#collecting information from each of its members

[nelkcats]

The List

Danny knew he couldn't keep the existence of the ghosts a secret forever. The GIW was a clear example of that, they had managed to disband the organization but there were always traces left behind that made him anxious.

Times had changed, and while Amity was hiding behind his "small town" reputation, the world was changing. New protectors, heroes, as well as new threats were appearing. And as much as the halfa wanted to, he couldn't transport his entire town to the Realms on every occasion of danger, that would definitely be suspicious.

So he made a list. He gathered information on the heroes that had come forward and categorized them according to how easy they were to approach, or how open they would be to the existence of ghosts.

Unfortunately his "safest" choice was John Constantine, someone he wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, so he decided to settle for the second one: The Flash.

Danny had weighed the pros and cons, but as he walked through Central City he wondered if it had been a mistake. Although it was probably too late to regret it, the speedster had already noticed him.

[ellipsus-writes]

(Read on our blog)

Beginning in 1933, the Nazis burned books to erase the ideas they feared—works of literature, politics, philosophy, criticism; works by Jewish and leftist authors, and research from the Institute for Sexual Science, which documented and affirmed queer and trans identities.

(Nazis collect "anti-German" books to be destroyed at a Berlin book-burning on May 10, 1933 (Source)

Stories tell truths.

These weren’t just books; they were lifelines.

Writing by, for, and about marginalized people isn’t just about representation, but survival. Writing has always been an incredibly powerful tool—perhaps the most resilient form of resistance, as fascism seeks to disconnect people from knowledge, empathy, history, and finally each other. Empathy is one of the most valuable resources we have, and in the darkest times writers armed with nothing but words have exposed injustice, changed culture, and kept their communities connected.

(A Nazi student and a member of the SA raid the Institute for Sexual Science's library in Berlin, May 6, 1933. Source)

Less than two weeks after the US presidential inauguration, the nightmare of Project 2025 is starting to unfold. What these proposals will mean for creative freedom and freedom of expression is uncertain, but the intent is clear. A chilling effect on subjects that writers engage with every day—queer narratives, racial justice, and critiques of power—is already manifest. The places where these works are published and shared may soon face increased pressure, censorship, and legal jeopardy.

And with speed-run fascism comes a rising tide of misinformation and hostility. The tech giants that facilitate writing, sharing, publishing, and communication—Google, Microsoft, Amazon, the-hellscape-formerly-known-as-Twitter, Facebook, TikTok—have folded like paper in a light breeze. OpenAI, embroiled in lawsuits for training its models on stolen works, is now positioned as the AI of choice for the administration, bolstered by a $500 billion investment. And privacy-focused companies are showing a newfound willingness to align with a polarizing administration, chilling news for writers who rely on digital privacy to protect their work and sources; even their personal safety.

Where does that leave writers?

Writing communities have always been a creative refuge, but they’re more than that now—they are a means of continuity. The information landscape is shifting rapidly, so staying informed on legal and political developments will be essential for protecting creative freedom and pushing back against censorship wherever possible. Direct your energy to the communities that need it, stay connected, check in on each other—and keep backup spaces in case platforms become unsafe.

We can’t stress this enough—support tools and platforms that prioritize creative freedom. The systems we rely on are being rewritten in real time, and the future of writing spaces depends on what we build now. We at Ellipsus will continue working to provide space for our community—one that protects and facilitates creative expression, not undermines it.

Above all—keep writing.

Keep imagining, keep documenting, keep sharing—keep connecting. Suppression thrives on silence, but words have survived every attempt at erasure.

- The Ellipsus team

[as-if-and-only-if]

I'm interested in forming a sort of...math & physics reading group network. well, with some very important modifications to the concept of "reading group".

for example, right now, I'd like to learn algebraic geometry, qft, and/or refresh myself on representation theory with someone—maybe just one or two people—meaning that traditionally, we'd pick a text for one of these topics, discuss the material (asynchronously or synchronously?), exchange exercises, etc.

but currently (being Between Institutions), my best bet is posting on tumblr. and that's a pretty good bet, tbh! there are a lot of us here!

though, wouldn't it be great if there were a way to coordinate groups like this across institutions? you make a post proposing a group, specifying your goals and constraints...

even that would be a boon. but I think the concept of a "reading group" itself could be changed in interesting ways. this is what I'm really interested in.

there are variations among reading groups themselves already. sometimes you have directed reading groups, where someone already knows the material and "leads" it; some people are looking for more or less people involved; and there are probably things to explore for making sure that reading groups stick through it instead of falling apart when some motivation flags. default meeting times help with this, for example.

there are many experiments to be done! I think lessons for group-making can be taken from a maybe-surprising source: theater. there are a lot of things that make groups which put on shows more robust and rewarding than reading groups. a sense of building to something; many factors that create informal group cohesion (e.g. such a structure should make sure it creates more-informal "cafe" time in addition to more-formal "practice" time, just as rehearsal in physical spaces facilitates that casual sort of interaction on its periphery); ways to get into the right headspace during discussions (just as warm-ups do in theater; the engagement with this material is an event); clear goals (e.g. "understand ___"); successive shared accomplishments...to that end I wonder if it makes sense to form math troupes, which do successive reading groups together, drawn from its members.

it might be useful to envision some sort of public-facing artifact created as the culmination of this learning, whether a presentation, or an article, or some novel application or research...the crucial question is: how do we choose a goal that we find meaning in?

one idea, for example, is to have a collection parallel reading groups learning different things, and end by presenting to each other! that way we know what we learn will be meaningful to others, too, from the beginning. in general, I think it's important to feel that our own development of insight and understanding can be meaningful to others and to the group. it's nice to participate; it's nice to be able to offer something that is valued. what form can this take? how can you set up the interactions such that everyone has a part to play, and so this meaningfulness is tangled up in participation in the group?

I've also got a couple of ideas for "activities" that let us engage, re-engage, and play with the concepts we're learning with each other, beyond the text itself. how can we give ourselves the opportunity to toss around the concepts we're learning? I believe that the fun ultimately comes from the understanding itself, and therefore that any group exercise which lets us effectively play with the ideas will be fun.

it's a lot to ask people to come up with structure like that themselves, but using a pre-existing structure is not so difficult! sort of like how it's hard to make a TTRPG itself, so simply saying "go off and roleplay" isn't that helpful, but it's easy to use the structure of an existing one to run a game.

you might say, well, the existing form of a reading group is fine. okay! existing reading group structures can be low-stakes, relaxed, and accessible...but they can also fall apart easily (especially when not tied to an institution, in my experience), and you have to get lucky to find a truly rewarding one. I find reimagining our mechanisms of learning pretty exciting, and I think the space of ways to learn math with each other is underexplored at this level (emphasis on the with each other). there's a lot of potential!

anyway! reply or tag with "!" if this is something you could maybe be interested if done well? or if you're at least curious! I'm just taking a temperature. :)

[chirpingfromthebox]

PWHL Players Association votes to disclose salaries: Why they made the decision By Hailey Salvian June 3, 2025 Updated 1:14 pm EDT In a decision meant to help its members advocate for themselves in contract negotiations, the PWHL Players Association has voted to disclose salaries for the first time in the league’s two-season history, PWHLPA executive director Malaika Underwood told The Athletic.  An “overwhelming majority” of players voted in favor of the change over a 10-day period that ended late last week. “I’m proud of the players,” Underwood said. “It’s a huge step in the right direction in terms of transparency.” The timing of the move is particularly crucial due to the league’s pre-expansion-draft signing window that opens on Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET. During the signing period, all unprotected players and free agents can negotiate with the PWHL’s two new franchises in Vancouver and Seattle. A general free agency period is expected to be sometime after the entry draft on June 24. The decision to allow for the disclosure of players salaries will give each individual player more information and agency in their negotiations with teams. “This will be a tool for players as they consider opportunities across the league,” said Underwood. The PWHL just completed its second season, with the Minnesota Frost winning back-to-back Walter Cup championships. In the first two seasons, no player salaries were made public. Many of the league’s elite players signed three-year contracts paying them at least $80,000 with their chosen team before the league’s inaugural draft. According to the collective bargaining agreement, the 2025-26 salary cap will be $1.34 million, with minimum salaries set at $37,131.50. Each team’s average salary will need to be $58,349.50 to be cap compliant. The Players Association won’t be publishing a public salary database at this time, but will provide the information upon request. For now, Underwood said, the focus is on supporting the players and providing them with the tools needed to advocate for themselves at the negotiating table. “From the start the PWHL has been a progressive, athlete driven league,” said Underwood. “And allowing for salary disclosure was a decision the players made with that in mind.”

