#Chamberlain Square

[tracychamberlainhigginbotham]

(via Wednesday Wisdom: Support Systems)

[awesomefringey]

Hi Sabine if you could please spread this, this account lists all the memorials planned for Liam across the world and regularly updates them, for those who wish and are able to attend https://x.com/HS_News_/status/1847077799942934740

Sending lots of love ❤️❤️❤️

LIAM PAYNE MEMORIAL

Europe:

🇬🇧 London | October 20 - 2pm | Hyde Park

🇬🇧Liverpool | October 19 - 2pm | Docks on keel wharf bridge

🇬🇧 Glasgow | October 20 - 2pm | Sir Walter Scott Statue in George Square

🇬🇧 Manchester | October 20 - 6pm | Cathedral Gardens

🇬🇧 Birmingham | October 20 - 4pm | Chamberlain Square

🇧🇪 Brussels | October 19/20 - 2pm | Parc de Bruxelles

🇫🇷 Paris | October 20 - 2pm | Jardins des Tuileries

🇩🇪 Munich | October 20 - 3pm | Olympiahalle

🇪🇸 Madrid | October 20 - 3pm | Plaza de Santa Ana

🇸🇪 Stockholm | October 19 - 6pm | Svartensgatan 8

🇵🇹 Lisbon | October 27 - 6pm | Meo Arena, Oriente

🇮🇹 Milan | October 20 - 3pm | Piazza Duomo

🇺🇸 US:

Newark - Delaware | October 19 - 4pm | Glasgow Park

NYC | October 19 - picnic* at 11am and another event at 6pm | Washington Square Park

*Picnic RSVP : https://partiful.com/e/2WoJi0Onf8jWijlyFU8E

Boston | October 19 - 2pm | Boston Common

Chicago | October 19 - 2pm | Gather at Grandmother’s Garden outside of Lincoln Park Zoo

Los Angeles | October 19 - 4:30pm | La Cienaga** Park in Beverly Hills

**RSVP : https://partiful.com/e/P5qPcaZkgLizNYhzP0mm

South-America:

🇧🇷 São Paulo | October 27 - 2pm | Parque Ibirapuera

Oceania:

🇳🇿 Auckland | October 20 - 2pm | Freyberg Square

🇦🇺 Sydney | October 20 - 11am | Hyde Park (Memorial fountain)

Asia:

🇮🇳 Mumbai | October 20 - 5pm | Marine Lines, Opposite Pizza by the Bay

———————

EDIT: added Boston

[pearlprincess02]

style guide: ARIES EDITION

ARIES RISING

rihanna - jupiter in 1st house, james dean - uranus & chiron & north node in 1st house, kendall jenner, miuccia prada - sun & north node in 1st house, barbra streisand - sun & mercury in 1st house, penélope cruz - sun & mercury in 1st house, cardi b - moon in 1st house, sophie turner - moon & venus & part of fortune in 1st house, amber rose - moon & juno in 1st house, nikki reed, shakira - chiron in 1st house, stevie nicks - north node in 1st house, vinnie hacker - ceres in 1st house,

style aesthetic: bold & dramatic, leather chic, modern minimalism, rockstar vibes, athleisure luxe, metallic accents, animal prints, vintage with a twist, unexpected mixes, sunglasses as statement pieces, red, orange, and black

ARIES VENUS

marilyn monroe - venus in 9th house, audrey hepburn - venus in 1st house, elizabeth taylor - venus in 4th house, mariah carey - venus in 12th house, lady gaga - venus in 11th house, gigi hadid - venus in 12th house, rihanna - venus in 12th house, jennifer aniston - venus in 6th house, shakira - venus in 12th house, cristiano ronaldo - venus in 3rd house, gigi hadid - venus in 12th house, keira knightley - (unknown), cate blanchett - venus in 11th house, melanie martinez - venus in 5th house, tyler, the creator - venus in 9th house, sarah jessica parker - venus in 11th house, eva longoria - venus in 5th house, janet jackson - venus in 5th house, millie bobby brown - venus in 8th house, suga - (unknown), sarah michelle gellar - (unknown), madison beer - venus in 11th house, helena bonham carter - (unknown), gal gadot - (unknown), emma chamberlain - venus in 3rd house,

style aesthetic: confident & playful, bold & romantic, leather with lace, athletic luxe, fiercely feminine, metallic accents, graphic prints, tailored pantsuits, bold blazers, vintage with a modern twist, bold jewelry, statement sunglasses, and eye-catching hats, gold, silver, red, orange, and hot pink!

ARIES MIDHEAVEN

tyra banks - moon & mars & chiron in 10th house, kayne west - venus & mars & chiron & part of fortune in 10th house, angelina jolie - jupiter & chiron & ceres in 10th house, céline dion - moon & mars & saturn & north node in 10th house, cameron diaz - chiron in 10th house, julia roberts - north node & lilith in 10th house, sharon tate, meghan markle, the weeknd - pallas & part of fortune in 10th house, jessica lange - sun & mercury & venus & mars & north node & part of fortune in 10th house, jennette mccurdy - moon & mars & juno in 10th house, danielle fishel - sun & mercury & venus & mars & chiron in 10th house, kate moss - mars & chiron in 10th house, cindy crawford,

style aesthetic: tailored suits, sharp blazers, crisp shirts, bold statement necklace, a brightly colored pocket square, a unique pair of shoes, bold eyewear, orange, black, white, grey, red power suit, a red statement scarf, and red accents

