#always bringing a rule book to a street fight

[josephinekhawaja]

Literally thought this at Kendrick Lamar dropping "Not Like Us" in an election year, but the Democrats will never bring that energy. Never so immediately screamed though at somebody boarding my train of thought.

[supersapphicsimp]

alchemizing a new american dream

(a gaylor theory)

did you know a rumor among immigrants in the 1800s was that American streets were paved with gold? whether they meant it literally or it was just a shared expression, the phrase represents this idea that the nation was filled with endless hopes and dreams, opportunities, a chance at a better life. but this dream is one that has also been tied to over-idealizing material wealth.

the original wizard of oz by l. frank baum was published at the end of the Gilded Age, which was an era of hyperinflated artifice and material wealth that helped create the conditions for the great depression. economic catastrophe. the oz book is thought to be an allegory for this, with the yellow brick road representing the gold standard of currency that was used at that time, the original silver shoes representing the populist ideal to bring back a silver standard, and the green of oz representing fiat currency. but ultimately all of these things and oz itself are just artifice, and in the same way, the american dream has always been a false ideal and illusion—one that we are watching shatter and crumble around us in real time.

taylor’s american dreams

taylor has referred to the american dream either by name or allusion frequently. here are some notable examples:

• Fresh Out the Slammer:

“Now pretty baby, I’m running back home to you…to the house where you still wait up and that porch light gleams, to the one who says I’m the girl of his American dreams. And no matter what I’ve done it wouldn’t matter anyway, ain’t no way I’m gonna screw up now that I know what’s at stake here…”

• King of My Heart:

“Salute to me, I’m your American queen [original lyrics: salute to me like the American Dream] and we rule the kingdom inside my room…King of my heart, body and soul…And all at once, you’re all I want, I’ll never let you go….”

these are her only two songs that directly invoke the phrase “american dream” (though in KOMH it’s in the original lyrics but it still counts imo) but it’s important to know it’s not THE american dream. in KOMH she’s comparing herself to her muse’s version of the american dream. the same is true in FOTS. the one of his american dreams. FOTS and KOMH represent taylor’s ideal of her authentic american dream, which subverts the concept of the american dream = material wealth. KOMH is about her giving up “fancy stuff” for true spiritual wealth, and that’s what’s she’s running home to.

• Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince:

“No cameras catch my pageant smile…And ran for my life…voted most likely to run away with you. And I don’t want you to go, I don’t really wanna fight, cause nobody’s gonna win, I think you should come home…And I’ll never let you go cause I know this is a fight that someday we’re gonna win, just thought you should know.”

• Midnight Rain / High Infidelity

“My town was a wasteland…Full of cages, full of fences, pageant queens and big pretenders, but for some, it was paradise. like a postcard…pcture perfect, shiny family, holiday, peppermint candy”

“Your picket fence is sharp as knives, I was dancing around, dancing around it”

these three songs depict taylor’s struggles with the mainstream/culturally dominant ideal of the american dream and how it feels like a battle, a fight for her life, and ultimately something she decides she has to leave behind. these three songs also are all examples of the dynamic of duality that is present in much of her recent work: brand taylor vs real taylor, miss americana and the heartbreak prince, and they have to come together again for her new american dynasty to begin. MAATHP always sort of sounded like a duet in how she sings it, like the person calling her to come home is the heartbreak prince, and the person who ran for her life and was scared but won’t ever let the other go because she knows one day they’ll win is miss americana. so when miss americana comes home, she’s coming home to the heartbreak prince’s american dreams. midnight rain is another clear example of her duality bc it has taylor literally singing in two pitches, having jack warp her voice to sound masculine. and high infidelity seems like it addresses two different factions of her fanbase, and the regret caused by her “bending the truth” too far.

• lyrical connections: “i’ll never let you go” in both KOMH and MAATHP and “pageant (queens)” in both MAATHP and high infidelity

• The Last Great American Dynasty

this song fully subverts the over-romanticized ideals of the american dream. what’s more of an american dream than an american dynasty? but rebekah rebukes it—she doesn’t just reject it. she ruins it. she ruins everything, and she has a marvelous time while she does it, being the loudest woman the town has ever seen. obviously in the end, taylor becomes rebekah. she identifies with her gleeful destruction of sacred, repressive institutions, expectations, traditions, and standards.

then along comes the tayvis circus. the comparison makes itself on a daily basis with no effort; i constantly see tweets describing the two of them as “american royalty.” the persona that taylor takes on in the context of this stunt represents the epitome of “Miss Americana” the idealized american dream. that’s why so many gaylors were averse to the tayvis spectacle from the start—we knew the kind of discourse it would encourage, and it’s exactly the kind of discourse you would expect from a narrative that encouraged returning to “comforting traditional american values.”

but taylor is rebekah. taylor is going to have a marvelous time ruining everything, too. she’s going to have a marvelous time tearing down their ideal of the last great american dynasty. those are her stakes! and she warned us all, so many times:

after taylor removed TLGAD from the set, she played it exactly twice in the surprise song set. once to announce she is running, leaving behind the traditional image of the american dream that doesn’t suit her, and begging her fans to still want her when she’s not their shining mirrorball anymore;

and once to reclaim her vision for the american dream and declare her choice, to rebuild her american dynasty, and to explain why she had to do what she did. and that she doesn’t regret it. it just felt so good (ruining everything).

and the show immediately after the first time she sang TLGAD with Run, she played these:

laying out her vision of what her (well technically his but he is the heartbreak prince who is also taylor so) american dream looks like, of what exactly she’s running back home to. and it’s… gay as fuck. girl, you’re running back home to emily dickinson’s fuckass stone ivy cottage to be with your lesbian lover and they can call it what they want bc no one knows you like yourself? i know that’s right.

a few more crazy little details that must be documented:

• 7/24/24: There's a chain 'round your throat, piece of paper where I wrote, "I'll wait for you". There's a key on the chain, there's a picture in a frame. Take it with you and run, run from the law, darling, let's run, run from it all.

• 7/27/24 (the next show): “and he keeps the picture of you in his office downtown, and you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars. now, pretty baby, I'm running back home to you, true love…I'm running to the house where you still wait up, and that porch light gleams. // I want to wear his initial on a chain 'round my neck, chain 'round my neck, not because he owns me, but 'cause he really knows me, which is more than they could say, I. I recall late November, holding my breath, slowly I said, "You don't need to save me. But would you run away with me?" Yes. So yeah, it's a fire, it's a goddamn blaze in the dark, and you started it. You started it. So yeah, it's a war, it's the goddamn fight of my life, and you started it.

• the first time she played TLGAD was with Run, a song that mentions a key on a chain. the second time she played it was in Ours x TLGAD, and she had one of her famous glitches. she started to play and then stopped and said, “that’s the wrong key Um, so wish me more luck than that.”

• the day after the first time she played TLGAD with Run, she played FOTS x This Love and ivy x CIWYW. before she sang ivy, she hit the note off-key (it sounded super on purpose), then said “well. sometimes you just don’t hit the right note, do you?”

• the first “great american dynasty” is the vision of the american dream she’s running from bc it’s “the wrong key,” the wrong note. she’s running back home to her own vision of the american dream, using performance art to physically represent her intentionality in making the different choice this time, in hitting the right note. and this love is ours, so you can call it what you want. it’s not theirs to speculate if it’s wrong 💞🌈 and they can’t take what’s ours

for evermore 🤎

[writingwarden]

Hi! May we please see something angsty like Logan returning home and either having been successfully brainwashed or just severely traumatized(again) and he falls in love with reader maybe?

If this isn’t your type of thing to write about that’s absolutely okay! Thank you for reading anyway!

Logan Walker x Best Friend! Nurse!Reader

TW- Brief mention of torture

Word Count- 1.3k

Summary- Recovery isn't always linear but we persevere.

