#Human Trafficking cw

[punkeropercyjackson]

Hmmm,yeah no if you're not a sa survivor and you have a c.nc kink you're a bad person in the same way a racist having racist mentality is a bad person even if they don't 'actually' do hate crimes and 'their black friends said it's okay to do that to them specifically' and 'only have thoughts' and i'm using that comparison because antiblackness and sa have a deep rooted inherently intertwined history,including that every kind of 'dark homoeroticism' on here has been used on black people(sex slaves,whites eating black flesh out of not seeing us as human,forced incest/inbreeding,csa played as forbidden romance,etc).If you're a sa survivor who developed a c.nc kink as coping,that's morally neutral and you shouldn't be made to feel bad over it but also you need to know how to act,ESPECIALLY if you're on the older side and cyberbullying even just with vagueposting sex repulsed sa survivors is sexual harrasment.Sa has always been an act of bigotry,be it the antiblackness i mentioned or the entitlement to 'punish' transgender bodies or to 'teach' unconsenting mentally disabled people 'what they should know' or one of the countless other bases it covers.Those 'thought crimes' were present in them white american soldiers who got comfort women out of what they thought asian women were and to them are supposed to be like too.Trying to tie sexual aspects of any kind to ANY minority is harmful stereotyping,even if it's 'good faith'.Think before you kink.Sexual liberation is supposed to be for the ones who fuck nasty,not the nasty fuckers

[deluxewhump]

The Scry

Ch 9: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

previous

CW: whumpee with powers, exploitation, forced labor/use of powers, hurt/comfort, unhappy separation, sickness/vomiting

Spartan Enterprises- Baltimore, Maryland. Tuesday, 9 AM EST. 

Max was a better user than Carlo had ever hoped for in his new life. 

He bought a thermometer at the convenience store around the corner and would check Carlo’s ever-fluctuating temperature twice a day. Carlo would hold it under his tongue and wait for it to beep, hoping his body would give his user a number that pleased him. Max brought offerings of fresh fruit and Gatorade and Saran wrapped chicken sandwiches from the cafe on the first floor, asking him if he was too warm or too cold in the office, and did he know he could adjust the thermostat if he was?

In every place he’d been, every facility and holding unit and research center, men had never treated him like Max did. For this reason it baffled him when he saw Max behave how he was used to others like him behaving, swearing in traffic or getting sharp with someone on the phone, and reconciling that with the man who treated him so gently, so patiently.

Carlo liked to watch him work at his desk, listen to him on the phone. He was young, thirty-two or three. He had no ring on his finger but Ingrid did, an engagement ring that caught the light when she moved just right like icecaps. He liked Ingrid, too. She asked him direct questions and listened to his answers. Nobody listened to him, so he tended to immediately like people who did, to a fault.

He liked Max’s house. The room they gave him to use was tucked away upstairs, a room whose slanted eaves made it seem smaller than it ought to, but it was warm, and something about the old house was comforting.

For years Carlo had felt a sense of placelessness, a weary yearning for a home that didn’t exist. Now he’d find himself at the office at three in the afternoon thinking I can’t wait to go home, only to realize he had a specific place in mind. An old Victorian house, a particular bed, a view of familiar stark treetops outside his window.

In the morning he’d get ready in the dark, having showered the night before on Ingrid’s suggestion— since Max showered in the morning. They’d meet at the truck at 7:25, and Max would sing along under his breath to the radio on the way into downtown. Some days he played talk shows or podcasts instead. Once they listened to Good to Great- Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t on the recommendation of Spartan management, strongly suggested they all read this quarter. They listened to the audiotape in silence for fifteen minutes until Max slammed the power button with his palm. “Insufferable,” was his only comment.

At nine AM on Tuesday, Max went to the lobby to meet Eddie and Simon, as was their weekday custom. They’d take the elevator down to the coffee shop and get drinks to go, sometimes loitering on the hard gray sofas in the lobby for a few minutes before returning to work. Max always brought him something from the coffee run.

Through determination he discovered Carlo liked cappuccinos, iced lattes, and hibiscus tea. Carlo felt like an exotic pet in a classroom, one Max kept bringing novelties like an enthusiastic student to see if he’d accept them as food. It was kind, though. That was the main thing about Max. He was a little preoccupied with his work sometimes, a little irritable after long meetings, obviously guilty about what his company was having him participate in with the precogs. But he was, above and beneath all that, kind. 

Today there was a knock on the office door at 9:05. Carlo flinched at the unexpected intrusion. Had someone scheduled an early meeting with Max, and he just forgot? The doorknob rattled. It was locked. Max always locked him in there when he was alone. It didn’t keep him from opening the door, it just kept anyone out in the hallway from opening it. 