VENUS IN 1ST HOUSE

selena gomez - venus in leo, elizabeth II - venus in pisces, kourtney kardashian - venus in pisces, beyoncé - venus in libra, katy perry - venus in sagittarius, zayn malik - venus in pisces, angelina jolie - venus in cancer, cameron diaz - venus in cancer, nabilla benattia - venus in capricorn, audrey hepburn - venus in aries, blake lively - venus in virgo, anna nicole smith - venus in libra, avril lavigne - venus in scorpio, jude law - venus in sagittarius , rachel mcadams - venus in scoprio, halsey - venus in scoprio, doja cat - venus in scorpio, priyanka chopra - venus in gemini, olivia rodrigo - venus in capricorn, nina dobrev - venus in sagittarius, madison bailey - venus in pisces, damiano david - venus in aquarius, maggie lindemann - venus in cancer, elle fanning - venus in pisces, olivia holt - venus in virgo, mina - venus in aries, sophie turner - venus in aries, isaac mizrah - venus in virgo,

style aesthetic: flowy fabrics, pastel colors, silk fabrics statement jewelry, natural textures, well-fitting clothes, minimal makeup, unique color combinations, unexpected layering, vintage pieces, bold statement piece, a head-to-toe monochromatic look, eye-catching earrings, handcrafted pieces, unique materials, a touch of lace, soft pinks, baby blues, lavenders

NEPTUNE IN 1ST HOUSE

kim kardashian - neptune in sagittarius, paris hilton - neptune in sagittarius, kylie jenner - neptune in capricorn, ariana grande - neptune in capricorn (conj. asc), scarlett johansson - neptune in capricorn, eminem - neptune in sagittarius (conj. asc), nicole kidman - neptune in scorpio, marilyn monroe - neptune in leo (opp. moon), damiano david - neptune in aquarius (conj. venus & tri. moon), björk - neptune in scorpio (conj. asc), nelly furtado - neptune in sagittarius (conj. asc), perrie edwards - neptune in capricorn (conj. asc), dave franco - neptune in capricorn (conj. asc), river phoenix - neptune in scorpio (opp. moon), lil peep - neptune in capricorn (opp. moon), lorde - neptun in capricorn (tri. moon), sofia richie - neptune in capricorn (tri. moon),

makeup style: dreamy & ethereal, soft washes of color, shimmery textures,  makeup uses cool tones, metallics, glitter, glowing skin, lightweight foundations, highlighter for a natural glow, graphic eyeliner designs, whimsical lashes, soft & natural lips, smoky eyes with a twist, smoky purples, teals, touch of silver, lavender, muted purples, blues, greens soft pinks, peaches

@pearlprincess02

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Wilt Chamberlain, then the star of the Harlem Globetrotters, offers a ball to former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella (center) and former Manhattan College basketball player Junius Kellogg during the Globetrotter-Philadelphia Spas game at Madison Square Garden, October 18, 1958. Campanella and Kellogg, who exposed a basketball score-fixing scandal in 1951, were both paralyzed in auto accidents.

Photo: TPLP/eBay

[citieskyes]

astro observations

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

💫 sun square mars people clash with others frequently because they’re very competitive and impulsive.

💫sun conjunct mercury always think they’re right. good luck trying to change their opinion on anything

💫moon square mercury love gossiping omg. they also may find it hard to express themselves because their emotions (moon) are often at odds with their communication (mercury).

💫Leo Venus can act like you don’t exist if you do them dirty.

💫I always see hype about Scorpio mars being the scariest mars sign and I honestly don’t agree. They’re vengeful but in silence, they’re not the type to actively seek revenge. Imo the crown goes to Cancer mars.

💫Most common CEO’s and billionaires have heavy cardinal in their chart, namely Cancer and Libra.

💫Gemini risings can talk at a million miles an hour. They also like to talk with their hands.

💫Scorpio risings are the mysterious and private stereotype that people like to give to Scorpio suns.

💫I find that Sagittarius sun men when undeveloped can have a huge ego complex when it comes to their thoughts and ideas, like they’re the type to mansplain.

💫Water mercuries are very emotionally intelligent and are able to sense what’s hidden underneath.

💫Neptune in the 5th house may be drawn to artistic or creative endeavours. They may have a keen sense of beauty and a great enthusiasm for literature, music, and the arts. This placement is often seen in actors/actresses, musicians etc

💫Taurus moons can be very materialistic but this energy is selective. They may love to spend huge amounts of money on handbags, makeup, clothes etc but then get stingy over buying a $10 moisturiser.

💫Usually vloggers have Gemini in their chart ex Emma chamberlain. People just like to watch what they do in their day to day life. Could be due to the fact they’re very talkative and fun.

I do $15-20 birth chart readings so message me if you want yours done x

[ms-m-astrologer]

2024 Libra New Moon/Eclipse

Wednesday, October 2, 06:49 UT, 10°04’ Libra

Chart erected for Washington, DC

Ordinarily I would rattle off the key phrase for a New Moon - but this one happens to be a solar eclipse, and it’s better not to mess with it. I’m including a lot of information from various sources, to help you make sense of it.

