#by way of being highly intelligent and communicative but not human or able to use human language

[kyofsonder]

Me During the Day: Okay. I have daylight. I have time. I have tools for both handwriting and writing on my computer. Do I have inspiration and permission to use it for writing?

My Brain: Let me check... I can give you a few non-commital fragments of inspiration, but not permission to use them. Sorry. Try again later.

Me at Night: I'm out of daylight. I'm out of free time. My writing tools are all put away, and I physically can't access them. Nothing to do but save it for tomorrow.

My Brain: Hey, remember that inspiration you wanted? Here's some mostly fleshed-out ideas and the strongest drive to write them you've felt in weeks. I'm able to give you permission to use them, too. Go ahead and write to your heart's content!

Me, still without tools or lights or a phone app that would sync my writing to my computer: ... You do this on purpose. Why do you do this to me? On purpose?

[theramseyloft]

I go you already have my apologies but can you re explain your ideal bird that you are breeding for. From the looks of your loft updates you prefer standard non exaggerated features and minimal muffs and normal length beaks

No worries. ^v^

I've been reworking a few things while we've been stuck on hiatus, so there have been some changes to the plans for the future, and I don't mind going over them.

I am trying to develop a unique breed specifically for therapy work.

As many of my long term followers know: A feral pigeon, found in a parking lot on the brink of starvation, taught himself to alert me for anxiety attacks of crippling severity.

If he could not alert me fast enough to prevent me going catatonic, he knew to go get my husband.

And he worked out a series of behaviors to draw me back out of that state if my husband was not with me.

He later developed an alert specific to blood sugar spikes.

That's far beyond the scope of an Emotional Support Animal!

And I believe that if a pigeon off the literal street was naturally inclined to develop these behaviors, then temperament traits conducive to such service work can be selected for.

I aim to do that by combining highly intelligent Performance breeds like Homers, Rollers, and Tumblers with structurally sound exhibition breeds possessing a demonstrably heritable mellow temperament.

And I want this breed to have a unique look that easily identifies it so that it will be hard for feather merchants to counterfeit. (Yes, that is a thing that happens.)

So, my favorite embellishments in the breeds we are already using are going to be enhanced by a few exhibition breeds who exemplify those traits, and one specifically for color.

To that end, we will be utilizing these performance breeds:

Feral

I can get into whether or not this is a breed in itself in another post. This is going to be a long one as it is.

There are several risks to working with ferals, absolutely.

You can pretty much guarantee that any you may find have lice, one or two species of worms, at least two protozoan parasites, and could potentially have a whole host of other bacterial or viral pathogens with out showing any outward sign.

Anyone who works with ferals as a first responder must be prepared to quarantine them carefully, vaccinate them, and test them to find out what all you will need to treat.

But there are three huge advantages for the Assistance Pigeon Project:

They are the epitome of structural soundness. That slight, agile little body has come to be through surviving generations of environmental pressures from having to travel long distances to find food to having to dodge a wide range of predators like cats and hawks.

There is no better source of intelligence than the descendent of birds that have survived for generations on their wits and luck alone.

And no better source of an excellent immune system than the result of generations living with the host of parasites and pathogens that they are so often loaded down with in the wild. There is a reason you won't see any outward sign that a feral has anything!

Once a feral's parasites and pathogens are cleaned out, they are incredibly sturdy!

Being a domesticated animal, the offspring of ferals in human care tend to focus all the inquisitive brightness that kept their line alive in the wild on bonding and communicating with their care taker.

Racing Homer

The thoroughbred of pigeons.

If you do not count Ferals as a breed, this is the most structurally sound and intelligent of all pure breeds.

Hands down the single most athletic!

They are stockier, more aerodynamic, and far more muscular than the average feral, because they were bred to be able to find their way home from drop points up to and over 500 miles away.

It takes not just fine tuned musculature and metabolism, but an excellent memory and keen intelligence to adapt on the literal fly to the changes in environment and predator populations over such distances.

Because of their exposure in races to hundreds or even thousands of other birds from lofts all across the country, Racers also have the strongest immune system of any purebred.

Birmingham Roller

This is not a breed that flies long distances like Racers or Ferals, but as a performer, it is still required to be structurally sound.

Performances consist of flying in a small flock called a Kit to perform a waterfall effect of staggered rolls where birds backflip 15-20 times in a row in midair, straighten from the roll, and rejoin the kit, one after another.

They are less flighty than Ferals and less independent than Racers, typically working much more closely with their trainer: keeping within sight of the loft and earshot of the person.

This makes them a little more human focused and naturally inclined to be biddable.

Though many traits vary wildly by line, these tend to be very small birds; energetic, jaunty, and playful.

Aside from adding that wonderful temperament, they will help keep the end result small.

Portuguese Tumbler

I waffled on these for quite a while, mostly because of their very small size and absolute breeding overdrive.

But they are excellent parents despite being the second smallest breed of pigeon in the world, and, unlike the Valencian Figurita, generally don't need one of their nestlings fostered.

And that speaks very highly of just how physically fit they are.

There are a few big breeds among the ones selected specifically for temperament, so Ports and Birms should help bring the size down and improve the parenting ability of the blend.

But the real push was just how Exuberantly friendly and playful this gleeful little breed is!

There are two performance breeds I have no hands on experience with yet that I would like to add:

Oriental Roller

This one is a dual purpose:

Once again, a structurally sound bird of moderate build, because it is still flown in competition.

But what interests me is the tail.

This breed is one of the major components of the Mindian (Miniature Indian) Fantail, Bred to Indian Fantails too small to compete with in order to improve the structural soundness and preserve the fan.

And as one of the embellishments I want in this breed is a slight fan, this body type is ideal to help display it comfortably.

Turkish Takla

The Takla is a Roller breed, still flown in competition, and becoming popular in the US for its docile, biddable temperament.

It comes with or without crest or muffs, and I very much like the grouse muffs of this breed.

We'll have to see what the temperament is really like, but the bird is gorgeous, and I expect it will blend well in terms of structure, temperament, and moderate embellishments that are still eye catching.

Breeds selected for temperament:

Show Line Danzig Highflier

This breed is the single best investment I have ever made towards the temperament of my breeding flock!

They are intensely friendly! Every bird I have raised with any amount of Danzig in them has gone on to be a beloved cuddle bug of a pet.

My Husband's ESA, Cotta, is the closest we have gotten so far to the behaviors we want in a bird bred for Service work.

Not only is he my Husband's devoted ESA, he also acts as mine when I need regulation, and even Cheeto's when he struggles with impulse control or obsessive behaviors.

Cotta is so intensely human focused that he has organized Cheeto and another bird who was only with us temporarily to provide me aid during a very severe episode of vertigo.

That temperament has passed so reliable through Satin's family that I would have to be an idiot not to incorporate this breed.

Frillback

A shockingly mellow breed!

And not just because they could only be less aerodynamic if you gave them parachutes..

A great test to rule out learned helplessness being the root of any big or showy breed's apparent mellowness is to cross them with a smaller breed that flies well so the offspring will be more maneuverable than the big or highly embellished parent.

If the offspring that can physically evade you is flighty and nervous by nature, then the "mellow docility" of the parent is just learned helplessness.

But if that more maneuverable offspring is just as docile and tractable as the parent, then you can be pretty well assured that that really is the parent's temperament.

Frillbacks fall so soundly into the "genuinely that sweet tempered" category that it has passed on into multiple generations of my flock.

I won't use this breed much, because the curls are a little much and it's hard to find clean legged birds or lines with only moderate muffs.

But their temperament is so fantastic that it would be remiss of me not to use them at all.

Lucerne

This elegant Swiss breed borders on too mellow for its own good.

There are lines with peeps so quiet that they fail to trigger the parent's feeding response. Paired with another breed, though, even completely oblivious Lucerne will respond correctly once they see their mate feeding.

My first pair, despite hating me with the fury of a thousand suns, were so perfectly tractable that working with them was a breeze.

Some of my most out going individuals are crossed with this breed.

I love their structure and their very moderate Grouse muffs.

They have a shorter beak than I like, but it's long enough to be functional, and the other breeds will keep the beak from getting too short.

Show Type Racing Homer

This is another show breed famed for their docility.

While it isn't as absolutely incredible as the breeds higher on the list, I will be incorporating them for their very simple, elegant structure, and bold, out going curiosity.

Classic Old Frill

This breed is somewhat of an indulgence, I admit.

Of the breeds included for temperament, this is the one most likely to be flighty or skittish.

But I have such a deep and abiding love for what they are: A return to form to the original standard of the Turkish Hunkari from the now beakless Modern and Oriental Frills.

Basically, the avian version of the Retromops (If you love Pugs, you should look this breed up. It's a return to the original standard: a pug with a muzzle, that can breathe normally and regulate its body temperature.)

This breed was my first love, and I want to continue to support the breeders that loved them enough to write preventative measures into the breed standard requiring that their beaks never get so short that they can't feed their peeps unaided.

There is one other breed I want to add for temperament entirely because of the temperament of mixed progeny I have purchased for the breeding program:

American Show Racer

Titan and her Mother, Ibis, take very strongly after their ASR Grandmother/Mother, respectively.

Ibis was so friendly and outgoing on arrival that I was sorely tempted to keep her as a personal pet instead of having her join the breeding flock.

Titan, despite being very defensive when she was little, grew up to be so much like her mother it takes my breath away.

I am curious to see if this breed is really that sweet tempered and it really passes so reliably, or if Ibis and her line inherited their temperament from the Lucerne side.

There are only two breeds added purely for their embellishments:

Old Dutch Capuchin

I love the Danzig's mane, and I think a little touch of ODC will add some luxury to it.

My experience with this breed was not the best temperament wise, but I have read that not to be the norm and hope to have better luck with a different line.

Garden Fantail

This is the most structurally sound of all fantails, able to fully close the fan when not displaying to fly and walk comfortably.

I do not want a full fan in this breed, but Fans seem to be a partial dominant with variable expression, if my two half fantails,

Sher and

Soiree, are any indication.

Not a necessity, by any stretch, but I really like the look of a moderate fan.

Finally, there is a single breed I plan to incorporate for color.

Archangel

There are exactly two traits I want from the Archangel:

The dominant half of its bronzing, which results in a robin like rusty breast in heterozygous form

And the intense sheen of its recessive grease quill.

With luck and patience, I hope for these nine breeds; six for performance, six for temperament, two for embellishments, and one for color...

Add up to a healthy, long lived Therapy breed whose intelligence is not blunted by their laid back mellow docility and whose unique look sacrifices none of their structural integrity.

The breeder cap will remain at ten pair, hatch controlled between evaluation periods.

Babies will be evaluated for six months.

If neither is an improvement over one or both parents, both will be classed as pets and adopted out.

If one is an improvement over which ever parent fits the program the least well, or better yet the ideal blend of their parents beneficial traits, then that one will stay, the parents will retire and go up for adoption as a bonded pair, and the sibling will be made available to the public.

New blood will come in to improve what ever trait is most lacking after each evaluation period.

