#housing entitlements for veterans

[strikeproperty]

Should you wait for the interest rates to drop before purchasing a property

The decision to buy property in Australia is a significant one, and with recent discussions around interest rates, many potential buyers are wondering whether they should wait for rates to drop or dive into the market right away.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

June 2, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUN 03, 2024

Today is the one-hundredth anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act, which declared that “all non-citizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided, That the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property.”

That declaration had been a long time coming. The Constitution, ratified in 1789, excluded “Indians not taxed” from the population on which officials would calculate representation in the House of Representatives. In the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, the Supreme Court reiterated that Indigenous tribes were independent nations. It called Indigenous peoples equivalent to “the subjects of any other foreign Government.” They could be naturalized, thereby becoming citizens of a state and of the United States. And at that point, they “would be entitled to all the rights and privileges which would belong to an emigrant from any other foreign people.”

The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, established that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” But it continued to exclude “Indians not taxed” from the population used to calculate representation in the House of Representatives.

In 1880, John Elk, a member of the Winnebago tribe, tried to register to vote, saying he had been living off the reservation and had renounced the tribal affiliation under which he was born. In 1884, in Elk v. Wilkins, the Supreme Court affirmed that the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution did not cover Indigenous Americans who were living under the jurisdiction of a tribe when they were born. In 1887 the Dawes Act provided that any Indigenous American who accepted an individual land grant could become a citizen, but those who did not remained noncitizens. 

As Interior Secretary Deb Haaland pointed out today in an article in Native News Online, Elk v. Wilkins meant that when Olympians Louis Tewanima and Jim Thorpe represented the United States in the 1912 Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden, they were not legally American citizens. A member of the Hopi Tribe, Tewanima won the silver medal for the 10,000 meter run. 

Thorpe was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, and in 1912 he won two Olympic gold medals, in Classic pentathlon—sprint hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, and middle distance run—and in decathlon, which added five more track and field events to the Classic pentathlon. The Associated Press later voted Thorpe “The Greatest Athlete of the First Half of the Century” as he played both professional football and professional baseball, but it was his wins at the 1912 Olympics that made him a legend. Congratulating him on his win, Sweden’s King Gustav V allegedly said, “Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world.”  

Still, it was World War I that forced lawmakers to confront the contradiction of noncitizen Indigenous Americans. According to the Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History, more than 11,000 American Indians served in World War I: nearly 5,000 enlisted and about 6,500 were drafted, making up a total of about 25% of Indigenous men despite the fact that most Indigenous men were not citizens. 

It was during World War I that members of the Choctaw and Cherokee Nations began to transmit messages for the American forces in a code based in their own languages, the inspiration for the Code Talkers of World War II. In 1919, in recognition of “the American Indian as a soldier of our army, fighting on foreign fields for liberty and justice,” as General John Pershing put it, Congress passed a law to grant citizenship to Indigenous American veterans of World War I. 

That citizenship law raised the question of citizenship for those Indigenous Americans who had neither assimilated nor served in the military. The non-Native community was divided on the question; so was the Native community. Some thought citizenship would protect their rights, while others worried that it would strip them of the rights they held under treaties negotiated with them as separate and sovereign nations and was a way to force them to assimilate. 

On June 2, 1924, Congress passed the measure, its supporters largely hoping that Indigenous citizenship would help to clean up the corruption in the Department of Indian Affairs. The new law applied to about 125,000 people out of an Indigenous population of about 300,000.

But in that era, citizenship did not confer civil rights. In 1941, shortly after Elizabeth Peratrovich and her husband, Roy, both members of the Tlingit Nation, moved from Klawok, Alaska, to the city of Juneau, they found a sign on a nearby inn saying, “No Natives Allowed.” This, they felt, contrasted dramatically with the American uniforms Indigenous Americans were wearing overseas, and they said as much in a letter to Alaska’s governor, Ernest H. Gruening. The sign was “an outrage,” they wrote. “The proprietor of Douglas Inn does not seem to realize that our Native boys are just as willing as the white boys to lay down their lives to protect the freedom that he enjoys." 

With the support of the governor, Elizabeth started a campaign to get an antidiscrimination bill through the legislature. It failed in 1943, but passed the House in 1945 as a packed gallery looked on. The measure had the votes to pass in the Senate, but one opponent demanded: "Who are these people, barely out of savagery, who want to associate with us whites with 5,000 years of recorded civilization behind us?"

Elizabeth Peratrovich had been quietly knitting in the gallery, but during the public comment period, she said she would like to be heard. She crossed the chamber to stand by the Senate president. “I would not have expected,” she said, “that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentlemen with five thousand years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights.” She detailed the ways in which discrimination daily hampered the lives of herself, her husband, and her children. She finished to wild applause, and the Senate passed the nation’s first antidiscrimination act by a vote of 11 to 5. 

Indigenous veterans came home from World War II to discover they still could not vote. In Arizona, Maricopa county recorder Roger G. Laveen refused to register returning veterans of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, including Frank Harrison, to vote. He cited an earlier court decision saying Indigenous Americans were “persons under guardianship.” They sued, and the Arizona Supreme Court agreed that the phrase only applied to judicial guardianship.  

In New Mexico, Miguel Trujillo, a schoolteacher from Isleta Pueblo who had served as a Marine in World War II, sued the county registrar who refused to enroll him as a voter. In 1948, in��Trujillo v. Garley, a state court agreed that the clause in the New Mexico constitution prohibiting “Indians not taxed” from voting violated the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments by placing a unique requirement on Indigenous Americans. It was not until 1957 that Utah removed its restrictions on Indigenous voting, the last of the states to do so.

The 1965 Voting Rights Act protected Native American voting rights along with the voting rights of all Americans, and they, like all Americans, are affected by the Supreme Court’s hollowing out of the law and the wave of voter suppression laws state legislators who have bought into Trump’s Big Lie have passed since 2021. Voter ID laws that require street addresses cut out many people who live on reservations, and lack of access to polling places cuts out others. 

Katie Friel and Emil Mella Pablo of the Brennan Center noted in 2022 that, for example, people who live on Nevada’s Duckwater reservation have to travel 140 miles each way to get to the closest elections office. “As the first and original peoples of this land, we have had only a century of recognized citizenship, and we continue to face systematic barriers when exercising the fundamental and hard-fought-for right to vote,” Democratic National Committee Native Caucus chair Clara Pratte said in a press release from the Democratic Party.

