#but it also has the option to dual major

[jinglyhigh-heels]

I feel like shit (mentally/emotionally) and don’t wanna do anything but I have finals I need to work on and WILL feel worse if I don’t do em

[gaydryad]

ok question if hypothetically I were to make a html + css template for making custom pokémon teams (cough such as for OCs cough) in the Bulbapedia widget style, would anyone else be interested in using it? if so I will go into this trying to write it as an actual decent template

[togglesbloggle]

Why do you think tumblr will die in only a few years?

Answer with jargon: a strong correlation between recent economic shifts and chaotic choices by major tech companies is most easily explained if the 'traditional' social media platforms of 2005-2020 are mostly a zero-interest rate phenomenon.

Longer answer, with less jargon: Even though Musk's takeover is making all the headlines recently, the last year has in fact seen major shakeups at many social media platforms, so Twitter is actually part of a trend. Almost inevitably, these are cases of social media companies trying to find a way to squeeze more money out of their userbase (Reddit), cut costs dramatically (Twitter), or both. This marks a sudden departure from a much more relaxed attitude towards revenue in the Pictures Of Cats industry, where the focus was historically more on expanding the userbase to a global scale and then counting on world domination to sort of <????> and then the company would become profitable eventually.

We joke, correctly, that Tumblr has never been profitable. But the entire structure of ad-supported content curation between human users is deeply suspect as a business model; IIRC Twitter was never profitable either, and Facebook has been juicing its numbers in very shenanigany ways. Discord was actually making money on net last I checked, at least a bit, so they're not all completely in the hole. But even if you take the accounting figures at face value, none of these companies has anything like the amount of money that their cultural prominence would suggest. Instead, they're heavily fueled by investment dollars, money given by super-rich people and institutions in the expectation that fueling the growth of the company now will pay off with interest later.

So what changed?

I'm not an expert here, but I'll do my best to muddle through. The American Federal Reserve has one mandate that dominates all others (sometimes called the 'dual mandate'), and one primary tool that it uses to enforce that mandate. The goal is to maintain low (but nonzero) rates of inflation and unemployment, which in their models are deeply interlinked phenomena. The tool is 'rate hikes', or more specifically, tweaking the mandatory rate of interest that banks charge one another when making loans.

As a particular consequence of this, hiking the rate also means that bonds start paying out much better. When the rate hike goes through, that affects people who let the government borrow their personal cash- that is, people who buy bonds- as well as institutions like banks that lend to one another. A rate hike means that you, personally, can make a little extra money by letting the government borrow it for a while. The federal government of the US is a rock-solid low-risk choice for this kind of moneymaking scheme, so the federal interest rate sort of defines the 'number to beat'; to attract investors, a company has to give those investors money at a better percentage than whatever the feds are offering. Particularly since a company is a lot more likely to go out of business than the state!

To wrap this back around to the Pictures Of Cats industry: the higher the rate hike, the better your company needs to be doing (or the less risky it needs to be as an option) to attract big investment dollars. Very high rates make it very hard to convince people to invest in business activity rather than the government itself, and very low rates put moonshots and big dreams on the table, investment-wise, in a way that wouldn't otherwise be possible. Social media companies were one of these big dreams.

In the great financial crisis of 2008, the Fed took the dramatic step of reducing their rate to zero, trying to juice the economy back to life. And ever since then, they've kept it there. This has produced an unprecedented amount of funding for very crazy stuff; it's part of what has allowed so many weird new tech companies (Uber, streaming services, etc.) to get so much money, so quickly, and use that to grow to massive size without a clear model of how they're ever going to make money. This state of affairs kept going for quite a while, with no clear stopping point; that zero-interest environment has been one of the shadowy forces in the background that shaped fundamental contours and limits in how our Very Online World has grown and developed. Until COVID.

Or rather, the bounce back from COVID: we suddenly saw a massive spike in inflation and an incredibly strong labor market, as employees quit in record numbers, negotiated higher salaries, and found better work, and at the same time supply chain issues and other economy stuff caused prices to climb dramatically. Recall the Fed's 'dual mandate', to control the employment rate and inflation. This was, basically, kicking them right in the jooblies. They responded in kind, finally finally raising their rates for the first time in 15 years. For some of the people reading this, it'll be the first significant shift in their entire adult lives.

The goal, as I understand it, is to fight inflation by reducing the amount of outside investment into private companies, forcing them to hire fewer people and pay smaller salaries, ultimately drawing money out of the working economy and driving prices back down by lowering demand for everything. You get paid less, so you eat out less, and buy at cheaper restaurants when you do, so restaurants have to compete harder by lowering their prices; seems pretty dodgy to me as a theory, but it's the theory. And the first part will almost certainly work- companies are going to see less investment.

For social media companies that are still paying most of their salaries with investor dollars instead of revenues, this is especially catastrophic. Without outside investment, they're just a massive pile of expenses waiting to happen, huge yearly costs in developer salaries and server fees. This is why, all of a sudden, every social media company is suddenly making bonkers decisions. They're noticing that nobody wants to give them any more money! So they're trying to figure out how to live a lot more cheaply, to actually somehow for reals turn their giant userbases in to some kind of actual revenue stream, or both.

Tumblr is kind of the ur-example of this kind of thing, supporting a very large userbase with no coherent plan whatsoever to start paying its staff with our dollars instead of investors' dollars. When interest rates were low and Scrooge McDuck had nowhere else to hide his pile of gold coins, a crazy kid with a dream was the best alternative available to him. But now, unless something changes, he's going to notice he can just buy bonds instead, and that crazy kid can go take a hike.

That's why I think Tumblr is living on borrowed time, though I don't know how much. Like all cartoons, the economy doesn't really fall off a cliff until somebody looks down and notices they've been standing on thin air this whole time. But they always fall eventually; that's the gag.

[baldursgate3tempobsessed]

Hiii!

I love your writing, especially Mirror, Mirror! Are you still taking request? I‘ve been thinking about Ascended Astarion and female Tav/Reader attending a ball for the politicians and nobles of Baldur’s Gate, getting all dressed up and socializing, dancing and Astarion flirting with her all night long. Astarion obviously wouldn’t waste a chance to be alone with Tav/Reader, takes her on a romantic stroll in the gardens and has his wicked way with her somewhere in a dark corner 👀

I can not make Ascnedant Astarion not dark I am SORRY but I can't help myself. The intro to this is sad bad, but honestly it gets pretty fun later down the line. Gotta set up that Stockholm syndrome. You gots it here.

Tw: Murder, Violence, not much but it is there, graphic smut, 18+ sweet dark fluff. I do consider this Stockholm on your end. Very inspired by the in-game quote of locking you away for a decade. Also, never write shit only in tumblr post editor, I lost half of this right before I was going to post last and it almost killed me

~

Astarion was.... aware that you'd been having a hard time as of late. If anyone could empathize with the complications of being a vampire spawn, it was certainly him. Even though his circumstance were obviously much, much worse than yours ever could be.

He was no Cazador. Astarion was different, he loved you. He knew what was best for you. All that needed to happen now was for you to accept it.

And in your defense, you were trying. It had taken a long time for you to finally come to terms with the full extent of power he had over you as his spawn. He would always know where you were through sensation alone. Always ready and willing to drag you back home if need be. He could compel you to his side at any moment, though he did have a bad habit of going out to find you during your little tantrums. It seemed to work better to put you in your place, especially since he had very little self-control when it came to who you associated with. Many a possible friend had died at his hand, in front of your eyes. A waste, really, one that wouldn't be necessary if you would just listen.

But the demonstrations had been useful. Slowly but surely you were learning that the option of secrets between the two of you had died the second he sunk his fangs into your wrist. He had personally put an official stop to all of your extracurricular activities. The things you used to do in your spare time were silly and dangerous, always going out of your way to help the undeserving. But now he had the control to stop you, to sequester you at the estate where you were safe.

You had nowhere to be besides his side and you were finally starting to understand that. Things were so much easier when you gave in and listened, happier and more fun.

Lately, it had almost felt like another honeymoon phase, with your sudden predilection for extreme loyalty. It helped that he could still see into your mind through the new connection, fully aware that your love remained real and pure, if not a bit melancholic. It was silly really, the guilt you felt towards him for letting him ascend. Never mind the thousands he sacrificed, you were too concerned with how power had chanced him.

It was cute. Stupid, but cute. Because obviously it had changed him for the better. How else would he be where he was now? With his hands already in nearly every major part of Baldur's Gate's governance? He had made wide, sweeping moves to gain control in the past year, banking on your dual hero status to deflect from his more... unsavory attributes. But it was working, and in a few years time this city would belong to him. Then the two of you would be on to the next major conquest. A future that you were just now coming to terms with.

And Astarion wanted to reward you for that acceptance. He had been a bit paranoid of late, paranoid enough to not let you out of the house for a solid fortnight. But for good reason. The last of the Gur had come out of the woodwork recently, looking for revenge for their children and fallen comrades. With a specific interest in you. It had made sense, in a way. You were his greatest weakness after all. So of course he had to take it upon himself to personally hunt the last of them down to tear them limb from limb.

But now they were officially gone, and he was finally feeling comfortable with letting you out into the world again. Just not out of his sight. And tonight was the perfect opportunity. He had a mandatory soirée to attend, populated by neighboring nobles and a few powerful foreigners. One that would be so much more entertaining with you willingly by his side. Or forced, if need be. Depending on if you decided to be in one of your moods, though they were a rarity nowadays.

But no, you turned out to be too excited at the prospect of leaving the house to even attempt being a brat. Astarion watched you with a smile as you appeared at the top of the staircase, dressed to the nines. He whistled as he watched you descend, beyond pleased with how you looked. He met you at the bottom of the landing, easily wrapping an arm around your waist before setting a quick kiss to your temple, "You look beautiful pet. Absolutely stunning."

You truly did. A navy satin gown that matched your skin tone perfectly, fitted with delicate straps and a low bodice. Perhaps the slit in the leg was a little high, revealing too much of your perfect thigh for the rest of the world. But you looked too good for him to complain.

You really were so gorgeous, could he be blamed for wanting to dress you up?

You rolled your eyes, but Astarion didn't miss the tiny smile dancing on your lips, "You're the one who picked it out."

"And you wear it perfectly," Astarion praised, already leading you out the door. He kept you close to his side during the short journey, his eyes darting around your surroundings every few moments. His paranoia had been quelled, but it hadn't completely died out. But he had already made the decision that he was going to be on his best behavior tonight, and that included not indulging in his protective nature. You deserved nothing less.

But that didn't stop Astarion from taking some mental notes on those who stared at you too brazenly when you arrived. Part of him couldn't blame them, not when he could understand your thrall better than any one else. But the other, more fun part of himself was too busy imagining ripping them apart for the audacious, lustful stares.

But he didn't drag the two of you out for strictly fun, a fact that he was quickly reminded of when you were approached by the main host, "Lord Ancunín! I'm so pleased that you could make it."

Astarion vaguely remembered who he was, though he was much more interested in his friends than the man himself. The man turned his attention toward you, brow raised, "And who is this beautiful creature?"

Astarion could feel his brow twitch at the insolence. How dare he not know who you were? The Hero of Baldur's Gate, his consort, the love of his life, how could someone of his breeding be so ignorant? You had to many titles to choose from for introductions, so Astarion decided on the most important, "This is the future Lady Ancunín, my fiancé."