[A/N]- So formatting may be a bit weird, this was written on a computer but had to be posted from a phone. Hopefully this marks the end of this hiatus!!!

Logan’s rescue had been no small feat. It took months to track down where they were keeping him and another week to prepare for getting him back.

You were there when they rushed him into the hospital near midnight. Hesh had all but demanded that you be one of the nurses to take care of him when he arrived. Nearly getting kicked out of the hospital for fighting with your supervisor, who didn’t want you on the team due to “personal conflicts.” Which was fair, it was a part of the rules set for the hospital staff. But you couldn’t care, you told them you would be there regardless if they scheduled you or not.

So you were on call, watching in horror as they rolled him straight into surgery. He looked so small on the gurney, his ribs defined and there were more darkened bruises and blood clinging to him than there was clear skin. You had stood there stunned with your mind racing a hundred miles an hour. Cataloging every visible injury. Looking up in a haze at the team members that had carried him in. Hesh’s desperate look as he stood there in blood soaked gear snapping you out of it, immediately getting to work.

Logan was in surgery for hours, his heart stopping twice and each time they brought him back sent striking pains of anxiety and despair through you. Eventually you had to leave the operating room but you did not leave the hospital. Sticking yourself to Hesh as he sat in the private waiting room, Riley laying under his chair.

There Hesh made you an offer, move in with them and help him get his baby brother back and that he’d even pay you for it. The only correct answer had been an immediate acceptance.

Logan had been wheelchair bound for the first few months but as he regained his strength, he was able to leave that behind. Graduating to crutches. He wouldn’t leave the house, he had become borderline agoraphobic. Often opting to stick to his brother like glitter or staying in his room, only emerging for meals and the little bit of exercise or therapy that his recovery called for.

You couldn’t lie to yourself, it hurt seeing your best friend barely acknowledge you but in these times you stuck near him at all possible times. Sitting in the living room with the both of them and conversing. Sitting in the chair in his room as you read books to him or watched movies. A routine was established and slowly the variants came. He wanted to sit on the back porch. A walk down the street and back. A quick trip to the store with his brother.

You took what victories you could get and you embraced the setbacks with gentle hands and a soft voice.

Waking him from nightmares, accepting that he will wake up violently. The first time it happened left bruises in the shape of his hands across your throat. And you can’t lie to yourself, it scared you and made you hesitate for a few days. Wondering how much of your best friend was still in there.

Tonight is no different. Well actually that's a lie. Today marked a full year since they brought Logan home. There was no celebration, no party but there were visits from the other men that make up the Ghosts. Merrick and Keegan had visited together. A bottle of bourbon and a few books in their hands. Kick and a few of Logan's old company dropped by to bring him assorted items found around the city.

You watched Logan take everything in stride. Somehow managing to smile and thank them even if it was forced.

Baby steps, right? That’s what matters right now.

-

Sleep evades you.

Rain pelted the windows with unrelenting force, the storm had rolled in fast. The wind and thunder rumbling so loud that you almost missed the startled cry from the man in the bed across the room from you.

Standing up from your chair and walking over to his bedside. Hands slowly reaching out to wake him as he tosses and turns, stuck in an unknown nightmare. It's routine at this point, having the action of waking Logan down to a science.

Placing both hands on his shoulders and shoving him roughly down into the mattress, then taking a few steps back as he comes up swinging like a mad-man. Technically he is, you silent muse before setting to work.

“Logan, hey it's alright. You're home, it's just a nightmare.” Your voice soft and non-threatening as you keep your hands where he can see them. Palms splayed out so he doesn't think you have a weapon hidden.

His eyes are wild. A scared and wounded animal being cornered by something much bigger than him. His head turns rapidly as he looks around for any possible threat as you reach over to turn the light on.

The dim beside lamp illuminating the room enough to calm him down.

He sighs and looks over at you, the look on his face speaks of volumes of exhaustion that you will likely never experience. Logan's hands begin to move, using sign language to communicate. He was never very vocal before Rourke, but he's completely muted now. Preferring to just sign whatever he needs to say.

“Thank you.” The motion from his chin out sluggish.

Nodding and sitting down at the foot of his bed, “Want to go sit on the back porch again? It's a good storm tonight.”

A tradition you two have taken up since his return. Logan won't tell you why but his dislike of the rain has become and obsession. You suspect Rourke had him somewhere dry…he was severely dehydrated and burnt when he was wheeled into your hospital.

There's a second of hesitation from the youngest Walker brother before he nods his head, his left hand making a knocking motion in the air.

Standing up and reaching out your hand to help him up from the messy bed. “Let's go then, I think David's asleep so we don't have to worry about his mother-henning.” Truly, Hesh has been trying his best and has definitely earned the right to be overbearing. But it's nice to have a moment or so where it's just you and Logan.

Slipping out the bedroom and through the house to the backdoor, lightning occasionally flashing through the windows. Immediately after opening the door and stepping onto the porch are you both assaulted with cold rain.

But you've already committed to the bit and with the way Logan tightens his grip on your hand to lead you into the storm, you don't exactly have a chance to retreat. You go to protest but the sleepy and happy look on his face stops you, that's a genuine smile.

Oh holy shit, he's smiling and you don't have a camera! That doesn't matter, as you are pulled into a spiral. Logan is spinning you in circles and a stutter in your heart you haven't allowed yourself to feel in a long time makes a return.

Viciously.

You laugh and follow the man, dancing in the rain like a couple of fools. It's dangerous, a night time thunder storm with heavy lightning? Neither of you can be bothered to care about the potential of a lightning strike.

Lost in the way that your hands touch and the look in his eyes, if the price of seeing him smile is ruined pajamas then so be it.

There's a moment where he stops, letting you two catch your breath as the sky flashes above. A split second where his eyes meet yours and he extends his hand towards you.

He's reaching out for comfort. And the swiftness that you accept his offer is laughable. Pulling him close into a hug that he doesn't reject. Instead he holds onto you like you might disappear if he lets go.

His lips are on yours and he dips you to punctuate the dance, like something from a romance movie lightning flashes to light up this moment.

Maybe everything will be alright.

[dragonagecompanions]

Could you do like a head cannon for like 1920 noir inquisitor companions/romances

You have to listen to this while you read.

Cassandra: She's a hardened murder cop with a hidden love for romance and no mercy for the criminal underground. She wrote the book on playing by the rules, but when things get tough she'll stab the book and do what's right.

Varric: Sometimes an author has to know his element to discover the truth. Few people would expect the renowned serial novelist to be caught dead in a speakeasy as seedy as the Hanged Man, but with a pencil behind his ear (and a hand always ready on a pistol with his lover's named carved into the barrel) he's always on the hunt for a story.

Solas: A bartender more comfortable with spirits than people, the elf behind the bar at the Dread Wolf is a hard man to read. Good for stiches in a pinch and no slouch in a fight when it suits his fancy, he owes no power in the city alliegence-- and no one knows his end game.

Blackwall: It takes guts to fake your way into a gang like the Wardens, but Thom Rainier's in too deep to back out now. With a dead man's name and street rep to keep the dogs at bay the hardened enforcer can only try to atone for his past-- and fight for a better future.

Vivienne: Very little is known about Madame de Fer, owner and operator of the more exclusive brewery this side of the Tevinter boarder, except that her gin has never seen a bath tub and the Templars don't bother her supply.

Any resemblance to the renowned socialite Vivienne the Enchantress is rarely commented onl; those who do rarely repeat the mistake.

Sera: With the gang warfare, the police cracking down on the littles and the templars hunting any unregulated booze for their prohibition on alcohol someone has to look out for the little guy. No one is really sure who Red Jenny is, but everyone knows that the street kids and pick pockets and beat down element knows her name-- and she is always watching.

The abandoned warehouse on the dock is her headquarters, full of her ill gotten gains and home to the fences who turn it into cash. Nobody starves and everyone profits. A tidy business, yeah?

