#dredge trader

[raindrop-stimmies]

Trader (dredge) stimboard!

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[prim-moth]

Some of my faves!

[vonbabbitt]

Okay Von hi feel free to just ignore this if it's not a topic you want brought up and I'm not saying this was bad writing on your part since it was definitely unintentional but GOD DAMN it hurts that Watari died and was specifically burned during black history month. The cold motive being during December was a coincidence so this definitely is too but holy fuck it just hurts. A lot.

Praying it's a suicide honestly because one of these students I've grown to love burning a black woman alive on purpose during February (ik they don't know it's February but on principle it still hurts) would fuck me up so bad.

You're an awesome writer so don't take this the wrong way, it isn't a critique at all and definitely just seems like an awful coincidence to me but still. It's an awful coincidence.

(if it wasn't obvious btw I am black just so this doesn't read as some weird yt person lmao)

Thanks for making tetro anyway, hope you're in better health soon

hey anon, i wanted to address this because its a totally valid thing to bring up and your message was really really polite about it

it genuinely is just an awful coincidence unfortunately. when i first wrote all of tetro a few years ago i had zero idea of when it would be releasing or what the release schedule would look like, and things just happened to line up in a really unfortunate way.

obviously i cant speak on any matters of the case or the trial or the culprit right now, so i think a much better use of this platform and time would be to discuss ACTUAL issues of anti-black racism in japan with the focus people are now giving watari. hopefully thats a use of this platform that people will be able to take something away from

japan, historically, has had relatively limited interaction with african countries and people of african descent. the first time a black person was actually recorded historically in japan was a 16th century samurai named yasuke who was brought over by portuguese traders and eventually then served as a samurai under a 16th century daimyō named oda nobunaga. yasuke was very much a spectacle in 16th century japan, with records at the time saying that people in kyoto were fascinated by his height and dark skin. japan's interaction with black people remained extremely sparse throughout a lot of this time.

in the late 19th century, during japans early globalization, american minstrel shows (blackface performances) toured in japan, which introduced derogatory caricatures of black people to japanese audiences. it was a sort of imported imagery in that sense, carrying imported western racism with it into japan and laying foundations for japan's anti-black stereotyping in future japanese media.

during ww2, japan portrayed itself as a champion of non-white peoples against western imperialism and proposed a racial equality clause at the 1919 league of nations, which western powers rejected. while they were advertising this anti-racism approach, propaganda and attitudes within japan were actually a lot different. for example, after the war, many japanese people initially blamed black soldiers for the bombings, insisting that their skin had been "blackened" by the bomb. the american occupation of japan from 1945 to 1952 then brought a significant black presence to japan, with about 15000 black troops stationed in tokyo alone by 1946. these soldiers' interactions with japanese civilians (including romantic relationships) served as many japanese people's first prolonged contact with black people. the occupation era brought a new wave of mixed-race children that then went on to face strong social stigma in japan and the US alike, dredging up entrenched ideas about racial purity. generally, japan's historical context regarding black people is one of limited contact and imported stereotypes, setting the stage for modern perceptions.

in contemporary japan, which is still about 98% ethnically japanese, black people are an incredibly small minority, thought to make up only 0.02% of the population. because of this homogeneity, many attitudes towards black people are shaped by media images and lack of personal interaction. on one hand, theres still a curiosity and admiration for aspects of black culture in japan - mainly african-american pop culture, particularly hip-hop, sports and fashion. younger japanese people emulate black musicians and athletes, as well as certain subcultures (notably the late 1990s "B-style" trend) and at times even darken their skin to imitate black celebrities. on the other hand, deep-seated stereotypes persist. black people are often stereotyped as exceptionally athletic, musical or "cool", but also dangerous and foreign. as an example, black residents in japan will commonly report that strangers perceive them with a mix of fascination and fear. baye mcneil (who is a black author living in japan that i absolutely recommend reading the works of) notes that japanese reactions to blackness are frequently rooted in ignorance rather than malice. he notes that many japanese people fear blackness, and that their fear comes from a place of ignorance. this manifests in ways that may seem subtle at first glance - avoiding sitting next to a black passenger on the train or holding their belongings a little tighter in the presence of a black person. microaggressions against black people in japan are still extremely prevalent.

that same prejudice can also take the form of insensitive comments or questions, usually stemming from the assumption that all black people are from africa or america and fit certain tropes. for instance, a black friend of mine who visited japan recently noted that she was asked on more than one occasion if her skin colour would "rub off", reflecting a massively prevalent lack of exposure. japanese anti-black racism is strongly rooted in ignorance as opposed to the overt hatred displayed in western countries; physical attacks motivated by race are unusual. instead, social exclusion and othering are the more common issues. black people, like other visible minorities, often face the "perpetual foreigner" mindset japan still holds - no matter how long they've lived in japan or how well they speak japanese, they may be treated as outsiders. even japanese-born residents of mixed african descent can be viewed by some as not "fully japanese", as seen in public reactions to famous mixed-race individuals of such descent. to recap, modern attitudes are a complicated mix: a general polite public demeanour masking unspoken biases, a fascination with black culture coexisting with lingering stereotypes, and a lack of awareness that results in black residents frequently feeling hyper-visible yet entirely misunderstood and misinterpreted.

id also like to talk about the role of japanese media in anti-black racism in japan. japanese media and pop culture have a bit of a mixed record in their portrayal of black people. historically, representations were often steeped in caricature. in anime and manga, black or dark-skinned characters are often drawn with exaggerated features reminiscent of racist minstrel imagery, such as the very frequent use of exaggerated lips seen in many popular anime. two fairly infamous examples are mr. popo from the dragon ball series and jynx from pokemon. mr. popo is a genie-like character depicted with jet-black skin, large red lips and a turban, features clearly echoing the blackface iconography japan became familiar with in the 19th century. these designs sparked criticism internationally as well. western releases of these shows later altered the characters, such as mr. popo's skin being recoloured to bright blue in one edited instance, to downplay the resemblance to racist caricatures. the portrayal of black people in japanese media has thus been subject to intense criticism for insensitivity. many japanese viewers initially did not recognize these depictions as offensive, due to the different historical context, but awareness around anti-black racism has since been growing.

