#dogmatic final

[aois-amaterasu-painting]

[a-little-magic]

『the GazettE LIVE TOUR 15-16 DOGMATIC FINAL -漆黒- LIVE AT 02.28 国立代々木競技場第一体育館』

[jjangredpanda]

[katzske]

I dogmatically took it upon myself to rewrite that entire scene to keep everything more in line with how characters were established in Season 1.

Mo calling Starscream a monster kinda felt weird considering she always used to be very compassionate.

Starscream T bagging on Hashtag and Mo, celebrating when they call him more cruel than his abuser was just so... out of character for ES SS. Even in the S1 finale it was shown he went out of his way to help the Maltos; but the writers forgot about that character arc oopsie.

I thanos snapped the chaos terrans bc they had no real impact on the plot

[vexwerewolf]

I’m suddenly getting swathes of Lancer hate across my feed… Has something happened in the fandom? “Union is ______ how could they paint them as even remotely good. They allow _____, and I hate the devs they are ______. The whole thing is just 40k with communist veneer”.

Like am I taking crazy pills…? I thought that all of the problems were literally like right there on the tin “we are a utopia in progress! We will obtain it by any means possible even if it means being everything we say we are not/fighting against. As the player you decide what is right. How much will you ignore for someone else’s idea of utopia?” Like doesn’t it mean all the tools to actually change are there and that is the HOPE aspect of all of this?

(Sorry if this in incoherent grammar is a weak point and I pulled something in my back simply standing up. Now I am sad and crook backed in spasmodic pain)

This isn't an argument I feel super enthusiastic about stepping into, because it gets the most annoying sort of people in your mentions eager to maliciously misrepresent what you say.

However, yeah, there are some pretty terrible readings of Union floating around. I'd invoke "media literacy" because think that a lot of this comes from people not really holistically engaging with the fictional future history of Lancer, but also from a sort of dogmatic purism that requires future societies to be flawless, else they're irredeemable.

It is important to note that ThirdComm is the direct descendant of two highly imperfect societies. FirstComm was formed as a response to the Three Great Traumas of discovering the Massif Vaults (and thus that they were the inheritors of a fallen world), the wars over the Massif Vaults, and the discovery of the lost colonies, all of which collectively showed humanity how close it had come to total extinction.

FirstComm decided that it had a responsibility to ensure that humanity never risked extinction again. It manifested this by trying to colonize every habitable planet it could find, pumping out ship after ship to seed the cosmos with as much human life as it possibly could. This led to problems when it encountered civilizations like the Karrakin Federation and the Aun, who had been carrying humanity's torch just fine by themselves, thank you very much.

SecComm was an Anthrochauvinist fascist state. The book defines it thusly:

We can see a lot of Anthrochauvinist historical romanticism in the mech naming schemes of Harrison Armory, SSC and IPS-N - the fact that Harrison Armory names its mechs after great military leaders of pre-Fall Earth history, IPS-N does the same with naval figures, and SSC uses the names of Earth animals. Even the GMS Everest is named for a mountain on Earth. It's very Cradle-centric.

Anthrochauvinism was, to be clear, largely just an excuse for colonialism and hegemony. Atrocities could easily be justified under by stating that whoever they're being committed against were a threat to the Continuance of Humanity - a term that SecComm got to define.

It's also at this point that we have to zoom in from broad sociopolitical points to address one very specific piece of history: the New Prosperity Agreement. This was signed to prevent the outbreak of a Second Union-Karrakin War, and mandated that the Karrakin Houses would maintain privileged levels of autonomy within Union, and that they would be granted colonial rights to the entire Dawnline Shore. This agreement, struck in 3007u, basically defines much of the current political situation today.

ThirdComm was a final and inevitable reaction to the atrocities, abuses and excesses of SecComm. The unspeakable horrors of Hercynia were the spark, but I need to stress how little Hercynia actually mattered in the larger Revolution - at the start of NRfaW, it's explicitly stated that almost nobody in the galaxy even knows where it is, let alone what happened there. The Revolution was a generalized response to SecComm's tyranny, with no single rallying cry.

The Revolution might also have failed entirely, but for a critical error by Harrison Armory: pissing off the Karrakin Trade Baronies. After getting kicked off Cradle, the Anthrochauvinist Party organised a fleet at Ras Shamra to try and retake Cradle. Simultaneously, however, they were attempting to secure protectorate agreements to steal worlds in the Dawnline Shore out from under the KTB. Putting these two together and making five, the KTB assumed that the fleet was pointed at Karrakis, and started the First Interest War.

The First Interest War initially favoured the KTB. They smashed the fleet above Ras Shamra and simultaneously conquered the moon of Creighton in the Dawnline Shore. However, they underestimated just how ruthless Harrison I was - he "retook" Creighton by relativistic bombardment, and then conquered four of the 12 worlds of the Dawnline Shore with mechanised chassis, a technology the KTB had not adopted and had no counter for.

To prevent further loss of life, Union was eventually forced to broker a peace agreement that saw Harrison I handing himself over to Union justice in return for Harrison Armory's continued sovereignty, and the KTB joining Union as a full member state.

So, with that historical context out of the way, let me get to the second part of this absurd essay I'm writing.

Third Committee Union isn't a civilization that arose from whole cloth. It's shaped by five thousand years of Union history, six thousand years of post-Fall history, and six thousand years of pre-Fall history before that. It is, ultimately, an extremely well-thought-out and well-worldbuilt fictional polity, in that all of its imperfections come from traceable root causes in its history.

Why does ThirdComm permit the abuses of the KTB? Because to stop them, it would likely have to go to war, and such a war would butcher billions. Worse, to do so, it would probably have to ally with Harrison Armory and make horrific concessions.

