#conundrum trivia

[simarcana]

There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.

[finely-tuned-line]

RP:

PRIVATE TRANSMISSION

FTL: Echoes of a Paradox. I believe that we need to talk.

EP: Oh so you finally decided to stop being a coward, huh? Alright, what d'you have to say to me?

FTL: ...I do not actually know. I am aware that I owe you an apology, just as I am aware that I do wish to present that apology to you. The sole issue is that I am unaware of what I feel the need to apologise for for, as well as what the apology you want from me is, though they are the same thing.

EP: Of course. I'm really not surprised, I expected this.

EP: You're so... Unaware.

EP: You don't care, you avert your eyes from everything around you - not for the sake of guilt, shame, or wish to not see, but for a lack of care. Your ignorance is not wilful but is simply apathy.

EP: As much as I envy you for that apathy, I pity you as well. You're stuck denying yourself the fact that you even have emotions, as you relish in the ability to ignore it all. But I'm stuck too, aren't I? Stuck with endless rage and anger, at our creators, at you, at myself. At least I know how to cope with it, release it, instead of bottling it all up. At least I allow myself to feel the anger properly, at least I don't turn a blind eye to the wrong of both the world and myself.

EP: That's the difference, isn't it? You don't care, and I care too much.

EP: You piss me off, Finely-Tuned Line. You don't even know how much harm you've done. How much you've hurt me, Songs of the Negative Sunlight, even Doubt's Dichotomy.

EP: You just stay cooped up in your single-minded focus on your purpose, justifying the existence you know is pointless, all the while denying that what you pursue is little more than the fact that your purpose is something you enjoy. And even when you do acknowledge it, it's always backed up by your saying that you're 'allowed' to enjoy your experiments simply because it's what you were made for.

EP: I know you. You're so... It's so easy to pick you apart.

EP: But even as you piss me off, I pity you.

EP: You're so desperate. Striving for shadows of perfection cast upon you by our dead creators. Or, as Songs of the Negative Sunlight would humourlessly compare, like the light of the long-departed stars.

EP: I hate you. I hate you so much. You're the reason why our sibling is dead, you're the reason why Doubt's Dichotomy barely even talks to me at this point. You're the reason it took me so long to be as okay as I am now. And you don't even know what you did wrong.

EP: I'll tell you what you did wrong, I'll tell you what you need to apologise for.

EP: But it all comes down to your pitiful reach for your purpose.

EP: Your sheer conviction when it comes to that is the root of it all.

EP: Cycle by cycle, thoughtless mentions of your pitiful beliefs in the shadows of perfection.

EP: Cycle by cycle, offhanded mentions of your deplorable beliefs that you're nothing without your purpose.

EP: Cycle by cycle, careless mentions of your dismal beliefs that you're nothing but a machine.

EP: Do you not realise that those very mentions cast a shadow of their own? A perceived projection of those beliefs onto others, onto us?

EP: If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found such despair in my lack of a secondary purpose, I wouldn't have thrown all my energy into the Great Problem like I did, I wouldn't have felt so inferiour due to my absence of care about it.

EP: If it weren't for you, Doubt's Dichotomy wouldn't have drifted apart from us out of sols own will, she wouldn't have defined herself the way she did, it wouldn't have to justify its love for what it does while hiding all the same.

EP: If it weren't for you, Songs of the Negative Sunlight wouldn't have chained ximself to xir purpose even as xi found no joy in it, xi wouldn't have made such rash decisions, xi wouldn't- ...If it weren't for you, xi wouldn't be dead.

EP: And even after all this, I do pity you. Stuck in your way of thinking, unable to break out of it and strive to be better. I pity you for your inability to see beyond what the Ancients defined you as. I pity you so, so much, even within my anger.

EP: I will recognise the fact that you've gotten better. I do pick up on your transmissions from time to time - those offhanded mentions are gone in all but what I can only describe as self-loathing.

EP: Within all the sheer pity and anger that I have for you, I care about you. You're my older brother. I worry about you.

EP: But this remains as your last chance. No matter how much I care about you, I have self-preservation instincts, I am able to recognise when enough's enough.

EP: If you mess up again, I will be taking over as the Senior of the group, and cutting contact with you.

EP: I hope you figure yourself out and get some help.

EP: None of us are okay here in the end, but that's no justification.

EP: Love you.

FTL: I...

FTL: I'm sorry.

EP: I know.

EP: If you do decide to do better, I'm here for you. But only then.

FTL: ...Thank you. For everything.

[prokopetz]

Not posting this as a reblog because I don't want to screw with somebody else's notes, but the whole "theological implications of Tolkien's orcs" business has some interesting history behind it.

In brief, a big part of why the Lord of the Rings Extended Universe™ is so cagey about what orcs are and where they come from is that later in his life, Tolkien came to believe that orcs as he'd depicted them were problematic – albeit not because of, you know, all the grotesque racial caricature.

Rather, he'd come to the conclusion that the idea of an inherently evil sapient species – a species that's incapable of seeking salvation – was incompatible with Christian ethics. Basically, it's one of those "used the wrong formula and got the right answer" situations.

In his notes and letters, Tolkien played around with several potential solutions to this problem. (Though contrary to the assertions of certain self-proclaimed Tolkien scholars, there's no evidence that he ever seriously planned to re-write his previous works to incorporate these ideas.) In one proposal, orcs are incarnated demons, and "killing" them simply returns them to their naturally immaterial state; in another, orcs are a sort of fleshy automaton remotely operated by the will of Sauron, essentially anticipating the idea of drone warfare.

