mostly because Shreven has a hard time like making the "o" sound and he has to put a b in front of it so he'll say like bovary instead of ovary like madame bovary which actually gets pretty confusing for his customers because he has ovaries on his barter list but when you speak to him on the phone he'll ask for a bovary and customers will send him copies of madame bovary so he's actually got quite an extensive collection of copies I think he's gotten every edition published

Anyway we are knock off so we have a couple odd side effects nothing too major though LOL like sometimes people grow wings but they only work about half the time and typically were talking like moth wings but they still are fairly large whether or not you can actually fly has more to do with your bone structure than anything. Another thing is um like there's been a couple instances where customers report seeing like little house elves or brownies around their place after purchase but we're not sure if that's related or not. One guy actually has a leprechaun which was weird cause he was Portuguese but who knows. Anyway I'm most people don't really mind their little visitors but if you want them gone just contact customer service and they'll give you some spells to rid your house if their presence.

Ok so I think that should be about it please eme time know if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer any questions if you have any questions and if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them if you have any questions! Stay safe out there! I hear lots of porcupines been dying lately 😬

[skylarmoon71]

Luther Wainwright (The Mentalist/Arrow)- Oneshot

The throbbing headache confirmed that once again Jane’s antics had gotten you into some deep mess.

You groaned, lifted your hands, but the shackles at your wrists prevented you from massaging the ache at the back of your skull. When you were finally able to collect yourself, a smiling Jane and displeased Wainwright were on the other side of the room.

“Hey Queen.”

You growled, and Wainwright sighed heavily.

“You said this was safe Jane!!” You fired.

“It was supposed to be. I didn’t think they would actually attack law enforcement.” Jane defended.

Both men were handcuffed to a pole. You were just laying on the floor. It’s clear your assailants expected you to be out longer. You never saw it coming when they struck you, no wonder your brain felt like it was going to explode.

“Why the hell did you have to piss off the mafia!!” Wainwright was annoyed for obvious reasons.

“It’s not my fault they're a bunch of killers.”

From the looks of your surroundings you were in some kind of storage room. Spacious. It was only a matter of time before they came back. You need to work fast.

You straightened the best you could against the wall, letting out a labored breath.

“Agent Queen, are you alright?” Wainwright sounds worried and you nod with a frown.

“Just peachy. “

This wasn’t looking great. Just as you were about to formulate a plan, the air shifted. When you could no longer hear the back and forth from Jane and Wainwright you looked up, no surprise they were both frozen.

“Damn it Oliver, I don't need your help!”

He stepped out from the shadows, arms folded.

“It’s nice to see you too sis.” His sarcasm was expected.

“Aren’t you some sentinel being or something. Shouldn’t you be frolicking in some celestial meadow. I keep telling you that I have this handled.”

“It looks handled.”

“I don’t need a babysitter okay, I was just taking a breather before I saved these two.”

“I know.”

His expression softened, and your anger dissipated, eyes lowering. The reason you were often angry was how sudden he’d seem to vanish. His sacrifice was necessary, you understood that, but it still hurt. Once every couple years he’d pop in and as much as you acted pissed, you were always happy to see that at least he was okay.

“That’s for looking out, Oliver. I..I love you.”

He smiled, kneeling as he placed a hand on your cheek, kissing your forehead.

“I love you too, tell Thea I said hello.” You grin.

“Will do.”

He returned the smile, eyes glowing green.

“Make sure you show those guys everything I taught you.”

That makes you smirk.

“You know I will.”

One blink and he’s gone. Suddenly you feel a bit more energized. His visits always tended to do that.

“Alright, we’re getting out of here.”

“Your newfound confidence is inspiring but we’re all still bound.” Jane retorts.

You rolled your eyes, and when he saw you grab your right thumb he was a bit confused. You broke the bone and they both flinched. Without missing a beat you slipped your hand out of the cuff.

“How long have you been able to do that?” Wainwright seems both impressed and terrified.

“Pretty long.” You popped the bone back in place and they flinched again.

“That’s unsettling.” Jane speaks.

“If we stay here trust me, a broken thumb would be the least of our problems.”

Moving over to them, you freed them from the cuffs. Since you no longer had your weapons, the only solution was to fight.

“Stay here.” Your order made Wainwright do a double take.

“Excuse me, there’s no way I’m letting you walk out there and-”

His lecture was interrupted when the door opened and a man walked in with a gun.

All he did was lift it and you were on him in seconds. You grabbed his arm, bending it over your shoulder when you spun around and he screamed as the bone broke, effectively dropping his gun. His body fell and you grabbed the gun. Checking the bullets, you kneeled searching his pockets. You smiled when you found the phone.

“Jackpot.” You tossed it to Wainwright who caught it easily.

“Call the calvary, we’re gonna need it.”

Your assailant was still groaning on the ground.

“A few ambulances too, things are about to get messy.”

He intended to ask what exactly that meant, but you rushed out the door just as the gunshots started to go off. Wainwright ducked, quickly dialing a number as he alerted the police of the predicament. Jane would jolt every time he heard a gun go off. For the next few moments all they could hear was yells of pain and gunshots.

When it finally ended, Wainwright lowered the cellphone hesitantly and Jane stayed behind the door shaking his head.

“I’m not going out there.”

Wainwright just groaned in frustration as he grabbed the handle. He was cautious, just barely peeking out the door. He was stunned at the sight when he pushed it open all the way. Jane followed behind, careful to stay behind him.