live-action media and advertising have also featured plenty of tone-deaf portrayals. blackface in comedy shows persisted in japan long after it had faded from other parts of the world. as recently as new years eve 2017, a popular comedian (masatoshi hamada) donned full blackface to impersonate eddie murphy on national TV, igniting outrage among international viewers and anti-racism activists. domestic reaction within japan was mixed, with some defending it as harmless cosplay and others (both japanese and otherwise) pointed out that, intentional or not, such images are hurtful and stem from ignorance. baye mcneil (shoutout again) led campaigns to educate the public on why blackface is offensive, especially with the 2020 tokyo olympics on the horizon and japan under greater global scrutiny. in 2020, japans public broadcaster NHK aired an animated segment about the black lives matter protests that depicted caricatured black figures (a muscular black man speaking broken japanese, with others shown looting) without any mention of police brutality - a portrayal widely condemned as racist. NHK retracted and apologized after facing backlack, showing that japanese media institutions are finally (but slowly) being called to account for promoting racist imagery and stereotyping.

there have been positive developments. the rise of internationally successful mixed-race japanese athletes and celebrities - such as tennis star naomi osaka, who is haitian-japanese, or signer crystal kay, who is korean-african-japanese - has prompted more nuanced conversations about identity. advertisers have featured more diversity in commercials, though not without missteps. as an example, one 2019 nissin noodles ad drew criticism for depicting a cartoonized naomi osaka with much lighter skin and eurocentric features. on variety TV, black personalities often appear, but sometimes in tokenized roles. notably, foreign talents like bob sapp and bobby ologun became famous in japan in the 2000s. while they gained popularity, they were somtimes boxes into caricatured personas (the "big scary black man" or the comic relief.) a quote from a japanese viewer at the time noted that "bobby ologon speaks weird japanese, bob sapp eats raw meat...it's like watching a circus show. people look down on them and it is obviously discrimination." this underscores how japanese media often plays up stereotypes (the non-fluent funny foreigner, the brute strength athlete, etc.) for laughs. however. more recent years have seen more candid discussions in media about racism. for example, japanese news programs covered the 2020 BLM marches in japan seriously, and films or other literature by afro-japanese creators, such as the memoirs of black residents, are slowly gaining more attention. overall, japanese pop culture is gradually, if slowly, moving from caricature to more authentic representation, pushed by both international pressure and a new generation that is more globally aware.

for black people living in or visiting japan, everyday life is generally safe but can be clouded by subtle discrimination and challenges. japan has no law explicitly prohibiting racial discrimination, so incidents of bias can go unchecked. a government survey in 2017 revealed that nearly one third of foreign residents had encountered derogatory remarks, and about 40% reported facing housing discrimination. black individuals often find themselves included in these statistics and often experience much greater suspicion than white foreigners. for instance, many black residents have stories of being repeatedly stopped by police for "random" ID checks or questioning, a practice linked to racial profiling. michael sharpe (a professor with the university of oxford) notes hearing of south asian and african immigrants being "stopped and harassed by police, denied housing, relegated to certain types of employment, and exploited" in japan. such profiling feeds a sense among black communities that they are being watched with particular scrutiny. a black american in tokyo reported that in his first week of living in a neighbourhood, he was stopped by police for riding a new bicycle, with the implication that a black person on a new bicycle may have stolen it.

housing and employment present other hurdles. its common for landlords and real estate agents in japan to flat-out reject foreign renters, with excuses such as language barriers or different lifestyles. black applicants, especially those from african or non-western countries, report this rejection at higher rates, sometimes hearing that neighbours or owners are "uncomfortable" renting to them. in the workplace, blatant racism is uncommon, but black professionals often face a ceiling or bias. many employers prefer hiring white westerners, perceiving them as more "suitable" english instructors or corporate representatives due to pervasive western-centric images, which can sideline black candidates. those who do work in japan might also endure ignorant comments from colleagues - for example, joking about skin colour or being compared to random black celebrities. a lack of diversity training means coworkers may not realize their "innocent" jokes are hurtful or disparaging.

social interactions can range from warmly welcoming to awkward. many japanese are genuinely curious and might ask personal questions with a racial charge behind them that the japanese fail to recognize. in more negative cases, black people may be avoided in public - a phenomenon illustrated by baye mcneil's anecdote of a man literally turning away and guarding his pockets when mcneil stood behind him in a train line. children often point or call out black people because they so rarely see black individuals, with such moments highlighting the feeling of otherness that black residents frequently experience. there have also been many incidents out outright rudeness: strangers touching black hair without permission, or making vulgar comments about the hygiene of black residents based on stereotyping.

its important to note that in the modern day, many black visitors travel in japan without incident, and many black expatriates build meaningful lives and friendships in japan. the discrimination tends to be subtle or indirect rather than open hostility. japans strong cultural emphasis on politeness often restrains open hate. however, this can be a double-edged sword. problems of racism may be denied or swept under the rug entirely. a common culture among the japanese is that "racism is an american problem, not a japanese one," which was a reaction seen when BLM rallies were held in tokyo. black residents in japan know differently - they live with daily reminders that their appearance sets them apart, for better or worse. in summary, daily life for black people in japan is usually from from violence or blatant abuse, but not free from the strain of being viewed as "alien" and having to navigate systemic biases in housing and policing that other groups might not face to the same degree.

several high-profile incidents in recent years have brought anti-black racism in japan into the spotlight and stirred public debate. one example is the case of ariana miyamoto in miss universe japan 2015. when miyamoto, born to a japanese mother and black father, won the miss universe japan title, it sparked nationwide conversation about what it means to be japanese. while many were proud of her win, a vocal sector on social media questioned whether a mixed-race contestant should represent japan. miyamoto, who was raised in japan, revealed she had faced bullying growing up - classmates threw trash at her and called her racial slurs due to her darker skin. the controversy around her victory - with comments such as "she doesnt look japanese" being prevalent - highlighted the exclusionary view some hold. her grace under fire and the support she received from others also became a teaching moment about multicultural japan.

another example is the case of tennis champion naomi osaka, who - as mentioned earlier - is hatian-japanese. while she is widely celebrated in japan, her rise came with many instances of racism. in 2019, japanese comedy duo a masso joked that osaka was "too sunburned" and that she "needed some bleach", implying her skin was too dark. they apologized after receiving harsh backlash. earlier that year, as mentioned earlier, nissin noodles released a cartoon ad where osaka's character was depicted with much lighter skin and hair than in reality. following criticism, nissin withdrew the ad and admitted they had not consulted osaka on her portrayal. osaka herself has handled these instances of racism with maturity, even joking in response to the bleach comment, and continues to proudly represent her mixed heritage.

