#Illionois

[gracie-bird]

Princess Grace of Monaco receiving an award of honor "for her deep interest in the education and welfare of visually handicapped people everywhere" from Dr. Richard Kinney, 45, assistant manager of the Hadley School for the Blind in Winnetka, Illinois, at Monaco Palace on May 30, 1969. Dr. Kinney lost his sight at the age of seven and became deaf at 20.

[nwbeerguide]

Heaven's Door Spirits, in collaboration with Bob Dylan, releases Homesick Blues.

Press Release

CHICAGO … Heaven’s Door Spirits, the award-winning collection of American whiskeys founded by Bob Dylan, proudly announces the launch of “Homesick Blues” Minnesota Wheated Bourbon. This limited release offering pays homage to Dylan’s birthplace of Duluth, Minnesota and commemorates the debut of the definitive Dylan biography, Bob Dylan: Mixing Up The Medicine.

Heaven’s Door announces the release of “Homesick Blues” Minnesota Wheated Bourbon, a limited release that pays homage to Dylan’s birthplace of Duluth, Minnesota and commemorates the debut of the definitive Dylan biography, Bob Dylan: Mixing Up The Medicine. (The Bob Dylan Center)

Heaven’s Door announces the release of “Homesick Blues” Minnesota Wheated Bourbon, a limited release that pays homage to Dylan’s birthplace of Duluth, Minnesota and commemorates the debut of the definitive Dylan biography, Bob Dylan: Mixing Up The Medicine.

This cask-strength wheated bourbon has been aged for seven years in the extreme temperature fluctuations of Minnesota’s North Country, imparting distinctive flavors of honey, caramel, dried fruit, vanilla and nutmeg, all culminating in a long, mellow finish.

“Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine is the landmark tome that Bob Dylan fans have been waiting decades for. Spanning the life and career of the Nobel prize–winning musician, artist, and writer, this magnum opus provides unprecedented access to the hidden treasures found within the Bob Dylan Archive,” said Mark Davidson, Senior Director of Archives and Exhibitions at the Bob Dylan Center. This extraordinary book contains unprecedented insights into Dylan’s creative evolution.

Marc Bushala, co-founder and CEO of Heaven’s Door Spirits, enthused, “We are thrilled to introduce ‘Homesick Blues,’ a heartfelt tribute to Bob Dylan’s Minnesota roots and his journey to find home. This unique limited release expression stays true to Dylan’s desire to create a collection of whiskeys which each tell their own story.”

A limited-edition bundle featuring the book and bottle, complete with a custom box with a copy of Bob Dylan’s original handwritten lyrics to Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, is now available for pre-order. The book and the bottle can also be purchased separately through HeavensDoor.com, with delivery timed for the official release of the book on October 24th.

About Heaven’s Door Spirits, LLC:  Heaven’s Door Spirits was founded by legendary musician and cultural icon, Bob Dylan in collaboration with Spirits Investment Partnership (“SIP”). Heaven’s Door has won countless awards for its uncompromising quality and evolving collection of craft whiskey, including the #1 Consumer Choice Award at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and was cited as the “Best Bourbons of the Century…So Far” by the Robb Report. The Heaven’s Door portfolio of craft whiskeys are available nationwide and online at heavensdoor.com.

About Bob Dylan:  Bob Dylan is widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential artists, selling more than 125 million records over the span of his 60-year career. In recent years, Dylan’s work as an author and visual artist has further burnished his popularity and acclaim. Dylan’s memoir, Chronicles Vol. 1, spent 19 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List in 2004. Bob Dylan received The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” Bob Dylan’s visual art, including drawings, paintings, and metal sculptures, have received international, critical acclaim and have been featured in museum exhibitions from Miami to Shanghai, as well as the prestigious Halcyon Gallery in London.

About The Bob Dylan Center: Anchored by a permanent exhibit on the life and work of Bob Dylan, the Bob Dylan Center® is committed to exploring the myriad forms of creativity that enrich the world around us. Located in the Tulsa Arts District, the center serves to educate, motivate and inspire visitors to engage their own capacity as creators. Through exhibits, public programs, performances, lectures and publications, the center fosters lively conversations about the role of creativity in our lives.

As the primary public venue for the Bob Dylan Archive® collection, the center curates and exhibits a priceless collection of more than 100,000 items spanning Dylan’s career, including handwritten manuscripts, notebooks and correspondence; films, videos, photographs and artwork; memorabilia and ephemera; personal documents and effects; unreleased studio and concert recordings; musical instruments and many other elements. More information at bobdylancenter.com.