This series of eclipses (Saros Series 8 South) isn’t “fun” - in The Eagle and the Lark, astrologer Bernadette Brady wrote:

Separation and loss. To be parted. To finish something, and to feel sad at its completion. Physical injury is also possible through over-straining one’s strength. This is not the time to undertake strenuous physical activities.

Previous occurrences of this series happened on September 22, 2006, at 29° Virgo; September 11, 1988, at 19° Virgo; and August 31, 1970, at 8° Virgo.

This is also a South Node solar eclipse. The South Node indicates behaviors we have “maxed out” - we have learned everything there is to learn, and we have done everything there is to do; we can no longer make any progress or achieve any growth here. It’s time to reach out to that North Node, using its ruler (Mars/Cancer) for specifics.

Looking at the actual chart: there’s the eclipse, very closely conjunct not only Mercury but both Black Moons Lilith. This is a particular mentality of deliberately not seeing ourselves and others as we really are - of sugar-coating (Libra) reality.

In Finding Our Way through the Dark, Demetra George wrote of Black Moon Lilith:

She forces us to look at ourselves with utter, naked honesty and makes us demand the truth of things, from our families, partners, groups and governments. She is ruthless in destroying any of our life structures or relationships that are built upon a foundation of deception and disrespect, or do not express our true individuality or appropriate life path.

Note also that the eclipse is square both ends of an opposition between Mars/Cancer and Ceres/Capricorn. Nothing like a family member to cut through our crap, is there? But (on the other hand) there’s also familial pressure to “be” a certain way - to assume a particular role in the tribe - whether or not we’re actually suited to that role.

If we throw in the North Node/Aries, we have a Cardinal sign grand cross. Difficult aspects in Cardinal signs are indicative of issues and problems we have been aware of for some little time, but haven’t done anything to address. Steven Forrest wrote,

When the Grand Cross falls in the Cardinal Mode, its main strength lies in boldly initiating action and in attracting support, while the main forms of self-sabotage lie either in starting things that should never been started in the first place, or in failing to follow through on one’s inspired beginnings - the failure to finish what was started…. In the dark expression of Cardinal Grand Cross energy, this sickness manifests as endlessly beginning new projects in a spirit of hope that a new day is dawning, only to lose interest and focus for no obvious reason. (The Book of Air, pp 290-291)

So: let’s look at some of the more negative Libra traits:

Going along to get along

Manipulating people and situations to get one’s own way

“Peace at any price” (see: Neville Chamberlain)

Refusing to take a stand or to commit

Too “refined” and “aesthetic;” superficial

Opting for style over substance

I dunno - it just seems to me that if something must come to an end, maybe it should be something negative? Or maybe some behavior that worked like a charm back in 7th grade, but is no longer valid years later? If all we get out of this is learning how to pray for grace, that would be a good thing.

———————————

Venmo Mary_Brack

PayPal MaryVBrack

Thank you!

[venuscnjunctpluto]

I notice people who are in relationships w Lilith in the 1st people either have Venus-Lilith, moon-lilith, lilith-juno, or Lilith-Jupiter.

Examples:

Zayn Malik has Venus conjunct Lilith and dated Gigi Hadid (Lilith in 1st)

Nancy Spungen (Lilith in 1st) had a notorious relationship with Sid Vicious who had Venus square Lilith

Rapper Jack Harlow dedicated a song to Dua Lipa (Lilith in 1st) and he has Venus trine Lilith. Her ex Anwar Hadid had Lilith Conjunct Juno

Megan thee stallion’s ex boyfriend Pardison has Venus square Lilith

Tom Brady has moon opposite Lilith and Gisele has Lilith square asc

NBA player Tyler Herro has Venus conjunct Lilith and his gf fitness model/entrepreneur Katya has Lilith in 1st

Emma Chamberlain’s (Lilith in 1st) ex Role Model has Venus opposite Lilith

Lamar Odom married Khloe Kardashian (Lilith in 1st) and he has Lilith conjunct Jupiter.

Marilyn Monroe’s (Lilith in 1st) ex husband Arthur Miller has Moon trine Lilith and Lilith Square Jupiter. Another ex husband of hers Joe DiMaggio has Lilith Square Jupiter

[hairybirthdayclown]

i. asteroid notes

*(not a pro. just for fun)

• natives with Ceres[1] (garners agriculture, nurture, nourishment, food etc.) in scorpio might feel guilty for what they deem as 'overnourishment' towards themselves instilled by their caregivers. their guardians could've told them to use small amounts of their lotions, eat less portions of food etc. so that they don't run out too quickly because money was always unstable. from what i've noticed, these natives might be picky eaters & are consistent with the type of food that they eat.

• Nike[307] (shows where you're victorious) trine/sextile/conjunct the Sun/MC could have an easier time obtaining power over others. whether it be their influence on others or falling into positons of power like being a CEO of a company.

Mark Zuckerberg has Nike conjunct the Sun in his natal chart & he's a CEO. Emma Chamberlain has it conjunct her MC & she owns a company. despite both receiving backlash & other hindering factors.

• Pholus[5154] (represents a small catalyst of decisions yielding in massive results) in transit conjunct Mercury in your natal chart is where you should be careful with your words. nonetheless, the results could be positive like posting on your socials & becoming viral.

Mercury also rules over vehicles. during this transit, i decided to take a short walk & ended up getting hit by a car lmao.

• Eros[433] (IMO represents both love & passion towards yourself & externally) square Mercury could indicate that you don't flirt or don't know how to without cringing. these natives could also have trouble with words of affirmation towards themselves & feel uncomfortable when others flirt with them especially if they don't like them.

