#give a portion of the story of Penny

[bridgyrose]

Penny nearly flinched as she heard the sound of a hammer slamming down onto molten metal, her eyes wandered around to look at the spirits that flew around her like fireflies. It was unlike anywhere she’d seen on Remnant, and yet, almost familiar to her. As if it was something she’d seen in a dream. “W-where… am I?” 

“This is the Ever After,” the Blacksmith replied as they looked up from the anvil, almost curious as they looked over Penny. “Though, you aren’t one of mine.” 

“One of yours?” 

“Someone who belongs in the Ever After. No, you’re a lost soul. One that shouldnt belong here, but needs help.” 

“I-I guess I am lost,” Penny answered quietly as she looked away. “Though, I-I am not sure how I got here to begin with. I know I died, but I… I do not know why I am here.” 

“No one in the Ever After dies, they ascend,” the Blacksmith answered. “You must’ve been caught between Remnant and here instead, so instead of making it to the afterlife in Remnant, you’ll be allowed to ascend and take on a new life.” 

“But I do not want a new life, I want the one I had with Ruby.” A faint blush crossed her cheeks as she said those words and a smile crossed her lips. “She made me feel… human. Like every part of me mattered and that I was more than just a weapon. That I was loved and cared for, that I was allowed to be my own person. I-I do not wish to live a life where I did not know Ruby.” 

The Blacksmith smiled and offered a piece of floating array to Penny. “Choosing yourself is always an option, though I cannot guarantee where you’ll end up once you’re back, only that you’ll arrive where you’re needed most.” 

Penny nodded and reached for her weapon, only to pause as she caught her reflection in the blade. For a brief moment, she had thought about choosing a different life, one where she could be anyone she wanted. One where she didnt have to be her. And yet, even with those thoughts in mind, she took hold of her sword. 

The blade itself was warm, nothing like how she thought it’d been. She smiled at the Blacksmith as she felt herself start to get pulled away. “Thank you.” 

“Good luck, Penny.” 

Penny took a deep breath as she felt her body plunge into a pool of white light beneath her, only for everything around her to turn black. Then she felt a pain in her side as she gasped, green eyes opening wide as she started to pant. Finally, she started to get her bearings as she realized she was on a cot in a tent. 

“You’re finally awake,” a young man said with a smile. “Mom said you were probably as good as dead when we found you. Figured some bandits left you for dead after taking anything they could from you. She’ll be surprised you’re awake.” 

Penny nodded and sat up, wincing as the wound on her stomach started to act up. Her fingers clutched at the bandages around her side, still getting used to the feeling of being alive again. “Where… where am I?” 

“About four days north of Vacuo,” the young man answered. “Though we’re probably going to get moving again in a few days. You’re welcome to stay with us until we can get to a village that has an airship. Otherwise, we might be able to lend you a horse once you’re feeling up to traveling.” 

“That is fine, I can call my friends and-” Penny paused for a moment as she searched through the pockets of her dress, unable to find her scroll. She frowned a bit and leaned back a bit. “Or not. Do you have a scroll I can borrow? I am sure Ruby is worried about me.” 

“I’m sure we can find one. By the way, I’m Garnet Valkyrie.” 

“Penny Polendina,” Penny answered. 

“Its nice to meet you. I’ll let you rest and grab some food for you.” 

Penny relaxed a bit and laid down. “Valkyrie, huh?” she thought to herself. The only Valkyrie she knew was Nora, though now that she thought about it, Garnet did look a lot like her. The same orange hair and blue eyes, though he did seem to have the same smile as Ren along with his skin tone. 

She sat up again as she heard someone outside the tent, then paused once she saw a woman walk in with a plate of meat and bread for her. Familiar orange hair had a few streaks of gray, her skin was scarred in a way that looked like lightning had run through her body. 

“You must be Penny,” the woman said as she placed the plate down next to Penny. “Garnet said you woke up and I wanted to meet you myself.” 

Penny nodded and took the plate, still staring at the woman. Now hearing her voice, without a doubt she knew exactly who this was. “Thanks, Nora.” 

Nora cocked a brow. “How do you know my name?” 

“Its me, Penny,” Penny answered as she tried to move off the cot and stand up, wincing before she could move enough to get her legs over the side. “Though it seems to have been a long time.” 

Nora took a step back as she looked Penny over. “P-Penny… but you… Ruby told us you were killed… how are you back?” 

“I do not understand it myself.” Penny looked over her hand and smiled a bit. “But I met a woman who gave me another chance. A chance to be with Ruby again and to help others.” 

“That… might be a problem,” Nora said quietly. “A lot has changed since you died.” 

“LIke what? And where is Ruby?” 

“Assuming Weiss hasnt moved her yet, she’s still buried out on Patch.” 

“I… I do not understand.” 

Nora sighed and sat down. “Ruby was killed by Cinder just a couple years after Atlas fell. Then we lost Sun and Coco while trying to reclaim Vale and the relic. We lost a lot of friends while trying to stop Salem.” 

Penny felt her heart stop for a moment as she listened, her whole reason for being alive gone. She was supposed to be here for Ruby, and yet, with Ruby gone… A tear fell into her lap and she moved a finger to her eye to wipe away a few more, not sure when she had started to cry. “I… I want to see her.” 

“Ren and I will send out a rider to the closest village to see if they have an airship that can take you to Patch.” Nora sat up and gave Penny a sad smile. “I’m glad to see you again, but… I’d be careful giving your name out. A few of the churches see you as a saint now. If they find out you’re back, its anyone’s guess about what they’ll do.” 

“Thanks, Nora.” Penny slowly picked up some meat with her fork, staring at her reflection on her fork. She still looked like she did all those years ago, out of place compared to everyone else. But now, she had a start. She’d go to Patch and visit Ruby and then try to find her place in this world. 

Weeks went by as Penny healed and an airship came for her to take her to Patch, and over those weeks she learned more about what she had missed. Salem had been defeated a little over a couple decades ago and a monument now stood in a reclaimed Vale to memorialize those that lost their lives to stopping Salem. Atlas had been rebuilt and renamed as Neo Atlas, a reminder to humanity that nothing is ever lost. And the grimm had started to become restless. Without Salem to control them, while many areas saw grimm keeping to themselves, others like Mistral started to see the grimm attack in larger groups, making it harder to keep villages safe away from the kingdom walls. Even as the airship flew over Vale, she could still see the mark that Salem left with her grimm river, much of the farmland now dead due to the grimm. 

“We’ll be arriving at Patch shortly,” the pilot said over the speakers. “Please stay seated in case of grimm activity.” 

Penny stared outside the window for a little longer before making her way back to her seat, her heart pounding in her chest as her emotions ran wild. Love, grief, terror, anger… all of it still new to her. She took a few deep breaths to calm her heart as the airship descended, lucky that there werent any airborne grimm around to halt the descent. Finally the airship landed and Penny clutched the armrest of her seat. 

“You may now depart.” 

Penny slowly got up and filed out of the airship with everyone else with shaky steps. Cold air hit her cheeks as she stepped off the airship, a reminder that it was mid fall. She shivered as she walked away from the landing pad and into the streets of Patch, pulling what was left of Ruby’s cloak that Nora gave her over her shoulders. It wasnt warm, but it at least kept the breeze off as she walked through the small town and out towards the place Nora said Ruby had been buried. 

It took almost an hour for Penny to reach the gravesite, her cheeks red from the cold wind and her body aching from the cold. She hadnt been sure what to expect, but seeing Ruby’s grave next to her mother’s did bring her a bit of comfort. Penny knelt down and rubbed her hands together to try to keep warm. Tears welled up and stung her eyes as it finally hit her that Ruby was gone. 

She wasnt sure how long she sat there on her knees shivering, but as the cold air stopped, she looked up to see a glyph behind the grave blocking the wind. Then, she turned to her left, then to her right to see a woman she didnt quite recognize  standing next to her. At least, until she saw the scar underneath what she could only describe as stress induced wrinkles. “Thanks,” Penny said quietly. 

“Its a bit cold to be out here dressed like that, dont you think?” Weiss asked. 

“I-I just came from Vacuo. I did not expect it to be this cold.” 

“Maybe this will help.” 

Penny paused when she saw Weiss hand over a green cloak, almost surprised that she still had the cloak that Ruby had given her in Atlas. She slowly reached for it, then pulled away. “I-I cannot accept-” 

“Please, take it, its only going to get colder tonight.” 

Penny nodded and took the cloak from Weiss and put it over her shoulders. The fabric felt warm against her skin, much warmer than what she had before. “I will make sure to return it to you before I leave.” 

