#They're in a water rights dispute

[shrub-jay]

The New Arrival (Danny Kent)

CW: Body horror, teeth

TL;DR: The Kents take in another alien.

-------

The American Southwest has some of the highest found-meteorite density regions. New Mexico has a found meteorite rate of 1.9 per 1,000 square miles. Kansas trails with 1.8. A single farm in Smallville, Kansas, at just under 800 acres, has reported 23. One Dr. Kent reported iron meteorities landing in June, following northwesterly winds and a low chance of precipitation, over the course of several decades. It was an idle curiosity among Kansas meteorologists. A bizarre coincidence.  

“How big you think this one’s gonna be?” Jonathan Kent mused as he eyed the streak of green in the sky, leaning on a pitchfork. The still-young corn crop rustled in the breeze. 

“Not too big, or Clark would already be here,” his wife, Martha, mused from the porch. She looked up from Bubble Wubble Blast 2 on her phone. “Sweetie, you’ve gotta stop holding the pitchfork like that. I’m not ready for people to start comparing us to American Gothic.” Jonathan grumbled before leaning it against the porch railing, whistling sharply. 

“Shelby! Come here, girl!” A rambunctious golden retriever mix trotted around the corner, tail wagging. The streak in the sky had faded, disappearing behind the barn.  “Shelbs and I are going to go check it out on the four wheeler.” Martha perked up.

“And don’t forget to–”

“Log the coordinates, you’ve taught me well,” Jonathan finished, waving his hand dismissively and sending her a smile. The ATV engine roared to life, and he was off. It rumbled to a stop in front of a smoking crater. A head popped up, and two large eyes blinked back. Jonathan’s phone flash went off as he snapped a picture.

The figure recoiled, hissing. Ghostly white hair flickered around their face like fire, and a green sheen swirled across the wet surface of their eyes like rainbows on the surface of a bubble. Green tinged skin stretched across their features, and huge, wrinkled ears angled themselves back cautiously. Their dark nose twitched as Shelby approached the edge of the crater. A series of clicking noises rang out before their long, slender limbs collapsed beneath them like scaffolding.

Shelby darted forward.

“Woah girl, you don’t want to scare ‘em,” Jonathan whisper-shouted, hastily dismounting. It was too late. Shelby was already weaving joyfully between the new arrival’s arms, tail going a mile a minute. They obliged the dog with gentle scratches, and Jonathan smiled. “Looks like Clark might be getting a new sibling.”

It wasn’t hard to get them to follow. It was disconcertingly easy, in fact. Jonathan texted Martha to scrounge up some of the leftovers from their early dinner. He wasn’t sure if their new charge ate, given that he hadn’t seen a mouth. Perhaps they could photosynthesize like Clark, if the green hued skin was a clue. 

“How do you think they eat? If they eat at all?” Martha murmured, leaning forward on an elbow. Their guest prodded inquisitively at a gently warmed plate of food. The skin beneath their nose was taut and seamless. “I can never believe how lucky we got with Clark.” 

“Hell if I know,” Jonathan responded, tucking into his own plate of food. The smell of shepherd’s pie always whet his appetite. Their company watched him carefully. Jonathan gestured with his fork with ‘cheers’ motion before relishing the forkful of luscious potato, mouth already watering from the well browned beef. 

Jonathan Kent was a man who sometimes wondered if the point of life was to hear food sizzle while cooking. Cracking fresh eggs and wiping freshly minced garlic from the slightly tacky blade of a knife were simple tasks and simple joys. He wondered if Clark was eating well. 

He was pulled from his thoughts by a sharp crack and a soft gasp. The figure’s pointed chin had lowered, the muscles of a jaw straining into visibility. Where their mouth would be, the skin stretched tighter still, before caving in like the hollow of a cheek. They emitted a high pitched, painful whine, eerie as a theremin, limbs tangling around their head like a self imposed cage. Martha lurched forward in concern.

The skin began to split. Fibrous layers burst forth, as if they had only been held together by tension. Their face bloomed like a roll of tissue shredded by a cat's claws. Pieces began to flake and fall off, and the whine intensified as something began to protrude. 

A tooth. A startlingly human looking incisor. Jonathan’s fork clattered onto his plate, and he winced in commiseration. They began to claw at the flaking skin, slowly excavating a set of pearly whites. When they finished, piles of white flakes littered the room. They sneezed, shaking their head, rubbery ears slapping against their face.

They gnashed their newly grown pair of human teeth with apparent glee. 

“It seems like they might be able to fit in just fine.”

[lizardlicks]

You know that walrus vs fairies thing is a really good example of suspension of disbelief and how poor writing can immediately ruin it.

Further, it's a good example of how propaganda and indoctrination can be broken.

Check this out: if you are asked to believe something by a person who presents themselves as an authority about a subject in which you have little to no experience, you have no ground to question them on. Even if it seems fake, human brains are really good about going, "that doesn't sound right, but I don't know enough about [thing] to dispute that." We have to specifically train ourselves to stop and go do our own research. And if it's a big, complicated topic which you're brand new to, that's really intimidating!

This is a feature rather than a bug of being a social species. Collectively, we store far more knowledge than anyone if us could store individually. It means that even if you have never seen a walrus in your life, you can be reasonably confident that you still "know" that they're large, tusked, aquatic mammals which tend to favor colder water and they don't really go farther inland than a couple miles.

It also means that you are primed to accept new information on a subject with which you have little to no direct experience: e.g. fairies are real, you just didn't know that until now.

Propaganda and indoctrination work because they're presented as authoritative sources on subjects that the target audience doesn't have much experience with. That also means those can be combatted by research and first hand experience. Multiple times I've seen posts from people who climbed out of the weeds of Q Anon because one of those secret info drops started making claims about subjects that the person was something of an expert in: electricity, infrastructure, medicine, engineering.

It's also why you can get so into reading a great fantasy or sci-fi novel that has otherwise stellar writing and world crafting, then suddenly get kicked right out of it again when the author, say, has a character fall into a convenient, non-magical coma for a month, or they start walking on a bad fracture after a couple of days without some fancy technological assistance. You have a body, and you might not be a doctor, but you can know enough to understand that's not how bodies generally work, and if the author has not previously established that their characters aren't human and work totally differently, a pall of doubt and frustration taints everything that comes there after.

Idk where I'm going with this. I just think it's neat! Definitely something to keep in mind when trying to effectively communicate with people, regardless of if you're trying to educate or simply entertain.

[charmwitch]

wrote something about Samantha (knight) and Nirinel (witch)

N, "Oh hey, you're awake."

The world was dark, but there was only a small pause before the voice continued.

N, "I was worried you were seriously hurt. I can't fix you up if that were the case."

She knew that voice.

S, "Ugh…" N, "Hey, how you feelin'?"

The light was blinding, or so she thought. It took her a few moments to adjust her vision before she looked over at the direction of the voice.

S, "Uhm… kind of bad." N, "Yeah, if you're not expecting it, it's not great. But we made it out in one piece." S, "Nirinel?" N, "Yeah?" S, "Where… how? We were in the cathedral when…" N, "Oh yeah." N, "I'll tell you in a bit. You should take a breather first. It does come with some motion sickness sometimes." S, "…'It'?"

Samantha looked around, her surroundings quite unfamiliar to her. They were sitting under a rock, shaded from the red sun. Samantha had heard of this occurrence before, but had never witnessed it herself until today. Areas thick with memories, battlefields often come to mind in these situations, often caused such a phenomena. There was such an occurrence near the border of Belacuna and St. Helena, from previous land disputes before the countries had stabilized.

She turned to look at Nirinel, who seemed bored- if tired.

S, "We're not in danger?" N, "Nah. … Not that I know of."