Offspring we produce may become available at younger than six months once the temperament I want is reliably consistent.

But I expect that to take a fair few generations.

[getvalentined]

I really love all your Vincent analysis, I get very excited whenever you post them. I was wondering something, Grimoire has always seemed a very distant figure in canon, (yet he affects so much) and it is very likely that his and Vincent's relationship wasn't the best. But I am curious as to what you think his reaction to the experiments Hojo and Lucretia put him through would be if he was informed? Especially given that Grimoire knew Lu well. (I know this is completely non-canon)

Believe it or not, way back in 2011 I posted a hastily-drawn Ask Vincent Valentine entry that addresses exactly this! It's been a really long time, and my opinion there hasn't really changed, but I'm more than happy to expand on the concept in more detail now.

We don't actually have a lot of information on Grimoire as a character, and even less on his relationship with Vincent, so most of my opinion here is definitely headcanon, and I'll be tagging this post accordingly. That said, we do know a few things, and establishing the details of their relationship as I understand it is pretty integral to my opinion of how Grimoire would handle Vincent's inclusion in Lucrecia's terrifying thesis project.

First, Grimoire and Vincent seem to have had some kind of falling out in the past. Although it's impossible to say what caused it or how recent this was, it's fairly clear based on Grimoire's last words being a request for Lucrecia to apologize to Vincent on his behalf, and Vincent being unaware of the circumstances of his father's death until finding his file open on Lucrecia's computer. (I've seen it argued that Vincent may not even have been aware that his father was dead until that point—I don't generally subscribe to that idea, but this may actually be the case.)

Secondly, although this is more up for interpretation, Vincent's feeling toward his father appear to be somewhat...harsh? I reach this conclusion based on the word he uses to refer to him in the original Japanese, which is 親父 (oyaji). While this is a term for "father," it's also colloquially used as equivalent to "old man," and is kind of a catch-all term for middle-aged men in general. It's pretty rough in comparison to other terms that could have been used here, and also seems fairly out of place for how Vincent speaks otherwise, making it seem to me that he uses this harsher term in order to indicate either a lack of formality or a lack of respect for his father.

In headcanon territory, my take on their relationship has always been that Grimoire is extremely disappointed in Vincent for failing to pursue a career in academia, opting instead for the Turks—a role in which he excelled to such a degree that the Turk Vincent sim battle in Dirge PlayOnline indicates the assessment and training records he set were still standing when the Crisis took place. We know that Vincent is intelligent and highly educated (there is a complex series of interconnected equations scrawled on the wall of the Shinra Manor basement in Rebirth that was canonically written by Vincent, he's obviously very smart), so he could certainly have pursued the same career path as his father, and for whatever reason he chose not to.

One thing that isn't up in the air is whether or not Grimoire loved his son. Vincent was the last thing on his mind, as Chaos ate away at his body and ripped him apart into pyreflies, the last thing that mattered was that Vincent know he was sorry. Grimoire loved Vincent, even if they didn't always get along.

But Grimoire was, unfortunately, a Shinra scientist. According to Dirge PlayOnline, Grimoire was the first Shinra scientist to theorize about using foreign energies and excavated materials in the creation of an otherwise human child, with the goal of creating a hybrid able to communicate with humankind with ease. Grimoire loved his son, but he was comfortable with the idea of turning someone else's into a monster in utero if it meant that science could progress. This hypothesis is probably one of the leading reasons that Lucrecia volunteered for her role in Project S; she loved her mentor very much, and what better way to honor his memory than to prove at least one part of his theory right?

At the end of the day, it's the expansion of human knowledge that mattered to Grimoire. He would have been thrilled to know that he was right—proven with Sephiroth, with Vincent, and eventually with Nero. The three of them exist, even if only in part, because of Grimoire's thirst to understand the world beyond humanity, and all three of them changed the face of scientific progress. Sephiroth and Vincent's projects both helped to facilitate the creation of SOLDIER, while Nero literally proved the existence of a secondary plane of reality which had only ever been considered theoretical—if not simply written off as a myth—prior to his birth. That's amazing. That's wonderful.

The only problem Grimoire would have with any of it is that it was his child in the tank. Also unfortunate is that the other two were technically his grandchildren—Nero is pretty much undeniably made from genetic material harvested from Vincent, and my headcanon for why Vincent was assigned to Nibelheim at all is that Gast also wanted some way to honor the memory of the late Professor Grimoire Valentine, and selected Vincent to be the "sire" to the main subject of Project S. Vincent was never meant to know, and Lucrecia was never meant to care. It did not work out that way.

Grimoire would initially be horrified to realize what Lucrecia had done—and then fall right into complete understanding, because she did it to her own child too. She experimented on Vincent, yes, but it was in an attempt to save him! Who could blame her for using what she learned in her thesis? Two birds with one stone, salvation and enlightenment both from a single questionable act. He might disagree with her methods, with her disorganization and her lack of foresight, but he couldn't blame her.

He'd be devastated to know how his theories had ruined his child in every possible respect—but only because it was his child, not because of what was actually done. He'd grieve the loss of those grandchildren that neither he nor Vincent ever had a chance to know—but only because they were Vincent's children, torn away before he ever got to know they existed at all.

And, deep down, Grimoire would feel the slightest swell of pride that the only subjects that worked, the only ones that survived and excelled, the few that could literally call themselves gods even if only for a short period of time, were part of his bloodline.

It turns out that Valentines are amazing at anything they do, whether they choose to do anything or not. Vincent rejected science, and science took him anyway, because science is what Valentines do. It's what all of them do, and they do it better than anyone. How could he not be proud of that?

[ant1quarian]

My Siren AU

Exists on Trappist 1-E, but there's always the possibility in the AU of humanity yoinking a couple sirens and taking them back to earth.

Alien Species - Sirens

Quick overview:

Sirens are elusive, curious, and dangerous. While not inherently aggressive, they also won’t hesitate to attack if threatened.

They are aquatic creatures and quite generally far larger than any human– with the exception of guppies.

Sirens possess a strange, alluring quality to them that tends to draw in Humans and Monsters alike. They have webbed hands (that are quite commonly bioluminescent), a long tail, a sail that goes up their back, fin-like ears, scaly upper-bodies, and sharp claws. Their teeth are also very sharp, as the vast majority are very high on the food chain and are carnivorous.

Sirens are highly intelligent, sentient and sapient creatures; they’re quick to learn and capable of complex thoughts and emotions. Though they may have a little difficulty understanding most human languages, they’re quite good at knowing what direction the conversation may be going in.

They are modelled similarly to the aquatic creatures back on earth such as; Sharks, Whales, Squid, Jellyfish, Stingrays, etc. Though there’s plenty of Human and Monster scientists wanting to give a name to them, they are incapable of doing so, and instead they compare them to this “danger level” that has 7 different levels.

The different Kinships can be confusing at times to be able to tell apart, but if you pay enough attention to the specific trinkets they have in their hair– or the patterns on their skin/tail– you’ll be able to tell where they came from.

Notable Features/Appearance Description

Adult sirens are very rarely smaller than 18 ft long, and have a humanoid upper body. While their entire body is scaled– save for their hair– it can change feeling and colour.

Depending on how deep the siren’s kinship lives, their scales will be a certain colour.

A Siren’s bioluminescent patterns can change depending on which Kinship they come from, and the kind of decorative accessories they wear will also change depending on what level of the ocean they come from.

Gills — Sirens have gills that move when they breathe.

Reflective Eyes — Sirens eyes are reflective, similar to the way a cat’s eyes are reflective.

Bioluminescent/Luminous Markings — Sirens typically spend a lot of time in deeper water, and along with being underwater, they’ve adapted to communicate using bioluminescent or luminous markings on their tails, arms, and torso.

Nictitating Membrane — Similar to crocodiles, Sirens have a nictitating membrane, a transparent third eyelid which protects and moistens their eyes whilst underwater.

Abilities

Aquatic Habitation — Sirens can survive and adapt to underwater environments such as high water pressure and extreme water temperatures.

Speed Swimming — A Siren's powerful and streamlined tail and huge flukes can propel them through the roughest waters with incredible speed, grace and agility with minimal restrictions to water resistance. Like a dolphin, their fins can propel them high out of the water.

Extraordinary Strength and Speed - Sirens are naturally stronger and faster than humans.

Enhanced Senses — Sirens have better hearing, sight, and smell than humans. They’re also particularly sensitive to changes in pressure, weather, and their environment.

Siren Song — Sirens are able to emit a captivating singing voice that lures anyone who hears it toward the singer. Apparently those who are exposed to it have lingering side effects; the exact nature of these symptoms are as of yet not clearly defined. It’s been compared to a drug, describing it as something one needs. Eventually, the Siren Song leads the person that hears it to hallucinate seeing that Siren everywhere and hearing their Siren Song out in the ocean. The person will then be driven into the water to find that Siren and eventually drown. The song can be effective on anything or anyone, including men, women, and even animals.

Voice Mimicry — Sirens are able to mimic the voices of others or imitate sounds such as animal noises and explosions. Any sound a Siren hears, they can replicate with perfect clarity along with any manner the sound was made.

Echolocation — Sirens can emit sound waves and use the echoes that return from various objects to locate and identify the objects. Alternatively, they can use ambient sounds to do the same. Sirens can perceive one's surroundings by making a noise and listening for the reverberating sound waves. They can determine the location of objects or other individuals in the environment by use of reflected sound or sound waves. Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects. Echolocation is used for navigation and for foraging or hunting in various environments.

Empathic Voice — Sirens can manipulate the emotions of other sentient beings through their voice. The effects depend on the Siren’s tone and intention: a joyful or mournful tone instils the same feelings in their listeners, etc. Evolved Sirens have been known to be able to enter someone’s mind and alter what they see, hear, and feel to their will, either as a defence mechanism or a way to protect whoever’s mind they’ve entered.

Fearful Scream — Sirens can utilise a scream attack that causes a shocking and paralysing fear in others.

Concussive Scream — Sirens can channel the force of a Banshee-like scream to create concussive bursts of air, almost like telekinetic force capable of breaking through solid steel doors, throwing grown men many metres away, and shattering glass, ear drums, and even skulls at their highest level.

Regeneration — Sirens possess greater regenerative capabilities than those of humans. They heal quickly from non-fatal injuries within a short period.

Rhythm Detection — Sirens have intuitive knowledge of the rhythm of soundwaves, enabling them to easily understand what kind of sound is being projected, where it comes from, where it is going, decipher the sound for any sort of code, etc.

Aquatic Zoopathy — Sirens can control aquatic creatures, along with the ability to create a deep bond with them.

Weaknesses

Water Dependency — Sirens are at their strongest and healthiest in seawater, they need ocean water to survive. Sirens can substitute sea water when above land with lake/river/rain/bath/shower water, although they become significantly weaker, more prone to illnesses and the substitution effects will eventually begin to fade – usually after 2 years – and the Siren will begin to die. Sirens can only last around 2-3 months from complete water deprivation(example; being held hostage without any access to any form of water).

