#Overview post

[phighting-starfall]

🟢🔵OVERVIEW 🟣🔴

This blog is for my phighting x hypnofantasma au!

Please go check out each one separately! Both are super cool-

PHIGHTING! [ALPHA] - Roblox

@hypnofantasma on Tumblr

WHAT IS PHIGHTING! STARFALL?

Phighting! Starfall is a cross over au of hypnofantasma (indie worldbuilding series) and PHIGHTING! a roblox fighting game. The main focus of the story will be of the vani trying to wipe out all cognizant life! And as such, the demons/inhabitants fighting back!

The story will be told through various kinds of lore posts (art, puzzles, interactions etc.) and at times asks when i turn them on for various characters!

WHAT ARE VANI AND TETHERS?

This will be a short rundown for overview post purposes but please go read the amazing canon guide! KRAIZEN / VANI [SPECIES]

Vani (Prev. Kraizen before the brandshock) are a genocidal alien speices that believe life is suffering. Their goal is to wipe out all sapient/cognizant life. All vani have green blue violet red ringed eyes and gbvr brands. Only destroying the brand, decapitation's or nuclear weaponry can kill a vani. However, only vanium can damage a vani permanently

Prior to the brandshock, they were kraizen. An alien species that were heavily advanced, along with having an insane variety to their looks, of course with all having the same species requirements. The brandshock caused them to become the vani with the gbvr brands eyes and split souls.

Tethers are the ones that have the vani's other soul half, allowing them onto planets to carry out their mission. Should a tether die, the vani will be forced off the planet, and will not gain back the soul half. But, if a vani dies? the soul halves will be rejoined, with the tether now having a complete soul.

SEMBLAS- These are the elements so to speak of the hypno universe. All vani/kraizen are born with one and are unable to use another. Tethers by extension have the same sembla with possibly a secondary one. There are 39 known semblas.

The inpherno is going to have more places, to make it more filled out as a planet for au purposes. But there will still be only 4 factions.

Asks are always open for questions about the story and other things- spoiler questions will be ignored

As for how the story will progress i am still figuring that out, however it will be mainly on this blog, with posts that contain story and lore.

THIS BLOG IS RUN BY @acatonkepler you can refer to me with he/she/they pronouns

[interstellarbolero]

The Free People of Ila

Form of government: Communist Isocracy

Regional control: Unitary state

Political cornerstones: Collectivism, communism, radical equalism, isolationism (slowly being relaxed)

\ \ \

Species name: Ilea

Capital planet: Ileana

Primary solar system: Ila

Total member systems: 1

\ \ \

Philosophy: Everything is made of the same substances: quarks and electrons. So, how can anything, in reality, be greater or lesser? How can anything be any more or less important than anything else? It is simple; neither of these things are true, and everything is equal, whether organic or inorganic. Because of this, all things must work in harmony for the betterment of everything in the universe.

Outlook on aliens: All other things are equal to the Ilea, though many sapients do not understand the inherent commonality of all things. This can make them dangerous, so they are better left to their own devices.

[welcometokantrias]

The Continent of Bayetz: Part 1

(Map created by Holygosh, based on an original map that I lost all but a small poor-resolution version of by my friend Illusive Lucy)

Situated in the northern hemisphere of the world, the Continent of Bayetz is dominated by the Glass Desert at it's center, with most of the population situated in the north, between the Glass Desert and the Roof of the World, or the coasts, where rainfall or mountains keeps the desert at bay.

Politically, Bayetz is divided between 11 distinct political entities, and a number of regions that lack central organization or sometimes even major settlement at all. If inhabited, these regions are usually the domain of nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes, or small villages and fortified holdfasts. Kantrias may be the great power of the continent, but the Empire of Voluz seeks to reclaim that title that was once theirs, and the Dominion of Korvall, though generally insular and quiescent is not to be dismissed. Even the quarrelsome League of Free Cities, the isolationist Republic of Iomedia or linguistically and religiously diverse Commonwealth of Aurelia cannot be simply ignored. Nor do even the city-state of Mirror's Edge, the Three Desert Sisters, or even - much as Voluz would wish otherwise - the strange tripartle realm of the Mazandian Union, lack the power and agency to seek to shape their own destinies.