He looked around at the many bodies on the floor. At least a dozen men. All of them seemed to be breathing. Indications of blood splatter on their legs and a few that appeared to be at the shoulder. Wainwright heard movement and he spun around just as you did. You lowered your gun with a smile, the single cuff still hanging off your wrist.

“Oh, it’s just you. Did you call for help?”

He nodded a bit distracted.

“Agent, did you..do this?”

“Well I wasn’t gonna sit around and wait for them to send us swimming with the fishes.”

You slipped your gun into the back of your pants, moving over to them.

“Jane was right though, I found your killer. It was Don’s second in command.”

“That’s great, did you see him?” Wainwright asked.

“Oh yeah he’s here somewhere.”

You looked around at the bodies, searching for the man. When you spotted him you grin. You walked to the wall. He was moaning at the bullet wound in his thigh. You grabbed him by the edge of his suit pants, pulling him over. He yelled as you dragged him all the way over to Wainwright. Dropping his leg harshly, you just smiled.

“He confessed to everything, when Lisbon gets here he’s going to show us the murder weapon and the money he stole, isn’t that right?”

He nodded, desperate.

“Yes! Yes I’ll tell you anything just get this crazy chick away from me!!”

“Aww, that’s not nice. Don’t make me shoot you again sweetie.” He looked scared and you just sent a thumbs up at Wainwright.

“You’re a terrifying woman.” Jane comments.

In that moment they both realized that it was good that you’d decided to become a cop instead of a criminal.

~~

Lisbon made it with the team in record time. While you sat in the back of an ambulance having your head checked out, officers were raiding the warehouse. Cho and Rigsby were on their way to get the evidence needed to put your criminal away for life. Jane seemed to be telling Lisbon a tale of how you’d taken down a room full of armed men. If his wild hand gestures were anything to go off.

Wainwright walked over to your side and the medic moved to give you both a moment.

“Great work today Agent.”

“Thanks, but I can’t take all the credit. My brother helped me.”

“Your brother?”

You nod. It sounded a bit crazy. You knew that. They were all aware that your brother had passed away. At least as far as they knew. You couldn’t exactly tell them he’d sacrificed his mortal life to pursue an immortal one for the good of the world.

That would be a mouthful.

“He’s always looked out for me when I’m in a bind. Sometimes he’ll just show up. Give me a little pep talk.”

Your wistful expression made him smile.

“Well I hope your brother knows I’m grateful. Our department appreciates all the help you always offer on these types of cases. The FBI is lucky to have you.”

“Thank you, I’m always happy to help. I’m glad you’re okay Wainwright.”

You’ve always been an ally of the CBI. Especially when a certain special agent was the one asking.

“Thanks to you.” He took a seat next to you, bumping your shoulder.

“You need to show me that trick.”

“What trick?”

“The thumb one, it’ll come in handy for future cases when I have to deal with Jane. Chances are we’ll end up getting chained again. I need to be prepared.”

You laugh, because there’s a lot of truth to that.

“I think you’ll need more than that trick to get you out of messes with Jane.”

“You’re probably right. I guess that means you’ll have to teach me everything you know.”

You’re a bit confused by the statement, but his little smirk becomes easy to read. You actually blush.

“Stop flirting with my sister.”

You bat the air behind you.

“Go away Oliver.” You mutter under your breath.

Wainwright quirks a brow.

“Sorry?”

“N-Nothing. I was just saying that it’ll take more than a few lessons.” You cover. He smiles.

“Then I guess we have our work cut out for us.”

You wear a silly smile that’s definitely very transparent. Wainwright leans over, placing a kiss on your cheek that becomes red the second he pulls away.

“I’ll see you later, Agent.”

You nod, and he stands, buttoning his suit as he walks over to the news anchors that have begun gathering behind the police tape. You admire his gait as he walks away, letting out a content sigh.

“That was hard to watch.” Oliver comments.

“Why are you still here, beat it! We survived and I might get a boyfriend out of this. Life is great, so go and frolic.”

“I don’t frolic.”

“Whatever, just get lost and you better not pop up when I finally bag a date with the guy. I don’t want to have to explain why I’m talking to my invisible celestial brother.”

“If I erase him then you won’t have to worry about it.”

You laugh, because he’s certainly joking. However when you turn his expression is neutral.

“O-Oliver I’m serious if you touch him I’ll kill you this time!”

Even as a higher being he still insisted on making your life hell.

[dragonflight203]

Mass Effect 3 replay, post Rannoch:

-Since the coup, both the asari and salarians have started to contribute to the Crucible.

I suppose the coup made it apparent there was no way to avoid the war.

-Hackett picked Shepard because Shepard knows how to kill Reapers.

More than that, Shepard can persuade their team to follow them into hell.

Both important qualities in a leader righting a war against the Reapers.

-In the war assets, the game suddenly remembers that geth ships are piloted by geth that have uploaded themselves to the ship.

So what’s with all the platforms piloting geth fighters in prior cutscenes???

-Edi says that until just prior to the end, Legion was an avatar of the geth consensus.

Once he started to use “I”, his personality had settled and he was a person.

I hate the Reaper code subplot so much.

Just because a person is not what you are accustomed to does not mean they are not a person. They are different and that is okay.

-Ugh, the synthetic writing in ME3 took a massive downturn.

Edi says that the quarians’ mistake was making the geth too different from them. (This bullshit again…)

As a networked intelligence, the geth tend toward cooperation.

If intelligence is centralized as with Edi, personality emerges and synthetics develop preferences. Preferences can include valuing individuals.

So the geth killed the quarians because they were not individuals.