anti-black racism in japan is a multifaceted issue, shaped by history, media representation, and japans self-image as a homogenous society. only in recent years has japanese society progressed towards a stance of anti-racism. i think whats genuinely fascinating about japans position is that we're seeing the disassembly of societal racism in real time in japan. massive civil rights strides that happened a hundred years ago in america are happening now in japan for the first time. we're seeing a new generation of japan that wants to directly oppose racism, and a generation of black japanese residents that are showing their strength and exceptionality. i really vividly remember the backlash against naomi osaka - and backlash on that massive of a scale can be terrifying. its inspiring on such a genuine level to see her demonstrating that level of strength and determination in the face of racism.

its genuinely unfortunate how the uploads happened to fall in regards to watari and black history month. however, if nothing else, im glad to have been given the opportunity to talk about black history in japan, and im glad to have been given the opportunity to witness the fight for the safety, acceptance, and love of black people in japan in real time. i know this was a bit of a long read but i had a lot i wanted to go over lmao.

as a final note, please dont be complacent. its really easy for people to reblog posts about black history and civil rights without really doing much of anything else. please always be the type of person who fights against anti-black racism. please use your voice correctly. you dont have to be anywhere near japan to have a say in how japanese racism is received by the greater world. the benefit of a global culture is that you can use your voice to affect things in other countries. when there are japanese comedians making horrible jokes about black people, and when there are japanese companies putting out ads that mock and erase black people, you have the ability to loudly raise your voice about it. so please always do so

idk how to end this but if you made it this far thank you for reading lmao. and thank you anon for giving me an opportunity to talk about this in more depth. i hope everyone has been able to have a reflective, meaningful, happy and genuinely loving black history month

[boxbugdotcom]

A singular person mentioned wanting to see more about my hermit-dredge au (working title) ((you can see the post here, btw!)), not to mention there’s a decent amount of interactions on that post, so here’s a little bit more about that!

It’s mostly hermits, with the exception being Martyn because. I just really like MartynInTheLittleWood. There’s only a total of, like, sixteen characters.

No ships ❌❌ not on my dredge au. Dredge only has ONE relationship and it’s the one literally haunting the narrative. It’d be a disservice to write a ship into my au

The Ocean Powers™️ that the fisherman has are Just watcher powers. Likewise, consequences of paranoia are just Watcher Things™️

uhhhh uhmyhgfuhhh uhhhm character list be upon ye

Cub - Airman

Doc - Fishmonger

Gem - Researcher

Scar - Builder

Grian - Fisherman

Mumbo - Julie

Pearl - Lighthouse Keeper

Ren - Retired Whaler

Martyn - Hermit

Zedaph - Photographer

Impulse - Trader

Tango - Shipwright

Skizz - Dockworker

Cleo - Mayor

False - Traveling Merchant

Bdubs - Painter

ok that’s all 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

[ozzies-perch]

Where are my Dredger enthusiasts at? (I love this lil fella!)

HC of the day: Used to be an Ex-sailor, traveling the sea to find high-quality scraps until p03 decided that dredging up the metals from the sea is more efficient and would help him get to the old_data. Dredger still misses sailin' around but it is what it is.

ALSO DO YOU SEE MY VISION???? (this is the second crackship I've come up with and obsessed over. first one being Trader and Grimora. don't ask. I just like old people being in love.)

[ghoul-foolery]

Flufftober, Day 11

Blindfold / Drunk Confessions

Prompt List - Kink/Flufftober Master List

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> Drunk Confessions > Nora/Hancock >Tags: Drug and Alcohol use, with a side of anger issues, abrupt ending > Words: 2272

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Hancock was fucking drunk. Maybe a little high, too.

Hancock being drunk or high wasn’t a terribly rare occurrence. For Hancock it was practically a state of being. It was far more rare for him to be sober. Nora would often catch him taking swigs out of his hip flask while on the move, sipping on booze far more than he ever sipped on his water. When they hunkered down for the night he was cracking open a bottle, or looking for one to imbibe in for the night. Chems were a constant. If he wasn’t sucking on pills, he was huffing at jet.

It bothered Nora at first. There was a nearly constant concern that the drinking, and the chems would fuck him up so bad that he wouldn’t be combat effective, more of a hindrance than any real help – but it had never, ever, once been a problem. Ghoulism had either made his body capable of withstanding debilitating amounts of drugs and alcohol, or his poor body was just terribly accustomed to his lifestyle. 

Which was why it was troubling that Hancock was fucking drunk. 

Standing in the middle of an evacuated Third Rail, his sawed off in one hand, a glowing bottle of mystery liquid in the other, Hancock was swaying on his feet – stumbling though he was not moving. It was as if the room was spinning, and he was struggling to remain standing. 

“Jesus, what happened?” Nora asked, standing at the top of the stairway that led into the bar proper. “Did someone drug him?”

“I mean, he probably did?” MacCready drawled, peering over her shoulder. “Some trader from down south sold him some moonshine I think?”

Fahrenheit sighed cigarette smoke as she said, “Moonshine, Nukashine, whiskey, gin, tequila…” She was sitting in the faded red chair just beside the metal detector. Out of view, putting a firm wall between her and a shotgun blast. Smart girl.

They watched as Hancock teetered backward, bumping into the arm of a couch. He whirled around, twisting in a tight circle, brandishing his gun. “C’mon out heere you sonnovafuckin’ bitch–” Hancock hollered. Even staggering drunk, his slurring voice took on a dangerous knife-sharp edge. Drunk and angry. Great.

He took a deep drink of the glowing liquid. The bottle glug-glug-glugged in the lingering quiet.

Nora ducked back as the barrel of the gun panned along the room of the bar. 

“Hold on,” she said, keeping her voice low as she retreated from her stairway vantage point. “You had ‘Cready come get me from Diamond City for this? I was only staying the night. I would have been back tomorrow–”

The shotgun exploded, echoing up the stairs. Nora flinched, nearly succumbing to the sudden urge to drop to the floor. Fahrenheit didn’t move. 

“Yer gonna wish this was a fuckin’ nightmare, y’fuckin’ hear me?!”

From the stairwell, MacCready muttered an almost forlorn, “There goes the jukebox.”

“Yeah, I’m not sticking around to accidentally get shot, I’m sorry. I’ll help him through his hangover tomorrow if that’s what you want.”

When Nora went to leave the Third Rail, Fahrenheit lurched to her feet. Stepping right into Nora’s path. 

“I want you to go talk to him.”

“And get shot?” Nora scoffed. “That’s funny.” It wasn’t funny. It was even less funny that MacCready had to come get her from Diamond City just so she could be in on such an unfunny goddamn joke. 

