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scribbleseas · 3 months ago

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in love & in war, drabble 3: the one where he trips you up…?

Description: Join Ciel, the Earl of Phantomhive, as he embarks on one of the most difficult challenges of his professional life: getting you to fall in love with him in order to become the next chairman of TransAtlantica— your father’s vast shipping empire.

Warnings: There’s a minor mention of blood in this drabble—that’s all that comes to mind!

Author’s Note: I’m sorry this is a day late, haha! Last night, my amazing friend @mylostleftfootsock and I were having some crazy story breakthroughs for an upcoming work of mine. They were, in fact, hitting so hard that I had to make the fic outline as we were both losing our minds. That being said, here is a pretty long drabble! I hope you like it—and that it’s a nice palette cleanser from SL. I’m purposely trying to keep this one as light as I can <3

I’m also trying out the taglist for this post! If you would like to be added, just specify for which fics (or if all!) and I will tag you in all my content posts!

Happy Reading!

- Dan

Fun fact: I’m also 2,031 words into Staight Laced 10. I’m on a bit of a roll this week, woohoo!

⇐ PREVIOUS DRABBLE | NEXT DRABBLE ⇒

MASTERLIST

CIEL PHANTOMHIVE

The North Pier, Lancashire, 1895

“It is impossible to understate the importance of this promenade, my Lord,” Sebastian explained, matching Ciel’s walking pace to the centimeter as they walked down the cement, having exited the carriage a block away from the beachside pier’s entrance. Sebastian always remained in the same stride as Ciel, a fact that the Earl knew would only delight the demon if he commented on it.

Ciel had no desire to feed the ego of his condescending demon for a butler. Sebastian already gloated endlessly about his upholding of a certain ‘Butler Aesthetic’ that he’d created for himself the first night of his employment.

“You should tell her that her family always hosts the most inspired events, such as this—and you should be sure to show gratitude for her time. Dozens of men not unlike you would do anything for this opportunity,” Sebastian added, emphasizing his words purposefully when he caught on to Ciel’s lack of focus. His butler was correct: a promenade with Lady Y/n at one of TransAtlantica’s seasonal galas for its shareholders, business executives, family ties, and anyone from the business world who mattered. Every year, the shipping company rents out the entirety of the three piers, leaving its multitude of small shops and taverns open for the casual party.

TransAtlantica always picked a weekend that sat towards the end of the spring, the weather a weekend or two away from scorching the Earth. The decision always ensured the best weather—clearer skies, a light breeze, docile sun and seawaves.

Until this year, Ciel would send his regrets, in the same fashion as he would for the company’s fundraisers at the Langham Hotel each season. This event was too crucial to skip, especially after securing himself a promenade. A lot of Britain’s polite society—not just those typical of London’s social hemisphere—would be present. There were no dance cards restricting Ciel’s time with the heiress, and that meant he needed to be especially strategic with the time he managed to have in front of the Y/l/n family.

“I know,” Ciel grumbled. “The color of her gown brings out the…shine in her eyes, or something like that,” he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes to further his point. Another quick look around them assured him that there were no guests leaving their carriages blocks away from the entrance.

“And that cavalier attitude was what ultimately led her to all except rebuke you, sir,” Sebastian scolded, eyebrows drawing together in a brief show of frustration. “Make her feel as if she is the most important person to you—the deciding factor in which you succeed or you fail. She is just that, after all.” He said purposefully, mahogany eyes interrogating Ciel’s expression. The Earl kept his gaze resolutely forward, watching guests meet the Y/l/n family at the pier’s entrance archway, alongside a handful of the company’s executive board members. “We will be within their natural sightline in about fifteen paces, sir.”

Y/n was dressed sensibly in a light gown, the bodice appearing to resemble a man’s sophisticated white vest, which cut into a feminine design with ruffled short sleeves and lace lining the square neckline. A lot of her clothing tended to include a hint of masculinity—an effort to be taken more seriously in these executive circles, Ciel guessed. Her long blue skirts matched the clear sky, the shade matching the accents in her mother and father’s attire for the afternoon.

The Richmond Earldom always appeared as a matching set, stressing the importance of Ciel’s own apparel during these events. Lord Richmond, Y/n’s father, was searching for an intelligent man who could manage his legacy just as perfectly as his company’s prosperity. All of these simpering suitors could never seem to comprehend that they were vying for more than just a young woman’s hand. They were romancing a company and ultimately, Y/n wasn’t marrying anyone without her father’s approval.

“Remember, my Lord, I can only tip things in your favor so much when it comes to matters of the heart,” the demon lowered his voice, now that they were within earshot of the family, among the last few straggling guests stepping onto the pier.

Ciel fought the strong urge to roll his eyes at his butler’s joke. Tipping things. How cheeky.

Lady Y/l/n, Y/n’s mother, noticed Ciel first. Quickly excusing herself from the conversation she was entertaining, she aimed her publicity smile at him— Y/n always seemed to default to the same empty look without failure.

“Lord Phantomhive! How lovely it is to see you here,” she greeted, accepting Ciel’s hand in a firm handshake. Lady Y/l/n’s short lace gloves matched her daughter’s. “We’re all so thankful that you could make it all this way.”

“The pleasure is completely mine. You’ve picked an auspicious day for this gala once again,” Ciel answered, pleased with Lady Y/l/n’s social intellect. By greeting him so brightly, she had also caught the attention of her husband and daughter, allowing them to respectfully finish their current engagements.

Y/N Y/L/N

You watched Ciel enchant your mother with an entirely faux smile, not unlike the one you kept stretched across your glossed lips. He always managed to look painfully smug, no matter how he tried to soften his expression.

“Lord Phantomhive,” your father greeted, taking the Earl’s hand. He gave it two shakes, never one to waste words. “I understand you will be promenading with my daughter today?”

You flushed, now the object of Lord Phantomhive’s stare. You could also feel the craning necks of others around you, arming themselves with gossip about you.

