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twistedtummies2 · 1 year ago

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Natural Predators (Trade; Implied Vore)

So...this is something a little different. I'm labeling this as "Implied Vore" because...no ACTUAL vore occurs. This was an interesting challenge: @hooter-n-company and I were chatting about an idea involving her OC boi, Taoka Latronis (who may be remembered as the antagonist of the four part story "Glamour"), encountering the Octavinelle Trio. Taoka, of course, is based on Tamatoa from "Moana," and is a crab person. I remind you that octopi and eels are very, VERY noteworthy predators of crabs. You can guess where the conversation went from there. ;) Anyway, the challenge of this was writing a story where the implications were there, and I could have fun with a lot of voracious TEASING...but to NOT actually include the act itself in any way, shape, or form. That, to me, sounded like something unique to attempt, and the concept of Taoka meeting these three scheming louses and the fun one could have with the issue was very appealing and funny to me. So, I agreed to write it, and sort of squeeeeeezed it in-between comms, since I didn't think it would be too taxing or take me too long. The story ended up almost 8000 words in length, which...is actually the cap I put on commissions, meaning it was QUITE long. Go figure. XD I finished it all in one day, which is very unusual for me. I usually don't get THAT much work done in just one day, so it shows how much juice there was flowing for this concept. ANYWAY...hope you all enjoy Taoka meeting three of his worst nightmares at Night Raven College. ;) P.S.: If you recognize the song Taoka sings at one point in the story...good. LOL

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A cheerful, peppy whistle came from a lone figure, who stalked through the unusually quiet halls of Octavinelle. The figure in question was a student of NRC…but closer inspection of the young man’s uniform quickly indicated he didn’t belong in the undersea dorm. The indigo-hued vest, accompanied by a red-and-indigo-striped arm ribbon, showed that he was a member of Pomefiore. The glamorous makeup, golden pieces of jewelry, and highly-stylized, strange purple hair, all certainly lent credence to his participation in a dorm largely devoted to fashion and spectacle. With that said, Taoka Latronis mostly felt quite at home in this dorm. He smiled as he peered out through the glass walls at the ocean beyond. While currently in his humanoid guise, the crab boy in disguise felt a certain familiar warmth in his chest as he gazed out at the vast expanse of coral. Unlike some decapods, he very much liked the water…but then again, just “some decapod” had never exactly described him, or so he proudly believed. “I could get used to bein’ around here,” mumbled Taoka, nodding to himself as he swaggered along with an easy-breezy sort of stride. The guitar case strapped to his back bounced slightly as he went. He felt his posture straighten with almost every step as he drew nearer and nearer to his chosen location. “Feels like I’m back on top o’ the food chain…right in my natural habitat…heh. Bet I could show some o’ the seafood here who’s boss, if given the chance…” The mention of the word “seafood” ushered a rumble from his belly. Taoka hummed to himself and licked his plump, painted lips, but soon shook his head, stance dipping as he glanced about carefully. Despite his egotistical words, he wasn’t TOTALLY comfortable here. After all…he wasn’t the apex predator in THIS dorm. It was a risk he felt willing to take, however. He’d only just recently escaped the time under house arrest that his dorm leader, Vil, had put him under, following the “Triple-S Debacle.” Now that he was free to go places, Taoka had decided it was time to take action in following his dreams and figuring out his personal desires and ambitions. In short…he needed a place to practice his music. Preferably, a place with an audience, where he could sing and/or play…and perhaps even make a little money on the side. Hey, money spoke to him…especially coins…shiny, beautiful, sparkling coins… Taoka had frozen in place at the thought, his eyes shimmering at the mere thought…then he smacked his cheek and blushed slightly, embarrassed with himself. “Keep it together, babe,” he muttered to himself. “Ya don’t wanna blow this audition. Wasn’t easy for the Housewarden to get it for ya…”

Indeed, it had been Vil who had - with surprising generosity - arranged the interview Taoka was heading to: the on-campus restaurant, the Mostro Lounge, had announced that it was going to be seeking performers for a live house band. Before this, all music at the Lounge simply came from the radio playing over the loudspeakers. Now, for at least some part of the day, there would be live musical accompaniment for diners to enjoy. Taoka had all but leapt at the chance…but had hesitated when he realized where the Lounge was. Surprisingly, Taoka had never come to Octavinelle before, let alone the Mostro Lounge. He didn’t know much about the place, except that it was supposed to be a very ritzy sort of joint. He had no idea who ran the restaurant…although he DID know who ran Octavinelle. For his fellow Pomefiore students, the shudder of fear that went through him at the thought of THEM was a total mystery…but anyone with knowledge of marine biology would probably guess the reason. “It’s alright,” Taoka said to himself, taking a deep breath as he came nearer and nearer to the famous place. “Just keep calm an’ show ‘em yer stuff. Long as THEY aren’t around, ya got nothin’ to fear. Heh…in fact, they oughta be afraid of YOU. That’s right, babe! You go in an’ show ‘em yer stuff…an’ if they don’t like it? Maybe ya got other ways of makin’ sure you see eye to eye…” Snickering with wicked anticipation, Taoka picked up his pace, adjusting the guitar case strap. It was only moments later that he finally found himself at the Lounge. Unlike the halls, the fine restaurant was packed full of chattering customers, all laughing and gabbing between bites of food and sips of fruity drinks. Chandeliers with lights shaped like jellyfish provided an almost ethereal illumination to the place, accompanied by the bioluminescent algae beyond the huge pane of glass on one of the walls, like a giant aquarium. Taoka whistled, impressed by the expertly-made, expensive-looking furnishings and rich decor. “Whew! This place is even fancier than I figured,” he chuckled. He sniffed at the air…and then let out what could only be described as a sort of wincing sigh as he picked up the scent of seafood and other savory things. His empty belly whined needily, and he gave it a pat, rubbing at it through his vest and shirt. “Easy there, stomach,” he almost pouted. “Yer gonna get plenty to play with soon enough. Business first.” Nodding to himself, Taoka stepped further into the Lounge, and looked around. It wasn’t long till he saw an employee - dressed in the almost mafia-esque costume of an Octavinelle Dorm Uniform - standing at the reception desk. However, they seemed to be a bit more concerned with the cellphone in their hands than with any new arrivals. Taoka smirked and approached the desk, knocking on it with his gloved hand. “Hey,” he grunted. “Eyes up here, babe.”

The receptionist yelped, fumbling with their phone and jolting slightly. Taoka’s smirk widened as his eyes narrowed; a quick look up and down the student’s form showed him the familiar sight of a seagull’s feathered tail, sprouting from the small of their back. The gull demi had a round face and a plump body, with eyes of a warm, rich, yellow-amber color; the sweet hue of honey. “Oh! Uh…h-hello there, sir,” the gull-demi chirped out, quickly trying to compose himself. “Welcome to the Mostro Lounge. Do you have a reservation?” Taoka hummed in the back of his throat as he leaned forward on the reception desk. The gull took a step back, tail twitching nervously. Taoka’s smirk became a full-on grin, as he noticed the way the little bird boy - about the same age as himself, but noticeably smaller in height - gazed at him with flustered apprehension. His belly rumbled yet again, this time in a lower, almost ominous fashion: while humans could not always recognize it, beast-people of all sorts seemed programmed to recognize their natural predators no matter what form they took. Sometimes it was a scent thing, other times a case of close observation, and still other times it just seemed to be an innate instinct. Either way…crabs like him and little, adorable gulls didn’t exactly get along. And the anxiety in the receptionist’s eyes indicated which side each occupied on the food web. “More of an appointment, really,” Taoka practically purred, his voice smooth and slippery. “Got a Taoka Latronis written down somewhere…” Taoka quickly glanced at the name tag the desk worker wore. “...Larin?” The gull boy - Larin - timidly moved to pick up a clipboard, and scanned through the papers it held. He looked up at Taoka a few times, worriedly; Taoka just smiled patiently. “It’s okay, babe,” he cooed at one point. “If there’s any vacancies…I could just stay for some lunch. I’m gettin’ REAL hungry…” He licked his teeth and cackled as Larin shuddered, the feathers of his tail shaking. Finally, the pudgy little gull found what he was looking for. “Ah! H-Here you are…you, um…y-you have a meeting with the boss, right?” “That’s about the size of it,” Taoka answered with a nod, and jabbed a thumb towards the guitar case on his back. “Lookin’ to become part of the house band I heard he’s making.” “W-Well…I’m sure you’ll do well,” chuckled Larin, with a nervous smile…then all but tip-toed out from behind the desk. Taoka watched every single move the little gull made as he came into full view, never once blinking, his smile remaining sly, seductive, and more than a little predatory. “If you’ll, um…j-just follow me, please.” “Mmmm…lead the way, babe,” rumbled Taoka, in his most sultry voice. He chortled darkly at the quiver that went through the demi-bird, and followed him as Larin led the crab-in-human’s-clothing through the dining area of the Lounge.

The restaurant was large, as well as presently busy; it was not a short trip from the main part of the place to the “backstage” spaces. Taoka twined his way between waiters and customers alike…a couple times, when he saw a particularly cute face, he would give them a light, playful bump with his hip. “Sorry, babe!” he would teasingly chirp, and grin as the human or lesser beastman in question would blush and grumble. Other times, he’d catch some giving him a blushing expression, or even a somewhat frightened look. Awink and a lick of the lips made them hastily avert their eyes, for one reason or another. When he wasn’t teasing the guests and waiting staff, Taoka was smirking at Larin, who kept glancing back over his shoulder, trembling slightly, his feathered tail twitching with every other step. He inhaled and rumbled at the scent of fear that came from the young seagull-man. As they left the crowded dining space, moving past the bar into the quieter, more sparsely-populated backrooms and hall, Taoka moved to stand beside Larin rather than directly behind him. He gave a smug sort of smile to the seagull, who glanced up at him nervously…just in time to see Taoka rubbing his belly, as it let out another greedy gurgle. “Do you all serve chicken here?” he asked, innocently. “I could really go for some poultry right about now…” Larin just whimpered and didn’t answer as he looked away. Taoka sniggered and smiled toothily. He didn’t ACTUALLY plan on eating Larin…at least not today…but, oh, how DELIGHTFUL it was watching him squirm… It wasn’t too long thereafter that they finally reached the entrance to the manager’s office. It was closed off by a large and rather fancy-looking door…par the course, at this point, Taoka supposed. “I’ll go in and announce you,” Larin said, trying to keep up a businesslike tone and demeanor. Taoka nodded, and patiently leaned back against the opposite wall. As Larin entered, he couldn’t help but allow a wicked thought to enter his mind; if the employees and guests of this place were sooo easy to ruffle the feathers of (pun only partially intended), he wondered if their leader would be equally easy to scare and subdue. Oh, he’d play nice, but if they showed any sign of turning him away…well…he WAS genuinely hungry. And humans were such, SUCH good little morsels… Taoka smacked his lips at that thought, but it left almost as soon as it came…at least partially due to Larin’s reappearance as he crept back into the hall from the door. “The boss will see you now,” he said. “Thanks, babe,” Taoka replied. Larin nodded back…then stiffened, his face turning a shade of strawberry as Latronis’ one good hand swept out and cupped his cheek and part of his jawline. The taller boy leaned in close, with a smile like a sea serpent. “Y’know, you’re pretty cute,” he crooned. “Maybe sometime you an’ I can…get some lunch together?” Larin looked utterly mortified…but he was also blushing more than ever. Unable to speak, he just sputtered. Taoka laughed lightly and playfully patted him on the head. “Think about it, chicken,” he teased with a wink, and left Larin to his own devices as he stepped through the doorway and closed it behind him.

Up to now, dearest reader, Taoka had felt confident, and very pleased with himself. He had little fear as he entered the office of the master of the Mostro Lounge. But there are many sayings about those who feel perhaps too much pride, and perhaps abuse their presumed position a bit too much. A lot of them could apply here. For within a matter of about…three seconds, give or take, after entering the office…EVERYTHING changed for Taoka Latronis. Instantly, his confidence seemed to drop into his feet, as a chill fell over his spine. His swaggering peacock posture slackened, and his vainglorious smile seemed to be slapped off his face by an invisible hand. All this was in response to the tall, willowy pair of figures he saw standing ahead of him, one on either side of the large, expensive-looking desk at the other end of the VIP Room. Each was dressed in a dorm uniform, and looked almost identical, from their mismatched eyes of gold and olive, to their teal-toned hairdos, each of which bore a single long, black lock. “You two?” murmured Taoka, voice becoming somewhat shaky. The Leech Twins smiled wider in response to Taoka’s near-whispered words; Jade’s was its usual practiced, patient, cool-and-collected self. Floyd’s grin, meanwhile, showed perhaps a few too many sharp, jagged, dagger-like teeth…teeth that, if they so chose, could easily crush and stab through a crab’s shell, shattering it like fragile glass. Taoka felt nervous in an instant. Perhaps more than anyone else at all of Night Raven, he had good reason to fear the Leech Brothers. Eels, after all, were one of the most prominent natural enemies many crabs had to face. They were part of why he avoided Octavinelle, and why he’d asked Vil to kindly handle arranging the interview…but if he’d known the Twins were working at the Lounge, he wouldn’t have even gone that far. Already, the musician felt his rung on the food chain ladder get lower…he was pondering if he really wanted to stay in the room, when the manager had such fearsome help… …But before he could question this too deeply, a voice finally spoke up. It was smooth and luxurious, but with a certain bold quality that was hard to define. It came from the figure who sat with his back to Taoka, in a large, plush-looking swivel armchair that was presently turned away from the young half-decapod. Over the top of the chair’s back - which, itself, was covered by what looked like a huge gray trenchcoat - Latronis could catch a glimpse of silvery hair. “Never mind them,” the voice from the chair said. “Come in…come in, Mr. Latronis! No need to be shy. After all, we mustn’t lurk in doorways. It’s rude. One can’t make business arrangements like this…” A slender hand, clad in what looked like a white kid glove, stretched out from behind the chair, dropping what appeared to be a manilla folder onto the desk behind the figure. It sat beside a dark-colored fedora. Then, the chair turned around, revealing the bespectacled figure - garbed in a black three-piece suit - who occupied the seat. Eyes the color of the deep blue sea itself zeroed in on Taoka, as a devious, duplicitous smile slid across soft, plump-looking lips, which quirked over a tiny birthmark near the chin. “...Without seeing each other face to face.”