He could feel you tense at his side, staring up at him with wide eyes like what he said was surprising. Which was odd. He had been extremely clear about his intentions since the day he ascended, marriage was the obvious next step for the two of you.

"Well it's lovely to meet you," The noble said with a smile, his attention going straight back to Astarion, "Now if you'll excuse us, I have a few matters to discuss with your future husband."

Astarion was startlingly close to hurting this man. What on earth made him feel as though he had the right to dismiss you? He tightened the arm he had around your waist, sneering at him, "There is nothing that you can say that she won't eventually know. Don't waste our time."

Then he proceeded to do just that, wasting Astarion's time with useless information and worthless attempts at allyships. It seemed to be an unfortunate trend as the night progressed, just reinforcing how utterly useless the gentry could really be. Not to mention their constant passive dismissal of you. He really was going to need to start letting you out more often, though he had to wonder if they were even worthy of your presence. He would have been a bit more forceful regarding his own displeasure at their arrogance if you weren’t so distracting.

It was hard to hold onto his own indignation when you seemed so content. You were leaning into him the whole night, smiling softly through all of his inane conversations. Never failing to be adorably pleased at your introduction. It made Astarion want to fawn over you, alternating between whispering sweet nothings in your ear and sweeping you onto the dance floor. All of your pleased laughs and giggles music to his ears.

He kept you close all evening, never allowing you to wander past his sight. His arm stayed firmly around your waist, never quite shaken off after your first waltz together. But you didn't seem to mind. If anything you were glowing under the attention, happy in a way he hadn't seen for a long time. Too long. Beautiful enough for him to have the overly romantic thought that he never wanted the night to end.

Even after he had done his rounds, engaged with all whom he had planned on, he wasn't quite ready to leave. They had all been dreadfully dull, but at least a few conversations would prove useful in the future at the very least.

He started to steer you towards the back garden doors, whispering in your ear, "Take a walk with me?"

You followed him easily, happy to leave the bustle of the ballroom and step into the coolness of the night. You both started walking, hand and hand in a comfortable silence. It was a pretty enough garden, hedges and ivy lining the walkways, a white slightly weathered gazebo placed in the center.

"You know," You said eventually, as the two of you went up the gazebo steps. You leaned against the railing, looking at him with a coy smile, "I don't recall you ever proposing."

Astarion barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes as he crowded around you. It was an unnecessary question, considering how you would have no choice in the matter. But he was playing nice tonight. Astarion grinned at you, bracing his hands on the railing to cage you in his arms, "If you want a proposal, I'm more than happy to oblige."

"I do," You were playing with the lapel of his jacket, looking up at him through your lashes, "Sooner than later if you don't mind."

"Your wish is my command," Astarion murmured, shameless as he started to kiss along the line of your throat, "I'm proud of you pet. You've been an angel all night."

"You haven't given me much to complain about," You said with a small laugh, your breath hitching when his fangs scraped against your delicate skin, hard enough to make pinpricks of blood bubble to the surface.

"You know..." Astarion started, pulling back to look you in the eye. His voice gentle but serious, "It could always be like this. If you let it."

"I... I know," You admitted, biting on your lower lip as you struggled for the words, "I-I want that. I want you. Even if... it's like this."

Astarion would take offense at the subtle dig if it was anyone else. But with you? He was just happy that you were finally coming around, at long last willing to accept the fate he'd set for you.

"You have it," Astarion promised, tilting your chin up to press a light kiss to your lips, "For as long as I breathe my love, you're mine. And I'm yours-"

You kissed him before he could finish, wrapping your arms around his neck, forceful in a way that he had desperately missed. But you were pulling back too soon, your mouth swollen and your lipstick slightly smeared, smiling at him like the precious thing you were.

How could he resist?

"I think you deserve a reward for tonight my pet," Astarion said, leaning in to softly kiss along your jaw, "For being such a sweetheart."

His hands were wandering, already moving to pluck at the delicate straps of your dress, slowly teasing them to drop down your shoulders.

You made no moves to stop him as your eyes darted around the empty space, "H-Here? But what if someone sees?"

"Then I'll tear their eyes out and feed them back to anyone who stumbles on us," Astarion said simply, smiling at the way it made you laugh softly.

"Violence isn't always the answer you know," You said, your breath hitching as he lightly bit your neck. Your dress still slinking down all the while, "I thought we talked about that?"

"Perhaps," Astarion murmured, "But it seems to usually work in my favor."

He had already managed to slip the straps down enough to ease the way, brazenly tugging the fabric until your breasts spilled from the top. He leaned back in, taking the opportunity to slip his tongue into your mouth as you gasped; mewling when he began touching you, shamelessly pinching your nipples just to hear you whine.

He adored all your little noises, so easy to coax out of your mouth. He could feel his own cock pulsing in the confines of his trousers, the feeling getting worse and worse as you started to whimper.

Astarion let one of his hands travel further down, right through the slit in your gown. He traced the seam of your pussy through delicate lace, smiling into the kiss from how the simple touch had your hips pitching forward. He could feel you getting wet, already seeping through the fabric of your panties, your needy cunt already begging for his touch. And Astarion was more than happy to oblige.

He tore them from your hips, letting the tattered pieces fall unceremoniously to the ground before he started to rub his palm against your clit, more slick gushing out as you moaned.

You were clutching at his shoulders, panting into his mouth as he played with you. Your thighs tightened around his hand, your cunt wet enough to fill the air with messy, indecent sounds.

Whatever trepidation you had before was quickly dissolving, a small chant escaping your lips as you two kissed, Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me.

Astarion was more than happy to oblige.

"Hold onto me darling," Astarion ordered, giving you a split second to tighten your grip around his neck before he was lifting you in the air, settling you on top of the thick railing with your legs spread wide. He made quick work of taking his weeping cock out, rubbing it along the seam of your cunt as you moaned. And then he was pushing inside, the slide soaked and easy.

You felt so tight around him, tight and sopping wet as he started to fuck into you. He bent his head down, popping one of your hard nipples into your mouth as you cried out, your nails clawing into his shoulders. You wrapped your legs around his hips, trying to pull him in even closer, despite the fact that he was pressed deeply inside of you. Hitting all of your sensitive places.

He could tell that you were close, your whining getting more and more high-pitched by the second, your sweet cunt pulsing around his cock. Astarion started to rub at your clit again, at the perfect angle to make you tense up and cry out. And just like that you were squirting against his hand, breathing heavy as your orgasm ravaged through you.

Astarion grinned, popping off your breast to kiss your slack mouth. Naughty thing that you were, making a mess all over your fancy dress. He pulled back to look at you, debauched and panting, your pupils dilated at you stared up at him. You looked gorgeous, fucked out and perfect.

He started to fuck you harder, the erotic image was too much for his mind to handle. You where whining with each thrust, no doubt oversensitive as he roughly slammed into you. But you were a good girl, taking it without a single complaint as you held on for dear life, tears springing to the corners of your eyes. But lucky enough for you, you didn't have to wait long.

Astarion spilled inside of you with a drawn out moan, grinding circles into your cunt as you quivered. You pulled him in for another kiss, messily sliding your lips together as he filled you up. The two of you stayed like that for awhile, lazily kissing as he softened inside of you. It felt good, it felt right, the perfect end to a great night.

Astarion pulled out slowly, cooing at you as you gasped at the feeling. Your legs were still trembling as he set you back on the ground, bad enough for Astarion to wonder if he should just pick you up before you crumpled on the floor.

But first...

Astarion dropped to his knees, ignoring your surprised gasp as he spread your legs back apart.

"Hush darling," Astarion ordered as he pushed your dress back up, "Let me have a look at you."

Astarion was aware that he had gotten a little rough near the end there. It wouldn't be the first time he made you bleed during sex, nor the last. But he would hate to do so accidently. But no, your pussy looked perfectly healthy, if not a little swollen. Flushed and pink, your hole still twitching the slightest bit. The sight of your pussy all slick and red was nearly enough to make his mouth water.

"Spread your legs a little further pet," Astarion murmured, looking just to look. He gently added pressure to your shaking thighs until you complied, "That's it. Good girl."

His cum was already starting to leak out of you, the smallest bit of white making it's first appearance amongst your wet folds. No doubt it would be sliding down your legs soon enough. He could do something about that. But then again... the alternative sounded like too much fun.

Astarion stood back up with a smile, patting your pussy once before letting your dress fall back down, "Try to hold it in darling. We wouldn't want to make another mess, would we?"

You nodded slowly, still looking half out of it. A sweet, hazy look still plastered onto your face. You were already leaning in for another kiss, naturally desperate for more contact. Contact that Astarion was more than happy to give. He pulled you closer, kissing you deeply; your fingers tangling in his hair to pull him even closer. He wrapped his arms around your back, dipping his tongue between your lips as you dreamily sighed.

You pulled away first, to his displeasure, but you didn't go far. You rested your forehead against his, smiling softly with loving eyes, "Hi."

Astarion couldn't help but smile back, taking the time to tuck a wild piece of hair behind your ear, "Hello my treasure. Did you have fun tonight?"

"I think you know the answer to that," You giggled softly, "I'm not even sure I can walk."

That he did. And there would be many more nights like it. Though for now, he'd prefer to get you home. He felt a bit reluctant to parade you back out there for the masses eyes, so obviously debauched by his hands. No, the sight of you happy and flushed was for his eyes only. Your night would be ending here.

You squeaked as he swept you up in his arms, already muttering the magic for a portal under his breath. And just like that the two of you were gone, completely uncaring to give any good byes.

The two of you popped right into the entry hall of the estate, sudden enough to nearly scare a maid half to death. Astarion paid them no mind, too busy with carrying you upstairs to the sanctuary of your quarters.

You cuddled into his chest, looking up at him with a nervous look, "Did... Did I do good tonight?"

"Of course you did," Astarion cooed as he kicked the door to the bedroom open, trying to softly drop you on the bed, "Perfect creature that you are, what else could have possibly happened?"

But you didn't let go when he tried to pull back, clinging hard enough for Astarion to simply follow you. But he didn't mind, no he preferred you like this. Needy, wanting, and his. He twisted the two of your around, settling only when he had you laying on top of him. He would set a bath for the two of you later, but for now he was more than happy to lay here, watching as your tired to stay conscious. You always got so tired after sex, just one more silly thing that he was endeared by.

"I love you," You mumbled, your eyes falling closed, "Thank you for taking me tonight. For trusting me. I... thank you."

"I love you too darling," Astarion murmured back, kissing your forehead, "You get better by the day. I really am proud of you."

It was true. You were learning, adjusting. Give him a decade and you'd be completely immersed in your new life, all thoughts of useless things like "freedom" forgotten.

You were his. Until the end of time, you'd be together.

He'd make sure of that.

[celticcrossanon]

BRF Reading - 25th of August, 2024

This is speculation only

Cards drawn on the 25th of August, 2024

Question: How ill is the King? Will he recover from his cancer?

Interpretation: The cards are all negative. It is not looking like The King will recover from his illness.

Card One: The Knight of Swords in Reverse

As a health card, the Knight of Swords brings disappointing news. Things are not going to plan. Test results are disappointing, there is little to no progress towards good health. There may be a fair amount of mental frustration over the state of the body.

