#enter: master ore

[starcurtain]

hihi sorry to rant in your inbox but i hate when people use aven's line about jade that says her kindness comes with a price to make their relationship seem worse than it is. while the ipc is. well. the ipc i dont thinl it would benefit her to harm him like theyre both stonehearts AND hes her subordinate. personally i think the price he mentions is like, testing him like she did in her social media post with the ores. it certainly would be less incongruous with her want to guide those that come after her..

I think that people really struggle with Jade. They took one look at her dommy mommy appearance and her status as one of the top three in the Stonehearts and they just want her to be unrepentant evil soooo bad.

Don't get me wrong, she is definitely a master manipulator and she definitely has a specific personal goal she's working toward using the IPC as her vehicle to do so. Her overall idea of creating an endless vortex of desires that can't ever be sufficiently met is very Voracity-coded and not really the kind of idea a very well-adjusted person would be espousing. We have no idea how loyal she really is to the IPC's goal of aiding Preservation against Destruction in the War of the Aeons.

But she's also, over and over again, been painted as having "True Neutral" moral alignment in-game. She's literally xxxHolic's Ichihara Yuuko with a bad case of capitalism: She always demands a price, but never asks more than is fair.

It's literally Fullmetal Alchemist's first law of alchemy: Human kind can not gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.

All of Jade's exchanges are equivalent and none of her customers enter into a bargain without understanding the price they are paying. In fact, she won't even let Firefly try to make a deal at all without doing her research in advance to truly realize the extent of what she is asking for. Jade is inherently an honest businesswoman.

The issue is that greed is all-encompassing. The ability to have any wish granted is a temptation that virtually no one can escape in the end.

Therefore, I think the best way to understand Jade is as the Honkai Star Rail equivalent of Mephistopheles. In the legend of Faust, the eponymous Dr. Faust longs for more in his life--he is endlessly pursuing knowledge and power, but has hit the limits of his own ability. He meets the devil, Mephistopheles, who agrees to enter into a pact with him: Mephistopheles will fulfill all Faust's wishes while Faust is still alive, but then Faust's soul will belong to the devil when he dies. The deal is fairly presented. The terms are not unclear: If Faust agrees to the bargain, he knows what will happen to his soul in the end.

Mephistopheles doesn't trick him or force his hand when it comes to this bargain. Faust could say no. He could resist. But he doesn't. He agrees, because human greed and pride are simply that overpowering. He thinks he's smarter than the devil; unlike the thousands of others who have come before and suffered damnation for their deals with the devil, Faust thinks he is different, better than others, more deserving... The actual temptation doesn't come from the devil. It comes from human hubris.

Like Mephistopheles, like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, Jade merely presents the choice--it's humanity's endless desire that leads to the downfall.

It's a snake and an apple and a contract for a reasonnnnnn, Jade haters.

So, I don't think that Jade represents any danger to anyone who can resist temptation. Firefly walks away from Jade's exchange entirely unscathed. Trailblazer isn't pressed into surrender.

But Aventurine?

To be honest, I think his relationship with her is a bit more complicated.

Aventurine likes Jade. She did him a solid when he was at his lowest in life. His character stories make it clear that he views her as, essentially, someone "safe" in the IPC, unlike other Stonehearts.

But... I do agree that Aventurine approaches Jade more cautiously than he approaches others. And I think that probably stems from a couple of different factors:

Jade has positioned herself as Aventurine's "pseudo-mother," and Aventurine responds to her as if she, indeed, a mother figure he has to obey. He is more respectful of her than anyone else we see him interact with in the game--Diamond and Opal get called by name, but Jade is always "Ma'am." Which is very close to "Mama;" this is not an accidentttttt. When Jade disrupts his banter with Topaz, Aventurine immediately does as he is told, hands over his room card, and simmers down. Even in joking social media posts, when Jade asks Aventurine to do something (judge the uncut jade stones she sent him), he does it even when she rejects his high demand for profit sharing.

But:

2. Jade actually failed Aventurine's moral litmus test. From the beginning of his adulthood flashbacks, we see Aventurine explicitly troubled by the fact that his human dignity was denied and that a market value was assigned to his existence. And not even a high value. He was sold for pennies. It's the ultimate mortification, and we can tell it is still bothering him to this day because even "future" Aventurine brings up the sting of that bone-deep insult during Aventurine's long walk through Penacony. In response to the indignity, Kakavasha gave his original master a moral test: Kakavasha says that he'll go willingly into the hellscape of the death maze if his master will give him 30 copper Tanba, just half his market value. His master refuses, demonstrating that he does not view Kakavasha as a human being, worthy of any respect. By refusing this tiny, insignificant request, the master exhibits his utter moral depravity, from which there is no return. In response, Kakavasha ultimately kills him and takes the 30 copper coins he asked for (nothing more, nothing less) from his corpse.

When Kakavasha meets Jade, he then makes the exact same demand: He wants 30 copper coins and exactly 30 copper coins. At this point, it is very clear that--to Kakavasha--the coins are emblematic of his value as a human being. (I promise you, somewhere in his apartment right now are the 30 bloody coins he took from his master's cold corpse.) His freedom, his dignity, his worth... All of these things hinge on being able to acquire the original 60 Tanba coins. Thus, those who refuse his requests for the coins also symbolically refuse his request for basic respect, his request to be seen as an equal human being who deserves to not be reduced to mere pennies on a bill of sale.

And Jade refuses this request. She treats the demand for Tanbas like a paltry sum and instead ignores the specificity of the request to give a general "We'll give you riches beyond your imagine, more than you could have ever thought to want." But that isn't what he asked for. She stepped over the request he actually made in order to supplant her ideas, on her terms. Kakavasha made the tiniest, most easily completed request in the world, and in failing to actually just respect what he personally wished for, Jade demonstrated that she ultimately will not really respect him.

Just like his slave master, Aventurine represents a value on a page to Jade. For this reason, even if she extends pseudo-maternal behavior to Aventurine and he laps it up like a starved kitten drinks up milk, we see that he remains more cautious toward her than he does to any other female character in the game. Aventurine comes across as more comfortable talking to Acheron than he sounds when he talks to Jade... Because in failing the most basic and seemingly meaningless test, Jade revealed exactly to what extent Kakavasha can--and cannot--trust her.

Does Jade actually mean Aventurine any harm? No, I really don't think so, and you're right, those who claim that she does are really over-exaggerating Jade's negative traits, mostly because they've almost universally got a strong anti-IPC agenda and hate everything from the IPC except Aventurine on principle. Everything in Jade's character stories points to her honestly wanting to develop the hidden talents of others, to "polish" rough cut stones into true gems, and to see her fledglings thrive. Kakavasha is someone she picked up out of the dirt and dusted off. If he excels, that means her faith was well-placed, her judgment was correct, and her team as a whole excels.

It's exactly like a business owner who takes great pride in producing a fantastic product. Only when the product succeeds can the business itself succeed.

But business owners see their products as objects, not equals.

Jade is a fairly neutral figure and I think she wants to see Aventurine grow and achieve greatness. But at the end of the day, their relationship is very predicated on the notion of investment (Jade puts up the original capital to make Aventurine great, and he repays her faith in him by generating wealth for the IPC). It is clear she just can't be trusted to value Aventurine as a person above a means of profit--and Aventurine knows (and accepts) that too.

[theoutcastrogue]

Cold Iron in folklore, fiction, and RPGs

'Gold is for the mistress—silver for the maid! Copper for the craftsman cunning at his trade.' 'Good!' said the Baron, sitting in his hall, 'But Iron—Cold Iron—is master of them all!' — Rudyard Kipling, “Cold Iron”

Folklore

Drudenmesser, or "witch-knife", an apotropaic folding knife from Germany

The notion that iron (or steel) can ward against evil spirits, witches, fairies, etc is very widespread in folklore. You hang a horseshoe over your threshold to deny entry to evil spirits, you carry an iron tool with you to make sure devils won't assault you, you place a small knife under the baby's crib to ward it from witches, and so on. Iron is apotropaic in many many cultures.

In English, we often come across passages that refer to apotropaic cold iron (or cold steel). "All uncouth, unknown Wights are terrifyed by nothing earthly so much as by cold Iron", says Robert Kirk in 1691, which I believe is the earliest example. "Evil spirits cannot bear the touch of cold steel. Iron, or preferably steel, in any form is a protection", says John Gregorson Campbell in 1901.

Words

So what is cold iron? In this context, it’s just iron. The “cold” part is poetic, especially – but not only – if we’re talking about either blades (or swords, weapons, the force of arms) or manacles and the like. It just sounds more ominous. There are “cold yron chaines” in The Fairie Queene (1596), and a 1638 book of travels tells us that a Georgian general (in the Caucasus) vowed “to make the Turk to eat cold iron”.

Green’s Dictionary of Slang defines “cold iron” as a sword, and dates the term to 1698. From 1725 it appears in Cant dictionaries (could this sense be thieves’ cant, originally? why not, plenty of words and expressions started as underworld slang and then entered the mainstream), and from ~1750 its use becomes much more common.

NGram Viewer diagram for 1600-2019.

In other contexts, cold iron is (surprise!) iron that’s not hot. So let’s talk a bit about metallurgy.

Metals

In nature, we can find only one kind of iron that’s pure enough to work with: meteoritic iron. It has to literally fall from the sky. Barring that very rare occurrence, people have to mine the earth for iron ore, which is not workable as is. To separate the iron from the ore we have to smelt it, and for that we need heat, in the form of hot charcoals. Throwing the ore on the coals won’t do much of anything, it’s not hot enough. But if we enclose the coals in a little tower built of clay, leaving holes for air flow, the temperature rises enough to smelt the ore. That’s called a bloomery.

clay bloomery / medieval bloomery / beating the bloom to get rid of the slag

What comes out of the bloomery is a bloom: a porous, malleable mass of iron (that we need) and slag (byproducts that we don’t need). But now we can get rid of the slag and turn the porous mass to something solid, by hammering the hot bloom over and over. And once the slag is off, by the same process we can give it a desired shape in the forge, reheating it as needed. This is called “working” the iron, hence “wrought iron” objects, i.e. forged.

a blacksmith in his forge, with bellows, fire, and anvil (English woodcut, 1603)

This is the lowest-tech version, possibly going back to ~2000 BCE in Nigeria. If we add bellows, the improved air flow will raise the temperature. So smelting happens faster and more efficiently in the bloomery, and so does heating the iron in the forge, making it easier to work with. And that’s the standard process from the Iron Age all through the middle ages and beyond (although in China they may have skipped this stage and gone straight to the next one).

If we make the bloomery bigger and bigger, with stronger and stronger bellows, we end up with a blast furnace, a construction so efficient that the temperature outright melts the iron, and it’s liquified enough to be poured into a mould and acquire the desired shape when it cools off. This is “cast iron”.

a blast furnace

So in all of this, what’s cold iron? Well, it’s iron that went though the heat and cooled off. (No heat = no iron, all you got is ore.) If it came out of a bloomery, or if it wasn’t cast, it’s by definition worked, hammered, beaten, wrought, and that happened while it was still hot.

Is there such a thing as “cold-wrought” iron? No. In fact, “working cold iron” was a simile for something foolish or pointless. A smith who beats cold iron instead of putting it in the fire shows folly, says a 1694 book on religion, so you too should choose your best tools, piety and good decorum, to educate your children and servants, instead of beating them. When Don Quixote (1605) declares he’ll go knight-erranting again, Sancho Panza tries to dissuade him, but it’s like “preaching in the desert and hammering on cold iron” (a direct translation of martillar en hierro frío).

Minor work can be done on cold iron. A 1710 dictionary of technical terms tells us that a rivetting-hammer is “chiefly used for rivetting or setting straight cold iron, or for crooking of small work; but ’tis seldom used at the forge”. Fully fashioning an object out of cold iron is not a real process – though a 1659 History of the World would claim that in Arabia it’s so hot that “smiths work nails and horseshoes out of cold iron, softened only by the vigorous heat of the sun, and the hard hammering of hands on the anvil”. [I declare myself unqualified to judge the veracity of this statement, let's just say I have doubts.] And there is of course such a thing as “cold wrought-iron”, as in wrought iron after it’s cooled off.

Either way, in the context of pre-20th century English texts which refer to apotropaic “cold iron”, it’s definitely not “cold-wrought”, or meteoritic, or a special alloy of any kind. It’s just iron.

Fiction

The old superstition kept coming up in fantasy fiction. In 1910 Rudyard Kipling wrote the very influential short story “Cold Iron” (in the collection Rewards and Fairies), where he explains invents the details of the fairies’ aversion to iron. They can’t bewitch a child wearing boots, because the boots have nails in the soles. They can’t pass under a doorway guarded by a horseshoe, but they can slip through the backdoor that people neglected to guard. Mortals live “on the near side of Cold Iron”, because there’s iron in every house, while fairies live “on the far side of Cold Iron”, and want nothing to do with it. And changelings brought up by fairies will go back to the world of mortals as soon they touch cold iron for the first time.

In Poul Anderson’s The Broken Sword (1954), we read:

“Let me tell you, boy, that you humans, weak and short-lived and unwitting, are nonetheless more strong than elves and trolls, aye, than giants and gods. And that you can touch cold iron is only one reason.”

In Peter S. Beagle’s The Last Unicorn (1968) the unicorn is imprisoned in an iron cage:

“She turned and turned in her prison, her body shrinking from the touch of the iron bars all around her. No creature of man’s night loves cold iron, and while the unicorn could endure its presence, the murderous smell of it seemed to turn her bones to sand and her blood to rain.”

Poul Anderson would come back to that idea in Operation Chaos (1971), where the worldbuilding’s premise is that magic and magical creatures have been reintroduced into the modern world, because a scientist “discovered he could degauss the effects of cold iron and release the goetic forces”. And that until then, they had been steadily declining, ever since the Iron Age came along.