Every drop of color seemed to drain from Taoka Latronis’ face as he immediately recognized the lithe, somewhat curvy person whom he now realized ran the Mostro Lounge. His heart seemed to jump up a few beats as his breath hitched. Every ounce of confidence he still held after seeing the Leech Twins vanished in a split second as terror gripped his very soul. “A-Azul…Ashengrotto?” he exclaimed, his voice unusually high-pitched as it cracked and squeaked. Azul merely smiled wider, folding his hands before him on his desk as he raised one eyebrow. “Yes, that would be me,” he replied. “And I’m glad to see my reputation precedes me.” “Ha Ha Ha! Little Crab Cake makes such silly sooouuunds!” sang out Floyd, grinning and giggling at the squeaky tone of Taoka’s voice. “He usually sounds all cool, but now he’s making noises like a scared flounder! It’s almost cuuuute!” “Now, now, Floyd,” tutted Jade, his own smile and posture completely unchanged. “We mustn’t tease a client. Especially not under such circumstances. I imagine he’s quite nervous enough, considering he’s in a room with three of his kind’s most dangerous and feared natural predators. We must make him feel comfortable. Isn’t that right, Azul?” “Of course,” purred Azul in reply, as he and Jade shared a rather sneaky look with each other. “Just like any client.” He then looked back at Taoka, who was still standing, with knees almost knocking together, near the doorway. “And you ARE a client, aren’t you, Mr. Latronis?” he crooned. Taoka had to repress the urge to let out a moaning, groaning sound of pure, ever-rising dread. Eels were bad enough company for a crab like him…but octopi? They were another story. Above all others in Night Raven College, the mere THOUGHT of the Octopus - of Azul - made Taoka Latronis whimper. In the wild, while crabs had several predators, few were as purely nightmarish as cephalopods: it wasn’t just that they ate crabs that made them frightening. It was the manners and the “morals” (one must note the quotation marks) that octopi had, when feasting on crustaceans, which made them so particularly horrible. Cecaelia like Azul were not much better…in fact, as they had humanoid intelligence, and not just animal hunting instincts, they were arguably even worse. “Helloooo?” Floyd’s voice cut through Taoka’s grim musings. He tilted his head, his smile disappearing as he blinked owlishly. “Ehhhh? What’s the matter, Crab Cake? Catfish got your tongue?” “Perhaps he’s simply speechless at being given the opportunity,” suggested Jade, oh-so-sweetly. Taoka just gulped nervously. “Y-Yeah, well…um…I…” His words failed him. They felt foreign and faint in his own mouth. Floyd’s smile returned and he heard Jade chuckle under his breath. Azul shook his head with apparent amusement, adjusting his glasses in his usual tic. “Come now, Mr. Latronis,” he soothed. “Compose yourself. You came here to audition, didn’t you?” “I…I did, yeah…just…j-just…” “Just what?” Taoka bit his lip before, in an unusually soft voice, admitting: “I didn’t…think I’d be…au-auditioning f-f-for…you.”

Azul blinked just once, cocking his head ever so slightly to the right. “I am the dorm leader of Octavinelle,” he reminded Taoka, in a calm, patient way. “Did you really think anybody else would be in charge of this place? Vil said you wanted to interview with the manager. I am the manager. And the owner. And the Housewarden. In short…no one else COULD be in charge.” Taoka blinked twice…then felt his cheeks heat up as he looked down almost guiltily at his shoes, and kicked at an invisible rock. “Y’know, in hindsight, that’s a good point,” he mumbled under his breath. All three of the Octavinelle trio laughed softly. Azul stretched out a hand, gesturing towards the large, well-cushioned sofas in the center of the room as he rose from his desk. "“Sit down,” he invited. Taoka paused only a moment longer, and then began to take a few steps forward…but on the third step, he saw Azul’s smile widen, and a flicker of what he swore could only be the look of someone who had successfully lured their prey into a trap flashed in those deep blue eyes. Something about that simple gesture IMMEDIATELY killed any amount of courage the crab had. “On second thought, I-I think I’m a little too early!” he suddenly blurted out, and spun around on his heel before briskly marching towards the door. “I’ll just c-come back later, I’m sure you’re very busy-YEEP!” Taoka froze and cowered as - seemingly out of nowhere - Floyd and Jade moved to block the door and bar his way. Each of the twins wore matching fanged smiles that made Taoka’s blood run cold…he felt goosebumps prickle his skin and began to tremble anew as he heard Jade’s stomach bubble, and saw Floyd’s tongue trace the tips of his pointed teeth… …Then the crab boy stiffened and flinched as a long, lean-but-well-toned arm draped itself across his shoulders. With obvious foreboding on his face, Taoka looked to see who the arm belonged to…and thought he might faint as he found Azul Ashengrotto’s smiling face only inches away from his own. “Nonsense, nonsense!” sang Azul, waving his other hand around in a flippant gesture. “I’m never too busy to discuss a potential new employee. And from what your Housewarden tells me, you could be a great…asset to me.” Taoka peeped as he felt Azul’s hip bump against him on those words. He’d teased enough “preythings” to know what that combo of words and gestures meant. “But…but…I’m not so sure that-” “Come,” Azul interrupted, in a firm voice, and Taoka felt the hand on his shoulder grip more tightly, hinting at the octopus’ harnessed strength…something very few at Night Raven ever suspected, given his aversion to great physical exertion. “Have a seat.” Azul thus led Taoka to the twin couches in the center of the office. The whole time, his smile never faded, and he never blinked, smiling at Taoka with a sort of thinly-veiled anticipation. Taoka gave a very, VERY nervous smile in return; already he could imagine that collected smirk transforming into a gaping set of jaws, ready to consume him, or a set of tentacles forming from where the octo-man’s legs were, ready to ensnare him…but such nightmarish imagery did not come to pass. Still, Taoka found it hard to relax, even as he sat on the (admittedly VERY nice and well-cushioned) sofa. Azul sat directly across from him, prim and proper. Taoka considered rising and trying to make another break for it…but he felt the presence of the Leech Twins behind him before he could act on it.

“Now then,” Azul began, crossing his arms over his chest and slinging one leg over the other as he leaned back in his own seat. “Is there anything you want to say before we start?” The question sounded a bit too much like Azul was asking him if he had any last words for Taoka’s personal comfort. Nevertheless, Taoka realized that there was no turning back now: he removed his guitar case and placed it on the seat beside him on the sofa. He was here for an audition, it was time to get serious. Still scared, the crabby youth tried to compose himself, straightening his posture and opening his mouth to speak…only to be interrupted when his stomach let out a VERY loud and greasy gurgle. Azul’s smile fell in an instant, his eyes widening. Now worried the sound would ruin the interview, Taoka’s nerves rang alarm bells…but before he could apologize, Floyd’s face suddenly lurched into view, as the gangly eel-man dropped his head onto the back of the couch, chin in his folded arms as he looked directly into the seated decapod’s purple eyes. “Awww…is Crab Cake hungryyyyy?” crooned Floyd. Breath that stank too much OF crab cakes puffed into Taoka’s face, making the musician cough briefly. Nervously, he nodded. Azul tutted and shook his head. “Oh, dear…I hate conducting business when my client has an empty stomach,” he declared, and smiled indulgently. “Would you care for a bite?” Taoka was very, VERY afraid of answering that question, with so many crab-munching creatures surrounding and smiling at him…but he finally managed to nod, tugging on his collar afterwards. Had it gotten warmer in this room…? “Ah…ha ha…i-if by that ya mean a totally normal, not-involving-my-shell kind of snack, then…I guess I wouldn’t mind,” he said. He tried to sound like he was joking, but somehow he knew he had failed. Azul let out a sort of scoffing laugh. “Of course,” he replied. He seemd almost offended. “Really, I’m not like those fuzzy mongrels in Savanaclaw. You don’t think I’d seriously consider taking a bite out of a possible employee, do you?” “Yeah! We just swallow them whole!” teased Floyd. “Floyd, don’t fib,” Jade scolded, but his own smile never disappeared once. “You know the rules: we don’t eat them till AFTER they fail an interview.” Taoka felt like his lungs were seizing up at those words. Azul just sighed and rolled his eyes, looking almost mournful. “Ignore them,” he advised, seriously. “They do this sort of thing ALL the time.” Taoka said nothing. He silently wondered if “interviewees” made it out of this office alive all the time, too.

“Jade, if you’re quite done terrorizing our guest and client, could you perhaps see about having some of the special served in here, along with an appropriate drink of choice.” “Will sparkling lemonade suffice?” Jade asked, politely. “Yes, that should do nicely,” Azul nodded, and smiled back at Taoka. “No objections?” “N-Nope! None here, um…boss. Uh, c-can I call you boss?” Azul narrowed his eyes and adjusted his glasses. It was hard to tell what he was thinking about that question. “I think, for now, you can simply call me Azul,” he replied, and then smiled. “After all, upperclassman or not, possible employer or not, we ARE both students of Night Raven College.” The fact Azul had not mentioned the fact he was a superior predator, as well, helped put Taoka a little more at ease. But only a little. Jade bowed to Azul respectfully, then turned to his brother. “Come on, Floyd. I’ll carry the food, you can carry the drinks.” “Ehhhh? Can’t you do it yourself?” pouted Floyd. “Yes, if necessary, but it’s much easier when there’s two,” Jade replied, as if he were speaking to a small child. “But I wanna stay and play with Crab Cake!” whined Floyd, and grinned at Taoka right afterwards. “Maybe I could give him a nice friendly squeeze, huuuuh? See if he’s easier to break in human form than in crab form? I bet he’d be all…CRUNCHY…” If Floyd’s words didn’t scare the Hades out of Taoka, the smile on his face certainly did…but it seemed Jade was in no mood for his brother’s nonsense as, without warning, he stretched out a hand and grabbed Floyd by the ear. “AH! H-HEY! HEY, LEMME GO!” squealed Floyd, scrabbling to break free. Jade just shook his head in amusement, and smiled a calm, tranquil smile as he bowed his head to Taoka, as if this was all totally casual and completely everyday. “Apologies for his forwardness,” he replied. “I’ll be back shortly with some vittles, as requested.” Taoka just blinked. “Uh…r-right, that’s…that’s good, thanks.” Jade smiled a tiny bit wider, then turned and dragged the still yelping and complaining Floyd out of the room, shutting the door to the VIP office behind them both.

Now, the crab was alone with the octopus. For a few moments there was an awkward silence between them. Azul smiled. Just smiled. Taoka noticed the way the restauranteur’s blue eyes seemed to scan up and down his own body. “Ah…m-may I ask you a question?” stammered Taoka, hoping to break the uncomfortable quiet. “If you feel you must,” replied Azul, somewhat cryptically. “How come you agreed to hear me out?” Taoka asked. “I mean…do you just trust Vil’s judgment that much?” “Well, yes, for one thing, I do,” Azul replied, frankly, folding his hands in his lap. “Not only do I consider him to be a particularly dependable and intelligent Housewarden, but I believe he is the single most discerning judge of talent, particularly where the arts are concerned, on the entire campus. The only other person who might rival him there is Professor Crewel. So if he takes the time to recommend someone, even obliquely, I listen.” Taoka nodded in understanding. He supposed all that sounded logical enough. “Besides,” Azul went on, quite casually, but with a smile that was perhaps just slightly too broad, “Based on his description, I could hardly let someone with such good taste go without a chance.” The crab-man quivered till his golden necklace rattled. He really didn’t like the way Azul emphasized three of those words. “Well…wh-what is that chance going to involve?” he asked at length. Azul paused, as if pondering how to answer…but before he could, the door opened up again. Jade and Floyd re-entered the office, one carrying a silver platter, and the other a pair of drinks.

“For your dining pleasure, gentlemen,” purred Jade, as he placed the platter in the center of the glass-topped table, and opened the lid, revealing a steaming dish of freshly-made shrimp scampi. “Yeah, yeah, here ya go,” grumbled Floyd, apparently still grouchy over his earlier treatment as he handed both Taoka and Azul their glasses of sparkling lemonade. He then plucked a couple pairs of chopsticks out of his pocket and gave them to each. Azul placed his chopsticks on the table…then removed one of his gloves, revealing his long, sturdy, yet elegant fingers. Taoka watched as Azul plucked one piece of shrimp up off the plate between his forefinger and thumb, and lifted it up to his face. He paused, smiling as he inspected the piece of seafood…before opening his mouth and tossing the entire shrimp inside. Taoka could hear the sound of Azul’s teeth mulching the cooked meat before a soft swallow sent the masticated stuff down his throat. “Excellent,” he judged, and wiped his fingers on a napkin before replacing the glove on his hand as he looked at the Leech Brothers. “Tell the cooks they’ve done a fine job, when we’re done here.” Jade bowed and murmured that it would be done. Floyd just snorted, placing his hands behind his head and rolling his eyes. “Go ahead,” Ashengrotto urged Latronis, who had watched all of this with rapt attention. He picked up his glass of lemonade as he spoke, tilting it towards Taoka as if in toast. “Try some. You can eat while I explain how this is going to work.” Taoka hesitated for just a moment; the food smelled delicious, but something about the showy way Azul had eaten his first bite had bothered him. Of course, if any of the three had wanted to poison him, it seemed unlikely they’d do so this way. So, he lifted his chopsticks and plucked a piece of shrimp from the scampi. He popped it into his mouth…and immediately felt some his tension ease up as he chewed and swallowed it. The savory, spicy, buttery seasoning filled his mouth with a wonderful flavor, and the shrimp itself was cooked to perfection, with an excellent texture. “Well?” asked Azul, as he took a sip of lemonade. “It’s…it’s REALLY good,” smiled Taoka, trying to hold back just how delicious he thought it all was. “I know,” smiled Azul, but he still seemed pleased to hear it. “Perhaps sometime we can give you a nice sampler; plenty of food to go with one of those.” “I doubt that would be such a good idea,” Jade spoke up. “The sampler does include crab meat.” “Ewww, that’d be like one of us eating smoked eel,” sneered Floyd. “And we all know eel tastes so much better raw,” grinned Jade, diabolically. “Huh?” Floyd blinked in confusion. “Nothing,” said Jade, innocently.