A soft knock came again. “Carlo?”

A woman's voice. Adrenaline flooded his chest at the sound of his name. 

“Hey, I need you to open the door, hon. Quick meeting got called. Everybody’s there. We need you there, too, they sent me to grab you.”

Carlo eased off the cot Max had set in the corner of the office for him. That didn’t sound right. Max had set out to meet his friends five minutes ago. Now he was at a meeting? And even if that was true and he forgot he had a meeting, why wouldn’t he come back for him? Why would they send someone else?

“There’s bagels,” the woman added casually. “C’mon, let’s go. We don’t want Martin any more pissed off than he already is.” 

“Where’s Max?” he asked through the door. 

“At the meeting,” she said with a twinge of impatience. “Let’s go, kid.”

He didn’t want to keep them waiting. He didn’t want to disappoint or annoy anyone, and she was right, they definitely didn’t want to annoy Mr Olsen. He opened the door.

Elle Davenport waited on the other side, her head impatiently cocked to one side. She rolled her eyes at him, but smiled at the same time. Behind her stood Blake in a cable knit sweater, his sandy hair slicked back. 

His presence confirmed Carlo’s suspicion that something was wrong. Elle had spoken and not him, because they’d knew he’d be more disarmed by her. 

“What’re you….” 

Blake grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the doorway. Elle took his other arm and they walked him like an inmate between them down the hall. She was a head shorter than either Carlo or Blake, and took nearly two steps to their one as they passed wall after wall of tinted floor to ceiling windows. Baltimore shimmered blue outside, the cold morning air appearing smog-smudged in the bright sun.

“I’m supposed to be working on something,” he said lamely. “I really need to get back.”

“Relax,” Blake said, staring straight ahead. Blake had a way of speaking that reminded him of seasoned game show host. Even as he was schmoozing you, you were the butt of the private joke he was having with an unseen audience. “You’re going to a meeting with the boss. Everything’s excused.”

“You mean Mr Olsen?”

Neither of them answered him. He was getting more unsettled with every step they took. 

“Can you please let Max know where I am? He went to get coffee downstairs…”

“Does yours talk this fucking much?” Elle asked Blake, digging her fake nails into the skin of Carlo’s upper arm. 

They rounded a corner and reached their destination, stopping short.

“Bye baby,” Elle whispered playfully in his ear, giving him goosebumps before she turned and went back the way they’d come. Blake opened the glass meeting room doors and pushed him inside with a hand between his shoulder blades.

Martin Olsen sat at the head of a rectangular white table with six rolling chairs around it. Blake pushed him into one before sitting next to him with his legs splayed wide, swiveling back and forth. 

“Good morning, Carlo,” Martin said. 

“Good morning.”

“How are you?”

Martin’s ice blue eyes seemed to smile, but he didn’t trust them. He had to take his cues from Max, and his own messed up instincts. Max didn’t like this man one bit, and Max was the only ally he was sure he had in the building.

“Well, Sir,” he said. In truth, was still unwell from the work he’d done the previous week. He was feeling better, especially if he stayed relatively still, but all this upset had his head spinning and his stomach feeling off. Despite his queasiness he promised himself to keep his guard up, and watch his words. 

“You and Max have been getting along I see,” Martin said, putting on a pair of readers and pulling something up on his laptop. Carlo could see the reflection of the screen scrolling in the frames. “Yes. Up one-hundred-fifty percent over last month. Two new midwest accounts the size of the Hindenburg.” He was quiet for a moment, eyes darting back and forth over information on his laptop screen. “In the meeting last Monday, you were very modest. You attributed your success to teamwork, dedication, and… how did you put it? Having the right tools.”

Blake tittered in his chair, eyes fixed distantly on an empty spot on the table. 

“You know how to talk the talk,” Martin smiled over his readers at him. “You’re the breakout talent of our little group of four, so far. I’m afraid I’m going to have to put your work on Mr Kelly’s account on ice for a moment. I have something important I need you to do for me”

“What… do you mean by a moment?” he breathed. 

“Three days. Maybe four. You’ll be back in your cozy little office cot by Friday.”

Carlo blushed. 

“What do you say?”

“You’re not really asking me, are you?”

“No. But I’m trying to be polite. I’m trying to treat you with respect.”

Carlo knew Martin didn’t respect his power any more than he respected him. He was obsessed with his power, wanted to figure out the cleverest ways to exploit it, and he couldn’t care less about him aside from that. He’d met men like him. Doctors, researchers. Businessmen were just another branch on the same tree. 

“Can I be allowed to go get my things?” he asked, lowering his eyes so as not to betray how badly he wanted to get back to that office, to talk to Max and see if Max would put an end to whatever this was.