There are a million examples, I’m just focusing on those that would have had a more direct influence on roleplaying games. However, I should note that all these say “cold iron” but mean “iron”. Yes, the fey call it cold, but they are a poetic bunch. You can’t expect Robin Goodfellow’s words to be pedestrian, now can you?

RPGs

And from there, fantasy roleplaying systems got the idea that Cold Iron is a special material that fey are vulnerable to. The term had been floating around since the early D&D days, but inconsistently, scattered in random sourcebooks, and not necessarily meaning anything else than iron. In 1st Edition’s Monster Manual (1977) it’s ghasts and quasits who are vulnerable to it, not any fey creature. Devils and/or fiends might dislike iron, powdered cold iron is a component in Magic Circle Against Evil, and “cold-wrought iron” makes a couple of appearances. For example, in AD&D it can strike Fool’s Gold and turn it back to its natural state, revealing the illusion.

Then Changeling: The Dreaming came along and made it a big deal, a fundamental rule, and an anathema to all fae:

Cold iron is the ultimate sign of Banality to changelings. ... Its presence makes changelings ill at ease, and cold iron weapons cause horrible, smoking wounds that rob changelings of Glamour and threaten their very existence.... The best way to think about cold iron is not as a thing, but as a process, a very low-tech process. It must be produced from iron ore over a charcoal fire. The resulting lump of black-gray material can then be forged (hammered) into useful shapes. — Changeling: The Dreaming (2nd Edition, 1997)

So now that we know how iron works, does that description make sense? Well, if we assume that the iron ore is unceremoniously dumped on coals, it does not. You can’t smelt iron like that. If we assume that a bloomery is involved even though it’s not mentioned, then yes, this is broadly speaking how iron’s been made since the Iron Age, and until blast furnaces came into the picture. But the World of Darkness isn’t a pseudo-medieval setting, it’s modern urban fantasy. So the implication here is that “cold iron” is iron made the old way: you can’t buy it in the store, someone has to replicate ye olde process and do the whole thing by hand. Now, this is NOT how the term “cold iron” has been used in real life or fiction thus far, but hey, fantasy games are allowed to invent things.

Regardless, 3.5 borrowed the idea, and for the first time D&D made this a core rule. Now most fey creatures had damage reduction and took less damage from weapons and natural attacks, unless the weapon was made of Cold Iron:

“This iron, mined deep underground, known for its effectiveness against fey creatures, is forged at a lower temperature to preserve its delicate properties.” — Player’s Handbook (3.5 Edition, 2003)

Pathfinder kept the rule, though 5e did not. And unlike Changeling, this definition left it somewhat ambiguous if we’re talking about a material with special composition (i.e. not iron) or made with a special process (i.e. iron but). The community was divided, threads were locked over this!

So until someone points me to new evidence, I’ll assume that the invention of cold iron as a special material, distinct from plain iron, should be attributed to TTRPGs.

[colormepurplex2]

On Wings of Mist & Memories | JJK

▻ On Wings of Mist & Memories ↳ DragonRider!Jungkook x FieldScribe!f.Reader ⤜ Exiled Royalty, High Fantasy AU ⤜ Enemies to Lovers | Angst, smut, fluff ⤜ Rating: MA ⤜ WC: 39,753 ⤜ Summary: You’re a Psion—disguised Field Scribe—of the Golden Kingdom of Bolas, attached to the Front Wing Infantry. After an ambush from the sky rips down the safe walls around you, you find yourself at the mercy of a brutal man, his dragon, and his shadows. ⚠️ Crass language, combat/violence, minor character deaths, talk of war, brief nudity (nonsexual, mostly), sexual references and feelings, flashback minor character death, mild sexual tension, suggestive inner thoughts, lots of sexual tension, crude banter, fingering, kissing, dirty talk, teasing, shadow penetration/sex (it's exactly what you're probably thinking it is: fun af), lots of praise, sexual pleading/begging, endearingly awkward sexual tension, shameless flirting, oral m. receiving, shadow clit play, nipple pinching/teasing, v. sex, mild cum play & eating, multiple orgasms, sad feelings/thoughts of the future, fighting, mild violence, implied minor character death, minor character terminal sickness that leads to off-page death, talk of forced bonds, heartache, pregnancy, off-page childbirth Each chapter will have specific warnings listed.

Chapter 1: Shadowsword

Chapter 2: Oath Breaker

Chapter 3: Burnished Heart

Part of the Bangtan Writers HQ August 2023 “A Love Like War” Writing Event.

A special thank you to @hisunshiine @downbad4yoongi & @peachiilovesot7 for being the best betas!

Can also be found on: Ao3 | Wattpad

Glossary/Map Mave - dragon rider who can wield magic, tethered to the soul of their dragon when they bond (death for both if one dies) Psion - infinite memory/recall Reaver - a dragon that can wield magic, tethered to the soul of the rider they bond (death for both if one dies) Noks - infantry soldiers, humanoids who can enter berserk/rage mode Rider - regular dragon rider, no magic, uses bows or scouts Brute - riderless dragon, usually wild and very dangerous Wielder - magic user, no dragon needed Signis - the designated/specific type of power someone wields Helnite - metal ore that can cut off magic from its user Golden Blight - incurable blood disease

◅ Back to Main Master List ©️   2023-08  ColorMePurplex2

[pikahlua]

MHA Chapter 402 spoilers translations

This week’s initial tentative super rough/literal translations under the cut.

tagline 1 各地の戦況は… かくちのせんきょうは… kakuchi no senkyou wa... The state of the war in various places...

1 荼毘完全沈黙‼︎避難民の無事も確認！ だびかんぜんちんもく‼︎ひなんみんのぶじもかくにん！ Dabi kanzen chinmoku!! hinanmin no buji mo kakunin! "Complete silenced from Dabi!! Confirm the safety of the evacuees!"

2 轟焦凍任務成功です！ ショートにんむせいこうです！ SHOOTO ninmu seikou desu! "Shouto's mission is a success!"

3 そして soshite And...

4 トガ��殖停止‼︎消えていきます！ トガぞうしょくていし‼︎きえていきます！ TOGA zoushoku teishi!! kiete ikimasu! "Toga's proliferation has stopped!! [Her clones} are disappearing!"

tagline 2 「僕のヒーローアカデミア」 「ぼくのヒーローアカデミア」 「boku no HIIROO AKADEMIA」 My Hero Academia

1 そして soshite And...

tagline No.402　THE TEARFUL DAYS　　堀越耕平 ナンバー402　ザ　ティアフル　デイズ　　ほりこしこうへい NANBAA 402 ZA TIAFURU DEIZU   Horikoshi Kouhei No. 402 THE TEARFUL DAYS  Kouhei Horikoshi

1 トゥワイスが消えていきます…！ トゥワイスがきえていきます…！ TUWAISU ga kiete ikimasu...! "The Twices are disappearing...!"

2 重量軽減これで浮力が確保できます！ じゅうりょうけいげんこれでふりょくがかくほできます！ juuryou keigen kore de furyoku ga kakuho dekimasu! "With this weight reduction, we can secure our buoyancy!"

3 同刻 どうこく doukoku At the same time...

4 AFO‼︎死柄木に接近‼︎ オール・フォー・ワン‼︎しがらきにせっきん‼︎ OORU FOO WAN!! Shigaraki ni sekkin!! "All For One!! He's approaching Shigaraki!!"

5 泥ワープ圏内に入ってます‼︎ どろワープけんないにはいってます‼︎ doro WAAPU kennai ni haittemasu!! "He's entering range for his mud warp!!"

1 雄英から降りて緑谷くんは ゆうえいからおりてみどりやくんは yuuei kara orite Midoriya-kun wa Midoriya-kun, who left UA,

2 あれだけの至近距離でなんとか死柄木の攻撃をいなしているなんとか膠着状態を保っている！ あれだけのしきんきょりでなんとかしがらきのこうげきをいなしているなんとかこうちゃくじょうたいをたもっている！ are dake no shikin kyori de nantoka Shigaraki no kougeki wo inashite iru nantoka kouchaku joutai wo tamotte iru! has somehow managed at such a close range to dodge Shigaraki's attacks and maintain a stalemate!

3 泥ワープ どろワープ doro WAAPU Mud Warp

1 巻き戻しを注入した時点で… まきもどしをちゅうにゅうしたじてんで… makimodoshi wo chuunyuu shita jiten de... "At the moment I injected Rewind..."

2 此処がゴールだった…… ここがゴールだった…… koko ga GOORU datta...... "this [place] was my goal......"

3-4 弔に「僕の"個性"」を譲渡する事で とむらに「ふくせいひん」をじょうとすることで Tomura ni 「fukuseihin (kanji: boku no "kosei")」 wo jouto suru koto de "By transferring my copy of my quirk to Tomura,"

5 彼は僕を超えた僕となる かれはぼくをこえたぼくとなる kare wa boku wo koeta boku to naru "he will become a me that surpasses me."

6 まだ…密着さえすれば‼︎ まだ…みっちゃくさえすれば‼︎ mada...micchaku sae sureba!! If only...we were glued together!!

7 来いAFO こいオール・フォー・ワん koi OORU FOO WAN "Come, All For One."

8 OFAに邪魔されずに 緑谷にじゃまされずに Midoriya (kanji: OFA) ni jama sarezu ni "Without interference from Midoriya (read as: One For All),"

9 円滑な譲渡を行うには えんかつなじょうとをおこなうには enkatsu na jouto wo okonau ni wa "to ensure a smooth transfer..."

1 おいで oide "Come here,"

2 死柄木弔 もう一人の僕 mou hitori no boku (kanji: Shigaraki Tomura) "other me (read as: Tomura Shigaraki)."

3 先生… せんせい… sensei... "Master..."

4 邪魔だよ じゃまだよ jama da yo "you're a nuisance."

1 やはりすでに"意識"は呑まれているか やはりすでに"ぼく"はのまれているか yahari sude ni "boku (kanji: ishiki)" wa nomarete iru ka Indeed, you've already consumed my consciousness, huh?

2 まァいい maA ii Well, that's fine.

3 ならば出向くまでさ ならばでむくまでさ naraba demuku made sa "In that case, I'll have to go over [there]."

4 おい oi "Hey,"

5 …あれ… ...are... "...that..."

1 わあああっ‼︎ waaaa!! "Waaaagh!!"

2 その情けない表情を以て そのなさけないかおをもって sono nasakenai kao (kanji: hyoujou) wo motte "While you have that pitiful face (read as: expression),"

3 若者に夢を見せた責任を取ろうオールマイト‼︎ わかものにゆめをみせたせきにんをとろうオールマイト‼︎ wakamono ni yume wo miseta sekinin wo torou OORU MAITO!! "let's have you take responsibility for showing dreams to the youth, All Might!!"

(the little bubbles containing ハッ are "hah" noises from Izuku breathing heavily)

1 オールマイト助けなきゃあ‼︎緑谷出久‼︎ オールマイトたすけなきゃあ‼︎みどりやいずく‼︎ OORU MAITO tasukenakyaa!! Midoriya Izuku!! "You have to help All Might!! Izuku Midoriya!!"

2 丁度いいや！行ってこいよ‼︎ ちょうどいいや！いってこいよ‼︎ choudo ii ya! itte koi yo!! "Such good timing! Go [get him] and come back!!"

3 その間に先刻俺を痛め続けた上の連中 そのあいだにさっきおれをいためつづけたうえのれんちゅう sono aida ni sakki (kanji: senkoku) ore wo itame tsudzuketa ue no renchuu "In the meantime, that lot [of yours] above who kept hurting me earlier,"

4 全部壊しとくからさ！ ぜんぶこわしとくからさ！ zenbu kowashitoku kara sa! "I'll destroy all of them [before you get back]!"

1 運命などこの腕で好きな形にねじ曲げてやるさ うんめいなどこのうでですきなかたちにねじまげてやるさ unmei nado kono ude de suki na katachi ni nejimagete yaru sa With these arms, I'll twist fate into whatever shape I like.

2 僕も一緒にねじ曲げます ぼくもいっしょにねじまげます boku mo issho ni nejimagemasu I'll also twist it together with you.

3 一度は抑えた筈の涙が いちどはおさえたはずのなみだが ichido wa osaeta hazu no namida ga The tears he had once held back

4 再び溢れ零れそうになるのを堪える ふたたびあふれこぼれそうになるのをたえる futatabi afure kobore sou ni naru no wo taeru are about to overflow and spill again, and he resists it..

5 その��き虫は治さないとな そのなきむしはなおさないとな sono nakimushi wa naosanai to na You need to fix that crybaby [thing].

6 良い弟子でありたいから いいでしでありたいから ii deshi de aritai kara ...because he wants to be a good disciple.

7 OFAの面影が ワン・フォー・オールのおもかげが WAN FOO OORU no omokage ga The One For All vestige

8 緑谷出久の中で みどりやいずくのなかで Midoriya Izuku no naka de inside Izuku Midoriya

9-10 一足先に別れを告げた ひとあしさきにわかれをつげた hitoashi saki ni wakare wo tsugeta bade him farewell there earlier.

1 オールマイト!!! OORU MAITO!!! All Might!!!

1 "個性"がなくても "こせい"がなくても "kosei" ga nakutemo Even if I don't have a quirk,

2 ヒーローは出来ますか⁉︎ ヒーローはできますか⁉︎ HIIROO wa dekimasu ka!? can I become a hero!?

3 できるよ dekiru yo You can.

4 だって君は沢山頑張れるもの だってきみはたくさんがんばれるもの datte kimi wa takusan ganbareru mono Because you are one who can do your best a lot.

5 夢を捨てきれなかったもの ゆめをすてきれなかったもの yume wo sutekirenakatta mono Because you are one who cannot abandon your dream.

6 私も わたしも watashi mo I, too,

7 捨てきれないんだよ すてきれないんだよ sutekirenainda yo cannot abandon mine either.

8 私の…… わたしの…… watashi no...... My......

9 夢… ゆめ… yume... dream...