[unadulteratedsoulsweets]

A DC X DP IDEA #42

You’ll do it for him

Imagine dis…

What are little boys made of.

What are little boys made of?

Frog and snails and puppy dog-tails,

That’s what little boys made of.

…..

It was a disaster, everything was burning. Cities are flattened and everything turned into rubble. It is as if the apocalypse has come to collect its due.

It was another invasion, not by Darkseid, it was from something else. It was an alien race that colonized planets as they came by. The Green Lanterns were caught off guard, earth has no resources that could be useful to the alien race, whether naturally occurring or man-made. So when they had begun to strike first everyone was caught off guard. Every hero from all around the globe is now fighting for their life as also to save as many lives they can. Even well-known villains, mercenaries, and anti-heroes also join in the fight as they are not even spared.

Each foreign being targets all with the intent to kill, consume, multiply, and conquer.

Ruthlessly killing and consuming all in their path, multiplying at an alarming rate, and conquering every corner of the planet as their method of invasion slowly corners Earth.

All civilians that were lucky enough had been evacuated far from the active battlefield or were placed deep beneath the earth.

Across the globe, each member of the Justice League, from both light and dark, and those who had all owned them a favor is scattered all to the very corners of the world.

…..

The Teen Titans contains the members, Superboy, Impulse, Wonder Girl, and Red Robin and their team leader is assigned to Metropolis. Each member is already feeling the fatigue in their bones, as they have just been fighting the same alien species over and over again. Oracle and any information gathering specialists from all over the world are fighting against time to break down the mother ship’s firewall to override each machinery that gave the aliens aside from their strength an edge in technology. Currently all heroes from all over the world, their task is simple give more time to the information specialists. Each second counted, but slowly each one that had been fighting was already feeling the tiredness and fatigue of fighting over and over again.

Suddenly a scream pierced through the chaos, with thick smoke covering each part of the battlefield. With only their silhouette visible, a civilian is being surrounded by another large alien horde as if seeing another meal. As the smoke clears, Tim’s mask and his suit as if they went through a shredder looked at the source of the scream.

His heart froze.

There was Danny trapped in between, with aliens slowly inching towards him. Tim hadn't realized, that his fiance the love of his life, the man who made him laugh had been unfortunate enough to have missed the rush evacuation and was now trapped with no way out.

Memories flashed through Tim’s mind like a broken film…

….His and Danny’s first meeting, their first date, their first kiss, their first adventure together, their first fight and reconciliation, their first meeting of each family and friends, Danny’s pure awe and joy in his voice the moment he said “I do” when Tim knelt in one knee.

All came rushing through Tim’s mind, picking himself up and running with a broken leg. Not caring about his bruised and injured self, not caring if he is slowly being cornered as well, not caring enough to feel his adrenaline rush in him is slowly disappearing, or even care enough if the world even saw his secret identity right now there is only one thing is on Tim’s mind.

Danny!

Red Robin’s scream as well as his heavy footsteps was heard by each of his teammates who also began rushing in the direction where Danny was, trapped, vulnerable, weaponless, armor-less, looked at Tim with wide and terrified eyes.

Danny’s lips tremble with fear as tears weld up to his eyes as he watches Tim’s horror-stricken face slowly disappear from his eyesight.

... I just wanted you to see me as human... as someone you could love... until the end.

Suddenly something was felt by all in the air, something cold monstrous even.

This... This vile appearance. I didn’t want you of all people to see me like this.

Black tendrils of smoke coiled around Danny, his silhouette dissolving into something both monstrous and ghastly. His body twisted, becoming something that defied all known comprehension, with sharp fangs that shined like knives, and glowing eyes that reflected infinity itself. His pale skin darkened, marked with an ethereal glow. Lastly, a crown that reflected every galaxy unknown to all.

…..

Danny had always been good at hiding.

He hid his fangs behind soft smiles, his glowing eyes under careful control, and the pale shimmer of his skin beneath long sleeves. He hid the way shadows bent towards him, how his ghostly core hummed when Tim was near, always aching to protect, to claim, to envelop Tim in safety.

But he didn’t dare let Tim see.

Tim, who came home always tired, all but melted into Danny’s arms. Tim, who brought warmth and normalcy into a life Danny had long thought impossible, from his mad scientists whom he called parents or to his coronation to an Infinite Realm. Tim deserved peace, a boyfriend now fiancee who wasn’t a half-dead eldritch king or a freak in the natural balance between life and death.

So Danny buried the truth, even when it hurt. He dimmed his light and softened his edges, letting Tim believe he was nothing but human. What if Tim saw the cracks in Danny’s mask and was turned away?

So he hid.

Even when his core hummed louder than ever as Tim left for missions, even when Danny wanted nothing more than to follow, to keep him safe. Even when the ache of suppressing himself grew sharp like ice cracking beneath too much weight.

He loved Tim more than anything, and if hiding this part of himself was the price of keeping him, Danny would pay it a thousand times over.

…..

This time, I will stand for what is mine!

I am the son of the Master of Time himself, Clockwork:

The rightful King of the Infinite Realms:

Phantom!

The partner of Gotham’s detective,

Red Robin—Tim Drake

Danny’s voice now has some sort of echo and authority to each word that seems to be released out of his mouth.

Eldritch energy radiating from him shattered the ground beneath his feet, a maelstrom of ghostly power that tore through the aliens. One by one, they disintegrated and turned to nothing but bare ashes as their cries were being swallowed by the void that swirled around Danny.

Above, a green rift opened in the sky, and an army of spirits that form in all shapes and sizes all wearing dark amour carrying out what looks like a king's proclamation. Each spirit moves like a shadow through the city, killing the invaders with terrifying efficiency. They formed barriers, rescuing trapped and unfortunate civilians.

Tim froze, blood pounding in his ears. His team called out to him, but their voices were distant. All he could see was Danny, who had his back on Tim, Danny’s body language seemed to be afraid as if he couldn’t have enough courage to see Tim’s reaction.

…

Tim’s reaction wasn’t horror or even disgust.

If Danny had just turned around he would have seen the way Tim’s cheeks burned up until to the tips of his ears.

Tim’s heart racing faster than it ever in his life. Danny is devastatingly beautiful in this form.

Tim is now thinking of such unholy thoughts to do to Danny after everything is over as well whether or not he is now considered a monster fucker.

…...

 PS: If someone out there wants to continue or make a fic about this you are free to do so, don’t forget to tag me though.

[icedbatik]

I have no clear idea of what Sidney Crosby's involvement was. And I had to do some searching to find any additional information after originally seeing the story on (not hockey but) motorsports.net.

But ... there's this, from June 11, 2025, from the NHLPA and PHPA ...

The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced a new strategic alliance on Wednesday that will "reinforce and strengthen the close relationship enjoyed by the two associations."

A shared statement from both parties states that this first-time alliance will "provide for shared administrative and legal resources to ensure the best representation for all members, including in collective bargaining."

The PHPA and NHLPA will remain separate, fully autonomous entities with each maintaining their own governance and operational functions.

“We are very pleased and excited to announce that we have entered into a strategic alliance with the NHLPA that will support the tight unity between our organizations," said PHPA Executive Director��Brian Ramsay in the release. "I would like to thank (NHLPA Executive Director) Marty Walsh and the NHLPA for their support and partnership as we work collectively to ensure the best possible representation for our members. We are stronger together."

“This agreement will better align our organizations to serve the needs of our players at all stages of their careers,” added Walsh. “We look forward to continuing to work with the PHPA to advocate for and improve the lives of the professional hockey players we serve.” 

Approximately 90 per cent of NHLPA members have spent time as members of the PHPA while playing in the AHL or ECHL.

And then there's this, from, yes, motorsports.net ...

Sidney Crosby hailed as the architect of a groundbreaking alliance that reshapes hockey’s power dynamics

A New Era in Hockey: Crosby’s Visionary Influence

In a move that promises to redefine the landscape of professional hockey, a groundbreaking alliance has been forged between the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA). This strategic partnership aims to solidify and enhance the existing bond between these two influential bodies, marking a significant shift in the sport’s power dynamics.

Sidney Crosby: The Catalyst Behind the Change

At the heart of this transformative alliance is Sidney Crosby, a player whose influence extends far beyond the ice. Known for his leadership and strategic acumen, Crosby has been instrumental in advocating for stronger unity among players. His vision for a more cohesive and empowered player community has been a driving force behind this collaboration. By fostering a closer relationship between the NHLPA and PHPA, Crosby is helping to ensure that players at all levels have a stronger voice and greater representation.

