#Dominion Trust Building

[rabbitcruiser]

Downtown Vancouver (No. 7)

The Dominion Building sits across the street from Victory Square, site of the former provincial courthouse, which was relocated to Georgia Street in 1913. The Dominion Building was at the hub of the city's financial and legal district until that move.

The backside of the building (containing the emergency staircases) and Cambie Street was filmed during the street scenes of The Neverending Story. It can be seen from Water Street.

The Dominion Building can also be seen at the end of Jennifer Lopez's 2023 film,The Mother, as she looks down into Victory Square from the 14th floor, nearing the end of the film.

The Dominion Building, as well as other elements of Victory Square, were filmed for scenes in an abandoned city in Battlestar Galactica.

The initial rooftop chase scene from Blade: Trinity was shot at the Dominion building.

The 2012 TV show Alcatraz also used this as a location in the opening episode, although the program was set in San Francisco, a lot of the location work was done in Vancouver. The Dominion building can also be seen in the background later in the series when a landmine is found in Victory Square.

Can Lit. author Timothy Taylor. maintains a writing office in this building.

Source: Wikipedia

[hypertechnica]

i’m not saying that what Odo did in s6 while the dominion occupied the station WASNT fucked up beyond imagination, but am i the only one who thinks it completely makes sense why it happened (and why Kira forgave him?)

to be clear, i absolutely think the show forgave him too fast - it should have been a full arc on screen, not in a single off screen discussion in a closet. that was a massive writing failure. but! i don’t think that the arc is usalvageable at all.

(CW for discussions of grooming)

from what i knew of the dominion collaborator arc before i watched it, i assumed Odo had taken an active role in betraying the federation basically because he was lonely and horny and prioritized his own feelings over his values. i didn’t see that at all.

Odo’s betrayal lied within his inaction - his refusal to help kira and the resistance when she needed him most, ruining their plans and in the end costing thousands of lives. Kira (and everyone else) had every right to never speak to him again - so why did she?

Odo, to me, seemed completely dissociated the entire time his betrayal took place. where just before he had been talking of wanting to rip out his strong feelings for Kira, he then takes on an eerie apathy towards everything, stating things “used to” matter and that he felt nothing. he doesn’t even know how much time is passing. the crux of this, of course, is the link - Odo stresses that it’s an experience that can’t be compared to anything solids can do. Kira just “doesn’t understand.” that she can’t understand. what is so life changing about linking that makes him do a full 180 on everything he’s ever stood for? it’s basically just goo sex, right? right?

the Voice of the Link (the female changeling but i refuse to call her that because it’s a stupid fucking name) is manipulating him with his desire to link and to experience his culture. but linking is more than a metaphor for sex, it’s quite literally the emotional fusion between beings. the show compares it to sex, yes, but the emotional intimacy of the act transcends humanoid notions of sexuality in a way Odo had never experienced at this level before. the Voice already had power over him. she’d been building his trust and teasing him with hints at their culture for seasons at this point, it wasn’t a huge step to fully let her enter his mind. the Voice wanted Odo to join the Great Link - but she also wanted that minefield to be destroyed. Odo says she didn’t find out about their plans, but was he correct? what are the Voice’s true motives? she says she doesn’t care about the details of the war, that she just wants to be with Odo for companionship - i don’t buy it. she has to know about the resistance. she’s too smart to not have figured it out. it’s two birds with one stone - fully sway Odo to the side of the dominion, and ensure that the minefield is destroyed.

they’d linked before, but never in totality or for that length. she knew he’d be vulnerable to it. that he would lose himself to the overwhelming emotional intensity and melding of their minds. Odo was an extremely young changeling with little to no experience linking, and was thrust into an out of body extremely emotional and sexual experience literally transcending the boundaries of self with a thousand+ year old founder who knows exactly what buttons to press. of course he would lose his sense of self and detach from reality! she’s literally both attacking and assuaging every vulnerability Odo has in an extremely precise manner!

Odo wanted nothing more than to be able to link with another changeling but the power imbalance was too great. he was putty in her hands. it was really uncomfortable to watch and i dare say it was an act of predation rather than “Odo was horny and folded immediately” or “Odo was lonely and prioritized that over his friends.” yes, he was both of those things, but in the context of his relationship with the Voice… good lord. i wouldn’t even be surprised if Odo genuinely didn’t know the extent of the damage he caused until after things were over - he was completely and utterly gone.

it makes no sense for Odo to suddenly abandon his entire moral and value system just because The Link Is Cool and Awesome and i’m Learning About my Culture and then change his mind once more once shit starts hitting the fan. he’s not that gullible. he can’t rip out his feelings! but he can be coaxed into a state of derealized semi consciousness by continuous linking and isolation from others.

by linking with the Voice he lost track of where he ended and she began. his ego had been destroyed. he was nothing, and nothing mattered but the link. the totality of it. his loneliness was amplified by a thousand degrees every time they separated, she knew how to make him feel just right, she knew how to make him lose his independence completely.

but the spark within him, his love that he’d tried to get rid of, the kind that didn’t require becoming nothing but a drop in an ocean, saved him from her. Kira helped him remember himself and what he believed in right before it was too late.

Odo is far from a defendable character in many cases. he’s a very very flawed person. but i would argue this isn’t his worst moment. his extremely authoritarian tendencies and the amoral decisions he’s made while in complete sound mind are honestly more culpable to me than what happened to him in s6. the scale of the disastrous consequences resulting from his betrayal make it way worse obviously, but he was literally getting groomed and NOT in his right mind. he seemed almost drugged to me at points.

so he SHOULD have gotten another arc afterwards explaining all of that in detail instead of “well, he talked it out offscreen with Kira. he’s forgiven now!” BRO HE INDIRECTLY KILLED SO MANY PEOPLE dissociated or not he SHOULD face consequences for that!! make him grapple with it!! make him realize the extent of what happened not only the consequences but the the way he was taken advantage of! its literally existentially terrifying in every way! and of COURSE in that context Kira would forgive him. trust would have to be rebuilt, of course, but it’s one thing to actively put the entire alpha quadrant at risk for some strange, it’s another thing to have your vulnerability taken advantage of and be put into a dissociative state.

tldr: the Voice is a great villain and Odo has never done anything wrong ever in his life

[journeythroughtarot]

Walk Your Path - Where will you find yourself?

Choose an image that resonates and read your card below. Want a reading? Check out my links or send me a message.

Pile 1 - On the Road

Queen of Water & Faith

You are on the road, adapting to the lay of the land, but is it a hard road or an easy one? Or are you simply making it harder for yourself? Before you is a road with nothing but yourself and your own two feet. No matter the struggles that you encounter or will inevitably face, it is up to you and your faith in yourself that will see you through. We can easily get stuck when we see how hard it could be or get distracted by our emotions and what they are telling us. This pile is all about having trust in yourself as you take on the future, adapting to what comes, always being flexible and flowing with your emotions as you traverse what the path is here to show you. Having trust in what your emotions reveal to you will help you move forward, ever tackling what the next stretch of path will show you. Without this trust in yourself and what you are able to create, you may wobble and find yourself faced with the difficult sea strong waves of your emotions. Use this power wisely, as how you use your emotions to slow you or quicken your path will determine how far you must go.

