#Emergency Gazette

[travsd]

For International 'Zine Month: On Some Close-to-Home Theatre 'Zines

July is International ‘Zine Month! The occasion has inspired a little navel gazing, for in those dim dark days before blogging was available, ‘zines were the only way many of us could self-publish with total freedom, and I myself plunged into that wonderful madness for a time. And like anything else, it has a history. There will be some of you who already don’t know what I’m talking about.…

[sekai-no-reita]

[dykesferatu]

So many fucking tornados this month god damn I am tired of this

[reasonsforhope]

"In short: Thailand's Senate has approved a bill legalising same sex marriage in the South-East Asian country.

It will afford same-sex couples practical benefits such as being able to have children through IVF and make emergency medical decisions for their spouse.

What's next? The first weddings may take place later this year, 120 days after the law is announced in the Royal Gazette.

Thailand has become the first nation in South-East Asia to legalise same sex marriage, with the country's Senate approving the landmark bill this afternoon.

The legislation was expected to pass after it cleared the country's House of Representatives in a near-unanimous vote in March.

Despite Thailand's bustling gay bars and prominent transgender community making it a mecca for LGBTQ+ tourists, until now local same-sex couples there have been unable to marry.

The law will take effect 120 days after its announcement in the Royal Gazette, so the first same sex weddings may take place later this year.

Couples who have been waiting years have hailed the move as a historic moment that will afford them rights only reserved for spouses.

A Lifechanging Law

Photos of Anticha and Worawan [including the article picture], dressed in floor-length white gowns and trailed by rainbow flags, getting married at Bangkok's first Pride Festival two years ago went viral, but they are still not legally married.

Now they will be able to change that, and Anticha Sangchai is elated.

"This will change my life and change many Thai people's lives, especially in the LGBT community," she said.

"It is a historical moment and I really want to join with my community to celebrate this moment.

"I want to send a message to the world that Thailand has changed. Even though there are still many issues, this is a big step for us." ...

There were an estimated 3.7 million LGBT people in Thailand in 2022, according to LGBT Capital, a private company which models economic data pertaining to the community around the world.

For the young couple from Bangkok, being able to marry also has very real practical implications.

If they want to have children through IVF, Ms Sangchai says they will need a marriage certificate first.

"I am quite concerned about the time because we are getting older every day, and the older you get the more difficult it is to have a healthy pregnancy," she said.

"So we've been really wanting this law to pass as soon as possible."

Cabaret performer Jena is excited Thailand's laws are finally catching up with the nation's image...

She too had worried about the practical implications of being unable to marry.

"For example, if myself or my partner had to go to hospital or there was an accident that needs consent for an emergency operation, without a marriage certificate we couldn't sign it," she said.

She now wants the government to move forward with a law to allow transgender people to amend their gender on official documents." ...

An Economic Boost?

Thailand has long been famous for LGBTQ tourism and there are now hopes this new law could allow the country to cash in on the aging members of the community.

Chaiwat Songsiriphan, who runs a health clinic for people in the LGBTQ community, said laws preventing same sex marriage were the last barrier holding the country back from becoming a gay retirement hub.

[Note: They do not just mean for rich westerners; Thailand as a gay retirement hub would probably appeal most to and definitely benefit LGBTQ people from throughout Asia.]

"Thailand has an LGBTQ-friendly environment since Thai culture is quite flexible," he said.

"One of my foreigner friends, a gay friend, told me that when he's in his country he has to pretend to be straight … but when he comes to Bangkok he said you can be as gay as you want.

"When we talk about retirement or a long-term stay for the rest of their lives, what people need is … food, good healthcare services, transportation, homes.

"I think Thailand has it all at a very affordable price."

He said it could help give the country a desperately needed economic boost.

"This will have a lot of benefits for Thailand's economy because when we talk about retirement it's people literally bringing all the money they have earned for the rest of their working lives to spend and invest here," he said.

He said he, like the rest of the community, was thrilled by the news.

"It's not about a privilege, it's just equality," he said.

"We are we also humans, so we should be able to marry the one we love.""

-via ABC Australia, June 18, 2024

[shadyufo]

Cryptids & Creatures of Folklore Drawtober Day 11 — Gowrow

In 1897, Mr. William Miller of Little Rock, Arkansas was on a business trip that brought him through the town of Banco, Arkansas. Miller had heard that the people of this town and the surrounding area had been dealing with some sort of horrible monster killing their pets and livestock. The locals called it the "gowrow" on account of the terrible noise it made while attacking its prey. While Miller was in the area he decided to get to the bottom of this story.

As reported by the Arkansas Gazette, Miller formed a posse and they found the creature's tracks in the snow which they followed to a cave. There the men found countless bones and skulls from humans and animals. The posse waited at the cave and it wasn't long before they witnessed the creature emerge from a nearby river.

Miller described the creature as being around twenty feet in length, greenish in color, and covered in scales. He said it had a head similar to a man's but that it had two massive tusks protruding out from its mouth. Its feet were clawed and webbed. A row of horns or spikes ran down its back but stopped suddenly when the tail began. This tale was long and thin and ended in a wicked sickle-like bone.

As the Gowrow began to drag itself back up to its cave lair, the posse fired upon it. The creature writhed, whipping its tail around in agony and the sickle cut down several small trees and also cut off the leg of a member of the posse named Tom Brennan. Miller had the men fire another volley which ended the creature's suffering.

Miller took a photo of the creature which he later examined and said, "I am convinced it is a pachyderm, and is a combination of the Hyaenidae (hyena) and Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceros). It has incisor and canine teeth which apparently show that it has some relationship to the Ceratorhinus (Sumatran rhinoceros) of the Rhinocerotidae genus."

The carcass was supposedly sent to the Smithsonian but was never received by the museum.

[desiredcrescent]

White boy quest progress check:

Largely following through Astarion's plot has been fun consideration for Farryn's relationship with him. Farryn wants a very similar thing to what Astarion wants- Security. But he's aware, much like his magic, that the world is chaotic. There are no guarantees, farryn refuses to believe Fate is prewritten and unchangeable, and so the pursuit of total power, to him, only provides another element of chaos as opposed to stability.

Because Farryn suffers from being my first pc I'm trying to do the "right" things with him but it's become apparent over the course of the game that he'd rather let others choose what they think is right for them as thats Something he had to fight for himself.

