#all roles determined by spin the wheel

[seneon]

SENATION LORE PART 4: THE ACCUSED WITCHES.

📍 set in salem witch trials au ( year 1600s )

A LONG LOONNNGNGGG TIME AGO in the 16th century, there lived a society of women. all intelligent and beautiful. it was led by sen, the mastermind of the secret underground society which nobody knew of. lady sen and her girl club is always trying to fight for themselves. for freedom of women.

however one day... lady sen met a handsome young nobleman named @luvlyycy. they fell in love and my, oh my! did intimate and affectionate things together 😳😳 what a beautiful couple they are... sir luvlyycy even promised to buy lady sen a whole land as a promise to marry her!

little did the lady knew... he's an evil man... the nobleman only wanted lady sen's attention because she is simply soooo wonderful and beautiful and amazingful. until one day he found she led a society of intelligent women in secret.

golly gee, do you know what sir luvlyycy did? well, he reported it to the officials! so many women who are gathered together is simply impossible. there was no way women are smarter than he is. he couldn't take it. so then he took lady sen court.

"she is a witch for summoning smart women together!" @o-sachi exclaimed, sir luvlyycy's lawyer, trying to get the judges to set a final decision that lady sen is a witch. "she speaks of the devil, sir!!"

"i am NAWT a witch! that damn nobleman accused me of being one!!" sen exclaimed in protest to prove herself innocent.

"cease talking this instance! we will discuss about this matter and judge her accordingly." judge @bbluefllame claimed.

"we have concluded that women with brains are incomprehensible and unobtainable. therefore, this woman here is in fact... a witch!" judge @haunted4kent concluded.

"for her to gather so many intelligent women in a secret women society is a crime. her punishment will be burning at a stake!" finalised @bbluefllame as lady sen fell on the ground and began her wailing, the crowd wreaking havoc.

soon, before lady sen was taken to the site of execution, a local priest @hyoismbbg had offered a time of repentance for the accused witch. "but i have nothing to repent! i am not a witch!" sen exclaimed as the priest proceeded with the confession anyways... he just didn't want to lose his job and leave a criminal hanging lol. what a nice priest.

soon, lady sen along with her two other most loyal ladies of the society, @saewako, @rueclfer, and a random burnt baby which we will call dabi, all joined together to burn at the stake for a crime they did not commit.

at lady sen's last breath, she cursed the nobleman for accusing her. and with that, she and her ladies all melted, along with burnt baby dabi. and they ceased to exist, another collection of victims added to the salem witch trials.

will lady sen be reincarnated for revenge? we will find out in three months.

STARRING. @saewako @hyoismbbg @raeson @piichuu @sweetheartsaku @elssero @marushoto @choccorin @loveriotss @luvlyycy @sunolls @haunted4kent @bbluefllame @ryescapades @o-sachi @sepptember @cindol @kasiers @kazuhaiku @lunatiqez @laughingfcx @rueclfer @azlumire

part one. part two. part three.

note. omg part four is out!! made in remembrance of halloween and my love for the salem witch trials. also first part of the sensation lore where sen is a female. it's crazy..

[gamerwithamonocle]

Cool Hades 2 Character Design Thing!

First off, new god art looks amazing! I am so excited to see a some of the ones that didn’t make it into the last game appear here! Now onto a cool thing about Moros’ character design I noticed and how it’s probably tied into the game’s themes!

He’s got little references to his sisters, the Fates, in his design. (and also to the Fate aesthetic as a whole I guess.) Moros is one of Nyx’s many kids along with the Fates, Thanatos, Hypnos, Charon, Nemesis... ect. However, he and the Fates are a little more closely associated with each other than he is with his other siblings.

His little sash had three symbols on it that resemble (left to right) a spool of thread, ye old scissors/shears, and a spindle. These match the Fate sisters’ roles as Spinner (spindle for a spinning wheel), Allotter (determines how much thread of life goes into each person’s spool), and Upturning (or the one that cuts the thread). 

His sword also appears to be made to look like a sewing needle to complete the whole Fate family sewing aesthetic. Moros himself is the Fates’ older brother and is associated with impeding doom and generally bad times destinies, being the one who kinda leads people to them. SO it makes sense that he would have a needle to guide people’s strings.

Also he’s standing next to what I assume is this game’s Fated List of Minor Prophecies, which was written by the Fates for Zagreus in the first game, as well as what’s probably a scrying pool. Maybe he has missions like killing a certain type of enemy however many times given his domain?

I think it’s really cool that in a game where Kronos, Titan of Time, is the main big bad has all these gods whose domain revolve around prophecies, fate, and inevitability gunning against him is hilarious given he got screwed by fate before. I mean, Apollo god of prophecy and oracles is also here. Honestly, this is just a great cast for a game genre that’s all about running through RNG floors in endless loops. I’m so excited!

[homestuckreplay]

PUPPET WARNING: Dave’s Bro Facts Roundup

(page 567-574)

9/1/2009 Wheel Spin: being silly :3c Verdict: Do Not Be Silly Here

9/2/2009 Wheel Spin: Captchalogue Lore Verdict: Do Not Captchalogue These Things

It is worse in Dave’s house than it is in John’s or Rose’s. Hovering over the infinite abyss of clouds and getting pelted with baby meteorites are both preferable to whatever the FUCK is going on at Dave’s place. I think that John’s dad and Rose’s mom are both complex people with a lot going on in their own lives that their kids don’t see and I think Dave’s bro is the story’s cartoon villain before we’ve even caught a glimpse of him.

This is some unfathomably off the wall shit, so against my will because I do not want to think about him, here’s a list of what we know about the mysterious Strider brother (cw for mentions of sex crimes).

Owns a large collection of puppets, including nude Smuppets, puppets of celebrities, marionettes, and a ventriloquist doll named Lil Cal

Takes Lil Cal out on gigs (p.447)

Moves Lil Cal to various locations in the apartment, making it appear as though Cal is moving himself (p.564)

Keeps puppets in kitchen equipment such as the microwave and blender, preventing their being used for food (p.574)

Makes thousands of dollars every month by running an adult puppet website (p.460)

Maintains a variety of other websites, all of which he claims are ironic

Keeps webcams switched on around the house, possibly using the footage for his websites, which may feature his underage brother (p.570)

Is a gamer, a regular reader of GameBro magazine, and signed up as a beta tester for Sburb but has no intention of playing (p.314)

Owns a large amount of technology including an Xbox, flatscreen TV, computer, speaker system, turntables and mixing gear (p.455, 562)

Password protects his computer (p.456)

Sleeps in the living room (p.447)

Owns a lot of weapons and explosives, which he keeps loose in the kitchen, blades out (p.567)

‘always getting on [Dave’s] case’ about weaponizing his sylladex (p.386)

Carries a sword around the house, which is a sign of trouble to Dave (p.562)

Draws comics, which may focus on dark and violent retellings of children’s media (p.565)

I think most people would agree that this would be an unpleasant person to live with, and someone who should not be taking responsibility for a child. Dave appears genuinely scared when outside of his room. Even without making any inferences at all, the house is a physically dangerous space – but there are a lot of clear implications made by the facts above that suggest illegal activity, neglecting a dependent’s basic needs, and exposing a child to pornography, which is a really unpleasant association for a character and an extreme choice for a writer to make. Hearing that before even meeting Bro has closed me off to liking him or even seeing his ‘good side’ and I expect lots of other readers will be the same, even if that reaction wasn’t the author’s intent.

All this to say, it’s actually kind of simple when your problems are an imp ten times your size climbing up to your house. That’s a very clear and actionable goal compared to whatever Dave’s been going through for as long as he’s been living with this guy. I am really interested to know what role the main characters’ family members will play in the story once they are all playing Sburb – John is clearly determined to save his dad despite complaining about him before beginning the game, so there could be a reversal of this with Dave, where he realizes that he doesn’t want to save his brother and goes against the game’s intended path.

[infernalodie]

𝐌𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐱 || 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐎𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐚

“𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯', 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦? 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯' 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦, "𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯, 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺" 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦“

Inspo: G-Eazy - My Next Fix

Pairing: Jenna Ortega x Black!Male!reader

Summary: She had you on a string...