‘Lady Y/n is promenading for the first time this season, with Lord Phantomhive!’

‘Do you think they will get married?’

You could already see the headlines. There were already peering camera lenses around each corner, the only warning being their blinding flash.

“If she wills it, we shall. A good day, my Lady,” it was your turn to offer your hand to the Earl, but not in a shake. Instead, he took special care in accepting your gloved hand and equally raising your knuckles to his lips and bowing his head to avoid moving your arm too high. His lips hardly grazed your glove.

“To you too.” You dipped into the shallowest version of a curtsy you could manage without being impolite. You hadn’t quite made up your mind about the Lord of Phantomhive, finding him to be contradictory. Sincere enough one moment, crude the other. He reminded you of a puzzle with pieces that didn’t quite fit together to make the complete picture.

Thankfully, he didn’t waste time in releasing your hand.

Lord Phantomhive righted himself, clearly attempting to dissect your tight expression. You suspected that you could see through one another as plainly quite easily, no more transparent than glass. You felt a small lump form in the back of your throat, as you were unsure how to proceed.

Unfortunately, your mother could also read you like an open book. “You’ve greeted most everyone already, Y/n. You and Daphne should join Lord Phantomhive and his butler,” she prompted in a gesture that was both helpful— and embarrassing. Particularly in front of your father.

“Right,” you answered. At the sound of her name, your maid appeared. Daphne was always close enough to be a call away—except for when she wasn’t, you thought about your first run-in with the Lord Phantomhive. Was he truly charmed by you from that encounter? You had been, admittedly, short with him because of how nerve-racking the situation was. “We will walk the pier,” you said, forcing your shoulders to drop. High shoulders suggested tenseness, which then, in turn, implicated anxiety.

You couldn’t help but feel the Lord Phantomhive could sense weakness. That was how breakout corporations like Funtom were made, weren’t they? With leadership at the helm.

“Be safe, please,” your mother gave your hand a meaningful squeeze and joined the rest of the guests with your father. Your stomach sank as if they had left you flailing in the middle of the cool sea beneath the boardwalk.

CIEL PHANTOMHIVE

“Did you hear about the ferris wheel they are constructing here? Apparently, it is set to open this July,” Ciel said, breaking the silence with one of the many anecdotes Sebastian armed him with. While the Earl preferred silence whenever possible, apparently long silences unnerved the social butterfly in Lady Y/n. Sebastian had instructed him to keep a steady conversation flowing between them at all times—he’d hypothesized she would feel they were compatible intellectually, if he could manage.

“Oh, I certainly have,” the heiress answered brightly. “Isn’t it fascinating? My father and I visited Chicago’s Columbian Exposition about two years ago. The fuel source are steam boilers with underground main pipes that then funnel the steam into pistons that then power thousand-horsepower engines. It’s an enormous axel,” Y/n explained with an intriguing willingness and clarity.

She knew the intricacies of engineering? How curious of a young noblewoman.

“Did you manage a ride on it?” Ciel asked, not offering his arm to her. That would foil his plan, and he figured Lady Y/n wouldn’t appreciate it at this stage. She valued her independence—or the appearance of being self-sufficient, at least. Ciel had yet to make his final verdict of her disposition. After all, the rumors were that her father trained her with the same intensity he would have a first-born son.

“Heavens, yes.” Lady Y/n said, making a clear effort to look ahead as they walked and maintain casual eye contact with him. Their servants lurked behind them, Sebastian entertaining Daphne with some mindless chatter while picking her brain for more information about her mistress. “There was no chance I would miss that sort of opportunity, being up so high like that.”

“I couldn’t imagine it, myself,” Ciel answered. They spoke aimlessly, cycling through topics they had in common: they were each accomplished linguists, readers, instrumentalists. Y/n even claimed to be a worthy fencing opponent, of all things.

“You are half my height,” not even the Earl could fight the amused twist of his lips at the thought of Lady Y/n parrying his advance. The top of her head just barely reached his chin by a handful of centimeters. And that was in addition to her stately heels.

“But Lord Phantomhive, all warfare is based on deception,” Y/n answered, blinking at him guiltlessly.

“Are you quoting The Art of War?” Ciel asked, raising an eyebrow. That would insinuate Y/n was competent in Classical Chinese, since Sun Tzu’s piece hadn’t been widely translated into English yet. A language that Ciel had still been in the process of mastering with Sebastian. The demon claimed to have been ‘around’ when the military strategist created the ancient military treatise. Presently, he felt it had important lessons for Ciel to understand.

Apparently, Y/n’s father—or her tutor—were incredibly insightful to pick such an ancient text to add to her studies. That was quite an advanced piece of literature. Honestly.

”Yes,” Lady Y/n said, as if this was obvious. “Who better to reference?”

Of course she read it. And learned it well enough to have quotes on hand. She could probably recite it in its original language, Ciel guessed. That wasn’t an unattractive quality in a woman—in fact, he felt a dim respect for it.

“I also quite appreciate Machiavelli’s inspired piece, The Prince,” Ciel answered, finding himself confident that Lady Y/n might understand his reference.

Y/N Y/L/N

His remark made you smile.

Of course, you’d heard the rumors about Ciel Phantomhive, The Queen’s Guard Dog, King of the Underworld, Police of the Underworld. While most of the public could only speculate the sorts of private investigative work that Her Majesty requested of the Phantomhive family, plenty of rumors swirled in the absence of the truth.

You heard whispers of no one daring to cross the Earl, for fear of severe repercussions. Life-threatening ones. You heard of the uncertainties surrounding the fatal inferno that burned down the manor so long ago, killing his family. His miraculous reappearance two years later. Apparently, now the Earl Phantomhive was reportedly a hardened man, callous and willing to crush any opponent in his path.