As part of the commemoration of the Indian Citizenship Act, the Democratic National Committee is distributing voter engagement and protection information in Apache, Ho-Chunk, Hopi, Navajo, Paiute, Shoshone, and Zuni.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[todaysdocument]

Act of June 1, 1954, Public Law 83-380, 68 STAT 168, to honor veterans on the 11th day of November of each year, a day dedicated to world peace

Record Group 11: General Records of the United States GovernmentSeries: Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress

H. R. 7786

Eighty-third Congress of the United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and fifty four

An Act

To honor veterans on the 11th day of November of each year, a day dedicated to world peace.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Act entitled "An Act making the 11th day of November in each year a legal holiday", approved May 13, 1938 (52 Stat. 351 5 U.S.C., sec. 87a), is hereby amended by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "Veterans".

[signed] Joseph W. Martin jr

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

[signed] Styles Bridges

[lined through] Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate [handwritten] pro Tempore

[handwritten] approved:

[signed] Dwight D. Eisenhower

[handwritten] June 1954 Washington, D.C.

[circular stamp, in left margin, top porting missing]

MAY 20 1954

[illegible]

[circular stamp, in right margin]

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

RECEIVED

JUN 2 - 1954

NARS

[illegible]

[taylorscottbarnett]

Real consequences of not having a US Speaker of the House of Representatives:

The US House ceases to function.

New Lawmakers can't get sworn in, so they: cant get paid, can't receive classified briefings, can't sit on committees, can't vote. (Neither can their staff).

Bills can't be brought to the floor for a vote.

Law and precedent forbid the House Lawmakers (and thus Senate lawmakers too outside their responsibilities in confirming Presidential appointments, treaties, exc) can't do anything because the House can't vote on anything.

Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin and a former Marine, was supposed to become chairman of a select committee scrutinizing Chinese aggression, but on Wednesday he was not allowed in a scheduled meeting with top military brass in a secure facility — known as a SCIF — because he has yet to be sworn in as a member of the new Congress. Because technically and legally he doesn't have security clearance since he's not a member of this congress.

House members can't help their constituents get services they are entitled to:

Passports, IRS, veteran's issues, SBA, Post Office, Immigration issues, Corps of Engineers, etc.

The US chain of command is thrown into disarray (The Speaker is second in line for succession to the Presidency).

This isn't a bug: much like in 2010, this is exactly what some Republicans came to the US House to do. Specifically break government, then run on how the Government doesn't work. The one they broke.

[ravens-inquisition]

⚔️ WELCOME TO THE INQUISITION 🐦‍⬛

This blog is dedicated to the recounting, archiving, and showcasing of "Raven's Inquisition". "Raven's Inquisition" is a Curse of Strahd prequel campaign where we get to explore setting elements and character relations that otherwise could not have been explored in the canon module. The DM @emp-roar is constructing the campaign as an adaptation of the "I, Strahd" novel, where Barovia has yet to be established, Strahd is still human, and the players are all inquisitors overtaking the Tsolenka Valley under the von Zarovich crest and the banner of the Morninglord.

The following tags are available for your eased perusal:

#journal entry (session recaps)

#public notes (in-world discovered lore)

#media (art/media)

#writings (personal inquisitor literature)

#inquisitorial mailbox (QnAs)

#AUs For tags pertaining to the individual inquisitors, please look at their personal accounts below.

By the decree of Count Strahd von Zarovich, the following names shall be knighted to receive upon them the title of

Inquisitor of the Tribunal of the Holy Office of Barovia, Ordo Solis:

Frank was a sergeant who served under the banner of House Dilisnya. Hindered by nothing but his own conscience, he chose to kneel to the Lord of Murder, Bhaal, so that he may strike the political enemies of his master without a pang to his sanity. He was later sentenced to death by his own general, not because of his crimes, but to control the unrest of the masses. This condemned his faith in Bhaal. After his release, his mind is ever-pregnant with the thoughts of meaningless murder, but he chooses not to, for while duty is in his hand, murder is never meaningless.

Ever since the attempted assassination against Strahd, Frank has been called to the battlefield, now riding and fighting beside the count, his commander, and the might of the Voronian army. [Frank's player has since left the table due to personal reasons. He will forever rage under the blazing heat of the morning sun. Sol Invictus, Frank.]

Everyone is entitled to fear. Not all are worthy of harnessing it.

Rising from the depths of enslavement, no one could have foreseen that a mere cripple would lead a savage onslaught against his masters. A gritty veteran, Cain's dreary origins gave birth to his singular conviction of dominance. This worldview born from despair molded his philosophy regarding the nature of power and the laws that govern all. Despite being fueled by darker ambitions, Cain is not without a heart of grace and kindness. The duality of the man who is both ruthless and compassionate is weighted in balance, reflecting symbolically his devotion to The Scales. Intent on liberating those in shackles and claiming power to ensure it, the "Dreadwalker" finds himself in the service of Strahd von Zarovich, planning to consolidate and secure both.

Anatomically speaking, how do you do?

Once a mere human consumed by an insatiable obsession with necromancy, Violet delved deeper into the dark arts, fervently worshipping the god Bhaal in her pursuit of forbidden knowledge. Gradually descending into madness, she adopted the guise of a pathologist, masking her heinous crimes as acts of scientific inquiry. Her obsession with understanding the mechanics of life and death twisted her mind, transforming her into a ruthless psychopath.

Calandrius Vaerethin is many things: a long-lived elf, a one-time hellrider, or the occasional robber baron. By all accounts he has the physicality of a golden knight, his fair skin complemented with his bright golden hair, as if stolen from the sun, with the composure of someone who has practiced a thousand strikes in his lifetime; though Caland would tell you he is anything but. In truth, he is the last of a long-dead order of knights, who were purged in the days of Old Voron. Now unfettered, whether it be the tenets of the old order of the noose meant for his neck, perhaps it is time to let the ghosts of his past rest. He was always told that his lot was to be the beating wings of the freedom of the sky. Though whether the Last Swan would herald weal or woe, only time and circumstance can tell.

Pikehead is imposing to say the least. Armored from head to toe in steel and spikes, little is known about him or what he looks like underneath the iron. Soft-spoken and tamed, his demeanor hardly lives up to the foreboding presence he commands. Mayhaps it was because of his duties to his late master in Old Voron. A soldier molded into a near perfect machine.

In war, the only thing stronger than fear is hunger. A tyrant is only different from a peasant in appetite.

Raised amidst the oppressive reign of the late King Barov, Omen had to learn how to navigate the streets of Voron as much as the various plights littering it. The circumstances of his birth, coupled with the struggles he faced growing up, taught him to attribute value to the few possessions he truly owned. Value he is willing to exchange for the only thing he ever hungers for: a home.

I promised them it would all get better, but all I brought them was ruin. I cannot fail again, but if ruin is what he needs, ruin I shall bring.

