#and lost 4+ years of time i could be earning wages.

[swagging-back-to]

finally went and got my GED diploma a year after i graduated :)))))

[salenrooz]

Oh the indescribable feeling of dread after you get exactly what you're asked for

[elementary-my-dear-daddy]

Earning Your Keep - Chapter 6 "I Really Wanna Make You Mine"

Analogical (Virgil and Logan)

Read the previous chapter here or on AO3!

Chapter Summary: After a very pleasant night with Virgil, Logan wakes up and realizes he's late for work. Virgil has a few ways to convince him to stick around.

Logan blinked awake. He was pleasantly warm under a soft comforter, with his head resting on a cool silk pillowcase. For a moment, he was about to return to his slumber when he realized that this was not his bed, nor his home, and the gentle snoring from behind him was a person and not the pipes creaking. Last night… actually happened. He and Virgil had-

He shifted up to lean on his hands and saw Virgil’s unconscious form snoring softly while deep in slumber. There’s no possible way he was comfortably sleeping with his arm hanging behind his head at that angle. He smirked and reached over to carefully lift his arm, laying it down by his side instead. This caused Virgil to scrunch up his nose and make a disgruntled groan, shifting into another uncomfortable position. Logan just rolled his eyes and scooted out of the bed. 

As he stood up, he noticed his clothes strewn about the floor. Sighing, he gathered them up and began to get dressed, pulling out his phone from his pocket to check the time.

“Shit.” He whispered to himself. How was it 10 already?! He should have been at work two hours ago and it was halfway across town- and 4 missed calls from his boss?!

“Mm, Lo? Where y’goin?” A sleepy virgil slurred from the bed.

Logan slipped on his shirt in a hurry, “Work, I’m late, and can I please use your restroom to get ready?

He looked around for his tie, meanwhile Virgil sat up and watched, “Uh, yeah, sure. You're not gonna call out?”

“I can’t.” Logan rushed into the bathroom to make himself look presentable.

“Why not?”

“I can’t afford it! I don’t live a life of luxury, Virgil! And I should have been there two hours ago which means I am already at a loss so I should really be-”

Logan scrambled out of the bathroom and nearly ran straight into Virgil, who was now blocking the entrance back into his bedroom with his arms crossed. He looked down at Logan with a grumpy expression.

“Can you calm down please.” He stated, “It’s too early for this.”

“Too early- It’s-” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose, “Virgil. Thank you for a lovely night but I don’t think you understand that every minute I’m not at my job is money lost and I cannot-”

“Afford it, yeah yeah I heard you the first time.” Virgil didn’t move, “How much.”

“What?”

“How much do you make.”

“Virgil.” Logan huffed, “Please, just let me-”

“How. Much.” 

Logan sighed, resigning to the fact that bickering would only slow him down and answering Virgil’s questions would let him leave faster, “Minimum wage.”

“Hm. How long’s your shift?”

“Seven hours.”

“Wait here.”

Virgil slumped out of the room, leaving Logan to his own devices. Logan quickly buttoned up his shirt and checked to make sure he had his belongings before slipping out the door of the bedroom. He was, yet again, confronted by Virgil standing in front of him and blocking him from leaving.

“Hey, I thought I said to wait?”

“How many times must I tell you I am late. I’ll contact you aft-”

Logan paused as Virgil held out a few bills to him, “Call out and I’ll pay you double what you make.”

“Oh, um… No, I really, uh-”

“Please?” Virgil asked softly. He couldn’t let Logan go off and work himself to the bone at a place that could barely pay him and probably treated him like shit.

Logan thought about the offer, carefully considering the consequences if he did. He probably would have to pick up an extra shift if he went in today to make up for the hours he missed. And he’d be berated by his boss for not giving notice. Although if he stayed he could very well be fired, but he did have a good reputation as a worker, being consistently punctual for the two years he’d worked there.

“What would happen if I did accept your offer?” He questioned.

“I’ll order breakfast, we can sit and talk for a bit again. Maybe about last night?” Virgil offered, “And of course I’ll pay you. I wouldn’t want you to not be able to pay your rent or something just to hang out.”

Logan frowned, “I want to stay, but I don’t want you to feel obligated to pay me. I refuse to take advantage of your wealth.”

“You saying that definitely helps, but I know you’re not. The fact that you wanted to give me back the money I gave you the first time makes me trust you.” He shrugged, “And if you’re worried about earning it, last night was enough reason to offer compensation.”

“I’m not a sex worker.” Logan said while very cautiously took the offered payment, folding it and putting it in his back pocket. This earned a soft smile from Virgil as he pushed past him to flop back down onto his bed.

“I know, Lo. You’d negotiate first before we did anything if you were.” He stretched out, much like a cat who’d just woken up. Logan just stepped out into the living room to call out.

 It was a short phone call. He called his boss, who expressed worry rather than anger, since he usually never showed up late or called out. A brief explanation of having to deal with a personal emergency was concocted as an excuse, and Logan was free from the hell that was his minimum wage job as a front desk assistant at a shitty hotel for today. He returned back to the bedroom and dared to sit down on the edge of the bed by Virgil.

“Now do you wanna eat and maybe talk about, y’know…”

“That seems appropriate, yes.”

It didn’t help that his answer was followed by a loud growl from his stomach. He quickly folded his arms over it to cover the noise, but it proved useless as Virgil snickered while pulling out his phone.

“Yeah, let's get some food first. What do you like?” He asked.

“It’s fine, Virgil, you’ve already given me-”

“Omelette?”

“I’ll be okay-”

“I am all for consent but this is the one instance I’m not taking no for an answer. Tell me or I’m ordering for you.” Virgil demanded.

Logan sighed, “There’s no way of convincing you to let me pay for my meal?”

“Nope.” He said, popping the ‘p’.

“Fine, just some toast then, please.”

“What else?”

“Nothing else, that will be suitable for me.”

Virgil stared at him with doubt.

“...and some scrambled eggs? If that’s alright.”

He nodded, entering the order into the delivery app open on his phone, “And?”

“Fruit? If they have it.”

“What are you talking about, you have one right here.” Virgil said with a smirk, earning an eye roll from Logan.

“You’re insufferable.”

“You’re hungry. One more thing.”

“Pancakes…with jam if they have it.” Logan offered shyly.

“Good.”

The response sent a shiver down his spine, as he was reminded of a similar tone of voice that Virgil used last night. Meanwhile, the other put in his own order and paid, now just waiting for the food to be delivered. He sat up against the pillows of his bed and tucked his knees up to his chest.

“While we wait, last night?” Virgil looked at Logan expectantly.

“Yes, what about it?”

“Any thoughts? You kinda just passed out there at the end.”

“Oh,” Logan’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, “I had been up since five and it was late. Not to mention that intercourse is a fairly draining activity.”

“Since Five? Logan!”

“I had to get up for work!”

“Oh my god,” Virgil dragged out the last syllable and put his face in his hands, “How many hours of sleep do you normally get?”

“It depends, six-ish, on a good night?”

Virgil groaned, “That’s so bad for you!”

Logan shrugged, “I know, but either I don’t sleep and I’m on time for work or I don’t eat because I lose the hours that go toward my grocery budget. I’d rather have a meal and lose a few hours of sleep, honestly.”

Virgil knew what that kind of lifestyle was like, he was living it not too long ago, and he knew better than anyone the effects it had on your mind and body.

“Logan. You need to quit one of your jobs.”

Logan pouted, “That is simple for you to say. You have wealth. I have a rent that requires 80% of my income.”

“Then let me help!”

“No!”

“Dude get over yourself! Put your pride and guard down for a sec and just accept that I want to help you out here!”

The two sat in silence after his outburst. Virgil crossed his arms and huffed. He didn’t understand, he wanted to help Logan! It wasn’t like he begged for the cash either, he just needed it and he couldn’t get why he wouldn’t put his stupid pride aside and just take his help. When he realized that he didn’t have to have a shitty life anymore, he instantly bought better foods, dedicated more time to hobbies, and slept in for the first time in what felt like years. And it was great! He knew that he couldn’t help everyone, but he could help Logan, if he would actually let him.

“I thought this conversation was supposed to be about sex.” Logan stated bluntly.

Virgil sighed, “It still can be. Sorry. I’m just a little worried about ya, Lo.”

“It’s alright. Let’s just focus on last night, then.”

“We’re coming back to this.”

“Right.”

Logan was going to be the death of him, “Last night went a little fast. I just wanna know how things went for you.”

“I liked it.” The response earned an eyebrow raise to prompt Logan to give more, “I think you’re quite attractive and I definitely don’t regret anything we did. I just don’t want you to think I intend on taking advantage of your wealth-”

“Ah ah, nope. None of that. Only sex talk right now.”

“Fine. What else do you want to discuss about it?”

Virgil thought for a moment, “Well I took on a more commanding role when I wasn’t sure you were okay with that. I kinda prefer that since I panic when I’m not in control, but I should’ve taken it slower and asked you if that sort of behavior was alright.”

Logan just shrugged, “I didn’t mind it. I like taking a more, well… passive? Role?”

There was a slight blush already rising up on his cheeks. He wasn’t as oblivious to sex as most people in his life thought, since his typically calculated nature led others to believe he was either on the asexual spectrum or that he’d been too focused on a job or school to mess around. Much to their surprise, Logan thought he had a healthy relationship with sex. He experimented throughout college and knew what he liked, but telling Virgil made him… not embarrassed, but something close to the feeling. Meh, he’d always had vulnerability issues.

Virgil hummed in response, “Good to know.”

“Oh?”

“What?”

“Why is that ‘good to know’?”

Now it was Virgil’s turn to blush. He didn’t feel ashamed for what he said, but maybe it was a little too forward. Sex was like the one thing he wasn’t nervous about all the time, because it was supposed to be good, and if it doesn’t feel that way then normally people say something about it. At least in his world, that is. 

“Well, if you want, we could do it again. We both liked it.” He offered.

Logan bit his lip, “It isn’t that I disliked what we did, but perhaps we should slow down. And I really don’t want to-”

“-Take advantage of me, I know. You aren’t. How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t.”

“Until I’m certain you know that I’m not.”

“Ughhhh.” Virgil groaned and rolled over on the bed to stare at Logan, “If we’re gonna date, I’m gonna spoil you rotten. So you better just get used to it now.”

“Nonsense.” Logan shot back, “If we’re going to date, we’ll put a mutual amount of energy into the relationship, as to not to create an imbalance of effort that leads to a disconnect.”

“If last night was any indication of what you consider effort then I’d say we’ll work out just fine.”