Warnings: Sexual tension, Sub!Jenna Ortega, Dom!reader, and oral.

Words: 1283

DNI IF YOU’RE YOUNGER THAN 18!

She hadn’t left you a chance to relax.

She was toying with you.

Wanting to elicit a reaction from you in the middle of a party filled with people in your guys’ line of business. Some who had worked with both of you and others who had admired your work. And even from the bar, she was still trying to get something out of you. A possessive reaction that made her head spin with butterflies and endless amounts of sinful scenarios.

Even in the same car together, she hadn’t refrained from touching your thigh. Whispering dirty things in your ear that the media would die to know. Rolling up the hem of her dress, which did have your eyes stray from the road occasionally. Able to see the black lace she wanted to torture you. Eyes flickering to face to see her wearing a smirk, a challenging look in her eyes as you gripped the steering wheel tighter. But this was all a game. A tug of war to see who’d be the first to give. Jenna was trying to rattle you, but even at the Golden Globes, she never rattled you once. So, tonight, she was determined to change that.

Turning towards the bar, you grabbed the drink and took a sip. Cracking your head as you swallowed the smooth, harsh, burning liquid with a hum. The fresh substance of weed slithered into the depths of your body. Not enough that you were faded and looking like a husk at the bar. But just enough that it somewhat blurred your vision and senses from Jenna and made your mouth dry. Except, it only seemed to intensify the desire that had brewed in the pit of your stomach for the past hour. Submitted to all of Jenna’s advances–trying to break you and rip her from this party and bend her over somewhere. Maybe the front of your car. Maybe over the table in the kitchen. Maybe-

“You seem lonely,” Jenna appeared, hopping up onto the stool beside you, placing her head in her hand as she stared at your side profile. When you looked at her, you saw her lips pulled into a smirk. She knew what she was doing. You knew what she was doing. But the question was; did you have the power to keep doing this all night? “Want some company? I’ve been known to lift the mood.”

You raised a brow, lips twitching into a smile as you turned to her, leaning against the bar. “Oh? Is that true?” You inquired, finding her gaze fixated on your soft lips. Although you were hanging on, you could guarantee she was about to wave the white flag and anoint you as the winner of this little game. “I also heard you’re a great performer.”

The girl snorted. “Pretending not to date you have been the best role yet,” she said. “But, yes. I am a great performer. Thank you. But I am sure you already know that front the countless hours we’ve spent in your bedroom, right?”

Ever since Scream, where you two met, you two had been… together? It wasn’t anything romantic–nothing more than sex. Whenever you needed a fix, she was one call away and happy to get something in return. But when feelings got involved, that made the sex better and the relationship healthier. You two kept it and continued to keep it under wraps for the sole reason that you guys wanted to keep something from the public eye. Something for the two of you to have that was personal and wasn’t talked about over social media.

Glancing around, finding no one to be watching, you slowly took a step closer. Something that was noticed by Jenna, whose smirk widened at the action. Now able to see the faint red in your eyes from the weed offered by Pete Davidson, who had been trying to get you with a chick the entire night. Your hand rested on her knee, touch scalding hot to the smaller girl’s skin as she let out a strangled exhale. “So, are you happy I brought you here?”

Jenna sighed, glancing around. “Oh, for sure. Totally not like I want to get fucked, but that’s alright.” She smiled, seeing your eyes darken slightly. Fingers twitched slightly, giving her the sign that she was winning

One more little push and…

“I mean, I’ve seen a few people who were staring at me. Checking me out. Maybe they can give me what I want-” A laugh fell from her lips when you grabbed her forearm and began to pull her away from the bar and deeper into the house.

It is built into one’s human nature to act out on such desires. How it thickened the air around you–suffocating the life out of you until you finally relented. But if you tried to fight nature and how you’re body worked, it would only result in one thing.

“Y-Y/n- Fuck.” Jenna’s eyes were shut, hands propped behind her to keep her from falling off the sink. You were kneeling between her legs, lapping at the sweet taste of her arousal. Hands pressed to the inside of her thighs. Squeezing and groping at the thick muscles as Jenna tried to control her hips from bucking. But with your tongue pushing past her cunt and lips clamping around her clit, you were managing to make it very difficult.

Arms hooked under her thighs, you pulled her closer. Face smothered in her sweet heat that dripped continuously. Although your chest was rising and falling from the lack of oxygen, you couldn’t care. With how she looked, the sound of her whines and pleads for you to give her a second, you were lost in the heat of it all.

You had known this night would go one way or the other. And you were still trying to decide if being locked in a bathroom and eating your girlfriend out wasn’t ideally your goal. You preferred her fawning and whimpering on your cock. But she had managed to apply some sort of curse on you that made you fall to your knees and worship the beautiful flower between her legs. Because you were getting as much pleasure as she was.

Her hands fell to your dreads, tugging you impossibly closer. From the painful feeling that only turned you on more, a guttural moan ripped through your chest as you wrapped your lips around her clit. The vibrations that shot up Jenna’s body were enough to make her cry out, attempting to push your head away that wouldn’t dare budge. Your eyes focused on her expression which was overwhelmed with pleasure. “Y/n, it hurts! Fuck! Y/n-” She choked on her words when her body stilled for a moment, sharp inhales heard, before she moaned. Her body shook within your hold as she whined, trying to pull away from your firm grasp.

But the more she put up a fight, the more you kept her in place. Keeping her on cloud nine for as long as you could before rudely pulling away. Although she was lightheaded and dripping in sweat, the sight of your licking your lips and grinning ear to ear, sent another wave of heat through her. “Why did you stop suddenly?” She breathed, watching as you stood to your feet and cleaned your face.

A roguish look in your eyes flashed, lips still etched in that grin as you placed your hands on the edge of the sink. Leaning down and kissing the corner of her lips, but pulling away just as she chased to taste herself on your tongue. “Let’s just call it payback, sweetheart.”

[dailydemonspotlight]

Norn - Day 70

Race: Megami

Alignment: Light-Law

Arcana: Fortune

July 12th, 2024

Fate is a fickle thing. Concepts of fate have existed throughout many world religions, mythologies, and superstitions- walk under a ladder, and fate may bring you ill fortune, after all- or perhaps, a black cat will bring bad luck. Most mythologies have specific deities or beings dedicated to fate, or one's own life- take, for example, the Greek Moirai sisters, or today's Demon of the Day, a Nordic subset of deities who spin the wheel of fate and measure one's own time left to live, the Norns, A set of three Jötunn who paint pictures of one's fate and judge them to see how their life shall go.

Depicted in the Völuspá, the most famous poem in the Poetic Edda, the sisters Norn are depicted as caretakers of the great tree Yggdrasil, as said in the passage below. The Poetic Edda is, of course, an intense and long story, and while the Norns aren't given many mentions, their role is still as important as any other deity- that being to take care of the tree of life, keep it alive, and keep humanity and the Æsir alive in tow. As described as well, the poem also goes over their role in fate. To quote,

I know an ash tree, named Yggdrasil: Sparkling showers are shed on its leaves That drip dew, into the dales below, By Urd's well it waves evergreen, Stands over that still pool, Near it a bower whence now there come The Fate Maidens, first Urd, Skuld second, scorer of runes, Then Verdandi, third of the Norns: The laws that determine the lives of men They fixed forever and their fate sealed.

The well they drew this water from, Urðarbrunnr, named so after one of the Norns themselves, contained sacred water that could wash away the rot gnawing at the tree's roots, nourishing the grand tree and keeping it from bringing about the death of the realms riding upon it. Beyond just this, though, what's the deal with the fate imagery? Well, it's complicated. The three Norns are, in effect, the 'Primary' Norns- there were attestations by Snorri Sturluson, the primary compiler of the Poetic Edda, that there were far more that watched over the fates of man themselves. As stated by pre-Christian Scandinavian sources, and later recalled by Snorri in the Prose Edda's first book, there were good and evil Norns. To quote,

"If the Norns determine the weirds of men, then they apportion exceeding unevenly, seeing that some have a pleasant and luxurious life, but others have little worldly goods or fame; some have long life, others short." Hárr said: "Good norns and of honorable race appoint good life; but those men that suffer evil fortunes are governed by evil norns."