Dorian: Everyone knows that there is more going on behind the scenes of the Halward Pavus Memorial Library than meets the eye, but no matter how many times it's raided the head archivist is always completely above suspicion. Books and learning are all that linger in those hallowed halls--please try to be quiet on your way out.

But everyone knows that at night Dorian Pavus puts down the index carts and hard backs to pursue his true passion-- and that the Tevinter will pay up to four sovereigns for a fresh corpse*. Medical science is varely stumbling into the light, and if his books on anatomy -so accurate as to be used as reference during surgeries- then the long hours spent on the dissecting table are well worth it.

The Iron Bull: Someone needs to make sure that the beer, wine, whiskey and gin finds its way from hidden distilleries to the thirsty patrons of the city's illicit watering holes. The Chargers are the best, expensive but worth the money to get things where they are going. With a sapper from the wars on tap rumor says they have their own tunnels under the city, but no one knows anything for certain. He runs a clean crew, dependable and honest. Madam de Fer makes frequent use of them.

And if The Iron Bull also reports to the higher ups in the Qun, the north side gang just waiting for a chance to take it all, that's his own business. Straining loyalties may bring it to a show down, but for now he's willing to ride the knife edge.

Cole: No one can really remember when the fortune teller's shop opened at the edge of town. One day it was simply there, mysterious and festooned with gauzy curtains and wreathed in fragrant incense. The nug motif is...a little odd, sure, but tame compared to the figure behind the crystal ball.

It's hard to see his eyes behind the wide brimmed hat, and those who do meet his gaze can't claim to enjoy the experience. But Cole has a way of getting into your head to the deepest thoughts and secrets waiting there and finding the best solutions. Whether he can see the future or not, enough people are willing to try to keep the doors open.

For now.

(I really couldn't figure out the romances. Hope this serves!)

(*in Canada and the US, the resurrectionist movement was still going strong into the late 1950s!)

Mod Fereldone

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: Mint's Fave Games (Part 2/2)

This is part 2 to a very difficult ask in which I managed to narrow it down to 12 games that I'm very normal about but still couldn't fit all in one post. 6 games left! I'll put the link for Part 1 here. Let's go!

Exceptionals, by Bramble Wolf Games, aka @sahonithereadwolf. (Purchased, not yet played)

I’m not a big comics fan, but X-Men has always been my favourite form of superhero media, particularly because I love the care and purposefulness of talking about marginalization and bigotry in a nuanced way. The creator of Exceptionals loves that very same thing about X-Men, and asks about what life is like for your average neighbourhood mutant.. This is a game where you can play Genodivergent folks, people who experience a process called Claremont-Simonson Mutation.

The game system uses d10’s - 2d10’s for any given roll, while you can use other d10’s to track the Bonds your characters have with each-other. Characters are made up of 4 “protocols”, lists of words and phrases that describe your mutation as well as your role as a community member. These pieces will not just give you advantages - they’ll give you disadvantages as well, which will affect the outcome of your rolls.

This is not a game about superheroes. This is a game in which superheroes exist, but your group is more likely going to be figuring out how to keep their neighbourhood safe when the police are one of the constant dangers, learning how to care for community members who have unique problems, and making noise when asking nicely for others to respect your rights doesn’t work.

The Wildsea, by Felix Isaacs. (Purchased, not yet played)

I was sold on setting alone for this one. The Wildsea is inspired by works such as Railsea, (a re-telling of Moby Dick), as well as Firefly, Blades in the Dark, and Sunless Sea. You are sailors on a verdant ocean of giant trees, hunting leviathan squirrels and trading with various outports and settlements. Character creation involves three parts: your Bloodline, Origin and Post, combining species, background and job to allow for some highly customizable, evocative characters.

The Wildsea prioritizes narrative play, allowing players to determine how their stats affect their actions, and using an in-game mechanic called Whispers and Charts to help you create locations as you play. Travel is never boring, as everyone has a role to play and the wonders of The Wildsea never cease. The community behind this game is wildly inventive, with oodles of home-brew and character inspiration. You can pick up the free version of the rules here, and check out the Storm and Root Expansion at the Kickstarter link.

HouseHold, by Two Little Mice. (Unpurchased)

Two Little Mice are known for gorgeous games and this is no exception. Household is a game about little people living inside an abandoned house, each room of which is a different nation. Will you dance with a Boggart princess at the ball of the Chandelier? Cross the Long Hallway and survive to tell the tale? Are you a Sluagh with a mouse steed or a Sprite with a beetle companion? Do you wear the finest of bee furs, or is mushroom leather what you prefer to wear?

This game is unique on this list in that I don’t actually plan to run it - I play to play it, with a friend of mine who backed the game on Kickstarter. He’s already got the full version of the book, plus its expansion, and let me tell you, it’s deliciously beautiful. The game uses the same system as Broken Compass: your character choices will give you strengths in certain arenas, and you’ll use pips to give yourself strengths in subsets of skills within each arena. The game uses card symbols to represent Society, Academia, War and Street - these characters won’t just be fighting spiders and bringing down rats, they’ll also try to catch the eye of an aristocrat at a dinner party, or pick-pocket the keys off of a palace guard. Character advancement is chronicled as Memories; your play the game as if your character’s stories have already happened, and are in the process of being written down for posterity.

If you’re interested in this game I’d recommend checking out the linked website above, as the 96-page Quickstart and the character sheet are free to download!

Brinkwood: The Blood of Tyrants, by Far Horizons Co-Op. (Played)

This game has the most hardcore slogan that I’ve ever seen, and it has not failed to get people stoked about it - Drink the Rich. It’s Robin Hood meets Castlevania. A powerful Faerie helps you fight against Vampire Capitalists using magic-infused masks, and a sanctuary hidden inside a wild wood. This is yet another Forged-in-the-Dark game that shows you how to build a rebellion via three different strategies, and has a well-written and well-thought-out Codex that allows you to put the game in different settings, as well as an Almanac (included in the base game) that immerses you in the milieu of Cardenfell.

My favourite aspect of Brinkwood is the communal Mask playbooks. As characters, you’ll have your own personal character sheet, but when you go out on different forays, you’ll have the opportunity to share the Masks that are available to the group. This means that players can choose strategically-optimal playbooks for missions that require more stealth, combat, or social control, and it also means that you’ll never feel nailed into a specific role. I very much want to see more of this kind of setup in games, even if I have to design it myself.

Moth-Light, by Justin Ford. (Purchased, not yet played)

You are humans that have fled to a planet after the fall of your civilization. In this speculative future, your new home must be shared with giant, predator insects called Moths. Your future depends on your ability to develop trust, form pacts, and work together.

This is (you guessed it) another Forged-in-the-Dark game with a really unique implementation of the group playbook. Depending on the Pact you choose, you don’t just determine what kind of story you want to tell, you also determine what action ratings are available to your characters. This makes sense, as a story about different villages banding together to achieve peace will provide different challenges then a story about a series of war-games, in which your characters are desperate to prove their worth. The spectrum of stories available within this game are broad-spanning, and I’m itching to get this game to table sometime before the year is over to see how it plays.

Moth-Light is still in beta, but after your first purchase you’ll receive new updates about the game as they come out! When I bought this game, only the Promise and the Scavengers were available - now the creator has updated the file to include the Slayers and the Jammers! I’ve also created my own Pact for this game, inspired by the Chronicles of Pern. It’s called RIDERS, it’s about people creating sympathetic bonds with the Moths in order to stop an even greater threat, and you can find it here!

Apocalypse Keys, by Rae Nedjadi. (@temporalhiccup ) (Played)

I just finished running this game and I don’t know how to express to you the emotional rollercoaster that it led us on. Rae Nedjadi is a fucking amazing designer and you can tell he intensively play-tested this game because Apocalypse Keys is tight. The mystery setup gives you an idea of how long a single mystery will take, and the generative style of play allows you to not just fill out the world, but also come up with the answer to the mystery as you unlock clues.