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t be toooooo bad, either way,” shrugged Floyd, and grinned toothily. “I mean, crabs DO eat other crabs, yeeeaaah?” “Boys, as amusing as it is to hear you both go on like that, I think our guest is going to be ill if you keep that up,” drawled Azul. “Apologies,” said Jade. Floyd just yawned, boredly. Taoka swallowed his mouthful of shrimp and chased it down with some lemonade. The flavor of the citrus drink helped chase away his anxiety. “So…again, I have to ask, how is this going to work?” he inquired after a few bites of food, the emptiness in his belly replaced with a warm and filling feeling. Azul took another sip of his own drink before finally answering: “This audition will proceed more or less like a typical audition, I suppose: you will play and sing a song of your choice. I will listen, along with my friends here.” He indicated Floyd and Jade. “Once you have finished, I shall give you a brief critique of what I heard, and declare if you’re suitable for a role in the house band I want to put together,” Azul went on, lightly stirring his drink with a twist of his wrist. “If I decide that you are, then I’ll take you on here at the Lounge for three unpaid weeks. Got that? Three. Weeks. A ‘trial run,’ so to speak. And if, after those three weeks, I determine your skills are sufficient and the audiences like you, I’ll keep you on - paid work, this time - for the remainder of the semester and into the next term. After that, you would need to re-apply.” Taoka mumbled something through a full mouth and stuffed cheeks…then, when he saw the frowns on the trio’s faces, he realized he was talking with his mouth full and couldn’t be understood. He hastily swallowed, stifling a belch in one fist. “Ahem…that, uh…th-that sounds reasonable,” he said. He paused, then thought to ask, “What if I fail, at any point? Today or later on?” Azul shrugged, once again waving a hand about airily. “Oh, I just…throw a little salt on you, and then gobble you up! HA HA HA HA HA HA!” The head of Octavinelle exploded into cackling laughter…then stopped abruptly when he saw the look of absolute horror on Taoka’s face. His smile vanished and was replaced with an almost bored look. “I’m jesting, merely jesting.” “O-Oh. Right.” “It’s an audition. If you fail, you simply go back to your dorm room and have to find another avenue, like any other case such as this. As for the end of those three weeks, if you get them…” Azul smirked. “Well…we’ll worry about that if it even becomes a problem.”

“I see,” Taoka replied, and nodded in agreement. “Alright. I…I think all that sounds fair.” “Excellent,” Azul said, and put down his drink before snapping his fingers. A moment later, Jade and Floyd were suddenly sitting on either side of him on the couch; one sat straight and proper, while the other threw his heels up onto the table…at least until Azul coughed and ordered him to get them off. Floyd then rolled his eyes and obeyed. “As soon as you are ready,” Azul said, steepling his hands as he leaned back. “We’re all ears.” Taoka paused…then sighed through his nose. He had rather hoped he’d have more time to eat…but he guessed it was time to get down to business. His heart was still beating very quickly as he pulled his guitar out of its case and positioned it. He glanced repeatedly at the trio as he adjusted the strings. He had not felt this much pressure since his time onstage at the Triple-S…indeed, he wasn’t sure he had EVER felt this much pressure. Despite Azul’s words, the presence of the three higher predators made it harder for him to feel totally relaxed…and besides, just because AZUL claimed he wouldn’t do anything, that didn’t say anything about the Leech Twins. Whether he was playing for his life, or playing for a chance at a job, this was going to be perhaps the most important audition he’d ever tried. Nevertheless, as he got his guitar ready, Taoka plucked up his courage, and screwed it to the sticking place. He smiled his most daring smile at the trio, earning an arched eyebrow from each in the process. “Okay, gents,” he smirked, trying to sound his most confident, a cocksure twinkle returning to his eye as he let his mind sink into the world of his music. “Lemme lay somethin’ good on ya…” And without another word, Taoka strummed the guitar and began to play. The melody he played was strange and almost otherworldly; like something that came from the realm of the fae, or perhaps from the very depths of the ocean’s most mysterious fathoms…the music building up as he let it play on for a bit, eyes closed before he took a breath, and allowed the first lyrical notes to whisper forth, like a voice from beyond…

“It’s only forever…not long at all…lost and lonely…” Then, the music jumped into a higher gear; still mysterious, still strange, but with a certain adventurous pep, as the lyrics jumped to attention. Taoka’s voice was filled with a strange, contradictory tone: sympathetic, yet somehow mocking; not cruel, but playful… “No one can blame you, for walking away: with too much rejection, no love injection. Life can’t be easy; it’s not always swell.” His voice dropped an octave, with pain painting the words. “Don’t tell me ‘truth hurts,’ little girl…” He opened his eyes, looking down at his gloved hand. “...Because it hurts like Hell.” Then, a sly, slippery smile came to his face and he chuckled, closing his eyes once more. He shook his head to the beat as the song became slithery and inviting, almost hypnotic. “But down in the Underground, you’ll find someone true. Down in the Underground: a land serene, a crystal moon!” The smile became a grin as the music kicked up another notch, almost triumphant in nature. “Ah-ha! It’s only forever!” he almost laughed through the song. “That’s not long at all! Lost and lonely…that’s Underground! UNDERGROUND!” The final note echoed through the office…and finally, the song ended with a few last, haunting strums of the guitar. Taoka sighed…then looked towards his listeners expectantly. “Well?” he checked. “What didja think of that?”

Floyd and Jade’s eyes were very wide. They looked at each other…then back at Taoka…then grinned and applauded. “YAAAAY!” cheered Floyd. “That was short, but I was reeeeaaaaally feeling it, Crab Cake! More! I wanna hear more, c’moooon!” “An excellent display of your talent,” agreed Jade, quite serenely. “I think perhaps you could do well for the purpose of a house band. What do you think, Azul?” The player and the eel’s looked towards Azul. Taoka felt his smile falter. The octopus’ blue eyes were hidden by the glare of his glasses, making it hard to tell what he was thinking. A shadow seemed to have passed over him, which made Taoka’s anxiety kick up a notch. Finally, Azul inhaled through his nose, nostrils flaring…and applauded politely. “Very nicely sung,” he said, crisply. “I must admit, however, your guitar playing needs some work. ” “So I’ve been told,” mumbled Taoka, sourly, to himself. “Now, now, I don’t mean to say it’s bad,” smiled Azul, and his blue eyes were now visible as he leaned forward again. “But it sounded…a trifle forced, so to speak. Over-rehearsed. So much of the emotion that came from what you just gave me was gleamed from your vocals. Therefore, I think perhaps an instrumental role in the band is not for you.” Taoka felt his heart begin to sink…but that was before Azul continued speaking. “No. What I want from you is…your voice,” he almost hissed, seeming excited by the thought. “There is a dusky, smoky, yet absolutely golden quality to your singing that I think would suit the atmosphere of my Lounge just right. Especially if we give you the proper accompaniment and the best possible pieces. How would a position as the lead singer suit you?” Taoka’s heart leapt up again. His eyes widened…and an extremely wide smile stretched across his face. “The…the LEAD singer?” he checked…then, hearing his own voice break again, he immediately coughed and tried to cool down, lounging back easily in his seat and smirking it what he hoped was a nonchalant, barely-interested way. “Uh, I mean…yeah. Yeah, that sounds like a nice gig, babe. If ya think you can handle me in that role, heh heh…” Azul’s smile faded. “I think I can. But there is one condition.” “What’s that?” “Do NOT call me ‘babe.’” “Oh. Sorry. Uh…boss?” “Hmmm…boss will do,” smiled Azul, and stretched out a hand across the table. “Your trial run will begin a week from today. I’ll send you further information later, including the identities of your fellow band-mates. I imagine you’ll want to get in touch with them.” “That’d be helpful. Thanks, ba-er, boss.”

“Not at all,” Azul purred, and gave Taoka’s hand a firm squeeze before leaning in close. “Just be sure your voice remains as…appetizing to the ears as it is now, and I think there should be little trouble.” Taoka’s smile became more nervous and he nodded. He tried to pull his hand away…but Azul held it fast. The cephalo-man’s smile had become hard and sharp as a knife. “The time will be lunch hour,” he said. “I’d advise you to be punctual. Otherwise…perhaps I’ll make it into a lunch break.” Taoka gulped as Azul finally released his hand. He quickly stood up and gathered his guitar, putting it back in its case. “R-Right!” he said, and let out a somewhat hysterical little chuckle. “We-Well, uh…nice doin’ business with you all! And thanks so much!” “No thanks are necessary,” Azul said, and sipped his drink before adding, “It’s just what I do. It’s what I LIVE for: helping my fellow students, and especially underclassmen in need. As the guardian of the Sea Witch’s benevolent spirit, this is simply my way of bringing that spirit to life.” Taoka scratched the back of his head. “Right…well, uh…I guess that’s pretty nice of you.” “Yes, it is,” agreed Azul, then looked at the eels. “Now, boys? Please show him out.” Floyd and Jade got up from their seats and moved towards Taoka. Floyd gripped the demi-crab in disguise by the shoulders, and Taoka stiffened as he was then guided towards the door, which Jade opened in a courtly manner. “It was a pleasure to eat-I mean, meet you,” Jade said with a not-so-subtly teasing smile. “Make sure ya sing something super duper cool like that next time, Crab Cake!” Floyd grinned. “Don’t make me squeeze your shell off!” Before Taoka could respond to the teases, he was all but hurled out the door, stumbling as the office was shut and locked behind him. He blinked at the door…then took a deep breath, and sighed heavily, shaking his head as he hurriedly hustled back down the hall towards the main areas of the Mostro Lounge. “Never again,” he shuddered to himself, remembering those hungry stares and frightening words…but it wasn’t long till the fear left him, and a grin of purest, most delighted joy colored his face. He’d gotten the job. He’d gotten a position even better than he’d expected, in fact! He was going to be the LEAD SINGER. All the spotlight, all the attention, all the love…squarely on him and his shoulders. “I guess sometimes it’s worth taking risks,” he chuckled, and all but danced his way out of the Lounge, absolutely elated.

Even as Taoka left, however…back at the Lounge, Floyd and Jade were laughing. “AHHHH-HA-HA HA HA HA HA!” howled Floyd, clutching his chest with one hand and slapping his knee with the other. “D-Did you see his face? Did you see how SCARED he was! Awww, the poor wittle Krabby Patty, I just wanted to SQUISH him soooo much!”

“Perhaps we were a little TOO mischievous,” Jade suggested…but he clearly didn’t agree with his own sentiment, as he was stifling mad giggles between almost every word. “After all, we weren’t REALLY going to eat him.” Azul, who was still seated on the sofa, plucked a single piece of shrimp off the platter with his chopsticks. “No,” he murmured, as he inspected the piece of shrimp quietly. “No, you weren’t, were you?”

He popped the shrimp into his mouth and ate it up. As he did so, the Twins immediately stopped laughing and looked towards him. Neither had missed the word choices, nor the emphases Azul had. “Eh?” Floyd frowned, crinkling his nose. “What’re you saying it that creepy way for, huuuh?” “Creepy?” puffed Azul, indignantly. “Creepy? Me? Oh, please, I’m no worse than either of you.” “Whatever THAT means,” pouted Floyd, crossing his arms and sitting down on the opposite couch in a huff, like a sulking child. “I must admit, I’m a little surprised, Azul,” Jade said as he stood beside the same couch. “Surprised?” repeated Ashengrotto, as he took a drink of lemonade. “Well, you had said that you wanted to avoid choosing anyone without them showing proper experience onstage, before a crowd, or having any formal references,” Jade said. “Heeeey, that’s right!” Floyd realized. “In fact, I don’t think you even seemed interested until Betta Fishy toldja he was a crab!” “Well, after all,” said Azul, with a mask-like smile, “We undersea types have to stick together, regardless of dormitory boundaries.” The Twins looked skeptical. “Azul,” Jade finally asked, slowly. “Did you…agree to see him…BECAUSE he was a crab?” “I think that’s what I just implied, yes,” Azul replied, taking another sip of his drink. “That’s not what I mean,” said Jade. “I meant to ask, did you agree because he was a crab specifically, not merely a fellow ‘undersea type’?” Azul just gave a devious smile and adjusted his glasses, before lifting another piece of shrimp up. “Is that a yes? ‘Cause I don’t get it. What makes bein’ a crab so special?” Floyd frowned. “I mean, they’re just food for us, back in the ocean, aren’t they?” Azul once again said nothing. He simply popped the shrimp into his mouth and ate it. It took about ten seconds for realization to flow over the Leech Twins’ faces. “You weren’t just teasing, like we were,” Jade recognized. “He has three weeks to prove he’s worth being on my payroll,” Azul said, as if this were an obvious answer. “The way I see it, this is a win-win situation. For his part, he gets the experience and the spotlight he seems to crave. For my part, if he impresses me and our customers enough in that time, I get a good headliner for my house band. I also get a new connection to Pomefiore, and to Vil: something that could lead to some special reward. And of course, I get the credit for assisting an underclassmen in another dorm, who needed a helping tentacle.” He licked his lips subtly. “Otherwise, if he fails…well. Then I’ve earned three whole weeks of at least halfway-tolerable entertainment for my customers, all without needing to pay the lead singer a thing. And I think we all know he wouldn’t be the first student to go ‘mysteriously absent,’ the Headmage’s ‘special rules’ or not. After the disaster I heard happened at the Triple-S competition, it wouldn’t be hard to give an explanation for that absence, either, would it?” “Wow. You are…really despicable, when you wanna be, aren’tcha?” blinked Floyd. “That’s why you both stay around me,” Azul reminded him, and looked into his reflection in his glass of lemonade, a greedy glint in his eye. “Anyway, it’s time to get back to business. I want you both to start advertising the new entertainment more vigorously, and bring me people you think would serve his voice well with their talents. After all, we’re going to need more than a snack-I mean, singer, to provide a proper band.”

The End…?

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nightmare-angel-ao3 · 4 months ago

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Call Of The Ocean Poll 2

You finally have found a reef that has been untouched by sirens, so you bought what you thought was a house on the island next to the reef. When you get to the island, you find that everything is not what it seems and the mysterious call that you have all of your life is acting up in your new location.

If you wish to read the story, here is the link

#ao3 fanfic #fanfic #fanfic writing #ao3 writer #fanfiction #fanfics #ao3 link #undertale #underverse

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miralandchronicles · 17 days ago

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Art of the Roaming Fish: Wishfield Special Edition

Leisurely Anglers Florawish Branch

“Preface

If one were to name an area in Miraland renowned for its diverse and pristine fish ecology, Wishfield, adjacent to Umbraso and located within the Heartcraft Kingdom, would surely get a mention. Silken Lake, situated quietly on the southern edge of Wishfield, supports a variety of fish species. Among them are the common Bow Fish and Brushies, as well as Whisker Fish and Ribbon Eels, which are unique to the waters of Breezy Meadow. These fish, with their varied postures, provide abundant inspiration for the stylists of Wishfield.

When it comes to Silken Lake, the Ribbon Eel deserves a special mention. With its slender and delicate figure, it swims in the clear lake like a ribbon floating on the hem of a skirt. Their elegant dorsal fins and luminescent scales serve as a reference for many dress

stylists.

By studying the swimming curve of the Ribbon Eel, stylists have garnered valuable insights into the curvature and arrangement of folds in skirt hems. Using slightly transparent fabric allows the skirt to better capture and reflect the elegance and charm of the Ribbon Eel.

The art of the Wishfield fish now begins. Follow the author's steps and appreciate the ingenious natural designs of the fish here.”

Version 1.0

#breezy meadows ᯓᡣ𐭩 #leisurely anglers ᯓᡣ𐭩 #miraland logs ᯓᡣ𐭩

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thailiveabordno1 · 10 months ago

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MANTA QUEEN 7 LIVEABORD

The Manta Queen 7 offers the ultimate scuba diving liveaboard experience with 5D/4N trips on the North Andaman Route. Explore world-renowned dive sites: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock and Boon Sung Wreck.

