#and that's a lot of power to give to someone -- the varying severity of that and how the avatar handles it???

[ranger-kellyn]

it's like i want to get started on the next season of korra bc i'm excited since this is the season korra and asami start Noticeably Hanging Out A Lot More, but i think i have to just. go listen to music and think about asami instead dklsfhj

[hana-no-seiiki]

YANDERE! TEEN TITANS x YAE MIKO / KITTY CHESIRE ! READER SHORT STORY

the kitty chesire bit is mostly her power to disappear and teleport + love for chaos

as always reader is gender neutral!

[sequel to this fic]

“YOU. . . HAVE A FOX FORM ? !”

Your team member, Garfield, shouted into your ear as you untied him and the rest of the members after a battle you won.

Via tricking them of course. You were meant for stealth and illusions, not fighting. Most missions with the Titans had you as a scout or back-up. Rarely were you in the heat of the fight.

It was mostly due to your penchant with being a liability. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, placing you with the main group was a recipe for disaster.

It was a perfect role for you. Cause really, who enjoys sitting back and watching everything unfold? You did.

And after watching your friends getting their asses handed to them and laughing for several minutes while invisible (so that they could definitely hear you but you wouldn’t get captured). You came in to save the day.

“Oh, how could you not know BB. I thought we were friends!” You sighed dramatically while finally untying the last member and leader, Robin.

Despite your close proximity, you fail to notice the rare grin on his face.

“Hey, that’s my line! How could you not tell your best friend, huh?!”

“To be fair, it should have been obvious.” Rachel commented. Her cape had gotten covered in some unknown goop, so her voice came out strained as she tried flicking it off.

“Yeah, Garfield. Kitsune, Fox. It’s hard not to know about it.” Jaime added. The scarab on his back’s eyes glow red in agreement.

“I feel wounded, hurt, unimaginable pained—“ Garfield grasped his chest. “But you know what would make me feel b-“

“In your dreams.” You quickly answered. Already knowing what he’ll request. It wasn’t as if you didn’t like turning into your fox form. But you had a plan,

and that plan was chaos.

“I didn’t even finish!”

“Give or take another hundred years or so, then it’ll be a maybe.”

“But- But why—?”

“My kitsune form is not a party trick or just something that can be shown at a whim. It has to be special, as is the person I show it to.”

“Wait, so that’s why you didn’t show me? I thought it was cause you couldn’t do it for another hundred years or so.” Rachel perked up as soon as she heard your words. The remaining goop on her cape forgotten.

“I thought it was because only humans or other beings from Earth could witness it.” Kori crossed her arms.

“You mean it isn’t dangerous for you to turn into one in case you aren’t able to turn back?!” Dick, Jaime, and Victor all screeched in unison.

“Excuses may vary from person to person.”

“[Y/N]!”

Ah yes, all according to plan.

It wasn’t that long before you all had another mission to accomplish. It wasn’t that hard really, in fact the enemies seemed a lot weaker in comparison to the previous ones.

So why were you and the rest tied up?

“Oh no, we���re at risk of dying. Whatever could we do?” Garfield feigned a moan of pain.

“Maybe if [Y/N] shifted into their Kitsune form and got out of their restraints—“ Victor tried suggesting but, like what you did with Garfield last time, you shut him down immediately.

“No.”

Everyone instantaneously gets out of their restraints. No effort at all.

These goddamn desperate little shits—

It had been a month or so since Garfield and the rest found out you weren’t turning into a fox simply because you didn’t want to and they have yet to lose gas when it came to motivation.

It had even gone to the point where the Justice League and heck, even some villains and other unaffiliated vigilantes joined the mix. It was as if every moment someone was trying to coerce you to transform.

“Guys let’s have dinner!” Dick called out from the tower’s kitchen, not bothering with the intercoms since he knew you were close by. As a Kitsune you had a fantastic sense of smell, as such you were already hovering the kitchen since the start.

“Is that . . . [Favorite Food] and - and [Favorite Drink]?” Your mouth watered as you gazed at the dining table. All of your favorite meals, snacks, and beverages were all laid out. Ready to be consumed—

“Ah, ah! Let us see your Kitsune form first.”

You took one long stare at him before disappearing, literally. “I’m ordering take out.”

“God damn it!” The rest of the team all exit from their hiding spots, absolutely saddened by the lack of reaction and that they couldn’t spoil you with your favorites for once.

(It’s not like they can forget about your fox form and just give you everything on a silver platter. Hell no!)

You trudged to Damian’s room. Still invisible until you were sure you entered without anyone seeing you.

You reappear with a smile before shortly turning into a miniature [Favorite Color] fox.

“Tired?” Damian asked, still focused on his computer while you jumped to his lap and made yourself comfortable.

“Mm. Not really! They’re really funny when they’re like that.”

He nodded at your response and began petting you. His other hand reached forward to his phone, “Hey, are you still open? … Yeah . May I have [Favorite Food] delivered at this address…”

You faked a gasp. You knew he had been watching over you since the beginning. Normal people would have freaked out and questioned how knew but you didn’t. How could you? He is your boyfriend after all. Him knowing everything was expected. At least, that’s what he always says, and you didn’t really mind so . . . “You’re the best, Damey!”

“I know.” He finally gazed at you. The love in his eyes are as clear as day, “Now, get off. We have to pick up our order.”

General Batfam Taglist: @the-sander-fander

[just-a-ghost00]

Tarot investigation : the portrait of your stalker

In this reading we will be trying to identify the person who has been stalking your socials. This reading is meant for you if you suspect someone of stalking you. There will be three sections : one for physical traits, one for personality traits and the last one for the reason why they stalk your accounts. For each section, I will be taking two to three cards. To pick your group, I invite you to choose one of the following songs.

Group 1 - You are my sunshine

Physical traits - King of cups, two of cups

This is someone that regardless of their gender appears as very soft and cutesy. They could look younger than their age. When people look at them, they seem very friendly and approachable. This could be someone that smiles a lot, who’s eyes are watery and sparkly. They could have round cheeks, wrinkles around their nose or their eyes from constantly smiling. They could tend to scrunch up their nose and look a little mischievous sometimes. They could have freckles or beauty marks on their face. They feel very fluid. So maybe they are gender fluid, maybe the way they style their outfits can vary a lot depending on their mood. They could prefer baggy clothes over tight fitting clothes. If they identify as a man, I feel like this person’s appearance is a bit different from what society deems at "manly". They look more vulnerable, more feminine. They likely don’t have a beard or if they do it is very subtle. They could wear make up or use a lot of skin care products. They groom themselves a lot. This is someone that looks very neat. They have big round eyes, full lips, puffy cheeks that look so soft and mellow. This is the type of person that people love at first glance because they look so innocent and kind. Everything about them is just so pure and beautiful. If they identify as a woman, they are fully embracing their femininity. This is someone that has a curvy body, luscious hair. They wear a lot of dresses, skirts, cute tank tops. They wear make up, do their nails, pamper themselves a lot. No matter their gender this is the type of person that is effortlessly aesthetically pleasing because they are the epitome of cuteness and charm combined. They probably look like a doll.

Personality - 2 of swords, The Tower and 10 of cups

This is someone that is tormented. Their outward appearance doesn’t let on the amount of inner turmoil they are in. This is someone that wears a lot of masks to make up for their shortcomings. This is someone that fears failure and rejection, that possibly has struggled with anxiety and/or depression most of their life. This is someone that is in a constant battle with their inner demons and despite all of that still finds the time and strength to be absolutely adorable with anyone near them. This is a person that has a lot of love to give and only wishes to be understood and loved for who they are. They long for a place where they belong. Their mind is both their best asset and their worst nightmare because depending on the phase they’re in their mind can really hinder them. This person is very analytical but also very powerful. When they are confident about themselves and feel fully supported they can move mountains and start a revolution. They are intense both in the good and the bad. They have an all or nothing type of mentality. When they like you they give you their all without question but if they don’t… you know the rest. I guess this is someone that looks like a cinnamon roll but could k*** you.