“Blake will go get anything you need,” Martin said, closing his laptop. “Max doesn’t need the distraction today. He’s got a lot of work to do.”

Carlo’s throat tightened. That’s why he’d sent Blake and Elle to trick him here, and not asked Max to bring him. Max didn’t know, and Max would protest this. He’d try to protect him. Either that or Max did know, and was in on it, pleased to be rid of him. Maybe he was tired of looking after him and brining him home with him at night. Maybe those two contracts were the boost he needed and now he had no more use for him. He hoped it was the first reason. He needed it to be.

He thought for a horrible moment he might not be able to stop his eyes filling with tears in front of Blake and Martin Olsen. He pinched himself on the inside of the wrist under the table so blood welled in  the twin half-moon indents. “What is it you need me to do?”

“Plenty of time for that. First I need you at your best. Have you eaten?”

The question surprised him. “N-no.”

“Blake? Run down and get us something, would you. Something with protein.”

Blake prickled at being asked to fetch Carlo’s breakfast, but he smiled bitterly at Carlo and stood to obey. “Sure thing,” he said with sarcasm that was plausibly deniable. Carlo watched Martin’s face to see if he registered it, only to realize that he had, and he didn’t care. What did Max say? Blake was Martin’s son in law? Carlo wondered how that dynamic worked behind closed doors. 

“I’m going to put you to work,” Martin said softly to him once they were alone. “And I expect the sort of results you and Mr Kelly have produced. If you do that for me, I’ll send you right back to him.”

He was afraid to ask, but he knew he ought to. “What if I can’t?” 

“You’ll wish very dearly you had,” Martin said, concern creasing the lines between his eyebrows. “And you’ll find yourself on a truck, headed back to a research hospital in east Texas.”

He tried not to react in any discernible way. He almost made it, but the commotion of the morning and the mere mention of a research facility got the best of him. He drew back sharply from the table and threw up on the carpet between his feet before he could do anything to stop it. 

Martin asked Blake to clean it up.

[toprayarc]

AN EDUCATIONAL POST / REFERENCE ON TRAFFICKING. CONTENT WARNINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS: MENTIONS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SEX TRAFFICKING, LABOR TRAFFICKING, MANIPULATION, COERCION, AND ABUSE. DESCRIPTIONS AND ANY VIVID IMAGERY ARE INTENTIONALLY ABSENT, AS TO BE AS WIDELY ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. REBLOGS WELCOME. FROM, YOUR LOCAL SURVIVOR.

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING? human trafficking involves the use of manipulation, coercion, violence, false pretenses, or some sort of pressure on the victim to obtain a form of labor or act. it does not need to involve moving an individual to one place to another to qualify as such, but it can! it's very situational dependent. most human trafficking victims do not have the educational knowledge to identify themselves as such, and are primarily those who have been in vulnerable circumstances that were horribly taken advantage of.

¹ MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING (A NON-EXHAUSTIVE LIST) — human trafficking only exists in other countries, human trafficking is specifically the act of physically moving an individual from one place to another, human trafficking is only sex trafficking, human smuggling and human trafficking are the same, human trafficking victims / survivors are / were physically trapped, it's always a violent crime.

WHAT KINDS OF TRAFFICKING ARE THERE?

LABOR TRAFFICKING: this can be involuntary servitude, debt bondage, slavery, or even active captivity. those who are being labor trafficked can be those who are getting paid, or not. most prominently, debt bondage and child labor is what we've heard of as far as labor trafficking goes.

SEX TRAFFICKING: this is any commercial sex act that is involuntary, whether it be through manipulation or coercion, or more violent aspects. a commercial sex act is defined as anything from porn, all the way to sex acts being done in exchange for clothing / housing / drugs / et cetera.

DOMESTIC SERVITUDE: this can be any individual who is forced, manipulated, or coerced into working in a home, sometimes in inescapable circumstances, and sometimes not. maids, nannies, or domestic helpers that are trapped (emotionally, or physically) are included in this.

² TRAFFICKERS COME IN PLENTY OF DIFFERENT FORMS, SIMILAR TO ABUSERS. VICTIMS CAN BE IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR TRAFFICKER, CAN BE RELATED TO THEIR TRAFFICKER, OR EVEN SIMPLY FRIENDS WITH THEM. human trafficking does not discriminate. any act that is coerced, manipulated, or forced in the previously labeled circumstances is considered trafficking.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HUMAN SMUGGLING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING? human trafficking is the exploitation of someone, without their consent, in an act of obtaining a service or some form of currency. human smuggling, conversely, is the movement across borders for a fee. while there is sometimes overlap between human trafficking victims being moved from one place to another, this is not necessary to obtain the label of trafficking.