Weiss shook her head. “After Ruby passed, we thought we went through everything she had. I only found this today when I got a message about a lockbox we never knew about. I was planning to leave it as an offering for her, but I think she’ll be happy to know its being put to good use now.” 

“I am glad she kept it,” Penny whispered under her breath. Her chest felt warm as she kept the cloak around her arms, glad she had something more to remember Ruby by. “How do you know she would not mind?” 

“She always wanted to help people even until she died.” Weiss knelt down and lit a small candle at the side of Ruby’s grave. “What brings you out to her? Only a few of us know she’s here.” 

“I-I wanted to… pay my respects to one of the fallen heroes,” Penny lied as a small hiccough escaped her lips. Well, it wasnt a complete lie, she did want to pay respects to Ruby, but not because she was a hero. Because of what she meant to Ruby, to try to say the words she never did to her. “But I should get going.” 

“Since you’re out here, why not come to my place for some tea to warm up? Next airship wont leave until morning and it’ll be a pain to get a room at the inn.” 

“That… that would be lovely.” 

“I’m Weiss,” Weiss said as she stood up and offered a hand to Penny. “What’s your name?” 

“P-Pen- Penelope,” Penny answered through another hiccough. She took Weiss’s hand and smiled a bit. “I go by Peneolpe.” 

“You look familiar. Like an old friend I knew.” 

“Maybe you can tell me stories about her. A-and Ruby. I would very much like to hear more about Ruby.”

“Tea first to warm you up, and then I can tell you a few stories.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Penny motioned for her swords to swing around to slice through the grimm, a smile crossing her lips as she watched the blades move as commanded. It took months to get everything to work, and while she was glad that she could finally take them on a test run, the amount of grimm that were showing up had started to worry her. She looked behind her towards the caravan she was protecting, yelling between breaths. “Get across the bridge now!”

“Are you sure you can handle this?” the caravan leader yelled back. “There’s no shame in blowing the bridge!”

“My job is to make sure you get across the bridge and to the next village!” Penny took a few steps back towards the bridge, eyes on the grimm in front of her. “I will follow once you are across!”

“We’ll hold you to that, Penelope!”

Penny sighed as she heard the name, still not quite used to being called it. Still, she couldnt worry about that now, not while the grimm were more aggressive than normal. Her blades stayed between her and the grimm as she tried to keep them from the caravan. Then, she paused as a larger beowolf made its way closer. She swore the eyes were silver instead of red, her body freezing as she remembered the Hound when it attacked.

She came out of her thoughts as she felt the grimm ran into her. Penny lost her footing and fell back, slipping off the edge of the bridge. No scream left her lips as she fell down the abyss, swearing she saw silver eyes staring back at her as she listened to the caravan leader call out her name. Soon, she felt water rush around her. It was warmer than she had expected, almost turning to light as she continued to sink. She closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate until she felt air across her face.

Penny gasped as she swam to shore and climbed out of the water, coughing as her body practically glowed. She picked herself up and started to walk back to the bridge she had fallen from, pausing as she watched a gash on her arm heal itself. With a sigh, she continued moving on forward, ready to continue her work.

[imimprisoned]

Hermes: Messenger of the Gods, God of Boundaries, Roads, Travelers, Merchants, Thieves, Athletes, Shepards, Commerce, Speed, Cunning, Language, Oratory, and Wit.

Offerings include:

1. foreign foods

2. souvenirs/objects from trips

3. white or red wine

4. stuff you like from other cultures

5. silver objects

6. statues/depictions of Him

7. honey

8. written stories, letters or messages

9. postcards

10. crystals/gemstones like amethyst, quartz, smokey quartz, orange topaz

11. olive oil

12. incense scents like frankincense, lavender or myrrh

13. maps

14. flowers like crocus, hydrangea or chrysanthemum

15. coins or money

16. zodiac or astrology related items

17. turtle-shaped objects

18. caduceus

19. petasos (winged helmet)

20. talaria (winged sandals)

21. naturally shed feathers

22. strawberries

23. depictions/imagery of cattle, turtles, rams, hawks, hares, roster, guard dogs, snakes

24. silver/yellow/light blue/purple candles

Prayers to Hermes:

Swift Hermes, provider of fair fortune, who travels freely among the worlds.

In pennies found, in laughter and delight, in messages trifling and essential, in unexpected twists of our life's plan, with these you touch us, genial son of Zeus.

Hermes, guide of souls, light-hearted one, swift as thought; you know the depth of impulse, quick-witted god of those who live by luck.

We thank you for the path unworn, for cleverness, for gifts unearned, for change unbidden.

Excellent Hermes, we praise and honor you.

2. Keen-minded Hermes, light fingered one, light footed one, quick and cunning, bright and merry, ever watchful, ever agile, ever sharp of wit. The wings at your feet carry you to any landing-place, in any realm; wearing the cap of Aidoneus, you tarry, unseen by mortal men. Wielder of the golden sword, player on the shepherds pipe, god of herdsmen, god of thieves, god of cities and of pastures, rustic and urbane, you walk the line between contradictions. Hermes of the borderland, Hermes of the threshold, god of the uncertain, consistent and contrary, you stand in the doorway, you stand at the edge; the knife-sharp boundary between two worlds is yours.

Hermes, child of rich-tressed Maia and thundering Zeus, Ithank you for your many gifts, I praise your might.

3. Hermes of the ready wit and the lightning smile, Wing-footed one who carries the words of the gods,

Compassionate one who guides the newly-dead to the hall of Hades and fair Persephone, Quick-thinking one who takes interest in the world and works of mankind, whose hand we see in a run of luck and a clever scheme, I call to vou.

Hermes, bearer of the herald's staff, your gifts

are great.

You guard our homes with constancy and care,

You grant to us a portion of your own craft and wile,

You join with us when we revel and are merry, You stand with us when we are far from home, alone.

You are ever with us, O Hermes;

He who holds in hand the good of men, I honor you

4. Swift Hermes,

Provider of fair fortune.

He who guides travellers,

He who treasures wit and humor, I reach out to you.

Grant me peace,

Grant me protection, And I shall give you My devotion.

5. May Hermes bless you with safe travels, and protect you from theives.

[spac3d0lls]

my penny lamb headcanons from post-rtc because i wanted to write a fic but have no time or motivation:

-penny took shifts at the blackwood cafe as well as many different odd jobs around town so that her and ezra would be able to leave uranium after she graduates. being her senior year, penny knew that she couldn’t live with the foster family for much longer, but simultaneously wanted to give ezra a sense of permanence and stability. while she worked at the cafe, the blackwood family would always send her home with a big bag of leftover sweets, knowing that her and ezra only got the bare minimum at their foster home. every so often, penny would find evidence of constance’s history there, whether it be photos on the mantle or experimental recipes taped to the back of cupboards in handwriting that obviously wasn’t mr. or mrs. blackwood’s, decked out in stickers of rainbows and unicorns.

-penny ended up growing close to ricky’s family. i headcanon that ricky was going to ask penny out after the cyclone (despite not knowing her name, in true ricky fashion,) but for obvious reasons never gave it to her. after he died, they found the note in ricky’s pocket and his parents gave it to penny, and told her she was welcome at their home if she ever needed anything. being a lonely girl and an animal lover, she would come over and feed the cats after school and his parents, who broke their vow of silence after ricky passed, would tell her stories about who their son was in life. they laughed through explanations of zolar, and penny didn’t have the heart to tell them they weren’t telling her anything she didn’t already know, but they showed her all the art that he made as a budding comic book illustrator. they taught her how to draw, and although her drawings of animals weren’t as….freaky as ricky’s (😭) it turned into a lifelong hobby for her.

-when penny was well enough to come back to school again, she would help organize a fundraiser that they hoped to turn into a tradition—founding a scholarship in ocean’s name. what this fundraiser was changed every year after penny graduated, but her first year it was rather small—a bake sale, with sweets donated by the blackwoods (eventually, a small portion of all purchases made at the blackwood cafe would go to the scholarship fund.) ocean’s final act of charity was bringing back penny, and she wanted to pay it forward in a way that ocean would have wanted. i personally headcanon that ocean wasn’t intentionally a bad person in life, but a product of neglect, desperate for attention, and misguided. she didn’t express it in her words, but she was always looking to help the community in whatever way she could.

-penny was the one who reached out to talya after misha had passed. remembering from purgatory that misha didn’t communicate with his adoptive parents and knowing that the relationship he had with his gang in uranium was superficial at best, she found talya through the comments under an old badegg video and broke the news to her. talya asked penny if they could call, as she needed someone to process her emotions to and nobody in her life thought misha was real either, and scoffed at the fact that she talked to her boyfriend online. penny reassured her that even though she couldn’t tell talya exactly how she knew it, talya was the person that misha was thinking about as he was dying and that he loved her very, very much, and wished desperately that he could have said goodbye to her. talya was inconsolable after that, but she stayed in touch with penny for years after the accident and the two became very close friends.