The central focus of the game involves Grasping Keys, which is a move that allows your character to find clues that will eventually be connected to core facets of the mystery for a very dramatic roll. Also, unlike a lot of PbtA games, your characters use a token system reminiscent of Belonging Outside Belonging games instead of stats, which you can spend to increase your chances of success - but roll too high and you are too good at what you do, possibly causing collateral damage in the process. If you love Hellboy, if you love monsters, if you’re queer… you really need to check out this game.

Finally....

If you want to see what other games are currently living rent-free in my noggin that I hope to pick up at play someday, you can check out the Games that Intrigue Me folder I've started on Itch. There's currently 148 games in there that I haven't played yet!

[richincolor]

We have something for everyone this week! Which of these books are on your radar already?

Of Dreams and Destiny (St. Rosetta's Academy #3) by Sandhya Menon Simon Pulse

It’s senior year, and Daphne Elizabeth “DE” McKinley, the heiress to the McKinley hotel dynasty, is still licking her wounds after a painful breakup. She’s determined to keep her head down and her heart shuttered—even from new student Xander, no matter how dreamy he is. Then Rosetta Academy is swallowed up by a sudden and massive spring storm, and very strange things start happening. The students start to fall into a stupor, then a deep sleep…one by one. Soon, DE is racing against the clock to find the source of the strange spell and stop it before it claims the entire school. Could Xander’s help be the key to solving the mystery?

All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr Abrams

In the vein of Grown and The Poet X, a searing and defiant novel in verse about reclaiming agency after a sexual assault within the church community. Sixteen-year-old Amina Conteh has always believed in using her tongue as her weapon—even when it gets her into trouble. After cursing at a classmate, her father forces her to volunteer at their church with Pastor Johnson. But Pastor Johnson isn’t the holy man everyone thinks he is. The same voice Amina uses to fight falls quiet the night she is sexually assaulted by Pastor Johnson. After that, her life starts to unravel: her father is frustrated that her grades are slipping, and her best friend and boyfriend don’t understand why the once loud and proud girl is now quiet and distant. In a world that claims to support survivors, Amina wonders who will support her when her attacker is everyone's favorite community leader. When Pastor Johnson is arrested for a different crime, the community is shaken and divided; some call him a monster and others defend him. But Amina is secretly relieved. She no longer has to speak because Pastor Johnson can't hurt her anymore–or so she believes. To regain her voice and sense of self, Amina must find the power to confront her abuser—in the courtroom and her heart—and learn to use all the fighting parts within her.

Nightbreaker (Nightbreaker #1) by Coco Ma Viking Books for Young Readers

Fifteen years ago, The Vanishing thrust Manhattan into darkness, forever changing the City That Never Sleeps. Aboveground, resilient New Yorkers have adapted by clinging to the vestiges of their cosmopolitan lives. Below the streets--well, you never go underground unless you have a death wish. Or unless you're Rei Reynolds. By day, Rei attends the an elite New York prep school, but by cover of night, she's is a self-initiated warrior with a knack for hunting Deathlings, the deadly creatures that haunt Manhattan's subway tunnels and blood-soaked streets at night. All Rei wants is to avenge her parents, who were slaughtered years ago by the nightmarish monsters. The Tournament is the only path to the career Rei has always dreamed of--becoming a Maverick, the city's elite Deathling-killing force. Winning should be a breeze, but the one potential problem is fellow competitor Kieran Cross, Rei's infuriating ex with whom she shares a bitter history. But as the Tournament progresses--and the cutthroat betrayals mount--everything Rei believed about who she can and cannot trust is called into question. She soon becomes the target of everyone who wants to keep the city's ruling class in power, as well as those who seek to bring it down. In other words, Rei is positively and completely screwed. Coco Ma's exhilarating fantasy blends thrills and chills for an immersive read featuring the snarky, postapocalyptic heroine we all hope to be.

Shadow Coven (The Witchery #2) by S. Isabelle Scholastic Press

After defeating the Wolves, Jailah, Logan, Iris, and Thalia want nothing more than a summer of fun and relaxation. But there is no rest for the wicked, especially when Death comes for Iris. She is to become a Reaper, tasked with banishing souls who refuse to cross over. But Iris suspects there’s something more ominous going on when Mathew’s role as her tether grows sinister. Logan and Thalia are ready to prove themselves as witches. Except Logan still hears the howling Wolves and realizes that the Haunting Season may have awakened more than just her magic. And while Thalia wants to spend her days cleansing the Swamp for good, she finds herself heading to a place she swore she’d never go again: home. Witches have started going missing near Annex, and Thalia is convinced that her father is behind the disappearances. With the help of Logan and Trent, Thalia returns to stop him. Meanwhile, Jailah is focused on her internship with the Haelsford Witchery Council until she discovers a treacherous magic hidden beneath Mesmortes, and there are those who will go to great lengths to keep it buried. So, she turns to the only person who understands, even if it’s the one witch who hates her most. Separated by distance, the coven is surrounded by magical and mundane threats that must be defeated before they lose their witchery--and each other--forever...

Champion of Fate (Heromaker #1) by Kendare Blake Quill Tree Books

Behind every great hero is an Aristene. Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers. Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known. Nothing is going to stop Reed--until she meets her hero. Hestion is fiery and infuriating, but what begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.

A Crown So Cursed (The Nightmare--Verse #3) by L.L. McKinney Imprint

In the third book in L.L. McKinney's Nightmare-Verse trilogy, Alice gets one last chance to save Wonderland from itself. Alice and the gang are trying to recover from recent events—but members of her crew start having weird dreams. The same dreams. It seems the evil in Wonderland may not be as defeated as they thought—because someone's building an army of Nightmares to attack the mortal world. But before Alice jumps into battle, she discovers she has a personal connection to Wonderland, and she must face what it means for the fight ahead. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

When a Brown Girl Flees by Aamna Qureshi Tu Books

After Zahra Paracha makes a decision at odds with her beliefs, her mother forces Zahra to make an impossible choice about her future. So Zahra runs away. A train and a plane ride later, she finds herself in New York, where she relinquishes her past in favor of a new future. There, she must learn who she is without the marionette strings of control in her mother's hands. There, she must learn who she wishes to become. On Long Island, Zahra stays at a bed & breakfast, unsure of her place in the world. Anxious, depressed, and grappling with guilt, she wanders aimlessly. She eventually visits the local masjid, where she is befriended by two sisters and drawn into the welcoming Muslim community there. It is in this place of safety that Zahra's healing truly begins--but can she create a home for herself when the foundation is built on lies she's spun to protect her from the past? When a family friend recognizes her, will everything come crashing down? As Zahra tries to build a life for herself in this new place, the heart of the matter becomes clear: she can't run away forever. Can she close the rift in her family and truly, fully heal? In this powerful novel from new voice Aamna Qureshi, a Muslim teen goes on a breathtaking journey to find her home and--more importantly--herself.