Let’s just ignore:

-the quarians attacked first

-the geth fought back initially to protect other geth, then later the geth as a whole

-individual units offered themselves up to protect quarians protecting them

-we see units expressing concern about individual creators

-the geth ultimately let the quarians go when they could have finished them off.

And the last four points are established in ME3!

There’s something interesting that could be done with the geth placing far less value on individuals than organics do because the geth are a collective. Even in the context of the Morning War, that may be related to the extent of quarian casualties; we know little of the war itself, so that is open for interpretation.

However, I do NOT feel that’s why they attacked the quarians. They attacked the quarians because the quarians wanted to murder all the geth.

Any of the Mass Effect races would have defended themselves in that position. It has nothing to do with networked intelligence.

-Garrus: Now, if you can pacify the Reapers we’ll make you saint.

Careful, Garrus. I may take you up on that.

-When speaking to Liara, Tali notes that the geth are no longer their servants. They might be allies; wounds are too fresh to be friends yet.

-Tali says she used to send any new technology she found back to the fleet.

*side eyes Normandy’s stealth technology which the quarians mysteriously obtained*

Hmm.

-The geth have immediately started helping the quarians with, well, everything.

While that’s a positive sign, I do have some concerns this will result in someone attempting to take advantage and pissing the geth off again.

Therapy for everyone. And really, really good diplomats.

-Tali: No. I’d have killed the geth with no regrets. And I’d have been wrong. Thank you.

That’s growth.

-People keep saying the geth and the quarians will assist with the Crucible, but they give no war assets for that. The only war assets they provide are for their military power.

Notably, the quarians’ research fleet is missing from the war assets. The civilian, heavy, and patrol fleets are included.

You’d think the research fleet would be providing new weapons or assisting with the Crucible…

Citadel

-Tali is extremely mature about dealing with the turian clerk who was a total ass to her.

Good for her.

-Tali: Everything looks so peaceful. In here, you can almost forget about the war.

Tali, there’s still smoke from damage and broken glass everywhere. What do you consider “peaceful”?

-You get credits for giving the refugee the Prothean Sphere.

Rather ironic, as the point is for him to sell it to the Alliance so he can pay for food for his family.

-Game, at least tell me what system Dekuuna is in. Is that too much?

Codex

-The Get Spitfire may have been developed to destroy geth.

The schism the entry references makes me think of the heretic/true geth split.

However, that was resolved in ME2. This is ME3. So what’s the current schism causing the spitfire to be left lying around?

[terriwriting]

And I got an idea for a classic SF setting where

it turns out once a civilization collects all the low fruit, technological and scientific progress grinds to a haul. As a consequence, there are million year old civilizations out there but the difference between us and them is more like Classical Rome and the US, not Homo habilis and us. There's no singularity, rockets still obey Newton, and there's barely any fusion (oddly, total conversion turns out to be a doddle and often the last thing civilizations invent).

Alas, while FTL is doable, it's slow and limited, and lifebearing worlds are hard to get a foothold on so civilizations tend not to spread. When they do spread, it's unevenly (see Percolation Theory).The downside of FTL is it means collapse can spread all across even interstellar civilizations.

Also alas, aliens are _alien_ and bridging the communication gap is hard. As a consequence of that and slow travel times, there's less contact than one might expect. The Great Silence is because almost no one thinks it is worth the investment to talk and if they did, it would be by messenger courier (months to years), not radio (years to millennia).

There _is_ a large scale organization to reduce friction, because experience says not having one is worse. Its name translates as "the least we could do." It's poorly funded and draws mainly from the species at the very high end of the gregariousness scale. It's there to prevent violence. It won't preemptively nuke potentially troublesome species because experience says being the sort of organization that does that leads to poor outcomes. It will jam their jump points so that they can't be used.

The Least has automated monitors in every solar system. The Least has a very large database on the development of civilizations, and all the likely Great Filters they have to survive (or in the majority of cases, fail to). Each new group is an additional headache, so if the Least notices a group barrelling toward self-annihilation, they generally do nothing. Which gets us to Earth.

They've known about Earth for millions of years, maybe longer. They've known about hominins since we started affecting the environment in a major way. Humans check off a lot of the warning signs for a doomed species. As a consequence, the monitor misread the hundreds of nuclear weapons tests as a sustained nuclear war. It sent a notice to the Least to that effect. Then the Least jammed the Sol jump points from the far side, cutting off all communications.

While the data on humans is correct, interpretation by officials who skim those records isn't. Those who remember the humans at all remember them for comparative proximity to a impending supernova (the main reason galactics are interested in our otherwise unfashionable part of the Milky Way) and for being chaotic, fearfully energetic, narcoleptic, violent [1], obligate carnivores with an insane birth rate [2] from a giant, bright, doomed [3] star system. Happily, humans might have wiped themselves out. If they didn't, rebuilding from a thermonuclear war should keep them too busy for space flight for a few centuries. If they do make it into space, all their jump points are impassible.

So where did the human starship come from?

The Least is sufficiently adept for its needs to create translators and thousands of years of watching Earth gave them databases on all the major languages, including a bunch now extinct. As a consequence, the Least will speak to the human ship in English. However, since none of the Least's databases were updated since the 1950s, all of the slang is archaic.

1: Actually, lots of intelligent species are far more violent. They tend not to get past the nuclear weapon Great Filter. Some esp violent examples don't survive pointed stick.

2: For a K-strategy species. The R-strategy guys produce far more offspring but they have a proportionately larger mortality rate.

3: Most ETs come from red dwarf systems.