Historically, Bayetz is defined by the legacy of the ancient empire of Arelis, which once rose at the heart of the Glass Desert, along the edge of the Canyon of Ghosts. Every culture and civilization now extant on Bayetz rose up in it's shadow, and, if not outright descended from it, was either shaped by it, or shaped in opposition to it and it's scattered remnants after the Empire fell to increasing desertification, shifting trade routes, new techniques in metallurgy and internal strife and the inevitable entropy at the frontier.

Culturally, Bayetz is divided between a myriad of cultures - some with vast territory to their name, some far less. Some cultures have nations of their own, others are subject to another, or part of some greater whole. Some cultures are divided politically, others united. Some seem to share little more than a language, others are practically all one family, or so it may feel to outsiders.

Racially, Bayetz is dominated by humans - on the surface. Though centaurs, lizardmen and element-kin are present in substantive numbers, and even in distinct cultures in the case of the first two, and elfbloods and dhampirs live among humanity, humans are the most numerous by many orders of magnitude. Several miles under the surface of the continent, Dwarves rule, and drive the reptilian Starugalk away from their cities and tunnels, to the most remote badland that exist in the deeper realms. Further down, where the fires at the heart of the world radiate through the rock, the mammalian Trigrhodu trade and war with the dwarves and the Starugalk. A Trigrhodu nation may align with a dwarven realm against a rival of it's own race, or against another nation of dwarves, or it may join with it's own kin against a dwarven people - and any combination in between.

From the frigid, ancient conifers of the Wyrmwood to the balmy and new growth small forests of southern Kantrias, from the stormy and sometimes deadly waters of the Shattered Sea and Ocean of Dawn to the comparatively calm waters of the Ocean of Dusk and the Sea of Mists, Bayetz is a continent of many histories, many stories, many peoples and many secrets. Even as Kantrias looks across the Shattered Sea towards tropical Guayas and the spices and other trade goods that can be drawn from there, and across the Ocean of Dawn to the great western continent of Kholesun, it's neighbors and rivals back home are not content to simply accept the inevitable Kantrian suzerainty.

Kantrian-flagged ships may dominate the trade lanes today, but power is always shifting, and the balance of history may yet tilt in favor of another.

And sometimes, the fulcrum of history must be moved by force.

[doodlydoodlies]

AI Overview is just Soldier answering your questions

[boinday]

wow that's a lotta text......... oh well ^_^

[wuntrum]

art vs artist for 2023!

[leroibobo]

when the homes in the depopulated palestinian village of lifta were originally built is impossible to tell and most likely varies from house to house. the area's been known since ancient times, including having been written about in the hebrew bible. it's retained multiple different names throughout history - lifta by romans, nephto by byzantines, clepsta by crusaders, then lifta again by arabs. in more recent times, the area saw battle in the early 19th century, when it saw a peasant's revolt against egyptian conscription and taxation policies. (egyptian-ottoman ruler muhammad ali had attempted to become independent from the ottoman empire, and sought to use the area of "greater syria" which palestine was apart of as a buffer state.)

the village was predominantly muslim with a mosque, a maqām for local sage shaykh badr, a few shops, a social club, two coffee houses, and an elementary school which opened in 1945. its economy was based in farming - being a village of jerusalem, farmers would sell their produce in the city's markets. an olive press which remains in the village gives evidence to one of the most important crops its residents farmed. the historically wealthy village was known for its intricate embroidery and sewing, particularly of thob ghabani bridal dresses, which attracted buyers from across the levant.

lifta also represents one of the few palestinian villages in which the structures weren't totally or mostly decimated during the 1948 nakba. 60 of the 450 original houses remain intact. from zochrot's entry on lifta:

israel's absentee property law of 1950 permits the state to expropriate land and assets left behind, and denies palestinians the right to return to old homes or to reclaim their property. it's estimated that there's around 400,000 descendants of the village's original refugee population dispersed in east jerusalem, the west bank, jordan, and the palestinian diaspora.