When she went to step around Fahrenheit, she side-stepped back into the way. 

“He won’t shoot you.”

“He shot a jukebox.”

Another blast of the shotgun– 

“There goes a table,” MacCready sighed. 

“And a table,” Nora added. “Please, you won’t go down there because you know he’ll shoot anyone on sight. He’s pissed, or he’s hallucinating, or he’s both and I’m not–”

“It’s because of you,” Fahrenheit interjected, the first dredges of emotion pulling at her burnt features. Annoyance. It was in the roll of her eyes, the tightness that thinned her lips even as she took a drag of her cigarette. 

“What the hell did I do, I wasn’t even–”

“Shut the fuck up and listen to me. Someone said some shit about you and he flew off the handle. He shot the guy. We had to evacuate the bar.”

Nora wanted to say that it wasn’t like Hancock to needlessly fly off the handle, but the image of Finn’s pained face flooded her memory. That was different though. Action had prompted action, and Hancock needed to send a message. Someone running their mouth in a bar didn’t warrant violence. The half-empty glowing bottle in his hand must have contributed. 

“I want you to try and talk him down. Get him to his room.”

“You can’t just let it run its course?”

Fahrenheit’s brow quirked just before her face was shrouded in cigarette smoke. “It’d be bad for business.”

“I’m going to call his name from the stairs. If he shoots at me, then I’m walking back to Diamond City and you’re dealing with this.”

Nora didn’t wait for Fahrenheit’s agreement. Instead she returned back to the top of the stairs, just beyond the metal detector. MacCready was crouched, peering down into the bar. Nora followed his eyes, watching as Hancock swiveled and teetered towards the bar. He leaned across the counter to survey behind…

“C’mout here you asshole…”

Making her way down a couple of the stairs in an effort to put some distance between her and MacCready - no sense in both of them getting shot - Nora called out gently, “Hancock?” 

She didn’t intend to immediately duck down behind cover, but the second Hancock started to scramble back upright, she flinched and hid. 

“Nora?” It was strange, the way his voice pulled out of that dangerous timber, and fell into something that seemed light, and eager. 

There was no shotgun blast, no growling threats… 

Nora chanced a glance back towards Fahrenheit, who seemed to be loitering just in sight strictly to deliver an ‘I told you so’ type of look. Rising from behind cover, Nora started to make her way down the stairs, feeling a little less hesitant.

“Nora!” Hancock fell into an eager step towards her – or he would have. The moment he moved forward, he started staggering to the side. It was like he was on a ship in the middle of the north sea. Walking straight seemed to be an impossibility. He staggered into a chair, a table. The booze sloshed. The gun clattered–

“Hey, hun. Why don’t we put the gun down, huh?”

The shotgun was immediately discarded. It was practically tossed against the table. And then the hand it had occupied immediately reached. It extended out towards her, and he took a stumbling step towards her. Nora lurched for him when it looked like he was going to fall to the floor but he recovered just before he was too far gone.

The radiation-eaten fingers immediately took hold of her arm as soon as she was close enough. Just at the elbow. 

“What’s this I hear about you causing trouble?” she asked as she placed a steadying hand at his waist.

“Heyou,” He drawled out. He gave her arm a tug, but only succeeded in pulling himself in closer. “Sunshiiiine.” When he brought the bottle up towards his mouth, Nora was assaulted with the smell of paint thinner and rotten fruit. 

Jesus, and he’d had over half of the bottle. 

“Hey,” she said, catching his wrist before he took a drink. “Why don’t you give me that?” 

It was like she was talking to a toddler. Calling attention and making suggestions instead of straight demands. And it worked. Hancock relinquished the bottle with glassy black eyes and a lopsided smile – and then his arms were looping around her shoulders. He sank against her in a heavy embrace. 

“Didn’ think y’were ever comin’ back,” Hancock slurred into her ear.

The bottle was quickly abandoned on the table, right next to his gun, just before she put her arms around his middle to support him. She was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of the mysterious liquor, gun grease, and fireworks.

“I was coming back in the morning. I told you…”

Hancock grumbled something that slurred together and became muffled when his cheek pressed against her ear. It sounded a little dejected. His arms tightened. 

Rubbing her hands against his back, Nora said, “I don’t know what you said but I’m here now. I’ve been asked to get you to bed.”

“Nora wants t’take me t’bed!” he crowed into the empty bar – he crowed right into her fucking ear. “Y’here that, you fucking fuck–”

Nora grimaced, trying to create a bit of space between them even as she grumbled, “It’s just you and me down here, hun.”

“He fucking–Nora, he fucking said–” He was whirling away with a startling amount of speed, reaching for the gun.

In a panic, Nora yanked him back in towards her and when he tried to pull away again she took his face into her hands and tried to anchor his attention. His cheeks were warm, verging on hot. The surge of urgency in his body faltered. His hands came to cover hers and his glittering black eyes seemed to go soft. 

“Hi, Nor…” He murmured. 

“It doesn’t matter what they said. Let me take you to bed, Hancock, okay? I’ll stay here tonight.”

“No Diamond City?”

The lingering need to be annoyed at the situation faltered under the weight of sincerity. There was such a soft, genuine sort of hope in his voice. It was as if not going to Diamond City was some kind of gift. It made her think of when she had informed him that she was running to Diamond City to catch up with Nick. He’d given her an easy smile and told her that there was no rush, that he’d be around whenever she was ready to hit the road again. 

Had that been a lie? 

“Nope. I’ll stay here.”

“With me?” So incredibly, deeply, hopeful. 

“Sure, hun. C’mon.”

Getting him out of the bar was a chore. MacCready didn’t help. Fahrenheit didn’t help. In fact, both of them had made themselves scarce at some point after Nora didn’t immediately get shot in the face. It wouldn’t have been bad if Hancock would allow even an iota of space between them, but he was sticking to her like glue, and his swaying frame was difficult to steer – especially when it came time for the spiral stairway in the State House. 

Thankfully he wasn’t too heavy, otherwise they would have both taken a tumble or two.

When she finally got him into his bedroom, his bedside lamp was on. She tried her best to deposit him on to his bed, but he wouldn’t let go and she was pulled down with him. They flopped and bounced into the mattress, Hancock snorting out a delirious little laugh. Nora extracted herself from his heavy arms and his gripping hands, pushing herself to her feet. 