Nirinel looked up, shielding her vision with her hand. Her wide-brim hat was on the ground next to her, it had been charred slightly in the monstrous encounter they had only just narrowly avoided. How did they avoid it, Samantha was still unsure. Her eyes scanned the flats. There were high walls off in the distance. She recognized exactly where they were- after all, it was she who brought them here down to the decimal.

N, "Water levels are lower than normal, though. See that? You can see the mariners."

She pointed off into the distance, Samantha rubbed her eyes to get a better look, but was confused. The flats had pockets of water, some with strangely shaped rocks peering out from the mud. Strangely shaped was perhaps an understatement, they were long and cylindrical, but rough and dull looking from far.

S, "Are those… tubes?" N, "Mariners. They're relics from the forty-year war. They're underwater boats." S, "… Why are they here?" N, "This area's usually underwater. Well, most of it. I used to come here to train my magic when my teacher wasn't around. He was never around, so that was quite often. He's so busy, so I would take it out on some of the rocks in this area. Got pretty spooked the first time I saw one of them, but they're harmless. In fact, they're pretty immobile at this state. Look, see?" N, "Anyway, it's the dry season. Sometimes they appear from the mud."

Nirinel looked over at Samantha, scanning her face for her mood. Her thoughts. She seemed curious, but still a little frightened.

N, "I guess I should tell you. You'd find out anyway. They're graves." S, "What? Wait, really?" N, "Yeah. They're not supposed to be. But if they're here, that means their crews are still in there." S, "Uhm…" N, "I'll probably inform The Society after we get back. I'm not skilled enough for that. I think Auntie Clem can take care of it pretty easily though." S, "… W-we're in a battlefield…" N, "Yeah." S, "…" N, "… Sorry. I, I didn't know where else to go. I panicked." S, "You brought us here? How? We're no where near St. Helena, are we?" N, "No, sorry." N, "Ah… this is hard to explain. I teleported us… here?" S, "…You can do that?!" N, "Hmn? I'm not supposed to. It's not magic. That's why you're also here. I was worried we might die, so I…"

S, "It's… forbidden, right? I've heard… mom talk about it." N, "Yeah, no one knows how it actually works. But if you're able to calculate a location fast enough and can access a terminal, you can do an instant teleportation. It's a bit more complicated with two people, but I was able to successfully find a point under the adrenaline. Accessing a terminal takes a lot of magic, I don't think that's the intended form, but if I can hack it I can handle it somewhat."

S, "That's-" N, "Mn?" S, "That's amazing! You did all that by yourself? It's because you're a math wiz, right?" N, "Aah, I wouldn't- I wouldn't call myself that." N, "Hehe." N, "You need to give coordinates pretty quickly and accurately. If you mess up, you can just get yourself killed or who knows what happens. No one knows. I figured it'd be fine, we were probably going to die anyway."

She pauses and looks away.

N, "Sorry I didn't ask you first." Samantha takes her hand. S, "You're incredible! Thank you for keeping us alive." N, "Haah. you can't just say that so casually." S, "I-I mean it.. I'm… thank you…" N, "…" N, "Come on, we should head back. It'll take a few hours though." She looks up. N, "-by broom. I mean. If I teleport again, I could screw it up. It's always a risk. … Sorry."

Samantha nodded, smoothing out her dress as she stands up, her balance a little off.

S, "I mean it. You're really amazing! Thank you for taking care of me, Nirinel."

Nirinel could only look at her for a moment before smiling.

N, "Stop that. You can thank me when we get back to town." S, "Oh, um." N, "What is it?" S, "Should, should we offer a prayer…" N, "Ah, for the soldiers?" S, "Y-Yeah… I… don't feel right knowing… they're just there…" N, "Yeah alright. We shouldn't stay long, they'll keep you here. They're still working, after all." S, "Still working?" N, "It's a military notion- Oh, right. You're a foot soldier. I guess you wouldn't know. Those lost at sea are considered still on patrol. Still working. They'll always be working until they're found. I heard about it on the radio. I couldn't sleep for days afterwards. Ghosts aren't a big deal for us, but it's still spooky, right? Imagine that. Being lost at sea for hundreds of years? No thanks. I'd haunt everyone."

Samantha could only nod before offering a small prayer and following behind Nirinel.

[mclalan]

A small estate map of Northeast Wolderness, a wapentake within the County of Humbershire.

Pentascarth Peaks

River Wyn

Bridburn Orchard

Bridburn Abbey

Firley Village

Grinholm Mill

Skunlington Town

Skunlington Castle

Pentascarth Peaks

Pentascarth Peaks is an ancient evergreen woodland that once dominated Wolderness, but centuries of agricultural expansion have driven it back to the five hilltop peaks. Some say that Wyrms slumber within each of the five peaks, while others more accurately claim that the peaks mark the boundary of the Wolderness wapentake.

Both Bridburn Abbey and Skunlington Minster claim rights to the forest, leading to obvious land disputes. But while mortals argue over who owns what, the woods remain home to forgotten, ancient goddesses— though the monastics seem to agree on this being just superstition.

River Wyn

Leading down from Pentascarth Peaks is the River Wyn, cutting through Humbershire on its journey east to the Lyre Estuary. The Wyn boasts giant crabs with some allegedly growing to a formidable fifteen feet. But if you're tempted to go crabbing, beware of the water spirit Catharine Wart, who drags unsuspecting victims beneath the Wyn's currents.

Bidburn Orchard

Nestled within an oxbow is Bridburn Abbey's apple orchard. The monks began with the principle of ora et labora, or 'pray and labour,' but if it also produces apples so delicious and plentiful that kings from across the seas are willing to pay a pretty sum for them, then who are the Valynites to say no? Whether it's Wyn's blessed waters or the lay brothers' tireless work, the orchard certainly hasn't hindered the abbey's rise to fame and fortune. Just don’t get caught scrumping from it, or the monks will have your hand off.

Bridburn Abbey

Bridburn Abbey houses the Valynite Order, which seems more preoccupied with power and business than strictly worship. With extensive landholdings and significant influence in the region, the abbey functions as the principal rural manor of Wolderness. As a result, it has become the largest and wealthiest abbey in all of Humbershire. But beyond just collecting tithes from the surrounding peasants, the monks are skilled in land management, particularly in assarting the land of trees and marshes.

Firley Village

Firley Village, named after the fir trees that once grew in the area, is an agricultural settlement situated on the glebe of Bridburn Abbey.

A large plot of common land lies to the west of the village, while smaller plots are located south on the opposite bank of the River Wyn. While the villagers grow a rotation of barley and vegetables, they're best known for they're prized oxblood-coloured sheep, whose wool appears black but shines red when catching the light. You'd think the village would grow fat from the wealth of this highly sought-after wool, but as the village falls under the manorial holding of the abbey, it is the abbey that reaps the wealth.

Grinholm Mill

Grinholm Mill, a growing hamlet owned by the Rolleston family, offers a much more reasonable miller's toll compared to the one up by Bridburn Abbey. They've become quite popular amongst the peasants of Wolderness, (well at least by miller standards), as well as wealthy. Although they pay their tithe to the abbey like everyone else on this side of the river, they are perceived to have undermined the abbey’s milling soke monopoly—much to the abbey displeasure.

Skunlington Town

Skunlington is a prominent market town, both wealthy and influential, with a history that stretches back to the First Age. It's located behind a small range of hills that shield it from harsh weather and provides a natural defence, with an added Royal Castle on the highest peak for good measure.

The castle is about the only Royal influence in the town however, as Skunlington holds charters that grant it a degree of autonomy from the Crown. The town is governed by a council of Merchant Guild Aldermen in coalition with the Provost of Skunlington Minster. But despite this apparent independence, the town is practically in the pocket of the Archbishop of Humberthorpe, the capital city of Humbershire.