like many depopulated palestinian houses, some of those in lifta were initially used to settle predominantly mizrahi immigrants and refugees, in this case 300 jewish families from yemen and kurdistan. the houses weren't registered in their names, and the area generally saw poor infrastructure and no resources including water and electricity provided by the government. most left in the early 1970s as a part of a compensation program to move out people who'd been settled in depopulated palestinian houses - if they didn't, they were referred to as "squatters" and evicted. (holes were even drilled in the roofs of evacuated buildings to make them less habitable). the 13 families which remain there today only managed to do so because they lived close to the edge of the village.

in 1987, the israeli nature reserves authority planned to restore the "long-abandoned village" and turn it into a natural history center which would "stress the jewish roots of the site", but nothing came of it. several more government proposals on what to do with the land had been brought up since then. this culminated in in 2021 when the israel land administration announced without informing the jerusalem municipal authorities that it issued a tender for the construction of a luxury neighborhood on the village's ruins, consisting of 259 villas, a hotel, and a mall. since 2023, they've agreed to shelve and "rethink" these plans after widespread objection.

the reasons for the objections varied significantly between the opposing israeli politicians - who see the village as an exemplar of cultural heritage and "frozen in time" model of palestinian villages before 1948 - and palestinians - who largely see the village as a witness of the nakba and a symbol of hope for their return. lifta is currently listed by unesco as a potential world heritage site, a designation netanyahu has threatened to remove several times.

many palestinians who are descendent from its former residents still live nearby. like with many other depopulated palestinian villages, they've never ceased to visit, organize tours of the village, and advocate for its preservation.

[oobbbear]

HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO OUR LITTLE GAY WITCH STORY!!!

[megamagimugi]

Kea's Firebrand and Thunderhand HC Fanart

This Mario & Luigi fanart is based on @keakruiser's super cool headcanon, which you can find here.

Glad I finally found the time to finish this piece :D

Hope you like it, Kea!

[i-heart-hxh]

Does killua know gon loves him?

Hi anon! This is such a simple question, but not a simple one to answer. I'll do my best, though!

So, I think the answer is both yes and no, in different ways.

Yes, in the sense that Gon has directly expressed his appreciation of and admiration towards Killua multiple times, said he enjoys being with him and wants to stay with him, and even called him his best friend at the end of Greed Island (really BEST friend, 最高の友達, saikou no tomodachi--I think the translation of "best friend in the whole world" gets the emphasis of this phrase across pretty well).

He said it "Has to be Killua," (キルアじゃなきゃダメなんだ, Killua ja nakya dame nanda) in the dodgeball match, which has implications both during the match and outside of it, that Killua is the only one he fully trusts and the only one who can be by his side for something this pivotal. This phrase has romantic implications, essentially the subtextual meaning is "Killua is the only one for me," hence why Killua reacts as strongly as he does to it. Notice how much he hides his face on this page.

So, I think it's silly to say Killua has no idea Gon cares about him deeply and values him. There are so many moments where Gon says things like this. It's partly why Killua loves Gon so much, because Gon isn't afraid to express that level of love and care and appreciation towards him, as uncomfortable as he acts about it. He's just unused to that receiving kind of praise and attention simply for being himself, rather than being praised for his abilities.

With Killua's views of himself, it's hard for him to fully accept Gon's affection and take it to heart, but luckily Gon is straightforward and doesn't hold back, and keeps repeatedly telling Killua how much he means to him. As the series goes, they form a strong mutual bond and relatively good understanding of each other.

The problem is that multiple things happen in Chimera Ant Arc to disrupt Killua's sense of where he belongs in Gon's life.

He "fails" by fleeing from Pitou with Gon and "leaving Kite to die." While Gon doesn't blame Killua for the decision he made and neither does Kite, Killua nonetheless certainly blames himself for this to a degree. (Remember the scene with Morel and Knov mocking him?) It doesn't help that Bisky tells him that because of his inability to face opponents he sees as stronger than him, he'll eventually leave Gon to die. Then he watches the awful ramifications of what Kite's death does to Gon, knowing he had a role in what happened.