Join the true scuba diving experience, book your trip aboard The Manta Queen 7 today!

Manta Queen 7 accommodates 22 guests in comfortable air-conditioned Twin bunk bed ensuite cabins, Double bed ensuite cabins,Twin bunk bed non ensuite cabins and 4 bunk bed non ensuite cabin. There is plenty of space to enjoy the time in between dives in the Saloon with HD-TV, the open dining area or on the large Sundeck. This liveaboard vessel is a 23 meters long and 5 meters wide wooden hull built boat that is manned with 6 Dive Staff and 8 Boat Crew. The dinghy on Manta Queen 7 gives you the opportunity to spend some time on the beautiful beaches.

Departure & Return Location

Thaplamu pier

MANTA QUEEN 7 LIVEABORD Gallery

MANTA QUEEN 7 LIVEABORD Deck Plans

What to Expect

The Similan Islands and its Whale Sharks! Liveaboard trip in this area is one of the best scuba diving experiences you will find in Thailand. Its huge granite boulders with caverns and arches, lush greenery and white sand beaches ring the nine islands, completing the view from above water. The marine ecology in this area is unparalleled, colourful schools of fish, coral reefs, and endangered species that welcome divers like the Whale Sharks or Manta Rays. Look out for such photogenic little critters as ghost pipefish, sea moths, frogfish, ribbon eels and many different nudibranchs. Koh Tachai and Koh Bon, members of the Similan Island National Park, are visited en-route to Richelieu Rock in the Surin Marine Park, and offer more Pelagics, Napoleon Wrasse and Night Diving for Macro-Critters.

Whatever your scuba diving pleasure might be, the Similan and Surin Marine Parks are the dive destinations that will satisfy your desires and give you the trip of a lifetime.

MANTA QUEEN 7 LIVEABORD DETAIL

MANTA QUEEN 7

Liveaboard Information

Join the true scuba diving experience, book your trip aboard The Manta Queen 7 today!

Diving Equipment

Full set equipment rental - 2,500 THB per trip (BCD, REG, Mask, Snorkel, Full Foot Fins, Shorty wetsuit, Torch)

Dive computer rental - 1,000 THB per trip

Drinks On Board

Drinking water, coffee, tea, electrolyte drinks are included. Sodas are 30 – 40 Baht. Beers 70 – 80 Baht.

The Food on Board

KSA Liveaboard is proud to offer the best tasting Thai-European Fusion Cuisine, freshly prepared by our onboard chefs on the whole Manta Queen Fleet. Our catering options can be adjusted for vegetarian/vegan divers as well. The use of Monosodium Glutamate is banned on all of our trips. If you are allergic to nuts or other food ingredients, please notify the staff during your check-in. All meals onboard are served freshly cooked from the onboard kitchen. Snacks and fruits are served in between dives.

Amenities & Services

Air-Conditioning

Wi-Fi (Free)

Spacious Diving Platform

Food And drinks

Lounge/TV Area

Power Socket Adapters

What's Included

All meals onboard

Water, tea, coffee, fresh fruit, soft drinks (limited) and snacks (Good to have own re-useable water bottle on trip)

Towel for shower (Suggest guests bring own towel or sarong for sun deck or to dry off on dive deck after dive)

Wifi on board (normally only at Boonsung wreck)

12-liter tanks for 11 dives - Weight belt/weights

Small group 4-5 divers : 1 dive lead

(When course is booked) PADI course E-manual and E-card Registration Fee

Round trip transfer from Khao lak area - Thaplamu pier

Round trip transfer from Phuket area - Thaplamu pier

7% VAT

Toiletries

MANTA QUEEN 7 LIVEABORD Accommodation

4 Bed Non Ensuite Cabin

Comfortable air-conditioned cabin with 4 single bunk bed.

Price: 25,000 THB per person

Room Size: 4 m²

Max. Occupancy: 4

Beds: 4 Bunk

Private Bathroom: No

Wifi on board: Yes

Air Conditioning: Yes

Twin Bed Non Ensuite Cabin

Comfortable air-conditioned cabin twin Bed with shared bathroom.

Price: 27,000 THB per person

Room Size: 3 m²

Max. Occupancy: 2

Beds: 2 Bunk

Private Bathroom: No

Wifi on board: Yes

Air Conditioning: Yes

Twin Bed Ensuite Cabin

Air-conditioned twin bunk bed cabin with en-suite bathroom.

Price: 29,000 THB per person

Room Size: 5 m²

Max. Occupancy: 2

Beds: 2 Bunk

Private Bathroom: Yes

Wifi on board: Yes

Air Conditioning: Yes

Double Bed Ensuite Cabin

Air-conditioned double bunk bed cabin with en-suite bathroom.

Price: 29,000 THB per person

Room Size: 6 m²

Max. Occupancy: 2

Beds: 1 Double

Private Bathroom: Yes

Wifi on board: Yes

Air Conditioning: Yes

MANTA QUEEN 7 LIVEABORD ITINERARY

North Andaman : 5D/4 N 15 Dives Similan–Koh Bon–Tachai–Richelieu

Day 1 - Night Departure (“General” Trip Check In on Liveaboard runs from 6pm to 8:30pm)

06.00 PM – Start Check-in & Cabin allocation on Liveaboard at Thaplamu Pier – Khao Lak 07.00 PM – General boat briefing. 07.30 PM – Dinner onboard. 08.00 PM – Equipment set up.

Day 2

07.00 AM – Wake up call 07.30 AM – Safety/Dive Briefing 07.45 AM – Dive briefing #1 “Similan Islands” 09.00 AM – Breakfast 11.30 AM – Dive briefing #2 “Similan Islands“ 01.00 PM – Lunch 03.30 PM – Dive briefing #3 “Similan Islands” 05.00 PM – Snacks 06.15 PM – Dive briefing #4 “Night Dive – Similan Islands” 08.00 PM – Dinner

Day 3

06.00 AM – Wake up call 06.30 AM – Dive briefing #5 “Similan Islands” 08.00 AM – Breakfast 10.30 AM – Dive briefing #6 “Similan Islands or Koh Bon, West Ridge” 12.15 PM – Lunch 01.45 PM – Dive briefing #7 “Koh Bon, West Ridge or Tachai Pinnacle” 03.30 PM – Snacks 05.30 PM – Dive briefing #8 “Tachai Pinnacle” 07.30 PM – Dinner

Day 4

06.00 AM – Wake up call 06.30 AM – Dive briefing #9 “Tachai Pinnacle” 08.00 AM – Breakfast 10.30 AM – Dive briefing #10 “Richelieu Rock” 12.15 PM – Lunch 01.45 PM – Dive briefing #11 “Richelieu Rock” 03.30 PM – Snacks 05.30 PM – Dive briefing #12 “Richelieu Rock” 07.30 PM – Dinner

Day 5

06.00 AM – Wake up call 06.30 AM – Dive briefing #13 “Koh Bon Pinnacle” 08.00 AM – Breakfast 11.15 AM – Dive briefing #14 “Koh Bon” 12.30 PM – Lunch 02.00 PM – Dive briefing #15 “Boon Sung Wreck” 03.15 PM – Departure briefing & Snacks 04.30 PM – Return to the pier 05.00 PM – Transfer to the check out lounge 05.30 PM – Transfer to Your Hotel

Depending on location, you’ll arrive back to your hotel in Phuket at approximately 7pm – 8:30 pm.

MAPS KSA Liveaboard 5D/4N 15Dives Trip Route Similan–Koh Bon–Tachai–Richelieu

#푸켓다이빙 #시밀란리브어보드 #푸켓 #푸켓자유여행 #만타퀸7리브어보드 #미얀마리브어보드 #푸켓리브어보드 #피피리브어보드 #태국리브어보드 #타이리브어보드 #타일랜드리브어보드 #similanliveabord #similanliveabordbooking #similanliveaboard #phuketliveaboard #phuketdive #phuketdiving #phukettour #mantaqueen7liveaboard

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tea-the-not-understanding · 11 months ago

Note

-ASF PSA WARNING-

WARNING CODE RED: The ASF is issuing a state of emergency after the recent discovery of a dangerous parasites. Please listen very carefully and follow given instructions. The organism in question resembles deceased coral often covered in small sharp barbs. These barbs are used to infect unknowing victims. As this is rather recent details on the stages of infection are slim and we will publish them fully once we have confirmation on their accuracy.

Infected individuals will report mild itchiness at the spot of infection and their skin will begin to dull. After an unknown period of time as the infection has spread throughout the blood stream pulps will begin to grow within the subjects body slowly and eventually suddenly violently erupt from their body. The subject will begin to spasm and then undergo various mutations. After this their heart will stop causing death. After some period of time the corpse will reanimate however this process is somewhat flawed and the corpse may not reanimate. The mentioned mutations are seemingly random however certain subjects share consistent features which have caused some researchers to theorize there may be certain classes of infected. Consistent features among all subjects regardless of the theorized class is the coral growth and the skin becoming more scaly.

Civilians are advised to remain indoors and avoid any locations near water. Avoid any corpses covered in coral and "scales". They may be walkers entering a rest phase and will quickly arise if disturbed. Infected subjects are to be terminated and their corpses burned. More information will be revealed but above all DO NOT PHYSICALLY INTERACT ANDDo not fight, do not resist, join us, join us, join us, join us, join, us, join , su jion su oijn us,

[CONNECTION TERMINATED]

*Shooting star looking at Electric eel, Rangoon and Ribbon eel.*

"Ah they look fine-" *checking Anglow.* "They should also be fine-"

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mitchamsocialuser · 2 years ago

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Wood Fired Pizza Restaurants in Sydney

Pizza is a staple in any meal, and Sydney has an abundance of wood fired pizza restaurants to choose from.

The best pizza in Sydney has a base and toppings that are both authentically Italian and innovatively Australian. We’re talking a mix of Neapolitan and contemporary pizzas here, so whether you prefer meat, cheese, or veggie, you can get your fix.

Glorietta

Glorietta is an uplifting new dining destination that buzzes with energy. Owner chef Aaron Crinis says the concept is all about top ingredients, impeccable service, fresh thinking and a good time.

Alexander & CO designed the 220-seat venue, zoning it to create distinct zones for different dining needs and to add interest to the entryway. A pizza oven, open kitchen and bar “ribbon the entry; creating atmosphere”.

The menu has plenty of woodfired pies topped with premium ingredients including mushrooms, gruyere cheese and broccolini spears. Also on offer is a range of pasta dishes. The gambero pizza and Tagliatelle with Italian sausage and mushroom ragu are both delicious options.

Da Mario

A stalwart of Sydney’s wood fired pizza scene, Da Mario has built a strong reputation for serving up some of the city’s finest. It is one of only a few pizza joints in Sydney that are AVPN accredited, meaning they adhere to strict rules and guidelines.

Whether you’re after the standard Margherita, with San Marzano tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella, or the salsiccia, which has homemade sausages, mozzarella, taleggio and fresh Porcini mushrooms on truffle oil and radicchio, this is the place to go.

Aside from pizza, there are salads and delectable desserts like zabaglione, savoiardi biscuits, chocolate mousse, hazelnuts, and toasted wattleseeds. It’s a seriously mouth-watering menu that’ll leave you salivating from start to finish.

La Disfida

Sydney has a rich pizza tradition and there are plenty of places in town serving up great Neopolitan-style pies. But La Disfida, a Haberfield pizza institution owned by Ruggiero Lattanzio, is a standout.

While Lattanzio has hung up his pizza paddle, new owner Peter Zuzza (whose family ran Glebe’s Mixing Pot for 25 years) has kept the tradition alive. The base is elegantly thin, the crust light and bubbly and the toppings fresh-tasting.

It’s a casual dining place suited for families as well as BYO wine-toting couples, though a large wood fire oven dominates the ground floor. Old framed Italian advertisements hang on the walls and dusty bottles of vintage wine rest on window ledges and mantles.

Verace Pizzeria

Verace Pizzeria, nestled among the office buildings of Macquarie Park, is a wood fired pizza restaurant that prides itself on sticking to authentic Neapolitan pizza-making traditions. The menu includes classics like Margherita, a salty pizza with anchovies, and fried Neopolitan street food, calzone fritta.

The place is run by Stefano Cirene, a highly decorated master pizza maker. He’s also a member of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), which has the task of verifying and certifying true Naples-style pizzerias from all over the world.

To be accredited, a pizzeria has to adhere to strict rules, such as the size of the base and the way dough is fermented, proved, and stretched. They’re also required to use the highest quality ingredients and olive oil.

Westwood Pizza

One of the few wood fired pizza restaurants in Sydney, Westwood Pizza prides itself on simplicity and uses only sustainable Aussie-grown ingredients. Their mushroom pizza and garlic-honey pizza are a must try!

Located in a cosy booth off Swanston Street, this pocket-sized pizzeria serves up some serious top-notch pies. Using 72-hour-fermented sourdough, they bake crusts that are chewy and blistered and the ideal base for shaves of San Daniele prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella.

The menu also boasts a few interesting flavour combos that aren’t too over-the-top, such as ‘nduja, ricotta and thyme; and potato and smoked eel. They’ve even got a vegan option, which is always a plus when it comes to pizza places.

#wood fired #wood fired pizza #pizza #Pizza Restaurants

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skekheck · 4 years ago

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All About the Seven Clans: The Drenchen

THIS POST CONTAINS EVERYTHING I COULD FIND ABOUT THE DRENCHEN. SOME INFORMATION WRITTEN HERE ARE FROM OLDER MATERIAL AND MAY EITHER CONTRADICT STATEMENTS OR IS NO LONGER RELEVANT. I WILL DO MY BEST TO STRING IT ALL TOGETHER AS COHERENTLY AS POSSIBLE. IF THERE IS INFORMATION THAT I AM MISSING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I’LL ADD IT!

Clan Index: Dousan Drenchen Grottan Sifa Spriton Stonewood Vapra

OVERVIEW

A clan of amphibious gelfling who lived deep within the Swamp of Sog, also called the Great Sog or simply Sog. Accustomed to both their canopies and bog, the Drenchen were skilled bola throwers, rope workers, and hunters. They were strong, proud, and above all else, known for their blunt honesty. Because they lived in a remote environment, they were isolated from the rest of Thra. Hardly any other gelfling, and not even the skeksis, dared to traverse the swamp’s treacherous grounds.

The Drenchen totem animal was the Muski and their core elements were water, the care and medicine of healing, and the blue flames of life. Their clan’s color was light blue, their sigil color was brown/blue, and their pennant colors were blue and green.