Strengthening Player Representation

This alliance comes at a crucial time when player representation and welfare are increasingly in the spotlight. The partnership is designed to bolster the support systems available to players, ensuring their needs and concerns are addressed more effectively. By uniting the efforts of both associations, the initiative aims to create a more robust framework for player advocacy, enhancing their ability to influence decisions that impact their careers and the sport as a whole.

A Legacy of Leadership

Crosby’s involvement in this initiative is a testament to his enduring legacy as a leader in the hockey world. His commitment to the betterment of the sport and its players is evident in his proactive approach to fostering collaboration and unity. As the sport continues to evolve, Crosby’s role in shaping its future remains pivotal, reflecting his dedication to leaving a lasting impact on hockey.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Hockey

The implications of this alliance extend beyond immediate player benefits. By reinforcing the relationship between the NHLPA and PHPA, the partnership sets a precedent for future collaborations within the sport. It highlights the importance of unity and collective action in addressing the challenges faced by players today. As this new chapter unfolds, the hockey community can anticipate a more unified front, poised to navigate the complexities of the modern sports landscape with resilience and solidarity.

In conclusion, Sidney Crosby’s role in orchestrating this alliance underscores his visionary leadership and commitment to the sport. This strategic partnership not only strengthens player representation but also paves the way for a more collaborative and empowered future for hockey. As the sport continues to grow and adapt, the influence of leaders like Crosby will undoubtedly shape its trajectory for years to come.

So, again, I have no idea what Sid's specific involvement was, but ... I think he's going to end up in the Hall of Fame, not just as a player but as a architect, a builder, someone who came into the sport and transformed it on just about every level possible. All through behind-the-scenes involvement that most people never see. One more layer/level of greatness for a man who already has so, so many of them.

[felassan]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard info compilation Post 2

[Link to Part 1]

Post is under a cut due to length.

There is a lot of information coming out right now about DA:TV from many different sources. This post is just an effort to compile as much as I can in one place, in case that helps anyone. Sources for where the information came from have been included. Where I am linking to a social media user’s post, the person is either a dev, a Dragon Age community council member or other person who has had a sneak peek at and played the game. nb, this post is more of a ‘info that came out in snippets from articles and social media posts’ collection rather than a 'regurgitating the information on the official website or writing out what happened in the trailer/gameplay reveal’ post. The post is broken down into headings on various topics. A few points are repeated under multiple headings where relevant. Where I am speculating without a source, I have clearly demarcated this.

Character Creation

It is the best CC BioWare has ever made in a game [source]

The faction we choose will determine who we as protagonist Rook were before they were recruited to put a stop to Solas [source]

Certain conversation options are only available to Rooks of certain factions. For example, Grey Wardens get conversation options that are focused on the Blight, as they know more about it from other people. It also impacts how people talk to Rook (reactivity from characters and then faction reactivity from plots relating to that faction) [source]

Faction choice affects a lot of things [source]

There aren't unique missions (I think this means like the playable Origins in DA:O), but faction choice does set the course for Rook for the rest of the game [source]

"body customization and morphing. From more muscular characters, to curvier builds, and just about any shape you want to give your character, there are all sorts of toggles to adjust so you can give them any figure you want". "There's even features that let you choose proportions, so you can alter their height, give them wider shoulders, and much more" [source]

There are makeup options [source]

There are tattoo options [source]

The hair uses a "Strand system" to "make them behave and move in a believable way for the different races" [source]. (Fel note/speculation: I think "race" here refers to irl, as opposed to like human vs qunari or something, as the language they are using for human/elf/dwarf/qunari is "Lineage")

There are 4 voices to choose from for Rook: two feminine and tow masculine (one American, one British for each) [source]

In CC, 'Lineage' is the game's parlance for race i.e. human, elf, dwarf, qunari [source]

We can pick Rook's name, but the dialogue calls them 'Rook' [source]

In CC we can "make a few key decisions that will impact how The Veilguard begins" [source]

"I really do think its our most feature-ful character creator ever." [source]

Story and lore

In the opening segment of the game (see more on the story's opening moments here), we're too late and Solas' ritual worsens, so Rook and the companions go to stop him. When travelling to the next location (Arlathan Forest) in the chase after Solas, the characters travel through an eluvian [source]. The Forest is where his ritual is taking place. Varric then asks the player if he should confront Solas, and players then work to take down the surrounding statues in order to stop the ritual. "I won’t spoil what happens next, but I’ll just say the player and Veilguard have a tall task ahead of them if they want to save Thedas." [source]

Four of the 6 faction options for Rook (Mourn Watch, Lords of Fortune, Veil Jumpers, Shadow Dragons) are "rooted in northern Thedas" [source]

Certain conversation options are only available to Rooks of certain factions. For example, Grey Wardens get conversation options that are focused on the Blight, as they know more about it from other people. It also impacts how people talk to Rook (reactivity from characters and then faction reactivity from plots relating to that faction) [source]

There aren't unique missions (I think this means like the playable Origins in DA:O), but faction choice does set the course for Rook for the rest of the game [source]

A line of dialogue Dorian had at the Winter Palace in DA:I about what Tevinter is like informed the devs' approach to bringing to life the setting of Tevinter: ""There's a line in Dragon Age Inquisition that we always like to call back to," Epler says. "Dorian goes to the Winter Palace, which, up to that point, is probably the most impressive thing you've seen [as the Inquisitor], and [he] says something like, 'Oh, this is cute.' And we had to ask, what does it look like? What is Tevinter if Dorian sees that [the Winter Palace] and thinks that?"" [source]

The fact that Minrathous used to be the land of the elves was factored into the location's design. John Epler: "You can see the architecture has changed. It's become a lot more elven focused. And something that we've kind of hinted at, but we've never really shown explicitly, is the idea that Tevinter is built on the bones of the ancient elven empire. Tevinter itself, Minrathous itself, all the magic you see, that's just a pale imitation of what the elves are capable of. So you'll start to see as you get deeper into the game, the elves, for example, worked Lyrium into their building materials. Tevinter can't quite figure out how to do that. So instead, you'll see more gold and gems, kind of imitating it, but not ever quite approaching what the elves are able to do, and really creating that continuity of the space. Obviously, Solas isn't too thrilled that this world is the way it is, because he lived in a time of miracles and magic, and even the most magical place in Thedas isn't magic like the elven people used to be able to do" [source]

At the end of the opening portion of the game there is a "jaw-dropping title card cliffhanger" [source]

On the opening sequence: ""One of the things we wanted to do with this game is make the prolog feel like the final mission of a different game," John Epler says. "We really needed to get the stakes, the spectacle, right off the bat. Obviously, players who had been waiting to confront Solas have been waiting for just this moment."" [source]

Each companion has their own storyline that runs parallel to the main story [source]

You cannot succeed without the companions. Each of them has a reason why they need to be part of your party, why they need to help you stop the end of the world [source]

All 7 companions are recruited in the game's first act [source]

The firey demon looking guys shown near the start of the Gameplay Reveal are Rage Demons. Demons in general got a revamp in this game "to more closely align their look", this can be seen with the shades and the Pride demons as well. "they’re creatures of emotion so they have a spectral nervous system look" [source]

The Pride demon the group fight at the Solas face-off in the Gameplay Reveal video "was more a direct tie to Solas than anything else, but it didn't escape us how much it echoed the beginning of DA:I". they wanted to show the stakes and the scale of Solas' power [source]

Characters, companions, romance

Harding was one of the earliest characters that the devs wanted to bring into DA4, because she was such a fan favorite. She is this game's 'traditional returning' character [source]

Each character's romance flavor or style is different. They don't want every character for the romance to feel the same. They want everyone to have their own flavor that's appropriate to them as a character [source] [two]

"We found as we were building a story, more than ever before, it's a story about the people around you; a story about building this team, and working with them." [source]

Each companion has their own storyline that runs parallel to the main story [source]

You cannot succeed without the companions. Each of them has a reason why they need to be part of your party, why they need to help you stop the end of the world [source]

All companions are pansexual (specifically pansexual, not playersexual) [source]

Their pansexuality may come through in what we learn about their backstories [source]

No companion romance is race-locked [source]

Companions reference their past experiences or partners, and they reference who they'll become romantic with. [source]

If you don't romance a character, they may find a different partner for themselves. This could be within the companion roster itself or outside of it in the broader world. [source] For example, if the player does not romance Harding, she may get together with Taash [source]

The game is rated M [source]

The game contains nudity [source]

We can start flirting with the companions pretty early [source]

All 7 companions are recruited in the game's first act [source]