Why does ThirdComm permit the expansionism and cryptochauvinism of the Armory? Because to stop them, it would likely have to go to war, and such a war would butcher billions. Worse, to do so, it would probably have to ally with the KTB and make horrific concessions.

Nobody in CentComm likes that Harrison Armory are empire-building expansionists. Nobody in CentComm likes that the KTB has a hereditary nobility and enforces blockades against planets that rebel against it. The problem is that ThirdComm is, in historical terms, still relatively new. They've been around five hundred years, and compared to the 1600 years that SecComm was around and the 2800 years FirstComm existed for, that's not very much.

ThirdComm is attempting to decouple itself from the Cradle-first politics of its predecessor, and to amend the many, many atrocities committed in the name of Humanity. It is not easy to do any of these things. SecComm was defined almost entirely by the fact that if it didn't like what you were doing, it would send in the military as a first response. Every time ThirdComm chooses to do the same, its legitimacy erodes, because the mission of ThirdComm is to prove that diverse, vibrant and compassionate human civilization can exist without devolving into war and bloodshed. ThirdComm always tries diplomacy as a first response because if it doesn't, millions of people could die.

[ladychimaera-d]

Minor spoilers! When my iconoclown Rogue Trader lady met her alternative versions with different convictions (heretic, non-convicted and dogmatic ones), all three of them said they got rid off Marazhai and i can't tell they was wrong! So both me and my character felt very stupid that moment. Non-colored pictures are kinda bonus pages, like if girls had some time to gossip instead of fighting eachother immediately. Non-convicted Rogue Trader said she sold Marz to the Black Heart, and you can meet them only in the last Marazhai's quest, it's not so far from game's final. So - what did she do with Marz all that time?  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[scintillyyy]

anyways. cliff notes version of my "connecting leslie's story in war games to the evils of child soldiers & utter hatred of batman/bruce as the root of the problem and violence in gotham" doesn't understand her

i mean everyone knows the obvious of. leslie would never intentionally cause harm to prove a point, but that is the big one, yes

but even within that. i do think the point of the big one is that you need to understand that leslie is an absolute dogmatic nonviolent pacifist and would absolutely disagree with the use of any sort of violence to teach someone their violence is bad. retribution and personal revenge is off the table for her & is to be condemned in others.

leslie fundamentally disagrees with *all* of their choices to be vigilantes & use of violence to solve problems, not just bruce, but even the kids. she doesn't necessarily see them as hapless victims to bruce's ultimate will of violence. she wants them all to choose the better, nonviolent path & wants to teach any vigilante the option of nonviolence is there. she would hold bruce responsible for his choice of violence yes, but she would also hold them all responsible for their participation. she also has never shown a significant issue with children being vigilantes--she's might not love it, but she's been fine enough with working with several children as robin with little qualm about their age--her argument isn't that children in particular shouldn't be vigilantes or that children are in special danger here, it's that nobody should be vigilantes and problems should always be solved nonviolently.

which is my next point--there is absolutely cruelty within leslie's pacifism for those who can't meet her standard of nonviolence. she does think cruel things about bruce for his choice to be batman. she would absolutely think cruel things about all of them in her attempt to push them to be better. this doesn't means she hates them personally however

this is because a lot of the cruelty comes from leslie's loving disappointment in those she cares about. she is essentially bruce's mom after his parents die--her anger at him is not borne out of hate for what he chooses to do, but love & disappointment in her feeling he should be choosing a better way (her way) and does not. she dislikes his choices, but never him--she loves him. and she's always trying to save him. the point is never to punish those who haven't yet learned, it's to continue to try and teach them better. she might be frustrated and be angry at batman and the choice to be batman, but she cannot hate bruce. the point is that one day maybe bruce will finally learn that he can choose to be everything she knows he can be.

leslie & steph should frankly get along like oil & water because leslie would absolutely be judgmental of steph even in her desire to save and care for steph, just as she is judgmental of bruce even as she loves him. she would be kind, yes, but leslie's commitment to nonviolent resolution no matter the circumstance would absolutely clash with steph's feelings that personal retribution is justified under certain circumstances would absolutely clash & neither would be willing to budge. like. batman chronicles #18 where leslie does everything in her power to save zsasz at all costs vs detective comics #796 where steph went in for the kill on zsasz to protect herself and batman and questioned why not kill him. think about it.

anyways war games boiling her pacifism down into "batman commits violence and gets kids hurt ergo he's bad & i think he should be punished" completely loses the nuance that is that leslie loves despite her disagreement! the power of her is that no matter how angry and disappointed she might get in someone she is still dogmatically committed to saving them. she objects to the violence criminals commit and would still go out of her way to save them despite what they might go on to do. she saved zsasz. she would save the joker if he were dying in from of her. her devotion to her ideals is commendable, but can also be a flaw that hurts those she loves due to her strict adherence. batman is a part of the problem. batman deserves to be saved, just as all others who commit violence do.

[loving-n0t-heyting]

read amebedkars the annihilation of caste, plus arundhati roys book-length historical preface. in honesty i prolly learned more from the latter, which is more than anything a screed against the cult of gandhi as mahatma, tho she does give the impression of a writer willing to selectively present historical facts to paint a narrative. still, its facts shes painting with, and in many cases its very hard to imagine any context that could exonerate gandhi from the relevant charges. certainly a helpful pov to finally read in depth rather than as offhand iconoclastic remarks

the speech itself i think left me more flummoxed. ambedkar is at his best when he is railing against the evils of the caste system and the implausibility of various defences and concessions made on its behalf. this is a pretty easy pitch for me tho, growing up as a westerner without any reason to be invested in the chatuvarna. its like the cagot, such an obviously perverse system from an external vantage point that it hardly seems fair to award credit for thoroughly denouncing it unless youve been raised to see it as natural. still, its very stirring as a bit of skewering, especially of the "moderate" and "reformist" casteist positions it attacks, and of the "caste-blind" socialists and liberals who ignore the internal divisions and acrimony the caste system imposes on their envisioned base