“Alright, Mister Mayor,” Nora huffed, a little winded from the stairs, a little winded from scrambling away from his clinging hold. She tossed his hat to the foot of the bed. “Let’s get you ready to—“

Hancock sat up in a wave of flailing limbs. His legs kicked out, his arms reaching and hooking around her hips as he said, “Y’said y’d stay.” His head pressed into her stomach. 

Nora heaved a sigh, but had to fend off a growing smile. “I did. Do you plan to sleep with your shoes on, though?” 

He tilted his head back, neck and chin pressing along her torso, so he could meet her eyes. Nora dragged her hand over the mottled skin of his scalp, and his eyes closed. 

“Hancock?”

“Mm?”

“Will you drink some water for me?” Her nails scraped the nape of his neck. “Then we’ll go to bed?”

Another soft hum as he replied, “I’do fuckin’nything fer you, sunshine.”

It took a little care and patience to pry herself away from Hancock’s relentless hold, but the moment she put a little space between them he started to yank at his boots, and try to work himself out of his coat. She wanted to ask what kind of comment made him fly off the handle. What could have possibly been said that would make him want to kill someone? She decided not to ask. Hancock was looking more relaxed, more willing to wind down and commit to sleep. 

After retrieving a couple of cans of water, Nora made sure Hancock drank one before placing the other at his bedside. She helped him get settled, relocating some of the Hancock regalia, before she settled into the vacant side of the bed. She kicked off her boots, and unlatched her Pip-Boy, then slid under the covers. She settled on her side, facing him.

Once he was asleep she would make her departure. She would sneak out and get a room at the Rexford like she usually did–

Even his hand wavered as it reached across the empty space between them. His warm fingers coiled around hers. Then he closed his eyes. 

“Good night, Hancock,” Nora said quietly, fondly. 

Hancock dragged their joined hands towards him, pressing a sloppy but quick kiss to her knuckles. 

Poor guy, she’d have to give him hell about it when he was sober. Nora squeezed his hand once, and closed her eyes.

He drew his lips back to her hand, and he slurred a soft, “‘m so fuckin’in love with you,” against her knuckles. 

Nora smiled, her cheeks warmed - her eyes popped open -- wait – "What?"

Hancock's breathing was steady and even as he drifted into an alcohol induced sleep.

[copperbadge]

I own a sous-vide machine and have a reasonable level of experience with deep-frying, so lately I've been trying to reproduce Shake Shack's fried chicken nuggets. Shake Shack cooks the chicken sous-vide first and then breads and fries it after, so the chicken is exceptionally moist while the breading is still crispy (the downside being the breading doesn't stick as well, but I've never been able to make breading stick very well anyway).

Attempt #2 this morning came out pretty well, as you can see, although I believe I have managed to accidentally clone Chik-homophobi-A instead of Shake Shack.

I sous-vide cooked chicken thighs, cut into nuggets, at 140F for two hours (breast at 155 comes out too dry) then cooled them, dredged them in beaten egg white, and tossed them in bread crumbs seasoned with Trader Joe's pickle seasoning and salt before frying for 2-3 minutes. I like TJ's pickle seasoning and putting it in the breading was great but between using breadcrumbs instead of batter and the faint pickle-juice flavor, it did give very Chik vibes.

Next time I'll try brining the thighs first and doing a batter instead, although it's pretty cool to know that the egg-and-breadcrumbs works well for it.

[ID: A rather bad photograph of one of my plates, with several chicken nuggets sitting on it; they are irregularly shaped, golden brown, and flecked here and there with seasoning.]

[i-like-dredge-now]

Another Dredge thing with MINOR SPOILERS from the Collectors pov so uhh read please

Something interesting occurred today.

He came to us. The Fisherman. He approached us with the gall to want to forget. Forget? Forget!? How could we forget her? We can bring her back! We must! We cannot just toss that sentiment away.

…Yet I couldn’t bring myself to deny his request. It’s concerning, very concerning. Could I not refuse because of his willpower? Or was it because he is me, and I am him? Or it was the best decision that hadn’t occurred to me but was made anyway?

It matters not now. He has forgotten. Hasn’t seen me as his mirror. Hasn’t remembered her. We are returning to the Marrows, after all the years together on this island, because the Fisherman found they need a new angler. If the lighthouse keeper is still in Greater Marrow and that old trader doesn’t recognize us we should be well undercover. I have been wondering who the new mayor is anyway…

Okay yeah that’s it bye bye

[totallynotpuri]

Dredge AU, but The Fisherman is a cross-country truck driver.

The different ports are diners (Gale Cliff's Air Man camp could be called Vine and Dine Diner, the Greater Marrow lighthouse is a diner called The Lantern, etc), the Trader is a fellow trucker who somehow is always on the same route as you, and the Collector is an alcohol store that is always open for business.

Instead of fishing, The Fisherman gets to pick up stuffed animals that tie them to the front of his truck.

[dredgingthedepths]

Saturday 2nd April 1947

Made a trip to Little Marrow. Asked around for more information about shipwrecks. It turns out that the belt buckle I found belonged to a man who died at sea, and I was able to return it to his grieving father.

The Dockworker told me a strange tale. Apparently, some twenty years ago, a fisherman hauled up an old sealed casket from the seafloor, and took whatever was inside for their own. That night, the fog rolled in for the first time, and it has appeared every night since. Nobody knows what was in the casket, as all the crew who saw it went mad.

The timing of this seems to coincide with the purchase of Blackstone Isle and the diary entries I have been finding, though it is unclear if there is any correlation, or which events followed which.

Sold the trinkets I dredged up to the Trader. Met a Painter whom I did not see last time I visited - perhaps I will get the Angler repainted at some point. He has asked me to bring him colourful crabs as sources of pigment - I shall have to keep an eye on my pots.

[incorrect-primarchs-quotes]

I've got BG3 to finish, Dredge, Cult of the Lamp and freaking Tears of the Kingdom too. I don't need to play Rogue Trader. I don't. I have it, it can sit and wait its turn to be played. Or so I keep telling myself. But no, no thanks to you and all your recent posts, I've bought it and I'm gonna start it after work.