Characteristics

The Drenchen were the strongest, being sturdier and stouter than any other gelfling. They had a variety of skin tones which included green, tan, brown, and gray with undertones ranging from greens to turquoises to deep blues. Their faces had spots and speckles with very pronounced brows. Their skins were damp and sensitive to arid or dry climates. When it lost moisture, it became considerably pale. Because they spent most of their days in water, they were the most hygienic of all seven clans.

They were also the hairiest, often seen with long hair and beards. Hair color were mostly browns or green-golds with whites being an uncommon exception. Parts or most of their hair were dyed green thanks to their diet and moss and algae build up from being submerged in swamp water. They, along with beards, were almost always dreadlocked and adorned with colorful beads, ribbons, strings and other hair accessories. Light yellow and brown eyes were common with green and blue being rarer colors.

As they were amphibious, they had gills on their necks and some webbing or webbing-styled parts on their body like the ears. Drenchen only thrived in fresh water as swimming in salt water eventually stung their skin. Their wings were the smallest and heaviest of all gelfling and weren’t good for flying. Instead, they were best suited for the water which helped the Drenchen swim faster. Outside of that, their wings helped glide and buffeted them while they landed. In some iterations, their wings came in a variety of colors. As examples, Maudra Laesid’s were indigo and turquoise, Naia’s were black with iridescence, and Pemma’s were a rich green color.

Drenchen clothing were mostly green with hints of copper and gold. Blue was also adorned, although it was moreso seen on the Maudra, menders, and those with spiritual influence. Hunters, rangers, and soldiers wore armor made of tanned nebrie hide and sun-hardened pieces of apeknot bark. Unlike the other clans, all Drenchen soldiers wore the same type of armor regardless of gender. They rarely wore footwear as it wasn’t necessarily needed in an swampy environment.

Lifestyle

The Swamp of Sog had a reputation of being difficult to travel through and had a smell most outsiders found difficult to tolerate. Seasons didn’t seem to change as the temperature remained constantly humid and warm and it rained nearly every day. But Sog was rich in resources of animals and vegetation which were found all throughout. Because of the swamp’s vastness, the Drenchen were mostly hunter-gatherers with a small amount of fish farmers and gardeners. Since they had little seasonal variation, they hunted quarry based on the animal’s migration.

Most Drenchen lived within their patron tree, the Great Smerth. They carved burrows into the tree with respect and care. The burrows were large chambers that could snugly fit a family in. Of all the chambers, the greatest was the Maudra’s which was located in the center of the Great Smerth. The others lived in the canopies made of apeknot trees which were connected by interlocking branches and walking rope. They also had tunnel systems made of bark. At night the tunnels would get so dark that blue-green cave moss needed to be placed on the walls for Drenchen to see. The Stone’s Way was a noteworthy, long twisting tunnel that lead right to the Great Tree.

Within Smerth-Staba’s great halls held dream-etchings written by ancient Drenchen dream-etchers, a profession long extinct among this clan. Although they couldn’t read them, they remembered their meanings. Songtellers were also non-existent. While songs of historical and cultural importance were preserved, the Drenchen didn’t believe in wasting their time with fanciful stories around the hearth. They saw it as mere distractions, much preferring hard-talk and action.

Apeknot Trees

The apeknot trees were an important part of the swamp the Drenchen relied on. Their leafy canopies, which were known as the High Road (sometimes called the High Way), helped the Drenchen travel through the swamp. The Low Road (or Low Way) were the swampy floors of the Sog, which were less traversed thanks to its unforgiving obstacles of raised tree roots, peaty mounds, quicksand, gas vents, and changing water channels. In spite of that, the Low Road were the Drenchen’s hunting grounds.

At a young age, they were taught how to scale the trees as well as read the stability of the branches and the distances between them. They also used walking ropes if the branches were strong enough to support their weight. Gelfling who had wings used the branches to leap and glide farther distances or slow their descent to the swamp floor.

Not only were the canopies used as a roadway, but also for houses and hanged gardens. The flowers bloomed all trine round but still required constant care if gardeners wanted them to bear fruit at the right time.

During the autumn seasons when the apeknots drooped, the Drenchen played a game called pole-vaulting dashes. They’d swing on the branches to see who can get to the goal the fastest. It was normally played by older Drenchen though childlings would join in.

The apeknot trees extended all the way out from the heart of the swamp. But the farther it went, the smaller the trees gradually became. The edges of the apeknot trees were called the Tall Pass and beyond it fell into the marshland.

Daily Routine

A morning in the Swamp of Sog started with the sound of a drum. The first drummer would use the arms of the Great Smerth to signal a new day. After the first beat the rhythm increased until it sounded like a Gelfling’s heartbeat which will then be followed by more drummers. The drums were not just for the gelfling but for all life in the swamp as the birds began to sing, nebrie rose from the surface, and diurnal flowers bloomed. The drums would remain a backdrop throughout the Sog for the entire day until night time and drummers were cycled in shifts.

It represented community and helped the Drenchen with their tasks. Carpenters and metalworkers moderated their strikes to the beat, fish farmers and waterbed gardeners felt the trembling beneath the water, and hunters followed the sound of the drums so they were never lost. There were also signal drums that communicated simple terms and phrases to rangers from afar. The drums within the Great Smerth were fastened into clusters and some were so big drummers had to use their spears to beat them. The drumheads themselves were sturdy enough that they never scarred.

The Drenchen population was particularly large, even said to rival that of the Spriton and Stonewood. Most spent their days hunting, fishing, or gathering vegetation and were often had to go far from their homes. To keep track of everyone, a highly organized system was put into place. When tasks were performed, small groups were sent out which reported to leaders in larger groups. The Drenchen Maudra held a council with elders dedicated to certain responsibilities. The elder responsible for managing hunting parties, for example, had their own small council of up to six gelfling, who each had several hunting parties and led by a captain. This helped morale as smaller groups were inspired to work towards a greater purpose.

Muskis

Muskis were flying eels that inhabited the swamp. They never stopped growing and could get big enough for gelfling to ride on it. Their specialty was helping hunters catch quarry when the environment proved too difficult for them. Muskis bonded for life with their owners so they took part in Drenchen life and culture, including travel, sleeping, and dining. There was a deep level of trust between a Drenchen and their muski. They relied on each other for signals of danger or safety.

Muskis were very particular with which gelfling they chose. Although there was some predictability with their choices, it was never precise. The timbre of a gelfling’s voice was the biggest deciding factor. They had very sensitive hearing and were able to pick up nuances in sound. Certain markings and spots on the muski indicated what type of voice appealed the most to the eel. Muskis also preferred family bloodlines. They would have offsprings several times during their lifetime and those offspring would favor the children of the muski owner. Muski bonding was considered a profession among the Drenchen and were performed mostly, but not always, by elders.

Diet

The Drenchen had a varied diet of fish, game, insects, lichens, tadpoles, fruits, and vegetables. Fish were a very popular choice and often seen in meals, especially during the spring. Notable fish were the ymir-fish and blindfish, the latter of which were considered a delicacy. Fish were kept within underwater fisheries below the Great Smerth, which provided them safe habitats and helped fish farmers keep track and moderate their populations.

Vegetation was also plentiful as plants bloomed all trine long. The most noteworthy of Sog’s vegetation was the similarly named Sogflower. The flowers only opened when certain fluctuation of water levels were met. They bloomed for a short time as it was too heavy for the stems to support it. Drenchen gathering parties would fill big pouches of soglfower stamens to bring home. Then the pollen was fermented and turned into the popular beverage sogflower wine. The sogflower also had medical purposes which helped prevent infections. Sogflower wine itself was used generously to cure illnesses, as it calmed the body and mind while simultaneously promoted hydration.

Other Drenchen foods included alfen fruits, mushroom wing-frond, and nebrie milk dumplings. The Drenchen often seasoned their foods with a variety of things like furry algae.

Dining Customs

Drenchen were very community-oriented and dining was seen as an important social event. They had dotraba or “big tables” which small groups (usually families but also anyone who was invited) would sit together. Dishes were prepared in bountiful quantities on large platters where everyone at the table used and fed one another. On special occasions, all the Drenchen would gather in the Great Smerth’s dining hall for dodotraba or “very big tables”. Dishes were brought one at a time by the kitchen chefs and would continuously be replaced once they were finished. When sated with their meals, gelfling relieved the kitchen crew by taking their place so they could eat. This tradition had a deeper meaning as it represented the cycle of life and death. The Drenchen ate only using skewers and their hands, as they believed feeling their food was part of the experience with the other senses smell, taste, and sight.

After dining (if applicable) gelfling would thank and give a prayer to the kitchen staff, servers, and musicians. This was performed by slapping their hands over their heads and bowing. They would then help with cleaning. When the nightly rain came, they would take the dishes and stick them out in wicker cradles upon balconies to wash. Any food particles that fell off were eaten up by the critters waiting below.

Hard-Talking

Hard-talking was the Drenchen term of speaking without metaphor or hesitation and with an emphasis on honesty. It evolved around speaking one’s mind on a topic, to be heard and/or listened to with the promise that judgment would be held. Although the Drenchen prided themselves on being blunt and straightforward, they didn’t always used hard-talk and were as polite as any other gelfling. Hard-talk was mostly seen as a communication strategy during serious debates and allowed them to say something others were reluctant to say.

It was a very valued skill, especially among the elders within the elder’s council. When hearings became challenging, an elder initiated hard-talk. It had a great impact on decision-making. While outsiders might have seen it as something that caused conflict and strife, it had the opposite effect. Hard-talk strengthened trust in leadership and kept power dynamics in check.

Spring Festival

The Drenchen used traditional gelfling festivals to mark the seasons. There were non-seasonal festivals as well, such as the rain and hunting festivals (the latter in which a Drenchen would compete using either a spear or bola) None were more celebrated than the spring festival. Spring was particularly important as it not only marked the new trine but also saw a large abundance of flora and fish, especially the beloved sogflower and blindfish. Drenchen spring festivals were remarked as the most beautiful as the Great Smerth and canopies were decorated with thousands of flowers in every color. It took all the younglings to secure their heavy weight with rope on the traditional flower garlands.

In place of their mother, the Maudra’s successor was the one that greeted and addressed the clan during festivals.This was a way to ease them into the role of maudra when their time came. After addressing the gelfling, the successor would descend from the maudra’s balcony to light hearth at the foot of the Greath Smerth. When the fire was lit, the festivities began.

Younglings played competitive games like feather-dart throwing and rope swinging while adults enjoyed sogflower wine. Even Great Smerth itself was said to be alive during the spring festival as its heartwood echoed the sound of music and birds. Dancing, dining, and music would go on throughout the day and night until dawn. The next day after would be a day of rest granted to the entire clan. It was in observance of spring and the joyous activities the night before.

The Color Blue

Blue was a very sacred color to the Drenchen. It may have originated from the tale of the Six Sisters. The sister that founded the Drenchen clan was given the elements of water and the blue flames of life to preserve. Or it could have started from the tradition passed down by Maudra Ipsy the Blue Stone Healer. She created the blue stone hammer made from the similarly named common and extremely dense rock found in the swamp. It had multiple uses in construction and ritual purposes as well as a popular gift. Maudra Ipsy also commemorated the tradition of passing the title of Blue Stone Healer and the maudra cape from once successor to the next.

The color was commonly used in weaving, paintings, and other Drenchen art. Artisans had roughly 90 dyes they used which was referred as a rainbow of blues. Blue was used to illustrate important elements and other things of mystical or spiritual nature. Fire, which represented the spirit and third eye, was considered one of the most important elements and was frequently seen in Drenchen work. Colorists created special paint for it, made out of a mineral called vliyaka (named after gelfling magic), so that its depictions shimmered in a dark rich blue. Blue paints were otherwise made from fruits, vegetables, pollens, and other minerals. Other notable depictions were the Crystal, water, the sky, stones, celestial bodies, and gelfling. Drenchen gelfling were always colored in blue but so could gelfing of other clans depending on what role they played in the narrative.

Blue had many other meanings and usages. The maudra’s chambers were filed with hundreds of wood medallions of protection, each with a sigil inscribed with blue ink. When the sky above Sog was clear and blue, it was called mystic smiles and was seen as a blessing in a climate that constantly rained. Those with blue eyes were regarded as having mystical influence.

Waterfasting

Waterfasting was a form of meditation observed mostly by elders but other Drenchen joined when invited. The ritual was performed in the morning and evening and they stood waist deep in water. They imitated dreamfasting with their hands flattened across the surface of the water, eyes closed, and hummed to themselves . Waterfasting was a symbolic communion with the water and to try and hear the song of Thra. It was also an attempt to understand the hearts and minds of other creatures as dreamfasting could only be performed between gelfling.

The Art of Healing

Healing magic or vliyaya was mostly seen among the Drenchen. Gelfling who carried this gift were called menders or simply healers. It, like other gelfling magic, took the form of blue light or flames. Not all Drenchen had this ability, but it was also fairly common. The gift could come at a young age, and more remarkably, younglings were able to become masters of it. Healing was always taught by an elder where students learned to control and focus their abilities. With the right mentor and great care taken, menders were capable of healing the worst injuries. The origin of their healing power was unknown, but a popular Drenchen myth believed it was a gift bestowed upon by the Great Smerth Tree when they made Sog their home.

Spear Breaking

The spear was a Drenchen’s weapon of choice right next to the bola. It was both used for hunting and ceremony. The spearhead represented spirituality (being made from blue stone) while the wooden shaft represented mortality. They were crafted by their bearers under the supervision of an elder who would then inscribed sigils onto the shaft. The sigils were for bodily protection against injury, illness, and other physical harm. Spearheads were left unscribed as any scratches left were temporary. Instead, marks received during hunts and rituals were immortalized with blue dye.

When the wooden shaft eventually cracked or bent, the tradition of spear breaking occurred. The ritual was short and observed by the bearer’s closest friends. The Drenchen would snap the spear and removed the spearhead, discarding the broken shaft into the lake so it rejoined with Thra. It was ritualized by the following incantation:

Bend to my hand and break Thra, my body take Renew me now my mind Leaving the old behind.

When a Drenchen died, their spear was ceremonially broken by the Maudra. It was then hung in the canopy of the Great Smerth as proof of their spiritual influence within the community. It was said that when the wind blew one could hear the spreadheads’ low, gentle song.

Smerth-Staba, the Drenchen Hometown

Other known names were the Great Smerth, Sogwood Tree, and Glenfoot Tree. It was characterized by its air-filled vasculatures which the Drenchen made their homes in. Several songs told it was actually a giant apeknot tree, whether as an individual or made up of multiple. The more common belief was that it was the parent of all the other apeknots.

One other particular song was Ipsy and the Great Seed. It cited that Maudra Ipsy planted Smerth-Staba although other versions claimed Mother Aughra did. In the song, Ipsy and her clan arrived in Sog but the hazardous rising water level endangered their lives. Ipsy braved the swamp, promising she would come back in three days, and find a way to save her clan. When she returned, she came back with a seed and planted it just before her entire clan drowned. The tree grew rapidly and repelled all the gelfling into the water. As a gift for planting it, the Great Tree gave them gills so they could survive in the swamp. The Drenchen promised to take care of their tree as it, in return, promised to protect them.