“Are you suggesting our arrangement be purely an exchange of sex and money.”

“No!” Virgil scrambled to sit up again, “No, sorry. I mean, it’s more than that. But I don’t mind that- ugh. Sorry putting this into words is difficult.”

He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. He knew what he wanted to say, but wasn’t sure how it would be interpreted by the other.

“Logan, do you know what a sugar daddy is?”

Logan paled at the question. Of course he did. Virgil didn’t… He didn’t… Oh. Oh.

“You would like me to be-”

“No! No no no! Well… Not exactly I just- Ugh! Why is this so difficult.” Virgil put his head in his hands.

“Hold on, let me try to make sense of it.” Logan tried, “Are you saying that the exchange of my company for your money appeals to you?”

“Kind of. It’s more like I want to date you and spoil you, take care of you, but I know you want to earn it. And maybe that’s a way to look at how we should do this. Does that…?”

“Make sense? Yes, it does.” Logan nodded, folding his arms, “I’m amenable to trying it, if that’s what you’d like. Although, perhaps we should still restrict our pace. Dates, rather than just sex. If the night leads us to an intimate time then so be it.”

Virgil took a moment to process Logan’s words. If that’s the sort of thing that he wanted, then Virgil would agree. Maybe he was just a little bit smitten, or horny, or a bit of both, but honestly, he didn’t see why that couldn’t work. 

“Okay. Let's try it.”

[idkimnotreal]

the cbf (the organisation behind brazil nt) wants to hire carlo ancelotti, current coach of real madrid, for the next world cup cycle. the guy hasn’t said yes yet and he wants to finish the current season (whatever that is, i just got into football) on real madrid, which would be june, and only then the cbf would be able to publicly announce him as the coach of brazil nt. he’ll also likely require an even bigger wage than he currently earns from real madrid - tite, our coach for this world cup and 2018, earned 7 million euros less per year than ancelotti does from real madrid. (shouldn’t be a problem, the cbf is rich as fuck, but it will sting)

so i have a question. which coach in the whole fucking world wouldn’t want to lead the most successful team so far in the history of football? i’ve heard people say that they feel more for their local team or team of choice than they do for their national team, and alright, but it’s still mostly money (i see local teams as kind of hybrid monsters moved purely by money), and there’s something else about the world cup, that it somehow means more, even if it moves most people a bit less. 

brazil was the most talented team BY FAR this year and it only lost, in my opinion, due to lack of organisation. our coach could be blamed for that, could not, but i’d wager most of the blame goes to him. he might be too “conservative”, and people have said that he insisted on a certain formation on field involving certain players even when it could be a lost strategy (like it was against croatia) because he was too fond of it.

so who would refuse to lead a national team that was 5 times world champion and has had the highest likelihood consistently to win the whole thing again, year after year after year (well, 4 years to be precise)? there’s always some kind of mistake, because realistically brazil should be winning every other world cup.

and the way i see it is that like 3 of our 26 players in this world cup were currently hired by local teams from brazil. all of the others play for european teams. always big names like real madrid, barcelona, psg. so what’s more fitting than a coach that’s used to the kind of football most of our players have been playing for most of their careers, the kind of football that, for being more “expensive”, is also the most technical, the most skilled kind of football, which you won’t find in brazil (we tend to rely on passion and talent instead, and look where that got us so far)? doesn’t matter if he’s european or not, but he needs to have extensive experience in the kind of football most of our difficult opponents play - brazil hasn’t defeated one, a single, european team in the knockouts since the 2002 final, when it won its 5th championship against germany. our smartest opponents have been playing us and we don’t care.

i mean, if that doesn’t scream “WE NEED TO CHANGE”, i don’t know what does. clearly, our “nationally produced” coaches don’t cut it anymore, when we can’t even hold our best players in brazil, and we haven’t been able to for decades now. football has changed and for me the brazil nt is currently stagnated and a foreign coach is everything we need to set things in motion again. to spur some change, which might be positive even if we revert back to brazilian coaches after 2026. maybe we’ll even learn a thing or two to bring to our own local teams.

[koravelliumavast]

I posted 4,761 times in 2022

That's 4,731 more posts than 2021!

2,053 posts created (43%)

2,708 posts reblogged (57%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@dustbringermoash

@lordofscars

@isdalinarhot

@stardustravens

@jewishdainix

I tagged 3,814 of my posts in 2022

Only 20% of my posts had no tags

#cosmere - 727 posts

#brandon sanderson - 619 posts

#stormlight archive - 479 posts

#books - 241 posts

#mistborn - 221 posts

#kaladin stormblessed - 186 posts

#adolin kholin - 155 posts

#tlm spoilers - 149 posts

#kelsier - 129 posts

#the lost metal spoilers - 116 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#chem lab practical. this is one of the exams but i’m confident that i may know what i’m doing but i also don’t know what it’s about exactly

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Screw the whitespine uncaged THIS is one of the best parts of words of radiance

See the full post

688 notes - Posted April 29, 2022

#4

When people bash tua because every seasons the same and why is it another apocalypse and blah blah blah just admit you’re boring and don’t like fun and the irony that no matter what they do to fix the timeline and shit, they’re still going to have an apocalyptic world ending event caused by one of them.

747 notes - Posted July 16, 2022

#3

I love that almost instantly after the Percy Jackson book was announced that people were like Percy could just say I saved you like a shit ton of times, you offered me immortality easy but COLLEGE LETTERS is where you draw the line and make me go on a quest?

754 notes - Posted October 19, 2022

#2

Probably The best Stormlight Archives review I’ve seen because it’s complaining about everything that I liked about the series but it’s also hilariously true:

“This book is mind-bogglingly bad. I'm always looking for fantasy books and I knew this was very popular so, after a few years I've decided to try it. I can stomach the childish depiction of characters but I cannot bring myself to accept the utter idiocy of the setting. The opening is painfully bad: an all powerful assassin kills a king and his guard by having superpowers taken straight out of videogames. Then we are introduced with the hero, who, of course, rejects the greatest conceivable honour in the world out of pure spite. He is then spared his life out of sheer plot armour, and the reader is left wondering why he hasn't been killed for constant rebellion. His mates are all killed, but he survives because, oh, he's sooo special. Slaves are paid a living wage so that there is a way for the hero to earn money because it's needed by the story. When the hero screws up, his senior officers are killed immediately but he's instead given a chance to survive, and, not very surprisingly, he does. Then there is a war in the Shattered Plains: for six years the warriors, instead of fighting, go looking for overgrown shrimps to steal the enormous emeralds that grow inside of them. I kid you not, this is the primary purpose of the war: not beating the enemy but killing the shrimps while they're pupating (to turn into what, an enormous blowfly?) before the enemy slays it. The entire strategy works like this: the entire army is sitting idly, wearing fashionable scarves and drinking wine. A horn sounds in the distance announcing that a shrimp has been found. The warriors scramble to arrive first, before the enemy but, more importantly, before the other commanders. The moronicity of the portable bridges defies belief. The idiocy never seem to finish: soldiers with organic armour, illiterate kings with learned wives, even the regular storms that make magic. The hero, of course, discover magic that has been hidden in plain sight for countless years. In a specific kingdom, people live with feet constantly in two inches of water. In another, people eat horns and shells. For some reason, on a different planet, people know of Japanese katas. I could go on for hours: avoid this book.”

875 notes - Posted May 23, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

You know what isn’t talked about enough? The fact that Adolin is terrifying. Because in fanfics Adolin isn’t super scary but Adolin made his enemies summon fearspren when he was outnumbered 4-1. In Sadeas’ pov after the duel it says that Adolin TERRIFIED Sadeas.

976 notes - Posted October 1, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[hauscrashburn]

This is such a great article from the progressive Institute on Taxation and Economic policy.

Let me explain how taxing tips works:

1. Many employers, esp in states like KY and Ohio, whose tipped wages are less than minimum (KY follows federal at $2.83) are required to make up the difference if tips don't get an employee at non-tipped minimum.

Ex. Josie makes $2.83 an hour, she only earns $50 in tips for 40 hrs of work. That's $113 in wages, non tipped is $290. Her tips don't get her there, so the employer makes up the difference. How is that going to be accounted for and adjusted if a server doesn't make enough in tips?

2. Tips are added to paychecks and subject to taxes. This means they are also added to a taxpayer's Social Security quarterly earnings.

Additionally, employers have to also pay more in social security and medicare taxes for the employee based on their tips. Will that be taken away?

What's going to stop an employer from just classifying all your income as tips and congrats, your Social Security quarterly is no 0? So that means no SSI as you age. And they have no employer payroll taxes?

3. If you don't report, and don't tax tips, your server is going to be showing less earned income. This may affect credit reports and this may affect an ability to buy a car or rent a place or potentially earn valuable tax credits like EITC or Child Tax Credit (you have to make a minimum to earn both)

Pay statements would need to be adjusted to show non-taxed tips. This part I'm less worried about, except for the latter part. If a pay stub shows non taxed tips, it may help get that server an apt, for example. However, how will it affect the tax credits? Will it be added to the formula? What about Social Security? What about state credits?

I see 100s of pages of tax policy here. Additionally, its going to be incorrectly reported by employers using shit payroll systems, and its going to be incorrectly reported at tax filing time (I have thoughts on our filing system, for another day)

4. I have servers I've done payroll for making 40k-60k a year in tips alone. So that's 40k untaxed. Compared to people making 40k taxed as wages. That's a huge income difference and guess what? If that tax revenue coming in is lost, its going to require states and counties to raise property taxes, sales tax, etc. They are different pots, but its lost revenue nonetheless.

For everyone screaming about national debt, taking away tips from being taxed would add 100 to 125 billion in our national debt.

Also! Remember the Supreme Court said a bribe isn't a bribe, if its a tip, so really whats going to stop someone from classifying all their income as tips, escaping tax, and collecting bribes and calling it a gratuities? The amount of exceptions that will need to be carved around this is are *ridiculous*.

A better idea would be to make a certain amount a quarter not subject to tax. Currently its only $20 a month. Increase it to a $100 or $125 a month. For some servers, that could be a whole month not taxed. For other servers, it may just be part of a week (I seriously just processed payroll for someone who made 2k in tips in a week. That's not unusual. If their 75k in tips is never taxed again, the tax burden is gonna need to shift somewhere else, and its going to be on lower earning wage workers)

Even better idea--fucking stop allowing restaurants to pay a pittance of wages and forcing servers to rely on tips. Restaurant owners skate by on slim margins and its only because they aren't paying as much in wages, relying on the customer to essentially ensure that their staff is paid. It's wild and no other country does it.