Harpoons & Spears — Due to their regenerative properties, most weapons do not harm Sirens, harpoons and spears, things that stay embedded, are harmful to Sirens, as they have to be removed in order for the Siren to heal.

Bronze Dagger Coated in the Blood of Victim — A Siren can be killed by a bronze dagger coated in the blood of one of its victims.

Magic — Sirens are susceptible to the powers of magic.

Sensitive Necks — Due to having gills in both forms, Sirens have quite sensitive necks, specifically where their gills are situated. Siren’s gills are quite delicate and take longer to heal than other injuries. Sirens cannot transform to their natural form if their gills are injured in human form.

Light Sensitivity — Sirens are sensitive to sudden flashes or bursts of light. And most take a while to adapt to lighter environments, especially if said Siren is from a more colder ocean or from much deeper water than another.

Vulnerability to Love — Believe it or not, sirens are also vulnerable to love. Although they may be powerful and seductive, they are not immune to falling in love. Also, if a siren falls in love with a mortal or a non-siren creature, they can lose their powers and become mortal themselves.

Vulnerability to Reason — Lastly, sirens are vulnerable to reason. Their enchanting songs can cloud the judgement of their victims, but if someone is able to think clearly and logically, they can resist the sirens’ calls.

Hierarchy

The leader of a Kinship will always be the most experienced and strongest. As soon as the leader is not strong enough to lead once more, they become the advisor, and a new leader steps up to take their place.

Siren Laws

Attack Only When Threatened - Sirens have a very genocidal backstory, so the Ancients came up with this law that all abide by.

Don’t Harm The Young – Sirens have a moral code, and no one dares to break this rule. All Young– whether Guppies, Cubs, Or Babies– from any species will not be harmed.

Respect Territory - To make sure no all-out wars break out once more, this law has been erected.

Siren “Families”

Sirens don’t have the concept of last names, though they do have family. Siren families can be deciphered by the colour, kinship songs, and the scale quality of their tails. As every different family has their own way of scale care.

Union

An unbreakable connection between two Sirens of any gender or Kinship. Siren Weddings vary depending on where they’re from.

Gifts

As customary, when courting another Siren, you give each other gifts. The type of gift you give them describes the strength of the relationship.

Pearls — Pearls are typically given at the start of a relationship. The pearls signify that you hold affection for your partner. And depending on the quality of the pearl, it shows how much affection you hold and how you hope the relationship will progress.

Sea Shells — Sea shells are usually given to your partner on important dates, like birthdays, new tide cycles, and full moon celebrations, or just, dates. Though they can also be gifted at any time throughout the relationship. They’re like little presents.

Conch Shells — Conch shells are gifted on anniversaries. They’re meant to signify the strength of the relationship and how deep the bond has become. They also symbolise how your affection for your partner has deepend.

Serpentines — Serpentines are lovely gifts for full moon celebrations. It symbolises connection, exploration, and rebirth.

Ocean Jaspers — Ocean jaspers are engagement gifts, they’re given to your partner when you want to propose Union.

Live Sea Creatures — Live sea creatures are gifted the night of the Union, depending on the environment, the creature gifted can be a whale, manatee or orca calf, any kind of juvenile shark, stingray, manta ray, or turtle.

Scales — The most intimate gift a Siren can give their partner. It signifies the absolute deepest and most affectionate connection one can have.

Sayings and Phrases

 “I have sea foam in my veins, I understand the language of waves.” — SAYING

“The sea is full of lost souls this night.” — SAYING

“I have found much beauty in the Dark as I have found a lot of horror in light.” — SAYING

 “There is an unspoken rule amongst Sirens, one we all follow, like a natural instinct. Preservation.” — SAYING

“We are bound to the sea as much as you are bound to oxygen.” — SAYING

Traditions

Danger Catagories

Similar to Sea Levels, there are Siren Danger Catagories.

Sunzone

Sunzone Sirens are your “Reef Sirens” who are very generally passive– though will get violent if threatened. They’re the least dangerous and are the most willing to show the Landborn their ways.

These have reef-fish like patterns.

Shadowzone

Those who are defined as “Shadowzone Siren” likely exist within the Shadowzone area. They’re not particularly dangerous– more of a Neutral area– and they’re willing to communicate with Landborn. However, they do tend to prefer to stay away from their crafts.

They have warm colours– such as orange, yellow, pinks and warm blues.

Twilightzone

Twilightzone Siren are considered to be fully neutral. They will accept mild and small intrusions into their territory, but will immediately get territorial if too many Landborn get close to it.

These have varying autumn-like colours. Any “Warm” colours will be muted and usually have a bit of a colder aspect to them.

Midnightzone

Midnightzone Siren are territorial and don’t appreciate others pushing their boundaries. Any Landborn crafts that enter their territories are usually damaged or forcefully shoved back into another’s waters.

They have very dark colouring, but vibrant bioluminescent patterns.

Voidzone

Voidzone Siren are, for want of no better words, dangerous. Though they do not usually travel in Kinships, they are highly dangerous just by themselves. Most of the time they take the shape of Jellyfish or Squids, but the rarest and most deceptive form they can take is that of a Shark’s. Deceptive because they can pass as a Twilightzone– sometimes even a Shadowzone– Siren, while being incredibly dangerous.

The colours down here can vary from vibrant to really dark colours, considering it’s already so deep that nothing can see anything.

Mythology

Deities

Trappist 1

This Deity is that of the Sun, which shines light upon the Solar System. It is seen as the Mother, who embraces all of it’s children. Those in Trappist 1-G believe that The Mother once had another parent, The Pa. Mother and Parent had 7 children:

Trappist 1-b

Trappist 1-c

Trappist 1-d

Trappist 1-e

Trappist 1-f

Trappist 1-g

Trappist 1-h

And you can tell how old they are by how far away from The Mother they are.

The Mother is warm-hearted now and loves all of her children very much, but she was once narcassistic, pessimistic, and very angry. 1-H recieved the brunt of this, as The Mother was wracked with grief after The Parent died which turned her into what she was.

She regrets everything she did to 1-H and 1-G, but knows she cannot take it back, so she will offer as much warmth as she can until they either fully break away or come back to her.

Trappist 1-b

The youngest of them all. Trappist 1-b is considered to be clingy towards The Mother and had the closest relationship to it. Trappist 1-b has a firey temper and always has its eyes turned towards The Mother.

Trappist 1-b feels as if all but C have abandoned The Mother and don’t see her enough, causing a vengeful spirit to rise up within it.

Trappist 1-c

Trappist 1-c is the second youngest and craves attention from The Mother. They have a good relationship with The Mother, and is slowly being prepared to be sent out into the world. Trappist 1-c is anxious, nervous, but also optimistic. It’s also know for having a bit of a temper.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-d

Trappist 1-d, the third youngest, is known for it’s resilience. Although it can be very stubborn, it’s caring, and depicted as a hard-working Deity. Its relationship with The Mother is good.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-e

Trappist 1-e, the fourth youngest, is known for its kindness and peacefulness. It has a stubbornness about it and a sense of power, but it prefers to relax and chat with The Mother and its siblings, rather than being furious at the world.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-f

Trappist 1-f, the Fifth youngest, is known for its exhaustion. 1-f is depicted as tired and numb, choosing not to talk much to its other siblings. This is due to their Moons crashing together in anger at each other before dissipating and creating a small ring around 1-F. Pieces of its friends, never to fully recover.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-g

The saddest sibling, Trappist 1-g is the sixth youngest and perhaps the one with the most terrible tale. It had one moon, and they loved each other very much, but one day they got too close when the Moon attempted to hide from The Mother’s disapproving gaze and smashed into 1-G. Tears broke through the walls 1-G had created as it cried and cried now that it had lost its loved one. Moon’s remnants carried enough intent to create children, and the salty tears 1-G cried created a vast ocean covering its entirety for them to grow in. It’s melancholy and wistful, symbolising Lost Love and Sadness.

1-G does not have a very good relationship with The Mother, which is why their eye will face away from The Mother for the entirety of a Sol.

Trappist 1-h

Trappist 1-H, the oldest sibling, is cold-hearted and angry. It strongly dislikes The Mother, which is why it is the furthest away from Her light. The Mother was still learning how to parent when 1-H was born, which means many very wrong methods were used to teach 1-H lessons.

1-H is steadily looking away from The Mother constantly, while The Mother pines for the child she ruined. She regrets very much of it, and she was going through the grief of losing The Parent at the time of 1-H’s existence, but that is no excuse and 1-H continues to hate her.

[thetdsblog]

"Voice Log #1. Species Analysis."

"This would be Biology Researcher [DATA EXPUNGED]. I usually do written out documents on paper; However, HQ has commanded me to do a digital version of this. I don't know neither understand the reasoning of such. But here we are."

"Well, let's see. . ."

(The sounds of folding paper can be heard. As long as the wheels of a wheelchair moving around. The Researcher Grunts. Struggling to find the small script they made for this occasion. Its not much. But it should please HQ for Whatever Reason they Need this for. The Researcher finds the paper. Making his way back over to the voice recorder)

"Ah; Here we go."

"This Document; If you can even call it that; Will be covering the Species Aureum Angullia. More Widely know by Corporate and The Public as Goldens. These Deep-to-Shallow Water Amphibians can vary in size, being able to be found basically everywhere. Only not being found in places where most species wouldn't go. Such as the Poles due to its temperature."

"Commonly refereed as Pests. These Creatures have the ability to travel Ground and Water at a quick pace. With Agility we still don't understand how it can be achieved. "This species is highly regarded for its intelligence; Having a Human-Level of Such. Being able to make tools out of metal. Commonly with Gold, Therefor their name. Even if different materials have been seen used. Such as Ruby. A problem arrives with this Species high regard for Stealing from Human Supplies. Which was something that very rarely happened before Subject 'Aureum Angullia Deus' had appeared. After such. Their society saw rapid growth. And therefor. Made Allies with Graveyard and Fallen Kingdom. Which caused a enormous spike in violence between Humans and Them. And are now regarded as one of the most powerful Enemy Factions we have to Deal with."

"Hmmph. So, This species has a range of different traits that differ a lot from most found in the oceans. With its Closest Relative Species being assumed to being Ambystoma Mexicanum; The Axolotl. Having the same Frilled structure in the sides of their head and neck. Having the same sensitive skin. These frills are used for communication and feeling differences in the environment. One of the components for it being able to 'see' without eyes. The other being the Luminescent Stripes it has on its body. These stripes not only serve for baiting potential Prey into approaching it. But can also be used for communication. Being able to reproduce vibrations; Which is unknown how; Of various different Creatures, Even Human Speech. They also seem to have small globes placed around the structure. Serving as small eyes."

(The Researcher gives a deep breath. Flipping a page.)