Generally, The Knight of Swords means quick, decisive action. It is someone who is assertive and direct, who can be impatient, who jumps into action and rushes towards his goals. In the reverse, that fast action is stilled. There is energy but no direction. The person make react to things impulsively, or with disorganised ideas or no logic.

This card is telling me that The King is making little to no progress forwards in his journey back to good health. He has bad news from his test results and no matter what he tries he can not seem to make things better. This is very frustrating for him as he wants to get better and he can't, he is stuck in his current state of health. This frustration with a lack of progress may be manifesting as actions that have not been thought through 100%.

This is a card of Gemini, so the King may be suffering from the same thing as his father, who is a Gemini, or something inherited from his father, or there may be some sort of duality in his illness - two points of the body under attack, results that go from good to bad to good again - something like that.

Card Two: The Lovers in Reverse

This is the major arcana card for Gemini, and like the minor arcana card for Gemini above, it is in reverse. There is something to do with Gemini that concerns The King's illness. In medical astrology, Gemini rules the lungs, airway, arms, hands, shoulders, and nervous system. Any of those could be involved. My attention is on the lungs and breathing - that is what is standing out for me - but it could be anything ruled by Gemini. As I said above, Gemini is a dual sign, so there could be some sort of duality around this illness. Gemini is also communication, so we may even get a communication about The King's health soon.

As a health card, The Lovers upright represents excellent physical health. In the reverse, it indicates the reverse - poor health. It can also mean that you are not looking after yourself, that you need to step away from your current lifestyle and give yourself the time and rest you need to heal. You need to work within your limits and not continually push yourself to do more.

Generally, the Lovers is a card about making a choice. It is usually a romantic choice, but it can be a choice between any two or more desirable options. It is a card of being in harmony with yourself and your partner. In the reverse, you are deliberately not making a choice or you are making bad choices. Your decisions are not in harmony with your inner values. It can also indicate inner or outer conflicts in your life. Things are not in balance.

The first thing that hit me about this card was the double Gemini aspect. Two cards, both representing Gemini, both in reverse. If The King was a sun sign Gemini then this would be it - it would be a message that he is not recovering from his illness. However, The King is a sun sign Scorpio, so this message is not about him as a person. It could be about him as the King, who celebrates his birthday in June (Gemini season). In this case the message is that he needs to abdicate. The Kingship is contributing to his ill health and he needs to let it go before it kills him.

The other energy from this card is about choices. The King is making the wrong choices. He is pushing himself to hard, not resting enough, not balancing the demands of his office against his body's need to rest and repair itself. He needs to stop, look at what his body needs, and give that to himself. Otherwise he will end up literally killing himself - which, if he knows he has cancer and the cancer is terminal, may be his choice - to go out in harness rather than to step down.

Card Three: The Five of Pentacles

As a general card, this is exile, hardship, loss, adversity.

As a health card, it is poor health, illness, feeling cold, pain, suffering, lifestyle creating or contributing to the illness, feeling powerless, feeling helpless, neglecting yourself, needing medical care and attention etc.

The energy of this card for me is the same as The Lovers reversed - not taking care of yourself. It confirms that The King is ill, he is not currently getting better, and he is not making the changes he needs to get better. He is pushing himself too hard. He is going through a period of hardship and loss, and instead of being gentle on himself he is pushing himself to do things to the detriment of his health.

This also indicates that The King may feel powerless in the face of the current state of his health, as nothing he is doing is making it better.

The main energy from this card is that The King is currently in a bad state of health and he is not relaxing his expectations of himself so he can heal and get as well as possible. He may even have given up on getting well and just be trying to get as much done as he can before he can't work any longer.

Underlying Energy One: The Eight of Cups

This is one of my death cards. Not "I am going to die tomorrow' but 'I am on the path down towards death', like Psyche in the card is walking down into the underworld (the place of death).

Generally, it is a card of abandonment, walking away, and letting go. As a health card, it indicates exhaustion, fatigue, listlessness, and being emotionally drained, being fed up, and being unhappy with things.

This card tells me that The King is on the downwards path to death. He is tired, physically and emotionally, and he needs to let things go so he can rest. I'm also getting the energy that he has abandoned hope of getting better, i.e. back to full health, and he wants to make the most of the time he has now.

Underlying Energy Two: The High Priestess

This is another of my death cards, as it shows Persephone in her role as Queen of the Underworld, stopping the dead from returning to the sunlit world shown at the back of the card.

Generally, the High Priestess is a card about listening to our intuition, spirituality, to meditate and look within to find the answers we seek.

As a health card, the High Priestess says to listen to our body, trust our intuition in matters of health, and to make sure we are taking care of our physical self and not neglecting ourselves,

The energy from this card is the same as of the Eight of Cups - someone who is on the downwards path to death. It also echoes the messages from the cards above it about listening to your body and taking care of yourself, giving yourself the time to rest that you need.

Conclusion:

The King is on the path downwards towards death. He is not going to recover from his cancer - not fully. He may linger for a year or so yet, but he is not going to return to his previous state of good health.

The King is not looking after himself. He is making bad choices and neglecting himself, i.e. pushing himself too hard to do things. His progress to good health appears to have slowed, if not stopped, and there is nothing he can do to speed it up or making it start up again. He is tired, emotionally and physically, and he is not letting himself rest. He is also very frustrated about the state of his health.

What the King should do is let go. He should step away from ruling and spend his time resting, with his loved ones around him. However, I don't think this is going to happen. I think it is more likely that he will continue to push himself to do his job and that he will die like that. If he does decide to let go and take time off to rest then I will be both relieved and happy for him.

The King can't stop this downwards decline into death. What he can do is stop working, look after himself, rest, and enjoy his time with his family and friends. That may give him a positive boost in his health. Otherwise, the end will come sooner rather than later. It is possible that The King knows he is dying and he has chosen to 'die in harness', in which case all I can do is respect his wishes.

The element of Gemini is very strong in this reading. That could be referring to the King's father in some way, or to the lungs, arms, hands, shoulders and nervous system of the King, or to the King's official birthday and so to his role as King, or to duality in his illness in some way. I'm not 100% sure which of these meanings apply. I just know that Gemini is important.

[sunderingstars]

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ PERCEPTION BY OTHERS ⌝

sampo analysis m.list

— what the stars reveal: interpretative analysis, general with a bit of elation thrown in for funsies

— word count: 3k

— overview: (as of 2.5) a brief look at other characters’ voicelines about mr. sampo koski!

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ NATASHA ⌝

I may have brought this up in another analysis at some point, but Natasha makes a point to emphasize how Sampo doesn’t like owing people things. “Favors” seem to exist in a grey area to him, a purgatory where he can’t quite tell what they’ll turn into in the future. As a businessman, it makes sense he would want to nip this in the bud, completing each task quickly and efficiently. However, the way Natasha describes it seems like it might be more than standard concern — the mention of “any way possible” almost seems like a fear response, a well-hidden panic that Sampo covers up by doing things so quickly you can’t even tell. 

The last line, “The longer you leave a favor, the harder it is to calculate its value,” is very… ominous. Open-ended, like the favors themselves. There’s an implication that Sampo has a reason to be wary of favors, perhaps stemming from something that happened in his own life. Out of every character, Natasha seems to see the core of Sampo the best; why he does things, what he avoids, what he’s possibly afraid of. It isn’t centered around “don’t trust him” or “he’s a con-man,” but around a more grounded view of his likes and dislikes. I feel Natasha’s approach is the most holistic — taking into account a past even she may not know in order to understand why and how Sampo does what he does.

Additionally, her team line, “I’ve got my eye on you,” is much more dual-sided than other characters. Rather than the naïveté of Hook or the smug nature of Sparkle’s teasing, Natasha is stern yet kind, a hallmark of her character. In a single sentence, she shows that she’s ready to make sure Sampo doesn’t cause any trouble while also making it clear she won’t let harm come to him. “I’ve got my eye on you” isn’t just Don’t try anything funny or Watch it, I know what you’re up to, but I’m here to help and We’re in this together and I’ve got you.

There’s certainly something to be said for the careful gaze of a trusted figure — the support of someone who isn’t willing to fully enable or fully disable, but rather use their own judgment to help find what’s best for everyone involved. It may not be a luxury Sampo has had before. The isolated “highness” of Aeonhood is lonely; if you look out for everyone, who looks out for you? The strange purgatory of Emanator status is disorienting; who will ever trust you enough to tell you the truth, who will ever bring you back down to Earth? And the objectification of a doll is surely no place for care or compassion, for who would extend a watchful eye to a mere toy other than to make sure it performs its function? 

Simply put, Natasha’s balance of stern realism and genuine compassion is something I think Sampo needs, despite whatever intricacies his backstory may hold.  Based on her voicelines, I think she may see this too (even though she likely doesn’t know much about his personal life). There must be something within him that sparks at the doctor in her — the trained empathy and care she extends to everyone, the way she’s learned to pick up on things when they’re off. And whatever she sees, it’s something she can’t just do nothing about.

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ SEELE ⌝

Seele, true to her character, is wary of Sampo despite understanding his uses. As a resistance fighter, she’s likely had her fair share of tough situations, having to choose options that may have major drawbacks or caveats for the sake of the cause. However, the years of experience she’s gained from this have allowed her to be incredibly discerning, understanding Sampo’s dual nature as something that can be both helpful and harmful.

She seems to have arrived at a happy medium: deal with him when there is something important only he can do, but nothing beyond that. No friendship beyond work, no extended contact beyond what’s necessary. She doesn’t say why exactly it’s bad to befriend him, but her confidence makes one thing clear — just don’t. 

This matches up with the idea Sampo has of Seele as someone who is tough on him, likely because she denies every attempt at friendship and keeps him at arms’ length. She’s a very serious individual, so there’s no doubt she wouldn’t hesitate to deal with him (and not in the way he wants) if need be.

However, there does seem to be a sort of casualness that comes from these remarks. Despite not trusting him, there’s still a sense of familiarity, of yeah, he’s a con-man who you shouldn’t be friends with, but he’s still one of us. It’s a begrudging allyship, one that doesn’t negate the drawbacks of having him around, but also doesn’t downplay the bond he has with Underworlders. It almost seems like a sibling-like relationship to me, the kind where Seele will be standoffish and smack some sense into him if needed, but if anyone else threatens him it’s game over for whoever did it. “I can bully him but you can’t” vibes.

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ HOOK ⌝

Hook is probably the only character who actually trusts Sampo, even if it is only because she’s incredibly adventurous. Despite being more discerning than the average kid her age due to growing up around Wildfire and the Moles, she lacks the experience to truly understand when Sampo is being suspicious or trying to get something he wants — to her, if he can give her an exciting adventure, there’s no reason to be weary. We can see this clearly when she asks, “Does he like expeditions too?” in response to remarking how she sees him everywhere. Anyone else in the Underworld would be rightly suspicious, questioning why and how he shows up everywhere that’s convenient for him; however, Hook simply chalks this up to shared enthusiasm. She loves expeditions, so why wouldn’t he? Therefore, his convenient timing must be because he likes adventures and not because he has ulterior motives for his actions.

Additionally, she shows unrestrained trust when being added to a team with him. (Side note: She directly calls him “Mr. Blue Hair,” which carries through the emphasis of his character on the color blue and specifically blue hair, linking him to the “blue-haired being” in Curio Hacker!) She asks “Where are we going this time?” without hesitation, without distrust, fully expecting him to lead her on a new and exciting adventure. This is extremely different from what we’ve come to expect — for the first time, we have someone who actually trusts Sampo.