1-2 平和の……象徴に…… へいわの……しょうちょうに…… heiwa no......shouchou ni...... "[To become] the symbol......of peace......"

3 後よろしくな あとよろしくな ato yoroshiku na "I leave the rest to you,"

4 空彦 そらひこ Sorahiko "Sorahiko."

1 そいつの夢 そいつのゆめ soitsu no yume "That kid's dream,"

2 叶えてやってくれ かなえてやってくれ kanaete yattekure "please make it come true."

3 お師匠ォオ‼︎ おししょうォオ‼︎ oshishouOO!! "Masteeer!!"

4 志村菜奈の最後… しむらななのさいご… Shimura Nana no saigo... Nana Shimura's end...

5 何故 今思い出す⁉︎ なぜ いまおもいだす⁉︎ naze ima omoidasu!? Why do I remember it now!?

6 理想ばかりが先行し実力の伴わない女だった りそうばかりがせんこうしじつりょくのともなわないおんなだった risou bakari ga senkou shi jitsuryoku no tomonawanai onna datta She was a woman who put her ideals first, without the power to back them up.

7 実にみっともない死に様だった じつにみっともないしにざまだった jitsu ni mittomonai shi ni zama datta And then she died such a pathetic death.

1 オール・フォー・ワン OORU FOO WAN All For One,

2 おまえはオールマイトに負ける…必ずね おまえはオールマイトにまける…かならずね omae wa OORU MAITO ni makeru...kanarazu ne you will lose to All Might...for sure.

3 だって datte Because...

4 こいつ koitsu This guy,

5 自分もろともーー じぶんもろともーー jibun morotomo-- together with himself-- (Note: The implication is that AFO has realized All Might plans to take AFO down with him.)

6 おまえより俊 (とし) 典の方が おまえよりとしのりのほうが omae yori Toshinori no hou ga compared to you, Toshinori is

7 イカレてる IKAREteru crazier.

8 もっかい死ねば もっかいしねば mokkai shineba "If you die once more,"

9 せめて幼稚園児くらいにはなるかぁ⁉︎ せめてようちえんじくらいにはなるかぁ⁉︎ semete youchienji kurai ni wa naru kaa!? "will you become about as old as a kindergartner!?"

tagline 全てを賭して‼︎ すべてをとして‼︎ subete wo toshite!! Risk everything!!

[ardafanonarch]

Hi omg I love this thank you for doing it! I have seen a lot about what named sword did or didn't or might have belonged to whom - do we actually know the names of any First Age swords and who wielded them? (other than Eol's cursed pair).

Thank you!

[Anon, this one got so long that I have divided it into 3 parts so people can navigate more easily to weapons that most interest them. Thanks so much for sending this ask, I went down many rabbit holes researching and learned some new things myself.]

The Iron Gang: Anglachel-Gurthang, Anguirel, Angrist

Swords of the First Age, Part 1 of 3

Anglachel

Meaning: Uncertain. Possibly a combination of ang “iron”, lach “flame” and êl “star” (Eldamo). Sindarin.

Maker: Eöl

Owned/wielded by: Eöl, Thingol, Beleg, (Gwindor), Túrin

Notable for: forged from meteoritic iron; given as fee to Thingol for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth; slaying Beleg

Fate: Reforged in Nargothrond as Gurthang

Then Beleg chose Anglachel; and that was a sword of great worth, and it was so named because it was made of iron that fell from heaven as a blazing star; it would cleave all earth-delved iron. One other sword only in Middle-earth was like to it. That sword does not enter into this tale, though it was made of the same ore by the same smith; and that smith was Eöl the Dark Elf, who took Aredhel Turgon’s sister to wife. He gave Anglachel to Thingol as fee, which he begrudged, for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth; but its mate Anguirel he kept, until it was stolen from him by Maeglin, his son. The Silmarillion, ‘Of Túrin Turambar’

Discussion

Anglachel and its mate Anguirel are remarkable weapons. Not only because they were forged from “star iron”, against which the mere iron ores of Earth were no match, but also — certainly in the case of Anglachel and probably likewise with Anguirel — they seem to have possessed a sort of dark power, even sentience.

When Thingol gives Anglachel to Beleg, Melian says:

‘There is malice in this sword. The dark heart of the smith still dwells in it. It will not love the hand it serves; neither will it abide with you long.’

Melian’s words, as usual, prove prescient: Anglachel goes on to be the instrument of Beleg’s demise, wielded against him by Túrin as Beleg attempts to cut the fetters holding his friend captive. Gwindor then briefly carries Anglachel, until he and Túrin come to the Pool of Ivrin and Túrin is released of the madness of his grief over Beleg. Túrin notes that the blade has blackened and become blunt, and Gwindor remarks:

‘This is a strange blade, and unlike any that I have seen in Middle-earth. It mourns for Beleg even as you do.’ The Children of Húrin, Chapter 9: Death of Beleg

The implication seems to be that Anglachel has weathered unnaturally after losing its master.

Presumably because of this damage, Anglachel is reforged in Nargothrond. We do not know who specifically reforged the swords, but it is popular fanon that Celebrimbor, who remained in Nargothrond following his father’s expulsion, may have been involved. After reforging, Anglachel becomes Gurthang.

Gurthang (Anglachel reforged)

Meaning: Iron of Death. Sindarin.

Maker: Eöl, reforged by smiths of Nargothrond

Owned/wielded by: Túrin

Notable for: slaying Glaurung, Brandir, Túrin

Fate: Broken under Túrin’s body in his suicide. Shards buried with him.

The sword Anglachel was forged anew for him by the cunning smiths of Nargothrond, and though ever black its edges shone with pale fire. The Silmarillion, ‘Of Túrin Turambar’ Then they lifted up Túrin, and saw that his sword was broken asunder. So passed all that he possessed. The Children of Húrin, Chapter 13: The Death of Túrin

Discussion

Anglachel’s seeming-sentience is amplified by its reforging as Gurthang. In this incarnation, the weapon frequently flickers and flames as if it houses a fire of its own. Most notably, when Túrin prepares to take his own life, Gurthang speaks:

Then he drew forth his sword, and said: 'Hail Gurthang, iron of death, you alone now remain! But what lord or loyalty do you know, save the hand that wields you? From no blood will you shrink. Will you take Túrin Turambar? Will you slay me swiftly?' And from the blade rang a cold voice in answer: 'Yes, I will drink your blood, that I may forget the blood of Beleg my master, and the blood of Brandir slain unjustly. I will slay you swiftly.' Then Túrin set the hilts upon the ground, and cast himself upon the point of Gurthang, and the black blade took his life. The Children of Húrin, Chapter 13: The Death of Túrin

A Tangent: The Enigma of the Sentient Sword

There is no explanation in the legendarium for why or how Gurthang speaks, but a speaking sword is an enduring feature of Túrin’s story that goes all the way back to the earliest version, Turambar and the Foalókë (c. 1917-19, published in The History of Middle-earth Vol. 2: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two). So why did Gurthang speak, and why was this feature so dear to Tolkien? Well, here’s a passage on the death of the hero of the Tale of Kullervo in the Kalevala, a Finnish epic that Tolkien read as a teenager and which was a major inspiration behind the story of Túrin.

Kullervo, Kalervo's offspring, Grasped the sharpened sword he carried, Looked upon the sword and turned it, And he questioned it and asked it, And he asked the sword's opinion, If it was disposed to slay him, To devour his guilty body, And his evil blood to swallow. Understood the sword his meaning, Understood the hero's question, And it answered him as follows: "Wherefore at thy heart's desire Should I not thy flesh devour, And drink up thy blood so evil? I who guiltless flesh have eaten, Drank the blood of those who sinned not?" Kalevala, Rune XXXVI, translated by W.F. Kirby (1907)

Very familiar, isn’t it? The existence of a talking sword in-universe provides opportunity for all sorts of imaginative explanations, but the influence of Kullervo offers, I think, a compelling Doylist one.

Finally, it’s common to read interpretations where Anglachel and Anguirel exhibit the same properties as Gurthang. But there’s not, to the best of my knowledge, explicit canonical evidence that “speech” was an ability these two swords had from the time of their forging by Eöl. (I was also fascinated to find, during research for this post, that Anglachel and Anguirel were probably not always black. I made a separate post about it.)

Anguirel

Meaning: Uncertain. Possibly a combination of Sindarin ang “iron”, (unattested) uir “fiery” (or Noldorin uir “eternity”), and êl “star” (Eldamo).

Maker: Eöl

Owned/wielded by: Eöl, Maeglin

Fate: Unknown; presumably lost in the fall of Gondolin

Discussion

Compared to Anglachel, we know little of the history of its mate Anguirel, save that it was stolen from Eöl by Maeglin, presumably at the time Maeglin left Nan Elmoth for Gondolin.

Angrist (knife)

Meaning: Iron Cleaver. Sindarin.

Maker: Telchar of Nogrod

Owned/wielded by: Curufin, Beren

Fate: Breaks in Beren’s attempt to cut a second Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown.

Then Beren did Curufin release; but took his horse and coat of mail, and took his knife there gleaming pale, hanging sheathless, wrought of steel. No flesh could leeches ever heal that point had pierced; for long ago the dwarves had made it, singing slow enchantments, where their hammers fell in Nogrod, ringing like a bell. Iron as tender wood it cleft, and sundered mail like woollen weft. But other hands its haft now held; its master lay by mortal felled. The Lay of Leithian, 3051-3063

Then Lúthien rising forbade the slaying of Curufin; but Beren despoiled him of his gear and weapons, and took his knife, Angrist. That knife was made by Telchar of Nogrod, and hung sheathless by his side; iron it would cleave as if it were green wood. The Silmarillion, ‘Of Beren and Lúthien’

Discussion

Although of a different maker (and of unknown metallic composition), Angrist has interesting similarities with Anglachel and Anguirel. Besides the initial ang- element, all three blades are noted for an ability to cut through iron, and both Anglachel and Angrist end up “turning against” their masters as a pivotal moment: Angrist by breaking as Beren tries to cut a second Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown, and Anglachel by being the instrument of Beleg's death. As Eöl is also noted to have learned from the Dwarves, some fans have imagined these three blades may have been forged from the same meteoritic iron, or at least to share some of the same “enchantment”.

Note that the quote from Lay of Leithian does not explicitly apply to Angrist, which is a name for Curufin’s knife that Tolkien first used in the 1937 Quenta Silmarillion.

Part 2 | Part 3

[mini-munchers]

Blood, Sweat, and Tears—To Love Someone

Chapter 3 of ?: Ore Request

Pairing: March x Non-Binary Farmer (Ari)

Words: 4693

Warnings: language, the author does not understand blacksmithing, nasty eggs

Summary: Mistria is in a dire state after the earthquake hit. Adeline has invited a new adventurer to town to help out. March knows they won't last. Adventurers never last in Mistria. He can't wait to see Ari fail.

Chapter Summary: March places his first request and Ari responds.

(No beta, we die like Dragonsworn.)

----------

“ANTONIO!” Ari jolted awake in a cold sweat. So, another night, another dream reliving the worst moment of their life. When would it end?

They rolled to the side of the bed and planted their feet on the cool floor. Reaching their arms over their head for a stretch, they let out a long yawn. Nothing like another fitful night of sleep. Time to start the day.

----------

Ari strolled to the inn at a leisurely pace. The cabin that Adeline had graciously lent them didn’t have a kitchen. No kitchen meant nothing to cook with. Not that they really knew how to cook in the first place. Sure, they’d started to learn in the guild. Antonio had taught them a lot. So had Otter. But it was never more than a few simple meals. Nothing extravagant. The guild didn’t do extravagant. They were simply there to help others. Nothing more, nothing less.

Ari had stopped by Celine’s on the way to the inn just to drop in and say hello. It was practically a morning routine at this point. Celine was always so kind to them. One night, on the first week Ari had been in Mistria, Celine had invited them to sit outside on her porch and enjoy the setting sun. They’d talked for hours, way into the evening. Ari found a fellow book lover and floriculturist in Celine. Her knowledge of flowers and plants was vast, far exceeding their own. But, they guessed she had studied floriculture as a passion and not as a requirement. How many nights did Ari spend awake late into the wee hours of the morning, studying genetics and learning the genus and species names of flowers, just to please their mother? Too many.

After bidding farewell to Celine, Ari walked up the stairs that led to Mistira. They liked Mistira. It was nothing like the capital. No rush, no constant noise, and no getting lost in the crowd. Here, everyone knew them. Knew each other. Ari enjoyed that. The air was cooler and fresher, the greens of the plants more vibrant than anything they had ever seen. They knew now why mother had always sourced flowers from outside the capital’s fields. Things just grew better away from the city.

They continued on the path, thinking about what to get for breakfast as they opened the door to the inn. Reina greeted them with a warm smile as they entered.

“Good morning, Ari! What can I get you this morning? Same as yesterday?” Reina rubbed a plate with a rag, drying it the best she could.

“Actually, could I get some scrambled eggs with a little sugar on top?” Ari felt silly for asking for such a thing, but they wanted to be reminded of home this morning.

“Sugar?” Reina asked, clearly confused by the request. Nevertheless, she put down the plate and walked over to the stove, grabbing two eggs on her way. 

Ari sat down at the barstool closest to her. “Oh, um,” They let out a small laugh. “It’s something my guild master, Otter, taught me. Protein in the morning with a bit of sweetness makes the day much better.”

“Oh my gosh, that is such a cute saying!” The sound of sizzling filled the air as Reina cracked the eggs and let them fall into the pan.

Air smiled. “Otter’s great. He really didn’t want to see me go, but he knew this job would be a good fit for me. He wants me to get out and gain some experience on my own for a bit.”

Reina briefly looked over her shoulder from the stove. “What is life in the guild like?”