South of Bridburn Abbey, across the River Wyn, lies the land controlled by Skunlington Minster’s estate (marked in purple on the map). The large tract of empty land between Skunlington and Bridburn Abbey is an ongoing contention, as both estates claim it for their own. The bickering has gone on so long that the land has turned fallow. But the biggest source of contention is how Skunlington controls the river toll for use of its docks, with particularly extortionate prices for Bridburn Abbey. Rumour has it that Bridburn Abbey might just build a whole new town of its own, south of Skunlington, just to avoid paying this toll!

Skunlington Castle was strategically built in the First Age atop the highest hill on Pen-y-Skun for its vantage point overlooking the whole of North Wolderness Dale—crucial in the Woodsy War against the pagans. However, these days it’s the Crown's administrative center for Wolderness, run by the Under-Sheriff. Here, secular law is enforced, tasks such as collecting taxes for the Crown, raising levies, chopping off heads, that sort of thing. There’s a lot of overlap with the ecclesiastical courts however, sometimes resulting in collaboration and other times in clashes.

Skunlington Castle

But it’s not all work. The castle also serves as the hub for the gentry afterall, and they're not exactly know for their hard work. So the castle hosts games, jousts, fairs, that sort of thing, and a bed for when the King comes to visit.

[kining-the-evil]

Chase has a cold and reader takes care of him? Maybe they're at work and reader works for house too?

Sick Day

Summary: Chase would prefer to pass out on the job then admit he’s sick.

an: more of just a Drabble since I had a surprisingly hard time writing this. I hope you enjoy it though

“You shouldn’t be here,” you hummed lightly. One hand was running through your boyfriends hair while the other was filling out some paperwork. Dispute being clearly sick, Chase had refused to stay home that morning. You had told him repeat to take the day off, you didn’t currently have a case and House could service with only having three people to fill out paperwork.

Foreman and Camron were sat in chairs in House’s office, while you were on a couch. Chase was laid down, his head on your lap while reading a file.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled. You just rolled your eyes, choosing to let it go.

“You’d think a doctor would stay home when sick if they work at a hospital.” All four of you looked up when House walked into the room. “Of course, everyone is already sick. What’s a simple cold?”

Chase pushed himself up to sit next to you, hoping to keep his bosses comments minimal. “I’m not sick.”

“Right, and my leg works amazingly. Never had an issue in my life.” House sat down at his desk, pointing at you. “Take him home.”

“I told you-“

“And as your boss, I’m saying you have to go home. And your girlfriend is taking you home now. Go, before you get someone else sick.”

—————

“Don’t even thing about it,” you warned. You had a cup of tea in your hands for Chase, and in the few minutes it had taken to make it he was already trying to get up.

“I was just going to-“

“Unless you’re going to the bathroom, you aren’t moving.” You handed him the cup, which he accepted with a small thanks. You went off to grab a couple of blankets from around your apartment for him, as well as tissues and cold medicine.

“Ok, it’s 11 now. So you can have more of this at 3 and 7. Also, stay hydrated. You have water as well as your tea.” You explained, walking back into the room. When you looked at him he had a smile on his face. “What?”

“Your doctor is coming out,” he chuckled, which just earned him an eye role.

“Whatever. Besides, the only reason I’m here is because you won’t relax without a babysitter.” You threw the blankets at him, and he let out an offended grunt. Once he was situated you started to get up, but he grabbed your arm to stop you.

“Where are you going?”

“Kitchen. I brought some files home to work on while you rest,” you explained.

“No, no, no,” he pulled you gently back into the couch with him. “If I’m stuck here, you are too.”

“I’m not even sick,” you argued, but allowed him to pull you to his side.

“We live in close proximity, you very well may have it to. Rest is the best way to stop it.”

“Are you going to stay here if I get up?”

“Nope. So you better get comfy.” You sighed in defeat, but pulled your feet up underneath you and cuddled into his side. At least he was finally resting.

[evilbihan]

As someone who values philosophy and underlying themes of art, I find the duality of fire and ice interesting when applied to characters.

For instance fire is seen as a warm and protective element, but few care to look beyond the warm glow to see the hunger and cruelty of fire. I think this can apply well to characters who wield fire. They can be warm and kind on the surface, but underneath is rage and passion. This can definitely be seen in Kuai Liang. Everyone is drawn to the fire, but doesn't see the burning rage.

Naturally ice is very much the opposite of all this. Ice is frightening and cold. It looks like it doesn't care about anything beyond its cold judgment. Yet people who have almost died of the cold say it lulled them to sleep. It's the only element to take you sweetly in a way. Ice underneath has a deep beauty and kindness in it. With Bi-Han we see him as icy and snappish (heh cold snap), but we also see that his whole motivation is for his clan. Yet the writers don't let us see the kinder side that comes from that dedication and love. It's annoying how they have kept him so flat when ice is such a deep and philosophical thing. (I'm sure my bias is also showing I love ice and winter.)

This is so true and I couldn't have worded it any better myself! Fire is destructive. Fire provides warmth, but no one ever speaks of what it takes in return. Fire is selfish. It consumes. Get too close and it will burn you. Fire knows no mercy. All those things are, in one way or another, also applicable to Kuai Liang. His intention to protect the realm may seem noble, but his vengeful nature is destructive to both himself and those around him. Kuai Liang is selfish and merciless in his pursuit of vengeance.

Ice is indeed in many ways the kinder element. Don't we apply ice to burns and bruises for it to numb our pain? Is it not the ice that selflessly melts and waters the ground we live off? The cold only becomes a threat to those who venture into it too deep. As you already correctly said, Bi-Han cares about his clan and means to protect it. He is only a threat to those who interfere with that goal. His desire to give the Lin Kuei a better future is no less noble than Kuai Liang's, but few can recognize this because ice can seem unfriendly and terrifying, yet the cold shows mercy. And what is Bi-Han if not merciful?

Sub-Zero: Surrender and Shao will show mercy. Mileena: If you believe that, you're a fool.

Sub-Zero: Walk away while you can. Raiden: I'll never give up, never surrender.

Sub-Zero: We have no cause for dispute. Kitana: You aided Shao's attempt to steal the throne!

Some fail to see the beauty and kindness of ice the same way they fail to see the cruelty of fire.

Now, for your final point, I'm afraid I must disagree.

Yet the writers don't let us see the kinder side that comes from that dedication and love.

You are partially right with that statement, but I do think we get to see glimpses of Bi-Han's kindness, such as the examples I provided above (you can find more in this post as well as this one), people just tend to intentionally ignore them for some reason. Bi-Han asks both his brothers if they're unharmed, he expresses regret over Sindel's death, he seems reluctant to fight Kitana... Personally, I think he is a far more complex character than people give him credit for. Could the writing have been better? Absolutely. Is it the writers' fault that Bi-Han is misunderstood? Not entirely. I would mostly blame that on the fandom's media illiteracy.

(As a side note: Ironically, my favorite season is summer and I can handle heat better than I can handle the cold and yet the ice/winter themed character ended up being my favorite.)

[lopadopalis]

Haiti is currently experiencing the prelude to genocide.

I don't know if anyone will find this, I don't even know how reliable some of these sources' details are, but something must be said.

A day ago, the Dominican Republic and Haiti had an armed standoff. They clashed over the border a month ago because of Haiti building a canal that would make them more independent from the DR.

Refugees were progressively fleeing to Nicaragua to get away from the country's ongoing spiral, but that door recently closed. It may have opened back up, I'm not certain, but the government of Haiti has gone ahead and banned flights to Nicaragua anyway.

The Dominican Republic also wants to build an actual fucking wall, and is partnered with Israel, who are currently killing Palestinians in utterly disproportionate and sickening so-called retribution.