This is my accountant perspective. This policy sounds so good when politicians talk about it, but when the policy meets paper, its going to really just fuck people over * (and honestly, whats going to stop a CEO from declaring their wages as tips (The Harris plan attempts to but Trump's wouldn't! And neither are any of the state ones coming up)

*how can it to do that? you just hate servers? Sure ok, sales tax is how a county funds itself. Sales tax is a regressive tax--it harms working class people more than middle class to wealthy people. If a county revenue's portion from a state drops because of a drop in revenue from taxing tips, they are going to raise property taxes and they are going to raise sales tax.

Raised property taxes means raised rent

It means seniors losing homes (I'm seeing this in Ohio due to our 225% increase in property taxes in some areas)

It means a reduction in services and a loss of spending ability

It's not just about what feels good in the moment. Taxes is an entire web that affects everyone and is entangled.

Our tax system tries to be progressive and fair and it needs a huge overhaul (mostly taxing the rich, especially billionaires) which would help in many more ways than this proposal. But people's wallets are cash strapped and this sounds prima facie like such a good policy. In practice, its going to lead to some not great outcomes and the better answer is to get rid of the tipped employee wage and increase minimum wages for everyone.

[bisluthq]

idk how or why it's difficult for people to believe a person may have different goals for his career than other person and because those goals are different one of them is considered a loser and the other successful. Success is subjective and it means different things to different people. If Joe really was as poor as the fandom makes him out to be, if he was genuinely a common person earning minimum wage and had to provide for a family, you can bet he would take any job someone offered him because he wouldn't have the luxury to choose but needed the money. That doesn't seem to be case. He's working with prestigious people so I'm sure their budget is higher than a regular director. His family while not super rich is just fine when it comes to money. He seems to prefer using public transportation, which saves him money too. He doesn't seem to spend money frivolous just because. All in all, while he's not rich if you compare him to really rich people the guy is I'm sure doing just fine. This focus the fandom seems to have lately on being rich is so weird too. You're telling me that being rich equals being a good person and boyfriend because he can afford stuff? Like is that the standard? I fear we lost the plot here

Joe is very rich by regular people standards lol. Taking public transportation in London saves you time on traffic and shit - it’s not an indicator of wealth. I agree we’ve lost the plot as a fandom but I also think Joe can afford a lot. He can’t afford shit Taylor can afford (who can lol) or his friend’s trust fund baby ex gf could afford (again who can lol) but this man isn’t even regular comfortable.

I have these friends right where he’s a consultant and she has a very small trust fund and is a teacher. They moved to London after one of his promotions and originally lived in North London in a 2 bedroom and then wanted a dog so moved to a house and had to move areas and now live in East London because that area was unaffordable. They own one car between the two of them and both regularly take public transport. They travel abroad like 7 times a year (split being 4 visits to family and 3 visits just chilling) and stay in very very very nice places. I would classify them as wealthy - both in terms of upbringing and in terms of current lifestyle. They also objectively aren’t the richest people alive and would absolutely classify themselves as just “doing fine” (which they are but come tf on like a house in London and we’re not talking Wimbledon or something we’re still talking London itself isn’t just doing fine) and Joe is 100% doing better than them overall.

Where I think fandom lost the plot is forgetting who we think our rich friends are and then thinking people way wealthier than that are poor lmfao. Another story time - the girl I made out with last night is really actively successful and by upper middle class vibes quite loaded (she’s single tho - not in terms of relationship status but her bf is not a partner like they just date and see each other and sleep over) and again she takes public transport and like 2-4 trips a year and idk I just find swiftie logic re money to be divorced from reality.

[stalawyers]

ICBC No Fault Insurance Model: What does this mean?

In recent years, there have been major changes to the ICBC system. ICBC insurance claim no fault model changes restrict an accident victim’s right to bring litigation after a motor vehicle accident. These changes have caused a lot of confusion for accident victims, especially when it comes to claims for compensation. If you are wondering whether you can still make an insurance claim or want to know how ICBC’s current “no fault” insurance scheme impacts your compensation, this article is for you.

Top 5 FAQs regarding ICBC’s no fault insurance model

1) Can I make a claim if I have been in a car accident?

The new ICBC system introduced May 1, 2021 is as ICBC insurance claim no fault model https://simpsonthomas.com/blog/2021/08/24/icbc-no-fault-auto-insurance-model-what-you-need-to-know/ that all but eliminates your ability to file a lawsuit against a negligent driver.

If a car crash occurs after April 30th, 2021, and you fall victim to it, you cannot sue the at-fault driver for compensation for your injuries, unless authorities convict the driver of a criminal driving offence related to the crash, such as drunk driving.

While you are no longer able to sue the at-fault driver for compensation except in limited situations, you can make an ICBC insurance claim under Enhanced Care for accident benefits. Accident benefits under Enhanced Care include medical care (for example, chiropractic treatments, medication, and counselling) and income replacement if you can’t work because of the accident injuries. There are no more damages for “pain and suffering.”

If the accident seriously injures you, you qualify for a lump sum payment as compensation for permanent impairments like loss of mobility, scarring, amputation, or other enduring damages to a body part or function. The ICBC no fault model determines a percentage for injuries based on the impairment level and category/type, and this percentage dictates the lump sum amount you receive for your injury.

2) Do I have to use up my extended health benefits before ICBC will pay for treatment?

Yes. If you have coverage from another provider (e.g., extended health care through your employment or disability insurance that you purchased on your own), ICBC considers your other insurance as the primary payer for most medical expenses. https://simpsonthomas.com/blog/2022/02/04/icbcs-no-fault-insurance-model-can-you-claim-out-of-pocket-expenses/ So even if you weren’t at fault for the accident, you have to claim against your own coverage first when you bring an ICBC claim.

3) How much will ICBC compensate me for a written off vehicle?

If your vehicle is unrepairable (also known as a “total loss” or a “write off”), ICBC calculates your vehicle’s value at the time of the accident and pays you out based on its assessment of fair market value. ICBC will consider things like the year, make and model of your vehicle, its total mileage and its pre-crash condition. You may still need to pay deductible if your vehicle is written off.

4) I’ve missed time from work due to my injuries, will ICBC compensate me for this?

If you were employed at the time of the accident and you are unable to work because of your injuries, you are eligible to receive wage loss benefits. https://simpsonthomas.com/blog/2021/11/25/icbcs-no-fault-insurance-can-you-receive-wage-loss-compensation-under-enhanced-care/  

If you are eligible, income replacement under ICBC’s Enhanced Care covers up to 90 percent of your net income each week, up to a cap of $105,500 gross annual income (in other words, if you earn more than that per year, you will not be adequately compensated unless you purchased additional coverage). Under the old ICBC system a car accident victim could sue the at-fault driver to recover all lost wages, not just a portion of them.

Even if you are eligible for income replacement, you will not receive wage loss benefits until the 8th day after the accident. In other words, there is a 7-day waiting period before income replacement kicks in, and ICBC benefits do not cover your first week of lost wages. https://simpsonthomas.com/blog/2021/11/25/icbcs-no-fault-insurance-can-you-receive-wage-loss-compensation-under-enhanced-care/

Another catch? The ICBC insurance claim no fault model is secondary to any other wage loss benefits available to you, such as an employer plan, Employment Insurance, or disability benefits. Because ICBC no-fault wage loss benefits are secondary, you MUST apply for other benefits first, and then your income replacement benefit calculation will take those benefits into account.

5) If you caused an accident, can others still sue you?

Yes, others can sue you in specific situations if you caused the accident. For instance, if authorities convict you of impaired driving related to the crash, injured parties can sue you. If you played a different role in causing the accident, such as a pub owner accused of serving too much alcohol to a patron who then caused a car accident, they can also sue you. Importantly, even if the accident injured you and you were entirely at fault, you qualify for accident benefits under Enhanced Care. https://simpsonthomas.com/blog/2021/08/24/icbc-no-fault-auto-insurance-model-what-you-need-to-know/

Contact STA if You Have Questions about No Fault

About Simpson Thomas and Associates:

STA is a prominent law firm, with a rich history of over 50 years. It is based in the lower mainland with offices in Vancouver and Surrey.

The firm is active in various practice areas. Namely, personal injury, family law, immigration, employment law, estate litigation, and insurance denials.

STA commits to serving the community with its legal expertise. Also, actively support causes that enhance the well-being of individuals and families.

Reach out and consult with us:

Phone: (604) 689 – 8888

Email: info@simpsonthomas.com

[kayla1993-world]

Landlord-tenant adjudicators added by Ontario government will be virtual only The 40 new adjudicators being added to Ontario's Landlord Tenant Board (LTB) as part of a new provincial act will preside over virtual-only and not be designated to serve any particular part of the province, Tribunals Ontario says. Housing Minister Steve Clark announced the additional staff as part of the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act introduced the quasi-judicial system that resolves disputes between residential landlords and tenants, including evictions. This continues a method of delivery that began during the pandemic, and should make attending hearings easier for people in remote and rural areas of the province, including northern Ontario, Janet Deline, a spokesperson with Tribunals Ontario, told CBC News. It could also help ease a bottleneck of cases that has pushed hearings back months if not years. "By holding hearings online and moving away from a regional in-person scheduling model, it allows more scheduling flexibility and the coverage of an adjudicator across the province," Deline said. Since the pandemic, most LTB hearings have moved away from in-person hearings and gone to virtual-only, she added. "Virtual hearings have increased access to justice for many individuals. The time to travel, time off work, and childcare expenses are often reported as challenges to accessing justice." "These challenges are exacerbated in remote and rural regions, where travel distances can be significant," Deline said. According to Tribunal Watch Ontario, a non-partisan public interest organization, LTB receives about 80,000 applications for hearings each year across the province. The majority of applications, over 90 percent, are landlord eviction applications. Tribunals Ontario, the umbrella organization of 13 adjudicative tribunals that administer justice, said its 2022 annual report shows the LTB had 32,800 "active cases at year-end." In Sudbury, at least one landlord is the province's move to ease the backlog of eviction cases at the LTB. Tristan Ritchie, who is a realtor, and owns eight properties in Sudbury, said he's had several instances where he's had to turn to the LTB to evict tenants, usually for failure to pay rent. Once that eviction notice—a common one referred to as an "N-4" form—is issued by the landlord, the process can stretch to months, even years resolution. Ritchie said it's an arduous waiting game that usually doesn't end up with the landlord recouping their lost earnings. "Every investor's biggest fear is to go to the LTB," Ritchie said. "Just because of the timeline, it's not even the money part." "It's just the uncertainty and not knowing where it's going to lead, and it's probably not even in your favour." Once the process begins, tenants are not obliged to leave the premises until their case is heard before the tribunal. With soaring rents and high interest, some property owners could face losses of tens of thousands of dollars. Recouping lost rent involves an entirely different process in small claims court. Landlords can apply to garnish wages from a former tenant. Ritchie said he's gone through that process only once and received $200, but that arrangement ends if the person gets a new job. If the landlord wishes to continue garnishing wages, the process begins anew. Many landlords won't pursue garnish arrangements unless it's a "large chunk" of money owed, Ritchie. In his own cases, including a tenant who left while owing $3,500, Ritchie said he's often let arrears go by without pursuing repayments. "I just gave up on it. He probably needs $3,500 more than I do."