My responses:

That's a fantastic bit of worldbuilding. Thinking along my own lines… Assuming FTL develops out of roughly contemporary experiments in physics and follows a standard engineering timeline, we're about 100-200 years away from developing FTL. If the Least hasn't updated its linguistics databases since 1950, that would make it over 200 years out of date. It would be like trying to hold a conversation with Jane Austen. Or the basis of FTL could be something with immediate engineering applications, which would optimistically put FTL about 25-50 years away. That would make the gap more like trying to talk to someone from the 1920s. And you'd have the bonus of humans running around in tin cans strapped to nuclear reactors and whatever absurd high energy physics-thing makes the FTL work. You wouldn't really need jump points to blockade a star system either. If the FTL is a convenient warp or hyperdrive type, just slap some sort of blanket interdiction field around Earth. Say from a TMA-1 type object (or maybe a pair and a spare set-up) buried under the Lunar dirt, to protect it from radiation and micro-impacts. The Least comes by once every two hundred years or so to make sure interdictor is still working. It's not that important to them; even if your species survives a limited nuclear war, all of your easy to access resources have been used up, your environment is crap, and your population is minuscule. The interdiction field is more of a technicality, to make sure the really violent types don't somehow manage to crawl out of their own wreckage. An interdiction field would also explain why humans didn't discover the principles behind FTL until relatively late. Our systems had to be really sensitive to detect whatever the signs are. And it would be an interesting bit of tension between humans and everyone elese. "You expoxied our apartment door shut." "Yeah. Sorry. In our defence, we heard gunshots and assumed you were dead. We didn't want the smell to bother anyone."

And:

Thinking some more about it… 1850s-1920s: The observed world has clearly entered a phase of rapid industrialization, with a high potential to develop nuclear weapons. Build the interdiction facility on the moon, take as many low-altitude scans now as you can (There were various UFO crazes through to the 1920s), and then pull back to remote observation. 1920s-1950s: All observations are now done through automated remote systems, including various stealth drones. Observations of Earth's atmosphere reveal growing levels of toxic heavy metals (leaded gasoline), a degraded ozone layer (fluorocarbons), wartime use of nuclear weapons, and growing tensions between nuclear powers. In March 1954, following the Castle Bravo detonation, a mass shooting at the US Capitol, and the start of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the remote observation team decides to pull out of the system and activate the interdiction system. The last atmospheric data shows the Castle Romeo detonation, and is taken as the start of a thermonuclear battle.

[sliptohk]

Prompt #3: Clash

Qata would vehemently deny that it was her fault.

Yes, she had been paying no attention to her surroundings while traversing the back alleys of Ul'dah. Yes, she had been asking about for odd ingredients that were far more expensive within the city than outside it. Yes, clearly both those questions and her presentation made the sharp-eared scoundrels of the city take her for a wealthy, lost, and utterly helpless traveler within the city.

That last bit was only partially true.

But it was still decidedly not her fault. Surely this was an inevitability, not a situation that even the most bare modicum of foresight could have prevented. There had been such stern warnings about outsiders well before she had been forced to depart the Shroud with her sister in pursuit of the wayward Lohro. Repeated condemnations of their heretical behavior! Not to mention the lengths to which they would go to exterminate any that dared stand against their rigid views of acceptable behavior. The collection of rogues currently waylaying her may not have been a part of the official law enforcement branch of the city, but clearly they were to blame for not keeping a heavier hand on them.

Yes, it was entirely the fault of Ul'dah and not herself.

"Yet sadly, I must deal with it."

The comment earned her a wary look, or perhaps some of her preceding thoughts had slipped out when she thought it was relegated strictly to internal musing. It was difficult to recall, particularly with such copious amounts of toxin currently flowing through her veins from the self-dosage she had indulged in before departing the inn room.

"Pardon, but when did my mouth start making words at you?"

She held up a single finger for attention as she spoke. An unnecessary call for attention given two city-dwellers were focused on her, while a third looked cautiously back out the mouth of the alley they had dragged her down. It seemed entirely unnecessary, as she was fairly certain no one of any true virtue would be stalking those streets in search of ruffians to… do whatever it was they did to scoundrels in such a city.

"Ragamuffins." That was another good name for them. "I mean you, but that is a discussion for another time. What were we speaking about?"

The thought that she might be speaking and moving at a far quicker clip than normal formed in her mind. At least in terms of perception, given the potency of the mixture she had taken. Thinking back on it muddily, as clarity was a distant hope in her current state, she did recall that one of the effects had always been a mind that worked faster. Just only in the literal sense, as it tended to simply blow past thought, reason, and general awareness in exchange for that impressive speed.

Finally, they spoke. A slow, unhurried, and frustratingly slurred rate, "Give us yer purse, ya daft couerl!"

Baffling. She was of the Ooja, the couerl were an entirely different group. Certainly not one that any self-respecting Keeper would associate themselves with. And she was nothing if not self-respecting. She wiped a bit of drool that had been running down the side of her mouth, not quite bruising her jaw when the back of her hands smacked against it faster than intended.

Enhanced salivary production. Was this another result of that mixture? Probably.

"I would rather not." She replied sincerely, and at what was most likely near a hummingbird speed of communication.

Speed would certainly be of great use when dealing with villains, especially when they thrust one empty hand out to grab Qata's neck in a rough squeeze, battering it hard enough against the wall behind her to bounce off the hard stone. If she were any sort of warrior it probably would have been, but by the time her addled mind registered that the sluggish movement was actually an assault on her person there was already the hard, warm press of the home behind her.

Or a business. She should not simply assume it were a living space.