While it may be easy to view this entirely as a poor decision on Hook’s part (and it is certainly influenced by her young age), I think there may be a deeper meaning. Children, despite often being overly trusting, also have a penchant for bluntly seeing to the truth of things; they are often more perceptive than adults give them credit for. In this case, I believe it to be a mix. Hook is clearly being too trusting of Sampo, but there also may be something she sees that we don’t. 

When we take away the exterior, all of the facades and personas and scams, I truly believe that Sampo would never hurt Hook — in fact, I believe he’d protect her to the best of his ability. He indulges in her whims, he helps her solve problems, and he generally tries to keep her away from the “dangerous” side of things. Much like Belobog in general and the Trailblazer on Penacony, Sampo has a penchant for protection. I believe that, despite her naïveté, Hook can sense this too. She may not know enough to know she should be at least somewhat wary of him, but she does know that he’ll keep her safe. And so, there’s no hesitation. In her mind, he’s a trusted adult — and from what we’ve seen so far, he lives up to that title (even if it’s solely in the context of Hook, and even if it’s in a somewhat roundabout way).

For Sampo, I think this kind of trust is sorely needed. Any tier of Elation!Sampo would likely be accustomed to wary glances, tight smiles, scrutinizing eyes always trying to figure out what he’s up to. It’s partially his fault, of course, for being so double-sided, but it’s still bound to wear on him. Especially if the Elation is of a more compulsory nature, the kind of pure, unhesitating trust that comes from Hook is likely a breath of fresh air. For once, he’s met with someone he can just be around. 

He’s also faced with the terrifying realization that he cares. That he’s facing the near-impossible thought of being a good person. That he wouldn’t dream of doing anything to betray Hook, and that sentiment runs contrary to his very nature. 

Overall, very wholesome, 10/10, no notes.

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ LUKA ⌝

Luka, like Seele and Natasha, is also very discerning. To him, he thinks Sampo’s moniker is inherently untrustworthy, and has likely had to deal with his own fair share of aspiring “middlemen” who want to make money. As a result, he’s made up his mind — and it’s not to let Sampo work with him. (Once again, “blue” is used as a defining color for Sampo’s identity, making the “blue-haired being” even more apparent in hindsight.) I do wish we got a little more from Luka’s line, as I’d like to know more of his personal feelings towards Sampo — i.e. if he finds him confusing or intriguing or just plain annoying — but what we do have still serves as a way to highlight Sampo’s reputation among even those who aren’t as familiar with him. Despite only knowing Sampo by his tagline and attempt to become a middleman, Luka surprisingly hits the nail on the head. Not only is he able to stand firm on business, he’s able to clock Sampo’s deception from a mile away. Unfortunately for Mr. Sampo Koski, it seems he’ll have to find another target to make money off of.

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ GEPARD ⌝

Gepard mostly knows Sampo through his work as a Guard. Beyond chasing Sampo (as Sampo mentions in his voicelines), he gets his information from cases and citizens, therefore it’s understandable that his main focus is on what Sampo does rather than who he is. While everyone in the Underworld is focused on his personality and untrustworthy nature (with the exception of Hook and somewhat Natasha), the Overworld is more detached, neutral. To Gepard, Sampo is a criminal who sells relics and commits fraud. 

Obviously there would be a bit of frustration that comes from constantly being evaded by the criminal you’re supposed to be catching, as well as the conveniently-timed pause before Gepard says “cunning” (what else were you thinking of saying, Geppie? 👀), but overall, Gepard doesn’t know Sampo that well. He really can’t since I’m sure there’s not much time to talk beyond “Stop!” and “Hehe :3” when running into (and away from) each other. However, he still has a dedicated voiceline about Sampo, which shows there’s at least enough of a relationship to warrant speaking about him.

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ SERVAL ⌝

With the knowledge that Sampo used to be friends with Serval before Gepard soured things (likely with objective facts), this line is kinda funny to me. Serval, as always, is calm, cool, and collected, but now I see it as less of a “this random guy is totally gonna get screwed over lol” moment and more of a “godspeed my dude, but I don’t think you’re gonna make it” moment. This line reads a bit reminiscent, like “that guy” is her recalling the past times they’ve run into one another. Even though we don’t know the specifics of the “friendship” Sampo mentioned, I wouldn’t put it past Serval to be friendly or hang out with him if she wanted. However, she still comes back to believe in her brother — even if her and Sampo are chill, she feels like Gepard catching him is only inevitable.

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ LYNX ⌝

Like Gepard, Lynx isn’t very acquainted with Sampo, only knowing him as the criminal Gepard is trying to find. However, it’s hilarious to think about Sampo moonlighting as a cryptid in the Snow Plains, perhaps even unwillingly being thought of as the “Belobog Caveman” when he’s just trying to do his (albeit sneaky and suspicious) job. Alternatively, I wouldn’t put it past Elation!Sampo to get bored every so often and start rumors about himself, if only to see the sheer chaos that unfolds surrounding the myth of the Belobog Caveman. He probably gets a kick out of those conspiracy theory message boards that are bound to pop up every time something like this happens. What’s even funnier is that this may be the “true” Elation — not the hedonism the Masked Fools encourage, but rather the small, somewhat innocuous and even confusing circumstances that take place in the remote corners of the universe. The Elation needs variety, baby, and Belobog is just that.

✩ ‧₊˚ ⌞ SPARKLE ⌝

I’ve saved the best for last — Sparkle. In terms of Sampo theories, she’s really carrying the bulk of implication and interpretation. Her first sentence holds up with other characters’ understandings of him (albeit approaching it from a different viewpoint), seeing him as both chaotic/double-sided (entertaining) and reliable. 

However, the main thing I want to talk about is her next line: “The only thing with this guy is… he’s got a line he won’t cross… having limitations always kills the vibe!” This lines up with his conversation with Sparkle in Penacony, how his idea of Elation differs so greatly from hers that it’s something he “can’t stand by.” Sampo, after all, believes in the dignity of humankind, not the unrestrained chaos Sparkle’s worldview has to offer. Normally, I’d leave it there; it seems pretty clear that Sampo would have reservations about the antics of certain Masked Fools, reservations that could even fit with Elation!Sampo theories if we take into account differing consciousness and the stereotyping mortals often put on higher beings. However, I feel there is more to be gleaned.

There are two words I want to point out — “won’t” and “limitations.” Since we don’t have much more information, there’s no sure way to know if Sparkle is presenting an objective understanding of Sampo’s character or if she is simply seeing the outward appearance of something deeper and interpreting it according to her worldview.

First is “won’t.” While there is a good chance Sampo’s own will and wants cause him to set hard boundaries around Masked Fools and “jokes” — likely having to do with the “heavy jokes” he feels “no longer become funny” when taken too far, perhaps even something tragic that occurred in his past — there is also the possibility that what Sparkle perceives as a “won’t” is actually a “can’t.” There could even be a combination of the two.

In terms of “won’t” versus “can’t,” Sparkle as an unrestrained follower of Elation may not be able to truly perceive the “restrictions” higher beings face, instead interpreting them as willing boundaries instead of strict limitations by nature of existence. She doesn’t call Sampo’s lack of action a “boundary” or a “refusal,” but rather a limitation. Limitations are much more restrained than boundaries, and while they can be self-imposed, they can also be imposed by other beings, laws, or states of existence. 

Here is what I posit: the “limitations” Sampo “won’t” cross may, in fact, be the “Primum Mobile.” It may seem like a bit of a stretch, and I do admit that it seems more likely that Sampo’s lines have more to do with his genuine feelings than a compulsory rule, but I can’t ignore the fact that “limitations” are the entire point of the “Primum Mobile.” Aeons, and potentially other higher beings by osmosis, cannot stray from Their Path — to do so would run contrary to Their entire existence. As such, They have certain “restrictions” They are bound to by virtue of existing, ones that may easily look like willing boundaries to others who don’t know of Their origins. It is entirely possible that Sparkle’s idea of Elation in some way reaches too far beyond the scope of Aha’s Path, leading Sampo (either Aeon or otherwise) to literally not be able to follow her in what she does. The Masked Fools are among the most fanatical of the Elation’s followers, so perhaps they’ve simply flown too close to the sun, begun to reach and dip into areas not a part of the Elation while trying to convince themselves they still serve the Laughter (much like the Order and Harmony on Penacony could be easily misinterpreted for each other from the outside looking in). 

It is also possible that whatever mortal form Sampo has taken has its own set of restrictions beyond the Primum Mobile — even if Aha or an Emanator would be able to endorse Sparkle’s view of Elation, whatever “price” Sampo is paying for this form does not allow him to do such things.

Or perhaps it comes from another place entirely — Doll!Sampo would likely be horrified at what Sparkle does, knowing what it’s like to be toyed with and used by the Elation. He would want to stay away from her “jokes that go too far” as often as possible, determined to never make others suffer the same fate as him. There’s even the chance that Sampo, as a splinter or refracted consciousness of Aha, has his own feelings and boundaries different from the main Aeon.

Whatever the case, he does not want to put up with Sparkle, and Sparkle clearly sees this as a let-down.

Lastly is her team line, a not-so-subtle dig at Sampo’s status as a Masked Fool. However, she puts “Fool” in quotation marks. While she may just be adding an additional reference to the title of a Masked Fool, it also feels like a personal observation. That, maybe beyond his status as a Masked Fool, she knows something that places Sampo as a “Fool” in her mind, perhaps a decision or discovery that she feels to be foolish. It’s possible that a Sampo of Aeonic or Emanator status put Themself in a position where Their power was significantly reduced or passed along, finding Themselves “duped” of Their own free will. But that’s just speculation.

Overall, most characters seem to have a similar view of Sampo: dual-sided. Like a snake, he can help and he can hurt, be candid one moment and deceptive the next. Only Hook seems to fully trust him, only Natasha seems to be committed to looking out for him, and only Sparkle has the ability to be a master troll and constantly hold his status over his head. Suffice to say, his own relationships experience a double nature. (Although I do hope he gets some more nice ones soon!)

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ જ⁀➴ thank you for reading to the end!

(& thank you to my irl bestie for helping me procure the original video for this even though i don’t have tiktok anymore!)

☆━━━━━ ⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ ◯ ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ━━━━━━☆

© analysis by sunderingstars. do not copy, repost, translate, modify, or claim my work as your own.

[bisphenol-a]

Tomorrow, Friday November 17, the German Bundestag will vote on a draft law that could decide that naturalization for residents would be dependent on a commitment to Israel’s right to exist.

The bill, which includes a law that would change the criminal code, was submitted by the Christian Democratic Party’s (CDU) parliamentary group.

It would impact individuals seeking residency, asylum, and naturalization, and its intent is to “provide better protection against the further entrenchment and spread of antisemitism that has “immigrated from abroad.”

“Since the day of the attack,” the law states in its introduction, “disgusting rallies and demonstrations have also taken place on German streets, expressing unconcealed joy at the deaths of Jews and revealing an alarming level of antisemitism.”

A majority of protests across Germany have not only been peaceful but have only called for the German government to back a ceasefire to stop the genocide of the Palestinian people.