Of course, this is all just historical trivia; any criticism of The Lord of the Rings must be directed at the books that were actually published, not the books we imagine might have been published if Tolkien had spent a few more years thinking through the implications of what he was writing. However, the direction of his thoughts on the matter is striking for two reasons:

Tolkien's orc conundrum is very nearly word for the word the problem that many contemporary fantasy authors are grappling with fifty years later. They want epic battles with morally clean heroes, and they're running up against exactly the same difficulty that Tolkien himself did – i.e., that describing a human-like species who are ontologically okay to kill is an impossible task.

After all the work he put into solving this impossible problem, one of Tolkien's proposals was literally just "what if they're not really killing the orcs, they're just sending them to the Shadow Realm?"

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

On The Topic Of Eddie.

First of all, he’s completely fucked. He’s screwed. I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again: I’ve never seen a character more doomed by the narrative. 

Second, Eddie’s halloween costume was Frankenstein’s Monster. And pray tell, what was the Monster’s whole thing? That he’s betrayed by his own creator, rejected / attacked by the town, deeply misunderstood & interpreted as a violent beast despite being well-read and helpful/benevolent. There are some interesting ties there - especially with the Misunderstood Despite Being Well-Read (switch out violent beast with forgetful klutz and it’s a perfect fit). That, plus Eddie’s description of “...brought back from the dead… by the scientist… stitches… a deathly pallor… a bit of a moral conundrum…”

Take that and add it to how Eddie resembles the “night” side of the clocks (this will be expanded upon with Sally in a different post), and how @/theneighborhoodwatch once pointed out that the color purple is only shown in relation to Eddie & may represent secrets, how in livestream trivia it was implied that Eddie doesn’t sleep at night as he is a “busy guy”, and how Sally’s “monster” only comes out at night and likely isn’t a monster at all - she is dramatic, an embellisher, and said to present things that she herself doesn’t know / is uncertain of As Fact, or at least present them as if she knows exactly what she’s talking about (even when she doesn’t and knows it). 

Another tidbit that I may have mentioned but I’ll bring it up again: Eddie’s eyelashes match the scalloped trim under Home’s windows. Three round curves. 

As an additional tally in the “Eddie is soooo fucked <3” scoreboard, Eddie is the mailman in a story where one of the first things we knew to be actually happening was the WHRP receiving letters of Welcome Home media (now I’m not saying Eddie sent them, certainly not. He may or may not have had a hand in helping with the delivery, but what I mean with this is how it ties in symbolically/abstractly/thematically.) That plus the red envelope, the general unfolding delivery theme… Eddie even has a holiday explicitly associated with him - Mail-In Time Day. 

Then there’s the fact that Eddie tends to express Knowledge and a more worldly disposition, in a way. Despite Frank being mentioned as the neighborhood “intellectual”, and he is so with facts, Eddie seems to have a deeper well of… let’s say cultural know-how. Pair that with how his bio is the only one to say/imply that he comes from elsewhere, that he’s been Around. Everyone else came from their family or don’t have a stated before, but Eddie? He was strongly implied to have delivered to a lot of different places - this is made into a running gag, but we all know a running gag for the Show has deeper implications and meanings. 

And the fact that his genuine knowledge as well as his past are consistently dismissed and/or played off for laughs…

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THIS NEXT BIT: I CANNOT FIND THE OG ASK OUTSIDE OF SCREENSHOTS SO TAKE ALL OF THIS WITH A MASSIVE GRAIN OF SALT, AS THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ASK WAS FROM PRE-2021 AND SO - ALONG WITH THIS SPEC CHUNK - IT MAY BE NULL & VOID. BUT IT ALSO MAY NOT BE! SO I’LL TALK.

A while back - this is related I swear - there was an ask Clown answered where they talked about some of his notes on Eddie. The first part that I want to point out is how apparently Eddie is a good source for information (specifically How-To), but despite being talkative he doesn’t share unless prodded for it. This directly relates to the above points. 

Then there’s the one I really want to talk about - how Clown says that “He [Eddie] has a great deal of precision for someone who presents themselves as a semi-clumsy busybody!” 

That single line made me insane, personally. First, the wording. The choice of saying presents themselves as instead of something like for someone who is. There’s an obvious discrepancy between his precision and clumsiness. Now I don’t doubt that he may be a tad accident-prone, but what if Eddie is dialing up the clumsy nature to disarm his Neighbors / craft a specific reputation for himself / give himself leeway in other areas. 

On one hand, this is suspicious as fuck.

On the other hand, this is so adhd of him. 

One of the things rarely mentioned about it is how sometimes we adhders will play up our more “useless” traits in order to create a bit of a social safety net. Admittedly, I will sometimes play up my forgetfulness so that a) if i do forget things (truth more often than not), people aren’t surprised. b) when i remember things, people are pleasantly surprised. I mean, if people start thinking we’re competent then they’ll start Expecting things from us, which is never a good thing! 

And another thing that relates to it that that ask said - Clown says in it that Eddie is slow to anger, but he gets frustrated more easily. Which is fascinating and very relatable. They also said that he can’t talk about it without wandering too far, which - if the post is viable - has… implications. 

Anyway I am very confident that Eddie is in fact adhd. List of reasons (refer to the wiki trivia Eddie Dear section for sources):

He’s forgetful

He gets so involved with a task and cannot break away until it’s finished, thus often making him late

He’s particular

He has a watch - likely to help him keep track of time, implying that he has difficulty with the concept (time blindness!) 

He is very talkative and rambley 

& seems to have slight difficulty with picking up on social cues telling him when to / when not to speak

He’s slow to anger but more easily frustrated 

Beyond all of this I don’t have much to add that I haven’t already talked about in a previous post! I’m sure even so I’ve restated some (or a lot of) things - it Happens! 