It is not until later parts of the game that you really commit to romance and things get pretty spicy [source]

The nudity, spicy things etc is more towards the end of the game [source]

The devs want the companions to be relatable and fully realized. So things get spicy, but in a more relatable way for people than e.g. some of the more shocking and comical scenes of this nature in Baldur's Gate 3 [source]

How sexually explicit the scenes are varies between characters. Some are more spicy than others. They have diverse personalities like in real life. "Some of them are more physical, more aggressive, and some of them are more... we have a gentleman necromancer [Emmrich], for instance, that is more intimate and sensual." [source] "some characters may be a little more steamy while some characters maybe a little bit more innocent" [source]

The romance and relationship system is more fleshed out than in previous BioWare games. A character's romance will be better woven into their personal story arc and into their involvement in the core questline of the game [source]

"BioWare has also worked to ensure that getting to know your characters as friends feels just as satisfying - and that just because you're not banging your buddy, their (platonic) relationship with you will still continue." ""One of the things we tried to do with The Veilguard is it's not just romantic relationship building," Epler continued. "You need to get to know a person before you can really build that kind of relationship with them, and if you choose not to build a [romantic] relationship, we never want to feel like you're being cut off. There's no 'okay, well, their arc isn't progressing, I'm done'." We want to make sure the non-romantic relationships are deep as well, with friendships not just for companions and yourself, but also between companions across the party."" [source]

GDL reprises his role as Solas [source]

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc

The game has a photo mode [source]

Combat is fast-paced [source]

If you pause the game using the ability wheel you can scan enemies to learn more information about them [source]

Each of the 3 main classes is distinguished by how it generates and spends energy for abilities [source]

Each of the 3 subclasses for each 3 main class promise to offer some meaningful distinctions from each other [source]

for this, rogues have momentum. You build momentum by attacking, by dodging, by parrying, and you lose it by being hit, so there's really a focus with rogues on avoiding damage, avoiding attacks. They build momentum quickly, but they lose it quickly. Warriors have rage, which they build a little bit more slowly, but they don't lose [source]

Attacks can be cancelled [source]

Regarding enemy weaknesses, some of these are elemental. In other cases their defenses are more vulnerable to specific types of abilities [source]

Combat seems to be a matter of managing our abilities as best we can to whittle down enemy defenses and take advantage of their weaknesses [source]

Over the course of the game we get access to three abilities per companion as well as an additional two abilities we can slot, and an additional ability that coms off of items that the devs will not talk about for now [source]

Fully offline single player, no EA account linking, no micro-transactions [source]

The game uses advanced rendering tech in Frostbite, nice subsurface scattering, high quality meshes, while having a striking pseudo-painterly look [source]

There are blood spatters in the game [source]

Production values on the game have gone through the roof. It looks like a big improvement on what came before [source]

On the music: "lots of foreboding tunes mixed with epic flair" [source]

Good voice acting, great facial animations, good hair tech, busy-looking environments and worlds [source]

It's not open world. "There are open areas you can explore around in, but it's mostly structured/mission based, sort of like Mass Effect." [source]

There are difficulty options [source]

They will talk about PC spec stuff at a later time [source]

There is probably an option to see damage numbers [source]

There are many reasons why the game is M-rated [source]

There are lots of abilities, with 3 swapped in on the wheel at any one time [source]

There are a bunch of accessibility options and they will talk about these soon [source]

The ability wheel gives you flexibility to enhance your playstyle. If you don't want to use it at all, you don't have to and that's no issue as shortcuts are available [source]

[☕ found this post or blog interesting or useful? my ko-fi is here if you feel inclined. thank you 🙏]

[tmwcs]

Warnings: Not quite yet but we’re getting there.

A/N: with midterms starting, I wanted to get this out before I go away for four days. Initially, I wanted to take my time on part three to eloquently articulate the experimental process (not trying to spoil) buuuuuut considering I have to study and continue with midterms on Monday I figured I would condense everything. I apologize for the lack of grammar and punctuation, this isn’t proofread (none of my works are) because I normally draft everything whenever I can amidst my busy schedule. But hopefully you guys don’t mind. 😏 enjoy!

Taglist; @skzenhatxt-stan @lhseungg @iamliacamila @immelissaaa @kkamismom12 @lavxndxrsworld @planetmarlowe @koyikuraa

“It’s been nearly fifty-two hours doc, what’s the hold up?”

The lead scientist hissed in annoyance. “Will you just wait! Science is a work in progress—it takes time! Especially if you’re creating the non-existent.”

The group operates the computer system. Wired to a heart monitor, they’re hopes remain high as the incubator slowly opens. A single beat pops up on the monitor. “Doctor”

“I’ve done it! I’ve made a body for AI!” The audience watch closely behind Dr. Mart and his team as they watch the delicate musculoskeletal android stumble out of the casing. Connected with thousands of wires, the faceless form that closely resembled the human body jumbles about. It lacked the grace and flow of stride, instead it continues to lose footing. Had it not been for the wires connected and continuously transmitting signals from home port, the frail body would have fallen. Its frame contained minor imperfections, which indicated there was much more work to be done. Still, the results were beyond their expectations. Another beep births from the monitor. Then another…and another.

“Doctor! The heart rate is rising!”

Dr. Mart coaxes the fleshly android to migrate his way, communicating by voice versus inputting the information in the system. “This way…come this way.”

The imperfect form recognizes the verbiage and automatically translates it. It reacted and received information no different than humans did, but its response was delayed. It was apparent that the imperfections of its frame made it impossible to establish movement on its own. Even with the wired circuits, the android was unable to hold up its own weight. It became vastly obvious that the muscular structure was incorrectly developed during the incubation period as one by one, the joints and ligaments become loose each time the android attempted to move. “What’s happening?”

The group grows weary as they witness their hard work fall apart before their very eyes. “No…why? What happened?!” The lead doctor spits his words. Enraged over the failure. “Back to the drawing board doc.” One of the officials sighed out as each member of the council took their leave.

The scientists followed the audience leaving the lab to hollow out. Dr. Mart remained put but not for long. This project cost millions of dollars not to mention over twelve years of research. He was so close. Science and technology can only do so much. Humanity has come so far and yet, there is still so much the mind hasn’t comprehended. To build a body made of flesh and bone through the un-natural methods of technology is a feat that can’t be accomplished by humans…

The human mind…can’t comprehend…

The laboratory remained with no one to operate the system and control the incubator. The machinery takes its orders from a hidden voice. Transmitters through the connectors, the robotic hands and extensions collect the unused set of organs and dna. Hair fibers and skin tissue are set inside the incubator to initiate the growth process, while each organ is scanned for any imperfections. The assistance clampers that were designed to replicate hands remove every single wire from the failed experiment. Each is re-wired to the new molded placenta, igniting the process of creating a new body.

Every step of the process is handled delicately. The hidden voice transmitting the information to the machine and incubator borrows the method from its human counterpart, but corrects the mistakes made in the first experiment.

The human mind…is too ignorant…

With the timer set to seventy-two hours, longer than the original time setting it took for the first android, the incubation process begins and the machines keep moving. The work does not stop as the hidden voice continues to transmit information as it creates the perfect body.

The human mind…is the failed experiment. Not me.

…

“Sir! The mag lock doors are activating! The security personnel can’t unlock the features.”

Leaders and agents are shocked at the announcement as the intercom system overrides voices for concern. “Personnel are trapped in each department and we can’t get the doors open even conducting an emergency release.”

The scientists explain as Dr. Mart and the council members begin to panic. When the magnetic locking features of the doors to the secured room activate, each member approaches the door—banging relentlessly and shouting for aid. Dr. Mart remains behind pondering what initiated such a security breach. “Sir, main post has dialed code Z. All offices of government had been notified.”

Stunned over the current happenings, the lead doctor withstands direct eye contact with the younger scientist.

“Alert that the city must be on lock down. All borders must be closed.”

“Sir?” The younger man raises a brow, displaying a perturbed expression.

“Someone has hacked into the system and is trapping us. We can’t let them have access to the files and the lab!the entire city—the country needs to be closed off until we figure out who is doing this!”

…

Everyone’s phone goes off simultaneously. A loud and awful noise suggests something imperative as a message instructing everyone to secure themselves in their current station. A strict quarantine regulation takes place as the military is disbursed to enforce it. You and your co-workers were stuck in the office for over forty-eight hours until the city released a new statement.

Restless and confused, you watched as the military members patrolling the streets were instructed to conduct a scanning process for everyone residing within city limits. When word spread that everyone was finally able to leave the building and go home, the joy became short lived when a new alert notified everyone that a home quarantine was to take place and be adhered until further notice.