As implied, it's said that Norns were different from just being three fates- they were, in effect, guardian angels, those who watched over others and ensured their fates. I personally find it interesting that this is one of the only major differences between the Norns and the Sisters Moirai, as the three main Norns do not govern the fate of everyone; everyone instead has their own Norn to govern them and their time. The main three, Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi, seem to simply be major Norn figures who protected the fate of all of life itself through their attending of Yggdrasil.

Looking at the design of the Norn in SMT, I believe it's less meant to represent the three sisters, and more of the overall concept of them as guardians who represent fate. The three Norn surrounding the clock do appear to be allusions to Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi, but the clock itself seems to be drawing comparison to the concept of fate- the idea that, when the clock ends, the one they watch over shall die.

To completely swerve topics, @averagefungus was the one who got the easter egg in the Alice DDS first! Congratulations! To answer what it was, if you look at the first letter of each paragraph, it spells out DIE FOR ME!

[404-mind-not-found]

Hey guys remember that "fnaf short story but all the characters' roles are determined by a spin the wheel" story I was writing Well I brought it up again and I'm determined to finish it >:D

[lemonboi390]

The End is Never the End

Chapter 3: The Voice

Stanley Suddenly Falls ill, and the following events shake both the narrator and Stanley’s fabric of reality. Nothing is what it seems now.

A/N: This is one of my first ever fanfictions, and it was inspired by a role play so I apologize if the quality is lacking in any way. I’ll be posting sporadically as inspiration comes at random. Chapters will be uploaded to AO3 first. (Link on my blog) Sorry if there are any grammatical issues. Thank you for reading!

(It's the fluff you all need after the last chapter kind of)

TW: Surreality

------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hello, Stanley.”

Stanley swallowed back the jumblement of words threatening to spill out of him. He knew that matter-of-fact, comforting voice all too well, of the special someone he had been devastated he destroyed to nothing a moment ago. Every fiber in his being craved to reach out and embrace him, to feel human contact again... He wanted to know that this was his narrator, his one and only, standing right in front of him. To feel him as a person for the first time, and not just a disembodied voice that followed him. To know that this was a real, tangible person, that he wasn’t just imagining the parable and living a convoluted illusion, that he could feel safe now, that he wasn’t going to die alone. Perhaps, that it was all going to be okay, but most importantly, his narrator was alive in front of him.

Stanley blinked slowly as his narrator hurriedly approached his bedside in attempted collectedness. He rubbed his eyes, mimicking the motions of someone who just woke up. He struggled to keep his gaze lowered, to not give in to the urge to look at Narry, to show him his raw, unfiltered tears, and give him the biggest bear hug imaginable. He sniffled quietly, cursing himself for letting that sound out as he buried his face in his hands.

“I’m so glad to see you awake! Oh I had been so worried about you, how are you feeling?” The narrator's words hurtled out of him as if he had just run a marathon. He placed a gentle hand on Stanley’s forehead, tutting in concern. "Oh my, that is quite serious…Stanley I-...” he broke his train of thought when he saw Stanley hiding his face, “Stanley are you alright?”

After a few moments of no answer, a smile slowly spread across Stanley's face, one of unadulterated bliss. He dropped his hands, his breath hitching a moment before he nodded.

This was his narrator.

The narrator examined him closely, his eyebrows furrowed in concern, “Have…you been crying? Are you sure you’re-”

Stanley pulled his hand into his own, squinting as he traced the patterns along Narry’s hand with his thumb. He studied it intently as he ignored his narrator's stammering, amazed by every intricate detail. His gaze traveled up to meet the narrator's eyes, and he found a comforting familiarity in them. They looked so…bright, with an emotion Stanley couldn’t quite define.

The narrators' muddled words fell into silence, pausing for a brief moment before returning a warm, tender smile. “I am human Stanley, or you could say I'm capable of taking on an exact image. Outstanding is it not? I've been working on this form for quite some time now," he held out his hand out for him demonstratively, much like an inventor reveling in their creation. "I took care to ensure every minute detail! Take all the time you need, please I insist."

Stanley rolled his eyes with an air of playfulness. He opened his mouth to say something witty but was cut off by his own wheezy coughing. He held his fist over his chest and covered his mouth with his arm, his eyes widening slightly. He was left shaking from the impact this time, but he was determined. He wasn't going to let a silly cough deter him, he decided. He wasn't going to be coddled. His mind was spinning familiar to a game show wheel with all the questions he wanted to ask, what was Narry? How did he show up? What was the parable? Why did he… it finally slowed to a stop on one.

"Why did you not come down here bef-" to his bereavement, he was yet again interrupted by his own hacking. "Dammit," he groaned between his coughing fit.

The narrator grimaced apprehensively at the sight, "Never mind that, let's have a look at you," he held out his arm to his side, and a stethoscope fell from thin air into the palm of his hand.

Stanley watched in observant silence as the narrator checked his vitals, stiffening at each touch before losing tension after a few moments. He was not used to the sensation of touch, as much as he craved it. As a matter of fact, when was the last time he had even had it…if ever? A doubtful feeling washed the background of his mind, but Narry’s presence distilled the intensity it may have held if he were in isolation. Strangely, he felt a paradoxical calmness in the midst of the narrator's anxious clamoring over him, and a small smile resided on Stanley’s face. He would worry about that later, he was simply happy he didn’t lose Narry forever. Even his pounding headache wasn’t as irritating as it would have been.

As Stanley was loosening up, the narrator’s eyes only shone in concern. “Stanley…this is very bad,” the narrator began, his voice a slight octave higher than usual, “You’re really sick, you need a hospital right away!”

Despite everything, Stanley was unconcerned with his condition, his mind airy with fluffy clouds from the attention he was receiving. His eyes drew open slowly, and he was met with the worried gaze of the narrator staring through him.

“Stanley? Stanley, are you listening to me?” Narry asked exasperatedly.

The statement that his narrator made before suddenly rushed to the forefront of his mind, and only a dazed chuckle escaped him. “There are hospitals in the parable?”

“Oh, I don’t care if there’s a hospital or not! You need medical attention immediately, this is no time for games!” The narrator shot back swiftly, his voice desperate.

Stanley smiled light-heartedly, “I’m not gonna die, Narry.”

The narrator stopped his restless rambling and returned the smile, albeit a dry one. “You still need to go, Stanley.”

Stanley shrugged airily, his eyebrows raised in thought. “I’ve always wanted to explore- ow.” He was yet again cut off by the searing pain in his throat, glowering more from annoyance than the burning sensation. “-other places.” He finished. All he knew was the parable, at least for most of his lifetime, however long that was. He had fuzzy memories of events blurred by the passage of time, but they were only vague in impression, like conversations at the water cooler. With whom or what about, it was difficult to say. He didn’t know how long ago his co-workers had disappeared, what kind of family he had, what kind of life he led. It was an empty patch in his identity, one that was difficult to fuse with the rest of his daily reality of the office building. He wasn’t sure whether or not he believed Narry when he told him in the Countdown Ending that he erased his co-workers, there was always an inkling of disbelief in his claim for some reason. It just didn’t feel right.

The narrator's smile had more of a hint of sadness than it did empty humor as it did a moment ago, “I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunity for that, but right now, we need to get you to a hospital as soon as possible.” Without further ado, the narrator scooped up Stanley in his arms effortlessly and began walking briskly out of the apartment. “You will be alright Stanley, I promise.”

Stanley's thoughts melted into a confuddled mess of unintelligible nonsense when the narrator picked him up, human contact was already foreign to him, but being carried? It was…he didn’t know how to feel.

In his floaty mess of thoughts, Stanley tensed up in remembrance of what he left behind. He glanced back at his bed and pointed towards it, the crisp shiny metal of the bucket reflecting off the lamplight.

"You can't be serious." The narrator grumbled.

Stanley gave him a look.

Needless to say, the clanking of the bucket would accompany their entire trip.

As the narrator left the apartment and winded down the halls, Stanley felt at peace watching his determined expression face onward down the maze of the office building. A warmth in his chest rose as he watched his narrator so resolute in his trajectory. It was a bit embarrassing, but he felt safe in his arms.