[theoldgvard]

after s2 rewatch im fully over coffee theory i dont mind if i turn out wrong but anyway

aziraphale originally doesn’t want to go back bc of course he doesn’t heaven is corrupt and everything he loves is on earth

but then he finds out he can make the rules and can bring crowley and that angelic part of him knows he can’t turn his back on a chance to do good on that scale. sure it’ll probably turn out that heaven’s issues are so institutionalised that it can’t be changed just by shaking up the leadership, but ever the slightly naive optimist aziraphale doesn’t believe this.

he has faith in himself, and he has faith in crowley and what they can achieve together. he has also witnessed thousands of years of crowley covertly doing good because it’s in his nature, but he isn’t supposed to actually do it. aziraphale sees an out for crowley, a way he can do the good he’s always been doing without having to pretend. he can be nice.

as aziraphale leaves the metatron he looks uncertain but by the time he’s in front of crowley he’s worked himself up and i think this is because he is sad about the bookshop and leaving earth and the way things are changing. but the thing that matters is crowley. (he was willing to give away books to make sure the ball happened and i would bet money on his dance with crowley also being a big part of his plan in that regards) he gets to keep the one thing most important to him, whilst doing the good he has always fiercely cared about doing. he’s willing to sacrifice everything in order to do good, which just goes to show his strength and belief in himself.

i don’t believe if he was influenced so strongly he would care so strongly. he wouldn’t beg crowley to come with him, wouldn’t insist this was the right thing to do, wouldn’t harden his resolve enough to bite back an ‘i l-’ to be replaced with an ‘i forgive you’. this is personal, it hurts, it is a sacrifice he makes for the sake of light. truth. goodness. he’s an angel. maybe the best angel.

it’s part religious trauma/naivety, part faith in himself (that has of course been built up in part by crowley), part want for crowley’s undeserved punishment to be undone and for him to be properly ‘free’. aziraphale wants to put into motion the ‘shades of grey’ mentality crowley has taught him. he wants to better a broken system and he isn’t willing to let it go without a fight because a) it’s been there his entire existence but also b) he isn’t the giving up kind. he helps gabriel even after everything. why would he stop there? his goodness knows no bounds.

‘come with me’ he knows he can’t turn his back on things now. he knows he’s got to do it no matter the personal cost. which is why he’s desperate for crowley to come around. because this is going to happen with or without crowley, and just like with helping gabriel, he’d always rather do it with crowley at his side.

i think it makes perfect sense for his development. not only by showing he still has trauma to work through regarding heaven, but by also showing the effect crowley has had on him working in tandem with who he’s always been. crowley has shown him how nuanced morality is, how heaven isn’t fair, and he sees this. and because he’s aziraphale, and he’s ‘far too pure of heart’, he’s going to try to implement change instead of getting out. he didn’t run from armageddon. he didn’t run from helping gabriel. it’s not like him to turn away from this ‘chance’.

i think his expression in the lift is him trying to put aside his pain and look ahead at his imagined future and the difference he can make. because without crowley he is still him. he is still an angel who wants to do good. this season kind of showed us how crowley is sort of afloat, and his only real purpose seems to be in regards to aziraphale but aziraphale threw himself straight into the gabriel mystery, has an active life amongst the street and its inhabitants. hes never seemed as untethered as crowley.

aziraphale is going to realise and work through some things about himself in season 3. crowley needs to find himself. and when they come back together it can be in a way that suits them both, where they can be themselves but also together, crowley isn’t a ‘second in command’, they are equals and they are two individuals who are also in love.

it all, painfully, makes some sort of sense.

[lullaebies]

do you have any modern helaena headcanons?

Disclaimer: I'm not a very modern AU type of person - one of the reasons I lean into HOTD and ASOIAF is because I find the setting and rules in place intriguing, but I certainly like reading modern interpertations! I would also like to rec @fatherforgivethem for some cute modern hcs, I really warmed up to theirs! Modern Helaena Headcanons ✧ Helaena is a wildlife girl! She likes animals of all types since she was little, catching frogs and observing fireflies in the lake at the backyard of their vacation home (they definitely have a vacation home, rich ppl). She and her brothers fight about the TV because she wants to keep watching National Geographic, lol. She once rescued a bluish grey little lizard she found hurt on the street, and it remained with her after it healed. (of course, it's Dreamfyre). ✧ She's a knitter and from the moment she learns how to knit that is all anyone gets out of her as presents. She makes the ugly sweaters for Christmas, or gloves, or whatever she feels at the moment. She made Aegon and Aemond a get along sweater once, which Daeron shoved himself into as well. Obviously, she had to be added to the fray. They ruined that one on the day they got it. ✧ She wants to be a primary school teacher. She finds that her shyness dissipates besides younger children, and with all the troubles and shenanigans her extended family has been through she learned how to treat with children easy. ✧ When she's old enough to work as a teacher, she gets charge of a music therapy program in her school. She sometimes brings [forces] Aegon into the fray by making him play the guitar. She's well regarded for it, it helped quite a few kiddos. ✧ The type of person that never answers calls. It takes her two hours to realize someone called her at all. Alicent had more than a few heart attacks about it - Aemond and Aegon had drove around looking for her as well a few times. At the end they'll find her in some vintage shop absorbed in some book or looking at ceramics she wanted to bring back home to one of them or mother. They can't even get angry, it's seriously upsetting and wholesome at the same time. ✧ Plant mom! she grows plenty of flowers in her room, and they decorate the vivarium Dreamfyre is kept in from inside and out. She managed to get some plants to all the rooms in the house. ✧ She doesn't know how to cook at all - she burns pasta, bless her soul. She relies on Aegon for like college-like five minute food, Aemond for actual meals, and Daeron is just a baby that shares snacks with her. Alicent had made way with her in baking, however - though the cakes are always not quite well leveled and bit off in their icing isn't perfect, everyone eats it without complaing [if you complain you may get into a fistfight with one of the brothers lmao].

[buzz-london]

*WHAT A TERRIBLE CONSPIRACY!!!*

1) Pakistan was formed, under Congress rule!

2) Bangladesh became, under Congress rule!

3) 370 came into force, in Congress rule!

4) Minorities Bill came, in Congress rule!

5) Muslim Personal Law Board was formed, under Congress rule!

6) Minorities Ministry was formed, in Congress rule!

7) Minority University became, in Congress rule!

All these works were done by 'Congress', only for 'Muslims', that too, when the "partition" of the country happened on the basis of 'religion'! So, wasn't this preparation of Congress for "Gajwa-e-Hind"??

There was a preparation to make the country an Islamic country “quietly”. Congress gave only "reservation" for "Hindus", so that the "Hindu society" always fights with each other and never understands "Gajwa-e-Hind".

Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, in his book "My Life Account" has written at p.456, that: don't know why Nehru's "Hinduism" has a prejudice?

Nehru had tried hard to bring "Hindu Code Bill" to make Hindus Second Class Citizens". But Sardar Patel had warned Nehru that: If during my lifetime, you bring "Hindu Code Bill" or thought about it, then I shall resign from Congress

and against this bill will come down on the streets. Due to Patel's threat, Nehru was scared. After Sardar Patel's death, the "Hindu Code Bill" was passed in the Parliament!

During the discussion on this bill, Acharya J B Kripalani had called Nehru a Communist and Muslim supporter! He said: You wear "Janeu" just to cheat the Hindus. Otherwise, Hindus have 'no matter' in you. If you really were "secular," then instead of "Hindu Code Bill", you would have brought "Common Code" Bill for all religions. Sometimes, I feel like not posting at all! Then the thought comes that India will read.

[Released in the interest of the country.]

BBC's famous journalist Mark Tully has given a statement, that "Modi is uprooting that big banyan of this country, which has been infested with poisonous insects for years! For this, he will have to fight continuously!"

Modi has put his hands together in the bills of all the poisonous snakes hidden in the country; that's why these snakes are hissing. Congress had hidden all kinds of snakes including Congress, Leftist, Jihadi, Naxalite, Missionary to ruin the land. It is good that Modi came to power and made the country aware of these poisonous snakes and exposed them. Otherwise, these poisonous snakes would have swallowed this Indian land and Hindus in the coming times. Our future generations would have nothing left except to cry and wail.

Modi will have to struggle a lot, and Modi will also struggle, but the people of this country, especially the Hindus, will have to stand firm with Modi.

Modi did not take this war for himself, but it is a war waged for the children of our countrymen, for the coming generations and for the bright future of India.