“You find you relate with the Italian diplomat?” You asked, curious about Lord Phantomhive’s response. Did he read this body of work as a step-by-step to creating a tyrannical regime, or did he perceive it as a frank reading of politics and the nature of diplomacy? It had been so long since you had a proper discussion about such matters with someone besides your father, your tutors, or Daphne, and you were decently assured they were weary of your constant need for knowledge.

The Earl seemed to enjoy this type of logical sparring, embracing it, even. It left you…curious to have more. If not, interested.

Lord Phantomhive took a brief moment to reply, leaving you to appreciate the scenery around you. The sky was impressively clear, no hint of any clouds near the horizon. Seagulls wailed to one another, fluttering about the long piers and across the empty coastline. As warm as it was, the weather wasn’t quite hot enough for there to be beach galas.

The air smelled of salt, gusts of air determined to pull strands of your hair astray. They were certainly doing a number on the Earl’s raven hair, tousling it playfully. This whole promenade, you had walked away from the direction of the gala, and now, as you reached the end of the pier, the two of you turned around, starting back.

“I think there’s more nuance—” Ciel started, “are you alright?”

Before you could process your fall, you were face-first on the sandy boards. Your knee erupted in pain, your bare skin touching your dress. You must have ripped your stockings? How could you have tripped? You had only allowed your mind to wander for a second, and there had been nothing obstructing your path, either!

Not to mention, your balance was typically impeccable. You were no ballerina, but years of fencing helped you regulate your posture and weight distribution.

It was as if the wooden board had simply decided to loosen, give somewhat under your weight, and catch your heel between the planks in order to trip you! How peculiar.

“I’m…fine. I only scraped my leg, I think,” you said, more mortified than pained. Your face reddened as you accepted Lord Phantomhive’s helpful hand, dusting off the sandy front of your dress with the other. You forced yourself to give him a weak smile, looking back down at the flooring. The wooden panel seemed to be perfectly in place.

“I’m not sure what could have caused that,” you added awkwardly, releasing the nobleman’s hand.

You were thankful that no one else was present to witness such an unbecoming moment of yours. It was a contender for one of your worst moments with a suitor.

CIEL PHANTOMHIVE

The panic in Lady Y/n’s face should have been enough to make Ciel regret his and Sebastian’s plan. However, he’d found it to be rather promising. If he could nail the proper response her ideal gentleman would give, Lady Y/n would feel vulnerable around him. That was key to making love inevitable. She might look to him for support going forward.

Of course she didn’t know what had caused her trip. Sebastian was fast enough to loosen the plank just enough for it to shift under her confident step and throw her off balance, only to re-tighten and return to Daphne’s side in milliseconds. Faster than a blink. That left Ciel to provide Lady Y/n with a helping hand, some validation…and apparently a young woman appreciated a man who could bandage her wounds.

“Oh dear,” Ciel said, his eyebrows drawing together in a construction of curiosity and concern. He ignored his own nagging thought that he sounded like his butler, swallowing down the embarrassment. He could feel Sebastian surveying his performance, having coached Ciel on this part of the interaction. “I wouldn’t wish for it to continue bleeding, you did scrape it,” he said carefully.

“Why don’t you take a seat? I have a handkerchief.” He gestured to one of the pier’s benches with his chin.

“It truly doesn’t hurt,” Y/n attempted to deflect, still staring at the plank curiously. Of course, she was smart enough to know that there had been something amiss, but of course, smart enough to never consider the supernatural.

Judging from the way her fist squeezed at her side, the superficial wound stung more than she wanted to admit. There was likely sand around the injury or near it, only an added irritant.

Ciel merely met her eyes, asking her if she truly intended to push ahead in mild discomfort. Y/n surrendered begrudgingly mumbling a mildly unladylike, “Oh, alright.” Not always so untroubled as she seemed, was that it?

“You’re not in any other pain?” Ciel asked, kneeling to get a closer look at Y/n’s scrape. Daphne, unconicidentally, didn’t have any medical supplies with her. Sebastian had conveniently hid them from the maid to afford Ciel the right to tend to his intended.

“No,” she confirmed, cringing at the light pressure Ciel applied to stop the bleeding and clean the debris. “Honestly, the plank had a mind of its own, it feels like,” she mused, her tilted head racing for some logical explanation. There was none.

“And you are positive you didn’t hit your head on the way down?” Ciel asked her, appreciating the ghost of a laugh that escaped her lips. That was the right thing to say, he could tell.

This battle of love was only growing easier. The Earl was growing confident, fashioning his dialogue to that of a novel protagonist’s. Bland and kind, slightly humorous.

“Positive. Unless I hit my psychotic break last week in agreeing to have you join me for a promenade,” Lady Y/n said, standing once Ciel tied the handkerchief around her leg tightly, stopping any more bleeding. “In which case, we might need some more urgent care.”

“Would it take another such reckoning for you to agree to meet me again?” Ciel asked, adding a new flair of seriousness to his voice as he righted himself in front of Lady Y/n. He took a quick moment to dust the fronts of his trousers free of sand before refocusing on Y/n, urging her for the answer he craved. The key to becoming an official suitor of hers.

One outing was a trial. Two was one step closer to serious consideration.

“No, it would not,” the begrudging grin at the heiress’ lips told Ciel that he’d offered her a masterclass in lying and deception. “Perhaps, the 1895 Grand National next weekend. My family loves to attend.”

Y/n Y/l/n was already inviting Ciel to the 57th renewal of the Grand National horse racing event? Perhaps, this endeavor was going to be easier than Ciel originally thought….

Tag List: @vixxzill, @theblueslytherin

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gollancz · 3 months ago

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Happy North American publication day to HIGH VAULTAGE, by @victoriocity! And many thanks to @terribleminds for the boost. (not least to my ego since I get a shout-out)

It's available through all good bookstores, AND you can get signed copies here!