"Next to cover would be its Mouth; Closely resembling that of plant petals. Demogorgon Copycat. Being able to open all the way to 90 Degrees from its original position. There are four bigger teeth formations at the front. Having blunt, more resistant teeth at the front used for digging and chewing and hard shells of small animals like crustaceans. And Three sharper teeth used for cutting flesh and holding bigger prey in place. Which they use to make the prey struggle in their mouth and end up impaling themselves onto the rows of smaller teeth to slowly bleed the prey out. Even if most cases. Such slow and painful death is rare to happen. As mostly they will impale the prey in the neck or vital organ using its tongue. Its tongue is a around the same as their body size. being able to be fully moved, like a Elephants trunk. Having four tentacle-like structures at the end with sharp, almost harpoon like tip. These smaller tentacles are as capable as the tongue itself. being able to effectively grab and move things. This tongue seems to have a mechanism at the back of the mouth which is used like a ballista. Being able to shoot the tongue at an impressive 25km/hr."

"What else. . . Ah yes."

"It also has a Claw besides its body. These are connected to the body by a appendage that can retract into its own body, having a quite agile speed for doing so. These Claws are quite simple in nature. Used for moving around in the ground, digging and impaling prey."

"And that would be most of the information we currently have. So that would be all I have to say about this Species. I will probably make a document on the different types later on. But for now. This is it. End Log."

[fictionkinfessions]

Alright. Here goes. Long post ahead.

Leo. Sweet, beautiful, tender hearted little Leo. I didn't value you enough. I should have taken more time to look out for you and make sure you were okay. I should have been a better friend. We all should have been. I miss you. I should have done more. I should have let you feel safe enough to open up to me. Festus shouldn't have been your only form of security. You risked your life for us, said it was for Calypso, and then she didn't even truly value how big of a heart you really had. And I could see that it hurt you, but I didn't do enough to be there when you felt most alone. I'm sorry. Please let me back in. I'm looking for you just as much as anyone else in the Seven. I miss the companionship. Our friendship reminded me that we were still mortal, still had vulnerabilities, still had parts of us that just needed to feel human with each other. You were one of the things that kept me human. Thank you.

Piper. My fiesty little dove. I wish I could remember more about you. Everything is a blurr, just like it was back when we first met. I am so, so sorry that even now, people still paint you as something you're not. This fandom still tries to shape you into a narrative instead of letting you just be your authentic self. The biphobia that people have about headcanons of you and I is disgusting, and I know you would probably feel the same. I don't blame you if you feel a need to step away from the fandom or stop looking for me as a result of any confusion or discomfort. I wish I'd been more loyal to you and helped you better process any of your feelings about your identity. Because you're still beautiful to me no matter what you choose. You never let anyone push you into a box, and you were so powerful and real for that. Wherever you are now, I hope you're still proud of yourself and shining as radiant and empowering as ever. Never, ever, ever doubt your ability not just to give love, but to be loved as well. Whatever we were, whatever we are or could be, it doesn't matter what it was called or could be called, because that love I have for you transcends labels.

Will. I know it was difficult for us at first. I was protective of Nico, and didn't want him to get hurt, and hounded both of you while I was getting defensive and overbearing. I did a lot of projecting instead of letting you both have the space to figure things out for yourselves. You were excited to have your first boyfriend, so was he, and I was fearful of seeing it potentially go wrong. It had to go its full course though, and I'm truly sorry if my jealousy or possessiveness over Nico got in the way. You'll always be my little brother though, and I wish only the best for you. I wish I had been more patient and kind. Thank you for being so understanding and patient for me, and allowing me the space to feel welcomed by the Apollo cabin and like I was part of the Camp Halfblood community. It was an escape from the heavy energy and responsibility of New Rome, and there's a lot I could have learned from you if I'd just taken the time to shut up and listen.

Annabeth. I know you didn't trust me. My intentions were never to take Percy from you. I'm sorry for making you feel insecure or intruded upon. Much like with Will and Nico, I guess I was just afraid. You and Percy went through so much together. I can never expect to understand the experiences you shared, and I admittedly feel like I will always be second to you in a lot of ways. I never wanted you to feel second to me. You are a bright, bold, intelligent, courageous and highly diplomatic young woman who I have always had a deep respect for. I only ever wanted for us to be friends, had we ever been able to talk it out and establish those boundaries and vulnerabilities with each other. It's okay, though. Don't ever, ever doubt that Percy loves you. I swear that.

Frank. You're a good guy. Don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing great. I know your upbringing and heritage made a lot of your position in society quite scary and heavy to carry, and I could have been more available to support you in shouldering all of that responsibility, but you show a maturity and kindness that many could learn from. I have no doubt in my mind that you'd make a brilliant father and a fantastic pioneer for change in New Rome, and I trust that had you carried on after I was gone, you were making the right decisions. Fighting alongside you was an honour, soldier. Be a little nicer to Leo though, okay? He means well.

Hazel. I have nothing but respect for you. I wish I'd gotten to know you better. Thank you for looking after Nico when he needed a sister in his life. You were everyone's sister, and your compassion and kindness never went unnoticed by any of us. Keep on shining.

Clarisse. I know we butted heads, you butted heads with everyone, but it's okay to show your soft side. Not everything has to be a battle. It's okay. You're not alone. Nobody really hated you. You're so much tougher than you give yourself credit for. I enjoyed our friendly banter and sparring. You were a good buddy. Your music taste is still fantastic. Never stop rocking, queen.

Rachel. Thanks for letting me vent. You were invaluable in my times of need. Bless your heart.

Reyna. Get yourself that damn vacation you've been dreaming of all your life. Kick your feet up. Have a margarita. Reward yourself from time to time. You work so so so hard. It's okay. Let yourself rest. The legion will keep going even jf you take a break for yourself. You've earned it. Let yourself rest. More importantly, let yourself sleep girl!

Thalia. Thalia, Thalia, Thalia. What would I have ever done without you? I am... so, so, so sorry I had those fights with you. It's ironic how I turned to the sun and you to the moon, huh? So similar yet so different. But we were always pack, always family. I shouldn't have lashed out when you needed support of your own, even if it did come from someone like Luke. I still feel hurt and like you chose him over me, like how I guess Nico felt about Bianca choosing Artemis as well sometimes... but it never made me hate you, if anything it just made my admiration for you so much stronger. I wish, with all my heart, that I could have been there with you and Grover to prevent those things happening to you, to stop Luke turning on everyone, but I guess destiny just called us in different directions, huh? I can't say I'm happy about how things turned out, but I don't blame you for being angry at our parents about it. Just know that I forgive you, if you have it in your heart to forgive me. I'm sad that we never really reconnected after we found each other again, but I know that you were in good hands with the Huntresses. If we ever reconnect in this life... I want my sister back, and I hope you want your brother back as well. If nothing else, to at least find closure and patch up loose ends. I miss you. I love you. Please be safe.

- Jason Grace #🖤⚡️🦅

x

[vaedar]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐃

Friendly reminder that this headcanon specifically applies only to this RP blog and character, it's not meant to be used as a theory for the series as a whole.

It's widely known that only those with the 'blood of the dragon' are able of riding dragons, though the reason behind this is up for debate, but it hints to some kind of connection ( be it to the genetic level or through bloodmagic sorcery, which I expand on over here ) between Valyrians ( specifically, Dragonlords ) and dragons.

What is also known is that Dragonlords did use magical objects such as horns, to more effectively control their dragons. These were intelligent creatures with their own wills and whims, so they did disobey their riders often enough, especially if the bond was still weak. In time, as the bond is fortified, then these instances occurred less. Horns and spells were sung in an attempt to fortify that bond and prevent this 'disobedience' through magical control. However, it was not necessary, as Targaryens and their 'dragonseed' could bond with dragons without the use of them. 

A dragon bond is in itself a magical connection, which is why Valyrian Dragonlords practiced incest to preserve the magical quality of their blood as pure as possible, to maintain that ability to bond with and ride dragons ( aside from political reasons, of course ). The bond does not only involve the rider but the dragon, so this means that the dragon also must 'choose' the rider, and this depends on each of them individually. For the rider, the bond may begin first as an allure of sorts, an affinity to a certain dragon or even a developed interest, which can happen when they have been exposed to the frequent company of one. An example of this can be how Targaryens placed dragon eggs in the cradles and the dragons that hatched ( if they did ) were bonded to the babies. 

Aside from being able to ride dragons, the bond allowed for the pair to be connected on an emotional and subconscious level. Dragons learn commands initially through the emotional communication with their riders as they are being taught/trained, associating the words with what they can subconsciously perceive from the rider ( their 'will' pretty much ) when the word is spoken. Afterwards, as highly intelligent ( in ways people cannot understand ) creatures, this will enable them to better learn and understand the human language of their rider. They would also grow aware of where the other is and call for them ( though very large distances may hinder this to an extent ), if they are in danger or alarmed, as well as feel their pain as their own. This merger also seems to benefit the rider's health, perhaps triggering magical properties in their blood, which could render them resistant to diseases or illnesses. They can even feel as the other passes away, which would be an incredibly tormenting and traumatic event.

From this subconsciously emotional connection can also come new challenges for both of them. When the bond is being developed, there is a clash of 'wills' so to speak, in which one part may push against the subconscious of the other, influencing their actions or even moods. For example, while a dragon is in the middle of the hunt, its rider may feel hunger, a surge of adrenaline, more violent tendencies, or altogether be repulsed by certain foods due to what the dragon is eating. If the rider is upset, the dragon may become violent and prone to 'disobedience', as it may confuse the emotional turmoil and act on it or against it. As the bond develops and solidifies, a balance will eventually come in which both dragon and rider will be able to distinguish their individual 'wills' by consolidating them into the bond. It will form a more effective communication, to the point where those more deeply forged bonds will allow for the rider to fly upon the dragon without even needing to voice instructions or commands of where to go or what to do. 

Usually, the stronger bonds are formed when both rider and dragon have grown together, since they were an infant and a hatchling, respectively. But there have been instances where older riders have bonded to mature dragons, and developed a strong and deeper connection quickly. Since the bond tends to depend on each individual rider and dragon's character and circumstances, then it's near impossible to set a standard for its intricacies. But what is known is how a rider may not claim another dragon, even if their own has perished, although a dragon may accept another rider if their previous one died. This may be due to the differences in the lifespans of human and dragon, the former expected to not reach old age and the latter being able to live over two centuries ( likely longer still ). Or it could also have to do with how the rider's blood has already forged a connection with the one dragon, and is unable of doing so again with another. It's yet another of the mysteries surrounding this bond.

[pokemonbiologyirlthetabletop]

Growlithe & Arcanine

Growlithe (#058)

Ignuscanis ignuscanis domesticus ([OG] Growlithe)

Ignuscanis ignuscanis ceroferus ([H] Growlithe)

General Information: The Scout/Puppy Pokémon, Growlithe is a much-beloved fire-type Pokémon with a powerful sense of smell and an impeccable memory for remembering smells. Be careful though, because a particularly pungent and horrid smell will knock out a Growlithe’s sniffer for several days!

Growlithes have two official regional forms: the (OG) Growlithe and the (H) Growlithe. (OG) Growlithe averages at 2’4 feet tall (0.7 M) and 41.9 pounds (19) kg, and (H) Growlithe is slightly larger at 2’7 feet tall (0.8 M) and 50 pounds (22.7 kg). 