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Pile 2 - Help and Guidance

Queen of Earth & The Father

You are the ruler of your own world. Your own creator, your own visionary, building the space that you wish to see with the people you love. Like a gardener, you organise the garden that you wish to see, with the flowers, plants, and trees that you want to adorn your life. Where your focus is and what you pour into your world is what inhabits this garden. It can be difficult then to give into change, into something new or unknown. We create familiar worlds that tilter and when we lose balance, we feel lost and uncertain. This pile is all about listening to your helper, your guide. Some outside source with an outside perspective, something new or different or altering, is trying to show you a different way to guide you forward. Listen to what the world is showing you. You will always have the power to make the next move, to go where you wish to go. It is all up to you whether you invite the change in and learn from the garden you have created. Your own dominion, flourishing as it is, needs a guide and protector. This is and always will be you, standing in yourself and the role you possess. Guidance is needed so don't be afraid to explore more of yourself or ask for help. Give yourself the reassurance and inner stability you need to change the world that you know.

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Pile 3 - In the Waters

The Mother & Water 2

We create our own rules and then expect ourselves to play by them. When we falter, or the world around us dares to become different to what we know, it can make us feel out of control. We are the creators of our own burdens and when we tie ourselves to things, we hold onto them. Letting them go can be difficult and take a hold of where our path takes us. This pile is about being satisfied with ourselves and our lives, being happy with who we are and appreciating what we have created. When we are not, we find ourselves looking for harmony and for our desires to be met. This could be in the form of something that will save us or love us, something that will give our lives meaning or change it for the better. Everything you are looking for however is within you. You are capable beyond what you know. Embrace everything that you are, everything that you wish to be, everything that is you. We can only lead ourselves when we accept and love who we are, so that we can be knowing of where we stand. Come back to you and find unity within.

[idonotbitemythumbatyou]

By the will of the prophets, by the end of the series Sisko (and thus Bajor) has formed strong personal bonds of friendship with figures of political influence in nearly every major power that could be a threat to Bajor, or could simply be a help to Bajor’s growth.

The Federation: it would have been enough for him just to be there, but Sisko’s war hero status makes their investment in Bajor more personal.

The Klingon Empire: Worf - (as outlined in this post) is almost comedically well connected, and practically handpicked the Chancellor himself.

The Founders, (and thus the Dominion) : Odo is sent back to temper his people with a love for a Bajoran woman that will live with him the great link forever.

Ferenginar - Sisko performed the Grand Nagus’ wedding ceremony (to a Bajoran, no less. Leeta is part of this too), and personally mentored his son.

Cardassia - Garak will likely have some influence in the new government given his skills and role in the war. Of course, no matter how much he owes Sisko, he’s too capricious on his own to be trusted with Bajor’s safety, so they granted him the tempering influence of a profound relationship with a federation doctor. Whether you think they get married post canon or not (they do), wild horses couldn’t keep Julian frontier-medicine Bashir from going to help rebuild Cardassia.

I 100% think this was all planned by the prophets. It had to be that exact moment with those exact people. (We’re just missing the Romulans, really. Bit of an oversight.)

And then they left Kira there to oversee it all, and maintain those relationships, Kassidy to build his temple according to his specifications, and Jake to tell the story.

[gusty-wind]

Tina Peters in summary was a Colorado election official who retained an unauthorized copy of the 2020 voter records of her county as a safeguard as required by Federal law prior to a post-election software update called "Trusted Build" from Dominion.

In any normal world, state officials would want to compare those pre and post software update records to assure that the Federal 24 month records maintenance laws were being faithfully followed. That's not what happened. Not even close.

Now the Colorado Secretary of State - who led the persecution of Tina Peters - has committed and even greater crime, apparently, a Class 5 felony.

[royalty-nobility]

Queen Alexandra (1844-1925)

Artist: François Flameng (French, 1856-1923)

Date: 1908

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Royal Collection Trust, United Kingdom

Alexandra of Denmark

Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of Edward VII.

Alexandra's family had been relatively obscure until 1852, when her father, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, was chosen with the consent of the major European powers to succeed his second cousin Frederick VII as King of Denmark. At the age of sixteen, Alexandra was chosen as the future wife of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the son and heir apparent of Queen Victoria. The couple married eighteen months later in 1863, the year in which her father became king of Denmark as Christian IX and her brother William was appointed king of Greece as George I.

Alexandra was Princess of Wales from 1863 to 1901, the longest anyone has ever held that title, and became generally popular; her style of dress and bearing were copied by fashion-conscious women. Largely excluded from wielding any political power, she unsuccessfully attempted to sway the opinion of British ministers and her husband's family to favour Greek and Danish interests. Her public duties were restricted to uncontroversial involvement in charitable work.

On the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, Albert Edward became King-Emperor as Edward VII, with Alexandra as queen-empress. She became queen mother on Edward VII's death in 1910, at which point their son George V acceded to the throne. Alexandra died aged 80 in 1925.

Painting Description

This strikingly sophisticated and composed portrait of Queen Alexandra was painted by the French artist François Flameng in 1908. It is one the highlights of early 20th century royal portraiture. The Queen sits upon a stone step, gazing directly at the viewer; dressed in a white silk dress, diaphanous gauze suggested about her arms and shoulders. She is wearing Queen Victoria's small crown, the riband and star of the Order of the Garter, her collier résille necklace, made by Cartier in 1904, and the Koh-i-nûr in its brooch setting. A wooded landscape and suggestion of a building or castle in the background.

[hrizantemy]

Wrote this because imagine being a girl growing up in Hewn City.

Darkness seemed to follow me, a shadow that extended far beyond the reach of the sun. It was in every alleyway I passed, creeping through the narrow gaps between buildings, pooling in the corners where the streetlights failed to penetrate. Even in the daylight, when the world should have been bright and welcoming, there was always a sense of something unseen lurking just out of sight, waiting for the opportune moment to reveal itself.

Every man I encountered seemed cloaked in this darkness, their faces partially obscured, their intentions hidden behind a veil of shadows. Their eyes, cold and unfeeling, were windows to a world I could not fathom but sensed was fraught with danger. Conversations were laced with an underlying menace, a threat that whispered through the air like a secret only I was privy to. Trust became an elusive concept, something I could no longer afford.

But the worst of it was when I closed my eyes. The darkness was no longer an external force; it was internal, residing within me. It pulsated behind my eyelids, a living entity that wrapped itself around my thoughts and dreams. Sleep offered no respite, only a deeper descent into a realm where the shadows had full dominion. I would awaken, gasping for breath, the weight of the darkness pressing down on my chest, refusing to let me go.

There was no escape from it. It was as though the darkness had become a part of me, woven into the very fabric of my being. No matter how far I walked, no matter where I went, it followed. It was inescapable, an ever-present reminder that light and hope were distant dreams, perpetually out of reach.

Sometimes, the darkness felt more than just a presence; it felt like a force, an overwhelming tide that threatened to sweep me away. There were moments when it surged, rising up to consume me entirely, and in those moments, I felt an unsettling sense of surrender. The world around me, with its harsh lights and unforgiving realities, seemed less appealing than the void that beckoned.

The thought of being consumed by it wasn't frightening; it was a tempting escape. The darkness offered a strange kind of solace, a promise of release from the endless struggle of existing in a world that never quite felt like my own. It whispered sweet nothings, coaxing me with the allure of silence and stillness, a place where the relentless noise of my mind could finally be stilled.

There were times when I stood on the precipice, teetering on the edge of letting go. The pull was strong, an almost gravitational force that promised to envelop me in its cool embrace. In those moments, I wouldn't have minded if it took me. I would close my eyes and feel its tendrils wrapping around my soul, drawing me deeper into its depths. There, I imagined, I could find peace—a cessation of the ceaseless torment, the unending cycle of fear and uncertainty.