Please do the work of awakening our countrymen by forwarding this post in the public interest.

https://www.altnews.in/modi-destroying-old-termite-ridden-banyan-tree-write-up-falsely-ascribed-to-mark-tully/

*[Send to at least five people and tell the truth to the country that Nehru- Gandhi family in disguise belongs to Muslim.]*

🙏🏻💐🙏🏻

[notenoughmuses]

Can we talk about Dany and slavery real quick? So we all know how Jorah ended up meeting Dany was cuz he fled Ned Stark and justice for being a slaver (who ends up falling in love with and serving Daenerys who frees slaves and even takes a whore who looks like Dany cuz he cant have her) and we all know Dany is like anti-slavery.

She's empathic and caring. Yes.

But, imagine this: you and your brother are raised in various cities in essos for an undisclosed number of time (days weeks months...years...) for 8-9 years and for 90% of the life you can recall now your over the age of 5 when all the time of 5 and before you can recall is a house with a red door and lemon tree....

Pentos while forbidden is still practiced by thise who hold vast wealth and thus power. Like Illyrio Mopatis.

Lys, super high slave population. Also known for their pleasure houses (which I HC vis got into for a bit to make money but that's another story)

In Volantis, due to the relative proximity to Slaver's Bay, there is a thriving slave market. There are five slaves for every free man. Slaves are always tattooed on the face.

I mean we all know Qohor's city guard is comprised solely of Unsullied eunuch slave soldiers. However, much like in Pentos, slaves can be bought by powerful men who flout the laws.

Myr is a hub of trade in slaves

Tyrosh deals extensively in slaves and they go to get Wildlings from the wall. (Ooh Ygritte AU where she gets freed by Dany....)

Braavos is an exception among the Free Cities. They come from escaped slaves, the Braavosi do not permit slavery and they do not trade with Slaver's Bay.

It's said that Dany and Vis: From Braavos, they went to Myr, next to Tyrosh, on to Qohor, Volantis, and Lys, never staying long at one location. And they've also lived in Pentos for half a year under Illyrios care. Under her book wiki her culture is listed as Free Cities first, her born into culture, Dothraki the culture she married into and felt safe in and Ghascari the culture she is ruling as Queen of Meereen. Viserys also has the free cities as his culture, young enough to not fully grow up in and around Westerosi culture.

They were both born and raised around slavery. They were guests for a while under powerful and wealthy peoples homes. Slavery was normal in almost all of the places they grew up in, except Braavos. Now, do I because of that fact HC that maybe they spent for of those 8 or so years majority in Braavos in different areas? Maybe. That could help account for Dany being anti-slavery. But also think back to Jorah. Slavery is outlawed, it's not the norm in Westeros. Viserys was 7-8 when Dany was born. At that age kids have an idea of what's right and wrong and if slavery is outlawed and not present, surely he would have remarked at some point slavery was wrong. To Viserys's credit, good and bad, Dany has been taught by Viserys. History, lore, customs, language....there are to be sure cracks in that knowledge and even those cracks I'm sure Ser Darry helped fill for both Targaryen children in those 5 years.

So while I think it's partly just a trait that makes Dany anti slavery with being compassionate and empathic and wanting to bring justice to those who could never get it themselves and fight for it (which in a way resembles her own plight growing up under vis's abuse and both of the targs begging on the streets and fighting for a way home)

I also think it's how she was raised and what knowledge that came with it. Kind of how Viserys assumed and later Dany, they would marry and how he wished she'd come sooner so Rhaegar could have married her. Their parent-Aunt/Uncle were siblings so why wouldn't he and Dany marry? Similar concept. If you see something so much it becomes the new normal, it's just what happens. Slavery is that for Essos.

If any Danys want to chim in please do! I'd love to hear your perspective on it!

[harrytheexplorer]

New York's Most Stylish Street Clothes

For shopping, brands, or styles you're after, New York is a haven for fashion lovers. And no velvet rope or influential status is required - just an understanding of where to to for the latest fashions. The NYFW Street Style fashion show was no exception to the general rule. Showgoers gave their own spin to the latest fashions. Check out the top outfits of this year's shows and presentations. Eva Chen Eva Chen, Instagram's first head of fashion partnerships, is a smart and experienced person. Prior to joining Instagram, Eva Chen was the editor-in-chief of Lucky magazine and the director of beauty and health at Teen Vogue. The Chinese American editor has a sharp sense of style as well as optimism. She is also the author of books for children. She is adamantly rooted in her hometown of Manhattan, despite studying pre-med at Johns Hopkins University. She says that she grew up in a place that values friendship and family bonds. In her time as editor at Lucky, Chen oversaw the magazine's transformation into a young and contemporary brand. She also launched the online store, Lucky Shops. In April of 2013, she was appointed editor-in-chief by Conde Nast's Anna Wintour. She was the youngest editor in chief in the history of the magazine. Katya Tolstova New York is the fashion capital of the world and the streetwear industry is one that is always in high demand. This week, our editors rounded the most fashionable streetwear moments from New york's most thrilling fashion shows. This gorgeous monochromatic neon pink set from Katya Tolstova captivated us. It was worn with no accessories, including an appropriate trench coat as well as the small lavender bag. The same style can be achieved with only a handful of pieces in your closet. An outfit of wide-leg, cropped pants and a shirt that has a striped pattern can be equally effective. This is a stylish look you can wear over and over and. The secret to making it work is to choose the right colors and textures, and to add a funky twist with a few strategically placed accessories. Sarah Lysanders British model Sarah Lysander is a rising popular fashion model. She has over 200k followers on her Instagram account and is well popular for her swimwear brand, Lysander Swim, and her styled editorial shoots. She is also a content creator and also a business owner. She is a partner with luxury powerhouses like Bulgari, Dior, and Prada. She has a large following for her Instagram page, which she manages herself. Her Instagram page has the most impressive feature: she makes use of the modern technology like AR to create engaging images that you can interact. With her "Fun With" tagline she hopes to bring some happiness into the lives and days of her followers. Chloe King Chloe King is a typical teenage girl, except that she is gifted with extra powers and the gift of nine lives. She is part of the Mai race and, as the "Uniter," she must fight for the Mai and human races to stop a prophecy that will cause them to be destroyed. Samuels does an amazing job of balancing a sense of confusion and excitement when Chloe discovers that she is part of a long-lost mythology. Although Amy (Grace Phipps) and Paul (Hi Kong Lee) are somewhat overbearing They are nevertheless believable as her most trusted friends. While the show can take a bit to start, it picks up quickly once it's in motion. While the story isn't speedy and the love stories isn't as exciting yet, it's written well enough to keep the viewers interested. Kathy Lee

Kathie Lee Gifford has been a household name for years. For 15 years she hosted WABC-TV's Morning Show. She also hosted the fourth hour on "Today" together with Hoda Kotb for eleven years. She's a four-time Emmy Award-winning TV personality who is a New York Times bestselling author. She's been recognized by the Broadcast & Cable Hall of Fame and is an honorary star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Source: YouTube

[multifamdomfan]

Rhea

Physical description:

Long golden hair that's often braided

Big, round, intelligent gray eyes

A lean, athletic figure

Short Stature

Backstory:

Rhea was born in Athens, Greece, a city steeped in the wisdom of her mother, Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategy. But wisdom alone could not protect her from the harsh realities of mortal life. Her father, Dimitrios , was a historian, a man obsessed with ancient war tactics and philosophy. To the outside world, he was a scholar—brilliant, articulate, and deeply respected. But behind closed doors, he was a man ruled by rage, paranoia, and control.

From the moment Rhea could speak, she was expected to be perfect—to memorize texts, solve complex riddles, and anticipate his moods like a strategist on a battlefield. If she failed, she faced his wrath, not always in blows, but in words sharper than any blade.

"You are nothing if you are not the best."

"Athena gave you a mind, yet you waste it with weakness."

"Wisdom is power. And power belongs to those strong enough to seize it."