I attended multiple demonstrations across Germany, and the only visible threat to public safety has been from the police. In fact, I was a witness to one demonstration in Frankfurt where the police banned it from taking place mere minutes before it was about to begin. Hundreds of people were met with water cannons, extreme levels of police presence, and kettling by law enforcement that led to the detainment of over 300 people.

In another I attended in Mannheim, the only act of antisemitism committed was a man on the sidelines of our protest raising his hand in a Nazi salute to antagonize and intimidate pro-Palestinian demonstrators. He was arrested soon after, and local publications reported he was, in fact, not a part of our planned demonstration.

In 2022, over 80 percent of all antisemitic crimes in Germany were committed by the German far right, according to the federal police. However, the new draft bill does not include these statistics. Instead, it attributes violent antisemitism with sympathy with “Hamas terrorism,” which they claim is “cheered and propagated on German streets and schoolyards.”

The bill clearly singles out Arabs and migrants, claiming antisemitism in Germany is now only “imported.”

“A significant portion of those are obviously immigrants from countries in North Africa and the Middle East, where antisemitism and hostility towards Israel have a particular breeding ground,” the draft law states, backed by no concrete evidence for such remarkable claims.

It continues: “as well as their descendants, the instruments of residence, asylum and citizenship law must be used more consistently than before- in addition to general means such as criminal law- in order to combat antisemitism in Germany more effectively.”

In summary, the law not only creates a prerequisite where a citizenship application will only be granted if the individual declares a commitment to Israel’s right to exist and swears that they did not pursue any endeavors directed against Israel, but it can also strip the residency status and the citizenship of dual nationals who have been convicted of an antisemitic crime. This would also include a prison sentence of at least one year.

“Maintaining the legal status quo is not an option,” the draft law says, “as the current legal situation is clearly not suitable for effectively combating the specific antisemitism that is widespread among some foreigners in Germany.”

In Germany, what constitutes an “antisemitic crime” is extremely ambiguous. In 2017, the federal government officially adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism. Advocates, scholars, and legal experts at the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) as well as other organizations for example, have long criticized the IHRA definition, arguing it redefines antisemitism by wrongly conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Jewish racism.

According to a report conducted by ELSC and published earlier this year, the invocation of the definition almost exclusively targets Palestinian rights advocacy, harming Palestinian and Jewish activists in particular.

Now that Germany has specifically labeled the protests as examples of antisemitism that should be criminalized, there is much cause for concern for pro-Palestinian activists. Already, there have been examples such as the stripping of refugee status from a Palestinian activist from Syria and denying residency to Palestinian doctors who have only been a part of a Palestinian cultural group.

...

“Violent excesses at demonstrations- such as the pro-Palestinian demonstrations in October 2023- must be appropriately sanctioned. However, the increasing abuse of the right to demonstrate can often not be adequately punished,” the draft law says. “The regulation of breach of the peace is too narrow.

We have already witnessed banned demonstrations in cities and violent police arrests detaining people only carrying flags and wearing keffiyehs or simply holding anti-war signs. In Berlin, home to one of the largest Palestinian diasporas in Europe, there have been regular police presence and clear examples of racial profiling, and harassment against anyone who might “look” like they are attending a previously banned demonstration. 

[dailyanarchistposts]

You and your friends already compose an informal organizational structure capable of tremendous achievements. Here’s the theory to go with that practice.

You will need ( tools or supplies ):

A circle of friends

Trust

Consensus

Secrecy

A good idea

Plans for different scenarios

Structures to respond to unexpected scenarios

A little courage (may be optional, but should be at hand just in case)

Action!

Subsequent discussion

Step 1

Chances are, even if you have never been involved in direct action before, even if this is the first radical website you have ever encountered, that you are already part of an affinity group—the structure proven most effective for guerrilla activities of all kinds. An affinity group is a circle of friends who, knowing each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and backgrounds, and having already established a common language and healthy internal dynamics, set out to accomplish a goal or series of goals.

An affinity group is not a permanent arrangement, but a structure of convenience, ever mutable, assembled from the pool of interested and trusted people for the duration of a given project. Once assembled, this group may choose to be “closed,” if security dictates: that is, whatever goes on within the group is never spoken of outside it, even after all its activities are long completed. A particular team can act together over and over as an affinity group, but the members can also participate in other affinity groups, break up into smaller affinity groups, and act outside the affinity group structure.

The size of an affinity group can range from two to, say, fifteen individuals, depending on the action in question; but no group should be so numerous that an informal conversation about pressing matters is impossible. You can always split up into two or more groups, if there are enough of you. In actions that require driving, the easiest system is to have one affinity group to each vehicle.

Affinity groups can be practically invincible. They cannot be infiltrated, because all members share history and intimacy with each other, and no one outside the group need be informed of their plans or activities. They are more efficient than the most professional military force: they are free to adapt to any situation; they need not pass their decisions through any complicated process of ratification; all individuals can act and react instantly without waiting for orders, yet with a clear idea of what to expect from one another. The mutual admiration and inspiration on which they are founded make them very difficult to demoralize. In stark contrast to capitalist, fascist, and communist structures, they function without any need for hierarchy or coercion: participation in an affinity group can be fun as well as effective. Most important of all, they are motivated by shared desire and loyalty, rather than profit, duty, or any other compensation or abstraction: small wonder whole squads of riot police have been held at bay by small affinity groups armed with only the tear gas canisters shot at them.

Affinity groups operate on the consensus model: decisions are made collectively, based on the needs and desires of every individual involved. Democratic votes, in which the majority get their way and the minority must hold their tongues, are anathema to affinity groups: if a group is to function smoothly and hold together, every individual involved must be satisfied. In advance of any action, the members of a group establish together what their personal and collective goals are, what their readiness for risk is (as individuals and as a group), and what their expectations of each other are. These matters determined, they formulate a plan.

Since action situations are always unpredictable and plans rarely come off as anticipated, an affinity group usually has a dual approach to preparing for these. On the one hand, plans are made for different scenarios: if A happens, we’ll inform each other by X means and switch to plan B; if X means of communication is impossible, we’ll reconvene at site Z at Q o’clock. On the other hand, structures are put in place that will be useful even if what happens resembles none of the imagined scenarios: internal roles are divided up, communication systems (such as two-way radios, or coded phrases for conveying secret information or instructions aloud) are established, general strategies (for maintaining composure, keeping sight of one another in confusing environments, or blocking police charges, to name some examples) are prepared, emergency escape routes are charted, legal support is readied in case anyone gets arrested. After an action, a shrewd affinity group will meet (again, if necessary, in a secure location) to discuss what went well, what could have gone better, and what comes next.

An affinity group answers to itself alone—this is one of its great strengths. Affinity groups are not burdened by the procedural protocol of other organizations, the difficulties of reaching accord among strangers or larger numbers of people, or the limitations of answering to a body not immediately involved in the action. At the same time, just as the members of an affinity group strive for consensus with each other, each affinity group should strive for a similarly considerate relationship with other individuals and groups—or, at the very least, to complement others’ approaches wherever possible, even if these others do not recognize the value of their contribution. People should be thrilled about the participation or intervention of affinity groups, not resent or fear them; they should come to recognize the value of the affinity group model, and so come to apply it themselves, from seeing it succeed and from benefiting from that success.

An affinity group can work together with other affinity groups, in what is sometimes called a cluster. The cluster formation enables a larger number of individuals to act with the same advantages a single affinity group has. If speed or secrecy is called for, representatives of each group can meet ahead of time, rather than the entirety of all groups; if coordination is of the essence, the groups or representatives can arrange methods for communicating through the heat of the action. Over years of collaborating together, different affinity groups can come to know each other as well as they know themselves, and become accordingly more comfortable and capable together.

When several clusters of affinity groups need to coordinate especially massive actions—for a big demonstration, for example—they can hold a spokescouncil meeting. In this author’s humble experience, the most effective, constructive spokescouncils are those that limit themselves to providing a forum in which different affinity groups and clusters can inform one another (to whatever extent is wise) of their intentions, rather than seeking to direct activity or dictate principles for all. Such an unwieldy format is ill-suited to lengthy discussion, let alone debate; and whatever decisions are made, or limitations imposed, by such a spokescouncil will inevitably fail to represent the wishes of all involved. The independence and spontaneity that decentralization provides are our greatest advantages in combat with an enemy that has all the other advantages, anyway—why sacrifice these?

The affinity group is not only a vehicle for changing the world—like any good anarchist practice, it is also a model for alternative worlds, and a seed from which such worlds can grow. In an anarchist economy, decisions are not made by boards of directors, nor tasks carried out by masses of worker drones: affinity groups decide and act together. Indeed, the affinity group/cluster/spokescouncil model is simply another incarnation of the communes and workers’ councils that formed the backbone of earlier successful (however short-lived) anarchist revolutions.

Not only is the affinity group the best format for getting things done, it’s practically essential. You should always attend any event that might prove exciting in an affinity group—not to mention the ones that won’t be otherwise! Without a structure that encourages ideas to flow into action, without friends with whom to brainstorm and barnstorm and build up momentum, you are paralyzed, cut off from much of your own potential; with them, you are multiplied by ten, or ten thousand! “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world,” as Margaret Mead wrote: “it’s the only thing that ever has.” She was referring, whether she knew the jargon or not, to affinity groups. If every individual in every action against the state and status quo participated as part of a tight-knit, dedicated affinity group, this revolution would be over in a few short years.

You don’t need to find a revolutionary organization to join to get active—you and your friends already comprise one! Together, you can change the world. Stop wondering what’s going to happen, or why nothing’s happening, and start deciding what will happen. Don’t just show up at the next demonstration, protest, punk show, traffic jam, or day at work in passive spectator mode, waiting to be told what to do. Get in the habit of trading crazy ideas about what should happen at these events—and of making those ideas reality!

An affinity group could be a sewing circle, a bicycle maintenance collective, or a traveling clown troupe; it could come together for the purpose of starting a local chapter of Food Not Bombs, discovering how to turn a bicycle into a record player, or forcing a multinational corporation out of business through a carefully orchestrated program of sabotage. Affinity groups have planted and defended community gardens, built and burned down and squatted buildings, organized neighborhood childcare programs and wildcat strikes; individual affinity groups routinely initiate revolutions in the visual arts and popular music. Your favorite band—they were an affinity group. It was an affinity group that invented the airplane. Another, composed of disgruntled Nietzsche enthusiasts, nearly succeeded in assassinating Adolph Hitler during the Second World War. One set up this website.

Step 2

For affinity groups and larger structures similarly based on consensus and cooperation to function, it is essential that everyone involved be able to rely on each other to come through on their commitments. When a plan is agreed upon, each individual in a group and each group in a cluster should choose one or more critical aspects of the preparation and execution of the plan and offer to bottomline them. Bottomlining the supplying of a resource or the completion of a project means guaranteeing that it will be accomplished somehow, no matter what. If you’re operating the legal hotline for your group during a demonstration, you owe it to them to handle it even if you get sick; if your group promises to provide the banners for an action, make sure they’re ready, even if that means staying up all night the night before because the rest of your affinity group never showed up. Over time you’ll learn how to handle crises, and who can be counted on in them—just as others will learn how much they can count on you.