It was worse when I felt this way because it made the darkness seem not like an enemy, but a friend. It was a dangerous comfort, a seductive promise of escape that was hard to resist. The line between surrender and survival blurred, and sometimes, I felt myself slipping. The idea of being consumed entirely, of disappearing into the void, was no longer terrifying but almost desirable. In the face of such an irresistible force, my will to fight weakened, and I found myself wondering if perhaps, just perhaps, it would be easier to let go.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

David Badash at NCRM:

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) declared Monday he is advocating for Christian nationalism, a far-right ideology that claims there is no separation of church and state in the Constitution, and promotes as a national religion Christian fundamentalism, a hardline, extremist brand of Christianity at odds with the religious beliefs of many Christians across the country. It opposes LGBTQ people and people of other faiths or of no faith, and their civil rights. It often has links to neo-Nazis, white supremacy, and dominionism, and many see Russia and Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, as its leader.

“Some will say I’m calling America a Christian nation. And so I am. Some will say I’m advocating Christian nationalism. And so I do. My question is – is there any other kind worth having?” Senator Hawley said at “NatCon 4,” the National Conservatism conference being held in Washington, D.C., this week (video below), as reported by Semafor’s David Weigel.

Sen. Hawley, not backing down, promoted his remarks by reposting them on social media. Senator Hawley told attendees at the far-right conference, “Christian nationalism founded American democracy.. the Christian political tradition is our political tradition,” Weigel also reported. “They want the religion of the pride flag. We want the religion of the Bible. I have a suggestion: Why don’t we take down the trans flag from all the federal buildings from which it’s flying, and instead, inscribe on every federal building our national motto: In God We Trust?” Hawley also reportedly said. [...] National Conservatism is a multinational “project” created by the Edmund Burke Foundation, a Netherlands-based group.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) spoke at NatCon recently and declared that he is “advocating Christian nationalism”. Hawley pushed the lie that “Christian nationalism founded American democracy.”

[pitviperofdoom]

PITS JONGERRYS LETS GO

Uhhh uMMMMMM URBAN FANTASY JONGERRYS

Things had escalated. With Gerard Keay involved, that meant something inevitably wound up on fire.

The initial blast took out two of Jon’s attackers and threw the rest into confusion. He was already running the second he was free, reaching out blindly until Gerard found his wrist. Without a word, his bodyguard shoved him to the front and sent another fireball into the cultists behind them. The flames, as always when they came from Gerard, burned hot and spread fast. The resulting confusion left their pursuers in disarray, but the spread of the flames cut off their exits as thoroughly as the cultists’ pursuit.

In the end, their only recourse was to flee deeper into the Rayner compound, away from the screams and shouts of their would-be captors.

Jon kept his mouth shut, breathing deeply and evenly as Gerard hurried him along. He was getting used to running, he thought wryly. Less than a year ago he would’ve been gasping and staggering after the first three hallways, but now his breath came easily, and he barely registered the burn in his legs until they finally came to a halt.

A spacious storage closet served as a temporary refuge; the closet itself was dark and unlit, but a small window at Gerard’s eye level provided him with a vantage point. Jon leaned against the wall to catch his breath.

“Lost them for now,” Gerard murmured. “Won’t matter much if we can’t get out of here.”

“Mm.” Jon let out a long, slow breath. “I think it’s safe to say that relations between Elias and the People’s Church have thoroughly broken down.”

“Long time coming, if you ask me. Mum always says Rayner’s lot don’t want anything less than total dominion. So alliances don’t tend to—”

Abruptly he went still and silent, ducking away from the window. Footsteps rushed past outside; a shadow fell over the dim beam of light that leaked through. Jon didn’t dare move. Eventually, after a few heart-pounding seconds, the figure outside moved on and joined the rest of the cultists searching the building.

The silence lasted nearly two full minutes before Jon built up the nerve to speak again. “Gerard?”

A soft sigh emanated from the darkness. “Thought I told you to call me Gerry.”

“I… haven’t forgotten,” Jon replied. “Gerry, then.”

The name felt uncomfortable on his tongue, even with permission. It held meaning, he knew. Gerard—Gerry had thrown it out in an off-hand manner, but Jon didn’t need to be a seer to sense the weight in that request. It wasn’t just a preference; it was an offer of trust, a wall coming down, a privilege that Jon had somehow earned, entirely without meaning to, without offering anything in return.

“I’ll follow your lead,” he said.

Gerry’s face hovered into the light again, casting sharp shadows over his features. “Not quite good enough.”

“What?”

With a sigh, Gerry let his eyes slide shut. “There’s too many of them. If we make a break for it, they’ll run us down, overwhelm us with sheer numbers.” His eyes opened, focusing on Jon. “You’re fast. A lot faster than you used to be, at least. All you need to get away is a diversion.”

“I don’t like where this is headed—”

“I’ll be fine,” Gerry said calmly, with a roll of his eyes. “And most importantly, you’ll be fine. You’ve got the easy bit. All you have to do is run fast until you’re out. I’ll take care of the rest.”

He reached for the door handle. Jon got there first.

***

Jon’s hand closed around his wrist, tight enough to make his fingers tingle. Gerry jerked back with a surprised hiss, but Jon refused to let go.

“Gerry, stop,” he hissed. “It won’t work.”

“Oh ye of little faith.” It was getting a little harder to keep his voice steady. Sure, his chances were slim, but that was nothing new. Slim chances were his baseline.

“No, listen to me,” Jon gritted out, yanking him away from the door. “It won’t work. There are too many of them and they’re spread out through the building. No matter where, when, or how you try to make a stand, I won’t even make it outside.”

Conviction rang in every word, bringing Gerry up short. He looked back; in the dim light through the door’s small window, he could see the set of Jon’s face.

“Trust me,” Jon pleaded. “I know.”

Gerry’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know? I didn’t see you swooning over a vision.”

“Think of something else,” Jon told him.

“Jon—”

“The longer we take to decide, the more everything shifts,” Jon snapped. “Think of something else.”

“Fine!” Gerry thought quickly. “It’s a straight shot to the east entrance from here—”

“Won’t work,” Jon cut him off. The light from the hallway struck his eyes, setting them aglow. His pupils, no longer light-absorbing black, flashed like a cat’s in the dark. “It’s too narrow—no escape routes. It’ll funnel us straight to them. Try again.”

“South, then. It leads to the warehouse—there’s plenty of places to hide.”

“The mezzanine’s already packed with armed cultists,” said Jon. “It’d be like running into a firing squad.”

“If we go further down—”

“No way out, and… there’s something down here.” Jon squinted and grimaced, free hand flying to his forehead as if in sudden pain. “I can’t—I can’t quite get the shape of it.”

“Then… up…?”

Jon blinked. “Keep going.”

“What?”

“Upstairs, then what?”

Gerry thought for a moment. “Head to the roof, take the fire escape down.”

“Fire escapes aren’t maintained, they won’t hold both of us,” said Jon. “Try again.”

“Not the roof, then. Out one of the windows. I can climb and carry you.”

“You—” Jon blinked, his strange eyes widening. “Huh. So you can.”

“Are we good?” Gerry asked.

“Wait.” Jon’s eyes flickered again, before he squeezed them shut and came back into himself. “Christ. Car park on the west side of the building. There’s a blue sedan with keys on the center console.”