Thrice a trine the Drenchen Maudra sung a hymn in honor of the Great Smerth which was performed on the balcony and witnessed by the entire clan. It was to pay homage to it for the protection it provided to them.

In the J.M. Lee book series, when Naia returned to her hometown she found that the tree had been severely sickened by the darkening. Later, skekSa the Mariner burned the Great Smerth to lure her and Gurjin out as a last ditch effort to capture them. Maudra Laesid, using her entire life force, created a new tree from the remnants of the Great Smerth to trap the skeksis inside.

Relationships With the Other Clans and the Skeksis

Before the Alliance of the Crystal formed, the Drenchen worked together with other gelfling clans and served on the Gelfling Council. Once they settled in the Swamp of Sog, they became isolationists who grew to keep to themselves. They had no reason to go out and trade for supplies as they had all the resources they needed (even if material like metal were hard to come by). However, on rare occasions, Drenchen were allowed to travel outside of Sog.

Because of the swamp’s reputation, the Drenchen barely saw outsiders. Even the skeksis never bothered entering the swamp, even at the loss of tithes and census ceremonies. So much like the Grottan and Dousan, the skeksis had little influence on their lives. That being said, they weren’t completely off the hook. The Drenchen were still recruited as guards at the Castle of the Crystal. Despite their overall strength, recruitment was rare because either letters were hard to deliver or it was hard for the skeksis to keep track of their population. They also likely had prayers and rituals based around the skeksis.

The only known relationship the Drenchen had, and that wasn’t saying much, was with their neighbors the Spriton. On a surface level, the two maintained the idea of being good border allies. But hidden underneath was a growing tension, most likely cultivated by the skeksis to keep them apart. This escalated in the book series as the two clans were about to go to war with each other. Thanks to Naia and her friends, these tensions were quelled.

Drenchen were often misunderstood for their desire for honesty and meaning surrounding hard-talk and seen as rude and self-centered. With the swamps stinky reputation, other gelfling tacked that onto the Drenchen believing they were unhygienic and uncultured. The Drenchen in turn held certain stereotypes about other clans and acted coldly towards them, like the Vaprans. Outsiders tended to nickname the Drenchen “soglings”.

Notable Drenchen Members

Naia: Eldest daughter of Maudra Laesid who was gifted with healing magic. When word arrived that her twin brother Gurjin went missing and it centered around the “traitor” Rian, Naia went on a quest to find him. She was next in line to become the Drenchen maudra. Along with her family, she joined the resistance and appeared at the second battle of Stone-in-the-Wood to fight the skeksis.

Gurjin: Twin brother of Naia. Once a castle guard at the Castle of the Crystal, he was the first to learn about the truth behind the skeksis from Rian and helped him escape. He later took part in the resistance and, along with his family, stood against the skeksis at the second battle of Stone-in-the-Wood.

Maudra Laesid the Blue Stone Healer: The Drenchen maudra during the late Age of Division and known for her incredible healing powers. She had a calm but no-nonsense attitude and cared deeply for her children. It was learning what the skeksis did to them did she, along with Maudra Fara, disapproved All Maudra Seladon’s ascension to the throne and waged war against the lords.

Bellanji: Husband of Maudra Laesid and father of Naia, Gurjin, Pemma, and Eliona. He temporary accompanied Naia on her quest until he became injured by a darkened Nebire and had to stay behind at Great Smerth.

Eliona: Middlest daughter of Maudra Laesid and Bellanji. Like her mother and older sister, she was gifted with healing powers.

Pemma: Youngest daughter of Maudra Laesid and Bellanji.

Elder Kartak: A Drenchen who lived late Age of Harmony and early Age of Division. He served on Maudra Carn’s council as her advisor. He was initially skeptical of the skeksis when their ambassador offered protection in exchange for gelfling weapons.

Ipsim Vlisabi-Nara: Also known as Ipsy the Blue Stone Healer and, in some iterations, Maudra Mesabi-Nara of the Deep. She was believed to be the first Drenchen to inhabit the swamp, the one to have planted the seed that would eventually become Smerth-Staba, and creatied the blue stone hammers.

Maudra Elaia: A Drenchen Maudra who lived during an unknown time within the Age of Division.

[Sources: Song of the Seven Gelfling Clans, the official Dark Crystal website, Shadows of the Dark Crystal, Song of the Dark Crystal, Tides of the Dark Crystal, Flames of the Dark Crystal, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance: An Epic Return To Thra, Creation Myths, Author Quest: The Gelfling Gathering, Heroes of the Resistance, the Dark Crystal Bestiary]

#the dark crystal #dark crystal #drenchen #gelfling #all about the seven clans #my posts

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roundtheworldrambles · 4 years ago

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Koh Lipe, Thailand

Day 150 - Penang to Koh Lipe, Thailand

I woke up early in the morning to make my way to the ferry terminal, embarking on a boat heading north to Langkawi, then onwards to Thailand. The guesthouse’s night manager was just getting off his shift as I checked out, and kindly gave me a ride to port on the back of his scooter. The cool morning air was hazy and smoky, with remnants of firecrackers strewn about the street from the Chinese New Years celebrations the night before.

Crossing the Border by Ferry!

We headed north for about 3 hours along the straights of Malacca before our ferry pulled into port at Langkawi, a picturesque archipelago in the Andaman Sea, made up of over 100 different islands. Kuah Jetty on Langkawi was abuzz with travellers streaming in every direction, and it took me awhile to locate passport control to be cleared in advance to leave Malaysia by sea. This was only the second time I have ever crossed a border by water, and it was quite a different feeling! In a small office on the second floor of the ferry terminal, I had to surrender my passport for about an hour while I waited in a small holding area packed with other passengers. When it came time for our ferry ride, our passports were returned and we were led through the centre of the ferry terminal in single file, lest we be lost enroute to our boat! The ferry ride itself was also a bit strange – an enclosed space, with the windows painted over so we could not see outside for the final 2 hours to Koh Lipe.

First Sight of Koh Lipe

Stepping into the afternoon sunshine upon on our arrival to Koh Lipe, the long day of travel was immediately worth it, as we had arrived to tropical paradise. Thailand’s southernmost island, Koh Lipe is very small and can easily be walked from one end to the other. It is also so tiny that it doesn’t have a pier! Our ferry anchored offshore as we awaited Thai long-tail boats to putt up alongside us, transporting passengers across the turquoise shallows to shore.

Walking Street in Koh Lipe

After a chaotic wave of beachside customs (in bare feet!), my passport was stamped, and I was officially in Thailand! Hitching up my pack, I meandered along Pattaya Beach and through the walking street, quickly arriving at Bloom Café and Hostel, my home for the next 4 nights. After checking in and changing into a more heat-friendly outfit, I began to wander the laneways, looking for a bite to eat among the food stalls and cafes. Koh Lipe is very pedestrian friendly, with no cars, and only a few motorbikes used for deliveries and luggage. It was immediately a refreshing change of pace. I grabbed a large fresh fruit smoothie and wandered along Pattaya Beach, hundreds of brightly coloured long-tail boats bobbing just offshore. As the sun began to go down, I stopped for a bite to eat at one of the beachside cafes under a canopy of swaying palms, feeling completely relaxed.

Pattaya Beach

Day 151 – Koh Lipe

I woke early in the morning on my first full day in Koh Lipe, walking the short distance to Sunrise Beach to watch the day break. Shop owners and vendors were already up and about in the near-dark, swiftly organizing wares in their stands, from fresh tropical fruit and handicrafts, to Thai pants and freshly caught fish.

Fish Vendors in Koh Lipe

As the hazy, pink sun rose over the Andaman Sea, the humidity and heat quickly intensified. I walked along the length of the beach, watching hundreds of moored longtail boats cast long shadows across the rippled sand. These traditional boats have become synonymous with travel to Thailand, and are much photographed due to their iconic wooden frame, brightly painted hulls, and decorations of garlands, ribbons and flowers on the prow.

Historically these boats were made entirely by hand, with the craft passed down from generation to generation. In Thailand, there is a widespread belief that spirits are found throughout all aspects of life, and this is no exception with the longtail boats. There is a belief that every tree has a guardian spirit, and when it was cut down to build the boat, the spirit continues to live in the body of the boat and protect it. There is also a belief in a water spirits and a spiritual goddess of boats. Thus, all of the decorative ribbons, garlands and flowers on the boat prows are intended to pay honour and respect to these spirits, who in turn ensure safe voyage and prosperous fishing. As I meandered along the beach, there was something mesmerizing about watching these decorative sashes and garlands sway in the morning breeze. As the island began to wake up, the calm of the sunrise was replaced by the whir of longtail engines getting started. Most of these boats are powered by converted car engines, attached to a 2-meter “tail” with a propeller at the end. Standing at the stern of the boat, captains pull the motor from side to side, manoeuvring their boats over the shallow coral reef.

I returned my guesthouse and tucked into a delicious smoothie acai bowl, before heading out to the beach for the day, with not a plan in the world aside from some reading and R&R, as I was planning to go diving for the following two days. I was incredibly grateful for such a perfect day in paradise.

90% of my Koh Lipe Diet

Day 152-153 – Diving on Koh Lipe

I spent the following two days in Koh Lipe scuba diving with Adang Sea Divers. Thailand had been a place where I had wanted to go for diving for years – and it did not disappoint! Just beneath the turquoise waters offshore was an incredible rainbow of coral, home to over 25% of the world’s tropical fish! I was glad to have had such thorough training in Australia a few months earlier, as my experience diving in Thailand was much more informal, where they expected me to already know what I was doing!

Attempt at an Underwater Selfie

The first day of diving, my guide Max took me on my first drift dive around the nearby island of Koh Yang. This was much more challenging for me than I expected, as I was unused to the currents and kept automatically kicking my flippers. The result was me using up my oxygen very quickly – to the point where I needed to use Max’s secondary respirator so I didn’t run out of air. Given that we were 16 m underwater, the situation in and of itself also made me breathe harder! I was very thankful for all of the emergency underwater drills I had recently done in my SSI course, as I was able to switch respirators underwater without a hitch. Our second dive at Pattaya Corner was much better, as I practiced breathing more slowly and regularly, maintaining my depth, and relaxing my body as the tidal currents moved us along the wall of coral. Max later told me that the tides were particularly strong as we were nearing the full moon! On this day, a few cool underwater creatures we saw were: blue dragon nudibranch, sea slugs, and cleaner shrimp.

On my second day of diving, I went out with Becky, a Brit who had permanently relocated to Thailand. Since I had gotten my “sea legs” and comfort back the previous day, I enjoyed myself more on this day’s dive, and appreciated the sealife and incredible coral around me more. On our two dives at Steps and Koh Talu, we were lucky enough to see an incredible range of sealife: Cuddlefish, Seahorses (one of which was pregnant!), a Moray Eel, Dragonfish, Gorgonian Fan corals, Barrel Sponge corals, Bubble Coral, reef crabs, more nudibranches, Coral Cat Sharks, and Durban Dancing Shrimp. It was an absolutely incredible day, and I was in complete awe of tall the underwater life I had seen. On our boat ride back to Koh Lipe, we saw some local fisherman, using an unusual technique to fish – while using a barrel of sand to weigh them down, they would dive off the edge of a boat, holding onto a long hose for oxygen as they fished, or gathered other seafood from the ocean floor.

On my final evening, I picked up delicious Thai takeout at a local stall, and walked over to Sunset beach to catch the final rays of sun over the Andaman Sea. Heading back to my guesthouse, I crashed almost immediately – happily exhausted after the past 2 days of diving!

#thailand

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angst-fairygodmother · 5 years ago

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The Sweet Kiss of Seafoam (a Geralt x Jaskier Little Mermaid AU)

A/N: Alright, if I stare at this any longer I’m going to do something dumb like delete the doc and start over. So here it is. Presenting: my entry to @the-winter-witcher‘s 2k follower writing challenge! Or part 1 of 2 of it anyway. Chosen prompt: “I’ve run out of words my song, just let me die, me die” Word count: 2793 Content Warning: None Now cross-posted to AO3: here

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Once upon a time, in the depths of the ocean, there lived a kingdom of merfolk. These merfolk were completely isolated from the surface, but thrived in their watery domain. There were many architects, sculptors, and other artists who were held in high esteem in the kingdom, but the most cherished and lauded of all the merfolk was the youngest prince, whose name was all but forgotten by the world who called him Jaskier, after the cheerful yellow flowers they had seen on their visits near the human lands.

Young Prince Jaskier was energetic and friendly, a lover of fine things and adornments, always eager to hear some new story from his people who roamed, desperate to go on grand adventures, to see more of the ocean and learn of the human lands. Sometimes he even wished he could explore their lands himself, or at least go to the shore and see the blossoms which his nickname made him into. But where his heart truly lay was in music. Gifted with instruments and voice, he sang so often there were jokes that he could not speak, and all who heard him were enthralled by the beauty he wove from sound.

His father, a widower, and his grandmother and his many brothers all loved the young prince very much, and wanted nothing more than to protect him and keep him safe beside them for all his days. But as he grew older, he became more curious and full of daydreams and his every song became about the world above. Knowing how important it had become to him, they agreed that for one night only, as a gift on his sixteenth year, he would be granted an escort of three of the best warriors, to take him to see the surface, but he could only glimpse if from afar, for fear that humans might see him.

On that fateful day, Jaskier could not contain his excitement as he flited from place to place, waiting impatiently for the time they would set out. Once they had, he carried on for the entire journey, speculating on what they would see and repeatedly stating what he was most excited for (which was never the same thing twice), much to his guards’ amused annoyance.

When they surfaced, Jaskier finally fell silent with a gasp, so awestruck that he found himself at a total loss for words. Above their heads, great ribbons of light danced through the starry night sky. The curtains of eerily glowing greens and purples and blues waved and warped through the pinprick lights in a haunting echo of the pattern of the water that the four merfolk floated in.

None of them had ever heard of such a thing in any tale of the world, and while Jaskier wanted nothing more than to stay there, entranced by it forever, his guards bristled defensively.

“We should retreat, Your Highness,” one of them cautioned.

“It could be some sort of devilish enchantment,” the second continued.

“Don’t be silly,” Jaskier finally breathed. “Nothing evil could be so…incredible.”

“Still, we should keep moving if you want to see land before we must escort you back.”

Reluctantly, Jaskier lowered his eyes from the strange lightshow and followed as his guards led him across the waves.