he is more compelling as a symptomatologist than as a diagnostician or prescriber/prognostician. he takes by the end what seems like a maximally anti-"materialist" view of the causes of the persistence of the caste hierarchy: the social phenomenon of caste is due entirely to vedic dogmatism, to the point that advocating social rather than doctrinal reforms (primarily: inter-dining and inter-marriage) is futile and self-defeating. this is the context for his remarks about the need to reject the authority of the shastras. this interpretation of the basis of caste discrimination is accompanied by a shocking proposed solution: a purified and democratised hinduism as a state religion, whose new priesthood and scripture/dogma are to be administered by the state itself. only thus can the plague of casteism be stamped out effectively at the root (retrograde religious beliefs)

the blow of what reads to my own usamerican sensitivities as a brand of revolutionary theocracy and state control of religion is somewhat softened by his apparent lack of ambition in implementing it. he is upfront that he thinks the kinds of anti-caste reform he is advocating are simply impossible in the face of hindu society, a demoralisation bolstered in part by a top-down view of social change on which it is only possible as guided by a societys intellectual class—which he identifies with the class least incentivised to upend the system: the brahmins. obviously i had seen ppl draw the analogy between usamerican antiblack racism and indian dalit suppression, but it had never occurred to me that the topic would invite the obvious caste analogue of afropessimism

on the topic of ambedkars predictions about the future of hindu society, its sort of interesting to place him in the context of the current ascendancy of hindutva on the subcontinent. where ive seen ppl (roy in the preface included) speak of modi and ambedkar in the same breath, its usually (when not simply whitewashing ambedkar) been to take him on board as an ally against the hindutva menace. but im not sure how well the text of the annihilation of caste supports that reading? not in terms of what ambedkar would think of modi and hindutva, ofc; its not at all hard to imagine which side he would come down on there. but at the core of much of his criticism of the caste system is its inflexibility and incompatibility with a modern, cohesive, mobilised nation state and nation-building project. a house divided against itself etc etc. on his view, the system introduced social resentments and hostilities too deep to permit a hindu identity that could effectively unite the national public. one is inclined to say: would that it were so!

anyway these are just rough first thoughts, its very much not a topic where ik a huge amount. still wanted to put them on paper for an audiencxe, just to help clarify them to myself more than anything

[bits-and-babs]

✰ 𝐖𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐏 — 𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐎𝐍 ‘𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓’ 𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐘

↳ summary: prompt: "Call me that again" — A solo op takes you away from 141 and away from Ghost. You're both at your wits end.

↳ pairing: Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley x f!Reader (Delta)

↳ [1k] content: 18+ MDNI. Coms sex (I knowww, how original), inevitable dirty talk, masturbation, reference to size kink, a little dom-sub vibes, a little twist at the end because I can’t help myself. 

ghost masterlist I| main masterlist |I join taglist

The coms crepitates loudly, bleeding into the silence of the safehouse room and ringing in your ears as you await that familiar, soothing voice that consoled your adrenaline-whipped body. Running for hours, you'd launched yourself towards the sanctuary of the safehouse once you finished your solo reconnaissance mission. Offering to work this mission single-handedly, you're separated by your 141 colleagues. You aren't sure if Vargas is alive or if Soap has thrown himself into the face of danger once again, but a dogmatic conviction grips your mind that Ghost is safe. He's always safe. 

Crackling, distorted sounds shock you from your disassociation, grabbing your heart and squeezing its chambers so hard you're sure it wheezes beneath the pressure. It throbs, the possible presence of your Commanding Officer on the end of the coms like a defibrillator, sparking it back to life. 

"Simon?" Your voice is hoarse as you call for him, your almost embarrassing desperation leaking into your tone of voice despite your best effort to portray nonchalance. 

"Delta."

His gruff Mancunian accent distorts through the headphones placed over your ears, distance scrambling the soundwaves. A rush of oxygen exhaled through your nose no doubt sends a burst of unpleasant sound through Ghost's eardrums-- but he doesn't complain. 

"I wondered if you were ever going to contact me," you whisper, closing your eyes and finally allowing yourself to relax into the sofa at the sound of Simon's voice. "Was beginning to think you'd had trouble." 

"The only trouble I have is a 6'2'" Scotsman that fucks my eardrums with his god-awful jokes," Simon grumbles to himself, the sound of him settling onto a cot sneaking its way into the mic in the form of straining springs. "His codename is trouble." 

"Funny, I thought it was Soap," you muse, and can't help but grin at the exasperated sigh that sounds at the end of the line. 

"Better start cleanin' up his act if he wants to keep it." 

Silence creeps between you both, laden with a heavy longing that crushes your chest. Of course, you'd never admit to missing him, but something about the way your heart seizes just at his mere presence, even from miles away, tells you that you're yearning. Aching for something as simple as laying eyes on him. 

"Delta."

His voice drips like molasses down your spine, inching its way down to your abdomen and swirling warmth between your legs. There's a hint of suggestion in his tone, the kind he'll offer on late paperwork shifts to relieve some tensions. 

Simon 'Ghost' Riley is dangerous. He doesn't give you butterflies— he detonates atomic bombs in your stomach. Obliterates any sense of propriety you have and compels you into a jittery, timid mess. It's something only Simon can do, and it's mortifying. 

"Yes?" You don't mean for it to come out the way it does, drawn out and breathless. He knows. He knows his voice alone has put you right where he wants you. 

"Been thinkin' of you." 

Swallowing thickly, you focus on the growing arousal blistering between your thighs. You're sure they're slick already, arousal triggered by the conversation's shift in tone. 