[sideblogforbeingquestionable]

Actually my tag explanation feels insufficient to not confuse or upset my friends who might see this so I'll try to explain it in other terms

In a world where apples are rare, they could be considered a measure of richesse. Most average poor-but-can-afford-life people have at least 1 or 2 apples, pretty wealthy and less struggled but not exactly rich guys have 5 apples, somewhat rich but not luxuriously rich people usually have 10-15 apples idk I can't count. Basically to live well and not worry about dying of famine and hypothermia, 3-6 apples is pretty enough. But if I only have 3-6 apples? Boy am I on the verge of poverty and a disappointment. You earn 3 apples, you go girl, you work well and your salary is sufficient for you to live and pay taxes so you slay, but if I have 3 apples I am ✨ the lowest wage most incompetent worker who could as well live out on the streets because they're too worthless to be paid more ✨. I have to do something to be paid at least 9 apples by noon or I will literally die because I will spend all of my credit and be in debt until the mafia kills me for owing them 900 apples I lost in the casino I don't even have a casino in my city btw. I'm being genuine about a 3-6 apple wealth being good for a person, but for me, it's failure and I only have 2 brown coins 1 gray coin in my wallet and I will live with my mom until one of us dies.

This explanation sucked because it was about money and I don't understand money. Let's try another one. In the same world, oranges are not exactly rare, but acquire effort to achieve. You can live without them, but they are 1) a showcase of intellectual competence and status 2) sometimes help you get your way in life. Not everyone has oranges, a lot of people don't have oranges and they're completely fine, they're doing great and may even have dozens of apples, I don't care. But I need an orange. I don't even know what I need it for, but I do. It's okay that my friends don't have it, they don't necessarily need it and not having an orange doesn't make them any worse, but if I don't get an orange by the time I'm 20, I'm a failure and already dead and I will forever live in a ditch with 1/4 an apple and people will spit in my direction as they pass me while I die of shame. My girlfriend doesn't have an orange? Really who cares, she's amazing and doesn't need something silly like that and it doesn't define her worth. If I don't get an orange? It's OVER. And I'm being genuine when I say I DON'T despise people who don't have oranges, I DON'T despise people who have less apples than I wish to have, they ARE NOT defined by their amount of oranges or apples or strawberries or whatever ridiculous rare status fruit there is in this universe, they're all valid and great people despite not having these status statements (or that's what the rational part (with proper morale and that doesn't project) of me believes), but if I don't reach these standards I set for myself (and only myself), I don't deserve to live in society and be considered an actual person 😊

That explanation made even less sense. Don't doxx me or publicly embarrass me into disappearing for years.

Tldr: being average is not bad but I always have to be ABOVE average to be "average" on my scale built for me

npd culture is ‘why are you sad about having 80% that’s good’ ‘why do you care about being first in line’ how do I tell you im supposed to be beyond what you can imagine and seeing me right at your level makes me feel like dirt without making you not like me anymore

.

[narrowtriangle33-blog]

Conservatives, even when all of the facts are in your face, you still deny the reality of systemic racism.

"I mean really? What in the hell makes a group of people with a history of enslavement , genocide and apartheid in order to achieve what they have belive they have been so sucessful that they can lecture others. Without enslavement, genocide and aparthied, whites in America would have very little, if anything." "People in this forum have the opinion that blacks should do things like whites and if we do so, we can make it in America. So then what we need to do is orchestate a bloody coup, confiscate all property owned by whites, jail all whites who oppose the coup, write a new constitution that declare citizenship and it's protection only for non whites, make whites chattel for the forseeable future, make it illegal for whites to reald, own property or access information and create laws where if whites get out of line they can be beaten and killed." "Because this is how whites have done it." "In another forum, I stated that the root cause of the problems blacks face is white racism. One of the whites there decided to say this: “The root cause of the problems faced by most blacks today are people like you who misidentify or ignore the real problems they face to further their own personal agendas.”" "'This is another of the long, long line of idiotic comments made by right wing whites. White racism was determined to be the problem 53 years ago by the Kerner Commission."

""What white Americans have never fully understood but what the Negro can never forget--is that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it."" ""White racism is essentially responsible for the explosive mixture which has been accumulating in our cities since the end of World War II."" "But the excuse will be made about how that was 50 years ago, and that stupid ass song will be sung titled, "That was in the Past."" "On February 26, 2018, 50 years after the Kerner Commission findings, the Economic Policy Institute published a report evaluating the progress of the black community since the Kerner Report was released. It was based on a study done by the Economic Policy Institute that compared the progress of the black community in 2018 with the condition of the black community at the time of the Kerner Commission. Titled “50 years after the Kerner Commission,” the study concluded that there had been some improvements in the situation blacks faced but there were still disadvantages blacks faced that were based on race." "Following up on this, Richard Rothstein of the Economic Policy Institute wrote an op-ed published in the February 28th edition of the New York Daily News titled, “50 years after the Kerner Commission, minimal racial progress.” It had been 50 years since the commission made their recommendations at that point, yet Rothstein makes this statement: “So little has changed since 1968 that the report remains worth reading as a near-contemporary description of racial inequality.”" "So 3 years ago the same conclusion was made. "The root cause of the problems blacks face is white racism."" "On October 24, 2013, the Kellogg Foundation sent out a press release about a report they had done entitled, “The Business Case for Racial Equity”. This was a study done by the Kellogg Foundation, using information it had studied and assessed from the Center for American Progress, National Urban League Policy Institute, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and the U.S. Department of Justice."

“Striving for racial equity – a world where race is no longer a factor in the distribution of opportunity – is a matter of social justice. But moving toward racial equity can generate significant economic returns as well. When people face barriers to achieving their full potential, the loss of talent, creativity, energy, and productivity is a burden not only for those disadvantaged, but for communities, businesses, governments, and the economy as a whole. Initial research on the magnitude of this burden in the United States (U.S.), as highlighted in this brief, reveals impacts in the trillions of dollars in lost earnings, avoidable public expenditures, and lost economic output.” "The Kellogg Foundation and Altarum Institute In 2011, DEMOS did a study named “The Racial Wealth Gap, Why Policy Matters”, which discussed the racial wealth gap, the problems associated with it along with solutions and outcomes if the gap did not exist. In this study DEMOS determined that the racial wealth gap was primarily driven by policy decisions." "“The U.S. racial wealth gap is substantial and is driven by public policy decisions. According to our analysis of the SIPP data, in 2011 the median white household had $111,146 in wealth holdings, compared to just $7,113 for the median Black household and $8,348 for the median Latino household. From the continuing impact of redlining on American homeownership to the retreat from desegregation in public education, public policy has shaped these disparities, leaving them impossible to overcome without racially-aware policy change.”" Harvard. "“Racial inequality in the United States today may, ultimately, be based on slavery, but it is also based on the failure of the country to take effective steps since slavery to undermine the structural racial inequality that slavery put in place. From the latter part of the nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth century, the Jim Crow system continued to keep Blacks “in their place,” and even during and after the civil rights era no policies were adopted to dismantle the racial hierarchy that already existed.”" "HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AS A BASIS FOR BLACK REPARATIONS, Jonathan Kaplan and Andrew Valls, Public Affairs Quarterly" "Volume 21, Number 3, July 2007" "McKinsey and Co. “It will end up costing the U.S. economy as much as $1 trillion between now and 2028 for the nation to maintain its longstanding black-white racial wealth gap, according to a report released this month from the global consultancy firm McKinsey & Company. That will be roughly 4 percent of the United States GDP in 2028—just the conservative view, assuming that the wealth growth rates of African Americans will outpace white wealth growth at its current clip of 3 percent to .8 percent annually, said McKinsey. If the gap widens, however, with white wealth growing at a faster rate than black wealth instead, it could end up costing the U.S. $1.5 trillion or 6 percent of GDP according to the firm.”" "Citigroup" "Cost Of Racism: U.S. Economy Lost $16 Trillion Because Of Discrimination, Bank Says" "Nationwide protests have cast a spotlight on racism and inequality in the United States. Now a major bank has put a price tag on how much the economy has lost as a result of discrimination against African Americans: $16 trillion." "Since 2000, U.S. gross domestic product lost that much as a result of discriminatory practices in a range of areas, including in education and access to business loans, according to a new study by Citigroup." "Specifically, the study came up with $16 trillion in lost GDP by noting four key racial gaps between African Americans and whites:" "$13 trillion lost in potential business revenue because of discriminatory lending to African American entrepreneurs, with an estimated 6.1 million jobs not generated as a result" "$2.7 trillion in income lost because of disparities in wages suffered by African Americans" "$218 billion lost over the past two decades because of discrimination in providing housing credit" "And $90 billion to $113 billion

in lifetime income lost from discrimination in accessing higher education" "Why this is just a bunch of liberal jibberish to to blacks in order to keep them voting democrat. Those aren't the problems, what we conservatives tell you is the real problem. Why if you just had a father in the home none of this would happen." "Black Workers Still Earn Less than Their White Counterparts"

"As employers in the U.S. tackle issues around racism, fresh attention is being given to the racial wage gap and why black men and women, in particular, still earn substantially less than their white counterparts. Nearly 56 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, "we find equal pay for equal work is still not a reality," noted Jackson Gruver, a data analyst at compensation data and software firm PayScale."

"Last year, PayScale analyzed differences in earnings between white men and men of color using data from a sample of 1.8 million employees surveyed between January 2017 and February 2019." 'Among the findings, Gruver reported: "Even as black or African-American men climb the corporate ladder, they still make less than equally qualified white men. They are the only racial/ethnic group that does not achieve pay parity with white men at some level."' "The study found that black men had the largest "uncontrolled pay gap" relative to white men, when comparing the average earnings of black men and white men in the U.S."

"On average, black men earned 87 cents for every dollar a white man earned. Hispanic workers had the next largest gap, earning 91 cents for every dollar earned by white men."