A soldier, a knight, a sword. Whatever he is, one thing that can describe him is loyalty. And why would he be the one that betrayed the kingdom? Who knows. But now, it seems like he got his second chance, and he will not waste it.

"My army settled in the valley of Barovia and took power over the people in the name of a just god, but with none of a god’s grace or justice." -- Tome of Strahd

☼ SOL INVICTUS ☼

[freesia-writes]

Chapter 35: Completion (THE END)

During the Clone Wars, the Bad Batch is tasked with a variety of missions across the galaxy. An unexpected addition to their team throws a wrench in the mix, particularly for Tech, who finds a particular connection with this disillusioned Padawan-turned-mechanic named Vel throughout the events in this action-adventure romance. COVER ART BY @zaana!!

Master List of Chapters

Author's Note: I JUST CAN'T STOP WITH THESE TWO! ;) But I feel content with where it has landed, and I suppose I could always add more down the road. But for now, we'll wrap it up with a sweet little bow and send you off feeling all warm and fuzzy. ;)

“Hi guys!” Wrecker yelled, stumbling as he kicked off his boots and barreled into the room. “Oooo, Vel, it smells delicious in here!” 

Hunter soon followed, wearing one of the locals’ hats that made him look even more rugged along with the beard he now sported. “I wrapped some fresh steaks and put them in the chest freezer out back,” he announced, pulling the hat off of his tousled head of hair and hanging it in the entryway. 

“I’m pretty sure he stole something out of it too,” came Echo’s surly voice, though his pale face was curved by a warm smile as he squeezed through the door. 

“Well hello everybody,” Vel laughed, glancing at the wall chrono. “We just finished dinner; thought no one was coming!”

“We’re not here for dinner!” announced Fives, piling into the cottage behind Echo. The living room had been arranged to accommodate as many people as possible, and once Crosshair had sidled in and shut the door behind him, it felt absolutely full in the best way. Other clones had come to Bendego as well, but their visits were more occasional and always planned.

“Alrighty then!” she responded cheerfully, still immediately beginning to rummage in the kitchen for a large serving platter, where she began to assemble every acceptable snack and finger food they had in the house. 

Wrecker clapped Tech across the back and pulled him into a giant hug, whispering none too quietly, “So, did you do it yet?” 

“No, Wrecker, and do keep your voice down,” Tech answered, flustered. “I told you – you all have to do your part first.”

“Ohhhh, oh right,” Wrecker said, beaming ear to ear. “I’m just so proud of you.” He ruffled Tech’s hair with his knuckles, earning a squawk of protest as well as an under-the-breath chuckle from Crosshair, who had nestled himself in his favorite corner chair immediately. 

Vel had been surprised by how much she enjoyed playing host. Perhaps as someone who had never felt welcomed or sufficient, it was a way for her to love and serve others generously, to ensure that they always had the impression that they were valued and a joy to have around. But whatever the cause, she always felt content with a full home. Granted, she was just as content to be cuddled up with Tech on the couch, watching the trees fade to black outside as evening gave way to night… They were both wonderful in their own way. So as she perched on the armrest next to Tech, gazing around at the faces of her beloved family, she couldn’t resist a misty-eyed smile as she considered how drastically different their lives all were now as compared to before. 

“Psst – get up, di’kut,” Echo whispered, elbowing Fives in the side. The two of them were taking up the other seats on the plush sofa beside Tech, and apparently Fives had just been volunteered to give Vel a proper place to sit.

“You get up!” Fives laughed, jabbing his brother right back. “Alright! Alright…” he caved in the face of Echo’s scomp arm, which was cocked and ready to deliver a much sharper poke at any continued protest. Fives hauled himself to his feet, muttering a fond insult under his breath as Echo scooted over to take his place, beckoning Tech to follow so that Vel could sit beside him. A steady stream of muttered threats and insults about the nerve of these disabled war veterans and their sense of entitlement followed him all the way to his new seat – a wooden chair pulled up from the dining table. 

“Aww, the battle-hardened ARC trooper’s backside is too delicate for the harshness of a wooden chair,” Crosshair needled, at which Echo laughed delightedly. 

“Yeah, Fives – not such a hard-ass now, are you?” he joined in, watching Fives’ determined effort to hide his smirk behind a squinting look of disdain. 

“Ahh, your mother’s a droid,” he said dismissively, making a hand gesture at Echo that effectively ended the conversation, as they were both snickering too hard to speak further.

“Alright…” Hunter spoke up, his sergeant voice making an appearance. “Everyone quiet down. You all ready?” 

Vel’s eyes snapped quickly from Hunter to Tech, a quizzical expression on her face. Tech shifted uncomfortably, and as he moved his hand to rest on his knee, she could have sworn she saw his fingers tremble. There was a palpable tension in the room, some kind of tightly-strung sensation that she couldn’t ignore. She slipped a hand over his, trying to entice him to look at her or give any hint as to what was going on. 

“Ready for what?” she asked aloud, unable to hold back her curiosity as she looked from face to face.

“You’ll see,” Crosshair said quietly, eyes flickering lazily to her before returning to Hunter, who cleared his throat, then rose to his feet and stood right in front of her and Tech. He held a small wooden box in his hands.

“I pledge my support and my protection, my encouragement and my help, however the two of you may find yourselves in future need. I wish upon you all the happiness in the world and the deepest fulfillment in every future endeavor,” Hunter said, clearly having rehearsed it a number of times judging by the theatrical voice in which he delivered it. He nodded curtly, then passed the wooden box to Crosshair and returned to his seat. 

Vel looked around the room, thoroughly confused, but everyone else had a knowing grin on their faces that was starting to make her mad. She turned to Tech, nudging him in the side with her elbow, and he finally turned to face her. It was a shock to see the undeniable nervousness on his face, but before she could ask about it, he softened into an affectionate smile, reaching a hand up to touch her cheek and then pressing a finger to his own lips, tilting his head back to the center of the room, where Crosshair had assumed Hunter’s position. 

“I too pledge my support and protection, encouragement and help… Depending on the–” 

“Crosshair,” Hunter growled.

“However the two of you may find yourselves in future need,” Crosshair continued, casting Hunter a snarky glance before returning his gaze to Tech and Vel. His snide expression faded a little, a seriousness taking its place as he looked back and forth between the two of them. “And I wish upon you a peaceful life, enjoying each other and the land you now call home.” Before he sat, he handed the wooden box to Wrecker, where it virtually disappeared in a single hand of his as he leapt eagerly to his feet. 