"Yeah?" You whisper, the single syllable catching in your throat like it's a honey trap. 

"Been thinkin' about how well you take my cock, love." The sudden crassness makes your heart lurch against your sternum, your hand diving beneath your waistband to start touching yourself to the sound of his voice, "Your little cunt stretches so good around me, fuckin' squeezes me just right."

You gasp as your print brushes your already throbbing clit, the buzzing arousal arcing up your spine and lifting it from the sofa. A quiet, gravelly hum sounds at the end of the coms, followed by the clinking of a belt as Ghost sheds the clothes from his lower body. 

"Filthy girl," he muses, listening to your sharp inhalation, "I've barely started talking, and you're already playin' with your clit. Couldn't even wait for my order. Is it throbbing for me, love?"

"Y-Yes-" you whimper, rocking your hips up to meet your touch. Waves of bliss drag from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, eyes rolling back as Simon groans. 

"I bet it is. You gonna use your fingers for me? Go on," Simon urges. He barely has to ask, though; you're already sinking your fingers into your entrance, moaning his name. 

"Ah-Ah," Ghost scolds you gently, his voice strained, "What did you call me?"

"S-Sorry, Lieutenant," you whine softly, eyelids fluttering when you push your fingers against something devastating. You rock your hips again, grinding your clit against the heel of your palm. 

"That's right," Simon growls, breath hitching as the quiet sounds of him working his cock in his fist filter into the mic from the background. "That's what you fuckin' call me. Go on, call me that again." 

"Yes, Lieutenant Riley." 

"Ugh- fuck," Ghost groans out, and it rattles in his chest. He sounds fucked, as desperate as you are to sink his cock into your wet heat. It's been too long; you've almost forgotten the stretch. 

"You workin' that clit how you like it?" Ghost asks, a little breathless now as he quickens the pace of his fist to match the speed at which your orgasm approaches. It's been too long. 

"Y-Yes, Lieutenant- Oh fuck-" 

"Gonna cum already?" A chuckle breaks through Ghost's huffed breath, amused by your inability to last much longer than a few minutes after only a couple of weeks separated. "C'mon, darlin', give it to me, nice and loud—" 

                            ✰

Hanging your head between your shoulders, you try not to mind the heat burning in your cheeks as Price finally stops the recording playing loudly from his laptop. Mercifully, he pauses just before you truly amp up the volume of your whimpers as you cum. 

"Did you even stop to think how this could affect the mission if the targets got ahold of these coms?" Price's eyes flit between you, frustration evident by the creases in his t-zone. 

"Would'a distracted the enemy," Ghost points out like he's serious. 

"Shut up, Ghost." 

"Yes, Sir."

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[aois-amaterasu-painting]

Deracine vs The Pale

[astrologanize]

october 2024 sun sign horoscope

aries sun: cheers to you guys because it looks like you are standing up and ready to take on whatever comes your way. it seems many of you have a pretty solid idea by now of what you feel is worth putting your energy into, or you will be feeling this way by the end of the month. there are standards and expectations abound throughout this time, which can be a good thing because you are wanting to make thorough plans and make the necessary strides and make shit happen - but it becomes a not so great thing when it becomes a 'my way or the highway' type of deal. try to avoid dogmatic behavior and being demanding, be open to other possibilities, possibilities that may be out of your comfort zone. although your aries nature may have you tempted to make decisions and throw yourself into whatever has your focus this month, this isn't an ideal time for you to come to any absolute conclusions - let yourself have some wiggle room & levity for now.

taurus sun: hm, you know those moods where you feel like you should be doing something, like you're in an idle position in life? well, you're going to be resonating with that this month because i'm seeing you feeling indecisive, sober, and as if you've hit a dead-end. for some of you there may be something in your life that really has reached a dead-end and you are needing to recognize that there is nothing else you can do for the situation, it is just time to let it go and choose happiness. for others, it is just a feeling that you've hit a dead-end when in actuality this is a checkpoint for you to stop and count your blessings! try to avoid apathy or being a buzzkill, i'm not seeing you or others be outright rude or say out of pocket things per se...but there is a very closed off energy surrounding your month.

gemini sun: there is something in your life that has been draining the hell out of you, a situation or a person or old wounds or an accumulation of all, and by the end of this month you're going to be like 'ya know what...this doesn't even matter'. this may be a slower month for you guys because so much of it revolves around you getting away and removing yourself from whatever this something is - it may be that the issue drones on and interferes with your life to the point where you finally get your fill of it. there can be such a peace in knowing that it is out of your hands. choose to free yourself.

cancer sun: i see you guys are going to be working on your mindfulness this month. there is something in your life that you are going to be wanting to find resolve with, you're going to be trying to find a solution, it's like okay...let me really compose myself and get a grip here. a time for deep breaths! there may be a bitter seed involved here, maybe it's you or someone else, maybe someone else is bitter with you over something and that's why you're going to be trying to ponder a solution, or you may just be in your own standoffish mood over something. regardless, try to set aside any pride and be willing towards the situation, it's a time for you to adapt with what comes your way.

leo sun: oof. not the leo's having their confidence at an all time low this month! i'm afraid this is going to be one of those months where all you can do is just get through it. i'm not seeing many obstacles throughout your month though, all i'm seeing is you feeling totally not in your power, it's like this month is happening to you. on the positive side, it could be a time where you having no ego does make you more receptive to any issues you may need to work on and that doesn't feel great at first but it starts the growth process. for some of you it's like you've made your choice about something and it's not what you want or you've done something that you're not proud of and have consequences to face, very ~i've made my bed and now i'm going to lie in it~. try to confront any waves of sadness, don't fight your feelings, choose to be mature, and remember to get better not bitter.