Why do they stalk you? - The World, 8 of pentacles, ace of pentacles

I am picking up on several reasons that I will list down below. This person could have several reasons to stalk your socials. 1. They would like to associate with you on a business level. This person sees potential in you and would like to get in contact in order to figure out how they can turn this opportunity into an actual project. 2. You are at a distance from each other and this person would like to get closer to you. They wish to investigate about who you are before they come towards you, whether that is to be friends or more. 3. They think the world of you. They admire your resilience, your independence, your creativity and open mindedness. You could be someone that has many talents, speaks many languages and/or travels a lot. You are unique and think out of the box which has caught their attention. 4. You voluntarily put a distance between you after encountering them to focus on your personal goals. Doing so, you surprised them and got their interest. Seeing that you were hiding away, this person has been wondering what you have been up to and they couldn’t resist the temptation to check on you. 5. As their was a ladder drawn on the 8 of pentacles card, it made me think of progress. The wheel of fortune is also a symbol of things moving forward, taking a positive turn and the ace of pentacles speaks of good news, new and tangible opportunities. So this person could want to create an opportunity to take things to the next level with you, whatever that means. They are looking for a breach, anything that could let them know that it is safe for them to interact with you and let their intentions be known.

Confirmation signs : fixed signs, earth and water signs, especially Scorpio and Taurus, leaves, mistletoe, repeating 2s, ladders

Group 2 - Sorry I love you

Physical traits - 7 of cups, 10 of pentacles, The Devil

This person screams "danger". This is someone that looks devilishly handsome/beautiful. So much so that they feel like they’re not real or they’re a catch. They ooze luxury. Everything about them is sensual, deep, alluring. They appear as confident, mysterious, unreachable, untamable, intimidating. They look like the kind of person that would call you out without hesitation if you crossed them. They scream authority. Nonchalance also comes to mind. They could look a little snobbish. They could have tattoos. They take extremely good care of their body and their appearance. Their presence is addictive to those around them. They are very guarded. They don’t talk a lot. Communication comes through body posture and gestures, eye contact, actions. This is someone that looks strong and indestructible. They could appear as cold, mean or disinterested. They look like the kind of person that knows their worth and takes no BS. The kind that would have no hesitation cutting you off and doesn’t need anyone. They look serious, stern even. They could frown a lot or have an inexpressive face. Their gaze is intense. If they identify as a man, they likely have a prominent jaw, narrow eyes that are deep in their eye socket, strong shoulders and arms, a broad back. Big hands. They could look older than their age or be older than you. If they identify as a woman, they have long lashes and long hair that creates a shadow on their face, prominent cheek bones, a very long neck and very thin hands. Very sharp nails also. I’m picturing people that tend to wear darker clothes, that have fair skin and dark hair/eyes.

Personality - The Star, 8 of pentacles

This is someone that is a loner, that is a hard worker and a major achiever. They are the quiet / introvert type. They don’t mingle with a lot of people. This is someone that communicates clearly and in a very efficient way. They don’t like to waste words and time. This is someone prideful and productive that takes a lot of pride in their work, accomplishments and skills. They like to read and study. They like to learn and expand their horizons. They have a curious mind and they like to be challenged. This is someone that has big aspirations and that isn’t afraid to go after what they want. They are opinionated, resilient and stubborn. They could enjoy using social media. This is someone that is admired for their work ethic and is a reliable business partner. They are very protective of their space and what they love. They are an idealist. They are loyal and committed to whatever they set their mind to. They have a hard time with change but they are also a very good listener. They know how to work with teams. They are a social butterfly though they rarely feel close to anyone. They have high standards. This is someone that likes to keep busy. They could work out a lot. They think a lot. They like to imagine things and then work hard to make them come true. This is a true dreamer.

Why do they stalk? - 7 of cups, the tower, 4 of cups

If you have had an argument with someone recently then this could be your sign that this person is stalking you because they are still not over what happened. They feel frustrated with how things went and they have unfinished business with you.

If you stopped interacting with someone all of a sudden without any explanation, this is your sign that person is stalking you because they think you are mad at them and they don’t know what they did wrong. They think that things have been cut short before they could even do anything and it makes them sad. They miss you and wish you would tell them what happened.

For some of you, I’m picking up on someone feeling like they have competition and they want to find out if their intuition is right. This person is trying to figure out what is going on in your life but they find you hard to read. Especially if you have prevented this person from being able to see your content.

Confirmation signs : Capricorn, Aquarius, Scorpio, repeating 7s, social media use, work connections

Group 3 - Something in your mouth

Physical traits - The Tower, The World, King of cups

This person is breath taking. Everything about them feels very regal and perfect, like everything is right into place and where it should be. They look very approachable despite that regal vibe. However their aura is so intense you may feel very small in comparison to them. They are definitely taller than you. With the combination of the Tower and the World card, I'm picking up on someone that comes from a different culture than yours. It gives me the feeling of a stark contrast. So if you're European, for instance, then this person is either African or Asian. I have the impression of someone that is very masculine but that allows themselves to be feminine in the presence of others, especially if it can make people more comfortable. So they would tend to smile a lot, to soften their voice, to make themselves look smaller or younger. I'm thinking of idols that are sometimes asked to act like babies when doing aegyo. This is the energy I get from this person. They may tend to dim their light and belittle themselves to make themselves look approachable or friendly. Not because they want to manipulate people but because they want to be appreciated and seen for something different than that intimidating persona that they may have naturally. I'm picking up on long fingers, rounded cheeks, freckles and beauty spots. Someone with silky or curly hair, that has a bit of a baby/innocent look. In terms of fashion they tend to wear clothes that make them look young, bright clothes rather than dark ones. If they wear dark clothes they always accessorize them to make them look less sombre. This is a person that looks very calm and collected. They walk at a slow pace, their gestures are always controlled. The emphasis is put on their eyes. They have beautiful eyes that make people feel understood and cared for. This is a person that looks very accepting of others.

Personality traits - 6 of swords, knight of pentacles, 3 of cups

Here we have someone that has been through a lot of struggles but never held any gruges against anyone. More than anything, this person tends to blame themselves rather than others and always looks at what they can do better or different. This is a hard working individual, who's patience and resilience know no equal. They are very adaptable and always push themselves past their limits to see how far they can go. They like to challenge themselves. This is a person that loves to celebrate and gather with people of all kinds, especially if they can learn from them. They are just a cutie patootie that wishes for the best for everyone and hopes that they can find people who feel the same. They strive for light hearted connections that they can feel safe with, where they don't have to change a thing about who they are. They want to be loved for themselves and not what they bring to the table. I feel like this person might have been abused in the past or made fun of. They just want to love and be loved, work hard and be a better person. And if they can gather people in the process, then that would make their day. They may be a bit stubborn. Once they have set their mind on something they rarely change course of action. They are determined and ambitious. They're not afraid to cut ties when needed. They're also not afraid to pursue something or someone if they're convinced it is good for them. This person doesn't give up easily. No matter how tough things may get.

Why do they stalk? - 10 of cups, Temperance, 6 of pentacles

You caught their eye. Not because you had something valuable that they coveted. Not because you did something specific. Just because you exist and you give them space. This person has never felt any happier and content than when around you. When interacting with you, they feel like balance is restored and they are finally where they're supposed to be. This person may consider you their soul mate or if not, they view you as family. They have the same amount of respect and love for you as they have for their siblings or parents. Which in their eyes is a lot.

They love how generous you are and keep giving without expecting anythig in return. This, to them, shows how disinterested you are and how trust worthy you can be. They know that the reason you are kind to them is because it is your nature, not because you wish to get something from them.

They feel like they can learn a lot from you and become a better person in your presence. Since this person values learning and overcoming their shadows, they feel like you would bring the best out of them, compared to others.

They feel like they can be themselves with you. They don't have to compromise as much or belittle themselves because in this connection the energies are balanced. You match their level. They can fully enjoy your interactions and moments spent together because they don't have to second guess anything, they don't have to overextend themselves to be gaining the bare minimum in terms of respect and attention. They know that you value them just as much as they value you.