“So Narry…” he began cautiously, “Why did you…” He paused before the pain overtook him again, predicting the pattern of when to break his speech, “not come down here before?”

The narrator clicked his tongue as if the answer were obvious. “Well, human bodies are just so…flimsy! Inflexible! You’re so limited by the laws of physics, creation is reliant on your environment rather than your imagination. I find it to be quite boring, but I think a corporeal form would be more fitting for a visit wouldn’t you say, Stanley?”

“So you’re not human?” Stanley forced the words out, struggling with himself. He was speaking a lot more than he was usually comfortable with, and being sick was not helping.

“Well, I suppose that depends on your definition!” The narrator answered enthusiastically, like a professor answering a query from a curious student. “Don’t concern yourself with that right now, just worry about …” He trailed off, his eyes darting around the hall nervously. His speed decreased momentarily before he resumed his pace and his sunny tone, “Getting better.”

Stanley hesitated upon seeing his brief change in demeanor, it was strange. He would usually be much more detailed and intricate in his explanations, not leave him hanging on a loose thread like that. “Something wrong?”

The narrator gradually slowed to a stride again, nearly halting his walk altogether. His gaze dropped to the ground, seeming bothered by something unspoken before after a few beats, he spoke. “Stanley, do you hear that?”

Stanley looked around quizzically, “No…?”

“Nevermind then.” The narrator returned grimly, resuming his mission with an even slower pace.

“What was it?” Stanley demanded.

The narrator stopped again, this time with more permanency. He took a deep breath, collecting himself before continuing. “I think there’s something wrong with my mind.”

Stanley felt the uneasiness return to him, but he kept on a brave face. He put his hand on the narrator's shoulder in an awkward, but sincere attempt to let him know he was there. He nodded, ushering him to go on.

“Stanley…I hear voices.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1: Don't Do It https://www.tumblr.com/lemonboi390/723244186206420992/the-end-is-never-the-end?source=share

Chapter 2: A Cruel Joke https://www.tumblr.com/lemonboi390/723245659991539712/the-end-is-never-the-end?source=share

[skogenraev]

Laima

Laima is a goddess of Baltic, Latvian and Lithuanian mythology. She is the creator of human beings, the personification of destiny and determines happiness and misfortune.

As Laima mate ("lucky mother"), she intervenes in all fateful events such as birth, marriage, ||death,|| fertility one.

She is the patron goddess of pregnant women and women who have recently given birth, as well as of domestic life in general. As long as she stays in the house, everything is for the best.

In particular, she is the tutelary goddess of orphans, for whom she takes on a kind of mother role and guides them into adult life.

Laima is also the goddess of light and darkness.

She also often appears in the form of a cuckoo. Laima's sacred tree is the lime tree. These linden trees have 3, 5, 6, 7 or 9 branches - these are also the sacred numbers of the goddess Laima.

Laima often appears in Latvia together with her sisters Kārta and Dēkla as the trinity of goddesses of fate. In Europe and the Aegean there is a widespread belief that fate lies in the hands of three ageless women, as in those of the Greek Moirs, the Roman Fates, the Eastern European Sudice or the Germanic Norns.

This also applies to the "Tris Laimas", of which Laima is by far the best known. Laima determines the birth of a human and determines the fate of the newborn. Later she appears as Dēkla or Kārta.

Depictions of Dēkla often show her as a nurturing goddess with children at her breast. Kārta probably stands for the death aspect the Great Goddess.

In Lithuania the goddess Giltine is considered to be the Sister of Laima that brings death.

Laima or her sisters are often depicted seated at the spinning wheel or loom, spinning and weaving the threads of destiny.

Laima, as the goddess of fortune and misfortune, is also able to help desperate people. Many folk songs mention that Laima weeps when she sees the effects of an unfortunate fate.

However, people should not remain in their misfortune and wait for the help of Laima, but at least take one step - namely to approach the divine and thus steer their gaze, their thoughts and their orientation in a different direction.

[ncisfranchise-source]

David McCallum, best known for his roles on NCIS and The Man From U.N.C.L.E., passed away on Monday, September 25 at the age of 90.

“For over 20 years, David McCallum endeared himself to audiences around the world playing the wise, quirky, and sometimes enigmatic, Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard. But as much as his fans may have loved him, those who worked side by side with David loved him that much more,” NCIS executive producers Steven D. Binder and David North said in a statement.

“He was a scholar and a gentleman, always gracious, a consummate professional, and never one to pass up a joke,” they continued. “From day one, it was an honor to work with him and he never let us down. He was, quite simply, a legend. He was also family and will be deeply missed.”

In honor of McCallum, below, we’ve compiled the best Ducky episodes of NCIS.

"Bête Noire" (Season 1 Episode 16)

It’s the episode that introduced rogue Mossad officer and terrorist Ari Haswari (Rudolf Martin), who would go on to deliver a devastating blow to the team by murdering Kate (Sasha Alexander). Here, he sneaks into autopsy in a body bag and takes Ducky and his assistant at the time, Gerald (Pancho Demmings), hostage, and yet, Ducky adapts to the situation and manages to maintain a semblance of control the best he can.

"Meat Puzzle" (Season 2 Episode 13)

Sure, the first thing that jumps out when we think about this episode are the body parts in barrels and Ducky and Palmer (Brian Dietzen) piecing them together, but we absolutely love going home with Ducky, especially because it means seeing his mother (Nina Foch) and her corgis.

"Broken Bird" (Season 6 Episode 13)

For all the stories that Ducky tells, it’s not too often that we hear about the more emotional moments from his past, but when a woman attacks him at a crime scene, claiming he killed his brother, he has no choice but to revisit that time. When he was with the Royal Army Medical Corps, he’d volunteered to work in a refugee camp. There was a man known as Mr. Pain, and Ducky tended to his torture victims. Once the team identify Mr. Pain, he and Ducky come face-to-face after years and the truth comes out: Mr. Pain had been torturing Ducky, using the woman’s brother as a weapon to break him, and Ducky had ended his pain to keep him from suffering a slow, agonizing death at the other man’s hands.

"Phoenix" (Season 10 Episode 3)

There’s no way that Ducky’s just going to sit back and relax while recovering from a heart attack, and instead, he manages to find a case — he realizes that what didn’t sit right about an autopsy he performed from years ago is he didn’t have all the facts to determine the man was murdered — that, thanks to one of Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon) rules, puts him in charge. (Rule 38: Your case, you’re lead.) The best parts: Gibbs and Ducky’s conversation in the former’s basement and Ducky interrogating — using the suspect’s vital signs and with a bit of singing!

"Detour" (Season 10 Episode 16)

A trip back to NCIS with a body is anything but normal for Ducky and Palmer, who are kidnapped and forced to perform an autopsy in a cabin in the woods. But while the team is looking for them, they manage to MacGyver their way free… though they are being hunted through the woods when the others show up.

"So It Goes" (Season 12 Episode 3)

It’s the first episode in which we see Adam Campbell as a young Ducky (great casting!), with a case that initially has the doctor thinking an old friend of his is dead. (Sadly, Angus is found dead during the investigation.) Not only does the episode explore that personal part of Ducky’s past, it also reunites him with a lost love (and the reason for a falling out he had with Angus)

"Spinning Wheel" (Season 13 Episode 11)

Surprise: Ducky had a younger brother! (Even Gibbs didn’t know about Nicholas.) But it’s a heartbreaking tale, with the brothers being separated when they were younger (Nicholas was just a boy) and Ducky thinking the other was dead (then alive, then dead again). But there’s somewhat of a happy ending, with the two eventually reuniting (and Nicholas living in a nursing home with early on-set Alzheimer’s). It’s an episode that allows McCallum to shine.

"The Tie That Binds" (Season 14 Episode 10)

When Ducky’s old address is found on a victim, it leads to flashbacks of his younger self stumbling upon his mother hiding a man in a closet and then sending that man, who ran cons, away. The most notable scene has to be Ducky talking with his younger self in autopsy as he questioned that decision to send the man away and taking away his mom’s chance of love. (Later, he finds out that she did have a romance in her last years.)