[rabbitcruiser]

Skyscraper Appreciation Day

Take a trip to the grandest skyscraper in your area and appreciate the architectural marvel, or appreciate an entire skyline from just outside a city.

Climb to the highest of man-made heights in observance and celebration of Skyscraper Appreciation Day!

History of Skyscraper Appreciation Day

Skyscraper Appreciation Day was initiated and founded by Dr. Tom Stevens. Interestingly, it was created so that the general public could admire the structural and architectural brilliance of skyscrapers. Furthermore, it also celebrates the triumph of reason, as well as man’s ability to construct industrial masterpieces that go far beyond expectations.

This important day is situated on the anniversary of the birth of one of architecture’s most important and famous names, William Van Alen. Back in 1883, this native of Brooklyn, New York was born and, after studying in Paris, Van Alen would eventually go on to design the famous, art-deco style Chrysler Building, which is one of New York City’s most iconic and well-known landmarks.

In today’s world, skyscrapers continue to push the limits of architecture, offering a wide range of features. For instance, Taipei 101, is the world’s tallest and largest green and sustainable building, while The Shard in London has a unique layout of a “vertical city”, where a person could theoretically live and never leave!

Skyscraper Appreciation Day offers a wide range of opportunities to learn more, join in on events, and generally have a soaring celebration in honor of these architectural feats!

How to Celebrate Skyscraper Appreciation Day

It might be a whole lot of fun to celebrate Skyscraper Appreciation Day by undertaking one or more of the following activities:

Visit a Skyscraper

In honor of Skyscraper Appreciation Day, an interesting activity would be to venture to a skyscraper, whether close to where you live or far away, and marvel at its architectural beauty. Cities all over the world can be visited in celebration of the day, giving a nod of appreciation to these feats of architectural mastery. Consider visiting one of these famous skyscrapers from around the globe:

Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Built in 2010, this one will stand as the tallest building in the world for more than a decade, at 2722 feet, holding at least 19 records.

One World Trade Center, New York City, USA. Officially the tallest building in the western hemisphere, this one was built in 2014 and stands at 1776 feet, as a nod to the year that the US gained her independence.

The Petronas Tower, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Not just a single, but a double, this one holds the record for the tallest twin tower in the world, joined by a skybridge at the 41st and 42nd floors.

Gran Torre Santiago, Santiago, Chile. The tallest building in South America was opened in 2013 and offers a postmodern style for its 62 floors.

Host a Skyscraper Themed Party

Have a skyscraper themed day where friends, family members or coworkers are encouraged to dress up as famous skyscrapers from around the world. This type of event is likely to get off the ground more for those who work at an architectural firm or with building contractors, but people with regular jobs can certainly try it out as well!

Learn Fun Facts About Skyscrapers

A super way to pay honor and respect on Skyscraper Appreciation Day would be to learn some fun facts to share in raising awareness for the day. Kids and adults alike will be interested in these bits of trivia about skyscrapers:

The world’s first skyscraper is considered to be the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, built in 1885.

The world’s fastest skyscraper elevator is located in the Shanghai Tower in China.

Certain skyscrapers can actually affect the weather, creating wind tunnels when multiple skyscrapers are built near each other.

Create a Skyscraper Themed Photo Collection

Folks who are avid travelers to cities, or who are photographers, might want to take this opportunity to sort through all of those favorite skyscraper photos and add them to the “Photos” section of the Skyscraper Appreciation Day Facebook page.

Source

[blueboybot]

Ecto Infection: Part 1

Where ectoplasm acts like a sort of infection and those who had brushes with death have it worse.

The bats are no exception.

_______________

Day: 22nd

Month: June

Year: [REDACTED]

The following video you are about to watch was recorded by Dr. [REDACTED] of our research division from group Alpha which was stationed in the location Amity Park Illinois.

We at the Ghost Investigation Ward (G.I.W) advise you to know that these videos are not to be shared with any outside party unless given any permission to do so. Any Information which has been leaked without our consent will result in immediate termination.

_________

"Hello, my name is Dr. [REDACTED] and today I will be going over what me and my team have so far discovered."

*click*

"A few months ago the GIW discovered a huge spike in spectural energy emitting from a small space located in Illionois, we managed to pin down the location as Amity Park and sent troops to scout out the area to see what we could find. Upon our arrival it was clear to see that ectoplasm was abundant, further test showed that not only was it in the air but everywhere, from the water, earth, plants and even wildlife. It was clear that decontamination would not be easy but we are nothing but determined when it comes to our jobs."

*click*

"You already know this by now but ectoplasm appears in places most frequent in death or sometimes, in very rare cases, a portal will open up which it will then proceed to leak into our plane of existence."