Gon goes on the date with Palm, and Killua variously misinterprets this whole situation to mean that Gon has been on real dates with women previously (I do not think he had been on any dates in an actual romantic sense), Gon actually might have romantic feelings towards Palm, and that they're in some degree of a relationship even after Gon tells her they can't be together and Palm quietly dumps Gon in favor of Knov after the date. This sends Killua spiraling into his whole "Are we friends? Or are we teammates?" concerns, in conjunction with the next factor.

Gon's "I swear... I'll take on that bastard myself," about Pitou, and the later "This has nothing to do with you," line. Remember how much Gon relied on Killua in the dodgeball match, and how much that meant to Killua? Remember how Killua very nearly died and his last thoughts were apologizing that he wasn't more useful to Gon? Killua stakes his whole sense of self on being useful to Gon, so when Gon makes taking down Pitou a solo mission, Killua doesn't know what role he has at Gon's side any more.

I'm sure there are plenty more factors I'm leaving out, but these are the main issues that lead to the gulf that develops between them during the course of Chimera Ant Arc.

Ever after all of this, they're still friends, they're on reasonably good terms when they part even though it's complex and fraught, but there's just so much they're not saying to each other about how they really feel.

I think Killua still knows Gon cares about him with the way they leave off--they agree to stay in touch, say they'll meet again, Killua even teases Gon about the way he treated him a few times and sees that Gon feels awful when he brings it up. I'm sure Gon apologized to Killua when they first saw each other again after all of that, no matter how non-comprehensive that apology may have been.

But, I do think Killua sees his feelings towards Gon as deeper and of a different nature than how he assumes Gon feels towards him. He may even feel a degree of guilt about the extent and nature of his feelings, with an assumption that, as much as Gon cares about him, Gon doesn't reciprocate Killua's romantic feelings. It may be one of many puzzle pieces contributing to the separation.

I think Killua has strong beliefs about Gon not returning his feelings in a romantic sense, which is part of what leads to how much pain he goes through in Chimera Ant Arc and beyond. But these beliefs are less about what Gon does or doesn't do--because *I* believe Gon has romantic feelings for Killua, even though he likely doesn't recognize them as such yet, and obviously in CAA his relationship with Killua is not at the forefront of his mind--but more about how Killua sees himself and how he projects that self-perception on Gon.

The thing is, Killua hasn't directly expressed his feelings (even on a friendship level) towards Gon either. and even hides how much he does for Gon, so Gon also doesn't fully understand the weight and degree of Killua's feelings for him either. He sees what Killua does for him and I'm sure he knows that's a way Killua expresses friendship to him, but at the same time, the reasons or feelings or depth behind those actions remain unspoken, so how is Gon supposed to know fully where Killua is coming from?

As much as he may have some inklings of Killua's feelings from reading his body language and all the time they spent together, it's not something that has been confirmed or stated the way Gon has expressed his feelings. So, it makes sense that these two boys might assume the other doesn't love them back the same way they love each other, because their own self-esteem is so low and they don't see themselves as deserving of the kind of love they have for each other.

So, in response to your question, both yes and no, and "It's complicated," too.

[osamusriceballs]

Last-Minute Plans

Ushijima x fem reader

Warnings: NSFW (cockwarming, rather soft)

Words: ~ 1,5 k

About: Wakatoshi got a ring for you, and he needs to make sure it fits.

A/n: Happy Birthday to our beloved Wakatoshi-kun~

"It fits,"

he mumbles with a sigh of relief, one he hadn't realized he was holding. He looks contently at the jewelry now adorning your ring finger.

Ushijima knows that he's late with this. He should have attempted this plan a long time ago; he despises last-minute actions. Lately, however, you've insisted on waiting until he returns home late from practice due to extended training sessions just before the crucial match, making it impossible for him to secretly slip that ring onto your finger to see if it fits. He's aware he hasn't been giving you the time you deserve lately, but he's determined to make it up as soon as he can. He intends to spoil you as soon as the match is over and his schedule finally allows him to have more free time, treating you like the princess you are.