“Okay.” With one last look out into the hallway, Gerry reached for the door handle. There would be time for questions later, and Gerry had many. “Get ready to run.”

***

“Want to tell me what that was about, then?”

Jon’s hands barely shook. It was a bold move, starting an interrogation when Jon was the one applying gauze to a bullet graze Gerry couldn’t reach himself. “Depends on what you want to talk about—”

“Don’t.” Gerry’s voice brooked no argument, barely stuttering even as Jon pressed a disinfectant-soaked pad to the gash over his shoulder blade.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Jon insisted. “I’m a seer. You knew that when Elias brought you on. Why are you so disconcerted over watching me see the future?”

“Because you’ve been holding out on me, Sims,” Gerry said mildly. “Holding out on him too, seems like. Does Elias know you can do that? Just peek into the future of your own accord, instead of waiting for it to creep up and pounce?”

Jon sighed.

He didn’t say anything after sighing, but he did continue to patch up Gerry’s wounds. Gerry sat patiently, holding still even as Jon’s ministrations stung his torn and scorched skin. He could be patient. Once Jon was done, he wouldn’t have an excuse to hide behind anymore.

“I’m not stupid,” Jon said. “Or naive, or sheltered. I don’t know why you thought I was when we first met.”

“You’re not my first bodyguarding gig,” Gerry told him. “In my experience, anybody who gets as petulant about being protected as you were is usually naive and a bit stupid. And after that stunt you pulled with Jude Perry, you can forgive me for coming to a reasonable conclusion.”

“That wasn’t stupidity or naivete,” Jon said primly. “That was recklessness. Learn the difference.”

“Jon.”

“I just mean—I know how people see me,” Jon went on. “What they usually want from me. It happened back when I was a kid, before my grandmother stopped letting me talk about it. Everyone wants to know something about the future, even if they think they don’t. I’m a useful tool for some, a deepest wish for others. I’ve been hiding what I am since I was a child. And when Elias identified what I was in spite of my best efforts… I thought it best to keep hiding what little I could.”

“Like having control over your own power.” Gerry’s eyes narrowed. “But you work for him. Being a seer is literally what he pays you for.”

“But I don’t know why.” Jon finished fussing over his wounds and stood back. “He pays me a wage plus a bonus for every vision I report to him, but I don’t know what he’s getting out of any of it. He’s looking for something—I know he is. I just don’t know what.”

“If you don’t know what he wants from you, but you don’t trust him enough to ask, then why stay at all?” Gerry asked. “I’ve seen your paycheck, and it’s not that good. Why do you still work for him?”

Jon moved to the sink, where he washed his hands with the methodical care of a surgeon about to walk into an operating theater. Gerry was halfway through putting his shirt back on when Jon finally replied.

“Because I haven’t found a path to quitting that doesn’t end with Elias killing me.”

Gerry froze, his shirt still rucked up over his chest.

“I’d been working for him for about… six months? When I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t comfortable.” Jon returned to the kitchen table and sank back into the chair beside Gerry. “I didn’t think much of peeking ahead, so to speak. Elias just struck me as the sort of boss who would take a resignation personally, and I wanted to know what I’d have to deal with.” He took a deep breath. “Turns out, what I’d have to deal with was Elias coming into my home and beating me to death in a staged burglary gone wrong.”

Gerry gripped the edge of his chair until his knuckles turned white.

“I-I went through as many possible exits as I could think of,” Jon went on. “Moving wouldn’t help. Neither would changing my number, ghosting him, stringing him along to keep him from realizing I was quitting—nothing. If I try to quit, he’ll kill me. And I don’t know why.”

He stopped, steadying himself. “All I can do is just—linger. Be as useless as possible. Try to figure out what he wants from me. I-I keep checking, every now and then. Cycling through possible resignation methods. I’m—” HIs voice caught. “I’m quite sick of watching myself die, as you can imagine.”

“Can’t you use your sight to figure out what he wants?” Gerry asked.

“No, it’s—it’s not that simple, it’s—a question like that is too vague.” Jon paused, looking thoughtful. “Did your mother ever teach you about probability?”

Gerry gave him exactly the look that question deserved.

“Right, didn’t think so. Here—here’s an incredibly simplified demonstration.” Jon reached across the table and snagged a legal pad. “Right, so—imagine you’re trying to pick an outfit for the day. And you have… two pairs of trousers, three shirts, and four pairs of socks. So you start with picking the trousers.” Turning the pad sideways, he started on the left and drew a sideways V, the two branches spread wide, nearly spanning the width of the page. “These two points are your two choices of trousers. From there, you pick a shirt. Both choices of trousers can then go with three possible shirts, making six outcomes in all.” From the end of both branches, he drew three more branching lines. “And from there, you choose socks—so each of these six shirt-trouser combinations have four further possibilities for socks.” He continued drawing until the diagram resembled a sideways skeletal tree with twenty-four branches at the end. “And you can continue this ad nauseum—you’ve got three possible pairs of shoes, five possible hats, two possible pairs of gloves, and so on and so forth.” Before long, the entire page was filled with simplistic tree branches, uneven and crowding each other on the page. “Following me so far?”

“Yes?” Gerry said dubiously.

“This is, once again, an incredibly simplified version of what the future is like,” Jon explained. “It’s not a straight path. There are countless possible outcomes for every single—well. Everything. You make different choices to go down certain paths, and the choices available to you depend on random chance and the choices of the people around you, who are also living in their own tangled probability trees.” He tapped the scribbly mess on the page with his pencil. “When I use my sight of my own accord, that is what I see.”

Gerry stared down at it. “Huh.”

“The trick I pulled in the Rayner compound was… simpler than it could have been,” Jon went on. “It’s easiest to see what’s straight ahead, because that puts me back here—” he tapped at the single point on the left side of the page, from which the rest of the branches originated. “Because I can focus on myself, and my own choices, and the number of possible outcomes are slightly more manageable. The present and immediate future are always the easiest to deal with, because whenever I choose a particular branch, the rest of them… wither away, so to speak, and all the tangled might-have-beens that grew from them disappear. It frees up my attention.”

“So it’s difficult to figure out what Elias wants from you because… you don’t know how to find the right branch?”

Jon nodded. “I don’t know how to find the path that leads to him telling me.”

“Do you know what happens if you tell him the truth about your abilities?”

“I looked, once,” Jon replied. “Not for very long. None of the outcomes I could find involved him letting me outside ever again.”

“Fuck,” Gerry breathed out. “You realize you’re taking a huge risk by telling me, right? For all you know, I could take this straight to Bouchard.”

Jon’s eyes flickered again. “I’ve yet to find a branch where you do.” Gerry snorted. “And besides that…”

His scarred hand came to rest over Gerry’s. By some miracle, Gerry managed not to jump.

“We’re in this together,” Jon said. “We’re both stuck, and I’m relying on you just to keep breathing. You’ve been—good. To me. So far. You’re no friend of Elias, that’s for sure.”

“I’m not,” Gerry said firmly.

“Maybe it is a risk,” said Jon. “But I’m just—tired. I’m trapped either way, and the closest I have to company I trust are the infinite possible future versions of myself, who I can only observe and learn from. To tell you the truth, I’ve been getting a bit lonely.”

“Bit sad, that.”

“Never said it wasn’t.”

They sat in silence for a while, neither of them pulling away from the other’s touch. Gerry stared at the hand over his own through half-lidded eyes, wondering what would happen if he turned his over and held Jon’s properly. For a split second he wished he could peek ahead.