"Coin or blood, lass! Don't make it difficult fer yerself!"

Qata raised both hands to grip the wrist and forearm of the hyur pushing her backward, forcing her up on the tips of her toes rudely in the process. The Ooja curled her fingers inward and pressed hard. It was difficult to get a word out while being strangled, but the moment had gone beyond words. Fingernails coated in a dark, green sheen poked deep enough to draw blood, the carefully applied toxins mixing predictably into a faint, sickly froth, as it sped along through the veins. Deadening nerves as it circulated.

A faster process would have been preferable, but something about beggars and choosing came to mind. The miqo'te contented herself instead with dropping down to all fours when he released that grip. Or was forced to relax it. Semantics. Not something she had time to concern herself with as fighting back in any fashion was clearly against whatever social code the people of Ul'dah lived by! A trail of sparks screeched across the wall she had once stood before when the thief lashed out with his blade mere moments after she had already dropped.

Skittering between his legs like a spider, though without any sort of dignity one of them may have possessed in the process, Qata took the time to slash a calf in passing. Not quite so potent a dose as it had already begun to transform into a different state with the addition of blood, but it could hardly hurt. Outside of the obvious pain of that shallow cutting. It was a temporary indulgence that nearly saw her splattered like a spider, when one of the man's associates leapt into action and slammed down a heavy boot mere ilms from where her head had once been.

"Get 'er Mendyn! Wuotahl!"

Being smaller made it much easier to take advantage of that cluttered alley, the poisoner creeping beneath one broken cart fast as could be. Just fast enough, as the clang of ringing steel announced an axe-head smashing the cobblestone behind her. The wood did not clang when the following blows smashed it to kindling with hearty swings. It was a good thing she was already moving past, bouncing up to her feet and lifting her skirts with bloodied hands.

All the better to break into a respectable scamper toward the far end of the passage.

It was unfortunate that they had longer legs, even with the mess slowing them to some degree. Particularly when it seemed they remembered they could simply leap over the smaller obstacles rather than smashing their way through. Sparing a backwards glance, Qata found that distance not nearly comforting enough. They were assuredly far closer than they appeared given the way the her current perception of time was so skewed.

Luckily, the Mother would provide, as a narrow window opened to the alley! Less opened, and more rotted adjacent to, as it was clear the shutters would fail to stop even her slight weight. Lowering a shoulder, the mage bounced up off a partially splintered crate to plow headfirst through instead when the foothold proved far less solid than expected. She really ought to have expected less given the state of that box. But at least the denizens of that home seemed stunned by her presence, and not immediately infuriated as the ravening duo behind her seemed to be as they reached through to try and snatch at any bit of body or clothing they could manage.

"Let that be a lesson, outsiders! The Ooja are not to be trifled with!" There was a knot forming on her forehead where it collided with the floor. It may have ruined the moment.

"Hunt ya down an' gut ya fer this, rat! Ain't nowhere t'scurry off to!"

Waving dismissively, and finding herself thankful they had not thrown her kneejerk label of 'outsider' back into her own face, the poisoner strode toward the door leading out of that abode, "Yes, yes, go tend to your friend! They will probably be all right so long as they do not have any unanticipated health conditions I am unaware of!"

"Mendyn, we can get 'round the block over there!"

Hiking up her skirts, Qata commenced her high speed scurrying once more. More than eager to get herself out of there before they actually managed to circle about again. At least it would make for an excellent war story for Zahrah! Or on second thought, she would likely pinch her ears for ending up the situation. It was a tale she must absolute remember never to tell her sister.

[lizchillsworld]

Hathor/ Venusian

Origin: Venus

Mission:

 Carrying all of the characteristics of Hathor, Venusian starseeds are here to usher in all forms of love, namely unconditional love. Effectively, this is their collective soul mission aka what they will do together as a soul family on Earth. Their capacity to hold and spread love is unrivaled.

Appearance: 

Many articles report Venusians as six to sixteen feet tall, slender beings with white or blonde hair, blue eyes, coveted facial features, with a mythical, ancient look. A starseed will pick a body based upon agreed soul contracts, its past life lessons, energetic aura as well as its level of consciousness. A Venusian starseed can be thin, fat, tall, short, blonde, brunette, white, black, mixed race, and have dark eyes just as much as light. There are no set features per se. The only common Earth feature I’ve seen across Venusian starseeds is the size of the eyes. Venusians tend to have wide-set, owl-like eyes. Huge, but they carry a warm and gentle energy behind them.

Traits: 

YOU ARE INCREDIBLY LOVING BUT KNOW WHEN BOUNDARIES NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE.--- Speaking of that polarity, Venusian starseeds are some of the biggest givers on this planet. They hold a great deal of compassion, but they also know when it’s being taken advantage of. They can reign in that love and joy just as quickly as they gave it, though this is often unwillingly, either through being hurt or worrying about being hurt again.

YOU’RE EMOTIONALLY SENSITIVE. — Venusians are skilled body language readers. You can read people like an open book, and notice when something is wrong with someone else even when they say they’re fine.You are very sensitive and empathic in comparison to other people on Earth.

YOU STRUGGLE TO TRUST HUMANS— You’ve suffered a lot of pain and trauma in the past because of how other people have treated you.You’re also hyper-aware of how malicious and cruel humans can be to one-another and so you have a hard time letting new people get close to you.

YOU HAVE A SIDE YOU RARELY SHOW OTHERS—-Venusians are very enigmatic. They’re the dreamers and believers, and with that comes an incredible depth to their soul.You have a side to you that you rarely open up to others, either from a fear of ‘being too much’ or ‘not being enough’. It might feel as though you’re wearing a mask at times.