The sight of the great coastal city as the dawn broke behind it was equally as awestriking as the aurora had been. The whitewashed stone houses were dip-dyed in hues of pink and golden in the morning light, windows sparkling like an inlay of diamonds. The gentle breeze carried the expected smells of sound and sea, but also brought ones he had never encountered before but made his mouth water all the same: sweet fruits, the sour tang of baking bread, the rich smoke of cooking meats. From somewhere within, a dog barked. Overhead a gull cried. The church bells began their gentle morning peal, sonorous and striking. It was a symphony and a muse at once. People stirred all about as they watched from their distant vantage. And the young prince fell in love.

Jaskier took a deep breath and tried to quell the fear aching in his gut as he swam into the darkness of the Sea Witch’s lair, the thorns which made up the cavern around him reaching out as if to grab him, tearing at his fins and skin like teeth. No matter how much he had pleaded, his father and grandmother had refused to let him return to the surface, to help him follow his great dream. And so he had journeyed, a last resort, to the Sea Witch’s home, and he was determined not to let anything get in his way.

“Why have you come Mer-Prince?” a voice boomed, echoing around him before he had made it far from the entrance.

“I seek the Sea Witch. I…I need her help,” he called back, hating the tremor in his voice.

“Then you shall have it,” the voice around him laughed and the thorns withdrew suddenly, as if called back. “Enter.”

He stayed the course before him as best he could in the pitch-blackness. Just when he began to fear that he would be swimming in ink forever, the way opened up into a broad cavern, lit by the soft green glow of phosphorescence. At its center, lounged like a queen, on a throne made of the bow of a wrecked ship, cushioned with waterlogged purple velvet, sat the Sea Witch.

She was pale, almost the white of bone that had been stripped clean of blood and flesh and polished over time. Her lower half was less a mermaid and more an eel with tattered vertical flukes and mottled green and brown flesh. Her face was gaunt but somehow still beautiful, all sharp angles and hard lines. Her eyes were silvery, molten and hot and reflective in the algae’s glow. As he watched, he realized that what he thought was hair was actually long, dark tendrils of a jellyfish, swirling about her head like a deadly cloud. Violent red lips curled back around a needle-toothed smile.

“Please,” he asked, trying to be brave as he bowed low to her. “My name is Julian, though all who know me call me Jaskier. I am one of the Princes of the Merfolk and I have come to ask a favor of the mighty Sea Witch.”

“Oh? And what would one of the great Merfolk need of me?” she asked, sonorous voice tinged in mockery.

“I wish to be human, for a time, so that I might explore the surface world and learn of its wonders.”

She laughed, and Jaskier felt a heat creeping across his face and neck. Much to his discomfort, the laughter continued for some time before finally she stopped, leveling her unnerving gaze at him as if she could see into his heart.

“Tell me Little Fish, why should I help you do this?”

“Because it is all my heart desires. I would give you anything in return for this.” He spoke without thinking, uncaring of the consequences.

“I will do you this favor, then,” the Sea Witch purred, a predatory smirk dancing on her features. “I will give you legs Little Fish, for as long as you like, and your fins shall return when you again touch the ocean of your birth. But if during your time on shore, you give your heart to another, and they do not return your love, your voice belongs to me, forever.”

Jaskier gulped. He knew that a deal with the Sea Witch always came at cost, but he hadn’t thought she would take that which was most precious to him. Still, he reasoned, his time on the surface would not be long and if he was careful, he would not risk his heart or his voice. So he agreed to the Sea Witch’s deal, offering her a drop of his blood to seal the contract.

With a few muttered words and a wave of her hands, the deed was done.

“You have twelve hours to reach land, Little Fish, lest you find yourself below the waves with useless feet and mortal lungs.” She laughed at this and he darted from her lair.

He did not have time to go back to his home, to say goodbye or collect any things. Instead, as soon as he had passed the Maelstrom that guarded the Sea Witch’s domain, he shot for the surface, swimming desperately until he broke through the waves, feeling a strange new burning in his lungs. Stars whorled above him, more than he had seen the first time or ever dreamed there could be in the sky; he sucked in a deep breath and fought hard the urge to just float on his back and stare at them until the sun rose. But he had heard enough stories of drowned men that he knew not to, pushing in a direction he hoped was shore, hoped he could reach in time. The sun began to peak over the horizon to his right, and on he swam. It rose high in the sky, beating down on him, burning his skin, so unused to its rays, and still he kept going. Never before had swimming been a challenge, a struggle.

He felt sore and more exhausted than he ever had when he finally dragged himself out of the surf. The sand beneath burned as badly as the sun but he was beyond caring. No sooner had he dropped to rest on the shore when his body convulsed, a piercing agony splitting through him like a thousand knives. He thought he might have screamed, but it became too much and his world fell to darkness.

When next young Jaskier woke, he was laying in an unfamiliar place. Every inch of his being ached, despite the softness of the mattress he rested on, the blanket draped gently over him. Blinking in the bright yellow light, he struggled to sit when a gentle hand pressed against his shoulder, guiding him to lie back down.

“You should remain lying down,” the voice was soft, sweet, feminine. “I don’t know how you ended up on our beach, especially so…bare, but you were in quite bad shape.”

“Where am I?” he croaked, voice rough from disuse, letting himself sag beneath her touch.

“Oh! You’re in Castle Lettenhove. My maid and I found you when we were out for our evening stroll. We thought you were dead at first!”

He nodded as if her naming of a location meant anything to him, and his head spun at the small movement. “Well, as you can see, I am not.”

“No, but you were badly burnt in the sun, and likely to be sick from the heat. You are welcome to rest here until you have recovered, and we’ll find you clothing that will fit since whatever happened to you – you don’t have to tell me, I will not pry – it destroyed everything you might have been wearing before.”

“Thank you,” he said softly, “that is very kind.” She spoke to him for a while, utter nonsense to him (more likely gossip about lands and people he knew nothing of he suspected) and gradually her dulcet tones lulled him back into a healing sleep.

The next time he woke, there was an older man leaning over him, inspecting him, and he jumped, shrinking away from the shrewd gaze under bushy eyebrows.

“Do not worry,” he said evenly. “I am a mage, a healer currently in the service of the masters of this castle. I just need to see how your burns and scrapes are doing.”

Jaskier nodded reluctantly, still feeling distrust for the man, but knowing that healers were overall good, and that he desperately needed the care.

The pattern continued for a week. Jaskier would sleep, waking occasionally to eat or drink water. Most times, it was the young woman who tended him with her soft touch and sweet smile and her musical voice. Occasionally, he would wake to the inspection of the healer, and it would leave him feeling unsettled, as if the man guessed more of Jaskier’s nature than was safe.

After a time, it was deemed that he could begin to move about. The first morning, the woman, Mirina she had introduced herself as, brought him a billowy white shirt and blue pants, blushing slightly as she offered them to him.

“I had to guess at your sizing,” she explained. “But these are some of my brother’s old things and they should fit you. I hope they’re not too heavy on your wounds…”

He smiled gratefully and threw back the blanket to stand, causing her to shriek and throw up her hands.

“Have I done something wrong?” he asked, tilting his head in puzzlement at her obvious distress.

“Yes!” her voice was high and tight and he frowned at having caused such a change to come over her. “You’re not wearing anything yet! I don’t know how things are done in whatever strange place you came from, but you can’t just…expose yourself to me!”

“Oh. My apologies,” he crooned, trying to set her at ease again. “I will cover myself over again until you leave the room then?”

She nodded rapidly, the red blush still patently obvious across her ears and neck and the bits of her face that peaked out from behind her hands. “Yes. Yes that would be good.”

Despite this incident, things were not awkward between the two young people. She stayed at his side, letting him lean upon her while he got used to the feeling of taking steps on feet, which he pretended was unsteadiness caused by his injuries and time abed and she resolutely did not mention the oddness of his repeated reminding her of that.

He learned that Mirina was a countess, and while the word itself meant nothing to him, he understood it to be a title of importance. And so he marveled at her willingness to spend her precious time with him, a boy whom to her knowledge was nothing and no one. It was one of many things about her that he marveled at if he was being honest, like her kindness and her beauty and her quick wit.

Soon, their friendship turned to romance, and one night, after a picnic on the very beach where she had found him, they had entwined, and she had taught him many things about how human pleasure (or maybe female pleasure, he didn’t know or dare to ask) differed from his own.

“Dandelion,” she murmured, wrapped in his arms later that evening, after several vigorous lessons. “You know that this cannot be, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?” he asked faux-innocently. Then with a chuckle he added, “I’d say it already is and has been.”

She sat up quickly then, one hand planted on his chest so she could stare back down into his blue eyes with a near-identical pair.

“I am serious. I am to marry a lord from a neighboring land, and while I may not ever love him, I will be a good wife, and that means I cannot love you either. I’m sorry.”

“Oh.” He felt something bubbling in his chest and the air felt like it was pulled from his lungs. He sat up too now, bringing strong arms up to steady her as he did. He looked away from her, trying to crush the wide-eyed fright he felt.

“Jaskier…” her voice was something like a sigh or a groan but not quite either.

He sat in silence for a moment, swallowing several times and waiting.

“Maybe…maybe we should just head back inside…” he finally said.

Relief washed over him; he still had a voice. And yet, he sombered; he was going to lose the thing that was becoming precious to him, even if he did not love her yet.

It was not long after that when Mirina married Lord Vaughn, from some inland holding, and Jaskier attended the wedding, dressed in red and blue. Their romance had ended the night on the beach, almost as quickly as it had begun. Seeing how proud she was of her wedding, he felt happy for her, and genuinely wished her well as she boarded the carriage to her honeymoon and the start of her new life.

Shortly after that, he set out himself. He thanked the staff for all they had done for him, carefully avoiding the unnerving healer, and left Mirina a letter, explaining why he needed to go. After all, he had come to see human lands and go on grand adventures, and he had almost lost it all before he even left the seaside.

#The Witcher #The Witcher fic #Geralt x Jaskier #Geralt of Rivia #Jaskier #I've always wanted to write an adaptation of the Little Mermaid #so I'm shocked at how long it took me to come around to this given the prompt #many of you will see where this is going...#sorry not sorry #fair warning: comma abuse #I place that shit with my heart #and my heart says EVERYWHERE #is the wizard/healer Stregobor? you decide!#technically I could post part 2 right now too #but I will control myself and tease you all with it

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townshipp · 5 years ago

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new horizons fishing!

so, the new horizons fishing wiki is a bit broken at the moment and is displaying times wrong, so below is a list of times to catch the different times of fish! (note: this is for the north hemisphere-- if you are on a southern hemisphere island, add 6 to the month. example: march (03) turns into september (09). also, use control/command + f to search for a specific fish/month/time/location!)

FISH | MONTHS AVAILABLE | TIMES AVAILABLE | LOCATION

bitterling | november - march | all day | river

pale chub | all year | 9am - 4pm | river

crucian carp | all year | all day | river

dace | all year | 4pm - 9am | river

carp | all year | all day | pond

koi | all year | 4pm - 9am | pond

goldfish | all year | all day | pond

pop-eyed goldfish | all year | 9am - 4pm | pond

ranchu goldfish | all year | 9am - 4pm | pond

killifish | april - august | all day | pond

crawfish | april - september | all day | pond

soft-shelled turtle | august - september | 4pm - 9am | river

snapping turtle | april - october | 9pm - 4am | river

tadpole | march - july | all day | pond

frog | may - august | all day | pond

freshwater goby | all year | all day | river

loach | march - may | all day | river

catfish | may - october | 4pm - 9am | pond

giant snakehead | june - august | 9am - 4pm | pond

bluegill | all year | 9am - 4pm | river

yellow perch | october - march | all day | river

black bass | all year | all day | river

pond smelt | december - february | all day | river

sweetfish | july - december | all day | river

cherry salmon | march - june & september - november | 4pm - 9am | river (clifftop)

char | march - june & september - november | 4pm - 9am | river (clifftop)

golden trout | march - may & september - november | 4pm - 9am | river (clifftop)

stringfish | december - march | 4pm - 9am | river (cliftop)

salmon | september | all day | river (mouth)

king salmon | september | all day | river (mouth)

mitten crab | september - november | 4pm - 9am | river

guppy | april - november | 9am - 4pm | river

nibble fish | may - september | 9am - 4pm | river

angelfish | may - october | 4pm - 9am | river

betta | may - october | 9am - 4pm | river

neon tetra | april - november | 9am - 4pm | river

rainbowfish | may - october | 9am - 4pm | river

piranha | june - september | 9am - 4pm & 9pm - 4am | river

arowana | june - september | 9pm - 4am | river

dorado | june - september | 4am - 9pm | river

gar | june - september | 9pm - 4am | pond

arapaima | june - september | 4pm - 9am | river

saddled bichir | june - september | 9pm - 4am | river

sturgeon | september - march | all day | river (mouth)

sea butterfly | december - march | all day | sea

sea horse | april - november | all day | sea

clown fish | april - september | all day | sea

surgeonfish | april - september | all day | sea

butterfly fish | april - september | all day | sea

napoleonfish | july - august | 4am - 9pm | sea

zebra turkeyfish | april - november | all day | sea

blowfish | november - february | 9pm - 4am | sea

pufferfish | july - september | all day | sea

anchovy | all year | 4am - 9pm | sea

horse mackerel | all year | all day | sea

barred knifejaw | march - november | all day | sea

sea bass | all year | all day | sea

red snapper | all year | all day | sea

dab | october - april | all day | sea

olive flounder | all year | all day | sea

squid | december - august | all day | sea

moray eel | august - october | all day | sea

ribbon eel | june - october | all day | sea

tuna | november - april | all day | pier

blue marlin | july - september & november - december | all day | pier

giant trevally | may - october | all day | pier

mahi-mahi | may - october | all day | pier

ocean sunfish | july - september | 4am - 9pm | sea

ray | august - november | 4am - 9pm | sea

saw shark | june - september | 9pm - 9am | sea

hammerhead shark | june - september | 9pm - 9am | sea

great white shark | june - september | 9pm - 9am | sea

whale shark | june - september | all day | sea

suckerfish | june - september | all day | sea

football fish | november - march | 9pm - 9am | sea

oarfish | cecember - may | all day | sea

barreleye | all year | 9pm - 4am | sea

coelacanth | all year | all day | sea (when raining/snowing)

#new horizons #animal crossing #animal crossing new horizons #new horizons fishing #new horizons guide #fishing #acnh

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royallyfuckedocs · 5 years ago

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Your name is Enkies Aruena but most people call you Enki and you’re not on Alternia anymore.

You find yourself on a space station, you’re not a very social person IRL, in fact you’re a shut-in making a living as a streamer. The cutesy pastel loving tyrian by the tag delightfulOverkill. Or at least. That’s what most people know you for. Some folks know you as something MUCH different.

In the darker parts of the internet you spend your time collecting and selling stolen empire tech that’s been jailbroken by yours truly. See, you’ve never been good at talking. You’ve never been good at making friends. But there’s something you’re very confident in, and that’s your ability to hack and reprogram dangerous technology for anyone who’s willing to buy it.