OTHER NICE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE SAID:

'Hilarious' - Matt Young, co-creator of Hello from the Magic Tavern

'A joyous, delightful romp...filled to the brim with clever jokes - perfect for anyone looking for a Pratchett fix' - Caitlin Schneiderhan, screenwriter, Stranger Things

'More please' - SFX

‘High Vaultage is exactly what I've come to expect from the Sugdens - inventive, imaginative, and hilarious’ – Lauren Shippen, creator of The Bright Sessions

‘There are some very big concepts in this novel, ambitious settings, and amazing new discoveries. The satire is even more smart, the wit even more sharp’ – @skyfullofpods

'Absolutely overflowing with imagination and creativity . . . I also loved how witty and clever the writing and dialogue was and I found myself genuinely laughing' - @foreverlostinliterature

'High Vaultage is endlessly entertaining - a classic mystery adventure with 10,000 volts of mad science put right through it. It's not just the type of story I wish I could read every day, it's the type of story I wish I could write. Reading it would make me furious with envy if it didn't keep me so busy grinning from ear to ear' - Gabriel Urbina, creator of Wolf 359

#High Vaultage #Chris and Jen Sugden #Victoriocity #Chuck Wendig #Adam Roberts #Alasdair Beckett-King #Helen Marshall #Matt Young #Hello from the Magic Tavern #Caitlin Schneiderhan #Stranger Things #Lauren Shippen #the Bright Sessions #Book reviews #Comedy SF #Podcasts #Gabriel Urbina #Wolf 359

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whencyclopedia · 7 months ago

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Walter Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1552-1618 CE) was an English courtier, soldier, mariner, explorer, and historian. A one-time favourite of his queen, Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603 CE), Raleigh organised three expeditions to form a colony on the coast of North America in the 1580s CE. The colony was abandoned but the expeditions were notable for introducing tobacco and the potato to England. Unsuccessful at colonisation and falling out with his queen when he married one of her ladies-in-waiting, Raleigh turned instead to finding El Dorado, the fabled golden city of South America. Once more, success was elusive. Back in England, the adventurer was accused of treason by King James I of England (r. 1603-1625 CE) and imprisoned in the Tower of London for 13 years. Writing poetry and an important work of history, the beached mariner was improbably freed in 1616 CE to explore one last time South America. This final expedition was another failure and led once again to imprisonment. Raleigh was executed in the Tower in 1618 CE.

Early Life

Walter Raleigh (or Ralegh as he himself preferred) was born c. 1552 CE in Devon, the son of a member of the local gentry. Educated at Oxford University, Walter volunteered to serve in France to assist the Huguenots there against Catholic oppression. Moving on to Ireland in the mid-1570s CE and establishing a plantation there, Walter was a young captain involved in putting down the Irish rebellions against English colonialism. Raleigh hardly covered himself in glory, though, when he participated in the massacre of 600 surrendered Italian troops at Smerwick in 1580 CE.

From 1581 CE Raleigh arrived at court and his family connection to Elizabeth I's childhood nurse was a helpful point of introduction to his monarch. He made a positive impression with his height, good looks and quick wit. Although 20 years her junior, Raleigh's charm and poetry soon attracted the good favour of his queen. Polite and chivalrous - at least in outward form, Raleigh's eccentricity is illustrated by the likely fictional story that he once lay down his cloak upon a puddle so that the queen need not get her feet wet. Raleigh's good relationship with Elizabeth was helped by his position as captain of the Yeoman Guard which gave him more access to his queen than most. The relationship thus had practical and often lucrative consequences. Over time, Raleigh accumulated large estates in the southwest, Midlands and Ireland which went along with his political influence as a Member of Parliament for Devon and Cornwall. He was given royal monopolies for tin and playing cards, and licences for taverns for 30 years. Rich and proud of showing it, critics once quipped that Raleigh's jewelled shoes alone cost a ridiculous £6,000. The pinnacle came when he was knighted in 1585 CE. All this social progress came despite the rumour Raleigh was said to have denied the immortality of the soul and questioned Elizabeth's foreign policy as not aggressive enough; Raleigh once joked, "Her Majesty did all by halves" (Guy, 289). Perhaps, for this very reason, Raleigh was never admitted to the Privy Council, England's executive seat of government.

#History #Cadiz #ElDorado #ElizabethIofEngland #WHE #[#]

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scotianostra · 11 months ago

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On February 3rd 1700, a fire broke out on the north side of Cowgate in Edinburgh's Old Town.

From there the flames spread and burnt down the close and its close surroundings, including the merchant’s Exchange building, where the Three Sister bar now is.

The fire extended rapidly up hill to involve the tall tenements on the south and east sides of Parliament Square. One, fifteen storeys high, the tallest building in Edinburgh, was reduced to a heap of ashes and ‘made a prodigious blaze"

The buildings were densely occupied and about three or four hundred families lost their homes, including many notables such as the President of Parliament, the President of the Court of Session and other Lords, lawyers, clerks and poorer families. Several lives were lost and a great number seriously injured.

Offices of businesses were destroyed including the recently opened Bank of Scotland – the only bank in Scotland at that time. Mercifully the Parliament Hall and St Giles escaped major damage. The Advocates, who lost their library in the fire, were given space in the Laigh Hall below Parliament House.

Although it escaped major damage the fire allowed the council to rebuild the Parliament “in a uniform style of architecture” regulating the buildings appearance to prevent fire. The rest of the close was given a grand entry and the courtyard was rebuilt uniformly with a continuous arcade along the front.

Cassells Old & New wrote this short account bout the Parliament building:

This magnificent hall and the buildings connected with it had a narrow escape in the “Great Fire” of 1700. It broke out in Lord Crossrig’s lodging, at Mr. John Buchan’s, near the meal-market, on a night in February; and Duncan Forbes of Culloden asserts in a letter to his brother the colonel, that he never beheld a more vehement fire; that 400 families were burned out, and that from the Cowgate upwards to the High Street scarcely one stone was left upon another.