³ TRAFFICKING AND WORK IS NOT THE SAME. when someone is able, willing, and knowingly taking part in a transaction, manufacturing, or labor, it does not infringe on their human rights — and therefore is considered work. in vast contrast, when a person is unwilling, unaware, or pressured or forced into taking part in a transaction or form of labor, it is considered trafficking.

CONSENT IS OUR BIGGEST DIFFERENTIATOR. to understand what trafficking is as a whole, we must begin to question and understand how willing someone is in their participation. no matter if they believe if they're willing or otherwise, if they are being manipulated, coerced, or given false pretenses in order to obtain this act, it is trafficking. if they are violently or nonviolently forced to obtain or produce some sort of act, it is trafficking. if they are physically forced, or mentally forced to commit or produce an act, it is trafficking. consent, and knowledgeable + enthusiastic consent, at that, is what draws the line.

⁴ ON THE TOPIC OF RESOURCES, resources and education for trafficking is painfully abysmal. however, with that said, if you or someone you know is in a trafficking circumstance or needs help, please reach out to the resources you can find and obtain. the national trafficking hotline can be found at 1-888-373-7888. here is another list of compiled resources, if you need assistance.

SOURCES: https://www.dhs.gov/medialibrary/assets/graphic/52891 + https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/what-human-trafficking + https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/human-trafficking/myths-facts + https://www.acf.hhs.gov/archive/otip/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-labor-trafficking-english + https://sharedhope.org/the-problem/what-is-sex-trafficking/ + https://stopthetraffik.org/sex-trafficking-vs-sex-work-understanding-difference/ + https://enactafrica.org/research/explainers/human-smuggling-and-human-trafficking-what-is-the-difference-and-why-does-it-matter + https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/page/file/1573266/dl?inline

[coquettesinclair]

by the way if you keep comparing stupid shit to human trafficking i hate you. i genuinely hate you. i hope you get hit by a bus covered in bombs that explode into a bunch of busses

[sokkastyles]

I guess they blocked you, but here it is.

"Currently listening to a podcast episode that addresses trafficking and now I have another reason to be horrified by takes that emphasize isolating and controlling Azula and calling it accountability or “for her own good.”

Because holy shit she hits almost every single thing groomers look for in their victims."

This reminds me of that post saying Azula is a more realistic abuse victim than Zuko because OP said their abuser made them feel like Azula.

What these people don't get is that abusers groom their victims by convincing them they are at fault for the abuse. That's the similarity they are seeing. Azula actually is responsible for her crimes, while abuse victims are made to feel responsible for the abuser's crimes. An abuse victim might identify with Azula in that way, because their abuser made them feel like they were the abuser, and Azula actually is an abuser.

And Zuko actually went through the same thing, only he realized that he was groomed and that he isn't the one at fault and that he didn't have to be complicit in Ozai's crimes anymore and atoned for his part in it.

The difference, though, is that Azula actually did do the things she is being held accountable for. That's why these comparisons are garbage and don't do anything to protect victims.

I actually feel sorry for these people if they genuinely feel this way, and hope that one day they will discover that they aren't Azula, and that their abuser was wrong to make them feel that way.

[ofgentleresolve]

verse: a knight is but a gentleman with a sword ( 3/??? )

reposted from my old blog on april 18th, 2022.

cw for human trafficking.

ANACHRON

n. a terrorist organization that under the guise of pushing humanity forward in the name of science and progress kidnaps scientists for a. their research and b. for manpower and brainpower to fuel their own projects.

Operating in the shadows, ANACHRON first set its eyes upon Shin Seonghun after he became a well-known figure within the time-traveling field. Initially posing as a potential benefactor for his research, ANACHRON quickly turned to their usual harsher means when Seonghun refused the offer to work for them.

Out of fear for the safety of their two sons, Myungsuk and Myungdae, Seonghun and his wife, Shin Chaeryeong moved the family to a remote part of Bristol, Great Britain. However, they wouldn’t remain hidden for long, for after a few years of peace, ANACHRON found them and kidnapped Seonghun and Chaeryeong, leaving the children to fend for themselves.

In the grasp of ANACHRON, Seonghun was forced to work on their projects and though he loathed the organization and feared for the safety of his wife ( and when ANACHRON took him, Myungsuk ), he found ANACHRON’s resources and help on time travel to be rather fruitful, much more than any other progress he had done before. However, much like the other scientists, he longed to be freed and had his wife and his child used to keep him in line. However, because he turned out to be one of their most competent scientists and needed him, Chaeyeong realized that ANACHRON couldn’t ever hurt either her or Myungsuk.