• i checked Iris[7] (represents intuition) in celebrities charts who said they've always knew they were going to be well-known and all 3 (Jim Carrey, Oprah Winfrey, Lil Nas X) have leo degrees on their Iris. very cool observation if i do say so myself :D

(i'm aware some of these are dwarf planets)

thanks for reading :)

15/05/23

[scotianostra]

August 25th 1819 saw the death of the engineer and inventor James Watt.

Born in Greenock overlooking the Firth of Clyde, Watt suffered from poor health and did not attend school regularly. Instead, he spent time in his father’s workshop, learning engineering skills and making models. He trained as an instrument maker and in 1756 the University of Glasgow employed him as an instrument maker, providing him with lodgings and a workshop.

Watt styled himself as ‘Mathematical Instrument Maker to the University’. In this role Watt was exposed to the vibrant community of experimenters and theorists in Enlightenment Glasgow. The Professor of Natural Philosophy was John Anderson, who would later go on to found Anderson’s College, which ultimately became the University of Strathclyde asked Watt to repair the University’s Newcomen steam engine and he then identified how to improve the efficiency of this machine while out walking. But as it was a Sunday, and the strictures against working on the Sabbath were still very prevalent, he had to wait till the next day before he could write it down. His idea was to separate the condenser from the cylinder and enclose the cylinder in a steam jacket.

Although Watt patented his idea, his early business had production problems and he sold the patent to a Birmingham entrepreneur, Matthew Boulton, and went into partnership with him. This proved to be highly successful and Watt retired a wealthy man in 1800.

Watt never stopped inventing right up to his death and he created a steam locomotive, a chemical document copier, advised Josiah Wedgwood on pottery processes, surveyed the Caledonian and Forth and Clyde Canals and deepened both the rivers Clyde and Forth. He also gave his name to the Watt unit of power and introduced the term “horsepower”. But it is Watt’s development of the steam engine, which was the springboard for the Industrial Revolution for which he is rightly famous.

I never realised there were so many statues to Watt until now, they are, in order, at George Square, Glasgow, The Hunterian, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt’s University Edinburgh campus, William St, Greenock, Leeds, Yorkshire, and my fave with his partner, Matthew Boulton, and subject of my post last week William Murdock, at Broad Street, Birmingham, Birmingham also boasts a second statue at Chamberlain Square, there is another in front of the People’s Palace at Glasgow Green, and one in Edinburgh in the National Museums of Scotland .St. Paul’s Churchyard, London and Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester. Further afield we have another at Montevideo Railway Station, Uruguay.

There are also busts of Watt in The National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh and The National Wallace Monument. If I have missed any out please let me know!

You can read more of James Watt’s life here

[fanhackers]

#writtenbyawoman

A couple of years ago, BookTok and BookTube - the literary subcultures of TikTok and YouTube - started a meme, #writtenbyawoman.  The idea of the meme was that men, as written by women authors, were–well, terrific! Wonderful! Kind, gentle, considerate! To say a man was “written by a woman” was to give him the ultimate compliment: to put him in a category with men like Mr. Darcy, or Laurie from Little Women, or the Hot Priest from Fleabag. This complement has moved past fictional characters to be applied to real men (as in, “OMG he’s amazing, it’s like he’s written by a woman”), as well as to celebrities (e.g. Harry Styles, Timothee Chalamet. Hozier.) 

This is one of those cases where fandom’s hit on an idea that academia has also explored. In the introduction to her 2017 book, Heartthrobs: A History of Women and Desire, historian Carol Dyhouse notes that: 

“The icons of romantic literature — Mr Darcy, Mr Rochester, Heathcliff, or Rhett Butler — were mostly, in the first instance, products of the female imagination. Movie stars and rock musicians acquire and cultivate images that in many cases have little to do with their ‘ real ’ selves. Many of the most successful ‘ romantic leads ’ in the past — Montgomery Clift, Rock Hudson, Dirk Bogarde, Richard Chamberlain, for instance — have been gay. Their performances nevertheless conjured visions of maleness which had women weak at the knees: how do we make sense of this?” 

Dyhouse continues:

What we now refer to as the ‘alpha male’ hero, rugged, square-built with a strong jawline, has never held indomitable sway over feminine emotions. Sensitive types, moody aesthetes, and men exuding androgynous charm have featured equally prominently in the cultural landscape of desire. (1-2)

Even early heartthrob’s like Rudolph Valentino’s character of “The Sheik” were #writtenbyawoman - did you know that he comes from a bestselling novel, The Sheik (1919), written by E.M. Hul (that is, my girl Edith Maud. :D  You go, Edith!) 

Dyhouse’s purview extends from soulmates to vampires to pop stars and of course to David Bowie as the Goblin King. Not a fandom book per se but well worth checking out if your areas of interest include, say, pirates, Adam Ant, or Lord Byron.  

References:

Dyhouse, Carol. Heartthrobs : A History of Women and Desire, OUP Oxford, 2017 

–Francesca Coppa, Fanhackers volunteer

[blackmagecat]

Chapters: 11/?

Rating: Explicit

Relationships: Rahadin/OC

Summary:

The chamberlain of Castle Ravenloft is charged with visiting the Abbey of Saint Markovia to observe the Abbot's experiments. There, a cleric of the Morninglord endures a crisis of faith.