A broadsheet entitled Fire! Fire! stated that the fire had been started by someone throwing a bottle of whisky into an open hearth.. The fire engines were of little or no use, water being scarce and the old closes so narrow that they could not gain access. As mentoned in Cassells. Duncan Forbes wrote to his brother that it was the greatest fire he ever saw ‘notwithstanding I saw London burne’, It reads;

All the pryde of Edenr. is sunk; from the Cowgate to the High Street all is burnt, and hardly one stone left upon another…the Parliament House very hardly escapt; all Registers confounded; Clerks Chambers, and processes, in such confusion, that the Lords and Officers of State are just now mett at Rosse’s Taverne, in order to adjourneing the Sessione by reason of the disorder…twenty thousand hands flitting ther trash they know not wher…These babells, of ten and fourteen story high, are down to the Ground, and their fall’s very terrible….This Epitome of dissolution I send you, without saying any more, but that the Lord is angry with us, and I see no intercessor.

Of course the clergy couldn't let this go without blaming someone, preaching sermons in which they attributed the fire to God’s punishment for the wickedness of the populace. The Town Council also took to preaching and on 4th December 1702 introduced an ‘Act anent suppressing Immoralities,’ which contained the following:-

…considering the great growth of immoralities within the City and Suburbs, and the fearful rebukes of God, by a dreadful Fire in Parliament Close….which happened about midnight upon 3rd February 1700….also, remembering the terrible Fire….on the north side of the Lawn market….28 October 1701 with several lives lost. Likewise reflecting upon other Tokens of God’s wrath lately come upon us… We…being moved with the zeal of God….do in the Lord’s strength resolve to be more watchful over our hearts and ways than formerly; And each of us in our several capacities, to reprove vice with due zeal and prudence as we shall have occasion…. under penalty of Twenty Merks Scots.

The height of the new tenements was restricted to eleven storeys rather than the fifteen storeys of their predecessors but even so Tobias Smollett writing in 1770 observed that ‘I cannot view it without horror; that is, the dreadful situation of all the families above, in case the common stair-case should be rendered impassable by a fire in the lower stories’.

The council's supposed "fireproofing" of the Parliament meant little as 124 years later a large section of the High Street went up in flames in "The Great Fire"

#edinburgh #scotland #scottish #old town #cowgate #fire

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scratchybongvt · 2 months ago

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All locations of Sidemascots episodes

Here are all canon locations where the Sidemascots episodes take place.

Note that an asterisk (*) denotes a fictional place.

Trailer

- Sumi’s bedroom*, Whistler, BC, Canada

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada (where all intros and outros take place)

- The Canucks’ Bar*, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

- Thunderbird Sports Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada (where all Sidemascots boxing matches take place)

- Whistler Amateur Recording Plant*, Whistler, BC, Canada (where the diss track was recorded)

Auditions

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

- Sumi’s bedroom*, Whistler, BC, Canada (where Vinicius and Sumi auditions everyone via video calls

- Miraitowa and Someity’s Apartment*, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

- Wenlock’s flat*, Stratford, London, England

- The Phryges’ House*, Paris, France

- Soohorang, Bandabi, and Moongcho’s wooden house*, PyeongChang, Gangwon, South Korea

- Aokigahara Forest, Honshu, Japan

- Lee Garden Service Apartment, Beijing, China

- Powder’s bedroom*, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

- Copper’s bedroom*, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

- Borobi’s house*, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

- Chenchen, Congcong and Lianlian’s Apartment*, Hangzhou, China

- Mascot Academic Growth and Integration Center*, Mascotverse*

- Roy E. Disney Animation Building, Burbank, California, United States

Episode 1

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada (intro and Outro)

- Manchester Regional Stadium, Manchester, England (100m sprint challenge)

- Elstree Film Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England (Winner stays on challenge, the set is the same as Who Wants to be a Millionaire)

- Thunderbird Sports Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Boxing challenge, the only event not to be held in England)

- University of London Canteen, London, England (Bingo challenge)

- The Boleyn Tavern, Upton Park, London, England (Foosball challenge)

Episode 2

- Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

- Sumi’s bedroom*, Whistler, BC, Canada

- Toronto Chess Club*, Toronto, BC, Canada

- The Hotel*, Pyongyang, North Korea

- Thunderbird Sports Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 3

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

- Another leased studio facility (formerly owned by CTV)*, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Episode 4

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

- Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (the planning segments)

- The Rubro-Negro Pub*, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

- Sumi’s bedroom*, Whistler, BC, Canada

- Central Park, Manhattan, NY, United States

- Bloor Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

- Toronto Courthouse, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

- Another, more larger studio facility (formerly owned by MrBeast), Greenville, NC, United States

Episode 5

- Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Ile-de-France, France

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 6

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 7

- Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Poll results, 100m sprint, Finish or forfeit, follow the car, meditating challenge)

- Elstree Film Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England (Who wants to be a Millionaire)

- London Stadium, Stratford, London, England (Pole Vaulting challenge)

- Wembley Way, Wembley, London, England (Eating challenge)

- Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan (Reverse Boccia challenge)

- The O2 Arena, Greenwich, London, England (Darts challenge)

- Thunderbird Sports Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Boxing challenge)

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 8

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

- Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

- Borobi’s house*, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Episode 9

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada (intro, outro and fake courtroom)

- Sumi’s bedroom*, Whistler, BC, Canada

- Thunderbird Sports Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada

- Ebisu Bridge, Osaka, Japan

- The San Siro pub*, Milan, Italy

- Another, more larger studio facility (formerly owned by MrBeast), Greenville, NC, United States

Episode 10

- Local park*, Whistler, BC, Canada

- Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 11

- Studio 130, Saint-Denis, Ile-de-France, France

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 12

- BC Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 13

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 14

- Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Episode 15

- The O2 Arena, Greenwich, London, England

- The leased studio facility (formerly owned by Warner Bros.)*, Vancouver, BC, Canada

#mascotverse #sidemascots #parody #miraitowa and someity #vinicius and tom #possibly controversial #the phryges #requests #filming locations

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yonderghostshistories · 9 months ago

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I'm planning on starting that MP Regency AU fanfiction! What should I include? (U, PG and 18+ suggestions are all welcome!)