But he also reserves the right to tell others he thinks they're wrong <3

This has meant that leading up to this point Farryn has been neutral/leaning slightly negative on the whole ascension thing- not because of the sacrificing others aspect, but because surely it can't be that good. Farryn is weary of it actually working at all but if thats what keeping astarion happy rn, he'll play alongr

and walking around the palace, checking in on Astarion?? Oh. Farryn has realised his boyfriend is dumber than he had previously checked him for. And that doesn't mean he wants to strip astarion of choice of his own future, but it does mean he will not hold back about his judgement fjdkdkd

time to play more baldur gate!! i found out smmn funky happened with my Daeris file and i might have to redo some stuff but ah well,, more screenshot opportunities ig

but aaaa anguish and suffering. back to the act 3 farryn grind 👍 (i love him act 3 is just stressin me oooouut)

[thisisallthehattersfault]

The newspaper — the South Sea Gazette, apparently — is so old it practically crumbles under Ace’s fingers, the paper yellow and powdery with age, the edges disintegrating into nothing from however many years of being picked up and handled. The headline reads: Maniac Schoolteacher Slaughters Classroom. The photo on the front page shows a small schoolhouse, showing signs of wear and hodge-podge repair, like the town it belonged to couldn’t afford it’s upkeep but did their best anyway. The stairs leading up to the front door are bloody, and there’s more blood streaked across the windows from the inside. One small hand can be seen poking out the edge of the doorway, flopped limp across the floor. A group of Marines drag the “Maniac Schoolteacher” away from the scene of the crime in chains while he flails and struggles.

It… It’s Jiru. A very young Jiru, he can’t be any older than, god, maybe his early twenties? If that? He looks like he’s barely Ace’s age in this photo, and his face—

It’s not the face of a maniac who just went on a bloody rampage and murdered a bunch of kids. His hands and clothes are streaked with blood, but not nearly enough to account for the carnage implied behind him, and his face is wet with tears. The look in his eyes is one of such gut-wrenching despair that Ace has to tear his eyes away. The rest of the article is just — bullshit, Ace is sure, and the letters are dancing around and he doesn’t want to read it anyway so he doesn’t bother trying to make them quit goofing off and get back where they go. He just… stares blankly instead at where his hands are digging into the paper, crumbling it more under his grip.

“Ah,” Jiru says. “I should’ve put that away.”

Ace startles, whirls around. The fourteenth division Commander is leaning in the doorway, arms crossed and shoulders slumped, eyeing Ace with an unreadable expression.

“I’m sorry,” Ace says, scrambling to put the paper back where he found it. “I’m ��� sorry, I didn’t mean to snoop. I was coming to see you about watch rotations. Pops said you’re in charge of that?”

“That I am.” Jiru enters his room. Ace has to scramble out of his way when he walks to the desk, lifting the newspaper up delicately — not like he’s handling something precious, but like he’s handling something that disgusts him. Or, maybe, something that bites. Something that hurts to touch. “The transfers from the Moby 3 haven’t been added to the Watch Rotation yet, and won’t be until we know how long repairs will take. That’s not why you were taken off the night watch. You were taken off of the night watch for your narcolepsy, and Tate scares me, so you’re not going back on the night watch unless there’s an emergency.”

“But—”

“No buts. She will stab me with needles.”

That’s… probably true. Ace still scowls at the unfairness of it all. He focuses on that — on the absolute crime that is all these damn people caring about his health and his wellbeing and his safety — so that he doesn’t have to focus on the paper while Jiru carefully slides it into an empty drawer and then locks that drawer shut. The key gets hung up on a hook by his desk, where it’s immediately covered by the fabric of the cloak that’s also hanging there.

“… You can ask,” Jiru says, after a moment. “It’s not a secret.”

Ace startles again, tears his eyes away from the closed drawer. Jiru’s face is still unreadable, but he doesn’t look angry, really. Ace bites his lip.

“What… happened?”

Jiru snorts. “Not did you do it?”

Ace snarls, “You didn’t do it.”

Now Jiru smiles. It’s a really shitty, awful, sad little smile, and Ace kind of hates it. “No,” he confirms. “I didn’t do it.”

He walks to his bed. Takes a seat. Scrubs a hand over his face. “… You ever hear that rumor about Gold Roger having a kid?”

Ace goes very, very still.

Jiru must see his reaction, but he must misunderstand it, because his smile grows — not sad anymore, but bitter and hurting and furious. “Yeah. Wasn’t ever anything but a rumor, mind you. Stories and gossip. The Marines didn’t have any leads, didn’t have any proof. Didn’t have anything but ‘somewhere in the South Blue’ and ‘somewhere between the ages of eight years old and literally an unborn fetus’.”

Here he chokes a laugh, flicks his fez off to scrub a hand over his shaved head. Takes a slow, shaking breath, and then another one. “… It wasn’t my kids,” he says. “Every one of them had fathers known and accounted for. It wasn’t any of my kids. But, hey, what’s logic in the face of justice?”

From somewhere far away, Ace is aware of the sensation of his own tongue, clicking dry against the back of his throat. His own voice, echoing down a distant tunnel. “If — if one of them was Roger’s son?” He hears himself ask. “What would you have done?”

Jiru looks at him for a moment, considering. Scratches over his head again. “Aw, hell, Ace, I dunno,” he says finally. “I’d like to say I would have scooped the kid up and ran for it, but… back then…” That fucking smile, all bitterness and regret. Ace really does hate that smile.

“Back then,” Jiru says, “I just wasn’t fast enough.”

[brian-in-finance]

Another positive review for Cait's performance in The Cut and a thumbs up for the movie.

"Among supporting forces, Caitriona Balfe emerges strongest, though given least. Her caring restraint provides the lone voice of reason against the surrounding madness. Silent resilience and care for her boxer underwrite complex layers beyond what’s said.

Similarly, Caitlin’s past remains frustratingly vague. Though Balfe crafts a caring personality brimming with resolve, her incomplete backstory leaves crucial insight on the table. Viewers deserve richer biographies to truly grasp such troubled individuals.

Bloom, Balfe, and Turturro etch complex characters that burrow beneath the skin, stirring discussion long after credits roll."

https://gazettely.com/2024/11/entertainment/the-cut-2024-review/

Thanks for the message, Anon. 😃

I’ll add some screenshots to your highlights, and leave people to hit the link and read the full review if they choose. It’s a long one.

Gazettely

Remember… through it all, Caitlin remains the lone voice of care and reason. — Gazettely

[wonderlanddreamer]

Chapter 1: Florence Fletcher's debut article on the Peaky Blinders hits the stands, catching the attention of the powerful John Shelby. With ruthless determination, he vows to make sure her first scoop is also her last.

Masterlist here.

Underworld Unveiled: The Rise and Ruthlessness of the Peaky Blinders

By Florence Fletcher - Birmingham Gazette

Beneath Birmingham's industrial and cultural vibrancy lies the dark world of the Peaky Blinders, a gang notorious for their violent and cunning ways. Led by Thomas Shelby, they have built a criminal empire post-World War I, engaging in illegal betting, smuggling, and extortion. Their name, derived from razor blades in their caps, symbolizes their readiness for violence.

"They control everything," said an anonymous source. "From racetracks to pubs, they crush any opposition."

The Peaky Blinders have violently clashed with rival gangs and intimidated businesses, making it tough for law enforcement to act.

"The police are either scared or corrupt," the source added, highlighting the gang's unchecked power.

Despite their criminality, Thomas Shelby's charisma and strategic mind have given the gang a veneer of allure, extending their influence into business and politics. "He's a businessman and strategist," noted another insider, underscoring Shelby's multifaceted control.