The Dominican Republic has good relations with the United States. This post is from just eight days ago, from Biden himself.

In summary: 1. Haiti's bid to cope with their own water crisis has led to the Dominican Republic closing the border. 2. There are currently border clashes between Haiti and DR. 3. Haitians have been fleeing to Nicaragua, but the door has been closed by their own government. 4. DR has close ties with the US, so they're likely to back the DR. 5. People are dying.

I don't live anywhere near Haiti, nor am I physically affected by the unfolding situation. I don't know how bloody things really are getting in there, or how accurate some of this news is (lord knows accurate news on unfolding genocides is horrendously difficult to find), but if there's even a chance that this is actually fucking happening right now, then it needs to be said. It needs to be known. Because things are about to get very ugly.

[untitledmemes]

Blue Eye Samurai Prompts

Part II An assortment of prompts taken from the series Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix. Adjust as necessary to fit pronoun and/or descriptor. Reblog, please do not repost or add.

“ I can fix everything. ”

“ What choice do I have? ”

“ Now, get in and shut the door. ”

“ I'm not even good at what I thought I was great at. ”

“ I don't know you, and we have no dispute. ”

“ We come scorched by ire and affliction. ”

“ I wish to be great at something. ”

“ Still soft. ”

“ Killing it is a mercy. Do it already. ”

“ Is that an order? ”

“ So, if you might, my dear, dear friend, my trusted partner and clear equal, my right hand and both feet on land, fondest heart, spare a cup of concern towards our purpose and do it your fucking self. ”

“ If he dies, you die. ”

“ I didn't kill you when I easily could have. ”

“ The time to kill your enemy is when you can. ”

“ Whoa. Wait. Where are you going? ”

“ No one gets to kill you but me. ”

“ Fight within your confines, not against them. ”

“ I am not out here to learn a lesson. ”

“ Why'd you let me follow you, hm? ”

“ You need me because you're weak. ”

“ You think you can be great? ”

“ If he's walking in to meet certain death, I'll be there to keep him and death from getting too friendly. ”

“ It's called taking someone for a ride. ”

“ Don't be shocked. You're not a child anymore. You have to see things are they are. ”

“ You have been looking for me. ”

“ That's the law. No one would be the law. ”

“ I look your way and don't even see you. ”

“ What do you think they're doing? ”

“ I have no interest in being happy. Only satisfied. ”

“ Men like him like to talk so much, they eventually tell you how to destroy them. ”

“ I need a brothel. ”

“ I like when you slap them. ”

“ Nothing desired is peculiar. ”

“ Desire is beyond the need of my purpose. ”

“ Sex? An art? ”

“ Name your desire. ”

“ Women like me must be practical. ”

“ There can be no witnesses. ”

“ Don't exhaust the gods with your requests. Save something to when you need them. ”

“ This is boring. I'm bored. ”

“ He deserves better than you. ”

“ I'll tell you this, though. If this all goes my way, I will go ahead and take it for a sign that you tilted the wind to my back. ”

“ One thing to credit you is you are consistent. You're an idiot every day of your life. ”

“ No man can grasp sunlight, only worship fleeting rays. ”

“ Whatever clever insult comes next isn't as clever as you think. ”

“ What was his name? I can't remember. Anyway, he's dead now. ”

“ Women in our world don't have a single good option. ”

“ Do you have to stare? ”

“ I should have killed you. That was my mistake. I wanted to meet you first. ”

“ I thought you had to be something special. ”

“ Do you have a death wish? ”

“ I've been a captive my whole life. If I die today, I die free. ”

“ You must never do that again. ”

“ Being on your own, you could be like water. Impossible to catch. ”

“ I am nobody's wife. ”

“ I'm not a brute. ”

“ Too fast! You're going too fast! ”

“ Did you also lose your backbone when you lost your title? ”

“ How did this terrible creature come to be? ”

“ I never tire of your people's aversion to impoliteness. ”

“ Why set traps only to mash the rat yourself? ”

“ Sit, we have business. ”

“ Are you real? ”

“ I have a man to kill. ”

“ You came all this way... for me? ”

“ Are you still alive? ”

“ You promised we wouldn't be bored. ”

[play-now-my-lord]

Howdy, stranger! Sit a spell with me. What's that around yer neck? Ah, a crucifix. I've been known to look back fondly on the old days myself, but I'd watch myself letting that be seen around town. Some of the younguns, they're good kids, they don't mean to hurt no one, but the sign of the dead god's known to get 'em a mite... crabby, if you get my meaning. Oh, I don't dispute that the law of the land says a man has a right to his own conscience. But just over yonder the river is deep and dark and runs swiftly to sea... must have occurred to ya that there's laws older than the tongues of man, waters older than the ground beneath your feet, creatures that was old when the world was new. Anyway, I better get along. You just keep that soft skin and those delicate little fingers outta trouble. Some of those kids - I know they ain't lookin' for trouble, but when they get a lick of that old blood on their mandibles they can't help themselves

[ivory--raven]

eh

Michael isn't a pirate. Yes, they command a ship, and a fine one at that, and yes, they do as they please, and yes, they could accurately be said to terrorize people. but Michael isn't a pirate. crucially, they have a letter of marque.

And does it matter, really, how long it's been since they spoke to the Metatron, spokesman of the crown - how long it's been since he confirmed they are carrying out his will (the crown's will, it should be, but who's checking?) - when they always know they're right? Michael does not care to think of an occasion on which they were wrong, if such an occasion exists at all.

"Captain!"

Fools. Can the crew not handle an hour's sailing without them? It's probably a simple dispute between deckhands, and they'll have to discipline up the chain of command. Really, the mates should know better than to come crying to them for every minor incident. They expect to find out about such things through regular reports, not by being yelled for.

Still, they emerge from their cabin, striding onto the deck to find dark clouds rolling over the horizon. This is a storm they can't miss. It's approaching quickly. Too quickly.

Something is wrong. Something is wrong in the sea.

"Get everything taut," they say. "We're going in."

The crew scatters to work as the wind begins to howl. Most of them, that is. One man slinks off, a coward, to go below decks.

"Where do you think you're going?" Michael demands.

"But Captain," he says. He's whiny. They resist the urge to roll their eyes. He's new. Michael doesn't even know his name. "It's dangerous! I'll get soaking wet."

"Get to work or get off my ship."

"Get off? But-" his eyes dart nervously to the broiling sea around them.

"You heard me."

Scowling, he stamps off to join the others fastening the lines and tucking everything away. Michael patrols the upper decks, personally fixing a particularly egregious knot (really, must they do everything? They ought to have a word with the crew about keeping up with the ship) then checks on their helmsman, whose white-knuckled grip on the helm and look of terror does not exactly inspire confidence.

"I'll take over," they say, giving the helmsman a shove on the shoulder and forcing them out of the way. The ship rocks precariously in the water, but the heading must be maintained. The wind changes and howls, the sails groan with the strain of it, and the rain slams into them with enough force to hurt. Still the heading must be maintained.

It's then, in the middle of the storm, that they see land. Rocks, specifically, looming out of the water, and no light - it's treacherous. This is unexpected. There is no land marked here on any map Michael has ever seen. They adjust to dodge as best they can. How shallow does it get? They shouldn't be in danger of running around here. They shouldn't be. Somehow they are.

Something silver flashes in the water.

Some of the crew have seen something. There are men screaming. Michael squints into the depths, finding the darkness quite devoid of life.

There's that silver flash again.

"Captain!" The second mate has fought his way through the pelting rain to the helm. He looks like a drowned rat. Michael is certain their composure is the only thing keeping them from looking worse. "There's something out there."

They thought so. "Reel it in, if you can."