"To put that in perspective, the median salary of a white man in our sample is $72,900; the controlled median pay for black or African-American men is thus $71,500," Gruver said. "This suggests a $1,400 difference in pay that is likely attributable to race."" "So daddy lives at home and the family still makes less than whites. Because:" "NWLC calculations, based on the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey for 2016, revealed that when comparing all men and women who work full time, year-round in the U.S., women were paid just 80 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. But the wage gap was even larger when looking specifically at black women who work full time, year-round—they were paid only 63 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men." "Stephen Miller, Black Workers Still Earn Less than Their White Counterparts, www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/compensation/pages/racial-wage-gaps-persistence-poses-challenge.aspx" "So a white working couple will make 90 cents on every dollar while a black working couple makes 75 cents. To allow you to understand this reality a white female worker makes 80 cents on every dollar a white man makes. White females are demanding equal pay and rightfully so." "And you black folk really need to start taking education seriously." "Black unemployment is significantly higher than white unemployment regardless of educational attainment" "The black unemployment rate is nearly or more than twice the white unemployment rate regardless of educational attainment. It is, and always has been, about twice the white unemployment rate; however, the depth of this racial inequality in the labor market rarely makes the headlines." "Over the last 12 months, the average unemployment rate for black college graduates has been 4.1 percent—nearly two times the average unemployment rate for white college graduates (2.4 percent) and equivalent to the unemployment rate of whites with an associate’s degree or who have not completed college (4.0 percent). The largest disparity is seen among those with less than a high school diploma: while whites with less than a high school diploma have an unemployment rate of 6.9 percent, the black unemployment rate is 16.6 percent—over two times the white average." "The broader significance of this disparity suggests a race penalty whereby blacks at each level of education have unemployment rates that are the same as or higher than less educated whites." "Valerie Wilson, Black unemployment is significantly higher than white unemployment regardless of educational attainment, www.epi.org/publication/black-unemployment-educational-attainment/" "African Americans are paid less than whites at every education level" "While the economy continues to improve and wages are finally beginning to inch up for most Americans, African Americans are still being paid less than whites at every education level. As you can see from the chart below, while a college education results in higher wages—both for whites and blacks—it does not eliminate the black-white wage gap. African Americans are still earning less than whites at every level of educational attainment. A recent EPI report, Black-white wage gaps expand with rising wage inequality, shows that this gap persists even after controlling for years of experience, region of the country, and whether one lives in an urban or rural area. In fact, since 1979, the gaps between black and white workers have grown the most among workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher—the most educated workers." "Valerie Wilson, African Americans are paid less than whites at every education level, www.epi.org/publication/african-americans-are-paid-less-than-whites-at-every-education-level/"

"But to say white racism is the cause of things no matter how much proof we show your white asses, you have some kind of idiotic ass excuse, like we are blaming whites for our failures or;" "We misdiagnose and ignore the "real" problem to fit an imaginary agenda racists in tha white community invented so they can deny how THEY are the root cause of the problem." "You right wing scrubs are always talking about responsibility." "Take some instead of running your mouths."

[savedbystyle]

right where you left me (s.s)

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader, Steve Rogers x Peggy Carter

Warnings: just a bit of angst haha

Summary: After Endgame, Steve found himself having to return the stones. Gathered around the transporter, you were unaware that that was the last time you would see the love of your life. 

A/N: Thought of this prompt today and thought I would write on it! I hope you guys enjoy, please like and reblog it it would mean a lot to me. 

Friends break up, friends get married Strangers get born, strangers get buried Trends change, rumors fly through new skies But I'm right where you left me

You were walking with Steve, Bucky, and Sam to the transporter where you meet Bruce. Surrounded by tall trees and a peaceful sense of quiet, you found yourself calm and happy. You look up to see Steve looking off in the distant, lost in thought. 

“Hey, you okay? Don’t worry, just take put stones back and come home to me” You tell him whilst rubbing his arm comfortingly. He always seemed to calm down, but today he was on edge. You brushed it off thinking it was because he had to go back in time, this time without his partner. 

“Yeah doll, I’ll always come home to you, forever and always. Even more now that you have that ring on your finger again” Steve said with a small smile gracing his face. He looks down at you a little longer before his eyes start to tear up; “I missed you so much, those five years were hell without you”

You put your hands delicately on his face and kissed him. Breaking away you told him “I’m here now darling, and that's all that matters” He smiles at you before giving you on last kiss and moving on to talk with Bucky and Sam leaving you with a smile and hands crossed. 

Matches burn after the other Pages turn and stick to each other Wages earned and lessons learned But I, I'm right where you left me

You watch Steve and Bucky talk for a little and you smile, grateful for your fiancé to have his best friend. You heard murmurs of the familiar words of ‘till the end of the line’ uttered between the two, laughing at their hundred year old antics. You watch Steve step up onto the transporter, giving a quick nod to the two before looking at you with clouded eyes you couldn’t decipher and mouthing ‘forever and always’. You smiled mouthing it back playing with the necklace he gave for your two year anniversary. 

“Alright, it’s gonna be real quick for you Steve. You take however long you want and for us it will be a second. Come right back okay” Bruce told Steve. “Thank you Bruce” He said before looking back ahead. 

“Alright, navigating jump point in 3... 2... and jump. Okay bringing him back in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...” You wait for Steve to reappear, only for nothing to happen. “Where is he?” You hear Sam getting scared getting a little nervous yourself, “I’m trying to bring him back okay? Lets try again... It’s not working” “What do you mean it’s not working” The two bicker only causing your throat to close up in fright wondering where your fiancé is. 

Help, I'm still at the restaurant Still sitting in a corner I haunt Cross-legged in the dim light They say, "What a sad sight" I, I swear you could hear a hair pin drop Right when I felt the moment stop Glass shattered on the white cloth Everybody moved on

You look to your side seeing Bucky let out a small laugh and walk away. Eyes clouded with tears you call out “Buck, what's going on?” He looks at you with pity and his eyes flicker down to the diamond ring sitting on your finger. Letting out a sigh he says “Let’s go home doll” You walk away trying not to cry right then and there until you hear Bucky call to Sam. You stop walking and look up to see an old man sitting on a bench overlooking the lake. 

Did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen? Time went on for everybody else, she won't know it She's still 23 inside her fantasy How it was supposed to be Did you hear about the girl who lives in delusion? Break-ups happen every day, you don't have to lose it She's still 23 inside her fantasy And you're sitting in front of me

“No, no, no” You let out a strangled tear filled cry. “This cannot be happening, I-” You drop to your knees unable to believe that Steve left you for Peggy. You knew that he loved her still, but you couldn’t believe that he loved her more than he loved you. 

You, who was there when Tony and him fought and he was heartbroken at the thought of leaving his best friend behind. You, who went on the run with him pleading your life to him telling him that you would stay with him and love him ‘forever and always’. You, who he spent multiple sleepless nights with, worshiping each others body and marking it as your territory. You, who he proposed to telling you that he would always come home to you because you were home. You, who he left at the transporter, cold and collecting dust. 

I, I stayed there Dust collected on my pinned-up hair I'm sure that you got a wife out there Kids and Christmas, but I'm unaware

You pick yourself up and dust the dirt off your knees with tears pouring out of your eyes. Now you were unable to contain yourself in front of your friends who have only ever seen you as strong willed and sarcastic, but you could care less. All you could see was your Steve, if you could call him that, with gray hair and old age sitting in front of you. 

You walk over to him and listen to his conversation with Sam. “So did something go wrong or did something go right?” “Something went right”. Those three words shattered you more than you could explain. You stood there like a ghost, humiliated and embarrassed. Waiting a little longer, you noticed the sun glint off of silver that graced his hand. Wincing and letting a couple more tears out, you knew that that was a wedding band. Not the one that you two wore, a new one that showed years of love and memories. Love and memories of his life with Peggy and his kids, the birthdays and christmases that were supposed to be something you two shared. 

Cause I'm right where I cause no harm, mind my business If our love died young, I can't bear witness And it's been so long But if you ever think you got it wrong

After Sam walked away, you gather the courage and look up at Bucky getting a small smile of encouragement. You noticed he moved a little giving you space to sit next to him. You sat next to him and looked out on the lake. With a rush of adrenaline you asked him, “When did you stop loving me?” “Never” he instantly replied. You turned to look at him noticing that he was already looking at you. You noticed his visible aging, he now had wrinkles around his eyes and smile lines around his mouth but he was still as beautiful as he was 2 minutes ago. 

“Don’t lie Steve, you wouldn't have left if you still remotely cared” You laughed bitterly and told him. Looking at him gave you a distaste that you never thought would happen. “Doll I still did love you, I just couldn't bear to live without Peggy. She was the only one to truly love me for me” Your heart broke at his words.

“So I didn’t love you? Was I lying when I told you that in my mind there was a string tying me to you? When I told you that I would die for you? When I told you countless times that you were it for me? I guess it was, Steve. I guess I did lie because I don't love you, I absolutely despise you” 

You took the ring off of your finger and dropped it on his lap. “Even though I lied, you tricked me. You told me things that turned out to be a hoax and that is much worse than a lie. Especially coming from you Steve” You stood up walking away when he called for you, “Doll...” You turn around to see him getting up with a sad expression as he looked at you as if begging for you to tell him its okay so he didn’t face the consequences. 

“Loose the nickname Rogers” You snapped “You can't beg for forgiveness when even you know you don’t deserve it. I guess Tony was right about you, you really are nothing but a liar” You walked away from him through the tall trees and woods that surrounded you, hoping you conveyed that you were beyond enraged with his lies, but deep down you knew your heart would always be his. And if he really wanted to find you, you would be right where he left you. 

I'm right where you left me You left me no, oh, you left me no You left me no choice but to stay here forever You left me You left me no, oh, you left me no You left me no choice but to stay here forever

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

AHHH GUYS! I really hope you enjoyed this one! I had so much fun writing it :D pls leave comments on what you think and like reblog pls its MUCH appreciated

[cm-top-10]

C.M. Top 10: Powerful &/or Dangerous Items

There are many items I keep stored in times like this. Some that do good, but others that're too dangerous if in the wrong hands. So this ten features the most powerful & dangerous items known to man. & those you don't know what is or what it does, I'll gladly have them explained why.

1. AVP/Aliens - Xenomorph Royal Jelly

Royal Jelly is a unique & rare substance to find anywhere in any galaxy. Only way to find some is on the Xenos' homeworld of Xenomorph Prime or if some idiot &/or mad scientist happens to just stumble upon it somewhere.