Step 3

Although one of the rules of thumb for affinity groups is that they should not be so large as to need formal structures for discussions, larger meetings—between clusters of affinity groups, for example—may require them. Be warned: using such protocol unnecessarily will bog down discussions and alienate participants, and can even foster needless antagonism and drama. On the other hand, if an assembly shares good faith in a given approach and works out its details together, such structures can make group decision-making quicker, easier, and more responsive to the needs and interests of everyone involved. No system is better than the people who participate in it; make sure in advance that everyone is comfortable with the format you use.

In one common format, the discussion goes around a circle, each person taking a turn to speak. In another, suited better to larger gatherings, the group begins by agreeing on a facilitator, an individual who will help keep the discussion constructive and on topic. Another individual volunteers to “take stack,” keeping track of the order in which people raise their hands to speak; if people feel it is important to make sure different demographics represented in the group get equal time speaking, this person can take a separate stack for each, and alternate between them. Next, individuals propose items for the agenda of the discussion, then come to consensus on an order for these items and, if time is pressing, a time limit for the discussion of each. During the discussion process, individuals can ask to respond directly to questions, so the group doesn’t have to wait until the stack comes around to them to hear their response. Individuals can also make comments on the process of the discussion, urging people to focus when they are getting distracted, or proposing a break so people can stretch their legs or discuss matters in smaller groups. When it’s time to make a decision on an issue, individuals make proposals, propose amendments, and then address concerns until the group reaches consensus or the closest thing to it.

[thedragonagebigbang]

Bang Creator Interview: Tumblr: @fade-and-loathing-in-thedas  |  AO3: Fade_and_loathing_in_thedas

The Collaboration period has begun! In these quiet months before works are due, we want to foster a sense of excitement, camaraderie, and celebration among our participants. To that end, all participants were given the option of a formal interview by our mod, Dema, or an informal “ask-game” survey. We hope you enjoy getting to know our phenomenal creators as much as we have!

5 Signs You're experiencing Deja Vu (Number 3 Will Make You Question Reality!)

Strix and Dema talk reluctant heroes, DA4 (spoilers ahead!) and ALL the worldstates

Dema: To jump right in, on your user intro you mentioned OC creation first in your list of things you love about Dragon Age. What about DA OC creation in particular appeals to you?

Strix: I love the choice of it all. I get the opportunity to craft rich, multi-faceted characters within a deeply immersive world that I love and see everyone else's amazing creations too. I have endless possibilities for creative expression and storytelling and ways to explore personalities, choices and experiences that I don't have personal experience in, and on the flip side I get to explore characteristics that I have in so many different ways. I also love learning about how others approach the same thing and there is always so much diversity in how it is approached.

Dema: Do you create your OCs with writing in mind?

Strix: Not necessarily. I have several that were created with writing in mind, but the majority were created with the idea of exploring the world of dragon age from a particular lens and what that would mean for how they would interact with the world.

Dema: What has been the most interesting character configuration for you, in game? 

Strix: I find it really hard to pick just one. However, I will say I really love any non mage Hawke. They're just a regular guy and because of the tensions between the mages and templars and between their friends, they're always kind of stuck in the middle. I find it's an interesting dynamic because in the end they always have to take a stance, regardless of personal feelings, investment in the mage or templar cause, or the risk to themselves. 

Dema: Do you have a favorite Hawke you've made? (Cruel question, I know haha)

Strix: Hahaha, it really is lol. But I would have to say my canon Hawke. Aeryn Hawke is a dual wielding rogue and purple Hawke. She just wanted to live an uneventful and simple life, but fate had other ideas.

Dema: I LOVE a reluctant hero.

Strix: She's become a bit of a tragic figure as the DA timeline and story has progressed and I'm honestly terrified of Varric dying in da4 because that would honestly be the thing that breaks her. She can't and hasn't saved the world, all she's done is hold back the tide a little bit.

Dema: OOF, yeah! So I assume you're keeping up with the DA4 news to some extent?

Strix: Absolutely! I'm obsessively following all the updates. I have no care for spoilers. 

Dema: What are you most excited about?

Strix: Meeting all the new companions. I have loved all the past companions and I'm so excited to meet all my new friends and LIs. Through a chance to punch Solas is a close second.

Dema: Are you already planning your Rook, or are you waiting?

Strix: I've got plans for at least five already, lol. I have 13 completed world states and uhhhh an addiction to OC creation.

Dema: Hey. You are so valid. Who knows how long we'll have this game before the next one comes out, if we've got a decade surely five play-throughs is reasonable.

Strix: I'm so scared I'm going to create more than 13 Rooks and then I'll have to create wardens, Hawke's and Inquisitors to match them. The backgrounds sound so intriguing.

Dema: To pivot a bit, because I would love to ask a couple writing questions:

Strix: Let's go!

Dema: Pitch is in? How are you feeling about your DABB project?

Strix: My pitch will be in tomorrow, I've been working on it today (blurbs/summaries kill me lol) But I'm super excited about DABB! I can't wait to read all the fics and see all the paired art, it is such a fun concept. I'm also super excited to finally be writing my fic, because it's a fic I've wanted to write for ages now, and the way the DABB has been structured has really helped me kick my ass into gear to tackle the project. I love fandom events and gift exchanges because of the commitment component. You've signed up, you have a deadline and you have to think about how and if you can deliver the project, which means it isn't as self indulgent as regular fic writing is (for me anyway).

Dema: Ooooh so is this your first Big Bang?

Strix: Yes!

Dema: I am excited for you! It is a lot of fun. Finally: it is time for your no-spoilers click-bait title.

Strix: Ooohhhh um.... 5 Signs You're experiencing Deja Vu (Number 3 Will Make You Question Reality!)

Dema: Perfect, thank you! And thank you for taking the time to chat with me!

Strix: Thank you! This was fun!

[waycaseuk]

The **evolution of the iPhone** since its introduction in 2007 has been a defining journey in the world of smartphones, with significant advancements in design, performance, and features. Here's a brief overview of key milestones in iPhone evolution:

### 1. **iPhone (2007)**

- **Notable Features**: 3.5" touchscreen, 2 MP camera, 4GB/8GB storage.

- **Innovation**: The first touchscreen-only smartphone, removing the physical keyboard seen in other phones at the time. It introduced multi-touch technology and mobile internet.

### 2. **iPhone 3G (2008)**

- **Notable Features**: 3G network support, App Store.

- **Innovation**: Faster internet browsing with 3G connectivity and the launch of the App Store, which opened the door to third-party apps.

### 3. **iPhone 3GS (2009)**

- **Notable Features**: Faster processor, video recording, voice control.

- **Innovation**: Significant speed improvements ("S" stands for speed) and better camera capabilities, including video recording.

### 4. **iPhone 4 (2010)**

- **Notable Features**: Retina Display, FaceTime, 5 MP camera, glass design.

- **Innovation**: A major redesign with a stainless steel frame and glass front/back, and the introduction of the Retina Display, which had higher pixel density for crisper visuals.

### 5. **iPhone 4S (2011)**

- **Notable Features**: Siri, 8 MP camera, A5 chip.

- **Innovation**: Siri, the first virtual assistant on an iPhone, was introduced, along with significant camera and processor upgrades.

### 6. **iPhone 5 (2012)**

- **Notable Features**: 4" display, Lightning connector, LTE support.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone grew in size to a 4-inch screen and introduced the Lightning connector, replacing the 30-pin dock.

### 7. **iPhone 5S & 5C (2013)**

- **Notable Features (5S)**: Touch ID, 64-bit architecture.

- **Notable Features (5C)**: Colorful plastic body.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone 5S brought Touch ID for fingerprint authentication and a powerful 64-bit A7 chip. The 5C was a more affordable model with colorful designs.

### 8. **iPhone 6 & 6 Plus (2014)**

- **Notable Features**: 4.7" & 5.5" displays, Apple Pay.

- **Innovation**: Apple entered the "phablet" market with larger displays, along with introducing Apple Pay, the company's mobile payment system.

### 9. **iPhone 6S & 6S Plus (2015)**

- **Notable Features**: 3D Touch, 12 MP camera, 4K video.

- **Innovation**: The introduction of 3D Touch, which allowed the screen to detect varying levels of pressure, creating new ways to interact with the phone.

### 10. **iPhone SE (2016)**

- **Notable Features**: 4" screen, A9 chip (same as iPhone 6S).

- **Innovation**: A smaller, more affordable model, resembling the iPhone 5S but with the internal power of the iPhone 6S.

### 11. **iPhone 7 & 7 Plus (2016)**

- **Notable Features**: Dual cameras (7 Plus), no headphone jack, water resistance.

- **Innovation**: The removal of the headphone jack was controversial, and Apple also introduced dual cameras on the 7 Plus for improved zoom and portrait photography.

### 12. **iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (2017)**

- **Notable Features**: Wireless charging, glass back, True Tone display.

- **Innovation**: While similar to the iPhone 7, the 8 series introduced wireless charging through the glass back and enhanced display technology with True Tone.

### 13. **iPhone X (2017)**

- **Notable Features**: Edge-to-edge OLED display, Face ID, no home button.

- **Innovation**: A radical redesign that removed the home button and Touch ID, replacing it with Face ID, Apple’s facial recognition technology. It also introduced the first OLED display in an iPhone.

### 14. **iPhone XS, XS Max, & XR (2018)**

- **Notable Features**: Larger OLED display (XS Max), Liquid Retina display (XR), A12 chip.

- **Innovation**: The XS Max brought a massive 6.5" screen, while the XR offered a more affordable option with an LCD display but the same powerful internals.

### 15. **iPhone 11, 11 Pro, & 11 Pro Max (2019)**

- **Notable Features**: Ultra-wide camera, night mode, A13 chip.

- **Innovation**: A triple-camera system on the Pro models enhanced photography, including better low-light performance with night mode.

### 16. **iPhone SE (2nd Gen) (2020)**

- **Notable Features**: A13 chip, 4.7" display, Touch ID.

- **Innovation**: Like the original SE, this model combined older iPhone design (resembling the iPhone 8) with powerful internals from newer models, offering a budget-friendly option.

### 17. **iPhone 12 Mini, 12, 12 Pro, & 12 Pro Max (2020)**

- **Notable Features**: 5G support, MagSafe, Ceramic Shield.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone 12 series introduced 5G connectivity and the MagSafe system for attaching accessories. Ceramic Shield provided increased drop protection.

### 18. **iPhone 13 Mini, 13, 13 Pro, & 13 Pro Max (2021)**

- **Notable Features**: Smaller notch, ProMotion 120Hz display (Pro models), Cinematic Mode.

- **Innovation**: Focused on camera improvements, including Cinematic Mode for video recording, and higher refresh rate displays on the Pro models for smoother performance.

### 19. **iPhone SE (3rd Gen) (2022)**

- **Notable Features**: A15 chip, 5G, improved battery life.

- **Innovation**: Continuation of the budget-friendly SE line with more powerful internals.

### 20. **iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, & 14 Pro Max (2022)**

- **Notable Features**: Dynamic Island (Pro models), 48 MP camera (Pro), Always-On Display (Pro), satellite SOS.

- **Innovation**: The Pro models introduced the Dynamic Island, a new interactive notification area, along with the powerful 48 MP main camera and satellite communication for emergencies.

### 21. **iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, & 15 Pro Max (2023)**

- **Notable Features**: USB-C port, A17 Pro chip, Action Button (Pro models).

- **Innovation**: The transition from Lightning to USB-C for universal charging, along with enhanced performance and camera upgrades.