[volivolition]

ok so. just curious but omg what are your favourite Unus Annus moments/quotes?

We rewatch compilation vids of unus annus vids alllll the time because Fuck we miss it so much BFNDSNDNDJS and some that have gotten burnt into our head recently areee:

Like that Whole first video with the sex toys. but especially the part where a guy just shows up at Mark's door and they're in fucking bdsm gear and cat ears eating breakfast FHDJXJDJD

The video with them making a sensory deprivation tank. "Mark, what's the main ingredients in sensorary deprivation tanker?" lives rent free in our head tbh we quote that so much. Same with that bit where Ethan accidentally unplugs the tub lmao "WHere's the drain??" ".... By your feet." ".... What do I do with it :)?"

This one's like HARD to find in compilation vids but I swear at one point Ethan was doing something with a knife and Mark was like, verbatim, "If you cut me I bleed oooouuutttt :)!!!" And the AMOUNT OF TIMES WE QUOTE THAT ONE. IS SO MUCH AUSJSJSJSDJXJXJDJ

Other moments that live in our brain rent free include but r not limited to That time Ethan was singing Mark's songs in the car ("I don't gonna VOOOOOOOTE"), That time Ethan started singing fuckin Eminem out of nowhere, and the egg toss scene where Mark threatens to kill Ethan (THIS one we can find a video of easily here it is). Oh also that one bit where Ethan was fucking.... Just talking nonsense which narrows it down very little actually. but he was saying shit like "Have You Ever Been Bitten by a Frog? Have you ever been bitten by a Log? Have you ever been bitten by a Dog? Have you ever been bitten,,, By The Fog??" that scene fucking kills us FJFJDJDJFJD

-Anti/Tulip

HI HELLO!! (this is a month old im so sorry hkjh) I ALSO MISS IT HKJGH it was such a good concept, i love the meaningfulness of life and death behind the channel, contrasted with the silliest fuckin videos imaginable, i thought it was so fun?? let's try new things! let's be weird and wild EVERYDAY!! it doesn't need to be complex, we can just shoot the shit because theres still worth in the mundane moments, and our time on earth is limited anddd my god i think its so nice hgkjh <33

THE FIRST VIDEO IS SO FUCKING ICONIC HJHGKF to think of making breakfast with sex toys in the first place, the execution, the GUY WHO SHOWS UP AND THEIR FUCKING PANIC THATS SO FUNNY HKJHG

QUOTES YOU CAN HEAR AS YOU READ THEM KJHGG, "Mark, what's the main ingredient! In sepfruary desperation tanker :)" unplugging the tub like, Ethan oh no hkjhg… Ethan noooo…

i don't think i remember that one but my god hkjhg i will bleed ooooouuuttttt :)!!

I LOVE THE SINGING IT'S DEAR TO ME hkjg suddenly just "TOAST!" in the middle of the lyrics like HGKJH I DON'T THINK THATS RIGHT BUT I HAVENT DONE ENOUGH OF HEIST TO DISPUTE IT HKGJH

"knees weak, arms are heavy, mom's spaghetti... HES NERVOUS,,!!!!"

"I get to kill you now!! I'm going to kill you!! :)" HAKJSH THE THREATENING AURA...

I KNOW THAT LAST ETHAN QUOTE BUT I DONT REMEMBER FROM WHICH VIDEO HKJHG but i know the exact intonation he's saying it in hkjhg

personally enjoyed like, basically every time they sang, and also like. so many ethan moments hkjh i was an unus for real <33

i was still singing the disclaimer song for like, MONTHS after unus annus ended hkjh "Don't try this at home~ If you do you might dieee~!!" and the dance of italy still makes me laugh and the drive to camp with vocal warm ups were REALLY FUN, reminds me of my choir days <33 also "diggin my friend a grave~!! DIGGIN MY FRIEND A GRAVE~!!!!!!"

THE DRUM DATE DO YALL REMEMBER THE DRUM DATE?? theres a point where it actually sounds surprisingly good and im INCREDIBLY FOND OF THEM JAMMING OUT hfhj

this clip of ethan in the hot tub burbling is me whenever im in ANY water source ever hfjgj

im also fond of the real sensory deprivation tank experience, that was really fun getting to see the real deal compared to the. bathtub hkjhg

"Siri, call us daddy." "I couldn't find a father in your contacts" [TWIN LOOKS OF AGHAST SHOCK] FUCKGIJGN????? OH MY GOD... FUCK, MAN HGKJH

"a ski... skee... skipple... skiiiir... skirtle... skrittle... A SKITTLE!! no wait..." <- BIG FUCKIN MOOD HKGJH

i think the last video (other than the stream) that i rewatched from them was Ethan Teaches Gymnastics because i really do love just Ethan showing off all the moves he knows. COMPETENT GYMNAST!! THE BACKFLIP GUY HKJGH <333 the part where ethan talks about having to see how many fingers his instructor was holding up and mark flipping him off was really funny to me hgkjh that video holds a place in my heart hkjgh

ohhh theres probably so much more but these are what i remember hkjh <33 thank you for asking this, and thank you for sharing your favorites too hehehe!!! :3 <33 <22 i love reminiscing about this, i miss this channel jhkjgh <333 memento mori!!! :D

[cherryc1nnam0n]

Thank you for calling...

Chapter 5: "Please help..."

Main Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Chapter summary: When you come back Wednesday to work you didn't expect the chaos that awaited for you

Cw: Angst, crying, Eddie is depressed, more technical terms, screaming, people being assholes

You woke up early the next day, dressing up with whatever you found and going to work, when you got there your co workers were waiting for you

"Did someone die?"

"Almost..." Luke said

"Your customer called all day yesterday, he seems to have issues"

"Oh shit"

You waited until it was 7 am, clocked in and got ready, waiting for him to call again, your heart was a knot, was he okay? Is he okay? Was he robbed? Did something bad happen?

All your doubts were answered at 7:08 am

Edward Munson High Risk Authenticated

"Good morning and thank you for calling National Bank, my name is Y/n, who do I have the pleasure of assisting today?"

You heard nothing, then a sniffle? Is he crying?

"Hello?"

"Eddie? Are you okay?" You broke character when you heard his broken voice

"S-sweetheart" he said

Your eyes watered, you never heard him like this, he must be so sad

"W-what can I help you with?" Your voice trembled

"Y/n I-" he sobbed "I got robbed, someone emptied my account, I had 450 dollars saved for food and stuff and they're gone!"

You went into his account and saw it all

-356.90 Apple.com

-5.46 Amazon.com

-222.87 Uber

Available Balance -585.23

"Oh gosh, Eddie it's okay we'll fix this okay?"

"How will you fix this?! I was robbed! I don't use Apple, I don't even have an iPhone! I never buy shit from the internet and I have my own van so I don't use Uber! Y/n I'm fucked! I'm so fucked!"

"Eddie it's okay let's calm down and breathe okay? Breathe with me, inhale and exhale"

He did as you told him to and calmed down a little, he was still crying but now he wasn't yelling anymore

"I'm sorry for screaming at you" he said sobbing "But I really needed that money"

"I know Eddie, trust me I understand you, so I'm gonna help you okay? Now I need to contact disputes so they can file a claim on this, and your money will be back okay?"

"Really?" He had hope in his voice

"Yes, really"

"Thank you"

"You're welcome, nos stay on the line for me, I'll be right back"

You placed him on hold and called disputes

"Good morning and thank you for calling National Bank, my name is Michelle, how can I help you?"

"Hi this is Y/n from Hawkins"

"Oh hi Y/n, how are you?"

"I'm fine, you?"

"I'm doing great, what is your employee number?"

"It's xxxxxx"

"Last name?"

Y/l/n"

"Supervisor please"

"Joseph Quentin"

"Thank you, and how can I help?"