But be careful what's dangerous about this stuff is that it has metamorphosis properties that effect only Xenomorphs. Because once a lower class Xenomorph gets their jaws on this stuff or eats enough of it, their body & system go through changes. & once fully morphed that particular Xeno who ate it will turn into a Hive Queen.

But just know other Xenomorphs during the Xeno-Anarchist have fought & killed each other over this stuff ever since their last Queen Mother died. & last I heard it was an enemy Red Xenomorph that ate the stuff to become a Red Queen Mother. So that's how important this ooze is to them, cuz they'll do anything to fill the powergap between the hives. & so far only two colored Xenos have waged war on each other over it.

2. The Dragon Prince - Sunforge Blade

Sunforge Elves are the finest blade makers in all the magik kingdoms of Xadia. But these are no mere knives no, these weapons are made in fires one could never imagine. In fact the blade still remains extremely hot to the touch as soon as it's forging is finished.

Its said to be so hot that it can even burn through walls in one slice. Even the thickest armor or strongest sword doesn't stand a chance to it's burning edges.

& to keep the owner from being burned by their own blade, a special satchel is made to hold it's temperature in check.

So remember kids don't play with hot knives.

3. SDBH - Dark Dragon Balls

Made by Dende against his own free will. Towa saw to it that a special set of Dragon Balls were made by her specifications. Thus the Dark Dragon Balls were born...

However these are no mere wishing orbs. When used they awaken an evil dragon named Dark Shenron who'll grant any evil desire that person wants, through evil content.

Once a wish is made, all seven spread across time & space until they're reunited again. However if so they'll form into the demonic Shadow Dragons of Shenron.

But if they don't the orbs will chose an evil host to attach itself to. Until a warrior is strong enough to take it from them by force. But fair warning, once a being is merged with a Dark Dragon Ball, their power skyrockets into something not seen before.

So be careful what you wish for...

4. Kaijudo/Duel Masters - Choten Armor & the Five Relics

With all five of these relics, the Choten was able to control all five Creature Monarchs in one summon. The Sword of Fiery Cataclysm, the Cloak of Dark Illusion, the Shield of Unity, the Helm of Ultimate Technology & the Heart of Light. When all five are used together, not just creature gods will be controlled. But all creatures of the Veil will be under your command.

But it's the main reason they're too dangerous to leave about. Which was why they were stored away for safe keeping.

5. Transformers Prime - the Dark Star Saber

The Dark Saber is one of Megatron's greatest creations. Though it has not yet slain a Prime, it's still the most powerful weapon he's ever created from Dark Energon.

Like Optimus' Star Saber it can slice through anything, even a mountain. It can even send a powerful slice wave through the air, making it feel like you've been hit by a cutting shockwave.

Though after Starscream's defeat after using the Dark Star Saber, the Autobots smartly locked it away. Where nobody will ever get it. Probably for the best it remains locked away.

6. DC Universe - Blue Lantern Power Battery

Now the reason this little baby is on the list. Is because this Blue Power Battery has enough juice to power up not just Blue Lanterns. But can also full-power a Green Lantern's ring power tenfold!

The blue charge is so powerful it makes a Green Lantern feel like a new man.

Reasons why the Green & Blue Lantern Corps have been allies. & due to the two colors' relationship with each other. That Blue Element energy can surge a Green one's power full blast & can make it's user feel unstoppable.

7. Star Wars - Darksaber

Now this saber has alot of history. & tons of previous owners who just either lost it in battle or just managed to pass it down to someone else. But this saber can only be earned by one-on-one combat only.

& only the strongest shall wield it! Darth Maul was one of the previous owners. Though he was not Mandalorian, he still used it like he was made for it. However this weapon has even lost previous owners over the years.

Most even rumored that those who held it always ended up dead. Which is why not many Mandalorians went looking for it.

& hopefully Mando doesn't end up the same fate & curse...

8. Dofus: Kerub's Bazaar - Ecaflip's Sword of Nine Tails

As weird as this weapon is Ecaflip's Sword of Nine Tails is a powerful weapon. This very sword is what even brought him into godhood.

By sacrificing his nine tails except the one attached to him to this day. He used that very sword to cut the multiple heads of the 9 Headed Hydra during battle. Thus making him a hero to all.

Reasons why this sword is dangerous is because it can literally slice through anything. & it can withstand the burning fires of hell. Which was perfectly made for the battle against the Hydra.

In other words Ecaflip made one hell of a sword!

9. Batman vs. TMNT - Joker Mutagen

What makes this worse than all the other items is that this particular mutagen is a cocktail mixture between the T.G.R.I. mutagen & the A.C.E. chemicals Joker uses to make his infamous Joker Gas. One injection of this vile ooze & you mutate into the last thing you touch, only with a psychotic aftereffect to go with it.

Luckily this stuff was destroyed before it could reach Gotham & mutate it's people into mad mutations.

10. Marvel Universe/Death Battle - the Continuity Stone

For those who don't know about the Continuity Stone, or Canon Stone as most people call it. Was a lost Infinity Stone made the same way as the other 6...well 7 counting this one. Anyway the Continuity Stone has the power to literally rewrite any form of reality it's user, namely Deadpool wants it to be. But what's really dangerous about this stone is that it warps Wade's mind most worst than it already is.

That & he gets carried away sometimes with the reality jacking so best it stays locked up.

Deadpool: AWE!! Come on man! I said I'd use it responsibility!

Wade you're not getting it back till you behave & stop messing with reality. & get off my 4th Wall or I'll tell Harley & Death about last year's Christmas party! 💢

Deadpool: Hmph...fine! (-3-)💢

[bluerose5]

Profile Reconstruction Complete

Note: This isn’t really anything special. Just wanted to ramble about Alyx today.

Mods Used: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Name: Alyx Jay Shepard

Birthday: April 11, 2154

Pre-Service History: Earthborn; New York City, New York

Psychological Profile: Sole Survivor

Class: Sentinel

Gender: Nonbinary, Genderfluid, she/he/they (I use she/her for the background section.)

Background:

Born on the gritty streets of Earth —whether you think that’s meant to be taken literally or not, is up to you— each day spent in the world’s finest megatropolises was like a warzone all on its own. As the wage gap between rich and poor increased, Alyx was one of the many to be caught up on the latter end, struggling day by day for survival. At first, she relied on her parents for everything. Food, shelter, protection…

When they had it.

Then, they died. Her mom came first. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time when a robber tried to stick up a convenience store for all the cash they had, along with whatever food and beer he could carry. She must have moved too fast or spooked him somehow, because he didn’t hesitate to shoot and then bolt.

Her dad came after, but it wasn’t quick, more like a slow and steady spiral. Without her mom there, he had to make up for the income that he lost at her passing. He reverted to old habits, got involved with the wrong people. “One last job” became a never-ending mantra, a lie that he told both himself and Alyx to get by.

Next thing they knew, one of his colleagues got greedy after a big score. He turned on Alyx’s father, killed him in cold blood so that they didn’t have to split the money two ways.

It always came back to the money, you see. It’s what made the world —Earth, at least— go ‘round, so far as others were concerned.

With her father dead, Alyx was orphaned at twelve, doing odd jobs here and there for some of her father’s old contacts.

Unfortunately, his debts didn’t die with him.

At thirteen, she was given a choice. Join the Reds, earn back what was owed to them, or die like all the others.

Easy choice to make.

For three years, she worked for them, fought for them. She attended school as much as she could, but even that was a struggle after her “adoptive family” took her in. Not that anybody questioned another kid ending up with the wrong crowd. It was either that or become lost in the system, bouncing from foster home to foster home.

At sixteen, she met David Anderson. Somewhere along the way, he had caught sight of her while she was tailing a rival gang member on the Reds’ turf, one that she had fully intended on beating the shit out of. The second she brandished the knife, Anderson darted out from the shadows and grabbed her arm. She struggled against his hold, but it was too late. Her target had noticed them and ran off.

After Anderson disarmed her, Alyx screamed and raged at him. He let her, watching her calmly as she let all of that pent-up anger and frustration flow out of her. She tried to punch him, but he blocked the blow.

Then, she broke down.

In the middle of that alleyway, tears poured down her face, and she cried. She fell to her knees, curling in on herself as sobs ripped through her.

Anderson told her— no, he ordered her to get up, and by some miracle, she did.

She wiped her tears away, and for the first time in years, someone told her that she was better than this, the constant cycle of violence and survival.

For the first time in years, Shepard felt hope.

Anderson gave her his number, along with directions to a sub shop not far from where they were. He told her to call if she ran into any trouble before then and to meet him at the sub shop the next day if she would like to discuss her future. Middle of the day, busy streets, he told her. It was far enough from any gang territory to make a noticeable difference, and she would be safe with him.

Alyx was skeptical. She knew what could happen to people who wandered off with random strangers. Then again, not many strangers around those parts were decked out in Alliance uniforms either.

She met Anderson at noon the next day, and they talked. For a while, it was about anything and everything. The weather, sports, school.

It all felt so normal, but the sales pitch eventually came, as expected.

What did come as a surprise was that Anderson wasn’t a recruiter, not a career one anyways. He was on shore leave, and he said that he had a good feeling about Alyx, that she could make a real difference. If given the right chance and the proper resources.

She wanted so badly to believe him, but she had to think on it.

“Take all the time you need,” he said.

The day after that, the Cerberus agent who later went by the name “Kai Leng” approached her. To her, though, he was Jian. They had been friends for months, always crossing paths at the most convenient of times. He was no more than a year older than her. Always kind, protective. Or so she had thought.

Alyx never suspected that he was watching her, observing her.

She had been a candidate for recruitment long before Anderson entered the picture.

“Jianyu,” one of his many aliases, was forced to take action on behalf of the Illusive Man before Anderson could seal the deal. Jian exposed himself, gave her an ultimatum, and explained that the Alliance —and by extension, Cerberus— had ways of getting the recruits that they wanted.

The Alliance Rehabilitation Program for the Incarcerated.

Fancy name for a system that picked and plucked, preying on some of the most vulnerable to get them enlisted into Alliance ranks. Jian explained that potential recruits, especially those like Alyx that lived on the streets all their lives, would oftentimes magically wind up with a whole bunch of petty charges or sometimes even major offenses stacked against them.

Their recruiter would then swoop in to the rescue, offer the program to them as a way to serve their time, live another day outside of prison walls.

At the time, Alyx told Jian that Anderson wouldn’t do that to her, but the truth was that she didn’t know the man, not truly.

She thought she knew Jian, but boy did she apparently have that all wrong.

When Jian asked if she was willing to take that risk, Alyx already knew her answer.