“And I pledge my support and protection and encouragement and help! Howsoever the two of you might need,” he said, booming voice shaking the delicate little plant pots scattered across shelves here and there. “And I wish that you both would have the most fun, er, I wish upon you the most fun, and lots of adventure, and all the nerdy stuff you both love… in huge amounts!” He beamed with pride at the two of them, as though he were somehow responsible for all that had transpired, and shoved the wooden box at Fives before lumbering back to his seat. 

“What are you all…” Vel began slowly, their uncharacteristically meaningful words and serious expressions whirling in her mind. 

“All will be clear in a moment, my love,” Tech murmured into her ear, lifting up an arm to wrap around her. She snuggled against his side, nervous and tingly, bewildered and intrigued, as Fives spoke in front of them now.

“I pledge to you my support and protection, my encouragement and help, and whatever else. And I wish upon you all the hot sex and–”

“Kriff, Fives,” Echo grumbled, palming his face with a hand, although Crosshair was thoroughly pleased. 

“Hey! I mean it, you old prude!” Fives said indignantly, “Besides, I have the box. So shut it.”

Vel laughed, completely perplexed but thoroughly enjoying the show. Tech let out a deep sigh, shaking his head minutely as though he were disappointed. 

“ANYWAY,” Fives continued, casting one last authoritative look at Echo, “All the hot sex AND deep friendship and the ability to laugh with each other even in the thick of it.” He nodded once, pleased with himself, then threw the box at Echo’s face, where he barely caught it before it smacked him in the cheek. Tech spluttered his disapproval at the act as Fives sat and Echo stood before them. 

“Alright. I wish you both. No, wait. I KNOW, Fives! I pledge my support and my protection, my encouragement and my help, however the two of you may find yourselves in future need. I wish upon you shared adventures that bring you closer together, appreciation for the simple things in life, and a commitment to and appreciation for one another that never fades.”

Echo handed Tech the box amid a few playful “aww” sounds from the peanut gallery, then plopped back into his seat. Tech gazed down at the wooden box – a small rectangle with a smooth, unfinished surface – and took a long, deep breath. Vel looked at him intently, heart pounding in her chest. He moved deliberately, sitting up straight and turning his body toward her, fidgeting with the piece in his hands for a moment before becoming still. He opened the box, fishing out a delicate, dark-colored chain that led to an elegantly-carved wooden pendant. It was a light, creamy color that, upon closer inspection, had tiny specks of red and dark brown scattered throughout, and it had been whittled into graceful curves that wound around and through each other with impossible intricacy. Tech held it up between them, lifting his amber eyes to Vel’s as he spoke. 

“May you please hold out your hand?”

She promptly complied.

“Vel, it is an established fact that I love you,” Tech began, cupping her hand in his and lowering the wooden pendant into it. She brushed a thumb across the cool, smooth surface before looking back to him as he continued, taking her other hand in his as well. “I had been wrestling with an unsettling inability to accurately express the depth of this sentiment, until a discussion in the village square introduced me to the Bendegoan bonding ceremony, which is a similar concept to what is practiced on many other planets, sometimes called marriage or lifelong commitment or irrevocable partnership. Regardless of the title, I was sufficiently pleased with the magnitude of such a ceremony, and desired to invite you – and our extended family – into it.”

Words were nowhere to be found as Vel swallowed hard, eyes glistening at all the implications of his words. 

“The ceremony consists of declarations of support and well-wishes from your closest companions. It is then followed by the presentation of a handcrafted token of commitment and significance.” His eyes dropped to her hand, where the gorgeous piece of wood lay. “I carved this from the specific tree that so captured your attention on Kashyyyk. The red spots may be familiar to the eye. That was the moment you first began to let your guard down, and the curiosity and wonder I observed has captivated me ever since.”

Wrecker made a fake snoring sound that was promptly turned into a grunt at the whack of Hunter’s hand on his head. Tech rolled his eyes, shaking his head and looking at Vel with a small smirk. 

“I suppose I can share more about the significance at a later time. At present, the only remaining component is your response to my proposition. In case my apparent long-windedness has caused you to forget,” he said, a sparkle in his eyes, “I am asking you to commit yourself to me, and I to you, as long as we both shall live, in a shared bond of love and affection.” 

“I would love that,” Vel managed to choke out, her voice squeaky and eyes misty with the overwhelming joy of all that was playing out before her. 

“I may be incorrect but I am under the impression that you need to say ‘yes’.”

“Oh come on, Tech!” It was Hunter now whose exasperated tone caused a wave of chuckles to echo throughout the group. 

“It is apparent that my humor needs additional refinement,” Tech murmured to Vel, as she whispered “yes” and pulled him in for a hug, burying her face in his neck. A chorus of approval soon followed, and when they pulled apart, Tech carefully fastened the pendant’s chain behind the graceful column of her neck, brushing his fingers lightly across it where it lay beneath the divot of her collarbone. 

“Now we party!!” Wrecker announced triumphantly, and cacophony ensued. Apparently there was an abundance of fancy treats they had gathered from the villages – all kinds of sweet specialties reserved for special occasions – and they bustled about to clear the table and fetch them from the outdoor freezer. After a passing wallop on the back and a thumbs-up from Fives, Tech looked back to Vel, caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers. 

“You’re really stuck with me now,” she said with a quiet laugh.

“That is precisely and indefinitely where I desire to be,” he answered, tipping her chin with a gentle hand and kissing her with his whole heart.

artwork by @vimse!

One last note -- the necklace was just something I found on Etsy; I didn't create it in any way. :)

Tag List: @merkitty49 @vimse @arctrooper69 @dystopicjumpsuit @starrylothcat @ghostperson69 @dreamie411 @savebytheodoresnonjosestuff @523rdrebel @clonemedickix @sinfulsalutations @ughhhhfoff @coraex @amorfista @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @followthepurrgil @littlefeatherr @sunshinesdaydream @thew0nderer2342 @dangraccoon @iceskategirl18 @chickentenderx @skellymom @girl_scout_reject @mooncommlink

Click here to join or leave the tag list. <3

[lindseymcdonaldseyelashes]

“THE LIBRARIANS” COME HOME FOR THE “NEXT CHAPTER” 

AS THE SHOW MOVES TO TNT FOR A 2025 PREMIERE

Los Angeles, CA - August 23 – In a thrilling development for fans of the beloved TV series 

"The Librarians," Electric Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based production and distribution company, has revealed the exciting news of the spinoff, "The Librarians: The Next Chapter," making a triumphant return to its roots at the original broadcaster TNT. 

Dean Devlin states, "Our comeback to TNT with this franchise holds immense significance for us and we are thrilled by TNT's dedication to fans by offering them the continuation of one of their beloved fantasy series."