Careful, the horns on (H) Growlithe are quite breakable!

Habitat: Growlithes are most commonly found in grassland environments around Europe and Asia. They can be found in highland regions, though they tend to stick to the steppes. Growlithes can be found in sparse forests and savannahs, but they are most comfortable in grasslands. Of course, Growlithes are found in pretty much any urban center in Eurasia and most of the world thanks to humans.

Life Cycles: Growlithes are dogs. They have dog life cycles. A captive Growlithe will live for about 20 years and reach reproductive maturity at 2 years old (and level 15). Adults enter estrus throughout the year, though in the wild it tends to occur during the winter. Pups (litters of 3-4) will be born in the mid Spring, and juveniles start being able to hunt and contribute to the pack around the onset of winter.

Growlithes follow the migrations of grassland herbivores, including reindeer (Stantler, Wyrdeer). There is no difference in life cycle between the two regional forms.

Behavior: Growlithes are hypersocial animals that form small to large packs with other Growlithes and Arcanines. They hunt in groups, though Growlithes will usually focus on smaller prey like Deerling while Arcanines focus on Sawsbucks or Wyrdeer. They are also incredibly territorial, meaning they will battle any territory dispute that they even think that they can win. They are fiercely protective and loyal to their pack, and pups are raised communally. There is no true hierarchy, other than Arcanines are bigger, faster, stronger, and wiser than Growlithes, and of course children listen to their parents. While the two parts of the packs tend to hunt different things, the combined efforts of both ensure that everyone is fed. Growlithes learn from the Arcanines in the pack, and in smaller packs with fewer Arcanines, there is more likely to be co-ed hunting parties.

(H) Growlithes in particular have a different approach to cooperation, and will form pairs of watchdogs over anything that they need to guard. They are highly social with each other, but with humans (H) Growlithes are significantly less domesticated than (OG) Growlithes, and can be difficult to tame.

Diet: Meat. Growlithes are carnivores. While specifically (OG) Growlithe has been selectively bred over the millennia to have a more omnivorous diet to tolerate grains and root vegetables, (H) Growlithe has not had these selective pressures from humans and retains its full carnivory. Yes, I know your Growlithe is giving you its best Baby-Doll Eyes, and no, you really shouldn’t give it the cheeseburger in your hand… ah, what the heck, have at it!

Conservation: Endangered ([H] Growlithe), Least Concern ([OG] Growlithe)

Relationship with Humans: Growlithes have an incredibly long history of cooperation with humans, with fossils that date all the way back into the Ice Age. They have been one of humanity’s earliest hunting companions, right alongside other Dog Pokémon and Eevee. Their fierce loyalty is a valued trait that sees them in the service of humans since time immemorial, and their intelligence makes them incredibly useful in all facets of civilization. They make top-notch service dogs, therapy dogs, they’re excellent with children, they make great starter Pokémon, and they’re great to train. Growlithe is the dog among dogs, matched in love only by Lillipups and Eevees. Security forces, detectives, and search-and-rescue parties utilize Growlithes for their keen senses of smell.

In media, Growlithes proliferate alongside Lillipups. A good rule of thumb, is that in media produced by Europe or Asia, it’ll be Growlithes/Arcanines as the stand-in dogs, and in the United States and Canada, it’ll be Lillipups/Herdiers/Stoutlands.

Growlithes make excellent starter Pokémon, but they are considered an exotic species in the Western hemisphere, and only Certified Breeders are allowed to breed them (if at all). This does not stop black markets and feral populations from running amok, but the illegality of Growlithe breeding is one of many conservation efforts in place to punish animal abusers and keep breeding populations strictly in captivity.

Mechanics Reminder: Many excellent breeders will be happy to provide a Growlithe for your North American child, but remember that these Growlithes will be fully sterilized. The failure to do so could result in a huge fine on the part of the breeder.

(H) Growlithes have a different relationship with humanity. While they are certainly cute, they are shy and wary of humans. Scientists speculate that the proto-(OG) Growlithes were a separate lineage from the one that became the (H) Growlithes, and it’s possible that sub-speciation had already occurred within the Growlithes by the time humans began domestication.

Classification: Growlithe is in the genus Ignuscanis which means “fire dog.”

Arcanine (#059)

Ignuscanis agrestis domesticus ([OG] Arcanine) Ignuscanis agrestis ceroferus ([H] Arcanine)

General Information: Arcanines are the evolved form of Growlithe! Their immense speed and agility is powered by an internal flame that burns constantly. They are capable of running three hundred miles in a single day if given the right motivation.

(OG) Arcanines average at 6'3 feet tall (1.9 M) and 341.7 pounds (155 kg), and (H) Arcanines are 6'7 feet tall (2.0 M) and 370.4 pounds (168 kg).

Habitat: Arcanines are found in the same places as Growlithes.

Life Cycles: Arcanines are just Really Big Dogs with dog life cycles, however a key difference between itself and Growlithe is that Arcanines are known to live an average of 35 years in captivity.

Behavior: There are not many Arcanines in the wild, since they require a Fire Stone to evolve, but those that do exist are fierce protectors of their packs. They are incredibly fast, but do not mistake their ability to run far and fast as an ability to maintain that all the time. A long run or quick sprint still wears out an Arcanine, and such extreme endeavors should be reserved for hunting or fleeing danger.

Diet: (OG) Arcanines are carnivores with a tolerance for an omnivorous diet courtesy of human domestication. (H) Arcanines do not have this trait, and are pure carnivores that only occasionally consume berries or leaves for digestive purposes. Trainers, purchasing some dog food from the store should suffice for your (OG) Arcanine, but perhaps a more intensive meat-focused diet for your (H) Arcanine. Actually, your (OG) Arcanine would love that, too!

Conservation: Endangered ([H] Growlithe), Least Concern ([OG] Growlithe)

Relationship with Humans: Arcanines have been the subject of awe and wonder for a thousand generations. They are beasts of legend and myth, creatures that can run a thousand miles across the globe in a single day. Many cultures use them as signifiers of protection and good luck. Even (H) Arcanines, who are wild and free of human domestication, are still seen as loyal protectors, given the same reverence as (OG) Arcanines. In parts of Eastern Asia, Arcanines and Growlithes are depicted in statues in front of homes and temples as protectors.

In modern media, (OG) Arcanines are primarily the fierce defenders of townships and households, or the majestic creatures that glide across grasslands at breathtaking speeds.

(OG) Arcanines serve many functions in human society, from companionship to hunting, herding to childcare, service dogs to therapy dogs, Rangering to dragon hunting. In contrast, (H) Arcanines are not depicted nearly as much in media, often going unknown to the general populace, though make good companions, too, once they have warmed up to their trainer.

Classification: Arcanines are given the species epithet “agrestis” meaning “wild.” (OG) Arcanine has the sub-species modifier “domesticus” while (H) Arcanine has “ceroferus.” In combination, (H) Arcanine’s species name means “horned, wild, fire dog.”