She agreed to be a double agent, working for both the Alliance and Cerberus. She would act natural, using Alliance resources and enhancements to hone her skills in biotics and tech. Once she graduated from the N7 program, Cerberus would start on their own enhancement projects.

For years, Alyx would serve, keeping silent about her double life.

Until Akuze.

After she watched her entire unit get wiped out, she learned later on about Cerberus’ involvement.

There was no keeping her quiet then.

With no one else to turn to, Alyx went to Anderson, pleaded with him to help her get out. Together, they struck up a deal with the Alliance for Alyx’s immunity. She spilled everything that she knew about Cerberus, gave them every scrap of intel that she could get her hands on. She was one of the major players that helped build a case against them, part of why Cerberus eventually split from the Alliance and fell off the grid.

Of course, when the time came for testifying, the entire case was thrown out because of a bunch of technicalities. “Mishandled evidence,” they said. Some pieces of the puzzle came up missing. Crucial pieces.

Alyx knew that it was Cerberus simply covering their tracks.

She was allowed to continue serving in the Alliance, but she remained outspoken about those who hid in the shadows.

But even that fire died out over time.

It wasn’t until years later, when her search for Saren caused her to cross paths with Cerberus on multiple occasions, that she realized that her issues with them were far from being over.

[kyrievali]

I've been reading your posts and in one of them you mentioned that Iroh in fact is very shady and Azula has every right to hate him, may you explain why?

Sure, I’ll go into it. 

Let me start off by saying that I actually really like Iroh as a character. I think he’s great and well-written. I think the fandom tends to gloss over his flaws and label him as “perfect”, which is not true. One of his greatest failings (aside from making two teenage siblings fight each other for the throne...or really not intervening at all where Ozai is concerned) is his treatment of Azula, and him saying “No, she’s crazy and needs to go down” and essentially writing her off when, if you compare Azula’s personality with Season 1 Zuko, they’re really not all that different. Azula, people tend to forget, is a 14 year old girl who was as much a subject of abuse as her brother. Zuko and Azula were essentially pitted against one another to both gain Ozai’s affection and, more importantly, avoid punishment. The only difference is that she was rewarded and praised by Ozai for her power and cruelty, while Zuko was punished for his “shortcomings”. Zuko’s entire storyline proved how important it is to have a good, guiding parental figure in one’s life, and it’s tragic that Azula didn’t have that.

Now, let’s talk about why Azula probably hated her Uncle.

1. She thinks he’s a failure and, worse than that, weak

And I don’t mean weakness in terms of his firebending skills. Let me explain - Fire Nation citizens are ingrained with Nationalistic pride and complete loyalty to the Fire Lord from a very young age. Iroh, once upon a time, was the heir to the Fire Nation’s throne and the favored son of the notoriously cruel Azulon. He laid a 600 day siege against Ba Sing Se during which his son, Lu Ten, was killed. This tragic event caused him to withdraw his troops, despite having breached the outer wall.   

Upon his return home, his father dies under mysterious circumstances and decrees that Ozai will be the heir to the throne. Instead of contesting it, Iroh leaves the Fire Nation and ostensibly spends his time traveling the world, meeting with the Dragons, and getting in tune with the Spirit World. Doing so gives him the knowledge and wisdom to see the error of his ways, at which point he returns to the Fire Nation and serves as a General in the army. 

Let’s look at this from the perspective of Azula, or really any other citizen of the Fire Nation. Their country waged a nearly 2-year long siege against the Earth Kingdom - and right when they make progress by breaking through the first wall, the Crown Prince gives up because his son died. Countless Fire Nation lives and resources were spent on this 600 day campaign, and they end up with nothing to show for it. If you look at the philosophy of Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai, they likely would have used the death of Lu Ten to galvanize the troops and double their efforts, in an attempt to exact revenge against the Earth Kingdom for daring to spill royal blood - and so that their sacrifices thus far would not have been in vain.

And then, not only does Iroh withdraw from Ba Sing Se, he also abandons his duties and his country completely. Iroh had a reputation as a fearsome Firebender and cunning strategist - and he just leaves. So now not only is he a failure, but he’s also a deserter, one who abandons his nation while it’s reeling from a humiliating defeat and the loss of its Sovereign, Azulon (who, by the way, ruled for about 80 years).

In Azula’s eyes, all of this amounts to weakness, and as we all know from how she was raised by Ozai, weakness is unacceptable. 

2. She is parroting her father’s feelings of resentment

Given that Azula was the favored child of Ozai, it’s likely that she idolized her father and thought he was superior to her uncle, the Crown Prince (for the first few years of her life, at least, Iroh WAS the Crown Prince) and should have been the true heir to Azulon. We don’t see a whole lot of Ozai or his backstory/characterization, but it’s not unreasonable to assume that he, being many years younger than Iroh (it’s never officially stated, but Ozai is around 45 at the time of the show and Iroh appears to be in his late 60’s/early 70’s) had an inferiority complex growing up, and probably some form of sibling rivalry. After all, Iroh is already an adult by the time Ozai is born, and the Crown Prince, who has been groomed from birth to be Azulon’s heir. Ozai is an afterthought; an insurance policy, who at the very moment of Lu Ten’s birth, is outranked by an infant. 

Ozai probably resented Iroh his entire life, so it is not unlikely that Azula would probably feel the same way. 

3. He’s a traitor to the Fire Nation

Azula is a Nationalist and Ozai’s most loyal enforcer. Iroh’s a traitor, and as far as she knows, a corrupting influence to her brother, Zuko. She also probably thinks that he’s committing treason because (she doesn’t know any better) Iroh wants to be the rightful Fire Lord, and she is not going to stand for that. 

4. He reminds her of her mother

Azula is used to being the golden child - a prodigious Firebender, the favored daughter of her father, representative of everything the model Fire Nation child should be. And yet, her own mother does not appear to love her. Her Uncle has stated distaste for her. She thinks she’s doing everything right - because according to Sozin and Ozai’s philosophies and the emphasis of power and loyalty to the Fire Nation - she is; so why do two of her own family members prefer Zuko, the “screw-up” of the family - to her? 

It’s clear that Azula craves the love and adoration of others, but she doesn’t really understand it. I think as she grew older and saw more of the world and how people behaved toward her, she understood on some level that she was considered a “monster” and that people were afraid of her; but that’s how she was raised. Fear was power, and power was everything. And growing up, she was only ever positively reinforced for her ruthlessness and cunning by her father (of whom she is very much afraid, by the way...that is made perfectly clear in her attempts to bring Zuko home and also give him credit for allegedly killing the Avatar. Part of it is actually probably due to some level of affection she has for him, but part of it is definitely motivated by having someone else take the heat off of her in an abusive household) and she witnessed firsthand how perceived weakness was punished - so she did everything she could to achieve the ideal of perfection that Ozai, Azulon, and Sozin had proliferated. So she probably never really understood why her own mother and Iroh didn’t like her. And the fact that they both seemed to prefer Zuko, who she’s been taught to think she’s better than, would only further that resentment.

She thinks she can earn people’s affection by being a perfect Fire Nation soldier, because that’s what works with her father - and when it doesn’t work with Ursa or Iroh, two important adult family figures in her life - she doesn’t understand why and, even worse than that, it makes her feel inferior to Zuko. 

5. My final point is purely speculative, but...He didn’t do anything to directly stop Ozai’s rise to power

In the years after the war, after recovering from her mental break and maybe rehabilitating to become an advisor to Zuko (let’s be totally honest, a Nation whose entire economy for the past 100 years has been built on war and imperialization is not going to have an easy transition into peace, especially when they are expected to give up their colonies and play nice with an equally corrupt government that was controlled by the Secret Police force which has no qualms about brainwashing its own citizens...also the new Fire Lord is a banished Prince who is the apprentice of the Disgraced Prince and who returned to defeat the pride of the Nation, Princess Azula, Ozai’s Chosen Heir and the Conqueror of Ba Sing Se), Azula’s going to be pretty pissed that her supposedly wise and worldly uncle did not intervene in her megalomaniacal and abusive father’s rise to power. 

If my uncle, who never liked me, lost countless Fire Nation lives and resources in a battle that ended with him retreating, abandoned the Crown to go on a sightseeing tour of the world, returned and became a traitor to the nation by foiling the Admiral’s conquest of the Northern Water Tribe resulting in the loss of more Fire Nation lives, escaped from you multiple times and went on to become a tourist and small business owner in an enemy nation, turned your brother against you, did nothing to stop his own brother whom he knew was deeply abusive even after he came back after gaining all this supposed wisdom, and THEN also left you alone with your abusive father while taking your inferior brother under his wing and helping him become an extremely powerful bender who eventually defeats you with the help of a Water Tribe peasant...yeah, I’d be pretty pissed at him, too. 

To be fair, she probably never would have willingly gone with them because they were basically just sent on a wild goose chase at that point...but he never even tried to help her.

Anyway, that’s why I think Azula hates Iroh and honestly, she has every right to hate him. He abandoned her Nation and wrote her off completely, so there’s no reason she wouldn’t do the same.

[jawsofhakkontranscript]

Ameridan’s End: Assault the Jaws of Hakkon

(Previous quest - On Ameridan's Trail)

Main questline: Ameridan’s End: Assault the Jaws of Hakkon

This is the first part of "Ameridan's End" questline.

Characters involved: Svarah Sun-Hair, Lace Harding, Bram Kenric, Gurd Harofsen

Preparations are in place to wage assault on the Jaws of Hakkon and search for Inquisitor Ameridan.

Part 1: Speak with Svarah Sun-Hair

Svarah: When you are ready, you have our blades, Inquisitor.

Dialogue options:

Special: Hakkon connects to Ameridan. [1] (If both “Storvacker Caged” and “What Yet Lingers” have been completed.)

General: Let us begin the assault. [2]

[1] Special: Hakkon connects to Ameridan.

PC: You said that the Jaws of Hakkon first tried binding their god in mortal form hundreds of years ago?

Svarah: What of it?

PC: In our search for Inquisitor Ameridan, we learned that he came here to fight a great dragon 800 years ago… A dragon that came from the mountains with Avvar warriors to attack the lowlands.

Svarah: (Laughs.) Your last Inquisitor must have fought well to stop Hakkon himself! [3]

[3] Subsequent dialogue options:

Investigate: This is all right with you? [4]

Investigate: Does this happen often? [5]

[4] Investigate: This is all right with you?

PC: You're not bothered by the idea that our Inquisitor killed your god?