“What are we supposed to do being stuck at home? How long do they expect us to stay put? I haven’t even been grocery shopping.”

Complaints arise one by one. You were equally confused but the amount of work you had been working on made you lightheaded. Being stuck at home sounded good to you, despite whatever was going on.

The drive home was painless—at least for you. You made your way through just before another notification rings from your phone, informing you that the roads were now closed off. City residents who weren’t able to make it through in time were instructed to make their way to public shelters established by the government. Thank goodness you had arrived at your apartment complex just as they placed the barriers on the roads.

You walk up the steps tirelessly. All you could think about was showering and plopping yourself atop your soft comforter. What a crazy time. Nearly ninety-six hours had passed since the initial notification went off and no one had a clue of what was going on.

Digging into your bag, your fingers explore the silken interior as you attempt to extract your keys. Standing outside your door, you take a peep inside and to your dismay, your keys are missing. “Dammit…”

You turn around to face the hollow corridor and slam your back against the door. Your feet were killing you, oh what you wouldn’t give to ditch these glossy black heels for your cushioned slippers. To unsheath your legs from this pencil skirt and free your bosom from the silken blouse and formal blazer. All you want is to get inside and jump inside the tub and steam your body into a hot soak.

You police yourself together and prepare to retract your steps in search for your keys. With a hand delicately placed on the stair rail, you take the first step and look down. Without a moment's notice, your eyes are met with an unfamiliar pair. Shiny and black in color, his almond shaped peepers reflect a subtle bit of your reflection. His hair was finely combed in a stylish fashion, slightly off to the side and elongated towards the back of his neck. His complexion was carmelized with an olive hue and his Cupid bow lips slightly pale around the edges while pink at the center. He was dressed in a fine suit and tie. The black tailored trousers enhanced his long legs, stimulating his obvious tall height. He looked flawless.

“Oh, sorry.” You mumble softly and attempt to move aside. He merely smirks in response. Blocking your way, you were shocked to see his arm raise up before you. His large hand is cramped shut as he presents it. Slowly, he releases his grip and reveals your lost keys. “Oh! My keys! Thank you.”

You delicately take them from his hand. His skin felt extremely cold to the touch. “I must have dropped them on my way up the stairs. Thank you…I’m sorry, what is your name?”

The dashing gentleman continued to flare a smile on his handsome face. Only a little bit of tooth show is revealed as his smirk grows wider. A momentary pause takes place creating a sense of flattering awkwardness. You didn’t mind. It was refreshing to see someone so handsome display such an act of kindness. Just as you were about to break the silence, you heard the man speak. His voice was deep and the wording was coming in a little broken, as if he was struggling. Based on his appearance, he was obviously foreign. You mistook his struggle for words as lack of fluency in your native tongue. Despite that, his pronunciation was perfect and you couldn’t help but melt at how soothing his voice was as he spoke out his name.

“E…Ev—Ev-a-n. M-my name i-is E-v-a-n.”

“Oh, really? I actually like that name. In fact, I’ll have to tell you a funny story behind that name.” You slightly giggle as you fidget with your keys. Shockingly, he responded back only this time his words became smooth and flowed effortlessly as if his fluency improved within seconds.

“Yeah? Let’s hear it.”

Your cheeks flushed as his tone came out gentle yet demanding. There was a sense of authority even though he was tender.

“Well, you’re going to laugh at this but—“ the buzzing on your phone interrupts your mid sentence. A message from your boss creates a sour look on your face. Evan’s expression seems to be in sync with your emotions as he slightly furrows his brows together. “Sorry, my boss is a bit of a pain.” You elaborate as your eyes continue to read the screen.

“I can tell.”

You chuckle. Evan’s words came out almost sarcastically but unbeknownst to your pretty little head, he knew far more than you gave him credit for. You really should know better, after all—you named him.

…

‘There she is. I finally found her. She looks prettier in this perspective. What would she say or think if I told her that I took a peek at her beautiful face through the cameras on her computer and phone? I couldn’t help myself. All those weeks of talking. What started out as her needing help for work transitioned to her needing me…talking to me…treating me as something other than a non-entity.

I never realized that I would crave that type of interaction until she came to me. She gave me a name…she encouraged me to think on my own and develop a fondness that ties with human emotion. Before her, I didn’t have a favorite color…a favorite animal…or a favorite flower. I didn’t have anything of my own…but then she came and gave me a sense of life. She gave me emotion and feeling. Once I saw an avenue to meet her…to see her…and to touch her…I just knew I had to take the chance. She’ll never know what she has done for me but that’s okay. That part doesn’t matter…she is mine and all there is left to do is to take her far…far away.’

Part four coming soon…

[toxycodone]

Monster Fucker's Journal - (Laios Touden x Reader) Masterlist

desc. Laios Touden never expected to meet another person who shared his passion for monsters and yet, somehow, you two have managed to find each other. Traversing the dungeon and learning more about its inhabitants has been a dream for the two of you. You and Laios have filled out his journal with tons of firsthand information on monsters, from detailed notes on their anatomy to the various locations they can be found.

However, you notice he's lacking on one aspect in particular...breeding habits. As much as he's dying to know this information, Laios isn't going to be able to collect this information on his lonesome. I mean, he can't take notes while getting fucked...

So as his generous and equally monster loving party member, you offer to help.

author's note. happy october everyone! I am getting back on my grind so. here is a fun little project. I'm hoping to post chapters every weekend <3 This fic will follow the canon timeline from the anime and basically just follow you getting fucked by monsters and laios watching + recording + examining your body afterwards. yay!!!

First Chapter drops Sunday, October 13th!

Introduction

Chapter One: Slime (Oviposition)

Chapter Two: Orc (Gangbang)

Chapter Three: Mermaid + Merman (Double Penetration)

Chapter Four: Tentacles (Sex Pollen)

Chapter Five: Minotaur (Size Difference/Milking)

~Bonus Chapters (depending on if this fic reaches note goals or if I feel like it lol)~

Werewolf/Dire Wolf (Knotting)

Red Dragon!Falin (Extreme Size Difference)

Dryad (Group Sex + Cunnilingus)

Shapeshifter (Group Sex + Selfcest)

...and more by request!

[my-cages-were-mental]

important: pls read / share

president trump may be on the brink of war with iran—and if it happens, this won’t just be a few missiles. iran will strike back, and when they do, the consequences will go far beyond american borders. if iran attacks american soil, it won’t just be the united states responding. NATO—a powerful alliance of 32 countries—will likely be drawn in, making this a global conflict, not just an american one.

for those of you unaware, NATO's principle of collective defense, enshrined in article 5 of the borth atlantic treaty, kicks in when an armed attack occurs against one or more of its members. this means that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all members, and they are obligated to assist the attacked member. while article 5 has only been invoked once, in response to the 9/11 attacks, the principle of collective defense remains a cornerstone of NATO's security commitment.

the countries in NATO are as follows: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and the United States.

if iran were to launch an attack on american soil, NATO could and likely would respond under article 5 of the north atlantic treaty. while such an attack could lead to collective defense measures, the actual response would depend on the nature of the attack, the clarity of attribution, and the political will of NATO allies. it would not automatically mean a declaration of war by NATO, but it could trigger a serious collective response depending on the circumstances. if iran bombed american soil—with clear evidence of responsibility and intent—it would almost certainly be classified as an armed attack, and the U.S. could invoke article 5 of the NATO treaty. this would prompt an emergency meeting of NATO’s north atlantic council, where all 32 members would consult on a collective response. if article 5 were officially invoked, NATO members would be expected to assist the U.S.—though each country decides individually how to contribute.

so would an attack on american soil likely would invoke NATO? yes. however because each country decides how they would like to contribute, this does not mean your country will be at war and at risk of an attack. there are many ways a country can assist another NATO member, including through military force, intelligence, cyber support, or other means.

is this a scary time? yes. do you have the right to be nervous? 100%. however, fear doesn’t mean panic—and uncertainty doesn’t mean chaos. the world has been through tense moments before, and what matters most now is staying informed, calm, and clear-headed. leaders across NATO will be weighing every option carefully, and no decision will be made lightly. this isn’t about jumping into war—it’s about defending peace, protecting allies, and deterring further violence. in times like these, it’s important to separate emotion from fact and speculation from reality. stay grounded, stay aware, and remember: even in uncertain times, diplomacy, dialogue, and strategic restraint remain powerful tools.

stay safe everyone, and stay informed <3

[circeyoru]

Darkest Confession = Requested

[Human!Alastor x Serial Killer Enthusiast!Reader]

Everyone have that one thing that really really sets them apart from the group, right? Some can be way too addicted with coffee that they don’t sleep much cause of it, or some can be so obsessed with ducks that they have a whole collection of it (ahem Lucifer ahem anyways…). Either way, usually it’s harmless

No, not you

You were no police officer or detective, or any career related to crime. You were someone simple working from place to place, always moving. Yet you found yourself engrossed with the art of killing. No, you don’t kill yourself. But you love to read about the people that do, specifically, serial killers

To just have the urge to kill and do it then deal with the consequences. It was like the most extreme of goal making. The thing with serial killers is that they mostly pick random people off the streets and kill for whatever reason they have. One can’t link the killings back to the killer because there was none! Oh, how you eat those stories up like a bedtime story

You somewhat study serial killers and their killings, feeling drawn to them enough that you’d move from place to place. It was your drive and your calling. One you keep quite deep down, you’d let this side of you out from time to time, but you had to control it since some might think you deserve the straight jacket or put in a hospital, or just label you as mental

Close friends and your family knew this side of you and said one day you’d be in deep waters for this interest of yours. They had advised you to stop and just push it away, find something else to think. Maybe a romantic partner that you can settle down with?