"Under any other circumstances ectoplasm would be considered harmless but in large quantities its effects on our world could be dangerous and down right catastrophic, which brings us to the next topic."

*click*

"When large amounts of ectoplasm is introduce to an area the environment begins to warp, changing the land into something more than it should be. This also extends to any wildlife in the ecosystem. I will now show you some of the footage we have gathered."

*click*

A camera is powered on and begins recording with full charge. A small crew that consisted of three armed guards and two scientist march through the area will full caution. Leaves and twigs crunch beneath their feet, each step as careful as the next one.

The camera glitched.

The crew were now near a lake which was much bigger than it should be. A long board walk ventured out far until stopping when it was twenty steps far out. The two scientist got to work collecting sample of the water and soil, while the guards did their jobs.

After some time one of the guards broke off and began walking the board walk while the camera followed, heavy boots making the planks of wood underneath him speak against their will. His walk ended when he was on the last plank, tiltiing their head down to stare at the water.

And then they froze...

Not a single movement or sound could be heard, it was as if all noise just cease to exist. The camera got closer to where the guard was, the quality of the video getting glitchy and a bit staticky as it panned down and captured what the guard was seeing.

There. Right there in the dark waters were a dozen fish like figures, all eyes slightly glowing and looking at the guard.

With anticipation.

With hunger.

The sound of another gaurd calling to them was all that was needed to kickstart the chase.

The gaurd turned on their heel and began to ran back, the camera followed, missing the moment a dark figure leapt out of the water and chomped off an entire plank of wood.

They kept running.

They ducked as a dark shadow leapt from the side hoping to knock them down into the water.

They kept running.

They jumped into the air as jaws filled with rows of sharp needle like teeth came from below to try and take a bite.

They kept running.

All that could be heard behind them was splashed and the sound of wood breaking from whatever was in the water taking bites out of the board walk.

Eventually the guard was able to make it to land where they rejoined the rest of their party and left the area.

*click*

"As you have just witnessed ectoplasm infects the living and turns them into something monsterous. Those 'fish' were just some low leveled infected, dangerous to us still but not as dangerous as some of the other things we have encountered."

"It is important to know that just because something looks harmless you should never underestimate it, this is a lesson some members of our team had unfortunately learned a little too late."

*click*

The camera showed a different group of people, this time ten in total. Three scientist and seven guards entered a building, although the outside resembled any regular abandoned apartment the inside looked well cleaned and managed, as if people still lived here.

Somewhere along the way the group decided to spilt up with each scientist getting two guards and the remaining guards the front and back entrance.

A scream pierced through the air.

The camera which was recording the scientist inspect a strange plant captured the moment the trio jumped at the sound. They all exited the room, running downstairs only to find that both guards who were guarding the entrances were gone and all that was left were their protective armor.

Another scream tore through the air, this time coming from above where the group had just been, followed by echoes of curses before everything went silent again.

At this point it seemed the rest of them decided to leave but before they could open the door a tuft of vines covered the door. The camera panned up to a view of more vines, that hadn't been there before, now covering the ceilling.

One by one everyone was pulled into it. Yelling and screaming for help that they were never going to get.

Silence was returned to the building once again.

*click*

"That was a level two threat. When we recieved a distress signal more troops were sent out to the building and all they came back with was the drone with that recording. Despite our loses we were able to discover new knowledge about Amity. It is now known that certain buildings are alive and act as a sort of venus flytrap, crafted specifically to ensnare any human foolish enough to wander through its openings."

"The next anomoly on our list is a level–...It– Something's not– ....Oh God..."

An alarm could be heard going off, the video gltiching and audio distorting.

"It's here–..."

The video and audio continued to grow more staticky and distorted as some sort of black ooze bled from a corner of the room. It pooled onto the floor quickly, trapping the doctor who tried mercilessly to get out.

Suddenly a hand reached out of the ooze but there was no flesh covering it, it contined to pull itself out revealing its form.

A black skeleton watched the doctor struggle with no eyes.

"STAY AWAY! NOO،!"