“Well,” Ari started, “Hard sometimes.” They breathed out a fond sigh, remembering all the little nuances they had to learn as a new guild member. “I joined when I was seventeen. After I had been kicked out of my parent's house. I didn’t have anywhere else to turn, so I joined the first guild that would take me. Otter was so gracious to take someone like me in. Someone with no street experience whatsoever. He provided a warm bed, hot meals, and the chance to earn some Tesserae. I’ll be forever grateful to him.”

“I’m sorry if I am being intrusive, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. But why were you kicked out of your parent’s home?”

“Oh no, don’t worry Reina, it’s totally fine.” Ari took a breath. “They didn’t agree with me being non-binary. Said that I was no child of theirs, being ‘confused’ about my gender and all. They called me sick in the head. And that was that.”

“Oh my gosh, that’s terrible, Ari! I’m so sorry!” Reina plated the eggs and brought the plate over to Ari. Dropping it on the counter, she rushed over and hugged Ari. “No one should be treated like that!”

“Awe, thanks Reina, I appreciate it.” And they really did. They hadn’t been hugged like that in a long time. The guild was full of guys, stubborn about showing any sort of mild affection. They never got hugs from anyone but Antonio and Otter. They leaned into the hug until Reina broke away.

“Let me get the sugar.” Reina picked up the plate and walked to the front of the bar. Grabbing the sugar shaker, she brought it over and sprinkled a little sugar over the eggs. “Is that good?”

“A little more, please. I like them extra sweet.”

Reina laughed. “You’re so weird, Ari!” She set the plate down in front of them.

Ari giggled with her, “You’d be surprised at how often I get that!”

“Have you been on a lot of fun adventures? I’d imagine the life of an adventurer is so exciting!”

“Yes and no. Sure, I’ve had fun ones. Like I once helped Baroness Amina by chasing her escaped cat all over the capital! My partner, Antonio, got so scratched up in the end, he was so mad!”

Ari chuckled at the recollection, seeing Antonio’s face red with rage, steam practically rising from his ears. ‘Fuck this cat!’ he’d yelled as he held it in the air. ‘I am never taking a job like this again!’ Ari had laughed so hard that day, probably the hardest they’d ever laughed. Antonio earned a kiss from them after that, for being brave in the face of ‘great’ adversity. Slowly, Ari shook the bittersweet thought from their head. 

“You have a partner?” Reina’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Oh, um.” Ari paused, not sure how much they wanted to explain about Antonio. “Yes, he was my guild partner. We ran jobs together as a pair.”

“Oh, guild members really do that?”

“Well, Otter made me do it!” They laughed. “He’s never trusted me out on my own until now. And for good reason. This is my first solo job ever.”

“REALLY?!” Reina leaned forward over the bar slightly, totally interested.

“Yeah. I hope I’m not disappointing.” Ari twirled a strand of their hair in their fingers.

“What?! No! With all the help you’ve been providing? You could never! We’re so grateful to have you here!”

“I’m so grateful to be here! I’m learning so much!” Ari smiled. They really were glad to be here.

“Well, good morning, Ari!” Hemlock walked down the stairs behind the bar. “Eggs this morning?”

“With sugar!” Reina exclaimed.

“What? Is that what they eat in the capital nowadays?” Hemlock reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over with an amused expression.

“Nah,” Ari beamed. “Special request.”

----------

March hammered away on his latest order, a shield that was to be put on display in one of the capital museums. Just another annoying piece that was going to go unused. There had been a surprising lack of Ari this morning, and that made his smug heart sing. Maybe they had finally left Mistria after all. The steady ‘clang clang clang’ of his hammer helped March stay focused, his thoughts off Ari, its loud strike sending thundering waves of sound cracking through the air. He stopped to wipe the sweat off his brow, the forge a roaring heat that kept him roasting at all times. Only, when he stopped…

‘Clang clang clang’ echoed through the air.

March’s face screwed up in confusion. He stared dumbfounded at the hammer resting against the anvil. He wasn’t stupid. He wasn’t. There was nothing like his hammer in town, nothing that could match the sound. But this sound came from The Narrows, a little less metallic than the strikes against the anvil. He was sure of it. If he had the time, if he wasn’t so backed up on orders, he would have gone to check it out. But…he stared at the shield on his anvil, slowly cooling. He couldn’t justify it. Maybe someone would know something at the inn later tonight.

March went back to work on the shield, the rhythmic noise pounding out most of his thoughts before he dwelled too long. He got lost in his craft, drawing and shaping the shield. He moved it from the hot end of the anvil to the cold and back again, refining its shape.

“March!” Olric approached from The Narrows at a brisk pace. “Errol reopened the mines!” March stuttered, his strike missing its mark as he slammed the hammer down on the very edge of the shield, causing it to bend.

“Shit!”

“Sorry,” Olric winced as he reached March.

“Not your fault.” March grabbed his tongs and placed the shield back in the forge. It would need to heat back up for him to hammer that curve back out. More time added to the order, great.

“Is that the one for the museum?”

“Yeah.” March paused. “You said the mines are back open? What the fuck has Errol opening them back up?” Just last week he vehemently protested when asked by Eiland. He’d overheard the conversation at the inn that night. March walked over to stoke the flames of the forge.

“Ari!” Olric’s voice dripped with overzealous joy.

“ What?! ” The poker slipped into the fire further than March anticipated as he missed the log he intended to hit. He quickly pulled his hand back to keep from getting burned.

“Yeah! Errol promised Ari and Eiland that if the town’s rank got back to stone, he would open the mines back up! Not commercially, but just so that Ari could explore and get ore and such. I think I might ask them to try and find Errol’s old pickaxe. I bet he would like that.”

How. How did Ari of all people get Errol to open the mines back up? Just what was happening to Mistria? It was like everyone fawned at their feet. Not him though. He could see right through their bullshit. They were only doing this for the money. When they got what they wanted, they would be gone. Just like everyone else.

----------

‘My ore shipment is running late, and my lazy brother won’t go into the “condemned, super spooky mine” for me, so someone else has to do it! Bring me 3 pieces of copper ore! Or don’t! Whatever!’

March had gotten up extra early to post the request to the board in the cover of the dark. He didn’t want anyone to see him of all people posting the request. Sure, everyone posted requests, but not him. He didn’t need the help. Well, at least until now. It was true that his shipment was running late. Balor had told him that his source had fallen through and he had to find a new one. ‘It might take a few days.’ March had sighed at the comment but accepted that this was happening. Again.

Balor’s supply lines were constantly changing. No one supplier could offer a secure supply of ore. It irked March. Before the mine had closed, he’d had an overabundance of ore, rarely running out. He only recalled it nearly happening once or twice in all his years of smithing. The one he remembered specifically was when all the workers caught a respiratory bug from one of the commuting workers from the nearby town of Galssop. Orlic had coughed for days and eventually, March caught the bug too. It put him behind on three days worth of work. And with the late ore delivery from the mine, he’d run just shy of being completely out of ore. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if he did. Only now…now he was running dangerously low. If he didn’t get the three pieces of copper ore, he wouldn’t be able to complete his current order on time.

He distracted himself from the looming deadline by working on other projects in the meantime, bumping the rush order out of its place in line. ‘Come on, Ari,” he thought, ‘hurry up!’ He knew they checked the board every morning and took almost all of the requests. But would they take his?

Ore didn’t take long to mine if you went deep enough in the mines. He wasn’t even asking for ingots. He could do that himself. Just ore. How long did it take for that stupid adventurer to go dig for it? If it took past tomorrow, he figured he’d just have to go do it himself with one of the spare pickaxes in the shop. He could sharpen it back after he used it to make it look like it hadn’t been used. And he’d been in the mines before the earthquake. They weren’t too hard to navigate.

March worked late into the night, as usual, his hammer sounding out every hit long after the sun had set. He’d never heard any complaints from anyone in town though, thank god. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if he didn’t have the extra evening hours to work on his orders.

As he paused to take a sip of the water he always kept next to the forge, he swore he heard a scraping sound from the west. Turning to look at the path to The Narrows, it looked like there was a shadowy figure emerging from the dark. He squinted, trying to get a better look. The dark form seemed to limp down the hill, off the worn cobblestone roads of the city. Just who in the world was that? And what were they dragging behind them? The scraping grew softer as the figure faded away into the depths of the blanket of night. March stared confused, puzzled look on his face. What had he just seen?

He let out a breath and looked between the forge and the project on the anvil. It could wait. It was way too late and in all honesty, that had creeped him out a bit. Taking the bucket of water resting by the forge, he tossed it on the open fire, extinguishing it completely with one throw. He headed inside.

Olric, hearing the door to the smithy shut and lock, popped his head out of his room. “Done for the night, bro?

“Yeah. Ran out of the ore I needed,” March lied.

“Aw, damn. Maybe tomorrow request it on the board. I know Ari would be happy to help! They said were excited to go down in the mine.”

Ha, who in the right mind would be excited to go down into mine and collect rocks? Well, aside from Olric. Ari really was pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes. They weren’t here to help. They were just here to collect a paycheck and be on their way. Pathetic.

“Well,” Olric yawned, “early day tomorrow. It’s going to be a nice morning according to Juniper. Gonna get a head start on my run. Cardio can’t be skipped!”

“Good night.” March waved his hand at his brother as he went to his room.

“Sleep well, little bro!”

March shut his door and prepared for sleep, letting it take him as soon as it came.

----------

“What the–YOU completed my request?”

Ari stood in front of March, rooting around in their bag. He had just got the forge up to temperature when they had strolled up, glistening smile plastered over their face. “Yeah! I went down in the mine yesterday. Wasn’t too hard to find!”

March stood, shocked that they had actually done it. Ari looked rough. Cuts, bruises, and welts covered their arms. What even had they done down there to get so beat up? Maybe farming was actually taking its toll on them. He hadn’t seen them in a few days after all.

“Aha! Here they are!” Ari held out three copper ore to him. They were still caked in dirt but they were free from any major chunks of rock. Heat rose with him, and he swore his eye twitched. They’d completed his request. It had barely taken them longer than a day. How the fuck–?

“Fine,” he huffed, “let’s go get your reward…” How irksome.

They followed him into the shop as he went to the counter and took out the owed Tesserae. “There!” Thrusting it into their hands, he headed to the door of the shop, forge waiting for the first piece of metal to be thrown in.

“Thanks, March!” Their voice was way too cheery for his liking.

“Now scram, I have work to do.” He pushed the door open and walked outside. The bell on the door jingled a moment later as he reached the forge.

There was a beat of silence as he placed the metal into the fire before a voice cut through the soothing roar of the flames. “It’s good to hear you back at work, March! I guess that means someone completed your request?”

“Lady Adeline!” He moved from the furnace toward Adeline. How did she know? Well, knowing her, she monitored all requests on the board. Great. “Uh…yes, it does.”

“Happy to help out!” Ari stood by Adeline with that dumb smile again.

“Oh, how wonderful!” Adeline said as she turned toward the adventurer. “Thank you, Ari!”

“Thank you, Ari,” March parroted, the words bitter as they flowed out of his mouth. Heat burned at his cheeks while he forced an exaggerated frown.

“Oh!” Adeline spun on March. “I have an idea! As an extra reward, why don’t you give Ari a quick lesson in blacksmithing? Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

March wanted to gape. He wanted to rage, to yell, ‘like hell it does!’ Seriously, teaching them his craft? They’d never get it. They were just an adventurer, capital scum. But could he even say no to Adeline? He doubted it. She had helped out immensely in trying to secure materials for the town. And a dumb, willing body to help. Even if that had been her worst move.

“...Sure,” he sighed. This was taking up his work time. He glanced at the piece in the forge. It would take a while to get to temperature. Taking the new ore from his pile, he brushed them off placed them in the forge along with his one remaining ore. “Blacksmithing is a craft that takes time, skill, and good materials.” he started. “With enough practice, anyone can become a passable blacksmith.” And it was true. It wasn’t hard to learn for those who had the capacity to learn. He doubted Ari did though. “But a true artisan like myself can take it a step further and infuse metal with new power! “You,” he turned to eye Ari who looked absolutely content to be standing there and listening, stupid expression all over their face, “you’re not ready for that.”

He turned back to the forge, gathering his tongs and copper ingot mold before taking the now molten metal out and pouring it into the mold. “Come back later tonight once it’s cooled and you can have it.” The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop them. Anger burned in him at his snap decision. Was he seriously giving away an ingot that he needed? Seriously?!

“Really?” Ari’s eyes sparkled with delight. His stomach flipped for some unknown reason.

“You’re giving it to Ari? How generous, March!” Adeline clapped her hands once in excitement.

“I– Y-yeah! Sure! Why not!” March tensed, the burning back in his cheeks in force. And this time, he swore his ears were heating up too. What a fucking joke.

“What did I tell you, Ari? He’s a big softy, really. I’m sure he’ll be happy to lend you this forge whenever you want to work on your blacksmithing.”

Ari laughed. Laughed! “That sounds great!”

What was this? Was his forge now community property? Like hell if it was. And him, a softy? Yeah right.

“I…I…” March stuttered. He tried to calm himself. They wouldn’t use the forge, he knew they wouldn’t. What, a person from the capital willingly getting their hands dirty? Ha. But then, Ari had been down in the mines, hadn’t they? Fresh anger rose within him. “Fine! I have other work to take care of!”

He stormed off in the direction of the shop. He paused on his path, just for a second, and leaned down to whisper something in Ari’s ear. March poured all the bitterness within him into the words. “Don’t get it my way.” With that, he turned and walked into the smithy.

He watched as Adeline and Ari stood outside the shop, talking and laughing with gusto. Fucking adventurer.

----------

March awoke to the sound of hammering from outside. He blinked as he stared at the ceiling, confused. Olric didn’t tell him that he would be out so early at the forge this morning. He got up and got dressed in his half-asleep state, tugging his headband firmly around his forehead as he exited his room. Time for another day of work.