"Everything Starts Somewhere" (Season 18 Episode 2)

For Episode 400, the CBS procedural delves deep into one of its core relationships and reveals how Gibbs and Ducky met. The case that brought them together links to the one in the (more) present-day storyline. It’s the perfect showcase of the characters’ bond, from its early days to what it’s become.

"Kompromat" & "Black Sky" (Season 20 Episodes 21 & 22)

Ducky might not be in these two episodes much (and it’s all over video, providing key intel for the case), but they’re worth watching for McCallum’s last onscreen appearances on NCIS. He’s in the middle of a 35-city lecture tour in Scotland, and he tells them of a scientist who changed his name to “something from an old television show,” Ivan Kuryakin (The Man From U.N.C.L.E. reference!) As McGee (Sean Murray) puts it, Ducky is “still the best.” Ducky’s response: “I do what I can.” And what that is is something no one else can do.

[myhicalintrovert]

The Sims 4 Adaptation of 100 Baby Final Hope

Sims 4 100 Baby Challenge Final Hope (Originally Sims 3 100 Baby Challenge Final Hope by XSimSugar and Sims 3 Symbiote) *Trigger Warning Description of Fictional Illness* Backstory of the Challenge: In the year 2020, a virus named “Bloody Frost” almost drove mankind to extinction. Bloody Frost took its victim swiftly commonly unaliving the victim within a week. Those with Bloody Frost appeared to have the skin color of someone who suffers from being dangerously cold, blood seeps into the lungs, and those inflicted with the disease had frequent coughs and often suffocated. By the time the Bloody Frost was finished only 6% of the world’s population remained. Those that survived Bloody Frost were immune to the virus. It took a short while for the leaders of the world (politicians, military command, rich people) to gather together and come up with a solution to repopulating the planet. The first thing the founders and leaders of Final Hope did was gather all remaining sims and evaluate them. Once the survivors were evaluated they were either sterilized and exiled or received treatment to increase fertility and put into compounds throughout the world. The ones sent to compounds are called Life Contractors; most of the Life Contractors were moved into cities and fewer were dispersed elsewhere. The women who were the most fertile and gave birth to the most healthy offspring were given precious prizes (almost always cash)   -The Challenge Rules- Move the founder sim to a lot with no houses or apartments, this will start out similarly to legacy challenges. Keep in mind your founder will be able to build their own house after the birth of the first child. For every child born perfectly healthy, your sim will receive 25 simoleons. Every time a child ages up with the unlocked achievements your sim will receive 25 more simoleons a child. For infants, it would be gaining all of the infant achievements, toddlers gaining at least level three in all skills, and children + teens age up when they get an A in school. However, if a child does not pass the requirement to receive the simoleon the child never qualifies again.   I will list an online spinning wheel to decide if the child was born healthy or not (I do not know if the link will work) https://wheeldecide.com/index.php?c1=Baby+is+born+perfect+and+healthy+&c2=Baby+is+born+healthy+even+with+the+rocky+birth&c3=The+Baby+is+fine+and+the+birth+was+worrying+for+a+bit&t=Sims+4+100+Baby+Challenge+Final+Hope&time=5  Supernatural sims are allowed though the scientists may select them for testing and there may be consequences to the testing. https://wheeldecide.com/index.php?c1=The+scientists+found+nothing+wrong+you+keep+the+child&c2=The+scientists+found+something+wrong+you+do+not+keep+the+child+%28it+dies%29&c3=The+scientists+are+suspicious+and+are+keeping+a+closer+eye+on+the+family+%28to+determine+if+other+children+have+an+anomaly%29&c4=The+scientists+change+something+about+the+child+%28I+will+leave+that+up+to+you+to+decide+what+they+change%29&c5=The+scientists+want+to+keep+an+eye+on+the+child+and+keep+them+for+a+few+days+for+observation+%28roll+again+after+a+couple+days%29&t=Sims+4+100+Baby+Challenge+Final+Hope%3A+The+Offspring+Had+an+Anomaly+Detected&time=5 If you have the University Pack your sim is allowed to go as long as they have the money to go to university, they live at home to have children, they maintain the best grades, and they are going for a degree that would be utilized at home. Think of it as Final Hope training sims for their roles. It is up to the Life Contractors to raise the children. Final Hope seeks to have the most healthy and perfect children with minimal or no undesirable traits. You must randomize the traits. Too many neutral traits and the sim would be undesirable, and one undesirable trait would make the sim be classified as undesirable according to Final Hope. This includes but does not limit deformities and genetic issues. Once the children reach young adulthood Final Hope will process and sort them. If the children are deemed “undesirable” they must be “gotten rid of”, and the children deemed acceptable will have to be moved out like young adults in the normal 100 baby challenge. Other than the already listed rules this will pretty much follow the traditional rules for the 100 baby challenge. -List of Traits According to Final Hope- Desirable  Active Cheerful Creative Genius Romantic Self-Assured Geek Maker Perfectionist Child of the Islands Dance Machine Freegan Loves Outdoors Neat Overachiever Recycle Disciple Bro Family-Oriented Good Insider Noncommittal Outgoing Party Animal Proper -Neutral- Gloomy Goofball High Maintenance Unflirty Art Lover Bookworm Foodie Music Lover Ambitious Animal Enthusiasts Cat Lover Dog Lover Child of the Ocean Childish Green Fiend Kleptomaniac Lactose Intolerance Materialistic Slob Snob Vegetarian Loner Loyal Paranoid Self-Absorbed Socially-Awkward -Undesirable- Insane/Erratic Hot-Headed Adventurous Clumsy Glutton Lazy Squeamish Evil Hates-Children Jealous Mean If you have custom traits in your game it will be up to you if the trait is desirable, neutral, or undesirable. -Recommendations- I do not recommend playing on a short lifespan. Mods are allowed as long as they do not speed up skill-gaining or violate the rules of this adaptation of the original challenge. MC Command Center and Wicked/Wonderful Whims would be good for this challenge. With Mc Command Center you can go into the settings and sims could have up to 6 babies at a time. Mods are really up to your discretion. I recommend playing with Growing Together, Parenthood, and Eco Lifestyle though they are not required. 

[acmephysiotherapy1]

Spin Care for Beginners: Starting Your Cycling Journey on the Right Wheel

Introduction:

Embarking on a cycling journey can be an exhilarating endeavor, offering a blend of fitness, adventure, and a chance to connect with the outdoors. However, like any physical activity, cycling requires a thoughtful approach, especially for beginners. That's where the expertise of a Physiotherapy Clinic comes into play. In this article, we will explore the importance of seeking spin care guidance from a physiotherapy clinic as you initiate your cycling journey, ensuring your ride is on the right wheel toward a healthier and more enjoyable experience.

Understanding the Importance of Proper Spin Care:

Preventing Common Injuries:

Novice cyclists often underestimate the physical demands that cycling can place on the body. From improper posture to inadequate warm-up routines, the potential for injuries is real. A physiotherapy clinic specializes in preventing and treating sports-related injuries, ensuring that you're aware of the correct cycling techniques and safety measures.

Personalized Training Programs: 

Everyone's body is different, and what works for one cyclist might not be suitable for another. A physiotherapy clinic can create personalized training programs that take into account your current fitness level, any existing medical conditions, and your cycling goals. This tailored approach maximizes your progress while minimizing the risk of strain or injury.

Optimizing Performance: 

As you delve into the world of cycling, you'll likely want to improve your performance and stamina over time. A physiotherapy clinic can guide you through exercises and strategies to enhance your strength, endurance, and flexibility, all of which are crucial for a successful cycling journey.

Starting Your Cycling Journey on the Right Wheel:

Proper Bike Fit: The first step in any cycling journey is finding a bike that suits your body and riding style. A physiotherapy clinic can help you determine the correct bike size, handlebar height, saddle position, and other adjustments to ensure a comfortable and injury-free ride.

Warm-Up and Cool-Down Routines: 

Cycling is a physically demanding activity, and failing to warm up correctly can lead to muscle strains and discomfort. A physiotherapy clinic can guide you through effective warm-up and cool-down routines that prepare your muscles for the ride and aid in recovery post-ride.