The iPhone's journey reflects major technological strides and design shifts, focusing on improving usability, camera quality, and processing power with each iteration.

[kemetic-dreams]

IGBO MARRIAGE

Marriage is not a matter for the man and woman alone; it concerns the close kin of both. Marriage arrangements are negotiated between the families of the prospective bride and groom. With regard to the paternity of the wife's children, they belong to the lineage of the husband. When a woman has children out of wedlock, however, they belong to her natal lineage, and not to that of the children's father. Igbo have also institutionalized marriage options permitting “female husbands” in woman-to-woman marriages, in special circumstances. Some daughters with a male status (i.e., “male daughters”) do not even have to marry to procreate.

Although females are brought up looking forward to this dual role, it would be misleading to think that the major roles of women in Igbo society are as wife and mother, since Igbo women are prominent in public life as an organized force in both economics and politics. A significant part of a young girl's or a young man's childhood training is geared toward their future roles in the family and as useful and responsible citizens. Women are fully involved in matchmaking and usually participate directly or indirectly in the actual negotiations of marital arrangements for their sons or their daughters, in cooperation with the male members of the families concerned. Women have powerful and active behind-the-scene roles in seeking out the girls they would like their sons to marry. The approval of the mother is vital because the young bride is generally expected to live with her mother-in-law and to serve her for the first few months of marriage, until the new couple can set up an independent household and farmland.

[det2x-fanfic-dump]

I was wondering when you have the time, can we see the Pokemon team of Pomefiore's House Warden to complete the group?

@queenofdahlias4life Here you go~ Thank you and Enjoy ;3

Navigation: Ace | Deuce | Trey | Cater | Riddle | Leona | Ruggie | Jack | Azul | Jade | Floyd | Kalim | Jamil | Vil | Rook | Epel | Idia | Ortho | Malleus | Lilia | Sebek | Silver | Chenya |

VIL'S POKEMON TEAM

Disclaimer: This is only headcanons. Descriptions might be long and in choosing the Pokémon is mostly based on appearance and typings. I am just a casual pokemon player.

💅STARTER POKEMON:💅

If Vil would choose a starter pokemon, it would be a pokemon that will be very charismatic and elegant-looking until evolution.  

1. Popplio (Water) to Primarina (Water/Fairy)

Vil has had Popplio since childhood. Since his father is an actor in showbiz, Popplio was given to him by his dad and they can perform together on stage until Popplio’s final evolution.

Primarina's a great singer and Vil is proud of his best friend pokemon.

Also, because Rook has Decidueye and Epel has Incineroar as starters so yes, he will have Popplio.

2. Mandibuzz (Dark, Flying)

Mandibuzz is a vulture pokemon and in Snow white, throughout the movie, there are vultures following the evil queen so Vil having Mandibuzz can be a nice easter egg. The evil queen has a crow familiar but I didn’t give Vil a crow pokemon because Rook has it and Honchkrow and Corviknight don't exactly match Vil’s aesthetics in my opinion. 

Also, look Mandibuzz looks kinda sassy giving  bombastic side-eye so  nyeahh :3

Beauty yet Evil Pokemon: 

Vil must have a pokemon that is ideal for pokemon contests and have obvious elegance and charm in front of the camera so having these three are my top picks for him. Also pokedex lores for these picks have a major role in choosing

3. Mismagius (Ghost)

I looked at Fantina’s pokemons for reference and I think Mismagius would vibe with Vil too. It can be other Fantina's pokemons too.

Other than being purple, according to its pokedex entries, Mismagius mutters incantations, placing curses that are either good or terrifying. This is kind of similar to Vil’s signature spell of putting curses with conditions he chooses.

4. Froslass (Ice / Ghost) or Glalie (Ice)

Design wise, I think Froslass and its ice moves are beautiful in both battle and performance. 

I can see instead of Vil raising a female Snorunt, he would meet a fully evolved froslass in the wild. Vil can also have a Glalie to balance Vil’s pokemons to not all be feminine type.

In both of Froslass and Glalie’s pokedex entries, their lore is about the regrets and distress of someone lost in the icy mountains. I think that’s both sad yet interesting for Vil to relate about.

POISON-TYPE POKEMONS;

As the housewarden of Pomefiore, Vil will definitely have poison type, pure poison type and at least pokemons that have dual typing to balance his team. After all, he’s a housewarden,  so he has to show face both in battles and contests.

5. PURE POISON

Arbok and Seviper (Poison)

Arbok or Seviper can be one of Vil’s pure poison types. It can be any other pure poison type but I think having snake pokemons matches Vil’s style. Arbok and Seviper are your stereotypical evil pokemons but they're not evil.

Plus, Jesse from Team Rocket has snake pokemons. Although, the team rocket trio belongs to an evil organization, they’re not that evil.

Gulpin (Poison)

Imagine Vil finding a gulpin and Rook encouraging him to train the Gulpin. Gulpin looks like a potato-ish looking pokemon that Vil gives extensive training to and in the end, Gulpin/Swalot might look stupid in appearance, but it will be the strongest in his team.

Feebas/Milotic can be an option but I gave that pokemon to Rook in the previous post. Though, Vil can have feebas and Rook can have magikarp or vise versa.

6. DUAL TYPES WITH POISON:

Roserade (Poison/Grass)

Roserade looks like a hero or a vigilante fighting in beauty and style.  A hero…a role of the play that Vil loves to have. 

Toxicroak (Poison/Fighting)

Vil needs a fighter on the team and Toxicroak is one of them. Also, I’d imagine he’ll be Vil’s aide to disciplining students under him. Just like in the anime, Brock’s croagunk, poison jabbing his trainer whenever Brock flirts with nurse Joy.

I imagine in Book 5, Vil's toxicroak will poison jab Adeuce and those who are skipping practice during rehearsals.

OTHER CHOICES THAT I CAN'T HAVE A REASONABLE EXPLANATION, IT JUST FITS:

Nidoqueen (Poison/Ground) : It has queen in the name. Boom! Also, it’s strong looking.

Salazzle (Poison/Fire) : I don’t know how to explain but Salazzle just fits with Vil. 

CONCLUSION:

Vil will have an all team of poison types  or most of them are poison types. He can even have other poison type pokemons in his storage box. Vil values beauty and perseverance but it doesn’t mean his pokemons can be all feminine looking. He also values strength so a buff pokemon can be part of the team too. 

[cavaecor]

wasn’t that jayesh adani  walking the cobbled roads of coňstanja? it’s nice to see the playwright out and about on such a fine day as this. i’ve heard from the court spies that they are notoriously impractical whilst also managing to be quite perceptive. the thirty one year old is eager to explore bran keep. i heard that they themselves are divine ( solarui ). it’s funny, whenever i think of them, i think of wielding the dual hand of life and death, tales of corruption carefully woven beneath beautified words, wine induced late nights spent in creative fervor, and an undeniable fire carried for what's right.

STATS

FULL NAME : jayesh adani AGE : thirty-one GENDER / PRONOUNS : demi man / he/they ORIENTATION : bisexual OCCUPATION : playwright FAMILY : hayan adani (father), sachin adani (mother), praveen adani (younger sister), henik adani (younger brother), rian adani (younger brother) FACECLAIM : dev patel INSPIRATION : baby (baby driver), wes gibbins (how to get away with murder), christian (moulin rogue!), william shakespeare  TRAITS: positive (charming, romantic, imaginative, gallant, generous, personable, empathetic, vivacous, witty) / negetive (escapist, frivilous, hedonistic, hesistant, provacative, troublesome, vindicitive)

ABOUT

the adani family manages to make just enough to get by— one of thousands of families who never regained their former prosperity prior to the famine. the bulk of jayesh’s youth is spent with his nose in a book or helping tend to his family’s farm. he attends school when he’s able too, but constantly finds himself having to neglect it in order to assist his parents on the farm. his solarui abilities are often all that keeps his family afloat in the bleak region of brailya.

jayesh is a lover of all the arts, but it is the written form that ignites his passion. since a child, all jayesh has ever needed to keep themself occupied are a pen and parchment. he dabbles in various genres, ultimately dedicating his time to writing plays (alongside his new hobby of pursuing lovers). 

if his disdain for the crown laid mostly dormant the majority of his upbringing, too occupied with the quotidian aspects of life to contemplate it further, then it is wholly awakened during his time spent in the divine army. it is there he becomes wholly disillusioned with the crown— unsure of how to move forward, but understanding that standing on the sideline is no longer an option.

jayesh departs once his time is complete, continuing write as he did before, and eventually putting on his first successful production. with time, the popularity of his plays grow. it’s enough for him to make a living while assisting his parents, but it’s an invitation coňstanja that changes everything.

now a renowned artist, jayesh is invited to  coňstanja to put on plays for the royal families and other nobility. they inspire admiration at every turn, a performer at heart, despite being a playwright by trade. but that’s all it is to it, isn’t it? a performance. for jayesh despises every single one of them.

their ability to disguise their disdain for them decreases with each passing moment. the rumors of jayesh’s productions possessing anti-crown thematics are rumors at best for now, but jayesh understands they possess the power to make them fact. 

[noxiatoxia]

I am ignoring my duties so instead I made this chart: I was wondering, who gets the most episodic focus/screen time in Ouran? These were the results...

Note "multi/other" means either there was A. more than 2 characters given complete focus or B. a focus on a non-main character such as Renge, Kanako, Kasanoda, etc.

Cuz of that, it's unsurprising that category is the biggest, nearing almost half.

The second (or first, depending on how you look at it) is Haruhi, which I expected.

Next is interesting. Third is Tamaki, although if you want to count the twins together instead of separately, they would actually be third, beating Tamaki out by a whopping 8%

After that, Kyoya and Hani and Mori are tied. Technically, beyond Haruhi and Tamaki, they're all tied.

This is actually very interesting to me, as I expected Mori to be the lowest, but he's actually on the same tier as most characters! I suppose his focus just wasn't as prevalent...sorry Mori.

I know some people don't like this "dual" focus approach I've gone with, so I made another version, forcing myself to choose the SOLE character of that episode ("multi" not being an option). The only exception is the twins, because in some cases, they are literally impossible to place in importance from one another.

This is where it gets really interesting. Now with "multi/all" taken out and that category is reserved for side characters only, Haruhi is indeed the winner. However, "other" becomes second place.

Mori's score seems more appropriate now. Sorry mori. You were done dirty king.

What shocks me is Kaoru has MORE focus than Tamaki (tbh I thought he had less focus than HIKARU let alone TAMAKI...), however, again, this is by virtue of having to ignore Tamaki's major influence on most episode. Tamaki may have not been the "main" character for many episodes, but he was almost always the "second" main character.

Also, the reason I chose Kaoru for episode 20 and not both twins is due to the fact the episode is told from Kaoru's perspective. (actually thinking on it, Kaoru usually narrates for both twins...) And for episode 15, it seems we are shown the most detail with the twins, even if it is a small margin.

Also, does anybody else find it funny the episode titled "Mori-senpai has an apprentice candidate" focuses more on a side-character than Mori? Man...

Anyway, this was fun, though I may have made a minor error here and there.

[fersrsbizniz]

My definitive totally will now shut up final reflection…

..on DATV.