He stepped out of the smithy and let the morning rays of sunlight warm his back. Judging by where the shadows lay on the ground, it was a bit later than he normally got up. Ah, right. Last night came back to him. He’d gotten piss drunk at the inn last night for his birthday. They’s celebrated a day early this year, allowing time for everyone to set up for the Spring Festival on the 17th. Regardless, it had been a nice way to end the evening. But, he’d overslept this morning after staying out late. It wasn’t too bad though. He was caught up on orders, after all. He had the time.

“Olric,” March called as he rounded the corner of the building. “What order are you wo-” March paused. There, at the forge, stood Ari. “What the hell?” He blinked, making sure he was seeing things right. “Ari?”

“Oh, hi March!” Ari hit the hot metal once more before leaning the hammer against the anvil. “Sorry, am I in your way? I’m almost done!”

“The hell are you doing?”

“I’m making a shovel! I figured it would be cheaper if I made one with some of my leftover ore. I…well, a lot of my money goes to seeds, so I don’t have much to spare. And I’m about ready to expand my field, so…shovel!” Ari grinned at him excitedly. They held up the shovel head with the tongs, proudly showing it off.

It…wasn’t half bad. How had they done it? He didn’t teach them how to forge a shovel yesterday. Where did they get the knowledge from? Olric? No, Olric sucked at shovels.

Ari dipped the shovel in the cooling oil. “I hope you don’t mind I used the forge. Yours is nice, by the way! Bigger than any I have ever used.”

“Y-you’ve used a forge before?” No way. There was no fucking way this dipshit had used a forge before.

“Yes!” Ari pulled their hair down from their ponytail, shaking it out with their hand. “My father is a jeweler. His pieces are well-known throughout the capital. I learned a bit growing up. Mostly, I just worked on small rings and bracelets. Nothing major.”

Nothing major? The delicacy and precision it took to create such things took a skilled hand! Who in the world was Ari? A father with a hand in capital jewelry? They couldn’t have come from a poor family. Somehow, that angered him every more. A rich adventurer, coming to his town for what, renown? It had to be. If they had money back home, why would they have come to Mistira of all places? Just to put their name on things? Pathetic. 

“Oh, right!” Ari walked over to him, taking off their backpack and digging through it as they walked. “Olric told me it was your birthday today. And Ryis told me you like chocolate, so here! Happy birthday!” A wrapped chocolate bar was thrust in his direction. It was one that he didn’t recognize. Maybe it was from the capital?

March stared at it and blinked, all his emotions erased and taken over by a sudden confusion. A chocolate bar…for him…for his birthday…from this stranger?

“Do you not like it?” Ari cocked their head. “Did I get it wrong?”

‘Did I get it wrong?’ What the fuck? How had Ari finessed this information out of Olric and Ryis? Well, Olric he knew. Olric loved to share his knowledge of people. But Ryis? Ari had to have asked. There was no way Ryis would up and volunteer the information. So, Ari had asked about him. His stomach flipped, the feeling sending a wave of uneasiness through him.

“Did Olric put you up to this?” He narrowed his eyes at them.

“What? No! I asked him when your birthday was.” Ari looked a little taken aback.

March sighed and snatched the chocolate bar from their hand, opening it and taking a bite. If they wanted a show, he’d put one on for them. He’d spit it out and claim that it was horrible.

But…“Oh.” He paused, letting the rich sweetness settle over his tongue. Shit. “This is…not bad.” There went his plan.

Ari smiled brightly. “Right? It’s my favorite one! Too bad Holt and Nora don’t sell it here.”

March almost missed it. For just a millisecond, Ari frowned. A genuine frown. So, they did have another emotion other than their default bubbly one. They seemed so genuinely pleased all the time, it almost thrilled him that they could be miserable too. March took another bite of the chocolate, processing this new information.

“Well,” Ari looked back to the forge. “Let me get this shovel out of your way. It should be cool now and I know you have work to do.”

That was the understatement of the season.

Ari went over and grabbed the tongs, pulling the shovel head out of the oil. They washed it down with the water next to the forge and gently dried it with one of his spare towels. Ari folded the towel neatly after they were done and looked around the forge.

“Where would you like this,” Ari asked, glancing over their shoulder.

March pointed to a spot right of the forge. They set the towel down and turned back around to face him, smile even brighter than normal.

“Thanks so much for letting me use the forge!” Ari bent down and opened their backpack,  shoving the shovel head in with a little bit of difficulty. He saw them mouthing words to themself as they pushed it this way and that, face stiff with concentration. After taking out a radish of all things, they managed to get it in, a satisfactory smirk filling their face. 

‘Huh,’ March thought. It seemed that Ari had more than one dimension. Not that he cared. They’d be gone by the end of Spring, he knew it.

“I better take this to Hayden,” Ari muttered as they stood back up and situated their backpack. “I bet he’ll have a use for it. Maybe Henrietta will like it!” They turned back toward March with a pleasant grin. “Bye March, have a good day!” Ari waved as they walked off toward the path to The Narrows.

March took the final bite of his chocolate bar. Ari was not growing on him.

----------

Author's Note:

Hello! Shimmer here! Dual POV engaged! Finally, some of Ari’s backstory. I’m excited to share more! My fingers hurt from all the typing! Thanks for bearing with me through those first two chapters, I know they might have been a bit of a slog. I'm bad with first chapters, oof. Thanks for reading! <3

[ruiniel]

Finding Anghabar

A friend showed me an overly enthusiastic cave exploration video and it reminded me of an old scene I wrote for a story featuring Maeglin. Said story is now unpublished but revived the scene here.

They traveled a narrow vale between the mountain peaks for much of the day, and would soon set camp and wait for dawn to move forward. Their animal companions needed to regain their strength.

The first few days and nights passed uneventfully as the group ventured deeper into the recesses of the mountain range. It was colder here, and the wind blew mercilessly as they climbed, but they were prepared and the natural resistance and hardiness of their bodies before the elements aided them.

Ten days passed in this manner, with smaller successes along the road as minor deposits of silver and gold ore were found. These places were marked for the future. When dusk was nigh, Tanwetamo gave the signal to raise camp in a vale surrounded by steep crags. All knew their tasks and took to them, either by raising protective enclosures to sleep in or by starting fires.

Maeglin looked to the unwelcoming crests, rising dark and silent against the skies. As his eyes listlessly roamed, he noticed a hollow within the slope of one of the surrounding cliffs. Dropping his pack, he called to Tanwetamo.

“What is it you see, prince?” This was the first time they’d taken this route, and any new possibility was worth exploring.

“Set your sight ahead. I think that may merit our interest.” He pointed towards the very place.

Tanwetamo looked to where Maeglin showed, and his interest was peaked indeed. Turning, he motioned for Mercion and a few others to join. “Let us climb for a closer view.”

The group reached the narrow crevice and saw it was wide enough for one of lithe frame to pass through. Maeglin entered first, followed by the rest. It was dark and humid inside. They discerned a wide cavern, possibly running longer than their sight could determine. There was no sign of life, but a curious scent lingered in the musty air.

Maeglin and Tanwetamo climbed through to one side, nimbly sprinting across boulders and debris. They drew closer to one wall. Maeglin placed his fingers upon the cold surface, tracing thin, dark grey lines which shimmered encased within the stone. His eyes widened.

“Iron!” he looked at Tanwetamo. “So much of it!”

Indeed, as the master craftsman inspected the wall, his features lit in wonder. Everywhere were signs of a rich seam of what could only be hard iron. This they needed, and had sought for a long time. It was not only used for building weapons and armor, but required for structural enhancements to the city.

The others also noticed the clear signs of the element and were glad, seeing their efforts already rewarded.

Tanwetamo placed a firm hand on the prince’s shoulder. “This find is yours. Let us mark it and—“ before he could continue, there came a sundering.

Heads swiveled to the source, only to fall upon an immense creature lumbering in the dark, making its way toward them. Its form was layered with patches of greenish scales. It stood tall as a threatening colossus with a maw of sharp, jagged teeth. Green liquid dribbled down its chin. It roared and tumbled forward, limbs crashing stone with little effort.

The group evaded as they could with their light sprints, but their new enemy followed, eyes set on the intruders.

“All to me!” Tanwetamo called, his voice stern as the elves drew their weapons.

Maeglin tried to think. Eöl had told him of this. Fell creatures inhabited the hidden recesses of the world, and though sparse, there were chances for one to stumble upon such. He tried to recall the descriptions... the one before them most closely resembled a troll, the cave-dwelling kind. Their strength surpassed their eyesight, and though Maeglin had never seen one in the flesh before, his father had told stories of encountering and defeating one.

Just then the troll roared again, its powerful thrusts unleashing an avalanche of stone. A few elves escaped the enclosure through the narrow opening, but the falling debris trapped the others, who could go no further.

Anguirel drawn, Maeglin was running towards Tanwetamo, who’d been struck by a falling boulder. The master smith now rose to his knees in a dazed attempt, bleeding profusely from a gash to the side of his head. His weapon lay a good distance away. With little thought in terms of precaution, Maeglin took flight from one sharp outcropping of rock and soared, landing on the troll’s back.

He fluidly vaulted and evaded its attempts at throwing him off. ‘Between the eyes, my son. That is where it is most vulnerable. And the back of its head.’

In one leap, holding his black sword with both hands, Maeglin thrust the blade through the base of its skull.

The troll shook, and he was too slow in evading a heavy arm as it shot upward in a confusing array of desperate movement, striking him with the full force of a falling mountain. Eyesight dimming, he crashed into the eastern wall of the cave, and did not rise again.

[kozykricket]

alright my current brainrot is apparently pokemon scarvio so

ill be discussing various leaks past the read more line, so this is your chance to scroll on by! its my prediction for the DLC(s) for sv!

Alright, so before we get into the leaks lets just make it clear - we know the whole mystery of the disk pokemon. we know heath talked to it, we know the paradox of the past/future pokemon appearing in heaths time, before the time machine was made. for most of this, ill be talking about violet/turo/future mons, for convenience. we know that the third legendary or mythical or something *spoke* to heath, in some way, and made him scribble things in his book. i believe those are instructions for making "the time machine" but he couldnt quite figure it out. some have pointed out discrepancies in the sketches and photos of paradox donphans, and i actually think that might be significant. maybe heath, in his curiosity for the unknown, and creative imagination... thought he saw something unlike anything he had ever seen before... but was it just his imagination? perhaps. maybe it was actually there already, formed from his desires, or maybe it was just a normal donphan that they got a bad picture of. either way, this sparked his curiosity about... what mysterious creatures lie in this dangerous crater. surely something of a treasure (finding your treasure IS a big theme in sv, and we know that researchers went there to find a treasure) perhaps this third legendary relies on your desires, of what you WANT to see... and makes them real. i really do believe it! i mean, with unova being the next in the remake lineup assumedly, is a dream world that crazy of an idea? so then we have the young turo, with his childlike wonder... loving the violet book so much, and imagining what pokemon from the future could be like. imagining such exaggerated features - though the exaggerated features are more noteworthy in the ancient paradox forms (billion year old jigglypuff with fangs? really?) but back to the experience heath had, oftentimes, things that can enter your freaking dreams tend to be all about granting wishes of impossible stuff becoming real, but for a price. i think this legendary has lost its power in some way, and needed the machine that it simply referred to as a time machine to turo... to make his dreams reality. it must be in control of the terastal phenomenon too, no doubt - which is a reality-altering effect. it darkens everything around the pokemon, gives it a hat with a weird little face around the bottom of it... and... agh, this is incomprehensible isnt it? my writing is SO unorganized i need to work on that listen, im gonna leap forward a bit -its a desire based legendary, it brings what you want to be real to the world, but needs human intervention to truly harness its power. theres some great videos ill link at the bottom of the post going further into some speculation on the third legendary - i also think tyranitartube has some alright videos on the whole mystery of it but i said id be talking about the DLCs well, a certain fake leak inspired me. "The Magenta Mirage DLC" It's confirmed fake, but like- scarlet and violet are the ends of the light spectrum, and magenta is unique for not being on the light spectrum. its a color that our minds "make up" if you will. an imaginary color but what about riddler khus golden/amber heart? didnt he say the dlcs "color" would be yellow? well, theres 2 datamined item sprites with no names or code attached to them in SV. one is a golden, spiky rock of sorts, and the other is a strange runic stone with a *magenta* swirl. could this be the armorite and dynite ore of this generation? we have a golden land DLC first, sparking more mysteries about terastallization, and then we have the magenta dlc that gives us closure with the mythical tera-type master pokemon? perhaps ALSO THE PARADISE PROTECTION PROTOCOL IS TOTALLY THE MYTHICAL POKEMON FIGHTING US THROUGH AI TURO I MEAN COME ON ITS LITERALLY JGHTRJUHFJUHJ ITS . IT TERASTALLIZES. oh right, i didnt even mention that people datamined that signature moves for paradox suicune/virizion exist. pokemon that... were sketched as hypotheticals. existing well then

now time for photo/link dump The Truth Behind the Disk Pokemon

The cut item sprites

an interesting video by tyranitartube, covers some fun speculation honestly tldr its all about your wildest dreams... your treasure.. becoming real

[starseedfxofficial]