virgo sun: lol every time i read for y'alls 2024 it sticks out so much in comparison to everyone else's. anyway. this is a lighthearted month!! though you will be having a slew of feelings accompanying it, there are options available to you and chances and surprises that would be worth looking into. you may catch the lovebug this month, you may be flirting with others, others may be flirting with you, you're going to want to look good, pick out an outfit spur of the moment, and be infatuated with life or yourself or someone - which does come with all sorts of emotions. but in order to have these good times it may very well be that you need to wash your hands of something, make a tough choice, relieve yourself of something that has been hampering you; or it could be that you need to remember not to settle and to not make things more complicated than they need to be.

libra sun: there is going to be something that really trips y'all up this month, something you are not expecting, something that you feel out of your element with, something that makes you feel ill-prepared...standing there like omg what the heck do i do?! if you have any plans in mind this month, which you probably do since it's most of y'alls birth month, they may not happen the way you want but it can be a chance to do something different. try to avoid bruised ego behavior like saying or doing something out of pocket just because you're feeling not so great about yourself or what you have (or don't have) happening in your life. try to keep your feelings in check, practice finding acceptance, and lean more on others this month!! it's your birthday season, it's a time to be inspired and embrace connection.

scorpio sun: usually you guys are like 'eh whatever i got this shit' but this month you should set aside what you think you know and have a lil chip on your shoulder, try to level up if you will. there may be a certain connection in your life (platonic or romantic) that is overarching this month with you wanting to get closer to this person or actively getting closer to them - which will involve you curbing any unnecessary sharpness and putting in effort. there is going to be a break in your routine...as there consistently has been throughout this year...and this may be voluntary as you implement or do something new or it could be that your routine is interrupted. i do see you guys extending yourselves this month and putting in extra effort, just gotta make sure it's coming from an earnest place and not you doing a whole bunch of everything & nothing to deflect from what you should do. there is potential for wrongdoing this month, maybe from you or from someone else, due to there being a lack of fairness and accountability/dependability so try to be conscientious to avoid this!

sagittarius sun: i've made a few posts this past year about the grounding energy that has been surrounding us and october for y'all surely is looking like it could be a testament to remaining grounded. throughout the month you will be taking the things that do not pan out in your favor on the chin, that sagittarius ability to shrug things off will be in full effect - but there will be issues with your ego this month, maybe in a positive light you will be choosing to put your ego aside for the sake of peace/connection, or maybe you're going to have difficulties actually handling something maturely due to your ego getting the better of you. what is also coming through is matters of the home/family, maybe you're going back home, maybe you're going to be spending more time than usual at your home, maybe there will be something notable with a family member or someone you live with. try to choose integrity, try to avoid behaving carelessly, if there is anyone that you have strife with then maybe a heartfelt conversation could help remedy it, often the softer road is the more challenging road but it is worth the effort.

capricorn sun: this is an interesting month i would say, it's reminding me of the song "tubthumping" - "i get knocked down but i get up again. you are never gonna keep me down" because although i am seeing defeat in the month i'm not seeing you be dispirited by it and unwilling to try again. throughout october you will be *trying*, you will be putting forth an effort, you will be dedicated (to something), you will be building faith and striving for an embracing of life by the end of the month. other happenings of the month may include you letting your guard down and being serious/vulnerable, you doing away with what you have had in mind, issues with others, you being less social and more busy. for the past few horoscopes the advice has been to take it easy and pace yourself but this month feel free to throw caution to the wind and just decide to do shit.

aquarius sun: back in august there was palpable new energy for you to seize and most of you were taking full advantage of it but that energy is starting to need a funnel. throughout october there will be disappointments, your parade may feel rained on at times, it seems that this will be a time where one thing after another is happening - it's like having 5 different significant incidents happen within a 2-week span. it shall be a time of recognizing that you need to correct course, get the energy in line, focus on your priorities, and show up for yourself in the ways you're needing rather than wanting. for some of you, part of the 'rain' you may be experiencing will be due to you facing the music on something because there is a theme of accountability coming through, and what's fair is fair - what is deserved will be served. try to avoid being scatterbrained this month, try to avoid being overly ambitious, try to get a good grip on what you already have going on in your life.

pisces sun: it is time to call the play on something in your life, something has gotta stop, something needs to be let go of because it's not fulfilling or leading to fulfillment, it's not what you want, and it feels like a chore that isn't worth the effort. for some of you this may be related to a connection but whatever it is, you are going to be choosing (to focus on) yourself by the end of this month. try to set any feelings & attachments aside and be brutally honest with yourself, while also trying to remember that there are other possibilities & opportunities out in the world just waiting for you to welcome them in...ya know the saying...one door closes, another opens.

[rainofaugustsith]

These lines right here sum up why I feel FFXIV has much more superior, nuanced writing than the Star Wars franchise.

Star Wars has you believe that one side is right regardless of what they do, and the other side is so evil, rotten to the core in every way that their entire people, planets. culture, language, religion - everything - should be permanently erased if they can't be converted to an entirely different culture, language, and creed (And don't get me started on how they conveniently made the Sith alphabet - again considered terrabad - virtually identical to the Hebrew alphabet). It's a very black and white, dogmatic view that IMHO hearkens back to the evangelical belief that only one point of view gets to go to heaven, and if you don't believe that, resist converting and want to hang onto your identity, you're going to hell. And you're certainly going to hell if you point out anything questionable the other side has done.

What you discover in FFXIV is nuance.

Every single job can be used for good; every single job can be used for evil. The heroes of one story are the villains of another. Every heroic gesture comes with a very real price. Nobody is beyond reproach, and that includes the player character. Actions one person takes for the greater good can lead to devastating damage for others.

The "get back to nature" white mages rule a city-state where xenophobia rules the day and the elementals run a reign of terror. White magic executed without proper training can be fatal.