The Peaky Blinders' dominance threatens Birmingham's stability, creating fear and undermining the rule of law. "The public deserves to know the truth," urged the source, calling for greater exposure of the gang's activities.

The Birmingham Gazette pledges to continue investigating and exposing the Peaky Blinders, aiming to hold them accountable and safeguard the city's future.

Florence Fletcher

Investigative Journalist, Birmingham Gazette

-

The night was heavy with the scent of damp cobblestones and distant smoke as Florence Fletcher stepped out of her office. The dim light from a flickering streetlamp cast eerie shadows on the alleyway, making the darkness seem alive. Florence, an investigative journalist known for her fearless tenacity, pulled her coat tighter around her slender frame, her heels clicking purposefully against the cold stone.

She had just locked the door behind her when she felt a presence. A figure emerged from the shadows, his silhouette cutting an imposing figure against the faint light. John Shelby, of the infamous Peaky Blinders, stood before her, his eyes dark and intense.

"Florence Fletcher, isn't it?" His voice was low, and its menacing timbre sent a chill down her spine.

Florence's heart pounded in her chest, but she kept her composure. She had known this confrontation was inevitable after her latest exposé on the Peaky Blinders' criminal activities. She met his gaze, her chin tilted defiantly.

"John Shelby," she replied, her voice steady despite the fear curling in her stomach. "I wondered when you'd show up."

John took a step closer, his face illuminated by the weak light. The hard lines of his jaw and the cold glint in his eyes spoke volumes of his intentions. "You’ve got a lot of nerve, writing that piece. Exposing us like that."

Florence squared her shoulders, refusing to back down. "The public deserves to know the truth. You and your family have terrorised this city for too long."

John's smile was anything but friendly. "Brave words for a woman standing alone in a dark alley." He reached into his coat, and Florence tensed, her breath catching in her throat. He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with a deliberate slowness that made her heart race faster.

"You think you can scare me into silence?" she challenged, her voice firmer now. "I've faced worse than you, John Shelby."

He exhaled a cloud of smoke, stepping closer until he was mere inches from her face. "You think you're untouchable, don't you? That your words will protect you?" His voice dropped to a whisper, dripping with venom. "Let me tell you something, Florence. I've made men twice your size beg for mercy. Don't think for a second that I won't do the same to you."

Florence's resolve wavered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "You can threaten me all you want, but I won't stop until every last one of your crimes is brought to light."

John's expression darkened further, his eyes narrowing. "You really don't get it, do you? This isn't a game. This is life and death. You keep pushing, and you'll find out just how serious I am."

He flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushing it under his boot with a deliberate finality. "Consider this your only warning. Back off, or next time, you won't walk away."

With that, he turned and melted back into the shadows, leaving Florence alone in the alley, her heart still pounding but her resolve stronger than ever. She knew the risks, but she also knew that the truth was worth fighting for—no matter the cost.

[lookingforhappy]

link to source

transcript of the section on Reginald's death:

CITY SAYS GOODBYE TO REGINALD HARGREEVES U.A. founder found dead No statements from the family issued Jennifer Chung, Gazetter Reporter Sir Reginald Hargreeves, has died at the age of 73 from a heart attack. Many knew him as a wealthy entrepreneur and Olympic gold medalist, but he was also founder of The Umbrella Academy, that mysterious group of super powered children in the early 90s. Hargreeves acted as the leader of this group of wunderkinds, and was often spotted on the sidelines of the U.A.'s missions. Yet aside from all of his feats, little was known about the personal life of the man himself. And he often kept a very low profile. After the unexpected disbandment of the U.a., Hargreeves spent his remaining days out of the spotlight -- hidden away from the public eye -- and became hihgly reclusive. Following the publication of ex-U.A. member Vanya Hargreeves' memoir, Extra Ordinary: My Life As Number Seven, surprising -- and at times, shocking -- the details emerged about the private life of not only the Umbrella Academy but also about Hargreeves. But as explosive as the content of the book was, these details were never corroborated by the other, living members of the U.A. or even by Sir Reginald Hargreeves himself. (Continued on page 16) [picture of reginald] Inventor and founder of The Umbrella Academy died in his home. His family has yet to make any public appearances in recent days or statements regarding the loss. PHOTO CREDIT: TAL AVITAL

the other columns talk about:

people who act as carers for family members often suffer from insomnia and sweden and the uk are running studies on this

people worry that pensions/social security benefits won't be able to fund their medical expenses if they claim early, and that if they claim later then they'll be missing out on money they could use before they die.

4 teenagers bought medical marijuana and made it into pot-jolly ranchers which they took to school. they were suspended and charged with drug trafficking. police claim this is what you get when you legalize marijuana.

tech such as phones, cars, TVs and planes has plateaued while nanotech, genetics engineering and computers continue to get better

two sisters spotted a house on fire and woke the people living there, two parents and their child, before they could be killed. the house was burned down due to improperly disposed cigarettes.

[slushie-slam]

*asks you about your daarin lore aggressively*

YAAAAYYY

warning: my writing. it’s bad

•On the final day of the Termina Festival, Karin is shot and killed by Needles. This places Daan into essentially the same position as with Elise before, and he’s moved to try performing magna medicinal again (it works this time!!!) He amputates his right leg and brings Karin back.

•Thanks to shock Daan isn’t very phased when Karin drags him back to the train. Karin’s also in shock from being revived. The two wait the final day of the Festival out.

•I don’t think it’s ever mentioned exactly where the train returns the surviving contestants to, but I imagine Daan and Karin end up in Rondon. Their first stop is a hospital, where Daan is taken into emergency surgery and doctors stabilize Karin.

•Post-recovery, Karin bids an abrupt farewell to Daan, intent on returning to Bremen to cover the events of Prehevil and Kaiser’s operations. Daan intends to stay in Rondon, but can’t go back to his in-law’s home as it’s being investigated on account of Elise’s murder. His possessions are moved out of the von Dutch manor. (I need to think harder about why Daan isn’t instantly implicated in her murder like why does he get off scot free LOL)

•Also, I don’t think Karin and Daan would click immediately since they knew each other for like 3 days but reviving somebody in exchange for a limb would probably form an unshakeable need to see each other again in both of them lol

•So they spend some months apart. Karin works in Bremen, writing for the Midnight Gazette by day and doing solo research by night. After being fitted with a prosthetic, Daan settles back down in Rondon and tries to get by as he contends with the fact he’s hit a dead end in figuring out what happened with Elise and his father in law.

•Karin returns to work and assures her family she’s well, but otherwise drowns herself in her investigative work. It’s obvious to her peers she’s not okay and her family doesn’t hear from her much. She works herself to the bone until she’s put on leave from the Midnight Gazette for her own well-being.

•Daan leverages his connections to his ex-father in law and secures himself an apartment above a restaurant with a connected bar. He pursues a medical apprenticeship for a while under one of the Baron’s peers, but practicing medicine brings up traumatic memories regularly. Compounded with The Cat, he’s being mentally worn down.