MENTALLY, YOU’RE VERY POLARIZED—You can sometimes fall into the trap of black and white, all or nothing thinking. Perfectionism springs to mind. At times, you might wonder if there’s something wrong with you, that’s how extreme this line of thinking can feel. 

YOU’RE VERY PASSIONATE— You’re very curious, and when something interests you, you go all out to discover more about it. You likely have multiple projects on the go at once. Your eyes light up when you talk about your interests and passions, and other people notice it. Some may even envy your level of enthusiasm. 

YOU’RE VERY JOYOUS BUT WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK—This is an interesting sign, and one I’m seeing more frequently amongst Venusian starseeds. Venusians are some of the most playful, fun-loving souls you’ll ever come to meet, and yet often they’re worried about how they will be perceived if others were to see the ‘real’ them.

WHEN OTHERS CROSS YOU, THEY’RE GONE FOR GOOD— Out of all the starseed types, Venusians are perhaps the most emotionally sensitive, though this isn’t a bad thing. They know their own divine power and know when it’s time to walk away from an unjust relationship or connection. Once someone has crossed them (often many times), they decide to leave for good. I will add that this is an awakened starseed trait. A soul who is yet to acknowledge their true potential might struggle with this conflict.

YOU VALUE YOUR INNER WORLD MORE THAN THE OUTER— For Venusian starseeds their inner world is rich and full of possibility. They value growth, healing, and embarking on a soulful journey. You spend a good amount of time in reflection, deeply reflecting upon your lived experiences and potential future.

YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLE CONNECTION WITH THE UNIVERSE— You’re very connected with the inner workings of the universe. You feel as though you and the universe are ‘one’. Never truly separated. You have an unbreakable connection with your spirit guides or soul family, even if you’re not sure who is truly guiding you. You just know there is someone or something guiding you forward on your life’s journey. 

 YOU’RE INTERESTED IN ANCIENT EGYPT — The scriptures, megalithic structures, and old mythology. Ancient Egypt holds a special place in your heart, even if you’re not sure why.You love the intricacies and mysteries that surround this ancient civilization. You might also find yourself drawn to the stories of Lemuria and Atlantis too.

YOU’RE AN OLD SOUL— You feel as though you’ve lived here many times before. You are very mature and wise for your age, likely much wiser than people of the same age. You have an inquisitive, curious mind, can see the bigger picture, and prioritize truth and wisdom over superficial possessions. 

YOU’RE DRAWN TO ALTERNATIVE HEALING MODALITIES— Similar to Pleiadian and Arcturian starseeds, Venusians are incredibly gifted divine healers.You might be drawn to sound and music healing, as well as journaling, reiki, and crystal therapy. You have a naturally soothing presence. 

YOU FEEL DRAWN TO BEAUTY— Venusian starseeds have a tendency to mask reality and everything that seems ugly or displeasing as a way to preserve beauty and harmony in their lives. They notice the magic in the simple things in life, seeing beauty where others wouldn’t.

YOU LOVE EVERYTHING METAPHYSICAL— You have a deep thirst for knowledge, and love discovering new information in the fields of astrology, astronomy, and metaphysics. You’re drawn to the unexplainable and know that there’s more to this world than meets the eye.

YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT MUSIC— Venusian starseeds use music as a form of escapism. Music speaks to their soul in ways other people can’t. You use the lyrics of a song to express how you’re feeling.You might even notice some lyrics stand out more at certain times, as though the universe is directly answering your questions.

YOU HAVE A STRONG CONNECTION TO NATURE, ANIMALS & THE PLANET— You’re a spirit that is grounded by the energy of mother nature. You have a deep love for the animals and the environment, wishing you could help somehow. You might dream of living a life that’s connected to nature, rather than in bustling cities. 

 DREAMS ARE INTENSE— Dreams seem very vivid and real to you (almost too real). For many Venusian starseeds, their dream world is made up of many energetic downloads from their guides. Symbols, colors, numbers, synchronicities – you might experience it all. Whilst the messages might not make sense at first, you come to realize over time that it’s the universe speaking with you. It might even feel like you’re having an out-of-body experience. 

OTHER SIGNS MIGHT INCLUDE;

A draw to Venus in particular

A need to embark on a journey of growth and expansion

A deep desire to complete a mission on Earth, even if they’re not sure what that mission is

Natural healer

Hard time committing to one partner or building long-lasting relationships.

Venusian starseeds are what I call ‘reflectors’. Their energy is magnificently bright and their aura is like a shining beacon on a dark winter’s night. Because of their sensuality, light, and joyous nature, they act like a giant mirror to most people, reflecting back what they chose not to see. This triggers all sorts of unhealed wounds within others; jealousy, envy, greed, hatred.  All of which are usually unjust emotions, but then again, the human mind is never truly rational. It’s why I always say ‘you may not be liked, but at least you’re being true to you’. Never dim your light just to fit in with the dimness of others

Because of their magnetic aura, Venusians tend to attract a lot of narcissistic and manipulative people.

May struggle with self-criticism, judgment, and low self-worth.

When things go wrong, Venusians tend to either bottle their feelings or shame themselves, believing they could have done better. This is caused by a mismatch in soul origin energy. In their original dimension, everything was effortless, manifestations were instantaneous. In a world where everything is heavy, dense, and slow, Venusians may struggle to understand that they’re not in full control of every outcome.

Venusians struggle with conflict and knowing how to handle it without feeling low.