“Hey Jon?”

“Yes?”

“What happens if—” He faltered for a moment. “What happens if I’m with you when you try to leave?”

“Hm.” Jon’s eyes flickered for a moment.

Without warning, they flew open wide.

“Jon?” Gerry asked nervously.

“I…” Jon’s throat bobbed. “Sorry, that—that just opened up an entire dimension of branches that I didn’t even—” His eyes flicked from side to side, as if the entire tree of fate was sprouting and growing before him, and he could only take in a few branches at a time.

“Talk to me,” said Gerry.

“There are—a lot more answers to that question than I realized,” Jon said. “Still a lot of ways to die, but—not as immediate. There are more branches ahead, I can’t quite…” He seemed to catch his breath. “I have to think about this. But…” The strange light in his eyes went out, and he turned to look at the Gerry of here and now. “Would you do that? Are you sure?”

Gerry took Jon’s hand and squeezed. The outcome, it turned out, was Jon’s wide eyes locking on his face, and the faintest hint of a blush creeping over Jon’s skin.

“Yes.” He wondered how many paths vanished when he made his choice.

[zhakyria]

I had the chance to commission Kahl'ryn from @psychededoodle. I have no words for how much I love this. Everything, all the details, the expression, the scar, the cybernetics, everything is so well done!!

And with this amazing portrait - I'm gonna talk a bit about Kahl and what he is up to in my Arclight AU. So... some rambling thoughts under the cut. :)

For reference: The Arclight AU is a melting pot of various sci-fi franchises. Star Wars, Farscape, WildStar, Star Trek, to just name a few. However, the core of it is Star Wars. A lot of the universe rules are Star Wars rules - such as how space travel works and the Force.

The major players from Star Wars include: the Galactic Empire, the Mandalorians, the Sith Empire, the Chiss Ascendancy, the High Republic, and the Grysk Hegemony.

Much like swtor!Kahl, arclight!Kahl was born in the Sith Empire. His father is the (now former) Sith Lord Xhai'tan. He was trapped in a burning building when he was a child, which is how he got the burn scars. He joined the Imperial Academy and joined Imperial Intelligence upon graduating. Some of his first missions included hunting down terrorists and stopping Darth Jadus. For his double agent arc however, he didn't infiltrate the SIS.

In Arclight the Sith Empire is mostly at odds with the Dominion from WildStar. So, Kahl is tasked with infiltrating the Dominion and carrying out his mission there. The Star Cabal is still a threat and Kahl eventually dismantles it.

Now things really start to diverge. You see, most everything from Shadow of Revan onward doesn't happen. So how does my boy meet Theron?

I made the executive decision that since the Republic isn't the same Republic as in swtor and isn't the power in direct conflict with the Sith Empire, that Theron would instead be from the Dominion. ((I know, I know, not the best allegory if you know anything about the Dominion - like they live up to their name. Does make it way easier for Theron to defect though.))

Then I needed the catalyzing event. Enter the Dread Masters. They were imprisoned by the Dominion, but they escape but with Emperor Vitiate dead (did I mention that? no? So, yeah Emperor Vitiate does die, and after a short war between the Sith, Acina comes out on top and takes the Throne - this is also the time of Malgus's first betrayal,) they go rogue.

Kahl is called in to help with the situation by Lana and she eventually wrangles the help of Theron in tracking and defeating the Dread Masters. Much like in Shadow of Revan, Kahl and Theron grow close.

Then the tradegy of Grismara happens. For those unfamiliar with WildStar. Grismara was home to the Mordesh. A elf-like species who were masters of science, alchemy, and art. They were arrogant and proud, sure of their own superiority. That was until the Everlife Elixir, developed by their most lauded scientist became their curse. The Everlife was meant to give immortality, and they trusted Dr. Lazarin so much that it was distributed worldwide. Then the Everlife became the Contagion. Everyone (and the lore implies everyone) slowly turned into super aggressive mindless cannibals (basically zombies).

Grismara was a neutral world on the edge of Sith and Dominion borders. Both sides were trying to ally with them, but when the Contagion broke out - the Sith turned their back on the world and the Dominion set up a blockade and quarantined it.

Kahl and Theron disobeyed orders to try and help the Mordesh. During that terrible year long attempt at saving the Mordesh, Dr. Lazarin made a small break through. He created the Vitalis Serum, which delayed the effects of the Contagion, but also required frequent injections. The remaining Mordesh were trapped in a half-life. They no longer age (they got their immortality) but they also are unable to have children unless a cure can be found.

Kahl and Theron organized for the last of the Mordesh, to escape. Taking them to the Odessen Coalition. A small and new coalition of planets that came together with the help of Xhai'tan (Kahl's father) and Thrass (who is alive and rescued by Xhai'tan - That is another books of thoughts so if you are curious about how Thrass fits in here feel free to ask.)

With the fall of Grismara, Kahl and Theron defect and join the Coalition. Kahl eventually commanding a heavy cruiser as part of the Maarasu Nighthunters - the Odessen Defense Force division in charge of covert operations and missions that take place beyond the borders of the Coalition. It is Kahl who finds Thrawn and Ezra where they have been stranded for 7 years (again another book of thoughts that I can talk about later). Kahl then goes on to support Thrawn, Thrass, Eli, and the others Chiss fighting to save the Ascendancy.

I'll stop there but....yeah so lots of thoughts.....enjoy!

[throughtrialbyfire]

faendal headcanons <333333333

-he's one of the eldest siblings in a big family. when he was the youngest, he was very much the kid that's always snitching on his older siblings. as he got older and also had to take care of younger siblings himself, he found himself cringing a bit at his old behavior.

-as one of the eldest kids in the family, he found himself saddled with a lot of responsibility early on. he wound up taking on a live-in babysitter role for the younger kids, and he has very complicated feelings about his parents from this. he doesn't hate them, they were good parents and loved their family, he just wishes he got to be more of a kid.

-his family has ties to the thalmor in valenwood, and he was fully expected to participate. he learned how to read a room, how to handle himself around tense situations, how to speak to thalmor agents, etc.

-in fact, he was in the process of being fitted for armor to join the dominion forces when he realized this is not what he wanted to do with his life, not what he wanted for his future, and found himself at a wretched crossroad of choices.

-he left home in the middle of the night and left only a note. he wishes he'd gotten to speak to his siblings one last time, or to tell his whole family how much he loved them, but he can't go back to those days. it's been a long time, he's trying to leave their shadow.

-he LOVES kids and definitely wants some one day. he absolutely daydreams of teaching his future children how to hunt with a bow, how to do various crafts he learned when he was young, making tea for all of them and sitting by the hearth on a long winter's night… it may be way off into the future, but he does want a family, and hopes he gives his kids a better and more carefree childhood than he knew.

-he's extremely friendly to people, but that doesn't mean he considers just anyone his friend, y'know? it takes a bit of time and trust to build up a good rapport with him, but he extends his hand just as much as the person trying to get to know him.

-that said, he does wish he had a larger circle of friends. riverwood is a fairly small community, and with a lot of people either joining the stormcloaks or the legion or flat out moving, he doesn't have the same sense of community he did before the war.

-one of his favorite snacks is apples with honey and oats. <3

-breaking the green pact is something he never saw himself doing in a million years, but desperation takes hold once you leave valenwood and find options slim. it was a mentally rough few days for him after that first time, but it's been many years, and he's adjusted.