•The two reunite at their lowest points since leaving Prehevil: Karin is pissed she’s been put on leave, packs her things and takes the first train to Rondon, wanting to shake that feeling of needing to see Daan again (this pisses her off too LOOOL). Daan wastes away in his apartment as he’s quit his apprenticeship. Karin has to ask around to find out where Daan lives now (it’s no issue for her with her journalistic skills). Honestly I need to work on a better avenue into them reuniting 💀

•When Karin shows up at Daan’s doorstep they have a long conversation about what went down at Prehevil. Everything hits them all at once because they had otherwise been silent on the matter for so long. (I want to draw this eventually haha)

•Daan and Karin form a reliance on one another (even though they act like that’s not what it is). Karin ends up moving in with Daan while working on consolidating information for her investigative publication (like the point in an essay where you’ve got the mind vomit on the pages but have to make it make sense). I think she’d want to put distance between herself and her family for as long as possible while the Gazette has essentially “let her go” for the time being. Karin’s too proud for them to find out that she’s been put on leave, and her brothers worry a lot for her.

•Daan decides to take up bartending at the bar connected to the lower floor of his flat. He sticks with this over medicine, since he actually enjoys it, and works pretty much every night to keep his mind off The Horrors.

•Karin takes the opportunity to assess what information she’s got on Prehevil and what she has yet to uncover. I imagine she’d take regular train trips to and from the sites she visits for her research, disappearing for days at a time.

•Karin never fully sheds her steely exterior but definitely softens up the more time she spends with Daan.

•Daan, at first, rarely speaks about Elise or his history with the Baron. Eventually he’d open up to Karin about this fully but it takes a lot of work to get there.

• As for Daan dealing with Pocketcat, the latter would probably find Daan not worth the effort as he begins finding purpose in life again (is this lore accurate does the cat get tired of playing chase). He’s not enough of a trodden-down soul anymore to make a suitable host. Pocketcat would move onto other targets but it’s a LONG JOURNEY to the point where the cat fucks off.

•Overall Daan and Karin are able to live some semblance of a normal life but have to work really hard on themselves to get there. I do also wonder if Karin would get her exposé out to the public without going mad and/or being taken out by some kind of government operative. Anyways I REAAAALLLY want to develop my Daarin lore into like a well-mapped timeline 💔 💔 💔

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH IT’S SO FUCKED UP

[covid-safer-hotties]

Quebec COVID-19 summer wave more lethal than last year's - Published Aug 29, 2024

Quebec’s summer COVID-19 wave has proved to be far deadlier than last year’s, defying expectations that the virus that causes it is somehow growing milder, suggest the latest Health Ministry figures.

As the KP.3.1.1. variant has become predominant in Quebec, as is the case elsewhere in North America, the province recorded 117 deaths linked to COVID-19 for the month of August (as of Aug. 24), compared with 88 such fatalities for the whole month last year. In July, there were 109 deaths compared with 46 for the same month in 2023.

Preliminary research has shown that although the KP.3.1.1 strain is not more virulent than previous variants, it is more contagious. In Quebec, this is reflected in the fact that the positivity rate among those tested for COVID-19 is now 23.7 per cent, the highest it’s been since the winter resurgence of December 2023.

In addition, Quebec declared a total of 1,322 hospitalizations with and for COVID-19 as of Aug. 27, compared with 985 hospitalizations on the corresponding date last year. The province was also battling outbreaks in 159 long-term care centres and hospitals as of Aug. 19 (the most recent date available), in contrast with fewer than a hundred on the same date last year.

“ I think those numbers are concerning,” said Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious diseases specialist at the McGill University Health Centre. “ First, SARS-COV2 (the virus that causes COVID) is still circulating. Secondly, there clearly remain many people at risk for severe disease.” More Quebecers in their 80s died from COVID-19, followed by those in their 90s, the numbers show. However, the multi-system disease has also killed people in younger age groups, including 34 in their 50s, nine in their 40s and one in their 30s, according to Quebec’s public health institute. (Those figures run from Aug. 27 last year to the same date this year.)

“The virus is not becoming more benign,” Vinh explained. “Some had proposed that the virus would become somehow attenuated as it propagated through human populations, which is a notion that is erroneously extrapolated by what is seen in certain settings, where a microbe can be passaged in cells, and over many passages/generations, a weaker version could be appear. That doesn’t work in humans because humans are not single-celled organisms in a test tube, and humans very much can get sick in the process of propagation/passaging as the mortality rates would suggest.”

Despite the higher COVID-19 summer mortality rates in Quebec this year, more people died from the disease in the months of July and August of 2022, when Omicron subvariants first swept the province. But the latest figures nonetheless do not augur well for the the fall season as more people head indoors and the school season resumes .

Just last week, the Laval health authority re-introduced masks for employees and patients in its health facilities. However, a spokesperson for the Health Ministry told The Gazette the government is not planning any new public-health measures.

“In the context of the back-to-school period, the (Health Ministry) continues to monitor the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 closely,” Francis Martel said in an email. “Although this no longer requires the emergency health measures that were in place at the time of the pandemic (such as isolation measures or travel restrictions, for example), individual actions to prevent the transmission of infections remain important.”

Meanwhile, Health Canada is reviewing submissions by Pfizer and Moderna for updated vaccines that target the KP.2 variant. Although not an exact match for KP.3.1.1, those shots should nonetheless provide protection against severe disease that may be caused by the latest variants. In July, Quebec’s immunization committee released its COVID-19 vaccine guidelines, recommending the shots for people who are at least 60; those living in long-term care homes; people who are living with chronic illnesses; those who are pregnant; and health-care workers.

[fioreofthemarch]

Finding Her - final chapter

Link makes notes, takes photos and keeps time on his quest across Hyrule, in the hopes of finding Zelda and staying sane until he does. [ Previous | First | AO3 ] with artwork by @nocturnalfandomartist at the end!

A photograph of Hyrule Castle seated on a rocky mesa of petrified Gloom. Where once malice and corruption rose high into the air, there is nothing but clear skies. 

A photograph of the rolling meadows of Hyrule Field, with Lookout Landing approaching just over the next hill. Ahead of the camera walks a woman wearing traditional garb, her short golden hair still a little damp.

A photograph of a group of Sheikah, young and old, at the gates of Lookout Landing as they greet the golden-haired woman. Their arms are outstretched towards her, tears in their eyes. 

A photograph of the five Sages of Hyrule, crowded around the woman as they draw her into a group embrace. The woman has her back to the camera as a young Gerudo vai hugs her tightly. 

The same picture as above, only now the woman has turned to the photographer. She smiles, surrounded by her friends and allies. Despite the weariness on her face, she radiates warmth and contentment. She is finally home. 

Caption: Thank you Rauru and Sonia. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you tha

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1. BATTLE IN THE SKIES: A SPECIAL LUCKY CLOVER GAZETTE REPORTby Penn of Rito Village (Guest Correspondent)

26th Satorember 104AC 

The citizens of Hyrule were treated to an extraordinary sight yesterday after what appeared to be an enormous, demonic dragon emerged from the ruins of Hyrule Castle.