[emptymanuscript]

Cui Bono. To who’s benefit?

This guy is trying to spell out the historical benefits, not entirely accurately, for current benefit.

The missing historical context that he’s glossing over is that not only were evangelicals not a die hard Republican voting block before Roe, they were not a voting bloc at all.

The devil’s bargain wasn’t complete and unwavering support in exchange for overturning Roe, it was complete and unwavering support in exchange for power.

Evangelicals used to generally be non voters because they believed that politics was sinful for exactly what he’s describing, that you might get some of what you wanted but at the cost of supporting morally reprehensible things.

What Republicans realized was that they could turn Roe into something so incredibly reprehensible to evangelicals that they would swallow the morally reprehensible in order to get it overturned. BUT they couldn’t do it because the opinion among evangelicals at the time was they couldn’t stand politicians.

Enter the ilk of Schenck. Now they had their own power issues. We tend to think of religion in the vein of Catholicism. I don’t know why, we just do. We think of someone at the top and then bureaucrats under them, guiding everyone down to the local priest to be on message. But that’s not how most protestant religions in the US worked. Instead, each church had the power to elevate its own Pastor who did not answer to intermediate powers between himself and the most high. So each individual church shared traits but wasn’t part of a powerful collective. The closest it came was revivals, traveling charismatic preachers who would come in and deliver their message and move on. And conferences where the pastors could talk and debate without any control. But neither was a lasting effect. What people with some power wanted was more power, the ability to combine their efforts to turn a multitude of tiny independent churches into something with the same kind of power and control as Catholicism, which would allow these men to advance to more power over more people.

The Republicans offered them a way to do it. Because they had in their pockets several prominent charismatic revivalists who were die hard Republicans. In exchange for supporting Republicans they offered to help with the messaging and create a behind the scenes network with these charismatics, notably Oral Roberts, on top and an unseen hierarchy below. They would get their donors to finance mega churches and educational facilities devoted to evangelicalism and create a messaging system so that everyone could have the same talking points. This would allow even the local pastor to wield some of the power of the whole and for any particularly charismatic preacher to get a wider venue to speak to lots of evangelicals. The extremely charismatic would get their own mega churches and a bully pulpit. The most charismatic would get to speak at Republican events and spread their message beyond evangelicals in order to create more and feed them into this system.

It was a win win for everyone as long as no one looked too hard at the associated costs. Evangelicals became one of the most powerful blocs in American life and used that power to keep Republicans who were funding that power in power until the two became nearly synonymous.

But once you start looking close at this devil’s bargain the problems crop up. Republicans who aren’t evangelicals have some issues with their brethren. Evangelicals who don’t like the whole package have some issues with theirs.

There are more than a few people in power on both sides who think they don’t actually need each other anymore and a few who think they’re actually holding each other back. This has been going on a while it’s nothing new. Republicans know they could get people who won’t support them now if they got rid of those religious nuts. Evangelicals know they could get people who won’t support them now if they got rid of those two faced lying politicians. And they both know how to manage the infrastructure now. They don’t necessarily need each other anymore. The majority of the powerful don’t want to risk it. Leaving each other is a big gamble that might shoot them both in the foot. So they stick together.

Overturning Roe is an opportunity for those who want to risk it. They accomplished their goal. The on the face reason for the alliance is accomplished. People like Schneck can now go Mea Culpa, I was just so faithful and needing to do God’s most important work for His most important people: the children, that I let myself be blind to the evil I did for it. Please forgive me my trespasses. I know better now. I’ll never blindly support Republicans again. Letting him keep his power, the infrastructure, and the victory while now allowing him to divorce himself from the costs. And he can still support Republicans when he needs to because he has established the threshold. If it meets our stringent criteria for what’s too important.

This is a power play.

If Evangelicals can become independent, Republicans will have to court them even harder because they can’t win without them. There are pretty much no moderates left. People who say they’re moderates are lying to themselves. The studies all say whichever way you supposedly lean is the way you reliably vote. They can only win if every die hard shows up.

"That deal was, we would support everything on the conservative agenda," says Rev. Robert Schenck

[subspencer]

Okayyyy so I’m in a hotel rn and in the bathroom there’s a big tub and right next to it is a shower and a wall that separates it BUT half way up the wall is just a giant window so if you’re in the shower you can watch someone in the tub and I literally can’t get the thought of arriving at a hotel on a case and seeing that set up and waiting until Spencer is in the shower before “innocently” taking a bath at the same time and then teasing him by masterbating in the tub while he watches in the shower before yk,,, shower sex 💀 okay it’s late and I need to sleep apparently 😂

okay so i changed it a little bit but ! whew ! it’s finally here (sorry this is over a month late lol <3). reader can be gender neutral. 

cw: mutual masturbation, perv!spencer.    wc: 1.4k

Spencer had this small, annoying rule. Whenever the team was out on a case, sex was off the table. Something about maintaining focus, or whatever.

He was fine with sharing the same room, but no sex. And sometimes, that made it so much worse. He was always at a fingertip’s length away, curled in bed next to you while you slept in his arms. Pressed closely together, but only in the most innocent of ways. 

This self-imposed rule your boyfriend had was, in summation, fucking stupid. Because how did he possibly think that abstaining from sex would improve your focus on anything? If anything, you were wound even tighter after days of busting ass at work and nights without any stress relief. 

He could sense it had that effect on you. Before bed that night, Spencer crawled onto the mattress behind you, planning on doing something small to help with that. He would’ve let you spend hours mindlessly scrolling through your phone, resting your head on his chest while he played with your hair for as long as you needed to feel a little more relaxed. 