“The Librarians: The Next Chapter” is a spinoff of the original TV series “The Librarians,” that followed the adventures of the custodians of a magical repository of the world’s most powerful and dangerous supernatural artifacts. The new series centers on a “Librarian” from the past, who time traveled to the present and now finds himself stuck here. When he returns to his castle, which is now a museum, he inadvertently releases magic across the continent. He is given a new team to help him clean up the mess he made, forming a new team of Librarians. The new series stars Callum McGowan (Jamestown), Jessica Green(The Outpost), Olivia Morris (Hotel Portofino) and Bluey Robinson (Britannia). Caroline Loncq (Mammals) guest stars. Christian Kane will reprise his role as “Jacob Stone” in a Guest Starring role. 

“The Librarians: The Next Chapter” is produced by Electric Entertainment. Dean Devlin serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson of Electric Entertainment. Noah Wyle serves as producer. Mark Franco of Electric Entertainment and Jonathan English of Balkanic Media also produce.  

The Librarians franchise started off as a compilation of made-for-TV movies featuring the titular librarian Flynn Carsen in 2004’s “Quest for the Spear,” 2006’s “Return to King Solomon’s Mines” and 2008’s  “Curse of the Judas Chalice.” The movies did so well, TNT picked up the concept for a TV series, “The Librarians” that aired for four seasons between 2014 and 2018.

Sonia Mehandjiyska, Head of International Distribution and Nolan Pielak, SVP, International Distribution and Co-Production at Electric Entertainment will be handling International Sales for “The Librarians: The Next Chapter.” Steve Saltman, Head of Domestic Sales for Electric Entertainment will handle digital rights alongside TNT.

About Electric Entertainment Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Electric Entertainment is an independent studio headed by veteran producer Dean Devlin along with his partners Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson. Electric Entertainment also houses acquisitions and sales divisions, with domestic sales headed up by Steve Saltman and the international division headed by Sonia Mehandjiyska. Electric also has a satellite office located in Vancouver, Canada.

Among Electric’s hit television series are “Leverage: Redemption” the spin-off continuation of “Leverage,” which ran for five seasons on TNT.  Both series are currently streaming in the U.S. and U.K. on Amazon Freevee. Season 3 of “Leverage: Redemption” is currently in post-production for Amazon Prime Video. “Almost Paradise” is currently streaming on Amazon Freevee after having premiered on WGN America. Season 2 of “Almost Paradise” premiered in July 2023 on Amazon Freevee in the U.S and U.K. Electric’s new series “The Ark” premiered in February 2023 on SYFY. Season 2 of “The Ark” premiered in July 2024. Other Electric series include “The Librarians” which ran for four seasons on TNT. A new spin-off series, entitled “The Librarians: The Next Chapter,” is currently in post-production. “The Outpost,” which premiered its 4th season on The CW in 2021, is now streaming on Amazon Freevee.

Electric’s Feature Films have included “Bad Samaritan” starring David Tennant and Robert Sheehan, and most recently “The Deal” starring Sumalee Montano and Emma Fischer. Electric also acquires, distributes and sells worldwide rights to Electric’s produced and acquired content, as well as theatrical films from around the world, including “Blood On The Crown,” starring Harvey Keitel and Malcolm McDowell, and Rob Reiner’s historical biopic “LBJ,” starring Woody Harrelson.

[phantom-of-the-keurig]

If you recognize this frame, you are entitled to a veterans discount at your local Waffle House

[nightlyforrest]

I actually fucking despise the british government

I've just seen Rishi Sunak's election ad and it is the most primal rage enducing, self entitled, egotist, arrogant, patriot dick riding, careless, lazy, disgusting absaloute piglet fucking thing I have ever seen. The fucking balls he must think he has to claim we have a stable economy to fight for, to pretend he's the reason we got through covid and to try and pander to young people as if he hasn't done anything but ruin our fucking lives since he's had a shred of power, I actually fucking hope the most horrific thing happens to that man he is VILE. To claim you want a safe, sustainable future for people's children and then in the same breath say you want to push refugees out, ride isreal's fucking cock like netanyahu is his daddy, deny the palestinian genocide and toss around the idea of forcing young people to conscript to military service the same fucking way they have to in places like korea. completely and utterly despicable. As if he has ever done fucking anything other than fuck us youngsters over. fuck no I would sooner fucking kill myself infront of the sorry prick and hope it scars him for life. he deserves a bit of trauma to match the fucking rest of us. I wont even call him a pig anymore he doesnt have the meat on his bones or the spine to hold it up to deserve that fucking title, he's a joke, a rich, entitled prat who thinks he's owed everything in the world for putting in the least ammount of effort in to keep his image clean. Fucking disgusting, I would say imagine putting your own kids on the front line but I know by now that would make no difference he doesnt fucking care. That's not even mentioning the damage he's already done, like crashing our economy, cutting taxes for the rich while freezing benefits for the poor and disabled, cutting funding for the nhs just to line his pockets and pour more money into our fucking equally disgusting, useless police force just the other week I had to kick off at a bunch of piglets just wandering around while a bin poured out thick white smoke. Like how fucking inept can you be to just stand there and gawk and gossip fucking call for backup and remove the children from the area you fucking useless pig. And how fucking dare our MPs complain about fear for their safetey, they deserve to be fucking scared. maybe they should try living in the run down housing estates they've been packing with veterans and disabled parents for years see how their own kids turned out. because I guarentee they'll be cutting themselves and doing drugs like nearly every other normal kid I fucking know. Truly a pathetic runt of a man I'm so fucking sick of this country, I hate it I hate it I hate it. The rich deserve more fucking axe cuts.

[thefangirlibrarian]

When the Weight is Gone

grieving postwar harry oneshot; setup to harrymort time travel series

The first few weeks after the battle are all celebration and relief. Harry has done the impossible, and even more impossible, he’s survived it. He spends a few days at the Burrow with Hermione and the Weasleys, then, when Molly Weasley’s alternating ebullience and grief gets to be too much for him, retreats back to No. 12 Grimmauld Place with his war veteran of a house elf.

There are ravenous well-wishers and disgruntled Death Eaters on the loose, so Harry doesn’t go out much. Diagon Alley, the one time he’d attempted it, had been a disaster. So Kreacher does the shopping, and Harry nests. It all feels very cozy at first.

Kingsley wants him to testify at the trials of all the bad guys they’ve been rounding up, but the longer Harry stays safe under the renewed Fidelius at Grimmauld, the less he feels like leaving. In the end, he writes a statement of support for Draco and Narcissa Malfoy and leaves the rest for other heroes to bear witness to.

As the summer wears on, his friends start to make plans for the future, now that they have one again. Harry tells them he still needs time to breathe, and no one questions it. It has only been a few months since the battle, since his death and resurrection saved the whole Wizarding world. Harry is entitled to do a bit of nothing.