It was approximately midday when what is being dubbed the ‘Demon Dragon’ appeared. Eyewitness accounts state that a second entity, which some have called the ‘Light Dragon’, was also spotted and appeared to confront the Demon Dragon, however this has not been verified. 

About an hour after the Demon Dragon appeared, there was a colossal explosion in the skies that caused several grassfires on Hyrule Field. These were swiftly contained by brave volunteers of the Zonai Survey Team who happened to be in the area. The Gazette can confirm there were no ground casualties.

Earlier this week, the swordsman Link and the Sages of Hyrule departed Lookout Landing to mount an assault on the Demon King Ganondorf. The outcome of that battle is not yet known, and investigations continue as to whether this mission has any links to the Demon Dragon. 

More to come. 

2. A letter, with a stamp that reads ‘Rito Courier Certified’

Link,

Forgive the chicken scratch, I don’t write a lot of letters. 

I heard the Princess is back. Good for her. Knew she wouldn’t abandon us. Good job dealing with the Demon King too -- you saved all our tailfeathers there. 

Tulin’s back with us now. Just writing to say thank you. He’s got a long way to go, but I can tell that hanging out with some responsible adults has put him on the right track. Though sometimes I wish he’d never learned about this Sage business. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard ‘Would a Sage have to do his chores, Dad?’ Ridiculous. 

If either you or the Princess need a holiday, Rito Village welcomes you. I’d sure like to hear the story of the battle against Ganondorf from someone other than a cocky teenager. Let’s just hope that’s the last of Hyrule’s troubles for now. We all enjoy a good fight, now and then, but a broken wing never really heals if you know what I mean.

Fly well, Teba, Elder of Rito Village 

3. A pamphlet advertisement printed on paper that smells of fireproof elixir

MINE-CART LAND: GRAND OPENING 

YUNOBOCO IS PROUD TO PRESENT THE PRIDE OF ELDIN CANYON, NOW OPENING TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. COME FOR A FUN-FILLED DAY WITH ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY:

‘THE ROCK ROAST REBELLION’ DINNER AND SHOW 

MINE CART RIDES AND TARGET MINI-GAME

MINE TOURS 

MINING

THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND ATTRACTION IS NOT TO BE MISSED. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL YUNOBOCO SALESGORON FOR TICKETS. 

FIREPROOF ELIXIR SOLD SEPARATELY.

YunoboCo is the author of this pamphlet for the purpose of copyright. © YunoboCo 104AC

(overleaf)

Link! Zelda! 

Look at this! Isn’t it great!? We got it back from the Lucky Clover Gazette just today. Took a bit of negotiating with Traysi to let us use her printers, but we got it done. I can’t believe Mine-Cart Land is gonna open for real — it’s all thanks to you or we’d all be Demon King lunch!

The other Sages said you’d gone back to Hateno to rest. They’ve all got fire ants in their pants wanting to get back to rebuilding, but I say we’ve all deserved a break. How many people can say they saved the world twice? 

Anyway, let us know next time you’re in Eldin. Slergo and Offrak have been asking about you every day. Dinner’s on us!

Yunobo 

4. A letter written in silver ink on lily white paper, in cursive that borderlines on unreadable 

The 8th Day of Octoroktober, 104 After Calamity 

Princes Zelda Bosphoramus Hyrule 5 Wildflower Crossing, Hateno Village Necluda, Hyrule 

The Reception Celebration of the Wedding of Their MajestiesKing Sidon and Queen Yona of the Zora 

By command of the King, the Advisor Muzu is directed to invite

Princess Zelda Bosphoramus Hyrule And Sir Link, Knight-Captain of the Hyrule Royal Guard

to be present at Zora’s Domain on the 3rd day of Naydrember, 104AC

Dear Princess Zelda, 

I hope your recovery in Hateno with Sir Link has been restorative. As Winter draws closer and the days shorter, time of respite is often best spent with close companions. 

My dear Sidon has told me all of what happened to you in the ancient past, and I must extend my deepest sympathies for the hardships you have endured. I cannot even begin to imagine them. I must also express my gratitude that Sidon has returned to us. While he is so humble as to pass all credit for the victory against the Demon King to Sir Link and his fellow Sages, to those in Zora’s Domain he is a hero.  

It would give us great joy if you could join us in a month’s time for I do so wish to meet you. However, I will understand completely if you choose to remain in the quiet solace of home. 

Sincerely, Queen Yona of Zora’s Domain

5. An informal letter, written in an assured hand 

Zelda,

Did you also get an invite to Sidon and Yona’s wedding? Or second wedding? I’ve never even been to Zora’s Domain. You will have to tell me what to wear. Is it cold? Is there really water everywhere? Not that I have a problem with that. 

So your sabbatical with Link has been just ‘good’? I get the sense you’re holding back details. If you don’t want to put anything in writing, you can call me using the Purah Pad. I could tell, Zelda, that when Link brought you to Lookout Landing after our battle with the Demon King, he couldn’t wait to whisk you away again. And what’s this about leaving Hateno next week? So soon!

I suppose I understand. You and I have our kingdoms to take care of. It is nothing less than our duty to do as much as we can. Heroines, I don’t think I’ve ever had a holiday. Even going to Lanayru is ‘official business’ as Chief of the Gerudo. But I will get to see you, and we can talk and laugh and drink all evening. Until then, sister. 

(Or you can simply call me! I want to hear everything, Zelda. Even if he proposes. ESPECIALLY if he proposes). 

Yours, Riju

6. A typed letter, on paper with a watermark of a Sheikah eye 

10.20.104AC

Princess Zelda and Champion Link Lookout Landing Central Hyrule

Princess, Champion--

Thank you for your latest report from Lookout Landing on the rebuilding efforts post-Upheaval. I trust that Purah isn’t working you too hard and that Josha is proving a very dedicated assistant. I know that Impa’s instruction was for you to rest as long as you need, however I disagree. On the contrary, I believe that engagement and activity is the best way to stay invigorated. It worked for me after all.  

I’m pleased to report that the manufacture of a second Purah Pad is nearly complete. I’ll need to finish the work at my lab in Akkala, so will be returning there. You’re welcome to visit any time. I suggest doing so before Dincember. Once Winter starts in Akkala, it really settles in. 

Speaking of Akkala, Granté visited last week and wishes to relay that the house Link purchased from the Hudson Construction Company is complete. He also said something about not knowing if you wanted plants or children’s toys in the house and that he ended up purchasing both. I suggest you liaise with him directly on that matter. 

Regards, Robbie 

7. A hastily scrawled note bearing the mark of the red Yiga eye

To the scoundrel who calls himself Link,

You have slighted us for the last time! Master Kohga will have his vengeance. 

Already our forces gather weapons of ultimate death beyond your comprehension! Just last month, we debuted the HOVERDOOM MK.4!   

Your day of reckoning approaches. As soon as we find his excellency , you will know true fear! So just let us know if you have seen him… if you want to live!!