----

Henrik hated the festivals. And he suspected most did, but weren't willing to admit it, not even with their very faces. Henrik, however, could rarely help his own. No matter how hard he tried to maintain a smile, his true feelings inevitably emerged, pulling the corners of his mouth down into a scowl. He spent more festivals than not locked up in the stocks as a result, rotten eggs and lettuce thrown his way.

Today he was tasked with building the Baron's stage. Several other carpenters were there along with him, whistling in an irritably cheerful way as they worked. Henrik managed to keep his teeth bared, clenching them hard enough to make his jaw hurt. But it was the only way to keep himself from scowling. Even with a perfect attitude he was certain they would find some reason to punish him. His was the business of unhappiness, after all. The only reason he was even tolerated within the walls was because there was no denying that someone had to do the unhappy work of burying bodies. He completely expected that someday soon the Baron would declare it unlawful to die. Until then, Henrik van der Voort had coffins to build.

Sweat made his clothing stick uncomfortably to his body. Henrik asked for someone to hand him the nearby saw and was promptly ignored, the sixth of many such slights that morning. None of them wanted him there, that much was obvious. But the stage had been carried over in large pieces, and one of the bevels had come unattached and lost. It needed a new one if it was to support the dozen or so people the Baron had planned for it.

Fortunately, that chore made it so he didn't have to interact with any of them very much. Henrik attached the piece and then muttered a farewell, leaving it to the other carpenters to check that the new bevel was level. He had already checked three times, all too aware that they didn't trust him or his work. There was at least some satisfaction to be had in knowing they were about to waste time searching for flaws that didn't exist.

Henrik hurried away from the town square before he could be conscripted into another task. At sixty-and-two he did not have the energy or stamina of the younger journeyman. His bones ached and his joints swelled after standing for too long. With the festival only a scant few hours away he hoped to sit and rest within the quiet of his shop, where none were sure to bother him. How else was he to prepare for the din of the crowds and the exhausting performances and the drain of all the smiles and cheers?

His shop was on the east-end of town, tucked behind the Arasek's stockyard. The two-story building had a lonely, imposing air, which is how he preferred it. Henrik kept most of the windows on the second floor shuttered, which helped in blocking the incessant noise of the neighbors. The street was silent now, with most if not all preoccupied with preparing for the festival. Henrik unlocked the door quickly, and struggled to pull it open. It was a span of fine quality oak, which he cut and installed himself as a lad, but it was heavy on his weary arms now that he was older. Henrik allowed the door to swing closed behind him, making his way towards his workbench while anticipating it's dull thud, but the sound did not come. Instead, it opened again, heralding a visitor and potential customer.

Henrik turned, frowning. "I'm closed today."

The customer pulled the door closed, and managed to do so silently. "This will only take a moment of your time."

Righteous anger flared up in Henrik's chest, and several choice words regarding the visitor's audacity and entitled attitude were perched upon his tongue, ready to be used as a lash. But the man at his threshold was no one he knew or recognized, and a single glance made him realize at once that he was dealing with someone foul. Henrik glared at the man, a dusk elf of all things. But it was not like the dusk elves to look the way that this one did. Their kind generally kept their eyes averted and their heads bowed, trying to take up as little space as possible and often hoping not to be noticed.

This one was armed, dressed in studded leather and a heavy fur-lined cloak that not even Izek Strazni would have been able to afford. His head was held high in an air of superiority and disdain so unlike his kin, yellow eyes staring through Henrik hard enough to feel as though he'd been burned by ice. Henrik couldn't help reaching blindly for one of the tools upon his bench.

"All right, well, you'd better start talking then," Henrik demanded. He was not one to be easily intimidated, especially not by some fey-blooded fool.

The dusk elf took a step forward, his hands clasped behind him beneath his fancy cloak. Though he was a tall and lean thing, his presence appeared to take up enough room to crowd the narrow space of Henrik's workshop. It wouldn't be easy getting around him without a fight, Henrik thought. He squeezed the handle of the hammer he'd grabbed, finding comfort and reliance in the worn wood.

"I am here on behalf of Vasili von Holtz," explained the elf. "He is a friend, and will give his... undying support to Henrik van der Voort, if Mister Van der Voort will grant Lord Vasili the small token that was agreed upon their last meeting."

"I know what this is," Henrik spat. "And I already told Von Holtz that I'm through. If he wants his boxes he can take them, but I won't be taking in any of his so-called tenants."

The dusk elf produced a bulging coin purse and set it on the nearest workbench. "Lord Vasili has offered to double the pay to house them."

Henrik eyed the purse warily. The last time he had seen anything approaching that much coin had been right after the Doom of Vallaki, when more work had come through his doors than he was able to keep up with. He had eaten for years off of that. But this new sum, tempting though it was, wasn't enough to make him forget the glow of those red eyes in the dark. Six pairs of them, staring unblinkingly at him through the frosted windows while they scratched pitifully at the oak door.

He knew what they were. Fearful, Henrik had fallen back to conventional Barovian wisdom: do not let the creatures in. Do not invite them inside. All the coin in the world was meaningless if he wasn't alive to spend it.

"Now, you listen here," Henrik warned, his voice low and as threatening as he could manage it. "I don't care what you and Von Holtz and Fiona Wachter get up to at your so-called 'book clubs', but I won't have it here in my shop. You want to be fucked by the undead? That's your business. Do it in your own homes and leave the rest of us working folk out of it! Now you get the hells out of here!"