He had nearly abandoned the idea of trying the ring on your finger. He considered simply hoping for the best, planning to alter the ring quickly after proposing if it didn't fit. He knows you wouldn't have minded, but he wanted this moment to be perfect. The first difficulty he had encountered, however, was that you had rings in various sizes in your jewelry box- probably for different fingers, but even after sorting through them, he was still not convinced that he chose the right size.

Relief washes over him as he sees the ring fitting comfortably, and for a short moment, he envisions your future together. He dreams of having you sleep beside him every night, of going on the vacation you've always dreamed of, and of giving you the beautiful wedding ceremony you've always wanted. He's already asked Tendou to be his best man and informed his parents of his plans. He even decided to send his father a notice that his son will be getting married soon—hopefully.

The ring looks stunning on your hand. It's noticeable yet subtly elegant. He's confident you'll love it; you've often praised his taste, describing him as simple in his choices, which you adore.

His gaze drifts to your peaceful sleeping form. You must be exhausted not to have woken up yet. Normally, you'd wait until he returns or awaken when he quietly lies down beside you, an act he's yet to master. You'd always greet him with a tender kiss, a gesture he cherishes most during his days and misses the most when he's away. Yet, you sleep soundly, your face soft, breathing steady. You're wearing one of his shirts, the old Shiratorizawa jersey you claim is the comfiest—adorable on you, he agrees.

He's fairly certain you're wearing only flimsy panties beneath, but he'll take his sweet time tomorrow to explore every inch of your body.

"Toshi," your sleepy voice pulls him from his daydreams, and he quickly hides the ring, clutching your hand in his. You stir, turning towards him, brows furrowing as you reach out blindly.

"Y/n, go back to sleep. It's late," he murmurs in a soothing tone, knowing you find his voice calming.

"I missed you," you groan, squinting your eyes as you try to make out his face in the dimly lit room.

"I missed you too," he replies, smiling softly and leaning down to press a tender kiss to your lips. You smile in return, bringing your free hand to his cheek, a bit clumsily—almost slapping his face, but he doesn't mind; he is simply happy having you close.

"You haven't shaved today," you mumble as you caress his cheek. He hums in response. "I forgot. Does it bother you?"

"No, it doesn't. But you never forget to shave. What was on your mind today?"

You, he thinks, but for once, he refrains from sharing his thoughts. He needs to distract you, to take back the ring unnoticed. How you haven't noticed it so far surprises him.

"I was thinking about…" he begins, his voice trailing off, unsure how to respond without you getting suspicious.

"Wakatoshi, come to bed. You seem really tired," you yawn, and he suddenly knows what he needs to do.

Ushijima leans down to kiss you again, this time deepening the kiss with more passion. He feels your response, your body arching into his touch, your lips moving in sync with his.

"Toshi," you're already breathless after a few kisses, and he finally feels your hand relax, fingers intertwining with his with the metal still on your finger. He typically holds your hand more firmly, but now he keeps his grip gentle, ensuring you don't feel the ring on your finger. With his free hand, he traces the hem of your shirt, his fingers gliding beneath the fabric, encountering the softness of your skin.

"Want you, but I'm tired," you whisper against his lips, prompting him to nuzzle against your neck. "Should I pleasure you? Should I make you feel full?" You moan softly and weakly nod, your eyes barely open in the dark room. Unbeknownst to you, a wave of relief washes over him. This may not be going exactly as he planned, but making love to you with the ring already on your finger is better than he could have imagined.

He quickly runs through potential scenarios in which he could smoothly slide the ring off your finger, deciding to position himself behind you while maintaining a hold on your hand in front of your body. Shifting his body weight, he maneuvers behind you until his chest presses against your back. He skillfully settles beneath the blanket without releasing your hand, making sure not to tighten his grip around your fingers. His lips find your neck, where he places the gentlest kisses against your skin, earning the softest, most beautiful moans from your lips. His hips begin to rhythmically move against your backside, and he feels how he hardens in his pants.