-noel’s mother was penny’s nurse at the hospital (cr for the idea goes to “are we ever going back” on ao3 by lynncanigula.) ms. gruber was the one who ended up suing the fair, and penny ended up testifying to the negligence of the fair for her. she ended up giving penny the money that noel was going to use to move to france as compensation. penny ended up donating the money to a queer helpline.

[kroovv]

previous anon here: dorian's predatory business practices are a lot like wattpad's if you know anything about that—they pocket a huge portion of the proceeds for every VN they publish and only give very few pennies to the actual authors, essentially using other people's work to line their own pockets, while pretending to provide a great platform for artists. Last I heard they also have terms that say whatever you upload to them becomes their property IP. it's the kind of situation where they convince artists its the easiest option for publishing a VN, when in reality there are other ways that are just as or even more simple that allow u to keep full ownership of ur work. I also have a grudge against them specifically because they bought up an indie VN studio that I was a fan of, put previously free stuff behind a paywall and otherwise ran it into the ground, and their social media people were very unprofessional and sent threatening messages to fans for making fan content.

Renpy takes some learning, but it's really simple once you know how it works. And besides renpy there are other VN engines that are even simpler (Unity even has a VN library called Fungus thats very simple and straightforward to use) TyranoBuilder is also a popular one. As for chapters, there are absolutely people on itchio updating their VNs a chapter at a time, although i dont know if its in the way youd want; pushing each separate chapters as updates to the main game, or releasing each chapter as a separate game come to mind as options.

(i'd honestly even offer to convert the game to renpy for you since ive been working extensively with renpy for the past 2 years and am very familiar with it and how to work it, if it meant i could save one artist from the clutches of dorian, but that feels too much like overstepping 😅)

So i am not sure if maybe they have changed things, but with games self published to them they own 0% of that IP so I will own Gravehearts 100% only if they where to buy it from me then they’d own it but i personally do not see that happening lmao. From what i understand about it is it is like Webtoons but for VNs anyone can upload to it but they still own it like how i still own Horizon Walkers even though it’s on Webtoons and Tapas. They do take a % of what you make so that is why I would love to also have my own app or game on itch as well!

I have a decent following for my artwork but who knows what that vendiagram is for people who like VNs is, so if i where to publish the game somewhere by itself i don’t know how well it would do because I don’t know if i have the audience for it, also i don’t know if people would even see it when i post about it cause social media sucks. So like posting HW to webtoons so that people who read comics might see it that’s what I am kind of hoping for with posting Gravehearts to Dorian.

Again with Gravehearts i own it 100%, with publishing games there you can chose when and where people pay for things, and people do paywall love interests and main story stuff but i fully do not intend to do that because I don't want to do that. So I will not be putting any main story or love interests behind paywalls the only thing I would do as paid stuff are optional scenes with a character where you can get a nice full art piece of them from it! (Im also trying to figure out if i could put some kind of code on the image so people can download high res versions of it as phone wallpapers! So you’re actually paying for something more tangible)

However like i said previously i would love to make my own app for it, or something like an app or on itch, but i could maybe try do it in tangent with Dorian, so people who don’t want to support them can still support the story somewhere else! But it might take a little while for me to be able to do something like that because it’d be learning a whole bunch of new stuff and it is just me but I will do my best 👍

[biggsodorcitystories]

The Starr Siblings: Shadow of a Father (TUGS AU)

I've seen a lot of new TUGS OC posts on Tumblr recently, which inspired me to make this post.

For anyone new to the Tugs portion of my AU, I should add the following catch-up:

Ten Cents, Warrior, Hercules, Sunshine, and his twin sister (my OC inspired by Salty's Lighthouse) Aurora are the five grandchildren of Captain Starr. They are the children of Captain Starr's adopted daughters: Silver Penny (Hercules Warrior and Ten Cents' mother) and Bright Dawn (Sunshine and Aurora's mother). This would make the twins the cousins of the older three, were it not for the fact that all five have the same father - Theseus Oleander.

I want to give Theseus a proper introduction once I have gotten through the other characters in my AU, as he is set to be the 'Big Bad' for the entire story, above the Z-Stacks, Bluenose, Burke & Blair, and even Johnny Cuba. But his presence is still very much felt within Bigg City, particularly by his five children, none of whom share his surname.

WARNING: MENTIONS OF PARENTAL ABUSE/NEGLECT, AND CHILDHOOD TRAUMAS UNDER THE CUT

Hercules:

As the oldest, Hercules was eleven when his father disappeared out of his life. Since then, he has witnessed the aftermath of his father's actions, from his mother's breakdown, to his younger brother being sent to live with his godparents for a year, to seeing the long-term impact his father's second disappearance had on his aunt and half-siblings/cousins.

The impact on Hercules, however, has been far from insignificant. For reasons known only to himself, Theseus found his eldest son to be a disappointment (read: I haven't completely decided why yet) and was emotionally abusive as a result. Hercules suffers from very severe self-esteem issues, which he hides from all but a few people, and even unwittingly handed out the same kind of abuses to Warrior as a teenager. In recent years, he has been working on these and has made amends with Warrior, but some scars can not heal, and he still struggles with becoming over-attached to his remaining and new male role models. He remembers his father with a toxic mixture of hatred and a strange kind of desire for the father he always wanted.

Ajax/Warrior:

Born eight years after Hercules, Warrior - then called Ajax - was only three when his father left and, as such, has rather fuzzy memories of him. But his initial memories of his father were much happier than Hercules', as Theseus favoured his second son heavily and turned him into a spoiled brat. But little Ajax's world was turned upside down when his father left, leaving him helpless as the image of his father and his teachings were torn apart before his eyes. Luckily, Ajax's godparents - Big Mac and Top Hat - did a lot of work to correct his behaviours and provided him with a vital source of stability that set him right, but he still suffered from the emotional abuse that his older brother unknowingly subjected him to throughout his teens. Ajax - who now goes by his middle name of Warrior - suffers from his own self-esteem issues and a deep-seated fear of being rejected by his remaining family. However, he is probably the most open, accepting, and kindest of the siblings.

Having grown up witnessing the aftermath of his father's presence and learning of the pain his mother, aunt, and two of his brothers experienced as a result of his father, Warrior feels a raw and implacable hatred for his father and has struggled to find any peace or forgiveness for the man.

Ten Cents:

Conceived days before his father's disappearance, Ten Cents is the only sibling whose life is directly untouched by Theseus' influences and was given the surname Starr at birth. Though he grew up without a father, Ten Cents was never short of strong male influences: his grandfather, O.J, Big Mac, Top Hat (though Ten Cents will jokingly deny this one) and later his older brothers and Uncle Patch (Sea Rogue). Therefore, he has always claimed that he never felt the need for a father.

But Ten Cents' largely happy childhood came with the price of his ignorance. Despite their fractured relationship, Hercules and Warrior shielded their baby brother from the worst of it, and his family never told him about his father. So Ten Cents grew up in a protected little bubble under the careful gaze of his family and fleet. Frequently, he has wondered about his father and how it would be to meet him. This would make him the most vulnerable if Theseus would ever return, although Theseus - despite having a paid pair of 'eyes' in the port - has no idea that Silver Penny gave him a third son.

Sunshine and Aurora:

The twins are the result of an affair between Theseus Oleander and his sister-in-law, Bright Dawn Starr. After tricking her with lies and convincing her to run away with him to Newcastle, Bright Dawn fell pregnant with and gave birth to the twins. Despite finally having a long-awaited daughter, Theseus disappeared from the twins' lives when they were less than a week old. But unlike Ten Cents, Sunshine and Aurora didn't have an extended family to protect them and were raised by their mother alone. But Bright Dawn, whose mental health had been deteriorating long before Theseus got to her, was far from a competent mother and would punish the twins for any transgressions (real or imagined) with violence. Aggravated by bullying and abuse for being fatherless outside the home, the twins learned that they only had one another for support and grew up overly dependent on one another, appearing more hardened and older than they should have been.

The twins lot improved when a series of incidents and misfortunes led them to the Starr fleet, eventually reuniting them with their family and finally being able to have a relationship with their mother when she got some help. They even got a new father figure when Bright Dawn reunited with and married her childhood sweetheart, Patrick "Sea Rogue" Teach. They quickly decided to take their stepfathers name once he proved to be the father they needed.

The twins, much like Warrior, hold their biological father in contempt for what he did to their mother and for willingly abandoning them to a childhood of misery and abuse. Sunshine, in particular, holds the most resentment, as the years of abuse he suffered while trying to protect his sister left physical, mental, and emotional scars that only became fully apparent once they were settled and happy. For this, Aurora will throw the blame squarely at Theseus' absent feet.