Knowing she had at least some kind of immunity, Chaeryeong sowed the seeds of rebellion and discord amongst the other captives. Under Seonghun’s nose, she and the other captives planned an uprising, one that would not only set them free but also bring ANACHRON to the light. However, during the uprising, a gas leak spilled, and in a sacrifice to save the others, Chaeryeong stopped the spill but also succumbed to an illness triggered by the gas leak. Several of the captives managed to escape, including Myungsuk, but ultimately, ANACHRON remained in tact.

Seonghun was devastated by not just Chaeryeong’s death, but also the disappearance of Myungsuk and at his most vulnerable, gave into the grief. He turned to his work to cope and from the kidnappee, he became the kidnapper. Leaning further into his work, he worked his way up the ranks in ANACHRON until he was the leader. With the organization in the palm of his hand, Seonghun repurposed its main goal ANACHRON to time travel.

ANACHRON still operates in the shadows, but thanks to Seonghun’s skillful maneuvering, they’ve also become a benefactor of sorts for many businesses and even non-profits. Many of these businesses are involved with white-collar crime, but many dips into crimes of other kinds as well. In exchange for money and resources, ANACHRON grants its partners legal immunity via connections with the courts, the police, and the government. Known for bribery of all kinds.

As a part of their philanthropist label, ANACHRON pours a lot of money in scientific research of any kind...they support scientists ( and professors too ) in their research via funding.

Still kidnapping whomever they think they’ll need for their work along with the kidnappee's families....ANACHRON has found that kidnapping more is better...specifically for the scientists, threatening to sell their loved ones into organ trafficking really makes them eager to work.

The businesses and non-profits ANACHRON supports also supply these victims. Either that or if the debt is not paid or an order is not followed, ANACHRON can and will start taking employees too....:/

[oculusxcaro]

🍉 - What is something they have done that they feel the most guilt over? How do they handle this guilt?  Does the guilt ever get resolved?

Random Headcanons

One of if not the biggest thing Khare feels like utter shit about even to this very day? Not helping the other people unfortunate to get locked up and experimented on alongside her. Not while escaping, not going straight to the authorities and telling them about the place the moment she walked free, Khare did absolutely nothing, focusing purely on saving her own hide and the guilt eats away at her every single day. It wasn't as though they were friends but she watched for months as others were subjected to countless experiments and injections like her with many of them dying, if they hadn't been grossly mutated beyond recognition or driven mad as a result. Some of them were like her, young people snatched from the streets by chance. Some were older with families of their own, wondering if they'll ever see their loved ones again. Many were barely teenagers, runaways or problem children who wouldn't be missed. It was a horrible time for them all, wondering who would be next to go, be it in a body bag or on the autopsy table as their captors investigaged their findings more thoroughly. As soon as the opportunity to escape presented itself, Khare grabbed the chance, snatching the keycard and running off into the wilderness where the facility had been hidden deep in the mountains, away from prying eyes. It took a while to find civilisation and when she did... Khare said nothing to anybody, focusing purely on making her way down south, to put as much distance between herself and her captors, in case they were still pursuing her. Where the facility actually was, Khare is unable to recall and not a day goes by where she doesn't think of those left behind, still being tortured and warped beyond recognition as their tormentors focus on their sick goal of creating their own metahumans, of finding out how to bestow powers onto ordinary human beings. Could she have grabbed a few survivors? Could she have unlocked their cells and led a rebellion against their captors? Or could it have all failed and she'd be yet another corpse for them to study, making them one step closer to their plans?

The what-if's and could-be's keep her up most days, and it's a relief when she finally goes into torpor if only to stop thinking for a while.

[archivist-the-knight]

(Image description: Two images that follow the same formula: A flier about after-school work for teenagers that seems incredibly suspicous, both on street/eletrical poles. Both have been torn off in some way. End description)

Oh this hit all my red flags, I've torn down 3 already just walking Malaya to the park

[sun-marie]

The amount of detail given to random, easily missable NPCs in this game on the off-chance that the player we'll Scrutinize them is so impressive

[dutyworn]

On the misson to recruit Jack, what if they do manage to capture Wren. Never actually bring Jack out of cryo (or... if writing this with a Jack... possibly the two escaping together later). Put her squad in a SituationTM, force her to surrender on threat of killing her companions? Could be a our-muses-escape-together plot, a your-muse-buys-Wren-from-the-prison-ship plot (as an antagonist? as a friend?), a simple rescue plot, a we-were-going-to-rescue-her but Wren turns up rescuing herself covered in blood and pissed off plot, etc.,

[deluxewhump]

The Scry

Four members of a sales team working for a large insurance company receive an unexpected Christmas bonus - an individual with powers of precognition, or foresight. They are tasked with making their company's purchase a lucrative one. But what exactly are precognitives? Is there a human cost?