Henrik's voice had raised to a shout, one loud enough that it might have been heard outside — if anyone was out there. His aging heart pounded. Harming the nobility was basically a death sentence, but so was harboring the unholy. Henrik’s only hope was to make more of a ruckus and hope the guards were nearby to intervene. He shouted again, demanding that the dusk elf leave the premises at once, and then reached for the coin purse. Henrik threw it hard at the man. The elf’s arm shot out, as fast as a viper’s strike. The purse was caught before it struck his face, and some of the coins spilled out, clattering onto the wood floor.

The dusk elf was calm, his eyes regarding Henrik as though he were little more than a bothersome insect. He tossed the purse bag onto the bench and began to walk forward.

Henrik raised the hammer and backed away. “S-Stay back!” His back touched the door to the storage room, and he fumbled with the handle before stumbling through. He hurried in, crouching behind the newest coffins he had constructed, a polished casket of pine and thick velvet lining. It was fit enough for a wealthy noble, and intended to be a showcase of his work. Henrik clung to it, the hammer still held in his trembling hand.

The door did not open again. Henrik waited, his ears straining for even the slightest sound, but there was nothing. Not at first, anyway.

The lone wailing of a woman reached him from a distance. Henrik turned about in search of it. He struggled to remember the last time he ever heard such a sound, for such blatant unhappiness was not tolerated in public and certainly not on a festival day.

Then it was joined by another, and another, and then eventually punctuated by the agonized screaming of a woman who must have just been beaten or stabbed. Henrik himself screamed, his voice joining at least several dozen others, but then he started to lose count of how many there were. Hundreds? Was Vallaki under siege!? Henrik stumbled and crawled away, pressing himself between two other coffins before slapping his palms tightly over his ears. It did nothing to dampen the horrific sounds.

The door to the storage room opened. The dusk elf entered, as calm as before and unconcerned with the sounds. He looked about the room with a cool gaze, seeming to count the coffins Henrik had displayed. The women all screamed in the meanwhile, and something about their pain and their fear reminded Henrik of his daughter, who hadn't spoken to him in well over a decade.

"What is... Gods, tell me what is happening!" Henrik grit his teeth against the noise.

The screaming appeared to swell and crescendo as the elf approached. Henrik's palms tickled with wetness and he drew them back, only to find blood pooled in the center of them. Terrible pain came after, rending his skull seemingly in two. He fell flat against the dusty floor, and accidentally inhaled some of the miniscule shavings of wood pulp and grain that coated it. Through all the agony and the tearing of his consciousness, Henrik somehow came to a singular realization... of the truth and real extent of his circumstances.

"It's you..." he coughed. "The Devil's Hand..."

Rahadin von Zarovich paused. Henrik's face was inches from the well-oiled leather of his boot, and he strained to look up past it. The screaming choir continued all the while, now a perverse song filling the space that was often his only refuge from the town outside.

"Who are they?" Henrik asked, feeling delirious.

Rahadin crouched into a squat to meet Henrik's gaze. His face had a curious look to it, as if he were seriously considering the question.

"Everyone I have ever slain," Rahadin said. "Or so I'm told. I cannot hear it myself, you see."

"Why, but...? They're all women," Henrik gasped. "Why are they all women?"

The chamberlain's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he maintained that curious, unperturbed expression.

"Hmm, are they?" A slight smirk tugged at the corner of Rahadin's mouth. "You’re a rare one, then. Not many get the privilege of hearing Kasimir's Folly."

Henrik gaped at him, his mind made blank by the man's words. He hadn’t intended to mention the screaming at all, but sense and self-preservation had escaped him. Henrik felt insane. His thoughts were a mess of panicked declarations and questions and he found himself sputtering and babbling incoherently out of a crazed desire to voice them.

“The elf women, the elf women you killed the elf women-,”

Rahadin shifted his weight while he crouched and stared off at some non-significant part of the storage room. He seemed unbothered and unsurprised by the accusation, his expression a tad pensive, even.

”Yes. The price of denying my master his rightful bride. She spent her life toiling for their future, and they rewarded that effort with a hundred stones.” Rahadin then frowned. “A mercy killing, her brother called it.”

Henrik blinked and sat up, having suddenly realized that the screaming had faded away to dull and distant cries. Desperation wormed its way into the fearful pit of his belly.

“Y-Your master? Please, I didn’t know!”

The chamberlain glared at him, his eyes bright with disdain.

"Oh, you knew," Rahadin said, his voice low. "But it was more comforting for you to keep to Vallakovich's delusion that my master somehow has no reach here. What an arrogant notion. One that Kasimir Velikov once held."

Henrik cried out as a flash of steel entered his vision and flinched upon the feeling of cold metal touching the back of his left ear. Rahadin held his knife there while keeping a tight grasp on the top of Henrik’s head.

“Here is your new offer, swine. You can admit my master’s spawn and enjoy the binding word of Strahd von Zarovich that not a single hair on you will be harmed. Or you can refuse, and experience in full the disgrace of the dusk elves.”

The chamberlain demonstrated his seriousness by pressing the knife edge closer against Henrik's skin. The stinging pain was more than enough — Henrik babbled a plea for Rahadin to stop.

"Fine! Yes, please, I'll do it! I'll let them in!"