[bestworstcase]

people who talk about "cast bloat" in v7/8 are so funny to me bc v4 and especially v5 really suffer from having so few minor and supporting characters—like. literally the only new faces are 1. nameless bit characters, and 2. arc antagonists (the albains, ilia, lionheart, raven, and vernal).

and i think that is the reason those two volumes feel so… empty. they're not actually that slow-paced and there is in fact a LOT of narrative meat on the bones, but v4-5 feel slower and feel like there's less going on in them. (and that is not exactly an uncommon opinion: "nothing happens in v4-5" and "v4-5 are slower paced and that's good actually" are both sentiments that i see a lot.)

but… like, v4 comes out swinging with salem putting her plan into motion, and while juggling between blake / weiss / rnjr / yang on their separate journeys does slow down the progression of character arcs in terms of watching time, narratively things do happen at a fair clip and the story does a good job of weaving these disparate threads together thematically. similarly, v5 murks up the timeline by being non-chronological but none of the characters are ever just sitting around and there is quite a bit of momentum. it just doesn't feel that way—

—because these narrative events feel isolated. menagerie is crowded with nameless extras, only one of whom gets a shred of actual characterization; the only side characters who get anything at all are the antagonists involved in blake's arc. similarly, rnjr meet a few bit players during their journey across anima and then… literally just lionheart, once they reach mistral. vernal is the only bandit with an identity beyond "bandit."

the atlas portions of v4 are comparatively memorable because we DO meet new characters of varying importance: jacques, klein, and whitley get a decent amount of fleshing out in relation to weiss and ironwood, with ironwood's headbutting with jacques giving an indirect glimpse into atlas politics; then there's smaller characters like henry marigold, the business people who talk about the faunus and economic inequality with jacques, the socialite who scoffs about the fall of beacon because how is this our problem.

the same can be said for the other arcs too. the blacksmith and the mayor at the beginning of v4 breathe life into that village; the friendly captain makes the ship feel more alive. nameless extras don't do much for a narrative—they just visually fill out a scene—but bit characters with a bit of personality bring the world to life.

so during the beacon arc, there's a steady widening of the supporting cast (team cfvy + sun and neptune + penny and ironwood in v2, winter and qrow and various tournament competitors in v3). and then in v6, we get dee and dudley, maria and jinn, the cotta-arcs and cordovin and the encounter with pyrrha's (probably) mother. and in v7-8 there's the ace-ops and the happy huntresses and pietro along with bit characters like the councilmen and racist grandma and fiona's uncle. and v9 is chock full of memorable side characters. there is a significant and consistent presence of side and bit characters.

compare that to v4-5, which have long sections of narrative where The Only Characters are… the core cast and the arc antagonists. it makes the world feel smaller and that makes the narrative events feel insulated and unimportant.

a bare-bones cast of only characters who are strictly necessary for the plot will not make v10 feel "tighter" or "better focused," it'll just make vacuo feel lifeless. lol. (and this is not even getting into how rwby uses side characters to develop its core cast; like the point of robyn being so prominent in v7-8 is not to develop robyn herself, it's to incite development with ruby, penny, blake, yang, ironwood, and qrow. she's a catalyst. this is true also of the ace-ops and may.)

[leifygreeens]

hello!! your writings are so fun to read!!

if its alright with you, could i please request maru x penny x gn! farmer !! it could be general headcanons or anything. maybe it could be like how they would prepare for and celebrate bdays? i think thatd be cute and maybe chaotic xD up to you >:3

Hey!! Sorry this is so overdue (I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot about the ask atp, my bad).

I really hope you like this, I'm sorry it's taken me so damn long to get this out to you, and as always, thank you for your request. I hope you have a lovely day, Anne! <3

Warnings: Fluffy as hell. That's it. Enjoy!

For birthdays and anniversaries, Maru and Penny will ask that you get home early, and get ready to go into town

You’ll shower, dress up a little more than usual, and walk to the Saloon

Maru and Penny reserve the private dining space, because the volume of the saloon is a little much when you’re looking for something intimate and personal

Gus is always happy to have you, and goes out of his way to make sure your dinner goes smoothly

He gives free desserts and drinks, as well, and will bring them to you with a grin

When dinner is finished, and you’ve all gone home, Penny and Maru will sit you down in the living room, and bring you their gifts

Penny typically goes for sentimental pieces, like annotated books and trinkets that hint at an inside joke or two, paired with heartfelt letters

Maru is less sappy, but just as sincere with her gifts

She’ll commonly gift you with machines she’s built to make your lives easier, or the occasional items she caught you staring at a little too long during your trips to the city

After presents, you’ll watch movies for a portion of the night, and when the light of day finally fades away, Maru and Penny will drag you up to the loft

“The loft” used to be the attic of the farmhouse, until Robin deconstructed the walls and the ceiling into an open air space, and cut out some bits of the roof to account for the windows to make some skylights

Cushioned with plenty of blankets and pillows that Penny thrifted or made herself, it’s a pretty cozy space

But you’ll climb up the ladder steps as a trio, and make yourselves comfortable

You always take the middle, with Maru and Penny on either side of you

There's several personalized things up there, like the mini bookshelf Penny and Maru use for their books (Maru loves her academic books, and Penny fills her shelves with classic and modern literature of all genres)

There's also a spot up there for your pets, and plenty of potted plants for extra greenery

Maru and Penny's favorite part of the loft is the bedded space, however

But anyway

Maru has her telescope up there, and (weather allowing) Maru will open one of the windows and you’ll stargaze

Sometimes Penny makes up stories for constellations, or tells you the stories she does know

You’ll point out stars or clouds of color in the night sky, and Maru will tell you exactly what they are, how they form, and she can tell you what they’re named, as well

But on the days where the weather isn’t so perfect, and the stars are obscured, the windows will stay closed, and you’ll watch the rain pitter against the glass or the lightning arc across the sky

On those days, you’ll talk about anything, everything

Or, if you prefer the quiet, Maru and Penny are content to just lay back and enjoy the sky with you

If your birthday or anniversary is in the winter, and the window has frosted over, then Penny will read to you

She always lets you pick the book you want her to read, and if you're feeling cheeky, you'll make her read one of those really sappy romance books she loves so much

Penny can never get through a reading without blushing like a madwoman, even later on in your marriage

It gives you and Maru more ammo to tease her, later ;)

You'll stay up there for the rest of the night, in a giant cuddle pile, sleeping comfortably in each other's arms

It’s safe, and cozy, and you wouldn't have it any other way

[moltensmusings]

Wanting to ramble a bit about them so figured I'd give my late take on some of the concept art from rwby remnant archives that people have shared online.

Starting with the dresses:

There's a high chance due to budget and restrictions of the animation program these designs got replaced with what we had in the end. But these are infinitely better than the ones we did get. The ruby hair and clear rose dress, the Weiss look being simple but also very expensive in appearance as her fits should be. Blake with the longer version of her dress that fits her so well at this point in canon. And yang dress is just, top tier. I've always disliked her actual dress from the show because it just didn't fit her as a character. Yang has a loud personality and the dress should be eyecatching.

Penny concepts:

I adore these penny designs and I think in a more traditional Pinocchio story they'd fit, but it does make sense that they opted to use what ended up as her canon design. The ones I like the most are the blue and white, the bottom right green dress, and the two top green and purple dresses.

Penny has always felt very refined and put together in her design. A perfect robot visually. I think she really does look like something someone from atlas would design and that's fantastic. All in all no bad designs here but some just made more sense.

Neo concepts:

Controversial take maybe, I'm glad they didn't make her a faunus. I've never made it a secret that their faunus lore/handling of the faunus characters is bad and I think her final look is just perfect. She's a design where her inspiration isn't immediately clear but it's such an intelligently done one that when you hear her design inspiration it clicks.

Faunus Neo is cool in theory but doesn't work to me.

Sun concepts:

I love these designs but I do understand why they shifted things. I do wish they'd reused them in volume 4, though, when Sun's traveling around. A big disappointment of rwby is how much team SSSN gets disregarded by the writers. Maybe we'll see portions of this reincorporated in Vacuo if we get volume 10.

I could stare at this concept for hours, I really love it.

Those are the ones I've been thinking about since I saw them. Hopefully I can see more character concepts later.

[kitkatopinions]

Your take on the recent RT announcement of a storybook anthology series to show what was happening in Remnant during volume 9?