Long-Term Secrets for Trading AUD/NZD: Insights and Strategies The Long-Term Edge: Secrets of Trading the Australian Dollar and New Zealand Dollar When it comes to the Forex market, few pairs embody a dance of similarities and subtle differences like the Australian Dollar (AUD) and New Zealand Dollar (NZD). Often called the "Aussie-Kiwi pair," this currency duo has its quirks, and mastering its dynamics can feel like learning to surf—daunting at first, but exhilarating once you catch the wave. Let’s dive into the undercurrents and explore the long-term strategies that separate the hobbyists from the pros. Why AUD/NZD is the Perfect Long-Term Play Trading the AUD/NZD pair is like comparing two siblings with shared traits but distinct personalities. Both currencies are influenced by commodities, economic policies, and geographic proximity, but their economies are not identical. Understanding these nuances is the first step to building a robust long-term trading strategy. Commodity Connection: A Double-Edged Sword Both Australia and New Zealand are major exporters of commodities, but the type of goods they rely on differs. Australia’s economy is heavily influenced by iron ore and coal exports, while New Zealand depends more on dairy products and agricultural goods. This means: - When commodity prices rise: AUD often benefits more from a global infrastructure boom. - When agricultural demand spikes: NZD gains strength due to its dairy dominance. The trick is identifying long-term trends in these industries and timing your entries accordingly. Think of it as reading the tea leaves—except the tea is made from iron and milk. The "Secret Sauce" of Long-Term AUD/NZD Trading 1. Interest Rate Differentials: The Heartbeat of the Pair Central banks—the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ)—are pivotal in shaping this pair. Interest rate differentials between the two can create profitable long-term opportunities. - Pro Tip: Monitor central bank meeting minutes and policy announcements. For instance, if the RBA hints at raising rates while the RBNZ leans dovish, expect the AUD to gain strength relative to the NZD. 2. Seasonal Trends: The Market’s Unofficial Calendar Here’s an insider secret: AUD/NZD exhibits seasonal behaviors due to commodity cycles and trade agreements. For example, dairy export demands often peak during specific quarters, benefiting NZD. Recognizing these patterns can give you an edge. - Witty Tip: It’s like knowing when your favorite coffee shop offers a discount—you’ll always get the best deal. 3. Volatility as an Opportunity While this pair is generally less volatile compared to majors like EUR/USD, it’s not immune to sudden moves, especially during major economic releases. Long-term traders can capitalize on these spikes by using them to enter positions at better prices. - Humor Angle: Think of volatility as the unexpected rain on a sunny day—if you’re prepared, you can collect rainwater for later use. Avoid These Common Pitfalls 1. Neglecting Correlation with Other Pairs AUD and NZD often correlate with other major pairs like AUD/USD or NZD/USD. Ignoring these relationships is like ignoring the GPS while driving—you’ll miss critical turns. 2. Overlooking Economic Data Releases Key reports such as GDP growth, employment figures, and trade balances from both countries can impact this pair significantly. Staying updated is non-negotiable. - Funny Take: Forgetting about economic releases is like baking a cake and forgetting to preheat the oven—things might still work, but it’ll be a mess. 3. Impatience in Long-Term Trading Long-term trading is a marathon, not a sprint. Avoid the temptation to micromanage every market movement. Trust your analysis and let the trade play out. Game-Changing Strategies for the AUD/NZD Pair 1. Position Trading with Carry Trades The AUD/NZD pair is a favorite for carry traders due to its stable interest rate differentials. By holding a position overnight, traders can earn interest on the higher-yielding currency while borrowing the lower-yielding one. 2. Fundamental Analysis Meets Technical Precision Combine macroeconomic analysis with technical tools like Fibonacci retracements or moving averages to refine your entries and exits. For instance, use support and resistance levels to time your trades within the broader fundamental framework. - Pro Tip: Look for confluence—when multiple indicators point to the same conclusion, your probability of success increases exponentially. 3. Diversification with Cross-Pair Strategies Don’t limit yourself to AUD/NZD alone. Diversify your portfolio by analyzing correlated pairs to hedge your risks and amplify your gains. The Long-Term Mindset: Patience and Persistence Trading the AUD/NZD pair isn’t about quick wins. It’s about playing the long game, staying informed, and refining your strategies over time. Remember, even the most experienced traders face challenges, but those who persist often find themselves ahead. Takeaways and Next Steps - Understand the Fundamentals: Dive deep into the economic drivers of both Australia and New Zealand. - Stay Updated: Keep an eye on central bank policies and commodity trends. - Use Tools Wisely: Combine technical and fundamental analysis for a holistic approach. Ready to level up your trading game? Explore our advanced strategies and exclusive tools at StarseedFX. From free trading plans to smart trading tools, we have everything you need to succeed in the Forex market. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article

[signedandsealed]

~<> Night of Luxuria* <>~

~<>~<>~<>~

(Cuisse de Nymph Emue*)

Like cuisse de nymph emue

Pearly pinks upon your cheeks

Doth bristly swirls imbue

(Eyes O' Liquid Solitaires)

And lashes zibeline;*

Spanish fans o' jet-black lace

Fall slow as honey streams

(Magnolia Blossom Boat Vigil*)

Tableau* indica* aflame

Upon the blackened water

Stella* traces scrivened* lines upon Her astral plane.

(Spring Shower Rosebuds*)

Decolletage* protrusions

And Turquin* veins; ores of blue;

Necktight satin bowstrings, a Gift to see unloosened.

(Trumeau Miroir*)

In the mirror, savage visions...

Such a lovely apartment;

Then appears a Lynx*, understanding concision.

(Chambre a Coucher*)

She rises from the en suite bain* like a meadow fog;

Rising like The Birth of Venus* from the fog and seafoam on a scallop shell.

Grabbing her robes, she searches for her dog.

(Lady Lynx)

Feet tucked under her frame

And stroking lapdog on divan

Her chatoyant* eyes fixed, never follow, but flame.

(A La Nude)

Dissolution of paints, pigments, kohl*...

Only raw Nature, sarcoline* and lurid

Suddenly up, she is standing w/ robes undone.

(Dishabille Exposé*)

Pale Parian* splendor

Exposed as a lea* buttercup, naked in the wind

And the fiery orbs* of the instrumentum diaboli*, beckon ENTER.

~<>~<>~<>~

Since this poem is macaronic in nature, I made due haste to incorporate annotations describing obscure terms, or words utilized of multiple languages. This poem was partially inspired by Shady Grove by bluegrass master Doc Watson, but is more on the lust spectrum. The annotations are marked by asterisks and are in order from first to last. Most annotations gleaned from sources online or in books. Some are my own.

Backstory - The poem follows a preparation, date night, return to woman's apartment and the ensuing activities. The woman is possibly a high-class courtesan, or simply a girlfriend in lust.

ANNOTATIONS:

- Luxuria - Self-indulgent sexual desire (personified as one of the deadly sins).

- Cuisse de nymph emue - [thigh of an emotional nymph] was the trade name of a popular variety of pink paint, adapted from that of a variety of rose.

- Zibeline - The fur of the sable.

- Fallen magnolia blossoms used as sailboats on reflecting pools at night. They hold teacup candles and are reminiscent of East Indian traditions.

- Late 17th century (in the sense ‘picture’, figuratively ‘picturesque description’): from French, literally ‘picture’, diminutive of table.

- Indica: Latin for "of India."

- Stella: Latin for "star."

- Scrive - To draw a line w/ a pointed tool. Indicating a star's itinerary through the sky.

- Spring Shower Rosebuds - Indicating female nipples.

- Decolletage - A woman's cleavage as revealed by a plunging neckline. Made popular in 18th century French fashion. Many fashionable women went so far as to expose one or both nipples on occasion; or their bodice was cut so low that w/ the slightest movement a nipple might make a suprise appearance.)

- Turquin - A type of blue marble.

- Trumeau Miroir - French for mirror. A specific —French— type.

- Lynx - Referring to the animal nature of the woman in question. She is lynx like.

- Chambre a Coucher - French for a bedroom suite containing a stand-in bathroom.

- Bain - French for bath.

- Birth of Venus - A goddess born on a spray of seafoam. The goddess of beauty.

- Chatoyant - Having a varying lustre, like a cat's eyes at night.

- Kohl - Dark black pigment used before mascara. Popular in the middle east.

- Sarcoline - Flesh-colored.

- Dishabille - The state of being only partly or scantily clothed.

- Parian - A white marble.

- Lea - A meadow.

- Orbs - Reference to said woman's eyes.

- Instrumentum Diaboli - Latin for "devil's instrument."

[themegachessatron]

A Review of my time in Skyrim's Prisons (Featuring Some Followers): Cidna Mine

This is it.

This is the last in my series reviewing the prisons of Skyrim's hold capitals. Our topic this time is Cidna Mine, easily Skyrim's most infamous jailing facility. My experience in this prison is a large story filled with the good and the bad. So, how does the big daddy of Skyrim jails compare to its peers?

For the first time entering a cell, I was greeted by a staff member and told what was expected of me explicitly. She made it clear that this prison prioritises punishing prisoners with manual labour for the benefit of those in power than any form of rehabilitation. This idea is present throughout the prison itself. My greeting room (which doesn't function as a room for individuals) was only decorated with the essentials for its function. A table and sac containing items unknown. It was here that I was temporarily separated from my associates. The key word there being "temporarily"...

Sofia, who hadn't had her equipment removed (my associates' abilities to not have their things taken continues to baffle me) quickly found my location and then proceeded to show off a new skill of hers.

This woman, in all of her drunkenness, has somehow managed to master the incredible magical art of phasing through cell doors. She didn't pick the lock, she didn't teleport, she phased THROUGH. THE. DOORS. HOW?! I was shocked, and somewhat still am. She still refuses to share the secret of this ability to me to this day.

…Which made it all the more annoying when she almost immediately proceeded to do it again, all without explanation. Sometimes this woman confuses and frightens me.

Putting aside Sofia's ability to defy the very existence of metal cage doors, we were shuffled down into the main open space of the mine. A small fireplace illuminated the dark cavern, littered with pickaxes all throughout for prisoners to use to earn their very survival as the man pictured sitting at the fire told us is the case. What is plainly visible in this prison is function over fashion. The open space is able to account many prisoners at once and the lack of any proper seating/ bedding reinforces the core message of the jail. These prisoners are meant to suffer.

Moving more directly to the left we observe a more dimly lit path filled with ore veins, teeming with silver. A wheelbarrow is handily provided for prisoners to kart any silver they dig up, displaying a degree of efficiency not always seen in Nord mines.

It was while returning to the central cavern that the rest of our team reached our location. Inigo's superior sniffing service allowed him to pinpoint where in the prison I was and rally our friends to regroup. This made navigating the mine and escaping it simultaneously easier thanks to greater collective strength and harder as my friends would often block vital narrow hallways.

The opposing side of the mine was far more cramped than the first, with plenty of loose pickaxes scattered about. Under normal circumstances I'd say the liberal scattering of pointed cold metal tools would be unsafe for prisoners to be around, but seeing as the powers that be clearly do not care for the safety of prisoners at all and very rarely check on them it's not that much of an issue. After fully exploring this side of the mine, I was presented with the question of how to leave the mine.

Uraccen, a prisoner in these mines for many years that was as skinny as a pickaxe's handle and as pale as the snow was very helpful in providing insight as to the culture of prisoners in Cidna Mine, while also pointing me to someone who could aid in my departure from the mine. Madanach, a Forsworn leader who had been orchestrating the terrorist attacks on Markarth from inside Cidna Mine. However, reaching the "King in Rags" required getting past his guard dog.

The brute in question, aptly named Borkul the Beast, was built with a greater toughness than the rocks he leaned upon and a face that not even a mother could love. He guarded the door to Madanach's private room and looked to be a tough nut to crack. In all actuality that couldn't have been further from the truth. All I had to do was lie very slightly to convince him to let me through for an audience with the King in Rags.

Madanach's private space was, in stark contrast to the rest of the mine, was lavishly decorated with a full single bed, a storage chest (or potentially a prisoner belonging chest that may or may not contain Boots of the Old Gods), a desk with chair, multiple barrels, a rug to comfort the feet and plenty of food and drink. This abode is highly luxurious and clearly highlights the special treatment Madanach receives from his arrangement with the Silver Bloods. It highlights how willing the staff operating Cidna Mine are to go the extra mile for their prisoners (assuming said prisoners are high ranking members of the Forsworn with great influence over a native culture that is).

Madanach indulged us with his history, as well as that of many of the prisoners in the Mine. His story is one of oppression, corruption and injustice; three traits that the stories of many of his cellmates share also. In this our group understood the gravity of the Markarth conflict and made a mutual decision to aid in the escape of the prisoners of Cidna Mine so as to deal a blow to the corrupt sphere of Markarth. Before fully accepting our co-operation though, Madanach had us prove our loyalty to helping his cause by... eliminating one of the prisoners.

I took no pride in his assassination. As the smell of cooking flesh entered my nostrils and the emerald embers spewed from his cadaver I fought internally as to why Madanach had felt this a necessity. While yes, the man was beyond a point of benefiting his cause, killing the poor man felt like a betrayal of what Madanach himself had preached only minutes ago. Either way, the deed was done. The poor sap had ascended to Aetherius and I finally had a chance to show off the cool looking green fire magic I had learned, so I suppose it wasn't all bad.

It was after this that Madanach had stated his need to address what prisoners weren't currently burning to a chartreuse crisp in a riveting pre-escape speech. A great idea... were it not for the brief instance of mental rot he experienced on his way there that saw him compelled to forcefully walk into a wall of the narrow hallway between his room and the main cavern. I am unsure as to the explanation behind such brain rot, but the nature of the walls of the hallway were found to be very intriguing by Teldryn, who proceeded to stare blankly at the opposite wall for multiple minutes (perhaps some latant, ancient Dwemer magic at play?). Both did eventually regain their senses, but not before some gentle...ish prodding from myself.

The King in Rags addressed his subjects against the light of the central fire, its flames pitiful versus the fires of ambition in the hearts of these men. Were they not about to commit multiple counts of murder as they escaped the city I would've felt inspired. Now I just feel somewhat dirty.

An outcove of the narrow hallway connecting the central cavern to Madanach's quarters contained the site of a Dwemer ruin, one running in connection with the city above us. Knowing what dangers lie within such ruins from experience, our team steeled themselves for the dangers that may have laid ahead.

The first hurdles we encountered were some particularly large Frostbite Spiders who had nested inside the ruins (not pictured above because my girlfriend reads these posts and is afraid of Frostbite Spiders). They proved surprisingly resistant to being burned to death by my green fire spells, but were no match for my teammates' steel.

Traversing deeper into the ruins presented us with greater volumes of Dwemer steam technology, from heavy piping to active Dwemer Sphere units that posed a danger to me, for the rags I wore aren't exactly Ebony quality. Once again, my allies proved invaluable in defeating the threats before us. I only wish I could have helped more.