Still, Ron refuses to start Auror training without him, so he’ll be working with George in the joke shop for now. Hermione is neck-deep in research to try to restore her parents’ memories. Neville will be apprenticing with Professor Sprout in the fall, and Ginny and Luna are returning for their final year at Hogwarts, along with Dean Thomas and some of the other Muggleborns who’d spent their seventh year imprisoned or on the run.

McGonagall had encouraged Harry, Ron, and Hermione to come back as well, saying they could help set the tone of post-war rebuilding, but the three agree they have grown beyond Hogwarts. Hermione will sit her NEWTS at the end of the year after revising independently. Harry and Ron have resisted committing to this, or any other course of study, but Hermione feels she can wear them down eventually.

The thing is, Harry already feels worn down. Too worn down to think about NEWTS or Auror training. His life’s purpose had been fulfilled at seventeen. What else is there for him?

The blaze of possibility that had filled him in the immediate aftermath of the battle has burnt down to little more than ashes in the months that followed. It wasn’t so bad when he’d kept busy at first, but the longer he is alone and quiet, the more he notices it. He feels empty and wrong, like something has been scooped out of him, leaving behind an abscess. Or maybe it’s more like an amputation. Harry thinks of Wormtail cutting off his own hand to do what was demanded of him. If Voldemort had never replaced it with that treachery-detecting prosthetic, would Wormtail have sometimes felt the tingling of the phantom limb? Would he have reached for his hand, only to remember with renewed despair that he no longer was as he had been?

[maddyaddy]

This company of State Troops has been honored by the Knights of the Silver Swan, based in Carroburg, with chapter houses in Middenheim. This entitles the regiment to carry the Knights' various armorial devices on their colours. Such a honor fills the veterans with pride, encouraging them to fight harder and longer in the name of the order's honor. Notably, the banner prominently features the "swan-ship" of the order's late founder and first Grand Master, the old Grail Knight Lohen. His emigration to Carroburg in such a wondrous ship was met with great applause and awe. He subsequently became renowned as a defender of the poor urchins and widows, cracking the skulls of those who'd dare oppress them with his fists. Despite his troubles with the law and the grumblings of the burghers, Lohen attracted a coterie of like-minded young men, who he inducted into his burgeoning order. The rest, they say, is history. (Dol Amroth inspired, ofc)

[loominggaia]

Evangelite Law

LAW

Laws are mostly homogenous across all Evangelite territories, meaning the same set of laws applies to all of the kingdom’s cities, towns, and villages. This is due to the widespread adoption of Lindist doctrine.

Nobility:

-Evangeline Kingdom is a monarchy. To be eligible heirs for the throne, Evangelite High Rulers must be: Male, Lindist, Evangeline-born, and noble by blood. Evangelite High Rulers may only marry noble-blooded Evangelite citizens. Foreign nobles are not eligible for marriage.

-A High Queen may only rule Evangeline Kingdom alone if her wedded king widows her during his reign. She may finish ruling his term until her death or retirement.

Education:

-As of Indiga’s rule, basic schooling is free and mandatory for all human males aged 5-15. Basic schooling is free for human females as well, but not mandatory. Females of all species are still not permitted to attend college.

-Basic schooling may or may not be free for inhuman commoners, depending on jurisdiction. Schooling is not mandatory for inhuman commoners.

-Slaves are not permitted to attend school.

Social Welfare:

-Fae and gaians are a slave class. Only commoners can be Evangelite citizens.

-Marriage is only permitted between two legal adult commoners of the same species and opposite sexes. For example, male humans may only marry female humans. Same-sex marriage and sexual relations are prohibited. Polygamous marriage is prohibited. Fae and gaians are slave classes and are not permitted to marry. Marriage or sexual relations between adults and children is prohibited.

-A woman may not divorce a man unless she can prove he has committed domestic violence or infidelity against her. A man may only divorce a woman if he can provide a doctor’s note proving that she cannot bear children. In cases of divorce, child custody is given to the father unless the mother proves she can provide better conditions for them.

-Women of any species may not own assets such as land, bank accounts, or slaves unless these assets were legally transferred by a male relative. Women may not purchase these assets for themselves.

-As of Indiga’s rule, Evangelite men are entitled to a minimum wage. Women are also entitled to a minimum wage, but it is only half of a man’s wage regardless of the job being performed.

-Only married commoner couples may adopt children. The children they adopt must match the species of the parents. The parents must meet strict income requirements.

-As of Indiga’s rule, all disabled citizens are entitled to some level of welfare, including food and housing vouchers, and small monthly cash stipends. Disabled military veterans are entitled to more benefits. Humans are entitled to more benefits than other commoners.

-All immigrants must be sponsored by a Lindist priest for a minimum of one year before they are eligible for citizenship. They must also prove their conversion to the Lindist faith and pass a test proving their understanding of Evangelite culture.

Religion:

-Non-Lindist religious worship is prohibited. The only houses of worship that may operate in Evangeline Kingdom are Lindist temples.

Censorship:

-Media depicting interspecies or same-sex relationships, including pornography, is prohibited. 

-Any media which depicts Evangelite culture in a negative way is prohibited.

-All non-Lindist religious media is prohibited.

Military:

-Only adult male commoners are eligible to join the military.

Slavery:

-Fae and gaians may not be citizens of Evangeline Kingdom and are only eligible for slavery. All unclaimed slaves default to ownership by the High King.

-Evangelite slaves may not own any property or other assets. They may not marry.

-Sexual relations between citizens and slaves is prohibited. Sexual relations between two different species of slaves is prohibited. Sexual relations between two same-sex slaves is prohibited. Forcing two opposite-sex slaves of the same species to breed is legal, so long as all master(s) consent.

-All newly captured or newborn slaves must be registered with the Kelvingyard Slaving Company. Unregistered slaves may be seized by authorities and violators will be penalized.

-Slaves may not be killed or eaten except in matters of self-defense or self-preservation. Slaves may not be deliberately tortured for amusement purposes.

-Slave-fighting is legal only in designated arenas, and all fighters must be legally registered as such.

Magic:

-All magic use is strictly prohibited in Evangeline Kingdom, unless it is being used by nymphs for the benefit of Gaia. Magic potions and enchanted objects are prohibited.

Nymphs:

-Evangelites may not interfere in the natural business of nymphs.

-It is illegal to harm a nymph outside of self-defense.

-Nymphs are not considered fae in Evangeline’s jurisdiction, but rather a class of their own. They are not eligible for citizenship, but have their own unique set of rights and protections.

Monsters:

-No monster is permitted in Evangeline Kingdom. All monsters shall be executed on sight.