Evolution: Arcanines evolve from Growlithe with a Fire Stone or other equivalent magical source.

~~~~~~~~

Hey guess what, if you like my stuff, this is my website where you can find other Pokémon I've written on and more information about the game that I’m slowly making! Check it out! I write books sometimes too.

[acreaturecalledgreed]

Could you please talk about sto?

I tried to search for him in the tags but maybe they're not working for me and I'd like to know more about the man (🪱 worm🪱)

What does he like to do.... His dreams.... If he has friends...

okay so i had to do some nonsense to type this out b/c its too much to type on the phone but also tumblr desktop is still super fucking borked for me in terms of asks and i dont know why

sto is a member of a sapient alien species of giant ice worms! they are extremely solitary and would be considered violent by most standards though they tend not to view themselves as such. their langue is almost entire compromised of "writing" in the form of how the tunnels they burrow through are made, arranged, textured, and their depth, as well as supplemented by various deep subsonic sounds

they exist in a very stream-of-conciousness sort of way, as they literally "write" as they move; in the strange way, they're sort of constantly narrating their own existence

their planet is largely comprised of ice and water but has large swathes of mineral deposites scatter through- some make islands, some are just deposits on the "seabed" (majority is frozen; water really only happens in certain parts during the hottest part of their planetary cycle)

most of the fauna and flora on the planet have to be extremely hardy, as nuritent sources are not the most prominent (they're there! but its not easy), and the planet only has one or two carnivorous species (of which the worms are one of them)

they are cannibalistic as well as feeding off of other species, but dont need to eat exceptionally often as their bodies have this sort of hyper efficiency thing going on

i also have uuhh plotted out a lot of how their ahem reproductive lives work but we can get into that another time

sto's species is considered EXTREMELY dangerous for any offworld travelors as their very sensitive to sound and movement on the surface of the planet and they do Not turn up a chance at easy prey; they also were not believed to be more than just large animals (sto is so far the first the only evidence that their species is not only sapient, but Extremely intelligent, but most dont know about him)

b/c of how their communication works they have a sort of culture that highly empasizes the individual as an aspect of religion (they sort of consider themselves their own gods?) and an emphasis on the endless pursuit of knowledge, as basically most of what they do is write and think

people still come to this planet, however, as its the only known source of an extremely bizarre, highly radioactive mineral that is highly sought after for ~~weaponry~~ RESEARCH purposes, as it's basically so potent it can rip you apart at the molecular level, while also being strangely easy to manipulate and channel

as a result the planet is sort of infamous as a massive death planet where you either get eaten or freeze to death, and mostly only hired hands go there for samples Or ppl who are weird and want to research that planet Specifically (put a pin in this)

so sto HAS seen humans (and other sapient species from off planet) before, and he's eaten his fair share, but mostly hes just extremely curious about them and spent a lot of time "watching" them (the worms have eyes but their sight is Not Great)

and he like. wow he thinks hands are so cool. hands and arms. its so easy to manipulate things!!! if he wants to do that he has to use his tongues. thats so cool he wants hands.

anyway (fake science babble) over the course of like a century this weird little piss has made a device utilizing aforementioned mineral to blast himself apart at a molecular level and reconstruct it as he has pre-programmed it to- resulting in him being able to be _shaped_ into a humanoid form (this is important- he does not know how humans Work inside. he had to guess a lot of things and he largely only managed to look kind of human on a surface level; his bone structure is almost entiely guesswork b/c he knows humans have SOMETHING inside them because they are crunchy, etc. he's mostly worm once you get past the skin. even the skin isnt quite right, because he had not Yet learned what human skin even feels like. he just defaulted to a sort of velvet-soft flesh not unlike what the worms have on spots where theyre not as heavily furred)

eventually he encounters a merc ship and the ppl on board are like "hey what the shitting fucking hell is that thats a guy but thats not a guy what the Fuck"

he can't talk, he doesnt emote, he seems to barely be able to walk, to them he's like a newborn, almost

this is where his "present" story begins to kick off- because on board this ship is a xenobiologist who has gotten free access onboard in exchange for functioning as a ship medic

this is delilah. she is a devout bapist from whatever deep south america there still is on future earth. she loves xenobiology. she ESPECIALLY loves "efficient" xeno-animals. shes here because she Fucking Loves These Worms. These Worms Are Her Favourite. shes also completely fucking insane. whatever you are picturing she looks like you are probably wrong.

shes like hey. that weird guy might die out there hes like. naked. even if hes a ken doll. and theyre like yeah youre right. its cold. theres worms. why is he even fucking here what is going on.

so they drag him on board and internally he's like ": }"

anyway with a lot of poking prodding and meet-cute delilah eventually comes to a Realization of what this dude is even if she doesnt get How this dude is and she promptly loses her whole fucking brain because this is the bestest and coolest thing that has ever happened to her

this is also the most terrifying thing that has ever happened to her shipmates, because theres a fucking death worm on the ship and they left planet side hours ago

so (hand waves a lot of deal making deliberation discussion) evnetually sto is just sort of adopted as a member of the crew, more or less, even if most of the crew is Very Uncomfortable

he and delilah get slowly better at communicating, because they are both very smart and both trying Extremely hard to meet eachother halfway

eventually they become and item and its cute and horrifying and bizarre and delilah gets to fuck her special interest its Amazing and sto has barely any understanding of a _partner_ but he _has_ had brief mates before and he understands that humans tend to stay with their mates and also not mutilate or attempt to eat their mates and he is a Very Good At Human Good Boy and he will Not hurt delilah he loves her very much in his little worm hearts (not that delilah would mind getting murdered by her worm boyfriend, she is, in fact, bonkers)

"sto" is called "sto" b/c thats what the crew started calling him. depending on who you ask its short for either "stoic" or "stowaway"

sto is a "man" because delilah roughly explained the cocnept of gender to him and he was like "oh okay That One" but he doesnt really give a shit about pronouns, he barely understnads what pronouns are

he is delilah's boyfriend/research assistant/research subject and totgethor Adventures happen idk

his humanoid appearance i have not yet made decent art of but you can get an idea by knowing that hes White (like, literally stark white. like snow. not like white as in how some humans are white) and aesthetically largely based on the anime mad scientist trope bc i love it

see also this post

[mariacallous]

Since taking power in a coup two years ago, Myanmar’s military junta has suppressed people's rights, cracked down on opposition, and used deadly force against civilians. To enable this, officials have clamped down on people’s communications and rolled out extensive digital surveillance systems. Now, new evidence shows how people are being tracked online and offline simultaneously.

In April this year, the military junta launched one of its deadliest air strikes—killing more than 160 people in the Kanbalu region in a single day. Following the strike, pro-junta Telegram channels systematically doxed people who showed support for the victims on social media, new research shared with WIRED shows. Their names, photos, and other personal information were all shared. Days after the doxing, which also revealed the real-world movements of some of the individuals, people were arrested and imprisoned.

The revelations from Myanmar Witness, a project run by the digital investigations group Centre for Information Resilience, demonstrates how oppressive forces can use people’s social media posts against them. It also shows the intense surveillance faced by people living under Myanmar’s military junta, which includes rolling internet shutdowns and increasing CCTV.

“The military regime and their supporters in Myanmar have weaponized the internet, and doxing has become the tip of the spear—the most aggressive way of intimidating people into silence, online and offline,” says Lu Aye, the lead investigator at Myanmar Witness. The group investigated the incident using open source intelligence techniques, comparing on-the-ground reports with digital evidence.

The air strike hit the village of Pa Zi Gyi, in central Myanmar, on the morning of April 11 as hundreds of people celebrated the opening of a new village building, which had been backed by Myanmar’s pro-democratic National Unity Government. More than 160 people, including women and children, died in the air strike, with reports from CNN and the Guardian describing bodies burning on the ground and medical teams not immediately able to access the site due to planes flying overhead. (A military spokesperson told local press it was targeting “terrorists.”)

In the days following the incident, locals changed their Facebook profile pictures to black images and shared messages of support for the victims. According to reports in the state-owned Myanmar Alin newspaper that were analyzed by Myanmar Witness, 68 people were arrested. (One other arrest was reported by the BBC.) People were arrested for spreading propaganda, cooperating with the pro-democracy government, and public disturbance, according to the analysis. All the of arrests mention people’s social media profiles.

A series of 19 Telegram channels that appear to support the State Administration Council, the official name of the military junta, shared the personal details and Facebook posts of 20 people who supported air strike victims, the Myanmar Witness research says. Of these, 11 were arrested after being doxed. “Revealing the identities, addresses, and other details of dissenters online is a powerful weapon of suppression,” Lu Aye says. “It leaves individuals vulnerable and intimidated and scares off many more from calling out the military and standing up for democracy.”

It is “highly likely” that the doxing and subsequent arrests are related, Lu Aye says. Messages sent alongside the doxing posts were often similar to the published reasons for the arrest, and the timelines overlap, Lu Aye says. On average, according to the analysis, an arrest happened six and a half days after the doxing post appeared—and in all the instances, the doxing happened at least one day before the arrest. Some people were doxed multiple times, with a total of 59 doxing posts for the 20 people targeted.

Lu Aye says that the researchers have, for the “first time,” found evidence to show the “coordination of online and offline surveillance and suppression.” “We found a shop owner who was named and targeted by seven different pro-junta Telegram channels in one day,” Lu Aye says. “The victim fled her home and shop, movements which were reported on by two of the channels who also called for the shop owner’s arrest and [said] they would continue to report on the individual.”

Myanmar’s embassy in Washington, DC did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment about the arrests and doxing. Telegram has also not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing. Doxing on Telegram isn’t new. As WIRED has previously reported, politically motivated doxing is now rife across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Telegram previously said it moderates the publication of private information on its platform.

Of the 19 Telegram channels highlighted by Myanmar Witness, five no longer appear to exist. The largest has 112,000 followers, while others have more than 10,000. Several seem to still be posting screenshots of people’s Facebook profiles and other personal information, a WIRED review of the channels found.

Manny Maung, a Myanmar researcher at nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch, says that while doxing has been increasing in the country in the past two years, it is hard to document. Maung says she has seen lawyers “go to ground” after having their personal details, as well as their home address and details about family members, spread online. “That is enough to scare people right now,” she says.

Since the military junta took power, people’s digital and physical rights have been eroded, Maung says. There have been frequent internet shutdowns, which keep people from organizing and prevent information from getting out of Myanmar. Several laws have also been amended, giving authorities greater powers, such as the ability to clamp down on civil society and snoop on people’s communications.

Andrea Calderaro, a senior lecturer in international relations at Cardiff University who has worked on Myanmar’s internet connectivity, says the digital activists he knows have had to flee. “All the telecom operators are under the control of the military junta,” he says. “The connectivity that has been built over the years is clearly now being turned against the population. It’s now a tool that the government is using to control and repress populations.”

Myanmar Witness has verified and mapped more than 750 incidents in the three years from October 2020 to this month. Each one is based on photos or videos that have come out of the country, and researchers have checked their location and the events recorded. These include houses being destroyed and burnt, bombs caught exploding on CCTV footage, and dead bodies on the street.

“Among the litany of atrocities and abuses, the military is abusing their own people’s rights: rights to access of information, the right to organize, the right to live without fear of being attacked or killed,” Maung says. “All of this is happening in a widespread context where the military is clamping down on all aspects of life.”

Myanmar Witness’s Lu Aye says that since the doxing and the wider arrests, at least five of the people apprehended were released within four months of their arrest. These individuals were mostly well-known in local communities, and their release was reported by people on the ground, Lu Aye says. “We do not know the fate of the more than 60 other people who were arrested.”

[tiredphilosophy]

It’s times like these (exams) that I wonder what all this work was for. Like, on a whole, were the people who advanced society (philosophers, mathematicians, scientists, some politicians & rulers, etc) thinking “ah yes, one day my descendants will be able to sit in fluorescent-lit rooms and fill in bubbles on a piece of paper that will be judged by a machine to determine if they’re intelligent enough to not have to take a class in the special school they’ll go to after 12 years of schooling” or “ah yes, one day my decedents will be staying up late researching things they don’t give a damn about because the government decided it was important. Will they ever be genuinely interested in pursuing the topic after associating it with exhaustion, back pain, lack of control over their own lives, and a lack of self worth? Ha, probably not, isn’t that great?”