Confirmation signs : fixed signs, especially Scorpio and Taurus, repeating 6s and Ts, almond shaped eyes, hands, angels

[syn4k]

hi

i have some ideas about halos.

so heres the idea: someone with a strong connection to their god (or demon or whatever it is that theyre worshiping) gets a halo from their affinity with said god. these are granted specifically by the god themself so not everyone has them. depending on their specific relationship with their god, the halo will appear in different places!

here's my expanded ideas for a few, as introduced in the drawing above:

classic halo

its your standard everyday floating above the head halo, nothing special about it

normally granted to priests

collar halo

hovers around neck

for followers who are Really, Really dedicated to their god. i mean really dedicated. "i will do anything even if i don't know what 'anything' actually is" level dedicated. you know how dogs are, right?

some wear it casually, some wear it like a noose, some wear it like a necklace.

basically works like a normal collar but can only be manipulated at the god in question's behest

armband halo

hovers around bicep, which arm it is depends on the follower's dominant (or preferred if they're ambidextrous) hand.

amputee followers are rare but in the case that someone doesn't have an arm the halo hovers at an angle above their shoulder instead

generally reserved for generals and other military leaders within the god's army if they have one

the hand

appears around the follower's dominant wrist

only seen on those who carry out the plans and will of their god down on earth. gods tend to not get involved in messy stuff so they find someone to do the dirty work for them down on the mortal plane. is also a play on the phrase "right hand man"

voice

appears around tongue

i feel like this one speaks for itself, really (HA).

not for proselytizers- only for those who speak directly for their god

the follower in question may be selectively or forcibly mute the rest of the time. it varies depending on the person and the god.

eyes

also quite self-evident. appears as a glowing band around the followers' irises (or iris). if they don't have eyes then the halo settles around the level of their eye sockets instead.

whatever they see, their god can also. this isn't a 24/7 thing unless said god chooses it to be. still, they tend to not get a lot of privacy

there have been a couple of blind followers designated their god's Eyes on Earth, which is pretty damn cool if you ask me (and also more than a little bit fucked up)

ears

halo manifests vertically around an ear

works the same way as the eye halo does but for hearing instead

the exalt

rarest

only seen with gods and possessed followers

appears as a filled-in circle of light behind the god or follower's head- if you're familiar with catholic iconography you'll understand what i mean. if not, just look up the wikipedia page for halos (religious iconography) and scroll the examples of christian art including halos

followers are rarely possessed by their gods because commonly gods have enough power to manifest a form on their own and need no vessel. a god in physical form may hide or obscure their halo at will. however, in the case that the god is too weak to assume a form of their own, they will sometimes take over a follower's body to intervene directly in a situation. the follower's body will assume the halo in this case and it cannot be hidden

shoutout to christianity for giving me the idea for this one. i got my problems with the jesus fandom but their character designs fuckin slap

some notes:

followers of one god can only have one halo at a time. polytheists can have several at once, one for each god, although this is extremely rare

followers with halos can naturally see each other's halos. those without have to look harder and nonbelievers (of any god) often cannot see them at all

i didn't intend the collar halo idea to be interpreted as a sex thing but if you want to do that then you can ig. im not a cop

yes the halos are customized depending on the god! some of them put time and effort into it. most don't though

[makshu]

Kamaitachi songs that I think fit JSHK characters

Hello there! I thought about making this post because many of this artist's songs remind me of JSHK

–> Well, but who is Kamaitachi you ask me? Kamaitachi is a Brazilian singer and composer who writes songs on a variety of themes, the most common being romantic and horror themes. His musical style is varied, with indie, rock, blues, pop, jazz and others in his composition.

–> In addition, Kamaitachi created his own universe in his songs, having connected songs telling a story such as 'Bob', 'O Sono de Emily' and 'Sr. Sono'. The name Kamaitachi is inspired by Japanese folklore, where "Kama" means cuts and "Itachi" means weasel, representing the sweet and sour crowd.

Well, now that you know him, let's get to the songs and characters! :)

Hanako-kun with 'O Fantasma'

'O Fantasma' translates to 'The Ghost', this song reminds me of Hanako not only because of the name, but also because of the ghostly and melancholic melody. The song demonstrates an internal struggle and a search for redemption. In the song, the lyrical self wants to remove a part of himself, which would be the "ghost", a part that haunts him. The part that reminds me most of Hanako is this one:

I was never an angel

I didn't even have wings to fly away

From what afflicts me

But I was once a demon

And I had to die

To learn how to live as a human being

The theme in general fits very well with Hanako, besides at the end of the song the lyrical self apologizes to someone dear to him for everything that happened. Promising to change and to no longer let the "rays of the past" haunt his life and everyone else's. Remembering Hanako with Yashiro or even with Tsukasa.

Tsukasa Yugi with 'O Sono de Emily'

'O Sono de Emily' translates to 'The Sleep of Emily'. The song features themes of friendship, fear and a plan beyond the tangible, featuring the lyrical self as a little boy named Bob who tries to reach out and befriend a girl named Emily. It's also shown that they are "shadows" and that Bob wants to keep Emily with him. This song reminds me a lot of Tsukasa's relationship with the entity, both in the old and new timelines. Unfortunately, I can't really develop the similarities since we don't know much about how exactly the entity works. However, we do know that Tsukasa makes friends with the entity. The song has a more intense and somewhat sinister melody, as if it were on another plane, and Bob's lines are kinda unsettling.

The song fits very well with Tsukasa's aura, as it presents a very powerful childlike entity that conveys fear of the unknown, just like Tsukasa in all its versions.

Nene Yashiro with 'Alice' (tw: drugs)

'Alice' alludes to the character Alice from "Alice in Wonderland" bringing a dark meaning that has been used several times, that Alice was under the influence of illicit substances and hallucinating everything she saw. Supernatural things are not things that people normally see, you shouldn't see things that don't exist, but Yashiro does. It wouldn't be so absurd, if we put it into reality, to imagine that Yashiro would be under the effect of something. The song brings up the theme of drug addiction and its terrible consequences, and yet, Nene, who truly sees supernaturals, has also had consequences (mostly psychological). And let's be honest, to an outsider, Yashiro really does seem to be hallucinating.

Tsukasa Yugi with 'O Treco'

'O Treco' translates to 'The Thing'. the song presents a dark and enigmatic narrative, where the lyrical self describes the unexpected and disturbing visit of a mysterious man.

I had to put him back on the list since this song really suits him as a mysterious antagonist (and there are many edits of him with this song).

Tsukasa is an enigmatic and unpredictable figure, always appearing out of nowhere and giving many jumpscares to the characters. However, most of the time he actually has an "invitation" when he appears, which is a deep wish made by a supernatural. I think the song suits him very well, especially in this new reality, where he's a bizarre and disturbing child entity, presenting the unknown and danger in the face of those who face him.

Hanako-kun and Aoi Akane with 'Às Cegas no Monte'

'Às Cegas no Monte' translates to 'Blind On the Hill' and the song brings a reflection on the journey of life and the relentless search for happiness. This song reminds me of them in the "To The Far Shore" arc due to the literal meaning of the song since we follow a "train" throughout the song. Throughout the lyrics, it's possible to observe many similarities, such as a train that runs without stopping, something that reminds us of dawn and the desire to still want to be happy even if "it's not the time to be happy."

In its meaning, the song presents the search for happiness, which is something that both Hanako and Aoi seek, even if it's almost impossible to achieve, and it's also about the journey of life, or in this case, the journey that has ended. The song has a calm melody, but it manages to bring a weight to certain phrases and this vibe reminds me of the two of them at the beginning of this arc, a heavy atmosphere but they still try to avoid it by talking about what their lives were like.

Hanako-kun and Nene Yashiro with 'Carnaval'

'Carnaval' which translates to 'Carnival' is about longing and desire, intertwined with the hope of reunion. The song features a lyrical self who misses the other person and who always asks if his partner is okay, indicating that perhaps they haven't seen each other for a while. And in the chorus, the song uses a metaphor, saying that the kiss of this person reminds him of Carnival (a typical Brazilian party) because of all the excitement and effervescence that this party brings.

This all brings out the essence of Hananene, this concern for each other, the occasional separations and the desire. And also all the little moments apart where count the minutes until they meet again. The song features an upbeat instrumental that creates a good vibe and brings a feeling of happiness, especially when you think about your loved one. A really good match with these two.