It was soon after that the prisoner convoy reached a halt before the exit out into the city proper. Madanach took this time to take me aside, thank the team for assisting in his cause, returning my items to me (where he got them from I'm not certain considering the evident lack of a prisoner belonging chest in my case) and presenting me with the Armour of the Old Gods (See? I knew it was in that chest from earlier!) before leading his forces outside, where my friends and I quickly followed.

Awaiting us outside was the lord of the Silver-Bloods, Thonar, with multiple city guardsmen at his side. He challenged Madanach and his allies in broad daylight and tried to put an end to the Forsworn uprising in the city.

A massive fight ensued. Spells and swords clashed in this tiny corner of the city as Nords and Bretons fought valiantly in battle for their beliefs. We decided to refrain from getting involved in the fighting in this case (much to Sofia and Jordan's disappointment). Not that the Forsworn particularly needed our help. They mopped the floor with Thonar and his men.

No, as in they quite literally mopped the floor with Thonar. an interrupted necromancy spell saw the Silver-Blood's corpse reduced to an ash pule which was brushed all over the steps of the city. This combined with all the Nord blood staining the floors proved the Forsworn did LITERALLY mop the floor with the Nords.

Soon enough the battle was over, and as what was left of the guard saw to the dead and injured I was left to reflect on my time in Cidna Mine.

Overall, Cidna Mine is an exceptional jail that has effective staff, a strong and open layout, knows what it wants to be, generates a passive income through silver mining and great luxury (provided you are a Forsworn leader). Escape is also effectively deterred by the natural denizens of the dwemer ruins that connect the city streets to the mine. Although, I do take issue with the strong lack of prisoner observation and the multiple exit points the mine has out into the city. Those limitations place it short of The Chill in my personal rankings (which may end up being a post on here later), but still very much in the top echelon of Skyrim's jails.

Final Score: Nine Boots of the Old Gods out of Ten Boots of the Old Gods.

Aaaaaaand that's it! Thank you for reading my prison review series and (hopefully) enjoying my perspectives on these locations. I'm sorry some of them took a while to make (mental health's a bitch, am I right?), but I intend to post more often now on Tumblr. Mostly shitposts and memes and whatever comes to mind (most of which will be Skyrim stuff)

THANK YOU!

[gregory71]

The tender image of a night spent in handcuffs. Whole hours mixing naked skin with iron under the shadows of the moon. Whole hours in seeking refreshment and feeling the cold blade enter your wrists and make its way. Whole hours to feel someone's property. The dark hours. Without real rest. Hours and hours spent tied up. With nothing else on you but your own skin. With no freedom other than to get used to it. And after whole hours spent in handcuffs you find yourself gathered in yourself, and you don't know whether to pray to be free or try to get used to it again. And you don't give me your hands yet, your every hesitation is a forbidden thought. You would spend hours still tied up and naked to be able to feel protected and to be able to really feel about someone. Because a woman is for everything as they watch her walk, a woman feels desired if she finds herself admired. But a woman can only go further if she feels protected, a woman knows how to be perverse and knows how to cross boundaries only with her master. That's why you're still handcuffed, after a whole night, that's why you're not free yet, that's why you want to fuck so much, that's why I'll make you hold it a little longer. I leave you on your knees, I leave your handcuffs on your wrists, and I take off my underwear to fill your mouth with the 20 centimeters that separate me from you

La tenera immagine di una notte passata in manette. Ore intere a mischiare la pelle nuda col ferro sotto le ombre della luna. Ore intere nel cercare ristoro e sentire la lama fredda entrare nei polsi e farsi strada. Ore intere per sentirsi di proprietà di qualcuno. Ore buie. Senza vero riposo. Ore ed ore passate legata. Senza altro addosso se non la propria pelle. Senza nessuna libertà se non quella di abituarsi. E dopo ore intere passate in manette ti scopri raccolta in te, e non sai se pregare di essere libera o cercare di abituarti ancora. E non mi porgi ancora le mani, ogni tuo tentennamento è un pensiero proibito. Passeresti ore ancora legata e nuda per poterti sentire protetta e per poterti sentire davvero di qualcuno. Perché una donna è per tutto mentre la guardano passeggiare, una donna si sente desiderata se si scopre ammirata. Ma una donna sa andare oltre solo se si sente protetta, una donna sa essere perversa e sa passare i limiti solo col proprio padrone. Ecco perché sei ancora ammanettata, dopo una notte intera, ecco perché non sei ancora libera, ecco perché hai così voglia di scopare, ecco perché te la faccio trattenere ancora un po’. Ti lascio in ginocchio, ti lascio le manette ai polsi, e mi sfilo le mutande per riempire la tua bocca coi 20 centimetri che mi separano da te

Source: X/Twitter

[edisonblog]

“Washing of gold ore near Itacolomi mountain”, Johann Moritz Rugendas,

The image shows gold extraction in a mine. Around 30 slaves work on the farm under the watchful eye of 7 or 8 white overseers, a strict surveillance to prevent the slaves from stealing from the farm owner.

The mine is located in the mountainous region of Minas Gerais, close to the cities of Mariana and Ouro Preto.

The Itacolomi peak, 1,772 meters high, the highest point in the Serra do Espinhaço, was called “Farol dos Bandeirantes” because it served as a reference for ancient travelers.

The region is full of springs, rivers and waterfalls amid the dense vegetation of the Atlantic Forest. Gold is alluvial, found among the gravel, sand and clay that forms on the banks or at the mouths of rivers.

In Rugendas' image, two places where alluvial gold is explored can be seen: in the excavated channel, in the foreground, and in the area flooded by the waterfall, in the background on the left.

There is also a third point, on the side of the mountain, where a gallery was excavated to extract gold embedded in the rock.

Rugendas gives more details about the scene he painted: Long channels are dug to bring the water to the place you want to explore.

Gratings placed there retain the thicker stones, allowing sand and gravel or gravel to pass through with water.

These reservoirs, called mundées, are constantly disturbed so that the gold is purified and, when it settles at the bottom, the water that carries the gravel is emptied.

You can also collect gold, or rather gold sand, in ox hides or coarse woolen blankets on which the ore is deposited by the waters coming from the mountain. Sparkers enter the water up to their waists and collect river sand in a bucket. By stirring the pan on the surface of the water, the earth and gravel are released, leaving the heavier gold in the conical bottom of the pan. Other sparklers prefer to pile up river sand, running a little water over it to remove the lighter parts. The rest is taken to a flat pan; then the pile of sand is washed and stirred, making it pass over an ox hide; finally everything is placed back in a trough for a final wash. (RUGENDAS, 1972, p. 36-37).

Washing gold ore (detail), Rugendas in the foreground, on the left, a slave dips a large hide into the water of the reservoir. The leather will then be beaten – as seen on the right – to loosen the gold stones that have stuck to it. The gold extracted is heavy and if it is of good weight, the discovery is celebrated by the enslaved as they were rewarded with food, cachaça or new clothes.

Above this scene, a slave is punished by the master in the yellow coat – possibly for disobedience, rebellion, theft or even for being unproductive.

Nearby, there are two black women carrying carubés (a wooden vessel, similar to a pan, but smaller in size) on their heads.

Although fewer in number, black women miners were used in the exploration of gold and also diamonds. Female work in mining was common in Africa, especially in the Costa da Mina region, and they had a reputation for mastering the technique of gold exploration and even bringing luck. Other black and mixed-race women, whether enslaved or freed, circulated in the camps and hills with their trays full of sweets, fruits, cheese, tobacco, etc. They were the so-called “board blacks” or “grocers” who sold their goods and received gold and diamonds, which allowed many of them to accumulate a certain fortune and acquire goods, including slaves.

Moving between different mines, camps and villages, these women formed a network of communication, solidarity and even intrigue, becoming powerful cultural mediators in the region.

image “Washing of gold ore near the Itacolomi mountain” watercolor on paper, 30 x 26 cm, 1835. source: https://encurtador.com.br/jpUW9

edisonmariotti @edisonblog

.br

“Lavagem de minério de ouro próximo ao Morro do Itacolomi”, Johann Moritz Rugendas,

A imagem mostra a extração de ouro em uma mina. Cerca de 30 escravos trabalham na fazenda sob o olhar atento de 7 ou 8 feitores brancos, uma vigilância rigorosa para evitar que os escravos roubem do dono da fazenda.

A mina está localizada na região serrana de Minas Gerais, próxima às cidades de Mariana e Ouro Preto.

O pico do Itacolomi, com 1.772 metros de altitude, ponto mais alto da Serra do Espinhaço, era chamado de “Farol dos Bandeirantes” porque servia de referência para viajantes antigos.

A região é repleta de nascentes, rios e cachoeiras em meio à densa vegetação da Mata Atlântica. O ouro é aluvial, encontrado entre o cascalho, a areia e a argila que se forma nas margens ou na foz dos rios.

Na imagem de Rugendas podem ser observados dois locais de exploração do ouro aluvial: no canal escavado, em primeiro plano, e na área inundada pela cachoeira, ao fundo, à esquerda.

Há também um terceiro ponto, na encosta da montanha, onde foi escavada uma galeria para extrair ouro incrustado na rocha.

Rugendas dá mais detalhes sobre a cena que pintou: Longos canais são cavados para levar a água até o local que se deseja explorar.

As grades ali colocadas retêm as pedras mais grossas, permitindo a passagem de areia e cascalho ou cascalho com água.

Esses reservatórios, chamados de mundées, são constantemente perturbados para que o ouro seja purificado e, ao assentar no fundo, a água que carrega o cascalho seja esvaziada.

Também se pode coletar ouro, ou melhor, areia dourada, em peles de boi ou mantas de lã grossa sobre as quais o minério é depositado pelas águas que vêm da montanha. As faíscas entram na água até a cintura e coletam a areia do rio em um balde. Ao mexer a panela na superfície da água, a terra e o cascalho são liberados, deixando o ouro mais pesado no fundo cônico da panela. Outros faíscas preferem amontoar areia de rio, passando um pouco de água sobre ela para retirar as partes mais leves. O restante é levado para uma panela plana; depois o monte de areia é lavado e mexido, fazendo-o passar sobre um couro de boi; finalmente tudo é colocado de volta em uma gamela para uma lavagem final. (RUGENDAS, 1972, p. 36-37).

Lavando minério de ouro (detalhe), Rugendas em primeiro plano, à esquerda, um escravo mergulha um grande couro na água do reservatório. O couro será então batido – como pode ser visto à direita – para soltar as pedras de ouro que ficaram grudadas nele. O ouro extraído é pesado e se tiver bom peso, a descoberta é comemorada pelos escravizados ao serem recompensados com comida, cachaça ou roupas novas.

Acima desta cena, um escravo é punido pelo senhor de casaca amarela – possivelmente por desobediência, rebelião, roubo ou mesmo por ser improdutivo.

Perto dali, há duas mulheres negras carregando carubés (vaso de madeira, semelhante a uma panela, mas de tamanho menor) na cabeça.

Embora em menor número, as mineradoras negras eram utilizadas na exploração de ouro e também de diamantes. O trabalho feminino na mineração era comum na África, principalmente na região da Costa da Mina, e elas tinham fama de dominar a técnica de exploração do ouro e até de trazer sorte. Outras mulheres negras e pardas, escravizadas ou libertas, circulavam pelos acampamentos e morros com suas bandejas cheias de doces, frutas, queijos, fumo, etc. Eram os chamados “negros de tábua” ou “mercearias” que vendiam suas mercadorias e recebiam ouro e diamantes, o que permitia a muitos deles acumular certa fortuna e adquirir bens, inclusive escravos.

Movendo-se entre diferentes minas, acampamentos e aldeias, estas mulheres formaram uma rede de comunicação, solidariedade e até intriga, tornando-se poderosas mediadoras culturais na região.

imagem “Lavagem de minério de ouro próximo ao morro do Itacolomi” aquarela sobre papel, 30 x 26 cm, 1835.

[wtfcraigslistnyc]

THE LEGEND OF THE COKE HAMMER

The fabled "coke hammer." Duk Park, A bold young man from SEOUL.

Brought into this world of humble beginnings took a bold and prolific journey to Bogota Columbia in 1981.

Upon his arrival he procured a mighty rock of pure, white Columbian marching powder. A rock of such magnitude that he knew it would bring great wealth, as well as the lust of many naughty men and women…

A debaucherous and curious object right in front of his perfectly spherical eyes. He gasped desperately for a breath of air into his lungs before the ASPIRIN tasting venom would roll through his Larynx and command his taught body to move.

Javier gazed at him loving across the table. It takes a man of such deep courage such as his dear brother to take on this 5 KILOGRAM magnet of peril.

The world would not know no rest dreaming of this unicorn of pure rock cocaine MAGIK.

Javier rose to his mighty wooden throne. The very same chair he had sat back and made untold billions over the years. As he rose, Duk rose as well.

The two men gazed intently into each other's eyes. Seconds felt like years. Moments became hours and weeks changing heart beats with nothing but the mighty coke rock between them.

"MY FRIEND... DUK. Allow me to break you off a piece of the fruit of my life's work, so that you too may know the excruciating passion that lies deep within my quivering loins."

Duk's deep, dark, brown eyes pursed up tight in focus…

JAVIER was holding an Uzi in one hand, and his bulbous throbbing member in the other..

Duk in his classic commanding tone addressed.

"Most honorable and venerable Javier. I have come a great distance to see this mighty rock of pure Columbian pedigree. Not to see your penis. If it's ok I would prefer to not gaze at your member any longer. Kindly return your snake to his home in your trousers."

To which JAVIER replied,

"My most humble apologies, for I was holding it. May I indulge you with taste.?"

To which DUK replied,

"Allow me. I have brought a special tribute to you."