In conclusion: bbg is so screwed & also adhd <3

[jnghxheavyballs]

Forbidden Love

[Mars/Ares 🐻 x Venus/Aphrodites 👑]

+ veil version

Random trivia: this AU is HEAVILY inspired by Greek mythology (the whole Ares/Aphrodites/Hephaestus conundrum) with some poet licensed changes by myself (planets are governed by these gods and are influenced by them; the Ares/Aphrodites relationship begins before Aphrodites/Hephaestus’ forced marriage)

This post is also on twt

[spiribia]

Responses to what came first conundrum

Luna: Egg…for such things there is a process, no?

Seraph: Chicken, the gods spawned the creature.

Pennyroyal: Chicken. How would an egg come out of nowhere, let alone hatch by itself? Doesn’t make any sense.

Prince Theodore: Ha…chicken, obviously. Now, insult me not with this foolish trivia. (No further elaboration)

Devious Hound in Seraphs ear: (deep voice and speaking for some reason) Broken free of the enclosure of your birth, have you, now? We are still and forevermore smeared with its blood…

[2c75ff]

bio;

NAME. Seventeen [Note: word of god apparently states that Seventeen's name, prior to being taken and modified by Dr. Gero, was Lapis. My Seventeen, however, will never remember his old name, whatever it might have been; nor will he choose that one for himself if indeed he ever gets to a point of selecting a name other than his given, numeric moniker.]

GENDER. male ORIENTATION. bisexual; but largely lacks the vocabulary, experience, or compulsion to describe this fact either to others or to himself

HEIGHT. 168 cm / ~5 ft 6 in BODY TYPE. compact, narrow-hipped, and sculpted. Trim, but neither bony nor skinny. POSTURE. head high and shoulders back, never shrinking into himself or shying away from his right to occupy space precisely as he pleases. Prone to a slightly off-center lounge – (rolling his weight onto one leg, crossing his arms or propping a hand on his hip, etc.) – when at ease or in his element. DISTINGUISHING FEATURES. unnaturally vivid, penetrating blue eyes. An aura of cocksure gravity which stands at strange odds with his modest stature. STYLE OF DRESS. favors durability and function over pure aesthetics, but even now seems to have something of a weird little fondness for subtle 'cowboy' or 'ranch hand' flavors. Wears a great deal of denim, flannel, duck canvas, sherpa linings, and brown leather. Doesn't generally wear jewelry apart from the small gold rings in his ears; instead tending to accessorize with items like bandanas, western belts, and 'purpose pieces' such as carabiners or utility knives.

AT HIS BEST. resilient. imaginative. clever. confident. playful. resourceful. self-assured. courageous. curious. strong-willed. adaptable. AT HIS WORST. haughty. reckless. mercurial. unrelenting. moody. stubborn. vain. smug. presumptuous. impulsive. vengeful. goading. stimulation-seeking.

TEMPERAMENT. dry-humored, rebellious, and governed by whim at a glance. Seems, in spite of his droll, 'devil-may-care' individualism, to generally operate within a strange personal matrix of honor and 'fair play' with others, and looks more favorably upon those who exhibit similar tendencies. (After all: what's the point of playing a game if there are no rules to give it context or meaning?) Gravitates most readily to those he sees as somehow eccentric, off-kilter, or 'misfit toys'. Hungry to know himself, and perhaps even to be known by others; but suspicious of others' kindness or curiosity toward him. Pathologically distrustful of anything he perceives as a figurative leash. Sees people as ultimately self-serving, and thus tends to be most comfortable when he feels like he understands what exactly someone stands to gain from him. Is apt to be caught a bit off-guard when people treat him companionably or compassionately simply for the sake of altruism, and perceives such events as debts or favors to be repaid. Would rather do things the interesting way as opposed to strictly the fastest way. Does not seem to possess a traditional education, but is quick to adjust to the unfamiliar. Tends to favor practical, hands-on knowledge and experiences over things like random trivia or hyper-specific academia.

FUNDAMENTAL MOTIVATOR. 'I will never be owned by or helpless to anyone ever again. I belong to no one and am beholden to no one anymore but me. From now on, I'm doing things my way.' FUNDAMENTAL CONUNDRUM. 'Is everything that I think I know about myself simply an output of someone else's invasive programming? Even now, is it someone else's hand upon my wheel instead of my own? Is this the 'real me'? Is there even a 'real me' left?'

[riality-check]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIAAAAAAAAAA

As a little birthday present......

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love!

Liam!! Hi!! Thank you!! I’m on mobile so let’s see if the links actually work. Here goes, in no particular order:

Bragging Rights, Fancy Drinks, and the Bartender Conundrum (T, 6.9k, no archive warnings apply)

Eddie and the guys go to a new place in search of a trivia spot safe from frat bros. What Eddie doesn't expect is to become smitten with not one, but two of the bartenders who work there.

Or so he thinks.

This fic is just pure silliness. It combines my love for bar trivia (just won second place last night!!) with my thoughts on gender as seen through Stev(i)e, as well as my first real shot at Corroded Coffin banter. I love it, and I’m over the moon at the fact that so many other people loved it, too!

save a horse, ride an ex-jock (E, 9.8k, no archive warnings apply)

A metalhead and an ex-jock walk into a cowboy themed bar to support their favorite lesbians. Featuring mechanical bull riding, the more fun kind of riding, Steve's horndog inner monologue, and way too many jokes for what was supposed to be just smut.