The black mages who congregate in a hall for the gods of the dead have an alliance among the marginalized tribes that spans all three city-states and saves Eorzea from calamity. Black magic executed without proper training can be fatal.

The Dark Knights dedicate themselves to protecting those who need their help, and teach that one's dark side isn't something to vanquish, but something to hear, acknowledge and make peace with.

The Dragoon story shows that one's archenemy can become one's ally - or consume them.

The fearsome reapers who treat with the dead are actually helping the downtrodden.

The community working hard to keep the peace and move forward in a productive way are ex-pirates.

And so on. Nobody is expected to forgive those who have wronged them. Atonement is seen as something that involves work on the part of the perpetrator, not the participation of the survivors. But atonement is there and in several cases characters do better.

Any thoughts that any group in Eorzea needs to be eliminated are eventually dispelled completely. Marginalization of various groups is something that eventually does need to be answered for, and is presented as a problem, not a necessity. When Eorzea finally marches on their nemesis, the Garlean Empire, it is on an aid mission, not conquest. There are no attempts to convert. Just to help.

Both Garlemald in Endwalker and Ziost in SWTOR deal with the issue of murderous possessed people. In SWTOR, the Republic - remember, our "good guys" - response with Saresh is to send an invading army to increase the hurt. In FFXIV, the Alliance's response is to send an army to help, with Scions striking out into the snow and into the smoldering ruins to rescue anyone they can.

If you asked me if I would live anywhere in a Star Wars universe, it would be an emphatic HELL NO. But FFXIV? I feel like they are at least striving for better, with common ground and peaceful co-existence, and everything is nuanced.

[david-talks-sw]

I havent watched it yet, but I saw a lot of reports that The Acolyte promotes a lot of Jedi Order "hate" if you will. What did you think about it? As a Jedi fan, I kind of DONT want to watch it because of that.

If you ask me, it's a fine show :) it hasn't quite gripped me, the thick lightsabers that look like toys are a nitpick that keeps triggering me.

But overall it's nice!

Yes, there are some small jabs.

The Jedi in The Acolyte are really reticent towards using their lightsabers, resorting to hand-to-hand or even stun weapons.

From what I've seen on Twitter, people are speculating that this is to show how much more "good" the Jedi were back then, as opposed to the more "square, dogmatic, quick-on-the-draw Prequel Jedi," who lost their compassion and have fully detached themselves to the point of dehumanizing themselves.

Yord is clearly meant to be one of the first "Prequel Jedi" as described above.

It's played for laughs 50% of the time, but yeah. The narrative frames him as being a bit of a dick who's a bit too proud of himself. And I'm seeing reflections of Tales of the Jedi Mace Windu & what Filoni described Episode I Obi-Wan as.

Same goes for Vernestra, dogmatically insisting he return to Coruscant because "protocol" and literally shown playing politics.

I've seen folks draw a parallel between Vernestra's attitude and that scene in Episode II where Yoda and Mace agree that they can't let the Senate know their powers of foresight are waning... and yeah, people interpret that scene as the two of them playing politics.

The director commentary of Episode II states that's not the case. It's more about the fact that if they trying to keep the war from starting.

Parallels between Sol and Qui-Gon

Very evident. But again... if you ask me, Sol is just being a Jedi. Qui-Gon isn't the only one with those character traits. Look at Obi-Wan, Yoda, Mace, Shaak Ti.

Finally, there's some hints that some evil shit went down years prior to the show and the Jedi were at the center of it.

I'm gonna hazard a guess that it's not as black and white as Mae or Sol makes it seem. A "big misunderstanding" type deal.

So yeah. Vernestra and Yord strike me as one-dimensional and a bit cartoonish. But overall:

Love seeing Jedi do some Kung Fu.

Love that they finally fixed how lightsaber blades look on camera.

Love the concept of a Jedi-centered detective story.

Mae and Osha are fun in different ways, but I'm kinda scared that, from their mantra, the show is gonna culminate in a "Gray Jedi is the way" kinda direction, and you know how I feel about that.

Love Qimir. And I get the feeling he's more than what he says he is, if you get my drift.

Love the acting in it, the set pieces, the production value, the way some Force powers are used (Sol with the Force speed, fuck yeah!)

Love that the title of "sith acolyte" is an actual thing now. It kinda helps us figure out what Dooku was between when he left in Dooku: Jedi Lost and his last episode in Tales of the Jedi. If I understand correctly, Sidious had an apprentice while grooming an acolyte... once the apprentice kicked the bucket, he promoted Dooku.

8/10 as far as I'm concerned.

[jedi-enthusiast]

In light of the new Ahsoka show pissing me off, I have decided that---at some point after I finish up mitptt and get going again on bcc---I'm going to write a spite fic.

----------

In said spite fic, Ahsoka---at the age and time she is in the Ahsoka show---goes back in time to the Prequel Era, where her younger self discovers her.

Now, it's obvious that older Ahsoka- (who we'll call O!Ahsoka) -is younger Ahsoka- (who we'll call Y!Ahsoka) -at a different age, so O!Ahsoka can't really lie her way out of being discovered. After that becomes obvious to her, O!Ahsoka figures- "Oh the Force must've sent me back in time so I could save myself and Anakin from the stupid dogmatic Jedi!" -and decides to do just that.

Then, after O!Ahsoka basically treats the other Jedi- (barring herself and Anakin, and maybe Plo) -like shit, shits all over the Order and their practices, and just generally acts like an ass about everything and shows a surprising amount of ignorance---Y!Ahsoka is like- "What the fuck is wrong with you? Have you forgotten that these people are our family? Have you forgotten how the Force works? Have you forgotten why we practice certain things? What the hell?"