-bisexual faendal real and canon

-he likes puns a lot, and this WILL result in the LDB rolling their eyes so much it hurts their head the moment he's on a roll. get him started and it'll be a while before he stops seeing oppuntunities (badum TISS)

[quokkahans]

Knight with a Shining Crown

Tags: Feederism fic, royal AU, gradual wg (Chan-centric with implied immobility), mention of breaking furniture

Warning: DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ.

Ship: HyunChan (Hyunjin x Chan)

A/N: And I'm back 😈 Hope y'all enjoy a kind of holiday special from your resident author mwehehe!

request from my one and only twin: @jaethecreator 🫣🤭 hope ya like it, bestie!

AO3 LINK

【 ♡ (˘▽˘>ԅ( ˘⌣˘) 】

It was a normal day in Stayville Kingdom, where Hyunjin was the crown prince and next in line to the throne after his own father. But within the 4 corners of the walled dominion, there was some concern regarding security of the royal lineage after a series of strifes among two neighboring kingdoms, making the Court come up with preemptive steps to heighten Stayville’s security.

“A personal knight?”, Hyunjin muttered after receiving word from his father, a finger placed intently on his chin before the king hummed. “Yes, my child. I’m afraid this is just for defense purposes, we don’t want anyone to harm you and they should be with you at all costs.”

The prince fixed the sleeves of his top before running through the pages containing profiles of every person in the Royal Guard, but one in particular already caught his eye.

“I think I already have someone.”

“Who is it?”

“Chris..”

The blonde-haired boy, a bit shorter than Hyunjin and most especially he had a bulky build with strong arms, sharp eyes and that sculpted, stoic face.. Perfect for a boy to toy with– I mean, a personal knight.

Even Hyunjin’s father took an esteemed eye for the knight, since he proved to be a leading man in promoting peace and order, just what he needed. “I’ll let him know then, son. But that was quick..”, he chuckled.

The prince shook his head, “No, father. He’s just the perfect one.”

And Hyunjin didn’t lie about that. But deep inside, there was this urge to spoil Chris.. maybe give him so much food as a treat of honor, a feast fit for a trusting guard.

【 ♡ (˘▽˘>ԅ( ˘⌣˘) 】

As soon as Chan got wind of the news, he couldn’t believe it. “Me?”, he pointed a finger at himself before chuckling. “Wow.. it’s an honor. I’d gladly accept it, your majesty.”

The king smiled and nodded his head, “The prince would also like to see you in his quarters. He’s.. been waiting for you.”, he said before Chan expressed his gratitude and headed off, his heart thumping suddenly as he felt giddy.

As soon as the door opened, a full spread of food was there before him and a beaming Hyunjin who finally got to see his prized knight. “Oh, Chris! So glad you made it! Come sit!”, the prince would be all smiles and made the guard flustered at the lack of time to process the scene, but at the mention of food, he automatically knew what he was here for: a celebration.

“Oh- uh- Your majesty! You didn't have to do this, really.. I-”, Chan said, a bit overwhelmed by how the prince could even afford such a thing but a shush from Hyunjin already made him fall into silence.

The young man walked up to him and smiled, giving him a golden plate and shiny utensils before smiling sweetly. “I insist, my knight. After all, never in all the years I'm here would I get an opportunity like this..”, he mumbled. “So you better savor it.”, Hyunjin ended as he emphasized every word while placing food on Chan's plate.

Those words would leave Chan speechless, shocked to see another side of the otherwise lovely prince but a discreet blush was all it took and Chan would see himself eating the food off of his plate.

But that one plate turned into many more as Hyunjin broke his knight little by little, just encouraging Chan and teasing that he must be “eating well like a king” before starting his duties.

That made way for a stuffed Chan nursing his tummy and Hyunjin trying to restrain himself from doing anything that would stray his way, but the scene just lighted something inside him the he never knew..

After a while, Chan went back to the shared quarters of the guards and Hyunjin would see him again but the next thing on the agenda was his personal self-defense classes.

But why? Of course, Hyunjin knew how to defend himself but where was Chan in the picture?

In Hyunjin's eyes, he would be useful. Of course, he'd use the knight’s help as the job would settle on the older's shoulders but that's about it.

【 ♡ (˘▽˘>ԅ( ˘⌣˘) 】

In reality, this wouldn't be the first time since a long time that the two would cross paths. The knight and the prince were mandated to stick by each other and that meant more time for Hyunjin to know the cute knight by his side.

“So your family knew my dad? Huh, what a small world..”, Hyunjin said to which Chan nodded with a shy smile. “My dad worked for yours as a secretary, while my mom worked as one of the special seamstresses.. They had these jobs since they helped our kingdom in the past during the war.”

Those ancedotes made it more clear that the hard work ethic ran in the blood and Chan didn't let any bit go to waste, such a characteristic resembling the kingdom.

Hyunjin smiled and couldn't help but think on how much it meant not only for his dad but for him. “Well, I'd like to thank both of them for their hard work, and even you.”, he said sweetly and held his hand, making Chan blush as he was fed some special desserts as requested.

【 ♡ (˘▽˘>ԅ( ˘⌣˘) 】

As time passed by, they would spend their time together walking outside the castle or just accompany the prince in everyday things like buying from the market or on his self-defense classes.

But then, with more time getting close meant more time Hyunjin spoiling Chan with food that he could afford or already stored on the castle as the prince ordered another feast.

Time passed and Chan put on a significant amount of weight, mostly on his belly and thighs that made sure to leave a mark on his suit and even made it a bit hard to wear his armor. The continuous spoiling he received made it hard for Chan to keep up with training.

“Looks like someone's been spoiled rotten by the prince.”, Changbin smirked and patted his friend's belly to which Chan nudged him away.

“Oh, shut up! At least he treats me well..”, he blushed. “Ooh, someone's eyes are keen on a royal?”

“SHHHH!”

【 ♡ (˘▽˘>ԅ( ˘⌣˘) 】

It would be proven true after one day, when Hyunjin and Chan were guiding each other to wield a sword as the prince wanted to be prepared in case he'd go for a strife.

As their hands interlocked along the base of the sword, Chan looked at Hyunjin with a blush on his cheeks before looking down and continuing with their practice. Once it ended, he decided to confess. “I’d.. like to court you, your majesty.”, he smiled.

“Wait.. really? You know I've been waiting for this moment”, the prince blushed, hovering closer to Chan and connected their lips together. And the rest.. was history.

But of course, the story doesn't end there.

【 ♡ (˘▽˘>ԅ( ˘⌣˘) 】

A couple of years pass, and along with the king and queen’s blessing, Hyunjin and Chan seem to be over the moon and in love. One thing that has changed, however, was how the prince treated his lover of a knight and led to more weight being gained by Chan.

From having a small tummy, it grew immensely and blew up, making it harder for the knight to keep on restructuring his suit and all. But most of all, his body was inflated with fat and made it hard to walk without waddling his fat ass (which was a point for Hyunjin to tease his boyfriend about).

Not to mention his toned chest melting into squishy, sizeable pecs that resembled the shape of breasts now due to how much it sagged and how fatty they were.

But little did Chan know, he already knew how to defend himself.. Hyunjin just happened to have a crush on the knight and wanted to play with him, mission accomplished.

Then, as soon as they were comfortable and Chan took in all the relationship weight, Hyunjin proposed to Chan and he agreed, not too long after the chair he sat broke under his weight and jumped each other's bones afterward.