I really feel like it's unnecessary at best at the moment and really doesn't give me any hope at all for... Anything going forward. XD

Like, 'this shows what's happening in Remnant during V9' V9 happened over the course of like a day and a half. And yes, it's obvious to the audience through the visual of the ships over Vacuo that it's been at least aa bit longer for the people of Vacuo than for RWBY+J in the Ever After (which I didn't want.) But if they were doing V10, I think they could stand to actually confirm how long they were gone in the show before they're like 'aren't you curious about what happened during all that time?'

Number one, it makes me feel like they will just brush over any time gap and have RWBYJ be like 'Well I guess it's been six months' or whatever and then move on quickly. Number two, despite caring about and liking a lot of the characters left in Vacuo, my hope is below zero for the fact that we'll see anything good or worthwhile at all.

Here are my predictions:

We'll get a minor cameo from Team SSSN and Team CFVY working with Team FNKI or something and at best Sun will ask about Blake and Nora will offhandedly say something about Blake belonging to Yang and Sun will be like 'oh, good for them.' Nora and Ren will get back together. Winter will get a ton of focus and weirdly will be like the only person really allowed to grieve for the presumed dead kids in more than a passing way. Maria and Pietro will also make a minor appearance and the anthology will say like one thing about Pietro missing Penny, but there's not gonna be any info on what happened to them out in the tundra or how they got to Vacuo. Qrow will get like a moment of acting bummed about Ruby and Yang and then Robyn will put a hand on his shoulder and Qrow will just move on. Theodore will make an appearance being 'the good member of Oz's inner circle' where he'll make some comments about never trusting Ironwood and will say something to Oz like 'it's a good thing you had those girls picking up the slack' and Oz will be like 'I know,' and they'll mention Glynda in passing. Mercury and Tyrian will be dealt with in this anthology.

And honestly, I could like all of them so much and I still wouldn't buy this because 'what Ren and Nora did in passing while Ruby was committing suicide' obviously doesn't matter as much to me as seeing Ruby actually go through the plot. And there being enough time for an 'anthology' to happen in Vacuo does damage imo to the main story because it gets consequences of V8 for Remnant and personal conflicts and moments I'd have liked to see addressed in the actual show for characters all brushed aside.

Also some people in the Discord chat I'm in mentioned that they think it's possible that the 'Beyond' portion of this is concerning.

As in, we might be getting important things like Team RWBY+J's return to Remnant and reunion with the others in this instead of waiting for V10 out of a desire to quickly tie up loose ends in the fear that V10 will never happen.

I've been on the 'V10 will probably happen but it might be the last season and probably will get rushed hardcore' train, but everything that RT does with RWBY makes me feel like V10 might not happen after all, or at the very least will only happen if the projects they make sell very well.

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

BFCD Masterlist || Black Femme x Asian Character Relationships

This is a list of the ships with at least one Black female character x at least one Asian person or performer (Instances in which the characters aren't human will count as the person portraying the character's race).

As of the 4 Year Anniversary of blackfemmecharacterdependency April 30th, 2024, I am not going to be active. I decided to simply post what I had. The list is incomplete for the foreseeable future, but everyone is welcome to add on to it. Especially because I had several ships planned that I didn't get a chance to add before I had to stop maintaining the blog.

General Tags:

Black + Asian (This is for People with Black and Asian in them. They aren't necessarily ship representation, but sort of are because they are a product of such relationships and may be used for FC's if you have a character of similar makeup)

Black x Asian (This is for ships) | Black women with Asian men | Black women with Asian women | Black Woman with a Bigender Asian | Black Woman with Nonbinary Asian

Exceptions include if there is a nonbinary performer who plays the role of a female character, or vice versa, on the Black end. If there is an EXPLICITLY AFAB MALE, please do not suggest or expect them to appear.

List will include people from and with backgrounds from the countries on the map, but I don't intend to put any from Russia's portions, unless a special circumstance appears.

It was a little bit difficult for me to figure out how to curate the list (there are more of these relationships than I realized. So, for now, its mostly separated by regions of Asia, with the left portions on one list and the right portions on another. Not a perfect breakdown but everything to the left of China (west) and South is going to be the first part, and China to the east will be the second.

*

4400: Keisha Taylor x Soraya TV

Anything's Possible: Kelsa x Khal Movie

Big Brother: Taylor Hale & Joseph Abdin Reality TV/Real Life

Jonesy: Susan x Nisha Comic Book Series

Mythic Quest: Dana x Rachel TV

The Haunting of Bly Manor: Hannah Grose x Owen Sharma Mini-Series

Lucifer: Mazikeen x Eve TV/Comics

The Princess and the Frog: Tiana x Naveen Cartoons/Misc

Ragnarok, The Animated Series:Judia x Iruga Alam (Idk enough about these characters to know anything. I will put them on this end, because it sounds like this is where they go)

Sleepless: Pyppenia x Cyrenic Graphic Novel

Tut: Suhad x Tutankhamun Miniseries

*

Anime

Basquash!: Miyuki Ayukawa x Dan JD (I will be so honest with y'all. Inthe years of finding content, none of the times that I have ever found some, I have never seen an inkling of a pairing from that show and so just don't expect to see them here just because I included the names from suggestions)

Bleach: Yoruichi x Soi Fong

Borotu: Karui x Choji Akimichi (Once again, had no clue. Actually, I didn't know there was a Black women even In this series, which gives me pause to seek out content. Them fandoms where you never see the negress usually 1000% cannot be trusted. Long story short: Don't expect content.)

Hunter x Hunter: Canary x Amane | Revolutionary Girl Utena: Anthy x Utena

Books

Can't Escape Love: Regina Hobbs x Gustave Nguyen Book - Alyssa Cole

Let's Talk About Love: Alice x Takumi Book - Claire Kann

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Hazel Levesque x Frank Zhang Book Series | The Sun is Also a Star Natasha Kingsley x Daniel Bae Book/Movie

And just a fun tidbit for y'all. This assignment has my computer thinking I need suggestions. I haven't read any of these, but came across them, so here you are.

Cartoons

Amphibia: Jess x Ally | Dragon Age Absolution: Miriam x Sapphira | The Dragon Prince: Janai x Amaya | Inside Job: Gigi x Andre (Adult) | Invincible: Amber Bennett x Mark Grayson (Adult) | Miraculous Ladybug: Ayla x Marinnette | The Owl House: Skara x Willow | The Proud Family: Penny Proud x Kwok

Comic Books

Batgirl: Rebirth: Frankie Charles x Malaya | DC Bombshells: Nell Little x Alysia Yeoh | Goldie Vance: Marigold "Goldie" Vance x Diane Kimura | X-Men: Ororo Munroe x Yukio

Movies

Boogie: Eleanor x Boogie | Bottoms: Josie x Isabel | Cinderella: Cinderella x Christopher | Lightyear: Alisha x Kiko Hawthorne | Ninja Assassin: Mika Coretti x Raiko | Romeo Must Die: Trish O'Day & Han Sing

TV/Streaming Series

The Baby-SItters Club: Ashley Wyeth x Janine Kishi | Black Lightning: Anissa Pierce x Grace Choi (Comics/TV) | Chicago Med: April Sexton x Ethan Choi | Dark Matter: Nyx x Two | Fate: The Winx Saga: Aisha x Grey | Gen V: Marie Moreau x Jordan Li | Heartstopper: Elle Argent x Tao Xu Webcomic/Streaming Series | Hunters: Roxy Jones x Joe Mizushima | Into the Badlands: Veil x Sunny | Killjoys: Aneela Kin Rit x Delle Seyah Kendra | Motherland: Fort Salem: Abigail Bellweatherx Adil of Tarim | Neon: Mia x Felix | New Amsterdam: Helen Sharpe x Cassian Shin | Helen Sharpe x Akash Panthaki | Nine Perfect Strangers: Delilah x Yao Book/Miniseries |

Orange is the New Black: Poussey x Soso | Power Rangers: Aisha x Adam | Aisha x Rocky x Adam aka Nesha's First Throuple | Tanya Sloan x Adam Park Kids TV | Riverdale: Josie McCoy x Reggie Mantle | Josie McCoy x Sweet Pea | Shadowhunters: Maia Roberts x Jordan Kyle Book/TV | Star Trek TOS: Uhura x Sulu TV/Movies | Star Wars: Jannah x Rose | Ketsu x Sabine | Pamich x Jessika Cartoons/Comics/Movies | The Umbrella Academy: Jill x Ben Hargreeves | Wheel of Time: Nynaeve al'Meara x 'Lan Mandragoran Book/Streaming Series

Webcomics

Dom & Mor: Morgan x Dominique | He's Harmless, I Swear: Tammy x Tomoya | If You'll Have Me: Momo Gardner x Priscilla Giang Webcomic/Graphic Novel | LMLY: Sofia x Leon Webcomics

Video Games

Mortal Kombat: Jacqui Briggs x Takeda Takahashi

*

To Reiterate: The list is incomplete for the foreseeable future

[ecargmura]

Pokemon Paldean Winds Episode 4 Review - The Video Project Is Done

Is it weird to tear up from this anime? This episode isn’t even a sad one, yet I shed some tears. They’re not tears of sadness, but rather tears of joy. I felt overwhelmed because this finale was the perfect love letter to the Paldea region.