Rhea grew up in fear, yet she also grew up learning. She read every book she could find, trained her mind to anticipate patterns, and learned how to fight—not with brute force, but with intellect. She became a master at reading body language, at sensing danger before it struck. Her father had unknowingly made her into a strategist—a survivor.

At 12, Rhea discovered the truth of her birth. Athena appeared to her in a vision, whispering words of encouragement, telling her that she was more than just her father’s tool—that she had a greater purpose. But when Rhea tried to escape that night, Dimitrios caught her. In a fit of rage, he struck her harder than ever before.

Something inside her snapped.

She didn't just dodge the next blow—she calculated his movements, used his weight against him, and sent him crashing into his bookshelf. He was stunned, not by the pain, but by the realization that his daughter had outplayed him.

That was the last night Rhea ever spent in that house.

She fled into the streets of Athens, surviving by outwitting thieves and blending into the shadows. It wasn’t long before she was found by a satyr, sent by Camp Half-Blood to bring her to safety. Though hesitant to trust anyone, she followed him across the world to America, to a camp where she was told she would find others like her.

At Camp Half-Blood, Rhea quickly established herself as a formidable strategist. She was placed in Cabin 6, the Athena cabin, and within weeks, she was leading war games, solving ancient riddles, and even designing new combat strategies. But despite her growing reputation, she never let anyone get too close.

Her past still haunted her. She flinched at sudden movements, calculated every conversation like a battle, and never let herself show weakness. Deep inside, she feared that no matter how much she learned, she would never truly escape the voice of her father in her mind.

Abilities:

Tactical Genius – Can analyze battlefields, predict enemy movements, and outmaneuver opponents with ease.

Enhanced Reflexes – Years of anticipating danger have made her fast and nearly impossible to surprise.

Psychological Insight – Can read people instantly, sensing lies, fear, and hidden intentions.

Weapon Precision – Prefers daggers, using speed and precision over brute strength.

Architect’s Mind – Can visualize structures and create escape routes in seconds.

Personality:

Stubborn

Intelligent

Strong

Values knowledge, empowerment, and self-sufficiency

Strategic

Quiet

Determined

Control freak

Private

Tactical

Athletic

Competitive

Resourceful

Doesn’t back down from challenges

[joyffree]

Dissolution, the conclusion in The Eagle Elite series, from @RachelVanDyken is NOW LIVE!!

Grab this all-new standalone dark, mafia romance TODAY!

AVAILABLE ON ALL VENDORS!

(This is a complete standalone. You don’t have to read the previous books to enjoy Dissolution!)

“There is always a beginning—I will be their end.”

Blurb

A mafia romance about family, loyalty, and love, Dissolution is the powerful conclusion to #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken’s Eagle Elite series.

“There is always a beginning—I will be their end.”

For ten years the Cosa Nostra has ruled with an iron fist in Chicago—their reign is about to end, and I’ll be the one to bring them down.

One more job for the Italian Americans, and I’m done.

Except this “one job” involves saving the boss’s brother and sister.

When things go horribly wrong, and a price is put on all of our heads from my Family back home—I’m forced to stay in Chicago, offer not just my gun but my protective services to the young girl I saved while also making sure nobody touches her.

Myself included.

My own Family has splintered.

Half want me dead, half want me alive, and the only people willing to protect me are the very ones I hate—her included.

I’m the Grim Reaper of the Sicilian mafia, and I bow to no one, not even her, so when she asks me to teach her to fight, when she tells me she wants to be made, I give in just so I can piss off the bosses.

Only I made one mistake.

I protect her from the world.

But who protects me from her?

One more battle remains between the families in Italy and in the States.

One more battle where I’m torn between both sides.

And I’m left protecting the one girl who has the potential to wreck us all.

It all started a decade ago at Eagle Elite University—the beginning.

It will end on the streets of Chicago—with me as the end.

I, Santino Sinacore, am their end.

**This may be the end of the OG Eagle Elite, but it is NOT the end of the Eagle Elite World!**

@candikanepr

[allthingsdarkanddirty]

NOW LIVE! Dissolution by Rachel Van Dyken is available now!   “Utterly captivating, with just the right balance of humor, heat, and heart, this phenomenal read is one of my favorites this year” – Book Addict   “This series was one of the best Mafia series that I have ever read” – Aundi Living That Book Life   Get your copy today! http://bit.ly/3IyxkJN   A mafia romance about family, loyalty, and love, Dissolution is the powerful conclusion to #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken’s Eagle Elite series.   “There is always a beginning—I will be their end.”     For ten years the Cosa Nostra has ruled with an iron fist in Chicago—their reign is about to end, and I’ll be the one to bring them down.    One more job for the Italian Americans, and I’m done.  Except this “one job” involves saving the boss’s brother and sister. When things go horribly wrong, and a price is put on all of our heads from my Family back home—I’m forced to stay in Chicago, offer not just my gun but my protective services to the young girl I saved while also making sure nobody touches her.  Myself included.    My own Family has splintered. Half want me dead, half want me alive, and the only people willing to protect me are the very ones I hate—her included.    I’m the Grim Reaper of the Sicilian mafia, and I bow to no one, not even her, so when she asks me to teach her to fight, when she tells me she wants to be made, I give in just so I can piss off the bosses. Only I made one mistake.    I protect her from the world.  But who protects me from her?    One more battle remains between the families in Italy and in the States. One more battle where I’m torn between both sides.  And I’m left protecting the one girl who has the potential to wreck us all.   It all started a decade ago at Eagle Elite University—the beginning.  It will end on the streets of Chicago—with me as the end.     I, Santino Sinacore, am their end.   **This may be the end of the OG Eagle Elite, but it is NOT the end of the Eagle Elite World!**

[delphicfumes]

Nonviolence has lost the debate:

“Nonviolence has lost the debate. Over the last twenty years, more and more social movements and rebellions against oppression and exploitation have broken out across the world, and within these movements people have learned all over again that nonviolence does not work. They are learning that the histories of purported nonviolent victories have been falsified, that specific actions or methods that could be described as nonviolent work best when they are complimented by other actions or methods that are illegal and combative. They are learning that exclusive, dogmatic nonviolence does not stand a chance in society, at getting to the roots of oppression and exploitation and bringing down those who are in power. 

At best, nonviolence can oblige power to change its masks, to put a new political party on the throne and possibly expand the social sectors that are represented in the elite, without changing the fundamental fact that there is an elite that rules and benefits from the exploitation of everybody else. And if we look at all the major rebellions of the last two decades, since the end of the Cold War, it seems that nonviolence can only effect this cosmetic change if it has the support of a broad part of the elite—usually the media, the wealthy, and at least a part of the military, because nonviolent resistance has never been able to resist the full force of the State. When dissidents do not have this elite support, strict nonviolence seems like the surest way to kill a movement, as when pure nonviolence led to the total collapse of the anti-war movement in 2003, or an enforced nonviolence led to the collapse of the student movement in Spain in 2009. 

In dozens of new social movements around the world, people have gone into the streets for the first time thinking that nonviolence is the way, because contrary to the claims of many pacifists, our society teaches us that while violence may be acceptable for governments, people on the bottom who wish to change things must always be nonviolent. This is why from the Occupy Movement in the US to the plaza occupation movement in Spain to the student movement in the UK, tens of thousands of people who were participating in a struggle for the first time in their lives, who only knew about revolution and resistance from television or from public schools (which is to say, from the media or from the government) overwhelmingly believed in nonviolence. And around the world, experience taught many of these people that they were wrong, that the pacifists, together with the media and the government had lied to them, and in order to change anything, they had to fight back.”

from The Failure of Nonviolence by Peter Gelderloos (Left Bank Books, 2016)

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hi i came to ask: is there a ttrpg like disco elysium? By that i mean the immersive world, how failing a check does not always mean the end and the vibes in general

THEME: Disco Elysium

Hello friend! I had to do a bit of research before I could answer this prompt, because I’ve never played Disco Elysium before. I hope that something within these recommendations speaks to what you are looking for!