*click*

_____________

Upcoming Chapter: The Residents

[bang-bang-gang]

hey i saw some weird things going around on twitter in response to TK paying for Mark Davis' medical bills (cool!), and i'm asking people to remember we don't woobify billionaires yes? in a quick google search i learned all this about Flex-N-Gate, the company the Khan family made their billions of dollars off:

Detroit Flex-N-Gate workers denounce sweatshop conditions (june 2020): worker exploitation at the height of the pandemic, failure to provide a safe working environment for non-essential automotive manufacturing workers, firing people for visiting a funeral, firing people for testing positive to COVID-19 and making people pay for benefits.

workers at Flex-N-Gate organice for justice (april 2012): workers at the Illionois manufacturing plant report no temperature regulation and fainting on the job in summer months, exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, cutting costs on mandatory safety equipment, and union busting amongst the largely immigrant workforce. (the company, worth $2.5 billion at the time, is ultimately fined a measly $57k)

Flex-N-Gate disaster, just the latest chapter in a toxic story (september 2012): more on the above and more in depth stories on the immigrant workers, and the discrimination they received following their participation in the april campaign in the form of being mysteriously evicted and intimidation from management.

hourly workers being paid as low as $10 an hour in unsafe working conditions back in 2018

and these are all stories about their US plants: nothing i could personally find on their manufacturing plants in China, Argentina, Spain, France, Germany, Mexico or Canada.

this is not a criticism on AEW as a company, but rather a reminder that the company is owned by one of the 500 richest men in the United States and there is no way to be a billionaire without worker exploitation.

[imslowlydisintegrating]

WAY DOWN ON THE RIVER

“Oh mother tell my baby sister / Not to do what I have done / But shun that house in New Orleans / They call the Rising Sun” — House of the Rising Sun by Lauren O’Connell

——————————————————————

genre: horror comedy

pov: 3rd limited; switches between characters

setting: on a traveling new orleans riverboat, from new orleans, louisiana to cairo, illionois

content warnings: gore, graphic depictions of violence, depictions of panic attacks, blood, death

——————————————————————

blurb, characters + worldbuilding under the cut

BLURB

Nine killers board a boat, each with a different intent. Some there to kill, and some there for it's intended purpose — traveling. Whatever the reason, all of them get tangled up in the complex web of everyone's favorite game show, Who Killed That Guy? With the deaths piling up, everyone aboard has to manage to survive the rest of the week. If only there was a detective on board; alas, they probably killed him, too.

——————————————————————

CHARACTERS

Anastasia "Tasi" Marie / TEATIME

Anastasia "Tasi" Marie was born and raised in New Orleans, USA. Most of her childhood was spent hiding from her transphobic, alcoholic mother and learning about anything she could get her hands on, usually politics and government. When she turned 16 she leaped at the chance to get emancipated and won the court case. Due to her intelligence and studious nature, Anastasia managed to get accepted into a college soon after emancipation. She was a history major at Columbia University, New York, and later worked as an archivist at a local museum. When she discovered one of her coworkers was cheating on his wife, she killed him, leading police investigations to discover he was adulterous and make his wife aware. After the first killing, Anastasia continued to kill cheating spouses. Eventually, she quit her job and started traveling to find a wider variety of victims. Her method of killing is inviting her victims over for tea and poisoning them with cyanide. Anastasia hates violent killing, not for the nature of it, but simply because she thinks it's too messy and the cleanup isn't worth it. She's very strategic and can form a complex plan from very little information, which is how she's succeeded as a serial killer for nearly a decade. She has what she describes as 'the most peculiar sense of being able to tell when it's going to rain, but only a few hours before it happens.' She has a pet rat named Rat that she always brings with her to her murder scenes. Anastasia also suffers from inattentive type ADHD. She currently lives in Denham Springs, Louisiana, USA.

Araceli "Cheli" Malviya / LANCELOT

Araceli "Cheli" Zamora was born in Madrid, Colombia and lived there for the first seven years of her life to a Spanish father and Colombian mother who later divorced when she was 3. When she was 9, she was adopted by an Indian-American woman referred to only as the Specter after her parents were murdered. Cheli moved to New York, USA and The Specter became her mother and taught her how to kill as well as personally educating her in most other subjects. She learned Louisiana Creole, Hindi and Mandarin Chinese as a result of being raised with the Specter, Sam and Zexi. The Specter allowed all her children to choose if they wanted to choose the path of serial killing, and they decided they did want to, becoming the group of serial killers known as the Trinity. Cheli's main victims are pastors with a history of SA. Her method of killing is killing her victims with throwing knives. The knives are personalized — they're named after female Catholic saints, and the names are engraved into them. Cheli has slight anger issues and learned how to box and play drums as a coping mechanism. She's the only one of her siblings that knows how to do hair, and loves it. She learned how to do Afro hairstyles and dye, bleach, and cut hair so she could know how to do her sibling's hair. Cheli is described by Sam as 'charming in an annoying way — she'll insult you and make you fall in love with her all in the same sentence.' She has a strong dislike of bright, artificial lights, but loves dim lighting from lamps. Cheli suffers from hypoglycemia and as a result always has candy or candy wrappers in her pockets. She currently lives in New York City, New York, USA with Sam and Zexi.