Some things most people don’t know, not even your clients, is that you like to help. You are “The woman behind the computer” for your best friend Dexter. He’s the one out there having adventures but you? You live vicariously through him & a body camera on him. You assist by providing info or hacking where you need to do your bestie can get the job done.

The Basics

Name: Enki (Enkies) Aruena

Age: 25 Sweeps

Gender/Pronouns: She/Her Trans Woman

Sexuality: Pan

Blood color: Coral Pink (Mutant off color) Poses as Tyrian

Lusus: Ribbon Eel Mom

Voice Claim: N/A

The Physical

Height: 4′11

Injuries: Deep scars across her throat that she keeps hidden behind chunky chokers

Deformities/Mutations: Albino blood, makes her pale, her hair and freckles white, and her blood color pale

Tattoos/markings: N/A

Other notable aspects: She dyes her hair black on one side because she likes the white, so she sells it like she dyes it white

The About

Troll tag: delightfulOverkill

Occupation: Streamer

Strife Specibus: Nailgun

Notable Skills/Abilities/Powers: Tech savvy hacker type

Where Are They: Tucked away in the bowels of a space station where most don’t know she exists

Interests/Likes: Pastels, dying her hair, playing with makeup, experimenting with tech, chatting online, making friends on her streams

The Extras

Plot Points: She’s reclusive so your best shot is on her stream, pesterchum, or just being her online friend in general! It takes a lot of trust for her to meet you in person.

Aesthetics: Coming Soon

Playlist: Predictable Panic - Tracing The Stars - GG EZ

Character Art: Enki Art (Coming Soon)

Character tag: Enki Interests

Family Line: Dancestor - Rome

Relationships

The Moon To Your Stars: Dexter is a friend you never expected to meet & certainly not one you ever expected to actually befriend. He was hired to find you due to one of your creepier followers, one scare and a stabbing later and he quickly figured out why you’re as secretive as you are. But from there, you became friends and he’s protected your secret and your location as if he were protecting himself. [Tracing The Stars]

A Gentleman Caller: Valent was someone you met in an online chat room, he was such a curious man who spoke in such a way that just... Sucked you right in. You were enamored within just a few conversations. He has you wrapped around his finger and frankly, you don’t think you mind much. Her makes your heart race and you can’t wait to meet him again.

#Enki Aruena Profile

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venn364 · 5 years ago

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Island Open for Visitors

Hey guys, it’s 12:00pm here and I’m going to have my Animal Crossing New Horizons island open for the next three hours while I hunt down some specific fish if anyone wants to jump on and collect bugs, fish or sell their island fruit for 500 bells instead of 100.

Dodo Code: GW2PV

Island Location: Southern Hemisphere

Season: Autumn Weather: Raining

Island Fruit: Pears Turnip Price: 61 Bells (it bad guys)

Hot Item: Recycled-can thumb piano

Special Items for Sale: Ironing Set (820 bells); Dish-drying rack (530 bells)

Able Sisters Open!

Current Event: Bunny Day!

Seasonal Animals available on my Island for April 12:00pm under the cut

BUGS AVAILABLE

Flying Bugs Available:

Common Butterfly

Yellow Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly

Paper Kite Butterfly

Red Dragonfly

Darner Dragonfly

Banded Dragonfly (sells for 4500 bells)

Ground Bugs Available:

Long Locust

Migratory Locust

Rice Grasshopper

Tiger Beetle

Flower Bugs Available:

Mantis

Orchid Mantis

Stinkbug

Ladybug

Special Bugs Available:

Violin Beetle (sitting on stumps)

Flea (netted off the backs of villagers)

Pillbug (gotta get lucky when you hit a rock)

FISH AVAILABLE

River Fish Available:

Pale Chub

Crucian Carp

Bluegill

Yellow Perch

Black Bass

Tilapia

Pike

Guppy

Neon Tetra

Rainbowfish

River (Mouth) Fish Available:

Sturgeon

River (Clifftop) Fish Available:

Cherry Salmon

Char

Pond Fish Available

Carp

Goldfish

Ranchu Goldfish (sells for 4500 bells)

Pier Fish Available

Giant Trevally

Mahi-mahi

Sea Fish Available

Sea Horse

Zebra Turkeyfish

Anchovy

Horse Mackeral

Barred Knifejaw

Sea Bass

Red Snapper

Dab

Olive Flounder

Moray Eel

Ribbon Eel

Ray

#Animal Crossing New Horizons #yes I went through my entire currently compiled critterpedia for this info #I'll be doing this again at 6pm and the list will change #will probably delete later #so it doesn't clog up the dash once I'm done with it

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towaniegaita · 5 years ago

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FAQs [Nozakibento, 16th October 2010]

Original post in Japanese

I collected together some of the questions I'm often asked.

Basic Information

Name: Nozakibento

Date of Birth: 28th April 1986 (Showa 61)

Height: 177.5cm (as of 2018)

Weight: approx. 60kg

Blood Type: A

Home prefecture: Hokkaido. I was born in Sapporo. I also lived in Tokachi and Kushiro.

Current location: Tokyo (I moved there from Hokkaido in the year I turned 30)

Occupation: A 33 year old amateur idol

Hairstyle: I used to wear a wig, but now I mostly go for a messy style

Visual Acuity: Both eyes are around 1.5 without glasses

Characteristics: Nozakibento

Likes and Dislikes

Favourite food: Sliced senmai (boiled tripe), vegetables in general, meat in general (especially meat sashimi), seafood in general (especially octopus and oysters), anything cherry blossom flavoured, anything yuzu flavoured, rice, miso soup, soba, udon, niboshi ramen, yakuzen herbal soup, grated yam, tofu, shiokara, sushi, sashimi, seaweed, mochi, rice flour dumplings, wheat gluten cakes, keihan rice, oyster soy sauce, slow-boiled eggs, Indian curry from Tokachi, ice cream (especially citrus, mint chocolate, watermelon and vanilla flavours), hard gums, mini Ramune candy, agar jelly, almond tofu pudding, oroblanco

Least favourite food: None.

Favourite drinks: Tea in general, kale smoothie, scented but not sweetened sparkling water, vegetable juice, tomato juice, soba water, miso soup, dashi, non-alcoholic beer, ginger ale, black coffee

Favourite alcoholic drinks: Campari-based cocktails (especially Spumoni), Violet Fizz

Favourite animals: Daring crabs, spotted garden eels, owls, sea urchins when they eat cabbage

My type: Someone with a big heart, who isn't rude and doesn't complain all the time. Decisive, speaks logically and is a fast worker

Favourite scents: Bergamot, yuzu, oroblanco, lemongrass, lemon and lime, eucalyptus, vanilla, incense, hinoki cypress, the smell of hot springs, medicinal water, struck matches

Favourite sports: Table tennis, endurance running, non-competitive swimming, walking

Favourite instruments: When I listen to bands, I tend to focus on the drums, bass and keyboard. If I go to see a symphonic orchestral concert or something, I tend to watch the percussionists. I myself can't play any instruments.

Hobbies: Gaming, listening to game soundtracks, table tennis, reading, darts, being enveloped in aromas, checking my daily electricity bill using a bill management app

Special skills: Ability to work as a librarian, can sing The Tortoise And The Hare starting from different positions, a little bit of competitive eating (can eat up to about 2kg)

Qualifications: Librarian, teacher's licence (for primary, middle and high schools), certified member of the Sports Boy Scouts (link in Japanese), Kanji Aptitude Test Level 2, driving licence (for manual cars)

Person I most respect: My mother

Favourite subjects: Japanese (especially modern Japanese), contemporary society, ethics, politics and economics

Favourite season: The shade in midsummer

Favourite phrases:

80% Preparation 20% Performance (dandori hachibu)

The early bird gets the worm (sente hisshou)

Niche business (sukima sangyou)

Information, Communication, Discussion (houkoku renraku soudan)

Easier said than done (iu wa yasuku okonau wa katashi)

Haste makes waste (tanki wa sonki)

Drink if you want, but be swallowed up (sake wa nondemo nomareru na)

The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean (i no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu)

A picture is worth a thousand words (hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu)

Stress-free

Favourite Japanese poem:

'If I live long,

I may look back with yearning for these painful days -

The world that now seems harsh

May then appear sweet and good!'

By Fujiwara no Kiyosuke, translation by Peter McMillan

Favourite place to hang out: Inside a game

Favourite characters: Domo-kun (NHK), Moji-kun (Kotoba no Puzzle: Mojipittan), Zushi Hokki (official mascot of Hokuto city in Hokkaido), Jack Frost (Megami Tensei series), Morgana (Persona 5)

Favourite anime: Eureka Seven

Favourite manga: Love Roma by Toyoda Minoru

I Wonder If I Can Make 100 Friends by Toyoda Minoru

Yoake no Toshokan by Nonou Tao

Other manga I like: Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun, PAPUWA, Final Request, Yu☆Yu☆Hakusho, Revelations: Persona, Mind Assassin, Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei, Arakawa Under The Bridge, Fushigi Yuugi, Ranma 1/2, Psychometrer EIJI, The Kindaichi Case Files, Rakudai Ninja Rantarou, Soul Hunter etc.

Favourite game: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers

Other games I like: Shin Megami Tensei 1-4, Shin Megami Tensei 4 Final, Shin Megami Tensei if, Persona 1-5, Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha 1 and 2, DIGITAL DEVIL SAGA Avatar Tuner 1 and 2, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 1 and 2, Little Magic, Jake Hunter: Let Time Pass By, LIVE A LIVE, Final Fantasy 5 and 8, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem, Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana, Schoolhouse Horror Story, Banshee's Last Cry, Jungle Wars 2, Ranma 1/2: Hidden Treasure of the Red Cat Gang, Renegade, The New Hot-Blooded Tough Guy: The Eulogy of Kunio and Co., Puyo Puyo, Puyo Puyo 2, Saga Frontier, Monster Farm, Monster Farm 2, KOF98, SAMURAI SPIRITS, vib-ribbon, Clock Tower 2, Clock Tower Ghost Head, Maria: Kimitachi Ga Umareta Wake, Double Cast, Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die, Kotoba no Puzzle: Mojipittan, RPG Maker Series, etc. As for social network games, I like Kuroneko no Wiz Dx2 Shin Megami Tensei Revelation, and Ensemble Stars!

What I most want right now: Time

Do I smoke? Never. But I have nothing against those who do. I don't mind if someone smokes next to me.

Things I struggle with: Exercise, exercise, exercise, exercise, English, mental arithmetic, making other people cross.

What I like about myself: Large earlobes

What I don't like about myself: The fact that I easily neglect my work if I lose focus.

Do I like nurses? I like them if they're good at giving injections.

Favourite way of heating things up in a microwave: 2 minutes at 500W

Ideal way to spend a day off: Sleep like I've melted into the bed, do the cleaning and laundry when I wake up, play games like I'm bathing in them, sleep again.

Novels I’m glad to have read and why: There's a lot, so I'll just list what I can remember off the top of my head.

★ Criss Cross - Konton no Maou by Takahata Kyouichirou, published by MediaWorks. This was the very first book that made me interested in reading novels.

★ Natsu no Niwa - The Friends by Yumoto Kazumi, published by Shinchousha. When I felt down, I read this and my heart was cleansed.

★ Rirekisho by Nakamura Kou, published by Kawade Shobou Shinsha. Because it gave me courage.

★ Tsubasa wa Itsu Made Mo by Kawakami Ken'ichi, published by Shuueisha. I simply thought that it was a really good book, and reading it made me want to read more books like it in the future.

★ Tsumetai Kousha no Toki wa Tomaru by Tsujimura Mizuki, published by Kodansha. This was the book that reminded me that I wanted to keep reading novels forever.

NicoNicoDouga and Dance covers

When did you start using NicoNico? 2007, in the earliest days of the RC version.

What kind of videos do you watch on NicoNico? Anything.

Were you learning how to dance? I've never learnt how to dance.

Why did you start dancing? I wanted to take part in the first large-scale Cirno meeting. (T/N: An event where a whole bunch of people from NND get together to dance to Cirno's Perfect Math Class. Here's the 2009 version.)

What's the average production time for a single video? It varies.

What's been the most fun thing to dance to so far? Ren'ai Hunter

Which of your own dance videos are you most satisfied with? Domo-kun's dance to MERRY GO ROUND

Where you happy to be chosen in the Geiran videos (A series where a gay man ranked dancers on NND)? I was.

Which version is your current Domo-kun?

Hokkaido and Tokyo version: Tiramisu (Original version. Mainly stays at home. On active duty)

Osaka version: Chocolat (Retired)

Fukuoka version: Fondue (Retired)

Tokyo version: Belgium (Retired)

Tokyo version: Demel (Retired)

What kind of expressions do you make and what feelings do you have when dancing as Domo-kun or in the blue full bodysuit? None

What would happen to you if you drank a strange potion? I'd become aggressive.

Aren't you going to wear a wig anymore? I'd like to wear one again some time soon.

Other

Were you in any clubs during middle school? I was in the table tennis club for all 3 years. My high school club is a secret.

Do you have a girlfriend? It'd be annoying to have to update this page if I got a girlfriend or if we broke up so that's also a secret.

What are your dreams and goals? To make the people I love happy. I want to live in a way that I can look back when I die and think that I lived a good life.

What are your habits? Looking at the ingredients and nutrition facts labels on food. Looking at the ingredients labels on shampoo. Moving around unsteadily. Clicking my tongue without any thought behind it.

What are your typical phrases? Okay (ii yo), I see (naruhodo), Why?! (nande dayo), hahahaha, hah hah hah hah, HAHAHAHA

What are your main principles? To always live calmly, and to never miss an opportunity

Does your Roomba have a name? It's called Junpei.

When did you first meet Domo-kun? A friend gave me a Domo-kun plushie for my birthday and the rest is history.

What was it that drew you to Domo-kun? His loveliness.

Where did you get such a large number of plushies from? Some of them I bought, some of them I received. A few of them I got from a crane machine.

What do you want to do right now? Sleep.

What part time jobs have you done in your life? Waiter at a sushi restaurant, library work, private tutoring.

If you have a child in the future, what book would you absolutely want them to read? You Are Umasou by Miyanishi Tatsuya, published by Poplar

Do you have any rivals? No (because no-one will compete in the same ring as me).

What's your image of the ideal human? Someone who can do fundamental things reliably.

What's your motto? Stress-free

What's the reason for your name?

Nozaki → Named after Nozaki Megumi from the idol group CHECKICCO

Bento → My inspiration

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First published 16th October 2010, updated 1st December 2019

#blog post #nozakibento #mesemoa #musumen #blog translation #16.10.2010 #1.12.2019 #if he changes this in the future I'll try to come back and update it

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