(No seriously thank you for making me want to play it ^_^ )

[fashionablyfyrdraaca]

2023: a summary

post your favorite and/or most popular creation from each month this year. (it’s okay to skip months!)

i was tagged by @vindicia thank you elise!! it's' been really fun running indiegamesource with you :D

tagging (feel free to ignore if you were tagged already or dont want to); @quickhacked @lxdymaria @anzellla @neloangelo @minaharkers @fatalwhims

January popular: Drakengard/Nier series favorite: Frostpunk quotes, generator graphic, and Anakin + Kanan comparison graphic

February popular: HK-47 wanting to Kill favorite: Sad Mission Vao

March popular: Link's Awakening favorite: An original character graphic

April popular: Dredge character art favorite: Fallen London + videogame cats

May popular: Dredge favorite: Kratos in God of War (2005)

June popular: Solar Ash favorite: Original character graphic and Frostpunk 2

July popular: Neva game trailer favorite: Wolfenstein

August popular: Sea of Stars trailer favorite: Tenar X Ged

September popular: The kittens from Stray favorite: Warhammer Fantasy

October popular: Einar in Palia trailer favorite: My LOTR Return to Moria dwarves

November popular: Daniella - Haunting Ground favorite: Old ass Berserk videogame

December popular: nintendog puppies favorite: my warhammer rogue trader oc intro graphic

happy new year!!!

[krikeymate]

dredge au (me again):

im thinking of all the ways richie can come back and terrorize the girls bc i love angst so this is what i came up with (which probably isnt very good but hey):

Amber lives on little Woodsboro, and she hears of these new comers. she herself was from the mainland, a long time ago, and she hasnt seen Sam and Tara for a long, long while. but it’s unmistakable, the love they have for each other, Amber would recognize it anywhere, shes never seen two people be so devoted to each other.

She remembers that Richie had an interest in them, back when she was on the mainland. and so, she writes a letter, sends it off with an uknowing traveling merchant, the letters R.B. on the seal. she tells this merchant that the dockworkers would know who to give it to.

Richie receives a letter, from someone he knew ages ago. A young woman, who he had the great (mis)fortune of knowing years ago, when she was so young, so innocent. The letter tells him where to find Sam, where to find his prize, but the letter is also a warning.

‘The sea must grant you passage. You need to give something it wants, in exchange for your safety.’

Enclosed in the letter, he finds a ring with the initials S.P.

‘Bring this to the Collector, before you take your revenge. He has a special interest in it.’

And so, with only the knowledge the letter provides him, he takes his leave, and makes haste to Woodsboro.

My dear intended, we're engaged now, sorry, don't make the rules.

Anyway. I love you? This is a great call.

I think I made their ages 20 and 15. Canonically Tara is older than her peers but here she gets to be younger. Amber is 17 and left 2 years ago under a scandal. The Freemans are well-known merchants, and their daughter being caught in bed with someone (Ritchie) other than their intended (Wes, of the Hicks, son of the one law enforcement officer not under someone else's payroll and due to follow in his mother's footsteps (they want him under their payroll, hence the engagement)), was quite the scandal. It reflected poorly on them, so they sent her away, to live with her trader uncle, Dewey. (He's got something going on with the mayor of Greater Woodsboro, it seems, always exchanging letters with G. Weathers, but neither leaving their respective islands).

The arrival of the Carpenter sisters causes quite the stir, it has the town people in a tizzy. Newcomers are rare. Newcomers that stay are rarer. Newcomers that stay and fish and live never happen. Amber used to play with the sisters as children, before social convention kicked in and she was reminded they're not the sort of people one of her status associate with. She would still enjoy the younger sister's company on occasion, she enjoyed the look of awe and admiration she would send her way as she gave her a taste of the other side. The older one was trouble.

She receives monthly news of the happenings from back home, from family, from friends left behind. The news that Tara Carpenter has fled engagement from Ritchie of the Bailey's, and that he's offering a reward for knowledge of her whereabouts, is intriguing. (They don't like to lose what is theirs, and a substantial debt was wiped clean, they're owed their reward). She pens him a letter.

He offers money - of which he has plenty - of the opportunity to leave the godforsaken little island she is trapped on, to move back to the mainland, to a city, if only she would be so kind to reveal the location of his intended. He sends it with gold, weighing the letter and his words.

She sends him back a location, a warning, and a special ring from her uncle's hidden collection. She tells him to bring her money with him. She's learnt so much about the sea and its magic since she's been here, she's sure it will eat him alive. But not until she gets her money. Perhaps it will even leave her the boat.

[sekhithefops]

Sekhi's Big Boopin' "Games I Played in 2023" List.

So, since my buddy @moxpunk did one of these I figured I'd join in on the fun. As with her list...

There's gonna be spoilers.

There's gonna be a lot of games.

This will be limited to games I didn't play until 2023. Either because they came out this year, or because I didn't get around to them. I got into some, like Elden Ring, good and hard... but I got that one in 2022 for example.

Ready? Here we go!

Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader:

So this is one I started just recently, but its a hell of a lot of fun so far. Owlcat is the same company that made the Pathfinder CRPG games (Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous,) and they brought the same level of love and detail to the 40k universe. Its still a bit buggy, but unlike Bethesda they have an excuse of actually being a smaller indie studio and, unlike Bethesda again, they actually patch their games so give it a month or two if bugginess is a deal breaker, but I heartily recommend this one!

Steamworld Build:

A city management sim set in the cutesy cartoony robot-wild-west world of Steamworld. Its... okay. Its not horrible, but its not something I really feel like I'm going to get too huge into. If you're into city management games then go nuts, but in my case I've already got a lot of games that do what its doing already so it just feels like one more to the pile for me. Sadly that happens a lot these days with how many indie games come out every week anymore.

The Caligula Effect 2:

I got the original a while back but wound up returning it as it didn't grab me, but the sequel always had my eye so when it went on sale during the Steam Autumn Sale I wound up nabbing it. The sequel, happily, is far better than the original one. A great soundtrack (if you like Japanese music, which I do) and some fun as heck characters with an interesting presence of an evil Vocaloid whose music pulls anyone with regrets into a very anime Matrix essentially. Its weird, but most good RPGs, especially modern ones, are gonna be weird. Its part of their charm.

Bonus points for my fellow LGBTQA+ peoples, one of the main characters is cannon non-binary. Try to guess which one. :D

Dredge:

A fishing sim with a Lovecraftian twist. Fish up your catch to make money, but don't be shocked if some of the stuff you fish up has multiple eyes, or whispers dark secrets, or just wants to slap you with a tentacle. It can be fun, but also a bit frustrating at times too. Solid B+.

Undernauts: Labrynth of Yomi:

Hm. Its... hm... its... something. Its certainly something. A first person dungeon crawler with turn based combat along the lines of the old Wizardry games, but... well... very surreal dark urban fantasy set in Japan... sorta... except its evil parallel not-Japan.

Its... something. But it sure as hell isn't worth $60. Do what I did and wait for a Steam sale if you're gonna give this one a go.