So O!Ahsoka tells her everything---all of her opinions on why the Jedi and especially the Council are bad/hypocritical/whatever/etc, everything that happened in The Wrong Jedi arc, how Obi-Wan was apparently "playing politics" and "betrayed her" or whatever, everything Anakin did and what that lead to, how Anakin's actions are apparently the Jedi's fault, etc---in hopes that hearing all of that will turn Y!Ahsoka against the Jedi and make her help her "save Anakin from them."

Cue Y!Ahsoka going off.

Y!Ahsoka absolutely rips O!Ahsoka and her arguments to shreds---defending her fellow Jedi and their beliefs, both through logical emotional arguments, and just expressing her shock that O!Ahsoka could so easily forget all that they were taught and be so fucking callous about the death of their family.

Y!Ahsoka then uses the information that O!Ahsoka has given her to help her fellow Jedi stop Anakin from fucking everything up and killing them all---as well as take out Palpatine and win the war.

All the while also having an identity crisis because- "how could she turn into such an asshole???" -but everyone, particularly Obi-Wan, helps her through that.

Meanwhile O!Ahsoka has to deal with the fact that she actually is wrong and an asshole, and also work out her own issues in a healthy way instead of just ignoring them, absolving Anakin of any agency, and blaming the Jedi.

----------

This fic will also be full of a healthy dose of Rex finding out what Anakin makes him and his brothers do---how easily he was ready to cast them aside---and, after dealing with all of the bullshit that Anakin has been pulling throughout the war, he decides that he's just fucking done with him.

He just walks away from him, decides that he's not putting up with any of this anymore.

In a similar vein, I'm thinking about Padme also learning about this stuff and---paired with Anakin's now super erratic and crazy behavior, plus they've just recently "made up" from the Clovis stuff---she does some serious thinking and finally sees Anakin for what he is, and makes the decision to leave him because she hates the person she's become by being with him.

[elsecrytt]

Kinktober Day 3

Feet/Boot Worship | Wound Fucking | Conditioning

Paring: Suguru Geto/Reader

Warnings: noncon, cult au, captivity.

Your heart, as much as Suguru would like to claim it for himself, hangs upon the large cast bell set in the temple’s heart. It’s massive, loud enough to be heard from anywhere on the sprawling estate, including the secluded quarters where you’re kept.

Suguru always leaves in the morning – sometimes he stays for breakfast, or even longer, but his duties call. His religious group, as he calls it. His little cult.

(He still laughs when you call it that.)

But you know what Suguru does that day, and by extension what to expect, from the number of times the bell tolls during the day.

The first ring has always your heart racing, because you’re not yet sure which one it will be.

Three times means the believers are congregating for mass. Suguru can get passionate after his preaching sessions. He’s less touchy, but more dogmatic. Eager to tell you why this is the safest place for you, describe in detail the awful fate that would await you if ever you left (as if you even could).

Pouring tea or sake, hand-feeding you while he sat you on his lap. Sometimes he would refuse to let you look away from him while he spoke, holding your face to his with a hand on your chin. Squeezing lightly whenever he had the next bite ready, so you knew to open your mouth. It’s not as if you were participating in these conversations, anyways.

He touches you like some sacred object meant only for ritual use. Your wrists are so much smaller than his, your body dwarfed by the mass of his broad chest in those heavy monk’s robes. One of Suguru’s hands is enough to wrap around your arm entirely, tugging and adjusting you until he decided you were comfortable enough.

He’ll wash you without a single wandering hand, scrubbing down your back and chest with an even gaze and steady strokes. Tapping one of your arms to get you to reach it out for him to clean. He’s diligent with you as he is with all his duties, drying you off gently and efficiently.

Suguru sits you on the bedside, on his knees as he works moisturizing cream into your hands, soft and uncalloused – you hadn’t known a day of work since you got here. He hums while he inspects your nails, cleaning underneath, clipping short where he deems fit.

You can expect to fall asleep in his arms, then, if you don’t initiate something yourself, or beg a walk in the temple gardens off him. He’s most likely to let you out a little at night, when there’s almost no one around who might catch a glimpse of his secret little treasure.

Two tolls meant regular duties. For Suguru, that was meditation, training, some meetings with his inner circle, perhaps with a devotee or two.

The meal is usually normal enough, though he might not let you feed yourself. He likes to actually converse with you, then, though you have little to speak about these days. If you want a book or game or some other amusement to pass your time, those were the best times to ask.

His mood is usually relaxed, if a bit lazy. He’ll take his time, after. Sitting next to you on the sofa, lounging around, perhaps brushing your hair and having you return the favor.

Eventually he always finds his way between your legs. Oral fixation, you suppose. Or perhaps he just likes to think of himself as a giver – likes to think that he’s always taking care of you, never imposing, so nothing he’s doing to you could possibly be wrong.

Never mind his additional fixation of wrapping a hand around your throat when he was finally ready to fuck you. Staring down into your eyes, feeling your every swallow and breath as he drove himself inside you, saccharine smile slipping over his features as he edges you both closer and closer to release.

Begging with breath you don’t have. Helplessly reaching up a hand to claw pitifully at his cheek, his hair, the front of his robes. It makes his cock twitch inside you, lights a frenzy in his eyes that makes him fuck you all the harder.

Suguru likes you like that, pathetic and pleading underneath him, accepting everything he has to offer without question. He doesn’t seem to think it has less meaning when there’s literally nothing else you can do.

If it rang once, and stopped, it meant the bell was announcing his return from outside.

Suguru isn’t fond of outsiders. He’s even less fond of leaving the temple at all. He barely likes to leave your shared room, mentioning how fortunate you are to spend all your time in his perfectly maintained paradise.

When he returns home he’s eager to remind you of your luxury, of how well he provides for you, how gracious he is to keep you away from the miserable, awful, wretched world out there.