"My customer has transactions he doesn't recognize"

"I'll be more than glad to help, what's his social?"

"xxxxxxxxx, his name is Edward Munson, likes to be called Eddie only"

"Great, thanks, one moment"

You heard her typing on her computer and then she spoke again

"Which ones are they?"

"Apple, Amazon and Uber"

"I see them, you can put him through I'll be more than happy to help"

"Thanks"

You put all of you in conference and you heard him son again

"Hey Eddie, thanks for waiting in the line, I'm here with Michelle she'll take over the call and give you further assistance, thank you for being a valued-"

"Wait you're leaving?"

"Yes I'm sorry but she has to do her job and so do I-"

"Please don't go Y/n I can't-"

"Alright I'll take it from here, thank you Y/n you can leave now"

You huffed quietly

"Goodbye Eddie"

"No, no-"

You hung up the call leaving them alone, you couldn't stay on that call even if he begged you to, it's the rules

You sat back, placed yourself on After Call Work and cried a little

"Hey, hey, hey what's wrong?" Randall, one of the floor support people came to you "Are you okay?"

You shook your head "N-no..."

"Come on, let's go"

He logged you off and took you out to talk

Let's just say the day sucked...

~•~

A/n: I couldn't help myself so yes more angst! Eddie will be okay don't worry! Thanks for all the love <3

Taglist: @bbyhargrove @mystars123 @tiannamortis @kjaxm @eddiethesexy @kickstart-myheart-sixx @aftermidnightwriting @bratckerman

[bohemian-nights]

That last anon is cooking something. The book does have a second account of daemon being a father figure to nettles. A maester swears by it in fact. The salacious rumors about bathing were told by maids and we know which rumors not to trust (some of mushroom's, singers, maids, etc).

It makes sense if nettles' arc is split between rhaena and addam actually. Rhaena joining daemon at the riverlands fulfills the father-daughter arc that is in need of confrontration and closure since s1. It wouldn't make sense if you have rhaena, addam, and nettles as dragonriders. There'd be too many of them. Someone has to go and rhaena is already a poc. The only answer here is nettles. Addam aIready exists and is non-valyrian looking.

Tbh your self-insert fantasies are getting in the way of you seeing this in an objective light. They're clearly not following the books so why are you expecting a throuple or an incestuous dad-daughter one is to one comparison from the book? Clearly nonny was pertaining to the second account being fulfilled, which would be much better than a contrived alleged cheating plot.

The only thing you and the other anon are cooking is some meth in a basement to feed the voices in your heads🤣

For those that don't know this is a link to the ask that this Dumbnyra stan is talking about.

You must think I’m as stupid as your cult of delusional morons if you expect me to believe that they had someone come in to play Nettles, dressed her up and everything, but only as an easter egg🙃:

You and the other anon need to come up with a better excuse for why they’ll cut Nettles and replace her with Rhaena than the toilet water your spilling.

Shipping nonsense aside, Rhaena is a highborn girl who comes from a dragon-riding family. She may be neglected by her father, but she’s undoubtedly privileged and she does have family who do care about her.

Nettles is the complete opposite of that. She comes from literally nothing. She has no one. The odds are stacked against her and yet this little brown-skinned bastard girl claims a dragon that killed others who had the “right blood.”

She’s supposed to show us that it’s more than blood that makes us. No other dragonseed or dragonrider has gone through what she has and none of them will. She’s a survivor in every sense of the word.

You are literally missing the point of her arc if you think they can just copy and paste it onto Rhaena(or Addam or whoever) cause they are all POC(don't hide behind that word because it doesn't make you look less racist when we know you mean Black) now.

Learn how to read first before you come for me with the self-insert bull crap(rich coming from the likes of you considering that’s the only reason why you care about Dumbnyra and why you refuse to see Nettles as an actual important character):

Maester Norren’s Testimony is supposed to support not dispute the assertion that Daemon and Nettles are lovers (see the “and in this case”).

You can't cherry-pick what you want from a source(which is what you’re trying to do because you know it makes no sense that a man bathes naked alone with their grown daughter). Maester Norren believes what the maids say. He never questions it so you either drop his account entirely or you accept the whole of it.

The maids were there. They weren’t just gossiping for the sake of gossiping or making sh*t up because everyone at Maidenpool from Lord Mooton’s brother to those lowly maids could see how fond Daemon was of Netty:

As far as the show goes, despite what you guys try to claim, your ship has hit dead water:

This show was never centered around Dumbnyra’s “epic love story.” Nettles and the “contrived cheating plot” was always going to come along (and you can cry about it till the cows come home):

As I asked the other anon, if you truly believe that Rhaena will replace Nettles what will be the new cause of Daemon abandoning Rhaenyra?

Does Mysaria still accuse him of sleeping with his own daughter and Rhaenyra believes her and orders Rhaena’s death or does Daemon just decide to abandon her and end it all for sh*ts and giggles?

What makes him confront Aemond now knowing that Rhaenyra needs him, Rhaena’s life doesn’t hang in the balance, and he doesn’t have to make a choice? What’s the reason? What’s the motivation? Don’t leave us in suspense 🙃

And before another Dumbnyra stan sends me another anonymous message talking about how mean I am or how I’m just a biased self-inserter, let me go quote myself from yesterday because you are proving my point:

This is why I responded to the first anon and yourself the way I did. Your side of the fandom is riddled with misogynoir and anti-Blackness all under the guise feminism(while disrespecting every female character who isn't Rhaenyra).

In your bigoted minds, you all think there can only be one or two Black people around, or else there are too many in a sea of white characters you can root for. The presence of a whopping six Black(ish) characters is just so distressing for you.

You all think it’s fine to cut the only in-canon Black character and insert her arc onto race-bent characters because you don’t want her there.

You refuse to see her importance because she’s Black. You refuse to relate to her because she’s Black. You refuse to see her as an actual character with a story worthy of being told because she’s Black.

A story that is unique among the dragonseeds(yes even with Addam having dark hair because he’s still being claimed by Corlys and he has a family) but you ignore it all in favor of she should be cut because there are just too many Black characters.

Let's call a spade a spade and say the main reason you want her cut and replaced with Rhaena is because you know that if Nettles is there she will be Daemon’s lover and due to the color of her skin you refuse to self-insert into a Negro like you do Rhaenyra. Rhaena is the safe option because you know Daemon can't f*ck his own daughter. Don’t insult my intelligence and say that you are doing this because you people actually want to make her more of a key player during the Dance or want daddy to pay attention to her.

I’ve already laid out how they can make Rhaena more actively involved so if you really cared about her you’d root for a story line like this:

You don’t care about Nettles, Rhaena, or Addam who all have their respective plot lines and roles to play. This is all being done to keep your sinking ship afloat(too late for that because it’s already struck the iceberg and it’s going down faster than the Titanic).

You know who can be cut/combined considering they have basically the same role (betraying Rhaenyra)? Ulf and Hugh. Oh, but that’s right, they are both white so you’d never suggest that. They are just too important to the plot for one to be cut.

Your all Negros are the same to me, they’ll have five Negros on the show and that’s five too many even though this show is majority white, I’ll lose what’s left of my sanity if they add one more so they’ve had to have reached their Black quota behind can go somewhere else and spout that bull crap to your fellow Nazi wannabes.

If people can not see how racist this cult of a fandom is I don’t know what to tell you, but I won’t be entertaining your unserious bs about Nettles on my blog when you come out the gate with racially charged language.

[nokingsonlyfooles]

We're Through Pretending

Imagine you go to the store to get groceries, because you're hungry and you need to eat. The grocery store happens to be thousands of miles away, and many people die trying to get there every day, but you're hungry, you need to eat, and that's where the groceries are. There's a big lady holding up a torch outside the store and she's got a big sign that says "GROCERIES HERE!" So you go, right?