Samson "Sam/Sammie" Malviya / BAM BAM

Samson "Sam" Zamora was born in a small farming town near Baton Rogue, USA. They were raised unaware of their parents, since the community operated under a communal raising structure, usually only bothering with parents for government requirements. When they were 9, they were adopted by the Specter, an ordeal the farming community was concerningly apathetic about. Sam moved to New York, USA and The Specter became their mother and taught them how to kill as well as personally educating them in most other subjects. They learned Spanish, Hindi and Mandarin Chinese as a result of being raised with the Specter, Cheli and Zexi. The Specter allowed all her children to choose if they wanted to choose the path of serial killing, and they decided they did want to, becoming the group of serial killers known as the Trinity. Sam's main victims are middle-aged addicts with children. Their method of killing is blunt-force trauma. Sam has horrible eyesight and uses glasses, but mainly relies on their siblings for guidance. They are easily the best dressed out of their siblings and put the most effort into their appearance. Sam is also the best cook out of their siblings and enjoys cooking Indian and Louisiana Creole food with the Specter. They love visiting museums with their siblings and making it a competition to see who can find the most homoerotic exhibit in a set amount of time. Sam is described by Ruhi as having 'impossibly long eyelashes over piercing gray eyes that make Ruhi's breath catch when they sweep over him with a mix of curiosity and disdain.' They currently live in New York City, New York, USA with Cheli and Zexi.

Zexi Malviya / HONEYPIE

It's unknown exactly where Zexi Zamora was born, as his mother abandoned him at an orphanage after his birth due to mental health and financial reasons on his part. He was raised by primarily Latina people, and as a result, became fluent in Spanish. They were also firm in teaching him Mandarin Chinese, believing it was important for him to have some connection to his culture even when he wasn't surrounded by it like he would be if he had been raised by his mother. When he was 9, he was adopted by the Specter, which was very bittersweet for the orphanage caretakers. Zexi moved to New York, USA and The Specter became his mother and taught him how to kill as well as personally educating him in most other subjects. They learned Hindi and Mandarin Chinese as a result of being raised with the Specter and Sam. The Specter allowed all her children to choose if they wanted to choose the path of serial killing, and they decided they did want to, becoming the group of serial killers known as the Trinity. Zexi's main victims are detectives who are assigned to investigate his sibling's murders. His method of killing is using a suffocation agent in his victim's food, usually a dessert like cake or pie. Zexi is the peacemaker between his siblings and often tells them they 'need to chill out.' He's a photographer and frequently visits the scenes of his sibling's murders to photograph them. Zexi is deaf and knows ASL (so do Cheli and Sam), but his deafness isn't took severe so he's able to use hearing aids. He likes to joke about lots of things being deeper than they are — for example, he could see a penny lying facedown on the ground and equate it the silencing, oppression and genocide of Native Americans. Sam has described this talent as a 'stupidly interesting skill, the way he pulls things from thin air. Sam nearly considers it an art form.' He currently lives in New York City, New York, USA with Cheli and Sam.

Akachi Moriai/ MS. MEDIC

Akachi Moriai was born in Enugu, Nigeria and lived there for 16 years with a complicated relationship with her parents until she left for college possibilities in the US. They had a few kills under their belt before they left for the US, but after they made it to the US they started killing more frequently. She befriended Toyoko, who was also coincidentally a serial killer, but it wasn't something Akachi was aware of until they started dating when Akachi was 19. Akachi dropped out of Harvard Medical School to instead travel around killing people with Toyoko, which they found much more rewarding (to each their own, I guess). She married Toyoko when she was 22. Their main victims are male gynecologists who SA their patients. Her method of killing is overdosing her victims on certain pills. Akachi is a very artistic person and paints portraits of their wife's victims with the victim's blood. She keeps a jar of things that are sensory-pleasing for her wife around at all times. Akachi is very fond of snakes and usually has one around them at all times. Sometimes the snakes aren't even personal pets, they're just...there. She also really likes wearing jewelry and is constantly layering bracelets, earrings, rings, and necklaces. While they are very artistic, Akachi is also kind of flighty and non-committal, hopping around arts and crafts and picking up new creative hobbies every few months and such. She currently lives in Chicago, Illinois, USA with Toyoko.