Hanako-kun and Nene Yashiro with "O Sol e a Lua"

'O Sol e a Lua' translates to 'The Sun and the Moon' the song addresses, in a poetic and figurative way, the relationship between the celestial bodies Sun and Moon, presenting the feeling of revealing oneself and mutual protection. Demonstrating love and how both are important to maintain life. In addition to the music having references to other spatial aspects.

I know that the sun and moon are concepts mainly attributed to the twins in JSHK, but considering romantic dynamics, Hanako and Yashiro fit perfectly into "sun and moon". Hanako is the moon being the most mysterious and serious side of the relationship and Yashiro is the sun being the most cheerful and lively part of the relationship.

I put them back on the list because this song is very hananene coded and I don't know how to explain it other than just saying "it suits them".

—

Well that's it for now, I hope you enjoyed this list and if you give the songs a chance I'll be happy too! Kamaitachi is a very plural and unique artist, and I really appreciate his work.

Thanks for reading ^^

[lenaellsi]

Do people still think that Crowley was a higher rank than Aziraphale before the Fall? I know there's some good archangel evidence, but technically there's no confirmation of anything other than "Throne or Dominion or above," and the the latest from Neil is that Aziraphale was a Cherub in Eden.* If Crowley was just a Dominion (or a Seraph, even), he and Aziraphale would actually have been quite close in rank before the war. If Crowley was a Throne, he'd have been ranked in the middle sphere, several ranks below Aziraphale (with the caveat that your angelic hierarchy may vary etc.)

Aziraphale did seem a little starstruck when they first met (literally), but to me it was giving a lot more "oh he's cute and fascinating" than "oh shit it's my boss." Also, they were wearing the same robes (except Crowley had his sleeves rolled up), and at least by the Job era angels seem to dress according to rank.

(Darlings.)

I doubt someone who was like, SUPER high up would have been unaware of the entire human project, but that's just a gut feeling. My point is, the way they interacted in this scene read much more to me like peers than people of vastly different power levels, especially with the way Aziraphale was comfortable telling him off ("I don't think it's our place to start suggesting that there should be a suggestion box!") and warning him ("I'd hate to see you getting into any trouble"). Could easily be wrong, though--the entire Supreme Archangel scene in Heaven in 2x06 with Crowley is super weird.

*Neil has said several conflicting things on Aziraphale's rank over the years, but I'm going off what he's said since the TV show came out. I guess it's possible that Aziraphale was promoted/demoted several times since the nebula scene--maybe he was promoted from a middling rank to Cherub after the war when he earned his Eden assignment, then was demoted to Principality after Crowley tempted Eve, and then was promoted AGAIN to Supreme Archangel. Insane career path if so. Also, frankly, the S2E1 "frighten the cherubs" joke complicates this reading, so really I think the takeaway is to only trust what's on the screen. But this is all just for fun anyway, so.)

[goodluckclove]

Okay Clove. I've seen a lot of little snippets from Blind Trust and I rock with your writing style a ton. But what's the book actually about?? Something with magic in a contemporary setting ? Hot dogs are somehow involved ??

Geets, it's me, the person who never learned how to properly pitch their own writing! I'll give it a shot anyway. I have a pinned post on my blog that has the fancy synopsis I'll probably put on the back of the book, but I'm fresh from a nap and on my phone and Feeling Frisky so I'll try and take it a different way.

What is Blind Trust about?

Blind Trust is book one of the Songbird Elegies, and it takes place in a contemporary world where magic exists but isn't great. It's not bad in a cool, The Witcher sort of way. Most people only know about magic through The Academy, where anyone can enlist and learn how to tap into the source of magic itself. Which sounds cool until you consider the physical strain of even a minor spell, the fact that major spells can take massive amounts for studying and practice and still aren't that powerful, and how carrying a wand on your person at all times is not easy to do without looking and feeling like a dipshit. Essentially, the average Academic Witch is like an arrogant MFA student or so someone really into craft beer.

But then there is a certain, little-studied medical anomaly that creates birthrights, which are individuals born already tapped into the source of magic by design. They each have a single ability that they can do without a wand (or wand-shaped proxy), but it's nothing innately combative and is mainly used to help interact with society at large. This is because the Birthright Gene is seen exclusively in individuals who are either born with a severe hereditary, genetic, or developmental disability, or will develop one over the course of their life but I'm not supposed to talk about that yet.

Birthrights are often found in a few scattered witch towns, where they use their abilities to focus on social work and community outreach. People also call them genetic witches, but you'd be hard-pressed to get a birthright to call themselves a witch at all. They don't value magic at all in the same way Academics do, and primarily see their "gift" as a chronic illness to manage and accommodate for.

Birthrights and Academics have varying relationships depending on where you are and who you ask but I can't really get into that because in Blind Trust no one knows anything so you don't get to either.

Well, that's not true. There's a mutual understanding of the concept of soul bonds, which are lifelong connections formed between individuals born in the source of magic - though how much people actually retained about this varies. A soul bond is not unlike a karass in Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, in that the people involved are cosmically entangled with each other in a very profound way.

They might be born to be companions, family, enemies, or lovers. The last possibility, called a Lover's Knot, is the rarest and is reserved as a way to contain birthrights who would otherwise be capable of reality-shattering degrees of power. Which nobody wants. Especially not a birthright.

Meet Edgar Gallows and Scott Skylark Kaufner. Scott is a birthright from a witch town and Edgar was born into an Academy in Louisiana, despite also being birthright.

At the start of Blind Trust Edgar has escaped his Academy for the time being and has established a ramshackle and pretty lonely life for himself in New Orleans. He never wants to touch a wand for the rest of his life, and his only hope is to be boring and safe and left alone forever.

Meanwhile, Scott has been having a real rough time. He's been wandering the country nonstop for years with an unfathomable cosmic horror feeding on his sanity and gradually eroding reality around him. Birthrights don't use their abilities often, but for some reason Scott can't turn his off, and they've been warped to the degree where he's been forced to manipulate everyone around him. He can't stop, though. The only thing that can make this stop is if he finds the other half of his Lover's Knot, who he now only remembers as a ghostly vision named Eddie.

Scott and Edgar meet in a dirty walk-in of a mid-tier, overpriced bar and restaurant. Stuff changes and continues to change. Magic is involved but it's not really about the magic.

It's asexual and romantic and soft and confused and frightening and frightened and tender and in book two Edgar eats a hot dog for four pages. It's a great book about love and devotion that's sensual but not at all sexual, because the Clove Gardener Pledge is that there is no sex depicted at any point in the series. It's a great series if you're coping with parental neglect and trauma and want to read a depiction of self-love through an unconventional romantic pairing.

Blind Trust. Buy it in June in paperback or ebook, or just ask me for it and I'll probably give it to you.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

How different is Gallifreyan geography from Earthern one? E.g. do they also have many mountains, seas, lakes etc? Do they have any cities aside from the Capitol? What about villages?

Sorry if it's a lot of questions, just curious!

How is Gallifreyan geography different to Earth?

🌍 Planetary Overview

Gallifrey is approximately three times the diameter of Earth, yet it has similar gravity, orbital radius, pressure, temperature, and oxygen levels, implying there's some tech or natural phenomena keeping it similar despite the difference in size. Gallifrey also has two large moons, one of which is Pazithi Gallifreya, named after the mystic virgin moon goddess.

🏞️ Natural Features

Mountains: Gallifrey is known for its vast and towering mountain ranges. The highest peak is Mount Cadon, which reaches the fringes of the atmosphere, and other notable mountains include Mount Solace and Mount Perdition. These mountains are often covered in unique vegetation and have varied geological formations.

Oceans and Seas: Despite having three small oceans and several seas, less than half of Gallifrey’s surface is water. The lakes and rivers often have unique colours, like gold, reflecting the burnt orange sky. The Sea of Life, near Mount Perdition, has silver water and orange sandy shores.

Deserts and Plains: A lot of Gallifrey is covered in burnt-red rocky deserts and endless mountain ranges. These deserts, such as the Camation Desert and the Arkanian Desert, have distinctive orange and red sands. There are also other arid plains with warm nights and brilliant starry skies.

Forests and Fields: Though they are less common, Gallifrey does have green forests and golden fields. The Lune Forest near Mount Cadon is one.