There are so many groceries at the store. You've never seen such groceries. Kinda expensive, but that's okay! You pick some out and get in line. It's a real long line. There are plenty of groceries, that's not the problem, but there are very few people working the checkout. And a lot of 'em have guns. And a lot of 'em don't seem to be to happy that people are here to get groceries. A lot of people are getting imprisoned or yeeted right out of the store. Many of them children.

A minor dispute on whether to surround the checkouts in razor wire seems to be going on. Also, they are trying to build a wall. A lot of people are getting hurt, and dying, due to all the razor wire and shit around the checkouts. People are building little makeshift shelters, and dropping dead of hypothermia and dehydration, and getting sick. But you need groceries! You gotta eat!

Someone walks up and screams at you that you're breaking the law by loitering around the store like this and not making a purchase. But you are trying to make a purchase, the line is just that damn long! Years long! You are in the legal place to make your grocery purchase, according to the store rules. It is required that you loiter. The only other thing you can do is get out and head back home with no groceries, where you will suffer and probably die.

Well, that's not the store's fault, says the person who's screaming about your illegal loitering. Actually, although it's very complicated, you're pretty sure it is? At least partially? Something about the price of the bananas? And the pharmaceuticals...? Couldn't they at least have a few of those guys with the guns take a turn scanning the barcodes?

But before you can even get into that, someone new rolls up and says that the store rules have changed. Too many people are trying to buy groceries. Now, no one can buy groceries. They may make an exception for unaccompanied minors - they love incentivizing sending children on a dangerous journey alone, so they can put them in cages! - but otherwise, nobody's buying groceries today.

But you have money! (Skills/labor/tax dollars!) And they have groceries, you can see them! Don't they even want your money?

No. And it doesn't matter why. No groceries today. Go home, or go camp in the parking lot and hope too many people don't want groceries tomorrow. We are allowing some people to secure a place in line via phone and remote locations, but by the numbers, far too few to meet demand. Also, we may not necessarily allow them to buy groceries either. Why? Bottom line, we're afraid if we let you pay for your groceries, you'll buy all of them, and there won't be any left. Hasn't happened yet - everyone who comes here to get groceries brings the resources needed to stock more groceries - but it might!

You notice it bothers the store people way less when white Europeans buy the groceries. They're not as worried about scarcity then.

So you say, "Fuck it, then I'll steal these."

And, ya know, maybe you'll make it. Some folks do, God bless 'em. But now everyone's pointing at you and screaming, "SEE? WE CAN'T SELL MORE GROCERIES NOW! PEOPLE ARE STEALING THEM!"

And God alone knows what new rules the store will put into place to keep people who need groceries from accessing the groceries next.

The latest bill, the one that says we might fix the grocery line problem by shutting down the whole thing for most of the year, is dead in the water. This is only the case because, due to a truly hilarious chain of circumstances, Republicans don't want to give Biden a "win." Yes! Shutting down the border and backing up the line even further, with the intention of making more people turn around and go home to die, is a win! We're just so damn worried about the potential scarcity of our groceries, we kinda like it when people who need groceries die. Phew! I mean, at least they didn't get any of our groceries!

And this is collateral damage. We've accepted, as a nation, that people will die on the border (and lots of other places) so that "we" (career politicians who don't care about anyone) can bank some political capital to do other things. This is what "harm reduction" looks like in real terms. Whom shall we throw under the bus so that others might not get run over quite so much? Might. No guarantees, but you are free to soothe your conscience by imagining the never-ending carnage could've been way worse. Look! Maybe this trans child got maimed slightly less because the brown one was crushed under the wheels! That's progress!

I can't make these decisions anymore. If you can, OK. God help you. God help all of us.

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

You hear the sound of running water. Someone's washing dishes.

Sounds like Gary's back in his apartment.

🎵 Coastal Shack

As I'm writing this, the vote is tied between the church and the village, but there is one *specific* thing I want to prioritize in the village. We need to find our gun, and that means dealing with Evrart.

We *could* play into his hands and just let Lilienne and Sadie sign. We could also find someone else to sign. Or...

WHITE ENVELOPE - You take the legal documents out of the envelope: a 12-40 month construction period and the zoning plan in the addendum.

2. [Interfacing - Challenging 12] Okay, let's do this! (Commence the forgery.)

+2 Dresscode: Paper-jockey.

INTERFACING [Challenging: Success] - With a confident flourish you complete your forgery. What do you see on the signature line?

Two names: *Isobel Sadie* and *Lilienne Carter*.

INTERFACING - Indeed. They look distinctly different and very convincing. These might as well be their actual signatures.

But they're not, and the document will be nullified if they dispute it. That means Evrart will have to start over.

All you need to do now is mail the signatures to Evrart's accountant in La Delta.

VISUAL CALCULUS [Medium: Success] - There was a mail delivery box in the plaza, near the corner of the bookstore.

2. Put the documents back in the envelope. [Leave.]

A white envelope with a stamp attached to the upper-right corner, handed to you by Evrart Claire. Inside are some legal documents bearing the signatures *Isobel Sadie* and *Lilienne Carter*.

Great. Now...

🎵 Disco Elysium, Pt 1

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Tequila Sunset." He nods in appreciation.

"What do you guys do around here?"

"Why do you keep losing all your stuff?"

"Okay, here's your jacket. Fresh washed!"

"I want to hear the story of your name again."

"I got you some more booze, can you tell me the next story now?"

"Be seein' you." [Leave.]

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "My jacket?"

"Yeah, it was pretty filthy, though, so I got it cleaned for you."

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - A look of consternation crosses the man's face. He looks at you, then at his bottle, then back at you...

"What the fuck are you talking about, Tequila?"

"What the fuck are *you* talking about?"

"So you're saying this *isn't* your jacket?"

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Rosemary, what the fuck is Tequila talking about?"

ROSEMARY - "Aye, that's the jacket you stole two weeks ago. From the kid who was making it with his gal on the beach."

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "That's disgusting. I've never done anything like that in my life. You're both delusional." He scoffs. "'FALN'? That's medium-concept stuff."

LOGIC [Easy: Success] - It becomes abundantly clear to you how this man managed to lose his keys, business, friends and girlfriend.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Easy: Success] - I'm calling it -- it's neurological.

"Your loss. I'm keeping the jacket for myself." (Keep it.)

"I went through some dark shit to get this for you. Take the fucking jacket." (Give it to him.)

The jacket has some solid stats, if Doom Spiral doesn't want it, we're keeping it.

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "That shit is so medium-concept I wouldn't touch it with a stick. But yeah, okay, I'm sure it looks great on you."

Task complete: Find Idiot Doom Spiral's jacket

+15 XP

Let's at least get a story while we're here.

4. "I got you some more booze, can you tell me the next story now?"

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Of course -- drink first, story later." He holds out his palm.

"Here, I've got a Potent Pilsner." (Give it.)

"I've got some sweet *Commodore Red*." (Give it.)

"I've got this blue medicinal spirit, how about that?"

"I don't have any on me right now." (Lie.)

"Geez, I already gave you some. I don't want to keep doing that." (Don't do it now.)

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - He raises his palm as if to shun you back to wherever you came from. "No-no-no, contrary to popular belief, I enjoy being alive."

"Here, I've got a Potent Pilsner." (Give it.)

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Not much, but it will do..." He grabs the bottle from your hand and uncorks it immediately.

"The tale I'm about to tell you is an urban legend particular to Martinaise." He lifts the bottle to his lips and takes a long, luxuriant sip. "That said, I first heard it from a former bicycle courier in Couron..."