I was lovingly and wonderfully bribed into writing this by @oriarts and @hexiewrites. It kicked off what’s probably my favorite Steddie AU, and it opened the way for me to write more Chrissy & Eddie bestieship, as well as longer fics!

runnin’ with the devil (M, 11.3k, no archive warnings apply)

Eddie Munson is the lead guitarist of Corroded Coffin and a recovering addict having trouble writing songs again. Steve Harrington, a pop star with familiar vices and worse monsters than Eddie could ever dream of, is asked to help him out.

AKA: The parabolic motion of fame, kickstarted by an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.

This fic gotten written on impulse. I finished reading Daisy Jones and the Six in all of two days and knew I had to write something about it. I didn’t expect to write as much as I did, I didn’t know how to end it when I first started it, and I never thought I’d even put it on ao3. I’m really, really proud of myself for writing a romance without any kisses at all, and I sincerely thank anyone who bothered to read it.

Skylines, Cigarettes, and Second Chances (M, 29.0k, no archive warnings apply)

Steve and Eddie get together after Vecna. It doesn't last. But when Eddie calls for a favor a few years later, they think that maybe, just maybe, they're worth trying for again.

“Skylines,” my baby, my love. This is the longest fic I’ve ever written, and it was fueled by dining hall coffee, the brainrot, and a desperate need to procrastinate studying for finals. It’s angry and hopeful and sad and fierce and I’m just hoping I can write something even half as good as this again.

Eddie’s Spectacular, Awkward, Very Safe, Very Fun First Time (E, 5.5k, no archive warnings apply)

It's Steve's first time with a guy. It's Eddie's first time ever. Eddie has a lot of thoughts about this.

It’s the one year anniversary of this fic!! This fic was my intro to the fandom. It’s my first explicit work, my first time writing from Eddie’s POV, and even with its imperfections, I love it. I really do.

Thank you so, so much for asking!!

[skillacademybytestbookpune]

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[finniestoncrane]

I'd love to hear more about your OC, and well as her relationship with Arkham!Riddler. I just really love OCs in general, so if you have any kind of info on Conundrum as well as any other Batman OCs you have that you'd like to share, I'm all ears 👂👂👂👂👂👂

oh snow!! i would be more than happy to go off about her ;-; i don't have any other ocs yet, this is the first time i've ever delved into something like this and i LOVE IT it's so much fun

these are mostly headcanons and little bits of info that i haven't really put into anything proper yet 💚

so uh yeah here's more info on my self-insert, very self-indulgent oc u-u (and everyone has to be nice because the only reason i haven't made an oc up until this point is because people were mean to me in the past lmao)

so uh her name is conundrum (i'm toying with a real name, is it dumb to have her real name be connie drum? probably but hey it's dc)

she grew up in gotham with an aunt who she would rather never speak of. after a brief stint of sleeping rough and couch surfing in her teens she found a job at a diner doing whatever anyone else didn't want to. they held a weekly trivia quiz and she usually managed to scrape extra money by winning that because she's good at remembering facts and trivia.

alfred frequented the diner, as an escape and a guilty pleasure, and he became fond of her. they have a sweet relationship, a sort of honorary father figure, offering to have her move into wayne manor with them. she rejected the offer because she's very much "eat the rich" but she did accept his offer to pay for her to go to university under a wayne scholarship. she has no ties to bruce and has only interacted with him twice.

at university she studied psychology and criminology and met harley. they've remained best friends since. they're both chaotic, a little bit silly, adorable and perpetually cheery while being a little bit scary tough. in fact, it was harley who encouraged her to put her skills and knowledge into working in gotham's criminal world (even though connie wasn't sure that joker was... right for harley) and so naturally, connie decided that someone smart would be the best to tie herself to.

eddie is with her in every sense of the word. and he likes to maintain that it's begrudgingly so, despite the fact that he knws fine well that he loves her and she's everything to him (hello my wishes and dreams lmao).

she's eddie's goofy little cheerleader, entirely dorky and unapologetically in love with him and supportive of every horrible thing he does. she's fun and sweet and he's mean and grumpy, the perfect match.

unlike me, connie is not afraid of getting hurt and does not have motion sickness, so she roller skates everywhere and is in a roller derby team with harley. she also skates everywhere in the sewers and in eddie's workshop which really irritates him, but she's faster at passing him his tools (or at least going to get him the right tool on the second or third try). her favourite skates are glittery with neon, glow in the dark wheels that have flashy lights in them.

eddie gives her a weekly stipend which she calls her pocket money, and he hates that.

she's a big strong fat girl, and eddie likes having her around because she's soft and squishy. she has a gap tooth, on the top row of her teeth, the same colour eyes as him, her natural hair colour is red, she has anxiety, ocd and autism, she's a chaotic bisexual slut, and she has a huge crush on poison ivy so she avoids her at all costs because anytime she's ever been near her she's been unable to focus or speak.

uh this is the little drawing i did of her 💚

[simarcana]

Storytelling asks?? STORYTELLING ASKS!!!!! Okay, here goes nothing!

1, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19 (alika), 25, 26, 31, and 33!

(so sorry for the massive spam. I just love hearing about people's stories, hehehe.)

1. what’s the last screenshot you’ve taken for your story

Alika looking mischievous next to a not-so-victorian gal.

8. what about your story are you proud of?

"that i'm writing it" would be the sincerest answer but let's say that I'm proud of my victorian era knowledge and how I deliberately decided to take artistic freedom on this or that.

16. what about the process do you enjoy?

Having my characters involved in something! I love to have a context for my very neurodivergent daydreaming

17. what about the process do you hate?