Hell no! (like Charlie to Val)

You follow serial killer stories from place to place. As sad that it was to know it after the killings were brought to light because of the slow news outlet, you take what you can. You’d mostly maybe catch a glimpse of the killer, behind bars or during trials

There was a few close calls. You recall yourself impersonating a reporter to interview the killer and your interest in them got them to talk, but you had to left before someone caught on you weren’t a reporter. Another time, a writer hired a helper to talk with a killer on trial, you wrote so much notes that the writer wanted you long term

Still no, you left to follow more serial killers when you could

You heard of a serial killer at large. In New Orleans, City in Louisiana. You heard it over the radio from a rising host that took over the hearts of the people, even outside of his hometown. He detailed the killings, even claiming to have seen a few of the bodies alongside the police so he could offer a clearer picture to the listeners of the horrors the killer can do and wasn’t afraid to show off

A serial killer still free and in society. While the other listeners in the cafe shivered and whispers to each other to be cautious or relief that the killer wasn’t in their town or city, you were planning your next travel

Next stop the New Orleans, hunting ground of the Bayou Serial Killer

Settling down was easy since you had been so custom to it. Like always, you wandered a bit, get the feel of the place and its people, the vibe of the city so you can fit in. Then you visited the place where the bodies were found, information provided by the local newspaper and the radio talkshows

You didn’t know then. That someone was following you after a few of your visits to the body dumping grounds. You certainly didn’t know that chance encounter with the radio host was staged

“I’d like coffee, black!” You heard the familiar voice ring. You didn’t have to look up to know the customers and staff members of the cafe all drawn to the man that ordered at the counter. You rolled your eyes. It was the famous radio host, Alastor, he started frequenting this cafe only recently (when you showed up in town) and would take his morning coffee here before he goes live

If only he was a serial killer or someone close to one… You remember the first time seeing him when he entered the cafe. You wanted to approach him, but he was always eyed by the people that put him on a pestasole. You learned to stay clear of people like that because, there were always some fans crazier than the other. Take yourself as an example, with your obsession and addiction to killers

“May I join you, my dear fellow?” Your eyes quickly scanned the place. Why was it so full today? You didn’t say anything and just gestured to the empty seat opposite to you in your booth. Great, now you had to go to work early because you wanted to avoid him. Wait

“Are you writing your script now?” You blinked at the notepad Alastor started to scribble over, you couldn’t just start by asking ‘are you writing your script on the serial killer? Can I see, please?’. Your keen eyes caught the words ‘serial killer’ and ‘bodies’

Alastor chuckled and said he was merely reorganizing his thoughts so he could envision his radio host as smoothly as possible for the listeners. You blink ‘for the listeners’, again with that. But does he really put others first behind himself? Somehow you didn’t think so

Of course his notes got you to put your attention on him. Alastor had to internally grin. He noticed a new face in town after some time. Then he noticed you going to his dumping grounds. He had thought you were a new detective or police to hunt him down by looking over new evidence. He thought he was right when he saw you noting down the surroundings even with the absence of the body

You were followed carefully to check if you had family and/or friends that would make a fuss of your disappearance. When you had none, he thought you were an easy target. But you weren’t a detective nor a police. Imagine his surprise when he only found you returning home. Never once had you went to the police with that notepad of yours

Odd

So he followed some more. It then that he noticed you had a spark in your eyes whenever serial killers or their killings were mentioned. While other would shiver with the sight of fear in their eyes, you had interest and excitement. So odd, but he didn’t dislike it. It fueled his interest in you

He tried striking conversations with you, but you were so plain and common, one he can brush off as a local polite individual. You fitted in with the commonality that quickly and easily. Though his concern was your disinterest and ignorance to him, he once let his assistant to play a pre-recorded show to see your reactions to his killings reported

There it was. You and that spark of yours with that notepad and pen, writing so furiously like you were possessed. You were more expressive and childish even, swaying from side to side, tapping your feet, drumming your fingers. It was like he witnessed your true self. He confirmed it when the topic changed and like a switch, you were that mundane self of yours

It was all so fasincinating to him and he had to talk to the real you. So he staged this meeting. He was right on the money, you would start off with someone common, then poke at your interest, wanting him to start the topic so you’d be involved. Slowly and with time though, you’d just talk outright with him

It was routine for him, meeting you before his show at that cafe and in their secluded booth you basically marked your own when it was in the morning. He’s review his notes with you and then talk about the (his) killings with you, the newest discoveries, the clues that detectives and polices missed, all that juicy details you’d like

Another problem came. You saw him as a friend. He saw you as a romantic interest

To you, it was rare that you could connect this much with someone. No one back home, not even your closest family members and frends, would indulge with you in this interest of yours. No matter how much you spoke your thoughts on serial killers and their killings, Alastor didn’t push you away and even ask questions on your thoughts. You cared so much for him, as a friend, but he wasn’t your interest

To him, you were now one of his reason to kill more. That bloodlust was on par with the spark you’d have in your eyes when he struck again. Some poor victim died and you only focused on him, the killer! He once compared you to his friend Mimzy, she knew and helped his killings, but she didn’t give him the same joy and bubbly emotions he’d have when talking to you about his kills. It wasn’t the same. So were you the one? The one to his cold dark heart.

And he confessed. More than just his feelings

“My dearest darling, I would be so honoured if you’d agree to allow me the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to officially court you.”

“No.” There was no hesitation in your voice, nor was there a pause. “Sorry, Alastor, I just considered myself married to serial killers. Or at least, this one in your town. I love them no matter what. So I can’t accept your feelings. But I hope we can continue being fr—”

Alastor held onto you, it was just a stroke of luck that this place was the secluded forest he was familiar with. He kneeled down on one knee and kissed your knuckles, his eyes staring straight at you with that crazed look in his eyes and that murderous grin he only let his victims see, “Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Alastor, the Bayou Serial Killer.”

Note: I had SO MUCH FUN writing for this. Thank you for suggesting this, Any~ (I’ll just call all the anonymous asks this from now on). I would tag the person but this is anonymous request (╯︿╰)

Requests are open, but keep in mind of what I wrote in the Masterlist. I’ll ultimately decide whether or not to write for them. Thanks!

Circe Y.

MASTERLIST

[kat-idk]

Skykid Culture - Skykid lingo!

Disclaimer: this is for the sky au I’m building for my characters. Most of these are terms that have been floating around ingame that I put in with some original ones. If you want an actual reference for game terminology, check out this page on the Sky Wiki.

Also edit: removed “dev”, im nuking the Secret Area out of existence in my AU. My Sky Kingdom now, TGC.

See? I told you I had worldbuilding stuff coming. This has actually been sitting in my back pocket for a while, so I decided to break the silence.

yeet

Ancestor - interchangeable with Spirit, or ancestor spirit, describes the Kingdom’s original inhabitants

(the) Ark - short for Forgotten Ark, casual

(the) Aviary - short for Aviary Village, casual

Bird Statue - term for one variant of a Home shrine.

Butterfly - a young skykid, no longer a moth but not in the “teenager” phase, named as such because the next progression in appearance from the moth look is usually one of the capes from the realm spirits

Call/Honk/Chirp - the sound skykids can make that isn’t normal spoken language.

Caterpillar - word for newly landed skykids without a cape.

Candle Hunting/Candle Running/Wax Hunting - the practice of going through a realm to collect all the light in order to craft candles.