"There are many variations on the basic story, and the details often conflict. What everyone agrees on is that nobody knows the exact nature or identity of… the phenomenon."

ROSEMARY - "Are you telling the story of the Headless--"

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Shut the fuck up, Rosemary!"

He clears his throat: "Summer of '44. Seventeen-year-old Gertrude Het is walking home from a late shift at the harbour. It's almost midnight. She stops for a cigarette near the canal..."

SHIVERS [Medium: Success] - The streets are warmed by a southerly breeze. The lights of a passing motor carriage bloom and fade in the distance...

In the harbour's dark, her cigarette is a beacon, dancing alone. The image comes to you effortlessly, as though you'd walked the same streets yourself a thousand times.

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Our heroine finds herself enjoying the peace and quiet the canal provides..." He looks up to the skies as if searching for peace himself...

"What she doesn't know is that her peace is about to be shattered. From behind her comes the clattering of hooves. Startled, she turns around, and what does she see?"

"I don't know, what?"

"A horse?"

"The Giant of Koko Nur?"

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "What? No! I told you this is a *Martinaise* legend. It's a man..."

DRAMA [Medium: Success] - ...the pause is long and dramatic...

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "... with no head on his shoulders! Wearing a FALN tracksuit. Searching for the legendary FALN cap that went missing -- when he lost his head."

"Wait, I thought the Headless FALN Rider rode a bull?" (Show him the figurine.)

"Whoa."

"That sounds pretty implausible to me."

"That's super spooky."

KIM KITSURAGI - "I thought that he rode a headless pig?" The lieutenant says with a little smirk.

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Well, there are many versions of this story, the most peculiar of which has the Headless FALN Rider riding on the back of another headless man."

"That sounds pretty implausible to me."

"That's super spooky."

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Yes. According to legend, young Gertrude Het had to endure years of psychotherapy before she was able to look at a horse or tracksuit again... And she's one of the *lucky ones*." He takes a sip from his bottle.

"Gertrude Het may have been the first to witness the *Headless FALN Rider*, but she wasn't the last, oh no…"

ROSEMARY - "Tell 'em about the two feminists by the locks!"

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Fuck, Rosemary, they were dating -- no one said they were feminists. Everyone always misremembering this stuff..."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Hmmm, this wouldn't be the Deponte-Delgado case, would it?"

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "What? You know it?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "I've read the case file. But please, go on."

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Right. *Ahem*. Early autumn of '46. Ulla Deponte and Eva Delgado are fishing near the water lock long after the sun has set..."

"The wind picks up, a sky already dark now blackens. Water starts falling from above, the first cold rain of the season..."

SHIVERS [Medium: Success] - Two women stand on a small outcropping of rocks. One of them is wearing a purple raincoat. Thin lines reach out from the rods into the sea. Small droplets start appearing on the surface with increasing frequency.

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "The women are caught in the downpour. They act quickly. Eva gathers the rods whilst Ulla turns around to reach for the tackle box..."

INLAND EMPIRE [Easy: Success] - Don't turn around, don't turn around!

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "When she sees something! Her shriek is so violent that the residents of the nearby apartment building believe lightning has struck..."

"But there is no lightning. Only a heavy downpour and the silhouette of the *Headless FALN Rider* looming on the horizon!"

"Ulla makes a run for the shore, but Eva slips on a wet rock and disappears into the cold, cold canal with nary a sound..."

The man falls ominously silent for a moment. "Her body is never recovered." He looks you straight in the eye.

"What did the case file say?" (Ask Kim.)

"What happened to Ulla Deponte?" (Ask Doom Spiral.)

KIM KITSURAGI - "Naturally, Ulla Deponte became the prime suspect in the disappearance of Eva Delgado. Deponte maintained that it was the so-called 'Headless FALN Rider' and that she ran, fearing for her life..." He adjusts his glasses.

"During the investigation it became apparent that there was a love triangle, the third party being some small-time businessman -- I don't remember the exact details. The leading theory was that an argument broke out on the jetty and Deponte pushed Delgado into the canal, then cooked up this stupid cover story."

"Was she arrested?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "No. She committed suicide before she could be taken into custody. They found her in the bathroom with a rifle, her face slowly peeling off the ceiling..."

"Not a pretty scene."

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Man, that's some grisly detail. Oh well, here's to another case closed!" He takes a hearty swig from his bottle.

"Anyway, that's the story of the *Headless FALN Rider*. Pretty crazy, huh?"

+5 XP

"Who was the Headless Rider before he died?"

"I've already seen some weird shit on this case. A headless jockey in a tracksuit fits right in."

"That's nothing. I've got an even *crazier* story."

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Well, Tequila, that's part of the legend -- no one knows for sure. There are a couple of possibilities, though..."

"Some say he was an undercover cop who blew his cover and got beheaded by the vicious gang he had infiltrated -- Now he rides, searching for his lost FALN cap, plotting revenge."

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] - Oh, headless brother, where art thou?

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Others claim he was a professional jockey who veered off-course during a steeple chase, ended up in somebody's back yard, and got decapitated by an exceptionally taut clothes line..."

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Medium: Success] - Even decapitation couldn't stop his commitment to the sport. Are *you* that committed?

IDIOT DOOM SPIRAL - "Personally, I think he was just some guy who hanged himself from a really tall tree and the fall was so violent that his head came clean off..."

"Coincidentally, at that exact moment, a horse happened to pass under him and his beheaded corpse mounted it, where it remains to this day... But then, no one really knows."

INLAND EMPIRE [Trivial: Success] - For some reason this *does* strike you as the most plausible theory of them all.

[blackautmedia]

Reminder again that Michigan has one of the highest Arab populations in the US. This is horrible communication.

Writing off people rightfully upset about the choice to remain complicit in genocide as just people who want Trump is not effective. It's dismissive and arrogant.

Earlier this year we saw -this come the state of Michigan how there was a push for uncommitted votes because these people are watching their friends and family be genocided. They're dying and being disabled en masse here too.

We're not "pushing Harris left" by calling people bots, Russians, Trump lovers, and psyops whenever they vocalize their grievances with how the "lesser of two evils" is still death and disability for us.

What discernible difference does it make for Black, Arab, South and West Asian people when the baseline of the "lesser of the two evils" decides to continue in genocide?

What is this party going to do that they haven't done in the last four years? Why do you continue to draw a hard line of imagining anyone critical of the democratic party and refusing to lend support to genocide as people opposed to queer rights and reproductive access like these issues don't disproportionately affect Black, Native, and other non-white people?

Since this took place in Detroit, let's also remember that Detroit saw one of the highest death tolls for covid early on in the pandemic.

But the administration decided it was acceptable to declare the pandemic over and spend that money on police knowing it will continue to disproportionately murder non-white disabled people.

You can't decontextualize situations like police murdering Black disabled women like Sonya Massey from the fact that this administration directly funds the institution responsible.

You can't separate the ongoing genocide and occupation of Palestine from the imperial interest of the US.

I don't begrudge anyone urging people to vote democrat, but what I cannot stand is the refusal to deviate or understand the people raising perfectly reasonable grievances. To act as if they are just "bots" or "Trump lovers" because the communication is only predicated on fear.

But that fear is meaningless in the face of those of us in such dire conditions in the US. Those of us who know our lives already mean nothing to people in power.

There's no going halfway on genocide.

There's no compromising with genocide.

There's no middleground with taking preventative measures during a pandemic.

There's no "progressive" way to enact eugenics.

It's also not lost how many voters clearly just had more of a problem with Biden being old and disabled than his role in enacting genocide and eugenics.

Creating an environment where you repeatedly shut out anyone who has legitimate grievances with the state of the party because you see them as "fake" or as sympathetic to Trump only creates the conditions for you to never hear their voices on critical issues.