“So fucking hot..”, Hyunjin muttered, caressing Chan’s chubby cheek.

After some time in engagement, it wasn't long after the wedding ceremony happened and both said their “I do’s” in front of many people, making Chan a prince as well due to royal rules.

Once they got to their chamber, Chan pulled him closer and saw how hard Hyunjin tried to wrap his arms around him but with no use, he was too big and his fat ended up getting squished with the prince’s slender hands as they kissed.

“I love you, my prince”, Chan smiled and caressed his hair.

“I love you, my knight in shining armor.”

[bacony-cakes]

East German spy trying to tap the phone line but his numbers station radio won't turn off: Nein! NEIN! Schalte es aus! Den Mund halten! [fumbles the dial on the radio to maximum volume] NEIN! Scheiße! Scheiße verdammt! Schalten Sie es sofort aus! Es ist zu laut! Die Amerikaner werden mich finden! [the dial on his shitty soviet radio breaks off] NEEEIIIIIN! [his giant spy hat falls off in anguish]

The president of the United States of America: Hello is this the Pentagon? So i've been thinking... after i finish irreversably fucking over the economy, what do you think i should do next? Turn ketchup into a vegetable? Oh, i like that idea! Devilish as always. I've also been thinking that we should attach a laser that causes AIDS to a jumbo jet, maybe? I think it'd go well with that nuke-what-makes-you-gay project. ...Yes, i know the English are breaking new ground with their chicken-powered frozen wood plane, but trust me on this, AIDS Force One is the future of warfare. No, no, the laser gives who it's POINTED at AIDS, not the people operating it. Listen here, you son of an expletive, even if my brain is turning into a cauliflower, i am STILL the smartest man in the world, and I COMMAND you to build a machine that preserves me indefinitely like Mister House from Fallout New Vegas. ...Also, are you having an Oktoberfest party without me? I hear yodel music.

Guy who works at the Pentagon: No, mister president, we are not having an Oktoberfest party. From what i'm hearing, it's you who is having the Oktoberfest party. No, i'm not lying- I'm NOT a communist- DON'T put me on the no-fly list. Mister president, if you would- If you would listen for just one second, not only is a plane flying around and giving people horrible diseases cartoonishly evil, we cannot build a giant laser of any kind, because we've just used up our giant laser budget for faking the moon landings. Yes, but Neil Armstrong- Turn down your music, i can't hear you. No, Neil Armstrong- His name is not- He and those other guys got angry and went there for real. I don't know? Lock them in an airstream or something. No, the moon does not give you AIDS, for fuck's sake. There are not gay communist aliens on the moon that- We are- We are NOT building a "Hexagon" right next door to here that contains only people who listen to you. Also- God-emperor of the dominion of the United States of- Shut up, mister president. Fallout New Vegas doesn't release for what, thirty years? Mister pre- No, i am not going to wiretap the- Yeah, we could probably do that instead- And kill his wife too? That's kind of- Could YOU please turn down the music, mister president? For the last time, you're the one- Plan B? Ok, let's hear it. Hit me. Fly two planes into the- Mister president- What is this supposed to achieve- The good guys from Rambo 3? Mister president, what in the hell- And a third one into- A FOURTH one? Jesus Christ, what's wrong with- Can't you just use explosives or something? What do you even have against- Of course it's fucking about oil. It's all you think of. Every day it's "oil, oil, oil"- Pizza Hut is not communist- Mister president- Listen- No, don't you dare-

It will be done, my lord.

[the-eternal-quest-for-balance]

Earlier this month, former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was sentenced to just under nine years in prison for her ‘crimes’ in the process of making a forensic copy of the Mesa County Dominion Voting system before a “Trusted Build” was completed by the Secretary of State following a recent election.

During her trial, The Gateway Pundit was mentioned several times for publishing a video that was alleged to have published passwords.  Not only were the passwords partially redacted (and useless, according to expert witness Clay Parikh) but they also should have been changed following the completion of the “Trusted Build,” which succeeded the video’s creation.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Care to know why Colorado is Blue ? This kind of criminal Communist Democrat corruption and fraudulent elections.

[lyndaris]

OC rambles:

Thinking about what Ophelia/Alec would be like as a companion in ESO.

About/Meet the Character:

“Alec, former agent of the Dominion. Supposedly a trusted Eye of the Queen as well, but that is just one of many rumors of that Mer…

Her appearance is unmistakable, being so short for a dunmer and the jagged scar that crosses her left cheek to the bridge of her nose. Those golden yellow eyes as sharp as her daggers… not to mention her gothic style of armor and that war paint. Does she ever wear any color?

Never mind, that’s not important. Anyways, she has said she’s an Ashlander of Vvardenfell but the natives claim to not know anything or refuse to speak to any outsiders in general. Some revere her, they call her a hero of the Ashlands. Most dark elves of the Houses despise her, even uttering her name will get you kicked out of a building. Or a city. Especially around the Tribunal temples.

There is little known about her, most is speculation or rumors. Some even dramatic as calling her a secret demiprince to the Prince Boethiah..! What we do know is she’s not an approachable person. Do not engage with her, don’t even look at her wrong or she might just slit your throat. I heard she’s been wanted for a number of crimes, mass murder. Arson. Defiling Shrines and Temples…

…potential criminal records aside. She is mostly known for being an antisocial mercenary these days. Who is very picky about the jobs she accepts so. Have fun and don’t turn your back on her. Might be your last mistake..!”

Character quest line:

Alec needs help in making peace with her past, which involves seeking out knowledge of the Good Daedra. Specifically, Boethiah. The Prince her parents worshiped. As well as shutting down the rumor of being a demiprince.

As she travels around and grows close with a companion, they have to visit places in Vvardenfell to learn and understand the Good Daedra and their followers.

Finally facing the Prince of Plots to shut down the famous rumor and she can also confront the Prince as she blames them for the loss of her parents. A bittersweet ending where Alec has lived up to the Prince of Plots teachings, a living legacy of her parents, learning they are at peace and reside in the Prince’s realm after their glorious deaths in battle.

Racial Skill: Decreases ability cooldown 3% and increases damage done by 3%.

Companion Perk: Alec’s Sight - See through the shadows and expose an invisible enemy so they can’t hide/escape. Enemies exposed cannot go invisible again for 10 seconds.

Default gear: medium armor and daggers,

Style: Ancient Daedric

Default mount: Midnight Steed, named “Shadow”

Rapport Status:

Positives

Cordial: Alec tolerates you.

Friendly: Alec thinks you’re a competent companion.

Close: Alec is glad you two met.

Allied: Alec would rather travel with you than alone.

Companion: Alec trusts you, one of few she can count on.

Negatives:

Wary: Alec is unsure about you.

Irritated: Alec wonders why she still bothers working with you.

Disdain: Alec wishes she never met you.

Negative rapport:

-25, taking her near the Tribunal or their Temples:

• “Really? You take an ashlander near a false god/Tribunal temple?”

• “next time, leave me out of Tribunal business.“

• “I question your decision to speak with that false god…”

• “I will defile their shrine/altar, I hope you know that.”

-5 - 10, intimidating merchants to pay gold / stealing kid’s toys / wearing Ordinator/Hand of Almalexia costumes:

• “why don’t you get your gold from a bandit, or a cultist instead?”

• “Merchants are making a living too, y’know.”

• “do you feel real tough? Threatening a civilian for a few gold?”

- “how heartless are you to steal from children?”

- “so you’re that kind of thief, huh?”