Posture and Technique: 

Maintaining the correct posture and technique while cycling is essential to prevent strain on your back, neck, and joints. Physiotherapists can offer guidance on maintaining the proper posture and pedaling technique, reducing the risk of chronic discomfort.

The Role of Nutrition and Recovery:

Balanced Nutrition: 

A physiotherapy clinic can provide nutritional advice that complements your cycling routine. Proper fueling before and after rides can enhance your performance and support muscle recovery.

Recovery Strategies: 

Cycling can be intense on the body, and recovery is crucial to avoid overuse injuries. Physiotherapists can recommend stretching exercises, foam rolling techniques, and other recovery strategies to ensure your body stays strong and injury-free.

Conclusion: 

Cycling as a novice is an exciting experience, but it's important to go into it with caution and awareness. You're not only protecting yourself from potential injuries but also improving your cycling performance by getting advice from a physiotherapy clinic. A physiotherapy clinic may be your indispensable partner in getting your cycling career off to the perfect start, from bike fitting to proper technique, warm-up exercises to recuperation methods. So get set up, seek advice from professionals, and bike your way to a more fulfilling and healthy way of life.

[isabelladesoto]

THE ENCHANTER - Isabella Sofia De Soto

pinterest. playlist. musings.(TBD)

CHARACTER INSPO: Yennefer (The Witcher.) Cassandra (Promising Young Woman.) Alina Starkov (The Grisha series), Nancy Wheeler (Stranger things.) & Fallon Carrington (Dynasty.)

TRIGGER WARNINGS: bad parenting, bribery, blackmail, missing persons, mental health issues unspecified, injury

FULL NAME: Isabella Sofia De Soto

NICKNAMES: Isa, Bella, Belle

AGE: 35

BIRTHDATE: November 7th, 1987, at 4 a.m

ZODIAC: Scorpio sun, Pieces moon, Libra rising

HOMETOWN: Half Moon Bay, California

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Half Moon Bay, California 

NEIGHBORHOOD: Montara

OCCUPATION: Theatre actress/heiress

MBTI: ISFP - T

ENNEAGRAM:  8w7- the non-conformist

ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral

TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine

+ visionary, determined, passionate, intuitive, enchanting, ambitious, dreamy

- sensitive, secretive, rebellious, moody, restless, impulsive/unpredictable, stubborn, skeptical

ABOUT

Born to the influential De Soto family, Isabella was always in the public eye and was no stranger to expectations. However, from an early age, it was clear she was not the child to be molded in the family's image. 

She was to be a prima-ballerina, which her parents picked for her- but for Isabella, the goal turned into a hobby she eventually only touched in brief moments. 

Isabella often had to be reminded of her "place," the role she was meant to play, and how her actions negatively impacted the family. She was doing her best, constantly watering herself down to be the daughter her parents wanted, but it was never enough. She was never her twin sister or her older brother - the golden De Soto's while she lost herself to their shadows. 

Isabella was a secret keeper, her brothers, her twins - even her mothers. The skeletons overflowed from her closet, more than half not her own- but Isabella clung to them, for it was the only way she knew how to keep the people she loved safe. 

She kept herself safe by retreating into her made-up worlds, and as she got older, the retreat turned into sneaking out to find the pieces of herself lost out to the world somewhere. 

She got better at playing her part, if only because she had carved out a niche for herself in the rest of the world. By the time she was eighteen, she knew the life she wanted was nothing like the one planned for her. 

Instead, she put away college plans and took up countless hobbies and interests she could profit from. In between it all, she fell in love. For the first time, Isabella had a name for it- knew it and clung to it- she felt seen, and between her and Clay, they curated a group of like-minded people to call found family. They chased away loneliness and injustices with little stunts that made them feel alive.

Sadly, life and consequences caught up to them. After a night of recklessness, Clay and Isabella are arrested, thus beginning the start of the end.  

Isabella didn't know it then or expect how this night would change her entire life or break her heart. However, after things quietly went much better than she had thought, she suspected the De Soto's threw around some weight. She did not expect Clay to fall collateral damage to that and, to this day, has no idea that her parents threatened him with real consequences if he didn't stay away. 

Isabella struggled but, through community service, found a love for theatre. Once she was done with it and found it more challenging than she could face staying in the small town, she left for the east coast, where she threw herself into the hopes of making it on Broadway. 

She made it- her career blossomed, and so did the problems. She didn't think she'd find parts of her in a place she had never really been, but it was a slow rebuild of her heart. Her passion really takes shape on stage. 

It was a dream come true, and after spending years keeping a man at arm's length, Isabella let him in, agreed to marry him, and was on the way to a June wedding. 

However, the wheel of fate always spins back, and a series of unfortunate events began to pile up. The first was a brutal incident of obsession when a fan broke into her dressing room, resulting in a struggle that left her with a scar on her knee and PTSD that disrupted her career. 

A few weeks later, her twin sister was suspected of missing. Weeks turned to months, she still could not face a stage, and her sister had still not returned. Unable to face her demons in the city, Isabella left a letter to her should-be husband and returned home to Half Moon Bay to throw herself into the search for her sister. Half in desperation and half in need of resolution. 

QUICK FACTS

She bakes when she is stressed. There is plenty of muffins and cakes in her house right now. 

Isabella has a small crescent-shaped scar on her palm that mirrors one her twin had when they promised to never abandon one another.

While she has not attended a formal college, she collects books on topics she is interested in, such as languages and history. 

Isabella loves to sing and often sings to herself throughout the day.

Growing up, Isabella felt very alone and collected a group of like-minded people who lived a secret life where they went on adventure thrill-seeking trips. This turned into minor vigilante shenanigans. They would use their collective skill set to unearth some unsavory people's secrets and other "robin hood" esque stunts.

FAMILY

Mataeo De Soto -father: He is a proud and driven man who has taught Naomi her self-worth. Xavier has never allowed her a second of doubt where her worth where he is concerned. This can sometimes translate into believing he knows best and attempting to control her life passively. 

Sofia De Soto  - mother: Close despite frequent arguments. Naomi feels unseen by her parents. Especially her mother. They swing from high and low, and when she is particularly down, she often seeks out the comfort of her mother.

Serena De Soto- Twin sister, they were very close growing up, but their lives split in recent years, and there were some issues between them. Since she's gone missing, Naomi has returned home to be with her family. She has begun snooping around the secretive life of her sister. 

Alejandro De Soto: Oldest of three and often most responsible of the De Soto siblings. He thinks Naomi is frivolous and vain; she believes he is dull and lacks a sense of adventure. He has struggled with addiction since they were young (Naomi has frequently covered and tried to get him to seek help). Despite this, she still has his back. 

TIMELINE

Jan 1987 - Birth 

August 1992 - Begins school. 

1989 - now - dancing

2005 - graduated high school 

June 2005 - Meets Clay

July 2005 - October 2011 - Clay 

October 2011 - arrested. 

January 2012 - Begins community service at 25 years old. 

October 2012 - Finishes her community service but continues for a few months at the local theatre.

February 2013 - Moves to NYC to try her hand on Broadway

2013 - December 2022 - In NYC on Broadway 

Fall 2017 - Meets Jesse but keeps it casual for a long time until she realizes she has feelings for him.

2019 - Finally gives Jesse a chance, and it's not long before they're engaged to be married, living a picturesque life she could have never imagined

May 2022 - Dressing room break-in 

June 2022 - Sisters' disappearance 

December 2022 - Returns permanently to HMB

[hdmolan]

* / ʀʏᴜ ᴍᴏʟᴀɴ ♥ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴏᴏʀ 

●︎ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ — january 21, 2023 ●︎ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ — day of trainee evaluation ●︎ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ — 703 words 4,029 characters

 The morning that caused so much anxiety leading up to, had finally come. Trying to gain some composure over her wrecking nerves is saying the least. Molan sprang out of her plush bed, singing to herself in exuberance while heading to perform her daily powder room duties. Body damp from the shower, towel wrapped around her, hair in a bun — Molan sang out loud, the song she's been training for weeks now, in the mirror. Focusing on hitting each note at the right key, followed by the perfect head snap - all while attempting to brush her teeth. She was meticulous, and thought the song selection was the best demonstration of her sass and full energy - but also wanted to shock the judges and give them a taste to expect should they select her for a project. Molan typically prefers to start her day peacefully and full of positive energy, but today, she called for a different approach. 