OH MY GOD YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING IT?!?!!? LESS GOOOOOOO!!!!!

Ok uhh here's my suggestions!! :

-All (well technically 3) the Pythons have a really specific kinda Regency royal/heir-like title/nicknames to them based on where they were born (i.e some random examples; John Cleese, Earl of Weston-super-Mare, Captain/Admiral/General Graham Chapman, Duke of Leicester, Terry "Jonesy" Jones, Baron of Colywn Bay of North Wales). Then you have Vicar Michael Palin (of Sheffield), Baron Terry Gilliam from Paris, France (he says he's a Baron but the others don't really believe him and thinks he's really a phony or something lol), and self proclaimed "Maestro" Eric Idle (from the local Cheshire pub). Then you also have Stableboy Neil (Innes)/Neil the humble Stableboy, Countess Carol Cleveland and Countess Connie Booth (in this AU, Connie is Carol's older half-sister/cousin) of London, Lieutenant David Sherlock (Gray's second-in-command in the army, and also love interest but pretends to just "be friends" so to not make people suspicious about their relationship with eachother, etc!

-Gray is both a highly respected army official by day (at work technically), and a promiscuously gay playboy by night (when he has the time off doing the army business). He smokes alot too.

-Jonesy ends up with Regency era Denise Coffey and learns that she's not as "bad" as anyone makes her out to be. She's considered"bad" because she's apparently "too common" to fit with society. In other words, society thinks she's "too unattractively normal" to be considered pretty, to which she politely says bullshit to :).

-John and Gray are childhood best friends with eachother. Michael and Jonesy are also childhood best friends with eachother. Eric and Terry tags along as well.

-John becomes instantly uhh "emo" and tragic and moody and cold because of his recent breakup with his (ex-)fiancé Connie, even though they just broke up since almost a week ago. He mopes about it all the bloody time that even his friends start to get annoyed by it all, and it makes even his own sappy poetry look like decent stuff.

-Eric and Neil meet up at the weekends to play as a musical duo at the local Cheshire pub. Eric is, ofc, sorta homeless, meaning he has to to stay over at Neil's cottage house but also stay at the local taverns until he has to pay rent.....but mostly he chills out at Neil's house.

-Eric gets a "rags to riches" kinda story where, with the help of Gray who just so happen to be at the local Cheshire pub to "meet a special friend of his" (which is ofc David) in which Gray overhears the pretty good singing, he agrees to hire Eric as his servant and give him a permanent place to stay and enough money to live by. Eric is ecstatic ofc!

-Michael is a kind and innocent vicar, a follower of god, but he's a bit horny too! He particularly has a crush on a nice and kind woman called Helena (who runs the local bookshop in the town). Mike has the hots for Helen but knows he can't actually ask her out due to him being religious and stuff and it apparently going against the rules to marry whilst preaching about god or something. However, he tries to get around this by starting out slow, via becoming companions with Helena by helping her with the bookshop part-time. It all seems going to plan. However, things start to get a bit too *spicy* when Michael accidentally sees Helena in her regency era undergarments (which is a "stay"-kinda undergarment) just as she was about to get unchanged. As if it couldn't get any worse, the stunned Michael commits the greatest sin he has ever committed.......he sees a bit of her bare back. That alone is enough to make Michael faint. Helena, being the good and understanding friend she is, helps Michael get back to life and takes care of the poor soul. Michael is grateful for Helena helping him, but feels guilty for seeing her like that. Helena tells him that it's ok and that it was an accident at the end of the day. Michael smiles, and out of the repressed passion he held back for all these years, he slowly cups her face and begins kissing Helena, and Helena, at first surprised, is then quickly eased and understands and kisses back Michael. Michael and Helena then have the most excruciatingly passionate sex that night, and both are left satisfied.

-Gray meets David in an abandoned farmhouse, and they both announce their feelings for one another, and they both kiss passionately and uhh have the most beautiful gay sex one could ever hope.

-There's alot of "characters running through the moors" whenever the character starts a new relationship, romantic or platonic.

-Gray wakes up naked every morning after each promiscuous affair.

-Terry the Parisian Artist develops a romance with the ""weird"" woman who runs the tailoring clothes shop, Ms Margret "Maggie" Weston. Terry & Maggie bond over their shared weirdness and love for absurdities in life.

-John and Connie began an (almost) lifelong romance (before they broke up) when they were young teenagers of about 16/15 at a ball one night. From there on, they hit it off with each other pretty well. The young John and Connie then sneakily exited from the ballroom, then they snuck out and playfully ran to the garden maze and then snogged each other all night long.

-The Pythons and Co go to a regency era fairground/carnival and have a lovely, fun time there. They also get to ride on the merry-go-round on the merry-go-round horses!

Uhh hope you enjoyed the ideas I gave! Let me know which of the ideas is your favourite and why? I absolutely can't wait to read it!!

#monty python #graham chapman #michael palin #terry jones #john cleese #eric idle #terry gilliam #carol cleveland #connie booth #neil innes #David Sherlock #fanfic ideas

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greywoodrpg · 9 months ago

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𝕛𝕠𝕙𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕥𝕥

he appears as though he was born thirty-nine years ago but is actually two hundred and sixty four, is a vampire, lives in acacia heights as the owner of elysium and acacia heights country club, and is in no coterie. he looks an awful lot like theo james.