And then did pioneers from what are less privileged groups today go, “oh, oh, and my decedents will struggle to get an education instead! They’ll also have dirty water and be starving and their economy will be failing and their government will be corrupt! Wouldn’t that be so fun?”

And did the pioneers from what are privileged groups today go, “That’s genius! And the young people from our countries will learn, like, Calculus, while not being encouraged to help those less fortunate than them. I mean, they’ll do ‘service hours,’ I guess, but that won’t be nearly as rewarded as working to be accepted to a highly respected college, which they’ll also pay to attend, even though we’ll eventually create a resource (the internet) where literally all the knowledge of the human race can be recorded and communicated.”

I was told by people much smarter than me that the school system and much of our culture is meant, first and foremost, to benefit the economy. And personally, I believe it. We’re taught about productivity and how to maximize output, with only a small amount of time being dedicated to exploring what is valuable to us as individuals and to the world as a whole. Or the way that we, as individuals, function best, both alone and in a group. (And when I say in a group, I don’t mean group projects where you just want to get it done and get a decent grade, I mean group projects that you actually care about contributing to.) We’re basically taught how to do a simple job. Get instructions, follow instructions, improve at task. And even then, the skills are only really applicable to jobs that don’t require actual independent thought.

Critical thinking skills? Unheard of. Comprehension skills? What are you even talking about.

We aren’t taught thinking skills; we’re taught patterns. It’s no wonder that most young people seem unoriginal and dependent. Society took the human feature that allows us to improve as a whole and made it so extreme that we don’t grow as individuals. (Or learn to actively consider the actual whole, including those outside our social group and more.)

TLDR: Is measurable academic success, (and later economic success, especially through traditional means) really what we should be shaping children to value and achieve?

[torialefay]

As announced: if you find the time I’d love your interpretation on my compatibility with Channie🤭 I’m curious to see what you’ll write cause I’m pretty sure our moons might clash😂

Gemini sun in 7th house, aries moon in 5th house, Taurus mercury in 7th house, Gemini Venus in 8th house, Virgo mars in 10th house and finally - Scorpio rising 🤭

Tysm x

here you go honeyyyyy ❤️❤️❤️ sorry if there are typos, lol my thumbs were going 100 miles a minute.

Scorpio Ascendant: with your ascendant being in scorpio, i could see you having an energy that could seem unapproachable. likely, that isn't your intention. for most scorps who experience this, it is simply because they are shy, have a unique or dark sense or dress, or are simply in their head in their own world. either way, you probably give off an alluring energy that does get people at least curious in you. since your ascendant is your first impression, chan would be instantly drawn to you. i've talked previously about how his mars is in scorpio as well. it's no secret that there would be an unspeakable connection there that would just be felt, without even realizing it. chan would most likely find himself attracted to you or drawn to you without even understanding why. this feeling could also lead to a great first conversation and overall unforgettable first impression.

Gemini Sun in 7th house: your sun being in your 7th house is a good indication that you get along well with others. usually, right off the bat, you are able to sense at least something that you have in common with the other person. you most likely pick this up easily and understand what a person wants from you from the first encounter you have with them. most likely, you'd rather spend time with people 1:1 than in groups, because it helps you get a vibe for that person. i think all of these would lead to a great git with channie's personality. he is obviously a very social guy and picks up on social cues easily. i think he'd be super happy to have someone who just "gets" humans and are as curious about about them as he is. with you both having suns in air signs, the relationship between you two seems like it would be very easy breezy in everyday life. you have fun, light-hearted conversations. one of the biggest points though is that channie would most likely feel comfortable using his flirty personality around you.

Aries Moon in 5th house: your moon being in aries while also in the 5th house has so many implications! i'll hit the highlights. aries is very much about drive and passion, so it suggests to me that you can only be emotionally satisfied with yourself when you think you are being productive OR when you feel valuable. in other words, you usually need to find a level of confidence to be truly satisfied in your emotional state. the aries placement also shows that you may be includes to emotional impulsivity- whether you are communicating how you feel or not, it will usually be very evident that you can quickly show strong emotions. you also most likely do not take criticism suppper well (especially if not said in a caring manner) as protecting your ego is important. it also means you are inclined to protect the egos of those you love. this placement could be an area of clash with chan. chan's 5th house in virgo, as well is moon in libra indicates that he has internal struggles with always needing to feel valuable as well, leading to confidence issues. this could be something that you struggle with as well. i think you would both need to work on your personal journeys to maintaining a positive self image (at all times) before you could help each other as a couple.

taurus mercury in the 7th house: with mercury in your 7th house, this indicates that good communication is vital in any relationship you go into. with mercury ruling intellect and taurus ruling learning, you are more than likely very intelligent. taurus is also highly associated with the arts, so it is also likely you are intelligent regarding one art form or another- usually through understanding hidden meanings and finding small details. taurus also tends to be very patient in both thinking and speaking. this is a really great pairing for channie! he will appreciate that you can put a lot of thought behind your words when having a deep conversation. he would also really like the fact that you'd be able to help him with his artistry if the time ever arose. i'm sure he would ask for your thoughts and opinions about many things regarding his work.

gemini venus in 8th house: your venus in the 8th means that you can be completely obmersive in romantic relationships. you tend to be vulnerable once you get into a relationship, as venus drives a wabt for intimacy in the rawest form. venus is the ruler of the 8th house, so these qualities are heightened. when you are in love, you love PASSIONATELY. it is highly likely that you make incredibly deep sexual connections with your partner and that it is something you truly need.... having venus in gemini also means that you need a partner who is mentally stimulating and highly intelligent. if someone does not mentally stimulate you, it isn't likely that you will be able to stick around for long. in other words, superficial looks are not enough to keep you in a relationship. you have to have found a best friend in that person. chan's scorpio venus is a perfect fit. he would adore the way that you approach relationships and the fact that you would be just as emotionally invested as him. i could see you being the couple that literally blocks out the rest of the world emotionally- in other words, you would rely solely on each other for a soul connection and no longer look for that type of release from external factors.

virgo mars in 10th house: mars in the 10th house, as well as your virgo placement, indicates that you have the keys to be very successful materialistically. typically, this presents in that you have a skillset OR mindset that makes you successful in obtaining rewards. because of your mars in virgo, you are very thoughtful and notice small details. so if other people don't value this OR show that same energy back, it can get irritating for you. you also more than likely like following some sort of routine, no matter how loose. you would at least prefer it to having something new and unknown every single day. therefore, you can butt heads with people who are careless or change things up last minute. this could be a potential source of conflict between you and chan, as his mars in sag is all about freedom, change, and adventure.

[elysian-noctuary]

Sakukari Kiyoki Bio

THINGS / ASKS / HC / THREADS

BASICS

Name: Sakukari Kiyoki

Ethnic background: Japanese

Nickname(s): TBA

Age: 16

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 145 lbs

Species: Human

Sex and pronouns: Female, she/her

Birthday: February 15th (Aquarius)

Orientation: Heterosexual (for now?)

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Kiyoki is a fairly slender young girl; she has lightly toned muscle to at least stave off any physical attacks. She has long waist length silk black hair with a navy blue undertone. Her eyes are gold like honey: sweet behind the disgruntled features she usually bears. From the few encounters she has faced, Kiyoki earned a few slashes across the left side of her face.

PERSONALITY

Kiyoki is fairly intelligent for her age. She shows extreme potential in becoming a grade one sorcerer, possibly special grade if she works hard enough. Determined, stubborn, and brash at times, Kiyoki will find a way to make her plans come into fruition. Even if she can be impulsive at times, she usually tries to keep a calm demeanor for everyone else around her, especially in the midst of fights. Behind her usually stoic facade, Kiyoki craves the softer side of life-- indulging in lighthearted romcoms, fashion, and makeup. When it comes to her cursed technique and using it with her allies around, she sets aside all of her differences with them and will lead them to (hopefully) victory. Even if she might not get along with someone, she will do her best to protect the lives that mean well. Seeing the good in people is difficult, but when it's obvious, she treasures that the most. She may not risk her life right away for someone, but once Kiyoki and another person form a close bond, that is when she is willing to put her life on the line to save them.

CURSED TECHNIQUE

BLUEPRINT -- By making physical contact with a building, Kiyoki is able to copy its layout and project it into existence. She can only use the last buildings layout she touched, or has studied. While using this technique, Kiyoki is granted a "map" of the building that she can toy with. Change where doors are, shrink windows, put holes into the ground, etc. It's the user's fun house, and they can change the layout almost at will. Kiyoki can make herself a "control center" where she can hide away and track everything from her map. Every entity on the map will show up as a dot; blue for allies, red for enemies/unknown. She must be in a secluded area in order for her to track everything on the map, and strategize how to make the outcome in her favor. When a curse is killed by her, and within her technique, that curse permanently becomes a part of the blueprint. The curse remains on the same floor where it was killed, along with its power level.

ABILITIES AND TOOLS

ABILITIES -- Without her technique, Kiyoki is quite weak when it comes to CQC. She typically uses her physique to quickly evade attacks to gain distance and prepare for her technique activation. With this, she is highly skilled in parkour, and dodging close quarter attacks.

CURSED TOOLS -- Kiyoki carries a bag with her that contains specialized traps and tools to aid in her success. The tools can be moved in, out, and around the blueprint at will. Using the landscape to her advantage by opening doors quickly to place certain traps in a specific area, to being able to use these tools herself. She isn't spectacular with fighting herself, but manages with a simple katana and a spiked bat in the room she hides away in.

EQUIPMENT -- Blueprints. Once a building is created for her use, she gains a physical scroll of the blueprint. Detailing what it is, and what is in it, she can plan accordingly to her missions. Grabbing certain scrolls with stronger curses based on difficulty of her mission. Communication devices. Kiyoki is able to provide her allies with the tech to keep in contact. The storage room for herself and items have a collection of walkie talkies that can be used throughout the whole building. As long as they are inside the building (roof included), everything should be clear. If they step away from the building, or are away from the building, the walkie outside of the zone will not work.

BACKSTORY

The Sakukari clan's overall cursed energy had become stagnant over the years. Being low on the clans radar, they sought to improve their standing within ranks, in hope to become one of the few major clans under the big three. With the birth of Kiyoki, the Sakukari clan leader saw an excessive cursed energy out-pour from this child. And with that, Hideji Sakukari (uncle,) murdered Kiyoki's parents to claim her as his own. Being the brother to someone who was able to produce such an heir, while he couldn't was a disgrace. How come Hideji couldn't do the same? It was unfair. Taking Kiyoki from her rightful parents with blood on his hands, Hideji raised Kiyoki with love, care, and most importantly, the proper training she would need to rise in ranks. Kiyoki believes that Hideji had the best intentions when she was informed of her parents "accident," being left in the care of her uncle. She has suspected what may have happened to her parents, but hasn't really felt the need to bring it up. As Kiyoki's technique manifested into a quite unique one unseen before, Hideji taught her well on how to use it to her advantage. Take control of everything in her surroundings, lead her allies, and proceed with a deadly game of cat and mouse. When Kiyoki was recommended to study at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech, Hideji was proud of his creation. Ecstatic with how their own plans have come to be, to take hold of a powerful technique and lead it down their own righteous path of a self-inflated ego. Meanwhile, Kiyoki was proud to be accepted with her technique, despite it not being anything beyond a pencil pusher's position behind a desk, she is willing to prove that her technique is something worth while-- something to behold with wonder and power.

TRIVIA

Anime faceclaim is Mitaka Asa from Chainsaw Man.

Her given name contains the character for "fear" (Kyo 恐) and "container" (ki 器). Her surname contains the character for "make" (Saku 作) and "temporary" (kari 仮). Kiyoki's name essentially means "make a temporary fear container."

Kiyoki's technique is inspired by the liminal spaces, and The Backrooms.

Kiyoki loves architecture, specifically gothic.

She enjoys internet mystery channels on YouTube.

Her favorite colors are pastel pink and green like spring.

Her favorite animals are birds. She would love having a pigeon some day.

[gayestpiano]

on bee atheism

there's a post going around you may have seen that says something like "imagine a bee saying the beekeeper isn't real because he isn't solving my problems" and I think this can lead to an interesting discussion if I take it way too seriously.

this is a common argument against the existence of god and the bee metaphor is seeking to satirize that but the two situations aren't quite analogous. if we were to apply the logic directly, it would be that bees have decided there is an eternal all-knowing bee that is, by definition, seeking the welfare of all bees. in this case, the bee would be right to see that definition and complain that it doesn't square with their personal experience.