Damn it, why am I even writing this note? I’ll just leave it in our hideout in Karusa Valley. Link will never get in there… 

8. A carefully and neatly written note, on lined paper 

Zelda, Hyrule’s adored Princess 

I am dictating this note to Josha, as my construct arms cannot grasp a writing quill. I had intended to create an attachment to allow this, however it was not to be. 

It is my request that you gather the Sages to Lookout Landing, where Link and I have built a new balloon ship. Link may no longer have my brother's arm to aid him, but his strength and endurance have proven invaluable in this endeavour. With this ship I intend to bring everyone to the Temple of Time on the Great Sky Island. It will be my gift to them as Sages, and then I must depart. 

There are words I must say before then that I fear will fail me if I try to convey them to you in person. However, you mean a great deal to me, so I have written them down instead. 

Zelda, my dear friend. You had no obligation to aid my people, yet you sacrificed everything to do so. When I thought all was lost against the Demon King, your faith and hope for the future gave me the will to continue. It was your bravery in the face of annihilation and your vigilance over many millennia that turned the tides in our favour and allowed us to finally end the war. Hyrule will be forever in your debt and this act will be your legend. 

I am merely grateful to have survived to your era, to have met your friends and allies (whose wedding feast I was honoured to attend), and to have seen that Hyrule will be under the care of those who are not only wise, but courageous and kind. One such Hyrulean sits at my side now, helping me write you this letter. 

As a final note – during your absence, I saw firsthand just how deeply Link cares for you. When you described him to me, I pictured a brave Knight of course, but the Link I met was more than that. He overflowed with tenacity, even in his darkest moments, and while the past half-year has been difficult, I don’t think he ever truly gave up hope of seeing you again. You are to him as the sky to the stars and the ocean to the waves; whatever you dream of he will dedicate himself to its fruition. I will leave you content in the knowledge that together, you will guide Hyrule to new beginnings and greater futures. 

We will be ready to travel to the Great Sky Island in three days. I hope you will join us on the journey.

— Mineru 

---

Log date: 14:00. 11th month, 12th day 104ACLocation: Akkala Beach, AkkalaWeather: Calm 

Well, it is done. I have read every log, viewed every photo and listened to every recording on this Purah Pad. It is quite the account; the valiant quest of Link, a Knight of Hyrule, to awaken the Sages, defeat the Demon King, and reunite with his beloved Princess Zelda. 

With me. 

I scarcely know where to begin. I can hardly believe I am here at all. Yet, I am here, thanks to Link and the Sages, and Queen Sonia and King Rauru… All of them devoted themselves to Hyrule’s salvation, for which I will always be grateful. Link tells me I was of aid in the final battle, and while it is true that my power was able to restore the Master Sword, a blade is only as strong as its wielder. 

So is this it then? Is this true peace, after all this time? I myself have been restless, falling from memory to memory. I cannot shake Rauru and Sonia from my mind. They were the ones who gave me my life back after all, or so Mineru theorised before she left us. It feels like only yesterday that I was dining with them all in their grand palace. I keep expecting to find Rauru in his hall talking with his constituents, or Sonia out in a garden tending the flowers, or Mineru lost in a book within her vast library. I wish we could be together, but I take solace that they can now rest. I will honour them by protecting the Kingdom that fate has passed to my care – it seems the least I can do. 

Since that fateful day of the defeat of the Demon King, Link and I have attempted to rest. However, I believe it is in neither of our natures. We spent some time in Hateno, the first two days of which we did little more than sleep. During that time, Link clung to me day and night, protesting the second I was out of his grasp, as though to pin me to the earthly realms lest I float up into the sky again. Then, once it became clear I was back for good, neither of us could bear lazing about. The more he told me of his quest to find me, the more I wanted to see all of our friends and allies again. The more I told him of my journey in the past, the more he wanted to show me the Zonai relics he had found. We were back on the road within a week, and have just come from Lookout Landing to visit Akkala and see our new house. 

In quiet moments I have been reading the extensive field notes that Link has kept on this Purah Pad. I cannot describe the feelings they provoke in me. I am constantly struck by the tremendous efforts of all those in Hyrule. Their headstrong Princess set another Calamity upon them, and never did they despair, only banding together to vanquish Ganondorf once and for all. And Link… he suffered so greatly when he learned what happened to me. I’ve felt compelled to apologise for it, and often. When I was lost in the past I ached to return home, but I accepted my sacrifice as necessary. I never thought what sacrifice really meant. To lose yourself is one thing; but to be lost to all those who love you? Such consequence didn't occur to me at the time. 

He does love me, doesn't he? It overwhelms me to read his words, they tremble with it. Yet somehow I never knew. I was so foolish as to never even tell him myself. All that time together, before the Calamity, before the Upheaval, and we never said such simple words. We took for granted that which felt obvious but could be so much richer if confessed. We’ve remedied that now, many times over. And I do love him, more than anything, and I want the life he dreamed of for us. Certainly, we have already begun, first with the house in Akkala, and lately with much practice at the necessary steps towards a family of our own. (I do hope no one but Link ever reads this.)

To that point, this will be my only entry into this particular Purah Pad. It is no longer mine. Through every hardship and triumph of the past half year, this little device has been Link’s constant companion. So I entrust it to him now, to continue recording our story and the story of Hyrule. I pray it will be a good one, though perhaps with a little less excitement than what has occurred thus far.

By the Goddess’ Grace,

Zelda 

A photograph of Link, resting underneath the shade of a palm tree on Akkala Beach. He wears his ancient Zonai tunic – a makeshift beach outfit – and has his hair loose. His eyes are closed and he appears to be taking in the warmth of the sun, and the cool of the ocean breeze. 

Caption: I better wake him up, the sleepyhead...

---

Log date: 14:30. 11th month, 12th day 104ACLocation: Akkala Beach, AkkalaWeather: Calm

A lot has happened. Plenty to write. This Purah Pad has given me a voice I didn’t know I had. Think I’ll start with an account of how we defeated the Demon King (or Demon Dragon) for that Lucky Clover Gazette column Penn mentioned… 

But not now. Not for a long while. 

Zelda’s here. We’re both here. It’s a sunny Autumn day and we have a home to go back to, one that’s up on a hill, overlooking the sea. I’ll make her dinner; a meat and rice bowl maybe, with ginger and Hyrule herb? Then tomorrow we’re back on the road – the whole Kingdom is ours to explore. I’m up for anything – somewhere new to find, someone new to meet, a new puzzle, a new enemy, a new fight. I can face it all, face anything, with her or without. But it doesn’t matter, not right now. She's here, in my arms, watching me type this. Better not write too long. Fate gave us back the time we nearly lost. I’m going to make the most of it. 

Until next you hear from me, 

Link 

A photograph of Link and Zelda, together on the shore of Akkala Beach, the sun shining above. Link laughs and blushes as Zelda snaps the photo – still smitten, even after all this time. 