“Dead men don’t bite.”

tw: war, shipwreck, death

The fifth child of a poor family in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, John Beckett craved a life of adventure for as long as he could remember. A stopping point between Oxford and London, the expanding market town of High Wycombe hosted hundreds of travelers in its taverns and pubs. Year after year, an eager John listened to their stories and dreamed of an odyssey of his own. With no desire to join his brothers at the paper mill or his father as a farmhand, John enlisted in the Royal Navy and sailed away to parts unknown. A rare volunteer among sailors during a time of impressment into service to the crown, John was engaged in dozens of missions during the Age of Sail and French Revolutionary Wars. Staying longer and longer at sea and working his way up through the ranks, John was eventually named the quartermaster of the HMS Lutine. The Lutine served as an escort in and out of shoal waters around North Holland with John stationed at its helm, certain he could do this forever, but this dream was not to be. While carrying more than a million pounds of gold and silver intended to reinforce Hamburg banks and avoid a stock market crash, a heavy northwesterly gale ran the ship into a sandbank in the fall of 1799. All but one of its passengers and crew perished in the disaster. Delirious and stricken with survivor’s guilt, a recovering John accepted the gift of immortality from a stranger on Vlieland in exchange for his help. Together, they delved into the depths around the West Frisian Islands, retrieving a treasure that could’ve defined the destinies of nations. Splitting the bullion in half, John and his sire parted ways, never to meet again. In a tribute of sorts to the lost crew of the Lutine, John decided to not to waste even a moment of eternity. He went everywhere and tried everything, acquiring a daylight charm along the way. He was a pirate, a privateer, and even a prince-elector until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. He met future somebodies and nobodies later lost to history. He listened to languages change, religions evolve, and technology advance beyond the scope of anything that High Wycombe boy could’ve ever known. He witnessed human wars, famines, and the shiftings of society as kingdoms became countries and ancient territories splintered into states as well as the occasional power struggles within the supernatural community. There was always something new to do, something new to learn, and someone new to meet…of this, John was sure, and his thirst for blood was matched only by his zest for life. In the past decade, he found himself in Greywood, pleased to be among his peers and a convenient supply of donors. After centuries of doing whatever he wished, John Beckett is entertaining a whim to stay put, at least for now.

“what power did he attain when settling in Greywood?”

None.

penned by... ry

#town rp #mature rp #oc rp #supernatural rp #horror rp #literate rp #taken #vampire #theo james fc #death tw #shipwreck tw #war tw

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tma-entity-song-poll · 11 months ago

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Battle of the Fear Bands B2R1: The Corruption

Bring Out Your Dead:

“It's about a crew who accidentally carry plague where they go, but stay mostly unaffected themselves.”

youtube

Grace for Sale:

“A very biblical corruption… filled with images of worms and mud and filth.”

youtube

Lyrics below the line!

Bring Out Your Dead:

Bring out your dead, bring out your dead, from noble house and poor man’s shed, The plague has come to town, bring out your dead, bring out your dead. Bring out your dead, bring out your dead, to the pyres bright and red. We’ve reached the end of days, bring out your dead, bring out your dead!

After seven months at sea, round cape horn with ivory, We reached the british piers at the old port of tangier. I went out to celebrate, with me Captain and first mate, We met with many wenches, gypsy girls and pretty Frenchies. A pretty lass and her sister, had a rash with nasty blisters, But I’ve had me share of shy afflictions, for lassies be me one addiction. One thing to another led, I fell asleep upon their bed, But woke next day with two dead whores and screams outside me door.

To find me drunken friends I ran, fer ye Spanish cost we sail begun. As soon as we set foot ashore, me throat felt swollen, dry and soar. I with an old physician met, fer a medical opinion get. He stared at me in stark dismay, said: -Son you’ve got bubonic plague!

Come next morning, the quack was dead, with pus-filled blisters on his head, but I felt stronger than before, and went out fer to the town explore. The streets with panicked men where filled, half the town in plague was killed. A flagellant procession yelled, repent or burn in hell!

We sailed up north to native land, fer London went our merry band. As we filled the taverns with our crew, I got a feel of déjà vu’. Like in every other town we’d been, since the day we lost McGuinn, people started turning pale, behind us now a deadly trail. Suddenly I saw all around, people dropping to the ground, Doctors clad in scary beaks, pushing barrows down the streets. Their rottening load of corpses grew, in all it was a horrid view. As a brazen bell the alleys rang, filled with dread I sang:

Grace for Sale:

A sheep has left the fold, Hoof beats go trotting, trotting Up to heaven, bold At the gates, knocking knocking

Sheep in wolfish clothes Holy jaws are dropping Up in Heaven's hold Plant my hooves, my hooks, my books

Once upon a time Heaven was a towered tower Tethered in its pride Castor's grace is sour, sour

Thought the ink was dried But hellish gardens flowered Ivy to be climbed Spread my filth, my wings, my weeds, my weeds

My fairest wheels are turning

Hark the angels wail Bedtime is a-burning, burning We've got grace for sale How the worm is turning turning Lay you down to sleep With wicked little stories Count your missing sheep Shed my skin, my fleece, my sin, my worms

They burrow up the line

Serpents in the branches, branching Up those crooked vines Vultures of a feather hatching Circus lullabies Carousels are ramping up to heaven I raise my hell, my cane, my stakes, my snakes

Tongues, tongues Slither in the mud That's how a carnival grows, my son Tongues, tongues Slither in the psalms That's how a carnival grows!

All these fickle beasts Heaven hath rejected, lapping Glory from our teats Each of them is tested, blessed Cast out for your sin Come here for redemption

We've got grace for cheap We've got grace for cheap Lest you end up bested, lost and torn to shreds, dissected

Tongues, tongues Slither in the mud Slither in the mud Slither in the mud That's how a carnival grows, my son That's how a carnival grows Tongues, tongues Slither in the psalms Slither in the psalms Slither in the psalms That's how a carnival grows, my son That's how a carnival grows

Fa la la, it's off to hell we go Cross your heart and hope to die It's off to hell we go Fa la la, it's off to hell we go Stick a needle in your eye It's off to hell we go Fa la la, it's off to hell we go Cross your heart and hope to die It's off to hell we go Fa la la, it's off to hell we go Stick a needle in your eye It's off to hell we go

#the magnus archives #tma #poll #the corruption #Ye banished privateers #Terrance Zdunich #Youtube

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timespanner · 10 months ago

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#Tall Tales #Robert Hudson #John Finnemore #Gareth Edwards #North London Tavern #26 March 2024

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shenanigans-and-imagines · 2 years ago

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Hi there! I would love to learn more about the Kingdom that Juliana is from/the world that she and Finn are in. I’ve read your fics but was wondering if you had any other lore posts related to them? Or if you wouldn’t mind sharing your favorite piece of lore from that world? Thank you again for sharing your wonderful writing, I think the two of them are terrific and deserve all the happiness!!