Dreams Detective, by Almost Bedtime Theatre.

Someone - or something - is stealing from dreams. Those Who Protect the Dreamers have pulled a detective from a plundered dream, imbued them with a fraction of Their power over dreamstuff, and tasked them with finding the culprit. You are that detective.

Uncover the perpetrators, discover their plans, and report your findings.

Dreams Detective is a solo journaling game based on the Hints & Hijinks solo mystery game system by Pandion Games. You play the game by yourself, writing down your actions and answers to the questions posed. This book guides you, but you are ultimately in control of where you want the story to go.

What this game offers that brings it most in line with Disco Elysium is the idea of being a detective who is dealing with a problem that isn’t wholly rooted in the physical world. This game also carries the ability to really kick you when you’re down, because every failure reduces your ability to succeed in future attempts. Over the course of the game, you’ll collect clues which you can use to make a Deduction Roll. Unlike Disco Elysium, failure can close off many paths for you and even render your Deduction unsuccessful. However, the Hints & Hijinx system carries with it many connections to Choose-Your-Own-Adventure novels, and Disco Elysium provides that same feeling by giving your character multiple responses to problems. 

Urban Shadows, by Magpie Games.

The streets bleed shadows as the supernatural politics of the city threaten to swallow you whole. Will you die a hero—a savior for those who have never had enough—or live long enough to become the villain? Will you fight the darkness...or give in for power?

The choice is yours. 

Urban Shadows is an urban fantasy tabletop roleplaying game in which mortals and monsters vie for control of a modern-day city, a political battleground layered just under the reality we think we know. Vampires, faeries, hunters, and wizards fight to carve out a piece of the streets and skyscrapers, ready to make deals with all those who have something to offer. Urban Shadows is based on the Powered by the Apocalypse framework, with all new rules designed to help you play a game of political urban fantasy.

This might not look up-front like Disco Elysium, but tone-wise, Urban Shadows is remarkably resonant. You live in a city that is not kind to you, and politically, it’s a patchwork coalition of factions that both despise and depend on each-other. As a play group, you get to decide how exactly these factions work - and how your characters are indebted to them. Getting what you want isn’t easy in Urban Shadows, because getting anything done puts your characters in debt to someone else, who has their own plans and goals for the city. 

Finally, the dice system is reminiscent of Disco Elysium - you roll 2d6 and add a modifier. What’s more, failure in PbtA games doesn’t stop you in your tracks - it just gives the GM license to choose how the narrative moves forward, and hit you where it hurts in the process. You might still learn something about whatever it is you need answers for, but the solution is something that makes your heart sink into your stomach, or forces you to confront something you’ve been trying to avoid.

The 1st edition of Urban Shadows is out in full form, but if you want to take a peek at the 2nd edition, you can download the Quickstart for now.

Numenera, by Monte Cook Games.

They say there have been eight worlds before ours. Eight times the people of this planet, over vast millennia, built their civilizations, reaching heights we cannot even fully imagine now. They spoke to the stars, reshaped the creatures of the world, and mastered form and essence. They built cities and machines that have since crumbled to dust, leaving only their barest remnants.

This is the Ninth World. The people of the prior worlds are gone—scattered, disappeared, or transcended. But their works remain, in the places and devices that still contain some germ of their original function. 

Become a part of the setting, and help shape the future of the Ninth World. The people of the Ninth World are locked in a medieval-like state, a world of struggle and danger and often suffering—all in the shadows of the prior worlds’ wonders. You can make the world a better place. Help a community defend itself from abhumans or the iron wind. Create centers of learning or trade. Innovate, build, and protect. Manage an entire community and help it prosper and grow—or simply create new cyphers, a cool base, or maybe a vehicle for your adventuring group.

Numenera contains a rich and weird setting, much weirder than Disco Elysium. Disco Elysium takes place in a world very similar to our own in terms of technology and politics, and the weird creeps in gradually. In Numenera, the weird is front and centre. 

When it comes to the stories you tell, Numenera rewards discovery over combat (although combat is still likely to play a pretty prominent role if you use the bestiary as written). The expansion book, Destiny, possibly shows this theme to a fuller extent, providing you with character options that promote diplomacy and creativity and giving you tools to set down roots and better the lives of communities that you care about. When you figure out how a piece of the world works, you are better enabled to solve (and survive) large problems that your characters will face, whether that be extra-dimensional threats, mutated hordes, or a weather event that fundamentally alters you when it collides with your part of the world.

Tales from the Loop, by Free League Publishing.

The landscape was full of machines and scrap metal connected to the facility in one way or another. Always present on the horizon were the colossal cooling towers, with their green obstruction lights. If you put your ear to the ground, you could hear the heartbeat of the Loop – the purring of the Gravitron, the central piece of engineering magic that was the focus of the Loop’s experiments. The facility was the largest of its kind in the world, and it was said that its forces could bend space-time itself.

In this roleplaying game, you play teenagers in the late Eighties, solving Mysteries connected to the Loop. Choose between character Types such as the Bookworm, the Troublemaker, the Popular Kid and the Weirdo. Everyday Life is full of nagging parents, never-ending homework and classmates bullying and being bullied. Explore the secrets of the Loop in two main game settings – one based on the Swedish Mälaren Islands, the other on Boulder City, Nevada.

Tales from the Loop carries a similar blend of the real and the unreal together, in a world that’s reminiscent of the 80’s and 90’s, with the exception of the retro-futuristic technology that pervades the whole of society. You play as kids, solving investigations that the adults of this world can’t seem to see or care about. This game feels more hopeful than Disco Elysium, which makes sense seeing as you’re playing kids and not a drunk, washed-up cop. The idea is that new technology is causing strange things to happen, and the powers-that-be that may be responsible for this are too powerful for anyone to really get any solid answers.

System wise, you’re using dice pools created by adding together your attributes and skills. There’s a lot of ways to avoid failure, including a “push yourself” mechanic that gives you a negative consequence that persists regardless of whether or not you succeed.What you might like about Tales from the Loop is the fact that you have to be creative when it comes to solving problems - kids can’t just beat down a door or argue their way into a boardroom. 

What’s So Off About This Small Town, by Ostrichmonkey Games.

What's So Off About This Small Town? is a hack and riff of Jared Sinclair's What's So Cool About Outer Space? about creating and getting lost in a weird and dark small town. Think of places like Twin Peaks and you've got the general idea.

Players rotate the role of the TOWN, who is responsible for keeping things off (and making sure the characters stay cocooned in the web of the town, never leaving). When you're not the TOWN, you do your best to find and unravel the web of the weird and dark by gambling against the TOWN.

Break into the high school after hours, get chased through the woods, do a weird dance in a room with no windows. See what happens. 

Full disclosure: I haven’t seen Twin Peaks, just like I haven’t played Disco Elysium. What I’m going off of here is the vibes that they seem to give off, based on how people talk about them. However, both of these pieces of media seem to have a lot in common: detectives solving a murder, the broader world takes up more of the plot than the actual case, the tone is strange and off-putting, and the response to the piece of media is one of both love and befuddlement. People love these pieces of media, probably because they have to wrestle with what it means. 

That being said, What’s So Off About This Small Town is a ttrpg meant to emulate this feeling. The system falls back onto standard ttrpg hallmarks: rolling dice when you try something risky, using elements from your character background to increase or decrease your chances, and failure leading into interesting consequences. When it comes to defining itself genre-wise, the game gives each player a chance to contribute to the story, which allows for a weird concoction of story elements that you won’t get from having a single GM. Additionally, the idea of the Town itself interacting with the players contains echoes of the city of Rechavol and it’s relationship to Elysium’s main character.

What matters the most in this kind of game is table buy-in: if you want to make the game feel a bit like Disco Elysium, you’re definitely going to want to play with a group that has experience with the game.