Atmosphere and Sky: The sky of Gallifrey is famously burnt orange during the day and filled with vibrant colours such as purple, green, and yellow lights. The sky’s appearance can change, sometimes showing a cerulean blue during the day.

🏙️ Cities and Settlements

The Capitol: The primary city and the heart of Gallifreyan civilisation, the Capitol, is located in the northern hemisphere of the continent of Wild Endeavor. It's surrounded by mountains and situated in a region that's known for harsh winds and arid conditions. The Capitol isn't too far from the red grass-covered hillsides of Mount Perdition.

Arcadia: Gallifrey’s second city, Arcadia, lies to the southeast of the Capitol in the Arcadian Sector. It's separated from the Capitol by the Myridian Mountains and is known for its beauty.

Prydos City: Located in the Prydonian sector, Prydos City is at the northern base of Mount Cadon. This city is significant for housing the Prydonian Academy and is known for its ancient, fortress-like architecture.

Other Cities and Villages: Gallifrey has several other cities and city complexes, including Olyesti and Patrexi. Abandoned settlements and ancient roads indicate the planet’s long history. The Wildlands, or undeveloped areas, are huge and largely uninhabited.

🏞️ Unique Geographical Features

The Untempered Schism: Located just outside the southwest edge of the Capitol, this rift in space-time is a significant landmark for Gallifreyans, particularly for young Time Lords who gaze into it during their initiation.

The Death Zone: A pentagon-shaped valley used as an arena for ancient Games, the Death Zone is surrounded by a powerful forcefield that can trap a TARDIS.

Wild Endeavor: A massive continent, spanning from the northern arctic regions to the southern hemisphere. It has diverse ecosystems, from jungles to arid plains and towering mountains.

🏫 So ...

There exist some human-drawn maps of Gallifrey, but they're a bit outdated. If I could draw maps, I would. Until someone does, all I can give you are big blocks of text. Sorry!

Related:

💬|⛅🌩️Are there storms on Gallifrey?: The nature and occurrence of storms on Gallifrey.

💬|⛅🌧️Does it rain on Gallifrey?: Gallifreyan rain and its features.

📺|🪐🌜Gallifrey’s Moons

Hope that helped! 😃

Any purple text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired😴

[ratasum]

A bunch of you asked for it SO...

Eye of the North and Rhenn's very near death to Bangar shooting him with Braham's bow was indeed a huge shift in Kippa and Rhenn's dynamic. Before that point, she'd held back her magic significantly, and he'd always strived to protect her.

After all, when he died to Balthazar, she didn't have access to her full well of magic, and Aurene was still Baby. So any time she DID use her magic, it was outbursts or in limited amounts. Which is why she was struggling to heal him in EotN when they arrived.

As a result, she started reaching PAST what she allowed herself, deeper and deeper, until a dam broke. Everything she'd been holding back the ENTIRE 29 years of her life. And something SNAPPED. This little asura, completely unknowing of the kind of magic that was churning inside her, was just flooded with the dragon magic she had no idea she had, and all of a sudden, it was too much. Which is why Aurene intervened- it was too much for Kippa to control without the knowledge to do so. Linking her magic to Aurene's mostly by accident, but in a welcome respite, that let Kippa come down safely but not without consequence.

It happens in a split second. A blinding flash of light, and Kippa's just… floating. There's delicate shards of ice and crystal suspended in the air, Rhenn is healed, he's breathing… but everyone else is healed too. There's a distinct feeling of dehydration, like they'd just walked through the Crystal Desert for a day without a water flask. And there's a LOT of consequences to the immense, powerful, immediate healing she unleashed.

Depending on the severity of the injury, there's phantom pains. Aches. An almost hollow feeling. People brought back from the brink of death have haunting nightmares, INCLUDING Rhenn, that last a few days.

(And yes Kippa feels SO much guilt over this. She wasn't trying to drop a healnuke she was just trying to save Rhenn's life, and apparently grief and panic can do a lot of heavy lifting)

I don't think anyone's really mad at her but reactions vary. Some charr are outright distrustful. Some asura want to study her. The Crystal Bloom starts treating her as almost a saintlike figure.

And she does finally start learning to control and utilize the well of magic she has. By EoD she's much more in control, and a lot more confident.

Aurene does a lot to help her learn that having this gift isn't her fault. She didn't ask for it, and she didn't take it. Someone else gave it to her, and maybe it wasn't theirs to give, but it is Kippa's to use.

But where Rhenn had always tried to keep her safe before, Kippa has the power to protect herself now. She has access to her fire and earth attunements in ways she never had before. He's still commander, and still gets a lot of respect. But Kippa's something new. She has power that neither of them can fully comprehend, and the ability to fully defend herself if push comes to shove. Things she wasn't able to do before (hence why she didn't try to escape when she was captured along with Taimi in S4).

It doesn't change their feelings for each other, but it does change how Rhenn sees her to a degree. He's no longer her protector- they're equals in a way he hadn't expected. If anything, it makes him admire her even more, and levels the playing field as their relationship deepens and progresses.

[littlesparklight]

Prophecies in Greek myth is interesting, I think.

Like, real-world-wise, the oracles around the Greco-Roman world were known for their ambiguous/riddling utterings and such. Understandably so, since something more carefully and ambiguously phrased can be taken in several ways.

Myth-wise, though, mostly there are no riddles, no ambiguity.

Not even in a "we as audience know, but the characters don't"; the prophecies of the myths are usually quite straightforward.

Katreus, Akrisios and Laios are all variously told, in plain language, that "one of your children will kill you" (Katreus), "your grandson will kill you" (Akrisios), and "your son will kill you" (Laios). There is no mystery here, and this is exactly what eventually happens. Even if accidentally and unknowing from each prophecied killer in turn.

Even Oidipous is not told a riddle!

He's told "you will kill your father and sleep with/marry your mother".

The problem isn't that this is a riddle. The problem is that he doesn't know to ask more, and the oracle of Delphi probably doesn't know either, that Oidipous' assumption of who his parents are is wrong. Getting told this he immediately plans and executes a way to attempt to avoid this. And even if he'd known to ask - he kills Laios, on the way back from Delphi, removed from the cities either of them live in. And hell, Thyestes, going to ask how he might have revenge on Atreus, gets told to assault his own daughter, because the son she will give birth to will eventually give him his revenge. And he does do this, and Aigisthos eventually does exactly as promised/prophecied. Thyestes misunderstands nothing, and the prophecy given is plain and correctly understood.

In some cases, the "prophet" isn't getting any divinely-given information; he or she is merely talking or listening to nearby animals, whose speech they have been given to understand. This happens a lot for/with Melampos, for example.

One of the closest instances to actual riddling ambiguity is the death of Minos' son Glaukos, and even here the riddle varies: In Fabula 136 it's phrased like this: "A prodigy has been born for you. Whoever explains it will restore the child to you." and Minos needs to have it interpreted to even find what this prodigy is in the first place. But in the Bibliotheke it's phrased like this: "The Curetes told him that in his herds he had a cow of three different colors, and that the man who could best describe that cow's color would also restore his son to him alive." Which skips the ambiguity of what even the "prodigy" is, putting it plain what it is that needs to be described. The "riddle" is more in how the "correct" oracle describes the cow.

And then we have Helenos and his being told, in some form, of actual divine conversations. What exactly he's told of Athena and Apollo's conversation in Book 7 given what he relays to Hektor is not clear, but the conversation is the jumping-off point of his "oracular" pronouncement to his brother.

Dream and bird omens are by their form less literal and need to be interpreted, of course, but in terms of direct oracular statements from someone with mantic powers in reply to a question asked, there's very seldom any riddles happening. Apollo is usually giving you what you asked for very straightly!

(Which leads to the potential to make Kassandra's curse as one where she can only speak in confusing, ambiguous and riddling prophecies, even if she knows exactly what it is she's saying...)