Svarah: He didn't kill him. That would have been easier. Whatever fight your Inquisitor finished, the Jaws of Hakkon started. I find no fault with a warrior defending his people. [Back to 3]

[5] Investigate: Does this happen often?

PC: Do the Avvar gods take mortal form on a regular basis?

Svarah: No. The gods belong in the land of dreams. Whether it is their wish—or some augur's—that brings them here, battle-tears will be shed. The skalds say the Lady of the Skies took mortal form when Tyrdda Bright-Ax first led the Avvar to the mountains. They say many things about Bright-Ax and the Lady. [Back to 3]

[2] General: Let us begin the assault.

PC: I'm ready to attack the Jaws of Hakkon.

Svarah: Good. They will pay the blood-price for what they have done.

(Kenric and Harding enter the Thane's hall.)

Svarah: Your skald and your scout are here. We can plan the assault.

Kenric: Oh, I like the sound of "skald." It's more dramatic than "professor."

Harding: (Coughs.)

Kenric: Yes, well. Everything we've found about Inquisitor Ameridan suggests that he never emerged from that Tevinter fortress.

Svarah: If that is where your Inquisitor defeated Hakkon, that is where the Jaws of Hakkon must perform the rite to free him. [6]

[6] Dialogue options:

General: We can stop them. [7]

General: Or hopefully not. [8]

General: We have a target. [9]

[7] General: We can stop them.

PC: Inquisitor Ameridan saved the lowlands from an Avvar invasion. We cannot do any less. [10]

[8] General: Or hopefully not.

PC: Ideally, we stop them before that. I'd rather not fight an Avvar god if we don't have to. [10]

[9] General: We have a target.

PC: Good. We know where to strike. [10]

[10] Harding: You really have no problem with us killing your god?

Svarah: Gods cannot be reborn until they die. (Laughs.) Hakkon needs a good rebirthing.

Harding: If you say so.

Svarah: With its ice-wall melted, the fortress is open to attack. We must strike soon, before our foes recover.

Harding: They're already trying. I've got most of our forces defending the shrine from Hakkonites who want to restore the wall. [11]

[11] Dialogue options:

General: We're going to take losses. [12]

General: I'm open to ideas. [13]

General: A siege seems unlikely. [14]

[12] General: We're going to take losses.

PC: The fortress was built to be defensible. It's going to cost us a lot of people to take it.

Svarah: Why? [15]

[13] General: I'm open to ideas.

PC: If anyone has suggestions, now is the time.

Svarah: What gives you fear, Inquisitor? Is this not the battle you wanted? [15]

[14] General: A siege seems unlikely.

PC: We don't have time to drag siege equipment through the forest to take down those walls.

Svarah: A siege? Bah! We have no need of rock-throwers and rams. [15]

[15] Kenric: I am no warrior, but with Lady Harding's forces defending the shrine and no way to breach the walls...?

Svarah: (Laughs.) Lowlanders. Why not climb the walls?

Harding: Your warriors can get over those walls before the Hakkonites stop them?

Svarah: This is not a war, Stone-Daughter. This is a raid. We strike at night, clad lightly. We climb the wall and open the gate from inside. [16]

[16] Dialogue options:

General: We are in your debt. [17]

General: I guess this is our plan. [18]

General: Let's move. [19]

[17] General: We are in your debt.

PC: If Stone-Bear Hold can open the gates, we would be grateful.

Svarah: The Jaws of Hakkon have been bugs in my bedroll for months, Inquisitor. We owe you thanks. [20]

[18] General: I guess this is our plan.

PC: Well, then. Unless anyone has something that sounds easier than climbing the walls...?

Svarah: I would not offer what I could not give. It will be done. Perhaps my climbers will earn themselves a legend-mark! [20]

[19] General: Let's move.

PC: Agreed. How soon can we attack?

Svarah: As soon as the sun sets, Inquisitor. This will be a good night. [20]

[20] Harding: Inquisition forces will feign weakness near the shrine. That will draw some of them away from the fortress.

Kenric: Not too many, I hope.

Svarah: Yes. Save some for us!

Harding: (Nods.)

Part 2: Assault the gate.

(The Inquisition’s soldiers and the warriors from Stone-Bear Hold gather in front of the gate of the Tevinter ruin.)

Parve: Right, Inquisitor. Hask and I will climb over.

Hask: I'll be there to catch Parve when he slips.

Parve: 'Course you will. You'll be behind me, after all.

(These two are the same Avvar men who participated in the Test of the Lady - the climbing contest used for settling disputes - that took place when the Inquisition first arrived in Stone-Bear Hold - see “Avvar Allies” main quest.)

Hask (to Parve): 'Ware the guard.

Parve: I've got him.

(The Avvar sneak ahead and start climbing over the walls of the fortress. Meanwhile, the Inquisition leads the assault from the front to distract the Hakkonites.)

Male Hakkonite: There! It's the lowlanders!

Female Hakkonite: Kill the Inquisitor! Death to her/his hold, for Hakkon's glory!

(Storvacker joins the fight.)

Party comments:

Varric: Storvacker, good to see you again!

Dorian: And we have a bear. Hooray!

Sera: Eat them, not us! Got it?

Cole: I'm happy to see you, too!

Svarah Sun-Hair: Greetings from Stone-Bear Hold, you shit-eating goat-lovers!

(The climbers continue scaling the walls.)

Parve: Watch your grip. It slips a bit.

Hask: Bah, you can't grip anything more challenging than your mother's teat.

Parve: (Grunts.) I was aiming for his throat. We'd best hurry.

Hask: Nicely done.

Parve: Be ready, Inquisitor!

(The gate is opened from the inside by the climbers from Stone-Bear Hold.)

Hask: Lady take you, goat-lovers!

Parve (to the Inquisitor): As you please, Inquisitor.

Hask: I'd not tarry. More will be coming.

(Walk through the gate and defeat the Hakkonites defending the battlements.)

Party comments:

Cassandra: The Avvar were true to their word!

Iron Bull: Nice work, Stone-Bear Hold!

Blackwall: Your Avvar friends pulled it off!

Varric: Our Avvar friends came through!

Svarah Sun-Hair: We have your back, Inquisitor! Fight well!

Part 3: Find Inquisitor Ameridan’s resting place.

(Walk towards the Tevinter ruin.)

Party comments:

Cassandra: No sign of the dragon. It must be in there.

Cole: She doesn't want to be him. He doesn't want to be chained. Tied together, wracked and raging.

Solas: The ritual must be underway. There is a great deal of magical energy coming from the bottom of the crater.

(There are ice wards in the field between the gate and the main building. If destroyed, they freeze everyone in the vicinity.)

Party comments:

Dorian: Watch the wards! We can't afford to be slowed down!

Vivienne: Watch out for the ice wards! We cannot let them slow us!

Sera: Pissing freezing magic!

Solas: Beware the wards! They will sap your strength!

(An ice ward is destroyed.)

Party comments:

Cassandra: The ward is destroyed!

Iron Bull: How do you like that, frosty?

Blackwall: That should end the wards!

Cole: You can't freeze us!

(Enter the Old Temple. The interior is covered in frost.)

Party comments:

Vivienne: This frost is magical in nature. If we do not make haste, we will freeze to death.

Cassandra: This cold is magical in origin. It will kill us if we do not hurry.

Sera: We stay here, our bits will snap off. Get moving.

Solas: The cold is magical. It will kill us if we do not hurry.

Cole: This isn't real, but it still hurts. We have to be fast.

Dorian: Even colder than usual. This is magical. We need to keep moving.

Varric: This isn't natural. We'd better hurry, unless you like freezing to death.

(Stay by the fire to warm up.)

Party comments:

Sera: Better, right? Might even keep our toes.

Iron Bull: (Grunts.) Cold's not so bad here.

Varric: The cold isn't so bad here.

Cole: Yes. False cold, but the real fire keeps it away.

(Gurd Harofsen begins the ritual.)

Party comments:

Varric: We should probably hurry. There's no good kind of crazy ritual chanting.

Vivienne: They are performing the ritual. I suggest we hurry.

Solas: We must hurry. The ritual to free the spirit of Hakkon is underway.

Dorian: Sounds like they've already started the ritual. Best hurry, then.

(Gurd chants the Song of savage Hakkon.)

Sing the song of savage Hakkon, born in battle, bloody bladed.

Wintersbreath to wrack the lowlands, cold to cut and kill the hated.

Meet the might of Mountain-Father, crush the creed of Korth the callow.

Leave the Lady lost and lonely, scour the skies of spirits sallow!

Gurd Harofsen, called the Cutter, wyvern-slayer, lowland-bane

Begs of Hakkon, bring his body bloody blessings, cold and pain!

(The chant ends.)

Party comments:

Vivienne: The barbarian is allowing himself to be possessed by Hakkon!

Solas: The Hakkonite leader is calling the spirit of Hakkon into his own body!

Varric: Harofsen's summoning Hakkon into himself!

Dorian: He's summoning Hakkon into his own body!

Cassandra: Is he insane?

Iron Bull: Who does that? That's a terrible idea!

Blackwall: He's mad!

Sera: Don't care. Stupid gets arrows.

(A dragon can be seen in the distance.)

Party comments:

Sera: There's the dragon! It's... frozen or something?

Cole: The dragon. She's stuck, still, a statue. Hakkon is angry inside her.

Varric: There's the Hakkon dragon! At least it's not moving yet.

Iron Bull: There's the dragon! Long as it holds still like that, we should be all right.

(The fight begins. Gurd continues the ritual while being protected by Hakkonites.)

Party comments:

Vivienne: Hakkon is invulnerable until we disrupt those around him!

Solas: We cannot harm Hakkon until the ritual is disrupted!

Cassandra: We must disrupt the ritual first! Then Hakkon can be harmed!

Dorian: We have to take out the others! We can't hurt Hakkon until they're out!

(Gurd summons the spirit of Hakkon into himself and transforms into a revenant.)

Gurd: Face me and die, Inquisitor! Your predecessor could not stand against me. You shall fall as well! I am the cold bite of winter! I am Hakkon reborn! Death to the lowlanders!

(The revenant casts powerful ice spells.)

Party comments:

Sera: Ranged, right? Too cold up close!

Cassandra: The cold is worse near the creature!

Blackwall: The cold gets worse the closer you are!

Iron Bull: Careful! Cold's worse up close!

(During the fight, the revenant freezes the braziers as he loses health.)

Party comments:

Vivienne: He's putting out the fires!

Varric: Watch yourself! He's putting out the fires!

Dorian: The damn thing's dousing the fires!

Solas: Be careful! He's dousing the fires!

(Next quest - Ameridan's End: Talk to Ameridan)