Prologue / One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine /Ten / Eleven / Twelve / Thirteen / Fourteen / Fifteen / Sixteen

Status: complete

[coeursetcolores]

Primrose, the Dancer: Chapter 2

WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Chapter 2 of Primrose’s story in Octopath Traveler!

...

...

...Every time I do one of Primrose’s chapters, I lose a little more faith in humanity.

Well, we made it to Stillsnow. One of the Crow Men is here.

And Primrose has a knife ready for him.

And knowing there’s a murderous criminal here raises your suspicion about the town in general. For good reason. This place, like plenty of idyllic towns a little far out, has a secret. Honestly, not as big of a secret as I would think, but still pretty messed up.

Normally a snowy town like Stillsnow would look cozy, but it’s more ominous. Maybe it’s mostly the story, but the stronger uses of dark blue and black with less yellow to bring warmth compared to other snow town levels I’ve seen make this place feel more like the Overlook than a Christmas park. It amazes me how you can use snow to make a heartwarming winter scene or a time of isolation and the fear your body will be hidden in it if you’re not careful. The cave to get into the Obsidian Parlor is pretty basic...

...Okay, I’m just gonna say it: WHY IS THERE A CAVE THAT LEADS DIRECTLY INTO A MANSION?! What use is that?! It’s already out in the middle of nowhere and barely anyone knows it exists, WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS?!

The reveal was pretty obvious, but no less devastating. Nothing against sex workers, but it is pretty sad to see Arianna having been forced to resort to selling herself just to stay alive. It’s not even her fault she’s in this position, but when you take down a head, the rest of the body falls too.

I get the feeling that besides vengeance, the mistreatment of women is another theme in Primrose’s story. Honestly, it’s done a bit more tastefully here than in other stories I’ve seen. And does fit in with the setting rather well.

For the utter darkness of this chapter though, it has one of the funniest moments in the game so far: sorry Prim, not every man is subject to your feminine wiles. And Arianna trying to make her feel better is just the cherry on top.

Though the bartender gets me thinking; just how many people know about the brothel? Arianna said everyone just turns a blind eye, but does the whole town know? 

The flashback with Primrose and her father really shows how he influenced her and how she developed into the person she is now. He preaches to stay determined and follow what you believe is right; not what society or morality says, what you believe in. It’s easy to see how she became so focused on revenge, because it’s what she thinks is right. There’s no use in letting anyone try to talk her out of it.

The added history of her family really helped paint a picture of how she became so unwavering too, as well as giving the audience a reason to understand why her father was killed. Because the family refused to have any doubts about their more dubious acts, it’s easy to see why the other houses grew frustrated with them, especially after murdering their liegelord. Perhaps enough to order a hit.

The fact that the women who work here get sold I didn’t see coming. Honestly, what is this Crow organization about? I thought they were just assassins, but I’m thinking it might be something deeper...But how does it involve House Azelhart?

And I KNEW there was corruption in the church! That’s one of the sacred rules of JRPGs! Ugghhh...I needed a shower after this chapter.

Rufus...is a slimy villain. That’s all there really is to him. But he had a point: if you don’t consider how hated you are and never try to make others understand, you will make enemies. Ones that will take an opportunity given to take you down. Conviction is good, but self-assessment is also important. Maybe we’re getting some foreshadowing for how this story will play out? Even when he dies, he seems to have something over Primrose.

And it’s truly sad, at the end. Primrose sees absolutely no other reason to live than for vengeance. Even with all her ability and experiences, she stays focused on this one thing instead of trying to move on. At some point, is it unhealthy to be this determined?

How do the others feel about this darker side of the world?

Ophilia: This one was sweet. Even with her vengeance at hand, Prim can still see other people and acknowledge their feelings. I’m glad she and Ophilia can find comfort in each other after all the tragedy they’ve been through respectively.

Alfyn: Kind of a tonal shift. We were just being upset about Arianna being in a brothel, now we’re teasing Alfyn about wanting to go to one? I guess if it’s with someone okay with being there it’s different?  ¯_ (ツ)_/¯

Tressa: Okay. Seriously? She cannot be this naive. Come on game, she wasn’t that sheltered. She’s 18, not 10. 

Cyrus: Aww, she’s giving him dance lessons! That’s nice.

Olberic: Olberic probably would have been the best knight she could have asked for if she could have had his service. Maybe that could have been his life if House Azelhart still stood. But at least they can fight together.

Therion: Okay, encouragement. And worry? Is someone developing empathy for his companions?

H’aanit: This was bittersweet. The people who love you may be gone, but they’ll always be a part of you. You’ll always have them, no matter how short of a time they were in your life.

What truth is there in Noblecourt?

And why is it something Primrose might not be able to handle?

Is it something we want to find out?

Let’s all hope our faith will be our shield.