more interestingly, if you take the bee metaphor and apply it to humans, im actually on OP's side rather than the bee's. I don't believe in the christian god i was raised to believe in, but this is something different. this is, i think, more akin to the idea that the universe is a simulation; some highly advanced society would have the computing power to simulate an entire universe with us in it. it's not quite the same but I think the central idea is that there are some artificial aspects of our universe, much like the different tools and technologies beekeepers use.

in this analogy, the being that created the simulation wouldn't be bothered with solving the "problems" of the people inside it, especially because we take up such an unimaginably small part of the universe - they might not even know we exist, much less understand what our problems are! the beekeeper, similarly, probably wouldn't be able to tell if there was some interpersonal (interapial?) problem. because we don't even fully understand how bees communicate with each other. the waggle dance hasn't been described for very long (about 50 years) and there's still some disagreement and ambiguity about the details. it might be difficult for a being simulating us to understand how we communicate if they didn't intentionally create us.

it's essentially unprovable in our case which is why I don't have any specific opinion on it. I can't say for certain that we weren't intelligently created by some advanced society, but if we were, I wouldn't expect them to try to meddle with something so unfathomably unimportant to them.

[encantotek]

Responsive Design and Beyond: Exploring the Latest Trends in Web Development Services

The two things ruling the present scenario are the internet and smartphones. The easier they are making the lifestyle of the consumers the more difficult it becomes for the lives of the business owners. Digitization has resulted in the rise of competition from the local level to the national and international levels. The businesses that are not adopting the culture are lagging far behind in the growth cycle. The only way to get along with the pace is to hire a custom web development service that is capable of meeting the needs of both the business and consumers. The blog aims to explore some such services that are redefining the web development world.

Latest Trends in the Web Development Services

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain is an encrypted database storing system. It stores information in blocks, which are then joined as a chain. It makes transactions more secure and error-free. The technology enables the participants to make transactions across the internet without the interference of a third party. Thus, this technology can potentially revolutionize different business sectors by reducing the risks of cybercrimes. The technology allows web developers to use open-source systems for their projects, hence simplifying the development process.

Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT can be defined as a network of internet-enabled devices, where data transfer requires no human involvement. It is capable of providing a future where objects are connected to the web. IoT fosters constant data transfer. Moreover, IoT can be used to create advanced communication between different operational models and website layouts. The technology also comes with broad applications like cameras, sensors, and signaling equipment to list a few.   

Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is the process of optimizing web pages to appear in voice search. . In the field of web development, the latest innovations are voice-activated self-standing devices, and voice optimization for apps and websites. The technology is being developed that will be able to recognize the voices of different people and provide a personalized AI-based experience

AI-Powered Chatbots

AI-powered chatbot uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) to better understand the user’s intent and provide a human-like experience. These have advanced features like 24×7 problem-solving skills and behavior analytics capabilities. These can be effectively used fo customer support to increase customer satisfaction. An AI-powered chatbot can easily be integrated into regular/professional websites and PWAs. Chatbots generally provide quick answers in an emergency and are quick to resolve complaints.

Cloud Computing

It is the use of cloud-based resources such as storage, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence for flexibility and convenience. These services are more reliable as they are backed up and replicated across multiple data centers. This ensures that web applications are always available and running. It is highly efficient for remote working setups.  The technology helps avoid data loss and data overload. It also has a low development costs, robust architecture and offers flexibility.

Book a Web Development Service Provider Now

So, if you are also excited to bring your business online and on other tech platforms but are confused about how to do that, you are recommended to reach out to one of the best web development companies i.e. Encanto Technologies. They have a professional and competent web development team that would assist you in the development of an aesthetic, functional, and user-friendly website that would take your revenue to new heights. So, do not wait to enter the online world and book the services of OMR Digital now.

Author’s Bio 

This blog is authored by the proactive content writers of Encanto Technologies.  It is one of the best professional web development services that embodies a cluster of services including web development, mobile application development, desktop application development, DevOps CI/ CD services, big data development, and cloud development services. So, if you are also looking for any of the web and app development services do not delay any further and contact OMR Digital now.

[thewatcherprevails]

Wherever the Wind Takes Me

Name: Lisa (She/Her)

Race: Elf (Half-Elf narratively)

Class: Druid

Level: 2

Starting with Lisa, while it's cool that the game, depending on the background you picked and choose for your character is cool, let's add a bit of flare for her.

Lisa, as show in the images, originates from The Living Lands, a frontier island that is filled with wild weather, strange beasts, and hundreds of difficult-to-reach valleys containing oddities never before seen by mortals. Despite these awesome sightings, Lisa was born in a settlement that saw little action. But a quiet life was the least of Lisa's concerns. Lisa was the only Half-Elf in her community, and perhaps in the world. Due to an Elf's long lifespan and a Human's short one, it has never occurred within the shared (and often strained) communities to interbreed together.

Thus, people had mixed views about Lisa. No one knew what to think of her as the question of "what is she and what is she capable of" began to rise day by day. Off the bat, everyone saw that she was beautiful, possessed Elven traits, was dexterous & highly intelligent, and had a wanderlust like no other. But despite these points, everyone grew jealous of her beauty, energy, and brilliance. As she grew up, it seemed that everyone else was getting older while Lisa remained seemingly forever young. Lisa would become victim to envious ridicule and social outcast. Even within her own household, it was difficult.

Her parents, being a Human and Elf, both had different perspectives on how to handle their daughters situation and their place in her life. Her Elven father, while caring, as also a bit more hands off due to his nature as a Elf and time meaning very little to him. Then there was her Human mother who took most of the parenting brunt of the house, which quickly exhausted her as she tried to become understanding of her slowly-yet-rapidly aging daughter.

Soon, life in The Living Lands became too much for Lisa. Wanting to get away from home, she left without warning. Aside from growing tired of her slow, tortuous life, she had little in mind on WHAT she would do once she was away from home. But it didn't seem to matter to her, at the time. With little money and the clothes on her back, she was forced to learn how to survive in the bewildering wilderness of the world. Alone with nothing by nature to accompany her, she would learn the ways of a Druid, binding and conforming her soul with the nature world and learning how to shapeshift.

Away from home, everyone assumes she is an Elf, thanks to the pointed ears and Elven beauty. And being nearly 50 years old, Lisa gave up a long time ago to search for others like herself, believing she is the one and only Half-Elf woman on the planet. A prospect she seldom lingers on and only hopes that traveling to far off lands and experiencing new people will keep that terrifying reality at bay.

We'll now finally get into what happened at the prologue! As you may have read above, Lisa decided to join a caravan trip to Gilded Vale. Lisa, in all honesty, isn't interested in obtaining any land in this small settlement, only really taking the trip to move to another place quicker. However, thanks to a beetle stinging her or some sort of phenomenon, she began to fall ill during the trip, believed to be the Rumbling Rot by the Caravan Master.

The Caravan Master advises that we look for Springberries and asks that our first NPC TUTORIAL ally, Calisca, assist us in finding these berries. Calisca, off the bat, presents herself as a hardy, no-nonsense type of individual and accompanies us on the brief road for some berries. We also meet another TUTORIAL ally named Heodan, a traveling merchant who is looking to expand his trade elsewhere.

We were able to find the Springberries near a viciously mauled stag and a hungry wolf. While picking the berries, we learn a bit about Calisca and ourselves. Starting with Calisca, we learn that Calisca belongs to a family who is just as wanderlustful as she and Lisa. Her family originated in the Dyrwood, but has since broken off to other parts of the world. The reason why Calisca is back in the Dyrwood is because her sister sent a letter to her that got Cali worried, so she doing a rain check to see what's up. But she does mention something that not only hints at a future side mission we'll eventually do, but also to the story as a whole. Calisca mentioned how birthing rates have been troubling in the Dyrwood and it's been going on for YEARS.

As for Lisa, this part of the game is where we can roleplay the reasons why our character came out to possibly settle in Gilded Vale. Lisa admits to her background of living in a frontier settlement and leaving because it was too quiet (among other things). But when asked what she would do once she reached Gilded Vale, Lisa is left stumped. As stated before, even long before she reached this part of the world, Lisa has wandered aimlessly with no goal in sight. Thus, Lisa answers with uncertainty.

After picking up some berries, Calisca suggests that we look for the hunter Sparfel, for he was supposed to come back with some water, but she believes he's slacking on that quest. We were able to find a spare waterskin and while Lisa was filling the skin, the pair were met with a grizzly sight.

Sparfel returns half-dead, but eventually perishes from a arrow that got him in the back. Then, we are met with the locals. The locals, Glanfathans, are individuals who guard sacred ruins on their lands and attack anyone spotted raiding these ruins. Unfortunately, we got the "twitchiest" of the bunch, Fangs of Galawain Glanfathans. Whatever they saw while we were gone, they killed nearly everyone in the caravan, leaving only Lisa, Calisca, and Heodan. The Glanfathan Leader tried to scare us into dropping our weapons, and despite Heodan urging us not to do so, Lisa decided to play mind games with the guy.

Being pretty intelligent and having traveled for some time, Lisa decided to challenge the Leaders' faith in Galawain. This gave Heodan enough time to avoid a axe blow to him and we fought off the remaining murders. As the Glanfathan Leader died, another incident happened. It was hinted earlier, but the Caravan Leader mentioned that a Bîaŵac, or "spirit wind", would possibly emerge in the area. These storms are dangerous as it is believed that getting caught in one could rip the soul out of someone. And unfortunately for us, a Bîaŵac decided to show its face to us. This eventually forced the trio to run into the ruins for shelter and safety. We also nearly lost Heodan AGAIN as a Glanfathan raider attacked him, possibly attempting to bring Heodan down with them. Lisa was able to strike at the raider and save Heodan.

While inside, the trio take a moment to breathe as they figure out their next steps. Immediately, that next step becomes "getting out of the Eir Glanfath ruins." The trio travels cautiously through the ruins, watching for traps and fighting any immediate threats that comes their way. Save for a Xaurip, the POE's version of a Kobold, whom Lisa left alone seeing how the creature was injured and didn't immediately went after them.

While exploring, we found a corpse with a tattered journal that hinted and possibly explained why the Glanfathan's attacked our caravan. Whether or not this individual was truly associated with the caravan remains with the dead, but based on their writing, they came to this site because they earned a "pretty nothing" of Engwithan origins. Believing that this gem could lead to some hidden treasures, this man decided to raid this same ruins. We know its this place they were looking for because the gem does lead to a hidden space in the dungeon that gives us some goodies to sell for later. Thus, it can be assumed that our caravan was wrongly believed to be associated with this man OR we carried along some no-gooders who compromised the entire caravan and sentenced them to death with their foolish desire for wealth.

Regardless, the group was able to escape the dungeon. But upon tasting fresh air and freedom, we meet a peculiar sight.

Obscured from a strange group in front of a strange device, we are met with a scene that looks like we ran into a private moment with a cult. A bearded man speaks to these people, something about a Queen That Was, a Key, and the willingness to sacrifice themselves in the same manner as their ashen brother. Lisa, reasonably, was unsure of what she was experiencing. But staying around was perhaps the worst thing that could've happened to her, as the device came to life and started connecting itself to the three individuals who positioned themselves on circular plates.

Then a blast! Strong enough to knock Lisa down and out, but too strong from Calisca and Heogan as they are not permanently dead and removed from our party. While Lisa was out, she received a strange dream or vision that showed the same structure, but now more refined and put together. Not only that, but Lisa experiences a near confusing state of mind as her mind was her own, yet not at the same time. As if she experiencing something she has witnessed before but in another body and perhaps in another time! The same man we saw before even emerges from this dream, and Lisa cannot help but ask a question to them.

Whatever this question was, however, will remain a mystery for now. Lisa awakens, no longer sick, but now she has bigger fish to fry. Upon awakening, Lisa began hearing voices and seeing ghostly figures. Lisa is no professional, but she is 100% certain that she never had an issue with such things, even when under the influence of her illness. Lisa, frightened, alone, and even more unsure of what to do, has no other choice but to push for Gilded Vale and hope there's a healer in town.