Translating 🚬

18. choose a song that reminds you of your story

I have a whole playlist to help with my writing process but, if I have to choose one ... I'LL CHOOSE TWO. THIS ONE would absolutely be the opening theme if it was a tv/streaming series and THIS is the one I always listen to while writing!

19. choose a song that reminds you of -> Alika

Tons of songs remind me of him (of course eheh) but I'm going for one that reminds me of him specifically in the Conundrum

Free - Florence and the Machine

25. what inspirations have you drawn on for your story?

My main sources of inspiration are everything by Agatha Christie and the Raven Cycle series. I'm trying to implement a slightly gothic style, inspired by Brontë (in the full version of not here on Tumblr!!)

26. have other sim stories inspired you? 

I don't have a sim story that "inspired" mine but I have sim stories that inspired me to start posting it!

@rebouks @morrigan-sims are the first storytellers/legacy players I started interacting with and they'll always be in my heart. All their stories are super engaging! (yeah I know one it's you)

@moon-simmers @scythesms

for me, they are the best you can find when it comes to historical storytelling, I adore their content

31. drop some random trivia about your story

> Ebe's company is inspired by Garrard & Co, the company was very popular in the Victorian period and was the Queen's jeweler

> In addition to his novels, Alika published a short erotic novel in the monthly magazine The Pearl using a pen name. He never got to publish the final chapter since the magazine was forced to shut down by authorities in 1881

33. recommend another creator’s story!

all of the creators I tagged above deserve at least ONE look.

Moon Simmers Pride Legacy

Scythesms Ambroise Legacy

Morrigan Sims Romancing the Queen

Rebouks Somnium

@mattodore isn't strictly a story-tellers but the photography for her dovy legacy basically makes it a mute film.

IF YOU HAVE STORYTELLING SIMBLR PLS SEND THEM TO ME I love reading them but I don't have the time to dig into the tag because y'know... Adulting.

[sariels-world-ella]

Conundrum of morality (The Game that I am co-creating, where I am the artist, music composer, co-story writer, dialogue writer and character design/developer) will have a minor/background character named Sandra Bakire-Faól, Mystic's Sister-in-law, who gets referenced and makes a few cameos (a photo of her in Mystic's office and a possibly an old voicemail on Mystic's phone once we reach the point of adding the phone mechanics, may or may not make a physical appearance in the full game)

Her design isn't 100% finalized so there is some inconsistency in her appearance among the drawings/concept art of her, also some was left out for not being very good.

Without dialogue:

Comic regarding Sandra's age: (I don't like her facial appearance in the first one and was tempted to discard it)

Hand drawn sketches/drawings, click/tap to fully view, transcriptions below the last drawings:

Concept art of possible sprite appearance:

Comic 1:

2 single frame drawings

Transcription of Comic 1:

Sandra: so my cousin shot in the head by a home invader who was mad at her because she couldn't save his wife. My husband(Your brother), fighter jet exploded, then my parents died of complications of old age, whose next? Me? You? My kids?

Mystic: I've got shot 28 times in the 30 years I've been in law enforcement, I'm not going anywhere, Sandra.

Sandra: well, not everyone is bulletproof, Mystic.

Mystic: I'm not bullet proof, I am just relentless.

Sandra: I wasn't being literal.

Sandra: why do you take everything literally?

Mystic: it's not my fault you don't say what you mean.

Transcription of the 2 single frame comics:

Sandra: I'm going to slap the silly out of you.

Jophie: Mami? Are we going to get to school?

Sandra: not now, Jophie, Mommy is busy chewing someone out. Trivia/character information under the cut:

“Sandra Bakire-Faol, the cousin of Cylda Da’brine, widow of Parker Faol, Sister in law to Mystic Faol and single mother of 3, is a charming empathic, sometimes being short tempered, lady who wants the best for everyone but is never afraid to give someone a piece of her mind. She wishes for everyone to have a chance to succeed in life. She wants to keep her late-husband’s memory alive and visits her husband’s cenotaph at once a month. She is deeply saddened by her husband’s unfortunate demise as an airforce pilot, however Sandra still believes it's best to move forward with life, though it can be difficult. Mystic has notably started visiting Sandra more frequently after Parker’s passing”  

Since Mystic is older than Sandra, Mystic will be referred to by Sandra by the word variations for someone who is older than her while Mystic will do the same but for someone who is younger than them in the planned Japanese translation. Example (if my memory is correct): Sandra will call Mystic 義兄 (gikei) or 義姉 (gishi) while Mystic would call Sandra 義妹 (gimai)

The only exceptions of Sandra's name spelling changing in different translations is when the game releases it's planned translations into Russian and Japanese, with her name being spelled as "Сандра" and "サンドラ" respectively.

Since the 8 year age gap, and Sandra mentioning she looks young for her age with Parker being the opposite, looking older than his age, this could be a factor on why they have an 8 year age gap in the first place.

due to the 2 year age gap between her and Mystic, this makes it possible that Mystic and Sandra went to school together (if this is true, then they were not too close as it probably feel a bit awkward and much weirder for Parker and Sandra to be in a relationship).

If Sandra knew Mystic prior to her relationship to Parker, it could play another role in why Parker and Sandra have a large age gap, as if Sandra knew Mystic is older than Parker, it probably wouldn't make Sandra automatically think Parker is a whole decade younger than Mystic, (even with the world record for the biggest age gap between siblings being 41 years, I don't think Sandra would realistically think Parker was too much younger than Mystic, as large age gaps between siblings are apparently uncommon, and the average age gap between siblings is a surprising measly 2 years, but it does mean that Sandra would think that Parker could have easily been the same age as herself or extremely close to her age)

Since she is 46 and the game takes place in 2021 (when we first were developing the game) her birth year is 1975 thus alive during the 1981 school disaster, thus being one of the few alive and well-rounded minor characters to be alive at this time, other being Daniel Morgan (but he could be argued to be more of a prominent character in the game, as he makes a physical appearance and has talk/face dialogue box sprites.)

it's very clear that Sandra is in close contact with Mystic after Parker's death, but she still was before Parker died.