Henrik gasped in relief as the knife was pulled away. The Devil's Hand stood and glared down at the coffin maker with a scowl.

"Remember what Lord Vasili told you. There will be additional tasks."

Henrik nodded adamantly. "Yes, yes! I know, I'll do it. Whatever it is."

"Good," said Rahadin. "You do not want to give me a reason to return to this wretched hole."

The door closed loudly behind the chamberlain and Henrik slumped against a coffin, sobbing in relief.

Completed Chapter on AO3

[tracychamberlainhigginbotham]

(via Monday Motivation: Full Circle Magical Moments)

[eretzyisrael]

by Jack Engelhard

So this time it’s not 1,000 for one. Well, that’s an improvement. This time it’s 150 Arab terrorists in exchange for 50 Israeli hostages.

To some, that’s considered a win. Hey, look, we didn’t cave completely, only partly.

Did you get back all the hostages in this deal? That would have been something. But you didn’t. Abraham was also a lousy bargainer. Maybe that’s where this starts.

Frankly, I had intended to write something upbeat, especially when my IDF brothers in arms are fighting like lions inside the belly of the beast. (My guys were the Navy.)

But like you, dear reader, I am so damn depressed. Literally, where’s the light at the end of the tunnel?

I hardly hear any talk of victory any more. Mostly, the talk I’m hearing is about those “innocent Gaza civilians” and how Israel’s NUMBER ONE priority is to keep them safe.(Not Netanyahu and the government, thank G-d - they promise to go on to the end of Hamas and called its leaders "dead men walking" just last night.)

That’s the ballgame?

Secretary of State Antony Blinken thinks hardly about anything else, which is why he keeps traveling to Israel…to press the point.

There he is again this week…also to put the squeeze on Israel for “the day after,” which is a column for later.

He’s getting ready…with Biden, and the State Department…to swamp Israel ought of existence through another two-state solution, only this time with MORE land for the Arabs.

You heard that right. More land and THIS TIME they will be happy campers. Blinken is betting on this, with Israel’s money.

Which Israeli government will push back and resist? Or will it always be back to square one?

I am not confident. History tells us that leftist elements in Israel are always ready to concede for the “sake of peace in our time.” Per Neville Chamberlain.

Will it constantly be the same merry-go-round?

Nor can I forget the peaceniks who gave us Oslo, and the man, Ariel Sharon, who brought us to this pass when he gave this good Jewish land over to the Arabs. Hence, Hamas.

In earlier columns we proved that there are no innocent Gazans. They are all the same. One part does the killing, the other part does the cheering.

Dear Israel…how often will you let them play you like a fiddle? The enemy seems always a step ahead of you. Certainly the case Oct 7. Thereafter, as well.

We’re supposed to be so smart. They never produced an Einstein, and we have won 214 Nobel Prizes to their ZERO…all for what, when it comes to our survival.

Yet so often they outsmart us. We’re told that the 150 terrorists being released are really good terrorists. Quite harmless. Yet among them, we are learning, there exists car rammers, knife stabbers, suicide bombers, and outright murderers. BUT…they have been koshered by the government because they are only 99.9 percent like Hamas, not 100 percent. They did not succeed in their plans to murder Jews.

So, as of this writing, the deal is on…that is, for this group of 50…200 more to go.

Why art thou downcast O my soul? (David)

Because I know what’s coming. Hamas is going to drag this along for two years…one gift at a time…five, 10, maybe 20 hostages incrementally.

I so terribly hope I am wrong.

They can play this game down to one hostage left to taunt us with a Shalit all over again.

Meantime, the IDF will be stymied, the leadership, stalemated.

Let it not be so.

Hamas has this all figured out. Do the Israelis? How is it that Hamas gets to call the shots? Yes, Israel should have insisted on the release of all the hostages at once.

Or else, fire and brimstone of Biblical proportions. It’s what Churchill would have done…and did. Victory at all costs.

After all that, there is this: my niece Miriam, whose children live in Beer-Sheva…anyway, Miriam sends me the talks given by the Rebbe.

I listen to them every day…and they do uplift, give strength, and optimism. There shall be no despair. Israel…the Jewish People…will prevail.

Heck, I’m trying to be upbeat. Work with me.

[lloyddavis]

Wednesday, 13th December 2023

On. Those. Trays. Oh Basil! # The Chamberlain Memorial and Birmingham Town Hall, from a car park between Chamberlain Square and Gt Charles St, showing the partly demolished buildings believed to be the Mason Science College (later to be the site of the 1970s Central Library) Tony Davis, 1964, I think. # Birmingham City Centre, 1964-ish I spent a little time in Flickr today, and it reminded…

[chthonicavalon]

Day 1 - Envoy

“Thank you for asking to meet, Ogawa-san,” Haruka said.  Her voice was her usual semi-monotone, bearing no emotion as befitting a samurai.  However, lordly intent filled her being, both in the cadence of her words and the emphasis on sharper consonants, as well as the intense gaze and squared shoulders.  Despite this, the Lady of the Southern River Valley bowed to her guest.  Not extravagantly so – her guest wasn’t the Ogawa lord, after all, and after what the Ogawa had done, they deserved nothing more than the slightest nod toward courtesy.  Her formal regalia, the red and black kimono and hakama with overcoat, clung tightly to emphasize the effect, made complete with the ancestral sword that was held to her side with the traditional broad sash.  Sometimes, it paid to rely on ceremony.