[the-snake-and-the-statue]

So. Uh. Haven't checked in on this in a LONG time. Can I get a really basic summary of the lore? And I mean basic, for your sake lol. (unless you want to explain things more lol, I'll listen to huge rants too)

OH MY GOD YES FINALLY

OKOKOK

THIS WILL NOT BE SHORT AT ALL

Ok. Let's start with everyone's past and current roles/jobs. Not SUPER important to the story, but important enough. Btw a lot of these titles say 'lead' or 'head' but a good deal of these people are the only ones in their roles so yeah, these'll be like. Their titles

Slynn: King

Icia: Head Guardess

Samuel: Royal Dragonmaster

Dunite: (formerly) Head Baker/ Royal Astronomer (you could also say she was the kingdom mage)

Odette/Odysseus: Grand Maestro

Aklatan: Royal Librarian

Mocha & Latte: Head Chefs

Vaga & Nova: Danseur Nobles

Achilles: Kingdom Hero

EVERYONE ELSE BEYOND THIS POINT ARRIVED AFTER HEXE

Mirobelle: Head Maid

Alexander: Royal Tailor

Ramona: Kingdom Mechanic

Switch: Spymaster

Yume: Minstrel

Ok, Got those out of the way.

Now to the actual lore.

Currently there are 2 "eras" to the Kingdom, or the two "reigns". There's Ramiro's reign, and Hexe's reign.

Ramiro's reign was the 'golden age' of the kingdom. He was a kings advisor, and despite often being confused (and kinda going crazy) he was very loving and caring towards everyone in the kingdom. He taught everyone how to play their parts to make the entire kingdom prosper and watched over as everyone literally ran a kingdom together. Sure Slynn was the king, but really the kingdom wouldn't survive without anyone. Slynn surveyed over everyone, Icia led a whole army to fight off typical kingdom enemies (a challenge Ramiro deemed necessary) and much more.

That was unfortunately the shortest reign.

There isn't a said explanation as to where Ramiro went, but one day everyone woke up to a witch being in his place. Hexe was and is everything that Ramiro is not; sadistic, cruel, manipulative, selfish, and never questioned ANYTHING. She basically wanted everything to run for her, rather than the sake of the kingdom.

Obviously, pretty much everyone was against this. Except Slyn. It's not stated why or how, but he fell for Hexe HARD and let himself become a puppet that she could use to her own means. Especially because now, every single NPC was entirely under their control. Which was a lot.

While most people rebelled, some unwillingly sided with Slynn and Hexe in order to avoid conflict. The leaders of the rebellion were Icia and Achilles, who teamed up to try and kill Hexe. After a long, heavy battle however Hexe won due to abusing her own powers as, essentially, a god.

At this point, Hexe decided to curse every resident in the kingdom. Their curses varied based on how much they rebelled, so while Slyn only lost some control of his snakes, Achilles was given severe ridicule and shame while Icia was given endless anxiety and had her ice control reduced to only her emotions.

The next years of Hexe's control had a heavy, heavy impact on everyone. They were constantly walking on eggshells, having each and every thing they did or word they said heard by Hexe. She would punish those who defied her rules or who she felt needed it, and went so far as to use mind control so they would listen to her and she could force them to do things they'd never otherwise do. She enjoyed having control over everyone, going so far as to forbid and force relationships that she disapproved of or desited to see. Slynn obeyed every word of hers and the two actually (somehow) got married which officially gave Hexe the title of "Queen". It was also during this period that an extremely significant event happened between Icia and Achilles which prompted Icia to want to escape, and made Hexe give Achilles another curse: Immortality.

Icia leaving the kingdom was the most defiance someone had ever shown Hexe, so her mere mention was forbidden throughout the kingdom.

After Icia left, Hexe got bored of mind control, but would still use the curses she inflicted on everyone to make life much harder than it had to be. Slynn assisted her with this in every way he could, blinded by infatuation though she only saw him as a tool and plaything.

That's the basis of the lore for before I started the kingdom blog.

The biggest events happening after were Dunite's execution (a long planned event after Dunite repeatedly snuck Icia into the kingdom (and eventually Aoki) through spells and magic) and Ramona's execution (a spur of the moment death).

Ramonas execution has been the most significant throughout all of this, because she was the very first one to not give a fuck in any way, shape, or form. No matter how much Hexe tried to torture her, Ramona wouldn't break and would rather taunt her instead. The final straw came when, after learning about Icia (against Hexe's will), Ramona vandalized the throne room and decorated with Icias past belongings. That act, along with further taunts (that were actually a good point) were Hexe's breaking point and she killed Ramona.

Okay... I think that's the basic summary of lore. At least, the important stuff.

[snowlilly]

Sorry for the random ask but have you talked about your oni oc lore anywhere? I’ve seen them a bit on your art blog and they seem very fun!!

Oh boy

Physical Traits

Oni grow a lot larger than humans. While the height of an adult human ranges between 150-210 cm (4'11"-6'10"), Oni are usually 230-290 cm (7'7"-9'6") tall. Their lifespan is about twice as long as humans, so they can get up to 200 years old. They also take twice as long to age though, so Oni don't reach adulthood until they're about 35 years old. Each Oni has two horns that are a bit darker shade than their skin color. Their shapes can vary a lot, but remain more or less consistent in the same family. The size, however, depends on the climate they live in: they're rather small in cold regions, while they get quite large in hotter areas. The horns grow their whole life, and moving to a place with different temperatures can change their growth speed as well. Aside from their horns, their hair is also a unique trait, as Oni are the only humanoids that have naturally white hair. Most Oni live in one of two large regions: the icefields in the north, or the desertlands in the south. Icefield Oni are generally sturdier and have thicker body hair, while desertland Oni are taller and slenderer. Their bodies can adapt well to extreme temperatures, but being exposed to rapid changes takes quite  the toll on them, so they rarely travel far away.

Culture and traditions

Like all humanoids, Oni are able to have magic powers, but with far fewer numbers than humans. Because of the low amount of mages, there are next to no resources for cultivating their abilities, and magic isn't as controversial a topic as among humans. Oni are particularly proud of their horns. They value them as much as their own life; damaging them is a disgrace. However, they may sever one of their horns to give it to someone else, as symbol of wanting to share their life with that person. This is most commonly done for marriage proposals, but it can also be a platonic gesture. Cutting off one's horn is a decision not to be rashly made, and many Oni wait well into their hundreds until offering it to someone. After accepting it, the recipient should keep it close to them at all times, so the horns are often crafted into accessories and passed down as heirlooms. It is said that the missing horn does not grow back if it has been given to the "right one". (This is merely a superstition. The horns always grow back; some Oni file the regrowing horn off to keep up appearances.) Apart from their color, Oni horns are not much different from those of horned animals, and thus hold little value to humans. But there seem to be a few human eccentrics who would pay a fair sum for Oni horns, with little regard to how they were aquired...

Individual Characters

Side A: Vallheim

Kaori (48)

One of the Elite fighters of the Volcano Arena, and also a successful musician. With her popularity in both fields, she is probably the most famous Oni living among humans.

"Ao" (37)

Kaori's younger brother who was forced sent by his parents to Vallheim for his sister to look after him. Perpetually moody and overdramatic. And no, he didn't give his left horn to someone else.

Side B: [city name still pending sorry]

Shiki (55)

A young man who left the icefields shortly after becoming an adult, much to his family's dismay. Although he is gentle and well-mannered, he sometimes acts without thinking, which has caused him all sorts of trouble in the past. His left horn is currently regrowing after he gave it to his wife.

"Surya" (8)

Shiki's child. Surya's mother is a human, so their skin and horn color don't match, and so far, they've been aging and growing like a normal human. Bright and energetic, Surya is friendly to everyone around. The other kids at school seem to think they're weird though, and not just because of their horns...

Mari (59)

Mari is a construction worker. Her horns have been going through quite the growth spurt since she moved to a warmer region, and she nonchalantly "gives them a trim" once in a while so they don't get in the way while working. Has been lectured by her friends quite few times for this. One of Shiki's friends.

Camille (67)

Camille is one of the few mages among Oni, and moved to a human city to study magic. One of Shiki's friends.

Lagura (46)

Lagura usually doesn't say a lot. He evidently left the desertlands at a pretty early age, but never really said why. One of Shiki's friends.

Shigure (94)

A blacksmith from the north. He strongly believes that doing things old school is the superior way. Some of his views seem a bit too "old school", though... One of Shiki's friends.