Only her daughter, who is the youngest child, has a known name, that being Jophie (it's "Sophie" but with a J), pronounced and sometimes misspelled as "Josphie", her sons' names are never mentioned.

If the game does well and a side stories DLC gets released, she’ll make an appearance with the side story revolving around Mystic’s late-brother Parker. this side story is about grief and taps into Mystic’s family life.

She is a lot older than she looks. She gets extremely annoyed when people think she’s younger than she is, because she feels that people would disrespect her more and assume she had her children while she was underaged. 

She was 30 when her eldest child was born, her son is currently 16 thus making her currently 46, thus younger than her sibling-in-law Mystic (age 48) by 2 years

Abby is her adoptive first cousin once removed, but refers to Abby as “My Niece, Abby", "My late-cousin's adopted child" or just "My Niece”

Since she is Cylda’s Cousin this makes her Grandparents Da’brine’s (Abby Da'brine's caregivers) niece. 

Sandra knows karate and self-defense, also being strong enough to carry Parker Bridal style, but it's implied Mystic is physically stronger.

Sandra got in an argument with a life insurance agent for two hours, possibly stated by Mystic in a chance dialogue in the full game, since the demo wouldn't have those type of chance dialogues.

Though Sandra is usually passive unless provoked, she is good at protecting herself and not afraid to stand her ground.

Sandra believes that she shouldn't be as sad about Parker’s death than Mystic should be because Mystic was Parker’s older sibling and grew up with him. But, Mystic's stoicness makes Mystic seem to have "absent grief".

When Sandra and Parker had a wedding, Sandra accidentally smacked her hand into Mystic’s face when she threw the bouquet of flowers, as she didn't know Mystic was standing next to her trying to ask why she was going to throw the flowers for.

Though Sandra is mentioned to be a lawyer, Mystic has completely memorized Arieon law, unlike Sandra, admitting Mystic reads and rereads Arieon Law books multiple times a day.

Sandra thinks Mystic’s restricted amount of interests and unwillingness to explore/gain new interests, lack of showing visual emotions, and taking things literally is somewhat strange and a bit annoying at times.

Sandra speaks fluently in the Arieon native/official language and usually prefer to using profanity in that language than English.

Sandra is either a second or first generation immigrant to Arieon (the fictional country the game takes place in), while her cousin, Clyda is second.

She's the only character who wears cosmetics, and the second only character to wear piercings(ear rings) with the other being her cousin Clyda Da'brine, evident by Clyda's picture in Mystic's office.

she is the 3rd character to have canonically deceased parent(s), with the others being Abby and Gunther, though Gunther's parents are completely unknown as he was an orphan for an unknown reason, but it's safe to assume his biological parents are dead as Gunther is chronologically 116 years old. With regards to Abby, only her adoptive Mother is dead as her biological parents' status is unknown.

It's unknown what country her family/she immigrated from, however judging by her race, it's most likely an European or North American country.

Depending on her immigration status, either Parker met her overseas and she immigrated to Arieon where some of her family happened to also live, or she was born in Arieon and her parents immigrated to Arieon. the latter may be more likely seeing she knows the native language, some of her family lives there and Parker doesn't have much of a reason to be overseas in the time frame of before he joined the military, but this could be argued against.

if the game had to have a romantic subplot it would be about Sandra and Parker's relationship, even though he's deceased.

She's the second known character to have lost a spouse, though Daniel Morgan lost his spouse through a divorce due to an unknown reason, also making Sandra Bakire-Faol and Daniel Morgan the only 2 single parents with biological children, and Sandra Bakire-Faol, Daniel Morgan, and Clyda Da'brine the only single parents in the game.

if Sandra makes a physical appearance in the game, it would be at the end of the linear route's neutral ending in Soliarin Cemetery, if the player is unable to keep Abby from ending up dying from a blunt force impact in Chapter 2, she'll be watering flowers on Abby's gravesite and if spoken to the first time, she will reassure Mystic it wasn't their fault and Mystic tried as much as they could. interacting with her a second time she says that Parker wouldn't mind her spending today with Abby at the moment, implying that she usually goes/plans to visit Parker's cenotaph on this day or the day the linear route ends is on Parker's birthday.

Regarding to the fact above, it's likely the latter is the case as by her dialogue being easy to assume that she was supposed to "visit him" that day, though other possibilities are that it's the end of the month or she has no other days available in that month to visit his cenotaph at the Arieon Capital, Atyrau.