Dungeons 4:

I was a big fan of Dungeons 3 so I fully admit to bias here, but I'm having a blast with this one. A ton of over the top cheesy tongue in cheek parody of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more in a game that basically does very well with the formula of the old Dungeon Keeper games that EA completely fucked up. The humor might not be your thing, but this is a good one for my collection.

Flipwitch: Forbidden Sex Hex:

Go ahead and mark my blog NSFW like every other queer person Tumblr, I'm including this one! I swear I felt like I was having a bit of a stroke when I first played it. I found the one good adult video game on Steam! A retro style 2-D metroidvania game where you play a witch that can swap sexes at will. You use it for sex of course, but also some really interesting puzzle mechanics that can involve swapping between male and female in mid-jump to bypass barriers and other obstacles as well as dodge enemy attacks. They took kinky sex stuff and made a good game! I didn't think that actually happened on Steam!

My Time at Sandrock:

I really don't know what to say here, I just don't care for this game at all. Its just... eh. I think its because I tend to favor Survival/Crafting games which have a lot more creative freedom than this one does, but... well yeah. Its not a bad game, but its bad for me. Moving on.

9 Years of Shadows:

You are a knightly woman who is backed up by a magical plushie who you recharge by hugging it and singing to it in a world where color has been consumed by a ravenous shadow. Dear gods its a Care Bears special.

Blacktail:

A really unique take on the old Slavic legend of Baba Yaga, set in a fairytale world where you play as Yaga (or is it Baba?) Its quite the trip, though I didn't play it for very long. Its one of those games I keep saying I'll finish one day and then OOO! SOMETHING SHINY!

Coral Island:

Its... alright. Its Stardew Valley but on a tropical island... but thats kind of the problem. Its Stardew Valley but. It runs into the same problem that the aforementioned Steamworld Build did where I already have other games I like that do the same thing. So yeah... decent enough, but don't be shocked if it's just another for the pile.

Dragon Quest Treasures:

A spinoff of the recent Dragon Quest installment (number eleven if you're keeping track) where you play as the thief character Erik and his sister when they were kids as they go on an adventure to become treasure hunters. Its... well... its alright, but it just didn't click for me. I feel like some of these Dragon Quest spinoffs are coasting on name recognition sometimes and this is definitely one of them that gives that vibe. I haven't tried the new Dragon Quest Monsters title yet though so maybe that'll be good.

Gunbrella:

Boy Devolver Digital does some weird shit don't they? Its a decent enough metroidvania style game where you play as a man on a quest for revenge with an umbrella that is also a gun. You uncover occult mysteries and it all has this 1920s Noir-ish vibe to it. Its a fun enough game... but I only played it for an hour and a half and I'll be damned if I could tell you why.

Persona 5 Tactica:

Look. I loved Persona 5, I even had fun with Strikers... but for crying out loud Atlus the bottom of the barrel has been reached. This one is a perfectly fine entry if you really like tactical RPGs a-la Disgaea and the like, but I think we're all ready for Persona 6 now! Don't even get me started on the damn mobile game.

Remnant 2:

The dimension hopping adventures of a heroine with an acid-flamethrower, a cursed rifle that shoots fingerbones, and her companion Captain Sparky McBorkbork the Wonder Dog. What more need be said? Its fun as hell, give it a go.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew:

A pirate stealth 'em up where you command a ghost crew of undead swashbucklers fighting the not-inquisition with a sentient pirate ship that has the power to reverse time in a way that allows you to use the stealth game 'that didn't happen' mechanic in a way that fits into the story itself. I've been hearing people say that it seems weird this didn't do better... but I think I might know why it didn't.

Shadow Gambit's release date: August 17th 2023.

Baldur's Gate 3 release date: August 3rd 2023

To quote Messir Robin Williams: "AHA! A CLUE, SHERLOCK!"

Two games that, at a glance, are very similar (top down, mouseclick to move, RPG elements, etc) but one of them was a LOT bigger hyped than the other. Yeah... Shadow Gambit got overshadowed it seems.

Survival: Fountain of Youth:

A survival game where you're part of an expedition in the Age of Exploration from Spain to find the mythical Fountain of Youth. Its quite the title and very involved. You need to worry not just about food and water but things like sunstroke and sunburn, exhaustion, and the like. That being said it's still early access so maybe give this one some more time in the oven. Its neat so far, but they're planning a lot more for it.

Wildmender:

A cozy game with a twist. Your world was reduced to lifeless desert by someone fucking around with shadow magic and now you need to help restore it. Go from a tiny spring next to one of the few remaining trees into a massive garden by reawakening other springs, connecting them via digging rivers, and growing plants along the bank to bring life back to the desert... and occasionally fight shadow demons with a magic mirror. Good times.

Aces & Adventures:

I'm normally not one for card based games, but this one grabbed me and I wound up really enjoying it. A sort of combination of five card poker and Dungeons & Dragons where you pick one of five classes and adventure through the world and history to save it from an evil god. I stuck with mage and found that as long as I played it right there was very little that could touch me, but there's four others who seem neat too.

Evil West:

This came out in 2022, but I didn't play it until February 2023 so I'm counting it! A spaghetti western meets Van Helsing where you play a vampire hunter who literally punches the undead to death using steampunk weaponry and a shitload of guns. Its a heck of a fun ride that evokes the better action games from the 360 era. Think Warhammer 40k: Space Marine but set in the Wild West and using vampires instead of orks. There ya go.

Marvel Midnight Suns:

It is such a damn shame they screwed up the marketing for this so bad because my god this was fun as hell. Make your own character, then hang out with Spiderman, Captain America, Blade, and Deadpool of all people while saving the world from H.Y.D.R.A and Cithon. I had an absolute blast playing it and it genuinely saddens me that we might never see a sequel because they dropped the ball so hard on getting word out there.

Octopath Traveller 2:

An amazing follow up to the original game with much improved gameplay, some of the most endearing characters I've seen in a JRPG in a long time (I actually commissioned myself cosplaying Agnea because I liked her so much,) and some absolutely incredible music. Its really astounding what Square Enix can pull off when they remember why we loved them in the first damn place.

Also Ochette. She is a precious bean.