Environment:

-Evangelite Nymph Pact: All automated industries are prohibited within Evangelite borders. All industrial operations must be performed manually. All industrial operations must be environmentally sustainable. Plastics, toxic chemicals, and all non-biodegradable materials are prohibited within Evangelite borders. (Caveat: Cameras and film projectors may be operated with a special permit. If broken, these devices must be turned in to the proper facility or else the operator shall be fined.)

-Livestock must be provided adequate food, water, shelter, and medical care.

-Hunting and fishing may be performed only in designated zones. Poaching is prohibited.

-As of Indiga’s rule, all new housing must have a space that receives adequate sunlight for plant growth.

-Sewage must be disposed of in an environmentally-neutral way, such as composting or processed for utility (fuel, building material, etc.)

See Also:

Ask - Law

Ask - Education

Ask - Culture

Ask - Slavery

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[whitesinhistory]

On July 18, 1946, a white mob shot a 37-year-old Black veteran named Maceo Snipes at his home in Butler, Georgia. A day earlier, Mr. Snipes had exercised his constitutional right to vote in the Georgia Democratic Primary, becoming the only Black man to vote in the election in Taylor County. For this he was targeted and lynched.

Mr. Snipes had served in the U.S. Army for two and a half years during World War II and, after receiving an honorable discharge, had returned home to Taylor County, Georgia, to work as a sharecropper with his mother. Mr. Snipes’s family later recalled that he had received threats from the Ku Klux Klan in the days leading up to the election, but he still bravely went to vote in the gubernatorial primary on July 17, 1946.

Just two years before, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Smith v. Allwright had ruled it unconstitutional for political parties to hold “all-white primaries,” in which only white voters were permitted to participate in choosing the party’s candidate. This established that Mr. Snipes and other Black people were legally entitled to vote in the primary, but many white Georgians resented the ruling—including candidate Eugene Talmadge, who campaigned on a promise to restore white primaries in the state. A staunch white supremacist, Mr. Talmadge had been previously elected governor of Georgia on three occasions with a segregationist platform and the open support of white terrorists groups, including the Ku Klux Klan. “The South loves the Negro in his place,” Mr. Talmadge had said in a 1942 campaign speech, “but his place is at the back door.”

When the primary concluded, Mr. Talmadge had won the party’s nomination and received the most support in rural areas. When Taylor County votes were tallied, Mr. Talmadge had won all but one vote—and white community members believed that Mr. Snipes, known to be the only Black voter in the county, had cast that lone vote of opposition.

A day after the primary, a mob of white men, including a white veteran named Edward Williamson, arrived at Mr. Snipes’s grandfather’s house in a pickup truck and called out Mr. Snipes’s name. Mr. Snipes got up from the table where he was eating dinner with his mother and went outside to see who was there, only to be shot multiple times at his own front door. The truck of men then drove away.

Severely wounded and assisted by his mother, Mr. Snipes walked for several miles searching for help before he was finally transported to a hospital in Butler and admitted for care. According to his family, the hospital’s segregation policies delayed Mr. Snipes’s treatment for several hours; relatives later recounted that a doctor told them Mr. Snipes urgently needed a blood transfusion but could not get one because the hospital did not have any “Black blood” to use. Two days later, on July 20, 1946, Mr. Snipes died.

By assertively exercising his constitutional right to vote, Mr. Snipes had become a target for white people committed to maintaining white supremacy and racial hierarchy.

Mr. Snipes’s veteran status also added to his vulnerability. White people intent on maintaining Jim Crow and racial subjugation of Black people worried that military service would make Black men leaders in the fight for racial equality at home and frequently targeted Black veterans returning from World War II with racial violence for wearing their uniforms in public, asserting their rights, or denouncing inequality. Black veterans often faced horrible discrimination, mistreatment, and even murder at the hands of white Americans determined to suppress their potential activism. During the era of racial terror, lynching was meant to send a message of domination and to instill fear within the entire Black community. After threats of further attacks, Mr. Snipes’s body was buried in an unmarked grave and several members of his family fled with their young children to Ohio.

When local authorities investigated Mr. Snipes’s shooting, Edward Williamson admitted to killing him but claimed Mr. Snipes had pulled a knife on him when he went to the Snipes home to collect a debt. A member of a prominent white family in Taylor County, Mr. Williamson’s story was believed at face value despite contrary assertions in Mr. Snipes’s deathbed statement and his mother’s witness testimony. The coroner's jury ultimately ruled that the shooting had been in “self-defense,” and no one was ever held accountable for Mr. Snipes’s death.

Between the end of Reconstruction and the years following World War II, thousands of Black veterans were accosted, assaulted, and attacked, and many were lynched. Brave Black men and women, like Mr. Maceo Snipes, risked their lives to defend this country’s freedom only to have their own freedom denied and threatened, or their lives tragically taken, because of racial bigotry.

To learn more about the racial discrimination and violence experienced by generations of Black veterans, read EJI’s report, Lynching in America: Targeting Black Veterans. 

[whispsofkindness]

Just Being There for Each Other

“It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn't heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and trotted across the Hundred Acre Wood to Eeyore's stick house. Inside the house was Eeyore.

"Hello Eeyore," said Pooh.

"Hello Pooh. Hello Piglet," said Eeyore, in a Glum Sounding Voice.

"We just thought we'd check in on you," said Piglet, "because we hadn't heard from you, and so we wanted to know if you were okay."

Eeyore was silent for a moment. "Am I okay?" he asked, eventually. "Well, I don't know, to be honest. Are any of us really okay? That's what I ask myself. All I can tell you, Pooh and Piglet, is that right now I feel really rather Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. Which is why I haven't bothered you. Because you wouldn't want to waste your time hanging out with someone who is Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All, would you now."

Pooh looked at Piglet, and Piglet looked at Pooh, and they both sat down, one on either side of Eeyore in his stick house.

Eeyore looked at them in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"We're sitting here with you," said Pooh, "because we are your friends. And true friends don't care if someone is feeling Sad, or Alone, or Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. True friends are there for you anyway. And so here we are."

"Oh," said Eeyore. "Oh." And the three of them sat there in silence, and while Pooh and Piglet said nothing at all; somehow, almost imperceptibly, Eeyore started to feel a very tiny little bit better.

Because Pooh and Piglet were There.

No more; no less.”

(Kathryn Wallace, after A.A. Milne, illustration by E.H. Shepard)

.

It should be noted that Winnie the Pooh was written by Milne to explain war (he was a WWI & WWII veteran) and its effects to his son, Christopher, and perhaps himself (this scene relating to PTSD).