You wouldn’t survive an instant, he coos as he holds you down against the mattress, the table if you were unlucky. He won’t undress you completely this time, instead just slipping down what he needs. More teasing, too, tracing your entrance, cooing how wet and welcoming you are.

He praises you the most, those times. Delicate and gentle, he murmurs softly as he traces your clit. So supple, so pure and untainted, he hums as he licks you from his fingers. Perfect, made for him, made to take him – his cock fits inside you like you were molded by its shape (and who wouldn’t be, after so many hours of his careful devotion).

You don’t belong out there, among those filthy creatures. You’re too precious to be allowed to do anything but bask in his presence, to be the vessel for his love and receive what’s rightfully yours. Isn’t that so nice for you? How lucky you are, to be the recipient of his affection.

Suguru doesn’t let you cum until you’ve thanked him for each and every violation. Thank him for keeping me safe, for making me so happy, for always loving me and making me feel good, for providing me with everything, thank you so much, Geto-sama –

And he cums from that, the whore, from you calling out to him like all his little believers do, like his inner circle and every other brainwashed member of his stupid cult. He fills you at the thought of you as his family, one of his own, the carefully chosen group of people who were worthy of his knowing them.

It’s easy for him to bring you across the edge – your release is always a given, but how much pleasure Suguru wants from any encounter is always up to him. He merely whispers the words, tells you to cum for him, and your body already knows the feeling of his fingers over your clit, rubbing quicky and just hard enough –

At least he holds you close, nursing you through your orgasm. At least he takes care of cleaning you up. At least he tucks you in and holds you gently, letting you sleep.

At least, at least, at least. There’s much to be grateful for, he always reminds you. It makes it all the harder when you start to appreciate his little mercies, all the ways it could be worse.

The really terrifying noise is the lock on the door. The bell worries you, but the unlocking of the door precedes your every encounter.  

If the lock clicks, and the bell hasn’t yet run, then you have seconds to prepare.

No bell means that Suguru has discarded all sense of ceremony, and you have no idea what he does those days. Sometimes you swear he comes to you with blood on his face, on his clothes, but it’s the least of your worries in the moment.

If you’re fast enough you can take your clothes off before he rips them off you. It had left marks before from how hard he’d pulled, nowhere near as romantic as the novels made it seem. He’d kiss them better (his words, not yours), but only much later.

Suguru wanted your clothes off but he cared little about his. Riding his robes up just enough to shove his cock inside, dark eyes feverish and ravenous as they roam over you. Large hands locking and squeezing as he holds you in place.

It’s so fast and sudden that it’s genuinely painful, the rough friction of himself forcing his way inside you. So your body has learned to react accordingly whenever that tell-tale sound hits your ears.

He’ll fuck you to unconsciousness, then. You don’t know what he’s done or what’s happened, but Suguru uses you like the kept whore you really are, fucks your cunt and then your face, sometimes the reverse. He likes to bend you over, fuck you from behind, all sorts of uncomfortable positions that he usually doesn’t make you strain yourself for.

And he makes you cum, too. That might be the worst part. It’s like it’s second nature to him, even when he’s taking all his pleasure from you. He helps himself to all your holes and it’s like a reflex to hold your hair out of your face while you gag on his cock, reach around and rub at your clit while he’s pounding into you.

Suguru leaves bruises only rarely, mostly on your hips – your wrists, your ankles. From holding you too hard, pressing you into position. He’s loud, too, groaning and growling and moaning out his pleasure, unlike his normally reserved self. Generously letting you know just how much he enjoys you.

You genuinely don’t know if this is the real him, or just a mood that he gets into. He seems to never tire, never get overstimulated, even when you’re sobbing and shivering and whimpering for him to stop. He won’t even coo and pet you and tell you that you can take it – he just keeps going.

Eventually you have to get used to being filled, to being ridden and bred. You cum and cum until you can’t anymore, until each orgasm is equal parts agony and pleasure because Suguru knows how to draw them from you even when you have nothing left to give.

Your body does what it can to protect you. You get wet, now, at the sound of the lock. Your body knows what to expect. Your clothing becomes uncomfortable, suddenly, the reflexive motions of removing it already second nature.

After a while it makes you drool, too, like a proper dog. He likes to bring you meals, too, and if he isn’t bringing you food or drink then he’s ready to stick his fingers in your mouth, if not his cock. Your gag reflex is almost nothing now, despite how Suguru only occasionally uses your mouth. He much prefers to use his own.

It could be worse. There’s no reason for him to try to make you cum every time, nothing forcing him to be nice at all – it’s not like you could get out if you tried. Suguru sees to all your physical needs, and he provides reasonably good companionship when he’s not forcing himself on you.

You can’t complain. Or, you could, but it would never be of any use, because you’re never going to be anything but his kept doll, and you can either let yourself be trained, or suffer accordingly.

Sometimes, your body makes the choice for you. You don’t need to decide how to react or how to feel about it – it happens automatically, drilled into you, time after time. No guilt, no responsibility.

For that, you suppose, you can only be…

Grateful.

[enriquemzn262]

I have known the concept of cold beaches for decades now, but as someone who grew up in the cold Andes mountains of Colombia, beach trips always meant sun and heat, so regardless of what I know, I can’t really shake off the almost dogmatic notion that beaches and sea water in general are supposed to be hot.

So when I went to the US in mid February, the “theory” of a cold beach finally became a tangible reality, after we went to the famous Miami Beach, and found water colder than that found in tap water in Bogota, and a slightly cool breeze that required my hoodie to be worm while walking around.

(Hoodie next to me, I didn’t want to show weakness hehe)

I gotta say, that was a surreal, slightly unnerving, yet ultimately fun experience!