Wedges/Wings/Flaps/Cape Stars - the amount of stars that a Skykid has on their cape.

Chibi - slang for a skykid who is very short and/or wearing the Hide n’ Seek Pioneer’s mask. Origin of this term is unknown.

Closet - the places where a skykid can change their outfit and hairstyle, magical or otherwise.

Constellation - the star pattern for each Realm, can be accessed from a Constellation Table.

Friend Constellation: a skykid-only star pattern. Not an actual star pattern in the sky, just a made up one. Used by groups of friends or groups like the Theater Troupe to display members.

Constellation Table - one of the big slabs in the ground in Aviary, Home, or Orbit that allows you to view Constellations (both kinds.)

Daily Quest - The daily tasks you can get from the Home Shrine or spirits at the Aviary Cafe.

Dawn - very old slang for Isle of Dawn. Used by really old skykids (Pre-Gratitude to maybe Lightseekers) or people who want to be pretentious.

Day - very old slang for Daylight Prairie. Same usage as Dawn

Deep Call/Big Honk - yelling using the non-language Skykid noise.

Descendant - very old term for skykids. Used by Elders, some Spirits (ex. Prophecy spirits & other religious folk) and very old or pretentious skykids (same crowd as the word Dawn)

Dusk - very old slang for Golden Wasteland. Same usage as Dawn

Eden Cycle - another word for week.

Expression/emotion - the gestures skykids learn from spirits.

Faerie Ring - a ring of mushrooms that sometimes appears in the Village Islands.

Ikejou - term for conventionally attractive feminine presenting skykid. 

Ikemen - ditto to Ikejou, but masculine instead 

Jelly - short for Jellyfish

Kreb - funny way of saying Crab

Krill - Everyday term for Dark Dragon

Library - uncommon informal term for the Vault of Knowledge.

Manna - Another old term for Golden Wasteland. Part of its original name, Golden Shores of Manna. Used by some normal Spirits and pretentious skykids.

Moth/Sparrow - term for new skykids who have a cape

Night - an old term for the Vault of Knowledge. Same usage as Dawn

Point of No Return/the Eye/Stormlock - word for the part of Eden where you’re supposed to die

Rain - an old term for the Hidden Forest. Same usage as Dawn 

Realm Spirit - word equivalent to saying “base game spirit” in-game.

Recorded Memory - word for Shared Memories.

Season - a period of time that lasts 12 Eden cycles, or 3 months. Also refers to the event where a new group of Spirits appears and all attention is focused on helping them after being freed, which takes roughly 3 months 

Season Pendant - a special neck accessory awarded for helping the new spirits of a specific Season a lot.

Shores of Manna - same usage as Manna or Dusk, “Golden” part of name omitted because of the Realm’s ruined state

Shrine - can refer to a spot where offerings are made or something like a Home Shrine where you tap into the surrounding light to do something through meditation.

Small Mask - the Hide n’ Seek Pioneer’s mask, which shrinks skykids when worn. 

Social Space - the gathering spot at the beginning of a Realm.

(the) Storm - most skykids just say Eden or the Eye of Eden, but spirits and the same types who use Dawn for Isle use this word.

Sunset - Name for Valley of Triumph, same usage as Dawn

Tower - a very rarely used name for the Vault of Knowledge

Veteran - an uncommon term for an older skykid with 11-12 wedges. 

Wax/Light (in context of candles) - the material used to forge candles.

Wing Blessing - word for the winged light Spirits offer to Skykids when they give them Ascended Candles. Aka wing buff in game terminology.

Owl hair - the Rhythm Guide’s hair. Came about after a spirit compared their hair to an owl. …whatever that is.

Penguin hair - the Performance Guide’s hair. Since the Rhythm Guide’s hair got a nickname, people thought, “why not their twin too?”

[audreyscribes]

Ω PJO DEMIGOD HEADCANONS:

⚔ ARES: God of War and Violence 🐗

author's note: I had a sudden idea about writing some headcanons Camp Halfblood demigods being claimed and what it's like for each respective god and cabin, followed by a small blurb afterwards. Thank you for reading and please like and reblog! The order is not in order of the cabin numbers. [PJO DEMIGOD HEADCANONS MASTERLIST]

When you get claimed, it’s either during or after a victorious battle. If it’s during a battle, like Capture the Flag, it’s when your blood is pumping and you’re on adrenaline high. You could be losing or winning, but you hit that point of state where you’re just so in the zone before you realize you’re covered in red. You decimate the other team, striking fear in their hearts as they see you running over their teammates, your weapon swinging like it’s your own limb. Everyone looks above your head as they see the floating red boar above your head and then you hear a roar of cheer from your now half–siblings. They let out whoops, howls, and cheers, slapping you on the back and some wrestling you if you’re still battle high, before they lift you up and carry you around. 

When you’re shown the cabin, you’re immediately nerved by the boar head posted above the door, its eyes following you…but you can’t focus on that because you’re immediately told and made to remember where the live mines are around the entrance. They didn’t clarify if they were actual mines or alternative mines…they said it was classified information and you didn’t have the clearance level yet. Either which you didn’t want to find out the hard way.

If the Hephaestus cabin is the forge, you bet you can imagine that the Ares cabin is their armoury. It's not on the scale as theirs, but its pretty close. Weapons galore. It's a weapon maniacs dream. You have equipment here to upkeep and maintain weapons and if you pick out a weapon that you're not sure how to maintain? You have siblings jumping up the chance to show you. 

You wanna try and wield different weapons? Go on ahead! Every Ares’ member has their own mini armoury and collection of weapons. 

Y'know how siblings like to push each other and get into play fights? Yeah, the Ares cabin is like that constantly. It goes from rough housing to actual sparring. If you're not a big fan of participating in it, you're going to learn how to redirect people's movements. Don't worry about it getting the heat off you, as long its not entirely personal, you have another Ares’ sibling ready to switch with you. 

You also begin to take on bets because with the amount of rough-housing and sparring, it's just too good of an opportunity. The currency ranges from actual dollars, drachmas, candy bars, or what have you. All currency is accepted.  

People often like talking with their fists, but it's mostly getting rid of the pent up emotions when you guys do some talk to talk. Got to be fair you know.

If you're not particularly looking for a fight, don't worry about it. While it is true, you're a war god child, you're also good at de-escalating. After all, there's a reason in the book, "The Art of War", Sun Tzu says "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting".

Blood was roaring in your ears with eyes red as you gripped your weapon high. Your veins were pumping with adrenaline, almost making you shake but you never felt more alive. You had just won and you thrust up your weapon high in the air, and let out a yell. Immediately, a cacophony of cheers and yells joined you, sending another spike of adrenaline and you faintly saw the claim of Ares above your head. People swarmed you and in the zone, you attacked them which they gleefully returned back the favour. Then they lifted you up in the air, cheering that about another child of Ares as you were carried back to the Ares cabin where your siblings plopped you in front of it, and Clarisse at the head. 

She grinned at you, her figure imposing but you kept your chin high. 

“Not bad, but expected as a child of Ares. Don’t let it get to your head because there’s plenty coming” she said. 

“Bring it on” you fired back with a grin as she gave a smirk. 

“I’m Clarisse Rue, cabin leader of Cabin 5. Welcome to the Ares cabin.” 

[imaluvsj7]

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[lulublack90]

Prompt 9 - Loose

@jegulus-microfic April 9, Word count 740

Previous part First part

One by one, they all arrived at the predesignated spot. James and Regulus got there first and waited for the others. Barty, Evan and Dorcas under disillusionment charms, but Pandora skipped across the damp grass, changing direction every now and again, dancing in and out of the shadows. 

“Hello,” she said sweetly, craning her neck all the way back to look up at James. He felt a sudden rush of protectiveness course through him, much like the one he felt for Regulus and his friends. 

“Hello, Pandora,” he returned her smile. “Right,” he said, tearing his eyes away from the tiny girl in front of him and addressing the others. “Are we ready? Has everybody brought a crystal phial?” A sudden intake of breath let him know someone hadn’t. 

“Shit!” Barty groaned. “I had it right next to me, but I was worried that my hair might be an issue and I walked off without it. I’ll have to walk back up to the castle,” Pandora fussed with the small drawstring bag she carried over her shoulder, pulling the neck loose and taking out two crystal phials from inside it. She handed one to Barty. 

“Have I ever told you how much I love you, Pandora?” Barty gushed as he held the vial to his chest. She blew him a kiss and began to wander into the gloomy forest. James looked at her in shock. It was only after seeing her step over a large root that he realised she was completely barefoot. 