Instead, you swatted his hand away as soon as he got near you.

“Fuck off, Spence. I’m not in the mood,” you grumbled. He knew from prior experience that playing with your hair sometimes had the opposite effect of relaxing; it tended to lead to more physical places in no time. Things that Spencer ruled against doing while on cases.

“Fine,” he sighed, rolling off the bed. “I’m gonna shower first, if that’s alright with you.”

“That’s fine,” you rolled your eyes, barely containing your annoyance as you flipped over to your side, continuing to scroll through your phone in an effort to ignore him. The sound of his footsteps rescinded towards the hotel bathroom, and you tacked on, “I just think it’s rude that you don’t want me to join you!”

Spencer laughed at your stubborn display, walking into the bathroom as he shed his clothes. When you didn’t hear the door close right away, you snuck a small peek behind you. You could see his reflection in the bathroom mirror, slowly fogging up from the steam. Still, you got a good eye full of his bare torso, toned and speckled with the occasional, tiny freckle or mole. 

“We’re on a case,” he reprimanded, poking his head out of the doorframe to give you a stern look, right before shutting the door behind himself. “We can do that when we get home!” 

You groaned and flipped onto your back, irritated as ever. If Spencer was so adamant about his no sex on cases rule, then you figured you might as well get some rest. But several minutes of tossing and turning later, you remembered that the hotel room also came with a decently sized bathtub. And what better way to actually relax than with a bath?

You grabbed your towel from its discarded place on the armchair, stripping down and wrapping yourself in it before padding toward the bathroom. Spencer squeaked when he heard the door open, a little out of surprise as he saw your shadow through the foggy glass shower door as you walked inside.

“I told you, we can’t,” he said with the slightest bit of disappointment.

“Relax, Spencer. I’m here for the bath, not you.” You ignored the shower and moved around to the other end of the bathroom, running water into the tub that was situated behind a tiled wall that separated it from the shower.

He sighed, half relieved and mildly offended, and dropped his guard. He dipped his head back under the shower stream, letting hot water run over his face and through his hair, beading down his body. When he looked back up, he noticed something.

A small window on the tiled wall of the shower, looking directly at the bathtub.

You had your back to him, bending down to test the temperature of the running water on your hand as you waited for it to fill up. The tiny bath towel doing barely anything to cover you. 

Spencer tore his eyes away, an instinctual reaction telling him that he probably shouldn’t be looking. But just as quickly, he peeked again, in time to catch you dropping the towel and climbing in. He couldn’t see anything under the foaming bubbles, but he could see your face as you turned to rest your head against the other wall.

Your eyes were closed as you leaned back, sinking into the soothing warm water. He hadn’t seen you look so calm this entire week, and it made him smile to see you this way. But then he saw your chest rise and fall with a deep sigh. Followed by a tiny whine that he could tell you were trying to keep quiet. And suddenly he wasn’t looking at you with adoring eyes anymore. 

He pushed his wet curls back and stepped closer to the window, watching to see what you’d do next. Maybe he was dreaming about it. Maybe he was more affected by his own rule than he thought, and this was his brain getting back at him for not giving in sooner. But moments pass and he knows he’s not imagining it.

Your hands were under the water. The only thing he could see was your face and your knees bent upwards, leaving him to guess what was happening under the surface. Your bottom lip slipped into your mouth, held firmly between your teeth as you lolled your head to the side, and he knew. He’d seen that face enough times.

Hot water ran over his shoulders as he pressed as close to the window as he could; feeling only slightly guilty and inappropriate for observing you do such a private thing. But he’d done that to you several times before, so surely he could justify himself for peeking in. 

A whimper escaped your lips, and his hand moved down to find his cock, absentmindedly wrapping his fingers around it as you continued. One of your hands came up from the surface just briefly enough for him to see you wrap it over your chest, tugging one of your nipples, and he started to move his own against his length. 

He picked up pace, trying to keep his own moans at bay when he saw your legs twitch. A sure sign that you found a perfect rhythm for yourself. Your mouth fell open, and he’d trained his eyes on you hard enough to be convinced he saw your lips silently speak his name. His hips bucked into his palm. His other hand slammed down to the wall, bracing himself against it as he drew himself nearer to orgasm. 

Your eyes screwed even tighter as you felt a knot in your lower stomach wind up. He fucked up; moaned out your name too loudly, and you opened them, quickly finding him in front of you, behind the window. 

Even with the surprise, you were too close to stop. And when you realized what he was doing behind that wall, you couldn’t possibly have. You mewled his name loud enough for him to hear, rolling your hips to grind yourself against your fingers as the knot grew. 

Spencer’s perfect lips parted. Hearing you say his name like that brought him so fucking close. He wanted to forget his own stupid rule. He was half a second from telling you to come in here and join him, to take you against the shower wall. But he didn’t last. As soon as he heard that familiar, high-pitched whine coming from you as you hit your orgasm, he was painting his release all over himself, covering his hands and abdomen and some of the tile. 

His head dropped against his shaking arm that managed to support him through it all. When he collected himself and looked up again, you were gone. The water was still moving from when you must’ve gotten out. 

The glass door opened behind him as you stepped inside, already dripping from your bath. 

“You know, they recommend showering after baths…” you joked, moving under the stream of hot water. Spencer stepped closer, water now running over both of you as the gap between you came down to an inch. You ran a finger over his belly, wiping a small bit of his come before it washed away, and held it up to him before cleaning it off your fingers with your mouth. “Just to make sure you’re all clean.”