I’d be happy to! But just keep in mind these are my DMs world building notes and not my own, even if we have workshopped some ideas from time to time.

This is his world, I’m just playing in it.

(For anybody new here, some fics for reference)

The world is called Ti’Doris which consists of 3 independent counties The North, The East and The West

The North are where Finn and Juliana are from, both of them originally residing in The Kingdom which is The North’s largest city and seat of royal power

There have been some adjustments to the level of technology and feel so The Kingdom more resembles Victorian London

The Kingdom has several districts

Sailor’s Quarter is by the docks as the name implies consisting of working class merchants and many former soldiers

The Arts district is near the main gate consisting of taverns, operas, theatres and performers.

The Market District located towards the western area of the city

Residential district where most of the middle to upper middle class families live near the middle/southern area of the city.

The Palace is towards the southern end of the city and has its own wall and gate.

The Enclave is the eastern area of the city , where the lords and ultra rich reside. It takes up possibly the largest portion of the city to allow room for vast expanses of land between mansions

Then there’s the Underbelly; a city beneath the city rampant with criminal activity (think Zaun from Arcane)

Outside of The Kingdom the rest of the country is described as desert like with small cities and towns scattered through out (DM leaning towards an old west aesthetic there)

The East is described as a snow covered and mountainous region with its governmental system more resembling feudal Japan

The West has been described to me as Skyrim inspired, it’s governmental system being a republic

It is also where Tremora is located, home of the mages’ college and independent nation in its own right (think Vatican City); it’s job is to stay neutral in most conflicts and sends various magical advisers all over the world

That’s really the basics for now. If you want to know more about the history of the world or any other details, let me know!

#DnD #D&D #dungeons and dragons #homebrew #dnd homebrew #d&d homebrew #Ti’Doris #juliana dawnborn #finn greenwood

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bartfargo · 2 years ago

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Benjamin Franklin and His Hoaxes

When I mention Benjamin Franklin, odds are that the first thing you think of is him flying a kite in a thunderstorm, and thereby proving that lightning is a form of electricity.

However, there are several peculiarities about this experiment: He is uncharacteristically vague about when he did it, only giving June of 1752 as the date; he never wrote a formal report on it; the only witness was his son, who never spoke of it; and, as the Mythbusters showed, anyone who tried it would risk death by electrocution. For these reasons, there are those who believe that the "experiment" was a hoax.

If it was, it's in good company: Franklin pulled off a number of hoaxes in his life. Some hoaxes were to bring attention to matters that concerned him; some were just to highlight the credulity of his fellow men; and some were just to amuse himself.

Franklin's first hoax began in April of 1722, when he was just 16, and working for his older brother, James, who published a Boston newspaper called the New England Courant. James refused to let Benjamin write for the paper; so, instead, he wrote a series of letters to the paper, claiming to be a middle-aged widow named Silence Dogood. In these letters, Franklin poked fun at numerous aspects of life in colonial America: public drunkenness, religious hypocrisy, the persecution of women, and the pretentiousness of Harvard University, among others. The letters were so popular that several men wrote to the paper, proposing marriage to "Silence." When Benjamin admitted his authorship to his brother, James became displeased, worrying that the flattery "Silence" received might swell the lad's head (Why, what did you think might worry him about it?). Indeed, Benjamin ran away to Philadelphia to seek his fortune in the world.

Ten years later, in 1732, Franklin began publishing Poor Richard's Almanac, adopting the persona of a henpecked husband named Richard Saunders. During this first year, he predicted that a rival almanac writer named Titan Leeds would die in October of the next year. He meant it only as a joke, but Leeds was less than amused, and he chastised Franklin in his own almanac. Franklin responded by taking a page from Jonathan Swift; when the appointed time came, he declared that Leeds had died as scheduled, and that someone else was assuming his identity. He kept this up until Leeds actually died, at which point he congratulated the "impersonators" for finally ending their pretense.

In 1736, Franklin made three "enigmatical prophecies" that astounded readers: A great storm would cause all the major cities of North America to be under water; a number of ships would be "taken out of the ports... by a Power with which we are not now at war;" and "an army of 30,000 musketers will land... and sorely annoy the inhabitants." A year later, Franklin declared that each prophecy had come true as he had written: The storm caused rain to fall, thus putting the cities under water; the ships were taken out of port by the power of the wind; and the "musketers" were mosquitoes, which had definitely annoyed people.

In 1747, Franklin wrote a false story for the London General Advertiser, describing the trial of a woman named Polly Baker. According to the story, Baker was an unmarried woman who had five children, and was therefore charged with having sexual intercourse out of wedlock. In a speech at her trial, Baker supposedly admitted her guilt, but argued that the law itself was unfair, since the men who she had slept with were not similarly charged. As Franklin was the father of an illegitimate child, the hypocrisy of laws that punished mothers while allowing the fathers to remain free did not escape his attention.

Franklin could even come up with hoaxes on the fly. One night, he went to a tavern to take his supper. When he arrived, however, the innkeeper said that he had no room; though his customers had settled their accounts, they weren't leaving. Franklin accepted the situation, but asked the innkeeper to bring his horse a plate of oysters. The patrons were astounded: A horse that eats oysters? They all got up to see such an animal. Franklin then sat down at one of the now-empty tables; when the innkeeper told him that his horse had refused the oysters, he replied, "Then give them to me, and give that fussy nag some oats."

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