Ogawa Nakayori bowed more deeply.  “Thank you, Lady Uesugi,” he said.  Calm and composed, he wore similar – if simpler – garb in his clan colors, and he bore no sword despite his rank.  It was a sign of peace and respect, a sign of what they’d done to Uesugi lands in the recent past.  Indeed, the lack of a weapon on the Ogawa diplomat and the message that he was being sent was the only reason he wasn’t cut down, either by her guard or by townsfolk.  Her people had lost friends and family in that fateful attack.  Many still held grudges.

Haruka gestured toward the pillow waiting across the table that separated them and sat on her own.  Meeting in the council meeting hall provided them with a central location where both their guards could eye one another in peaceful hostility while the talks proceeded.  Braziers and crystalline lanterns provided plenty of light to see by, well enough to read and write.  Sheets of paper were set upon the table, complete with inkstones and brushes.

“I admit, I did not think I’d be meeting with you personally,” the Ogawa representative said as he knelt.  “I normally meet with a chamberlain or at times the head of the clan military.”

“I thought this important enough to handle personally.  After all, there is much to discuss.”  The Lady’s voice was steely even behind her Doman respect.  

Ogawa visibly shrank a little.  Wincing, he took a deep breath.  “Yes, well, after what occurred between our clans, my Lord will appreciate knowing you take peace so seriously.”

It was a backhanded comment, one made by someone who thought they didn’t bear responsibility for death and destruction.  Haruka bristled internally, but it never showed.  Her eyebrow didn’t even twitch.

“Of course, Ogawa-san.  After all, there remains the reparations for what was done to our home.”

Such a forward thrust left the representative on the backfoot.  He wasn’t used to such bluntness.  “Reparations, my Lady?”

“Indeed.  Your clan attacked our home, occupied our lands.”

“The Ogawa clan was answering a call for help, Lady Uesugi.”

Only then did Haruka allow herself to show emotion.  It was calculated, a vision of the simmering anger underneath.  As the wyrm inside her howled for blood, a brow finally rose.  “Truly?  We have evidence to the contrary.  Shiba?”

A door opened, sunlight shining through and glaring off the table.  Nakayori grimaced in the brightness, lifting a hand to shield his eyes.  The door was shut soon enough, however, and they were joined by a man with salt-and-pepper hair, wearing the red-and-black of the Uesugi but whose kimono bore two crests: one the twin sparrows of the clan, and the other of his family.

“Ogawa-san,” Haruka said politely.  “This is Shiba Tanemune, my magistrate and retainer.”

Ogawa dipped his head, but Shiba didn’t return the gesture.  Despite his upbringing, he let his calm anger show distinctly on his demeanor.  The attack had been on his home, which had finally known not only peace, but some semblance of normalcy.  He thumbled the pommel of his katana as he glared at the representative.  His other hand bore a dozen sheets of paper.

It was Haruka who continued.  “In our possession are the letters sent between various individuals – the clan your family swears fealty to, the headman of your family, among others – that show that such a stance is not only a falsehood, but that you were promised a portion of Xiatien for your own.  You would take our home.”  

Shiba tossed the papers onto the table where Ogawa gazed at them.  His breath caught, nerves in his eyes.  Slowly, a hand reached out and took a sheet and he read it.

“The top sheet is most damning, I would say,” Shiba muttered, his voice like stones rolling down a hill.

“So, when I say reparations, I do mean that the Ogawa – and your masters, I hope – will be ensuring that there is recompense.”

“How did you get these?” Takayori said, his voice strangled.

Haruka’s expression was stoney again.  “The loom of fate happened to bring them into my hands, and now yours.”  It was a covert threat.  If the Ogawa envoy understood who might be the weaver of said loom, he’d know his family was on thin ice.

It was also a bluff, even if a safe one.  Haruka wouldn’t give away that she had her own network of spies.

If Takayori understood, he didn’t show it.  Instead, he spoke in a much more even voice.  “The commander of the forces who came here was killed, reportedly by your wife using some profane spell.  What more could we do?”

Haruka nearly reached out and grabbed the man’s kimono.  He had the audacity to accuse Reenah of consorting with vile practices.  But again, nothing showed, her mask whole and unbroken.

“He was killed by blade, not spell, Ogawa-san, in combat for the sake of the Takko’s defense.  I trust you will clear up such misconceptions.”  It wasn’t a request, even if Haruka’s tone had become conversational.  “But to answer you more directly, your clan will share a part of your crops with the Uesugi to help with the unseasonable storms the Valley has been dealing with for some time now.  This will be the start of the reparations made by the Ogawa to the Uesugi.  And if shipments do not begin swiftly,” she gestured toward the papers, “I am reasonably certain some individuals would find all this a rather enticing read.”

The representative paled.  Slowly, he nodded.

Nodding, Haruka smiled, showing a hint of teeth.  Had she fangs like her wife, it would look genuinely vicious.  “Good.  That can be the start of the official declaration.  Now, let us speak of what else can be done.”

[astrogeekery]

Squars: Exoplanets Do Not Exist

Paper published April 1, 2023 by researchers Woodrum, Hviding, Amaro, and Chamberlain (the WHAC collaboration) of the University of Arizona bravely challenges the existence of exoplanets and lays the building blocks for an alternative explanation: cuboid stars, or squars