Moriai Toyoko / THE SURGEON

Moriai Toyoko was born in Narita, Japan where she lived for fourteen years before her parents immigrated to the USA. Due to large pressure to become a doctor like her uncle from her parents and their refusal to accommodate her needs as an autistic person, Toyoko went slightly crazy and killed her parents with surgical tools when she was 17. She managed to frame their deaths as if they were murdered by burglars and played the part of the grieving daughter. After that, she continued her killing. Her main victims are psychiatrists who diagnose with obvious bias/ableism. Her method of killing is cutting with surgical tools. Toyoko is often self-destructive and works more than healthy for her, but tries to stop because it makes Akachi nervous about Toyoko's health. She's obsessed with keeping her spaces clean and cleans her tools 3 times a day at designated times. While Toyoko is autistic, she has high-functioning autism and a harder time with social cues and interaction than overstimulation. Her special interest is in surgery and medical mysteries, and she spends a lot of her time reading or studying surgery procedures/statistics and medical mysteries. Toyoko is very oblivious and didn't realize she was dating Akachi until three months into the relationship. While not a very sentimental person, Toyoko makes certain to keep every small gift her wife gives her. She currently lives in Chicago, Illinois, USA with Akachi.

Ruhi Arana / FLASH-BANG

Ruhi Arana was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and lived there for their whole life. The start of his killing began as a response to the murder of his mother and father when he was 7. As a result of their parents' death, they were raised by their aunt. His parents' death was the outcome of a racial hate crime, and the man who murdered them was later put on trial and declared guilty due to the efforts of Ruhi's aunt. While Ruhi was on a vacation in Argentina when they were 16, they ended up meeting Don. They both attempted to kill the same man, which they succeeded at, but then both attempted to kill each other, which failed. Ruhi's main victims are people with a history of racial and transphobic hate crimes. His method of killing is stunning his victims with a bright light and then choking them via smoke inhalation. Ruhi is described by Zexi to be a 'tall, lanky son a bitch that was even taller than Zexi, who was notably the tallest of his siblings.' Ruhi is a solitary person and despises working in large groups, barely tolerating partnerships. It's easy for them to adapt to new situations and learn things very quickly, which is part of the reason they've managed to get away with murder for 8+ years. Ruhi is incredibly good at literary analysis and composition and works for a newspaper. If able, he signs up to write articles on his murders, making sure to reveal the victim's history of hate crimes. They're also majoring in English Literature at The University of Auckland. Ruhi's a shameless flirt, described by Don as 'willing to flirt with a shoebox if it attracted him enough.' He currently lives in Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Donna "Don" Nekvasilová / BELLADONNA

Donna "Don" Nekvasilová was born and raised in Sokolov, Czech Republic where she lived for eleven years before her family immigrated to the US. Don attends Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey as a psychology major. He plans to get a master's degree in psychology and become a forensics psychologist. Their killing started when they were 16 and saw a xenophobic woman harassing an Asian person, leading Don to later kill the xenophobe. Her parents remained unaware of this and are very supportive of whatever Don decides to do with her life (probably wouldn't be supportive of murder, but what I'm saying is she's the only serial killer with a happy, living family). Don's main victims continued to be xenophobes after the first murder. His method of killing is through the use of poisonous plants, usually atropa belladonna since that's his calling card. Don is dyslexic and uses colors to code his plants instead of the names, which is helpful in concealing their crimes. She's incredibly skilled at makeup and uses it to her advantage and is one of the best at hiding her identity. He has the nervous habit of biting at his nails, leading to his fingers always having stains of blood or blood crusted around the nails. Don is also a gymnast, specializing in aerial silks and the balance beam, making them incredibly agile and flexible. She's a very energetic, vibrant person who often has trouble sleeping because of their amount of energy. It also causes him to be slightly irritating to the people around him, and his energy and constant movement can be tiring to some. They're described by Ruhi as seeming 'weirdly knowledgeable about many things — it's like she was made for Jeopardy.' She currently lives in Princeton, New Jersey, USA.

Muoi "Ash" Vanich / THE PYRE

Muoi "Ash" Vanich was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. He attended the Faculty of Medicine, Chang Mai University to become an RN. He lived in Thailand for nearly twenty-five years before immigrating to the US with his sister to help her raise her family. After immigrating, Ash got a job as a travel nurse, which led to him traveling around a lot, making it easier for him to kill people without his sister and other family becoming aware. In the medical world, ableism thrives, and as a result, Ash's main victims are ableists, usually people who accuse disabled people of faking it. His method of his killing is through fire by any means. Ash was born with a limp and uses a cane full-time, experiencing chronic fatigue as a result. He's plagued with night terrors about drowning, which is part of the reason he's so attracted to fire. Ash is depressed and anxious, and basically a tired old uncle that needs a nap instead of murder. Despite using a cane, is supernatural how clumsy he is, he gains fifteen new bruises every day. When he gets to new places he'll be in for a while, he walks around them, mentally mapping them out so when he walks around later he can close his eyes and get the slightest moment of rest. He's described by Cheli as a man who looks like 'the tired, sad uncle that you only see at the family function and always looks to be on the verge of death.' He currently lives in Washington, D.C., USA near his sister.