You contently hum while you lean into his touch, raising one leg to allow him to slip his thigh between yours. "Feels good," you murmur as he starts a grinding motion against your pussy. He feels his growing need, a nearly instinctive response to your body. His earlier suspicion about you wearing only his shirt and panties appears accurate; that much he notices when his shorts ride up and his bare thigh grinds against your cunt. As much as he wants the feeling of your bare skin against his, he knows that undressing might raise too much suspicion. Instead, he guides his free hand downward, gently tracing circles against your clothed center.

"You're so perfect. So beautiful. I love you so much," he whispers into your ear, causing you to shudder in his arms. Your grip on his hand tightens, while your other hand softly clutches the sheets. He understands your needs. Grateful that he's still wearing the soft shorts, he pushes them down slightly, quickly freeing his cock.

"Should I use some lube?" he asks, concern lacing his voice, worried about hurting you since he hasn't fully prepared you yet—a truly challenging task when ensuring your hand remains held and he can only use one hand properly.

"Think I'm wet enough," you mumble, and he dips two fingers between your folds to confirm, and he is rewarded with enough arousal to forget about his worries.

As much as he wants to ravish you right now, he knows you would probably drift off to sleep if he makes love to you tenderly—so that's precisely what he does. He gently spreads your legs further with his thigh, allowing his cock to rest between your legs. It has almost become a routine for him to set aside your panties and gradually ease his cock inside you- a practice that you often do after he comes home late from his practice sessions.

A breathy moan escapes your lips at the stretch, and he feels his own body tensing at the sensation of your soft walls around him. He continues to push until he's fully inside of you. You always take him so well—it feels breathtaking to be buried deep inside you. He still hopes you'll succumb to sleep in this embrace, even though he's surely wide awake himself.

"Feels good," you hum, your breathing gradually returning to a steady rhythm. He pulls you closer, inhaling the soothing flowery scent of your hair- a scent that always brings him comfort and calms his mind when he can't seem to rest. You might not fully grasp how much he loves you—how every fiber of his being yearns for you, how he wishes for you to be happy and to be his. This is precisely why he plans to propose to you tomorrow and to place the ring back on your finger. You wouldn't refuse him on his birthday, would you?

"Sleep well, my love."

[interstellarbolero]

The Vumaroin Hegemony

Form of government: Federal Kraterocracy 

Reigonal control: Federation

Political ideology: Brutalist, capitalist, ultranationalist, auto-hegemonic

\ \ \

Species name: Vumari 

Capital planet: Vumarak Primus

Primary solar system: Vumarak

Total member systems: 20

\ \ \

Cultural summary: Individuals must be strong to keep the Vumari strong. Any weakness in leadership will lead to the downfall of all Vumari, therefore only the smartest and strongest must rule. It is the duty of the strong to subjugate the weak in order to encourage them to become stronger. The weak do not deserve luxury, so they must live in modesty. The strong deserve opulence, as they are greater than the weak.

Outlook on aliens: All who are not born of Vumarak are inferior to the Vumari, but they must not be destroyed. The Inferius must be maintained, as they will offer challenges to the Vumaroin Hegemony in order to keep it strong, as all blades dull without use.

[welcometokantrias]

What Is The Kantriverse?

The Kantriverse is a setting that started out when I created a fictional country, Kantrias, and alongside a number of friends that I had, in intermittent periods between 2012 and 2014, with a brief resurgence in 2017, expanded on. We also used Kantrias as a vehicle for playing in the game NationStates, as a sort of 'clan' (in more common terms) but it is the fictional country Kantrias (and the continent of Bayetz around it) that we built up in stories and little bits of lore detail and conversations and just for fun that I would later take, combine with pieces of other worldbuilding ideas that I had, and then create into a more complete setting that I could tell stories in.

And also just worldbuild the fuck out of, because I like to do that.