[clonehub]

i was for a while thinking "how would clones with varying levels of brain damage get the PT and CT they need so that they don't regress and have an awful quality of life in a truly awful situation?"

i don't want to a Swiss Family Robinson thing where they basically fit and mold their circumstances to be as close to normal life as possible. like these guys are not going to be in trees or building anything that's uniquely complex. that takes time and energy and tools that they don't have. i dont like idealistic protrayals of survival.

but i also want them to actually be taken care of to the best of everyone's ability. they're disabled and they deserve care and attention.

the venator-class star destroyer is still accessible. it's split open down the middle, but they were able to construct bridges across. there's no plumbing, but there are some lights. some parts of the ship aren't completely level, so none of the physically disabled clones can access them. They still use a lot of the ship for sleeping and storage though. gradually, the company spends more and more time outside.

they've got tents outside. anything having to do with cooking is outside. there's some holes in ceilings and such and they make do with natural light because they're quickly running out of fuel (the first winter was colder than they expected and the ship has no heat of any kind).

but the brain damaged clones. the most i can think of is medic Milo knowing enough about PT and CT as part of his training to get some form of a rough help/guide/plan in place. lots of the high-needs clones need to be on a strict schedule for one reason or another. the clones themselves are organized and driven enough that able-bodied clones can and will follow this schedule and work to meet the needs of their brothers (both from a love for their brothers and orders from the captain, Sprint).

so nobody's really ever like, alone? if that makes sense? there's clones who need help feeding themselves and getting to the toilet and who have severe memory problems. there are clones who can't walk or don't have the physical coordination they used to. clones who can't communicate well. they need someone with them almost 24/7 because the environment isn't safe. they're trying to clear hazards and fall risks from the site and monitor who goes where at all times. they have a buddy system, but there's a point where the system fails and that becomes a whole thing.

they might have to constantly learn on the job, tbh. Milo knows about PT and CT but he's definitely not an expert and not specifically trained in those things. he learns p quickly that preventing decline requires constant interaction and a lot of repetition (per the video i just posted). he also learns about the contours of mental health because he has paraplegic clones who can't move and have to stay put, meaning they need their brothers to come to them and give them the social interactions they need so they don't get depressed.

they've been marooned for close to a year and they're approaching the next winter, so they're not completely new to all of this. idk what's needed to make solar power but i wouldn't be against them figuring it out. they can get maybe a handful of lifts to work, but there's a risk to that of course. whatever scrap metal they can pull from the ship, they're using to build more permanent structures outside (cooking area with a roof and ventilation, outhouses if not toilets with functioning plumbing).

the gunships are used for going back and forth to the sea (for water, which they can use for daily things and also salt, which they get from the sea water) and to the mountains to hunt or get more wood (they soon cleared most of the trees from their immediate area.)

[hmtaxidermy]

Apologies if you've answered this question a lot, but do you have any tips for cleaning bones? I've seen things like roadkill that's decomposed a fair amount and wanted to try and take something, but I don't know the first thing about how to be careful with something like that.

Hello!

First things first, Google your local roadkill laws. Not everything can be legally collected/kept and regulations vary wildly between counties, states, and countries.

Wear gloves for the love of god. And maybe bring some tick spray. Now that the host is dead, ticks and fleas are going to jump ship to try to find a new host. Don’t let it be you.

As for the actual cleaning, this is going to get murky:

Small mammals (rodents, etc), all birds, all reptiles: You’re going to have to send it off to someone with a dermestid beetle colony. These skulls are too delicate for any other cleaning technique. Trust me.

Medium mammals (foxes, bobcats, coyote, etc): You have two options. You can either “cook” (for a lack of a better term) them or macerate them. I would recommend maceration for these kinds of skulls if you’re just starting out. These guys can handle being cooked, but become fragile while wet. Unfortunately I don’t macerate my skulls, so I can’t give any advice there.

Large mammals: Cook ‘em. You can macerate them, but imo it’s not worth (with exception, see below). What I do is:

First, assess what you’re working with. How decomposed is the skull? Is it fresh or is it well under way? If it’s relatively fresh proceed on soldier 🫡 If it’s well into decomp and not a small/medium mammal, you can still cook the skull, but you must be very careful. The bacteria that breaks down the soft tissue during decomp seeps into the bones and makes them brittle. Cooking them will worsen this. If it’s a real nasty head, macerate it, regardless of size.

Remove skin and ears, if any. Also remove cervical vertebrae. Cut away at where the vertebrae meets the skull until you can sever the brain stem. It’ll pop right off once you cut that. There’s no easy way to describe how to remove the vertebrae, but it’ll be something you get good at if you do it enough. All mammals’ cervical vertebrae can be removed the same way. You can leave any remaining meat on there if you’d like. I also don’t remove the eyes, but feel free to.

In a pot you never plan to cook in again, fill with water and Dawn dish soap. (Or any sort of grease-fighting soap. I personally use Dawn Platinum). I don’t have a specific amount of soap I use. If it’s a greasy animal, like a boar or raccoon, I use a lot more vs. what I would use on a deer. You can’t hurt it by putting too much.

Add heat and let the skull SIMMER for 5 hours. Do NOT boil. This will weaken the skull. Our goal is to cook the meat until tender. I usually have a timer going and check every hour or so. I recommend you buy a propane burner and do all of this outside if you can. It…smells.

Pull the skull out. It will be VERY hot. Please use some sort of tongs. Don’t stick your hand into the hot water I beg you.

Ok, this step you may not be able to do unless you’re going to really invest in cleaning skulls. With a power washer, blast off the meat. After 5 hours, it should come off easy. If it doesn’t, that means your water didn’t get hot enough for long enough. Place the skull back in the water and let SIMMER for another hour. Try again after. If you’re worried about the integrity of your skull but the meat isn’t coming off, switch to maceration. If you don’t have a power washer/don’t want to get one, the meat should be easy enough to pull and scrape off via your hands and dental picks. (Got my kit off Amazon for $5.)

If it’s an ungulate (hooved animal) you need to remove the ear bones. Flip the skull over and look for this:

The arrow is pointing to a little tunnel that leads into the ear drum. With a screw driver, pop that entire ear bone out. This only works on ungulates. If you do this on anything else, it’ll break the skull in half.

8. If you have a power washer, blast the shit out of the brain. I aim down the hole where the cervical vert. was attached to, then in the two holes where the ear drums were. Really angle all around to make sure you’ve gotten everything. If you’re cleaning this by hand, use forceps and dental tools. Wash out the brain cavity regularly with water to help flush grey matter.

9. Flip over the skull and poke some holes where the red dots are (see pic above). Wiggle around your screw driver to help break up the sinuses.

10. With long forceps, grab at all the stuff inside the nose. All of it must go! There is tissue hiding in and behind all of it. (You can keep the small bone in the middle that holds the septum, but make sure you actually get rid of any septum cartilage. This technique won’t get you a museum quality specimen, but it will guarantee you get out all the meat, which is better imo. With ungulates, they have a sneaky channel that sits to the side of the nasal cavity, separated by a very thin sheet of bone. Bust that to get at bonus meat. Be wary of veins. They are SNEAKY and hard to get out and will absolutely rot if left in. Don’t be afraid to poke holes to get at them, especially if you can reach them from within the nasal cavity. Remember, clean skull over pristine skull.

11. Get at the sinuses. They’re going to be at the far back of the nasal cavity, right in front of the brain cavity. Power washer or screw driver will do the trick. I usually bust through the wall between the sinuses and brain cavity to ensure I’ve gotten all the sinus meat. This is optional.

12. If you are keeping a jaw, you need to get the vein that runs the length of the mandible out. This is hard to do even with a power washer. Do not be afraid to drill a small hole into the inner side of the mandible to help remove said vein. You can hold the wet jaw up to the light and see if you’ve gotten it all. The bone will be translucent enough to reveal the empty cavity if you have.

13. Once you’re confident you’ve gotten everything, make a fresh pot of soap water. Do not use the old water. SIMMER the skull for another hour. (1 hr 30 min for really nasty skulls). This is your degreasing bath to help remove any excess grease that may’ve leaked into the bone.

14. After this, you can either bleach your skull or not. To do so, (while wearing gloves, and clothes you don’t care about) mix up roughly equal parts of Salon 40 and Clairol BW2+. Lather skull with the mixture. Do NOT get this stuff on antlers or horns. It will bleach them. Place skull in a Walmart bag and leave in front of a heat source for roughly 48 hrs.