Lies of P:

Forgot to add a few of these as I played them on PC Games Pass and they weren't on my Steam list, but yeah one of those I played there was Lies of P which actually is the reason I got back into Elden RIng. Lies of P is a superb Souls-like that, while difficult, is never too difficult to stop me entirely (except for Laxasia I mean jesusfuckingchrist how am I supposed to dodge that?) I hear that either the DLC or the sequel will be their take on the Wizard of Oz which, given what I know of the works of L Frank Baum is going to be freaking nuts. Hell they'd barely need to change the Wheelers at all to make them into souls-like monsters, and I'm pretty sure I actually did fight flying monkeys in Elden RIng.

Hi-Fi Rush:

I didn't wind up finishing this as I'm just really not that great at rythm games, but ye gods did Bethesda get it right with this one. Really Yahtzee said it all back in his review before the Escapist collapsed and he and his cohorts fled to form Second Wind: "Hi-Fi Rush was simultaneously announced and released on the day of the Xbox showcase, which is something you only do if you’re really fucking confident in your game’s instant appeal and high quality. And by all the locally sourced meatless lasagnas in Hell do I hate to admit they were probably right to be." I didn't finish it, but what I did play was damned amazing.

Guardians of the Galaxy:

I forgot I even played this one until my Games Pass account reminded me this morning, but in hindsight it was pretty dang neat. I got to hang out with some of my favorite Marvel characters, I got to meet Adam Warlock who was one I'd never heard of but I wound up looking up on the wiki after the fact, and I got to meet Cosmo who is the goodest comrade. It was funtimes. Yahtzee, formerly of Zero Punctuation and now Fully Ramblomatic, calls these sorts of games a 'Ghost Train Ride' but, well, sometimes its fun to go on those if they've got some nice visuals and good voice acting.

Sea of Stars:

This one is one of those "I should really go back and finish this one day" games that I know, deep down, I probably never will get around to. A lovely throwback to classic SNES/Early PS1 era RPGs with lovely sprite-based visuals and some really fun enemies (I especially enjoyed the ghost pirate captain.) Definitely worth a try and I really will go back and finish it at some point no really pinkie swear.

Warhammer 40k: Boltgun:

Funny how this list begins and ends with a Warhammer game. I swear that wasn't intentional, I was just going through my Steam library and saying 'oh right, that one.'

Boltgun is a lovingly done boomer shooter set up in the Warhammer 40k Universe and is actually a direct spinoff of W40k: Space Marine from the 360 with a fragment of Inquisitor Drogan's power source serving as the principal macguffin you're after through the whole of the game, meant to bridge the gap between that fun ork-stomping simulator from a few generations back and the upcoming sequel this September (Imma 'cited. :3)

Its fun, its cheap, its short and sweet. Go blow up some heretics.

And yeah, thats the last of them. There were others, but none really worth mentioning. These are the ones I still remembered for whatever reason. Happy Holidays everyone. Here's hoping we get some more memorable titles in 2024.

[technofinch]

okay lengthy and needlessly dramatic exposition time :3c

In the middle of a mountain range that no one particularly cares about, there's a hole. Inside the hole is - well, that's the thing. It's different every time.

Nothing ever comes *out* of the hole, unless it's being carried, and there's no more gold and gems in the hole than there are in any other hole, and really it's quite annoying to get to, so overall the hole serves as no more than a fascinating bit of trivia and steady (if unglamorous) work for an ever-dwindling number of adventurers and sight-seeers.

A safe distance away from the hole is a town. Legend says that a local baron made it his mission to find the bottom of the hole, losing an arm in the process and eventually getting himself lost entirely. The town is called Baron's Reach. It has very few inhabitants.

Most people meet Silvaire Goldengrain, the tall dark-haired woman who runs the inn and tavern for the few tourists that pass through to see the hole. She's seen many adventures ride into town and very few leave.

Most people also meet Megan or Henry Ito, the twins, but very few people meet both. While one of them mans the trading post in town the other journeys to a city, bartering exhumed treasures for useful things like food and clothing. Neither of them are seen without a sword at their hip or a grin on their face.

In the squat grey stone chapel is the priest, Peregrine, worrying over her portents and bones. Adorning the walls are a variety of holy symbols and relics of varying faiths, none of which seem particularly well kept. Still, her healing spells work as well as anyone else's.

The sturdiest house in town serves as the home of the Aines family, though most of the life occurs outside in the workshops and kennels. Paula works the blocks of uniform grey stone cut and delivered from the hole while her husband Yosh carves, saws and sands the beams of even-grained oak into wagon wheels, rafters, and utensils. Their child, Beasley, full-grown now but still the youngest in town by far, works with their dogs, designing a breed small but sturdy enough to venture into the hole in place of mules or horses.

On the short road from Baron's Reach to the hole is another building, this one once-temporary and bearing a plaque with the crest of Unseen University. In it reside Bevan the Wise, tenured professor of physiomagical identity in the Transmutation School, accompanied by the indefatigable Chorby Short (in the throes of research for her dissertation on the use of mathematical signatures in divination).

In the opposite direction, further into the hills, is a grand house made from the same grey stone and even-grained oak as everything else in town, adorned in ornate carvings and inlaid with tasteful jewels utterly unlike those typically dredged up from the hole. Kennedy lives there, and rarely leaves - they have their food and supplies delivered by the traders, and overpay by nearly double regardless of how much Megan or Henry actually charge them.

The rarest sight in town is Becker, the fire-blooded goatherd who maintains their living well above the treeline in even the coldest months. Only on rare occasions do they venture into town with hair, milk, and meat to trade, and they never stay for long.

Baron's Reach is quiet, and small, and the hole is silent and infinite. Each of them have their secrets, each has its dangers. Their fates entwined like a barnacle and her whale. What answers can be found, here, in the Depths?

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Paraná Waterway: Brazil, Uruguay and Bolivia back Paraguay

Brazil, Uruguay, and Bolivia Friday supported Paraguay's stance regarding Argentina's decision to charge tolls to barges sailing through the “Port of Santa Fe-Confluencia” section of the Parana River, it was reported in Buenos Aires after a new meeting of the Commission of the Paraguay-Parana Waterway Agreement.

Also endorsing Paraguay's view were private traders such as the Permanent Commission of Transportation of the La Plata Basin, an entity composed of the users of the waterway of the five signatory countries of the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Agreement.

Argentina had admitted that the toll rate does not respond to dredging interventions and justified it on the grounds of signaling services, which have not been proven to have been rendered.

”The four countries concluded after eight months of dealing with the issue in the Commission of the Agreement in which ample opportunity for justification was offered by Argentina to conclude the work of the technical body and raise the discussion to the level of the Intergovernmental Committee of the Waterway (CIH),“ the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry said in a communiqué.

Continue reading.