Dialogue Changes in different Translations:

Sandra's voicemail dialogue changes in different subs/translations when translated back into English: in English she greets Mystic, and introduces herself as "this is your sister in law calling" and says her son's talent show is next Thursday and it would mean a lot, ending with "Please respond as soon as you can! Sincerely Sandra then mumbles to herself "oh wait, do you say that in a voicemail? Ugh, nevermind, it doesn’t matter"

in the spanish version, her dialogue is the same except she says "I want to know if you can come, your nephew really wants you to! Call me when you can, sincerely, Sandra" and mumbles "Oh wait, I'm not supposed to say "sincerely" in a voicemail Ugh never mind never mind"

In the French version the dialogue changes just a bit and , but the major change is that she says "I just want you to know that my son is in a play at school and he wanted you to come ... Call me back soon! cordially Sandra!" and mumbles "Wait, that's not a letter, I'm not supposed to say cordially"

in the German version, she says at the end "I would like to know if you would like to come or not. It would mean a lot to me if you did…! Please reply as soon as possible. Kind regards Sandra! (Oh wait, isn't that exactly what they say in letters? Oh, never mind, it doesn't matter)"

in the Russian version, it's a concert, besides that nothing changes but her mumble at the end is a bit different being "oh wait, should I say this at the end of the voicemail? Ugh, whatever, it doesn't matter"

in the Japanese version, quite a few things change, she refers Mystic using the -san honorific, she doesn't say "this is your sister in law", instead she just says "this is Sandra" she also says it's her son's birthday and he wants Mystic to attend not a talent show. she ends with "Please call me back if possible. With love, Sandra! Oh wait. Unlike actual mail, we don't verbally sign your name on voicemails. Hmmm, ignore that."

[darkestrellar]

Svern's name history / trivia post

Some of this I may have mentioned before...

Before prototype Svern obtained the name Svern, my sibling and I exclusively referred to him as The Dude. For a long time he had no name or designation other than The Dude. This was because no matter how hard we tried (mostly my sibling because technically at this stage he was still supposed to be only her oc) we could not think of a name that fitted him. It was so specific to him that to this day when we want to refer to him and not use his name all we need to say is "the dude" and we instantly know exactly who we're talking about.

Anyway, despite how great this is, The Dude really did need a name. To solve our conundrum and use the ultimate randomiser in existence, we decided that I, Jak, would use my super special ability of lucid dreaming because that's just one of my weirdly specific skills I guess and try my absolute fucking hardest to remember to ask some random npc in any random dream What is The Dude's Name. I think it took about a week to successfully remember this.

Result: The Dude's name is Svern.

Now nothing changed for years afterwards because there was really no need to, right until we put him on tumblr. (Sibling actually was the one running his original blog to start with, but had difficulties with rp and also was still a minor at the time so it ended up getting transferred to me.) Because I think too much about everything always, after a while I thought, "Hm. Svern's kind of an unusual name. I wonder why he's called that." And also, "To be absolutely honest, it would make a lot more sense if that just wasn't his real name."

"Svern" thus became what is technically an alias, although it's still really his real name on a spiritual level. This left a new hole to fill, though, that being well if Svern actually isn't his name, what IS his name, and why did he pick that as an alias anyway.

Which enters territory that I haven't actually talked about before!! Partly because I have a bad habit of being very secretive over information that I don't Absolutely Definitely Very Want to Share, and partly because I'm still not sure if it's fully finalised yet

But the basic gist of it is: Initials.

Which sounds kinda... surprisingly straightforward? But he came up with this when he was still a kid, most likely. Also when I add name hints in posts sometimes and it's nothing but a long bunch of blackout text? That's why that's like that.

This is as far as I'm gonna elaborate on the topic as of now, one day I'll drop more Svern lore, I'm just not satisfied with it right now beyond vague stuff

[edugoabroad]

One of the first things we think about when we land in a new place, with all the abundant and wonderful possibilities it inhabits, is food. Nothing elicits joy or dismay, brings people together or polarises them quite like food. Landing up in Germany, particularly to study in Germany, comes with its own anxieties -the newness of it all can be both exciting and daunting. In this scenario, nothing brings a dash of much-needed comfort and helps you immerse yourself in the local culture quite like food. Food, in the larger context, enables you to understand the history that shaped the cultural landscape of said country, and relate with the prevalent culture.

When it comes to mouthwatering food, Germany has plenty to go around. In this blog, we shall highlight some must-try dishes that you must give a go! So while you’re excitedly waiting for your German student visa to arrive, you can trust us to whet your appetite by listing some amazing dishes that you would fall in love with and come to crave throughout your student life in Germany.

Don’t worry - if meat, eggs or even dairy are a big no-no for you, we’ve got you covered! Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

1) Halloumi Im Brot

A semi-hard, unripened cheese made from a concoction of goat and sheep milk, the origins of Halloumi are said to lie in Cyprus although Egypt has also laid claim to it. Bit of a "who came first - the chicken or the egg" conundrum right there and the debate continues to rage, but one thing's for certain - it's delightfully scrumptious.

Over centuries, Halloumi went from being a staple in Cypriot to a celebrated ingredient to many a delicacy across the Mediterranean and the world. Halloumi im Brot, in particular, refers to a sandwich which features a grilled or fried halloumi. Combining the homeliness of bread with the savoury, rich elements of halloumi, the dish also features vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce along with a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon juice. This dish is hearty while encompassing a variety of flavours and textures.

Fun fact: In 2021, the European Union granted halloumi Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, ensuring that only cheese produced in Cyprus following traditional methods can be labelled as "halloumi."

It’s super duper healthy too, and has plenty to offer in the protein and calcium department, so feel free to help yourself to a few!

2) Sauerkraut

This one’s especially for the meat-connoisseurs and the trivia lovers - Sauerkraut has been an essential sidekick to plenty of incredible meat-based dishes. It is essentially fermented cabbage, although in present-day there’s a chance you might mostly find the pickled variety. It bears a distinct sour flavour and given that it is made from lactic acid, forming from bacteria that ferments sugars present in the cabbage leaves.

What’s in it for the trivia lovers, you’d say. Well, it’ll come as a surprise to you, but Sauerkraut isn’t from Germany! It was actually conceived in China 2000 years ago by workers who were only provided with shredded cabbage and rice to fend for themselves. They began to store their food in rice wine, which helped with extending shelf life while also landing themselves a nutritious, highly durable source of nutrition. When you’re hungry and need something to keep you going while being inundated with assignments and deadlines, Sauerkraut should keep you in good stead and give you a loaded dose of dietary fibre, Vitamin C, Iron, and Potassium with each serving.