[wishmcker]

“You know, consent is important. Even -or especially- when you’re giving people superpowers.” from @bctglrl superhero-themed sentence starters || accepting!

❝ We're not the best people to be talking about this with you guys, ❞ Artemis says, gesturing between herself and Barbara. She stares out towards where the teammates she leads looks to her, and Conner and M'gann nod at her with pride as she continues to speak. ❝ But we can talk to you about consent and control, ❞

❝ Not all of you know where I come from. I was raised with the intention of joining the League of Assassins with a specialty in stealth and hunting - but I chose to choose my own destiny. A lot of us have similar stories. ❞

❝ Unfortunately, not a lot of people are given that option. ❞" Artemis sighs. That is what had happened to Tara and Brion right under the nose of the royal family and undoubtedly to many others.

Such a thing pissed Artemis off. Being raised to continue on with the family legacy with no regard for what she had wanted, she could relate to those kids. It's part of the reason why she had taken Violet and Tara under her wing - these young kids deserved a better life than to have something like that forcefully activated without knowing what they were getting into. Sometimes, people didn't react well to their powers. Static had, but others like Windfall had been terrified.

Her fist clenches and she has to consciously think about not digging her fingernails into her palms. She had bad scars from doing that and drawing blood to spill from her hands. The blonde flexes her fingers and furrows her brows.

❝ So, ❞ she begins again. ❝ It's important to remember that not everyone's circumstances are the same. Some people aren't so lucky and have to fight through the world on their own. ❞

[ofgentleresolve]

verse: a knight is but a gentleman with a sword ( 4/??? )

cw for mentions of fire, torture, literary gore, human trafficking and p*tsd. please proceed with caution.

reposted and rewritten from my old blog on april 15, 2022.

what you need to know about Myungdae is that he has really really bad undiagnosed p*tsd ( and most likely? will not seek treatment until AFTER this entire ordeal is put to rest :/ ) and as such it affects pretty much every part of his life, not only when he is the black knight but also when he’s in civilian mode.

he managed to avoid anachron for almost two years and in that time, he was pursued for what he knew ( and he’s GOOD at research….he amassed A LOT of dirt on ANACHRON & its victims in those five years )

he learned the hard way not to sleep, stay vigilant no matter what.

there were also instances where people who housed him also got tortured/killed for helping him…either that or they got bribed to give him up- basically he also learned he’s not allowed to trust anyone.

and then, some time in the middle of the second year, he was finally caught and taken back to ANACHRON's base.

if you read the first hc post in this series , then you know that myungdae has a gap in his memory- four months prior to being taken in ARGOS. those four months was the time where he was in ANACHRON's captivity, where he was learned that ANACHRON was involved with organ trafficking….and lived under the threat of being harvested as well.

the conditions were NOT good. the 'cattle' as ANACHRON referred to victims of the trafficking ring as, were kept in cages that were too short to stand up in and too cramped to lie down in. the air was always moist, the floors concrete, and there was no light coming in. the victims were always given the bare minimum in food and water.

there was always the smell of sulfuric acid too...the harvesting room was right next to the 'cattle' cells and often screaming could be heard- often they wouldnt completely harvest the 'cattle'. sometimes they would only take, say a cornea one day and then another organ of the same person in the next week.

that and there was always a loud ticking clock that could be heard...it drove many of the victims into despair, being forced to count down the seconds before they were harvested.

overall, that experience was so bad to myungdae, that his brain blocked it out in order to protect himself...too bad the reprecussions still remain 🙃

but what myungdae does remember about that time is the interrogation that happened at the end of his captivity. they threw him in the 'cattle cell' in order to break his spirit- they didn't specify if they would take a body part of his in that time.

his interrogator was called the 'horologist' since he liked to dissect his victims like watches. very detail oriented and methodical. he's the reason myungdae has a bad right leg and he broke myungdae's fingers too ( thankfully healed ).

at the end of the interrogation, he dunked myungdae in oil and set him on fire, saying 'as long as the internal parts remain in tact, you won't need the rest of your body' 🙃

that's the last thing myungdae remembers before he was rescued by ARGOS.

when he joined ARGOS you’d think that the hard part would be over….well…🙃

u know someone has to do the dirty work in getting the essential information on anachron/other baddies….and since patrick’s good at survival, why not use him instead?? make him earn his keep aka send him on life-threatening missions that basically recreate the previous two years of his life he’s already quite fragmented-

okay so how does that affect his life as a civilian?

myungdae has severe pyrophobia. he also gets triggered by the smell of rotting/burning flesh, strong chemicals, and ticking clocks ( think of second hands on analog clocks ). the last one makes absolutely no sense to him as a trigger.