Caption: Home and heart, heart and home. 

artwork by the wonderful @nocturnalfandomartist

[scotianostra]

David (Davy) Blair was born on 11th November 1874 at Broughty Ferry.

Blair was an employee of the White Star Line and had been originally earmarked to sail on The Titanic on it’s maiden voyage to New York, indeed he was second officer on the ship during its trial voyages to test the ship’s seaworthiness and the final journey from its place of construction in Belfast to Southampton, but a change in crewing lists at the last minute saw the second officer from Broughty Ferry taken off the passenger liner.

In his hurry to disembark the ship at Southampton docks, Davy accidently took a locker key with him. It was an innocent oversight, but one that likely contributed to the sinking of the Titanic. The seemingly innocuous key was in fact the key to the cupboard in which the crow’s nest binoculars and telescope were kept locked away. Titanic’s lookouts on that fateful night had no access to binoculars, and failed to spot the iceberg until it was too late.

He sent a postcard to his sister-in-law, writing: “Am afraid I shall have to step out to make room for chief officer of the Olympic. “This is a magnificent ship, I feel very disappointed I am not to make her first voyage… I hope eventually to get back to this ship.” But when he left Titanic on April 9, he would never set foot on it again.

The ship sank on April 15th after striking an iceberg, claiming more than 1,500 lives.

Investigations into the sinking of the Titanic raised lots of questions, including the obvious – why had the iceberg not been seen sooner?

It was believed Davy inadvertently hampered the ability of Titanic’s lookouts during the transatlantic crossing. The official inquiry heard from surviving crew members, lookouts Frederick Fleet and Reginald Lee.

The pair told the inquiry they would have spotted the iceberg sooner had they had the means to do so.

When questioned how much sooner, Fred replied: “Enough to get out of the way.”

Davy kept the key as a memento and it was considered to be one of the most important artefacts from the Titanic.

He died at the age of 80 in 1955 and the key was passed on to his daughter Nancy.

It later sold at auction for £90,000 in 2007 and the proceeds were used to set up scholarships in Davy’s name.

Davy Blair went on to win gallantry medals later in his career. In 1913, when he was First Officer on the SS Majestic, he jumped 40-foot overboard to help save a crew member from the chilly waters of the Atlantic.

The ship was 700 miles from New York when a stoker from the engine room “rendered temporarily insane by the heat of the stokehold had rushed on deck, and in his frenzy thrown himself into the sea”. Davy, who had just come off duty, heard the commotion and “without a moment’s hesitation” dived from “the dizzy elevation” to the man’s aid.

A report about the rescue in the London Gazette at the time said: “On the morning of 6th May, 1913, whilst the Majestic was in the North Atlantic, a Fireman jumped overboard.

“Vessel was backed to the place where he was supposed to have gone overboard and after some time he was sighted close to the port bow.

“Starboard emergency boat was lowered but Mr Blair, fearing that the boat might not reach him in time, jumped overboard from the port side of the vessel, swam to a lifebuoy which had been thrown overboard, and endeavoured to reach the man with it.

“He did not succeed, but, although weakened by the coldness of the sea, he managed to point out the whereabouts of the man to those in the boat, who rescued him and then picked up Mr Blair.

“There was a fog prevailing at the time and the water was very cold.”

The act of bravery saw him awarded the Sea Gallantry Medal from King George V at Buckingham Palace in 1915 and a medal from the Royal Humane Society.

A total of nine medals awarded to Davy including an OBE, First World War service medals and his Legion d’Honneur – the highest French order of merit.

As for the Titanic's binoculars and telescope, is it realistic that there was no others on a ship this size? I don't know.....

Pics are of Commander David Blair, and in the second left, packing scientific instruments for an expedition to the South Pacific.

[tea-with-eleni]

This week in Barovia Darkon....

Compiled from like four maps, including the VRGTR one. I had a proper think, read three of the Ravenloft books that detail information on Darkon/Azalin, read the VRGTR chapter on the topic and discarded most of it, and read part of an AD&D adventure set in Darkon/Barovia and discarded a lot of that, too.

Anyway. A few towns have flipped which side of the river they're on and I'm not 100% sure I have ALL small settlements, but if you want a high resolution map of Darkon for your adventures, hit me up?

But I digress.

This week, my players headed to Tempe Falls and were shocked to find a relatively normal town. Like. Okay, it's boring, but that seemed to be the worst of it. There was way more racial diversity than they're used to (Barovia being almost entirely humans with the odd dusk elf for variety). The innkeeper cheerily sold them four rooms and they settled in to enjoy some decent dwarven alcohol.

(Their was a funny moment when everyone collectively realized that a: they have a TON of gold and jewels from the amber temple and b: they probably can't use the gold because it all has Strahd's face on it and all they know about Darkon is that it went to war with Barovia at some point in the past.)

There were some people in the inn: assorted traders, a clerk who appeared to be staying in town while doing some audits or paperwork or something, and a couple of guard/soldier types with some kind of chain denoting rank as part of their uniform. They also had a chat with a somewhat disoriented sorcerer, one Firan Zal'honen. He claims to have only emerged from the mists himself a few weeks ago. I'm sure he's nothing to worry about. It's fine.

Anyway.

The party traded gold for a carriage and two draft horses, on the grounds that they now have

the cleric

the rogue

the fighter

the artificer

the wizard

the bard

Ireena Kolyana

Ludmilla Vilisevic

Volenta Popofsky

and of those, the wizard, the artificer, and the two vampires have issues with sunlight. Oh, and Darkon has an excess of suns. It's fine.

They then decided that they ought to try and find a larger town. The innkeeper gave them the skinny and said that Corvia is a decently big place, but Il Aluk is an actual city. She also warned them to please, fucking PLEASE follow the laws or else they're likely to end up in a world of trouble. The party did briefly lose their minds when they noticed a piebald raven flying around town that headed back to the inn where they're staying. Again, it's fine.

Then they headed out of the Balinok mountains and into the foothills and the town of Mayvin. It's a gnomish town with a massive clocktower and patent hall; the artificer is delighted.

The local scuttlebut is that something really fucking bad happened in Il Aluk and the golden star in the sky overhead appeared shortly thereafter. So naturally my players are like, "WELL WE GOTTA GO THERE!" They also heard the name "Castle Avernus" and the fighter (originally and quite recently from the Forgotten Realms) started freaking out about Elturel. The players also noticed something really off about the (as yet unnamed) Kargat stationed in Mayvin. I ruled that they have no good way of knowing exactly what the Kargat are, though, since the concept of ghouled mortals is basically nonexistent in DnD. (I saw a sidebar in the Ravenloft Gazetteer and thought it was interesting enough to include it...)

My reading list for this week is the first half of The Neverending Story, because I feel like The Nothing is a decent analogue for what's happening, slowly, to Avernus while Firan is swanning about near the borders.

[thenameswinterfics]

GET TO KNOW…DAENYRA VELARYON

Word Count: 1613

Cover magazine by @foxyanon Dividers by @zaldritzosrose

The following writing is a companion piece to "The Lives of Friends", a SMAU collaboration made by me, @legitalicat , @zaldritzosrose and @foxyanon.