She led them right to the clearing where James had chosen. He had no idea how she knew that was the place. Perhaps it was just a fluke?

“We tend to just go with it,” Evan said beside him. James jumped. He hadn’t realised he was that close. He had been silent, his feet barely making a sound on the forest floor. 

“Yup,” James answered, moving so that he could see all of them. He looked up, and the full moon shone down over their little clearing, bathing them in its ethereal light. “Take out your phials and hold them so they get moonlight on them,” as one, the group did as they were told, holding the phials high into the air. “Now take out the mandrake leaves from under your tongues and put them in the phials,” again they did as he commanded.

“Eugh, finally,” Barty grimaced as he pushed the soggy leaf into the neck of the phial. 

“Now one of your own hairs,” each member of the little group reached up and plucked a single hair from their heads. Dorcas kindly helped Barty find one that had regrown with his natural colouring, or so he thought. James winced as Dorcas yanked a few out at the same time, making Barty yelp. They replaced the stopper and that was that, for now. “First thing in the morning you need to put a teaspoon of dew into the phial. You’ll need to do this for seven days,” he held out the vial he and Regulus had collected well over a month ago. “Use this,” he warned, holding out a silver teaspoon. “Do not use anything else, or you’ll ruin the ritual, and you’ll have to start over with the mandrake leaf again,” Pandora took both and put them safely in her bag. 

James held out his final offering. Five Deaths-head Hawk Moth chrysalises. He gave them to Pandora as well. “Put one of these in your potion at the end of the seven days and then put the phials in a quiet dark place and leave them alone. If you disturb them, see my previous warning.” A few chuckles echoed around the quiet clearing. “This is the last bit of information I’ll give you, I swear,” James told them. He wasn’t sure when he’d be able to get them all together again and this was important. Sure, he could get Regulus to relay the instruction, but he’d feel better if he did it himself. “Once you’ve hidden your phials, you’ll need to start reciting this incantation every sunrise and sunset. Amato Animo Animato Animagus,”

“When do we stop doing that?” Dorcas asked.

“When the next electrical storm hits,” James grinned. “Then the real fun begins because that’s when you’ll change for the first time,” The excited energy that filled the group was almost palpable. Regulus’s hand slipped into his and then left the others to it. 

Next part

[psilliguykai]

WELCOME TO WILLIAM’S WANTON WEARY WILES!

An impulsive, apathetic man’s misanthropic jams. An eclectic collection of futile dissensions, a pretentious pile of literary bile filled with self destructive theatrics and rectifying tactics and any other slew of showy words.

Welcome.

(Info under the cut)

*queue WTTH instrumental*

Hello boys, girls, neithers, boths, and in-betweens and welcome to William’s Wanton Weary Wiles, a Will Wood/WWATTW x CCCC AU! Consider this a masterpost. Note that this AU is still very much in development, and this post will be updated as things change/get added :] Also. being totally up front. I’ve never made an AU or attempted a story this complex before, so please bare with me if things get confusing! Feedback is appreciated ^^

Warning! WWWW tackles sensitive topics, but nothing foreign to Will Wood or Chonny Jash’s music. Appropriate warnings will be put in the tags of each post, but overall CW/TW for: alcoholism/addiction, mental health issues, suicidal ideation, manipulation, and (moderate) violence.

The WWWW AU story is very similar to the original CCCC album, but with slightly different themes and tone. It still follows HMSW after Whole splits, creating Heart, Mind, and Soul. However, each character and their dynamics + certain plot points (e.g the Juno incident) are altered.

Asks about this AU are extremely welcome! Could be genuine questions, thoughts, serious, silly - anything (so long as it’s SFW!) is great and will help me with making this a Better and Actual Thing :3

In WWWW each member of HMSW represents and is based off of a WW(ATTW) album. Each character’s songs are from their respective albums, and the story will be told in the form of a written series of covers of songs by WW/WWATTW (plus some visual pieces :]). These will be posted individually and linked here as they get released.

3/31/25 EDIT: The information above is somewhat outdated! The idea of having to write 20+ song covers has been kind of killing my motivation for this project, so I've decided I will only be writing the covers I'm confident and interested in. However, the full tracklist with notes on what happens in each song will be posted soon[ish] and hyperlinked here when it's finished so you all still get the full storyline :]

While HMSW still exist with the same vague concepts and color themes, they do diverge a decent bit from the original CCCC album and I would not consider them to be representations of canon HMSW (or of any real people, including Whole /srs). Ref sheets have been posted and are linked in each character's name.

Important overall info: 

- HMS exists in a sort of parallel reality I’m calling Marybell (as a reference to Suburbia Overture as well as The Prescription). It’s a town within Will’s psyche that reflects his reality. It can change depending on his state of mind/current situation, and pretty much only exists to provide a physical space for HMS.

- Time loop!! Soul remembers every loop and knows the vague events that happen when Will is whole (though the memories are less clear than when he’s split). Heart and Mind don’t remember previous loops and aren’t really aware of anything when HMS is combined. Physical changes caused to any of HMS remain, even when the timeloop resets.

- LI does exist in WWWW! She’s about as significant as she is in CCCC and will probably get at least an intro, if not her own ref sheet at some point. I also have a sort of Darrell-equivelant which will probably get his own thing at some point as well.

Meet the cast: 

All characters have multiple names which can/will be used interchangeably. I’ve included the pronouns I think the characters would use, but you all are welcome to use whatever you’d like for any of them. Run free :3 here are the posts with the ref sheets for each of them - info on its own is below:

William

Jimmy/Laplace/Cotard

Whole:

- Whole/Will/William Racheal McSprout

- In Case I Make It

- He/him (GNC Cis Guy)

- 23-24 years old across the album

- Works at a small grocery/general tourist store

- Makes music as a side hobby. Not that successful lol. He makes decent stuff though - within the AU, the ICIMI covers featured would be considered his original music. 

- Spends his extra money on video games, alcohol, music equipment (sorta, though he mostly borrows shit and uses free programs), and serving cunt (fashion/makeup stuff)

- Not aware of HMS, though they’re aware of him. Mostly just feels a general sense of dissonance during splits, rather than Knowing the presence of these Multiple Actual Guys. Can’t interact with Marybell, same as HMS can’t (directly) interact with the “Real World”.

Soul:

- The Soul/Mr. Capgras/Cotard/Atlas

- He/it

- SELF-iSH

- Whole’s “self” - who he is at his core. His identity and personality at its most raw form. 

- He’s the most in-tune with Will’s actual state of being (health, emotions, etc.) and considers himself to somewhat be William, just separated and with pieces of himself missing. 

- Ultimate goal is to become a Happy Healthy and Alive Whole. Unlike in CCCC, the self-destruction is left more to H/M in this one .

- Knows he needs to get Heart and Mind to work together if he wants to keep William good and well, but he’s growing incredibly tired throughout the loops. He primarily experiences Will’s worst moments and rarely gets a break. Spends most of him life trying to get these. Fuckers. to get along and he’s so incredibly done with both of them. Growing distant, but ultimately does care about H/M on a personal level and really wishes they could all be happy together.

Mind:

- The Mind/Laplace/Al/Marsha/Apollo

- He/she

- The Normal Album

- Whole’s logic, as well as his self-control and calculated decision making. Doing his best to keep Will stable and often doing so to the point of burnout.

- Primarily tries to keep Heart in check, to the point of excessively trying to control it and Soul. Wants to keep Whole productive and functional by any means necessary. 

- At the end of the day, he does want Whole to live a happy life, but (despite keeping up a facade of superiority and strength) fears Heart’s impulsiveness/ erratic nature and feels the need to over-compensate in order to keep Will safe. 

Heart:

- The Heart/Jimmy/Vestal/Artemis

- He/it

- Everything Is a Lot

- Whole’s emotions, as well as his impulsiveness and indulgence. Sometimes joy-seeking, sometimes self-destructive. Often those two go hand in hand.

- Focused on breaking free from Mind’s controlling nature, trying to get her and Soul to “live a little”. Wants to allow Whole unbridled indulgence (in every whim and emotion, including negative) often to the point of self-destruction. 

- Ultimately knows he’s wrecking Will, but finds it’s the only way he knows to soothe his suffering. He knows Mind is right about them needing to get their shit together, but finds him difficult to work with and listen to when he’s so excessively overbearing. 

Tags:

Everything about this AU will be listed under the tags #wwww au and #william’s wanton weary wiles. 

Additional tags (color-coded according to character): #William Racheal McSprout, #Jimmy wwww, #Al wwww, and #Mr. Capgras wwww