he does have flashbacks, they can come randomly but flames seem to be the main trigger…it’s not so much for seeing but rather strong and harsh smells like fire-generated smoke ( which is different from the smoke his s*moke b*ombs use ) or chemicals is more likely to trigger that.

doesn’t sleep. the paranoia keeps him up, but when he does try to, he gets nightmares…thrashing and crying when that happens. May turn violent too if woken up by another person considering that he always has his sword near by…

he’s very careful about when he goes to sleep as a result bc he doesn’t want to hurt either elise or hiro….but if he has to, he has an alarm to wake him up before they start…he’s lucky he’s a very light sleeper to begin with. ( also learns to lock the door too so he doesn’t hurt anyone )

has lower back pain a lot too. sometimes there’s neck pain as well :/

also just? he doesn’t really do a lot of the things he used to enjoy?

Like reading for example, he can’t bring himself to read for fun anymore ( even though he MISSES doing that ) bc he’s too busy being vigilant even tho he KNOWS he doesn’t have to be…and when he tries he just doesn’t find any joy in it…the only reason he reads nowadays is because of the books he assigns for his classes ( he’ll only assign short stories…and maybe one or two books )

The rubik’s cubes also don’t feel that much fun anymore either, but that’s a coping mechanism.

a lot of his free time if he’s not training or grading or hanging out with his kids/cool jacket squad is spent with him going into a daze…can sit for hours on end staring off into space.

if it’s not ANACHRON/black knight related, he has shit memory and not to mention terrible concentration…it’s part of the reason he doesn’t read much anymore. A lot of his grading tends to come a week or two late much to his students’ displeasure….he has a planner and sticky notes to counter the problem of forgetfulness ( although things do fall through the cracks ) ESPECIALLY when it comes to meetings.

And bc he learned to always have an escape plan, it affects how he interacts with space. He doesn’t like enclosed spaces with only one way in and out….he’ll always position his seat so he has sight of at least two ways of getting out; he doesn’t like crowded spaces much either ( alfred’s coffeehouse being the exception of where he stays tho ).

Basically those five years really broke apart a good portion of his identity….it’s a major reason he avoids most things related to his old life whether that’s ppl, habits, and places.

Why else would he choose to settle in seoul instead of london?

Also he tends to pick more casual clothing as well since that’s what he got used to in the last five years….his semi-formal clothing making him feel antsy….not really the gentleman anymore…. being the black knight is an exception bc it’s a costume.

it’s also why he avoids his loved ones, especially hyuk. because he knows he’s not the person they loved five years ago anymore, so he has this sense of shame that comes with just…surviving and coming out not feeling like a complete person 😭

[txttletale]

Okay so I agree calling cops on people doing drugs is extremely fucked but what should we do about domestic abuse or human trafficking or people doing generally fucked highly illegal shit like, obligatory cops probably won't help but genuinely what should I or anyone else do in these situations because I'm not like batman

And while obviously obligatory communism fixes most of my concerns here but like, what can I do as an individual seeing these individual problems ? Not to say society wide analysis wouldn't be helpful here but again the point of the question is what can I do if I see people doing fucked up shit

Thank you and I hope I didn't sound aggressive!!!!!! Ur rlly bright!

i mean the answer is that if you witness domestic abuse or 'human trafficking' (a term i dislike because it is mostly used to position illegal immigration as equivalent to sexual slavery)--calling the cops will make things worse in 99% of cases.

if you involve law enforcement in a case where someone is being "trafficked" the most likely option (after, nothing happens because law enforcement are fundamentally incompetent at their alleged role)--is that the person who was forced into this circumstance by desperation will get deported back to the country they were desperate to leave in the first place. people who are forced into overseas slavery (sexual or otherwise) are in fact often kept in line by the people coercing them using the threat of immigration police.

similarly, calling law enforcement on a domestic abuse situation is basically unilaterally a bad idea unless the victim has specifically asked you to. the police will often harass victims and side with abusers. i cannot emphasize enough do not call the cops on a domestic violence situation. even in the best case scenario where the cops are theoretically willing to help--abuse victims very often, for various reasons, will lie to protect their abuser & then be the victim of retaliation from that abusers.

in either of those situations the best thing you as an individual can do is directly offer (offer, and do not expect that this offer will be taken up!) financial assistance, a place to crash overnight, or just (as is more likely within most people's capabilities) make it clear that you're a person who can be confided in who can keep their mouth shut.

but yes, obviously, more broadly the answer is--as you have in fact identified--that these are problems that you need to let go of the idea that you as an individual need to be intervening in or solving. like. the real best thing you can do is go start or join a mutual aid or community action group working to protect abuse/trafficking victims. another pair of hands at a women's shelter is infinitely more useful than anything you could do for anyone on your own.