"The demons of war followed Milne throughout his life. It was noted that when Christopher was little, Alan terrified him when he confused a swarm of buzzing bees with whizzing bullets. The popping of balloons sent him ducking for cover. Milne knew of only one way to explain to his son what was happening — through his writing. A.A. Milne started writing a collection of short stories entitled Winnie-the-Pooh.

It's been theorized by Dr. Sarah Shea that Milne wrote into each character of Winnie-the-Pooh a different psychological disorder. While only A. A. Milne could tell us for certain, Dr. Shea's theory seems pointed in the right direction, but may be a little too impersonal. After all, the book was written specifically for one child, by name, and features the stuffed animals that the boy loved.

It's more likely, in my opinion, that the stories were a way for Milne to explain his own post-traumatic stress to his six-year-old son. Every stuffed friend in the Hundred Acre Woods is a child-friendly representation of a characteristic of post-traumatic stress. Piglet is paranoia, Eeyore is depression, Tigger is impulsive behaviors, Rabbit is perfectionism-caused aggression, Owl is memory loss, and Kanga & Roo represent over-protection. This leaves Winnie, who Alan wrote in for himself as Christopher Robin's guide through the Hundred Acre Woods — his father's mind."

Description of Winnie the Pooh is shared from We Are The Mighty.

[schwarzwaldcr]

@mystalwartheart || cont. x

They called it 'The Inert Castle'.

It isn't technically a castle at all. Not in the traditional sense one thinks of when 'Castle' comes to mind. There aren't the high ramparts or turrets or studded doors. The walls around the courtyard are merely stone privacy walls; tall, but served no real defensive purposes, crumbled with age and time. Originally, it had been a manor house of some lord of the area, some time in the early or mid 1800s, they thought. Before the German Federation, for sure. But it is inert.

Or at least, the courtyard is inert. A dead space, a bubble where no influence from either the Castle or the broader Zone around it hold sway, like a no-man's land. Rules from Schwarzwald do not act here, the Castle itself does not think or feel into this space. It is a sphere where reality still manages to stubbornly persist. Good to house greenhorns, good to make it a meeting place for those who are wholly unused to the temperamental creature that surrounds it and close enough to the outer boundaries of the proper where even those who have never set foot in a Zone can get to without incident.

However, despite being in the title, the Castle itself is not a dead space. It's very much alive and kind of grumpy, as far as Castles go. Not nearly as bold and brash and playful as some of its other more appropriately-named brethren. Unlike its bigger siblings, however, it's also not nearly as powerful. It doesn't like visitors, really, and most people who have a basic understanding of a Zone know not to grasp at its metaphoric dangling lure when it does present it.

Unlike the group Wulf spies through the trees as she's walking up to the site entering through the front doors as they open. The Castle itself cannot influence the courtyard but human curiosity, it can still tickle and she heaves a sigh in a mixture of exasperated exhaustion before continuing on passed the threshold into the courtyard. She can only guess this was the group Papa told her would be waiting for her. 'It is easier to conduct this type of business where our old friends in the 'Stag cannot hear', she hears the old Russian boom in her memory as she climbs the crumbling steps up toward the front doors. Back over the boundary and into the sight of the Castle itself.

The doors are closed by now; the first trap for the newcomers has been passed, so like a carnival event, that way is closed. She can enter through here, but her path will be different. Already the Castle is complaining at her for the intrusion of another group of foolish humans.

I want to be left alone! it yells through so many voices built of crackling stone and crumbling plaster.

She makes a counter-argument of that it lured them in the first place should factor, nevertheless the old thing haughtily just tells her to remove them with a whine like a Lady who's spotted a mouse in the drawing room. Thankfully, without screeching. This demand is, of course, accentuated by the doors flying open again, the halls beyond dark and foreboding and unknown.

She knows the halls shift and twist, impossible labyrinths devised to trap even the most experienced of stalkers. It's a contradiction to the Castle's entitled personality and the sounds of scraping wood and ceramic plaster is enough to make veterans pale and turn away. But The Wolf is no ordinary stalker, veteran or not, and Guides are capable of going places others cannot and still come out the other side physically unscathed.

She steps casually over the door's threshold into pure darkness, shifting equipment while the world readjusts. The lights are faint, but enough her eyes adapt fairly easily. A tactic to disorient at the first steps, she's already moving through the halls. The sounds of sliding corridors is louder and more frequent the further she goes, and although she knows she's only walked forward in a straight line, the internal workings of the Castle have sent her down numerous identical corridors moving of their own will and whim. Occasionally, gravity shifts in pockets and she feels it somewhere in her. It feels a little like vertigo, even feeling the ground beneath your feet. She knows if she consciously tries to realign herself, she'll fall over and that will be the end.

Get them out already!

The voice permeates the space around her head as the corridors cease their incessant personal journeys, allowing her to plant herself on firm ground in a hallway that looks at least somewhat normal. A wall to one end, a wall at the other end. The first test has been passed.

"Where are they?" she asks of it. "I can't help if I don't know where they are."

In the music room. Here. I'll make it easier for you.

The emphasis of a spoiled child who simply can't believe they have to give directions to a newcomer in their house makes The Wolf roll her eyes, but with a few more shifts of walls, she can hear it. Her ear twitches momentarily and her head follows suit to zero in on the direction of what sounds like a piano. The sound is muffled, like it's coming through many rooms and halls, but the ticking tinkling of the keys has her attention enough she can at least move toward it.

Her pace quickens as she catches sight of something more pressing, in her mind. A flash of light, blazing silhouettes of people distorted against the walls ahead. She's almost positive instructions were given to leave all electronic devices behind. Her steps are quick and practiced, utterly silent in the darkened corridors in time to the Queen of the Night's Aria that echoes in her ears from the piano. She's not sure if this is relative, but given how things just are around here, she's willing to bet they all hear something different.

She's barely a shadow moving between the unit in the door and the hall, using practice honed by years as an invisible child thief to reach forward and click off any electronics she sees on her way through and drop them. She is built to see in the dark, after all, a little more definition than others around her. The others will barely notice her as a streak of faint light and flutter of winded wake before she's passed into the room beyond, the music room.

A hand is gripped around the flashlight of the woman she takes to be the unit's commander, given how she is the one at the forward point, and subsequently the slender fingers encompass the hand gripping it. Glowing quicksilver eyes are leveled as well as she can into the other's, her thumb pausing over the button to the flashlight.

"N̴ ̷O̶ ̴D̴ ̴E̸ ̷V̴ ̵I̴ ̷C̵ ̴E̵ ̷S̷"

A simple demand before the button is clicked, turning off the offensive device in question. To be honest, she's not sure how the Castle writes this rule. But given the things she herself has seen and been privy to in her time in the trees, it's better safe than sorry on this rule.