Interview under the cut!

Interviewer: Here Meredyth Darklyn for Blackwater Gazette, and today I am pleased to be in the company of Daenyra Velaryon. She is a talented emerging artist coming from Driftmark, and her works have already attracted the attention of a few expert eyes of King’s Landing. Welcome Daenyra and thank you for joining me today.

Daenyra Velaryon: Thank you, Mrs. Darklyn. The pleasure is mine.

MD: So let's get straight to the point. As I said before, few people have had the honour of seeing and enjoying your recent work through your social media accounts, and let me say that some of your paintings have caught the attention of many for their intensity and the extreme attention to detail. 

DV: Oh! This is such an honour coming from you, Mrs. Darklyn. (laughs) Thank you so much for the compliment.

MD: The pleasure is mine, Daenyra. But in light of this little reflection, a question arises for me: how do you know when an idea for your painting is the right one?

DV: Well the thing is, Mrs Darklyn, when I get an idea, I just sit down in front of my canvas and go for it. I'm not the kind of organised artist who sits here and plans all my future creations by sketching back and forth. I like to think of myself as more of a chaotic spirit! I get very impatient when [an idea] tickles me to the point where I can't ignore it any longer and let my hands work for me. As I said, I never think analytically about my creations, it's often just my instinct kicking in and inviting me to go for it. The beauty of art is that there is no clear pattern to use, so I put out all my feelings: it is as if I am showing my soul to the world, and following your feelings is always the right thing to do in painting. 

MD: This brings us to a phrase you wrote in one of your descriptions under your recent paint and which we have reported on the cover: “life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one”. What is the hidden meaning of your statement?

DV: I'd like to start by saying that I've adopted this statement as a personal motto, because it's what I cling to when I feel I'm losing myself in the hustle and bustle of life. Every day we are overwhelmed by the stress and challenges of life, I can tell you that myself, because I study and work in a museum in my spare time: and that is when art comes and saves you. It stirs up emotions that we don't normally express or can't put into words, so art reminds us of our inner essence, and I like to think that putting your emotions on a piece of paper can heal your soul in different ways. Art connects us with a unique universal language, and it's also an honour to see how your work can become a point of reference for many people, or simply connect us on an emotional level.

MD: That's a pretty powerful statement, and I'm glad you're here today to share it with us all, in the hope that your words will be an inspiration to future artists who choose to follow in your footsteps. 

DV: It would be a great honour for me, although I do not see myself as someone to be inspired by. (laughs) I'm just a young woman who wants to turn her passion into future work. I know the path is slippery and winding, but I hope I can do it.

MD: And I hope you can achieve this in your life too, Daenyra. But coming back to our interview, you said that you spend your time between university and your part time work in the museum. How do you manage your time without losing your mind?

DV: Well, that is a good question! (laughs) But I'll tell you the honest truth: it's easier than you think. My family moved back to King's Landing when I enrolled at King's Landing University, and in between classes and semesters I work part-time at the King's Landing Cultural Museum, which allows me to immerse myself in the reality of the museum. The early days were never easy, I won't hide that: I've considered giving it all up countless times, but once you learn how to deal with stress and manage your time, you get used to it. 

MD: Did your family support your choice at first? You moved from Driftmark to pursue your studies, so the option of moving must have been much discussed. 

DV: Actually, it was. I had started posting my work on social media towards the end of high school, and although Driftmark is a city of infinite beauty, with impressive architecture and proximity to the sea, I knew it would not give me the opportunities I was looking for. The options were many and Dragonstone was highly considered. I even considered attending the Citadel School of Arts and Humanities, but as much as they spoke highly of it, moving to Oldtown would have further alienated us from all our family members. It was then that my cousin Rhaenerys suggested I enrol at King's Landing University, and when I found out I had been accepted, the discussion in our family broke down. My mother was not very enthusiastic about my choice, especially as it was not a place she left with any regrets, but seeing that I was determined to follow my dreams and that my brothers wanted to stay with me, she finally made up her mind and we all moved out. 

MD: I can imagine how difficult it must have been for your mother to return to King's Landing after all these years. We know Rhaenyra Targaryen had a difficult past in the Capital, especially after the former scandals that engulfed her figure. Did this undermine your relationship with her?

DV: I know it must have been a great sacrifice for my mother to face her past and come back here. She was a teenager when she became pregnant with me and my twin brother, and her sudden pregnancy caused our family quite a few headaches. The nasty gossip about her private life didn't stop after my younger brothers were born, so she made the decision to move to Driftmark and spare us the media storm that hit our family. When Jacaerys and I came of age and the gossip about our paternity reached Driftmark, our family dynamics were called into question. But my mother always put our happiness before her own and supported us in all our decisions, and our relationship never wavered. 

MD: But your relationship with the Velaryons was put into question. 

DV: More than questioning, I would say that I don't feel the strong connection I used to feel with the Velaryons. Don't mind me: Laenor was a great father figure to us, and I love my grandparents and my Aunt Laena, but all these rumors about the legitimacy of my bloodline have forced me to take a step back and think. My mother is still a Targaryen, so coming back to King's Landing and bonding more with my mother's family has helped me rebuild my identity and brought me much closer to them than I thought I would be.

MD: What is your relationship with the Targaryen family, then? 

DV: I feel very close to them. Starting with my immediate family, Jacaerys and I are inseparable. We are twins, so it will be hard to separate us! (laughs) Anyway, he's moving into the DJ setting world, so I'm so proud to see him gain his popularity. Then there's Lucerys and Joffrey, they're still young but they're very intelligent and sharp. I have a good relationship with Uncle Daemon and my cousins Baela and Rhaena, but they don't live in King's Landing, so it's very difficult to spend time with them.

I'm very close to Aegon and I'm proud of the way he's taking over the leadership of the Valyrian Holdings: it takes a cool head and he's proving himself up to the task despite his young age. I also have a good relationship with Aemond and Helaena, and it's good to see us all together despite our dysfunctionality.

But it's with Uncle Maegor and Aunt Visenya that I feel more like I have a close family. He knows what my mother did in the past, he was disappointed, but he never blamed me for what she did; instead, they always reached out and took care of us.

But it's with Rhaenerys I feel closer to: she's my amazing cousin and role model, who helped me choose my college and career paths. I owe her a lot and hope to become a successful woman like her one day. And I hope to have a successful relationship like she and Sihtric have.

MD: Speaking of love, is there someone you’re seeing right now or is your heart still available for someone?

DV: Well, I can tell you that I'm seeing someone, and it's quite a challenge since we don't live very close to each other. But he is a young man with a kind heart, and although we have spent little time together, I feel a strong connection between us. Only time will tell how our relationship will develop.

MD: Thank you so much for the talk, Daenyra. Hope you can achieve your dreams and good luck for your degree. 

DV: Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Mrs. Darklyn. I wish you a good day. 

If you've come this far, thank you so much for reading this! Hope you enjoyed it!