15. Rinse skull clean. Some parts may have discolored but can be painted. If you find that the skull is greasy, search the affected area inside and out for missed meat and repeat step 13 and 14.

(Also, if you are cleaning leg bones, drill a small hole into the top and bottom and remove the marrow)

I believe that’s it? Feel free to reach back out if I missed anything or if you have any further questions!

[sysinfodump]

we have. weird insys things that no one else seems to have.

[content warning; talk of necrosis and wounds and infections]

We have insys infections and insys.. like. status effects? It's weird but we have a couple of alters who are all radioactive, with how radioactive they are varying. We have alters who are infected with a sculk infection, in which they end up covered in sculk (all glowy and oozy) and end up rotting slowly with time. It seemingly affects their personalities too, them not quite acting like themselves at times. Like the sculk infection you often see in minecraft servers or fan works, they are seemingly taken over by the urge to spread the infection. At times, that is their only goal, taking over all other parts of themselves and only acting on this one objective. It's FASCINATING to study and look at!! We have many theories on why this is and the specifics of this infection, but that can be put into another post :). Then we have an almost glitch infection, which mostly just affects alters physically, making their body glitch out visually and ache a little. Some of them are actually different from each other!! We have some with constant visual glitches, that only mess up their vocals occasionally, and then we have more Vanellope von Schweetz style glitches, with them only glitching occasionally and their speech only being affected when these glitches happen. They unfortunately don't get any cool powers like Vanellope, though. It has a worse affect on technology based alters, messing them up a lot more than any human or humanoid alter. One of our computer based alters went through this for little under a week, with them not working as fast and being generally lethargic and in pain, we had to have someone give them a reboot to help. We actually know the cause of this infection, which is an alter of a minecraft oc we made a WHILE back- in his source he was just someone who got experimented on and ended up literally made of a glitchy substance! Everything in his proximity very slowly turned into this glitchy substance, with him having to move several serval times, accidentally dooming several groups of people, cities, and civilizations with this. I believe this is at least one cause of the infection :). It really is FASCINATING to study!!! We recently discovered another infection we didn't know about- its not quite new but its not as old as the others, though I could be wrong. We just call it the "Rot Infection", an almost zombie like infection that infects mostly humans + humanoid alters. It DOESNT turn people into zombies, lets be clear, its basically just an infection that causes necrosis of the skin, or organic material. We do have some zombies, and we have a surprising amount of zombies that are affected by this! You can tell that these alters are affected because their bodies are (usually) not very far into the rotting process (they also never change, they do not rot more nor do they regress) and the infection causes their already rotted bodies to rot more, with their bodies decaying noticeably more and these wounds turning much darker. The infection does not do much other than affect them visually, they are often fatigued and experience brain fog often, along with getting colder temperature wise, but that is all. This does affect some robots as well, with one of our animatronic alters being affected by the infection. However, since they are an animatronic they do not experience any other symptom other than necrosis, and even then, its not necrosis since they do not have skin. Their synthetic fur has rotted away, turning gross and odorous, but it is my belief that we could simply cut away the fur that is rotted and they would be fine. It hasn't spread as fast as the humanoids that have it because they aren't human, but it still can affect them.

But yeah :33. OH and we ALSO have in sys religions too!! We only recently discovered this, but one we know about is "The order Of The Cosmic Fungi", which is a religion that worships the Pokémon Shiinotic! We only figured it out because of our local detective, Valentine, apparently has been looking into it! Heres what he wrote about it on our simplyplural;; "Also known as the Order Of Shiinotic, but few call them that. They worship the Pokémon known as Shiinotic. Not as a god, but as an eternal cosmic being. They compare Shiinotic's mycelium-ness to the holiness of an angel and the holiness of the cosmos and the universe as a whole." And like. its ONE Shiinotic, not like. Shiinotic as a whole species. Which. Is odd??? We also have really vague knowledge of other religions, such as one that worships sculk + our local warden alter, and another which just worships a very specific alter?? can't for the LIFE of me remember who.

UHHH YEAH THATS ALL!!! really needed to get this off of my chest hehe :3

-Alex + Cecil of the @wtnvsys

The infections sound pretty interesting I must say, I bet seeing this phenomena in your system and studying them it's fascinating and can give you a lot of time to see about it

We actually have something similar in terms of infection, but it's more of a sickness because you can't infect others, it's just something that happens

Anyways, it does sounds pretty interesting to know about those kind of things happening internally

In the religions case depending on how it's managed it can be some kind of fictionreligion or neoreligion! It sounds interesting and you're not alone in that, we also have some religions internally that we only practice lol

What a long and fun infodump!

[alpaca-clouds]

Something I am thinking about a lot while I am in the hospital is how our measurements of expertise are bound so strongly to structures of power. This is not inherent to expertise - it is just how our current system handles things.

The fact that someone has a doctorate in a field of medicine does not inharently enable them on a reality level to actually treat someone, who is sick. It enables them to do so legally, yes, but not realistically.

As someone who has struggled with health related issues forever, I can tell so many stories of times, where it was not a doctor who helped me but some other person. There was a nurse once, who saved me from being poisoned by a doctor, because she realized - other than the doctor - that the doctor accidentally had prescribed me the wrong medication. And there was only two years a nurse in the psych hospital who fixed an issue with my knee that so far several different doctors had failed to fix.

Throughout my life I several times correctly diagnosed myself with medical conditions, after different doctors misdiagnosed me.

The same is happening right now as well. @g-vlssz and I correctly identified the issue plaguing me right now TWO FUCKING MONTHS ago, and my current deterioation in health could've been prevented if any of the multiple doctors who saw me during this time just gave me corticoids. But they didn't, because I do not have a medical degree. It took me six weeks to convince a doctor to just look into our suspicion - a test that any other doctor could have ordered as well.

And the only reason that nobody took it serious, despite me arguing on a medical level (like with blood lab results and stuff) why I was suspecting the thing I was suspecting. And the only reason why it was not taken seriously is, that I do not have a piece of paper by a medical institution that gives me the legal power to just prescribe myself the medication.

Self-Diagnosis is always this massively politically charged topic, especially when it comes to a plethora of disabilities. Not only will doctors often get really angry, when you bring the topic up, but a lot of non-doctors, who believe in the existing power structure will as well.

It is something that on some level does make sense intuitively. Like, sure, we do not want people to be able to prescribe themselves like morphines, I guess.

But a lot of talk also always centers around the fact, that a lot of people do simply fear cancer. So, when some varied symptoms show up, they often will jump to the conclusion of "OMG, it has to be cancer". But... like... You are aware that this happens mostly because those people end up often feeling neglected by their primary medical providers after like going to the doctor for their chronic stomach issues and do not get serious - or will not even get to see a doctor in months because the waiting lists are so long. Nobody WANTS to be sick with cancer - but if nobody looks into any causes, what information do have people to go on? It is simply a fact that cancer is one of those sicknesses with a lot of information available on it. So, when someone starts to google: "Chronic stomach ache cause" cancer will be one of the things that will come up.

I mean, the reason why both I and my friend were correctly able to identify my symptoms (not with the exact sickness but the correct type of sickness) was that I managed to get at least seen by doctors and get some blood work done - and that I simply went into it assuming that the various symptoms that showed up unrelated over the last year without a cause ever being found were connected. And one of the symptoms is something that basically only shows up with the type of sickness I have. No, I did not know that to begin with, but I googled it and other than what the anti-self-diagnosis crowd tells you, you can actually get pretty good information that way.

I have yesterday contacted a lawyer. I will talk to that lawyer later today. But I cannot help but think about not only how unfair this entire situation is to me (had the doctors given me corticoids 8 weeks ago, I never would have ended up in hospital), but also towards other people. Because right now there is a lot of healthcare money and man hours put into my case. Things that would be probably be better spend with someone, whose issue could not be fixed by just giving them a two weeks course of corticoids. Like, I am taking up room in this hospital for at least two more weeks, and by the end of it my health insurance will have paid between 30 and 40k for this. Simply because my GP was not available and nobody else would just give me the medication I needed?