As a result of the mixed origins, and many holdovers from the days when I worked alongside my friends to create things, there are some oddities, but I think they add to the charm of the setting.

Some of those oddities include the fact that because a few of my friends at the time were big Game of Thrones/ASOIAF fans, the places they created had names in common with Westeros - a city called Highgarden, and a set if Islands called the Iron Islands. Neither place really resembles it's Westeros counterpart outside the name, and both names are pretty generic.

Other things - such as the existence of the Genasi in Kolyat-Var, are the result of my own D&D and Pathfinder interest - and in general, while some of the more obvious stuff has been filed off, the D&D and Pathfinder influence can be pretty obvious if you know what you're looking for, and indeed, I have run multiple pathfinder games in this setting, though I've had to make some alterations to the setting to fit the assumptions of Pathfinder's actual play.

But none of this really says what the Kantriverse actually is.

The Kantriverse is a fictional world - the name of the planet is something I don't have, and frankly the people of the world may just call it 'the planet' because why not - and plays host to a number of continents. The three that have ever been established are Bayetz, Guayas and Kholesun. Of those Bayetz is the center of the action in terms of what got and has gotten worldbuilding attention, and of course, the Kingdom of Kantrias and it's capital city, also named Kantrias, was the main focus.

The Kantriverse is a world of magic, but the magic tends to be fairly practical, and direct, and follows generally predictable and understandable rules - to put it in TV tropes terms, Magic A is, broadly speaking, Magic A. Of course, the rules underpinning magic are no more one hundred percent understood than every single rule explaining how reality works in our world, but they are understood mostly.

It is a world where magic can do a lot, but it's generally direct, perceivable, limited effects. It's a world that, broadly, works like our own - gravity, animal life, the way minerals work, et cetera - but it's also a world where dragons once dominated the skies, where caverns and tunnels deep underneath the earth house entire peoples and nations, and where the gods - distant though they often are - are real and give power to their followers.

It is a world of powerful states, fallen empires, and rising powers. It is a world where empires that were once great have been laid low - and sometimes, they might even be making a resurgence. It's a world not just of humans, but of centaurs, dwarves, lizardmen, kitsune, and more.

It is a world where demons and angels exist and can be conjured, but as beings that are pure ideals given form - and quickly find themselves ill-at-ease in a world of grays and nuance, complexity and imperfection. It is a world of spirits often barely understood, and ancient magics even less understood, if even active at al.

It is also a world where ranks of soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder and fire muskets at the enemy. Where ships bearing canon and powered by sails clash for control of the trade lanes, and where airships have begun to challenge the great Rocs for command of the skies. It is a world where new factories powered by coal and magic, structures of steam and gears and pistols, churn out white and black smoke, covering the sky, bringing with it it disease and progress, poverty and wealth. It is a world where clockwork constructs and old style golems can be built to fight the battles of their makers, and where bizarre, occult secrets that break all known rules of magic can sometimes be wrested from reality.

It is in this world that Kantrias sits as the most powerful and wealthy nation. It is in Kantrias that the House of Quilor reigns as the Royal House, where the ancient nobility jealously guards their remaining wealth and privelages in the Senate, and where the elected representatives of the people in the Consistory are torn between those who seek progress and growth and wealth at the expense of all else, and those who seek to see to the needs of the people. Between those who speak only for the narrow interests of new money, and those who speak for the workers, urban or rural, or for the middle classes.

It is in Kantrias that Church and Crown have fought a vicious dance for over a thousand years, where the pagans are persecuted, but not every faith that lies outside the Church counts as pagan. Where renegade covens of witches are hunted by the Ministry of Security and the Inquisition both - but rarely do they work together.

And yet, despite Kantrias's wealth and power, it is not unchallenged on the world stage. The Empire of Voluz, once the great powers of the North, seeks to modernize under a new, reforming dynasty, while the ancient, stagnated Telvir Ascendancy threatens to dust off ancient magics and embrace new technologies both, to stave off the corrupting influence of Kantrian ideas - and of Kantrian influence over states that should rightly be their vassals.