Crew of the Beaulieu

The Specter (she/her ; 53) is the Indian-American woman who adopted Cheli, Sam, and Zexi. She was also a serial killer, albeit before her children's time, stopping her killing around five years before her children's adoption. She was called the Specter for her unknown method of killing and the fact that her identity was never discovered.

Kalpani Corea (she/he ; 48) is the Sri Lankan pilot and captain of the Beaulieu, the riverboat WDOTR is set on. She is a close friend of the Specter and regraded by Anastasia as a woman with 'a confident set to her shoulders and a sly smirk playing on the edges of her lips.' To Cheli, Sam, and Zexi he is considered an honorary, 'fun' aunt.

Aniyath Inasa (he/him ; 34) is the Maldivan clerk of the Beaulieu and cousin of Kalpani. He's a serious man with a blank gaze and aloof attitude toward most of the passengers. He does have a soft spot for Cheli, Sam, and Zexi, however, and has been known to crack an occasional smile around them.

Nazli Volkan (they/them ; 26) is the Turkish engineer of the Beaulieu. They're quite skittish and usually only speaks around other crew members. While they do take a while to warm up to, they are very dependable and gets on Aniyath's nerves the least.

Szalai Zita (xe/xyr ; 40) is the Hungarian head of the firefighters of the Beaulieu. Xe's a loud, slightly obnoxious member of the crew, but much of the younger crew adores xyr like a mother. Xe is the love of Kalpani's life and her partner.

Miryam Caillat (she/her ; 36) is the French mate of the Beaulieu. She doesn't hesitate to snap, and while not abusive like mates used to be in older times, is quite strict with the deckhands. Even though she's firm, she's fair and respectful of each of the deckhands, taking the time to learn each of their names and getting to know them, despite her joking that she only does that so the deckhands know who she's yelling at.

Jackie Watts (they/she/he ; 27) is the American 'leader' of the deckhands, or the co-mate of Miryam on the Beaulieu. Jackie is a mischievous, bouncy person whom Toyoko describes as having 'a sparkle in their eyes that they'll always have, no matter how old.' Despite their decade long age gap, she's known to get along well with Cheli, Sam, and Zexi.

Isma Samaha (he/they/ze ; 33) is the Egyptian head of the cabin crew. Considered the kindest of the crew on the Beaulieu, Isma is described by Cheli as 'a soft kind of person, but only to the people he thinks need it.' They're very supportive of the entire crew and jokingly called Dr. Samaha due to the crew joking that Isma could be a therapist.

——————————————————————

Worldbuilding

The World

The world is basically a parallel/alternate world to ours. It's very similar and has many of the same elements like world leaders, celebrities, historical events, etc. Aesthetic-wise, it is more steam-punky and the use of machines and mechanics like trains, steamboats, and ferries is commonplace globally. Mechanics* as a whole are incredibly innovative and forward, much more advanced than our world. Supernatural elements are also way more prominent in this world, and things like cryptids, monsters, and magic are real, tangible things. This does affect the day-to-day life of the people of this world, and it's not uncommon to see something supernatural every day.

This world is, funnily enough, aware of our universe/world. While this world is not constantly up to date on our world, they do manage to get some form of news every few years. Of course, major historical events still happen, including the horrible ones. But as for mechanical, technological, architectural, etc. — those mistakes are often discovered and corrected.

Note: this doesn't mean technology. Technology, while more advanced than on our world, is not as common in this world.

Transportation

It takes place on a riverboat in New Orleans, Louisiana. In today's world, they usually aren't used for travel, more for a tourist attraction. In this world, steamboats and riverboats are used more commonly as modes of transportation on the water. The other main form(s) of transportation on land are trains and/or buses.

[web-gallery-2008]

Illionois, May 15 2012

[asburyparkhq]

Welcome to Asbury Park, ZACHARY STONE. Please check in within 24 hours. Also, don’t forget your Asbury cheat-sheet to help you settle in at the shore!