 Molan stood in front of her mirror holding up studio outfits to determine the best for today's big event. In true Libra fashion, she was obsessed with making a statement. It not only boosted her confidence, but in her mind — it made a lasting impression. Deciding on a black, edgy flock monogram Off-White crop top with matching leggings. She planned to absolutely serve, and also look flexible and not constricted. “Okay girl, this how we feeling today? I’m here for it,” she told herself in the mirror before completing the look with her Prada wheel nylon high-top sneakers, and a subtle black cap with white lettering that read: Meow. 

   Arriving to begin the evaluation, seeing the rest of her teammates with ranging of feelings flooding their faces - gave Molan a jolt of confidence. Oddly enough, she fed off the adrenaline of her teammates as battery packs, giving her the ammunition to conquer. She stood against the wall, internally jumping out of her skin from excitement, or was it the fact that she barely slept last night going over her routine, over and over. As the staff starts filling the room, setting up their blunt critiques to come, Molan readies her position.

 She stepped forward from the lineup of girls, “Hello, it’s a pleasure to present to you our fullest today. I’m Ryu Molan, under Starlight Music, and was tasked with the leader position. We are ready to show your our passion, dreams, and vigor through our performance. Thank you.” She prepared a simple introduction to show the company her role as a leader was more of a representation of the company than the group. A leader through and through. 

 Molan bowed, then turned around to give the girls a slight ‘nod’ to get in position, to anticipate the music starting. The passion and conviction with which she just made her opening remarks, had excitement was tangible. The music begins to play [Feel Good] and Molan transcends into character. Every drop of the beat was elegant, sharp, and not sloppy or bouncy, each spin and hair flip was executed with precision and on cue. She was the main dancer, but still, she carried out her notes beautifully and smooth. Molan doesn’t brag about being a great singer, she carried a tune like a canary. Her outfit allowed her to move fluidly across the floor, incorporating intricate choreo combos to highlight her sense of style. Her biceps begin to burn from the floor routines and it was weirdly comforting to Molan, ensuring she never missed a note or breathed to heavily. Unveiling multiple eight counts, she made up, adding sass and edginess to the melodic tune - transforming this to the Molan experience. 

 The music rounded off and Molan greeted the staff with fiery eyes. Seconds later, flashing a wide smile and bow - completing all her hard work. She held the position for a few seconds before walking off the main floor with the rest of the girls, finally getting a chance to catch her breath. She knew she just left her soul on that floor. Her chest heaving from what she just displayed, she exhaled in relief. Fingers crossed that the company will recognize her star potential beyond her family’s name.  

[safestsephiroth]

completely unbiased objective factual review of every MSQ in FFXIV as of the release of base dawntrail (pre-7.1) (Part 1: ARR and HW)

Just to clarify, I know some people are bad at reading tone through text. This is, of course, the objective truth because it's my opinion and my opinion has never been wrong ever, and I take this as deathly serious as a hostage negotiation, a military standoff, or an argument about vtubers.

[And if you don't already know this is written tongue-in-cheek with that, then you might not enjoy what's to come. Especially if you cannot stomach negativity. If you keep reading from here that's on you tbh.]

[This series of posts will not be tagged with anything relating to the game because I have learned over the years not to tag things when you're being a hater. If you hate this, it's not likely to come up again on here so just ignore this post dude it ain't hard. Press the J key. Or read and laugh. I'm writing this for me, your enjoyment is not a concern, audience!]

A Realm Reborn:

I began a realm reborn shortly into 2.1 on the understanding it would be a role-playing platform I had to scrabble together money to pay monthly to play, and treated the MSQ largely as something I was doing to understand the setting and be on the same page about world events as those around me. It was a largely unhurried clomp through right until about level 38 where I hated coerthas to death and wanted to stop, but was put into a position where rushing through it and to the end of the story was not a choice, it was a mandate on the part of my FC at the time due to an RP event.

Coerthas sucks, in case you were wondering. If you somehow don't know that coerthas sucks, I suggest imagining what it'd be like to have to run through every one of those sidequests back to back and reading the story and realizing that every single one of the MANY sidequests in coerthas central highlands can be summarized in either the sentence "ishgard fucking sucks bro" or as "wacky shenanigans".

ARR overall is Fine. It's the setup of a new world (relative to MOST of the playerbase) and it does this decently well. There's a lot of ideas they completely abandon after ARR (interesting dungeon design, for instance, which they then later went back and removed from ARR too so that trusts can complete everything which was just great of them to do) and as such I think it does a decent job. It's cool to join the God-Killing Illuminati. I really wish the Scions of the Seventh Dawn were at all able to keep that kind of mystique they have through the rest of the series but boy do they ditch that pretty fast.

I think it'd be cool if your choice of grand company meant anything, at any point (remember when it determined your team in Frontlines? Remember when Frontlines was not spinning a roulette wheel with a 33% chance of getting a reward on any given spin?) and I think it'd be cool if they gave more equal attention to all three major cities instead of ARR mostly overall being Ul'dah And The Other Ones. If you disagree this is what happened, I'm sorry but you don't remember ARR as well as you think you do. This is especially true in the patches, but there's still enough of it present in the base game you should see what I'm talking about.

(I think Gridania especially gets shafted, but I also don't much like Gridania so whatever)

Overall, A Realm Reborn is greater than its individual parts, and I think there's clearly a lot of experimentation going on and SOME of it is good and SOME of it is not great but none of it is atrocious and none of it is amazing stupendous fantastic 15/10 content.

I consider a 5/10 to be "perfectly mid" as opposed to the larger video game industry seeing "7/10" as an insult.

ARR: 6/10. It is fine, and sometimes good, and never horrendous.

Incidentally, in case you were wondering, I have played through ARR -> base SHB approximately 25 times over the years, so I'm objectively correct and if you disagree you're wrong.

Heavensward:

I like colorful environments, colorful characters, and generally find oppressive atmospheres of single-note violence and Game Of Thrones Edge to be very miserable or, at best, boring.

Heavensward, therefore, is objectively terrible. There is some measure of interesting theming going on about the cycle of violence but I loathe the conclusion that the expansion as a whole draws because it's drenched in self-contradiction (Is the way to end violence to be the first one to lower your arms, or is it simply to exterminate your enemies until they want to quit?)

I think the Vath are interesting as an extreme of both Ishgard and Dravania - what does it look like when a society actually is denied free will in totality? But then what they don't really do is play around much with the contrast there. You can argue that Nidhogg's brood are all but mind-controlled into doing big violence, but you'll be thanked to remember that they did not really hammer that home until *after* the base MSQ, and if you DO want to make that argument it's tantamount to "people who feel grief should be killed unless they let it go, by the source of said grief."

You can make a lot of 'sins of the father' arguments, which would make sense except that's 100% Ishgard's approach to everything down to the root (how many sidequests and stories again are about how [parent] did bad thing therefore [child] must suffer for it? Compare how many there are in Ishgard VS anywhere else in the entire game, go on, run the numbers and see how right I am) so at the end of the day I guess you could claim the argument is "if two nations are at permanent war, just kill both leaders and it'll be fine". Which

Having played Tactics Ogre: Reborn, I have lost basically any respect I ever had for the political writing of 99% of video games because this SNES-ass game managed to completely destroy everyone that came after it and like, yes TO:R is a MASTERPIECE but also how the fuck do you fail to meet the standard set by a game locked to the hardware limitations of the SNES like holy shit it's embarrassing you're the SAME COMPANY!

Heavensward falls flat for its environments until you get REALLY FAR from Ishgard itself, but honestly there's nowhere in the entire expansion that isn't either "white + grey", "ruins" or "both" and I find that exceedingly boring. Also this expansion introduced "why SHOULDN'T gathering nodes be 200+ yalms apart?" AND it codified "All dungeons MUST be hallways, including forced pauses in the middle of pulls between bosses because god forbid people play fast" (rest in hell, Sohm Al Hard) AND it was the expansion that chose to split raids in half and quite frankly Alexander is fantastic and I love Mhach but it's objectively true that they are the start of a lot of shit going bad later on in the game. Also this was the first time they level-synched prior 'late game' content and this is when they decided said dungeons/raids/etc. should be synched to the scale of 'pathetically easy' because god forbid anyone ever risk having a bad experience at all, this game would rather avoid anyone having a bad experience and have everyone have a middling, mediocre or boring one gameplay-wise.