The story for this episode is the final product of the video project. It turns out to be an amazing success as the main characters did as they wanted to. Ohara got the orchestra and her father to perform the music; Aliquis got his favorite streamer Iono to collaborate for the project and Hohma managed to make it a success. On top of that, each main character managed to get a happy ending of sorts too. Ohara realizes how much she likes playing flute and that her dad actually enjoyed conducting for the performance. Aliquis’s brother is coming over and he’s going to battle him with Meowscarada by his side. Hohma is going to write about Aliquis’s battle with Nemona, but in a way that everyone would enjoy—he requests an interview with him. I’m amaze that each episode was able to give them the closure they needed for the finale. I’m amazed with the character development.

The animation was just so fluid. I especially loved the Iono segment where she pranced about and even had movement for every Gym Leader she introduced. Wit Studio went all out with this, seriously. Even for smaller segments that show the Pokemon, I can see the care they put into it. I am also amazed with how much they were able to squeeze in for a 7 minute and 40 second video. They had all the Gym Leaders, the Elite Four and Geeta, all the teachers, Nemona, Penny, Carmine and Kieran, Clavell, DJ G-Rave and even the faceless player character make an appearance! The only downside was that Arven and Team Star didn’t make an appearance in this episode; though, Arven had his fair share of screen time in Episode 1 and Team Star had some in Episode 3. I also really loved each portion of Paldea and a Pokemon wandering about; I quite liked Ghimmighoul running towards a chest.

This was the perfect way to end the series. Showing off everything about Paldea was definitely a smart move. The four episodes showcased so many aspects that Paldea has to offer and nothing feels too off. There was even some new information that the games have never given us like Larry working for the Pokemon League for 25 years—the reason why he’s so exhausted and jaded makes absolute sense now. Just from this mini-series alone, I can tell that Gen 9 will be an unforgettable era.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds in store for future eras. This was definitely a success, so I am absolutely sure the next generation will have a mini series as great as this one. It gives me hope for the future. What are your thoughts about this episode and the whole miniseries as a whole?

[raulf-o]

We're not Ready for Progress

Change is scariest when you are comfortable… And we are way too comfortable.

I do not believe that I have to repeat nor indulge myself in the usual trope of capitalism bad, people comfortable, people lazy, people ungrateful, people ignorant, people bad, people stupid, people uneducated. Yes a lot of those would be true, but most of those are the fault of the system we have in place that instead of helping people be better, get better, help themselves, it keeps them in a spire of misery. Yes, the system is also created by humans, and not an unknown entity with immovable laws. The laws and systems we live under are movable and can change. Yet, this takes a lot of courage. Courage many do not have. And while my brief introduction would lead you to believe that this is due to comfort, that’s not the entire story. That’s just something to draw you into the rest of this ramble. The honest truth is that there’s a large portion of this problem that comes from fear of the unknown. Change, and more precisely systemic change is an unknown. It brings anxieties with it and a lot of unanswered questions. Yes, of course, we have the answer to a lot of things and we can learn a lot, have learned a lot, from what doesn’t work with the current system. But, corruption can always undermine changes. Because it would mean a blind trust that not just a system can change, but that people can also change. Something that is rather tough to sell to anyone. And while anecdotal evidence is out there, if you are to ask most people, they will tell you they do not believe a person can usually change for the better. And so we’ve arrived at the reason for this whole post… We’re NOT Ready for Progress…

Prisons shouldn’t exist. Yes, at all. Prisons do not solve problems. Prisons do not help people be better people. At best, prisons scare people into not wanting to comit other crimes. But most people that go through the prison system, usually, become repeat offenders. Why? Because it doesn’t solve any of the problems to begin with. And what’s worse, in some countries even after they serve their sentence those people get out with fewer rights and with fewer opportunities. Which is why they often become repeat offenders. Instead of rehabilitation, you get persecution once you have finished your sentence. If you are from the US of A, this just might be the case for you. But that isn’t to say that the rest of the world is doing a better job. While the nordic countries are getting as close as possible to what we should be doing, it’s not perfect either. Because either way, we do not fix the systemic issues that bring crime. These things are a innate failure of the system and we should be very unhappy about it. And if your prison system is for profit, you should be livid with rage, especially if the prisoners also work for pennies as slave labor. 

Yes, personal responsibility is a thing, but unless you personally choose when and where and to whom you are born. Most of the things in your life are predetermined by the system. Meaning that any person is born to a predetermined set of options in their lifetime, as infinite as that might seem, it is quite restrictive. If you are born in a poor country, if you are born in a poor city, if you are born in a poor neighborhood but in a wealthy city, if you are born in the country side away from possibilities, these things predetermine most of your life. To get out of these situations in the current system necessitate an herculean effort. Whether it’s in terms of money, time spent doing things or just the mental pressure, there’s a lot hinging on you changing your life if you are born to struggle. Considering you can’t just move into a richer town or a richer country easily, and you can’t just meet the right person to give you a hand to help you pull yourself out poverty. Some of these things can be literally impossible. Pair that with poor education, lack of access, racism, xenophobia, abuse, an uncaring system, people’s disposition to not believe in change for good. And you have this whole disaster.

Which is why I believe prisons shouldn’t exist. It’s hypocritical. If we are to believe that most people are kind, caring, loving, compassionate, empathetic and good-willed, then we should believe not in punishment, but in rehabilitation and fixing the problems that cause crime to happen. And it would be great if we were to deal with those in the following order: poverty or badly paying jobs, corruption, lack of opportunity and mobility, lack of public transport, lack of mental health help and basically lack to a good living standard, affordable housing, affordable quality food and quality free time. These are the things we should actually focus on, rather than just punish people and believing in fairy tales that they might suddenly turn their lives around. It isn’t going to happen. Their circumstances didn’t change. The place they live in is the same, no matter how many years they spend behind bars, if you send them back into the same environment, with the same lack of everything, they are going to relapse, because we never really gave them a chance. And this is just one small example of a reflection of ourselves and how we see ourselves. We do not trust in ourselves to be good, decent people. And this shows in how we systematically think about crime in an archaic way. Basically shouting everyone is a criminal, everyone needs to be punished, everyone needs to suffer, and only a chose few deserve better. Which is ridiculous, not because it isn’t true, but because we’re punishing and dooming ourselves to suffer like we’re sado-masochistic freaks. My point is that in order for progress to be made we need to treat ourselves better believe that we deserve better, be better and believe that there’s better out there for us. Only once we do that we might have the courage to change and be the change we want to see in this world.

[beatverse1]

How to Submit Your Song on Spotify with 100% Royalties Using Deliver My Tune

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Understanding Spotify’s Potential for Artists

Spotify has transformed the music industry, offering unprecedented access to millions of listeners worldwide. It provides a platform where independent artists can stand shoulder to shoulder with global icons. By using a reliable distributor like Deliver My Tune, you can tap into Spotify’s potential and reach a vast audience without compromising your earnings.

Spotify’s algorithms and playlisting features make it possible to expand your reach organically. A well-submitted track can land on editorial and user-generated playlists, giving you a chance to gain traction and grow your listener base. But to achieve this, you need to follow a strategic approach.

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Distributors act as the bridge between your music and streaming platforms. When you choose one that supports independent artists, you retain full control over your music and finances. Deliver My Tune stands out for offering a streamlined process tailored to artists looking for complete ownership of their earnings.

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A carefully planned release strategy can maximize the impact of your music. Submit your song at least four weeks before the official release date to give Spotify enough time to process your track and consider it for playlist placement.

During this pre-release phase, build anticipation among your audience. Leverage social media, email newsletters, and influencer partnerships to generate buzz around your upcoming track. Pre-save campaigns are another effective way to secure early listens and signal Spotify’s algorithm about your song’s potential.

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Once your track is live on Spotify, promotion becomes the key to success. Share the link across all your social channels, embed it on your website, and encourage fans to add it to their playlists. Collaborate with content creators, bloggers, and podcasters who align with your genre to reach a wider audience.

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The music industry is evolving rapidly, and independent artists are at the forefront of this revolution. Platforms like Spotify are leveling the playing field, but the key to success lies in leveraging the right tools and strategies.