- “there are better things to steal…”

+ “I should kill you for wearing that around me.”

+ “this some kind of sick joke to you?”

+ “you are aware my people get killed by those House/Tribunal dogs, right?”

-1, getting a bounty/paying a guard, traveling to Coldharbour:

• “this is what happens when you get caught.”

• “you might as well have announced that you’re committing a crime.”

• “next time, watch for guards/witnesses.”

“Ugh, why are we here?”

“I hated it the first time I was here...”

“I should just leave you alone here.”

Positive Rapport:

+25 - 125, going near shrines to the Good Daedra, speaking to Azura & Mephala:

• “I may not pray to the Good Daedra, but I always pay my respects at their shrines.”

• “Do not believe all Daedra are evil, some view them as teachers. Like myself.”

• “Give me a moment, yeah? I want to think of my family while we’re here.”

- “Lady Azura, and all her beautiful glory actually spoke to us. May the Mother of the Rose guide us.”

- “My mother loved Lady Azura, as much as she prayed to Lord Boethiah…”

- “The Lady of Twilight among us…Do you feel overwhelmed? No? Just me? Huh.”

+ “Lady Mephala… bless us with shadows.”

+ “Do you feel like murdering someone in her name? Maybe we could gain her favor…”

+ “Did you mention me to her? Give a good word? Please tell me you didn’t embarrass us-“

+5 - 10, crafting dunmeri/ashlander foods & drinks, visiting Vvardenfell tribe camps, completing Ashlander dailies:

- “reminds me of what my mother used to make…”

- “we going to eat/drink that… or?”

- “if you need someone to sample that, I’m more than willing to.. give feedback.”

• “would you mind if we stay a few minutes? I just… want to imagine what it’s like having a tribe again.”

• “I wish I still had my tribe… exiled or not, they were my family.”

• “being a Clanfriend is bittersweet, getting to visit the tribes camps but never having my own to return to.”

+ “I appreciate you helping my people. Truly.”

+ “Even if it doesn’t mean something to you, it means something to me that you’re helping these Ashlanders. Thank you.”

+ “You’re proving to be a good Clanfriend. Maybe we can make a difference here together.”

Greetings:

Cordial, Friendly- “hm?” “Yeah?” “What do you need?”

Close, Allied, Companion- “Problem, Sera?” “Change of plans?” “You have my attention.” “Feeling chatty?”

Wary, Disdain- “what?” “Yes, s’wit?” “What now?” “Unless it’s getting us paid, I don’t want to hear it.”

“Tell me something about yourself.”:

• “Vvardenfell is my homeland, no matter how many locals claim me to be an outsider… I still visit the tribes camps when I can.”

• “Daggers are my preferred choice of weapons, but I have spent time learning to wield other weapons too. Expand my knowledge and skills, train myself to be better.”

• “I lost my parents to Tribunal fanatics, and when I demanded justice I got turned away. Those false gods only care about themselves, their false godhood. I want nothing to do with them or their people.”

• “I pray to no divine or Daedric Prince. I have no connections to anyone, anywhere. I prefer to stay neutral, I hate picking sides.”

• “Murder, assassination, deceit, lies… all a part of me. What my parents and mentor taught me. I don’t care if you decide to stick a dagger into someone because you feel like it. Just don’t get caught.”

• “I admit, I proudly worked for Queen Ayrenn and her Dominion… when I was exiled from Vvardenfell and ended up in Auridon, Her Grace took a gamble with me. She didn’t have to trust an outlander, but she did. I owed her a debt.”

• “I don’t like alcoholic beverages, feeling drunk has never been a good experience for me. Feeling out of control… if you need a drinking buddy, ask someone else.”

• “Not that I assume you have heard the nonsense, but in case you have… No, I am not a demiprince. I am mortal, just like you. The tale spoken of me is greatly exaggerated and false.”

[smilesrobotlover]

So for King of the Gerudo you brought up some world building ideas involving the Knights and Maiden titles being the highest honor someone can get, and the Champions being the first examples of non Hylians getting those titles. And as a fellow over thinker in world building, I just can't help but wonder about the different responses people would have to it.

How would the Hylians feel, would they feel it's more deserved and fine, given then Champions had helped save them all during the Calamity, or are there some spiteful ones who see it as an insult to Hylian customs and traditions. Has this spiraled into some people doubting Zelda's choice on the matter, thinking she's putting emotion over reason, choosing to give her friends better titles and disregard their traditions.

Or the Zora and the Rito, both of whom seem to be a little more honor bound. Would some of the more older Zora see it as a passive aggressive way for the Hyrulean Monarch to reiterate that their own Princess is below that of Zelda and the King of Hyrule, that a maiden is still one level below them? Would it lead to people questioning King Dorephan's more passive nature, that perhaps he isn't as outspoken for the Zora's 'honor'? How would the Rito respond to this, who seem to have a little more pride towards their dominion over the sky and their superior archery skills? Is it an insult that Revali was ranked alongside a princess, chieftain, and lord as if a way to cheaply elevate him, almost like a participation trophy?

Or how about some of the Yiga, noting how Impa was dubbed a Maiden but Kogha, in spite of his 'brave' defiance to Ganon, wasn't. Maybe now there are some Yiga who consider this a slight towards them, spawning a very small group of defecting Yiga going against the greater Yiga's reintegration into Hyrulesl's greater collective.

Idk, I'm definitely overthinking all of this and none of this needs answers or any thought put into it, but dang did my brain go a little overboard as I dreamed of this 😅

Oooh yes it’ll be a huge deal. I haven’t thought about the zora situation, but it makes perfect sense! It’s strange how Zelda and Rhoam seem to be of higher authority than Dorephan and mipha, and I think that with the status of a champion and a maiden, a lot of zora will be mad. Idk about the Rito tho, I think they’ll be happy that they’re finally out there, and some Rito may believe that they may be able to reach knighthood or maidenhood someday. But I know some will be upset that it was Revali to be called. But I won’t get into that drama UwU

Some Hylians will be VERY upset about all of this. The people already doubt Zelda’s ability to lead, and to see her accept non Hylians as knights and maidens will seem like breaking tradition, or even blasphemous. Now the soldiers who worked close to her won’t care. They saw how she led battling the calamity, and how she cared for each soldier, so they trust her. But a lot of people like the many gossipers will be upset. They’ll think that Hylians will never have a chance to be called as a knight or a maiden ever again (which isn’t true, those aren’t easy titles to achieve anyways).

Another thing is that it sorta breaks the mold. Knights are meant to parallel the hero, and tho he has a lot of magic, for a lot of incarnations like AOC link, he mostly just uses his fighting skills, not magic. And so to see knights that are proficient at magic will be a big deal, and many people will think that they’re not worthy of a knightly title because of it. Same thing with the maidens. Urbosa, Mipha, and Impa are magically gifted, but they are also very strong fighters. Take away their magic and they’ll still kick your butts. So many people that they’re not worthy of the title of a maiden because of that.

And the yiga…. Oh man… there will be drama with the yiga, and I’m sure a lot of them will be upset, but Impa never defied the Royal family, so she and Kogha’s situation aren’t similar enough to me to cause too much drama. It’s just another instance of the Sheikah being loved by the royal family and not the yiga (but the yiga kinda did that to themselves lol. But I have many thoughts on the yiga for sure)

But yeah overall mostly Hylians and zora will be offended by this. Everyone else may be excited that they’ll have a chance to reach knighthood and maidenhood.