Also Heavensward is the peak of the game doing dumb shit for shock value and little else, and their pacing is atrocious, and their overall incorporation of their (somewhat interesting) ideas is so badly done that it's completely understandable to miss the themes for the pile of garbage you have to sift through to find them.

Heavensward is a 3/10 MSQ and until the return of Alisaie has almost no merit or value at all because they can't even deliver on the concepts they themselves set up - the idea that Nanamo got assassinated (then that was retconned) for daring to want to have some measure of democracy in Ul'dah but Ishgard are totally down to just make a republic out of whole cloth because someone who rode into town on a dragon and said "I killed your pope, he was totes evil I swear, yw" said so is completely insane. Did you get that these people bake "I hate dragons" into every aspect of their culture? Did you understand that this is their art, their architecture, their CUISINE, their fashion, their societal structure (wanna be considered useful? Go kill a dragon! Can't kill dragons? Freeze to death for all I care!), and anything else except the most frivolous activities and pursuits of the most hyper-wealthy of their society?

For a thousand years? Do you understand how long that is? Do you understand what that means? Do you understand how ridiculous it is an absolute theocracy turned into a republic in what's written as less than a year because someone assassinated the pope?

Do you understand what a let down it is to play with the concept that maybe.... class structures... kind of suck, and then conveniently shove everyone who isn't nobility aside for the sake of the plot and not risk having anyone (Hilda, it's Hilda, I'm talking about Hilda) be allowed to make a difference or matter at all in the MSQ? Don't try to tell me Hilda's important because she gets a filler arc about her, she goes on to get called a, quote, "mongrel bitch" by someone she has zero impact on otherwise and let me tell you that's called "burying a character" in the pro wrestling biz (not to be confused with what they did to Ysayle btw, that's called "fridging" a character so that the man who is far more important can feel angst, but oops we wouldn't want the plot to be interesting so let's make sure we instantly follow it with a comedy side-plot with gilly the robot within 4 minutes of her dying)

Heavensward didn't have the pieces to be good - it was trying to make a feast with rotten ingredients and choosing to do so by trying to scrape the green off the steak. That's how people get food poisoning and die, dude, you gotta throw that shit out and start over.

Heavensward's MSQ is a 3/10 and if you take into account the raids etc. Heavensward becomes a 4.5/10 if only because Alexander is just that awesome.

The best parts of Heavensward are just the lead-up to Stormblood.

[qocsuing]

The Role of Probability in Casino Games

The Role of Probability in Casino Games Probability is the bedrock upon which casino games are constructed. It governs the likelihood of specific events occurring during gameplay, shaping the outcomes that players encounter. Whether it’s the chance of drawing a particular card in blackjack or the probability of hitting a winning combination on a slot machine, understanding probability is essential for both gamblers and casino operators.To get more news about 646, you can visit ph646p.com official website.

1. Blackjack: The Battle of Probabilities In the game of blackjack, players strive to achieve a hand value as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it. The probability of drawing specific cards from the deck significantly influences decision-making. Should you hit or stand? Probability guides your choices, as you weigh the odds of busting against the dealer’s hand1.

2. Craps: Dice and Deterministic Odds Craps, a lively dice game, relies heavily on probability. Players bet on the outcome of dice rolls, and understanding the probabilities associated with each roll is crucial. Whether it’s the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line, knowing the odds empowers players to make informed wagers. Craps enthusiasts appreciate the blend of chance and strategy2.

3. Poker: Skill Meets Probability Poker, a game of skill and psychology, involves intricate probabilities. From calculating the odds of completing a winning hand to anticipating opponents’ moves, probability plays a central role. Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud all demand strategic thinking based on the likelihood of specific card combinations2.

4. Roulette: The Wheel of Chance Roulette’s allure lies in its elegant simplicity. Players place bets on where a ball will land on a spinning wheel divided into numbered pockets. Probability determines the chances of hitting a specific number or color. Whether you’re wagering on red or black, understanding the odds enhances the thrill of the game.

5. Baccarat: A Numbers Game Baccarat, often associated with James Bond, offers straightforward rules and a touch of sophistication. Players bet on the player’s hand, the banker’s hand, or a tie. The probability of drawing specific cards influences the outcome. While luck plays a part, grasping the probabilities ensures a more strategic approach3.

In summary, probability isn’t just a mathematical concept—it’s the heartbeat of casino games. Whether you’re rolling dice, holding cards, or watching the roulette wheel spin, understanding the odds enriches the gaming experience. So next time you step onto the casino floor, remember: behind every bet lies a fascinating world of probabilities waiting to unfold.

[risalei-nur]

The Words - The Thirty-third  Word - Part 30

TWENTY-FIRST WINDOW

And the sun runs its course to a place appointed, that is the determining of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (36:38.)

The universe’s lamp, the sun, forms a window onto the existence and unity of the universe’s Maker that is as brilliant and luminous as the sun itself. Indeed, despite their great differences with regard to size, position, and speed, the twelve planets including our globe known as the solar system are in motion and revolve with perfect order and wisdom and perfect balance without a second’s confusion, and are bound to the sun through a Divine law known as gravity, that is, they follow their leader as though in prayer. This demonstrates on a vast scale the tremendousness of Divine power and the unity of their Sustainer. Those lifeless bodies, those vast unconscious masses, are rotated and employed within the utmost order and wise balance, in various forms and over varying distances and in varying motions, proving the degree of the power and the wisdom; you compare for yourself. If chance was to interfere the tiniest amount in this vast and complex matter, it would cause an explosion so great it would scatter the universe. If it was to arrest the motion of one of them for a minute, it would cause it to leave its orbit and would open the possibility of its colliding with another planet. You can understand how awesome would be the collision of bodies thousands of times larger than the earth.

Now we shall refer to the all-encompassing knowledge of God the wonders of the solar system, that is, the twelve planets which are the sun’s followers and fruits, and consider only our own planet, the earth, which is here before our eyes. We see that our planet is made to travel on a long journey around the sun by a dominical command as its most important duty –as is described in the Third Letter– in a way that demonstrates the grandeur of dominical majesty and the loftiness of the sovereignty of the Godhead and the perfection of His mercy and wisdom. It has been made a dominical ship filled with the wonders of Divine art, and a travelling dwelling like an exhibition, for God’s conscious servants to gaze on. And the moon has been attached to it with precise reckoning for mighty instances of wisdom, like being an hour-hand for telling the time. The moon too has been given various mansions through which to journey. Thus, these aspects of this blessed planet of ours prove the necessary existence and unity of a Possessor of Absolute Power with a testimony as powerful as the globe of the earth itself. You can make an analogy with the rest of the solar system from this.

Furthermore, the sun is made to turn on its own axis like a spinning-wheel, in order to wind into a ball the immaterial threads called gravity and tie the planets with them and set them in order. So too is it impelled together with its planets at a speed that cuts five hours’ distance a second towards, according to one estimate, the Constellation of Hercules, or towards the ‘Sun of Suns’. This most certainly occurs through the power and at the command of the All-Glorious One, the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity. It is as though He makes the solar system perform these manoeuvres like a platoon of soldiers under orders, and so demonstrates the majesty of His dominicality.

O you astronomers! What chance can interfere in these matters? The hands of what causes can reach them? What force can draw close to this? Come on, you say! Would an All-Glorious Monarch such as this display impotence and permit others to have a role in his sovereignty? Would He give to other hands living creatures in particular, which are the fruit, result, aim, and essence of the universe? Would He permit another to interfere? Especially man, would He leave him to his own devices, the most comprehensive of those fruits, the most perfect of the results, vicegerent of the earth, and His mirror-like guest? Would He refer him to nature and chance and reduce the majesty of His sovereignty to nothing; reduce to nothing His perfect wisdom?