With Deliver My Tune, you can submit your song on Spotify with 100% royalties, paving the way for financial independence and creative freedom. Don’t let traditional industry structures hold you back—embrace the power of modern distribution and take charge of your music career today.

Related Articles:

For further reading, explore these related articles:

Submit your song on Spotify as an independent artist

Submit your song on Spotify without a label

Submit your song on Spotify with no upfront fees

Submit your song on Spotify quickly

For additional resources on music marketing and distribution, visit DMT RECORDS PRIVATE LIMITED.

[asuryanovna]

A couple of notes on my beloved protagonist, Helaine von Valancius, the ending slides that chronicle the way her decisions affected the future of the Koronus Expanse, and trying to tie the two in a way that feels coherent.

I am currently reorganising my screenshot folder, deciding which ones to keep and which ones to discard, as there are far too many. While doing this, and to be more precise, while going through the portion of the screenshots that follow the journey of Helaine von Valancius, the character that started it all and was the first (among a number of others to come) to explore the Koronus Expanse and don the mantle of the Lord Captain, I am once again struck by the almost comical disconnect between two things – the ending slides offering a glimpse into the future, and the actual decisions and actions made and performed by Her Ladyship during the journey across the Expanse.

More than a year ago now, on the first of January, when I first got to the ending slides with Helaine, I was rather baffled and even upset about the fact that the lovingly and wonderfully written paragraphs seemed to both ignore and contradict her pattern of behaviour throughout the story, making her out to be a kind of revolutionary, compassionate, merciful and charitable person. The ideals she held close to her heart were described as antithetical to those of the Imperium, though ultimately appealing to citizens that longed for a kind of refuge away from its strict dogmatism.

In a way, this disconnect reminded me of a similar situation that took place in an entirely different game (though brought to life owing to the tremendous efforts of the very same Owlcat Games). In Pathfinder: Kingmaker, I distinctly recall Jubilost, one of the potential candidates for the role of the kingdom’s treasurer, described rather unequivocally as a penny pincher, and as someone rather obsessed with frugality and careful management of resources. And yet, despite the fact that my protagonist in that game followed his advice to the letter, the epilogue painted a drastically different picture: the kingdom’s treasury was effectively empty and depleted due to the numerous attempts to appease the populace by essentially throwing money at every problem instead of carefully managing of the treasury. Clearly, somebody felt the need to embellish their resume a bit.

To be entirely honest, that was a bit of a humorous situation, not one to get irritated over once my confusion died down. Then again, Jubilost was a companion character, so a degree of discrepancy between the actions performed throughout the game and the result of these actions described in the ending slides is ultimately forgivable to me.

When it comes to my beloved protagonist, however, the disconnect feels a lot more substantial. I may not be as disconcerted about it as a player any longer, because, of course, I am all too aware now that due to programming limitations it is the highest conviction number that has to be taken into account, rather than the actions, however minute, my character may have performed. Which is a shame, because there is a mere 20 point difference between her Iconoclast rank and her Dogmatic rank, but then again, knowing from my other playthroughs how proper followers of these convictions behave, feel and play out, I can honestly say that none of them are a true fit for Helaine. It would have been fantastic to see a kind of hybrid ending, I suppose, but alas.

The standards may be different in the 41st millennium, but I still find it rather difficult to believe that the relatively small number of truly impactful Iconoclast decisions (the ones that give 15 points, at the very least) she performed would erase her more harsh and often heinous deeds in full, and would somehow be enough to paint her as a near revolutionary figure that speaks for the common people, dutifully helps out just about anyone, and accepts them into her care whenever the circumstances permit her to do so. Still, a closer look at her behaviour (in both the base game and the dlc) makes it fairly obvious that the description given to her in the Iconoclast ending is quite an embellishment of her actual character.

Truly, the Expanse has never known a more merciful personage. Also, she is also a particularly distinguished and well-versed connoisseur in all matters related to the art and practice of inflicting pain and suffering upon others, and her interest in this subject goes beyond passive fascination, much to the chagrin of Seneschal Werserian.

(speaking of which, I do wish there were more options to inflict psyker mindfuckery, better still if they were to be performed with skill checks and permanent penalties should one fail to pass the check)

Then there is also this scene with Kibellah.

There was absolutely no need to do all of this. There was no need to do any of this, to be entirely honest, but it was a good time for Her Ladyship, fun and educational all at once.

And, of course, none of the above comes even remotely close to the kind of vileness she began to engage in on the regular once she formed a bond with Marazhai (behind the scenes, of course, with only Vigdis and whomever she sent to see if there is anything left to salvage from the gory mess to turn into corpse-starch being privy to the details ). That bond is as horrifying as it is profound in how it affects both her and a rather large portion of the crew aboard the voidship, but truthfully all it does is merely unearth a wickedness within her that had always lingered beneath the surface, waiting to find its true expression. Killing, then, ceases to be an act done out of necessity, vengeance, or sheer annoyance, though admittedly coloured with the hues of gratification, and becomes a source of exhilaration, a thrilling dance, and a further affirmation of her power, but in a different from how power feels when, for instance, countless worshippers on Foulstone pray under the enormous statues depicting her while her name escapes their lips.

And indeed, power in addition to profit and influence – these are the things she wants, and that is what she puts the most value in, what drives her forward a lot of the time, and what represents the pillars upon which her world is built. She is fixated on the pursuit of these things and is unshakable in her resolve to claim them, be it more status, more influence, more fortune. Her methods to obtain what she craves may not necessarily be calculated and strategic, as she admittedly lacks the genius to anticipate every potential consequence (-5 logic), and are instead driven by instinct, intuition, and a natural gut feeling for opportunity. Yet things work out in the end (most of the time) purely because her determination to maintain and expand the influence of the von Valancius dynasty and ensure its place in history is unwavering.

I think, and this is close to being my only point of contention when it comes to the game, the writers leaned a bit too heavily into the mercy aspect of the Iconoclast conviction, largely ignoring the fact that it can indeed be applied to someone altogether not squeamish about employing xenos tools, and seeking to form an alliance with them to achieve their goals. That is indeed something true to her and how she chooses to forge the path forward. Helaine certainly does have some Iconoclastic tendencies, but the very core of those does not stem from a desire to extend mercy or forgiveness to those the Imperium has labelled as undesirable, intolerable, or simply outside of what is accepted within the bounds of its rigid doctrine. Instead, it is her willingness to adopt an unorthodox (though very much allowed owing to the Warrant of Trade) and perhaps questionable approach to assert power and extend the reach of the Imperium’s territories by way of utilising xenos technology and weaponry (big fan of the blades and such), and forming alliances with them, however temporary, that marks her as an Iconoclast. Of course, to some, even among her retinue, these practices are considered taboo and outright heretical within the rigid framework of established Imperial doctrines, but the Warrant trumps and quashes all doubts. Though not enough it would seem, since she was eventually branded as a heretic, unfortunately, probably by her rivals in the field, as opposed to anyone truly substantial (after all, it was never said that Kibellah came for her life for these perceived heresies, for the Emperor Himself did not yet whisper her name). Oh well, have fun getting your forces eaten by the Drukhari.

That said, at times, she does behave in a way that, to an outside observer, might appear to be merciful, compassionate, or altruistic, so long as the observer is not aware of the motivations, reasoning, or inner logic behind those actions.

For example, when she helps Heinrix with his endeavour on Kiava Gamma, once they face the grotesque, bloated mass melted into one from what was once several human beings, she advises him to put it out of its misery. And yet her suggestion is not born from compassion or mercy toward the deformed horror, instead coming from a more personal and perhaps even selfish place. When she looks at the hideous mass of flesh, she imagines herself in its place, body utterly distorted, any remaining shred of humanity erased nearly completely, with nothing left but to be a prisoner to am awful fate. Helaine cannot stomach the sight of it, because to continue looking at such a vile thing is to be reminded that she, too, might one day be left at the mercy of forces far more powerful than she, doubly so since she is a psyker, one that prides herself on how exceptionally well she controls her powers and her connection to the Warp, yet just as susceptible to its influence because the latter is ultimately merciless to all.

Yet once Heinrix agrees to put it out of its misery, and the flesh mound merely lies in the cage, no longer moving, no longer moaning, she can create the illusion that such a fate could never touch her, that the grotesque thing Heinrix initially wanted to sustain with a noble cause in mind – to gain knowledge for the benefit of the Imperium – existed in a distant plane, far removed from her own life. To no longer see any hint of life in the monstrosity is to retain the hope, and while it is a fragile pretence, it is one she stubbornly clings to nonetheless. The decision, then, was not moved by sincerely felt mercy towards the suffering creature, but a selfish desire to preserve her own sense of humanity, fleeting though it may be.