DUK reached down and lifted a magnificent leather briefcase. He meticulously entered the combination into the shiny golden locks. The case clicked open with sound not dissimilar the sound a Mesai warlord greets his third wife and the second day of the week, two quick, crisp clicks… and a low murmur…

From the bold black case Duk produced a gleaming stainless steel hammer. It shined so brightly that both of them averted their curious eyes to the floor.

Duk spoke in voice that commanded respect,

"I traveled deep into the dark heart of my country. I sought out a man pure of mind and spirit. I brought the purest piece of iron ore I could pull from Mount Chang Yi with my own two hands. For seven days I sat in scilence watching the master at work. Sweating, toiling over this black as night steel block of steel. On the 7th day the master who spoke not a word raised his hammer to anvil with grave and brutality and presented me with this gift offer to you today. This my friend, is a tool worthy of dispatching this meteor of malicious motivation.

This is the COKE HAMMER.

DUK fell to his knees like a subordinate knight before his king. He raised the gleaming chrome hammer high above his head. Hot tears of pride rolled over his face..

JAVIER, unable to respond to this humble yet gentile act, arose from his seat and looked down upon this man of courage and vision.

"Duk, my brother. You pay me an unspeakable tribute today before GOD and the entire WORLD. Do you not feel shame or sadness? You are a giant who looks down upon the masses as though they were but tiny insignificant ants. Please stand, it would be my honor for you to swing this sacred COKE HAMMER so that we may both know its power."

DUK burst into a wailing tone similar to a child that has been scolded with hot tea.

Then gasped desperately for a breath and rose reluctantly to his feet. Eye to eye, then once again locked their gaze.

"Ok, it is time," DUK said.

"Please my friend, do me the extreme pleasure."

DUK's gaze turned determined, struck with conviction.

He picked up the COKE HAMMER and raised it triumphantly above his head.

"Let's fucking do this!!!!!!!"

He brought the arc of the hammer down with such intent that Javier gasped,

"My friend be careful,"

But it was too late.

Brilliant chromed hammer violently smashed into soccer ball size rock of cocaine with an ear shattering crash.

DUK grit his teeth as hard as he could, struggling with all the strength that he could muster.

"Dios mio!!!"

JAVIER exclaimed. The mighty coke rock was shattered into a million little pieces. The brilliance of its pedigree soiled….

Javier in a kind of animal rage began to scream at the top of his lungs.

"You stupid son of a bitch!!!

I present you the product of my life's work, so you can come here and smash it with that stupid fucking COKE HAMMER!! You offend me beyond words!!!"

DUK raising his head from the table with eyes aglow like a lion in the bush sizing up the infuriated COLUMBIAN.

He noticed the PENIS, and the UZI were back JAVIER’s hands.

"You are a piece of shit JAVIER! I will show you the same mercy you have shown to your own god forsaken people!"

With that DUK turned and stepped toward JAVIER with jaguar-like fluidity.

He pushed JAVIER back a full step with his right hand and swung the mighty COKE HAMMER with his left. The shiny steel hammer created a brilliant arc and flash of light as DUK sent it hurtling toward JAVIER’s robust, jet black mop.

In a split second JAVIER utter a desperate last statement,

"NO NO NO PUTO PINCHE FUCKING PUNO TERO!!"

But alas, The chrome COKE HAMMER crashed into his forehead. Blood and bone exploded from his head as though he had a load of dynamite in his skull.

DUK, covered in a macabre mix of COCAINE, BLOOD, BRAINS and BONE. Stood motionless staring at the headless body of the still erect JAVIER MEDINA JR.

The DECAPITATE side of spent up human meat collapsed into the flaccid orange, fire-baked tile floor. A geyser of plasma spilled all over the floor.

DUK dove his BLOOD and COKE smartened face back into the pile of crimson clotted perfection and slowly gasped for precious life giving air…

He lifted his head and let out a triumphant scream.

A scream that was hard wired into his genetic formula.

FIN

[indiejones]

NO. 1 KI NO. 1 LIKHI DASTAAN - OF THE ‘ANAND’ OF INDIAN MUSIC !

The all-round writer of Hindi Cinema. The bts hero of masses & classes ! ---Anand Bakshi

And his immortal all-consuming final words, to his friends & fans-

"Main koi barf nahi hoon, jo pighal jaunga. Mai koi harf nahi hoon, jo badal jaunga. Main toh jadoo hoon, jadoo hoon, main chal jaunga ". 🙏

1. A most amazing story, about the Rajesh Khanna- Anand Bakshi relationship.

Seems Rajesh Khanna was known for not attending sad & solemn occasions. Yet, this one time, he did. Upon Anand Bakshi's death, everyone was surprised, to find Kaka present there, right besides the writer's body. One of his fans asked him aloud, "Arre Kaka, aap yahan kaise. Aap toh kisi ke funeral pe nahi jaate". Kaka instantly replied, "Ye jo aadmi tum yahan lete dekh rahe ho na, YE aadmi...isne meri ZINDAGI bana di."

2. Another amazing story, this narrated by the legend himself. His sons once asked him, "For all of this work, You've been nominated 40+ times at Filmfare, yet only won 4 times. You must be feeling sad & disappointed?" The legend replied, 'Ye 4 bhi jo yahan tum logon ke sajaye hue rakhe hain na, tum mere baad, apne hi gharon me sajana. Mujhe toh apne awards alag aur pehle hi mil chuke hain." Upon enquiry, he narrated one such incident, which he called his real awards.

A fan wrote him a letter one day, "Sir, main zindagi se nirash, apni jaan rail ki patri pe dene jaa raha tha. Main patri pe pahunch bhi gaya, aur vahan let bhi gaya, ki ab toh bas gaadi ayegi aur apna kaam tamaam karkee nikal jayegi, aur chhutkara mil jayega. .. Tabhi, na jaane kaise, kaheen se aap ka gaana door bajta sunayi de gaya. Gaane ke lafz the-

"Gaadi Ko Dekh, Kaisi Hai Nek, Achchhaa Buraa Na Dekhe (x2)

Sab Hain Savaar, Dushman Ke Yaar, Sabako Chali Ye Leke

Jinaa Sikhaa Rahi Hai, Maranaa Sikhaa Rahi Hai

Gaadi Bulaa Rahi Hai, Siti Bajaa Rahi Hai

Chalanaa Hi Zindagi Hai, Chalati Hi Jaa Rahi Hai

Gaadi Bulaa Rahi Hai, Siti Bajaa Rahi Hai

Sun Ye Paigaam, Ye Hai Sangraam, Jivan Nahin Hai Sapanaa

Dariyaa Ko Faand, Pavart Ko Chir, Rastaa Bana Le Apanaa

Ninden Udaa Rahi Hai, Jaago Jagaa Rahi Hai.

Gaadi Bulaa Rahi Hai, Siti Bajaa Rahi Hai" ..

"Pata nahi mujhe kya hua, gaadi ke aane se pehle hi, maine apne aap ko uthke apne ghar ki ore chalta paya. .. Aap ne meri zindagi baksh di".

Anand Bakshi declared. "THESE ARE MY REWARDS. REST IS NOTHING".

Tributes galore, to this most rewarded of artists. 🙏🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYylDDOPrho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIqSwZ-qCKs

Did you know - Same Anand Bakshi, who was to later practically own Hindi Film Song scene(writing 80% of it’s songs at once, at one time)...left Bombay dejected, at his first attempt, went to his hometown, married away & entered desk job for full 2 yrs, before finally succumbing to the lure & returning..there too, to again struggle merely to make ends meet, & to only survive, coz o' generosity of one man, a station master at Charni Rd, who took pity on the poor plight of this phenomenally talented writer-poet he'd become a huge fan of, yet that went unnoticed in prof circles. And consequently, that sheltered & fed him, at his own home, for free, for a full 6 yrs, till his career finally took off!

Strange and bountiful are God's ways & mercies !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGRAPHkGC7k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOyGQTBobxE

youtube.com/watch?v=Iif5LiL2S2o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXrk1Ymvfyg

[nwbeerguide]

Celebrating their 10th year of collaborations, Gigantic Brewing and The Unipiper re-release Unipiper Hazy IPA.

Press Release

Portland, Ore., May 23rd, 2023 –

It’s back, and weirder than ever! Gigantic Brewing Company and Weird Portland United (501c3) are keeping the celebration of Portland’s weird wonders alive by returning to where it all started, with the revival of the much-lauded Unipiper Hazy IPA as the next release in their ongoing Weirdtastic Beer Series collaboration.

With a blend of Citra, Mosaic, Crystal, and the Unipiper’s own Cascade hops, Gigantic’s Unipiper Hazy IPA was specifically designed as a riotously refreshing tropical blast with notes of passioinfruit, mango, guava, and orange, all thanks to the masterful work of the Cosmic Punch yeast, unleashing thiols that amplify the tropical aromas to eleven. On the occasion of the Unipiper Hazy IPA’s return, Gigantic brewmaster and co-owner Ben Love said “Unipiper beer in Portland has a cult-like following, and we’re honored to be carrying on the tradition. With the Unipiper Hazy IPA, we created a beer that people were excited to drink and talk about. The demand for its return was overwhelming and we were more than happy to oblige.” And in the same vein, the Unipiper himself quipped, “I am so happy for all the buzz this beer has generated for Weird Portland United. Beer is the lifeblood of this city and this beer series is our megaphone, broadcasting Portland’s unique charm to the world. Making beer brings me such joy, and getting to share it on this scale is a dream come true.”

Since the introduction of Unipiper Hazy IPA in 2022, Gigantic and WPU have gone on to produce an array of Weirdtastic brew celebrating the PDX Adult Soapbox Derby, the work of beloved local artist and public joy creator, Mike Bennett, and most recently, drag icon and Guinness World Record holder, Darcelle XV. Through this work, the team have raised over $5,000 in support of Weird Portland United’s efforts to sustain what is considered a normal level of weird for the Rose City. Their latest project is the construction of the Weird Portland Hall of Fame, set for a grand opening late summer 2023.

This release also marks 10 years of community driven beer projects involving the Unipiper, Portland’s legendary fire-breathing, bagpipe-playing, kilt-donning, unicycle-riding marvel. Beer and the Unipiper go hand-in-hand in Portland, and over this time, the Unipiper has worked with multiple local breweries to produce unique beers featuring everything from bagpipe roasted peppers to pickled pipers. For his work with the Oregon Brewer’s Festival, the Unipiper was even honored in 2019 as the event’s Grand Marshal.

Unipiper Hazy IPA Special Delivery Contest

Fans looking for the ultimate Unipiper Hazy IPA experience can enter to win a special delivery of the beer including a basket of unique gifts delivered directly to their house by the Unipiper himself! For full details, keep an eye on Gigantic Brewing and the Unipiper’s social media on 5/21 when the contest officially begins.

Unipiper Hazy IPA Beer Release

For everybody else looking to get in on the revival celebration, they should plan to attend the official ALL AGES Unipiper Hazy IPA release party at the brand new Gigantic Hawthorne Pub on June 2nd from 4-7pm. Admission is free and the Unipiper will be on hand providing entertainment, selfies, and signatures on souvenir bottles. Following release, Unipiper Hazy IPA will be available on draft and on store shelves everywhere Gigantic is sold, including New Seasons Market. Home delivery of Unipiper Hazy IPA is also available within 18 miles of Portland through the Gigantic website.

Unipiper Hazy IPA Release Party and Bottle Signing

June 02, 4-7pm | Gigantic Hawthorne Pub, 4343 SE Hawthorne | Portland | Join the Facebook Event

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About Gigantic Brewing Company

Gigantic Brewing Company is an independent, artisanal brewery located in the Southeast quadrant of Portland. We hold ourselves to a simple principle – Never Give an Inch. We vow to start small and (stubbornly) stay small, focusing our efforts on making exceptional beer, rather than a lot of beer. When you drink Gigantic, know that we didn’t just put our names on the label – our effort, imagination, and dry wit are in every bottle. Enjoy Gigantic at the Gigantic Brewery (5224 SE 26th Ave), Gigantic Robot Room (6935 NE Glisan), on tap or in bottle at your favorite grocer, bottle shop, bar or restaurant in Oregon. As always, Gigantic beer is packaged in BottleDrop Refillable bottles. BottleDrop Refillables are sorted, washed, inspected, and delivered back to Oregon’s craft beverage producers to be refilled. By choosing beverages in refillable bottles, you help keep our air clean, our beaches, parks and roadsides litter-free, promote a circular economy, and set a model for future generations.

www.GiganticBrewing.com

 About the Unipiper

Legends abound in Portland surrounding the antics of a unicycle riding, flame spewing bagpiper. Six times crowned as Portland’s ‘Best Local Celebrity’, The Unipiper, also known as Brian Kidd, has become synonymous with the Rose City’s offbeat sensibilities. With great power comes great responsibility however, and in 2019, as the city’s unofficial ambassador of weird, The Unipiper fulfilled a longtime dream with the formation of Weird Portland United, the city’s first nonprofit dedicated to Keeping Portland Weird. In recognition of his longtime contributions to Portland’s craft beer scene, The Unipiper served as Grand Marshal of the 2019 Oregon Brewer’s Festival where he was honored with the ‘Spirit of Craft Brewing’ award. When he’s not wheeling around town, the Unipiper co-hosts a podcast about movies filmed in Portland, appropriately called ‘Portland At The Movies’.

www.unipiper.com

 About Weird Portland United

Founded in 2019 by Portland’s Unipiper in an effort to curb the growing homogenization and sanitization of the city’s image, Weird Portland United exists to discover, promote, and nurture the dreamers, creators, and risk-takers that keep Portland weird. Current and past initiatives include the establishment of the Weird Portland Hall of Fame, organization of Portland Weird Week, and hosting of many events such as Weird Portland Creatives, the Weird Portland Gala, and the Portlandia Mermaid Parade. In 2020, WPU awarded over $5000 in grants to Portland creatives through the #KeepWeirdAlive campaign.

www.weirdportlandunited.org

from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide https://bit.ly/3OBxN2G