˚⋆𓇼˚⊹ 𖦹 ⁺｡° oliver jackson cohen, cismale, he/him ˚⋆𓇼˚⊹ 𖦹 ⁺｡° “ heads up ; if you her HURT by JOHNNY CASH��blaring, it’s most likely ZACHARY STONE making their way down the shore ! they’re 37 years old and celebrate their birthday on 10/31 - i knew they were a SCORPIO ! especially since they’re very PROTECTIVE and SELF DESTRUCTIVE. they are from CHICAGO, ILLIONOIS, staying in NORTH BEACH and are currently working as a NIGHT CLUB OWNER , here at asbury park. They always did remind me of a charming smile that hides a life of pain, nights spent up just to avoid the day and the sound of soulful music blasting from miles away “ { jc, 27, he/him, gmt }

[babyheroeclipseweasel]

UW MADISON CHAIRS.

Después de haber consultado a Rudy Giuliani en temas de seguridad para la Ciudad de México (CDMX) tal vez sería buena idea consultar al ex-governador de de Illionois and convicted felon: Rod Blagojevich, sobre temas de preescolar gratis y universal y beneficios para adultos mayores. Let's help the lawyer pay for his lawyer's fees.

Luis Sánchez Ramírez. 2024.

[suicideboy1993]

Rivian EV Automative

The next Tesla in my opinion this company is getting ready to build not only the most affordable and unique EV Vehicle for the future of our country, but they are designing a huge factory with ties to an 827-million-dollar investment from the state of Illionois. In order to produce 400 thousand plus EV to be produced each year, they are investing 5 billion into the plant that will have 16+M SQ FT.

I am really certain someone else will come along other than a state like an institution such as apple and Tesla to help build this company up I've been thinking that this past year but with the state helping maybe its heading in a government investment direction.

Invest in this company, today at 11:27 pm on Saturday May 4th the stock is currently 10.10.

I estimate this share to be about 19-23 dollars at the end of this year.

#rivian #stockmarket #news

[oconnor2023]

How to cut Illinois property taxes?

Lower your illionois property taxes with right property calculator. Property taxes can only be minimized through the tax appeal process. To know more https://www.cutmytaxes.com/illinois/

[worldofharley]

Gacy

In humble Illionois,A beaten boy becomes a fiend,A gift from a sire,I wish I could yearn for the best,But alas it did not end well,Thirty three innocent souls,Taken too soon,By a portly smiling man,Bespite the theatrics and face paint,Garottes are not magic tricks,A crawlspace is no place for a party,And quicklime isn’t punch,Please my friends,Behind even a clowns grin,A demon can hide.

[rodrigoitboy]

St. Patrick’s day ☘️ (en Downtown Chicago, Illionois....) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsgLWWuyPw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[mithliya]

1. false, “the religion” (which again, ive shared cases of men from various different religions here) does not prescribe that you kill your own female relatives or partners if: they show their face on tiktok, they don’t have a son, they don’t give the tv remote, they get an abortion, they move to another country, they refuse an arranged marriage, they date a non-muslim, they have a snapchat, they don’t wear a scarf, they are pregnant and unmarried, they don’t serve him food at night, they somehow make the man jealous, they removed the AirTag he secretly put in their car, they asked him to buy bread, they sold beans without his permission, they break up with him. men feel entitled to killing women for these reasons bc of a larger culture of entitlement towards the women in their lives, this entitlement is a societal problem rather than simply caused by them reading religious scripture.

2. what culture? again, i’ve shared cases of americans, chinese-malaysians, saudis, iraqis, indians, iranians, nigerians, americans (of different races, 2 from texas & 1 from illionois), pakistanis, and kenyans. which culture then? the men were christian, hindu, buddhist, or muslim, which religion do we blame here?

3. you don’t like when the west is grouped together as one culture but you just grouped at least 10 cultures together in your claims that these men killed women because of “their culture”… i wonder what culture made josef fritzl kidnap, lock up, and rape his daughter for decades? was it austrian culture that made him do it? how about mikhail popkov, did russian culture make him kill & rape dozens of women and girls? did peter sutcliffe kill women because of english culture? femicide in europe is highest in poland, a country that is 98.6% european & 91% catholic, does polish culture make the men kill women?

as i have said… the one thing they ALL have in common isn’t culture, nationality, religion, or race. what all the cases i’ve shared have in common is that they are men who killed the women in their lives. there are similar cases around europe, done by white christian men, too. male violence against women is a global phenomena and blaming it on culture is a good way of pretending otherwise.

[historybetweenthepages]

Stephen Shore - Normal, Illinois

July, 1972

[charlesreeza]

The foyer of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Oak Park home features a plaster cornice with small reproductions of the sculptural friezes on the Pergamon Altar.