Then there is another moment: during the Magnae Accessio ceremony, she deliberately positions herself as a kind of guardian of the people, with the desire to craft an image of herself as being approachable and compassionate. In part, this decision was also influenced by one of her earlier conversations with Lady Cassia, the one about the benefit of throwing a bone on occasion, with the desire to make them see this magnanimous act of charity as a privilege among her otherwise severe rule, and for them to rationalise her more harsh behaviour as an acceptable trade-off for the greater overall benefit she brings to the dynasty.

Furthermore, by promising what appears to be a benevolent future, she sets herself apart from her predecessor, Theodora, in the eyes of the people. Internally, it is an important step for Helaine because of her complex feelings towards her predecessor, for she harbours both admiration and resentment towards her. She is undeniably impressed by the lasting reverence the late Theodora continues to command among her subjects, but this very adulation constantly feeds her feelings of jealousy and frustration. While Helaine believes that they are free to remember Theodora all they want in their prayers and journal entries, all their attention, respect, and devotion should now shift entirely to her as the new head of the dynasty.

And therein lies another major internal reason for that choice – her narcissistic tendencies and her need for praise coming through. How frustrating it is, however, and also ironic, that she craves admiration from the very people she privately (and at times not so privately) disdains and deems unworthy of her own attention. Still, while she has bound herself to the very people she despises through this pursuit of reverence, it is a lot safer, more impersonal and more detached than a connection that requires any real giving of herself back – this glorification that requires no risk of intimacy, and no chance of being truly seen and known – and a sea of faceless admirers can easily inflate her pride without threatening her guarded self.

The game does not register these inner motivations, of course, and instead takes it all at face value. But then, so would the people around her, be they part of her regular retinue, or the nobles on the capital world, or one of the numerous officers stationed on the voidship.

So then, a theory for her being seen as an extreme version of an Iconoclast, then, could be based on the following: the ending slides – the chronicles that account her rule as a Rogue Trader, are not necessarily based on actual facts, and are instead an amalgamation of half-rumours and half-truths, distorted by the powerful lens of sentiment of the person who penned them down. Perhaps these accounts were written by a court scribe who shared an unusually close relationship with her, though the closeness, was determined more by circumstance and necessity than by genuine intimate connection. Perhaps the scribe was a voidborn like her, one that managed to rise to prominence and catch her attention from there (Helaine does, after all, feel a kinship to both Vigdis and Ravor, even if she rarely shows it, even despite on occasion having them lashed for errors and missteps). Or perhaps this chronicler was shrewd enough to navigate her often unforgiving temperament, thus gaining some measure of her elusive favour and the protection that came with it.

Whatever the case may have been, the relationship influenced the way the chronicler portrayed the Lord Captain by depicting her reign through a warped and softened lens, and revealing her character only selectively, with flaws hidden beneath layers of either admiration or fear, or both. Her heinous deeds, however monstrous or unforgivable, are either downplayed, cast in an ambiguous light, or erased entirely, as though they had never been committed.

Then again, perhaps that is an inescapable fate for a great number of rulers and sovereigns, for they are rarely remembered and immortalised as they truly were, with all the contradictions and complexities that shaped them, since an enduring legacy is not about truth, but rather an idealised legend of them that continues to survive through the ages.

[cherry-berry-candy]

okay, usually we try not to rain on 13's parade too much, especially since we follow some people who really appreciate her era! but we feel like this post did a bit of poor pissing.

for the moment, i'll take note that, yes, the doctor is literally referring to the automated system. but to point this out to say the episode was never pro-company/amazon/capitalism is just... wrong. this episode is still incredibly confused on its messaging. even aside from the doctor's praise and excitement for the company, the episode is, at best, confused on its capitalism stance.

we spend a decent portion of the episode focusing on how awful the pay and conditions are for the workers- in particular, lee mack's character. he mentions how there is no privacy on the job, because of the "constant random monitoring". he makes so little money that he can only go see his daughter twice a year. he "splurge[s] on an economy shuttle". and he notes that half the galaxy is unemployed, because advances in technology took their jobs.

this is all (seemingly) critiques of capitalism! too few people are getting paid too little money to do automated work with too little privacy! this is where the confusion starts, though. the viewer will notice that the idea of people still needing to work when that work is already automated is bad. the episode, based on what happens by the end, and what op mentioned, does not.

after the dust is settled, the solution is not to push for worker's rights. all of the pay problems and privacy problems are still there. people still have to work in the first place, despite everything being automated. in fact, the solution is to push for more people to be hired. THIS SOLUTION IS NOT ANTI-CAPITALIST. Not even close! This solution is very much capitalist status-quo, and completely ignores all the capitalist critique it brought up earlier!

I can already imagine what people are thinking at this point. "Okay, but you can't expect this one scenario at space Amazon, the biggest retailer in the galaxy this one company to be able to kickstart such a widespread change" and something along the lines of the episode being about incrementalist change. But the episode seemed to suddenly lose interest entirely in even a desire to change anything else. Not to mention this solution is, imo, strictly for the worse!

Like, again. All of these rights violations are still there. No one makes any mention of how these problems are still there, no one makes any mention of what an anti-capitalist episode easily would have in people still needing to work for pennies while automation can already run everything.

With all this on-and-off focus, by the way, on capitalist exploitation, with the doctor being so excited about this big exploitative company (intentional statement or not!)- and with this classic "villain who's in the right but went TOO FAR" (except the writers seemingly didn't realize he wasn't even right), i feel like it's not unreasonable that when we hear the all-too-familiar phrase-

The systems aren't the problem. How people use and exploit the system, that's the problem.

Our brain immediately goes to every single other time the phrase has been used outside of the context of this one scene in this one show. In-universe, it is literally about the automated robots. But as a story, with like. Themes, and metaphors, and all that good stuff, is it really that unreasonable to read this as a statement on capitalism too?

Like, if you can read into the rest of this and give it explanations that mesh with, but are not pulled from, the text- then you can understand folks pulling more than the literal in-universe meaning of the words.

oh my god this is years late but everyones perception of kerblam is literally wrong??? when the doctor said the "system" wasn't wrong, she meant automation? not the company? like the concept of automation isn't inherently wrong (there is a good point for making dangerous and menial tasks automated) and it wasn't trying to hurt people. And when she said the people exploiting the system were wrong she meant people exploiting automation (including charlie, who was using it to kill people so the system would take the fall. the doctor even points out he isnt an acitivst, he's just killing people). the metaphor is a bit fumbly. but it was never pro company/amazon?? the episode ends with a focus on the company being people led. man, i dont think ill ever not get annoyed with the way people bring this episode up to make series 11 look bad.

[too-jung-for-you]

My trip to Vegas is being overtaken by passive aggressive hostility, finger pointing, financial issues and a Christian dad.

Long story short I’m not good with money. Not in the way you think. I could be given five ones and I’d end up a penny short. There’s no way it could happen except with (My Name) Logic. I am also the oldest of four and an adult child of alcoholic and emotionally un-intelligent parents (whom I love dearly). So that means I take care of a lot of their electronic and virtual concerns including bank juggling, hospital, Benmo, airfare, and hotel reservations.

If I could only put names where things need to be or organize passwords I’d be smooth sailing as #1 Child. However, my parents try to make me pay for things and give me their portion yo satisfy the car rental and hotel. You would think that would be fine. (My Name) Logic enters the building.

My Bank: $502

Mom and Dad Bank: $502

My Credit Card: needs $1,004.00 for car and hotel and gas $500 on it already.

But mom only sent me $210.00 day before I needed to have the Credit Card post by day of. Which means I needed it four days before to post in the clear. Then she paid me the remainder $242.00 day of.

I transferred my half onto my CC and kept my spending money on my Debit early, so I could pay half on my CC and half on my Debit at the hotel, right? Wrong. The hotel can’t split payment until checkout and needs one card in the total amount PLUS incidentals on check in (totally understandable and reasonable). EXCEPT

CC: $502

Debit: $502

AND I CANT MOVE cash in two minutes instantly!!!

So mom and dad pay on their debit card and now are out of spending cash.

So then I Benmo mom and dads half back and I have some confusion (until typing this out) on how much owes who. So mom and dad transfer Benmo instantly BUT IT WONT POST UNTIL AFTER WE GET HOME! So now they’re broke and I have $600 of my spending money. EXCEPT my bank doesn’t show $502 being sent to Benmo so I really only have $98 to spend after.

SO THEN I shuffle $502 to my 2nd Debit for them to use until their bank can post (hopefully instantly) and use my CC for spending. Which now has $320 because I’ve already spent for stuff. MEANING:

My Bank: $-527.00 (+$25 over draw fee)

2nd Debit: $502 (mom and dad use)

CC: $320

Mom and Dad bank: $0 (ghost money of $502)