Even Kantrias's allies are hardly content to be merely aids to Kantrian power - the snakemen of the Kingdom of Kharash may be allied with Kantrias against their old enemies in the Ascendancy, but they look in askance as Kantrias courts the lesser states of Guayas to be their vassals in all but name, rather than Kharash's. The Commonwealth of Aurelia may consider Kantrias the lesser evil than Voluz, but the economic hegemony of the Kingdom of the Gavel and the Sword is hardly universally beloved by that realm.

Kantrias is a nation of wealth and power, and for the average Kantrian, even the poor ones, life is generally good, generally safe, generally positive in outlook. But in any great Kingdom, exceptions exist, and with wealth and industry allowed to run amock in the name of the Queen's desire for military adventurism, and with wealth always begetting more wealth when left unrestrained, and when heretics and pagans join forces with disaffected witches and separatist rebels, danger can only grow.

The Kantriverse is a world of steampunk, intrigue and empire - it is a world of war and adventure, of ancient history and a glorious future.

The world turns, Kantrias is, and the Kantriverse continues.

[lesbianchemicalplant]

one thing about reading Killing Hope is that for pretty much every chapter, every single imperialist intervention, you will come to the part where the New York Times acts as the mouthpiece of capital, laundering US state department and CIA lies, covering for us/british/french/etc. colonial and imperialist ventures, pushing atrocity propaganda, demonizing anti-colonial resistance, smearing communists, rallying support for counterrevolutionaries, whitewashing imperialist-backed fascist coups, cheerleading blockades and sanctions, every fucking time, there is the precious Gray Lady wagging its finger at oppressed peoples for daring to remove the boot from their necks

[bonefall]

Warrior Bites: Dried Minnows

Requested by @troutfur!

A series for those who would like their Warriors to have some more advanced culinary abilities.

The art here was provided by my partner!! (thank you for engaging in my research journeys boo <;3)

Dried Minnows

Clan of Origin: RiverClan Occasion: Travel ration, food storage

"StarClan forbid a RiverClan cat go 2 hours without eating," says the other, very jealous Clans.

One of the most common meals prepared by RiverClan warriors, dried minnows are easy to prepare, can be stored for weeks, and are easily kept in bunches with a small string of peeled willowbark.

One minnow on its own won't feed more than a small kit; but they’re easily captured in whole schools and processed in bulk to make lots of food. Marinated in rosemary for taste and valerian for a boost of energy, these are usually carried around as travel rations.

[Image ID: Three common minnows strung together through the gills with willowbark twine. They are lightly dusted with spice.]

There's two ways RiverClan cats would dry fish; a Greenleaf method, and a Leafbare method.

In Greenleaf, when it's hot and humid, the fish will be sun-dried. Starting on a clear morning, the fish will be laid out on a rock and left sitting in direct sunlight. This method requires a watchcat, else foxes may steal the food.

[Image ID: Grasswhisker, a brown tabby RiverClan warrior cat, crouches in a ‘loaf’ position on a large rock. She is watching minnows dry.]

In Leafbare, the fish will be strung together and threaded through the gills with willowbark strips, the same as they were being carried. They’re brought to a high branch and left there, the wind drying them out naturally over a few hours.

[Image ID: Two batches of minnows are hanging up in a tree that has a single leaf in the middle of winter. The landscape is snowy and the lake in the distance appears frozen. The meeting island is visible in the corner.]

Because of the easy nature of dried minnows, they’re faaar from considered a delicacy. Apprentices going through their first leafbare are tempted to complain about eating these night after night, only for their elders to launch off into long-winded lectures about the nutritional value of minnows, appreciation of the food StarClan gives them, and how there’s starving kits in ShadowClan who would kill for a good meal right now.

Is there any truth to that last part? Well, the valerian spices ARE quite tempting, to be fair. It has a similar effect to dried catnip.

[nopanamaman]

How does it feel knowing that there’s pafl content out there that you might never see?

How do YOU feel there's pafl content you will never ever see. Think about that