Before I begin, I bought this game out of spite. I intentionally had not preordered it because of how badly I had been burned on Andromeda (glad they fixed it enough that others liked it but I could never go back to it—sour taste just never went away), how they fumbled Anthem (which I did not purchase but watched that pain from the sidelines), and my concerns as to how they were handling development (I did celebrate when they shifted away from live service).

I bought it because, as a fan of Dragon Age, anyone proclaiming it was bad because of inclusion was an idiot and I wasn’t going to let them tear down the good name of a game that has let me have some variety of LGBTQ+ romance since the inception of the franchise. Also, one of my Rooks can be non-binary now? Sign me up.

And they were wrong. Of course.

The problems lay somewhere else entirely.

I’ve vented, yes, but I will be as fair as I can with my subjective assessment because I can be measured when I have a clear picture of what I’m reviewing.

I’m going to do a partial holistic rubric on this sucker.

And it’s about to get a little long:

Rubric Topics:

Visuals

Gameplay

Level Design

Story Elements

Narrative Cohesion

General NPC and Follower Dialogue

Lore

Voice Acting

Player Character Dialogue Options

Replayability

Criteria Scoring:

1 - Game successfully provides an experience that interacts with the previous games for cohesive purposes / or provides a satisfactory experience within its topic

.5 - Game attempts to provide an experience that somewhat connects to previous games that creates relative cohesion / or attempts to provide an experience related to the topic.

0 - Game does not provide or fails to provide a proper experience within the topic parameters.

Total is out of 10 pts.

——

Visuals

I didn’t care for them in the beginning, and I’m still not sold on how smooth the faces are, but they are consistent. The general landscapes were pretty. However, the egregious darkspawn design, the inappropriate facial motions, and the hideous armors (I transmogrified every armor to the original deal we got at the beginning of the game because I couldn’t take it) were major deal breakers for me. I’m used to Dragon Age having shit armor, but if you are making me look back at plaid-weave or that eye poking out bust portions of armor problem that DA2 had and have me reminiscing how good that looked, we have a problem.

Really, though, stop making everyone smile when it is clear they are supposed to be depressed and frowning.

However, I DO still like it more than most visual choices in DA2.

Score: .5

Gameplay

Definitely leans more on the action heavy side. As a plus, I could actually see my character and didn’t always get lost as to where they were in the whooshes and flashes. As a negative, I did often lose where the enemy was. I did not care for either mage or warrior from what I’ve played but if you had put this ability to switch back and forth between dual wield and archery as a rogue in Inquisition??? I would be so happy.

Vulnerabilities made me think of Persona so I was cool with it.

Score: 1

Level Design

This has nothing to do with the visuals.

The game was generally presented pretty open leveled UNTIL it wasn’t. Then it felt weirdly railroaded, and the different heights felt clunky and awkward.

If I have been through an area it should remain open to me. It’s ridiculous to block players off.

If you want me to take the urgency seriously don’t plant chests for me to wander off from my team to go get.

The puzzles were too easy, and if I had to shoot one more blight pustule/red lyrium crystal/shiny orb to open the thing or undo the barrier I was going to McLose it.

Score: .5

Story Elements

All general beats were understandable, plot points tracked, side quests made general sense as things to happen. Technicalities were narrative cohesion/ lore based/dialogue problems so are in their own categories.

Score: 1

Narrative Cohesion

How side quests were picked up, how they flowed with the entire story (DAO onward), and how elements of the story were filled out left much to be desired. Some character backgrounds were so sparse that I didn’t get connected until the last act, even WITH their side missions. Some writing was so clunky that it became easy pickings for the ridiculous complaints because there was something wrong with the writing, but it was because it was handled so poorly and unnaturally, as if the writer was unused to presenting these ideas in the first place, not because the situation existed.

Choices made some impact, but most responses were the same and the outcomes create the same situations in a more than predictable way. Multiple times in the story we get worse than the Mass Effect 3 ending railroading for end results.

The ending was flubbed with the most basic cards that showed hardly any world change and the “secret ending”. It is reaching to say that this was not something that guided others and these were still their choices in other games. It flat out says guided. That means their decisions were guided. That doesn’t mean gentle suggestion and that all falls on the original enemies. I wish it meant that, because they are more interesting, intelligent, and vicious in their personal well-meaning that way. I will not elaborate too much, but let’s just say it is not an incorrect read to be irritated that while some blame is still on the original villains, guided 100% means that it was not fully their idea (and sorry, Howe fooling Loghain is better than this), and cheapens every one of their moves and motives.

Romances…are disappointing. I watched the ones I didn’t go for and I experienced Davrin’s (his and Emmrich’s were the best but still lacking) and the writing and connection for a “connection” were awkward at best and pathetic on Rook’s part at worst. He’s just not that into you…

There is also the problem of pacing in the acts. Act One was a slog. Act Two only started to up the ante near the end. Act Three is the only act I would be willing to replay for story purposes.

There was an attempt, is all I can say.

Score: .5

General NPC and Follower Dialogue

I was offended the entire time. Offended because they didn’t take my intelligence seriously.

Sure, my Rook ended up being the happy go lucky guy he had to be, and there were some choices I approved of, but this is NPC and Follower Dialogue, not Rook dialogue.

How many times were “it’s hard” “it’s difficult” “I’m sorry” “Nadas Dirthalen” and the worst offender “Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain” repeated? How many times must I late in the game be handheld to my waypoint. At least Sera made up a bunch of names to keep Corypheus interesting in Inquisition. At least “the Taint” gave us a giggle in DAO. This? This just irritates me as a gamer that likes poking around and finding out.

“Shokra tou ebra” makes sense being repeated as it is a saying, I don’t mind it.

And why all of the sudden did we give up on the way we pronounce elvhen? It went from pretty and different to just…sounding like the running joke that they are mispronouncing words in an order.

Score: .5

Lore

I will be the first to admit that Inquisition screwed up here a good number of times too (specifically with Dalish and their treatment of magic) but the handling of the blight is bizarre in this game (I don’t care how “different” it is, it’s the blight, there are in-game rules). The Crows shifted way too hard from what they stood for even in Tevinter Nights, there was little to no pushback on elves, necromancers, Qunari (who were simplified in such a racist way, yikes) that was meaningful, aside from the other racist way that elves were blamed for things people who subjugated them did in the first place.

Having said that, the codex literally had so much of what I wanted in game, but of course they haven’t learned that showing is far better than telling in certain ways.

Score: .5

Voice Acting

If I could give a +2 for this I would. I have no qualms about the actual voice acting for anyone. Everyone did what they could with what was written and I couldn’t ask for more. Direction? Actual text provided? That’s another problem.

Still salty about the pronunciation issues.

Score: 1

Player Character Dialogue Options

I normally can’t stand the wheel and I’m ambivalent to voiced player characters but even recognizing the bias here, this very much is not…optimal.

This is the epitome of saying the same thing in a different way. Which is a shame because I really felt the voice matched my Rook this time, unlike with my Inquisitor, where I just shrugged and said, “eh, close enough?”

DATV was so close!!! If I could have just said something different in a meaningful way!!!

Score: .5

Replayability

I put 159 hrs into my main game and over 230 hrs as a whole into this game to give it the good old-college try. I tried. I tried so hard to like it and find replayability.

I have thousands of hours in Inquisition. Same for DAO. I played DA2 and some of the DLC twice only because I didn’t care for that game, but there were paths I knew I hadn’t taken that would have felt different even if the result was the same.

I’m not feeling it here. Everything feels the same with a slight change in pleasant cadence.

What is worse is if it weren’t for that awesome CC I would question if they even bothered to shoot for replayability. There’s nothing really new except a few new faction lines here and there. Nothing that grips me to go back. Except for my save at the beginning of Act Three. You shouldn’t bank your whole game on the last act, you know, “The journey…not the destination” and all that jazz.

Score: .5

——

Total

6.5/10

I was patient as I could be with this game. It is not a terrible game—just not a good Dragon Age game. But that’s part of the pain. There’s nothing to mock, only to be disappointed by. I can see the glimmers of the story I love hidden behind this milquetoast mess, but they only shine at the end. And that’s just not enough.

I kept my explanations as brief as I could with still getting the gist of where I came from. What can you expect from someone who actually did not hate the Hinterlands and misses it dearly (they were vast but I was patient. And I collected every shard in every map. Every game.)

So, I bought the game out of spite and now my wallet has regrets.

This really does make my preference DAO>DAI>DA2>DATV.

And I really had wanted this one to be up there.

Gonna go listen to Fall of the Magister now.

[classicanalyzer]

Jedi Survivor Retrospective - Coruscant/A Hopeless Fight

"Someday when your children see this, they'll know the Jedi never stopped fighting for them." Cal Kestis

After an optional cinematic recap with amazing music, we begin the game with Cal seemingly captured as he sees the former Jedi Temple now the Imperial Palace of the Empire. Outside of LEGO SW media, I think this is the first time we saw the Imperial Palace in visual media. The opening of this game serves as a foil to the first game's intro where Cal is hiding and unsure of himself, now Cal is more confident and mostly in control of the situation.

Coruscant is as oppressive as ever as Sejan forcibly removes people who are already living in poor conditions to benefit himself. It's quickly made apparent that the Senator is way over his head as Cal quickly turned the tables on him. I really like the bond between Cal and Bode..however in hindsight, we know why Bode made sure to tell Cal that he's providing for his daughter. And I love Cal turning the Senator's quote against him into a defiant statement.

After Gab is killed, we see a glimpse of Cal Ketstis' inner darkness emerging as he approaches the Ninth Sister with Lightsaber in hand ignoring Bode and Bravo's calls to him. Even the music fades as Cal's intent on avenging his comrades is all he can think about. Cal even uses the same Force trick that Trilla used in opening Fallen Order on a gunship to achieve more successful results as Cal takes the controls.

Senator Sejan represents the corrupt politicians who traded democracy for "security" at the end of ROTS. Despite him claiming to do this for his people, it's clear with his lavish lifestyle and corrupt nature that he's really doing this for himself. I do find it funny how he was placed in the first trailer of this game as a major antagonist...when he was quickly dispatched by the Ninth Sister.

The Ninth Sister is revealed to be still alive after an ambiguous end to her fight in Fallen Order. Since then, she has become even more unhinged and rage-fueled, no doubt thanks to her humiliating loss at Cal's hands. A major theme for this game's villains is obsession. The Ninth Sister is our first look into that theme. It's clear she's been obsessed with killing Cal and it's all she wants to do. By the end, even when Cal tries calling out to Massana Tide (the Ninth Sister's true name), she can't break out of her obsession and what the Empire made her.

"It's time to set you free." Cal Kestis

Cal's growth is clearly shown as compared to the last game, he can better handle the Purge Troopers (interestingly wearing their Clone armor despite the game taking place in the same year as the Kenobi show) and even the Ninth Sister who went from being a major boss to the starter boss of this game. His dual blade stance now became a proper stance rather than just a few special moves.

Cal would also get along with Ezra on how the Empire uses their old photos for their wanted posters.

By the end, despite getting the intel, Cal feels hopeless about the impact he's making and has just lost his new family. With the Mantis now in dire need of repair, Cal has to seek out the original owner of the Mantis, Greez Dritus, who is now on the world Koboh. Little does he know that he will reunite with his old family in time.

I really love this section for capturing that bombastic SW opening action sequence. We also get to see how Cal is starting to feel the weight of the seemingly hopeless situation against the Empire.