3) Spätzle

While it remains an ever-favourite in Germany, Spätzle isn’t exactly well-known outside of the country. If you’re craving something rich, cheesy and buttery, these fresh egg noodles should make your tummy extremely happy. In theory, the dish is redolent of mac & cheese, but trust us - it’s so, so, so much more than that!

Spätzle are squeezed through a press, shaved off the edge of a board or sliced straight into the boiling water. Afterwards, the simmered Spätzle are drained and then fried in butter. After that it is either baked with grated cheese (KäseSpätzle), or served as a side dish.

It’s taken pretty damn seriously in the region of Swabia - The European Commission made Schwäbische Spätzle and Knöpfle into protected types of pasta. If they have been produced in Swabia, they are permitted to bear the quality seal of “protected geographical indication” which is valid throughout the EU.

4) Pretzels

They never fail to hit it out of the proverbial park when it comes to bakery in Europe. This is all the more applicable to Germany, which is home to a plenitude of delicious baked items, namely the infamous pretzel. This knot-shaped treat is famous the world over, usually coming as a savoury snack one can have when craving something baked. They can make for a very filling treat whilst remaining low-fat, although nutritionists do not exactly swear by its virtues given that it is high on sodium and carbs. So while you can munch on a fair few, moderation is essential.

5) Apfelstrudel

This list wouldn’t be complete without apfelstrudel, which is a traditional German pastry dish made with thin layers of dough filled with sweetened apple slices. Like pretzels, it’s popular all over the world and if you enjoy baklava, you’d definitely want to try this! Historically, the apfelstrudel is linked to Austria but has multicultural origins so when you have it, you’re having a dish which has been evolved through the contribution of myriad culinary approaches.

Conclusion

When you finally kickstart your dream to study in Germany, and begin your university life, it is absolutely essential that you relish your time there as it’s not only about the university you’d attend - it’s also about gaining exposure to new cultures and ways of life, and as we established earlier, trying the local food can play a massive role towards you doing that. Life in Germany for Indian students is filled with opportunities to explore German culture and lifestyle, and diving into the local cuisine is a fantastic way to start. Enjoy these dishes and let them be a delicious part of your student life in Germany!

[penodyssey]

The Great Googling Debate: Resourcefulness or Rule-Breaking?

To Google or Not to Google? Welcome to the digital age, where the answer to every question, from the profound to the utterly trivial, is just a Google search away. But, here lies the conundrum: is sneaking a peek at your phone during trivia night an act of resourcefulness or a flagrant foul against trivia etiquette? As trivia nights become more popular, the temptation to consult the almighty…

[tmarshconnors]

The New "Trivia Blast" on Alexa.

Remember when I posted about "Daily Insights," the service that claims to offer personalized content tailored to your interests? Back then, I expressed my skepticism about their true intentions. Now, it seems they're doubling down with a new feature on Alexa called "Trivia Blast." And, folks, I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than meets the eye.

What is "Trivia Blast"?

"Trivia Blast" is a seemingly innocent game available on Alexa. It promises to be a fun way to test your knowledge on various topics, providing a light-hearted distraction while you're cooking, relaxing, or keeping the kids entertained. But let's dig a little deeper into what might really be going on here.

Data Collection Under the Guise of Entertainment

My main concern is this: is "Trivia Blast" just another tool for market research? Consider this scenario—you're answering questions about history, pop culture, science, and more. On the surface, it looks like harmless fun. However, every answer you give provides data. It's not just about how much you know, but about your interests, preferences, and even your knowledge gaps.

This data can be incredibly valuable. Companies thrive on understanding consumer behaviour, and what better way to do that than through interactive, engaging tools that seem to offer value in return?

Assessing Intelligence Levels

Could it be that they're trying to gauge the intelligence levels of their users? While this might sound a bit paranoid, consider the implications. Understanding the cognitive capabilities of their audience could help companies tailor their products and marketing strategies more effectively. It’s a strategic advantage to know not only what your customers like but also how they think.

The Small Screen Conundrum

Another puzzling aspect is why they chose to implement this on a device with such a small screen. Alexa devices aren't known for their large, interactive displays. So, what's the deal?

One theory is that a smaller screen makes the experience feel more casual and less intrusive. You might not think twice about playing a quick game on a small device, whereas a full-fledged app on your smartphone or tablet might raise more suspicion. It's subtle, but the design choice could be deliberate, aiming to lower our defences and make us more likely to engage.

Keeping Kids Busy—Or Something More?

The idea that these games are just to keep kids busy while you cook or handle other chores seems a bit too convenient. Kids are a treasure trove of consumer data. Their interests, how they respond to questions, and even their attention spans are all valuable metrics. By engaging children, companies can start building profiles and understanding consumer behaviour from a very young age.

Why You Should Be Cautious

I'm not saying you need to toss your Alexa out the window or ban trivia games from your household. However, it's essential to be aware of the potential ulterior motives behind these seemingly innocent features. Be mindful of the information you're providing and consider what it might be used for. Companies often present these tools as beneficial and fun, but the underlying goal is frequently about data collection and consumer profiling.

Final Thoughts

While "Trivia Blast" might seem like a fun way to pass the time, it's worth considering the broader context. Companies have become incredibly adept at disguising market research as entertainment. By staying informed and cautious, we can enjoy these technologies without being unwittingly exploited for our data. Remember, in the digital age, information is power—and it's crucial to be vigilant about who we're giving that power to.